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 First Prize W in n e r Book

THE SEALED
NECTAR
(Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum)

Biography of the Noble Prophet #§

This Book was aw arded First Prize by th e M uslim

W orld League in w orldw ide com petition on the
Biography of th e Prophet held at M akkah
Al-M ukarram ah in 1399/1979

Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri
Islamic University Al-Madinah Al-M unawwarah

DARUSSALAM
GLOBAL LEADER IN ISLAMIC BOOKS
Riyadh • Jeddah • Sharjah • Lahore
London • H ouston • New York
 In th e N am e o f Allah,
th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost M erciful.
 Publishers Note

The h eart of every M uslim is filled w ith love for th e last Prophet
M uham m ad and this love of th e M essenger of Allah is an asset
for him . Love and respect of a person d ep en d s on th e benefits we
get from him . As th e Prophet % is the greatest benefactor of
hum anity, every M uslim has deep est love for him . Every deed of
his life is to be followed by every individual of th e M uslim
Ummah. Highest love for th e Prophet jfe is m ade a te st of our
Faith. Allah th e All-Mighty has described and explained the status
of M uham m ad % in th e Q u r’an:

"Say (O M uham m ad ^ to m ankind): If you (really) love

Allah th e n follow m e (i.e., accept Islamic m onotheism ,
follow th e O ur'an and th e Sunnah), Allah will love you..."
(3:31)
Love of A llah’s M essenger ^ is a part of our Faith. There is a
Hadith (tradition) of th e Prophet j | | w ho said:

«•

’’None of you has Faith unless I am dearer to him th an his

father and his son and all m ankind."
In th e early period of Islam, m any books w ere w ritten on the life
of th e Prophet In th e Q u r’an itself, th e best exam ple of the life
of M uham m ad ^ has also been m entioned. The Q u r’an says:

"And verily, you (O M uham m ad Sfe) are on an exalted

standard of character." (68:4)
Som eone asked ’Aishah 4® about th e noble character and m anners
of the Prophet She answ ered: "Have you not read th e Q ur'an?
His character is a com plete explanation of th e O u r’an."
6 The Sealed Nectar

It m eans th a t w hatever is com m anded and prohibited in the

Q ur'an, its practical exam ple is p resen t in th e m anners of
M uham m ad In o th er w ords, th e ideal and perfect exam ple of
good m anners and character w hich th e Q u r'an dem ands from
m ankind, was p resen t in th e person of M uham m ad in its
highest degree.
Scholars of Ahadith (traditions) and w riters of th e biography of
M uham m ad # 5, th e M essenger of Allah, have explored his life
from every angle and aspect from birth to death. Every event,
every incident of his life has been described and narrated, b u t
none had claimed th a t he has given his life’s recording its full
rights. H undreds of books have been w ritten on th e life of
M uham m ad ^ and this endeavor will continue till th e Day of
Resurrection.
No doubt The Sealed Nectar (Ar-Raheeq Al-M akhtum ) is a book of
great value and praisew orthy w ork on th e life of M uham m ad jfe.
This book has been w ritten by th e E m inent Shaikh Safiur-Rahman
M ubarakpuri of Jam iah Salafiyah, Banaras (India). The first Islamic
Conference on Seerah (biography of th e Prophet $^) was held in
1976 in Pakistan sponsored by the M uslim W orld League. The
League announced a w orld contest for w riting a book on th e life of
th e Prophet O ne h u n d red fifty th o u san d Saudi Riyals (SR
150,000) (forty th o u san d U.S. Dollars) was th e grand prize for the
b est five books.
One h u n d red and seventy-one m anuscripts w ere received from all
over th e world. O ut of these, eighty-five w ere in the Arabic
Language, sixty-four in Urdu, tw enty-one w ere in English and one
in French and Hausa.
A board of highly qualified scholars judged th e m anuscripts and
announced the results. The m anuscript of Shaikh Safiur-Rahman
M ubarakpuri, Jamiah Salafiyah Banaras (India), a u th o r of th e book
in h an d (The Sealed Nectar) received first th e grand prize of SR
50,000 (fifty th o u san d Saudi Riyals) for its au th en tic and sound
collections of th e narrations. Dr. Majid Ali Khan, New Delhi, India,
placed second. The th ird prize w e n t to Dr. N aseer Ahmed, Islamic
Publishers Note 7

University, Lahore, Pakistan. The fourth prize was aw arded to Mr.

Hamid M ahm ud of Egypt, The fifth and final prize was aw arded to
Abdus-Salam H ashim of M adinah M unaw w arah. An extravagant
prize distribution cerem ony was held at M akkah Al-M ukarram ah
on 12 Rabi'ul-Awwal 1399 A.H. (1979 C.E.). Afterwards, th e book
was published by th e M uslim W orld League and th en m any other
organizations gained th e h o n o r of publishing this m asterpiece.
D arussalam also published this book in th e Arabic language, I had
w ished to publish this book in th e English language for th e w ider
benefit of hum anity. Shaikh Safiur-Rahman willingly agreed to the
idea and consented to publish th e English translation. The stage
of translation was traversed w ith th e help of b ro th er M ahir Abu
Dhahab, ow ner and general m anager of Markaz Noor Ash-Sham in
Dam ascus, Syria.
For th e first edition of this book, b ro th e r M ahir Abu D hahab from
Syria, Damascus, provided his h elp and cooperation as ragards the
translation w ork for w hich I offer my special th anks to him .
Now in your hands is th e new revised edition w ith m any changes
and ad d itio n s. B rother Abu Khaliyl (U.S.A.) a m e n d e d and
im proved th e translation to m ake its language sim ple and easy,
besides com paring again from th e beginning to th e end the
English translation w ith th e Arabic revised text to update the
changes therein.
So, after a coherent toil of m onths, this edition w as published.
<i ju>J i (All praise is for Allah). The opinions and views from the
readers concerning this edition will be appreciated.

Your b ro th er in Islam,
Abdul-Malik Mujahid
17th Shawwal 1422 A.H.
1st January 2002
 Author’s Autobiography

All praise is due to Allah, th e Rabb of all m ankind, jinn and all th at
exists. May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon our Prophet,
th e Seal of all M essengers, M uham m ad, his family, C om panions
and all those w ho follow him till th e Day of Judgem ent. - A m een.
It's been about two decades since I last p resented brief outlines on
my life and professional career to th e M uslim W orld League w hile
com piling this book for publication. Subsequent to th e m any
changes th a t have taken place since then, I subm it as updated
outline.

Name and Lineage

Name : Safiur-Rahman
Kunniyat}l]: Abu Hisham
Lineage: Safiur-Rahman bin Abdullah bin M uham m ad Akbar
bin M uham m ad Ali bin Abdul-M um in bin Faqir-
ullah M ubarakpuri, Azami.

Date and Place of Birth

I was born in the year 1942, in H usainabad, a village one m ile deep
in to the n orth side of M ubarakpur (Azamgarh District), a tow n
fam ous for hom e industry in the n o rth ern province of India.

Educational Background
I started my studies at hom e reading the O u ra n from my
grandfather and uncle. Then I was adm itted to M adrasah Arabia
Darut-Taleem , in M ubarakpur, and began my basic Islamic
education in Arabic and Persian languages.
In Shawwal 1337 (June 1954). I received adm ission to the
M adrasah Ehyaul-Uloom, in M ubarakpur, for fu rth er education
in Islamic studies and Arabic literature. Two years later, in

[1] A surnam e w hich is usually derived from the nam e of a first son or daughter
according to Muslim traditions.
Author's Autobiography 9

Shawwal 1375 (May 1956), I joined th e M adrasah Faid Aam,

M aunath Bhanjan, Azamgarh District for higher studies.
Upon com pletion of my seven years of study in Islamic courses, I
received a Fadilat Degree from th e sam e In stitu te in Sha'ban 1380
H, I also received th e Certificates of M aulvi in 1959 and A lim in
I960 from th e G overnm ent Education Board on passing their
exam inations w ith high grade. After changes in th e system of the
Arabic Schools, I participated in th e Fadil Degree exam ination
u n d er th e G overnm ent Education Board, successfully passed
double Fadil exam inations in 1976 and 1978 w ith high honors.

Professional Life
After com pletion of my studies at th e M adrasah Faid Aam in th e
year 19 6 1 , I began teaching, preaching, lecturing and delivering
serm ons. But th e unfavorable circum stances could n o t perm it m e
to stay a long tim e in one place. In M arch 1963. I joined the
M adrasah Faid Aam in M aunath Bhanjan as a Teacher. T hen I was
transferred to th e M adrasah D arul-H adeeth in th e sam e city in
February 1966.
In January 1969. I was appointed as the Principal at th e M adrasah
Faidul-Uloom at Seoni (M.P.). After four years, in 1972, I was
requested to serve in my native In stitu te M adrasah Arabia Darut-
Taleem as Principal. After spending two years, I was invited by
Jamiah Salafiyah Banaras to join as a Professor (Ustaz). I was
appointed in Shawwal 1394 (October 1974) w orking in the various
academ ic d ep artm en ts till Dhul-Hijjah 1408 (July 1988).
A Research In stitu te w as established in 1408 Hijrah at th e Islamic
U niversity of Al-Madinah Al-M unawwarah as "The C enter for the
Services of th e Prophet's Biography." I was selected to w ork there
and was en tru ste d th e duty of preparing an encyclopedia on the
subject of th e life history of th e Noble Prophet w here I am
currently w orking as a research scholar.

Books and Compilations

It is th e mercy of Allah W ho favored m e an d provided m e the
10 The Sealed Nectar

ability of w riting from th e very beginning of my career. D uring my

teaching period, 1 w rote and com piled about seventeen books in
th e Urdu and Arabic languages. W hen th e m onthly Urdu M agazine
M uhaddith of Jam iah Salafiyah was published in 1980, I was
ap p o in ted as C hief E ditor of th e M agazine Section up to
Septem ber 1988, u n til I joined th e Islamic U niversity at Al-
M adinah Al-M unawwarah. D uring th a t period, I w rote a n um ber
of essays on social, historical, political and religious topics w hich
w ere well received by m any people, Al-Hamdu lillahl
"O our Rabb, accept from us w ith goodly acceptance and seek it
grow in a good m a n n e r.'’
Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri
 "And W e have s e n t you (O M u h a m m a d sfe)
n o t b u t as a m ercy for th e 'Alam in
(m ankind, jin n a n d all th a t ex ists).’’

Formulas used in this book:

Arabic Sym bolic E nglish

Formula Image T ranslation

lk - j Might and majesty belong to Him!

‘j a-Ap ail m, M ay th e peace and b le ssin g s o f

Allah be u p o n him !

(■SI—11 <ul* M ay p eace b e u p o n him !

-ii ^ j May Allah be pleased w ith him!

U * 4ii ^ M ay Allah b e p leased w ith her!

dii M ay Allah b e p lea sed w ith

b oth o f them !

M ay Allah b e p lea sed w ith all

o f them !
 Contents
Publishers N o te ........................................................................................... 5
A uthor's A utobiography............................................................................ 8
Location a n d N atu re o f Arab T ribes 23
Location of th e A rabs.............................................................................. 23
Arab T rib e s............................................................................................... 24
Rule a n d G o v ern m en t am ong th e Arabs 32
Rule in Y e m e n ........................................................................................ 32
Rulership in H eerah............................................................................... 34
Rulership in Geographical Syria......................................................... 37
Rulership in Hijaz................................................................................... 37
The Reasons of this W a r ....................................................................... 40
Rulership in Pan-Arabia:....................................................................... 43
The Political S itu a tio n ........................................................................... 44
R eligions o f th e Arabs 45
The Religious S itu a tio n ........................................................................ 54
A spects o f Pre-Islam ic A rabian Society 55
Social Life of th e A ra b s........................................................................ 55
The Economic S itu a tio n ....................................................................... 60
Ethics.......................................................................................................... 60
The Lineage a n d Fam ily o f M uham m ad %% 63
The Prophetic Fam ily............................................................................ 64
M u h am m ad 's Birth & 40 Years p rio r to P ro p h e th o o d 71
His B ir th ................................................................................................... 71
C h ild h o o d ................................................................................................ 72
Back to His Passionate M o th e r.......................................................... 74
To His C om passionate G randfather.................................................. 75
Bahirah. th e M onk ................................................................................. 76
The 'Sacrilegious' W ars......................................................................... 77
Al-Fudoul C onfederacy......................................................................... 77
M uham m ad's Early O ccupation......................................................... 78
His M arriage to Khadijah ^ ................................................................ 78
Rebuilding Al-Ka'bah and th e A rbitration Issue 79
A Sum m ary of M uham m ad's Biography............................................ 81
The M akkan Period 84
Contents 13

Life in Makkah 85
In the Shade o f the Message and Prophethood 85
In the Cave of H ira '.................................................................................85
Gabriel >&, brings dow n th e R evelation............................................ 86
Interru p tio n of R evelation.....................................................................88
Once m ore, Gabriel iggi brings Allah's Revelation.......................... 89
Some details p e rtin en t to th e successive stag es........................... 92
The First Stage........................................................................................ 94
Strife in the Way o f the Call 94
T hree Years of Secret C all...................................................................... 94
The Early C o n v e rts.................................................................................. 94
As-Salat (the Prayer)................................................................................. 96
The Q uraishites learn about th e C a ll................................................ 97
The Second S ta g e ..................................................................................... 98
Open Preaching 98
First Revelation regarding th e Preaching...........................................98
Calling th e Closest K in sp eo p le.............................................................98
On M ount As-Safa....................................................................................99
Shouting th e T ruth and th e Polytheists' R eaction....................... 101
An Advisory C o u n c il.............................................................................. 102
A ttem pts m ade to check th e O nw ard M arch of I s la m ............... 103
Persecutions.............................................................................................. 107
The Q uraish approach Abu T a lib .......................................................110
The Q uraish Pressure Abu T alib ........................................................ 110
The Q uraish C onfront Abu Talib a Second T im e .........................I l l
Atrocities against Allah's M essenger ...........................................112
The House of Al-Arqam.........................................................................117
The First M igration to Abyssinia (Ethiopia)....................................118
The Second M igration to Abyssinia (E thiopia).............................. 120
Q uraish M achinations against th e E m ig ra n ts............................... 121
The Tyrants' Decision to kill th e Prophet ^ .................................123
The Conversion of Ham zah bin 'A bdul-M uttalib.......................... 127
The Conversion of 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab 4®.................................. 128
Q uraish's R epresentative n e g o tia te s................................................. 133
The Heads of th e Q uraish challenge th e M essenger ............ 136
The Q uraish A ttem pt to N egotiate.................................................... 138
14 The Sealed N ectar

The Q u raish ’s B ew ilderm ent...............................................................139

Abu Talib assem bles his Fam ily..........................................................140
G eneral Social B oycott 141
A Pact of Injustice and A ggression.................................................... 141
D issolution of th e Pact..........................................................................142
T he Final P hase o f th e D iplom acy o f N eg o tiatio n 143
T he Year o f G rief 148
Abu Talib’s D e a th ................................................................................... 148
Khadijah passes away to th e Mercy of A llah ........................... 150
The A ccum ulation of G rie f..................................................................150
His M arriage to Sawdah in S haw w al.......................................... 151
Factors in sp irin g P atience a n d P erseverance 153
The Third Stage........................................................................................162
Calling u n to Islam b e y o n d M akkah 162
Islam bein g in tro d u c e d to T ribes a n d In d iv id u als 169
Hope inspiring Breezes from th e M a d in e s e .................................. 175
The M arriage of th e Prophet to ’Aishah •§*.............................. 176
Al-Isra' a n d A l-M i'raj.............................................................................178
T he F irst 'A qabah P le d g e .................................................................... 186
The M uslim Envoy in M ad in ah ..........................................................187
T he Second 'A qabah Pledge 189
The Articles of th e Pledge.................................................................... 190
Stressing th e Gravity of the P led g e...................................................192
Taking th e Pledge................................................................................... 193
Twelve R ep resen tativ es.........................................................................193
A Devil Exposes th e M e e tin g ..............................................................194
The Ansar Prepare to Strike th e Q u ra is h ........................................195
The Q uraish Arrive to A rgue............................................................... 195
The Q uraish Become C onvinced........................................................ 196
T he V anguard o f M ig ra tio n ........................ 197
In A n-N adw ah H o u s e ...........................................................................201
T he E m igration o f th e P ro p h e t m .................................................. 203
M onitoring the Hom e of A llah’s M essenger ........................... 203
The M essenger ^ escapes from th e H o u s e ..................................204
The Events at th e C av e........................................................................206
On th e Road to M ad in ah ..................................................................... 208
Contents 15

Q uba’.......................................................................................................... 213
Entering M ad in ah ................................................................................... 215
Life in Madinah 219
The First S tage........................................................................................ 220
The Status Quo in Madinah at Emigration 220
A N ew Society being built 227
Building th e Prophetic M osque.......................................................... 227
The Brotherhood betw een th e M u s lim s .........................................228
A C harter of Islamic A lliance...............................................................229
The Individual Role in th e Society....................................................231
A Treaty with the Jews 237
The Bloody Struggle ..............................................................................239
The A ttem pts of th e Q uraish to provoke M u slim s..................... 239
Publicizing th e In te n t for Enm ity in Sacred M osque 240
Perm ission to Fight................................................................................ 241
Pre-Badr M issions and In v a s io n s ...................................................... 243
The Battle o f Badr 251
Reason of th e Battle...............................................................................251
The Size and Strength of th e M uslim A rm y....................................251
The M uslim Army m oves near Badr................................................. 252
W arning M a k k ah .................................................................................... 252
The People of M akkah h asten for Battle.........................................253
Preparing th e M akkan A rm y ...............................................................253
The Problem of Banu Bakr...................................................................253
The Army of M akkah begins its M o v e m e n t..................................253
The Caravan esca p e s..............................................................................254
The M akkan Army considers r e tu r n in g .......................................... 254
The Difficult Position of th e M uslim Arm y................................... 255
A M eeting for C o n s u lta tio n ................................................................ 255
The M essenger sgg and th e Survey of th e Enem y 257
The R ainfall.............................................................................................. 258
The M uslim Army m arches a h e a d ....................................................258
Preparing th e Trellis for th e H ea d q u a rte rs.....................................258
Positioning th e M akkan A rm y............................................................259
The Two Armies m e e t...........................................................................261
The First C lash.........................................................................................262
16 The Sealed Nectar

The Dueling b egins................................................................................262

The D escent of th e Angels.................................................................. 264
The A s s a u lt..............................................................................................264
Iblis (Satan) flees from th e B a ttle .....................................................266
The M akkan Ranks begin to f le e ...................................................... 266
Abu Jahl stands firm ............................................................................. 266
Some Significant Instances of D evotion..........................................268
M akkah M eets th e D istressful N ew s............................................... 271
M adinah receives th e News of V ictory........................................... 272
D isputes over the Spoils of W a r........................................................273
The Army of the Prophet heads back to M a d in a h ................ 273
The joyous Reception from th e People of M adinah 274
The judgm ent about th e Captives of Badr......................................275
The Battle of Badr in its Q u ra n ic C o n te x t.................................... 277
The M ilitary A ctivities b e tw e e n Badr a n d U hud 279
Al Kudr Invasion..................................................................................... 280
An A ttem pt on th e Life of the Prophet gfc.................................... 280
The Invasion of Bani Q a in u q a '.......................................................... 281
The Schemes of th e j e w s ....................................................................282
The Jews of O ainuqa' breach th e C o v e n a n t..................................283
The Siege, th e Surrender and th e B a n is h m e n t............................ 285
As-Saweeq Invasion................................................................................ 285
The Invasion of Dhi Am r..................................................................... 286
Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf is k ille d ................................................................. 287
The Invasion of B uhran........................................................................290
Zaid bin H arithah leads a C a m p a ig n ............................................... 290
The B attle o f U hud 292
The Army of the Q uraish p re p a re s .................................................. 293
The M obilization of the M akkan A rm y........................................... 293
The M ovem ents of th e E nem y.......................................................... 293
The M uslim s prepare for Im m inent Danger 294
The M akkan Army's Approach to M a d in a h ................................... 294
A C onsultation Assembly for a D efense Plan................................ 294
Dividing th e Islamic Army into T roops........................................... 296
Parading th e A rm y................................................................................. 297
Passing th e Night betw een Uhud and M a d in a h ...........................298
Contents jy

The Rebellion of 'Abdullah bin Ubai and his F o llo w ers...........298

The Rem ainder of th e Islamic Army m oves to U h u d ................ 300
The D efense P la n ..................................................................................301
Allah's M essenger im plants th e Spirit of B ravery................ 303
The Positioning of th e M akkan A rm y.............................................304
Political Strategies of O u raish............................................................304
The Effort of th e Q uraishite W o m e n .............................................305
The C om bat.............................................................................................306
The Fighting th at C entered around th e Standard-Bearer 306
The O ther C lashes................................................................................ 308
The A ssassination of Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib 309
Bringing the Situation u n d e r C o n tro l............................................. 3 10
From his W ife's Lap to Sword-fights and Sorrow s......................3 1 1
The C ontribution of th e Squad of Archers to th e Battle 311
The Idolaters begin to sense D e fe at................................................31 ]
The A rchers’ Fatal M is ta k e ................................................................ 312
Khalid bin Al-Walid cuts off the R ear............................................. 3 1 3
The W eakened Position of th e M u slim s ........................................314
The Battle intensifies around Allah's M essenger m ..................31 6
The m ost awkw ard H our in th e M essenger's Life......................3 1 7
The C om panions su rro u n d th e M essenger ............................ 321
The Idolaters increase th e Intensity of B attle..............................322
U nprecedented H ero ism ..................................................................... 322
The Rumor of th e D eath of th e Prophet ^ ..................................324
The M essenger consolidates his Position 324
Ubai bin Khalaf is killed 327
Talhah lifts th e Prophet 3^ ......................................................... 327
The Idolaters' Last A ssault................................................................. 328
M utilation of the M artyrs...................................................................329
The M essenger reaches th e Trail.................................................330
The A ppointm ent to m eet again at B adr.........................................332
Verifying th e M ovem ent of th e Id o la ters......................................332
Checking on th e Dead and W ounded 333
Burial of th e M a rty rs...........................................................................334
The M essenger praises Allah and supplicates to Him 336
Returning to M adinah, th e Display of Love received 337
18 The Sealed Nectar

The M essenger in M a d in a h ......................................................... 339

The N um bers of the D e a d ................................................................. 339
A State of Emergency in M adinah................................................... 339
The Hamra'ul-Asad In v a s io n ............................................................. 340
The O bservations of th e Q u r’an on th e Battle of U h u d 345
Lessons and M oralities........................................................................346
Military Platoons and Missions 348
The Abi Salamah M issio n .................................................................. 349
The M obilization of ’Abdullah bin Unais 4® ............................... 349
Ar-Raji’ M obilization............................................................................. 349
The Tragedy at th e Well of M a’u n a h ..............................................352
The Invasion of Bani A n-N adeer........................................................354
The Second Battle of Badr....................................................................359
The Invasion of D um atul-Jandal........................................................360
The Invasion o f Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) 362
Invading Banu Quraizah 375
Military Activities continued 380
The Killing of Salam bin Abul-Huqaiq............................................ 380
M ission of M uham m ad bin M a sla m a h ......................................... 382
Bani Lihyan In v a s io n .......................................................................... 383
Expeditions and D elegations c o n tin u e d ........................................384
Invasion o f Bani Al-Mustaliq (Muraisi’) 386
The Treacherous Role of the H ypocrites...................................... 387
The W icked Role of H y p o c rite s.......................................................389
The Slander Incident........................................................................... 392
Delegations and Expeditions 395
Al-Hudaibiyah T re aty ...........................................................................398
The C ircum stances of th e 'Umrah of A l-Hudaibiyah...................398
The M uslim s m obilize...........................................................................398
Heading for M a k k a h ........................................................................... 398
The Q uraish atte m p t to block th e M u s lim s .................................399
Changing th e D ire c tio n ......................................................................399
Budail m ed ia te s.................................................................................... 400
The m essengers of Q u ra is h ............................................................. 400
Allah prevented T hem from T reachery........................................... 401
’U thm an 4* is sen t as a m essenger to th e Q u ra ish .................... 402
Contents 19

The Rum or o f ’U th m an ’s D eath and Pledge of R idw an 402

The Treaty and its C la u se s................................................................. 403
The R eturn of Abu Jandal ...............................................................404
Refusing th e R eturn of Em igrant W o m e n ...................................... 406
Im pact of th e Treaty of A l-H udaibiyah........................................... 407
The M uslim s' Grief and 'U m ar’s Expression of t h a t...................409
The Problem o f W eak M uslim s s o lv e d ........................................... 410
The Second S ta g e ................................................................................... 411
A N ew Phase o f Islamic Action 411
The Prophet’s Plans to spread the M essage ................................ 412
1. Letter to Abyssinia (Ethiopia).............................................. 412
2. Letter to th e King of Egypt, called M u q a w q is........................... 415
3. Letter to Chosroes, Em peror of P e rs ia ......................................417
4. The Envoy to Caesar, King of R o m e ........................................... 418
5. Letter to M undhir bin Sawa, G overnor of B ahrain................ 421
6. Letter to H audhah bin 'Ali, Governor of Y am am ah............... 422
7. Letter to Al-Harith Al-Ghassani, King of D a m a sc u s...............423
8 . Letter to th e King of O m an, Jaifer an d his B rother...............424
Post-Hudaibiyah Hostilities 428
The Invasion of Ghabah or Dhi Q a r a d ........................................... 428
The Conquest o f Khaibar 431
The Reasons for th e Battle...................................................................431
H eaded to K haibar..................................................................................431
The N um ber of Soldiers in th e A rm y .............................................. 432
The Hypocrites alert th e J e w s ............................................................432
The Road to K haibar..............................................................................433
The M uslim Army su rro u n d s K haibar.............................................434
The Fortresses of K haibar.................................................................... 435
The M uslim C am p..................................................................................436
Preparing to Fight and th e Good News o f V ictory....................... 436
The actual O peration b e g in s .............................................................. 436
The Second Part of Khaibar c o n q u e re d ........................................... 438
N egotiations.............................................................................................. 439
D istribution of Spoils............................................................................ 439
The M arriage to S a fiy a h .......................................................................440
The Poisoned S h e e p ..............................................................................441
20 The Sealed Nectar

F adak..........................................................................................................441
Wadi A l-O ura...........................................................................................442
Taim a’........................................................................................................ 442
O th e r Invasions 444
Dhat-ur-Riqa' Invasion (7 A .H .).......................................................... 444
The C om p en sato ry 'Umrah 449
T he Battle o f M u’ta h 452
The Army prepares and 'Abdullah c rie s..........................................453
The Army m arches and holds a Council at M a’a n .......................453
The Army heads for th e E n e m y ........................................................454
Dhatus-Salasil M is s io n ......................................................................... 456
The Khadrah M ission............................................................................ 457
The C o n q u est o f M akkah 458
Fre-Conquest E v e n ts ............................................................................. 458
Preparations for th e A ttack .................................................................460
The M uslim Army proceeds to M akkah..........................................461
Abu Sufyan before th e Prophet ................................................... 462
The M uslim Army heads for M akkah..............................................463
The Q uraish prepare for th e Advancing M uslim A rm y 464
The M uslim Army en ters M a k k ah ................................................... 465
The M essenger 3^ enters th e Sacred M osque...............................465
The M essenger 3fe prays in th e K a'bah........................................... 466
Bilal calls th e Adhan at th e K a'bah.............................................467
The Prophet prays a Victory P ra y e r........................................... 468
Shedding th e Blood of th e W orst C rim in als..................................468
Safwan bin Umaiyah accepts Is la m .................................................. 469
The Prophet addresses th e People on th e 2nd D a y 469
The Helpers fear th e Prophet 3fe m ight stay in M a k k a h 470
Taking th e Pledge...................................................................................470
Dispatching Platoons............................................................................. 471
The Third Stage.......................................................................................474
The B attle o f H u n ain 475
The Enem y's M arch and th eir E ncam pm ent at Awtas 475
The W ar-experienced M an w rongs th e Ju d g m en t........................ 475
Spies of the E n e m y ...............................................................................476
Spies of Allah's M essenger 3fe............................................................476
Contents 21

Allah’s M essenger leaves for H u n a in .........................................477

The Archers and th e Attackers stu n n e d th e M u slim s................ 478
The M uslim s retu rn to th e B attlefield.............................................479
Reverse of Fortunes and th e E nem y's u tte r D e fe a t.................... 480
Hot Pursuit of th e Enem y.................................................................... 480
The Invasion of Ta’i f ............................................................................ 481
The D istribution of th e Booty at Al-Ji’r a n a h ..................................483
The D isturbed and Uneasy State of H elpers (Al-Ansar) ........... 485
The Arrival of th e Hawazin D elegation........................................... 486
'Umrah and leaving for M a d in a h ...................................................... 488
M issions a n d P latoons 489
After th e C o n q u e st................................................................................ 489
The M issio n s........................................................................................... 490
The Invasion o f T abuk 495
The underlying R easo n s.......................................................................495
General News about th e Preparations for W ar..............................496
Particular News about th e Preparations for W a r ..........................497
The M uslim Army is leaving for T a b u k .......................................... 500
The Army of Islam at T a b u k ...............................................................502
R eturning to M a d in a h ...........................................................................504
The People W ho lagged b e h in d ......................................................... 505
The Invasion of Tabuk and its C onsequences............................... 508
The Q u ra n ic Verses relating to th is In vasion............................... 509
Some Im portant Events th a t featured th a t Year........................... 509
Abu Bakr & p e rfo rm s th e Pilgrim age 511
A Look a t th e B attles 513
M u ltitu d e s em b race th e R eligion o f Allah 517
T he D elegations 519
T he Success a n d Im pact o f th e Call 534
The Farew ell Pilgrim age 538
The Last E xpedition 547
The Journey to Allah, th e S ublim e 549
Sym ptom s of Farew ell...........................................................................549
The Start of th e D isease.......................................................................559
The Last W e e k .........................................................................................550
Five Days before D e a th ........................................................................ 551
22 The Sealed Nectar

Four Days before His D e a th ................................................................553

A Day or Two prior to D e a th ............................................................. 555
A Day before His D eath ........................................................................ 555
The Last Day He was A live................................................................. 555
The Prophet breathes his L a s t..................................................... 557
The C om panions' concern over th e Prophet's D e a th ..................558
'U m ar's A ttitu d e ......................................................................................558
Abu Bakr's A ttitu d e................................................................................ 559
The Burial and Farewell P rep aratio n s.............................................. 560
The Prophetic Household 562
The Prophet's Character and Manners 572
His Physical A ppearance.......................................................................572
The Perfection of Soul and N obility.................................................577
Bibliographic R eferences.......................................................................555
 Location and Nature of Arab Tribes

Beyond a shadow of doubt, th e biography of Prophet

M uham m ad obviously rep resen ts a com plete picture of the
m agnificent Divine M essage th a t he com m unicated in order to
deliver th e h u m an race from th e sw am p of darkness and
polytheism to th e paradise o f light and m onotheism . An image,
au th en tic as well as com prehensive, of this M essage is therefore
only attainable through careful study and profound analysis of
both backgrounds and issues of such a biography. In view of this,
a w hole chapter is h ere in tro d u ced about th e n a tu re and
developm ent of Arab tribes prior to Islam as w ell as th e
circum stantial env iro n m en t th a t enw rapped th e P rophet's m is­
sion.

Location o f the Arabs

Linguistically, th e w ord "Arab” m eans deserts and barren land

w ith o u t w ater and vegetation. Ever since th e daw n of history, this
term has been used for th e Arabian P eninsula and its people.

The Arabian Peninsula is enclosed in th e w est by th e Red Sea and

Sinai, in th e east by th e Arabian Gulf, in th e so u th by th e Arabian
Sea, w hich is an extension of th e Indian Ocean, and in th e n o rth by
old Syria and p art of Iraq. The area is estim ated betw een one
m illion and one m illion and th ree h u n d re d th o u sa n d square miles.

Thanks to its geographical position, th e p eninsula has always

m aintained great im portance. Considering its internal setting, it is
m ostly deserts and sandy places, w hich has m ade it inaccessible to
foreigners and invaders, and allow ed its people com plete liberty
and independence through th e ages, despite th e presence of two
neighboring great em pires.

Its external setting, on th e o th er hand, caused it to be th e center of

th e old w orld and provided it w ith sea and land links w ith m ost
nations a t th e tim e. Thanks to th is strategic position, th e Arabian
Peninsula had becom e th e center for trade, culture, religion and art.
24 The Sealed Nectar

Arab Tribes
Arab peoples have been divided according to lineage into th ree
groups:
1. Perishing Arabs: The ancient Arabs, of w hose history little is
know n, and of w hom w ere 'Ad. T ham ud, Tasm, Jadis, Emlaq and
others.
2. Pure Arabs: W ho originated from the progeny of Ya'rub bin
Yashjub bin Q ahtan. They w ere also called Q ahtanian Arabs.
3. Arabized Arabs: W ho originated from th e progeny of Ishm ael.
They w ere also called 'A dnanian Arabs.
The pure Arabs - the people of Q ahtan - originally lived in Yemen
and com prised m any tribes, two of w hich w ere very famous:
a) Himyar: The m ost fam ous of w hose ancestors w ere Zaid Al-
Jam hur, Q uda'ah and Sakasic.
b) Kahlan: The m ost fam ous of w hose ancestors w ere Hamdan,
Anmar, Tai', M udhhij, Kindah, Lakhm, Judham , Azd, Aws, Khazraj
and the descendants of Jafnah - th e kings of old Syria.
The Kahlan tribes em igrated from Yemen to dwell in th e different
parts of the Arabian Peninsula prior to the Great Flood (Sail Al-
A rim of th e M a'arib Dam). They did this due to th e failure of
trade under the Roman pressure and control of both sea and land
trade routes following th e Roman occupation of Egypt and Syria.
Naturally enough, th e com petition betw een Kahlan and Himyar
led to th e evacuation of the first and the se ttle m en t of th e second
in Yemen.
The em igrating tribes of Kahlan can be divided into four groups:
1. Al-Azd: W ho w andered in Yemen, sen t pioneers u n d e r the
leadership of 'Im ran bin 'Amr M uzayqiya’, and finally headed to
the no rth and th e east. Details of th eir em igration can be sum m ed
up as follows:
Tha'labah bin 'Amr left his tribe Al-Azd for Hijaz, and dw elt
betw een T ha’labiyah and Dhi Qar. W hen he gained strength, he
headed for M adinah w here he stayed, O f his descendants are Aws
Location and Nature o f Arab Tribes 25

and Khazraj, sons of H arithah bin Tha'labah.

H arithah bin 'Amr, know n as Khuza'ah, w andered w ith his
offspring in Hijaz u ntil they came to M arr Az-Zahran. Later, they
conquered th e Haram, and settled in M akkah after having driven
away its people, th e tribe of Jurhum ,
'Im ran bin 'Amr and his family w e n t to 'O m an w here they
established th e tribe of Azd w hose offspring inhabited Tiham ah
and w ere know n as Azd of Shanu'ah. Jafnah bin 'Amr and his
family, headed for Syria w here he settled and initiated the
kingdom of Ghassan w ho was so nam ed after a spring of water, in
Hijaz, w here they stopped on their way to Syria,
2. Lakhm and Judham: O f w hom was Nasr bin Rabi'ah, founder of
th e M anadhirah Kings of Heerah,
3. Banu Tai’: W ho also em igrated northw ards to settle by th e so-
called Aja and Salma M ountains w hich w ere accordingly nam ed
the Tai’ M ountains.
4. Kindah: W ho dw elt in Bahrain b u t w ere expelled to H adram out
and Najd, they had no strength here as they had none in Bahrain,
and so they settled in Najd. T here they had an im p o rtan t rulership
although it did not last long, for th e w hole tribe soon faded away.
A nother tribe of Himyar, know n as O uda'ah, also left Yemen and
dw elt in the Samawah d esert on the borders of Iraq.111
The Arabized Arabs go back in ancestry to th eir great-grandfather
Abraham from a tow n called "Ar" near Kufah on th e w est
bank of the E uphrates in Iraq. Excavations brought to light m any
details of th e town, A braham 's family, and th e prevalent religions
and social circum stances.
It is know n th a t Abraham & left Ar for H arran and th e n for

[1] For the details of these tribes and their migration routes, see th e following:
Nasab M a'd wal-Yaman Al-Kabir. Jamharatun-Nasab, Al-’lqdul-Farid. Qala'idul-
Juman, Nihayatul-Arab, Tarikh lbn Khaldun. Saba'ikudh-Dhahab and others
am ong the many different historical references for these m igrations and th eir
causes. After going through all of these references we have m entioned here w hat
is m ost preferred in th e light of th e proofs.
26 The Sealed Nectar

Palestine, w hich he m ade headquarters for his M essage. He

w andered all over the area.111 W hen he w e n t to Egypt, th e Pharaoh
tried to do evil to his wife Sarah, b u t Allah saved h er and the
Pharaoh's wicked schem e recoiled on him . He th u s came to realize
h er strong attach m en t to Allah, and, in acknow ledgm ent of her
grace, th e Pharaoh rendered his daughter Hagar121 at Sarah's
service.

But Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham HSB as a w ife131 and Abraham

retu rn ed to Palestine w here Hagar gave birth to Ishm ael ifcgl. Sarah
becam e jealous of Hagar and forced Abraham to send Hagar and
h er baby away to a plantless valley in Hijaz, by the Sacred House,
exposed to th e floods from th e no rth and south.

He chose for them a place u n d er a lofty tree near th e upper side of

th e M osque in M akkah, w here n eith er people nor w ater w ere
available, and w e n t back to Palestine leaving a leath er case w ith
som e dates and a vessel of w ater w ith his w ife and baby. Before
long, they ran o u t of both food and w ater, b u t thanks to Allah's
favor w ater gushed forth to sustain th em for som etim e. The story
of the Zamzam spring is well know n to everybody.141

Another Yemeni tribe-Jurhum the Second-cam e and lived in

Makkah upon Hagar’s perm ission, after being said to have lived in
the valleys around Makkah. It is m entioned in Sahih Al-Bukhari that
this tribe came to Makkah before Ishmael was a young m an while
they had passed through th at valley long before this event.151

Abraham used to go to M akkah every now and th e n to see his

w ife and son. The num ber of th ese journeys is still unknow n, b u t
dependable historical references have m en tioned four.

[1] Tarikh Ibn Khaldun.

[2] It is popularly believed th a t Hagar was a slave girl, b u t th e great scholar and
w riter Qadi M uham m ad Sulaiman M ansurpuri has indeed verified th a t she was
not a slave but in fact the daughter of Pharaoh. (Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 2/36, 37;
Tarikh Ibn Khaldun 2/MT7).
[3] See Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 2/34. For th e detailed story see Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/474.
[4] See Sahih Al-Bukhari. the Book o f th e Prophets 1/474, 475 (nos. 3364. 3365).
[5] See Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/475 (no. 3365).
Location and Nature o f Arab Tribes 27

Allah th e Sublim e stated in th e Noble Q u r'an th a t He had

Abraham see, in his dream , th a t he slaughtered his son
Ishm ael >&3, and therefore Abraham & stood up to fulfill His
Order:

c JL-jhyUS j! O ULl

"Then, w h en they had both subm itted them selves (to the
Will of Allah), and he had laid him p rostrate on his forehead
(or on th e side o f his forehead for slaughtering); and We
called o u t to him : 'O Abraham! You have fulfilled th e dream
(vision)!' Verily, th u s do w e rew ard th e M u h sin u n (good-
doers, w ho perform good deeds totally for Allah's sake only,
w ith o u t any show off or to gain praise or fame, etc. and do
th em in accordance to Allah's Orders). Verily, th a t indeed
w as a m anifest trial - and We ransom ed him w ith a great
sacrifice (i.e. a ram )." [37:103-107]
It is m en tioned in th e Genesis th a t Ishm ael 85® was th irte e n years
older th an his b ro th er Isaac >&@l. The sequence of th e story of the
sacrifice o f Ishm ael show s th a t it really hap p en ed before
Isaac’s birth, and th a t Allah’s Prom ise to give Abraham
an o th er son, Isaac >fc3, came after narration of th e w hole story.
This story spoke of one journey - at least - before Ishm ael %B
becam e a young m an. Al-Bukhari,m on th e authority of Ibn 'Abbas,
reported th e o th er th ree journeys; a sum m ary of w hich goes as
follows:
After Ishm ael <*5® becam e a young m an, having learned Arabic
from th e tribe of Jurhum w ho loved him w ith great adm iration
and gave him one of th eir w om en as a wife, his m o th er died.
W anting to see his w ife and son again, Abraham came to
M akkah, after Ishm ael's marriage, b u t he did n o t find him at
hom e.
He asked Ishm ael's w ife about h er hu sb an d and how they w ere

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/475. 476.

28 The Sealed Nectar

doing. She com plained of poverty, so he asked h er to tell Ishm ael

to change his doorstep. Ishm ael understood th e m essage,
divorced his w ife and got m arried again.
According to th e m ost com m on saying, he m arried th e daughter of
M udad bin 'Amr, chief of th e tribe of Jurhum .
Once m ore, Abraham %Sl came to see his son, b u t again did not
find him at hom e. He asked his new w ife th e sam e previous
question, upon w hich she than k ed Allah. Abraham asked her
to tell Ishm ael to keep his doorstep (i.e. to keep h er as wife) and
w e n t back to Palestine.
A th ird tim e, Abraham came to M akkah to find Ishm ael
sharpening an arrow u n d er a lofty tree near Zamzam. The
m eeting, after a very long journey of separation, was very touching
for a father so affectionate and a son so d u tiful and righteous.
This tim e, father and son b u ilt Al-Ka'bah and raised its pillars; and
Abraham >&0, in com pliance w ith Allah's C om m andm ent, called
unto people to perform pilgrimage to it.
By the grace of Allah, Ishm ael &S had twelve sons from the
daughter of M udad. w hose nam es w ere Nabet, Oidar, Edbael,
M ebsham , M ishm a', Duma, Micha, H udud, Yetma, Yetour, Nafis
and O idm an, and w ho ultim ately form ed tw elve tribes inhabiting
M akkah and trading betw een Yemen, geographical Syria and
Egypt.
Later on, these tribes spread all over, and even outside, the
peninsula. All their offspring becam e untraceable except for the
descendants of Nabet and Qidar.
The N abeteans - sons of Nabet - established a flourishing
civilization in th e no rth of Hijaz, they in stitu ted a pow erful
governm ent th a t spread its dom ain over all neighboring tribes,
and m ade Petra th eir capital. Nobody dared challenge their
authority until th e Romans came and m anaged to elim inate
their kingdom .
A group of investigating scholars inclined to the view th at the
Ghassanide kings, along w ith the Aws and Khazraj w ere not
Location and Nature o f Arab Tribes 29

Q ahtanians b u t rather descendants of Nabet, th e son of Ishm ael,

w ho rem ained in the region. Im am Al-Bukhari also inclined to this
view, and Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar preferred th e view th a t O ahtan was
am ong th e descendants of N abet.111
D escendants of Qidar, the son of Ishm ael lived long in
M akkah increasing in num ber, of th em issued 'Adnan and his son
M a'ad, to w hom 'A dnanian Arabs traced th eir ancestry, 'Adnan is
th e tw enty-first grandfather in th e series of th e Prophetic
ancestry,
It was said th a t w henever Prophet M uham m ad spoke of his
ancestry, he w ould stop at 'Adnan and say: "Genealogists tell lies"
and did not go farther th an h im .l2)
A group of scholars, however, favored th e probability of going
beyond 'Adnan, considering th e aforem entioned Hadith to be
unauthentic. They w en t on to say th a t th ere w ere exactly forty
fathers betw een 'Adnan and Abraham y&B.
Nizar, M a’ad's only son, had four sons w ho branched out into four
great tribes: Eyad, Anmar, Rabi'ah and M udar.
These last two subbranched into several tribes. Rabi'ah fathered
Asad, 'Anazah, 'Abdul-Oais, and W a'il's two sons (Bakr and
Taghlib), Hanifah and m any others.
M udar tribes branched o u t into tw o great divisions: Oais 'Ailan
bin M udar and tribes of Elias bin M udar. From Qais Ailan came
Banu Sulaim, Banu Hawazin, and Banu G hatafan of w hom
descended 'Abs, Dhubyan, Ashja' and Gbani bin A'sur.
From Elias bin M udar came Tam im bin M urrah, Hudhail bin
M udrikah, Banu Asad bin Khuzaim ah and the tribe of Kinanah bin
Khuzaimah, of w hom came O uraish, the descendants of Fihr bin
Malik bin An-Nadr bin Kinanah.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari, Hadith no. 3507: Fathul-Bari 6/621-623. See also Nasab Ma d
wal-Yaman Al-Kabir 1/131-
[2] See Tarikh At-Tabari 2/191 194. and Al-A'lam 5/6.
[3] Ibn S a d 1/56, Tarikh At-Tabari 2/191. Tarikh Ibn Khaldun 2/2/298. Fathul-Bari 6/
622. Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 2/7', 8. 14, 15. 16. 17.
30 The Sealed N ectar

Q uraish branched out into various tribes, th e m ost fam ous of

w hom w ere Jum ah, Sahm, 'Adi, M akhzum , Tayim, Zahrah and th e
tribes of Qusai bin Kilab, consisting of 'Abdud-Dar bin Qusai, Asad
bin 'Abdul-’Uzza bin Qusai and 'Abd M anaf bin Qusai.
There w ere four divisions of th e tribe of 'Abd Manaf: ’Abd Shams.
Nawfal, M uttalib and Hashim. It is, how ever, from th e family of
Hashim th a t Allah selected th e Prophet M uham m ad bin
'Abdullah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib bin Hashim.
The Prophet M uham m ad said:

jJ j Ij j j\ jJ j ^ g \ a ./> I aI)I jl»

ji ^jA ■s* (, 12L>j S Aj US' ^jA ^ A \ a .sA CAj c S

t> *
"Allah selected Ishm ael from th e sons of Abraham, Kinanah
from th e sons of Ishm ael, Q uraish from th e sons of
Kinanah, H ashim from th e sons of Q uraish and He selected
m e from th e sons of H ashim ."111
Al-’Abbas bin 'Abdul-M uttalib quoted Allah's Prophet ^ as saying:

y y Jb d «i>' d l11
O ’ I I A_l_~utj 1 ^jA IdiJ I t ^j ~Aj j A ] I
II \*°' 8 0 ^ ^\
u LwO J* > -j
0 **0' \'\'
L w v JL ) j a S»~ u L9 c
0 .a* j *j j a
o'.' 0
S>~
\' ' '

"Allah created th e creatures and m ade m e am ong th e b est of

them , He chose th e tribes and selected m e from th e best
w hereof; and He chose fam ilies and m ade m e am ong the
best of them . T hen He chose th e households, m aking m e
am ong th e b est of th eir households, I am th e b est of them
in person and th e best of th em in h o u se h o ld ."121
Having increased in num ber, children of ’A dnan spread out over

[1] Recorded by M uslim from W athilah bin Al-Asqa', th e chapter of the Virtue of th e
Lineage of the Prophet sg 2/245; and At-Tirm idhi 2/201.
[2] At-Tirmidhi, th e Book o f Al-Manaqib. th e chapter of w hat is narrated about the
Virtue of th e Prophet 2/201.
Location and Nature o f Arab Tribes 31

Arabia in p u rsu it of pastures and w ater. 'Abdul-Qais, together w ith

som e tribes of Bakr bin W a'il and Tam im , em igrated to Bahrain.
Banu H anifah bin Sa'b bin Ali bin Bakr w e n t to settle in Hajr, the
capital of Yamamah. All th e tribes of Bakr bin W a’il lived in an area
of land th a t included Yamamah, Bahrain, Saif Kazimah, the
seashore, th e outer borders of Iraq. Ablah and Hait.
M ost of th e tribe of Taghlib lived in th e E uphrates area w hile
som e of th em lived w ith Bakr. Banu Tam im lived in th e d esert of
Basrah. Banu Sulaim in th e vicinity of M adinah on th e land
stretching from W adi Al-Qura to Khaibar onw ards to Harrah.
Thaqif dw elt in T a'if and Hawazin east of M akkah near Awtas on
th e route from M akkah to Basrah. Banu Asad lived on th e land
east of Taim a’ and w est of Kufah, w hile family of Tai' lived
betw een Banu Asad and Taim a’. They w ere a five-day-walk far
from Kufah. D hubyan inhabited th e area betw een Taim a' and
Hawran.
Some divisions of Kinanah lived in Tiham ah, w hile som e of the
Q uraish dw elt in M akkah and its suburbs. The Q uraish rem ained
com pletely d isunited u ntil Q usai bin Kilab m anaged to rally their
ranks on honorable term s, attaching m ajor prom inence to th eir
status and im portance.111

[1] M uhadarat Tarikh Al-Umam Al-Islamiyah by Al-Khudari, 1/15. 16.

 Rule and Government among the Arabs

W hen talking about th e Arabs before Islam, we see th a t it is

necessary to outline the history of rule, governm ent, sectarianism ,
and the religious dom ination of th e Arabs, to facilitate the
u n d e rsta n d in g of th e e m erg en t circum stances w h e n Islam
appeared. W hen the sun of Islam rose, rulers of Arabia w ere of
two kinds: crow ned kings, w ho w ere in fact not independent; and
heads of tribes and clans, w ho enjoyed the sam e authorities and
privileges possessed by crow ned kings and w ere m ostly in d ep en ­
dent, though som e of them may have show n som e kind of
subm ission to a crow ned king. The crow ned kings w ere those of
Yemen, and those of geographical Syria; th e Family of G hassan
and the M onarchy of Heerah. All other rulers of Arabia w ere n o n ­
crowned.

Rule in Y em en

In Yemen, the people of Sheba w ere one of the oldest know n

nations of the pure Arabs. M ention has been m ade of them as
early as th e 25th century B.C., according to excavations u n d e r­
taken at Or. Their civilization flourished, and th eir dom ain spread
in the 11th century B.C. It is possible to divide their ages to the
following estim ation:

1. From 1300 to 650 B.C.. th eir nation was know n as 'M a'iniyah'
during w hich their kings w ere called 'M akrib Sheba'. Their capital
was Sarwah, also know n as Kharibah. w hose ruins lie approx. 50
xms. north w est of Ma'rib, and 142 km s. easr of S a n a '. D uring this
period, they began building th e Dam of M a'rib w hich had great
im portance in the history of Yemen. Sheba iiad so great a dom ain
th at they had colonies inside and outside Arabia.

2. From 620 B.C. to 115 B.C. D uring this era, their nation was
know n by th e nam e Sheba. They left th e nam e M akrib and
assum ed th e designation of Kings of Sheba. They also m ade M a'rib
Rule and Governm ent among the Arabs 33

their capital instead of Sarwah. The ruins of M a'rib lie at a

distance of 192 east of S a n a '.111

3. From 115 B.C. until 300 C.E. D uring this period, th e nation
becam e know n as Him yariyah th e First after the tribe of Himyar
conquered th e kingdom of Sheba m aking Redan th eir capital
instead of M a'rib. Later on, Redan was called Zifar. Its ruins still
lie on M udaw w ar M ountain near th e tow n of Yarim. D uring this
period, they began to decline and fall. Their trade failed to a great
extent; firstly, because of th e N abetean dom ain over n o rth ern
Hijaz; secondly, because of th e Roman superiority over th e naval
trade routes after th e Roman conquest of Egypt, Syria and
n o rth ern Hijaz; and thirdly, because of th e inter-tribal warfare.
Because of th e three above-m entioned factors, th e fam ilies of
O ahtan rem ained d isunited and scattered about.

4. From 300 C.E. until Islam daw ned in Yemen. D uring this period
the nation was know n as Him yariyah th e Second, and it w itnessed
increasing disorder and turm oil, followed by civil rebellion and
outbreaks of tribal wars rendering th e people of Yemen liable to
foreign subjection and hence loss of independence. D uring this
era, th e Romans conquered 'Adn and even helped th e Abyssinians
(Ethiopians) to occupy Yemen for th e first tim e in 340 C.E.,
m aking use of the constant intra-tribal conflict in H am dan and
Himyar. The Abyssinian (Ethiopian) occupation of Yemen lasted
until 378 C.E., w here after Yemen regained its independence.
Later on, cracks began to show in th e M a'rib Dam w hich led to the
Great Flood (450 or 451 C.E.) m entioned in th e Noble O u r’an. This
w as a great event, w hich caused th e fall of the entire Yemeni
civilization and th e dispersal of th e nations living therein.

In 523. Dhu Nawas, a Jew, dispatched a great cam paign against the
C hristians of Najran in order to force them to convert to Judaism .
Having refused to do so, they w ere throw n alive into a big ditch
w here a great fire was set. The Q u r'an referred to this event:

[1] Muhadarat Tarikh Al-Umam Al-Islamiyah by Al-Khudari, 1/15.16. Al-Yaman

Abrat-Tarikh pp. 77. 83. 124, 130. and Tarikhul 'Arab Qablal-Islam 101-112.
34 The Sealed Nectar

"C ursed w e re th e p eo p le o f th e d itc h ." [85:4]

This aroused great w rath am ong th e C hristians, and especially th e
Roman em perors, w ho n o t only instigated th e Abyssinians
(Ethiopians) against Arabs b u t also assem bled a large fleet of
seventy th o u san d w arriors, w hich helped the Abyssinian (Ethio­
pian) arm y to affect a second conquest of Yemen in 525 C.E.,
un d er th e leadership of Eriat. He was granted rulership over
Yemen, a position he held until he was assassinated by one of his
arm y leaders, Abrahah, w ho, after reconciliation w ith th e king of
Abyssinia, took rulership over Yemen and, later on, deployed his
soldiers to dem olish Al-Ka'bah, and hence, h e and his soldiers
came to be know n as th e "M en of th e E lephant".
In th e year 575 C.E., after the "E lephant" incident, th e people of
Yemen, u n d er th e leadership of M a'dikarib bin Saif D hu Yazin Al-
Himyari, and through Persian assistance, revolted against the
A byssinian (Ethiopian) invaders, resto red in d ep en d en ce and
appointed M a'dikarib as th eir king. However, M a'dikarib was
assassinated by som e of his Abyssinian (Ethiopian) servants. The
family of D hu Yazin was th u s deprived of royalty forever. Kisra,
th e Persian king, appointed a Persian ruler over S ana, and th u s
m ade Yemen a Persian colony. Persian rulers m aintained rulership
of Yemen u n til Badhan, th e last of them , em braced Islam in 638
C.E., th u s term inating th e Persian dom ain over Yem en.111

Rulership in Heerah
Ever since Korosh the Great (557-529 B.C.) united th e Persians,
they ruled Iraq and its neighborhood. Nobody could shake their
authority until Alexander th e Great vanquished th eir king Dara I
and th u s subdued th e Persians in 326 B.C. Persian lands w ere

[1] For details see Al-Yaman Abrat-Tarikh pp. 77. 83. 124. 130. 157. 161. Tarikh Ardil-
Qur'art 1/133. and Tarikhul- Arab Qablal-Islam 101-151. There is a considerable
am ount of discrepancy in th e historical references for these dates. Indeed some
such details are m entioned in th e Q ur'an: "Indeed these are bu t tales of the
ancients.” [23:83]
Rule and Governm ent among the Arabs 35

thenceforth divided and ruled by kings know n as "the Kings of

Sects” , an era th a t lasted u n til 230 C.E. M eanw hile, th e
Q ah tan ian s occupied som e Iraqi territories, and w ere later
followed by som e 'A dnanians w ho m anaged to share som e parts
of M esopotam ia w ith them .
The Persians, u n d e r th e lea d e rsh ip of A rdashir, w ho had
established the Sasanian state in 226 A.D, regained enough unity
and pow er to subdue th e Arabs living in th e vicinity of their
kingdom , and force th e Q u d a’ah tribe to leave for Syria, leaving
th e people o f H eerah and Anbar u n d er th e Persian dom ain.
D uring th e tim e of Ardashir, Jadhim ah Alwaddah exercised
rulership over H eerah and th e rest of th e Iraqi d esert area
including Rabi’ah and M udar in M esopotam ia. A rdashir had
reckoned th a t it w as im possible for him to rule th e Arabs directly
and prevent th em from attacking his borders unless he appointed
one of th em w ho enjoyed su p p o rt and pow er of his tribe as a king.
He had also seen th a t he could m ake use of th em against the
Byzantine kings w ho always harassed him . At th e sam e tim e, the
Arabs of Iraq could face th e Arabs of Syria w ho w ere in th e hold of
Byzantine kings. However, he deem ed it fit to keep a Persian
battalion u n d e r com m and of th e king of H eerah to be used against
those Arabs w ho m ight rebel against him .
After th e d eath of Jadhim ah, and during the era of Kisra Sabour
bin Ardashir, 'Amr bin 'Adi bin Nasr Al-Lakhmi was ruler of
H eerah and Anbar (268-288 C.E.). The Lakhm i kings rem ained in
rule of H eerah u n til th e Persians ap p o in ted Qabaz bin Fairuz in
w hose reign appeared som eone called M azdak, w ho called for
dissoluteness in social life. Qabaz. and m any of his subjects,
em braced M azdak's religion and even called upon th e king of
Heerah, Al-M undhir bin M a’-us-Sama' (512-554 C.E.), to follow
suite. W hen th e latter, because o f his pride and self-respect,
rejected th eir call, Qabaz discharged him and nom inated H arith
bin 'Amr bin Hajar Al-Kindi, w ho had accepted th e M azdak
doctrine.
No sooner did Kisra Anu Shairw an succeed Qabaz th an he, due to
36 The Sealed Nectar

hatred of M azdak's philosophy, killed M azdak and m any of his

followers, restored M undhir to th e th ro n e of Heerah, and gave
orders to sum m on u n d e r arrest Harith w ho sought refuge w ith Al-
Kalb tribe w here he sp e n t th e rest of his life.

Sons of Al-M undhir bin M a'-us-Sama’ m aintained kingship a long

tim e until An-Nu'm an bin Al-M undhir took over. Because of a
calum ny borne by Zaid bin 'Adi Al-'Abbadi. th e Persian king got
angry at An-Nu'm an and sum m oned him to his palace. An-Nu'm an
w e n t secretly to Hani bin M as'ud, chief of Shaiban tribe, and left
his w ealth and family u n d e r the latter's protection, and th en
presented h im self before the Persian king, w ho im m ediately
threw him into prison until his death. Kisra, then, appointed Eyas
bin Q ubaisah At-Ta'i as king of Heerah. Eyas was ordered to tell
Hani bin M as'ud to deliver A n-N u'm an's charge up to Kisra. No
sooner th an had th e Persian king received th e fanatically
m otivated rejection on th e part of th e Arab chief, he declared
w ar against the tribe of Shaiban. He m obilized his troops and
w arriors u n d er th e leadership of King Eyas to a place called Dhi
Oar w hich w itnessed a m ost furious battle w herein the Persians
w ere severely routed by th e Arabs for the first tim e in h isto ry .111
They say th a t this occurred very soon after th e birth of Prophet
M uham m ad eight m o n th s after Eyas bin O ubaisah's rise to
power over Heerah.

After Eyas, a Persian ruler nam ed Azadhabah was appointed over

Heerah. ruling for seventeen years (614-631 C.E.) after w hich the
authority returned to the family of Lakhm w h en Al-M undhir Al-
M a'rur took over. Hardly had th e latter's reign lasted for eight
m onths w hen Khalid bin Al-Walid 4* fell upon him w ith M uslim
soldiers.121

[1] That was reported in a tradition in M usnad Khalifah bin Khaiyat p. 24, and Ibn
S a d 7/77.
[2] Muhadarat Tarikh Al-Umam Al-Islamiyah 1/29-32 The details are m entioned by
At-Tabari. Al-Mas'udi. Ibn Qutaibah, Ibn Khaldun. Al-Baladhiri, and Ibnul-Athir
and others.
Rule and Governm ent among the Arabs 37

Rulership in Geographical Syria

D uring th e tribal em igrations, som e branches of th e Q uda'ah tribe
reached th e borders of geographical Syria w h ere they settled
dow n. They belonged to th e fam ily o f Sulaih bin Halwan, of w hose
offspring w ere th e sons of Daj'am bin Sulaih know n as Ad-
Daja'im ah. The tribes of Q u d a’ah w ere used by th e Byzantines in
th e defense of th e Byzantine borders against both Arab bedouin
raiders and th e Persians. A king was p u t in charge of them . O ne of
th eir m ost fam ous kings w as Ziyad bin Al-Habulah.They enjoyed
autonom y for a considerable phase of tim e th a t lasted from the
beginning of th e first century to near th e end of th e second
century C.E. Their au thority how ever ended upon defeat by the
G hassanides w ho w ere consequently granted th e proxy rulership
over th e Arabs of Syria an d had D u m a t u l- J a n d a l as th eir
headquarters, w hich lasted u n til th e battle o f Yarmuk in th e year
13 A.H. Their last king Jabalah bin Al-Aihum em braced Islam
during th e reign of th e Chief of believers, 'Um ar bin Al-
Khattab 4 ® 111

Rulership in Hijaz
Ishm ael >&lll adm inistered au thority over M akkah as well as
custodianship of th e Al-Ka’bah th ro u g h o u t his lifetim e. Upon his
death, at the age of 137,121 two of his sons succeeded him ; Nabet
th en Qidar. They also say th e opposite in order. Later on, their
m aternal grandfather, M udad bin 'Amr Al-Jurhumi took over, th u s
transferring rulership over M akkah to th e tribe of Jurhum ,
preserving a venerable position. Very little au thority rem ained for
Ishm ael's sons even though they held a sacred status since it was
th eir father w ho b uilt Al-Ka'bah.131
Time passed w ith o u t th e case of th e children of Ishm ael changing,
u n til th e rule of Jurhum declined prior to th e invasion of

[1] ibid.
[2] Genesis 25:17. Tarikh At-Tabari 1:314.
[3] Ibn Hisham 1/111-113. w here he only m entioned th e rule of Nabet am ong th e
sons of Ishmael 30M.
38 The Sealed Nectar

Bukhtanassar. The political role of th e 'A dnanides had begun to

gain firm er grounds in M akkah, w hich could be clearly a ttested to
by th e fact th a t upon B ukhtanassar's first invasion of th e Arabs in
D hati 'Irq, th e leader of the Arabs w as from th e 'A dnanides n ot
from Ju rh u m .111
Upon B ukhtanassar’s second invasion in 587 B.C., how ever, the
'A dnanides w ere frightened o u t to Yemen, w hile th e Israelite
proclaim ed Prophet Burkhiya fled to Syria from Harran w ith
M a'ad. But w h e n B uk h tan assar's p ressu re lessen ed , M a'ad
retu rn ed to M akkah to find none of the tribe of Jurhum except
Jursham bin Jalham ah, w hose daughter, M u'anah, w as given to
M a'ad as wife. She later had a son by him nam ed Nizar.121
On account of difficult living conditions and poverty prevalent in
M akkah, the tribe of Jurhum began to treat visitors of Al-Ka'bah
poorly and obtain by force its fu n d s .131 T hat aroused rese n tm e n t
and hatred of th e 'A dnanides (sons of Bakr bin 'Abd M anaf bin
Kinanah). They, w ith th e help of th e tribe of K huza'ah th a t had
come to settle in a neighboring area called M arr Az-Zahran,
invaded Jurhum and frightened th em out of M akkah. Rulership
was left to Q uda'ah in th e m iddle of th e second century C.E.
Upon leaving M akkah, Jurhum filled up th e well of Zamzam.
levelled its place and buried a great m any things in it. 'Amr bin Al-
Harith bin M udad Al-Jurhum i141 was reported by Ibn Ishaq to have
buried the two gold deer of Al-Ka'bah, together w ith th e Black
Stone in th e Zamzam well, after sealing it up, he and th o se w ith
him escaped to Yem en.151

Ishm ael's period is estim ated to have lasted for tw enty centuries
B.C. It m eans th at Jurhum stayed in M akkah for tw enty-one
centuries and held rulership th ere for about tw enty centuries.

[1] Tarikh At-Tabari 1:559.

[2] Tarikh At-Tabari 1:559-560. 2/271. and Fathul-Bari 6/622.
[31 Tarikh At-Tabari 2:284.
[4] This is not th e earlier M udad Al-Jurhumi Al-Akbar w ho was m entioned in the
story of Ishmael
[5] Ibn Hisham 1/114,115.
Rule and Government among the Arabs 39

Upon defeat of Jurhum , th e tribe of K huza'ah m onopolized

rulership over M akkah. M udar tribes, how ever, enjoyed three
privileges:

The First: Leading pilgrim s from 'Arafat to M uzdalifah and during

th e rites at M ina on th e Day of Sacrifice. This w as th e authority of
th e family of Al-Ghawth bin M urrah, d escendants of Elias bin
M udar. w ho w ere called 'Sufah'. This privilege m ean t th a t the
pilgrim s w ere n o t allowed to throw stones at Al-’Aqabah u n til one
of th e Sufah m en did that. W hen they finished stoning and
w anted to leave th e valley of Mina, Sufah m en stood on th e two
sides of Al-'Aqabah and nobody w ould pass th a t position u n til the
m en of Sufah passed and cleared th e way for th e pilgrim s. W hen
th e Sufah perished, th e fam ily of Sa'd bin Zaid M anat from the
Tam im tribe in h erited th e responsibility.

The Second: Al-Ifadah (leaving for M ina after M uzdalifah) on

sacrifice m orning, and this was th e responsibility of th e fam ily of
Ad wan.

The Third: P ostponem ent of th e sacred m onths, and this was the
responsibility of th e fam ily of Tam im bin 'Adi from Bani
K inanah.111

Khuza’a h ’s reign in M akkah lasted for th re e h u n d red y ears,121

during w hich, th e ’A dnanides spread all over Najd and th e sides of
Bahrain and Iraq, w hile sm all branches of th e Q uraish rem ained
on th e sides of M akkah; they w ere Halloul, Sarim and som e other
fam ilies of Kinanah. They enjoyed no privileges over M akkah or
th e Sacred House u ntil th e appearance of Q usai bin Kilab,131 w hose
father is said to have died w h e n h e was still a baby, and w hose
m other subsequently m arried Rabi'ah bin Haram, from th e tribe of
Bani 'U dhrah. Rabi'ah took his w ife and h er baby to his hom eland
on th e borders of Syria. W hen Q usai becam e a young m an, he
retu rn ed to M akkah, w hich w as ruled by Hulail bin H abshah from

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/44-119. 120-122.

[2] Yaqut M addah's M akkah and Fathul-Bari 6:633.
[3] Ibn Hisham 1/117.
40 The Sealed Nectar

Khuza’ah, w ho gave Q usai his daughter, Hobbah, as wife, After

Hulail's death, a w ar betw een th e Khuza’ah and th e Q uraish broke
o ut resulting in O usai’s taking hold of M akkah and th e Sacred
H ouse.111

The Reasons o f this War have been illustrated in Three

Versions
The First: Having noticed the spread of his offspring, increase of
his property and exalt of his h onor after H ulail’s death, Ousai
found him self m ore entitled th an th e tribes of Khuza’ah and Bani
Bakr to shoulder th e responsibility of rulership over M akkah and
custodianship of th e Sacred House. He also advocated th at
O uraish w ere the chiefs of Ishm ael’s descendants. He consulted
Q uraish and Kinanah to expel Khuza’ah and Bani Bakr from
M akkah and they supported h im .121
The Second: The Khuza’ah claimed th at Hulail requested Qusai to
hold custodianship of Al-Ka’bah and rulership over M akkah after
his d e a th .131
The Third: Hulail gave th e right of Al-Ka’bah service to his
daughter Hobbah and appointed Abu G hubshan Al-Khuza’i to
function as her agent w hereof. Upon Hulail's death. Qusai bought
this right for a leather bag of w ine, w hich aroused dissatisfaction
am ong th e m en of K huza'ah and they tried to keep th e
custodianship of the Sacred House away from Qusai. The latter,
however, w ith th e help of Q uraish and Kinanah, m anaged to take
over and even to expel Khuza'ah com pletely from M akkah.141
W hatever th e tru th m ight have been, th e w hole affair resulted in
the deprivation of Sufah of th eir privileges, previously m entioned;
evacuation of Khuza’ah and Bakr from M akkah and transfer of
rulership over M akkah, and custodianship of th e Holy Sanctuary
to Qusai; after fierce wars betw een Q usai and K huza'ah inflicting

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/117-118.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/117-118.
[3] Ibn Hisham 1/118.
[4] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 2/55. Fathul-Bari 6/634, Al-Ya'qubi 1/239. Al-M as'udi 2/58.
Rule and Government among the Arabs 41

heavy casualties on both sides, reconciliation and th e n arbitration

of Ya'm ur bin 'Awf, from th e tribe of Bakr, w hose judgm ent
e n ta ile d eligibility of Q u sa i's ru le rsh ip over M akkah and
custodianship of th e Sacred House; Q usai’s irresponsibility for
K huza'ah’s b loodshed, and im p o sitio n of blood m oney on
K huza'ah and Banu Bakr.111 O usai’s reign over M akkah and the
Sacred H ouse began in 440 C.E.,121 and allowed him , and the
Q uraish after him , absolute ru lership over M akkah and u n d is­
puted custodianship of th e Sacred H ouse to w hich Arabs from all
over Arabia came to pay hom age.
Q usai brought his kinspeople to M akkah and allocated it to them ,
allowing Q uraish som e dw ellings there. An-Nus’a, th e fam ilies of
Safwan, Adwan, M urrah bin ’Awf preserved th e sam e rights they
used to enjoy before his arrival.131
A significant achievem ent credited to Q usai was th e establishm ent
of An-Nadwah H ouse (an assem bly house) on th e n o rth e rn side of
Al-Ka'bah, to serve as a m eeting place for th e Q uraish. This was
very beneficial for the Q uraish because it secured unity of
opinions am ong th em and cordial solutions to th eir problem s.141
Q usai enjoyed th e following privileges of leadership and honor:
1. Presiding over An-Nadwah House M eetings: The consultations
relating to serious issues w ere conducted there, and m arriage
contracts w ere announced.
2. The W ar Standard: T here could be no declaration of w ar except
w ith his approval or th e approval of one of his sons.
3. Caravan Leader: He w as th e com m ander of all caravans. No
caravan from M akkah could depart, be it for trade or otherw ise,
except u n d e r his authority or th e au thority of one of his sons.
4. D oorkeeper of Al-Ka’bah: He was th e only one eligible to open

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/123-124.

[2] Fathul-Bari 6/633. Qalb Jaziratil-'Arab p. 232.
[3] Ibn Hisham 1/124-125.
[4] Ibn Hisham 1/125. M uhadarat Tarikh Al-Umam Al-Islamiyah by Al-Khudari 1/36.
Akhbarul-Kiram p. 152.
42 The Sealed Nectar

its gate, and was responsible for its service and protection.
5. Providing W ater for th e Pilgrims: They w ould fill basins
sw eetened by dates or raisins for th e pilgrim s visiting M akkah to
drink.
6. Feeding Pilgrims: This m eans m aking food for pilgrim s w ho
could not afford it. Ousai even im posed on O uraish annual land
tax for food, paid at th e season of pilgrim age.111
It is notew orthy how ever th a t Q usai singled o u t ’Abd M anaf, a son
of his, for h o n o r and prestige though he was not his elder son
('Abdud-Dar was), and en tru ste d him w ith such responsibilities as
chairing of An-Nadwah House, th e standard, th e door keeping of
Al-Ka'bah, providing w ater and food for pilgrims. Due to th e fact
th at O usai's deeds w ere regarded as unquestionable and his
orders inviolable, his death gave no rise to conflicts am ong his
sons, b u t later it did am ong his grand children. For no sooner than
’Abd M anaf had died, his sons began to have rows w ith their
cousins - sons of 'Abdud-Dar, w hich w ould have given rise to
conflict and fighting am ong th e w hole tribe of Q uraish, had it not
been for a peace treaty.
Thereby posts w ere reallocated to preserve feeding and providing
w ater for pilgrim s for th e sons of ’Abd Manaf; w hile An-Nadwah
H ouse, th e flag an d th e door keep in g of Al-Ka'bah w ere
m aintained for the sons of 'Abdud-Dar, The sons of 'Abd Manaf,
however, cast th e lot for their charge. C onsequently they left the
charge of food and w ater giving to H ashim bin 'Abd Manaf, upon
w hose death, the charge was to be taken over by a b ro th er of his
called Al-Muttalib bin 'Abd M anaf. After him it was to be taken by
'Abdul-M uttalib bin Hashim , th e Prophet's grandfather. His sons
assum ed this position until the rise of Islam, during w hich ’Abbas
bin ’Abdul-M uttalib w as in charge.121
M any o th er posts w ere distributed am ong people of Q uraish for
establishing th e pillars of a new dem ocratic m inor state w ith

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/130, Tarikh Al-Ya'qubi 1/240-241.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/129-179-
Rule and Government among the Arabs 43

governm ent offices and councils sim ilar to th o se of today.

Enlisted as follows are som e of th ese posts.
1. Casting th e lots for th e idols was allocated to Bani Jum ah.
2. N oting of offers and sacrifices, se ttle m en t of disp u tes and
relevant issues w ere to lie in th e h an d s of Bani Sahm.
3. C onsultation was to go to Bani Asad.
4. O rganization of blood m oney and fines was w ith Bani Tayim.
5. Bearing th e national b a n n e r w as w ith Bani Umaiyah.
6. The m ilitary institute, footm en and cavalry w ould be Bani
M akhzum 's responsibility.
7. Bani ’Adi w ould function as foreign am bassadors.111

Rulership in Pan-Arabia
We have previously m en tioned th e Q ahtanide and 'A dnanide
em igrations, and division of Arabia betw een these tw o tribes.
Those tribes dw elling near H eerah w ere subordinate to the
Arabian king of Heerah, w hile th o se dw elling in th e Syrian deserts
w ere u n d e r dom ain of th e G hassanides, a sort of dependency th at
w as in reality form al rather th an actual. However, th o se living in
th e far-off d esert areas enjoyed full autonom y.
These tribes in fact had heads chosen by th e w hole tribe w hich
was a dem i-governm ent based on tribal solidarity and collective
interests in defense of land and property.
Heads of tribes enjoyed dictatorial privileges sim ilar to those of
kings, and w ere rendered full obedience and subordination in
b oth w ar and peace. Rivalry am ong cousins for rulership, how ever,
often drove th em to outdo one a n o th e r in entertain in g guests,
affecting generosity, w isdom , and chivalry for th e sole purpose of
outranking th eir rivals, and gaining fam e am ong people especially

[1] Tarikh Ardil-Qur'an 2/104-106, it is also popularly m entioned th a t th e flag

bearing tribe was Banu Abdud-Dar and th e com m and of troops was u n d er Banu
Umaiyah.
44 The Sealed Nectar

poets w ho w ere th e official spokesm en at th e tim e.

Head of tribe and m aster had special claims to spoils of w ar such
as one-fourth of th e spoils, w hatever he chose for him self, or
found on his way back or even th e rem aining indivisible spoils.

The Political Situation

The th ree Arab regions adjacent to foreigners suffered great
w eakness and inferiority. The people th ere w ere either m asters or
slaves, rulers or subordinates. M asters, especially th e foreigners,
had claim to every advantage; slaves had no th in g b u t responsi­
bilities to shoulder. In o th er w ords, absolute ru lership brought
about violation on th e rights of subordinates, ignorance, oppres­
sion, iniquity, injustice and hardship, and tu rn in g th em into
people groping in darkness and ignorance.
So, fertile land rendered its fruits to th e rulers and m en of pow er
to extravagantly spend on th eir pleasures and enjoym ents, w ishes
and desires, oppression and aggression.
The tribes living near these regions w ere m oving betw een Syria
and Iraq, w hereas th o se living inside Arabia, w ere disunited, and
governed by tribal conflicts and racial and religious disputes.
They had n eith er a king to m aintain th eir independence nor a
supporter to seek advice from, or d epend upon in hardships.
The rulers of Hijaz, how ever, w ere greatly esteem ed and respected
by th e Arabs, and w ere considered as rulers and servants of the
religious center. Rulership of Hijaz was, in fact, a m ixture of
secular and official superiority as well as religious leadership.
They ruled am ong th e Arabs in th e nam e of religious leadership
and always m onopolized th e custodianship of th e Holy Sanctuary
and its neighborhood. They looked after th e interests of Al-Ka'bah
visitors and w ere in charge of p utting A braham 's code into effect.
They even had such offices and dep artm en ts like th o se of the
parliam ents of today. However, they w ere too w eak to carry the
heavy b u rden, as th is evidently cam e to light d u rin g th e
Abyssinian (Ethiopian) invasion.
 Religions of the Arabs

M ost of th e Arabs had com plied w ith th e call of Ishm ael and
professed th e religion of his father Abraham They
w orshipped Allah, professed His O neness, and followed His
religion a long tim e u ntil they forgot part of w h a t they had been
rem inded of. However, they still m aintained fu n d am en tal beliefs
such as m onotheism as well as various o th er aspects of A braham ’s
religion, u ntil th e tim e w h e n a chief of Khuza'ah, nam ely 'Amr bin
Luhai came back from a trip to Syria. He was renow ned for
righteousness, charity, devotion and care for religion, and was
granted unreserved love and obedience by his tribesm en. In Syria,
he saw people w orshipping idols, a p h en o m en o n he approved of
and believed it to be righteous since Syria was th e locale of
M essengers and Scriptures. He brought w ith h im an idol (Hubal)
w hich he placed in th e m iddle of Al-Ka'bah and sum m oned people
to w orship it. Readily enough, idolatry spread all over M akkah and
thence to Hijaz, people of M akkah being custodians of n o t only
th e Sacred H ouse b u t th e w hole Haram as well. A great m any
idols, bearing different nam es, w ere introduced into th e area.111

An idol called M anat was w orshipped at Al-Mushallal near Qudayd

on th e Red Sea. A nother, Al-Lat, in Ta'if; a third, Al-'Uzza, in the
valley of Nakhlah, and so on and so forth. Polytheism prevailed
and th e n um ber of idols increased everyw here in Hijaz. Amr bin
Luhai, w ith th e help of a jinn com panion w ho told him th at the
idols of N oah’s folk - W add, Suwa', Yaguth, Ya'uq and Nasr - w ere
buried in Jeddah, dug th em o u t and took th em to Tiham ah. Upon
pilgrimage tim e, th ese idols w ere d istributed am ong th e tribes to
take back h o m e .121 Every tribe and h ouse had th eir ow n idols, and
th e Sacred House was also overcrow ded w ith them . O n the
Prophet's conquest of M akkah, 360 idols w ere found around Al-
Ka'bah. He broke them dow n and had th em rem oved and burned

[1] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh M uham m ad bin 'Abdul-Wahhab. p. 12.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/222.
46 The Sealed Nectar

up. [i]
Polytheism and w orship of idols becam e th e m ost pro m in en t
fea tu re o f th e religion of pre-Islam Arabs d e sp ite alleged
profession of A braham 's religion.
Traditions and cerem onies of th e w orship of th eir idols had been
m ostly created by 'Amr bin Luhai, and w ere deem ed as good
innovations rather th an deviations from A braham 's religion. Some
features of their w orship of idols were:
1. Self-devotion to th e idols, seeking refuge w ith them , uttering
oaths in th eir nam es, calling for th eir help in hardship, and
supplication to them for fulfillm ent of w ishes, believing th a t the
idols could intercede before Allah for th e fulfillm ent of people's
w ishes.
2. Perform ing pilgrimage to the idols, circulating around them ,
hum iliating them selves and even prostrating them selves before
them .
3. Seeking favor of idols through various kinds of sacrifices in
th eir nam es. These sacrifices w ere m en tioned by Allah in His
Saying:

"And th at w hich is sacrificed (slaughtered) on An-N usub

(stone-altars)" [5:31
Allah also says:

"Eat not (O believers) of th a t (meat) on w hich Allah's Name

has not been pronounced (at th e tim e of th e slaughtering of
th e anim al)." [6 :1 2 1 ]
4. Devotion of certain portions of food, drink, cattle, and crops to
idols. Surprisingly enough, portions w ere also devoted to Allah

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1610. 2478, 3351. 3352. 4287-4288. 4720. and M ukhtasar
Seeratir-Rasul. by Sheikh M uham m ad bin 'Abdul-Wahhab, pp. 13. 50, 51. 52. 54.
R
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48 The Sealed Nectar

daughters in five pregnancies. Any new births from this Wasilah

w ere assigned only for use or consum ption by males. The Hami
was a m ale camel w hich produced ten progressive fem ales, and
was th u s sim ilarly forbidden.
It is about these practices th at Allah revealed:

"Allah has not in stitu ted things like Bahirah or Sa'ibah, or

Wasilah or Ham. But those w ho disbelieve, invent lies
against Allah, and m ost of th em have no understanding."
[5:103]
Allah also says:

"And they say: W hat is in the bellies of such and such cattle
(milk or fetus) is for our m ales alone, and forbidden to our
fem ales (girls and w om en), b u t if it is born dead, th en all
have shares th erein ." [6 :139]
Additional types of cattle are also m entioned in this regard.111
Sa'id bin Al-Musaiyib stated clearly th a t these kinds of cattle w ere
dedicated to th eir false gods.121
It has been authentically reported from the Prophet th a t such
superstitions w ere first invented by 'Amr bin L uhai.131
The Arabs did all of this for their idols believing th a t such idols
w ould bring th em nearer to Allah, lead them to Him, and m ediate
w ith Him for th eir sake, to w hich effect, th e Q u ra n goes:

"We w orship them only th at they m ay bring us near to

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/89-90.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/499.
[3] ibid.
Religions o f the Arabs 49

Allah." [39:3], and:

'• ”1
oJ j Ajj
\j' * -t' J L* *ul wJjJ-* oj /

fit jU

"And they w orship besides Allah things th at h u rt them not,

nor profit them , and they say: 'These are our intercessors
w ith Allah'." [10:18]
A nother divinatory tradition am ong the Arabs was casting of
Azlam, featherless arrow s w hich w ere of th ree kinds: one show ing
yes', an o th er n o ' and a th ird was blank. They w ould utilize them
in case of serious m atters like travel, m arriage and th e like. If the
draw show ed yes', they w ould do; if 'no', they w ould delay for
th e next year.
O ther kinds of Azlam w ere cast for w ater, blood m oney or show ed
'from you', 'n o t from y o u ’, or 'M ulsaq' (associated). In cases of
doubt in validity of th e child, they w ould resort to th e idol of
Hubal, w ith a hundred-cam el gift for the arrow caster. Only the
arrow s w ould th e n decide th e sort of relationship. If th e arrow
show ed 'from yo u th en it was decided th a t th e child belonged to
th e tribe; if it show ed 'not from y o u ’, he w ould th en be regarded
as an ally, b u t if 'Mulsaq' appeared, th e person w ould retain his
position b u t w ith no lineage or alliance contract.111
This was very m uch like gam bling and arrow -shafting w hereby
they used to divide th e m eat of th e cam els they slaughtered
according to this tradition.
M oreover, they used to have a deep conviction in the tidings of
soothsayers, diviners and astrologers. A soothsayer used to deal in
th e business of foretelling fu tu re events and claim know ledge of
private secrets and having jinn subordinates w ho w ould com m u­
nicate th e new s to him . Diviners claim ed th a t they could uncover
the unknow n by m eans of a granted power, w hile others boasted
they could reveal th e secrets through a cause-and-effect-inductive
process th a t w ould lead to detecting a stolen com m odity, location

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/152-153. and Fathul-Bari 8/277.

50 The Sealed Nectar

of a theft, a stray anim al, and th e like. The astrologer belonged to

a th ird category, observing th e stars and calculating th e ir
m ovem ents and orbits w hereby he w ould foretell th e fu tu re .111
Conviction in the new s provided by th e astrologer was in reality a
belief in the stars, so part of believing in astrology was to have
faith in the positions of particular stars. They w ould say, "We
w ere delivered rain because of th e position of this sta r."121

The belief in om ens for telling fu tu re events was of course,

com m on am ong the Arabians. Some days, m onths, and particular
anim als w ere regarded as om inous. They also believed th a t the
soul of a m urdered person w ould fly in th e w ilderness and w ould
never be at rest u ntil revenge was taken. Superstition was
w idespread. Should a deer or bird, w h en released, tu rn right th en
w h at they em barked on w ould be regarded favorable, otherw ise
they w ould get negative and refrain from pursuing it.131

People of pre-Islamic period, w hilst believing in superstition, still

retained som e of th e Abrahamic traditions such as devotion to Al-
Ka'bah, circum am bulation, observance of pilgrimage, the stay at
'Arafat and offering sacrifices. All of these w ere observed despite
som e innovations th a t adulterated th eir sacredness. The Q uraish,
for exam ple, seeing th a t they w ere th e descendants of
Abraham >gS, custodians of Al-Ka'bah, th e inhabitants of
Makkah, no Arabs besides th em having th e sam e status or rights
th a t they do - for th ese reasons they referred to them selves as Al-
H um s and they w ould refrain from going to 'Arafat w ith the
crowd. Instead, they w ould stop sh o rt at M uzdalifah. It was about
this th a t the following w as revealed:

"Then depart from th e place w hence all the people depart."

[2:199]W1

[1] See Lisanul-Arab or other linguistic books.

[2] See Sahih Al-Bukhari.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/851.857 Undia).
[4] Ibn Hisham 1/199. Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/226.
Religions o f the Arabs 51

A nother heresy, deeply established in their social tradition,

dictated th a t they w ould not eat dried yoghurt or cooking fat,
nor w ould they e n te r a te n t m ade of camel hair or seek shade
unless in a h ouse of adobe bricks, so long as they w ere in Ihram,
th e sacred state of th e pilgrimage. They also, o u t of a deeply-
rooted m isconception, denied pilgrims, o th er th an M akkans,
access to th e food they b rought w h e n they w anted to m ake
pilgrimage or lesser pilgrim age.111
They ordered pilgrim s com ing from outside M akkah to circu­
m am bulate Al-Ka'bah in clothes provided by Al-Hums, b u t if they
could n ot acquire them , m en w ere to do so in a state of nudity,
and w om en w ith only som e open shirt. Allah says in this concern:

"O children of Adam! Take your ad o rn m en t to every

M asjid." [7:31]
If m en or w om en w ere generous enough to go round Al-Ka’bah in
th eir clothes, they had to discard th em after circum am bulation for
good.121
W hen the M akkans w ere in th e sacred state of pilgrimage, they
w ould n ot e n te r th eir houses th rough th e doors b u t through holes
they used to dig in th e back walls. They used to regard such
behavior as deeds of piety and god-fearing. The Q u r'an prohibited
this practice:

!>!i O'* 1& J Ot Q b-r-h o Ij J d A jf

i i l i_yL3lj Cjt '-O—Jji-fli

"It is n o t Al-Birr (piety, righteousness, etc.) th a t you en ter

th e houses from th e back b u t Al-Birr (is th e quality of the
one) w ho fears Allah. So e n te r ho u ses through th eir proper
doors, and fear Allah th a t you may be successful.” [2:189]
Such w as th e religious life in Arabia, full of polytheism , idolatry,

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/202.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/202-203. Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/226.
52 The Sealed N ectar

and superstition. Judaism , C hristianity, M agianism and Sabianism,

how ever, could find their ways easily into Arabia.
The m igration of the Jews from Palestine to Arabia passed through
two phases: first, as a result of th e pressure to w hich they w ere
exposed, th e destruction of their tem ple, and taking m ost of them
as captives to Babylon, at the h an d of th e King B ukhtanassar. In
the year B.C. 587, som e Jews left Palestine for Hijaz and settled in
the n o rth ern areas w h ereo f.1' 1
The second phase started w ith th e Roman occupation of Palestine
u n d er the leadership of th e Roman Butas in 70 C.E. This resulted
in a tidal wave of Jewish m igration into Hijaz, and Yathrib, Khaibar
and Taima', in particular. Here they converted m any tribes to their
faith, built forts and castles, and lived in villages. Judaism
m anaged to play an im portant role in th e pre-Islam political life.
W hen Islam daw ned on th a t land, th ere had already been several
fam ous Jewish tribes - Khabeer, Al-Mustaliq, An-Nadeer, Ouraizah
and Q ainuqa'. As-Samhudi m entioned th a t the Jewish tribes
counted as m any as tw e n ty .121
Judaism was introduced into Yemen by som eone called As'ad Abi
Karb. He had gone to fight in Yathrib and there he em braced
Judaism and th en w e n t back taking w ith him two rabbis from Bani
Quraizah to instruct th e people of Yemen in this new religion.
T here Judaism found fertile ground to propagate and gain
adherents. After his death, his son Yusuf Dhu Nawas rose to
power, attacked th e C hristian com m unity in Najran and ordered
them to em brace Judaism . W hen they refused, he ordered th a t a
pit of fire be dug and all th e C hristians be dropped to b urn
therein. Estim ates say th a t betw een 20-40 th o u sa n d 131 C hristians
w ere killed in th a t h u m an m assacre. This occurred in O ctober 523
C.E.141 The O u ra n related part of th a t story in Chapter Al-Buruj.

[ 1] Qalb Jaziratil-Arab p. 151.

[2] W afa’ Al-W afa’ 1/165. Qalb Jaziratil-Arab p .151.
[3] See Ibn Hisham 1/20-22, 27, 31. 35. 36, and the books of Tafsir under Surat Al-
Buruj.
[4] Al-Yaman 'Abrat-Tarikh pp. 158-159.
Religions o f the Arabs 53

Christianity first m ade its appearance in Arabia following the

entry of th e Abyssinian (Ethiopian) and Roman colonists into th a t
country. Abyssinian (Ethiopian) presence began in 340 C.E. and
lasted u n til 378 C.E.111 It was w ith th em th a t th e C hristian religion
entered Yemen. It was approxim ately th is tim e w h e n a C hristian
m issionary called Fimion, know n for his selfless behavior and
w orking miracles, had en tered into Najran. There he called people
to Christianity, and by virtue of his h o n esty and tru th fu l devotion,
h e m anaged to persuade th em to respond positively to his
invitation and em brace C hristianity.121

The Abyssinian (Ethiopian) colonization forces en tered Yemen

again in 525 C.E. It was as retaliation for th e injustice o f Dhu
Nawas, and they started to zealously propagate th eir faith. They
even b u ilt a church and called it Yemeni Al-Ka’bah w ith th e aim of
directing th e Arab pilgrimage caravans tow ards Yemen, and th en
m ade an atte m p t to dem olish th e Sacred H ouse in M akkah. Allah
th e Almighty how ever pu n ish ed th em and m ade an exam ple of
them - here and in th e hereafter.

The principal tribes th at em braced C hristianity w ere Ghassan,

Taghlib, Tai' and som e H im yarite kings as well as o th er tribes
living on th e borders of th e Roman Empire.

M agianism was also popular am ong th e Arabs living in the

neighborhood of Persia, Iraq, Bahrain, Al-Ahsa' and som e areas on
the Arabian Gulf coast. Some Yemenis are also reported to have
professed M agianism during th e Persian occupation.

As for Sabianism, excavations in Iraq revealed th a t it had been

popular am ongst Kaldanian folks, th e Syrians and Yemenis. W ith
the advent of Judaism and Christianity, how ever, Sabianism began
to give way to th e new religions, although it retained som e
followers m ixed or adjacent to th e M agians in Iraq and th e Arabian
Gulf.131

[1] Al-Yaman Abrat-Tarikh pp. 158-159 and Tarikhul 'Arab Qablal-Islam p. 122.
[2] See th e details in Ibn Hisham 1/31-34.
[3] Tarikh Ardil-Qur'an 2/193-208.
54 The Sealed N ectar

The Religious Situation

Such was the religious life of th e Arabians before th e advent of
Islam. The role th at th e prevalent religions played was only
marginal. The polytheists, w ho faked Abraham ism , w ere detached
from its principles and in h e re n t good m anners. They w ere
indulged into disobedience, ungodliness and certain peculiar
superstitions th a t m anaged to leave a serious im pact on the
religious and socio-political life in th e w hole of Arabia.
Judaism tu rn ed into repulsive hypocrisy along w ith th e control of
power. Rabbis tu rn e d into lords to the exclusion of th e Lord. Their
sole target becam e th e gaining of w ealth and pow er even if it w ere
at th e risk of losing th eir religion, or th e em ergence of atheism
and disbelief.
C hristianity likew ise opened its doors w ide to polytheism , and got
too difficult to figure o ut as a heavenly religion. As a religious
practice, it developed a sort of peculiar mix of m an and God. It
exercised no bearing w hatsoever on th e souls of th e Arabs w ho
accepted it sim ply because it had no concern w ith th eir style of
life and did n ot have th e least relationship w ith their practical life.
People of o th er religions w ere sim ilar to th e polytheists w ith
respect to th eir inclinations, dogmas, custom s and traditions.
 Aspects of Pre-Islamic Arabian
Society

After the research w e have m ade into th e religious and political

life of Arabia, it is appropriate to speak briefly about th e social,
economic, and ethical conditions prevalent therein.

Social Life o f the Arabs

The Arabian society p resented a social m ixture, w ith differen t and
diverse social levels. The status of th e w om an am ong the nobles
recorded an advanced degree of esteem w here th e w om an enjoyed
a considerable portion of free will, and h er decision w ould m ost
often be enforced. She was so highly cherished th at blood w ould
be easily shed in defense of her honor. In fact, she was th e m ost
decisive key to bloody fight or friendly peace. These privileges
n o tw ith stan d in g , th e fam ily sy stem in Arabia w as w holly
patriarchal, having th e suprem acy of th e older m em bers of the
clan. The m arriage contract rested com pletely in th e hands of the
w om an's legal guardian w hose w ords w ith regard to h er m arital
status could never be questioned.
O n th e o th er hand, th ere w ere o th er social circles w here
p rostitution and indecency w ere w idespread and in full operation.
Al-Bukhari and o thers reported, on th e au thority of 'Aishah ^
th at there w ere four kinds of m arriage in pre-Islamic Arabia:
The first was sim ilar to present-day m arriage procedures, in w hich
case a m an gives his d a u g h te r or th e w om an u n d e r his
responsibility in m arriage to an o th er m an after a proposal and a
dowry has been agreed on. In th e second, th e h u sb an d w ould
send his w ife - after th e m en stru atio n period - to cohabit w ith
an o th er m an in order to conceive. After conception, h er husband,
if he desired, w ould have a sexual intercourse w ith her. A third
kind was th a t a group of less th an ten m en w ould have sexual
intercourse w ith a w om an. If she conceived and gave birth to a
child, she w ould send for th ese m en, and nobody could abstain.
They w ould come together to h er house. She w ould say: 'You
56 The Sealed Nectar

know w h at you have done. I have given birth to a child and it is

your child' (pointing to one of them ). The m an m ean t w ould have
to accept. The fourth kind was th a t a lot of m en w ould have
sexual intercourse w ith a certain w om an (a whore). She w ould not
prevent anybody. Such w om en used to p u t a certain flag at their
gates to invite in anyone w ho liked. If this w hore got pregnant and
gave birth to a child, she w ould collect those m en. and a seeress
w ould tell w hose child it was. The appointed father w ould take
the child and declare h im /h er his own.

W hen Prophet M uham m ad ^ declared Islam in Arabia, he

cancelled all these form s of sexual contacts except th at of the
present Islamic m arriage.111

W om en always accom panied m en in their wars. The w inners w ould

freely have sexual intercourse w ith such w om en, b u t disgrace w ould
follow th e children conceived in this way all th eir lives.

Pre-Islam Arabs had no lim ited n um ber of wives. They could

m arry two sisters at th e sam e tim e, or even the wives of their
fathers if divorced or widowed.

"And m arry not w om en w hom your father m arried, except

w h at has already passed; indeed it was sham eful and m ost
hateful, and an evil way. Forbidden to you (for marriage)

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari no. 5127. Abu Dawud, The Book of Marriage, the chapter on the
view of marriages th a t w ere contracted by th e people o f ignorance.
Aspects o f Pre-Islamic Arabian Society 57

are: your m others, your daughters, your sisters, your

fa th e r's sisters, your m o th e r's sisters, your b ro th e r's
daughters, your sister's daughters, your foster m other
w ho gave you suck, your foster m ilk suckling sisters, your
w ives' m others, your stepdaughters u n d e r your guardian­
ship, born of your wives to w hom you have gone in - b u t
th ere is no sin on you if you have not gone in them (to
m arry th eir daughters). - the wives of your sons w ho
(spring) from your ow n loins, and two sisters in w edlock at
the sam e tim e, except for w h a t has already passed; verily
Allah is Oft-Forgiving, M ost M erciful." [4:22-23]
Divorce was to a very great ex ten t in the pow er of th e h u sb a n d .111
The evil of adultery prevailed alm ost am ong all social classes
except few m en and w om en w hose self-dignity prevented them
from com m itting such an act, Free w om en w ere in m uch better
conditions th an the fem ale slaves w ho co nstituted th e greatest
calamity. It seem ed th at th e greatest m ajority of pre-Islam Arabs
did not feel asham ed of com m itting this evil. Abu Dawud
reported: A m an stood up in front of Prophet M uham m ad and
said: "O Prophet of Allah! th a t boy is my son, I had sexual
intercourse w ith his m other in th e pre-Islamic period." The
Prophet said:

'jO i] jjjjl . aILsIAJI j a \ I wAJ N *1

"No claim in Islam for pre-Islamic affairs. The child is to be

attributed to the one on w hose bed it was born, and stoning
is th e lot of a fornicator."121
The story about Sa'd bin Abi W aqqas and Abd bin Zam a’ah
disputing over Abdur-Rahman bin Zam a'ah, the son of Umm

[1] See the last previous reference in th e chapter of abrogating th e return after three
pronouncem ents of divorce. This is w hat is m entioned by th e scholars of Tafsir
about the causes of the revelation of Allah's Saying: "Divorce is tw ice/' (2:229)
[2] Abu Dawud - Chapter ''The child is to the one on w hose bed it was bo rn .”
58 The Sealed Nectar

[il
Zam a'ah is well know n
W ith respect to the pre-Islam Arab's relation w ith his offspring,
w e see th at life in Arabia was inconsistent and p resented a dark
picture of contrasts, W hilst som e Arabs held children dear to their
hearts and cherished th em greatly, o thers buried th eir fem ale
children alive because an im aginary fear of poverty and sham e
w eighed heavily on them , and they w ould kill their children for
fear of poverty and hardship.

"And do not kill your children because of poverty - We

provide for y o u .” [6 :1 5 1 ]

\' a' m\ * f-H i A > r E "/ r ->

4 c' > P &

"And w h e n th e new s of (the b irth of) a fem ale (child) is brought

to any of them , his face becom es dark, an d he is filled w ith
inw ard grief! He hides h im self from th e people because of th e evil
of th a t w h ereo f he has been inform ed. Shall h e keep h er w ith
dish o n o r or bury h er in th e earth? Certainly, evil is th eir
decision.” [16:58-59]

f
"And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We
provide for th em and for y o u .” [17:31]

4 31L \'A}\

"And w h e n th e fem ale (infant) b u ried alive shall be

qu estio n ed .” [81:8]
We should not think, how ever, th a t th e act of killing infants was
com m onplace and w idespread, sim ply because of the great need
they had for sons to fight w ith th em against th eir enem ies.

[1] See Sahih Al-Bukhari w ith Al-Fath 4/343 and others.

Aspects o f Pre-Islamic Arabian Society 59

A nother aspect of the Arabs’ life w hich deserves m en tio n is the

b edouin's deep-seated em otional a tta ch m e n t to his clan. Family,
or perhaps tribal-pride, was one of th e strongest passions w ith
him . The doctrine of unity of blood as th e principle th a t bound
th e Arabs into a social unity w as form ed and sup p o rted by tribal-
pride. T heir u n d isp u te d m otto was: "Support your b ro th e r
w h e th e r he is an oppressor or oppressed" in its literal m eaning;
they disregarded th e Islam ic a m e n d m e n t w hich states th a t
supporting an oppressor b ro th er m eans preventing him from
aggression.

Desire for leadership, keen sense of com petition and am bition to

excel o thers often resulted in b itter tribal w arfare despite their
being from one com m on ancestor. In this regard, th e continued
bloody conflicts of Aws and Khazraj, ’Abs and Dhubyan, Bakr and
Taghlib, etc. are striking exam ples.

Inter-tribal relationships w ere fragile and w eak due to continual

and destructive inter-tribal wars. Deep devotion to religious
superstitions and som e custom s held in esteem , how ever, used to
control th eir reckless tendency to quench th eir th irst for blood. In
other cases, th ere w ere th e m otives of, and respect for, alliance,
loyalty and dependency th at could successfully bring about a spirit
of affinity, and end groundless bases of dispute. A tim e-honored
custom of suspending hostilities during the prohibited m o n th s
(M uharram , Rajab, D hul-Q a’dah. and Dhul-Hijjah) functioned
favorably and provided an o p p o rtu n ity for th em to earn their
living and coexist in peace.

We may sum up th e social situation in Arabia by saying th a t the

Arabs of the pre-Islamic period w ere groping about in th e dark and
ignorance, entangled in a m esh of sup erstitio n s paralyzing their
m ind and driving th em to lead a cattle-like existence. The w om an
w as a m arketable com m odity and regarded as a piece of inanim ate
property. Inter-tribal relationships w ere fragile. Greed for w ealth
and involvem ent in useless w ars w ere th e m ain objectives th at
governed their chiefs' selfish policies.
60 The Sealed Nectar

The Economic Situation

The econom ic situation was very m uch sim ilar to th e social
atm osphere. The Arabian ways of living w ould illustrate this quite
clearly. Trade was th e m ost com m on m eans of providing th eir
needs of life. The trade journeys could not be u n d ertak en unless
security of caravan routes and inter-tribal peaceful co-existence
w ere th ere - tw o necessities lacking in Arabia except during th e
Sacred M onths w ith in w hich th e Arabs held th eir assem blies of
'Ukaz, Dhul-Majaz, M ajannah and others.
Arabia was th e farth est of lands from industry. M ost available
industries of knitting and tanning in Arabia w ere done by people
com ing from Yemen, H eerah and th e borders of Syria. Inside
Arabia th ere was som e sort of farm ing and livestock industry.
Alm ost all the Arabian w om en w ere qualified in yarn spinning b u t
even this practice was continually th re a te n e d by wars. On the
w hole, poverty, h u n g er and in su fficien t clothing w ere th e
prevailing econom ic features in Arabia.

Ethics
We cannot deny th at th e pre-Islamic Arabs practiced a large
num ber of evils. Adm ittedly, vices and evils, utterly rejected by
reason, w ere w idespread am ong the pre-Islamic Arabs, b u t this
could never screen off th e su rp risin g existence o f highly
praisew orthy virtues, of w hich w e may m ention th e following:
1. Hospitality: They used to com pete w ith each o th er in
hospitality and take u tm o st pride in it. Alm ost half of all their
poetry was about the praisew orthy or im proper m anners of
entertaining one's guest. A guest w ould visit a m an suffering from
severe cold and hunger, th e ho st having no w ealth besides a she-
camel upon w hom the lives of his entire family depended. So, he
w ould slaughter it to feed his guest. They w ould not hesitate to
incur heavy blood m oney and relevant b u rd en s just to stop
bloodshed, and consequently m erit praise and eulogy.
Among their forem ost qualities was th eir praise of w ine drinking,
not because it was w orth boasting of by itself, b u t because it was a
Aspects o f Pre-Islamic Arabian Society 61

m eans of displaying hospitality and pam pering th e soul. For such

reasons th e grape vine itself w as called Karm, th e sam e w ord used
for honor, and w ine was called th e daughter of Karm.
W hen looking at th e collection of odes and poem s of th e pre-
Islamic period, one discovers it full of chapters upon chapters of
praise and boasting.
Gambling was also an o th er practice of theirs closely associated
w ith generosity since th e proceeds w ould always go to charity.
Even the Noble O u ra n does n ot play dow n th e benefits th a t
derive from w ine drinking and gambling, b u t also says:

"And th e sin of th em is greater th an th eir benefit." [2:219]

2. Keeping a covenant: For th e Arab, to m ake a prom ise w as to
ru n into debt. He w ould never care for th e death of his children or
destruction of his household, all for th e sake of upholding the
deep-rooted tradition of covenant-keeping. The literature of th at
period is rich in stories highlighting this m erit.
3. Sense of honor and denial o f injustice: This attrib u te
developed m ainly from excess of courage and a keen sense of
self-esteem . The Arab was always in revolt against the slightest
h in t to hum iliation or disregard. He w ould never hesitate to
sacrifice h im self to m aintain his ever-alert sense of self-respect.
4. Firm will and determination: An Arab w ould never lose an
opportunity contributing to an object of pride or a standing of
honor, even if it w ere at th e expense of his life.
5 Forbearance, perseverance and mildness: The Arab regarded
these qualities w ith great adm iration, no w onder his im pulsive­
ness and courage-based life was sadly in need of them .
6. Pure and simple bedouin life: That was still clean from the
accessories of deceptive urban appearances, and was a driving
reason behind his nature of tru th fu ln e ss and honesty, and
d etach m en t from intrigue and treachery.
Such priceless ethics coupled w ith a favorable geographical
62 The Sealed Nectar

position of Arabia w ere th e factors th a t lay behind selecting the

Arabs to undertake the b u rd en of com m unicating the M essage (of
Islam) and leading m ankind dow n a new course of life.
In this regard, these ethics by them selves, though harm ful in
som e areas, and in need of m odification in certain aspects, w ere
greatly invaluable to th e u ltim a te w elfare o f th e h u m a n
com m unity w ith th e necessary reform ations, and it w as this task
of reform ation th a t Islam perform ed.
The m ost priceless ethics, next to covenant-keeping, w ere no
doubt their sense of self-esteem and strong determ ination, two
h u m an qualities indispensable in com bating evil and elim inating
moral corruption on th e one hand, and establishing a good and
justice-orientated society, on th e other.
Actually, the life of th e Arabs in th e pre-Islamic period was rich in
o ther countless virtues we do not need to en u m erate for th e tim e
being.
 The Lineage and Family of
Muhammad M

W ith respect to th e lineage of Prophet M uham m ad jg , th ere are

three levels: The first, w hose correctness is agreed upon by
biographers and genealogists, states th at M u h am m ad ’s genealogy
has been traced to 'Adnan. The second, subject to various
disagreem ents, traces his lineage beyond 'Adnan back to Abraham.
The th ird version, w ith som e parts definitely incorrect, traces his
lineage beyond Abraham # 3 back to Adam
Some of these points have been m entioned earlier, here are the
details of th ese th ree sections of lineage.
The First: M uham m ad bin 'Abdullah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib (who
was called Shaibah) bin H ashim , (nam ed ’Amr) bin 'Abd M anaf
(called Al-Mughirah) bin O usai (also called Zaid) bin Kilab bin
M urrah bin Ka'b bin Lo'i bin Ghalib bin Fihr (who was called
Q uraish and w hose tribe was nam ed after him) bin Malik bin An-
Nadr (also called Oais) bin Kinanah bin Khuzaim ah bin M udrikah
(who was called ’Amir) bin Elias bin M udar bin Nizar bin M a'ad
bin ’A dnan.111
The Second: ’Adnan bin Add bin H um aisi' bin Salam an bin Aws
bin Buz bin Qam wal bin Ubai bin 'Awwam bin N ashid bin Haza bin
Bildas bin Yadlaf bin Tabikh bin Jahim bin N ahish bin M akhi bin
Aid bin 'Abqar bin 'Ubaid bin Ad-Da'a bin H am dan bin Sanbir bin
Yathrabi bin Yahzin bin Yalhan bin Ar'awi bin Aid bin D eshan bin
Aisar bin Afnad bin Aiham bin M uksar bin N ahith bin Zarih bin
Sami bin Mazzi bin 'Awdah bin 'Aram bin Qaidar bin Ishm ael son
of Abraham >&a.121
The Third: Beyond Abraham Ibn Tarih (Azar) bin N ahur bin
Saru' (or Sarugh) bin Ra'u bin Falikh bin 'Abir bin Salikh bin
Arfakhshad bin Sam bin Noah, bin Lamik bin M utw ashlakh bin

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/1-2, and Tarikh At-Tabari 2/239-271.

[2] Ibn Sa'd 1/56-57. Tarikh At-Tabari 2/272.
64 The Sealed Nectar

A khnukh (Enoch) - w ho was said to be Prophet Idris - bin Yarid

bin M ahla’il bin O ainan bin A nushah bin Shith bin A dam .111

The Prophetic Family

The family of Prophet M uham m ad is called the H ashim ite
family after his grandfather Hashim bin 'Abd Manaf. Let us now
speak a little about Hashim and his descendants:
1. Hashim: As we have previously m entioned, he was th e one
responsible for giving food and w ater to th e pilgrims. This had
been his charge w hen th e sons of 'Abd M anaf and those of
'Abdud-Dar com prom ised on dividing the duties betw een them ,
Hashim was w ealthy and honest. He was the first to offer the
pilgrims sopped bread in broth. His first nam e was 'Amr b u t he
was called Hashim because he had been in the practice of
crum bling bread (for the pilgrims). He was also the first m an w ho
started O uraish's two journeys of sum m er and w inter. It has been
narrated th a t he w en t to Syria as a m erchant. Upon his retu rn he
w en t to M adinah, w here he m arried Salma - the daughter of 'Amr
from Bani 'Adi bin An-Najjar. He stayed w ith her in M adinah for
som e tim e th en he left for Syria again w hile she was pregnant. He
died in Ghazzah in Palestine in 497 C.E. Later, his wife gave birth
to 'Abdul-M uttalib and nam ed him Shaibah because of th e w hite
hair on his h e a d 121, and brought him up in her fath e r’s house in
M adinah. None of his family in M akkah learned of his birth.
Hashim had four sons: Asad, Abu Saifi, Nadlah and Abdul-
M uttalib. and five d a u g h te rs Ash-Shifa, Khalidah, D a'ifah.
Ruqaiyah and Ja n n ah .131
2. 'Abdul-Muttalib: We have already learned th a t after the death
of Hashim, th e charge of pilgrim s' food and w ater w en t to his
b rother Al-Muttalib bin 'Abd M anaf (who was honest, generous
and trustw orthy). W hen 'Abdul-M uttalib reached th e age of

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/2-4. Tarikh At-Tabari 2/276. The sources differ over som e of these
names.
[2] Ibn Hisham 1/137. 157. as well as A r-R aw dul-V nuf
[3] Ibn Hisham 1/107.
The Lineage and Family o f Muhammad 65

boyhood, his uncle Al-Muttalib heard of him and w e n t to M adinah

to bring him to M akkah, W hen he saw him , tears filled his eyes
and rolled dow n his cheeks, he em braced him and took him on
his camel. The boy, how ever, abstained from going w ith him to
M akkah u ntil he took his m o th er's consent, Al-Muttalib asked her
to send th e boy w ith him to M akkah, b u t she refused. He
m anaged to convince h er saying: "Your son is going to M akkah to
restore his father's authority, and to live in th e vicinity of the
Sacred H ouse." There in M akkah, people w ondered at seeing
Abdul-Muttalib, and they considered him th e slave of M uttalib. Al-
M uttalib said: "He is my nephew , th e son of my b ro th er H ashim ."
The boy was brought up in Al-M uttalib's house, b u t later on Al-
M uttalib died in Bardman in Yemen so 'Abdul-M uttalib took over
and m anaged to m aintain his people's prestige and outdo his
g ran d fath ers in his hon o rab le behavior w hich gained him
M akkah's deep love and high e ste e m ,111

W hen Al-Muttalib died, Nawfal w ith o u t right took hold of the

duties of 'Abdul-Muttalib, so th e latter asked for help from the
O uraish b u t they abstained from extending any sort of su p p o rt to
either of them , Consequently, he w rote to his uncles of Bani An-
Najjar (his m o th er's brothers) to come to his aid. His uncle, Abu
Sa'd bin 'Adi (his m o th er's brother) m arched to M akkah at the
head of eighty horsem en and cam ped in Abtah in M akkah, 'Abdul-
M uttalib received th e m en and invited them to go to his house b u t
Abu Sa'd said: "Not before I m eet Nawfal." He found Nawfal
sitting w ith som e old m en of O uraish in th e shade of Al-Ka'bah.
Abu Sa’d drew his sword and said: "I sw ear by Allah th a t if you
d o n 't restore to my nephew w h at you have taken, I will kill you
w ith this sw ord." Nawfal was th u s forced to give up w h at he had
adopted unlaw fully, and th e notables of O uraish w ere m ade to
w itness to his words.

Abu Sa'd th en w e n t to 'A bdul-M uttalib’s h ouse w here he stayed

for th ree nights, perform ed 'Umrah and left to retu rn to M adinah.

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/137-138. The actual date is from Tarikh At-Tabari 2/247.
66 The Sealed Nectar

Later on, Nawfal entered into an alliance w ith Bani 'Abd Shams
bin 'Abd M anaf against Bani Hashim . W hen Khuza'ah, a tribe, saw
Bani An-Najjar’s su p p o rt to 'Abdul-M uttalib they said: "He is our
son as he is yours. We have m ore reasons to su p p o rt him th an
you." 'Abd M anaf's m o th er was one of them .
They w e n t into An-Nadwah House and en tered into an alliance
w ith Bani H ashim against Bani 'Abd Sham s and Nawfal. It was an
alliance th a t was later to constitute th e m ain reason for the
conquest of M akkah.111 'Abdul-M uttalib did w itness two im portant
events in his lifetim e, nam ely digging th e Zam zam well and the
E lephant raid .121
In brief, 'Abdul-M uttalib received an order in his dream to dig the
Zamzam well in a particular place. He did th at and found the
things th a t th e Jurhum m en buried th ere w h en they w ere forced
to evacuate M akkah. He found th e swords, arm or and th e two
deer of gold. The gate of Al-Ka'bah was stam ped from th e gold
sw ords and th e tw o deer, and th e n th e tradition of providing
Zamzam w ater to pilgrim s was established.
W hen th e well of Zamzam gushed th e w ater forth, th e Q uraish
m ade a claim to p artn ersh ip in th e enterprise, b u t 'Abdul-M uttalib
refused th eir dem ands on th e grounds th a t Allah had singled only
him out for this honorable job. To settle th e dispute, they agreed
to consult Bani Sa’d ’s diviner. O n th eir way, Allah show ed them
His Signs th a t confirm ed 'Abdul-M uttalib's privilege about the
sacred spring. Only th e n did 'Abdul-M uttalib m ake a solem n vow
to sacrifice one of his ad u lt children to Al-Ka'bah if he had ten.
The second event was th at of Abrahah As-Sabah Al-Habashi, th e
Abyssinian (Ethiopian) viceroy in Yemen. He had seen th at the
Arabs m ade th eir pilgrimage to Al-Ka'bah, so he built a large
church in San'a' in order to attract the Arab pilgrim s to it to th e
exclusion of Makkah.
A m an from th e Kinanah tribe understood his m otive, therefore

[1] At-Tabari detailed this in his Tarikh 2/248-251.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/142-147.
The Lineage and Family o f Muhammad gg 67

he en tered th e church u n d e r th e cover of night sm earing

excrem ent on its fro n t wall. W hen A brahah learned of this, he
becam e enraged and led a great arm y - of sixty th o u san d w arriors
- to dem olish Al-Ka’bah. He chose th e biggest e lep h an t for
him self. His arm y included betw een n in e to th irte e n elephants.
He continued m arching u n til h e reached a place called Al-Magmas.
There, he m obilized his arm y and prepared his elep h an ts to en ter
M akkah.

W hen he reached th e M uhassir Valley, betw een M uzdalifah and

Mina, th e e lep h an t knelt dow n and refused to go forward.
W henever they directed it to th e north, so u th or east, th e elep h an t
m oved quickly b u t w h e n directed tow ards Al-Ka'bah in th e w est, it
k nelt dow n. M eanw hile, Allah se n t birds in flights upon them ,
throw ing forcefully stones of baked clay u p o n th em and m ade
th em like scattered chaff. These birds w ere very m uch like
swallows and sparrow s, each carrying th ree stones; one in its peak
and tw o in its claws. The stones h it A brahah’s m en, and cut th eir
lim bs and killed them . A large n u m b er o f A brahah's soldiers w ere
killed in this way and th e others fled at random and died
everyw here. Abrahah h im self had an infection th a t required his
fingertips to be cut off. W hen h e reached San'a’, he was in a
m iserable state and died soon after.

The Q uraishites fled for th eir lives to th e hillocks and m ountain-

tops. W hen th e enem y was routed, they retu rn ed hom e safely.111

The E lephant incident took place in th e m o n th of Al-M uharram,

fifty or fifty-five days before th e birth of th e Prophet
M uham m ad w hich corresponded to late February or early
M arch 571 C.E. It was a gift from Allah to His Prophet ^ and his
family. It could actually be regarded as a Divine auspicious sign of
th e light to come and accom pany th e advent of th e Prophet #2
and his family. By contrast, Jerusalem had suffered th e atrocities
of A llah’s enem ies. Here w e can recall B ukhtanassar in B.C. 587
and th e Rom ans in 70 C.E. Al-Ka'bah, by Divine Grace, never came

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/43-56, and th e Taisir o f Surat Al-Fil in th e books of Tafsir.
68 The Sealed Nectar

un d er the hold of the C hristians - th e M uslim s of th a t tim e -

although M akkah was populated by polytheists.
News of th e E lephant incident reached th e m ost d ista n t corners of
th e th en civilized world. Abyssinia (Ethiopia) m aintained strong
ties w ith th e Romans w hile th e Persians on th e o th er hand, w ere
on th e w atch w ith respect to any strategic changes th a t w ere
loom ing on the socio-political horizon, and soon came to occupy
Yemen. Incidentally, th e Roman and Persian Em pires stood for the
pow erful civilized w orld at th a t tim e. The E lephant incident
attracted th e w orld’s a tten tio n to th e sacredness of Allah's House,
and show ed th a t this House had been chosen by Allah for its
holiness.
It followed th en if any of its people claim ed Prophethood, it
w ould be conform ing w ith the outcom e of th e E lephant incident,
and w ould provide a justifiable explanation for the ulterior Divine
W isdom th at lay b eh in d backing polytheists against C hristians in a
m anner th at w e n t beyond th e cause-and-effect form ula.
’Abdul-M uttalib had ten sons. Al-Harith, Az-Zubair, Abu Talib,
’Abdullah, Hamzah, Abu Lahab, Al-Ghidaq, Maqwam, Safar and Al-
’Abbas. Some say th at he had eleven sons, adding the nam e
O athim . Still others say th a t he had th irte e n sons, w ith the
additional nam es ’Abdul-Ka’bah and Hajlah. They add th at ’Abdul-
Ka’bah is th e sam e as M aqwam and th a t Hajlah is th e sam e as Al-
Ghidaq, and th at he did not have a son nam ed O athim . He also
had six daughters, w ho w ere Um m ul-Hakim - also called Al-
Bayda’, Barrah, ’Atikah, Safiyah, Arwa and U m aim ah.1"
3- 'Abdullah: The father of Prophet M uham m ad jfe. His m other
was Fatim ah, dau g h ter of ’Amr bin ’A’idh bin ’Im ran bin
M akhzum bin Yaqzah bin M urrah. ’Abdullah was th e sm artest of
’Abdul-M uttalib’s sons, the m ost chaste and the m ost loved. He
was also th e son th e divination arrow s po in ted at to be
slaughtered as a sacrifice at Al-Ka'bah. W hen 'Abdul-M uttalib
had ten sons and they reached m aturity, he disclosed to them his

[1] Seerah Ibn Hisham 1/108-109 and Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar pp.8, 9-
The Lineage and Family o f Muhammad gj§ 69

secret vow w hich they silently and obediently accepted. Their

nam es w ere w ritten on divination arrow s and given to the
guardian of th eir m ost beloved goddess, Hubal. The arrow s w ere
shuffled and draw n.
An arrow show ed th a t it w as 'Abdullah to be sacrificed. 'Abdul-
M uttalib th e n took th e boy to Al-Ka'bah w ith a razor to slaughter
th e boy. The Q uraish, his uncles from th e M akhzum tribe and his
b ro th er Abu Talib, how ever, tried to advise him against it.
He th e n sought th eir advice as regards his vow. They suggested
th a t he sum m on a w om an diviner to judge th e m atter. She
ordered th a t th e divination arrow s should be draw n again, b u t
including ten cam els and 'Abdullah. She added th a t draw ing the
lots should be repeated w ith ten m ore cam els every tim e the
arrow show ed 'Abdullah. The operation was th u s repeated until
th e n u m b er of th e cam els am o u n ted to one hun d red .
At this p oint th e arrow show ed th e camels; consequently they
w ere all slaughtered instead of his son. The slaughtered camels
w ere left for anyone to eat from , h u m an or anim al. This incident
produced a change in th e a m o u n t of blood m oney usually
accepted in Arabia. It had been ten camels, b u t after this event it
was increased to a h u ndred. Islam, later on, approved of this. It
was reported th at th e Prophet ^ once said:

oblj t I*.**! jjd V

j I®

"I am th e offspring of th e slaughtered tw o," (m eaning

Ishm ael and 'A bdullah).111
'Abdul-M uttalib chose Am inah, daughter of W ahb bin 'Abd M anaf
bin Z uhrah bin Kilab, as a w ife for his son, 'Abdullah. She thus, in
th e light of this ancestral lineage, stood e m in e n t in respect of
nobility of position and descent. Her father was th e chief of Bani
Zahrah to w hom great h o n o r w as attributed.
They w ere m arried in M akkah, and soon after 'Abdullah was sent
by his father to buy dates in M adinah w here he died. In an o th er

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/151-155 and Tarikh At-Tabari 2/240-243-

70 The Sealed Nectar

version, 'Abdullah w e n t to Syria on a trade journey and died in

M adinah on his way back.
He was buried in th e h ouse of An-Nabighah Al-Ja'di. He was
twenty-five years old w h e n he died. M ost historians state th a t his
death was tw o m o n th s before th e birth of M uham m ad Some
others said th a t his death was tw o or m ore m o n th s after th e
Prophet's b irth .111 W hen A m inah was inform ed of h e r h u sb an d 's
death, she celebrated his m em ory in a m ost heart-touching
eulogy.121
'Abdullah left very little w ealth - five camels, a sm all num ber of
goats, a she-servant, called Barakah - Um m Aiman - w ho w ould
later serve as th e Prophet's n u rse m a id ,131

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/156-158, Tarikh At-Tabari 2/246. and Ar-Rawdul-'Unuf 1/184.
[2] Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd 1/100.
[3] Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar p. 4. Sahih M uslim 2/96.
 Muhammad’s Birth and Forty Years
prior to Prophethood

His Birth
M uham m ad jfe, th e M aster of Prophets, was born in th e Bani
H ashim section of M akkah on M onday m orning, th e n in th of
Rabi'ul-Awwal, th e sam e year of th e E lephant incident, and forty
years into th e reign of Kisra (Khosru N ushirw an), i.e., the
tw en tieth or tw enty-second of April, 571 C.E., according to the
scholar M uham m ad Sulaim an Al-M ansurpuri, and th e astronom er
M ahm ud Pasha.m
Ibn Sa’d reported th a t M u h am m ad ’s m o th er said: "W hen he was
born, th ere was a light th a t issued out of my p u d e n d u m and lit
th e palaces of Syria." Ahm ad and Ad-Darimi reported som ething
sim ilar to th is .121 It was reported th a t significant signs accom ­
panied his birth: fourteen balconies of Kisra's palace collapsed, the
M agians’ sacred fire w e n t o u t and som e churches on Lake Sawa
sank dow n and collapsed. This was recorded by At-Tabari, Al-
Baihaqi and others, b u t none of th e chains of narration are
confirm ed.131 His m o th er im m ediately se n t som eone to inform his
grandfather 'Abdul-M uttalib of th e happy event. Happily he came
to her, carried him to Al-Ka’bah, prayed to Allah and thanked
H im .141 'Abdul-M uttalib called th e baby M uham m ad, a nam e not
th e n com m on am ong th e Arabs. He circum cised him on his
seventh day as was th e custom of th e Arabs.151
The first w om an w ho suckled h im a fter his m o th e r was

[1] Nata'ijul-Afham by Al-Fulki pp. 28-35 (Beirut); Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/38-39- The

difference th at exists o f th e m onth o f April is merely due to th e earlier and later
m ethod of calendar calculations.
[2] Ibn Sa’d 1/63. M usnad A hm ad 4/127.128.185: 5/262, and Ad-Darimi 1/9.
[3] Dala’il by Al-Baihaqi 1/126-127. Tarikh At-Tabari 2/166-167. Al-Bidayah wan-
Nihayah 2/268-269.
[4] Ibn Hisham 1/159-160; Ibn Sa'd 1/103. At-Tabari 2/156-157.
[51 It was said th at he was born circumcised. See Talqih F uhum Ahlil-Athar p. 4. Ibn
Al-Qaiyim said. "There is no confirm ed Hadith for th at." See Zadul-Ma'ad 1/18.
72 The Sealed Nectar

Thuw aibah, th e freed slave of Abu Lahab, w ith h er son, M asruh.

She had suckled Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib before and later Abu
Salamah bin 'Abdul-Asad Al-M akhzum i.111

Childhood
It was th e general custom of th e Arabs living in tow ns to send
their children away to bedouin w et nurses so th a t they m ight
grow up in th e free and healthy surroundings of th e desert.
Thereby they w ould develop a strong body and acquire the pure
speech and m anners of the bedouins, w ho w ere noted both for
chastity of their language and for being free from those vices
w hich usually develop in inactive societies.
The Prophet was later en tru sted to Halim ah b in t Abi Dhuaib
from Bani Sa'd bin Bakr. Her h usband was Al-Harith bin 'Abdul-
'Uzza called Abi Kabshah, from th e sam e tribe.
M uham m ad had several foster brothers and sisters, 'Abdullah
bin Al-Harith, Aneesah b in t Al-Harith, H udhafah or Judham ah bint
Al-Harith (known as Ash-Shayma’), and she used to take care of
the Prophet and Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith bin 'Abdul-Muttalib,
the P rophet’s cousin. Hamzah bin 'Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet's
uncle, was suckled by the sam e two w et nurses, Thuw aibah and
As-Sa'diyah, w ho suckled th e Prophet s&.[21
Traditions delightfully relate how Halim ah and th e w hole of her
household w ere favored by successive strokes of good fortune
while the baby M uham m ad lived u n d er her care. Ibn Ishaq
states th at Halim ah narrated th a t she along w ith h er husband and
a suckling babe, set out from her village in the com pany of som e
w om en from Banu Sa'd bin Bakr in quest of children to suckle. She
said:
It was a year of drought and fam ine and we had nothing to eat. I
rode on a brow n m ule. We also had w ith us an old she-camel. By
Allah, w e could not get even a drop of milk. We could not have a

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari nos. 2645. 5100, 5101. 5106, 5107. 5372.
[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 1/19.
Muhammad's Birth and Forty Years p rio r to Prophethood 73

w ink of sleep during th e night for th e child kept crying because of

hunger. There was n ot enough m ilk in my b reast and even the
she-camel had n othing to feed him . We used to constantly pray for
rain and im m ediate relief. At length w e reached M akkah looking
for children to suckle. Not even a single w om an am ong us
accepted Allah's M essenger offered to her. As soon as they
w ere told th a t he w as an orphan, they refused him . We had fixed
our eyes on th e rew ard th at w e w ould get from th e child's father.
An orphan! W hat are his grandfather and m other likely to do? So
we refused him to accept because of that.
Every w om an w ho came w ith m e got a suckling and w h en we
w ere about to depart, I said to my husband: "By Allah, I do n ot like
to go back along w ith th e o th er w om en w ith o u t any baby. I should
go to th at orphan and I m u st take h im ." He said, "There is no
harm in doing so and perhaps Allah m ight bless us through him ."
So I w e n t and took him because th ere was sim ply no other
alternative left for m e b u t to take him . W hen I lifted him in my
arm s and retu rn ed to my place I p u t him on my breast and to my
great surprise, I found enough m ilk in it. He drank to his h e a rt’s
content, and so did his foster b ro th er and th en both of th em w en t
to sleep although my baby had not been able to sleep th e previous
night. My h usband th en w e n t to th e she-cam el to m ilk it and, to
his astonishm ent, he found plenty of m ilk in it. He m ilked it and
w e drank to our fill, and enjoyed a sound sleep during th e night.
The next m orning, my husband said: "By Allah! O Halim ah, you
m u st u n d erstan d th a t you have gotten a blessed child.” And 1
replied: "By the grace of Allah, I hope so.”
The tradition is clear on the p oint th a t H alim ah's retu rn journey
and h er subsequent life, as long as th e Prophet s g stayed w ith
her, was encircled w ith a halo of good fortune. The donkey th at
she rode w h en she came to M akkah was lean and alm ost lame; it
recovered speed m uch to th e am azem ent of H alim ah's fellow
travellers. By th e tim e they reached th e encam pm ents in the
country of th e clan of Sa'd, they found th e scales of fortune
tu rn e d in their favor. The barren land sprouted lu xuriant grass
and beasts came back to them satisfied and full of milk.
74 The Sealed Nectar

M uham m ad stayed w ith H alim ah for tw o years u n til he was

w eaned as Halim ah said:
"We th e n took him back to his m other earnestly requesting h er to
have him stay w ith us and so w e may b enefit from th e good
fortune and blessings he brought us. We persisted in our request,
expressing our anxiety over th e child catching a certain infection
peculiar to M akkah. At last, we w ere granted our w ish and the
Prophet stayed w ith us u ntil w e retu rn ed w ith h im ."111
The Prophet stayed w ith th em u ntil he was about four or five
years o ld .121 Then, as related by Anas 4® in Sahih M uslim , Gabriel
came dow n, opened his chest and took o u t th e heart, he th en
extracted a blood-clot o u t of it and said: "That was th e part of
Satan in th ee." And th e n he w ashed it w ith th e w ater of Zamzam
in a gold basin. After th a t the h e a rt was joined together and
restored to its place. The boys and playm ates came ru n n in g to his
m other, i.e., his nurse, and said: "Verily, M uham m ad has been
m urdered." They all rushed tow ards him and found him to be all
right and th a t only his face was w hite. And Anas 4® said, "I have
seen the m ark th a t was left on his c h e st."131

Back to His Passionate Mother

After this event, Halim ah was w orried about th e boy and retu rn ed
him to his m other w ith w hom he stayed u ntil h e was six.141
In respect of the m em ory of h er late husband, A m inah decided to
visit his grave in Yathrib (Madinah). She set out to cover a journey
of 500 kilom eters w ith h er orphan boy, her father-in-law ’Abdul-
M uttalib, and a w om an servant Um m Aiman. She sp en t a m onth

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/162-164.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/162-164. See Dala'ilun-Nubuwwah by Abu Nu'aim. From the
rem ainder of Ibn Ishaq's narration it is understood th a t it occurred in the
beginning of the third year. (See Ibn Hisham 1/164,165) Yet th a t seem s self
contradictory, because [since it m entions him working as a shepherd at th e time]
it is not conceivable th a t a shepherd could be a boy w ho just tu rn ed three years
of age.
[3] Sahih M uslim 1/92.
[4] Talqih F uhum Ahlil-Athar p. 7. Ibn Hisham 1/168.
Muhammad's Birth and Forty Years p rior to Prophethood 75

th ere and th e n m ade h er way back to M akkah. O n th e route, she

suffered a severe illness and died in Abwa on th e road betw een
M akkah and M adinah.111

To His Compassionate Grandfather

'Abdul-M uttalib brought th e boy to M akkah. He had w arm
passions tow ards th e boy, his o rphan grandson, w hose recent
disaster (his m o th er's death) added m ore to th e pains of th e past.
'Abdul-M uttalib w as m ore passionate w ith his grandson th an w ith
his ow n children. He never left th e boy as prey to loneliness, b u t
always preferred him to his ow n children. Ibn H isham reported: A
m attress was p u t in th e shade of Al-Ka'bah for 'Abdul-Muttalib.
His children used to sit around th at m attress in h o n o r to their
father, b u t M uham m ad ^ used to sit on it. His uncles w ould take
him back, b u t if 'Abdul-M uttalib was present, he w ould say:
"Leave my grandson. I sw ear by Allah th a t this boy will hold a
significant position." He used to seat th e boy on his m attress, pat
his back and was always pleased w ith w h a t th e boy d id .121
W hen M uham m ad was eight years, tw o m o n th s and ten days
old, his grandfather 'Abdul-M uttalib passed away in M akkah. The
charge of the Prophet jjjjg was now passed on to his uncle Abu
Talib, w ho was th e b ro th er of th e P ro p h et’s father.
Abu Talib took th e responsibility of his n ephew in th e best way.
He p u t him w ith his children and preferred him to them . He
singled th e boy o u t w ith great respect and high esteem . Abu Talib
rem ained for forty years cherishing his nephew and extending all
possible protection and su p p o rt to him .
His relations w ith th e oth ers w ere determ in ed in th e light of the
tre a tm e n t they show ed to th e Prophet 5g .
Ibn 'Asakir reported on th e au thority of Jalham ah bin 'Arfutah
w ho said: "I came to M akkah w h e n it was a rainless year, so
Q uraish said: 'O Abu Talib, th e valley has becom e leafless and the

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/168.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/168. Talqih F uhum Ahlil-Athar p. 7.
76 The Sealed Nectar

children hungry, let us go and pray for rainfall.’

Abu Talib w e n t to Al-Ka'bah w ith a young boy w ho was as

beautiful as th e sun, and a black cloud was over his head. Abu
Talib and th e boy stood by th e wall of Al-Ka'bah and prayed for
rain,

Im m ediately clouds from all directions gathered and rain fell

heavily and caused th e flow of springs and grow th of plants in the
tow n and th e co u n try .111

Bahirah, the Monk

W hen Allah's M essenger #§ w as tw elve years old - and they say
plus two m o n th s and ten days121 - he w e n t w ith his uncle Abu
Talib on a trade journey to Syria.

W hen they reached Busra (which was a part of Syria, in the

vicinity of Haw ran u n d er th e Roman dom ain), th ere was a m onk
nam ed Bahirah (they say his nam e was Georges), w ho came o u t to
m eet them , and although he had not m et th em before, h e readily
recognized th e Prophet ^ and said w hile taking his hand: "This is
the m aster of all hum ans. Allah will send him w ith a M essage
w hich will be a m ercy to all beings." Abu Talib asked: "How do
you know that?" He replied: "W hen you appeared from the
direction of 'Aqabah, all stones and trees prostrated them selves,
w hich they never do except for a Prophet. I can also recognize him
by th e seal of Prophethood w hich is below his shoulder, like an
apple. We have found th is in our books." He also asked Abu Talib
to send th e boy back to M akkah and n o t to take him to Syria for
fear of th e Romans and Jews. Abu Talib obeyed and sen t him back
to M akkah w ith som e of his m en serv an ts.131

[1] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh 'Abdullah An-Najdi, pp. 15. 16.

[2] This was said by Ibn Al-Jawzi in Talqih F uhum Ahlil-Athar p. 7.
[31 At-Tirm idhi no. 3620. Al-M usannaf Ibn Abi Shaibah 11/489, Dala 'il by Al-Baihaqi
2/24, 25. and At-Tabari 2/278, 289, In the version of At-Tirm idhi and others it
m entions that he was accom panied by Bilal bu t this is clearly an error. At
th at tim e Bilal was n o t present, and even if he was. he was no t w ith his uncle
or Abu Bakr Zadul-Ma’ad 1/17.
Muhammad's Birth and Forty Years p rio r to Prophethood 77

The ’Sacrilegious’ Wars

W hen he was tw enty years of age, th e 'sacrilegious' w ars -
w hich continued w ith varying fortunes and considerable loss of
h u m an life for a num ber of years - broke o u t betw een tribes;
Q uraish and Banu Kinanah w ere on one side and Qais ’Ailan tribe
on th e other. It was th u s called because th e inviolable was m ade
violable, th e p ro h ib ite d m o n th s being included. Harb bin
Umaiyah, on account of his ou tstan d in g position and honorable
descent, used to be th e leader of Q uraish and th eir allies. In one of
those battles, th e Prophet ^ assisted his uncles. His efforts w ere
confined to picking up th e arrow s of th e enem y as they fell, and
handing th em over to his u ncles.111

Al-Fudoul Confederacy
At th e conclusion of th ese w ars during th e sacred m o n th of Dhul-
Q a'dah, w h en peace was restored, people felt th e need for
form ing a confederacy at M akkah for suppressing violence and
injustice, and protecting th e rights of th e w eak and th e poor.
R epresentatives of Banu H ashim , Banu Al-Muttalib, Asad bin
’Abdul-'Uzza, Zahrah bin Kilab and Taim bin M urrah w ere called to
m eet in th e house of an honorable elderly m an called 'Abdullah
bin Jad'an At-Taimy to e n te r into a confederacy th a t w ould provide
for th e above-m entioned item s. Allah's M essenger ^ shortly after
h e had b e e n h o n o red w ith th e m in istry o f P rophethood,
w itnessed this league and com m ented on it, w ith very positive
w ords; "I w itnessed a confederacy in th e house of 'Abdullah bin
Jad'an. It was m ore appealing to m e th an h erd s of cattle. Even
now in th e period of Islam, I w ould respond positively to
attend ing such a m eeting if I w ere in v ited .” 121
In fact, th e sp irit of th is confederacy an d th e course of
considerations th erein m arked a com plete departu re from the

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/184-187. A l-M u n a m m iq b y Ibn Habib pp. 167-185. Al-Kamil by Ibn
Al-Athir 1/468-472.
[2] Ibn Hisham 1/113. 135: and M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh 'Abdullah An-
Najdi, pp. 30, 31.
78 The Sealed Nectar

pre-Islamic tribal-pride.
The story th a t led to its convention says th a t a m an from the
Zubaid clan came as a m erchant to M akkah w here he sold som e
com m odities to Al-'As bin W a'il As-Sahmi. The latter avoided
paying for the goods. The salesm an sought help from som e of his
allies from th e Q uraish b u t they paid no heed to his earnest pleas.
He th en w e n t to a m o u n tain to p and began, at th e top of his voice,
to recite verses of com plaint giving account of th e injustices he
sustained. Az-Zubair bin ’Abdul-M uttalib m ade inquiries into the
m atter. Consequently, th e parties to th e aforesaid confederacy
convened their m eeting and m anaged to force m oney for th e m an
from Zubaid out of Al-'As bin W a'il.1"

Muhammad’s Early Occupation

M uham m ad ^ had no particular job at his early youth, b u t it was
reported th a t he w orked as a sh ep h erd for Bani Sa'd121 and in
M akkah for a w age.131
At th e age of 25. he w e n t to Syria as a m erchant for Khadijah
Ibn Ishaq reported th a t Khadijah daughter of Khuwailid was a
business-w om an of great h o n o r and fortune. She used to em ploy
m en to do h er b usiness for a certain percentage of th e profits.
The Q uraish w ere m erchants, so w h en Khadijah ^ was inform ed
of M uham m ad 5^ , his tru th fu l w ords, great h o nesty and kind
m anners, she se n t for him . She offered him m oney to go to Syria
and do h er business, and she w ould give him a higher rate th an
th e others. She w ould also send h er servant, M aisarah, w ith him .
He agreed and w e n t w ith h er servant to Syria for tra d e .141

His Marriage to Khadijah ^

W hen he retu rn ed to M akkah, Khadijah ^ noticed in h er m oney

[1] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul pp. 30, 31. Tabaqat Ibn Sa'd 1/126-128, Nasab Quraish
by Az-Zubaidi p. 291.
[2] Ibn Hisham 1/166.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari no. 2262.
[4] Ibn Hisham 1/187. 188.
Muhammad's Birth and Forty Years prior to Prophethood 79

m ore profits and blessings th an she w as accustom ed to. Her

servant also told h er of M uham m ad's good m anners, honesty,
deep thought, sincerity and faith. She realized th a t she hom ed at
h er target. M any p ro m in en t m en had asked for h er han d in
m arriage b u t she always refused th eir advances. She disclosed her
w ish to h e r frie n d N afisah, d a u g h te r of M u n iy ah , w ho
im m ediately w e n t to M uham m ad to inform him .
He agreed and requested his uncles to go to Khadijah's uncle to
discuss th e m atter. Subsequently, th ey w ere m arried. The
m arriage agreem ent was w itn essed by Bani H ashim and the
heads of M udar. This took place after th e Prophet's retu rn from
Syria. He gave her tw enty cam els as a dowry. She was, then, forty
years old and was considered th e b est of w om en in lineage,
fortune and w isdom . She was th e first w om an Allah's
M essenger m arried. He did not get m arried to any other
until she passed away.
W ith th e exception of Ibrahim , Khadijah ^ bore all of his
children: Al-Qasim, Zainab, Ruqaiyah, Um m K ulthum , Fatim ah
and 'Abdullah w ho w as called Taiyib and Tahir. All his sons died
in th eir childhood and all th e daughters except Fatim ah ^ died
during his lifetim e. Fatim ah ^ died six m o n th s after his death.
All his daughters w itnessed Islam, em braced it, and em igrated to
M adinah.111

Rebuilding Al-Ka'bah and the Arbitration Issue

W hen Allah's M essenger was thirty-five, th e Q uraish started
rebuilding Al-Ka'bah. That was because it w as a low building of
w hite stones no m ore th an nine arm 's length, from th e days of
Ishm ael &S. It was also roofless leaving thieves w ith easy access
to its treasures inside. It was also exposed to th e w earing factors
of nature - because it was b u ilt so long ago - th at w eakened and
cracked its walls. Five years before Prophethood, th ere was a great

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/190. 191. Fathul-Bari 7/507. Talqih F uhum Ahlil-Athar p. 7. There
are som e slight discrepancies in these references so we have m entioned w hat is
preferred.
80 The Sealed Nectar

flood in M akkah th a t sw ept tow ards Al-Ka'bah and alm ost

dem olished it. The O uraish w ere obliged to rebuild it to safeguard
its holiness and position. The chiefs of th e Q uraish decided to
only use licit m oney in rebuilding Al-Ka'bah, so all m oney derived
from im m oral m eans, usury or unju st practice was excluded. They
were, at first, too fearful to knock dow n th e wall, b u t Al-Walid bin
Al-Mughirah Al-M ukhzumi began th e task. Seeing th a t no harm
had h appened to him , the others participated in dem olishing the
walls until they reached th e basis laid by Abraham >fe3. W hen they
started rebuilding its walls, they divided th e w ork am ong the
tribes.
Each tribe was responsible for rebuilding a part of it. The tribes
collected stones and started work. The m an w ho laid th e stones
was a Roman m ason called Baqum. The w ork w e n t on in harm ony
until the tim e came to p u t th e sacred Black Stone in its proper
place. Then strife broke out am ong the chiefs, and lasted for four
or five days, each contesting for th e h o n o r of placing the stone in
its position. Daggers w ere on the point of being draw n and great
bloodshed seem ed im m inent. Luckily, th e oldest am ong th e chiefs
Abu Umaiyah bin M ughirah Al-Makhzumi m ade a proposal th at
was accepted by all. He said: "Let him , w ho enters the Sanctuary
first of all, decide on the point." It was th en A llah’s Will th a t the
M essenger of Allah should be th e first to en ter th e M osque. On
seeing him . all th e people present, cried w ith one voice: "Al-
A m een (the trustw orthy) has come. We are co n ten t to abide by his
decision." They inform ed him of their objective. He asked for a
m antle spreading it on th e ground and placing th e stone in its
center. He th en asked the representatives of th e different clans
am ong them to lift th e stone all together. W hen it reached the
proper place. M uham m ad laid it in th e proper position w ith
his ow n hands. This is how a very tense situation was eased and a
grave danger averted by th e w isdom of th e Prophet
The Q uraish ran out of the licit m oney they collected, so they
elim inated Six, an area covering six a rm ’s length on th e n o rth ern
side of Al-Ka'bah w hich is called Al-Hijr or Al-Hateem. They raised
its door from the level ground to let in only th e people w hom they
Muhammad's Birth and Forty Years prior to Prophethood 81

desired. W hen th e structure was fifteen arm 's-lengths high, they

erected th e roof w hich rested on six colum ns.
W hen th e building of Al-Ka'bah was finished, it assum ed a square
form about fifteen m eters high. The side w ith the Black Stone and
th e one opposite w ere ten m eters long each. The Black Stone was
1.50 m eters from the circum am bulation level ground. The two
o th er sides w ere tw elve m eters long each. The door was two
m eters high from the level ground. A building stru ctu re of 0.25
m eter high and 0.30 m eter w ide on th e average su rro u n d ed Al-
Ka’bah. It was called A sh-Shadherw an, originally an integral part of
th e Sacred Sanctuary, b u t th e Q uraish left it o u t.111

A Summary o f Muhammad’s Biography before Commis-

sioning o f the Prophethood
The Prophet M uham m ad was, in his youth, a com bination of
th e b est social attributes. He was an exem plary m an of w eighty
m ind and faultless insight. He was favored w ith intelligence,
originality of tho u g h t and accurate choice of th e m eans leading to
accurate goals. His long silence helped favorably in his habit of
m editation and deep investigation into th e tru th . His vivid m ind
and pure natu re w ere helpfully in stru m en tal in assim ilating and
com prehending ways of life and people, individual and com m u­
nity wise. He sh u n n e d su p erstitio u s practices b u t took an active
part in constructive and useful dealings; otherw ise, he w ould have
taken a route to his self-adopted seclusion. He kep t h im self aloof
from drinking w ine, eating m eat slaughtered on stone altars, or
atten d in g idolatrous festivals. He held th e idols in extrem e
aversion and disgust. He could never tolerate som eone sw earing
by Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza.121
Allah's guidance and care, no doubts, detached him from all
repulsive or evil practices. Even w h en he tried to obey his instinct

[1] For details on the reconstruction of Al-Ka'bah see Ibn Hisham 2/192-197. Tarikh
At-Tabari 2/289. Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/215. and M uhadarat Tarikh Al-Islamiyah by
Al-Khudri 1/64-65.
[2] See Ibn Hisham 1/128, At-Tabari 2/161. and Tahdhib Tarikh D imashq 1/373. 376.
82 The Sealed Nectar

to enjoy som e life pleasures or follow som e unrespectable

traditions, Allah's providence intervened to control any slip in
this course. Ibn Al-Athir reported M uham m ad as saying: "I
have never tried to do anything th e people of ignorance did except
for tw o tim es. Every tim e Allah intervened and checked m e from
doing so and I never did th a t again. Once I told my fellow-
shepherd to take care of my sheep w h en w e w ere in the upper
part of M akkah. I w anted to go dow n to M akkah and en tertain
m yself as th e young m en did. I w e n t dow n to th e first h ouse in
M akkah w here I heard m usic. I en tered and asked: "What is this?'
Som eone answ ered: 'It is a w edding party.' I sat dow n and
listened b u t soon w e n t into a deep sleep. I was aw akened by the
h eat of the sun. I w e n t back to my fellow -shepherd and told him
w hat h appened to me. I never tried it again.” 111

Al-Bukhari reported on th e authority of Jabir bin 'Abdullah 4® th a t

he said: "While th e people w ere rebuilding Al-Ka'bah, th e Prophet
M uham m ad w e n t w ith 'Abbas to carry som e stones. 'Abbas
said: 'Put your loincloth round your neck to protect you from the
stones.' (As he did that) th e Prophet ste fell to th e ground and his
eyes tu rn ed skyward. Later on, he w oke up and shouted: 'My
loincloth...m y loincloth.' He w rapped h im self in his loincloth ."121
In an o th er report: "His loins w ere never seen afterw ard s."131

The Prophet was distinguished am ong his people for his

m odesty, virtuous behavior and graceful m anners. He proved
h im self to be the ideal of m anhood, and to possess a spotless
character. He was th e m ost obliging to his com patriots, the m ost
h o n e st in his talk and the m ildest in tem per. He was th e m ost
gentle-hearted, chaste and hospitable. He always im pressed
people by his piety-inspiring expressions. He was the m ost
tru th fu l and th e best to keep covenant.

[1] There is a disagreem ent over th e authenticity of this Hadith. Al-Hakim said th at
it was authentic, b u t Adh-Dhahabi graded it weak, as did Ibn Kathir in Al-Bidayah
wan-Nihayah 2/287.
[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari. Chapter: The building of Al-Ka'bah, 1/540.
[31 See the previous reference w ith th e explanation of Al-Qastalani.
Muhammad's Birth and Forty Years p rior to Prophethood 83

His fellow-citizens, by com m on consent, gave him th e title of Al-

A m een (the trustw orthy). The M other of believers, Khadijah '$*>,
once said: "He m aintains uterin e relations, he helps th e poor and
th e needy, he en tertain s th e guests and stands w ith oppressed for
tr u th ."111

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/3.

 The Makkan Period

The life of Allah’s M essenger #1 divided into two periods after

Allah honored him w ith P rophethood and th e Message. Each of
these periods of his life w ere distinguished from th e other, they
are:
1. The Makkan Period: Approxim ately th irte e n years.
2. The Madinian Period: A pproxim ately ten years.
Each period is m ade up of different levels, each of these levels
being specifically d istinct from th e others. This becom es ap parent
after a brief investigation into th e phases th a t th e invitation to the
M essage passed through during each of th e two periods. The
M akkan period may be divided into th ree levels:
1. The Phase o f Secret Invitation, w hich lasted for th ree years.
2. The Phase o f Public Invitation, to th e people of Makkah,
spanning from the beginning of th e fourth year of Prophethood
until he m igrated to M adinah.
3. The Phase o f Invitation outside o f Makkah, from th e end of
th e te n th year of Prophethood through th e M adinian period until
th e end of th e P ro p h et’s life.
The Period of th e M adinian Phase is discussed in its appropriate
place.
 Life in M akkah

In the Shade of the Message and

Prophethood
In the Cave o f Hira’

W hen Prophet M uham m ad w as nearly forty, he had been

accustom ed to pass long h o u rs in retirem en t m editating and
speculating over all aspects of creation a ro u n d him . This
m editative tem p eram en t helped to w iden th e m ental gap betw een
him and his com patriots. He used to provide h im self w ith Saweeq
(barley porridge) and w ater and th e n directly head for th e hills
and ravines in th e neighborhood of M akkah. O ne of th ese in
particular was his favorite resort - a cave nam ed Hira', in the
M ount An-Noor. It was only two m iles from M akkah, a sm all cave
4 arm 's-length long by 1.75 arm 's-length wide. He w ould always go
th ere and feed any poor people w ho cam e to him . He used to
devote m ost of his tim e, and Ram adan in particular, to w orship
and m editation on th e universe around him . His h e a rt was
restless about th e m oral evils and idolatry th a t w ere w idespread
am ong his people; he was as yet helpless because no definite
course or specific approach had b een available for him to follow
and clear away th e ill practices existing around. This seclusion
atten d ed w ith this sort of reflective approach m u st be understood
in its Divine perspective. It w as a prelim inary stage to th e period
of grave responsibilities th a t he was to shoulder very soon.

Privacy and separation from th e im purities of life w ere two

indispensable prerequisites for him to m eet w h a t Allah had in
store for him , preparing him to carry th e great trust, to change th e
face of th e earth, and alter th e course of history. It was a rich
period of privacy w hich lasted for th re e years prior to the
beginning of his m ission, entering in a new era of lasting contact
w ith th e U nseen th a t Allah w ould perm it him to w itn ess.111

[1] See th e basic story in Sahih Al-Bukhari no. 3. and Ibn Hisham 1/235-236.
86 The Sealed Nectar

Gabriel i& brings down the Revelation

W hen he was forty, th e peak of o n e ’s life - and they say it is the
age w h en Prophets w ere always ordered to disclose th eir Message
- signs of his Prophethood started to appear and tw inkle on the
horizons of life. Included am ong these signs w ere th a t th e stones
in M akkah w ould greet him w ith Salam. He w ould n ot have a
dream except th a t it w ould becom e reality, as clear as dawn; this
lasted for six m onths. The period of Prophethood was 23 years, so
this six-m onth period full of tru e visions co nstituted an integral
part of th e forty-six parts of Prophethood. In Ramadan, in his
th ird year of solitude in th e cave of Hira', Allah's Will desired His
m ercy to flow on earth and M uham m ad was honored w ith
Prophethood, and th e light of Revelation b u rst upon him w ith
som e Verses of th e Noble Q u r a n .1"
As for th e exact date, careful investigation into circum stantial and
relevant evidence allows us to fix it to M onday, 21st, Ram adan at
night, i.e., August, 10, 610 C.E. w ith Prophet M uham m ad
exactly 40 lunar years, 6 m o n th s and 12 days of age. i.e., 39
Gregorian years, 3 m o n th s and 22 days.121

[1] Ibn Hajar said, "Al-Baihaqi m entioned th a t the dream s continued for six m onths.
Accordingly the Prophethood began w ith th e dream s th a t occurred during the
m onth of his birth. Rabi'ul-Awwal after he reached th e age of forty. T hen the
Revelation th at came w hile he was awake began during Ramadan (Fathul-Bari 1/
27).
[2] The historians differ a great deal over th e m onth th at Allah honored him w ith
Prophethood. and the m onth th at th e Revelation descended. A large group holds
the view th at it was th e m onth of Rabi'ul-Awwal. A nother group says th a t it was
Ramadan. Some say th a t it was Rajab (see M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh
'Abdullah An-Najdi. p. 50). We prefer th e second view, th a t it was during
Ramadan, due to Allah's Saying; "The m onth o f Ramadan in w hich was revealed
Al-Qur'an..." [2:1851 And His Saying: "Verily, We have sen t it dow n in th e Night
of Al-Qadr." [97:1] And it is well know n th a t th e Night o f Al-Qadr is during
Ramadan, and this is th e m eaning of His Saying: "We have sen t it down on a
blessed night. Verily, We are ever w arning." [44:3] Additionally, his seclusion in
Hira' was during Ramadan, and Gabriel ifiSl w ould descend during th a t m onth as
is well know n. Then they differ over th e day th a t th e Revelation began. Some say
it w as th e seventh, som e say th e seventeenth, and others th e eighteenth (see
M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh 'Abdullah An-Najdi, p. 75 and Rahmatul-lil-
'Alamin 1/49). Al-Khudari determ ined th at it was th e seventeenth [Muhadarat=
In the Shade o f the Message and Prophethood 87

'Aishah ^ gave th e following narration of th a t m ost significant

event th a t brought th e Divine light w hich w ould drive o u t the
darkness of disbelief and ignorance. It led life dow n a new course
and brought about th e m ost serious a m e n d m en t to th e line of the
history of m ankind:
The first of th e initiation of revelation for Allah's M essenger
assum ed th e form of true dream s th a t w ould strikingly com e true
all th e tim e. After that, seclusion becam e dear to him and he
w ould go to th e cave, Hira', to engage in Tahannuth (devotion)
th ere for a certain num ber of nights before retu rn in g to his family,
and th e n he w ould retu rn for provisions for a sim ilar stay. At
length, unexpectedly, th e T ruth came to him w hile in th e cave.
The angel came to him and said, "Recite." ’I cannot recite," he
(M uham m ad said. The Prophet % described: "Then he took
m e and em braced m e tightly and th e n let m e go and repeated the
order, 'Recite,' 'I cannot recite,’ said I: and once again h e squeezed
m e and let go m e u n til I was exhausted. Then h e said, 'Recite.' I
said, 'I cannot recite.' He squeezed m e for a th ird tim e and th e n let
m e go and said:

^ t y O jjW i^r* O—t/' O 'Mb

Read! In th e Nam e of your Lord, W ho has created (all th at

= Tarikh Al-Islamiyah 1/69). We gave preference to th e view th a t it was on the

tw enty-first only because th e scholars of Seerah all, or m ost agree th at th e
Prophet was com m issioned on a Monday, as supported by w hat th e im am s of
Hadith narrate from Abu Q atadah th at Allah's M essenger sg was asked about
fasting on M onday and he replied, "On it I was born, and on it th e Revelation
descended upon m e.” And in one narration. "That is th e day I was born on, and
th e day I was comm issioned" or "Revelation descended upon me." (Sahih M uslim
1/368. A hm ad 5/297. 299. Al-Baihaqi 4/286. 300. Al-Hakim 2/602) During th a t year
in Ramadan. M onday occurred on th e seventh, th e fourteenth, th e twenty-first,
and the twenty-eighth. The au thentic narrations prove th a t th e Night of Al-Qadr
occurred on an odd num bered night during th e last ten nights of Ramadan. So.
w hen w e look at Allah's Saying: ''Verily, We have sen t it dow n in th e Night of Al-
Qadr.” [97:1] and Abu Q atadah's narration th a t th e Prophet jfe; was
com m issioned on a M onday and th en we consider th e calculations based upon
the science of dating, th e M onday th a t occurred during Ramadan th a t year, th en
w e determ ine that he was com m issioned on M onday th e tw enty-first night of
Ramadan.
88 The Sealed Nectar

exists), has created m an from a clot (a piece of thick

coagulated blood). Read! and your Lord is th e M ost
G enerous.' [96:l-3][11
The Prophet repeated these Verses. He was trem bling w ith
fear. At this stage, he came back to his w ife Khadijah 4>. and said,
"Cover me, ... cover m e." They covered him u ntil he restored
security. He inform ed Khadijah ^ of th e incident of th e cave and
added th at he was frightened. His w ife tried to soothe him and
reassured him saying, "Allah will never disgrace you. You unite
uterine relations-, you bear th e b u rd en of th e weak; you help the
poor and th e needy, you en tertain th e guests and en d u re
hardships in the path of truthfulness."
She set out w ith th e Prophet to her cousin W araqah bin Nawfal
bin Asad bin 'Abdul-’Uzza, w ho had em braced Christianity in the
pre-Islamic period, and used to w rite th e Hebrew Scriptures and
he w ould w rite from th e Injeel in Hebrew w h at Allah willed for
him to w rite. He was an old blind m an. Khadijah 4k said, "My
cousin! Listen to your nephew !" W araqah said, "O my nephew!
W hat did you see?" Allah's M essenger told him w hat happened
to him . W araqah replied, "This is 'Namus'. i.e., (the angel w ho is
en tru sted w ith Divine Secrets) th at Allah se n t to M oses. I w ish I
w ere younger. I w ish I could live up to th e tim e w h en your people
w ould tu rn you o u t.” M uham m ad % asked, "Will they drive me
out?" W araqah answ ered in th e affirm ative and said, "Anyone
w ho came w ith som ething sim ilar to w hat you have brought was
treated w ith hostility; and if I should be alive till th a t day, th e n I
w ould support you strongly."
A few days later W araqah died and th e Revelation also subsided .121

Interruption o f Revelation
Ibn Sa'd reported on the authority of Ibn ’Abbas 4= th a t the

[1] The Verses revealed on th at occasion included: "Has taught man w hich he knew
not." [96:5]
[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/2. 3- And Al-Bukhari recorded it w ith slightly different
w ording in th e Books of Tafsir and Interpretation of Dreams.
In the Shade o f the Message and Prophethood 89

Revelation paused for a few days,111 after careful study, this seem s
to be th e m ost possible. To say th a t it lasted for th ree and or two
and a half years, as is popular, is not correct, b u t here th ere is no
room to go into m ore details.
M eanw hile, th e Prophet $g was caught in a sort of depression
coupled w ith a sto n ish m e n t and confusion.
In th e Book of Dreams, Al-Bukhari recorded th at th e Divine
inspiration paused for a w hile and th e Prophet jfe becam e so sad,
as we have heard, th a t he in tended several tim es to throw him self
from th e tops of high m ountains.
Every tim e he w e n t up the top of a m ountain in order to throw
him self down, Gabriel w ould appear before him and say: "O
M uham m ad! You are indeed Allah's M essenger in tru th ." w h ere­
upon his h e a rt w ould becom e quiet and he w ould calm dow n and
retu rn hom e.
W henever the period of th e com ing of the Revelation used to
becom e long, he w ould do as before, b u t Gabriel w ould appear
again before him and say to him w h at he had said before.121

Once more, Gabriel brings Allah’s Revelation

Ibn Hajar said: 'T hat (the pause of Allah's Revelation for a few
days) w as to relieve the M essenger £g of th e fear he experienced
and to m ake him long for the Revelation."131 W hen th e shades of
confusion dim inished, the flags of tru th w ere raised, Allah's
M essenger knew for sure th at he had becom e th e M essenger of
the Great Lord. He was also certain th at w h at had come to him
was no m ore th an the am bassador of inspiration. His w aiting and
longing for the com ing of the Revelation constituted a good reason
for his steadfastness and self-possession on th e arrival of Allah's
inspiration. Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Jabir bin
'Abdullah th a t he had heard Allah's M essenger j g speak about

[1] Fathul-Bari. M il 12/360.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/340.
[31 Fathul-Bari 1/27.
90 The Sealed Nectar

th e period of pause as follows:

"While 1 was walking, I heard a voice from th e sky, I looked

up, and surely enough, it was th e sam e angel w ho had
visited m e in th e cave of Hira'. He was sitting on a chair
betw een th e earth and th e sky. I was very afraid of him and
knelt on th e ground. 1 w e n t hom e saying: 'Cover m e ....
cover m e ...' Allah revealed to m e th e Verses:

'O you (M uham m ad #s) enveloped (in garments)! Arise and

warn! And your Lord (Allah) magnify! And your garm ents
purify! And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!” ' [74:1-5]
After th a t th e Revelation started com ing strongly, frequently and
regularly.111

Also in th e Sahih: "I stayed at H ira’ for a m onth. W hen my stay

ended I descended to hear a call w h e n I reached th e interior of the
valley,” T hen he m en tioned som ething sim ilar to w h at preceded.
M eaning th a t he descended after the com pletion of th e m o n th of
Ramadan, and it clarifies th a t th e pause betw een revelations was
m erely ten days, because an o th er Ram adan did not pass after the
first revelation.
The M essengership was postponed to th e ex ten t of the delay in
revelation, and it began w ith th ese Verses, w hich carry two
categories of clearly explained responsibilities:
Conveying and Warning: This was th e first of his duties as Allah
said:

"Arise and w arn!" [74:2]

M eaning th at he is to w arn th e people against th e p u n ish m e n t of
Allah if they do n o t revert from th eir tyranny, deviation, and
w orship of o ther th an Allah and associating others w ith Him, His

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari, The Book of Tafsir, 2/733-

In the Shade o f the Message and Prophethood 91

A ttributes, His Rights, and w h a t He does.

Adhering to the Commands o f Allah himself: This was th e other
duty, as Allah said:

"And your Lord (Allah) magnify!"

M eaning revere Him alone, w ith o u t partners.

iy &

"And your garm ents purify!"

The ap parent objective of th is is th a t he should purify his
garm ents and body, since one w ho stands before Allah to praise
His G reatness does n o t do so in a filthy state.
Yet if it is th is kind of purification th a t is desired, th en purification
from th e filth of associating partners w ith Allah, and repulsive
deeds and behavior is m ore w orthy of being th e desired objective,

3
"And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)!"
M eaning stay away from th e causes th at earn Allah's w rath, by
abiding in obedience and refraining from acts of disobedience.

"And give n ot a thing in order to have m ore." [74:6]

M eaning do n o t behave kindly to people m erely for rew ard from
th em or som e portion of ben efit in this life.
As for th e last Verse, it indicates th e harm s to expect from his
people w h e n religious separation begins, w h en he is calling them
to Allah alone and w arning th em against His p u n ish m e n t and
force. He said:

"And be patien t for th e sake of your Lord." [74:7]

These Verses begin w ith th e exalted call in th e resounding voice
92 The Sealed N ectar

com m issioning th e Prophet ^ w ith this m ighty com m and, taking

him from his sleep and his com fort, to struggle and continue
un d er hardship:

’) o y ili' (QL ^

"O you enveloped in garm ents! Arise and w arn,"

Some details pertinent to the successive stages of

Revelation
Before w e go into th e details of th e period of com m unicating th e
Message and Prophethood, w e w ould like to get acquainted w ith
th e stages of th e Revelation w hich co nstituted th e m ain source of
the M essage and th e subject-m atter of th e invitation. Ibn Al-
Qaiyim, m entioning th e stages of th e Revelation, said:
The First: The period of tru e vision. It was th e starting point of
th e Revelation to Allah’s M essenger
The Second: W hat th e angel invisibly cast in th e Prophet's m ind
and heart, w ith o u t being seen. Allah’s M essenger said: "The
Noble Spirit revealed to me, 'No soul will perish u n til it exhausts
its due course, so fear Allah and gently request Him. Never get
im patient to th e p oint of disobedience of Allah. W hat Allah has
can never be acquired b u t through obedience to H im .’"
The Third: The angel used to visit Allah’s M essenger in the
form of a h u m an being and w ould speak to him directly. This
w ould enable him to fully u n d erstan d w h a t th e angel said. The
angel was som etim es seen in th is form by th e P ro p h et's
Com panions.
The Fourth: The angel came to him like th e toll of a bell and this
was th e m ost difficult form because th e angel used to seize him
firmly and sw eat w ould stream from his forehead even on the
coldest day. If the Prophet ^ w as on his camel, th e camel w ould
not w ith stan d the weight, so it w ould im m ediately kneel dow n on
th e ground. Once th e Prophet ^ had such a revelation w h en he
was sitting and his thigh w as on Zaid’s thigh, Zaid felt the
pressure had alm ost injured his thigh.
In the Shade o f the Message and Prophethood 93

The Fifth: The Prophet saw th e angel in his actual form . The
angel w ould reveal to him w h at Allah had ordered him to reveal.
This, as m entioned in (Q uran), in Surat An-Najm (Chapter 53 -
The Star), h appened twice.
The Sixth: W hat Allah H im self revealed to him in heaven, i.e.,
w h e n he ascended to heaven and received Allah's O rder for Salat
(prayer).
The Seventh: Allah's W ords to His M essenger at first hand
w ith o u t th e m ediation of an angel. It was a privilege granted to
M oses and clearly a ttested in th e Q ur'an, as it is a ttested to
our Prophet jjjg in th e Surat Al-Isra' (Chapter 17 - The Journey by
Night) of th e Noble Q ur'an.
Some religious scholars added a controversial eighth stage in
w hich they state th a t Allah spoke to th e Prophet directly
w ith o u t a curtain in betw een." This is th e end of w hat he said,
w ith som e revision on th e first and eighth point. The tru th is th at
th e last point is n o t confirm ed .111

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 1/18

 The First Stage

Strife in the W ay of the Call

Three Years o f Secret Call

It is well-know n th a t M akkah was th e religious center for the
Arabs, and housed th e custodians of Al-Ka'bah. Protection and
guardianship of th e idols and stone carved images th at w ere
honored by all the Arabs, lay in th e h an d s of th e M akkans. Hence
th e difficulty of h itting the target of reform and goodness in a
place considered th e center of idolatry. W orking in such an
atm osphere no doubt requires unshakable will and determ ination,
th a t is w hy th e initial call to Islam assum ed a lim ited form so th at
th e M akkans should not be enraged by th e unexpected surprise.

The Early Converts

The Prophet naturally initiated his sacred m ission right from
hom e and th e n m oved to th e people closely associated w ith him .
He called u nto Islam w hom soever he tho u g h t w ould atte st the
tru th w hich had come from his Lord. In fact, a ho st of people w ho
nu rsed not the least seed of doubt as regards th e Prophet jjj§,
im m ediately responded and quite readily em braced th e true faith.
They are know n in th e Islamic literature as th e early converts.
Khadijah th e Prophet's spouse, th e M other of believers, was
the first to en ter th e fold of Islam followed by his freed slave Zaid
bin H arithah bin Sharahil Al-Kalbi his cousin 'Ali bin Abi
Talib 4*. w ho had been living w ith him since his early childhood,

[1] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin. Khadijah '$*> ow ned him and gave him to Allah's
M essenger «£§. Later his father and uncle came to take him back to his family
and people. But he chose to stay w ith Allah's M essenger So he was
considered his son according to th e Arab custom , and th at is w hy he was called
Zaid bin M uham m ad until Islam came and abolished such adoption. He died at
the Battle of M u'tah w hile th e com m ander of th e arm y during Jum ada Al-Ula
during the year 8 H.
Strife in the Way o f the Call 95

and next came his intim ate friend Abu Bakr As-Siddiq 4®- All of
those professed Islam on th e very first day of th e call. Abu
Bakr from th e first day h e em braced Islam, proved to be an
energetic and m ost zealous activist. He was w ealthy, obliging, m ild
and upright. People used to frequent his h ouse and draw near to
him for his know ledge, frien d sh ip , p leasan t com pany and
business. He invited to Islam w hom ever he had confidence in.
Through his personal efforts a good n u m b er of people converted
to Islam, such as 'U thm an bin 'Affan Al-Umawi, Az-Zubair bin
'Awwam Al-Asadi, 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf, Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas
Az-Zuhriyan and Talhah bin 'U baidullah At-Taimy *&>. Those eight
m en constituted th e forerunners and m ore specifically th e front
line of th e new faith in Arabia. Among th e early M uslim s w ere
Bilal bin Rabah (the Abyssinian), Abu 'Ubaidah 'Amir bin Al-Jarrah
from Bani H arith bin Fihr (the m ost tru stw o rth y of th e M uslim
n atio n ),111 Abu Salamah bin 'Abdul-Asad, Al-Arqam bin Abul-Arqam
from th e tribe of M akhzum , 'U thm an bin M az'oun and his two
brothers Q udam ah and 'Abdullah, 'Ubaidah bin Al-Harith bin Al-
M uttalib bin 'Abd M anaf, Sa'id bin Zaid Al-’Adawi and his wife
Fatim ah - daughter of Al-Khattab (the sister of 'Um ar bin Al-
Khattab), Khabbab bin Al-Aratt, 'Abdullah bin M as'ud Al-Hadhali
4® and m any others. These w ere know n as th e first of M uslim
predecessors. They belonged to various clans of th e Q uraish. Ibn
Hisham , a biographer, counted th em to be m ore th an forty .121 And
considering som e of th em to be am ong th e forem ost converts may
not be correct.

Ibn Ishaq said: "Then people en tered th e fold of Islam in hosts,

m en or w om en and th e new faith could no longer be kept
secret.” 131

The Prophet used to m eet and teach th e new converts the

religion in privacy, because th e call to Islam was still ru n n in g on

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/245-262. For this description o f him see Sahih Al-Bukhari in th e
Book of Manaqib under Abu 'Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah 1/530.
[2] Ibn Hisham 1/245-262.
[3] Ibn Hisham 1/262.
96 The Sealed Nectar

an individual and secret basis. Revelation accelerated and

continued after the first Verses of "O you w rapped in garm ents."
The Verses and pieces of Surah (chapters) revealed at this tim e
w ere short w ith w onderful strong pauses and quite fascinating
rhythm s in full harm ony w ith th at delicate w hispering setting.
The central topic ru nning through th em focused on purifying the
soul, and preventing th e M uslim s from falling prey to the
deceptive glam our of life. The early Verses used to give as well a
highly accurate account of the Hell and th e Garden (Paradise),
leading the believers dow n a new course diam etrically opposed to
th e ill practices w idespread am ongst th eir com patriots.

As-Salat (the Prayer)

The order for Salat was not am ong th e early Revelations. Ibn Hajar
said: "Definitely th e Prophet used to pray before T h e Night
Journey' but it still rem ains a m atter of controversy w h e th e r or
not the prayer was established as an obligatory ritual before
im posing the rules of the usual five prayers a day. It is related th at
obligatory prayer was established twice a day, in the m orning
before sunrise and after su n set." It is reported (through a chain of
narrators) th a t w hen the Prophet received th e first Revelation.
Gabriel >& - the angel, proceeded and taught him how to observe
W udu (ablution). W hen the Prophet finished, he took a
handful of w ater and sprinkled it on his loins. A narration w ith
sim ilar m eaning was recorded by Ibn Majah. Similar was reported
from Al-Bara' bin 'Azib and Ibn 'Abbas 4®, b u t in his narration Ibn
'Abbas said, "And th a t w as d u rin g th e b e g in n in g o f its
obligation."111

Ibn Hisham m entioned th a t w h en th ere was a tim e for prayers,

th e Prophet and his C om panions w ould go into a m ountain
valley to pray secretly.

Abu Talib once saw Allah's M essenger and Ali 4* praying, he

asked them w hat they w ere up to. W hen he was inform ed th at it

[1] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh 'Abdullah An-Najdi. p. 88.

Strife in the Way o f the Call 97

was obligatory prayer, he told th em to stay constant in their

practice.111

The Quraishites learn about the Call

D uring this stage of th e Call, even though conducted in a private
m anner and on an individual basis, its new s leaked to the
Q uraish, b u t they paid little a tte n tio n to it since th e Prophet
was not assaulting th eir religion nor speaking about th eir gods.
For th ree underground years of activism, a group of believers
em erged stam ped by a spirit of bro th erh o o d and cooperation w ith
one definite objective in their m ind: propagating and deeply
establishing the call u n to Islam. For full th ree years
M uham m ad ^ had been c o n ten t to teach w ithin a rather
narrow circle. The tim e, how ever, had come to preach th e faith
of th e Lord openly. Then Revelation descended giving Allah’s
M essenger the duty of publicizing it for his people, to confront
them , invalidate their falsehood, and crush dow n th eir idolatrous
practices.

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/247.

 The Second Stage

Open Preaching
First Revelation regarding the Preaching

"And w arn your tribe of near k in d re d .” [26:214].

This was th e first Verse to be revealed in this concern. It is
included in Surat Ash-Shu'ara’ (Chapter 26 - The Poets) w hich
relates th e story of M oses from his early days of Prophethood
going through his m igration w ith th e C hildren of Israel, their
escape from Pharaoh and his folk, and th e drow ning Pharaoh and
his arm ies. This C hapter in fact narrates th e d ifferent stages th a t
M oses passed through in his struggle w ith Pharaoh and the
m ission of calling his people u n to Allah. M oreover, it includes
stories th at speak about th e terrible end in store for those w ho
belied th e M essengers such as th e people of Noah, 'Ad, Tham ud,
Abraham, Lut, and Ahlul-Aikah (Com panions of th e W ood - A
group of people w ho used to w orship a tree called A ikah). These
stories are m en tioned along w ith th a t of Pharaoh and his people
in order to teach th o se w ho spread falsehood of th e cases of those
w ho did th e sam e before th em and th eir end. It also lets them
know th e aw aiting p u n ish m e n t from Allah if they continue
spreading falsehood, and it lets th e believers know th a t th e good
end is for them , n ot the supporters of evil.

Calling the Closest Kinspeople

In obedience to Allah's C om m ands, M uham m ad j g called his
kinsm en of Bani H ashim w ith a group of Bani Al-Muttalib bin 'Abd
M anaf. The audience counted forty-five m en.
Abu Lahab im m ediately took th e initiative and addressed th e
Prophet jg : "These are your uncles and cousins, speak to th e
point, b u t first of all you have to know th a t your kinspeople are
n ot in a position to w ith stan d all th e Arabs. You m u st bear in
Open Preaching 99

m ind th a t your relatives are sufficient for you. If you follow th eir
tradition, it will be easier for th em th an to face th e o th er clans of
Q uraish supported by o th er Arabs. Verily, I have never heard of
anyone w ho has incurred m ore harm on his kinspeople th an
you." Allah's M essenger k e p t silen t and said n othing in th a t
m eeting.
He invited th em to a n o th e r m eeting and m anaged to secure
audience. He th e n stood up an d delivered a sh o rt speech
explaining quite clearly w h a t th e special issue was.
He said: "I celebrate A llah’s praise, I seek His help, I believe in
Him, I p u t my tru s t in Him, I bear w itness th a t th ere is no god to
be w orshipped b u t Allah w ith no associate. A guide can never lie
to his people. I sw ear by Allah th a t th ere is no god b u t He, th a t I
have been se n t as a M essenger to you in particular, and to all th e
people in general. I sw ear by Allah th a t you will die ju st as you
sleep, you will be resurrected ju st as you w ake up. You will be
called to account for your deeds. It is th en eith er Hell forever or
th e Garden (Paradise) forever."
Abu Talib replied: "We love to h elp you, accept your advice and
believe in your w ords. These are your kinspeople w hom you have
gathered and I am one of th em b u t I am th e fastest to do w h a t you
like. Do w h a t you have been ordered. I shall protect and defend
you, b u t I cannot quit th e religion of ’Abdul-M uttalib."
Abu Lahab th e n said to Abu Talib: "I sw ear by Allah th a t this is a
bad thing. You m u st stop him before th e others d o .” Abu Talib,
however, answ ered: "I sw ear by Allah to protect him as long as I
am alive,” 111

On Mount As-Safa
After th e Prophet becam e sure of Abu Talib's com m itm ent to
his protection w hile he called th e people u nto Allah, he stood up
on M ount As-Safa one day and called o u t loudly: "Ya Sabahah

[1] Al-Kamil by Ibn Al-Athir 1/584, 585-

l*’ This is an Arabic expression used w hen one appeals for help or draws the
100 The Sealed Nectar

Groups of the Q uraish came to him . He called th em to Tauhid,

faith in Allah, his M essengership and th e Day of Resurrection.
Al-Bukhari reported part of this story on th e authority of Ibn
'Abbas 4$>- He said: "W hen th e following Verses w ere revealed:

‘A5/lts* jj.

"And w arn your tribe of near kindred." [26:214]

Allah's M essenger ascended M ount As-Safa and started to call:
"O Bani Fihr! O Bani 'Adi (two clans of Q uraish).” M any people
gathered and those w ho could not, se n t som ebody to report to
them . Abu Lahab was also present. The Prophet said: "You see,
if I w ere to tell you th a t th ere w ere som e ho rsem en in th e valley
planning to raid you. will you believe me?" They said: "Yes, we
have only w itnessed th e tru th from you." He said: "I am a w arner
to you before a severe to rm en t." Abu Lahab prom ptly replied:
"Perish you all th e day! Have you sum m oned us for such a thing?"
The Verses w ere im m ediately revealed on th a t occasion:1' 1

"Perish the two h an d s of Abi Lahab...” [111:1]

M uslim reported an o th er part of th is story on th e authority of
Abu H urairah 4® - He said: "W hen th e following Verses w ere
revealed:

"And w arn your tribe of near kindred." [26:214]

Allah's M essenger ^ called all th e people of Q uraish; so they
gathered and he gave them a general w arning. Then he m ade a
particular reference to certain tribes, and said: "O Q uraish, rescue
yourselves from the Fire; O people of Bani Ka’b, rescue yourselves
from th e Fire; O Fatim ah, daughter of M uham m ad, rescue
yourself from th e Fire, for I have no pow er to protect you from
Allah in anything except th a t I w ould sustain relationship w ith

attention of others to som e dangers.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/702. Sahih M uslim 1/114.
Open Preaching 101

you.
It w as verily a loud suggestive Call stating unequivocally to th e
closest people th a t belief in his M essage co nstituted th e basic
elem en t of any fu tu re relation betw een him an d them , and th a t
th e blood relation on w hich th e w hole Arabian life was based, had
lost its relevance in th e light of th a t Divine ultim atum .

Shouting the Truth and the Polytheists’ Reaction

The Prophet's voice kept reverberating in M akkah u n til the
following Verse w as revealed:

"Therefore proclaim openly, th a t w hich you are com ­

m anded, and tu rn away from A l-M ushrikun (polytheists).”
[15:94]
T hen Allah's M essenger s || began to proclaim th e invitation to
Islam at th e gatherings and assem blies of th e idolaters.
He w ould recite from Allah's Book to them , saying as the
M essengers say to th eir peoples:

"O people! W orship Allah, you have no god b u t Him ." [7:59]
T hen h e began w orshipping Allah right before th eir eyes, praying
aloud in th e courtyard of th e Ka'bah during th e daytim e w hile
they w atched.
He th e n started disapproving th e su p erstitio u s practices of
idolatry, revealing its w orthless reality and u tte r uselessness,
and giving concrete proofs th a t idolatry by itself, or taking it as the
m edia through w hich an idolater could come in contact w ith
Allah, is m anifest falsehood.
All of this resulted in increased acceptance of th e call, people w ere
entering A llahs’ religion one after another.

[1] Sahih M uslim 1/114. Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/385. 2/702.

102 The Sealed Nectar

This caused enm ity to develop betw een th e converts and th eir
relatives, and it all m ade th e Q uraish sh u d d e r in disgust over
w h at they saw.

An Advisory Council to hinder Pilgrims from

Muhammad’s Call
D uring those days, th e Q uraish had an o th er serious concern; the
proclam ation of th e Call had only been a few m o n th s old w hen
th e season of pilgrimage was soon to come. Q uraish knew th a t th e
Arab delegates w ere com ing w ith in a sh o rt tim e. They agreed th at
it was necessary to th in k about a device th a t could pu sh away the
Arab pilgrim s from th e new faith preached by M uham m ad
They w e n t to see Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah to plan som ething on
this issue. Al-Walid invited th em to agree on a unanim ous
resolution th at could enjoy th e approval of th em all. However,
they w ere at disagreem ent. Some suggested th a t they should
describe him as Kahin, i.e., soothsayer-, b u t this suggestion was
tu rn e d dow n on grounds th a t his w ords w ere n o t so rhym ed.
O thers proposed to publicize him as M ajnun, i.e., possessed by
jinn; this was also rejected because no signs peculiar to th a t state
of m ind w ere detectable if they claim ed so. "Why not say h e is a
poet?" Some said. Here again they could n o t reach a com m on
consent, alleging th a t his w ords w ere totally outside th e lexicon of
poetry. "OK then; let us accuse him of practicing w itchcraft," was
a fourth suggestion. Here also Al-Walid show ed som e reluctance
saying th at th e Prophet |jg was know n to have never involved
him self in th e practice of blow ing on th e knots, and adm itted th at
his speech was sw eet tasting, root and branch. He, how ever, found
th at th e m ost plausible charge to be levelled against
M uham m ad s g was w itchcraft. The ungodly com pany adopted
this opinion and agreed to propagate one uniform form ula to th e
effect th a t he was a magician so pow erful and com m anding in his
art th a t he w ould successfully separate son from father, m an from
his brother, wife from h er husband and m an from his clan.[I!

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/271.

Open Preaching 103

It is notew orthy in this regard to say th a t Allah revealed sixteen

Verses as regards Al-Walid and th e cunning m eth o d h e devised to
m anipulate th e people expected to arrive in M akkah for pilgrim ­
age. Allah says:

"Verily, he th o u g h t and plotted; so let him be cursed! How

he plotted! And once m ore let him be cursed, how he
plotted! T hen h e thought; th e n he frow ned and h e looked
in a bad tem pered way; th e n h e tu rn e d back and was proud;
th e n he said: 'This is no th in g b u t magic from th a t of old;
th is is n othing b u t th e w ord of a h u m an being!"’ [74:18-
251111
As for Allah's M essenger ji§, h e w ould go to th e people w ho
gathered during th e Hajj season, following th em to th eir cam ps in
'Ukaz, M ajannah and Dhul-Majaz, inviting th em to Allah. Abu
Lahab, w ho w ould shadow th e P rophet's steps crying aloud, "Do
not listen to him for he is a liar; h e is an apostate." N evertheless,
M uham m ad m anaged to create a stir in th e w hole area, and
even to convince a few people to accept his Call.121

Attempts made to check the Onward March o f Islam

Having fully perceived th a t M uham m ad H could never be
prevented from his Call, Q uraish, in a d esperate a tte m p t to
suppress th e tidal wave of th e Call, tu rn e d to o th er cheap m eans
acting from base m otives:
1. Taunting, degrading, ridiculing, belying and laughter-instigating
cheap m anners, all of w hich in ten d ed tow ards th e new converts
in general, and th e person of M uham m ad in particular, w ith

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/271.

[2] This was recorded by Ahmad In his M usnad, 3/492, 4/34. See also Al-Bidayah
wan-Nihayah 5/75. and K anzul-V m m al 12/449. 450.
104 The Sealed Nectar

th e aim of dragging th e spirit of despair into th eir m orale, and

slowing their continuous struggle.
They p u t th eir efforts to degrade th e Prophet i as a m an
possessed by a jinn or an insane person:

"And they say, O you (M uham m ad to w hom the D hikr

(the O ur'an) has been sen t down: 'Verily, you are a mad
m an.'" [1 5 :6]
or a liar practicing witchcraft:

JlS) jxd* o')

"And they (Arab pagans) w onder th a t a w arner (Prophet

M uham m ad $te) has come to th em from am ong them selves!
And th e disbelievers say: 'This (Prophet M uham m ad 3fe) is a
sorcerer, a liar."' [38:4],
Their eyes w ould also look at th e good m an as if they w ould 'eat
him up', or stop him , or disturb him from th e position of stability
or firm ness. They used all sorts of term s of abuse: 'm adm an' or
'one possessed by an evil sp irit’, and so on:

"And verily, those w ho disbelieve w ould alm ost m ake you

slip w ith their eyes through hatred w h en they hear the
Rem inder (the O u r’an), and they say: 'Verily, he
(M uham m ad «jg) is a m adm an!'" [68:51]
A m ong th e early co n v erts, th e re w as a g ro u p w h o had
unfortunately no strong clan at th eir back to su p p o rt them . These
innocent souls w ere ridiculed and tau n te d in season and o ut of
season. Referring to such people, th e superior Q uraish nobles
used repeatedly to ask th e Prophet w ith jest and disrespect:

itz . & ^

"Allah has favored from am ongst us?" [6:53]

Allah said:
Open Preaching 105

ii'

"Does not Allah know b est th o se w ho are grateful?" [6:53]

They w ere as Allah described for us:

b r bjb 'i\i o b-»U b/jjl bt

«5/yIfc ul (*-*>!; !•*!_> o 'jfj o
bWo^ bj o ojlboJ
"Verily! (During th e w orldly life) th o se w ho com m itted
crim es used to laugh at th o se w ho believed; and w henever
they passed by them , used to w ink one to an o th er (in
mockery); and w h en they retu rn ed to th eir ow n people,
they w ould retu rn jesting; and w h e n they saw them , they
said; 'Verily! These have indeed gone astray!' But they
(disbelievers, sinners) had not been se n t as w atchers over
them (the believers)." [8 3 :29-33]
2. D istorting M uham m ad's teachings, creating doubts, circulating
false propaganda, forging groundless allegations concerning his
doctrines, person and character, and going to excess in such a
m ann er in order to screen off any scope of sou n d consideration
from the public. W ith respect to th e Q ur'an, they used to allege
th a t it was;

'a jb 5 = u A b iz l_ £ - j 1, ^

"Tales of th e ancients, w hich he (M uham m ad sgj) has

w ritten dow n, and they are dictated to him m orning and
a fte rn o o n .” [2 5 :5]
The wicked persons w e n t on ceaselessly pu ttin g in people's ears
th a t the Q ur'an was n o t a tru e Revelation:

»-!» |»j* a Jc U > b\ty

"This (the Q ur'an) is no th in g b u t a lie th a t he

(M uham m ad $g;) has invented, and others have helped
him at it.” [25:4]
They claimed:
106 The Sealed Nectar

4 ^ £ £ Q>\f

"It is only a h u m an being w ho teaches h im ." [16:103]

They also raised an o th er baseless and superficial objection:

"Why does this M essenger (M uham m ad jg ) eat food and

w alk about in th e m arkets (like ourselves)?" [25:7]
The Noble Q u r'an has strongly negated th eir charges and
allegations and has explained th at th e statem en ts of the
Prophet s g are th e Revelations of the Lord, and th eir nature
and contents provide a bold challenge to th o se w ho attribute his
Prophetic expressions to som e base origin; at tim es to th e m ental
fits of a dream ing reform er, at others to th e feelings of an
obsessed poet or th e unclear m utterings of an insane man.
3. C ontrasting the Q u ra n w ith th e m ythology of th e ancients in
order to distract people's interests from Allah's W ords. It is
narrated th a t An-Nadr bin Harith, w e n t to H eerah w here he got
conversant w ith th e traditions of th e kings of Persia and the
accounts of people like Rustum and Isphandiyar, and th en
re tu rn e d to M akkah. H ere h e w o u ld alw ays shadow th e
M essenger's steps in w hatever audiences th e later held to preach
the new faith and to caution people against Allah's w rath. An-Nadr
w ould directly follow th e Prophet $g and narrate to th e sam e
audience long tales about those people of Persia. He w ould th en
always add to his talk a question cunningly inquiring if he did not
surpass M uham m ad $gm . Ibn 'Abbas ^ related th a t An-Nadr used
to purchase fem ale singers w ho w ould, through th eir bodily
charm s and songs, entice away from Islam anyone developing the
least attach m en t to th e Prophet s®; in this regard, Allah revealed:

"And of m ankind is he w ho purchases idle talks (i.e.

music, singing, etc.) to m islead (men) from th e path

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/299. 300. 358.

Open Preaching 107

of Allah." [31:6][11

Persecutions
At th e beginning of th e fourth year of th e Call, and for a period of
som e m onths, th e polytheists confined th eir h a ra ssm e n t tactics to
those m en tio n ed above. After they realized th a t they could not
restrict th e inflow of people to Islam w ith o u t persecuting the
believers and torturing them , they arranged for an o th e r m eeting.
This tim e after consultation, th e cam paign of persecuting the
M uslim s and torturing th em to get th em to leave th eir religion
was approved. Each of th e leaders began persecuting anyone in
th eir tribe found to be following th e religion of Islam.
W henever Abu Jahl heard of th e conversion of a m an of high birth
w ith pow erful friends, h e w ould degrade his good sense and
intellect, u n d erm in e his judgm ent; and th re a te n him w ith terrible
consequences if he was a m erchant. If th e new convert was
socially weak, he w ould beat him m ercilessly and p u t him to
unspeakable to rtu re s.121
The uncle of 'U thm an bin 'Affan used to w rap 'U thm an 4® in a
m at of palm leaves, and set fire u n d e r h im .131 W hen Um m M u s’ab
bin 'Um air heard of h er s o n ’s conversion, she p u t him to
starvation and th e n expelled him from h er house. He used to
enjoy full luxurious easy life, b u t as th e outcom e of th e to rtures
he had to bear, his skin becam e m arked w ith w rinkles and his
suffering sh o w ed .141
Bilal 4*. th e slave of Um aiyah bin Khalaf, was severely b eaten by
his m aster w h e n th e latter cam e to know of his conversion to
Islam. Som etim es a rope was p u t around his neck and street boys
w ere m ade to drag him through th e streets and even across the
hillocks of M akkah. At tim es he was subjected to prolonged
deprivation of food and drink. Once he was bo u n d during th e

[1] Ad-Durrul-Manthur. th e Tafsir o f Surat Luqman no. 6 (5/307).

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/320.
[3] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/57.
[4] Al-Isabah 4/255. and Ibn Sa'd 3/248.
108 The Sealed Nectar

h o tte st part of th e day and placed in th e valley in M akkah. Then

Umaiyah had a giant stone brought and placed it upon his chest.
He said, "By Allah! I will n ot stop u n til you are dead or u n til you
reject M uham m ad and w orship Lat and 'Uzza." Yet w hile Bilal
w as suffering, h e said only, "One, O ne.” Abu Bakr 4* was passing
by, m oved by pity, he purchased and released him from slavery.111
A nother victim of th e cruelty of Q uraish was 'Am m ar bin Yasir v$j>,
a freed slave of Bani M akhzum , He, along w ith his m other and
father, em braced Islam in its early phase. They w ere repeatedly
m ade to lie on th e b u rning sand and w ere beaten severely.
'Ammar w as at tim es throw n on em bers. The Prophet once
passed by w hile they w ere being to rtu red and said:

"O family of Yasir! Be patient, you will certainly find your

place in Paradise.”
Yasir *$&>, the father, died because of repeated tortures. Sum aiyah
'A m m ar's m other was bayoneted to death by Abu Jahl him self,
and th u s m erited th e title of th e first w om an m artyr in Islam.
’Am m ar 4® him self was subjected to various m odes of to rtu re and
was always th reaten ed to continuous severe suffering unless he
abused M uham m ad and m ade an open confession of error to
Al-Lat and 'Uzza.
In a w eak m om ent, he uttered a w ord in terp reted as his w ithdraw
though his h eart never w avered, and he came back once to the
Prophet jte, w ho consoled him for his pain and confirm ed his
Faith. Im m ediately afterw ards th e following Verse was revealed:

ly> 4 1 _Uu

"W hoever disbelieved in Allah after his belief, except him

w ho is forced th ere to and w hose h e a rt is at rest w ith Faith.”
[16:106]121

[1] Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar p. 61. and Ibn Hisham 1/317-318.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/319. 320. Ibn Sa d 3/248. 249. Some of this w as narrated by Al-'Awfi
from Ibn Abbas . See th e Tafsir of Ibn Kathir about th e Verse m entioned.
Open Preaching 109

Abu Fakih, Aflah - a freed slave of Bani 'Abdud-Dar. was

an o th er of those helpless victim s. The M akkan polytheists used to
lay him dow n on very h o t sand placing a stone on his back so th a t
he could not move, leaving him like th a t u n til h e w ould lose his
sense of reason. They also used to tie his legs w ith rope and drag
him around a lintel u n til they th o u g h t he was dead. Abu Bakr
also passed him w hile h e w as being tortured, and he purchased
his freedom for th e sake of A llah.111 The oppressors used to fasten
his feet w ith a rope and drag him in th e streets of M akkah.121

Khabbab bin Al-Aratt was th e slave of Um m A nm ar b in t Saba'

Al-Khuza'iyah. He was also an easy victim to sim ilar brutality on
every possible occasion. He experienced exem plary to rtu re and
m altreatm ent. He w ould be taken by his h air and dragged, tw isted
by his neck and throw n into fire. T hen they w ould drag him
through th e fire and n ot stop u n til his back w ould be b u r n t.131

Even th e w om en converts w ere not spared, and th e list is too long

to include all of them . Zanirah $&, An-Nahdiyah ^ and her
daughter, Um m 'Ubais ^ and m any others had th eir full share of
persecution at th e h an d of th e oppressors - 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab
included - of course before his conversion to Islam .141

Abu Bakr a w ealthy believer, purchased and freed som e of

those slaves, ju st as he did w ith regard to Bilal 4b and 'Amir bin
Fuhairah 4 .

The pagans w ould also throw som e o f th e C om panions into th e

anim al enclosures and th e n drag th em into th e h o t sun. They
w ould p u t iron arm or on som e of th em and throw th em upon
boulders to fry in th e s u n .151 No one w ould let his conversion to
Islam be know n about, except th a t he w ould have to undergo
severe tortu re and suffering for th e sake of Allah.

[1] Usdul-Ghabah 5/248. and Al-lsabah 8/152.

[2] Eijaz At-Tanzil p. 53-
[3] Usdul-Ghabah 1/591. 592. Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar p. 60.
[4] Ibn Hisham 1/319.
[5] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/58.
110 The Sealed Nectar

As for th e Prophet jjj|, it was not easy to harm him because he had
such significance, nobility and m atchless perfection of character
th a t prevented even his enem ies from com m itting any act of
foolishness against him . He had, as well, Abu Talib, his uncle, w ho
came from a noble descent and had a very great clan to su p p o rt
him . This situation was a source of great w orry to th e infidels, b u t
they felt th a t they could no longer exercise patience or show any
tolerance before a frightening pow er m arching steadily to cancel
th eir religious office and w orldly authority.

The Quraish approach Abu Talib

Ibn Ishaq said, "Some m en am ong th e notables of th e Q uraish

w e n t to Abu Talib. They said; ”0 Abu Talib! Your nephew curses
our gods; finds faults w ith our way of life, m ocks at our religion
and degrades our forefathers; eith er you m u st stop him , or you
m u st let us get at him . For you are in th e sam e opposition as we
are in opposition to him ; and w e will rid you of h im ." Abu Talib
tried to calm th em dow n by giving a polite reply. The Prophet |§r,
how ever, continued on his way of preaching Allah's religion and
calling to it.111 The Q uraish could n o t be p atien t for very long
w hile they w itnessed his w ork in inviting o th ers to Allah. The
m ore h e w orked th e m ore they talked about th e problem .

The Quraish Pressure Abu Talib

The Q uraish notables came to Abu Talib and insisted th a t he p u t a

sto p to h is n e p h e w ’s activities. Such activities if allow ed
unchecked, they said, w ould draw him into severe hostility. Abu
Talib was deeply distressed at this open th re a t of his people and
th eir enm ity, b u t he could n o t afford to d esert th e M essenger
too. He sen t for his nephew and told him w h a t th e people had said,
"Spare m e and yourself and p u t not b u rd en on m e th a t I can’t
bear." Upon this th e Prophet ^ th o u g h t th a t his uncle w ould let
him dow n and w ould no longer su p p o rt him , so he replied;

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/265.

Open Preaching 111

"O my uncle! by Allah if they p u t th e su n in my right hand

and th e m oon in my left on condition th a t I abandon this
course, I w ould not abandon it u ntil Allah has m ade me
victorious or I perish th erein ."

The Prophet got up, and as he tu rn e d away, his uncle called

him and said, "Come back, my n ephew ," and w h e n h e came back,
he said, "Go and preach w h a t you please, for by Allah, I will never
forsake you."
He th e n recited two lines of verse w ith significant m eanings of
full su p p o rt to th e Prophet jjg and absolute gratification by the
course th a t his nephew had chalked o u t in Arabia.111

The Quraish Confront Abu Talib a Second Time

Q uraish, seeing th a t Allah's M essenger w as still in te n t on his
Call, realized th a t Abu Talib w ould never forsake his nephew even
if this incurred th eir enm ity. Some of th em th e n w e n t to see him
once m ore taking w ith th em a youth called 'U m arah bin Al-Walid
bin Al-Mughirah, and said, "O Abu Talib! we have brought you a
sm art boy still in th e bloom o f his youth, to m ake use of his m ind
and strength and take him as your son in exchange for your
nephew , w ho has ru n counter to your religion, b rought about
social conflict, found fault w ith your way of life, so th at we kill
him and rid you of his endless troubles; ju st m an for man,"
Abu Talib's reply was, "It is really an unfair bargain. You give m e your
son to bring him up and I give you my son to kill him! By Allah, it is
som ething incredible!!" Al-M ut'im bin 'Adi, a m em ber of the
delegation, in te rru p ted saying th a t Q uraish had b een fair in th at
bargain because "they m ean t only to rid you of th a t source of hateful
trouble, b u t as I see, you are determ in ed to refuse th eir favors."
Abu Talib, of course, tu rn e d dow n all th eir offers and challenged
th em to do w hatever they pleased .121 Historical resources do not

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/265. 266. and Dala'il A n-N ubuww ah by Al-Baihaqi, 2/188.
[2] Ibn Hisham 1/266 267.
112 The Sealed Nectar

give th e exact date of these two m eetings w ith Abu Talib. They,
however, seem m ore likely to have taken place in th e sixth year of
Prophethood w ith a brief lapse of tim e in betw een.

Atrocities against Allah’s Messenger ^

Abu Lahab him self took th e initiative in th e new series of
persecutions, and started to share o u t countless aspects of
harm ful deeds, hatred and nastiness against M uham m ad
Starting w ith throw ing stones at him , forcing his two sons to
divorce their wives Ruqaiyah and Um m K ulthum th e Prophet's
d au g h ters,111 show ing delight on his second son's death and
calling him 'th e m an cut off w ith o ffsp rin g '.121 and th e n
shadow ing his steps during th e pilgrimage and forum s seasons,
as we m entioned earlier, to belie him and persuade th e bedouins
against him and his Call. Tariq bin 'Abdullah Al-Muharabi narrated
th at he w ould n ot stop at m erely rebuking th e Prophet rather
he w ould throw stones at him u ntil his ankles bled. 131
His wife, Um m Jamil b in t Harb, th e sister of Abu Sufyan had also
h er share in this m erciless campaign. She proved th a t she was not
less th an h er husband in th e enm ity and hatred she had for the
Prophet # 5. In order to cause him bodily injury, she used to tie
bundles of th o rn s w ith ropes of tw isted palm -leaf fiber and scatter
them in th e paths w hich th e Prophet ^ was expected to take.
She was really an ill-m annered and bad-tem pered w om an w ith
abusive language, highly skilled in th e art of hatching intrigues,
and enkindling the fire of enm ity and hatred. She was deservedly
stained as 'the carrier o f firew ood' in th e Noble Q ur'an.
On receiving this news, she directly proceeded to th e Ka'bah w ith
a h andful of pebbles to throw at the Prophet
Allah th e Great took away h er sight and she saw only Abu Bakr 4i>
w ho was sitting im m ediately next to the Prophet 5^ .

[1] Usdul-Ghabah, volum e 6. th e biographies of Ruqaiyah and Umm Kulthum

[2] Tafsir Ibn Kathir. Surat Al-Kawthar.
[31 K anzul-Vm m al 12/449.
Open Preaching 113

She th en addressed Abu Bakr 4* in th e m ost daringly m anner,

threatening to break his C om panion's m o u th w ith her han d fu l of
pebbles, and recited a line of verse having w ords full of disrespect
and disobedience:

"We have disobeyed th e dispraised one, rejected his Call,

and alienated ourselves from his religion.”
W hen she left, Abu Bakr 4® tu rn e d to th e Prophet and inquired
about th e m atter. The Prophet said:

"She did n ot see me. Allah prevented h er from being able to

see m e."111
Abu Bakr Al-Bazzar also recorded this story, b u t in his version
w h en she stopped at Abu Bakr *&., she said, "O Abu Bakr! We
ridicule your com panion.” Abu Bakr 4fc replied, "No by th e Lord of
this structure! He has not articulated nor uttered poetry." She
replied: "You have said th e tru th ."
Abu Lahab and his h o usehold used to inflict th o se sham eful
exam ples of tortu re and h arassm en t in spite of th e blood relation
th a t tied them , for he was th e P rophet's uncle and lived next door
to him . Similarly other neighbors of th e Prophet w ould cause
harm to him in his ow n h o u se as well.
Ibn Ishaq said, "The group of th o se w ho used to harm Allah's
M essenger ^ in his house included Abu Lahab, Al-Hakam bin
Abul-’As bin Umaiyah, 'Uqbah bin Abi M u'ait, 'Adi bin H am ra’ Ath-
Thaqafi and Ibn Al-Asda’ Al-Hudhali. These w ere his neighbors
and he was not safe from any of th em except for Al-Hakam bin
Abul-'As, O ne of them w ould throw th e w om b of a sheep on him
w hile he was praying, an o th e r w ould throw it in his prepared pot
(of food). T hen Allah's M essenger w ould use a rock to screen
him from th em w h en he prayed. W hen they w ould throw these
harm ful things on him , he w ould rem ove th em w ith a piece of
wood and p u t it by th e door th e n say:
"O Bani 'Abd Manaf! W hat kind of neighborly tre a tm e n t is

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/335. 336.

114 The Sealed Nectar

this?”
T hen he w ould throw it in th e street. 111
Al-Bukhari, on th e authority of Ibn M as'ud narrated: "Once the
Prophet w as offering prayers near th e Ka'bah. Abu Jahl was
sitting w ith som e of his com panions. Some of th em said to the
others, 'W ho am ong you will bring the guts of a camel of Bani so-
and-so and p u t it on th e back of M uham m ad, w h en he prostrates?’
The m ost w retched of th em (’Uqbah bin Abi M u ’ait) got up and
brought it. He w aited till th e Prophet j§; prostrated and th en
placed it on his back betw een his shoulders. I was w atching b u t
could not do anything. I w ished I had som e people w ith m e to
hold out against them .

They started laughing and falling on one another. Allah’s

M essenger ^ was in prostration and he did n o t lift his head up
till Fatim ah ^ (the Prophet's daughter) came and rem oved it from
his back.

He #1 raised his head and said thrice,

'O Allah! Destroy th e (infidels of) Q uraish.’

So, it was hard for Abu Jahl and his com panions w h en the
Prophet invoked Allah against th em as they had a belief th at
th e prayers and invocations w ere accepted in this city (Makkah).
The Prophet said:

’O Allah! Destroy Abu Jahl, ’Utbah bin Rabi’ah, Shaibah bin

Rabi’ah, Al-Walid bin 'Utbah, Um aiyah bin Khalaf, and
'Uqbah bin Abi M u'ait...'
And h e m entioned th e seventh w hose nam e I cannot recall. By
Allah in W hose Hand my life is, I saw th e dead bodies of those
persons w ho w ere counted by A llah’s M essenger ifz in th e Qalib
(one of th e wells) of Badr."[21 The seventh person was 'U m arah bin

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/416.

[21 Sahih Al-Bukhari. th e Book of Ablution, chapter: W hen dead body or polluted
thing touches th e praying person. 1/37.
Open Preaching 115

Al-Walid.m
Um aiyah bin Khalaf w ould slander and talk bad about Allah’s
M essenger j g w henever h e saw him . It was about him th a t Allah
revealed:

i0 0 4
"Woe to every slanderer and backbiter." [104:1]
Ibn H isham said, "Al-Humazah is th e one w ho publicly m ocks a
person...and Al-Lumazah is th e one w ho secretly declares the
defects of people and defam es th e m ."121
'Uqbah bin Abi M u'ait, U m aiyah's brother, once a tte n d ed an
audience of th e Prophet j g and listened to him preaching Islam. A
close friend of his, Ubai bin Khalaf, heard of this. He could not
tolerate any act of th is sort, so h e strongly condem ned 'Uqbah and
ordered him to spit in th e face of A llah’s M essenger 2g , and he
sham elessly did it. Ubai did n o t spare any thinkable way to harm
the Prophet jg ; h e even ground old decom posed bones and blew
the pow der on h im .131
Al-Akhnas bin Shuraiq Ath-Thaqafi used to speak ill about the
character of th e Prophet j g in season and o u t of season. The
Noble Q u r’an, in direct reference to this m an 's sham eful deeds,
attached to him nine repulsive characteristics:

o 0
A 'a t

"And obey n o t everyone w ho sw ears m uch, - a n d is

c o n sid e red w o rth le ss, a sla n d e re r, going a b o u t w ith
calum nies, h in d ere r of th e good, transgressor, sinful, cruel
- after all th a t base-born (of illegitim ate birth)." [68: 10-13]141
Som etim es Abu Jahl w ould com e to listen to Allah's M essenger j g

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari no. 520. th e last in th e Book of Prayer.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/356. 357.
[3] Ibn Hisham 1/361, 362.
[4] Ibn Hisham 1/356.
116 The Sealed Nectar

recite th e Q ur'an, th en he w ould leave w ith o u t believing in it, nor

taking heed to its w arnings. He w ould harm Allah's M essenger
in speech, h e w ould take every o p p ortunity to obstruct the
M essage of Allah, and th en he w ould go around arrogantly
boasting about w hat he did. Allah revealed about him:

"So he (the disbeliever) n eith er believed (in this Q ur'an, in

th e M essage of M uham m ad #*) nor prayed!" [75:31]
He, m oreover, w anted to debar th e Prophet from praying in the
Noble Sanctuary. It h appened once th a t th e Prophet jgg was
praying w ithin th e area of th e Sacred House, w h en Abu Jahl
proceeded threateningly and uttering abusive language. The
Prophet adm onished him severely to w hich Abu Jahl
answ ered back rudely claiming th a t he was th e m ightiest in
M akkah; Allah th en revealed:

"Then, let him call upon his council (of helpers)." [96:17]
In an o th er version of the sam e incident, th e Prophet ^ took Abu
Jahl by his neck, m oved him back and forth severely saying:

"Woe to you [O man] And th e n (again) woe to you! Again,

w oe to you [O man] And th en (again) w oe to you!" [75:34,
35]. 111
N otw ithstanding this reproach, Abu Jahl w ould never w ake up to
h im self nor did he realize his foolish practices.
On th e contrary, he was determ ined to go to extrem es, and swore
he w ould d u st th e M essenger’s face and step on his neck. No
sooner had he proceeded to fulfill his wicked in ten tio n th an he
was seen tu rning back shielding h im self w ith his h ands (as if

[1] Recorded by Ibn Jarir in his Tafsir. At-Tirmidhi in th e Tafsir of Surat Iqra'. Ibn
Kathir 4/477. and Ad-Durrul-Manthur 6/478.
Open Preaching 117

som ething horrible was in his pursuit).

His com panions asked him w h a t th e m atter was. He said: "I
perceived a ditch of b u rning fire and som e w ings flying.'' Later on,
the M essenger ^ com m ented saying:

"If he had proceeded further, th e angels w ould have

plucked off his lim bs one after a n o th e r.” 111
Such w as th e disgraceful tre a tm e n t m eted o u t to th e Prophet #§
and th e M uslim s at th e h a n d s o f th e evil pagans w ho claim ed th at
they w ere Allah's people, living in His Sanctuary.

The House o f Al-Arqam

In th e light of th ese in h u m a n h arassm ents, th e Prophet
deem ed it w ise to advise his follow ers to conceal th eir conversion,
in both w ord and deed. He took th e decision to m eet th em
secretly lest th e Q uraish should get to know of his designs, and
plot to foil his goals. He also w anted to avoid any sort of open
confrontation w ith th e polytheists because such a thing at this
early stage w ould n o t be in th e in te rest of th e newly-born Call,
still w eak and n ot fully fledged. Once, in th e fo u rth year of
Prophethood, th e M uslim s w ere on th eir way to th e hillocks of
M akkah to hold a secret m eeting w ith th e Prophet # |, w h e n a
group of polytheists observed th eir suspicious m ovem ent and
began to abuse and fight them . Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas beat a
polytheist and shed his blood and th u s recorded th e first instance
of bloodshed in th e history of Islam .121
The Prophet # |, on th e o th er hand, used to proclaim th e Islamic
faith and preach it openly w ith deep devotion and studious
pursuit, b u t for th e general w elfare of th e new converts and in
consideration of th e strategic in te rest of Islam, he took Dar Al-
Arqam, th e estate of Al-Arqam bin Abul-Arqam Al-M akhzumi on

[1] Sahih M uslim , the Description of th e Hypocrites, no. 38.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/263.
118 The Sealed Nectar

As-Safa, as a tem porary center to m eet his followers secretly and

instruct th em in th e Q ur'an and in th e Islamic w isdom .

The First Migration to Abyssinia (Ethiopia)

The series of persecutions started late in th e fourth year of
P ro p h eth o o d , slow ly a t first, b u t steadily accelerated and
w orsened day by day and m o n th by m onth.
By th e m iddle of th e fifth year, th e situation got so grave and no
longer tolerable th a t the M uslim s began to seriously th in k of
feasible ways to avert th e painful to rtu res m eted out to them .
It w as at th a t depressing and desperate period th a t Allah inform ed
th em th a t His earth was n ot too restricted for them , alluding to
migration. He revealed Surat Az-Zum ar (Chapter 39 - The Groups)
saying in it:

"Good is for those w ho do good in this world, and Allah's

earth is spacious. Only those w ho are p atien t shall receive
th eir rew ards in full, w ith o u t reckoning." [39:10],
The Prophet si) knew th a t Asham ah, w ho held th e title of Negus,
king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), was a fair ruler w ho w ould not w rong
any of his subordinates, so he perm itted som e of his followers to
seek asylum th ere in Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
In Rajab of th e fifth year of Prophethood, a group of tw elve m en
an d four w o m en left for Abyssinia (Ethiopia). Am ong th e
em igrants w ere 'U thm an bin ’Affan and his w ife Ruqaiyah ^
(the daughter of th e Prophet jlj). W ith respect to th ese two
em igrants, th e Prophet ^ said:

"They are th e first people to m igrate in th e cause of Allah

after Abraham and Lot."111

[1] Zadul-Ma’ad 1/24.

Open Preaching 119

They slipped out of M akkah u n d e r th e heavy curtain of a dark

night and headed for th e sea w here tw o boats hap p en ed to be
sailing for Abyssinia (Ethiopia), th eir destination. News of their
in ten d ed departu re reached th e ears of th e Q uraish, so som e m en
w ere se n t after them , b u t th e believers had already left Port of
S h u ’aibah tow ards th eir place of protection w here they w ere
received w arm ly and accorded due h o sp itality .111

In Ram adan of th e sam e year, th e Prophet w e n t into th e Holy

Sanctuary w here th ere was a large h o st of Q uraish polytheists,
including som e notables and elders. Suddenly he began reciting
Surat An-Najm (Chapter 41 - The Star). The aw e-inspiring W ords
of Allah descended unexpectedly upon them and they w ere
im m ediately stu n n e d by them . It was th e first tim e for th em to be
shocked by th e tru th fu l Revelation. It had form erly been the
favorite trick of those people w ho w ished to dish o n o r Revelation,
n ot only n o t to listen to it them selves b u t also to talk loudly and
rudely w h e n it was being read, so th a t even th e tru e listeners may
n ot be able to hear. They used to th in k th a t they w ere drow ning
o u t A llah’s Speech; they w ould say;

"Listen not to this Q u ra n , and m ake noise in th e m idst of

its (recitation) th at you m ay overcom e." [41:26].
W hen th e unspeakably fascinating W ords of Allah came into direct
contact w ith th eir hearts, they w ere spellbound and got unaw are
of th e m aterialistic w orld around th em and w ere caught in a state
of full attentiveness to th e Divine W ords to such an ex ten t th a t
w h en th e Prophet s g reached th e storm y heart-beating ending:

"So fall you dow n in prostration to Allah and w orship Him

(Alone)." [53:62]
The idolaters, unconsciously and w ith full com pliance, prostrated

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 1/24.

120 The Sealed Nectar

them selves in th eir truly helpless state. It w as in fact the

w onderful m o m e n t of th e T ruth th a t cleaved through th e
sham eless souls of th e arrogants and the a ttitu d e of th e scoffers.111
They stood stu n n e d w h en they perceived th a t Allah's W ords had
conquered th eir hearts and done th e sam e th ing th a t they had
b e e n trying h ard to eradicate an d e x te rm in a te . T heir co­
polytheists w ho had n o t been p resen t on the scene accused and
blam ed th em severely; consequently they began to fabricate lies
and blam ing the Prophet ^ alleging th a t h e had attached to their
idols great respect and ascribed to them th e pow er of desirable
intercession. All of these w ere d esperate attem p ts m ade to
establish an excusable justification for prostrating them selves
w ith th e Prophet ^ on th a t day. O f course, this foolish and
wicked slanderous behavior was in line w ith th eir already
com m on practice of telling lies and plot hatching.
News of this incident was m isreported to th e M uslim em igrants
in Abyssinia (Ethiopia). They w ere inform ed th a t th e w hole of
Q uraish had em braced Islam so they m ade th eir way back hom e.
They arrived in M akkah in Shawwal of th e sam e year. W hen they
w ere only an h o u r’s travel from M akkah, th e reality of the
situation was discovered. Some of th em retu rn ed to Abyssinia
(Ethiopia), others entered secretly into th e city or w e n t in publicly
b u t u n d er th e protection of a local notable.121

The Second Migration to Abyssinia (Ethiopia)

However, due to th e new s th e M akkans heard about th e good
hospitality and w arm w elcom e th a t th e M uslim s w ere accorded in
Abyssinia (Ethiopia), th e polytheists got terribly annoyed and
started to m ete o u t severer and m ore horrible ill-treatm ent and
tortures to th e M uslims.

[1] Al-Bukhari recorded a brief version o f this story from Ibn M as'ud and Ibn
'Abbas See th e chapter on th e prostration in Surat An-Najm, and th e chapter
on w hen the M uslims and th e idolaters prostrated (1/146), and th e chapter on
w hat the Prophet gg and his Companions m et from th e Q uraish in Makkah (1/
543).
[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 1/24, 2/44. Ibn Hisham 1/364.
Open Preaching 121

T hereupon Allah's M essenger deem ed it im perative to perm it

the helpless creatures to seek asylum in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) for a
second tim e. M igration this tim e was n o t as easy as it was the
previous tim e, for th e Q uraish w ere on th e alert to th e least
suspicious m oves of th e M uslim s.
In due course, how ever, th e M uslim s m anaged th eir affairs too
fast for th e Q uraishites to spoil th eir a tte m p t of escape. The group
of em igrants this tim e com prised eighty-three m en and n in eteen
or, in som e versions, eighteen w om en. W hether or n o t ’Am m ar
was included is still a m atter of d o u b t.111

Quraish Machinations against the Emigrants

The Q uraish could n ot tolerate th e prospect of a secure and safe
place available for th e M uslim s in Abyssinia (Ethiopia), so they
dispatched tw o m essengers to dem and their expulsion. They w ere
'Amr bin Al-'As and 'Abdullah bin Abi Rabi'ah - before em bracing
Islam. They had taken w ith th em valuable gifts to the king and his
clergy, and had been able to w in som e of th e courtiers over to
their side. The pagan m essengers claim ed th a t th e M uslim
refugees should be expelled from Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and handed
over to them , on th e ground th a t they had abandoned the religion
of their forefathers, and th eir leader was preaching a religion
different from theirs and from th at of th e king.
The king sum m oned th e M uslim s to th e court and asked th em to
explain th e teachings of th eir religion. So they gathered together
th ere determ ined to speak th e tru th before him . He said to them .
"What is this religion th a t has caused you to separate from your
people, to n ot en ter my religion or any of these others?" Ja'far bin
Abi Talib stood up and addressed th e king in th e following
words:
"O king! We w ere an ignorant people. We w orshipped idols and
ate th e m eat of dead carcasses. We w ere accustom ed to lewd
behavior, to severing th e ties of kinship, neglecting our neighbors,

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 1/24.

122 The Sealed Nectar

and th e strong am ong us consum ed th e weak. This is how we

were, b u t th en Allah se n t a M essenger to us. We w ere aw are of his
lineage, his tru th fu ln ess, th a t he was trustw orthy, and chaste. He
began inviting us to Allah, th a t w e single Him out and th at w e
w orship him . So w e left th e religion of our forefathers th a t w e had
been previously following, w e left th e w orship of stones and idols,
of all others besides Allah. He also com m anded us to be tru th fu l
in our speech, fulfill trusts, n u rtu re th e ties of kinship, be kind to
our neighbor, and to refrain from spilling blood unlaw fully. He
forbade us from lew d behavior, from bad speech, from consum ing
th e o rp h an 's w ealth, and from slandering chaste w om en. He
com m anded th a t w e w orship Allah Alone w ith o u t associating
anything w ith him , he com m anded us to perform the prayer, give
charity, and fast - so he listed th e Islamic injunctions." He
continued, "So w e tru sted him and believed in him , and followed
th e religion of Allah th a t he delivered. We began to w orship Allah
Alone, w e w ould not associate anything w ith Him, and w e began
prohibiting w h at He m ade unlaw ful for us, as well as allowing
w h at He had m ade law ful for us. For this our people rose as
enem ies against us, punishing us, tortu rin g us to get us to leave
our religion and retu rn to w orshipping idols instead of w orship­
ping Allah, and they expected us to consider all of th e filthy things
law ful as w e previously did. So w h e n they overpow ered us,
oppressed us and restricted us, w h en they came betw een us and
our religion, th en w e came to your land, w e chose you over o thers
besides you, desiring to be your neighbor, and hoping th at you - O
king - will n o t w rong us."
The Negus said. "Is th ere any of this w ith you th a t he told you to
be from Allah?"
Ja'far 4® said, "Yes!" The Negus said, "Then recite som e of it for
m e." He th en recited th e opening Verses of Surat M aryam
(Chapter 19 - Mary) w herein is told th e story of th e birth of both
John and Jesus Christ, dow n to th e account of Mary having been
fed w ith th e food m iraculously. T hereupon th e king, along w ith
th e bishops of his kingdom , was m oved to tears th a t rolled dow n
his cheeks and even w et his beard. Here, th e Negus exclaimed: "It
Open Preaching 123

seem s as if th ese w ords and th o se w hich w ere revealed to Jesus

are th e rays of th e light w hich have radiated from th e sam e
source." T urning to th e depressed m essengers of Q uraish, h e said,
"I am afraid, I cannot give you back th ese refugees. They are free
to live and w orship in my kingdom as they please."

O n th e next day, th e tw o m essengers again w e n t to th e king and

said th a t M uham m ad s g and his followers blasphem ed Jesus
Christ. Again th e M uslim s w ere su m m o n ed and asked w h at they
th o u g h t of Jesus. Ja'far again stood up and replied: "We speak
about Jesus as w e have been taught by ou r Prophet jg . th a t is, he
is th e servant of Allah, His M essenger, His spirit and His W ord
breathed into Virgin M ary." The king rem arked th a t they believed
th e sam e. T hen tu rn in g to th e frow ning m em bers of th e
delegation and to his bishops w ho got angry, he m entioned th a t
they m ay fret and fum e as they like b u t Jesus was no th in g m ore
th an w h a t Ja'far 4® has said about him . He th en assured the
M uslim s of full protection. He retu rn ed to th e delegation of
Q uraish, th e gifts they had b rought w ith th em and se n t them
away. The M uslim s lived in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) u n d istu rb ed for a
num ber of years till they retu rn ed to M adinah.111

This is th e version narrated by Ibn Ishaq, and others m entioned

th a t 'Amr bin Al-'As w e n t to th e Negus after th e battle of Badr. To
bring these tw o views in accord, o thers say th a t th e delegation
w e n t on two occasions. However, th e question and answ er session
betw een th e Negus and Ja'far 4® th a t they say occurred on the
second occasion, is th e sam e in general c o n ten t as th a t narrated
here by Ibn Ishaq. From th ese questions it is obvious th a t th e
event took place w h en they first arrived in Abyssinia.

The Tyrants’ Decision to kill the Prophet jjg

Now th a t all th e schem es and conspiracies of th e Q uraish had
failed, they retu rn ed to th eir old practices of persecution and
inflicting to rtu re on th e M uslim s in a m ore serious and brutal

[1] Summ arized from Ibn Hisham 1/334-338.

124 The Sealed Nectar

m an n er th an ever before. They also began to nurse th e idea of

killing th e Prophet In th e case of th e M uslim s, those w ho
rem ained in M akkah w ere very few. O f these, they w ere either
notables, thereby safe from annoyances, or they w ere neighbors of
such people. Still they had to hide th eir Islam, and keep it o u t of
th e public eye as m uch as possible. Even in these circum stances
they w ere not safe from harm from th eir neighbors.
As for Allah's M essenger he w ould pray and w orship Allah
openly before th e eye of th e tyrants, inviting publicly and quietly
to Allah. T here was nothing to prevent or divert him from that.
For this was th e essence of th e order to convey th e M essage of
Allah w h en He said:

"Therefore proclaim openly th a t w hich you are com m anded,

and tu rn away from A l-M ushrikun.” [15:94]
Among w h at is m entioned in th e books of Sunnah and Seerah
about th e events of this period is th e incident w ith 'Utaibah bin
Abi Lahab. He once approached th e Prophet and m ost
rebelliously and sham elessly sh outed at him , "I disbelieve in:

'By th e star w h en it goes dow n.' [53:1]

and in w hom who:

'...approached and came closer."' [53 :8]

In o ther words: "I do n o t believe in any of th e Q ur'an."
He th en started to deal arrogantly w ith M uham m ad and laid a
violent hand on him , tore his sh irt and spat at him , b u t he m issed
th e face of th e Prophet
T hereupon, th e Prophet gjg invoked Allah's w rath on ’Utaibah and
supplicated:

ja or 4* f 4^i»
Open Preaching 125

"O Allah! Set one of Your dogs on him ."

Allah responded positively to M uham m ad's supplication, and it
h appened in th e following m anner: Once 'Utaibah w ith som e of
his com panions from Q uraish se t o u t for Syria and took
accom m odation in Az-Zarqa’. T here a lion approached th e group
to th e great fear of 'Utaibah, w ho at once recalled M uham m ad's
w ords in supplication, and said: "Woe to my brother! This lion
will surely consum e m e just as M uham m ad supplicated. He has
really killed m e in Syria w hile h e is in M akkah." The lion jum ped
at 'Utaibah, snatched him from his people, and crushed his
h e a d .111
It is also reported th a t an idolater from Q uraish, nam ed 'Uqbah
bin 'Abi M u'ait once pressed th e P ro p h et’s neck w ith his feet until
his eyes protruded w hile he was prostrating h im self in prayer.121
M ore details reported by Ibn Ishaq testify to th e ty ra n ts’ deeply-
established in ten tio n s of killing th e Prophet
Abu Jahl. th e archenem y of Islam, once addressed som e of his
accomplices: "O people of Quraish! It seem s th a t M uham m ad is
determ ined to go on finding fault w ith our religion, degrading our
forefathers, discrediting our way of life and abusing our gods. I
bear w itness to our god th a t I will carry a too heavy rock and drop
it on M uham m ad’s head w hile h e is in prostration to rid you of
him , once and for all. I am n ot afraid of w hatever his clan, Banu
'Abd M anaf, m ight do," T he terrible u n fo rtu n a te audience
approved his plan and encouraged him to translate it into a
decisive deed.
D em onstrating th eir in te n t to kill th e Prophet is w h at is
recorded by Ibn Ishaq from 'Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-'As ^>, th a t
som e p eo p le of th e Q u ra ish w e re at Al-Hijr (of Ism a'il)
com plaining th a t they had been too p atien t w ith the
Prophet 5yg, w ho suddenly appeared and began his usual
circum am bulation. They started to w ink at him and u tte r sarcastic

[1] Al-Isti'ab, Al-Isabah. Dala'il An-Nubuwwah, etc.

[2] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul. by Sheikh Abdullah An-Najdi, p .l 13-
126 The Sealed Nectar

rem arks b u t he rem ained silen t for tw o tim es, th en on th e third,

he stopped and addressed th e infidels saying:

"O people of Quraish! Listen, I sw ear by Allah in W hose

H and is my soul, th a t you will one day be slaughtered to
pieces."

As soon as th e Prophet ^ uttered his w ord of slaughter, they all

stood shocked and sw itched off to a new style of language
portraying fear and even h orror trying to soothe his anger and
com fort him saying: "You can leave Abul-Qasim, for you have
never been foolish."

In th e m orning o f th e following day, they gathered talking again

about him . So they confronted and su rro u n d ed him . I saw one of
them strangling him w ith his upper-garm ent. Abu Bakr 4® came
over w hile crying and said, "Do you w an t to kill a m an just
because he says, 'My Lord is Allah'?" T hen they left him alone. Ibn
'Amr ^ said, "That was th e w orst behavior I had ever seen from
th e Q u raish ."111

'Urw ah bin Az-Zubair narrated: I asked Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Al-
'As to tell m e of th e w orst th ing th a t th e pagans did to the
Prophet jig. He said: "While th e Prophet % w as praying in Al-Hijr
of Al-Ka'bah, 'Uqbah bin Abi M u'ait cam e and p u t his garm ent
around th e P rophet’s neck and strangled him violently, Abu Bakr
came and caught him by his shoulder and p ushed him away from
th e Prophet and said: 'Do you w an t to kill a m an ju st because
he says: My Lord is Allah’?"121

[1] Summarized from Ibn Hisham 1/289-290.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari. th e chapter on w hat th e pagans did to th e Prophet jjg and his
C om panions in Makkah 1/544,
Open Preaching 127

In th e narration of Asm a’ $*>, she said: Som eone came yelling to

Abu Bakr, "Look at your com panion." So h e left us w hile w earing
four braids. He left w hile saying to them , "Do you kill a m an
sim ply because he says, 'Allah is my Lord’?" So they beat Abu
Bakr. He retu rn ed to us, and w hatever w e touched of his hair,
w ould fall o u t."111

The Conversion o f Hamzah bin ’Abdul-Muttalib

In a gloomy atm osphere infested w ith dark clouds o f injustice and
oppression, th ere shone on th e horizon a prom ising light for the
oppressed, i.e., th e conversion of Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib in
Dhul-Hijjah, th e sixth year o f Prophethood.
It is recorded th a t th e Prophet j g was one day seated on the
hillock of Safa w h en Abu Jahl h ap p en ed to pass by and accused
th e religion preached by him . M uham m ad 3jjj§, how ever, kept
silent and did n o t u tte r a single word. Abu Jahl w e n t on
unchecked, took a stone and cracked th e Prophet's head w hich
began to bleed. The aggressor th e n w e n t to join th e Q uraishites in
th eir assem bly place. It so hap p en ed th a t shortly after that,
Hamzah, w hile returning from a h u n tin g expedition, passed by
th e sam e way, his bow hanging by his shoulder. A slave-girl
belonging to 'Abdullah bin Jad’an, w ho had noted th e offensive
behavior of Abu Jahl, told him th e w hole story o f th e attack on th e
Prophet sg.
O n hearing that, H am zah was deeply offended and h u rried to Al-
Ka'bah and there, in th e courtyard of th e Holy Sanctuary, found
Abu Jahl sitting w ith a com pany of Q uraishites. H am zah ru sh ed
u pon him and struck his bow u p o n his head violently and said:
"Ah! You have been abusing M uham m ad; I too follow his religion
and profess w h a t he preaches."
The m en of Bani M akhzum cam e to his help, and m en of Bani
H ashim w anted to provide help, b u t Abu Jahl sen t th em away
saying: "Leave Abu 'U m arah alone, by Allah I did sham elessly

[1] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh 'Abdullah An-Najdi, p .113.

128 The Sealed Nectar

abuse his n e p h e w ."111

In fact, H am zah's conversion derived initially from the pride of a
m an w ho w ould not accept the concept of others hum iliating his
relative.
Later on, however, Allah purified his natu re and he m anaged to
grasp the m ost trustw orthy handhold (faith in Allah). He proved
to be a source of great strength to th e Islamic faith and its
follow ers.121

The Conversion o f 'Umar bin Al-Khattab

A nother significant addition to the strength of Islam w as the
conversion of 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab in Dhul-Hijjah, th e sixth year
of P rophethood,131 th ree days following th e conversion of Hamzah.
He was a m an of fearless courage and determ ination, feared and
respected in M akkah, and until th en a b itter o p p o n en t of th e new
religion. The traditional account reveals th at th e Prophet once
raised his hand s in prayer and said:

j\ yJu :idi jdJr'rji 4-A fbbNi ya>\

jj J4>-

"O Allah! Give strength to Islam especially through either of

two m en you love more: 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab or Abu Jahl
bin Hisham."
Umar, obviously, was the one w ho m erited th a t privilege.141
W hen we scrutinize the several versions th a t speak of Um ar's
conversion, we can safely conclude th a t various contradictory
em otions w ere conflicting w ith one an o th er in his soul. On the
one hand, he used to highly regard the traditions of his people,
and was used to the practice of indulgence in w ine parties; on the
o ther hand, he greatly adm ired th e stam ina of the M uslim s and

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/291-292.

[2] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul p. 101.
13] Tarikh Umar bin Al-Khattab by Ibn Al-Jawzi, p .l 1.
[4] At-Tirmidhi. the chapters o f the Virtues; th e Virtue of Abu Hafs 'Umar bin Al-
Khattab. 2/209.
Open Preaching 129

their p ersisten t dedication to th eir faith. These tw o extrem e views

created a sort of uncertainty in his m ind and m ade him at tim es
tend to believe th a t th e doctrines of Islam could bear better and
m ore sacred seeds of life, th a t is w hy he w ould always experience
fits of rage directly followed by unexpected fatigue. On th e whole,
th e account of his conversion is very interesting and requires us to
go into som e details.
One day, 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab set out from his house, and headed
for the Holy Sanctuary w here he saw th e Prophet offering
prayer and overheard him reciting th e beginning of Surat Al-
Haqqah (Chapter 69 - The Reality) of th e Noble Q ur'an. He said to
him self, "By Allah! This is poetry as the O uraish have said." Then
th e Prophet recited:

,|-4 yOz jcXTm Jj Aj yti Cj djil

"That this is verily the w ord of an honored M essenger (i.e.,

Gabriel or M uham m ad w hich he has brought from
Allah). It is not the w ord of a poet, little is th a t you believe!"
[69:40-41]
So He said to him self, "He is a soothsayer."
The Prophet was th en reciting:

JojC U "iLls S jp

"Nor is it the w ord of a soothsayer (or a foreteller), little is

th at you rem em ber! This is th e Revelation sen t dow n from
the Lord of th e 'Alamin (m ankind, jinns and all th a t exists)."
[69:42-43] Up to the end of th e Surah.
’Umar 4® narrated: "Then Islam came into my h e a rt."111
However, the dark layer of pre-Islamic tendencies, th e deep-seated
traditional prejudice as well as the blind pride in his forefathers
overshadow ed the essence of th e great T ruth th a t began to feel its

[1] Tarikh Umar bin Al-Khattab p.6. Similar is reported by Ibn Ishaq from 'Ata' and
Mujahid. but the end is different. See Ibn Hisham 1/346- 347. Again, Ibn Al-Jawzi
m entioned som ething else sim ilar to it w ith a d ifferent w ording at th e end. See
Tarikh Umar bin AtK hattab pp. 9-10.
130 The Sealed Nectar

way into his heart. He, therefore, persisted in his violence against
Islam and its believers, being u n m in d fu l of th e pure and true-to-
m a n ’s nature feeling th a t lay b eh in d th a t fragile cover of pre-
Islamic ignorance and m entality. His sharp tem per and excessive
enm ity tow ards th e Prophet led him one day to leave his
house, sw ord in hand, w ith th e in ten tio n of killing the
Prophet $&. He was in a fit of anger and was irritated and
fum ing. N u'aim bin 'Abdullah, or a m an from th e tribe of Zahrah,
or a m an from th e tribe of M akhzum - m et him along th e way. He
asked him w here he w as headed. 'Um ar said furiously: "To
destroy th e m an M uham m ad." He said, "How will you be safe
from Bani Hashim and from Bani Zahrah w hile you have killed
M uham m ad? W hy d o n 't you take care of your ow n family first and
set them right?"
"Which of th e folk of my house?" asked 'Um ar angrily. "Your
brother-in-law and your sister have apostatized (m eaning to say:
They have becom e followers of M uham m ad #§) and abandoned
your religion."
'Um ar headed to his sister's house. As he drew near, he heard the
voice of Khabbab bin Aratt 4®, w ho w as reciting th e Q u ra n ic
C hapter Ta-Ha to them from som e pages. Khabbab perceiving
th e noise of his footsteps w e n t fu rth er into th e house.
Fatim ah 'U m ar's sister, took hold of th e page and hid it. But
'Umar had already heard th e voice. "W hat sound was th a t I heard
just now?" He said, entering angrily. Both his sister and her
h usband replied, "You heard nothing." "Nay," said he sw earing
fiercely, "I have heard th a t you have tu rn e d from your religion."
He m oved forw ard tow ards his brother-in-law and beat him
severely, b u t Fatim ah ^ ru sh ed to th e rescue of h er husband.
T hereupon, 'Um ar fell upon his sister and struck on th e head. The
h usband and wife could not contain them selves and cried aloud:
"Yes, w e are M uslim s, w e believe in Allah and His M essenger
M uham m ad so do w h at you will."
W hen 'Umar saw th e face of his dear sister sm eared w ith blood,
he felt pity and said: "Let m e see w h a t you w ere reading, so th at I
Open Preaching 131

may perceive w h at M uham m ad has brought." Fatim ah % was

satisfied w ith the assurance, b u t said: "O brother, you are unclean
on account of your idolatry, none b u t th e pure m ay touch it. So go
and w ash first." He did so, and took th e page and read the
opening Verses of th e C hapter Ta-Ha until h e reached:

U 'Sh Id] iil Ijl ^

"Verily! I am Allah! La ilaha ilia Ana (none has the right to be

w orshipped b u t I), so w orship Me and m aintain prayer
(,Salat), for My Rem em brance." [20:14],

'Um ar read th e V erses w ith great in te re st a n d w as m uch

fascinated w ith them . "How excellent it is, and how graceful!
Please guide m e to M uham m ad." He said. And w h en Khabbab 4®
heard that, he came out of concealm ent and said, "O 'Umar, I hope
th a t Allah has answ ered th e prayer of th e Prophet for I heard
him say: 'O Allah! Strengthen Islam through either 'Um ar bin Al-
Khattab or Abu Jahl bin H isham .’" 'Um ar th e n left for a h ouse in
Safa w here M uham m ad had been holding secret m eetings
along w ith his C om panions. 'Um ar reached th a t place w ith th e
sword swinging by his arm . He knocked at th e door. The
C om panions of th e Prophet tu rn e d to see w ho th e in tru d e r
was. O ne of th em peeped through a gap in th e door and tu rn e d
back in w orry saying: "It is 'Um ar w ith his sw ord." Ham zah
dispelling th e fears of his friends, said: "Let him in. As a friend he
is welcom e. As a foe, h e will have his head cut off w ith his ow n
sw ord." The Prophet #g asked his C om panions to open th e door.
In came th e son of Khattab. The Prophet sgjjj advanced to receive
th e dreadful visitor, caught him by his garm ent and scabbard, and
asked him th e reason of his visit. At th a t 'Um ar replied: "O
M essenger of Allah, I come to you in order to believe in Allah and
his M essenger and th a t w hich h e has brought from his Lord."
Filled w ith delight, M uham m ad together w ith his C om panions
shouted: Allahu Akbar' (Allah is Great) saying it so loud th a t it
could be heard at th e Ka’b ah .m

[1] Tarikh ’Umar bin Al-Khattab pp. 7-11, Ibn Hisham 1/343-346.
132 The Sealed N ectar

The conversion of ’Umar 4* was a real triu m p h for th e cause of

Islam. So great and in stan t was th e effect of his conversion on the
situation th a t th e believers w ho had u n til th e n w orshipped Allah
w ithin th eir four walls in secret, now assem bled and perform ed
th eir rites of w orship openly in th e Holy Sanctuary itself. This raised
their spirits, and anxiety and uneasiness began to seize the Q uraish.
Ibn Ishaq narrated on th e au thority of 'Um ar ^ "W hen I
em braced Islam, I rem em bered th e archenem y of M uham m ad s§s,
i.e., Abu Jahl. I set out. and knocked at his door. W hen he came
o u t to see me, I told him directly th a t I had em braced Islam. He
im m ediately slam m ed the door repulsively disapproving my move
as infam ous and my face as ugly."111 In fact, 'U m ar's conversion
created a great deal of stir in M akkah th a t som e people denounced
him as an apostate, yet he w ould never w aver in Faith, on the
contrary, he persisted in his stance even at th e risk of his life.
The polytheists of Q uraish m arched tow ards his house w ith the
in ten tio n of killing him . It is recorded by Al-Bukhari th a t 'Abdullah
bin 'Um ar ^ n a r r a te d : "While 'Um ar was at hom e in a state of fear,
there came Al-'As bin W a’il As-Sahmi Abu 'Amr, w earing an
em broidered cloak and a sh irt having silk hem . He was from the
tribe of Bani Sahm w ho w ere our allies during th e pre-Islamic period
of ignorance. Al-'As said to 'Umar: 'W hat's w rong w ith you?’ He said:
'Your people claim th a t they will kill m e if I becom e a M uslim . ’Al-'As
said: 'Nobody will harm you after I have given protection to you.’ So
Al-'As w e n t out and m et the people gathered in th e w hole valley. He
said: 'W here are you going?' They replied: 'We w an t son of Al-
Khattab w ho has em braced Islam .’ Al-'As said: T here is no way for
anybody to touch him .' So th e people backed aw ay.''121
W ith respect to th e M uslim s in M akkah, 'U m ar’s conversion had a
d ifferent trem endous impact. M ujahid, on th e authority of Ibn
'Abbas related th a t he asked 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab w hy he had
been given the e p ith et of Al-Farooq (he w ho distinguishes tru th
from falsehood), he replied: "After I em braced Islam, I asked the

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/349-350.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/545. Ibn Hisham 1/349-
Open Preaching 133

Prophet j ||: 'A ren't w e on th e right path here and H ereafter?' The
Prophet answ ered:

'O f course you are! I sw ear by Allah in W hose Hand my soul

is, th a t you are right in th is w orld and in th e H ereafter,’
I, therefore, asked th e Prophet sg: 'W hy th e n do w e have to
conduct secret activities. I sw ear by Allah W ho has se n t you w ith
th e Truth, th at w e will leave our concealm ent and proclaim our
noble cause publicly.'
We th e n w e n t o u t in tw o groups, Ham zah leading one and I the
other. We headed for th e M osque in broad daylight w h e n the
polytheists of Q uraish saw us, th eir faces w e n t pale and got
incredibly depressed and resentful.
On th a t very occasion, th e Prophet ^ attached to m e th e ep ith et
of Al-Farooq."
Ibn M as'ud related th a t they (the M uslim s) w ere never able to
pray at th e Ka'bah u ntil 'Um ar ^ em braced Islam .111
Suhaib bin Sinan Ar-Rumi in th e sam e context, said th at it was
only after 'U m ar's conversion, th a t they started to proclaim the
Call, assem ble around and circum am bulate th e Sacred House
freely.
They even dared to retaliate against som e of th e injustices done to
harm th e m .121
In th e sam e context, Ibn M as'ud said: "We have been
stren g th en ed a lot since 'Um ar em braced Islam .” 131

Quraish’s Representative negotiates with Allah’s

Messenger
Shortly after th e conversion of th ese tw o pow erful heroes.
Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib and 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab the
clouds of tyranny and oppression started to clear away and the

[1] Tarikh 'Umar bin Al-Khattab p. 13, M ukhtasar As-Seerah p. 103-

[2] Tarikh 'Umar bin Al-Khattab p. 13-
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/545.
134 The Sealed Nectar

polytheists realized th a t it was no use m eting o ut tortu re to the

M uslim s. They consequently began to direct their campaign on a
different course.
The au th en tic records of th e biography of th e Prophet % show
th at it had occurred to th e M akkan leaders to credit
M uham m ad w ith am bition. They, therefore, tim e and again
tried to te m p t him . Ibn Ishaq rep o rted a n a rra tio n from
M uham m ad bin Ka'b Al-Qurazi w ho said it was narrated to him
th at one day som e of th e im p o rtan t m en of M akkah gathered in
the enclosure of Al-Ka'bah, and 'Utbah bin Rabi'ah, a chief am ong
them , offered to approach the Prophet and contract a bargain
w ith him w hereby they give him w hatever w orldly w ealth he asks
for, on condition th a t he keep silent and no longer proclaim his
new Faith. The people of Q uraish approved his proposal and
requested him to undertake th at task. 'U tbah approached
M uham m ad and addressed him in th e following words:

"O nephew ! You are a m an w ho holds an im p o rtan t family

position am ong us, w ith noble lineage. Yet, you come to your
people w ith a grave m atter th a t separates th eir groups. You have
outraged our gods and religion and taxed our forefathers and wise
m en w ith im piety and error and created strife am ongst us. So
listen to my proposals for you to consider, and perhaps you will
accept one of them ."
Allah's M essenger said:

"Speak Abul-Walid, I am listening."

He said, "O nephew ! If you are doing all this w ith a view to getting
w ealth, we will join together to give you greater riches th an any
Q uraishite has possessed. If am bition m oves you, w e will m ake
you our chief. If you desire kingship w e will readily offer you that.
If you are u n d er the pow er of an evil spirit w hich seem s to h a u n t
and dom inate you so th at you cannot shake off its yoke, th en we
shall call in skillful physicians to cure you."
"Have you said all?” asked M uham m ad and th e n hearing th at
all had been said, he spoke forth, and recited:
Open Preaching 135

O jf^ J \ cp~)\ 'ot <Jb> 0 ^ - 0 i

u^c-li 5yjjj o y y l tS ji <£-;'«• e J l^ i
l^Pji ill ili==* 3 ll^l* j^llij o o jllll V ^*a^==1

"In th e Nam e of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost

M erciful. Ha-Mim. A Revelation from Allah, th e M ost
Gracious, the M ost M erciful. A Book w h ereo f th e Verses
are explained in detail; - a Q ur'an in Arabic for people w ho
know . Giving glad tidings and w arning, b u t m ost of them
tu rn away, so they listen not. And they say: 'O ur hearts are
u n d e r coverings (screened) from th a t to w hich you invite us
..."’ [41: 1-5]
Allah’s M essenger w e n t on reciting th e C hapter w hile 'Utbah
sitting and listening attentively w ith his h an d b eh in d his back to
su p p o rt him . W hen th e M essenger ^ reached th e Verse th a t
required prostration, he im m ediately prostrated him self. After
that, he tu rn e d to 'Utbah saying:

"Well Abul-Walid! You have heard my reply, you are now

free to do w hatever you please."
'Utbah th e n retired to his com pany to tell th em of th e Prophet's
attitude. W hen his com panions saw him , they sw ore th a t he had
retu rn ed to th em w ith an expression unlike th e one he had before
m eeting th e Prophet He im m ediately com m unicated to them
th e details of th e talk he gave and th e reply he received, and
added saying: "I have never heard w ords sim ilar to those he
recited. They definitely relate n eith er to poetry nor to w itchcraft
nor do they derive from soothsaying. O people of Quraish! I
request you to take note of my advice and grant th e m an full
freedom to pursue his goals, in w hich case you could safely detach
yourselves from him . 1 sw ear th a t his w ords bear a suprem e
Message. Should th e o th er Arabs rid you of him , they will th en
spare you the trouble, on th e o th er h an d if h e gains pow er over
th e Arabs, th en you will enjoy his kingship and share him in his
m ight.” These w ords of course fell on deaf ears, and did not
appeal to th e infidels, w ho m ocked at 'Utbah and claim ed th a t the
136 The Sealed Nectar

Prophet had bew itched h im .[11

In an o th er version of the sam e event, it is related th a t ’Utbah
w en t on attentively listening to th e Prophet until the latter
began to recite Allah's Words:

"But if they tu rn away, th en say (O M uham m ad $g): "I have

w arned you of a Sa'iqah (a destructive aw ful torm ent) like
th e Sa'iqah w hich overtook (the people of) 'Ad and
T ham ud." [41:13]
Here 'Utbah stood up panicked and stu n n ed p u tting his hand on
the Prophet's m outh requesting him : "I beg you in the Name of
Allah and the ties of kinship to stop lest the calamity should befall
the people of O uraish.” He th en hurriedly retu rn ed to his
com panions and inform ed th em of w h at he had h e a rd ,121

The Heads of the Quraish challenge the Messenger

and Abu Jahl passes judgment on him
Still th e O uraish had hope. This was because th e Prophet had
not clearly rejected their offers in a way th a t w ould com pletely
rule out an agreem ent. O ne day they consulted, gathering behind
th e Ka'bah after sunset. They sen t a m essage to th e Prophet sg
inviting him to attend. W hen he came they presented him w ith
the sam e proposals th a t 'Utbah had previously. He m ade clear to
them th at none of these applied, th at he was m erely a M essenger
conveying the Message of his Lord. If they accept th en it will
benefit them in this life and the Hereafter, if they reject th en he
will be patient until Allah judges betw een th em and him.
Then they asked him to produce a sign, asking his Lord to either
move a m ountain for them , level th e city, m ake th e daw n appear,
or bring to life som e of the dead so they w ould believe him . He
responded in a way sim ilar to before.

[11 Ibn Hisham 1/293, 294.

[2] Tafsir Ibn Kathir 6/159-161.
Open Preaching 137

Then they th e told him to ask his Lord to send an angel to them
attesting to w h a t he says, bringing gardens, treasures, and castles
of gold and silver. He answ ered again in th e sam e m anner.
T hen they asked him to bring a pu n ish m en t; th a t h e have a piece
of th e sky fall dow n upon them , he replied:
"That is up to Allah, as He wills, He does,"
So they criticized him sharply and th reaten ed him , and h e w en t
away grieving and upset.
After he w e n t away, Abu Jahl, th e archenem y o f Islam, addressed
them : "O people of Quraish! It seem s th a t M uham m ad is
determ in ed to go on finding fault w ith our religion, degrading
our forefathers, discrediting ou r way of life and abusing our gods.
I bear w itness to our god th a t to rid you of him , once and for all, I
will carry heavy rock and drop it on M u h am m ad ’s head w hile he
is in prostration. I am n o t afraid of w hatever his tribe, Banu 'Abd
M anaf, m ight do." The terrible u n fo rtu n a te audience approved his
plan and encouraged him to translate it into a decisive deed.
In th e m orning of th e following day, Abu Jahl lay w aiting for the
arrival of Allah's M essenger to offer prayer. The people of
Q uraish w ere in th eir assem bly room s w aiting for new s. W hen the
Prophet j g p rostrated him self, Abu Jahl proceeded carrying the
big rock to fulfill his wicked intention.
No sooner had he approached th e Prophet gg th an h e w ithdraw
pale-faced, shuddering w ith his h an d s straining w hile th e rock
dropped. The people w atching h u rrie d forw ard asking him w h at
was wrong. He replied: "W hen I approached, a m ale camel
u n u su al in figure w ith fearful canines intercepted and alm ost
devoured m e." Ibn Ishaq reported th a t th e Prophet jg , in the
context of his com m ent on th e incident, said:

US jJ fSLUl d * i i j j r
"It was Gabriel if Abu Jahl had approached closer, he
w ould have killed h im ."111

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/298-299-

138 The Sealed Nectar

The Quraish Attempt to Negotiate

Although th e O uraish tried to challenge th e Prophet and Abu
Jahl tried to kill him , they had hoped to come to som e term s w ith
th e Prophet since they w ere not com pletely convinced th a t he
w as false. Rather they felt about th e Message, as Allah said:

"They are in grave doubt concerning it." [11:110]

They saw th at the Prophet ^ was firm in the m atter of his
religion, and they w anted to m eet him som ew here in th e m iddle
of the road. They w ere w illing to give up som e of th eir faith,
requesting him to give up som e of his. They th o u g h t th at through
this m ethod they w ould be able to arrive at th e tru th , if w h a t he
called th em to was indeed true.
Ibn Ishaq reported th a t som e people w ere m ocking A llah’s
M essenger ^ w hile he was in circum am bulation around the
Ka'bah. They included Al-Aswad bin Al-Muttalib bin Asad bin
'Abdul-’Uzza, Al-Walid bin Al-Mughirah, Um aiyah bin Khalaf, and
Al-'As bin W a'il As-Sahmi, and these w ere th e elders of their
people. They said, "O M uham m ad! Come and let us w orship w hat
you w orship, and you w orship w h at w e w orship. We can be
partners w ith you in this m atter. If th e one you w orship is better
th an w h at w e w orship th en w e will get som e kind of benefit.
W hereas, if w h a t w e w orship is better th an th e one you w orship
th en you will get som e kind of benefit. So Allah revealed:

"Say: 'O you disbelievers! I will n o t w orship w h at you

w orship..." to th e end of Surah [109]m
'Abd bin H um aid and others reported th a t Ibn ’Abbas said th at
the O uraish said, "If you subm it to our gods th e n w e will w orship
your god." So Allah revealed:

Ji Q fe

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/362.

Open Preaching 139

"Say: 'O you disbelievers! ..." to th e end of Surah [109]m

At-Tabari and others report th a t Ibn 'Abbas said th a t the
Q uraish said, "W orship our gods for one year, and w e will w orship
your god for one year." So Allah revealed:

"Say: 'Is it o ther th an Allah th at you order m e to w orship O

you fools?" [39:64][21

The Quraish’s Bewilderment and their Consultation

with the Jews
The route th e pagans had taken began to seem dark after these
events, and they w ere perplexed over w h a t to do. Finally one of
their devils, An-Nadr bin H arith stood to advise th em saying: "O
Ouraish! By Allah! You have experienced an un p reced en ted
p h en o m en o n before w hich you have so far been desperately
helpless. M uham m ad grew up here and n u rsed am ong you, and
h e always proved to be highly obliging, th e m ost tru th fu l and
tru stw o rth y young m an. However, w h e n his sideburns began to
gray, h e brought this problem . You said, 'He is a sorcerer.' No by
Allah! He is not a sorcerer for w e have seen sorcery and its spells.
T hen you said, 'He is a soothsayer.’ No by Allah! He is n o t a
soothsayer, for w e have seen soothsayers and th eir taste for
passions and w e have heard th eir rhym es. T hen you said, 'He is a
p o et.’ No by Allah! He is not a poet, for w e have seen poets and
heard th eir sayings of song and filth. T hen you said, 'He is
possessed.’ No by Allah! He is n o t a possessed, for w e have seen
th e possessed and h e has never been w itn essed to develop any
sort of hallucinations or fits peculiar to m adm en. O people of
Q uraish, this is really a serious m atter and I recom m end th a t you
seriously consider w h at to do."
T hen th e Q uraish decided to contact th e Jews for help in this
m atter. They authorized An-Nadr bin H arith to go w ith som e

[ 1] Ad-Durrul-Man thur 6/692.

[2] The Tafsir of Ibn Jarir At-Tabari: Surat Al-Kafirun.
140 The Sealed Nectar

o thers to th e Jews of M adinah.

There the rabbis told him , "Ask him th ree questions. If he inform s
you about th em th e n he is indeed a M essenger. Ask him about th e
children w ho w e n t away in earlier tim es; w h at h ap p en ed to them ?
Ask him about a m an w hose journeys reached th e east and w est of
th e earth; w h a t was his prophecy? Ask him about th e soul; w h at is
it?"
W hen he retu rn ed to M akkah h e said th a t he had retu rn ed w ith
som e details th at could be used against M uham m ad ^ and he
inform ed th em about w h a t th e Jews said.
So, th e Q uraish asked Allah's M essenger ^ about these three
m atters. After a few days, Surat Al-K ahf was revealed; it told of the
story of th e children know n as th e People of th e Cave. It also
narrated about th e journeys of th e m an know n as D hul-Qarnain.
The answ er about th e soul was revealed in Surat Al-Isra'. This
clarified to th e Q uraish th a t th e Prophet jjj| was following the
tru th , yet th e w rongdoers w ere b e n t on disbelieving.111

Abu Talib assembles his Family

W hile th e pagans w ere doing this, Abu Talib still had a deep
sensation of fear for his nephew . He considerably th o u g h t about
th e previous series of incidents including th e case of 'Uqbah bin
Abi M u’ait's a tte m p t to choke th e Prophet $|§, Abu Jahl w ith his
rock, and finally 'U m ar’s (before conversion) in ten tio n to kill
M uham m ad. Since all of these m en w ere from Banu H ashim and
Banu Al-Muttalib, th e w ise m an u n d erstood th a t all of these
unequivocally sm acked of a serious plot being hatched to kill the
P rophet Abu Talib exhorted th em to protect th e Prophet
All of them , w h e th e r believers or disbelievers, resp o n d e d
positively except his b rother Abu Lahab, w ho sided w ith the
idolaters.121

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/299-301.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/269.
 *u\

General Social Boycott

A Pact o f Injustice and Aggression

After exhausting th eir plots, and w ith th e co m m itm ent of Banu

Hashim and Banu Al-Muttalib to protect Allah's Prophet the
pagans grew even m ore desperate to get th e tribes to abandon
their plan to protect him - a t w h a t ever th e cost. So they held a
m eeting at Khaif Banu Kinanah in a place called W adi Al-
M uhassab, and form ed a confederation hostile to both Bani
Hashim and Bani Al-Muttalib. They all took an oath n o t to have
any business dealings w ith th em no r any sort of inter-m arriage,
social relations, visits and even verbal contacts u n til th e
Prophet j g was given up to th em to be killed. This they w rote
dow n, draw ing up a pact and a covenant. Ibn Al-Qaiyim said,
"They say th at this w as w ritten dow n by M ansur bin 'Ikrim ah bin
Amir bin Hashim , or N adr bin Al-Harith. W hat is correct is th a t it
was Bagheed bin 'Amir bin H ashim . The Prophet invoked
Allah's curse upon Bagheed, w hose han d w as later paralyzed.111

This treaty was attached to th e wall of th e Ka'bah, all of Banu

H ashim and Banu Al-Muttalib w ere boycotted, w h e th e r they w ere
believers or disbelievers, except for Abu Lahab.

Abu Talib wisely and quietly took stock of th e situation and

decided to w ithdraw to a valley on th e eastern outskirts of
M akkah. Banu H ashim and Banu Al-Muttalib, w ho followed suit,
w ere th u s confined w ith in a narrow pass (Shi'b of Abu Talib),
from th e beginning of M uharram , or later as som e say, the
seventh year of M uham m ad's m ission till th e te n th year, viz., a
period of th ree years. It w as a horrible and deadly siege. The
supply of food w as alm ost stopped and th e people in confinem ent
faced great hardships. The idolaters used to buy w hatever food
com m odities en tered M akkah lest they should leak to th e people
in Ash-Shi'b, w ho w ere so overstrained th a t they had to eat leaves

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari (Fathul-Bari) 3/529. nos. 1589. 1590 and others. Zadul-Ma’a d 2/46.
142 The Sealed Nectar

of trees and skins of anim als. Cries of little children suffering

from hunger used to be heard clearly. N othing eatable reached
them except, on few occasions, som e small quantities of food
w ere smuggled by som e com passionate M akkans. D uring 'th e
prohibited m o n th s' - w h en hostilities traditionally ceased, they
w ould leave th eir confinem ent and buy food com ing from outside
M akkah. Even then, th e food stu ff was unjustly overpriced so th at
th eir financial situation w ould fall sh o rt of finding access to it.
Hakim bin Hizam was once on his way to smuggle som e w h eat to
his au n t Khadijah 4® w h e n Abu Jahl intercepted him at tried to
prevent him . Only w h e n Al-Bukhtari intervened, did Hakim
m anage to reach his destination. Abu Talib was so concerned
about the personal safety of his nephew th a t w henever people
retired to sleep, he w ould ask th e Prophet to lie in his place,
b u t w h en all th e o thers fell asleep, he w ould order him to change
his place and take another, all in atte m p t to trick a potential
assassin.

D espite all th e odds, M uham m ad ^ persisted, and his

determ ination and courage never w eakened. He continued to go
to Al-Ka'bah and to pray publicly. He used every opportunity to
preach to outsiders w ho visited M akkah for business or on
pilgrimage during the sacred m o n th s and Hajj season.

Dissolution o f the Pact

This situation ultim ately created disagreem ent am ong th e various
M akkan factions, w ho w ere tied w ith th e besieged people by blood
relations. After th re e years of blockade, in th e m o n th of
M uharram ,111 th e te n th year of M uham m ad's m ission, th e pact
was broken. H isham bin 'Amr, w ho used to smuggle som e food to
Bani H ashim secretly at night, w e n t to see Zuhair bin Abi Umaiyah
Al-Makhzumi and condem ned him for agreeing to th at intolerable

[1] The proof for this is th at Abu Talib died six m onths after th e pact was cancelled,
and th e correct view is th at he died during th e m onth of Rajab. If one w ere to say
th at he died during Ramadan, as som e claim, th en th a t w ould m ean th at he died
eight m onths after th e pact was cancelled.
General Social Boycott 143

tre a tm e n t m eted o u t to his uncles in exile. The latter expressed

w eakness, b u t agreed to w ork w ith H isham and form a pressure
group th at w ould secure th e liberation of th e exiles. O n the
ground of m otivation by ties o f kinship, th ere em erged a group of
five people w ho set out to abolish th e pact and declare all relevant
clauses null and void. They w ere H isham bin 'Amr, Zuhair bin Abi
Umaiyah, Al-Mut’im bin 'Adi, Abul-Bukhtari and Z am 'ah bin Al-
Aswad. They decided to m eet in th eir assem bly place and start
their self-charged m ission from th e very precinct of th e Sacred
House. Zuhair, after circum am bulating seven tim es, along w ith his
colleagues approached th e h o sts of people th ere and criticized
them for indulging in th e am enities of life w hereas th eir kith and
kin of Bani H ashim w ere perishing on account of starvation and
econom ic boycott. They sw ore they w ould never give up u n til the
parchm ent of boycott was to rn to piece and th e pact broken at
once. Abu Jahl, standing nearby, replied in a sharp tone th a t it
w ould never be torn. Zam 'ah becam e angry and accused Abu Jahl
of telling lies, adding th a t th e pact was established and the
parchm ent was w ritten w ith o u t seeking th eir approval. Abul-
Bukhtari interfered and backed Zam 'ah. Al-M ut’im bin 'Adi and
H isham bin 'Amr a ttested to th e tru th fu ln e ss of th eir two
com panions. Abu Jahl, w ith a cunning a tte m p t to settle th e h o t
argum ent th at was ru n n in g counter to his evil plans, answ ered
th a t th e issue had already been resolved som etim e and som e­
w here before.

Abu Talib m eanw hile w as sitting in a corner of th e M osque. He

came to com m unicate to th em th a t a Revelation had been se n t to
his nephew , th e Prophet to th e effect th a t ants had eaten away
all th eir declaration th a t had points of injustice and aggression
except those parts th a t bore th e Nam e of Allah. He proposed th a t
he w ould be ready to give M uham m ad up to th em if his w ords
proved un tru e, otherw ise, they w ould have to w ithdraw and
cancel th eir boycott. The M akkans agreed to th e so u n d n ess of his
proposition. Al-Mut’im w e n t to see th e p archm ent and th ere he
did discover th at it was eaten away by ants and no th in g was left
except th e part bearing th e Nam e of Allah.
144 The Sealed Nectar

The declaration was th u s cancelled, and M uham m ad ^ and the

o th er people w ere perm itted to leave Ash-Sh'ib and retu rn hom e.
In th e context of this trial to w hich th e M uslim s w ere subjected,
th e polytheists had a golden opportunity to experience a striking
sign of M uham m ad's Prophethood (the ants eating away the
parchm ent) b u t to th eir m iserable lot they persisted and increased
in disbelief:

"But if they see a Sign, they tu rn away, and say 'This is

continuous magic." [54:2]m

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari (in several chapters); Zadul-Ma’ad 2/46, Ibn Hisham 1/350,
 The Final Phase of the Diplomacy of
Negotiation

Allah's M essenger % left his confinem ent and w e n t on preaching

his Faith as usual. Q uraish, likewise, cancelled th e boycott b u t
w e n t on in th eir atrocities and oppression on the M uslim s. Abu
Talib, th en having reached eighty years of age, was still keen on
shielding his nephew b u t by th a t tim e, and on account of the
series of trem endous events and continual pains, he began to
develop certain fits of w eakness. No sooner th an he had em erged
victorious from th e in h u m a n boycott, he was caught in a
p ersisten t illness and physical w eakness. Seeing this serious
situation, and fearing th e stain of infam y th at th e o th er Arabs
could attrib u te to th em in case they took any aggressive action
against th e Prophet after he had lost his m ain support, Abu
Talib, th e polytheists of M akkah decided to negotiate w ith the
Prophet sis once m ore and subm it som e concessions previously
w ithheld. They th en delegated som e representatives to see Abu
Talib and discuss th e issue w ith him .
Ibn Ishaq and o thers reported th a t w h e n a serious illness caught
Abu Talib, the people of Q uraish began to th in k about the
situation and reviewed th e m ain features th a t characterized th at
period, w hich included th e conversion of 'Um ar and Ham zah to
Islam, coupled w ith th e trem en d o u s stir th a t M uham m ad had
created am ong all th e tribes of th e Q uraish. They th e n considered
it necessary to see Abu Talib before he died to pressure his
nephew to negotiate a com prom ise on th e various disputed
points. They w ere afraid th a t th e o th er Arabs m ight attribute to
them th e charge of opportunism .
The delegation of Q uraish com prised 25 m en including notables
like ’Utbah bin Rabi’ah, Shaibah bin Rabi’ah, Abu Jahl bin Hisham,
Umaiyah bin Khalaf and Abu Sufyan bin Harb. They first paid
tribute to him and confirm ed th eir high esteem of his character
and position am ong them . They th e n shifted to th e new give-and-
take policy th a t th ey claim ed th ey w a n te d to follow. To
146 The Sealed Nectar

m aterialize their argum ent, they proposed th a t they w ould refrain

from intervening in his religion if he did th e same.
Abu Talib sum m oned his nephew and inform ed him of the
m inutes of his m eeting w ith them , and said: "Well, my nephew ,
here are the nobles am ong your people. They have proposed this
m eeting to subm it a policy of m utual concessions and peaceful
coexistence." Allah's M essenger tu rn e d to th em saying:

"I will guide you to th e m eans by w hich you will gain

control over both th e Arabs and non-Arabs.”
In an o th er version, the Prophet addressed Abu Talib in the
following words:

"O uncle! W hy d o n 't you call th em u n to som ething better?"

Abu Talib asked him , "W hat is it th a t you invite them to?" The
Prophet replied:

"I invite th em to hold fast to a M essage th a t is bound to give

th em access to kingship over th e Arabs and non-Arabs."
According to Ibn Ishaq's version:

"It is ju st one w ord th a t will give you suprem acy over the
Arabs and non-Arabs."
The M akkan deputies w ere taken by incredible surprise and began
to w onder w hat sort of w ord was th a t w hich w ould benefit them
to th a t extent. Abu Jahl asked, "W hat is th a t word? I sw ear by your
father th a t we will surely grant you your w ish followed by ten
tim es as m uch.” He said:

"I w an t you to testify th at th ere is no God w orthy to be

w orshipped b u t Allah, and th en dissociate yourselves from
any sort of w orship you harbor for any deities o th er th an
Allah.”
They im m ediately clapped th eir hands in ridicule, and said "How
The Final Phase o f the Diplomacy o f Negotiation 147

can you expect us to com bine all th e deities in one God. It is really
som ething incredible." On th eir way out, they said to one another,
"By Allah this m an will never give up, nor will h e offer any
concessions. Let us hold fast to th e religion of our forefathers, and
Allah will in due course deliver judgm ent and settle th e dispute
betw een us and h im ." About th is incident Allah revealed the
following Verses:

ja -J o j S; o s? 'J e f

^ 1
li 2 ss. ,/ s * ^ /* /, r //* . / ✓ ✓ * ^

C *JjU '-C*
C*- £ o ^ 5] J ^ StJ'

4 ^ ' ^ 4 4 &»>
"Sad: [These letters (Sad, etc.) are one of th e m iracles of the
Q u ra n and none b u t Allah (Alone) know s th eir m eanings].
By th e Q ur an full of rem inding. Nay, th o se w ho disbelieve
are in false pride and opposition. How m any a generation
We have destroyed before them , and they cried o u t w h en
th ere was no longer tim e for escape! And they (Arab pagans)
w onder th a t a w arner (Prophet M uham m ad jg ) has come to
th em from am ong them selves! And th e disbelievers say,
’This (Prophet M uham m ad $&) is a sorcerer, a liar. Has he
m ade th e gods (all) into O ne God (Allah). Verily, th is is a
curious thing!’ And th e leaders am ong th em w e n t about
(saying): ’Go on, and rem ain co n stan t to your gods! Verily,
this is a thing designed (against you)! We have not heard
(the like) of this am ong th e people of th ese later days. This
is n othing b u t an in v en tio n ."’ [38:l-7]m

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/417-419. At-Tirm idhi no. 3232. M usnad Abu Ya'la no. 2583, and the
Tafsir of At-Tabari.
 The Year of Grief

Abu Talib’s Death

In Rajab111, th e te n th year of th e Prophethood, Abu Talib fell ill and
passed away, six m o n th s after leaving th e confinem ent at Ash-
Sh'ib. In an o th er version, Abu Talib breathed his last in Ramadan,
th ree days prior to th e death of Khadijah On th e authority of
Al-Musaiyab, w h en Abu Talib was on th e death bed, the
Prophet s || entered th e room w here he saw Abu Jahl and
’Abdullah bin Abi Umaiyah. He requested his u n d e :

1$j i d (.Jill Sf I ill V ; j i (j;!#

"My u n d e , you just m ake a profession th a t th ere is no tru e

God b u t Allah, and I will bear testim ony before Allah (of
your being a believer)."
Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah bin Abi Umaiyah addressing him said:
"Abu Talib, w ould you abandon th e religion of ’Abdul-M uttalib?"
Allah’s M essenger continued to request him , and th e sam e
thing w as said to him (by Abu Jahl and 'Abdullah bin Abi Umaiyah)
- till Abu Talib gave his final decision and he stuck to th e religion
of ’Abdul-M uttalib and refused to profess th a t th ere is no tru e God
b u t Allah. Upon this Allah’s M essenger rem arked:

"By Allah, I will persistently beg pardon for you till I am

forbidden to do so (by Allah).”
After th a t Allah, the M agnificent and Glorious revealed this Verse:

"It is not (proper) for th e Prophet and th o se w ho believe to

ask Allah’s forgiveness for th e M u sh riku n (polytheists,

[1] Tarikhul-lslam 1/120.

The Year o f G rief

idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in th e O neness of Allah) even

though they be of kin, after it has becom e clear to th em th a t
they are th e dw ellers of th e Fire (because they died in a
state of disbelief)." [9 :1 1 3 ]

And Allah also revealed:

4 .^ + iy < ^ r y

"Verily! You (O M uham m ad $g) guide n o t w hom you like.”

[ 28 : 56 ] m

T here is no need to explain Abu Talib’s guarding and caring

behavior. He w as a fortress th a t protected th e Islamic Call from
the offenses o f th e tyrants and th e foolish. Yet h e rem ained upon
th e religion of his elder forefathers, to no avail,

Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul-M uttalib 4® narrated th a t h e said to the

Prophet "You have n o t been o f any avail to your uncle (Abu
Talib) (though) by Allah, h e used to protect you and get angry on
your behalf." The Prophet jK said:

-y> j i i c ui 'J j Jj jIj ^

«j & i

"He is in a shallow fire, and had it n o t been for m e, he

w ould have been at th e b ottom of th e (Hell) Fire."121

Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri 4® narrated th a t he heard th e Prophet #1 say,

w h en th e m en tio n of his uncle was made-.

iio j LJI ya i llil I 4 4 I"®"* “d ij #

* s

"I hope th a t my intercession may avail him , and he be

placed in a shallow fire th a t rises up only to his h e e ls ."131

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/548.

[2] ibid.
[3] ibid.
150 The Sealed Nectar

Khadijah passes away to the Mercy o f Allah

Only two or th ree m o n th s after th e death of his uncle, did Allah’s
M essenger experience an o th er great personal loss. The M other
of believers, his wife Khadijah ^ passed away in Ram adan of the
te n th year of his Prophethood, w h en she was sixty-five years old,
and he was fifty.111 Khadijah ^ was in fact a blessing of Allah for
th e Prophet jfc. She, for twenty-five years, shared w ith him the
toils and trials of life, especially in th e first ten years of his
Prophethood. He deeply m ourned over h er death, and once he
replied in an h o n e st b u rst of ten d er em otions:

iiil J ? j j j

"She believed in m e w hile th e people disbelieved in me.

And she tru sted in m e w hile th e people belied me. And she
helped and com forted me, in person and w ealth, w h en the
people w ould not, Allah provide m e w ith children by her,
and He did not w ith o th e rs .” 121
Abu H urairah 4& reported th a t Gabriel came to Allah's
M essenger and said; "Allah's M essenger, lo, Khadijah is
com ing to you w ith a vessel of seasoned food or drink, W hen
she comes to you, offer h er greetings from h er Lord, and give her
glad tidings of a palace of jewels in Paradise w h ere th ere is no
noise and no to il.” 131

The Accumulation o f Grief

These two painful events took place w ithin a sh o rt period of tim e
and added a lot to his grief and suffering. The M akkans now
openly declared th eir cam paign of to rtu re and oppression. The
Prophet M, lost all hope of bringing th em back to th e right path,

[1] Talqih F uhum Ahlil-Athar p.7.

[2] M usnad Imam A hm ad 6/118.
[31 Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/539.
The Year o f G rief 151

so he set o u t for At-Ta'if seeking a supportive atm osphere. But

there too, he was disappointed and h e sustained unbearable
tortures and m altreatm ent th a t far outw eighed his m iserable
situation in his native town.
His C om panions w ere on equal footing subjected to unspeakable
tortu re and unbearable oppression to such an ex ten t th a t his
closest friend, Abu Bakr 4® fled o u t of M akkah to escape pressure
and w anted to leave for Abyssinia (Ethiopia) b u t Ibn Ad-Daghinah
w ho m et him at Birkul-Ghimad m anaged to discourage him from
com pleting his journey of escape and brought him back u n d e r his
protection .111 The death of Abu Talib m ade th e Prophet
defenseless, and th e polytheists availed them selves of th at
opportunity to give free way to th eir hatred and high-handedness
and to translate th em in term s of oppression and physical
tortures.
Once a disrespectful Q uraishite intercepted him and sprinkled
sand on his head. W hen h e arrived hom e, a daughter of his
w ashed th e sand away and w ept. The Prophet ^ said:

"Do not w eep, my daughter. Allah will verily protect your

father."
And he said:

"The Q uraish did n ot have an effect on m e such as they did

after th e death of Abu Talib."121
Rapid succession of m isfortunes, led th e Prophet to call th at
period, 'th e year of grief and sorrow '. T henceforth, th a t year bore
th a t label.

His Marriage to Sawdah in Shawwal, the tenth year of

Prophethood
In Shawwal of th at sam e year, th a t is th e te n th year of his
Prophetic m ission, Allah's M essenger m arried th e daughter of

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/552, Ibn Hisham \B 72.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/416.
152 The Sealed N ectar

Zam ’ah. She was one of th e early converts w ho had m igrated w ith
the second group of em igrants to Abyssinia. She w as m arried to
As-Sakran bin 'Amr w ho had converted and m igrated w ith h er b u t
died in th e land of Abyssinia, or after retu rn in g to M akkah.
She was th e first w om an th e Prophet m arried after th e death
of Khadijah ty>. Some years later she granted h e r tu rn w ith th e
Prophet ^ to her co-wife, 'Aishah ^ . [11

[1] Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar p. 10.

 Factors inspiring Patience and
Perseverance

It is natural for sensible and m ild-tem pered people to m editate

deeply on th e factors th a t inspired those early M uslim s th at
m iraculous constancy and perseverance. It is norm al to w onder
how those people m anaged to tolerate unspeakable persecutions,
and stand fast in the face of cruel tortures. W ith respect to these
questions, we deem it w ise just to touch on those underlying
reasons:
1. Unshakable Belief in Allah. The first and forem ost factor is no
doubt, unshakable belief in Allah Alone coupled w ith correct
know ledge of Him. A m an w ith this Belief deeply rooted in his
heart will look at those foreseen difficulties as u n im p o rtan t and
can u n d er no circum stance com pare w ith th e sw eetness of Belief:

"Then, as for the foam, it passes away as scum upon the

banks, w hile th a t w hich is for th e good of m ankind rem ains
in th e earth." [13:17]
O ther sub-factors th a t branch o u t from th a t Belief and assist in
strengthening it and prom oting long harm ony are:
2 Wholeheartedly-loved Leadership. M uham m ad th e great
leader of th e M uslim com m unity, and m ankind at large, was an
exem plary m an in his perfect m anners and noble attributes; no
one could m easure up to his qualities of nobility, honesty,
tru stw o rth in ess and abstinence. It is narrated th a t th ree people of
O uraish each separately and secretly listened to som e Verses of
the Noble Q ur'an. Later, this secret was uncovered and one of
them asked Abu Jahl (one of th e three) w h at he th o u g h t of w hat
he heard from M uham m ad {$&). He answ ered: "We contested the
h onor of leadership and generosity w ith Banu 'Abd M anaf and
shared equal privileges com petitively. They th e n began to boast
154 The Sealed N ectar

saying th a t a Prophet rose am ong them upon w hom Revelation

came dow n from heavens. I sw ear we will never believe in h im ."111
Abu Jahl him self, th e great enem y of Islam, used repeatedly to
say: "O M uham m ad, w e are in no position to belie you, w e rather
disbelieve w h at you have brought us (Islam)." So Allah said:

"... It is not you th a t they deny, b u t it is th e Verses (the

Q u r'an ) of Allah th a t th e Z a lim u n (p o ly th e ists and
w rongdoers) deny." [6:33][21
O ne day, th e disbelievers of Q uraish levelled to him a sarcastic
rem ark three tim es. He rem ained silent b u t for th e th ird one he
rem arked:

"O Quraish! Slaughter is in store for you."

They w ere taken aback and ulterior fear filled their hearts to such
an ex ten t th a t the m ost hostile am ong th em began to m ake up for
their in su lt by the b est friendly term s they could afford. W hen
they threw th e in testin es of a camel on him w hile prostrating
him self in prayer, he invoked Allah's w rath on them , and they
im m ediately w ere caught in an inexpressible state of worry and
w ere alm ost convinced th a t they w ould be destroyed. He
supplicated against 'Utaibah bin Abu Lahab, after w hich 'Utaibah
never overcame th e certainty th a t his prayer w ould be answ ered.
T hen once w hen he saw a lion he said. "By Allah! M uham m ad has
killed m e w hile he is in M akkah." Ubai bin Khalaf always used to
th reaten he w ould kill M uham m ad jg . O ne day th e Prophet 3^
replied th at rather he will kill him by Allah's Will. W hen Ubai
received a scratch in his neck, on th e day of Uhud. he, u n d er the
sense of horror, rem em bered th e Prophet's w ords and rem arked:
"I am convinced he w ould be able to kill m e even if he spat on
m e ,"131 Sa'd bin M u'adh said to Um aiyah bin Khalaf in M akkah: "I

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/316.

[2] At-Tirm idhi in th e chapter of th e Tafsir o f Surat Al-An'am.
13] Ibn Hisham 2/84.
Factors inspiring Patience and Perseverance 155

heard Allah's M essenger one day say th a t th e M uslim s w ould

surely kill you.” Um aiyah was extrem ely panicked and sw ore he
w ould never step out of M akkah. Even w h e n Abu Jahl obliged him
to m arch w ith th em to fight th e Prophet on the day of Badr. he
bought th e best and fastest cam els in M akkah in order th a t they
hasten his escape. Even his w ife w arned him . his reply was "By
Allah, I have no in te n tio n of going out w ith Q uraish, I will
disengage from th em after a sh o rt d istan ce."111
T hat was th e clear sense of h orror and terror h a u n tin g his
enem ies w herever they were. His friends and Com panions, on the
o th er hand, held him d earest to them , and he occupied the
in n erm o st place of th eir hearts. They w ere always ready to defend
him and secure his well-being even at th e risk of th eir lives. One
day, Abu Bakr bin Abi Q uhafah was severely beaten by ’Utbah
bin Rabi'ah, a terrible polytheist. His w hole body was alm ost
bleeding and he was on th e verge of death, yet w h e n his people
took him back hom e extrem ely annoyed at his m isfortune, he
swore he w ould never eat or drin k aflything until they had told
him about th e well-being of his noble Com panion,
M uham m ad s&. That w as th e spirit of selflessness and sacrifice
th a t characterized th e behavior of th o se early C om panions.121
3. The Sense o f Responsibility. The early C om panions w ere fully
aware of th e responsibility they w ere expected to shoulder. They
w ere also convinced th a t th o se charges w ere inescapable even
though they w ere being persecuted for fear of th e far-reaching
consequences, and th e horrible im pact th a t h u m an ity w ould
suffer in case they escaped th eir obligations.
4. Unwavering Belief in the Truth o f the Hereafter. This was the
cornerstone th a t stren g th en ed th eir sense o f responsibility. There
was a deep certainty established through th e light of th eir religion
th at one day they w ould have to rise on th e Day of Resurrection
and account for all w orldly deeds, sm all or big. They w ere sure
th at their fu tu re in th e o th er w orld w ould d ep en d w holly on their

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/563.

[2] Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah 3/30.
156 The Sealed N ectar

acts in their provisional life on earth, eith er to everlasting Garden

(Paradise) or everlasting chastisem ent in Hell. T heir w hole life was
divided b etw een h o p e for A llah’s m ercy an d fear o f His
pun ish m en t.

|*ty j ] (4^ pTJ&J ip'» dSJt$

"...Who give th a t (their charity) w hich they give (and also do

o ther good deeds) w ith th eir h earts full of fear (w hether
th eir alm s and charities, etc.. have been accepted or not),
because they are sure to retu rn to their Lord." [23:60]
They had already know n th at life w ith all its am enities and pains
was w orthless w h en com pared to th e Hereafter. Such deep
convictions brought about in th em a sense of indifference to all
troubles and hardships th at a tte n d ed th eir life.
5. The Qur’an. The Verses and C hapters of th e Noble Q u ra n w ere
attractively, forcefully and successively revealed at th a t depressing
and critical stage, supporting and advancing argum ents on the
tru th and soundness of th e principles of Islam, round w hose axis
th e w hole Call of M uham m ad % was revolving. They constituted
th e im m une basis upon w hich th e b est and m ost w onderful
Divinely decreed society was to be established. The Q ur'anic
Verses served also to excite th e feelings of th e believers,
strengthen th eir selves on th eir course of patience and endurance
and introduce th em to th e m ost purposeful exam ples and
suggestive instructions:

"Or th in k you th a t you will en ter Paradise w ith o u t such

(trials) as came to those w ho passed away before you? They
w ere afflicted w ith severe poverty and ailm ents and w ere so
shaken th a t even th e M essenger and those w ho believed
along w ith him said. 'W hen (will come) th e Help of Allah?'
Yes! Certainly, th e Help of Allah is near!" [2:214]
Factors inspiring Patience and Perseverance 157

ly^ij V
.lilj O dy-^i ^ fv*j
jv*j l_i*u [jSjii
ijjiu oo'*' 'yflT1
|>l/;, o' o"Dl o jJ'y
lyo^. <-Sul' 4jj' p_f_ii ^ ou!' llii

"Alif-Lam-Mim. Do people th in k th a t they will be left alone

because they say: 'We believe', and will n o t be tested. And
We indeed tested th o se w ho w ere before them . And Allah
will certainly m ake (it) know n (the tru th of) those w ho are
true, and will certainly m ake (it) know n (the falsehood of)
those w ho are liars, (although Allah know s all th a t before
p utting them to test)." [29:1-31

These Verses also co nstituted an undeniable answ er to th e false

allegations of th e disbelievers, and a clear u ltim atum th a t was the
sign of the horrible consequences th a t w ould result in case they
persisted in th eir disbelief.

On th e o th er hand, th e Noble Q u r'an was leading th e M uslim s to

a new w orld and enlightening th em as to its features, th e beauty
of Lordship, th e perfection of Godship, th e im pact of kindness
and m ercy and th e m anifestations of th e desire for Allah's
Pleasure. They entirely expressed m eaningful m essages carrying
glad tidings of definitely approaching Divine Mercy leading to
eternal bliss in a blissful Garden (Paradise). They, at the sam e
tim e, indicated th e end of th e tyrants and disbelievers w ho w ould
be brought to Divine Justice and th e n dragged through th e Fire
w here they w ould taste th e touch of Hell,

6. Glad Tidings of Success. Ever since th e tim e they experienced

the m iseries of life, th e M uslim s had been certain th a t entrance
into th e fold of Islam did not require involvem ent into hardships
or digging o n e ’s ow n grave. They had been aware th a t th e Islamic
Call had one goal, th e term ination of pre-Islamic tradition and
destroying its unju st system , to go on parallel lines w ith extending
its influence all over th e earth and holding in firm control the
political situation w orldw ide to lead h u m an ity along a course
conducive to Allah's Pleasure, and perfect enough to rid people of
w orshipping Allah's servant to w orshipping Allah, Himself. Glad
tidings of this sort w ere being revealed som etim es explicitly and
158 The Sealed Nectar

at other tim es implicitly, in a m an n er relevant to the situation.

W hen the M uslim s w ere forced to undergo constraints, or w h en
their life was kept u n d er continual restraint, th ere w ould be
revealed Verses telling identical stories of past Prophets w ith their
people and th e sufferings and pains they had experienced. The
Verses w ould also include suggestive clues to th e final tragic end
of th e M akkan disbelievers indicating their evil destination, yet
and at th e sam e tim e, bearing glad tidings to the believers and
prom ising th e tru e servants of vicegerency on earth to go w ith
absolute success and victory propagating the Islamic Call.
Here w e could bring forw ard som e of th e Verses of this category
m entioning glad tidings, and referring to th e final victory th at
w ould crown the firm ness and patience of th e M uslims:

"And verily, O ur W ord has gone forth of old for O ur

servants, - th e M essengers, th a t they verily w ould be m ade
triu m p h an t. And th at O ur hosts, they verily w ould be the
victors. So tu rn away (O M uham m ad from them for a
w hile, and w atch them and they shall see (the punishm ent)!
Do they seek to h asten on O ur torm ent? Then, w h en it
descends into th eir courtyard (i.e., near to them ), evil will be
th e m orning for those w ho had been w arn ed ,’’ [37:171-177]
In the sam e context, Allah told His Prophet 3^5:

"Their m u ltitu d e will be p u t to flight, and they will show

th eir backs." [54:45]
He also said:

"They will be a defeated arm y like th e confederates of the

old tim es." [38:11]
Factors inspiring Patience and Perseverance 159

The M uslim s w ho m igrated to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) had the

following:

"And as for th o se w ho em igrated for th e cause of Allah, after

suffering oppression, We will certainly give th em goodly
residence in this w orld, b u t indeed th e rew ard of the
H ereafter will be greater, if they b u t knew ." [16:41]

In the context of th e story of Joseph (Yusuf) th ere was:

"Verily, in Joseph and his b reth ren th ere w ere A yat for those
w ho ask." [12:7]
i.e., th e M akkans will suffer th e sam e end th a t befell Joseph's
brothers, m eaning, failure and surrender. In an o th er instance,
Allah speaks about th e M essengers:

"And those w ho disbelieved, said to their M essengers:

'Surely, w e shall drive you o u t of our land, or you shall
retu rn to our religion!' So th eir Lord inspired them : ’Truly,
We shall destroy th e Z alim un (polytheists, disbelievers and
wrongdoers). And indeed, We shall m ake you dwell in the
land after them . This is for him w ho fears standing before
Me (on th e Day of R esurrection or fears My punishm ent)
and also fears My th re a t."' [14:13,14]
D uring th e w ar betw een th e Persians and th e Romans, the
disbelievers had a sincere w ish th a t victory be th e form er's lot,
because both parties professed polytheism , w hereas th e M uslim s
prayed for a Roman victory because both groups believed in Allah,
His M essengers, Books, th e Revelation and th e H ereafter.
160 The Sealed Nectar

The w ar resulted in th e overthrow of Rome by Persia. They w ere

pro-Persian, and in th eir hearts they hoped th a t the em erging
m ovem ent of Islam, w hich at th a t tim e was, from a w orldly point
of view, very w eak and helpless, w ould collapse u n d er their
persecution. But they m isread th e true signs of th e tim es. They
w ere told th at they w ould soon be disillusioned in both their
calculations, and it actually so h appened w hen Heraclius carried
his campaign into the h eart of Persia and th e M akkan O uraish
w ere beaten off at Badr:

sfai' 5yS jd T r j—4j jj*

"And on th a t Day, the believers (i.e.. M uslims) will rejoice

(at th e victory given by Allah to the Romans against the
Persians) w ith th e help of Allah." [30:4,5]
Allah's M essenger also w arned and gave new s of th e Hereafter.
During th e Hajj season at the m arkets of 'Ukaz, M ajannah and
Dhul-Majaz, he w ould atten d to convey the M essage. He was not
m erely conveying good new s of Paradise b u t rather he was clearly
w arning them w ith every sense of clarity saying:

"O people! Say: 'La ilaha illallah' so th at you may be the

victors, and by it rule over the Arabs, followed in religion by
the non-Arabs, dying to be kings in Paradise."111
This is the sam e thing th at the Prophet replied w ith to the
pagans w ho came to console Abu Talib on his deathbed. He m ade
it clear for them th at they only had to say this one phrase by
w hich the Arabs w ould follow them in religion and they would
rule over th e non-Arabs. Khabbab bin Al-Aratt 4* said, "I came to
the Prophet w hile he was resting on his Burd (a type of
clothing) u n d er the shade of th e Ka'bah. We had m et w ith
hardships from th e idolaters so I said, 'W hy do you not call upon
Allah,' So he sat up, his face reddening and said:

"Among the people before you one w ould be combed w ith

iron combs th at w ould rem ove his flesh from his bones and

[II Ibn Sa'd 1/216.

Factors inspiring Patience and Perseverance 161

nerves, yet h e w ould n o t change his religion. Allah will

secure this m atter such th a t a rider will go easily from S a n a '
to H adram out fearing none b u t Allah - one of th e narrators
added - and th e w olf regarding his sheep - yet you are a
hasty people."111
Glad tidings of better prospects for Islam and th e M uslim s w ere
not confined to M u h am m ad ’s follow ers only, in fact they w ere
being disclosed tim e and again to both believers and disbelievers.
W henever th e two parties m et, th e latter w ould ta u n t at the
form er and m ockingly say: "Here are th e sovereigns of earth w ho
will defeat Chosroes and Caesar." But th e believers, in anticipation
of th a t shin in g and G odly-orientated future, w ould always
persevere and tolerate all sorts of persecution and hum iliation
regarding th em as sum m er clouds th a t w ould soon clear aw ay.121
The Prophet #e, on his part, w ould always m aintain and sustain
his follow ers' souls w ith th e light of Belief, purify th em through
im planting the Q u ra n ic w isdom in their hearts, and cultivate
their m inds deeply w ith th e spirit of Islam th a t w ould elevate
them to a state of noble spirituality, pure h earted n ess and an
absolute degree of freedom from m aterialism , a high m orale
pow erful enough to resist w orldly lusts and consequently lead
them from darkness to light. He w ould constantly teach th em to
be tolerant, forgiving and overpow ering over them selves in order
to get well established in th eir religion, to disregard lust, and
devote them selves to attaining th e Pleasure of Allah, w ith desire
for the Garden (Paradise), en th u siasm in sciences relating to their
Faith, calling them selves to account, suppressing false desires,
holding all rage-provoking incidents u n d e r firm control and finally
observing self-discipline, patience and firm ness.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/510, 543.

[2] As-Seerah Al-Halabiyah 1/511. 512.
 The Third Stage

Calling unto Islam beyond Makkah

In Shawwal (in th e end of May or the beginning of June 619 C.E.)

of the te n th year of Prophethood, the Prophet sfe set out on foot
tow ards At-Ta'if, about 60 kilom eters from M akkah, in the
com pany of his freed slave Zaid bin H arithah inviting people to
Islam.

Contrary to his expectations, th e general atm osphere was terribly

hostile. He approached the family of ’Umair, w ho w ere reckoned
am ong the nobility of th e tow n. But, to his disappointm ent, all of
them tu rn e d deaf ear to his m essage and used abusive language as
regards th e noble cause h e had been striving for. T hree brothers
from th e chieftains of Thaqif - ’Abd Yalil, M as'ud and Habib -
sons of ’Amr bin ’Um air Ath-Thaqafi m et th e Prophet w ho
invited th em to em brace Islam and w orship Allah, b u t they
daringly m ocked at him and refused his invitation. "He is tearing
th e cloths of Al-Ka’bah; is it true th a t Allah has sent you as a
M essenger?" said one of them . "Has not Allah found som eone else
to e n tru st him w ith His M essage?" said th e second. "I sw ear by
Allah th at I will never speak to you. If you are really the
M essenger of Allah, th en you are too im p o rtan t to be speaking to
me. If you are lying against Allah, th e n I should never speak to
you," said the third. Allah's M essenger finding th a t they w ere
hopeless cases, stood up and left th em saying:

"Since you are behaving this way, please do not disclose my

presence here."

For ten days he stayed th ere delivering his m essage to all of the
noble people, one after another, b u t all to no avail. Stirred up to
h asten th e d eparture of the unw elcom e visitor, the foolish and
th eir servants hooted him through th e narrow lanes, pelted him
w ith stones and obliged him to flee from th e city pursued by a
m erciless crowd, Blood flowed dow n both his legs; and Zaid,
Calling unto Islam beyond Makkah 163

trying to shield him , was w o u nded in th e head. The crowd did not
cease until they had chased him tw o or th re e m iles across the
sandy plains to th e foot of th e surro u n d in g hills. There, tired and
exhausted, he took refuge in one of th e n u m ero u s fruit farm s, and
rested against th e wall of a vineyard. At a tim e w h en th e w hole
world seem ed to have tu rn e d against him , M uham m ad ^ tu rn e d
to his Lord and started praying, th e following touching w ords are
still preserved as th o se th rough w hich his oppressed soul
expressed its distress. He was tired and w o u nded b u t confident
of th e help of his Lord:

"O Allah! To You alone I com plain of my w eakness, my

insufficient ability and my insignificance before th e people.
You are th e m ost M erciful of th e m ercifuls. You are th e Lord
of the helpless and the weak, O Lord of mine! Into w hose
hands w ould You abandon me: into th e h ands of an
unsym pathetic d ista n t relative w ho w ould angrily frow n at
me, or to the enem y w ho has been given control over my
affairs? But if Your w rath does n o t fall on me, th ere is
nothing for m e to w orry about."

"Your pardon is am ple enough for me, I seek protection in

the light of Your Face, w hich illum inates the darkness,
fixing th e affairs in this w orld as well as in th e Hereafter.
May it never be th a t I should incur Your w rath, or th a t You
should be w rathful to me. And th ere is no pow er nor
resource, b u t Yours alone."
Seeing him in this helpless situation, Rabi'ah's tw o sons, w ealthy
M akkans, w ere m oved on grounds of kinship and com passion,
and sent to him one of th eir C hristian servants w ith a tray of
grapes. The Prophet accepted th e fruit w ith pious invocation:

"In th e Nam e of Allah."

The Christian servant 'Addas was greatly im pressed by these
w ords and said: "These are w ords w hich people in this land do
not generally use." The Prophet asked:

"W hat land are you from , and w h a t is your religion?"

164 The Sealed Nectar

'Addas replied: "I am a C hristian by faith and come from

N ineveh." The Prophet ^ th e n said:

"You belong to th e city of th e righteous Yunus, son of

M atta."
'Addas asked him anxiously if he knew anything about Jonah. The
Prophet 5^ significantly rem arked:

"He is my brother. He was a Prophet and so am I."

T hereupon 'Addas paid hom age to M uham m ad ^ and kissed his
head, his h ands and his feet. O ne of th e brothers said to th e other,
"Look at your slave dishonoring you." W hen Addas came back to
th em they said: "W hat was th a t for?" He said, "O my master!
There is nothing on th e earth better th an this m an. He has
inform ed m e about a m atter th a t only a Prophet w ould know ."
They angrily said: "W hat is w rong w ith you 'Addas? Do not leave
your religion, certainly your religion is b e tte r th an his religion.” 111
Heart-broken and depressed, M uham m ad set out on th e way
back to M akkah. W hen he reached Q arn Al-Manazil, Allah the
Almighty sen t to him Gabriel &S together w ith the angel of
m ountains. The latter asked th e Prophet for perm ission to
bury M akkah betw een Al-Akhshabain - th e m ountains of Abu
Qubais and Q u'aiqi'an.
Al-Bukhari has recorded the details of this event w ith a chain from
'Urwah bin Az-Zubair th a t 'Aishah narrated to him th at she
asked the Prophet "Have you ever experienced a w orse day
th an U hud.” He answ ered:

"Your tribes have troubled m e a lot, and th e w orst trouble

was th e trouble on th e day of 'Aqabah w h en I presented
m yself to Ibn 'Abd Yalil bin 'Abd Kulal and he did not
respond to my dem and. So, I departed, overw helm ed w ith
excessive sorrow, and proceeded on, and could n ot relax till
I found m yself at Q arn A th-Tha’alib, w here I lifted my head
tow ard the sky to see a cloud shading m e unexpectedly. I

[1] Taken from Ibn Hisham 1/419-421

Calling unto Islam beyond Makkah 165

looked up and saw Gabriel in it. He called m e saying, 'Allah

has heard w h a t your people said to you, and th eir reply to
you. Allah has sen t th e angel of th e m o u n tain s to you so
th a t you m ay order him to do w hatever you w ish to these
people.’ The angel of th e m o u n tain s called upon m e and
greeted me, and th e n said, 'O M uham m ad! O rder w h at you
w ish. If you like, I will let Al-Akhshabain fall on th e m .’"
The Prophet ^ said:

"No, I ho p e th a t Allah will let th em beget children w ho will

w o rsh ip Allah Alone, and will w o rsh ip no n e besides
H im ."111
Allah's M essenger was th e n refreshed and his h e a rt w as set at
rest in th e light of th a t invisible Divinely provided aid. He
proceeded to W adi N akhlah w here he stayed for a few days.
D uring his stay there, Allah se n t him a com pany of jinns w ho
listened to him reciting th e Noble Q u r’an:

iyli lib —5 ot 1b L*s * i]

Jjjl b’*C ^ G) ijllj O ar'j-C-* (3Ij ill*

a* bf (v^ ==^ bWA

s'"
"And (rem em ber) w hen We se n t tow ards you
(M uham m ad jig) Nafran (three to ten persons) of the
jinns, (quietly) listening to th e Q ur'an, w h e n they stood in
th e presence thereof, they said: 'Listen in silence!’ And
w h en it was finished, they retu rn ed to th eir people, as
w arners. They said: ’O our people! Verily, w e have heard a
Book (this Q u r’an) sen t dow n after M oses, confirm ing w hat

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/458, Sahih M uslim 2/109.

166 The Sealed Nectar

came before it, it guides to th e T ruth and to a Straight Path

(i.e., Islam). O our people! Respond (with obedience) to
Allah's Caller (i.e., Allah's M essenger M uham m ad 3te), and
believe in him (i.e., believe in th at w hich M uham m ad
has brought from Allah and follow him ). He (Allah) will
forgive you of your sins, and will save you from a painful
to rm en t (i.e., Hell-fire).’” [46:29-31]
The sam e incident is referred to in Surat Al-Jinn-.

"Say (O M uham m ad $te): It has been revealed to m e th a t a

group (from th ree to ten in num ber) of jinns listened (to
this O u ra n ). They said: "Verily, we have heard a w onderful
Recitation (this O u r’an)! It guides to th e Right Path, and we
have believed therein, and w e shall never join (in w orship)
anything w ith our Lord (Allah)."' [72:1,2] ... till th e end of
th e 15th Verse.
From the context of these Verses and th eir relevant interpretation,
we can safely establish th a t th e Prophet ^ was not aware of the
presence of th a t group of jinns. It was only w h e n Allah revealed
those Verses th a t he came to know of it. The Verses also confirm th at
it was the first tim e they came. However, th e context of th e different
versions suggests th a t th e jinns repeated th eir visits later on.
The presence of th at com pany of jinns com es in th e context of the
Divine su p p o rt given to His M essenger and constitutes a
prom ising sign of ultim ate victory and success for the Call of
Islam. It provides a proof th at no pow er how ever m ighty could
alter w hat is decided by Allah:

"And w hosoever does not respond to Allah's Caller, he

cannot escape on earth, and th ere will be no A uliya'
(protectors) for him besides Allah (from Allah's punish-
Calling unto Islam beyond Makkah 167

m ent). Those are in m anifest error." [46:32]

ji J j ) J IxjJi

"And w e th in k th a t w e cannot escape (from th e p u n ish m e n t

of) Allah in th e earth, no r can w e escape (from the
punishm ent) by flight." [72:12]
Given this su p p o rt and auspicious start, depression, grief and
sadness th a t used to overw helm him since he was driven o u t of
At-Ta'if, disappeared and he tu rn e d his face tow ards M akkah w ith
fresh d eterm ination to resum e his earlier plan to expose people to
Islam and com m unicate his M essage in a great spirit of zeal and
m atchless enthusiasm .
Zaid bin H arithah, his com panion, addressing th e Prophet % said,
"How dare you step into M akkah after they (Quraish) have exiled
you?" The Prophet % answ ered:

"O Zaid! Allah will surely provide relief and He will verily
su p p o rt His religion and Prophet."
W hen he w as a sh o rt distance from M akkah, he retired to H ira’
Cave. W hence he dispatched a m an from Khuza'ah tribe to Al-
Akhnas bin Shuraiq seeking his protection. The latter answ ered
th a t h e was O uraish's ally and in no position to offer protection.
He dispatched th e m essenger to Suhail bin 'Amr, b u t to no avail,
either.
Al-Mut’im bin 'Adi, a notable in M akkah, how ever, volunteered to
respond to th e P rophet's appeal for shelter. He asked his people to
prepare them selves fully arm ed and th en asked M uham m ad sfe; to
en ter into th e tow n and directly into th e Sacred M osque. The
Prophet j|§ observed a tw o-Rak'ah prayer and left for his house
guarded by th e heavily-arm ed vigilant M u t’im bin 'Adi and his
sons u ntil he reached his door.
It has been reported th at later Abu Jahl, th e archenem y of Islam,
asked M u t’im if his behavior suggested protection or conversion,
th e latter replied it was m erely protection. Abu Jahl was relieved
and said th a t h e w ould give M uham m ad protection for his
168 The Sealed Nectar

sake.111
Allah's M essenger never forgot M u t’im ’s favor. At the
conclusion of th e battle of Badr, he said:
"If M ut'im bin 'Adi w ere living and had asked m e for the
release of these rotten people, th e n I w ould have given
th em to h im .” 121

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/381. Zadul-Ma'ad 2/46. 47.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/573.
 Islam being introduced to Arabian
Tribes and Individuals

In Dhul-Qa’dah, th e te n th year of Prophethood, i.e., July 619, the

Prophet retu rn ed to M akkah to resum e his activities. The tim e
for pilgrimage to M akkah was approaching so h e h asten ed to
introduce people, both tribes and individuals, to Islam and call
upon th em to em brace it, ju st as it was his practice since the
fourth year of his Prophethood.
O n th e au thority of Az-Zuhri, of th e tribes th a t Islam was
introduced to, w e could speak of Banu ’Amir bin Sa'sa'ah, M uharib
bin Khasfah, Fazarah, Ghassan, M urrah, Hanifah, Sulaim, ’Abs,
Banu Nasr, Banu Al-Buka’, Kindah, Kalb, Al-Harith bin Ka'b,
'U dhrah and people of H adram out. They how ever, rem ained
p ersisten t and none of th em responded positively.111
Islam was n o t introduced to th em in one single year b u t rather
repeatedly from th e fourth year till th e last pre-m igration season
of pilgrimage before th e m igration to M adinah. M ost of these
w ere introduced to Islam during th e Hajj season of th e te n th year.
Ibn Ishaq has m en tio n ed som e details about th e p resentation of
Islam to th em and th eir rejection of it. Here is a sum m ary:
He visited a branch of Banu Kalb know n as Banu ’Abdullah. He
called th em to A llah’s Message. He m ade a p resentation to them
in w hich he said:

"O Banu ’Abdullah! Indeed Allah m ade your father's nam e a

good o n e.”
Yet they w ould n o t accept w h at h e p resen ted th em w ith.
He called on Banu H anifah in th eir locale, he p resented him self
before them , b u t none of th e Arabs rejected him in a m ore
repulsive fashion th an them .
He addressed Bani ’Amir bin Sa’sa’ah, calling th em to Allah and

[1] Ibn Sa'd 1/216.

170 The Sealed Nectar

presenting him self before them . O ne of th em called Bahirah bin

Firas, said: "By Allah, I can take this young m an from the Q uraish
and consum e all of the Arabs w ith him !" Then he asked him :
"Should we give you allegiance and Allah gives you victory over
your opponents, will w e succeed you in rule?" The Prophet
replied:

"Rule is up to Allah, He p u ts it w herever He w ills.”

The m an com m ented: "Should w e stretch o u t our necks for the

Arabs for you, th en w h en Allah gives you victory, you w ould give
rule to o ther th an us? We have no need for your affairs,"

W hen Banu 'Amir retu rn ed to th eir area, they narrated th e story to

an elderly m an w ho had rem ained b eh in d because he was too old:
"A young m an of Q uraish of Bani ’Abdul-M uttalib, claiming th at
he is a Prophet, contacted us, asked for su p p o rt and a place of
refuge in our land." The old m an placed his h an d on his head
being struck by th e news, and swore, "He is really Ishm aelite (he
descends from Ishm ael >&). He is th e T ruth (he is a real Prophet).
How did it h appen th at you m isjudged his w o rd s?"111

The Prophet £jjj| was not disappointed at all. He persisted in his

m ission for the fulfillm ent of w hich he had been com m issioned
to strive despite all odds. He did not confine his efforts to the
tribes b u t also conducted contacts w ith individuals from som e of
w hom he was able to receive a favorable response.

Moreover, later in the sam e season, som e of th em did believe in

his Prophethood and en tered th e fold of Islam. The following list
included som e of those early converts:

Suwaid bin Samit. He was an intelligent poet from Yathrib

(Madinah) w ho had good judgm ent. His people called him Al-
Kamil (The Perfect) because of his lineage, poetry, nobility and
family. D uring his stay in M akkah for pilgrimage (or lesser
pilgrimage), A llah’s M essenger ^ invited him to Islam. He
replied: "Perhaps w h at you have is sim ilar to w h a t I have."

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/424, 425.

Islam being introduced to Arabian Tribes and Individuals 171

Allah's M essenger % said to him :

"And w h at is it th a t you have?”

He said: "Luqm an’s w isdom .” So h e said:

"Present it to m e."
So he did, to w hich Allah's M essenger 5^ replied:

"This speech is good, yet w h at I have is b e tte r th an this. It is

a Q ur'an th at Allah th e M ost High revealed to me. it is
guidance and light."
He accepted Islam at once. W hen he retu rn ed to M adinah, he was
killed in th e fighting betw een th e Aws and Khazraj tribes prior to
the battle of Bu'ath. He accepted Islam in th e eleventh year of the
P ro p h eth o o d ,111
Eyas bin Mu'adh. He was still a youth from Aws tribe. He came as
a m em ber of delegation seeking alliance w ith Q uraish against
an o th er rival tribe dw elling in M adinah, Al-Khazraj, this was
during th e 11th year of P rophethood around th e tim e of th e battle
of Bu'ath. The Aws tribe w ere less in n u m b er th an th e Khazraj.
The Prophet 0 , m et th em and advised th em saying:

"Maybe th ere is som ething b e tte r for you th an w h a t you

came for?”
They said: "W hat w ould th at be?” He replied:

"I am A llah’s M essenger, He se n t m e to th e w orshippers to

invite th em to w orship Allah w ith o u t associating partners
w ith Him and He revealed th e Book to m e."
T hen he m en tio n ed Islam to th em and recited som e Q u r’an for
them . Eyas said: "O people! By Allah, th is is b e tte r th an w h at you
came for."
T hen Abul-Husayr Anas bin Rafi'. a m em ber of th e delegation,
took a han d fu l of d u s t and threw it in Eyas’ face, saying: "Get
away from us."

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/425-427, Al-Isti'ab 21211. Usdul-Ghabah 2/337.

172 The Sealed Nectar

The people th en left M adinah after having failed in establishing

alliance w ith Q uraish. Shortly after arrival in M adinah, th e boy
breathed his last acclaim ing A llah’s Nam e and celebrating His
Glory.111

Abu Dharr Al-Ghifari. He used to live in th e suburbs of Yathrib.

News of th e Islam ization of Suwaid bin Sam it and Eyas bin
M u’adh reached him and co nstituted a tu rn in g p oint in his life by
itself. Al-Bukhari recorded from Ibn 'Abbas dfe, th a t Abu D harr ^k>
said:

"I was a m an from th e tribe of Ghifar. We heard th a t a m an had

appeared in M akkah, claiming to be a Prophet. I said to my
brother, ’Go to th a t m an and talk to him and bring m e his new s.'
He set out, m et him and returned. I asked him , 'W hat is th e new s
w ith you?' He said, 'By Allah, I saw a m an enjoining w h at is good
and forbidding w h at is evil.’ I said to him , 'You have n o t satisfied
m e w ith this little inform ation.'

So, I took a w ater-skin and a stick and proceeded tow ards M akkah.
N either did I know him (i.e., th e Prophet #£) no r did I like to ask
anyone about him . I kept on drinking Zam zam w ater and staying
in th e m osque. T hen 'Ali passed by m e and said, 'It seem s you are
a stranger?' I said, 'Yes.' He proceeded to his house and I
accom panied him . N either did he ask m e anything nor did I tell
him anything. The next m orning, I w e n t to th e m osque to ask
about th e Prophet b u t no one told m e anything about him . 'Ali
passed by m e again and asked, 'H asn't th e m an recognized his
dw elling place yet?' I said, 'No.' He said, 'Com e along w ith m e.’ He
asked me, 'W hat is your business? W hat has brought you to this
tow n?’ I said to him , 'If you keep my secret, I will tell y o u ’. He
said, 'I will.' I said to him , 'We have heard th a t a person has
appeared here, claiming to be a Prophet. I se n t my b ro th er to
speak to him and w h en he returned, he did n ot bring a
satisfactory report; so I th o u g h t of m eeting him personally.' 'Ali
said (to Abu Dharr), 'You have reached your goal; I am going to

[1] ibn Hisham 1/427. 428. M usnad A h m a d 5/427.

Islam being introduced to Arabian Tribes and Individuals 173

him just now, so follow me, and w herever I enter, e n te r after me.
If I should see som eone w ho m ay cause you trouble, I will stand
near a wall pretending to m end my shoes (as a warning), and you
should go away th e n .’ 'Ali proceeded and I accom panied him till
he en tered a place, and I en tered w ith him to th e Prophet to
w hom I said, ’P resent (the principles of) Islam to m e.’ W hen he
did. I em braced Islam im m ediately. He ^ said to me:

’O Abu Dharr! Keep your conversion a secret and retu rn to your

town; and w h e n you hear o f ou r victory, retu rn to u s.’

I said, By Him W ho has sen t you w ith th e Truth, I will announce

my conversion to Islam publicly am ong th em (i.e., th e infidels),’ I
w en t to th e m osque, w here som e people from Q uraish w ere
present, and said, ’O folk of Quraish! I testify th a t La ilaha illallah
(none has th e right to be w orshipped b u t Allah), and I (also) testify
th a t M uham m ad is His (Allah’s) servant and His M essenger.’
(Hearing that) th e Q uraish m en said, 'Get th is Sabi (i.e., M uslim )!’
They got up and beat m e nearly to death. Al-’Abbas saw m e and
threw h im self over m e to protect me. He th en faced th em and
said, ’W oe to you! You w a n t to kill a m an from th e tribe of Ghifar,
although your trade and your com m unications are through the
territory of Ghifar?’ They therefore left me. The next m orning I
retu rn ed (to th e m osque) and said th e sam e as I have said on the
previous day. They again said, ’Get this SabiV I w as treated in the
sam e way as on th e previous day, and again Al-’Abbas found m e
and threw h im self over m e to protect m e and told th em th e sam e
as he had said the day before." So, th a t was th e conversion of Abu
Dharr to Islam ."111

Tufail bin 'Amr Ad-Dawsi. He w as an h o n e st poet and chief of Ad-

Daws tribe inhabiting an area close to Yemen in South Arabia. He
arrived in M akkah in th e eleventh year of Prophethood. Great
reception cerem onies w ere accorded to him on his arrival. The
M akkans soon started to say over and over in his ears all sorts of
opposition against th e Prophet # 5. They even alleged th a t h e had

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/449-544.

174 The Sealed Nectar

caused th e m ost horrible societal split, dividing all sorts of social

life even the family ties w ere subject to his schem es and plans of
disagreem ent. They even w arned him against speaking or even
listening to him . The m an overpow ered by th ese pleas, com plied
by th eir requests. He even stuffed his ears w ith a piece of cotton
in order not to hear any w ord of his. However, w h en this
tribesm an en tered th e m osque, he saw M uham m ad observing
his prayer and o u t of curiosity, he approached him for it was a
Divine Will to hear th e Prophet's sound and appealing w ords.
The tem p tatio n to hear m ore was irresistible so he followed the
Prophet % into his house, briefed him on his advent and all the
story of th e people of Q uraish. Allah's M essenger recited som e
Verses of th e Noble O u r’an and th e m an m anaged to taste
som ething exceptionally beautiful and distinguish th e tru th laten t
w ithin. He em braced Islam and testified th a t th ere is no God b u t
Allah and th a t M uham m ad is His M essenger. He th en said th a t he
was an influential m an am ong his people and th a t he w ould call
th em to profess Islam, yet he w anted a supplication from the
Prophet to equip him w ith a supportive sign th a t w ould ease
his future task. The Prophet ^ supplicated to Allah for him , and
in fact a Divinely light was bestow ed in his w hip. He called his
father and w ife to em brace Islam and they did respond. His people
show ed a little lack of in terest b u t he encouraged them excitedly
and was fully successful. He and seventy or eighty of his followers
em igrated to M adinah after th e Trench Battle.111
He was a perfect fighter in th e cause of Allah and was m artyred on
th e day of Al-Yamamah.121
Dumad Al-Azdi. He came from Azd S hanu'ah in Yemen, specialist
in incantation. He arrived in M akkah to hear th e fools th ere say
th a t M uham m ad was out of his m ind. He decided to practice
his craft on th e Prophet w ho on seeing him said:

"Praise is to Allah, w e en tertain His praise and seek His

[1] Rather it was after Al-Hudaibiyah. for he had arrived in Al-Madinah w hile Allah's
M essenger jte, was at Khaibar. See Ibn Hisham 1/385.
[21 Ibn Hisham 1/382-385.
Islam being introduced to Arabian Tribes and Individuals 175

help. W hom soever Allah guides, none will lead astray, and
w hom soever Allah leads astray, none will guide. I testify
there is no God b u t Allah and M uham m ad is His servant
and M essenger."

D um ad heard th e w ords and requested th e Prophet to echo

th em again, and he was granted his w ish thrice. Here h e said: "I
have heard th e soothsayers, sorcerers and poets, b u t never have I
experienced th e sw eetness of your w ords, they have th e d e p th of
th e ocean." He th e n gave a pledge of a sincere convert.111

Hope inspiring Breezes from the Madinese

It was during th e pilgrimage season, in the eleventh year of
Prophethood, th a t th e Islamic Call found th e righteous seeds
through w hich it w ould grow up to con stitu te tall trees w hose
leaves w ould foster th e new faith and shelter th e new helpless
converts from th e blows of injustices and high-handedness of the
Q uraish. It was th e P rophet's w ise practice to m eet th e delegates
of the Arabian tribes by night so th a t th e hostile M akkans w ould
n o t debar him from achieving his objectives. In th e com pany of
his two tru th fu l Com panions, 'Ali and Abu Bakr he had an
interesting talk regarding Islam ization w ith Bani D huhal, b u t the
latter su sp en d ed th eir conversion.121 In p u rsu it of th e sam e
objective, th e Prophet ^ and his C om panions passed by 'Aqabah
in M ina w here they heard people talking. They w e n t tow ards
th em and found six m en from Yathrib. all of w hom w ere from the
Khazraj tribe: As'ad bin Zurarah, 'Awf bin Harith, Rafi' bin Malik,
Q utbah bin ’Amir, 'Uqbah bin 'Amir and Jabir bin 'Abdullah.

The M adinese always heard th e Jews say th a t a Prophet was about

to rise, for th e tim e for him had arrived, and th a t w h e n they
found him , they w ould follow him and th e n kill their enem ies as
th e children of 'Ad and Iram had been killed.[3]

[1] Sahih M uslim , the Book of th e Friday Prayer, th e chapter of m aking th e Prayer
and the Serm on brief, no. 46 (868).
[2] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh 'Abdullah An-Najdi, p p .150-152.
[3] Ibn Hisham 1/429, 541. Zadul-Ma'ad 2/50.
176 The Sealed Nectar

W hen Allah's M essenger ^ m et them , he asked them :

"Who are you?"

"Of th e tribe of Khazraj," they replied.

He asked them :

"Are you th e allies of th e Jews?”

They said: "Yes.” He said:

"Then w hy n o t sit dow n for a little and I will speak to you."

The offer was readily accepted for th e fam e of M uham m ad % had
spread to M adinah and th e strangers w ere curious to see m ore of
th e m an w ho had created a stir in th e w hole area. The Prophet
presented an explanation of Islam to them , its im plications, and
th e responsibilities th a t fell upon those w ho accepted it. W hen
th e Prophet concluded his talk, they exchanged am ong
them selves ideas to th e following effect: "Know surely, this is
th e Prophet w ith w hom th e Jews are ever threatening us; so, let
us m ake h aste and be th e first to join him."
They, therefore, em braced Islam, and said to th e Prophet "We
have left our com m unity for no tribe is so divided by hate and
enm ity as they are, Allah m ay cem ent our ties through you. So, let
us go and invite them to this religion of yours; and if Allah unites
them in it, no m an will be dearer th an you."
The han d fu l of M adinese converts rem ained steady to the cause
and they preached Islam w ith full zeal and devotion w ith the
result th a t they succeeded in w inning supporters for Islam from
am ong their fellow citizens and hardly was th ere a house in
M adinah n ot talking curiously and enthusiastically about Allah's
M essenger

The Marriage o f the Prophet to 'Aishah ^

In Shawwal of th e sam e year, the Prophet form ally m arried

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/428-430.

Islam being introduced to Arabian Tribes and Individuals 177

'Aishah 'th e tru th verifier’, w h e n she was six of age, and

consum m ated his m arriage w ith h er in Shawwal, th e year 1 A.H.
in M adinah w h e n she was n in e .111

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/551. Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar p. 10.

 A l - I s r a ’ and A l - M i ‘ r a j

(The Miraculous Night Journey from Makkah

to the Farthest Mosque in Jerusalem,
and the Ascent through the Spheres of Heavens)

The last days of the M akkan phase of th e P rophet's life are noted
for alternate fortunes ranging betw een tw o extrem es: gradual
success and continual persecution. However, glim pses of favorable
lights w ere appearing on th e d ista n t horizon, to ultim ately
m aterialize in th e event of the Prophet's Night Journey to
Jerusalem and th e n A scension through th e spheres of th e
heavens.
As for its exact date, th ere is a difference of opinion about it. The
following are the views about w h en it occurred:
1. The Night Journey occurred during the year in w hich Allah
honored M uham m ad w ith Prophethood. This view was chosen
by At-Tabari.
2. It occurred five years after th e beginning of his Prophethood.
This is th e view preferred by An-Nawawi and Al-Qurtubi.
3. It was th e night of th e 27th of Rajab during th e te n th year of
Prophethood. This view was chosen by 'Allamah Al-M ansurpuri.
4. It was 16 m o n th s prior to th e m igration to M adinah, during
Ramadan of th e tw elfth year of Prophethood.
5. It was one year and tw o m o n th s prior to th e m igration to
M adinah, m eaning in Al-M uharram during th e th irte e n th year of
Prophethood.
6. It was one year prior to th e m igration, during Rabi'ul-Awwal in
the 13th year of Prophethood.
The first three views are based on the death of Khadijah ^ w hich
was in Ramadan during th e te n th year of Prophethood. She died
before th e five daily prayers w ere m ade obligatory, and there is no
difference of opinion over the fact th a t th e five prayers w ere m ade
Al-Isra' and Al-M i'raj 179

obligatory during the Night Journey.m

As for th e rem aining th ree views, th ere is no sign indicating a
preference for one over th e other, except th a t th e context of Surat
Ad-lsra' supports th a t th e N ight Journey w as very late on th e tim e
line.
The Im am s of Hadith narrate a n u m b er of details about this event,
th e following of w hich is a sum m ary:
Ibn Al-Qaiyim said: "Allah's M essenger was carried physically -
according to the correct view - from th e Sacred M osque in M akkah
to Bait Al-Maqdis in Jerusalem , riding on Al-Buraq in th e com pany
of Gabriel >&S. T here he alighted, tied th e horse to a ring in th e
gate of th e M osque and led th e Prophets in prayer. T hen during
th a t night h e ascended from Bait Al-Maqdis to th e low est heaven.
Gabriel sought perm ission to enter. It was opened and h e saw
Adam >&S, th e forefather of m ankind. The Prophet greeted him
and Adam iSs® w elcom ed him , retu rn ed his greeting, and
expressed his faith in M uham m ad's Prophethood. He saw the
souls of m artyrs on his right and th o se of th e w retched on his left.
Gabriel th en ascended w ith th e Prophet ^ to th e second
heaven, sought entry and th ere he saw and greeted John, son of
Zacharia (Yahya bin Zakariya >&§\) and Jesus >&3, son of Mary. They
retu rn ed his greeting, w elcom ed him and expressed th eir faith in
his Prophethood.
Then they reached th e th ird heaven w here they saw Joseph (Yusuf
%&) and greeted him . The latter w elcom ed th e Prophet
retu rn ed his greeting, and expressed faith in his Prophethood.
The Prophet in th e com pany of Gabriel &M, th e n reached the
fourth heaven w here he m et th e Prophet Idris >&3 and greeted
him . Idris retu rn ed th e greeting and expressed faith in his
Prophethood. Then h e was carried to th e fifth heaven w here he
m et th e Prophet Aaron (Harun iftB) and greeted him . The latter

[1] For these views see Zadul-Ma'ad 2/49. and M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul by Sheikh
'Abdullah An-Najdi. pp. 148-149-
180 The Sealed Nectar

retu rn ed th e greeting and expressed faith in his Prophethood. In

th e sixth heaven he m et M oses (Musa &sS) and greeted him . The
latter retu rn ed the greeting and expressed faith in his Prophet­
hood. M uham m ad gig on leaving, saw th a t M oses began to
weep. He asked about th e reason. M oses answ ered th a t h e was
w eeping because he w itnessed a m an se n t after him as a
M essenger (M uham m ad w ho w as able to lead m ore of his
people to Paradise th an he h im self did. T hen Prophet
M uham m ad ^ reached th e seventh heaven and m et Abraham
(Ibrahim $£0) and greeted him . The latter retu rn ed th e salutation
and expressed faith in his Prophethood. Then he was carried to
Sidratul-M untaha (the rem otest lote tree) and was show n Al-Bait
Al-M a'm ur [(the m uch frequented house) encom passed daily by
seventy th o u san d angels, so th at th e angels w ho once encom ­
passed it w ould n o t have their tu rn again till th e Resurrection],

He was th en presented before Allah. He was brought near such

th a t he was at th e distance of tw o bow 's length or le ss.111 Allah
revealed to His servant as He willed, ordaining fifty daily prayers
for him . On his return, he spoke to M oses ifcgs, inform ing him th a t
his followers had been enjoined to pray fifty tim es a day. M oses
addressing th e Prophet said: "Your followers cannot
perform so m any prayers. Go back to your Lord and ask for a
decrease in num ber." The Prophet tu rn e d to Gabriel he
nodded, "Yes, if you desire," and ascended w ith him till Allah the
Almighty, Glorious is He, reduced th e prayers by ten. He th en
descended and reported th a t to M oses w ho again urged him
to request a fu rth er reduction. M uham m ad ^ once m ore begged

[1] Here the coming of Gabriel >&• tow ards th e P r o p h e t ^ is m eant, and the
description of getting close to Allah in this narration is false. This is considered
as m istaken description of th e narrator Sharik w hile narrating the Hadith of Al-
Isra’ and Al-Mi'raj. Imam Khattabi has criticized these w ords of Sharik indicating
them to be defective as regards th e Highest Exaltation of Allah, and being against
the description of Salaf Salihin, M uslim scholars and the form er interpreters of
the Noble Q ur'an. T hat is w hy w hen this Hadith was narrated from Anas
w ithout the chain of Sharik. these w ords w ere n o t found there. (For details see
Zadul-Ma'ad, footnote 3/35. by Shu'aib Al-Arnaut.)
Al-Isra' and Al-M i'raj 181

his Lord to reduce th e n u m b er still further. He w e n t again and

again at th e suggestion of M oses for reduction in th e num ber
of prayers till th ese w ere reduced to only five. M oses again
asked him to im plore for m ore reduction, b u t h e said: "I feel
asham ed now of repeatedly asking my Lord for reduction. I accept
and resign to His W ill.” W hen M uham m ad w e n t farther, a
Caller was heard saying: "I have im posed My O rdinance and
lightened th e b u rd en of My servants."

Ibn Al-Qaiyim and Ibn Taim iyah m en tioned th a t th ere is som e

difference over w h e th e r th e Prophet saw Allah or not. The
result of th e research into this m atter being th a t seeing Him w ith
th e eye is n ot confirm ed as a saying of any of th e C om panions,
and th a t w h at is reported from Ibn 'Abbas ^ is seeing in general
w hich does n o t negate th e first view. T hen he said, "As for His
saying in Surat An-Najm (Chapter -The Star):

£ p}

'T hen h e approached and came closer.' [53:8]

It is n ot th e approach of th e story of th e Night Journey and

Ascension. For th e approach m en tio n ed in Surat An-Najm relates
to Gabriel and his com ing closer to him , as stated by 'Aishah and
Ibn M as'ud, and th e rest of it su pports that. As for th e approach
and com ing closer in th e Hadith of th e Ascension, th a t clearly is
about th e Lord. Blessed and M ost High, and his com ing closer to
Him. This is n o t contradicted by Surat An-Najm. Rather it m erely
m entions th a t h e saw him an o th er tim e a t Sidratul-M untaha. and
th e 'him ' in question is Gabriel, since M uham m ad saw him in
his real appearance twice: once on earth, and once at Sidratul-
M untaha. And Allah know s b e s t."111

In som e of th e narrations it is reported th a t his chest w as also

split on this occasion. Among th e things th e Prophet jfc w itnessed
during this event are th e following:

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/47-48. See also Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/50, 455, 456. 470 and others,
and Sahih M uslim 1/91-96.
182 The Sealed Nectar

He was presented w ith m ilk and w ine. He chose th e milk, it was

said, "You have chosen th e Fitrah - or - you took th e Fitrah. Had
you selected th e w ine, your nation w ould have been misled."
The Prophet saw tw o m anifest rivers, - th e Nile and the
E uphrates - and tw o h id d en ones. It appears th a t th e two
m anifest rivers, th e Nile and th e Euphrates, symbolically describe
th e area in w hose fertile valleys, M uham m ad's M essage will
settle. The two h id d en rivers being those in Paradise.
He had th e o pportunity to see Malik, th e keeper of Hell, w ith a
cheerless frow ning face. He saw Paradise and th e Fire. He saw
those w ho unjustly consum e th e property of orphans. They have
snouts sim ilar to those of camels, swallow ing red-hot stones and
th en issuing out of their backs. There w ere also th e people w ho
take in terest and usury w ith bellies too big to be able to move
around; they are trodden by the people of Pharaoh w h en th ese are
adm itted into Hell. In the sam e abode, he saw the adulterers
offered a tasty fatty m eat and a rotten sm elly one b u t they chose
the latter. The licentious w om en w ere also there hanging from
their breasts.
The 'Night Journey' raised a good deal of stir am ong th e people
and th e disbelieving audience plied M uham m ad w ith all sorts
of questions. He told them th a t he saw th e camels of M akkan
m erchants going to and fro. He also guided th em to som e of their
anim als th at w e n t astray. He inform ed th em th a t he had d runk
som e of th eir w ater w hile they w ere fast asleep and left the
container covered.111
The disbelievers, however, found it a suitable opportunity to
laugh at th e M uslim s and th eir creed. They pestered the
Prophet w ith questions as to th e description of th e M osque
at Jerusalem , w here he had never gone before and. to the
asto n ish m en t of m any, th e P rophet's replies fu rn ish ed th e m ost
accurate inform ation about th a t city. He supplied th em w ith all
th e new s about th eir caravans and th e routes of their camels.

[1] See the previous reference, plus Ibn Hisham 1/397. 402-406
Al-lsra' and A l-M i’raj 183

However, all this increased in th em n o thing b u t flight from the

Truth, and they accepted n othing b u t disbelief.111
For th e tru e M uslim s, how ever th ere was n othing un u su al about
th e Night Journey. The All-Mighty Allah, W ho is Pow erful enough
to have created th e heavens and th e earth by an act of His Will, is
surely Pow erful enough to take His M essenger beyond the
heavens and show him those signs of His directly w hich are
inaccessible to m an otherw ise. The disbelievers on th eir part w en t
to see Abu Bakr on account of this event, and he readily said:
"Yes, I do verify it," It was on this occasion th a t he earned th e title
of As-Siddiq (the verifier of th e tru th ).121
The m ost eloquent and m ost concise justification of th is Journey'
is expressed in Allah's Words:

"...in order th at We m ight show him (M uham m ad) of O ur

A yat (proofs, evidences, signs, etc.)." [17:1]
The Divine rules as regards th e Prophets are as follows:

"Thus did We show Abraham th e kingdom of the heavens

and th e earth th a t he be one of th o se w ho have Faith w ith
certainty." [6:75]
To M oses 3S9, his Lord said:

"That We m ay show you (some) of O ur Greater Signs."

[20:23]
In order that:

[1] Zadul-Ma’ad 1/48. See also Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/684. Sahih M uslim 1/96. Ibn
Hisham 1/402.
[2] Ibn Hisham 1/399.
184 The Sealed Nectar

"He be of those w ho have Faith w ith certainty." [6:75]

The Prophets, after seeing Allah's Signs, will establish th eir Faith
on solid certainty too im m u n e to be parted w ith. Indeed actual
observation is n o t th e equal to m ere inform ation. They are in fact
eligible for this Divine privilege because they are th e ones w ho
will bear b u rd en s too heavy for o th er ordinary people to carry, and
in th e process of th eir m ission, they will regard all w orldly trials
and sufferings too sm all to care about.
There are sim ple facts th a t em anate from this blessed Journey,
and flow along into th e flowery garden o f th e Prophetic biography;
peace and blessings of Allah be upon its subject. M uham m ad. The
story of 'th e Night Journey’ as w e see in th e Noble Q ur'an is
sum m arized in th e first Verse of Surat Isra' (Chapter 17 - The
Journey by Night) th en th ere is a quick sh ift to uncover the
sh am efu l d eed s and crim es of th e Jews, follow ed by an
adm onition saying th at th e Q ur'an guides to th a t w hich is m ost
just and right. This arrangem ent is n o t in fact a m ere coincidence.
Jerusalem w as th e first scene of th e Night Journey, and h ere lies
th e m essage directed to th e Jews and w hich clearly suggested th at
they w ould be rem oved from th e office of leadership of m ankind
d ue to th e crim es they had com m itted, w hich no longer justified
th eir occupation of th at office.

The m essage suggested significantly th at th e office of leadership

w ould be taken over by Allah's M essenger ^ to hold in his hand
both headquarters of th e Abrahamic Faith, th e Sacred M osque in
M akkah and th e F arthest M osque in Jerusalem . It w as high tim e
for the spiritual authority to be transferred from a nation w hose
history was pregnant w ith treachery, covenant-breaching and
aggression to an o th er nation blessed w ith piety, and d utifulness
to Allah, w ith a M essenger w ho enjoys th e privilege of the
Q u ra n ic Revelation, w hich leads to th a t w hich is best and right.
T here, how ever, rem ains a crucial q u estio n w aiting to be
answ ered: How could this foreseen transition of authority be
effected w hile the cham pion him self (M uham m ad was left
deserted and abandoned stum bling in th e hillocks of Makkah?
Al-Isra' and Al-M i'raj 185

This question in itself uncovered th e secrets of an o th er issue

w hich referred to a phase of th e Islamic Call and th e appearance
of an o th er role it w as about to take up. d ifferent in its course and
noble in its approaches. The forerunners of th a t new task took the
shape of Q u r’anic Verses bearing th e direct and unequivocal
w arning accom panied by a severe u ltim atum directed to the
polytheists and th eir agents:

JjiM Iflit Jp-j Ifj t/'*! ^

fry.
"And w h en We decide to destroy a tow n (population), We
(first) send a definite order (to obey Allah and be righteous)
to those am ong th em [or We (first) increase in num ber those
of its population] w ho are given th e good things of this life.
Then, they transgress therein, and th u s th e w ord (of
torm ent) is justified against it (them). T hen We destroy it
w ith com plete destruction. And how m any generations (past
nations) have We destroyed after Noah! And Sufficient is
your Lord as an All-Knower and All-Beholder of th e sins of
His servants." [17:16.17]
Together w ith these Verses, th ere w ere o thers revealed to show
th e M uslim s th e rules and item s of th e civilization upon w hich
they could erect th eir M uslim com m unity, and foretelling their
ow nership of a piece of land, exercising full freedom over it and
establishing a rightful society around w hose axis th e w hole of
h um anity w ould rotate. Those Verses in reality im plied better
prospects for th e Prophet % com prising a secure shelter to settle
in, and headquarters safe enough to em pow er and em bolden him
to com m unicate his M essage to th e entire w orld as a w hole; th a t
was in fact th e inner secret of th a t blessed journey. For this very
w isdom and th e like w e consider it appropriate to suggest th at
'th e Night Journey’ took place eith er before th e First Pledge of
'Aqabah or betw een th e two; after all, Allah know s best.
 The First ‘Aqabah Pledge

We have already spoken about six M adinese w ho em braced Islam

in the pilgrimage season in th e eleventh year of Prophethood.
They prom ised to com m unicate th e M essage of Islam to their
townsfolk.
The following year, on the occasion of th e pilgrimage, th ere came
a group of twelve people ready to acknowledge M uham m ad as
th eir Prophet. The group of m en com prised five of th e six w ho
had m et th e Prophet th e year before, th e sixth w ho stayed
away was Jabir bin 'Abdullah bin Ri’ab, the o ther seven were:
1. M u'adh bin Al-Harith, Ibn 'Afra, from Khazraj.
2. Dhakw an bin 'Abdul-Qais, from Khazraj.
3. 'Ubadah bin As-Samit, from Khazraj.
4. Yazeed bin T ha’labah, from Khazraj.
5. Al-'Abbas bin 'Ubadah bin Nadlah, from Khazraj.
6. Abul-Haitham bin At-Taihan, from Aws.
7. 'Uwaim bin Sa’idah, from Aws.111
They affirm ed th eir faith in M uham m ad ^ as a Prophet and
swore:
Al-Bukhari recorded th at 'Ubadah bin As-Samit 4 ® narrated th at
Allah's M essenger % said:

"Come here and pledge that you will not associate any with
Allah, that you will not steal, nor commit unlawful sexual
intercourse, nor kill your children, nor utter slander intention­
ally forging falsehood, nor disobey me in any good. He who
fulfills this, Allah will reward him; and who neglects anything
and is afflicted in this world, it may prove redem ption for him
in the Hereafter; and if the sin remains hidden from the eyes of
the m en and no grief comes to him, then his affair is with
Allah. He may forgive him or He may n ot."121

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/431-433.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/550. 2/727; 2/1003.
The First 'Aqabah Pledge 187

The Muslim Envoy in Madinah

After th e pledge (in th e form of an oath had been taken) the

Prophet se n t to Yathrib (Madinah) M us'ab bin 'Um air Al-
'Abdari 4®. th e first M uslim 'am bassador' to teach th e people
there th e doctrines of Islam, give th em practical guidance and
m ake attem p ts at propagating th e Islam am ong those w ho still
professed polytheism , As'ad bin Zurarah 4 ® h osted him in
M adinah. So prepared was th e ground, and so zealous the
propagation th a t th e Islam spread rapidly from house to house
and from tribe to tribe. T here w ere various cheerful and prom ising
aspects of success th a t characterized M us'ab’s task, O ne day
M us’ab and As'ad Jfa, w ere on th eir way to th e locality of Bani
'Abdul-Ashhal and Bani Zafar, w h e n they w e n t into th e prem ises
of th e latter clan, T here they sat near a well conversing w ith som e
new converts, Sa’d bin M u'adh and Usaid bin Hudair, chiefs of the
tw o clans heard of this m eeting, so Usaid approached th e M uslim s
arm ed w ith his spear w hile th e o th er Sa'd excused h im self on
grounds th at As'ad was his m aternal cousin. Usaid came closer
cursing and sw earing and accused th e two m en of fooling people
w eak of heart, and ordered th a t they stop it altogether, M us'ab 4®
calmly invited him to sit saying, "If you are pleased w ith our talk,
you can accept it; should you hold it as disgusting, you could
freely im m unize yourself against w h a t you hate." "That's fair,"
said Usaid, pierced his lance in th e sand, listened to M us'ab 4®
and th en heard som e Verses of th e Noble Q ur'an, His face beam ed
w ith satisfaction and pleasure before u ttering any w ords of
approval. He asked th e two m en about th e procedures related to
em bracing Islam. They asked him to observe w ashing, cleanse his
garm ent, bear w itness to th e T ruth and th en perform a prayer of
two Rak'ah. He responded and did exactly w h at he was asked to
do, and th en said th a t th ere was a m an (Sa'd bin M u'adh) w hose
people w ould never hang back if h e followed Islam. He th en left to
see Sa’d and his people. Sa’d could im m ediately u n d erstan d th a t
Usaid had changed. To a question posed by Sa’d, Usaid 4 ® said
th a t two m en w ere ready to com ply w ith w hatever orders they
received. He th en arranged a m eeting th at provided th e two m en
188 The Sealed Nectar

w ith a chance to talk w ith Sa'd privately. The previous scene w ith
Usaid 4* occurred again and Sa'd em braced Islam, and directly
tu rn e d to his people sw earing th a t h e w ould never talk w ith them
un til they believed in Allah, and in His M essenger. Hardly had th e
evening of th a t day arrived w h en all th e m en and w om en of th a t
group of Arabians em braced Islam w ith th e exception of one, Al-
Usairim, w ho h u n g back u n til th e Day of Uhud. O n th a t day he
em braced Islam and fought th e polytheists b u t was eventually
killed before observing any prostration in th e way of prayer. The
Prophet sfe com m ented saying:

"He has done a little b u t his rew ard is great."

M us'ab 4* stayed in M adinah carrying o u t his m ission steadily
and successfully u ntil all th e houses of Al-Ansar (the future
Helpers) had M uslim elem ents, m en and w om en. O ne family only
refused th e Islamic Da'wah (Call). They w ere u n d e r th e influence
of th e poet Qais bin Al-Aslat, w ho m anaged to hold th em from
accepting th e Call of Islam u ntil th e year 5 A.H.
Shortly before th e approach of th e following pilgrimage season,
i.e., th e th irte e n th year of Prophethood, M us'ab bin 'Um air 4*
retu rn ed to M akkah carrying glad tidings to th e Prophet ^ about
th e new fertile soil of Islam in M adinah, and its env iro n m en t rich
in th e prospects of good, and th e pow er and im m unity th a t th at
city was bound to provide to th e cause of Islam .111

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/435-438: 2/90, and Zadul-Ma’ad 2/51.

 The Second ‘Aqabah Pledge

The next year, th irte e n th of Prophethood, June 622 C.E., during

the pilgrimage season, over seventy converts from M adinah came
along w ith th e polytheist people to perform th e rituals of
pilgrimage in M akkah. The oft-repeated question am ong th em was
"Isn’t it high tim e w e protect M uham m ad instead of leaving him
abandoned, deserted and stum bling in th e hillocks of Makkah?"

Shortly after th eir arrival, they conducted secret contacts w ith the
Prophet and agreed to m eet him secretly at night during the
m iddle of th e Tashreeq Days (the 11th, 12th and 13th days of
Dhul-Hijjah) in a hillock at Al-'Aqabah, th e last year's m eeting
place.

O ne of th e leaders of th e Ansar (Helpers), Ka’b bin M alik Al-

Ansari 4®. gave an account of th e historic m eeting w hich changed
th e w hole course of th e struggle betw een Islam and paganism , he
said:

"We set o ut for pilgrimage and had a m eeting w ith Allah's

M essenger ^ planned in th e m idst of th e Tashreeq Days. The
night of our planned m eeting w ith Allah's M essenger arrived.
We w ere accom panied by ’Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Haram. one the
m ost notable and respected am ong our people. We said to him . 'O
Abu Jabir! You are certainly one of our m ost respected and one of
th e m ost noble of our nobility. We do not w an t you to be fuel for
th e Fire tom orrow .' T hen w e invited him to accept Islam and
inform ed of the m eeting w e had planned w ith A llah’s
M essenger ^ at Al-'Aqabah. He accepted Islam and atten d ed Al-
'Aqabah, and he was our head representative."

Ka'b said: "That very night w e slept w ith ou r people in our camps.
After a th ird of th e night had elapsed, w e began to leave quietly
and m et in a hillock nearby. We w ere seventy-three m en plus two
w om en, N usaibah b in t Ka’b - Um m 'U m arah - from th e Bani
M azin bin Najjar and Asma' b in t 'Amr - Um m M u n i’ from Bani
Salamah. We gathered in th e hillocks w aiting for A llah’s
190 T h e S e a le d N ecta r

M essenger 0 u n til he came in th e com pany of his uncle Al-'Abbas

bin 'Abdul-M uttalib w ho was at th a t tim e still following the
religion of his people. Yet he loved to be p resen t for the m atters of
his nephew . He w as th e first to speak:
'O you people of th e Khazraj - the Arabs used to call th e Ansar
(Helpers) Khazraj, w h e th e r from Khazraj or Aws - all of you know
the position th at M uham m ad holds am ong us. We have protected
him from our people as m uch as w e could. He is honored and
respected am ong his people. He refuses to join any party except
you. So, if you th in k you can carry o u t w h at you prom ise w hile
inviting him to your tow n, and if you can defend him against the
enem ies, th en assum e th e b u rd en th a t you have taken. But if you
are going to su rren d er him and betray him after having taken him
away w ith you, you had better leave him now because he is
respected and well defended in his ow n place."'
Ka’b replied: "We have heard your w ords, and now, O M essenger
of Allah, it is for you to speak and take from us any pledge th at
you w an t regarding your Lord and yourself." 111
It was a definite response show ing full determ ination, courage
and deep faith to shoulder th e great and fearsom e responsibility
and bear its serious consequences. Allah's M essenger 0 th en
preached th e Faith, and th e pledge was taken.

The Articles o f the Pledge

Al-Imam Ahm ad recorded th a t jabir narrated: "We said, 'O
M essenger of Allah! To w h at shall w e pledge?' The Prophet 0
answ ered:
'1. To listen and obey in all difficulty and ease.
2. To spend in plenty as well as in scarcity.
3. To enjoin good and forbid evil.
4. In Allah's service, you will fear th e censure of none.
5. To aid m e w h en I come to you, and protect m e from anything
you protect yourself, your spouses and children from.

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/440-442.

The Second 'Aqabah Pledge 191

Then Paradise is in store for y o u .'” 111

In an o th er version reported by Ibn Ishaq, Ka'b said:

"The Prophet ^ began to speak, recited som e Q u ra n ic Verses,

called people u n to Allah, encouraged th em to e n te r th e fold of
Islam and concluded saying:

'I give you my pledge th a t you protect m e from w hatever

you protect your w om en and children from .'

Here Al-Bara' bin M a’rur caught him by hand, and said: 'O h yes,
we sw ear by Allah, W ho sen t you as a Prophet in Truth, th a t w e
will protect you from w hatever w e protect our w om en from . Have
confidence in us, O M essenger of Allah. By Allah, w e are genuine
fighters and quite reliable in war, it is a characteristic passed dow n
to us from our ancestors,’

T hen 'Abul-Haitham bin At-Taihan in te rru p ted and said: 'O

M essenger o f Allah! B etw een us an d th e Jews, th e re are
agreem ents w hich w e w ould th e n sever. If Allah grants you
pow er and victory, should w e expect th a t you w ould n o t leave us,
and join the ranks of your people (m eaning Quraish)?' The
Prophet sm iled and replied:

'Nay, it w ould never be; your blood will be my blood. In life

and death I will be w ith you and you w ith me. I will fight
w hom you fight and I will m ake peace w ith th o se w ith
w hom you m ake peace."'121

[1] Recorded by Imam Ahmad w ith a good chain of narration. 3/322; Al-Baihaqi in As-
Sunan Al-Kubra 9/9: Al-Hakim and Ibn Hibban graded it authentic. Ibn Ishaq
reported som ething sim ilar to this from 'Ubadah bin As-Samit b u t it has the
additional item; "That we n o t disp u te w ith th e order from its people," See Ibn
Hisham 1/454.
[2] Ibn Hisham 1/442.
192 The Sealed Nectar

Stressing the Gravity of the Pledge

After th e events dealing w ith th e conditions of allegiance had
ended, and all of the audience w ere unanim ously agreed to
endorse it, two m en of th e early generation of converts w ho had
em braced Islam in the eleventh and tw elfth years rose to their
feet to explain the others of th e serious step they w ere about to
take, so th a t they could give their pledge fully aware of the w hole
affair, and consequently be ready for th e sacrifice they w ere
expected to make.

Ibn Ishaq said: "W hen they gathered for th e pledge, Al-'Abbas bin
'Ubadah bin Nadlah, said: 'Do you know the significance of the
pact th at you are entering into w ith this man? You are in fact
affirm ing th a t you will fight against various people. If you fear
th at your property will be at risk or the lives of your nobles will be
in danger, th en leave him now, because if you do this after the
pledge, it will be degrading for you both in this w orld and the
w orld to come. But if you th in k th a t you can carry out w h at you
are called upon to do in spite of th e loss of precious lives and
property, th en undertake this heavy responsibility, and I sw ear by
Allah, th at herein lies th e good of this w orld and th a t of th e next.'
They replied, 'We have already considered th e loss of property
and th e m urder of our notables, yet w e pay him allegiance. But
w hat is our reward if w e observe all the item s of this pact?' The
Prophet jig replied:

’Paradise is in store for you.'

They said, 'Extend your h and,' th e n he extended his h an d and

they pledged to h im ,"1' 1

In th e narration of Jabir 4*. he said: "W hen w e started to pledge

allegiance, As'ad bin Zurarah took his hand and said: 'Take it easy
people of Yathrib! We have not covered th a t long distance except
because we have had deep belief th a t he (M uham m ad *&;) is the
M essenger of Allah. We are already convinced th at following him

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/446.

The Second 'Aqabah Pledge 193

includes departu re from th e pagan Arabs even if it w ere a t th e risk

o f ou r life. Should you e n te r in this course, holdfast to it, and your
great rew ard is placed in th e H and of Allah, b u t if you are caught
in fear, I advice you to give it up ju st now, and th e n you w ould be
m ore excusable by Allah.’” 111

Taking the Pledge

After approving of th e articles of th e pledge, clarification and
em phasis, th e process of actual pledging began by a shake of
hands. Jabir 4& said - after m entioning th e saying of As'ad bin
Zurarah 4k: "They said, 'O As'ad! Stretch your h a n d o u t for us, for
by Allah! We will never breach or cheat th is pledge.” ’1121
It was th e n th a t As’ad 4fc realized th eir surety in th is cause, and
h e along w ith M us'ab bin 'Um air w as th e prim ary person
inviting to th is pledge and th e first to take it.
Ibn Ishaq said, "Banu An-Najjar claim ed th a t Abu U m am ah As’ad
bin Zurarah was th e first person to p u t o u t his h a n d .’’131
After th a t everyone else began to give th e pledge. Jabir 4» said, "So
m an by m an w e stood before him taking th e pledge so th a t by th at
w e w ould be granted Paradise,"141
W ith respect to th e tw o w om en, th e pledge was taken orally for
th e Prophet j g had never shaken h an d s w ith a strange lady.151

Twelve Representatives
The Prophet j g th e n asked th e group to ap p o in t tw elve people to
rep resen t th eir people, being responsible in regard to th e articles

[1] M usnad A hm ad 3/322. Al-Baihaqi in As-Sunan Al-Kubra 9/9-

[2] M usnad A hm ad 3/322. Al-Baihaqi in As-Sunan Al-Kubra 9/9-
[3] Ibn Ishaq said, "Banu Abdul-Ashhal said th a t it was Abul-Haitham bin At-Taihan.
And Ka'b bin Malik said it w as Al-Bara' bin M a’rur." (Ibn H isham 1/447) I say.
perhaps they are considering th e events th a t took place w hen they gave th e
pledge to Allah’s M essenger jg , otherw ise As'ad bin Zurarah 4 » was th e earliest.
And Allah know s best.
[4] M usnad A hm ad 3/322.
[5] Sahih M uslim 2/131.
194 The Sealed Nectar

of th e pledge. He said:

"Let twelve m en come to m e as representatives am ong you,

th a t they be responsible over th eir people.”
The representatives w ere nine from Al-Khazraj: As'ad bin Zurarah
bin 'Ads. Sa'd bin Ar-Rabi' bin 'Amr, 'Abdullah bin Rawahah bin
Tha'labah, Rafi' bin Malik bin Al-'Ajlan, Al-Bara’ bin M a’ru r bin
Sakhr, 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin Haram, 'Ubadah bin As-Samit bin
Oais, Sa'd bin 'Ubadah bin Dulaim and A l-M undhir bin 'Amr bin
Khunais. Three others w ere from Al-Aws: Usaid bin H udair bin
Samak, Sa'd bin K haitham ah bin Al-Harith and Rifa'ah bin 'Abdul-
M undhir bin Zubair.

After th eir appointm ent, th e Prophet took an o th er oath from

these twelve representatives th a t they w ould hold th e position of
answ erability. He said to them :

"You are responsible over your people in m atters am ong

them , a responsibility like th a t of th e disciples of 'Isa bin
Maryam, and I am the responsible one over my people -
m eaning th e M uslim s.”
They agreed to this.

A Devil Exposes the Meeting

After th e people w ere finished w ith the process and th e covenant
was com plete, one of th e devils exposed them . At th e very last
m om ent, hoping to get th e Q uraish to gather and w itness this
congregation first h an d at th e location, th a t devil stood on the
highest ground shouting so all could hear, "O people of the
dwellings, M uham m ad and his youth have conspired for w ar
against you!” Allah's M essenger said:

"This is Azab (the jinn) of Al-'Aqabah. O enem y of Allah! We

are leaving you now .”
Then he ordered th em to go to th eir cam ps.111

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/447. and Zadul-Ma'ad 2/51.

The Second 'Aqabah Pledge 195

T h e Ansar prepare to strike the Quraish

On hearing th e voice of this devil, Al-'Abbas bin 'Ubadah bin

Nadlah said: "By Allah, W ho has se n t you in Truth, w e are
pow erful enough to p u t th e people of M ina (the O uraishites) to
our sw ords tom orrow , if you desire." The Prophet said:

"We have n o t been com m anded to follow th a t course. Now,

back to your cam ps."
They w e n t back to sleep till m o rning ,111

The Quraish Arrive to Argue with the Leaders o f Yathrib

No sooner did th e Q uraish hear of this treaty th an a kind of
trouble-provoking uproar began to spread in all directions. They
realized quite fully th a t an allegiance o f this sort is bo u n d to
produce far-reaching consequences of direct im pact on th eir lives
and w ealth. The following day, a large delegation com prising the
leaders and arch-crim inals of M akkah set out for th e cam p of the
M adinese to pro test severely against th e treaty. They addressed
th e M adinese: "O people of Khazraj, it has been conveyed to us
th a t you have come here to conclude a treaty w ith this m an
(M uham m ad #§) and evacuate him o u t of M akkah. By Allah, we
w ould really hate any sort of fight to occur betw een us and
y o u ."121
The M adinese polytheists having know n n othing about the
secretly taken pledge, began to sw ear by Allah and answ ered in
good faith th a t th ere was no tru th in th e report. 'Abdullah bin
Ubai Ibn Salul, a M adinese polytheist, refuted th eir allegations
denouncing th em as null and void, claim ing th a t his people w ould
never initiate anything unless he gave th em clear orders.
The M adinese M uslim s, how ever, rem ain ed s ile n t n e ith e r
negating nor confirm ing. The Q uraishite leaders seem ed to be
alm ost convinced by th e argum ents p resen ted by th e polytheists,

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/448.

[2] ibid.
196 The Sealed Nectar

and w en t back hom e frustrated.

The Quraish Become Convinced o f the Previous Reports

However, they w ere not fully satisfied w ith th e w ords they heard.
They began to scrutinize th e sm allest details, and trace the
m in u test new s till it was established beyond a shadow of doubt
th a t th e pact did take place, b u t th a t was after the M adinese
pilgrims had left M akkah. In a fit of rage, they pursu ed the
pilgrim s b u t did not succeed in catching any of th em except Sa'd
bin 'Ubadah 4®- They subjected him to unspeakable tortures, b u t
he was later rescued by Al-Mut’im bin 'Adi and H arith bin Harb
bin Um aiyah w ith w hom he had trade relatio n s.111
T hat is th e story of th e Second 'Aqabah Pledge, later know n as the
Great 'Aqabah Pledge, affected in an atm osphere of love, allegiance
and m utual su p p o rt betw een M adinese believers and w eak
M akkan M uslim s. This new spirit of affection, relationship and
cooperation could never be attributable to a fleeing desire, on the
contrary, it derived com pletely from an already deeply-established
approach; belief in Allah, His M essenger and His Book. It w as a
belief so rooted in th e souls th a t it m anaged to stand im m une to
all pow ers of injustice and aggression, and could be translated into
m iracles in th e practical aspects of action and ideology pursuit.
T hat sort of belief was th e real in stru m e n t for th e M uslim s to
record in th e annals of h isto ry ’s unprecedented breakthroughs.
We are also sure th a t th e fu tu re will always rem ain w anting as
regards those great achievem ents carried o ut by those great m en.

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/51. 52, Ibn Hisham 1/448-450.

 The Vanguard of Migration
(in the Cause of Allah)

After th e en d o rsem en t of th e Second 'Aqabah Pledge and the

estab lish m en t of a sm all M uslim state in a vast d esert surging
w ith disbelief and ignorance - th e m ost serious gain in term s of
Islam - th e Prophet ^ gave his leave for th e M uslim s to m igrate
to M adinah, th e em erging M uslim state.

M igration to M adinah, in term s of personal interests, w as no m ore

th an giving up m aterial things and sacrifice of w ealth, all in retu rn
for personal safety only. Even here, th e m igrant could n o t expect
full security; he was liable to be robbed or even killed e ith e r at the
beginning or end of his departure. The fu tu re w as foggy, having
various unpredictable sorts o f sorrow s and crises.

Bearing all this in m ind, th e M uslim s began to m igrate, w hile the

polytheists spared no effort in h indering and debarring them ,
know ing beforehand th a t such a m ove im plied unim aginable
th re a ts and unth in k ab le destructive dangers to th eir w hole
society:

The first one to m igrate was Abu Salam ah <&>, a year before the
Great 'Aqabah Pledge - according to w h a t Ibn Ishaq said. W hen he
had m ade up his m ind to leave M akkah, his in-laws, in a desperate
atte m p t to raise obstacles, detained his w ife and snatched his son
and dislocated his hand. Um m Salamah after th e departu re of
h er hu sb an d and th e loss o f h er son sp e n t a year by herself
w eeping and lam enting. A relative of hers eventually had pity on
h er and exhorted th e oth ers to release h er son and let h e r join her
husband. She th e n set o u t on a journey of 500 kilom eters w ith no
help w hatsoever. At a spot called At-Tan’im, 'U thm an bin Talhah
came across h er and offered to give a ride to M adinah. She, along
w ith h er son, joined Abu Salam ah 4* in th e village of Quba', a
suburb of M adinah.111

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/468-470.

198 The Sealed Nectar

A nother instance of th e atrocities o f th e polytheist M akkans, as

regards m igration, is Suhaib bin Sinan Ar-Rumi 4®- This m an
expressed his w ish to m igrate and of course this was a source of
offense to the disbelievers. They began to in su lt him claiming th at
h e had come into M akkah as a w orthless beggar, b u t th eir tow n
w as gracious enough and th anks to th em he m anaged to m ake a
lot of m oney and becom e w ealthy. They gave orders th a t h e w ould
not leave. Seeing this, he offered to give away all his w ealth to
them . They eventually agreed to release him on th a t condition.
The Prophet jgj heard this story and com m ented on it saying:
„ *• '» ' ' *«- > ' ' „

"Suhaib has profited, Suhaib has pro fited .,,m

Then, th ere was th e story of 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab, 'Aiyash bin Abi
Rabi'ah and H isham bin Al-'Asi bin W a’il Jfa, w ho agreed to m eet at
a certain place one m orning in order to leave for M adinah; 'Umar
and 'Aiyash 4® cam e b u t H isham 4® was detained by th e M akkans.
Shortly afterw ards Abu Jahl and his b ro th er Al-Harith came to
M adinah to see th eir th ird b ro th er 'Aiyash. They cunningly tried
to touch the m ost sensitive area in m an, i.e., his relation w ith his
m other. They addressed him claiming th a t his m other had sw orn
she w ould never comb h er hair, nor shade h erself from the sun
unless she had seen him . 'Aiyash took pity on his m other, b u t
'Umar 4® was intelligent enough to u n d e rsta n d th a t they w anted
to entice 'Aiyash away from Islam so he cautioned him against
their tricks, and added "your m other w ould com b h er hair if lice
pestered her, and w ould shade herself if th e su n of M akkah
becam e too h o t for her." In spite of these w ords, 'Aiyash was
determ ined to go and see his m other, so 'Um ar gave him his
m anageable tam e camel advising him to stick to its back because it
w ould provide rescue for him if he perceived anything suspicious
on th eir part. The party of th re e th e n set off tow ards M akkah. As
soon as they covered part of th e distance, Abu Jahl com plained
about his camel and requested 'Aiyash to allow him to ride behind

[1] Ibn Hisham M A ll.

The Vanguard o f Migration 199

him on his camel. W hen they knelt dow n to th e level of the

ground, th e tw o polytheists fell upon 'Aiyash and tied him . They
rode into M akkah shouting to th e people to follow th eir exam ple
w ith respect to 'fools’.111
These are just th ree self-explanatory m odels of th e M akkans'
reaction tow ards anyone in ten d in g to m igrate. The believers still
m anaged to escape in successive groups so rapidly th a t w ith in two
m o n th s of th e Second 'Aqabah Pledge, entire quarters of M akkah
w ere deserted. Alm ost all th e followers of M uham m ad ^ had
m igrated to their new abode, except Abu Bakr 4®, 'Ali the
Prophet ^ him self, and th o se helpless souls w ho had been
detained in confinem ent or w ere unable to escape. The
Prophet together w ith Abu Bakr and ’Ali, m ade all the
necessary preparations for m igration b u t was w aiting for th e order
from his Lord.[21
Al-Bukhari reported on th e au thority of 'Aishah ^ th a t Allah's
M essenger said th e M uslim s:

"In a dream I have been show n th e place of your em igration,

a land of date-palm trees b etw een tw o m ountains."
So som e people em igrated to M adinah, and m ost of th o se people
w ho previously em igrated to th e land of Ethiopia retu rn ed to
M adinah. Abu Bakr 4* also prepared to leave for M adinah b u t
Allah's M essenger said to him :

"Wait for a w hile, because I hope th a t I will be allow ed to

em igrate also."

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/474-476. Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/558. Hisham and 'Aiyash w ere held
by the disbelievers until Allah's M essenger sg m igrated and one day said. "Who
will retain 'Aiyash and Hisham for me?" Al-Walid bin Al-Walid ^ said th a t he
would. So he secretly set o u t for Makkah. He found a w om an w ho delivered food
to the captives. He followed h er until he discovered w here they w ere being kept.
They w ere shackled in roofless building. So. at night he climbed th e wall, severed
their fetters and carried th em on his camel until he arrived at M adinah. See Ibn
H isham 474-476. 'Umar ^ arrived in M adinah am ong tw enty of th e
Com panions. See Al-Bukhari 1/558.
[21 Zadul-Ma'ad 2/52.
200 The Sealed Nectar

Abu Bakr 4* asked, "Do you hope that...?"

He replied in yes. So Abu Bakr did not em igrate for th e sake of
Allah’s M essenger in order to accom pany him . He fed tw o she-
cam els for four m o n th s from leaves h e had from a Sam ur tree th a t
had fallen.’’111

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari no. 3905.

 In An-Nadwah (Council) House
The Parliament o f Quraish
The polytheists w ere paralyzed by th e carefully planned and
speedy m ovem ent of M u h am m ad ’s followers tow ards th eir new
abode in M adinah. They w ere caught in u n p reced en ted anxiety
and they w ere deeply w orried over th eir w hole pagan and
econom ic entity. They already experienced M uham m ad as an
influential leader; and his follow ers as determ ined, decent and
always ready to sacrifice all they had for th e sake of Allah’s
M essenger jgj. Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj tribes, th e w ould-be-hosts of
th e M akkan M uslim s, w ere also know n in Arabia for th eir m ight
and pow er in war. and judicious and sensible approach in peace.
They w ere also against enm ity and prejudice for they them selves
h ad h ad b itte r days of in ter-trib al w arfare. M adinah, th e
prospective headquarters of th e ever-growing Islamic Call, itself
enjoyed th e m ost serious strategic position. It com m anded the
com m ercial routes leading to M akkah w hose people used to deal
in about a quarter of a m illion gold dinar-w orth com m odities
every year. Security of th e caravan routes w as crucial for the
continuity of prosperous econom ic life. All th o se factors borne in
m ind, th e polytheists felt they w ere in th e grip of a serious threat.
They, therefore, began to seek th e m ost effective m ethod th a t
could avert this im m in e n t danger. They convened a m eeting on
T hursday m orning, 26th Safar, th e year fourteen of Prophethood
(12th Septem ber 622 C.E.),m i.e., tw o and a h alf m o n th s after the
Great ’Aqabah Pledge.121 O n th a t day, 'th e Parliam ent of M akkah'
held th e m ost serious m eeting ever, w ith one item on th e agenda:
How to take effective m easures w ith a view to stopping th a t tidal
wave. Delegates representing all the Q uraishite tribes atten d ed
th e m eeting, th e m ost significant of w hom were:

[1] For detail see Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/95-102.

[2] As for it being in th e m iddle of th e day. Ibn Ishaq reported th a t Gabriel
inform ed the Prophet about this m eeting and about th e perm ission to
emigrate. Al-Bukhari also reported th a t 'Aishah 'gfe said th a t th e Prophet sg came
to Abu Bakr 4® early in th e day telling him th a t he had been perm itted by Allah
to emigrate. This appears shortly.
202 The Sealed Nectar

1. Abu Jahl bin Hisham, from Bani M akhzum ;

2-4. Jubair bin M ut'im , T u ’aim ah bin 'Adi, and Al-Harith bin 'Amir
representing Bani Naufal bin 'Abd Manaf;
5-7. Rabi'ah's two sons Shaibah and 'U tbah besides Abu Sufyan bin
Harb from Bani 'Abd Sham s bin 'Abd Manaf;
8 , An-Nadr bin Al-Harith to speak for Bani 'Abdud-Dar;
9-11. Abul-Bukhtari bin Hisham, Zam ’ah bin Al-Aswad and Hakim
bin Hizam to rep resen t Bani Asad bin 'Abdul-'Uzza;
12, 13. Al-Hajjaj's two sons Nabih and M unbih from Bani Sahm;
14, Umaiyah bin Khalaf from Bani Jum ah.
O n their way to An-Nadwah House, Iblis (Satan) in the guise of a
respected elderly m an standing at th e door in te rru p ted their talk
and introduced h im self as a m an from Najd curious enough to
atten d th e m eeting, listen to the debate and w ish th em success to
reach a sound opinion. He was readily adm itted in.
There was a lengthy debate and several proposals w ere p u t
forward. Expulsion from M akkah was proposed and debated in
tu rn b u t finally tu rn e d dow n on grounds th a t his sw eet and heart-
touching w ords could entice th e o th er Arabs to attack th em in their
ow n city. Im prisonm ent for life was also debated b u t also refused
for fear th at his followers m ight increase in num ber, overpow er
them and release him by force. At this point, th e arch-crim inal of
M akkah, Abu Jahl bin Hisham suggested th a t they kill him . But
killing by one m an w ould expose him and his family to th e revenge
of blood. The difficulty was at last solved by Abu Jahl him self, w ho
suggested th a t a band of young m en, one from each tribe, should
strike M uham m ad {,%) sim ultaneously w ith th eir sw ords so th at
the blood w ould be spread over th em all and therefore could n o t be
revenged, and his people w ould seek a m ind-based procedure for
settlem ent. The sinful proposal was unanim ously accepted, and
th e representatives broke up th e m eeting and w e n t back hom e
w ith full d eterm ination for im m ediate im p lem en tatio n .111

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/480-482.

 The Emigration of the Prophet ^

W hen th e wicked decision had been m ade by th e crim inals to kill

th e Prophet 0 . Gabriel was sen t dow n to M uham m ad to
reveal to him th e plot of th e Q uraish and give him his Lord's
Perm ission to leave M akkah.
'Aishah 4® said: "We w ere sitting in Abu Bakr’s h o u se at noon,
som eone said to Abu Bakr, 'Here com es Allah's M essenger 0 w ith
his head covered during a tim e in w hich he never cam e before.'
Abu Bakr said, 'May my father and m o th er be sacrificed for him!
By Allah! He is not com ing at this h o u r except for som ething
im p o rtan t.’" She continued:
"Allah's M essenger 0 came and sought perm ission to e n te r after
w hich he was perm itted. He en tered and said to Abu Bakr:

'Tell those w ith you to leave.’

'O nly your people are here, m ay my father be sacrificed for you, O
M essenger of Allah!' said Abu Bakr. He 0 said:

'1 have been given perm ission to em igrate.'

Abu Bakr said, 'May my father be sacrificed for you. May I
accom pany you, O M essenger o f Allah?’ He 0 said yes.” 111
After concluding th e plans for th e em igration Allah's
M essenger 0 retu rn ed to his h ouse to aw ait nightfall.

Monitoring the Home o f Allah’s Messenger 0

To m ake th e necessary preparations for th e im p lem entation of
their devilish plan, th e chiefs of M akkah had chosen eleven m en:
Abu Jahl bin Hisham , Hakam bin Abul-'As, 'Uqbah bin Abi M u'ait,
An-Nadr bin Al-Harith, Um aiyah bin Khalaf, Zam ’ah bin Al-Aswad,
T u'aim ah bin 'Adi, Abu Lahab, Ubai bin Khalaf. Nabih bin Al-Hajjaj
and his b ro th er M unbih bin Al-Hajjaj.121

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/553.

[2] Zadul-Ma’ad 2/52.
204 The Sealed Nectar

Ibn Ishaq said: All w ere on th e alert. As night advanced, they

posted assassins around th e Prophet's h o u se .111 Thus they kept
w atch all night long, w aiting to kill him th e m o m en t he left his
house early in th e m orning, as th e Prophet #£ used to rise early
and go to Al-Masjid Al-Haram to offer prayer; peeping now and
th e n through a hole in th e door to m ake sure th a t h e w as still
lying in his bed. Abu Jahl, th e great enem y of Islam, used to walk
about proudly and arrogantly m ocking at M uham m ad's w ords,
saying to th e people around him ; "M uham m ad claims th a t if you
follow him , he will ap p o in t you rulers over th e Arabs and non-
Arabs and in th e H ereafter your rew ard will be Gardens sim ilar to
those in Jordan, otherw ise, h e will slaughter you, and after death
you will be b u rn t in fire."121

He was too confident of th e success of his devilish plan. Allah the

All-Mighty, however, in W hose Hand lie th e sovereignty of the
heavens and th e earth, does w h at He desires; He gives help and
can never be overpow ered. He did exactly w h a t He later said to His
Prophet

'ojjZ Sj j1 I l y i i by? i $ 4
jC- fujlj ill 4 -4 )

"And (remember) w h e n th e disbelievers plotted against you

(O M uham m ad jgjjj) to im prison you, or to kill you, or to get
you out (from your hom e, i.e., M akkah); they w ere plotting
and Allah too was planning, and Allah is th e Best of the
planners." [8 :30]

The Messenger ^ escapes from the House

At th a t critical tim e th e plans of Q uraish totally failed. D espite th e
tight blockade they laid to th e P rophet’s house, th e Prophet
and 'Ali 4*> w ere inside th e house. The Prophet jfg told 'Ali to
sleep in his bed and cover h im self w ith his green garm ent and

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/482.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/483.
The Emigration o f the Prophet i g 205

assured him full security u n d e r A llah’s protection and told him

th at no harm w ould come to him . The Prophet j | | th e n cam e out
of th e room and cast a h an d fu l of d u st a t th e assassins and
m anaged to w ork his way through th em reciting Verses of th e
Noble Q u ra n :

'i IJlL 5* 1st

"And We have p u t a barrier before them , and a barrier
behind them , and We have covered th em up, so th a t they
cannot see,” [36:9]
He proceeded direct to th e h o u se of Abu Bakr w ho im m ediately
accom panied him and both set o u t southw ards, clim bed up the
lofty peak o f M ountain Thawr, and decided to take refuge in a
cave.'11

The assassins w ho laid siege to th e h o u se w ere w aiting for the

zero h o u r w h e n som eone cam e and inform ed th em th a t the
P rophet j g had already left. Those at the door peeked in and saw
'Ali sleeping, thinking th a t it was th e Prophet In the
m orning w h e n 'Ali Jfe arose they asked him w here th e Prophet jte
was, b u t he inform ed th em th a t he had no id ea.121 This created a
stir in th e w hole town.
The Prophet ^ had th u s left his h ouse during th e night on the
27th of Safar, during fo u rte en th year of Prophethood; correspond­
ing to th e 12th or th e 13th of Septem ber 622 C.E.131 He w e n t to th e
hom e of his friend and m ost tru sted com panion and supporter
Abu Bakr and left w ith him hastily before th e beginning of Fajr.

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/483; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/52.

[2] Ibn Hisham 1/483; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/52.
[3] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin. 1/95. This is th e case if we begin th e calculation from the
beginning of th e year, in th e m o n th of M uharram . If we form ulate our
calculations from the m onth in w hich Allah honored him w ith Prophethood.
then this Safar w ould have been in th e th irtee n th year. W hat was w ritten about
his biography was perhaps either calculated this way or that. However, the
m ethod w hich we chose w ould seem to rem ove any differences over th e year.
206 The Sealed Nectar

Knowing already th a t th e Q uraish w ould m obilize all of th eir

potential to find him , he played a clever trick on th em and instead
of taking th e road to M adinah in no rth side of M akkah as the
polytheists w ould expect, he w alked along a road least expected
lying south of M akkah and leading to Yemen. He w alked for 5
m iles u ntil he reached a rough rocky m ountain called Thawr.
There his shoes w ere w orn out, som e said he used to w alk tiptoe
in order not to leave a trail behind him , Abu Bakr 4® carried him
up th e m ountain to a cave nam ed after th e m ountain. T haw r,111

The Events at the Cave

Abu Bakr 4® first en tered exploring th e cave to be sure th a t it was

safe, closed all holes w ith pieces torn off from his clothes, cleaned
it and th en asked th e Prophet to step in. The Prophet ^ w e n t
in and im m ediately laid his head in Abu Bakr’s lap and fell asleep.
Suddenly Abu Bakr’s foot was stung by a poisonous insect. It h u rt
so m uch th a t his tears fell on th e P rophet’s face. The Prophet #1
im m ediately applied his saliva on Abu Bakr's foot and th e pain left
im m ediately.121

They confined them selves to this cave for th ree nights, Friday,
Saturday and Sunday.131 ’Abdullah, th e son of Abu Bakr 4® w ould
go to see them after sunset, stay the night there, inform them of
th e latest situation in M akkah, and th e n leave in th e early
m orning to m ix w ith th e M akkans as usual and not to draw the
least a tten tio n to his secret activities. ’Amir bin Fuhairah, w hile in
th e com pany of o th er shep h erd s of M akkah tending his m aster
Abu Bakr’s flock, used to quietly go away unobserved every
evening w ith a few goats to th e cave and fu rn ish ed its inm ates
w ith a plentiful supply of m ilk .141

[1] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul, p .167.

[2] This was reported by Ruzain from 'Umar bin Al-Khattab d$e>. It also m entions th at
the poison reappeared later in his life and was th e cause of his death. See
Mishkatul-Masabih u n d er th e chapter on th e virtues of Abu Bakr 4e> 2/556.
[3] See Fathul-Bari 7/336.
[4] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/553. Ibn Hisham 1/486.
The Emigration o f the Prophet j g 207

The Q uraish, on the o th er hand, w ere quite bew ildered and

annoyed w h en th e new s of th e escape of th e tw o com panions was
confirm ed, They brought 'Ali to Al-Ka'bah, beat him brutally and
confined him there for an h o u r attem p tin g desperately to m ake
him reveal th e secret of th e disappearance of th e two 'fugitives',
b u t to no avail. They th e n w e n t to see Asma' Abu Bakr's
daughter, b u t here also th eir a ttem p ts w e n t in vain. W hile at her
door Abu Jahl slapped th e girl so severely th a t h er earring broke
upm

The notables of M akkah su m m o n ed an em ergency m eeting to

d eterm in e th e fu tu re course of action and explore all areas th at
could help arrest th e tw o m en. They decided to block all routes
leading o u t of M akkah and im posed heavy arm ed guard over all
potential exits. A price of 100 cam els w as set upon th e head of
each o n e .121 H orsem en, infantry and tracers of tracks searched the
country. Once they even reached th e m o u th of th e cave w here the
Prophet and Abu Bakr 4® w ere hiding, b u t Allah prevented
th em from being seen. Al-Bukhari recorded Anas bin M alik 4®
narrating from Abu Bakr th a t h e said, "I said, 'O Prophet of
Allah! If som e of them low er th eir sight they will see us." The
Prophet ^ replied:

«u4iJu iii jb ii d u

"Silence Abu Bakr! W hat do you th in k of th o se tw o w ith

w hom th e Third is Allah."131

It was really a Divine miracle, th e pursuers w ere only a few steps

from th e cave.

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/487.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/554.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/516. 558. Abu Bakr was not afraid for him self, b u t as is
reported, he was w orried about Allah's M essenger saying, "If they kill me,
th en I am only one man. But if they kill you. they will have destroyed th e w hole
nation." So, it was th en th a t Allah's M essenger 56 said, "Do not grieve, for Allah
is indeed w ith us." See M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul. by Sheikh ’Abdullah An-Najdi.
p .168.
208 The Sealed Nectar

On the Road to Madinah

For th ree days M uham m ad and Abu Bakr 4® lived in th e cave
and th e Q uraish continued th eir frantic efforts to get hold of
them .

A person called 'Abdullah bin Uraiqit, w ho had as yet not

em braced Islam, b u t was tru sted by Abu Bakr 4®. and had been
hired by him as a guide, reached th e cave after th ree nights
according to a plan bringing w ith him Abu Bakr’s tw o camels. His
report satisfied the noble 'fugitives' th a t th e search had been
slow ed up. The opportunity to depart had arrived. Here Abu
Bakr 4® offered th e Prophet th e sw ift anim al to ride on. The
latter agreed provided th a t he w ould pay its price. They took w ith
them th e food provisions th a t Asma' '•&>. daughter of Abu Bakr 4®.
brought and tied in a bundle of h er w aistband, after tearing it into
tw o parts, hence th e title attached to her: "Asma' of th e two
w aistbands."111

The Prophet Abu Bakr 4® and 'Amir bin Fuhairah departed,

and th eir guide 'Abdullah bin Uraiqit led th em through th e seldom
used ways along th e coastal route. T hat was in Rabi'ul-Awwal, 1st
year A.H., i.e.. Septem ber 16, 622 C.E. The little caravan travelled
through m any villages on th eir way to Q uba'.121 In this context, it
is relevant to introduce som e interesting incidents th at their very
tiring journey featured:

1. Al-Bukhari reported th at Abu Bakr As-Siddiq 4& said, "We

travelled the w hole night and also th e next day till m idday, w hen
nobody could be seen on th e way (because of th e severe heat).
T hen th ere appeared a long rock having shade b eneath it, and the
su n sh in e had n ot come to it yet. So, w e d ism ounted th ere and I
levelled a place and covered it w ith an anim al hide or dry grass for
the Prophet sfe? to sleep on (for a while). I th e n said, 'Sleep, O
Allah's M essenger, and I will guard you.' So. h e slept and I w en t

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/533. and Ibn Hisham 1/486.

[2] The details for the route o f th e journey w ere reported by Ibn Ishaq. See Ibn
Hisham 1/491/492.
The Emigration o f the Prophet 209

o u t to guard him . Suddenly, I saw a sh ep h erd com ing w ith his

sheep to th a t rock w ith th e sam e in te n tio n w e had had. W hen he
came to it, I asked (him), 'To w hom do you belong, O boy?’ He
replied, 'I belong to a m an from M adinah or M akkah.’ I said, 'Do
your sheep have m ilk?’ He said, ’Yes.’ I said, 'Will you m ilk them
for us?’ He said, ’Yes.’ He caught hold of an ewe and I asked him to
clean its teat from dust, h air and dirt. (The subnarrator said th at
he saw Al-Bara’ striking one of his h an d s w ith th e other,
d e m o n stra tin g how th e s h e p h e rd rem oved th e dust.) The
sh ep h erd m ilked a little m ilk in a w ooden container and I had a
leather container w hich I carried for th e Prophet to drink and
perform th e ablution from . I w e n t to th e Prophet hating to
w ake him up, b u t w h en I reached there, th e Prophet s g had
already w oken up, so I poured w ater over th e m iddle part of the
m ilk container, till th e m ilk was cold. T hen I said, ’Drink, O
Allah's M essenger!’ He drank till I w as pleased. T hen he asked,
’Has th e tim e for our departu re come?’ I said, ’Yes.’ So, w e
departed after m idday.” 111

2. W hoever asked Abu Bakr about th e identity of his honorable

com panion, he w ould reply th a t h e was a m an w ho guided him on
his way. The questioner w ould th in k th a t M uham m ad was a
guide, in term s of roads, w hereas Abu Bakr 4® used to m ean guide
to th e way of rig h teo u sn ess.121

3. They w ere followed by Suraqah bin Malik. Suraqah said: "While

I was sitting in one of th e gatherings of my tribe Banu Mudlij, a
m an from th em came to us and stood up w hile w e w ere sitting,
and said, 'O Suraqah! No doubt, I have just seen som e people far
away on th e seashore, and I th in k they are M uham m ad and his
C om panions.” ’ Suraqah added, "I too realized th a t it m u st have
been them . But I said, 'No, it is not them , b u t you have seen so-
and-so, and so-and-so w hom w e saw set out.' I stayed in the
gathering for a w hile and th e n got up and left for m y hom e, and

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/510.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/556.
210 The Sealed Nectar

ordered my slave-girl to get my horse w hich was beh in d a hillock,

and keep it ready for me. Then I took my spear and left by the
back door of my h ouse dragging the low er end of th e spear on the
ground and keeping it low. Then I reached my horse, m o u n ted it
and m ade it gallop. W hen I approached them , my horse stum bled
and I fell dow n from it. T hen I stood up, got hold of my quiver
and took o ut th e divining arrow s and drew lots as to w h e th e r I
should harm th em or not, and th e lot w hich I disliked came out.
But I rem ounted my horse and let it gallop, giving no im portance
to the divining arrows. W hen I heard th e recitation of th e Q ur'an
by Allah's M essenger jte w ho did n o t look h ith e r and th ith er
w hile Abu Bakr ^ was doing it often, suddenly th e forelegs of my
horse sank into th e ground up to its knees, and 1 fell dow n from
it. Then I rebuked it and it got up b u t could hardly take o u t its
forelegs from th e ground, and w h en it stood up straight again, its
forelegs caused d u st to rise up in th e sky like sm oke. T hen again I
drew lots w ith th e divining arrows, and th e lot w hich I disliked,
came out. So I called upon th em to feel secure. They stopped and I
rem ounted my horse and w e n t to them . W hen I saw how I had
been stopped from harm ing them , it came to my m ind th at the
cause of Allah's M essenger ^ (i.e., Islam) will becom e victorious.
So I said to him , 'Your people have announced a rew ard equal to
th e blood m oney for your head.' Then I told th em all the plans the
people of M akkah had m ade concerning them . Then I offered
th em som e journey-food and goods b u t they refused to take
anything and did not ask for anything, b u t th e Prophet said,
'Do not tell o thers about us.' T hen I requested him to w rite for m e
a sta te m e n t of security and peace. He ordered 'Amir bin Fuhairah
w ho w rote it for m e on a piece of skin, and th en Allah's
M essenger ^ proceeded on his w ay.” 111
In a version by Abu Bakr he said: We em igrated w hile the
M akkans w ere in p u rsu it of us. N one caught up w ith us except
Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju'sham on a horse. I said: "O M essenger of
Allah, this one has caught up w ith us." The Prophet replied:

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/516. 1/554. Zadul-Ma'ad 2/53.

The Emigration o f the Prophet ^ 211

4 & Z 5*t

"D on’t grieve, verily, Allah is w ith us." [9:40]

4, The party continued its journey until it reached two isolated tents
belonging to a wom an called Umm M a'bad Al-Khuza'iyah. She was a
gracious lady w ho sat at her tent-door w ith a m at spread out for any
chance traveller th at m ight pass by the way. Fatigued and thirsty,
the Prophet and his com panions w anted to refresh them selves
w ith food and some milk. The lady told them th at the herd was out
in the pasture and the goat standing nearby was alm ost dry.
It was a rainless year. The Prophet touched its udders, reciting
over th em th e Nam e of Allah, supplicated, and to th eir great joy,
th ere flow ed plenty of m ilk o u t of them . The Prophet ^ first
offered th a t to th e lady of th e house, and h e shared w h a t was left
w ith th e m em bers of th e party. Before he left, h e m ilked th e goat,
filled th e container and gave it to Um m M a'bad. Later on, h er
hu sb an d arrived w ith slender goats hardly having any m ilk in
their udders. He was asto n ish ed to see m ilk in th e house. His wife
told him th a t a blessed m an passed by th e way, and th e n she gave
details about his physical appearance and m an n er of talk. Here
Abu M a'bad realized on th e spot th a t th e m an was th e one w hom
th e Q uraish w ere searching for and asked h e r to give a full
description of him . She gave a w o nderful account of his physique
and m anners, to w hich w e will go in detail later in th e process of
talking about his attrib u tes and m erits.
Abu M a'bad, after listening to his w ife's account, expressed a
sincere w ish to accom pany th e Prophet w henever th a t was
possible, and com posed his adm iration in verses of poetry th a t
echoed all over M akkah to such an ex ten t th a t th e people therein
th o u g h t it w as a jinn repeating w ords in th eir ears.
Asma' daughter of Abu Bakr 4®, on hearing those lines, got to
know th a t th e two com panions w ere heading for M adinah .111 The

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/54. This story was recorded by Al-Hakim w ho rendered it

authentic as did Adh-Dhahabi 3/9. 10 and Al-Baghawi reported it in Sharhus-
Sunnah 13/264.
212 The Sealed Nectar

sh o rt poem opened w ith thanksgiving to Allah having given them

(the M a'bads) th e chance to h o st th e Prophet % for a w hile. It
th en gave an account of th e delight th at w ould settle in the h eart
of th e Prophet's com panion w hosoever he was; it closed w ith an
invitation to all m ankind to com e and see by them selves Umm
Ma'bad, h er goat and th e container o f m ilk th at w ould all testify to
th e tru th fu ln e ss of the Prophet

5. On his way to M adinah, th e Prophet m et Buraidah bin Al-

Husaib Al-Aslami and about eighty others. He and those w ith him
accepted Islam. The Prophet sjfc prayed th e Night prayer and they
prayed beh in d him . Buraidah 4k rem ained in th e land of his
people until th e Prophet ^ arrived after th e battle of Uhud.

'Abdullah bin Buraidah 4k reported th at th e Prophet ^ used to be

optim istic w ith o u t counting on om ens, so w h en Buraidah 4k and
about seventy people of his tribe Sahm, m et up w ith him w hile
riding, he asked him , "From w hich people are you?" He replied.
"From Aslam .” So he said to Abu Bakr 4k. "Then we are safe."
Then he asked him , "From w hich branch?” He replied, "From
Banu Sahm ." So he said to Abu Bakr 4k. "Your victory has
com e."111

6. Allah's M essenger ^ passed by Abu Aws Tam im bin Hajar or

Abu Tam im Aws bin Hajar Al-Aslami at Q uhdaw at betw een Al-
Juhafah and Harsha in Al-’Arj. He was dragging som e of their
provisions behind th e camel th a t was slow ing th em dow n. So,
Aws began to carry th e goods w ith his cam el and he se n t a boy
nam ed M as'ud to help them . He accom panied th em to be sure
th at th e route was safe u n til they entered M adinah. Then Allah's
M essenger retu rn ed M as’ud to his m aster and told him to tell
Aws to rein his camel as th a t of a horse and he did so. W hen the
pagans came on th e Day of Uhud. Aws se n t M as’ud bin H unaidah
from Al-’Arj to Allah’s M essenger ^ to inform him about their
m ovem ents. This was m entioned by M akula according to At-
Tabari. He accepted Islam after Allah's M essenger ^ arrived at

[1] Usdul-Ghabah 1/209.

The Emigration o f the Prophet sg 213

M adinah w hile he rem ained in Al-'Arj.111

7. It was during this tim e th a t they m et Az-Zubair at th e head

of a caravan of M uslim s retu rn in g from Syria. Az-Zubair
p resented to th em tw o w hite garm ents w hich they thankfully
accepted.[2]

Quba’

O n M onday, 8th Rabi'ul-Awwal, th e fo u rteen th year of Prophet­

hood, i.e., Septem ber 23rd. 622, Allah's M essenger jg; arrived at
Q uba’.131

'Urwah bin Az-Zubair 4$, said: "W hen th e M uslim s of M adinah

heard th e new s of th e departu re o f A llah’s M essenger ^ from
M akkah, they started going to Harrah every m orning. They w ould
w ait for him u ntil th e h e a t of th e noon forced th em to return. O ne
day after w aiting for a long tim e, they retu rn ed hom e, and w h en
they w e n t into th eir houses, a Jew clim bed up th e roof of one of
th e forts of his people to look for som ething. He saw Allah's
M essenger and his com panions dressed in w h ite clothes,
em erging o u t of th e d esert mirage. The Jew could n o t help
shouting a t th e top of his lungs, 'O you Arabs! Here is your great
m an th at you have been w aiting for.’ So th e M uslim s ru sh ed to
their arm s and received A llah’s M essenger at th e su m m it of
H arrah.” 141

Ibn Al-Qaiyim said: "The shouts o f A llahu Akbar (Allah is th e M ost

Great) resounded am ong Banu 'Amr bin 'Auf and th e M uslim s
from th eir joy at his arrival, and they w e n t o u t to m eet him . So

[1] Usdul-Ghabah 1/273 and Ibn Hisham 1/491 -

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/554.
[3] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/102. It was on th a t day th a t he reached fifty-three years of
age. and thirteen years of Prophethood. according to those w ho say th a t he was
honored w ith Prophethood on th e 9th of Rabi'ul-Awwal in th e year 41 after th e
year of the Elephant. As for those w ho say th a t his Prophethood began during
Ramadan in the year 41 after th e year of th e Elephant, th e n accordingly, on th at
day it w ould equal 12 years, five m onths, and 18 to 22 days o f Prophethood.
[41 Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/555.
214 The Sealed Nectar

they and th eir anim als came o u t to pay him th e respects due to
P rophethood. He was su rro u n d ed by th em all aro u n d and
tranquility enveloped him w hile Allah revealed to him :

"...then verily, Allah is his Maula (Lord, M aster or Protector),

and Gabriel, and th e righteous am ong th e believers, - and
furtherm ore, th e angels - are his helpers." [66:4][11
’Urwah bin Az-Zubair said: "The Prophet tu rn e d w ith them
to the right and w e n t to th e quarters of Banu 'Amr bin 'Awf, and
this was a M onday during th e m o n th of Rabi'ul-Awwal. Abu Bakr
stood receiving th e people w hile A llah’s M essenger sat and was
silent. Some of th e A nsar w ho cam e and had not yet seen Allah's
M essenger began greeting Abu Bakr. But w h en th e sunlight fell
on Allah’s M essenger and Abu Bakr came forw ard to shade
him w ith his sheet, only th e n did th e people come to know
Allah's M essenger S^ . " [21
It was really an u nprecedented day in M adinah. The Jews could
perceive concretely the tru en ess of th eir prophecy in th e Book of
Habakkuk: "God came from Tem an and th e Holy O ne from m o u n t
Faran."131
M uham m ad stayed in Q uba' w ith K ulthum bin Al-Hadm 4®. a
hospitable chief of th e tribe of 'Amr bin 'Awf. Some say he stayed
w ith Sa'd bin K haitham ah 4®. b u t th e first view is w h at is correct.
'Ali 4® stayed in M akkah for th ree days to retu rn th e tru sts on
behalf of th e Prophet sjfe, to th eir respective ow ners. After th a t he
started his journey of em igration to catch up w ith him at Q uba’.141
Allah's M essenger % stayed in Q uba' for four days, M onday,
Tuesday, W ednesday and T hursday.151 He b u ilt th e M asjid in

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/54.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/555-
[3] The Bible, th e Book of Habakkuk 4:4.
[4] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/54, Ibn Hisham 1/493-
[5] This is reported by Ibn Ishaq, see Ibn Hisham 1/494. In Sahih Al-Bukhari it is
reported th at he stayed in Quba' for tw enty-four nights (1/61) or som e ten odd
The Emigration o f the Prophet m 215

Quba' and prayed in it. This was th e first M asjid founded upon
piety to be b u ilt after his Prophethood began. O n th e fifth day,
Friday, he m ounted by th e O rder of Allah, along w ith Abu Bakr
He sen t a m essage to Bani An-Najjar, his m aternal uncles, to come
and accom pany him and Abu Bakr to M adinah. He rode tow ards
the new headquarters am idst th e cordial greetings of his M adinese
followers w ho had lined his path. He halted at a place in th e valley
of Banu Salim bin 'Awf and th ere h e perform ed his Friday prayer
w ith a h u n d red o th e rs.111

Entering Madinah
M eanw hile th e tribes and fam ilies of M adinah, th e new nam e for
Yathrib and a sh o rt form of T h e M essenger’s M adinah (City)',
came stream ing forth, and vied w ith one a n o th e r in inviting the
noble visitor to th eir hom es. The girls of th e M adinese used to
chant b eautiful verses of w elcom e rich in all m eanings of
obedience and d u tifu ln ess to th e new M essenger.

Though n ot w ealthy, every Ansar (Helper) was w holeheartedly

eager and anxious to receive th e M essenger % in his house. It was
indeed a triu m p h al procession. A round th e cam el of
M uham m ad ^ and his im m ediate followers, rode th e chiefs of
th e city in th eir b est garm ents and in glittering arm or, everyone
saying: "Alight here, O M essenger of Allah, and stay w ith us."
M uham m ad ^ used to answ er everyone courteously and kindly:

"Leave it (camel) on its way. for it is com m anded (by Allah)."

The camel m oved onw ard w ith loosed rein, reached th e site of the
Prophetic M osque and k n elt dow n. He did n ot d ism o u n t u n til it
rose up again, w e n t on forw ard, tu rn e d back and th e n retu rn ed to
kneel dow n in th e very form er spot. Here, h e alighted in an area

nights (1/555) or fourteen nights (1/560). This last report is th e one chosen by Ibn
Al-Qaiyim. He him self has clearly stated th a t he arrived at Quba' on M onday and
departed from it on Friday (Zadul-Ma'ad 2/54. 55) w hich w ould not be ten days
unless it referred to two d ifferent w eeks in w hich case it w ould be no m ore th an
twelve days.
[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/555 and 560. Zadul-Ma'ad 2/55 and Ibn Hisham 1/494.
216 The Sealed N ectar

inhabited by Banu An-Najjar, a tribe related to th e Prophet from

th e m aternal side.
In fact, it was his w ish to h o n o r his m aternal uncles and live
am ong them . The fortunate host, Abu Ayyub Al-Ansari 4®. stepped
forw ard to his m ount, so he brought him into his hom e and As'ad
bin Zurarah 4® took th e reigns of th e m o u n t w hile h e ^ was still
on it.111

In th e narration of Anas 4® th a t Al-Bukhari recorded, the

Prophet ^ said:

"Which is the n earest of our houses of our kith and kin?"

Abu Ayyub 4® said, "Mine, O Allah's M essenger! This is my h ouse
and this is my gate.” The Prophet ^ said:

"Go and prepare a place for our m idday rest."

Abu Ayyub 4® said, "Get up (both of you) w ith Allah’s blessings."121

A few days later, there arrived th e Prophet's spouse Sawdah 4®.

his two daughters Fatim ah and Um m K ulthum 4®, Usam ah bin
Zaid, Um m Aiman, 'Abdullah - son of Abu Bakr w ith Abu Bakr’s
house-hold including 'Aishah 4®- Zainab 4® was n ot able to
em igrate and stayed w ith her husband Abul-’As till Badr Battle.131
’Aishah 4® said: "W hen Allah’s M essenger arrived in M adinah,
both Abu Bakr and Bilal fell ill. I w en t to both of th em and said. ’O
my father, how do you feel? O Bilal, how do you feel?’ W henever
Abu Bakr’s fever got worse, he w ould say, ’Everybody is staying
alive am ong his people yet death is nearer to him th an his shoe­
laces.’ And w henever fever deserted Bilal, he w ould say aloud,
’W ould th at I could stay overnight in a valley, w herein I w ould be
surro u n d ed by Idh kh ir and Jalil (two good-sm elling grasses);
w ould th at I could drink one day th e w ater of M ajannah; and
w ould th at Sham ah and Tafil (two m o untains at Makkah) w ould

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/494-496. and Zadul-Ma'ad 2/55.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/556.
[31 Zadul-Ma'ad 2/55.
The Emigration o f the Prophet 217

appear to m e.' T hen I w e n t to A llah’s M essenger ^ and told him

about that. He said:
'O Allah, m ake it healthy, and bless its S a ’ and M u d d (i.e.,
tw o m easurem ents) and take away its fever to Al-Juhfah.’" 111
Here ends this phase of his life, com pleting th e phase of th e
Islamic call, th a t is, th e M akkan phase.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/588.

Life in Madinah 219

Life in Madinah

The M adinese phase could be divided into th re e stages:

The first stage w as characterized by too m uch trouble and conflict,
and too m any obstacles from w ithin, coupled by a hostile wave
from outside w ith o u t aim ing at total exterm ination of th e rising
Faith. It ended w ith Al-Hudaibiyah Peace Treaty in D hul-Q a'dah 6
A.H.
The second stage featured a truce w ith th e pagan leadership and
en ded in th e conquest of M akkah in Ram adan 8 A.H. It also
w itnessed th e Prophet inviting kings beyond Arabia to en ter
th e fold of Islam.
In th e th ird stage, people came to em brace Islam in hosts. Tribes
and o th er folks arrived in M adinah to pay hom age to the
Prophet It ended at th e death of th e Prophet in Rabi'ul-
Awwal 11 A.H.
 The First Stage

The Status Quo in Madinah at the

Time of Emigration

Em igration to M adinah could never be attributable to attem p ts to

escape from jeers and oppression only, b u t it also co nstituted a
sort of cooperation w ith th e aim of erecting th e pillars of a new
society in a secure place. Hence it was incum bent upon every
capable M uslim to contribute for building this new hom eland,
im m unizing it and supporting it. As a leader and spiritual guide,
th ere was no doubt th e Noble M essenger Hg, in w hose h ands
exclusively all affairs w ould be resolved.
In M adinah, th e Prophet s i had to deal w ith th ree distinctively
different categories of people w ith d ifferent respective problem s:
1. His C om panions, th e noble and Allah-fearing elite.
2. The M adinese tribes w ho w ere polytheists th a t did n o t yet
believe.
3. The Jews.
1. As for his Com panions, th e conditions of life in M adinah w ere
totally different from those they experienced in M akkah. There, in
M akkah, they used to strive for one corporate target, b u t
physically, they w ere scattered, overpow ered and abandoned.
They w ere helpless in term s of pursuing th eir new course of
orientation. Their m eans, socially and m aterially, fell sh o rt of
establishing a new M uslim com m unity. In parallel lines, th e
M akkan C hapters of the Noble Q u r’an w ere confined to describing
the Islamic principles, establishing legislations pertaining to the
believers individually and enjoining good and piety and forbidding
evils and vices.
In M adinah, things w ere otherw ise; here all th e affairs of th eir life
rested in th eir hands. Now, they w ere at ease and could quite
confidently handle th e challenges of civilization, construction,
m eans of living, economics, politics, governm ent adm inistration,
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222 The Sealed Nectar

th a t required urgent addressing.

The M uslim s in M adinah consisted virtually of tw o parties: The

first one already settled dow n in th eir abode, land and w ealth,
fully at ease, b u t seeds of conflict am ongst th em w ere deeply
seated and chronic enm ity continually evoked; they w ere Al-Ansar
(the Helpers). The second party w ere Al-M uhajirun (the Emi­
grants), hom eless, jobless and penniless. Their num ber was not
small, on th e contrary, it was increasing day by day after the
Prophet had given th em th e green light to leave for M adinah
w hose econom ic structure, originally not th a t prosperous one,
began to show signs of im balance aggravated by th e econom ic
boycott th at th e anti-lslam ic groups im posed and consequently
im ports dim inished and living conditions w orsened.

2. The purely M adinese polytheists co nstituted th e second sector

w ith w hom th e Prophet had to deal. Those people had no
control at all over the M uslim s. Some of them had no ill will
against th e M uslim s, b u t w ere rather doubtful of th eir ancestors'
religious practices, and developed som e inclination tow ards Islam
and before long they em braced th e new faith and w ere truly
devoted to Allah. However, som e oth ers developed evil in ten tio n s
against th e Prophet and his followers b u t w ere too cowardly to
resist them publicly; they w ere rather, u n d e r those Islamically
favorable conditions, obliged to falsely show sociability and
friendliness. 'Abdullah bin Ubai, w ho had alm ost been given
presidency over Al-Khazraj and Al-Aws tribes in th e wake of Bu'ath
War betw een th e tw o tribes, becam e th e head of th a t group of
hypocrites. The Prophet's arrival and th e vigorous rise of th e new
spirit of Islam deserted th a t program and dropped the idea. He,
seeing an o th er one, M uham m ad jjg, com ing to deprive him and
his agents of the proposed superior position, could not be pleased,
and for obvious reasons h e show ed desire for Islam b u t w ith
horrible disbelief deeply-rooted in his heart. He also used to
exploit som e events and w eak-hearted new converts to use them
in his nasty schem es against the true believers.

3. The Jews, w ho had m igrated to Al-Hijaz from Syria following the

The Status Quo in Madinah at the Tim e o f Emigration 223

Byzantine and Assyrian persecution cam paigns, w ere th e third

category existing on th e dem ographic scene in M adinah. In their
new residing place, they assum ed th e Arabian stam p in dress,
language and m an n er of life and th ere w ere also instances of
interm arriage w ith th e local Arabs, how ever they retained their
ethnic particularism and rem ained separated from m ixing w ith
th e im m ediate environm ent. They even used to pride in their
Jewish-Israeli origin, and look dow n upon th e Arabs around
m entioning th em as illiterate, m eaning brutal, naive and back­
ward. They desired the w ealth of th eir neighbors to be m ade
law ful to th em so th a t they could consum e it in th e way they
liked.

"...because they say: T h e re is no blam e on us to betray and

take the properties of th e illiterates (Arabs).'" [3:75]

Religiously, they show ed no zeal; th eir m ost obvious religious

com m odity was fortunetelling, w itchcraft and th e secret arts
(blowing on knots), for w hich they used to attach to them selves
advantages of science and spiritual superiority.

They excelled at th e arts of earning m oney and trading, They in

fact m onopolized trading in cereals, dates, w ine, clothes, export
and im port. For th e services they offered to th e Arabs, th e latter
paid heavily. Usury was a com m on practice am ongst them ,
lending th e Arab notables great sum s to be w asted on poets w ho
used to w rite poem s in th eir honor, and in prideful occasions, and
in retu rn seizing th eir fertile land given as surety.

They w ere very good at corrupting and schem ing. They used to
sow seeds of enm ity betw een adjacent tribes and persuade each
one to devise plots against th e o th er w ith th e natural outcom e of
continual exhaustive bloody fighting. W henever they felt th a t fire
of hatred was about to subside, they w ould increase it by adopting
new m eans so th a t they could always have th e upper hand, and at
th e sam e tim e gain heavy in te rest rates on loans sp en t on in te r­
tribal warfare.
224 The Sealed Nectar

T hree fam ous tribes of Jews c o n stitu te d th e dem ographic

presence in Yathrib (now M adinah): Banu Q ainuqa', allies of Al-
Khazraj tribe. Banu An-Nadeer and Banu Q uraizah w ho allied Al-
Aws and inhabited th e suburbs of M adinah.

Naturally they held th e new changes w ith disgust and w ere

terribly hateful to them , sim ply because Allah's M essenger ^ was
of a different race, and this point was in itself too repulsive for
th em to reconcile w ith. Second, Islam came to bring about a spirit
of relationship, to term inate th e state of enm ity and hatred, and
to establish a social regim e based on condem nation of th e
prohibited and prom otion of th e allowed. A dherence to these
principles of life im plied paving th e way for an Arab unity th at
could w ork to th e prejudice o f th e Jews and th eir in terests at both
th e social and econom ic levels; th e Arab tribes w ould th en try to
restore th eir w ealth and land m isappropriated by th e Jews
through usurious practices.

The Jews of course deeply considered all these things ever since
they had know n th a t th e Islamic Call w ould try to settle in
Yathrib, and it was no surprise to discover th at they had th e m ost
enm ity and hatred w ith Islam and th e M essenger $§; even though
they did n ot have th e courage to uncover th eir feelings in the
beginning.

The following incident could a tte st clearly to th a t horrible

hostility th a t th e Jews had tow ards th e new political and religious
changes th a t came to stam p th e life of M adinah. Ibn Ishaq, on th e
authority o f th e M other o f believers Safiyah ^ narrated: Safiyah,
daughter o f Huyai bin Akhtab said: I was th e closest child to my
father and my uncle Abu Yasir's heart. W henever they saw m e
w ith a child of theirs, they should pam per m e so tenderly to the
exclusion of anyone else. However, w ith th e arrival of Allah's
M essenger and his setting in Q uba’ w ith Bani 'Amr bin 'Awf,
m y father, Huyai bin Akhtab and m y uncle Abu Yasir bin Akhtab
w e n t to see him and did n o t re tu rn u n til su n se t w h en they cam e
back w alking lazily and fully depressed. I, as usually, h u rried to
m eet th em smiling, b u t they w ould n o t tu rn to m e for th e grief
The Status Q uo in Madinah at the Tim e o f Emigration 225

th a t caught them . I heard my uncle Abu Yasir say to Ubai and

Huyai: "Is it really h e (i.e., M uham m ad sH)?" The form er said: "It
is he, I sw ear by Allah!" "Did you really recognize him ?" they
asked. He answ ered: "Yes, and my h e a rt is b urning w ith enm ity
tow ards h im ." 111

An interesting story th a t took place on th e first day th e Prophet j g

stepped in M adinah, could be quoted to illustrate th e m ental
disturbance and deep anxiety th a t beset th e Jews. ’Abdullah bin
Salam, th e m ost learned rabbi am ong th e Jews came to see the
Prophet j g w h en h e arrived, and asked him certain questions to
ascertain his real Prophethood. No sooner th an he heard the
Prophet's answ ers h e em braced Islam, b u t added th a t if his people
knew th a t he becam e a M uslim they w ould advance false
argum ents against me. The Prophet s g se n t for som e Jews and
asked th em about 'Abdullah bin Salam, they testified to his
scholarly ap titu d e and virtuous standing. Here it was disclosed to
th em th a t he had em braced Islam and on th e spot, they produced
categorically opposite testim onies and described him as th e m ost
evil of all evils. In an o th er narration 'Abdullah bin Salam said,
"O Jews! Fear Allah. By Allah th e only One, you know th a t he is
the M essenger of Allah sen t to people w ith th e T ru th .” They
replied, "You are lying." ... T hat was th e P rophet's first experience
w ith th e Jews.121

That was th e internal picture w ith in M adinah. Externally, five

h u n d red kilom eters away in M akkah, th ere still lay a n o th e r source
of d etrim ental threat, stern against Islam, th e Q uraish. For ten
years, w hile at th e m ercy of th e Q uraish, th e M uslim s w ere
subjected to all sorts of terrorism , boycott, h a ra ssm e n t and
starvation coupled by a large scale painstaking psychological w ar
and aggressive organized propaganda. W hen they had em igrated
to M adinah, their land, w ealth and property w ere seized, wives
detained and th e socially hum ble in rank brutally tortured. The

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/518. 519-

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/459. 556 and 561.
226 The Sealed Nectar

Q uraish also schem ed and m ade attem p ts on th e life of th e first

figure of the Call, M uham m ad # |. Due to their acknowledged
tem poral leadership and religious suprem acy am ong the pagan
Arabs, given th e custodianship of th e Sacred Sanctuary, the
Q uraishites spared no effort in enticing th e Arabs against M adinah
and boycotting th e M adinese socially and economically. A state of
w ar virtually existed betw een th e M akkan tyrants and the
M uslim s in th eir abode. It is foolish to blam e th e M uslim s for
the horrible consequences th at w ere b o u n d to resu lt in th e light of
th a t long-standing hostility. The M uslim s in M adinah w ere
com pletely eligible th en to seize th e w ealth of those tyrants,
m ete out for them exem plary p u n ish m e n t and bring twofold
retaliation on th em in order to d eter th em from com m itting any
foolishness against th e M uslim s and th eir sanctities.
That was a sum m ary of th e m ajor problem s th a t the Prophet
M uham m ad jfc had to face, and th e com plicated issues he was
supposed to resolve.
In full acknow ledgm ent, w e could safely say th a t he quite
honestly shouldered th e responsibilities of M essengership, and
wisely discharged th e liabilities of both tem poral and religious
leadership in M adinah. He accorded to everyone his due portion
w h e th e r of mercy or p u n ish m en t, w ith th e form er usually
overlying th e latter in the overall process of establishing Islam on
firm grounds am ong its faithful believers.
 A New Society being built

We have already m en tioned th a t A llah’s M essenger arrived in

M adinah on Friday, 12th Rabi'ul-Awwal, 1 A.H., i.e., Septem ber
27th, 622 C.E. and took th e low er floor of Abu Ayyub’s h ouse as a
tem porary residence.

Building the Prophetic Mosque

The first task to w hich th e Prophet atte n d ed on his arrival in
M adinah was the construction of a M osque, at th e very site w here
his camel k n elt dow n. The land, w hich belonged to tw o orphans,
was purchased. The Prophet h im self contributed to building
th e M osque by carrying adobe bricks and stones w hile reciting
verses:

Ij jL v 2J*>U o I SM jiTc- N ^ gUI

"O Allah! no bliss is th ere b u t th at of th e Hereafter, I

beseech you to forgive th e Em igrants and H elpers.”
The location was th a t of th e graves of th e polytheists. The ground
was cleared of w eeds and shrubs, palm trees and rubbish, the
graves of th e polytheists dug up and th e n levelled and th e trees
planted around. The Qiblah (the direction in w hich th e M uslim s
tu rn th eir faces in prayer) was constructed to face Jerusalem ; two
beam s w ere also erected to hold th e ceiling up. It w as square in
form , each side m easuring approxim ately 100 yards, facing
tow ards th e no rth and having th re e gates on each of the
rem aining sides. Nearby, room s reserved for th e P ro p h et's
household w ere b u ilt of stones and adobe bricks w ith ceilings
of palm leaves,111 To th e n o rth of th e M osque, a place was reserved
for th e M uslim s w ho had n e ith e r fam ily nor hom e.
The Adhan (sum m oning th e M uslim s to th e M osque by th e Call
for prayer) was initiated at this early stage of post-m igration era.
The story of how th a t occurred, and th e dream th a t 'Abdullah bin

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/71, 555. 560; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/56.

228 The Sealed Nectar

Zaid 4® had about it, is very popular and has been narrated by At-
Tirm idhi, Abu Dawud, Ahm ad and Ibn K huzaim ah.111 The M osque
was not m erely a place to perform prayers, b u t rather an Islamic
league w here th e M uslim 's w ere instructed in Islam and its
doctrines. It served as an assem bly place w here th e conflicting pre-
Islamic tren d s used to com e to term s; it was th e headquarters
w herein all the affairs of th e M uslim s w ere adm inistered, and
consultative and executive councils held.

The Brotherhood between the Muslims

The M osque being th u s constructed, th e Prophet next tu rn ed
his a tten tio n to cem enting th e ties of m utual brotherhood am ong
the M uslim s of M adinah, Al-Ansar (the Helpers) and Al-M uhajirun
(the Emigrants), It was indeed unique in th e history of th e world.
A gathering of 90 m en, h alf of w hom Em igrants and th e others
Helpers assem bled in th e h ouse of Anas bin Malik 4® w here the
Prophet sfe; gave th e spirit of brotherhood his official blessing,
W hen either of the two persons w ho had been paired as brothers,
passed away, his property was inherited by his brother-in-faith.
This practice continued till the following Verse was revealed at the
tim e of th e battle of Badr, and the regular rule of inheritance was
allowed to take its usual course:

4 dj ' fv-r"? (yjl) f

"But kindred by blood are nearer to one an o th er regarding
in h eritan ce."121 [8:75]
Brotherhood-in-faith was holding subordinate every distinction of
race and kindred and supporting th e Islamic principle: none is
superior to th e o th er except on th e basis of piety and God-fearing.
The Prophet ^ attached to th a t brotherhood a valid contract; it
was not just m eaningless w ords b u t rather a valid practice relating
to blood and w ealth rather th an a passing im pulse taking th e form
of accidental greeting.
[1] See Bulughul-Maram by Ibn Hajar Al-'Asqalani. p. 15.
[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/56.
A New Society being built 229

The atm osphere of bro th erh o o d created a spirit o f selflessness

infused deeply in th e hearts of his followers, and produced very
healthy results. For exam ple, Sa'd bin Ar-Rabi' 4&. a Helper, said to
his fellow b ro th e r 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf 4&. "I am th e richest
m an am ong th e Helpers. I am glad to share half of my property
w ith you. I have two wives, I am ready to divorce one and after the
expiry of h er 'Iddah (the prescribed period for a w om an divorcee
to stay w ith in h er h ouse unm arried), you may m arry her."

But 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf 4® w as n o t prepared to accept

anything: n eith er property nor hom e. So he blessed his b rother
and said: "Kindly direct m e to th e m arket so th a t I may m ake my
fortune w ith my ow n h an d s." And he did prosper and got m arried
very shortly by his ow n struggle.111
The Helpers w ere extrem ely generous to th eir brethren-in-faith.
Abu H urairah 4^ reported th a t they once approached the
Prophet w ith th e request th a t th eir orchards of palm trees
should be distributed equally betw een th e M uslim s of M adinah
and th eir b reth ren from M akkah. But th e Prophet w as h esitan t
to p u t this heavy b u rd en u p o n them . It was, how ever, decided
th a t th e Em igrants w ould w ork in th e orchards along w ith the
Helpers and th e yield w ould be divided equally am ong th e m .121
Such exam ples p oint directly to th e spirit of cordiality, sacrifice
and selflessness on th e part of th e Helpers, and also to th e feeling
of appreciation, gratitude and self-respect th a t th e Em igrants held
dear to th eir hearts. They took only w h at helped th em m ake a
reasonable living. In short, th is policy of m utual b rotherhood was
so w ise and tim ely th a t m any obstinate problem s w ere resolved
w onderfully and reasonably.

A Charter o f Islamic Alliance

Just as th e Prophet had established a code of brotherhood

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/553.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/312.
230 The Sealed Nectar

am ong th e believers, so too he w as keen on establishing friendly

relations betw een th e M uslim and non-M uslim tribes of Arabia.
He established a sort of treaty aim ing at ruling out all pre-Islamic
enm ities and inter-tribal hostilities. He was so careful n o t to leave
any area in the charter th at w ould allow pre-Islamic traditions to
creep in or violate th e new env iro n m en t he w anted to establish.
Herein, we look over som e of its provisions:
In the Nam e of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost M erciful,
This is a d o cum ent from M uham m ad, th e M essenger of Allah,
concerning Em igrants and Helpers and those w ho followed and
strove w ith them .
1. They are one nation to th e exclusion of o th er people.
2. The Em igrants of Q uraish shall u n ite together and pay blood
m oney from am ong them selves, and shall ransom honorably their
prisoners. Every tribe of th e Helpers shall u n ite together, as they
w ere at first, and every section am ong th em will pay a ransom for
releasing its relative prisoners.
3. Believers shall not leave anyone poor am ong them by not
paying his redem ption m oney or blood m oney in kind,
4. W hoever is rebellious or w hoever seeks to spread enm ity and
sedition, th e han d of every God-fearing M uslim shall be against
him , even if he be his son.
5. A believer shall not kill an o th er believer, nor shall he su p p o rt a
disbeliever against a believer,
6 . The protection of Allah is one (and is equally) extended to the
h um blest of th e believers.
7. The believers are supported by each other.
8 . W hosoever of th e Jews follows us. shall have aid and help; they
shall not be injured, nor any enem y be aided against them ,
9. The peace of the believers is indivisible. No separate peace shall
be m ade w h en believers are fighting in th e way of Allah.
Conditions m u st be fair and equitable to all,
10. It shall not be law ful for a believer, w ho holds by w hat is in
A New Society being built 231

this docum ent and believes in Allah and th e Day of Judgm ent, to
help a crim inal nor give him refuge. Those w ho give him refuge
and provide him help shall have th e curse and anger of Allah on
the Day of Resurrection. Their indem nity is not accepted.
11. Killing a believer deliberately w ith no good reason entails
killing th e killer unless th e heirs consider it otherw ise.
12. W henever you differ about a m atter, it m u st be referred to
Allah and to M uham m ad ($te).[11

The Individual Role in the Society

W ith this w isdom and intellect, th e Prophet erected th e pillars
of th e new society. This p h en o m en o n no doubt left its m ark on
the virtuous M uslim s. He used to bring th em up in th e light of the
Islamic education, he sanctified th eir souls, enjoined th em to
observe righteousness and praisew orthy m anners and was keen
on infusing into th em th e ethics of good relations, honor, nobility,
w orship and first and forem ost obedience to Allah and His
M essenger sg. The following are som e of th e virtues he used to
instill in th e m inds of his followers:
A m an asked A llah’s M essenger w hich of th e m erits is superior
in Islam. He rem arked:
0 ^ ^ x 0 ^ ^ ^ o> ^ i ^ 0 >
«. 9 yu j \C,y ijj I jr - d a P 1

"That you provide food and extend greetings to one w hom

you know or do not k n o w ."121
'Abdullah bin Salam said: "W hen th e Prophet gfc arrived in
M adinah, I w e n t to see him and I im m ediately recognized through
his features th a t h e w ould never be a liar. The first things h e (the
Prophet £s>) said was:

\j2d\ ill 1 Lgjl U®

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/502. 503-

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/6. 9.
232 The Sealed Nectar

'O you people! Extend th e greeting of peace am ong

yourselves, provide food to th e needy, m aintain th e ties
of kinship, observe prayer at night w hile people are asleep,
th e n you will peacefully e n te r th e Garden (Paradise).” ’[l1
And he said:

« & £ ojU- i & 3\ j i i ;

"He will n o t e n te r Paradise, w hose neighbor is not secure

from his w rongful conduct."121
And he said:

Aj LlJ j . J L ~ J I ^

"The M uslim is the one from w hose tongue and h an d s the

M uslim s are safe."131
And h e said:

"None of you believes (truly) till one likes for his b rother
th at w hich he loves for h im self."141
He said:

J c l I jlj C^K J c l I ’& ■ J c l \ j l jJ r 'J

"The believers in their m utual love, are like th e h u m an body

w here w h en th e eye is in agony, th e entire body feels the
pain; w h en th e head aches, all th e body will su ffe r."151
And he said:

**IjlJU AjLl O \AjAiS I))

[1] Narrated by At-Tirmidhi. Ibn Majah and Ad-Darimi; M ishkatul-Masabih 1/168.

[2] Narrated by Muslim: Mishkatul-Masabih 2/422.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/6.
[4] ibid 1/6.
[5] Narrated by Muslim. Mishkatul-Masabih 2/422.
A New Society being built 233

"The bonds of bro th erh o o d betw een tw o M uslim s are like

parts of a house, one part stren g th en s and holds the
o th e r." 111

And h e said:

4)1 Iy j i ^J <•IjJLlulAj N j <• Iy j a c - 1-J N

«(.d 4i%: oU-i ^ 4 : M p i i i J Tj
0 0
"Do n o t have m alice against a M uslim ; do n o t be envious of
o th er M uslim s; do n o t go against a M uslim or abandon him ,
O th e servants o f Allah! Be like b rothers w ith each other. It
is n o t violable for a M uslim to d esert his b ro th e r for over
th ree days.”121
And he said:

iiy°J 1 ^ J 4olIai V p-L~<JIn

°ja 1,'jS 4)1 ZjS flL * je- g y io -U - 4)1 jlS
. ((iuUill <<1)1 a y°J *l! ^y_

"A M uslim is th e b ro th er of a M uslim ; he n eith er oppresses

h im nor does he han d him over to an oppressor. W hoever
fulfills a need of his brother, Allah will fulfill his need.
W hoever brings a M uslim o u t of a discom fort. Allah will
bring him o u t of th e discom forts of th e Day of Resurrection.
And w hoever screens a M uslim , Allah will screen him on
th e Day of R esurrection."131

And:

. « j U 4 Jl J A y I J A

"Show mercy to people on earth so th a t Allah will have

mercy on you in h e a v en ."141

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/890.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2 /896.
[3] Mishkatul-Masabih 2/422. Sahih Al-Bukhari. Sahih Muslim.
[4] Sunan Abu Dawud 2/235. Sunan At-Tirm idhi 2/422.
234 The Sealed Nectar

And h e said:
. J i £^L>-

"He is not a perfect believer, w ho goes to bed full and know s

th a t his neighbor is hungry."1' 1
And:
^0 } ft ^ } >0 >
. ((y i S ‘d lliij t i_Jyd~i ^j a j a J]

"Abusing a M uslim is an act of disobedience and fighting

him is disbelief." 121
And:

"To rem ove som ething harm ful from th e road, is charity,
and it is a part from th e parts of Faith."[31
He also w ould encourage the believers to spend in charity,
rem inding th em of relevant virtues for w hich th e hearts yearn:
. •*j ll] I c- Id! I IdS 1j Uaid I ii .i . % ] I))

"Charity erases sins just as w ater extinguishes fire."141

And:

j~k>- j a 4)1 olA S 1_5Ip C jj L.LL* LIS’ jv-Lld UdU

L d l j t y d J l jL L ^jA 4)1 4 d * b l LAJLa jd d s l j*-L",°

. #J» I I 4) I 0LL4 J i d s LaJjLo j»dJLo

"Clothing an under-clad M uslim , entitles you to a garm ent

from th e Paradise; feeding a hungry M uslim will m ake you
eligible (by A llah’s Will) for th e fruit of th e Paradise; and if
you provide w ater to a thirsty M uslim , Allah will provide
you w ith a drink from 'th e Sealed N ectar’.”[51

[1] Mishkatul-Masabih 2/424.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/893.
[31 Mishkatul-Masabih 1/12.
[4] ibid 1/14.
[5] Mishkatul-Masabih 1/169.
A New Society being built 235

And h e said:

. <uiSCi _b*J jli jU l IyAj I^

"Try to avert Fire even by h alf a date (in charity) if not by

tendering a good w o rd .”111
The Prophet also prom oted th a t habit of n o t asking o thers for
help unless one is totally helpless. He used to talk to his
Com panions a lot about th e m erits, virtues and Divine rew ard
im plied in observing th e prescribed w orships and rituals. He
w ould always bring forth supporting proofs in order to link th em
physically and spiritually to th e Revelation se n t to him . hence he
w ould describe th em of th eir d u ties and responsibilities in term s
of th e consequences of th e Call of Islam, and at th e sam e tim e
em phasize th e im portance of com prehension and consideration.
That was his practice of m axim izing th eir m orale and instilling in
th em th e noble values and ideals so th a t they could becom e
m odels of virtue to be copied by su b seq u en t generations.
'Abdullah bin M as'ud 4® once said: "If you are w illing to follow a
good exam ple, th e n you have an option in th e tradition of the
deceased, because th e living are likely to fall as easy prey to
oppression (so they m ight hesitate in Faith). Follow th e steps of
M uham m ad’s C om panions. They w ere th e b est in th is nation, the
m ost pious, th e m ost learned and th e least com prom ising. Allah
chose th em to accom pany th e Prophet $y§ and establish His
religion. Therefore, becom e fam iliar w ith th eir virtues, follow
th eir righteous way and adhere as m uch as you can to their
m anners and assim ilate th eir biography, for indeed they followed
unw avering guidance.” 121
There is th en th e great M essenger of Allah w hose m oral visible
attributes, aspects of perfection, talents, virtues, noble m anners
and praisew orthy deeds, en title him to occupy th e in n erm o st cells
of our hearts, and becom e th e d earest target th a t th e self yearns

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/190.

[2] Reported by Ruzain, Mishkatul-Masabih 1/32.
236 The Sealed Nectar

for.
Those w ere th e attributes and qualities on w hose basis the
Prophet w anted to build a new society, the m ost w onderful
and th e m ost honorable society ever know n in history. O n these
grounds, he strove to resolve th e longstanding problem s, and later
gave m ankind the chance to breathe a sigh of relief after a long
exhausting journey in dark and gloomy avenues. Such lofty
m orale lay at th e very basis of creating a new society w ith
integrated com ponents im m une to all fluctuations of tim e, and
pow erful enough to change the w hole course of hum anity.
 A Treaty with the Jews

Soon after em igrating to M adinah and m aking sure th a t th e pillars

of th e new Islamic com m unity w ere well established on strong
bases of adm inistrative, political and ideological unity, the
Prophet started to establish regular and clearly-defined
relations w ith non-M uslim s. All of th ese efforts w ere exerted
solely to provide peace, security, and prosperity to all m ankind at
large, and to bring about a spirit of u n d erstan d in g and harm ony
w ithin his region, in particular.
Geographically, th e closest people to M adinah w ere th e Jews.
W hile harboring evil intentions, and nursing a bitter feeling of
resen tm en t, they show ed n e ith e r th e least resistance nor the
slightest hostility. The Prophet decided to conclude a treaty
w ith th em w ith clauses th a t provided full freedom in faith and
w ealth, He had no in te n tio n w hatsoever of following severe
policies involving expulsion, seizure of w ealth and land or
hostility.
The treaty came w ithin th e context of a n o th e r of a larger
fram ew ork relating to inter-M uslim relationships.
The m ost im p o rtan t provisions of th e treaty are th e following:
1. The Jews of Bani ’Awf are one com m unity w ith th e believers.
The Jews will profess th eir religion and th e M uslim s theirs.
2. The Jews shall be responsible for th eir expenditure, and th e
M uslim s for theirs.
3. If attacked by a th ird party, each shall com e to th e help of the
other.
4. Each party shall hold counsel w ith th e other. M utual relation
shall be founded on righteousness; sin is totally excluded.
5. N either shall com m it sins to th e prejudice of th e other.
6. The w ronged party shall be aided.
7. The Jews shall contribute to th e cost of w ar so long as they are
fighting alongside th e believers.
 The Sealed Nectar

8. M adinah shall rem ain sacred and inviolable for all th a t join this
treaty.
9. Should any disagreem ent arise betw een the signatories to this
treaty, th en Allah th e All-High and His M essenger shall settle the
dispute.
10. The signatories to this treaty shall boycott th e Q uraish
commercially; they shall also abstain from extending any support
to them .
11. Each shall contribute to defending M adinah, in case of a
foreign attack, in its respective area.
12. This treaty shall not h in d er eith er party from seeking lawful
revenge.111
M adinah and its suburbs, after th e en d o rsem en t of this treaty,
tu rn e d into a coalition state, w ith M adinah proper as capital and
M uham m ad Jig as 'president'; authority lay m ainly in th e hand of
th e M uslim s, and consequently it was a real capital of Islam. To
expand the zone of peace and security th e Prophet started to
e n ter into sim ilar treaties w ith o th er tribes living around 'his
state'.

[11 Ibn Hisham 1/503, 504.

 The Bloody Struggle

The Attempts o f the Quraish

to provoke the Muslims and their contact
with 'Abdullah bin Ubai

The O uraish, offended at th e escape of th e Prophet jfe along w ith

his devoted C om panions, and jealous of his growing pow er in
M adinah, kept a strict w atch over th e M uslim s left b eh in d and
victim ized th em in every possible way. They also established
secret contacts w ith 'Abdullah bin Ubai Ibn Salul, chief of
M adinese polytheists, and p resid en t designate of th e tribes 'Aws
and Khazraj before th e P rophet's em igration. They sen t him a
strongly-w orded u ltim atum ordering him to fight or expel the
Prophet $|g, otherw ise they w ould launch a w idespread m ilitary
campaign th a t w ould kill his people and arrest his w o m e n .111

His pride w ounded and kingship no longer his, 'Abdullah bin Ubai
Ibn Salul responded positively to his Q uraishite co-polytheists.
'Abdur-Rahman bin Ka'b said, "W hen this reached 'Abdullah bin
Ubai and those w ho w ere w orshippers of idols w ith him , they
gathered together to fight w ith Allah's M essenger #§.

W hen th e Prophet heard about it, he visited th em and said:

'The th re a t of th e Q uraish to you has expired. They cannot

conceive a plot against you m ore th an you in te n d to harm
yourselves. Are you w illing to fight w ith your sons and
b reth ren ? ’
W hen they heard th is from th e Prophet they all le ft.121

Their chief, how ever, seem ingly com plied, b u t at heart, he

rem ained a wicked unpredictable conspirator along w ith Q uraish
and th e envious Jews.

[1] N arrated by Abu Dawud 2/154.

[2] N arrated by Abu D awud 2/154.
240 The Sealed Nectar

Small fights and provocations started to pave th e way for a major

confrontation betw een th e M uslim s and p o ly th eists.111

Publicizing the Intent for Enm ity in the Sacred Mosque

Sa'd bin M u'adh an o u tstanding Helper, announced his
inten tio n to observe 'Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) and headed for
Makkah. He w e n t to Um aiyah bin Khalaf, and said, "Tell m e of a
tim e w h en it is em pty so th a t I m ay be able to perform Taw af
around the Ka'bah." So Um aiyah w e n t w ith him about m idday.
Abu Jahl m et th em and said, "O Abu Safwan! W ho is th is m an
accom panying you?" He said, "He is Sa’d .” Abu Jahl addressed Sa'd
saying, "I see you w andering about safely in M akkah in spite of
the fact th at you have given shelter to th e people w ho have
changed th eir religion, and su p p o rt them . By Allah, if you w ere
n o t in th e com pany of Abu Safwan, you w ould n o t have gone to
your family safe and sound."

Sa'd 4k, raising his voice, said to him , "By Allah! If you should stop
m e from doing this, I w ould certainly stop you from som ething
th a t is m ore valuable to you, th a t is your passageway through
M adinah.” 121

Provocative actions continued and Q uraish se n t th e M uslim s a

note threatening to p u t th em to death in th eir ow n hom eland.
Those w ere n o t m ere w ords, for th e Prophet received
inform ation from reliable sources attesting to real intrigues and
plots being hatched by th e enem ies of Islam. Precautionary
m easures w ere taken and a state of alertness was called for,
including th e positioning of security guards around th e h ouse of
th e Prophet and strategic points. M uslim recorded th at
'Aishah ^ said th a t Allah's M essenger lay dow n on bed
during one night on his arrival in M adinah and said: "Were there a
pious person from am ongst my C om panions w ho should keep a
w atch for m e during th e night?"

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/655, 656. 916 and 964.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/563.
The Bloody Struggle 241

She said: "We w ere in this state w h en w e heard th e clanging noise

of arm s. He (the Prophet jgg) said: 'W ho is it?' He said: 'This is Sa'd
bin Abi W aqqas.' Allah’s M essenger said to him : 'W hat brings
you here?' T hereupon h e said: 'I feared (lest any h arm should
come to) Allah's M essenger so I cam e to serve as your guard.'
Allah's M essenger jK invoked blessings upon him and th e n he
sle p t."111
This state of close vigilance continued ceaselessly u n til th e W ords
of Allah w ere revealed saying:

"Allah will protect you from m ankind." [5:67]

Here, th e Prophet ^ peeped from th e dom e of his h o u se asking
his people to go away, h e said:
j <U)1 LJI I

"O people! Leave m e for indeed Allah th e M ighty and

M ajestic shall protect m e .” 121
The Prophet's life was n ot th e only target of wicked schem es, b u t
rather th e lives and th e w hole entity of th e M uslim s. W hen the
M adinese provided th e Prophet j g and his C om panions w ith safe
refuge, th e d esert bedouins began to look at th em all in th e sam e
perspective, and outlaw ed all th e M uslim s.

Permission to Fight
At th is critical situation, w ith Q uraish having in te n tio n of
pursuing th eir aggressive and devilish plans, Allah th e All-High
gave th e M uslim s the perm ission to take arm s against the
disbelievers:

jLft^ Jp iiil ob b*bk b b - b i obU oil^

"Perm ission to fight is given to th o se (i.e., believers against
th o se disbelievers), w ho are fighting them , (and) because

[1] Sahih M uslim 2/280. Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/404.

[2] At-Tirm idhi 2/130.
242 The Sealed Nectar

they (believers) have been wronged, and surely Allah is Able

to give them (believers) victory." [2 2 :39]

This Verse was revealed in a larger context of Divine instructions

to elim inate all aspects of falsehood, and hold in h o n o r the
sym bols and rites of Allah:

"Those (Muslim rulers) w ho, if We give th em pow er in the

land, (they) order for Iqamatus-Salat■ . [i.e., to perform Salat
(prayer) - the five com pulsory, congregational prayers (the
m ales in mosques)], to pay th e Zakat (obligatory charity,
poor-due), and they enjoin Al-M a'ruf (i.e., Islamic M onothe­
ism and all th at Islam orders one to do), and forbid Al-
M unkar (i.e., disbelief, polytheism and all th a t Islam has
forbidden) [i.e., they m ake th e Q ur'an as th e Law of their
country in all th e spheres of life].” [22:41]

Doubtlessly, th e perm ission to fight was revealed in M adinah

after em igration, not in M akkah, still th e exact date w here of is in
doubt.

The perm ission to fight w as already there, b u t in th e light of the

p resent state of affairs, it was w ise for the M uslim s to bring the
com m ercial routes leading to M akkah u n d er th eir control. To
realize this strategic objective, th e Prophet had to choose either
of two options:

1. Entering into treaties w ith the tribes inhabiting either th e areas

adjacent to the routes or betw een these routes and M adinah. W ith
respect to this course of action, th e Prophet had already signed,
to g eth e r w ith th e Jews and o th e r neighboring tribes, th e
aforem entioned pact of cooperation and good neighborliness.

2. D ispatching successive arm ed m issions for h arassm en t along

the strategic com m ercial routes.
The Bloody Struggle 243

Pre-Badr M issions and Invasions

W ith a view to im plem ent these plans, th e M uslim s started real
m ilitary activities, w hich at first took th e form of survey patrols
delegated to explore th e geopolitical features of th e roads
surrounding M adinah and oth ers leading to M akkah, and building
alliances w ith th e tribes nearby. The Prophet ^ w anted to
im press upon th e polytheists and Jews of M adinah as well as the
bedouins in its vicinity, th a t th e M uslim s had sm ashed th eir old
fears, and had becom e so strong th a t they cannot be attacked
w ith o u t receiving any harm from them . He also w anted to display
th e pow er of his followers in order to discourage Q uraish from
com m itting any m ilitary folly against him w hich m ight p u t in
danger th eir econom ic life and m eans of living, and to stop them
from persecuting th e helpless M uslim s detained in M akkah,
consequently he w ould avail h im self of this o p p ortunity and
resum e his job of propagating th e Divine Call freely. The following
is a sum m ary of th ese m issions and errands:
1. The Saiful-Bahr Mission. It occurred in Ramadan 1 A.H., i.e.,
623 C.E., led by Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib and com prising 30
Em igrants w ith a definite task of intercepting a caravan belonging
to the Q uraish. It was a caravan of 300 people including Abu Jahl
bin Hisham . The tw o parties en countered each o th er and aligned
in preparation for fighting. Majdi bin 'Amr, on good term s w ith
both sides, hap p en ed to be th ere and m anaged to prevent an
im m in en t clash.
On th at occasion, th e Prophet s g accredited th e first flag in the
history of M uslim s. It was w h ite in color and was e n tru ste d to
Abu M arthad Kannaz bin H usain Al-Ghanawi 4*. to carry.
2. The Rabigh Mission. In Shawwal, 1 A.H., i.e., April 623 C.E.,
Allah's M essenger ijj| dispatched 'Ubaidah bin Al-Harith bin Al-
M uttalib 4b at th e head o f 60 ho rsem en of Em igrants to a spot
called Batn Rabigh w here they en countered Abu Sufyan at the
head of a caravan of 200 m en. T here w as arrow shooting b u t no
actual fighting.
It is in terestin g to note th a t two M uslim s, Al-Miqdad bin 'Amr Al-
244 The Sealed Nectar

Bahrani and 'Utbah bin Ghazwan Al-Mazini defected from the

caravan of Q uraish and joined th e ranks of 'Ubaidah The
M uslim s had a w hite flag carried by M istah bin A thathah bin Al-
M uttalib bin 'Abd Manaf.
3. The Kharrar Mission. It occurred in D hul-Q a'dah 1 A.H., i.e.,
May 623 C.E., th e Prophet dispatched Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas at
th e head of 20 horsem en, and instructed th em not to go beyond
Al-Kharrar. After a five-day m arch they reached the spot to
discover th a t the cam els of th e Q uraish had left th e day before;
their flag, as usual, was w hite and carried by Al-Miqdad bin 'Amr.
4. The Invasion o f Al-Abwa’ or Waddan.111 It was in Safar 2 A.H.,
i.e., 623 C.E. Allah's M essenger set out h im self at th e head of
70 m en, m ostly Em igrants, to intercept a camel caravan belonging
to th e Q uraish, leaving b eh in d Sa'd bin 'Ubadah 4® to adm inister
th e affairs in M adinah. He reached W addan w ith o u t an incident.
In th e process of this campaign, he contracted a non-aggression
pact w ith 'Amr bin M akhshi Ad-Damri. The provisions of th e pact
go as follows:
"This is a docum ent from M uham m ad, th e M essenger of Allah,
concerning Bani D am rah in w hich he established them safe and
secure in th eir w ealth and lives. They can expect sup p o rt from the
M uslim s unless they oppose the religion of Allah. They are also
expected to respond positively in case th e Prophet sought their
h e lp ."121
This w as the first invasion u n d e r th e leadership of Allah’s
M essenger It took fifteen days, w ith a w hite flag carried by
Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib
5. The Invasion o f Buwat. It took place in Rabi’ul-Awwal 2 A.H.,
i.e., 623 C.E, The Prophet at th e head of 200 C om panions,
m arched for Buwat to intercept a caravan belonging to th e Q uraish
com prising 100 Q uraishites, Umaiyah bin Khalaf am ong them , and

[1] W addan is a place betw een Makkah and Madinah near Rabigh about tw enty-nine
miles from M adinah. Al-Abwa' is near Waddan.
[2] Al-Mawahibul-Ladunniyah 1/75 and its com m entary by Az-Zurqani.
The Bloody Struggle 245

2500 camels. W hen he reached Buwat, th e caravan had left. Before

leaving M adinah. he m andated Sa'd bin M u'adh ■&> to h an d le the
affairs u n til his return.
6. The Invasion o f Safwan. In Rabi'ul-Awwal 2 A.H., i.e., 623 C.E.,
Kurz bin Jabir Al-Fihri at th e head of a sm all group of polytheists
raided th e pastures of M adinah and looted som e anim als. The
Prophet at the head of 70 m en, left M adinah to fight the
aggressors. He w e n t in th eir p u rsu it till h e reached a place called
Safwan near Badr b u t could n ot catch up w ith them . This m ission
came to be know n as th e prelim inary Badr Invasion. D uring his
absence, th e Prophet si; e n tru ste d Zaid bin H arithah w ith
adm inistrating th e affairs in M adinah. The standard w as w hite in
color and en tru ste d to 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4e> to carry.
7. The Invasion o f Dhil-’Ushairah. It was in Jum ada Al-Ula and
Jum ada Al-Akhirah th e first or second 2 A.H., i.e., Novem ber/
D ecem ber 623 C.E. The Prophet at th e head of 150-200 Helpers,
w ith 30 cam els w hich they rode tu rn by tu rn , set o u t to intercept a
Q uraishite caravan. He reached D hil-'U shairah b u t th e cam els had
left som e days before. These cam els w ere th e sam e th a t he w e n t
o ut to intercept on th eir retu rn from Syria, and w ere th e direct
reason for th e break o u t of th e battle of Badr. In th e process of this
campaign, th e Prophet si; contracted a treaty w ith Bani M udlij and
their allies Bani D um rah. Abu Salam ah bin 'Abdul-Asad Al-
M akhzum i was left as th e adm in istrato r of M adinah in his
absence.
8. The Nakhlah Mission. It took place in Rajab 2 A.H., i.e., January
624 A.H. Allah's M essenger si; dispatched 'Abdullah bin Jahsh
Asadi <4* to Nakhlah at th e head of 12 Em igrants w ith six camels.
'Abdullah was given a letter by th e Prophet s& b u t w as instructed
to read it only after two days. He followed th e instructions and
discovered th a t he w as asked to go on to a place called N akhlah
standing betw een M akkah and At-Ta’if, intercept a caravan for
Q uraish and collect new s about th eir in ten tio n s. He disclosed the
contents of th e letters to his fellows w ho blindly obeyed th e
orders.
246 The Sealed Nectar

At Nakhlah, th e caravan passed carrying loads of raisins (dried

grapes), food stu ff and other com m odities. Notable polytheists
w ere also th ere such as 'Amr bin Al-Hadrami, 'U thm an and Naufal,
sons of 'Abdullah bin Al-Mughirah, and others. The M uslim s held
consultations am ong them selves w ith respect to fighting them
taking into account Rajab w hich was a sacred m o n th (during
w hich, along w ith Dhul-Hijjah, D hul-Q a'dah and M uharram , war
activities w ere su spended as was th e custom in Arabia then). At
last they agreed to engage w ith th em in fighting. 'Amr bin Al-
Hadram i was sh o t dead by an arrow, 'U thm an and Al-Hakam w ere
captured w hereas Naufal escaped. They came back w ith th e booty
and th e two prisoners. They set aside one-fifth of th e booty
assigned to Allah and His M essenger and took the rest.

The M essenger disapproved of th a t act and su spended any

action as regards th e cam els and th e tw o captives on account of
th e prohibited m o n th s already m entioned. The polytheists, on
their part, exploited this golden o p p ortunity to charge the
M uslim s and accuse them of violating w h at is Divinely inviolable.
This idle talk brought about a painful headache to M uham m ad’s
Com panions, until at last they w ere relieved w h en the Revelation
came dow n giving a decisive answ er and stating quite explicitly
th a t th e behavior of the polytheists in the w hole process was
m uch m ore dreadful and far m ore serious th an th e act of the
M uslims:

"They ask you concerning fighting in th e sacred m o n th s

(i.e., 1st, 7th, 11th and 12th m o n th s of th e Islamic calendar).
Say, 'Fighting therein is a great (transgression) b u t a greater
(transgression) w ith Allah is to prevent m ankind from
following th e way of Allah, to disbelieve in Him, to prevent
access to Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah), and to drive out
its inhabitants, and Al-Fitnah is w orse th an killing.” [2:217]
The Bloody Struggle 247

The W ords of Allah w ere quite clear and said th a t th e uproar

created by the polytheists was groundless. The sacred inviolable
sanctities had been repeatedly violated in th e long process of
fighting Islam and persecuting th e believers. The w ealth of the
M uslim s as well as their hom es had already been violated and
th eir Prophet had been th e target of repeated attem p ts on his
life. In short, th a t sort of propaganda could deservedly be
described as sim ply a sham eful act.
Shortly afterw ards, th e tw o captives w ere released and blood
m oney w as given to th e father of th e m an w ho was k illed.111
This has been a sum m ary of pre-Badr platoons and invasions.
None of them w itnessed any sort of looting property or killing
people except w h en th e polytheists had com m itted such crim es
u n d er the leadership of Kurz bin Jabir Al-Fihri. It was, in fact, the
polytheists w ho had initiated such acts. No w onder, for such ill-
behavior is in h ere n t in th eir natural character.
After this event, th e Q uraish began to realize th e real danger th at
M adinah could p resen t th em w ith. They came to know th at
M adinah had always been on th e alert, w atching th eir com m ercial
caravans closely. It was th e n com m on know ledge to th em th a t the
M uslim s in th eir new abode could span and extend th eir m ilitary
activities over an area of 300 m iles, and bring it u n d e r full control.
However, the new situation borne in m ind, the M akkans could
not be deterred and w ere too obstinate to come to term s w ith the
new rising pow er of Islam. They w ere d eterm ined to bring about
th eir fall by th eir ow n hands and w ith this th o ughtlessness they
prepared for th e great battle of Badr.
The M uslim s, on th e o th er hand, and at th e com m and of their
Lord, w ere ordered to go to w ar in Sha'ban 2 A.H:

N ill I J x J i 'ij j f
& & £& o
» •-!/ / A* ' »> A T-f
<£*- xs. Slj jii'

[1] For details see Zadul-Ma’ad 2/83-85. Ibn Hisham 1/605.

248 The Sealed Nectar

jc V( 'o 'jjl y* \j£J o$ *u cjjti o jy j

"And fight, in th e way of Allah th o se w ho fight you; b u t

tran sg ress n o t th e lim its. Truly, Allah likes n o t th e
transgressors. And kill th em w herever you find them , and
tu rn th em o u t from w here they have tu rn e d you out. And
Al-Fitnah (polytheism or calamity) is w orse th an killing. And
fight not w ith th em at Al-Masjid Al-Haram (the Sanctuary at
Makkah), unless they (first) fight you there. But if they
attack you, th e n kill them . Such is th e recom pense of the
disbelievers. But if they cease, th en Allah is Oft-Forgiving,
M ost Merciful. And fight th em until th ere is no m ore Fitnah
(disbelief and w orshipping of others along w ith Allah) and
(all and every kind of) w orship is for Allah (Alone). But if
they cease, let th ere be no transgression except against Az-
Z alim un (polytheists, and w rongdoers, etc.)." [2:190-193]
Before long. Allah again se n t th e M uslim s different Verses
teaching them ways of fighting, urging them to go to w ar and
d em onstrating relevant rules:

_bu I!* Uli jljjit

bQ c£b j -a T I ii( iltl Jjj ilU'i o/i-' tUi U1j

j4-^j O ^ \jScj
[tr^ Sr’jll ( ^ k O pk ij i' O
i-jz a

"So, w hen you m eet (in fight - Jihad in Allah's cause), those
w ho disbelieve, sm ite at th eir necks till w h en you have
killed and w ounded m any of them , th en bind a bond firmly
(on them , i.e., take them as captives). T hereafter (is the
tim e) either for generosity (i.e., free th em w ith o u t ransom ),
or ransom (according to w hat benefits Islam), u n til th e war
lays dow n its burden. Thus [you are ordered by Allah to
continue in carrying o u t Jihad against the disbelievers till
they em brace Islam (i.e., are saved from th e p u n ish m e n t in
The Bloody Struggle 249

th e Hell-fire) or at least com e u n d e r your protection], b u t if

it had been Allah’s Will, He H im self could certainly have
p u n ish ed th em (w ithout you). But (He lets you fight), in
order to test you, som e w ith others. But th o se w ho are
killed in th e way of Allah, He will never let th eir deeds be
lost. He will guide th em and set right th eir state. And adm it
th em to Paradise w hich He has m ade know n to th em (i.e.,
they will know th eir places in Paradise m ore th an they used
to know th eir houses in th e world). O you w ho believe! If
you help (in th e cause of) Allah, He will h elp you, and m ake
your foothold firm .” [47:4-7]’11
Shortly afterw ards, Allah began to rebuke th e hypocrites, th e w eak
at heart, and cowardly elem ents:

r r j b 4 S J '4 j i l S # t& X U

"But w h en a decisive Surah (explaining and ordering things)

is se n t dow n, and fighting (Jihad - th e holy fighting) is
m entioned (i.e., ordained) therein, you will see th o se in
w hose h earts is a disease (of hypocrisy) looking at you w ith
a look of one fainting to d e a th .” [47:20]
The prevalent conditions m ade it a top priority to encourage the
M uslim s to fight. Any leader w ith deep insight w ould order his
soldiers to get ready for any sort of em ergency, let alone th e All-
Knowing Exalted Lord, W ho is All-Aware of th e m in u te st details of
affairs. The event of th a t en co u n ter w ith th e polytheists dealt a
heavy blow to the pride of th e O uraish and created a sort of
horrible restlessness am ong them .
The aforem entioned Q u ra n ic Verses, enjoining th e M uslim s to
strive in th e cause of Allah, portrayed th e nearness of blood
clashes th at w ould be crow ned by a decisive victory for the
M uslim s, and final expulsion of polytheists o u t o f th e Sacred City,
Makkah. They referred to rules relevant to th e tre a tm e n t of

[1] See Tafhim ul-Q ur’an 5/11. by Sayyid Abul-A'la M aududi.

250 The Sealed Nectar

captives and slaughtering th e pagan soldiers till th e w ar ended

and laid dow n its burdens. All of these could act as clues to a final
triu m p h th a t w ould envelop th e struggle of the M uslim s tow ards
th eir noble objectives.
A nother event of great significance featured th e sam e m onth
Sha’ban 2 A.H., i.e., February 624 C.E., w hich was a Divine
com m andm ent ordering th a t Al-Oiblah be changed from Jerusa­
lem to th e Sacred M osque in M akkah. That was of a great
advantage to the M uslim s at two levels. First, it brought about a
kind of social sifting, so to speak, in term s of th e hypocrites of the
Jews and o thers w eak at heart, and revealed th eir true natu re and
inclinations; the ranks of the M uslim s w ere thereby cleared from
those discord and conflict producing elem ents. Second, facing a
new Qiblah, the Sacred M osque in M akkah, refers to a new role
aw aiting th e M uslim s to take up, and w ould start only after the
repatriation of th e M uslim s to th eir Sacred City, M akkah for it is
n o t logical for th e M uslim s to leave their Oiblah at the m ercy of
non-M uslim s.
The M uslim s, therefore, at th e com m and of Allah and on account
of those Divine clues, increased th eir activities, and th eir tendency
tow ards striving in th e cause of Allah and encountering His
enem ies in a decisive battle was greatly intensified.
 The Battle of Badr

The First Decisive Battle

in the History o f Islam

Reason o f the Battle

We have already spoken about Al-'Ushairah Invasion w h e n a
caravan belonging to th e Q uraish escaped an im m in e n t m ilitary
en co u n ter w ith the Prophet and his m en. W hen th eir retu rn
from Syria approached, th e Prophet s g dispatched Talhah bin
'Ubaidullah and Sa'id bin Zaid 4® northw ard to scout around for
any m ovem ents of this sort. The tw o scouts stayed at Al-Hawra’
for som e days u ntil Abu Sufyan, th e leader of th e caravan, passed
by them . The tw o m en h u rried back to M adinah and reported
th eir findings to th e Prophet 2®. Great w ealth am ounting to 50
th o u san d gold dinars guarded by 40 m en m oving relatively close
to M adinah co nstituted a tem pting target for th e M uslim m ilitary,
and provided a potentially heavy economic, political and m ilitary
strike th a t was b o u n d to shake th e entire structure of th e M akkan
polytheists.
The Prophet sig im m ediately encouraged th e M uslim s to rush out
and intercept th e caravan to m ake up for th eir property and
w ealth they w ere forced to give up in M akkah. He did not give
orders binding to everyone, b u t rather gave th em full liberty to go
out or stay back, thinking th a t it w ould be just a task on a sm all
scale.

The Size and Strength o f the Muslim Arm y

The M uslim arm y was m ade up of 300-317 m en, 82-86 Em igrants,
and 61 m en from th e Aws and 170 from th e Khazraj tribes. They
w ere n ot w ell-equipped nor adequately prepared. They had only
two horses belonging to Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam and Al-Miqdad
bin Al-Aswad Al-Kindi *&>. 70 camels, one for tw o or th ree m en to
ride alternatively. Allah’s M essenger #g him self, 'Ali and M arthad
252 The Sealed Nectar

bin Abi M arthad Al-Ghanawi 4® had only one camel.

A dm inistration of th e affairs of M adinah was en tru ste d to Ibn
Um m M aktum 4* b u t later to Abu Lubabah bin 'Abdul-
M undhir 4®- The head flag was given to M us'ab bin 'Um air Al-
Q urashi Al-’Abdari 4®. and th eir standard was w h ite in color. The
little arm y was divided into two battalions, th e Em igrants w ith a
standard raised by 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4®. and th e Helpers w hose
standard was in th e han d of Sa'd bin M u'adh 4®. Az-Zubair bin Al-
'Awwam 4® w as appointed to th e leadership of th e right flank, Al-
M iqdad bin 'Amr 4® to lead th e left flank, and th e rear of th e arm y
was at th e com m and of Qais bin Abi Sa'sa'ah 4®- The General
Com m ander-in-Chief was th e Prophet Hg, of course.

The Muslim Arm y moves near Badr

The Prophet at th e head of his army, m arched o u t along the
m ain road leading to M akkah. He th e n tu rn e d left tow ards Badr
and w hen he reached As-Safra', he dispatched Basbas bin 'Amr Al-
Juhani and 'Adi bin Abi Az-Zaghba' Al-Juhani 4® to scout about for
th e camels of th e Q uraish.

Warning Makkah
Abu Sufyan, on th e o th er hand, was on the u tm o st alert. He had
already been aware th a t th e route he was following w as full of
dangers. He was also anxious to know about th e m ovem ents of
M uham m ad His scouting m en subm itted reports to th e effect
th a t th e M uslim s w ere lying in am bush for his caravan. To be on
th e safe side, h e h ire d D am dam b in 'A m r Al-Ghifari to
com m unicate a m essage asking for help from th e Q uraishites.
The m essen g er rode fast an d reached M akkah in frenzy.
D ism ounting his camel, he stood dram atically before Al-Ka'bah,
cut off th e nose and th e ears of th e camel, tu rn e d its saddle
upside dow n, tore off his ow n sh irt from front and behind, and
cried: "O Quraish! Your m erchandise! It is w ith Abu Sufyan. The
caravan is being intercepted by M uham m ad and his
com panions. I cannot say w h at w ould have h appened to them .
Help! Help!"
The Battle o f Badr 253

The People o f Makkah hasten for Battle

The effect of this h u e and cry w as in stan tan eo u s and th e new s
stu n n e d th e Q uraish and they im m ediately rem em bered their
pride th a t w as w ounded w h e n th e M uslim s had intercepted the
Hadram i caravan. They therefore swiftly gathered alm ost all of
their forces and none stayed behind except Abu Lahab, w ho
delegated som eone w ho ow ed him som e m oney. They also
m obilized som e Arab tribes to contribute to th e w ar against the
Prophet $j||. All th e clans of Q uraish gave th eir consent except
Banu Adi.

Preparing the Makkan Arm y

Soon an excited group of 1300 soldiers including 100 horsem en
and 600 soldiers in mail arm or, w ith a large n um ber of camels,
w as shouting to proceed to fight th e M uslim s. For supplies, they
w ould slaughter an alternate num ber of cam els of ten and nine
every day.

The Problem o f Banu Bakr

They w ere how ever afraid th a t Banu Bakr, on account of old long
deep-seated hostility, w ould attack th eir rear. At th at critical
m om ent, Iblis (Satan) appeared to th em in the guise of Suraqah
bin M alik bin Ju’sham Al-Mudliji - chief of Bani Kinanah - saying
to them : "I guarantee th a t no harm will h ap p en from behind."

The Arm y o f Makkah begins its Movement

They set o u t b u rning w ith anger, m otivated by a horrible desire
for revenge and exterm inating anyone th a t m ight p u t in danger
th e routes of th eir caravans:

"...boastfully and to be seen of m en, and h in d er (men) from

th e path of Allah." [8:47]
Or as th e Prophet said:
"O Allah these are th e proud and arrogant; they have come
254 The Sealed Nectar

to fight Allah and to fight His M essenger."

"And they w e n t in th e m orning w ith strong intention,

thinking th at they have pow er." [68:25]
They m oved swiftly northw ard to Badr, passing th e valley of
'Usfan, Qadid, th e n Al-Juhafah. Here they received a n o th e r
m essage from Abu Sufyan asking them to go back hom e because
th e caravan had escaped the M uslim s.

The Caravan escapes

Incidentally, Abu Sufyan, on learning th e in te n tio n of th e
M uslim s, led his caravan off th e m ain route, and headed tow ards
the Red Sea. By this move, he was able to slip past th e M adinese
am bush and was out of th eir reach.

The Makkan Arm y considers returning

O n receiving Abu Sufyan’s m essage, th e M akkan arm y show ed a
desire to retu rn hom e. The tyrant Abu Jahl, how ever proudly and
arrogantly insisted th a t they proceed to Badr, stay th ree nights
th ere for m aking festivities.
Now they w anted to pun ish th e M uslim s and prevent th em from
intercepting their caravans, and im press on th e Arabs th a t the
Q uraish still had th e upper hand and enjoyed suprem acy in th at
area.
In spite of Abu Jahl’s th reats and insistence, Banu Zahrah, acting
on th e advice of Al-Akhnas bin Shuraiq, broke away and returned
to M akkah. T henceforth Al-Akhnas rem ained 'th e well-rubbed
palm tre e ’ for Bani Zahrah and was blindly obeyed in all relevant
m atters.
Banu Hashim w ere also inclined to break away, b u t Abu Jahl's
threats m ade th em give up th at idea.
The rest of th e army, now 1000 soldiers, approached Badr and
encam ped them selves beyond a sand d u n e at Al-’Udwatul-Quswa.
The Battle o f Badr 255

The Difficult Position o f the Muslim Arm y

'The intelligence corps' of th e M adinese arm y reported to the

Prophet th at a bloody en co u n ter w ith th e M akkans was
inescapable, and th at a daring step in this context had to be taken,
or else th e forces of evil w ould violate th e inviolable and w ould
consequently m anage to u n d erm in e th e noble cause of Islam and
tread upon its faithful believers. The M uslim s w ere afraid th at the
pagan M akkans w ould m arch on and start th e w ar activities
w ithin th e headquarters of Islam, M adinah. A m ove of such
natu re w ould certainly dam age and produce an infam ous im pact
on th e dignity and position of th e M uslim s.

A Meeting for Consultation

O n account of th e new grave developm ents, th e Prophet held
an advisory m ilitary em ergency m eeting to review th e ongoing
situ a tio n and exchange v iew points w ith th e arm y leaders.
Adm ittedly, som e M uslim s feared th e horrible en co u n ter and
their courage began to waver; in th is regard, Allah says;

"As your Lord caused you (O M uham m ad to go o u t from

your hom e w ith th e Truth, and verily, a party am ong the
believers disliked it, disputing w ith you concerning the
T ru th after it was m ade m anifest, as if they w ere being
driven to death w hile they w ere looking (at it)." [8 :5 , 6]

The Prophet s g apprised his m en of th e gravity of th e situation

and asked for th eir advice. Abu Bakr 4® was th e first w ho spoke
and assured th e Prophet of th e unreserved obedience to his
com m and. 'Um ar 4^ was th e next. Then Al-Miqdad bin 'Amr 4*>
got up and said: "O M essenger of Allah! Proceed w here Allah
directs you to, for we are w ith you. We will n o t say as th e C hildren
of Israel said to Moses:
256 The Sealed Nectar

'Go you and your Lord and fight and w e will stay h e re ;’
rather we shall say;
I'd) Ijj d-u I

'Go you and your Lord and fight and w e will fight along w ith
you.'
By Allah! If you w ere to take us to Birk Al-Ghimad, we will still
fight resolutely w ith you against its defenders u n til you gained it."
The Prophet th en spoke well to him and supplicated for him .
The th ree leaders w ho spoke w ere from the Em igrants, w ho only
constituted a m inor section of th e army. The Prophet w anted,
and for th e m ore reason, to hear th e H elpers' view because they
w ere the m ajority of the soldiers and w ere expected to shoulder
th e b u rd en of th e w ar activities. M oreover, th e clauses of Al-
'Aqabah Pledge did n o t com m it th em to fighting beyond their
territories.
The Prophet th e n said:

« ^ 0 I L^f ^

"O people! Advise me!"

by w hich he m eant th e Helpers, in particular. Upon this Sa'd bin
M u'adh ^ stood up and said; "By Allah, I feel you w ant us (the
Helpers) to speak." The Prophet directly said: "Oh, yes!" Sa'd
said: "O Prophet of Allah! We believe in you and w e bear w itness
to w h at you have granted to us and w e declare in clear term s th at
w hat you have brought is th e Truth. We give you our firm pledge
of obedience and sacrifice. We will obey you m ost willingly in
w hatever you com m and us, and by Allah, W ho has sen t you w ith
th e Truth, if you w ere to ask us to throw ourselves into th e sea,
w e will do th a t m ost readily and n o t a m an of us will stay behind.
We do not deny th e idea of encounter w ith th e enem y. We are
experienced in w ar and w e are tru stw o rth y in combat. We hope
th a t Allah will show you through our h ands th o se deeds of
bravery w hich will please your eyes. Kindly lead us to the
battlefield in th e Name of Allah.”
The Battle o f Badr 257

The Prophet i g was im pressed w ith th e loyalty and th e spirit of

sacrifice w hich his C om panions show ed at th is critical point. Then
h e said to them :

"Move ahead and receive good new s, for Allah has prom ised
m e one of th e tw o (the rew arding course th rough capturing
th e booty or strife in th e cause of Allah against the
polytheists), and by Allah it is as if I now saw th e enem y
lying prostrate,"

The Messenger #£ and the Survey o f the Enemy

In th e im m ediate vicinity of Badr, th e Prophet s g and his
Com panion Abu Bakr 4> conducted a scouting operation during
w hich they m anaged to locate th e camp of Q uraish. They came
across an old bedouin nearby w hom they m anaged skillfully to
extract th e exact location of th e arm y of th e polytheists. In the
evening of th e sam e day. he dispatched th ree Em igrant leaders,
'Ali bin Abi Talib, Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam and Sa'd bin Abi
Waqqas 4® to scout about for new s about th e enem y. They saw
two m en draw ing w ater for th e M akkan army. So they brought
th em back w ith them . Upon interrogation, they adm itted th a t they
w ere w ater carriers w orking for Q uraish. But th a t answ er did not
please som e of th e M uslim s and they beat th e tw o boys severely
in order to exact from th em an answ er, even if it isn ’t true,
referring to th e caravan laden w ith w ealth. The tw o boys th u s lied,
and so they w ere released. The Prophet $g w ho had been busy in
prayer was angry w ith those m en and censured th em saying:

"On telling th e tru th , you beat them , and on telling a lie,

you released them ! By Allah th e tru th is th a t they w ere from
the Q uraish!"

He th en addressed th e tw o boys, and after a little conversation

w ith them he learned a lot about th e enem y: th e n um ber of
soldiers, th eir exact location and th e nam es of som e of their
notables.
He th en tu rn e d to th e M uslim s and said:
258 The Sealed Nectar

"This is M akkah sending to you its m o st precious lives."

The Rainfall
The sam e night it rained on both sides. For th e polytheists it
obstructed fu rth e r progress, w hereas it was a blessing for the
M uslim s. It cleaned th em and rem oved from th em th e stain of
Satan. Allah sen t rain to stren g th en th eir hearts and to plant th eir
feet firmly therew ith.

The Muslim Arm y marches ahead

They m arched a little forw ard and encam ped at th e farther bank
of the valley. M uham m ad ^ stopped at th e nearest spring of
Badr. Al-Hubab bin M undhir 4^ asked him , "Has Allah inspired
you to choose this very spot or is it strategy of w ar and the
product of consultation?” The Prophet replied "It is strategy of
w ar and co n sultation.” Al-Hubab said: "This place is no good; let
us go and encam p at th e nearest w ater well and m ake a basin or
reservoir full of w ater, th en destroy all th e other w ells so th a t they
will be deprived of th e w ater." The Prophet ^ approved of his
plan and agreed to carry it out, w hich they actually did at
m idnight.

Preparing the Trellis for the Headquarters

Sa'd bin M u'adh 4 s suggested th a t a trellis be b u ilt for the
Prophet #§ to function as headquarters for th e M uslim arm y and a
place providing reasonable protection for th e leader. Sa'd began to
justify his proposal and said th a t if they had been victorious, th en
everything w ould be satisfactory. In case of defeat, th e Prophet
w ould not be harm ed and he could go back to M adinah w here
there w ere m ore people w ho loved him and w ho w ould have
come for help if they had know n th at he w as in th a t difficult
situation, so th a t he w ould resum e his job, hold counsel w ith
th em and they w ould strive in th e cause of Allah w ith him again
and again. A squad of guards was also chosen from am ong the
Helpers u n d er the leadership of th e sam e m an, Sa'd bin M u'adh,
in order to defend th e Prophet in his headquarters.
The Battle o f Badr 259

Allah’s M essenger planned th e positions of his army, w alking

th ro u g h o u t th e place of th e planned c o n fro n tatio n ,111 pointing
w ith his h an d saying:
"This is th e position of so-and-so tom orrow , if Allah wills,
and this is th e position o f so-and-so tom orrow , if Allah
w ills.” 121
The Prophet ^ th e n sp e n t th e w hole night in prayer near a tree.
The M uslim army, tired from th eir long m arch, enjoyed sound
and refreshing sleep, a m ark of th e Divine favor and of th e state of
th eir u n d istu rb ed m inds.

"(Remember) w h en He covered you w ith a slum ber as a

security from Him, and He caused rain to descend on you
from th e sky, to clean you thereby a n d to rem ove from you
th e Rijz (whispering, evil suggestions, etc.) of Satan, and to
stren g th en your hearts, and m ake your feet firm thereby."
[ 8 : 11 ]

T hat was th e night preceding Friday, Ram adan 17th, th e year 2

A.H, and they had originally left for battle on th e 8th or th e 12th.
Positioning the Makkan Arm y
The Q uraish, on th e o th er hand, positioned th eir forces at Al-
'U dw atul-Q uswa opposite th e M uslim lines. A few of them
approached, in a provocative deed, to draw w ater from th e wells
of Badr, b u t w ere all sh o t dead except one, Hakim bin Hizam, w ho
later becam e a devoted M uslim . ’Um air bin W ahb Al-Jumahi, in an
a tte m p t to explore th e pow er of th e M uslim s, m ade a survey and
subm itted a report saying th a t th e M uslim arm y num bered as
m any as 300 m en keen on fighting to th e last m an.

[1] See At-Tirm idhi in the chapter on Jihad 1/201.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari. Recorded by M uslim , see Mishkatul-Masabih 2/543.
 (te\\e\ aipjo
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The Battle o f Badr 261

On a n o th e r investigation m ission h e came to th e conclusion th a t

n eith er m ore force was com ing nor am bushes laid. He understood
th a t they w ere too brave to su rren d er and too in te n t on carrying
o u t th eir m ilitary duties to w ithdraw w ith o u t slaying th e largest
n um ber possible of th e polytheists. This report as well as kindred
relations binding th e two confronting parties together, lessened
th e desire to fight am ong som e of th e Q uraishites. To counteract
this reason-based opposition advocated by a rival of his, 'Utbah bin
Rabi'ah and others, Abu Jahl started an anti-cam paign seeking
revenge on M uham m ad's followers for th e Q uraishites killed at
N akhlah. In th is way, h e m anaged to ru in th e o p p o site
orientation, and m anipulated th e people to see his evil views only,

The Two Armies meet

W hen the two parties approached closer and w ere visible to each
other, the Prophet ^ began supplicating Allah:

"O Allah! The proud and arrogant Q uraishites are already

here rebelling against You and belying Your M essenger. O
Allah! I am w aiting for Your victory w hich You have
prom ised me. I beg You Allah to defeat th em (the enem ies)."

He also gave strict orders th a t his m en w ould not start fighting

until he gave th em his final word. He recom m ended th a t they use
th eir arrow s carefully1' 1 and never resort to sw ord unless the
enem ies came too close.121

Abu Jahl also prayed for victory, saying: "Our Lord, w hichever of
th e two parties w as less kind to his relatives, and brought us w hat
w e do not know, th en destroy him tom orrow ." They w ere
confident th at th eir superior num ber, eq u ip m en t and experience
w ould be decisive. Allah revealed:

[11 Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/568.

[2] Abu Dawud 2/13.
262 The Sealed Nectar

"(O disbelievers) if you ask for a judgm ent, now has the
judgm ent come u n to you and if you cease (to do wrong), it
will be b e tte r for you, and if you retu rn (to th e attack), so
shall We return, and your forces will be of no avail to you,
how ever n um erous it be, and verily, Allah is w ith the
believers.” [8 :19]

The First Clash

The first disbeliever to start th e fire of th e battle and be its first
victim w as Al-Aswad bin 'Abdul-Asad Al-Makhzumi, a fierce bad-
tem pered idolater. He stepped o u t sw earing he w ould drink from
the w ater basin of th e M uslim s, otherw ise, destroy it or die for it.

He engaged w ith Ham zah bin ’Abdul-M uttalib w ho struck his

leg w ith his sw ord and dealt him an o th er blow th at finished him
off inside th e basin.

The Dueling begins

The battle had actually started. Protected by arm or and shields,
'Utbah bin Rabi'ah stepped forth betw een his b ro th er Shaibah and
his son Al-Walid bin 'Utbah from th e lines of Q uraish and cursed
th e M uslim s. Three young m en of th e H elpers cam e out against
them : 'Awf and M u'aw w idh - th e sons of Harith, and 'Abdullah
bin Rawahah. But th e M akkans sh outed th a t they had n othing to
do w ith them . They w anted th e heads of th eir cousins. Upon this
th e Prophet jjfc asked 'Ubaidah bin Al-Harith, Ham zah - his uncle,
and his cousin 'Ali to go forw ard for th e combat. The three duels
w ere rapid. Ham zah killed Shaibah, w hile 'Ali 4* killed Al-
W alid.111 'Ubaidah w as seriously w o u nded but, before h e fell,
Hamzah fell upon 'Utbah and w ith a sw eep of his sword, cut off
his head. 'Ali and Ham zah carried 'Ubaidah back w ith his leg cut
off. He died four or five days later of a disease in the bile duct.

[1] This is according to w hat Ibn Ishaq said. In th e report of Ahmad and Abu Dawud.
it was 'Ubaidah ^ w ho dueled w ith Al-Walid. 'Ali z$s> w ith Shaibah and
Hamzah w ith 'Utbah. See M ishkat 2/343.
The Battle o f Badr 263

'Ali 4e> used to sw ear th a t A llah’s W ords w ere revealed about

them :

"These tw o op p o n en ts (believers and disbelievers) dispute

w ith each o ther about th eir Lord." [22:19]
The duel w as followed by a few m ore duels b u t th e M akkans
suffered terrible defeats in all th e com bats and lost som e of th eir
m ost precious lives. They w ere too m uch frustrated and angry and
fell upon th e M uslim s to destroy th em once and for all. The
M uslim s, how ever, after supplicating th eir Lord, calling upon Him
for help, w ere m ade to hold to th eir position and conduct a
defensive w ar plan th a t was successful enough to inflict heavy
losses on th e attackers. The Prophet used to pray to his Lord
persistently day and night to come to th eir help. W hen th e fierce
engagem ent grew too h o t he again began to supplicate his Lord
saying:

jJ c p SJJ. j l p & \ i o li h i p 'j\ ^ l)l»

«ljul j’J-h JLuj

"O Allah! Should this group (of M uslim s) be defeated today,

You will no longer be w orshipped."
He continued to call out to his Lord, stretching forth his hands
and facing Al-Qiblah, u n til his cloak fell off his shoulders. Then
Abu Bakr ^ came, picked up th e cloak, and p u t it back on his
shoulders and said: "O Prophet of Allah, you have cried out
enough to your Lord. He will surely fulfill w h a t He has prom ised
yo u .” Im m ediate was th e response from Allah, W ho sen t dow n
angels from th e heavens for th e help and assistance of th e
Prophet i g and his Com panions. The Noble Q u ra n observes:

^ (jilt.** iaIjj

"Verily, I am w ith you, so keep firm th o se w ho have

believed. I will cast terror into th e h earts of th o se w ho have
264 The Sealed Nectar

disbelieved.” [8 :1 2 ]
Allah th e All-Mighty also inspired a n o th e r m essage to His
M essenger sg, saying:

iS o L lf 'Jt

"I will help you w ith a th o u san d of th e angels each behind

th e o th er (following one another) in succession." [8 :9]

The Descent o f the Angels

The Prophet jg . in his trellis, dozed off a little and th e n raised his
head calling loudly in joy:

1 l-U^ t^jbl .ilLI tj LI L jJLil))

* ^ti *\'\"*
oL>Uj T" t ^

"O Abu Bakr, glad tidings are th ere for you: Allah's victory
has approached, by Allah, I can see Gabriel on his m are in
th e thick of a sandstorm ."
He th en came swiftly upon th e ground reciting aloud:

i '£ \ s i? ; 1

"Their m u ltitu d e will be p u t to flight, and they will show

their backs,” [54:45]
At th e instance of Gabriel >&9, th e Prophet s g took a h andful of
gravel, cast it at the enem y and said: "Confusion seize th eir faces!”
As he flung th e dust, a violent sandstorm blew into th e eyes of th e
enem ies. W ith respect to this, Allah says:

"And you (i.e., M uham m ad §g) threw n ot w h en you did

throw b u t Allah th re w ,” [8:17]

The Assault
Only th en did he give clear orders to launch a counter-attack. He
was com m anding th e army, inspiring confidence am ong his m en
and encouraging th em to fight m anfully for th e sake of th eir Lord,
The Battle o f Badr 265

reciting th e W ords of Allah:

"And be quick for forgiveness from your Lord, and for

Paradise as w ide as are th e heavens and th e earth ." [3:133]
The spirit he infused into his m en was clearly w itn essed by the
valor of 'Umair, a lad of sixteen, w ho flung away som e dates he
was eating crying out: "These (the dates) are holding m e back from
Paradise." So saying he ran into th e thick of th e battle and died
fighting bravely. U nique deeds of valor, deep devotion and full
obedience to th e Prophet w ere exhibited in th e process of the
battle.
The arm y of th e believers fought by th e pow er of en thusiasm
w hich th e half-hearted w arriors of M akkah m iserably lacked. A
large num ber of th e polytheists w ere killed and th e o thers began
to waver. No w onder! The standard-bearers of T ruth w ere given
im m ediate help, and su p ernatural agencies (the angels), w ere sent
to th eir assistance by th eir Lord to h elp th em defeat th e forces of
evil.
The records of Hadith speak clearly of th e fact th at th e angels did
appear on th a t day and fought on th e side of th e M uslim s. Ibn
'Abbas said: "While on th a t day a M uslim w as chasing a
disbeliever and he heard over him th e sw ashing of a w hip and the
voice of th e rider saying: 'Go ahead H aizum ’. He glanced at the
polytheist w ho had (now) fallen dow n on his back. The Helper
came to Allah's M essenger jfc and related th a t event to him . The
Prophet ^ replied: 'You have told th e tru th . This was th e help
from th e th ird h e a v en .'"111
O ne of th e H elpers captured 'Abbas bin 'Abdul-M uttalib, w ho said:
"O M essenger of Allah, by Allah, this m an did not capture me. I
w as captured by a m an w ho w as bald and had th e m ost handsom e
face, and w ho was riding a piebald horse. I cannot see him here
am ong th e people." The H elper in terrupted: "I captured him , O

[1] Sahih M uslim 2/93-

266 The Sealed Nectar

M essenger of Allah." The Prophet replied:

J> vTJlLj 4JJ I il_b \ J j 23 d - I^

«>
"Be quiet, Allah th e All-Mighty stren g th en ed you w ith the
help of a noble angel."

Ib lis (Satan) flees from the Battle

Iblis, in th e guise of Suraqah bin M alik bin Ju’sham Al-Mudliji, on
seeing angels w orking in favor of th e M uslim s, and Q uraish
rapidly losing ground on th e battlefield, m ade a quick retreat
despite th e polytheists' pleas to stay on. He ran off and jum ped
into th e sea.

The Makkan Ranks begin to flee

The ranks of Q uraish began to give way and th eir num bers added
nothing b u t confusion. The M uslim s followed eagerly their
retreating steps, killing or taking captive all th a t fell w ith in their
reach. Retreat soon tu rn e d into sham eful runaway; and they flied
in haste, casting away th eir arm or, abandoned beasts of burden,
camp and equipm ent.

Abu Jahl stands firm

The great ty rant Abu Jahl, however, on seeing th e adverse course
of th e battle, tried to stop th e tidal wave o f th e Islamic victory by
nerving the polytheists and encouraging th em by all m eans
available and begging th em in th e nam e of Al-Lat and Al-'Uzza and
all sym bols of paganism to stan d firm in place and h it back against
the M uslim s, b u t to no avail. Their m orale had already been
significantly reduced to zero, and th eir lines broken dow n. He
th en began to realize th e reality of his pride and arrogance. None
rem ained around him except a gang of ill-fated polytheists w hose
resistance w as also crushed by an Islamic irresistible storm of true
devotion-based courage and Islam -orientated p u rsu it of m artyr­
dom . Abu Jahl was deserted and left by h im self on his horse
w aiting for death at th e han d of tw o courageous lads o f the
Helpers.
The Battle o f Badr 267

'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf related th e following interesting story

in this regard: I was in th e thick o f th e battle w h e n two youths,
still seem ingly inexperienced in th e art of fighting, one on the
right and th e second on th e left. O ne of th em spoke in a secret
voice asking m e to show him Abu Jahl. I asked about his intention,
to w hich he replied th a t he had a strong desire to engage w ith him
in com bat u n til either of th em w as killed. It was som ething
incredible to me. I tu rn e d left and th e o th er said som ething to the
sam e effect and show ed a sim ilar desire. I responded to their
in ten se desires and pointed directly at th eir target. They both
ru sh ed sw iftly tow ards th e spot, and w ith o u t a m o m e n t's
hesitation struck him sim ultaneously w ith th eir sw ords and
finished him off. They w e n t back to Allah's M essenger jgg, each
claiming th a t he had killed Abu Jahl to th e exclusion of th e other.
The Prophet asked if they had w iped th e blood off th eir sw ords
and they answ ered th a t they had not. He th e n exam ined both
sw ords and assured th em th a t they b oth had killed him . W hen the
battle concluded, Abu Jahl’s spoils w ere given to M u'adh bin 'Amr
bin Al-Jamuh, because th e o th er M u ’aw w idh bin Al-'Afra’111 was
later killed in th e course of th e sam e battle.

At th e term ination of th e battle, th e Prophet w anted to look for

this archenem y of Islam, Abu Jahl, 'Abdullah bin M as'ud found
him on th e verge of death b reathing his last. He stepped on his
neck addressing him : "Have you seen how Allah has disgraced
you?” The enem y of Islam still rebelliously answ ered: "I am n ot
disgraced. I am no m ore th an a m an killed by his ow n people on
th e battlefield." And th en inquired: "Who has w on th e battle?”
Ibn M as’ud 4* replied "Allah and His M essenger." Abu Jahl th en
said w ith a h e a rt full of bitterness: "You have followed difficult
ways, you shepherd!" Ibn M as'ud used to be a shepherd
w orking for th e M akkan nobles.

Ibn M as’ud th e n cut off his head and took it to Allah's

M essenger jjj| w ho, on seeing it, began to en te rta in A llah’s praise:

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/444, 2/568; M ishkat 2/352.

268 The Sealed Nectar

j t o-Uc- jTgjj i. oJU-j jJ-d? 5^ i <uI»

"Allah is Great, praise is to Allah, W ho has fulfilled His

Prom ise, h elp ed His servant and Alone d efeated th e
C onfederates."

He th en set o u t to have a look at th e corpse. There he said:

st ., > -,

"This is th e P haraoh o f th is n a tio n ,"

Some Significant Instances o f Devotion

1, The Prophet advised his C om panions to preserve th e lives of
som e m en from Banu Hashim w ho had gone o u t to Badr w ith the
polytheists unw illingly because they had feared th e censure of
th eir people, Among them , he nam ed Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul-
M uttalib and Abul-Bukhtari bin Hisham, He ordered the M uslim s
to capture, b u t not to kill them , Abu H udhaifah bin 'Utbah show ed
great surprise and com m ented saying: "We kill our fathers,
children, brothers and m em bers of our clan, and th en come to
spare Al-'Abbas? By Allah! If I see him I will surely strike him w ith
my sw ord.” On hearing these words, Allah's M essenger
addressing 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab said: "Is it fair th a t th e face of
the M essenger’s uncle be struck w ith sword?" 'Um ar got angry
and th rja te n e d to kill Abu H udhaifah; later he said th a t extrem e
fear had taken firm grip of him and felt th at n othing except
m artyrdom could expiate for his m istake. He was actually killed
later on during Al-Yamamah events.

2. Abul-Bukhtari bin H isham had already done his b est to restrain

his people, the M akkans, from com m itting any act of folly against
the Prophet w hile the latter was still in M akkah, He also
neither h u rt nor was reported to have uttered anything repugnant
w ith regard to the Prophet sgg. He had as well been am ong the
people w ho tried to invalidate the boycott alliance taken against
Banu Hashim and Banu 'Abdul-Muttalib.
The Battle o f Badr 269

Here, how ever, in the battle of Badr he insisted on fighting unless

his com patriot was spared. Al-Mujdhir bin Ziyad Al-Balwi, w ith
w hom he was engaged in fighting, replied th a t th e other was not
included in th e Prophet's recom m endation. The fight w e n t on to
end in Abul-Bukhtari's death.
3. 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf and Um aiyah bin Khalaf had been
close friends during th e pre-Islamic era. W hen th e battle of Badr
ended, 'Abdur-Rahman saw Um aiyah and his son am ong the
captives. He threw away th e arm or he had as spoils, and walked
w ith them both. Bilal 4®. th e P rophet's caller for prayer, saw
Umaiyah and soon all the to rtu re he had been put to at th e hand
of this m an daw ned upon him , and sw ore he w ould have revenge
on Umaiyah. 'Abdur-Rahman tried to ease th e tension and tu rn an
uneasy situation favorably b u t w ith no success. The M uslim s
gathered around and struck U m aiyah's son w ith sw ords. At this
point, 'Abdur-Rahman called upon his old friend to ru n for his life
b u t he was p u t to th e sw ord by different people and lay dow n
dead. 'Abdur-Rahman. com pletely helpless and resigned said:
"May Allah have mercy on Bilal, for he d .prived m e of th e spoils,
and I have been stricken by th e death of my two captives."
4. O n the m oral level, th e battle of Badr was an inescapable
conflict betw een the forces of good and those of evil. In this
context, 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab did not spare th e life of any
polytheist even his uncle on th e m aternal side, Al-'As bin Hisham
bin Al-Mughirah.
5. Abu Bakr 4« shouted at his son 'Abdur-Rahman, still a
polytheist and fighting w ith them , "W here is my w ealth, you
wicked boy?” The son answ ered th a t it w as gone w ith the w ind.
6 . W hen th e battle ended, th e M uslim s began to hold som e
polytheists in captivity. The Prophet looked into th e face of
Sa'd b in M u'adh, th e Head of th e P ro p h e t’s guards, and
understood th at he was hateful to taking th e enem y elem ents
as prisoners. Sa'd said th at it was th e first victory for th e M uslim s
over th e forces of polytheism , and he had m ore liking for slaying
th em th an sparing th eir lives.
270 TheS
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The Battle o f Badr 271

w hile th e others have su p p o rted me; you expelled me,

w hereas th e oth ers have sh eltered m e.”
He stood over th e bodies of tw enty-four leaders of Q uraish w ho
had been th row n into one of th e wells, and started to call th em by
nam e and by the nam es of th eir fathers, saying:

"W ould it not have been m uch b e tte r for you if you had
obeyed Allah and His M essenger? Behold, w e have found
th a t our Lord's Prom ise do com e true; did you (also) find
th a t th e prom ises of your lord cam e true?"
T hereupon, 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab ^ said: "O M essenger of Allah!
W hy you speak to bodies th a t have no souls in th em ?” The
Prophet 0 answ ered:

"By Him in W hose Hand is M uham m ad's soul! You do not

hear w h a t I am saying any b e tte r th an they d o .”

Makkah meets the Distressful News

The polytheists having received a large dose of p u n ish m e n t and
heavy defeat, fled away in great disorder in th e valleys and
hillocks heading for M akkah panicked and too asham ed to see
their people.
Ibn Ishaq related th a t th e first herald o f th e bad new s w as Al-
H aisum an bin 'Abdullah Al-Khuza’i. He narrated to th em how
th eir notables w ere killed. People th ere did n o t believe him at first
and th o u g h t th a t he had gone m ad, b u t soon th e new s was
confirm ed and a state of incredible bew ilderm ent overw helm ed
th e w hole M akkan scene.
Abu Sufyan bin Al-Harith gave Abu Lahab a full account of th e
m ass m urder and th e disgraceful defeat they sustained, w ith
em phasis on th e role th a t th e angels played in bringing about
th eir tragic end. Abu Lahab could n o t contain h im self and
expressed his feelings of h a tre d in beating, abusing and slapping
Abu Rafi' a M uslim , for reiterating th e role of th e angels.
Ummul-Fadl a n o th e r M uslim w om an, greatly frustrated by
Abu Lahab’s thoughtless behavior, struck him w ith a log and
272 The Sealed Nectar

cracked his head. Seven days later, he died of a w orst kind of ulcer
and was left for th ree days unburied. His sons, how ever, for fear
of sham eful rum ors, drove him to a pit and keeping their distance,
hurled stones and d u st at him .

The defeat was a m atter of great sham e and grief for the M akkans.
In alm ost every house th ere w ere silent tears for th e dead and the
captives. They w ere burning w ith hum iliation and w ere thirsting
for revenge. Wailing, lam enting and crying how ever w ere decreed
strictly forbidden lest th e M uslim s should rejoice at th eir
affliction.

Madinah receives the News o f Victory

Two announcers, ’Abdullah bin Rawahah and Zaid bin H arithah

w ere dispatched to M adinah, to convey the glad tidings of victory
to th e M uslim s there.

The m ultiethnic and ideological structure of M adinah featured

different respective reactions. R um orm ongers am ongst th e Jews
and hypocrites spread new s to th e effect th a t the Prophet ^ had
been killed, and tried to im press their false assum ption on the
fact th at Zaid bin H arithah 4® was riding Al-Oaswa', the Prophet's
she-camel. Having reached there, the tw o m essengers conveyed to
th e M uslim s the happy new s of victory, and furnished accurate
inform ation about th e course of events in order to establish the
sense of reassurance deep in th e hearts of th e anxious, b u t now,
joyous M uslim s. They im m ediately started acclaiming Allah's
Name and entertaining His praise at the top of their voices. Their
chiefs w en t out of the city to w ait and receive th e Prophet on
the road leading to Badr.

Usam ah bin Zaid 4® related th a t they received the new s of the

m anifest victory shortly after Ruqaiyah 4®. th e P rophet’s daughter,
and th e wife of 'U thm an bin 'Affan 4® had been com m itted to
earth. She had been term inally ill and th e Prophet ^ had asked
'U thm an to stay in M adinah and look after her.
The Battle o f Badr 273

Disputes over the Spoils o f War

Before leaving th e scene of th e battle, disp u tes concerning th e
spoils of w ar arose am ong th e M uslim w arriors, as th e rule
relating to th eir distribution had n o t yet been legislated. W hen the
difference grew w ider, Allah's M essenger ^ su spended any
solution w h ereo f u n til th e Revelation was sen t down.
'Ubadah bin As-Samit said: "We w e n t o u t w ith Allah's
M essenger and I w itnessed Badr w ith him . The battle started
and Allah th e Exalted defeated th e enem y. Some of th e M uslim s
sought and pursu ed th e enem y, som e w ere in te n t on collecting
the spoils from th e enem y camp, and o thers w ere guarding Allah’s
M essenger ^ and w ere on th e alert for any em ergency or surprise
attack.
W hen night came and th e M uslim s gathered together, those w ho
had collected th e booty said: 'We collected it, so no one else has
any right to it.' Those w ho pursued th e enem y said: 'You do not
have m ore right to it th an w e do; w e held th e enem y and th en
defeated th em .' As for th e m en w ho w ere guarding the
Prophet sge, they said, 'We feared th at th e enem y m ight strike
him so we w ere detained by th at.' So Allah revealed:

oU jbjV ' (Ji dUjSp ^ ^

"They ask you (O M uham m ad £&;) about the spoils of war.

Say: ’The spoils are for Allah and the M essenger.' So fear
Allah and adjust all m atters of difference am ong you, and
obey Allah and His M essenger (M uham m ad sfe), if you are
believers." [8 :1 ]
So Allah's M essenger d istributed it am ong th e M uslim s.111

The Arm y o f the Prophet heads back to Madinah

After three days at Badr, Allah's M essenger began leading the

[1] A hm ad 5/323. 324 and Al-Hakim 2/326.

2 74 The Sealed Nectar

army, along w ith th e captured pagans tow ard M adinah, They also
had a group of w o u nded pagans w ho w ere u n d e r th e charge of
'Abdullah bin Ka'b 4&. O n th eir way back to M adinah, at a large
sand hill, th e Prophet divided th e spoils equally am ong the
fighters after he had taken A l-K hum s (one-fifth). W hen they
reached As-Safra’, he ordered th a t An-Nadr bin Al-Harith, w ho
carried th e b a n n er for th e pagans at th e battle of Badr, should be
killed, because he was one of th e greatest crim inals of the
Q uraish, one of those w ho fought m ost against Islam, and because
of his persecuting Allah's M essenger So 'Ali bin Abu Talib 4&
beheaded him .

W hen he reached 'Irquz-Zabyah, he ordered th a t 'Uqbah bin Abu

M u'ait be killed. We have already m en tioned som e of th e ways
th a t he harm ed Allah's M essenger He was the one w ho put
th e entrails of th e dead anim al on th e head of Allah’s
M essenger w hile he was praying and w rapped his garm ent
around his neck nearly killing him w h en Abu Bakr 4& came to his
aid. W hen h e ordered th at he be p u t to d eath 'Uqbah said, "Who
will look after my children?" To w hich th e Prophet % said, "The
fire.” 111 He w as killed by 'Asim bin Thabit Al-Ansari 4®. and som e
say it was 'Ali bin Abu Talib 4e>- Killing th ese two tyrants was
essential due to th eir atrocities both in and o u t of war.

The Joyous Reception from the People o f Madinah

At Ar-Rawha', a suburb of M adinah, th e M uslim arm y was received

by th e joyous M adinese w ho had come to congratulate the
Prophet on th e m anifest victory th a t Allah had granted him .
Usaid bin H udair 4®. acting as a m outhpiece of th e o th er true
believers, after entertaining Allah's praise, he excused h im self for
n ot having joined th em on grounds th a t th e P rophet's in ten tio n
was m ost probably, an errand aim ing to intercept a caravan of
camels only, h e added th a t if it had occurred to him th a t it w ould
be real war, he w ould have never rem ained behind. The

[1] Sunan Abu Dawud (no. 2686) w ith 'Awnul-M a'bud 3/12.
The Battle o f Badr 275

Prophet assured Usaid th a t h e believed him .

The Prophet now en tered M adinah as a m an to be counted for
in a new dim ension - th e m ilitary field. In consequence, a large
n um ber of th e people of M adinah em braced Islam, w hich added a
lot to th e strength, pow er and m oral standing of th e tru e religion.
The Prophet j£| encouraged th e M uslim s to treat th e prisoners
well to such an ex ten t th a t th e captors gave th e captives their
bread (the m ore valued part of th e meal) and ate only dates
them selves.

The Judgment about the Captives

Prisoners of w ar co nstituted a problem aw aiting to be resolved
because it was a new p h en o m en o n in th e history of Islam. The
Prophet consulted Abu Bakr and 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab ^ as to
w h at he should do w ith th e prisoners. Abu Bakr 4*> suggested th a t
he should ransom them , explaining th is by saying: "They are after
all our relatives, and this m oney w ould give us stren g th against
th e disbelievers, m oreover, Allah could guide th em to Islam ."
'Um ar advised killing som e of them , saying, "They are the
leaders of Kufr (disbelief)." The Prophet ^ preferred Abu Bakr’s
suggestion to th a t of 'U m ar's. The following day, 'Um ar visited
th e Prophet gjg and Abu Bakr and found th em w eeping. He
show ed extrem e asto n ish m e n t and inquired about th e situation
so th a t he m ight w eep if it w as w orth w eeping for, or else he
w ould act as if w eeping. The P rophet said th a t a Q ur'anic Verse
had b een revealed rebuking th em for taking ransom from the
captives rath er th a n slaying them :

"It is not for a Prophet th a t h e should have prisoners of w ar

(and free th em w ith ransom ) u n til h e had m ade a great
slaughter (among his enem ies) in th e land. You desire the
good of this w orld (i.e., th e m oney of ransom for freeing the
276 The Sealed Nectar

captives), b u t Allah desires (for you) th e Hereafter. And

Allah is All-Mighty, All-Wise, W ere it not a previous
o rdainm ent from Allah, a severe to rm en t w ould have
touched you for w h at you took," [8:67, 68]
The previous Divine ord ain m en t w e n t as follows:

"Thereafter (is th e time) either for generosity (i.e., free them

w ith o u t ransom ) or ransom ." [47:4]
It included an area providing perm ission to take ransom , th a t is
w hy no penalty was im posed. They w ere rebuked only for taking
prisoners before taking control of all th e land of disbelief. Apart
from this, th e polytheists taken to M adinah w ere not only
prisoners of w ar b u t rather crim inals of w ar w hom m odern war
penal law brings to justice to receive their due sentence of death,
The ransom for th e prisoners ranged betw een 4000 and 1000
dirham s in accordance w ith th e captive's financial situation,
A nother form of ransom assum ed an educational dim ension:
m ost of the M akkans, unlike the M adinese, w ere literate and so
each prisoner w ho could not afford the ransom was en tru sted
w ith ten children to teach them th e art of w riting and reading.
Once the child had been proficient enough, th e instructor w ould
be set free. A nother clan of prisoners was released w ith o u t
ransom on grounds of th eir poor condition. Zainab, the daughter
of the Prophet paid th e ransom of her husband Abul-'As w ith a
necklace. The M uslim s released h er prisoner and returned the
necklace as a respect to th e Prophet -jfe, b u t on condition th at
Abul-'As w ould allow Zainab 4® to m igrate to M adinah, w hich he
actually did.
In captivity, there was also an eloquent orator called Suhail bin
'Amr, 'Umar 4® suggested th at they pull o ut his front teeth to
disable him from speaking, b u t the Prophet tu rn ed dow n his
suggestion for fear Q uraish should get revenge in th e sam e
m anner on one hand, and on th e o ther for fear of Allah's w rath on
the Day of Resurrection.
The Battle o f Badr 277

Sa'd bin An-Nu’m an w ho had been detained in M akkah by Abu

Sufyan w hile perform ing 'Umrah, was released in exchange for
Abu Sufyan's son 'Amr.

The Battle o f Badr in its Qur’anic Context

The C hapter of Al-Anfal (Spoils of War) was revealed on the
occasion of th e battle of Badr, Ram adan 17th 2 A.H. It constituted
a unique Divine com m entary on this battle.

Allah th e All-High in the context of this C hapter draw s on major

issues relating to the w hole process of Islam ization. Allah, here
draw s th e a tte n tio n of th e M uslim s to th e still rem aining m oral
shortcom ings in th eir character. He w ants th em to build a united
and purified society. He tells th em about th e invisible help He
sent dow n to His obedient servants to enable th em to accom plish
th eir noble objectives. He w ants th e M uslim s to rid them selves of
any characteristic of arrogance or pride th a t m ight creep in. He
w ants them to tu rn to Him for help, obey Him and His
M essenger

After th a t He described th e noble objectives for w hich the

M essenger ^ launched th a t bloody battle, and directed th em to
the m erits and qualities th a t brought about th e great victory.

The polytheists, hypocrites, the Jews and prisoners of w ar w ere

also m entioned, being adm onished to su rre n d e r to th e T ruth and
adhere to it only.
The question of th e spoils of w ar w as resolved and th e principles
and basics relevant to this issue w ere clearly defined.

The laws and rules p e rtin en t to w ar and peace w ere legalized and
codified, especially at this advanced stage of th e Islamic action.
Allah w anted the M uslim s to follow w ar ethics dissim ilar to those
of pre-Islamic practices. The M uslim s are considered to surpass
o thers in ethics, values and fine ideals. He w ants to im press on
the w orld th at Islam is not m erely a theoretical code of life, b u t it
is rather based on practical principles th a t cultivate m ind and
provide a way of life. In this context, He established inter and
278 The Sealed Nectar

in trastate relations.
The fast of Ram adan was established as an obligatory observance
in the year 2 A.H., along w ith th e duty im posed upon M uslim s of
paying Zakat (alms tax, poor-due) in order to lessen th e b u rd en of
th e needy Emigrants.
A w onderful and striking coincidence was th e establishm ent of
Shawwal 'Eid (the Festival of th e Fast-Breaking) directly after the
m anifest victory of Badr. It was actually th e finest spectacle ever
w itnessed of M uslim s leaving th eir houses, praying, acclaiming
Allah's Nam e and entertaining His praise at th e top of th eir voices
in recognition of His favor and grace, and last b u t not least, the
su p p o rt He rendered th em and through w hich th e forces of the
T ruth overpow ered those of evil.

"And rem em ber w h en you w ere few and w ere reckoned

w eak in th e land, and w ere afraid th a t m en m ight kidnap
you, b u t He provided a safe place for you, stren g th en ed you
w ith His help, and provided you w ith good things so th at
you m ight be grateful." [8:26]
 The Military Activities between Badr
and Uhud

The battle of Badr w as th e first arm ed en co u n ter betw een the

M uslim s and Q uraish. It was in fact a decisive battle th a t gained
th e M uslim s a historic victory acknow ledged by all th e Arabs, and
dealt a heavy blow to th e religious and econom ic in terests of th e
polytheists. There w ere also th e Jews w ho also used to regard each
Islamic victory as a heavy blow to th eir religio-economic entity.
Both parties w ere b u rning w ith rage and fury since th e M uslim s
had achieved th a t great victory:

"Verily, you will find th e strongest am ong m en in enm ity to

th e believers (Muslims) th e Jews and Al-M ushrikun (poly­
theists, pagans, idolaters and disbelievers, etc.).’’ [5:82]
Both resen tfu l parties had th eir m uch m ore annoyed p artn er in
th e form of hypocrites w ho faked Islam just to save th eir faces; at
th e head of w hom came 'Abdullah bin Ubai and his followers. The
d esert bedouins living in ten ts pitched in th e vicinity of M adinah,
w ho dep en d ed on plundering and looting as a m eans of living,
w ere totally ind ifferen t to this fu n d am en tal question of belief and
disbelief. Their w orry resulting from fear of losing th eir m eans of
existence in case a pow erful M uslim state should rise up in
M adinah and p u t an end to th eir practices, hence th e grudge they
nursed against Islam, M uslim s and M uham m ad
The w hole cause of Faith w as th u s at stake w ith four furious
parties laying am bushes against th e new religion, each in its style:
P re te n sio n to Islam e m b e d d e d w ith conspiracy p lo ts a n d
provocative deeds w ith in M adinah, clearly open hostility along
w ith rese n tm e n t and rage on th e part of th e Jews, and th ere in
M akkah open and continual calls for revenge coupled w ith open
in ten tio n s to m obilize all potential resources available to silence
th e voice of Islam once and for all. This was later translated into
m ilitary action, th e U hud Invasion, w hich left a bad im pression on
280 The Sealed Nectar

th e good nam e and esteem th a t th e M uslim s w ere carefully

w orking to raise and preserve.

Al-Kudr Invasion
The first intelligence to reach th e Prophet in M adinah after
Badr, told th a t Banu Sulaim of Ghatafan w ere engaged in gathering
troops to attack th e M uslim s. The Prophet 0 , took th e initiative
him self and m o u n ted a surprise attack on th em in their own
hom eland at a w atering place called Al-Kudr. Banu Sulaim, on
receiving th e news, fled before he arrived. He stayed th ere for
three days, took th eir 500 cam els as booty and d istributed th em to
the fighters after he set aside th e usual one-fifth; each one gained
two camels. This invasion took place in Shawwal in th e year 2
A.H., seven days after th e event of Badr.111

An Attempt on the Life o f the Prophet

The im pact of defeat at Badr was so great th a t th e M akkans began
to b urn w ith hatred and rese n tm e n t over th eir horrible losses. To
resolve this situation, two polytheists volunteered to quench their
th irst and silence the source of th at hum iliation, i.e., the
Prophet
'Umair bin W ahb Al-Jumahi, a terrible polytheist, and an enem y
Safwan bin Umaiyah sat together privately lam enting their loss
and rem em bering th eir dead and captives. 'Um air expressed a
keen desire to kill th e Prophet % and release his captured son
W ahb in M adinah, if it was not for the b u rd en of debts he was
under and th e large family he had to support. Safwan also had his
reasons to see the Prophet killed, so he offered to pay ’Um air's
debts and sup p o rt his family if he w e n t on w ith his plan.
’Umair agreed and asked Safwan to keep th e m atter secret. He left
for M adinah, having w ith him a sword to w hich he applied som e
kind of deadly poison. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab ^ saw him at the
door of the M osque and understood th a t he had come w ith evil

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/90, Ibn Hisham 2/43. 44, M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul p. 236.
The M ilitary Activities between Badr and Uhud 281

intentions. He im m ediately w e n t into th e M osque and inform ed

th e Prophet He was let in caught by th e h an d le of his sword
and in greeting he said, "good m orning", to w hich th e Prophet
replied th a t Allah had been Gracious and taught th em th e greeting
of th e dw ellers of th e Paradise: "peace be upon you!" To a
question raised by th e Prophet jgg about his object, 'Um air said
th a t he had come to see th a t his captured son was w ell treated. As
for th e sword, w hich th e Prophet asked him about, he cursed it
and said th a t it gained th em nothing. O n pressing him to tell his
real goal, he rem ained obstinate and did n o t disclose th e secret
m eeting w ith Safwan. Here th e Prophet ^ got im p atien t and he
him self revealed to ’Um air his secret m ission. ’Um air was taken by
surprise, and incredible asto n ish m e n t seized him , and im m edi­
ately bore w itness to th e M essengership of M uham m ad He
th e n began to e n tertain Allah’s praise for having been guided to
th e ’Straight P ath’. The Prophet ^ was pleased and asked his
C om panions to teach ’Um air th e principles of Islam, recite to him
th e Noble Q u r’an and release his son from captivity.
Safwan, m eanw hile, was still en tertain in g false illusions as to the
approaching recovery of honor, and burying th e m em ory of Badr
into forgetfulness. He was im patiently aw aiting ’U m air’s new s b u t
to his great surprise, h e was told th a t th e m an had em braced Islam
and changed into a devoted believer. ’Um air later came back to
M akkah w here he started to call people u n to Islam and h e did
actually m anage to convert a lot of M akkans into Islam .111

The Invasion o f Bani Qainuqa’

We have already spoken about th e treaty th a t th e Prophet jte
signed w ith th e Jews. He w as very careful to abide by it to the
letter and the M uslim s did n o t show th e least violation of any of
its provisions. The Jews, however, w hose inclination to treachery,
betrayal and covenant-breaching, could not rid them selves of th e
tradition of theirs, had started a process of intrigues and
troublem aking w ith th e aim of producing division in th e growing

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/661-663.

282 The Sealed Nectar

solid M uslim ranks. Here is a relevant m odel of th eir behavior:

The Schemes o f the Jews

Shas bin Qais, an elderly Jew, a terrible disbeliever and a greatly
envious m an of th e M uslim s, passed by a group of th e
C om panions of A llah’s M essenger jfi from Aws and Khazraj. He
perceived a w idespread spirit of un d erstan d in g and an atm o­
sphere of relationship and friendship enveloping th e w hole
group; an u nusual scene categorically in conflict w ith th e hostility
and hatred th a t characterized th eir pre-Islamic behavior. He,
therefore, sent a youth of his to sit am ong them , rem ind th em of
the Bu'ath w ar betw een th em and recite som e of their verses
w hich they used to com pose satirizing each other; all of this w ith
th e in ten tio n of sowing th e seeds of discord and disagreem ent,
and u n d erm in in g th e new Islam ically o rien tated intertribal
relations. The youth did in fact succeed and the two parties at
no tim e recalled th e old days, and pre-Islamic tribal fanaticism
sprang to th e front to bring about a state of war.
The Prophet was inform ed of this account, and im m ediately, at
th e head of som e Em igrants, set o u t to see to th e situation. He
began to rebuke th em b u t in th e m anner of th e great instructor
and th e tolerant spirit of th e un d erstan d in g guide:

"O M uslims! By Allah! Have you en tered th e state of pre-

Islamic ignorance w hile I am still am ong you, after Allah
guided you to Islam, h onored you w ith it, by it He cut the
fetters of ignorance from your necks, and delivered you
from disbelief and united your hearts?”
The M uslim s readily realized th a t it was a Satanic urge and a plot
hatched by th e enem ies. They directly em braced each other and
w e n t back hom e quite satisfied and in full obedience to A llah’s
M essenger
Such w ere the practices of the Jews, faking belief in th e day, and
practicing disbelief at night. If they hap p en ed to owe a M uslim

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/555. 556.

The M ilitary Activities between Badr and Uhud 283

som ething, they w ould avoid th eir obligations on grounds th a t he

had converted into a new religion and they w ould declare th a t the
basis of agreem ent was no longer valid. If it was th e o th er way,
they w ould never cease to harass him day and night to pay back
th e debt. They w ere doing all of this before th e battle of Badr in
spite of th e treaty they had w ith A llah's M essenger But A llah’s
M essenger j g and his C om panions w ere patien t w ith all of that,
hoping th a t they w ould receive guidance and th a t peace and
security w ould spread th ro u g h o u t th eir land.

The Jews o f Qainuqa’ breach the Covenant

Seeing th a t Allah aided th e believers and granted th em a m anifest
victory, and perceiving th e M uslim s' aw esom e presence in
M adinah, th e Jews could no longer contain them selves or conceal
their resen tm en t. They publicly started a series of provocative and
harm ful deeds. The m ost wicked person am ong th em was Ka'b bin
Ashraf, and he will be m en tio n ed later. As for th e m ost wicked
group am ong th em it w as th e tribe of Banu Q ainuqa’, w ho lived in
quarters nam ed after th em w ith in M adinah. As for jobs, they took
up goldsm ithery, blacksm ithing and crafts of m aking h o usehold
in stru m en ts, th a t is w hy w ar w eaponry was available in large
quantities in th eir houses. They num bered 700 w arriors, and w ere
th e m ost bold am ongst th e Jewish com m unity in Arabia, and now
th e first to breach th e covenant of cooperation and nonaggression
w hich they had already countersigned w ith th e Prophet Their
behavior grew too im polite and unbearable. They started a process
of trouble-m aking, jeering at th e M uslim s, h u rtin g th o se w ho
frequented th eir bazaars, and even frightening th eir w om en.
Abu Daw ud and o thers reported th a t Ibn 'Abbas ^ said: W hen
A llah’s M essenger ^ defeated th e Q uraish at Badr and retu rn ed
to M adinah, h e gathered th e Jews at th e bazaar of Banu Q ainuqa’.
He th e n said:

"O you Jews! E nter Islam before you suffer w h a t hap p en ed

to th e Q uraish."
They replied: "O M uham m ad! Do n ot deceive yourself, you
284 The Sealed Nectar

m erely fought a party of the Q uraish w ho w ere inexperienced at

war. But if you w a n t to fight us th en know th at w e are an entire
people! And indeed you have not m et up w ith anyone like us
before!”

In this regard, th e W ords of Allah w ere revealed:

" it* < £ « s& r >>

^ 3 llJcil j Ajlt jl£=»
^*vl-*a ^
j* ^J >-^1^4
i ^ 4 i \ ^ _ jy i 4

"Say (O M uham m ad $Jc) to th o se w ho disbelieve: 'You will

be defeated and gathered together to Hell, and w orst indeed
is th a t place to rest.' There has already been a Sign for you
(O Jews) in the tw o arm ies th a t m et (in th e battle of Badr):
O ne was fighting in the cause of Allah, and as for th e other
(they) w ere disbelievers. They (the believers) saw th em (the
disbelievers) w ith th eir ow n eyes twice th eir num ber
(although they w ere thrice th eir num ber). And Allah
supports w ith His Victory w hom He pleases. Verily, in this
is a lesson for those w ho u n d e rsta n d .” [3 :1 2 , 1 3 ][11

The answ er of Banu Q ainuqa' am ounted, as seen, to a declaration

of war. The Prophet suppressed his anger and advised the
M uslim s to be patient and forbearing and w ait for w h at tim e
m ight reveal.

Ibn Hisham reported from Abu 'Aun th at an Arab w om an arrived

at the bazaar of Banu O ainuqa' to sell an item w hich she did.
Afterwards, w hile she sat at th e goldsm ith's, they w anted to
expose h er face, so th e goldsm ith fastened th e border of her
garm ent to th e back of it w ith o u t her know ing it. So w h en she
stood to leave, it uncovered h er private area and they began
laughing at her. She fixed h er clothes, and a M uslim m an came
and killed th e Jew goldsm ith. The o th er Jews attacked th e M uslim

[1] Sunan Abu Dawud w ith Awnul-M a'bud 3/115. Ibn Hisham 1/552.
The Military Activities between Badr and Uhud 285

m an killing him . The family of the M uslim m an called the

M uslim s to help and th e conflict betw een them and Banu
Q ainuqa' began."[I1

The Siege, the Surrender and the Banishment

On Saturday, Shawwal 15th, 2 A.H.. after pu ttin g Abu Lubabah Ibn
'Abdul-M undhir 4« in charge of M adinah, th e Prophet
m arched out w ith his soldiers, Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib 4®
carrying the standard of the M uslim s and laid siege to the Jews'
forts for 15 days. Allah cast fear into th eir hearts, and they w ere
obliged to defer to th e M essenger's judgm ent for their lives,
w ealth, w om en and children; th eir h an d s w ere tied beh in d their
backs.

At this point, 'Abdullah bin Ubai Ibn Salul started his hypocritical
role and began to intercede for th em persistently on grounds of
form er alliance betw een those Jews and his tribe th e Khazraj.
M uham m ad dealt w ith this hypocrite - w ho had pronounced
his Islam only about one m o n th by th a t tim e - by granting him his
request. Banu O ainuqa' handed over all m aterials, w ealth, arm or
and w eapons to th e Prophet w ho set aside one-fifth and
distributed th e rest to his m en. After th a t they w ere expelled out
of all of Arabia to vast lands in Greater Syria w here they stayed for
a w hile and soon perished away.

A s-S a w eeq Invasion

Two-sided hostile activities w ere being in d ependently conducted
against th e Prophet sg; plots and intrigues being hatched by
Safwan bin Umaiyah, th e hypocrites and Jews on th e one hand,
and on parallel lines going on w ith m ilitary hostilities being
prepared by Abu Sufyan aim ing at saving the face of his people
and im pressing th e o th er Arabs th a t O uraish was still a proper
m ilitary power. In the afterm ath of Badr. Abu Sufyan w as burning
for revenge and took a solem n vow th a t he w ould never bathe off

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/47. 48.

286 The Sealed Nectar

im purity u ntil he had taken th e revenge. He set o u t at th e head of

200 m en tow ards M adinah b u t was n o t brave enough to attack it
in broad daylight. He, instead adopted th e acts of robbery th a t are
perform ed in th e dark. He secretly en tered M adinah and w e n t to
see an old friend nam ed Huyai bin Akhtab, w ho was too cowardly
to let him in, so h e left for Salam bin M ishkam , chief of Bani
Nadeer, a tribe o f Jews. The Jew entertain ed and gave him a full
account of th e situation therein. Late at night he dispatched a
group of his m en to raid Al-'Uraid, a suburb of M adinah. There,
th e m en cut and b u rn t som e palm trees, killed tw o M uslim s and
th e n took swiftly to their heels.
O n hearing the news, th e Prophet gathered his m en and set
o u t in search of Abu Sufyan, b u t they could not catch them . The
M uslim s brought back th e provisions (Saweeq, a kind of barley
porridge) w hich th e polytheists had throw n aside in order to
lighten th eir loads and h asten th eir escape; hence this campaign
was called As-Saweeq Invasion. It took place in Dhul-Hijjah 2 A.H.,
tw o m onths after th e event of Badr. And th e Prophet ^ also left
Abu Lubabah ^ in charge of M adinah for this ex p ed itio n .111

The Invasion o f Dhi Amr

In M uharram , 3 A.H., th e P ro p h et's intelligence p erso n n el
reported th a t Banu T ha’labah and Banu M uharib w ere gathering
troops w ith th e aim of raiding th e outskirts of M adinah. The
Prophet at th e head of 450 horsem en and footm en set o u t to
handle this new situation. This was his largest m ilitary exercise
prior to the battle of Uhud. 'U thm an bin ’Affan 4* was asked to
take charge of th e affairs of th e M uslim s in M adinah. O n their
way, they captured a m an w ho em braced Islam and acted as a
guide for th e army. W hen th e enem ies heard of th e approach of
th e M uslim s, they hurriedly dispersed in th e m o untains and
disappeared. The M uslim s encam ped at a w atering place called
Dhi Amr for th e w hole o f Safar 3 A.H. The Prophet aim ed to
im press upon th e d esert bedouins in th e area, th a t th e M uslim s

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/90. 91; Ibn Hisham 2/44. 45.

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288 The Sealed Nectar

will kill Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf? He had spoken evil about Allah, and
His M essenger." T hereupon, M uham m ad bin M aslam ah, ’Abbad
bin Bishr, Al-Harith bin Aws, Abu ’Abs bin Jabr and Abu Na'ilah,
i.e., Salkan bin Salamah, Ka'b’s foster brother, volunteered to do
th e job.
M uham m ad bin M aslam ah said: "O M essenger of Allah, do you
w ish th a t I should kill him ?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Perm it m e
to talk (to him in the way I deem fit)." He said: "Talk (as you
like)." So, M uham m ad bin M aslam ah came to Ka'b and talked to
him , saying: "This m an (i.e., th e Prophet $fe) has m ade up his
m ind to collect charity (from us) and this has p u t us to a great
h a rd sh ip .” W hen he heard this, Ka'b said: "By Allah you will be
p u t to m ore trouble by h im ." M uham m ad b in M aslam ah
answ ered: "No doubt, now w e have becom e his followers and
w e do not like to forsake him u ntil we see w h at tu rn his affairs
will take. I w an t th at you should give m e a loan." He said: "W hat
will you mortgage?" M uham m ad answ ered: "W hat do you w ant?”
The im m oral and heartless Jew dem anded w om en and children as
articles of security against the debt. M uham m ad said: "Should we
pledge our w om en w hereas you are th e m ost handsom e of the
Arabs; and the son of one of us may be abused by saying th at he
was pledged for two Wasg (m easurem ent u n it of weight) of dates
b u t w e can pledge you (our) w eapons." Ka'b agreed. Salkan bin
Salamah (Abu Na'ilah), at an o th er tim e, w en t to see Ka’b for the
sam e purpose and th ere w ere m ore or less th e sam e subjects, only
th a t Abu Na'ilah w ould bring him som e com panions. The plan
was successful and provided for th e presence of both m en and
w eapons. O n Rabi’ul-Awwal 14th, at night, the year 3 A.H., the
people said good-bye to the Prophet and set o u t in th e Nam e of
Allah to im plem ent the carefully draw n plan. The Prophet %
stayed back praying for them and supplicating Allah to render
them success.
The m en w e n t and called upon him at night. He came dow n
although his w ife w arned him not to m eet them alleging that: "I
hear a voice w hich sounds like th e voice of m urder." He said: "It is
only M uham m ad bin M aslam ah and m y foster brother Abu
The M ilitary Activities between Badr and Uhud 289

Na'ilah. W hen a gentlem an is called at night even if he be pierced

w ith a spear, he should respond to th e call.” Abu N a'ilah said to
his com panions: "As he com es dow n, I will extend my hand
tow ards his head to sm ell and w h en I hold him fast, you should
do your job." So w h en he came dow n, they talked together for
about an hour. They th e n invited him to go o u t and spend a nice
tim e in th e m oonlight. O n th e way out, Abu N a’ilah rem arked: "I
sm ell th e nicest perfum e from yo u .” Ka’b said: "Yes, I have w ith
m e a m istress w ho is th e m ost scented of th e w om en of Arabia."
Abu N a'ilah again said: "Allow m e to sm ell (the scent on your
head)." He said: "Yes, you m ay sm ell." So he caught it and sm elt.
Then he said: "Allow m e to do so (once again)." He th en held his
head fast and said to his com panions: "Do your job." And they
killed him . The group of m en came back after fulfilling their
m ission. O ne of them Al-Harith bin Aws was w ounded by m istake
w ith th e sw ords of his m en. and was bleeding badly. W hen they
reached Baqi’ Al-Gharqad, they shouted, "Allah is M ost Great." The
Prophet heard them and realized th a t they had killed the
enem y of Allah. As they saw him , he said: "Cheerful faces are
yours." In reply, they said: "And yours, O M essenger of Allah."
They h anded the head of th e tyrant over to him . He en tertained
Allah's praise for their success. He th en applied his saliva to Al-
H arith’s w ound and it healed on th e sp o t.111

W hen th e Jews learned about th e death of their tyrant. Ka’b bin Al-
Ashraf, they w ere scared and even their stone like hearts w ere in
th e grip of inexpressible panic.
They realized th at A llah’s M essenger ^ w ould then cefo rth never
hesitate to use force w h en good w ords and adm onition failed.
They rem ained silent and resigned, and faked adherence to
covenants.
Now the Prophet was free to collect his thoughts and give
him self up to resolving foreign affairs, and facing dangers th a t

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/51-57; Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/341, 425, 2/577: Zadul-Ma'ad 2/91; and
Sunan Abu Dawud w ith 'Awnul-M a'bud 2/42. 43.
290 The Sealed Nectar

could be carried on the hostile w ind blow ing again from M akkah.

The Invasion o f Buhran

In Rabi'uth-Thani, th e year 3 A.H., th e Prophet led a campaign
com prising 300 w arriors to Buhran in th e area of Al-Furu'. He
stayed there till Jum ada Al-Ula, 3 A.H. No fighting took place in the
process of this patrolling invasion.111

Zaid bin Harithah leads a Campaign on the Trade Routes

o f Quraish
This was th e m ost successful cam paign prior to U hud Battle. It
took place in Jum ada Ath-Thaniyah, th e year 3 A.H.
Sum m er approached and it was high tim e for th e M akkan trade
caravans to leave for Syria. The people of Q uraish w hose lives
depended m ainly on a trade econom y consisting of sum m er
caravans to Syria and w in ter caravans to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), w ere
now at a loss as to w h at route they w ould have to follow in order
to avoid th e backbreaking m ilitary strikes th a t the M uslim s
successfully inflicted on the polytheists.
They held a m eeting to discuss the chances of escaping the
econom ic blockade and decided to go along a trade route across
Najd to Iraq. Furat bin Haiyan was appointed as a guide for the
caravan. Safwan bin Um aiyah led th e caravan along th e new route.
News of th e m eeting leaked o u t through N u'aim bin M as'ud Al-
Ashja'i u n d er th e effect of w ine and it flew fast to M adinah by
Sulait bin A n-N u'm an w ho told th e Prophet ^ th e plan. The
Prophet im m ediately gathered 100 horsem en u n d er the
leadership of Zaid bin H arithah Al-Kalbi 4* and dispatched them
to intercept and capture th e caravan. They caught up w ith the
camels at a place called Al-Qardah. They took th e polytheists by
surprise and arrested their guide and tw o o th er m en. Safwan and
his guards fled away w ith o u t show ing the least resistance. The
caravan was carrying silver and w ares w hose value am ounted to

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/50. 51; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/91.

The Military Activities between Badr and Uhud 291

100 th o u san d dirham s. The booty w as d istributed am ong the

M uslim w arriors after one-fifth had been set aside for the
Prophet Furat bin Haiyan em braced Islam o ut of his ow n free
w ill.'11
As a result of this episode, th e M uslim s foiled th e Q uraish plans
to find a new trade route. The econom ic siege laid to M akkah was
th u s stren g th en ed and had a great im pact on th e trade econom y of
Makkah. The M akkans w ere terribly anxious and w orried about
their prospects of life now at stake w ith no hope w hatsoever for
any possible rehabilitation of com m ercial life or redem ption of
form er prestige at the socio-political level, except through two
avenues categorically contrasting: Giving up all sym bols of pride
and all attitu d es of arrogance through reconciliation w ith th e new
state of affairs, and peaceableness w ith the M uslim s; or launching
a decisive overpow ering w ar w ith the aim of crushing dow n the
m ilitary forces of M adinah. It w as ap p aren t through the process of
events th a t th e O uraish had opted for th e second alternative.
Loud cries w ere being heard everyw here in M akkah dem anding
im m ediate revenge and quick retaliatory action. These m ovem ents
on all levels co nstituted th e direct prelim inaries to th e battle of
Uhud.

[1] Ibn Hisham 1/50. 51

 The Battle of Uhud

The defeat at Badr w as a hum iliation w hich th e Q uraishites pride

could not leave unavenged. Revenge was, therefore, th e catchword
all over M akkah. The M akkans even forbade lam enting over their
m urdered people, or ransom ing their people w ho w ere captives at
battle of Badr, lest the M uslim s should realize the grave degree of
sadness and feeling of tragedy they w ere experiencing.
In th e wake of Badr event, Q uraish was in com m on consent and
started fresh preparations to launch an overall w ar against the
M uslim s in order to restore their w ounded prestige and pride. The
m ost enthusiastic polytheists desiring to go into a new battle w ere
’Ikrim ah bin Abi Jahl, Safwan bin Umaiyah, Abu Sufyan bin Harb,
and 'Abdullah bin Abi Rabi'ah. They w ere determ ined to crush the
com m onw ealth of Islam once and for all. M essengers w ere se n t to
all the tribes to m ake com m on cause against the rising Faith. As a
consequence of this, they m anaged to enlist the support of any
w ho w anted to fight against the M uslim s am ong the tribe of
Kinanah, th e people of Tiham ah and th e people living in suburbs.
It was also decided th at the profits of th e escaped caravan headed
by Abu Sufyan, w hich am o u n ted to 1000 camels and 50 thousand
dinars, should be devoted for providing eq u ipm ent to the army. It
was about this th at Allah revealed:

p-J 4X)\ JC- 'y\

p C -ii ^

"Verily, those w ho disbelieve spend th eir w ealth to h in d er

(men) from the path of Allah, and so will they continue to
spend it; b u t in the end it will becom e an anguish for them .
Then they will be overcom e." [8:36]
They also devised o ther ways of recruitm ent including hiring
poets to persuade th e tribes into fighting th e M uslim s. Safwan bin
Umaiyah allured Abu 'Azzah, the poet to w ork in this context in
retu rn for riches after the w ar or supporting his daughters if
killed. Incidentally, this poet was a prisoner of war (in th e context
The Battle o f Uhud 293

of the Badr events) in th e h an d s of th e M uslim s, and the

Prophet was gracious enough to release him unransom ed
provided h e w ould n o t engage in fight against him .
Abu Sufyan nu rsed the m ost enm ity against M uslim s because of
his losses in As-Saweeq invasion, and of Q u raish ’s losses by the
platoon of Zaid bin H arithah •

The Arm y o f the Quraish prepares

In th e light of these successive failures, Q uraish increased and
accelerated th eir preparations for a decisive battle w ith the
M uslim s. At th e tu rn of th e year, everything w as ready for the
move. The M akkans also decided to take their w om en along w ith
th em for they m ight arouse th em to fight m anfully. Thus a group
of th ree th o u san d pitched w arriors, of w hom seven h u n d red w ere
m ailed soldiers and two h u n d red w ell-m ounted111 cavalry w ith
th ree th o u san d cam els and fifteen w om en m arched tow ards
M adinah. The general leader was Abu Sufyan bin Harb, th e cavalry
w as u n d e r th e leadership of Khalid bin Al-Walid, assisted by
'Ikrim ah bin Abu Jahl, and Bani 'Abdud-Dar w ere e n tru ste d w ith
th e flag.

The Mobilization o f the Makkan Arm y

After th e preparations w ere com plete, th e M akkan arm y began its
way tow ard M adinah. Old deep-seated hatred enveloped the
w hole process forew arning a b itter and bloody fighting.

The Prophet’s Survey discovers the Movements o f the

Enemy
M eanw hile Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul-M uttalib, was closely w atching
the m ilitary m ovem ents and preparations for war, and these w ere
all included in an urgent m essage se n t by him to Prophet w ho
received it w hile he was in O uba' M osque. Ubai bin Ka'b read the
letter to th e Prophet w ho asked him to be secretive about its

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/92. Fathul-Bari 7/346.

294 The Sealed Nectar

serious contents. He h u rried back to M adinah, convened a

m eeting w ith th e Helpers and Em igrants and consulted w ith
th em over th e m easures th a t should be taken.

The Muslims prepare for Imminent Danger

The w hole of M adinah was p u t on th e alert and all m en w ere
heavily arm ed even d u rin g prayer in a n tic ip a tio n of any
emergency. A group of Helpers volunteered to guard the
Prophet and kept w atchful eye all night at his door, am ong
w hom there w ere Sa'd bin M u’adh. Usaid bin H udair and Sa'd bin
'Ubadah 4®. Lest they should be taken by surprise, arm ed groups
of th e M adinese began to police th e entrances and roads leading
to th e city. To check the m ovem ents of th e polytheists, M uslim
platoons began to patrol th e routes for any probable enem y raids.

The Makkan Arm y’s Approach to Madinah

The M akkan army, on th e o th er hand, continued th e m arch along
the usual w estern road. O n reaching Al-Abwa’, Hind b in t 'Utbah,
Abu Sufyan’s wife, suggested th a t they dig up the grave of the
Prophet's m other, b u t the leaders of th e arm y refused to do so for
fear of the consequent results. The arm y th en followed Wadi-ul-
'Aqeeq and tu rn ed right to encam p them selves at a place called
'Ainain near U hud M ountain. T hat w as on Friday, 6th Shawwal, 3
A.H,

A Consultation Assem bly for a Defense Plan

The scouting party of M adinah conveyed the new s of th e M akkan
arm y step by step. Then Allah's M essenger held a head m ilitary
consultation assem bly to exchange views about the situation. He
told them about a dream he had. He said:

"By Allah, I have dream t of - I pray Allah to be a dream of

bounty - cows slaughtered and th at th ere was a groove at
the pointed top of my sword, and th a t I had inserted my
hand into an im m une armor."
The Battle o f Uhud 295

The in terpretation of 'th e cows' was th a t som e of his m en w ere

killed, and 'th e groove at th e pointed top of my sw ord' w as th a t a
m em ber of his House w ould be h u rt. As for 'th e a rm o r’ it was
M adinah, Then he offered a suggestion th a t his C om panions
should not go o ut of M adinah and th a t they should encam p
them selves w ithin th e city. He was of the opinion th at the
enem ies should be left in th e open to exhaust them selves and
th u s th e M uslim s w ould n o t risk a battle. But if they th o u g h t of
attacking M adinah, M uslim m en w ould be ready to fight th em at
th e m o u th s of lan e s; w hereas M uslim -w om en w ould help from
over th e house roofs. 'Abdullah bin Ubai Ibn Salul - th e head of
th e hypocrites; w ho atten d ed th e m eeting as a chief of Al-Khazraj
- supported th e P ro p h et’s plan.
As a m atter of fact his agreem ent was n o t based on th e
righteousness of th e plan b u t rath er on personal benefit. He did
n o t w an t to fight. O n th e contrary he secretly aim ed at being far
away from th e fight. However it was Allah's Will th a t h e should be
disclosed and disgraced in public - for th e first tim e. It was His
Will th a t th e curtain beh in d w hich th e hypocrites' disbelief was
concealed should be uncovered and pulled dow n. Allah's Will
enabled th e M uslim s to recognize th e reality of th o se snakes th at
w ere creeping w ith in th eir garm ents and inside th e sleeves of
th eir clothes. T hanks to Allah they recognized th em in one of the
m ost critical tim es of th eir lives.
Some of the best honorable Com panions, w ho had m issed Al-Jihad
in Badr Battle, suggested th a t th e Prophet ^ should go out of
M adinah and urged him to accept th eir point of view. O ne of
th em said: "O M essenger of Allah, for a long tim e w e have been
looking forw ard to this day; and w e have prayed Allah to m ake
such a day draw near. Thanks to Allah it is tim e to fight. So let us
go o ut and fight our enem ies lest they should th in k th a t w e have
lost heart and do not dare to fight th em ." H am zah bin Abdul-
M uttalib 4^ th e paternal uncle of th e Prophet #§, w ho had already
covered th e o rnam ents of his sw ord w ith idolaters' blood in Badr
Battle, was head of th o se eager people w ho urged him to go out
and m eet th e disbelievers. He said to th e Prophet "By Allah,
296 The Sealed Nectar

W ho has se n t th e Book dow n unto you, I will not taste food till 1
fight th em w ith my sword outside M adinah."111
After w eighing carefully the pros and cons of th e issue, it was
decided th a t th e enem y should be resisted outside th e city at
Uhud.

Dividing the Islamic Arm y into Troops and Departure to

the Battlefield
Ascending th e pulpit at th e Friday congregational prayer, the
Prophet urged th e people in his serm on to fight courageously.
He told them th a t if they rem ained steadfast they will be helped.
Then he com m anded his m en to m ake ready for the battle, and
they rejoiced.
He led the A fternoon prayer w ith crow ds of people. Then he
entered his house accom panied by his two friends Abu Bakr and
'Umar They helped him dress and w ear his head cloth. He
arm ed him self and w ore two sets of arm or, one over th e other. He
w ore his sword and w e n t o ut to m eet people.
The people w ere w aiting im patiently for him . Sa’d bin M u'adh
and Usaid bin H udair 4® blam ed the people for im posing their
view on th e Prophet They said: "You have forced Allah's
M essenger sgs to fight the enem y outside M adinah." T herefore
they w ere determ ined to leave th e w hole m atter to the
Prophet W hen the Prophet % came out, they said: "O
M essenger of Allah, w e should have n o t disagreed w ith you. So,
you are free to do w hat you desire. If you prefer to stay inside
M adinah, we will stay w ith you." Upon this Allah's M essenger %
rem arked:

"It does not suit a Prophet th at once h e had p u t on arm or,

h e should take it off, u n til Allah has decided betw een him
and th e en em y .” 121

[1] As-Seerah Al-Halabiyah 2/14.

[2] Reported by Ahmad 3/351. as well as Nasa'i. Hakim and Ibn Ishaq. Al-Bukhari
m entioned it in th e chapter o f th e Adherence.
The Battle o f Uhud 297

The Prophet divided his arm y into 3 battalions:

Al-M uhajireen battalion, u n d e r th e com m and of M us'ab bin
'Um air Al-’Abdari 4&-
Al-Ansari-Aws battalion was com m anded by Usaid bin H udair 4&-
Al-Ansari-Khazraj battalion w ith Al-Hubab bin Al-M undhir 4® to
lead it.
The arm y consisted of one th o u san d fighters; a h u n d red of them
arm ored; and no h o rse m e n .111 He ap p ointed Ibn Um m M aktum 4&
to lead th e people in prayer in M adinah. D ep artu re was
announced and th e arm y m oved northw ards w ith th e tw o Sa’ds,
w ho w ere arm ored, ru nning in front of th e army.
Upon passing along Al-Wada' m o u n tain path he saw a well-arm ed
battalion, th at was detached from th e m ain body of th e army. The
Prophet inquired w ho they w ere and he was told th at they
w ere Jews and w ere allies of Al-Khazraj. They told him th a t they
w anted to contribute to th e fight against th e idolaters. "Have they
em braced Islam?" The Prophet asked. "No," they said. So he
refused adm itting them and said th a t he w ould not seek the
assistance of disbelievers against th e idolaters.

Parading the Army

As soon as he reached a location called Ash-Shaikhan, he paraded
his army. He dism issed th o se w hom he considered to be disabled
or too young to stand th e fight. Among them w ere 'Abdullah bin
'Umar bin Al-Khattab, U sam ah bin Zaid, Usaid bin Zuhair, Zaid bin
Thabit, Zaid bin Arqam, 'Arabah bin Aws, 'Amr bin Hazm, Abu
Sa’id Al-Khudri, Zaid bin H arithah Al-Ansari, Sa'd bin Habtah and
Al-Bara' bin ’Azib. b u t a Hadith in Sahih Al-Bukhari pointed out
th at he had shared in th e fight th a t day.
Allah’s M essenger zgz. allow ed both Rafi' bin Khadij and Sam urah

[1] In Zadul-Ma'ad 2/92. Ibn Al-Qaiyim said th at there w ere fifty horsem en. Ibn Hajar
said th at this is an obvious error. Musa bin Aqabah expressed w ith certainty that
they did not have any horses w ith them . According to Al-Waqidi. they had the
horse of Allah's M essenger jte and th e horse of Abu Burdah 4i>- Fathul-Bari 7/350.
298 The Sealed Nectar

bin Jundub to join th e arm y - though they w ere too young. The
form er proved to be skillful at shooting arrows; th e latter w restled
the form er and beat him . The adm ission of Rafi' m ade Sam urah
say: "I am stronger th an him , I can overcom e him ." W hen the
Prophet heard this saying he ordered th em to w restle. They
did. Sam urah w on so he was also adm itted.

Passing the Night between Uhud and Madinah

As night fell upon them there, they perform ed both th e Evening
and the Night prayers and sp en t th e night th ere as well. Fifty
people w ere chosen to guard and patrol th e camp. M uham m ad bin
M aslam ah Al-Ansari 4®. th e hero of th e brigade of Ka'b bin Al-
Ashraf. was in charge of th e guards. W hereas Dhakw an bin ’Abd
Qais 4® undertook th e responsibility of guarding the Prophet
in particular.

The Rebellion o f 'Abdullah bin Ubai and his Followers

At th e end of the night and just before it was daybreak, the
Prophet m oved and w h en he got to Ash-Shawt, he observed the
M orning prayer. There he was close enough to the enem y th at
they could see one another. It was th ere th a t 'Abdullah bin Ubai -
th e hypocrite - rebelled against th e M uslim s. O ne-third of the
arm y w ithdrew w ith him - th a t is to say three h u n d red fighters.
He said, "We do not know w hy w e shall kill ourselves." He
claimed th a t his w ithdraw al was no m ore th an show ing protest
against Allah's M essenger w ho had already refused his opinion
and accepted th at of th e others.
U ndoubtedly th a t was not th e real cause of his separation. If it
had been th e refusal of his opinion - as th e hypocrite claim ed -
th ere w ould have no sense w hatsoever for his joining the
Prophetic army. If it had been so, he w ould have refused to go out
w ith the arm y from th e very beginning of the march.
As a m atter of fact, the real purpose of this rebellion, w ithdraw al
and d etachm ent - at this delicate and aw kw ard position and tim e
- was to produce panic, confusion of m ind, and disorder in the
The Battle o f Uhud 299

M uslim arm y w ho w ere w ith in th e sight and hear range of the

enem y w ho w ere also looking forw ard to seeing m ore and m ore
conflicts on th e side of th e M uslim s, like them selves.
They also aim ed at breaking th e high m orale of th e believers. That
w ould accelerate - in th eir opinion - th e breakdow n and
consequently the death of M uham m ad his faithful
C om panions and Islam as a w hole. The way w ould th e n be clear
for th e reclaim of presidency, w hich th a t hypocrite had lost on the
advent of Islam into M adinah.
Short of Allah's Care, th e hypocrite's plot w ould have been
successful. Banu H arithah of Al-Aws and Banu Salam ah of Al-
Khazraj w ere partially im pressed by th e hypocrite's behavior. Both
of th em w ere overw helm ed by confusion and they had alm ost
started to w ithdraw , b u t Allah's Care saved them from th at
disgrace. Allah says:

"W hen two parties from am ong you w ere about to lose their
heart, b u t Allah was th eir Wali (Supporter and Protector).
And in Allah should the believers p u t th eir tru st." [3:122]
'Abdullah bin Haram - th e father of Jabir bin 'Abdullah 4k -
attem p ted to stop their w ithdraw al. He rem inded th e hypocrites
of th eir duty at this delicate and aw kw ard condition, b u t in vain.
He followed them , criticized th em and advised th em to go back
saying: "Come and fight in th e way of Allah or at least be
defenders." They said: "If w e had know n th at you w ould really
fight, w e w ould have n ot gone back." Having despaired of them ,
he addressed th em saying: "May Allah cast you away, you enem ies
of Allah. Allah will certainly suffice His Prophet." Allah says about
those hypocrites:

$ _)i «L' 'yiui (ii

j K

J-nty in-1 i (^*> y \ li jtu

^ Lc pk-t i i \j j U \
300 The Sealed Nectar

"And th at He m ight test th e hypocrites, it w as said to them :

'Come, fight in th e way of Allah or (at least) defend
yourselves.' They said: 'Had w e know n th at fighting will
take place, w e w ould certainly have followed you.' They
w ere th a t day, nearer to disbelief th an to Faith, saying w ith
their m o u th s w h at w as not in th eir hearts. And Allah has
full know ledge of w h at they conceal.” [3:167]

The Remainder o f the Islamic Arm y is on the move to

Uhud

W ith the rem ainder of fighters, Allah's M essenger % m oved

tow ards th e enem y. After the rebellion and w ithdraw al of the
hypocrites, th e n um ber of soldiers was reduced to seven h u n d red
only.

The camp of idolaters was situated in such a place th a t th e m any

roads leading to U hud w ere alm ost blocked by them . So Allah's
M essenger said to his m en: "Which m an of you can lead us to
w here the people (i.e., the idolaters) are, along a sh o rt track th at
does not pass by th em ?” Abu K haitham ah 4^ said: "O M essenger
of Allah, I am the m an you n e e d .” Then he chose a short track th at
led to U hud passing by Harrah Bani H arithah and th eir farms,
leaving th e idolaters' arm y w estw ards.

On their way they passed by th e field of M arba' bin Oaizi, w ho

was a biind hypocrite. W hen M arba' felt and realized th a t they
w ere the Prophetic army, he started throw ing earth at their faces,
so they rushed to kill him , b u t the Prophet ste said:
^0 o £ 0^0 g \ '

**j T&T I ^^ ^ 1 ^^ 0 d-*^1 ^ ^

"Do not kill him . He is blind in h eart and eyes."

Allah's M essenger w en t along till they clim bed dow n the

hillock of U hud at the slope of th e valley. He cam ped th ere w ith
his arm y facing M adinah w hile their backs w ere to the hills of the
Uhud m ountain. So th e arm y of th e enem y stood as a barrier
betw een th e M uslim s and M adinah.
The Battle o f Uhud 301

The Defense Plan

Allah's M essenger % m obilized his army. He arranged th em into
two rows to prepare th em for fight. He selected fifty skillful
archers th at form ed a squad and m ade th em u n d e r th e com m and
of 'Abdullah bin Jubair bin An-Nu’m an Al-Ansari Al-Awsi Al-Badri.
He issued his orders to th em to stay w here they w ere - on a
m ountain (side) at th e so u th bank of th e Q anat valley, so u th east
of M uslim s camp at about one h u n d red and fifty m eters from the
Islamic arm y. Later on this m o u n tain was called th e M ountain of
Archers.
Allah's M essenger clarified th e m ission of this squad in w ords
he directed to them . He said to th eir leader:

"Drive off the horses from us by m eans of arrows, lest they

should attack us from b eh in d (the rear). W hether w e w in
the battle or lose it, stand steadily in your position and
m ind th at w e are not attacked from your sid e."m
He added:

Jii Ij Ij bbj i Lj L jls c iJ j I I

^ > 0> ^ ^ 0 C
((LjS ILL-P-

"Defend our backs! If you see us slain, do n o t come to assist

us; and if you see th a t w e have acquired booty, do not share
in th at w ith u s.’,[2)
In a version by Al-Bukhari, th e Prophet s g said:

IJlA ISb) I *5^3 jdaJ I Ia la~>^i oj®

1j j i j t

"If you see us snatched into pieces by birds, do not leave

this position of yours till I send for you. And if you see th at
w e have defeated th e enem y and tro d d en on th em do not

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/65. 66.

[2] Recorded by Ahmad. At-Tabarani. Al-Hakim. Fathul-Bari 7/350.
302 The Sealed Nectar

desert your position till 1 send for y o u ."1"

W ith the assignm ent of this squad and locating it on the

m ountainside and the issuance of those strict m ilitary orders,
Allah's M essenger ^ blocked th e only way th at m ight lead the
idolaters stealthily to th e rear of M uslim ranks and m ight even
enable th em to su rro u n d th em by form ing a circle.

The assignm ents of posts and responsibilities for th e rest of the

arm y w ere perform ed by th e Prophet as follows: On the right
wing, he appointed Al-M undhir bin 'Amr 4*. On the left he
appointed Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam 4®. and m ade Al-Miqdad bin
Al-Aswad 4® his assistant and supporter. It was also Az-Zubair's
responsibility to stop Khalid bin Al-Walid's horsem en. Allah's
M essenger selected th e top and th e m ost courageous group to
be in the front line of th e army. They w ere notable for their
readiness, alertness and bravery and estim ated to be equal to
tho u san d s of m en.

It was a w ise and carefully-laid plan w hich revealed the high skills
of m ilitary leadership th at the Prophet possessed. No o ther
leader could have draw n a m ore accurate or w ise plan. Although
he approached the site later th an th e enem y, he m anaged to
occupy better positions. He m ade th e rocky m ountainside to
function as shield for th e arm y's rear and right side. He was able,
by blocking th e only critical gap on th e side, to provide additional
m axim um protection for th e rear as well as th e left wing. For fear
of possible defeat, and to deter the M uslim s from fleeing, in
w hich case they w ould fall easy prisoners in th e h an d s of the
enem y, he chose a high place for th e m ilitary camp.

M oreover a strategic site of this sort w ould surely inflict heavy

losses on th e polytheists if they th o u g h t of approaching or
occupying his positions. In a fu rth er step, h e reduced th e enem y
to a narrow scope of choice w h en they w ere cornered for
encam pm ent in geographically low positions th a t w ould avail
them nothing of th e benefits of any possible victory; at th e sam e

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari. th e Book of Jihad. 1/426.

The Battle o f Uhud 303

tim e they w ould n o t be able to escape th e p u rsu it of th e M uslim s

in case victory sided w ith th e latter.
To m ake up for th e quantitative shortage in fighting personnel, he
chose a picked body of fighters to stand at th e front.
The arm y of th e Prophet was th u s fully m obilized on the
m orning of Saturday, Shawwal 7th, 3 A.H.

Allah’s Messenger ^ implants the Spirit o f Bravery

among his Armed Forces
A llah’s M essenger forbade th e M uslim s to start th e fight
w ith o u t having an order from him . He, th en , w ore tw o arm ors - a
front arm or and a back one. He urged his C om panions to fight and
stim ulated them to show stam ina and firm ness at fight. He
started to instill th e spirit of boldness and bravery in them . To
arouse his C om panions and in order to stand fast in th e fight, he
took a sharp sword, held it in his h an d and called o u t u n to his
C om panions and said:
"Who is ready to take this sw ord and give it its proper due?"
M any set o u t to take it. Some of th em w ere 'Ali bin Abi Talib, Az-
Zubair bin Al-'Awwam and 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab But it was
granted to none. Abu D ujanah Sam m ak bin Kharshah inquired:
"O M essenger of Allah, w h at is its due?" The Prophet ^ said:
"It is to strike th e enem y's faces w ith it till it was b e n t.”
So, Abu D ujanah said: "O M essenger of Allah I will take it,
along w ith its due." and he w as given th e sword.
Abu D ujanah was a m an of courage w ho used to swagger at
war. He had a red band w hich h e w ore round his head. W henever
he was w ore it everybody knew th a t he was determ in ed to fight to
death. Therefore as soon as Abu D ujanah ^ took th e Prophet's
sword, he banded his head and started w alking proudly am ong
the fighters. Allah's M essenger w atching him said:
"This is a sort of w alking th a t Allah hates except in such a
situation,"
304 The Sealed Nectar

The Positioning o f the Makkan Arm y

The idolaters applied a system of rows in th e m obilization of their
army. The general leadership of th e arm y was en tru ste d to Abu
Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb, w ho w ould be in th e center-position of the
army. Khalid bin Al-Walid was on th e right wing; w hereas
'Ikrim ah, th e son of Abu Jahl was on th e left. Safwan bin Umaiyah
was in charge of infantry m en. The archers w ere u n d er the
com m and of 'Abdullah bin Abi Rabi'ah.
As for th e standard, a squad of Bani 'Abdud-Dar was in charge to
bear it. Thus w as the distribution of th e posts of the arm y ever
since 'Abd M anaf had already assigned them . This assignm ent had
been inherited from Qusai bin Kilab - as w e have previously
pointed out earlier in this book. No one had th e right to com pete
w ith th em for it. It was consistent w ith th eir traditions th a t they
inherited from th eir ancestors.
Abu Sufyan. th e general leader, rem inded his m en - the standard-
bearers - of w h at had happened to th e O uraish on th e Day of Badr
w hen their standard-bearer, An-Nadr bin Al-Harith, was captured.
In an attem p t to evoke th eir anger and enm ity to th e M uslim s he
said: "O Bani 'Abdud-Dar! You have been assigned bearers of our
standard and you know th a t th e standard is th e first thing th a t the
enem y attacks. Should it fall, we fall dow n too. Therefore, I say.
either you guarantee its safety or leave it for us, and we will
certainly suffice you th at task."
Abu Sufyan's atte m p t seem ed to be fruitful. For his speech m ade
Bani ’Abdud-Dar so extrem ely angry th at they threaten ed him and
alm ost attacked him for that. A ddressing him , they said: "You
w ant us to deliver you th e custodianship of the standard?
Tom orrow w hen w e fight them , you will w itness our deeds." As a
m atter of fact, they fought bravely and rem ained firm in defense
of the standard till they w ere all killed.

Political Strategies o f Quraish

A little tim e before the break out of th e battle, th e Q uraish m ade
som e efforts to sow th e seeds of discord and d ispute am ong the
The Battle o f Uhud 305

M uslim s. First. Abu Sufyan sen t to th e Helpers a m essage saying:

"Leave us alone to fight our cousins and do n o t interfere. If you
stand aside, w e will n o t fight you; for fighting you is n o t a target
of o u rs.’’ But th a t atte m p t proved to be fruitless. W hat could such
a wicked schem e do to th o se w hose Faith was as solid and firm as
m ountains?! The H elpers reply was undoubtedly disappointing
and contrary to Abu Sufyan’s expectations.
The zero h o u r was due. The tw o parties drew nearer. Not losing
any hope by th e first failure. Q uraish m ade an o th er attem pt, for
th e sam e goal b u t now w ith th e assistance of a traitor called Abu
'Amir Al-Fasiq, w hose nam e was 'Abd ’Amr bin Saifi. He was called
a m onk, b u t Allah's M essenger ^ nicknam ed him Al-Fasiq (i.e.,
evildoer, dissolute). As he was th e head of Aws in Al-Jahiliyah, he
could not tolerate Islam w h e n it came. He announced his enm ity
to A llah’s M essenger in public. He left M adinah for the
Q uraishites in M akkah to rally th em against A llah’s M essenger
and to urge them to start th e fight against him . He claim ed th a t he
was obeyed and esteem ed by his people and th a t as soon as they
saw him come they w ould join him im m ediately.
So he w e n t to th e slaves of th e people of M akkah and the
m iscellaneous tribe m em bers am ong th e M uslim s. He called o ut
u nto his people, until they recognized him and said: "O kinfolk of
Aws! I am Abu ’Am ir.” Their reply was: "No eyes of anybody shall
be com forted by view ing you, O Fasiq." Hearing them say so, he
said: "My people m u st have been afflicted by an evil after my
d e p a rtu re .” T herefore w h en th e fight broke out. he fought them
fiercely and pelted his people w ith stones.
That was th e second a tte m p t of Q uraish to sow th e seeds of
discord am ong people of Faith. This, how ever, revealed th e great
terror th a t was cast in the h earts of th e Q uraishites in spite of
their suprem acy in num ber and equipm ent.

The Effort of the Quraishite Women in exciting the Zeal of

the Men
The Q uraishi w om en participated in the battle led by th e w ife of
306 The Sealed Nectar

Abu Sufyan, Hind b in t 'Utbah, They w andered am ong the rows of

th e idolaters, striking on th eir Duf f s ,111 encouraging th e m en to
fight, inflam ing th e em otions of heroes, lancers, sw ordsm en and
brave fighters. At one tim e they addressed th e standard-bearers:
"O Bani 'Abdud-Dar! O hom e defenders,
Strike w ith your sharp sw ords ..."
And at an o th er tim e they w ould be singing:
"If you fight (bravely), w e will em brace
And unfold m ats to w elcom e you.
But if you flee from the battlefield, w e leave you,
D esert you and no m ore love you."

The Combat
The two parties approached very close to each another. The
phases of fight started. The first fighter was th e standard-bearer,
Talhah bin Abi Talhah Al-'Abdari. He w as one of th e bravest m en
am ong th e Q uraish fighters. The M uslim s nicknam ed him 'the
ram of th e battalion.' He came forth riding a camel and challenged
th e M uslim s to a duel. Everyone refrained from fighting him due
to his bravery; b u t Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam 4*> advanced for the
fight. He did n ot give th e 'Ram' any chance to fight b u t fell on him
like a lion on his cam el's back, pulled him dow n to the ground and
slaughtered him w ith his sword.
Allah's M essenger w ho was w atching th a t w onderful incident
exclaimed: Allahu Akbar, i.e.. 'Allah is th e G reatest'; and the
M uslim s exclaim ed Allahu Akbar too. He praised Az-Zubair as he
said:

"Every Prophet has a disciple and my disciple is Az-

Zubair."121

The Fighting that Centered around the Standard-Bearer

Soon the battle started and th e fight of the tw o parties grew fierce

[1] A D u ff is similar to a large tam bourine, w ith th e exception th at it does not have
any cymbals.
[2] As-Seerah Al-Halabiyah 2/18.
The Battle o f Uhud 307

everyw here on th e battlefield. The strain of th e fight was centered

round the carriers of th e standard. After th e death of th eir leader
Talhah bin Abi Talhah. Banu 'Abdud-Dar altern ated th e m ission
successively. T alhah's brother, 'U thm an, ran forw ard and seized
th e standard w hich lay by th e lifeless body of his brother,
chanting: "The standard-bearer has th e right to dye its shaft in
blood, till it be beaten in his h a n d .” Hamzah bin 'Abdul-
M uttalib attacked and dealt him a blow th a t cut his arm and
shoulder and w e n t dow n to his navel to uncover his lung.
The standard was raised up again by Abu Sa'd bin Abi Talhah; b u t
'Asim bin Thabit bin Abul-Aqlah struck him killing him . His
b ro th er Kilab bin Talhah bin Abi Talhah followed him , picked up
the ban n er and raised it; b u t Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam attacked
him and m anaged to kill him . Their b ro th e r Al-Jallas bin Talhah
bin Abi Talhah lifted the b a n n er up b u t Talhah bin ’Ubaidullah
stabbed him to death. They also said th a t it was 'Asim bin
Thabit w ho m anaged to deal a term inal blow to him .
All th o se five people w ho w ere killed around and in defense of
th e standard, belonged to one house, th e h ouse of Abi Talhah
'Abdullah bin 'U thm an bin 'Abdud-Dar. A nother m an from Bani
'Abdud-Dar, called Artat bin Sharhabil carried th e standard b u t he
also w as killed by 'Ali bin Abi Talib <&. Some said it was Ham zah
w ho killed him not 'Ali.
T hen it w as Shuraih bin Qariz w ho was killed by Q uzm an - he
w as a hypocrite w ho fought for prestige only, n o t in defense of
Islam. Abu Zaid 'Amr bin 'Abd M anaf Al-'Abdari took th e standard
b u t he was killed by Q uzm an too. A son of Sharhabil bin Hashim
Al-'Abdari hoisted it again and w as also killed by Q uzm an.
So, w e see th a t ten fighters of Bani 'Abdud-Dar - th e standard-
bearers - w ere killed. Seeing th a t none of 'Abdud-Dar survived to
carry th e standard, an Abyssinian slave of theirs - called Sawab -
came to raise it. The slave show ed m ore adm irable sorts of bravery
and firm ness th an his form er m asters. Sawab w e n t on fighting till
his hand w as cut off. So he k n elt dow n and em braced th e banner,
leant it against his chest and neck lest it should fall to th e ground.
 The Sealed Nectar

He rem ained fighting steadily u n til h e was killed. In th e

m eanw hile he did not stop saying: "O Allah, have I been
excused?” After the death of th e slave Sawab, th e standard fell
dow n to th e ground, and rem ained th ere as th ere was no one to
carry it.

The Other Clashes

W hile the force of the battle centered around the standard, bitter
fighting was going on everyw here on the battlefield. The spirit of
Faith overw helm ed th e M uslim s' ranks; so they rushed am ong the
idolaters as if they had been an outbreak of a destructive flood
th a t overflowed and knocked dow n all dam s and barriers standing
in its way. "I seek death, I seek d e a th .” T hat was th eir announced
m otto on the Day of Uhud.
Abu D ujanah 4® recognized by th e red band w orn round his head,
came forth, fighting w ith th e sword of Allah's M essenger jfe. He
was determ ined to fulfill its due at all costs. He killed all the
idolaters th at stood on his way, splitting and dispersing their
ranks. Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam 4® said:
"1 was upset w h en Allah's M essenger ^ refused to give m e the
sword b u t gave it to Abu Dujanah. I said to myself: 'I am his
paternal cousin - th e cousin of his a u n t Safiyah - a O uraishite,
besides, I was the first w ho dem anded it and yet he favored him
to me. By Allah, I will w atch how he behaves w ith it.' So I followed
him, I saw him take out his red band and w rap it around his head.
Seeing him like that, the Helpers said, 'Abu D ujanah has w orn the
band of death.' T hen he set o u t saying loudly:
T am the one w hom my intim ate friend m ade a covenant w ith,
w hen we w ere under the palm trees on th e m ountain side.
The covenant th at w e m ade was th at I should not fight at the rear.
But fight at the front heroically w ith th e sword of Allah and His
M essenger.'
No one stood in th e way of Abu D ujanah b u t he was killed. There
was a m an am ong the idolaters w hose only objective was to finish
The Battle o f Uhud 309

off th e w ounded M uslim s. D uring th e fight Abu D ujanah drew

near th at m an; so I prayed to Allah th a t they m ight engage in fight.
They in fact did and exchanged tw o sw ord-strokes. The idolater
struck Abu D ujanah, b u t he escaped it and it pierced into his
leather shield. The idolater’s sw ord now stuck to it, Abu D ujanah
struck him w ith th e sw ord and killed h im .111 Into th e thick of the
battle, he rushed to kill a person w ho was inciting th e enem y to
fight th e M uslim s. Upon this th e person shrieked and lo! it w as a
w om an. Abu Dujanah spared h er saying: T respect th e Prophet's
sword too m uch to use it on a w o m an .’ The w om an w as Hind b in t
’Utbah."

Describing th e sam e incident, Az-Zubair bin Al-'Awwam 4* said: "I

saw Abu D ujanah raising a sw ord directly over Hind b in t 'U tbah's
head, th e n he m oved it. I said to m yself: ’Allah and His M essenger
know best.' (i.e., know w hy he acted like th a t)."121

Hamzah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib 4* displayed w onderful acts of

bravery against th e overw helm ing odds w hich stood unparallel
and created worry and confusion in th e disbelieving army. Heroes
dispersed off his way as if they had been tree-leaves blow n away
by strong w ind. In addition to his effective contribution to the
destruction of th e idolaters w ho stood in defense of th e standard,
h e w as even of m uch greater effect at fighting against m en of
bravery and distinguished horsem en. It was A llah’s Will th a t h e be
m urdered w h en he was at th e top. He was not killed in a face-to-
face fight on th e battlefield - in th e norm al way by w hich heroes
die - b u t rather stealthily assassinated as was th e custom of
killing generous and noble m en th a t w ere im possible to kill in an
honorable face to face fight.

The Assassination o f A sa d u lla h (the Lion o f Allah)

Hamzah bin 'Abdul-Muttalib

H am zah’s assassin, W ahshi bin Harb, described how he killed

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/68, 69.

[2] ibid 2/69.
310 The Sealed Nectar

Hamzah 4&- He said: "I was a slave w orking for Jubair bin M u t’im,
w hose paternal uncle T u’aim ah bin 'Adi was injured at th e battle
of Badr. So. w hen th e Q uraish m arched to Uhud, Jubair said to me:
'If you kill Hamzah. th e uncle of M uham m ad, stealthily, you shall
be m anum itted.' So I m arched w ith th e people to Uhud. And I am
an Abyssinian m an w ho is an expert w ith th e Abyssinian spear.
So, w h en th e two parties fought, I set o u t seeking Hamzah. I saw
him am idst people fighting. He w as like a w hite and black striped
camel, striking severely w ith his sw ord and no one could stand in
his way. By Allah! W hen I was getting ready and trying to seize the
fit opportunity to spear him , hiding som etim es behind a tree or a
rock hoping th a t he m ight draw nearer and be w ith in range - at
th at m o m en t 1 caught sight of Siba' bin 'Abdul-'Uzza going closer
tow ards him . W hen Ham zah observed him , he said: 'Come on! O
son of th e clitoris-cutter,’ - for his m o th er used to be a
circumciser. Then he struck one strong stroke th a t could hardly
m iss his head. Then I balanced my spear and shook it till I was
content w ith it, th en I speared him and it w e n t dow n into his
stom ach and issued o u t betw een his legs. He attem p ted m oving
tow ards m e b u t he was overcom e by his w ound. I left him there
w ith the spear in his entrails till he died. T hen I came to him ,
pulled out my spear and retu rn ed to th e place of th e camp. I
stayed there and did not go out, for he was th e only one I sought. 1
killed him only to free myself. So. as soon as I got back to M akkah,
I becam e a free m an ."111

Bringing the Situation under Control

Although the death of Asadullah, Lion of Allah and His

M essenger # |, Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib 4®. was a great loss,
the M uslim s m aintained full control over th e w hole situation on
th e battlefield. O n th a t day, Abu Bakr, 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab, 'Ali
bin Abi Talib, Az-Zubair bin Al-’Awwam, M us'ab bin 'Umair,

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/69-72, Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/583. W ahshi accepted Islam after the
Ta'if Mission, and he killed M usailimah th e Liar w ith th a t very sam e spear, and
he participated in th e battle of Yarmuk.
The Battle o f Uhud 311

Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah, ’Abdullah bin Jahsh, Sa’d bin Ar-Rabi' and
Anas bin An-Nadr 4* and others - all of th em fought so fiercely,
effectively and efficiently th a t they broke th e strong will of the
idolaters and scattered them .

From his W ife’s Lap to Sword-fights and Sorrows

O ne of the brave adventurers of th a t day was Hanzalah Al-
Ghaseel <4® - He was Hanzalah bin Abu 'Amir. Abu 'Amir was the
very m onk th a t was nicknam ed Al-Fasiq (i.e., evildoer, dissolute)
w hich we m entioned earlier. Hanzalah, w ho was newly m arried,
left his w ife’s bed for Al-Jihad (fight in th e cause of Allah). He set
out th e m om ent he heard of th e call to Al-Jihad. W hen he faced the
idolaters on the battlefield, he m ade his way through their ranks
till he reached their leader Abu Sufyan Sakhr bin Harb and nearly
killed him , b u t he had been ordained to be a m artyr, so at th a t very
m om ent Shaddad bin Al-Aswad reached him and killed him.

The Contribution o f the Squad o f Archers to the Battle

The squad or archers w hom Allah's M essenger ^ positioned on
th e Archers M ountain, had th e upper h an d in adm inistering the
w ar activities to go in favor of th e M uslim army. The M akkan
horsem en - com m anded by Khalid bin Al-Walid, supported by Abu
’Amir Al-Fasiq - m ade th ree attacks against th e left w ing of the
M uslim arm y w ith th e aim of crushing it and th e n infiltrating into
th e rear to create a sort of confusion and disorder in th e ranks of
th e M uslim s, and subsequently inflict heavy defeat on them . But
thanks to th e skills, quickness and great efforts of th e archers, the
th ree assaults w ere countered successfully.111

The Idolaters begin to sense Defeat

The battles w e n t on and on fiercely w ith th e M uslim s in full
com m and of th e m ilitary th ea ter u ntil th e idolaters finally
scattered and retreated, leaving all m otives of pride, and forgetting

[1] Fathul-Bari 7/346.

312 The Sealed Nectar

their affected dignity, w ith th eir standard trodden u n d er th e feet

o f th e fighters, w ith none ever courageous enough to approach it.
It seem ed as if th e th ree th o u san d idolaters had been fighting
thirty th o u san d M uslim s and not m erely several hun d red .
Ibn Ishaq said: "Then Allah se n t dow n His Help to th e M uslim s
and verified His Prom ise to them . They chased the idolaters and
evacuated th em from their camp. No doubt it was a certain
defeat." 'Abdullah bin Az-Zubair narrated th a t his father said: "By
Allah, I was w atching the servants of Hind b in t 'Utbah and her
w om en friends fleeing w ith th eir garm ents gathered up. No one
was there to prevent us from capturing th e m ."111
In an o th er version by Al-Bara' bin 'Azib - m en tioned in Sahih Al-
Bukhari - he said: "W hen w e fought them , they fled, and their
w om en could be seen fleeing in th e m o untains w ith their anklets
and legs exposed ."121
The M uslim s pursued th e enem ies putting th em to the sword and
collecting th e spoils.

The Archers’ Fatal Mistake

W hile th e small arm y of Islam was recording th e second absolute
and clear victory over th e M akkans - w hich was no less in
splendor and glory than th e first one at Badr - th e m ajority of the
archers on the m ountainside com m itted a fatal m istake that
tu rn ed th e w hole situation upside dow n, and constituted a source
of heavy losses am ong th e M uslim s. It has alm ost brought about
th e m urder of the Prophet and left a very bad im pression on
th e fam e and dignity they deservedly earned at th e battle of Badr.
We have already spoken about th e positive orders given to the
archers to hold on to their position w hatever th e course the battle
adopts. In spite of those strict orders, and th eir leader's -
'Abdullah bin Jubair - w arning, forty archers deserted th eir posts,
enticed by the too soon roar of victory as well as w orldly greed for

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/77.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/579.
The Battle o f Uhud 313

th e spoils of w a r.111 The others, how ever, n in e in n um ber and

'Abdullah, th eir leader, decided to abide by th e P rophet’s order
and stay w here they w ere u ntil they w ere given leave or killed to
the last. C onsequently th e rear of th e M uslim arm y w as left
inadequately defended.

Khalid bin Al-Walid cuts o ff the Rear

The sharp-m inded Khalid bin Al-Walid seized th e o p p ortunity to
tu rn sw iftly aro u n d to th e rear of th e M uslim arm y and
encom pass them . Killing Ibn Jubair 4® and his group, they fell
prom ptly upon th e rear of th e M uslim s and his horsem en u ttered
a sh o u t th a t signaled th e new m ilitary developm ents. The
polytheists retu rn ed once again to counterattack th e M uslim s.
An idolater w om an - called 'U m rah b in t 'Alqamah Al-Harithiyah -
rushed to th e standard lying on th e earth, picked it up and raised
it. The idolaters gathered together around th e standard and called
o ut u n to one an o th er till they encircled th e M uslim s and stood
fast to fight again. The M uslim s consequently becam e trapped
betw een two barriers.
Allah’s M essenger ^ was th e n am ong a sm all group of fighters -
nine in n um ber at the rear of th e arm y,121 w atching th e battle and
braving th e M uslim fighters. Khalid and his m en took him by
u tte r surprise, and obliged him to follow either of tw o options:
1. To flee for his life and abandon his arm y to its doom ed end, or
2. To take action at th e risk of his life, rally th e ranks of the
M uslim s again and w ork th eir way through th e hills of U hud
tow ards th e encom passed army.
The genius of Allah’s M essenger his peerless and m atchless
courage m ade him opt for th e second course. He raised his voice
calling out unto his Com panions: "O servants of Allah." He did
th a t though he knew th a t his loud voice w ould be heard by th e
idolaters before it was heard by th e M uslim s. He called o ut unto

[1) Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/426.

[2] Sahih M uslim 2/107.
314 The Sealed Nectar

them risking his life in this delicate situation.T he idolaters

recognized him and reached his position even before th e other
M uslim s could do so.

The Weakened Position o f the Muslims

The encom passm ent of th e M uslim s revealed three categories of
people: The first group was of those w ho w ere only in terested in
them selves and they w e n t so m ad th a t they fled. They left the
battlefield and did not know w h at h appened to th e others. Some
of this group fled as far as M adinah. Some others w e n t up the
m ountain.

The second M uslim group w as of those w ho retu rn ed to the

battle, b u t m ixed w ith th e idolaters in such a way th a t they could
n ot recognize one another. C onsequently som e of them w ere
killed by m istake. It is stated in Al-Bukhari th a t 'Aishah ^ said:
"On the Day of Uhud, th e idolaters w ere utterly defeated. Iblis
(Satan) th e n called out: 'O servants of Allah. Beware th e rear (i.e.,
th e enem y is approaching from behind).' So those w ho w ere at the
front tu rn e d back and fought th e ones w ho w ere behind. Then
H udhaifah caught sight of his father Al-Yaman about to be killed
by other M uslim s. So h e said: 'O servants of Allah! Beware! This is
my father. This is my father.' But they did n o t part w ith him till
he was killed. H udhaifah th e n said: 'May Allah forgive you."’
'Urw ah (who narrated it from 'Aishah ^ ) said: "By Allah, from
th a t tim e on H udhaifah has always been blessed and w ealthy till
he d ied ."111
That was because he forgave th em and refused to take any blood
m oney for his father's m urder b u t recom m ended th at it be spent
in charity.
This M uslim group suffered from great bew ilderm ent, and
disorder prevailed am ong them . A lot of th em got lost and did
not know w here to go. At this aw kw ard tim e they heard som eone
calling: "M uham m ad has b een killed." This new s m ade th em even

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/539. 2/581; Fathul-Bari 7/351. 362, 363.

The Battle o f Uhud 315

m ore bew ildered and nearly senseless. Their m orale broke down,
or alm ost did in a great n u m b er of individuals. Some of them
stopped fighting, slackened, and cast dow n th eir w eapons. O thers
tho u g h t of getting in finding w ith 'Abdullah bin Ubai - th e head of
th e hypocrites - and seeking his assistance to fetch th em a
security pledge from Abu Sufyan.
Anas bin An-Nadr 4* passed by those people w ho w ere
shuddering of fear and panic, and inquired: "W hat are you
w aiting for?" They said: "Allah’s M essenger ^ has been killed."
"W hat do you live for after M uham m ad £g? Come on and die for
w hat Allah’s M essenger has died for." T hen he said: "O Allah, I
apologize for w hat th ese people (i.e., the M uslims) have done; and
I swear a disavowal of w h at th e idolaters have perpetrated." Then
he m oved on till he was en countered by Sa'd bin M u'adh 4= w ho
asked him : "W here to, Abu ’Umar?" Anas 4» replied: ’’Ah, how
fine th e scent of the Paradise is! I sm ell it here in U hud."
He w e n t on and fought against th e idolaters till he was killed.
Nobody b u t his sister could recognize his dead body. It had been
cut and stabbed by over eighty sw ords, arrow s or spears. It was by
the tip of his finger th a t she - after th e battle - recognized h irn.m
Thabit bin Ad-Dahdah called o u t to his people saying: "O kinfolk
of Helpers, if M uham m ad w ere killed, Allah is Everlasting and
He never dies. Fight in defense of your Faith. Allah will h elp you
and you will be victorious."
A group of Helpers joined him an d all set out and attacked a
battalion of Khalid’s horsem en. He kept on fighting till he and his
com panions w ere killed.121
An Em igrant passed by a Helper w ho was besm eared by blood. He
said: "O fellow! Have you heard of M u h am m ad ’s m urder?" The
Helper answ ered: "If M uham m ad w ere killed, th e n he m u st
have com pleted th e delivery of th e M essage. So f:ght in defense of
your religion!"131

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/93. 96: Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/579.

[2] As-Seerah Al-Halabiyah 2/22.
[31 Zadul-Ma'ad 2/96.
316 The Sealed Nectar

W ith such boldness and encouragem ent, th e M uslim s soon

recovered their spirits, came around to their senses and resisted
th e idea of su rren d er or contacting th e hypocrite 'Abdullah bin
Ubai. They took up arm s and resum ed the fight attem p tin g to
m ake way to th e headquarters, particularly after th e new s of the
Prophet's death had been falsified.
The glad tidings stren g th en ed th eir resolve, and helped th em to
m anage to break of th e m ilitary blockade, and concentrate their
forces in an im m une place to resum e a relentless and fierce fight
against the polytheists.
The third group of M uslim s was of those w ho cared for nothing
except the Prophet At th e head of them w ere notable
C om panions like Abu Bakr, 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab, 'Ali bin Abi
Talib and others 4=, w ho h asten ed to protect th e Prophet
through unrivalled devotion.

The Battle intensifies around Allah’s Messenger

As those groups of M uslim s w ere receiving th e blows of the
idolaters and instantly resisting, th e fight flared up around Allah's
M essenger w ho had only nine people around him .
We have already m entioned th a t w h en th e idolaters started
encircling th em th ere w ere only nine people around Allah's
M essenger and th a t as soon as he called o u t to th e M uslims:
"Come on! I am th e M essenger of Allah," the idolaters heard his
voice and recognized him . So they tu rn ed back and attacked him
w ith all their pow er before any of his C om panions ran to his aid.
A violent and in ten se struggle broke o ut betw een th e nine
M uslim s and th e idolaters during w hich peerless love, self-
sacrifice, bravery and heroism w ere revealed.
M uslim, on th e authority of Anas bin Malik 4®narrated th at
Allah's M essenger along w ith seven Helpers and two
Emigrants, was confined to a trap w h en th e idolaters attacked
him . Allah's M essenger th e n said:

"He w ho pushes back those idolaters, will be housed in

The Battle o f Uhud 317

Paradise." or "He will be my C om panion in Paradise."

O ne of the Helpers stepped forw ard and fought th e idolaters in
defense of the Prophet till he was killed. T hen they attacked
th e M essenger ^ again. The sam e process w as repeated again and
again until all the seven H elpers w ere killed. T hen A llah’s
M essenger said to his tw o O uraishite Com panions:

"We have not done justice to our C om panions."111

The last of those seven Helpers was 'U m arah bin Yazeed bin As-
Sakan 4®. w ho kept on fighting till his w ounds neutralized him
and he fell d e a d .121

The most awkward Hour in the Messenger’s Life

After the fall of Ibn Sakan, Allah's M essenger rem ained alone
w ith only those two Q uraishites. According to Al-Bukhari and
M uslim, Abu 'U thm an said: "At th a t tim e, th ere w ere none w ith
the Prophet except Talhah bin 'U baidullah and Sa'd bin Abi
W aqqas."131
That was th e m ost awkw ard and dangerous h o u r for the
Prophet and a golden o p p ortunity for th e idolaters w ho
prom ptly took advantage of it. They concentrated their attack on
th e Prophet and looked forw ard to killing him .
'Utbah bin Abi Waqqas pelted him w ith stones. O ne of the stones
struck his face. His low er right incisor tooth was injured. His lower
lip was w ounded. He was also attacked by ’Abdullah bin Shihab
Az-Zuhri w ho injured his forehead. 'Abdullah bin O am i'ah
(Qami'ah m eans 'a hum iliated w om an'), w ho was an obstinate
strong horsem an, struck him violently on his shoulder w ith his
sword; and th a t blow h u rt A llah’s M essenger for over a m onth
- though it was n ot strong enough to break his two pieces of
arm or. He dealt a heavy blow on his cheek. It was so strong th at
two rings of his iron-ringed h elm et penetrated into his cheek.

[1] Sahih M uslim 2/107.

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/81.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/527. 2/581.
318 The Sealed N ectar

"Take this stroke from me, I am Ibn Q am i'ah." He said w hile

striking the M essenger % w ith his sword. Allah's M essenger
replied - w hile he was w iping the blood flowing on his face:
"I beg Allah to h u m ilia te y o u ." 111
In the narration of Al-Bukhari and M uslim it is stated th at w hen
his incisor broke, and his head was injured, he started w iping the
blood off of it and saying:

"How can a people w ho cut the face of th eir Prophet and

broke his teeth - he w ho calls them to w orship Allah - how
can such people thrive or be successful?"
About th at incident, Allah, Glory is to Him, sent dow n a Q u ra n ic
Verse saying:

p-4-1^ A p t^ V p i' ‘(IP" Op

"Not for you (O M uham m ad b u t for Allah) is the
decision; w h e th e r He tu rn s in m ercy to (pardons) them or
punishes them ; verily, they are th e Zalim un (the disobe-
dients, polytheists and w rongdoers)," [3:128]121
At-Tabarani states th at the Prophet said: "Allah's w rath is great
on th o se w ho w ounded th e face of His M essenger," he observed
silence for a short w hile and th e n resum ed saying:

"O Allah, forgive my people for they do not know ."

In Sahih M uslim it is stated th at Allah's M essenger said:

"My Lord, forgive my people for they have no know l­

edge."141
In Ash-Shifa - a book by Al-Qadi Al-'Aiyad - it is related th a t the

[1] Fathul-Bari 7/373, 366.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/582: Sahih M uslim 2/108.
[31 Fathul-Bari 7/373.
[4] Sahih M uslim 2/108.
The Battle o f Uhud 319

Prophet jte said:

"O Allah, guide my people for they have no know ledge."111

It is quite certain th a t killing th e Prophet w as th eir prim ary

aim. b u t tw o Q uraishites - Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas and Talhah bin
'Ubaidullah vifb, w ho show ed great bravery and rare courage and
fought so fiercely and boldly th a t - though they w ere only tw o -
w ere able to stop th e idolaters sh o rt of realizing th eir aim. They
w ere of th e best archers and kept on fighting in defense of Allah's
M essenger until th e w hole squad of idolaters was driven off
him.

Allah's M essenger ^ em ptied his quiver of arrow s and said to

Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas ^>\

"Shoot an arrow Sa'd. May my father and m o th er be

ransom ed for y o u ."121

The Prophet had never said such thing about his parents
except in th e case of Sa’d - a privilege granted to him for his
efficiency.131

In a version by Jabir - authorized by An-Nasa'i - concerning th e

attitu d e of Talhah bin 'U baidullah 4* tow ards the idolaters
gathering around Allah's M essenger - w h e n th ere w ere only
som e Helpers w ith him - Jabir said: "W hen th e idolaters reached
him , Allah's M essenger s g said: 'W ho will suffice us th eir evils
(i.e., fight th em back)?' Talhah said: 'I w ill.” ’ T hen Jabir m entioned
th e advance of th e Helpers to fight and how they w ere killed, one
after th e other, in a sim ilar way to M uslim ’s narration - "W hen all
th e Helpers w ere killed, Talhah proceeded to fight as m uch as the
o th er eleven ones did till his h a n d was h u rt and his fingers w ere
cut off.

[1] Ash-Shifa' 1/81.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/407. 2/580.581.
[31 ibid 1/407. 2/580. 581.
320 The Sealed Nectar

So, he said: 'Be they cut off!' The Prophet said: 'If you had said:
In the Name of Allah, th e angels w ould have raised you up before
th e people's very eyes.'" T hen he said: "Allah drove th e idolaters
off th e m .'411

In Al-Ikleel - a book by Hakim - it is stated th at Talhah had

sustained thirty-nine or thirty-five w ounds, and his fingers (i.e.,
th e forefinger and the one next to it) w ere paralyzed.121

Al-Bukhari reported th a t Qais bin Abi Hazim said: "I saw th e hand
of Talhah paralyzed. That was because he protected the
Prophet w ith it during th e battle of U h u d ."131

At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah reported th at th e Prophet th e n said

about Talhah «&.: "He w ho desires to see a m artyr w alking on the
ground, let him look at Talhah bin 'U baidullah."141

Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi reported th a t 'Aishah 4* said: "W henever

Uhud Day (i.e., battle) was m entioned, Abu Bakr used to say: 'That
was T alhah's day (i.e., battle).451 Abu Bakr recited a verse of poetry
about him : 'O Talhah bin 'Ubaidullah! Paradise is for you as water-
springs are due for deer to drink fro m .'"161 At th e awkw ard and
m ost delicate circum stances, Allah, Glory is to Him. sen t dow n His
invisible Help.

In Sahih Al-Bukhari and M uslim it is reported th at Sa'd said: "I

saw Allah's M essenger on U hud Day w ith two m en - dressed
in w hite defending him fiercely - I have never seen sim ilar to
them neith er before U hud nor after it.”

In an o th er version: "He m eans to say th at they w ere Gabriel and

M ichael."171

[1] Fathul-Bari 7/361: An-Nasa'i 2/52.53-

[2] Fathul-Bari 7/361.
[31 Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/527. 2/581.
[4] At-Tirm idhi no. 3740. Ibn Majah 125. and Ibn Hisham 2/86.
[5] Fathul-Bari 7/361.
[6] M ukhtasar Tarikh D imashq 7/82.
[7] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/580.
The Battle o f Uhud 321

The Companions surround the Messenger jH

All those events h appened in no tim e. If th e P ro p h et’s elite

Com panions had realized th e grave situation im m ediately, they
w ould have ru sh ed to th e spot and w ould n o t have let him sustain
these w ounds. U nfortunately, they got th ere after A llah’s
M essenger had been w o u n d ed and six of th e H elpers killed,
th e seventh was severely w o u n d ed and desperately fighting in
defense of th e Prophet j ||. However as soon as they arrived they
encircled th e M essenger w ith th eir bodies and w eapons and
w ere alert enough to prevent th e enem ies from reaching him . The
first one w ho retu rn ed to give help, was his com panion of the
cave, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq

In a version by 'Aishah ^ recorded in Ibn H ibban’s Sahih, she

narrated th a t Abu Bakr 4® said: "On th e Day of U hud w h e n all the
people had left th e Prophet I w as th e first to go back and see
him . Before him I saw a m an fighting to shield him from the
enem ies. I said to myself: 'I w ish h e w ere Talhah. Let my father
and m o th er be ransom ed for you. (O Allah) Let him be Talhah! Let
my parents be ransom ed for you!’ O n th e way, I w as overtaken by
Abu 'Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah, w ho w as th e n m oving as swiftly as a
bird. We both ru sh ed to dress th e P ro p h et’s w ounds. There we
found Talhah suffering from serious w o unds before A llah’s
M essenger sjgjjj. The Prophet sgs said: 'See to your b ro th e r for h e is
in m ore n e e d .’ I noticed th a t tw o rings of th e iron-ringed h elm et
had pen etrated his cheek. So, I set o u t to take th em out; b u t Abu
'Ubaidah dem anded: 'By Allah, O Abu Bakr - I request you to let
m e do it m yself.’ Fearing to h u rt th e Prophet h e started pulling
one of th e tw o rings o u t very slowly and carefully w ith his m outh.
T hen h e pulled th e arrow o u t by his m outh, too. C onsequently,
his front to oth came out. T hen I proceeded to pull th e second out;
b u t Abu 'Ubaidah requested m e to leave it: ’O Abu Bakr, I beg you
by Allah to let m e do it.’ He pulled th e second ring very slowly and
carefully w ith his m outh, till it cam e out. A llah’s M essenger
said: ’See to your b ro th er for he is in m ore n e e d .’ We approached
Talhah to ten d to him b u t found th a t he had som e ten sword-
322 The Sealed N ectar

w ounds in his body .111 (This show ed how efficiently Talhah had
fought and struggled on th a t day).”
At th o se aw kw ard m om ents of th at day, a group of M uslim heroes
gathered around th e Prophet jjjg form ing a shield to protect him
from th e idolaters. Some of th em w ere Abu D ujanah, M us'ab bin
’Umair, 'Ali bin Abi Talib, Sahl bin Hunaif, M alik bin Sinan - th e
father of Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri, Um m 'U m arah N usaibah b in t Ka'b
Al-Maziniyah, Q atadah bin A n-Nu'm an, 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab,
Hatib bin Abi Balta'ah and Abu Talhah

The Idolaters increase the Intensity o f Battle

The n um ber of idolaters was steadily increasing; and th eir attacks,
naturally, got severer. Their drive increased to an ex ten t th at
A llah’s M essenger fell into one o f th e holes dug and designed
by Abu 'Amir Al-Fasiq to be used as traps. W ith his knee w ounded,
'Ali helped him by giving him a han d up. Talhah bin
'Ubaidullah 4* helped him u ntil h e could stand upright. Nafi’
bin Jubair said: "I heard an Em igrant say: 'I have w itnessed the
battle of U hud and w atched arrow s being h u rled from all
directions at th e Prophet jg . N one of th em h it h im .’ 'Abdullah
bin Shihab Az-Zuhri said: 'Guide m e to M uham m ad! By Allah, if I
d o n 't kill him , I w ould n o t w a n t to live.’ A lthough Allah's
M essenger $g was next to him , alone, b u t h e did n o t see him .
Safwan, an o th er polytheist, blam ed him (for n o t attacking him),
b u t 'Abdullah sw ore th a t he did not see him (the Prophet 0 ) and
added th at h e m ight be im m une to th eir attem p ts on his life. He
also said th a t four of th em pledged to m ake a fresh atte m p t and
kill him , b u t to no avail.121

Unprecedented Heroism
The M uslim s dem onstrated u nprecedented heroism and m arvelous
sacrifices. Abu Talhah - for instance - shielded A llah’s
M essenger j g by his body and used his chest to protect him

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/95.

[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/97.
The Battle o f Uhud 323

against th e enem y arrows. Anas 4*> related th a t on th e Day of U hud

w hen people left th e Prophet Abu Talhah 4e> was a skillful sort
of archer w ho w ould shoot so m any arrow s th a t he broke tw o or
three bows th at day. W hen a m an passed along w ith a quiver full of
arrows, the Prophet s g w o u ld say: "Give th e a rro w s to Abu Talhah!"
Then w h en th e Prophet w atched people shooting, Abu
Talhah 4® w ould say: May my father and m other be ransom ed
for your safety. Do n o t go too close lest an arrow of theirs should h it
you. I w ould rather die th an see you h u r t."111
Abu D ujanah stood before Allah's M essenger and used to protect
him from th e arrow s by his back. H atibbin Balta'ah followed 'Utbah
bin Abi Waqqas - w ho broke th e honorable incisor (of the
Prophet ^e) - struck him w ith th e sword, cracked his head and
took his horse and sword. Sa'd bin Abi W aqqas cfe w as so keen to kill
his b ro th er 'Utbah, b u t he could not; how ever, Hatib could.
Sahl bin H unaif 4® - a hero archer - w ho pledged to die in the
cause of Allah, also played a p ro m in en t part in th e battle at Uhud.
Allah's M essenger jg. h im self was involved in shooting arrows. In
a version by Q atadah bin A n-N u'm an th a t Allah's M essenger
shot so m any arrow s th at th e tw o ends of his bow bent. So,
Q atadah bin A n-N u'm an 4* took it to rem ain w ith him for good.
On th at day his eye was so h u rt th a t it fell dow n onto his cheek;
b u t Allah's M essenger #§ p u t it in its socket w ith his h an d and it
becam e th e b e tte r and th e m ore sharp-sighted of th e two.
On th a t day 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf 4® kept on fighting u n til his
m outh was w ounded. He sustained over tw enty w ounds, som e in
his leg m aking him lame.
Malik bin Sinan 4*. th e father of Abi Sa’id Al-Khudri 4® sucked
th e blood off of the P ro p h et’s cheek till he cleaned it. The
Prophet said: "Spit it out!" But M alik said: "By Allah, I will
never spit it.” Then he set o u t to fight. The Prophet th e n said:
"He w ho w ants to see a m an of th e people of Paradise, let him
look at this one." No sooner had he resum ed fighting th an he was

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/581

324 The Sealed Nectar

m artyred in th e thick of th e battle.

Umm 'U m arah participated in th e fight too. She encountered Ibn
O am i'ah in combat, and su stain ed a slight w ound on h er
shoulder, b u t she h erself also struck him w ith her sw ord several
tim es b u t he survived because he was w earing two arm ors. She,
however, w e n t on striking u n til she had received tw elve w ounds.
M us'ab bin 'Umair 4®, in his turn, fought fiercely and violently
defending th e Prophet against th e attacks of Ibn O am i'ah and
his fellows. He was carrying th e standard w ith his right hand. In
th e process of fighting, it was cut off, so he grabbed th e standard
in his left h an d till this was also am putated so h e knelt dow n and
shielded it w ith his chest and neck. Ibn O am i’ah th e n killed him ,
m istaking him for Allah 's M essenger on account of
resem blance in appearance. Only th en did Ibn O am i’ah sh o u t
'M uham m ad has been killed.'111

The Rumor o f the Death o f the Prophet and its Effect

on the Battle
No sooner had Ibn O am i'ah uttered th a t om inous sentence th an
anxiety spread am ong M uham m ad's followers, and their m orale
was drastically reduced. Consequently, confusion and a m iserable
state of disorder prevailed am ong them . W hile the rum ors
m anaged to adversely act am ong the M uslim s, it lessened the
sharp im pact of the assaults of th e polytheists w ho came to
believe th a t they did really achieve th eir final objective and so
they tu rn ed tow ards m utilating th e dead bodies.

The Messenger consolidates his Position in the Battle

W hen M us'ab was killed, Allah’s M essenger delivered the
standard to 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4*- 'Ali, in conjunction w ith th e other
Com panions, w e n t on fighting bravely and set m arvelous exam ples
of heroism , courage and endurance in both defense and attack.
Then Allah's M essenger ^ m ade his way to his encircled army.

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/73. 80-83: Zadul-Ma'ad 2/97.

The Battle o f Uhud 325

Ka'b bin M alik w ho w as th e first one to recognize the

approaching Prophet sh o u ted as loudly as he could: "O folks
of M uslim s, be cherished! Allah's M essenger ^ is here," But
Allah's M essenger ^ signed to him to stop lest his position
should be located by th e idolaters. Upon hearing th e shout, the
M uslim s im m ediately raced tow ards th e source of th e sh o u t
w hich brought about th irty C om panions to gather around the
Prophet s i . W ith this assem bled n u m b er of his Com panions,
Allah's M essenger S i started draw ing a planned w ithdraw al to the
hillocks nearby.
H ostilities of th e enem y grew fiercer th an ever w ith th e aim of
foiling th e plan of th e M uslim s' w ithdraw al. Their attem pts
how ever proved to be fruitless due to th e heroic steadfastness of
th e lions of Islam.
'U thm an bin 'Abdullah bin Al-Mughirah - one of th e enem y
horsem en - progressed tow ards Allah’s M essenger S i w hile
saying: "Either I kill him or I will be killed." Allah's
M essenger S i m oved to en co u n ter him b u t his m are tripped
into som e holes. So. Al-Harith bin As-Simmah fought w ith him ,
and struck his leg m aking him lam e, th en h e finished him off,
took his w eapons and caught up Allah's M essenger Si-
But later on an o th er M akkan horsem an, called 'Abdullah bin Jabir,
attacked Al-Harith bin As-Simmah, and struck him on th e shoulder
w ith his sw ord and he was carried to th e cam p of the M uslim s
suffering from serious w ounds. Yet h e did n ot escape death, for
Abu D ujanah - th e red head-banded hero - struck him w ith a
heavy blow cutting off his head.
During this bitter fight, a desire to sleep overw helm ed the M uslims
- that was a security and tranquility to help His slave M uslims as the
Q ur’an spoke in this context. Abu Talhah said: "I was one of those
who were possessed by a desire to sleep on the Day of Uhud. On
that day my sword fell from my hand several times. Again and again
it fell down, and again and again I picked it u p .” 111

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/582.

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The Battle o f Uhud 327

In a regular w ithdraw al and w ith great bravery and boldness, th e

M uslim s finally retreated to th e cover of M ountain Uhud. Then,
th e rest of th e arm y followed th e m to th a t safe position. In this
m anner, th e genius o f M uham m ad foiled th a t o f Khalid bin Al-
Walid,
Ubai bin Khalaf is killed
Ibn Ishaq related: W hen A llah’s M essenger jjjjg was going up th e
hillock, h e was followed by Ubai bin Khalaf w ho was saying:
"W here is M uham m ad? E ither I kill him or I will be killed.” The
Com panions said: "O M essenger of Allah, do you m ind if one of
us fights w ith him ?” But Allah's M essenger j g said: "Leave him !"
So, w h en he drew nearer, Allah's M essenger j g took th e spear
from Al-Harith bin As-Simmah 4*>. and shivered violently in such a
way th a t m ade all of th em scatter in all directions. T hen he
observed his collarbone through a gap betw een th e w ide opening
of th e arm or and th e p art of his neck enclosed by it. He speared
him in th a t spot. The effect of th e stroke was so strong th a t it
m ade him roll off his horse over and over. W hen h e retu rn ed to
th e Q uraish, they found th a t he only had a sm all scratch on his
neck. So, w h e n th e blood congealed h e said: "By Allah,
M uham m ad has killed m e." Hearing h im say so, they said: "By
Allah, you are afraid of death. By Allah, you are possessed by a
devil." He replied: "He already told m e w h e n w e w ere in M akkah:
'I will kill you.’ By Allah, had h e spat on me, h e w ould have killed
m e." Eventually, th e enem y of Allah breath ed his last at a place
called Sarif, w hile they w ere taking him back to M akkah.” 111 In a
version by Abul-Aswad, on th e authority of 'Urw ah He was
m oaning like a bull and saying: "By th e O ne in W hose H and is my
soul, if w h a t I am suffering from now w ere d istributed am ong the
people of Dhul-Majaz, it w ould have cause th em all to d ie ."121

Talhah lifts the Prophet

D uring th e w ithdraw al of A llah’s M essenger s g up to th e cover of

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/84; Zad Al-Ma 'ad 2/97.

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/84; Al-M ustadrak by Al-Hakim 2:327.
328 The Sealed Nectar

th e m ountain, a big rock blocked his way. The Prophet j® tried to

m o u n t it, b u t having w orn a sh o rt heavy arm or, and being
seriously w ounded, he could n o t ascend it. Readily enough
Talhah sat in a position th a t enabled th e Prophet ^ to stand
on his back. Then h e lifted him up u n til h e stood on it. The
Prophet th en said:

"Talhah, after this job, is eligible for it (Paradise)."111

The Idolaters’ Last Assault

W hen Allah's M essenger sj® settled dow n in the hillock, the
idolaters started th eir last attack upon th e M uslim s. Ibn Ishaq
related: "While th e Prophet j® w as on th e way to th e hillock, a
group of Q uraishite elite ascended th e m ountain. They w ere led
by Khalid bin Al-Walid and Abu Sufyan. So A llah’s M essenger j®
prayed his Lord saying:

'O Allah, they (i.e., th e idolaters) should n ot be higher (i.e.,

in position or in power) th an us (i.e., th e M uslim s).'

T herefore 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab ^ and som e of the Em igrants

fought th e idolaters till they drove th em dow n th e m o u n ta in .121

In Al-Maghazi - a book by Al-Amawi - it is stated th at th e idolaters

w e n t up th e m ountain. So, Allah's M essenger j® said to Sa'd 4*>-.
"Drive th em off." "How can I drive th em off by m yself (i.e.,
w ith o u t anyone to assist).” But Allah’s M essenger £® repeated th e
phrase three tim es. Sa'd 4* th en took an arrow o u t of his quiver,
shot it at one of them and killed him .

He said: "Then I took th e arrow I knew and I sh o t an o th er m an

w ith it. T hen I took th e arrow I knew and killed a th ird one.
C onsequently they climbed dow n th e m ountain. I said to myself,
'This m u st be a blessed arrow .' I p u t it in my quiver." He kept it
w ith him till he died. His children kept it w ith th em ever a fte r.131

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/86, and it was reported by At-Tirmidhi, Ahmad, and Al-Hakim.
[2] Ibn Hisham 2/86.
[3] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/95.
The Battle o f Uhud 329

Mutilation o f the Martyrs

That was th e last attack m ade by th e idolaters against the
Prophet 0 ,. Being alm ost certain o f his death, th e idolaters
retu rn ed to th eir cam p and started preparations to go back to
M akkah. Some of th em involved them selves in m utilating the
killed M uslim s, and so did th eir w om en. W om en and m en cut off
th e ears, th e noses, and th e genitals of th e m artyrs. They even cut
open th eir bellies. Hind bin 'U tbah - for instance - ripped open
th e liver of Ham zah and chew ed it; b u t finding it unpleasant,
she spat it out. She even m ade th e ears and noses of M uslim s into
anklets and necklaces.111
Two incidents occurred during th e last h o u rs of th e fight, w hich
revealed for certain how far th e M uslim s w ere ready to fight and
sacrifice in th e way of Allah:
1. Ka'b bin M alik said: "I was one of th o se M uslim s w ho fought
in U hud and w itnessed th e polytheists' acts of barbarity in
m utilating th e dead bodies, b u t I passed th em because I couldn't
stand it. T hen I saw a heavily arm ed idolater passing through the
M uslim s and saying: 'G ather th em up and com bine th em in th e
way th a t sheep are gathered and slaughtered.’ Similarly, I saw an
arm ed M uslim w aiting for him . I w alked tow ards th em till I stood
behin d him . Com paring both of them , I found th a t th e disbeliever
was better th an th e o th er in arm s and figure. The M uslim th ru s t
at th e disbeliever w ith his sw ord th a t w e n t dow n up to his hip
splitting him into two. W hen th e M uslim unveiled his face, he
said: ’W hat about that, Ka'b? I am Abu D ujanah.'"121
2. Some M uslim w om en cam e to th e battlefield w h e n th e fight
was over. Anas 4® said: "I saw 'Aishah b in t Abu Bakr w ith Um m
Sulaim. Their garm ents w ere gathered up so I could see their
ankles. They carried w ater bags on th eir shoulders and em ptied
th em into th e m o u th s of peo p le.131 T hen they w ould go back to fill

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/90.

[2] Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah AIM.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/403. 2/581.
330 The Sealed Nectar

them and come back to do th e sam e." 'Um ar 4*. said: "She (Umm
Saleet, one of th e Ansari w om en) carried w ater bags to us on th e
Day of U h u d ."111

Um m Aiman '%> was one of those M uslim w om en w ho saw th e

defeated M uslim fighters entering M adinah. She started throw ing
d u st at th eir faces rebukingly saying: "Here is a spinning w heel,
take it! and give up carrying sw ords." Then she raced to the
battlefield. There she w atered th e w ounded. Hibban bin Al-'Arqah
shot an arrow at her, she fell dow n and becam e exposed. Seeing
that, th e enem y of Allah, b u rst into laughter. T hat sight u pset
Allah's M essenger so he gave Sa'd bin Abi W aqqas an arrow
lacking an arrow head and said "Shoot it.” Sa'd sh o t it, it pierced
the idolater's throat. He fell dow n and som e parts of his body
w ere revealed. Allah's M essenger th e n laughed so m uch th a t
his m olars could be seen, and said: "Sa'd avenged her, may Allah
respond his supplications.” 121

The Messenger reaches the Trail

As soon as Allah's M essenger % reached the trail, 'Ali bin Abu
Talib w e n t out and filled his w ater container w ith w ater from
Al-M ihras. Al-M ihras is said to be hollow (concaved) rock
containing plenty of w ater. It w as also said th a t it is a w ater
spring at th e U hud m ountain. Anyway, 'Ali brought th a t w ater to
Allah's M essenger ^ to drink. Finding th a t it sm elled bad, he
refused to drink it, b u t only w ashed th e blood from his face and
poured som e of it over his head saying:

"Allah's w rath is great on those w ho injured His M essen­

ger’s face."131

Sahl 4«> said: "By Allah, I know w ho w ashed th e w ound of A llah’s

M essenger |§; and w ho poured o ut w ater for him and w hat
(substances) his w ound was treated w ith: His daughter Fatim ah

[1] ibid 1/401.

[2] As-Seeratul-Halabiyah 2/22.
[3] Ibn Hisham 2/85.
The Battle o f Uhud 331

w ashed it, w hereas 'Ali poured w ater o u t of th e container. W hen

Fatim ah realized th a t w ater increased th e flow of blood, she took a
piece of straw m at, b u rn t it a little and stuck it to th e w ound so
blood ceased flow ing."111

M uham m ad bin M aslam ah 4® brought him fresh w ater to drink.

The Prophet S i drank and supplicated Allah to provide him w ith
good.121 Owing to th e w o unds and th eir bad effects on his body,
Allah's M essenger S i led his followers in th e Z u h r prayer in a
sitting posture and so did th e M u slim s.131

W hen the preparations of th e idolaters for departu re came to an

end, Abu Sufyan w e n t up th e m o u n tain and called out: "Is
M uham m ad am ong you?" They did not answ er him . T hen he
asked "Is Ibn Abi Q uhafah (i.e., Abu Bakr) am ong you?" They did
not answ er. He asked again: "Is 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab am ong you?"
They did n o t answ er him ; for th e Prophet S i forbade them
answ ering him . He only asked about those three. That is because
he and his people knew quite well th a t th e call to Islam d epended
to a large degree on those m en. Abu Sufyan th en said: "As for
those three, w e have relieved you of." 'Um ar 4& could n o t help
b u t talking, so he said, "O enem y of Allah, th o se w hom you have
just m entioned, I tell you th at they are still alive. Allah has
m a in ta in e d w h a t you h a te ." Abu Sufyan an sw ered : "The
m utilation of your dead is som ething I did n o t order it; b u t it
did not displease m e.” T hen he shouted: "Hubal (an idol), let it be
sublim e!" The Prophet S i said: "Why do you n o t reply?” "W hat
shall w e say?" They asked him . "Say: 'Allah is m ore Sublim e and
Exalted and M ightier as w e ll."’

He said: "Al-'Uzza (i.e., an idol) is ours b u t you have no 'Izza

(m ight).” "Why do you n o t reply?” The Prophet S i said. "What
shall w e say?” They inquired. He said: "Say Allah is our Protector,
b u t you have no protector."

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/584.

[2] As-Seeratul-Halabiyah 2/30.
[3] Ibn Hisham 2/87.
332 The Sealed Nectar

Abu Sufyan said: "Well done! Today is Revenge Day for th e Day of
Badr. This for that. War is atten d ed w ith alternate success."
'U m ar’s reply was: "No. They are n o t th e same. O ur dead are
housed in Paradise; b u t yours are in th e Fire."
Then Abu Sufyan said: "Come on, ’Umar!" Allah's M essenger sfc
said: "Go and see w h at th e m atter is." He w e n t there. Abu Sufyan
asked him : "I ask you by Allah's Nam e to tell m e th e tru th : Have
w e killed M uham m ad?" 'Um ar said: "O Allah, no, and now he
is listening to you w ords." He said: "For me, you are m ore tru th fu l
th an Ibn Q am i'ah, and even m ore reliable."111

The Appointment to meet again at Badr

Ibn Ishaq said: "W hen Abu Sufyan and th o se w ho w ere w ith him
w ere leaving, he called o u t notifying: ’We will m eet again at Badr
next year.’ Allah's M essenger said to one of his m en: "Say: ’Yes,
it is an ap p o in tm en t for both of u s.’" [2)

Verifying the Movement o f the Idolaters

Later on, Allah's M essenger tjfc dispatched 'Ali bin Abi Talib to
track them . He said to him:

"Pursue th em and see w h at they are going to do, and w hat

they intend. If they d ism o u n t horses and ride on cam els'
back, this m eans th at they are leaving for M akkah; b u t if
they ride horses and lead cam els u n m o u n ted , they are
headed for M adinah. By th e One, in W hose Hand my soul is,
if they attacked M adinah I w ould m arch to them there and I
w ould fight them ."
'Ali said: "I w en t o ut and tracked them to see w h at they w ere
up to. I saw them m ounting camels and leaving th e horses
unm ounted. They w ere heading for M akkah.” 131

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/93. 94; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/94: Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/579.
[2] Ibn Hisham 2/94.
[3] Ibn Hisham 2/94, in Fathul-Bari (7/347) Ibn Hajar says th a t th e one w ho tracked
them was Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas
The Battle o f Uhud 333

Checking on the Dead and Wounded

After the d eparture of th e Q uraishites, people w e n t o ut to check
the identity of th e dead and th e w ounded. Zaid bin Thabit 4® said:
Allah's M essenger se n t m e on th e Day of U hud to seek Sa’d bin
Ar-Rabi’ and said: "W hen you see him , say: 'Peace be upon you,'
from m e and say to him : 'Allah's M essenger says: How do you
feel?’" Zaid 4 ^ said: I started checking th e dead u n til I came
across Sa'd w h e n he was dying - w ith about seventy sword
w ounds, plus a spear and an arrow in his body. So I said: "O Sa'd,
Allah's M essenger ^ sends you his greetings, and says: 'Peace be
upon you, tell m e how do you feel?'" Sa'd said: "And let peace be
upon Allah’s M essenger jfc, too. Tell him , I sm ell th e scent of the
Paradise, And tell th e Helpers, my people: 'You shall n o t be
excused before Allah if A llah’s M essenger is h u rt and your eyes
are blinking."’ Then he d ie d .111
They came across Al-Usairim - 'Amr bin Thabit, w hom they had
already urged to em brace Islam b u t refused. They saw him am ong
th e w ounded on th e verge of close death. "W hat has he com e here
for? We have parted w ith him and h e w as still too obstinate to
accept Islam as his religion.” They asked him : "W hat m ade you
come here? Is it out of zeal to defend your people or is it because
of an inclination to Islam?" He said: "It is (certainly) an inclination
to Islam. I believe in Allah and in His M essenger. I have fought
w ith A llah’s M essenger till I got w h a t you see," and th en he
im m ediately died. They told Allah's M essenger about him .
Hearing that, he said: "He is one of th e inhabitants of Paradise."
"Although he had n o t offered one single prayer," narrated Abu
H urairah.121
Qazm an, w ho was found am ong th e w ounded, fought heroically,
and killed seven or eight idolaters. He was w eakened by the
w ounds h e sustained, they carried him to th e locality of Bani Zufr,
The M uslim s gave him glad tidings of th e Paradise. But he said:

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/96.

[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/94: Ibn Hisham 2/90.
334 The Sealed Nectar

"By Allah 1 have fought out of th e passion to my people. Had it not

b een for th at I w ould have never fought." W hen his w o unds
w orsened he com m itted suicide.
Allah's M essenger had already said w henever he was
m entioned to him : "He is an in h ab itan t of Fire.” 111 This is the
end of those w ho fight for a national cause or in a way o th er than
th a t of raising up th e W ord of Allah, though they fought u n d er the
ban n er of Islam or even in the arm y of Allah's M essenger or of
his Com panions.
Contrary to Oazm an. th ere was a Jew of Bani T ha'labah am ong the
dead. He said to his people, "O folk people of Jews! By Allah you
have already know n th a t it is necessary to sup p o rt M uham m ad."
They said: "Today is Saturday." He said: "There is no Saturday for
you." He took his sw ord and th e w ar eq u ipm ent and said: "If I
w ere killed, my property should be p u t at M uham m ad's disposal."
The next m orning he kept on fighting till he w as killed. Allah's
M essenger ^ said about him , "M ukhaireeq is the b est Jew."121

Burial o f the Martyrs

Allah’s M essenger # ; supervised th e m arty rs’ burial and said:

"I bear w itness th at anyone w ho is w ounded in th e way of

Allah, Allah will resurrect him on th e Day of Resurrection
w ith his w o u n d bleeding a liquid w hich is blood-like in color
b u t m usk-like in scen t."131
Some of th e C om panions carried th eir dead to M adinah, b ut
Allah's M essenger ^ ordered th a t they should be se n t back in
order to be buried w here they w ere killed. He ordered th at they
should not be w ashed b u t buried as they w ere after stripping
th em off th eir arm or and leather clothes. He used to bury every
two or th ree m artyrs together in one grave and even join two m en

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/97: Ibn Hisham 2/88.

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/88, 89.
[31 Ibn Hisham 2/98.
The Battle o f Uhud 335

in one garm ent w hile saying: "Who is th e m ore learned of th e

Q ur'an?" and he w ould com m it him to earth first. He w ould say:
"I bear w itness to th o se on th e Day of R esurrection." He buried
both 'Abdullah bin ’Amr bin Haram and ’Amr bin Al-Jamuh in one
grave due to th e affection they used to have for each o th e r.111

They m issed th e body of Hanzalah, they sought it and found th at

it was on a spot nearby w ith w ater dripping off it. A llah’s
M essenger told his C om panions th at th e angels w ere w ashing
him and said: "Ask his w ife." They asked h er and she confirm ed
th a t he had been in a state of cerem onial im purity. T hat was w hy
Hanzalah was called Ghaseel Al-Mala'ikah (i.e., th e one w ashed by
th e angels).121

W hen A llah’s M essenger ^ saw how his uncle and foster brother,
Ham zah 4 *>. w as m utilated, he was extrem ely grieved. W hen his
a u n t Safiyah ^ came to see h er b ro th e r Ham zah 4*. Allah's
M essenger $j|| ordered h er son Az-Zubair to send h er away in
order n o t to see w h a t hap p en ed to h er brother. She refused and
said. "But w hy should I go away. I have been inform ed th at they
have m utilated him . But so long as it is in th e way of Allah,
w hatever h ap p en s to him satisfies us. I say: Allah is Sufficient and
I will be patien t if Allah w ills.” She approached, looked at him and
supplicated Allah for him and said: "To Allah w e all belong and to
Him we will verily retu rn ." and she asked Allah to forgive him .
T hen Allah's M essenger ordered th a t he should be buried w ith
'Abdullah bin Jahsh - w ho w as his nephew as well as his foster
brother.
Ibn M as’ud said: "We have never seen A llah’s M essenger
w eeping as m uch as he did for Ham zah bin ’Abdul-M uttalib. He
directed him tow ards Al-Qiblah, th e n h e stood at his funeral and
sobbed.” 131

The sight of th e m artyrs w as extrem ely horrible and h e a rt­

[1] Zadul-M a’a d 2/98: Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/584.

[2] Zadul-M a’ad 2/94.
[3] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul p.255.
336 TheSealedNectar

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li* Ji ^4 lii o>]i ijulil J\

di 44^ J4L1 .1^ u ^3 idj.1 u ^ d
LLb*-lj coh.,i3»Jlj ( j j j j S J l lUl t iLjJi
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J jli I .d l d j Is^ -J ^ $ JL \'j , i l L ^ ^
®JpxJl iJl O^t^ 1 ®yd>d\

"O Allah, I ask You to grant m e p e rm a n en t bliss th a t neith er

changes nor vanishes. O Allah, You Alone w e seek for help
at hardships. You Alone w e resort to for security on a day of
terror. O Allah, to You Alone I resort to protect us from the
evil of th a t w hich You have given us and from th e evil of
th a t w hich You have w ith h eld from us. O Allah, m ake us
love Faith and m ake it adorn our hearts! M ake disbelief,
rebellion and disobedience detestable to us. Let us be
am ong th o se w ho are rightly guided. O Allah, m ake us live
as M uslim s and cause us to die as M uslim s; and m ake us
join w ith th e righteous b u t n o t w ith th e disgraced and
m isled. O Allah, destroy th e disbelievers w ho belie Your
M essenger and divert from Your righteous way. O Allah, let
Your p u n ish m e n t and Your enm ity befall th e disbelievers. O
Allah, destroy th e disbelievers to w hom You have given the
Book, O God of T ru th ."111

Returning to Madinah, the Display o f Love received

After com m itting all the m artyrs to earth, and after offering praise
and supplication to Allah, Allah's M essenger w e n t back to
M adinah.

On his way back, m atchless exam ples of love and devotion w ere
revealed by th e tru th fu l w om en believers; in no way less great

[1] Reported by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adabul-Mufrad. and Imam Ahmad in his M usnad 3/

424.
33« The Sealed Nectar

th an the m en 's heroic deeds in th e fight.

H am nah b in t Jahsh ^ m et Allah's M essenger j|§ on th e way back,

and he announced th e death of h er b ro th er - 'Abdullah bin
Jahsh - to h e r- She said: "To Allah w e belong and to Him w e
will verily return. I ask Allah's forgiveness.” Then he announced
th e death of h er m aternal uncle Ham zah bin 'Abdul-M uttalib
She said: "To Allah w e belong and to Him w e will verily return. I
ask Allah’s forgiveness." But w h en he announced th e death of her
h usband M us'ab bin 'Um air 4* to her, she sh o u ted and cried.
Seeing h er doing so, Allah's M essenger $§; said: "The w om an's
h usband is extrem ely dear to h e r ."111

He passed by a w om an of Bani D inar w hose husband, father and

b ro th er w ere all killed at Uhud. W hen th eir death announced, she
said: "How is Allah's M essenger?" They said: "Well indeed. O
m other of so-and-so. T hanks to Allah; h e is well and as good as
you desire." She said: "Let m e see h im ." They pointed at him .
Seeing him she said: "All m isfortunes are no th in g so long as you
are safe."121

Um m Sa'd bin M u’adh 4* came ru n n in g to see th e Prophet At

th at tim e h er son was holding th e rein of his mare. Seeing his
m other, he said to th e Prophet |jj|: "O M essenger of Allah! This is
my m o th e r.” The Prophet s g said: "She is w elcom e," and he
stopped and w aited for her. W hen she drew near, h e consoled her
for h er son 'Amr bin M u'adh 4i> w ho had been killed. But she said:
"So long as I see you are safe, I consider my m isfortune as
nothing." Then Allah's M essenger supplicated Allah for the
relatives of those w ho w ere killed at U hud and said: "Cheer up!
Um m Sa'd, and bear good tidings to th eir kindred th a t all their
people killed in th e battle are com rades in Paradise and they are
intercessors for all their kinsfolk." She replied, "O M essenger of
Allah, w e are satisfied. W ho w ould cry for th em after this cheerful
news?" T hen she resum ed saying: "O M essenger of Allah, invoke

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/98.

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/99.
The Battle o f Uhud 339

Allah (for those w ho stayed behind)." He said:

"O Allah keep sorrow away from th eir hearts! And console
them w ith th eir m isfortunes. C om pensate those w ho stayed
beh in d w ith goodness and w elfare."111

The Messenger ^ in Madinah

In th e evening of th a t day - i.e., Saturday, th e seventh of Shawwal,
3rd year A.H. - th e M essenger arrived in M adinah. As soon as
he reached his house, he h anded his sw ord to his daughter
Fatim ah ^ and said: "O daughter, w ash the blood off th is sword.
By Allah it has been helpful to m e today." ’Ali bin Abi Talib 4®
handed h er his sword and said: "And w ash th e blood of this
sword too. By Allah, it has been helpful to m e today." So, Allah's
M essenger said: "Sahl bin H unaif and Abu D ujanah have been
as courageous as you in th e fight."121

The Numbers o f the Dead

M ost of th e narrations confirm ed th a t seventy M uslim s w ere
killed and th e m ajority of these, sixty-five, w ere Helpers. Forty-
one of th em w ere from Khazraj and tw enty-four from Aws. This,
besides one Jew and four Em igrants.
As for th e polytheists, tw enty-tw o of th em w ere killed, b u t som e
versions speak of thirty-seven. Allah know s b e s t.131

A State o f Emergency in Madinah

O n Saturday night, th e eighth of Shawwal, and after th eir retu rn
from Uhud, th e M uslim s sp e n t th a t night in a state of em ergency
- despite th e fact th a t they w ere utterly exhausted. They stayed
on the alert, and sp e n t th a t night guarding th e outlets and inlets
of M adinah. They w ere specially busy guarding th eir general
leader, Allah's M essenger ^ for fear th a t som e suspects could

[1] As-Seeratul-Halabiyah 2/47.

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/100.
[3] Ibn Hisham 2/122-129; Fathul-Bari 7/351.
340 The Sealed Nectar

com m it an unexpected folly.

The Hamra’ul-Asad Invasion

Allah's M essenger ^ on his part, sp e n t the night pondering over
th e situation. He feared th a t the idolaters m ight th in k - w hile
they w ere still on th eir way to M akkah - of reversing their way
and diverting to M adinah after they realized th a t they had availed
nothing of th at victory. They m ight regret and decide to invade
M adinah as com pensation. T herefore Allah's M essenger was
determ ined to pursue the M akkan army.
The Prophet called out u nto people and ordered th em to m arch
to encounter th e enem y of Islam. That was on Sunday m orning -
th e next day after the battle of U hud - th e eighth of Shawwal. He
said:

"Nobody will m arch to th e fight except those w ho have

already participated in the fighting at U hud."
'Abdullah bin Ubai said: "I will m arch out w ith you." "No," said
th e Prophet sfe.
W hile the M uslim s w ere suffering a lot from pain and deep
anxiety, they responded to his call. Jabir bin 'Abdullah 4* asked
th e Prophet to allow him to join th em in th a t fresh invasion on
account th a t he always had a liking to w itness all th e battles th at
the Prophet was involved in. He had n ot participated in Uhud
because his father asked him to stay in M adinah w ith his sisters.
And he was granted his wish.
The M uslim s m arched u n til they reached a place called Ham ra'ul-
Asad - about eight m iles from M adinah. He encam ped there. In
th at place M a'bad bin Abi M a'bad came to A llah’s M essenger
and professed Islam. Some people said th a t he rem ained an
idolater; he sim ply desired to give th e M essenger som e advice
out of abidance by a covenant betw een K huza'ah (his tribe) and
Bani Hashim. He said: "O M uham m ad! By Allah, we feel great
sorrow for w h at happened to you and to your Com panions. We
really hope you will not suffer again." So, Allah's M essenger #5
The Battle o f Uhud 341

suggested th at he should go to Abu Sufyan and discourage him

from pursuing his evil intentions.
The M essenger’s fears of a possible retu rn of th e idolaters proved
to be absolutely true. For no sooner th an had th e idolaters
d ism ounted and encam ped at Ar-Rawha’ - a place thirty-six m iles
from M adinah, they started reproaching one another. A group of
th em said to an o th er one: "You did nothing. You broke dow n their
force b u t you left them . T here are still som e distinguished m en
am ong th em w ho will probably gather people up to fight you
again. So let us go back and kill th em and crush dow n their
forces."
It was in fact a hasty decision taken by shallow -m inded people
w ho m isjudged th e potential pow er and m orale on b oth parties,
th a t is w hy an e m in e n t leader of Q uraish, Safwan bin Umaiyah,
tried to discourage his people from pursuing th a t venture, saying:
”0 people. Do not do such a thing! For I fear th a t he will gather up
those w ho stayed behind and did n o t share in Uhud. Go back
h o m e as w in n e rs. For I am n o t su re of w h a t tu rn th e
consequences will take if you get involved in such a fight. It
m ight be against you in th e end." N otw ithstanding th a t w eighty
argum ent, th e m ajority of th e polytheists w ere determ in ed to
em bark on th a t risky undertaking.

M a'bad bin Abu M a'bad m eanw hile m eet th em and tried to

exaggerate th e danger aw aiting th em in order to ruin th eir plan,
h e said: "M uham m ad has m arched to m eet you w ith a large ho st
of fighters; I have never seen som ething sim ilar to it before. He
has gathered all th e troops w ho have stayed beh in d and did not
share in Uhud. They surely regret w h a t they have m issed and
w an t to com pensate for it now. Their hearts are filled w ith hate
and resen tm en t." Abu Sufyan said: "Woe to you! W hat do you
suggest?" He said: "By Allah, I see th a t you w ould not leave till he
com es and you see th e heads of th eir horses; or till th e vanguard
of his arm y tu rn s up to you from beh in d th a t hill."
Abu Sufyan said: "By Allah, w e have reached a com m on consent to
crush dow n th e M uslim s and th eir pow er.” The m an, once m ore
342 The Sealed Nectar

w ith an im plied w arning, advised him to stop it.

In th e light of this news, th e resolution and d eterm in atio n of th e
M akkan arm y failed and panic and terror took firm hold of them .
They consequently tho u g h t it safest to com plete th ere w ithdraw al
back to M akkah. They, how ever, as an alternative, started a hostile
nerve propaganda aim ing at discouraging th e M uslim arm y from
pursuing them . A caravan belonging to 'Abdul-Qais h appened to
pass by tow ards M adinah. Abu Sufyan, in th e context of his
propaganda, asked th em to com m unicate a m essage to
M uham m ad to th e effect th a t th e M akkans had rallied their
ranks to kill th e M essenger and his C om panions, in retu rn Abu
Sufyan prom ised to give th e people of th e caravan loads of raisins
at the forum of 'Ukaz th e following year.

The people of th e caravan conveyed th e m essage to Allah's

M essenger sjte at Hamra'ul-Asad, b u t to no effect, on the contrary,
Abu Sufyan’s w ords increased them in Faith. Allah says:

"...And they said: 'Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us, and He

is th e Best Disposer of affairs (for us). So they tu rn ed w ith
Grace and Bounty from Allah. No harm touched them ; and
they followed the good Pleasure of Allah. And Allah is the
O w ner of Great Bounty.” [3:173. 174]
After the arrival of the caravan on Sunday, Allah's M essenger
stayed at H am ra’ul-Asad for th ree days - M onday. Tuesday and
W ednesday - 9-11 Shawwal, 3 A.H., and th en retu rn ed to
M adinah. Before his return, he took Abu 'Azza Al-Jumahi as a
prisoner of war. Incidentally, this m an had also been captured at
Badr b u t on account of his poverty, and th e large family he
supported, th e Prophet had been gracious enough to release
him on condition th a t he w ould n o t involve h im self in w ar against
th e M uslim s again. Abu 'Azza did not keep his prom ise and took
part in th e U hud hostilities on th e side o f th e polytheists. Here
again he requested M uham m ad ^ for pardon b u t the latter told
The Battle o f Uhud 343

him th a t a believer w o u ld n 't be taken twice in th e sam e trap. He

th en deservedly m erited th e sentence o f death w hich was
executed by Az-Zubair 4® or, in an o th er version, by 'Asim bin
Thabit *&>-
A M akkan spy, called M u’awiyah bin Al-Mughirah bin Abul-’As,
was sentenced to death too. This spy was th e grandfather of
'Abdul-Malik bin M arw an on his m o th er side. W hen th e idolaters
w e n t back after Uhud, M u'aw iyah came to his paternal cousin
'U thm an bin 'Affan 4®- 'U thm an gave him shelter - after securing
th e P rophet’s perm ission - on condition th at if he was caught
th ere after th ree days, h e w ould be killed. But he did n o t comply
w ith it, so w h en th e M uslim arm y left M adinah, he stayed there
for m ore th an th ree days during w hich h e was spying for the
Q uraish. So w h en th e arm y retu rn ed , M u ’awiyah fled out of
M adinah. Allah's M essenger #§, on this account, ordered Zaid bin
H arithah and 'Am m ar bin Yasir ^ to pu rsu e him and kill him . So
h e was killed.111
U ndoubtedly, th e invasion o f H am ra’ul-Asad is not a separate
invasion, b u t rather a part, or m ore specifically, a follow-up to
Uhud.
That was th e battle of U hud w ith all its stages and details. It has
for long been discussed by scholars and m en of research. Was it a
defeat or not?
Doubtlessly, th e m ilitary superiority in th e second phase of the
battle was in favor of th e polytheists w ho could successfully direct
th e steering m echanism of hostilities and inflict heavy losses in
lives on th e M uslim s. A dm ittedly, p art of th e body of believers
was clearly defeated, b u t th is could never be considered a M akkan
victory.
The M akkan arm y failed to occupy th e cam p of th e M uslim s. The
greater bulk of the M adinese army, in spite of th e chaos and
confusion, did n o t take to escape, on th e contrary they show ed

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/60-129: Zadul-Ma'ad 2/91-108; Fathul-Bari 7/345-377; M ukhtasar

Seeratir-Rasul pp. 242-275.
344 The Sealed Nectar

m atchless and heroic resistance and m anaged to gather th e m ­

selves again around th eir headquarters fighting bravely and
courageously.
They, m oreover, did not allow th e M akkans to run after th em in
pursuit. N either M uslim captives w ere taken nor spoils w ere
gained by th e M akkans.
The enem ies of Islam w ere also too cowardly to conduct th e third
phase of war, and im press th eir superiority on th e battlefield; on
th e contrary, they w ere in h o t h aste to evacuate th e field even
before th e M uslim s did.
M adinah itself, th e capital of th e M uslim s, was only a stone's
throw from th e lines of th e enem y, and vulnerably exposed, yet
th e polytheists w ere n o t bold enough to storm it to p lunder its
w ealth or capture th e M uslim w om en therein.
These suggestive details in fact su p p o rt our argum ent th at th e
event of U hud was just an occasion on w hich th e M akkans
m anaged only to inflict heavy losses on th e M uslim s b u t failed to
achieve their ultim ate goals of destroying th e M uslim arm y in the
process of th eir operation.
After all, it is n ot u nusual for conquerors to sustain such
casualties and losses, b u t th ese could u n d er no circum stances be
regarded as victory for the hostile party.
The incident of H am ra’ul-Asad is interesting in this regard. It is a
curious sight indeed of a victorious arm y in retreat for fear of
disgrace and defeat, and the dam aged group of M uslim s in
pursuit.
So this operation was not a separate battle, each party gaining
som e success and failure, n o t fleeing nor fu rth er engagem ent. In
this sense, th e operation could be regarded as an inseparable
battle.

In this context. Allah says:

The Battle o f Uhud 345

"And d o n 't be w eak in th e p u rsu it of th e enem y; if you are

suffering (hardships) th e n surely, they (too) are suffering
(hardships) as you are suffering, b u t you have a hope from
Allah (for th e reward, i.e., Paradise) th a t for w hich they hope
n o t.” [4:104]
The Verse explicitly identifies th e a ttitu d es of b oth th e parties
regarding lo sses a n d h a rd s h ip s as id en tical. Both p arties
concluded th e m ilitary operations and retu rn ed n e ith e r victorious
nor defeated.

The Observations o f the Noble Qur’an on the Battle o f

Uhud
Some Q u r’anic Verses w ere revealed to shed light on th e m ost
decisive phases of th e battle successively, bringing forw ard quite
clearly th e cause th a t led to th a t heavy loss, and illustrate the
vulnerable areas th a t w ere still persisting in th e souls o f som e
believers over th eir duties in adopting a decisive a ttitu d e w ith
respect to th e noble objectives for w hich th e M uslim C om m unity
was form ed and w h at it was expected to accom plish.
The Noble Q u r'an also spoke ab o u t th e a ttitu d e of th o se
pretending to have Faith, and m ade clear th e hostility and hatred
th a t they hold against Allah and His M essenger The W ords of
Allah m anaged, as well, to erase all traces of uncertainties and
objections raised by th e hypocrites and th eir allies, th e Jews - th e
authors of conspiracy and plots of intrigue - and w hich w ere still
in active operation in th e m inds of som e w eak-hearted M uslim s.
The adm irable judgm ent and long-sought objectives th a t w ere
attributable to th e battle of Uhud, w ere also an o th er topic for the
Noble Q u r’an to dwell on at length. Sixty Verses relevant to the
battle w ere revealed giving full account of th e first phase of th e
battle:

XaI I a Zf'yZ JA CljXC

"And (rem em ber) w h e n you (M uham m ad sg) left your

household in th e m orning to post th e believers at their
346 The Sealed Nectar

stations for th e battle (of U hud)." [3:121]

And to end in a com prehensive com m entary on its results and

m oralities:

"Allah will not leave th e believers in th e state in w hich you

are now, u n til He distinguishes th e wicked from th e good.
Nor will Allah disclose to you th e secrets of th e Ghaib
(unseen), b u t Allah chooses of His M essengers w hom He
pleases. So believe in Allah and His M essengers. And if you
believe and fear Allah, th en for you th ere is a great rew ard."
[3:179]

Lessons and Moralities

Ibn Al-Qaiyim has m ade a pointed reference to th e battle of Uhud
and given full explanation of th e Divine benefits and m oralities
th a t resulted from it.[11 Some M uslim scholars, on th e authority of
Ibn Hajar, said:

"In th e story of U hud and w h at h ap p en ed to th e M uslim s there,

are im p o rtan t virtues and w ise lessons, am ong them : The
M uslim s recognized th e evil resu lt of disobedience, and the
danger o f doing w h at is prohibited, as is th e lesson in w hat
h appened w h en th e M essenger 3jj| ordered the archers to
m aintain th eir position and n o t to vacate it.
It is also custom ary th at th e M essengers be tried and they
experience som e suffering. And th e w isdom in this is th a t w hen
they are continually victorious, som e people w ho are not believers
will join them , and th e tru th fu l will n o t be distinguishable from
th e others. But if they are continually defeated th en th e objective
of th e m ission w ould never be m et. So th e w isdom in the

[ 1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/99- 108.

The Battle o f Uhud 347

presence of both circum stances is th e distinction betw een the

tru th fu l and th e deceitful. For th e hypocrisy of th e hypocrites was
hidden from the M uslim s, b u t w h e n this event took place, and the
hypocrites openly behaved as they did, th e n things becam e very
clear and th e M uslim s recognized th a t they had enem ies in their
ow n hom e. Then they could prepare for th em and be on guard
against them , And by delaying victory in som e cases, th e pride of
the soul is restricted and dim inished, for w h en th e believers are
tried, they are patien t w hile th e hypocrites grieve.
And th at Allah has prepared exalted abodes for His believing
servants w hich they could never attain by th eir deeds alone, so He
has given them trials and adversities th a t bring them to it.
M artyrdom is am ong th e highest ranks of th e tru e friends of
Allah, and Allah w ants to destroy His enem ies, so He m akes
causes for them by w hich they will deserve th a t end, due to their
disbelief, th eir tyranny and transgression against His friends. By
such th e believers' sins are w iped out, and they are im posed upon
th e disbelievers."111

[1] Fathul-Bari 7/347.

 Military Platoons and Missions
between the Battle of Uhud and
the Battle of the Confederates

U h u d ’s m isfortune left a bad im pact on both the credibility and

m ilitary reputation of th e M uslim s. Their dignity and pow er in
peo p le’s eyes w ere im paired. Troubles and dangers spread
everyw here in and o ut of M adinah. The Jews, hypocrites and
bedouins publicly declared th eir enm ity to th e M uslim s and each
party was keen on degrading and eventually w iping out their
w hole existence.

Two m o n th s had alm ost passed after this battle, w h en Banu Asad
m ade preparations to raid M adinah. At th e sam e tim e th e ’Adi and
O arah tribes conspired against th e M uslim s in th e m o n th of Safar,
4 A.H., and killed ten of th e Prophet's C om panions. Similarly Banu
’Amir plotted against them , and seventy C om panions w ere killed
in th e battle of th e Well of M a’unah. D uring th at period, Banu
N adeer kept on announcing th eir enm ity and w ere involved in a
plot to kill the Prophet M uham m ad in Rabi’ul-Awwal in 4 A.H.
Banu Ghatafan w ere about to attack M adinah in Jumada Al-Awwal
in 4 A.H.

Thus w e see th a t th e M uslim s tu rn e d into an attractive target of

several potential dangers after they lost th eir m ilitary credibility at
th e battle of U hud. M uham m ad % m ost wisely m anaged to check
all those hostile currents, and even restore th e lost dignity of the
M uslim s and gain th em fresh glory and noble standing. The first
initiative he took in this process was the H am ra’ul-Asad operation,
w hereby he could retain the M uslim m ilitary reputation. He
succeeded in recovering his follow ers’ dignity and aw e-inspiring
position in such a m an n er th a t astonished or even astounded both
th e Jews and hypocrites alike, and th en he proceeded to crown his
successful attem p ts by dispatching m ilitary tasks and m issions:
Military Platoons and Missions 349

The Abi Salamah Mission

The first people to take up arm s against th e M uslim s in the
afterm ath of U hud w ere Banu Asad bin Khuzaimah. Inform ation
was reported in M adinah th a t Talhah and Salamah, sons of
Khuwailid had gathered som e volunteers to fight Allah's
M essenger The Prophet ^ im m ediately dispatched a 150-
m an-platoon of Helpers and Em igrants headed by Abu Salamah.
The M uslim leader took Bani Asad bin Khuzaim ah by surprise in
their hom eland, neutralized th eir attem pts, dispersed th em and
captured th eir cattle, O n his return, Abu Salam ah had an
inflam m ation of a previous w o u n d h e sustain ed in Uhud, and it
caused him to die soon after. This expedition took place on
M uharram 1st, 4 A.H.1"

The Mobilization o f ’Abdullah bin Unais

On th e fifth day of th e sam e m o n th M uharram , 4 A.H., it was
reported th a t Khalid bin Sufyan Al-Hudhali w as gathering som e
m ob to raid th e M uslim positions. 'Abdullah bin Unais 4®. at the
order of th e Prophet ^ set o u t to destroy th e enem ies.

The M uslim m ilitary leader stayed away for eighteen days during
w hich he successfully fulfilled his task, killed th e head of the
rebels and brought his head back to M adinah on Saturday, seven
days before th e end of M uharram . The Prophet ijjg, as a reward,
gave him a staff saying: "This will function as a sign of recognition
for you and m e on the Day of Resurrection." On his death bed,
'Abdullah requested th a t it be w ith him in his s h ro u d .121

Ar-Raji’ Mobilization
In Safar of th e fourth year A.H., a delegation from th e tribes of
'Adi and Q arah came to M adinah and asked th e Prophet jfe to
send a group of C om panions to in stru ct th em in religion, claiming
th e existence of som e M uslim s am ong them .

[1] Zadul-Ma 'ad 2/108,

[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/109: Ibn Hisham 2/619. 620.
350 The Sealed Nectar

He se n t six of his Com panions, in an o th er version, ten headed by

M arthad bin Abi M arthad Al-Ghanawi 4&. or, according to Al-
Bukhari, 'Asim bin Thabit 4®. th e grandfather of 'Asim bin 'Umar
bin Al-Khattab. W hen they reached a spot called Ar-Raji' betw een
Rabigh and Jeddah, a h u n d red archers of Banu Lihyan surro u n d ed
th e place and attacked them . The delegation of M uslim s took
shelter on som e high ground, and the bedouins offered them a
pledge th at they w ould not be killed, 'Asim 4® refused to come
dow n, instead he fought th em u ntil he and six of his com panions
w ere killed. Three m en w ere left, Khubaib. Zaid bin Ad-Dathinah
and an o th er one.

Once again, th e bedouins offered th em a guarantee of safety and

they accepted. W hen they descended, the bedouins treacherously
bound them . The third m an rebuked them for their insincerity
and resisted them so they killed him . The o ther tw o m en w ho had
killed som e notables of O uraish at Badr w ere taken and sold in
Makkah.

The first was Khubaib 4® w ho w as detained for som e tim e and

th en it was unanim ously decided to crucify him . He was taken
from th e Holy Sanctuary to A t-Tan'im for crucifixion. He
requested a respite to offer a tw o-Rak'ah prayer. After th e final
greeting, he tu rn ed to his executioners, and said: "Had I not been
afraid th at you w ould th in k th a t I was afraid of death, I w ould
have prayed for a long tim e."

It was th en th at Khubaib 4® first set th e tradition of praying two

Rak'ah before being executed. He th en said: "O Lord! C ount them
one by one, exterm inate th em to the last one,"

He th en recited som e verses of poetry w hich speak eloquently of

th e atrocities borne by him , and testify to his Faith in Allah at this
h o u r of suffering:

The C onfederates have gathered their tribes around me; and

sum m oned all of them w ho could come.

They have gathered their w om en and children; I am bound firmly

to a lofty trunk.
Military Platoons and Missions 351

To Allah Alone I com plain o f my h elplessness an d sufferings; and

of th e death, th e C onfederates have prepared for me.
Lord of th e Throne! Give m e endurance against th eir design; they
have cut my flesh bit by bit, and I have been deprived of
sustenance.
They let m e choose infidelity b u t d eath is preferable; tears roll out
of my eyes, though n o t of fear.
By Allah! I fear n o t if I die a M uslim ; on w h a t side I fall for the
sake of Allah.
I will n o t show subservience to th e enem y, if th e Lord so desires;
He will bless my torn lim bs and broken joints.
Abu Sufyan th e n addressed him saying: "I ask you by Allah, d o n ’t
you w ish th a t M uham m ad w ere h ere in your place so th a t we
m ight cut off his head, and th a t you w ere w ith your family?"
Khubaib 4® answ ered, "By Allah, I do not w ish th a t
M uham m ad #1 now w ere in th e place I occupy or th a t a th o rn
could h u rt him , and th a t I w ere sitting w ith my fam ily." The
Q uraish ordered 'Uqbah bin Al-Harith, w hose father had been
killed by Khubaib *&> him self, to crucify him . They also appointed
som eone to guard his corpse. 'Amr bin Um aiyah Ad-Damri was
able to secretly rem ove him for burial during th e night. It w as later
reported th a t shortly before his crucifixion, h e was seen eating a
bunch of grapes although th ere was n o t even one date available in
M akkah at th a t tim e. [In fact, it w as n othing b u t sustenance
bestow ed upon him by Allah.]
Safwan bin Um aiyah purchased th e second m an, Zaid bin Ad-
D athinah and killed him as an act of revenge for his father's
m urder.
Q uraish, w hom 'Asim 4® had killed one of th eir notables, sent
som eone to get a portion of his body, b u t to th eir disappointm ent,
his corpse was unreachable because a large sw arm of h o rn ets had
been shielding him against any w rongful interference. 'Asim had
already given his Lord a pledge to rem ain im m une against any
polytheist tam pering w ith respect to his body, and also stay apart
352 The Sealed Nectar

from any contact w ith the enem ies of Allah. 'Umar bin Al-Khattab,
w h en hearing this piece of new s exclaimed: "Allah verily protects
His believing slave after death ju st as He does during his
lifesp an ."111

The Tragedy at the Well o f M a’unah

The M a'unah Well tragedy, w hich was even m ore horrible th an
th a t of Ar-Raji', took place in th e sam e m onth.
Abu Bara' - 'Amir bin Malik - nicknam ed 'Spear Player’, came to
Allah's M essenger ^ in M adinah. A llah’s M essenger s g called
him to em brace Islam b u t he n eith er agreed nor refused. He said:
"O M essenger of Allah, if you dispatch som e of your C om panions
to th e people of Najd to call th em to Islam, I expect th em to
accept." "I am afraid the people of Najd will kill th em ." Said the
M essenger But he replied, "I will protect th em ." Ibn Ishaq
confirm s th at forty m en w ere se n t to them ; b u t in the Sahih, it is
reported th a t they w ere seventy, and this is w hat is correct. Al-
M undhir bin 'Amr, one of Bani Sa'idah, nicknam ed 'Freed to d ie ’ -
was on com m and of th at group, w ho w ere th e b est and m ost
learned in the Q ur'an.
On th eir way to Najd they used to gather firewood to buy food for
th e people of Ahlus-Suffah as charity by day and study, m editate
on th e m eanings of th e Q u r’an by night. They kept on doing th at
till they arrived at the Well of M a'unah - w hich was a well in
betw een Bani Amir, Harrah and Bani Sulaim. They stayed there
and se n t th e m essage of the Prophet 0 , w ith Haram bin M ilhan -
the b rother of Um m Sulaim, to 'Amir bin At-Tufail, the enem y of
Allah. 'Amir did not pay a tte n tio n to th e m essage b u t rather
ordered a m an to spear Haram in th e back. W hen th e spear
penetrated H aram ’s body, he saw th e blood and said: "Allahu
Akbar (i.e., Allah is the M ost Great). By th e Lord of Al-Ka'bah, I
have won!"
Then th e enem y of Allah, prom ptly, called out Bani 'Amir to fight

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/169-179; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/109; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/568. 569. 585.
M ilitary Platoons and Missions 353

th e rest. Bani 'Amir refused because they w ere u n d e r the

protection of Abu Bara’. T herefore h e tu rn e d to Bani Sulaim for
help. The people o f 'Usaiyah, Ri'l a n d D hakw an, w ho w ere folks of
Bani Sulaim. respo nded to his call. The C om panions of th e
Prophet w ho w ere su rro u n d ed by idolaters, k ep t on fighting
till they w ere all killed. The only survivor w as Ka'b b in Zaid bin
An-Najjar 4 ® w ho w as carried w o u nded from am ong th e dead. It
was in th e battle of Al-Khandaq (the Trench) th a t h e was killed.
'Amr bin Um aiyah Ad-Damri and A l-M undhir bin 'Uqbah bin 'Amir
*$&>, w ho w ere en tru sted w ith th e M uslim s' anim als far from them ,
saw th e birds circling in th e air over th e battleground. Al-
M u n d h ir 4® ru sh ed to share in th e fight till he was killed. But
’Amr bin Um aiyah 4® was captured. 'Amir set him free w h e n he
knew th a t he was from th e M udar tribe b u t th a t was after h e had
cut his hair. He did th a t to fulfill a pledge of his m o th e r’s to set a
slave free.
Returning to th e Prophet 'Amr bin Um aiyah 4® conveyed the
new s of th e painful disaster, w hich resulted in th e m u rd er of
seventy o f th e best believers, and recalled th e tragedy of U hud b u t
w ith th e difference th a t th o se of U hud w ere killed in a clear war
b u t th o se of M a'unah w ere killed in a disgraceful treachery. On
his way back to Qarqarah, 'Amr bin Um aiyah 4® rested in the
shade of a tree, and th ere tw o m en of Bani Kilab joined him . W hen
they slept, 'Amr killed th em both, th inking th a t by doing th a t he
w ould avenge th e death of som e of his com panions. T hen he
found out th a t they had been given a pledge of protection by the
Prophet He told A llah’s M essenger #§ w h a t he did. Allah’s
M essenger ^ said to 'Amr: "You have killed tw o people; their
blood m oney shall be a debt I have to discharge." He th e n engaged
h im self collecting th eir blood m oney from th e M uslim s and their
allies, th e Jew s.111 This very act w as later to cause th e invasion of
Bani An-Nadeer.
The Prophet ^ was so deeply m oved by this tragedy and th a t of

[ 1] Ibn Hisham 2/ 183- 188; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/ 109- 110; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/ 584-586.
354 The Sealed Nectar

Ar-Raji' th a t he used to invoke Allah's w rath against those people

and tribes w ho killed his C om panions. Anas 4® reported th a t for
thirty days th e Prophet s g supplicated Allah against those w ho
killed his Com panions at M a'unah Well. In every M orning prayer
he w ould invoke Allah's w rath against Ri l, Dhakw an, Lihyan and
'Usaiyah. He w ould say, "'Usaiyah disobeyed Allah and His
M essenger." T herefore Allah sen t dow n u nto His
M essenger a O ur anic Verse th a t w e kept on reciting till it
was abrogated later on: 'Inform our people th at we have m et our
Lord. He is pleased w ith us and He has m ade us pleased.' So
Allah's M essenger stopped his invocation." 111

The Invasion o f Bani An-Nadeer

We have already spoken about the disgraceful behavior of the Jews

and how they w ere always thirsting to shed th e blood of the
M uslim s and und erm in e the cause of Islam despite all the
covenants and pledges they had given to the Prophet sg. Their
behavior fluctuated betw een acceptance and negligence after the
Banu O ainuqa' incident, th e m urder of Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf, and the
rebellion coupled w ith the treacherous secret contacts w ith the
O uraish and the hypocrites in order to establish an alliance
against the M uslim s after the battle of U h ud.[2] Being inexper­
ienced in w ar tactics, they tu rn ed to conspiracy and hatching
intrigues. They first of all declared open hatred and enm ity, and
chose to play all sorts of tricks th a t m ight harm the M uslim s, but
w ere very careful not to initiate any sort of hostilities th at m ight
involve th em in open war.

The Prophet on his part, exercised the highest degree of

patience w ith them b u t they w en t too far in th eir provocative
deeds, especially after th e events of Ar-Raji' and th e Well of
M a'unah events; they even m ade an atte m p t on his life.

Once the Prophet sfe w ith som e of his C om panions set out to see

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/586-588.

[2] 'Awn ul-Ma 'bud 3/116-117.
Military Platoons and Missions 355

Banu N adeer and seek th eir help in raising th e blood m oney he

had to pay to Bani Kalb for th e tw o m en th a t 'Amr bin Umaiyah
Ad-Damri had killed by m istake. All of th a t was in accordance
w ith th e clauses of th e treaty th a t b oth parties had already signed.
O n hearing his story, they said they w ould share in paying the
blood m oney and asked him and his C om panions Abu Bakr,
'Umar, 'Ali 4*> and others to sit u n d e r a wall of their houses and
wait. The Jews held a sh o rt private m eeting and conspired to kill
the Prophet The m ost wicked am ong them , 'Amr bin Jahsh,
volunteered to climb up th e wall and drop a large m illstone on his
head. O ne of them . Salam bin M ishkam , cautioned th em against
com m itting such a crime, predicting th a t Allah w ould reveal their
plot to him , and added th a t such an act w ould co nstitute a
m anifest violation of th e pact concluded w ith th e M uslim s.
In fact. Gabriel did come dow n to reveal to th e Prophet -M
th eir wicked crim inal intention, so he, w ith his C om panions,
h u rrie d off back to M adinah. On th e ir way, h e told his
Com panions of th e Divine Revelation.
Soon after, the Prophet w , delegated M uham m ad bin M aslam ah
to com m unicate an u ltim atum to Bani N adeer to th e effect th at
they should evacuate M adinah w ith in ten days, otherw ise, their
heads w ould be cut off. The chief of th e hypocrites, 'Abdullah bin
Ubai, urged th e Jews not to pay any a tte n tio n to the Prophet's
w ords and to stay in their houses, offering to su p p o rt them w ith
two th o u san d of his followers, and assuring th em of help to come
from th e Ouraizah tribe and form er allies Banu Ghatafan. Allah
said in this regard:

"If you are expelled, w e (too) indeed will go o ut w ith you,

and we shall never obey anyone against you, and if you are
attacked (in fight), we shall indeed help y o u .” [59:11]
The Jews regained th eir confidence and w ere determ in ed to fight.
Their chief Huyai bin Akhtab relied hopefully on w h at th e chief of
356 The Sealed Nectar

th e hypocrites said. So he se n t to Allah's M essenger ^ a reply

saying: "We will not leave our houses. Do w hatever you like to
do."

U ndoubtedly th e situ a tio n w as aw kw ard for th e M uslim s.

Launching a w ar against their o p ponents at this critical stage
could involve terrible far reaching consequences in th e light of the
unfavorable conditions they w ere experiencing, besides the
hostile environm ent growing in pow er and hatred around them ,
the sign of w hich assum ed th e form of killing th e M uslim
m issions, as m entioned earlier.

The Jews of Bani N adeer w ere also a pow er to consider, and the
prospect of inflicting a m ilitary defeat on them w as uncertain;
consequently forcing th em into an arm ed engagem ent may
include unpredictable risks. On the o ther hand, th e continual
state of repeated assassinations and acts of treachery carried out
against th e M uslim s individually and collectively brought about an
unbearable headache to M uham m ad's followers. Having judged all
the pros and cons in this perspective, and in th e light of the
disgraceful atte m p t on the life of th e Prophet the M uslim s
m ade the decisive decision to take up arm s w hatever tu rn the
consequences could assum e.

W hen Allah’s M essenger received the reply of Huyai bin

Akhtab he said: "Allahu Akbar (Allah is th e M ost Great)," and his
C om panions repeated it after him . Then he set out to fight them
after appointing Ibn Um m M aktum 4 * to adm inister the affairs of
M adinah during his absence. The standard was en tru sted to 'Ali
bin Abi Talib He laid siege to th eir forts for six nights - in
an o th er version, fifteen.

Banu N adeer resorted to their castles, m ounted them and started

shooting arrow s and pelting stones at th e M uslim s enjoying the
strategic advantage th a t their thick fields of palm trees provided.
The M uslim s w ere therefore ordered to cut and b urn those trees.
In this respect, Allah the All-Mighty states in th e O ur'an:
Military Platoons and Missions 357

"W hat you (O M uslims) cut dow n of th e palm trees (of the
enemy), or you left th em standing on th eir stem s, it was by
leave of Allah.” [59:5]
The tribe of Quraizah rem ained neutral, and the hypocrite
'Abdullah bin Ubai as well as G hatafan failed to keep their
prom ises of support. In this regard Allah says:

A $ lift Jli jI

"(Their allies deceived them ) like Satan, w h en he says to

m an: 'Disbelieve in A llah.’ But w h e n (man) disbelieves in
Allah, Satan says: 'I am free o f y o u .’" [59:16]
The siege did n ot last long for Allah th e All-Mighty cast h orror into
th e hearts of th e Jews, and they willingly offered to comply w ith
th e Prophet's order to leave M adinah. The Prophet accepted
their request and allowed th em to carry as m uch luggage as their
cam els could lift, w ith th e exception of w eaponry. Of course, they
had no choice b u t to carry o u t th e orders, so they took everything
they could carry w ith them , even th e pegs and beam s of ceilings.
Their caravan counted 600 loaded cam els including their chiefs,
Huyai bin Akhtab and Salam bin Abul-Huqaiq, w ho left for Khaibar
w hereas an o th er party headed for Syria. Two of th em em braced
Islam, Yamin bin 'Amr and Abu Sa'd bin Wahb, and so they
retained th eir personal w ealth.
Allah's M essenger seized th eir w eapons, land, houses, and
w ealth. Among th e o th er booty he m anaged to capture, th ere w ere
50 suits of arm or, 50 helm ets, and 340 swords.
This booty was exclusively th e P rophet's because no fighting was
involved in capturing it. He divided th e booty at his own
discretion am ong th e early Em igrants and two poor Helpers, Abu
D ujanah and Sahl bin H unaif Anyway, Allah's M essenger
sp en t a portion of this w ealth on his family to sustain th eir living
th e year around. The rest was expended to provide th e M uslim
arm y w ith equipm ent for fu rth e r w ars in th e way of Allah.
The invasion of Bani An-Nadeer took place in Rabi'ul-Awwal, 4
A.H., i.e., in August 625 C.E. Alm ost all th e Verses of Surat Al-
35& The Sealed Nectar

Hashr (Chapter 59 - The Gathering) describe the exile of th e Jews

and reveal th e disgraceful m anners of th e hypocrites. The Verses
m anifest th e rules relevant to the booty.
In this Chapter, Allah the All-Mighty praises th e Em igrants and
Helpers. This C hapter also show s th e legality of cutting dow n and
burning the enem y's land and trees for m ilitary purposes. Such
acts cannot be regarded as p h enom ena of corruption so long th at
they are in th e way of Allah.
In this very Chapter, Allah recom m ends th e believers to be pious
and prepare them selves for the w orld to come and He ends it w ith
a com plim ent to H im self and a clarification of His Nam es and
A ttributes.
As this C hapter concentrates on Bani An-Nadeer and their
expulsion, Ibn 'Abbas ^ used to describe it as 'Surat An-Nadeer
or T h e C hapter of An-Nadeer.,[l1
This is a sum m ary of w h at is reported by Ibn Ishaq and m ost of
th e people of Seerah about this battle. But Abu Dawud, 'Abdur-
Razzaq and others reported o th er circum stances surro u n d in g the
battle. That is th at after the events of Badr, the disbelievers of the
O uraish se n t a m essage to the Jews saying th a t since they w ere
th e people w ith th e fortresses and arm or, th e n they had better kill
M uham m ad or else they w ould do this and enslave the Jewish
w om en, etc. After this message, th e Jews of Banu N adeer gathered
to conspire. They th en sen t a m essage to the Prophet j g asking
him to set o u t w ith thirty of his C om panions, and they in turn,
w ould set o u t w ith thirty of th eir rabbis. They w ould all m eet at a
set location and they w ould listen to w hat he had to say, half from
this group and half from that. If they tru sted him and believed in
him th en all of their people w ould follow suit.
Then the Prophet set out w ith thirty of his Com panions, and
th e Jews set o ut to m eet him w ith thirty rabbis. But w h en the Jews
reached a certain point som e of them said, "How can we finish
him off w hile he has thirty m en w ith him , all of w hom w ish to die

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/190-192; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/71, 110; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/574-575.
Military Platoons and Missions 359

before he does?" So they sen t a m essage saying, "How could we

and you come to an u n d erstan d in g w hile w e are a total of sixty
men? Go w ith th ree of your C om panions and w e will send three
of our learned to listen to you. If these tru st you th en all of us will
tru st you and believe in you,"

The Prophet w e n t w ith th ree of his Com panions, b u t before

they reached them they learned th a t the jew s had concealed their
daggers and w ere plotting on his life, so he returned. The next
m orning th e Prophet sen t th em a m essage and surro u n d ed
them . He told them th a t they w ould not be tru sted w ith o u t a
treaty, b u t they refused to a treaty. So on th a t day he and the
M uslim s fought them . The next day he left Bani Nadeer and sen t a
m essage to Bani Quraizah. He invited th em to a treaty w hich they
agreed to. So he left them and retu rn ed to Bani N adeer the
following m orning and fought them until they agreed to leave,
taking no w eaponry w ith them . So they came o ut and brought
w ith them w hatever their cam els could carry of their property,
including the gates and beam s of their houses. They left their
houses and dem olished them , carrying all th a t they could of the
tim bers. So these w ere the first to be banished to th e lands of
greater Syria.111

The Second Battle o f Badr

W hen the M uslim s destroyed th e pow er of th e Arab-desert tribes

and guarded them selves against th eir evils, they started prepara­
tions to encounter their great enem y. A year elapsed since they
fought the Q uraish at Uhud. So it was due tim e to m eet them to
fight again in order to d eterm in e w hich of the tw o parties was
w orthy of survival.

In Sha'ban 4 A.H., January 626 C.E.. Allah's M essenger set out

for Badr accom panied by one th o u san d and five h u n d red fighters
and ten m ounted horsem en, and w ith 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4® as
standard bearer. Abdullah bin Rawahah 4® was given authority

[1] M usannaf Abdur-Razzaq 5/358-360, Sunan Abu Dawud 2/154.

360 The Sealed Nectar

over M adinah during th e Prophet's absence. Reaching Badr, th e

M uslim s stayed th ere w aiting for th e idolaters to come.
Abu Sufyan’s forces com prised tw o th o u san d footm en and fifty
horsem en. They reached M arr Az-Zahran, a few m iles outside of
Makkah, and cam ped at a w ater place called M ajannah. Being
reluctant, discouraged and extrem ely terrified of th e conse­
quences of th e approaching fight, Abu Sufyan tu rn e d to his
people and began to introduce cowardice-based poor excuses in
order to discourage his m en from going to war, saying: "O tribe of
Quraish! N othing will im prove th e condition you are in b u t a
fruitful year - a year during w hich your anim als feed on plants
and bushes and give you m ilk to drink. And I see th at this is a
rainless year, therefore, I am returning now and I recom m end you
to retu rn w ith m e." It seem s th a t his arm y was also possessed of
th e sam e fears and anxiety, for they readily obeyed him w ith o u t
th e least hesitation.
The M uslim s, w ho w ere th en at Badr, stayed for eight days
w aiting for their enem y. They took advantage of th eir stay by
selling goods for substantial profits. W hen th e idolaters declined
to fight, the balance of pow er shifted in favor of th e M uslim s, w ho
th u s regained th eir m ilitary reputation, th eir dignity and m anaged
to im pose their aw e-inspiring presence over th e w hole of Arabia.
In brief, they m astered and controlled th e w hole situation.
This invasion had m any a name. It is called 'Badr the A ppointm ent’,
'Badr, the Second', 'Badr, the Latter’, and 'Badr M inor’.111

The Invasion o f Dumatul-Jandal

W ith the M essenger’s retu rn from Badr, peace and security
prevailed over the w hole area. The Prophet sH th e n deem ed it fit
and appropriate to head for th e m ost d istan t areas of Arabia in
order to subdue all hostile elem ents, and gain u n d isp u ted
recognition out of friend and enem y alike.
After a six-m onth calm ness in m ilitary activities, it was reported to

[ 1] Ibn Hisham 2/ 209-210; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/112

M ilitary Platoons and Missions 361

th e Prophet th a t som e tribes, in th e vicinity of Dum atul-Jandal,

on th e borders o f Syria, w ere involved in highw ay robbery and
plundering, and w ere on th eir way to gather troops and attack
M adinah itself. He im m ediately ap p ointed Siba’ bin 'Arfatah Al-
Ghifari to ad m inister th e affairs of M adinah during his
absence, and set o u t at th e head of 1000 M uslim s in late
Rabi'ul-Awwal, 5 A.H. taking w ith him a m an, nam ed M adhkur,
from Bani ’U dhrah, as a guide.
O n their way to Dum atul-Jandal, they used to m arch by night and
hide by day, so th a t they m ight take th e enem y by surprise. W hen
they drew near th eir destination, th e M uslim s discovered th a t the
highway m en had m oved to an o th er place, so they captured their
cattle and shepherds. The in habitants of Dum atul-Jandal had also
fled in all directions for th eir lives and evacuated th eir locality.
The Prophet ^ stayed th ere for 5 days during w hich he
dispatched expeditionary forces to h u n t for th e enem y personnel
b u t they detected none. He th e n retu rn ed to M adinah b u t on the
way he en tered into a peace treaty w ith 'Uyainah bin Hisn.
D um atul-Jandal is located at a distance of about fifteen days
m arch from M adinah and five from Damascus.
W ith this decisive and steady progress, and his w ise plans, the
Prophet sfc, m anaged to spread security, control th e situation and
m ake peace prevail in th e w hole area. He also succeeded in
shifting th e course of events for th e w elfare of th e M uslim s by
reducing th e continual in tern al and external troubles. The
hypocrites w ere silenced, a tribe of th e Jews evacuated w hile
th e o th er continued to fake good neighborliness and seem ingly
faithful adherence to th e covenants, th e d esert bedouins becam e
subm issive and finally th e archenem y Q uraish no longer keen on
attacking th e M uslim s, This secure strategic attitu d e created
optim um circum stances for th e M uslim s to resum e their logical
course in propagating Islam and com m unicating th e M essages of
the Lord to all worlds.
 The Invasion of A l - A h z a b

(the Confederates)

Once again, peace and security enveloped th e Arabian Peninsula

and this disorderly area began to experience a period of calm ness
after a w hole year war. The Jews, how ever, w hose treachery,
intrigues and disloyalty m ade th em taste all types of hum iliation
and disgrace, w ere not adm onished. After th eir exile to Khaibar,
they rem ained w aiting anxiously for the results of th e fights going
on betw een th e M uslim s and the idolaters. Contrary to their
hopes, th e events of the w ar w ere in favor of the M uslim s,
therefore, they started a new stage of conspiracy and prepared
them selves to deal a deadly blow against the M uslim s, b u t w ere
too cowardly to clash directly against them , so they laid a dreadful
plan in order to achieve their objectives. Tw enty chiefs of th e Jews
w ith som e celebrities of Bani N adeer w e n t to M akkah to negotiate
an unholy alliance w ith th e Q uraish. They began to provoke the
people th ere to attack Allah's M essenger prom ising th em full
su p p o rt and backing. Some am ong th e Q uraish, w ho had been
spiritless and proved too w eak to challenge th e M uslim s at Badr,
seized this opportunity to regain th eir stained h o n o r and spoiled
reputation. The sam e delegation set out for Ghatafan, called them
to do th e sam e, and they responded positively. The Jewish
delegation th e n started a fresh effort and toured som e parts of
Arabia and m anaged to incite th e confederates of disbelief against
th e Prophet his m essage and th e believers in Allah.
The Quraish, Kinanah and other allies from Tihamah in the south
rallied, ranked, and recruited four thousand m en under the leader­
ship of Abu Sufyan. From the east there came tribes of Banu Sulaim,
Ghatafan, Bani Murrah, Fazarah and Ashja' etc. The commander of
Fazarah was 'Uyainah bin Hisn, of Murrah was Harith bin 'Auf, and of
Ashja' was Mis'ar bin Rakhilah. They all headed for Madinah and
gathered in its vicinity at a tim e already agreed upon. It was a great
army of ten thousand soldiers. They in fact outnum bered all the
Muslims in Madinah. women, children and elders included.
364 The Sealed Nectar

To tell the tru th , if they had launched a surprise attack against

M adinah, they perhaps could have killed all th e M uslim s.
However, th e leadership inside th e city was on the alert and the
intelligence personnel m anaged to survey th e area of th e enem ies,
and reported their m ovem ent to th e people in charge in M adinah.

Allah’s M essenger ^ held a council and conducted a careful

discussion of a plan to defend M adinah. After a lengthy talk
betw een m ilitary leaders and people possessed of sound advice, it
was agreed, on th e proposal of an honorable Com panion, Salman
Al-Farisi to dig trenches as defensive lines. The M uslim s, w ith
th e Prophet at their head, encouraging, helping and
rem em bering the rew ard in the H ereafter, m ost actively and
laboriously started to build a trench around M adinah. Severe
h unger bordering on starvation could not deter or discourage
them from achieving th eir desperately sought objective.
Salman 4® said: "O M essenger of Allah! W hen siege was to laid
to us in Persia, w e used to dig trenches to defend ourselves.” It
was really an unprecedented wise plan.

Allah's M essenger ^ hurriedly gave orders to im plem ent the

plan. Forty yards was allocated to each group of ten to dig. Sahl bin
Sa'd said: "We w ere in th e com pany of Allah's M essenger the
m en used to dig and we w ould evacuate th e earth on our backs."

Some extraordinary Prophetic signs appeared in th e process of

engineering the trench. Jabir bin 'Abdullah 4®. seeing the
Prophet starving, slaughtered a lamb, cooked som e barley
and requested the Prophet and som e C om panions to accept his
invitation. The Prophet gathered all the th o u san d people
engaged in digging th e trench and they started to eat until they
w ere all com pletely full. After that, the vessel of m u tto n and
dough th a t was being baked rem ained as they w ere before,
w ith o u t decreasing, A certain w om an brought a h andful of dates
and passed by th e Prophet w ho took th e dates, tossing them
around in his cloak and invited his followers to eat. The dates
began to increase in n um ber u ntil they dropped over th e trim of
his robe.
The Invasion o f Al-Ahzab 365

A nother extraordinary event w as th a t an obstinate rock stood out

as an im m une obstacle in th e ditch. The Prophet % took the
spade and struck, and th e rock im m ediately tu rn e d into loose
sand. In an o th er version, Al-Bara' 4® said: O n th e Day of Al-
Khandaq (the trench) th ere stood o u t a rock too im m une for our
spades to break up. We therefore w e n t to see Allah's
M essenger ^ for advice. He took the spade, and said: "In the
Nam e of Allah" T hen he struck it saying: "Allah is M ost Great, I
have been given th e keys of Ash-Sham (Greater Syria). By Allah, I
can see its red palaces at th e m om ent;" on th e second strike he
said: "Allah is M ost Great, I have been given Persia. By Allah, I can
now see th e w hite palace of M adain;" and for th e th ird tim e he
struck th e rock saying: "In th e Nam e of Allah," shattering th e rest
of th e rock, and he said: "Allah is M ost Great, I have been given
th e keys of Yemen, By Allah, I can see th e gates of S a n a w hile I am
in my place."111 Ibn Ishaq reported sim ilar to this from Salman Al-
Farisi 4 ®.[21

The n o rth ern part of M adinah w as th e m ost at risk, all th e other

sides being surro u n d ed by m ountains, rocks, and palm tree
orchards, th e Prophet ^ a s a skillful m ilitary expert, understood
th a t th e C onfederates w ould m arch in th a t direction, so he
ordered th at th e trench be on th a t side. The M uslim s w e n t on
digging th e trench for several days; they w orked on it during the
day, and w ould go back hom e in th e evening u n til it had assum ed
its full d im en sio n s.131 The huge arm y of th e idolaters; w hich
num bered, as m any as ten th o u san d fighters, arrived and settled
in th e vicinity of M adinah in places called Al-Asyal and Uhud.

"And w h en the believers saw 'Al-Ahzab' (the Confederates),

they said; This is w h at Allah and His

[1] As-Sunan Al-Kubra by An-Nasa'i 8858, and Ahmad in his M usnad 4/303-
[2] Ibn Hisham 2/119-
[31 Ibn Hisham 3/330, 331
366 The Sealed Nectar

M essenger (M uham m ad had prom ised us, and Allah

and His M essenger (M uham m ad $g) had spoken the truth,
and it only added to th eir Faith and to their subm issiveness
(to Allah)." [33:22]

As for the hypocrites and those w eak at heart, their hearts

sh uddered w ith fear at the sight of this army:

"And w hen th e hypocrites and th o se in w hose hearts is a

disease (of doubts) said: 'Allah and His M essenger prom ised
us nothing b u t delusions!"' [3 3 :12 ]

Three th o u san d M uslim s, w ith M uham m ad at their head,

came out to encounter th e idolaters, w ith Allah's Prom ise of
victory deeply established in th eir m inds. They established
them selves at th e m ountain of Sila' w ith th e trench standing as
a barrier betw een them and the disbelievers.

On attem pting to attack the M uslim s and break into M adinah, the
idolaters w ere surprised to see a w ide trench, a new trick
unknow n in Arabia before, standing as an obstinate obstruction.
C onsequently they decided to lay siege to M adinah and began to
check around th e trench trying hard to find a weak spot through
w hich they could get into M adinah, To deter th eir enem ies from
approaching or bridging any gap in their defenses, th e M uslim s
hurled arrows, and engaged in clashes w ith them . The veteran
fighters of O uraish w ere averse to this situation w aiting in vain in
anticipation of w h at th e siege m ight reveal. T herefore they
decided th at a group of fighters led by 'Amr bin Abd W udd,
'Ikrim ah bin Abu Jahl and Dirar bin Al-Khattab, should w ork its
way through the trench. They, in fact, m anaged to do th a t and
their horsem en captured a narrow area betw een the trench and
th e m o u n tain of Sila'. 'Amr challenged th e M uslim s to a duel, and
'Ali bin Abi Talib 4* w as sen t to check him . After a sh o rt b u t fierce
engagem ent, 'Ali 4« killed 'Amr and obliged th e o thers to evacuate
in a state of panic and confusion. However, som e days later, the
polytheists conducted fresh desperate a ttem p ts b u t all of them
The Invasion o f Al-Ahzab 367

failed due to th e steadfastness and heroic confrontation of the

M uslim s.

In th e context of the events of th e battle of th e Trench, Allah's

M essenger failed to observe som e prayers in th eir proper tim e.
It is reported by Al-Bukhari and M uslim th a t Jabir narrated:
"On th e Day of Trench ’Um ar bin Al-Khattab came, cursing the
disbelievers of Q uraish and said: 'O A llah’s M essenger! I have not
offered th e A fternoon prayer and th e sun has set.' The Prophet
replied: 'By Allah! I. too. have not offered th e prayer y e t.’ The
Prophet th e n w en t to Buthan, perform ed ablution and
observed th e A fternoon prayer after th e su n had set and th en
offered th e Evening prayer after it.’’[1] He invoked A llah’s w rath
on his enem ies and begged Allah to fill th eir houses and graves
w ith fire because they d istracted him from observing th e
A fternoon prayer. It was narrated by Ahm ed and Shafi’i th a t the
events of th at battle detained him from the Noon, Afternoon,
Evening and Night prayers, b u t he observed them com bined. The
different narrations point to th e fact th at the situation lasted for a
few days.121

It is clear th a t because of th e trench standing betw een th e two

parties, no direct engagem ent took place, b u t rather th ere w ere
m ilitary activities confined to arrow hurling, consequently the
fight claim ed th e lives of a small n um ber of fighters, six M uslim s
and ten polytheists, one or two killed by sword.

During the process of fighting, Sa'd bin M u'adh 4* w as sh o t by an

arrow th a t pierced his artery. Perceiving his end approaching, he
invoked Allah saying: "O Allah, You know n othing is closer to my
h eart th an striving in Your way against th o se people (disbelievers)
w ho belied Your M essenger and exiled him . O Allah, I deeply
believe th at You have decreed th a t w e should fight them , so if
th ere is still m ore fighting to go w ith them , let m e stay alive in
order to strive m ore against them . If it has ceased. I beg You to

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/590.

[2] Sharh M uslim by An-Nawawi 1/227.
368 The Sealed Nectar

bleed it again so th a t I m ay die in it." [11 He concluded his

supplication begging Allah not to let him die u n til he had had full
revenge on Banu Quraizah.

In th e m idst of th ese difficult circum stances, plotting and

stratagem w ere in m uch action against th e M uslim s. The chief
crim inal of Bani Nadeer, Huyai, headed for th e locality of Banu
Quraizah to incite their chief Ka'b bin Asad Al-Qurazi, w ho had
draw n a pact w ith Allah’s M essenger to ru n to his aid in tim es
of war.

Ka'b, in th e beginning resisted all H uyai’s tem ptation, b u t Huyai

was clever enough to m anipulate him , speaking of Q uraish and
th eir notables in Al-Asyal, as well as Ghatafan and th eir chieftains
en trenched in Uhud, all in one m ind, determ in ed to exterm inate
M uham m ad and his followers. He, m oreover, prom ised to stay
in Ka’b's fort exposing him self to any potential danger in case the
Q uraish and Ghatafan recanted. The wicked m an continued in
this m anner until he later m anaged to w in Ka'b to his side and
persuade him to break his covenant w ith th e M uslim s.121 Banu
Q uraizah th en started to launch w ar operations against the
M uslim s especially the secluded parts th at housed th e w om en
and children of th e M uslim s.

According to Ibn Ishaq, Safiyah daughter of 'Abdul-M uttalib

happened to be in a fort w ith Hassan bin Thabit as well as som e
w om en and children. Safiyah said: A Jew was spotted m oving
suspiciously around our site, w hich was vulnerable to any enem y
attacks because th ere w ere no m en to defend it due to the fighting
w ith Banu Quraizah m aking a barrier betw een us and A llah’s
M essenger, And there was no one betw een us and them to defend
us w hile Allah’s M essenger and th e M uslim s w ere engaging their
enem ies, and they w ere n o t able to leave them at all. I said, 'O
Hassan! This Jew is m oving around th e area as you see. By Allah!
We are in danger of the Jew seeing us unprotected from behind.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 3/591.

[2] Ibn Hisham 3/337.
The Invasion o f Al-Ahzab 369

and Allah’s M essenger ^ and his C om panions are too busy for us,
so get dow n th ere and kill h im ,' He said, 'By Allah! You know th a t
I am not suitable for it.' So, I got ready and took a tent-post th en
descended from the fort to him , beating him w ith th e post u n til I
killed him . T hen I retu rn ed to th e fort. I said, 'O Hassan, get dow n
th ere and take his arm or, for I was only prevented from doing so
because h e is a m an .’ He replied, 'I do n o t need any a rm o r."’111
This event had a far reaching effect and discouraged th e Jews from
conducting fu rth er attacks thinking th a t th o se sites w ere fortified
and protected by M uslim fighters. They, how ever, w e n t on
providing th e idolaters w ith supplies in token of th eir su p p o rt
against the M uslim s.
On hearing this bad news, th e M essenger 3^ dispatched four
M uslim p ro m in en t leaders Sa’d bin M u’adh, Sa’d bin ’Ubadah,
’Abdullah bin Rawahah and Khawat bin Jubair 4® for investigation
b u t w arned th em against spreading panic am ong th e M uslim s and
he advised th a t they should declare in public th a t th e rum ors are
groundless if they h appen to be so. U nfortunately th e four m en
discovered th a t the new s was tru e and th a t th e Jews announced
openly th at no pact of alliance existed any longer w ith
M uham m ad Allah’s M essenger % was briefed on this
situation, and th e M uslim s u n d erstood th eir critical position w ith
th e horrible danger im plied therein. Their back was open to the
attacks of Banu Quraizah, and a huge arm y at th e front w ith no
way to go back, w hile th eir w om en and children unprotected
standing in betw een. In this regard, Allah says:

"And w h en the eyes grew wild and th e h earts reached to the

throats, and you w ere harboring doubts about Allah. There,
the believers w ere tried and shaken w ith a m ighty shaking."
[3 3 :10, 1 1 ]

[11 Ibn Hisham 2/228. and Ibn Hajar m entioned th at Ahmad reported it w ith a strong
chain of narration from Abdullah bin Az-Zubair in Fathul-Bari 6/285.
370 The Sealed Nectar

Now th a t the M uslim s w ere s h u t in w ith in the Trench on the

defensive, the hypocrites tau n ted th em w ith having indulged in
false hopes of defeating Kisra, em peror of Persia, and Caesar,
em peror of the Romans. They began to sow th e seeds of
defeatism , and pretended to w ithdraw for th e defense of their
hom es, though these w ere in no way exposed to danger. Here.
Allah says:

ja!y*)j I U
< > ,*✓*// «> Ks/ ' *>*' 9'
^ j c - j 12j ^4 '*** ^
/ / ' - ' }. > s // / / ;> ^ ^ > / / ^ ' >>*.,
*I>b* S AL>*i of oy_>*

"And w hen the hypocrites and those in w hose hearts is a

disease (of doubts) said: 'Allah and His M essenger (*g)
prom ised us nothing b u t delusions!' And w h en a party of
them said: O people of Yathrib (Al-Madinah), th ere is no
stand (possible) for you (against th e enem y attack!) th e re ­
fore go back!' And a band of th em asked for perm ission of
the Prophet (*te) saying: 'Truly, our hom es lie open (to the
enem y).' And they lay not open. They b u t w ished to flee."
[33:12, 131

Allah's M essenger w rapped h im self in his robe and began to

m editate on th e treachery of Banu Quraizah. The spirit of
hopefulness prevailed over him and he rose to his feet saying:

"Allah is M ost Great. Listen O M uslim s, to Allah's good

tidings of victory and support."

He th en started to lay decisive plans aim ing at protecting the

w om en and children, and sent som e fighters back to M adinah to
guard them against any surprise assault by the enem y. The second
step was to take action th at could lead to u n derm ining th e ranks
of th e disbelieving C onfederates. There, he had in m ind to
conclude a sort of reconciliation w ith the chiefs of G hatafan on
th e basis of donating them a third of M adinah’s fruit crops. He
sought th e advice of his chief C om panions, nam ely, Sa'd bin
M u'adh and Sa'd bin 'Ubadah 4®. w hose reply w en t as follows:
The Invasion o f Al-Ahzab 371

"O M essenger of Allah! If it is Allah's O rder, th en w e have to obey,

b u t if it is a new course you w an t to follow just to provide security
for us th e n w e d o n 't need it. We experienced those people in
polytheism and idolatry and w e can safely say th at they d o n 't
need th e fruit of our orchards; they rath er need to exterm inate us
com pletely. Now th at Allah has h o n o red us w ith Islam, I believe
th e best option in this situation is to p u t th em to th e sw ord."
T hereupon th e Prophet sg: corrected th eir view saying:
"It is only som ething being done for you, after I saw th a t the
Arabs are shooting you w ith an arrow from a unified bow ."
Allah, th e Glorious and Exalted, praise is to him , created som ething
th a t led to th e conflict betw een th e enem ies of Islam and later on
to th eir full defeat. A m an from th e tribe of Ghatafan called N u'aim
bin M as'ud came to Allah's M essenger and declared th a t he had
em braced Islam secretly and asked th e Prophet to order him do
anything th a t m ight benefit th e M uslim s. The Prophet asked
him to do anything th a t could help th e M uslim s in th e p resen t
distress and use any stratagem available. The m an sh u ttled
betw een th e Jews, th e Q uraish and th e tribe of Ghatafan, and
m anaged to incite each party to let th e o th er dow n. He w e n t to see
the chiefs of Banu Q uraizah and w hispered in th eir ears n o t to
tru st th e Q uraish nor fight along w ith th em unless th e latter
prom ised to give th em som e captives. He tried to lend su p p o rt to
his counsel by claiming th a t th e Q uraish w ould tu rn away from
th em if they perceived th at victory over M uham m ad was not
possible, and th e M uslim s th e n target th em for revenge.
N u’aim 4®. th e n headed for th e cam p of Q uraish and said
som ething else for sim ilar results. He claim ed th a t h e felt the
Jews regretted breaching th eir covenant w ith M uham m ad and
his followers. He told th em th a t th e Jews m aintained regular
correspondence w ith th e M uslim s to th e effect th a t Q uraishite
hostages be se n t to th e cam p of th e M uslim s w ith full Jewish
allegiance paid to th em as already agreed upon. N u'aim 4® th en
encouraged th e Q uraish n o t to send hostages to th e Jews. As a third
task, he did th e sam e w ith th e people of Ghatafan,
The Invasion o f Al-Ahzab 373

O n Saturday night, Shawwal 5 A.H., both th e Q uraish and the

Ghatafan dispatched m essages to th e Jews pressing th em to go
into w ar against M uham m ad
The Jews se n t back m essages th a t they w ould not fight on
Saturday. They added th a t they needed hostages from them to
guarantee th eir steadiness.
On receiving th e replies, th e Q uraish and th e G hatafan cam e to
believe N u'aim 's w arning. Therefore, they se n t a m essage to the
Jews again inviting th em to w ar and asking th em to exclude th at
condition of hostages.
N u’aim 's schem e proved successful, and a state of d istru st and
suspicion am ong th e disbelieving allies prevailed and reduced
their m orale to a considerable degree.
M eanw hile, th e M uslim s w ere preoccupied supplicating their
Lord to protect th eir hom es and provide security for th eir fam ilies.
Allah’s M essenger ^ on his part invoked Allah's w rath on th e
C onfederates supplicating:

"O Allah! You are quick in account, You are th e sender of the
Book, w e beg You to defeat th e C onfederates."111
Allah th e Glorious and Exalted responded to th e call of the
M uslim s. Coupled w ith th e difference and disagreem ent th at
found th eir way into the h earts of th e disbelievers, forces of
nature - w ind, rain and cold w earied them , ten ts w ere blow n
dow n, cooking vessels and o th er eq u ip m en t overthrow n.
T hat very cold night Allah's M essenger dispatched H udhaifah
bin Al-Yaman to h u n t aro u n d for new s about th e enem y.
He found out th a t they w ere preparing to leave frustrated for their
inability to achieve th eir target, Allah fulfilled His Promise, spared
th e M uslim s fighting a frightening arm y, su p ported His servant
(M uham m ad and inflicted a heavy blow on th e C onfederates.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/411. 2/590.

374 The Sealed Nectar

The battle of th e Trench took place in th e fifth year Al-Hijra. The

siege of M adinah started in Shawwal and ended in D hul-Q a'dah,
i.e., it lasted for over a m onth. It w as in fact a battle of nerves
rather th an of losses. No b itter fighting was recorded; never­
theless, it was one of the m ost decisive battles in th e early history
of Islam and proved beyond a shadow of doubt th a t no forces,
how ever huge, could ever exterm inate th e budding Islamic pow er
growing steadily in M adinah.
W hen Allah obliged th e C onfederates to evacuate, His
M essenger jfc was in a position to confidently declare:

11(*-fp! j r r * ^ J bS/l"

"From now we engage them , they do not engage us. We will

m obilize to th e m .” 111

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/590.

 Invading Banu Quraizah

On th e very day Allah's M essenger % came back to M adinah after

th e battle, w hile he was w ashing in Um m Salam ah’s house,
Gabriel visited him asking th a t he should u n sh e ath e his sword
and head for th e locality of th e treacherous Banu Q uraizah and
fight them , Gabriel told th a t h e w ith a procession of angels
w ould go ahead to shake their forts and cast fear in th eir hearts.

Allah’s M essenger jfc im m ediately sum m oned the prayer caller

and ordered him to announce th a t every listener should offer the
A fternoon prayer at Banu Quraizah. He appointed Ibn Umm
M aktum 4® to adm inister M adinah, and e n tru ste d th e b a n n er of
w ar to ’Ali bin Abi Talib 4*= w ho m arched tow ards th e appointed
target and came close enough to hear th e Jews abusing Allah's
M essenger The Prophet set out at th e head of three
th o u san d infantry m en and thirty ho rsem en of Ansar (Helpers)
and M uhajireen (Emigrants). On th eir way to en co u n ter the
enem y, th e A fternoon prayer w as due. Some M uslim s refused to
observe it u ntil they defeated th e enem y, w hile o thers perform ed
it. The Prophet ^ objected to neither. W hen they reached the
locality of Banu Quraizah. they laid siege to th eir forts. Seeing this
terrible situation they w ere in, th e chief of th e Jews Ka'b bin Asad
offered th em three alternatives: to em brace Islam, and conse­
quently th eir life, w ealth, w om en and children w ould be in full
security, and rem inded them th a t such behavior w ould not be in
opposition to w h at they had read in their Books about the
authenticity of M uham m ad's Prophethood; to kill their children
and w om en and th en challenge th e Prophet #£ and his followers
to the sword to either kill th e M uslim s or be killed; or as a third
possibility, to take M uham m ad and his people by surprise on
Saturday - a day they u n d erstood they w ere to participate in no
fighting.
None of those alternatives appealed to them , so th eir chief,
angrily and indignantly, tu rn e d to th em saying: "You people have
never been decisive in decision-m aking since you w ere b o rn .'' The
376 The Sealed Nectar

dark fu tu re already visible, they m ade contacts w ith som e

M uslim s, w ho had m aintained good relations w ith them , in order
to learn about th eir fate in light of th e current circum stances.
They requested th at Abu Lubabah 4*> be dispatched to th em for
advice. O n his arrival, th e m en began requesting favor, w om en
and children crying desperately. In answ er to th eir dem and for
advice he pointed to his th ro a t saying it w as hom icide aw aiting
them . He th e n im m ediately realized th a t he had betrayed the
Prophet's trust, so he headed directly for th e m osque in M adinah
and tied h im self to a w ooden tall pole sw earing th a t no one w ould
un tie him except Allah's M essenger sjte, and added th a t h e w ould
never e n te r th e locality of Banu Q uraizah in recom pense for the
deadly m istake h e m ade. W hen th e M essenger was inform ed
of this incident, h e said:

"I w ould have begged Allah to forgive him if he had asked

me, b u t since he tied h im self o u t of his ow n free will, th en
it is Allah W ho w ould tu rn to him in forgiveness,"

The Jews of Banu Quraizah could have tolerated the siege m uch
longer because food and w ater w ere plentifully available and their
strongholds w ere greatly fortified, w hereas th e M uslim s w ere in
the wild bare land suffering a lot from cold and hunger, let alone
extrem e fatigue from th e endless w arfare operations th a t began
before th e battle of C onfederates. N evertheless, this was a battle
of nerves, for Allah had cast fear in th e Jews' hearts, and their
m orale had alm ost collapsed especially w h en tw o M uslim heroes,
'Ali bin Abi Talib and Az-Zubair bin 'Awwam 4& proceeded w ith
'Ali sw earing th at he w ould never stop until he had either
storm ed their fort or been m artyred like Ham zah 4&-

In the light of this reluctance, they had nothing except to comply

w ith the M essenger's judgm ent. Allah’s M essenger ste ordered
th a t the hands of th e m en should be bound, and this was done
u n d er the supervision of M uham m ad bin Salamah Al-Ansari 4®.
w hile th e w om en and children w ere isolated in confinem ent,
T hereupon Al-Aws tribe interceded begging th e Prophet to be
len ien t tow ards them . He suggested th a t Sa'd bin M u'adh 4e>, a
Invading Banu Quraizah 377

form er ally, be dep u ted to give verdict about them , and they
agreed.

Sa'd <&> m eanw hile stayed b eh in d in M adinah due to a serious

w ound h e sustained in th e battle o f C onfederates. He was
sum m oned and b ro ught on a donkey. O n his way to th e
Prophet m , th e Jews pressed him to be len ie n t in his judgm ent
on account of form er friendship. Sa'd rem ained silen t b u t
w h en they persisted he uttered: "It is tim e for Sa'd n o t to be afraid
of th e blam e of th e blam ers.” O n hearing th is decisive attitude,
som e of th em retu rn ed to M adinah and spread th e new s of th e
fate of th e prisoners.
O n arrival, h e alighted w ith th e help of som e m en. He was
inform ed th a t th e Jews had agreed to accept his verdict about
them . He im m ediately w ondered if his judgm ent w ould pass on
all th e people present, th e Prophet included, tu rn in g his face
away in h onor of him . The reply was positive.
He decided th a t all the able-bodied m ale persons belonging to th e
tribe should be killed, w om en and children taken as prisoners and
th eir w ealth divided am ong th e M uslim fighters. The Prophet
accepted his judgm ent saying th a t Sa'd had adjudged by th e
C om m and of Allah. In fact, th e Jews deserved th a t severe punitive
action for th e ugly treachery they had harbored against Islam, and
th e large arsenal they am assed w hich consisted of one th o u san d
and five h u n d red swords, tw o th o u san d spears, th ree h u n d red
coats of arm or and five h u n d red shields, all of w hich w e n t into
the hands of th e M uslim s. Trenches w ere dug in th e bazaar of
M adinah and a num ber of Jews betw een six and seven h u n d red
w ere beheaded therein. Hot beds of intrigue and treachery w ere
th u s exterm inated once and for all.
Huyai, a chief crim inal of war, a devil of Bani N adeer and Safiyah’s
father, had joined th e ranks of Banu Q uraizah w h e n th e Q uraish
and Ghatafan defected, was adm itted into th e audience of the
Prophet #5 w ith his hands tied to his neck w ith a rope. In bold
rebellious tone, he declared full enm ity to th e Prophet but
adm itted th a t Allah's Will w as to be fulfilled and added th a t he
378 The Sealed Nectar

was subm issive to his destiny. He was ordered to sit dow n, and
was beheaded on th e spot.

Only one w om an of the Jews was killed because she had killed a
M uslim w arrior by throw ing a grinding stone upon him . A few
elem ents of the enem y em braced Islam and th eir lives, w ealth and
children w ere spared. As for the spoils of the war, the Prophet
divided them , after putting a fifth aside, in accordance w ith
Allah's O rders. Three shares w en t to th e horsem an and one to the
infantry fighter. W om en captives w ere sen t to Najd to be bartered
w ith horses and w eaponry. For him self, the Prophet s g selected
Rehanah b int Zaid bin 'Amr bin Khanafah bin S ham 'un bin Zaid,
m anum itted and m arried her in th e sixth year of Al-Hijra. She died
shortly after the Farewell pilgrimage and was buried in Al-Baqi'.111

After the war w ith Banu Q uraizah had been settled and they had
been defeated, Sa'd bin M u 'ad h 's w ish was gratified and he gave
his last breath. In response to his supplication, 'Aishah %
narrated th a t Sa'd’s w ounds began to bleed from the front part
of his neck w hile he was in his te n t w hich the Prophet 5g had
pitched for him in th e m osque so th at he w ould be in close
proxim ity in order to inquire about and w atch his well-being. The
people w ere not scared except w h en the blood flowed tow ards
them , and in the M osque along w ith Sa'd's tent, there was the
te n t of Banu Ghifar. They said: "O people of th e tent, w h at is it
th a t is coming to us from you?” Lo! it was Sa'd’s w ound th at was
bleeding and he died th e re o n .121

Al-Bukhari and M uslim recorded from Jabir th at Allah's

M essenger *g said:

^ ^ L*_o ' fj .__vf- 1^

"The T hrone of the C om passionate shook for th e death of

Sa'd bin M u 'a d h .” 131

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/245: Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar p. 12.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/591.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/536: Sahih M uslim 2/294: ]am i’ At-Tirm idhi 2/225.
Invading Banu Quraizah 3 79

At-Tirmidhi graded a narration au th en tic from Anas in w hich

he said: "W hen th e sh rouded body of Sa'd bin M u’adh was
carried..." At-Tirmidhi said: The hypocrites alleged it was too light.
Allah's M essenger replied:
IS” I

"The angels are carrying h im ."1' 1

In th e process of th e seize of Banu Quraizah, one m an of the
M uslim s, Khallad bin Suwaid was killed w h en a w om en of the
Jews dropped a grinding stone on him , and another, Abu Sinan bin
M ihsan, th e b ro th er of 'Ukashah, died.
Abu Lubabah 4* stayed tied for six nights. His w ife used to untie
him at prayer tim es and th en he w ould tie h im self again to the
pole. O ne early m orning, Allah th e All-Forgiving revealed to
Allah's M essenger th a t Allah had tu rn e d to Abu Lubabah
w ith forgiveness. The M uslim s ru sh ed to release him b u t he
insisted th a t Allah's M essenger h im self do it. And this was
done shortly before th e M orning prayer.
This battle took place in the m o n th of D hul-O a'dah in th e fifth
year of Al-Hijra,12' and the siege of Banu O uraizah’s forts lasted for
25 days.
Surat Al-Ahzab (The C onfederates) was revealed concerning the
basic issues relating to the believers and hypocrites during the
battle of th e Confederates, and th e consequences of th e Jews'
treachery and th eir breach of covenants.

[1] Jami' At-Tirm idhi 2/225-

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/237, 238: Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/590. 591: Zadul-Ma'ad 2/72-74.
 V
Military Activities continued

The Killing o f Salam bin Abul-Huqaiq

Salam bin Abul-Huqaiq (Abu Rafi') was a terrible Jewish crim inal,
w ho had gathered th e troops of th e C onfederates and provided
th em w ith a lot of w ealth and supplies, on th e one h a n d ,111 and
used to harm th e Prophet on th e other, W hen the M uslim s
settled th eir affair w ith Banu Quraizah, Al-Khazraj tribe asked for
th e Prophet's perm ission to kill th a t crim inal in order to m erit a
virtue equal to th a t of Al-Aws w ho had killed an o th er crim inal of
the Jews, Ka'b bin Al-Ashraf. The Prophet gave them his
perm ission provided th a t no w om en or children be killed.

A group of five people w ith 'Abdullah bin 'Ateek at th eir head,

headed for Khaibar w here 'Abu R aff's fort was situated. W hen
th o se m en approached after th e sun had set and the people had
brought back their livestock to th eir hom es, 'Abdullah said to his
com panions, "Sit dow n at your places. I am going, and I will try to
trick the gate-keeper so th a t I may e n te r.”

So, 'Abdullah proceeded tow ards th e castle, and w h en he

approached th e gate, he covered h im self w ith his clothes,
pretending to answ er th e call of nature. The people had gone
in, and th e gate-keeper addressed him saying, "O servant of Allah!
Enter if you w ish, for I w ant to close th e gate."

'Abdullah added in his story: So, I w e n t in and hid myself. W hen

th e people got inside, th e gate-keeper closed th e gate and hung
the keys on a fixed w ooden peg. I got up and took the keys and
opened the gate.

Some people w ere staying late at night w ith Abu Rafi' for a
pleasant night chat in one of his room s. W hen his com panions of
nightly e n te rta in m e n t left, I ascended to him , and w henever I
opened a door, I closed it from inside. I said to myself, "Should

[1] Fathul-Bari 7/343.

Military Activities continued 381

these people discover my presence, they will n o t be able to catch

m e till I have killed h im .” So, I reached him and found him
sleeping in a dark place am id st his family, I could n ot recognize
his location in th e house. So, I shouted, "Abu Rafi’!” Abu Rafi’ said,
"Who is it?" I proceeded tow ards th e source of th e voice and h it
him w ith th e sword, b u t because of my confusion, I could n o t kill
him.

He cried loudly, and I came o u t of th e h ouse and w aited for a

while, and th e n w e n t to him again and said, "W hat is th is voice
Abu Rafi’?" He said, "Woe to your m other! A m an in my house has
struck m e w ith a sword!"

I again h it him hard b u t I did not kill him . T hen I drove the point
of th e sw ord into his belly till it h it his back, and I realized th a t I
had killed him . I th en opened th e doors one by one u n til I reached
th e stairs, and thinking th a t I had reached th e ground, I stepped
o ut and fell dow n, breaking my leg on a m oonlit night.

I tied my leg w ith a turban and proceeded on u ntil I sat at th e gate,

and said, "I will n ot leave tonight u n til I know th a t I have killed
him ." So, (in th e early m orning) w h e n th e cock crowed, the
announcer of th e casualty stood on th e wall saying: "I announce
the death of Abu Rafi', the m erchant of Hijaz." T hen I w e n t to my
com panions and said, "Let us save ourselves, for Allah has killed
Abu Rafi’."

So, I w e n t to th e Prophet and described th e w hole story to him .

He said, "Stretch o ut your leg.” I stretched it out and he rubbed it,
and it becam e alright as if I never had any ailm ent w h atso ev er."111

This is the report of Al-Bukhari. According to Ibn Ishaq, all five of

the group participated in killing th a t enem y of Islam .121 This
incident took place in D hul-Q a'dah or Dhul-Hijjah in th e fifth year
after Hijrah.[3]

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/577.

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/247. 275.
[3! Rahmatul-lil-Alamin 2/223.
382 The Sealed Nectar

Shortly after the conclusion of th e battle w ith the C onfederates

and Quraizah. th e Prophet began to dispatch disciplinary
expeditions to force th e aggressive tribes and rebellious Arabs to
come to peaceful term s w ith th e rising state of Islam.

Mission o f Muhammad bin Maslamah

A platoon of thirty believers u n d er the leadership of M uham m ad
bin M aslam ah 4* was dispatched on a m ilitary m ission in
M uharram , the sixth year of Al-Hijra, following the two previous
battles.
It headed for th e area of Bani Bakr bin Kilab about seven nights
journey from M adinah into th e Najd. The M uslim s attacked them
and dispersed th em in all directions.
Plenty of spoils fell to th e lot of th e M uslim s w ho returned hom e
w ith a terrible disbeliever, T hum am ah bin Uthal Al-Hanafi, chief
of Bani Hanifah, w ho had gone out by order of M usailim ah the
Liar,111 to assassinate th e Prophet
The Prophet's Com panions tied him to a pole of the Prophetic
M osque. To a question posed by th e Prophet "W hat have you
got, O T hum am ah?" T hum am ah used to say: "I have got a good
thought, O M uham m ad! If you w ere to kill som eone, th en you
w ould have to choose one w ho has already killed som eone; if you
w ere to be gracious, th en let it be to a grateful m an; and if you
w ere to ask for m oney, you w ould have to ask for it from a
generous m an." He repeated th at th ree tim es on th ree different
occasions.
The third tim e, the Prophet ordered th a t he should be
released.
He soon w en t nearby, w ashed and th en came back to profess the
new faith addressing the Prophet "There was no face on the
surface of th e earth m ost disliked by m e th an yours, b u t now your
face has becom e th e m ost beloved face to me. By Allah, th ere was no
religion m ost disliked by m e th an yours, b u t now it is the m ost

[1] As-Seeratul-Halabiyah 2/297.

Military Activities continued 383

beloved religion to me. Now I w an t to perform 'Umrah (lesser

pilgrimage)."
The Prophet gave him good tidings and asked him to do that.
On his arrival in M akkah, th e Q uraishites accused him of
apostasy. He denied it and affirm ed th at h e had em braced Islam,
and th en sw ore th a t they w ould never get a grain from Yamamah.
a suburban area around M akkah, unless the Prophet w ould
allow it. In fact, he refused to send food supplies to M akkah until
the Prophet interceded at th e M akkans' earnest plea.m

Bani Lihyan Invasion

Bani Lihyan had acted treacherously tow ards ten of the Prophet's
Com panions at Ar-Raji' and had th em hanged,
Their location being situated deep in th e h eart of Hijaz on the
borders of M akkah. and due to deep-seated blood revenge
betw een th e M uslim s on the one hand, and O uraish and the
Arabians on the other, the Prophet considered it unw ise to
penetrate deep and come close to the greatest enem y, Q uraish.
However, w hen the pow er of th e allied C onfederates collapsed
and they began to slacken and resign to th e current unfavorable
balance of power, Allah's M essenger seized this rare
opportunity and decided th a t it w as tim e to take revenge on Bani
Lihyan. He set out in Rabi'ul-Awwal or Jum ada Al-Ula in th e sixth
year of Al-Hijra, at the head of tw o h u n d red M uslim fighters and
pretended to be heading for Syria, th en soon changed route
tow ards Batn Gharran, th e scene of his C om panions' tragedy, and
invoked Allah's m ercy on them .
News of his m arch reached Bani Lihyan, w ho im m ediately fled to
the m ountain tops nearby and th u s rem ained out of his reach.
O n his way back, the Prophet dispatched a group of ten
horsem en to a place called Kura'ul-Gham im , so th a t th e Q uraish
w ould hear of th a t w hich w ould confirm his growing m ilitary

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/119: Sahih Al-Bukhari no. 4372. Fathul-Bari 7/688.

384 The Sealed Nectar

power. All of th ese clashes took fourteen days, after w hich he left
to retu rn hom e.

Expeditions and Delegations continued

1. A platoon led by 'Ukashah bin Al-Mihsan was dispatched in
th e sixth year of Al-Hijrah, to a place called Al-Ghamr inhabited by
Bani Asad. The enem y im m ediately fled leaving beh in d th em two
h u n d red cam els w hich w ere taken to M adinah.
2. A platoon led by M uham m ad bin M aslam ah 4* set out tow ards
th e habitation of Bani T ha'labah in Dhul-Qassah. But a h u n d red
enem y soldiers am bushed and killed all of th em w h en they w ere
sleeping, except M uham m ad bin M aslam ah 4* w ho m anaged to
escape badly w ounded.
3. In retaliation against Bani Tha'labah, Abu 'Ubaidah bin Al-
Jarrah 4®. at the head of forty m en, was dispatched to Dhul-Qassah.
They walked th at night and took th e enem y by surprise in the
m orning. Again, they fled to th e m o untains except one w ho was
injured, and later em braced Islam. They gained a lot of booty in
th at particular incident.
4. A platoon, u n d er th e leadership of Zaid bin H arithah 4®. was
sent to Al-Jamum, area of Bani Sulaim in M arr Az-Zahran, in the
sam e year. A w om an from Bani M uzainah show ed th em th e way
to th e enem y's camp.
There the M uslim s took som e captives and gained a lot of booty.
Later on, A llah’s M essenger granted th e w om an her freedom
and m arried her to one of his followers.
5. Zaid bin H arithah 4i>. in Jum ada Al-Ula, sixth year of Al-Hijra, at
the head of a h u n d red and seventy horsem en, set out to a place
called Al-'Eis, intercepted a caravan of Q uraish led by Abul-’As, the
P rophet’s son-in-law and looted th eir camels. Abul-'As escaped and
took refuge in Zainab’s (his wife and th e Prophet's daughter) house.
He begged h er to ask the Prophet for th e refund of his w ealth.
The Prophet recom m ended, b u t w ith o u t com pulsion, th a t the
people do that. They im m ediately gave th e m an back all his
Military Activities continued 385

w ealth. He w e n t back to M akkah, gave over the tru sts to those

entitled to them , em braced Islam and em igrated to M adinah
w here th e Prophet reu n ited him w ith his wife, Zainab, after
th ree and a half years of their first m arriage contract.111
The Verse relating to prohibition of m arriage betw een w om en
M uslim s and disbelievers had not been revealed then.
6. In Jum ada Ath-Thaniyah, th e sam e year, Zaid 4 ® at th e head of
fifteen m en raided Bani T ha’labah at th e place Taraf or Taraq and
captured tw enty of their cam els b u t th e people had fled.
7. In Rajab of the sam e year, Zaid 4®. at th e head of twelve m en,
set o ut to a place called W adi Al-Qura on a survey m ission to
explore th e m ovem ents of th e enem y. The people th ere attacked
th e M uslim s, killed nine of them , w hile th e rest including Zaid
bin H arithah 4® m anaged to escape.121
8 . The invasion of Al-Khabat took place in th e eighth year of Al-
Hijra, i.e., before Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty. Abu 'Ubaidah bin Al-
Jarrah 4® led th ree h u n d red horsem en to observe a caravan
belonging to Q uraish.
Because of th e lack of food supplies, they began to starve so m uch
th a t they had to eat Khabat (leaves of trees), hence th e appellation
"The Army of Al-Khabat1'. O ne of th e m en slaughtered nine camels
on th ree occasions, th ree each tim e at different stages of the
m ission. Abu 'Ubaidah 4®, th e leader of the cam paign prohibited
him from doing so. The sea p resen ted th em w ith a w hale rich in
fat and they subsisted on it for h alf a m onth.
W hen they came back hom e, they narrated th e story to the
Prophet w ho com m ented th a t it was provision granted by
Allah, and asked th em to share him som e of its m e a t.131
Chronologically this occurred before th e Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyah,
after w hich th e M uslim s stopped intercepting Q uraishi caravans.

[1] See Sunan Abu Dawud accom panied by its com m entary A w nul-M a’bud. in the
chapter on w hen a m an s wife is retu rn ed to him if he accepted Islam after her.
[2] Rahmatul-lil- Alam in 2/226: Zadul-Ma'ad 2/120-122.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/625. 626; Sahih M uslim 2/145. 146.
 Invasion of Bani Al-Mustaliq
(Muraisi‘)
(Sha'ban, 6 Al-Hijra)

Though m ilitarily it did n ot assum e its full dim ension, this

Ghazwah had certain im plications th a t brought about a state of
u n rest w ithin the Islamic State, and resulted in disgrace for the
hypocrites. M oreover, it led to consolidating legislation th at
attached an im pression of nobility, dignity and purity of souls to
th e Islamic com m unity.
News reached the Prophet $g; on the 2nd of Sha'ban to the effect
that the chief of Bani Al-Mustaliq, Al-Harith bin Dirar had mobilized
his men, along w ith some Arabs, to attack Madinah. Buraidah bin Al-
Haseeb Al-Aslami 4* was imm ediately dispatched to verify the
reports. He had some words w ith Abi Dirar, who confirmed his
intention of war. He later sent a spy to explore the positions of the
M uslims but he was captured and killed. The Prophet
sum m oned his m en and ordered them to prepare for war. Before
leaving, Zaid bin Harithah was put in charge of the affairs of
Madinah. On hearing the advent of the Muslims, the disbelievers
became frightened and the Arabs accompanying them defected and
ran for their lives. Abu Bakr was entrusted w ith the banner of the
Emigrants, and that of the Helpers w ent to Sa'd bin 'Ubadah
The two arm ies w ere stationed at a well called M uraisi'. Exchange
of arrow fire continued for an hour, and th en the M uslim s rushed
and engaged th e enem y in a battle th a t ended in a com plete
victory for th e M uslims. Some m en w ere killed, w om en and
children of the disbelievers taken as captives, and a w ealth of
booty fell to the lot of the M uslim s. Only one M uslim was killed
by m istake by a Helper.

Among the captives was Juwairiyah, daughter of Al-Harith. chief of

the disbelievers. The Prophet m arried her, due to w hich the
M uslim s freed a h u n d red of the other enem y prisoners w ho
em braced Islam, and w ere th en called th e Prophet's in-law s.1"

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/112. 113; Ibn Hisham 2/289, 290. 294. 295.
Invasion o f Bani Al-Mustaliq (Muraisi') 387

The Treacherous Role o f the Hypocrites prior to the

Invasion o f Bani Al-Mustaliq

'Abdullah bin Ubai, a terrible hypocrite was full of enm ity against
Islam and the M uslim s because he believed th a t th e Prophet
had taken his leadership over Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj, tw o clans
already agreed on the P rophethood of M uham m ad and his
m asterhood over them .

'A bdullah's enm ity appeared before he en tered Islam. Following

th e battle of Badr, he m ade preten sio n s of being a M uslim , b u t
deep at heart, he rem ained th at terrible enem y of Allah, His
M essenger jg , and all th e believers, in general. His sole target had
always been to sow th e seeds of dissension in th e M uslim
com m unity, and un d erm in e th e cause of th e new heavenly
religion it has. His treacherous behavior could be w itnessed
everyw here b u t was strikingly evident in his wicked attem p ts at
creating a state of confusion and disorder am ongst th e M uslim s at
the battle of Uhud. His hypocrisy and deceit assum ed serious and
ugly dim ensions w hen he used to stand up am ong the M uslim s
shortly before th e Prophet's Friday speech, and m ockingly say to
them : "This is th e M essenger of Allah, w ho has honored you w ith
Allah, so you have got to support, obey and listen to h im ," and
th en he w ould sit down.

He did th e sam e following th e battle of U hud on Friday. He was so

rude and arrogant th a t his w ords expressed clearly th e deeply-
rooted enm ity, so som e of th e M uslim s took him by his cloak and
silenced him . He im m ediately left, u ttering rude and m ocking
words. A Helper m et him at th e M osque gate and ordered him to
retu rn and beg th e M essenger for Allah's forgiveness, b u t he
replied th at he did not w ant his forgiveness.111 He, previously held
secret contacts w ith Bani Nadeer, encouraging th em to m ake an
alliance w ith him and prom ising su p p o rt for them ; all of this in
his ceaseless efforts in a long process of conspiracy and intrigue
hatched against the M uslim s, A llah’s W ords as regards his

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/105.

388 The Sealed Nectar

treacherous acts and attem pts during th e Trench Battle came to

testify quite clearly his hypocrisy:
•*’ yl t- // yCJ h '" '' ' / ■ * / y. 'y 9* ^ 9
T] iijx-j L» y j * y-r- ___^ A-y u y t -T 1 J ^ j TjT

t bj,>

"And w hen th e hypocrites and those in w hose hearts is a

disease (of doubts) said: 'Allah and His M essenger -ig
prom ised us nothing b u t delusions!'" [3 3 : i 2]
Up to His Saying:

(j Thh}A> ^ o lj p T>r—
b/) btlCJ U \y\.^ ^=> ji cy t !

"They th in k th at Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) have not yet

w ithdraw n, and if Al-Ahzab (the Confederates) should come
(again), th ey w o u ld w ish th ey w ere in th e d e se rts
(wandering) am ong th e bedouins, seeking new s about you
(from a far place); and if they (happen) to be am ong you,
they w ould not fight b u t little." [3 3 :20]
All enem ies of Islam from the Jews, hypocrites and polytheists did
acknowledge th a t Islam had th e upper hand not because of
m aterial superiority, m u ltitudes of troops or equipm ent: b u t it
was rather due to the noble values, refined ethics and high
attributes of the M uslim com m unity and w hoever was attached to
it. The enem ies of Islam w ere already aw are of th at flood of light
derived w holly from the person of the Prophet ig , w ho always
stood as an excellent exam ple for m en to im itate and follow.
The enem ies of Islam, after going through the course of fruitless
w arfare against the new religion for five years, came to realize
fully th at elim inating Islam w ould not be possible on a battlefield,
so they adopted other tactics. They, being reputed gossipm ongers,
decided to launch a w idespread propaganda campaign aim ing at
slandering the person of th e Prophet $g in a m ost sensitive area
of Arabian life, nam ely ethics and traditions. Following the battle
of th e C onfederates, the Prophet *g m arried Zainab b in t Jahsh
after her m arriage w ith Zaid bin H arithah -ife, his adopted son, had
Invasion o f Bani Al-Mustaliq (Muraisi'J 389

broken up. They seized this opportunity and began to circulate

idle talk against th e Prophet % in Arabia depending on a tradition
am ong the d esert Arabs th a t prohibits contracting a m arriage w ith
an adopted son's divorcee. They alleged th a t his m arriage w ould
be considered a terrible sin. They also based th e ir nasty
propaganda on th e fact th a t Zainab 4* was his fifth wife
w hereas th e num ber was strictly lim ited to a m axim um of four
in th e Noble Q ur'an, hence th e validity of this m arriage was in
doubt, according to them .
These rum ors had a negative im pact on the m orale of som e weak-
h e a rte d M uslim s u n til th e decisive V erses w ere revealed
acquitting th e Prophet 5^ and invalidating all those ill designs
and hateful schem es:

"O Prophet (M uham m ad 3^ )! Keep your duty to Allah, and

obey not th e disbelievers and th e hypocrites (i.e., do not
follow th eir advices). Verily! Allah is Ever All-Knower, All-
W ise." [33:1]

The Wicked Role o f Hypocrites during the Invasion of

Bani Al-Mustaliq
D uring this Ghazwah, th e hypocrites alm ost m anaged to create
chaos am ong the M uslim s them selves, coupled w ith serious and
ugly slander against th e Prophet Allah said about them :

"Had they m arched o ut w ith you, they w ould have added to

you n o thing except disorder, and they w ould have hurried
about in your m idst (spreading corruption) and sowing
sedition am ong you..." [9:47]
The following are th e details of th e events:
1. The Hypocrites said, "If w e retu rn to M adinah th en the m ore
honorable will expel therefrom th e m eaner."
390 The Sealed Nectar

After the battle was finished. Allah's M essenger was staying at

Al-Muraisi’, and th e people w ere getting w ater from a well. There
was a m an nam ed Jahjah Al-Ghifari helping 'Um ar bin Al-
Khattab -ifc. He and Sinan bin Wabr Al-Juhani w ere crow ding
each o th er for th e w ater and began to quarrel. So A l-Juhani yelled,
"O Helpers!” Jahjah yelled, "O Em igrants!" So Allah's
M essenger said:

"Do you use the slogans of pre-Islamic ignorance w hile I am

yet am ong you? Leave it, for indeed it is detestable."

This was conveyed to ’Abdullah bin Ubai Ibn Salul w hile he was
w ith som e of his people and he becam e angry. Among the people
was Zaid bin Arqam w hile a boy, and he narrated th at
'Abdullah bin 'Ubai said, "Have they done that? We are the greater
num ber in our city...if we retu rn to M adinah th en th e m ore
honorable will expel therefrom the m eaner." T hen he tu rn e d to
those p resent and said, "This is your ow n doing! You p u t th em up
in your city, divided your w ealth w ith them and by Allah! if you
w ere to w ithhold your h an d from th em th en they w ould go to a
land other th an yours."

Zaid bin Arqam told his uncle about that, w ho in tu rn told

Allah's M essenger % w hile 'Um ar was present. 'Umar 4* said,
"Order 'Abbad bin Bishr to kill him ." So he said:

"Why O 'Umar! The people will say th a t M uham m ad kills

his followers?"

So he ordered th em to move out. But th at was at an h o u r w h en

people norm ally w ould not move. So they began m oving out.
Usaid bin H udair 4® caught up w ith him and said, "You m ove at
such a bad tim e?" He sfe replied "Has w hat your com panion said
not reached you?" He was referring to 'Abdullah bin Ubai. So he
said. "What did he say?" He replied, "He claims th a t if he returns
to M adinah th en th e m ore honorable will expel the m eaner from
it." So he said, "But you can expel him from it if you w ish O
M essenger of Allah! He is, by Allah, the hum iliated w hile you are
the m ighty one." Then he said th a t he w ould gain the upper hand
Invasion o f Bani Al-Mustaliq (M uraisi') 391

once th e people saw th e real side of ’Abdullah bin Ubai. T hen he

m arched w ith the people th a t day u ntil th e evening and th a t night
until th e m orning and th e su n appeared. Then they halted and
slept w hich distracted th em from w h at had h appened. As for Ibn
Ubai. w h en he was inform ed th a t Zaid bin Arqam 4® had
conveyed to Allah's M essenger w h at he said, he w e n t to the
Prophet m and swore by Allah th a t he had not said w h at he had,
and th a t he had not spoken about it at all. Some w ho w ere there
am ong th e Helpers suggested th a t m aybe th e boy was m istaken in
w hat he narrated and he had actually not rem em bered w h at the
m an said. So he agreed. Zaid 4® said: "I becam e m ore u pset th an
ever I had been. [Later] I just sat in my h o u se .” Then Allah
revealed:

"W hen th e hypocrites come to you...” (63:1)

up to His Saying:

4 ^ ■&>■ j cj* ^

"...they are th e ones w ho say: ’Spend not on th o se w ho are

w ith A llah’s M essenger, until they d esert h im .,.'”
and:

4 jlV f >V'

"Indeed the m ore honorable will expel therefrom the

m eaner." [63:8]
So A llah’s M essenger sen t for me. recited it to me, and said:

"Allah has confirm ed your s ta te m e n t.”111

M eanw hile th e son of this hypocrite, ’Abdullah bin ’Abdullah bin
Ubai, was a righteous m an am ong th e C om panions. He was
innocent of his fath e r’s behavior. So he w aited at th e gates of
M adinah w ith his sw ord u n sh eath ed . W hen Ibn Ubai came he told
him . "By Allah! You may n o t e n te r here until the M essenger of

[1] See Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/499, 2/727. 728. 729; Ibn Hisham 2/290-293.
392 The Sealed Nectar

Allah gives you perm ission, for he is the m ighty one and you are
th e hum iliated o n e ,” W hen th e Prophet came, he perm itted
him so he m oved out of th e way. 'Abdullah bin 'Abdullah had told
him , "O M essenger of Allah! O rder m e if you w an t to kill him , by
Allah, I will bring you his h e a d .”111

The Slander Incident

This extrem ely painful incident took place on the Prophet's return
from the expedition against Bani M ustaliq. The M uslim arm y had
to halt for a night at a place, a sh o rt distance from M adinah. In
this expedition, th e Prophet was accom panied by his noble
wife, 'Aishah -§*• As it so happened, 'Aishah 4® w e n t o ut som e
distance from th e camp to atten d to th e call of nature. W hen she
returned, she discovered th a t she had dropped h er necklace
som ew here. The necklace itself was of no great value, b u t as it had
been loaned to her, 'Aishah 4® w e n t o ut again to search for it. On
h er return, to h er great grief and sorrow, th e arm y had already
m arched away w ith the camel she was riding, her atten d an ts
thinking th a t she was in the how dah (litter) as she was th en thin,
very young and light in weight. In h er helplessness, she sat dow n
and cried till sleep overpow ered her. Safwan bin M u'attal 4®. an
Emigrant, w ho was com ing in th e rear recognized h er as he had
seen h er before the Verse enjoining th e veil was revealed, and
brought her on his camel to M adinah, h im self walking b eh in d the
anim al. The hypocrites of M adinah, led by 'Abdullah bin 'Ubai Ibn
Salul, sought to m ake an incident out of this and spread a wicked
scandal against 'Aishah 4® and u n fortunately som e of the
M uslim s also becam e involved in it.
On arrival in M adinah, th e Prophet M, held counsel w ith his
Com panions, w ho pronounced different opinions ranging from
divorce to retention. The incident alm ost roused a fight betw een
two rival factions, Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj. b u t th e Prophet's
intervention silenced both parties on th e spot. 'Aishah 4*.,
unaw are of th e rum ors being circulated, fell ill and was confined

[1] See M ukhtasar As-Seerah by Sheikh 'Abdullah An-Najdi.

Invasion o f Bani Al-Mustaliq (Muraisi') 393

to bed for a m onth. On recovering, she heard of th e slander and

took perm ission to go and see h er parents seeking a u th en tic news.
She th en b u rst into tears and stayed for tw o days and one
sleepless night ceaselessly w eeping to such an ex ten t th a t she felt
h er liver was about to rip open.
The Prophet ^ visited her in th a t situation, and after testifying to
th e O neness of Allah, he told her, "If you are innocent, Allah will
acquit you, otherw ise, you have to beg for His forgiveness and
pardon." She stopped w eeping and asked h er parents to speak for
her, b u t they had n o thing to say, so she h erself took the initiative
and said "Should I tell you I am innocent, and Allah know s th a t I
am surely innocent, you will n o t believe me; and if I w ere to adm it
som ething of w hich, Allah knows, I am innocent, you will believe
me; so th ere is n othing for m e and you except the w ords of the
father of Prophet Yusuf (Joseph):

'So (for me) patience is m ost fitting. And it is Allah (Alone)

W hose Help can be sought against th a t w hich you assert.'"
[12:18]
She th en tu rn e d away and lay dow n for som e rest. At th a t decisive
m om ent th e Revelation came acquitting Aishah 4* of all the
slanderous talk fabricated in this concern. 'Aishah 4®. of course,
was w holeheartedly joyful and praised Allah thankfully. Allah's
W ords in this regard w e n t as follows;

"Verily! Those w ho brought forth the slander (against

'Aishah 4® - th e wife of th e Prophet £te) are a group am ong
you." [24:11]
The principal elem ents involved in th e slander affair, M istah bin
A thathah, Hassan bin Thabit and H am nah b in t Jahsh, w ere flogged
w ith eighty stripes.
As for the m an w ho took th e principal part, 'Abdullah bin Ubai, he
w as not flogged, either because th e physical p u n ish m e n t in this
394 The Sealed Nectar

w orld su bstitutes th e chastisem ent in store for him in the

H ereafter - and he did n o t deserve this m erit; or for th e sam e
public in terest for w hich he was not killed previously. He,
m oreover, becam e the object of criticism and hum iliation after his
real in ten tio n s had been exposed to all th e public.111
Almost a m onth later, Allah's M essenger 3^ and 'Um ar bin Al-
Khattab 4* w ere engaged in th e following talk: "D on't you see
'Um ar if I had him (Abdullah bin Ubai) killed, a large num ber of
nobles w ould have furiously h asten ed to fight for him . Now, on
th e contrary, if I ask them to kill him , they will do so out of their
ow n free will,"
'Um ar 4 ® replied: "I swear by Allah th a t the Prophet's judgm ent is
m uch m ore sound th an m in e."121

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/364. 2/696-698: Zadul-Ma'ad 2/113-115; Ibn Hisham 2/297-307.
[2] Ibn Hisham 2/293-
 Delegations and Expeditions
following the Invasion of Bani Al-
Mustaliq

1. A m ilitary expedition led by 'Abdur-Rahman bin ’Auf 4® was

dispatched to th e lands of Bani Kalb in Dum atul-Jandal in Sha'ban,
sixth year of Al-Hijra. Before setting out, th e Prophet
sum m oned 'Abdur-Rahman 4®. and placed w ith his han d a
turban on his head invoking Allah's blessings and giving him
order to act excellently during th e war. He told him to m arry the
king's daughter if they obeyed him . 'Abdur-Rahman 4® stayed
am ong th o se people for th ree days, invited them to Islam and
they responded positively. He th en did m arry th e king’s daughter
T am adur b in t Al-Asbagh, and it is she w ho is Um m Abu Salamah,
the m other of 'Abdur-Rahm an's son Abu Salamah,
2. In the sam e m onth and year, 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4 ® was
dispatched at th e head of a platoon to th e habitation of Bani Sa'd
bin Bakr in a place called Fadak. The Prophet had learned th at
they w ere supporting th e Jews by providing force. The M uslim
fighters used to m arch in th e day and conceal th eir cam p at night.
O n th eir way, they captured a m essenger of th e enem y w ho
adm itted being sen t to Khaibar, to offer its people su p p o rt in
retu rn for their dates. He also inform ed th em about their
encam pm ent. 'Ali 4® and his com panions raided there, captured
five h u n d red camels and tw o th o u san d goats, b u t Banu Sa'd, w ith
their chieftain W abr bin 'Aleem had fled away.
3. An expedition led by Abu Bakr As-Siddiq 4® or Zaid bin
H arithah 4® was dispatched to W adi Al-Qura in Ramadan, sixth
year of Al-Hijra, after th e Fazarah tribe had m ade an atte m p t at the
P rophet’s life. Salamah bin Al-Akwa' 4 ® said, "I w e n t w ith him
until w e prayed th e M orning prayer after w hich he ordered us to
begin th e attack. At th e enem y's w atering place w e began, and Abu
Bakr was fighting w hile I saw a group containing w om en and
children. I was afraid th at they w ould escape to th e m o u n tain so I
sh o t w ith my arrow betw een th em and th e m ountain. W hen they
396 The Sealed Nectar

saw th e arrow they stopped. There was a w om an am ong them

nam ed Umm Q irfah w earing a leath er garm ent. Her daughter was
one of the p rettiest Arab girls. So, I drove them to Abu Bakr, and
Abu Bakr gave m e her daughter. So, I had not yet disrobed her
w hen Allah's M essenger asked about the daughter of Umm
Qirfah, so she was sent to M akkah and exchanged for som e
M uslim captives th e re ." 111 Um m Q irfah was beh in d th e attem pts
on the Prophet's life, b u t her plan fell back on her, and th e thirty
horsem en w ere all killed.
4. The expedition of Kurz bin Jabir Al-Fihri 4* at 'U rainah occurred
in Shawwal of th e year 6. This was because a group from th e 'Ukl
and 'U rainah tribes declared their Islam, and stayed in M adinah
b u t found its clim ate disagreeable. So, they w ere asked to erect
their ten ts in the pastures nearby. They did so and w ere all right.
They th en fell on th e Prophet's sh ep h erd and killed him , tu rn ed
apostates from Islam and drove off th e camels. The Prophet %
se n t a group of tw enty M uslim s led by Kurz bin Jabir Al-Fihri 4&
on th eir track. They w ere brought and h anded over to him . He had
their hands and feet cut off, their eyes forced o u t in recom pense
for their behavior, and th en they w ere throw n on th e stony
ground until they died .121
Biographers also reported th a t 'Amr bin Um aiyah Ad-Damri 4&
and Salamah bin Abi Salamah w ere se n t on a task to kill Abu
Sufyan, th e chief of Q uraish, w ho had already se n t a bedouin to
kill the Prophet The tw o-m an m ission failed except for three
polytheists killed on th e way. It is notew orthy th a t all the
foregone invasions did n ot imply real b itter fighting, they w ere
rather clashes or punitive m ilitary m ovem ents carried out to deter
som e enem ies still not surrendered. Deep consideration on the
developm ent of w ar circum stances reveal th e continuous collapse
of th e m orale am ong th e enem ies of Islam, w ho had come to
u nd erstan d th a t they w ere no longer in a position to stop the
Islamic call or w eaken its active drive. This state of affairs reached

[1] Sahih M uslim 2/89 And it is also said th at this occurred during th e year 7.
[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/122.
Delegations and Expeditions follow ing the Invasion o f Bani Al-Mustaliq 397

its climax w ith the Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyah w h e n th e two

confronting parties, believers and disbelievers, en tered into a
truce agreem ent th at pointed m arkedly to th e ever-growing pow er
of Islam, and unequivocally recorded th e continuation of this
heavenly religion in Arabia.
 Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty
(D hul-Q a'dah 6 A.H.)

The Circumstances o f the 'U m rah of Al-Hudaibiyah

W hen Arabia began to w itness the large im pressive sw eep in favor
of th e M uslim s, th e forerunners of th e great conquest and success
of the Islamic Call started gradually to becom e visible on the
dem ographic horizon.
It was about th e sixth year of Al-Hijra in M adinah w h en the
Prophet had a dream th a t he had en tered th e sacred sanctuary
in M akkah in security w ith his followers, and was perform ing the
cerem onies of ‘Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). Their heads w ere being
shaved and hair cut off. As soon as he inform ed som e of his
Com panions about th e dream , they becam e very happy.

The Muslims mobilize

The Prophet had his clothes w ashed, m o u n ted his camel
nam ed Al-Qaswa’, left Ibn Um m M aktum 4®, or according to
some, N um ailah Al-Laithi 4®, in charge of M adinah, and m arched
out tow ards M akkah on a M onday at th e beginning of Dhul-
Q a'dah, at th e head of fourteen or fifteen h u n d red M uslim s
including his wife Um m Salamah 4®. He was also accom panied by
som e of th e d esert bedouins in th e area, although m any of them
stayed behind. They carried no w eapons w ith th em except the
sheathed sw ords of travellers since they had no in ten tio n of
fighting.

Heading for Makkah

As they approached Makkah, and reached a place called Dhul-
Hulaifah, he ordered th a t th e sacrificial anim als be garlanded, and
all believers en tered into the state of Al-Ihram, w ith th e pilgrim 's
dress m aking them safe against any attacks. He dispatched a
surveyor to h u n t around for new s of the enem y. The m an came
Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty 399

back to tell th e Prophet th at a large num ber of people from a

variety of trib es,111 w ere gathered w ith Ka'b bin Lu’ai to oppose
him , and th a t th e road to M akkah was com pletely blocked.

The Prophet consulted w ith his C om panions, w ho w ere of the

opinion th a t they w ould fight none unless they w ere stopped
from perform ing their pilgrimage.

The Quraish attempt to block the Muslims from

reaching the Ka'bah

The Q uraishites, on their part, held a m eeting during w hich they

considered th e w hole situation and decided to resist th e Prophet's
m ission at all costs, Two h u n d re d ho rsem en led by Khalid bin Al-
Walid w ere dispatched to take th e M uslim s by surprise during
Z uhr (the Noon) prayer. However, th e rules of Fear prayer w ere
revealed m eanw hile and th u s Khalid and his m en m issed the
chance. The M uslim s avoided m arching on th a t way and decided
to follow a rugged rocky one. Here, Khalid ran back to Q uraish to
brief th em on th e latest situation.

Changing the Direction

W hen th e M uslim s reached a spot called Thaniyatul-M urar, the

P rophet’s cam el stum bled and k n elt dow n and was too stubborn
to move. M uham m ad sfc sw ore he w ould willingly agree to any
plan th e enem y proposed th a t w ould revere Allah's sanctuary. He
th e n reprovingly spurred his cam el and it leapt up. They resum ed
their m arch and cam e to pitch th eir ten ts a t th e fu rth e st part o f Al-
Hudaibiyah beside a well w ith little w ater. The M uslim s reported
th irst to th e Prophet sg, w ho took an arrow o ut of his quiver, and
placed it in th e ditch. W ater im m ediately gushed forth, and his
followers drank to their fill.

[1] They w ere Banu Al-Harith bin 'Abd M anat bin Kinanah. Banu Al-Mustaliq. Banu
Al-Hayya bin Sa'd bin Amr. and Banu Al-Hawn bin Khuzaimah. They w ere allies
of th e Q uraish w ho lived near th e m ountain Hubsh south of Makkah.
400 The Sealed Nectar

Budail mediates between Allah’s Messenger #§ and the

Quraish

After th e Prophet was at ease, Budail bin W arqa' Al-Khuza'i

came w ith som e people of th e Khuza’ah tribe, to advise the
Prophet They asked him w h at he had come for. The
Prophet replied th a t it was n ot for w ar th a t he had come
forth: "1 have no o th er design," he said, "but to perform 'Umrah
(the lesser pilgrimage) in the Sacred Sanctuary. Should O uraish
em brace the new religion, as som e people have done, they are
m ost welcome, b u t if they stand in my way or stop th e M uslim s
from pilgrimage, I will surely fight them to th e last m an, and
Allah's O rder m u st be fulfilled," Budail carried th e m essage to the
O uraish, w ho w ere h e sita n t to accept th e unw anted news. They
th en dispatched Mikraz bin Hafs to m eet th e Prophet On
seeing him , th e Prophet said th a t he was a treacherous man.
He was given th e sam e m essage to com m unicate to his people.

The messengers o f Quraish

He was followed by an o th er m essenger know n as Al-Hulais bin

'Alqamah. He was very m uch im pressed by the spirit of devotion
th at the M uslim s had for th e Sacred Ka'bah. He w e n t back to his
m en and w arned th em against stopping M uham m ad sge and his
C om panions from revering Allah's house at th e risk of breaking
his alliance w ith them . Hulais was succeeded by 'Urw ah bin
M as'ud Ath-Thaqafi to negotiate w ith M uham m ad # j. In the
course of discussion, he said to th e Prophet "M uham m ad!
Have you gathered around yourself m ixed people and th en
brought th em against your kith and kin in order to destroy them .
By Allah, I th in k I see you deserted by these people tom orrow ." At
this point Abu Bakr 4® stood up and expressed his resentm ent.
W hile he was speaking to the Prophet j^ , he grabbed the
P rophet's beard. Al-Mughirah bin Shu'bah 4fe was standing
besides the Prophet he was w earing a helm et, w ith a sword
at his side, he h it his hand by th e scabbard of his sword and
w arn ed him n o t to touch th e P ro p h et's beard. Here, th e
Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty 401

m essenger of the O uraish rem arked in annoyance and referred to

th e latter's treacherous act of killing his com panions and looting
them before he em braced Islam.

M eanw hile, 'Urwah, during his stay in th e M uslim camp, had

been closely w atching the im m easurable love and great respect
th at th e followers of M uham m ad ^ show ed him . He returned
and conveyed to th e Q uraish his im pression th a t those people
could not leave the Prophet % u n d er any circum stances. He
expressed his feelings in the following words: "I have been to
Chosroes, Caesar and Negus in th eir kingdom s, b u t never have I
seen a king am ong a people like M uham m ad am ong his
Com panions. If he perform s his ablution, they w ould not let
th e w ater th ereo f fall on the ground; if he expectorates, they
w ould have the m ucus to rub th eir faces w ith; if he speaks, they
w ould low er th eir voices. They will not abandon him for anything
in any case. He, now offers you a reasonable plan, so do w h at you
please.”

Allah prevented Them from Treachery

Seeing a great tendency tow ards reconciliation am ong their chiefs,
som e younger, irresponsible, and h o t tem pered Q uraish devised a
wicked plan th a t could hold back th e peace treaty. They decided to
creep into th e camp of the M uslim s and produce intentional clash
th at m ight trigger the fuse of war. Seventy or eighty of th em left at
night for the M uslim camp and descended from th e m ountain
Tan'im . M uham m ad bin M aslam ah 4®, chief of th e M uslim
guards was able to have them all captured, b u t in view of th e far-
reaching im m in en t results about to be achieved, th e Prophet
set them free. In this context Allah says;

"And He it is W ho has w ithheld th eir h ands from you and

your hands from th em in th e m idst of M akkah, after He had
m ade you victors over th e m .” [48:24]
402 The Sealed Nectar

'Uthman bin 'Affan 4® is sent as a Messenger to the

Quraish

Time passed. N egotiations w e n t on b u t w ith no results. Then the

Prophet desired ’Um ar 4® to see the nobles of Q uraish on his
behalf. 'Um ar 4® excused h im self on account of the personal
enm ity of Q uraish; m oreover, he had no influential relatives in
th e city w ho could shield him from danger; and he advised
sending ’U thm an bin ’Affan 4®. w ho belonged to one of the m ost
pow erful fam ilies in M akkah. 'U thm an 4® w e n t to Abu Sufyan
and other chiefs and told them th at the M uslim s had come only to
visit and pay th eir hom age to th e Sacred House, to do w orship
there, and th a t they had no in ten tio n to fight. He was also asked
to call th em to Islam, and give glad tidings to the believers in
M akkah, w om en and m en, th at th e conquest w as approaching and
Islam was surely to prevail because Allah w ould verily establish
His religion in M akkah. ’U thm an 4® also assured them th at after
the perform ance of cerem onies they w ould soon depart peace­
fully, b u t the Q uraishites w ere inflexible and did n ot prepare to
grant th em th e perm ission to visit Al-Ka'bah. They, however,
offered 'U thm an 4® th e perm ission to perform 'Umrah, if he so
desired him self, b u t ’U thm an 4® declined th e offer saying; "How
is it possible th a t I avail m yself of this opportunity, w hile the
Prophet is denied of it?" The M uslim s anxiously w aited for the
arrival of 'U thm an 4® w ith m ixed feelings of fear and anxiety. But
his arrival was considerably delayed and foul play was suspected
on th e part of th e Q uraish.

The Rumor o f 'Uthm an’s Death and the Pledge o f Ridwan

The M uslim s w ere very w orried and took a solem n pledge at the
han d of th e Prophet th at they w ould not flee, and a group of
them pledged to th e death. The first to take th e pledge w ere Abu
Sinan Al-Asadi 4® and Salamah bin Al-Akwa’ 4®. w ho gave a
solem n prom ise to die in th e cause of T ruth th ree tim es, in the
beginning, in th e m iddle and in th e last of th e process. The
Prophet even held o u t his ow n hand and said: ’’This is for
Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty 403

’U thm an.’’ After th e pledge had been com plete, ’U thm an 4

arrived and gave th e pledge him self. Every person p rese n t pledged
except for one m an w ho w as of th e hypocrites, nam ed Jad bin
Qais. A llah’s M essenger £g took this pledge u n d er a tree w hile
'Um ar 4* was holding his hand, and M a’qil bin Yasar 4 was
holding a branch out of th e P ro p h et’s way.
This was the Bai’at-ur-Ridwan m en tio n ed by Allah:

"Indeed, Allah was pleased w ith th e believers w h en they

gave their Bai'ah (pledge) to you (O M uham m ad sg) u n d er
the tre e .” [48:18]

The Treaty and its Clauses

W hen Q uraish saw th e firm determ in atio n of th e M uslim s to shed
the last drop of blood for th e defense of th eir Faith, they came to
their senses and realized th a t M u h am m ad ’s follow ers could n ot
be frightened by these tactics.
After som e fu rth er interchange of m essages, they agreed to
conclude a treaty of reconciliation and peace w ith th e M uslim s.
The clauses of th e said treaty go as follows:
1. The M uslim s shall retu rn this tim e and come back next year,
b u t they shall n ot stay in M akkah for m ore th an th re e days. They
shall n o t come back arm ed b u t can bring w ith th em sw ords only
sheathed in scabbards and th ese shall be kept in bags.
2. War activities shall be su sp en d ed for ten years, during w hich
both parties will live in full security and n e ith e r will raise sword
against th e other.
3. W hosoever w ishes to join M uham m ad gg, or en ter into treaty
w ith him , should have th e liberty to do so; and likew ise
w hosoever w ishes to join Q uraish, or e n te r into treaty w ith
them , should be allowed to do so.
4. If anyone from Q uraish goes over to M uham m ad $g w ith o u t
his guardian’s perm ission, m eaning a fugitive, he should be sent
404 The Sealed Nectar

back to the O uraish; b u t should any of M uham m ad's followers

retu rn to the Q uraish. he shall not be se n t back.

Some d isp u te arose w h e n finalizing th e treaty. W hen the

agreem ent was to be com m itted to writing. 'Ali bin Abi Talib
w ho acted as a scribe, began w ith th e w ords; Bismillah ir-Rahman
ir-Raheem, i.e., "In the Name of Allah, the M ost Gracious, the
M ost M erciful," b u t the M akkan Suhail bin 'Amr declared th a t he
knew nothing about Ar-Rahman and insisted upon the custom ary
form ula Bi-ismika Allahum m a, i.e., "In Your Name, O Allah!" The
M uslim s grum bled w ith uneasiness b u t th e Prophet agreed. He
th en w e n t on to dictate; "This is w h at M uham m ad, the M essenger
of Allah, has agreed to w ith Suhail bin ’Amr." Upon this Suhail
again protested; "Had w e acknowledged you as Allah's M essenger,
we w ould not have prevented you from th e Sacred House, nor
fought against you. W rite your ow n nam e and the nam e of your
father." The M uslim s grum bled as before and refused to consent
to the change. The Prophet how ever, in th e larger in terest of
Islam, erased th e w ords him self, and dictated instead: "M uham ­
mad, the son of Abdullah." Soon after this treaty, the Khuza'ah
clan, a form er ally of Banu Hashim , joined the ranks of
M uham m ad sg.

The Return o f Abu Jandal

It was during this tim e w hile th e treaty w as being w ritten th a t Abu

Jandal 4», Suhail's son, appeared on the scene. He was brutally
chained and was staggering w ith hard sh ip and exhaustion. The
Prophet #5 and his C om panions w ere m oved to pity and tried to
secure his release b u t Suhail was unyielding and said: "To signify
th at you are faithful to your contract, an opportunity has just
arrived," The Prophet s&i said: "But th e treaty is n ot signed w hen
your son entered th e cam p." Upon this, he b u rst forth and said,
"But the term s of th e treaty w ere agreed u pon." It was indeed an
anxious m om ent.

On th e one hand, Abu Jandal 4® was lam enting at th e top of his

voice, "Am I to be returned to th e polytheists th at they m ight
Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty 405

entice m e from my religion, O M uslim s!" But on th e o th er hand,

th e faithful engagem ent was also considered to be necessary,
above all other considerations. The Prophet's h e a rt was filled w ith
sym pathy, b u t he w anted to h o n o r his w ord at all costs. He
consoled Abu Jandal 4* and said, "Be patient, resign yourself to
th e Will of Allah, Allah is going to provide for you and your
helpless com panions relief and m eans of escape. We have
concluded a treaty of peace w ith th em and w e have taken the
pledge in th e Name of Allah. We are, therefore, u n d e r no
circum stances prepared to break it." 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab ^
could n ot help giving ven t to th e deep-seated anguish of his heart.
He rose to his feet u ttering w ords im plying deep hatred and
extrem e anger, and provided chance to Abu Jandal to grab his
sword and kill Suhail, b u t th e son spared his father. However, in
silent resignation, Abu Jandal 4& was taken away w ith his chains.

W hen the peace treaty had been concluded, th e Prophet ^

ordered his C om panions to slaughter their sacrificial anim als, b ut
they w ere too depressed to do that. The Prophet gave
instructions in this regard th ree tim es b u t w ith negative response.
He told his w ife Um m Salam ah about this a ttitu d e of his
C om panions. She advised th at he h im self take th e initiative,
slaughter his anim al and have his head shaved. Seeing that, the
M uslim s, w ith hearts full of grief, started to slaughter their
anim als and shave their heads. The Prophet ^ prayed th ree tim es
for those w ho shaved th eir heads and once for those w ho cut their
hair. A camel was sacrificed on behalf of seven m en and a cow on
behalf of the sam e n um ber of people. The Prophet sacrificed a
camel w hich once belonged to Abu Jahl and w hich th e M uslim s
had seized as booty at Badr, th u s enraging th e polytheists.

D uring Al-Hudaibiyah campaign, th e Prophet ^ perm itted Ka'b

bin 'Ujrah w ho was in a state of Ihram (the sacred state of
pilgrimage) for 'Umrah (lesser pilgrimage) to shave his head due to
illness, on th e condition th a t h e will pay com pensation by
sacrificing a sheep or fasting for th re e days or feeding six needy
persons. Concerning this, th e following Verse was revealed:
406 The Sealed Nectar

"And w hosoever of you is ill or has an ailm ent in his scalp

(necessitating shaving), he m u st pay a Fidyah (ransom) of
either fasting (three days) or giving Sadaqah (feeding six
poor persons) or offering sacrifice (one sheep)." [2 : 196]

Refusing the Return o f Emigrant Women

M eanw hile som e believing w om en em igrated to M adinah and
asked th e Prophet for refuge w hich they w ere granted. W hen
th eir fam ilies dem anded their return, he w ould not hand them
back because the following Verse was revealed:

"O you w ho believe! W hen believing w om en come to you as

em igrants, exam ine them , Allah know s b est as to their
Faith, th en if you know th em for true believers, send them
n ot back to th e disbelievers, they are n o t law ful (wives) for
the disbelievers nor are th e disbelievers law ful (husbands)
for them . But give the disbelievers th a t (am ount of money)
w hich they have sp en t [as th eir M ahr (bridal money)] to
them . And there will be no sin on you to m arry th em if you
have paid their M ahr to them . Likewise hold not the
disbelieving w om en as w ives..." [60:10]
The reason w hy the believing w om en w ere n o t handed back was
either because they w ere not originally included in the term s of
th e treaty, w hich m entioned only m en, or because th e Q ur an
abrogated any term s dealing w ith w om en in th e Verse:

"O Prophet! W hen believing w om en come to you to give you

Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty 407

th e Bai'ah (pledge), th a t they will not associate anything in

w orship w ith Allah..." [60:12]
This is the Verse w hich forbade M uslim w om en from m arrying
disbelieving m en. Likewise, M uslim m en w ere com m anded to
term inate their m arriages to disbelieving w om en.
In com pliance w ith this injunction, 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab ^
divorced tw o wives he had m arried before he em braced Islam;
M u'aw iyah m arried the first w om an, and Safwan bin Umaiyah
m arried th e second.

Impact o f the Treaty o f Al-Hudaibiyah

A series of events confirm ed th e profound w isdom and splendid
results of th e peace treaty w hich Allah called "a m anifest victory”.
How could it be otherw ise w h e n th e Q uraish recognized the
M uslim s’ legitim ate existence on th e scene of political life in
Arabia, and began to deal w ith th e believers on equal term s?
The Q uraish in th e light of th e articles of th e treaty, had indirectly
given up their claim to religious leadership, and adm itted th at
they w ere no longer in terested in people o th er th an the Q uraish,
and w ashed their h ands of any sort of in tervention in the
religious fu tu re of th e Arabian Peninsula.
The M uslim s did n ot have in m ind to seize people's property or
kill th em through bloody wars, nor did they ever th in k of using
any com pulsive approaches in th eir efforts to propagate Islam, on
th e contrary, th eir sole target was to provide an atm osphere of
freedom in ideology or religion:

■Li o D ¥
"Then w hosoever wills, let him believe, and w hosoever
wills, let him disbelieve." [18:291
The M uslim s, on th e o th er hand, had the o p p o rtunity to spread
Islam over areas not th en explored.
W hen there was peace agreem ent, w ar was abolished, and m en
m et and consulted together, none talked about Islam intelligently
408 The Sealed Nectar

w ith o u t entering it; w ith in tw o years following the conclusion of

the treaty, twice as m any people en tered Islam th an ever before.
This is supported by th e fact th a t the Prophet w en t o ut to Al-
Hudaibiyah w ith only 1,400 m en, b u t w h en he set out to liberate
Makkah, two years later, he had 10,000 m en w ith him .

The article of the treaty about ceasing th e hostilities for ten years,
points directly to th e u tter failure of political pride exercised by
the Q uraish and its allies, and functions as evidence of the
collapse and pow erlessness of th e w ar instigator.

The Q uraish had been obliged to give up those advantages in

retu rn for one th a t seem ed in its favor, b u t did not actually bear
any harm against th e M uslim s, i.e.. th e article th a t speaks of
handing over to th e Q uraish those believing m en w ho seek refuge
w ith the M uslim s w ith o u t their guardians' consent. At first glance,
it was a m ost distressing clause and was considered objectionable
in the M uslim camp.

However, in the course of events, it proved to be a great blessing.

For it was obvious th at those w ho had been M uslim s w ould never
flee from Allah and His M essenger *&, and none w ould flee
except for an obvious apostate, for w hom th e M uslim s had no
need as indicated by the saying of th e Prophet

"W hoever leaves us for them , he has been rem oved by

Allah."111

As for those in M akkah w ho em braced Islam, although th e route

to M adinah was tem porarily closed for them . Allah's earth is wide.
Was there not an abode for th e believers in Abyssinia at a tim e
w h en th ere w ere no believers in M adinah? This was indicated by
the saying of th e Prophet

"And w hoever com es to us from them , indeed Allah will

m ake an opening and a way o u t for h im ."121

[lj Sahih M uslim in th e chapter on th e Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyah 2/105.

[2] ibid.
Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty 409

The M uslim s’ Grief and 'Umar’s Expression o f that

These are th e realities of th e clauses of th e truce treaty and as it
seem s they all function in favor of th e growing Islamic state.
However, two points in th e treaty m ade it distasteful to som e
M uslim s, nam ely they w ere not given access to th e Holy Sanctuary
th a t year, and th e seem ingly degrading a ttitu d e as regards
reconciliation w ith th e pagans of Q uraish. 'Um ar 4®. unable to
hold h im self for the distress was taking full grasp of his heart,
w e n t to the Prophet % and said: "A ren't you th e true M essenger of
Allah?” The Prophet replied calmly, "Why not?” 'Um ar 4® again
spoke and asked, "Aren't w e on th e path of righteousness and our
enem ies in th e wrong?" W ithout show ing any resen tm en t, the
Prophet replied th at it was so. O n getting this reply he fu rth er
urged, "Then we should not suffer any h u m iliation in th e m atter of
Faith," The Prophet ^ was firm and w ith perfect confidence said,
"I am th e tru e M essenger of Allah, I never disobey Him, He shall
h elp m e." "Did you not tell u s,” rejoined 'Um ar 4®. "that w e shall
perform pilgrimage?" "But I have never told you," replied the
Prophet jte, "that w e shall do so this very year." 'Um ar 4® was
silenced. But his m ind was disturbed. He w e n t to Abu Bakr 4® and
expressed his feelings before him . Abu Bakr 4® w ho had never
been in doubt as regards th e P rophet’s tru th fu ln e ss and sincerity,
confirm ed w h a t the Prophet had told him . In due course, the
Chapter of Victory (48th) was revealed saying:

Cel A ui
"Verily, We have given you (O M uham m ad # ;) a m anifest
victory." [48:1]
Allah's M essenger sum m oned 'Um ar 4® and conveyed to him
th e happy tidings. 'Um ar 4® was overjoyed, and greatly regretted
his form er attitude. He used to spend in charity, observe fasting
and prayer and free as m any slaves as possible in expiation for
th a t thoughtless attitu d e h e had a ssu m e d .111

[1] For th e details of th e incidents surrounding Al-Hudaibiyah, see Fathul-Bari 7/439-

458: Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/378-381.
410 The Sealed Nectar

The Problem o f Weak Muslims solved

After th e Prophet had reached M adinah, Abu Baseer w ho
had escaped from the Q uraish, came to him as a M uslim , The
Q uraish se n t two m en dem anding his return, so the Prophet -M,
handed him over to them .
O n the way to M akkah, Abu Baseer m anaged to kill one of
them , and th e o ther one fled to M adinah w ith Abu Baseer 4fe in
pursuit, W hen he reached the Prophet s#:, he said, "Your
obligation is over and Allah has freed you from it. You duly
handed m e over to th e m en, and Allah has rescued m e from
them ." The Prophet said, "Woe to his m other, he w ould have
kindled a w ar if there had been others w ith him."
W hen he heard that, he knew th at he w ould be handed back to
them , so he fled from M adinah and w en t as far as Saiful-Bahr.
The other M uslim s w ho w ere oppressed in M akkah began to
escape to Abu Baseer He was joined by Abu Jandal 4® and
others until a fair-sized colony was form ed and soon sought
revenge on the Q uraish and started to intercept their caravans.
The pagans of M akkah finding them selves unable to control those
exiled colonists, begged the Prophet to do away w ith th e clause
w hich governed the retu rn of these persons. They begged him by
Allah, and by th eir ties of kinship to send for the group, saying
th a t w hoever joined th e M uslim s in M adinah w ould be safe from
them . So the Prophet sent for the group and they responded,
as expected, positively.
The early part of th e year 7 A.H. w itnessed the Islam ization of
three pro m in en t m en of M akkah, 'Amr bin Al-'As, Khalid bin Al-
Walid and 'U thm an bin Talhah. On their arrival and entrance into
the fold of Islam, th e Prophet said, "The Q uraish have given us
their own blood."
 The Second Stage

A New Phase of Islamic Action

Al-Hudaibiyah Truce m arked a new phase in th e process of Islamic

action and life of th e M uslim s. The O uraish, a b itter enem y of
Islam, now w ithdraw s from th e w ar arena and em braces a
peaceful se ttle m en t w ith th e M uslim s, th u s th e third su p p o rt of a
tripartite enem y (the Q uraish, G hatafan and th e Jews) is broken,
and being th e holder of th e b a n n er of paganism in Arabia, the
other pagans' aggressive feelings tow ards Islam considerably
subsided.
The G hatafan tribe no longer co n stitu ted any rem arkable threat,
and their provocative deeds w ere m ainly Jew ish-instigated actions.
The Jews, after being exiled from M adinah, resorted to Khaibar to
change it into a h o t bed of plots against th e Prophet There,
they w ould hatch th eir plots, ignite th e fire of conflict and allure
the Arabs living in th e vicinity of M adinah to join th em w ith the
aim of exterm inating the new Islamic state, or at least inflict
heavy losses on th e M uslim s. The Prophet not neglectful of
their devilish schem es, placed a decisive w ar w ith th em as a first
priority on his agenda shortly after th e above-m entioned treaty.
The treaty of Hudaibiyah allow ed th e M uslim s to intensify their
Islamic career and double up th eir ceaseless efforts in propagating
th eir Da'wah (Call), and consequently give this sort of action
preference over th e m ilitary activities. Hence, w e consider it
im portant to divide this post-treaty stage into two sections:
1. Ceaseless peaceful efforts in propagating th e Islamic Da'wah
(Call) and initiating a sort of correspondence w ith kings and
princes of th e neighboring political figures.
2. M ilitary activities.
 The Prophet’s Plans to spread the
Message of Islam beyond Arabia

Late in th e sixth year A.H., on his retu rn from Hudaibiyah, the

Prophet decided to send m essages to th e kings beyond Arabia
calling them to Islam. In order to au thenticate th e credentials of
his m essengers, a silver seal was m ade in w hich w ere engraved
th e words: "M uham m ad the M essenger o f Allah" in th e following
fo rm ation :111
4JUI
J j —j

M essengers w ere chosen on th e basis of their experience and

knowledge, and sent on their responsibilities in M uharram in the
year 7 A.H,, a few days before heading for Khaibar.121

1. Letter to Abyssinia (Ethiopia)

Negus, king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), w hose nam e was Asham ah
bin Al-Abjar, received the Prophet's m essage, dispatched by Amr
bin Umaiyah Ad-Damri 4®. w hich At-Tabari referred to. eith er late
in the sixth year or early in th e seventh year A.H, Deep scrutiny
into th e letter show s th a t it was n o t th e one sent after the
Hudaibiyah event. W ording of th e letter rather indicates th at it
was sen t to th a t king w hen Ja'far and his com panions em igrated to
Abyssinia (Ethiopia) during th e M akkan period. O ne of its
sentences read: "I have dispatched my cousin, Ja'far w ith a group
of M uslims, to you. Do be generous tow ards th em and do not
oppress th em .''
Al-Baihaqi, on the authority of Ibn Ishaq, gave th e following
narration of the Prophet's letter sent to Negus:
"This letter is se n t from M uham m ad, th e Prophet to Negus Al-
Asham ah, th e king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia).

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/872-873.

[2] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/171.
The Prophet's Plans to spread the Message o f Islam beyond Arabia 413

Peace be upon him w ho follows tru e guidance and believes in

Allah and His M essenger. I bear w itness th a t th ere is no God b ut
Allah Alone w ith no associate, He has taken n eith er a wife nor a
son, and th a t M uham m ad is His servant and M essenger. I invite
you to e n te r Islam; if you em brace Islam, you will find safety:
'* ' A x , . . ,/ - '/ x / < */ // / x / *> \
<0)1 V J -C;— tv "5/1 d l JpCu J-ACj JiJ*1

ub Ai' j G k * ) Vj G“ “' A1/4) *-G

i Gib IjiyLi

"Say (O M uham m ad $*): 'O People of th e Scripture (jews

and Christians), come to a w ord th at is just betw een us and
you, th a t we w orship none b u t Allah, and th a t we associate
no partners w ith Him, and th a t none of us shall take others
as lords besides Allah,' Then, if they tu rn away, say: 'Bear
w itness th at we are M uslim s.' ” [3:64]
Should you reject this invitation, th en you will be held responsible
for all the evils of th e C hristians of your people.”
Dr. H am eedullah (Paris), a reliable verifier, has presented a
version of the above letter disclosed only a sh o rt tim e ago and
identical to Ibn Al-Oaiyim's narration. Dr. H am eedullah exerted
painstaking effort and used all m eans of m odern technology to
verify the text of the letter, w hich reads as follows:
"In the Nam e of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost Merciful.
From M uham m ad, th e M essenger of Allah, to Negus, king of
Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
Peace be upon him w ho follows true guidance. To proceed; I
praise Allah, there is no God b u t He. the Sovereign, the Holy, the
Source of peace, the Giver of peace, the Guardian of faith, the
Preserver of safety. I bear w itness th a t Jesus, th e son of Mary, is
th e spirit of Allah and His W ord w hich He cast into Mary, the
virgin, the good, th e pure, so th a t she conceived Jesus. So. she
conceived him from Allah’s spirit and breathing as He created
Adam by His Hand. I call you to Allah Alone w ith no associate and
to His obedience and to follow me. and to believe in th a t w hich
4 14 The Sealed Nectar

came to me, for I am th e M essenger of Allah. I invite you and your

m en to Allah, th e Glorious, th e All-Mighty. 1 hereby bear w itness
th a t I have com m unicated my m essage and advice. I invite you to
listen and accept my advice. Peace be upon him w ho follows tru e
guidance.” 111

The text of this letter is doubtlessly authentic, b u t to m aintain

th a t it was w ritten after th e H udaibiyah event is still a question
lacking definite evidence.

The version Al-Baihaqi reported from Ibn Ishaq resem bles the
letters to th e kings and princes of th e C hristians after Hudaibiyah
since in it is m entioned:

ill -6 -« Vt UJTj ^ J if

6t

"Say (O M uham m ad % ): ’O People of th e Scripture (jews

and Christians), come to a w ord th a t is just betw een us and
you, th a t we w orship none b u t Allah, and th a t w e associate
no partners w ith Him, and th a t none of us shall take others
as lords besides Allah.' Then, if they tu rn away, say: 'Bear
w itness th a t w e are M uslim s.' " [3:64]

Just as m entioned in th e others. It also clearly m entions the nam e

Asham ah. As for the text Dr. H am eedullah m entioned, may Allah
have mercy upon him , it appears to me to be a letter th at was
w ritten after th e death of Asham ah, addressed to his successor,
and perhaps this is w hy his nam e is not m entioned. This is my
observation w ith no decisive proof o ther th an the contents of the
texts, b u t w hat is odd is th at the Dr. H am eedullah seem s certain
th at the text m entioned by Al-Baihaqi from Ibn 'Abbas is the
one w ritten after th e death of Asham ah, addressed to his
successor, w hen th e nam e of A sham ah is clearly m entioned in
it. And the tru th of this is know n only to Allah.

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 3/60.

The Prophet's Plans to spread the Message o f Islam beyond Arabia 415

W hen ’Amr bin Um aiyah Ad-Damri delivered th e letter to

Negus, the latter took the parchm ent and placed it on his eye,
descended to th e floor, confessed his faith in Islam and w rote the
following reply to th e Prophet # 5:
"In th e Nam e of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost M erciful,
From Negus A sham ah to M uham m ad, th e M essenger of Allah,
Peace be upon you, O Prophet of Allah! And mercy and blessing
from Allah beside W hom th ere is no God. I have received your
letter in w hich you have m entioned about Jesus, and by th e Lord
of heaven and earth, Jesus is n o t m ore th an w h at you say. We
fully acknowledge th at w ith w hich you have been se n t to us and
w e have en tertain ed your cousin and his com panions. I bear
w itness th a t you are th e M essenger of Allah, tru e and confirm ing
(those w ho have gone before you), I pledge to you through your
cousin and su rren d er m yself through him to the Lord of the
w o rld s,” 111
The Prophet asked Negus to send Ja'far 4® and his com panions
- the em igrants to Abyssinia (Ethiopia), back hom e. They came
back to see th e Prophet in Khaibar. Negus later died in Rajab 9
A.H., shortly after the Invasion of Tabuk. The Prophet
announced his death and observed prayer in absentia for him .
A nother king succeeded Negus to th e th ro n e and an o th er letter
was sent to him by the Prophet sg b u t w h e th e r or not he
em braced Islam is still a question not an sw e re d ,121

2. Letter to the King o f Egypt, called M uqawqis

The Prophet w rote to Juraij bin M atta,131 called M uqawqis. the
King of Egypt and Alexandria stating:
"In th e Nam e of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost Merciful.
From M uham m ad, servant of Allah and His M essenger, to
M uqawqis, th e leader of th e Copts.

[1] Zadul-Ma’ad 3/61.

[2] Sahih M uslim 2/99
[3] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/178: Dr. Ham eedullah said th at his nam e was Binyamin.
416 The Sealed Nectar

Peace be upon him w ho follows true guidance. Thereafter, I invite

you to accept Islam. Therefore, if you w ant security, accept Islam.
If you accept Islam, Allah th e Sublime shall rew ard you doubly.
But if you refuse to do so, you will bear th e b u rd en of the
transgression of all the Copts.

"Say (O M uham m ad *g): 'O People of the Scripture (Jews

and Christians), come to a w ord th at is just betw een us and
you, th a t we w orship none b u t Allah, and th a t we associate
no partners w ith Him, and th a t none of us shall take others
as lords besides Allah.' Then, if they tu rn away, say: 'Bear
w itness th a t w e are M uslim s.' " [3:64]
Hatib bin Abi Balta'ah 4®. w ho was chosen to com m unicate the
message, requested a m eeting w ith M uqawqis before conveying
the contents of th e letter. He addressed Egypt's ruler saying:
"There used to be som eone before you w ho had acquired the
status of th e suprem e lord, so Allah p u n ish ed him and m ade an
exam ple of him in th e H ereafter and in this life; therefore, take
w arning and never set a bad exam ple to others."
M uqawqis answ ered: "We are in no position to give up our
religion except for a better one."
Hatib 4® resum ed: "We invite you to em brace Islam, w hich will
suffice you all w h at you m ay lose. O ur Prophet has called people
to profess this Faith, th e Q uraish and the Jews stood against him
as bitter enem ies, w hereas C hristians stood closest to his Call.
Upon my life, M oses’ new s about Jesus is identical to th e latter's
good tidings about th e advent of M uham m ad; likewise, this
invitation of ours to you to em brace Islam is sim ilar to your
invitation to th e People of Torah to accept th e New T estam ent.
Once a Prophet rises in a nation, he is eligible for positive
response; hence you are subject to th e sam e Divine Law. Bear in
m ind th a t w e have n o t come to advice against you from the
The Prophet's Plans to spread the Message o f Islam beyond Arabia 417

religion of Jesus b u t rather requesting you to adhere to its

principles.’'
M uqawqis m editated over th e contents of th e lette r deeply and
said: "I have come to th e conviction th at this Prophet proposes
nothing repulsive; he is n e ith e r a straying m agician nor a lying
soothsayer. He bears th e tru e m anifest seeds of Prophethood, and
so I will consider th e affair deeply." He took th e parch m en t and
ordered th at it be kept in an ivory casket. He called a scribe to
w rite th e following reply in Arabic:
"In the Nam e of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost M erciful,
From M uqawqis to M uham m ad bin ’Abdullah.
Peace be upon you. I have read your letter and u n d erstood its
contents, and w h at you are calling for. I already know th a t the
com ing of a Prophet is still due, b u t I used to believe h e w ould be
born in Syria. I am sending you as p resen ts two m aids, w ho come
from noble Coptic fam ilies; clothing and a steed for riding on.
Peace be upon you."
It is notew orthy th a t M uqawqis did not avail h im self of this
priceless opportunity and he did not em brace Islam. The presents
w ere accepted; M ariyah, th e first m aid, stayed w ith the
Prophet and gave birth to his son Ibrahim ; th e other, Sirin,
w as given to Hassan bin Thabit Al-Ansari The ste e d ’s nam e
was D uldul and it lived u n til th e tim e of M u ’awiyah 4&.m

3. Letter to Chosroes, Emperor o f Persia

"In the Nam e of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost M erciful.
From M uham m ad, the M essenger of Allah, to Chosroes, king of
Persia.
Peace be upon him w ho follows tru e guidance, believes in Allah
and His M essenger and testifies th at th ere is no God b u t Allah
Alone w ith no associate, and th a t M uham m ad is His servant and
M essenger. I invite you to accept th e religion of Allah. I am the

[1] Zadul-Ma 'ad 3/61.

418 The Sealed Nectar

M essenger of Allah sent to all people in order th a t I may instill

fear of Allah in every living person, and th a t the charge may be
proved against those w ho reject th e Truth. Accept Islam as your
religion so th at you may live in security, otherw ise, you will be
responsible for all the sins of th e Magians."
'Abdullah bin H udhafah As-Sahmi 4* w as chosen to carry the
letter. He carried it to th e governor of Bahrain, b u t we do not
know as yet if the latter dispatched it to Chosroes by one of his
m en or chose 'Abdullah him self.
The proud king was filled into anger by the style of th e letter as
th e nam e of th e Prophet had been p u t above his ow n nam e, He
tore the letter into shreds and forthw ith dictated a com m and to
his governor in Yemen to send a couple of troopers to arrest the
Prophet and bring him to his presence. The governor, Badhan
by nam e, im m ediately se n t two m en to M adinah for the purpose.
As soon as the m en reached M adinah. th e Prophet was
inform ed by a Divine Revelation th at Pervez, the em peror of
Persia, had been m urdered by his son. The Prophet disclosed
to them th e new s and they w ere stu n n ed . He added asking them
to tell their new king th at Islam w ould prevail everyw here and
exceed the kingdom of Chosroes him self. They hurried back to
Badhan and com m unicated to him w h at they heard. M eanw hile,
Sherweh, the new king sent a letter to Badhan confirm ing the
new s and ordering him to stop any procedures as regards the
Prophet till fu rth er notice. Badhan, together w ith the Persians
in Yemen, w en t into the folds of Islam, and gladly signified his
adhesion to the P ro p h et.111

4. The Envoy to Caesar, King o f Rome

Al-Bukhari gave a long narration of th e contents of th e letter sent
by th e Prophet sg; to Heraclius, em peror of th e Byzantines:
"In the Name of Allah, the M ost Gracious, th e M ost Merciful,
From M uham m ad, the servant of Allah and His M essenger to

[1] Fathul-Bari 8/127. 128.

The Prophet's Plans to spread the Message o f Islam beyond Arabia 419

Heraclius, th e king of th e Byzantines.

Blessed are th o se w ho follow tru e guidance. I invite you to

em brace Islam so th a t you m ay live in security. If you come w ithin
th e fold of Islam, Allah will give you double rew ard, b u t in case
you tu rn your back upon it, th e n th e b u rd en of th e sins of all your
people shall fall on your shoulders.

Oj j L L ^ u i } A -Tdd- ± jJ jZ z j

cl ijjls

"Say (O M uham m ad $g): 'O People of th e Scripture (Jews

and Christians), come to a w ord th at is just betw een us and
you, th a t w e w orship none b u t Allah, and th at we associate
no partners w ith Him, and th a t none of us shall take o thers
as lords besides Allah.' Then, if they tu rn away, say: 'Bear
w itness th at w e are M uslim s.' " [3:64]m

Dihyah bin Khalifah Al-Kalbi w as ordered to h an d over the

letter to th e governor of Busra, w ho w ould in turn, send it to
Caesar.

Incidentally, Abu Sufyan bin Harb, w ho by th a t tim e had not

em braced Islam, was su m m o n ed to th e court and Heraclius asked
him m any questions about M uham m ad and th e religion w hich
he preached. The testim ony w hich this open enem y of the
Prophet gave regarding th e personal excellence of the
P rophet’s character and th e good th at Islam w as doing th e hum an
race, left Heraclius w onder-struck.

Al-Bukhari, on th e au thority of Ibn 'Abbas 4®. narrated th at

Heraclius sen t for Abu Sufyan and his com panions, w ho happened
to be trading in Ash-Sham (Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan),
he came to Iliya' (Baitul-Maqdis). That was during th e truce th at
had been concluded betw een th e polytheists of Q uraish and
Allah’s M essenger Heraclius, seated am ong his chiefs of staff,

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/4. 5.

420 The Sealed Nectar

asked, "Who am ongst you is th e n earest relative to th e m an w ho

claims to be a Prophet?" Abu Sufyan said: "I replied: 'I am the
nearest relative to him from am ongst th e group.' So they m ade me
sit in fro n t of him and m ade my com panions sit beh in d me, Then
he called upon his translator and said (to him ). 'Tell th em (i.e.,
Abu Sufyan's com panions) th a t I am going to ask him (i.e., Abu
Sufyan) regarding th a t m en w ho claims to be a Prophet. So if he
tells a lie, they should contradict him (instantly).' By Allah had I
not been afraid th a t my com panions w ould consider m e a liar, I
w ould have told lies," Abu Sufyan later said.

Abu Sufyan’s testim ony w e n t as follows: "M uham m ad descends

from a noble family. No one of his family hap p en ed to assum e
kingship. His followers are th o se considered weak, w ith num bers
ever growing. He n eith er tells lies nor betrays others, w e fight him
and he fights us b u t w ith alternate victory. He bids people to
w orship Allah Alone w ith no associate, and abandon our fathers'
beliefs. He orders us to observe prayer, honesty, and abstinence-,
and to m aintain strong family tie s.” "Heraclius, on hearing this
testim ony, tu rn e d to his translator ordering him to com m unicate
to us his im pression w hich revealed full confidence in the
tru th fu ln ess of M uham m ad's Prophethood: 'I fully realize th at
Prophets come from noble families: he does not have any
previous exam ple of Prophethood. Since none of his ancestors
w as a king, w e cannot th en claim th a t h e is a m an trying to reclaim
his father's kingdom . So long as he does not tell lies regarding
people, he is for th e m ore reason, im m une to telling lies as
regards Allah. Concerning his followers being those considered
w eak w ith num bers ever growing, th a t is th e case w ith Faith until
it is com plete. I have understood th a t no instance of apostasy has
as yet appeared am ong his followers, and this points to th e bliss
of Faith th at finds its place in th e h u m an heart. Betrayal, as I see,
is alien to him because real Prophets hold them selves from
betrayal. You said he orders w orship of Allah w ith no associates,
observance of prayer, honesty and abstinence, and prohibition of
paganism , if this is true, he will soon rule th e place b eneath my
feet, I have already know n th a t a Prophet m u st arise b u t it has
The Prophet's Plans to spread the Message o f Islam beyond Arabia 421

never occurred to m e th a t h e will be an Arab from am ong you. If I

was sure, I w ould be faithful to him ; I m ight hope to m eet him ,
and if I w ere w ith him , I w ould w ash his feet.' Heraclius th en
requested th a t th e P rophet's lette r be read. The observations of
th e em peror and finally th e definite and clear-cut exposition of
th e Islamic m essage could n o t b u t create a ten se atm osphere
am ongst th e clergy p rese n t at th e court. They w ere ordered to
leave."
Abu Sufyan said, "While com ing out, I said to my com panions,
'The m atter of Ibn Abi Kabshah (i.e., M uham m ad has becom e
so p ro m in en t th a t even th e king of Banu Al-Asfar (i.e., the
Romans) is afraid of h im .' So I co n tin u ed to believe th a t Allah's
M essenger #£ w ould be victorious, till Allah m ade m e em brace
Islam ." The king did n o t em brace Islam - for it was differently
ordained. However, th e M uslim envoy was retu rn ed to M adinah
w ith th e felicitations of th e em peror.
On his way back to M adinah, Dihyah Al-Kalbi 4* was intercepted
by people from th e Judham tribe in Husm a, w ho looted the
presents se n t to th e Prophet Zaid bin H arithah 4® a t th e head
of five h u n d red m en was dispatched to th a t spot, he inflicted
heavy losses on those people and captured 1000 camels, 5000 of
th eir cattle and a h u n d red w om en and boys. O ne of th e chiefs of
Judham w ho had em braced Islam, filed a com plaint w ith the
Prophet jfc, w ho gave a positive response to th e form er's protest,
and ordered th a t all th e spoils and captives be returned.
M ost of th e au th o rs about th e battles of th e Prophet sfe; say th at
this event occurred before Al-Hudaibiyah, b u t it is an obvious
m istake since he se n t th e letter to Heraclius after Al-Hudaibiyah.
This is w hy Ibn Al-Qaiyim said, "It was after Al-Hudaibiyah
w ith o u t a d o u b t."111

5. Letter to Mundhir bin Sawa, Governor o f Bahrain

The Prophet dispatched Al-'Ala' bin Al-Hadrami 4® to the

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/\22

422 The Sealed Nectar

governor of Bahrain, carrying a letter inviting him to em brace

Islam.
In reply, Al-M undhir bin Sawa w rote th e following letter:
"Allah's M essenger! I read your letter, w hich you w rote to the
people of Bahrain extending to th em an invitation to Islam, Islam
appealed to som e of th em and they en tered th e fold of Islam,
w hile others did not find it appealing. In my country, th ere live
Magians and Jews, and therefore you may inform m e of the
treatm en t to be extended to them ."
The Prophet w rote the following letter in reply to his:
"In th e Name of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, the M ost Merciful.
From M uham m ad, M essenger of Allah, to M undhir bin Sawa.
Peace be on you! I praise Allah w ith no associate, and I bear
w itness th at M uham m ad is His servant and M essenger.
Thereafter, I rem ind you of Allah th e M ighty and the Glorious.
W hoever accepts adm onition, does it for his ow n good. W hoever
follows my m essengers a n d acts in accordance w ith th eir
guidance, he in fact accepts my advice.
My m essengers have highly praised your behavior. You shall
continue in your p resent office. Give th e new M uslim s full chance
to preach th eir religion. I accept your recom m endation regarding
th e people of Bahrain, and I pardon th e offences of th e offenders;
therefore, you may also forgive them .
Of th e people of Bahrain w hoever w ants to go on in their Jewish
or Magian faith, should be m ade to pay Jizyah (head tax)."1' 1

6. Letter to Haudhah bin 'Ali, Governor o f Yamamah

"In the Name of Allah, the M ost Gracious, th e M ost M erciful.
From M uham m ad, M essenger of Allah to H audhah bin 'Ali.
Peace be upon him w ho follows tru e guidance. Be inform ed th a t
my religion shall prevail everyw here. You should accept Islam, and

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 3/61.62.

The Prophet's Plans to spread the Message o f Islam beyond Arabia 423

w hatever is u n d er your com m and shall rem ain yours."

The envoy chosen was Sulait bin 'Amr Al-'Amiri w ho after
com m unicating his m essage, carried back th e following reply to
th e Prophet
"The Faith, to w hich you invite me, is very good. I am a fam ous
orator and poet, th e Arabs highly respect m e and I hold a position
am ong them . If you include m e in your governm ent, I am
prepared to follow you."
The governor th en bestow ed a rew ard on Sulait 4® and presented
him w ith clothes m ade of Hajar fabric. Of course, he p u t all those
presents before th e Prophet
The Prophet s g did not accept H audhah's dem and. He usually
tu rn e d dow n such authoritative tone, and w ould say th a t the
w hole m atter was in th e H and of Allah, W ho gave His land to
w hoever He desired. Gabriel later came w ith th e Revelation
th at H audhah had died. The Prophet in the context of his
com m ent on this news, said:
"As for Yamamah, from it will come a liar claim ing
p rophethood after me. b u t he shall be killed."
W hen som eone asked w ho w ould kill him , he replied:
"You a n d y o u r co m p a n io n s."
And it occurred as he said .111

7. Letter to Al-Harith bin Abi Shimr Al-Ghassani, King of

Damascus
"In th e Name of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost M erciful,
From M uham m ad, M essenger of Allah to Al-Harith bin Abi Shimr.
Peace be upon him w ho follows true guidance, believes in it and
tru sts it. I invite you to believe in Allah Alone w ith no associate,
th en your kingdom will rem ain yours."
Shuja' bin W ahb 4* had th e h o n o r of taking th e letter to Harith,

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 3/63-

424 The Sealed Nectar

w ho upon hearing th e letter read in his audience, was madly

infuriated and uttered: "Who dares to dispose m e of my country,
I'll fight him (the Prophet sfe;)." and arrogantly rejected the
Prophet's invitation to the fold of Islam .111

8. Letter to the King o f Oman, Jaifer, and his Brother

'Abd bin Al-Julandai
"In the Name of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, the M ost M erciful.
From M uham m ad bin 'Abdullah to Jaifer and 'Abd, the sons of Al-
Julandai,
Peace be upon him w ho follows true guidance; th ereafter I invite
both of you to the Call of Islam. Embrace Islam. Allah has sen t m e
as a Prophet to all His creatures in order th a t I may instill fear of
Allah in the hearts of His disobedient creatures so th at th ere may
be left no excuse for those w ho deny Allah, If you two accept
Islam, you will rem ain in com m and of your country; b u t if you
refuse my Call, you m u st rem em ber th at all your possessions are
perishable. My cavalry w ould take possession of your land, and
my Prophethood will assum e superiority over your kingship."
'Amr bin Al-’As 4*. w ho was chosen to carry th e letter, narrated
the following story th a t h appened before he was adm itted into the
audience of Jaifer: "W hen I arrived in O m an I contacted 'Abd, w ho
was know n to be m ore m ild-tem pered th an his brother, the
following dialogue took place betw een him and me:
'Amr: I am th e m essenger of Allah's Prophet ^ com ing to see
both, you and your brother.
'Abd: You have to see my b ro th er and read to him th e letter you
are carrying. He is my sen io r in b o th age and kingship.
Incidentally, w h at is th e purpose of your m ission?
'Amr: We invite to believe in Allah Alone w ith no associate, to
discard any other deities and testify to th e M essengership of
M uham m ad # 5.

[1] Zadul-Ma ’a d 3/62; Muhadarat Tarikh Al-Umam Al-Islamiyah by Al-Khudari 1/146.

The Prophet's Plans to spread the Message o f Islam beyond Arabia 425

'Abd: O 'Amr! You come from a noble family, b u t first of all, tell
m e w h at was your fath e r’s a ttitu d e concerning this Faith? You
know, w e used to follow his steps.
'Amr: D eath overtook him before believing in M u h am m ad ’s
m ission; I w ish now he had em braced Islam and had faith in it
before his death. I m yself had adopted th e sam e attitu d e until
Allah guided m e tow ards Islam.
’Abd: W hen did you em brace Islam?
’Amr: W hen I was in th e court of th e Negus, w ho also entered
Islam.
'Abd: W hat was th e reaction of his people?
'Amr: They approved of him and followed his steps.
'Abd: The bishops and m onks also?
'Amr: They did th e same.
'Abd: Beware 'Amr of lying, for this soon disgraces a person th an
any o th er thing.
'Amr: I never tell lies; m oreover, our religion never allows it.
'Abd: Has Heraclius been inform ed th a t th e Negus accepted Islam?
'Amr: Yes, of course.
'Abd: How did you h appen to know that?
'Amr: The Negus used to pay land tax to Heraclius, b u t w hen the
form er em braced Islam, he sw ore he w ould discontinue th a t tax.
W hen this new s reached Heraclius, his b rother Al-Yannaq advised
him to take action against Negus b u t he refused and added th a t he
him self w ould do th e sam e if he w ere not greedy of his kingship.
'Abd: W hat does your Prophet order you to do?
'Amr: He orders us to obey Allah th e All-Mighty and th e All-
Glorious, to be pious and m aintain good ties w ith family kin; he
forbids aggression, adultery, disobedience, w ine, idolatry and
devotion to th e cross.
'Abd: Fair w ords and fair beliefs are those you are calling for. I
w ish my b ro th er w ould follow m e to believe in M uham m ad and
426 The Sealed Nectar

profess his religion, b u t my b ro th er is too greedy of his kingship

to becom e a subordinate.
'Amr: Should your b rother su rren d er him self to Islam, the
Prophet ^ w ould give him authority over his people and take
alm s tax from th e w ealthy people to be given to th e needy.
Abd: That is fair behavior. But w h at is this alm s tax you have
m entioned?
'Amr: It is a Divine com m andm ent th at alm s tax be taken from the
well-to-do people w ho have surplus w ealth and be distributed to
the poor.
'Abd: I doubt if this can w ork am ong our people."
'Amr stayed for som e days to be adm itted into Jaifer's court until
he was finally granted this perm it. He said: "He asked m e to hand
him th e letter to read it. After th a t he asked m e how the Q uraish
had reacted and I answ ered: 'They had followed him , som e o ut of
th eir own freewill and o thers overpow ered by m ilitary fighting.
Now, people have chosen Islam in preference to other creeds, and
have realized through their m ental insight th a t they had been
straying in darkness. None, except you, is now o u t of th e dom ain
of Islam, so I advise you to em brace Islam so th at you can provide
security to yourself and your country.' Here, h e asked m e to call
on him th e following day.
The following day he show ed som e unw illingness in receiving me
b u t his brother, 'Abd, interceded and I was given th e chance to see
him again, b u t this tim e he addressed me in a threaten in g
arrogant tone. However, after a private talk w ith his b rother and
reconsidering the w hole situation, both brothers em braced Islam
and proved to be true to Islam th at had begun to m ake its way into
this new area.
The context of this story reveals th a t this letter was se n t at a
m uch later date th an th e others, m ost likely after th e conquest of
M akkah.111

[ 1] Zadul-Ma 'ad 3/6,63.

The Prophet's Plans to spread the Message o f Islam beyond Arabia 427

Through these letters, th e Prophet m anaged to com m unicate

his M essage to m ost of th e kings at th a t tim e; som e believed,
w hile others rem ained obstinate and persisted in th eir disbelief.
However, th e idea of em bracing Islam, and the advent of a new
Prophet preoccupied all of them .
 Post-Hudaibiyah Hostilities

The Invasion o f Ghabah or Dhi Qarad

It was in fact not a battle b u t rath er a clash carried out against a
platoon of Bani Fazarah. It occurred at Dhi Qarad, a reservoir of
w ater a day's journey from M adinah. Al-Bukhari nam ed a chapter
about it in w hich h e indicated th a t it occurred th ree days before
the battle of Khaibar. M uslim reported a chain of narration from
Salamah bin Al-Akwa'( saying th e same. The m ajority of the
w riters on th e battles of th e Prophet list it before Al-
Hudaibiyah, b u t w h at is m ost correct is w h at Al-Bukhari and
M uslim m en tio n e d .111
It has been narrated on th e authority of Salamah bin Al-Akwa' 4®,
th e hero of this battle: "Allah's M essenger se n t one of his
slaves Rabah w ith his camels to a nearby pasture. I, taking
T alhah's horse, w e n t th ere for th e sam e purpose. W hen the day
daw ned. 'Abdur-Rahman Al-Fazari m ade a raid, drove away all the
camels, and killed th e m an w ho looked after them . I told Rabah to
ride the horse, take it to Talhah and inform Allah's M essenger %
th at the polytheists had m ade away w ith his camels. Then I stood
upon a hillock and tu rning my face to M adinah, sh outed thrice:
’Come to our help!' After th at I set o u t in p u rsu it of th e raiders,
shooting at them w ith arrow s and chanting (self-eulogistic) verse:
1 am the son o f Al-Akwa'
Today is the day o f defea t for the m ean.
By Allah, I continued shooting at th em and killing th eir anim als.
W henever a horsem an tu rn ed upon me. I w ould come to a tree
(hidding myself) sitting at its base, shoot at him and killing his
horse. At last they entered a narrow m o u n tain gap. I ascended th at
m ountain and held them checked throw ing stones at them . I
continued to chase th em in this way until I got all th e camels

[1] See Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/603. Sahih M uslim 2/113. Fathul-Bari 7/460. and Zadul-
Ma'ad 2/120.
Post-Hudaibiyah Hostilities 429

released, none rem aining w ith them . They fled in all directions
and I following shooting a t th em continually u n til they dropped
m ore th an thirty m antles and th irty lances, lightening th eir
burden. O n everything they dropped, I p u t a m ark w ith som e
stones so th a t Allah’s M essenger ^ and his C om panions m ight
recognize th em (that it was booty left by th e enem y). They w en t
on u n til they came to a narrow valley. They sat dow n to eat
som ething, and I sat on th e top of a tapering rock. Four of them
ascended th e m o u n tain com ing tow ards me. W hen they w ere near
enough to hear me, I shouted: 'Do you recognize m e?’ They said:
'No. W ho are you?' I said: 'I am Salamah, son of Al-Akwa’. I can get
anyone of you I like, b u t n o n e of you can get m e.' So they
returned.
I did n o t m ove from my place u ntil I saw th e ho rsem en of Allah’s
M essenger w ho came riding through th e trees. The forem ost
am ong th em w as Akhram, beh in d him was Abu Q atadah Al-Ansari
followed by Al-Miqdad bin Al-Aswad. Akhram and 'Abdur-Rahman
Al-Fazari m et in combat. Akhram killed 'Abdur-Rahm an's horse
b u t th e latter m anaged to strike him w ith his lance and kill him .
'A bdur-Rahm an tu rn e d a ro u n d riding A khram ’s horse. Abu
Q atadah, seeing this, got engaged in fierce com bat w ith 'Abdur-
Rahm an, struck him w ith his lance and it w as fatal. The
polytheists consequently fled away and I was in th eir p u rsu it
un til before su n set they reached a valley w ith a spring of w ater
called Dhi Qarad. They rested th ere to have a drink. I how ever,
ru nning in h o t pursuit, tu rn e d th em o u t of th e valley before they
could drin k a drop of w ater.
Later on, the Prophet along w ith his C om panions, overtook
me. I said: 'O M essenger of Allah, let m e select from our people
one h u n d red m en and I will follow th e plunderers and finish
th em .' In reply, th e Prophet % said: 'Ibn Al-Akwa', you have taken
enough and so now you have to show nobility; they have reached
the locality of Ghatafan w here they are having feast.' He added:
'O ur b est horsem an today is Abu Q atadah, and our best footm an
today is Salam ah.’ He allotted m e tw o shares of th e booty - th e
share m ean t for the horsem an and th e o th er m ean t for the
430 The Sealed Nectar

footm an. Intending to retu rn to M adinah. as an honor, he m ade

m e m o u n t behind him on his she-cam el called Al-'Adba’."[I1
Ibn Umm M aktum 4® was given th e adm inistration of M adinah,
and M iqdad bin 'Amr 4® th e standard by th e Prophet during
this invasion,

[1] See the previous references and Zadul-Ma'ad 3/62.

 The Conquest of Khaibar
(In Muharram, 7 A.H.)

Khaibar was a spacious strongly fortified territory, stu d d ed w ith

castles and farms, lying at a distance of 60-80 m iles no rth of
M adinah, now a village know n for its un h ealth y climate.

The Reasons for the Battle

After th e Hudaibiyah Treaty, th e m ajor party of the anti-Islam
tripartite coalition, th e Q uraish, w as neutralized. Therefore, the
Prophet considered it an appropriate tim e to settle his affairs
w ith th e o th er two w ings - th e Jews and th e Najd tribes - in order
th a t peace and security could prevail and th e M uslim s may devote
their tim e and effort in propagating th e M essage of Allah and
calling people to em brace it. Khaibar itself had always rem ained a
hotbed of intrigue and conspiracy, and th e Jews had always used it
as a source of m ilitary provocation and an instigation center, so it
w as given top priority on the P rophet's agenda of th e affairs
requiring urgency. The Jews of Khaibar, un ited by an ancient
alliance w ith th e Confederates, provoked Bani Q uraizah to practice
treachery, m aintained contacts w ith G hatafan and th e Arabians
and they even devised an a tte m p t on th e Prophet's life. In fact,
th e con tin u al afflictions th a t th e M uslim s su sta in ed w ere
prim arily attributable to th e Jews. Envoys w ere repeatedly sent
to th em for peaceful settlem en t, b u t all in vain. C onsequently the
Prophet came to th e conclusion th a t a m ilitary cam paign was a
m u st in order to solve this problem .

Headed to Khaibar
Ibn Ishaq said: "W hen Allah's M essenger cam e back from Al-
Hudaibiyah, h e resided in M adinah during th e m o n th of Dhul-
Hijjah and part of M uharram . T hen h e left at th e end of
M uharram for Khaibar."
Interpreters of th e Noble Q u r'an suggest th a t capturing Khaibar
had been a Divine prom ise im plied in A llah’s W ords:
432 The Sealed Nectar

J->«i p j p ajC A = jJy^A P I p tj f

"Allah has prom ised you ab u n d an t spoils th a t you will
capture, and He has h asten ed for you th is." [48:20]
i.e., the Hudaibiyah Peace Treaty and th e su rren d er of Khaibar.
The hypocrites and people w eak of h e a rt had hung back from
joining th e tru e M uslim s in th e Hudaibiyah campaigns, so now
Allah the All-Mighty revealed th e following w ords to His
Prophet «i|:
^ ./ ./ y ^ \ -ty / \

J—
** o t ^ jjJ 4&\ o\
ii i Si P iP J o p p
"Those w ho lagged behind will say, w h en you set forth to
take th e spoils: 'Allow us to follow you.’ They w an t to
change Allah's W ords. Say: 'You shall not follow us; th u s
Allah has said b efo reh an d .’ Then they will say: 'Nay, you
envy us.' Nay, b u t they u n d erstan d n o t except a little."
[48:15]

The Number o f Soldiers in the Arm y

For this reason, th e Prophet ^ invited only th o se w ho w ere
willing to fight in the cause of Allah to accom pany him in his
m arch against Khaibar. 1400 m en only, w ho had sw orn allegiance
in response to his call.
M eanw hile, Siba’ bin 'Arfatah Al-Ghifari 4® was chosen to run the
affairs of M adinah. A nother incident of high significance is the
acceptance of Islam by Abu H urairah 4®. a venerable M uslim
scholar and an au th en tic narrator of th e Prophetic traditions, th at
occurred during this tim e.

The Hypocrites alert the Jews

The hypocrites of Arabia took notice of th e fresh Islamic
in ten tio n s so they began to alert th e Jews to the im m inent
m ilitary activities. Their chief, 'Abdullah bin Ubai se n t a m essage
The Conquest o f Khaibar 433

to th e Jews of Khaibar w arning th em against th e dangers

approaching, and encouraging th em to resist th e M uslim s as they
outn u m b ered th e latter and w ere b e tte r equipped. O n hearing the
new s th e Jews dispatched Kinanah bin Abul-Huqaiq and H audhah
bin Qais to th eir form er allies, th e tribe of Ghatafan requesting
military assistance, prom ising to grant th em h alf th e yield of the
fruit th a t th eir farm s could yield if they m anaged to beat the
M uslim s.

The Road to Khaibar

The Prophet m arched by way of 'Isr M ountain and th e n w en t
forw ard w ith th e arm y till he halted in a valley called Ar-Raji',
encam ping a day and a night's journey before th e Ghatafan so as
to prevent th e latter from strengthening th e Jews. The guides
accom panying him led him to an intersection from w hich
branched o u t m any ways, all leading to his destination. He
abstained from following th e first th ree roads on grounds of their
om inous nam es and chose th e fourth for its favorable indication.
It is notew orthy th at som e interesting incidents featured the
M uslim s’ m arch tow ards Khaibar; of w hich w e m ention the
following:
1. It has been narrated on th e authority of Salam ah bin Al-
Akwa' w ho said: We m arched upon Khaibar w ith Allah's
M essenger sg. We journeyed during th e night. O ne of th e m en
said to my b ro th er 'Amir: "W on't you recite to us som e of your
verses, ’Amir?" So. he began to chant his verses to urge the
camels, reciting:
O Allah, i f You had n o t guided us, w e w ould have n eith er been
guided rightly nor practiced charity, nor o ffered prayers.
We w ish to lay dow n our lives for You; so forgive You our lapses,
and k eep us firm w h en w e en co u n ter (our enem ies).
Bestow upon us peace and tranquility, behold, w h en w ith a cry
th ey called upon us to help.
Allah's M essenger $g said: "Who is this driver (of th e camels)?"
434 The Sealed Nectar

They said: "It is 'Amir." He said: "Allah will show mercy to him ."
A m an said: "M artyrdom is reserved for him ; O M essenger of
Allah, w ould th a t you had allowed us to benefit ourselves from his
life."111
The Prophet's C om panions had already know n th a t he w ould
never invoke Allah's mercy upon a close Com panion b u t to single
him o u t for m artyrdom .121
2. In a spot called As-Sahba', n o t far from Khaibar. th e Prophet
observed the A fternoon prayer, and th en he called his Com pa­
nions to have w hatever food provisions they had. W hat they
brought was too little to satisfy th em all. The Prophet % took it
by his hand and it im m ediately grew in quantity, so they all ate to
th eir fill.
Shortly afterw ard, he and th e others, rinsed their m o u th s and
perform ed the Evening prayer w ith o u t perform ing ab lu tio n ;131 he
did the sam e for the Night prayer.141
As they reached above Khaibar and looked dow n upon it he said,
"Halt." The arm y halted and h e ^ said:

"O Allah! Lord of the seven heavens and w h at they cover.

Lord of th e seven earths and w h at include, Lord of the
devils and w h at they m islead: Indeed w e ask You for the
good of this tow n, th e good of its people, the good th a t is in
it, and w e seek refuge w ith You from th e evil of this town,
th e evil of its people and th e evil th a t is in it. Proceed in the
Name of A llah."151

The Muslim Arm y surrounds Khaibar

The M uslim s cam ped and slept th at night near Khaibar w ith o u t
th e Jews realizing th eir presence. In the m orning after th e prayer

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/603; Sahih M uslim 2/115-

[2] Sahih M uslim 2/115-
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/603.
[4] Maghazi Al-Waqidi p. 112.
[51 Ibn Hisham 2/329.
The Conquest o f Khaibar 435

they m o u n ted and proceeded. The M uslim s encountered th e Jews

w h en they had come o u t about th eir jobs w ith th eir axes, spades
and strings driving th eir cattle along. They began to sh o u t in
surprise: "M uham m ad has com e along w ith his force!" Allah's
M essenger ^ said:

"Allah is Great, Khaibar is ruined, Allah is Great, Khaibar is

ruined, Behold! W hen w e descend am idst th e people, it will
daw n a bad day for th o se w ho have been w arned (but have
n ot taken h e e d )."111

The Fortresses o f Khaibar

Khaibar was divided into tw o sections, th e first containing five
fortresses or castles:
1. The fortress of Na’im.
2. The fortress of As-Sa'b bin M u'ath.
3. The fortress of Az-Zubair.
4. The fortress of Ubai.
5. The fortress of An-Nizar.
The first th ree w ere in th e area know n as An-Natah, th e
rem ainder w ere in a section called Ash-Shaq. The second section
of th e city w as called Al-Katibah and it had th re e fortresses:
1. Al-Qamus, w hich was th e fortress of th e family of Abul-Huqaiq
from th e tribe of Abu An-Nadeer.
2. The fortress of Al-Watih.
3. The fortress of As-Sulalim.
T here w ere also o th er fortresses in Khaibar besides th ese eight,
b u t they did n o t reach th e size or fortification of these. The
fighting occurred only in th e first section of th e city; in th e second
section, th e th ree fortresses secured them selves and held their
fighters w ith o u t com ing out to face th e M uslim s.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/603. 604.

436 The Sealed Nectar

The Muslim Camp

For encam pm ent, the Prophet had chosen a certain plot of land
he deem ed suitable to serve as th e headquarters of his army.
However, a veteran fighter of his called Hubab bin Al-M undhir 4®
suggested th a t they should relocate u n d e r th e requirem ents of
w ar and for th e sake of providing m axim um m ovem ent facilities.

Preparing to Fight and the Good News o f Victory

W hen th e night entered or thereafter, th e Prophet said:

"Tomorrow I will give the ban n er to a m an w ho loves Allah

and His M essenger and Allah and His M essenger love him."
In th e m orning, all of th e people gathered around him hoping th at
they w ere th e one, th e Prophet % m en tio n ed during th e night.
The Prophet called for 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4® w ho had a problem
w ith his eyes, so he supplicated for him and th e problem left. He
th en handed the b an n er to him . 'Ali 4®. on his part, pledged he
w ould fight th e enem ies u ntil they em braced Islam. The
Prophet answ ered him saying: "Proceed upon your way until
you e n te r th eir m idst, th en invite th em to accept Islam and brief
th em on their d u ties tow ards Allah. I sw ear by Allah th a t if only
one should be guided by you, th a t w ould surely outw eigh the best
cam els."111

The actual Operation begins

The Prophet j g began th e campaign by reducing the m inor
strongholds one after the other. The first fort he was to attack w as
Na'im, th e first defense line w ith a strong strategic position.
M arhab, th e leader of th e fort, invited ’Amir bin Al-Akwa' 4b to
m eet him in com bat and th e latter responded; w h en 'Amir 4b
struck th e Jew, his sword recoiled and w o u nded his ow n knee,
and he died of th a t w ound. The Prophet later said: "For him
('Amir) there is a double rew ard in th e H ereafter." He indicated

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/505. 606.

The Conquest o f Khaibar 437

this by p u tting two of his fingers together. 'Ali bin Abi Talib
th en undertook to m eet M arhab in combat, and m anaged to kill
him . Yasir, M arhab's brother, th e n tu rn e d up challenging the
M uslim s to a fight. Az-Zubair was equal to it and killed him on
th e spot. Real fighting th e n broke o u t and lasted for a few days.
The Jews show ed courage and proved to be too difficult even to
th e rep eated ru sh e s of th e experienced soldiers of Islam.
However, they later realized th e u selessness of resistance and
began to abandon their positions in An-Na’im and m ove into the
fortress of As-Sa'b.
Al-Hubab bin Al-M undhir Al-Ansari led th e attack on the
fortress o f As-Sa’b, and they laid siege to it for th ree days after
w hich th e M uslim s storm ed it w ith a lot of booty, provisions and
food to fall to th eir lot therein. This victory came in th e w ake of
th e P rophet’s invocation to Allah to h elp Banu Aslam in th eir
untiring and daring attem p ts to capture th a t fort.
During th e process of the w ar operations, extrem e hu n g er struck
the M uslim s. They lit fires, slaughtered dom estic donkeys and
began to cook them . The Prophet inquired about th e fires and
cooking, and ordered th at they should throw away th e m eat and
w ash th e cooking pots, forbidding th e practice of eating such
m eat.
The Jews, m eanw hile, evacuated An-Natah and secured th e m ­
selves in Az-Zubair Fort, a strong defensive position inaccessible to
both cavalry and infantry. The M uslim s besieged it for th re e days,
b u t in vain. A Jew spy told th e Prophet % about a w ater source
u n d er th e surface of th e earth th a t provided th em w ith w ater, and
advised th a t it be cut off in order to w eaken th eir resistance. The
Prophet did that, so th e Jews came out to engage w ith th e
M uslim s in fierce fighting during w hich som e M uslim s and ten
Jews w ere killed, b u t the fort w as eventually conquered.
Shortly after this battle, th e Jews m oved to Ubai Fort and fortified
them selves inside. The sam e events recurred; th e M uslim s
besieged th e new site for th re e days and th e n th e great M uslim
hero Abu D ujanah Simak bin K harshah Al-Ansari - of th e red
438 The Sealed Nectar

head band - led th e M uslim arm y and broke into the fortress,
conducted fierce m ilitary operations w ith in and forced the
rem aining Jews to flee for th eir lives into an o th er fort, An-Nizar.

An-Nizar w as th e m ost pow erful fort, and th e Jews came to the

established conviction th a t it was too im m une to be storm ed, so
they considered it a safe place for th eir children and w om en. The
M uslim s, however, w ere not depressed b u t dragged on th e siege,
b u t because it was standing at an elevated position, the fort was
secure. The Jews inside w ere too cowardly to m eet th e M uslim s in
open fight b u t rather h urled a show er of arrow s and stones on the
attackers. C onsidering this situation, th e Prophet ^ ordered th at
catapults be used and th ese proved effective and caused cracks in
the walls providing an easy access into th e h e a rt of th e fort, w here
the Jews w ere p u t to chaos, they fled in all directions leaving
behind th eir w om en and children.

W ith these series of m ilitary victories, th e first division of Khaibar

was totally reduced, and th e Jews in th e o ther m inor fortresses
evacuated them and fled to th e second division.

The Second Part o f Khaibar conquered

W hen th e Prophet jte, along w ith his army, m oved to this part of
Khaibar, Al-Katibah, he laid heavy siege to it for fourteen days w ith
th e Jews fortifying them selves inside th eir forts. W hen he was
about to use th e catapults, th e Jews realized th a t they w ould
perish, therefore, they asked for a negotiable peace treaty.

There is one controversial p oint in this context. Was this part of

Khaibar (with its th ree forts) conquered by force? Ibn Ishaq clearly
stated th a t Al-Qamus Fort was conquered by force. Al-Waqidi, on
th e o th er hand, m aintained th at th e th re e forts w ere taken
through peace negotiations; and force, if any, w as resorted to only
to han d th e fort over to th e M uslim s; th e tw o o th er forts
surrendered w ith o u t fighting.1' 1

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/331. 336, 337.

The Conquest o f Khaibar 439

Negotiations
Ibn Abul-Huqaiq was dispatched to Allah's M essenger to
negotiate th e su rren d er treaty. The Prophet agreed to spare
th eir lives on condition they evacuate Khaibar and th e adjacent
land, leaving w h atev er gold an d silver th ey had in th e ir
possession. However, he specified th a t he w ould give up any
com m itm ent if they concealed anything, Shortly afterw ards, the
forts w ere handed over to th e M uslim s and all Khaibar was
reduced and brought u n d er th e influence of Islam.
In spite of this treaty, Abul-Huqaiq’s tw o sons concealed a leather
bag full of jewels, and m oney belonging to Huyai bin Al-Akhtab,
w ho carried it w ith him w h en Banu N adeer had been exiled from
M adinah. Kinanah bin Ar-Rabi', w ho had h id d en th e bag som e­
w here, was p ersisten t in his denial and so he was killed w h e n the
bag was discovered and his dishonesty was proven. Abul-Huqaiq's
two sons w ere killed in recom pense for breaching th e covenant,
and Safiyah, Huyai's daughter was taken as a captive.

Distribution o f Spoils
In accordance w ith th e agreem ent already concluded, th e Jews
w ere to evacuate Khaibar, b u t they w ere anxious to keep on
cultivating th e rich soil and fine orchard for w hich Khaibar was
fam ous. They, therefore, approached th e Prophet % w ith the
request th a t they be allowed to cultivate th eir lands and they
w ould give h alf of th e produce to th e M uslim s. M uham m ad ^
was kind enough to accept th eir request.
The M essenger divided the land of Khaibar into two: one half
to provide the food to be stored in case of any accidental calamity
th at m ight befall th e M uslim s, and for en tertain in g th e foreign
delegates w ho started to frequent M adinah a lot; th e o th er half
w ould go to th e M uslim s w ho had w itnessed th e Hudaibiyah
event w h e th e r p resen t at this battle or not. The total n u m b er of
shares came to 36, of w hich 18 w ere given to th e people above-
m entioned. The arm y consisted of 1400 m en of w hom w ere 200
horsem en. A horsem an was allotted 3 shares and th e footm an
440 The Sealed Nectar

The spoils taken at Khaibar w ere so great th a t Ibn 'Um ar 4® said:

"We never ate our fill until w e conquered Khaibar." 'Aishah ^bis
narrated to have said: "Now we can eat ou r fill of dates.' 21 On
their retu rn to M adinah, th e Em igrants w ere able to retu rn to the
Helpers of M adinah all th e gifts they had received. All of this
affluence came after th e conquest of Khaibar and the econom ic
benefits th at th e M uslim s began to reap .131
The conquest of Khaibar coincided w ith th e arrival of the
P rophet’s cousin Ja'far bin Abi Talib 4® and his com panions
along w ith Abi M usa Al-Ash’ari 4® and som e M uslim s from
Abyssinia (Ethiopia).
Abu M usa Al-Ash'ari 4® narrated th a t he and over fifty
com panions, w hile in Yemen, took a ship w hich landed th em in
Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and they h appened to m eet th ere Ja'far 4&
and his com panions.
He said, "We stayed together until th e Prophet sent a
m essenger asking us to come back. W hen w e returned, w e found
out th a t h e had already conquered Khaibar, yet he gave us our due
shares of the spoils."

The advent of th o se m en came at the request m ade by Allah's

M essenger to th e Negus, king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), through
'Amr bin Um aiyah Ad-Damri 4®'

Negus sen t th em back, 16 m en altogether w ith th eir wives and

children on two boats. The rest of em igrants arrived in M adinah
earlier.141

The Marriage to Safiyah

In th e sam e context, Safiyah, w hose h usband Kinanah bin Abul-

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/137. 138.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/609.
[3] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/148; Sahih M uslim 2/96.
[4] Muhadarat Tarikh Al-Umam Al-Islamiyah 1/128.
The Conquest o f Khaibar 441

Huqaiq was killed for treachery, was taken as a captive and

brought along w ith o th er prisoners of war. After th e perm ission of
th e Prophet sfe; was sought, Dihyah Al-Kalbi 4® chose one of th em
and she hap p en ed to be Safiyah, The o th er M uslim s, however,
advised th a t Safiyah, being th e daughter of th e chief of Bani
Quraizah and Bani Nadeer, should be m arried to the Prophet 3^,
w ho agreed to th eir opinion, invited h er to Islam, freed and took
h er as wife on h er em bracing Islam. The w edding feast consisted
of dates, fat and barley, and was held on his way back to M adinah
at a spot called Sadd As-Sahba’.[11

The Poisoned Sheep

After th e conquest of Khaibar, a Jewish w om an called Zainab b in t
Al-Harith offered th e Prophet 3^ a roasted sheep she had
poisoned. He took a m outhful, b u t it w as n o t to his liking so he
spat it out, After investigation, th e w om an confessed th at she had
stuffed th e food w ith poison, providing an excuse th a t if th e eater
w ere a king, she w ould th en rid h erself of him , b u t should he be a
Prophet, th e n he w ould be bound to learn about it. The
Prophet however, ignored h er treacherous attem pt, b u t later
ordered th a t she be killed w hen Bishr bin Al-Bara' 4® died of th a t
poiso n .121

The n um ber of M uslim s w ho w ere m artyred was controversial,

b u t it ranged betw een 16 and 18, w hile th e n um ber of Jews killed
came to 93.

Fadak
The rest of Khaibar also fell to th e M uslim s. Allah cast fear into
th e hearts of th e people of Fadak, a village standing to th e north
of Khaibar, and they h asten ed to ask for peace, and be allow ed to
leave in safety, and give up th eir w ealth in retu rn for that. The

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/54

[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/139.140; Fathul-Bari 7/497 and th e basis o f th e story is reported in
Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/449. 2/610. 860: and Ibn Hisham 2/337. 338.
442 The Sealed Nectar

Prophet entered into an agreem ent w ith them sim ilar to the
previous one w ith th e people of Khaibar. Fadak was exclusively
the Prophet's because n eith er M uslim cavalry nor camelry w ere
involved in fight thereby.

Wadi Al-Qura
No sooner than the Prophet s g had discharged th e affair of
Khaibar. he started a fresh m ove tow ards Wadi Al-Oura. another
Jewish colony in Arabia. He m obilized his forces and divided them
into three regim ents w ith four banners en tru sted to Sa'd bin
'Ubadah. Al-Hubab bin Al-Mundhir, 'Abbad bin Bishr and Sahl bin
H unaif ■Prior to fighting, he invited the Jews to em brace Islam
b u t all his w ords fell on deaf ears. Eleven of th e Jews w ere killed
one after an o th er and w ith each one newly killed, a fresh call was
extended inviting those people to profess th e new faith. Fighting
w en t on ceaselessly for approxim ately two days and resulted in
full su rren d er of the Jews. Their land was conquered, and a lot of
booty fell in the hands of the M uslim s.
The Prophet stayed in Wadi Al-Qura for four days, distributed
the booty am ong th e M uslim fighters and reached an agreem ent
w ith the Jews sim ilar to th a t of Khaibar.111

Taima’
The Jews of Taima', hearing beforehand about the successive
victories of th e M uslim arm y and the defeats th a t th eir brethren,
the Jews, had sustained, show ed no resistance w hen the
Prophet reached their location.
On the contrary, they took th e initiative and offered to sign a
reconciliation treaty to the effect th at they receive protection but
pay tribute in return.
Having achieved his objective and subduing th e Jews completely,
the Prophet m ade his way back hom e and arrived in M adinah
in late Safar or early Rabi'ul-Awwal 7 A.H,

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/146. 147.

The Conquest o f Khaibar 443

It is notew orthy th a t th e Prophet being th e best am ong w ar

experts, realized quite readily th a t evacuating M adinah after the
lapse of the prohibited m o n th s (M uharram , Dhul-Q a’dah and
Dhul-Hijjah) w ould n ot be w ise at all w ith th e presence of the
d esert bedouins w andering in its surro u n d in g areas.
Such a careless attitude, th e Prophet believed, w ould tem p t the
un d iscip lin ed b e d o u in s to practice th e ir favorite hobby of
plundering, looting and all acts of piracy.
This caution always in m ind, th e Prophet dispatched Aban bin
Sa’id 4* at th e head of a platoon to discourage those bedouins and
prevent any atte m p t at raiding th e headquarters of th e growing
Islamic state during his absence in Khaibar.
Aban 4* achieved his task successfully and joined the Prophet
in Khaibar after it had been conquered.
This m ost probably occurred in Safar 7 A.H., as it was m entioned
by Al-Bukhari.[11

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/608. 609.

 Other Invasions

D hat-ur-R iqa’ Invasion (7 A.H.)

Having controlled two pow erful sides of th e C onfederates alliance,
th e Prophet jfc started preparations to discipline th e th ird party,
i.e., th e d esert bedouins, w ho took Najd for habitation, and
continued in th eir usual practices of looting and plundering.
Unlike th e Jews of Khaibar and people of M akkah, they had a
liking for living in th e w ilderness dispersed in scattered spots,
hence th e difficulty of bringing th em u n d e r control, and the
uselessness of carrying out preventive cam paigns against them .
However, the Prophet was d eterm ined to p u t an end to this
unacceptable situation and called th e M uslim s around him to get
ready to launch a decisive campaign against those harassing
rebels.
M eanw hile it was reported to him th a t Banu M uharib and Banu
Tha'labah of th e Ghatafan tribe w ere gathering an arm y in order to
encounter the M uslim s. The Prophet proceeded tow ards Najd
at th e head of 400 or 700 m en, after he had appointed Abu
D harr 4® - in an o th er version, 'U thm an bin 'Affan — to
adm inister th e affairs of M adinah during his absence. The M uslim
fighters penetrated deep into th eir land until they reached a spot
called N akhlah w here they cam e across som e b edouins of
Ghatafan, b u t no fighting took place because the latter had agreed
to go into reconciliation w ith th e M uslim s. The Prophet s g led his
followers th a t day in th e Fear prayer.m
Al-Bukhari, on th e authority of Abu M usa Al-Ash'ari narrated
th at they set out on an expedition w ith Allah’s M essenger "We
w ere six in num ber and had (with us) only one camel w hich we
rode tu rn by turn. O ur feet w ere injured. My feet w ere so badly
injured th a t my nails came off. We, therefore, bandaged our feet
w ith rags, so this invasion was called Dhat-ur-Riqa' (i.e., the

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/407. 408. 2/593.

O ther Invasions 445

expedition of rags)."[11

Jabir narrated: In th e course of th e Dhat-ur-Riqa' Invasion, we

came to a leafy tree w here th e Prophet sat shading h im self
from th e burning sun. The oth ers dispersed here and there
seeking shelter from heat. The Prophet had a sh o rt sleep after
hanging his sw ord on th e tree. A bedouin, m eanw hile came,
seized the sw ord and u n sh e ath e d it. The Prophet w oke up to
find his sw ord draw n in th e m an 's hand. The bedouin asked the
Prophet sfc (unarm ed then): "Who w ould hold m e back from
killing you now?” The Prophet th e n answ ered: "It is Allah."
In an o th er version, it was rep o rted th a t th e Prophet took the
sw ord w h e n it had fallen dow n and asked him : "Who w ould hold
m e back from killing you now?" The m an said: "You (the
Prophet sfc) are th e b est one to hold a sw ord." The Prophet ^
asked the m an if he w ould testify to th e O neness of Allah and the
M essengership of M uham m ad. The bedouin answ ered th a t he
w ould never engage in a fight against him , nor w ould he ally
people fighting th e M uslim s.
The Prophet set the m an free and let him go to his people to
say to th em th a t he had seen th e best one am ong all people.121
A w om an from th e polytheists was taken prisoner in th e context
of this battle. Her husband, on hearing th e news, sw ore he w ould
never stop until he had shed th e blood of a M uslim . Secretly at
night, he approached th e cam p of th e M uslim s w h en he saw two
guards sta tio n e d th e re to a le rt th e M uslim s a g a in st any
emergency. He sh o t th e first one w ith an arrow, 'Abbad bin
Bishr was observing th e prayer, he did n ot stop prayer and
sim ply pulled it out. T hen he was sh o t by tw o o th er arrow s b u t he
did not in te rru p t his prayer. After he had done th e closing
salutations, he aw akened his com panion 'Am m ar bin Yasir ife,
w ho protested th a t he should have alerted him , to w hich the
latter replied th at he was half way through a C hapter and did not

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/592. Sahih M uslim 2/118.

[2] The previous reference and M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul p. 264. Fathul-Bari 7/416.
446 The Sealed Nectar

like to in te rru p t it.111

The victory at the Invasion of Dhat-ur-Riqa' had a trem endous

im pact on all th e bedouins. It cast fear into th eir hearts and m ade
them too pow erless to annoy the M uslim society in M adinah.
They began to adjust in the prevailing situation and prepared
them selves to accept th e new geo-political conditions w orking in
favor of th e new religion. Some of th em even em braced Islam and
took an active part in th e conquest of M akkah and th e battle of
H unain, and received th eir due shares of th e w ar booty.
The Prophet retu rn ed from this battle in Shawwal of th e year 7
A.H. From th a t tim e onw ard, the anti-Islam trip artite coalition had
been controlled, and peace and security prevailed. The M uslims,
th en started to p u t right any political im balance and fill in the
small gaps th a t still created u n rest here and th ere in th e face of
th e great drive of Islam ization th a t enveloped th e w hole area, We
could in this context m ention som e of these incidental clashes
w hich pointed m arkedly to th e ever-growing pow er of th e M uslim
society:

1. A platoon headed by Ghalib bin 'Abdullah Al-Laithi 4= in Safar

or in Rabi'ul-Awwal 7 A.H., w as d isp atch ed to check th e
provocative behavior of Bani Al-Mulawwih. The M uslim s m anaged
to kill a large num ber of th e enem y soldiers and captured a great
deal of booty. A large arm y of polytheists pursued th em b u t floods
hin d ered the pursuit, and the M uslim s m anaged to w ithdraw in
safety,

2. The incident of H usm a occurred in Jum adi Ath-Thani of the

year 7 A.H.

3. 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab 4®, at th e head of a 30-soldier group, set

o ut to a spot called Turbah in Sha'ban 7 A.H. to discipline the
people of Hawazin. He no sooner arrived at th eir habitation th at
they fled for their lives.

4. Thirty m en w ith Bashir bin Sa'd Al-Ansari 4 headed for Bani

[1] Zadul-Ma’ad 2/112, Ibn Hisham 2/203-209.

Other Invasions 447

M urrah in Sha’ban 7 A.H., in Fadak area. He killed a large num ber

of the enem y and seized a lot of th eir cam els and cattle.
On his way back, th e enem y gathered up forces and overtook the
M uslim s at night. They show ered Bashir and his m en w ith arrows,
and killed all the M uslim s except Bashir, w ho took refuge in Fadak
and stayed w ith th e Jews th ere u n til his w ounds healed.
5. Ghalib bin 'Abdullah Al-Laithi 4® at th e head of a platoon of 130
m en, launched an attack against Bani 'Uwal and Bani Abd bin
T ha’labah in Ram adan 7 A.H. They killed som e of th e enem y's
m en and captured their cattle and camels.
'U sam ah bin Zaid killed M irdas bin Nahik. a polytheist, but
after he had pronounced th e testim ony of Allah's O neness to
w hich incident the Prophet com m ented addressing his
Com panions: "Would you rip open his h eart to detect w h eth er
he is tru th fu l or a liar?"
6. A thirty-horsem an group headed by 'Abdullah bin Rawahah
m arched tow ards Khaibar on reports th a t Asir (or Bashir bin
Rizam) was raising th e ranks of Bani Ghatafan to attack the
M uslim s.
They m anaged to persuade th at Jew to follow them to M adinah
encouraging him th a t the Prophet w ould in stitu te him as a
ruler of Khaibar.
On their way back there took place a sort of m isunderstanding
th a t gave rise to fierce fighting betw een th e two parties resulting
in the death of Asir and the th irty m en w ith him .
7. In Shawwal 7 A.H.. Bashir bin Sa'd Al-Ansari m arched
tow ards Yemen and Jabar at th e head of 300 M uslim fighters to
control a large m ob of polytheists w ho gathered to raid the
outskirts of M adinah.
Bashir and his m en used to m arch at night and hide during the
day until they reached their destination. Having heard about the
advent of th e M uslim s, the polytheists fled away leaving behind a
large cash of booty and tw o m en w ho later em braced Islam in
M adinah.
448 The Sealed Nectar

8. In th e year 7 A.H., shortly before th e C om pensatory 'Umrah, a

m an called Jusham bin M u'aw iyah came to a spot called Ghabah
w here he w anted to gather th e people of Qais and entice them
into fighting th e M uslim s.
The Prophet on hearing these reports, dispatched Abu
Hadrad 4* w ith two m en to see to th e situation. Abu Hadrad,
through a clever strategy, m anaged to defeat the enem y and
capture a lot of their cattle.1"

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/149. 150; Rahmatul-lil-'Alameen 2/229. 230; M ukhtasar Seeratir-

Rasul p. 322-324.
 The Compensatory ‘ U m r a h

(Lesser Pilgrimage)

W hen D hul-Q a'dah m o n th approached tow ards th e close of the

seventh year A.H., th e Prophet ordered his people, and the
m en w ho w itnessed Al-Hudaibiyah Truce Treaty in particular, to
m ake preparations to perform 'Umrah (lesser pilgrimage). The
Prophet ijfc left 'Uwaif bin Al-Adbat Ad-Dailami 4>. or Abu Ruhm
Al-Ghifari in charge of M adinah, and proceeded w ith 2000 m en
besides som e w om en and ch ild ren ,111 and 60 camels for sacrifice,
to visit th e Holy Sanctuary in M akkah. The M uslim s took their
w eapons w ith th em fearing th e treachery of th e Q uraishites, b u t
left th em w ith a party of tw o h u n d re d m en at a place som e eight
m iles from M akkah. They en tered th e city w ith the sw ords in
their scabbards,121 w ith th e Prophet at th eir head on his she-
camel, Al-Qaswa’, w hile th e surrounding C om panions attentively
focusing th eir look on him , all saying: "Here I am! at Your service
O Allah!" The Q uraishites had left th e place and retired to their
ten ts on th e adjoining hills. The M uslim s perform ed th e usual
circum am bulation vigorously and sm artly; and on recom m enda­
tion by th e Prophet ^ they did th eir best to appear strong and
firm in th eir circum am bulation as th e polytheists had spread
rum ors th a t they w ere w eak because th e fever of Yathrib
(Madinah) had drained th eir strength. They w ere ordered to ru n
in th e first th ree rounds and th e n w alk in th e rem aining o n e s.131
The M akkans m eanw hile aligned on th e top of M ount Q u'aiqi'an
w atching th e M uslim s, tongue-tied at w itnessing th eir strength
and devotion. W hen they en tered th e Holy Sanctuary, ’Abdullah
bin Rawahah 4> w alked before th e P rophet reciting:

"Get o u t of his way, you disbelievers, m ake way, w e will fight you
about its revelation, w ith strokes th a t will rem ove heads from

[1] Fathul-Bari 7/700.

[2] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/151. Fathul-Bari 7/700.
[31 Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/218. 2/610, 611; Sahih M uslim 1/412.
450 The Sealed Nectar

shoulders and m ake friend un m in d fu l of friend."

After ritual walking and ru n n in g betw een th e tw o hills of Makkah,
Safa and M arwah, th e Prophet w ith th e M uslim s halted at the
latter spot to slaughter th e sacrificial anim als and shave their
heads.
The m ain body of th e pilgrims had now perform ed th e basic rites
of th e 'Umrah, b u t th ere rem ained th o se w ho w ere en tru ste d the
charge of the w eapons. The Prophet *§; had th ese relieved, and
they w e n t through the sam e devotions as th e others did.
On th e m orning of th e fourth day, th e notables of Q uraish asked
'Ali bin Abi Talib 4® to tell the Prophet jte to leave M akkah along
w ith his Com panions. He, of course, could not consider the
violation of th e term s of Al-Hudaibiyah Treaty, therefore he
ordered his m en to depart for a village called Sarif w here he
stayed for som e tim e.
It was during this visit of th e Prophet to M akkah for pilgrimage
th a t his uncle 'Abbas offered th e h an d of his sister-in-law,
M aim unah 4® - the daughter of Harith, to him . The Prophet sg
was kind enough to accept this offer since it was an effective step
tow ards cem enting the ties of relationship betw een the
Prophet % and th e influential m en of M akkah. The w edding
took place in Sarif.111
Narrators attached different designations to this 'Umrah. Some
called it th e com pensatory 'Umrah. perform ed instead of th at
incom plete during th e incidents of Al-Hudaibiyah; and the other
one, given preference by jurists, is th e Umrah consequent to
certain term s of a treaty already agreed upon.
O n th e whole, com pensatory, judicial consent, retribution and
reconciliation are all term s applicable to th a t visit.
Some m ilitary operations, directed against still unyielding b ed ­
ouins, took place at th e conclusion of th e lesser pilgrimage, of
w hich we could m ention:

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/152.

The Compensatory 'Umrah 451

1. A platoon of 50 m en led by Ibn Abul-'Awja’ 4® was dispatched

by th e Prophet to th e habitations of Bani Sulaim inviting them
to em brace Islam, b u t all th e w ords fell on deaf ears. Fierce
fighting took place betw een both parties during w hich th e M uslim
leader was w ounded, and tw o of th e enem y w ere captured.
2. Ghalib bin 'Abdullah 4® a t th e head of 200 m en was dispatched
to Fadak w here they killed som e rebels and a lot of booty fell to
th eir lot.
3. Banu Q u d a’ah had gathered a large n u m b er of m en to raid the
M uslim positions. O n hearing th e news, th e Prophet sg
dispatched Ka'b bin 'Um air Al-Ansari 4® at th e head of 15 m en
to deal w ith this situation. They en countered th e army, and called
th em to e n te r into th e fold of Islam b u t th e rebels gave a negative
response and show ered th e M uslim s w ith arrow s killing all of
th em except one w ho was carried back hom e later seriously
w o u n d e d .111
4. There was also an insignificant clash th a t occurred in Rabi'ul-
Awwal 8 A.H. Shuja' bin W ahb Al-Asadi 4®. along w ith 25 m en,
m arched tow ards Bani Hawazin tribe w here they encountered no
resistance b u t m anaged to gain som e booty .121

[1] RahmatuTlil-’Alamin 2/231 •

[2] Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar p.33; Rahmatul-lil-’Alam in 2/231.
 The Battle of M u’tah

It was the m ost significant and th e fierce battle during th e lifetim e

of Allah's M essenger a beginning and a start to th e great
conquests of th e land of th e Christians. It took place in Jum ada Al­
u la 8 A.H./September 629 C.E. M u ’tah is a village on th e borders of
Greater Syria, it is at relatively sh o rt distance from Baitul-Maqdis.
The Prophet had sent Al-Harith bin 'Um air Al-Azdi ^ on a
m ission to carry a letter to th e ruler of Busra. On his way, he was
intercepted by Shurahbil bin ’Amr Al-Ghassani, th e governor of Al-
Balqa’ and a close ally to Caesar, th e Byzantine Em peror. Al-
H arith 4= w as tied and beheaded by Al-Ghassani.
Killing envoys and m essengers used to be regarded as th e m ost
awful crime, and am ounted to a declaration of war. The
Prophet was shocked on hearing th e new s and ordered th at
a large arm y of 3000 m en be m obilized and dispatched to the
n orth to discipline th e transgressors.111 It was th e largest M uslim
arm y never m obilized on this scale except in th e course of the
C onfederates Battle.
Zaid bin H arithah 4 was appointed to lead the army. Ja'far bin
Abi Talib 4 w ould replace him if h e was killed, and 'Abdullah bin
Rawahah 4 w ould succeed Ja'far in case th e latter fell.121 A w hite
b an n er was raised and handed over to Zaid 4 ™
The Prophet ^ recom m ended th a t they reach th e scene of Al-
H arith's m urder and invite th e people to profess Islam. Should the
latter respond positively, th e n no w ar w ould follow, otherw ise
fighting th em w ould be th e only alternative left.
He ordered them :

t Ij^JO Nj tljjjJO j* J?r““ pJLj

[11 Zadul-Ma'ad 2/155. Fathul-Bari 7/511.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/611.
[31 M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul p.327.
The Battle o f M u'tab 453

®£llj "i/j (. o ^J Ijjtlajaj 'l/j

"Fight th e disbelievers in th e Nam e o f Allah, n eith er

p lu n d er nor conceal booty, kill no children or w om an, nor
an ageing m an or a h e rm it be killed; m oreover n e ith e r trees
should be cut dow n nor hom es d em o lish ed ."[1]

The Arm y prepares and 'Abdullah cries

At th e conclusion of th e m ilitary preparations, th e people of
M adinah gathered and bade th e arm y farewell. 'Abdullah bin
Rawahah 4* began to w eep a t th a t m om ent, and w h e n asked w hy
h e was w eeping, h e sw ore th a t it was not love for th is w orld nor
u n d er a m otive of passion w ith th e glam our of life b u t rather the
W ords of Allah speaking of Fire th a t h e heard th e Prophet #jj
reciting:

L i* . (iC j ^

"There is not one of you b u t will pass over it (Hell): th is is

w ith your Lord, a Decree w hich m u st be accom plished,”
[19:71]
The Prophet and th e people th e n accom panied th e arm y until
they reached th e valley of T haniyah w here they stopped and he
supplicated for th e m .121

The Arm y marches and holds a Council at M a’an

The arm y th e n m arched northw ard to M a’an, a tow n bordering on
G reater Syria. There new s cam e th a t Heraclius had m obilized a
h u n d re d th o u sa n d tro o p s to g e th e r w ith a n o th e r h u n d re d
th o u san d m en of Lakhm, Judham , Balqain, Bahra' and Bali -
Arabian tribes allied to th e Byzantines. The M uslim s, on th eir part
had never th o u g h t of encountering such a huge arm y. They w ere
at a loss about w h at course to follow, and sp e n t tw o nights
debating th ese unfavorable conditions. Some suggested th a t they

[1] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul p. 327.

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/373. 374. Zadul-Ma 'ad 2/156.
454 The Sealed Nectar

should w rite a letter to th e Prophet jte seeking his advice.

’Abdullah bin Rawahah 4® w as opposed to th em being unw illing
and addressed th e M uslim s saying: "I sw ear by Allah th a t th e very
object w hich you are trying to avoid is th e one you have set out
seeking, m artyrdom . In our fight w e d o n 't count on n um ber of
soldiers or eq uipm ent b u t rather on th e Faith th a t Allah has
honored us w ith. H asten to w in either of th e two, victory or
m artyrdom ."

The Arm y heads for the Enemy

In th e light of th ese w ords, they m oved to engage w ith th e enem y
in M asharif, a tow n of Al-Balqa’, and th en changed direction
tow ards M u’tah w here they encam ped. The right flank was led by
Q utbah bin Q atadah Al-’Udhari 4®. and th e left by ’Ubadah bin
M alik Al-Ansari 4®. Bitter fighting started betw een th e two parties,
th ree th o u san d M uslim s against an enem y fiftyfold as large.
Zaid bin H arithah 4*. th e closest to th e M essenger's heart,
assum ed leadership and began to fight w ith his full strength and
in m atchless spirit of bravery u n til h e fell, fatally stabbed. Ja’far
bin Abi Talib 4® th e n took th e b an n er and did a m iraculous job. In
th e thick of the battle, he dism ounted, sh o t his horse and
resum ed fighting until his right h an d was cut off.
He seized th e b an n er w ith his left h an d until this too was gone.
He th e n clasped th e ban n er w ith both arm s u ntil a Byzantine
soldier struck and cut him into two parts. He was after th e death
called "the flying Ja’far" or "Ja'far w ith tw o w ings" because Allah
has aw arded him tw o w ings to fly w herever he desired th ere in
th e eternal Garden. Al-Bukhari reported fifty w ounds in his body,
none of them in th e back.111
'Abdullah bin Rawahah 4® th e n proceeded to hold up th e banner
and fight bravely on his horseback w hile reciting enthusiastic
verses u ntil he too was killed. T hereupon a m an, from Bani 'Ajlan,
called Thabit bin Al-Arqam 4® took th e b an n er and called upon the

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/611.

The Battle o f M u 'tah 455

M uslim s to choose a leader. The h o n o r was unanim ously granted

to Khalid bin Al-Walid 4®. a skilled brave fighter and an
o u tstanding strategist. It w as reported by Al-Bukhari th a t he used
nine sw ords th at broke w hile he was relentlessly and cour­
ageously fighting th e enem ies of Islam. He, how ever, realizing the
grave situation th e M uslim s w ere in, began to follow a different
course of encounter, revealing th e super strategy-m aker, th a t
Khalid 4® was rightly called.
He reshuffled th e right and left flanks of th e M uslim arm y and
introduced forw ard a division from th e rear in order to cast fear
into th e h earts of th e Byzantine by m isleading th em th a t fresh
forces had arrived. The M uslim s engaged w ith th e enem ies in
random clashes b u t gradually and judiciously retreating in a fully
organized and w ell-planned w ithdraw al.
The Byzantines, seeing this new strategy, believed th a t they w ere
being entrapped and draw n in th e h e a rt of the desert. They
stopped th e pursuit, and consequently th e M uslim s m anaged to
retreat back to M adinah w ith th e slightest lo sses.111
The M uslim s sustained tw elve m artyrs, w hereas th e n um ber of
casualties am ong th e Byzantines was unknow n although the
details of th e battle point clearly to a large num ber. Even though
th e battle did n o t satisfy th e M uslim s' objective, nam ely avenging
Al-Harith's m urder, it resu lted in a far-ranging im pact and
attached to th e M uslim s a great rep u tatio n in. th e battlefields.
The Byzantine Empire, at th a t tim e, was a pow er to be reckoned
w ith, and m erely thinking of going against it used to m ean self-
destruction, let alone a three-thousand-soldier arm y going into
battle against 200,000 soldiers far b e tte r equipped and lavishly
furnished w ith all th e luxurious conveniences.
The battle was a real m iracle proving th at th e M uslim s w ere
so m eth in g exceptional n o t th e n know n. M oreover, it gave
evidence th a t Allah backed th em and their Prophet,
M uham m ad 3^ , was really Allah's M essenger, In th e light of

[1] Fathul-Bari 7/513. 514. Zadul-Ma ad 2/156.

456 The Sealed Nectar

these new strategic changes, th e archenem ies am ong th e desert

bedouins began to reconcile them selves w ith th e new uprising
faith and several disobedient tribes like Banu Sulaim, Ashja',
Ghatafan, Dhubyan. Fazarah and o thers came to profess Islam out
of their ow n free will.
The M u'tah Battle, after all, constituted th e forerunner of the
blood encounter to subsequently take place w ith th e Byzantines. It
pointed m arkedly to a new era of the Islamic conquest of the
Byzantine em pire and o ther rem ote countries, to follow at a later
stage.

Dhatus-Salasil Mission
Dhatus-Salasil is a spot situated ten days' w alk no rth of M adinah.
The M uslim s are said to have encam ped in a place w ith a well of
w ater called Salsal, hence th e term inology Dhatus-Salasil. In view
of the alliance betw een th e Arabian tribes on th e borders of Syria
and th e Byzantines, the Prophet ^ deem ed it of top urgency to
carry out a w isely-planned schem e th a t m ight bring about a state
of relationship w ith those bedouins, and w ould at th e sam e tim e
separate th em from th e Byzantines. For th e im plem entation of
this plan, he chose 'Amr bin Al-'As w hose paternal
grandm other came from Bali, a tribe dw elling in th at area. This
m otive in m ind, com bined w ith provocative m ilitary m ovem ents
by Bani Q uda'ah, brought about this preventive strike w hich
started in Jum ada Ath-Thaniyah, 8 A.H.
Amr bin Al-'As was aw arded a w hite flag w ith a black ban n er to
go w ith it. He set out at th e head of 300 Em igrants and Helpers
assisted by a cavalry of 30 m en, and was recom m ended to seek
help from th e tribes of Bali, 'U dhrah and Balqain. He m arched at
night and cam ped in a concealed location during th e day.
On approaching th e enem y lines and realizing th e large build up
of m en, h e sen t for m ore forces from M adinah. and these arrived
on th e spot headed by Abu 'Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah <&> leading
fu rth er 200 m en as well as o th er platoons including Abu Bakr and
'Um ar bin Al-Khattab dfe,.
The Battle o f Mu'tah 457

All of th em w ere given strict orders to cooperate, w ork in harm ony

and never leave any area for disagreem ent.
At noon, Abu 'Ubaidah 4® w anted to lead th e M uslim s in prayer,
b u t 'Amr 4® objected on grounds th a t th e form er came only to
assist, and leadership in prayer was given to him .
The M uslim arm y reached th e location of Q u d a’ah and penetrated
deep in th eir land, destroyed th e enem ies and obliged th e others
to flee for th eir lives in d ifferen t directions.
At th e conclusion of th e m ilitary operations, a courier was
dispatched to Allah's M essenger j g to brief him on the
developm ents of events and th e ultim ate victory achieved.

The Khadrah Mission

In the m o n th of Sha’ban 8 A.H., new s reached th e Prophet j g of
th e gathering of troops of Bani Ghatafan, still outside th e dom ain
of Islam. He urgently sum m oned Abu Q atadah 4® and sen t him at
th e head of fifteen m en to discipline th o se outlaw s.
It took fifteen days to teach th em an unforgettable lesson. Some
w ere killed, others captured and all th eir property seized.1' 1

[1] Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-Athar p. 33.

 The Conquest of Makkah

Ibn Al-Qaiyim described th e conquest of M akkah as th e greatest

one by w hich Allah honored His religion, M essenger, soldiers and
believing party. He thereby released from th e disbelievers and
polytheists, th e Sacred House, w hose guidance all people seek. It
was the greatest auspicious event in heaven and on earth. It was
the m ost significant sign of th e start of a new era th a t was to
w itness th e great m arch of Islam ization and th e entry of people
into th e fold of Islam in huge num bers. It provided an ever
shining face and a m ost glowing source of inspiration to th e w hole
e a rth .'11

Pre-Conquest Events
According to th e term s of the treaty of Hudaibiyah, th e Arab tribes
w ere given th e option to join eith er of th e parties, th e M uslim s or
Q uraish. w ith w hich they desired to e n te r into treaty alliance.
Should any of these tribes suffer aggression, th en th e party to
w hich it w as allied w ould have th e right to retaliate. As a
consequence, Banu Bakr joined Q uraish, and Khuza'ah joined the
Prophet They th u s lived in peace for som etim e b u t hidden
m otives stretching back to pre-Islamic period ignited by never
ending fire of revenge triggered fresh hostilities. Banu Bakr,
w ith o u t caring a bit for the provisions of the treaty, attacked Banu
Khuza'ah in a place called Al-Wateer in Sha'ban, 8 A.H. The
Q uraish helped Banu Bakr w ith m en and arm s taking advantage of
th e dark night. Pressed by th eir enem ies, th e tribesm en of
Khuza'ah sought th e Holy Sanctuary, b u t here too, th eir lives w ere
not spared, and, contrary to all accepted traditions, Nawfal, the
chief of Banu Bakr, chasing th em in th e sanctified area - w here no
blood should be shed - killed his enem ies.

W hen th e aggrieved party sought justice from th eir M uslim allies,

the Prophet % , as th eir leader, dem anded an im m ediate rem edy

[1] Zadul-Ma 'ad 2/160.

The Conquest o f Makkah 459

for not only violating th e treaty b u t also slaying m en allied to him

in th e sanctified area. T hree d em ands w ere m ade, th e acceptance
of any one of th em was essential:
1. To pay blood m oney for th e victim s of Khuza'ah,
2. To term inate th eir alliance w ith Banu Bakr, or
3. To consider th e truce to have been nullified.

This behavior on th e part of th e Q uraish was clearly a breach of

th e treaty of Al-Hudaibiyah and was obviously an act of hostility
against th e allies of th e M uslim s, i.e., Banu Khuza'ah. The Q uraish
im m ediately realized th e grave situation and feared th e horrible
consequences appearing on th e horizon. They im m ediately called
for an em ergency m eeting and decided to delegate th eir chief Abu
Sufyan to M adinah for a renew al of th e truce. He directly headed
for th e house of his daughter Um m Habibah ^ (the P ro p h et’s
wife). But as he w e n t to sit on th e M essenger's bed, she folded it
up. "My dau g h ter,” said he, "I hardly knew if you th in k th e bed is
too good for m e or th a t I am too good for th e bed." She replied, "It
is th e bed of A llah's M essenger, and you are an unclean
polytheist."

Being disgusted at th e rude reply of his daughter, Abu Sufyan

stepped o u t of h er room and w e n t to see th e Prophet b u t the
latter w as well aw are of his tricks and did n o t hold him any
assurance. He th e n approached Abu Bakr 4®. b u t th e latter too
declined to interfere. He contacted 'Um ar 4® to intercede b u t this
great C om panion m ade a point-blank refusal. At last h e saw 'Ali
bin Abi Talib 4 ® and began begging him in th e m ost hum ble
w ords, cunningly pointing to th e prospects of m astery over all the
Arabs if he w ere to intercede for th e renew al of th e treaty. 'Ali 4®
also refused.

Abu Sufyan tu rn e d his steps back to M akkah in a state of bitter

d isap p o in tm en t and u tte r horror. T here he subm itted a report of
his m eeting w ith his daughter, Abu Bakr, 'Um ar and 'Ali's reaction
and th e m eaningful silence of th e Prophet # |. The M akkans w ere
disappointed, b u t did not expect th e forthcom ing danger.
460 The Sealed Nectar

Preparations for the Attack, and the Imposition o f News

Blackout
On th e authority of At-Tabari, Allah's M essenger ^ asked his
spouse 'Aishah th ree days prior to receiving new s relating to
breaching of covenant, to m ake preparations peculiar to m arching
out for war. Abu Bakr 4&. m eanw hile, came in and asked
’Aishah ^ w h at th e m atter was, show ing surprise at th e
preparations being m ade as it was not, as h e said, th e usual tim e
for war. She replied th at she had no idea. O n th e m orning of the
th ird day, 'Amr bin Salim Al-Khuza’i arrived in th e com pany of
forty horsem en to brief th e Prophet on th e affliction of his
people and seeking th e M uslim s' help for retaliation. The people
of M adinah th e n learned th a t th e Q uraish had breached the
covenant. Budail followed 'Amr, and th en Abu Sufyan, and th e
new s was unequivocally confirm ed,
W ith th e view of securing a com plete new s blackout concerning
his m ilitary intentions, th e Prophet dispatched an eight-m an
m ission u n d er the leadership of Abu Q atadah bin Rab'i 4& in the
direction of Edam, a short distance from M adinah, in Ram adan 8
A.H., in order to divert th e a tte n tio n of people and screen off the
m ain target w ith w hich he was preoccupied.
There was so m uch fear and terror everyw here th at Hatib 4&. one
of th e m ost tru sted followers of th e Prophet % secretly
dispatched a fem ale m essenger w ith a letter to M akkah containing
intim ation of th e in tended attack. The Prophet SH received
revelation inform ing him of H atib’s action and sen t 'Ali, Al-
Miqdad, Az-Zubair and Abu M arthad 4® w ith instructions to go
after her. They overtook th e m essenger, and after a long search
discovered th e letter carefully hid d en in h er locks. The Prophet ^
sum m oned Hatib and asked him w h at had induced him to this
act.
He replied, "O M essenger of Allah! I have no affinity of blood w ith
O uraish; th ere is only a kind of friendly relationship betw een
th em and m yself. My family is at M akkah and th ere is no one to
look after it or to offer protection to it. My position stands in
The Conquest o f Makkah 461

striking contrast to th at of the refugees w hose fam ilies are secure

due to their blood ties w ith Q uraish. I felt th a t since I am not
related to them , I should, for th e safety of my children, earn their
gratitude by doing som e good to them . I sw ear by Allah th a t I have
not done this act as an apostate, forsaking Islam. I was prom pted
only by the considerations I have ju st explained."
'Umar 4® w anted to cut his head off as a hypocrite, b u t the
Prophet accepted his excuse and granted him pardon, th en
addressed 'Um ar 4® saying:

"He is one of those w ho fought in th e battle of Badr. W hat

do you know ’Umar? Perhaps Allah has looked at th e people
of Badr and said: 'Do as you please, for I have forgiven
y o u ’."
'Umar 4® released him and said, "Allah and His M essenger know
b e tte r."111

The Muslim Arm y proceeds to Makkah

After m aking full preparation, th e Pr uphet % proceeded to
M akkah at th e head of ten th o u sa n d soldiers on th e 10th of
Ramadan, 8 A.H. He appointed Abu Ruhm Al-Ghifari 4® to dispose
th e affairs of M adinah during his absence. W hen they reached Al-
Juhfah, Al-'Abbas bin 'Abdul-M uttalib 4® and his fam ily came to
join th e Prophet At Al-Abwa'. th e M uslim s came across Abu
Sufyan bin Al-Harith and 'Abdullah bin Umaiyah, th e P ro p h et’s
cousins! but, on account of th e harm they had inflicted, and their
satiric language against th e believers, they w ere not w elcom ed,
'Ali 4® addressed Abu Sufyan to go and request th e Prophet for
pardon and confess his ill-behavior in a m an n er sim ilar to th a t of
th e brothers of Yusuf (the Prophet Joseph) >&£)!:

"They said: 'By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above
us, and w e certainly have been sin n e rs.’" [12:91]

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/422. 2/612.

462 The Sealed Nectar

Abu Sufyan followed 'Ali’s advice, to w hich th e Prophet quoted

Allah's Words:

"He said: 'No reproach on you this day, m ay Allah forgive

you, and He is th e M ost M erciful of those w ho show
mercy!"' [1 2 :92]
Abu Sufyan recited som e verses paying a generous tribute to the
Prophet si; and professing Islam as his only religion,111
Allah's M essenger s i w as fasting w h en he began the journey, and
the people w ere also fasting. W hen they reached Al-Kadeed a
location w ith w ater betw een 'Usfan and Q udaid, he broke his fast
and th e people did so to .121 They began m oving again u n til they
reached th e valley of Fatim ah in M arr Az-Zahran w here they
cam ped for th e night. The Prophet s i ordered th e people to light
their camp fires w hich am o u n ted to ten th o u san d fires. ’Umar
was p u t in charge of th e watch.

Abu Sufyan before the Prophet #§

In th e m eantim e, Abu Sufyan along w ith Hakim bin Hizam and
Budail bin W arqa', two terrible polytheists, w e n t o u t to survey.
Before they got near th e camp, they m et 'Abbas th e Prophet's
uncle. He inform ed Abu Sufyan of the situation and advised him
to accept Islam and persuade his people to su rren d er before
M uham m ad otherw ise, his head w ould be struck off.
U nder the prevailing com pelling circum stances, Abu Sufyan w ent
in the com pany of 'Abbas seeking th e chance of m eeting the
Prophet The M uslim s w ere furious to see Abu Sufyan and
w anted to kill him on th e spot. But th e two m en m anaged, not
w ith o u t difficulties, to see Allah’s M essenger w ho advised th at

[1] Abu Sufyan accepted Islam at this point and th ereafter became a good Muslim.
The Prophet jte loved him and even testified th a t he w ould be in Paradise. See
Zadul-Ma'ad 2/162, 163.
[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/613.
The Conquest o f Makkah 463

they see him th e following day. The Prophet ^ addressed Abu

Sufyan saying: "Woe to you! Isn 't it tim e for you to bear w itness to
th e O neness of Allah and Prophethood of M uham m ad?" Here, he
began to request th e Prophet in th e m ost sincere w ords th at
testify to th e Prophet's generosity and m ild tem per begging for
pardon and forgiveness, and professing w holeheartedly th e new
Faith,
On request by ’Abbas th e Prophet in th e context of the
general am nesty h e proclaim ed, gave Abu Sufyan, w ho had a liking
for boasting, a special privilege, saying:

"He w ho takes refuge in Abu Sufyan's h ouse is safe;

w hosoever confines h im self to his house, th e inm ates
th ereo f shall be in safety, and he w ho en ters th e Sacred
M osque is safe."

The Muslim Arm y heads for Makkah

On th e m orning of Tuesday, 17th. Ramadan, 8 A.H., the
Prophet left M arr Az-Zahran. He ordered Al-'Abbas 4® to
detain Abu Sufyan at a com m anding place th a t could afford a
full view of th e M uslim arm y parading on its way tow ards
M akkah, and hence give him th e chance to see th e great and
pow erful soldiers of Allah, The differen t tribes successively
passed w ith th eir b anners flow n up, u ntil at last th e battalion of
th e Em igrants and H elpers w ith th e Prophet ^ at th eir head
heavily arm ed m arched by. Abu Sufyan began to w onder w ho
those people were, to w hich Al-'Abbas 4® told him th at they w ere
M uham m ad % and his Com panions. Abu Sufyan said th a t no
arm y how ever pow erful could resist th o se people and addressing
Al-'Abbas 4®. he said: "I sw ear by Allah th a t th e sovereignty of
your b ro th e r's son has becom e too pow erful to w ith stan d ." Al-
'Abbas answ ered, "It is rather th e pow er of P ro phethood,” to
w hich th e form er agreed.
Sa'd bin 'Ubadah 4® carried th e flag of th e Helpers. W hen he
passed by Abu Sufyan, h e said "Today will w itness th e great fight,
you cannot seek sanctuary at Al-Ka'bah, Today will w itness the
464 The Sealed Nectar

hum iliation of Q uraish." Abu Sufyan com plained about this to the
Prophet si; w ho got angry and said "Nay, today Al-Ka'bah will be
sanctified, and Q uraish honored," and quickly ordered th at
Sa'd should be stripped off th e flag, and th at it should be
en tru sted to his son Qais *&>. in an o th er version, to Az-Zubair 4®-

The Quraish prepare for the Advancing Muslim Arm y

Al-'Abbas urged Abu Sufyan to h a ste n into M akkah and w arn

the Q uraish against any aggressive behavior tow ards the M uslim s.
There in M akkah, he shouted at th e top of his voice and w arned
against any hostilities advising them to seek safety in his house.
His wife got angry and pulled hard his m oustache cursing him and
abusing his cowardly attitude.

The people w ithin M akkah m ocked Abu Sufyan and dispersed in

different directions, som e into th eir houses, o thers into the Holy
Sanctuary, w hile som e undisciplined and uncontrolled wicked
persons led by 'Ikrim ah bin Abu Jahl, Safwan bin Um aiyah and
Suhail bin 'A m r e n c am p e d th e m se lv e s in a place called
Khandam ah, w ith a m urderous in te n t in th eir m inds.

The Prophet $y§, on his part, was quite m odestly and calmly
draw ing th e final touches for th e m ilitary breakthrough awaiting
the M uslim s, by Allah's Will. He appointed Khalid bin Al-Walid 4®
as a leader of th e right flank of the arm y w ith Aslam, Sulaim,
Ghifar, M uzainah and Juhainah tribes u n d e r his com m and to
en ter M akkah through its low er side. He told them th at if they
m et any resistance from th e Q uraish, they w ere to be detained
until he reached As-Safa. Az-Zubair bin 'Awwam 4® was to lead the
left flank and w ould storm M akkah from th e upper side holding
up th e M essenger's banner.

Abu 'Ubaidah took com m and of th e infantry and was to

penetrate into th e city via a side valley. They w ere given full and
decisive orders not to kill unless in self defense and in th at case
they w ould exterm inate any aggressive elem ents and crush any
opposition.
The Conquest o f Makkah 465

The Muslim Arm y enters Makkah

The M uslim battalions m arched along th eir strategic routes to
fulfill the m issions they w ere supposed to carry out. Khalid bin Al-
Walid w orked his way into th e h e a rt of the tow n quite
successively killing tw elve of th e wicked persons and sustaining
two m artyrs. Az-Zubair 4a set o u t and reached th e fixed
destination w here he planted th e b a n n er at Al-Fath (conquest)
M osque and w aited th ere for th e arrival of th e Prophet A te n t
w as pitched for th e Prophet and w h en he arrived, he offered
prayers of th anks to th e All-Mighty Allah, W ho, o ut of His
im m ense grace, had granted him a splendid victory.

The Messenger #£ enters the Sacred Mosque and

purifies it from the Idols
But he did not relax for a long period, and in th e com pany of the
Helpers and Em igrants, proceeded tow ards Al-Ka'bah, th e Sacred
House, w hich is a sym bol of th e O neness and Suprem acy of Allah.
It was u n fortunately full of idols th a t num bered 360. He knocked
th em dow n w ith his bow w hile reciting th e Verse of th e Noble
Q u ra n :

"And say: 'T ruth (i.e., Islamic M onotheism or this Q ur'an or

Jihad against polytheists) has come and Batil (falsehood, i.e.,
Satan or polytheism , etc.) has vanished. Surely! Batil is ever
bound to vanish."' [17:81]
And Allah fu rth er said:

"Say (O M uham m ad $fc): 'The T ruth (the Q ur'an and A llah’s

Revelation) has come, and Al-Batil (falsehood - Iblis) can
n eith er create anything nor resurrect (anything)’." [34:49]
He th en started th e usual circum am bulation on his ride. He was
n ot in a state of Ihram (sacred state of pilgrimage) th en . On
com pletion, h e called for 'U thm an bin Talhah, th e key holder of
466 The Sealed Nectar

Al-Ka'bah, from w hom he took th e key. He w e n t in and saw

images of Prophets Abraham and Ishm ael throw ing
divination arrows. He denounced these acts of Q uraish and
ordered th a t all idols be broken into pieces, w hile images and
effigies to be deleted.

The Messenger prays in the Ka’bah and delivers an

Address to the Quraish
Then, accom panied by Usam ah and Bilal 4&, he entered th e sacred
hall to face th e wall opposite th e door w here he perform ed sincere
prostrations, and w e n t around acclaim ing Allah's G reatness and
O neness.
Shortly afterw ards, h e retu rn ed to th e doorway and standing upon
its elevated step, gazed in than k fu ln ess on the huge num ber of
people below and delivered th e following celebrated address:

"There is no God b u t Allah Alone. He has no associates. He

m ade good His Prom ise th a t He held to His servant and
helped him and defeated all th e C onfederates alone. Bear in
m ind th a t every claim of privilege, w h e th e r th at of blood or
property, is u n d e r my heel; except th a t of th e custody of Al-
Ka'bah and supplying of w ater to th e pilgrims. Bear in m ind
th a t for anyone w ho is slain, even though sem i-deliberately,
w ith club or w hip, for him th e blood m oney is very severe: a
h u n d red camels, forty of th em to be pregnant.
0^ ^ 0 O^ o * ° ^ sf* 0" ^• 5 > „
aI I a U JI p-SsIp JlS i l l j l t

y /oTj I >oT ll] I

"O people of Quraish! Surely, Allah has abolished from you

all pride of the pre-Islamic era and all pride in your ancestry,
(because) all m en are descended from Adam, and Adam was
m ade out of dust."
He th en recited to th em th e Verse:
The Conquest o f Makkah 467

"O m ankind! We have created you from a m ale and a

female, and m ade you into nations and tribes, th a t you may
know one another. Verily, th e m ost honorable of you near
Allah is th at (believer) w ho has At-Taqwa [i.e., one of the
M uttaqun, i.e., pious and righteous persons w ho fear Allah
m uch (abstain from all kinds o f sins and evil deeds w hich
He has forbidden), and love Allah m uch (perform all kinds
of good deeds w hich He has ordained)]. Verily, Allah is All-
Knowing, All-Aware,” [49:13]
He fu rth er added:

^5^ d j y U i y~ij* j -"*-4 Q*

"O you people of Quraish! W hat do you th in k of the

tre a tm e n t th a t I am about to accord to you?”
They replied: "O noble b ro th er and son of noble brother! We
expect n othing b u t goodness from you."
Upon this he said:

y (J IS L<*£ ^ ^ ^ **

"I speak to you in th e sam e w ords as Yusuf (the Prophet

Joseph) spoke u n to his brothers. He said: 'No reproach on
you this day,’ [1 2 :92] go your way, for you are freed ones."
As for th e door-keeping of Al-Ka'bah, it rem ained w ith 'U thm an
bin Talhah; and th e responsibility of supplying w ater to the
pilgrim s rem ained w ith Al-'Abbas 4®-

Bilal 4® calls the A d h a n at the Ka’bah

W hen tim e for prayer approached, Bilal 4® ascended Al-Ka'bah and
called for prayer. Abu Sufyan b in Harb, 'Attab bin Asid and Al-
H arith bin H isham w ere m eanw hile sitting in th e yard. 'Attab bin
Asid com m ented on th e new situation (Bilal ascending Al-Ka'bah
and calling for prayer) saying th a t Allah honored Asid (his father)
having n ot heard such w ords. The Prophet approached and
468 The Sealed Nectar

assisted by Divine Revelation told th em th at he had learn t about

w h at they had spoken of. Al-Harith and 'Attab, taken by incredible
surprise, im m ediately professed Islam and bore w itness to the
M essengership of M uham m ad ^ adding th a t "We sw ear by Allah
th a t none had been w ith us to inform you."

The Prophet |j| prays a Victory Prayer, or a Prayer of

Gratitude
O n th at very day. the Prophet en tered Um m H ani's house
w here he w ashed and offered prayers of victory. Um m Hani ^
had sheltered two M akkan relatives of hers in her house for
w hich she was granted su p p o rt by th e Prophet

Shedding the Blood o f the Worst Criminals

Shedding blood of nine of th e w orst crim inals was declared law ful
even u n d er the curtains of Al-Ka'bah. Some of th em w ere later
pardoned. 'Abdul-'Uzza bin Khatal was found holding on to the
curtain of th e Ka'bah and was killed. 'Abdullah bin Abu Sarah had
becom e a M uslim and em igrated, b u t later left Islam and killed
som e of th e Com panions.
The other m an w ho was p u t to death was Miqyas bin Sababah. He
was a M uslim . A Helper accidentally killed his brother Hisham . The
Prophet had arranged th e paym ent of blood m oney to him ,
w hich he had accepted. His revengeful nature, how ever, was never
satisfied, so he killed th e Helper and w e n t to M akkah as an apostate.
Similarly, H uw airith and one w om an singer w e n t to death.
On th e other hand, every atte m p t was m ade to grant pardon to
th e people. Tkrimah bin Abu Jahl, w ho had attacked Khalid's
detachm ent at th e tim e of th e entry into M akkah, was forgiven.
To W ahshi, th e m urderer of Hamzah, th e Prophet's uncle, and to
Hind, w ho had chew ed his liver, was also extended his generous
mercy.
The sam e generous tre a tm e n t was accorded to Habbar w ho had
attacked th e P rophet’s daughter w ith a spear so grievously th at
she ultim ately died of th e fatal injuries w hile on her way from
The Conquest o f Makkah 469

M akkah to M adinah.

Safwan bin Umaiyah accepts Islam

In th e sam e context o f nobility peculiar to M uham m ad sg, two
chiefs of Q uraish w ere pardoned once they had em braced Islam.
They w ere Safwan bin Um aiyah and Fudalah bin 'Umair. The
latter had attem p ted to assassinate th e Prophet w hile
circum am bulating in th e Holy Sanctuary.
The Prophet's m atchless tolerance and broad-m indedness in sti­
gated by his m ission as 'a m ercy to all p eo p le’, converted a terrible
hypocrite into a faithful devoted believer.

The Prophet addresses the People on the Second Day

On th e second day of th e great Conquest, th e Prophet ^ stood up
and addressed th e people in m atters relating to th e sacred status
of M akkah.
After entertaining Allah’s praise, h e proclaim ed th a t M akkah was a
holy land and w ould rem ain so till th e Day of Judgm ent. No
bloodshed was allowed therein. Should anyone take th e liberty of
fighting w ith in M akkah on grounds derived from th e events th at
characterized th e Conquest, he should rem em ber th a t it had been
a license granted tem porarily to th e Prophet 3^ , and virtually does
n ot go for others.
In one narration h e said, "It is n o t allow ed to uproot its shrubs
or to cut its trees, or to chase (or disturb) its game, or to pick up its
fallen things except by a person w ho w ould announce th a t (what
has found) publicly."
Al-’Abbas 4^ said: "O Allah’s M essenger! Except th e lem on grass
(for it is used) by our goldsm iths and for our hom es." The
Prophet ^ th en said: "Except th e lem on grass."
In this context, o u t of th e spirit of revenge, th e tribesm en of
Khuza'ah killed a m an from th e Laith tribe. Here th e Prophet 3J&
was annoyed and ordered K huza'ah to stop th o se pre-Islamic
practices.
470 The Sealed Nectar

He, m oreover, gave th e family of anyone killed, th e right to

consider either of two options, blood m oney or ju st retribution
(the killer is killed).
In one narration, a m an from Yemen nam ed Abu Shah stood and
said, "Have it w ritten dow n for m e O M essenger of Allah!" So the
Prophet said, "Write it for Abu Shah.” 111

The Helpers fear the Prophet might stay in Makkah

After having delivered his address, th e Prophet ^ rode to a sm all
hill, Safa, not far from Al-Ka'bah. T urning his face tow ards the
Sacred House, am idst a vast adm iring and devotional m ultitude,
he raised his hand in passionate prayer to Allah.
The citizens of M adinah w ho had gathered round him w ere having
fear, as Allah had given him victory over his native city, he m ight
choose to stay here. He insisted on an explanation of their fear and
so they spoke openly. He im m ediately dism issed th eir fears and
assured them th at h e had lived w ith them and w ould die w ith them .

Taking the Pledge

Im m ediately after th e great Conquest, th e M akkans came to realize
th at the only way to success lay in th e avenue of Islam, They
com plied w ith th e new realities and gathered to pledge loyalty to the
Prophet The m en came first pledging full obedience in all areas
they can afford. Then came the w om en to follow the m en 's
example. The Prophet ^ w ith 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab *$k> receiving
the pledge of loyalty and com m unicating to them for him . Hind b int
'Utbah, Abu Sufyan's wife, came in th e group of w om en disguised
lest th e Prophet should recognize and account for her, having
chew ed th e liver of Hamzah 4®, his uncle.
The Prophet accepted th eir allegiance on condition th a t they
associate none w ith Allah, to w hich they im m ediately agreed. He
added th a t they should not practice theft. Here Hind com plained

[1] For details see Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/22. 216, 247, 328, 239. 2/615. 617; Sahih
M uslim 1/437, 438, 439; Ibn Hisham 2/415. 416; and Abu Dawud 1/276,
The Conquest o f Makkah 471

th a t h er husband, Abu Sufyan, was tight-fisted. Her husband

in terru p ted granting all his w orldly possessions to her. The
Prophet laughed and recognized th e w om an. She requested
him to extend his pardon to h er and to forgive all h er previous
sins. Som e o th e r c o n d itio n s w ere im p o sed in clu d in g th e
prohibition of adultery, killing of infants or fabricating falsehood.
To all these orders, Hind replied positively sw earing th a t she
w ould not have come to take an oath of allegiance if she had had
th e least seed of disobedience to him . O n returning hom e, she
broke h er idol adm itting h er delusion over stone-gods.

Allah's M essenger stayed in M akkah for 19 days. D uring th at

period he taught about Islam and guided people to piety. He
ordered Abu Usaid Al-Khuza’i to fix up th e pillars of th e Sacred
Area, sen t m issions to all quarters inviting th em to adopt Islam
and break dow n th e idols still lying in th e su rro u n d in g area of
Makkah, and he had all of th em broken, he told them :

#oj7~S y>r'}\ ^
j ^ \ j 5i)L ^ jlS

"W hoever believes in Allah and th e H ereafter, should not

leave any idol in his house w ith o u t breaking it."

Dispatching Platoons
Shortly after th e great Conquest, th e Prophet began to dispatch
platoons and m issions aim ing at elim inating the last sym bols of
pre-Islamic practices.
1. He se n t Khalid bin Al-Walid 4® in Ram adan 8 A.H.. to a spot
called N akhlah w h ere th e re w as a goddess called Al-'Uzza
respected by th e Q uraish and Kinanah tribes. It had custodians
from Bani Shaiban. Khalid, at th e head of th irty ho rsem en arrived
at th e spot and exterm inated it. O n his return, th e Prophet
asked him if he had seen anything there, to w hich Khalid 4® gave
a negative answ er. Here, he was told th a t it had not been
destroyed and he had to go th ere again and fulfill th e task. He
w en t back again and th ere he saw a black w om an, naked w ith wild
hair. Khalid 4& struck h er w ith his sw ord into two parts. He
472 The Sealed Nectar

returned and narrated th e story to th e Prophet w ho th en

confirm ed th e fulfillm ent of th e task.

2. Later, in the same m onth, 'Amr bin Al-’As 4» was sent on a

mission to destroy another idol called Suwa', respected by Hudhail.
It used to stand at a distance of three kilom eters from Makkah. On a
question posed by the doorkeeper, 'Amr 4> said that he had been
ordered by the Prophet to knock dow n the idol. The m an warned
'Amr th at he would not be able to do it. 'Amr was surprised to
see som eone still in the wrong, approached the idol and destroyed
it, then he broke the casket beside it but found nothing. The m an
imm ediately embraced Islam.

3. Sa'd bin Zaid Al-Ashhali was also se n t in th e sam e m onth and

on the sam e m ission to Al-Mushallal to destroy an idol, M anat,
respected by both Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj tribes. Here also a black
w om an, naked w ith m essy hair appeared w ailing and beating on her
chest. Sa'd 4*> im m ediately killed her, destroyed the idol and broke
the casket and retu rn ed at th e conclusion of his m ission.

4. Khalid bin Al-Walid 4* at the head of 350 horsem en of Helpers,

Em igrants and Bani Sulaim was dispatched once again in th e sam e
year 8 A.H., to th e locality of Bani Jadhim ah bedouins to invite
them to the fold of Islam.

He was instructed to carry out his m ission w ith peace and

goodwill. There, th e people w ere n o t articulate enough to
com m unicate their intentions, so Khalid <4® ordered his m en to
kill them and take th e o thers as captives. He even had in m ind to
kill th e captives b u t som e of th e C om panions w ere opposed to his
plan. News of bloodshed reached th e Prophet jg . He was deeply
grieved and raised his h ands tow ards the heaven, uttering these
w ords: "O Allah! I am innocent of w h at Khalid has done," tw ice.[l!

He im m ediately se n t 'Ali to m ake every possible reparation to

th e tribes w ho had been wronged. After a careful inquiry, 'Ali
paid th e blood m oney to all those w ho suffered loss. The

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/450. 2/622.

The Conquest o f Makkah 473

rem aining portion was also d istributed am ongst th e m em bers of

th e tribe in order to alleviate th eir suffering. Khalid due to his
unreasonable behavior, had a d isp u te w ith 'Abdur-Rahman bin
'Awf 4>- Hearing this, th e Prophet got angry, and ordered
Khalid 4> to stop th a t d ispute adding th a t his C om panions
(m eaning 'Abdur-Rahman bin 'Awf 4>) w ere too high in rank to be
involved in such argum ents.
That is th e story of th e conquest of M akkah and th e decisive battle
th a t exterm inated paganism once and for all.
The o th er tribes in th e Arabian Peninsula w ere w aiting and closely
w atching th e final outcom e of th e b itter struggle betw een the
M uslim s and idolaters, already convinced th a t th e Holy Sanctuary
w ould not fall b u t in th e hands of th e righteous party.
It had been a conviction deeply established in th eir m inds ever
since th e elep h an t arm y of Abrahah Al-Ashram advanced from
Yemen intending to destroy th e Sacred H ouse 50 years before.
The Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyah was th e natural prelude to this great
victory in w hich people believed deeply and over w hich people
talked a lot. The M uslim s in M akkah, w ho feared to declare their
Faith in public, began to appear and w ork enthusiastically for this
new approach of life.
People began to convert into Islam in very large num bers, and the
M uslim arm y th a t num bered only 3000 in th e previous battles, «
now came to reach 10,000 in num ber.
In fact, this decisive change provided people w ith th e keen insight
to perceive things and th e w orld around th em as a w hole in a
different perspective. The M uslim s w ere th e n to control all of the
political and religious affairs in Arabia. They had m onopolized
both th e religious suprem acy and w orldly power.
The w hole post-Hudaibiyah phase had b een w ell-furnished in
favor of th e new Islamic m ovem ent. Stream s of d esert bedouins
began to pour in paying full hom age to A llah's M essenger
em bracing th e new faith and th e n carrying it to d ifferent quarters
for propagation.
 The Third Stage

The th ird and last stage of th e life of th e M essenger % em bodies

th e fruitful results of his call to Islam, w hich w ere th e result of a
long period of struggles in th e way of Allah (Jihad), troubles,
struggles, disturbances, trials and m any bloody conflicts and
battles, w hich lasted for over tw enty years.
The conquest of M akkah was considered the m ost serious
advantage achieved by M uslim s during those years. For it affected
th e course of events and consequently altered th e Arabs’ w hole
life. It was a decisive distinction betw een preconquest and
postconquest periods.
For the tribe of th e O uraish, at th at tim e, w ere in th e eyes of Arabs
th e defenders and helpers of Arabs. O ther Arabs are only their
subordinates.
The subm ission of the Q uraish is, therefore, estim ated to be a
final elim ination of paganism in th e Arabian Peninsula.
This stage can be divided into two m ain phases:
The phases of:
(1) Struggles and fighting.
(2) The tribes and people’s race to em brace Islam.
Being so close and rather inseparable, th e two phases of this stage
intervene in such a way th a t an event of one phase occurs during
the progress of the other.
However, w e have preferred - for literary purposes - to deal w ith
these two phases distinctively. The fighting phase was given
priority in order, due to the fact th at m ost of th e events w ere
earlier th an those in th e o th er category.
 The Battle of Hunain

The conquest of M akkah w hich came forth as a consequence of a

sw ift blow astonish ed both th e Arabs and o th er tribes w ho
realized th a t they w ere destined to subm it to the new situation as
an unalterable fact. Some of th e fierce, pow erful proud tribes did
n ot subm it and favored resistance. Ahead of th ese w ere the
branches of th e Hawazin and Thaqif. Nasr, Jusham and Sa'd bin
Bakr and people of Bani Hilal - all of w hom w ere from Qais 'Ailan
- th o u g h t th a t they w ere too m ighty to adm it or su rren d er to such
a victory. So they m et Malik bin 'Awf An-Nasri and m ade up their
m ind to proceed fighting against th e M uslim s.

The Enem y’s March and their Encampment at Awtas

W hen Malik bin 'Awf - th e general leader - decided to m arch and
fight th e M uslim s, he m ade his countrym en take th eir w ealth,
w om en and children w ith th em to Awtas - w hich is a valley in the
lands of Hawazin near H unain. It is adjacent to Dhul-Majaz w hich
is around ten m iles from M akkah in 'Arafat's direction.111

The War-experienced Man wrongs the Leader's Judgment

As soon as they cam ped in Awtas, th e people crow ded around
Malik. The old sane Duraid bin As-Simmah, w ho was well-know n
as a w ar-experienced m an, and w ho was am ong those w ho
gathered around Malik, asked: "W hat valley are w e in?" "In
Awtas," they said. "W hat a good course it is for horses! It is
n eith er a sharp pointed height nor a plain of loose soil. What?
W hy do I hear cam els' growling, th e donkeys' braying, the
children's cries and th e sheep bleating?" asked Duraid. They said:
"Malik bin 'Awf m ade people bring th eir w om en, properties and
children w ith them ."
So he called Malik and asked him w h at m ade him do such a thing.
M alik said th at his aim was to have everybody’s family and

[1] Fathul-Bari 8/27,42.

476 The Sealed Nectar

property around th em so th a t they fight fiercely to protect them .

"I swear by Allah th at you are n othing b u t a sh ep h erd ," answ ered
Duraid, "do you believe th a t th ere is anything w hatsoever, th a t
can stand in th e way of a defeated one or stop him from fleeing? If
you w in th e battle you avail n othing b u t a m an w ith a sw ord and a
spear: b u t if you lose you will bring disgrace on your people and
property," th en he resum ed his talk and w e n t on w ondering
about som e fam ilies and th eir leaders. "O Malik, th ru stin g th e
distinguished people of Hawazin into th e battlefield will avail you
nothing. Raise th em up to w here they can be safe. T hen m ake th e
young people m o u n t th eir horses and fight. If you win, those
w hom you p u t behind, will follow you; b u t if you lose, it w ould be
a loss of a battle, and your kinsm en, people and properties w ould
not be lost."
But Malik, th e general leader, refused this suggestion. "By Allah,"
he said, "I will not do such a thing. You m u st have grown senile.
Hawazin have to obey me, or else I will lean my body against this
sw ord so th a t it penetrates through my back."
He rejected any sort of contribution of D uraid’s in th a t concern.
"We obey you," said his people. Duraid consequently said: "Today
is a day th a t I have not m issed b u t surely I will not be tem p ted to
w itness."

Spies o f the Enemy

The spies th at M alik had already dispatched to spy on th e M uslim
forces, retu rn ed w ith their lim bs cut off. "Woe u n to you! W hat
h ap p en ed to you?" said Malik. They said: "We have seen
distinguished people on spotted horsebacks. We could n o t do
anything before w h a t you see hap p en ed to us."

Spies o f Allah’s Messenger

News about th e en em y ’s m arch was conveyed to Allah's
M essenger g®, so he se n t o u t Abu Hadrad Al-Aslami w ith orders
to m ix w ith people, and stay w ith th em so th a t he w ould be able
to know th eir new s and to convey it to Allah's M essenger
The Battle o f Hunain 477

w h en he returned. T hat was exactly w h at he m anaged to do.

Allah’s Messenger leaves for Hunain

On Saturday, th e 19th of Shawwal, n in ete en days after Allah's

M essenger entered M akkah, h e left accom panied by twelve
th o u san d M uslim s. Ten th o u san d o f those w ho had previously
shared in th e M akkan conquest. A great n um ber of th e o th er two
thousand, w ho w ere M akkans, had recently em braced Islam. He
borrow ed a h u n d red suits of arm or w ith th eir eq uipm ent from
Safwan bin Umaiyah. He appointed 'Attab bin Asid 4 as a
governor over M akkah. W hen it was evening, a horsem an came to
Allah's M essenger ^ and said: "I have clim bed up so-and-so
m ountains and came across Hawazin w ith th eir riding camels,
livestock and sheep. All of th e people of Hawazin w ere gathered
together th ere." Allah’s M essenger sm iled and said: "They will
all be M uslim s’ spoils tom orrow , if Allah w ills." That night Anas
bin Abi M arthad Al-Ghanawi 4® volunteered to guard.111

O n th eir way to H unain, they saw a great green Nabk plant, th at

w as called Dhat-Anwat. That was because th e Arabs used to visit
it, hang th eir w eapons on it and slay beasts u n d e r it. So som e of
arm y m em bers asked Allah's M essenger 2^ to m ake th em a Nabk
as th e one they had. He said:

"Allah is th e G reatest of all! I sw ear by th e O ne in W hose

Hand is M uham m ad's soul, th a t you have just said w h a t the
people of M oses said to him . They said: 'M ake us a god as
th e one they have.' Surely, you are ignorant people. These
are th eir traditions, and you will follow traditions of those
w ho preceded you.” [21

Seeing how great in n um ber th e arm y was, som e of th em said:

"We shall not be defeated." T heir sta te m e n t so u n d ed hard upon
Allah's M essenger j®.

[1] Abu D awud 2/10.

[2] At-Tirm idhi 4/412. M usnad A hm ad 5/218.
478 The Sealed Nectar

The Archers and the Attackers stunned the Muslims

On W ednesday night th e te n th of Shawwal, th e M uslim arm y
arrived at H unain. Malik bin 'Awf, w ho had previously en tered the
valley by night, gave orders to his arm y to hide inside the valley
and lie in w ait on roads, entrances and narrow hiding places for
th e M uslim s. His orders to his m en w ere to hurl stones at
M uslim s w henever they caught sight of th em and th en to m ake a
one-m an attack against them .
At early daw n, A llah’s M essenger started m obilizing his arm y
and distributing posts and flags to people. In th e dark and just
before daw n th e M uslim s m oved tow ards H unain Valley. They
started descending into it unaw are of th e presence of an enem y
w aiting for th em inside the valley. So at th e m o m en t they w ere
camping, arrow s began show ering upon them , and th e enem y
battalions started a fierce attack against th e M uslim s, w ho had to
retreat in disorder and u tte r confusion. It was such a shatteringly
defeat th a t Abu Sufyan bin Harb, w ho had recently em braced
Islam, said th at th eir retreat w ould n ot stop till they got to the Red
Sea. Jabalah or Kaladah bin Al-Junaid com m ented on th a t by
saying: "Surely the magic has grow n inactive today."
Allah's M essenger ^ tu rn e d to th e right and said: "Come on,
people! I am the M essenger of Allah. I am M uham m ad, the son of
Abdullah." Those w ho stood fast by him w ere only a few
Em igrants and som e of his kinsm en. The m atchless bravery of the
Prophet w as th en brought to light. He w e n t on and on in his
attem p ts to m ake his m ule steadfast in th e face of th e disbelievers
w hile saying loudly:

j-L *jj j J i L if ? <i 11l J i

"Truly saying, I am th e Prophet; I am th e (grand) son of
Abdul-M uttalib.”
However, Abu Sufyan w ho was th en holding th e rein of the
Prophet's m ule, and Al-'Abbas w ho was holding its stirrup;
w ere trying hard to m ake it halt. Allah’s M essenger ^
d ism ounted and asked his Lord to ren d er him help.
The Battle o f Hunain 479

J jjl 1M

"O Allah, send dow n Your Help!"

The Muslims return to the Battlefield, and Fighting

intensifies
Allah's M essenger ^ ordered his uncle Al-'Abbas - w ho was a
loud-voiced m an - to call o u t to th e followers. As loudly as he
could, Al-’Abbas 4® shouted: "W here are th e lancers?" "By Allah,”
Al-'Abbas said, "Upon hearing my voice calling th em back, they
tu rn ed round to th e battlefield as if they had been wild cows
tending tow ards th eir calves."
"Here we are, at your service. Here w e a re ," 111 they said. They w ere
trying to stop th eir cam els and tu rn th em around tow ards the
battle. He w ho was unable to force his camel to tu rn back, w ould
take his arm or, fling it round his neck, and hastily d ism o u n t his
camel w ith his w eapon in han d letting his camel move freely and
run. Voices w ould grow louder and louder till a h u n d red of them
gathered round th e Prophet and resum ed th e fight.
Those w ho w ere called next w ere Al-Ansar, th e Helpers, "O folks
of Al-Ansart O folks of Al-Ansari"
The last group to be called w ere Bani Al-Harith bin Al-Khazraj.
M uslim battalions poured successively into th e battlefield in the
sam e m an n er th a t they had left it. The stam ina of both parties
was superb. Both of th em stood fast and fought fiercely. Allah’s
M essenger was eagerly w atching th e battle, he said:

oS/l®

"Now th e fight has grow n fierce."

Picking up a h andful of earth, he h u rled it at th eir faces w hile
saying:

[1] Sahih M uslim 2/100.

480 The Sealed Nectar

"May your faces be sham eful.”

Their eyes w ere thick w ith d u st and th e enem y began to retreat in
u tte r confusion.

Reverse o f Fortunes and the Enem y’s utter Defeat

Only a few hours elapsed since th e h andful of d u st was throw n at
th e enem y’s faces, and they w ere utterly defeated. About seventy
m en of Thaqif alone w ere killed, and th e M uslim s took all of their
riding camels, w eapons and cattle.
Allah. Glorious is He, referred to this even w hen He said:

"... and on th e Day of H unain (battle) w h e n you rejoiced at

your great n um ber b u t it availed you naught and the earth,
vast as it is, was straitened for you, th en you tu rn e d back in
flight. T hen Allah did send dow n His Sakinah (calmness,
tranquility, and reassurance, etc.) on th e M essenger
(M uham m ad #g) and on th e believers, and sent dow n
forces (angels) w hich you saw not, and p u nished the
disbelievers. Such is th e recom pense of disbelievers.” [9:25,
26]

Hot Pursuit o f the Enemy

After their defeat, som e enem y troops headed for Ta'if, o thers to
N akhlah and Awtas. A group of M uslim s headed by Abu 'Amir Al-
A sh'ari 4®. w ere dispatched to Awtas to chase th e enem y, som e
clashes took place during w hich Abu 'Amir *&> w as killed,
A sim ilar battalion of horsem en pursued th e idolaters w ho run
tow ards N akhlah and caught up w ith Duraid bin As-Simmah, w ho
was killed by Rabi'ah bin Rafi’
After collecting th e booty, Allah’s M essenger % left for T a'if to
The Battle o f Hunain 481

face th e greatest num ber of th e defeated idolaters. The booty was

six th o u san d captives, tw enty four th o u san d camels; over forty
th o u san d sheep and four th o u sa n d ounces o f silver. Allah's
M essenger |jg gave orders th a t th e booty should be confined at Al-
Ji'ranah and ordained M as’ud bin 'Amr Al-Ghifari to be in
charge of it. It was only w h en he was entirely free from th e Ta'if
Campaign, th a t one of th e captives Ash-Shaim a’ b in t Al-Harith As-
Sa’diyah, th e M essenger's foster sister was brought to Allah’s
M essenger she introduced h erself to him . Upon recognizing
h er by a certain m ark, h e honored her, spread his garm ent for her
and seated h er on it. He was graceful and released h er and m ade
h er retu rn back to h er people.

The Invasion o f Ta’if

The T a'if Cam paign is in fact an extension of th e H unain Battle;
th a t is because the m ajority of th e defeated troops of Hawazin and
Thaqif w e n t to T a'if w ith th e general com m ander - M alik bin 'Awf
An-Nasri - and fortified them selves w ith in it. So upon finishing
w ith H unain Invasion, he gathered th e booty at Al-Ji'ranah in the
sam e m o n th (i.e., Shawwal) in th e eighth year A.H.

An advance battalion of a th o u san d m en led by Khalid bin Al-

Walid m arched tow ards At-Ta’if. W hereas Allah's M essenger jig
proceeded passing through th e N akhlah of Al-Yamaniyah, Q arn Al-
M anazil and through Laiyah.

At Laiyah th ere was a castle th a t belonged to M alik bin 'Awf, so

Allah's M essenger s§| gave orders to have it destroyed. He
resum ed his m arch u n til h e got to Ta’if. T here h e dism ounted,
cam ped near its castle and laid siege to th e castle inhabitants; b u t
n o t for long.
How long th e siege continued, is still a m atter of disagreem ent. It
how ever stands betw een 10-20 days.[I]
A lot of arrow -shooting and rock-hurling occurred during th e siege.

[1] Fathul-Bari 8/45.

482 The Sealed Nectar

For as soon as th e M uslim s laid siege round th e castle, its people

started shooting arrow s at them . The arrow s w ere so in ten se and
fierce th a t they looked like a sw arm of locusts. A n um ber of
M uslim s w ere w ounded and tw elve w ere killed.
To be far from th e arrow-range, the M uslim s had to ascend to a
higher location and camp there - i.e., to w h at is now called At-
Ta'if M osque.
The Prophet set up a catapult above th em and shelled the
castle. Eventually a gap w as m ade in th e castle wall, through
w hich a num ber of M uslim s m anaged to pass into th e castle
sheltered by a w ooden tank, w ith th e purpose of setting fire to it.
The enem y poured dow n m olten h o t iron on them . Affected by
this the M uslim s stepped o u t of the tank and w ere again exposed
to a storm of arrow s and consequently som e of th em w ere killed.
To force the enem y to surrender, th e Prophet tended to a war
policy of burning and cutting th e en em y ’s crops. His order was to
cut th eir vineyards and b u rn them . Seeing th a t th e M uslim s
started rapidly cutting and b u rning th eir vines, they im plored the
Prophet to stop and have mercy on th em for th e sake of Allah
and o ut of th e ties of kinship. So the Prophet agreed.
W hen the caller of Allah's M essenger called o ut to people
saying: "W hosoever descends and steps out of the castle is free."
Tw enty-three m en came o u t.1’1 O ne of them was Abu Bakrah 4®
w ho tied him self and let him self dow n by m eans of a small w heel,
th a t w ould norm ally be used for draw ing up w ater from a well.
The way he let h im self dow n m ade th e Prophet nicknam e him
"Abu Bakrah". i.e., the m an w ith th e w heel.
Allah's M essenger set them all free and en tru sted each one of
th em to a M uslim to care about their living affairs, this event was
too hard for the castle people to bear.
Seeing th a t th e siege lasted too long and th at the castle was
im m une and could stand any siege (for they had already stored a

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/620.

The Battle o f Hunain 483

supply sufficient for over a year) and th a t th e M uslim s w ere

suffering - day by day - from being sh o t by arrow s and struck by
h eated iron hooks, Allah's M essenger jfc consulted Nawfal bin
M u'aw iyah Ad-Daili about that,
He said: "They are like a fox hiding inside its den. If you w ait you
will catch it, b u t if you leave, no harm w ould afflict you," Allah's
M essenger 5§ | decided to lift th e siege and depart. 'Um ar bin Al-
Khattab J&s, w ho was ordered by th e Prophet to notify people,
said to them : "If Allah wills, w e are leaving th e castle and going
back tom orrow ." As it was too hard for th e M uslim s to go back
and leave th e castle unconquered, they com plained saying,
"Should w e go away w hile th e castle is still unopened?" His
reply was: "Then, start fighting in th e m orning." In th e m orning
they fought and w ere w ounded. So w h e n h e repeated this
statem ent: "If Allah wills, we are leaving th e castle and going back
to m o rro w ," th ey w ere pleased a n d carried o u t th e o rd er
subm issively and started moving, w hich m ade A llah’s
M essenger laugh.
As soon as they m ounted and started moving, th e M essenger jjg
said:

"Say! Here we are returning, repenting, w orshipping (Allah)

and to our Lord w e offer praise.”
W hen Allah's M essenger ^ w as asked to invoke Allah against
Thaqif, h e said:
• a
((^ |J LLo2j 1 )1' 1))

"O Allah, guide Thaqif and bring th em to us as M uslim s."

The Distribution o f the Booty at Al-Ji’ranah

Upon returning and lifting th e siege in Ta’if, Allah's M essenger ^
had stayed over ten nights at Al-Ji’ranah before starting to
distribute th e booty. D istribution delay w as d u e to th e P ro p h et’s
hope th at H aw azin’s delegation m ight arrive and announce their
484 The Sealed Nectar

repentance and consequently reclaim th eir loss.

Seeing th at none of them arrived, he started dividing th e booty so as
to calm dow n the tribes' chiefs and th e nobles of M akkah. The first
to receive booty and th e ones w ho obtained the greatest num ber of
shares w ere the people w ho had recently em braced Islam.
Abu Sufyan bin Harb was given a h u n d red camels and forty (gold)
ounces and yet h e said, "W hat about my son, Yazeed’s share?" So
he was given the sam e quantity for his son as well. But yet he
exclaimed: "And w h at about the share of M u ’awiyah, my second
son?" So th e Prophet gave M u'aw iyah as m uch as he gave his
father and brother. Hakim bin Hizam was given a h u n d red camels,
b u t he was given a h u n d red m ore w h e n he dem anded. Safwan bin
Um aiyah w as given th ree h u n d red cam els - a h u n d red camels at
each tim e. It is th u s m entioned in Ash-Shifa'[l] by Qadi 'Iyad. The
Prophet gave Al-Harith bin Kildah a h u n d red camels. He also
gave som e chiefs of Q uraish and o th er clans a h u n d red camels; he
gave others fifty and som e others had forty.
Eventually it w as spread am ong people th a t "M uham m ad grants
generously and fears not to grow poor." This m ade bedouins
gather around him expecting to be given som e w ealth. They w ere
so m any th a t they forced th e Prophet % to seek refuge against a
tree and they even took away his garm ent. "O people!" He said,
"Give m e back my garm ent! For I swear by th e O ne in W hose Hand
is M uham m ad's soul, th at if I had as m any n um erous cam els as
the n um ber of T iham ah trees, I w ould have d istribute them
am ong you. You know quite well th a t I am neith er m ean nor a
coward or a liar."
Standing by his camel he plucked o u t a hair of his cam el's h u m p
and held it betw een his two fingers, lifted it up and said: "O
people, I swear by Allah th a t I get nothing b u t one-fifth of your
booty, and this very fifth also goes back to you."
As soon as he had given the new converts. Allah's M essenger
ordered Zaid bin Thabit 4® to fetch the booty and sum m on

[1] Ash-Shifa' 1/86.

The Battle o f Hunain 485

people. T hen h e ordained shares to people. A footm an's share was

four cam els and forty sheep, and a horsem an w ould take tw elve
camels and a h u n d red and tw enty sheep.

The Disturbed and Uneasy State o f Helpers (A l-Ansai)

At first th e P rophet’s policy of d istribution was n o t u n d erstood by
m any persons. T herefore sharp-tongued people started expressing
th eir objections. The H elpers w ere am ong th o se w ho w ere
afflicted by th is policy. They w ere deprived of H unain gifts
though they had been th e ones w ho w ere su m m o n ed for it.
H unain represented hard tim es and they w ere th e first to ru sh to
fight and be firm w ith Allah's M essenger ^ till th e defeat tu rn e d
into victory. Now here they w ere w atching th o se w ho escaped, fill
th eir h ands w ith booty w hile they w ere given nothing.
Ibn Ishaq narrated th a t Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri said: "W hen Allah's
M essenger #§ had given Q uraish and Arab tribes th o se gifts and
allotted n o th in g to th e Helpers, a group of th e H elpers felt so
uneasy about it th a t a lot of ill-statem ents against th e Prophet
w ere spread am ong th em to an ex ten t th a t one o f th em said: "By
Allah, Allah's M essenger is ill-spoken o f by his folksmen!"
And those ill-statem ents w e n t on spreading till Sa'd bin
'Ubadah ^ m et Allah's M essenger and said: "O M essenger
of Allah, th e group of th e H elpers is furious a t you about the
distribution of th e booty th a t you had w on. You have allotted
shares to your ow n k insm en and forw arded lots of gifts to the
Arab tribes. But th is group has obtained nothing." The Prophet sjfe
asked Sa'd exclaiming: "Sa'd. w h a t do you th in k of all that?"
Sa'd 4b replied: "O M essenger of Allah. You know th a t I am
n o thing b u t a m em ber of this group." "Call your people and bring
them forth to m e into this shed." said th e Prophet j®.
So Sa'd w e n t o u t and su m m o n ed them . W hen som e Em igrants
came, h e let th em in b u t forbade others. W hen they w ere all
gathered together, he inform ed th e Prophet ^ saying: "This
group of th e Helpers has ju st arrived to m eet you in com pliance
w ith your orders." As soon as th e M essenger faced them , he
486 The Sealed Nectar

thanked Allah and praised Him. th en said to them inquiring. "I

have been told th a t you are angry w ith me. D idn't I come to you
w h en you w ere astray and Allah guided you? You w ere poor and
Allah gave you w ealth. W eren't you foes and Allah m ade you love
one an o th er." "Yes," they said. "Allah and His M essenger are
b etter and m ore gracious." T hen he said: "W hat prevents you
from replying to th e M essenger of Allah, O tribe of Helpers?" They
said, "W hat should be th e reply, O M essenger of Allah, w hile to
th e Lord and to his M essenger belong all benevolence and grace."

The Prophet ^ again said: "But by Allah, you m ight have

answ ered and answ ered truly, for I w ould have testified to its
tru th myself: 'You came to us belied and rejected, and w e accepted
you; you came to us as helpless, and w e helped you; you w ere a
fugitive, and w e took you in; you w ere poor and w e com forted
yo u .’ You Helpers, do you feel anxious for the things of this world,
w herew ith I have sought to incline these people u n to th e Faith in
w hich you are already established? Are you n o t satisfied, O group
of Helpers th a t th e people go w ith ewes and camels w hile you go
along w ith the M essenger of Allah to your dwellings. By Him in
W hose Hand is my life, had th ere been no m igration, I w ould have
b een one of th e Helpers. If th e people w ould go through a valley
and passage, and th e Helpers go through an o th er valley and
passage, I w ould go through th e valley and passage of th e Helpers.
Allah! Have mercy on th e Helpers, th eir children and their
children's children.”

The audience w ept until tears rolled dow n th eir beards as they
said: "Yes, w e are satisfied, O Prophet of Allah! w ith our lot and
share."

T hen the Prophet ^ left th e gathering and th e people also

d ispersed.111

The Arrival o f the Hawazin Delegation

The delegation of Hawazin arrived as M uslim s just after the

[11 Ibn Hisham 2/499. 500, and like this quoted by Bukhari 2/620. 621.
The Battle o f Hunain 487

distribution of spoils. They w ere fourteen m en headed by Zuhair

bin Surad. The M essenger's foster uncle was one of them . They
asked him to retu rn th em th e w ealth and th e captives. They
u ttered so touching w ords th a t Allah's M essenger said to them :
"You surely see w ho are w ith me. The m ost desirable speech to
m e is the m ost tru th fu l. W hich is dearer to you, your w ealth or
your w om en and children?" They replied: "N othing w hatsoever
com pares w ith kinship." "Then w h en I perform th e Noon prayer,
stand up and say: 'We intercede w ith Allah's M essenger to exhort
th e believers, and we intercede w ith th e believers to exhort
Allah's M essenger to forego th e captives of our people fallen to
their lot'."

So, w hen A llah’s M essenger perform ed th e Noon prayer, they

stood up and said w h at they had been told to say. The
M essenger th en said: "As for w h a t belongs to m e and to the
children of Abdul-M uttalib, from now on you m ay consider them
yours. And I will ask my folksm en to give back theirs."

Upon hearing th a t th e Em igrants and the H elpers said: "W hat

belongs to us is, from now on, offered to Allah's M essenger.” But
Al-Aqra' bin Habis said. "I will grant none of w h at belongs to m e
and to Bani Tam im ," so did 'Uyainah bin Hisn, w ho said: "As for
m e and Bani Fazarah, I say 'N o'." Al-'Abbas bin M irdas also refused
and said: "No," for Bani Sulaim and him self. His people, however,
said otherw ise: "W hatever spoils belong to us, we offer to the
M essenger of Allah." "You have u n d erm in ed my position," said
Al-’Abbas bin M irdas instantly.

Then Allah's M essenger said: "These people have come to you

as M uslim s. For the sam e reason, I have already delayed the
distribution of th e booty. Besides, I have granted th em a fair
option b u t they refused to have anything o th er th an th eir w om en
and children. Therefore, he w ho has som e of theirs and will prefer
willingly to give them back, let him do so. But he w ho favors to
keep w h a t he ow ns to him self, let him grant th em back too, and
he will be given as a recom pense, six tim es as m uch from th e first
booty th a t Allah may provide us."
488 The Sealed Nectar

People th e n said, "We will willingly offer th em all for th e sake of

the M essenger of Allah.” Allah's M essenger ^ said: "But in this
way w e are not able to find o u t w ho is co n ten t and w ho is not. So,
go back and w e will be w aiting for your chiefs to convey to us your
decisions."
All of th em gave back th e w om en and children. The only one w ho
refused to comply w ith th e M essenger’s desire was 'Uyainah bin
Hisn. He refused to let an old w om an of theirs go back at first.
Later on he let her go back. Allah’s M essenger gave every
captive a garm ent as a gift.

'U mrah and leaving for Madinah

Having accom plished the distribution of th e spoils at Al-]i’ranah.
he left it w hile w earing clothing for 'Umrah and proceeded to
M akkah to perform 'Umrah.
Allah's M essenger tu rn e d back from th ere to M adinah after
appointing 'Attab bin Asid on M akkah as governor. His arrival
to M adinah was by th e last six nights of D hul-Q a'dah, in th e year
8 A.H.111

[1] Tarikh by Ibn Khaldun, 1/48; Zadul-Ma'ad 2/160-201; Ibn Hisham 2/389-501.
Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/612, 622, and Fathul-Bari 8/3-58.
 Missions and Platoons

After the Conquest

Upon returning from this long successful travel, Allah's
M essenger stayed in M adinah w here he received delegates
and dispatched agents and appointed preachers and callers to
Islam everyw here.
Those w hose h earts w ere still full o f prejudice against Islam and
therefore w ere too proud to em brace Allah’s religion, w ere
decisively p u t dow n by th eir lack of statu s th e n in Arabia.
We have already stated th a t th e M essenger's arrival in M adinah
w as by th e last days of th e eighth year of Al-Hijra.
No sooner th an th e crescent m oon of M uharram in th e n in th year
had tu rn e d up, A llah’s M essenger had dispatched th e trustees,
to th e tribes as show n in th e list:
1. ’Uyainah bin Hisn to Bani Tamim.
2. Yazeed bin H usain to Aslam and Ghifar.
3. 'Abbad bin Bishr to Sulaim and M uzainah.
4. Rafi’ bin M akith to Juhainah.
5. ’Amr bin Al-’As to Bani Fazarah.
6. Ad-Dahhak bin Sufyan to Bani Kilab.
7. Bashir bin Sufyan to Bani Ka’b.
8. Ibn Al-Lutbiyah Al-Azdi to Bani Dhubyan.
9. Al-Muhajir bin Abi Um aiyah to San’a ’ (Al-Aswad Al-'Ansi called
at him w h en he w as there).
10. Ziyad bin Labid to H adram out.
11. ’Adi bin Hatim to Tai’ and Bani Asad.
12. Malik bin N uw airah to Bani Hanzalah.
13- Az-Zibriqan bin Badr to Bani Sa’d (a branch).
14. Qais bin ’Asim to Bani Sa’d (a branch).
15. Al-’Ala’ bin Al-Hadrami to Al-Bahrain.
16. ’Ali bin Abi Talib to Najran (to collect Sadaqah and Jizyah).
Some of these agents w ere dispatched in M uharram , 9 A.H.,
490 The Sealed Nectar

others w ere se n t later u ntil th e tribes they w ere heading for had
com pletely converted into Islam. Such was th e great success th at
the Islamic Da'wah (Call) enjoyed after Treaty of Al-Hudaibiyah.
However, shortly after th e conquest of M akkah, people began to
em brace Islam in large hosts.

The Missions
In the sam e way th a t the trustees w ere dispatched to the tribes,
we u n d erstan d th a t dispatching som e m ore platoons to all regions
of Arabia was a necessity for the prevalence and dom ination of
security on all lands of Arabia.
Here is a list of those m issions:
1. 'Uyainah bin Hisn Al-Fazari’s platoon was se n t to Bani Tam im in
Al-M uharram, the n in th year of Al-Hijra. It consisted of fifty
horsem en, none of th em was an Em igrant or a Helper.
This m ission was dispatched due to th e fact th at Bani Tam im had
already urged o ther tribes not to pay tribute (Al-Jizyah) and
eventually stopped them from paying it. Therefore, ’Uyainah bin
Hisn set ou t to fight them .
All th e way he m arched by night and cam ped in a concealed
location by day. He w e n t on th a t way u ntil he overtook them and
attacked them in th e desert. They fled back for their lives. Eleven
m en, tw enty-one w om en and thirty boys w ere captured. He drove
them back to M adinah and they w ere housed in Ramlah b in t Al-
H arith’s residence.
Ten of th eir leaders, w ho came to the Prophet's door, called him
saying: "O M uham m ad, come out and face us," W hen he w e n t out
they held him and started talking.
He exchanged talk w ith th em for a w hile th en left th em and w e n t
to perform the Noon prayer. After prayer he sat in th e courtyard of
th e m osque. They proclaim ed a desire to boast and praise
them selves. For this purpose they introduced th eir orator ’Utarid
bin Hajib w ho delivered his speech.
Allah's M essenger ^ asked Thabit bin Qais bin Sham m as 4® - the
Missions and Platoons 491

M uslim orator - to respond. He did that. In return, they brought

forth th eir poet Az-Zibriqan bin Badr w ho recited som e boastful
poetry.

Hassan bin Thabit 4®. th e poet of Islam, prom ptly replied back.
W hen talks and poetry came to an end, Al-Aqra’ bin Habis said:
"Their orator is m ore eloquent th an ours, and th eir poet is m ore
poetically learned th an ours. Their voices and sayings excel ours,
as w ell."

Eventually they an nounced th eir em bracing Islam. Allah's

M essenger ^ acknow ledged th eir entrance into Islam, aw arded
them well, and retu rn ed th eir w om en and children.

2. A platoon headed by Q utbah bin 'Amir 4& m arched to a spot of

K hath'am tribe in Tabalah, a plot of land no t far from Turbah.
T hat was in Safar, 9 A.H. Accom panied by tw enty m en and only
ten cam els to m o u n t alternatively on, Q utbah raided th em and
fought so fiercely th a t a great n u m b er of both parties w ere
w ounded and som e o thers w ere killed, Q utbah 4® was also am ong
them . The M uslim s retu rn ed w ith camels, w om en and sheep.

3. The m ission of D ahhak bin Sufyan Al-Kilabi 4® to Bani Kilab in

Rabi'ul-Awwal in th e year 9 A.H. This m ission was se n t to Bani
Kilab to call them to em brace Islam. Refusing to em brace Islam,
they started to fight against th e M uslim s, b u t w ere defeated and
one m an was killed.
4. The th ree h u n d red m en m ission of 'Alqamah bin Mujazziz Al-
M udliji 4® was dispatched in Rabi'ul-Akhir to th e shores of Jeddah
w here som e Abyssinians had gathered together and exercised acts
of robbery against th e M akkans. T herefore, he crossed th e sea to
an island. But as soon as th e pirates had learned of M uslim s'
arrival, they fled.1' 1
5. The task of th e m ission of 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4® w as to dem olish
Al-Qullus, w hich w as an idol th a t belonged to th e Tai’ tribe. That
w as in Rabi'ul-Awwal in th e year 9 A.H. 'Ali 4® was dispatched by

[1] Fathul-Bari 8/59.

492 The Sealed Nectar

Allah's M essenger w ith one h u n d red and fifty m en. A h u n d red

of th em w ere on camels. The o th er fifty w ere on horseback. He
held a black flag and a w hite banner.
At daw n they raided th e colony of Hatim, dem olished th e idol and
filled their h an d s w ith spoils, cam els and sheep. The sister of 'Adi
bin Hatim was one o f th e captives, ’Adi being fled away. Inside a
safe at Al-Qullus, th e M uslim s found th re e sw ords and th ree
arm ors. O n th e way, they distributed th e spoils and p u t aside the
b est things for Allah's M essenger $g. They did not share the
captives.
Upon arrival in M adinah, th e sister of 'Adi bin Hatim begged
Allah's M essenger s g to have mercy on h er and said: "O
M essenger o f Allah, my b ro th er is absent and father is dead,
and I am too old to provide any service. Be beneficent to m e so
th a t Allah m ay be b o untiful to you.” He said: "Who is your
brother?" She said: "It is 'Adi bin H atim ." "Is he not th e one w ho
fled from Allah and His M essenger?" said th e Prophet sg, th en he
w en t away from her. The next day she repeated th e sam e thing as
th e day before and received th e sam e answ er. A day later she
u ttered sim ilar w ords, this tim e he agreed. The m an w ho was
beside th e Prophet $g, and w hom she tho u g h t to be 'Ali, said to
her: "Ask for an anim al from him to ride on." And she was
granted h er request.
She retu rn ed to Ash-Sham w here she m et h er b ro th er and said to
him : "Adah's M essenger j g has done m e such noble deed th at
your father w ould never have done it. Therefore, frightened or
secure, you should go and see him ." Insecure, n eith er protected
by som eone nor even recom m ended by a letter as a m eans of
protection, 'Adi came and m et th e Prophet sg.
Allah's M essenger s g took him hom e w ith him . As soon as he sat
before him , Allah's M essenger j g than k ed Allah and praised him ,
th en said: "W hat m akes you flee? Do you flee lest you should say
th ere is no God b u t Allah? Do you know any o th er God b u t Allah?"
"No," he said, and th en talked for a w hile. Allah's M essenger ^g
w e n t on saying: "Certainly you flee so th a t you m ay n ot hear th e
Missions and Platoons 493

sta te m e n t saying 'Allah is th e G reatest.' Do you know anyone w ho

is greater th an Allah?" "No," he said. "The Jews are those w hose
portion is w rath, and th e C hristians are those w ho have gone
astray," th e Prophet M, said. "I am a M uslim and I believe in one
God (Allah).” 'Adi finally proclaim ed w ith a joyous face.
The Prophet M, ordered him a residence w ith one of th e Helpers.
From th a t tim e he started visiting th e Prophet M, in th e m ornings
and in th e evenings.111
On th e authority of Ibn Ishaq, w h e n th e Prophet ^ m ade him sit
dow n in front of him in his house, h e said, "O 'Adi, w ere you not
a Rakusi (of a religion having som e d ifferent beliefs from
Christians)?" "Yes." 'Adi said. "Did you n o t share one quarter of
your people's gains?" "Yes," said 'Adi. Allah's M essenger M, said:
"It is sinful in your religion to do such a thing, and you should not
allow yourself to do it." "Yes, by Allah, th a t is tru e," said 'Adi.
"Thus I w orked o u t th at h e was a Prophet inspired by Allah, and
se n t m essage to people th a t he know s w h at is unkn o w n ."
In an o th er version, th e Prophet ^ said. "Adi, accept Islam and
you shall be secure." "But I am a m an of religion." said 'Adi. "I
know your religion b e tte r th an you," said th e Prophet jte. "Do you
know my religion better th an m e?” 'Adi asked. The Prophet M,
replied, "Yes." He said: "Are you n ot a Rakusi and still you
appropriate to yourself th e fourth of your people's gains?" "Yes,"
said 'Adi. "It is unlaw ful in your religion to do such a thing." The
Prophet M, said, and 'Adi added: "He did n o t need to say it again,
for I im m ediately accepted it.”131
Al-Bukhari narrates th a t 'Adi 4® said: "W hile w e w ere w ith the
Prophet M a m an came in and com plained to him about poverty.
Then an o th er m an came in and com plained about highway
robbery. Allah’s M essenger M, th e n said: 'O 'Adi, have you ever
been to Al-Hirah? If you live a long life, you w ould be able to see a

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/205.

[2] Ibn Hisham 2/581.
[3] M usnad Imam A hm ad 4/257, 278.
494 TheS
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 The Invasion of Tabuk
(In Rajab, in the Year 9 A.H.)

The invasion and conquest of M akkah was considered a decisive

one betw een tru th and falsehood. As a result of w hich, th e Arabs
had no m ore doubt in M uham m ad's m ission. Thus w e see th at
things w e n t contrary to th e pagans' expectations. People started to
em brace Islam, th e religion of Allah, in great num bers. This is
m anifest clearly in the chapter - The Delegations, in th e next
pages of this book. It can also be deduced from th e enorm ous
num ber of people w ho shared in th e Farewell Pilgrimage. All
dom estic troubles came to an end. The M uslim s eventually felt at
ease and started setting up th e teachings of Allah's Laws and
intensifying th e Call to Islam.

The underlying Reasons

The Byzantine power, w hich was considered th e greatest m ilitary
force on earth at th at tim e, show ed an unjustifiable opposition
tow ards th e M uslim s. As we have already m entioned, their
opposition started w ith th e killing of th e am bassador of Allah’s
M essenger Al-Harith bin 'Um air Al-Azdi, by Shurahbil bin 'Amr
Al-Ghassani. The am bassador was th en carrying a m essage from
the Prophet # ; to th e ruler of Busra. We have also stated th a t the
Prophet consequently dispatched a brigade u n d e r the
com m and of Zaid bin H arithah 4®. w ho had a fierce fight
against th e Byzantines at M u'tah. A lthough M uslim forces could
n ot have revenge on those arrogant and proud tyrants, the
confrontation itself had a great im pression on th e Arabs, all over
Arabia.
Caesar could n eith er ignore th e great benefit th a t M u'tah Battle
had brought to M uslim s nor disregard th e Arab tribes' expecta­
tions of independence and th eir hopes of getting free from his
influence and reign nor th eir alliance to th e M uslim s. Realizing all
that. Caesar was aware of th e progressive danger th reaten in g his
b o rd ers, especially th e fro n ts in G reater Syria th a t w ere
496 The Sealed Nectar

neighboring th e Arab lands. So, he concluded th at dem olition of

the M uslim s' pow er had grown an urgent necessity. This decision
of his should, in his opinion, be achieved before the M uslim s
becom e too pow erful to conquer, and raise troubles and u n rest in
the adjacent Arab territories.
To m eet these urgent requirem ents, Caesar gathered a huge arm y
of th e Byzantines and pro-Roman G hassanide tribes to launch a
decisive bloody battle against th e M uslim s.

General News about the Byzantines and Ghassanide

Preparations for War
No sooner th an th e new s about th e Byzantine’s preparations for a
decisive invasion against M uslim s had reached M adinah, fear
spread am ong them . They started to th in k about th e Byzantine
invasion in the least event they heard of. This is clear from w hat
had h appened to 'Umar bin Al-Khattab 4* one day.
The Prophet had taken an oath to stay away from his wives for
a m onth in th e n in th year of Al-Hijra. Therefore, he deserted them
and k e p t away in a private place. At th e beginning, th e
C om panions w ere puzzled and could not w ork o u t th e reason
for such behavior. They tho u g h t th e Prophet % had divorced
th em and th a t was w hy he was grieved, disturbed and upset. In
'U m ar’s version of the very story he says: "I used to have a Helper
friend w ho often inform ed m e about w h a t h appened if I w e re n 't
present, and in retu rn I always inform ed him of w h at had taken
place during his absence. (They both lived in the outskirts of
M adinah and both of th em used to visit th e Prophet sjfc
alternatively during th a t tim e of suspense.) Then one day I heard
my friend, knock at the door saying: "Open up! O pen up!" I asked
w ondering, "W hat's the m atter? Have the G hassanides come?"
"No, it is m ore serious th an that. Allah's M essenger has
deserted his w ives."111
In an o th er version, 'Um ar said, "We talked about the

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/730.

The Invasion o f Tabuk 497

G hassanide preparations to invade us. W hen it w as his tu rn to

convey th e new s to me, h e w e n t dow n and retu rn ed in the
evening. He knocked at th e door violently and said. 'Is he
sleeping?' I was terrified b u t I w e n t o u t to m eet him . 'Som ething
serious had taken place.' He said. 'Have th e G hassanides arrived?'
said I. 'No,' he said, 'it is greater and m ore serious. Allah’s
M essenger has divorced his w ives.'" 111
This state of too m uch paranoia clearly show s th e seriousness of
th e situation th at M uslim s began to experience. The seriousness
of th e situation was confirm ed to a large degree by th e hypocrites’
behavior, w h en new s about th e Byzantines' preparations reached
M adinah. The fact th at Allah's M essenger ^ w on all th e battles
he fought, and th a t no pow er on earth could m ake him terrified,
and th a t he had always proved to be able to overcom e all the
obstacles th a t stood in his way - did not prevent th e hypocrites,
w ho concealed evil in th eir hearts, from expecting an affliction to
fall upon th e M uslim s and Islam.
They used to hide evil and ill-intentions against th e w hole process
of Islam and th e M uslim s. On grounds of false hopes of
destroying this great religious structure, they erected a source of
conspiracy and intrigue in th e form of a m osque - M asjid Dirar
(the m osque of harm ). They approached the Prophet w ith the
request th at he should come and bless the place by praying in it
him self. As he was at th e m o m en t about to start for Tabuk. he
delayed th e fulfillm ent of th eir request till his return. M eanw hile
he came to know through Divine Revelation th a t it was not a
M osque for devotion and prayer, b u t a m eeting place for anti-
Islamic elem ents. On his return, therefore, th e Prophet se n t a
party to dem olish th e new structure.

Particular News about the Byzantine and Ghassanide

Preparations for War
A m agnified image of th e p ro m in en t danger threaten in g the

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/334.

498 The Sealed Nectar

M uslim s' life was carried to them by th e N abateans w ho brought

cooking oil from Ash-Sham to M adinah. They carried new s about
Heraclius' preparations and equipm ent of an enorm ous arm y
num bering over forty th o u san d fighters besides Lakhm, Judham
and other tribes allied to the Byzantines. They said th at its advance
force had already reached Al-Balqa'. Thus was th e grave situation
standing in am bush for the M uslim s. The general situation was
aggravated seriously by o ther adverse factors of too m uch h o t
w eather, drought and th e rough and rugged distance they had to
cover in case they decided to en counter the im m in en t danger.

The M essenger of Allah's concept and estim ation of the situation

and its developm ent was m ore precise and accurate th an all
others. He tho u g h t th at if he delayed or dealt passively w ith the
situation in such a way th at m ight enable th e Byzantines to pass
through th e Islamic controlled provinces or to go as far as
M adinah, this w ould - in these circum stances - leave th e m ost
awful im pression on Islam as well as on th e M uslim s' m ilitary
credibility.

The pre-Islamic beliefs and traditions (Al-Jahiliyah) w hich w ere at

th a t tim e dying because of th e strong decisive blow th at they had
already had at H unain, could have had a way to come back to life
once again in such an e n v iro n m en t. The hypocrites w ere
conspiring against th e M uslim s so th at they m ight stab th em in
th e back w hereas Byzantines w ould attack th em from th e front. If
such a thing came to light and they succeeded in th eir evil
attem pts, the Prophet and his C om panions' efforts to spread
Islam w ould collapse and th eir profits w hich w ere th e con­
sequences of successive and constant fights and invasions w ould
be invalidated. Allah's M essenger ^ realized all th a t very well. So
- in spite of the h ardships and drought th a t M uslim s w ere
suffering from - th e Prophet % was determ in ed th a t th e M uslim s
should invade th e Byzantines and fight a decisive battle at their
ow n borders. He was determ ined not to delay at all in order to
spoil any Roman atte m p t to approach th e land of Islam.

W hen Allah's M essenger ^ had m ade up his m ind and took his
The Invasion o f Tabuk 499

final decision, he ordered his C om panions to get ready for w ar

and sen t for th e M akkans and th e o th er Arab tribes asking for
their assistance.
Contrary to his habit of concealing his real in ten tio n of the
invasion by m eans of declaring a false one, he announced openly
his in ten tio n of m eeting th e Byzantines and fighting them . He
cleared th e situation to his people so th a t they w ould get ready,
and urged them to fight in th e way of Allah. On this occasion a
part of Surat Bara'ah (Chapter 9 - The Repentance) was se n t dow n
by Allah, urging them to steadfastness and stam ina.
On th e o th er hand, Allah's M essenger cherished th em to pay
charities and to spend the b est of th eir fortunes in th e way of
Allah,
No sooner th an th e M uslim s had heard th e voice of Allah's
M essenger calling th em to fight the Byzantines, they ru sh ed to
comply w ith his orders. W ith great speed they started getting
ready for war. Tribes and groups from here and th ere began
pouring in M adinah. Alm ost all th e M uslim s responded positively.
Only those desired to stay b eh in d w ho had w eakness at their
hearts, except th ree people w ho had tru e Faith b u t did not
participate in th e invasion. Even th e needy and th e poor w ho
could n ot afford a ride cam e to A llah’s M essenger asking for
one so th a t they w ould be able to share in th e fight against the
Byzantines. But w h en h e said:

" & fi

"...'I can find no m o u n ts for you,' they tu rn e d back w ith

th eir eyes overflow ing w ith tears o f grief th a t they could not
find anything to spend (for Jihad)." [9:92]
The M uslim s raced to give from th eir w ealth and property to
su p p o rt th is invasion. 'U thm an for instance, w ho had
prepared two h u n d red saddled cam els to travel to Ash-Sham,
presented th em all w ith tw o h u n d re d ounces (of gold) as charity.
T hen he brought one h u n d red saddled camels. He also brought a
500 The Sealed Nectar

th o u san d dinars and cast th em all into th e lap of A llah’s

M essenger sg, w ho tu rn e d th em over and said: "From this day
on nothing will harm 'U thm an regardless of w h a t h e d o es.” 111
Again and again 'U thm an 4® gave till his charity reached nine
h u n d red cam els and a h u n d red horses, besides th e m oney he
paid.

’Abdur-Rahman bin ’Awf 4®. for his part, paid tw o h u n d red

ounces of silver, w hereas Abu Bakr 4® paid all o f the w ealth he
had leaving him self w ith n o thing b u t Allah and His M essenger as
a fortune for his family. ’Um ar 4® paid h a lf his w ealth. Al-
'Abbas 4k gifted a lot of m oney. Talhah, Sa'd bin 'Ubadah and
M uham m ad bin M aslam ah 4® also gave m oney for th e w elfare of
the invasion. 'Asim bin 'Adi 4®. on his turn, offered ninety camel-
burd en s of dates. People raced to pay as little or as m uch as they
could. O ne of them gave th e only h alf kilo of dates (or th e only
kilo) he ow ned. W om en shared in this com petition by giving the
things they ow ned; such as m usk, arm lets, anklets, earrings and
rings. No one abstained from spending except th e hypocrites:

✓>' •+'.> < r > '

"Those w ho defam e such of th e believers w ho give charity

(in Allah's cause) voluntarily, and th o se w ho could not find
to give charity (in Allah's cause) except w h a t is available to
them , so they mock at them (believers)." [9:79]

The Muslim Arm y is leaving for Tabuk

Upon accom plishing th e eq u ipm ent of th e army, Allah's

M essenger ^ ordained th a t M uham m ad bin M aslam ah Al-
Ansari 4® should be appointed over M adinah - in an o th er
version Siba' bin 'U rfutah 4®- To 'Ali bin Abu Talib 4fc he
en tru sted his fam ily’s safety and affairs and ordered him to stay
w ith them . This m ove m ade th e hypocrites undervalue Ali 4®. so

[1] Jam i’ At-Tirm idhi 2/211 (The virtues of 'Uthman.)

The Invasion o f Tabuk 501

he followed Allah's M essenger and caught up w ith him .

But th e Prophet s g m ade 'Ali tu rn back to M adinah after saying:
"Would it n o t suffice you to be my successor in th e way th a t
Aaron (Harun) was to M oses?” T hen h e m oved saying: "But no
Prophet succeeds me."
On Thursday, Allah's M essenger m arched northw ards to
Tabuk. The arm y th at num bered th irty th o u sa n d fighters, w as a
great one, w h e n com pared w ith th e previous arm ies of Islam.
M uslim s had never m arched w ith such a great n u m b er before.
D espite all th e gifts of w ealth and m ounts, th e arm y w as not
perfectly equipped. The shortage of provisions and m o u n ts was so
serious th a t eighteen m en m o u n ted one cam el alternatively.
As for provisions, m em bers o f th e arm y at tim es had to eat the
leaves of trees till th eir lips got sw ollen. Some o thers had to
slaughter cam els - though they w ere so dear - so th at they could
have som e liquids; th a t is w hy th a t arm y w as called 'The arm y of
distress'.
On th eir way to Tabuk, th e arm y of Islam passed by Al-Hijr -
w hich was th e native land o f T ham ud w ho cut o u t (huge) rocks in
th e valley; th a t is Al-Qura Valley of today.
They w atered from its well b u t later Allah's M essenger ^ told
th em n o t to drink of th a t w ater, no r perform th e ablution w ith it.
The dough they m ade, h e asked th em to feed th eir cam els w ith.
He forbade th em to eat anything w hatsoever o f it. As an
alternative, he told th em to w ater from th a t well w hich Prophet
Salih's she-cam el used to w ater from.
On th e authority of Ibn 'Um ar Upon passing by Al-Hijr th e
Prophet said:

(( ij IJJ (J I I

"Do n o t e n te r th e houses of th o se w ho erred them selves

lest w h at had hap p en ed to th em w ould afflict you, b u t if
you had to do such a thing, let it be associated w ith
502 The Sealed Nectar

w eeping."
Then he raised his head up and accelerated his strides till he
passed the valley o u t."111
Shortage of w ater and th e arm y’s need to it m ade th em com plain
to Allah's M essenger about that. So he supplicated Allah, W ho
sent a cloud. It rained and so all people drank and supplied
them selves w ith their need of water.
W hen they drew near Tabuk, th e Prophet said: "If Allah wills,
tom orrow you will arrive at th e spring of Tabuk, You will not get
th ere before daytim e. So w hoever reaches it, should not touch its
water; b u t w ait till I com e." M u'adh 4® said: "W hen w e reached
the spring, it gushed forth som e w ater. We found th a t two m en
had already preceded us to it. Allah's M essenger asked them :
’Have you touched its w ater?’ They replied: ’Yes’. He said w hat
Allah inspired him to say, th e n he scooped up a little w ater of th a t
spring, a th in stream w hich gathered together, he w ashed his face
and hand w ith it and poured it back into it; consequently plenty of
w ater spouted out of it so the people could have w ater. ’M u’a d h ,’
said th e M essenger of Allah, ’if you live long life, you will see
fields full of vegetation h e re .'"121
On th e way to Tabuk, or as soon as they reached Tabuk. Allah’s
M essenger said: "Severe w ind will blow tonight, so none of
you should stand up. W hoever has a camel should tie it up." Later
on w h en th e strong w ind blew, one of th e m en stood up and the
w ind carried him away to Tai’ M o u n tain .131
All th e way along Allah's M essenger 3^ was in te n t on the
perform ance of the com bined prayers of Noon and the Afternoon;
and so did he w ith Evening and Night prayers.

The Arm y o f Islam at Tabuk

Arriving at Tabuk and cam ping there, th e M uslim arm y was ready

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/637.

[2] Sahih M uslim 2/246.
[3] Sahih M uslim 2/246.
The Invasion o f Tabuk 503

to face th e enem y. There, Allah's M essenger delivered an

eloquent speech th a t included the m ost inclusive words.
In th a t speech he urged th e M uslim s to seek th e w elfare of this
world and th e w orld to come. He w arned them and gave them
good tidings. By doing th at he encouraged th o se w ho w ere broken
in spirits, and blocked up th e gap of shortage and m ess they w ere
suffering from due to lack of supplies, food and o th er substances.
Upon learning of th e M uslim s’ m arch, th e Byzantines and their
allies w ere so terrified th at none of them dared set out to fight.
On the contrary they scattered inside th eir territory. It brought, in
itself, a good credit to th e M uslim forces w hich had gained
m ilitary reputation in the m id and rem ote lands of Arabian
Peninsula.
The great and serious political profits th a t the M uslim forces had
obtained, w ere far b etter th an th e ones they could have acquired if
the tw o arm ies had been engaged in m ilitary confrontation.
The Head of Ailah, Yahnah bin Rawbah came to Allah's
M essenger $&, m ade peace w ith him and paid him th e tribute
(.Al-Jizyah). Both the Jarba' and A dhruh peoples paid him tribute,
as well. So Allah's M essenger gave each a guarantee letter,
sim ilar to Yahnah's, stating:

"In the Nam e of Allah, th e M ost Gracious, th e M ost

Merciful.
This is a guarantee of protection from Allah, and M uham m ad the
Prophet, th e M essenger of Allah, to Yahnah bin Rawbah and the
people of Ailah; th eir ships and their caravans on land and sea
shall have th e custody of Allah and th e Prophet M uham m ad, he
and w hosoever are w ith him of th e people of Ash-Sham and those
of the sea. W hosoever contravenes th is treaty, his w ealth shall not
save him ; it shall be th e fair prize of him th a t takes it. Now it
should n ot be law ful to h in d er th e m en from any springs w hich
they have been in th e habit of frequenting, nor from any journeys
they desire to make, w h e th e r by sea or by land."
Allah's M essenger *g dispatched Khalid bin Al-Walid at the
504 The Sealed Nectar

head of four h u n d red and fifty ho rsem en to 'Ukaidir, th e Chief of

Dum atul-Jandal and said to him : "You will see him h u n tin g wild
cattle."
So w h en Khalid 4® drew w ithin sight of his castle, he saw th e wild
cattle com ing out rubbing th eir h o rn s against th e castle gate. As it
was a m oonlit night. Khalid 4® could see Ukaidir come out to h u n t
them , so he captured him - though he was surro u n d ed by his
m en - and brought him back to Allah's M essenger Jffe, w ho spared
his life and m ade peace w ith him for th e paym ent of two
th ousand camels, eight h u n d red heads of cattle, four h u n d red
coats of arm or and four h u n d red lances. He obliged him to
recognize th e duty of paying tribute and charged him w ith
collecting it from Dum at, Tabuk. Ailah and Taima'.
The tribes, w ho w ere before allies w ith the Byzantines, becam e
quite certain th a t th eir dependence on th eir form er m asters came
to an end. T herefore they tu rn e d into being supporters of the
M uslim s. The Islamic State had therefore expanded its borders to
an ex ten t th a t it touched th e Byzantines' borders. So w e see th a t
th e Byzantine agents' role was over.

Returning to Madinah
The M uslim arm y retu rn ed from Tabuk victoriously, w ith o u t
being deceived or wronged. T hat was because Allah had sufficed
them from the evils of fighting.
On the way back and at a m ountain road, tw elve hypocrites
sought th e P rophet’s life and th a t was w hile he was passing along
th a t m ountain road w ith only 'Am m ar 4® holding th e rein of his
she-camel and H udhaifah bin Al-Yaman 4® driving it, at th e tim e
th a t people had already gone dow n into th e bottom of the valley.
The hypocrites seized th a t opportunity to seek th e Prophet's life.
As Allah’s M essenger and his two C om panions w ere m oving
along, they heard th ru sts of people com ing tow ards him from
behind w ith their faces covered. H udhaifah 4®. w ho w as sen t by
th e Prophet % to see w h at was going on, saw th em and stroked
th eir m o u n ts' faces w ith a crook in his hand, and Allah cast fear
The Invasion o f Tabuk 505

into th eir hearts. They fled away and caught up w ith th eir people.

However, Allah's M essenger ^ inform ed him of th eir nam es and

intentions. So th a t was w hy H udhaifah was called th e "confidant"
of Allah’s M essenger sfe;. About th is event Allah th e Exalted says:

Hj

"And they resolved th a t (plot to m u rd er Prophet

M uham m ad j|g) w hich they w ere unable to carry o u t.”
[9:74]
W hen his headquarters, M adinah, began to appear at th e horizon,
th e Prophet said: "This is a cheerful sight. This is Uhud, w hich
is a m ountain, w e love it and it loves us." W hen th e M adinese
learnt of th eir arrival, they set o u t to m eet th e army. W omen,
youth, and sm all children cam e o u t of th e tow n to celebrate their
retu rn w holeheartedly, singing:

i_f- j ■ I 11

"The full m oon shone dow n upon us, through th e trails of

Al-Wada’ M ountain.

Thanks is d u e upon us, as long as a supplicator invokes to Allah."

The m arch of Allah’s M essenger ^ to Tabuk was in Rajab and his

retu rn in Ramadan. So w e see th a t th is Ghazwah took fifty days,
tw enty days of w hich w ere sp e n t in Tabuk and th e others on th e
way to and fro. The Tabuk Invasion was th e last one m ade by th e
Prophet

The People Who lagged behind

Due to its particular circum stances, th is invasion was a severe trial
by Allah only to try th e believers' Faith and sort th em out. This is
Allah’s p e rm a n en t Will in such circum stances. In this respect He
says:
506 The Sealed Nectar

"Allah will not leave th e believers in th e state in w hich you

are now, until He distinguishes th e wicked from th e good."
[3:179]
Lagging and hanging back from full participation in th a t invasion
am ounted to th e degree of hypocrisy. W henever Allah's
M essenger was inform ed of a m an's lingering, he w ould say:

"Leave him alone! If Allah know s him to be good He will

enable him to follow you: b u t if he w ere not so, Allah w ould
relieve us of him ."
Nobody stayed behind except those w ho w ere either hin d ered by
a serious excuse or the hypocrites w ho told lies to Allah and His
M essenger
Some of those hypocrites' lingering was due to an excuse based on
forgery and delusion. Some o thers stayed but d id n 't ask for
perm ission. But there w ere three believers w ho unjustifiably
lingered. They w ere the ones w hose Faith Allah tried, but later on
He tu rn ed to them in m ercy and accepted their repentance.
As soon as Allah's M essenger had entered M adinah, he prayed
two Rak'ah in the M osque and th en he sat to receive his people.
The hypocrites w ho w ere over eighty m e n 111 came and offered
various kinds of excuses and started swearing. The Prophet
acknowledged their excuses and invoked Allah's forgiveness for
them b u t he en tru sted th eir inner in ten tio n s and Faith to Allah.
As for th e three faithful believers - Ka'b bin Malik, M urarah bin Ar-
Rabi', and Hilal bin Umaiyah - w ho favored telling the truth,
Allah's M essenger directed his C om panions not to talk to them .
C onsequently they w ere sh u n n e d and w ere excluded from th e life
of the com m unity. Everybody tu rn e d th eir back to them . So, they
felt as if the w hole land had becom e constrained to th em in spite
of its spaciousness and they felt awkw ard and uneasy. The hard
tim es they lived and w hich lasted for over forty days, w ere m ade
severe by an order to them to abandon their wives. After fifty

[1] Fathul-Bari 8/119.

The Invasion o f Tabuk 507

days’ sh u n n in g Allah tu rn e d to th em and revealed:

i s i i j £ £ C & V f ill i ^ . t o '

t o a- ^ 6 il vi 6 t ^ t o v oi t o 'i t o
4 t o l l 66)1 y 61 Ol i t o ,

"And (He did forgive also) th e th ree (whom th e Prophet $ $

left (i.e., he did not give his judgm ent in th eir case, and their
case was su spended for Allah's Decision) till for them the
earth, vast as it is, was straitened and their ow n selves w ere
straitened to them , and they perceived th a t th ere is no
fleeing from Allah, and no refuge b u t w ith Him. Then. He
accepted th eir repentance th a t they m ight rep en t (unto
Him). Verily, Allah is th e O ne W ho accepts repentance, M ost
M erciful." [9:118]
Allah's tu rn in g to them w as a great joy for both M uslim s and the
th ree concerned. The joy o f th o se w ho stayed b eh in d was
im m ense. It was the hap p iest day in th eir lives. The good tiding
encouraged them and filled th eir h earts w ith delight. As for th o se
w ho lingered due to disability or sickness or any o th er serious
excuse, Allah th e Exalted said about them :

£ 6 6 ^ . V Jc
j c, t im / -.*

"There is no blam e on those w ho are w eak or ill or w ho find

no resources to spend [in holy w arfare {Jihad)], if they are
sincere (in duty) to Allah and His M essenger." [9:91]
W hen he approached M adinah, A llah's M essenger said;

\y\s y i i k ij j t o c i ^ t o U Z jJ l !> J»

: J li ? l> jU* j ! I J j L : ii <.«j jj<J I ^ ^

". L 6*3

"Inside M adinah, th ere are certain m en, w ho though being

left back due to serious excuses, they have, all th e tim e,
been w ith you. Lingerers as they are. they have been w ith
508 The Sealed Nectar

you w hile you w ere passing valleys or w alking along roads."

"Do you m ean th a t they have done th a t w hile they are still
in M adinah?" They w ondered. "Yes, though they are in
M adinah." The Prophet said.

The Invasion o f Tabuk and its far-reaching

Consequences
The effect of th is invasion is great as regards extending and
confirm ing th e M uslim s' influence and d om ination on th e
Arabian Peninsula. It was quite obvious to everybody th a t no
pow er b u t Islam 's w ould live long am ong th e Arabs.

The rem ainders of Jahiliyah and th e hypocrites - w ho used to

conspire steadily against th e M uslim s and w ho continuously
relied on Byzantine pow er w h en they w ere in need of su p p o rt or
help - these people lost th eir expectations and desires of ever
reclaim ing th eir influence.

Realizing th a t th ere was no way o u t and th a t they w ere to subm it

to th e fact, they gave up th eir attem pts.

From th a t tim e on, hypocrites w ere no longer treated leniently or

even gently by th e M uslim s. Allah n o t only ordered M uslim s to
treat th em severely b u t He also forbade th em to take th eir charity
or perform prayer on th eir dead, or ask Allah's forgiveness for
th em or even visit th eir graves. Allah ordered th e M uslim s to
dem olish th e m osque, w hich they verily appointed and used as a
hiding place w here they m ight practice th eir plots, conspiracy and
deceit. Some Q u r’anic Verses w ere se n t dow n disclosing them
publicly and utterly so th a t everybody in M adinah knew their
reality. The great im pact th a t this invasion produced could be
perceived by th e great n u m b e r o f deleg atio n s th a t cam e
successively to m eet A llah’s M essenger jgj;. Naturally,
d ep u tatio n s used to come to m eet him at th e end of an invasion
particularly after th e M akkah C onquest111 b u t they w ere not as

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/515-537: Zadul-Ma'ad 3/2-13; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/633. 635-637. 1/
252. 414; Fathul-Bari 8/110-126: M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul pp. 391-407.
The Invasion o f Tabuk 509

m any as these nor w ere they as freq u en t as they w ere th e n in the

w ake of th e Tabuk event. It was certainly th e greatest.

The Qur’anic Verses about the Invasion

M any a Verse of th e C hapter of Bara'ah (Taubah) handling the
event of Tabuk w ere revealed. Some Verses w ere revealed before
th e m arch, w hile others after setting o u t for Tabuk, i.e., in the
context of th e battle. Some o th er Verses w ere also revealed upon
th e P rophet’s arrival in M adinah. All of w hich covered the
incidents th a t featured this invasion: th e circum stances of the
battle, exposure of th e hypocrites, th e privileges and special rank
earm arked for th e strivers in th e cause of Allah, acceptance of the
repentance of th e tru th fu l believers w ho slackened and th o se w ho
h u n g back, etc.

Some Important Events o f that Year

D uring th is year m any events of great significance^ took place.
They were.-
1. After th e M essenger's retu rn from Tabuk, th e sw orn allegation
of infidelity111 betw een ’Uw aim ir Al-’Ajlani and his w ife took place.
2. Pelting w ith stones th e G ham idiyah w om an w ho confessed
com m itting adultery. She w as pelted w ith stones only after
w eaning h er child off h er breast milk.
3. Negus Asham ah, th e king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia), died so the
Prophet perform ed prayer in absentia for him .
4. The death of th e daughter of the Prophet Umm
K ulthum The Prophet felt extrem ely sad at h e r death.
"Had I got a th ird daughter, I w ould let you m arry her." He said to
’U thm an
5. The d eath of ’Abdullah bin Ubai Ibn Salul, th e head of

[1] In cases of an infidelity accusation th at lacks evidence, both husband and wife
swear by Allah that they are innocent and did not com m it infidelity. The
husband invokes Allah's curses on him self if he is lying and th e w om an invokes
Allah's w rath on her if she is lying.
510 The Sealed Nectar

hypocrites, after th e Prophet's retu rn from Tabuk, Allah's

M essenger asked A llah’s forgiveness for him .
He also prayed for him in spite of 'U m ar's disapproval and his
atte m p t to prevent him from doing that. Later on a Q ur'anic Verse
was revealed attesting to 'U m ar’s right view point,
 Abu Bakr 4 performs the Pilgrimage

In th e m onth D hul-Q a’dah or in Dhul-Hijjah of th e th e n in th year

of Al-Hijra, A llah’s M essenger sen t Abu Bakr 4>- as th e deputy
of Al-Hajj. to lead the M uslim s in th e pilgrimage rituals.

Soon after the d eparture of th e M uslim s, th ere came a Revelation

from Allah: th e o p e n in g passages o f C h a p te r 9 e n title d
'Repentance' (Surat Taubah or Bara'ah) in w hich ’freedom from
obligation’ is proclaim ed from Allah in regard to those idolatrous
tribes w ho had show n no respect for th e treaties w hich they had
en tered into w ith th e Prophet C om m unication of this new s
w en t in line w ith th e Arabian traditions of m aking public any
change relating to declining conventions of blood and fortunes.

’Ali bin Abi Talib 4* was d ep u ted to m ake this declaration. He

caught up w ith Abu Bakr 4~ at Al-’Arj or Dajnan. Abu Bakr 4
inquired w h e th e r the Prophet had p u t him in com m and or he
had just been se n t to m ake th e an n ouncem ent. "I have been
deputed to m ake the proclam ation only," replied ’Ali 4*- The two
C o m p an io n s th e n pro ceed ed w ith th e pilgrim age process.
Towards th e close of th e rituals, on th e day of the ritual sacrifice,
’Ali 4* stood at Al-Jamrah (a spot at w hich stones are pelted) and
read aloud to th e people th a t gathered around him and declared
quittance from covenants w ith idolaters, and giving th em four
m o n th s' respite to reconsider th eir position. As for th e other
idolaters w ith w hom th e believers had a treaty, and they had
negated n o thing of the M uslim s’ rights nor had supported anyone
against them , th e n th e term s of th e treaty w ould ru n valid until
its expiration.

Abu Bakr 4* th en se n t som e M uslim s to declare publicly th at no

disbeliever w ould after th a t year perform pilgrimage, nor w ould
anyone be allow ed to m ake th e Taw af (going round) of th e Sacred
House unclothed.
5 12 The Sealed Nectar

T hat proclam ation in fact prohibited all aspects of paganism out of

Arabia and stated quite clearly th a t th o se pre-Islam practices w ere
no longer in operation.111

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/220. 415. 2/626. 671; Zadul-Ma'ad 3/25. 26: Ibn Hisham 2/543-
546.
 A Look at the Battles

Considering th e P ro p h et’s battles, m issions, and th e battalions he

form ed and dispatched, will certainly give us and everyone a true
and clear im pression th a t the Prophet was th e greatest m ilitary
leader in th e w hole w orld as well as th e m ost righteous, th e m ost
insightful and th e m ost alert one. He was n o t a m an of superior
genius for this concern b u t he was also the M aster and the
greatest of all M essengers as far as P rophethood and Heavenly
M essage are concerned. Besides, all th e battles th a t h e fought w ere
standard in their application to th e requirem ents of strictness,
bravery, and good arrangem ents th a t fit the term s and conditions
of war.
N one of the battles he fought was lost as a consequence of
shortage of w isdom or due to any o th er technical error in arm y
m obilization or a location in a w rong strategic position. The loss of
any of his battles was not due to m isjudgm ent about occupying
the best and the m ost appropriate sites of battles, nor was it due
to a m ischoice of leaders of th e fight, for he had proved h im self to
be a peculiar sort of leader th a t differs from any of those leaders
th at our w orld had know n and experienced. Regarding th e events
of U hud and H unain, th ere w ere consequences of w eakness in
som e m ilitary elem ents in Hunain; and disobedience to orders in
Uhud. His genius was clearly show n in these two battles w h en the
M uslim s w ere defeated; for he stood fast facing th e enem y and
m anaged, by his super w isdom , to spoil th e en em y's plan as was
the case in Uhud. Similarly h e m anaged to change th e M uslim s'
defeat in H unain into a victory. In fact, such grave changes in
m ilitary scenes usually leave th e w orst im pression on th e m ilitary
leaders and persuade them to flee for th eir lives.
Through these invasions h e was also able to im pose security,
in stitu te peace, diffuse conflict and destroy th e m ilitary m ight of
the enem ies through a continuous struggle betw een Islam and
paganism.
The Prophet ^ also had deep insight and could differentiate the
514 The Sealed Nectar

faithful from the hypocrites and plotters. Great w as th e group of

m ilitary leaders trained by him through practical exam ples, w ho
fought after his death and excelled th e Persians and the
Byzantines in the battlefields of Ash-Sham and Iraq w ith respect
to w ar strategy and leading th e fight procedures. They m anaged to
drive off th e enem ies of Islam, from th eir lands and countries,
th eir gardens and springs, and their farms, They drove th em off
their honorable residence and from the grace and provisions they
ow ned and enjoyed.

Thanks to these battles. Allah's M essenger s g m anaged

accom m odation, secured land and provided chances of w ork for
all M uslim s. He solved the refugee problem s of those w ho (then)
had no houses or m oney. He equipped the arm y w ith w eapons,
horses and expenditures. He had all th a t realized w ith o u t
exercising a particle’s w eight of injustice. The Prophet *g has
altered the standards and aim s of pre-Islamic wars. Their w ar was
no m ore th an robbing, killing, plundering, tyranny and aggression-
oriented wars. Those wars focused on w inning victory, oppressing
the weak persons and dem olishing th eir houses and construc­
tions. For them , w ar was a m eans by w hich they can rape or unveil
w om en, practice cruelty against the w eak elders, children and the
babies, and spoil tillage and anim als, and spread corruption on the
earth. Islamic wars are different from pre-Islamic wars. A "war" in
Islam is a Jihad. That is to say it is a noble sacred fight in th e way
of Allah for the verification of a M uslim society th at seeks to free
m an from cruelty, oppression and aggression. It is a society th at
everyone everyw here and at all tim es should be proud of. Pre-
Islamic thoughts and traditions of th e Jahiliyah period have been
tu rn ed upside dow n by Islam. These w ere so hard upon th e weak
persons th a t they had to invoke Allah to enable th em to get away
from th at pre-Islamic environm ent by saying:

LJj Tjj-d 0 l^JUl II2J I 4jjji] I cj-A • 0>-

llj 1J

"O ur Lord, rescue us from this tow n w hose people are

A Look at the Battles 515

oppressors, and raise for us from You one w ho will protect,

and raise for us from You one w ho will help."
A m an of power, in Islam, is a w eak person u n til th e right of the
poor is taken from him . War in Islam is a Jihad for th e purification
of the land of Allah from deception, treachery, sinful deeds and
aggression. It is a sacred w ar th a t aim s at spreading security,
safety, m ercy and com passion as well as observation of rights and
fairness. Allah's M essenger issued honorable and strict rules
about w ar and ordered his soldiers and leaders to obey them , They
w ere forbidden from breaking th o se rules u n d e r any circum ­
stances. In reference to Sulaim an bin B uraidah's version, w ho said
th a t his father had told him th a t w henever A llah’s M essenger ^
appointed a leader on an arm y or on a battalion, he used to
recom m end him to fear Allah th e Great and All-Mighty; and to be
good w ith all M uslim s w ho w ere w ith him . T hen th e Prophet %
w ould say to him:

t L jk S IIS t I 1 4x11 L
K. . I j J j Ij XJLj 'J j i IjJlLoJ j i \j j Jlaj jj I

"Let your invasion be in th e Nam e of Allah and for His sake.

Fight those w ho disbelieve in Allah, Invade b u t do not
plu n d er nor conceal booty. Never deform th e corpse of a
dead person or kill an in fant child."
Allah's M essenger 3§t asked people to facilitate b u t he forbade
them to bear dow n hard on o thers or constrain. "Pacify," he said,
"and do n o t p u n ish ." 111 W hen it hap p en ed th a t h e arrived at the
battlefield by night, he w ould never invade th e enem y till it was
m orning. He utterly forbade b u rning (i.e., torturing people) in fire,
killing children and w om en or even beating them . He also forbade
th eft and robbery and proceeded so far as to say gains acquired
through plundering are n o t less forbidden th an th e flesh of a
corpse. C orruption of tillage, killing of th e anim als and cutting
dow n of trees w ere all forbidden unless they w ere badly needed

[1] Sahih M uslim 2/&2. 83.

516 The Sealed Nectar

and th ere was no o th er substitute. He said:

<<1^1 t \ * -~ l 'd j <• j 11

#•
"Do n o t kill a w ounded person nor run after a fleeing one or
kill a captive."
He decreed th a t envoys cannot be killed. He also strictly
prohibited th e killing of th o se w ho m ade covenants. He even said:

0j~ ~ A ^ jA L ^ _ > c jj o j j Aj>d>\ J ^ _ y ^ jA ^

K . . La I p 1

"W hoever kills one w ho is u n d er pledge to a covenant, shall

n o t sm ell Paradise, though its sm ell could be experienced at
a forty-year distance from it."
T here w ere som e other noble rules also w hich purified w ars from
their Jahiliyah (pre-Islamic) filthiness and tu rn e d th em into sacred
w ars.111

[1] Zadul-Ma’ad 2/64-68 and At-Tabarani in Al-Kabir 1/123. 187.

 Multitudes embrace the Religion of
Allah

The invasion and th e conquest of M akkah w as - as w e have

already stated - a decisive battle th a t utterly destroyed paganism .
The Arabs as a resu lt o f th a t battle w ere able to differentiate the
tru th from falsehood. D elusion no longer existed in th eir life. So
they raced to em brace Islam.

’Amr bin Salam ah said: "We w ere a t a w ater (spring) near a

passage used by people. So w h e n cam el riders passed by us, we
used to ask them : 'W hat is th e m atter w ith people? W hat is this
m an (i.e., th e Prophet 0 ) like?’ They w ould say: 'He claims th at
Allah has revealed such and su ch .’ I used to m em orize those
w ords as if they had been recited w ith in my chest. The Arabs used
to leave th eir Islam ization up to th e conquest. They w ould say:
'Leave him alone to face his people. If he w ere a tru th fu l Prophet,
he w ould overcom e th e m .’ So w h e n th e conquest took place,
peoples h asten ed to declare th eir Islam. My father was the
quickest of all my people to em brace Islam. Arriving at his people
he said: 'By Allah, I have ju st been w ith th e Prophet And he
said: Perform so-and-so prayer at such a tim e, and so-and-so prayer
at such and such tim e. W hen th e prayer tim e is due let one of you
call for th e prayer and ap p o in t th e m ost learned of th e O u r’an
am ong you to be an Im am (leader) of y o u rs.'"111

This Prophetic tradition m anifests th e great effect of th e conquest

of M akkah on th e phase of events. It certainly show s the
influence of th e conquest of M akkah upon th e strengthening of
Islam as well as on th e Arabs’ stand and th eir su rren d er to Islam.
That influence was absolutely confirm ed and deeply rooted after
th e invasion of Tabuk.

A clear and obvious evidence of th a t influence could be deduced

from th e great n u m b er of delegations arriving in M adinah

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/615. 616.

518 The Sealed Nectar

successively in th e n in th and te n th years of Al-Hijra.

The im m ense crowds of people w ho raced to em brace the religion
of Allah and th e great arm y w hich included ten th o u san d fighters
in th e invasion of th e conquest of M akkah had grown large
enough to include thirty th o u san d fighters sharing in th e invasion
of Tabuk.
It was only in less th an a year after th e conquest of M akkah th at
this grow th in Islamic arm y had taken place. A h u n d red th o u san d
or a h u n d red and forty-four th o u san d M uslim pilgrim s shared in
Hajjatul-Wada' (i.e., Farewell Pilgrimage); it was such an enorm ous
n um ber of M uslim s surging - as an ocean of m en - around Allah's
M essenger th at the horizon echoed their voices and the
expanses of land shook w hereby w hile saying Labbaik (i.e., Lord,
here w e are w orshipping), glorifying and m agnifying Allah, and
thanking Him.
 The Delegations

The num ber of delegations listed by th e com pilers of the

P rophet’s battles was over seventy. Detailed description of such
a large num ber is n ot possible; besides stating th em in detail is
n ot of a great benefit. Therefore, I am going to m ention and
elaborate upon w h at is of historical significance or interest. The
reader should always keep in m ind th a t w hile th e m ajority of the
tribes arrived in M adinah after th e Conquest, th ere w ere also pre­
conquest delegations.
1. The Delegation of 'Abdul-Qais: This tribe had two arrivals. The
first was in th e fifth year of Al-Hijra or before th a t date. M unqidh
bin Hibban, a m em ber of th a t tribe, used to trade in M adinah. So.
as soon as he heard of Islam w h en he had arrived in M adinah for
trading - th at was after th e m igration - he em braced Islam and
carried a pledge from th e Prophet s g to his people w ho eventually
becam e M uslim s too. T hirteen or fourteen of them came to the
Prophet in one of th e Sacred M onths. It was th en th at they
asked th e Prophet's advice about the Faith and drinks. Their chief
was Al-Ashaj Al-'Asari. to w hom Allah's M essenger said: "You
have two qualities th a t Allah likes: farsightedness and tolerance."
Their second arrival was in th e Year of Delegations. They w ere
forty m en. Al-Jarud bin Al-’Ala’ Al-’Abdi. w ho was C hristian but
tu rn e d to be a good M uslim , was one of th at group.111
2. Daws Delegation: The arrival of this tribe was in th e early tim es
of th e seventh year and th a t was w h e n Allah's M essenger was
in Khaibar. At-Tufail bin 'Amr Ad-Dawsi 4® had becom e a M uslim
w h en Allah's M essenger w as in M akkah. He w e n t back hom e
to his people w here he continued calling people to Islam b u t they
delayed till he despaired of th em and retu rn ed to Allah's
M essenger and asked him to invoke Allah against Daws, b u t
Allah's M essenger s g invoked Allah to guide Daws. Later on. Daws
em braced Islam. So At-Tufail arrived in M adinah accom panied by

[1] Explanation of Sahih M uslim by An-Nawawi. 1/33: Fathul-Bari 8/85. 86.

520 The Sealed Nectar

seventy or eighty fam ilies of his people in th e early tim es of the

seventh year of Al-Hijra, at th e tim e th a t Allah's M essenger was
at Khaibar, so he caught up to him there.

3. Farwah Bani 'Amr Al-Judhami’s messenger: Farwah 4& was an

Arab leader in th e Byzantine army. He w as a Byzantine agent ruler
by proxy over the Arabs allied to the Byzantines. His center was at
M a'an and his rulership extended to th e surrounding areas in the
lands of Ash-Sham. Seeing th e stam ina and courage of the
M uslims, he becam e a M uslim . The battle of M u'tah - w hich took
place in the eighth year of Al-Hijra - com pelled his adm iration. He
sen t a w hite m ule as a gift w ith a m essenger of his to Allah's
M essenger to inform him of his conversion into Islam. W hen
the Byzantines learned th a t he em braced Islam, they sent him to
prison. At first they gave him an opportunity to choose one of the
two - "either he tu rn s back from Islam or death shall be his
p u n ish m e n t,” After his refusal they crucified him and beheaded
him at a spring called ’Afra' in Palestine.111

4. The Suda’ Delegation: The arrival of this delegation was after

the departure of Allah’s M essenger s g from Al-Ji'ranah in the
eighth year of Al-Hijra. It was because Allah's M essenger had
already dispatched a m ission of four h u n d red M uslim s and asked
them to go to Suda'. Suda' was a spring in Yemen. W hile the
m ission was cam ping th ere at the starting point of a canal, Ziyad
bin Al-Harith As-Suda'i learned of their stay, so he came to Allah's
M essenger % and said: "I have come to you as a deputy of my
people, so tell your arm y to go back and I give a guarantee on
behalf of my people." The arm y was se n t away from th e canal. In
his tu rn As-Suda'i w en t back, encouraged and urged his people to
come and m eet Allah's M essenger Eventually fifteen of them
came and pledged allegiance to him as true M uslim s. Returning
hom e, they in th eir tu rn urged th e rest to becom e M uslim s. Thus
Islam spread am ong them . Later on, a h u n d red m en joined Allah's
M essenger % in Hajjatul-Wada' (Farewell Pilgrimage.)

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 3/45-

The Delegations 521

5. The arrival o f Ka'b bin Zuhair bin Abi Sulma: Ka'b w ho was a
m em ber of a family of poets, was considered one of th e best poets
am ong th e Arabs. He used to satirize th e Prophet ^ w h en he was
not a M uslim . In th e eighth year o f Al-Hijra and a t th e tim e th at
Allah's M essenger had already gone back from th e Ta’if
invasion, Bujair bin Zuhair w rote a letter to his b ro th er Ka'b
w arning and advising him : "Allah’s M essenger killed som e
m en in M akkah w ho used to satirize and harm him , and th e poets
w ho survived fled in all directions for th eir lives. So, if you w ant
to save your skin, h asten to Allah’s M essenger jjjg;. He never kills
those w ho com e to him repenting. If you refuse to do as I say, it is
up to you to try to save your skin by any m eans." The two
brothers corresponded w ith one a n o th e r for a long tim e u ntil Ka'b
felt aw kw ard as if th e earth had restricted around him . Arriving in
M adinah, he stayed at a m an 's house from Juhainah as a guest.
They perform ed th e M orning prayer together; b u t w h e n he was
about to leave, th e m an suggested th a t he go to Allah's
M essenger He w e n t there, sat by him , p u t his han d in his.
Allah's M essenger w ho had never seen Ka'b before, did not
recognize him . Ka'b th en said: "O M essenger of Allah! Ka’b bin
Zuhair has come to you as a rep e n tan t M uslim ; will he be secure
and forgiven if I fetch him ?" Allah's M essenger said, "Yes." "I
am Ka’b bin Zuhair," he said. Upon hearing that, one of the
H elpers rose to his feet and asked th e M essenger to let him cut
his throat. "Leave him alone!" said th e Prophet "he has
becom e a rep e n tan t M uslim after his disposal of th e past." Ka'b
th en recited his well-know n poem "Su'ad ..." in w hich he praised
th e Prophet # |, thanked him and apologized for th e w rongs he
had done. He acknow ledged M u h am m ad ’s m ission. Both Emi­
grants and Helpers w ere spoken of in this poem b u t differently.
He praised th e Em igrants b u t criticized th e Helpers, for one of
them dem anded th e P ro p h et’s perm ission to kill him . Later on
Ka'b tried to com pensate for th at by praising th e Helpers in
an o th er poem.

6. The 'Udhrah Delegation: This delegation, w hich consisted of

tw elve m en, arrived in M adinah in Safar, th e n in th year of Al-
522 The Sealed Nectar

Hijra. O ne of th em was Ham zah bin An-Nu'm an 4fc. W hen they

w ere asked w ho they were, they said: "We are Bani ’U dhrah, the
foster brothers of O usai to his m other. We are the ones w ho
supported Qusai, and rem oved K huza'ah and Bani Bakr from the
bosom of M akkah. We are a people of relatives and k in .” So
Allah's M essenger w elcom ed them and gave good tidings to
them , w hich was th e conquest of Ash-Sham; b u t he, on th e other
hand, forbade them from consulting a soothsayer and from eating
th e slain anim als they slaughtered. Eventually they becam e
M uslim s, stayed th ere for several days and th en left.
7. The Bali Delegation: Their arrival was in Rabi'ul-Awwal, the
n in th year of Al-Hijra. They em braced Islam, stayed in M adinah
for th ree days. Their chief Abu Ad-Dubaib w ondered w h eth er
hospitality was rew arded by Allah. Allah's M essenger ste said;
tc ' ^ at ' ' O' s . * o' ^ ^ o s'.
((A i j I j*-* J C /*-*-> W

"Yes, and so is any charity you offer to poor or rich people as

Sadaqah."
He also inquired about th e tim e allotted to hospitality. "Three
days,” said he. "W hat about th e stray ew e?” The Prophet said;
"It is either yours or your b rother's; otherw ise it goes to th e w olf."
He inquired about th e stray camel. "It is none of your business.
Leave it alone until its ow ner finds it."
8. The Thaqif Delegation: Their arrival was in Ramadan, th e n in th
year of Al-Hijra, after th e retu rn of Allah's M essenger ^ from
Tabuk. As to how they becam e M uslim s, this could be deduced
from the following:
Their chief 'Urw ah bin M as'ud Ath-Thaqafi came to see Allah's
M essenger jfc after the latter's retu rn from At-Ta'if in Dhul-
Q a'dah of the year 8 A.H. 'Urwah becam e a M uslim . He tho u g h t
th a t w h en he will tell his people about Islam and call th em to
em brace it, they w ould do so, because he had always been an
obeyed leader. He was even m ore beloved to them th an their own
firstborn. But contrary to that, w h en he called th em to Islam they
sh o t at w ith arrow s from every direction and killed him . They
The Delegations 523

rem ained as they w ere for m o n th s before they started discussing

th e situation again am ong them selves. U pon realizing th a t they
w ere incapable of fighting th e neighboring Arabs w ho had paid
allegiance to th e Prophet % and converted to Islam, they m ade up
th eir m ind to dispatch a m an to A llah’s M essenger £g„ They
concluded th at 'Abd Yalil bin 'Amr w ould be th e right m essenger.
'Abd refused to do such a thing lest they should kill him as they
had killed 'Urw ah "I will not do such a thing unless you send
som e o ther m en w ith m e,” said 'Abd. So, they se n t two m en of
their allies and th ree others from Bani Malik. The six of them
included 'U thm an bin Abul-'As Ath-Thaqafi w ho was th e youngest.
W hen they entered into th e P rophet's audience, a te n t was erected
in a corner of the M osque so th a t they m ight listen to th e Q ur'an
and see th e people in prayer. D uring th eir stay, they came again
and again to th e Prophet j g w ho kept on calling th em to em brace
Islam, until th eir chief asked Allah's M essenger to e n te r into a
peace treaty betw een him and Thaqif by m eans of w hich he w ould
allow th em to com m it fornication, drin k w ine and deal w ith
usury. They also asked him n o t to injure th eir idol Al-Lat or to
oblige th em to perform the prayer. Finally they insisted th a t they
w ould n o t knock dow n th e idols them selv es. But A llah’s
M essenger tu rn ed dow n all th eir requests. They w e n t aside
to council. Realizing th a t th ere w ere no other alternatives, they
subm itted and professed Islam. The only condition th a t they
insisted on was th at th e dem olition of Al-Lat should be dealt w ith
and han d led by Allah's M essenger ^ w hereas Thaqif should in
no way knock it dow n them selves. Allah's M essenger jgjj agreed
and took a pledge from them .
Being the m ost attentive and th e keen est to u n d erstan d Islam and
learn Q ur'an, 'U thm an bin Abul-'As 4® was appointed by Allah's
M essenger sjfe as th e chief of his people. His k eenness to learn the
Q ur'an and u n d erstan d Islam w as clearly ap p aren t through his
behavior during th eir stay.
Everyday m orning, th e group of delegates used to go and see
Allah's M essenger Being th e youngest one, 'U thm an bin Abul-
524 The Sealed Nectar

'As 4® was left behind to w atch th eir camels and belongings. At

noon w h en they cam e back and slept, 'U thm an used to go to
Allah's M essenger ^ in order to learn th e Q ur'an and inquire
about religious m atters. If it hap p en ed th at Allah's M essenger 0 ,
was asleep, he w ould th e n go to Abu Bakr 4® for th e sam e
purpose. W ith th e passage of tim e, he tu rn e d o u t to be a source of
blessing to his people. Later, during th e Apostasy Wars (Ar-Riddah)
w h en Thaqif w ere determ in ed to apostatize, he addressed them
saying: "O people of Thaqif! You have been the latest at em bracing
Islam, so do not be th e first to apostatize.” C onsequently they
gave up apostasy and rem ained adhered to Islam.
The group of delegates retu rn ed hom e b u t they w ere determ ined
to conceal th e tru th for a w hile. They told th eir people to expect a
fight at any m om ent. They preten d ed to be grieved and depressed.
They claimed th a t Allah’s M essenger dem anded th at they
should em brace Islam and abandon adultery, drinking w ine and
dealing w ith usury and som e o th er things, or else he w ould fight
them . Seized by th e arrogance and th e zeal of Al-Jahiliyah (pre-
Islamic traditions), Thaqif rem ained for days in te n t on fighting.
Then Allah cast terror and depression in th eir h earts in such a way
th a t they gave up th e idea of fighting and th o u g h t th a t the
delegation should go back to th e Prophet and announce their
approval. It w as th e n th a t th e group of delegates told th em the
tru th and revealed th e item s of th eir peace-talk w ith the
Prophet §&, consequently th e people of Thaqif em braced Islam.
Allah's M essenger sjte se n t som e m en to destroy th e idol called Al-
Lat under th e com m and of Khalid bin Al-Walid 4®- Al-Mughirah
bin Shu'bah 4». stood to his feet, held th e hoe and th e ax and said
to his com panions: "By Allah, I will m ake you laugh at Thaqif." He
struck Al-Lat w ith them , and preten d ed to fall dow n w hile doing
so. The people of Thaqif w ere frightened at th a t sight and said:
"May Allah dism ay Al-Mughirah. The goddess has killed him ."
Hearing th a t Al-Mughirah 4® jum ped up to his feet and said: "May
Allah bring sham e on you. Al-Lat is n o thing b u t a m ass of dirt and
sto n e s.” Then he struck th e door and broke it. He m ounted its
highest wall, and so did th e o ther m en. They knocked Al-Lat dow n
The Delegations 525

till they levelled it to th e ground. T hen they dug up its foundation

and brought o ut its jewels and garm ents, to th e great a sto n ish ­
m en t of Thaqif. Khalid bin Al-Walid 4® and his group cam e back to
Allah’s M essenger carrying Al-Lat’s jewels and garm ents.
A llah’s M essenger % d istributed th em and than k ed Allah for
helping his Prophet and solidifying his religion.111

9. The Message o f the Yemeni Kings: After th e retu rn of A llah’s

M essenger jjjg from Tabuk, a m essage came to him from th e kings
of Himyar, Al-Harith bin 'Abd Kilal, N u ’aim bin 'Abd Kilal and An-
N u’m an bin Qeel w ho was th e ruler of Dhi Ra'in, H am dan and
M u'afir. T heir m essenger was M alik bin M urrah Ar-Rahawi. They
sen t him in order to inform th e Prophet ^ about their em bracing
Islam and th eir parting w ith polytheism . In reply to th eir message,
Allah’s M essenger % stated th e rights and responsibilities o f the
believers, gave th em th e prom ise of Allah and th e prom ise of His
M essenger for those entering covenants provided they paid the
tribute. He se n t to th em som e of his C om panions u n d e r the
com m and of M u ’adh bin Jabal 4®•

10. The Hamdan Delegation: The arrival of this delegation was in

th e n in th year of Al-Hijra after th e M essenger's retu rn from
Tabuk. So, Allah’s M essenger gave th em a pledge to guarantee
th e fulfillm ent of th eir dem ands. He appointed M alik bin An-
N am t 4® as chief over those of his people w ho em braced Islam.
Khalid bin Al-Walid 4 ® was se n t w ith th e purpose of calling the
rest of th em to Islam. He stayed w ith th em for six m o n th s calling
them to Islam b u t no one responded to his call. Later on ’Ali bin
Abi Talib 4 ® was dispatched th ere and Khalid 4 ® was ordered to
come back. Upon arriving at H am dan, ’Ali 4® com m unicated to
th em a m essage from Allah’s M essenger and called them to
Islam. They responded to th e call and becam e M uslim s. ’Ali 4*
w rote to Allah's M essenger % inform ing him of th e good news.
Allah's M essenger ^ was briefed on th e c o n ten t of th a t letter, so
he prostrated, th en raised his head up and said: "Peace be upon

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 3/26-28. Ibn Hisham 3/537-542.

526 The Sealed Nectar

H am dan. Peace be upon H am dan."

11. The Delegation of Bani Fazarah: Upon th e M essenger's retu rn
from Tabuk. th e delegation of Bani Fazarah came to see him . That
was in the n in th year of Al-Hijra. The group of delegates was over
ten m en. They came in order to profess Islam and com plain about
th e drought of th eir region. Allah's M essenger ascended the
pulpit, lifted his h ands up and im plored Allah to send rain to
them and said:

i ' iij_L j
jjr k kL * _ k Lai i L*j jA lij y * k liJ w k ILL!* I ^ gi ll

Nj ki jIJU- LsJu V k U > j L i i jJt- Loll k

c- kC~^Jl IcLM > g111 k Nj ij y Nj k»jl*
((UuiSfl

"O Allah, let rain fall dow n and w ater Your country and
anim als, and spread Your mercy and bring to life the dead
lands. O Allah, send rain th a t w ould be saving, com forting,
and sprouting grass, and overw helm ing vast areas sooner
and n ot later. Let it be useful rain and not harm ful. O Allah,
let it be rain of m ercy and n o t rain of to rtu re and
chastisem ent. Let th at rain n o t be destructive nor cause
floods. O Allah, send us dow n w ater and help to fight the
en em ies."t' 1
12. The Najran Delegation: Najran is rather a big area of land. It
was at a considerable distance so u th of M akkah tow ards Yemen. It
included seventy th ree villages. It took a fast-rider one day ride to
cover, the area.121 Its m ilitary forces consisted of a h u n d red
th o u san d fighters.
Their arrival was in th e year 9 A.H. The delegation com prised sixty
m en. Tw enty-four of them w ere of noble fam ilies. Three o u t of
tw enty-four w ere leaders of Najran. ’Abdul-M aseeh was Al-'Aqib,

[1] Zadul-Ma’ad 3/48.

[2] Fathul-Bari S/94.
The Delegations 527

i.e., w ho was in charge of adm inistration and governm ent affairs.

The second was As-Saiyid (the M aster) u n d e r w hose supervision
w ere th e cultural and political affairs; his nam e was Al-Aiham or
Shurahbil. Abu H arithah bin 'Alqamah was th e third. He was a
bishop to w hom all religious presidency and spiritual leadership
belonged.
W hen th a t group of delegates arrived in M adinah, they m et the
Prophet and exchanged inquiries w ith him ; b u t w h en he
called th em to Islam and recited th e Q u ra n to them , they refused.
They asked him w h at he th o u g h t about 'Isa (i.e., Jesus), he ^
delayed a w hole day till th e following Q u ra n ic reply w as revealed
to him:

"Verily, the likeness of Jesus before Allah is the likeness of

Adam. He created him from dust, th e n (He) said to him : 'Be!'
- and he was. (This is) th e tru th from your Lord, so be n ot of
th o se w ho doubt. T hen w h o e v e r d isp u te s w ith you
concerning him (Jesus) after (all this) know ledge th a t has
come to you, (i.e., Jesus being a slave of Allah, and having no
share in Divinity) say (O M uham m ad *g): 'Come, let us call
our sons and your sons, our w om en and your w om en,
ourselves and yourselves - th e n we pray and invoke
(sincerely) th e curse of Allah upon th o se w ho lie ,'’ [3:59-61]
W hen it was m orning, Allah's M essenger told th em about 'Isa
(Jesus) in th e light of th e recently revealed Verses, He left th em a
w hole day to consult and th in k it over. The next day, they still
show ed disapproval to adm it Allah's W ords about 'Isa & or to
em brace Islam, th e Prophet suggested Al-Mubahalah. T hat is, for
each party to supplicate and beg Allah to send His curse upon
those w ho w ere telling lies. After th a t suggestion of his, the
Prophet came forw ard w rapping Al-Hasan and Al-Husain
528 The Sealed Nectar

u n d er his garm ent w hereas Fatim ah was w alking behind him .

Seeing th a t the Prophet sfe was serious and prepared to face them
firmly, they w e n t aside and started consulting. Al-'Aqib and As-
Saiyid said to each other: "We shall n o t supplicate. For. 1 swear by
Allah, if he is really a Prophet and exchanges curses w ith us, we
will never prosper nor our descendants. C onsequently neith er us
nor our anim als will survive it." Finally, they decided to leave the
m atter to th e decision of Allah's M essenger about their cause.
They came to him and said: "We agree to w h at you dem and from
us." Allah's M essenger % th e n ordered th em to pay Al-Jizyah (i.e.,
tribute) and he m ade agreem ent w ith th em for th e provision of
tw o thousand garm ents, one th o u san d of th em to be delivered in
Rajab. the o ther th o u san d in Safar. W ith every garm ent they had
to pay an ounce (of gold). In retu rn they had th e covenant of Allah
and His M essenger He gave them perm ission to practice their
religious affairs freely. They asked the Prophet to ap p o in t a
trustw orthy m an to receive th e m oney, so he sen t them the
trustw orthy m an of this nation, Abu 'Ubaidah bin Al-Jarrah 4®, to
receive the w ealth.

After th a t Islam started to spread in Najran, naturally, they did not

have to pay Al-Jizyah th at non-M uslim s usually paid. It was said
th a t Al-Aqib and As-Saiyid em braced Islam soon after they reached
Najran on their journey back hom e. It is also said th at the
Prophet sent 'Ali 4® to th em for th e collection of charities and
trib u te.1' 1

13. The Bani Hanifah Delegation: They arrived in M adinah in the

n in th year of Hijra. They w ere 17 in num ber and included the
M aster of Liars, M usailim ah bin Thum am ah bin Kabeer bin Habib
bin Al-Harith of Bani H anifah.121 The group of delegates w ere
housed in a H elper’s hom e. They came to th e Prophet and
declared th eir Islam ization. As for M usailim ah th e Liar, versions
vary concerning his em bracing Islam. O bservation of all the

[1] Fathul-Bari 8/94. 95: Zadul-Ma'ad 3/38-40.

[2] Fathul-Bari 8/87.
The Delegations 529

versions show s clearly th a t M usailim ah expressed disapproval

and revealed arrogance, boastful spirit and expectations to be a
prince.

At first th e Prophet % tried to deal well w ith him . He dealt w ith

him charitably b u t th a t did n o t w ork w ith him . Allah's
M essenger ^ perceived evil in his soul and recognized th a t he
w as one of those two evils he dream t of w hile asleep.

The Prophet % had a dream th a t he had been granted the

treasures of earth. Two golden bracelets fell upon his hand, w hich
distressed and w orried him a lot. He was taught by inspiration to
blow them off, so he did th a t and they w ere gone. They w ere
in terp reted to be two liars w ho w ould tu rn up after him . So, w hen
M usailim ah acted th a t way and show ed disapproval, he realized
th a t he w ould be one of th e tw o liars. However, M usailim ah used
to say: "If M uham m ad appointed m e a successor of his, I w ould be
a M uslim .” Later on Allah's M essenger came to him , w ith a
piece of palm leaf in his hand, and in th e com pany of his orator,
Thabit bin Oais bin Sham m as <&>. He was am ong som e o f his
friends. The Prophet ^ talked to him b u t M usailim ah addressed
him saying: "If you agree to tran sfer th e w hole thing to m e after
your death, I will not stand in your w ay.” Allah's M essenger
replied: "If you asked m e to give you this (i.e., a piece of a palm
leaf), I w ould not grant it to you. Your fate has been w ritten down.
Even if you repented and stopped w h at you are doing, Allah
appointed th a t you w ould be slain. By Allah, I swear, th a t I see you
now in th e very state th at has been revealed to me. Here is Thabit!
You will hear my answ er (from him )." T hen he w e n t away.111

Finally, the Prophet's predictions of M usailim ah came true: for

w h en M usailim ah retu rn ed to Yamamah, he kept on thinking
about th e Prophet and how h e w ould be his partner. His
dream s and thoughts w en t so far as to claim th a t he h im self was a
prophet. To confirm his prophecy, he started uttering rhym ed
statem ents. He said th a t it was law ful to drink w ine and com m it

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/627. 628; Fathul-Bari 8/87-93.

530 The Sealed Nectar

adultery. He, however, bore w itness th a t Allah's M essenger sfe;

was a real Prophet. His people, w ho w ere fascinated by w h at he
allowed them to do, followed him and m ade bargains w ith him .
He grew so pro m in en t am ong them th at they called him the
beneficent of Al-Yamamah. He w rote to Allah's M essenger sg;
saying: "I have been appointed an associate w ith you, so I will
have a half and O uraish will have the o th er half of th e people's
affairs." The reply of Allah's M essenger was a letter saying
that:

"Verily, th e earth is Allah's. He gives it as a heritage to

w hom He wills of His servants, and th e (blessed) end is for
th e M uttaqun (pious)." [7:128]111
Ibn M as'ud 4& said: W hen the tw o m essengers of M usailim ah -
Ibn An-Nawahah and Ibn U thal - came to Allah's M essenger
he asked them : "Do you bear w itness th at I am the M essenger of
Allah?" Their reply was: "We testify th a t M usailim ah is the
m essenger of Allah." "I believe in Allah and in His M essenger,"
said th e Prophet jg , "If I had ever th o u g h t of killing a m essenger I
w ould have killed you b o th ," 121
M usailim ah's claim to prophethood was in th e te n th year of Al-
Hijra. But he was killed in th e Yamamah w ar during the era of Abu
Bakr As-Siddiq 4®. in Rabi'ul-Awwal, in th e tw elfth year of Al-Hijra.
He was killed by W ahshi, th e one w ho killed Ham zah 4®. The
second person w ho claim ed to be a p ro p h et was Al-Aswad Al-’Ansi
w ho was in Yemen. He was killed by Fairuz. His head was cut off a
day and a night before the Prophet's death. So w h en the
Revelation came, he inform ed the C om panions of th e news. Later
th e new s from Yemen reached Abu Bakr 4^ about his d e a th .131
14. The Delegation o f Bani 'Amir bin Sa’sa’ah: Among th e group
of delegates w ere 'Amir bin At-Tufail - th e enem y of Allah, Arbid

III Zadul-Ma'ad 3/31. 32.

[2] Mishkatul-Masabih 2/347.
[3] Fathul-Bari 8/93.
The Delegations 531

bin Qais - Labid's m aternal brother, Khalid bin Ja'far and Jabbar
bin Sulma. All of th em w ere th e leaders and satans of th eir people.
'Amir was th e one w ho double-crossed th e group at the M a'unah
Well. W hen this delegation m ade th eir m ind to come to M adinah,
'Amir and Arbid conspired to kill the Prophet sg. So w h en the
group of delegates arrived, 'Amir kep t on talking to th e Prophet ^
w hereas Arbid tu rn e d aside trying to draw his sword. He m anaged
to draw his sword slightly w h e n Allah froze his h an d so th at he
was unable to w ithdraw it. Allah protected th e Prophet The
Prophet invoked Allah against them . So, w h e n they returned,
Allah se n t dow n a th u n d erb o lt u n to Arbid and his camel and he
was b u rn t. As for 'Amir he w e n t to th e hom e of a w om an from
Bani Salul w ith a sore gland. He eventually died w hile he was
saying: "W hat am I like? I have a gland sim ilar to a cam el's. And
here I am dying in th e h ouse of th e w om an from Bani Salul."
In Sahih Al-Bukhari, it is narrated th at ’Amir came to the
Prophet and said: "I grant you an o p p ortunity to choose one of
th e three: you will have th e flat land people and I will have
tow nspeople; or I will succeed you; otherw ise. I will invade you
w ith G hatfan people and tw o th o u sa n d horses." But, later he got
th e plague in a w om an's house. So h e said: "What! I have a gland
sim ilar to a cam el’s, and here I am in a w o m an 's h o u se of so-and-
so people. Fetch m e my m are!” He m o u n ted it b u t died on its
back.
15. The Tujeeb Delegation: They cam e to M adinah carrying the
surplus of charities (Sadaqat) of th eir people. T hat is to say the
extra charities they had after they had d istributed th e poor-due.
They w ere th irte e n m en. They asked about th e Q u r'an and
Sunnah (the P rophet's saying, deeds and sanctions) so th a t they
m ight learn them . They d em anded things from Allah's
M essenger ^ to w hich he gave th em pledges. They did not stay
long; so w h e n Allah's M essenger acknow ledged th eir dem ands
and allowed th em to depart, they se n t him a boy w hom they had
left w ith th eir property. The young m an said to th e Prophet 0 /.
"By Allah, I swear, I have left my hom e (for M adinah) w ith no
purpose th an th a t you invoke Allah th e Great and All-Mighty for
532 The Sealed Nectar

m e to forgive m e and have m ercy on m e and to m ake my h eart a

source of co n ten t and sufficiency.” Allah's M essenger
supplicated Allah to grant him w h at he dem anded.
From th a t tim e on, he w as th e m ost co n ten t person. D uring the
Apostasy Wars, he stood fast as a M uslim and w arned his people
and rem inded them of Allah and w e n t on preaching until they
stood fast and did not apostatize. The group of delegates m et the
Prophet s g again in th e Farewell Pilgrimage in th e te n th year of
Al-Hijra.
16. The Tai’ Delegation: Among this group of delegates was Zaid
Al-Khail *&>. They talked to th e Prophet w ho urged th em to
em brace Islam. They agreed and becam e good M uslim s. About
Zaid, A llah’s M essenger said: "The Arabs are never exact at
estim ating people. They have never told m e about th e virtues of a
m an correctly; for w h en I see th e m an concerned I realize th a t
they have overestim ated him except Zaid Al-Khail, w h en 1 m et
him I knew th at they had u nderestim ated h im .” Then he nam ed
him 'Zaid Al-Khair’ (i.e., Zaid, the bounteous).
The delegations arrived successively in M adinah during th e n in th
and te n th years of Al-Hijra. Some of th e delegations w ere Yemeni,
Al-Azd; Bani Sa'd H udhaim from Q u d a’ah, Bani 'Amir bin Qais;
Bani Asad, Bahra', Khaulan, M uharib, Bani Al-Harith bin Ka'b,
Ghamid, Bani Al-Muntafiq, Salaman, Bani 'Abs. M uzainah, M urad,
Zabid, Kindah, Dhi M urrah, Ghassan, Bani 'Aish, and Nakh' w hich
w ere the last group of delegates. N akh' Delegation com prised two
h u n d red m en and they arrived in the m iddle of M uharram in the
eleventh year of Al-Hijra.
The succession of these delegations indicated th e great degree of
th e acceptance of th e Islamic Call. It m anifested its influence and
dom ination on vast areas of Arabia. The Arabs observed Al-
M adinah w ith such a great respect and estim ation th a t they could
do nothing b u t su rren d er and subm it to it. Al-Madinah had becom e
th e headquarters of all Arabia; so it was im possible to avoid it. We
dare not say th a t all th e Arabians w ere possessed by this religion.
T here w ere lots of hard-hearted bedouins w ho surren d ered (i.e.,
TheD
ele
gat
ion
s 5
33

becameMuslims)o nlybeca
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 The Success and Impact of the Call

Before we proceed and discuss the last days of the life of Allah's
M essenger we ought to cast a quick glance at his great works
th a t w ere unique to him . Such unique achievem ents m ade him
excel all of the o th er Prophets and M essengers, and Allah m ade
him superior to earlier and later of them . It was about th a t Allah
said:

"O you w rapped in garm ents (i.e., Prophet M uham m ad $K)!

Stand (to pray) all night, except a little." [73:1. 2]
And said:

"O you (M uham m ad enveloped (in garm ents). Arise and

w arn!" [74:1, 2]
So, he arose and continued in th a t call for over tw enty years.
During those years he u ndertook great b u rd en s on his shoulders
for th e sake of all hum anity, th e b u rd en of expanding Faith, the
burden of doing Jihad in various fields, and th e burden of
struggles to rem ove oppression and injustice.
Allah's M essenger ^ undertook the burd en s of struggle and Al-
Jihad in th e conscience of m ankind w hich was th en drow ning
deep in th e illusions of Al-Jahiliyah. He took up th e b u rd en of
freeing m an's conscience from the desires and lusts th a t chained
it. As soon as he had freed th e conscience of his C om panions from
th e burd en s and heaps of Al-Jahiliyah and earthly life, he started
an o th er battle in an o th er field or rather successive battles against
the enem ies of Allah's Call. It w as a battle against those w ho
conspired against th e believers, and against those w ho w anted to
do away w ith it before it takes th e form of a growing pure plant
stretching its roots in th e soil and extending its branches up into
th e air, and th u s daw ning upon o th er areas. No sooner th an he
had finished th e battles in th e Arabian Peninsula, on its n o rth ern
The Success and Impact o f the Call 535

borders th e Byzantines began preparations to destroy this new

nation.

The first battle - i.e.. the battle of conscience - was not over yet. It
was in fact a continuous one. Satan, w ho was its leader, did not
spare a m om ent w ith o u t exercising his activity in th e d e p th of
h u m an conscience. M uham m ad jfe, on the o th er h an d was calling
to Allah's religion, and he was keen on fighting th a t continuous
battle in all fields, in spite of the difficult circum stances and the
w orld's conspiracy against him . He w e n t on calling effectively and
actively, su rro u n d ed by believers w ho w ere seeking security
through ceaseless toil and great patience. The Prophet ^ acted
constantly and patiently by day and sp en t th e night w orshipping
his Lord, reciting th e Q ur'an glorifying and m agnifying Allah and
begging Him by night; all th a t by th e Will of his Lord, th e All-
M ighty.111
For over tw enty years, A llah’s M essenger had been leading th at
progressive steady battle, in all its fields. He w e n t on th a t way
u n til th e Islamic Call proved to be successful on a large scale th at
puzzled all m en possessed of good reason.
The Islamic Call eventually prevailed all over Arabia. It rem oved
all traces of Al-Jahiliyah from th e horizon of th e peninsula. The
sick m inds of Al-Jahiliyah grew healthy in Islam. They n o t only
stopped th e w orship directed at th e idols, b u t they destroyed
them . The general atm osphere began to echo "there is no God b u t
Allah." The calls to prayers w ere heard five tim es a day
penetrating space and breaking th e silence of th e dead desert
and bringing back life through th e new belief. Reciters and
m em orizers of th e Q ur'an set out northw ards and southw ards
reciting Verses of th e Q ur'an and carrying out Allah's injunctions.
Scattered people and tribes w ere un ited and m an m oved from the
w orship of m an to th e w orship of Allah. T here w ere no m ore
oppressors nor oppressed; no m asters nor slaves, nor people
b o u n d to o th er people, nor aggressors th a t w ould practice

[1] Fi Zilalil-Qur'an 29/168. 169-

536 The Sealed Nectar

aggression. All people w ere slaves of Allah. They w ere beloved

brothers obeying Allah's rules. Due to Allah they disposed of
arrogance and th e boastful spirit:

‘ cfO* ‘‘ 3ri f-L?"

°JA fiij tj»Sl 4(_5ji^L; Sfl i'yJ\ i_Js- y^Sl *1J
v *> ;
"An Arab is no better th an a non-Arab. In retu rn a non-Arab
is no better th an an Arab. A red m an was not better th an a
black one except in piety. M ankind is all Adam 's children
and Adam was created from d u st."
Thanks to th e Islamic Call, Arab unity becam e a reality, and so was
the case w ith h u m an unity and social justice as far as their earthly
and heavenly affairs w ere concerned. The course of events had
changed, th e features on th e earth 's surface and th e crooked line
of history had grow n straight and th e m entality had been
changed.
The spirit and the corrupted conscience of people, th e distorted
values and m easures of Al-Jahiliyah had overw helm ed th e w hole
w orld during th e period of Al-Jahiliyah. The prevalence of slavery,
injustice, extravagant luxury, adultery, depression, depravity,
disbelief, straying from th e straight path into darkness; all of
those w ere realities in spite of the existence of th e heavenly
religions. The teachings of those religions had grown w eak and
lost all influence on m en 's souls and spirits and becam e m ere
lifeless ritual traditions.
W hen this Call accom plished its role in h u m an life, it freed
m ankind's spirit of superstitions, illusions, slavery, corruption
and m an's w orship of m an. Islam had freed th e h u m an society of
filth, injustice and oppression. T here w ere no m ore social
distinctions, nor clergym en's or governors’ dictatorship. Islam
had set up a w orld built on solid virtuous and clean foundations,
it was based on positivity, righteous construction, freedom and
revitalization. Truth, Faith, righteous deeds, th e developm ent and
im provem ent of m eans of living and fulfillm ent of rights w ere all
The Success and Impact o f the Call 537

bases upon w hich th e Islamic State w as b u ilt.111

Thanks to these evolutions, Arabia w itn essed such an unprece­
d en ted blessed resurrection, since construction and establishm ent
found its way to it. Never had its history been so religious, pious
and brilliant as it was during th o se peculiar days of its life.

[1] Madha Khasiral-'Alam bi-lnhitatil-M uslim in p. 14.

 The Farewell Pilgrimage

After the accom plishm ent of th e Call, th e proclam ation of the

Message, and the establishm ent of a new society on th e basis of
T h e re is no God b u t Allah,' and on M uham m ad's m ission, a secret
call uprose in the h eart of Allah's M essenger telling him th at
his stay in the w orld was about to end. That was clear in his talk
to M u'adh 4 * w hom he dispatched to Yemen in th e te n th year of
Al-Hijra: "O M u'adh! You may not see m e after this year. You may
even pass by this very M osque of m ine and my grave." Upon
hearing that, M u'adh 4-- cried for fear th at he w ould part w ith
Allah's M essenger $g.

Allah’s care was so b o unteous as to let the Prophet see the

fruits of his Call for th e sake of w hich he suffered various sorts of
troubles for over tw enty years. In th e way th at at th e tim e of Hajj,
the Prophet and the people and representatives of the Arab
tribes of th e outskirts of M akkah should gather so th a t they may
consult him and learn th e laws and legislation of Islam from him,
and in retu rn he w ould take th eir testim ony th a t he had delivered
the trust, com m unicated the Message, and counseled th e people.
So, th at year, according to th e w ish of th e Lord, Allah's
M essenger announced his inten tio n for th e Hajj.

Enorm ous crowds of people came to M adinah, all of w hom seek

the guidance and leadership of Allah's M essenger in the
pilgrimage (Al-Hajj).ll] On a Saturday of th e last four days of Dhul-
O a'dah, th e Prophet sgs started th e d eparture preparations.121 He
combed his hair, applied som e perfum e, w ore his garm ent,
saddled his camel and set off in th e afternoon. He arrived at Dhul-
Hulaifah before the A fternoon prayer. He perform ed two Rak'ah
and sp en t the night there. W hen it was m orning he said to his
C om panions:

[1] Sahih M uslim 1/394.

[2] Fathul-Bari 8/104.
The Farewell Pilgrimage 539

: J i j tiJjlliJl IJLa ^ : J l i i ^ 3 J-?

"A comer, sen t by my Lord, has called on m e to night and

said: ’Pray in this blessed valley and say: I in ten d 'Umrah
com bined w ith Hajj."[l]
Before perform ing th e Noon prayer, he bath ed for Ihram (sacred
state of pilgrimage), and 'Aishah perfum ed him w ith h er hand
on b oth his body and head w ith Dharirah (a plant) and w ith a
perfum e containing m usk. The thick sticky layer of perfum e could
be seen am ong his parts of hair and beard. He left it unw ashed,
w ore his clothing for Ihram. He perform ed th e Noon prayer
sh o rten ed to two R ak’ah. Still at his prayer-place, he proclaim ed
th a t he w as about to perform Hajj associated w ith 'Umrah. and
th en said: "Labbaik. A llahum m a Labbaik (I am at Your service, O
Allah, I am at Your service)," He th en came o u t and m o u n ted his
she-camel Al-Qaswa', and said Labbaik. W hen he m oved into the
open field, he again said Labbaik.
He proceeded w ith his journey till he approached M akkah. He
sp en t th e night at Dhi Tuwa, after perform ing the M orning prayer
he had a bath, and en tered M akkah, It was th e m orning of Sunday,
the fourth of Dhul-Hijjah in th e te n th year of Al-Hijra. He spent
eight days on th e way, w hich w as an average period. As soon as he
entered Al-Masjid Al-Haram, h e circum am bulated Al-Ka'bah and
walked to and fro (Sa’i) betw een As-Safa and Al-Marwah. He did
not finish th e Ihram (sacred state of pilgrimage) after it because he
was Qarin (i.e., intending 'Umrah and Al-Hajj associated) and
having w ith him Al-Hady (the sacrificial anim als). After finishing
the Sa'i. he cam ped on a high place of M akkah - Al-Hajun.
He did not perform any circum am bulation after th a t except the
circum am bulation of Al-Hajj (pilgrimage).
Those of his C om panions w ho had no Had' w ith th em to
sacrifice, w ere ordered to change Ihram (the sacred state of

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/207.

540 The Sealed Nectar

pilgrimage) for 'Umrah, and circum am bulate Al-Ka'bah and w alk

ritually to and fro betw een As-Safa and Al-Marwah. After th a t they
could relieve them selves from Ihram. They, how ever, show ed
reluctance to do w h at they had been told. T hereupon, Allah’s
M essenger said: "Had I know n beforehand w h at I knew later, I
w ould n o t have brought th e Hady w ith me, and if I did n o t have
th e Hady, I w ould have relieved from it,” O n hearing these w ords,
his C om panions obeyed th e orders.
O n th e eighth day of Dhul-Hijjah - th a t is th e Day of Tarwiyah, he
left for M ina and stayed th ere till th e m orning of 9th Dhul-Hijjah.
He perform ed th e Noon, th e A fternoon, th e Evening, th e Night
and th e M orning prayers, i.e., five prayers in Mina. Then he
stayed for a w hile till th e sun rose, th e n h e m oved till he reached
'Arafat, w here th ere was a te n t b uilt for him a t Nam irah. He sat
inside till th e su n w e n t dow n. He ordered th at Al-Qaswa', his she-
camel, should be prepared for him . They saddled it and had it
ready, so he w en t dow n th e valley w here a h u n d red and tw enty-
four or forty-four th o u san d people w ere gathering round him .
There he stood and delivered th e following speech:

i Juj n Ju «, \jd S \ i ^ l i i i*f»

y j> * £ j> - jt c IJ jI 1JLg_> IT *

KIJA ^3 wIjA pS y t I-1a

"O people! Listen to w h at I say. I do n o t know w h e th e r I will

ever m eet you at this place after th is year.111 Your blood,
your property and your h o n o r are as sacred as this day, this
m onth and this city (i.e., M akkah and th e surrounding
areas).

‘u1aI>JI £Lo_j ts°~^ ~ y ° y t ’’i f" '^1>)

~ y Di1 j*'5 ^5^3 yt y 1 i\s-yy>‘y>
Ljj — (_);-j-A <d£a3 y*> y jiS j
y> i ^ i k J l J-e- y y lie- L j LIjj y Lj J j l j

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/603

The Farewell Pilgrimage 541

"Behold! All practices o f paganism and ignorance are now

u n d er my feet. The blood revenge of th e Days of Ignorance
(pre-Islamic tim e) are rem itted. The first claim on blood I
abolish is th a t of Ibn Rabi’ah bin H arith w ho w as being
nursed in th e tribe of Sa'd and w hom H udhail killed. Usury
is forbidden, and I m ake a beginning by rem itting the
am o u n t of in terest w hich 'Abbas bin 'Abdul-M uttalib has to
receive. Verily, it is rem itted entirely.

&4I)I <jUL «,pLLLJ1 ^3 4I11

y f ^ L S j J 4 * jj

"O people! Fear Allah concerning w om en. Verily you have

taken th em on the security of Allah and have m ade their
persons law ful u n to you by W ords of Allah! It is incum bent
upon th em to h onor th eir conjugal rights and, n o t to
com m it acts of im propriety w hich, if they do, you have
authority to chastise them , yet n o t severely. If your wives
refrain from im propriety and are faithful to you, clothe and
feed th em suitably.

«4)l J \sS L 4j jv lw a lp I O J oJd u I U jt-Sv-i j j j J 11

"Verily, I have left am ong you th e Book of Allah, if you hold

fast to it, you shall never go astray.[1]

t I j J L p l i 1 t ^ . S ”J -* j ^ I^

Lgj (,j*5D l^ai i\ S j ! jilj l jfrS i \ y y a j t

® j “Cj- Ij\s>-Jj i y ! o^j I !j 4 *—•y. O y ^ ^ jj i !

"O people, I am not succeeded by a Prophet and you are not

succeeded by any nation. So, I recom m end you to w orship
your Lord, to pray th e five prayers, to fast Ram adan and to

[ 1] Sahih Muslim \13571.

542 The Sealed Nectar

offer the Zakat (poor-due) of your provision willingly. I

recom m end you to perform th e pilgrimage to th e Sacred
House of your Lord and to obey those w ho are in charge of
you. th e n you will be aw arded to e n te r th e Paradise of your
Lord.111
Ci ' ^ • 0 ^ ^ t > g jOt ^

"And you will be asked about me, w h at are you going to

say?"
They replied:

1j ai ^lL I _Urcj

"We bear w itness th at you have conveyed th e M essage and

fulfilled your m ission."
He th en raised his forefinger skyw ards and th en m oved it dow n
tow ards people w hile saying:
« i^ i

"O Allah! Bear w itness."

He said th a t phrase th rice.121
The one w ho repeated the Prophet's statem en ts loudly at 'Arafat
was Rabi'ah bin Um aiyah bin Khalaf 4 ^ 131
As soon as the Prophet had accom plished delivering the
speech, th e following Q u ra n ic Verse was revealed to him:

p f P o w j; 'P& izfc p i P i i s i
"This day I have perfected your religion for you, com pleted
My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your
religion." [5 :3 ]
Upon hearing this Verse, 'Umar cried. "W hat m akes you cry?"
He was asked. His answ er was: "N othing succeeds perfection but

[1] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/263.

[2] Sahih M uslim 1/397.
[3] Ibn Hisham 2/605.
The Farewell Pilgrimage 543

im perfection."111

Bilal 4® called for prayer after th e speech, and th e n m ade the

second call. The Prophet perform ed th e Noon prayer, th en
Bilal 4* again proclaim ed Iqamah (second call) and th e Prophet ^
perform ed th e A fternoon prayer, and th ere w as no prayer in
betw een th e two. He th en m o u n ted his she-camel Al-Oaswa',
approached th e location of his stay, directed his face tow ards Al-
Oiblah. rem ained in th a t position till su n set w hen th e yellow
color of th e sky vanished a bit and th e disc of the sun disappeared.
Then he took Usam ah 4* w ho sat b eh in d him and m oved tow ard
M uzdalifah w here he observed th e Evening and the Night prayers
w ith one A dhan and two Iqamahs. He did not offer any prayer in
betw een th e two prayers. Then he lay dow n till it was tim e for the
M orning prayer. He perform ed it w ith one Adhan and one Iqamah
at alm ost daybreak. M ounting on Al-Oaswa', he m oved tow ards Al-
M ash'ar Al-Haram. He faced Al-Oiblah and started supplicating:
"Allah is the M ost Great. T here is no God b u t Allah." He rem ained
there till it was clear m orning and he m ade his way to M ina before
the sun rose high. This tim e he took Fazal bin 'Abbas 4® behind
him . He m oved a little faster w hile in bottom of th e M uhassir
Valley, and th en adopted the m iddle road leading to th e Big
Jamrah (Jamrah Kubra is also called Jamrah Aqabah and Jamrah
Ula) w here he stopped and pelted seven pebbles at it saying:
"Allah is th e M ost Great." each tim e. These w ere small pebbles, he
hurled them from th e bottom of th e valley. T hen he set off to the
sacrificial place, w here he sacrificed sixty-three cam els w ith his
hands, and asked 'Ali 4®' to slaughter th e o th er thirty-seven, one
h u n d red cam els altogether. He m ade ’Ali 4® share him in Al-Hady.
A piece of m eat from each slaughtered anim al was ordered to be
cooked in a pot and from w hich both m en ate, and drank the
broth.

Then Allah's M essenger m o u n ted his she-camel and returned

to the House, circum am bulated it, i.e., perform ed Taw af Ifadah.

[1] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/265.

544 T
heS
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edN
ect
ar

He offer
edt h
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era lsoi n Makkah. Then he went
towar
dsBanu・Abdul
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inkingwa
t e
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topeopleattheZamzamW ell.”Drawupw ate
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-
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idthat
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termep e
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shonorfromy o
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handedhima仁o n
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llfromi
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11

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ho fD hu
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Day (Yaumun-Nahr)
.t heP rophet選考 deliver
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.11Her
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(Bukh
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弘 1 1＿，~＿， ~みJI J~ '.；＿，日.｝I長ふう~ ·r＿メ ~） ＼ 山 1子メム
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The Farewell Pilgrimage 545

He was silent for a w hile till w e th o u g h t h e w ould give it a

different nam e. "Is it n o t Al-Baldah (i.e., th e town)?" He asked.
"Yes. It is." We replied. T hen he asked again, "W hat day is it
today?" We replied, "Allah and His M essenger know b est of all.”
Then he kept silent for a w hile and said w ondering, "Is it not An-
Nahr (i.e., slaughtering) Day?" "Yes. It is." We said. T hen he said:

i IJl* ^»ly>- j L o ols®

fp P J , ‘ 'P J.

"Your blood, your property and your h o n o r are as sacred as

this day, this m onth and this city (i.e., M akkah and the
surrounding areas).
os > ^ 'i o* So o >>'- ' o Pi ^ " '°a
1^-*-^"ji ^ 3 ^ I I ^ I j i ) J ®
. .x . ' 0 P > 0. > f >
(( Isj ^3w2jo jJaj

"You will go back to be resurrected (after death) to your

Lord. T here you will be accounted for your deeds. So, do not
tu rn into people w ho go astray and kill one another."

_U ij J I j i l p s • -C p I (’- P 111 ! J 15 i ; IjJ li ? ((C~*-L J-a ^ 111

<> #

"Have I not delivered th e M essage (of my Lord)?" "Yes, you

have,” they said. "O Allah! Bear w itness! Let him th a t is
p resent convey it to him w ho is absent. For, to w hom the
M essage is conveyed m ay be having m ore u n d erstan d in g of
it th an the audience," he said .111
In an o th er version it is said th a t th e Prophet said in th a t very
speech:

ij t ;jjj JS jU - i ia J Z Ji- \ j p i
IT* ^ j I aj j l ^5 j Ila. 11 j l NI t o - d lj ^y*
' ' 0 * Ao* 0 ' > ' o' *s * 0 '„ **P
W4j t i il)J j SC^xj 4P aJ ^ 1-Aj I

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/234.

546 The Sealed Nectar

"Any w rongdoer does not w rong an o th er except him self. So,

let no one of you be blam ed for th e acts of his father or his
son. Verily, Satan has utterly been despaired of being
w orshipped in this city of yours; b u t he will be obeyed by
you in things you will be considering of no value. Satan will
be content even by such th in g s."111
After th at Allah's M essenger sp en t the Days of At-Tashreeq
(11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah) in Mina, teaching about
Islam, rem em bering Allah (praying), follow ing th e ways of
guidance of Abraham (Ibrahim), w iping o u t all traces and features
of polytheism . O n one of th e days of At-Tashreeq, he delivered a
speech as well. In a version reported by Abu Dawud, w ith good
chain of narration, Sira’ 4*. th e daughter of Nabhan, said: "The
M essenger of Allah gave us a speech at th e R u'us Day (12th of
Dhul-Hijjah) in w hich he said: 'Is it not this th e m iddle day of the
days of At-TashreeqV[2] His speech th a t day w as sim ilar to th a t of
the Day of An-Nahr. It was m ade after th e revelation of Surat An-
Nasr."
O n the second day of An-Nafr (i.e., Departure) - on th e th irte e n th
of Dhul-Hijjah - th e Prophet departed from M ina and stayed at
a high place on a m ountainside at Bani Kinanah from Al-Abtah
Valley. He sp en t th e rest of th at day and night there - w here he
perform ed th e Noon, the A fternoon, the Evening and th e Night
prayers.
Then he slept for a short w hile and m ounted leaving for the
Ka'bah. He perform ed the Farewell C ircum am bulation (Taw af Al-
W ada), after ordering his Com panions to do the same.
Upon th e accom plishm ent of his religious rituals he headed to the
sacred M adinah. He w e n t th ere not to seek rest b u t to resum e the
strife and struggle in the way of Allah.[31

[1] At-Tirm idhi 2/38. 135: Mishkatul-Masabih 1/234.

[2] Abu Dawud 1/269-
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/631. 2/631; Ibn Hisham 2/601-605; Zadul-Ma'ad 1/196. 218-
220.
 The Last Expedition

The pride of th e Byzantine State m ade it deny M uslim s th eir right

to live. The Byzantine arrogance m ade th em even kill th o se agents
of theirs, w ho em braced Islam. Killing Farwah bin ’Amr Al-
Judham i w ho was their agent at M a'an, was evidence of it.
Allah's M essenger started to m obilize a great arm y in Safar in
th e eleventh year of Al-Hijra u n d e r th e com m and of U sam ah bin
Zaid bin H arithah 4&. w ith orders to have th e horses of the
M uslim s tread on th e lands bordering Al-Balqa' and Ad-Darum of
Palestine. His aim was to frighten th e Byzantines and to im plant
confidence into the h earts of Arabs w ho w ere settled at the
borders of th e Byzantines. His o ther purpose was to deliver a
m essage to everyone th a t th e C hurch's brutality will not go
unansw ered.
The leadership of U sam ah 4® was subject to criticism . Because he
w as still too young, people delayed th e ir joining in th is
expedition. Allah's M essenger addressed people saying:

p jlj i ^y> <U>I j j U I ^ j yddaj j»-~5 ^3 \ y j *Jaj jl#

IJl* j l j I 3 jl jlj jlS j l “(III

' . - j ^ ,

"No w onder now you contest his leadership, for you have
already contested th e previous leadership of his father. Yes,
by Allah, his father, w ho was one of th e m ost beloved
people to me, w as quite efficient for leadership; and this
son of his is one of th e m ost beloved individuals to m e after
his fa th e r."111
So, people started tending tow ards U sam ah and joined his
arm y. The n um ber of volunteers in his arm y w as enorm ous. The
arm y departed from M adinah and had stayed at a place, Jurf, three
m iles from M adinah. The anxiety-provoking new s about the

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/612.

548 The Sealed Nectar

sickness of Allah's M essenger sg, however, m ade the expedition

delayed again in order to know w h at Allah had w illed as regards
His M essenger
It was Allah's Will th a t U sam ah's expedition w ould be th e first
one dispatched during the caliphate of th e virtuous Abu Bakr 4 ®-[11

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/560, 606; Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/612.

 The Journey to Allah the Sublime

Sym ptoms o f Farewell

W hen th e Call to Islam grew com plete, th e new faith dom inated.
Allah’s M essenger jjg started to develop certain grave sym ptom s.
They could be perceived through his statem en ts and deeds:
In Ramadan, in th e te n th year of Al-Hijra, he secluded h im self for
tw enty days in contrast to ten, as was in practice previously.
The angel Gabriel review ed th e Q u r’an twice w ith him as
against once in a year.
His w ords in th e Farewell Pilgrimage (i.e., Al-Wida):

«lii ll* ll* add i J jd i Jl»

"I do not know w h e th e r I will ever m eet you at this place
after this year.”
The revelation of Surat An-Nasr in th e Days of At-Tashreeq. W hen
it was revealed to him , h e realized th a t it was th e parting tim e and
th a t the Surah was an a n n o u n c em e n t of his approaching death.
During th e early days of Safar in th e eleventh year of Al-Hijra, the
Prophet jjjg w e n t o u t to U hud and observed a Farewell prayer for
th e m artyrs. It looked like h e was saying good-bye to both the
dead and th e living. He th e n ascended th e pulpit and addressed
th e people saying:

jl G li I \jS jdZ jl >_9hi-1 U j

(( 1g . Q 1y.. ? Ijo

"I am to precede you and I have been m ade w itness upon

you. By Allah, you will m eet m e at th e Haud (Tank) very
soon. I have been given th e keys of th e treasures of th e
earth or th e keys o f th e earth. By Allah, I do n o t fear for you
55 0 The Sealed Nectar

th a t you will tu rn polytheists after me. But I do fear th a t you

will com pete each o th er in acquiring th e w orldly rich es."111
O ne day, at m idnight he w e n t to Al-Baqi’ cem etry, and begged
Allah to forgive th e m artyrs of Islam. He said:

"Peace be upon you, O inhabitants of th e grave! The

m orning th a t daw ns upon you is m ore relieving th an th at
w hich daw ns upon th e living. Afflictions are approaching
like cloudy lum ps of a dark night - th e last of w hich follows
th e first. The last one is bearing m ore evil th an th e first."
He com forted th em saying:

"We are also com ing to you."

The Start o f the Disease

On M onday th e tw enty-ninth of Safar in th e eleventh year of Al-
Hijra, h e participated in funeral rites in Al-Baqi’, On th e way back
he had a headache, his tem p eratu re rose so high th a t th e h eat
effect could be felt over his headband.
He led th e M uslim s in prayer for eleven days although he was
sick. The total n um ber of his sick days was eith er th irte e n or
fourteen.

The Last Week

W hen his sickness grew severe, he used to ask his wives: "W here
shall I stay tom orrow ?" "W here shall I stay?" They understood
w h at he w anted. So they allow ed him to stay w herever he w ished.
He m oved to 'A ishah’s room w hile he was leaning on Al-Fadl bin
Al-'Abbas and 'Ali bin Abi Talib Head banded as he was, he
dragged his feet till h e came into h e r room. It was th ere th a t he
sp en t th e last w eek of his life. D uring th a t period, 'Aishah ^ used
to recite A l-M u'aw w idhat (Chapters 113 and 114 of th e Qur'an)
and o th er supplications already taught by him , and after blowing
h er breath on th em m ove h er h an d s on his body for blessings.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/585.

The Journey to Allah the Sublime 551

Five Days before Death

O n W ednesday, five days b e fo re h e died, th e P ro p h e t’s
tem p eratu re rose very high signaling the severity of his disease.
He fainted and suffered from pain. "Pour o u t on m e seven Qirab
(water skin pots) of various w ater w ells so th a t I m ay go o u t to
m eet people and talk to th em ," h e said. So, they seated him in a
container and poured o u t w ater on him till he said: "That is
enough. T hat is enough." T hen he felt well enough to e n te r the
M osque. He entered it w ith his head w rapped, sat on th e pulpit
and gave a speech to th e people w ho w ere gathering together
around him . He said:

t g^ ., ' j jJ I jJ U x jI i ( j j l . r f g '. l l j d I

"The curse of Allah falls upon th e Jews and C hristians for

they have m ade th eir Prophets' graves places of w o rsh ip ."[1!
T hen he said:
^* f ^ ^ oC
0 T I •. ^ V J
WJLxj iLj ^ j®

"Do not m ake my grave a w orshipped idol."121

Then he offered him self and invited th e people to repay any
injuries h e m ight have inflicted on them , saying:

cSS i oJclTSi l-L$i 1 ^ 4 ^ d

0 oA' .o i ^ yC . e
Jlai-LJLs iJifS ^p <u

"He w hom I have ever lashed his back, I offer him my back
so th a t h e m ay avenge h im self on m e. He w hom I have ever
insulted his honor, here I am offering my h o n o r so th a t he
may avenge him self."
T hen he descended, and perform ed th e Noon prayer. Again he
retu rn ed to th e p u lp it and sat on it. He resum ed his first speech
about enm ity and som e o th er things.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/62. M uatta’ Im am M alik p. 360.

[2] M uatta’ Im am Malik p. 65.
552 The Sealed Nectar

A m an th en said: "You owe m e th ree dirham s." The Prophet

said: "O Fadl, pay him th e m oney." He w e n t on saying:
s * ^ ^ O^ ^ J ✓ o^ ^ ^

t l S - ^ I \yos - t ij L^jcy-j j*-gjLs i | * 5 L w s j l ®

jr* j? I jtili

"I adm onish you to be good to Al-Ansar (the Helpers). They

are my family and w ith th em I found shelter. They have
acquitted them selves credibly of th e responsibility th a t fell
upon th em and now th ere rem ains w h a t you have to do.
You should fully acknowledge and appreciate the favor th at
they have show n, and should overlook th eir faults."
In an o th er version:

\jjjSL tjL iii'y i J,JLj <.o j l ®

irt jl l-t>-l Iy I
0 s ' s ' 0 0 >

“p-e™-'1 jr*

"The n um ber of believers w ould increase, b u t th e num ber

of Helpers w ould decrease to th e ex ten t th a t they w ould be
am ong m en as salt in th e food. So, h e w ho am ong you
occupies a position of responsibility and is pow erful enough
to do harm or good to th e people, he should fully
acknowledge and appreciate th e favor th a t th ese benefactors
have show n, and overlook th eir fau lts."111
And said:

t o_Uc- l i , 'y j t f r f i Li I j j j l ^y <£>. j I “till oy>~ \A~f- jl®

>' 0 0
®0-LLP Lo j L^- 13

"Allah th e Great has given a servant of His th e opportunity

to m ake a choice betw een w hatever he desires of Allah's
provisions in this world, and w h at He keeps for him in the
world, b u t he has opted for th e latte r.”

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/536.

The Journey to Allah the Sublime 553

Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri 4*> said: "Upon hearing that, Abu Bakr cried
and said: 'May our fathers and m o th ers be ransom ed for your
sake.’ We w ondered w hy Abu Bakr said such a thing. People said:
'Look at th a t old man! Allah’s M essenger m talks about a servant
of Allah w ho was granted th e right betw een th e b est fortunes of
this w orld and th e bounty of Allah in th e H ereafter, b u t he says:
May our fathers and m o th ers be ransom ed for your sake!’ It was
later on th a t w e realized w h a t he m eant. Allah's M essenger ^
was th e servant given th e choice. We also acknow ledged th at Abu
Bakr was th e m ost learned am ong u s.’’m
T hen Allah’s M essenger said:
• ^^ J 0> • y, ^j , ^ y *0 } ^s ' ^ ^^P
^ u i ja \ jl»
^*>LLNl iy > -\ pbLL>- LI o jJ e - *>LL»-

"I am m ost obliged to Abu Bakr for th e favor of his com pany
and property. If I w ere to m ake any o th er Khalil (friend)
except Allah, I w ould have chosen Abu Bakr as a friend of
m ine. But for him I feel affection and bro th erh o o d of Islam.
No gate shall be kept open in th e M osque except th a t of Abu
Bakr’s ." 121

Four Days before His Death

On Thursday, four days before th e death of Allah’s M essenger jg ,
he said to people, though h e was suffering from severe pain:
"Come here. I will cause you to w rite som ething so th a t you will
never fall into error." Upon th is 'Um ar bin Al-Khattab said:
"The Prophet of Allah ^ is suffering from acute pain and you
have th e Q ur'an w ith you; th e Book of Allah is sufficient unto
you." O thers how ever w anted th e w riting to be m ade. W hen
M uham m ad heard th em debating over it, h e ordered th em to
go away and leave him alone.131

[1] Mishkatul-Masabih 2/546.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/22. 429. 449, 2/638; Mishkatul-Masabih 2/548.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/637.
554 The Sealed Nectar

T hat day he recom m ended th ree things:

1. Jews, C hristians and polytheists should be expelled out of
Arabia.
2. He recom m ended th a t delegations should be honored and
entertained, in a way sim ilar to his custom .
3. As for the th ird - th e narrator said th a t he had forgotten it. It
could have been adherence to th e Book and th e Sunnah. It was
likely to be th e accom plishm ent and th e m obilization of U sam ah's
army, or it could have been perform ance of prayers and being
attentive to slaves.
In spite of th e strain of disease and suffering from pain, the
Prophet $g used to lead all th e prayers u ntil th a t T hursday - four
days before he died. On th a t day h e led th e Evening prayer and
recited:

"By th e w inds (or angels or th e M essengers of Allah) sent

forth one after a n o th er." [77: l] m
In th e evening he grew so sick th at he could not overcome the
strain of disease or go out to enter the M osque. 'Aishah ^ said
th at th e Prophet 0 asked: "Have th e people perform ed the
prayer?” "No. They h av en ’t. They are w aiting for you.” "Put som e
w ater in the w ashing po t,” he said. We did w hat he ordered. So, he
w ashed and w anted to stand up, b u t he fainted. W hen he
recovered, he asked again, "Have th e people prayed?" Then the
sam e sequence of events took place again and again for the second
and th e third tim e. He w ashed and fainted after his attem pts to
stand up. Therefore he se n t a m essage to Abu Bakr to lead the
prayer. Abu Bakr 4® th en led the prayers during those days.121 They
w ere seventeen prayers he led in th e life of th e Prophet 0 .
Three or four tim es 'Aishah ^ talked to the Prophet 0 to excuse
Abu Bakr 4* from leading th e prayer because of his gentleness,

[1] Mishkatul-Masabih 1/102.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/99.
The Journey to Allah the Sublime 555

b u t h e refused and said:

"You (women) are like th e w om en of Joseph (Yusuf). Convey

m y m essage to Abu Bakr to lead th e prayer."

A Day or Tw o prior to Death

On Saturday or on Sunday, th e Prophet felt th a t he was well
enough to perform th e prayer; so h e w e n t o u t leaning on tw o m en
in order to perform th e Noon prayer. Abu Bakr 4*>. w ho was th en
about to lead th e prayer w ithdrew w h e n he saw him coming; b u t
th e Prophet ^ m ade a gesture to stay w here he w as and said:
"Seat m e next to h im ." They seated him on th e left h an d side of
Abu Bakr 4«- The Prophet ^ led th e prayer, and Abu Bakr 4k
followed him and raised his voice at every 'Allahu Akbar' (i.e.,
Allah is th e Greatest) th e Prophet ^ said, so th a t th e people may
hear clearly.111

A Day before His Death

On Sunday, a day before he died, th e Prophet 0 , set his slaves
free, paid as a charity th e seven dinars he ow ned and gave his
w eapons as a p resen t to th e M uslim s. So, w h e n night fell
'Aishah had to borrow som e oil from h er neighbor to light her
oil-lantern. Even his coat of arm or w as deposited as security to a
Jew for th irty Sa' of barley.

The Last Day He was Alive

In a narration by Anas bin M alik 4®. he said: "While th e M uslim s
w ere perform ing th e M orning prayer on M onday - led by Abu
Bakr, they w ere surprised to see Allah’s M essenger jjg; raising th e
curtain of 'A ishah’s room. He looked at th em w hile they w ere
praying aligned properly, and sm iled cheerfully. Seeing him , Abu
Bakr w ithdrew to join th e lines and give way to him to lead the

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/98. 99.

556 The Sealed Nectar

prayer. For he tho u g h t th a t th e Prophet w anted to come for the

prayer.” Anas 4> said: "The M uslim s, w ho w ere praying, w ere so
delighted th at they w ere alm ost taken away from th eir prayers.
Allah’s M essenger gestured to continue th eir prayer, w e n t into
th e room and drew dow n th e cu rtain .”111
Allah's M essenger ^ was not alive for th e next prayer.
In th e daytim e, th e Prophet called Fatim ah and told her
som ething in a secret voice th a t m ade h er cry. Then he w hispered
to h er som ething else w hich m ade h er laugh. 'Aishah '$*> enquired
from her after th e P rophet’s death, as to this w eeping and
laughing, to w hich Fatim ah ^ replied: "The first tim e he
disclosed to m e th a t he w ould not recover from his illness and
I w ept. Then he told m e th a t I w ould be th e first of his family to
join him , so I laughed.”121
He gave Fatim ah ^ glad tidings th a t she w ould becom e th e lady
in charge of all th e w om en of th e w orld.131
Fatim ah ^ w itnessed th e great pain th a t afflicted h er father. So
she said: "W hat great pain my father is in!" To th ese w ords, the
Prophet rem arked:

JJd 4 L 1 J j.

"He will not suffer any m ore w hen today is over."141

He asked th a t Al-Hasan and Al-Husain 4? be brought to him . He
kissed th em and recom m ended th a t they be looked after.
He asked to see his wives. They w ere brought to him . He preached
to them and told them to rem em ber Allah.
Pain grew so severe th a t the trace of poison he had at Khaibar
came to light. It was so sore th a t he said to 'Aishah "I still feel
th e painful effect of th a t food I tasted a t Khaibar. I feel as if death

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/640.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/638.
[3] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/282.
[4] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/641.
The Journey to Allah the Sublime 557

is approaching."111
He ordered th e people to perform th e prayers and be attentive to
slaves. He repeated it several tim es.121

The Prophet # ; breathes his Last

W hen th e pangs of death started, 'Aishah '$*> leant him against
her. She used to say: O ne of Allah's favors to m e was th a t Allah's
M essenger died in my house, w hile I was still alive. He died
betw een my chest and neck w hile he was leaning against me.
Allah has m ixed his saliva w ith m ine at his death. For 'Abdur-
Rahm an bin Abu Bakr came in w ith a Siwak (i.e., th e root of a
d esert plant used for b rushing teeth) in his hand, w hile I was
leaning Allah's M essenger % against me. I noticed th a t he was
looking at th e Siwak, so I asked him - for I knew th a t he w anted
it, "Would you like m e to take it for you?" He nodded in
agreem ent. I took it and gave it to him . As it was too hard for him,
I asked him , "Shall I soften it for you?" He nodded in agreem ent.
So, I softened it w ith my saliva and he passed it (on his teeth).
In an o th er version it is said: "So h e b ru sh ed his tee th as well as he
could." There was a w ater pot (Rakwa) available at his han d w ith
som e w ater in it. He p u t his han d in it and w iped his face w ith it
and said:
o j j J J j l t-uil Sh ill V®

"There is no God b u t Allah. D eath is full of agonies."131

As soon as he had finished bru sh in g his teeth, he raised his hand
or his finger up, looked upw ards to th e ceiling and m oved his lips.
So, 'Aishah ^ listened to him . She heard him say:
"With those on w hom You have bestow ed Your Grace, w ith
the Prophets and th e T ruthful ones, th e m artyrs and th e
good doers. O Allah, forgive m e and have m ercy upon me

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/637.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/637.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/640.
558 The Sealed Nectar

and join m e to th e m ost exalted C om panionship on high."111

T hen he repeated th e last w ords th re e tim es:
"The m ost exalted C om panionship on hig h .”
And at the sam e tim e, his han d came dow n and he joined the
m ost exalted C om panionship on high.

"To Allah we tu rn and to Him we tu rn back for help, and the

last abode."
This event took place late in th e m orning on M onday, th e tw elfth
of Rabi'ul-Awwal, in th e eleventh year of Al-Hijrah. He was sixty-
three years and four days old w h e n he died,

The Com panions’ concern over the Prophet’s Death

The great (loss) new s was soon know n by everybody in M adinah.
Dark grief spread on all areas and horizons of M adinah. Anas 4®
said: ”1 have never w itnessed a day better or brighter th an th at day
on w hich Allah's M essenger came to us; and 1 have never
w itnessed a m ore aw ful or darker day th an th a t one on w hich
Allah's M essenger s g d ied .”121
W hen he died, Fatim ah said: "O father, w ho responded to the
Call of his Lord! O father, w hose abode is Paradise. O father, I
announce your death to Gabriel.”131

’Umar’s Attitude
'Um ar was so stu n n e d th at he alm ost lost consciousness, and
he stood before the people addressing them : "Some of the
hypocrites claim th at Allah's M essenger $g died. Allah's
M essenger j g did not die, b u t w e n t to his Lord in the sam e
way as M oses bin ’Im ran did. He stayed away for forty nights, b u t
finally came back though they said he had been dead. By Allah,
Allah's M essenger $g will come back and he will cut off th e hands

[1] ibid 2/638-641.

[2] Mishkatul-Masabih 2/547.
[3] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/641.
The Journey to Allah the Sublime 559

and legs of those w ho claim his d e a th ." 111

Abu Bakr’s Attitude

Abu Bakr 4® left his house at As-Sunh and cam e forth to the
M osque on horseback. At th e M osque, he dism o u n ted and
entered. He talked to nobody b u t w e n t on u ntil he entered
'A ishah's room, and w e n t directly to w here Allah’s M essenger
was.
The Prophet ^ was covered w ith a Yemeni m antle. He uncovered
his face, leaned over, kissed him , and cried.
Then he said: "I sacrifice my father and m other for your sake.
Verily, Allah will not cause you to die twice. You have just
experienced th e death th a t Allah ordained."
T hen he w e n t o u t and found 'Um ar 4® talking to people. He said:
"’Umar, be seated." ’Um ar 4® refused to do so. People parted
'Um ar 4* and came tow ards Abu Bakr 4®, w ho started a speech
saying:

j t o i l ai JLo»j o 15 ya Lab
®Cay u ^ -0)1 OIs -0)1 (j 15

"And now, to he w ho w orships M uham m ad % , (he should

know that) M uham m ad is dead. But h e w ho w orships
Allah, He is Ever Living and He never dies. Allah says:

3^ '—’Li (jjUl J —3^ Ot aLi»- -0 J V ) -u_*i

’M uham m ad fete) is no m ore th an a M essenger, and indeed

(many) M essengers have passed away before him . If he dies
or is killed, will you th e n tu rn back on your heels (as
disbelievers)? And he w ho tu rn s back on his heels, not the
least harm will he do to Allah, and Allah will give rew ard to

[1] Ibn Hisham 2/655.

560 The Sealed Nectar

those w ho are grateful.'” [3:144]

Ibn 'Abbas 4k said: "By Allah, it was as if people had never heard
this Q u ra n ic Verse till Abu Bakr recited it as a rem inder. So, people
started reciting it till there was no m an w ho did not recite it."
Ibn Al-Musaiyab ^ said th a t 'Umar 4® had said: "By Allah, as soon
as I heard Abu Bakr say it, I fell dow n to th e ground. I felt as if my
legs had been unable to carry m e so th a t I collapsed w h en I heard
him say it. Only th en did I realize th a t M uham m ad had really
died .”111

The Burial and Farewell Preparations to his Honorable

Body
D ispute about, w ho w ould succeed him , broke out even before
having the body of Allah's M essenger ^ prepared for burial. Lots
of argum ents, discussions, dialogues took place betw een the
Helpers and Em igrants in th e roofed passage of Bani Sa'idah.
Finally they acknowledged Abu Bakr as th e caliph. They spent
the w hole M onday th ere till it was night. People w ere so busy
w ith their argum ents th a t it was late night - just about daw n of
Tuesday - yet his blessed body w as still lying on his bed covered
w ith a garm ent. The room was locked from outside.
On Tuesday, his body was w ashed, w ith his clothes on, by Al-
'Abbas, ’Ali, Al-Fadl and Q athm - th e two sons of Al-'Abbas, as well
as Shaqran - the M essenger's freed slave, Usam ah bin Zaid and
Aws bin Khauli 4».
Al-'Abbas, Al-Fadl and O athm m oved his body from side to side,
Usam ah and Shaqran poured w ater, 'Ali w ashed him , and Aws
leant him against his chest.
The P rophet’s body was w ashed th ree tim es w ith w ater and berry
leaves. The w ater came from Ghars, Sa'd bin K haitham ah's well in
O uba' w hich the Prophet used to drink from . They shrouded
him in th ree w hite Yemeni cotton sheets w ith n eith er a tu rb a n 121

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 2/640. 641.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/169. Sahih M uslim 1/306.
The Journey to Allah the Sublime 561

nor a shirt.
A sort of disagreem ent arose w ith regard to th e burial place. Abu
Bakr said: "I heard Allah’s M essenger gfe say: ’A Prophet is
buried w here he dies.' So Abu Talhah lifted th e bed on w hich
h e died, dug u n d e rn e a th and cut th e ground for th e grave. It was a
Lahd type of grave w ith a niche in th e side.
People entered th e room ten by ten. They prayed th e Funeral
prayer individually w ith o u t an Im am to lead th e prayer. The first
to pray for him w ere th e people of his tribe, th e n th e Em igrants,
th en th e Helpers. W om en prayed for him after m en. The young
w ere the last to pray.
This process lasted all day Tuesday and m ost of W ednesday until
the night came. 'Aishah ^ said: "We did n o t know th a t the
Prophet ^ was being buried till w e heard th e sou n d of tools
digging the ground at th e d e p th of th e night before W ednes­
day."111

[1] M ukhtasar Seeratir-Rasul p. 471: Ibn Hisham 2/649-665: Talqih Fuhum Ahlil-
A thar p. 38. 39: Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 1/277-286.
 The Prophetic Household

1. Khadijah Bint Khuwailid 4k‘- In M akkah - prior to Hijrah - the

Prophet's household com prised of him and his w ife Khadijah b in t
Khuwailid 4k- He was twenty-five and she was forty w h en they got
m arried. She was th e first w om an he m arried. She was th e only
wife he had u n til she died. He had sons and daughters w ith her.
None of their sons lived long. Their daughters w ere Zainab,
Ruqaiyah, Um m K ulthum and Fatim ah.

Zainab '4> was m arried to her m aternal cousin Abul-'As bin Al-
Rabi’ 4® and th a t was before Al-Hijrah. Ruqaiyah and Umm
K ulthum '4? w ere b oth m arried to 'U thm an bin 'Affan 4®
successively (i.e., he m arried one after th e death of h er sister).
Fatim ah 4k was m arried to 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4»; and th at was in
the period betw een th e battles of Badr and Uhud. The sons and
daughters th a t Fatim ah and 'Ali had w ere Al-Hasan, Al-Husain,
Zainab and Um m Kulthum

It is well-know n th a t the Prophet was exceptionally authorized

to have m ore th an four wives for various reasons. The wives he
m arried w ere thirteen. Nine of them w ere alive w h en he passed
away. Two died in his lifetim e: Khadijah 4> and th e M other of the
poor (Um m ul-M asakeen) - Zainab b in t Khuzaim ah [4>- besides two
others w ith w hom he did not consum m ate his marriage.

2. Sawdah bint Zam'ah He m arried h er in Shawwal. in the

te n th year of Prophethood, a few days after th e death of Khadijah
Prior to that, she was m arried to a paternal cousin of hers
called As-Sakran bin 'Amr.

3. 'Aishah bint Abu Bakr He m arried h er in the eleventh year

of Prophethood, a year after his m arriage to Sawdah, and two
years and five m o n th s before Al-Hijrah (emigration). She was six
years old w h en he m arried her. However, he did not consum m ate
th e m arriage w ith h er till Shawwal seven m o n th s after Al-Hijrah.
and th a t was in M adinah. She was nine then. She was th e only
virgin he m arried, and th e m ost beloved creature to him . As a
The Prophetic Household 563

w om an she was th e m ost learned in jurisprudence and know l­

edgeable.

4. Hafsah bint 'Umar bin Al-Khattab Her ex-husband was

Khunais bin H udhafah As-Sahmi 4® w ho died in th e period
betw een th e battles of Badr and U hud. Allah's M essenger | g
m arried h er in th e th ird year of Al-Hijra.
5. Zainab bint Khuzaimah She was from Bani Hilal bin 'Amir
bin Sa'sa'ah, and was nicknam ed Um m ul-M asakeen, because of
h er kindness and care tow ards them . She used to be th e w ife of
’Abdullah bin Jahsh 4®. w ho w as m artyred at U hud. She was
m arried to th e Prophet in th e fourth year o f Al-Hijra, b u t she
died tw o or th ree m o n th s - eight m o n th s according to an o th er
version - after h e r m arriage to Allah's M essenger jjjg.
6. Umm Salamah Hind bint Abi Umaiyah '■$&: She used to be the
wife of Abu Salam ah w ho died in Jum ada Al-Akhir, in th e
fourth year of Al-Hijra. A llah’s M essenger m arried h er in
Shawwal of th e sam e year.
7. Zainab bint Jahsh bin Riyab She w as from Bani Asad bin
Khuzaim ah and was th e M essenger's paternal cousin. She was
m arried to Zaid bin H arithah - w ho was th e n considered as a
son of th e Prophet sg. However, Zaid divorced her. Allah sent
dow n som e Q u ra n ic Verses w ith th is respect:

"So w h e n Zaid had accom plished his desire from h er (i.e.,

divorced her), We gave h er to you in m arriage." [33:37]
About her, Allah has sen t dow n som e Verses of Surat Al-Ahzab
th a t discussed th e adoption of children in detail. Allah's
M essenger j g m arried h er in D hul-Q a'dah, th e fifth year of Al-
Hijra.
8. Juwairiyah bint Al-Harith Al-Harith was th e head of Bani Al-
M ustaliq of Khuza'ah. Juw airiyah ^ was am ong th e booty th a t fell
to th e M uslim s from Bani Al-Mustaliq. She w as in th e portion of
Thabit bin Qais bin Sham m as He w rote h e r an agreem ent
564 The Sealed Nectar

conducive to h e r freedom . Allah's M essenger ^ fulfilled th at

agreem ent on h er behalf and m arried h er in Sha’ban in th e sixth
year of Al-Hijra.

9. Umm Habibah Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan %>: She was m arried to
'Ubaidullah bin Jahsh. She m igrated w ith him to Abyssinia
(Ethiopia). W hen 'Ubaidullah apostatized and becam e a Christian,
she stood fast to h er religion and refused to convert. However
'Ubaidullah died th ere in Abyssinia (Ethiopia). Allah's
M essenger ^ dispatched 'Amr bin Um aiyah Ad-Damri w ith a
letter to th e Negus, th e king, asking him for Um m Habibah's hand
- th a t was in M uharram , in th e seventh year of Al-Hijra. The
Negus agreed and se n t h er to th e Prophet ^ in th e com pany of
Shurahbil bin Hasanah

10. Safiyah bint Huyai bin Akhtab She w as from th e Children

of Israel, and am ong th e booty taken at th e battle Khaibar. Allah's
M essenger ^ took h er for him self. He set h er free and m arried
h er after th at conquest in th e seventh year of Al-Hijra.

11. Maimunah bint Al-Harith She was th e sister of Ummul-

Fadl Lubabah b in t Al-Harith '$&. The Prophet m arried her in
D hul-Q a'dah in th e seventh year of Al-Hijra after th e C om pensa­
tory 'Umrah - after com ing out of th e sacred state, according to an
au thentic narration.
Those w ere th e eleven w om en th a t Allah's M essenger m arried
and consum m ated m arriage w ith. Two of th em - Khadijah and
Zainab Um m ul-M asakeen ^ died in th e life of th e Prophet jfe.
W hereas th e other nine wives w ere alive w h en th e Prophet ^
died.

The two wives th a t he did not consum m ate m arriage w ith w ere
one from Bani Kilab, and the o th er from Kindah, and this was the
one called Al-Jauniyah.

Besides these, h e had two fem ale slaves. The first was M ariyah the
Coptic (an Egyptian Christian), a gift from Al-Muqawqis, ruler of
Egypt - she gave birth to his son Ibrahim, w ho died in M adinah
w hile still a little child, on th e 28th or 29th of Shawwal in th e year
The Prophetic Household 565

10 A.H., i.e., 27th January, 632 C.E. The second one w as Rehanah
b in t Zaid bin 'Amr bin Khanafah bin Sham ’u n b in Zaid An-
Nadriyah or Quraziyah, a captive from Bani Quraizah. Some
people say sh e w as one o f his wives. However, Ibn Al-Qaiyim gives
m ore w eight to th e first version, Abu 'Ubaidah spoke of tw o m ore
slave girls, Jamilah, a captive, and an o th e r one, a bondw om an
granted to him by Zainab b in t Jahsh ^ . m
W hosoever ponders over th e life of Allah's M essenger ^g, will
conceive th a t his m arriage to th is great n u m b er o f w om en in the
late years o f his life, after h e had alm ost sp en t th irty years of his
best days of youth sufficing h im self to one older w ife - Khadijah
and later on to Sawdah ^ ., was in no way an overw helm ing
lustful desire to be satisfied through such a n u m b er of wives.
These m arriages w ere in fact m otivated by aim s and purposes
m uch m ore glorious and greater th an w h a t norm al m arriages
usually aim at.
The tendency of Allah's M essenger $g tow ards establishing a
relationship by m arriage w ith b o th Abu Bakr and 'Um ar 4> and his
m arriage to 'Aishah and Hafsah - and having his daughter
Fatim ah '$*> m arried to 'Ali bin Abi Talib 4>. and th e m arriage of
his tw o daughters, Ruqaiyah and Um m K ulthum ^ to 'U thm an 4>
- indicate clearly th a t h e aim ed at confirm ing th e relationship
am ong th e four m en - w hose sacrifices and great achievem ents in
th e cause of Islam are well-known.
Besides this, th ere was th a t tradition of th e Arabs to h o n o r th e in­
law relations. For th em a son or a daughter-in-law was a m eans by
w hich they sought th e consolidation of relationship and affection
w ith various tribes. Hostility and fights against alliances and
affinities w ould bring an unforgettable sham e, disgrace and
degradation to them .
By m arrying th e M others of believers, th e Prophet j g w anted to
dem olish or break dow n th e Arab tribes' enm ity to Islam and
extinguish th eir in ten se hatred. Um m Salam ah ^ was from Bani

[1] Zadul-Ma'ad 1/29.

566 The Sealed Nectar

M akhzum - th e clan of Abu Jahl and Khalid bin Al-Walid. Her

m arriage to Allah’s M essenger jjg produced good results. Khalid’s
deliberately adopted indecisive attitu d e at U hud - for instance -
was due to th e M essenger’s m arriage to Um m Salamah Khalid
w e n t even fu rth e r th an that, in a sh o rt tim e he willingly becam e a
keen obedient M uslim .
After th e m arriage of Allah's M essenger j§; to Um m Habibah
Abu Sufyan, h er father, did n o t en co u n ter him w ith any sort of
hostility. Similarly his m arriage to Juwairiyah and Safiyah ^ m ade
th e tw o tribes stop all sorts of provocation, aggression or hostility
against Islam. Better still, Juwairiyah herself, was one of the
greatest sources o f blessing to h er ow n people.
On th e occasion of h e r m arriage to th e Prophet sg, his
Com panions set a h u n d red of h er people free. They said: "It is
for th eir affinity w ith Allah’s M essenger jjg." There is no need to
say how m uch of a good im pression this gratitude had m ade on
everybody’s soul.
O ne of th e greatest m otives of all was th e responsibility Allah had
bestow ed upon his Prophet s g to educate and purify th e souls of
people w ho knew nothing w hatsoever about courtesy, education
and culture. He had to teach th em to com ply w ith th e necessities
of civilization and to contribute to th e solidification and the
establishm ent of a new Islamic society.
An essential fundam ental rule of th e M uslim society is to prohibit
m ixing of m en and w om en. Providing direct education for
w om en, though highly compelling, is im possible in th e light of
this Islamic norm . Therefore, th e Prophet had to select som e
w om en of d ifferent ages and talents, and train th em system ­
atically in order to educate th e w om en bedouins and tow ns­
w om en, old and young, and th u s fu rn ish th e m w ith th e
in stru m e n ts of propagating th e true faith. The M others of
believers (i.e., wives of th e Prophet sg) w ere in such a
convenient position th a t they could convey th e state of the
Prophet and his affairs to people (men and w om en). Being
educated and taught th e teachings and rules of Islam, his wives,
The Prophetic Household 567

especially those w ho lived a long life after him , played a very

im portant role in conveying Prophetic traditions or Ahadith to the
M uslim s, 'Aishah for instance, related a large num ber of the
P rophet’s deeds and statem ents,

His m arriage to his paternal cousin Zainab b in t Jahsh was a

peculiar case w hich aim ed at eradicating a deeply rooted pre-
Islamic tradition - i.e., th e adoption of children. In Al-Jahiliyah the
Arabs used to consider an adopted person exactly like a real son or
daughter as far as rights and sanctities are concerned. That
Jahiliyah tradition had been so deeply rooted in th eir hearts th a t it
was not easy to rem ove or uproot it. This tradition, in fact, was
offensive to th e basic principles of Islam; especially those
concerned w ith marriage, divorce and inheritance and som e other
cases, and brought about lots of corruptions and indecencies.
N aturally Islam stands against such deeds, and a ttem p ts to
rem ove th em from th e Islamic society.

For th e eradication of this tradition, Allah th e Exalted ordered His

M essenger ^ to m arry his cousin Zainab b in t Jahsh w ho was
an ex-wife to Zaid She had differences w ith Zaid 4® to the
ex ten t th a t he in tended to divorce h er - th a t was at th e tim e w hen
the C onfederates (Al-Ahzab) w ere m aking an evil alliance against
Allah's M essenger and against th e M uslim s. A llah’s
M essenger feared th at th e hypocrites, th e idolaters, and the
Jews w ould m ake propaganda o u t of it and try to influence som e
M uslim s o f w eak hearts. T hat was w hy he urged Zaid not to
divorce her, in order n ot to provoke such problem s. U ndoubtedly
this hesitation and partiality w ere alien to th e character of the
Prophet jfc. They did not apply to th e pow er of determ in atio n and
will w ith w hich he had been sent. Allah th e Exalted blam ed him
for th a t by saying:

"And (remember) w h e n you said to him (Zaid bin

H arithah - th e freed slave of th e Prophet 3^ ) on w hom
568 The Sealed Nectar

Allah has bestow ed grace (by guiding him to Islam) and you
(O M uham m ad too) have done favor (by m anum itting
him ), 'Keep your w ife to yourself, and fear Allah.’ But you
did hide in yourself (i.e., w h a t Allah has already m ade
know n to you th a t He will give h er to you in marriage) th at
w hich Allah will m ake m anifest, you did fear th e people
(i.e., M uham m ad m arried th e divorced wife of his
m an u m itted slave) w hereas Allah had a better right th at
you should fear him ." [33:37]
Finally Zaid divorced Zainab ^ and Allah’s M essenger sg
m arried h er at th e tim e he laid siege to Bani Quraizah.
That was after she had finished h er 'lddat (i.e., period during
w hich a w idow or a divorcee may not remarry). Allah H im self had
already ordained it, and so gave him no o th er alternative. Allah
had even initiated th e m arriage H im self by saying:

"So w h en Zaid had accom plished his desire from h er (i.e.,

divorced her), We gave h er to you in m arriage, so th a t (in
future) th ere may be no difficulty to th e believers in respect
of (the m arriage of) th e wives of th eir adopted sons w h en
th e latter have no desire to keep th em (i.e., they have
divorced them )." [33:37]
And th at was in order to break dow n th e tradition of child
adoption. For He said:

"Call th em (adopted sons) by (the nam es of) th eir fathers,

th a t is m ore just near Allah." [33:5]

"M uham m ad (jg ) is n o t th e father of any m an am ong you,

b u t h e is th e M essenger of Allah, and th e last (end) of the
P rophets.” [33:40]
The Prophetic Household 569

Lots of deeply rooted traditions cannot be uprooted or dem olished

or even adjusted by m ere w ords. They m u st be m atched and
associated w ith th e action of th e advocate of th e M essage him self.
This could be perceived through th e deeds practiced by the
M uslim s a t th e H udaibiyah 'Umrah during w hich 'Urwah bin
M as'ud Ath-Thaqafi saw certain M uslim s ten d to pick up any
expectoration th a t fell dow n from th e Prophet He also saw
th em race to th e w ater of his ablution and they alm ost quarrelled
for it. T here w ere o thers w ho com peted to pledge allegiance to
death and som e others pledged n o t to flee from (the battlefield).
Among th o se people, w ere e m in e n t C om panions like 'Um ar and
Abu Bakr w ho although dedicated all th eir lives to the
Prophet and to th e cause of Islam, they refused to carry o u t the
M essenger's orders w ith respect to slaughtering sacrificial anim als
after th e agreem ent of th e H udaibiyah Peace Treaty, th e thing th at
disturbed and caused th e Prophet ^ to feel anxious. However,
w h en Um m Salamah ^ advised th a t h e take th e initiative and
sacrifice his anim als, accordingly, his followers raced to follow his
exam ple; a clear evidence in su p p o rt o f th e saying; 'Actions speak
louder th an w ords, in th e process of exterm inating a deeply-
established tradition.'
Hypocrites aroused a lot of suspicions and launched propaganda
against th at m arriage. T heir acts and talks about th a t m arriage had
ill-effects on th o se M uslim s w h o se Faith w as still weak,
particularly th at Zainab '4® w as th e fifth w ife - and th e Noble
Q ur'an lim ited th e n um ber up to four only; Zaid was
traditionally his son, and so a father m arrying his son's divorcee
w as a h ein o u s sin in th e eyes of th e Arabians.
Surat Al-Ahzab was revealed to shed full light on th e tw o issues,
i.e., Islam does not recognize adoption of children, and the
Prophet % is given (by Allah) m ore freedom over th e n u m b er of
wives h e can hold th an o th er M uslim s in order to achieve noble
and honorable purposes.
However, th e tre a tm e n t of Allah's M essenger jjg; to his wives was
of honorable, noble, and superb nature. His wives w ere th e best
570 TheSealedNectar

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The Prophetic Household 571

life of this w orld an d its g litter’ to th e abode in th e H ereafter.

A lthough they w ere m any in num ber, no th in g of th e dispute
occurrences th a t norm ally h ap p en am ong co-wives, took place in
th eir houses. Very few cases could be th e only exception; b u t they
w ere quite norm al. Allah expressed disapproval for that, so they
ceased to do such a thing. This incident is m en tio n ed in Surat At-
Tahrim:

"O Prophet! W hy do you ban (for yourself) th a t w hich Allah

has m ade law ful to you ..." [66:1-5]
Discussing polygamy - in my opinion - is n o t a necessity; since a
person w ho is fam iliar w ith th e E uropeans and th eir indecent
practices, sufferings, w ickedness, th eir sorrow s and distresses, the
horrible crim es they com m it in th is respect as well as th e trials,
th e disasters th a t they are involved in, and w hich em anate
directly from th eir disregard of th e principle of polygamy form a
good reason (to justify th e so u n d n ess of polygamy). The distorted
picture of life in Europe w ith th e ill-practices featuring it, could
tru th fu lly justify th e existence and practice of polygamy. In this,
th ere are Divine signs for all people w ith reason.
 The Prophet’s Character and
Manners

The Prophet had both perfection of features and perfection of

m anners. The im pression of th em on people can be deduced by
th e bliss th at overw helm ed th eir hearts and filled them w ith
dignity.
M en’s respect, devotion and esteem of Allah’s M essenger w ere
unique and m atchless. No o ther m an in th e w hole w orld has been
so honored and beloved.
Those w ho knew him well, w ere fascinated and enchanted by
him . They w ere ready to sacrifice th eir lives for th e sake of saving
a nail of his from h u rt or injury.
Being privileged by lots of excellences th a t no one else had been
endow ed w ith, his C om panions found th a t he w as peerless and so
they loved him .
Here w e list a brief sum m ary of th e versions about his beauty and
perfection. To encom pass all is, adm ittedly, beyond our power.

His Physical Appearance

Describing A llah’s M essenger w ho passed by h er te n t on his
journey of em igration, Um m M a'bad Al-Khuza’iyah said to her
husband: "He w as innocently bright and had a broad face. His
m anners w ere fine. N either was his belly bulging o u t nor was his
head deprived of hair. He had black attractive eyes finely arched
by continuous eyebrows. His hair w as glossy and black, inclined to
curl, he w ore it long. His voice was extrem ely com m anding. His
head was large, well form ed and set on a slender neck. His
expression was reflective and thoughtful, com posed and inspiring.
The stranger was fascinated from the distance, b u t th e closer he
was th e m ore respect he observed. His expression was very sw eet
and distinct. His speech was well set and free from th e use of
superfluous w ords, as if it w ere a chain of beads. His statu re was
n eith er too high nor too sm all to look odd. He was a twig am ongst
The Prophet's Character and Manners 573

th e two, singularly bright and fresh. He w as always su rro u n d ed by

his C om panions, W henever he u tte red som ething, th e listeners
w ould listen to him w ith a tte n tio n and w henever h e issued any
com m and, they com peted w ith each o th er in carrying it out. He
was a m aster and a com m ander. His utterances w ere m arked by
tru th and sincerity, free from all kinds of falsehoods and lies."111

'Ali bin Abi Talib described him : "Allah’s M essenger was

n eith er excessively tall nor extrem ely short. He was of m edium
height am ong his friends. His hair n o t too curly nor was it too
straight. It was both curly and wavy com bined. His cheeks w ere
not fleshy, chin was n o t sm all and forehead w as n o t narrow . His
face was fairly round. His m o u th was w hite. He had black, large
eyes, w ith long eyelashes. His lim bs and sh o u ld er joints w ere
rather big. He had a fine line of little hair extending from his chest
dow n to his navel, b u t th e rest of his body was alm ost hairless. He
had thick palm s and thick fingers and toes.

W hile walking, he lifted his feet off th e ground as if he had been

w alking on a slope. W hen he tu rn ed , h e tu rn e d com pletely. The
Seal of P rophethood w as betw een his shoulders. He is th e Last of
Prophets, th e m ost generous and th e bravest of all. His speech was
th e m ost reliable. He was th e k een est and th e m ost attentive to
people's trust, and was very careful to pay people's d u e in full.
The Prophet was th e m ost gentle and th e m ost polite
com panion, seeing him unexpectedly you w ould fear him and
revere him . He w ho had acquaintance w ith him w ould like him .
He w ho describes him says: 'I have never seen such a person
neith er before nor after seeing h im .'" 121

Jabir bin Sam urah ^ reported th a t Allah's M essenger ^ had a

broad face w ith reddish (wide) eyes and lean h eels.131

Abu At-Tufail 4* said: "He was w hite and good-looking. He was

n eith er fat nor thin-, n eith er tall nor short."

[ 1] Zadul-Ma'ad 2/45.
[2] Ibn Hisham 1/401. JamT At-Tirm idhi 4/303.
[3] Sahih Al-M uslim 2/258.
574 The Sealed Nectar

Anas bin M alik 4® said: "He had broad palm s and his color was
bright. He was neith er w hite nor brow n. He w as rather w hitish. At
th e tim e of his death, in both his head and beard th ere w ere as
m any as tw enty grey hairs, besides som e grey h air at his tem ples."
In an o th er version: "and som e scattered w hite hair on his
h e a d ."111

Abu Juhaifah 4> said: "I have seen som e grey color u n d er his
low er lip."

Al-Bara' 4= said: "He was of m edium height, broad-shouldered; his

hair w e n t up to his earlobes. I saw him dressed in a red garm ent
and I (assure you) I have never seen som eone m ore handsom e."

At first he used to let his hair loose so as to be in com pliance w ith

th e People of the Book; b u t later on he w ould part it.121

Al-Bara' 4® also said: "He had th e m ost h an d so m e face and the

best character." W hen he was asked: "Was th e M essenger’s face
radiant like a sword?" "No," h e said: "like th e m oon." But in
an o th er version: he said, "His face was round."

Ar-Rabi' b in t M uaw w idh said: "Had you seen him , you w ould
have felt th a t th e sun was shining."

Jabir bin Sam urah said: "I saw him on one m oonlit night. I
looked at him . He was dressed in a red garm ent. I com pared him
w ith th e m oon and found th a t - to m e - he was better th an the
m o o n ."131

Abu H urairah 4 said: "I have never seen a thing nicer th an Allah's
M essenger It seem s as if th e sunlight w as m oving w ith his
face. I have never seen one w ho is faster in pace th an Allah's
M essenger # |. It seem ed as if th e earth had folded itself up to
sh o rten the distance for him . For w e used to be exhausted w hile
he was at full ease."141

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/502.

[2] ibid 1/503.
[3] M ishkatul-Masabih 2/518.
[4] ibid 2/518.
The Prophet's Character and Manners 575

Ka'b bin M alik 4*, said: "W hen he was pleased, his face w ould
shine w ith so bright a light th a t you w ould believe it was a piece
of th e m o o n ."111
Once he was w ith 'Aishah th e features of his face tw inkled
w hile sweating; she recited a verse by Abu Kabir Al-Hudhali:

(_}j lS OJ>j j 4 .g I ,_jJl j lifj

"If you w atch his face, you will see it tw inkling like the
lightning of an approaching rain ."121
Abu Bakr 4*> w ould say this verse upon seeing him :

la 51 4_L_>lj cj S y^^-i j —^dLi ^ 4 h 7a j>lj-—*1

"He is faithful, chosen (by Allah), and calls for forgiveness.

He shines like a m oonlit night w hile it is far from dark.”131
'Um ar 4® used to recite a verse by Zuhair describing Haram bin
Sinan:

j j _ J l 4_L_J .si ll '—S _r >LJl iS y ? ir°-

"Were you o th er th an a h u m an being, you w ould be a

lighted m oon on a m oonlit night."
T hen he w ould add: "Thus was A llah’s M essenger ^ . " [4i
W hen he got angry, his face w ould tu rn so red th a t you w ould
th in k it w ere as if pom egranate has been squeezed on both his
cheeks.151
Jabir bin Sam urah said: "His legs w ere gentle, delicate and in
conform ity. His laughter was no m ore th an smiling. Looking at
him will m ake you say 'He is black-eyed' though h e is not so."161
Ibn Al-'Abbas said: "His tw o front tee th w ere separated so

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/502

[2] Rahmatul-lil-'Alamin 2/72.
[3] Khulasatus-Siyar p. 20.
[4] ibid.
[5] Mishkatul-Masabih 1/22.
[6] Jami' At-Tirm idhi 4/306.
576 The Sealed Nectar

w henever he spoke, it was as if light came through them ."

His neck was as pure and silvery as a neck of doll. His eyelashes
w ere long and his beard was thick. His forehead was broad;
separate eyebrows finely joined together. His nose w as high-
tipped. His cheeks w ere plain. He had a fine line of hair running
dow n to his navel. He had hair neith er on his abdom en nor on his
chest except som e on his arm s and shoulders. His chest was broad
and flatted. He had long forearm s w ith expansive palm s. His legs
w ere plain, straight, and stretched. His o th er lim bs w ere also large.
The two hollow s of his soles hardly touch th e ground. He used to
walk w ith ease slightly leaning forw ard.[I]
Anas said; "I have never touched silk or a silky garm ent softer
th an th e palm of the Prophet nor have I sm elt a perfum e or
any scent nicer th an his." In an o th er version: "I have never sm elt
am bergris nor m usk nor any o th er thing sw eeter th an th e scent
and th e sm ell of Allah’s M essenger jgg."
Abu Juhaifah said: "I took his h an d and p u t it on my face and I
found th a t it was colder th an ice and better scented th an the
perfum e of m u sk ."121
Jabir bin Sam urah 4? - w ho was a little child th en - said; "W hen
he w iped my cheek, I felt it w as cold and scented as if it had been
taken out of a shop of a perfum e w orkshop."131
Anas 4* said: "His sw eat w as pearl-like."
Umm Sulaim said: "His sw eat sm elt nicer th an the nicest
perfum e."
Jabir 4* said: "W henever Allah's M essenger passed by a road,
and after him som e o th er person used th e sam e road, h e w ould
quite easily found o ut by th e sm ell of his scent th a t the
Prophet has passed through it."
The Seal of Prophethood, w hich was sim ilar in size to a pigeon's

[1] Khulasatus-Siyar p. 19. 20.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/503.
[3] Sahih M uslim 2/256.
The Prophet's Character and Manners 577

egg, w as betw een his shoulders on th e left side having spots on it

like m oles.111

The Perfection o f Soul and Nobility

The Prophet ^ was noted for superb eloquence and fluency in
Arabic. He was rem arkable in position and rank. He was an
accurate, u n p reten d in g straightforw ard speaker. He w as well-
versed in Arabic and quite fam iliar w ith th e dialects and accents of
every tribe. He spoke w ith his guests using th eir ow n accents and
dialects. He m astered and was quite eloquent at both bedouin and
tow n speech. So. he had th e strength and eloquence of bedouin
language as well as the clarity and th e decorated splendid speech
of th e to w n ’s people. Above all, th ere was th e help of Allah
em bodied in th e revealed Verses of th e Q ur'an.
His stam ina, endurance and forgiveness, w hile he was in a
com m anding position; his patience and firm ness in unfavorable
conditions, w ere all talents, attrib u tes and qualities Allah H im self
had given him . Even w ise m en have th eir shortcom ings, b u t
Allah's M essenger unlike everybody, th e m ore he was h u rt or
injured, th e m ore gentle and patien t h e becam e. The m ore
rudeness and ignorance anybody exercised against him , th e m ore
enduring he becam e.
’Aishah ^ said:

jJ U VI j d £ 4)1 p- U»
M p £ \uj cili. id 015 id 015 o u c id i
lip j i j l 0 \5>j ^ I^j 4) 4)1
«Li j

"W henever Allah’s M essenger was given th e opportunity

to choose betw een tw o affairs, h e w ould always choose the
easiest and th e m ost convenient. But if it be sinful, he w ould
be as far as h e could from it. He never took revenge for

[1] ibid 2/259.

578 The Sealed Nectar

him self; b u t w h e n th e sanctity of Allah was violated, h e w ould

avenge it. That w ould be for Allah's sake not for him self."

He was th e last one to get angry and th e first to be satisfied. His

hospitality and generosity w ere m atchless. His gifts and endow ­
m ents m anifest a m an w ho does n o t fear poverty."111

Ibn 'Abbas ^ said: "The Prophet was th e m ost generous. His

generosity w ould be at its extrem e during Ram adan when- the
angel Gabriel 5tM used to come to see him . Gabriel >&&' used to visit
him every night of Ram adan and review th e Q ur'an w ith him .
Verily, Allah's M essenger was m ore generous at giving bounty
or charity th an th e blow ing wind."

Jabir 4* said; "The Prophet % w ould never deny anything he was

asked for."121

His courage, his bravery and his m ight w ere distinct. He was the
m ost courageous. He w itnessed awkw ard and difficult tim es and
stood fast at them . M ore th an once, brave and daring m en fled;
yet h e stood w ith full com posure facing th e enem y w ith o u t
tu rning his back. All brave m en m u st have experienced fleeing
once or have been driven off th e battlefield at a tim e, except the
Prophet 'Ali said; "W henever th e fight grew fierce and th e
eyes of fighters w e n t red, w e used to resort to th e Prophet jjj| for
help. He was always th e closest to th e enem y."131

Anas 4 ° said; "One night th e people of M adinah felt alarm ed.

People w e n t o u t hurriedly tow ards th e source of sound, b u t they
found th e Prophet sjte already com ing back from there. He was on
a horse belonging to Abu Talhah w hich had no saddle over it, and
a sw ord was hanging from his neck, and h e said to them : 'There
w as nothing to be afraid of.’"141

He was th e m ost m odest, and th e first one to cast his eyes down.

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/503.

[2] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/503.
[31 Ash-Shifa' 1/89.
[4] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/407, Sahih M uslim 2/252.
The Prophet's Character and M anners 579

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri ^ said: "He w as shier th an a virgin. W hen he

disliked som ething, w e could read it on his face.111 He did not
stare at anybody's face. He w ould always cast his eyes dow n. He
w ould look at th e ground m ore th a n th e sky. The m ost he w ould
look at som eone was by glancing. He was willingly and m odestly
obeyed by everybody. He w ould never nam e a person w hom he
had heard ill-news about som ething he hated, instead he w ould
say: 'W hy do certain people do so....’"

A verse of poem by Al-Farazdaq fits him very well and is one of th e

best to be said of him :

"He casts his eyes m odestly, b u t th e eyes of o thers are cast

dow n due to his reverence, and w ords issue o u t of th eir
m o u th s only w hile h e is smiling."

The Prophet was th e m ost just, th e m ost decent, th e m ost

tru th fu l at speech, and th e m ost h o n e st o f all. Those w ho have
exchanged w ords w ith him , an d even his enem ies, acknowledge
h is noble qualities. Even before th e P ro p h eth o o d h e w as
nicknam ed Al-Am een (i.e., th e tru th fu l, th e trustw orthy). Even
th e n - in Al-Jahiliyah - they used to tu rn to him for judgm ent and
consultation. At-Tirmidhi reported 'Ali saying th a t he had been
told by Abu Jahl th at he (Abu Jahl) said to Allah's M essenger # 5:
"We do n o t call you a liar; b u t w e do n ot have faith in w h at you
have b ro u g h t."121 In His Book, Allah th e Exalted said about them :

"It is n o t you th a t they deny, b u t it is th e Verses (the

Q u r'an ) o f Allah th a t th e Z a lim u n (p o ly th e ists a n d
w rongdoers) deny." [6:331
Even w h e n Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan: "Have you ever accused
him of lying before th e m inistry of P rophethood?” Abu Sufyan

[1] Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/504.

[2] M ishkatul-Masabih 2/521.
580 The Sealed Nectar

said: "No."
He was th e m ost m odest person and far from being arrogant or
proud. He forbade people to sta n d -u p for him as o ther people
usually did for th eir kings. Visiting th e poor, th e needy and
entertaining th em w ere som e of his habits. If a slave invited him,
he w ould accept th e invitation. He always sat am ong his friends as
if he w ere an ordinary person am ong them . 'Aishah ^ said th at
he him self used to repair his shoes, sew or m end his dress and do
w hat ordinary m en did in their houses. After all, he was a h u m an
being like others. He used to check his ow n clothing. M ilking the
sheep and catering for him self w ere som e of his norm al jobs.111
The Prophet was th e m ost tru th fu l to his pledges, and it was
one of his qualities to establish good and steady relationship w ith
his relatives. He was th e m ost m erciful, gentle and sociable of all
people. His way of living was th e sim plest one. Ill-m anners and
indecency w ere two qualities com pletely alien to him . He was
decent, and did not call anybody nam es. He was not th e sort of
person w ho cursed or m ade noise in th e streets.
He did not exchange offences w ith others. He p ushed back an
offence or an error by forgiveness and overlooking. He did not
allow others to walk behind him . He did n o t feel him self superior
to others, not even to his slaves as far as food or clothes w ere
concerned. W hoever served him w ould be served by him too.
'Ugh' - th e sound of expressing disgust was never used by him
tow ards any of his servant; nor did h e ever blam e his servant for
som ething or leaving som ething undone. Loving th e poor and the
needy and entertaining them or participating in th eir funerals
w ere th e acts the Prophet ^ always observed. He never show ed
disgrace to a poor m an for his poverty.
Once he was travelling w ith his C om panions and w h en it was
tim e to have food prepared, he asked th em to slaughter a sheep. A
m an said; "I will slaughter it,” an o th er said: "I will skin it o u t,” a
third one said: "I will cook it." So, Allah's M essenger said: "I

[11 ibid 2/520.

 The Prophet's Character and Manners 581

will collect w ood for fire." They said: "No. We will do th a t w ork.”
"I know th a t you can do it for m e, b u t I hate to be privileged. Allah
hates to see a servant of His privileged to o th ers.” So, h e w e n t and
collected firew ood.111

Hind bin Abi Halah described him : "Allah’s M essenger ^ was

always contem plative, thinking. He had no rest (i.e., for long). He
only spoke w h en it was necessary. He w ould rem ain silen t for a
long tim e and w henever h e spoke, h e w ould talk w ith his full
m outh and clear w ords, h e never suppressed th e w ords by
speaking o u t of th e corners o f his m outh. His speech was
c o m p re h e n siv e . He spoke inclusively and decisively. It was not
excessive nor was it sh o rt of m eaning. It was friendly. It w as in no
way dishonoring. He glorified th e bo u n ty of Allah; even if it w ere
little. If he had no liking for som e food, h e w ould n e ith e r praise
nor criticize.

He was always in full control of his tem p er and h e never seem ed

angry unless it was necessary. He never got angry for h im self nor
did he avenge for him self. It was for A llah’s sanctity and religion
th a t h e w ould be angry.

W henever he pointed at a thing, h e w ould do so w ith his hand,

and h e w ould tu rn it round to show surprise. If h e w ere angry he
w ould tu rn b oth his body and face aside. W hen h e was pleased, he
cast his eyes dow n. His laughter was m ostly smiling. It was th en
th a t his tee th w ere revealed like hailstones.

He never spoke unless it was som ething closely relevant to him .

He confirm ed th e b rotherhood relationship am ong his Com pa­
nions; and th u s he m ade th em intim ate and did not separate
them or im plant enm ity am ong them . Those w ho w ere honorable
w ith th eir peoples, w ere h o n o red and respected by him and w ere
assigned rulers over th eir ow n peoples. His cheerfulness was
never w ithdraw n at anyone's face; even at th o se w hom he w arned
his people from or th o se w hom h e h im self was on th e alert. He

[ 1] Khulasatus-Siyar p. 22.
582 The Sealed Nectar

visited friends and inquired about people's affairs. He confirm ed

w h at was right, and criticized th e unpleasant, and tried to
u n d erm in e it. He was m oderate in all affairs. He w as equal to
o thers and was not privileged. He w ould never act carelessly, lest
o thers should get neglectful. Each situation was dealt w ith in its
proper due. R ighteousness was his objective; he was never short
of it or indifferent to it. People w ho sat next to him w ere th e best
of th eir people and th e b est of th em all w ere - for him - those
w ho w ere m ost caring. For him , th e greatest ones and th e highest
in rank w ere th e b est at providing comfort, cooperation and help.

Rem em brance of Allah was im p o rtan t to him and did so w henever

h e sat dow n or stood up. No certain place was assigned for him to
sit in. He w ould sit at th e end of th e group, next to th e last
person. He ordered people to do th e sam e. He entertain ed his
participants in social gatherings alike so th a t th e one addressed
w ould th in k th at th ere was no one honored by th e Prophet j|g b u t
him self. W hoever sat next to him or in te rru p ted him in order to
ask for his advice about an affair of his, w ould be th e first to start
th e talk and th e one to end it. The Prophet j|g w ould listen to him
patiently u ntil he ended his speech. He never denied a request to
anyone, if unapproachable, th en a few gratifying w ords w ould
w ork instead.

His generosity of spirit, broad m indedness, and tolerance could

em brace all people and entitled him to be regarded as a father to
th em all. In justice, all of th em w ere alm ost equal. Nobody was
b e tte r th an an o th er except on th e basis of piety. A favored one, to
him , was th e one w ho feared Allah m ost. His assem bly was a
m eeting of kindness, m odesty, patience and honesty, voices w ere
n o t raised th ere nor cries, inviolable things w ere never considered
to be violable there. Fearing Allah and w orship w ere th eir m eans
to sym pathy and com passion. They used to revere th e old and
have mercy on th e young. They helped th e needy and en tertain ed
strangers.

Allah’s M essenger j | | was always cheerful, easy, pleasant-

tem pered and m erciful. He was never rude or rough or indecent.
The Prophet's Character and Manners 583

He w ould n eith er blam e nor praise excessively. He overlooked

w h at he did n ot desire, yet no one w ould be despair of him . He
kept h im self away from th ree habits: hypocrisy, excessiveness,
and w h at was none of his concern. People did n o t fear him in
th ree areas: he n eith er degraded or blam ed th em nor did he seek
th e defects or shortages of others. He only said things w hose
rew ard was Divinely desirable. W hen he spoke, his listeners
w ould attentively listen casting dow n th eir heads. They only
spoke w h en he was silent. They did n o t have disputes or
argum ents about w ho was to talk. He w ho talked in his presence
w ould be listened to by everybody u n til h e finished his talk. Their
talk w ould be about th e topic discussed or delivered by th e first
speaker. Allah’s M essenger ^ used to laugh at w h at they laughed
at and adm ired w hat they adm ired. He w ould always show
patience w ith a stranger’s h a rsh speech. He used to say:

I* i 4 IL ; i j S o /jijti ifciL; o - u J i isi»

<<^1^

"W hen you see a person seeking an object earnestly, assist

him to get his need. And never ask for a rew ard except from
th e Giver of th e rew ards, i.e., A llah.’’111

Kharijah bin Zaid said: "The Prophet was th e m ost h onored

am ong th e people w ith w hom he sat. His lim bs could hardly be
seen. He was often silent and rarely talked w h e n speech was n o t a
necessity. He tu rn e d away from th o se w hose speech was rude or
im polite. His laughter was no m ore th an a sm ile. His speech,
w hich was decisive, was n e ith e r excessive nor incom plete. O ut of
reverence and esteem and following th e exam ple of their
Prophet s|z, th e C om panions' laughter in his presence w ould
also be a sm ile as well."121
O n th e w hole th e Prophet M, was orn am en ted w ith peerless
attributes of perfection. Indeed, he w as brought up, educated and

[1] A sh-Shifa‘ 1/126.

[2] Ash-Shifa' 1/107.
584 The Sealed Nectar

taught by Allah. He was even praised by Allah:

"And verily, you (O M uham m ad are on an exalted

standard of character.” [68:4]
Those w ere th e attributes and qualities th a t the Prophet ^
enjoyed w hich m ade th e hearts and souls of th e people close to
him , draw near to him and love him . Those traits m ade him so
popular th a t th e restrain t and enm ity of his people grew less and
they started to em brace Islam in large crowds.
This description is in fact no m ore th an a quick glance at
M uham m ad's perfection. No one can ever claim to be possessed of
full know ledge or com plete m astery of th e great attributes of the
greatest m an in th is universe. No one can ever give this m an, the
top of perfection and his due description. He was a m an w ho
always sought Allah’s light, and to such an ex ten t th at he was
wholly im bued w ith th e Q u ra n ic approach.

(’■?■?^jtl s^JL<9 I j T I)•

L j - ib i jl jU j

"O Allah! Send Your blessings (and th e M agnificent W ords

of Yours) upon M uham m ad and th e family of M uham m ad,
as You have send blessings upon Ibrahim and th e family of
Ibrahim. You are W orthy of all praise, All-Glorious."

jl i iljb gXl!»
if ^ ^ ^ fi ^ q ^ ^

*4-L! C|*-J&l^jl (Jl

"O Allah! Bless M uham m ad and th e family of M uham m ad
as You have already blessed Ibrahim and th e family of
Ibrahim. You are W orthy of all praise, All-Glorious."
 s ~ ~

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