The Prophet’s Ascension (Mab'ath)
When did the Prophet’s ascension (Mab'ath) occur, at what age, and what significance does it hold for Muslims?
The Prophet’s ascension or Mab'ath refers to the commissioning of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) as a messenger of God, which occurred in the fortieth year after the Year of the Elephant. According to Shi’a Muslims, this event took place on the 27th of Rajab, while Sunni Muslims generally believe it happened in Ramadan. Most Islamic scholars agree that the Prophet was 40 years old at the time of his ascension.
The Mab'ath is considered the most fundamental and pivotal event in the Prophet’s life and Islamic history. It is celebrated as a major festival across all Islamic traditions, with various customs observed throughout the Muslim world.
Significance
Mab'ath is regarded as the greatest event in human history[1] and one of the most profound divine blessings.[2] It marks the beginning of Islam, a religion that initially emerged with few followers under challenging circumstances but later spread across the globe. The Mab'ath is seen as the starting point of a monumental transformation in human history.[3]
In the Qur'an, God emphasizes the significance of this event in Surah Aal-e-Imran (3:164): ﴾﴿.[4]
According to Shi’a tradition, the Mab'ath occurred on Monday, the 27th of Rajab, in the fortieth year after the Year of the Elephant, during the twentieth year of Khosrow II’s reign in Persia, equivalent to 610 CE.[5] Sunni scholars predominantly believe it occurred in Ramadan of the same year, with varying accounts placing the date on the 17th, 18th, or 24th of the month.[6]
The Beginning of Prophethood
The Prophet’s ascension is said to have taken place in his 40th year (or, according to less common accounts, in his 43rd year). The discrepancy arises from differing interpretations of the term "Mab'ath"—whether it refers to the first revelation or the commencement of public preaching.[7]
The event began when Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was in contemplation and worship in the Cave of Hira, situated on Mount Thawr. The first verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq ("Recite in the name of your Lord who created") were revealed to him, initiating his mission as a prophet. The revelation continued with the opening verses of Surah Al-Muddathir. Initially, the Prophet confided in his wife, Khadijah (PBUH), and his cousin, Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBUH), about his prophethood.
Three years later, with the revelation of Surah Ash-Shu'ara—"And warn your nearest kindred"[8]—the Prophet’s mission entered a new phase. It became public with the verse, "So proclaim openly what you have been commanded and turn away from the polytheists".[9]
For the first time, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) openly proclaimed his message at the Ukaz market, a bustling hub where people gathered for trade, poetry recitations, and storytelling. He called the crowd to silence and announced his mission. On that day, Abu Lahab mocked the Prophet, and others, following his lead, harassed him. However, Abu Talib (PBUH), the Prophet’s uncle, intervened to protect him, reprimanding those who caused harm. Despite the resistance, a few individuals embraced the message and joined the small group of believers who had accepted the faith in secrecy during the initial three years of the prophetic mission.[10]
It is said that the first signs of the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) commissioning appeared when he was 40 years old, on a night in either Ramadan or Rajab. On this occasion, the Angel Gabriel appeared to him in the Cave of Hira and revealed the initial verses of Surah Al-‘Alaq. It is also reported that there was a brief pause in the revelation, which caused the Prophet (PBUH) great sadness.[11] However, the Angel Gabriel soon returned and instructed him to begin guiding his people. According to Tafsir Nemooneh and the consensus of most Quranic exegetes, Surah Al-‘Alaq is believed to be the first chapter revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).[12]
Sources
- ↑ Sayyid ʿAlavī, Sayyid Ibrāhīm, “Baʿthat-i Payāmbar dar Tārīkh-i Ṭabarī,” Keyhān-i Andīsha, no. 25, 1368 SH, p. 57.
- ↑ Balāghī, Ṣadr al-Dīn, “Mabʿath-i Khātam al-Anbiyāʾ,” Dār al-Salām, no. 24, Urdībihisht 1331 SH, p. 9.
- ↑ Muṭīʿ, Mahdī, “Baʿthat,” Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Tehran: Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, vol. 12, entry.
- ↑ ʿAlavī Mihr, Ḥusayn, “Baʿthat wa Ahdāf-i Ān,” Farhang-i Kowthar, no. 44, 1379 SH, p. 12.
- ↑ Mudīr Shāna-chī, Kāẓim, “Baʿthat-i Rasūl-i Akram (ṣ),” Nāma-yi Āstān-i Quds, nos. 29 and 30, 1346 SH, p. 17; Muṭīʿ, Mahdī, “Baʿthat,” Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Tehran: Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, vol. 12, entry.
- ↑ “Payāmbar (ṣ) dar Che Tārīkhī bih Payāmbarī Mabʿūth Shud?,” Āyīn-i Raḥmat, accessed: 24 Bahman 1402 SH.
- ↑ Muṭīʿ, Mahdī, “Baʿthat,” Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Tehran: Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, vol. 12, entry.
- ↑ 26:214
- ↑ Surah Al-Hijr, 15:94
- ↑ Muṭīʿ, Mahdī, “Baʿthat,” Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Tehran: Markaz-i Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, vol. 12, entry.
- ↑ Jamʿī az Nawīsandagān, “Islām,” Dāʾirat al-Maʿārif-i Buzurg-i Islāmī, Tehran, vol. 8, entry.
- ↑ Makāram Shīrāzī, Nāṣir, Tafsīr-i Namūnah, Tehran: Dār al-Kutub al-Islāmīya, 1371 SH, vol. 27, p. 153.