MUHAMMAD SAW THE MESSENGER OF ISLAM (515 pages, 39/41)
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n the Holy Prophet returned safely from Tabuk to Madinah. Upon his return, he was extremely displeased with those Muslims who had stayed behind from this expedition unexcused. Among them was Abu Lubaba who thereupon solemnly swore an oath that he would tie himself to a pillar in the mosque and not leave that spot until the Prophet had forgiven him. Whenever he had to answer a call of nature (break his wudu), his daughter undid his bonds, and afterwards, tied him up again to the pillar. He spent his days and nights there weeping about himself, saying, “What a vile and despicable character I am, for to have presumed to set my opinion against that of the Holy Prophet !”
At last a verse was revealed, which announced his pardon, and a messenger came announcing the good news to him. When this man wished to untie his bonds, Abu Lubaba stopped him, saying, “Endless praise be to my Lord for this gracious pardon, and for His honoring me thus. However, by my oath I have sworn that I will not move from this place until the Beloved of Allah himself comes to me and unties these ropes.” And he wept copiously as he spoke.
The Prophet was told of Abu Lubaba’s oath, so he went to him and unbound his ties.
Also among those who had stayed behind unexcused were Ka’b bin Malik, Murara bin al-Rabi’ and Hilal bin Umayya. They now went to the Prophet asking for forgiveness. The Holy Prophet commanded all people to shun them for fifty nights and not to keep their company, nor speak any word to them. After that time had passed, they were pardoned.
There was a man named ‘Urwa bin Mas’ud of the tribe of Thaqif who was held in high esteem among the Arabs. He caught up with the Prophet on his return journey from Tabuk and was graced with the acceptance into Islam. He returned to his tribe, wishing to speak to them about the Islam he had found, but they were hostile and shot arrows at him from all sides, so that he fell a martyr.
Later that year, the leaders of that same tribe came to Madinah and offered to submit to the Prophet and to accept Islam, but they asked to be exempted from praying. The Prophet answered them, “No good can come of a religion which has no prayers.” Then their chief asked the Holy Prophet for permission to retain their idol al-Lat for a period of three years. The Prophet answered, “Idol worship and the worship of Allah do not go together.” In the end, he agreed to let them continue for one more month, and they accepted Islam and attained to true guidance.
That same year the Bani Sa’d bin Bakr sent a representative to the Holy Prophet whose name was Dimam bin Tha’laba. He questioned the Prophet about the revelation he received from Allah and when he had asked all his questions and satisfied his need for knowledge, he accepted Islam and returned to his tribe to teach them the ways of the new religion. He explained what Allah has commanded us to do and what He has forbidden, and before the night was over, there was not a man or woman in the tribe who had not become Muslim.
In that year also the Negus of Abyssinia, al-Asham bin Abjar passed away. When the news of his passing reached Madinah, the Holy Prophet with all the Sahaba prayed the funeral prayer for him. This is the basis of the custom of praying the funeral prayer for those who are not present. (Salat-al-Janaza ‘ala-l- Gha’ibin).
Oh Seeker for the Way to Truth! Here it made clear to all that it is of the Sunna of the Holy Prophet to conduct the funeral rites for a person in absentia, that is to say for one who has died at a distant place.
That same year in the month of Sha’ban, the Holy Prophet’s beloved daughter and the respected wife of ‘Uthman Dhi-Nurayn, Umm Kulthum, passed away from this fleeting world of appearances to the eternal abode of lasting peace.
In the month of Shawwal, the infamous leader of the hypocrites, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul died.
Oh you who you seek nothing but the Light of Truth! This man’s death contains a great lesson for the Muslim nation. Abdullah bin Ubayy was a hypocrite who
frequented the assembly of the Holy Prophet . He used to hear the precious words that issued from the Prophet’s mouth and to listen to his Divine Inspirations, and yet he persevered in his friendship with the enemies of the Prophet , casting aside his association with the Holy Prophet for the sake of paltry material advantage. He took part in some of the schemes they plotted against Islam and he was a thorn in the side of the Muslims. When they went to the Holy Prophet to complain about him, all the Holy Prophet would say was, “What can we do? Outwardly he confesses to being a Muslim. There is nothing we can do, but Allah’s punishment of the hypocrite is heavier than that of the unbeliever. This matter is best left in the hands of Allah Almighty.”
When death approached this man, he called to his side his son Abdullah, and knowing that the Prophet was well disposed towards him, he said to him, “Oh my son, I know that the Prophet will not turn down your request. For I myself have lived my life according to the dictates of my ego, and I don’t dare approach the Prophet now that death is knocking at my door. I have only one request: that the Holy Prophet might grant me the shirt that covers his blessed body as a shroud for me when I am dead. That is all I want, and I implore you to ask him for me, for his compassion is great.”
Abdullah went to the assembly of Muhammad and informed him of the condition of his father. He said, “If you fulfill his last wish, he will be assured of Divine Grace and Forgiveness, therefore he has sent me to you. But yours is the command, oh my Prophet !” Abu Bakr was present at this meeting and he cast agitated looks at the Prophet , wondering what he would do next. Even more upset was ‘Umar, the strict keeper of the Shari’a who never was able to tolerate this sort of thing; he stared at the Prophet in great suspense.
The Mercy to the Worlds thereupon made ready to remove his shirt to give it to the dying man, when he saw ‘Umar’s face turn dark with suppressed rage. He turned to him and said, “Oh ‘Umar! I am the sole reason for man’s creation, I cannot refuse anything that is requested of me. Even to my enemy I stretch out the hand of mercy. Why then do you show annoyance? Be patient and wait for the Judgment of the Lord.” With that he took off his shirt and sent it to the leader of the hypocrites.
Some time later, the news of the death of Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul was brought. Everybody was wondering whether the Prophet would pray the funeral prayer over him or not. The Holy Prophet was making ready to pray over him when a Divine Command reached him in form of a revelation
forbidding him to pray over the dead man, thus:
And pray thou never over any one of them when he is dead, nor stand over his grave; they disbelieved in God and His Messenger, and died while they were ungodly.
(Repentance, 84)
Oh Traveler on the Way to Truth! Man trembles in awe when faced with this holy verse, which refers to those who in the life to come will not be brought before the Holy Presence of the Almighty Lord. They form a group apart, upon whom a curtain will fall after they have confessed their sins and they will be taken away to be punished as they deserve. The nature of what lies in store for them remains concealed.
This Divine Command makes it plain to every Muslim for whom the funeral prayer is not to be prayed. Certainly, there are people who harbored evil intentions towards Islam, but with their last breath embraced the faith and repented, full of remorse. Therefore, his friends may think, “We ought to think good of him, wash his body and pray the funeral prayer for him.”
However, take the case of Abdullah bin Ubayy: he had no real faith, he believed not in the greatness of the Holy Prophet , but when he was about to die, he begged to be given the Prophet’s shirt, so that his last clothing on earth might be the very cloth this holy man wore next to his blessed skin. But of what benefit was this to him? While there was still time, he had joined forces with the enemies of the Prophet , he had been a hypocrite with regard to his religion and his relationship to Allah and His Prophet .
He had preferred the mean gains of worldly benefits to the superior excellence of spiritual merit; but now, when all was said and done, he would have directed his attention to the Holy Prophet . That kind of faith is not acceptable to Allah Almighty. He forbids the Muslims to pray over such a man, for, “We do not acknowledge his claim to humanity,” says the Lord.
The Pilgrimage of Islam
In the ninth year of the Hijra, the Kaba was cleansed of all traces of idolatry and preparations were made for the Hajj to be performed according to the rites of Ibrahim. The Holy Prophet , having returned from Tabuk, sent his faithful companion Abu Bakr to lead the Hajj with a caravan of three hundred pilgrims. Sa’d bin Waqqas, Jabir and Abu Hurayra were sent along with the pilgrims as
their guides and instructors. Twenty camels were also taken along as sacrificial animals. Not long after the Hajj caravan had set out, a revelation came to the Holy Prophet , which had important implications for all the pilgrims to Mecca. He therefore sent ‘Ali after them, entrusting to him this special task, to impart and expound the revelation of the Sura Bara’at (Repentance).
When they arrived at Mecca, Abu Bakr gave a Khutba before all the assembled pilgrims and taught them the rites and rituals of the Hajj. The Muslims then performed the Hajj according to what they had learnt, and the unbelievers performed it as they were wont to do. ‘Ali then arrived and recited the Sura named ‘Repentance’ and said to them, “It follows from the revelation of these holy verses that in the coming year no unbeliever shall perform the Hajj, nor should any ever perform Tawaf completely naked, and none of the pagans may enter the Kaba.”
However, those unbelievers who had concluded a special treaty with the Holy Prophet and had abided by its terms, had nothing to fear, it would be honored. The other idolaters under contract with the Muslims who failed to observe the conditions stated were given four months of respite, after which the Muslims were free from any obligations towards them. ‘Ali’s address made a great impression on all those present. Afterwards, Abu Hurayra went around, repeating the words of this proclamation of Bara’at (freedom from obligation) over and over again.
The pagans then all entered into Islam, and the love of Islam spread far and wide. The Muslims began to reap the fruits of their nine years of work for the cause of Islam. Everywhere the spread of faith and security was to be observed. Never before in history had there been, nor could there ever have been such a state, for the spiritual emanations of Muhammad the Prophet had begun to pervade the hearts and minds of men. The once lonesome call of ‘La ilaha illAllah’, like a never-setting sun, had climbed to its zenith and shone forth strongly now. Deputations and envoys began to arrive from all over the world, and as the command for zakat collection was revealed, living conditions for the Muslims began to improve. A poll tax (jizya) was also exacted from the non- Muslim peoples living within the state of Islam.
The Holy Prophet who was very polite and of refined manners, received the envoys well and treated them attentively. He greeted them according to the customs of their respective countries of origin, and presented them with the best robes and cloaks of honor.
Events of the Tenth Year of the Hijra
Many Thousands Enter Islam
Most of the deputations who came to Madinah in this year came to see his Blessed Face and hear the Divine Wisdom that he uttered, and many were honored with the acceptance of Islam. From Bahrain there came sixteen people from the tribe of Abdu-l-Qays, and with them came a very famous Christian holy man named Jarut. They all became Muslims at the hand of the Prophet .
A deputation also came from the Bani Muntafiq, who was stunned when they entered the presence of the Prophet . They wished to become Muslim, and the Blessed Prophet stretched out his hand. With tears in their eyes, they received the ineffable blessings of Islam. Then they returned to their tribe.
Envoys even came all the way from China. Their ruler asked to have a picture of the Holy Prophet , if one existed. Now the Prophet had forbidden all manners of images, but he had them bring a piece of parched deerskin and he carefully focused his attention upon it so that his blessed features were reflected thereon. Then he folded it up and ordered them not to unfold it until they had given it to their ruler. The deputation left and did as he told them. When their king opened up the piece of deerskin, he beheld the blessed features of the Holy Prophet , and as he gazed upon this blessed reflection on the deerskin, it began to dissolve. He entered Islam, together with his envoys.
Now there remained not a tribe or clan in all Arabia that could stand against the Islamic state founded by the spiritual power of the Prophet Muhammad . From far and wide people came trooping towards Madinah and joined the faith. It was at this time that this Sura was revealed:
Bismillah-ir-rahman-ir-rahim. When comes the help of God, and victory, and thou seest men entering God’s religion in throngs, then proclaim the praise of thy Lord, and seek His forgiveness, for He turns again unto men. (Help)
Those who understood the subtle meaning of these verses gleaned from them an indication that the Prophet’s time on earth was nearing its completion, and their eyes filled with tears. For in truth, his sacred task was nearly completed. The
wisdom behind the mission of this noble soul was that he might lay the foundation of Islam, and this had been accomplished. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq was one of those who grasped the hidden meaning of this divinely revealed text, and he wept. “Yes,” he said, “it is obvious that, after having delivered the message and inculcated the articles of faith, the Holy Prophet will not remain in this world much longer. ” When ‘Abbas enquired of the Prophet personally about this, he only confirmed it. For the Holy Prophet had delivered everything that was revealed to him in word and deed and application, nothing was missing or left in doubt.
Islam was no longer confined to the Arabian Peninsula and the Arabian tribes. In the seventh year of the Hijra, letters of invitation to Islam had been sent out to all corners of the world, signed, sealed and authorized by Muhammad the Prophet of Allah . Even the enemies of Islam were now inclined to believe that this religion was not to be shaken or removed.
The Farewell Pilgrimage
In this year, the tenth year of the Hijra, the Holy Prophet intended to perform the Pilgrimage, and since it was to be his last pilgrimage on earth, it is called the Hajj al-Widaa, or the Farewell Pilgrimage.
During this Hajj the following verse was revealed, which expresses the Divine Intention even more clearly:
Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam for your religion. (The Table, 3)
In the tenth year of the Hijra, the Holy Prophet announced to his companions his intention to travel to Mecca for the purpose of performing Hajj. People from outlying regions began streaming towards Madinah in great numbers when they heard of the Prophet’s intention, in order to accompany him on this pilgrimage. The Prophet and his family and companions left the city of Madinah after praying the noon prayer when only five days remained till the month of Dhul- Hijjah. They proceed up to Dhul-Hulayfa, and stayed there the night.
In the morning, they donned their Ihram (pilgrim’s garb), prayed the noon prayer, then a company of forty thousand pilgrims set forth for the holy city of Mecca. This tremendous caravan of Hujjaj (pilgrims) reached Mecca on the morning of the fourth Sunday of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, entering the Haram- ash-Sharif by the door of the Bani Shayba. The Holy Prophet invoked this
supplication, “Oh my Lord! Increase this Holy House in honor and reverence!” Then they began to perform their Tawaf, after which they ascended the hill of Safa praising and glorifying the Lord, then descending from the hill of Marwa and performing the Sa’i (the swift passage between the two hills).
Just at that moment, Ali arrived with a great Hajj caravan coming from Yemen. Muslims began coming from all over the land, gathering at Mecca. The Hajj season happened to fall in the month of March, around the time of the spring equinox. The day of ‘Arafat was a Friday, and the Holy Prophet performed this Hajj al-Akbar with a multitude of forty thousand pilgrims. Therefore, this Hajj was at once very sacred and solemn, and at the same time filled with sadness, for the Leader of all Prophets in his Khutba said,
“For it may be that you will not see me among you in this place after this year.”
The Prophet in his Khutba on this occasion spoke very moving words, primarily concerning the rights of women and orphans. He said:
“Every forbidden action must be carefully avoided, but none more so than these two things: the rights of women and orphans must not be infringed, for on the Day of Reckoning, there will be no intercession for these two sins before the Divine Presence.”
He also expounded in great detail on the grievousness of all usury, and impressed upon all the tribes that all blood feuds were hence abolished, that the believers were to live with each other as brothers, and that any property not given voluntarily was not lawful. After that he said,
“I leave you two things, which, if you hold fast to them shall preserve you from all error: the Book of Allah, and my Sunna. Your downfall begins with your departure from these two.”
Thus he concluded his Khutba. That day, the noon (Zuhr) and the afternoon (‘Asr) prayers were joined and prayed with one Adhan and two Iqamas, just as the evening (Maghrib) and night (‘Isha) prayers were joined and prayed with one Adhan and two Iqamas.
A woman from the tribe of the Khaz’am came to the Holy Prophet and asked, “Oh Rasulullah ! My father is a very old man and has not the strength to perform the Hajj himself. Is it lawful for me to perform it in his stead?” The Qibla of the Prophets, Muhammad replied, “Yes, it is lawful.”
Just at that moment, Fadl bin ‘Abbas happened to steal a glance over to the women’s side. The Holy Prophet stretched out his blessed hand and turned
Fadl’s face away from the women’s side of the tent.
Oh Traveler on the Way to Truth! Stoning the devil is indeed a significant act of devotion, just as fasting expresses a state of godliness, and prayer means to engage in a dialogue with the Almighty Lord, and the Hajj is a visit to the House of God. The person performing Hajj announces his intention to renounce the claims of his lower soul (nafs) by stoning Shaytan at Mina, thus signaling that henceforth he will struggle against the ego, which holds him in its grip.
The Holy Prophet gave a Khutba in Mina, in which he set forth at length the abolishment of blood feuds and the inviolability of every man’s life and possessions. He exhorted them, saying, “As long as your rulers hold on to the Book of Allah, as long as nothing comes between them and Allah’s Word, obey them in every way. A time will come when there will be conflict between the Quran and your chiefs; at that time you should engage in the faction of the Quran.” And he went on to describe the appearance and characteristics of Dajjal. He explained in detail on what depends the advancement, eminence and perfection of man in his temporal and eternal future.
Then he counseled the congregation, “Oh people! Have I delivered my message? Have I made clear my mission?” and from thousands of hearts shouts of assent rose to the heavens, as the crowd called out, “Yes, you have, oh Rasulullah !” The Holy Prophet raised his hands to Heaven and called Allah to witness, saying, “Oh my Lord, bear witness!”
Then he continued, “Man kuntu mawlahu, fa-Aliyyun mawlahu” which is to say, “Whose close friend I am, his close friend is also Ali. Oh Allah, be the friend of him who is his friend, and the foe of him who is his foe, and aid him who gives his aid to him.”
Then he bade farewell to his nation, saying, “Let those who are present here inform those who are absent.” The Hajj company then entered Mecca, performed the Tawaf al-Widaa (the parting circumambulation), drank of the water of the Zamzam well from the hand of Ibn ‘Abbas and thus completed the rites of the Hajj. Then the Holy Prophet returned to Madinah. When the city of Madinah came into view, the Prophet felt such joy and elation at its sight that he cried out with a loud shout:
LA ILAHA ILLALLAH, WAHDAHU LA SHARIKA LAH, LAHUL MULK WA LAHUL HAMD, WA HUWA ‘ALA KULLI SHAY’IN QADIR.
(There is no god but Allah, the One and Only, who has no partners; in His possession is all there is, and to Him is due all praise; and it is He who has
power over all things.)
False Prophets Appear
In the tenth year of the Hijra there arose in Yemen the false prophet Musaylima- tul-Kadhdhab (that is: Musaylima the Liar), and Abhala bin Ka’b who is called Aswad ul-Anas. Abhala had gained control over San’a and the representatives of Islam there had a hard time of it. The Holy Prophet was stirred by these events to take action and he sent a special envoy to the Muslims of the Yemen, instructing them to punish Abhala the impostor.
He also sent a message to the Muslims of the Najd concerning Musaylima the Liar, ordering them to take revenge on him. “Allah has informed me in my dream that very soon two enemies of Allah will meet with their demise,” thus informing his Noble Companions.
Around this time, another false prophet arose of the tribe of the Bani Asad. He was a chief of his tribe, named Tulayha bin Khuwaylid. A band of soldiers was sent against him and in the eleventh year of the Hijra he was defeated. It was important to take seriously these uprisings in the Najd and in the Yemen, even though the bulk of Muslim trade was with Sham (Damascus). On the twenty- sixth day of Safar the Holy Prophet ordered preparations to be made for a campaign against the tribes of the north and sent an army out to the region of Balqa, in the precincts of Damascus, under the leadership of Usama bin Zayd bin Harith.
As mentioned above, Zayd was a freedman who was very dear to the Holy Prophet , and he was as fond of his son Usama as he was of one of his own children. Usama was still very young when he was made commander of a whole army, according to some reports he was no older than eighteen years of age. The Holy Prophet called Usama into his presence and said to him, “Direct your men towards Sham and avenge the defeat of Mut’a. Go to where your father was martyred and let the horses trample down the enemy of Allah.”
The day after this, the Prophet was taken ill. The companions began to wonder whether the campaign would be cancelled, but the Holy Prophet said to them, “The command will under no circumstances be recalled,” and though he was already succumbing to his illness, he personally placed the banner in Usama’s hand. Usama handed it to Burayda bin Husayb al-Aslami and the troops left the city of Madinah. The army assembled at Juruf, and all the great Sahaba, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, Sa’d and Said made preparations to accompany Usama’s retinue.
An Unprecedented Legacy
The foundation of Islam had been laid, and it would not be long before shafts of light from that never-sinking sun were to penetrate into every dark corner. All was set and prepared. Had it not been for such tragedies as the assassination of ‘Uthman, and the disastrous emergence of Mu’awiya’s covetousness that split up the nation; had it been possible to preserve the tremendous dynamic force with which the Holy Prophet infused early Islam, and had it been feasible for Siddiq-al-Akbar (Abu Bakr) and Faruq al-A’dl (‘Umar) to sustain and protract this force, then Islam would be the only system ruling the world today and no other religion would be left to rival it. For never in history has there been any leader who, in so short a period as ten years, achieved such tremendous and lasting results.
It was not the work of an ordinary human being to institute an administration based on justice that taught people the meaning of freedom and that operated on the basis of a formal code of law. It is no minor achievement to have changed a people whose previous custom was to bury their female infants alive, who were morally lax and indifferent into a nation of followers of a religion inspired by Divine Wisdom, high moral motivation and striving for virtue, even when it worked against their own personal advantage. This was achieved within a mere decade, for before the call to Islam there had been nothing at all like this. It was a force capable of teaching wisdom and virtue to those great men who were trained at the Holy Prophet’s knee during twenty-three years; and not only to their contemporaries, but to their successors and descendants up to the Last Day.
The army of Islam had consisted of three hundred and thirteen men at the Battle of Badr. By the time of the conquest of Mecca, the number of Muslim fighters had increased to ten thousand. In ‘Umar’s Khalifate, the ranks had swollen to hundreds of thousands of men. But those first ten thousand, who preached faith where they encountered unbelief, justice where they saw oppression and knowledge where there was ignorance, were the forerunners of that formidable, later army. They established the foundations of Islam, for the Quran is not preserved in lines of writing but within the hearts of men.
The Holy Prophet had gained Divine Approval for having accomplished his mission in the revelation of the following verse:
Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam for your religion.
(The Table, 3)
Again, if we pause for a moment to consider this matter impartially, we will see that never before in the history of man has there been any single person who accomplished what the Prophet Muhammad has, nor has any been at all like him. This is clear beyond the shadow of a doubt. Compared to his achievement, the deeds of such great Prophets as Musa and ‘Isa, as well as the deeds of the great Sahaba and close companions lag far behind in importance. Nobody has ever taken upon himself such a load, under such adverse conditions and hostile circumstances. The Noble Prophet combined all these many roles in his person: he was at once teacher and religious instructor, spiritual advisor and counselor, political leader as well as judge and supreme commander; not a single moment of his life was idly spent.
What a remarkable assembly it was that gathered in the Holy Mosque in Madinah, in that simple building of four straight walls, which constituted this sublime maqam! In this Masjid, the Holy Prophet personally conducted the ritual prayers, and stayed on every day after prayer preaching to the congregation, enlightening their thoughts through his counsel, guidance and teaching, and busying himself with arranging affairs for the common people. Whoever met him, would bring to him his problems and expect some solution and answer from him. He comforted the poor, assisted the destitute and lonely. It was the Holy Prophet himself who provided for the Ashab-us-Safa.
It was only natural that the envious hypocrites hated the Prophet , who in the fires of holiness burnt the idol that man had made of himself. They prepared their own Hellfire.
The Holy Prophet , himself a personification of justice and guidance, exhibited such great tact and skill towards his friends and companions, that not one of them felt he had been treated to less favor than the other; thus their feeling of brotherhood was not undermined. For these Companions were constantly vying with each other to make themselves more agreeable and loveable to the Beloved of Allah .
In Hadith, which have been corroborated by hundreds of Sahaba, he foretold in great detail the fitna, dissent and division, which would befall his nation after his time, and as he had foretold, so it came to be. These are fixed facts of history that cannot be denied or altered.
For example, there is a Hadith approved by many sources, which tells of the martyrdom of ‘Ammar bin Yasir by the Fi’at al-Baghiya (the party of rebellion), and which tells that his last drink would be some milk mixed with water. This
Hadith is explicit in foretelling a future event and it is impossible to deny this. Had it been possible, not to have this name attached to their group, those who found ways of denying a great number of things would certainly have denied this too.
In addition to information of this category, the Prophet also sketched the future of Islam in rough outlines. Examples of this are the foretelling of the conquests of the Roman and Iranian Empires, and the passing on of the treasures of Khosroes to Saraqa. Even if some of this can be explained away throu
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n the Holy Prophet returned safely from Tabuk to Madinah. Upon his return, he was extremely displeased with those Muslims who had stayed behind from this expedition unexcused. Among them was Abu Lubaba who thereupon solemnly swore an oath that he would tie himself to a pillar in the mosque and not leave that spot until the Prophet had forgiven him. Whenever he had to answer a call of nature (break his wudu), his daughter undid his bonds, and afterwards, tied him up again to the pillar. He spent his days and nights there weeping about himself, saying, “What a vile and despicable character I am, for to have presumed to set my opinion against that of the Holy Prophet !”
At last a verse was revealed, which announced his pardon, and a messenger came announcing the good news to him. When this man wished to untie his bonds, Abu Lubaba stopped him, saying, “Endless praise be to my Lord for this gracious pardon, and for His honoring me thus. However, by my oath I have sworn that I will not move from this place until the Beloved of Allah himself comes to me and unties these ropes.” And he wept copiously as he spoke.
The Prophet was told of Abu Lubaba’s oath, so he went to him and unbound his ties.
Also among those who had stayed behind unexcused were Ka’b bin Malik, Murara bin al-Rabi’ and Hilal bin Umayya. They now went to the Prophet asking for forgiveness. The Holy Prophet commanded all people to shun them for fifty nights and not to keep their company, nor speak any word to them. After that time had passed, they were pardoned.
There was a man named ‘Urwa bin Mas’ud of the tribe of Thaqif who was held in high esteem among the Arabs. He caught up with the Prophet on his return journey from Tabuk and was graced with the acceptance into Islam. He returned to his tribe, wishing to speak to them about the Islam he had found, but they were hostile and shot arrows at him from all sides, so that he fell a martyr.
Later that year, the leaders of that same tribe came to Madinah and offered to submit to the Prophet and to accept Islam, but they asked to be exempted from praying. The Prophet answered them, “No good can come of a religion which has no prayers.” Then their chief asked the Holy Prophet for permission to retain their idol al-Lat for a period of three years. The Prophet answered, “Idol worship and the worship of Allah do not go together.” In the end, he agreed to let them continue for one more month, and they accepted Islam and attained to true guidance.
That same year the Bani Sa’d bin Bakr sent a representative to the Holy Prophet whose name was Dimam bin Tha’laba. He questioned the Prophet about the revelation he received from Allah and when he had asked all his questions and satisfied his need for knowledge, he accepted Islam and returned to his tribe to teach them the ways of the new religion. He explained what Allah has commanded us to do and what He has forbidden, and before the night was over, there was not a man or woman in the tribe who had not become Muslim.
In that year also the Negus of Abyssinia, al-Asham bin Abjar passed away. When the news of his passing reached Madinah, the Holy Prophet with all the Sahaba prayed the funeral prayer for him. This is the basis of the custom of praying the funeral prayer for those who are not present. (Salat-al-Janaza ‘ala-l- Gha’ibin).
Oh Seeker for the Way to Truth! Here it made clear to all that it is of the Sunna of the Holy Prophet to conduct the funeral rites for a person in absentia, that is to say for one who has died at a distant place.
That same year in the month of Sha’ban, the Holy Prophet’s beloved daughter and the respected wife of ‘Uthman Dhi-Nurayn, Umm Kulthum, passed away from this fleeting world of appearances to the eternal abode of lasting peace.
In the month of Shawwal, the infamous leader of the hypocrites, Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul died.
Oh you who you seek nothing but the Light of Truth! This man’s death contains a great lesson for the Muslim nation. Abdullah bin Ubayy was a hypocrite who
frequented the assembly of the Holy Prophet . He used to hear the precious words that issued from the Prophet’s mouth and to listen to his Divine Inspirations, and yet he persevered in his friendship with the enemies of the Prophet , casting aside his association with the Holy Prophet for the sake of paltry material advantage. He took part in some of the schemes they plotted against Islam and he was a thorn in the side of the Muslims. When they went to the Holy Prophet to complain about him, all the Holy Prophet would say was, “What can we do? Outwardly he confesses to being a Muslim. There is nothing we can do, but Allah’s punishment of the hypocrite is heavier than that of the unbeliever. This matter is best left in the hands of Allah Almighty.”
When death approached this man, he called to his side his son Abdullah, and knowing that the Prophet was well disposed towards him, he said to him, “Oh my son, I know that the Prophet will not turn down your request. For I myself have lived my life according to the dictates of my ego, and I don’t dare approach the Prophet now that death is knocking at my door. I have only one request: that the Holy Prophet might grant me the shirt that covers his blessed body as a shroud for me when I am dead. That is all I want, and I implore you to ask him for me, for his compassion is great.”
Abdullah went to the assembly of Muhammad and informed him of the condition of his father. He said, “If you fulfill his last wish, he will be assured of Divine Grace and Forgiveness, therefore he has sent me to you. But yours is the command, oh my Prophet !” Abu Bakr was present at this meeting and he cast agitated looks at the Prophet , wondering what he would do next. Even more upset was ‘Umar, the strict keeper of the Shari’a who never was able to tolerate this sort of thing; he stared at the Prophet in great suspense.
The Mercy to the Worlds thereupon made ready to remove his shirt to give it to the dying man, when he saw ‘Umar’s face turn dark with suppressed rage. He turned to him and said, “Oh ‘Umar! I am the sole reason for man’s creation, I cannot refuse anything that is requested of me. Even to my enemy I stretch out the hand of mercy. Why then do you show annoyance? Be patient and wait for the Judgment of the Lord.” With that he took off his shirt and sent it to the leader of the hypocrites.
Some time later, the news of the death of Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Salul was brought. Everybody was wondering whether the Prophet would pray the funeral prayer over him or not. The Holy Prophet was making ready to pray over him when a Divine Command reached him in form of a revelation
forbidding him to pray over the dead man, thus:
And pray thou never over any one of them when he is dead, nor stand over his grave; they disbelieved in God and His Messenger, and died while they were ungodly.
(Repentance, 84)
Oh Traveler on the Way to Truth! Man trembles in awe when faced with this holy verse, which refers to those who in the life to come will not be brought before the Holy Presence of the Almighty Lord. They form a group apart, upon whom a curtain will fall after they have confessed their sins and they will be taken away to be punished as they deserve. The nature of what lies in store for them remains concealed.
This Divine Command makes it plain to every Muslim for whom the funeral prayer is not to be prayed. Certainly, there are people who harbored evil intentions towards Islam, but with their last breath embraced the faith and repented, full of remorse. Therefore, his friends may think, “We ought to think good of him, wash his body and pray the funeral prayer for him.”
However, take the case of Abdullah bin Ubayy: he had no real faith, he believed not in the greatness of the Holy Prophet , but when he was about to die, he begged to be given the Prophet’s shirt, so that his last clothing on earth might be the very cloth this holy man wore next to his blessed skin. But of what benefit was this to him? While there was still time, he had joined forces with the enemies of the Prophet , he had been a hypocrite with regard to his religion and his relationship to Allah and His Prophet .
He had preferred the mean gains of worldly benefits to the superior excellence of spiritual merit; but now, when all was said and done, he would have directed his attention to the Holy Prophet . That kind of faith is not acceptable to Allah Almighty. He forbids the Muslims to pray over such a man, for, “We do not acknowledge his claim to humanity,” says the Lord.
The Pilgrimage of Islam
In the ninth year of the Hijra, the Kaba was cleansed of all traces of idolatry and preparations were made for the Hajj to be performed according to the rites of Ibrahim. The Holy Prophet , having returned from Tabuk, sent his faithful companion Abu Bakr to lead the Hajj with a caravan of three hundred pilgrims. Sa’d bin Waqqas, Jabir and Abu Hurayra were sent along with the pilgrims as
their guides and instructors. Twenty camels were also taken along as sacrificial animals. Not long after the Hajj caravan had set out, a revelation came to the Holy Prophet , which had important implications for all the pilgrims to Mecca. He therefore sent ‘Ali after them, entrusting to him this special task, to impart and expound the revelation of the Sura Bara’at (Repentance).
When they arrived at Mecca, Abu Bakr gave a Khutba before all the assembled pilgrims and taught them the rites and rituals of the Hajj. The Muslims then performed the Hajj according to what they had learnt, and the unbelievers performed it as they were wont to do. ‘Ali then arrived and recited the Sura named ‘Repentance’ and said to them, “It follows from the revelation of these holy verses that in the coming year no unbeliever shall perform the Hajj, nor should any ever perform Tawaf completely naked, and none of the pagans may enter the Kaba.”
However, those unbelievers who had concluded a special treaty with the Holy Prophet and had abided by its terms, had nothing to fear, it would be honored. The other idolaters under contract with the Muslims who failed to observe the conditions stated were given four months of respite, after which the Muslims were free from any obligations towards them. ‘Ali’s address made a great impression on all those present. Afterwards, Abu Hurayra went around, repeating the words of this proclamation of Bara’at (freedom from obligation) over and over again.
The pagans then all entered into Islam, and the love of Islam spread far and wide. The Muslims began to reap the fruits of their nine years of work for the cause of Islam. Everywhere the spread of faith and security was to be observed. Never before in history had there been, nor could there ever have been such a state, for the spiritual emanations of Muhammad the Prophet had begun to pervade the hearts and minds of men. The once lonesome call of ‘La ilaha illAllah’, like a never-setting sun, had climbed to its zenith and shone forth strongly now. Deputations and envoys began to arrive from all over the world, and as the command for zakat collection was revealed, living conditions for the Muslims began to improve. A poll tax (jizya) was also exacted from the non- Muslim peoples living within the state of Islam.
The Holy Prophet who was very polite and of refined manners, received the envoys well and treated them attentively. He greeted them according to the customs of their respective countries of origin, and presented them with the best robes and cloaks of honor.
Events of the Tenth Year of the Hijra
Many Thousands Enter Islam
Most of the deputations who came to Madinah in this year came to see his Blessed Face and hear the Divine Wisdom that he uttered, and many were honored with the acceptance of Islam. From Bahrain there came sixteen people from the tribe of Abdu-l-Qays, and with them came a very famous Christian holy man named Jarut. They all became Muslims at the hand of the Prophet .
A deputation also came from the Bani Muntafiq, who was stunned when they entered the presence of the Prophet . They wished to become Muslim, and the Blessed Prophet stretched out his hand. With tears in their eyes, they received the ineffable blessings of Islam. Then they returned to their tribe.
Envoys even came all the way from China. Their ruler asked to have a picture of the Holy Prophet , if one existed. Now the Prophet had forbidden all manners of images, but he had them bring a piece of parched deerskin and he carefully focused his attention upon it so that his blessed features were reflected thereon. Then he folded it up and ordered them not to unfold it until they had given it to their ruler. The deputation left and did as he told them. When their king opened up the piece of deerskin, he beheld the blessed features of the Holy Prophet , and as he gazed upon this blessed reflection on the deerskin, it began to dissolve. He entered Islam, together with his envoys.
Now there remained not a tribe or clan in all Arabia that could stand against the Islamic state founded by the spiritual power of the Prophet Muhammad . From far and wide people came trooping towards Madinah and joined the faith. It was at this time that this Sura was revealed:
Bismillah-ir-rahman-ir-rahim. When comes the help of God, and victory, and thou seest men entering God’s religion in throngs, then proclaim the praise of thy Lord, and seek His forgiveness, for He turns again unto men. (Help)
Those who understood the subtle meaning of these verses gleaned from them an indication that the Prophet’s time on earth was nearing its completion, and their eyes filled with tears. For in truth, his sacred task was nearly completed. The
wisdom behind the mission of this noble soul was that he might lay the foundation of Islam, and this had been accomplished. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq was one of those who grasped the hidden meaning of this divinely revealed text, and he wept. “Yes,” he said, “it is obvious that, after having delivered the message and inculcated the articles of faith, the Holy Prophet will not remain in this world much longer. ” When ‘Abbas enquired of the Prophet personally about this, he only confirmed it. For the Holy Prophet had delivered everything that was revealed to him in word and deed and application, nothing was missing or left in doubt.
Islam was no longer confined to the Arabian Peninsula and the Arabian tribes. In the seventh year of the Hijra, letters of invitation to Islam had been sent out to all corners of the world, signed, sealed and authorized by Muhammad the Prophet of Allah . Even the enemies of Islam were now inclined to believe that this religion was not to be shaken or removed.
The Farewell Pilgrimage
In this year, the tenth year of the Hijra, the Holy Prophet intended to perform the Pilgrimage, and since it was to be his last pilgrimage on earth, it is called the Hajj al-Widaa, or the Farewell Pilgrimage.
During this Hajj the following verse was revealed, which expresses the Divine Intention even more clearly:
Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam for your religion. (The Table, 3)
In the tenth year of the Hijra, the Holy Prophet announced to his companions his intention to travel to Mecca for the purpose of performing Hajj. People from outlying regions began streaming towards Madinah in great numbers when they heard of the Prophet’s intention, in order to accompany him on this pilgrimage. The Prophet and his family and companions left the city of Madinah after praying the noon prayer when only five days remained till the month of Dhul- Hijjah. They proceed up to Dhul-Hulayfa, and stayed there the night.
In the morning, they donned their Ihram (pilgrim’s garb), prayed the noon prayer, then a company of forty thousand pilgrims set forth for the holy city of Mecca. This tremendous caravan of Hujjaj (pilgrims) reached Mecca on the morning of the fourth Sunday of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, entering the Haram- ash-Sharif by the door of the Bani Shayba. The Holy Prophet invoked this
supplication, “Oh my Lord! Increase this Holy House in honor and reverence!” Then they began to perform their Tawaf, after which they ascended the hill of Safa praising and glorifying the Lord, then descending from the hill of Marwa and performing the Sa’i (the swift passage between the two hills).
Just at that moment, Ali arrived with a great Hajj caravan coming from Yemen. Muslims began coming from all over the land, gathering at Mecca. The Hajj season happened to fall in the month of March, around the time of the spring equinox. The day of ‘Arafat was a Friday, and the Holy Prophet performed this Hajj al-Akbar with a multitude of forty thousand pilgrims. Therefore, this Hajj was at once very sacred and solemn, and at the same time filled with sadness, for the Leader of all Prophets in his Khutba said,
“For it may be that you will not see me among you in this place after this year.”
The Prophet in his Khutba on this occasion spoke very moving words, primarily concerning the rights of women and orphans. He said:
“Every forbidden action must be carefully avoided, but none more so than these two things: the rights of women and orphans must not be infringed, for on the Day of Reckoning, there will be no intercession for these two sins before the Divine Presence.”
He also expounded in great detail on the grievousness of all usury, and impressed upon all the tribes that all blood feuds were hence abolished, that the believers were to live with each other as brothers, and that any property not given voluntarily was not lawful. After that he said,
“I leave you two things, which, if you hold fast to them shall preserve you from all error: the Book of Allah, and my Sunna. Your downfall begins with your departure from these two.”
Thus he concluded his Khutba. That day, the noon (Zuhr) and the afternoon (‘Asr) prayers were joined and prayed with one Adhan and two Iqamas, just as the evening (Maghrib) and night (‘Isha) prayers were joined and prayed with one Adhan and two Iqamas.
A woman from the tribe of the Khaz’am came to the Holy Prophet and asked, “Oh Rasulullah ! My father is a very old man and has not the strength to perform the Hajj himself. Is it lawful for me to perform it in his stead?” The Qibla of the Prophets, Muhammad replied, “Yes, it is lawful.”
Just at that moment, Fadl bin ‘Abbas happened to steal a glance over to the women’s side. The Holy Prophet stretched out his blessed hand and turned
Fadl’s face away from the women’s side of the tent.
Oh Traveler on the Way to Truth! Stoning the devil is indeed a significant act of devotion, just as fasting expresses a state of godliness, and prayer means to engage in a dialogue with the Almighty Lord, and the Hajj is a visit to the House of God. The person performing Hajj announces his intention to renounce the claims of his lower soul (nafs) by stoning Shaytan at Mina, thus signaling that henceforth he will struggle against the ego, which holds him in its grip.
The Holy Prophet gave a Khutba in Mina, in which he set forth at length the abolishment of blood feuds and the inviolability of every man’s life and possessions. He exhorted them, saying, “As long as your rulers hold on to the Book of Allah, as long as nothing comes between them and Allah’s Word, obey them in every way. A time will come when there will be conflict between the Quran and your chiefs; at that time you should engage in the faction of the Quran.” And he went on to describe the appearance and characteristics of Dajjal. He explained in detail on what depends the advancement, eminence and perfection of man in his temporal and eternal future.
Then he counseled the congregation, “Oh people! Have I delivered my message? Have I made clear my mission?” and from thousands of hearts shouts of assent rose to the heavens, as the crowd called out, “Yes, you have, oh Rasulullah !” The Holy Prophet raised his hands to Heaven and called Allah to witness, saying, “Oh my Lord, bear witness!”
Then he continued, “Man kuntu mawlahu, fa-Aliyyun mawlahu” which is to say, “Whose close friend I am, his close friend is also Ali. Oh Allah, be the friend of him who is his friend, and the foe of him who is his foe, and aid him who gives his aid to him.”
Then he bade farewell to his nation, saying, “Let those who are present here inform those who are absent.” The Hajj company then entered Mecca, performed the Tawaf al-Widaa (the parting circumambulation), drank of the water of the Zamzam well from the hand of Ibn ‘Abbas and thus completed the rites of the Hajj. Then the Holy Prophet returned to Madinah. When the city of Madinah came into view, the Prophet felt such joy and elation at its sight that he cried out with a loud shout:
LA ILAHA ILLALLAH, WAHDAHU LA SHARIKA LAH, LAHUL MULK WA LAHUL HAMD, WA HUWA ‘ALA KULLI SHAY’IN QADIR.
(There is no god but Allah, the One and Only, who has no partners; in His possession is all there is, and to Him is due all praise; and it is He who has
power over all things.)
False Prophets Appear
In the tenth year of the Hijra there arose in Yemen the false prophet Musaylima- tul-Kadhdhab (that is: Musaylima the Liar), and Abhala bin Ka’b who is called Aswad ul-Anas. Abhala had gained control over San’a and the representatives of Islam there had a hard time of it. The Holy Prophet was stirred by these events to take action and he sent a special envoy to the Muslims of the Yemen, instructing them to punish Abhala the impostor.
He also sent a message to the Muslims of the Najd concerning Musaylima the Liar, ordering them to take revenge on him. “Allah has informed me in my dream that very soon two enemies of Allah will meet with their demise,” thus informing his Noble Companions.
Around this time, another false prophet arose of the tribe of the Bani Asad. He was a chief of his tribe, named Tulayha bin Khuwaylid. A band of soldiers was sent against him and in the eleventh year of the Hijra he was defeated. It was important to take seriously these uprisings in the Najd and in the Yemen, even though the bulk of Muslim trade was with Sham (Damascus). On the twenty- sixth day of Safar the Holy Prophet ordered preparations to be made for a campaign against the tribes of the north and sent an army out to the region of Balqa, in the precincts of Damascus, under the leadership of Usama bin Zayd bin Harith.
As mentioned above, Zayd was a freedman who was very dear to the Holy Prophet , and he was as fond of his son Usama as he was of one of his own children. Usama was still very young when he was made commander of a whole army, according to some reports he was no older than eighteen years of age. The Holy Prophet called Usama into his presence and said to him, “Direct your men towards Sham and avenge the defeat of Mut’a. Go to where your father was martyred and let the horses trample down the enemy of Allah.”
The day after this, the Prophet was taken ill. The companions began to wonder whether the campaign would be cancelled, but the Holy Prophet said to them, “The command will under no circumstances be recalled,” and though he was already succumbing to his illness, he personally placed the banner in Usama’s hand. Usama handed it to Burayda bin Husayb al-Aslami and the troops left the city of Madinah. The army assembled at Juruf, and all the great Sahaba, Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, Sa’d and Said made preparations to accompany Usama’s retinue.
An Unprecedented Legacy
The foundation of Islam had been laid, and it would not be long before shafts of light from that never-sinking sun were to penetrate into every dark corner. All was set and prepared. Had it not been for such tragedies as the assassination of ‘Uthman, and the disastrous emergence of Mu’awiya’s covetousness that split up the nation; had it been possible to preserve the tremendous dynamic force with which the Holy Prophet infused early Islam, and had it been feasible for Siddiq-al-Akbar (Abu Bakr) and Faruq al-A’dl (‘Umar) to sustain and protract this force, then Islam would be the only system ruling the world today and no other religion would be left to rival it. For never in history has there been any leader who, in so short a period as ten years, achieved such tremendous and lasting results.
It was not the work of an ordinary human being to institute an administration based on justice that taught people the meaning of freedom and that operated on the basis of a formal code of law. It is no minor achievement to have changed a people whose previous custom was to bury their female infants alive, who were morally lax and indifferent into a nation of followers of a religion inspired by Divine Wisdom, high moral motivation and striving for virtue, even when it worked against their own personal advantage. This was achieved within a mere decade, for before the call to Islam there had been nothing at all like this. It was a force capable of teaching wisdom and virtue to those great men who were trained at the Holy Prophet’s knee during twenty-three years; and not only to their contemporaries, but to their successors and descendants up to the Last Day.
The army of Islam had consisted of three hundred and thirteen men at the Battle of Badr. By the time of the conquest of Mecca, the number of Muslim fighters had increased to ten thousand. In ‘Umar’s Khalifate, the ranks had swollen to hundreds of thousands of men. But those first ten thousand, who preached faith where they encountered unbelief, justice where they saw oppression and knowledge where there was ignorance, were the forerunners of that formidable, later army. They established the foundations of Islam, for the Quran is not preserved in lines of writing but within the hearts of men.
The Holy Prophet had gained Divine Approval for having accomplished his mission in the revelation of the following verse:
Today I have perfected your religion for you, and I have completed My blessing upon you, and I have approved Islam for your religion.
(The Table, 3)
Again, if we pause for a moment to consider this matter impartially, we will see that never before in the history of man has there been any single person who accomplished what the Prophet Muhammad has, nor has any been at all like him. This is clear beyond the shadow of a doubt. Compared to his achievement, the deeds of such great Prophets as Musa and ‘Isa, as well as the deeds of the great Sahaba and close companions lag far behind in importance. Nobody has ever taken upon himself such a load, under such adverse conditions and hostile circumstances. The Noble Prophet combined all these many roles in his person: he was at once teacher and religious instructor, spiritual advisor and counselor, political leader as well as judge and supreme commander; not a single moment of his life was idly spent.
What a remarkable assembly it was that gathered in the Holy Mosque in Madinah, in that simple building of four straight walls, which constituted this sublime maqam! In this Masjid, the Holy Prophet personally conducted the ritual prayers, and stayed on every day after prayer preaching to the congregation, enlightening their thoughts through his counsel, guidance and teaching, and busying himself with arranging affairs for the common people. Whoever met him, would bring to him his problems and expect some solution and answer from him. He comforted the poor, assisted the destitute and lonely. It was the Holy Prophet himself who provided for the Ashab-us-Safa.
It was only natural that the envious hypocrites hated the Prophet , who in the fires of holiness burnt the idol that man had made of himself. They prepared their own Hellfire.
The Holy Prophet , himself a personification of justice and guidance, exhibited such great tact and skill towards his friends and companions, that not one of them felt he had been treated to less favor than the other; thus their feeling of brotherhood was not undermined. For these Companions were constantly vying with each other to make themselves more agreeable and loveable to the Beloved of Allah .
In Hadith, which have been corroborated by hundreds of Sahaba, he foretold in great detail the fitna, dissent and division, which would befall his nation after his time, and as he had foretold, so it came to be. These are fixed facts of history that cannot be denied or altered.
For example, there is a Hadith approved by many sources, which tells of the martyrdom of ‘Ammar bin Yasir by the Fi’at al-Baghiya (the party of rebellion), and which tells that his last drink would be some milk mixed with water. This
Hadith is explicit in foretelling a future event and it is impossible to deny this. Had it been possible, not to have this name attached to their group, those who found ways of denying a great number of things would certainly have denied this too.
In addition to information of this category, the Prophet also sketched the future of Islam in rough outlines. Examples of this are the foretelling of the conquests of the Roman and Iranian Empires, and the passing on of the treasures of Khosroes to Saraqa. Even if some of this can be explained away throu
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