By: Ustadzjauhar Ridloni Marzuq, Lc. M.A.
DDHK.ORG - Gray hair is one of the natural phenomena experienced by humans. The onset of gray hair is usually related to a person's age and emotions. When he wanted to show his old age and his weakened body, but still hoped to get offspring, the Prophet Zakariya said:
قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّي وَهَنَ الْعَظْمُ مِنِّي وَاشْتَعَلَ الرَّأْسُ شَقيْبًا وَلَمْ أَكُنْ بِدُعَائِكَ رَبِّ اَ
"He (Zakariya) said" O my Lord, actually my bones have been weak and my head has been overgrown with gray hair, and I have never been disappointed in praying to You, my Lord. " (Surah Maryam: 4).
Rasulullah SAW, as a human being, Allah is destined to have gray hair. In a narration from Ibn Umar RA, he revealed: "Uban Rasulullah SAW is only about twenty pieces." (HR Tirmidhi).
Ali bin Hujair told us, he said, Shu'aib bin Shafwan told us, from Abdul Malik bin Umair, from Iyadh bin Laqith Al-Ajli, from Abu Ramtsah At-Taimi, Taimum Rabbab, he said, "I went to the Prophet. with my son. Then I showed Rasulullah to my son and said, 'This is the prophet of Allah'. He wore two pieces of green clothing. He has gray hair and his gray hair is red '. " (HR Tirmidhi).
Anas bin Malik RA also informed, "I only found 14 gray hair and beard of Rasullah Saw." (HR. Tirmidhi)
Although gray, but the gray hair of Rasulullah SAW is not as many as humans in general. Anas told that Rasulullah SAW's gray hair was only in his temples, and that wasn't much. From Qotadah, ra stated, that he asked Anas bin Malik, "Did Rosulullah Saw dye his hair?" Anas RA replied, "Rasulullah SAW never did it, even though he had gray hair on both temples. But Abu Bakr once dyed his hair with henna or al-katm. " (Narrated by Tirmidhi, Bukhori, Muslim)
Because not too much, when Rasulullah SAW used oil, his gray hair was not visible. Jabir bin Samuroh ra stated, "When Rosulullah Saw uses hair oil, he will not see his gray hair. But when he was not using hair oil, his gray hair appeared. " (Narrated by Tirmidhi, Muslim, Nasa'i).
What made the Prophet gray?
Apart from the age factor, gray hair can also appear due to emotional factors. Heavy burden of mind makes a person gray quickly. In a study conducted by cellular biologists at New York University and published in the journal Nature Medicine, researchers observed that the reduction in hair follicles could be due to a reduction in the body's stressed stem cells. Jennifer Lin, a dermatologist who conducts molecular biology research at the Harvard Cancer Center, in Boston, explained to Scientific American that it is possible that stress hormones interfere with the signal that instructs melanocytes to deliver melanin to keratinocytes. When this signal is interrupted, melanin will not provide pigment to hair.
It is said that Rasulullah SAW was visited by his friend Abu Bakar Ash Siddiq. Then his friend asked about the change in his hair which took place so fast and could be said that it was premature. Abu Bakr As-Siddiq asked, "O Messenger of Allah, what makes your hair gray?"
He replied, "Surah Hud and its brethren make me gray hair."
Hearing the answer from the Prophet, Abu Bakr was still curious. He then returned to ask, "What are the brothers?" He replied, "Surah Al-Waqi'ah, Al-Mursalat, An-Naba and At-Takwir. Everything makes me gray prematurely. " (HR. Tirmidhi, Thabrani).
It is also told by Sofyan bin Waki ', he revealed from Muhammad bin Bisyr, from Ali bin Salih, from Abu Ishaq, from Abu Juhaifah, he said, "They (the companions) said,' O Messenger of Allah, we see that you are actually gray. ' Then the Prophet sallallaahu alaihi wa aalihi wa shahbihi wa salam said, 'The Huud Letter and several similar letters have caused me to turn gray.' (HR. At-Tirmidhi and al-Hakim).
Some of us may wonder why this kind of thing happened. Isn't the surah that is inside Al-Quran it's just reading? Why is it so extraordinary that it makes Rasulullah SAW's hair turn gray?
We need to know that Al-Quran is not just plain reading. Allah Ta'ala said: "Allah has sent down the best words (namely) Al-Quran the same (the quality of the verses) again and again, trembling because of the skin of those who fear their Lord, then their skins and hearts calm when they remember Allah. " (Surah Az-Zumar [39]: 23).
In the QS Al-Muzzammil Allah defends Al-Quran as qaulan tsaqiilan (heavy words).
We will give you a heavy word
"Surely We will lower your kapadamu heavy words." (Surah Al-Muzzammil: 5). In the Tafsir Jalalain it is stated: "It is said that it is heavy considering the obligations contained therein."
From here, another question may arise, what content was in Surat Hud that the Messenger of Allah felt so heavy and made him gray?
There are at least three reasons:
First, Surat Hud tells the stories of previous people. The story contains many kinds of torments that Allah brought upon the people before the Prophet Muhammad because of their disbelief. These stories made Rasulullah SAW sad and worried that would happen to his people.
Second, Surah Hud and the like contains a description of the awesomeness and horror of the Last Day. So terrible is the Day of Judgment, Al-Quran depicts a child going gray and a pregnant woman about to have an abortion. "Then how will you be able to take care of yourself if you remain disbelievers on the day that the children turn gray." (Surah Al-Muzzammil: 17).
Third, in Surah Hud there is a verse which instructs to istiqamah.
اسْتَقِمْ ا ابَ لَا ا ا لُونَ
"Then istiqamahlah (keep) you on the right path, as ordered to you and (also) those who have repented with you and do not transgress your limits. Surely He is All-Seeing what you do. " (Surat Hud: 112)
Ibn Abbas RA said, "It was not revealed to Rasulullah SAW inside Al-Quran a verse that is more burdensome and troublesome than this verse. "
When explaining this verse in Tafsir Fi Zhilalil Quran, Sayyid Qutb mentioned the weight of istiqamah. Even though we know that the hereafter is eternal life and an essential future, we are often deceived by the world and often addicted to worldly pleasures. That is the weight of istiqamah. [DDHK News]
Presented at the Hong Kong Expatriate Study, Friday, October 16, 2020
