The Sealed Nectar (10 page)

The Prophet [pbuh] managed quite successfully to rise to his feet and measure up to the new task, he went ahead in a spirit of complete selflessness, relentlessly striving and never abating in carrying the burden of the great Trust, the burden of enlightening mankind, and the heavy weight of the new faith and strife for over twenty years, nothing distracting his attention from the awesome commission. May All? reward him, for us and all humanity, the best ending. The following research at hand gives an account in miniature of his long strive and uninterrupted struggle he made after receiving the ministry of Messengership. [Fi Zilal Al- Qur'an 29/168-171,182]

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Phases and Stages of the Call

The Muhammadan Call could be divided into two phases distinctively demarcated: 1. The Makkan phase: nearly thirteen years.

2. The Madinese phase: fully ten years.

Each of the two phases included distinctive features easily discernible through accurate scrutiny into the circumstances that characterized each of them.

The Makkan phase can be divided into three stages:

1. The stage of the secret Call: three years.

2. The stage of the proclamation of the Call in Makkah: from the beginning of the fourth year of Prophethood to almost the end of the tenth year.

3. The stage of the call to Islam and propagating it beyond Makkah: it lasted from the end of tenth year of the Prophethood until Muhammad’s [pbuh]

emigration to Madinah.

The Madinese phase will be considered later in its due course.

The First Stage : Strife in the Way of the Call

Three Years of Secret Call

It is well- known that Makkah was the centre for the Arabs, and housed the custodians of Al- Ka‘bah. Protection and guardianship of the idols and stone graven images that received veneration on the part of all the Arabs lay in the hands of the Makkans. Hence the difficulty of hitting the target of reform and rectitude in a place considered the den of idolatry. Working in such an atmosphere no doubt requires unshakable will and determination, that is why the call unto Islam assumed a clandestine form so that the Makkans should not be enraged by the unexpected surprise.

The Early Converts

The Prophet [pbuh] naturally initiated his sacred mission right from home and then moved to the people closely associated with him. He called unto Islam whomsoever he thought would attest the truth which had come from his Lord. In fact, a host of people who nursed not the least seed of doubt as regards the Prophet [pbuh], immediately responded and quite readily embraced the true faith. They are known in the Islamic literature as the early converts.

Khadijah, the Prophet’s spouse, the mother of believers, was the first to enter the fold of Islam followed by his freed slave Zaid bin Harithah, his cousin, ‘Ali bin Abi Talib, who had been living with him since his early childhood, and next came his intimate friend Abu Bakr As- Siddiq (Abu Bakr the truth verifier). All of those professed Islam on the very first day of the call. [Rahmat- ul- lil'alameen 1/50] Abu Bakr, and from the first day he embraced Islam, proved to be an energetic and most 49

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zealous activist. He was wealthy, obliging, mild and upright. People used to frequent his house and draw nigh to him for his knowledge, amity, pleasant company and business. He invited whomever he had confidence in to Islam and through his personal efforts a good number of people converted to Islam, such as ‘Uthman bin

‘Affan Al- Umawi, Az- Zubair bin ‘Awwam Al- Asadi, ‘Abdur Rahman bin ‘Awf, Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas, Az- Zuhri and Talhah bin ‘Ubaidullah At- Tamimy. Those eight men constituted the forerunners and more specifically the vanguard of the new faith in Arabia. Among the early Muslim were Bilal bin Rabah (the Abyssinian), Abu ‘Ubaidah bin Al- Jarrah from Bani Harith bin Fahr (the most trustworthy of the Muslim Nation), Abu Salamah bin ‘Abd Al- Asad, Al- Arqam bin Abi Al- Arqam from the tribe of Makhzum, ‘Uthman bin Maz‘oun and his two brothers Qudama and ‘Abdullah,

‘Ubaidah bin Al- Harith bin Al- Muttalib bin ‘Abd Munaf, Sa‘id bin Zaid Al- ‘Adawi and his wife Fatimah - daughter of Al- Khattab (the sister of ‘Umar bin Al- Khattab), Khabbab bin Al- Aratt, ‘Abdull? bin Mas‘ud Al- Hadhali and many others. These were the Muslim predecessors. They belonged to various septs of Quraish. Ibn Hisham, a biographer, counted them to be more than forty. [Ibn Hisham 1/245- 262]

Ibn Ishaq said: "Then people entered the fold of Islam in hosts, men or women and the new faith could no longer be kept secret." [Ibn Hisham 1/262]

The Prophet [pbuh] used to meet and teach, the new converts, the religion in privacy because the call to Islam was still running on an individual and secret basis.

Revelation accelerated and continued after the first verses of "
O you wrapped in
garments
." The verses and pieces of
S
?
ah
(chapters) revealed at this time were short ones with wonderful strong pauses and quite fascinating rhythms in full harmony with that delicate whispering setting. The central topic running through them focused on sanctifying the soul, and deterring the Muslims from falling prey to the deceptive glamour of life. The early verses used as well to give a highly accurate account of the Hell and the Garden (Paradise), leading the believers down a new course diametrically opposed to the ill practices rampant amongst their compatriots.

As-Sal
?
(the Prayer)

Muqatil bin Sulaiman said: "
Sal
? (prayer) was established as an obligatory ritual at an early stage of the Islamic Call, a two
rak‘ ah
(unit of prayer)
Sal
? in the morning and the same in the evening:

"And glorify the praises of your Lord in the
‘Ashi
(i.e. the time period after
the mid- noon till sunset) and in the
Ibkar
(i.e. the time period from early
morning or sunrise till before mid- noon)."
[Al- Qur'an 40:55]

Ibn Hijr said: "Definitely the Prophet [pbuh] used to pray before ‘The Night Journey’

but it still remains a matter of controversy whether or not the prayer was established as an obligatory ritual before imposing the rules of the usual five prayers a day. It is related that obligatory prayer was established twice a day, in the morning before sunrise and after sunset. It is reported through a chain of narrators that when the Prophet [pbuh] received the first Revelation, Gabriel - the angel, proceeded and taught him how to observe
Wudu
(ablution). When the Prophet [pbuh] had finished, he took a handful of water and sprinkled it on his loins. [Mukhtasar Seerat- ur- Rasool p.88]

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Ibn Hisham reported that when it was time for prayers, the Messenger of All?

[pbuh] and his Companions went into a mountain valley to pray secretly. Abu Talib once saw the Messenger of All? [pbuh] and Ali praying, he asked them what they were up to. When he got to know that it was obligatory prayer, he told them to stay constant in their practice. [Ibn Hisham 1/247]

The Quraishites learn about the Call

This stage of the Call, even though conducted in a clandestine manner and on an individual basis, its news leaked out and assumed a public interest all over Makkah.

In the beginning, the Makkan leaders did not care much about Muhammad

[pbuh]and took no heed of his teachings. At first, they thought that Muhammad

[pbuh] was merely a religious philosophist like Omaiyah bin Abi As- Salt, Quss bin Sa‘idah, ‘Amr bin Nufail and their ilk who used to philosophize on godship and religious obligations. But this attitude of indifference soon changed into real apprehension. The polytheists of Quraish began to watch Muhammad’s movements closely and anxiously for fear of spreading his Call and producing a change in the prevalent mentality. [Fiqh As- Seerah p.76]

For three underground years of activism, a group of believers emerged stamped by a spirit of fraternity and cooperation with one definite objective in their mind: propagating and deeply establishing the call unto Islam. For full three years Muhammad [pbuh] had been content to teach within a rather narrow circle. The time had, however, come to preach the faith of the Lord openly. The angel Gabriel had brought him down a further Revelation of All? ’s Will to confront his people, invalidate their falsehood and crush down their idolatrous practices.

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The Second Phase: Open Preaching

First Revelation regarding the Preaching

"And warn your tribe (O Muhammad [pbuh]) of near kindred." [Al- Qur'an 26:214].

This was the first verse to be revealed in this concern. It is included in
S
?
ah
Ash-Shu‘ar?/i> (Chapter 26 – The Poets) which relates the story of Moses [AWS] from his
early days of Prophethood going through his migration with the Children of Israel,
their escape from the Pharaoh and his folk, and the drowning Pharaoh and his hosts.

This Chapter in fact narrates the different stages that Moses [AWS] passed through
in his struggle with Pharaoh and the mission of calling his people unto All
?
.

Moreover, it includes stories that speak about the terrible end in store for those who
belied the Messengers such as the people of Noah, ‘Ad, Thamud, Abraham, Lout and
Ahlul- Aikah (Companions of the Wood). (A group of people who used to worship a
tree called Aikah)

Chronologically, this Chapter belongs to the middle Makkan period, when the contact
of the light of Prophecy with the cultural milieu of pagan Makkah was testing the
Makkans in their most arrogant mood. The Message that this Chapter communicates
is in brief: "The Truth is insurmountable. When the spirit of Prophecy came to
Makkah, it was resisted by the votaries of evil; but Truth, unlike falsehood, is bound
to stay, whereas falsehood is surely perishable."

Calling the Closest Kinspeople

In obedience to All? ’s Commands, Muhammad [pbuh] rallied his kinsmen of Bani Hashim with a group of Bani Al- Muttalib bin ‘Abd Munaf. The audience counted forty-five men.

Abu Lahab immediately took the initiative and addressed the Prophet [pbuh]: "These are your uncles and cousins, speak on to the point, but first of all you have got to know that your kinspeople are not in a position to withstand all the Arabs. Another point you have got to bear in mind is that your relatives are sufficient unto you. If you follow their tradition, it will be easier for them than to face the other clans of Quraish supported by the other Arabs. Verily, I have never heard of anyone who has incurred more harm on his kinspeople than you." The Messenger of All? [pbuh] kept silent and said nothing in that meeting.

He invited them to another meeting and managed to secure audience. He then stood up and delivered a short speech explaining quite cogently what was at stake. He said: "I celebrate All? ’s praise, I seek His help, I believe in Him, I put my trust in Him, I bear witness that there is no god to be worshipped but All? with no associate.

A guide can never lie to his people. I swear by All? , there is no god but He, that I have been sent as a Messenger to you, in particular and to all the people, in general.

I swear by All? you will die just as you sleep, you will be resurrected just as you wake up. You will be called to account for your deeds. It is then either Hell forever or the Garden (Paradise) forever."

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Abu Talib replied: "We love to help you, accept your advice and believe in your words. These are your kinspeople whom you have collected and I am one of them but I am the fastest to do what you like. Do what you have been ordered. I shall protect and defend you, but I can’t quit the religion of ‘Abdul- Muttalib."

Abu Lahab then said to Abu Talib: " I swear by All? that this is a bad thing. You must stop him before the others do." Abu Talib, however, answered: "I swear by All? to protect him as long as I am alive." [Fiqh As- Seerah p.77,78]

On Mount As-Safa

After the Messenger of All? [pbuh] became sure of Abu Talib’s commitment to his protection while he called the people unto All? , he stood up on Mount As- Safa one day and called out loudly: "O
Sabahah!
[This is an Arabic expression used when one appeals for help or draws the attention of others to some dangers] " Septs of Quraish came to him. He called them to testify to the Oneness of All? and believe in his Messengership and the Day of Resurrection. Al- Bukhari reported part of this story on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas [R]. He said: "When the following verses were revealed:

"And warn your tribe (O Muhammad [pbuh]) of near kindred." [Al- Qur'an 26:214]

The Messenger of All? [pbuh] ascended Mount As- Safa and started to call: "O Bani Fahr! O Bani ‘Adi (two septs of Quraish)." Many people gathered and those who couldn’t, sent somebody to report to them. Abu Lahab was also present. The Prophet

[pbuh] said: "You see, if I were to tell you that there were some horsemen in the valley planning to raid you, will you believe me?" They said: "Yes, we have never experienced any lie from you." He said: "I am a warner to you before a severe torment." Abu Lahab promptly replied: "Perish you all the day! Have you summoned us for such a thing?" The verses were immediately revealed on that occasion

[Bukhari 2/702; Muslim 1/114]:

"Perish the two hands of Abi Lahab..." [Al- Qur'an 111:1].

Muslim reported another part of this story on the authority of Abu Hurairah [R] — He said: "When the following verses were revealed:

"And warn your tribe (O Muhammad [pbuh]) of near kindred." [26:214]

The Messenger of All? [pbuh] called all the people of Quraish; so they gathered and he gave them a general warning. Then he made a particular reference to certain tribes, and said: "O Quraish, rescue yourselves from the Fire; O people of Bani Ka‘b, rescue yourselves from Fire; O Fatimah, daughter of Muhammad [pbuh] , rescue yourself from the Fire, for I have no power to protect you from All? in anything except that I would sustain relationship with you." [Muslim 1/114; Bukhari 1/385,2/702]