Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was twelve years old when Abu Taalib decided to travel to Syria with some people of the Quraish to do business. Because the journey to Syria was long and difficult, Abu Taalib was not going to take Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) with him. However, when he was leaving, he saw that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was sad to be separated from him and left behind, so he decided to take him with.
While they were traveling to Syria, they came near the city of Busra where a Christian monk lived. A monk is a person who stays in a church and spends his whole life in worship. This monk was named Jarjees, but people would call him Baheera. Because he was a Christian, he had read the Injeel and knew the signs to recognize the final Prophet of Allah Ta‘ala.
Abu Taalib and the Quraish had passed by Baheera many times before, when traveling to Syria in the past, but he was never interested in them and never came to meet them. However, this time, Baheera came out of his church, came to the travellers and began to look at them. As soon as he saw the young boy, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he immediately recognised him to be the final Prophet who was mentioned in all the holy books of the past. Baheeraa held the hand of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said with excitement, “This is the leader of the worlds! This is the prophet of the Rabb of the worlds. Allah Ta‘ala will send him as a mercy for the people of the worlds.”
The leaders of the Quraish asked him, “How do you know this?” He replied, “When you came out from the valley, I saw every single rock and tree fall into sajdah, and trees and rocks only make sajdah for a Nabi of Allah. Also, I recognize him from his seal of prophethood which is a piece of flesh, resembling an apple, that is on his back, just below his shoulder blade.”
Baheera then wished to honour Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), so he prepared a meal for them. However, when they came to eat, he saw that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was absent. When he asked them where Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was, they answered that he was out grazing the camels. Hearing this, Baheera sent someone to call him.
As Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) came, a cloud was giving him shade from the heat of the sun. When he arrived, the only shade to sit in was the shade under a tree, but there was no space for him under the tree, because everybody else was already sitting there. Seeing this, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) sat on one side. However, the moment he sat down, the shade of the tree moved away from everybody else and came to cover him. Baheera saw this and said, “Look at the shade of this tree and how it moved towards him!”
Baheera then stood and told Abu Taalib and the Quraish that they must not take him to Rome. He warned them that if they took him to Rome, then the Romans would recognize him to be the final Nabi of Allah and will kill him because they will be jealous of him. Abu Taalib accepted the advice of Baheera and sent Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) back to Makkah Mukarramah with Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) and Sayyiduna Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). Baheera also gave them some bread and olive oil to eat while returning to Makkah Mukarramah.
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