BISMILLAH IR RAHMAN IR RAHEEM THE FOUNDING OF BECCA Becca is the early name for Mecca Adapted for children from an authentic Hadith of Prophet Muhammad praise and veneration be upon him and the Seerah WITH A QUIZ by Khadeijah Stephens Copyrighted 2000 by the Mosque of the Internet and Khadeijah Stephens www.mosque.com TERMS OF PUBLICATION AND DISTRIBUTION The Mosque of the Internet grants permission to Islamic schools, organizations or Muslim individuals to download, copy, print, publish, record and/or distribute this story either for profit or non-profit without reimbursement to the Mosque of the Internet providing the following six conditions are complied with in full and without exception. The Mosque of the Internet owns and retains the copyright of this story and no other person/s, school, organization or individual etc., owns or has any right or claim to the copyright. No alterations whatsoever are made. Reference to The Mosque of the Internet with its internet address www.mosque.com appears on the front cover. Should artwork be included in its publication the artwork must conform with Islamic principles, for example no drawings of human beings. The Mosque of the Internet is informed of its publication and ten copies of the published book sent to the Mosque of the Internet. If any of these conditions are not met then all previously mentioned permission/s are automatically revoked and legal action will be taken to the maximum extent of the copyright infringement jurisdiction law in the State of Delaware, USA will be sought. Many years before this story takes place Prophet Abraham married Lady Sarah. Prophet Abraham was from the city of Hara in Iraq and it was there that he destroyed the idols in the temple. The priests were outraged and determined to kill him so they built a huge bonfire and placed Abraham in the middle. However, Abraham remained calm and surrendered himself totally to the will of Allah and trusted Him. As the fire was lit, Allah in His Mercy turned to Abraham and commanded the fire to burn with coolness so that it would not burn him; not even a single hair of Abraham was scorched! The onlookers were amazed, when, after the fire had consumed itself, Abraham walked away unharmed. However, even after witnessing this very great miracle, they were so arrogant that they still refused to abandon their idolatry! The priests knew the only way to get rid of Abraham was to exile him from their country, and so Abraham, his wife and a handful of those who believed packed their belongings and left. Abraham's journey took Sarah and himself to far away Egypt, and it is there that they set up home. The years rolled by and Abraham and Sarah were now elderly and remained childless. It was during their time in Egypt that Hagar, an honorable lady-in-waiting in Pharaoh's court, became a very close companion to Sarah. Such was the love of Sarah for her husband and Hagar, that one day she suggested to Abraham that he might like to take Hagar to be her co-wife and that perhaps through their union a son would be born to the family. Prophet Abraham and Lady Hagar accepted Lady Sarah's suggestion and so they were married. Allah blessed the marriage and a son was born to them whom they named Ishmael. Sarah was delighted and the baby was a great source of happiness to the family. Several years later, Sarah was rewarded for her patience, and although she was very elderly, by the will of Allah, she bore a son whom they named Isaac. Before Ishmael completed his weaning, which means to say he was under the age of three, Prophet Abraham saw a vision in which he was instructed to take Lady Hagar and their infant son to a faraway place called Becca, in the peninsular of Arabia, known today as Mecca, and leave them there. Mecca lies in a valley surround by mountains and hills with three passes. One to the north, another to the south and the other to the west. The valley had long been one of the most traveled caravan routes in Arabia, however, it remained uninhabited largely because it lacked water. Upon reaching Becca, Prophet Abraham settled Lady Hagar and Ishmael under the shade of a large tree and gave his wife a large bag of dates and a water-skin full of water, then, he turned away and started to leave them. Lady Hagar followed after him and asked: "Abraham, where are you going, are you leaving us in an uninhabited provisionless wilderness?" She asked the same question several times, but Abraham did not reply. Then, searching for a reason and knowing her husband would never do anything to earn the displeasure of Allah she inquired: "Has Allah commanded you to do this?" whereupon he replied: "Yes". So she comforted them both saying: "Then He will not let us perish," and returned to her infant. ABRAHAM SUPPLICATES FOR LADY HAGGAR AND ISHMAEL: At a place called Thania, Abraham stopped and turned his face in the direction of the ruins of Ka'ba -- the first House of Allah to be built on earth -- which now lay buried in the sand. He raised his hands and supplicated: "Our Lord, I have settled some of my offspring in a barren valley near Your Holy House; Our Lord let them offer the prayer, and make the hearts of men yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits in order that they are thankful." Koran, Chapter 4 verse 37. Allah had promised Abraham that from his offspring would arise great nations, that is why Abraham refers to having settled "Some of his offspring" near Ka'ba. This promised was fulfilled as it was from the descendants of Prophet Ishmael that Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon all the prophets, was born. Lady Hagar suckled her infant son and gave him water from the skin until none remained. It wasn't long until both became very thirsty and Ishmael became greatly distressed. Lady Hagar could not bear to see her son in such condition and searched frantically for some water, but could find none. In desperation she climbed a nearby shill, the hill of Safwa, and stood at its top and looked around in all directions to see if there was anyone in sight to help her -- but there was no one. She ran back down the hill and in her anxiety ran across the valley and climbed to the top of the neighboring hill of Marwah, but again to no avail. She ran between the two hills seven times, but could find neither caravaners nor water. ALLAH HEARS THE CRY OF LADY HAGGAR: Upon the seventh time she reached the hill of Marwah she heard a voice. She calmed herself and listened attentively, and called out: "I have heard Your voice, would that my supplication might reach You." And there, standing near the place we know today as Zamzam stood Angel Gabriel. Gabriel struck the ground with either his heel or wings, and water gushed forth. Hastily, she dug a hole in the ground into which the water flowed and filled her water-skin to the top as the water gushed forth with still greater force. Quickly, she drank a handful of water and raced back to her son to give him some. Then, Gabriel spoke saying: "Do not be afraid of perishing here, because it is here that your son and his father will build a House for Allah. Allah will not let those around it perish." THE RUINS OF KA'BA: In those days, the ruins of Ka'ba were elevated on a piece of land covered by sand in the shape of a mound, and when rain eventually fell it would run on either side. THE CARAVANERS: Ishmael and his mother continued to live in Mecca by themselves until one day caravaners from the tribe of Jurhum returning from Kada'a, struck camp a little distance from the place where Lady Hagar had made her home. As the caravaners unloaded their camels they observed birds circling in the sky not far away. Their experience had taught them that birds circling in this manner might well indicate water. Ever hopeful of finding a fresh supply of water in that desolate region, they thought it was worth investigating, although from their past experience they had never found water anywhere in that area. Several tribesmen were sent to investigate. When they reached the place over which the birds circled, to their great surprise and joy they found the spring of Zamzam and returned quickly to tell their fellow travelers. Upon hearing the good news the caravaners stopped what they were doing and rushed to both see and drink the fresh water. LADY HAGGAR MEETS THE JURHUM CARAVANERS: When they reached Zamzam, the caravaners found Lady Hagar standing nearby and asked her permission to strike camp near her. Lady Hagar agreed on condition that she retained the water rights and that her son would be the prince of Becca. The Jurhumites agreed and settled themselves in Becca whilst sending word to their families to come and join them there. And so it was that from that time onward, Becca became an established town on the caravan routes of Arabia. QUIZ TIME From which country was Prophet Abraham expelled? What did Allah command the fire to do? Who was the first wife of Prophet Abraham? In which country did Prophet Abraham and his wife settle after their expulsion? In whose court was Lady Hagar a lady-in-waiting? Who suggested that Abraham should take Hagar to be his wife? What was the name of their son, was it Isaac or Ishmael? What was the approximate age of Lady Hagar's son when he and his mother were left under the tree? What did Lady Hagar ask Prophet Abraham as he walked away from them? What was Prophet Abraham's reply? What are the names of the two hills Lady Hagar ran between? Why did she run between them? What was the name of the angel who appeared to her? What did he do? What happened? What did the caravaners see that was unusual? Had the caravaners ever found water in the area before? Who did the caravaners find standing by the well? What was the condition Lady Hagar made for her son? Did the caravaners send for their families to come and live in Becca? QUIZ TIME ANSWERS Iraq Allah commanded the fire to burn with coolness Lady Sarah Egypt Pharaoh Lady Sarah Ishmael He was under the age of weaning. If you said under the age of three, its OK. She asked if Allah had commanded him to leave them there. Yes The hills of Safwa and Marwa To try and find water, or see if there was someone coming. Angel Gabriel He struck the ground with either his wing or heel. Water gushed forth They saw birds circling in the air No Lady Hagar That he should be the prince of Becca Yes SCORE 1 - 5 Why not read the story again and then retake the quiz? 6 - 10 Good, you tried hard 11 - 15 Very Good indeed! 16 - 19 EXCELLENT! You are almost a Star Pupil! 20 WOW, YOU ARE A STAR PUPIL of the Mosque of the Internet. Why not read the Seerah in the Mosque's college, there are lots of good stories there!