Until the birth of Last Messenger of God and Seal of Prophets Holy Prophet Muhammad b. Abdullah Al-Mustafa (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) on the 17th of Rabi` ul Awwal in the Year of Elephant (Aam` ul-Feel)[corresponding to 570 C.E.] in the holy city of Makkah, people all over the world were in great poverty as to thought, opinions, individual and social attitudes; the world was troubled and submerged with polytheism and idolatry; the fire of corruption was flaming; superstitions and false views ruled the world in the name of religion; many worshipped non-Allah; Tribal fights and disputes were very common; the Arabian Peninsula was suffering from social, economic, political and other crisis, up to a point where Arabs were facing extinction because of their ignorance and the power of their oppressive neighbors.

The Creator of the Universe - Allah - describes them in the holy Quran as "…They had been in the abyss of ignorance and misguidance." (62:2) while Gate of Knowledge Imam Ali (peace be upon him) portrays in Nahj`ul Balagha the social condition of the Arabs in pre-holy Prophet days in the following way, "…society was in such a corrupt state that no true form of religion was followed. Convictions and beliefs about truth and justice were disrespected; basic principles of life had become very divergent; commands of Allah were set at naught; a way out of this vicious chaos seemed impossible and the road to the realm of Allah appeared closed".

Then the promised deliverer Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) came into this world to guide ignorant mankind. He was born an orphan, his father having died a few months before his birth.

Here are some narrations regarding the events that took place at the time of birth of the most dignified Messenger of Allah Muhammad Al-Mustafa (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) known as Sadiq (the Truthful) and Amin (the Trusted) and was sent as "The Mercy for this World and the Hereafter":

Aminah (peace be upon her), the mother of the prophet (peace be upon him and his pure progeny), told that at the time of his birth she heard many voices having no human resemblance, and saw displayed a banner of the silk of paradise, mounted on a staff of ruby and filling all the space between heaven and earth. Light beamed from the head of the child, illuminating the heavens.

It is related on the authority of Imam Ja`far As-Sadiq (peace be upon him) that Iblees was at first allowed to go up even to the seventh heaven and listen to the reports of those blessed abodes, but when Prophet Isa (peace be upon him) was born, Iblees was inhibited to the three heavens, and on the birth of Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny) the demons were debarred from them all, and driven by arrows of meteoric fire from the gates of those celestial regions.

At the birth of the prophet every idol fell on its face; and the palaces of Kesry, emperor of Persia, trembled, and fourteen of the towers fell; Lake Sivah that was worshipped disappeared; its site is the salt plain near Kasham. The Valley of Samavah, where for a number of years no water had been seen, now flowed with that element; The sacred fire of Fars, which had not been extinguished for a thousand years, were quenched that night, on which likewise, the wisest of the Magian clerics dreamed that a number of strong camels led the horses of Arabia across the Tigris into their territory. On that night a light appeared in Hijaz (A district of Arabia, including Makkah) filling the whole world and moving eastward; on the morning following, the thrones of all the kings were found reversed; the skill of the soothsayers (fortune-teller) departed, the magic of the sorcerers ended.

At holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny)’s birth, Iblees shrieked among his infernal children who drew to inquire what new curse had befallen him. Woe to you! he cried, throughout this night I have observed momentous changes in the heavens and the earth. Some great event must have transpired on earth unparallel since the ascension of Isa to heaven; fly to discover what it is. The subordinate fiends (beasts) flew in all directions, on their infernal errand (task), but returned without making any discovery to satisfy the doubts of Iblees, who then undertook the matter himself, glided down to the earth, and sought far and wide around, till at last, coming to Makkah, he found the sacred place encircled by a host of angels, who repelled him with a shout. He then assumed the form of a sparrow and entered the city, but angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) detected him in this disguise, and sternly said, Begone, accursed! He replied allow me only to ask what has occurred on earth the past night. Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) answered: Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny), the best of the prophets, is born. Have I any portion in him? inquired the accursed. No, said Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him). But have I no portion in his sect? added the evil spirit. Yes, replied the archangel, upon which Iblees professed himself satisfied, and departed.

It is related from Ali (peace be upon him), the commander of the faithful, that the idols which were in the Kaaba fell on their faces when the prophet was born, and a voice proclaimed from heaven: Truth is revealed and error is annihilated. The whole world was illuminating on that night, and every stone and clod and tree laughed for joy, and all things in heaven and earth uttered praise to Allah. Iblees fled, crying: The best and the dearest of creatures is Muhammad (peace be upon him and his pure progeny).

Iblees, after learning what had transpired, assembled his offspring and cast dust on his head, crying: Since my creation no calamity like this has befallen me; a son is born whom they call Muhammad bin Abdullah (peace be upon him and his pure progeny); He will destroy idolatry, and require men to worship Allah in unity of His being. Hereupon the whole evil crew cast the dust of degradation on their heads, and fled to the fourth sea, where they wept forty days.

[Excerpts from the book “Hayat` ul Quloub” Vol. 2 written by Allamah Majlisi (late)]