Prelude...

Muhammad’s childhood and youth were a prelude to his Prophethood.

Besides his other exalted, laudable characteristics, everyone agreed upon his truthfulness and trustworthiness. He never lied, never cheated and never broke his word.

He did not participate in jahiliyya, even for a second. He was called ‘the Truthful, Trustworthy Man’ even by his bitterest enemies.

People would say of him: ‘If you go on a journey and need someone to whose safeguarding you will entrust your wife, you can entrust her to Muhammad without hesitation. He will not take even a momentary glance at her face. If you want to entrust your wealth for safeguarding, entrust it to this trustworthy, honest man. He will never touch it.

If you look for someone who never tells a lie and never breaks his word, go directly to Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, because what-ever he says is true.’

Those who knew him from his childhood immediately believed in him when he declared his Prophethood.
Among them were Abu BakAr, ‘Uthman, Talha, Zubayr, Abu Dharr, and Yasir.

When ‘Ammar told his father, Yasir, that he believed in Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, the latter responded to him, saying: ‘If Muhammad says that God is One, it is true. He never lies.’

In the early days of his Prophethood, the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, once summoned the people of the Quraysh to gather at the foot of the hill of Abu Qubays and asked them: Would you believe me if I told you an enemy host was waiting behind this hill to attack you? ‘Yes, we would believe you,’ all of them answered, including even his red-haired uncle, Abu Lahab, his most bitter enemy.

When mankind were in dire need of someone to destroy the order of unbelief and breathe a new life into the world, God raised Muhammad, upon him be peace and blessings, to stop all forms of wickedness.

In the words of Ahmad Shawky:

The sun of guidance was born
and the entire universe was illumined.
A smile appeared on the lips of time
and his praises were sung.

When he appeared on the horizon of Madina years later, the pure, innocent children of that illumined city would sing his praises as follows:

Tala'al Badru 'AlaynaMin Thaniyyaatil Wadaa'
Wajabah Shukru 'AlaynaMaada'a Lillahi Daa'
The full moon rises on us.From Thaniyyatil Wadaa'
And it is abiligatory on us to express thanksWhenever called upon by a summoner for the sake of Allah.

Yaa Nabi Salaam 'alaika...Yaa Rasul Salaam 'alaika...Yaa Habib Salaam 'alaika...Salawaatu'llah 'alaika ... and then the drums start beating... : )