Birth Year of Prophet Muhammad

The year, month, date, day and the time of Prophet Muhammad’s birth are considered to be sacred and bountiful. Various statements regarding the details of year, month, date, day and the time of Prophet Muhammad’s birth were given initially, as the ancient Arab people used to memorize the dates, days and important events, and no writings were preserved. Thus, a difference in the narrations of the dates and events occurred. However, later on, these details were confirmed due to the research and agreement of the majority of scholars of History, Hadith, Biography and Islamic Jurisprudence.

Birth in the Year of the Elephants

According to historical sources, Prophet Muhammad was born in A’am-Al-Feel (عام الفیل) or the ‘Year of the Elephants’. It was called ‘Year of the Elephants’ because in that year, the Holy Ka’bah was attacked by the Elephant force of Abraha (an Aksumite army general and later King of Himyar). ¹ However, this force of Abraha was defeated and completely destroyed. Historians have written that the defeat of Abraha was a miracle which occurred before the birth of Prophet Muhammad ² to distinguish that year from others. The defeat of Abraha is also mentioned in a complete chapter of the

. ³ Imam Al-Qastallani states that the reference of his birth in ‘Year of the Elephants’ has been reported by Ibn Abbas as well. ⁴ Many historians, scholars of biographies have endorsed the fact that Prophet Muhammad was born in the Year of the Elephants. Their viewpoints are given below:

Ibn Ishaq, the first biographer of Prophet Muhammad states:

  عن قیس بن مخرمة قال ولدت انا و رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه علیه وسلم عام الفیل وكنا لدین. ⁵

  Narrated by Qais ibn Mukhrama: he said: I and the Holy Prophet were born in Year of the Elephants and so we are age fellows.

Ibn Hisham, another eminent biographer of Prophet Muhammad states:

  ولد رسول اللّٰه صلى اللّٰه علیه وسلم ...عام الفیل. ⁶

  The Prophet of Allah was born in Year of the Elephants.

The same is endorsed by Ibn Habban, ⁷ Imam Bayhaqi, ⁸ Ibn Kathir ⁹ and many other historians as well. Imam Qastallani adds that some people have given other opinions regarding the birth year of Prophet Muhammad , but they are very few in number and have little or no evidence to support their claims, whereas majority of historians and scholars agree on the fact that the Holy Prophet was born in Year of the Elephants ¹⁰ which corresponds to 570 A.D. as per the view of Oxford Islamic Studies ¹¹ and Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies. ¹²

The Sacred Birth: Before or After the Incident of the Elephants

It is an established fact that the Prophet Muhammad was born after the incident of the Elephants. Sheikh Ali ibn Ibrahim states:

  ولادته قيل كانت فى عام الفيل، قيل فى يومه فعن ابن عباس قال: ولد رسول اللّٰه صلی اللّٰه علیه وسلم يوم الفيل...وقد يراد باليوم مطلق الوقت فيصدق بالعام، كما يقال يوم الفتح ويوم بدر...وقيل ولد بعد الفيل بخمسين يوما،كما ذهب إليه جمع منهم السهيلي قال بعضهم: وهو المشهور.¹³

  For the birth of the Prophet Muhammad , it has been said that it happened in Year of the Elephants; It is also said that it occurred on The Day of Elephants. So is narrated by Ibn Abbas that the (Holy) Prophet was born on the day of Elephants… (The Arabs) usually used the word of ‘day’ for time but sometimes they used it to refer to a year. So, the years in which Conquest of Makkah, and Battle of Badr took place were also called ‘Day of Conquest’ and ‘Day of Badr’ respectively. It is also reported that the Holy Prophet was born fifty days after the incident of the Elephants and this is famous as well, as quoted by Al-Suhaili and others (scholars).

Thus, according to the authentic sources, Prophet Muhammad was born within fifty days after the incident of the Elephants in Year of the Elephants. This information is endorsed by Ali Shabbir ¹⁴ and discussed in detail by Imam Qastallani in his book Al-Mawahib Al-Ladunniyah as well. ¹⁵

Significance of Prophet Muhammad's Birth in the Year of the Elephant

Prophet Muhammad’s birth in Year of the Elephants was a divine signal. In this year, it was seen that the Christians, who were the people of the Book, were defeated by the polytheists of Makkah. This was a sign that the power centre of religion had shifted to Makkah, and all this was done to welcome someone who was special, and would change the course of history. As Sheikh Yousuf ibn Ismail Nabhani quotes that Imam Mawardi states:

  وقال الامام الماوردى ولما دنا مولد رسول الله صلی الله علیه وسلم تقاطرت آیات نبوته و ظھرت آیات بركته فکان من اعظمھا شانا واظھرھا برھانا واشھرھا عیانا و بیانا قصة اصحاب الفیل. ¹⁶

  Conveys Imam Mawardi: the signs of prophet-hood and its blessings started to emerge when the time of birth of the Holy Prophet came near. Amongst them, the most prominent and magnificent indication is the incident of elephants.

Ibn Qayyim adds:

  لا خلاف أنه ولد بجوف مكة وأن مولده كان عام الفيل وكان أمر الفيل تقدمة قدمها الله لنبيه وبيته، وإلا فأصحاب الفيل كانوا نصارى أهل كتاب، وكان دينھم خيرا من دين أهل مكة إذ ذاك لأنھم كانوا عباد أوثان فنصرهم الله على أهل الكتاب نصرا لا صنع للبشر فيه، إرهاصا وتقدمة للنبي صلی الله علیه وسلم الذى خرج من مكة، وتعظيما للبيت الحرام. ¹⁷

  There is no disagreement in the matter that the Holy Prophet was born in Makkah; and the incident of The Elephants was an indication that Allah sent (the flocks of the birds) in the honor of his home (Baitullah) and his Prophet . Otherwise the people of The Elephants were Ahl-e-Kitab (people of the Book) and in comparison to the religion of the people of Makkah, their religion was superior; because they were idol worshippers. Yet, Allah helped them against the people of the Book in such a manner that no human power had a role in it. This happened merely to inform the people about the arrival of the Holy Prophet who was born in Makkah (later on). And it happened due to the honor of the respectable city (Makkah).

Defeat of Abraha and his forces due to the arrival of Ababeel (flock of birds) and the salvation of the Makkans without any destruction shows that there was a divine intervention in this matter. Due to this reason, this year became more prominent, to the extent that the Arabs used it as a point of reference. This also showcased the fact that the one who would save humanity was also about to arrive in this world.

 

---

• ¹ Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Qastallani (2009), Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Manh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 73.
• ² Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr ibn Qayyam Al-Jawzi (2005), Zaad Al-Ma’ad, Muassasah Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 74.
• ³ Holy Quran, Al-Fil (The Elephant) 105: 1-5
• ⁴ Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Qastallani (2009), Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Manh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 73.
• ⁵ Muhammad ibn Ishaq ibn Yasar Al-Madani (2009), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Ishaq, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 99.
• ⁶ Abd Al-Malik ibn Hisham (2009), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah le-ibn Hisham, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 128.
• ⁷ Abu Hatim Muhammad ibn Habban Al-Tamimi Al-Darmi (1417 A.H.), Al-Seerat Al-Nabawiyah wa Akhbar Al-Khulafah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Thaqafiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 33.
• ⁸ Abu Bakr Ahmed ibn Hussain Al-Bayhaqi (2008), Dalail Al-Nabuwwah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 77-78.
• ⁹ Abul Fida Ismael ibn Kathir Al-Damishqi (1998), Al-Bidayah wa Al-Nihayah, Dar Ihya Al-Turath Al-Arabi, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 2, Pg. 321.
• ¹⁰ Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Qastallani (2009), Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Manh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 73.
• ¹¹ Oxford Islamic Studies (Online): http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e2537: Retrieved: 18-01-2021
• ¹² Lawrence I. Conrad (1987), Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies: Abraha and Muḥammad ﷺ: Some Observations Apropos of Chronology and Literary "topoi" in the Early Arabic Historical Tradition, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K., Vol. 50, No. 2, Pg. 225.
• ¹³ Ali ibn Ibrahim ibn Ahmed Al-Halabi (2013), Al-Seerah Al-Halabiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 86.
• ¹⁴ Ali Shabbir (1930), Tareekh Mawlid Al-Nabi, Deccan Law Report, Deccan, India, Pg. 26-28.
• ¹⁵ Ahmed ibn Muhammad Al-Qastallani (2009), Al-Mawahib Al-Laduniyyah bil Manh Al-Muhammadiyah, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 73-74.
• ¹⁶ Yusuf ibn Ismail Nabhani (2005), Hujjatullah ala Al-A’lameen fe Maujizat Sayyid Al-Mursalin, Dar Al-Kutub Al-Ilmiyah, Beirut, Lebanon, Pg. 170.
• ¹⁷ Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr ibn Qayyam Al-Jawzi (2005), Zaad Al-Ma’ad, Muassisah Al-Risala, Beirut, Lebanon, Vol. 1, Pg. 74-75