The Life of Muhammad The Prophet

[Friend]

Hi to all here


I want to write here the story of prophet mohammad from his birth to his death
so you can have background about his personality ,, may be many of you don't interested about that but still there are few whom don't have any information about his life and personality .and many of those who have an idea about this ,,was get there information from bias sites.

Before the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)​

The biography of the Prophet Muhammad r was chosen by Allah I to receive the divine revelation. We also learn t r is a very noble and exalted subject by which Muslims learn about the rise of Islam, and about the hardships the Prophet r and his Companions faced, and how they eventually succeeded with Allah’s I help. So, it is necessary to study the Prophet’s r life and follow it in all matters. I hope this study will help us to get a better understanding of the religion of Islam.
Allah I says in the Qur'aan:

“Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad r), you have a good example to follow, for him who hopes for (the meeting with) Allah and the last day, and remembers Allah much” [Q:33:21]

The Prophet Muhammad’s e Ancestors
Lineage was an important consideration in Arab society, the Prophets’e family tree is well documented. He was born into a family that traced its ancestry back to the Prophet Ibraaheem u (Abraham) through Ismaa’eel u (Ishmael). The Prophet’s lineage is as follows: Muhammad Ibn (the son of) Abdullah Ibn Abdul Muttalib Ibn Haashim. The Prophet’s mother was Aminah, daughter of Wahb Ibn Abd Munaf.

The Prophet’s r tribe
The Prophet r belonged to the tribe known as Quraysh, the most respected tribe in Arabia. The Quraysh enjoyed a position of honour in the peninsula.


Lineage
The Prophet’s e lineage is called Haashimi after his great grandfather, Haashim. The Quraysh were merchants by profession, and Haashim arranged trade journeys for them to Yemen each winter and to Syria each summer.In Surah Quraysh. Allah I reminds the Quraysh of their debt to Him for these important trade expeditions.



Haashim once passed by Yathrib (later known as Madinah) en route to Syria, and there he married Salmah bint Amr, a lady from the tribe Banu Adiy Ibn Najjaar. He halted there for a few days and then left for Syria. He passed away in Gaza, a famous city in Palestine. At the time of his departure, Salma was pregnant. She gave birth to a son whose hair had white streaks. She therefore named him Shayba, which means ‘one with grey hair’. None of Haashim`s relatives in Makkah knew about the birth of Shayba. Eight years later, however, Muttalib found out about his dead brother`s son and decided to bring Shayba to Makkah. When he entered Makkah with Shayba, the people thought the young boy was Muttalib`s slave and referred to Shayba as Abdul Muttalib, which means Muttalib’s slave. Thus, Shayba became known as Abdul Muttalib.


Abdul Muttalib grew up to be a very handsome man and became a leading figure of the Quraysh tribe. He was the chieftain of the Quraysh and oversaw the tribe’s trade caravans. Famous for this generosity, he was called ‘the Generous.’ He gave his leftovers to the needy, and even to animals and birds. For this reason, he was described as the ‘Feeder of men on Earth and of beasts and birds on the mountain-tops.’

Abdul Muttalib also had the honour of rediscovering the sacred well of Zamzam. This well had gushed forth when the infant Ismaa’eel u kicked at the dry sand while his mother, Haajirah (Hagar), searched for water. The location of the well had been forgotten ever since the tribe of Jurhum covered it when they were being exiled from Makkah. One night Abdul Muttalib had a dream in which he was shown where to dig the well. When he started digging next to the Ka`bah, the water of Zamzam began to flow again.

It was also during Abdul Muttalib`s time that the Ka’bah was attacked by the Ethiopian conqueror Abrahah and his men, whom the Qur'aan refers to as the Companions of the elephant. Abrahah advanced with an army of sixty thousand men, intent on destroying the Ka’bah. By destroying the Ka’bah, he hoped to divert Arab pilgrims to his church in Yemen.

Abrahah reached the valley of Muhassir, between Muzdalifah and Mina, ready to invade Makkah. As he advanced with his elephant, the beast that had terrified all of Makkah suddenly refused to move. As for the sixty thousand soldiers, Allah I, in defence of His sacred house of worship, sent flocks of birds to pelt the invaders with stones. The soldiers were repulsed, and they lay felled by the stones, their bellies resembling ‘mashed corn.’ Apart from the miraculous intervention of Allah I in defence of the Ka’bah, this episode in Makkan history showed the strength of Abdul Muttalib’s character. He stood up to Abrahah`s might in defence of his own property, unshakeable in his faith that Allah I would protect His sacred house, the Ka’bah.

Abdul Muttalib`s son, Abdullah, the father of the Prophet r, was a handsome youth. He was called “Dhabeeh” (the sacrificed) in reference to the rediscovery of Zamzam. When Abdul Muttalib was digging beside the Ka’bah in search of the old well, the Quraysh watched him idly. Once he began to reach wet soil, they insisted on sharing in his discovery, and they raised a great clamour. Abdul Muttalib vowed to Allah I that he would sacrifice one of his ten sons if he were allowed to uncover the well. In the end, Abdul Muttalib continued digging and discovered the old well.

Afterwards, he drew lots to determine which son he would sacrifice, and Abdullah was chosen. Abdul Muttalib took Abdullah to the Ka’bah and was prepared to sacrifice him, but the Quraysh, particularly Abdullah`s brothers and maternal uncles, were opposed to the sacrifice. Finally, it was decided that one hundred camels should be sacrificed in his place. Hence the Prophet r is called the descendant of the ‘two sacrificed ones’ (Ismaa’eel u and his own father, Abdullah). Similarly, he is referred to as the descendant of the ‘two elders held for ransom,’ for Ismaa'eel u was ransomed for a ram and his father for a hundred camels.

Abdullah was married to Aaminah, the daughter of Wahb, Wahb was a chieftain of Banu Zahra. Shortly after the marriage, Aaminah became pregnant, but before she could give birth to their child, Abdullah was sent by his father to Yathrib or Syria on business. Tragically, he passed away in Yathrib on the return journey and was buried in the house of Nabgha Dhabyani.
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The Birth of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w)​

Muhammad r was born in Shi’ib Banoo Haashim in Makkah. It was a Monday morning in Spring, in the month of Rabiul-Awwal about 50 to 60 days after Abraha’s failed attack on the Ka’bah.


Ibn Sa’d narrates that Aaminah had a very easy pregnancy before giving birth to the future Prophet of Islam. She was reported to have said: “I did not feel that I was pregnant, nor did I find myself heavy because of it, as it is customary for (pregnant) women to find themselves. However, I was puzzled by the absence of my menstruation (and I thought that) it would perhaps return (soon); but I saw a vision as I was between sleep and wakefulness. It said unto me: “Have you felt that you are pregnant?” and I replied that I did not know, but it continued: “You are pregnant, with (the future) chief and prophet of this nation.” Then it (the vision) left me until I was about to give birth. Then it returned (and commanded me to say): “I put it (the child) under the protection and refuge of the One, Who is worshiped by all, from the evil and mischief of every envious person”. I used to say these words and respect them.”


Aaminah describes that historic moment as follows: “When it (the baby) was separated from me, a flood of light radiated from him which illuminated the entire horizon from the east to the west.” The Prophet e himself was reported to have said: “Just as I was born, my mother saw a light radiating from me which illuminated the palaces of Busra (Syria).”


The new baby was especially healthy, good-looking and well-built. Besides his mother, the second person who rejoiced most at his birth was Abdul-Muttalib. He was reportedly so pleased with the new baby that he carried him to the Ka`bah where he voiced, in a passionate manner, an elaborate invocation of thanks and gratitude. When Aaaminah told him about the strange signs and phenomena that accompanied her pregnancy and the birth of the child, he was even more delighted and predicted that he would grow up to be a man of `great rank`. He declared that the infant was to be named Muhammad r. The Holy Qur'aan testifies that the coming of a Prophet, by the name Ahmad (which comes from the same root word as Muhammad and likewise means `the praised one`) had been foretold in previous Scriptures. The matter is unequivocably stated in the following manner:

And (remember) when Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary) said: “O’ Children of Israel, Verily, I am the messenger of Allah unto you, attesting to what was (revealed) before me in the Tawrah, and giving glad tidings of a messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad.” [61:6]

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In the care of Haleemah Sa`diya
It was customary among the citizens of Makkah to put their newborns in the care of Bedouin women who would raise them for a couple of years in the desert. The Makkans believed that the unspoiled, tough desert environment would make their children strong and hardy. Furthermore, an upbringing among the Bedouins ensured that the children would learn the purest form of the Arabic language spoken throughout Arabia.
Abdul Muttalib was looking for one such Bedouin woman who would serve as a wet nurse and take his grandson to the desert. Some women from Banu Sa`d Ibn Bakr Ibn Hawaazin came to Makkah to offer their services to local families. Abdul Muttalib asked each one of them to take his grandson Muhammad e, but all of them declined the offer when they were told the childs father was dead. They felt the family of a fatherless child would not be able to reward them handsomely.
Haleemah Bint Abu Dhuwayb had also come to Makkah that day. While all the other Bedouin women had found children to nurse, she was not so fortunate. She saw Abdul Muttalib with an infant in his arms and took pity on the child who had been rejected by the other women. She and her husband took the infant Muhammad e back to the desert. Haleemah was happy she was not returning empty-handed.


Haleemah and her husband, Haarith Ibn Abdul Uzzah, both belonged to the tribe of Sa’d Ibn Bakr Ibn Hawaazin. Their children became the Prophet’s e foster brothers and sisters. Their names were Abdullah, Aneesa, and Judhaama, who was better known as Shaymah.
Haleemah and her husband found their lives changed the moment they took Muhammad e home. They had travelled to Makkah on a weak she-ass that could barely keep up with their caravan. On the return journey, however, as Haleemah rode with the infant in her arms, the same animal moved so swiftly that it left the caravan behind.
While Muhammad e stayed with Haleemah`s family, the house overflowed with blessings. Haleemah herself narrated that she brought Muhammad e to her home during a drought. Her she-camel would not give a drop of milk. Haleemah`s child would cry the whole night out of hunger. With the child so distressed, Haleemah and Haarith found it hard to sleep at night.
However things changed when Haleemah brought Muhammad e home and placed him on her lap. Her breasts overflowed with milk so that both Muhammad e and her own child drank their fill of milk and fell fast asleep. When Haarith went to the she-camel, he was amazed at what he saw. The she-camel`s udders were full of milk and ready to overflow. It gave so much milk that Haleemah`s family was able to sleep that night on full stomachs. Haleemah’s household suddenly appeared to be untouched by the drought, although they lived in Diyaar Banoo Sa’d, the most drought-stricken spot in the region. The family`s goats would return from grazing with their stomachs full of grass and their udders bursting with milk. Husband and wife would milk their goat often while others failed to get even a drop of milk.
Haleemah`s household continued to be blessed for the next two years, after which she weaned Muhammad . Although he grew up during a great drought, he had developed into a strong, healthy child. Every six months Haleemah would take Muhammad e to Makkah to be with his mother and other family members. She would then return with him to Diyaar Banoo Sa’d.
After Muhammad e was weaned, it was time for him to go back to his family for good. When Haleemah took him back to his mother, she begged Aaminah to let her keep the boy longer because he had brought her good fortune. She pleaded that he would grow stronger and healthier in the desert, far away from the frequent epidemics that raged in Makkah. Aaminah consented, and Haleemah returned home with Muhammad , happy at her extended good fortune. However, two years later, a strange event occurred that frightened Haleemah and her husband, prompting them to return Muhammad e to his family in Makkah.
One day, when Muhammad e was about four years old, his foster brother went to Haleema crying, “Mother ! Mother ! Two men in white are holding my Qurayshi brother!” Haleemah related, “I ran to him, and his foster father ran to him. We found him standing there looking pale.” I asked him, “What is the matter, my son?” And he said, “Two men in white came and laid me on my back. They took out something from my inside and left.”

Haleemah and her husband did not know what to think, but the incident passed, and the child was well and rapidly grew bigger and stronger. He remained in the desert, breathing the pure desert air, and learning the pure tongue of the desert Arabs until he was about five years old. In later years, joking, he used to tell his friends, “I am the purest Arab among you. I am a Qurayshi and I was nursed by Banoo Sa`d.”

Hadhrat Anas Ibn Maalik y relates the same incident that one day as Muhammad e was playing with some children near Haleemah`s house, Jibreel u appeared and made Muhammad lie down. He then opened up his chest, took out his heart, and extracted a lump of flesh from it, saying: “This is the portion of Satan in you.” Then he put Muhammad`s e heart in a golden tray filled with Zamzam water, washed it and replaced it in his chest.

The other children ran to Haleemah in terror crying that Muhammad had been killed. When they reached Muhammad , they found him alive but his face pale from shock. Hadhrat Anas y later said that he saw the scar on the Prophet`s chest where it had been sewn back together.

 

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The Story of Splitting the Chest



A companion asked: “O’ Messenger of Allah ! Tell us about yourself.”

He e said, “Well! I am the call of my father Ibraaheem u, and the glad tidings of my brother Eesa u; when my mother was pregnant, light emitted out of her by which she saw the palaces of Syria; I was breast-fed in Banoo S’ad. While my foster brother and I were pasturing the goats behind our home, 2 white-clothed men came to me; they made me lie on the earth and split my chest; they extracted my heart and divided it into two parts; and took something like a black leech. They washed my heart and stomach with ice which they had in a golden basin, until it became purely clean. One of them said to the other, ‘Weigh him with ten person of his nation.”



He did; and I outweighed them.

He said, ‘Weigh him with a hundred person of his nation.’

He did; and I outbalanced them.

He said, ‘Weigh him with one thousand men.’

He did: and I overweighed them.

Then the other said to him: ‘Let him! By Allah , if you even weigh him with all of his nation, he will exceed them in weight and value.’​

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To be continued

 

[Friend]

Good evening

Let us complete the story............

When he was only six years old, he lost his mother as well; so, the doubly-orphaned child was brought up by 'Abdul-Muttalib with the most tender care. It was the will of God that the Prophet to-be should undergo all the sufferings, pains and privations incidental to human life in order that he might learn to bear them with becoming fortitude and raise his stature in human perfection. Not two years had passed before 'Abdul-Muttalib also expired.

'Abdul-Muttalib died at the age of 82, leaving the care and custody of the orphaned Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) to Abu Talib. Abu Talib and his wife, Fatimah Bint Asad, loved Muhammad more than their own children. As the Holy Prophet himself said, Fatima Bint Asad was his "mother" who kept her own children waiting while she fed the Holy Prophet, kept her own children cold while she gave him warm clothes. Abu Talib always kept the child with him day and night.

Abu Talib had succeeded 'Abdul-Muttalib in Siqayah and Rifadah and was an active participant in the trade caravans. When Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) was 12 years old, Abu Talib bade farewell to his family to go to Syria. Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) clung to him and cried. Abu Talib was so moved that he took the child with him. When the caravan reached Busra in Syria they, as usual, stayed near the monastery of a monk, Buhayra. It is not possible to give here the full account of that visit. Suffice it to say that the monk, seeing some of the signs, which he knew from the old books, was convinced that the orphan child was the last Prophet-to-be. To make sure, he started a conversation with him, and at one point said: "I give you oath of Lat and Uzza to tell me..." The child cried out: "Don't take the names of Lat and Uzza before me! I hate them!" Buhayra was now convinced. He advised Abu Talib not to proceed to Damascus "because if the Jews found out what I have seen, I am afraid they will try to harm him. For sure, this child is to have a great eminence."

Abu Talib, acting on this advice, sold all his merchandise for cheaper prices then and there, returning at once to Mecca.

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To be continued

 

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After this journey, the youth of Muhammad seems to have been passed uneventfully, but all authorities agree in ascribing to him such correctness of manners and purity of morals as were rare among the people of Mecca. The fair character and the honorable bearing of the unobtrusive youth won the approbation of the citizens of Mecca, and b y common consent he received the title of "Al Ameen," The Faithful.

In his early years, Muhammad was not free from the cares of life. He had to watch the flocks of his uncle, who, like the rest of the Bani Hashim, had lost the greater part of his wealth.

From youth to manhood he led an almost solitary life. The lawlessness rife among the Meccans, the sudden outbursts of causeless and bloody quarrels among the tribes frequenting the Fair of Okadh (The Arabian Olympia), and the immorality and skepticism of the Quraish, naturally caused feelings of pity and sorrow in the heart of the sensitive youth. Such scenes of social misery and religious degradation were characteristic of a depraved age.

When Muhammad was twenty five years old, he traveled once more to Syria as a factor of a noble and rich Quraishi widow named Khadijah; and, having proved himself faithful in the commercial interests of that lady, he was soon rewarded with her hand in marriage. This marriage proved fortunate and singularly happy. Khadijah was much the senior of her husband, but in spite of the disparity of age between them, the most tender devotion on both sides existed. This marriage gave him the loving heart of a woman who was ever ready to console him in his despair and to keep alive within him the feeble, flickering flame of hope when no man believed in him and the world appeared gloomy in his eyes.

Until he reached thirty years of age, Muhammad was almost a stranger to the outside world. Since the death of his grandfather, authority in Mecca was divided among the ten senators who constituted the governing body of the Arabian Commonwealth. There was no such accord among them as to ensure the safety of individual rights and property. Though family relations afforded some degree of protection to citizens, yet strangers were frequently exposed to persecution and oppression. In many cases they were robbed, not only of their goods, but even of their wives and daughters. At the instigation of the faithful Muhammad, an old league called the Federation of Fudul, i.e., favors was revived with the object of repressing lawlessness and defending every weak individual - whether Meccan or stranger, free or slave - against any wrong or oppression to which he might be the victim within the territories of Mecca.
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to be continued

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http://www.geocities.com/islamicmessage/lopm/chptr09.htm

The Coming of the Arcahangel Gabriel




Mohammad (pbuh) believed that there was only one Allah, Creator of the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, and of all living things, and that all people should worship only Him. Muhammad (pbuh) would often leave the crowded city and go to the cave in Mount Hira'. He liked to be alone there, away from all thoughts of the world and daily life, eating and drinking little.

In his fortieth year, Muhammad (pbuh) left Mecca to spend Ramadan, the traditional month of retreat, in the cave. In the second half of Ramadan, Allah began to reveal His message for mankind through Muhammad (pbuh). This first Revelation occurred as follows. The Archangel Gabriel came to Muhammad (pbuh) in the cave and commanded him to 'Read'.​

Muhammad (pbuh) replied 'I cannot read.' At this the Archangel took Muhammad (pbuh) in his arms and pressed him to him until it was almost too much to bear. He then released him and said again 'Read.'

'I cannot', replied Muhammad (pbuh), at which the Archangel embraced

him again. For the third time the Archangel commanded Muhammad (pbuh) to read, but still he said he could not and was again embraced. On releasing him this time, however, the Archangel Gabriel said:

Read: In the Name of thy Lord who createth, ​

​

Createth man from a clot. ​

Read: And thy Lord is the Most Generous

Who teacheth by the pen,

Teacheth man that which he knew not.

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(Koran xcvi.1-5)​

Muhammad (pbuh) repeated these verses, just as the Archangel had said them. When the Archangel was sure Muhammad (pbuh) knew them by heart, he we away. Now that he was alone Muhammad (pbuh) could not understand what had happened to him. He was terribly afraid and rushed out of the cave. Perhaps the cave was haunted? Perhaps the devil had taken a hold of his mind? But he was stopped by a voice from heaven which said; 'O Muhammad (pbuh) you are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Gabriel.' He looked up at the sky and wherever he turned he saw the Archangel Gabriel.

In a state of confusion he returned home to Khadijah. When his wife saw him she became very worried as he began to shiver, as though in a fever. He asked her to wrap him in blankets, which she did. After a while he recovered sufficiently to tell her what had happened at Hira'. Khadijah believed all that he told her and with great respect said: 'Be happy, O son of my uncle and be confident. Truly I swear by Allah who has my soul in His hands, that you will be our people's Prophet.' Muhammad (pbuh), the Messenger of Allah, was eased by her faith in him, but after all that had happened he was exhausted and felt fast asleep.​

Khadijah left the Prophet (pbuh) sleeping and went to see her cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, to ask him what he thought about all that had happened. Waraqah was a very wise man who had read many books and had become a Christian after studying the Bible. He told Khadijah that Muhammad (pbuh) had been chosen by Allah to be His Messenger. Just as the Archangel Gabriel had come to Moses before and had ordered him to guide his people, so, too, would Muhammad (pbuh) be the Prophet of his people. But Waraqah warned that all the people would not listen to the Prophet and some would mistreat his followers. He must, however, be patient because he had a great message for all the world.

From that day on, the Archangel Gabriel came often to the Prophet (pbuh) and the verses he taught him, the message from Allah to man, were later written down, and are known to us as the Holy Koran.


to be continued

 

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The flow of the Divine message which continued for the next twenty-three years had begun, and the Prophet had arisen to proclaim the Unity of God and the Unity of Mankind, to demolish the edifice of superstition, ignorance, and disbelief, to set up a noble conception of life, and to lead mankind to the light of faith and celestial bliss.

Commencement of the Mission

The task was stupendous. The Prophet, therefore, started his mission cautiously, confining it initially to his own close relatives and friends. He was met with immediate success. His wife Khadijah testified to his truth as soon as she heard the news of the revelation from God. Then his cousin 'Ali, and his liberated slave and adopted son Zaid, readily accepted the new faith, Islam, "submission to the Will of God." The fourth was Abu Bala.

Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani in his book Al-Isabah, and 'Abdul Malik ibn Hisham in his book As-Sirah have written that:

"Ali was the first to accept Islam and pray (offer salat), and that he accepted whatever was revealed to the Messenger by the Lord. At that time, 'Ali was only ten years old. After 'Ali, Zaid ibn Harithah accepted the Islamic creed and prayed and then Abu Bakr embraced Islam. The companions of the Holy Prophet, Muhammad ibn Ka'b al-Qarzi, Salman the Persian, Abu Dharr, Miqdad, Khabbab, Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri and Zaid ibn al-Arqam testify that 'Ali was the first to proclaim Islam. These celebrated companions have given'Ali preference over others."

Justice Ameer Ali writes in his Spirit of Islam:

"It is a noble feature in the history of the Prophet of Arabia, and one which strongly attests the sincerity of his character, the purity of his teachings and the intensity of his faith in God, that his nearest relations, his wife, beloved cousin and intimate friends, were most thoroughly imbued with the truth of his mission and convinced of his inspiration. Those who knew him best, closest relations and dearest friends, people who lived with him and noted all his movements, were his sincere and most devoted followers."

John Davenport writes in his Apology for Mohammed and the Koran:

"It is strongly corroborative of Mohammed's sincerity that the earliest converts to Islam were his bosom friends and the people of his household, who, all intimately acquainted with his private life, could not fail to have detected those discrepancies which more or less invariably exist between the pretensions of the hypocritical deceiver and his actions at home."

Slowly the message spread. During the first three years, he gained only thirty followers. In spite of the caution and care exercised, the Quraish were well posted with what was going on. At first they did not take much note and only jeered at the Prophet and the plight of his followers. They doubted his sanity and thought him crazed and possessed. But the time had come for proclaiming the will of God in public.

Calling the Near Ones

After three years, the call came from Allah:

And warn thy near relations (Qur'an, 26:214)

This ayat (verse) ended the period of secret preaching and heralded the open proclamation of Islam.

Abu Muhammad Husain al-Baghawi (in his Tafisir-Ma'alim ut-Tanzil), Shaikh 'Ala'uddin 'Ali ibn Muhammad al-Baghdadi, known as Khazin al-Baghdadi, in his Lubab-ut-Ta'wil, best known as Tafsir Khazin, Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Husain al-Bayhaqi (in his Dalail-un-Nubuwwah), Jalaluddin as-Suyuti (in his Jam'ul Jawami), 'Ala'uddin 'Ali Muttaqi (in Kanz-ul-'Ummal), Abu JaTer Muhammad ibn Jarir at-Tabari (in Tarikh-ur-Rusul-wal-Muluk), Abu Sa'adat Mubarak ibn Athir al-Jazari (in Tarikh-ul-Kamil) and Isma'il Abul Fida (in his history, Kitab-ul-Mukhtasar fi Akhbar-il-Bashar) have quoted 'Ali as saying:

"When the verse Wa andhir 'Ashiratakal-aqrabin was revealed, the noble Messenger called me and ordered me, 'O 'Ali! The Creator of the world has made me warn my people about their doom, but in view of the condition of the people and knowing that when I will give them the words of Allah, they will misbehave, I felt depressed and weakened and therefore I kept quiet until Gabriel came again and informed me that there should be no more delay. Therefore, O 'Ali, take a measure of food grain, a leg of a goat and a big bowl of milk and arrange for a feast, then call the sons of 'Abdul Muttalib unto me, so that I may deliver to them the words of Allah.' I did what the Prophet had told me to do and the sons of 'Abdul Muttalib, who were about forty in number gathered together. Among them were the uncles of the Prophet: Abu Talib, Hamza, 'Abbas and Abu Lahab. When the food was brought, the Prophet lifted a piece of meat and tore it into small morsels with his own teeth and scattered the pieces on the tray and said, 'Start eating in the name of Allah,' All people present there had the food to their fill although the milk and the food were just sufficient for one man. Then he intended to speak to them, but Abu Lahab interfered and said, `Verily, your comrade has entranced you.' Having heard this, all of them dispersed and the Messenger did not get a chance to speak to them.

On the next day, the Messenger, of the Lord again said to me: 'O 'Ali? Make arrangements again for a feast as you had done yesterday, and invite the sons of 'Abdul Muttalib'. I arranged for the feast and gathered the guests as I was asked to do by the Prophet. Once they had finished the food, the Messenger addressed them thus: 'O sons of 'Abdul­Muttalib, I have brought for you the best blessings of this world and of the next, and I am appointed by the Lord to call you unto Him. Therefore, who amongst you will help me in this cause in order that he should be my brother, my successor and my caliph?' Nobody responded. But I, although the youngest of the congregation, said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I am here to be your helper in this task.' The Prophet then patted my neck very kindly and said, 'O my people! This 'Ali is my brother, my successor and my caliph amongst you. Listen to him and obey him.' Having heard it from the Prophet, they all burst into laughter and said to Abu Talib, 'Hearken! You are ordered to obey and follow your own son! "'

This event has also been recorded by Thomas Carlyle in Heroes and Hero Worship, by Gibbon in Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, by Davenport in Apology for Muhammad and The Koran and by Washington Irving in Muhammad And His Successors, with all its details.

Abul-Fida, in Kitabul-Mukhtasar fi Akhbaril-Bashar states that some of the verses composed by Abu Talib prove the fact that he had accepted the Prophethood of the Prophet from the core of his heart. A translation of a few poetic verses is given here:

You have called me (to Islam) and I believe that you are truthful, straightforward and trustworthy.
And there is no doubt in my belief that the religion of Muhammad is the best of all the religions of the world.

By God! As far as I am alive, not a single person from among the Quraish can harm you.​

 

[Friend]

Persecution begins
Then one after another came the Divine commands:

Disclose what has been ordained to thee. (Qur'an, 15.94)

O thou wrapped (in thy mantle!) Arise and warn, and thy Lord do magna. And thy raiment do purify. And uncleanness do shun. And show not favor seeking gain! And for the sake of thy Lord be patient. " (Qur'an, 74:1-7)

The method to be employed was:

Call to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and dispute with them in the best way. (Qur'an, 16:125)

The Prophet proclaimed the Oneness of God in the Ka'bah. The Quraish were aghast. Till then, they had held the Prophet and his followers in contemptuous disdain, but now they were genuinely alarmed. The new movement amounted to a denunciation of their forefathers. It meant the termination, in one stroke, of their authority and privilege as the guardians of the Ka'bah.

The Quraish retaliated violently. A life and death struggle for-Islam ensued. The Prophet was not allowed to worship in the Ka'bah, thorns were strewn in his way, dirt and filth were thrown at him while he was engaged in prayers, and street urchins were incited to follow him, shouting and clapping their hands in derision. He and his followers were subjected to all types of calumnies and humiliation. They were taunted and insulted. Oppression and relentless persecution were let loose. In an effort to force believers to renounce the new faith and to go back to the old cults, they were subjected to extremes of physical torture. They were mercilessly beaten, made to lie on burning sand while heavy blocks of stones were placed on their chests, or nooses were put around their necks and their bodies dragged. One of the faithful, Yasir by name, succumbed to these tortures and, when his wife Sumayyah, an African, protested, her legs were tied to two camels, and the animals were driven to opposite directions, tearing her body in halves. These were the first martydoms in the cause of Islam. The believers, under the inspiration of their great Teacher, were, however, fired with holy zeal. They braved all persecutions and danger and bore up against all agonies and tortures.


to be continued

 

[zeras]

Asalaamulikum,

Wow! This is very beautifully done, and is keep moving Mashallah,
keep it up.

Salaamulikum

 

[Muslimwoman]

As salaam aleykum Friend

Please continue, look how many people have viewed your thread.

Salaam

 

[Friend]

Salaam for all my brothers and sisters

I will do In shaa Allah

I'm very happy to read your encouraged replies

Thanks for all

 

[Friend]

The Troubles

Soon, however, the leaders of Quraysh became angry again, when they saw that the Prophet (pbuh) was going ahead with his teaching. A group of them went to his uncle, Abu Talib, who had promised to protect him. They told him to ask the Prophet (pbuh) to stop attacking their gods and their way of life, and in return they would let him do as he wished with his religion.
After a time they saw that there was no change, so they went back to Abu Talib and this time they told him that if he did not stop his nephew, they would fight them both. Abu Talib was very upset by this quarrel among his people, but he could not break his word to his nephew. He sent for the Prophet (pbuh) and told him what had happened, saying, 'Spare me and spare yourself; do not put a greater burden on me than I can bear.'
The Prophet (pbuh) thought that his uncle might abandon him and that he would no longer have his support, but nevertheless he answered, 'O my uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left in return for my giving up this cause, I would not give it up until Allah makes Truth victorious, or I die in His service."

Abu Talib was deeply moved by this answer. He told the Prophet (pbuh) that he would support him for as long as he lived and encouraged him to go on spreading Allah's message. From that time on, however hard the leaders of Quraysh tried to convince Abu Talib to stop protecting his nephew, he always refused to listen to them.

In order to get rid of the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers, his enemies started persecuting those Muslims who were poor or weak, or had no powerful friends. One such person was Bilal, the slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf. His master would take him out into the desert, tie him up, and leave him in the sun with a large stone on his chest. Fortunately Abu Bakr was passing by one day and saw Umayyah torturing Bilal, so he bought him from his master for a large sum of money and then set him free.
But not all persecuted Muslims were as fortunate as Bilal. Many suffered, but all of them endured it patiently, knowing that they were doing the right thing and that their reward in the life to come would be greater' than any happiness they could find on earth


To Be continued​

 

[Friend]

The King Who Believed

​

​

As the number of the Prophet's followers increased so the enemies of the Muslims grew more and more angry. At last some of the Muslims decided to go to another country in order to live in peace. It was only five years since the Archangel Gabriel had first come to the Prophet (pbuh) and two years since the Prophet (pbuh) had spoken out in public. The Muslims asked the Prophet (pbuh) to allow them to leave Mecca. He agreed, saying 'It would be better for you to go to Abyssinia. The king there is a just man and it is a friendly country. Stay there until Allah makes it possible for you to return.
The Muslims prepared for the journey. They decided to wait until
night so that they could leave without being seen. The first sixteen left Mecca and, after reaching the shore of die Red Sea, crossed over to Abyssinia. Another eighty-three men and nineteen women followed, all hoping to be welcomed by the king and people of that country. This was the first hijrah, or migration, in Islam.
The Meccans were furious when they discovered that these Muslims had secretly left the city for among them were the sons and daughters of many of the leading families of Mecca. The anger of the Meccans was even greater when they found out that the Muslims had been warmly welcomed in Abyssinia.
The leaders of Quraysh decided to send two men to the Abyssinian king in hopes of persuading him to send the Muslims back. These were 'Amr ibn al-'As, a very clever speaker, and 羨bd Allah ibn abi Rabi誕h. Before they met this king, they gave each of his advisers a gift, saying:
'Some foolish men from our people have come to hide in your country. Our leaders have sent us to your ruler to persuade him to send them back, so when we speak to the king about them, do advise him to give them up to us.' The advisers agreed to do what the Meccans wished.
Amr ibn al-'As and 'Abd Allah ibn abi Rabi'ah then went to the king and presented him also with a gift, saying: 'Your Highness, these people have abandoned the religion we have always followed in Mecca, but they have not even become Christians like you.'
The royal advisers, who were also present, told the king that the Meccans had spoken the truth and that he should send the Muslims back to their own people. At this, the king became angry and said, 'No, by God, I will not give them up. Those who have come to ask for my protection, settled in my country, and chosen me rather than others, shall not be betrayed. I will summon them and ask them about what these two men have said. If the Muslims are as the Meccans say, I will give them up and send them back to their own people, but if the Meccans have lied I will protect the Muslims.' 'Amr was very upset by this for the last thing he wanted was for the king to hear what the Muslims had to say. The king then sent for the Muslims. When they entered, they did not kneel before him as was the custom of the Abyssinians.
'Why do you not kneel before our king?' they were asked by one of the advisors. 'We kneel only to Allah', they replied. So the king asked them to tell him about their religion. Ja'far ibn abi Talib, Ali's brother and a cousin of the Prophet (pbuh), was chosen to speak for the Muslims. He replied, 'O King, at first we were among the ignorant. We and our ancestors had turned from the faith of Abraham, who, with Ishmael, rebuilt the Ka鍛ah and worshipped only Allah. We used idols in our worship of Allah; we ate meat that had not been killed in the right way; we did not respect the rights of our neighbors; the strong took advantage of the weak. We did terrible things of which I dare not speak. This was our life until Allah sent a Messenger from among us, one of our relatives, whom we have always known to be honest, innocent, and faithful. He asked us to worship only Allah, and to give up the bad customs of our forefathers. He asked us to be truthful and trustworthy, to respect and help our neighbors, to honor our families, and to put a stop to our bad deeds and endless fighting. He asked us to look after orphans. He ordered us not to slander or speak evil of women or men. He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anyone or anything else alongside Him. He ordered us to pray, to give alms, and to fast. We believe he is right and therefore we follow him and do as he has commanded us. The Meccans began to attack us and come between us and our religion. So we had to leave our homes and we have come to you, hoping to find justice.' The king, who was a Christian, was moved by these words. 羨mr had to think quickly of a way to win the argument. Cunningly he said to the king, 'These people do not believe in Jesus in the same way as you'.
The king then wanted to know what the Prophet (pbuh) had said about Jesus. Ja'far replied by reciting a surah from the Koran which tells the story of Jesus and his mother Mary. These are a few of the lines he recited:​

​

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful​

​

And make mention of Mary in the Scripture,
when she had Withdrawn from her people to an eastern place,
And had chosen seclusion from them.
Then We sent unto her Our spirit and it assumed
for her the likeness of a perfect man.
She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee,
if Thou fearest God. He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord,
that I may bestow on thee a faultless son.
She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me,
neither have I been unchaste?
He said: 'Even so thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me.
And (it will be) that We may make of him revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained.
And she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place.
Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him.
They said: O Mary! Thou hast come with an monstrous thing.
Oh sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot. Then Mary pointed to the child (Jesus);
But they said, 'How can we speak to one who is still in the cradle,
a young child?' He said, 'Lo, I am Allah's servant;
He has given me the Book, and made me a Prophet.
He has made me Blessed, wheresoever I may be;
and He has enjoined me to pray, and to give alms, so long as I live,
and likewise to cherish my mother; he has not made me arrogant,
unblest Peace be upon me, the day I was born, and the day I die,
and the day I am raised up alive!' ​

(Koran xix:16-33)​

When the king heard this, his eyes filled with tears. Turning to his advisers, he said, 'These words have surely come from God; there is very little to separate the Muslims from the Christians. What both Jesus and Muhammad, the Messengers of Allah, have brought comes from the same source.

So the Muslims were given the king's permission to live peacefully in his country. 'Amr was given back the gift he had presented to the king and the two Meccans returned home, bitterly disappointed.​

 

[Friend]

The Cruelty Of Quraysh

THE leaders of Quraysh became increasingly worried about the way the people of Mecca were being divided by the Prophet's teachings. Finally, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab, one of the nobles of Mecca, decided that the only way to silence the Prophet (pbuh) was to kill him. Having made up his mind, he set out at once to look for him.

On his way he met a man who saw at once what ‘Umar was going to do and said: 'Why don't you look a little closer to home before going to kill Muhammad? Don't you know your own sister Fatimah is a Muslim?'
'Umar was shocked. He could not believe this was true. He went at once to his sister's house. When he arrived outside the house he heard Fatimah and her husband Sa’id reading aloud surah Ta Ha, a chapter from the Koran. Hearing her brother's voice at the door, Fatimah quickly hid the scroll with the surah written on it among the folds of her dress. ‘Umar stormed into the room and demanded, 'What is this nonsense I heard?' Fatimah denied everything.
‘Umar then lost his temper and attacked Fatimah's husband shouting, 'They tell me that you have joined Muhammad in his religion!' Fatimah tried to defend her husband and ‘Umar hit her too.
Then she admitted, ‘Yes, we are Muslims and we believe in Allah and His Messenger and you can do what you like!' Seeing her faith and courage, ‘Umar suddenly felt sorry for what he had done and said to his sister, 'Let me see what I heard you reading just now so that I may understand just what it is that your Prophet has brought.
Fatimah gave the scroll to him after he had washed to make himself clean and pure before touching it, and had promised to give it back to her afterwards.​

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful​

Ta Ha. We have not revealed unto thee (Muhammad) this Koran.
For thee to be distressed, but only as a reminder.
Unto him who fears a Revelation from.
Him who created the earth and the high heavens;
the Beneficent One; Who is established on the Throne;
To Him belongs Whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth.
And all that is between them, and All that is underneath the soil.
If Thou speakest aloud. Be thou loud in thy speech,
yet Surely He knows the secret (thought).
And that yet more hidden.
Allah There is no god but
He To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. ​

(Koran xx:1-8)​

As he read, 'Umar suddenly knew that these were the most beautiful words he had ever heard and that this religion must be the true one. With his sword still in hand, he went straight to the Prophet's house and knocked loudly at the door. One of the Prophet's closest followers looked out. There stood 'Umar who was known for his courage and strength. When he saw 'Umar so excited and with his sword in hand, he was afraid for the Prophet's life. But the Prophet (pbuh) asked him to allow 'Umar to come in and to leave them alone together.

The Prophet (pbuh) asked 'Umar why he had come, to which he replied: 'I have come to swear that there is no god but Allah and that you, Muhammad, are the Messenger of Allah.' As he spoke these words, his hand still held the sword with which he had intended to kill the Prophet (pbuh). This same sword' would now be used to defend the Prophet (pbuh) and the faith of Islam.
At that time, whenever Muslims wanted to perform the ritual encircling of the Ka'bah, known as tawaf they had to do it secretly and in fear. 'Umar, however, was very courageous. As soon as he had declared his faith, he went directly to the Ka'bah and in broad daylight made the circling of the Sacred House before the astonished people of Mecca. No one dared to say anything. But now the leaders of Quraysh became even more alarmed and began to see Islam as a threat to the whole life of the city of Mecca. They grew more and more furious as the numbers of Muslims increased until finally they, too, decided as 'Umar once had, that the Prophet (pbuh) would have to be killed.
On hearing of these plans, Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, immediately sent a message to all the sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib, asking them to protect their nephew, and this they agreed to do. When Quraysh realized that they could not kill the Prophet (pbuh) because of this protection, they decided instead to avoid him and his followers completely. A declaration to this effect was hung at the Ka’bah. It stated that no one in the city was allowed to have anything to do with the Prophet (pbuh) and his people, or even to sell them any food or drink
whatsoever.
At first the Muslims found some support among the Bani Hashim, the branch of Quraysh to which the Prophet (pbuh) belonged. Some of these people were not Muslims but showed loyalty to their kinsmen by suffering along with them. However, life grew more and more difficult and food was scarce. The hatred of the rest of Quraysh for the followers of the Prophet (pbuh) grew so great that when his companions tried to buy supplies from a caravan passing near to Mecca, Abu Lahab, one of the Muslims' worst enemies, offered ten times the price of the goods to the merchant. By doing this he managed to stop the Muslims, from buying what they desperately needed.
During the years of this terrible treatment, a wonderful thing happened. Instead Of Islam becoming weaker, it grew stronger. Allah sent more and more Revelations. It was as though the Muslims were being strengthened and cleansed by the hardships they suffered and were being tested in their faith.
Each year at the time of the pilgrimage to Mecca, people tame from all over Arabia. These pilgrims saw the terrible cruelty and injustice of Quraysh towards the Muslims, and many of them were sorry for the Prophet's followers. Quraysh began to feel ashamed of their harsh treatment, especially as many of the Muslims were their cousins and close relatives.
Finally, at the end of three years, they were convinced that the time had come to put an end to the persecution of the Muslims, and they decided to take down the notice hanging at the Ka’bah. To their astonishment, the sheet of paper had been completely eaten up by worms, all except the words, 'In Your Name, O Allah', which had been written at the top of the paper.​

 

[Friend]

THE YEAR OF SORROW

_______________________________

THE Prophet (pbuh) and his followers went back to a normal way of life but the years of hardship had made Khadijah very weak. She became ill and soon afterwards she died. Thus, the Prophet (pbuh) lost his beloved wife and friend, the first person to accept Islam and support him. She had been a refuge from all his troubles and, through her good-heartedness, the best company in his suffering. He had loved her very much. This happened in 619 A.D., the year which became known as the 'Year of Sorrow'.
Soon after this, the Prophet Muhammad's uncle and protector, Abu Talib, also died. Abu Talib had been one of the most respected men in Mecca-one of the elders of Quraysh. Even though he had never been a follower of Islam, he had protected the Prophet (pbuh) against his enemies. Not only was this a sad occasion for the Prophet (pbuh) but also a dangerous one. According to Arab custom anyone who is under the protection of another is safe so long as his protector lives. Now, with the death of his uncle, the Prophet's protection was gone.
The Prophet's enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a wife to console and comfort him, and without his uncle to protect him. They began to treat him worse than ever before. Even small children insulted him. One young man actually threw some filth on the Prophet's head, but the Prophet (pbuh) went home without making anything of it. When one of his daughters rushed, weeping, to wash it away, he comforted her saying, 'Do not weep my little girl, for Allah will protect your father.'
Abu Talib had been the Prophet's last tie with Quraysh and the Prophet (pbuh) now felt that Islam could make no further progress in Mecca because the hearts of Quraysh were closed against him. He decided, therefore, to travel to Ta'if where he hoped to find support. He walked all the way to the town, which was seventy kilometers away. There he spoke in all the places where people gathered, but no one listened to him. He met the leaders of the three most important tribes but they would not listen either. Not only did they take no notice of what he said, but they laughed at him and ordered their slaves to insult him and pelt him with stones.
Sadly, the Prophet (pbuh) left the city and found a quiet place near a wall on the edge of town where he could be alone. There he prayed to Allah in these words:​

O Allah, to Thee I complain of my weakness, helplessness and
lowliness before men. O Most Merciful, Thou art the Lord of the
weak, and Thou art my Lor....



To Be continued​

 

[Friend]

THE NIGHT JOURNEY AND THE ASCENT TO HEAVEN
ONE night as the Prophet (pbuh) lay sleeping in the same spot where 'Abd al-Muttalib used to sleep, next to the Ka’bah, he was woken by the Archangel Gabriel. Later the Prophet (pbuh) described what happened: 'I sat up and he took hold of my arm. I stood beside him and he brought me to the door of the mosque where there was a white animal for me to ride.'
The Prophet (pbuh) told of how he mounted the animal and, with the Archangel Gabriel at his side, was transported from Mecca to the mosque called al-Aqsa, in far away Jerusalem. There the Prophet (pbuh) found Abraham, Moses, and Jesus among a group of Prophets. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) acted as their leader, or imam, in prayer. Then he was brought two jugs, one containing wine and the other milk. He chose the milk and refused the wine. At this, the Archangel Gabriel said, 'You have been rightly guided to the fitrah, the true nature of man, and so will your people be, Muhammad. Wine is forbidden to you.
The Prophet (pbuh) also related how they passed through Heaven's gates and saw countless angels. Among them was Malik, the Keeper of Hell, who never smiles. Malik stepped forward and showed the Prophet (pbuh) a view of Hell and the terrible plight of those who suffer in that place.
Then the Prophet (pbuh) was taken up by the angels, through the seven Heavens, one by one Along the way he again saw Jesus, Moses, and Abraham, and the Prophet (pbuh) said that he had never seen a man more like himself than Abraham. He also saw John, called Yahya in Arabic, Joseph or Yusef, Enoch, that is Idris, and Aaron. At last he reached the Lote Tree of the Uttermost, the sidrat al-muntaha where no Prophet had been before. Here the Prophet (pbuh) received Revelation of what Muslims believe.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
The Messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) the believers.
Each one believes in Allah and His Angels and His Books and His Messengers-We make no distinction
between any of His messengers-and they say: We hear, and we obey.
Grant us Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the homecoming.
(Koran ii.285)
Then he was taken into the Light of the Divine Presence of Allah, and was instructed that Muslims should pray fifty times a day. The Prophet (pbuh) recalled: On my way back I passed by Moses and what a good friend to you he was! He asked me how many prayers had I been ordained to perform. When I told him fifty, he said, 'Prayer is a serious matter and your people are weak, so go back to your Lord and ask Him to reduce the number for you and your community.' I did so and He took away ten. Again I passed by Moses and he said the same again; and so it went on until only five prayers for the whole day and night were left. Moses again gave me the same advice. I replied that I had been back to my Lord and asked him to reduce the number until I was ashamed, and I would not do it again. He of you who performs the five prayers faithfully, will have the reward of fifty prayers.
On the morning following these events and the Prophet's return to Mecca, he told Quraysh what had happened. Most of them said, 'By God! This is ridiculous! A caravan takes a month to go to Syria and a month to return! Can you do that long journey in a single night?' Even many Muslims were amazed by this and wanted the Prophet (pbuh) to
explain. Some ran with the news to Abu Bakr who said, 'By Allah, if Muhammad (pbuh) himself has said so, then it is true. Remember, the Prophet tells us that the word of Allah comes to him directly from heaven to earth at any hour by day or night, and we believe him. Isn't that a greater miracle than what you are now doubting?' Then Abu Bakr went to the mosque and listened to the Prophet's detailed description of Jerusalem. He commented, 'You tell the truth, O Prophet of Allah!' From then on, Abu Bakr was honored with the title 'al-Siddiq’, which means 'he who gives his word to support the truth'.
Others also began to believe the Prophet's story when he went on to describe two caravans he had seen on his way back to Mecca. He told the doubters where he had seen the caravans, what they were carrying and when they would arrive in Mecca. All that the Prophet (pbuh) had said was born out when the caravans arrived at the time he said they would, carrying all that he had described.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Glory be to Him, who carried His servant
by night from the Holy Mosque to the Far distant place of worship,
the Neighborhood which We have blessed,
that We might show him some of Our signs,
He, only He is the All-hearing, the All-seeing.
(Koran xvii:1)

By the Star when it setteth,
Your comrade is not astray, neither deceived,
Nor does he speak of his (own) desire.
This is naught but a revelation revealed,
Taught him by one mighty in power, very strong;
he stood poised, being on the uppermost horizon,
Then drew near and came down, two bows'-length away,
or nearer, Then revealed to His servant that which He revealed.

His heart lies not of what he saw; What,
will you then dispute with him what he sees?
Indeed, he saw him yet another time.
By the Lote- Tree of the utmost Boundary,
Near which is the Garden of
Abode When there covered the Lote-
Tree that which covered; his eye turned not aside, nor yet was overbold.
Verily, he saw one of the greatest signs of his Lord.
(Koran liii:1-18)

 

[Friend]

THE TREATY OF öö AQABAH
IN Yathrib there were two main tribes, the Aws and the Khazraj. Both were very powerful, they were always at war with one another, and both worshipped idols. Also in Yathrib were many Jews who, unlike the Arab at that time, knew that there was only One God, and worshipped Him. They had told the Arabs many times that a Prophet would be coming to them.
The time came for the pilgrimage to the Kabah, and several people from Yathrib were going, among them six men from the tribe of Khazraj. They had heard about the Prophet Muhammad's preaching and thought that must be the Prophet the Jews had told them about. So they decided to go speak to him during their stay in Mecca.
They met the Prophet (pbuh) at a spot known as Aqabah, near Mecca, and invited them to sit with him. He explained to them what Islam meant recited to them from the Koran. When they heard the Koran recited touched their hearts so deeply that they became Muslims and on leaving Mecca they promised to return the following year. When they reached Yathrib carrying Islam in their hearts, they told their relatives and friends what they had heard from the Prophet (pbuh) and many more people became Muslims.
A year passed and the pilgrimage season came around again. Twelve important men from Yathrib went to Mecca to meet the Prophet (pbuh) and promised faithfully to serve him and Islam. In return, the Prophet (pbuh) sent one of his friends, Mus誕b ibn 'Umayr, with them to teach the Koran and instruct them in their new religion.
Another year passed and still more Muslims came from Yathrib to Mecca for the pilgrimage. On this occasion a secret meeting with the Prophet (pbuh) was arranged to be held at night. Seventy-three men and one woman from Yathrib came, and the Prophet (pbuh) arrived with his uncle, al-Abbas. During this meeting the men from Yathrib offered to protect and defend the Prophet (pbuh) and his followers if they would come to live in Yathrib. This promise of protection came to be known as the Treaty of Aqabah.
The treaty was most fortunate for even though Islam was growing in Yathrib, the Muslims in Mecca were still suffering. The Prophet (pbuh) therefore told his friends and followers to go to Yathrib where they would be safe, and most of them took this opportunity to leave.
Despite all this suffering the Prophet (pbuh) was not allowed to fight his enemies, for Allah had told him to forgive those who insulted him or would not listen to his message. But the Quraysh had closed their minds so utterly to the word of Allah, and grew so hard-hearted towards the Prophet (pbuh)and his followers, that Allah gave permission to the Prophet (pbuh) to fight those who tried to harm him or his companions.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Permission is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged;
And Allah is surely able to give them victory;
Those who have been driven from their homes unjustly only because they said: Our Lord is Allah.
(Koran xxii.39-40)
Quraysh began to fear the Prophet (pbuh) for they realized that he was now strong enough to fight them and had been given leave to do so by Allah. They also knew that he now had the people of Yathrib to help and protect him. Seeing that the Muslims were leaving the city, they decided to kill the Prophet (pbuh), before he, too, left Mecca to join his followers in Yathrib. In this way they hoped to put an end to Islam once and for all.

 

[Friend]

AL-HIJRAH
The Breaking of All Connections with One's Home,
for the Sake of Allah Alone.
AFTER his companions had left for Yathrib, the Prophet (pbuh) stayed in Mecca, waiting for permission from Allah to leave the city. Abu Bakr and Ali stayed with him. There were also some Muslims whom Quraysh had not allowed to leave. Abu Bakr kept asking the Prophet (pbuh) to allow him to go to Yathrib, but the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) kept saying, 'Do not be in a hurry; it might be that Allah will give you a travelling companion.'
The leaders of Quraysh assembled in the house of their ancestor, Qusayy, as was customary when they had an important decision to make. They had to find a way of getting rid of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), before he was able to join his friends in Yathrib.
As they were busy arguing, the Devil appeared at the door in the form of a noble and handsome old man. When they saw this elderly gentleman standing there, they asked him who he was. He said he was a sheikh from the mountains who had heard what they meant to do and thought he might be able to help or advise them. They thought he looked like a wise man, so they invited him in.
Each leader then started to put forward ideas about what should be done, but none of them could agree about which was best, until Abu-Jahl told them his plan. This was that each clan should provide a strong, young warrior, each of whom would be given a sword. All the young warriors would then wait outside the Prophet's house and together attack him as he came out. In this way they would be rid of him but as the blame for killing him would fall on all the clans, the Prophet's family would not be able to seek revenge.
When he heard this, the Devil in the disguise of the old man, said, 'That man is right; in my opinion it is the only thing to do!' The leaders of Quraysh then left to carry out their plan to murder the Prophet (pbuh).
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
And when the unbelievers plot, against thee, to confine thee, or kill thee,
or to drive thee out, they were plotting,
But Allah was (also) plotting; and Allah is the best of plotters.
(Koran viii.30)
Before the night fell, on which Muhammad (pbuh) was to be killed, the Archangel Gabriel came to him and said, 'Do not sleep tonight in your own bed.' The Prophet (pbuh) understood what was going to happen, so he told ‘Ali to lie in his bed and wrap himself in the blanket that the Prophet (pbuh) normally used, promising that no harm would befall him.
With the coming of darkness the young men of Quraysh had gathered outside the Prophet's house, waiting for him to come out. After he had made sure that 'Ali was safe, the Prophet (pbuh) left the house. At that very moment Allah took away the sight of the warriors so that they could not see the Prophet (pbuh), who took a handful of dust, sprinkled it on their heads and recited these verses:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
Ya SinBy the Wise Koran,
Thou art truly among those sent.
On the straight path;
A Revelation of the All-mighty, the All-wise,
That thou may warn a people whose fathers
were never warned, so they are heedless.
The Word has already proved true of most of them, yet they do not believe.
Lo! We have put on their necks collars of iron up to the chin,
so that they are made stiff-necked.
And We have put before them a barrier; and
We have covered them so they do not see.
(Koran xxxvi.1-9)
The young men waited the whole night and were furious when, in the morning, they saw ‘Ali instead of the Prophet (pbuh) coming out of the house. I They realized that their plan had failed completely. In the meantime, the Prophet (pbuh) went to Abu Bakr's house and told him,'Allah has told me that now is the time for us to leave Mecca.' 'Together?' asked Abu Bakr. 'Together', the Prophet (pbuh) replied.
Abu Bakr wept for joy, because now he knew that the travelling companion he had been promised was the Prophet (pbuh) himself. Then he said,'O Messenger of Allah, these are the two camels which I have kept ready for this.' And so, the two of them left for a cave in Thawr, a mountain to the south of Mecca where they intended to hide.
When they were out of the city the Prophet (pbuh) looked back and said, 'Of all Allah's earth, you are the dearest place to Allah and to me and if my people had not driven me out I would never have left you.' When Quraysh found out that the Prophet (pbuh) and his companion hadgone, they set out after them, searching in every direction. Three days later they finally reached the cave where the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr were hiding, but a strange and wonderful thing had happened. A spider had woven its web right across the entrance to the cave and a dove was nesting with her mate nearby. As the Meccans stood in front of the cave, with only the spider's web separating them from the fugitives, Abu Bakr began to fear for their safety. He whispered to the Prophet (pbuh), 'They are very close. If one of them turns we will be seen. 'But he was comforted by the Prophet's reply: 'What do you think of two who have with them Allah as their third?'
Grieve not, for verily Allah is with us.
(Koran ix.40)
After a few moments the search parry decided that no one could have entered the cave recently, or the spider's web would not have been complete and the dove would not have nested there, and so they left without searching inside. Three days later the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr thought it safe to leave the cave. Abu Bakr's son, 'Amir, had arranged for three camels and a guide to help them continue their journey to Yathrib. 'Amir would ride behind his father. The leaders of Quraysh, meanwhile, returned to Mecca and offered a reward of one hundred camels to whoever captured the Prophet (pbuh). Among those who went in search of him was a famous warrior. He was, in fact, the only one to catch up with him, but whenever he came close, his horse would suddenly sink up to its knees in the sand. When this had happened three times, he understood that the Prophet (pbuh) was protected by a power stronger than anything he had known, and so he went back to Mecca. On arriving there he warned everyone against continuing the search, relating what had happened to him.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
if you do not help him, still Allah has helped him already,
When the unbelievers drove him forth,
(he second of two, When the two were in the Cave,
when he said to his companion, "Grieve not; surely Allah is with us."

Then Allah caused His peace and Reassurance to descend upon him,
And helped him with hosts you cannot see,
And He made the word of the unbelievers the lowest;
While Allah's word is the uppermost; Allah is All-mighty, All-wise.
(Koran ix.40)
The Prophet's journey from Mecca is called the hijrah, or migration. It was really the first step towards the spread of Islam throughout the entire world, and Muslims begin their calendar from the year of the hijrah.

 

[Muslimwoman]

Mash'allah. I pray that many will read this story and understand the wisdom and beauty of our Beloved Prophet (pbuh).

Shukran Friend. Salaam