THE KING WHO BELIEVED holy prophet As the number of the Prophets followers increased so the enemies of the Muslims grew more and more angry. At last some of the Muslims decided to go to another country in order to live in peace. It was only five years since the Archangel Gabriel had first come to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and two years since the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had spoken out in public. The Muslims asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to allow them to leaveMecca. He agreed, saying It would be better for you to go to Abyssinia. The king there is a just man and it is a friendly country. Stay there until Allah makes it possible for you to return. The Muslims prepared for the journey. They decided to wait until night so that they could leave without being seen. The first sixteen left Mecca and, after reaching the shore of theRed Sea, crossed over to Abyssinia. Another eighty-three men and nineteen women followed, all hoping to be welcomed by the king and people of that country. This was the first hijrah, or migration, in Islam. The Meccans were furious when they discovered that these Muslims had secretly left the city for among them were the sons and daughters of many of the leading families ofMecca. The anger of the Meccans was even greater when they found out that the Muslims had been warmly welcomed in Abyssinia. The leaders of Quraysh decided to send two men to the Abyssinian king in hopes of persuading him to send the Muslims back. These were Amr ibn al-As, a very clever speaker, and Abd Allah ibn abi Rabiah. Before they met this king, they gave each of his advisers a gift, saying: Some foolish men from our people have come to hide in your country. Our leaders have sent us to your ruler to persuade him to send them back, so when we speak to the king about them, do advise him to give them up to us. The advisers agreed to do what the Meccans wished. Amr ibn al-As and Abd Allah ibn abi Rabi’ah then went to the king and presented him also with a gift, saying: Your Highness, these people have abandoned the religion we have always followed inMecca, but they have not even become Christians like you. The royal advisers, who were also present, told the king that the Meccans had spoken the truth and that he should send the Muslims back to their own people. At this, the king became angry and said, No, by God, I will not give them up. Those who have come to ask for my protection, settled in my country, and chosen me rather than others, shall not be betrayed. I will summon them and ask them about what these two men have said. If the Muslims are as the Meccans say, I will give them up and send them back to their own people, but if the Meccans have lied I will protect the Muslims. Amr was very upset by this for the last thing he wanted was for the king to hear what the Muslims had to say. The king then sent for the Muslims. When they entered, they did not kneel before him as was the custom of the Abyssinians. Why do you not kneel before our king? they were asked by one of the advisors. We kneel only to Allah, they replied. So the king asked them to tell him about their religion. Ja’far ibn abi Talib, ‘Alis brother and a cousin of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), was chosen to speak for the Muslims. He replied, 0 King, at first we were among the ignorant. We and our ancestors had turned from the faith of Abraham, who, with Ishmael, rebuilt the Ka’bah and worshipped only Allah. We used idols in our worship of Allah; we ate meat that had not been killed in the right way; we did not respect the rights of our neighbors; the strong took advantage of the weak. We did terrible things of which I dare not speak. This was our life until Allah sent a Messenger from among us, one of our relatives, whom we have always known to be honest, innocent, and faithful. He asked us to worship only Allah, and to give up the bad customs of our forefathers. He asked us to be truthful and trustworthy, to respect and help our neighbors, to honor our families, and to put a stop to our bad deeds and endless fighting. He asked us to look after orphans. He ordered us not to slander or speak evil of women or men. He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anyone or anything else alongside Him. He ordered us to pray, to give alms, and to fast. We believe he is right and therefore we follow him and do as he has commanded us. The Meccans began to attack us and come between us and our religion. So we had to leave our homes and we have come to you, hoping to find justice. The king, who was a Christian, was moved by these words. Amr had to think quickly of a way to win the argument. Cunningly he said to the king, These people do not believe in Jesus in the same way as you. The king then wanted to know what the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had said about Jesus. Jafar replied by reciting a surah from the Koran which tells the story of Jesus and his mother Mary. These are a few of the lines he recited: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to an eastern place, and had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou fearest God. He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? He said: Even so thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained. And she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to afar place. Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an monstrous thing. Oh sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot. Then Mary pointed to the child (Jesus); But they said, , How can we speak to one who is still in the cradle, a young child? He said, Lo, I am Allahs servant; He has given me the Book, and made me a Prophet. He has made me blessed, wheresoever I may be; and He has enjoined me to pray, and to give alms, so long as I live, and likewise to cherish my mother; He has not made me arrogant, unblest. Peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die, and the day I am raised up alive! (Koran xix: 16--33) When the king heard this, his eyes filled with tears. Turning to his advisers, he said, These words have surely come from God; there is very little to separate the Muslims from the Christians. What both Jesus and Muhammad, the Messengers of Allah, have brought comes from the same source. So the Muslims were given the kings permission to live peacefully in his country. ‘Amr was given back the gift he had presented to the king and the two Meccans returned home, bitterly disappointed. THE CRUELTY OF QURAYSH holy prophet THE leaders of Quraysh became increasingly worried about the way the people of Mecca were being divided by the Prophets teachings. Finally, Umar ibn al-Khattab, one of the nobles of Mecca, decided that the only way to silence the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was to kill him. Having made up his mind, he set out at once to look for him. On his way he met a man who saw at once what Umar was going to do and said: Why don t you look a little closer to home before going to kill Muhammad? Don t you know your own sister Fatimah is a Muslim? Umar was shocked. He could not believe this was true. He went at once to his sisters house. When he arrived outside the house he heard Fatimah and her husband SaId reading aloud surah Ta Ha, a chapter from the Koran. Hearing her brothers voice at the door, Fatimah quickly hid the scroll with the surah written on it among the folds of her dress. ‘Umar stormed into the room and demanded, What is this nonsense I heard? Fatimah denied everything. Umar then lost his temper and attacked Fatimahs husband shouting, They tell me that you have joined Muhammad in his religion! Fatimah tried to defend her husband and Umar hit her too. Then she admitted, Yes, we are Muslims and we believe in Allah and His Messenger and you can do what you like! Seeing her faith and courage, Umar suddenly felt sorry for what he had done and said to his sister, Let me see what I heard you reading just now so that I may understand just what it is that your Prophet has brought. Fatimah gave the scroll to him after he had washed to make himself clean and pure before touching it, and had promised to give it back to her afterwards. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Ta Ha We have not revealed unto thee (Muhammad) this Koran For thee to be distressed, but only as a reminder Unto him who fears, a Revelation from Him who created the earth and the high heavens; the Beneficent One Who is established on the Throne; To Him belongs Whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth And all that is between them, and All that is underneath the soil. If Thou speakest aloud Be thou loud in thy speech, yet Surely He knows the secret (thought) And that yet more hidden. Allah There is no god but He To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. (Koran xx: 1-8) As he read, Umar suddenly knew that these were the most beautiful words he had ever heard and that this religion must be the true one. With his sword still in hand, he went straight to the Prophets house and knocked loudly at the door. One of the Prophets closest followers looked out. There stood Umar who was known for his courage and strength. When he saw Umar so excited and with his sword in hand, he was afraid for the Prophets life. But the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) asked him to allow ‘Umar to come in and to leave them alone together. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) asked ‘Umar why he had come, to which he replied: I have come to swear that there is no god but Allah and that you, Muhammad, are the Messenger of Allah. As he spoke these words, his hand still held the sword with which he had intended to kill the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). This same sword would now be used to defend the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and the faith of Islam. At that time, whenever Muslims wanted to perform the ritual encircling of the Kabah, known as tawaf, they had to do it secretly and in fear. Umar, however, was very courageous. As soon as he had declared his faith, he went directly to the Kabah and in broad daylight made the circling of the Sacred House before the astonished people ofMecca. No one dared to say anything. But now the leaders of Quraysh became even more alarmed and began to see Islam as a threat to the whole life of the city of Mecca. They grew more and more furious as the numbers of Muslims increased until finally they, too, decided as ‘Umar once had, that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) would have to be killed. On hearing of these plans, Abu Talib, the Prophets uncle, immediately sent a message to all the sons of Abd al-Muttalib, asking them to protect their nephew, and this they agreed to do. When Quraysh realized that they could not kill the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) because of this protection, they decided instead to avoid him and his followers completely. A declaration to this effect was hung at the Kabah. It stated that no one in the city was allowed to have anything to do with the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his people, or even to sell them any food or drink whatsoever. At first the Muslims found some support among the Bani Hashim, the branch of Quraysh to which the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) belonged. Some of these people were not Muslims but showed loyalty to their kinsmen by suffering along with them. However, life grew more and more difficult and food was scarce. The hatred of the rest of Quraysh for the followers of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) grew so great that when his companions tried to buy supplies from a caravan passing near to Mecca, Abu Lahab, one of the Muslims worst enemies, offered ten times the price of the goods to the merchant. By doing this he managed to stop the Muslims from buying what they desperately needed. During the years of this terrible treatment, a wonderful thing happened. Instead of Islam becoming weaker, it grew stronger. Allah sent more and more Revelations. It was as though the Muslims were being strengthened and cleansed by the hardships they suffered and were being tested in their faith. Each year, at the time of the pilgrimage toMecca, people came from all overArabia. These pilgrims saw the terrible cruelty and injustice of Quraysh towards the Muslims, and many of them were sorry for the Prophets followers. Quraysh began to feel ashamed of their harsh treatment, especially as many of the Muslims were their cousins and close relatives. Finally, at the end of three years, they were convinced that the time had come to put an end to the persecution of the Muslims, and they decided to take down the notice hanging at the Kabah. To their astonishment, the sheet of paper had been completely eaten up by worms, all except the words, In Your Name, O Allah, which had been written at the top of the paper. THE YEAR OF SORROW holy prophet The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his followers went back to a normal way of life but the years of hardship had made Khadijah very weak. She became ill and soon afterwards she died. Thus, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) lost his beloved wife and friend, the first person to accept Islam and support him. She had been a refuge from all his troubles and, through her good-heartedness, the best company in his suffering. He had loved her very much. This happened in 619 A.D., the year which became known as the Year of Sorrow. Soon after this, the Prophet Muhammads uncle and protector, Abu Talib, also died. Abu Talib had been one of the most respected men in Mecca-one of the elders of Quraysh. Even though he had never been a follower of Islam, he had protected the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) against his enemies. Not only was this a sad occasion for the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) but also a dangerous one. According to Arab custom anyone who is under the protection of another is safe so long as his protector lives. Now, with the death of his uncle, the Prophets protection was gone. The Prophets enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a wife to console and comfort him, and without his uncle to protect him. They began to treat him worse than ever before. Even small children insulted him. One young man actually threw some filth on the Prophets head, but the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) went home without making anything of it. When one of his daughters rushed, weeping, to wash it away, he comforted her saying, Do not weep my little girl, for Allah will protect your father. Abu Talib had been the Prophets last tie with Quraysh and the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) now felt that Islam could make no further progress inMecca because the hearts of Quraysh were closed against him. He decided, therefore, to travel to Taif where he hoped to find support. He walked all the way to the town, which was seventy kilometres away. There he spoke in all the places where people gathered, but no one listened to him. He met the leaders of the three most important tribes but they would not listen either. Not only did they take no notice of what he said, but they laughed at him and ordered their slaves to insult him and pelt him with stones. Sadly, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) left the city and found a quiet place near a wall on the edge of town where he could be alone. There he prayed to Allah in these words: O Allah, to Thee I complain of my weakness, helplessness and lowliness before men. O Most Merciful, Thou art the Lord of the weak, and Thou art my Lord. To whom wouldst Thou leave my fate? To a stranger who insults me or to an enemy to whom Thou hast given power over me? If Thou art not angry with me, I care not what happens to me. Thy favor alone is my objective. I take refuge in the Light of Thy countenance by which the darkness is illumined and on which this world and the other depend, lest Thy anger descend upon me or Thy wrath light upon me. It is for Thee to be satisfied until Thou art well pleased. There is no power and no might save through Thee. The wall near which the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was sitting belonged to a garden owned by two brothers. When they heard his prayer, they were very sorry for him and sent one of their slaves to him with a dish filled with grapes. Before he began to eat, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said Bismillah -- In the Name of Allah. The servant, whose name was Addas, was very surprised at these words, which he had never heard before. By Allah said ‘Addas, this is not the way the people of this country speak. ‘ Then from what country do you come, ’Addas, and what is your religion? asked the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). I am a Christian from the Assyrian town of Nineveh, he replied. From the town of that good man Jonah, son of Matta, added the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). How do you know about him? asked Addas. He is my brother -- he was a Prophet and I am a Prophet, answered the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.). ‘Addas bent down and kissed the Prophets head, his hands and his feet, because now he saw that he was truly a Prophet (p.b.u.h.). The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) then walked back to Mecca. He was now able to put up with everything patiently for he knew that Allah would never leave him. His journey to Taif had not been in vain for ‘Addas, the Christian, had become a Muslim, and this was to be the beginning of great changes. THE NIGHT JOURNEY AND THE ASCENT TO HEAVEN holy prophet ONE night as the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) lay sleeping in the same spot where Abd al-Muttalib used to sleep, next to the Kabah, he was woken by the Archangel Gabriel. Later the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) described what happened: I sat up and he took hold of my arm. I stood beside him and he brought me to the door of the mosque where there was a white animal for me to ride.’ The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) told of how he mounted the animal and, with the Archangel Gabriel at his side, was transported fromMecca to the mosque called al-Aqsa, in far away Jerusalem. There the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) found Abraham, Moses, and Jesus among a group of Prophets. The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) acted as their leader, or imam, in prayer. Then he was brought two jugs, one containing wine and the other milk. He chose the milk and refused the wine. At this, the Archangel Gabriel said, You have been rightly guided to the fitrah, the true nature of man, and so will your people be, Muhammad. Wine is forbidden to you.’ The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) also related how they passed through Heavens gates and saw countless angels. Among them was Malik, the Keeper of Hell, who never smiles. Malik stepped forward and showed the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) a view of Hell and the terrible plight of those who suffer in that place. Then the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was taken up by the angels, through the seven Heavens, one by one. Along the way he again saw Jesus, Moses, and Abraham, and the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said that he had never seen a man more like himself than Abraham. He also saw John, called Yahya in Arabic, Joseph or Yusef, Enoch that is Idris, and Aaron. At last he reached the Lote Tree of the Uttermost, the sidrat al-muntaha, where no Prophet had been before. Here the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) received a Revelation of what Muslims believe. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful The Messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah and His Angels and His Books and His Messengers- We make no distinction between any of His messengers - and they say: We hear, and we obey. Grant us Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the homecoming. (Koran ii.285) Then he was taken into the Light of the Divine Presence of Allah, and was instructed that Muslims should pray fifty times a day. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) recalled: On my way back I passed by Moses and what a good friend to you he was! He asked me how many prayers had I been ordained to perform. When I told him fifty, he said, Prayer is a serious matter and your people are weak, so go back to your Lord and ask Him to reduce the number for you and your community. I did so and He took away ten. Again I passed by Moses and he said the same again; and so it went on until only five prayers for the whole day and night were left. Moses again gave me the same advice. I replied that I had been back to my Lord and asked him to reduce the number until I was ashamed, and I would not do it again. He of you, who performs the five prayers faithfully, will have the reward of fifty prayers. On the morning following these events and the Prophets return toMecca, he told Quraysh what had happened. Most of them said, By God! This is ridiculous! A caravan takes a month to go toSyria and a month to return! Can you do that long journey in a single night? Even many Muslims were amazed by this and wanted the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to explain. Some ran with the news to Abu Bakr who said, By Allah, if Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) himself has said so, then it is true. Remember, the Prophet tells us that the word of Allah comes to him directly from heaven to earth at any hour by day or night, and we believe him. Isnt that a greater miracle than what you now doubt? Then Abu Bakr went to the mosque and listened to the Prophets detailed description of Jerusalem. He commented, You tell the truth, O Prophet of Allah! From then on, Abu Bakr was honored with the title al-Siddiq, which means he who gives his word to support the truth. Others also began to believe the Prophets story when he went on to describe two caravans he had seen on his way back to Mecca. He told the doubters where he had seen the caravans, what they were carrying and when they would arrive inMecca. All that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had said was borne out when the caravans arrived at the time he said they would, carrying all that he had described. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Glory be to Him, who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque to the Far distant place of worship, the Neighborhood which We have blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs, He, only He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing. (Koran xvii: 1) By the Star when it setteth, Your comrade is not astray, neither deceived, Nor does he speak of his (own) desire. This is naught but a revelation revealed, Taught him by one mighty in power, very strong; he stood poised, being on the uppermost horizon, Then drew near and came down, two bows-length away, or nearer, Then revealed to His servant that which He revealed. His heart lies not of what he saw; What, will you then dispute with him what he sees? Indeed, he saw him yet another time By the Lote- Tree of the utmost Boundary Near which is the Garden of Abode When there covered the Lote- Tree that which covered; his eye turned not aside, nor yet was overbold. Verily, he saw one of the greatest signs of his Lord. (Koran liii:1-18) THE TREATY OF ‘AQABAH holy prophet IN Yathrib there were two main tribes, the Aws and the Khazraj. Both were very powerful, they were always at war with one another, and both worshipped idols. Also in Yathrib were many Jews who, unlike the Arabs at that time, knew that there was only One God, and worshipped Him. They had told the Arabs many times that a Prophet would be coming to them. The time came for the pilgrimage to the Kabah, and several people from Yathrib were going, among them six men from the tribe of Khazraj. They had heard about the Prophet Muhammads preaching and thought that this must be the Prophet the Jews had told them about. So they decided to go and speak to him during their stay inMecca. They met the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) at a spot known as Aqabah, near Mecca, and he invited them to sit with him. He explained to them what Islam meant and recited to them from the Koran. When they heard the Koran recited it touched their hearts so deeply that they became Muslims and on leaving Mecca they promised to return the following year. When they reached Yathrib carrying Islam in their hearts, they told their relatives and friends what they had heard from the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and many more people became Muslims. A year passed and the pilgrimage season came around again. Twelve important men from Yathrib went toMecca to meet the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and promised faithfully to serve him and Islam. In return, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) sent one of his friends, Musab ibn Umayr, with them to teach the Koran and instruct them in their new religion. Another year passed and still more Muslims came from Yathrib toMecca for the pilgrimage. On this occasion a secret meeting with the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was arranged to be held at night. Seventy-three men and one woman from Yathrib came, and the Prophet (p.b.u.h.); arrived with his uncle, al-Abbas. During this meeting the men from Yathrib offered to protect and defend the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his followers if they would come to live in Yathrib. This promise of protection came to be known as the Treaty of Aqabah. The treaty was most fortunate for even though Islam was growing in Yathrib, the Muslims inMecca were still suffering. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) therefore told his friends and followers to go to Yathrib where they would be safe, and most of them took this opportunity to leave. Despite all this suffering the Prophet (p.b.u.h. was not allowed to fight his enemies, for Allah had told him to forgive those who insulted him or would not listen to his message. But the Quraysh had closed their minds so utterly to the word of Allah, and grew so hard-hearted towards the Prophet (p.b.u.h. and his followers, that Allah gave permission to the Prophet (p.b.u.h. to fight those who tried to harm him or his companions. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Permission is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged; And Allah is surely able to give them victory; Those who have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they said: Our Lord is Allah. (Koran xxii:39-40) Quraysh began to fear the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) for they realized that he was now strong enough to fight them and had been given leave to do so by Allah. They also knew that he now had the people of Yathrib to help and protect him. Seeing that the Muslims were leaving the city, they decided to kill the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), before he, too, leftMecca to join his followers in Yathrib. In this way they hoped to put an end to Islam once and for all. quran AL-HIJRAH The Breaking of All Connections with Ones Home, for the Sake of Allah Alone AFTER his companions had left for Yathrib, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) stayed in Mecca, waiting for permission from Allah to leave the city. Abu Bakr and ‘Ali stayed with him. There were also some Muslims whom Quraysh had not allowed to leave. Abu Bakr kept asking the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to allow him to go to Yathrib, but the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) kept saying, Do not be in a hurry; it might be that Allah will give you a traveling companion. The leaders of Quraysh assembled in the house of their ancestor, Qusayy, as was customary when they had an important decision to make. They had to find a way of getting rid of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), before he was able to join his friends in Yathrib. As they were busy arguing, the Devil appeared at the door in the form of a noble and handsome old man. When they saw this elderly gentleman standing there, they asked him who he was. He said he was a sheikh from the mountains who had heard what they meant to do and thought he might be able to help or advise them. They thought he looked like a wise man, so they invited him in. Each leader then started to put forward ideas about what should be done, but none of them could agree about which was best, until Abu Jahl told them his plan. This was that each clan should provide a strong, young warrior, each of whom would be given a sword. All the young warriors would then wait outside the Prophets house and together attack him as he came out. In this way they would be rid of him but as the blame for killing him would fall on all the clans, the Prophets family would not be able to seek revenge. When he heard this, the Devil in the disguise of the old man, said, That man is right; in my opinion it is the only thing to do! The leaders of Quraysh then left to carry out their plan to murder the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful And when the unbelievers plot against thee, to confine thee, or kill thee, or to drive thee out, they were plotting, But Allah was (also) plotting; and Allah is the best of plotters. (Koran viii. 30) Before the night fell, on which Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) was to be killed, the Archangel Gabriel came to him and said, Do not sleep tonight in your own bed. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) understood what was going to happen, so he told ’Ali to lie in his bed and wrap himself in the blanket that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) normally used, promising that no harm would befall him. With the coming of darkness the young men of Quraysh had gathered outside the Prophets house, waiting for him to come out. After he had made sure that ’Ali was safe, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) left the house. At that very moment, Allah took away the sight of the warriors so that they could not see the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), who took a handful of dust, sprinkled it on their heads and recited these verses: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Ya Sin By the Wise Koran, Thou art truly among those sent On the straight path; A Revelation of the All-mighty, the All-wise, That thou may warn a people whose fathers were never warned, so they are heedless. The Word has already proved true of most of them, yet they do not believe. Lo! We have put on their necks collars of iron up to the chin, so that they are made stiff-necked. And We have put before them a barrier; and We have covered them so they do not see. (Koran XXXVi.I-9) The young men waited the whole night and were furious when, in the morning, they saw ’Ali instead of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) coming out of the house. They realized that their plan had failed completely. In the meantime, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) went to Abu Bakrs house and told him, ‘Allah has told me that now is the time for us to leaveMecca.’ Together? asked Abu Bakr. Together, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) replied. Abu Bakr wept for joy, because now he knew that the traveling companion he had been promised was the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) himself. Then he said, 0 Messenger of Allah, these are the two camels which I have kept ready for this. And so, the two of them left for a cave in Thawr, a mountain to the south ofMecca where they intended to hide. When they were out of the city the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) looked back and said, Of all Allah s earth, you are the dearest place to Allah and to me and if my people had not driven me out I would never have left you. When Quraysh found out that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his companion had gone, they set out after them, searching in every direction. Three days later they finally reached the cave where the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and Abu Bakr were hiding, but a strange and wonderful thing had happened. A spider had woven its web right across the entrance to the cave and a dove was nesting with her mate nearby. As the Meccans stood in front of the cave, with only the spiders web separating them from the fugitives, Abu Bakr began to fear for their safety. He whispered to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), they are very close. If one of them turns we will be seen.’ But he was comforted by the Prophets reply: What do you think of two people, who have with them Allah as their third? Grieve not, for verily Allah is with us. (Koran ix.40) After a few moments the search party decided that no one could have entered the cave recently, or the spiders web would not have been complete and the dove would not have nested there, and so they left without searching inside. Three days later the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and Abu Bakr thought it safe to leave the cave. Abu Bakrs son, ‘Amir, had arranged for three camels and a guide to help them continue their journey to Yathrib. Amir would ride behind his father. The leaders of Quraysh, meanwhile, returned toMecca and offered a reward of one hundred camels to whoever captured the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). Among those who went in search of him was a famous warrior. He was, in fact, the only one to catch up with him, but whenever he came close, his horse would suddenly sink up to its knees in the sand. When this had happened three times, he understood that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was protected by a power stronger than anything he had known, and so he went back to Mecca. On arriving there he warned everyone against continuing the search, relating what had happened to him. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful If you do not help him, still Allah has helped him already, When the unbelievers drove him forth, the second of two, When the two were in the Cave, when he said to his companion, Grieve not; surely Allah is with us. Then Allah caused His peace and Reassurance to descend upon him, And helped him with hosts you cannot see, And He made the word of the unbelievers the lowest; While Allahs word is the uppermost; Allah is All-mighty, All-wise. (Koran ix.40) The Prophets journey fromMecca is called the hijrah, or migration. It was really the first step towards the spread of Islam throughout the entire world, and Muslims begin their calendar from the year of the hijrah. ARRIVAL IN YATHRIB WHEN the people of Yathrib heard that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had leftMecca and was on his way to their city, they anxiously awaited his arrival. Each morning they would go to the edge of the city to see if he were coming. Finally, on Monday, September 27, in the year 622 A.D., someone saw him in the distance and shouted to everyone, Here is Muhammad! (P.b.u.h.)The Messenger of Allah has arrived!’ All the Muslims went out to greet him, shouting, ‘Allahu Akbar! Allah is Great! Muhammad the Messenger of Allah has arrived! The women and children sang songs to show how glad they were to see him. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) entered the city with his friend Abu Bakr. Most of the people there had not seen him before and as they gathered around they did not know which of the two was the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), until Abu Bakr got up to shield him with his cloak from the burning sun. Yathrib would now be called al-Medina, which means, The City. The Messenger of God (p.b.u.h.) stayed in Quba, which is a place at the entrance ofMedina, for three days. On the first Friday after his arrival the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) led the congregation in prayer. After this many of the wealthiest men invited him to come and live with them and share their riches. But he refused and, pointing to his she-camel, Qaswa, said, Let her go her way, because he knew that his camel was under Allah s command and would guide him to the spot where he should stay. They let the camel go until she finally knelt down beside a house belonging to the Bani an-Najjar, the tribe to whom the Prophets mother was related. This house was used as a drying-place for dates and belonged to two young orphan boys named Sahl and Suhayl. They offered to give it to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) but he insisted on paying them for it, and so their guardian, Asad the son of Zurarah, who was present, made the necessary arrangements. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) ordered that a mosque and a place for him to live be built on the site. All the Muslims worked together to finish it quickly - even the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) joined in. It was here that the Muslims would pray and meet to make important decisions and plans. The building was quite plain and simple. The floor was beaten earth and the roof of palm leaves was held up by tree trunks. Two stones marked the direction of prayer. At first worshippers faced Jerusalem, but soon after the direction of prayer was changed towards the Ka bah in Mecca. After the building of the mosque, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) wanted to strengthen the relationship between the people called the Muhajirah or Emigrants, who had leftMecca with him, and the people ofMedina, who were known as the Ansar, or Helpers. Each man from Medina took as his brother a man fromMecca, sharing everything with him and treating him as a member of his own family. This was the beginning of the Islamic brotherhood. In the early days of Islam, the times for prayer were not announced and so the Muslims would come to the mosque and wait for the prayer so as not to miss it. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) wondered how to tell the people that it was time for prayers. He discussed it with his friends, and at first two ideas were put forward; that of blowing a horn as the Jews did, and that of using a wooden clapper like the Christians. Then a man called Abd Allah ibn Zayd came to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and told him he had had a dream in which he had seen a man dressed all in green, holding a wooden clapper. He had said to the man, Would you sell me your clapper in order to call the people to prayer? The man had replied, ‘A better way to call the people to prayer is to say: Allahu Akbar, Allah is Most Great! four times, followed by I bear witness that there is no divinity but Allah, I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Come to prayer, come to prayer, Come to salvation, come to salvation. Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar! There is no divinity but Allah, When the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) heard this, he said it was a true vision from Allah. He sent for Bilal, who had a beautiful, strong voice, and ordered him to call the people to prayer in just this way. Bilal did so and soon after Umar came out o fhis house and told the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) that he had seen exactly the same vision himself. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) replied, ‘Allah be praised for that.’ The adhan, or call to prayer, which came to Abd Allah ibn Zayd in his dream and was performed by Bilal on the instruction of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), is the one we still hear today being called from the minarets of mosques all over the world. THE BATTLE OF BADR THE Muslims who had gone toMedina, had left all their belongings behind inMecca and these had been taken by their enemies. Thus, when the Muslims heard that Abu Sufyan, one of the leaders of Quraysh, was on his way back to Mecca from Syria with a large caravan of goods, they decided that the time had come for them to retrieve some of their losses. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) gave the Muslims permission for this attack and everyone began to get ready for the raid, for it had been revealed: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Permission to fight is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged; and Allah is surely able to give them victory; (Koran xxii.39) The Revelation had mentioned that a thing most serious with Allah was to turn (men )from the way of Allah, and to disbelieve in Him and in the Holy Mosque, and to drive his people from there. . .for persecution is worse than killing. (Koran ii.2I7) The retrieval of their goods, however, was not their only reason for wanting to attack the caravan. The Muslims did not think they should simply remain safely inMedina; they wanted to spread the message of Islam. They thus felt that if Quraysh wanted freedom to trade in safety, then the Muslims must also have freedom to believe in Allah, to follow His Messenger (p.b.u.h.), and spread His Word. It was, therefore, thought that the best, and only way to get Quraysh to understand this was to attack what was most important to them -- a caravan. Abu Sufyiin, in the meantime, heard about the Muslims plan and quickly sent a message to Quraysh inMecca, telling them that the caravan was in danger and asking for help. As a result nearly all Quraysh came out to help him defend the caravan. There were a thousand men and two hundred horses. The women also went along to cheer the men on with their singing. Unaware of this, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) set out with his followers. It was the month of Ramadan and the Muslims were fasting. There were only three hundred and five of them, most of them Ansar, men fromMedina. With them they had three horses and seventy camels, on which they rode in turns. They arrived in the area of Badr , some distance fromMedina where they made camp and waited for news of the caravan. Then they heard that Quraysh had set out fromMecca with a strong army. The situation had suddenly changed. They were no longer going to make a raid on a caravan they were going to have to fight Quraysh. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) gathered his men around him to find out what they wanted to do. First Abu Bakr, and then Umar, spoke for the Muslims who had come fromMecca. They said they would obey the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). But the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) wanted to hear the opinion of the Ansar, because he did not want to force them into doing something they did not want to do. Sad ibn Muadh, one of the leaders of the Ansar, got up and said, We believe in you and we swear before all men that what you have brought is the truth. We have given you our word and agreement to hear and obey. So go where you wish, we are with you even if you should lead us into the sea! The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) was greatly encouraged by these words and so it was agreed to fight. Abu Sufyan learned where the Muslims were camped. He changed the course of the caravan and quickly took it out of their reach. He then sent word to Quraysh telling them that the caravan was safe and that they should return toMecca. But the leaders of Quraysh were proud and stubborn men. They refused to return as they had made up their minds to show everyone how powerful they were by destroying the Muslims. Now there was a wadi, or valley, at Badr, with wells on the side nearest Medina, and it was here that the Muslims took up position facing the valley with the wells behind them. Quraysh meanwhile placed themselves on the other side of the valley. The Muslims then dug a reservoir, filled it with water from one of the wells, and made a barrier around it. Then they stopped up the wells. In this way the Muslims had enough drinking water for themselves, while the Meccans would have to cross the valley and fight the Muslims in order to get water. The night before the battle, while the Muslims slept peacefully, a heavy rain fell. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful When He made the slumber fall upon you as a reassurance from Him and sent down water from the sky upon you, in order that He might purify you, and remove from you the fear of Satan, and strengthen your hearts and make firm ( your) feet thereby. (Koran viii.II) On the morning of Friday, the 17th of Ramadan, 2 A.H., (March 7th, 623 A.D), the two armies advanced and drew closer to one another. The rain had been heavier on the side of Quraysh, making the ground soft and movement difficult. On the side of the Muslims, however, the rain had packed the sand down hard, making it easy for them to march. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) preferred the men to fight in ranks. As they prepared to march he noticed that someone had stepped out in front of the others. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) prodded him in the side with an arrow, saying, Stand in line! The man, Sawad, exclaimed, You have hurt me, 0 Messenger of Allah! Allah has sent you to be just and good.’ The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) lifted his shirt and said, Then do the same to me.’ The man approached and kissed him on the spot instead, saying, 0 Messenger of Allah, you see what is before us and I may not survive the battle. If this is my last time with you, I want the last thing I do in life to be this.’ Shortly after he went into battle, Sawad died a martyr. Having examined the ranks, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) then went to a shelter made of palm branches from which he could command the battle. Abu Bakr stayed with him, while Sa’d ibn Mu’adh, with several of the Ansar, stood outside guarding the hut. When the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) saw the enormous Quraysh army descending the hill into the valley, with all their banners and drums, he began to pray for the help which Allah had promised him. These were some of his words. 0 Allah, here come Quraysh full of vanity and pride, who oppose Thee and call Thy Messenger a liar. 0 Allah, if this little band (the Muslims) perishes today, there will be none left in the land to worship Thee. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful When ye sought help of your Lord and He answered you ( saying): I will help you with a thousand of the angels, rank on rank. Allah appointed it only as good tidings, and that your hearts might thereby be at ease. Victory cometh only by the help of Allah. Lo! Allah is Mighty, Wise. (Koran viii.9-10) At first the battle began in single combat when one of Quraysh swore that he would drink from the Muslims reservoir and then destroy it, or die in the attempt. Hamzah, the Prophets uncle, came forward to face him and killed him. Three of the most important men of Quraysh then stepped forward and gave out a challenge for single combat. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) sent out ‘Ali, Hamzah, and ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Harith, to face them. It was not long before Hamzah and ‘Ali had killed their opponents. As for ‘Ubaydah, he had wounded his enemy but was wounded himself, and so his two companions killed the wounded Meccan and carried ‘Ubaydah back to the safety of the Muslim ranks. After this, the two armies attacked each other and fighting broke out all around. The sky was filled with arrows. The Muslim army held its ground against the great army of Quraysh and even though the Muslims were much fewer in number, they gained a great victory, destroying the Meccan army and killing most of its leaders. Among the leading Meccans who died were Abu Jahl and Umayyah ibn Khalaf, who was killed by his former slave, Bilal. Seeing that their leaders were nearly all dead, the remainder of Quraysh retreated. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) sent word toMedina to tell them of the victory. He then gathered up the spoils of war and divided them equally among the Muslims. Some of the Meccans had been taken prisoner and the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) gave orders that they should be treated well until their relatives from among Quraysh came to fetch them. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Ye (Muslims) did not slay them, but Allah slew them. And thou Muhammad threwest not when thou didst throw, but Allah threw, so that He might test the believers by a fair test from Him. Lo! Allah is All-hearing, All-Knowing. (Koran viii.17) quran UHUD -- DEFEAT COMES FROM DISOBEDIENCE WHEN the survivors of the defeated Quraysh at Badr returned toMecca, they gathered to speak with Abu Sufyan. They said, ‘Muhammad has killed our best men, so help us to fight him so that we may avenge those we have lost. In order to do this it was agreed that everyone who had had a share in the caravan should put his profits towards the cost of a new army, which would be three times as big as the one at Badr. Among those who joined the new army was an Abyssinian slave called Wahshi. who was known for his accuracy with the spear. His master, Jubayr ibn al-Mutim, said to him, Go with the army and if you kill Hamzah, the uncle of Muhammad, in revenge for my uncles death, I will set you free. When Hind, Abu Sufyans wife, heard about this she sent a message to Wahshi to say that she would clothe him in gold and silk if he would carry out his masters wish, for she, too, wanted Hamzah dead because he had killed both her father and brother. While the Meccans made their plans, the Prophets uncle, Abbas, one of the few Muslims still living inMecca, sent a letter of warning to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) in Medina. He told him that Quraysh were setting out with a huge army for Uhud, a place just outside Medina. On receiving this timely warning, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) gathered his companions around him to discuss what they should do. He thought it would be better to wait for the enemy inside the city rather than go out to meet them, because it would be easier to defendMedina from inside the city walls. But the young Muslims were eager to go out and face Quraysh. They said, 0 Prophet of Allah, lead us out against our enemies, or else they will think we are too cowardly and too weak to fight them. One of the rulers of Medina, Abd Allah ibn Ubayy, however, agreed with the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and advised him to remain in the city, saying, Whenever we have gone out to fight an enemy we have met with disaster, but none has ever come in against us without being defeated.’ But when the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) saw that the majority were in favor of going out to meet Quraysh, he decided to do so, and after the Friday prayer he put on his armor. The Muslims then set out with one thousand men in the direction ofMount Uhud which overlooks Medina. The enemy was camped on the plain below the mountain where they were laying waste the crops of the Muslims. Abd Allah ibn Ubayy was angry that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had not followed his advice and after going part of the way, turned back forMedina, taking one third of the entire army with him. This left the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) with only seven hundred men to meet the enormous Meccan army, which numbered three thousand. The remainder of the Muslims went on until they reached the mountain of Uhud. There the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) ordered them to stand in ranks in front of the mountain, so that they would be protected from behind. He then positioned fifty archers on top of the mountain, giving them the following order: Keep the Meccan cavalry away from us with your arrows and dont let them come against us from the rear, whether the battle goes in our favor or against us. Whatever happens keep to your places so that we cannot be attacked from your direction, even if you see us being slain or booty being taken.’ When the Muslims were in position, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) held up his sword and said, Who will use this sword with its right? This was a great honor and many men rose to claim it, but the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) decided to give it to Abu Dujanah, a fearless warrior. Then the battle commenced. The Muslims were well organized and had the advantage, because although Quraysh had more than four times as many men, they were tired from their journey and thus not ready to fight. As a result, the Muslims were able to make a surprise attack, led by Abu Dujanah, who was wearing a brilliant red turban. As the fighting increased the Quraysh women, led by Hind, began to beat their drums to urge their men on. They called out poems to encourage their men to be brave. If you advance, we hug you, spread soft rugs beneath you; if you retreat, we leave you. Leave and no more love you. Abu Dujanah said: I saw someone urging the enemy on, shouting wildly, and I made for him, but when I lifted my sword against him he screamed and I saw that it was a woman; I respected the Apostles sword too much to use it on a woman.’ That woman was Hind. As usual, Hamzah, the Prophets uncle, fought with great courage, but while leading the Muslims in a fierce attack, which nearly defeated the Meccans, he was suddenly and cruelly struck down by the slave Wahshi. Later, Wahshl told how it happened: I was watching Hamzah while he was killing men with his sword. I...aimed my spear until I was sure it would hit the mark and hurled it at him. He came on towards me but collapsed and fell. I left him there until he died, then I came and took back my spear. Then I went back to the camp because I did not want to kill anyone but him. My only aim in killing him was to gain my freedom. The Quraysh warriors were soon scattered and forced to retreat. It looked as though they had been defeated! Seeing this, forty of the fifty Muslim archers on top of the mountain ran down from their position to collect booty, for the Quraysh army had left many of their belongings behind. The archers rushed to take what they could, forgetting the Prophets orders. Khalid ibn al-Walid, Commander of the Quraysh cavalry, saw what was happening and quickly turned his men around and ordered them to attack the Muslims from behind. The Muslims were taken completely by surprise. The Quraysh then began attacking from both sides at once. Many Muslims were killed and instead of winning they began to lose the battle. To add to the confusion, it was rumored that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had been killed. When the Muslims heard this they were at a loss to know what to do. Then a man named Anas called out, Brothers! If Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) has been killed what will your lives be worth without him? Don t think about living or dying. Fight for Allah. Get up and die the way Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) died! and on hearing these words the Muslims took courage. There had been several cavalry attacks on the position held by the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and his companions and the Prophets cheek had been badly gashed. As the Meccans closed in again he called out, Who will sell his life for us? At this, five Ansar got up and fought until they were killed, one by one. Their places were soon taken, however, by a number of Muslims who drove off the attackers. Amongst the defending Muslims was Abu Dujanah who put his arms around the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and made himself into a human shield. Throughout the remainder of the battle he held on to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), but as the fighting drew to a close he suddenly let go. Abu Dujanah was dead, killed by the many arrows in his back that had been aimed at the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). With the defeat of the Muslims, Quraysh were at last avenged. As they left the field of battle Abu Sufyan called out to his men, You have done well; victory in war goes by turns-today in exchange for Badr! When he heard this, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) told Umar to answer him, saying, ‘Allah is Most High and Most Glorious. We are not equal. Our dead are in Paradise and your dead are in Hell! The Muslim soldiers then followed the departing Quraysh part of the way to make sure they were not going to attack Medina. After the enemy had left, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) made his way around the battlefield to see the extent of the Muslim losses. Many of the most faithful Muslims had been killed. Among the dead, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) found the body of his closest friend and uncle, Hamzah, who had been killed by the slave, Wahshi. At the sight of this, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said, There will never be a moment as sad for me as this. Hamzahs sister, Safiyya, came to pray and ask forgiveness for her brother, saying We belong to Allah and to Allah we are returning. After the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had prayed over the many dead, he said, I tell you that no one has been wounded in Allahs cause but Allah will remember him and on the Day of Resurrection will raise him from the dead. Look for the one who has learned most of the Koran and put him in front of his companions in the grave. They were buried where they had fallen as martyrs. Of them Allah says: In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Do not Think that those, who were killed for Allahs sake are dead. Nay, they are alive. With their Lord they have provision. Jubilant (are they) because of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those that have not yet joined them because they have nothing to fear or grieve over. (Koran iii. 169-70) It is said that the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) swore that no Muslim who had died for his beliefs would want to come back to life for a single hour, even if he could own the whole world, unless he could return and fight for Allah and be killed a second time. The Muslims realized that their defeat had been caused by their disobedience to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). The Koran tells us that the Muslims had been tested by Allah at Uhud and had failed but that Allah forgave them their weakness. In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful Some of you there are that desire this world, and some of you there are that desire the next world. Then He turned you from them, that He might try you ; and He has forgiven you; and Allah is bounteous to the believers. (Koran iii. 145) People living nowadays should learn from the lessons learned by the early Muslims at Uhud. Disobedience to the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and love for the things of this world caused their defeat. The same can happen to us as well. Even if we have no battle like Uhud to fight, we can still die for Allahs sake by fighting what is bad in ourselves. When the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) came back from a battle he said to his men, We have returned from the lesser war to the greater war. He meant by this that the struggle that goes on within every human being to become a better person is the more difficult battle.
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 07:17:41 +0000
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