we can still die for Allah's sake by fighting what is bad in
ourselves. When the Prophet (pbuh) came back from a battle he said to
his men, 'We have returned from the lesser war to the greater war.' He
meant by this that the struggle that goes on within every human being
to become a better person is the more difficult battle.
The Battle Of The Trench
When the Prophet (Pbuh) first arrived in Medinah, the Jews who
were living there had welcomed him. The Prophet (Pbuh) had returned
their greeting, as he wished to be on good terms with them. An
agreement was also reached between the Muslims and the Jews, which gave
the Jews the freedom to practice their religion and which also set out
their rights and their duties. Among these duties was that in the case
of war with Quraysh, the Jews would fight on the side of the Muslims.
Despite this agreement, however, some of the Jewish tribes, who
resented the Prophet's presence in Medinah, soon began to cause
trouble amongst the Muslims.
They tried to set the Muslim Emigrants from Mecca and the Ansar against
each other. The troublemakers were given many warnings but they
continued to be a nuisance. In the end, the Muslims had no choice but
to drive them from Medinah. A new agreement was offered those Jews who
remained but the trouble did not end there. One of the Jewish tribes,
the Bani Nadir plotted to murder the Prophet (Pbuh) but their plan was
discovered and they, too, were exiled from the city. Knowing that they
could not defeat the Muslims themselves, some of the leaders of the
exiled Jews secretly went to Mecca to enlist the help of Quraysh.
Knowing what the Meccans would like to hear, they pretended to believe
in the same things. They said that they thought that the old Arab
tradition was better than the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)
and that they believed that the Quraysh religion of worshipping many
idols was better than the Prophet's with only one God. Then the Jews
told them that if all the Arab tribes attacked Medinah,
the Jews inside the city would help to defeat the Prophet (Pbuh) and Islam once and for all.
The leaders of Quraysh were pleased to hear all this and
seizing on what seemed to them a very good opportunity, agreed to the
plan and began to gather together a formidable army. In the meantime in
Medinah, only one Jewish tribe, the Bani Quraydhah, refused to betray
the Muslims.
Eventually the Muslims learned of the preparations being made
for war in Mecca and of the plotting of the Jews within Medinah itself.
The betrayal of the Muslims by the Jews did not surprise the Prophet
(Pbuh), who said of them: 'The hearts of the Jews have become closed to
the truth. They have forgotten what Moses taught them long ago that
there is only one God.'
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"The likeness of those who are entrusted with the Law of Moses,
yet apply it not, is as the likeness of the ass carrying books.
Evil is the likeness of the people who deny the revelations of Allah. And Allah guideth not wrongdoing folk". (Koran lxii.5)
The Muslims wondered how they could defend Medinah. They heard
that Abu Sufyan was coming to attack them with an enormous army which
included many other Arab tribes, as well as Quraysh. What were they to
do with only a single week to prepare? The Prophet (Pbuh) and his men
knew that it would be impossible for them to fight off all these
tribes! The only thing they could do was to stay inside the city and
try to defend it as best they could. Now among the people of Medinah was
a Persian named Salman, who had to live in the city some time before
the Prophet's arrival there. As a convert to Christianity he had
traveled to Medinah after Christian sages had told him that a Prophet
would be born in Arabia. On arriving at Madinah he was, however, sold
into slavery by the merchants with whom he had traveled. Later he
became a Muslim, gained his freedom and became a member of the
Prophet's household.
When the people gathered to discuss a plan of action against the
approaching enemy, Salman was present and it was he who suggested that
they should dig a trench around the city. The Prophet (Pbuh) thought
this a good idea, so the Muslims set to work, although it was in the
middle of winter. They worked day and night, digging the trench as
quickly as possible. The Prophet (Pbuh) himself carried rocks and when
the men were tired he gave them the will to carry on. Someone later
recalled how beautiful he looked, dressed in a red cloak with dust upon
his breast and his dark hair nearly reaching his shoulders. There was
little food at this time and the men were often hungry as they worked.
On one occasion, however, a little girl gave some dates to the
Prophet (Pbuh), which he spread out on a cloth. The men were then
called to eat and the dates kept increasing in number until everyone
had been fed. Even after everyone had eaten their fill, the dates
continued to increase so that there were more than the cloth could
hold.
Similarly, there is the story of the lamb, that has come down to us
from one who was there: 'We worked with the Apostle at the trench. I had
a half-grown lamb and I thought it would be a good thing to cook it
for Allah's Messenger. I told my wife to grind barley and make some
bread for us. I killed the lamb and we roasted it for the Prophet
(Pbuh). When night fell and he was about to leave the trench, I told
him we had prepared bread and meat and invited him to our home. I
wanted him to come on his own, but when I said this he sent someone to
call all the men to come along. Everyone arrived and the food was
served. He blessed it and invoked the Name of Allah over it. Then he
ate and so did all of the others. As soon as one lot were satisfied,
another group came until all the diggers had eaten enough, but still
there was food to spare.
On March 24, 627 A.D, Abu Sufyan arrived with more than ten thousand men. The Muslims numbered only three thousand.
Quraysh and their allies surrounded Medinah but between the two armies was the long, wide trench.
The Prophet (pbuh) and his men stayed behind this trench for
nearly a month defending the city against their more powerful enemy.
Many times warriors tried to cross the trench and enter the city, but
each time they were pushed back by the Muslims. The Muslims were afraid
that if any did manage to cross over, the Jews inside Medinah would
join forces with them and the Muslims would be beaten. The Jewish tribe
of Bani Quraydhah, who had stood by the, agreement with the Muslims,
were pressed by a Jewish emissary from the enemy, to break their
promise. Eventually they agreed to do so and when the news of this
reached the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions they were greatly
troubled. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, the leader of the tribe of Aws, was sent by
the Prophet (pbuh) with two other men to find out if this were true.
When they arrived in the part of Medinah where the Jews lived,
they found that it was even worse than they had previously thought.
Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, whose tribe was closely allied with the Bani
Quraydhah, tried to persuade their leader not to break the treaty with
the Muslims, but he refused to listen. This meant that the Muslims
could not relax their guard for one moment, for they were now
threatened not only by the enemy beyond the trench, but by the Bani
Qurayzah, within the walls of the city.
Things became more difficult for the Muslims day by day. It was
extremely cold and food began to run out. To make matters worse, the
Bani Qurayzah began openly and actively to join forces with the other
Jews and cut off all supplies to the Muslims, including food. The
enemies of Islam then planned how to capture Medinah.
The situation looked desperate and the Prophet (pbuh) prayed to
Allah to help the Muslims defeat their enemies. That very night a
sandstorm blew up which buried the tents of Quraysh. The storm
continued for three days and three nights making it impossible for the
enemy to light a fire to cook a meal or warm themselves by.
On one of these dark nights the Prophet (pbuh) asked one of his men,
Hudhayfah Ibn al-Yaman, to go on a dangerous mission. The Prophet
(pbuh) told him to make his way across the trench to the enemy camp
where he should find out what they were doing. With much difficulty
Hudhayfah crossed the trench and made his way to a circle of Quraysh
warriors talking in the darkness. He sat near them, but as there was no
fire, no one noticed him. He then heard Abu Sufyan's voice: 'Let us go
home!' he said. 'We have had enough. The horses and camels are dying,
the tents keep blowing away, most of the equipment has been lost, and
we can not cook our food. There is no reason to stay!'
Shortly after hearing this Hudhayfah made his way quickly and
quietly back across the trench and the next morning the Muslims
rejoiced to find that what he had overheard had come true-Quraysh and
their allies had gone away!
The siege of Medinah had ended in a great victory for Islam. But this
was not to be the end of the difficulties, for the Archangel Gabriel
the Prophet (pbuh) and told him that he should punish the Bani Qurayzah
for betraying him and the Muslims.
On hearing this, the Prophet (pbuh) ordered the Muslims to
march against the Bani Qurayzah as they hid in their fortress. The
Muslims besieged them for twenty-five days until they finally gave in.
On surrendering, they asked the Prophet (pbuh) to let someone judge
their case, and he agreed. He also allowed them to choose who would
give the ruling. The man chosen to judge the Bani Qurayzah was Sa'd ibn
Mu'adh, leader of the Aws, a tribe which had always protected the
Qurayzah in the past. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh who had himself been wounded in
the battle, decided that the Jews should be tried by their own Holy
Law, according to which anyone who broke a treaty would be put to
death. As a result all the men of the Bani Qurayzah were executed and
the women and children made captive.
If the Jews had succeeded in their pact, Islam would have been
destroyed. Instead from that day on, Medinah became a city where only
Muslims lived.
Very soon after peace had been restored to Medinah, Sa'd ibn
Mu'adh died of his wounds. It was said that the Archangel Gabriel came
in the middle of that night and said to the Prophet (pbuh) '0 Muhammad,
who is this dead man? When he arrived, the doors of heaven opened and
the Throne of Allah shook.' The Prophet (pbuh) got up as soon as he
heard this, but found that Sa'd was already dead. Although he had been a
heavy man, the men who carried his body to the grave found it quite
light. They were told that the angels were helping them. When he was
buried, the Prophet (pbuh) said three times 'Subhan Allah!' (Glory be
to Allah!), and 'Allahu Akbar!' (Allah is Most Great!). When asked why
he did this, he replied, 'The grave was tight for this good man, until
Allah eased it for him.' This is one of the rewards that Allah gives to
martyrs and good Muslims.
The Treaty Of Hudaybiyah
Ouraysh had tried to destroy Islam but had failed. The number of
Muslims grew and their armies increased from three hundred at the
battle of Badr, seven hundred at the battle of "Uhud, to three thousand
at the battle of the Trench. After the annual fast of Ramadan, the
Prophet (pbuh) had a dream, which indicated that the Muslims should go
to Mecca for the pilgrimage. One thousand and four hundred Muslims got
ready to go with him on the Lesser Pilgrimage called 'the `Umra'. They
were dressed in white and went unarmed to show Quraysh that they had
come to make the pilgrimage and not to fight. When Quraysh heard that
the Prophet (pbuh) was on his way, they sent troops with Khalid Ibn
al-Walid to stop the Muslims from entering the city. To avoid meeting
this small army the Prophet (pbuh) changed his route and led the men
through rugged mountain passes. When they reached easier ground he told
them, 'Say, we ask Allah's forgiveness and we repent towards Him 'At
Hudaybiyah,
south of Mecca, the Prophet's camel knelt down and refused to go any
further. The Muslims thought she was either stubborn or tired, but the
Prophet (pbuh) said: 'The same power that once stopped the elephant
from entering Mecca is now stopping us!' He then ordered them to make
camp, which they did, although they all hoped they would travel on to
the sacred Ka'bah the following day.
On setting up camp, the believers were dismayed to find that the
springs were almost dry. When he heard this the Messenger of Allah
(pbuh) instructed a man called Najiyah to take the bowl of water in
which he had performed his ablutions, pour it into the hollows where
the small amount of spring water lay, and stir it with his arrows.
Najiyah did as he was told and the fresh water gushed up so suddenly
that he was hardly able to get out of the way in time.
Messengers were sent to Quraysh to tell them that the Muslims had come only for the pilgrimage,
to worship Allah at the Holy Ka'bah, and that they wanted to enter the
city peacefully. But Quraysh took no notice. Finally, the Prophet's
son-in-law, 'Uthman Ibn Affan, a wise and respected man, was chosen to
go, and the Muslims settled down to wait and see what news he would
bring back. After they had waited a long time, the Muslims became very
worried. At last they decided that he must have been killed. A state
similar to that of Revelation then came upon the Prophet (pbuh). He
gathered the Muslims around him under an acacia tree and asked them to
swear their allegiance to him, which they did. This pact, which is
mentioned in the Koran, became known as the Treaty of Radwan (which
means Paradise). Shortly after, `Uthman Ibn Affan returned and the
Muslims were relieved to see that no harm had come to him. Some Meccan
warriors tried to attack the Muslim camp but were captured and brought
before the Prophet (pbuh), who forgave them when they promise to stop
attacking the Muslims. Soon after this, official messengers came from
Quraysh and talks began for a peaceful settlement.
A man called Suhayl ibn 'Amr was sent by the Meccans to work out a
treaty. When the Prophet (pbuh) asked 'Ali to write 'In the Name of
Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful', on the top of the page,
Suhayl objected, saying 'Write only: bismik Allahumma (in Thy name, 0
Allah). I don't know him as al-Rahman (the Most Gracious), al-Rahim
(the most Merciful).' The Prophet (pbuh) agreed and dictated: 'This is a
treaty between Muhammad the Messenger of Allah and Suhayl ibn
'Amr.''Stop!' cried Suhayl, 'I don't believe that you are Rasulallah
(the Messenger of Allah). If I thought you were Allah's Messenger, I
wouldn't be fighting against you, would I?' Calmly, the Prophet (pbuh)
agreed that he should be referred to in the treaty as Muhammad', son of
'Abd Allah. The Muslims were very upset at this, and 'Umar furiously
cried out, 'Are you not Allah's Messenger, and are we not Muslims? How
can we accept such treatment when we are right and they are wrong? This
will make people laugh at our religion!
But the Prophet (pbuh) knew what was best and the Treaty of Hudaybiyah was signed.
In this treaty the two sides agreed to stop fighting for a period
of ten years. It was also agreed that the Muslims should go back to
Medinah immediately but that they could return the following year for
the pilgrimage. This pilgrimage would last three days. In addition, the
treaty allowed Muslims wishing to leave Islam and return to Mecca to
do so.
It also permitted Meccans to leave and become Muslims provided
they had the permission of their guardians. The Muslims agreed to send
any Meccan who did not have their guardian's permission back to Mecca.
Suhayl's son had come with his father with the idea of joining
the Prophet (pbuh) but when the treaty was signed he was, of course,
forced to return to Mecca. He cried bitterly. The Prophet (pbuh) said,
'0 Abu Jandal, be patient and control yourself. Allah will provide
relief and find a way out for you and others like you.
The majority of the Muslims were very disappointed when they heard the
terms of the agreement and thought that it should not have been
accepted. They did not realize that this was in fact a great victory
for the Prophet (pbuh), which Allah would later confirm in a
Revelation. The agreement made sure that the following year they would
enter Mecca peacefully, and in time would result in Muslims becoming
stronger and more respected throughout Arabia. At the time the treaty
was signed the Muslims could not have foreseen that the number of people
who would travel to Medinah to become Muslims in the following year
would be greater than in all the years before. Before the Muslims
departed, they followed the Prophet's example of making sacrifice and
either shaving or cutting their hair. Even though they were unable to
visit the sacred mosque, their pilgrimage was accepted by Allah because
it had been their true intention.
On the return journey to Medinah,
the 'Victory' chapter of the Koran was revealed to the Prophet (pbuh). It begins:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"Surely We have given thee (0 Muhammad) a clear victory, That
Allah may forgive thee of thy sin That which is past and that which is
to come, And may complete His blessings upon thee, And may guide thee
on the right path, And that Allah may help thee with mighty help".
(Koran xlviii.1-3)
Now most of those who left Mecca to join the Prophet (pbuh)
without the consent of their guardians and were turned back by him as
agreed, Did not in fact return to Mecca, but lived instead in groups
along the seashore. Then they were joined by others who had left Mecca
but these groups began to endanger Quraysh caravans which were passing
by and disrupted their trade because of this, Quraysh told the Prophet
(pbuh) that if he wanted to take these new Muslims, they would not ask
for them to be returned. The young men, therefore, joined the Prophet
(pbuh) and the people in Mecca and Medinah grew more at ease with one
another.
The young men from the seashore were shortly followed by those Muslims
who were still living in Abyssinia, and soon the numbers of believers
in Medinah had doubled.
About this time, Khalid Ibn al-Walid, the great warrior who had
defeated the Muslims at Uhud, set out from Mecca for Medinah. Along the
way he met 'Amr Ibn al-'As, the clever speaker who had pursued the
Muslims when they fled to Abyssinia. 'Amr, who had attempted to find
asylum in Abyssinia, had just returned from that country, the Negus
having urged him to enter Islam. He asked Khalid, 'Where are you
going?' Khalid replied, 'The way has become clear. The man is certainly a
Prophet, and by Allah, I am going to become a Muslim. How much longer
should I delay?' 'Amr Ibn al-As answered, 'I am travelling for the same
reason. So they both traveled on to Medinah to join the Prophet(pbuh).
The two men were, however, worried about meeting the Prophet (pbuh)
because of having fought against the Muslims in the past.
Therefore, 'Amr came before Allah's Messenger he said, 'O Prophet,
will my past faults be forgiven and no mention made of what has gone
before?' The Prophet (pbuh) replied, 'Amr, Islam wipes away everything
that happened before, as does the hijrah.'
A year after the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the
Prophet (pbuh) was able to lead two thousand pilgrims on the 'Umra.
Quraysh vacated Mecca and watched the rites from the hills above the
city. The agreed period of three days was observed, after which the
Muslims returned to Medinah.
The Invitation
The peace which the Treaty of Hudaybiyah guaranteed for ten years meant
people could travel from all over Arabia to visit the Prophet (pbuh)
and a great many came to declare their Islam. Also, during this period
the Prophet (pbuh) decided that the time had come for his message to be
taken to other countries, so he sent trusted companions with letters,
telling of his message, to the leaders of the most powerful nations of
the day.
It is recorded that he said, Allah has sent me as a mercy to all men, so
take the message from me that Allah has mercy on you.' It is also
recorded that some time before, when the Prophet (pbuh) was digging
before the Battle of the Trench, three flashes of lightning had blared
forth from a rock he had been striving to remove. These flashes had
shown him the fortresses of the civilizations to the South, East, and
West which were soon to come into Islam.
Now at the time the Prophet (pbuh) sent out his message. Abu Sufyan and
some other members of Quraysh were trading in Syria, a province of the
Eastern Roman Empire (later to be called Byzantium). Also, at about
this time the Emperor Heraclius, ruler of this Empire, had a dream, and
sadly told visitors to his court in Syria: 'I saw our Empire fall and
victory go to a people who do not follow our religion.' At first he
thought this must refer to the Jews and he even had it in mind to kill
all the Jews living under his rule but then an envoy from the governor
of Basra arrived with a message for the Emperor: 0 Emperor Heraclius.
there are some Arabs in the city who are speaking of wonderful
happenings in their country', and he then told of what he had heard
about the Prophet (pbuh).
On hearing this Heraclius commanded his soldiers: Go and find me
someone who can tell me more about this.' The soldiers, however, did
not find those who had been talking about the Prophet (pbuh), but
instead found Abu Sufyan and some of his companions and brought them
before the Emperor.
Heraclius asked, 'Is there anyone among you who is a close relative of
the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)?' Abu Sufyan replied, 'I am.' So the
Emperor addressed all the questions to him, thinking he would know the
Prophet (pbuh) best. He said, 'Tell me what is the Prophet's position
in your tribe" Abu Sufyan said, 'he is a member of our most respected
family. Did anyone before him say the kinds of things he says?' the
Emperor went on. 'No.' was the reply.' And was he ever accused of lying
or cheating?
Never. And then the Emperor asked: 'And what about his ideas and
opinions, and his powers of reasoning?' 'No one has ever had cause to
doubt him or find fault with his reasoning', replied Abu Sufyan. 'Who
follows him, the proud or the humble?' 'The humble.' 'Do his followers
increase or decrease?' 'They increase', said Abu Sufyan, 'none of his
followers leave him.' The Emperor then turned to other matters and
asked: 'If he makes a treaty, does he keep it?' 'Yes', Abu Sufyan
replied. 'Did you ever fight against him?' inquired the Emperor. To
which Abu Sufyan answered: 'Yes. Sometimes we won, sometimes he won,
but he never broke his word in any agreement.' The emperor then asked:
'What does he say people must do?' 'To worship one God', said Abu
Sufyan. 'He forbids people to worship as their fathers worshipped, and
says they must pray to Allah alone, give alms, keep their word, and
fulfil their duties and responsibilities.' Abu Sufyan had spoken the
truth even though he was an enemy of the prophet (pbuh),
and did not become a Muslim until the very end of his life. But he was
afraid to lie before the members of his caravan who were also there
with him. The meeting ended with these words from the Emperor: 'I see
from this that he is indeed a prophet. You said that his followers do
not leave him which proves they have true faith, for faith does not
enter the heart and then go away. I knew he was coming and if what you
say is true, he will surely conquer me. If I were with him now, I would
wash his feet. You may leave now.'
It was not long after this that the messenger, Dihyah, arrived at the
Syrian court bearing the Prophet Mohammed's letter which said, 'If you
accept Islam you will be safe and Allah will give you a double reward.
If you do not, you will have to live with results of your decision.'
Heraclius grabbed the letter. He was so upset he could hardly control
himself. He said to Dihyah, 'I know your master is a true prophet of
Allah. Our books tell of his coming.
If I were not afraid that the Romans would kill me,
I would join Islam. You must visit Bishop Daghatir and tell him every
thing. His word is more respected among the people than mine.' So
Dihyah related the message to the Bishop and when he heard it, Daghatir
said, 'Yes, your master whom we call Ahmed is mentioned in our
scriptures.' He then changed from his black ropes into white ones and
went and spoke to the people gathered in the church. 'O Romans, a
letter has come to us from Ahmed, in which he calls us to Allah. I bear
witness that there is no Divinity but Allah and that Ahmed is his
slave and messenger.' (Ahmed is another name for the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh).) But on hearing this the crowd grew angry and attacked
Daghatir, beating him until he was dead.
Heraclius was afraid that the same thing would happen to him, so he
spoke to his generals from a balcony saying, 'O Romans! A man has
written to me calling me to his religion I believe he is truly the
prophet we have been told to expect. Let us follow him so that we can
be happy in this world and the next.
' The Romans cried out in anger when they heard this, so Heraclius
quickly said, 'I was only pretending; I wanted to see how strong your
faith was. I am pleased to see that you are true to your religion.'
Heraclius then suggested that they attack or give land to the Muslims
in order to maintain peace, but the Romans refused. Realizing that he
could do no more, and knowing that one day Islam would conquer Syria,
Heraclius left the province and returned to Constantinople, the capital
of Eastern Roman Empire.
As he rode away he turned around to look back and said, 'Goodbye for
the last time, O land of Syria!' Meanwhile, another of the Prophet's
messengers arrived at the palace of Chosroes, the Shah (or king) of
Persia, where he was told by the royal guard: 'When you see the Shah,
you must bow and not lift your head until he speaks to you.' To this
the Prophet's messenger replied, `I will never do that. I bow only to
Allah.' 'Then the Shah will not accept the letter you bring',
they said. And when the time came for the messenger to see him, the
Shah was indeed very surprised to see the man holding his head high and
refusing to kneel respectfully before him like everyone else.
Nonetheless, the Shah still read out the letter:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful
"From Muhammad, Messenger of Allah to Chosroes, Shah of Persia. Peace
be upon those who follow the truth, who believe in Allah and His
Prophet and who testify that there is no divinity but Allah and that
Muhammad is His Messenger. I ask you in the Name of Allah, because I am
His Messenger, to warn your people that if they do not accept His
Message, they must live with the consequences. Become Muslim and you
will be safe. If you refuse to tell them you will be to blame for the
ignorance of your subjects".
The Shah was furious when he read this and tore the letter into little
pieces. When the messenger returned to Arabia and told the Prophet
(pbuh) what Chosroes had done,
the Prophet (pbuh) said, 'May Allah also tear his kingdom into little
pieces.' And several years later it happened just as the Prophet (pbuh)
had said it would. As with Syria and Persia, a messenger was also sent
to the Negus (or King) of Abyssinia, with the following letter:
"Peace. Praise be to Allah, the King, the All-Holy, the Peacemaker, the
Keeper of Faith, the Watcher. "He is Allah, there is no divinity but
He, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, the All-peaceable, the Keeper of
Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the All-sublime.
Glorified be Allah from all that they associate with Him".(Koran
lix.23)
And I testify that Jesus, son of Mary, is the spirit of Allah and His
Word which He cast to Mary the Virgin, the good, the pure, so that she
conceived Jesus. Allah created him from His Spirit and His Breath as He
created Adam by His Hand and His Breath. I call you to Allah, the
Unique, without partner, to His obedience, and to follow me and to
believe in that which came to me,
for I am the Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon all those who follow true guidance.
The King of Abyssinia was a very wise man, and was thought by the world
to be a good Christian. He had, of course, already heard of the
Prophet (pbuh) and his religion from the Muslims who had sought refuge
in his country years before. He was deeply moved by the letter and when
he came down from his throne it was not just to show his respect but
also to declare that he was already a Muslim. He answered the Prophet's
letter with one of his own. "To Muhammad the Prophet of Allah from the
Negus al-Asham, King of Abyssinia. Assalamu aleikum 0 Prophet of Allah
wa rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu.
There is none like Him who has guided me to Islam. I received your
letter, O Messenger of Allah. Some of your followers, as well as your
cousin Ja'far, still live here. I believe you are truly the Messenger
of God and reaffirm the pledge of allegiance I made to you some time
ago before your cousin Ja'far, at whose hand I joined Islam and
surrendered to the Lord of the Worlds.
A fourth messenger had, in the meantime, traveled by boat to Alexandria
to meet the Muqawqis, the ruler of Egypt, who was a Coptic Christian.
In his letter, the Prophet (pbuh) invited the Muqawqis to accept Islam,
because Christian who believed in the message of Jesus should also
believe in him, for he had come with the same message from Allah. It
read:
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Most Merciful,
"From Muhammad, son of 'Abd Allah to the great Copt.
Peace be upon whoever follows the Truth. I beseech you to accept Islam. Become a Muslim. Allah will reward you twice.
If you refuse, you will carry the blame for not allowing your people to
share in this blessing". The Muqawqis showed respect for what the
letter said. He treated the messenger well, and sent many presents with
him for the Prophet (pbuh), but he did not become a Muslim. Although
only Abyssinia responded to the Prophet's call to Islam,
all was not lost, for a few years later Persia, Syria and Egypt all became Muslim countries.
Entry Into Mecca
Despite the improved relations between Mecca and Medinah after
the signing of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the ten-year peace was to be
broken by Quraysh who, with their allies, the Bani Bakr, attacked the
Khuza'ah tribe. Now Khuza'ah were allies of the Muslims and when the
Prophet (pbuh)heard of the attack he immediately ordered his men to
prepare for war. When they were ready he told them that their
destination was Mecca and, as he did not want any fighting within the
walls of the city, he told them they must move quickly and take the
enemy by surprise. In this way the Meccans would not have time to
prepare for war and, being surrounded would have to surrender. The
Muslims would then be able to take the city without injury or loss of
life to anyone.
When the Muslim army, which numbered ten thousand, set out for
Mecca it was the month of Ramadan in the eighth year of the Hijrah.
Many of the men kept the fast, even though they were not obliged to
because they were travelling. Everyone was jubilant because they were
going to Mecca, especially as some of them had not seen their homes in
the city for eight long years. In the meantime, the Prophet's uncle,
al-'Abbas, had decided that the time had come for him and his wife to
leave Mecca and join the Prophet (pbuh) in Medinah. They did not,
however, have to go far as after a distance of only twenty-five
kilometers they came across the Muslim camp. When the Prophet (pbuh)
saw them he said, 'Uncle, your emigration is the last emigration. My
prophecy is the last prophecy.' Al-'Abbas then joined the army and his
wife went on to the safety of Medinah.
Night fell and the Muslims made fires to light their camp. The
Meccans, looking out of the city, were amazed to see the many fires,
and Abu Sufyan went all over Mecca trying to find out whose camp it
was. Suddenly he saw al-'Abbas riding towards him from the direction of
the fires.
He was returning as a messenger of peace from the Prophet (pbuh) and
said to Abu Sufyan, 'The Muslims have come with a large army.
They do not wish to fight, only to enter the city. It would be
better to surrender and not fight. Come under my protection and meet
the Prophet (pbuh).' Abu Sufyan agreed, and got up behind al-Abbas, who
was riding the Prophet's white mule. It was still night as they
entered the Muslim camp. Each time they passed a fire, someone would
call out, 'Who goes there?' None of them recognized the stranger as the
leader of their enemy but all knew al-'Abbas and so let them through.
As they passed by 'Umar, however, he immediately recognized Abu Sufyan
and yelled out, 'Abu Sufyan! The enemy of Allah!' He ran after them
intending to kill his enemy but al-'Abbas made the mule go faster. They
reached the Prophet's tent just before 'Umar who rushed in after them
quite out of breath. 'Umar begged the Prophet (pbuh),
'0 Messenger of Allah, let me end the life of Abu Sufyan, this enemy of
Islam, who has led the Quraysh armies in their attacks on us!'
Al-'Abbas interrupted, saying, 'I have sworn to protect him during his
time here whereupon the Prophet (pbuh) told his uncle to take Abu
Sufyan to his tent for the night.
In the morning Abu Sufyan was taken to the Prophet (pbuh) who
said, 'Abu Sufyan! Have you not yet realized that there is no divinity
but Allah?' To this Abu Sufyan replied, 'If there had been another he
surely would Have helped me by now.' 'Shame on you, Abu Sufyan',
responded the Prophet (pbuh), 'it is time you realize that I am truly
Allah's Messenger.' After a moment or two, Abu Sufyan, who remembered
how 'Umar had not been allowed to kill him, replied: 'I can see you are a
generous and forgiving man but I still cannot be sure of that.' At
this, al-'Abbas, who had been standing nearby turned to him and said:
'Believe as I do now.' Abu Sufyan stood quietly for a moment, then in a
calm, clear voice swore in front of everyone,
there is no divinity but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.'
The Prophet (pbuh) then told Abu Sufyan to go back to Mecca and
tell the people that the Muslims would enter the city the next
morning. Before he left, however, al-'Abbas suggested to the Prophet
(pbuh) that as Abu Sufyan was a proud man, it would be good to give him
an honorable position. The Prophet (pbuh) took this advice, saying to
Abu Sufyan, 'Tell the people that when we enter, anyone seeking refuge
in your house will be safe.' This was a great honor for Abu Sufyan.
In addition, the Prophet (pbuh) told him to assure the Meccans
that those who remained in their own homes or at the Ka'bah would also
be protected.
Abu Sufyan returned quickly to the city. He made straight for
the hill Hagar had climbed in her search for water and from which the
Prophet (pbuh) later spoke, and called upon Quraysh to come to him. Abu
Sufyan then spoke to the people, '0 people of Mecca,
the fires we saw all around us were the camp fires of Muhammad and his
men. He has come with a strong army and there are too many for us to
fight. It is best, therefore, to surrender. Anyone who stays in my
house, or in his own home, or at the Ka'bah will be safe.'
Early next day, the Muslims entered Mecca from all sides. They
had been ordered to cause no harm unless anyone tried to stop them
entering. When the Prophet (pbuh) arrived, he got off his camel, bowed
down on the ground and thanked Allah for this victory. When the
unbelievers saw this, they knew that the Prophet (pbuh) had come in
peace. People began leaving their homes and running towards the Ka'bah.
When they arrived there, they found the Prophet (pbuh) performing the
ritual encircling of the Ka'bah, the tawaf on his camel, surrounded by
the Muslims. When he had finished, he said, 'There is no divinity
except Allah and He has no partner. Men and women of Quraysh be not
proud for all are equal; we are all the sons of Adam, and Adam was made
of dust.
' Then he recited this verse to them:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"O mankind! Lo! We have created you male and female, and have
made you nations and tribes so you may know each another. Surely the
noblest of you, in the sight of Allah, is the best in conduct. Lo!
Allah is All-knowing, All-aware". (Koran xlix.13)
After this he said to them: 'O Quraysh, what do you think I am
going to do to you?' The people thought carefully before answering
because they knew that according to the laws of war they could all be
taken prisoner. They also knew, however, that the Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh) was generous, so they replied, 'You will treat us as a kind
nephew and a generous brother would.'
To this he replied with the words used by the Prophet Joseph
when his brothers came to Egypt: 'God forgives you and He is the Most
Merciful of the merciful.' Later the Prophet (pbuh) went to the hill of
Safa and there the crowd followed him and surged forward,
taking his hand one by one, to declare themselves Muslim. He then
turned to the Ka'bah and, pointing his staff at the three hundred and
sixty-five idols which were placed there, recited from the Koran:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
". Truth has come and falsehood has vanished away. Lo! Falsehood is ever bound to vanish". (Koran xvii.81)
At this, each idol fell over onto its face. Together with his
followers the Prophet (pbuh) then proceeded to purify the Ka'bah, after
which he ordered Bilal to climb on top of it and perform the call to
prayer. Since then the call to prayer has been heard five times a day
in Mecca.
The Ka'bah, the House of Allah, has served the purpose for
which it was built by Abraham thousands of years ago, as a sanctuary
for the worship of Allah, our Creator, and Mecca continues to be the
spiritual centre of Islam.
On the day Mecca was conquered,
the Prophet (pbuh) addressed the people saying: 'Allah made Mecca
holy the day He created heaven and earth and it is the Holy of Holies
until the Resurrection Day. It is not lawful for anyone who believes in
Allah and the Last Day to shed blood therein, nor to cut down trees
therein. It was not lawful for anyone before me and it will not be
lawful for anyone after me.
Indeed it is not lawful for me except at this time, only
Allah's anger against his people makes it permissible. Mecca has now
regained its former holiness. Let those here now go forth and tell
others.'
The Lesson Of Pride At The Valley Of Hunayn
Islam flourished in Mecca and the Muslims became
stronger and stronger. But south of Mecca lived a tribe of
warriors called Hawazin, who had not become Muslim. They made an
agreement with another tribe from Ta'if, called Thaqif to fight the
Muslims and destroy them before they could spread their religion
throughout Arabia.
the Prophet (pbuh) addressed the people saying: 'Allah made Mecca
holy the day He created heaven and earth and it is the Holy of Holies
until the Resurrection Day. It is not lawful for anyone who believes in
Allah and the Last Day to shed blood therein, nor to cut down trees
therein. It was not lawful for anyone before me and it will not be
lawful for anyone after me.
Indeed it is not lawful for me except at this time, only
Allah's anger against his people makes it permissible. Mecca has now
regained its former holiness. Let those here now go forth and tell
others.'
the Prophet (pbuh) addressed the people saying: 'Allah made Mecca
holy the day He created heaven and earth and it is the Holy of Holies
until the Resurrection Day. It is not lawful for anyone who believes in
Allah and the Last Day to shed blood therein, nor to cut down trees
therein. It was not lawful for anyone before me and it will not be
lawful for anyone after me.
Indeed it is not lawful for me except at this time, only
Allah's anger against his people makes it permissible. Mecca has now
regained its former holiness. Let those here now go forth and tell
others.'
The Thaqif, who were known for their courage, soon won the support of
other tribes living around the Ta'if area, especially when such tribes
were told: 'Look what has happened! If Quraysh, the largest tribe of
all, have fallen to Muhammad, it is only a matter of time before the
same will happen to the rest of us. We should strike now before the
Muslims are established in Mecca and have the support of Quraysh.' The
Chief of one of these tribes, a fearless warrior called Malik Ibn 'Awf,
was chosen as the leader. He put forward a plan: 'You should all go
out to battle accompanied by your families, your tents, your sheep and
goats, for with all your belongings at stake, none of you will dare
give up the fight.'
Everyone agreed with Malik except an old, blind man called
Dorayd. He had been a great warrior in his day and because of his
experience and valuable advice still accompanied the men into battle.
'I don't like Malik's plan', he insisted. 'If a man is so cowardly as
to leave a battle,
then he will leave his family as well. The women and children will be a
great worry to us and if we are defeated all our wealth will fall into
enemy hands.' But Malik ignored this advice and stuck to his original
plan. When the Prophet (pbuh) heard what the enemy tribes were
planning, he found himself forced to fight and ordered his army towards
Ta'if. He had twelve thousand men and the enemy only four thousand. The
Muslims were proud of their strength and as they looked around at
their number, said to themselves, 'We will never be defeated!' On
hearing this the Prophet (pbuh) knew that the Muslims had become too
proud and because of this would not succeed.
He warned them, 'Look to Allah and not to your own strength.'
The time for battle came. The Muslim army advanced along the
Hunayn path, a narrow way in the rugged mountains, towards the valley
where the Hawazin and the other tribes were waiting. It was very early
morning and not yet light. The Muslims were unaware that,
under cover of
darkness, the Hawazin warriors had already climbed up the mountain and
were waiting for them. As soon as all the Muslims were trapped in the
narrow passage-way below, the Hawazin ambushed them. First they threw
rocks down upon them and then attacked with arrows and swords.
In surprise and fear, the Muslims started to retreat. The
Prophet (pbuh) was bitterly disappointed to see them fleeing in terror
but he stayed firmly in his place with Abu Bakr, 'Ali, his uncle
al-'Abbas, and a few companions at his side. Al-'Abbas then called to
the Muslims to return and not to abandon the Prophet (pbuh). Ashamed at
what they had done, and seeing the Prophet (pbuh) facing the enemy
almost alone, the Muslims quickly returned to fight. Then Allah sent
His angels-the hosts ye cannot see-to their aid. A fierce battle
followed. The Muslim warriors advanced, attacking furiously, driving
the Hawazin back from the path into the valley, where the fighting went
on long and hard. At the end of the day the Muslims won but not before
having learned a hard lesson about the danger of pride.
Just as the old man had predicted, the defeated enemy fled, leaving
their families and possessions to be captured. Later all the leaders of
the tribes except one came to ask for them back and to declare their
acceptance of Islam. The Prophet (pbuh) forgave them and returned their
families to them, but not their belongings. The one exception was the
leader of Hawazin. He fled to Ta'if, where he sought protection in the
castle, but the Muslims pursued him and surrounded the city, which they
besieged for about three weeks.
They tried to break into the castle but after losing many men
in the attempt the Prophet (pbuh) ordered a withdrawal. The story did
not end there, however, for shortly afterwards Hawazin and most of the
other tribes came to Mecca and declared themselves Muslim, including
Malik Ibn Awf, who had led them in battle and whom the Prophet (pbuh)
now made their leader.
After the battle of the Hunayn Valley, the Prophet (pbuh) distributed
what goods had been taken between the people of Quraysh and the other
Bedouin tribes. The Ansar from Medinah, who had been his only support
during the long hard years before the conquest of Mecca, received
nothing. They felt angry about this and went to the Prophet (pbuh) to
complain. He said to them, what is this I hear of you? Do you think
badly of me? Did I not come to you when you did not know the truth and
Allah guided you; when you were poor and Allah made you rich; when you
were enemies and Allah softened your hearts? Are you covetous for the
things of this world that I must use to gain people's trust so that I
can then lead them to Islam? Surely for you Islam is enough? Are you
not satisfied that while some men take away flocks and herds you take
Allah's Messenger back with you to Medinah?' On hearing this, all the
men felt very contrite and began to weep then with great humility and
reverence their spokesman said: 'We are indeed well pleased to have
Allah's Messenger as our gift in this life.
' Perhaps we could ask ourselves the same question. Are we not blessed
to have the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and the Book, guiding us in what
really matters for ever and ever? Is this not so much more important
than thinking about the momentary pleasures of the day?
Shortly after this the Ansar left for Medinah accompanied by
the Prophet (pbuh). He could have stayed among his own people and lived
out his days in Mecca, but he returned as he had promised, to live
among the people of Medinah, which was a great blessing for them.
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"Allah gave you victory on many fields and on the day of
Hunayn, when you exulted in your great numbers it was of no help to
you, and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you; then you
turned back in flight; Then Allah sent His peace of reassurance down
upon is Messenger and upon the believers, and sent down hosts you could
not see,
and punished those who did not believe. Such is the reward of
disbelievers. Then afterwards Allah will relent toward whom He will; for
Allah is Forgiving, Merciful". (Koran ix.25-27)
Tabuk-The Test Of Faith
News of the growing power of the Muslims, as more and more of
Arabia followed the Prophet (pbuh), eventually reached Heraclius,
Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. The Romans saw the uniting of the
Arabs in Islam as a possible threat to their Empire and the Emperor's
advisors and generals, therefore, decided that the best thing to do
would be to attack the Muslims from the north and east at the same time
and destroy Islam once and for all.
Two years had passed since Heraclius had told them of the
Prophet's letter asking them to submit to Islam, but just as then, they
were in no mood now to listen to such ideas. When the Prophet (pbuh)
heard of the Romans' plans, he decided that it would be better to meet
the Roman army in Tabuk,
some 500 kilometers form Medinah on the route to Syria, than to await
an attack on Medinah. One reason for this decision was that the Prophet
(pbuh) felt that if the Muslims were defeated at Medinah, the city as
well as the army would be taken, which would mean the end of Islam.
This was a very hard decision for him to make because not only was
Tabuk a very long way away, but it was also harvest time and a
particularly hot year. Added to this was the fact that the enemy had an
enormous army. Now at this time there were some people living in
Medinah who were not true believers. They were called 'hypocrites'
because they pretended to believe but hid what was truly in their
hearts. When the Prophet (pbuh) invited everyone to war, these
hypocrites tried to create fear and doubt among the Muslims, saying
'How can we hope to defeat the Romans whose great empire stretches over
vast areas of the world? And even if we could, we will not get the
chance because the long journey and the heat will defeat us first. In
any case,
our crops and fruits are ready to be harvested; how can we leave them? We will be ruined if we do!'
All that the hypocrites said severely tested the Muslims. Who
would continue to fight for his religion against such odds? Who would
have the courage to give his wealth to help equip an army? This test of
faith would indeed show who the true Muslims were. On this question,
Allah revealed the following verse:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"O you who believe! What aileth you that when it is said unto
you: Go forth in the way of Allah, you are bowed down to the ground
with heaviness. Do you take pleasure in the life of the world rather
than in the Hereafter? The comfort of the life of the world is but
little in the Hereafter". (Koran lx.38)
To form and equip an army the Prophet (pbuh) needed a great deal
of money and despite all that the hypocrites had said, many Muslims,
especially the Prophet's close friends,
were willing to help. 'Uthman Ibn 'Affan, for instance, generously
provided horses and arms for ten thousand soldiers and Abu Bakr gave all
that he had in the world. 'Umar, too, gave a great deal, and in this
way the Prophet (pbuh) was able to equip an army of forty thousand
soldiers.
Finally everything was ready but just as they were about to
leave, seven more men came to the Prophet (pbuh) to ask if they could
go with him. Unfortunately, he had to refuse because there were no
animals for them to ride. The seven men were so upset that they wept as
they left. With nothing more to be done, the army moved off, but just
then several spare camels were found. On learning of this, the Prophet
(pbuh) sent for the seven men, who were overjoyed to find that they
could join him in his fight.
By now the Romans had heard that the Muslims were coming out to
meet them. They felt even more sure of victory when they heard this
because they believed that it would be quite impossible for an army to
cross a waterless desert in the scorching summer sun.
Even if by some miracle the Muslims succeeded, they would be so exhausted that it would be easy to defeat them.
As it happed the heat was so intense and the journey so difficult
that several Muslims did turn back. The Prophet (pbuh) and most of the
others, however, continued until they finally ran out of water. The
expedition now seemed hopeless as the men grew thirstier and thirstier.
The Prophet (pbuh) prayed to Allah for help and, as he finished his
prayer, the first drops of rain came splashing down. The rain continued
to fall until all the Muslims had drunk their fill. That night they
slept soundly for the first time in days, refreshed by the water and
confident that Bilal would wake them as usual for the dawn prayer. But
Bilal slept so deeply that he did not wake up. It was the first time
that the Muslims had missed a prayer and they were very upset. The
Prophet (pbuh), however, was not angry with Bilal and told the Muslims
that they need not be upset because they had not intentionally missed
the prayer.
The Prophet (pbuh) and his army continued their trek across the desert
and finally arrived at the oasis of Tabuk. When they got there,
however, they were surprised to find that the Roman army had retreated
in fear on hearing of the miraculous crossing of the desert by the
Muslims. The Prophet (pbuh) waited at the oasis for a while but when it
became apparent that the Romans were not going to fight, he gave the
order to return home. The enemy was not pursued because the Prophet
(pbuh) only fought when attacked. The long march to Tabuk had been yet
another test of faith for the Muslims. Even so, there were still some
among those who made that heroic journey who were hypocrites,
pretending to be sincere while being enemies of Islam in their hearts.
No one could have suspected that anyone who had made that journey
across the desert with the Prophet (pbuh) would be an enemy of his.
Realizing this,
several hypocrites plotted to kill the Prophet (pbuh) by pushing him off
the top of a high, rocky passage that ran between the mountains of
'Aqabah. Before the army reached this rocky passage, however, Allah
warned the Prophet (pbuh) about this wicked plan. The Prophet (pbuh),
therefore, ordered the entire army to travel through the valley while
he and his two guards went by way of the cliff. As the plotters
approached, he shouted to them so that they could see that he knew of
their plan, whereupon they quickly ran back to the army and tried to
hide among the rest of the soldiers.
Later, the Prophet (pbuh) gathered his followers around him and
told them what had happened. He picked out the men who had plotted
against him and even told them the exact words they had spoken to each
other. Some of the Prophet's companions said that these men should be
killed, but the Prophet (pbuh) forgave them. As soon as he arrived back
in Medinah, the Prophet (pbuh) went to the mosque and prayed. Many of
the hypocrites and the lukewarm who had not gone with him to Tabuk came
to give their reasons for not having done so.
Three men of spiritual value who had not joined the army were subjected
by the Prophet (pbuh) to the discipline of waiting for Allah's
forgiveness. For fifty days no one spoke to them. Finally, Allah
revealed a verse to the Prophet (pbuh) which declared that these three
men were forgiven:
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
"Allah hath turned in mercy to the Prophet, and to the Muhajirin
and the Ansar who followed him in the hour of hardship. After the
hearts of a party of them had almost swerved aside, then He turned unto
them in mercy. Lo! He is full of Pity, Merciful. And to the three also
(did He turn in mercy) who were left behind, when the earth, vast as it
is, was straitened for them, and their own souls were straitened for
them till they understood that there is no refuge from Allah save
toward Him. Then He turned unto them in mercy that they (too) might
turn (repentant unto Him).
Lo! Allah! He is the Relenting, the Merciful. O you who believe! Be
careful of your duty to Allah, and be with tile truthful". (Koran
ix.117-119)
The Farewell Pilgrimage
The Prophet (pbuh) had become the most powerful leader in the
whole of Arabia. After the idols in the Ka'bah had been smashed and
Quraysh had become Muslim, most of the other tribes of Arabia came to
declare their Islam. The year in which they came was later to be called
the Year of Deputations. As each tribe joined Islam, the Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) sent his men to teach them about their new religion.
Many people also came to Medinah to question the Prophet (pbuh)
himself. One tribe sent a man called Dimam, who was large and strong.
On arriving in Medinah, he went straight to the mosque, where the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was sitting with some of his companions, and
stood over the Prophet (pbuh). In a loud, rough voice he asked, 'Which
of you is the son of 'Abd al-Muttalib?' When the Prophet (pbuh) answered
him Dimam went on,
'I am going to ask you a hard question, so do not misunderstand me. I
ask you to swear by Allah, your Allah, the Allah of those before you
and the Allah of those who will come after you, has He sent you to us
as a messenger?' 'Yes, He has', replied the Prophet (pbuh). 'Has Allah
instructed you to order us to serve Him; to pray these five prayers; to
pay alms; to fast; to make the pilgrimage and to follow the other laws
of Islam)?' continued Dimam. When the Prophet (pbuh) answered that
Allah had indeed instructed him in this way, Dimam became a Muslim and,
as he left, added, 'Then I will do the things we are told to do and
avoid the things we are forbidden-no more and no less.` As Dimam
mounted his camel to leave, the Prophet(pbuh) told the people around
him, 'If this man is sincere, he will go to Paradise.' When Dimam
reached his people they all thought he had gone mad but by nightfall,
after he had finished speaking, there was not among one them that had
not accepted Islam.
When the time came for the yearly pilgrimage, it was proclaimed that
the prophet (pbuh) would be going to Mecca. The Muslims flocked to
Medinah from all over Arabia to join him on his journey to the Ka'bah.
As the tribes arrived they camped around the city until they finally
numbered more than thirty thousand.
The Prophet (pbuh) went out with his family and friends to
pilgrimage, but before setting off, he led all the Muslims in prayer.
After the prayers, the Prophet (pbuh) got on his camel and headed
towards Mecca followed by the pilgrims, all of whom, for the first time
in centuries, worshipped Allah, the One God. The Prophet (pbuh) and
his companions were deeply moved by the sight of the huge number of
Muslims accompanying them to Mecca, carrying no arms, and fearing no
one. They could not help but remember their original flight from Mecca
when they had been so few in number and were forced to leave in order
to avoid the anger of Quraysh. Throughout the journey the Muslims
repeated a prayer taught to them by the Prophet (pbuh) which he in turn
had received from the Archangel Gabriel.
This prayer, the talbiyah, has been part of the Hajj ritual ever since.
It is in answer to the call Abraham was commanded to make when he and
Ishmael finished building the Ka'bah.
Labaik Allahumma labaik, labaik la sharika laka labaik in al-hamd wa al-ni'amatu laka wal-mulk, la sharika laka. Here
I am, O Allah, at Thy service. Here I am, Thou art without partner,
here I am. All Praise and blessings are thine, and Dominion! Thou art
without partner!
After ten days the pilgrims marched at sunset through the same
pass by which they had entered on the Day of Conquest of Mecca. When
they reached the Ka'bah, the Prophet (pbuh) stood before it in prayer,
then he and all the Muslims walked around it seven times saying their
prayer aloud. Next, just as Abraham had done, they went towards the
Mount of Mercy at 'Arafah, which the Prophet (pbuh) ascended on a
camel. From the mountain he led the people in prayer and then spoke to
them as they stood assembled on the vast plain below.
What the Prophet (pbuh) said is known as the 'Farewell Sermon',
because it was the last speech the Prophet (pbuh) made before he died.
He said, 'surely you will meet your Lord and He will question you about
your works.' He asked the Muslims to take their guidance from the
Koran and from his own example. This, he said, was the best way to
live. He ordered them to cease living in the way they had before Islam.
Revenge, one of the oldest traditions in Arabia, was ended
forever; usury was prohibited; property was to be respected. Things
which previously were forbidden during the four sacred months of the
year were now forbidden at all times. He then commanded, 'Know that
every Muslim is a Muslim's brother', which was a completely new idea to
the tribes who had so often quarreled in the past. He also said, 'Allah
has given everyone his due-exactly what each one deserves. After each
point the Prophet (pbuh) asked,
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