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ibal honor above the honor of Islam, and of opposing the Model of Mankind in judging according to the standards of the days of Jahiliyya. In this way the Aws and Khazraj almost came to blows. The Holy Prophet spoke from the Minbar, saying, ‘It is an ugly thing to behave like this in my presence!’ He calmed them down and finally silenced them.

“I had to tell myself that all this was happening because of me, and this thought caused me to weep all day long and robbed me of my sleep at night. I wept until the break of day. My parents began to worry about me, and were inclined to think that so much crying would damage my health. My mother and father sat by my side. One of the Ansar women came in, wishing to visit me, and I asked her in. While we were sitting together, the Holy Prophet came, gave Salams and sat down. Since the beginning of this slander attack, the Prophet had not once sat down by my side.
“A whole month had passed and the Prophet had received no heavenly revelation on my behalf. After he had seated himself, the Holy Prophet began to speak, intoning the words of the Shahada. Then he continued with grave dignity, ‘Oh Aisha, as is well known, many things are being said about you and have been brought to my attention. If you are innocent of these sins, Allah will surely clear you of these allegations; Allah will provide proof of your innocence. If however, contrary to your custom, you are guilty of what they say, turn to Allah and repent of your sin. For Allah accepts the repentance of the sinner when he repents.’
“When the Holy Prophet had finished speaking, my tears suddenly dried up. I turned to my father who was sitting beside me and said to him, ‘Do reply to the Prophet on my behalf.’ My father said, ‘By Allah, I do not know what to say. What answer can I give the Holy Prophet ?’ Then I turned to my mother and begged her to speak for me, ‘Do you answer him,’ I said. She gave me the same reply as my father had. Since I was still so very young, I did not yet know very much of the Quran, only this much I could say, ‘By Allah, you have heard all this and you believe in your heart that it has taken place as you have been told. If I were to say to you that I am innocent, you would not believe me, while the Almighty knows that I am free of blame in this matter. Were I to confess my guilt in spite of being innocent, you would be ready to believe me. By God, I find no way to explain this to you. What else can I say but the words of that righteous servant of the Lord, the father of Yusuf when he said:
But come, sweet patience! And God’s succor is ever there to seek against that you describe! (Joseph, 18)
“After this I again took to my bed in a state of indescribable dejection.

I hoped that Allah would clear me of all their allegations. But I never thought it would happen through such a long verse of revelation. I thought perhaps the Holy Prophet would be shown a dream in which he was told of my innocence. For I regarded myself as too unworthy and lowly to be spoken of in the Holy Quran. However, Allah knows best. The Holy Prophet had not yet left our company, nor had any of us yet gone outside, when he began to exhibit the signs of revelation descending on him. Drops of sweat as large as hailstones appeared on his skin as the truth was revealed to him, although it was a cool winter’s day.
“They covered him up and placed a pillow beneath his blessed head. I felt great relief, knowing that I was innocent. But until the Prophet returned to his normal state, I was afraid that my mother and father would die from fear of a revelation confirming all that people said about me. When the Holy Prophet returned to us, he laughed and these were his first words, ‘Good news to you, oh Aisha, and know that Allah Almighty has cleared you of all allegations!’
“My mother said with tears in her eyes, ‘Go to your husband, my dear!’ But being coy, I said, ‘No, I will not go to him. I will praise none but Allah Almighty and to Him give my thanks!’ (Aisha affected this attitude as she was engulfed in rapture over the divine revelation concerning her.)
“Somewhat later the Prophet ascended the Minbar and announced the verse that had been revealed on my account. After he had descended again, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul, Mistah and Hassan bin Thabit were punished by flogging.”
The Divine Verse revealed on Aisha’s behalf was this:
Those who came with a slander are a band of you; do not reckon it evil for you; rather it is good for you. Every man of them shall have the sin that he has earned charged to him; and whosoever of them took upon himself the greater part of it, him there awaits a mighty chastisement. Why, when you heard it, did the believing men and women not of their own account think good thoughts, and say, ‘This is a manifest calumny’? Why did they not bring four witnesses against it? But since they did not bring the witnesses, in God’s sight they are the liars. But for God’s bounty to you and His mercy in the present world and the

world to come there would have visited you for your mutterings a mighty chastisement. When you received it on your tongues, and were speaking with your mouths that whereof you had no knowledge, and reckoned it a light thing, and with God it was a mighty thing.
And why, when you heard it, did you not say, ‘It is not for us to speak about this; glory be to Thee! This is a mighty calumny’? God admonishes you, that you shall never repeat the like of it again, if you are believers. God makes clear to you the signs, and God is All- Knowing, All-Wise. (Light, 1 -18)
In her time, Maryam, the mother of ‘Isa, was also the victim of this sort of slander. Her name, too, was cleared by the revelation of the Quran. Allah declares the innocence of the cherished Mother of the Believers, Aisha, stating clearly that the allegations against her were nothing but vicious slander and insubstantial gossip.
But a great lesson is to be learnt from this holy verse: it indicates how every believing man or woman should behave. When one hears a bad word concerning anyone, one ought to think well of this person and assume the best. Just as no one would have a doubt about his own person and would like to be thought of as blameless, even if appearances seem to contradict the truth. One should refrain from baseless, unproven gossip and say instead, ‘This is plainly slanderous defamation.’
Alas, how far we are from such good manners! Even today there are such enemies of Islam, who try to use this story of the calumny against Aisha for their own means. They make a big fuss over this story and never once mention the Quranic verse that was revealed in this context. At the same time these people appear to be profoundly devout. What can we say about them, except to leave them to Allah.
There is a Hadith which says: “Anybody who spins intrigues against a believer behind his back and slanders him, will be imprisoned in the afterlife in a morass of pus and purulence, until what he has alleged is proven. As there is no substance to it but the words he has spoken, there will be no means to prove his claim. Therefore he will to remain in it forever!”
The Conquest of Mecca
The time had come for the cleansing of idols of that hallowed place which is called ’Bayt-ullah’, the House of Allah, which was erected by the venerated

ancestor of the Holy Prophet , Ibrahim. For even though the Noble Companions of the Prophet had a glimpse of their hometown when they performed ‘Umra, their yearning was not stilled.
It was just at this time that the unbelievers of the Quraysh broke the terms of the agreement of Hudaybiyah. According to the terms of the agreement, the Arab tribes were free to choose their allegiance; they were free to choose to ally themselves either with the idolaters or with Muhammad, the Prophet .
One of these tribes was that of the Khuza’a. According to the agreement of Hudaybiyah, they were under the Prophet’s protection and had become allies of the Muslims. Their rival tribe, the Bani Bakr had formed an alliance with the Quraysh. These tribes were rivals from way back, and their enmity had been somewhat muted by the arrival of Islam. But now, relying on their powerful ally, the Bani Bakr attacked the Bani Khuza’a afresh. Abu Jahl’s son Ikrima, Safwan bin Umayya, Suhayl bin ’Amr joined the Bani Bakr in disguise by night and attacked the Khuza’a. The Khuza’a were forced to seek refuge in the precincts of the Haram. Against the opposition of his own tribe, the chief of the Bani Bakr pursued them into the boundaries of the sacred area, saying, “We don’t recognize any forbidden zone or sanctuary,” and they killed several of their number, driving the rest to flight.
This incident directly contravened the agreement of Hudaybiyah. The Holy Prophet was sitting in the mosque when he heard excitement and commotion going on outside. Asking about the noise, he was told, “Forty men of the Bani Khuza’a have come with ’Amr bin Salih, asking for support!”
The Holy Prophet admitted them into his presence and asked them for the details of their story. Hearing their tale, the Holy Prophet showed much concern and told them to expect more support than they had hoped for. He sent a delegation to the Quraysh, specifying these three conditions: the Quraysh were to pay the blood-wit for those killed of the Bani Khuza’a; the alliance between the unbelievers, Bani Bakr and Quraysh was to be cancelled and the Quraysh were to forego their protection; and, should they act to the contrary, the agreement of Hudaybiyah would be declared null and void.
The Quraysh then sent Kurtad bin ‘Amr as envoy to Madinah to announce that they considered the treaty of Hudaybiyah to be invalid, but they immediately regretted this step. Harith bin Hisham, Abdullah ibn Abi Rabi’ and Safwan began to argue and quarrel with their companions and finally they sent Abu Sufyan to Madinah to renew the contract.

Abu Sufyan’s daughter, Umm Habiba had become one of the wives of the Holy Prophet . She had been among the first Muslim emigrants to Abyssinia. Her husband had there become a Christian, but her own faith in Islam remained unshaken, even though she was left destitute. She said, “Even were I to die completely alone and forsaken, I shall never return to the house of my idolatrous father.”
The Holy Prophet heard of this venerable lady’s steadfast piety and her deplorable situation, and had offered her the protection of marriage. She now lived in Madinah, and it was to her that her father first turned upon entering the town. When he wished to seat himself upon the cushion the Holy Prophet was accustomed to use, Umm Habiba quickly removed it, saying, “This is Habibullah’s place! You are an impure idolater, and it is not right for you to sit in the place of him who is living Proof of the Divine!” Her father, Abu Sufyan then said, “But I am after all your father, am I not?” She replied, “In Islam, Allah is the reference for all kinship. I have no place with those who associate partners with Him.” She made it very clear that it was not a question of natural relationships. How significant a religious sensibility is the love of Islam!
Umm Habiba nonetheless enquired wherefore he had come to see her. Abu Sufyan answered that he had come to renew the treaty of Hudaybiyah, and he asked her to be the intermediary in this matter. She told him that she was not in the habit of interfering in the affairs of the Holy Prophet and that he would have to see him for himself. She showed him little interest, barely being polite. But Abu Sufyan, poor soul, was still barred from perceiving the light of prophethood in him who was the Pride of all the World. He did not realize that in the view of one who was cognizant of the Perfume of Divine Mercy, he was of less account than a mosquito’s wing in the whole sublunary region.
As his daughter gave him such unhelpful replies, he decided to address the Holy Prophet himself. Receiving no admission to his presence, he turned to Abu Bakr and the leaders of the Muhajirin and Ansar. They told him, “We can give no personal guarantees of safety. We have entirely surrendered ourselves to Muhammad , so we have no more individual opinion or will. We only consider it binding upon us to protect a person to whom he has extended his protection.”
Then Abu Sufyan turned to ‘Umar, who was known for his violent nature. ‘Umar responded in a characteristically harsh manner, “You miserable ingrate! How you dare come to me, asking for intercession! You who at Uhud caused injury to the Prophet’s noble countenance, which is the mirror of Allah’s Truth, you who let your vicious wife Hind eat of the liver of our beloved companion Hamza? I

should be your intercessor? If all the world were fallen to ruin, and nothing remained but an ant with a broken leg, I would ally myself with it to fight against you! Be gone and speak to me no more!” he said.
Abu Sufyan next went to see the Prophet’s daughter Fatima, the Crown of Womanly Virtue, and spoke to her, saying, “Oh you who are Muhammad’s most beloved daughter! I entreat you to grant me protection!” Fatima however replied, “It is not for me to grant it to you, I have neither right nor authority for that.” Abu Sufyan then pointed to Hasan who was yet only a child of five, running about the yard. “Ask this child then to get up in front of the people and announce to them that he grants me quarter; that will satisfy me.” But Fatima replied that it was not their custom to mix up children in the affairs of adults.
Finding all doors firmly shut against him, in his extremity Abu Sufyan finally turned to Ali, and entreated him with great urgency, so that at last Ali suggested to him this gesture, “Go to the Prophet’s mosque and make a public announcement that you are renewing the treaty of Hudaybiyah, then turn and leave forthwith.” Abu Sufyan then said, “But will the matter be achieved simply by my making such an announcement?” Ali replied, “That I cannot say, however I see no other way open to you.” Having no other recourse, Abu Sufyan accepted Ali’s prompting, went to the Prophet’s mosque and said for all to hear, “I am herewith reinstating the agreement of Hudaybiyah!” Then he mounted his camel and turned to leave. The Muslims looked at each other in bemusement, asking, “What does he mean to say by that?”
Abu Sufyan’s return to Mecca was delayed. The leaders of the misbelievers grew restless and began to mutter among themselves their worst fears. “He is very long in returning from Madinah. Could it be that he has inclined towards Islam?” As Abu Sufyan returned without positive results to his mission, he entered the city by night and went straight to his house. He was met by his savage wife Hind. “Where have you been so long?“ she berated him. “Everyone has grown suspicious of you already. It seems you have achieved no good results either, have you?” Abu Sufyan said to her, “The followers of Muhammad are not as you think. They are more devoted to him than ever any son was to his father. Never has there been a ruler on the face of the earth who commanded such respect and obedience in his followers. Let this serve you as an example: When I went to see your daughter and wished to sit down, she prevented me, saying, ‘You may not sit here, for it is Muhammad’s place, and you are morally and ritually impure.’ When I said to her, ‘But I am your father!’ she answered me, ‘I am a Muslim and you are an idolater, I am not related to you, for kinship in

Islam is reckoned according to the Truth of Allah.’ She wouldn’t even look at me. So judge for yourself, with such a people, can there be any dealings? I was treated with disrespect by every person I went to see.”
He also told her what Ali had advised him to do. Hind then flew into a rage and beat him a blow on the chest, yelling at him, “You have been taken advantage of by them and have returned without accomplishing anything.” This left Abu Sufyan in a very difficult position. His wife insulted him, his people were suspicious of him, accusing him of collaboration with the Muslims. When it was morning, he went to the temple, and brought a sacrifice before the idols Assal and Naila, which were between Safa and Marwa, resolving in his heart to remain steadfast in his adoration of them until his dying day.
Meanwhile people began gathering round him, asking what message he had brought from Muhammad . They wished to know whether he had brokered a new agreement, on the terms of the truce of Hudaybiyah. Abu Sufyan told them what had transpired, explaining the event. His people were angered against him just as his wife had been, saying, “You have returned in a most helpless condition; neither have you been able to renew the truce, nor have you given a declaration of war. Now what are we to do? Neither can we continue to live our lives in peace and freedom, nor can we prepare for warfare.”
Abu Sufyan replied to their attacks and accusations, “If any one of you were to go there, he would return with no other result. Muhammad’s mind is made up, his resolution is fixed, and his companions submit to him entirely. Whoever goes there and experiences this atmosphere of total surrender cannot fail to be astonished.” But his people continued to press him for information. “Did Muhammad not answer you when you came to his mosque and made your announcement about renewing the truce of Hudaybiyah?” “No, he did not,” said Abu Sufyan. “In that case,” they said, “let us prepare for war.”
The Holy Prophet also engaged in preparations for war. The time had come to put an end to the injustice ruling in Mecca for twenty-one years, the moment was drawing nigh for the rays of the sun of faith to melt down the ice of obstinate disbelief.
One day, when the Holy Prophet was sitting by the door of his dwelling, he called for Abu Bakr to come to him. Abu Bakr came, and upon a sign of the Prophet he knelt before him. They conversed with each other secretly, a fact which set the companions wondering. Then the Holy Prophet called for ‘Umar to come into his presence. He spoke to him about the conquest of Mecca in a

confidential manner. Suddenly ‘Umar called out, “Are they not the ones who call you a sorcerer? Are they not the people who proclaimed a three years’ boycott on you and your followers? Who would not employ or engage in any business with any of us unless he renounced his affiliation with Muhammad ? Who refused him even a piece of bread? Are they not the leaders of the disbelievers who invented all manner of slander and evil talk against Islam and seek to harm it in every way?”
‘Umar lost control over himself and gave vent to his feelings of anger and rage. The noble companions who were watching from afar this private consultation of the Prophet with his two trusted friends, wondered what could be the subject of this conversation that caused ‘Umar to lose his temper so vehemently. But they were bound by the rules of good manners and did not approach the Prophet before he called them into his presence.
Finally he did summon them and they drew near, wondering what orders the Imam of all Prophets would impart to them. The Holy Prophet said, “You are wondering what I have been talking about to these two friends, and what it is that put ‘Umar into such a state, is it not so? I will give you a likeness of each of these friends.” And, looking Abu Bakr in the face, he continued, “Abu Bakr resembles my ancestor Ibrahim Khalilullah in that he is softer even than oil.” Then he turned his blessed face towards ‘Umar, smiled and said, “This friend of ours resembles the great prophet Nuh, Najiullah, the Intimate Friend of the Lord. He is harder even than stone. But in this matter it seems, his word will prevail. There is no other way to eradicate unbelief and draw a line for injustice, so let preparations for battle be made forthwith.”
The noble companions did not know what the subject of the conversation had been, they were ignorant of the Holy Prophet’s decision. But they went their way without asking a single question. As ‘Umar was of such an angry nature, no one dared to approach him. But they assembled around Abu Bakr, and put their question to him, saying, “Rasulullah has spoken to you; what did his decision refer to?” Abu Bakr answered them, “The Holy Prophet said that we ought to put an end to the iniquity that dwells in Mecca, where man-made idols are worshipped. He said it will take a long time to bring the tribes round to the true path, if we do not first teach the leading clan of Quraysh a lesson. He was therefore in favor of a campaign against the Quraysh and asked for my opinion. I replied, ‘Oh Rasulullah , you know well that in the end they will become your followers.’ The Holy Prophet then called in ‘Umar and asked him for his opinion in this matter. ‘Umar replied, ‘To show them mercy would amount to

betrayal of those they wronged. Unbelief and injustice must be eradicated. Therefore it is needful to prepare for battle against those idolaters who have driven you out of your homeland, pelted you with stones, attempted your assassination, and who would extinguish the light of faith at the slightest prompting, were they given the means to do so.’ Those were ‘Umar’s thoughts.”
When the companions understood what was at stake, they immediately undertook preparations for a campaign against the idolaters of Mecca. Word was sent to all the allied tribes to make ready for war. But the nature of the plan was kept secret, and only the senior ranking Muslims who had taken part in the battle of Badr had any knowledge of the reasons behind these preparations. One of these was Hatib bin Balta’a. He wrote a letter to the Quraysh and intended to send it through the hand of a woman. This letter informed them of the Prophet’s preparations and of his intention of waging war against them. However, the Holy Prophet received news of this by Divine Messenger and it was revealed to him to confiscate this letter.
He called his beloved son-in-law Ali and said to him, “There is a woman in a certain place who is about to depart with a message to the Quraysh, informing of our intentions. She bears on her person a written missive. Go immediately to intercept her, and take with you Zubayr and Miqdad.” Ali immediately did as Muhammad ordered, found the woman and said to her, “You are bearing a letter and I am ordered to take it from you; please hand it over.” The woman was startled and began by denying the allegation, but Ali said to her, “Beware! I have come by order of the Holy Prophet who is the recipient of heavenly revelations. There can be no mistake in the news he gives us. You are a woman, so we do not wish to lay hands on you: do not force us to do so. There is no need to deny the truth, we know you have hidden the letter on your person, so come along and bring it out, lest we strip you.”
The woman did not understand what she had got involved in. At last she produced the letter, which she had hidden beneath her hair. It was taken to the Holy Prophet . The writer of the letter, Hatib bin Balta’a, was summoned, the noble companions assembled and everyone was taken aback. ‘Umar, the stern upholder of the Shari’a, trembled from rage in every limb. The Holy Prophet then addressed them, “Hatib, is it you who wrote this letter?” Hatib replied, “Yes, my Prophet ! But let it not be misunderstood, let no one doubt my faith, it is unbroken and there is not a grain of uncertainty in me, nor the slightest reservation as to your holy person. My love for you falters not a single moment, but all this is known to your prophetic personality.

“My intention was this: you know that there is no one more friendless among the Quraysh than I, having no kinship to clan or tribe among them. I therefore have no one in Mecca to whom to entrust my family and loved ones. I wrote this letter to the Quraysh so that I might have some claim over them, so that they might protect my family there. I now know it was from ignorance, and that unwittingly I have committed a great sin. I beseech you by your mercy and compassion to forgive me!”
The content of the letter was this: “Oh assembly of Quraysh! Let it be known to you that the Holy Prophet has sent word to the tribes allied with us to send their warriors, and that he is engaged in preparations for war against you. Soon this army will rush on you and break over you like a tidal wave. Even were he to come all alone, Allah is with him. Your situation is therefore very grave. I recommend that you mobilize your own resources.”
When the letter had been read, ‘Umar spoke, “Oh Rasulullah!” he said, “This man has tampered with the fate of Islam, for can there be any greater crime than informing the enemy of all the plans and preparations which you have seen fit to keep secret? That there are such hypocrites among us! Just give me leave to sever his head from his trunk!” With these words he reached for the hilt of his sword. But the Mercy of the Worlds, the Holy Prophet only smiled and said, “Withdraw your hand from your sword, oh ‘Umar! For neither you nor I can do anything to Hatib, nor will even Allah Almighty punish him. He has the distinction of having fought in the Battle of Badr, and about those valliant men Allah Himself has said, ‘Whatever you do, I have already forgiven you.’ He Almighty has given this decree into their hands.” When they heard the compassion of this prophetic decision, the Companions were so moved that their eyes filled with tears and even the Prophet wept.
Oh Traveler on the Road to Truth! Why has Allah Almighty granted such an enormous reward to those who fought at Badr? Although the story has been told in greater detail above, let us just recall the essential points in a few words. The two great battles in early Islamic history were the Battle of Badr and the Battle of Uhud. Whenever the unbelievers undertook to extinguish the Light of Islam, they were confounded and their hand remained powerless against the Muslims. As they had failed to draw a veil over the light of Muhammad , they finally decided to face him in battle, and thus the Battle of Badr was fought. On that day all the worldly forces conspired against the Prophet , including his own clan and family.
Reason could not grasp how the handful of Muslims took upon themselves every

kind of exigence and dearth, following the call to success (‘Hayy ‘ala-l-falah’). But it is because of their perseverance that for fourteen centuries five times a day the inspired suggestion of eternal monotheism, ‘La ilaha illAllah’, rises heavenwards from millions of minarets; it is because of the insistence against all odds of these few companions who gathered around the Prophet in order to preserve the purity of their intention.
Therefore, what reason could not grasp, faith was able to perceive. Those gathered around the Noble Prophet on the day of Badr, renouncing all they had and were for the sake of this faith, were given special distinction by the Lord Almighty in that He proclaimed, “Whatever you do, I have forgiven you in advance.” Hatib bin Balta’a was one of those granted this privilege. Thus the Battle of Badr is held in the highest esteem by Islam. But as this battle nonetheless took place in this worldly abode of imperfection, there may indeed have been some instances of misconduct, enacted by some on account of their lapses. Since, however, they were of the Companions of Badr, they are not judged harshly for their failings, whereas those who did not participate in Badr are called to account for every minute deed and action.
To continue in our narrative: At the beginning of the month of Ramadan of the eighth year of the Hijra, the Holy Prophet had completed his preparations for the campaign. His army was equipped and the hearts of all the warriors beat with the desire for victory, infused by Divine Support. Some of the tribes that had allied themselves with the Muslims following the truce of Hudaybiyah now sent their soldiers to join the troops at Madinah. On the tenth of the month of Ramadan the Prophet set out from Madinah with ten thousand men. He rested at a place one way station’s distance from Mecca, called Marr al-Zahran. Along the road two thousand more warriors joined the Prophet’s army.
This is an interesting point: whereas in the year of Hudaybiyah the Prophet had commanded only fifteen hundred men, his army now consisted of no less than two thousand. Those who had then opposed the truce of Hudaybiyah, now clearly saw the Prophet’s wisdom. He had sheathed his sword at the time and striven instead to win over the hearts and minds of men, and they were shamed before him.
The Holy Prophet commanded his men to break the fast at nightfall, and to light a great bonfire after the Iftar. When the bonfire burned, the desert was lit as if it were the holy Valley of Tuwa (Wadil-Ayman Tuwa, where Allah revealed Himself to Musa). The Quraysh saw this great conflagration and wondered what it portended. They surmised that it was the Muslim camp, but they wondered at

their great number, judging by the extent of the blaze.
At this point the Prophet’s uncle ‘Abbas announced his Islam, and taking
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