The Declaration of Prophethood and the Beginning of Islamic Preaching

The Declaration of Prophethood

When the most Revered and Renowned Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم was forty years old, he صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم was allowed to declare his Prophethood on behalf of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Otherwise, he صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم was a Prophet before even the creation of Sayyiduna Adam عَلَيْهِ السَّلام. Hence, the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم was once asked مَتَى كُنْتَ نَبِيًّا i.e. Since when are you صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم a Prophet? He صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم replied: وَأَدَمُ بَيْنَ الرُّوحِ وَالْجَسَدِ i.e. (I was a Prophet even that time) when Adam عَلَيْهِ السَّلام was between the soul and the body.

(Al Mustadrak, vol. 3, pp. 508, Hadees 4265)

Adam ka putla na bana tha,

jab bhi woh Dunya mayn Nabi thay

Hay Un say Aaghaz-e-Risalat

First Revelation

It was 22nd February 610 AD, the most sacred moments, when the Noblest Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم was showering his blessings upon the cave of Hira. Sayyiduna Jibraeel عَلَيْهِ السَّلام first time, came in the court of Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم with the following blessed Quranic verses as revelation.

اقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ ( خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ عَلَقٍ اِقْرَأْ وَ رَبُّكَ الْأَكْرَمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمُ )

'Read In the name of your Lord Who created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord only is the Most Beneficent, The One Who taught to write with the pen, The One Who taught man all what he did not know.'

[Translation of Kanz-ul-Iman] (Part 30, Surah Al-'Alaq, verse 1-5)

After a certain period of time, following blessed verses were revealed.

يَأَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِرُ قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ وَ ثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ وَالْرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ

O the Cloaked One! (Prophet Mohammad صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم) Rise up and warn! And proclaim the Purity of your Lord. And stay away from idols.

[Translation of Kanz-ul-Iman] (Part 29, Surah Al-Mudasir, verse 1-5)

The beginning of Preaching of Islam

Dear Islamic brothers! Now this Divine command قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ i.e. 'Rise up and warn' refers to instilling Divine fear عَزَّوَجَلَّ amongst people and inviting them towards Islam had become obligatory act upon the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم. However, still there was no clear commandment of preaching publically. Therefore, the Blessed and Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم initially started preaching secretly among the trustworthy people.

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ a number of men and women embraced Islam by the invitation of the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم towards Islam. Sayyiduna Abu Bakr رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ was the first among men came into the fold of Islam, Sayyiduna Ali كَرَّمَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى وَجْهَهُ الْكَرِيم was the first among the boys converted to Islam, Sayyidah Khadijah-tul Kubra رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهَا was the first among the women to accept Islam, Sayyiduna Zayd Bin Haarisah رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ was the first among freed slaves and Sayyiduna Bilal Habashi رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ was the first among the slaves who embraced Islam.

Calling towards righteousness soon after embracing Islam

Dear Islamic brothers! Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ started calling towards righteousness soon after he embraced Islam. Through his individual efforts, five those blessed individuals embraced Islam who had the honour to be amongst the Asharah-e-Mubasharah. Their blessed names are as follows:

1.     Sayyiduna 'Usman-e-Ghani رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ

2.     Sayyiduna Sa'd Bin Abi Waqqas رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ

3.     Sayyiduna Talha Bin 'Ubaydullah رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ

4.     Sayyiduna Abdul Rahman Bin 'Auf رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ

5.     Sayyiduna Zubayr Bin 'Awwam رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ

Asharah-e-Mubasharah are those ten blessed companions of the Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم who were given glad tidings of Jannah in their worldly lives by the Noblest Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم.

A'la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللَّهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ has stated:

Woh dason jin jo Jannat ka muzdah mila

Us Mubarak jama'at peh lakhon salaam

If only we also become preacher!

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ عَزَّوَجَلَّ What a great passion and intense yearning Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq رَضِيَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُ had for calling towards righteousness that as soon as he got associated with the Noblest Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم he had a desperate longing for making others associate with the Most Honourable Prophet صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم as well. He truly had a great sense of responsibility as well as he had a great worth, high regard and importance towards Islam. If only! Importance of calling towards righteousness grows in our heart. If only! We speed up our efforts to lead our innocent Islamic brothers towards the Divine phenomenon of blessings, Jannah, who are wandering in the dark valleys of sins. If only! We privilege to have strong passion for inviting the Muslims towards the beautiful Sunnah of Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّم who are badly surrounded by the western culture, fashion and glamour. One of the effective sources of propagating this Madani activity i.e., is to have a visit of area for calling people towards righteousness. In the Madani environment of Dawat-e-Islami, a particular day is fixed in a week for visiting shops, homes etc., for calling people towards righteousness. Some Islamic brothers visit area twice or thrice a week or even daily and some devotees of Rasool, even being alone, are always found busy calling people towards righteousness. Let's listen to a faith-refreshing Madani parable about calling people towards righteousness i.e., 'making individual efforts' alone.