Six
Fortunate Souls of Yathrib
It was the last month of the 11th
year of Prophethood and the bloody battle between Aus and Khazraj had come to
an end after taking a heavy toll of noted chiefs from both sides. Caravans from
outside had begun to come into Makkah to perform the Hajj rites, and the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) had started
contacting people and preaching Islam among them at their places. Abu Jahl and
Abu Lahab followed the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله
وسلم) forbidding people to give their ears to what he had to say.
He, in order to be safe from their mischief, would come out in the darkness of
night to contact the caravans staying at a distance of several miles from the
Ka'bah.
Once, at a distance of few miles
from Makkah, he heard some people talking during night at Aqabah. He came close
and saw that they were six in all who had come from Yathrib to perform the Hajj
and that they were all from Khazraj. The Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) preached Islam and read out a few Verses
from the Quran. They listened with rapt attention; they looked at each other
and embraced Islam on the spot.
The entire population of Yathrib was
divided between the Jews and the idolaters. The Aus and the Khazraj were the
two well-known and mighty tribes of the idolaters and they continually heard
from the Jews about the rising of a grand Prophet in the immediate future, and
also about his dominance over all others. Since they had already heard about
it, they lost no time in accepting Islam.
Those six persons were Abu Umâmah
As'ad bin Zurârah (who was from Banu Najjâr and a relative of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), and was the first
to embrace Islam), Auf bin Hârith, Râfi' bin Mâlik, Qutbah bin Âmir, Jâbir bin
Abdullah, Uqbah bin Âmir bin Nâbi (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ). The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
gave Râfi bin Mâlik (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
in written form the portion from the Quran already revealed. The small band of
believers left for Al-Madinah with the sincere promise to preach Islam among
their people. They set to translate their promise into action immediately after
reaching Al-Madinah and Al-Madinah heard the echo of Islam everywhere.
First
Pledge of Aqabah
The 12th year of Prophethood had set
in. The Quraish were still adamant in their hostility. This whole year passed
in a mixed state of hope and fear for the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) as he did not know about the missionary
activities of the six persons who had gone back to Al-Madinah with the promise
of preaching Islam among their people. At last, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) went to the same place of Aqabah during
the next Hajj season in search of those persons who had taken the pledge to
preach Islam in Al-Madinah the previous year.
All of a sudden, he noticed them
along with some new faces belonging both to the Aus and the Khazraj. Those
twelve persons were: Abu Umâmah, Auf bin Hârith bin Rifâ'ah, Râfi bin Mâlik bin
Al-Ajlân, Qutbah bin Âmir bin Hadbah and Uqbah bin Âmir (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). These five persons belonged to the
group, which had accepted Islam the previous year. The other seven persons
were: Mu'âdh bin Hârith—the brother of Auf bin Hârith, Dhakwân bin Abd Qais bin
Khâlid, Khâlid bin Mukhallad bin Âmir bin Zuraiq, Ubâdah bin Sâmit bin Qais
(from Junaib tribe), Abbâs bin Ubâdah bin Nadlah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). These ten persons were from the Khazraj tribe, Abul-Haitham
bin At-Taihân (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
(from Banu Abdul-Ashhal) and Uwaim bin Sâ'idah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ), the last two were from the Aus tribe.
These twelve persons pledged their
allegiance to Islam at the hand of the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم). While departing they requested the
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to dispatch along
with them a preacher, and Mus'ab bin Umair (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was made in charge of the mission. He arrived at Al-Madinah
and stayed at the house of As'ad bin Zurârah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) and made it his preaching center. During the first pledge of
Aqabah, the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
had asked them to confess the following:
1. We shall worship one God associating
none with Him.
2. We shall not go near stealing and
adultery.
3. We shall not kill our daughters.
4. We shall vilify none.
5. We shall not backbite.
6. We shall obey the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) in every thing good.
Success
of Mus'ab bin Umair (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
in Al-Madinah
Mus'ab bin Umair (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) devoted his all-out efforts to preaching
Islam in Al-Madinah. By the Grace of Allâh, tribe after tribe in Al-Madinah
came into the fold of Islam. From the branches of the Aus in Al-Madinah, Banu
Abdul-Ashhal and Banu Zafar clans were very renowned and strong. Saad bin
Mu'âdh was, besides being the chieftain of Banu Abdul-Ashhal, the commander of
all the clans. Usaid bin Hudhair was the chieftain of Banu Zafar clan. His
father was the commander of all the clans in the battle of Bu'âth and was
killed in the same battle. As'ad bin Zurârah (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) in whose house Mus'ab bin Umair (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was staying was the cousin of Saad bin Mu'âdh. Once Mus'ab bin
Umair (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) was sitting by the
well of Banu Abdul-Ashhal and was in conversation with As'ad bin Zurârah (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). Saad bin Mu'âdh did
not like their preaching of Islam in his locality. Saad called Usaid bin
Hudhair and asked him to tell them in strong words not to come into their
locality from then on. Usaid moved towards them with his sword and reproached
both As'ad and Mus'ab (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ).
"There is no harm if you please sit down and listen to what I say; you are
at liberty to decide after that." Usaid sat down saying, "Very
well." Mus'ab then expounded Islam to him and recited the Quran. Usaid
kept listening silently. When Mus'ab bin Umair finished, Usaid bin Hudhair
said, "I accept Islam." Usaid (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) then said, "There is one man that if he becomes a Muslim,
there would be none to oppose you." I'll send him to you at once.
"Thus Usaid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
came back to Saad bin Mu'âdh who was waiting for Usaid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ). "What did you say to them?" Saad
inquired. Usaid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
said, "They have promised not to do anything against your will. But a new
incident took place there. A few young men of Banu Hârithah came in and they
wanted to kill As'ad bin Zurârah." Hearing this Saad bin Mu'âdh stood up
with his sword and reached the spot. He saw both As'ad and Mus'ab (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) sitting there
peacefully. Saad fell in doubt about his being sent to them under false
pretenses. With this thought entering his mind he began to abuse them and told
As'ad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) that he had
considerations for relations otherwise he could not have dared come to the
locality to preach Islam. Mus'ab (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) said, "Please sit down and accept what I say or reject it
outright." Saad laid down his sword and sat before them. Mus'ab (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) told him what he had
already stated before to Usaid (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
and Saad too embraced Islam then and there. On return he assembled the people
of his clan and said, "What's your opinion about me?" They said as
one man, "You are our chief and your opinion has always been worth
practicing." Thereupon Saad (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ
عَنْهُ) said, "I have nothing to do with you unless you all
accept Islam." Having heard this, the entire Banu Abdul-Ashhal accepted
Islam.
Thus Islam kept spreading among
other tribes and clans of Al-Madinah. It was the 13th year of Prophethood. On
one hand, Mus'ab bin Umair (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
was achieving successes one after another and the tortures of Quraish were
crossing all limits on the other. In Dhul-Hijjah, in the 13th year of
Prophethood, Mus'ab bin Umair (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
set out to Makkah with a caravan of 72 men and 2 women of Al-Madinah. They were
sent with the twin purpose of seeing the Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) and to invite him to come to Al-Madinah.
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