AR-RaheeQ Al-Makhtum (THE SEALED NECTAR)- Memoirs of the Noble Prophet -5
AR-RaheeQ Al-Makhtum (THE
SEALED NECTAR)- Memoirs of the Noble Prophet 
Author: Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri - Jamia Salafia - India-
Translated by : Issam Diab
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The Third
Phase
Calling unto Islam beyond Makkah
In Shawwal (in the
last of May or in the beginning of June 619 A.D.), ten years
after receiving his mission from his Lord, the Prophet set out towards At-Ta’if,
about 60 kilometres from Makkah, in the company of his freed
slave Zaid bin Haritha inviting people to Islam. But contrary to
his expectations, the general atmosphere was terribly hostile. He
approached the family of ‘Umair, who were reckoned amongst the
nobility of the town. But, to his disappointment, all of them
turned deaf ear to his message and used abusive language as
regards the noble cause he had been striving for. Three brothers
from the chieftains of Thaqeef —‘Abd Yaleel, Mas‘ud and
Habeeb — sons of ‘Amr bin ‘Umair Ath-Thaqafy met the
Prophet , who
invited them to embrace Islam and worship Allâh, but they
impudently jeered at him and refused his invitation. "He is
tearing the cloths of Al-Ka‘bah; is it true that Allâh has
sent you as a Messenger?" said one of them. "Has not
Allâh found someone else to entrust him with His Message?"
said the second. "I swear by Allâh that I will never have
any contact with you. If you are really the Messenger of Allâh,
then you are too serious to retort back; and if you are belying
Allâh, then I feel it is imperative not to speak to." said
the third. The Messenger of Allâh , finding that they were
hopeless cases, stood up and left them saying: "Should you
indulge in these practices of yours, never divulge them to me."
For ten days he stayed there
delivering his message to several people, one after another, but
all to no purpose. Stirred up to hasten the departure of the
unwelcome visitor, the people hooted him through the alley-ways,
pelted him with stones and obliged him to flee from the city
pursued by a relentless rabble. Blood flowed down both his legs;
and Zaid, endeavouring to shield him, was wounded in the head.
The mob did not desist until they had chased him two or three
miles across the sandy plains to the foot of the surrounding
hills. There, wearied and exhausted, he took refuge in one of the
numerous orchards, and rested against the wall of a vineyard. At
a time when the whole world seemed to have turned against him,
Muhammad turned to
his Lord and betook himself to prayer and the following touching
words are still preserved as those through which his oppressed
soul gave vent to its distress. He was weary and wounded but
confident of the help of his Lord:
"I seek protection in the light of Your Countenance, which illuminates the heavens and dispels darkness, and which controls all affairs in this world as well as in the Hereafter. May it never be that I should incur Your wrath, or that You should be wrathful to me. And there is no power nor resource, but Yours alone."
Seeing him in this helpless
situation, Rabi‘a’s two sons, wealthy Makkans, were moved on
grounds of kinship and compassion, and sent to him one of their
Christian servants with a tray of grapes. The Prophet accepted the fruit with
pious invocation: "In the Name of the Allâh." The
Christian servant ‘Addas was greatly impressed by these words
and said: "These are words which people in this land do not
generally use." The Prophet inquired of him whence
he came and what religion he professed. ‘Addas replied: "I
am a Christian by faith and come from Nineveh." The Prophet then said: "You
belong to the city of the righteous Jonah, son of Matta."
‘Addas asked him anxiously if he knew anything about Jonah. The
Prophet
significantly remarked: "He is my brother. He was a Prophet
and so am I." Thereupon ‘Addas paid homage to Muhammad and kissed his hands.
His masters admonished him at this act but he replied: "None
on the earth is better than he is. He has revealed to me a truth
which only a Prophet can do." They again reprimanded him and
said: "We forewarn you against the consequences of
abandoning the faith of your forefathers. The religion which you
profess is far better than the one you feel inclined to."
Heart-broken and depressed,
Muhammad set out on
the way back to Makkah. When he reached Qarn Al-Manazil, Allâh,
the Almighty sent him Gabriel together with the angel of
mountains. The latter asked the Prophet for permission to bury
Makkah between Al–Akhshabain —Abu Qubais and Qu‘ayqa‘an
mountains. Full narration of this event was given by ‘Aishah -
may Allah be pleased with her - (the Prophet’s spouse). She
said: "I asked the Prophet if he had ever
experienced a worse day than Uhud. He answered that he had
suffered a lot from those people (the idolaters) but the most
painful was on the day of ‘Aqabah. I went seeking support from
Ibn ‘Abd Yalil bin ‘Abd Kalal, but he spurned me. I set out
wearied and grieved heedless of anything around me until I
suddenly realized I was in Qarn Ath-Tha‘alib, called Qarn Al-Manazil.
There, I looked up and saw a cloud casting its shade on me, and
Gabriel addressing me: Allâh has heard your people’s words and
sent you the angel of mountains to your aid. The latter called
and gave me his greetings and asked for my permission to bury
Makkah between Al-Akhshabain, the two mountains flanking Makkah.
I said in reply that I would rather have someone from their loins
who will worship Allâh, the All–Mighty with no associate."
A concise meaningful answer fully indicative of the Prophet’s
matchless character and the fathomless magnanimous manners.<
The Messenger of Allâh then came back to
wakefulness and his heart was set at rest in the light of that
invisible Divinely provided aid. He proceeded to Wadi Nakhlah
where he stayed for a few days.
During his stay there, Allâh sent him a company of jinns who listened to him reciting the Noble Qur’ân:
) Nafran (three
to ten persons) of the jinns, (quietly) listening to the
Qur’ân, when they stood in the presence thereof, they
said: ‘Listen in silence!’ And when it was finished,
they returned to their people, as warners. They said: ‘O
our people! Verily! We have heard a Book (this Qur’ân)
sent down after Moses, confirming what came before it, it
guides to the Truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam).
O our people! Respond (with obedience) to Allâh’s
Caller (i.e. Allâh’s Messenger Muhammad ), and believe
in him (i.e. believe in that which Muhammad has brought from
Allâh and follow him). He (Allâh) will forgive you of
your sins, and will save you from a painful torment (i.e.
Hell-fire).’" [46:29-31] The same incident is referred to in Sûrah Al-Jinn:
): "It has
been revealed to me that a group (from three to ten in
number) of jinns listened (to this Qur’ân). They said:
‘Verily! We have heard a wonderful Recital (this Qur’ân)!
It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed
therein, and we shall never join (in worship) anything
with our Lord (Allâh).’" [72:1,2] … Till the
end of the 15th verse.From the context of these verses
and their relevant interpretation, we can safely establish it
that the Prophet
was not aware of the presence of that group of jinns. It was only
when Allâh revealed those verses that he came to know of it. The
verses also confirm that it was the first time they came.
However, the context of the different versions suggests that the
jinns repeated their visits later on. The presence of that
company of jinns comes in the context of the Divine support given
to His Messenger, and constitutes a propitious sign of ultimate
victory and success for the Call of Islam. It provides an
unshakable proof that no power however mighty could alter what is
wrought by Allâh:
"And we think that we cannot escape (from the punishment of) Allâ h in the earth, nor can we escape (from the punishment) by flight." [72:12]
Given this support and auspicious start, depression, dismay and sadness that used to beset him since he was driven out of At-Ta’if, he turned his face towards Makkah with fresh determination to resume his earlier plan to expose people to Islam and communicate his Message in a great spirit of zeal and matchless enthusiasm.
Zaid bin Harithah, his
companion, addressing the Prophet said, "How dare you
step into Makkah after they (Quraish) have expatriated you?"
The Prophet
answered: "Hearken Zaid, Allâh will surely provide relief
and He will verily support His religion and Prophet."
When he was a short distance
from Makkah, he retired to Hira’ Cave. Whence he despatched a
man from Khuza‘ah tribe to Al-Akhnas bin Shuraiq seeking his
protection. The latter answered that he was Quraish’s ally and
in no position to offer protection. He despatched the messenger
to Suhail bin ‘Amr, but to no avail, either. Al-Mut‘im bin
‘Adi, a notable in Makkah, however, volunteered to respond to
the Prophet’s appeal for shelter. He asked his people to
prepare themselves fully armed and then asked Muhammad to enter into the town
and directly into the Holy Sanctuary. The Prophet observed a two-Rak‘a
prayer and left for his house guarded by the heavily-armed
vigilant ‘Adi’s.
It has been reported that later Abu Jahl, the archenemy of Islam, asked Mut‘im if his behaviour suggested protection or conversion, the latter replied it was merely protection. Abu Jahl was relieved and said that he would give Muhammad protection for his sake.
The Messenger of Allâh never forgot Mut‘im’s
favour. At the conclusion of the battle of Badr, he declared
publicly that if Mut‘im had been still alive and asked for the
release of the Quraishite captives, he would not deny him his
request.
Islam being
introduced to
Arabian Tribes and Individuals
In Dhul Qa‘dah, the tenth year
of Prophethood, i.e. July 619, the Prophet , returned to Makkah to
resume his activities. The time for pilgrimage to Makkah was
approaching so he hastened to introduce people both tribes and
individuals to Islam and call upon them to embrace it, just as it
was his practice since the fourth year of his Prophethood.
On the authority of Az-Zuhri, of the tribes that Islam was introduced to, we could speak of Banu ‘Amir bin Sa‘sa‘ah, Muharib bin Khasfa, Fazarah, Ghassan, Murrah, Haneefah, Saleem, ‘Abs, Banu Nasr, Banu Al-Buka’, Kindah, Kalb, Al-Harith bin Ka‘b, Udhrah and people of Hadrmout. Islam was not introduced to them in one single year but rather repeatedly from the fourth year till the last pre-migration season of pilgrimage. They however, remained obdurate and none of them responded positively.
The following is a resume of aspects relating to the Prophet’s appeals as regards the new faith he was preaching:
- He visited a sept of Banu Kalb known as Banu ‘Abdullah. He called them to Allâh’s Message and entreated them to accept it for the sake of Allâh Who had chosen a beautiful name for their father, but without avail.
- He called on Bani Haneefah in their habitation, but received very repugnant treatment.
- He addressed Bani ‘Amir bin Sa‘sa‘ah in their encampment, calling them to abandon idolatry and join him. One of them called Buhairah bin Firras, answered him back: "Should we give you allegiance and Allâh give you power over your opponents, will you give us right to inheritance and succeed you in power?" The Prophet replied: "The whole affair lies in Allâh’s Hands. He gives the power to whomever He desires." The man commented: "Do you expect us to incur the wrath and vengeance of the Arabs without the least hope of leadership? We can in fact readily dispense with your offers."
When Banu ‘Amir returned to their habitations, they narrated the story to an elderly man who had lingered behind because he was too old. They told him, "A young man of Quraish of Bani ‘Abdul Muttalib, claiming that he is a Prophet, contacted us, asked for support and invited us to embrace his religion." The old sheikh was struck by the news, and wondered if there was no way of making amends for the loss of that opportunity and swore, "He is really Ishmaelite (he descends from Ishmael). He is the Truth (he is a real Prophet). How did it happen that you misjudged his words?"
The Prophet was not dismayed at all.
He persisted in his mission for the fulfillment of which he had
been commissioned to strive despite all odds. He did not confine
his efforts to the tribes but also conducted contacts with
individuals from some of whom he was able to receive a favourable
response. Moreover, later in the same season, some of them did
believe in his Prophethood and entered the fold of Islam. The
following list included some of those early converts:
- Swaid bin Samit. He
was an intelligent discreet poet from Yathrib (Madinah).
During his stay in Makkah for pilgrimage (or lesser
pilgrimage), he encountered the Prophet who invited him
to embrace Islam. At this invitation, Swaid imparted to
the Prophet some sound words from Luqman’s wisdom. The
Prophet approved of that wisdom but told the man that he
had something far better. He recited some verses from the
Qur’ân, the man listened meditatively and the words
appealed to his originally pure nature and accepted Islam
as his faith at once. He was killed in the battle of Bu‘ath.
That was in the eleventh year of the Prophethood.
- Eyas bin Mu‘adh.
He was still a youth from Aws tribe. He came as a member
of delegation seeking alliance with Quraish against
another rival tribe dwelling in Madinah, Al-Khazraj. The
Prophet met
them and advised them to follow a better course than that
they had in mind. He introduced himself and Islam to
them, apprised them of his mission and narrated some
verses from the Noble Qur’ân. Eyas’s heart
immediately absorbed the Divine Message and agreed with
the Prophet .
Abul Haisar Anas bin Rafi‘, a member of the delegation
disapproved of the boy’s behaviour and silenced him by
hurling some dust into his face. The people then left
Madinah after having failed in establishing alliance with
Quraish. Shortly after arrival in Madinah, the boy
breathed his last acclaiming Allâh’s Name and
celebrating His Glory.
- Abu Dhar Al-Ghifari.
He used to live in the suburbs of Yathrib. News of the
Islamization of Swaid bin Samit and Eyas bin Mu‘adh
reached him and constituted a turning point in his life
per se. He sent his brother to Makkah for more details
about the Prophet’s intentions. The man came back and
reported to Abu Dhar that the ‘said man’ enjoined
good and forbade evil. Abu Dhar was not satisfied and
decided that he himself should go out and probe the real
situation. After some attempts to identify the person of
the Prophet ,
he managed to meet him though not without some
difficulties due to the antagonistic atmosphere within
which the proponents of the new faith were trying to work
their way. No sooner than Abu Dhar was exposed to the
real nature of Islam, he embraced it. Despite the Prophet’s
earnest plea not to divulge his new move, Abu Dhar went
directly to the Holy Sanctuary where he publicly declared
that he had testified to the Oneness of Allâh and
Prophethood of Muhammad. The heathens all around hurried
and began beating him. He almost died when Al-‘Abbas
intervened warning against killing someone whose tribe
was in full command of the strategic commercial caravan
routes leading to Makkah. The event recurred in the
following morning with the same man to come to the scene
and rescue him.
- Tufail bin ‘Amr Ad-Dausi.
He was an honest poet and chief of Ad-Daus tribe
inhabiting an area close to Yemen in South Arabia. He
arrived in Makkah in the eleventh year of Prophethood.
Great reception ceremonies were accorded to him on his
advent. The Makkans soon started to inculcate in his ears
all sorts of antipathy against the Prophet . They even
alleged that he had caused the most horrible societal
schism, dividing all sorts of social life even the family
ties were subject to his schemes and plans of dissension.
They even warned him against speaking or even listening
to him. The man overpowered by these pleas, complied by
their requests. He even stuffed his ears with a piece of
cotton in order not to hear any word of his. However,
when this tribesman entered the mosque, he saw Muhammad observing his
prayer and out of curiosity, he approached him for it was
a Divine Will to hear the Prophet’s sound and appealing
words. The temptation to hear more was irresistible so he
followed the Prophet into his house,
briefed him on his advent and all the story of the people
of Quraish. The Messenger of Allâh recited some
verses of the Noble Qur’ân and the man managed to
taste something exceptionally beautiful and discern the
truth latent within. He embraced Islam and testified that
there was no god but Allâh and that Muhammad was His
Messenger. He then said that he was an influential man
among his people and that he would call them to profess
Islam, yet he wanted the Prophet to equip him
with a supportive sign that would ease his future task.
It was in fact a Divinely bestowed light in his whip. He
called his father and wife to embrace Islam and they did
respond. His people lagged a little but he exhorted them
fervently and was fully successful. He and seventy or
eighty of his followers emigrated to Madinah after the
Trench Battle. He was a perfect fighter in the cause of
Allâh and was martyred in Al-Yamama events.
- Dhumad Al-Azdi. He
came from Azd Shanu’a in Yemen, specialist in
incantation. He arrived in Makkah to hear the fools there
say that Muhammad was out of his
mind. He decided to practise his craft on the Prophet , who on seeing
him said: "Praise is to Allâh, we entertain His
praise and seek His help. Whomsoever Allâh guides, none
will lead astray, and whomsoever Allâh leads astray,
none will guide. I testify there is no god but Allâh and
Muhammad is His servant and Messenger." Dhumad heard
the words and requested the Prophet to echo them
again, and he was granted his wish thrice. Here he said:
"I have heard the soothsayers, sorcerers and poets,
but never have I experienced the sweetness of your words."
He then gave a pledge of a sincere convert.
Hope inspiring Breezes from the Madinese:
It was during the pilgrimage season, in the eleventh year of Prophethood, that the Islamic Call found the righteous seeds through which it would grow up to constitute tall trees whose leaves would foster the new faith and shelter the new vulnerable converts from the blows of injustices and high-handness of Quraish. It was the Prophet’s wise practice to meet the delegates of the Arabian tribes by night so that the hostile Makkans would not debar him from achieving his objectives. In the company of his two truthful Companions ‘Ali and Abu Bakr, he had an interesting talk regarding Islamization with Bani Dhuhal, but the latter suspended their conversion. In pursuit of the same objective, the Prophet and his Companions passed by ‘Aqabat Mina where they heard people talking. They went at their heels until they encountered six men from Yathrib, all of whom from Khazraj tribe: As‘ad bin Zurarah, ‘Awf bin Harith, Rafi‘ bin Malik, Qutbah bin ‘Amir, ‘Uqbah bin ‘Amir and Jabir bin ‘Abdullah. The last two being from Aws and the former four from Khazraj.
The Madinese always heard the Jews say that a Prophet was about to rise, for the time for a new dispensation had arrived. Him they would follow and then smite their enemies as the children of ‘Ad and Iram had been smitten.<
"Of what tribe are you?"
asked the Prophet. "Of the tribe of Khazraj," they
replied. "Are you the allies of the Jews?" The Prophet
enquired. They said: "Yes." "Then why not sit down
for a little and I will speak to you." The offer was readily
accepted for the fame of Muhammad had spread to Madinah
and the strangers were curious to see more of the man who had
created a stir in the whole area. The Prophet presented to them an
expose of Islam, explained its implications, and the
responsibilities that fell upon the men who accepted it. When the
Prophet concluded
his talk, they exchanged among themselves ideas to the following
effect: "Know surely, this is the Prophet with whom the Jews
are ever threatening us; wherefore let us make haste and be the
first to join him."
They, therefore, embraced Islam, and said to the Prophet, "We have left our community for no tribe is so divided by hatred and rancour as they are. Allâh may cement our ties through you. So let us go and invite them to this religion of yours; and if Allâh unites them in it, no man will be dearer than you."
The handful of Madinese converts
remained steady to the cause and they preached the Islam with
full zeal and devotion with the result that they succeeded in
winning adherents for Islam from amongst their fellow citizens
and hardly was there a house in Madinah not talking curiously and
enthusiastically about the Messenger of Allâh .
Marriage of the Prophet to ‘Aishah - may Allah
be pleased with her - :
In Shawwal of the same year, the
Prophet concluded a
marriage contract with ‘Aishah - may Allah be pleased with her - , ‘the truth verifier’, when
she was six of age and consummated his marriage with her in
Shawwal, the year 1 A.H. in Madinah when she was nine.<
Al-Isra’ and
Al-Mi‘raj
(The Miraculous Night
Journey from Makkah
to the Farthest Mosque in Jerusalem,
and the Ascent through the Spheres of Heavens)
The last days of the Makkan phase of the Prophet’s life are noted for alternate fortunes ranging between two extremes: gradual success and continual persecution. However, glimpses of propitious lights were looming on the distant horizon, to ultimately materialize in the event of the Prophet’s Night Journey to Jerusalem and then Ascension through the spheres of the heavens.
As for its exact date, it is still controversial and no common consent has been reached. However, the majority of jurists is in favour of a date between 16-12 months prior to migration to Madinah. The following is a epitome of the details of that miraculous event narrated on the authority of Ibn Al-Qayyim.
The Messenger of Allâh was carried in body from
the Sacred Mosque in Makkah to the Distant Mosque in Jerusalem on
a horse called Al-Buraq in the company of Gabriel, the archangel.
There he alighted, tethered the horse to a ring in the gate of
the Mosque and led the Prophets in prayer. After that Gabriel
took him to the heavens on the same horse. When they reached the
first heaven Gabriel asked the guardian angel to open the door of
heaven. It was opened and he saw Adam, the progenitor of mankind.
The Prophet saluted
him and the other welcomed him and expressed his faith in
Muhammad’s Prophethood. He saw the souls of martyrs on his
right and those of the wretched on his left.
Gabriel then ascended with the
Prophet to the second heaven, asked for opening the gate and
there he saw and saluted John, son of Zachariya (Yahya bin
Zakariya) and Jesus, son of Mary. They returned the salutation,
welcomed him and expressed their faith in his Prophethood. Then
they reached the third heaven where they saw Joseph (Yusuf) and
saluted him. The latter welcomed the Prophet and expressed faith
in his Prophethood. The Prophet, in the company of Gabriel, then
reached the fourth heaven where he met the Prophet Enoch (Idris)
and saluted him. Prophet Enoch returned the salutation and
expressed faith in his Prophethood. Then he was carried to the
fifth heaven where he met the Prophet Aaron (Harun) and saluted
him. The latter returned the salutation and expressed faith in
his Prophethood. In the sixth heaven he met Moses (Musa) and
saluted him. The latter returned the salutation and expressed
faith in his Prophethood. Muhammad on leaving, saw that
Moses began to weep. He asked about the reason. Moses answered
that he was weeping because he witnessed a man sent after him as
a Messenger (Muhammad) who was able to lead more of his people to
the Paradise than he himself did. Then Prophet Muhammad reached the seventh
heaven and met Abraham (Ibrahim)- peace be upon him - and saluted
him. The latter returned the salutation and expressed faith in
his Prophethood. Then he was carried to Sidrat-al-Muntaha
(the remotest lote tree) and was shown Al-Bait-al-Ma‘mûr
[(the much frequented house) which is like the Ka‘bah (Sacred
House) encompassed daily by seventy thousand angels, so that the
angels who once encompassed it would not have their turn again
till the Resurrection]. He was then presented to the Divine
Presence and experienced the thrill of witnessing the Divine
Glory and Manifestation at the closest possible propinquity.
There the Lord revealed unto His servant that which He revealed,
and ordained fifty daily prayers for him. On his return, he spoke
to Moses that his followers had been enjoined to pray fifty times
a day. Moses addressing the Prophet said: "Your
followers cannot perform so many prayers. Go back to your Lord
and ask for a remission in number." The Prophet turned to Gabriel as if
holding counsel with him. Gabriel nodded, "Yes, if you
desire," and ascended with him to the Presence of Allâh.
The All-Mighty Allâh, Glory is to Him, made a reduction of ten
prayers. He then descended and reported that to Moses, who again
urged him to request for a further reduction. Muhammad once more begged his
Lord to reduce the number still further. He went again and again
in the Presence of Allâh at the suggestion of Moses for
reduction in the number of prayers till these were reduced to
five only. Moses again asked him to implore for more reduction,
but he said: "I feel ashamed now of repeatedly asking my
Lord for reduction. I accept and resign to His Will." When
Muhammad went
farther, a Caller was heard saying: "I have imposed My
Ordinance and alleviated the burden of My servants."
There is however some difference as regards the issue whether the Prophet saw Allâh with his physical eye or not. Some interpreters say that seeing Allâh with his naked eyes was not confirmed. Ibn ‘Abbas, on the other hand, says that the word Ru’ya as used in the Noble Qur’ân signifies the observation with the help of the eye.
In Sûrah An–Najm (Chapter —The Star) we read:
Here (he) refers to archangel Gabriel, and this context is completely different from that in the Prophetic tradition of Isra’ and Mi‘raj, where ‘the approach’ relates to that of the Lord, Glory is to Him.
Some significant suggestive incidents featured the ‘Night Journey’ of the Prophet, of which we could mention:
- The Prophet’s breast was cleft by Gabriel, his heart extracted and washed with the water of Zamzam —a sacred spring in Makkah.
- In the same context, there were brought to him two gold vessels. There was milk in one, while the other was full of wine. He was asked to choose either of them, so he selected the vessel containing milk and drank it. He (the angel) said: "You have been guided on Al-Fitrah or you have attained Al-Fitrah. Had you selected wine, your nation would have been misled." [It is a symbolic way of saying that good and evil in the form of milk and wine were brought before the Prophet and he instinctively made a choice for the good. It is very difficult to render the Arabic term ‘Fitrah’ into English. It denotes the original constitution or disposition, with which a child comes into this world, as contrasted with qualities or inclinations acquired during life; besides it refers to the spiritual inclination inherent in man in his unspoilt state].
- The Prophet told that he saw
two manifest rivers, — the Nile and the Euphrates —
and two hidden ones. It appears that the two manifest
rivers, the Nile and the Euphrates, symbolically describe
the area in whose fertile valleys, Muhammad’s Message
will settle, and the people whereof will always remain
the adherent bearers of Islam that will be passed on from
generation to another. They can by no means suggest that
they well up from the Garden.
- He had the opportunity to see Malik, the guardian of Hell, with a cheerless frowning face. Therein, he saw the Hell dwellers, of whom were those who unjustly eat up the property of the orphans. They have flews similar to those of camels, swallowing red-hot stones and then issuing out of their backs. There were also the people who take usury with bellies too big to be able to move around; they are trodden by the people of Pharaoh when these are admitted into Hell. In the same abode, he saw the adulterers offered tasty fatty meat and rotten smelly one but they make option for the latter. The licentious women were also there hanging from their breasts.
- The ‘Night Journey’ raised a good deal of stir among the people and the sceptical audience plied Muhammad with all sorts of questions. He told them that he saw the camels of Makkan merchants to and fro. He also guided them to some of their animals that went astray. He informed them that he had drunk some of their water while they were fast asleep and left the container covered.
The disbelievers, however, found
it a suitable opportunity to jeer at the Muslims and their creed.
They pestered the Prophet with questions as to the
description of the Mosque at Jerusalem, where he had never gone
before and, to the astonishment of many, the Prophet’s replies
furnished the most accurate information about that city. He
supplied them with all the news about their caravans and the
routes of their camels. However, all this increased in them
nothing but flight from the Truth, and they accepted nothing but
disbelief.
For the true Muslims, however there was nothing unusual about the Night Journey. The All-Mighty Allâh, Who is Powerful enough to have created the heavens and the earth by an act of His Will, is surely Powerful enough to take His Messenger beyond the heavens and show him those signs of His at firsthand which are inaccessible to man otherwise. The disbelievers on their part went to see Abu Bakr on account of this event, and he readily said: "Yes, I do verify it." It was on this occasion that he earned the title of As-Siddiq (the verifier of the truth).
The most eloquent and most concise justification of this ‘Journey’ is expressed in Allâh’s Words:
The Divine rules as regards the Prophets goes as follows:
To Moses, his Lord said:
In order that:
The Prophets, after seeing Allâh’s Signs, will establish their Faith on solid certainty too immune to be parted with. They are in fact eligible for this Divine privilege because they are the ones who will bear burdens too heavy for other ordinary people to carry, and in the process of their mission, they will regard all worldly ordeals and agonies too small to care about.
There are simple facts that
emanate from this blessed Journey, and flow along into the
flowery garden of the Prophetic biography; peace and blessings of
Allâh be upon its author, Muhammad. The story of ‘the Night
Journey’ as we see in the Noble Qur’ân is epitomised in the
first verse of the Sûrah Isra’(Chapter 17 —
The Journey by Night) then there is a quick shift to uncover the
shameful deeds and crimes of the Jews, followed by an admonition
saying that the Qur’ân guides to that which is most just and
right. This arrangement is not in fact a mere coincidence.
Jerusalem was the first scene of the Night Journey, and here lies
the message directed to the Jews and which explicitly suggested
that they would be discharged of the office of leadership of
mankind due to the crimes they had perpetrated and which no
longer justified their occupation of that office. The message
suggested explicitly that the office of leadership would be
reinstituted by the Messenger of Allâh to hold in his hand both
headquarters of the Abrahamic Faith, the Holy Sanctuary in Makkah
and the Farthest Mosque in Jerusalem. It was high time for the
spiritual authority to be transferred from a nation whose history
got pregnant with treachery, covenant-breaching and aggression to
another nation blessed with piety, and dutifulness to Allâh,
with a Messenger who enjoys the privilege of the Qur’ânic
Revelation, which leads to that which is best and right.
There, however, remains a crucial question waiting to be answered: How could this foreseen transition of authority be effected while the champion himself (Muhammad) was left deserted and forsaken stumbling in the hillocks of Makkah? This question per se uncovered the secrets of another issue which referred to a phase of the Islamic Call and the appearance of another role it was about to take up, different in its course and noble in its approaches. The forerunners of that new task took the shape of Qur’ânic verses smacking of direct and unequivocal warning accompanied by a severe ultimatum directed to the polytheists and their agents:
Together with these verses,
there were others revealed to show the Muslims the rules and
items of the civilization upon which they could erect their
Muslim community, and foreshadowing their ownership of a piece of
land, exercising full freedom over it and establishing a coherent
society around whose axis the whole humanity would rotate. Those
verses in reality implied better prospects for the Prophet omprising a secure
shelter to settle in, and headquarters safe enough to empower and
embolden him to communicate his Message to all the world at
large; that was in fact the inner secret of that blessed journey.
For this very wisdom and the like we deem it appropriate to
suggest that ‘the Night Journey’ took place either before the
First Pledge of ‘Aqabah or between the two; after all, Allâh
knows best.
The First ‘Aqabah Pledge
We have already spoken about six Madinese who embraced Islam in the pilgrimage season in the eleventh year of Prophethood. They promised to communicate the Message of Islam to their townsfolk.
The following year, on the
occasion of the pilgrimage, there came a group of twelve
disciples ready to acknowledge Muhammad as their Prophet. The
group of men comprised five of the six who had met the Prophet the year before, the
sixth who stayed away was Jabir bin ‘Abdullah bin Reyab, the
other seven were:
- Mu‘adh bin Al-Harith, Ibn ‘Afra, from Khazraj.
- Dhakwan bin ‘Abd Al-Qais, from Khazraj.
- ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit, from Khazraj.
- Yazeed bin Tha‘labah, from Khazraj.
- ‘Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Ubadah bin Nadalah, from Khazraj.
- Abul Haitham bin At-Taihan, from Aws.
- ‘Uwaim bin Sa‘idah, from Aws.
They avowed their faith in
Muhammad as a
Prophet and swore: "We will not worship any one but one
Allah; we will not steal; neither will we commit adultery, nor
kill our children; we will not utter slander, intentionally
forging falsehood and we will not disobey you in any just matter."
When they had taken the pledge, Muhammad said: "He who
carries it out, Allâh will reward him; and who neglects anything
and is afflicted in this world, it may prove redemption for him
in the Hereafter; and if the sin remains hidden from the eyes of
the men and no grief comes to him, then his affair is with Allâh.
He may forgive him or He may not."
The Muslim Envoy in Madinah:
After the Pledge (in the form of
an oath had been taken) the Prophet sent to Yathrib (Madinah)
Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair Al-‘Abdari - may Allah be pleased with
him -, the first Muslim ‘ambassador’ to teach the people
there the doctrines of Islam, give them practical guidance and
make attempts at propagating the Islam among those who still
professed polytheism. As‘ad bin Zurarah hosted him in Madinah.
So prepared was the ground, and so zealous the propagation that
the Islam spread rapidly from house to house and from tribe to
tribe. There were various cheerful and promising aspects of
success that characterized Mus‘ab’s task. One day Mus‘ab
and As‘ad were on their way to the habitations of Bani ‘Abd
Al-Ashhal and Bani Zafar, when they went into the premises of the
latter clan. There they sat near a well conversing with some new
converts. Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh and Usaid bin Hudair, chiefs of the
two clans heard of this meeting, so Usaid approached the Muslims
armed with his lance while the other Sa‘d excused himself on
grounds that As‘ad was his maternal cousin. Usaid came closer
cursing and swearing and accused the two men of befooling people
weak of heart, and ordered that they stop it altogether. Mus‘ab
calmly invited him to sit saying, "If you are pleased with
our talk, you can accept it; should you hold it in abhorrence,
you could freely immunize yourself against what you hate."
"That’s fair," said Usaid, pierced his lance in the
sand, listened to Mus‘ab and then heard some verses of the
Noble Qur’ân. His face bespoke satisfaction and pleasure
before uttering any words of approval. He asked the two men about
the procedures pertinent to embracing Islam. They asked him to
observe washing, purge his garment, bear witness to the Truth and
then perform two Rak‘a. He responded and did exactly
what he was asked to do, and then said there was a man (Sa‘d
bin Mu‘adh) whose people would never hang back if he followed
the Islam. He then left to see Sa‘d and his people. Sa‘d
could immediately understand that Usaid had changed. To a
question posed by Sa‘d, Usaid said that two men were ready to
comply with whatever orders they received. He then managed a
certain situation that provided the two men with a chance to talk
with Sa‘d privately. The previous scene with Usaid recurred and
Sa‘d embraced Islam, and directly turned to his people swearing
that he would never talk with them until they had believed in Allâh,
and in His Messenger. Hardly did the evening of that day arrive
when all the men and women of that sept of Arabians embraced
Islam with the exception of one, Al-Usairim, who hung back until
the Day of Uhud. On that day he embraced Islam and fought the
polytheists but was eventually killed before observing any
prostration in the way of prayer. The Prophet commented saying: "He
has done a little but his reward is great."
Mus‘ab stayed in Madinah carrying out his mission diligently and successfully until all the houses of Al-Ansar (the future Helpers) had Muslims elements, men and women. One family only stood obdurate to the Islamic Da‘wah (Call). They were under the influence of the poet Qais bin Al-Aslat, who managed to hold them at bay and screen off the Call of Islam from their ears until the year 5 A.H.
Shortly before the approach of
the following pilgrimage season, i.e. the thirteenth year of
Prophethood, Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair returned to Makkah carrying to
the Prophet glad
tidings about the new fertile soil of Islam in Madinah, and its
environment rich in the prospects of good, and the power and
immunity that that city was bound to provide to the cause of
Islam.
The Second ‘Aqabah Pledge
The next year, thirteenth of Prophethood, June 622 A.D., during the pilgrimage season, over seventy converts from Madinah came in the trail of their polytheist people to perform the rituals of pilgrimage in Makkah. The oft-repeated question amongst them was "Isn’t it high time we protect Muhammad instead of leaving him forsaken, deserted and stumbling in the hillocks of Makkah?"
Shortly after arrival, they
conducted clandestine contacts with the Prophet and agreed to meet him
secretly at night in mid Tashreeq Days (the 11th, 12th and
13th days of Dhul Hijja) in a hillock at Al-‘Aqabah, the last
year’s meeting place.
One of the leaders of the Ansâr (Helpers), Ka‘b bin Malik Al-Ansari - may Allah be pleased with him - , gave an account of the historic meeting which changed the whole course of the struggle between Islam and paganism, he said:
We set out for pilgrimage and
struck a rendezvous in mid Tashreeq Days. We were
accompanied by a celebrity and a notable of ours called ‘Abdullah
bin ‘Amr bin Haram, who was still a polytheist. We disclosed to
him our intention of meeting Muhammad and exhorted him to join
our ranks and give up polytheism lest he should serve as wood for
Hell in the Hereafter. He promptly embraced Islam and witnessed
the serious meeting at Al-‘Aqabah.
That very night we slept with
our people in our camps. After a third of the night had elapsed,
we began to leave stealthily and met in a hillock nearby. We were
seventy three men and two women Nusaibah bint Ka‘b from the
Najjars and Asma’ bint ‘Amr from Bani Salamah. We waited for
the Messenger of Allâh until he came in the
company of his uncle Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib who (though
himself not a Muslim), adjured us not to draw his nephew away
from the protection of his own kindred unless we were fully
prepared to defend him even at the risk of our lives. He was the
first to speak:
"O you people of the Khazraj — the Arabs used to call the Ansâr (Helpers) Khazraj, whether from Khazraj or Aws — you all know the position that Muhammad holds among us. We have protected him from our people as much as we could. He is honoured and respected among his people. He refuses to join any party except you. So if you think you can carry out what you promise while inviting him to your town, and if you can defend him against the enemies, then assume the burden that you have taken. But if you are going to surrender him and betray him after having taken him away with you, you had better leave him now because he is respected and well defended in his own place."
Ka‘b replied: "We have heard your words, and now O Messenger of Allâh, it is for you to speak and take from us any pledge that you want regarding your Lord and yourself."
It was a definite stance showing full determination, courage and deep faith to shoulder the daunting responsibility and bear its serious consequences.
The Messenger of Allâh then preached the Faith, and the pledge was taken. Al-Imam Ahmad, on the authority of Jabir, gave the following details:
The Ansâr (Helpers) asked the Messenger of Allâh about the principles over which they would take a pledge. The Prophet answered:
- To listen and obey in all sets of circumstances.
- To spend in plenty as well as in scarcity.
- To enjoin good and forbid evil.
- In Allâh’s service, you will fear the censure of none.
- To defend me in case I seek your help, and debar me from anything you debar yourself, your spouses and children from. And if you observe those precepts, Paradise is in store for you.
In another version narrated by Ka‘b, he said:
The Prophet began to speak, recited
some Qur’ânic verses, called people unto Allâh, exhorted them
to enter the fold of Islam and concluded saying: "I give you
my pledge that you debar me from whatever you debar your women
and children from." Here Al-Bara’ bin Ma‘rur, caught him
by hand, and said: "Oh yes, we swear by Allâh, Who sent you
as a Prophet in Truth, that we will debar you from whatever we
debar our women from. Have confidence in us, O Messenger of Allâh.
By Allâh, we are genuine fighters and quite reliable in war, it
is a trait passed down to us from our ancestors."
Then ‘Abul Haitham At-Taihan
interrupted and said: "O Prophet of Allâh! Between us and
the Jews, there are agreements which we would then sever. If Allâh
grants you power and victory, should we expect that you would not
leave us, and join the ranks of your people (meaning Quraish)?"
The Prophet smiled
and replied:
After the negotiations concerning the conditions of allegiance had ended, and all of the audience were unanimously agreed to ratify it, two men of the early generation of converts who had embraced Islam in the eleventh and twelfth years rose to their feet to apprise the others of the serious step they were about to take so that they could give their pledge fully aware of the whole affair and consequently be ready for the sacrifice they were expected to make. Al ‘Abbas bin Ubada bin Nadlah, in this context, remarked: "O you people of Khazraj! Do you know the significance of the pact that you are entering into with this man? You are in fact avowing that you will fight against all and sundry. If you fear that your property will be at stake or the lives of your nobles will be endangered, then leave him now, because if you do this after the pledge, it will be degrading for you both in this world and the world to come. But if you think that you can carry out what you are called upon to do in spite of the loss of precious lives and property, then undertake this heavy responsibility, and I swear by Allâh, that herein lies the good of this world and that of the next."
They replied, "We have already considered the loss of property and the murder of our notables, yet we pay him allegiance. But what is our reward if we observe all the items of this pact?" The Prophet replied: "Paradise is in store for you." Then they asked him to stretch out his hand, and they all stretched out their hands and took the pledge. Only at that time did As‘ad bin Zurarah come to realize the people’s readiness for sacrifice in the cause of Allâh.
On the authority of Jabir, who
said: "When we started to pay allegiance to the Prophet , As‘ad bin Zurarah
stood up and gave the following short address: "Take it easy
people of Yathrib! We have not covered that long distance except
because we have had deep belief that he (Muhammad ) is the Messenger of Allâh.
We are already convinced that following him entails departure
from the pagan Arabs even if it were at the risk of our life.
Should you preserve in this course, holdfast to it, and your
great reward is placed in the Hand of Allâh, but if you are
caught in fear, I admonish you to give it up just now, and then
you would be more excusable by Allâh."
With respect to the two women,
the pledge was taken orally for the Prophet had never shaken hands
with a strange lady.
The Prophet then asked the group to
appoint twelve deputies to preach Islam to their people in
Madinah, to shoulder the responsibility of implementing the
articles of this pledge and to guide the respective men of their
own tribes in matters relating to the propagation of Islam. The
deputies elected were nine from Al-Khazraj: As‘ad bin Zurarah
bin ‘Ads, Sa‘d bin Ar-Rabi‘ bin ‘Amr, ‘Abdullah bin
Rawahah bin Tha‘labah, Rafi‘ bin Malik bin Al-‘Ajlan, Al-Bara’
bin Ma‘rur bin Sakhr, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram, ‘Ubadah
bin As-Samit bin Qais, Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah bin Dulaim and Al-Mundhir
bin ‘Amr bin Khunais. Three others were from Al-Aws: Usaid bin
Hudair bin Sammak, Sa‘d bin Khaithamah bin Al-Harith and Rifa‘a
bin ‘Abdul Mundhir bin Zubair. Once again, those twelve men
were sworn to act as surety over the affairs of their people just
as the Christ’s disciples did, and the Prophet would act as
surety over his people, meaning all the Muslims.
Somehow or other, the news of these secret desert meetings with the Madinese leaked out. The Prophet immediately knew that it was a certain pudgy ugly devil, inhabited in Al-‘Aqabah, who discovered their meeting, and he threatened to settle his account with him as soon as possible.
On hearing this, Al-‘Abbas bin
Nadlah said "By Allâh, Who has sent you in Truth, we are
powerful enough to put the people of Mina (the Quraishites) to
our swords tomorrow, if you desire." The Prophet said "We have not
been commanded to follow that course. Now, back to your camps."
They went back to sleep till morning.
No sooner did Quraish hear of this treaty than a kind of trouble-provoking tumult began to mushroom in all directions. They realized quite fully that an allegiance of this sort is bound to produce far-reaching ramifications of direct impact on their lives and wealth. The following day, a large delegation comprising the leaders and arch-criminals of Makkah set out for the camp of the Madinese to protest severely against the treaty. They addressed the Madinese: "O people of Khazraj, it transpired to us that you have come here to conclude a treaty with this man (Muhammad) and evacuate him out of Makkah. By Allâh, we do really hold in abhorrence any sort of fight between you and us."
The Madinese polytheists having known nothing about the secretly taken pledge, began to swear by Allâh and answered in good faith that there was no truth in the report. ‘Abdullah bin Ubai bin Salul, a Madinese polytheist, refuted their allegations denouncing them as null and void, claiming that his people would never initiate anything unless he gave them clear orders.
The Madinese Muslims, however, remained silent neither negating nor confirming. The Quraishite leaders seemed to be almost convinced by the arguments presented by the polytheists, and went back home frustrated. However, they did not fully acquiesce in the words they heard. They began to scrutinize the smallest details, and trace the minutest news till it was established beyond a shadow of doubt that the pact did take place, but that was after the Madinese pilgrims had left Makkah. In a fit of rage, they pursued the pilgrims but did not succeed in catching hold of anyone except Sa‘d bin ‘Ubadah. They subjected him to unspeakable tortures, but he was later rescued by Al-Mut‘im bin ‘Adi and Harith bin Harb bin Omaiya with whom he had trade relations.
That is the story of the Second ‘Aqabah Pledge, later known as the Great ‘Aqabah Pledge, effected in an atmosphere of love, allegiance and mutual support between Madinese believers and weak Makkan Muslims. This new spirit of affection, rapport and cooperation could never be attributable to a fleeing whim, on the contrary, it totally derived from an already deeply-established approach, viz. Belief in Allâh, His Messenger and His Book. It was a Belief so rooted in the selves that it managed to stand immune to all powers of injustice and aggression, and could be translated into miracles in the practical aspects of action and ideology pursuit. That sort of Belief was the real instrument for the Muslims to record in the annals of history unprecedented breakthroughs. We are also sure that the future will always remain wanting as regards those great achievements carried out by those great men.
The Vanguard
of Migration
(in the Cause of Allâh)
After the endorsement of the
Second ‘Aqabah Pledge and the establishment of a petite Muslim
state in a vast desert surging with disbelief and ignorance —
the most serious gain in terms of Islam —, the Prophet gave his leave for the
Muslims to migrate to Madinah, the nascent Muslim state.
Migration to Madinah, in terms of personal interests, was no more than material waste and sacrifice of wealth, all in return for personal safety only. Even here, the migrant could not expect full security; he was liable to be robbed or even killed either at the beginning or end of his departure. The future was foggy, pregnant with various unpredictable sorts of sorrows and crises.
Bearing all this in mind, the Muslims began to migrate, while the polytheists spared no effort in hindering and debarring them, knowing beforehand that such a move implied unimaginable threats and unthinkable destructive dangers to their whole society:
- The first one to migrate was Abu Salamah, a year before the Great ‘Aqabah Pledge. When he had made up his mind to leave Makkah, his in-laws, in a desperate attempt to raise obstacles, detained his wife and snatched his son and dislocated his hand. Umm Salamah, after the departure of her husband and the loss of her son spent a year by herself weeping and lamenting. A relative of hers eventually had pity on her and exhorted the others to release her son and let her join her husband. She then set out on a journey of 500 kilometres with no help whatsoever. At a spot called At-Tan‘im, ‘Uthman bin Talhah came across her and offered to give her a ride to Madinah. She, along with her son, joined Abu Salamah in the village of Quba’, a suburb of Madinah.
- Another instance of the atrocities of the polytheist Makkans, as regards migration, is Suhaib. This man expressed his wish to migrate and of course this was a source of indignation to the disbelievers. They began to insult him claiming that he had come into Makkah as a worthless tramp, but their town was gracious enough and thanks to them he managed to make a lot of money and become wealthy. They gave orders that he would not leave. Seeing this, he offered to give away all his wealth to them. They eventually agreed to release him on that condition. The Prophet heard this story and commented on it saying:
- Then, there was the story of ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab, ‘Ayyash bin Abi Rabi‘a and Hisham bin Al-‘Asi, who agreed to meet at a certain place one morning in order to leave for Madinah; ‘Umar and ‘Ayyash came but Hisham was detained by the Makkans.
Shortly afterwards Abu Jahl, and his brother Al-Harith came to Madinah to see their third brother ‘Ayyash. They cunningly tried to touch the most sensitive area in man, i.e. his relation with his mother. They addressed him claiming that his mother had sworn she would never comb her hair, nor shade herself off the sun unless she had seen him. ‘Ayyash took pity on his mother, but ‘Umar was intelligent enough to understand that they wanted to entice ‘Ayyash away from Islam so he cautioned him against their tricks, and added "your mother would comb her hair if lice pestered her, and would shade herself off if the sun of Makkah got too hot for her." These words notwithstanding, ‘Ayyash was determined to go and see his mother, so ‘Umar gave him his manageable docile camel advising him to stick to its back because it would provide rescue for him if he perceived anything suspicious on their part. The party of three then set forth towards Makkah. As soon as they covered part of the distance, Abu Jahl complained about his camel and requested ‘Ayyash to allow him to ride behind him on his camel. When they knelt down to the level of the ground, the two polytheists fell upon ‘Ayyash and tied him. They rode on into Makkah shouting at people to follow their example with respect to ‘fools’.
These are just three self-explanatory
models of the Makkans’ reaction towards anyone intending to
migrate. Nevertheless, the believers still managed to escape in
successive groups and so rapidly that within two months of the
Second ‘Aqabah Pledge, entire quarters of Makkah were deserted.
Almost all the followers of Muhammad had migrated to their new
abode, except Abu Bakr, ‘Ali, the Prophet himself, and those
helpless noble souls who had been detained in confinement or were
unable to escape. The Prophet , together with Abu Bakr
and ‘Ali, had made all the necessary preparations for migration
but was waiting for leave from his Lord.
It is noteworthy that most of the Muslims who had migrated to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), came back to Madinah to join the rest of the Muslims there.
The situation was no doubt
critical in Makkah but Muhammad was not at all perturbed.
Abu Bakr was, however, urging the Prophet to depart from that
town. He was also eagerly waiting for an opportunity to accompany
Muhammad on this
eventful journey. But the Prophet told him that the time had not
yet come; the Lord had not given him the command to migrate. In
anticipation of the Command of Allâh, Abu Bakr had made
preparations for the journey. He had purchased two swift camels
and had fed them properly for four months so that they could
successively stand the ordeals of the long desert journey.<
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