The Life of the Prophet Muhammad by Ibn Kathir - Volume 1 of 4

286 THE LIFE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD
that which palpitates. This would refer to the area between the neck and the
collarbone. Others interpret it as the base of the breast, or as the flesh of the
breast. There are also other interpretations of the word.
Regarding the phrase, "Wrap me up! Wrap me up!", when his terror had
calmed he asked Khadija, "What is wrong with me? What was it appeared to me?"
and then related what had happened. He then said, "I was afraid for myself."
This was because he had witnessed something he had never experienced or
imagined before.
That was why Khadija said to him, "Be of good cheer! Oh no! I swear by
God, He would never abuse you." The word for "abuse" here is from al-khrzy
(disgrace); others say the word is from al-huzn, meaning sadness, that is, "He
would never sadden you."
This statement relates to her knowledge of the fine behaviour characteristics
God had instilled in him, and that those endowed with the qualities of goodness
would not be abused in this world or the hereafter.
She then made reference to those exemplary traits that made his fine character.
She said, "You maintain family ties, you are truthful." The Prophet (SAAS) was
famous for that among those both who agreed and disagreed with hi.
The words ma tahmzlu al-kalla, i.e, "you carry the burden", that is, you do so
for others imply "you provide for those in need what will alleviate their burden
of supporting their family".
The phrase ma taksrbu al-ma'dijma, translated here as "you provide for the
poor", means that you hurry to do good by giving to the poor before others do
so. The poor are called by the term alma'dtim because they are lacking in their
lives, their existence or "non-existence" (a meaning also of this word) being the
same. As a certain poet said,
"He who is relieved by death did not die; there are those who are dead though they
are still living."
Abn d-Hasan al-Tihm said, as was reported from him by al-qPi, the judge,
'Iyad, in the exegesis of Muslim,
"The poor can be considered dead, their clothing a threadbare winding-sheet,
their shelter the grave."
Al-Kha