The Life of Muhammad The Prophet
The Dawn of Prophethood
It was a man from among themselves who was to lift the Arabs from their
slough of ignorance and depravity into the light of faith and devotion
to one God.
Because of its geographical position and connection by land and sea
routes with the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, Arabia had been
powerfully influenced by the superstitious beliefs and evil ways
prevailing in many parts of these continents. But once it forsook
disbelief and unbecoming practices, it could, as a result of the same
geographical position, easily become the center of enlightenment
radiating guidance and knowledge to the entire world.
When Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) was 38 years of age, he spent most of his time
in meditation and solitude. The cave of the mount Hira was his favorite
place. It is there that he used to retire with food and water and spend
days and weeks in remembrance of Allah. Nobody was allowed to go there
except Khadijah and 'Ali. He used to spend the whole month of Ramadhan
therein.
The period of waiting had come to a close. His forty years of life had
varied experiences, and from the world's point of view, he had developed
a maturity of mind and judgement, although in reality he was the
embodiment of perfection from the very beginning. He has said: "I was a
prophet when Adam was between water and clay." His heart was overflowing
with profound compassion for mankind and a pressing urge to eradicate
wrong beliefs, social evils, cruelty and injustice. The moment had
arrived when he was to be allowed to declare his prophethood. One day,
when he was in the cave of Hira, Jibril (Gabriel) came to him and
conveyed to him the following message of Allah:
Read in the name of thy Lord Who created, created man from a clot (of
congealed blood): Read and thy Lord is most Bountiful, no
taught with the pen, taught man that which he knew not. (Qur'an,
96:1-5)
These were the first ayats to be revealed, and the date was the 27th
of Rajab, 40th year of elephant (610 C.E.).
The flow of the Divine message which continued for the next
twenty-three years had begun, and the Prophet had arisen to proclaim the
Unity of God and the Unity of Mankind, to demolish the edifice of
superstition, ignorance, and disbelief, to set up a noble conception of
life, and to lead mankind to the light of faith and celestial bliss.
Commencement of the Mission
The task was stupendous. The Prophet, therefore, started his mission
cautiously, confining it initially to his own close relatives and
friends. He was met with immediate success. His wife Khadijah testified
to his truth as soon as she heard the news of the revelation from God.
Then his cousin 'Ali, and his liberated slave and adopted son Zaid,
readily accepted the new faith, Islam, "submission to the Will of God."
The fourth was Abu Bala.
Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani in his book Al-Isabah, and 'Abdul Malik ibn
Hisham in his book As-Sirah have written that:
"Ali was the first to accept Islam and pray (offer salat), and that he
accepted whatever was revealed to the Messenger by the Lord. At that
time, 'Ali was only ten years old. After 'Ali, Zaid ibn Harithah
accepted the Islamic creed and prayed and then Abu Bakr embraced Islam.
The companions of the Holy Prophet, Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qarzi, Salman
the Persian, Abu Dharr, Miqdad, Khabbab, Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri and Zaid
ibn al-Arqam testify that 'Ali was the first to proclaim Islam. These
celebrated companions have given'Ali preference over others."
Justice Ameer Ali writes in his Spirit of Islam:
"It is a noble feature in the history of the Prophet of Arabia, and one
which strongly attests the sincerity of his character, the purity of his
teachings and the intensity of his faith in God, that his nearest
relations, his wife, beloved cousin and intimate friends, were most
thoroughly imbued with the truth of his mission and convinced of his
inspiration. Those who knew him best, closest relations and dearest
friends, people who lived with him and noted all his movements, were his
sincere and most devoted followers."
John Davenport writes in his Apology for Mohammed and the Koran:
"It is strongly corroborative of Mohammed's sincerity that the earliest
converts to Islam were his bosom friends and the people of his
household, who, all intimately acquainted with his private life, could
not fail to have detected those discrepancies which more or less
invariably exist between the pretensions of the hypocritical deceiver
and his actions at home."
Slowly the message spread. During the first three years, he gained only
thirty followers. In spite of the caution and care exercised, the
Quraish were well posted with what was going on. At first they did not
take much note and only jeered at the Prophet and the plight of his
followers. They doubted his sanity and thought him crazed and possessed.
But the time had come for proclaiming the will of God in public.
Calling the Near Ones
After three years, the call came from Allah:
And warn thy near relations (Qur'an, 26:214)
This ayat (verse) ended the period of secret preaching and heralded
the open proclamation of Islam.
Abu Muhammad Husain al-Baghawi (in his Tafisir-Ma'alim ut-Tanzil),
Shaikh 'Ala'uddin 'Ali ibn Muhammad al-Baghdadi, known as Khazin
al-Baghdadi, in his Lubab-ut-Ta'wil, best known as Tafsir Khazin,
Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husain al-Bayhaqi (in his Dalail-un-Nubuwwah),
Jalaluddin as-Suyuti (in his Jam'ul Jawami), 'Ala'uddin 'Ali Muttaqi
(in Kanz-ul-'Ummal), Abu JaTer Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari (in
Tarikh-ur-Rusul-wal-Muluk), Abu Sa'adat Mubarak ibn Athir al-Jazari
(in Tarikh-ul-Kamil) and Isma'il Abul Fida (in his history,
Kitab-ul-Mukhtasar fi Akhbar-il-Bashar) have quoted 'Ali as
saying:
"When the verse Wa andhir 'Ashiratakal-aqrabin was revealed, the
noble Messenger called me and ordered me, 'O 'Ali! The Creator of the
world has made me warn my people about their doom, but in view of the
condition of the people and knowing that when I will give them the words
of Allah, they will misbehave, I felt depressed and weakened and
therefore I kept quiet until Gabriel came again and informed me that
there should be no more delay.
Therefore, O 'Ali, take a measure of food grain, a leg of a goat and a big bowl of milk and arrange for a feast, then call the sons of 'Abdul Muttalib unto me, so that I may deliver to them the words of Allah.' I did what the Prophet had told me to do and the sons of 'Abdul Muttalib, who were about forty in number gathered together. Among them were the uncles of the Prophet: Abu Talib, Hamza, 'Abbas and Abu Lahab.
When the food was brought, the Prophet lifted a piece of meat and tore
it into small morsels with his own teeth and scattered the pieces on the
tray and said, 'Start eating in the name of Allah,' All people present
there had the food to their fill although the milk and the food were
just sufficient for one man. Then he intended to speak to them, but Abu
Lahab interfered and said, `Verily, your comrade has entranced you.'
Having heard this, all of them dispersed and the Messenger did not get a
chance to speak to them.
On the next day, the Messenger, of the Lord again said to me: 'O 'Ali?
Make arrangements again for a feast as you had done yesterday, and
invite the sons of 'Abdul Muttalib'. I arranged for the feast and
gathered the guests as I was asked to do by the Prophet. Once they had
finished the food, the Messenger addressed them thus: 'O sons of
'AbdulMuttalib, I have brought for you the best blessings of this world
and of the next, and I am appointed by the Lord to call you unto Him.
Therefore, who amongst you will help me in this cause in order that he
should be my brother, my successor and my caliph?'
Nobody responded. But I, although the youngest of the congregation,
said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I am here to be your helper in this task.'
The Prophet then patted my neck very kindly and said, 'O my people! This
'Ali is my brother, my successor and my caliph amongst you. Listen to
him and obey him.' Having heard it from the Prophet, they all burst into
laughter and said to Abu Talib, 'Hearken! You are ordered to obey and
follow your own son! "'
This event has also been recorded by Thomas Carlyle in Heroes and Hero
Worship, by Gibbon in Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by
Davenport in Apology for Muhammad and The Koran and by Washington
Irving in Muhammad And His Successors, with all its details.
Abul-Fida, in Kitabul-Mukhtasar fi Akhbaril-Bashar states that some
of the verses composed by Abu Talib prove the fact that he had accepted
the Prophethood of the Prophet from the core of his heart. A translation
of a few poetic verses is given here:
You have called me (to Islam) and I believe that you are truthful,
straightforward and trustworthy.
And there is no doubt in my belief that the religion of Muhammad is the
best of all the religions of the world.
By God! As far as I am alive, not a single person from among the
Quraish can harm you.
Persecution Begins
Then one after another came the Divine commands:
Disclose what has been ordained to thee. (Qur'an, 15.94)
** **
O thou wrapped (in thy mantle!) Arise and warn, and thy Lord do
magna. And thy raiment do purify. And uncleanness do shun. And show not
favor seeking gain! And for the sake of thy Lord be patient. "
(Qur'an, 74:1-7)
The method to be employed was:
Call to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and
dispute with them in the best way. (Qur'an, 16:125)
The Prophet proclaimed the Oneness of God in the Ka'bah. The Quraish
were aghast. Till then, they had held the Prophet and his followers in
contemptuous disdain, but now they were genuinely alarmed. The new
movement amounted to a denunciation of their forefathers. It meant the
termination, in one stroke, of their authority and privilege as the
guardians of the Ka'bah.
The Quraish retaliated violently. A life and death struggle for-Islam
ensued. The Prophet was not allowed to worship in the Ka'bah, thorns
were strewn in his way, dirt and filth were thrown at him while he was
engaged in prayers, and street urchins were incited to follow him,
shouting and clapping their hands in derision. He and his followers were
subjected to all types of calumnies and humiliation. They were taunted
and insulted.
Oppression and relentless persecution were let loose. In an effort to force believers to renounce the new faith and to go back to the old cults, they were subjected to extremes of physical torture. They were mercilessly beaten, made to lie on burning sand while heavy blocks of stones were placed on their chests, or nooses were put around their necks and their bodies dragged.
One of the faithful, Yasir by name, succumbed to these tortures and, when his wife Sumayyah, an African, protested, her legs were tied to two camels, and the animals were driven to opposite directions, tearing her body in halves. These were the first martydoms in the cause of Islam. The believers, under the inspiration of their great Teacher, were, however, fired with holy zeal. They braved all persecutions and danger and bore up against all agonies and tortures.
First and Second Hijrahs to Abyssinia
When endurance was reaching its limits and persecution became
unbearable, the Prophet advised a group of his followers to migrate to
Abyssinia where a benign Christian king reigned. This was the first
Hijrah (Migration) in Islam and fifteen people took part in it:
And those who become fugitives for Allah's sake after they are
oppressed, verily We shall give them good abode in the world and surely
the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew. (Qur'an,
16:41)
And what was all this tyranny and persecution for? Just for believing
in one God and for leading a chaste and pious life! Further migration of
some people led to intensified persecution of those left behind. The
Prophet advised a second Hijrah to Abyssinia, and this time about a
hundred people, including Jafar, the elder brother of 'Ali, went away.
The Quraish sent a deputation with 'Amr ibn al-'As and 'Ammara ibn
Rabi'ah to Negus (Nijashi, in Arabic), the king of Abyssinia, to demand
the deportation of the emigrants back to Mecca to be punished by death.
Having won the favor of the clergy, the deputation tried to prejudice
the king against the fugitives. Asked to explain the position, Jafar
delivered a speech, which is a brilliant summary of the fundamentals of
Islam and all that it stands for:
"O king! We were plunged in the depth of ignorance and barbarism; we
adored idols; we lived in unchastity; we ate dead animals, and we spoke
abomination. We disregarded every feeling of humanity, and the duties of
hospitality and neighborhood. We knew no law but that of the strong. At
that time, God raised from among us a man of whose birth, truthfulness,
honesty and purity we were aware, and he called us to the Unity of God
and taught us not to associate anything with Him.
He forbade us to worship idols and enjoined us to speak the truth, to be
faithful to our trusts, to be merciful, and to regard the rights of
neighbors. He forbade us to speak ill of women and to eat the substance
of orphans. He ordered us to flee from vices, to abstain from evil, to
offer prayers, to render alms, and to observe the fast. We have believed
in him; we have accepted his teachings and injunctions to worship God,
and not to associate anything with Him. For this reason, our people have
risen against us and persecuted us in order to make us forego the
worship of God and return to the worship of idols of wood and stone and
other abominations. They have tortured us and injured us. Having found
no safety among them, we have come to thy country and hope thou wilt
protect us from their oppression."
The king refused to oblige the deputation, and the latter had to return
disappointed. Muslim traditions indicate that the king later on secretly
converted to Islam.
Some European critics, with the object of assigning some ulterior
motive for the migration, go to the length of saying that persecution
was only slight and at worst confined to slaves and the poorer people
who could find no clans to protect them. There is a mass of historical
data recorded in original sources about the names and numbers of persons
put to physical torture, the names of their tormentors and the manner of
their physical torture and persecution.
Although these critics admit that even Abu Bakr had to undergo the indignity of being bound to a clansman and to solicit the protection of a nomadic chief, they would still suggest that the persecution was limited to persons who had no clans to support them. Such people had, no doubt, the worst of the treatment, but when people of a clan were oppressing their fellow clansmen for accepting Islam, clan protection could not help the victims. What protection could be expected from the clan when a father chained his son, a brother tortured his sister, or a husband injured his wife?
Furthermore, the slaves and the poor people constituted the bulk of the
disciples at that stage. A Western historian surmises that the migration
was caused either by a rift in the Muslim ranks, as some Muslims might
not have liked the attitude of the Prophet towards Meccan opposition, or
was undertaken with the object of making Abyssinia a base of attacking
Meccan trade or to solicit military help to enable the Prophet to seize
control of Mecca. Even Encyclopedia Britannica tries to water down the
persecution (Macro. Vol. 12. p. 607):
"There was little physical violence, and that almost always within the
family. Muhammad suffered from minor annoyances, such as having filth
deposited outside his door."
About the emigration to Ethiopia it suggests:
"... but they may have been seeking opportunities for trade or military
support for Muhammad."
If such fantastic conjectures can be made when the Muslims were yet a
handful and survival was the only consideration before them, when all
along they stood solidly behind the Prophet, when no Meccan caravan was
ever attacked from Abyssinia, when that country never provided any
military help to the Muslims, and when the Prophet did not seize control
of Mecca even when it lay at his feet, what fairness in exposition and
presentation can be expected from such historians?
Deputations of Quraish
Now we have reached the sixth year after the Declaration of Prophethood.
In spite of the persecution and exodus of some people, the Prophet was
laboring quietly but incessantly to wean away his people from the
worship of idols. His mission gained considerable momentum by the
conversion of his uncle Hamza the Valiant.
Once, at the suggestion of Abu Bakr, the Holy Prophet came into
Masjid-ul-Haram and Abu Bakr started a lecture. The Quraish violently
stopped him and the Holy Prophet had to take refuge in the house of
al-Arqam near the hill of Safa. (Now, that house has been included into
the extension of Masjid-ul-Haram). 'Umar ibn al-Khattab accepted Islam
in those days.
Because of the prestige of Abu Talib, Quraish did not dare to kill the
Holy Prophet. But they were making him suffer as much affliction as
possible, no less was the heartache caused to him by the sufferings of
the helpless Muslims. He himself said: "No prophet was ever made to
suffer such afflictions as I was."
All along, Islam was gaining adherents not only from Quraish but also
from the neighboring tribes. The oligarchy of Mecca was now desperately
trying to. stem the movement.
The forbearance of the Holy Prophet was making the Quraish wonder as to
why a man should put himself in such a precarious situation. Their
outlook was materialistic; their ideals were wealth, beauty and power.
They, naturally, ascribed the same motives to the Holy Prophet.
'Utbah ibn Rabi'ah, father-in-law of Abu Sufyan, was sent to him to
convey the message of Quraish:
"Muhammad! If you want power and prestige, we will make you the
overlord of Mecca. Or do you want marriage in a big family? You may have
the hand of the fairest maiden in the land. Do you want hoards of silver
and gold? We can provide you with all these and even more. But you
should forsake this nefarious preaching which implies that our
forefathers, who were worshipping these deities of ours, were fools."
The Quraish were almost certain that Muhammad would respond favorably
to this offer. However, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) recited Sura 41 in
reply, which, inter alia, contained the following warning:
But if they turn away, then say: 1 have warned you of a thunderbolt
like the thunderbolt of the 'Ad and the Thamud. (Qur'an,
41:13).
`Utbah was overwhelmed with this ringing warning. He did not accept
Islam but advised the Quraish to leave Muhammad alone and to see how he
fares with other tribes. Quraish said that he, too, was bewitched by
Muhammad.
Then a deputation was sent to Abu Talib. They demanded that Abu Talib
should either persuade his nephew to desist from his mission or hand him
over to suffer the extreme penalty or be prepared to fight the whole
tribe. Finding the odds too heavy against him, Abu Talib said to the
Holy Prophet:
"O son! Do not put such a burden on my shoulders which I am unable to
bear."
The Prophet's reply to his uncle gives an indication of his indomitable
will, his profound trust in God and confidence in his Mission. Said
he:
"O uncle! If they placed the sun on my right hand and the moon on my
left to persuade me to renounce my work, verily I would not desist there
from till God makes manifest His cause or I perish in the attempt."
Saying this, he was overwhelmed with grief. Abu Talib was moved by this
reply and said:
"By Allah, the Quraish can never reach thee in spite of their great
number till I am buried in the earth. Therefore, pronounce what order
thou hast; nobody can do any harm to you; be happy with this (promise)
and keep thy eyes cool (i.e. be consoled)."
In their final attempt, they took a young man, 'Ammarah ibn al-Walid,
to Abu Talib and offered to exchange him with Muhammad. They said to
him:
"This young man is a well-known poet of the tribe; he is also very
handsome and wise. You better exchange Muhammad with him. You may adopt
him as your son: he will be a good helper to you. And give us your
Muhammad; we will-kill him. Thus, you will not suffer any loss because
you will have 'Ammarah in place of Muhammad, and by eliminating
Muhammad, all this strife and friction in the tribe will come to an
end."
Abu Talib was extremely furious on hearing this outrageous proposal.
His voice was raised in wrath. He said:
"What a worst bargain have you proposed! Why, you want me to give you
my son, so that you may kill him, and are giving me your son so that I
should feed him and look after him? Go away! This bargain is nothing if
not foolishness."
Ban on the Clans of Hashim and Muttalib
Frustrated, the idolaters decided to ostracize the whole clans of
Hashim and Muttalib and thus destroy them completely. An agreement was
signed to boycott these two clans. It was written by Mansur ibn 'Ikrimah
and was hung in the Ka'bah. The agreement stated:
"they would neither take the daughters of these two clans nor will they
give them their daughters in marriage; they would neither sell anything
to them nor buy anything from them. Not only that, they would not have
any contact with them nor even allow any food or drink to reach
them.This boycott would continue till these clans agree to hand over
Muhammad to Quraish."
Abu Talib had no alternative but to take these two clans (who had
always stood together) into the mountain trail called Shi'b Abi Talib.
It was adjacent to Jannatu '1-Ma'la. Now it is difficult to locate,
because the Sa'udis are destroying all historical sites in the name of
development. It was a place in Mount Hajun, which belonged to Abu Talib.
There were 40 adults in the clans. For three long years, they were
beleaguered.
It had begun in Muharram, 7th year of Bi'that (Declaration of
Prophethood) and continued up to the beginning of the 10th year. They
were made to undergo the most acute hardships and privations, so much so
that at times they had nothing but tree leaves to sustain them. Only
twice a year did they dare to come out: in the months of Rajab and
Dhul-Hijjah, when every type of violence was taboo according to the
Arabian custom. If any relative sent them any food, and the news leaked
out, that relative was publicly insulted and put to shame. The
Quraishites used to express their pleasure on hearing the cries of the
hungry children.
During all these years of sufferings, Abu Talib had only one worry: how
to keep the Holy Prophet out of the harm's way. Historians unanimously
say that it was the habit of Abu Talib to awaken the Holy Prophet after
all people had gone to sleep and to take him to another place and order
one of his own sons or brothers to sleep in the bed of the Holy Prophet.
This was done so that if an enemy had seen where Muhammad was sleeping,
and if an attack was made on him at night, his own son or brother would
be killed while the Holy Prophet would be saved.
All of them suffered these hardships and did their utmost to save the
life of the Holy Prophet. History is unable to produce another example
of such devotion and loyalty. And imagine that this continued not for
one or two days or weeks, but for three long years.
One day the Holy Prophet said to Abu Talib:
"I have been informed by Allah that the agreement of the Quraish has
been eaten up by insects, and no writing has been left therein except
the name of Allah."
And as the historians write, Abu Talib never had any doubt about any
saying of the Holy Prophet.
Thus he came out of his place at once and went to Masjidul-Haram where
Quraish had gathered. As luck would have it, the subject of discussion
was the same boycott. Hisham, son of 'Amr, Zubayr, and a few others who
were related to Khadijah and the clans of Hashim and Muttalib and whose
houses were near the Shi'b of Abu Talib used to hear the cries of the
children day and night. They had decided to persuade the Quraish to
abrogate the infamous agreement. The arguments became very heated and
reached a climax when they saw Abu Talib approaching. Abu Jahl and
others who opposed the idea of abrogating the boycott, said:
"Abu Talib is coming! It seems that now he is tired and wants to hand
over Muhammad to us. Thus, the boycott would end to the satisfaction of
us all. Let us keep silent and hear what he wants to say."
But Abu Talib had gone there not to surrender but to challenge them. He
stood before the gathering and said:
"My son says that the agreement which you had written has been eaten up
by insects, and that nothing remains therein except the name of Allah.
Now look at that paper. If the news given by my son is correct, then you
must end your injustice and high-handedness, and if the news is wrong
then we will admit that you were right and we were wrong."
The agreement was taken out and opened, and lo, there was nothing left
of it except the name of Allah in one place.
Now Abu Talib's voice thundered on as he condemned them for their
tyranny. Those who wanted that boycott ended said that now there was no
agreement at all to adhere to. Abu Jahl and others tried to outwit them
but failed and the boycott ended with a total moral victory for Islam
over the infidels.
Abu Talib
The sufferings and privations of those three years took their toll.
Within nine months, Abu Talib died and after him Khadijah also left this
world. With the disappearance of their protecting influence, the Meccans
had a free-hand and redoubled their persecution. These two deaths, at a
time when the Holy Prophet was in dire need of both, left a very deep
impression on him. He was so grieved that he called that year
"'Amul-Huzn" (The Year of Sorrow). How valuable their support was may be
judged from the fact that Allah has counted them as two of His highest
Graces and Favors upon the Holy Prophet.
He says in Sura 93:
Did He not find thee an orphan and give thee shelter, and He found
thee lost (in thy tribe) and guided (them towards thee), and found thee
in need and made thee free from want? (Qur'an, 93:6-8)
All the commentators of the Qur'an say that the first ayat means: "Did
He not find thee an orphan and give thee shelter with Abu Talib?", and
the last ayat means: "He found thee poor and made thee rich through
Khadijah." If we think about the early history of Islam, without the
prestigious influence of Abu Talib, we cannot see how the life of the
Holy Prophet could have been saved. And if we were to take out the
wealth of Khadijah, we cannot think how the poor Muslims could have been
sustained, and how the two Hijrats of Abyssinia could have been
financed.
It is not the place here to fully explain the share of Abu Talib in the
foundation of Islam. The best tribute, therefore, would be to quote some
of his poetry lines which overflow with love of, and devotion to, the
Holy Prophet. Abu Talib has said these poetic lines:
And you have called me and I know that you are truthful
and, in fact, you were truthful and trustworthy from the beginning.
And I certainly know that the religion of Muhammad is the best of all
the religions of the world ....
Also he said in another poem:
Did you not know that we have found Muhammad the Prophet the same as
was Musa (Moses)? It is written so in the scriptures.
Compare this poetry with this ayat of the Qur'an:
Verily, We have sent you a Messenger to be a witness over you, as We
had sent a Messenger to Pharaoh.(Qur'an, 73:15)
Somewhere else Abu Talib says these poetic lines:
And the Lord of the world has strengthened him with His help,
and has proclaimed the religion which is true, not false. Do not they
know that our son is not doubted
by us and that we do not care about the false sayings (of his
enemies)?
Once Abu Talib asked 'Ali:
"What is this religion which you are following?"
'Ali said:
"I believe in Allah and His Messenger, and I pray with him."
Abu Talib said:
"Surely Muhammad will not call us but to a good thing. Never leave
Muhammad; follow him faithfully."
Once he saw the Holy Prophet praying, with Khadijah and 'Ali behind
him. Ja'far was with Abu Talib. Abu Talib told JaTar to go ahead and
join them in their prayer.
When Hamza accepted Islam in the sixth year of bi'that (Declaration of
the Prophethood), Abu Talib was overjoyed and said these poetic lines:
Be patient, O Abu Ya'li (Hamza) on account of the religion of Ahmad.
And proclaim the religion with courage, may Allah help you. I was glad
when you said that you were mumin (believer). So help the Messenger of
Allah in the cause of Allah. And announce to the Quraish your decision,
and tell them that Ahmad was never a sorcerer.
It was the policy of Abu Talib to keep the Quraish in suspense about
his true belief: Had he announced that he had accepted the religion of
Muhammad, his position as a respected leader of the tribe would have
been undermined. And then he could not extend his protection to the Holy
Prophet. Thus, while always declaring his firm belief that Muhammad
could not tell anything but the truth, exhorting his children and
brothers to follow the religion of Muhammad, he assiduously refrained
from declaring in so many words that he himself was a Muslim. Thus he
maintained his position with the hierarchy of Quraish and protected the
Prophet through his influence.
Even on his death-bed, while there was still a chance that he might
recover, he very diplomatically announced his faith in such a way that
the Quraish could not understand what he meant. When they asked him on
which religion he was dying, he replied:
"On the religion of my forefathers."
As it has already been explained before, that 'Abdul-Muttalib and all
his ancestors were followers of the Divine religion, one cannot but
admire the prudence and wisdom of Abu Talib in that difficult
situation.
During the last moments of his life, the Holy Prophet advised him to
recite the Kalimah loudly (as is the custom of the Muslims). 'Abbas,
who had not accepted Islam yet, saw the lips of Abu Talib moving. He put
his ears near Abu Talib, and then said to the Holy Prophet:
"O my nephew! Abu Talib is saying what you wanted him to say!"
'Allamah Ibn Abil-Hadid, the Mu'tazilite, has truly said the following
poetic lines:
If it were not for Abu Talib and his son ('Ali),
religion of Islam could not take any shape, nor could it find its
feet.
Thus, Abu Talib in Mecca gave shelter and protected
(him), and 'Ali in Medina rubbed shoulders with death.
Abu Talib died at the age of 85 in the middle of Shawwal or
Dhul-Qa'dah, 10 Bi'that.
Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq (a.s.) said:
"The ancestors of the Holy Prophet will be in Paradise and
'Abdul-Muttalib will enter Paradise having upon him the light of the
Prophets and the dignity of kings, and Abu Talib will be in the same
group."
Khadijah
Hazrat Khadijah was respected so much that the Meccans called her
Tahirah (the pure one). All the children of the Holy Prophet were born
from Khadijah except Ibrahim who was born of Maria the Copt.
She was the first person to testify to the truth of the Holy Prophet.
She spent all her wealth in the cause of Islam. And she was a source of
comfort and consolation to the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet said:
"Four women are the supreme-most amongst the women of Paradise: Maryam
mother of 'Isa (Jesus) (a.s.), Asiyah wife of Pharaoh, Khadijah bint
Khuwaylid, and Fatimah hint Muhammad."
Ayishah said:
"I never envied any woman as much as I envied Khadijah. The Holy
Prophet always remembered her. Whenever any sheep or goat was
slaughtered, the choicest parts were sent to Khadijah's relatives and
friends. I used to say, 'It appears that Khadijah was the only woman in
the world.' Hearing this, the Holy Prophet was very much annoyed and
said: 'Khadijah had many virtues, which others do not have. "'
She also said:
"Once the Holy Prophet remembered her and I said, 'How long will you go
on remembering a woman so old that she had no teeth in her mouth? Allah
has given you a woman better than her (meaning herself).' The Holy
Prophet was so angry that the hair of his head was raised. He said: 'By
Allah, I do not have better than Khadijah. She believed in me when
others were steeped into infidelity. She testified to my truth when
others rejected my claim. She helped me with her wealth when others
deprived me. And Allah gave me children by her." 'Ayishah says that from
then on she decided not to say any unkind word about Khadijah. (Sahih
al-Bukhari, vol. 3*).*
She was 65 years old when she died, and she was buried at Hajun. Her
grave was demolished in 1925 like those of 'AbdulMuttalib, Abu Talib
and others.
Visit to Taif
After the death of Abu Talib and Khadijah , finding that the Meccans had
turned a deaf ear to his preaching, the Prophet decided to go to Taif,
perhaps its people would be more responsive. But a big disappointment
was in store for him. Muhammad spent a month at Taif only to be scoffed
and laughed at. When he persisted in his preaching, the people of Taif
drove him out of their city pelting stones at him. In this desperate
situation he prayed to God thus:
"O Allah! I make my complaint unto You regarding the feebleness of my
strength, the insignificance of my devices, and my humiliation in the
sight of people. O You, the Most Merciful One! You are the Lord of the
oppressed, You are my Lord. To whom would You entrust my affairs? To a
stranger who would scowl at me? Or to an enemy who would control me? If
you are not displeased with me, then I do not care (about any hardship),
but an ease bestowed by You will be more accommodating to me. I seek
refuge in the light of Your countenance (by which all darkness is
dispersed and all affairs of this world and the hereafter are kept
straight) from pouncing of Your anger or the coming of Your wrath. I
seek your pardon in order that you may be pleased with me. There is no
power nor strength except in You"
Grief-stricken, the Prophet returned to Mecca.
Islam Gradually Reaches Beyond Mecca
All these disappointments and persecutions notwithstanding, Islam was
spreading in other tribes too, although very slowly and not on a grand
scale. Its simplicity and rationality were such that it only needed to
reach the ears of the people to stir their souls. For thirteen years,
the Quraish did their very best to stifle the new religion, but their
opposition itself provided the necessary publicity. Tribes from all
corners of Arabia flocked to Mecca at the time of the annual pilgrimage.
Lest they should be influenced by the message of Mohammed, the Quraish
used to post themselves outside the city and warn the pilgrims: "An
infidel has been born in our city who dishonors our idols; he even
speaks ill of Lat and Uzza; do not listen to him." People naturally got
curious and wanted to know more about this man. A disciple of the
Prophet, recalling his earlier days, stated: "When I was young, I used
to hear from the people going to Mecca that a person claiming
Prophethood had been born there." When the news spread, most people
laughed and jeered at Mohammed, yet there were a few seekers of the
truth who listened to his message and who were influenced by it. Hafiz
ibn Hajar, in his book al-Isabah, mentions the names of several
companions who had come from Yemen and other distant places and, after
secretly accepting Islam, had gone back to work among their tribes. The
clan of Abu Musa al-Ash'ari in Yemen accepted Islam in this manner.
Tufail ibn 'Amr, of the tribe of Daws, was a poet of repute who could
by his poetic fervor sway the feelings and attitudes of the Arabs. He
had come into contact with the Prophet and was so enthralled by the
marvelous diction of the Qur'an recited to him that he accepted Islam
instantly. He was able to win some converts in his tribe, but in general
the tribe did not listen to him. He came back to the Prophet and
requested him to curse the Daws but the Prophet prayed thus: "O God!
Guide the Daws and send them to me (as Muslims)." Soon after, the entire
tribe accepted Islam.
Dhamad ibn Tha'labah was a chief of Azd and a friend of the Prophet in
his early years. He came to Mecca and was told that Mohammed had gone
mad. He approached the Prophet and said that he could cure him. The
Prophet replied,
"All praise be to God; I praise Him and seek His forgiveness. If God
were to guide anyone, he cannot go astray, and if He leaves anyone to
stray, nothing can guide him. I declare that there is no god but Allah.
He is one and has no partner, and further (I declare) that Mohammed is
His Servant and Messenger."
It is almost impossible to reproduce the vibrating force and
captivating charm of the Arabic text which so much impressed Dhamad that
he accepted Islam immediately and through him his whole tribe submitted
to it.
Abu Dharr of the tribe of Ghifar was one of those who were disgusted
with idol-worship. When:be heard about the Prophet, he went to Mecca and
incidentally met 'Ali with whom he stayed for three days. 'Ali
introduced him to the Prophet and Abu Dharr accepted Islam. The Prophet
advised him to go back home, but in his zeal he publicly announced in
the Ka'bah: "There is no god but Allah and Mohammed is His Prophet." He
was given a sound thrashing by the Quraish and was rescued by 'Abbas.
Returning to his tribe, he invited it to accept Islam. About half of his
tribesmen, accepted Islam and the rest followed suit when the Prophet
migrated to Medina.
As the Ghifars were on very friendly terms with the tribe of Aslam, the
latter were influenced by the former and also accepted Islam.
Quite a number of persons had incidentally heard the Qur'an being
recited and were captivated by it. Jubayr ibn Mut'im had come to Medina
to pay ransom for the prisoners of war of Badr. He happened to hear the
Prophet reciting the following verses:
Or were they created out of naught? Or are they the creators? Or did
they create the heavens and the Earth? Nay, but they have no
certainty. (Qur'an, 52:35-36)
Jubayr stated that when he heard these verses, he felt that his heart
was about to soar.
First Pledge of 'Aqabah
As the Meccans refused to listen to him, the Prophet used to preach to
strangers and pilgrims visiting the Ka'bah. As described above, the news
that a Prophet had arisen was spreading. A deputation of about twenty
Christians from Nazareth came to meet him and embraced Islam. Similarly,
another group of six persons from Yathrib accepted Islam. The next year,
at the time of the annual pilgrimage, twelve Yathribites came and
undertook a pledge known as the First Pledge of 'Aqabah (Mountain-pass),
so named because it was done in an out of the way mountain-pass outside
Mecca. The pledge was:
Not associate anything with God;
Neither steal nor commit adultery nor fornication;
Will not kill our children;
Will abstain from calumny and slander;
Obey the Prophet in everything, and we will be faithful to him in
weal and sorrow.
The period between the First and the Second Pledges was one of anxious
waiting. The Meccans were sternly adamant, the people of Taif had
rejected Muhammad, and the mission was making a slow progress. Yet hope
had been engendered by its diffusion to the distant city of Yathrib. The
conviction was very much there that the truth would ultimately prevail.
Describing this period, Muir says:
"Mahomet, thus holding his people at bay, waiting, in the still
expectation of victory, to outward appearance defenseless, and with his
little band, as it were, in the lion's mouth, yet trusting in his
Almighty's power whose messenger he believed himself to be, resolute and
unmoved, presents a spectacle of sublimity paralleled only in the sacred
records by such scenes as that of the prophet of Israel, when he
complained to his Master, 'I, even I only, am left."
Ascension of the Prophet
It was at such a time that God Almighty, in His infinite Mercy and
Benevolence, bestowed upon the Prophet the unique distinction of being
lifted to the furthest limit of heavens and of being shown the gorgeous
splendor of the heavens and the universe:
** **
Glory to (Him) Who took His servant for a journey by night from the
Sacred Mosque to the Furthest Mosque whose precincts We have blessed, in
order that We might show him some of Our signs, for He is the Hearer and
the Seer. (Qur'an, 17:1)
There has been a good deal of controversy over the question whether the
Ascension (Mi'raj) was only a vision or an actual bodily journey. The
majority of the traditionalists agree that it was a real physical
journey, much like the bodily ascension of Jesus to heaven and the
descent of Adam to earth.
The fact is that this controversy was created by Banu Umayyah whose
interest in Islam was based not on faith but on politics and who did not
like the idea of any miracle of the Holy Prophet gaining ground in the
Muslims' minds. Their department of forgery obliged them in this respect
also.
Two "traditions" from that department are repeatedly described by the
Christians, the Ahmadis, and a group of the Sunnis; these are:
• 'Ayishah, wife of the Holy Prophet, is alleged to have said that
during the whole night of the Ascension, the body of the Holy Prophet
was on the bed.
• Mu'awiyah said that The Mi'raj was a "true dream."
Now the fact is that the Mi'raj (whatever its interpretation) took
place in Mecca one or three years before the Hijrah. Bibi 'Ayishah did
not enter the house of the Holy Prophet till one year after Hijrah. How
could she say that she did not miss the body of the Holy Prophet at that
time?
There is only one possible explanation: This "tradition" was forged by
someone who did not know the sequence of Islamic history. Otherwise, he
could not have attributed this "tradition" to 'Ayishah.
Mu'awiyah was such an enemy of the Holy Prophet that when 8 years after
the Hijrah, Mecca was conquered without bloodshed and Abu Sufyan (father
of Mu'awiyah), seeing no alternative, accepted Islam, Mu'awiyah fled to
Bahrain and wrote a nasty letter to his father condemning him for his
acceptance of Islam. It was not till the 9th year of Hijrah that he
brought himself to profess Islam. And the Mi'raj took place 10 or 12
years before that time. How could he know what the facts of the Mi'raj
were?! He does not mention his source of information, and the inference
is that there was no such source.
If you want to witness how politics controlled the version of Islam
professed by the Umayyads, read one more 'tradition' invented in their
factory:
The king on the throne of Damascus is 'Abdul-Malik ibn Marwan. Iraq and
Hijaz are in the hands of 'Abdullah ibn Zubayr. 'Abdul-Malik does not
like the idea of the pilgrims of his domain being obliged to go to Mecca
(which is in the enemy's hands); so, he wants to enhance the prestige of
Baitul Maqdis, which lies within his domain and plans to establish
"hajj" to Baitul Maqdis. As part of that plan, all previous
declarations that the Mi'raj was a dream are forgotten, and a
tradition is forged that the final destination of the journey of the
Mi'raj was Baitul Maqdis.
Soon thereafter, 'Abdullah ibn Zubayr is defeated and Hijaz comes under
Syrian control; otherwise, we would surely have seen two centers of
hajj in the Muslim world!
The Second Pledge of 'Aqabah
On their return to Yathrib, the converts to the faith spread the
doctrines of Islam and a large number of Yathribites became adherents to
the faith. In the following year, seventy people from Yathrib, including
the twelve who took the first pledge, came to the Prophet to accept
Islam and to invite him to their city. They swore allegiance to him.
This pledge is known as the Second Pledge of 'Aqabah. 'Abbas, uncle of
the Holy Prophet, although not a Muslim yet, was present on that
occasion and exhorted the Yathribites to protect the Holy Prophet.
A Plan to Assassinate the Prophet
When the Meccans learned that Islam had struck roots in Yathrib and was
fast spreading there, their animosity knew no bounds. Their chiefs, such
as Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, Abu Sufyan, and 'Utbah gathered at Dar-un-Nadwa
and, after rejecting suggestions to imprison or banish Muhammad, they
planned to assassinate him.
And remember when the unbelievers plotted against you to imprison
you, or to kill you, or to drive you out, they plotted and planned and
Allah, too, planned. (Qur'an, 8:30)
In order to escape the vendetta of Banu Hashim, it was decided that
every clan should provide one man, and that they should collectively
assault the Prophet as soon as he came out of his house. But God had
apprised His Prophet of this plan well in advance and he informed 'Ali
of it, ordering him to sleep in his (Prophet's) bed. The Holy Prophet
covered 'Ali with his own green sheet. When 'Ali heard that his life was
to be the ransom for the Holy Prophet's, he at once prostrated before
Allah to thank Him for this unique honor. It was the first sajdah of
"shukr" (a prostration of gratitude) in Islam. Thus, 'Ali slept soundly
on the Holy Prophet's bed as the Prophet walked out of the house under
the infidels' very noses.
Coming out of the house, he recited the first few verses of the Surat
Ya-Sin and threw a handful of dust over their heads. None of the
enemies saw him going out.
The Holy Prophet had also ordered 'Ali to return the things which
people had entrusted to him to their respective owners.
The polytheists of the Quraishite clans all the time thought that it
was the Prophet who was sleeping and were anxiously waiting to kill
him.
According to Usudul Ghabah of Ibn Athir Jazari, Ihya' ul 'Uloom (of
Ghazali) and Tarikhul Khamis of Qadi Husain al Diyarbakri, it is
learnt that when 'Ali slept in Muhammad's bed, God said to Gabriel and
Michael:
"I establish brotherhood between you two and increase the life of one
of you over that of the other. Having done so, I ask which of you is
prepared to sacrifice his life for his brother?"
Both Gabriel and Michael heard this address from the Lord but each held
his life dearer than the other's and was not prepared to help his
brother by sacrificing his own life. God then addressed them again,
"Can you not be like 'Ali ibn Abi Talib? See, I created brotherhood
between Muhammad and 'Ali, and now 'Ali is sleeping in Muhammad's bed
determined to sacrifice his own life for his brother. Now you both go to
earth and guard 'Ali from the mischief of the enemies."
Then the two nearest-to-God angels came down and took their positions
near the head and the feet of 'Ali. Gabriel said:
"Hail to thee! Hail to thee! Who can be like thee, O son of Abu Talib,
so that the Lord is proud of thee and exalts thy virtue before the
angels?"
And so it happened. When the Prophet was on his way to Medina, God
revealed to him the following verse in praise of 'Ali:
And amongst men there is one who sells his life seeking the
pleasure of Allah. And Allah is most benevolent to His
slaves. (Qur'an, 2:207)
The Holy Prophet went to the mountain of Thawr accompanied by Abu Bakr
and hid in a cave near its summit. This place is about 5 miles from
Mecca.
There are two versions as to how Abu Bakr came to accompany the Holy
Prophet. One narrative says that the Holy Prophet himself went to the
house of Abu Bakr and told him to accompany him.
The other narrative says that when the Holy Prophet went away, Abu Bakr
came there and asked 'Ali as to where the Holy Prophet was. 'Ali told
him that he had already left for Medina. Abu Bakr went out looking for
the Holy Prophet. The night was dark; therefore, when he came nearer,
the Holy Prophet thought that some infidel was pursuing him. He started
going faster and faster, till his shoe-lace was broken and his toes were
badly wounded. Then Abu Bakr called him. Recognizing his voice, the
Prophet stopped. Abu Bakr caught up with him and asked permission to
accompany him. Thus, they went together till they reached Thawr.
At dawn, the infidels entered the house. They were flabbergasted upon
finding 'Ali in the bed instead of the Holy Prophet. At once they
started looking for him, tracking him right up to the mouth of the cave.
Still, they never thought of looking into the cave. Why?
As soon as the fugitives entered the cave, a spider wove cobweb at the
entrance and a pair of pigeons built their nest at the mouth of the very
cave in the darkness of the night and laid eggs at once. It was that
cobweb and the nest with the eggs that made the blood-thirsty enemies
believe that Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) could not be in that cave; otherwise,
the cobweb would have been destroyed and the nest and the eggs broken!
It was at this moment that they got so near to the cave that Abu Bakr
started weeping, being afraid of the possible discovery. But the Prophet
consoled him saying,
Grieve not; surely Allah is with us (Qur'an, 9:40).
They left Mecca on the first night of Rabi'-ul-Awwal, (corresponding to
15 or 16 July, 622 C.E.) reaching the cave of Thawr before dawn and
remaining therein up to 4th of Rabi'-ul-Awwal. On the 5th, they started
their journey to Medina. 'Abdullah ibn Urayqit al-Daylami was hired to
show them the way. Abu Bakr offered one of his she-camels to the Holy
Prophet for the journey. The Holy Prophet accepted it on the condition
that Abu Bakr accepted its price. Thus, Abu Bakr sold one she-camel to
the Holy Prophet for 900 dirhams.
Journeying by unfrequented routes, they safely reached Quba (2 miles
south of Yathrib) on the 8th of Rabi'-ul-Awwal.
There, the Holy Prophet laid the foundation of the mosque of Quba which
has been mentioned in the Qur'an as "the Mosque founded on piety." After
a few days, 'Ali joined them there and they proceeded to Yathrib,
entering it on Friday the 16th of Rabi' ul-Awwal with a group of
followers who had come from Yathrib to welcome the Prophet. This was the
Hijrah from which dates the Islamic calendar, the Hijri year.
Persecution Analyzed
The Prophet of Islam and his devoted band of followers had patiently
endured untold hardship, tyranny and oppression for thirteen years and
ultimately had to abandon their hearths and homes, sacrificing whatever
worldly possessions they had. They had not wanted any worldly gains, nor
had they aspired for any position of worldly eminence or share in the
administration. The Prophet had unequivocally told the Meccans:
"I desire neither riches nor eminence nor dominion. I am sent by God
Who has ordered me to announce glad tidings to you. I convey to you the
words of my Lord. I admonish you. If you accept the message I bring you,
God will be favorable to you both in this world and in the next. If you
reject my admonition, I shall be patient and leave God to judge between
you and me."
The early Muslims were harassed and persecuted simply because they
believed in God, the Lord of the universe, and worshipped Him without
ascribing to Him any partner or colleague. They had not exercised any
compulsion, for the Qur'an had said:
There is no compulsion in religion; truly the right way has become
clearly distinct from error; therefore, whoever disbelieves in the
rebels (i.e. false deities) and believes in Allah, he indeed has laid
hold of the strongest handle which shall not break off. (Qur'an,
2:256)
The Qur'an only appealed to the inner consciousness of man, to his
reason and intellect. Nevertheless, the new religion was in sharp
contrast with the cults practiced by the Quraish, which ages of
observance and belief had sanctified for them. The Prophet preached
equality of man and stressed the point that in righteousness alone lay
the superiority of one over the other. The Quraish saw in this leveling
of distinctions the end of their authority and privileges as the
guardians of the Ka'bah, of their political and social hegemony, and of
their vested interests at large.
The new religion placed restraints upon the promiscuous and unbridled
license indulged in social intercourse. It heralded the end of
licentious ways, of sensual pleasure and drunken orgies to which the
Quraish were, by and large, espoused. It imposed spiritual discipline in
the form of prayers, fasting and continence and frowned upon avarice,
greed, slander, falsehood, indecency and other vices with which society
was permeated. In short, it meant the giving up of old ways and the
taking to a new life of austere piety and chastity.
The opposition of the Meccans was, therefore, sharp and violent. They
relentlessly persecuted the followers of the new faith and made life so
difficult for them that ultimately the Prophet and his followers had to
abandon their hearths and homes for more congenial surroundings. The
Prophet did not even invoke the wrath of God on them. When once he was
requested by Khabbab son of Arrat to curse the Quraish, the Holy Prophet
pulled him up by saying:
"People have gone by who were sawn and torn to pieces in the cause of
God, but they did not desist from their duties. God will accomplish His
plan till a rider will go from Sinai to Hadramaut fearing none except
God."
How true was the prophecy!
The Prophet at Medina
Living in contact with the Jews, the Aws and the Khazraj were not
foreign to the idea of the unity of God. They had heard from the Jews
that a Prophet was to come. Some of their people had come into contact
with the Prophet at Mecca and had been deeply impressed by Him. The
deputation they had sent to Mecca had returned entirely satisfied and
had accepted Islam. The disciples who had preceded the Prophet were
spreading the message of Islam throughout Yathrib. Unlike the Meccans,
the Yathribites had no vested interest standing in the way of their
accepting the new religion. Islam had already taken roots in Yathrib
thus before the Prophet arrived there on the invitation of the people of
Aws and Khazraj. No wonder they gave the Prophet a tumultuous welcome at
Yathrib.
The name of the city was then changed to Madinat-un-Nabi, the City of
the Prophet. Islam effaced the age-long enmity between the tribes of Aws
and Khazraj.and they were given the honorific designation of "Ansar"
(helpers or supporters). The emigrants, forty-five in number, were
called "Muhajirun" (exiles). The construction of a mosque,
Masjid-un-Nabi (mosque of the Prophet), was now underway, and the
Prophet worked at it like any other laborer. Soon, a simple,
unostentatious mosque with walls of unbaked bricks, with trunks of palm
trees as pillars, and a thatch of palm leaves was built with a few
adjoining rooms of similar material. On the completion of these rooms,
the Prophet, who meanwhile was living with Abu Ayyub, moved into one of
them.
The doors of the houses of some of the companions opened into the
mosque (Masjid-un-Nabi). The Prophet ordered the doors of all of them
except that of 'Ali to be closed. The companions raised some objections
against this order. The Prophet, thereupon, stood up and addressed them.
Having praised Allah, he said:
"In accordance with the decree of Allah, I ordered you to close the
doors and 'Ali to keep his open. Your wrangling is undesirable. Neither
did I open nor close any door of my own accord. I only acted as I was
ordered by Allah."
The Muhajirun needed some meaningful relief. To ensure their economic
security and also to establish brotherly ties between them and the
Ansar, the Prophet joined each Muhajir with an Ansar in a tie of
"Brotherhood" that became even more precious and enduring than the bond
of blood relationship. The Ansar volunteered to share half and half with
their contractual brothers everything they earned or possessed. It is to
this unification of interests that the Qur'an refers in the following
passage:
Surely those who believed and migrated and strived hard in the way
of Allah with their property and souls, and those who sheltered
and helped them, these are indeed friends (and protectors) of one
another. (Qur'an, 8:72)
The Muhajirun were anxious not to remain a burden on their brothers.
Soon, many of them settled down to trade and do business. In the course
of time, they were rehabilitated, and within a few years, they were no
longer in need of any financial support. It was then that the following
verse was revealed:
And the possessors of relationships are nearer to each other.
(Qur'an, 8:174)
In Medina, Islam had at first to face serious difficulties. Danger
threatened it from all sides, and it had to fight against great odds for
mere survival. Some of the battles forced on it were inspired by
political motives, others were the result of direct opposition to the
new faith and the desperate efforts which its enemies exerted to put it
down before it firmly established itself. Other difficulties were added
by the predatory and warlike habits of the nomadic tribes hovering round
the city and the insecurity and lawlessness prevailing in the country at
large. It may be a good idea, therefore, to analyze and understand the
political conditions of Arabia at this time.
Arabia's Prevailing Political Conditions
The Arabs belonged to one ethnic race, but history does not record that they were ever united as one nation. They were divided into tribes and clans, each having its own chief or chieftain. They, no doubt, spoke the same language, but each tribe followed a different dialectal variation. Indeed, even religion was not a binding force. Almost every house had its own god; tribes had their own supreme deities.
In the south were the small principalities of Himyar, Awza and Aqyal. In the middle and northern Arabia lived the tribes of Bakr, Taghlib, Shaiban, Azd, Qudha'ah, Khandaf, Lakhm, Juzam, Banu Hanifa, Tay, Asad, Hawazin, Ghatfan, and Aws, Khazraj, Thaqif, Quraish and others; they were frequently engaged in intensive warfare. Bakr and Taghlib had been fighting each other for forty years.
Blood engagements had ruined many a tribe of Hadhramaut. Aws and Khazraj had exhausted themselves through a protracted war, and the Battle of Fijar between the Banu Qais and Quraish had not yet ended. If any member of a tribe was killed, the tribe considered itself duty bound to seek revenge not merely upon the murderer but also on the tribe to which he belonged. Since there was no effective machinery to settle such disputes, this invariably touched off furious wars, which lasted for generations.
Tribal might, dash and alacrity, were the only guarantee of a precarious
security. The desert and the hills were the home of fierce nomadic
tribes who lived largely on plunder and depredation, but trade was also
a major source of livelihood for them. Only a few months of the year
were regarded as sacred. It was only then that bloodshed was stopped in
order to facilitate the performance of the annual pilgrimage to Mecca or
to do trade at Ukaz. But even this convention was at times relaxed to
suit the convenience of individual tribes. Only the precincts of the
Ka'bah were considered sacred and were free from bloodshed. It is to
this state of affairs that the Qur'an has drawn attention:
Do they not see that we have made a sacred territory secure for them,
while men are carried off by force all around them?
(Qur'an, 29:67)
The conditions in the country were so insecure that even till 5 A.H.,
the powerful tribe of Abdul-Qais of Bahrain could not think of going to
Hijaz outside the sacred months. Even the caravans going to or returning
from Syria were sometimes plundered in open daylight.
Muslims' pasturelands were at times raided. Although conditions had
considerably improved by then, the route to Mecca from Medina was not
altogether safe until the fall of Mecca.
While the country was so strife-ridden internally, dangers from outside
were no less. The Roman and Persian empires had extended their domain to
the fertile provinces of Yemen, Oman and Bahrain and had established
their sovereignty over them. The Romans had occupied Syria. Ghassan and
some other Arab tribes, who had embraced Christianity, had been set up
as the latter's feudatories.
The Romans had expelled the Jews from Syria and Palestine in the second
Century B.C. These Jews had migrated to Medina and its suburbs and built
strong fortresses at Medina, Khaibar, Taima, Fadak and other places.
Prospering themselves, the Jews were extremely jealous of prosperity in
other races and strongly resented rivalry in trade business. They
believed themselves to be God's "chosen people" and their conduct was
characterized by pride and arrogance intensified by the feeling of being
secure inside their formidable fortresses.
It was during such times that the Prophet started his great Mission.
For preparing the ground and the proper climate, the first step that he
took was to unite the Ansar and the Muhajirun.
A Pact with the Jews
The Holy Prophet not only welded the Ansar and the Muhajirun into one
Brotherhood, but he set himself to the task of establishing a stable
society, a commonwealth based on equality of rights and on the concept
of universal humanity. Granting equality of status and rights as well as
full freedom of religion and of conscience to the Jews, he invited them
to enter into a pact with the Muslims. He drew up a charter, which has
been reproduced by the historian Ibn Hisham thus:
In the name of the Most Merciful and the Compassionate God. Granted by
Mohammed, the Prophet, to the Believers, whether of Quraish or of
Yathrib, and all individuals of whatever origin who have made common
cause with them, all these shall constitute one nation.
Then, after regulating the payment of the diyah (blood money) by the
various clans and fixing some wise rules regarding the private duties of
Muslims among themselves, the document proceeds thus:
The state of peace and war shall be common to all Muslims; none among
them shall have the right of concluding peace with, or declaring war
against, the enemies of his co-religionists. The Jews who enter into
this covenant shall be protected from all insults and vexations; they
shall have an equal right with our own people to our assistance and good
offices. The Jews of the various branches of 'Awf, Najjar, Harith,
Jashm, Tha'labah, Aws, and all others domiciled in Yathrib shall form
with the Muslims one composite nation.
They shall practice their religion as freely as the Muslims. The clients
and allies of the Jews shall enjoy the same security and freedom. The
guilty shall be pursued and punished. The Jews shall join the Muslims in
defending Yathrib (Medina) against all enemies. The interior of Yathrib
shall be a sacred place for all those who accept this Charter. The
clients and allies of the Muslims and of the Jews shall be as respected
as the principals. All Muslims shall hold in abhorrence anyone found
guilty of a crime, injustice, or disorder. None shall uphold the
culpable, even if he may be his nearest in kinship.
Then, after some other provisions regarding the internal management of
the State, this extraordinary document concluded thus:
All future disputes between those who accept this Charter shall be
finally referred, after God, to the Prophet.
The Jews of Medina accepted this Pact. After some time, the neighboring
Jewish tribes of Banu Nadhir and Banu Quraizah joined it, too. But, as
later events proved, it was only expediency that had dictated this
course of action to the Jews. There was no change of heart on their part
and they secretly nursed the same hostile feelings against the Aws and
the Khazraj as before and viewed the growing confederation of the
Muslims with grave concern and animosity. In the course of time, they
started taunting and abusing the Muslims, frequently quarrelling with
them and resorting to treachery and sedition. Some people of the Aws and
the Khazraj who had become lukewarm converts assisted them: the
Munafiqun (hypocrites). These were headed by 'Abdullah ibn Ubay who had
his own designs to become the ruler of Medina and, together with the
Jews, they became a constant source of danger to the newborn religion
and to its adherents.
The Jews, who had business connections with the Quraish of Mecca,
conspired with them to eradicate the infant religion before it assumed
formidable proportions. As the head of the religion, and "a general in a
time of almost continual warfare," Muhammad was the guardian of the
lives and liberty of the people. The very existence of the nascent
religion was in serious peril. Islam preaches the brotherhood of
mankind; it insists upon toleration of all religions and creeds; it
enjoins kindness and compassion, but it does not preach monasticism, nor
does it permit its followers to submit to the forces of
disintegration.
Being in league with the Jews and the Munafiqun, the Meccans started
harassing the Muslims. Under the leadership of Karz ibn Jabir al-Fahri,
they started raiding up to the very outskirts of Medina, destroying
fruit-bearing trees and carrying away flocks. News began pouring into
Medina that the Meccans were allying with other tribes to launch a
massive attack against the Muslims. Muhammad sent out small missions to
these tribes to contract alliances and treaties. One of them entered
into a treaty with the Banu Zamra. The terms of the treaty were as
follows:
This is the document of Muhammad, Messenger of God, for Banu Zamra.
Their lives and property are safe. If they are attacked by anyone, they
will be assisted except when they themselves fight against the religion.
In return, they will come to the help of the Prophet when called upon by
him.
A similar pact was made with the Banu Madlaj at Dhul'Ashirah. The
Quraish had sent a threatening letter to 'Abdullah ibn Ubay who was the
chief of his tribe before the arrival of the Prophet:
"You have given shelter to our man (Muhammad). You should either kill
him or turn him out of Medina or else we swear that we will attack you
and, killing all the males, we will capture and enjoy your women."
The attack was considered so imminent, and the small band of Muslims
was in such peril, that the Prophet used to remain awake throughout the
night. Al-Darmi and al-Hakim have recorded that: "When the Prophet and
his companions came to Medina and the Ansars sheltered them, the Arabs
decided to attack them. The Prophet's companions used to sleep holding
to their weapons."
Some Reconnoitering Parties
The Quraishites were extremely furious about Muhammad (s.a.w.) slipping
away from their hands, having made all preparations to kill him. The
news that Islam was rapidly gaining hold in Medina did nothing to pacify
their rage and enmity. Several times news reached Medina that they were
planning to attack the Muslims. As a result, the Holy Prophet had to
send out reconnoitering parties now and then to find out the designs and
movements of the Quraish and to watch the routes to prevent any sudden
attack.
Once, thirty Muslims (under the command of Hamza, the Holy Prophet's
uncle) met a party of 300 riders (under the command of Abu Jahl) at
Saiful-Bahr. The Meccans were eager to massacre the small group; of
thirty, but Majd ibn 'Amr al-Juhni (who had a covenant with both groups)
prevailed upon both groups and convinced them to go back to their
respective places. Thus, a battle was averted.
Some time later, a patrolling party of 60 or 80 Muslims, under the
command of 'Ubaidah ibn Harith (a cousin of the Holy Prophet) reached
Rabigh and found 200 riders of Quraish under the command of 'Ikrimah ibn
Abu Jahl or Mukriz ibn Hafs. The Quraishites started the battle with
their bows and arrows. Then, someone thought that the Muslims could not
come with such a small force to face a group of warriors so superior in
number unless they had a great army hidden somewhere. This idea spread,
and they fled away.
A small party of twelve persons under the command of 'Abdullah ibn
Jahsh (a cousin of the Prophet) was dispatched to Nakhlah, a spot
between Taif and Mecca, with sealed orders to be opened after two days'
journey a precaution against espionage which was rife. The letter, as
quoted by al-Tabari on page 1275 of his Tarikh, stated:
"Stay at Nakhlah; gather information about the designs of Quraish and
communicate."
It was only incidentally that the party met some Meccan traders and
that one of them, 'Amr ibn al-Hadhrami, was killed at the hands of
'Abdullah. History has not recorded what altercation ensued between the
two parties and which provoked the other. Whatever the immediate cause
might have been, 'Abdullah had acted beyond his instructions, and this
incident aggravated the situation. Except for this isolated incident, in
none of the numerous expeditions listed by Arab historians as saraya was
there any skirmish or a question of looting and plundering. They were
sent out either to make alliances with neighboring tribes, or they were
reconnaissance patrols, for news was reaching Medina that, the Meccans
might strike any day.