MUHAMMAD SAW THE MESSENGER OF ISLAM (515 pages, 37/41)
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ine upon line, the Muslim fighters began to waver, and twelve thousand fighters were forced to retreat.
No more than a handful of his closest companions remained to surround the Holy Prophet . A disaster was in the making. Those who had only recently entered Islam were shaken in their faith. Abu Sufyan, the father of the famous Mu’awiya said, “Their flight will not be halted before they get to the sea.” Jabala ibn al-Hanbal who was a brother of Safwan cried out, “Today the sorcery of Muhammad has been foiled,” and he rejoiced in this. Safwan had not yet become Muslim, but all the same he scolded his mother’s son, saying, “Shut up! May Allah cause your tongue to falter! For it is better to be ruled by a man of the Quraysh, whoever he may be, than by a man of Hawazin!”
Everyone was in a state of great perturbation except the Holy Prophet . There came a moment when he wished to remain all alone on the scene of battle with the forces evoked through the powers of his faith. He expressed his wish to Ali, ‘Abbas, ‘Umar, Abu Bakr and Usama, and told them to leave off guarding him
and to go and fight against the enemy. The Holy Prophet was now left all alone to face the attacking warriors of the unbelievers’ armies.
Heaven and earth remained speechless and the Throne trembled at this spectacle.
Oh Seeker of the Way to Truth! Just try to fathom the depth of this matter: the Eternal Pride of all Humankind, the Holy Prophet Muhammad now faced not only one tribe, or one nation, not even a single world, but the whole universe, the entire creation. In facing his foe and addressing him with the whole Majesty of his Prophethood, his steadfast courage, his close communication with the Lord Almighty, and his perfect reliance on Allah became apparent. These were his words, “Here I am, Servant and Prophet of the Lord Allah. I am the Prophet from the lineage of Abdul-Muttalib. Why do you hesitate, go ahead and charge! Empty your quivers, hurl your spears! Aim all that you have at me - I challenge you now!”
Then he called for ‘Abbas. ‘Abbas had a strong voice, so that everyone present heard him answer, “At your service, oh my Prophet !” The Prophet commanded him to call together the Muhajirin and Ansar immediately. So ‘Abbas called out with a loud and ringing voice, “Oh you Ansar and People of the Tree, come and gather here!” No sooner had he voiced this command than they all rallied round their leader, crying, “Labbayk,” as if with one great voice. Those who could not ride up on their horses dismounted and came running swiftly on foot. The followers of Muhammad were assured of victory.
The Prophet then prayed, “Oh my Lord, make true Your promise to me!” Thereupon, an invisible army manifested itself, though none could perceive it. Before the Holy Prophet gave the command for the assault, he took up a handful of dirt in his hand and threw it in the direction of the unbelievers’ army, saying, “May their faces be blackened!” Then the Muslims proceeded to the attack and they fiercely drove into the enemy ranks. The soldiers of the Hawazin responded in kind and a pitched battle took place. Ali countered these onslaughts with his customary bravery and slew the standard-bearer of the Hawazin. The Prophet commented, “Now the oven is hot.”
The unbelievers were badly routed and began to retreat in chaos. They managed to regroup their forces at Ta’if and Awtas. At Awtas, Durayd had gathered together a few thousand fighters, intending to engage in battle with the Muslims once more. The Holy Prophet sent out Abu Amir al-Ash’ari against him. Abu Amir was slain by the son of Durayd ibn al-Simma and the Muslim banner was taken from his hands. At this point Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, Abu Amir’s cousin,
joined the fray and rescued the standard. Rabi’ bin Rufay’ then charged against Durayd and killed him. As he lay dying, he said to his killer, “Tell your mother that it was you who killed me.” When Rabi’ later told this to his mother, she said, “By Allah, Durayd set free three women related to you.”
A great number of prisoners fell into Muslim hands. Among them was the Holy Prophet’s foster-sister Shayma. As she was taken prisoner, she said to her captors, “Take me to my brother.” Asked whom she meant by this, she replied, “Muhammad is my milk-brother.” Immediately they brought her into the Prophet’s presence. When he saw and recognized his foster-sister, his eyes filled with tears. He rose from his seat, took off his cloak and laid it on the ground for his sister to sit on. They remained seated together in conversation for a long time. Then he made her a present of many camels and other gifts and honored her with hospitality. The Prophet loved his foster-sister Shayma very much. Their wet-nurse Halima as-Sa’adia used to say, “When Muhammad was a small child, he never used to suck from my left breast. Whenever I wanted to give him the left breast, he would point to his foster-sister Shayma and make signs as if to say, “That one is rightfully hers to drink.” Oh Lord, grant us his intercession. Amin.
Those who had escaped rallied their forces and tried their luck one more time at Ta’if, which was a well-fortified city. The people of Ta’if joined forces with the remnants of the army that had suffered defeat at Hunayn. They reinforced the city’s defenses and laid up stores that would last them through a long siege.
The Holy Prophet ordered that the prisoners taken at Hunayn and their property be brought to al-Ji’rana and kept there while he proceeded towards Ta’if. Khalid ibn al-Walid had preceded him and laid siege to the city. Four days into the siege they brought and installed an engine of war with which to hurl rocks to break through the fortress walls, if all else were to fail. The siege lasted for another twenty days. Then the Prophet took counsel with his companions and asked them for their opinions on what should be done. Nawfal answered, “Oh Prophet of Allah! The fox is hunted down in his den. We need not follow them into it, for eventually they will be compelled to emerge. If we just leave it as it is, no harm will come from it, but the ultimate decision is yours.” The Prophet however, whose only aim was the defense of the Muslims, did not wish to pursue any aggressive action and therefore discontinued the siege.
Some of the Prophet’s friends and companions wished that he might curse them, but the Holy Prophet , the Mercy to all the World, said, “I have been sent to bring guidance to mankind; therefore, I will pray on their behalf, that
guidance may reach them as well.” And he raised his hands in supplication.
The Division of the Spoils
The Prophet returned to al-Ji’rana where all the prisoners of war were kept. There was also an enormous pile of booty. In all, there were six-thousand prisoners, four-thousand okes of gold and silver, twenty-four thousand camels, and forty thousand goats and sheep.
The Holy Prophet , the Mercy for all the World, waited for a long while for the relatives of the prisoners to come and ransom them, but not a single person came. The spoils were divided into five parts, four of which were given to the deserving warriors. One fifth was placed in the Bayt-al-Mal (public treasury) which provided for the poor and destitute.
Many of the chiefs of Mecca made a show of having accepted Islam, but they were in reality very uncertain of their new faith. When they saw the scales of destiny tipping in the direction of Islam, most of them had declared their faith in order to secure their positions of worldly power. But still they could not rid themselves of their doubts and remained of two minds about the new arrangement. In the language of the Holy Quran they are referred to as the ‘mu’allaf al-qulub’, that is to say, those whose hearts were reconciled with Islam by means of material advantages. “Islam will make us rich,” they said to themselves, and therefore did not oppose Islam.
This custom continued up until the time of ‘Umar. During his Khalifate, he decreed, “The light of Islam has now flooded the four corners of the earth; and there is no believer left who will renounce his faith at the suggestion of any two- faced person,” therewith abolishing this procedure.
The ‘mu’allaf al-qulub’ comprised twenty-nine people. At their head was the principle commander of the unbelievers, the famous Abu Sufyan and his no less famous son Mu’awiya, who bore the nickname of being one of the ‘duhat al- arba’a’, i.e. one of the four exceedingly clever men. The Lord’s Beloved gave the most valuable items from among the spoils to these men, which became known as ‘muallaf al-qulub’. Abu Sufyan and his family were given three hundred camels, and one hundred and twenty okes of silver. Hakim bin Hizam received two hundred camels; Madr ibn al-Harith ibn Kalada al-Thaqafi received one hundred camels; Qays bin ‘Adiyya received a hundred camels; Safwan bin Umayya got one hundred camels; Huwaytib bin Abd ul-‘Uzza, al-Aqra bin Habis, ‘Uyayna bin Hisin, Malik bin ‘Awf received one hundred camels each.
Apart from these, numerous people received fifty camels each.
The soldiers were each given four camels and forty sheep; the horsemen among them were given twelve camels each, as well as one hundred and twenty goats each.
Oh Traveler on the Road to Truth! This you must know: as long as man has not sampled the taste of true faith, and not reached the station of Love, he cannot easily be freed of his material bonds. He attains to full abandonment only after he has been cleansed in the fires of Love. Moreover, the desire for high rank and dignity does not easily depart from a man.
Those who benefited most from the distribution of booty were the Meccans and those who had recently entered Islam.
Because of this there was some talk and grumbling among the Ansar. Some of them spoke, “Our blood has not yet dried on the swords of the Quraysh who fought against us, thirsting for our lifeblood and eager to destroy the religion of Islam. And although it was us who were stalwart in facing the worst dangers during the most difficult days, others are to reap the rewards of our efforts now that the days of leisure have come.”
The Holy Prophet , the most enlightened soul in the entire universe, sensed their bitter complaints with his fine sense of mercy and compassion. He called to him one of the leaders of the Ansar, Sa’d bin ‘Ubada and asked him if it was true that such words were being bandied about among his companions. Sa’d answered, “Allah and His Prophet know best; none of the senior companions have said anything of what is reported. But I too have heard that among the younger folk some have fallen to the influence of the hypocrites, who indeed have voiced such feelings. I appeal to your clemency and intercession on their behalf, and would ask pardon for them.” The Prophet then ordered Sa’d bin ‘Ubada to call a meeting of the Ansar. When they had all assembled, the Holy Prophet gave a khutba of great eloquence in which he said, “Oh People of the Ansar! Is it not true that you were on the road of error before this time and that Allah made you reach to right guidance through my mediation? While you were engulfed in discord and strife and killing each other in lawless brigandry, did Allah Almighty not unite your hearts through my mediation? Did Allah in His Grace and Goodness not show you a road out of your hapless poverty, and lead you on the road I was honored to show you, into a life of prosperity and comfort? Have you not found contentment and felicity?”
Oh Traveler on the Road to Truth! As the Holy Prophet delivered this speech,
the Ansar fain would have swooned under its impact, and the tears flowed freely from their eyes. They replied, “Yea, oh our Prophet , it is from the Almighty’s eternal favor and thanks to the Holy Prophet’s intercession that all goodness has come to us.” The Holy Prophet then continued, “This is not the answer I expected from you. You ought to have said instead: ‘Oh Muhammad , we believed in you at a time when everyone else rejected you and called you a liar; we opened our arms for you and our hearts. When you were an outcast, and destitute, we gave you protection. You came to us as a poor man, and we looked after you and gave you our support.’ If that had been your speech, then you would have spoken truly and I would confirm all your words.”
This address fell upon the hearts of the Ansar like fire, and each one of them sobbed aloud and shed many tears. The Holy. Prophet was moved with compassion and his eyes also brimmed with tears. A great silence fell upon the assembly. After a pause, the Prophet continued to address the gathering of Ansar. “Oh you people of the Ansar!” he began, “Other than you will carry off the sheep and goats and camels that we have given them. As for you, you will take back with you Muhammad , the Prophet of Allah to his home. Now I ask you, do you want me or is it sheep and goats that you wish for? What is better for you: to return to your hometown with me, or to return enriched in worldly goods and gain?”
None of those assembled had the strength even to breathe when he had finished his speech. The young people who had been complaining shed tears of remorse, whereas those who burned with love for the Prophet wept for having caused pain to their beloved Prophet . When at last they spoke, their voices trembled, “Oh Rasulullah ! Forgive us, for it is only yesterday that you saved us from the Days of Ignorance we were caught up in; forgive us, do not tax us for our failings. It is you we want, and all we desire.”
The Holy Prophet then said, “Oh you of the Ansar! Know that if I were given the choice among the people, I would always choose the Ansar. For the Ansar are as the inner layer of my clothing, whereas all other folk are as my outer clothing. After my time is done, you will be overtaken by strife and discord, and exposed to the hurt of the sword. Until we meet again, be patient, don’t give up, and do not abandon the cause of Allah. For the sake of Allah and His Truth, you must be prepared to face all manner of hardship.”
The Holy Prophet hereby indicated that among those referred to as the
‘mu’allif al-qulub’ there were such that would use religion as a means for
pursuing their own political goals; who would, in the name and under the cover of religion perform every sort of cruelty.
All of the Ansar called out with one voice, “We are well content with our Prophet !” and they wept copiously. They were very moved by the gracious words this great Prophet of the Lord spoke to them. The Holy Prophet then lifted his hands and made supplication for the Ansar and their families and descendants, and such was his du’a that it would have made even angels weep.
The chiefs of the Hawazin then came to al-Ji’rana and made their declaration of faith in the unity of Allah. The Holy Prophet’s wet-nurse Halima as-Sa’adia was of the Bani Sa’d who were related to Hawazin. The leader of this delegation, Zuhayr Abu Surad then addressed himself to the Holy Prophet, saying, “We ask for the return of the captives. Among the women are the sisters and relatives of your wet-nurse Halima. It is therefore that we are so bold as to speak to you about the return of our families and children.” The Holy Prophet gave them this reply, “I leave to you all the prisoners given to the clan of Abd ul-Muttalib, that is to say, all those belonging to the house of Hashim. I set them free. As for the others, you must come again at the time of prayer and make your request of the Muslim Jama’at. Hopefully, they too will agree to set free their prisoners.”
The time for prayer came, and the delegates put forth their petition to the assembly of Muslims, just as they had done to the Holy Prophet . The Holy Prophet assisted them in their plea, saying, “I have set free all the prisoners belonging to my own family, and I recommend that you too set free the prisoners belonging to you.” All the Sahaba of the Ansar and Muhajirin and other tribes then followed the example of the Prophet and freed the prisoners that were in their hands. In that way, six thousand people were set free all at once.
In consequence, Malik bin ‘Awf of the Hawazin tribe, who had for a whole year been doing his utmost to damage the Muslims, accepted right guidance and entered into the fold of Islam.
In the course of this year, the eighth year of the Hijra, Marya, the Coptic bondmaid of the Holy Prophet gave birth to a son who was named Ibrahim. He remained in this world for only eighteen months, before he was taken to the next world. His father, the Holy Prophet , placed him in his grave with his own hands while the tears were streaming down his face. “The Holy Prophet is weeping,” his friends thought, and in answer to their unspoken thoughts, the Holy Prophet replied, “These tears are a rain of mercy.”
That same day, the sun was eclipsed. The Arabs saw the eclipse as bearing
relation to the death of the Prophet’s son Ibrahim, and they said, “Even the sun shares in the grief of our Prophet .” Hearing of their words, the Prophet called for all the Muslims to gather and addressed them, saying, “The sun and the moon are both signs of Allah, as it is written:
and of His signs are the night and the day, the sun and the moon. Bow not yourselves to the sun and moon... (Distinguished, 36)
“They do not move in accordance to the birth or death of any individual, but only to the will of Allah who created them.” Then he led the congregation in the prayer of the eclipse (Salat al-Kusuf).
Some people have a wrong understanding of this prayer, thinking that it is the purpose of this prayer to remove the eclipse of the sun or moon. Some even say, “Scientific discovery has advanced so much since those days that we are now able to predict the occurrence of an eclipse long in advance of the event; what need is there for prayer in this case?” Just as every prayer has its time, the time for the prayer of the eclipse is just that, the event of an eclipse. Therefore, these prayers are to be prayed at exactly those moments.
The Ninth Year of the Hijra
Repudiation and Choice
This is the story of the Repudiation and Choice. In the ninth year of the Hijra, the Holy Prophet was angered at his wives for a whole month. This event is called ’Ila wa Tahyir, which means “Repudiation and Choice.” Certain traditionalists claim that it took place in the fifth year of the Hijra, but there is stronger evidence for it having been in the ninth.
The Holy Prophet lived a very simple lifestyle, far removed from any pomp or extravagance. A European scholar who studied this matter closely wrote about it: “Muhammad began preaching the unity of Allah single-handedly; but when he returned from the Farewell Pilgrimage with one hundred and forty thousand people he did not set about building himself a palace. He took up his normal activities again; there was no difference in his devout and humble lifestyle. He could easily have built himself a place and begun to live a life of wasteful indulgence, but nothing could have been further from his mind than that. Such qualities are found only in men who bear the marks of prophethood.”
One of the customary actions of the Holy Prophet (Sunna) was to distribute all dispensable leftovers from his household after nightfall, including any money.
Some of the wives of the Prophet came from the noblest families of Arabia. Aisha, for instance, was the daughter of Abu Bakr. Hafsa was the daughter of ‘Umar. Juwayriya was the daughter of the tribal chief of the Bani Mustaliq. Safiya was the daughter of the chief of Khaybar.
In reality, just to be the wife of the Prophet conveyed a very high rank upon a woman. But as is the wont of women and of all humankind, the wives of the Prophet wished to partake of the comforts and amenities that other, more ordinary women enjoyed. The Muslims now had all the means at their disposal, and through the acquisition of the spoils of war, their former indigence was relieved and they had all they needed to lead a comfortable and profitable life. Despite this general improvement of living conditions, in the house of the Prophet himself no changes took place, he persisted in the old style of life. On some nights there was even no fuel to light a fire. In all his lifetime, the Prophet
never ate more than one meal a day.
One day Aisha and her companions gathered and talked among themselves. “We lived through the toughest times, we know Islam in its very beginnings and we put up with every hardship along the way. There were days when we had no cooked food to eat, and when there was nothing wherewith to light our houses at night. We lived through all these troubles and took them upon ourselves gladly. But now, by the Grace of God, times have changed. All houses are filled with provisions and the gains of war. Everybody lives well and enjoys their life. But in our house, the Holy Prophet still insists on giving away everything at nightfall; he leaves no leftovers in his own house. Why don’t we all get together and when the Prophet again distributes the spoils, leaving nothing for his own household, we will insist all together that he leave some of it for our own purposes.”
They were all agreed on this. One day, when the Holy Prophet was again dividing up the shares of booty and apportioning them to various members of the community, Aisha and Hafsa came up to him and said, “Oh Rasulullah ! Every time you give all away and leave nothing for the house. We lived through times of want and dearth during the first days of Islam. Now Allah Almighty has blessed the community with great gain, and although everyone else is enjoying it freely, for us there is no change at all and no improvement.”
These words intensely distressed the Holy Prophet . “Are you criticizing me for what I do, do you wish for other than what I wish?” he asked of them, and he was much aggrieved by this incident. His peace of mind was rent and when Ali chanced to come by, he perceived the Holy Prophet’s distress. He was much troubled by it and asked him about his grievance. The Holy Prophet answered, “Aisha has incited her co-wives so that they complained to me about the provisions they receive.” Ali, whose sole aim was the Holy Prophet’s happiness, then said to him, “Oh Rasulullah ! Are there no other girls left in all of Madinah but Aisha?”
(Some people attribute this saying of Ali’s to the occasion of the calumny of Aisha, but this is completely wrong. When the Prophet asked for Ali’s advice on that occasion, there was no one who was willing to defend her to the extent that he did. He said to the Prophet Muhammad , “Oh Rasulullah, Aisha is innocent, she is a model of virtue and chastity. Until you receive a revelation concerning her innocence, I hold it is better to wait.”)
Thereupon the Holy Prophet replied, “I leave their divorce in your hands, oh
Ali. Divorce whichever one of them that you would.” Ali immediately departed from the presence of the Prophet .
The Prophet was angered at all his wives. During these days he also happened to injure his leg and withdrew into his room. He called for his daughter Fatima to come and look after him. She came and took care of him.
‘Umar reports:
“I had a neighbor from among the Ansar and we were very close. We used to see each other frequently. One night there was an urgent knocking upon my door, and I rose in haste to see who it was and what was the matter. It was my neighbor, who said, ‘ Umar, a terrible thing has happened.’ ‘What is it? Have the Ghassani decided to invade Madinah as they were planning to do? Have they begun to attack us?’ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘it is much, much worse..’ ‘No doubt, but what then can it be? Quickly, tell me!’ ‘The Prophet is divorcing the lot of his wives!’
“I barely could wait for the morning to come. I proceeded to the Holy Mosque, prayed the morning prayer with the Prophet , and when the prayer was done, he withdrew into his private apartments without speaking a word to any of us. I too rose and went to see my daughter Hafsa whom I found in tears. I began to scold her, ‘Have I not told you before that you must do nothing at all to upset the Holy Prophet ?’ Then I left her and returned to the Holy Mosque, and found the Sahaba standing there by the Minbar, weeping. I went up to them and sat down.
“All were terribly sad; nobody wanted to talk. I myself was in a tormented state, unable to sit quietly. I rose and approached the apartment of the Holy Prophet and asked the personal attendant of the Prophet , Rabbah by name, to do me the favor and tell the Holy Prophet that I wished to speak to him, but I received no admission. I returned to the mosque, racked by anxiety. I was in a state of great dejection and knew not what to do about it. I just could not hold myself still, so again I went up to the Holy Prophet’s rooms and implored the servant Rabbah to ask permission for me to enter, and again I received no reply.
“This time I called out loudly, ‘Rabbah! Please request permission of the Prophet for me to enter, it is not that I have come to plead on
behalf of my daughter Hafsa. Should the Holy Prophet order it, I am ready to strike off her head.’
“At last the Prophet could no longer stand the noise I was making, and he gave me permission to enter into his presence. When I entered, I found the Prophet on a bed of woven reeds, the imprint of which was visible on his blessed body. I looked around the room; in one corner there was a handful of oats, and a sheepskin was hung on the wall; that was all. My eyes overflowed at the sight of this poverty. The Prophet then asked me why I wept and I replied, ‘Oh Rasulullah , how should I not weep? Whereas the Khosroes and the Caesars live their lives immersed in oceans of pleasures, I find you in these circumstances of lowliness and need - what should I make of this?’
“The Prophet replied, ‘The pleasures of Muhammad do not resemble the worldly pleasures of a Khosroe or a Caesar.’ Full of apprehension I then asked, ‘Oh Rasulullah , have you divorced your wives?’ ‘No,’ he rejoined, ‘I have not.’ I was filled with such happiness and relief at this reply that I broke out into loud exclamations of Takbir, then I said to him, ‘Oh Rasulullah , all the Sahaba are weeping, let me go to them and assuage their fears.’ And I departed from his presence.”
The Prophet’s anger against his wives lasted for one month. When the period of Repudiation (‘Ila) ended, the verses of Choice (Takhyir) were revealed. These are the verses:
O Prophet, say to thy wives: ‘If you desire the present life and its adornment, come now, I will make you provision, and set you free with kindliness. But if you desire God and His Messenger and the Last Abode, surely God has prepared for those amongst you such as do good a mighty wage.’ (The Confederates: 28, 29)
In these verses, the Lord Almighty instructed His Prophet to set before his wives an alternative, so that they might choose what they desired most. But the Prophet’s wives by now were eaten by remorse. They had not expected the desire they had voiced, which was after all nothing but a whim, to produce such serious consequences. Of course, they all gratefully and gladly chose to remain in the Holy Prophet’s wedlock, and to continue as the “Mothers of the Faithful”, may Allah assure us of their intercession.
Developing Diplomatic Ties and Accommodating Leaders of the Previous Era
The proud Quraysh were accustomed to wielding power in the city of Mecca. It was therefore unbearable for them to submit to the leadership of the man the Prophet had delegated to this post, ‘Attab bin Asid, a man of the Abdu Shams, who was very young in years. Some of them came to Madinah to complain about this. Abu Sufyan found it impossible to accept the rule of this young man over himself, and therefore moved to Madinah. He was instated as governor over the province of Najran. His son Mu’awiya became an official of the treasury, and apart from being extremely clever, he was thus kept under close observation so that he might not busy himself in stirring up mischief. That is the reason why he was admitted into the immediate company of the Holy Prophet . Claims that he was engaged in the writing down of the revelation are baseless.
When the Holy Prophet returned from al-Jirana, he wrote a letter to the ruler of Bahrayn, al-Mundhir bin Sawa, which was delivered by the hand of al-‘Ala ibn al-Hadhrami. Al-‘Ala traveled to Bahrayn and delivered the Prophet’s letter to al-Mundhir. He read it thrice, then he declared the Shahada, and with him all the Arabs of Bahrayn became Muslim. Only the unbelievers and fire worshippers living there did not accept Islam and refused to forego their ancient rites. Al- Mundhir bin Sawa sent a message to the Prophet asking for advice on how to deal with them. The Prophet replied, “Faith is a matter of conscience, there can be no compulsion in religion. Leave them free to worship as they would and impose a tax upon them.”
After this, the Prophet sent a letter to the Asdis, the rulers of ‘Uman, Jayfar bin Julanda and his brother ‘Abbad. ‘Amr ibn al-‘As was entrusted with the l
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ine upon line, the Muslim fighters began to waver, and twelve thousand fighters were forced to retreat.
No more than a handful of his closest companions remained to surround the Holy Prophet . A disaster was in the making. Those who had only recently entered Islam were shaken in their faith. Abu Sufyan, the father of the famous Mu’awiya said, “Their flight will not be halted before they get to the sea.” Jabala ibn al-Hanbal who was a brother of Safwan cried out, “Today the sorcery of Muhammad has been foiled,” and he rejoiced in this. Safwan had not yet become Muslim, but all the same he scolded his mother’s son, saying, “Shut up! May Allah cause your tongue to falter! For it is better to be ruled by a man of the Quraysh, whoever he may be, than by a man of Hawazin!”
Everyone was in a state of great perturbation except the Holy Prophet . There came a moment when he wished to remain all alone on the scene of battle with the forces evoked through the powers of his faith. He expressed his wish to Ali, ‘Abbas, ‘Umar, Abu Bakr and Usama, and told them to leave off guarding him
and to go and fight against the enemy. The Holy Prophet was now left all alone to face the attacking warriors of the unbelievers’ armies.
Heaven and earth remained speechless and the Throne trembled at this spectacle.
Oh Seeker of the Way to Truth! Just try to fathom the depth of this matter: the Eternal Pride of all Humankind, the Holy Prophet Muhammad now faced not only one tribe, or one nation, not even a single world, but the whole universe, the entire creation. In facing his foe and addressing him with the whole Majesty of his Prophethood, his steadfast courage, his close communication with the Lord Almighty, and his perfect reliance on Allah became apparent. These were his words, “Here I am, Servant and Prophet of the Lord Allah. I am the Prophet from the lineage of Abdul-Muttalib. Why do you hesitate, go ahead and charge! Empty your quivers, hurl your spears! Aim all that you have at me - I challenge you now!”
Then he called for ‘Abbas. ‘Abbas had a strong voice, so that everyone present heard him answer, “At your service, oh my Prophet !” The Prophet commanded him to call together the Muhajirin and Ansar immediately. So ‘Abbas called out with a loud and ringing voice, “Oh you Ansar and People of the Tree, come and gather here!” No sooner had he voiced this command than they all rallied round their leader, crying, “Labbayk,” as if with one great voice. Those who could not ride up on their horses dismounted and came running swiftly on foot. The followers of Muhammad were assured of victory.
The Prophet then prayed, “Oh my Lord, make true Your promise to me!” Thereupon, an invisible army manifested itself, though none could perceive it. Before the Holy Prophet gave the command for the assault, he took up a handful of dirt in his hand and threw it in the direction of the unbelievers’ army, saying, “May their faces be blackened!” Then the Muslims proceeded to the attack and they fiercely drove into the enemy ranks. The soldiers of the Hawazin responded in kind and a pitched battle took place. Ali countered these onslaughts with his customary bravery and slew the standard-bearer of the Hawazin. The Prophet commented, “Now the oven is hot.”
The unbelievers were badly routed and began to retreat in chaos. They managed to regroup their forces at Ta’if and Awtas. At Awtas, Durayd had gathered together a few thousand fighters, intending to engage in battle with the Muslims once more. The Holy Prophet sent out Abu Amir al-Ash’ari against him. Abu Amir was slain by the son of Durayd ibn al-Simma and the Muslim banner was taken from his hands. At this point Abu Musa al-Ash’ari, Abu Amir’s cousin,
joined the fray and rescued the standard. Rabi’ bin Rufay’ then charged against Durayd and killed him. As he lay dying, he said to his killer, “Tell your mother that it was you who killed me.” When Rabi’ later told this to his mother, she said, “By Allah, Durayd set free three women related to you.”
A great number of prisoners fell into Muslim hands. Among them was the Holy Prophet’s foster-sister Shayma. As she was taken prisoner, she said to her captors, “Take me to my brother.” Asked whom she meant by this, she replied, “Muhammad is my milk-brother.” Immediately they brought her into the Prophet’s presence. When he saw and recognized his foster-sister, his eyes filled with tears. He rose from his seat, took off his cloak and laid it on the ground for his sister to sit on. They remained seated together in conversation for a long time. Then he made her a present of many camels and other gifts and honored her with hospitality. The Prophet loved his foster-sister Shayma very much. Their wet-nurse Halima as-Sa’adia used to say, “When Muhammad was a small child, he never used to suck from my left breast. Whenever I wanted to give him the left breast, he would point to his foster-sister Shayma and make signs as if to say, “That one is rightfully hers to drink.” Oh Lord, grant us his intercession. Amin.
Those who had escaped rallied their forces and tried their luck one more time at Ta’if, which was a well-fortified city. The people of Ta’if joined forces with the remnants of the army that had suffered defeat at Hunayn. They reinforced the city’s defenses and laid up stores that would last them through a long siege.
The Holy Prophet ordered that the prisoners taken at Hunayn and their property be brought to al-Ji’rana and kept there while he proceeded towards Ta’if. Khalid ibn al-Walid had preceded him and laid siege to the city. Four days into the siege they brought and installed an engine of war with which to hurl rocks to break through the fortress walls, if all else were to fail. The siege lasted for another twenty days. Then the Prophet took counsel with his companions and asked them for their opinions on what should be done. Nawfal answered, “Oh Prophet of Allah! The fox is hunted down in his den. We need not follow them into it, for eventually they will be compelled to emerge. If we just leave it as it is, no harm will come from it, but the ultimate decision is yours.” The Prophet however, whose only aim was the defense of the Muslims, did not wish to pursue any aggressive action and therefore discontinued the siege.
Some of the Prophet’s friends and companions wished that he might curse them, but the Holy Prophet , the Mercy to all the World, said, “I have been sent to bring guidance to mankind; therefore, I will pray on their behalf, that
guidance may reach them as well.” And he raised his hands in supplication.
The Division of the Spoils
The Prophet returned to al-Ji’rana where all the prisoners of war were kept. There was also an enormous pile of booty. In all, there were six-thousand prisoners, four-thousand okes of gold and silver, twenty-four thousand camels, and forty thousand goats and sheep.
The Holy Prophet , the Mercy for all the World, waited for a long while for the relatives of the prisoners to come and ransom them, but not a single person came. The spoils were divided into five parts, four of which were given to the deserving warriors. One fifth was placed in the Bayt-al-Mal (public treasury) which provided for the poor and destitute.
Many of the chiefs of Mecca made a show of having accepted Islam, but they were in reality very uncertain of their new faith. When they saw the scales of destiny tipping in the direction of Islam, most of them had declared their faith in order to secure their positions of worldly power. But still they could not rid themselves of their doubts and remained of two minds about the new arrangement. In the language of the Holy Quran they are referred to as the ‘mu’allaf al-qulub’, that is to say, those whose hearts were reconciled with Islam by means of material advantages. “Islam will make us rich,” they said to themselves, and therefore did not oppose Islam.
This custom continued up until the time of ‘Umar. During his Khalifate, he decreed, “The light of Islam has now flooded the four corners of the earth; and there is no believer left who will renounce his faith at the suggestion of any two- faced person,” therewith abolishing this procedure.
The ‘mu’allaf al-qulub’ comprised twenty-nine people. At their head was the principle commander of the unbelievers, the famous Abu Sufyan and his no less famous son Mu’awiya, who bore the nickname of being one of the ‘duhat al- arba’a’, i.e. one of the four exceedingly clever men. The Lord’s Beloved gave the most valuable items from among the spoils to these men, which became known as ‘muallaf al-qulub’. Abu Sufyan and his family were given three hundred camels, and one hundred and twenty okes of silver. Hakim bin Hizam received two hundred camels; Madr ibn al-Harith ibn Kalada al-Thaqafi received one hundred camels; Qays bin ‘Adiyya received a hundred camels; Safwan bin Umayya got one hundred camels; Huwaytib bin Abd ul-‘Uzza, al-Aqra bin Habis, ‘Uyayna bin Hisin, Malik bin ‘Awf received one hundred camels each.
Apart from these, numerous people received fifty camels each.
The soldiers were each given four camels and forty sheep; the horsemen among them were given twelve camels each, as well as one hundred and twenty goats each.
Oh Traveler on the Road to Truth! This you must know: as long as man has not sampled the taste of true faith, and not reached the station of Love, he cannot easily be freed of his material bonds. He attains to full abandonment only after he has been cleansed in the fires of Love. Moreover, the desire for high rank and dignity does not easily depart from a man.
Those who benefited most from the distribution of booty were the Meccans and those who had recently entered Islam.
Because of this there was some talk and grumbling among the Ansar. Some of them spoke, “Our blood has not yet dried on the swords of the Quraysh who fought against us, thirsting for our lifeblood and eager to destroy the religion of Islam. And although it was us who were stalwart in facing the worst dangers during the most difficult days, others are to reap the rewards of our efforts now that the days of leisure have come.”
The Holy Prophet , the most enlightened soul in the entire universe, sensed their bitter complaints with his fine sense of mercy and compassion. He called to him one of the leaders of the Ansar, Sa’d bin ‘Ubada and asked him if it was true that such words were being bandied about among his companions. Sa’d answered, “Allah and His Prophet know best; none of the senior companions have said anything of what is reported. But I too have heard that among the younger folk some have fallen to the influence of the hypocrites, who indeed have voiced such feelings. I appeal to your clemency and intercession on their behalf, and would ask pardon for them.” The Prophet then ordered Sa’d bin ‘Ubada to call a meeting of the Ansar. When they had all assembled, the Holy Prophet gave a khutba of great eloquence in which he said, “Oh People of the Ansar! Is it not true that you were on the road of error before this time and that Allah made you reach to right guidance through my mediation? While you were engulfed in discord and strife and killing each other in lawless brigandry, did Allah Almighty not unite your hearts through my mediation? Did Allah in His Grace and Goodness not show you a road out of your hapless poverty, and lead you on the road I was honored to show you, into a life of prosperity and comfort? Have you not found contentment and felicity?”
Oh Traveler on the Road to Truth! As the Holy Prophet delivered this speech,
the Ansar fain would have swooned under its impact, and the tears flowed freely from their eyes. They replied, “Yea, oh our Prophet , it is from the Almighty’s eternal favor and thanks to the Holy Prophet’s intercession that all goodness has come to us.” The Holy Prophet then continued, “This is not the answer I expected from you. You ought to have said instead: ‘Oh Muhammad , we believed in you at a time when everyone else rejected you and called you a liar; we opened our arms for you and our hearts. When you were an outcast, and destitute, we gave you protection. You came to us as a poor man, and we looked after you and gave you our support.’ If that had been your speech, then you would have spoken truly and I would confirm all your words.”
This address fell upon the hearts of the Ansar like fire, and each one of them sobbed aloud and shed many tears. The Holy. Prophet was moved with compassion and his eyes also brimmed with tears. A great silence fell upon the assembly. After a pause, the Prophet continued to address the gathering of Ansar. “Oh you people of the Ansar!” he began, “Other than you will carry off the sheep and goats and camels that we have given them. As for you, you will take back with you Muhammad , the Prophet of Allah to his home. Now I ask you, do you want me or is it sheep and goats that you wish for? What is better for you: to return to your hometown with me, or to return enriched in worldly goods and gain?”
None of those assembled had the strength even to breathe when he had finished his speech. The young people who had been complaining shed tears of remorse, whereas those who burned with love for the Prophet wept for having caused pain to their beloved Prophet . When at last they spoke, their voices trembled, “Oh Rasulullah ! Forgive us, for it is only yesterday that you saved us from the Days of Ignorance we were caught up in; forgive us, do not tax us for our failings. It is you we want, and all we desire.”
The Holy Prophet then said, “Oh you of the Ansar! Know that if I were given the choice among the people, I would always choose the Ansar. For the Ansar are as the inner layer of my clothing, whereas all other folk are as my outer clothing. After my time is done, you will be overtaken by strife and discord, and exposed to the hurt of the sword. Until we meet again, be patient, don’t give up, and do not abandon the cause of Allah. For the sake of Allah and His Truth, you must be prepared to face all manner of hardship.”
The Holy Prophet hereby indicated that among those referred to as the
‘mu’allif al-qulub’ there were such that would use religion as a means for
pursuing their own political goals; who would, in the name and under the cover of religion perform every sort of cruelty.
All of the Ansar called out with one voice, “We are well content with our Prophet !” and they wept copiously. They were very moved by the gracious words this great Prophet of the Lord spoke to them. The Holy Prophet then lifted his hands and made supplication for the Ansar and their families and descendants, and such was his du’a that it would have made even angels weep.
The chiefs of the Hawazin then came to al-Ji’rana and made their declaration of faith in the unity of Allah. The Holy Prophet’s wet-nurse Halima as-Sa’adia was of the Bani Sa’d who were related to Hawazin. The leader of this delegation, Zuhayr Abu Surad then addressed himself to the Holy Prophet, saying, “We ask for the return of the captives. Among the women are the sisters and relatives of your wet-nurse Halima. It is therefore that we are so bold as to speak to you about the return of our families and children.” The Holy Prophet gave them this reply, “I leave to you all the prisoners given to the clan of Abd ul-Muttalib, that is to say, all those belonging to the house of Hashim. I set them free. As for the others, you must come again at the time of prayer and make your request of the Muslim Jama’at. Hopefully, they too will agree to set free their prisoners.”
The time for prayer came, and the delegates put forth their petition to the assembly of Muslims, just as they had done to the Holy Prophet . The Holy Prophet assisted them in their plea, saying, “I have set free all the prisoners belonging to my own family, and I recommend that you too set free the prisoners belonging to you.” All the Sahaba of the Ansar and Muhajirin and other tribes then followed the example of the Prophet and freed the prisoners that were in their hands. In that way, six thousand people were set free all at once.
In consequence, Malik bin ‘Awf of the Hawazin tribe, who had for a whole year been doing his utmost to damage the Muslims, accepted right guidance and entered into the fold of Islam.
In the course of this year, the eighth year of the Hijra, Marya, the Coptic bondmaid of the Holy Prophet gave birth to a son who was named Ibrahim. He remained in this world for only eighteen months, before he was taken to the next world. His father, the Holy Prophet , placed him in his grave with his own hands while the tears were streaming down his face. “The Holy Prophet is weeping,” his friends thought, and in answer to their unspoken thoughts, the Holy Prophet replied, “These tears are a rain of mercy.”
That same day, the sun was eclipsed. The Arabs saw the eclipse as bearing
relation to the death of the Prophet’s son Ibrahim, and they said, “Even the sun shares in the grief of our Prophet .” Hearing of their words, the Prophet called for all the Muslims to gather and addressed them, saying, “The sun and the moon are both signs of Allah, as it is written:
and of His signs are the night and the day, the sun and the moon. Bow not yourselves to the sun and moon... (Distinguished, 36)
“They do not move in accordance to the birth or death of any individual, but only to the will of Allah who created them.” Then he led the congregation in the prayer of the eclipse (Salat al-Kusuf).
Some people have a wrong understanding of this prayer, thinking that it is the purpose of this prayer to remove the eclipse of the sun or moon. Some even say, “Scientific discovery has advanced so much since those days that we are now able to predict the occurrence of an eclipse long in advance of the event; what need is there for prayer in this case?” Just as every prayer has its time, the time for the prayer of the eclipse is just that, the event of an eclipse. Therefore, these prayers are to be prayed at exactly those moments.
The Ninth Year of the Hijra
Repudiation and Choice
This is the story of the Repudiation and Choice. In the ninth year of the Hijra, the Holy Prophet was angered at his wives for a whole month. This event is called ’Ila wa Tahyir, which means “Repudiation and Choice.” Certain traditionalists claim that it took place in the fifth year of the Hijra, but there is stronger evidence for it having been in the ninth.
The Holy Prophet lived a very simple lifestyle, far removed from any pomp or extravagance. A European scholar who studied this matter closely wrote about it: “Muhammad began preaching the unity of Allah single-handedly; but when he returned from the Farewell Pilgrimage with one hundred and forty thousand people he did not set about building himself a palace. He took up his normal activities again; there was no difference in his devout and humble lifestyle. He could easily have built himself a place and begun to live a life of wasteful indulgence, but nothing could have been further from his mind than that. Such qualities are found only in men who bear the marks of prophethood.”
One of the customary actions of the Holy Prophet (Sunna) was to distribute all dispensable leftovers from his household after nightfall, including any money.
Some of the wives of the Prophet came from the noblest families of Arabia. Aisha, for instance, was the daughter of Abu Bakr. Hafsa was the daughter of ‘Umar. Juwayriya was the daughter of the tribal chief of the Bani Mustaliq. Safiya was the daughter of the chief of Khaybar.
In reality, just to be the wife of the Prophet conveyed a very high rank upon a woman. But as is the wont of women and of all humankind, the wives of the Prophet wished to partake of the comforts and amenities that other, more ordinary women enjoyed. The Muslims now had all the means at their disposal, and through the acquisition of the spoils of war, their former indigence was relieved and they had all they needed to lead a comfortable and profitable life. Despite this general improvement of living conditions, in the house of the Prophet himself no changes took place, he persisted in the old style of life. On some nights there was even no fuel to light a fire. In all his lifetime, the Prophet
never ate more than one meal a day.
One day Aisha and her companions gathered and talked among themselves. “We lived through the toughest times, we know Islam in its very beginnings and we put up with every hardship along the way. There were days when we had no cooked food to eat, and when there was nothing wherewith to light our houses at night. We lived through all these troubles and took them upon ourselves gladly. But now, by the Grace of God, times have changed. All houses are filled with provisions and the gains of war. Everybody lives well and enjoys their life. But in our house, the Holy Prophet still insists on giving away everything at nightfall; he leaves no leftovers in his own house. Why don’t we all get together and when the Prophet again distributes the spoils, leaving nothing for his own household, we will insist all together that he leave some of it for our own purposes.”
They were all agreed on this. One day, when the Holy Prophet was again dividing up the shares of booty and apportioning them to various members of the community, Aisha and Hafsa came up to him and said, “Oh Rasulullah ! Every time you give all away and leave nothing for the house. We lived through times of want and dearth during the first days of Islam. Now Allah Almighty has blessed the community with great gain, and although everyone else is enjoying it freely, for us there is no change at all and no improvement.”
These words intensely distressed the Holy Prophet . “Are you criticizing me for what I do, do you wish for other than what I wish?” he asked of them, and he was much aggrieved by this incident. His peace of mind was rent and when Ali chanced to come by, he perceived the Holy Prophet’s distress. He was much troubled by it and asked him about his grievance. The Holy Prophet answered, “Aisha has incited her co-wives so that they complained to me about the provisions they receive.” Ali, whose sole aim was the Holy Prophet’s happiness, then said to him, “Oh Rasulullah ! Are there no other girls left in all of Madinah but Aisha?”
(Some people attribute this saying of Ali’s to the occasion of the calumny of Aisha, but this is completely wrong. When the Prophet asked for Ali’s advice on that occasion, there was no one who was willing to defend her to the extent that he did. He said to the Prophet Muhammad , “Oh Rasulullah, Aisha is innocent, she is a model of virtue and chastity. Until you receive a revelation concerning her innocence, I hold it is better to wait.”)
Thereupon the Holy Prophet replied, “I leave their divorce in your hands, oh
Ali. Divorce whichever one of them that you would.” Ali immediately departed from the presence of the Prophet .
The Prophet was angered at all his wives. During these days he also happened to injure his leg and withdrew into his room. He called for his daughter Fatima to come and look after him. She came and took care of him.
‘Umar reports:
“I had a neighbor from among the Ansar and we were very close. We used to see each other frequently. One night there was an urgent knocking upon my door, and I rose in haste to see who it was and what was the matter. It was my neighbor, who said, ‘ Umar, a terrible thing has happened.’ ‘What is it? Have the Ghassani decided to invade Madinah as they were planning to do? Have they begun to attack us?’ ‘No,’ he replied, ‘it is much, much worse..’ ‘No doubt, but what then can it be? Quickly, tell me!’ ‘The Prophet is divorcing the lot of his wives!’
“I barely could wait for the morning to come. I proceeded to the Holy Mosque, prayed the morning prayer with the Prophet , and when the prayer was done, he withdrew into his private apartments without speaking a word to any of us. I too rose and went to see my daughter Hafsa whom I found in tears. I began to scold her, ‘Have I not told you before that you must do nothing at all to upset the Holy Prophet ?’ Then I left her and returned to the Holy Mosque, and found the Sahaba standing there by the Minbar, weeping. I went up to them and sat down.
“All were terribly sad; nobody wanted to talk. I myself was in a tormented state, unable to sit quietly. I rose and approached the apartment of the Holy Prophet and asked the personal attendant of the Prophet , Rabbah by name, to do me the favor and tell the Holy Prophet that I wished to speak to him, but I received no admission. I returned to the mosque, racked by anxiety. I was in a state of great dejection and knew not what to do about it. I just could not hold myself still, so again I went up to the Holy Prophet’s rooms and implored the servant Rabbah to ask permission for me to enter, and again I received no reply.
“This time I called out loudly, ‘Rabbah! Please request permission of the Prophet for me to enter, it is not that I have come to plead on
behalf of my daughter Hafsa. Should the Holy Prophet order it, I am ready to strike off her head.’
“At last the Prophet could no longer stand the noise I was making, and he gave me permission to enter into his presence. When I entered, I found the Prophet on a bed of woven reeds, the imprint of which was visible on his blessed body. I looked around the room; in one corner there was a handful of oats, and a sheepskin was hung on the wall; that was all. My eyes overflowed at the sight of this poverty. The Prophet then asked me why I wept and I replied, ‘Oh Rasulullah , how should I not weep? Whereas the Khosroes and the Caesars live their lives immersed in oceans of pleasures, I find you in these circumstances of lowliness and need - what should I make of this?’
“The Prophet replied, ‘The pleasures of Muhammad do not resemble the worldly pleasures of a Khosroe or a Caesar.’ Full of apprehension I then asked, ‘Oh Rasulullah , have you divorced your wives?’ ‘No,’ he rejoined, ‘I have not.’ I was filled with such happiness and relief at this reply that I broke out into loud exclamations of Takbir, then I said to him, ‘Oh Rasulullah , all the Sahaba are weeping, let me go to them and assuage their fears.’ And I departed from his presence.”
The Prophet’s anger against his wives lasted for one month. When the period of Repudiation (‘Ila) ended, the verses of Choice (Takhyir) were revealed. These are the verses:
O Prophet, say to thy wives: ‘If you desire the present life and its adornment, come now, I will make you provision, and set you free with kindliness. But if you desire God and His Messenger and the Last Abode, surely God has prepared for those amongst you such as do good a mighty wage.’ (The Confederates: 28, 29)
In these verses, the Lord Almighty instructed His Prophet to set before his wives an alternative, so that they might choose what they desired most. But the Prophet’s wives by now were eaten by remorse. They had not expected the desire they had voiced, which was after all nothing but a whim, to produce such serious consequences. Of course, they all gratefully and gladly chose to remain in the Holy Prophet’s wedlock, and to continue as the “Mothers of the Faithful”, may Allah assure us of their intercession.
Developing Diplomatic Ties and Accommodating Leaders of the Previous Era
The proud Quraysh were accustomed to wielding power in the city of Mecca. It was therefore unbearable for them to submit to the leadership of the man the Prophet had delegated to this post, ‘Attab bin Asid, a man of the Abdu Shams, who was very young in years. Some of them came to Madinah to complain about this. Abu Sufyan found it impossible to accept the rule of this young man over himself, and therefore moved to Madinah. He was instated as governor over the province of Najran. His son Mu’awiya became an official of the treasury, and apart from being extremely clever, he was thus kept under close observation so that he might not busy himself in stirring up mischief. That is the reason why he was admitted into the immediate company of the Holy Prophet . Claims that he was engaged in the writing down of the revelation are baseless.
When the Holy Prophet returned from al-Jirana, he wrote a letter to the ruler of Bahrayn, al-Mundhir bin Sawa, which was delivered by the hand of al-‘Ala ibn al-Hadhrami. Al-‘Ala traveled to Bahrayn and delivered the Prophet’s letter to al-Mundhir. He read it thrice, then he declared the Shahada, and with him all the Arabs of Bahrayn became Muslim. Only the unbelievers and fire worshippers living there did not accept Islam and refused to forego their ancient rites. Al- Mundhir bin Sawa sent a message to the Prophet asking for advice on how to deal with them. The Prophet replied, “Faith is a matter of conscience, there can be no compulsion in religion. Leave them free to worship as they would and impose a tax upon them.”
After this, the Prophet sent a letter to the Asdis, the rulers of ‘Uman, Jayfar bin Julanda and his brother ‘Abbad. ‘Amr ibn al-‘As was entrusted with the l
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