Prophet Muhammad it(1)
The Call to Islam in Makkah
Allah’s Messenger () now began to preach Tawheed [Oneness of Allah] as he received the command to do so. He started the task of keeping people away from idol worship and inviting them to Tawheed right from his own household. The result was that Khadijah () was the first woman to accept Islam. Ali ibn Abee Talib () and Zayd ibn Haarithah () also
embraced Islam the very first day. They all belonged to his household.
Abu Bakr ibn Abu Quhafah () was the Prophet’s friend. He also accepted Islam the same day. The people who became Muslims on the first day knew the Prophet () well. They had been aware of his qualities and noble character for a very long time. No part of the Prophet’s life was hidden to them. Their acceptance of Islam the very first day was a clear proof of his truthfulness.
In the beginning, the Prophet () kept his call to Islam quiet. He limited it to his relatives and friends.
In the early period, Abu Bakr () offered his services most prominently. He had a very wide circle of friends. This brought Uthman ibn Affan , Talha ibn Ubaydullah ( Saa’d ibn Abee Waqqas , Abdur-Rahman ibn Awf and az-Zubayr ibn Al-Awwam to the fold of Islam. Uthman ibn Madh’un , Qudamah ibn Madh’un , Sa’eed ibn Zayd . Fatimah , the sister of Umar ibn Al-Khattab and wife of Sa’eed ibn Zayd, were next to enter the fold of Islam.
Another group to embrace Islam were individuals like Umayr , the brother of Sa’d ibn Abee Waqqas, Abdullah ibn Mas’ud and Ja’far ibn Abee Talib • Thus came into being a small group of Muslim men, women, youths, old men and children. The believing men would go beyond Makkah in the mountain pass to pray to Allah.
A. Answer the following questions.
1 . Why did the Prophet () start preaching Tawheed?
2. What different types of people accepted Islam?
3. Where would the new Muslims pray to Allah?
B. Think-up
1 . Why did the Prophet’s household accept Islam so quickly?
2. Why did the Prophet () keep calling people to Islam quietly?
C. Circle the correct answer.
1 . This person accepted Islam on the first day of the Prophet’s preaching.
a. Abu Bakr
b. Sa’eed ibn Zayd
2. He had a large circle of friends.
a. Abu Bakr
b. AN ibn Abee Talib
3. AN ibn Abee Talib was the Prophet’s
a. nephew
b. cousin
Islam and the Quraysh
Three years passed quickly. Allah’s Messenger () called people to Islam quietly. People began to give up idolatry and came to the told of Islam. Men and women accepted the new faith and everyone in Makkah was talking about it.
The Quraysh, at the outset, gave no importance to the movement of Islam. It did not look like causing them any harm and putting them in danger. They, therefore, did not go beyond poking fun at the believers, jeering at them, and hurting them with their tongues. However, in some cases, mischief-mongers among the Quraysh also attacked individual Muslims physically. Once Sa’d ibn Abee Waqqas was performing prayer in a mountain pass along with a few Muslims. A few pagans passed by them and tried to stop the Muslims from praying by force. Sa’d ibn Abee Waqqas rose against them, and a disbeliever received an injury from his sword.
Once Allah’s Messenger () and AN were performing prayer in a mountain pass. Abu Talib arrived at the scene. He kept silent, watching them. When the prayer was over, he said, ‘What is this faith that you have adopted?’ ‘This is the faith of Ibraaheem,’ they said and added, ‘You should also accept it.’ ‘I will not give up the religion of my ancestors,’ and said, turning to Ali , ‘My son! I’m sure he will lead you to nothing but good.’
Exercises
A. Fill in the blanks.
1 . The Prophet () preached Islam for years.
2. A disbeliever was hurt from the sword of
3. Islam is also known as ‘the faith of .’
B. Answer the following questions.
1 . How did the Quraysh behave towards the believers?
2. Did Abu Talib accept Islam?
The Call to Islam from Mount Safa
Allah’s Messenger () kept his mission quiet and private for three years.
Then Allah commanded him to proclaim His religion openly. The revelation (Wahy) came, ‘Proclaim openly what you are commanded, and turn away from the mushrikoon (the polytheists).
Allah also commanded, ‘And warn your near relatives and lower your wing (show kindness) to those who follow you of the believers.’
With this order, Allah’s Messenger () ascended the Mount of Safa in Makkah and gave a call to each and every tribe by name in a raised voice. He called out as loudly as he could, ‘Yaa Sabaahaahl’ This was a well-known cry used to gather together the people in times of danger. When there was any danger of an enemy attacking the city or a tribe, the call ‘Yaa Sabaahaah’ would be raised! The Quraysh were always quick to respond. They gathered round Allah’s Messenger (it).
(3)
The Prophet () asked them, ‘O Quraysh! If I were to tell you that enemy warriors are about to attack you from behind the hill, would you believe me?’ They answered, ‘yes, we would.’ The Arabs were practical. They had always found the Prophet () truthful and trustworthy. There was in front of them a man noted for his truthfulness and sincerity.
Allah’s Messenger () then said to them, ‘Well, I am here to warn you of a severe punishment.’
Hearing this, they burst into laughter. Then suddenly they became silent. Abu Lahab was in the gathering. He was one of the uncles of the Prophet () and was one of the bitterest enemies of Islam. He said to the Prophet (), ‘May you perish. Was it for this purpose that you have called us here?’ Following this the people disappeared.
Shortly afterwards, Surat al-Masad was revealed. It is surah number 1 1 1 in the Qur’an.
Exercises
A. Answer the following questions.
1 . Why did the Prophet () cry out ‘Yaa Sabaahaah’ and not anything else?
2. Did the people accept the Prophet’s message?
3. How did Abu Lahab react?
B. Think-up
Find out what connection Surat al-Masad has with Abu Lahab’s
reaction to the Prophet’s message in this lesson.
Abu Talib’s Support and Concern
A few days later, Allah’s Messenger () asked Ali ibn Abee Talib to give a feast and invite his relatives. About forty people attended it. At the end of the feast, Allah’s Messenger () rose to say something but the mischievous utterances of Abu Lahab took away from the Prophet () a chance to warn them and to call them to Islam.
After a gap of a few days, Allah’s Messenger () arranged another feast and as his relatives finished their meal, the Prophet () rose to say, ‘Look! I have come to you with something that no one else ever brought for his tribe. I bring you the best of this world and the next. Allah has commanded me to call you to Him. Tell me who will lend his support to me in this work.’ They sat in silence.
No one made any response. But when the silence remained unbroken, thirteen-year-old Ali spoke out, ‘O Prophet of Allah, I will be your helper in this.’ Abu Talib, too assured the Prophet () of his support.
Enmity of the Quraysh
When Allah’s Messenger () openly proclaimed the call to Islam and called out people to Tawheed , his people did not distance themselves from him, nor did they reject him. But when he criticized their false gods and idols, they regarded him as a threat and they united in opposition against him. In assemblies and gatherings, in fairs and marketplaces, and by reaching out to people in their homes, the Prophet () would teach people the virtues of Tawheed and warn them against worshipping idols, gambling, lying, fraud, theft and all kinds of vices.
The Quraysh were so proud. It was not easy for them to tolerate insulting remarks against their ancestors’ faith and practices. They were also very particular about the difference between slaves and their masters. But Islam
taught the equality of both of them. All the tribes in Arabia respected the Quraysh and the Makkans.
This was due to the idols they used to come to Makkah to worship. Islam, on the other hand, was the enemy of idolatry. The heads and noblemen of Makkah could not step down from their arrogant positions and follow the Prophet (). Most of the tribes had a feeling of hatred towards Banu Hashim, so they could not accept a man from a rival tribe to guide them. Thus, open preaching ignited the fire of hostility all over Arabia. It turned into a blaze during the fourth year of Prophethood.
Exercises
A. Answer the following questions.
1 . How did the Prophet () arrange to spread the word of Islam to his relatives?
2. Who from the gathering at the Prophet’s house gave him support?
3. When did the Prophet’s people start rejecting him?
B. Think-up
Why do you think the Quraysh did not accept Islam?
