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Post-Emigration Written By Mufti Shabbir Ahmad Qasmi |
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Post-Emigration Written By Mufti Shabbir Ahmad Qasmi |
“O Prophet! Truly We
Have sent thee as
A witness, a bearer
Of Glad Tidings,
And a
Warner,
And as one
who invites
To Allah’s
(Grace) by His leave,
And
as a Lamp
Spreading
light.”
(Quran,
J-22, S.33, A-45, 46)
“We
sent thee not, but
As
a Mercy for all creatures.”
(Quran,
J-17, S.21, A-107)
The holy prophet Mohammad (PBUH) was born in the year 570 A.D. The people of Mecca bestowed upon him the title of “the Honest and the Truthful man” before he attained prophet hood. Due to his truthfulness and honesty, he enjoyed high rank of credibility among all the tribes and clans of Mecca. They held him in high esteem and consulted him in all-important affairs. When he completed fortieth year of his age Allah honored him with revelation and prophet hood. Initially when he commenced the process of inviting his people to the Islamic faith, following the command of Allah, all the tribes of Mecca including his own clan turned to become his mortal enemy except the selected few. Every tribe of Mecca prided itself with religious fervor in harming and launching physical attack upon the life of prophet, his property and his reputation. Every one showed his utmost contempt to him and his way of worship and tried his best in every conceivable manner to make him refrain from preaching his faith. His uncle, Abu Taalib, a renowned chieftain of Mecca managed to support him to great extent. How the people of Mecca persecuted the prophet and his weak followers and hatched conspiracies to obliterate his preaching I would relate hereunder very briefly a few such incidents and subsequently will record selected facts how the prophet, after his emigration, when he overpowered his opponents, treated them with sympathy and tolerance.
When
the people of Mecca realized the firm determination of the prophet and that
nothing could stop him from preaching his faith they invited all the tribal
leaders of Mecca for a conference at Khaif Banu Kananah, also known as
valley of Al-Muhassab, in Mecca. There, they pledged oath of allegiance
to their polytheistic customs and infidelity. A common treaty was concluded
which provided that henceforth the followers of Mohammad (PBUH) would be
boycotted; none would enter into marital ties with them; all business and
commercial links would be severed; no eatables to be supplied to them; they
would be socially ostracized and excommunicated; imposing total ban upon
exchange of visits, communication and even exchange of pleasantries. The treaty
forced them to be under house arrest in the valley of Abi Taalib beyond
the precincts of Mecca.
Consequent
to this unanimous treaty, prophet Mohammad (PBUH) had to undergo, along with his
weak followers, the hardship and pain of incarceration. His uncle, Abu Taalib,
though he had not converted to his faith, continued his support steadfastly and
remained his partner in this difficult period. For three long years, besides
exposure to vagaries of climate, they had nothing to eat except the skin of
trees and leaves. The details have been comprehensively recorded in books of
tradition and biography of Prophet (refer to Bukhari, vol.1, pg. 216 &
Muslim, vol. 1, pg. 423)
After
three years of this boycott, Allah, the Great, responding to the prayers of the
prophet, made the termites eat away the written words of the document of the
treaty, recorded upon a parchment and hanging in Ka’ba, except the name of
Allah, miraculously. The prophet conveyed to his uncle, Abu Taalib, that
the letters contained in the document remained no more. Also during the period
of this boycott, various tribal leaders started questioning the propriety of
such a harsh measure. The leaders, like Mut’im ibne Udai, Zuhair ibne Abi
Umayyah, Zama’a Ibne S’ad, Hesham ibne Amer and Abul Bahtari, proclaimed
their opposition to the boycott. Subsequently the boycott was lifted and the
prophet along with his followers resumed the process of preaching. After a
while, Abu Taalib, the staunch supporter of the prophet expired. Two
months had hardly passed over this tragedy that the first and the only wife of
the prophet, then, Hadhrat Khadijah Alkubra left for her heavenly abode
aggravating his grief. Besides facing grief upon grief, in the absence of Abu
Taalib, people of Mecca had their field day for persecuting and torturing the
weak companions of the prophet piling upon them misery upon misery.
Hadhrat
Bilal Ibne Rabah
(R.A) who later became the personal attendant of the prophet and was conferred
upon with duty of giving prayer call (Moazzin), was a slave of Umayuah Bin
Khalaf who used to torture him because of his conversion to Islamic faith by
making him prostrate upon hot sand and stone in extremely hot sun. Later on Hadhrat
Abu Bakar Siddeeq (R.A.), witnessing such inhuman torture, bought him from Umayyah
and freed him. (Albidayah wal Nihayah 3/75)
Hadhrat
Khubab Bin Al-Irith was the
sixth person who converted to Islam. Among Muslims he was the first person to
have proclaimed Islam openly. As a result he was tortured by the people of Mecca
grievously. (Al-Istee’aab 2/21)
Hadhrat
Ammar Bin Yasir is also one of
those who entered into fold of Islam early. After his family converted to Islam,
his whole family was subjected to severe physical torture. (Al-Rauz Al-Anaf
3/201)
Hadhrat
Sumayyah (R.A.), mother of Ammar
Bin Yasir who embraced Islam in the earliest period, was maltreated by Abu
Jahal beyond words. She was shot with a spear between her legs and thus
became the first Muslim martyr. (Usud Al-Ghabah 6/156)
Hadhrat
Suhaib Roomi, also, is from
amongst the earliest companions of the prophet who was oppressed and tyrannized
by the people of Mecca. (Al-Isabah 3/356)
When
the tyranny and oppression by the people of Mecca exceeded all limits and
physical torture became too severe; life in Mecca for the prophet and his
companions turned to misery and distress; they could neither practice monotheism
nor preach it openly; they were forced at last to emigrate from Mecca.
Emigration
means that when Muslims are not allowed to worship Allah according to their
faith in their native place, they are subjected to restrictions and prohibition
and ban is imposed upon proclamation and preaching of Islam, they should
emigrate from such a place to such areas where they may enjoy facilities to
worship Allah and propagate their religion freely. In accordance with this
principle when it became extremely difficult for the prophet (PBUH) to worship
Allah and preach Islam in Mecca and the land of Mecca turned to become land of
misery and distress for the monotheists he took the decision to emigrate from
Mecca. With the grace of Allah, I shall explain in detail as to why and how the
prophet emigrated. Some opponents of Islam, ignorant of the character and life
of the prophet have taken the liberty to observe contemptuously that he fled
from Mecca and that is what emigration means, which is totally against the
facts.
When
life in Mecca became too miserable, the prophet thought of his family relations
with the people of Ta’ef. Hadhrat Halimah Sa’adiyah who
belonged to Ta’ef was his
foster mother. Because of this relationship, he hoped that they would welcome
him there.
Accompanied
by Hadhrat Zaid Bin Harethah, he went to Ta’ef and delivered to
the people of Ta’ef the message of Islam but the way he was maltreated
there distressfully the history of Islam can never forget it. The wretched souls
set upon him depraved hoodlums who stoned him until he started bleeding (Sharah
Zarqani 2/51). At last he had to turn back from Ta’ef with broken
heart. On his return journey when he reached a place called Qarn al-Manazil,
the Archangel Gabriel approached him saying that he was deputed by Allah
with authority to command the angels, if the prophet so desired, to destroy
those wretched people by dashing the two mountains skirting the valley in which
they resided against each other. But the prophet replied, “I do hope that
Allah will create in their progeny such persons who will embrace Islam one
day.”
When
life became hard for Muslims in Mecca the prophet had thought that if the people
of Ta’ef valued him and reposed faith in him he would allow his
companions to emigrate to Ta’ef but they behaved so atrociously
breaking his heart that he allowed them to emigrate to Abyssinia. Thereafter a
large group of prophet’s companions arrived in Abyssinia. The people of Mecca
didn’t approve of it and dispatched a delegation of its tribal leaders headed
by Omer Bin Al-A’as to the king of Abyssinia who tried their best to
mislead the king by lodging false and malicious complaints against Muslims. The
king being wise and clever didn’t consider it appropriate to rely completely
upon the mere statements of the complainants without giving chance of hearing to
the accused. The counter reply of the immigrants belied the false complaints and
exposed their opponents’ deceitful conspiracy. The leader of the immigrants Hadhrat
Jafar Tayyar (R.A.) addressed the royal court and recited verses of Quran
from Surah Maryam which had mesmeric effect upon the king whose eyes over
flew with tears involuntarily and he observed that the source of revelation of
those verses was the same as those revealed to Moses and Jesus. Thus the
immigrants were able to free themselves from the clutches of the people of
Mecca.
The
people of Mecca did their utmost to harass the prophet and hatched every
possible plan and scheme to obstacle his preaching and worship. Whenever he
stood to pray they ridiculed him and passed witty remarks contemptuously. Bukhari
has related the following incident. Once the prophet was praying near
Ka’ba. Abu Jahal, Utbah Bin Rabiah, Shaibah Bin Rabiah, Walid Bin Utbah,
Umayyah Bin Khalaf Utbah Bin Abi Moeet, Amarah Bin walid Bin Mughirah, all
of them, joined in ridiculing the prophet. Abu Jahal incited the group of
motley hooligans by saying that a she-camel has been slaughtered in certain
house and who would volunteer to pick up its tripe (intestine ) and throw it
upon the head of the prophet when he prostrated on his forehead during his
prayer. The most depraved amongst them, Utbah Bin Moeet, performed this
contemptible deed. They fell upon each other gleefully. Hadhrat Abdullah Bin
Mas’ood reports that he witnessed this sight with his own eyes but hardly
could do any thing to stop them as he had neither power nor any force. When Fatimah,
the beloved daughter of the prophet, came to know about it she removed the tripe
from his head cursing them for their mischief. The prophet after completing his
prayer submitted his predicament to Allah for justice. The reporter of this
incident, Abdullah Bin Mas’ood, says that he also witnessed on the day
of holy battle of Badar how Allah punished them for their crime. Six of them
were killed like dogs except Amarah Bin Walid Bin Mughirah who had gone
to King Najashi where he died a donkey’s death due to his misdeeds. (Umdatul
Qari 3/174)
When
people of Mecca crossed all limits in their persecution of Muslims and it became
impossible to worship Allah and proclaim the faith of Islam within the precincts
of Mecca the prophet began to plan for immigration in order to be able to
practice and preach his monotheistic faith. With this intention in his mind, he
started preaching Islam during Haj pilgrimage to the visitors from distant
tribes. The friendly visitors from Medinah were fortunate enough to be destined
to enjoy the company of the prophet and receive Binefit of his blessings. In the
11th year of prophet hood six pilgrims from Medinah took pledge of
allegiance upon his hands. Two of them belonged to the tribe of Aus while
the rest four came from Khazraj. Simultaneously with the pledge of
allegiance, they had also committed that they would preach their newly acquired
faith after returning to Medinah. (Sharah Zarqani)
This
brought fruitful result as in the subsequent year i.e. 12th year of prophet hood
a delegation of twelve persons arrived from Medinah who embraced Islam. While
taking the pledge of allegiance, they too like their predecessors promised to
carry on preaching Islam after returning to their homes. This delegation also
included representatives from the two tribes of Aus and Khazraj. On their
way back to home they were accompanied by the loyal companions of the prophet
such as Mus’ab Bin Umair, Abdullah Bin Maktoom and Othman Bin
Maz’oon etc. who had been specially deputed for preaching Islam to
Medinites which resulted in further expansion of the fold as in the thirteenth
year of prophet hood seventy to seventy five fortunate Medinites took pledge of
allegiance on the hands of the prophet during Haj pilgrimage. (Al-Raudh Al-Anaf
4/135 ). Out of those seventy people twelve persons from the tribe of Khazraj
and three from the tribe of Aus were appointed by the prophet the
proclaimers of Islam who were also given the authority to supervise the
religious affairs and governance of their respective tribes. (Al-Bidayah Wal-
Nihayah 3/161) Simultaneously the Medinites cordially invited the prophet to
migrate to their land as the people of Mecca didn’t appreciate him. They
promised to provide him with every possible facility to enable him to worship
and carry out his holy mission freely. They showed their readiness to sacrifice
their lives and property for the holy cause. On one hand he received such warm
invitation from his Medinite friends and on the other hand due to perennial
torture of his companions by the people of Mecca he was totally helpless.
Neither he could worship and proclaim Islam, nor he could move about freely in
Mecca. Therefore for the sake of his faith he allowed his followers and
companions to emigrate to Medinah. Day by day caravans of migrants started
arriving in Medinah and gradually a large number of Muslims gathered there. The
prophet himself also had made up his mind to migrate but he waited for
permission of Allah and stayed back along with his closest companion Abu
Bakar Siddeeq (R.A.) (Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra)
Except
very few Muslims, the rest of them all had gone gradually to Medinah. Those who
could not follow, majority of them, were either the slaves and maids or they
were too badly trapped by powerful families to be able to migrate. When the
people of Mecca realized that the migrants with the support of Medinites might
raise a front against them and Prophet Mohammad who was still left behind
amongst them. if he also migrated, their apprehension would become a certainty.
Therefore to decide the fate of
Mohammad (PBUH) an emergency meeting of all the chieftains of Mecca was called
in Darun-Nadwah (Assembly House).
While
the assembly meeting of chieftains was in progress the Devil disguised as an old
saint appeared and caused every scheme be rejected on some pretext or the other.
At last when Abu Jahal presented his plan that a team constituted of one
youth from each tribe should attack Mohammad (PBUH ) by sword with one supreme
effort all together so that the liability for the blood of Mohammad could be
equally divided among all the
tribes. Since Bani Hashim from whom the prophet descended couldn’t
engage into battle with all the tribes together they would be obliged to
compromise on accepting monetary compensation instead of demanding customary
blood for blood and the compensation would be paid easily from collective fund.
The devil appreciating this sinister plot vehemently put the stamp of approval
upon it as most pragmatic and suitable solution of the issue. Consequently, it
was resolved then and there to put the plan into action the same night. (Al-Rauz
Al-Anaf 4/177)
While
the sinister plan for assassination of the prophet was being envisaged Allah
Almighty commanded him to migrate. Bukhari, the most reliable book of
tradition has given detailed account of the incident. It reports: “The same
day the prophet (PBUH ) arrived at the house of Abu Bakar Siddeeq (R.A.)
and disclosed the command of Allah for migration. The same night preparation for
journey was made.” (Bukhari, 2/587, 2/864)
The
Arch Angel Gabriel advised him not to sleep in his bed that night and ask
someone else to rest in his place. Accordingly, Hadhrat Ali (R.A.) was
chosen to replace the prophet in his bed. The depraved young hooligans of Quraish
tribe surrounded the residence of the prophet that night. They lay in wait
for the appointed darkest hour of the night to approach with pride and
vainglory. The prophet picked up a handful of stone dust and threw it upon their
head while reciting Surah Yaasin from Quran and came out from amongst
them unseen. Quran has recorded the incident in the following words.
“And
We have put
A
bar in front of them
And
a bar behind them,
And
further, We have
Covered
them up; so that
They
cannot see.”
(J-22,S.36,A-9)
The
prophet, accompanied by Hadhrat Abu Bakar Siddeeq (R.A.) went up the
mount of Althaur (Bull). When the miscreants who lay in siege discovered
about his escape throwing dust in their eyes they scattered all around to search
him. The search led them to the mouth of the cave where prophet had taken refuge
along with his closest friend but Allah blinded their eyes miraculously whereby
their pursuit totally failed. (Al-Tabaqat Al-Kubra 1/176)
The
prophet and his companion stayed in the cave for three days. Meanwhile, Hadhrat
Aamir Bin Fuhairah and Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Abi Bakar, the two used
to take their herd of goats for grazing in the foot of the same mountain,
managed to supply the hidden guests with some eatables and goat milk secretly
and returned back to Mecca before dusk. Hadhrat Abdullah Bin Bakar used
to visit again in the darkness of the night and conveyed to the prophet the
report of day’s occurrences at Mecca. Before dawn he came back home. After
three days of stay in the cave the prophet departed for Medinah (the enlightened
city). He also took with him Hadhrat Aamir Bin Fuhairah as his personal
attendant. (Bukhari, 2/587)
Abdullah
Bin Ariqat, who had not
embraced Islam till then and was fully acquainted with the secret terrains of
infidels, had been engaged earlier to act as a paid guide and lead the small
holy caravan through unknown short cuts to Medinah. Hadhrat Abu Bakar (R.A.)
had raised two camels especially for this journey. Before departure, he had
entrusted the camels to Ariqat asking him to bring them along after three
days on Monday to the cave from where the journey to Medinah was scheduled to
commence. Keeping his promise he reached Mount Thaur along with the two
camels on Monday, the first day of Islamic month of Rabeeul-Awwal. From
there the holy caravan of prophet (PBUH) commenced the journey of migration.
After one week of miserable suffering through one of the most difficult terrain
and burning climate the holy travelers were received by the breezes from the
green oasis of Medinah. At long last, on Monday again, their eyes sighted the
blessed city walls of Medinah. The holy caravan landed at Quba and took
their abode there first.
Allah
Almighty commissioned the prophet (PBUH) as embodiment of mercy for all the
creatures. He represented limitless pardon and forgiveness. Those who had
planned his assassination and regarded it as virtue and symbol of pride and
honor, after migration when Allah Almighty rewarded him with glorious victories
and they were overpowered, captured and brought to him, he pardoned them as if
they were completely innocent and had never shown any grudge against him
whatsoever. He not only pardoned them but treated them with amazing compassion.
The world has witnessed such countless incidents in the life of prophet. For a
lesson I am describing here only few instances here:
When
Allah Almighty honored the prophet with glorious victory over his ferocious
enemies who had not spared any measure in order to oppress him and his
followers, all of them, were given general pardon after the fall of Mecca and
were provided with refuge and guarantee of security. It showed his stature as
the embodiment of mercy showering compassion upon friends and foes equally. What
a day of victory it was! No revenge was taken from any one. No vengeance was
shown against any body. The boundless mercy, compassion and love engulfed every
body. Even mortal enemies like Akramah Bin Abi Jahal and Abdullah Bin
Sa’ad Bin Abi Sarah, the proclaimed offenders, with death warrant on their
head, to be executed even if found within the violence prohibited zone of Haram,
were shown mercy and subsequently pardoned. This is the example of merciful
conduct befitting the compassionate personality of the prophet. This is what
Islam teaches us. (Abu Dawood 1/365)
After
victory over Khaiber the prophet didn’t exile the Jews and allowed them
to stay back and retain their possession of land subject to payment of a portion
of crop by way of tax for guarantee of security. When Jews saw that the prophet
and his companions were fully satisfied with them and were about to return to
Medinah they started making deceptive moves and began to send gifts to the
prophet. Once a Jewish woman named Zainab Bint Harith, the wife of Salam
Bin Mishkam was commissioned to present to the prophet mutton fried with
poison. The woman carried out the murderous plot and the poisoned mutton was
served to the prophet and a few of his companions who even ate a morsel each
which resulted into martyrdom of Hadhrat Bara’a Bin Ma’roor and
prophet’s upper uvula of the mouth was so afflicted that its effect lasted
till the rest of his life and poison showed its effect upon his whole body on
the day of his heavenly journey from this world. When investigation was started,
the Jews confessed of their crime but the prophet didn’t take any revengeful
action against them and pardoned them in respect of his own self.
Abdullah
Bin Umayyah, prophet’s
cousin was one of the mortal enemies of the prophet. He was full of malice and
grudge against the prophet His hatred can be gauged from his remark addressing
the prophet, “If a ladder is installed connecting the earth with the sky and
you climb it up to sky and come back form there carrying the documentary proof
of your prophet hood and I see angels descending with you with my own eyes and
four angels present to me the certificate of your prophet hood I would still not
believe in you”. The statement itself reflects how antagonistic his attitude
was!
During
the campaign of victory of Mecca when such a malicious antagonist and ferocious
enemy left Mecca to meet the prophet on his way, before he reached there, and
expressed his willingness to embrace Islam, the prophet completely ignored his
past behavior and condoned all his mistakes. That is what prophet has taught us
and that is the special characteristic of Islam.
Abu
Sufyan Bin Harith Bin Abdul Muttalib, the
first cousin of the prophet and also his foster brother, was most acclaimed poet
of Mecca. He was highly antagonistic critic of the prophet. He used to take
great pride in writing conceit fully insulting and contemptuous poetry to
ridicule the prophet. It agonized the prophet mentally. But like Abdullah Bin
Umayyah he too went out of Mecca, met him on his way and expressed his
willingness to convert. Despite remembering, the agony caused by him his excuse
was promptly accepted and aptly condoned. (Al-Istee’aab 4/237)
The
prophet (PBUH) pardoned even those of his mortal enemies who took liberty to
play with his life and caused grave danger to his personal safety. Labeed Bin
Abdul Asam made him target of his most pugnacious sorcery making it humanly
impossible to avoid the intended affliction. Nevertheless, Allah Almighty with
His grace forewarned him through revelation. Labeed Bin Al-Asam Zarqi was
an ally of the Jews and a hypocrite. He had been bribed by Jews to cause mortal
affliction to prophet through the craft of his sorcery. In an abandoned well
occupied by snakes and scorpions, located in a deserted cluster of palm trees he
planted a few enchanted and charmed objects. Despite being a prophet the sorcery
had spelled upon him so much that his memory sometimes failed about the action
he had already performed recently. But with the grace of Almighty he was able to
get rid of the affliction and the depraved sorcerer was caught. The faithful
Muslims requested the prophet persistently that being a sorcerer if he could
harm the prophet he posed greater danger to the lives of ordinary Muslims but
the prophet still pardoned him and let him go Scot-free. (Bukhari, 1/450)
Three persons from amongst the polytheists had attacked upon the prophet directly during the holy battle of Uhad. Abdullah Bin Shahab had injured prophet’s forehead and face by hitting with stone. The person who carried out such murderous attack had no right to be pardoned. But when he was subsequently captured no revenge was taken from him and he was pardoned. Thereafter he got converted to Islam and died as such in Mecca (Usud Al-Ghabah 3/173). This is the example of the abundant mercy of the prophet and his overflowing compassion that he never took revenge from his mortal enemies but he pardoned them and treated them without any discrimination and at par with Muslims.
Wahshi
Bin Harab was
the self purchased slave of Jubair Bin Mut’im Bin Udai Bin Khiyar. On
the occasion of holy battle of Uhad, Jubair Bin Mut’im gave him
tempting offer by promising him that if he killed Hadrat Hamzah, the
beloved uncle of the prophet, he would set him free as a reward. Wahshi himself
says in his confessional statement, “I participated in the battle of Uhad on
behalf of the polytheists. My sole target was to kill Hamzah. When Hamzah was
engaged in fighting with Sabaa Bin Harab I was hiding behind a rock in
order to ambush Hamzah as I didn’t have the courage to engage him in
straight encounter. I intended to kill Hamzah deceitfully. When Hamzah
passed by that rock I went behind his back and hit him with spear with full
force under his waist piercing through his body and, then and there, Hamzah fell
dead making the prophet so sad that he had never felt so sad in his life in the
past neither he would feel ever such agony in future. I had believed that
prophet would never pardon me for this crime. Later, on victory of Mecca, I fled
to Ta’ef and from there went to Medinah along with some people of Ta’ef
with plea to embrace Islam. The prophet instead of taking revenge from me
condoned my crime and treated me in the same manner as he treated all other
Muslims.”
On
his return journey from holy battle of Zatul Riqaq, also named as Najd,
the prophet and his companions camped for siesta in a valley abounding in acacia
(gum Arabic ) trees. All the people scattered searching shade of the trees
and prophet was left alone to rest under a particular tree. He lay down on the
ground unarmed leaving his sword hanging from the branch of the tree. Availing
the opportunity an Arab Bedouin grabbed the sword of the prophet and
stood to pounce upon him. Meanwhile the prophet suddenly woke up. The Bedouin
by then had overpowered him completely and challenged him saying, “Who can
save you now?” The prophet replied very calmly, “Allah will save me”.
The
Bedouin got so frightened that the sword fell off from his hand and the
prophet picked it up. Meanwhile other people came along and the challenger was
captured.
But
the prophet didn’t take any revenge from him; neither he was punished nor
threatened in any manner. He pardoned him as if he had done nothing. He was so
impressed by his compassionate attitude and kind deal that he immediately
submitted to embrace Islam. There have occurred such countless incidents in the
life of prophet revealing how merciful and compassionate he was!
Hadhrat
Khalid Bin Walid and
Hadhrat Omer Bin Al-Aas, both were the mortal enemies of the prophet.
They were famous for their hostility to Islam. When Muslims were forced to
migrate to Abyssinia, Omer Bin Al-Aas had followed them there with the
mission to get them extradited by influencing the Abyssinian King deceitfully.
But with the grace of Almighty his sinister plot failed due to bold, truthful
and honest encounter by the ambassador of Muslims, Hadhrat Jaafar Tayyar, who
was able to win over the royal court by reciting heart-mellowing verses of Quran.
The
hostile role of Khalid Bin Walid too is equally notorious. He was
directly responsible for martyrdom of seventy of the Prophet’s companions in
the holy battle of Uhad and the physical injury caused to the forehead of
the prophet and breaking of his teeth. But when the two mortal enemies
surrendered themselves to the prophet, instead of avenging upon them the prophet
rather encouraged them by observing, “Islam obliterates all the sins committed
earlier. Similarly, Migration wipes out the previous sins. And Haj also washes
off completely all the pre Haj committed sins.” (Muslim 1/76)
Abu
Sufyaan Bin Harab had
been acting as the ring leader of prophet’s enemies. In the holy battle of Uhad
it was who led the enemy forces as their Chief. He had prepared all kinds of
plots to root out Islam and its followers. In the holy battle of Khandaq (Trenches),
he had organized the enemy coalition front against the prophet.
He brought four thousand strong fighting forces from Mecca. From the other end of Medinah he invited the coalition of Arab tribes under the leadership of Oainah Bin Hafs Fuzari to launch attack with a force of another four thousand soldiers. From the third side six thousand armed fighters laid the siege. The joint operation was conceived and supervised by Abu Sufyaan himself. In addition, he instigated shrewdly Banu Quraizah who despite their smaller numbers as compared to Muslims were strategically located at the far end of Medinah, to attack the Muslim forces from their back contravening their earlier peace treaty with Medinites. Then Allah Almighty sent thunder storm causing the enemy to get scattered and retreat in defeat. On the occasion of Victory of Mecca the same ring leader of the enemy, one day prior to fall of Mecca, came in disguise to the Muslim camp in the place called Mur-Al-Zahran to spy and assess the Muslim military might. The spy was caught red handed and brought in front of the prophet. Many of the companions of the prophet submitted to him the plea to allow them to execute the prisoner who was no less important a person than the chief of enemy Army himself. But lo! The next day Abu Sufyaan came to prophet and embraced Islam voluntarily. The respect shown to him and the honorable deal he got was indeed amazing and beyond comprehension of an ordinary mortal. A declaration was publicly announced, “Whoever enters the grand mosque of Mecca (Masjid-e-Haram) shall be spared, whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyaan shall be spared and whoever shuts his door too shall be spared.” The declaration decreeing the house of Abu Sufyann to be treated at par with grand mosque of Mecca in respect of refuge bestowed upon him such an honor that surpassed any other award that a man could aspire to achieve at that time.
Hind
Bint Utbah Bin Rabee’ah, the
spouse of Abu Sufyaan, was most hostile, malicious and contemptuous in
her attitude to prophet. She was the same woman who is notorious to have
quenched her thirst for blood by chewing the liver of the greatest martyr Hadhrat
Hamzah, the beloved uncle of prophet, in the holy battle of Uhad.
After
embracing Islam, what did she say to the prophet? She herself confessed,
“Before entering the fold of Islam, none on this earth was more worthy of
God’s wrath than you and your family. I hated you and your household most. But
when I embraced Islam and started attending your court I witnessed such
loftiness of character, compassion and love in you that I had never imagined any
human being on this earth could be embellished with. Now my condition is
diabolically reversed. Today upon the face of this earth and under the sky there
is no one dearer to me than you, your family and your house hold.”
This
episode provides the best illustration how our beloved prophet treated his most
hostile antagonists with nobility, abundant mercy, compassion and love.
It
was only the result of prophet’s noble character, unprecedented and
unsurpassed, his tolerance and submissiveness in the face of worst possible
humiliation, antagonism and hostility that enabled him to win over his sworn
foes. A person who didn’t like to
look at his face even and deprecated his name being heard till the other day had
been totally transformed the next day joining the rank of the most faithful and
loyal companions ever ready to sacrifice his life and all his possessions at the
holy altar. The brave and dauntless Chieftain like that of Omer Bin Al-Khattab
carrying a naked sword, marches with full of fury and anger, ready to strike
and kill, but when he reaches his destination and sights something totally
different from what he had conceived, instead of executing his murderous
intentions, throws down his sword and falls upon the feet of his pray, earnestly
making plea to be taken out of darkness and be enlightened. Instead of becoming
assassin of his own sister and brother in law he returns transformed as the most
faithful and loyal soldier of Islam ready to sacrifice his life hundred times
for holy prophet.
The
prophet spent all his life making sacrifices for the welfare and Benefaction of
the whole humanity. He carried burning desire in his heart and made utmost
effort to bring every human being to the threshold of the real success. If the
people ignore his compassion, solicitude and agony, it does not matter. Only
Allah Almighty shall suffice him who alone is worthy of being worshipped and
relied upon. Allah has drawn the lofty character and compassionate personality
of His beloved prophet in the following verse of holy Qur’an:
“Now
hath come unto you
A
Messenger from amongst
Yourselves:
it grieves him
That
ye should suffer,
Ardently
anxious is he
Over
you: to the Believers
Is
he most kind and merciful.
But
if they turn away,
Say:
“Allah sufficeth me:
There
is no god but He
On
Him is my trust,-
He
the lord of the Throne
Supreme!”
(J-11,
S.9, A-128,129)
I
pray Thee! O Creator and Preserver! Send thy everlasting blessings upon your
most beloved Messenger who is verily the best of all thy creations. O Lord!
Accept our prayer! Thou art All-Hearing and All-Knowing! And forgive us! Thou
art the most Merciful Forgiver. (Mufti
Shabbir Ahmad Qasmi)
