Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets (Steadfastness II)

 by: Muhammad Zafrulla Khan 

The situation of the Byzantines at the time when this revelation was received was considered so hopeless by Quraish that one of them laid a wager with Abu Bakr that this prophecy would not be fulfilled. But all expectations of Quraish, both with regard to the Byzantines and the Muslims, were frustrated and disappointed by the subsequent victory of the Byzantines, and the decisive and shattering defeat of Quraish in the battle of Badr.

About the same time, the Holy Prophet was vouchsafed a revelation that indicated that he would have to migrate from Mecca, but that God Almighty would restore him to Mecca in triumph. The words of the revelation were: ‘He Who has made the teaching of the Quran obligatory on thee, will most surely bring thee back to the place of resort’ (28:86). This also was a double prophecy of grand import, which was fulfilled in an extraordinary manner.

The crushing defeat of mighty Quraish, arrogant and drunk with power, at the hands of a small straggly body of Muslims at Badr, which changed the whole course of human history, was an astounding event. This was also prophesied in a revelation vouchsafed to the Holy Prophet, about the same time, in Mecca, when the fortunes of the Muslims were at their lowest ebb. The words of this prophecy were (54:45-7):

Do they boast: We are a strong host, well succoured? The host shall soon be routed, and they will turn their backs in flight. Aye, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour will be most grievous and most bitter.

Quraish heard these prophecies and ridiculed them, and laughed at the Holy Prophet and the Muslims, describing the revelations as the ravings of a madman. Having regard to the hopeless situation in which the Holy Prophet and his few Companions were placed at the time, and the constant frustration to which they were exposed, it is not surprising that Quraish should have accounted these revelations as the ravings of a madman. There was not the slightest indication in any direction that the Holy Prophet and the small body of believers would ever be delivered from the perils that confronted them in all directions. But they believed firmly that Allah, the All-Knowing and All-Powerful, having promised them deliverance and ultimate triumph, would most surely fulfil all His promises to the full.

A Western biographer of the Holy Prophet has observed (Sir William Muir, The Life of Muhammad, p.126):

Muhammad thus holding his people at bay; waiting in the still expectation of victory; to outward appearance defenceless; and with his little band as it were in the lion’s mouth; yet trusting in His Almighty Power Whose Messenger he believed himself to be, resolute and unmoved; presents a spectacle of sublimity paralleled only by such scenes in the sacred records as that of the Prophet of Israel when he complained to his Master: I, even I only, am left. Nay, the spectacle is in one point of view even more amazing.... It is this, which brings if possible into still bolder prominence the marvellous self-possession and enthusiasm which sustained Muhammad on his course. Say unto the unbelievers, such was the reiterated message from On High, Work ye in your place. Wait in expectation; We too in expectancy are waiting (11:123). And again: Say: Each of us awaiteth the issue; wait therefore, hereafter shall ye surely know who they are that have chosen the straight path, and who hath been guided aright (20:136). Muhammad’s bearing towards his followers, no less than towards his opponents, exhibits the assurance of being the vicegerent of God and the exponent of His will.

A ray of hope beamed in the north. At a distance of approximately 250 miles from Mecca was a town then known as Yathrab. Its population was divided into two groups, Jews and pagans. There were three principal tribes of Jews, Banu Qainuqa, Banu Nadhir and Banu Quraidha. The pagans had two divisions, Aus and Khazraj. These two were generally at loggerheads with each other. At the time of which we are writing they were preparing for a fearful battle which became known as the battle of Bu’ath. In that battle, many leading personalities on both sides perished.

As the Jews were an intellectual and religious people and were more wealthy and more powerful than the Arab tribes, they were looked up to by the latter. If any of them was desirous of having male issue, he would make a vow that he would offer his first son to the Jews to be brought up among them in their religion. Living in the proximity of the Jews, Aus and Khazraj had acquired some glimmerings of Scripture and prophethood. They had heard that the Jews, according to their Scripture, were awaiting the advent of a prophet, under whose leadership they would wipe out the pagans and would become a great power.

While the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, was occupied with visiting tribe after tribe, he came to know that a well-known personality of Yathrab, Suwaib bin Thamat, had arrived in Mecca. He was, on account of his bravery, noble descent and other good qualities, known as Kamil (perfect), and was also by way of being a poet. The Holy Prophet called on him and invited him to Islam. Having heard a recitation from the Holy Quran, Suwaib expressed his appreciation of it, and though he did not become a Muslim, he expressed his approval of the Holy Prophet and did not deny him. After returning to Yathrab, he soon perished in some local tumult. This was before the battle of Bu’ath.

Shortly after, still before the battle of Bu’ath, the Holy Prophet, during his rounds on the occasion of the pilgrimage, espied a group of people who turned out to be of Aus, who had arrived in Mecca to procure help from Quraish against Khazraj. The Holy Prophet invited them to Islam, whereupon a young man named Ayas called out, ‘By God, that to which this man calls us is better than that for which we have come here.’ But the leader of the group took up a handful of gravel and threw it at Ayas, exclaiming, ‘Shut up. We have not arrived here on such an errand.’

Sometime later, after the Battle of Bu’ath, in Rajab of the eleventh year of prophethood, the Holy Prophet encountered another small group from Yathrab, who were of Khazraj. He asked them courteously whether they would be willing to hear what he wished to say. On their signifying assent, he sat down among them, invited them to Islam and recited some verses of the Holy Quran. When he had finished, they looked at each other and expressed their readiness to accept Islam, lest the Jews should steal a march over them. There were six of them: (1) Abu Amamah, Asad bin Zararah of Banu Najjar, who was the foremost in signifying his acceptance of Islam; (2) Auf bin Harith, also of Banu Najjar, among whom Abdul Muttalib’s father had been married; (3) Raf’e bin Malik of Banu Zareeq. The Holy Prophet bestowed upon him a copy of the Holy Quran which had so far been revealed; (4) Qutbah bin Aamir of Bani Salmah; (5) Uqbah bin Aamir of Bani Haram; (6) Jabir bin Abdullah bin Rayan of Bani Ubaid.

When parting from the Holy Prophet, they submitted that they had been much weakened by internecine conflicts and there were great differences among them, but on return home they would convey the message of Islam to their brethren, and it might be that Allah, the Exalted, may bring them all together through him; in which case, they would all combine in helping him. On their return home, Islam began to be preached in Yathrab.

In Mecca at this time, the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and the Muslims were faced with the situation described by Sir William Muir, as set out above. After the Holy Prophet’s encounter with the six first Muslims from Yathrab, he awaited some indication from them of how they were faring in their efforts to propagate Islam in their city. He wondered whether Yathrab would also reject him as Mecca and Taif had done, or whether God, of His grace, would open a way of deliverance for the Muslims through the spread of Islam in Yathrab. Thus, when the season of pilgrimage arrived, he issued forth eagerly from his home and arriving at Aqabah, in the direction of Mina, he looked about and suddenly discovered a small party from Yathrab, among whom were included five of the first Muslims who recognized him immediately and welcomed him eagerly and affectionately. This was a party of twelve, including the first five Muslims. The Holy Prophet withdrew with them into a defile where they told him that Islam was beginning to make progress in Yathrab and all twelve of them took the formal pledge of allegiance at his hands. The pledge affirmed that they would believe in the Unity of God, would not associate anyone with Him, would not commit theft, adultery, or murder, would not calumniate anyone, and would obey the Holy Prophet in all virtuous enterprises. The Holy Prophet told them that if they would adhere to their pledge sincerely, they would inherit paradise, but that if they exhibited any weakness they would be accountable for it to God. This pledge is known as the First Pledge of Aqabah.

Before departing from Mecca, they requested the Holy Prophet that someone may be sent with them who should instruct them in the teachings of Islam and should propagate Islam among their fellow tribesmen. He sent Mus’ab bin Umair of Abdud Dar, who was a very sincere young man, with them. Arriving in Yathrab, he took up his residence with Asad bin Zararah, who had been the first to accept Islam from among the people of Yathrab, and was a very sincere and influential person. As the Muslims in Yathrab by now formed a small community, the Holy Prophet, at the suggestion of Asad bin Zararah, directed Mus’ab to make a start with the Friday noon service. Thus the Muslims of Yathrab began to lead a communal life and by Allah’s grace, Islam began to spread among Aus and Khazraj very rapidly. Sometimes a whole tribe accepted Islam on the same day, as happened in the case of Banu Abdul Ashhal, who were part of Aus. Their chief, S’ad bin Muaz, was also the chief of the whole of Aus. When Islam began to spread in Yathrab, S’ad resented it and considered how he could stop its progress. He was a first cousin of Asad bin Zararah, who had become a Muslim, and he hesitated to speak to him directly lest this should occasion some misunderstanding between them. He therefore requested another relative of his, Usyad bin Hudhair, to go and persuade Mus’ab to stop his missionary activities and also tell Asad that Mus’ab’s activities were undesirable. Usyad also was a very influential chieftain among Banu Abdul Ashhal and at the suggestion of S’ad, he called on Mus’ab bin Umair and Asad bin Zararah and told Mus’ab in a tone of sharp rebuke that he should desist from his undesirable activities, for, otherwise, there would be trouble. Asad whispered to Mus’ab to deal gently with Usyad as he was a leading personage in his tribe. Mus’ab spoke respectfully and affectionately to Usyad and requested him to sit down and hear calmly what he might have to say to him before he made up his mind. Usyad considered the request reasonable and sat down. Mus’ab recited a few verses of the Holy Quran to him and expounded the Islamic doctrine very gently to him. Usyad was deeply affected and immediately embraced Islam. He then said that he had been sent by someone who was so much respected among his tribe that if he believed in Islam, the whole tribe would follow him. He said he would send him to them immediately. S’ad bin Muaz arrived in a great passion and said to Asad, ‘You are taking undue advantage of your relationship with me and that is not right.’ Mus’ab made his approach to him in the same way as he had approached Usyad, and S’ad agreed to listen to him. Within a short time, S’ad also embraced Islam. Thereupon, S’ad and Usyad went together to their tribe and S’ad asked them, ‘Bani Abdul Ashhal, how do you esteem me?’ They affirmed unanimously, ‘You are our chief and the son of a chief and we have complete trust in you.’ Upon this, S’ad said to them, ‘I shall have no connection with you till you believe in Allah and His Messenger.’ He then proceeded to expound to them the doctrine and teachings of Islam, and before sunset, the entire tribe embraced Islam; and S’ad and Usyad broke up the idols of the tribe with their own hands. Both of them attained to a distinguished position among the Companions of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, and S’ad acquired a standing among Ansar which Abu Bakr had acquired among the immigrants from Mecca. He was a most sincere and devoted Muslim and a great lover of the Holy Prophet. He was very intelligent and began to be counted among the topmost Companions. He died young and the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, truly observed, S’ad’s death has moved even the throne of Rahman.’

Thus, Islam spread so rapidly among Aus and Khazraj that the Jews of Yathrab began to be apprehensive how the situation might develop. While the prospect in Yathrab for Islam and the Muslims appeared hopeful, in Mecca the Holy Prophet and the Muslims were passing their days in extreme discomfort and distress. Quraish, on learning of the progress of Islam in Yathrab, were roused to fierce enmity against the Muslims and made their lives miserable for them.

On the occasion of the pilgrimage in the thirteenth year of prophethood, several hundred of Aus and Khazraj came to Mecca; among them were seventy persons who had embraced Islam, or were ready to do so, and who had come to Mecca to meet the Holy Prophet, peace be on him. Mus’ab bin Umair was with them. His mother was a pagan, but was very fond of him. When she learnt of his arrival, she sent a message to him to go to her immediately, to which he sent back word that he would come and see her after he had paid his respects to the Holy Prophet. Thereafter, when he called on his mother he found her in a rage and greatly upset that he had not come to see her immediately. Mus’ab spoke gently to her and tried to persuade her to embrace Islam. She reacted very fiercely to his suggestion and signalled to her male relatives to seize Mus’ab and detain him, but he escaped.

The Holy Prophet, peace be on him, had been briefed by Mus’ab, and some of the Yathrab Muslims came to meet him secretly in ones and twos. The Holy Prophet sent a message that they should all meet him at midnight a few days later in the same spot where he had met some of them the previous year, so that he could speak to all of them in comparative privacy. He directed that they should not proceed to the rendezvous all together, or in large groups, but only in ones and twos, and taking precautions that their purpose should not become known. The Holy Prophet left his house shortly before midnight and on the way took his uncle Abbas with him, who was still a pagan, but was very fond of him and was now the chief of Banu Hashim. On arrival at the rendezvous, where the Muslims of Yathrab had arrived as they had been instructed, Abbas opened the conversation with: ‘Men of Khazraj, Muhammad is respected and loved among Banu Hashim, who have been the guarantors of his safety and have guarded him against all danger. He is now thinking of leaving Mecca and of going over to you. If you desire that he should go over to you, you will have to undertake to guard him against his enemies. If you are prepared to undertake this responsibility, well and good; but if not, you should say so frankly.’ Braa bin Ma’roor, who was an aged and influential person among the Muslims of Yathrab, replied to him, ‘Abbas, we have heard you, but we wish that the Messenger of Allah should also speak to us himself and tell us what responsibility he would wish us to undertake.’ Thereupon the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, as was his practice, recited a few verses of the Holy Quran and made a brief exposition of the teachings of Islam and the obligations due to Allah and to one’s fellow beings, and concluded with, ‘As to myself, all I require of you is that if need arises you would behave towards me in the same manner as you would behave towards your near relations.’ When he had finished, Braa bin Ma’roor took hold of his hand, according to Arab custom, and said: ‘Messenger of Allah, we call to witness God Who has sent you with truth and righteousness, that we shall guard you as we guard our own lives. We have grown up under the shadow of swords ....’ He was interrupted by Abul Haitham bin Teehan, who said: ‘Messenger of Allah, we have had close relations with the Jews of Yathrab since a long time. If we take up with you, those relations will be sundered. We are apprehensive lest when God bestows supremacy upon you might leave us and return to Mecca and we may be left in an awkward situation.’ The Holy Prophet smiled and said, ‘No, no, that will not be. Your blood will be my blood, your friends will be my friends, and your enemies will be my enemies.’ On this, Abbas bin Ubadah turned to his companions and said, ‘Do you realize what this covenant might involve? It means that you should now be ready to oppose all the whites and the blacks and should be prepared to make every sacrifice in this cause.’ They responded, ‘Yes, we realize this. But, Messenger of Allah, what shall we get in return for it?’ He said, ‘You will be admitted to the gardens of God’s pleasure, which is the highest of all bounties.’ They all affirmed, ‘We are content with this bargain. Messenger of Allah, give us your hand.’ He put forth his hand and the whole company of seventy devoted men took the pledge of allegiance at his hand. This became known as the Second Pledge of Aqabah.

At the end, the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, said to them: ‘Moses had chosen twelve leaders from among his people who supervised them on behalf of Moses. In the same way I desire to appoint twelve leaders from among you who would supervise you. They will be like the disciples of Jesus for me, and will be responsible to me for their people. I would wish you to suggest some names to me for this purpose.’ When the selection had been made, the Holy Prophet explained their duties to the designated leaders. They were:

1. Asad bin Zararah of Banu Najjar, who has already been mentioned. He started the Friday noon service in Yathrab. He was in the first rank of the Companions of the Holy Prophet. He died after the arrival of the Holy Prophet in Yathrab and before the battle of Badr.

2. Usyad bin Hudhair of Banu Abdul Ashhal. He has also been already mentioned. He is counted among the principal Companions. His father was the commander of Aus in the battle of Bu’ath. He was very sincere and possessed a keen intelligence. He died in the time of Umar.

3. Abul Haitham Malik bin Teehan, who has also been already mentioned. He was killed in the battle of Siffin, fighting on the side of Ali.

4. S’ad bin Ubadah of Banu Sa’edah, a branch of Khazraj. He was chief of Khazraj and was counted among the topmost Ansar. On the death of the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, some of the Ansar had put forward his name for the Khilafat. He died in the time of Umar.

5. Braa bin Ma’roor of Banu Salmah, a branch of Khazraj. He has also been mentioned already. He was very aged and much respected. He died before the arrival of the Holy Prophet in Yathrab.

6. Abdullah bin Rawaha of Banu Harith, a branch of Khazraj. He was a well-known poet and was a devoted believer. He died in the battle of Mutah, while commanding the Muslim forces.

7. Ubadah bin Thamat of Banu Auf, a branch of Khazraj. He was counted among the learned Companions. He died in the time of Uthman.

8. S’ad bin Rabi’ of Banu Tha’labah, a branch of Khazraj. He was a very sincere and distinguished Companion. He became a martyr in the battle of Uhud.

9. Rafe’ bin Malik of Banu Zareeq, a branch of Khazraj. He has been mentioned already. When he embraced Islam, the Holy Prophet bestowed upon him a copy of the Quran, which had been revealed up to that time. He became a martyr in the battle of Uhud.

10. Abdullah bin Amar of Banu Salamah, a branch of Khazraj. He became a martyr in the battle of Uhud. The Holy Prophet, peace be on him, sought to comfort his son, Jabir bin Abdullah, and told him that God had spoken to his father and had said to him, ‘O My servant, I am pleased with thee. Ask Me for whatever thou might wish and thou wilt be bestowed it.’ He submitted, ‘Lord, my only wish is that I may be revived so that I may lay down my life again in the cause of Islam.’ God affirmed, ‘Were it not that I have determined that no one who has passed through death can go back, I would have granted thee thy wish.’

11. S’ad bin Khaithamah of Banu Haritha, a branch of Aus. He became a martyr in the battle of Badr. When he was about to go forth from his home, his father tried to persuade him to stay back and let him go forth. But he insisted and they agreed to cast lots. His name was indicated and he went forth.

12. Mundhar bin Amar of Banu Sa’edah, a branch of Khazraj. He had the temperament of a Sufi. He became a martyr in the incident of B’er Ma’oona.

The leaders having been appointed, the Holy Prophet’s uncle, Abbas, admonished Ansar that in returning to their camp they should be very careful and should take every precaution that Quraish should not suspect that they had met the Holy Prophet, lest their proceedings of the night might become known and create difficulties. The Holy Prophet also directed them that they should return to their camp singly or two together. Abbas bin Nadhalah Ansari submitted, ‘Messenger of Allah, we have no fear of anyone. If you will let us, we would attack Quraish in the morning and punish them for their persecution of the Muslims.’ But he forbade any such design and told them to return silently to their camp, just as they had come. They slipped away accordingly and the Holy Prophet returned to Mecca with his uncle, Abbas.

Quraish heard a rumour that some secret conclave had been held during the night. Early in the morning, a delegation of Quraish arrived in the camp of the people from Yathrab and said to them: ‘We have had good relations with you over a long period and we do not desire that anything should happen which might create any misunderstanding between us. We have heard that last night you have come to a secret understanding with Muhammad and we should like to know whether there is any truth in this.’ As the main body of Aus and Khazraj were not aware of the secret meeting, they assured the delegation that nothing of the kind had taken place. Abdullah bin Ubayy was among them and he said, ‘It is not possible that the people of Yathrab should embark on something important and I should not know about it.’ The delegation went back satisfied and shortly after the men of Yathrab started on their return journey. Soon after they left Quraish received definite information of the secret meeting and they sent some people to pursue the men of Yathrab. They failed to come up with the main body, but they caught S’ad bin Ubadah who had fallen behind, and maltreated him severely. At last, Jubair bin Mut’am and Harith bin Harab, who knew S’ad, got wind of what was happening, and they arrived and rescued him.

When the men of Yathrab had returned home, the Holy Prophet, peace be on him, directed the Muslims in Mecca that those of them who could afford it should migrate to Yathrab. Accordingly, within a very short period, despite the opposition of Quraish, most of the Muslims in Mecca managed to migrate to Yathrab and many houses in Mecca were vacated. In the end only the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr, Ali and the members of their families, and such weak and helpless people who could not afford to undertake the journey, or who were effectively prevented by Quraish from moving, were left in Mecca. As the emigrants arrived in Yathrab they were accommodated by Ansar in their homes as guests till the arrival of the Holy Prophet himself; whereafter, gradually, they were enabled to provide accommodation for themselves. The refugees from Mecca were entertained most generously and warmheartedly by Ansar, and when the Holy Prophet himself arrived in Yathrab, the refugees expressed to him their deep appreciation of the kindness which Ansar had extended to them. This attitude of Ansar is commended highly in the Holy Quran (59:10).

When the greater part of the Muslims had departed from Mecca, Quraish began to be apprehensive that some development might take place in Yathrab which might become a source of anxiety for them. They also felt frustrated that those whom they had persecuted for so long were now out of their reach. They began to think of some means which might make them secure against any retaliatory action against them on the part of the Muslims from Yathrab. They felt that now that Muhammad was almost alone in Mecca, they should adopt some measure against him which might dispose of him finally. For this purpose their leading men gathered together in the Council House of Mecca and took counsel together. About a hundred of them were present on the occasion and there was also present among them an aged Shaikh from Nejd. After preliminary discussions, several plans were put forth. It was suggested that Muhammad may be chained up and abandoned in a cellar and thus starved to death. The Shaikh from Nejd pointed out that this plan was not likely to serve their purpose, as it was bound to become known to Banu Abd Manaf, who would rescue Muhammad and seek vengeance. Another suggestion was that Muhammad might be sent into exile, so that Quraish would have nothing further to do with him, and Mecca would become secure against his mischief. Again, the Shaikh from Nejd pointed out that Muhammad had a very persuasive and eloquent tongue. If he escaped from Mecca, he would beguile some tribe or other to lend him its support and he would stand up against Quraish to wreak vengeance upon them.

After a good deal of discussion, Abu Jahl said: ‘I propose that we should select one young man from every tribe and arm the whole lot with swords. They should fall upon Muhammad as one man and dispatch him. In this manner, all tribes of Quraish would share the responsibility for his death. Banu Abd Manaf would not dare to fight with the whole of Quraish and would thus be reduced to accepting blood money for Muhammad, which we shall all provide.’ This was agreed to. This nefarious plan is mentioned in the Holy Quran as follows: ‘Call to mind the time, when the disbelievers plotted against thee that they might confine thee, or kill thee, or expel thee. They planned and Allah also planned, and Allah is the best of planners’ (8:31).

God Almighty revealed their plan to the Holy Prophet, and directed him to migrate to Yathrab and not to spend even a single night more in Mecca. The Holy Prophet had been made aware by God much earlier that he should have one day to migrate from Mecca, and he was also shown in a vision the place to which he would have to migrate. It was a place of orchards and running springs. He described this vision later, and said that he had imagined that he would have to migrate to Yamamah or Hajar, but it turned out to be Yathrab.