PROPHET MUHAMMAD (peace be upon him) Part 1 Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Mecca ( Makkah), Arabia, on Monday, 12Rabi Al-Awal (2 August A.D. 570). His mother, Aminah, was the daughterof Wahb Ibn Abdu Manaf of the Zahrah family. His father, Abdullah, wasthe son of Abdul Muttalib. His genealogy has been traced to the noblehouse of Ishmael, the son of Prophet Abraham in about the fortiethdescend. Muhammads father died before his birth. Before he was six years old his mother died, and the doubly orphanedMuhammad was put under the charge of his grandfather Abdul Muttalib whotook the most tender care of him. But the old chief died two yearsafterwards. On his deathbed he confided to his son Abu Talib the chargeof the little orphan. When Muhammad was twelve years old, he accompanied his uncle AbuTalib on a mercantile journey to Syria, and they proceeded as far asBusra. The journey lasted for some months. It was at Busra that theChristian monk Bahira met Muhammad. He is related to have said to AbuTalib: Return with this boy and guard him against the hatred of theJews, for a great career awaits your nephew. After this journey, the youth of Muhammad seems to have been passeduneventfully, but all authorities agree in ascribing to him suchcorrectness of manners and purity of morals as were rare among thepeople of Mecca. The fair character and the honorable bearing of theunobtrusive youth won the approbation of the citizens of Mecca, and b ycommon consent he received the title of Al Ameen, The Faithful. In his early years, Muhammad was not free from the cares of life. Hehad to watch the flocks of his uncle, who, like the rest of the BaniHashim, had lost the greater part of his wealth. From youth to manhood he led an almost solitary life. The lawlessnessrife among the Meccans, the sudden outbursts of causeless and bloodyquarrels among the tribes frequenting the Fair of Okadh (The ArabianOlympia), and the immorality and skepticism of the Quraish, naturallycaused feelings of pity and sorrow in the heart of the sensitive youth.Such scenes of social misery and religious degradation werecharacteristic of a depraved age. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When Muhammad was twenty five years old, he traveled once more toSyria as a factor of a noble and rich Quraishi widow named Khadijah;and, having proved himself faithful in the commercial interests of thatlady, he was soon rewarded with her hand in marriage. This marriageproved fortunate and singularly happy. Khadijah was much the senior ofher husband, but in spite of the disparity of age between them, the mosttender devotion on both sides existed. This marriage gave him theloving heart of a woman who was ever ready to console him in his despairand to keep alive within him the feeble, flickering flame of hope whenno man believed in him and the world appeared gloomy in his eyes. Until he reached thirty years of age, Muhammad was almost a strangerto the outside world. Since the death of his grandfather, authority inMecca was divided among the ten senators who constituted the governingbody of the Arabian Commonwealth. There was no such accord among them asto ensure the safety of individual rights and property. Though familyrelations afforded some degree of protection to citizens, yet strangerswere frequently exposed to persecution and oppression. In many casesthey were robbed, not only of their goods, but even of their wives anddaughters. At the instigation of the faithful Muhammad, an old leaguecalled the Federation of Fudul, i.e., favors was revived with the objectof repressing lawlessness and defending every weak individual - whetherMeccan or stranger, free or slave - against any wrong or oppression towhich he might be the victim within the territories of Mecca. When Muhammad reached thirty-five years, he settled by his judgment agrave dispute, which threatened to plunge the whole of Arabia into afresh series of her oft-recurring wars. In rebuilding the Sacred Houseof the Kaba in A.D. 605, the question arose as to who should have thehonor of raising the black stone, the most holy relic of that House,into its proper place. Each tribe claimed that honor. The senior citizenadvised the disputants to accept for their arbitrator the first man toenter from a certain gate. The proposal was agreed upon, and the firstman who entered the gate was Muhammad Al-Ameen. His advice satisfiedall the contending parties. He ordered the stone to be placed on a pieceof cloth and each tribe to share the honor of lifting it up by takinghold of a part of the cloth. The stone was thus deposited in its place,and the rebuilding of the House was completed without furtherinterruption. It is related that, about this time, a certain Usman, Ibn Huwairith,supported by Byzantine gold, made an attempt to convert the territory ofHijaz into a Roman dependency, but the attempt failed, chiefly throughthe instrumentality of Muhammad. These are nearly all the public acts related by historians in whichMuhammad took part in the first fifteen years of his marriage toKhadijah. As for his private life he is described to have been everhelpful to the needy and the helpless. His uncle Abu Talib had falleninto distress through his endeavors to maintain the old position of hisfamily. Muhammad, being rather rich at this time by his alliance withKhadijah, tried to discharge part of the debt of gratitude andobligation which he owed to his uncle by undertaking the bringing up andeducation of his son Ali. A year later he adopted Akil, another ofhis uncles sons. Khadijah bore Muhammad three sons and four daughters. All the malesdied in childhood, but in loving Ali he found much consolation. About this time, Muhammad set a good example of kindness, whichcreated a salutary effect upon his people. His wife Khadijah had madehim a present of young slave named Zaid Ibn Haritha, who had beenbrought as a captive to Mecca and sold to Khadijah. When Haritha heardthat Muhammad possessed Zaid, he came to Mecca and offered a large sumfor his ransom. Whereupon Muhammd said: Let Zaid come here, and if hechooses to go with you, take him without ransom; but if it be his choiceto stay with me, why should I not keep him? Zaid, being brought intoMuhammads presence, declared that he would stay with his master, whotreated him as if he was his only son. Muhammad no sooner heard thisthan he took Zaid by the hand and led him to the black stone of Kaba,where he publicly adopted him as his son, to which the father acquiescedand returned home well satisfied. Henceforward Zaid was called the sonof Muhammad. Muhammd was now approaching his fortieth year, and his mind wasever-engaged in profound contemplation and reflection. Before him layhis country, bleeding and torn by fratricidal wars and intolerabledissensions; his people, sunk in barbarism, addicted to the observationof rites and superstitions, were, with all their desert virtues,lawless and cruel. His two visits to Syria had opened to him a scene ofunutterable moral and social desolation, rival creeds and sects tearingeach other to pieces, carrying their hatred to the valleys and desertsof Hijaz, and rending the townships of Arabia with their quarrels andbitterness. For years after his marriage, Muhammad had been accustomed tosecluding himself in a cave in Mount Hira, a few miles from Mecca. Tothis cave he used to go for prayer and meditation, sometimes alone andsometime with his family. There, he often spent the whole nights in deepthought and profound communion with the Unseen yet All-Knowing Allah ofthe Universe. It was during one of those retirements and in the stillhours of the night, when no human sympathy was near, that an angel cameto him to tell him that he was the Messenger of Allah sent to reclaim afallen people to the knowledge and service of their Lord. Renowned compilers of authentic traditions of Islam agree on thefollowing account of the first revelations received by the Prophet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Muhammad would seclude himself in the cave of Mount Hira and worshipthree days and nights. He would, whenever he wished, return to hisfamily at Mecca and then go back again, taking wihim the necessities oflife. Thus he continued to return to Khadijah from time to time untilone day the revelation came down to him and the Angel Gabriel (Jibreel)appeared to him and said: Read! But as Muhammad was illiterate, havingnever received any instruction in reading or writing, he said to theangel: I am not a reader. The angel took a hold of him and squeezedhim as much as he could bear, and then said again: Read! Then Prophetsaid: I am not a reader. The Angel again seized the Prophet andsqueezed him and said: Read! In the Name of Your Lord, Who has created(all that exists), has created a man from a clot (a piece of thickcoagulated blood). Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous, Who hastaught (the writing) by the pen, has taught man that which he knew not.(Ch 96:1-4 Quran). Then the Prophet repeated the words with a trembling heart. Hereturned to Khadijah from Mount Hira and said: Wrap me up! Wrap me up!She wrapped him in a garment until his fear was dispelled. He toldKhadijah what had occurred and that he was becoming either a soothsayeror one smitten with madness. She replied: Allah forbid! He will surelynot let such a thing happen, for you speak the truth, you are faithfulin trust, you bear the afflictions of the people, you spend in goodworks what you gain in trade, you are hospitable and you assist yourfellow men. Have you seen anything terrible? Muhammad replied: Yes,and told her what he had seen. Whereupon, Khadijah said: Rejoice, Odear husband and be cheerful. He is Whose hands stands Khadijahs lifebears witness to the truth of this fact, that you will be the prophet tothis people. Then she arose and went to her cousin Waraqa Ibn Naufal,who was old and blind and who knew the Scriptures of the Jews andChristians, and is stated to have translated them into Arabic. When shetold him of what she had heard, he cried out: Holy! Holy! Verily, thisis the Namus (The Holy Spirit) who came to Moses. He will be the prophetof his people. Tell him this and bid him to be brave at heart. Whenthe two men met subsequently in the street, the blind old student of theJewish and Christian Scriptures spoke of his faith and trust: I swearby Him in Who hand Waraqas life is, Allah has chosen you to be theprophet of this people. They will call you a liar, they will persecuteyou, they will banish you, and they will fight against you. Oh, that Icould live to those days. I would fight for these. And he kissed him onthe forehead. The first vision was followed by a considerable period, during whichMuhammad suffered much mental depression. The angel spoke to the grievedheart of hope and trust and of the bright future when he would see thepeople of the earth crowding into the one true faith. His destiny wasunfolded to him, when, wrapped in profound meditation, melancholy andsad, he felt himself called by a voice from heaven to arise and preach. Oyou (Muhammad) enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn! And your Lord(Allah) magnify! (Ch 74:1-3 Quran) He arose and engaged himself in thework to which he was called. Khadijah was the first to accept hismission. She was to believe in the revelations, to abandon the idolatryof her people and to join him in purity of heart and in offering upprayers to Allah the Almighty. At the beginning of his mission, Muhammad - hereinafter called theProphet - opened his soul only to those who were attached to him andtried to free them from the gross practices of their forefathers. AfterKhadijah, his cousin Ali was the next companion. The Prophet used oftento go into the desert around Mecca with his wife and young cousin thatthey might together offer their heart felt thanks to the Lord of allnations for His manifold blessings. Once they were surprised by AbuTalib, the father of Ali. He said to the Prophet: O son of my brother,what is this religion you are following? It is the religion of Allahof His Angels, of His Messengers and of our ancestor Abraham, answeredthe Prophet. Allah has sent me to His servants, to direct them towardsthe truth, and you, O my uncle, are the most worthy of all. It is meetthat I should thus call upon you and it is meet that you should acceptthe truth and help in spreading it. Abu Talib replied: Son of my brother, I cannot abjure the religionof my fathers; but by the Supreme Lord, while I am alive, none shalldare to injure you. Then turning towards Ali, the venerable chiefasked what religion was his. Ali answered: O father, I believe in Allahand His Prophet and go with him. Abu Talib replied: Well my son, hewill not call you to anything except what is good, therefore you arefree to go with him. After Ali, Muhammads adopted son Zaid became a convert to the newfaith. He was followed by Abu Bakr, a leading member of the Quraishtribe and an honest, wealthy merchant who enjoyed great considerationamong his compatriots. He was but two years younger than the Prophet.His adoption of the new faith was of great moral effect. Soon after,five notables presented themselves before the Prophet and acceptedIslam. Several converts also came from lower classes of the Arabs toadopt the new religion. For three weary long years, the Prophet labored very quietly todeliver his people from the worship of idols. Polytheism was deeplyrooted among the people. It offered attractions, which the new faith inits purity did not possess. The Quraish had personal material interestsin the old worship, and their prestige was dependent upon itsmaintenance. The Prophet had to contend with the idolatrous worship ofits followers and to oppose the ruling oligarchy, which governed itsdestinies. After three years of constant but quiet struggle, only thirtyfollowers were secured. An important change now occurred in therelations of the Prophet with the citizens of Mecca. His compatriots hadbegun to doubt his sanity, thinking him crazy or possessed by an evilspirit. Hitherto he preached quietly and unobtrusively. He now decidedto appeal publicly to the Meccans, requesting them to abandon theiridolatry. For this he arranged a gathering on a neighboring hill andthere spoke to them of their folly in the sight of Allah in worshippingpieces of stone which they called their gods. He invited them to abandontheir old impious worship and adopt the faith of love, truth andpurity. He warned them of the fate that had overtaken past races who hadnot heeded the preaching of former prophets. But the gathering departedwithout listening to the warning given them by the Prophet. Having thus failed to induce his fellow citizens to listen to him, heturned his attention to the strangers arriving in the city on commerceor pilgrimage. But the Quraish made attempts to frustrate his efforts.They hastened themselves to meet the strangers first on differentroutes, to warn them against holding any communication with the Prophet,whom they represented as a dangerous magician. When the pilgrims ortraders returned to their homes, they carried with them the news of theadvent of the bold preacher who was inviting the Arabs loudly - at therisk of his own life - to abandon the worship of their dear idols. Now the Prophet and his followers became subject to some persecutionand indignity. The hostile Quraish prevented the Prophet from offeringhis prayers at the Sacred House of the Kaba; they pursued him whereverhe went; they covered him and his disciples with dirt and filth whenengaged in their devotions; they scattered thorns in the places which hefrequented for devotion and meditation. Amidst all these trials theProphet did not waver. He was full of confidence in his mission, evenwhen on several occasions he was put in imminent danger of losing hislife. At this time Hamza, the youngest son of Abdul Muttalib, adoptedIslam. Hamza was a man of distinguished bravery, an intrepid warrior,generous and true, whose heroism earned for him the title of the Lionof Allah. He became a devoted adherent of Islam and everlost his lifein the cause. The Prophet continued preaching to the Arabs in a most gentle andreasonable manner. He called thepeople, so accustomed to iniquity andwrong doings, to abandon their abominations. In burning words whichexcited the hearts of his hearers, he warned them of the punishmentwhich Allah had inflicted upon the ancient tribes of Ad and Thamud whohad obstinately disobeyed the teachings of Allahs messengers to them.He adjured them by the wonderful sights of nature, by the noon daybrightness, by the night when it spreads its veil, by the day when itappears in glory to listen to his warning before a similar destructionbefell them. He spoke to them of the Day of Reckoning, when their deedsin this world will be weighed before the Eternal Judge, when thechildren who had been buried alive will be asked for what crime theywere put to death. Almighty Allah said: Nay, they wonder that there has come to them aWarner (Muhammad) from among themselves. So the disbeliveers say: Thisis a strange thing! When we are dead and have become dust (shall we beresurrected)? That is a far return. We know that which the earth takesof them (their dead bodies), and with Us is a Book preserved (i.e., theBook of Decrees). Nay, but, they have denied the truth (this Quran) when it has cometo them, so they are in a confused state (can not differentiate betweenright and wrong). Have they not looked at the heaven above them, how Wehave made it and adorned it, and there are no rifts in it? And theearth! We have spread it out, and set thereon mountains standing firm,and have produced therein every kind of lovely growth (plants). An insight and a reminder for every slave turning to Allah (i.e., theone who believes in Allah and performs deeds of His obedience, andalways begs His pardon). And We send down blessed water (rain) from thesky, then we produce therewith gardens and grain (every kind of harveststhat are reaped). And tall date palms, with ranged clusters; aprovision for (Allahs) slaves. And We give life therewith to a deadland. Thus will be the resurrection (of the dead). Denied before them(i.e. these pagans of Makka who denied you, O Muhammad) the people ofNoah, and the dwellers of Rass, and the Thamud, and Ad, and Pharaoh,and the brethren of Lot, and the dwellers of the Wood, and the people ofTubba, everyone of them denied their Messengers, so My Threat tookeffect. (Ch 50: 2-14 Quran) Almighty Allah also declared: All praises and thanks be to Allah WhoAlone created the heavens and the earth, and originated the darkness andthe light, yet those who disbelieve hold others as equal with theirLord. He it is Who has created you from clay, and then has decreed astated term (for you to die). And there is with Him another determinedterm (for you to be resurrected), yet you doubt (in the Resurrection). And He is Allah (to be worshipped Alone) in the heavens and on theearth, He knows what you conceal and what you reveal, and He knows whatyou earn (good or bad). And never an Ayah (sign) comes to them from theAyat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of theirLord, but that they have been turning away from it. Indeed, they rejected the truth (The Quran and Muhammad) when itcame to them, but there will come to them the news of that (the torment)which they used to mock at. Have they not seen how many a generationbefore them We have destroyed whom We had established on the earth suchas We have not established you? And We poured out on them rain from thesky in abundance, and made the rivers flow under them. Yet We destroyedthem for their sins, and created after them other generations. (Ch6:1-6 Quran) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the number of believers increased and the cause of the Prophet wasstrengthened by the conversions of many powerful citizens, theProphets preaching alarmed the Quraish. Their power and prestige wereat stake. They were the custodians of the idols, which the Prophet hadthreatened to destroy; they were the ministers of the worship, which hedenounced; in fact their existence and living wholly depended upon themaintenance of the old institutions. The Prophet taught that in thesight of his Lord all human were equal, the only distinction recognizedamong them being the weight of their piety. Allah the Exalted said: O mankind! We have created you from a maleand a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may knowone another. Verily, the most honorable of you in the Sight of Allah isthat believer who has At Taqwa (one of the Muttaqun, pious and righteouspersons who fear Allah much, abstain from all kinds of sins and evildeeds which He has forbidden), and love Allah much (perform all kinds ofgood deeds which He has ordained. Verily! Allah is All-Knowing,All-Aware. (Ch 49:13 Quran). The Quraish would have none of this leveling of distinctions, as itreflected upon their long inherited privileges. Accordingly, theyorganized a system of persecution in order to suppress the movementbefore it became firmly established. They decided that each familyshould take upon itself the task of stamping out the new faith on thespot. Each household tortured its own members or adherents or slaves whowere supposed to have connected themselves with the new religion. Withthe exception of the Prophet, who was protected by Abu Talib and hiskinsmen, and Abu Bakr, and a few others who were either distinguished bytheir rank or possessed some influence among the Quraish, all otherconverts were subjected to different sorts of torture. Some of them werethrown into prison, starved, and then flogged. The hill of Ramada andthe place called Bata thus became scenes of cruel torture. One day the Quraish tried to induce the Prophet to discontinue histeachings of the new religion, which had sown discord among theirpeople. Utba Ibn Rabia, was delegated to see the Prophet and speak tohim. Utba said: O son of my brother, you are distinguished by yourqualities; yet you have sown discord among our people and castdissension in our families; you denounced our gods and goddesses and youcharge our ancestors with impiety. Now we are come to make aproposition to you, and I ask you to think well before you reject it.I am listening to you, O father of Walid, said the Prophet. O son ofmy brother, if by this affair you intend to acquire riches, honors, anddignity, we are willing to collect for you a fortune larger than ispossessed by any one of us; we shall make you our chief and will donothing without you. If you desire dominion, we shall make you our king;and if the demon which possesses you cannot be subdued, we will bringyou doctors and give them riches until they cure you. When Utba hadfinished his discourse, the Prophet said: Now listen to me, O father ofWalid. I listen. He replied. The Prophet, recited to him the firstthirteen verses of Surah Fussilat, which maybe interpreted as follows:In the Name of Allah The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful. Ha Mim (These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and nonebut Allah Alone knows their meanings). A revelation from Allah the MostBeneficent, the Most Merciful. A Book whereof the Verses are explainedin detail; - a Quran in Arabic for people who know. Giving glad tidings(of Paradise to the one who believes in the Oneness of Allah, IslamicMonotheism) and fears Allah much (abstains from all kinds of sins andevil deeds) and loves Allah much (performing all kinds of good deedswhich He has ordained), and warning (of punishment in the Hellfire to bethe one who disbelieves in the Oneness of Allah), but most of them turnaway, so they listen not. And they say: Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that towhich you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us andyou is a screen, so work you (on your way); verily we are working (onour way). Say (O Muhammad): I am only a human being like you. It is inspiredin me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God - Allah), therefore take theStraight Path to Him (with true Faith - Islamic Monotheism) andobedience to Him, and seek forgiveness of Him. And woe to Al-Mushrikeen;(polytheists, pagans, idolaters, and disbeliveers in the Oneness ofAllah, etc, those who worship others along with or set up rivals orpartners to Allah etc.) Those who give not the Zakat and they aredisbeliveers in the Hereafter. Truly, those who believe (in the Onenessof Allah and in His Messenger Muhammad - Islamic Monotheism) and dorighteous good deeds for them will be an endless reward that will neverstop (Paradise). Say (O Muhammad): Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created theearth in two Days and you set up rivals (in worship) with Him? That isthe Lord of the Alamin (mankind, jinn and all that exists). He placed therein (the earth) firm mountains from above it, and Heblessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) infour Days equal (all these four days were equal in the length of time),for all those who ask (about its creation). Then He Istawa (rose over)towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth:Come both of you willingly or unwillingly. They both said: We come,willingly. Then He completed and finished from their creation as sevenheavens in two days and he made in each heaven with lamps (stars) to b ean adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them asmissiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All Mighty,The All Knower. But if they turn away, then say (O Muhammad): I have warned you of aSaiqa (a destruction awful cry, torment, hit, a thunder bolt) like theSaiqa which overtook Ad and Thamud (people). (Ch 41:1-13 Quran). When the Prophet had finished his recitation, he said to Utba: Thisis my reply to your proposition; now take what course you find best. Persecution by the Quraish grew fiercer every day and the sufferingsof the Prophets disciples became unbearable. He had heard of therighteousness, tolerance, and hospitality of the neighboring Christianking of Abyssinia. He recommended such of his companions who werewithout protection to seek refuge in the kingdom of that pious king, AlNajashi (Negus). Some fifteen of the unprotected adherents of Islampromptly availed themselves of the advice and sailed to Abyssinia. Herethey met with a very kind reception from the Negus. This is called thefirst hijrah (migration) in the history of Islam and occurred in thefifth year of the Prophet Muhammads mission, A.D. 615. These emigrantswere soon followed by many of their fellow sufferers, until the numberreached eighty-three men and eighteen women. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The hostile Quraish, furious at the escape of their victims, sentdeputes to the king of Abyssinia to request him to deliver up therefugees, that they might be put to death for adjuring their oldreligion and embracing a new one. The king summoned the poor fugitivesand inquired of them what was the religion, which they had adopted inpreference to their old faith. Jafar, son of Abu Talib and brother ofAli, acted as spokesman for the exiles. He spoke thus: O king, we wereplunged in the depth of ignorance and barbarism, we adored idols, welived in unchastity, and we ate dead bodies, and we spoke abomination,we disregarded every feeling of humanity and sense of duty towards ourneighbors, and we knew no law but that of the strong, when Allah raisedamong us a man, of whose birth, truthfulness, honesty, and purity wewere aware. He called us to profess the Unity of Allah and taught us toassociate nothing with Him; he forbade us the worship of idols andenjoined us to speak the truth, to be faithful to our trusts, to bemerciful, and to regard the rights of neighbors; he forbade us to speakevil of the worship of Allah and not to return to the worship of idolsof woos and stone and to abstain from evil, to offer prayers, to givealms, to observe the fast. We have believed in him, we have accepted histeachings and his injunctions to worship Allah alone and to associatenothing with Him. Hence our people have persecuted us, trying to make usforego the worship of Allah and return to the worship of idols of woodand stone and other abominations. They have tortured us and injured usuntil, finding no safety among them, we have come to your kingdomtrusting you will give us protection against their persecution. After hearing the above speech, the hospitable king ordered thedeputies to return to their people in safety and not to interfere withtheir fugitives. Thus the emigrants passed the period of exile in peaceand comfort. While the followers of the Prophet sought safety in foreign landsagainst the persecution of their people, he continued his warnings tothe Quraish more strenuously than ever. Again they came to him withoffers of riches and honor, which he firmly and utterly refused. Butthey mocked at him and urged him for miracles to prove his mission. Heused to answer: Allah has not sent me to work wonders; He has sent meto preach to you. Thus disclaiming all power of wonder working, the Prophet ever restedthe truth of his divine mission upon his wise teachings. He addressedhimself to the inner consciousness of man, to his common sense and tohis own better judgement. Say (O Muhammad): I am only a human beinglike you. It is inspired in me that your Ilah (God) is One Ilah (God-Allah), therefore take the Straight Path to Him (with true Faith -Islamic Monotheism) and obedience to Him and seek forgiveness of Him.And woe to Al Mushrikeen; (polytheists, pagans, idolaters, anddisbeliveers in the Oneness of Allah etc., those who worship othersalong with Allah or set up rivals or partners to Allah etc. (Ch 41:6Quran) Despite all the exhortation of the Prophet, the Quraish persisted inasking him for a sign. They insisted that unless some sign be sent downto him from his Lord, they would not believe. The disbeliveers used toask: Why has Muhammad not been sent with miracles like previousprophets? T he Prophet replied: Because miracles had proved inadequateto convince. Noah was sent with signs, and with what effect? Where wasthe lost tribe of Thamud? They had refused to receive the preaching ofthe Prophet Salih, unless he showed them a sign and caused the rock tobring forth a living camel. He did what they asked. In scorn they cutthe camels feet and then daring the prophet to fulfill his threats ofjudgment, were found dead in their beds the next morning, stricken bythe angel of the Lord. There are some seventeen places in the Quran, in which the ProphetMuhammad is challenged to work a sign, and he answered them all to thesame or similar effect: Allah has the power of working miracles, and hasnot been believed; there were greater miracles in nature than any whichcould be wrought outside of it; and the Quran itself was a great,everlasting miracle. The Quran, the Prophet used to assert to thedisbeliveers, is a book of blessings which is a warning for the wholeworld; it is a complete guidance and explains everything necessary; itis a reminder of what is imprinted on human nature and is free fromevery discrepancy and from error and falsehood. It is a book of trueguidance and a light to all. As to the sacred idols, so much honored and esteemed by the paganArabs, the Prophet openly recited: They are but names which you havenamed - you and your fathers - for which Allah has sent down noauthority. (CH 53:23 Quran) When the Prophet thus spoke reproachfully of the sacred gods of theQuraish, the latter redoubled their persecution. But the Prophet,nevertheless, continued his preaching undaunted but the hostility of hisenemies or by their bitter persecution of him. And despite allopposition and increased persecution, the new faith gained ground. Thenational fair at Okadh near Mecca attracted many desert Bedouins andtrading citizen of distant towns. These listened to the teachings of theProphet, to his admonitions, and to his denunciations of their sacredidols and of their superstitions. They carried back all that they hadheard to their distant homes, and thus the advent of the Prophet wasmade know to almost all parts of the peninsula. The Meccans, however, were more than ever furious at the Prophetsincreasing preaching against their religion. They asked his uncle AbuTalib to stop him, but he could not do anything. At , as the Prophetpersisted in his ardent denunciations against their ungodliness andimpiety, they turned him out from the Kaba where he used to sit andpreach, and subsequently went in a body to Abu Talib. They urged thevenerable chief to prevent his nephew from abusing their gods any longeror uttering any ill words against their ancestors. They warned AbuTalib that if he would not do that, he would be excluded from thecommunion of his people and driven to side with Muhammad; the matterwould then be settled by fight until one of the two parties wereexterminated. Abu Talib neither wished to separate himself from his people, norforsake his nephew for the idolaters to revenge themselves upon. Hespoke to the Prophet very softly and begged him to abandon his affair.To this suggestion the Prophet firmly replied: O my uncle, if theyplaced the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand to cause meto renounce my task, verily I would not desist therefrom until Allahmade manifest His cause or I perished in the attempt. The Prophet,overcome by the thought that his uncle and protector was willing todesert him, turned to depart. But Abu Talib called him loudly to comeback, and he came. Say whatever you please; for by the Lord I shall notdesert you ever. The Quraish again attempted in vain to cause Abu Talib to abandon hisnephew. The venerable chief declared his intention to protect hisnephew against any menace or violence. He appealed to the sense of honorof the two families of the Bani Hashim and the Bani Muttalib, bothfamilies being kinsmen of the Prophet, to protect their member fromfalling a victim to the hatred of rival parties. All the members of thetwo families nobly responded to the appeal of Abu Talib except AbuLahab, one of the Prophets uncles, who took part with the persecutors. During this period, Umar Al-Khattab adopted Islam. In him the newfaith gained a valuable adherent and an important factor in the futuredevelopment and propagation of Islam. Hitherto he had been a violentopposer of the Prophet and a bitter enemy of Islam. His conversion issaid to have been worked by the miraculous effect on his mind of a Surahof the Quran which his sister was reading in her house, where he hadgone with the intention of killing her for adopting Islam. Thus theparty of the Prophet had been strengthened by the conversation by hisuncle Hamza, a man of great valor and merit; and of Abu Bakr and Umar,both men of great energy and reputation. The Muslims now ventured toperform their devotions in public.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 17:23:30 +0000