THE SUFFERING CAUSED BY THE SIEGE
In an
inhospitable valley, the food dwindled, then was scarce, the children
often cried until they filled the valley with screams of agony. They were
the screams of hunger and misery. The old became very weak, thin, and
emaciated. Literally, the suffering was unbearable.
The cold
days of winter were hard to endure in a tent, and while the heat of the
summer was blistering, the rain made it worse. Their clothes became
ragged, and it was hard to protect themselves from the elements of
nature. The social contact with the people of Mecca was certainly missed
most dearly. Not being with people was the hardest to take, a heavy
psychological blow.
In spite
of all this, however, the Muslims kept concentrating on their prayers,
and learning more from Muhammad (pbuh). They withstood the ordeal most
bravely. It is true they suffered to the breaking point, but the Muslims
were too strong in their faith to be weakened by suffering. They
withstood this outrageous treatment for three long years in a most
courageous manner.
DURING THE SACRED MONTHS 
During
the sacred months of each year, any war was supposed to be put aside.
This was the custom in Arabia at the time. This meant that Muhammad
(pbuh) and the Muslims were free to move as they pleased, that the siege
was interrupted.
When
these months came, the Muslims lost no time in making contact with the
people who came to the Ukadh State Fair. Muhammad (pbuh) went to the
Ukadh Fair and preached again and again with eagerness and energy, as if
none of the trouble during the siege had affected him! He attracted a
good many, in spite of it all, and his dynamic efforts knew no limits.
The disbelievers observed with envy, alarm, and tremendous anxiety.
At the Ukadh Fair, Abu Lahab, the veteran enemy of Islam, used to follow behind
Prophet (pbuh) asking the people not to listen or believe in Muhammad.
This, however, gave the opposite effect. By trying to discourage the
people from listening to Muhammad (pbuh), Abu Lahab ended up with exactly
opposite results, since people became curious, and listened to Muhammad
eagerly. They were all ears!
END OF THE SIEGE
By the
third year of the siege, the Muslims were still very patient and most
enduring, despite their sufferings. They never weakened in their faith,
and there wasn't the slightest sign of compromise. Quraish and other
disbelievers had feelings of guilt and shame, deeply felt shame—Arab
customs never permitted what Quraish had done. The disbelievers saw
themselves failing in this measure, just as they had in other measures.
The
Arabs and people everywhere took pity; after all it was such a crude,
cruel and ghastly form of treatment, wasn't it? And even then it was a
failure! The pagans' feeling of guilt was getting the best of them.
Muhammad
(pbuh) and his family, the disbelievers reasoned, were part of Quraish,
weren't they? And for what purpose should they deal such cruelty to their
own flesh and blood?! This cruelty, as inhumane as it was, wasn't just
for a few days, a week or a month, it was such a prolonged one. Everyone
was getting tired of it. It was intended to break the will of Muhammad
(pbuh) and the Muslims, but it never did. It seemed to have made them
stronger and ever more determined. Not only that, but their families and
tribes gave them full support and suffered in the meantime.
The
besieged Muslims were malnourished, haggard-looking, and the signs of
suffering were too obvious to ignore. During the last few months of the
siege, Muslims even had to eat the leaves from the trees, just because
there was no more food.
So, the
guards could not help but keep telling Quraish and others in Mecca about
the horrible suffering and the intolerable conditions of the Muslims.
That helped soften the hearts of some of the disbelievers. Some food
started to reach the besieged Muslims by smuggling. Fortunately it came
steadily, and as little as it was, it stopped the besieged from starving
to death.
At last,
a few guilt-ridden souls took pity and they could stand it no longer.
They went united to the Ka'ba, with the intention of tearing down the
document that declared the siege. After announcing their intention, and
after reminding the people of Mecca about how bad and cruel they had been
to Muhammad and his clan, they got up to tear the document to pieces. To
their astonishment, they discovered that the document was completely eaten
by termites, that is except for the words:
بإسـمــك أللهم
"In Your Name, O Lord"
THE YEAR OF SORROW
The beloved uncle
of Muhammad,
Abu Talib,
was 77 years old when the siege started. Exposure, lack of food, poor
nourishment, and existing in extremely poor conditions was too much for
anybody to take, let alone
a 77 year old man. He suffered as all others did, but his protection and
love for Muhammad continued as strong as ever. At the ripe age of 80, and
only a few months after the siege was discontinued, he became terminally
ill.
Quraish's leaders visited him to persuade him, but persuade him of what?
Muhammad (pbuh) was sent for, and when he came they talked to him. In his
usual calm way, Muhammad took a short while before saying anything, then
they heard him saying:
"I ask you to say one word, and it will make you the leaders of Arabia and
of other countries."
Abu
Jahl, the venomous enemy of Islam, then asked, "All right, answer in ten
words."
Muhammad answered confidently,
"Just acknowledge that Allah is One, and we quit worshipping
anything else besides Him."
Once
more, the leaders of Quraish felt a shattering blow. "He never gives up!"
they thought, "how persistent can a person be; what a solid faith, how
tenacious!" Once more they left, burning with frustration and a sense of
failure.
Abu Talib died soon after.
Khadija,
that angel of a wife, who was the wife of the Prophet for twenty‑five
years, could not stand the suffering of the siege either. Having reached
the age of sixty‑five, and having suffered severely at the siege for the
three years, Khadija became
ill. She became very sick after a few days, then she quietly passed away.
The loss
of Abu Talib and Khadija was just about the most difficult thing Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) could stand. Their love, support, kindness and care were
essential to him and
most appreciated by him. He
became grieved a great deal for them and he dressed himself with mourning
clothes. He also named the year of their deaths,
the year of sorrow.
DON'T CRY MY DAUGHTER
Fatima,
the daughter of the Prophet, was cleaning the dirt
and mud thrown at her father Muhammad (pbuh). His head, his face, and his
clean clothes were soiled with dirt. Muhammad (pbuh) had been passing
through a street in Mecca, and one of the Quraish pagans wanted to hurt
him, just for the fun of it. So he threw dirt at the Prophet as he was
passing through. There was no provocation and no reason. It was an
infantile act, a childish act to hurt for the sake of hurting, and not
just any man, but Allah's Messenger, no less!.
Muhammad
(pbuh), full of poise and dignity, didn't say anything. Words alone
wouldn't be
enough to express
the pain inside. He just looked at himself and shook his head. He was
covered with dirt, but rather than react with anger, he received the
insult calmly and looked at the man with a meaningful look but without
saying a single word. He turned around and went home.
When
Fatima saw her father with dirt all over him, she was aghast. She
remembered her mother and the whole panorama of the past years of
suffering. It was too much for her to see her father, the Messenger of
Allah, covered with dirt. Why should her father the Prophet be the target
of all this endless persecution?
"How
could they, how could they?" she thought, her eyes full of tears, her
heart crying ten times more.
"Don't cry my daughter, Allah will protect your father," was his
confidant reply; you see, Muhammad never gave up the Mercy of his Lord.
This answer soothed young Fatima to some extent, because she shared with
her father the same belief. But she had seen him suffer so much, for so
long, at the hands of so many ignorant people.
(Fatima
was not a teenager yet.)
TA'IF WAS DISAPPOINTING TOO
■ The fifty year old Muhammad (pbuh) thought of trying a different
territory, since his efforts with the Meccans were at a standstill. An
idea occurred
to him, and that was to deliver the Islamic message to a different town.
Perhaps, he thought, the new town promises hope as well as less abuse than
Mecca. In so doing, he also reasoned, there is a chance, a faint chance,
to spread the message of Islam there and in other new areas. Since the
death of Abu Talib, the tension in Mecca was reaching intolerable heights
every day. Things were bleak, very bleak. In a far away town, the
Prophet thought, things might be different, so he chose the town called
Ta'if.
■ It was a hard journey on foot, sixty miles long. He and Zaid went on
walking and walking. The tiresome trip took several days of walking. On
their way, they stopped at two places, where Muhammad (pbuh) preached
Islam to two different tribes. Unfortunately, they were no different than
those in Mecca and refused to listen to him.
■ Muhammad (pbuh), along with Zaid, continued their journey until at last
they reached Ta'if. A big temple was there with an idol in the center.
The idol was
by the name of
Al‑Lat.
In the temple, Muhammad (pbuh) stood and gave a speech. He called for the
belief in Allah and His teachings and he talked about the new religion
called Islam.
■
The people listened for a short while, but the leaders
of the predominant tribe called
Benu Thaqif,
interrupted the Prophet's speech numerous times. This was done on
purpose, asking him many questions simply to disrupt Muhammad's efforts
and direct attention away from him. Benu Thaqif were
not only disruptive but disturbingly noisy. They did that on purpose
because what Muhammad (pbuh) was saying was as big a challenge to their
power and social customs as Islam was to Quraish in Mecca. In other
words, they were extremely afraid of Prophet Muhammad and Islam,
especially its enormous impact on people.
■ Due to the interruptions, and the remarks of the heads of Benu‑Thaqif, the
audience lost interest. They dispersed slowly, continuously talking about
the new man from Mecca, and his degrading of their idol, Al‑Lat.
ON HIS WAY BACK
The trip
to Ta'if proved a big disappointment, but Muhammad (pbuh) never knew
discouragement. After all, he was carrying the words of Allah. This was
not an everyday affair, it was a Divine Message. Too bad Muhammad (pbuh)
was not well received by the leaders of Benu-Thaqif. On the contrary,
they were so mean that they encouraged their slaves, scoundrels and
children to run after Muhammad (pbuh) and make sure to hurt him.
Both
Muhammad (pbuh) and Zaid were chased by unruly ruffians, young and old,
shouting obscenities, cursing, and throwing stones at them. Though
Muhammad (pbuh) and Zaid hurried as fast as they could, the stones kept
hitting them, mainly the Prophet. Muhammad (pbuh) got hurt, bruised, and
started to bleed. The blood poured from many cuts, soiling his legs and
feet, and his feet became swollen. His feet became so sore that he was
not so sure whether he was running or not.
They
were chased over a distance of three long miles, in which they kept
receiving showers of stones. They ran for protection; with blood pouring,
feet numb and swollen, and a terrible sorrowful feeling of dejection.
They were exhausted and short of breath, but before Muhammad (pbuh) and Zaid could reach safety at a wall of a plantation nearby, the Prophet
(pbuh) collapsed to the ground, his strength couldn't hold him any longer,
he fainted! At that point, Muhammad (pbuh) and Zaid were left alone, and
the attacking crowd, as wild as it was, left them alone. What a cruel
experience!
WITH A FEELING OF DEJECTION, HE PRAYS TO ALLAH
The
plantation they stood by belonged to a Meccan. Muhammad (pbuh) was
covered with blood and dirt, his cuts were painful. He was exhausted and
extremely pained inside. He felt dejected, very dejected. When he came
around, he looked at the skies, lifted his hands, and prayed:
Oh Allah! I bring to you the complaint of the weakness of my power, the
poverty of my means and the contempt of the people against me.
Oh Most merciful of the merciful! You are the maintainer of the weak and
You are my maintainer. In whose hands have You put me? He who is strange
and mean, or he who is my enemy?
But if You are not angry with me, I will not be concerned and the comfort
of Your mercy is vast enough for me.
Oh Lord, I seek refuge in the Light of Your face, which illuminates all
darkness, and which sets right all the affairs of this world and of the
next, from Your wrath and Your displeasure.
I seek nothing but to please thee, and I have no power to do good or to
prevent evil except with Your help."
See how magnificent a person
Muhammad was. Although he, the Prophet, was cut and hurt, though he was
exhausted and put down, he didn't even get angry with the people who
caused him all the trouble. He simply
regarded them, and correctly so, as
Ignorant
People.
He didn't curse them, pray for their punishment, or even become angry with
them. A man's bigness shows especially when he is under severe pressure.
As this instance shows, Muhammad (pbuh) showed that
he was above all men, the ultimate perfection of mankind.
THE CHRISTIAN SLAVE
Muhammad
felt better after that prayer. He had already washed and cleaned up, and
a plate of grapes was brought to him. It was a Christian slave named Addas who brought the plate.
He was a slave of the owner of that plantation.
Addas was very
impressed when he heard Muhammad (pbuh) saying the above prayer, at an
unexpected time when Muhammad (pbuh) was bleeding, exhausted and injured.
Addas also heard Muhammad
(pbuh) saying
In the name of Allah
before eating. He questioned the Prophet about Allah and the Message, and
he was delighted to hear about the new faith. Muhammad (pbuh) said he was
the final Prophet, and both talked about Jesus. Addas was extremely
impressed and was
sad to see what was done to Muhammad (pbuh) by some wild people of Ta'if.
Addas decided to become a Muslim! He declared his Shahaada, and became
Muslim right then and there!
MI'RAAJ
It was
the tenth year since the beginning of Islam, Muhammad (pbuh) was fifty
years old. He went through many gruesome experiences, but the worst was
that of the siege, the deaths of both Abu Talib and Khadija. The
demeaning treatment at Ta'if, the resistance of other tribes, and the
general attitude of the pagan Quraish that Muhammad (pbuh) was defenseless
and weak, made matters even more difficult. In spite of much success at
converting people to Islam, still more than eighty influential Muslim men
were far away at Abyssinia, along with some women and children. The
Muslims were defenseless, scattered, and under the constant pressure of
harassment.
It was
at this critical time that Muhammad (pbuh) had a remarkable journey. It
was a unique and magnificent journey, coming at the exact moment when
Muhammad (pbuh) needed it most, when he felt his efforts were blocked if
not blunted from every direction. It was a journey that showed him, with
his own eyes, the glory of the Almighty and the working of the universe.
The journey gave him a great deal of psychological comfort, an uplift, and
it confirmed in his mind the magnificence and the glory of the work of the
Almighty. It renewed his energy and determination to work for Islam.
WHAT HAPPENED DURING ISRAA?
Briefly told,
Prophet Muhammad was awakened by Angel Jubra'eel (Gabriel), who had with
him a beautiful looking horse with
large wings. The name of the horse was
Buraq.
He was told to
mount Buraq, and was taken to
Mount Toor
where Musa (Moses) was given the Ten Commandments, then to Bethlehem,
where Isa (Jesus) was born, then to Jerusalem. At
Jerusalem, Muhammad (pbuh) met
Prophets Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and a good many others. They all prayed,
Muhammad (pbuh) leading the Salat.
THE EXPERIENCE OF MI'RAAJ
Following the
Israa,
Muhammad (pbuh) was taken to Heavens. There he saw many Prophets,
including Adam, Ibrahim, Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus).
The
greatest honor of all, though, came last. He was in the presence of the
Almighty, in all His glory and magnificence. This was the pinnacle of
this most unique journey. This very special experience was way beyond
description. It was too great for the power of man to describe.
During
this journey, Muhammad (pbuh) was shown the mysterious workings of the
universe; he was shown a great deal about the life beyond; he saw the
amazing precision of the universe and its glorious aspects, the abundance
of many good things, things beyond a human's imagination. He was also
shown Hell from a distance, and the horrible things in it, a petrifying
scene to say the least, a very frightful one indeed.
This
experience was most unique, and it had its supreme imprint on Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh), at the very time when he needed it most. It came at the
time when the people in Mecca and others gave the highest degree of
trouble to him.
ON WAKING UP
Muhammad (pbuh)
woke up in the morning to tell the story to his aunt,
Umm‑Hani,
who was in his house with others. He informed her of this unique
experience after they finished the morning Salat. She requested him not
to tell anyone for fear that
people wouldn't believe him, and would use it against him. Muhammad
(pbuh) disagreed. He had always told the truth in its entirety, the pure
truth, and what had happened the night before was part of it, wasn't it?
He would certainly tell it, no matter how supernatural this experience
was, and no matter how the people would take it.
Once
downtown in Mecca, Muhammad (pbuh) told the people, and a good many simply
didn't believe their ears, period. How could they believe him when in
those days it took a whole month or more to travel from Mecca to
Jerusalem, let alone the other places! Many disbelievers took to
laughter, in sarcasm and ridicule. They made fun of him, thinking
Muhammad was losing his mind!
ABU BAKR AL‑SIDDIQUE
When Abu Bakr heard about it, he said, "If Muhammad said it, then it is the
truth." He showed no hesitation in believing what the Prophet said. This
of course was also the case with others whose faith in the Prophet's
integrity was unshakable.
As Abu Bakr heard about the phenomenon, he also heard the Prophet (pbuh) describe
what he saw in Jerusalem—the streets, the buildings, and the area where he
lead the Prayer, in full detail. Muhammad (pbuh) had never been to
Jerusalem, but Abu Bakr had. When Muhammad (pbuh) finished, Abu Bakr
said, "By Allah, that is the very way Jerusalem is! I surely believe
wholeheartedly in what Muhammad is saying."
After that Abu Bakr
was called
Al‑Siddique,
which means
the Confirmer.
NEWS OF THE CARAVAN
In the
confusion of belief and disbelief, the people also heard Prophet Muhammad
saying,
"On the way back, I saw a caravan coming
toward
Mecca,
it should take a few more days before
the caravan arrives and its description is so
and so."
People
became anxious to see if the caravan Muhammad described was truly arriving
as he claimed. After all, none of them had ever known that such a caravan
was coming. It was a complete surprise when they heard of the caravan and
usually the approach of a caravan was big news in those days. The
confirmation of the caravan was one certain way to be assured that the
Prophet (pbuh) was right in what he said.
A few
days passed, and sure enough, the caravan showed up from a distance
approaching Mecca. It was exactly as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had
described it. What a cool feeling the doubting people had, now that they
were assured of the truth of Muhammad (pbuh). The pagans on the other
hand, had to stop their accusations, since it was proved that their
accusations were baseless. They felt defeated once again, having a
situation that they tried to use to criticize Muhammad (pbuh) be turned
against them.
THE NEWS WAS SPREADING
Being
exposed for more than ten years to arguments about Islam, a great deal of
doubt was slowly but surely entering the hearts of the pagan Quraish and
other disbelievers. The doubts were about whether or not their
idol‑worship was sound or correct. After all, they had been challenged by
Islam for about ten years so far, and they were obviously losing their
grip, surely and steadily. But one wonders why they insisted on the
excessive cruelty, ill treatment, and such inhumane approach in their
resistance to Islam.
The
answer is that the disbelievers were afraid, and correctly so, to lose the
cultural fabric, power, financial situation, administrative position, and
prestige in Mecca. To them at the time, there was going to be a complete
change, a change to the unknown, once they become Muslims. Their losses
would be unbearably large. In addition, it was their injured pride and
stiff stubbornness that helped inflame the emotions. That produced alarm
and anxiety, and many people took advantage of this feeling to pour hatred
and cruelty, to justify their being power hungry self-appointed leaders.
This social alarm and confusion made them take to any kind of cruelty
freely, to try their best to block or destroy Islam.
But the reputation
of the Muslims and their new changed characters did not go unnoticed.
Islam was finding inquisitive hearts, in Mecca and all over Arabia.
Muhammad's call, his suffering, his brave stand in the face of unbearable
abuse and hostility, were spreading all over. He was very much admired.
They also admired the Muslims and all they called for. Therefore, the
beginning of
satellite pockets
of the Islamic mission was being established. The converts from areas
around Mecca were to become the agents or the means to deliver Islam in
their respective territory. Mecca was being bypassed more and more.
IN MEDINA: AL‑GHIFARI
Medina used to be
called Yathrib, and it is at quite a distance north of Mecca. For some
time now there had been some talk in Yathrib about the new Prophet and
about Islam. A man who loved the truth, by the name of
Abu Dhar Al‑Ghifari,
became very inquisitive. He came all the way to Mecca, to see for
himself, to find out first hand.
He met
Ali, who was twenty years old by then, a handsome young man with a full
beard and moustache. After talking to Ali, the two went to interview
Muhammad (pbuh). Al‑Ghifari listened attentively, being careful to ask
numerous questions and listen to the answers. He found himself most
impressed. His heart was jumping with joy, and he embraced Islam
immediately. It was exactly what he was looking for.
Al-Ghifari rushed to the Ka'ba excitedly, happily announcing to everyone
that he had converted to Islam. The disbelievers became very angry, and
they wanted to stop him, but he wouldn't stop, so they gave him a beating,
a bad one. Fortunately, Abbas could recognize him and he stopped them
from beating him so mercilessly. In the meantime, he reminded the people
about who Al‑Ghifari was, and how his tribe would take revenge if Abu Dhar
was hurt too much.
When
they stopped beating him however, Abu Dhar Al‑Ghifari screamed again,
urging people to embrace Islam! That was in spite of his cuts, bruises,
aches and pains from the previous beating! He was jubilant and defiant.
Upon hearing him for the second time, the disbelievers attacked him once
more, giving him a severe beating for the second time. Fortunately Abbas
was able to rescue him in the end.
AQABA WITNESSES THE FIRST PLEDGE
It was
during the eleventh year of the Islamic mission when Muhammad (pbuh) and
the Muslims saw that it was extremely difficult anymore to communicate
with the disbelievers of Mecca. The ill-treatment was so relentless that
Muhammad (pbuh) was becoming more or less isolated. Only during the four
sacred months of each year could he go out and preach with some assurance
of not being attacked in some way.
It was
during the sacred months that he talked to a group of six people from
Medina. To
his
delight, he found ready acceptance and listening ears. On going back to
Medina, the six people spread the news about him. This aroused the curiosity
of many people in Medina. Consequently, by the following year, twelve men
came to meet with him. They represented the two main tribes from Medina,
called
Aus
and
Khazraj.
They met with Muhammad (pbuh) at
Aqaba
Muhammad (pbuh) discussed some Islamic teachings with them, and answered
the numerous questions they asked. The visitors were delighted and very
impressed by him. They changed to Islam, embracing it wholeheartedly.
Then
everyone who met at Aqaba pledged the following:
1. We will worship only Allah.
2. We will not commit adultery or fornication.
3. We will not steal.
4. We will not kill our children.
5. We will not bring false charges.
6. We will obey Muhammad (pbuh) in all that is good
Muhammad (pbuh)
sent
Mus'ab Ibn Umair
to accompany them to Medina, to teach Islam. In Medina, Islam found ready
ears, and eager accepting hearts, and it had little difficulties in its
way.
FINALLY, A FEELING OF RELIEF
The
meeting with the twelve people from Medina was welcome news. It was very
comforting to see them so eager to embrace Islam. It was comforting to
see some Islamic in‑roads to a new town, a big town, Medina itself.
Better still was what the Prophet had heard, that many people in Medina
were anxious to hear about Islam. If convinced, they would be the new
Muslims, ready for its spread, ready for its defense. It looked as if a
breakthrough was about to take place.
MUS'AB DOES FINE
Mus'ab's
aim was to convert two important tribes to Islam at the same time. For
that purpose, Mus'ab had a meeting with other Muslims. The leaders of the
two tribes heard of what was going to happen. One of the leaders, fuming
with anger, wanted to cause trouble. He started shouting and cursing
loudly when he saw Mus'ab with the Muslims.
Calmly, Mus'ab invited the angry man to sit down, feel comfortable, and give
himself a chance to see what they were saying. In other words, Mus'ab
invited the leader to listen and participate in the meeting. Surprised,
the man agreed. Upon hearing what Mus'ab had to say, and the answers
Mus'ab gave, the fuming leader changed all over. He loved what he heard
and he wanted to embrace Islam, and so he did. What a reversal of mind,
what a complete change!
Having
become Muslim, this leader left the meeting. He saw the leader of the
other tribe waiting for him. Rather than tell him that he had become
Muslim, and surprise him, he told him that the Muslims in that meeting
wanted to consult with him. When the second leader went to the meeting,
he had the same experience as that of the first leader, and he embraced
Islam too, right then and there.
THEIR TRIBES CONVERT TOO
The two
leaders, now being Muslims, went to their respective tribes. A big
meeting was called for, and each leader explained in full, how he became
Muslim. Each mentioned to his people what Islam called for, and how a
Messenger appointed by Allah had appeared, a Prophet who spoke their own
language, and what a great honor for all the Arabs. When all was said,
the leader announced, "I am a Muslim now, who follows my example?" To his
delight, everyone in the tribe converted to Islam, thus the two tribes
became Muslim.
Mus'ab
had become extremely busy in Medina, teaching Islam to this group or
that. His students became good teachers for an ever enlarging number of
converts. The news of Medina was spreading fast. It made the
disbelievers of Quraish boil with fear and envy. At the same time, it
made Muhammad (pbuh) and the Muslims of Mecca grateful, and very thankful
to Allah Almighty for the swift success. "At last," they thought, "a good
breakthrough, by Allah's will the Muslims will progress ever so swiftly."
HOW ABOUT IMMIGRATING
The news from
Medina was a welcome encouragement to
every Muslim. Muhammad (pbuh) already had some relatives who lived in
Medina. They were on his mother's side. He remembered well his previous
visit to his father's grave, and how his mother died in
Ab'waa
on the way back. Though that visit was a long
time ago, it was still vivid in his mind.
► Muhammad's mind went to the conditions in Mecca of the time. It had
become unbearable any more, with the constant harassment and distress.
The brutality had been going on without abatement for so many, many
years. And besides, the Prophet thought, the message of Islam was not
penetrating the hearts of the Meccans anymore. Many people about to
convert to Islam were too afraid of the persecution, while the pagans were
ever more wild, arrogant, and mean. Mecca, its environment and its people
could yield no more, the struggle was fruitless any further, it was
obvious.
► On the other hand, the news from Medina was good and very encouraging—it
was like cool water to the thirsty. If Islam were so successful over in Medina
and with only such a little effort, "how about leaving Mecca and its oppression, and going to Medina with its
relative freedom?," Prophet Muhammad thought. With that thought, the
heaviness on his heart felt lighter, and a happy expression of hope showed
on his face. It was the happiness of expectation. The chance and
opportunity for the Islamic Mission and all concerned were certainly
present in Medina, no question about that.
AQABA: A SECOND OATH
One year
passed and it was time for Haj again. A large number of people left
Medina to go to Mecca. The tribes of Aus and Khazraj were sending a big
delegation each.
The delegation
consisted of 73 men and 2 women, all of whom had already embraced Islam
and were anxious to meet Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Their aim was to convince him to leave Mecca, and to make his home in
Medina. They were eager to have him in the area which seemed to promise
the future of Islam. The meeting was to be secret. Muhammad (pbuh) was
informed about it. They were to meet late in the evening at
Aqaba
again.
THEY AGREE
At the agreed upon
date, and late at night, both Muhammad and his uncle
Abbas
were very cautious as they moved. Their aim was to go to Aqaba, in full
secrecy. Abbas was not Muslim yet, but
he loved Muhammad very much, he wanted to support Muhammad (pbuh) and
protect him completely, just in case the enemies of Islam found out. He
wanted that because Muhammad had already lost the protection of his Uncle
Abu Talib who was the older brother of Abbas.
The
delegation from Medina left their caravan in a very cautious way, late at
night, and they headed toward Aqaba. They even walked barefoot so as not
to wake up others in the caravan—such was their caution! The two sides
finally met at Aqaba, and they talked for a long time. Abbas made sure
and to his satisfaction that Muhammad was well supported by the people of
Medina, and would be in good hands if he were to go there. Each side
promised to give full support to the other, and the common aim was to
defend and spread the word of Allah Almighty with all their powers.
The
decision taken was that Muhammad (pbuh) was to leave Mecca, go to Medina,
and make the headquarters of Islam in Medina. It was the most positive
change for Islam and the Muslims, just to be away from the oppressive
disbelievers of Mecca!
But to its alarm
and surprise, pagan Quraish, found out about the pledge. One of their
members somehow managed to overhear what was going on in the meeting. As
a result, some of their leaders
visited the caravan from Aus and Khazraj. They asked about the meeting of
the preceding night. The Muslims who belonged to that
caravan
kept silent and
didn't say a word.
On the other hand, the rest of the caravan were disbelievers from Medina,
and they
knew nothing about the secret meeting of the night before! The
disbelievers answered the pagans of Mecca, "No way, there wasn't such a
thing. We, as a matter of fact, were all sound asleep, and right here."
The answer was satisfactory to Quraish, and they let this point slip by.
This was a very turning point for the Muslims, thanks to Allah and to the
cautiousness of the Muslims.
MUSLIMS HEADING TOWARD MEDINA
Fearing
that Muhammad (pbuh) might immigrate to Medina and build strength there,
the Meccan disbelievers became extremely violent, even more than ever
before. They were afraid that if Islam became strong in Medina, the
Muslims might threaten the trade route to Syria and have a strangle hold
on their livelihood and very existence.
"What is
best to do?" the Prophet thought, "It was best to let Muslims go to Medina
first, be safe, and work for Islam." Muhammad (pbuh) answered himself.
At his
suggestion, small groups of two or three Muslims were leaving Mecca, every
few days, in an irregular manner. To the winds of freedom, and better
times in Medina, they headed. Away from Mecca, and the fears of
harassment, anxiety, and the constant abuse they faced.
They didn't sell
their homes or businesses—they
simply left everything behind.
This very act made the Meccan disbelievers confused but spiteful, not
sure what the Muslims were up to. Some Meccan disbelievers could get hold
of a few Muslims while on their way to Medina. They put the captured
Muslims
in imprisonment
where some were treated horribly. None of this, however, scared the
Muslims, or stopped them. The Muslims continued to leave Mecca steadily,
irregularly, alone or in small groups. Finally, very few Muslims were
left in Mecca. Those
who were left were the fifty
three year old Muhammad (pbuh), his twenty-three-year-old cousin, Ali, his
fifty-one-year-old friend, Abu Bakr, some women, old men and children.
THE PLOT TO MURDER
With
most Muslims having left Mecca, the disbelievers were not sure if Muhammad
(pbuh) was also going to leave Mecca. You see, only a few years back, the
Muslims did leave for Abyssinia on two occasions but Muhammad (pbuh)
remained behind in Mecca. So, they thought, it was very possible that
this time Muhammad (pbuh) would remain in Mecca too.
►
The disbelievers waited, not sure of the Prophet's intentions, with a high degree of anxiety and uncertainty. Muhammad
the Prophet was still there and the Meccans were very anxious, impatient, restless, and curious.
►
"Here is a man," they thought, "who had withstood every injury dealt him, yet he always outwitted us, and now he may even be
more dangerous if he leaves for Medina. Let us do something about it, let us kill!" The mood was to attempt murder, no less—an ugly mood indeed. Nothing
else was left for them to do. Kill Muhammad (pbuh) but how?
►
A council was called for, and fourteen leaders gathered in
Dar‑ul‑Nadwa.
They were representing all the opposing clans of pagan Quraish. After
discussing numerous suggestions, Abu Jahl, the bitter
enemy of Islam, suggested something which was unanimously agreed upon. He
suggested that
the bravest man from
each tribe was to gather at an agreed upon night, near Muhammad's house.
These men were to equally participate, to attack and kill Muhammad at the
same time. In so doing, every tribe would share in this act of murder.
As a result, Muhammad's family and his clan would not dare to or be able
to revenge his blood, against any or all of those tribes.
THE DRASTIC MEASURES:
As told by Gabriel, the Prophet takes the following drastic measures to outperform the murderous quraish and escape safely:
THE PLOT
No one
knew what Muhammad (pbuh) planned to do. It was a night of suspense and
expectation. The families of the disbelievers were excited, talking and
talking, about how they were going to kill Muhammad. Their imagination
was wild, and a good many reviewed the different steps to be taken. "How
smart," they thought, "that finally they were going to put an end to their
failures, their repeated failures to stop Muhammad."
Muhammad
(pbuh) on his part was told about the plot by Angel Jubra'eel. Muhammad
(pbuh) informed his friend Abu Bakr about the plot, and Abu Bakr asked if
he could stay in Mecca. Muhammad (pbuh) agreed and instructed him to stay
on, to be alert, and not to leave his house. He had a certain plan in his
mind, but he did not tell anybody about his plan, not even Abu Bakr.
He asked
his beloved cousin Ali to stay with him at home. He also had a certain
plan for Ali to undertake. The day was nearing its end, the sun was about
to set, the dark night would soon fall. It was going to be a matter of
timing, of how to outwit the numerous would‑be‑killers poised for the
crime. One innocent man against a whole town, and this right against a
band of would‑be murderers. Each one was after his blood, and only for
the reason that Muhammad's call was for the Almighty, for Islam, for the
lofty Islamic principles of improving man!
ALI WAS IN HIS BED
The
house was surrounded by many young men, the would-be killers, with
sheathed swords by their sides, ready to be drawn. Their hearts beating
hard, they listened for any footsteps or noise. The suspense made them
nervous and jumpy. Their intention was to murder, but also their duty was
not to let anyone leave the house, the house of Muhammad, which they were
to attack soon.
The night was quite
dark. Muhammad (pbuh) gave Ali, his beloved
cousin, special instructions. Ali was to be in Muhammad's bed and covered
with the Prophet's green blanket. The following day, Ali was to give back
a
trust
which some people had left with Muhammad (pbuh) sometime before! The
trust was in the form of
jewelry and other valuables, but Muhammad's honesty insisted on returning
this trust in spite of the grave peril of the moment!
Ali was
delighted even to sacrifice himself for the Prophet. He lay in the bed,
the bed of Muhammad (pbuh), well covered, and with a feeling of suspense,
and a great wish for the safety of the Prophet, since such safety was
essential for Islam.
Muhammad
(pbuh) left the house cautiously and quickly, making sure no one saw him.
He succeeded beautifully! He managed very well, escaping the watchful
eyes of the attackers to be! He went swiftly to Abu Bakr's house,
knocking on his door cautiously, late in the night.
Abu Bakr had been
expecting Muhammad (pbuh) any day during the last week or so. He opened
the door with caution and
let the beloved Prophet in. The Prophet (pbuh) told him where they were
going to be, and
Asmaa
the daughter of Abu Bakr, gave them food to take with them. She was told
where they were going to be.
AT MOUNT THAUR
Five miles south of
Mecca, there is a series of three rugged, rough mountains, each leading to
the other. Near the top of the highest and the last mountain,
Mount Thaur,
there is a cave and a ravine. This area was in the opposite direction to
Medina. If the Meccans
wanted to look for the Prophet, it would be very unlikely for them to
think of this place.
It was
toward the cave at Mount Thaur that Muhammad (pbuh) and Abu Bakr labored,
in the deep dark of the night. It took a number of hours to reach their
destination, because it was dark, the terrain rugged and difficult to
climb, especially without light.
Jabal Thawr, contains the cave in which the Prophet and Abu Bakr sought refuge
for three days and nights
It was a
tense period, every movement counted, and they had to climb hard, until
finally they took refuge inside the cave. The cave was dark, the air thin
and fresh. In there, Muhammad (pbuh) and Abu Bakr waited for three long
days. It wasn't an easy wait, it was a wait full of suspense, since there
was at every moment the possibility of being discovered.
SURPRISE
While
Ali was in the bed of his cousin, Prophet Muhammad, covered with the green
blanket, the attackers outside were nervous and restless. Finally, the
time agreed upon had arrived, it was the time to attack. The
killers-to-be began their march, each with wild ideas crossing his mind.
Each unsheathed his glistening sword, and each had his own idea of how he
was going to kill.
Sometime
before, and while everyone was waiting, a guard had already peeked a few
times, just to make certain that Muhammad was asleep in bed. Of course,
the guard saw someone in bed, and he assumed it was Muhammad, sound asleep
and not suspecting any trouble.
The
would‑be killers sneaked into the Prophet's house with a feeling of
suspense, they entered his room nervously. They crowded its corners,
everyone holding his sword high up. One person wanted to see the look on
Muhammad's face when he was about to face death. He jerked the blanket,
and to everyone's astonishment, it was Ali, not Muhammad, who was in the
bed!!
They
were startled, agonizingly so. The shocked faces of the murderers-to-be
was quite a scene to behold! Their swords came down slowly, they growled
with painful anger, it was such an unbelievable failure.
"Where
is Muhammad?" they growled in disbelief. The atmosphere was tense.
Everyone was very angry at being so outsmarted. A moment of suspense
passed, then Ali answered: "How do I know?", yet he was filled with joy,
delighted at the failure of the disbelievers. "You were the watchers, not
I," he added. What a way to make them feel caught in their own trap.
REFLECTIONS
Of the
numerous perilous moments in the history of Islam, this was the most
perilous of all. The Prophet's life was at stake at any moment, though he
didn't care whether he would be safe or not as long as Allah's message
survived. Ali felt greatly honored to be chosen to be in the place of his
beloved cousin, Muhammad (pbuh). It meant that Ali was singled out, of
all others, to have the singular honor of being completely trusted, and
having the privilege of the closest intimacy. Ali's biggest concern was
the safety of the Prophet along with the Message of Islam. Ali was only
twenty three years old, a young man in the prime of life.
Of all
others, the Prophet (pbuh) had confided in Abu Bakr to wait for him at
home. Abu Bakr, the good friend, was elated to have the honor in
participating. He became part of this critical plan too.
A BIG PRIZE IF YOU FIND MUHAMMAD (pbuh)
-
For Quraish, the unexpected had happened, Muhammad the Prophet had escaped unharmed, and he had outmaneuvered them once more.
What an unexpected feat! They were absolutely furious, because their failure was so unexpected, and so serious. The had thought that by this murder of Muhammad
(pbuh) all their problems would be solved.
-
Quraish wanted to lose no time. Muhammad couldn't be too far, they thought, and they wanted him desperately. So
they offered a big award, financially very huge, for anyone who found Muhammad, dead or alive.
-
Just about every man left Mecca, nervously and with high hopes, looking for their target, Muhammad. They looked
feverishly, here and there. They looked east and west, but no matter where they looked he was not anywhere to be found. Thousands of Meccan disbelievers were
looking for him, each with a greedy hope, with the intent to murder, yet they could not find Muhammad anywhere—he miraculously vanished.
-
They even came near the cave in which Muhammad (pbuh) and Abu Bakr were hiding. They saw
a thick spider's
web across the whole entrance of the cave
however, and there was
a dove sitting in
its nest,
also at the entrance of the cave. There was a tree shading the entrance
of the cave, everything seemed quiet and serene. Common sense dictated
that no man would ever be able to go through the entrance of the cave
without
breaking the
spider's web, let alone stepping on the dove's nest.
-
What they did not know was that the dove had just collected its nest in a rush beyond belief and that the spider had worked
feverishly at building her web, as if a
remarkable invisible power
had directed them to do so. The spider wove a thick net across the mouth
of the cave, becoming almost like a screen. Was that coincidental or was
it directed by the High above?
-
The Prophet and Abu Bakr could hear the Meccans talk, since they were very close. The Meccan disbelievers were anxious
to get hold of him, and they were so near. It was also another very tense moment. They heard someone answering. "Muhammad could never go through without
breaking the spider's web. He cannot be here, it is impossible." So the disbelievers left, to look for Muhammad (pbuh) somewhere else. You see, by Allah's
order, the dove and the spider did what they did, and they saved Muhammad (pbuh) thus saving Islam.
WHILE IN THE CAVE
For
three long days, Muhammad (pbuh) and Abu Bakr waited inside the dark
cave. Food was brought for them by Asmaa, the daughter of Abu Bakr. This
was done in the darkness of the night, making the climbing of the mountain
even more difficult.
When the
disbelievers were near the mouth of the cave, Abu Bakr was shaking with
fear, while Muhammad (pbuh) was calming him down, repeatedly. He reminded
Abu Bakr not to worry, that Allah was with them, and He was their
protector. "Of the two of them," he said, "Allah was their third." Abu
Bakr was afraid about the dangerous circumstances surrounding them.
Muhammad's safety was essential. But Muhammad (pbuh) would say, "And
don't be afraid, Allah is with us," and that would calm down Abu Bakr.
EVEN ASMAA GETS BRUISED
When he saw the
bruises on her face, Abu Bakr asked his daughter
Asmaa,
"Who has hit you, Asmaa?" A few moments passed before she answered. "Abu
Jahl slapped me," she said, choked with emotion. Then she added, "It was
the day Muhammad (pbuh) escaped, and the disbelievers
came to our house to search for him." "Where is he?" they screamed at me.
"I don't know," I answered. Abu Jahl was furious and slapped me on the
face a few times, then the searchers left in a hurry.
IT WAS A LONG JOURNEY
Muhammad
(pbuh), Abu Bakr, and a guide were each on a camel's back. It was a
tiring, long and very dangerous journey. Muhammad (pbuh) took it well, he
was sure of Allah's protection, as He had promised, but Abu Bakr was full
of anxiety. Abu Bakr was very worried; he wanted to see both of them safe
and sound.
Route taken by Muhammad from Mecca to Medina
Along a narrow, curvy road, the three went on toward the Red Sea, up to Medina. It was a very rugged road,
usually not traveled much in those days. Muhammad (pbuh) took that road because it was the least likely to be suspected by Quraish.
But a
man who saw the three from a distance, came to Mecca and told the people
about them. Those Meccans were still furious and angry. One of the
greedy Meccans, by the name of Suraqah ibn Malik, wanted to get the fat
prize for himself. Upon hearing what that traveler had said, Suraqah kept
telling the people that the man didn't see Muhammad, that he was wrong,
very wrong in guessing.
This
way, Suraqah was able to convince the Meccans that it was not Muhammad
(pbuh), but someone else whom this traveler saw. However, soon after,
Suraqah went home, took his arms, and rode his fast horse to reach
Muhammad (pbuh) and claim the high reward.
Suraqah
was well known for being an excellent horseman. Alas, in his trotting so
fast, he lost his balance and fell from the horse. His ribs began to
ache, and he had many bruises. He rode again galloping as fast as he
could, but once more he lost control. He was thrown off to the ground
once again, more bruised, dirty, and dusty than before.
For the
third time, as he was trying to beat time and reach Muhammad (pbuh), he
lost control again and was thrown off the horse once more. He went
rolling down the rugged hill, to the bottom of the valley, feeling beaten
and hurt.
Suraqah
was a good horseman, and never before did he fall three times in one
trip. It made him feel queazy, obviously thinking it was bad luck to go
after Muhammad, let alone harm him, or even kill him. He was afraid
something dreadful would befall him.
As he
approached Muhammad (pbuh), Suraqah had already changed his mind, and
instead of trying to kill Muhammad, he said he was ready to help instead!
What a change! The Prophet accepted Suraqah's offer, and instructed
Suraqah that upon returning to Mecca, he was to tell anyone looking for
the Prophet and Abu Bakr that the two men were not on that route.
Suraqah
did that exact thing and succeeded in turning away many, many of the
disbelievers who had taken this route to look for the Prophet (pbuh) and
Abu Bakr! This way, Suraqah made the journey safe for the Prophet (pbuh)
and Abu Bakr, saving them from pursuit of their Meccan enemies.
