Inclined
to Allâh
He (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) was 32 or 33 years of age when he
developed in himself a love for solitude and privacy. He so often saw a strange
light, which led him to feel a unique joy, although he never saw any figure nor
heard any voice. He (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
naturally abhorred polytheism. Once during a meeting, the pagans served him
some food which had already been dedicated to the idols. He (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) put it aside towards Zaid bin Amr. But he
also refused to eat from it and said addressing the pagans: "We do not eat
from the food that was offered to idols." This Zaid bin Amr bin Nufail was
the uncle of Umar bin Khattâb (radhiyallahu 'anha).
During the hours of privacy and
solitude, he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
would ponder over the Divine powers and kept praising and glorifying his Lord.
The more he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
was drawing near the age of forty, the more he felt attracted to privacy. He
would very often go to the Cave of Hira, taking with him parched barley meal and
water, to pray Allâh in perfect peace and privacy and returned only when the
supplies would run short. The Mount of Hira, now known as Jabal Nur (Mountain
of Light), has a cave. It is situated at a distance of three miles from Makkah
towards the north on the way to Mina. The cave has a length of four yards and a
breadth of three-quarters of a yard. During those days he had true dreams and
had dreams in the night about the happenings of the next day. About seven years
passed in the same state, but during the last six months he frequently had true
dreams.
Sunrise
Muhammad (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) was forty years old and now rose the sun
of Prophethood. When the power of endurance and shouldering the heavy burden of
Revelation had attained full growth by constant prayers, ceaseless exercises
and deep reflection in solitude, an angel appeared before him and said
addressing him, "Read." The Prophet (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) answered, "I cannot read." The
angel took and pressed him and then let him go and said again,
"Read." The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
replied for the second time, "I cannot read." The angel again pressed
him tightly and then letting him go said, "Read." When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) replied once again,
"I cannot read." He took him and pressed tightly a third time in the
same manner. He then let the Prophet (صلى الله عليه
وآله وسلم) go and said:
"Read!
In the Name of your Lord who has created, "Created man from a clot.
"Read! and your Lord is the Most Generous, "Who has taught by the
pen, "Has taught man that which he knew not." (96:1-5)
Having said this the angel
disappeared, but dizzy and frightened, the Messenger (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) came back home and went to Khadijah
(radhiyallahu 'anha) and said: "Wrap me up, wrap me up," Khadijah
(radhiyallahu 'anha) wrapped him up in a blanket. When he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) regained peace of mind after a short
while, he related to Khadijah (radhiyallahu 'anha) what had happened to him
with the remark, "I feel my life threatened."
Historic
Words of Khadijah (radhiyallahu 'anha)
Khadijah (radhiyallahu 'anha) said
in reply:
"By no means, I swear to Allâh
that He would never put you to shame. You join the ties of relationship, you
speak the truth, you bear people's burdens, you help the destitute, you
entertain guests and you mitigate the pains and grief suffered for the sake of
truth."
After comforting and encouraging her
husband, she took him to her cousin Waraqah bin Naufal, who had grown old by
then. When the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
told him what he had seen and heard, Waraqah cried out, "There has come
unto you the same Namûs, who had come unto Prophet Moses aforetime. Had I been
young and living by the time when your people will cast you out." The
Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) demanded from
Waraqah, "What? Will they expel me?" "Yes," replied
Waraqah, "for whenever a Messenger of Allâh came and preached Tauhid
(Oneness of Allâh) he was maltreated and put to untold miseries."
Afterwards the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
kept visiting the Cave of Hira. But no Revelation came to him for sometime.
One day he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was on his way home from the Cave of Hira
when he (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) sighted the same
angel and got frightened. He hurried back home and wrapped himself up in a
mantle and lay down. In the meantime he heard a majestic voice saying:
"O you
wrapped up in garments! Arise and warn; And magnify your Lord; And purify your
garments; And keep away from abomination, polytheism and evils." (74:1-5)
From then on Revelation kept coming
after short intervals. One day Jibril (Gabriel), the Trusty took the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) to the foot of a
hill and performed Wudu' (ablution) before the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and the latter did the same. Afterwards
Jibril, the Trusty led the prayer.
Preaching
of Islam
He (صلى
الله عليه وآله وسلم) embarked upon preaching Tauhid (Oneness
of Allâh) as he received the Command of Allâh to do so. He started the task of
keeping people away from polytheism and inviting to Tauhid right from his
household, with the result that Khadijah (radhiyallahu 'anha) was the first to
embrace Islam. Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ)
bin Abu Tâlib (radhiyallahu 'anha) and Zaid bin Hârithah (radhiyallahu 'anha)
were also converted to Islam the very first day. These all belonged to his
household. Abu Bakr bin Abu Quhâfah (radhiyallahu 'anha) who was the Prophet's friend,
accepted Islam the same day. Now, the individuals to become Muslims on the
first day were his family members and his best friend. These were the people
who knew the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)
well and were aware of his traits and character for a long time, and no aspect
of his life was a secret to them. Now, their embracing of Islam the very first
day was an outstanding proof of his truthfulness and uprightness.
At the outset, he kept his teachings
and preaching quiet, limiting them to his relatives and close friends. In the
earliest period of the preaching of Islam, Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu 'anha)
extended his services most prominently. He had a very wide and large circle of
friends and acquaintances under his influence, which brought Uthmân bin Affân,
Talhah bin Ubaidullah, Saad bin Abu Waqqâs, Abdur Rahmân bin Auf, and Zubair
bin Awwâm (radhiyallahu 'anha) to the fold of Islam. Uthmân bin Maz'un, Qudâmah
bin Mazun, and Saeed bin Zaid, Fâtimah–the sister of Umar bin Khattâb and wife
of Saeed (radhiyallahu anha) were next to join the caravan of Islam. Another
band to enter the circle of Islam constituted individuals like Umair, the
brother of Saad bin Abu Waqqâs, Abdullah bin Mas'ud, and Ja'far bin Abu Tâlib
(radhiyallahu 'anha). Thus came into being a small group of Muslim men, women,
youths, old men and children. The believing men would go beyond Makkah in the
mountain pass to pray to Allâh for fear of their lives. Three years passed
silently and secretly in preaching Islam, and people renouncing the abominable
life of polytheism and idolatry came running to the fold of Islam. But, during
this span of three years, every assembly and company of the Quraish was agog
with the stir created by Islam. They had nothing to discuss but the new
religion.
The Quraish, at the outset, attached
no importance to the movement of Islam nor did it look menacing in its early
stage. Thus they didn't go beyond poking fun at the believers, jeering at them
and hurting them verbally. However, in some cases, mischief-mongers among them
inflicted physical troubles on individual Muslims also. Once Saad bin Abu
Waqqâs (radhiyallahu 'anha) was performing prayers in a mountain pass along
with a few Muslims. All of a sudden a few pagans passed by them and tried to
hold the Muslims back from doing so by force. Saad bin Abu Waqqâs rose against
them and a disbeliever received an injury from his sword. This was the first
sword fight in the cause of Allâh the Almighty.
Once the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and Ali (رَضِيَ
ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (radhiyallahu 'anha) were performing prayers in a mountain
pass. By chance, Abu Tâlib arrived at the scene and kept silent watching them.
When the prayer was over, he said, "What's this religion that you have
adopted?" "This is the Religion of Ibrahim." They said, and
added, "You should also accept it." Abu Tâlib replied, "I shall
not renounce the religion of my ancestors," and said turning to Ali (رَضِيَ ٱللَّٰهُ عَنْهُ) (radhiyallahu
'anha), "My son! Never Part Company with Muhammad. I am sure he will lead
you to nothing but good."
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