Islamic Studies MCQs – Page 28 (Q271-280)

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ married Khadijah (RA) approximately fifteen years before the start of his prophethood, at around twenty-five years of age, while revelation did not begin until he was about forty in the Cave of Hira. This means their marriage had already spanned roughly a decade and a half by the time he received the first revelation, giving Khadijah (RA) deep familiarity with his character and complete trust in his sincerity when he shared his prophetic experience with her. She became the first person to believe in his message, providing crucial emotional and financial support during the difficult early years of preaching in Makkah. Their marriage remained monogamous throughout its roughly twenty-five-year duration, until Khadijah's (RA) death.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was involved in the reconstruction of the Kaaba after it was damaged by a flood that weakened its walls, prompting the Quraysh clans of Makkah to undertake repairs and rebuild the structure to a greater height using existing materials supplemented by new stone. This reconstruction took place when the Prophet ﷺ was about thirty-five years old, years before he received prophethood. During the rebuilding process, a serious dispute arose among the participating clans over who would have the honor of placing the sacred Black Stone back into its position, a disagreement he was later asked to resolve. His fair and creative solution to this dispute is remembered as an early sign of his wisdom and sense of justice.

During the Kaaba reconstruction dispute, the Quraysh clans agreed to accept as arbiter the first person to enter the sanctuary the next morning, a method chosen to avoid further conflict between the competing clans who each sought the honor of placing the Black Stone. This role fell to the young Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, who happened to enter first the following morning, before he had received prophethood. He resolved the dispute by placing the stone on a cloth and having representatives from each clan lift a corner together, allowing all to share equally in the honor before he personally set the stone into its final position. This peaceful resolution avoided what could have become a violent confrontation between the clans.

When Prophet Muhammad ﷺ entered as the agreed arbiter for the Black Stone dispute, the Quraysh clans expressed relief because he was already known and trusted as Al-Amin, meaning his judgment was widely expected to be fair and impartial regardless of which clan he might otherwise be seen as favoring. His established reputation for honesty and trustworthiness meant that all parties readily accepted whatever solution he proposed, without suspicion of bias toward any particular clan. This event, occurring when he was about thirty-five years old, further cemented his standing among the Quraysh even before his prophethood began. It remains one of the most frequently cited examples of his wisdom and fairness in pre-Islamic Makkan society.

Hilf al-Fudul was formed by several Quraysh clans after an incident involving a merchant being denied payment or justice, specifically a visiting trader from Yemen who had sold goods to a powerful Makkan but was refused proper payment and was unable to obtain redress through normal channels. In response, a group of clans gathered and formed a pact committing themselves to defend the rights of the wronged and oppressed, regardless of their tribal affiliation or social status, ensuring the merchant eventually received his due payment. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, then a young man, participated in this alliance and later, even after receiving prophethood, spoke of it with pride, remarking that he would still honor a similar pact if invited to join one today.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ later described his participation in Hilf al-Fudul, even after prophethood, as something he would still be willing to join again, remarking that if invited to a similar pact under Islam he would gladly accept, despite the arrival of revelation having transformed so much else in his life. This statement reflects the enduring value Islam placed on justice, defending the wronged, and cooperating for righteous causes, principles that transcended the pact's pre-Islamic, tribal origins. The alliance, formed after a merchant was denied fair payment, brought together several Quraysh clans committed to protecting the vulnerable regardless of status. His continued admiration for it shows the consistency between his pre-prophetic values and his later prophetic teachings.

Before joining Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ household, Zayd ibn Harithah had been separated from his family and enslaved, captured during a raid as a child and later sold into slavery before eventually being acquired by Khadijah (RA), who gave him to her husband as a gift. When Zayd's biological father and uncle later located him and offered a ransom for his return, the Prophet ﷺ gave Zayd the free choice to leave with his family or remain, and Zayd chose to stay because of the kindness shown to him. This decision led the Prophet ﷺ to publicly free and adopt him, and Zayd became one of the most trusted and beloved companions in early Islamic history.

After Khadijah (RA) gave Zayd ibn Harithah to him, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ freed him and treated him as a son, formally adopting him in a public declaration before the Quraysh, a gesture unusual for the treatment of a former slave in that society. Zayd went on to become one of the earliest converts to Islam and one of the Prophet's ﷺ most trusted companions, eventually commanding Muslim expeditions, including the Battle of Mu'tah, where he was ultimately martyred. Quranic revelation in Surah Al-Ahzab later clarified the legal distinctions between adopted and biological sons, leading Zayd to be referred to by his biological father's name rather than as 'Zayd ibn Muhammad.' His devotion to the Prophet ﷺ remained unwavering throughout his life.

Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ care for young Ali ibn Abi Talib in his household reflected his gratitude and kindness toward his uncle Abu Talib's family, reciprocating the protection and support Abu Talib had shown him after the deaths of his own parents and grandfather. By taking in Ali as a young boy, the Prophet ﷺ helped ease the financial burden on Abu Talib, who was raising a large family with limited means. This close upbringing meant Ali (RA) grew up almost as a younger brother to the Prophet ﷺ, becoming one of the earliest converts to Islam and later marrying the Prophet's ﷺ daughter Fatimah (RA). Ali (RA) went on to become the fourth Rightly-Guided Caliph, renowned for his wisdom and courage.

Before the start of revelation, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was known to spend time in contemplation at the Cave of Hira, located on Jabal al-Nur near Makkah, where he would retreat periodically, particularly during the month of Ramadan, to reflect away from the city's idol worship and daily distractions. This practice of seeking solitude aligned him with a small number of other Makkans, known as Hanifs, who similarly sought a purer monotheistic faith outside the polytheistic norms of the time. It was during one such retreat, around 610 CE, that the Angel Jibreel (AS) appeared to him with the first verses of Surah Al-Alaq. This marked the beginning of twenty-three years of continuous Quranic revelation.