INTRODUCTION

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

We praise and worship You, O Allah, who have illuminated the path of guidance for us, and You are the One who removes the mist of misguidance from our sight. May Your peace and blessings be upon the one You sent as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, a warner, a caller to the religion of Allah with Your permission, and to be an illuminating light. May Your blessings and peace be upon the Companions who left their homeland to seek Your favor and pleasure, and may You also bless the Companions of Anshar, those who gave shelter and help, and sacrificed what they had accumulated and what they had saved for the sake of strengthening the religion.

Amma ba’du:

Muhammad al-Khudhari ibn Shaykh ‘Afifi al-Bajuri, the author of this book, says: Ever since I was a child I have had a penchant for reading historical books about the ancients and the stories about them. I found their histories and biographies to be the best lessons and most valuable teachers for people. I have studied the history of our Prophet and the things he experienced in the form of painful treatment from his people when he called them to the path of righteousness. We also learned about his patience that was so steadfast that he made the hijra from his homeland. These are the greatest teachers for the minds of Muslims and can be used to guide them in what they should follow and what they should avoid, so that they may become the victorious people that their predecessors were. In particular, the matters of leadership that the Prophet (peace be upon him) exercised were able to attract the hearts of his people and were also able to unite them. Regarding matters relating to the military and the commanders of the army, with great wisdom finally gathered a strong army personnel with equipment that can be prepared so that they are able to gain victory over their enemies. As well as matters relating to their integrity so that their hearts were united and were a unified force over their enemies.

Every time I read a book on the history of the Prophet’s journey I feel a great sense of satisfaction, but I feel a great sense of disappointment when I remember that many Muslims pay little attention to it, and very few people want to occupy themselves with it. However, I was aware of their reluctance to do so because of the lengthy books written on this subject.

When I arrived in the city of al-Manshurah, I was met by Mahmud Bek Salim who was the gadhi of the municipal court of al-Manshurah. As it turned out, after my association with him, I learned that he was an expert in religious matters and that he was rarely matched. When explaining religious matters he always had the advantage of coming up with answers to the questions posed to him. As for his knowledge of the life history of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny), he was well versed in this subject. I have often heard him express his desire to produce a work on the history of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) that is not long-winded and convoluted so that it can be utilized by ordinary Muslims. This moved my heart, as it turned out that this venerable person had the same desire and determination as myself. However, at that time I was not yet determined to carry out this noble intention and aspiration. I realized that realizing this was not easy and that there were many difficulties.

However, after I often heard from the scholars of AlManshurah about their desire to do a paper in this field that would benefit all levels of society, I considered it an unavoidable necessity. With determination and full trust in Allah’s help, and hoping that He would guide me to the things that are pleasing to Him, I finally undertook this work and achieved what I had set out to do. Alhamdulillah, I have finally written a work on the history of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in an easy-to-digest and straightforward manner that can be useful for the layman. In addition, it can also be used as reference material by specialized circles.

The reference materials in this paper are the Holy Quran and the sahih hadiths presented by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim. We have deliberately not taken other references except in cases where it is inevitable to clarify the presentation. In this regard, we have been greatly helped by reference materials taken from Qadhi ‘Iyadh’s As-Syifa, As-Siratul Halabiyah and al-Mawahibul Ladunniyyah, both works of Al-Qashthalani, and Imam Chazali’s Ihya Ulumud-Din.

Thus, finally, we ask Allah swt. for His favor, may He guide our imams and leaders to follow in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and to revive the signs of His religion so that they will be supported by Allah swt. So the time has come for us to start with the help of Allah swt.

Sheikh Muhammad Al-Khudhari Bek is an inspector at the Ministry of Education and a lecturer in Islamic history at the University of Egypt.

LINEAGE OF THE NOBLE PROPHET PEACE BE UPON HIM.

Thanks to our lord Muhammad ibnu ‘Abdullah, mankind has become noble. His mother was Siti Aminah bint Wahab az-Zubriyah” from the tribe of Quraysh. ‘Abdullah was the son of ‘Abdul Muttalib from his wife Fatimah bint ‘Amr al-Makhzumiyah” from the tribe of Quraysh. ‘Abdul Muttalib was a revered sheikh (leader) among the tribe of Quraysh. They always sought his judgment in difficult matters, and they always gave him precedence in important matters. ‘Abdul Muttalib was Hashim’s son by his wife Salma bint ‘Amran-Najjariyah” from the Khazraj tribe. Hashim was the son of ‘Abdu Manaf by his wife ‘Atikah bint Murrah as-Sulamiyah? And ‘Abdu Manaf was Qushay’s son by his wife Hubbiy bint Halilai-Khuza’iyah?

Qushay was entrusted with the position of hijabah (caretaker) of the Ka’bah during the pre-Islamic period, as well as the position of rifadah (giving drink and food to the pilgrims), and the position of presiding over the Nudwah, which was a consultative assembly that had to solve all the problems in his house, and the position of Jiwa (warlord). When his death approached, he handed over all these offices to one of his sons named ‘Abdud-Dar. However, the Banu ‘Abdu Manaf (sons of ‘Abdu Manaf) agreed that they would not let their sons, the Banu ‘Abdud-Dar, take possession of this proud position and a civil war almost broke out amongst them had not wise men from both groups intervened. Finally they agreed to hand over the offices of sigayah and rifadah to the Banu ‘Abdu Manaf: these two important offices continued in their hands until they reached the hands of Al-‘Abbas ibnu ‘Abdul-Muththalib, who in turn handed them down to his children after Al-‘Abbas died. As for the position of sigayah, it remained in the hands of the Banu ‘Abdud-Dar, who were later recognized by Shara’ (Islam). Until now it has remained in the hands of the Banu Shaibah ibn ‘Uthman ibn Abu Talhah ibn ‘Abdul ‘Aziz ibn ‘Uthman ibn ‘Abdud-Dar. As for the office of liwa, it remained in their hands (Banu ‘Abdud-Dar) until it was abolished by Islam, then Islam made it the right of the caliph of the Muslims, and it should only be held by the person whom Islam deemed fit to hold it, as well as the office of nudwah.

Qushay was the son of Kilab by his wife Fatimah bint Sa’d from the land of Yemen and from the tribe of Azdsyanuah. Kilab was the son of Marrah by his wife Hindun bint Sarir from the Banu Fihr ibnu Malik. Murrah was the son of Ka’b from his wife Wahshiyah bint Shaiban from among the Banu Fihr as well. Ka’b was the son of Luay from his wife known by the nickname Ummu Ka’b, whose real name was Bariah biati Ka’b, from the Qudha’ah tribe. And Luay was the son of Ghalib from his wife known by the nickname Ummu Luay, whose real name was Salma bint ‘Aror al Khuza’iy. Ghalib was Fibr’s son by his wife known by the nickname Ummu Ghalib, whose real name was Laila bint Sa’d , from among the Hudzzail tribe.

According to the opinion of the majority of historians, Fihr was Quraysh, and Quraysh was a large tribe consisting of several clans, namely Banu ‘Abdu Manaf, Banu ‘Abdud-Dar ibnu Qushay, Banu Asad ibnu ‘Abdul ‘Uzza ibnu Qushay, Banu Zahrah ibnu Kilab, Banu Makhzum ibnu Yagzhah ibnu Murrah, Banu Taim ibnu Murrah, Banu ‘Addiy ibnu Kab, Banu Sahm ibnu Hushaish ibnu ‘Amr ibnu Ka’b, Banu ‘Amir ibnu Luay, Banu Taim ibnu Ghalib, Banu al-Harith ibnu Fihr, and Banu Muharib ibnu Fibr. The Quraysh who inhabited the city of Makkah were called Quraysh al-Bithah (Quraysh of the city), while the Quraysh who lived around the city of Makkah were called Quraysh Azh-Zhawahir (Quraysh of the interior).

Fihr was Malik’s son by his wife Jandalah bint ai Harb from the Jurhum tribe. Malik was the son of An-Nadhr by his wife ‘Atikah bint ‘Adwan from the Qais of ‘Ailan. An-Nadhr was the son of Kinanah by his wife Barrah bint Mur ibnu Idd. Kinanah was the son of Khuzaimah by his wife ‘Awwanah bint Sa’d from the Qais of ‘Ailan. Khuzaimah was the son of Mudrikah by his wife Salma bint Aslam from the Qudha’ah clan. Mudrikah was the son of Ilyas from his wife Khandaf, an exemplary woman in terms of honor and strength. Ilyas was the son of Mudhar from his wife Ar-Rabbab bint Jundah ibnu Ma’d. Mudhar was the son of Nizzar from his wife Saudah bint ‘Ak. Nizzar was the son of Ma’d from his wife Mu’anah bint Jausyam of the Jurhum tribe. And Ma’d was the son of ‘Adnan.

This is the lineage of the Prophet’s descendants whose validity has been agreed upon by the scholars of tale and tradition. As for the nasav from ‘Adnan onwards there is no valid narration. In general they have agreed that the Prophet’s lineage extends to Prophet Isma’il who is the father of the musta’ribah Arabs and Prophet Isma’il is the son of Prophet Abraham (a.s.).

As you have seen for yourself, the Prophet’s lineage is a noble and honorable one, consisting of pure fathers and pure mothers. The Prophet continued to move from their sacred bones to the wombs of the sacred as well so that Allah swt. chose two of his parents from among the Arabs, namely from the tribe of Quraysh. Quraish is a tribe that has a high and honorable position among the Arabs. You will not find in the genealogy of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) other than noble people: none of them were commoners, rather all of them were leaders and honorable people. The same applies to the lineage of the mothers of the Prophet’s grandfathers, all of whom were of high standing and respected. There is no doubt that the nobility of the lineage and the sanctity of the birthplace is a condition of prophethood. The marriages of all the Prophet’s ancestors up to his parents were valid marriages in accordance with the laws of the Arabs (the religion of the Prophet Isma’il). Nothing of the nature of ignorance (adultery) ever touched the lineage of the Prophet’s descendants; rather God preserved the lineage of his descendants from such acts. Alhamdulillah.

THE MARRIAGE OF ‘ABDULLAH TO SITI AMINAH AND THE CONCEPTION OF SITI AMINAH

‘Abd Allah was one of ‘Abdul-Muthtalib’s most beloved sons. After ‘Abdullah came of age, ‘Abdul-Muthtalib married him off to Siti Aminah bint Wahb ibnu ‘Abdu Manaf ibnu Zahrah ibnu Kilab At that time ‘Abdullah was eighteen years old, and Siti Aminah was the most prominent Quraysh woman in lineage and position. ‘Abdullah began to mix with Siti Aminah. Not long afterward Siti Aminah became pregnant with the Messenger of Allah. When Siti Aminah’s pregnancy period reached two months, ‘Abdullah died and was buried in Medina in the place of his own maternal uncles, the Banu ‘Addiy ibnu-Najjar. At first he intended to go on a trade mission to the Levant, but when he returned from the Levant and arrived in Medina death took him.

After a period of pregnancy, Siti Aminah finally gave birth. The entire universe rejoiced at the birth of this noble baby, who would one day broadcast to the world the norms of ethics and would perfect noble morals. The late Mahmud Basya, an expert in astrology, conducted research on this great event. He concluded that it took place on Monday morning, the 9th of Rabiulawal, coinciding with April 20, 571 CE. This event also coincides with the first year of the AlFil (elephant army) event.

The birth of the Prophet took place in the house of Abu Talib, in the village of Bani Hashim. The midwife was Ummu ‘Abdur-Rahman ibnu ‘Auf. After the Prophet was born, his mother, Siti Aminah, sent this good news to the Prophet’s grandfather, ‘AbdulMuthtalib. Upon hearing the news ‘Abdul-Muththalib rushed to Abu Talib’s house with a feeling of bursting with joy. When he arrived he named the child Muhammad. This name was still unknown to the Arabs. However, it seems that Allah wanted to continue what had been confirmed by Him in accordance with the news mentioned in the books of the previous prophets, such as the Torah and the Gospel. God inspired the Prophet’s grandfather to carry out his command to give this name to the newborn baby. The first woman who took care of the Prophet when he was an infant was Umm Ayman, whose real name was Barakah al-Habshiyyah, the slave girl of his father ‘Abdullah. The first woman who breastfed him was Tsuwaibah, the female slave of his uncle Abu Lahab.

THE TIME OF BREASTFEEDING

It was a tradition among the Arabs at that time to look for women who would breastfeed their children in the countryside. The intention was that the children would grow up to be noble people. They thought that the women who nursed in the cities were lazy and lacked diligence. Then came the women of the Banu Sa’d ibnu Bakr looking for children to nurse. It turned out that the woman who got the job of nursing Muhammad was Halimah bint Dhuaib as-Sa’diyah. Her husband’s name was Abu Kabsyah: and it was this name that was later used as the Prophet’s nickname by the Quraysh when they mocked him. They said, “This man is the son of Abu Kabsyah who delivers revelations from the sky.” Blessings always surrounded the family that Muhammad was suckled and nurtured by while he was with them, Muhammad stayed with Halimah’s family for four years.

THE EVENT OF THE DISSECTION OF THE PROPHET’S CHEST.

While Muhammad was still with the family of Siti Halimah, an important event occurred, namely the splitting of Muhammad’s chest, then removing the place where the devil was entrenched from within his chest. This event caused Halimah to become afraid, so she returned the Prophet to his mother. When she was in the presence of her mother, Halimah narrated all the events that happened to the Prophet. “When Muhammad was with his brothers by marriage herding cattle behind the house, suddenly his brother by marriage came running and panting and told me and my husband. My brother from the tribe of Quraysh was seized by two men in white. Then the two men laid him down, then cut open his stomach while the two men continued to move him with whips. My husband and I rushed to the place, and we found him in a state of deathly pallor. After that my husband and I were always with him, and we asked him. ‘My son, what has happened to you?’ He replied, ‘Two men in white came to me, I don’t know where they came from. Then one of them asked his companion: Is this the boy? His friend replied, Yes. Then they seized me and laid me down, after which they both cut open my stomach. Both of them were looking for something inside my stomach. When they found it, they took it out of my stomach and threw it away, but I did not know what it was.”

THE TRANSITION OF THE PROPHET’S CARE

After Muhammad was taken back by his mother from the hands of Halimah, one day Siti Aminah took Muhammad to Medina to visit the maternal uncles of the Prophet’s father, Bani ‘Addiy ibnu Najjar. On the way back to Makkah, Siti Aminah was suddenly attacked by a severe illness. Arriving at a village called AlAbwa” Siti Aminah died and was buried in that place.

Subsequently the Prophet came under the care of Umm Ayman and under the dependents of his grandfather, ‘Abdul-Muthtalib. ‘Abdul-Muthtalib was very fond of Muhammad. He had never felt this way about any of his children because there were signs in Muhammad that showed that he would have something great in the future. ‘Abdul Muttalib honored him greatly.

Not long afterwards ‘Abdul-Muththalib died, while Muhammad was only eight years old. Then Muhammad was guaranteed by his father’s brother, Abu Talib. Abu Talib nurtured Muhammad with great affection and care. The wealth that Abu Talib had at that time was small, but thanks to the existence of Muhammad, Allah swt. bestowed blessings on his property. While in Abu Talib’s care, Muhammad was the best example: he was gana’ah (accepting what is) and far from the low deeds that most children of his age were accustomed to. This is how his nanny, Ummu Ayman, tells it. When mealtime came, the other children came to devour the food, while Muhammad remained calm and accepted things as they were.

THE JOURNEY TO THE COUNTRY OF SHAM

When Muhammad reached the age of twelve, his uncle, Abu Talib, intended to go on a trade mission to the Levant. However, it seemed very hard for Muhammad to be left behind by Abu Talib so finally, out of pity, Abu Talib took Muhammad with him to the Levant. This was their first trip and they did not travel long. When they arrived near the region of Bushra, a Jewish priest named Buhaira came to meet the men of Abu Talib’s caravan. The Jewish priest asked them about the news contained in the holy book of the Jews, that a prophet would be sent from among the Arabs whose time had come. They replied that until then there had been no sign of it.

This statement was often made by the people of the book before the Prophet was sent, both among the Jews and the Christians. However, Allah swt. has said in His Book: , ,

So when what they knew came to them, they denied it. So the curse of Allah is upon those who disbelieve. (QS. 2 Al-Bagarah: 89)

FUJJAR WAR

When Muhammad was twenty years old, the Fujjar War broke out, which was a war fought between the Kinanah and the Qais, while the Quraysh were on the side of the Kinanah. The causes of the outbreak of this war were as follows: AnNu’man ibnul-Mundzir. the king of the Arabs in the country of Hairah, had merchandise which he used to send every year to market in ‘Ukazh.” An-Nu’man always sent it in an escort led by a strong and mighty man and respected among his people so that he would deliver the merchandise to its destination safely. One day he was sitting with Al-Barradh ibn Qais al-Kinani who was known to be brave, but had been dismissed from the membership of his people because of the many crimes he had committed. Also present was ‘Urwah ibnu ‘Atabah, a traveler. An-Nu’man opened the conversation. “Who will be able to take my merchandise this time all the way to ‘Ukazh?” Al-Barradh replied, “Let me take it to the Banu Kinanah.” An-Nu’man replied, “I only want someone who will deliver it to everyone.” Then ‘Urwah said, “May you be kept away from all that is disgraceful, are you willing to let this sacked dog deliver it? Let me deliver it to all the sheikhs of the tribes and the people of Qaishum, that is, the people of Naja and Tihamah.” Al-Barradh then asked, “Will you also deliver it to the Kinanah, O ‘Urwah?” ‘Urwah replied, “I will deliver it to everyone.”

Al-Barradh was hurt, so he kept the news secret and waited for the best opportunity. When ‘Urwah went out with An-Nu’man’s merchandise, Al-Barradh intercepted him on the way and killed him treacherously. Al-Barradh then sent word to his people, the Kinanah, and told them all that had happened to ‘Urwah, warning them to beware of the retaliation of ‘Urwah’s people, the Qais. The Qais, upon hearing what had happened to ‘Urwah, immediately gathered their forces to avenge the blood of ‘Urwah. They met the Quraish and the Kinanah at Nakhlah”, and a battle broke out between them. In the fierce battle the Qays seemed so determined and brave. Finally the Quraish took refuge in the city of Makkah, and Muhammad was with them.

After that the Qais said to their enemies, “We will not spare the blood of ‘Urwah, so our meeting will be next year at ‘Ukazh”. Then they went back to their land, fueling the fire of their people. A year after this incident, the Qais gathered all their strength. They were assisted by the people of Tsagif and other tribes. Similarly, the tribe of Quraysh, they also gathered their strength consisting of the tribe of Kinanah and the people of Habsyah who were supporters of the Quraysh. At that time the leader of Bani Hashim was Az-Zubair ibnu ‘Abdul-Muthtalib who was assisted by his brothers, namely Abu Talib, Hamzah, Al-Abbas, and their nephew, Muhammad. The Umayyads were under the leadership of Harb ibnu Umayyah, and he was also the commander-in-chief of all the Quraysh. He held this position because of his respected position among the Quraysh, as well as because he was the oldest. Thus each tribe of the Quraysh had its own leader. Then they set out for the battlefield. The war that took place at that time was the most devastating and frightening war felt by the Arabs. The sanctity of the city of Makkah was tainted by the war, even though the city of Makkah was considered holy by all of them. They called the war the Fujjar War. Defeat almost befell the Qais because many of their tribes were hit. Suddenly, arbiters appeared who invited the warring parties to make peace. Both sides counted those who had fallen. Whoever found that his side had more fallen, he was allowed to take the excess diat. After counting, it was found that Qais had more martyrs. Finally they took the diat from the Quraish. Harb ibn Umayyah promised to pay it, and as a trust from his side he gave his son named Abu Sufyan as a hostage.

Such was the end of the warfare that often occurred among the Arabs, which began with small things. After Islam came, Allah finally united their hearts and revealed the darkness of this misguidance with the spread of Islam among them.

THE TREATY OF AL-FUDHUL

After the Quraysh returned from the Battle of Fujjar, they agreed to hold negotiations. This was finally accomplished at the house of ‘Abdullah ibn Jad’ah at-Taimiy, a leader of one of the Quraish tribes. The people who made the treaty consisted of Banu Hashim and BanilMuththalib, namely two sons of Banu Abdu Manaf, two sons of Banu Asad ibnu ‘Abdul ‘Uz-za, two sons of Banu Zahrah ibnu Kilab, and two sons of Banu Taim ibnu Murrah. They had made a covenant not to let anyone be wronged in the city of Makkah, whether he was a native or a migrant, they would defend him and restore his rights to him.

This negotiation was also attended by Muhammad who was at that time with his uncles. After Allah appointed him an apostle, he commented on the treaty as follows:

Indeed I have witnessed for myself the agreement that my uncles have made in the house of ‘Abdullah ibn Jad’an, which I would have preferred to own camel herds. Had I been asked to do the same in the time of Islam, I would have accepted.

That is because Muhammad was sent with noble morals, and this is one of them. Indeed, Islam has recognized many such things. This is shown by the Prophet’s words:

I was sent to perfect noble manners. It turns out that the Prophet often invited people to carry out this covenant. Eventually they realized it and accepted it.

MUHAMMAD’S SECOND JOURNEY TO THE COUNTRY OF SHAM

When Muhammad was twenty-five years old he made his second journey to the Levant.

Siti Khadijah bint Khuwailid al-Asadiyah,” a prominent and wealthy businesswoman, always hired people to market her wares, then she shared the profits with them. She heard of Muhammad’s trustworthiness and honesty in speech, which she had never found in anyone else, so her own people nicknamed him Al-Amin (one who is trusted). Therefore, Khadija hired Muhammad to take her merchandise to the Levant and sell it there. She was willing to give him more than she had ever given to anyone else. Then Muhammad set out with her maid named Maisarah. Both of them sold their goods, and they made a huge profit. During the journey there were blessings arising from Muhammad. This made Maisarah very happy.

MARRIAGE WITH SITI KHADIJAH

After the two arrived back in Makkah. Siti Khadijah saw that the results of her sales turned out to be a very large profit. So he began to be interested in Muhammad. Then Siti Khadijah sent a messenger to express her willingness to become Muhammad’s life partner. Siti Khadijah at that time was forty years old and included people who had a position among the Quraysh and the most wealth. Muhammad and his uncles immediately went to Khadijah’s uncle, ‘Amr ibnu Asad, and proposed marriage to Khadijah through his uncle Abu Talib. His uncle married his nephew to Muhammad. On that day Abu Talib delivered his famous sermon as follows:

Praise be to Allah who has made us the children of the Prophet Ibrahim: descendants of the Prophet Isma’il: from Ma’ad, and born among the Mudars. He has made us stewards of His Temple (the Ka’bah) and protectors of its holy land. And he has made for us a pilgrimage Ka’bah and a safe holy land, and it is he who has made us the leaders of men. Then indeed this nephew of mine, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah, has no one who can match him in honor, glory, and virtue. If he does not have much in terms of wealth, then indeed it is a shadow that is bound to vanish because it is a hindrance and a loan that is bound to be returned. He, by Allah, after this event has great news and a great position. And he has come to you to propose to your daughter, Siti Khadija, and he has given her a dowry of so-and-so.

After that, the marriage contract was done between them. Siti Khadijah had previously been married to Abu Halah, then Abu Halah died and had a daughter named Halah from his marriage to Siti Khadijah. Furthermore, Halah became Muhammad’s stepson.

REPAIR OF THE KA’BAH

When Muhammad reached the age of thirty-five, there was a great flood that knocked down the Kaaba building which had previously been fragile because of a fire. After that event the Quraysh intended to tear down the Ka’bah, then rebuild it and give it a shingled roof, before that, the Ka’bah building was just stones piled up so that it stood as a building. Then all the tribes gathered to deliberate on this, only they did not dare to tear it down because the Ka’bah was highly revered by them. Al-Walid ibn Mughirah said to them, “Did you tear it down with the intention of repairing it or damaging it?” They replied, “No, we intended to repair it.” So Al-Walid ibnul Mughirah said, “If that is so, surely Allah will not destroy those who make repairs.” After that Al-Walid ibnul Mughirah began to take the initiative to tear it down, then followed by them until the building collapsed. When they came to the foundations of Hijir Isma’il, there they found inscriptions, engraved on the stones, containing various words of wisdom. This was something that the ancients used to do when they built a great building. The intention was to serve as a reminder to future generations of the works that the ancients had done.

Then they started building it. For that they provided funds that were collected not from usury or the proceeds of prostitution. The prominent men of the Quraish began to carry the stones on their shoulders, and Al-‘Abbas, Muhammad’s uncle, along with Muhammad were among those who carried the stones. The architect of the building was a Roman named Bagum. Each pillar (corner) of the Ka’bah was reserved for a group of leaders, who carried stones to that pillar and built it. However, the funds from halal goods were limited and not enough to complete the building up to the foundations of Prophet Isma’il. So they removed the stones from the foundations and built a short wall over them to indicate that they were part of the Ka’bah.

They completed the building with the same length and width of eighteen cubits. The building was increased by nine cubits from its original shape. Then the door of the Ka’bah was raised from the ground so that those who wanted to enter it had to use a ladder. After that they intended to place the Hajar Aswad in its place, but the leaders of the Quraysh were in conflict as to which of them had the right to place it. They competed in this matter, each side wanting itself to be the one to place the Hajar As. wad, so that this event almost caused a fight between them. This dispute lasted for four nights. At that time the oldest man among the Quraish was Abu Umayyah ibn Mughirah al-Makhzumi, the uncle of Khalid ihnul. Walid. Abu Umayyah said to them, “O people, do not dispute among yourselves, but decide this matter among yourselves through ge. one whom you are pleased with the decision.” Then they said, “All right, then we leave this matter to the one who enters the Ka’bah the earliest tomorrow.” It turned out that the earliest person to enter the Kaaba was Muhammad. They felt relieved because they had known Muhammad’s trustworthiness and honesty in speaking. They said, “Well, we are willing to this trusted person.” Thus Muhammad was called an amen (trustworthy) person because they sought a decision from him at a time when they did not know how to decide the matter they were going through. After they had told him that he was the one chosen to decide their case, he immediately rolled up his turban and said, “Let each of the tribes take hold of the edge of this turban.” Then Muhammad placed the Hajar Aswad onto the turban, and commanded them to lift it up simultaneously. When they reached the place of the Hajar Aswad, Muhammad took it and put it in its place.

Thus, this problem was finally solved, which was mostly the cause of great wars among them, even though the problem was small and trivial, but the consequences were fatal if it was not solved. There would have been war had Allah not bestowed upon them a man of reason like Abu Umayyah, who showed them the good way, and a man of wisdom like Muhammad to decide their case with a decision that was pleasing to all. It is not surprising that this issue had made them compete for glory because the House of Allah is the Qibla of the Arabs and the Ka’bah is always visited by them. Every great work is a matter of pride for the doer and will bring the doer to power. It was the first house on earth to be used as a place of worship, and this is witnessed by the Qur’an through His words:

Verily, the first house built for mankind is the House of Allah in Bakkah (Makkah), which is blessed and a guide for all people. In it are evident signs, (among them) the tomb of Abraham: whoever enters it (the House of Allah) will be secure. (Q.S. 3 AL Imran: 96-97).

The people who took care of the Kaaba after the Prophet Isma’il were the Jurhum, but it turned out that they acted arbitrarily and mistreated those who entered the city of Makkah. The Khuza’ah tribe agreed to expel them from the House of Allah. After that the management of the Kaaba was held by the Khuza’ah people for some time. Then this position was seized by the Quraish during the time of Gushay ibnu Kilab, and thanks to Qushay the country was finally safe because all the Arabian tribes were afraid of the Quraish. When they took refuge in Qushay, he was a strong and safe fortress for them from the attacks of the wicked. Allah swt. bestowed this upon them as explained through His words:

And do they not see that We have made (their land) a secure holy land, while the people around it rob each other? (Q.S. 29 Al-A’nkabut: 67)

THE LIFE OF THE APOSTLE OF ALLAH, PEACE BE UPON HIM. BEFORE HE WAS SENT

Muhammad did not inherit any property from his father, in fact he was born an orphan, fatherless again unable, and then he was entrusted to the Banu Sa’d. When he was old enough to work, he began to work herding cattle together with his brothers in the countryside. Similarly, when he returned to Makkah, he also worked herding cattle belonging to the city of Makkah in exchange for a few gold giraths as what Iman Bukhari has narrated in his Sahih kitah.

It is not surprising that the prophets detached themselves from worldly matters and preoccupations because this was a necessity for them. Had they been in abundant wealth, worldly matters would have distracted and occupied them from the eternal bliss of the heavens. Hence you must have seen all the Divine laws and agreed on the virtue of zuhud (renunciation). This has been proven by the prophets of old. They are the greatest witnesses in this matter. Prophet ‘Isa (peace be upon him) was the most renounced person, and this is what Prophet Moses and Prophet Abraham (peace be upon them) did. When they were young they did not live in luxury, but they lived in simplicity. Such is the great wisdom of Allah, deliberately revealed by Allah to His prophets so that they become an example for their followers in preventing themselves from pursuing worldly things because in fact worldly matters are the cause of disasters and calamities.

Similarly, it is not only a prophet who herds sheep or goats, but all of them have herded them according to the report reported by Imam Bukhari in his Sahih book from the Messenger of Allah. This also contains great wisdom because if a man herds goats or sheep, which are the weakest creatures, his heart will be filled with compassion and his attitude will become gentle. When he switches to shepherding human beings, then the first capital he succeeds in achieving is that he is free from selfishness and there is no tendency to persecute, and thus he will be the one who has the best condition to carry out this heavy task.

When Muhammad grew into a young man, he started trading. His companion at that time was As Saib ibnu Abu Saib. He had taken the merchandise of Siti Khadijah r.a. to the Levant in return for a fee taken from her profits. After she agreed to marry him, and he was a wealthy businesswoman, he worked to develop her wealth, and he always ate from his own sweat. Allah swt. mentions this as a gift from Him as revealed by Allah in the following Surah Adh-Dhuha:

Did He not find you an orphan, then He protected you. And He found you a confused person, then He guided you. And He found you in need, then He gave you sufficiency. (Q.S. 93 Adh-Dhuha: 68)

Allah protected him and provided for him before his prophethood and before he was guided by his prophethood. Furthermore, Allah guided him to the Book, faith, and the religion of Prophet Ibrahim (a.s.), even though he did not know about these things before. In connection with this Allah swt. says:

And thus We revealed to you the revelation (Quran) by Our command. Before that you did not know what the Qur’an was, nor did you know what faith was, but We made the Qur’an a light by which We guide whom We will among Our servants. (Q.5. 42 Ash-Shura: 52)

MUHAMMAD’S BEHAVIOR WITH HIS PEOPLE BEFORE HE WAS SENT

Muhammad was the best among his people in terms of morals, the most truthful in his words, the most trustworthy, and the furthest away from immorality despite the low behavior that was prevalent at that time. In addition, Muhammad was the best among his people in terms of maintaining self-respect, the most noble in association, the best in neighborliness, the most forgiving, and the most truthful in speech: hence they nicknamed him Al-Amin (the one who is trusted). This is due to the blessings that Allah has bestowed upon him in the form of good things and praiseworthy dispositions such as being merciful, patient, grateful, just, humble, maintaining self-respect, generous, brave, and shy. This was recognized by his own nemesis, AnNadhr ibnu. Harith from among the Banu ‘Abdud-Dar. He once said to his people, “Formerly, when Muhammad was a youth, you had been willing to go along with his decisions, and he was the most trustworthy in his word among you. When he became an adult he came with news to you, but you said he was a soothsayer. No, by Allah, he was not a magician.” An-Nadhr ibnul-Harts stated this in refutation of what the Arabs had said about the Prophet, who at that time was attending the pilgrimage season and as a result they acknowledged what he had said.

When the Roman emperor Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan who was at that time the Prophet’s messenger to deliver his message, “Did you accuse him of falsehood before he said what he said?” Abu Sufyan spontaneously replied, “No.” Then Emperor Heraclius said, “Indeed, if he does not allow himself to lie against people then he will not allow himself to lie against God.” This is according to the hadith reported by Imam Bukhari in the beginning of his Sahih.

Allah swt. preserved him from his childhood from all the actions of the jahiliyyah that were contrary to the teachings of the Shari’ah” that he later brought. It was in his nature to hate idols so much that he never attended any feasts or celebrations organized by their worshippers. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “When I was a child, I began to hate idols, and I also hated the poetry of the people of ignorance, and I never intended to do any of the things that the people of ignorance used to do except on two occasions, but before they happened Allah swt. prevented me from doing them. Then after that incident I had no intention of doing anything bad so Allah honored me with His message.

“One night I said to a friend who was herding cattle with me: ‘Please look after my sheep and take care of them; I intend to enter the city of Makkah and watch the show like other young men. So I went out from the grazing area for that purpose until I came to a house on the outskirts of Makkah. At that time I began to hear the music of tambourines and flutes for the marriage feast of one of them. I sat down to rest and listen to the music, but Allah suddenly made me so sleepy that I fell into a deep sleep, and it was not until the next morning that I woke up after feeling the heat of the morning sun. I did not get to see the performance at all: and the same thing happened to me on another occasion.”

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) never ate meat slaughtered for nushub, just as he had forbidden himself alcohol, even though drinking alcohol had become widespread among his people. These are the attributes that Allah, the Almighty, bestowed upon His prophets so that they would be well-prepared to receive revelation from Him. The prophets were all protected from dirty and bad deeds, both before they were appointed prophets and afterward. Before the time of prophethood, it was so that they would be prepared to receive the great things that would later be imposed upon them. After the time of prophethood, it was so that they would be the best examples for their people. May Allah bestow upon them His most excellent and perfect peace and blessings.

THE GLORY BESTOWED BY ALLAH ON MUHAMMAD BEFORE HIS ELEVATION TO PROPHETHOOD

The first grace bestowed by Allah swt. was the blessings bestowed upon the family of Halimah where Muhammad was nursed. Whereas before the arrival of Muhammad in the middle of their family, they lived in a state of deprivation. When Muhammad was in their midst their sustenance was abundant which came from their herds. Moreover, before that Halimah’s milk was dry, but after she accepted Muhammad as the child to be suckled by her, suddenly her milk flowed abundantly. In connection with this glory bestowed by God on Muhammad a Sufi poet named Al-Bushairi says in his gashi. dah Hamziyah: Whenever God subjugates people to a happy person, then indeed they are happy people. This was followed by Muhammad’s having his chest dissected in order to remove the seat of the devil from his chest. This is not something miraculous when attributed to the power of Allah swt. Whoever thinks that these things are impossible is short-sighted and does not know anything about the power of Allah swt. In essence, events that contradict the laws of nature arising from the prophets are not strange or new.

Among the irhash (signs of prophethood) that Allah bestowed on Muhammad was the taming of the mega for Muhammad when he traveled on a trade trip to the Levant. Mega always shaded him from the summer sun. It was only experienced by him alone, and no one in his caravan was shaded. This was told by Maisarah, Siti Khadijah’s maid, who accompanied her on the journey. This is what encouraged her to propose Muhammad to become her husband. Siti Khadijah felt confident that Muhammad would have great things in the future. When the news of prophethood reached her, she was the first to believe in the Prophet Muhammad. In this case, Khadijah spontaneously showed her faith reaction to the Prophet without waiting for other prophetic signs such as the noble morals possessed by the prophet and other miracles she had heard about.

Among the other gifts that Allah bestowed on the Prophet was that the rocks and trees would greet him. ) When the Prophet wanted to relieve himself (defecate), he would go so far that the buildings of Makkah could not be seen, then he would look for a place on a hillside or a quiet valley to relieve himself. At that time, there was not a stone or tree that he passed that did not say, “Ash-shalatu was-salamu ‘Alaika ya Rasulullah.

(May peace and blessings be upon you, O Messenger of Allah).” At the same time he looked left and right and back to see who had said it, but he saw no one. This was told by the Messenger of Allah himself as he recounted the events he had experienced. It is not strange because Allah swt. has indeed subjected inanimate objects to the prophets before, namely as Allah once did to the staff of Prophet Moses a.s.. The staff of Prophet Moses was able to swallow whole all the tricks made by the sorcerers of the king of Fir’aun as soon as the staff was transformed into a large snake, after which the snake became a stick again as before. Then, when Prophet Moses struck the staff against a large rock, twelve springs gushed from the rock so that each tribe of the Children of Israel got a share of one spring for their drinking. Similarly, with regard to the other prophets, Allah swt. has subdued for them various kinds of inanimate objects according to His will so that reasonable people understand the greatness of their position and the importance of their function.

THE GOOD NEWS OF THE TAURAT ABOUT THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH

Allah swt. revealed the book of the Torah to Prophet Moses a.s.. It contained laws that were appropriate to the conditions of the people at that time. Then Allah also mentioned in it about the prophets whom He would later send based on His knowledge. Among the glad tidings mentioned in the Torah is the news of the coming of our noble Messenger addressed to Prophet Moses (a.s.). The good news reads as follows, “Later I will make among them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and I will make My words pass through his mouth, and he will speak to them about everything I command. Whoever disobeys his word that he speaks in My name, then I will punish him. As for the prophet who dares to be arrogant and speak in My name when I have not told him to, or he speaks in the name of another god, then he should be killed. If you want to distinguish between a true prophet and a false prophet, here is a sign for you to remember, namely that what a prophet says in the name of Rabb, when Rabb did not say it, and he is only lying in order to glorify himself, you should not be afraid of him.” Judah said that the subject of this good news was Joshua b. Nun, the successor of Prophet Moses a.s. even though they were still waiting for another prophet during the time of Al. Still other than the Messiah himself. They sent messengers to Yahya (John) the Baptist to inquire about his position. To this they said, “Are you Elijah?” John replied, “No.” Then they asked again, “Are you the Messiah” John replied, “No.” They asked again, “Are you a prophet?” John answered, “No.” Then they said, “Why are you baptizing if you are neither Elijah, nor the Messiah, nor a prophet?” This testimony shows that the Torah proclaims the glad tidings of Elijah, the Messiah, and another prophet who had not yet come until the time of Prophet ‘Isa (a.s.).

Furthermore, the Torah also says about the nature and characteristics of the Prophet that he is like Moses. It has also been stated at the end of the book of Deuteronomy that there will not be another prophet like Moses among the Children of Israel. It has also been mentioned in it that the prophet who lies in the name of Allah is killed. This is similar to what the Quran says through His words: ,

Had he (Muhammad) invented some words in Our name, We would have seized him by his right hand and cut the sinews of his heart (Q.S. 69 Al-Haggah: 44-46).

Our Prophet lived with his sworn enemies from among the mugyrikin and the Jews for twenty-three years while calling them to the worship of Allah. Despite this, Allah preserved the Prophet’s person and their harassment. To calm his heart Allah swt. revealed His words: , “

Allah preserves you from the people. (Q.S. 5 Al-Maidah: 87)

Is this something that Allah is not able to do? He is omnipotent over all things and omnipotent to bring down punishment on those who accused the Prophet of falsehood, and He is the One who said:

They said, “He (Muhammad) has invented a lie against Allah.” So if Allah had willed, He would have sealed your hearts, and Allah abolishes the false and confirms the true with His Words. (Indeed, He is the Knower of all hearts. (Q.S. 42 Ash-Shura: 24)

The glad tidings have informed us all about the signs through which we can distinguish the true prophet from the false prophet, namely through his precise predictions of what will happen in the future. Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) told us many things that would happen in the future, and then it turned out that the events were in accordance with what he had said. Among these news there are those that cannot be analyzed by means of prediction or conjecture of reason, such as the news stated by the Prophet that the Roman empire will be defeated by the Persian Empire with a very severe defeat so described by the Prophet that the Persians almost took control of Constantinople, the capital of the Roman Empire. The Prophet further described that the Romans a few years later managed to gather their strength and they were able to recapture their defeat of a few years ago. It can be concluded that the exact news was none other than from Allah. Therefore, some of the polytheists consisting of the Quraysh were so astonished at the accuracy of the Prophet’s prediction that it was mentioned that the Companion of Abu Bakr r.a. made a bet with them, and it turned out that the events were in accordance with what had been reported by the Prophet based on revelations from God. Finally, Abu Bakr won the bet. This is just one of many things that will follow later, insha Allah, in detail.

Al Qadhi ‘Iyadh says in the book of Ash-Shifa that ‘Atha ibn Yasar once asked Companion ‘Amr ibn al-Ash r.a. about the nature of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. ‘Ash replied, “Yes indeed, by Allah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has had his attributes mentioned in the Torah in accordance with some of his attributes mentioned by His words: –

Hat Prophet, indeed We sent you to be a witness and a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. (Q.S. 33 Al-Ahzab): 45)

The message in the Torah says, “For the sake of preserving the ummi (illiterate) people, you are My servant and messenger. I have named you Al-Mutawakkil (the trustworthy one) who is not harsh, hard-hearted, and does not make noise in the bazaars. He does not repel an evil with another evil, but he is forgiving and forgiving. Allah will not put him to death until His religion is firmly established so that they will say He ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah), before Allah opens blind eyes and deaf ears and locked hearts.”

Al-Gadhi ‘Iyadh narrated something similar through the Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Sallam r.a. ‘Abdullah ibn Sallam used to be the leader of the Jews, but he disregarded his position, and voluntarily converted to the true religion of Islam. Ka’b al-Ahbar, the former Jewish priest, did the same. According to another narration mentioned in the Torah in connection with the good news about the Prophet is as follows: “He never uttered a harsh word even in the bazaars nor did he say anything indecent. I always guided him to every beautiful (good) deed. I gave him all noble morals. I made tranquility as his clothing, virtue as his emblem, piety as his feelings, wisdom as his words, honesty and keeping promises as his character, forgiveness and doing what is right as his manners, justice as his course of life, the right thing as his law, guidance as his imam, Islam as his religion, and Ahmad as his name. I guided him after he went astray: I taught him after he was ignorant: I raised his title after he was not known, I exalted his rank after he was not considered: I multiplied his followers after he was few, I made him rich after he was poor, I united him after he was divided: I reconciled through him conflicting hearts, different inclinations and diverse nations, and I made his people the best of mankind.”

Prophet Musa (a.s.) preached about the attributes of the Prophet in the Torah. Moses revealed the following words of Allah swt. “He is a truthful believer, My servant named Ahmad is My choice, his birthplace is Makkah, and his migration place is Madinah or Thayyiban and his people are those who praise Allah at all times.”

THE GOSPEL MESSAGE ABOUT HIS COMING

Prophet ‘Isa (a.s.) gave glad tidings to his people in the Injīl about Fargalith which means the same as Muhammad or Ahmad. This is confirmed by the Qur’an through His words:

And (remember) when ‘Isa the son of Maryam said, “O Children of Israel, I am indeed a messenger of Allah to you, confirming the book that came before me, the Torah, and giving glad tidings of a messenger who will come after me, named Ahmad (Muhammad).” (Q.S. 61 AshShaff: 6)

Prophet ‘Isa a.s. narrated about the distinctive features of this Fargalith with descriptions that do not correspond except to our Prophet. Prophet ‘Isa further said that he (Muhammad) reproached all mankind for the mistakes they had committed, and he taught them all the right things because he did not utter any words of his own, but only conveyed what he had heard from the revelation of Allah. This characteristic is mentioned by the Qur’an through His words:

And nothing he says is according to the whims of his lusts. His speech is nothing but a revelation revealed to him. (Q.S. 53 An-Najm: 3-4)

The Gospel of Barnabas also mentions the name of the Prophet clearly, but it is unfortunate that this Gospel of Barnabas, which was only discovered later, was soon hidden by ignorant hands).

MOVEMENTS OF THOUGHT BEFORE THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH

The discussion on this subject revolves around the great movement that was carried out by the priests and monks before the Prophet was sent. The Jews were looking forward to their victory over the Arabs of Medina through an awaited messenger. ‘Ashim ibn ‘Amr ibn Gatadah narrated this to his people: “Verily he (the Messenger of Allah) called us to embrace Islam with the mercy of Allah for us. Before that we had no knowledge of his coming. We were idolaters and polytheists while they were people of the Book. They knew much of what we did not know through their books. There were often quarrels and disputes between us and them. When we were victorious over them, then they would say: ‘The time is near for us to have a prophet sent to us, and we will fight with him against you as we fought against the people of ‘Ad and the Irmia’. We often heard such things from their mouths. However, after Allah sent His Messenger Muhammad, we responded to his call when he called us to worship Allah. We had known what they had threatened us with the coming of this Messenger. We hastened to believe in him, but they themselves disbelieved and disbelieved.”

The Jews dared to say to the Arab polytheists, “We will kill you as Allah destroyed the people of ‘Ad and the people of Irmia, along with the awaited prophet,” because the attributes of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) were written in their scriptures in which it was mentioned that this prophet would one day eradicate polytheism by force. However, they did not realize that malice and injustice would overtake them and they would be reluctant to embrace the upright religion that he had brought. Hence, they deserve punishment in this world and in the Hereafter.

Umayyah ibn Abush-Shilt, an Arab convert to Christianity, used to say, “I have found in the Gospel the attributes of a prophet who will be sent to our land.”

Salman al-Farisi r.a. also recounted that he had accompanied a Christian priest for some time. It turned out that the priest often said to him, “O Salman, verily Allah will one day send a messenger named Ahmad. He will be born in the mountainous region of Tihamah, the sign of which is that he will eat gifts, but will not eat zakat.” The story told by the priest was the cause of Salman’s conversion to Islam later on.

When the Messenger of Allah sent letters to the kings of the world, no king insulted his letter except Kisra, king of Persia, who had no knowledge of the scriptures. All the Christian kings, such as the Negus of Abyssinia, the Mugaugis of Egypt, and the Emperor Heraclius of Rome, honored the guest of the Prophet’s messenger who came to them with the Prophet’s letter. Some of them were willing to believe in the Prophet, such as King Nequs, others refused, but with a gentle refusal and would have almost converted to Islam had it not been for his position as a great king, such as Emperor Heraclius. Some of them were guided like King Mugaugis of Egypt. At that time the Prophet still did not have the power to bring these kings to Islam. The good treatment was none other than because they knew that the Messiah a.s. had given good news about the coming of a messenger after him. It turned out that the characteristics of the Prophet were in accordance with what was mentioned in their books. So they welcomed the better call.

The news heard through the whispers of the diviners before the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) was quite numerous that he was coming, but it is sufficient to prove what we have said earlier because the data is quite authentic. Nevertheless, the works that Allah swt. has bestowed upon him and the words that he has conveyed to us are the strongest evidence of his prophethood and confirmation of his call. More details about him will follow. So please pay close attention to this, and inshallah you will be guided. May Allah guide you to the straight path.

THE BEGINNING OF REVELATION

When Muhammad had reached the age of perfection, that is, the age of fifty years, Allah swt. sent him to mankind as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner to bring them out of darkness and ignorance (polytheism) to the light of knowledge (faith). This happened in early February of the year 610 CE, as explained by the late Mahmud Basya, an expert in astrology. After detailed research, it turned out that this happened on the 13th of Ramadan of the year 13 before Hijrah, coinciding with July of the year 610 AD. The beginning of the revelation that was revealed to him was a true dream, and it is said that Muhammad did not see the revelation coming except as the light of dawn, in accordance with the custom that Allah does with His creatures, which is always in a gradual form in all matters, then increasing to a perfect level because it is very difficult for humans to receive revelation from angels directly for the first time. Then Muhammad was equipped with the tendency to love khalwat (solitude) so that he distanced himself from the darkness of mankind at that time, secluding himself from creatures to do tahannuts (worship) to Allah swt. because actually doing ‘uzlah (seclusion) can purify the soul. Muhammad often performed ‘uzlah in the Cave of Hira. He worshipped for several days, sometimes for ten days or more than that up to a month. The worship he did was according to the religion of the Prophet Abraham a.s. For that Muhammad brought enough provisions. Whenever the provisions he brought had run out, he returned to Siti Khadijah to take similar provisions until revelation came to him in the Cave of Hira.

One day, while Muhammad was in the Cave of Hira, a man suddenly appeared and said to him, “Rejoice, O Muhammad, I am Gabriel, and you are the messenger of Allah to this people.” Then Gabriel said to him, “Read.” Muhammad replied, “I cannot read,” for Muhammad was an ummi (illiterate) who had never learned to read. Then the Archangel Gabriel covered him with the blanket that was used as his bedding so that Muhammad was exhausted by it. Then the angel Gabriel let him go. He said again, “Read.” Muhammad replied, “I cannot read.” Then the angel Gabriel shackled Muhammad a second time.

After that he let him go. He said again, “Read.” Muhammad replied, “I cannot read.” Then the archangel Gabriel imprisoned him a third time, released him again and said,

“Read!” Finally Muhammad recited it as follows:

Recite in the name of your Lord Who created, He created man from ‘alag. Read and your Rabb is the most gracious, Who teaches (man) by the medium of the galam. He teaches man what he does not know. (Q.S. 96 Al-‘Alag: 1-5)

After that event, the Prophet immediately returned to Siti Khadijah with his heart pounding and his body trembling because of the fear that was still attached to him as a result of meeting an angel for the first time. Then the Messenger of Allah entered the house of Siti Khadijah, and immediately said, “Blanket me, blanket me!” so that the feeling of fear that haunted him disappeared. Then Siti Khadijah covered him until the feeling of fear disappeared. After all had passed, then the Prophet told her about the event he had just experienced, that he had just met an angel, then the angel held him so that he felt very afraid. Before that, the Prophet did not know anything about the angel Gabriel, nor about his form. Khadijah immediately replied, “No, by Allah, He will never fail you. Indeed, you have always established ties of kinship, borne burdens, helped the poor, honored guests, and helped those afflicted by calamity. Allah swt. will not allow the devil and wishful thinking to rule over you, and it is no surprise that Allah swt. has chosen you to guide your people.” To substantiate her conjecture, she went to inquire about it from those who knew about the messengers among those who had seen the books of the ancients. She came to Waraqah ibnu Naufal, her half-brother who had been a Christian since the Age of Jahiliyyah. Waraqah ibnu Naufal was good at writing and mastered the Hebrew language. He quoted from the Gospels what he wanted in Hebrew. He was old and blind in both eyes. Khadija said to him, “Son of my uncle, listen to what your uncle’s son will tell you! Then Waragah said, “O son of my uncle, what have you seen?” The Messenger of Allah told him all that he had seen and experienced. After that Waragah said to the Messenger of Allah, “This is the An-Namus (angel) that Allah sent down to Prophet Moses,” because Waragah knew that the messenger of Allah to His prophets was none other than the angel Gabriel. He went on to say, “I would have liked to have witnessed if I had been young and strong at that time, when your people expelled you from the land of your blood because they were hostile to you and they hated you, when you told them to change the religion and belief that they had found in their ancestors.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wondered what his people would do to him because he felt that his people loved him because he was noble and truthful in his speech, so they called him Al-Amin (the one who is trusted). Therefore, the Prophet asked, “Is it true that they will expel me?” Waragah replied, “Any man who comes with what you have brought is hostile to them.” This has indeed been explained in the Quran, namely as it has been said in Surah Ibrahim:

The disbelievers said to their messengers, “We will indeed expel you from our land or you will return to our religion.” (Q.S. 14 Ibrahim: 13)

To complete Waragah’s belief in the message of the Prophet, he said, “If I had still been able to experience your time, I would have helped you with all my might.” It is only unfortunate that not long afterward Waragah passed away.

THE TIME OF INTERRUPTION OF REVELATION

With regard to this discussion, none of the scholars of tarikh agree on the period of interruption of revelation. However, the strongest opinion is that the period of interruption of revelation was forty days. The intention was to make the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) even more eager for the next revelation. Indeed, this was so true that it is said that because of the longing that had gripped the Prophet, he climbed the top of a hill and intended to throw himself from the top of the hill, because he felt that Allah had forgotten him after he felt His greatest favor, namely the appointment of himself as an intermediary between Allah and His creatures. However, before he could carry out his intention, the angel Gabriel suddenly appeared and said, “You are truly the messenger of Allah.” Upon hearing this, the Prophet’s heart calmed down and he retreated from his intention. Allah swt. wanted him to appear in the form of the light of His religion. From then on, revelation came to him again.

THE REVELATION

While the Prophet was walking, he suddenly heard a voice from the sky, so he raised his face to the sky. Suddenly he saw the angel who had come to him in the Cave of Hira. The angel was sitting between heaven and earth, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was afraid, remembering how the angel had treated him the first time. The Prophet returned home and said to his family, “Blanket me, blanket me.” Then Allah swt. revealed His words:

 O you who are covered, arise and warn. (Q.S. 74 Al-Muddatstsir: 1-2)

Meaning of the verse: Warn mankind with the punishment of Allah if they do not turn back from the misguidance and idolatry of their forefathers.

And your Rabb, glorify. (Q.5. 74 Al-Muddatstsir: 3)

Meaning of the verse: Specialize in Him by your reverence for Him, and do not associate Him in that with any other than Him.

And your clothes, clean them. (Q.S. 74 Al-Muddassir: 4)

Meaning of the verse: Clean your garments so that you may be fully prepared to stand before Allah, for it is not appropriate for a believer to do so while dirty and clothed with impurities.

And sinful deeds, leave them behind. (Q.5. 74 Al-Muddassir: 5)

Meaning of the verse: Abandon the things that cause punishment, by obeying Allah and carrying out His commands.

 And do not give (in order) to get more in return. (Q.S. 14 Al-Muddatstsir: 6)

Meaning of the verse: Do not give someone a gift with the intention of getting more in return than what you have given him, because this is not one of the characteristics of a generous person.

And in fulfillment of your Lord’s command, be patient. (Q.S. 74 AlMuddatstsir: 7)

Meaning of the verse: You should be patient for what will befall you as a result of your people’s hurtful treatment when you call them to worship Allah.

CALLING IN SECRET

Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) got up to carry out the command of Allah, which was to call the hard-hearted and irreligious people to worship Allah. They were idol worshippers who could not benefit or harm themselves, and they had no wisdom in this matter other than following what their ancestors worshipped. They have no noble character other than fanaticism and pride. This was the cause of many wars, mutual attacks among them, and floods of blood. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to them with the teachings of the Shari’ah which they did not know. The sensible among them rushed to his call and believed him and abandoned idolatry. As for those who were lulled by the cushions of their positions, they turned away and became arrogant so that their positions would not slip out of their hands.

The first to respond to his call were Khadijah bint Khuwailid, the Prophet’s own wife, and ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib, the son of the Prophet’s uncle. At that time, ‘Ali was under the care and guarantee of the Prophet. The story begins when the people of Quraysh were hit by a famine, while Abu Talib was unable to afford it because of his many children. So the Messenger of Allah said to Al-Abbas ibnu ‘AbdulMuthtalib, his other uncle, “Verily your brother Abu Talib has many children, while now as you yourself see it is the season of famine. Let us go to Abu Talib to lighten his burden, you take one of his children, and I will take one of his children.” Then they both set out for Abu Talib’s house. Both of them made their intentions clear, and Abu Talib was willing to accept their proposal. Eventually Al-Abbas took Ja’far ibnu Abu-Thalib, while the Prophet took the Companion ‘Ali to be kept in his custody and treated the same as his other children. When he was appointed prophet, ‘Ali had reached the age of puberty. The Companion ‘Ali always followed what the Messenger of Allah did. He had never defiled himself with the deeds commonly done by the people of ignorance such as worshiping idols and following the whims of lust. In addition, who also welcomed the Prophet’s invitation was Zaid ibn Harithah ibn Shurahbil al-Kalbiy, a former slave of the Prophet himself. Zaid is also known as Zaid ibnu Muhammad because when the Prophet bought him, he immediately freed him and adopted him as an adopted son. At that time an adopted child was equal to his own child in the sense that he could inherit and inherit. Also welcoming his invitation was Umm Ayman, his former nanny, whom he later married to Zaid, the former slave.

The first person to accept the Prophet’s open invitation, from among his family members, was Abu Baka ibn Abu Quhafah ibn ‘Amir ibn Ka’b ibn Sa’d ibn Taim ibn Murrah at-Taimi al-Qurashi. Before the time of prophethood, Abu Bakr was very close to Muhammad. He was of noble character and had never told a lie since his association with the Prophet. The first time he received news of Muhammad’s appointment as the messenger of Allah he immediately believed, and said, “By my father, you, and my mother, the most truthful person is you, I testify that there is no God but Allah, and you are His messenger.” The Companion Abu Bakr r.a. was a prominent person among the Quraysh. He had a lot of wealth and was of noble character. He was one of the most generous among his people and was good at socializing. He was loved by his people. Therefore, the Companion Abu Bakr was considered by the Prophet as his representative. Allah’s Apostle always consulted with him on all matters. The Messenger of Allah once said in connection with this Companion Abu Bakr r.a.:

I have never invited a person to Islam but still found an obstacle in him, except Abu Bakr.

At first, the Prophet’s call to invite them to Islam was carried out in secret and secretly. The Messenger of Allah (saws) did it carefully for fear that the Arabs would be shocked by this heavy matter, which would make it difficult for them to convert to Islam. Therefore, the Prophet did not call except to those who were truly trustworthy.

The Companion Abu Bakr followed in the footsteps of the Prophet, who also took part in the call to Islam by calling on trustworthy people from among the Quraish tribe. It turned out that this invitation received a warm welcome from a group of people, among others from ‘Uthman ibnu ‘Affan ibnul’Ash ibnu Umayah ibnu ‘Abdi Shams ibnu ‘Abdu Manaf al Umawiy al-Qurasyi. When Al-Hakam, the uncle of ‘Uthman’s Companion, learned of his Islam, he bound him firmly and said: “Do you hate the religion of your ancestors and then embrace this new religion? By Allah, I will not release this bond until you leave the religion you have just embraced.” ‘Uthman replied: “By Allah, I will not abandon it and will not separate from it.” After Al-Hakam saw ‘Uthman’s firmness in embracing his religion, he released his bond. Al-Hakam was old, however, he looked as if he was still thirty years old.

Also welcoming the call of the Prophet was Az-Zubair ibnul’Awwam ibn Khuwailid ibn Asad ibn ‘Abdul ‘Uzza ibn Qushay alQurashi. His mother was Shafiyah bint ‘Abdul-Muththalib. Az-Zubayr’s uncle, upon hearing of his nephew’s conversion to Islam, tied him up and smothered him with smoke so that he would return to the religion of his ancestors. However, Allah swt. strengthened his heart. At that time Az-Zubayr was still a teenager and had not yet reached the age of puberty. Another was ‘Abdur-Rahman ibnu ‘Auf ibnu ‘Abdu ‘Auf ibnul-Harith ibnu Zahrah ibnu Kilab al-Qurashi al-Hashimiy. Before converting to Islam he was called ‘Abdu ‘Amr, then his name was changed by the Prophet to ‘AbdurRahman.

Among them was also Sa’d ibnu Abu Waqqash Malik ibnu Uhaib ibnu ‘Abdu Manaf ibnu Zahrah ibnu Kilab az-Zuhri al-Qurashi. When his mother Hamnah bint Abu Sufyan learned of his Islam, she said to Sa’d, “O Sa’d, I have heard that you have embraced the new religion (Islam). By Allah, I will now not be shaded by the roof of a house even if it is hot and cold, and food and drink are forbidden to me until you disbelieve in Muhammad.” This went on for three days and nights. Then Sa’d came to the Messenger of Allah to complain about his mother. The words of Allah were revealed to solve the problem, namely:

And We have obliged man to do good to his parents. And if they force you to associate with Me something of which you have no knowledge, then do not follow them. Only to Me shall you return, then I shall tell you what you have done. (Q.S. 29 AlAnkabut: 8)

Allah swt. advised Sa’d to be kind to his parents, and He commanded him to honor his parents, whether they were believers or disbelievers. But if they ordered Sa’d to disbelieve, then disbelief is totally forbidden by Him. In fact, no matter how great the obligation, it becomes void in the presence of sin, because in principle there is no obedience for the creature to disobey its Creator. Furthermore, Allah swt. emphasizes in the verse that, “only to Me is your return, whether you are believers or polytheists, then I will reward you according to the retribution you deserve.” The end of this verse contains two very important conclusions, namely:

First: A reminder that the matter of retribution is in the hands of Allah, so do not ever have the intention of being harsh with them because of their polytheism.

Second: Encouragement to remain steadfast in religion and faith so as not to suffer a bad recompense in the Hereafter.

Among those who responded immediately to the Apostle’s call was Talhah ibnu ‘Ubaydillah ibnu ‘Uthman ibnu ‘Amr ibnu Ka) ibnu Sa’d ibnu Taim ibnu Murrah at-Taimi al-Qurashi. Previously Thal. hah ibnu “Ubaidillah had learned the news about the Messenger of Allah and his attributes from the monks. When the Companion Abu Bakr invited him to enter Islam, he had heard directly from the Messenger of Allah about the revelation revealed by Allah to him, and he saw that the religion brought by the Messenger of Allah had a strong proof and was far from the customs practiced by the Arabs, so he immediately entered Islam.

Among the first to embrace Islam were also Shuhaib ar-Rumi, a former slave, and ‘Ammar ibnu Yasir al-‘Anasi. ‘Ammar ibnu Yasir r.a. once said, “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) at the beginning of his preaching with only five servants, two women, and the Companion Abu Bakr.” Likewise, his father named Yasir and his mother named Sumayyah converted to Islam following in the footsteps of his son.

Another early convert to Islam was Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud. At first he was a cattle herder belonging to the polytheists of the Quraish. When he heard the brilliant verses and the invitation called by the Messenger of Allah, he immediately abandoned the idols he had previously worshipped, then he always accompanied the Messenger of Allah. Since then Companion ‘Abdullah ibn

Masud often visited the Messenger of Allah, and no one prevented him from meeting the Messenger of Allah. When the Messenger of Allah walked, Ibn Mas’ud always escorted him: and when the Messenger of Allah took a bath, it was Ibn Mas’ud who covered him. When the Messenger of Allah slept, it was he who woke him up, and it was he who put on his footwear when the Messenger of Allah was about to get up, and when the Messenger of Allah sat down, then Ibn Mas’ud held the two footwear on both of his casters.

Another of the earliest converts to Islam was the Companion Abu Dzar al-Ghifari. He was an Arab who lived in the countryside, fluent in language and sweet in speech. When the news of the sending of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) reached him, he said to his brother, “Ride your vehicle to this valley, then give me information and explanation about a man who claims to be a prophet who was given a revelation from heaven, then listen to his conversation, then tell me everything.” Abu Dzar’s brother immediately left for Makkah. He heard what the Prophet said. Afterwards he returned to Abu Dzar and said to him, “I saw that he commanded mankind to be noble, and he spoke words that were not poetry.” Abu Dzar replied, “I am still not satisfied with your statement.” Then Abu Dhar immediately took his provisions and a Qirbah (drinking water container) of water and set out for Makkah. When he arrived in Makkah, he went straight to the Masjid al-Haram. He looked for the Prophet, but he still did not know him, nor did he want to ask anyone else because he already knew that the Quraysh hated people who wanted to talk to the Prophet. When night fell, he was recognized by Companion ‘Ali as a stranger. Then Companion ‘Ali accepted him as a guest, but neither Companion ‘Ali nor Abu Dhar asked each other questions because that was the ethics of honoring guests among the Arabs at that time. They would not ask their guest about the purpose of his visit except after three days of his stay. The next day Abu Dhar took his girbah and provisions and set out for the Sacred Mosque. On that day he was always in the Masjid, but he still did not meet the Messenger of Allah until the afternoon. After the afternoon and towards evening, then he returned to his resting place, but Companion ‘Ali in the Mosque met him again. Companion ‘Ali said to himself, “Now is the time to ask this man to find out where he spent the night yesterday as my guest.” Then Companion ‘Ali woke him up and took him to the place where he had stayed last night. Neither of them asked the other. On the third day, after Companion ‘Ali had done the same, he asked Abu Dzarg, “Have you not told me the purpose of your coming?” Abu Dzar replied, “If you promise to give me guidance, I am willing to tell you my purpose.” It turned out that Companion ‘Ali was willing so Abu Dzar told his purpose. After the Companion of ‘Ali heard his purpose, he immediately said, “Verily he (Muhammad) is indeed the messenger of Allah. For that reason, in the morning you must follow me, and if I see something that I fear will harm you, I will make a movement as if pouring water. If it turns out that I continue to walk without hindrance, you should follow me until you enter the house I am entering.” Both of them did what had been agreed upon. So Abu Dzar set out to follow Companion ‘Ali until he entered the house where the Messenger of Allah was. After entering the house Abu Dhar immediately met the Messenger of Allah and heard directly from him. So immediately Abu Dhar converted to Islam. After his conversion, the Messenger of Allah said to him, “Now go back to your people, and convey this news to them so that my messenger comes to meet you there.” Abu Dzar replied, “By the One in whose power my soul is, I will surely explain it openly before them.” Then Abu Dhar went out until he reached the Masjid al-Haram, then he cried out with all his voice, “I testify that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.” All the people rose up and beat him until he fell down, then came Al-‘Abbas to cover him to protect him from the blows of the crowd and said, “Woe to you. Don’t you know that he is from Banu Ghiffar? Don’t you know that your trade route to the Levant passes through his hometown?” Finally Al-‘Abbas managed to save Abu Dhar from their hands. Then the next day Abu Dhar did the same thing, so everyone beat him again, but Al-‘Abbas defended him. This is the narration given by Imam Bukhari.

After Abu Dhar entered Islam, he was famous for being the most honest in speech and the most zuhud (shunning) of worldly matters.

Another person who first entered Islam was Sa’id ibn Zaid al-‘Adawiy al-Qurasyi. He had two wives, Fatimah bint al-Khaththab, the sister of ‘Umar, and Ummul Fadhl or Lubabah bint al-Harith al-Hilaliyah, the former wife of al Abbas ibn ‘AbdulMuththalib. ‘Ubaidah ibn al-Harith ibn ‘Abdul-Muthtalib ibn Hashim was the Prophet’s half-brother. Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ahdul-Asad al-Makhzumi al-Qurashi was the son of the Prophet’s aunt, while his wife was named Umm Salamah. Then ‘Uthman ibn Mazh’un al-Jumahiy al-Qurashi and his two brothers, Qudamah and ‘Abdullah, and al-Argam ibnul-Argam al-Makhzumi al-Qurashi.

Another early convert to Islam was Khalid ibn Sa’id ibnul-‘Ash ibn Umayyah ibn ‘Abdu Shams al-Umawi al-Qurasyi. Khalid’s father was a prominent leader of the Quraish. If he was late to treat a guest, then the Quraish rushed to treat his guest out of respect for his position. At first Khalid ibn Sa’id dreamed in his sleep as if he was going to fall into a deep pit, but he was helped by the Messenger of Allah to safety. The next day he came to the Messenger of Allah and asked, “What is it that you are calling for, O Muhammad?” The Prophet replied, “I am calling you to worship Allah alone with whom there is no partner. You should cease from what you are now doing, which is worshipping idols that cannot hear or see and cannot cause harm or benefit, and you should do good to your parents. Thou shalt not kill thy son for fear of poverty; thou shalt not commit adultery, either openly or in secret; thou shalt not kill a soul whom Allah hath forbidden to be killed except for a just cause; and thou shalt not approach the property of an orphan except with a better purpose until the orphan reaches the age of majority; thou shalt give just weights and measures: thou shalt be just in thy judgments when it is thy duty to judge, even against thy own kin; and thou shalt fulfill thy covenant with him with whom thou hast made a covenant.” Finally Khalid ibn Sa’d converted to Islam, and from then on Khalid’s father was very angry, so he punished Khalid so that he was not given food. Since he was not fed by his parents, he went to see the Messenger of Allah and was always with him. He left his parents to live with the Messenger of Allah in the suburbs of Makkah. It was not long before his brother ‘Amr ibn Sa’id followed him into Islam.

Thus the noble people converted to Islam. At that time the Prophet had no power that could be used as a weapon to pressure them to obey him in a state of surrender. The Prophet also had nothing to please them so that they were willing to leave their parents to follow the Prophet and eat the surplus wealth owned by the Prophet. In fact, most of those who converted to Islam consisted of people who were much richer than the Messenger of Allah himself, such as Abu Bakr, ‘Uthman, Khalid ibn Sa’id. As for the followers of the Messenger of Allah who consisted of slaves, they preferred to be hurt, hungry, and live in difficulty. If they had followed their masters, their life in this world would have been more enjoyable and pleasant for them. It was due to the guidance of Allah swt. and the emergence of the light of Islam in their hearts that they realized the misguidance they had been doing, and they followed the guidance of the Prophet voluntarily.

THE DELIVERY OF THE CALL OPENLY

For several years the Prophet did not dare to make his appeal in the public gatherings of the Quraysh, and the Muslims were still unable to make their worship visible for fear of the bigotry of the Quraysh. Any Muslim who wanted to perform his worship was forced to go outside the city of Makkah, and there they prayed in secret.

When about thirty people had converted to Islam, circumstances forced the Prophet to gather with them in order to convey his guidance and teachings to them. So to realize this goal the Prophet chose the house of Al-Argam ibnu Abul-Argam as a place to gather. They consisted of the people we have mentioned earlier. However, for some time the Messenger of Allah continued to broadcast his message secretly and secretly until His words were revealed:

So convey openly all that is commanded you and turn away from those who polytheists. (Q.S. 15 Al-Hijr: 94)

Since the revelation of the verse, the system of da’wah in secret was changed to da’wah openly in order to carry out Allah’s commands because it was sure of His promise and help. The Prophet climbed Shafa Hill, then called out. “O Banu Fihr, O Banu ‘Addi.” The call was addressed to the tribes of Quraysh. Hearing the call, if anyone did not have the opportunity to attend the call, he sent his messenger to see what was happening. At that time Abu Lahab ibn ‘Abdul-Muthtalib and the people of Quraysh were present. Then the Messenger of Allah said to them, “O people, what would you think if I told you that a cavalry was about to attack you beyond the valley, would you believe me?” They replied, “Yes, we have never seen you lie.” Then the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said, “Verily I am a warner to you in the presence of a severe punishment.” Then Abu Lahab said, “Woe to you, is this all you have gathered us for?” Then Allah revealed His words regarding Abu Lahab, namely:

Perish the two hands of Abu Lahab and surely he will perish. It will not avail him anything of his wealth and what he has labored for. Later he will enter into a raging fire. And (so will be) his wife, the bearer of firewood, around whose neck is a cord of coir. (Q.S. 111 Al-Lahab: 1-5)

What is meant by “a carrier of firewood” is walking while swearing, because Abu Lahab’s wife always slandered the Prophet by accusing him of being a maker of lies. She said this in front of a group of women. After this incident, the following words were revealed to the Messenger of Allah. The following words:

And warn your nearest relatives. (Q.S. 26 Ash-Shu’ara: 214)

The “nearest relatives” referred to in the above verse are Banu Hashim, Banu Muthtalib, Banu Naufal, and Banu ‘Abdusy Shamsy, who are the grandchildren of ‘Abdu Manaf.

And humble yourselves to those who follow you, the believers, if they disobey you (Q.S. 26 Ash-Shw’ara: 215-216).

“They” refers to the Prophet’s family and his relatives.

So say, “I am not responsible for what you do.” (Q.S. 26 Ash-Shu’ara: 216)

Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) fed them and said, “Verily, a ruler does not lie to his kinsmen. By Allah, if all men were to lie, I would not lie against you: and if all men were to deceive you, I would not deceive you. By Allah, there is no God but He, I am indeed Allah’s messenger to you in particular and to mankind as a whole. By Allah (if you obey me), you will surely die as one who sleeps, and you will surely be resurrected as one who wakes up from sleep, and you will surely be judged according to what you have done, and you will surely be rewarded: good with good and evil with evil. Verily, the reward will be an everlasting paradise or an everlasting hell.”

After the people heard these words of the Messenger of Allah, they talked about it softly except for his own uncle, Abu Lahab, who was the sworn enemy of the Messenger of Allah. At that time Abu Lahab said, “Seize him before all the Arabs gather with him. If you surrender to him, you are despised, and if you defend him, we will fight you.” Immediately Abu Talib replied, “By Allah, we will defend him as long as we live.” Finally everyone dispersed.

When the Messenger of Allah launched his da’wah openly, the Quraysh mocked him and made fun of him whenever they met. Whenever the Messenger of Allah passed by them, they would say. “This is the son of Abu Kabsyah who speaks words from the sky.” Sometimes they would say, “This is Abu Talib’s servant who speaks words from the sky.” The words they spoke were no more than that. However, when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) began to revile their idols and make fools of their wise men, and said to them, “By Allah, O people, indeed you have deviated from the religion of your forefather Abraham,” their blood rose and their ignorant fanaticism burned because the worship of their forefathers was insulted. Then they went to Abu Talib, the leader of Banu Hashim who had always protected the Prophet from his enemies. They asked Abu Talib to give up his guarantee and protection of the Messenger of Allah so that they could act freely against him, or Abu Talib to prevent what he had always said. However, Abu Talib refused their request gently and they dispersed.

After that incident, the Messenger of Allah continued to preach and no one could obstruct his wishes. This eventually increased the hatred and hostility of the Quraysh towards him. For this reason, they recommended among themselves to antagonize the Messenger of Allah. When they had reached an agreement, they went back to Abu Talib and said, “You are the oldest and most respected of us, and we asked you to prevent your nephew. But you did not prevent him. Surely we can no longer bear to hear his revilings of our fathers, and his foolish words against our wise men, and his revilings of our idols.” When they cited the reason for following in the footsteps of their ancestors and refusing to follow the right invitation put forward by the Messenger of Allah, the Messenger of Allah mocked them because they did not want to use the reason that had been given to them by Allah. Allah swt. has given them. In this regard Allah says:

And when it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has sent down,” they say, “No, but we follow only what we have learned from our fathers” (will they follow) even though their fathers knew nothing and were not guided? (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 170).

When it was said to them, “Come follow what Allah has revealed and follow the Messenger!” They say, “Sufficient for us is what we have found our fathers doing.” And will they follow their fathers even though they knew nothing and were not guided? (Q.5. 5 Al-Maidah: 104) :

And when it is said to them, “Follow what Allah has sent down,” they say, “No, but we follow only what we have found our fathers doing.” And would they follow their fathers even if the devil were to call them to the torment of a burning fire? ‘a-nymph (hell)? (Q.S.31 Lugman: 21)

In connection with the explanation of their false argument, Allah swt. says:

“We have found our fathers a religion, and we are those who have been guided by following in their footsteps”. (Q.S. 43 Az-Zukhruf: 22)

When Allah likened their situation to that of the previous ummah in hjjah for reasons that showed their bigotry and denial, Allah swt. narrated this through His words:

(“Would you have followed him even if I had brought to you a religion more guiding than that which you found your fathers following?” They said, “We deny the religion which you were sent to convey.” (QS. 43 Az-Zukhruf: 24)

When the Quraysh people reasoned following the footsteps of their fathers, this resulted in their fathers being labeled by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as unreasonable and unguided. This caused their malice to flare up even more. Then they said to Abu Talib, “You should prevent him or we will beat him, and be careful in this matter. Let it be so that one of us may perish.” Then they left. After his people had gone, Abu Talib felt heavy, but he also did not like to see his nephew insulted. Therefore he said, “O my nephew, indeed the Quraysh have come to me. They have said this to me. I beg you to take care of yourself and do not burden me with things that I am not able to do.” When he heard his uncle’s words, the Prophet suspected that his uncle had underestimated him, so he immediately replied: “By Allah, O Uncle, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand to make me abandon this matter, I will not do so until Allah reveals it (wins it) or I perish in its defense.” After that the Messenger of Allah wept as he left. So Abu Talib called out to him, “O my nephew, come here.” So the Messenger of Allah came forward, and Abu Talib said to him, “Go and say whatever you like, by Allah I will not surrender yourself (to them).”

PAINFUL TREATMENT

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) experienced a lot of hurtful and violent treatment from the polytheists, especially when he went to perform his prayers at the Ka’bah. The group of people who often inflicted painful treatment on the Messenger of Allah was the group called Mustahziin. They were called by this nickname because they were the ones who hurt the Prophet the most. Their leader and the harshest was Abu Jahal, whose real name was “Amr ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi al-Qurasyi. One day he said, “O people of Quraish, indeed Muhammad as you have seen for yourselves, he has denounced your religion, and has reviled your gods, fooled the clever among you, and has reviled your fathers. Now I swear that I will impose upon him a great stone of great weight. Whenever he prostrates himself in prayer, I will crush the stone on his head. At that time you may leave me alone or take my side, after that let the Banu ‘Abdu Manaf (family of the Messenger of Allah) do as they wish with him.” The next day Abu Jahl took a large stone according to what he had said yesterday, then he sat waiting for the arrival of the Messenger of Allah (saws). The Messenger of Allah went to pray as usual, while the Quraysh were in their meeting house waiting to see what Abu Jahl would do. When the Messenger of Allah prostrated himself, Abu Jahl immediately lifted the large stone and headed towards the Messenger of Allah. However, when he was close to the Messenger of Allah, he suddenly stepped back and his face turned pale from shock, then he let go of the stone in his hand and ran. The people of Quraysh who witnessed this rushed to him and they said, “What is the matter with you, Abul Hakam?” Abu Jahal replied, “When I was about to do as I told you, after I had come close to him, suddenly a camel of a size I had never seen before appeared. Then the camel wanted to eat me.” The incident was narrated to the Messenger of Allah. He said, “It was the angel Gabriel. Had Abu Jahl come close to me, Jibril would have eaten him completely.”

Abu Jahl often prevented the Messenger of Allah from praying at the Ka’bah. One day he said to the Messenger of Allah after seeing him praying at the Ka’bah, “Didn’t I forbid you to do that here?” Then the Messenger of Allah spoke harshly to him and threatened him. After hearing the answer from the Messenger of Allah, Abu Jahal said, “Are you threatening me while I am the most influential person in this valley?” Then Allah swt. revealed His word as a threat addressed to Abu Jahal, namely:

Behold, if he does not cease (from doing so), We will surely pull his head, (i.e.) the head of the one who denies and disobeys. So let him call his people (to help him), then We will call the angel of Zabaniyah, never, never obey him, and bow down and draw near (to Allah). (Q.S. 96 Al ‘Alag: 15-19)

Among the painful treatment experienced by the Messenger of Allah is as reported by Imam Bukhari through Companion Ibn Mas’ud r.a. in this hadith narration Companion Ibn Mas’ud relates: When we were with the Messenger of Allah in the Masjid al-Haram, and the Messenger of Allah was praying, Abu Jahl said, “Is there not a man who wants to get some camel dung from Banu Fulan, and then he wants to throw it at Muhammad who is praying?” Then ‘Ugbah ibnu Abu Mu’ith ibnu Abu ‘Amr ibnu Umayyah ibnu ‘Abdusy Shamsy stood up and brought the camel dung and threw it at the Prophet who was prostrating. At that time, none of the Muslims in the mosque was able to remove the dung from the Prophet’s body because they were still weak and unable to fight their enemy. The Messenger of Allah remained in prostration until his daughter, Fatima, came and cleaned the dirt and threw it away. After bar “gun from prostration, he immediately prayed to curse the people who did the bad deed. The Prophet said in his prayer, “O Allah, send down your curse on a group of Quraysh,” then he mentioned some people. Ibn Mas’ud continued, “Then I saw them all killed in the Battle of Badr.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari)

Among the incidents experienced by the Messenger of Allah from Abu Jahal is the following: Abu Jahl bought some camels from a man known as Al-Arashi, but Abu Jahl always delayed payment. Then Al-Arashi went to the gathering of the Quraysh with the intention of asking them for help so that he could take the price of his camels from Abu Jahl. They showed him to the Messenger of Allah so that he could collect it from Abu Jahl. In fact, they intended to mock the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) because they were aware of the behavior of the accursed one towards him, while Al-Arashi was completely unaware of what had happened between the Messenger of Allah and Abu Jahal. Al-Arashi took their advice and came to the Messenger of Allah and asked for his help in collecting his debt from Abu Jahal. The Messenger of Allah went out with him until he reached Abu Jahl’s house, then the Messenger of Allah knocked on Abu Jahl’s door. From inside the house, Abu Jahl asked, “Who are you? The Prophet replied, “Muhammad.” Abu Jahl came out, while his face looked pale. The Prophet said to him, “Give this man his due.” Abu Jahl replied, ‘do not go yet, I will take it.” Then the Messenger of Allah waited until he received Al-Arashi’s receivables. Then. the people of Quraysh said to him, “Woe to you, O Abdul-Hakam, we have never seen you treat him so well. “Abu Jahl immediately replied, “Woe to you, dem’ Allah, when he knocked on my door, I suddenly heard a terrible sound. I was terrified, and suddenly there was a male camel on my head, the size of which I had never seen before.”

Among the people who insulted and ridiculed the Prophet was Abu Lahab ibnu ‘Abdul-Muthtalib, the Prophet’s uncle. His insults were much more painful than those of others. Abu Lahab often threw dung at the door of the Prophet’s house because he was the Prophet’s neighbor. The Messenger of Allah cleaned up the dirt he threw and said, “O Banu ‘Abdu Manaf, what kind of neighbor is this?” Abu Lahab’s wife also participated in doing bad deeds like what her husband did. She was known as Umm Jamilah bint Harb ibn Umayyah. She often insulted the Prophet and gossiped about him, especially after the revelation of Allah’s word about her and her husband, Surah Al-Lahab.

Among those who insulted the Prophet was ‘Aqabah ibn Mu’ith. ‘Agabah was the Prophet’s second neighbor, and he often did the same things that Abu Lahab did to the Prophet. One day he organized a wedding party. He invited all the honorable people of the Quraish, including the Messenger of Allah. Then the Messenger of Allah said to him, “By Allah, I will not eat your banquet until you believe in Allah and recite the Shahada.” The incident was heard by Ubay ibn Kalaf al Jumahi al-Qurashi, a close friend of ‘Agabah. Ubay asked him, “What has happened to you?” ‘Agabah replied, “It’s nothing, it’s just that an honorable man attended my feast, but he wouldn’t eat my food unless I recited the Shahada. I would be very embarrassed if someone who attended my party left my house without eating my food. Therefore, it is recommended that I recite the shahada.” Then Ubay said to him, “I forbid myself to meet you if you meet Muhammad, then you do not step on his neck and spit in his face and slap his face.” When ‘Agabah saw the Messenger of Allah, he immediately did as Ubay had said. The words of Allah swt. were revealed in connection with what ‘Aqabah did:

And (remember) the day (when) the wrongdoer bit his hands and said, “O that I had taken the Way with the Messenger. “It is a great misfortune for me that I did not make so-and-so my intimate companion. (Q.S. 25 Al-Furgan: 27-28)

Among the harshest treatment that this wretched man (‘Ugbah ibnu Abu Mu’ith) did to the Prophet was as narrated by Imam Bukhari in his Sahih, viz: When the Prophet was praying at Hijir Isma’il, suddenly ‘Ugbah ibnu Abu Mu’ith came. Then he put his cloth on the Prophet’s neck, then he strangled him very hard, but then came Companion Abu Bakr, then Companion Abu Bakr grabbed ‘Ugbah’s shoulders and pulled him away from the Prophet. Then Companion Abu Bakr uttered His words: “Would you kill a man because he says: ‘My Lord is Allah’ when he has come to you with revelations from your Lord?” (Q.S. 40 Al-Mu’min: 28) (Hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari).

Among those who insulted the Prophet was Al-‘Ash ibn Wail as-Sahmiy al-Qurashi, the parents of ‘Amr ibn ‘Ash. He was known to be very hostile to the Messenger of Allah and he once said, “Muhammad has deceived his companions that they will be brought back to life after death. By Allah, nothing can destroy us but time.” So Allah revealed His words in response to the accusation made by Al-‘Ash ibn Wail, namely :

And they say, “This life is nothing but the life of the world, we die and we live, and nothing destroys us but time,” and they have no knowledge of that: they are nothing but conjectures. (Q.S. 45 Al-Jatsiyah: 24)

Once Al-‘Ash ibn Wail owed a debt to Khabbab ibnul Art, one of the Muslims. Khabbab collected it, but Al-‘Ash said to him, “Does not Muhammad, whose religion you now embrace, suppose that in Paradise there is all that its inhabitants desire in gold, or silver, or clothes, or servants?” Khabbab replied, “It is true. “Then Al-‘Ash said, “If that is so, wait for me until that day. I will be given wealth and children, and I will pay my debt to you.” Then Allah swt. revealed His words:

Then have you seen the one who disbelieved in Our verses and said, “Surely I shall be given wealth and children”! Has he seen the unseen, or has he made a covenant with the Most Gracious Lord? No, We will write down what he says, and We will indeed prolong the punishment for him, and we will bequeath what he says, and he will come to Us alone. (Q.S. 19 Maryam: 7180)

Among those who insulted the Messenger of Allah was AlAswad ibnu ‘Abdu Yaghuts z-Zuhriy al-Qurasyi. He was from Bani Zahrah, the Prophet’s maternal uncle. When he saw the companions of the Prophet coming, he would say, “Great kings have come to you,” with the intention of mocking them, because they looked very simple and their clothes were full of patches, while their lives were poor. He would often say to the Messenger of Allah in a sarcastic tone, “Are you not speaking from the sky today?” Another person who often insulted the Messenger of Allah was al Aswad ibnu ‘Abdul-Muthtalib Al-Asadiy, the son of Khadija’s uncle. He and his group, when they met the Muslims passing by them, winked at each other with the intention of mocking the Muslims. In surah At-Tathfif, verses were revealed regarding their behavior, namely the words: ,

Indeed, the sinners are those who laugh at the believers. And when the believers pass before them, they wink at each other. And when the sinners return to their people, they return with joy. And when they see the believers, they say, “Surely they are the misguided ones.” (Q.S. 83 At-Tathtif/ AlMuthaffin: 29-32)

Another one who insulted the Messenger of Allah was Al-Walid ibnul-Mughirah, Abu Jahal’s uncle. He was one of the great men of Quraysh and lived a luxurious life. One day he heard the Qur’an being recited by the Messenger of Allah and he said to his people, the Banu Makhzum, “By Allah, I have just heard from Muhammad a speech that is neither the speech of man nor of the jinn. Verily it has beauty and brilliance: verily (it is like a tree) its top is full of fruit and beneath it (its roots) are very fertile: and verily it is very high and none surpasses it. “So the people of Quraysh said, “By Allah, Al-Walid has indeed converted to the new religion (Islam). Undoubtedly the Quraishites will all convert to the new religion.” Then Abu Jahl said to them, “Calm down, it is enough for me in your stead to awaken him. “Then Abu Jahl went to his house. Arriving at Al Walid’s house. he sat before him in sorrow and spoke to him with words that burned the spirit of his ignorance.

When Al-Walid heard Abu Jahl’s incitement, he immediately got up and went straight to the Quraysh, then he said to them, “You accuse Muhammad of madness, have you ever seen him ramble (mad)? You have said that he is a fortune teller: have you ever seen him tell fortunes? You have accused him of being a poet, have you seen him recite poetry?

You have accused him of being a liar, have you ever experienced/seen him lying in any way?” All these questions they answered, never. Then they asked, “If that is so, then what has he become?” Al-Walid thought for a moment, then said, “He is none other than a sorcerer. Have you not seen him often separating a man from his wife, children and servants?” Upon hearing this answer from Al-Walid, the people cheered with such joy that the hall where they were meeting seemed to tremble with the sound of their excitement. Allah revealed His words in connection with this attitude of Al-Walid addressed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him):

Let me act towards the one whom I have created myself. And I made for him great wealth, and children who are always with him, and I spread out for him (sustenance and power) with great spaciousness, then he is eager for Me to increase it. But I will not increase it, for he opposes Our verses (the Quran). I will make him climb an arduous ascent. Verily he has thought and decreed (what he decreed), so woe to him! How is it that he decrees, then he thinks, then he frowns and scowls, then he turns away (from the truth) and boasts, then he says, This (Quran) is nothing but magic learned (from the ancients), this is nothing but the words of men.” I will root him into Sagar (hell). (Q.S. 74 Al-Muddatstsir: 1126)

Another of His words revealed in connection with Al-Walid is:

And do not follow any man who swears much, who reproaches much, who slanders much, who obstructs much good, who transgresses much, who sins much, who is stiff-necked, and who is notorious for his wickedness because he has (much) wealth and children. When Our verses are recited to him, he says, “These are the fables of the ancients.” Later We will mark him on his trunk. (Q.5. 68 Al-QGalam: 10-15)

Hallaf means to swear a lot or to swear easily. We think this verse serves as a warning to those who swear frequently.

Mahin means despicable, and the meaning of this verse is the one who likes to lie because the one who often lies is insulting himself.

Hammazin means much reproach and evil.

Masysyain binamimin means having the habit of transferring words among people with the aim of inciting (pitting).

‘Utullin means rigid and harsh.

Zanim means very despicable and notorious for evil.

Al-khurthum is a kinayah (figurative word) expression about insulting and degrading. Because the face or face is the most honorable member of the human body, while the most noble part of the face is the nose, the Arabs always use it to show expressions that mean greatness, such as al-anafah which means greatness of the soul. Making a mark (tatoo) on the most honorable member points to the meaning of insulting and degrading.

Another person who insulted the Messenger of Allah was An-Nadhr ibnul-Harith al-‘Abdari from among the Banu ‘Abdud Dar, and ‘Abdud-Dar was the son of Qushay. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was in an assembly to preach and warn them, and what he said seemed to strike a chord with them, An-Nadhr got up and said: “O people of Quraysh, come here; I am better than he at speaking.” Then An-Nadhr began to tell them the story of the Persian kings, whereas An-Nadhr had previously known what the Messenger of Allah had spoken to them about. Then he said, “Muhammad’s talk is nothing but the fables (myths) of the ancients.” So Allah swt revealed His word in connection with this attitude of An-Nadhr, namely:

And among men (there are) those who use useless words to mislead (people) from the way of Allah without knowledge and make a mockery of the way of Allah. They will have a humiliating punishment. And when Our verses are recited to him, he turns away arrogantly as if he had not heard them, as if there were plugs in his ears: so give him glad tidings of a grievous punishment (Q.S. 31 Lugman: 6-7).

All those whom we have mentioned are those who will surely be punished by Allah swt. as mentioned by His words:

Verily, We have preserved you from those who make fun of you, those who think that there are other gods besides Allah: then they will know the consequences. (Q.S. 15 Al-Hijr: 95-96)

Allah swt. has specified His threat through His earlier words (Al-Hijr) to know that His threat actually happened considering that the Surah is Makkiyah, while their destruction, happened after the Hijrah. Some of them were killed, such as Abu Jahl, An-Nadhr ibn Harith, and ‘Ugbah ibn Abu Mur’ith. Some died because of a calamity that Allah inflicted upon them in the form of a severe illness so that they died after experiencing great suffering. Those who died from a severe illness so that they died after experiencing great suffering. Those who died of disease were such as Abu Labab, al-‘Ash ibn Wail, and Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah.

HAMZAH CONVERTED TO ISLAM

Some of the painful treatment of the Quraysh was the cause that prompted Hamzah ibn ‘Abdul-Muthtalib, – the Prophet’s uncle, to convert to Islam.

Hamzah’s bigotry was ignited when one day he was reproached by some women for keeping silent when Abu Jahal harmed his own nephew (i.e. the Messenger of Allah.) Immediately he went to meet the wretched man, and he scolded and cursed him, saying, “Why do you revile Muhammad, while I embrace his religion? Then Allah gave him the light of conviction in his heart so that he became the best person in Islam and the most passionate about the Muslims, and the strongest in his hostility towards the enemies of religion so that he was nicknamed Asadullah (Tiger of Allah).

Just as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was treated harshly by his people, the Companions were treated the same way because they followed the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Especially the Companions who did not have families that could protect them from enemy attacks. All the painful treatment was underestimated by them because they realized that their attitude was approved by Allah SWT. Their belief in Islam remained strong and unwavering and was not subject to slander. Allah swt, upheld their faith so that eventually He perfected His religion in their hands, and they eventually became kings of the earth where previously they were weak people as mentioned in His word:

And We were about to give bounty to the oppressed of the earth and to make them rulers and to make them inheritors (of the earth). (Q.S. 28 AlQashash: 5)

Allah swt. realized what He had intended.

Among those who were harmed in the way of Allah was the Companion Bilal ibnu Rabbah. He used to be a slave belonging to Umayyah ibn Khalaf al-Jumahi al-Qurasyi. Umayyah ibn Khalaf put a rope around Bilal’s neck, then he gave him to children to play with. Bilal, however, continued to say, “Ahad, Ahad,” and did not pay any attention to what he was going through. He continued to glorify Allah. On a very hot day Umayyah went with Bilal to a desert that consisted only of sand so hot that if meat were placed on it, it would surely be cooked. Then Umayyah ordered his men to place a large stone on Bilal’s chest. Then he said to Bilal, “You will remain in this state until you die unless you disbelieve in Muhammad. Then return to worshipping Latta and ‘uzza.” However, Bilal only said, “Ahad, Ahad.”

The Companion Abu Bakr passed by and he saw Bilal in this state. Then Abu Bakr said, “O Umayyah, do you not fear Allah for this poor man? How long will you torture him?” Umayyah replied, “You have ruined him.” Abu Bakr’s friend helped him. He bought Bilal from Umayyah’s hand and freed him immediately. Furthermore, Allah swt. revealed His word in connection with this Umayyah, namely:

So We warn you of a blazing hell. None enter therein but the wretched, who deny (the truth), and turn away (from faith). And the most pious person will be kept away from it, who spends his wealth (in the way of Allah) to purify it, while no one gives him a favor that he should repay, but (he gives it solely) out of seeking the pleasure of His Lord Most High. And in the future he will indeed be satisfied. (Q.S. 92 Al-Lail: 14-21)

Al-asyqa means the one who is wretched, and it refers to Umayyah ibnu Khalaf.

Al-atqa means the most pious, and it refers to the Companion Abu Bakr.

Walasaufayardha means that he will truly get satisfaction from the reward given to him by Allah, in the hereafter, as a reward for his good deeds.

With the above verses, Allah has reminded us that the wealth that the Companion of Abu Bakr had donated to buy Bilal and then set him free, was none other than for the pleasure of Allah swt. It was enough for the Companions of Abu Bakr to have this honor and virtue.

In addition, Companion Abu Bakr r.a. had also freed other slaves except Bilal, then they converted to Islam, but their former masters denounced this act. Among those freed by Companion Abu Bakr r.a. were Hammamah, the mother of Companion Bilal, and ‘Amir ibnu Fuhairah. ‘Amir ibnu Fuhairah was tortured by his employer so that he did not realize what he was saying. Abu Bakr r.a had also freed another slave named Abu Fuhaihah. Before he was bought, he was a slave belonging to Shafwan ibn Umayyah ibn Khalaf.

Another who had been freed by the Companion Abu Bakr was a woman named Zanirah. She was tortured for embracing Islam until her eyes were blinded, but this only increased her faith. Abu Jahl once said, “Do you not wonder at the behavior of them (the Companions) and their followers. Had what was brought to Muhammad been good, they would not have been able to precede us in believing in him. Is it appropriate for Zanirah to precede us to that guidance?” Then Allah swt. revealed His words :

And the disbelievers said to the believers, “If he (the Quran) were good, they would not have preceded us in believing in him.” And since they are not guided by it, they will say, “This is an old lie.” (Q.S. 46 Al-Ahgaf: 11)

Among the other slaves freed by Companion Abu Bakr after he had first bought them was Ummu ‘Unais. ‘Unais had previously been a slave girl belonging to the Banu Zahrah, and the one who often tortured her was Al-Aswad ibnu ‘Abdu Yaghuts.

Among those who were tortured for embracing Islam were ‘Ammar ibnu Yasir and his brother, father and mother. They were tortured with fire, then the Messenger of Allah came to them and said:

Be patient, O family of Yasir, for verily paradise is your place. O Allah, forgive the family of Yasir, indeed they are facing a severe trial. ‘Ammar’s father and mother both died while in torment. While ‘Ammar himself, because he could not stand the harsh and persistent torture, was finally forced to utter the sentence of disbelief. Before that Abu Jahl had put ‘Ammar in armor, and it was so hot that ‘Ammar could not bear the heat, so he uttered the words of disbelief. The Muslims said, “Ammar has disbelieved.” However, the Prophet replied that ‘Ammar was filled with faith from the top of his boat to the soles of his feet. In connection with this incident Allah swt. revealed His word as an exception in the law of apostasy, namely:

Whoever disbelieves in Allah after he has believed (will incur the wrath of Allah), except the one who is forced to disbelieve while his heart remains calm in faith (he will not sin), but the one who expands his chest for disbelief, then the wrath of Allah will be upon him and for him a great punishment. (Q.S. 16 An-Nahl: 106)

Another person who was harmed for embracing Islam was Khabbab ibnul-Art. In the Age of Jahiliyyah he was a prisoner, then bought by Umm Ammar. He was a blacksmith, and Muhammad often visited him before he became a prophet. When Allah swt. appointed him a prophet, Khabbab ibnul-Art immediately converted to Islam.

His employer once tortured him with fire: he took a piece of smoldering iron and put it on his back. However, this did not shake Khabbab’s faith, rather it increased his faith. One day Khabbab came to see the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who was lying on his cloak in the shade of the Ka’bah. Then he said, “O Messenger of Allah, do you not pray for our victory?” Hearing this question, the Prophet immediately got up and his face turned red (indicating anger, pen.) and said:

Verily, among those who were before you someone was flayed with a comb made of iron between the flesh and the bone, and some had a saw placed in the middle of their head and split it, but that did not turn them away from their religion. And surely Allah will reveal (win) this religion (Islam) so that a traveler setting out from Shan’a to Hadhralmaut will have no fear except of Allah and of the wolves over his sheep.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said this because he was under severe pressure from the polytheists, which could not have been foreseen by any clever or wise person that there was a future of strength or happiness waiting behind it. It was nothing but a revelation that was revealed to him. Then Allah swt. revealed His words to strengthen the faith of the believers, namely:

Alif laam miim. Do people think that they will be allowed to say, “We have believed,” while they will not be tested? Indeed We have tested those before them, so surely Allah knows those who are truthful, and surely He knows those who lie. (Q.S. 29 ‘Ankabut: 1-3)

Another person who was harmed in the cause of Allah was the Companion Abu Bakr Shiddig. When the pressure exerted by: the polytheists against him became increasingly severe, he determined to make the hijra from Makkah to Abesinia (present-day Ethiopia). Then he set out to carry out his intention.

When he reached an area known as Barkul Ghimad, he met Ibnud-Daghmah, the leader of a large tribe, the Al-Garah tribe. Ibnud-Daghnah asked him, “Where are you going, O Abu Bakr?” The Companion Abu Bakr replied, “My people have driven me away, so I intend to wander the earth and worship my Lord.” Ibnud-Daghnah said, “A person like you should not be expelled. Verily you are one who likes to help the poor, establish ties of kinship, bear burdens, entertain guests, and help the afflicted. So I am the one who protects you. Now return to the land of your blood, and worship your Lord in your land.” Then Abu Bakr returned while Ibnud-Daghnah went with him. Ibnud-Daghnah went around visiting the leading men of the Quraish saying to them.” A man like Abu Bakr should not be expelled. Would you expel a man who likes to help the poor, always connects the family ties, likes to bear burdens, likes to entertain guests, and likes to help the afflicted?”

No one challenged the assurance given by Ibnud-Daghnah. Then they said, “Order Abu Bakr to worship his Lord in his house only. Let him pray as he pleases, and let him recite whatever verses he likes. But let him not harm us, nor let him show himself off, for indeed we fear that our women and children may be provoked by him.”

Then Ibnud-Daghnah conveyed this to Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr stayed in his house, worshipping his Lord, and he did not emphasize prayer and recitation of the Qur’an except in his own house, in accordance with what they asked. Eventually Abu Bakr had the idea of building a langgar in his courtyard. Then he realized his intention. From then on he began to pray and read the Quran in the langgar. Whenever Abu Bakr prayed and recited the Qur’an, the women of the polytheists and their children would gather around because they were amazed at what Abu Bakr was doing, and they were happy to see what he was doing. Suhabat Abu Bakr used to cry when reciting Al-Guran. The leading men of the Quraish were surprised to see this, so they sent a messenger to Ibnud Daghnah.

When the envoys of Quraysh met Ibnud-Daghnah, they said, “We have protected Abu Bakr on your assurance on the condition that he should worship his Lord in his house only. However, he went beyond that. Now he has built a mosque in the courtyard of his house: he emphasizes his prayers and recitations in the mosque. Indeed, we feared that our women and children would be taken in by his incitement. If he wants to worship his Lord in his own courtyard, he may do so. If he disobeys and insists on asserting himself, then take back your guarantee from him. Indeed we do not like to violate the guarantee you have given, nor do we like Abu Bakr to assert himself.”

Ibnud-Daghnah went to Abu Bakr and said, “You must have known the agreement I had made to guarantee your security. Either you limit yourself to these conditions, or you return my guarantee. Verily, I do not like it when the Arabs hear that I have broken my promise to one whom I promised to give protection to.”

The Companion Abu Bakr replied, “I now return to you the protection, and I am willing to take refuge only in Allah.”

This is according to the hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari. This was ultimately the first cause that resulted in the Companion of Abu Bakr being subjected to very painful treatment on the part of the polytheists. In conclusion, none of the Muslims were safe from the harsh treatment of the polytheists. However, all of them crumbled before the firmness and greatness of their faith. Indeed, they entered Islam not because of any worldly goal that they hoped to attain so that they could easily fall back into apostasy. Rather, they were people who were guided by Allah swt. to discover the essence of faith. Thus, everything that hindered them was very easy for them to go through.

The disbelievers of Quraysh saw that the hurtful treatment they were inflicting was not getting any results; in fact, every time the Muslims came under pressure, their conviction and faith grew stronger. So they agreed to hold a council among themselves. Then said to them a man known as ‘Atabah ibn Rabi’ah al-‘Abshamiy from the Banu ‘Abdusy-Syama a respected man among his people, “O people of Quraysh may I go to Muhammad, then I speak to him to offer some things? Hopefully he will accept some of them, then we will give him these things, then he will prevent himself from us.” They replied, “O Abul-Walid (nickname ‘Atabah), go, and speak to him about it.”

‘Atabah went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) who was praying. Then ‘Atabah said, “O son of my brother, indeed, you are among us, as you yourself know, a person of honorable lineage and position. Indeed, you have come to your people with a great matter. You have divided their unity, and you have made fools of their clever men, and you have denounced their gods and their religion, and you have ing:kar against their fathers. Now listen to my words, I offer you some things for your consideration, perhaps you will accept some of them.” The Messenger of Allah (S) replied, “You may say, O Abul-Walid, I will listen.”

Abul-Walid said, “O son of my brother, if with what you have brought you want wealth, we will gather it from our possessions for you so that you will be the richest among us. If you desire position, we will make you our leader until we dare not decide a matter without your blessing. If you desire a kingdom, we will make you our king. If the thing (revelation) that comes to you is a disturbance from the jinn that you are unable to expel from yourself we will seek a physician for you, and for that we are ready to sacrifice our wealth so that you are cured of the disturbance. Indeed, sometimes a person cannot overcome his affliction except by treatment.”

Then the Messenger of Allah said, “Are your words enough, Abul-Walid.” Abul-Walid replied, “Yes.” The Messenger of Allah said to him. “Now you listen to me.” Then the Messenger of Allah recited the first verses of Surah Fushshilat:

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Haa miim. Revealed from God, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful. A Book whose verses are explained, that is, recited in Arabic, for a people who know, which brings glad tidings and a warning, but most of them turn away (from it): so they do not listen. They say, “Our hearts are in the cover of what you call us to, and our ears are plugged, and between us and you there is a wall, so work you. Indeed we are working (too). Say, “Verily, I am but a man like you, and it was revealed to me that your Lord is the One Lord, so keep to the straight path leading to Him, and seek His forgiveness. And great is the misfortune of those who associate partners with Him, (i.e.) those who do not pay the alms, and they disbelieve in the Hereafter. Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds will have an uninterrupted reward.” Say, “Surely it is proper for you to disbelieve in the One Who created the earth in two periods and you have made partners for Him? (Such) is the Lord of the worlds.” And He created on the earth a mountain, a mountain firmly established on it. He has blessed it, and He has determined for it the amount of food for its inhabitants in four periods. (This explanation is an answer) for those who question. Then He went to the creation of the heavens, and they were still smoke, so He said to them and to the earth, “Come both of you to My command willingly or unwillingly.” So they said, “We come willingly.” So He made them seven heavens in two periods, and He revealed to each of them its affairs. And We adorned the near sky with brilliant stars, and We preserved it well. Such is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. If they turn away, then say, “I have warned you with thunderbolts, like the thunderbolts that struck the people of ‘Aad and the people of Tsamud.” When messengers came to them from before and from behind (saying), “Do not worship other than Allah,” they said, “If our Lord willed, He would have sent down His angels, so indeed we disbelieved in the revelation which you were sent with.” (Q.S. 41 Fushshilat: 1-14)

Then ‘Atabah covered the Prophet’s mouth with his hand and begged him to stop his recitation for the sake of the relationship between him and the Prophet. After ‘Atabah returned, the Quraysh asked him. He said, “By Allah, I have heard a speech which I have never heard compared to it. By Allah, it is neither poetry, nor divination, nor magic. O people of Quraysh, be obedient. I beg you to take him under my protection. Let him (Muhammad) and what he is doing, and (if you do not like) do not associate with him. By Allah, indeed in the words I have just heard there is great news. If he is defeated by the Arabs (other than the Quraish), then you do not have to struggle with him, only with people other than you. If it turns out that he is victorious over the other Arabs, then his triumph will be the same as your triumph. They said, “Indeed you have been affected by Muhammad’s magic: ‘Atabah said, “This is only my own opinion.” After that the Quraysh invited the Messenger of Allah to worship what they worshipped, and they would also worship what the Messenger of Allah worshipped. Then Allah swt. revealed His word in connection with this event, namely:

Say, “O disbelievers! I will not worship what you worship. And you are not worshippers of the God I worship. And I have never been a worshipper of what you worship, nor have you been a worshipper of the Lord I worship. For you is your religion, and for me, my religion.” (Q.S. 109 Al-Kafirun: 1-6)

Do not think that I will grant your request to commit polytheism against Allah.

After that incident they despaired of persuading the Prophet. Finally, they asked the Messenger of Allah to stop reciting the Qur’an which contained the reproach of their idols because they hated it so much. Then they asked the Prophet to read the Qur’an other than that or replace it with something else. In response to their request Allah swt. revealed His words.

Say, “It is not proper for me to replace it from my own side. I do not follow except what is revealed to me. (Q.5. 10 Yunus: 15)

There was a rare incident between the Messenger of Allah and the Quraysh. The incident can be used as a lamp for people who underestimate the weak drang. One day the Messenger of Allah was facing the leaders of the Quraish tribe in order to invite them to convert to Islam while expounding the Quran and the teachings of Islam to them. At the same time, “Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum, who was blind in both eyes, came to him. He was among the first to convert to Islam. At that time the Prophet was busy dealing with the leaders of Quraysh, and this time the Prophet saw them so friendly that the Prophet was eager to invite them to Islam. ‘Abdullah said to the Prophet, “O Messenger of Allah, teach me what Allah has taught you.” ‘Abdullah continued to make this request until it became too much for the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah did not like ‘Abdullah to interrupt his conversation because he was worried that if his attention was turned to serving the poor ‘Abdullah, it would cause them to be antipathetic to Islam. Finally, the Prophet decided not to respond to him. So His words were revealed as the Qur’an for his attitude, namely:

He (Muhammad) became indignant and turned away because a blind man had come to him. Do you know that perhaps he wanted to cleanse himself (of sin), or perhaps he wanted to be taught, and the teaching benefited him? As for the one who thinks he has enough, you serve him. But there is no blame on you if he does not purify himself. And as for the one who comes to you hastily (for instruction), while he fears (Allah), you ignore him. (Q.S. 80 ‘Abasa: 1-10)

After this incident, the Prophet did not dare to be indignant towards the poor. Whenever ‘Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum came to him, the Prophet always greeted him with the words:

Welcome the one who caused me to be reprimanded by my Rabb. When the polytheists saw that their demands were not being accepted, they intended to use another method, which was to ask the Messenger of Allah to produce evidence that they thought he would not be able to do. They agreed to do so, and they said to the Messenger of Allah: “O Muhammad, if you are truly a messenger, show us a miracle which we ask you to perform, that is, that you should split the moon into two parts.” So Allah gave a miracle. “So Allah gave this miracle to the Messenger of Allah and the full moon was split into two parts. Then the Messenger of Allah said: “Behold.” The Hadith about this story was narrated by the Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, who was one of the earliest converts to Islam, and this Hadith was narrated by him through many channels. The Hadīth concerning this story was also reported by Companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas r.a. and other Companions. Then it was narrated by them through many narrators so that this tradition is equal to a mutawatir tradition. This event is also mentioned in His words:

The time was near, and the moon was split open. (Q.S. 54 Al-Gamar: 1)

When the disbelievers saw this great miracle, some of them said: “Surely you have been affected by the magic of the son of Abu Kabsyah.” So Allah revealed another of His words, viz:

And when they (the polytheists) see a sign (miracle), they turn away and say, “(This is) continuous magic.” (Q.5. 54 Al-Gamar: 2)

Then they asked the Messenger of Allah to perform other miracles. They asked for this nothing but because of their disbelief and hardheartedness. Among the requests they made was the one mentioned in Surah Al-Isra’:

We will not believe you until you bring forth springs of water from the earth for us, or you have an orchard of dates and grapes, and you run rivers through the clefts of the orchard of water, or you drop the heavens in pieces upon us as you say, or you bring Allah a house of gold, or you ascend to the heavens. And we will not believe in your ascension until you send down upon us a book which we read.” (Q.S. 17 Al-Isra’: 90. 93)

However, Allah swt. did not grant their request but only answered their request through the next words, namely :

Say, “Glory be to my Lord, am I not but a man who is a messenger?” (Q.S. 17 Al-Isra’: 93).

Allah knew that what was in their hearts was nothing but ignorant bigotry and denial. Even if clear miracles were brought to them, they would still not believe as mentioned in His words

And what is it that tells you that when miracles come (to the polytheists they will believe, no) they will not believe. (Q.S. 6 Al-An’am: 109)

How can we expect to gain favor from those who dare to say the following things, which are as described by His words:

O Allah, if this (Quran) is true from Your side, then rain on us stones from the sky, or bring upon us a painful punishment (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 32).

They did not say “if this (the Quran) is indeed from You, then guide us to it.” This was the custom of the prophets whenever they saw signs of disbelief in the hearts of those who asked for miracles to be revealed. They asked for them only for the purpose of making fun of them. So the prophets did not ask Allah to reveal the miracles they asked for so that their disbelieving people would not be destroyed like what happened to the Tsamud and other people who disbelieved in their prophets. This is what is meant by His words

And nothing has prevented Us from sending (to you) the signs (of Our power), except that the former people have denied them. (Q.S. 17 Al-Isra’: 59)

This was experienced by the Messiah a.s., when he was brought before Herod the Emperor. Herod asked him to perform a miracle, but the Messiah a.s. did not grant his request. Then Herod and his men began to make fun of him. Afterward Herod returned the Messiah to Pilate, his enemy, after Herod had despaired of his request being granted, even though he had been eager to meet the Messiah. The account of this event is given in the 23rd chapter of Luke’s Gospel.

Thus, when the polytheists saw that they were no longer able to confront the Muslims with arguments, they resorted to other tactics, namely by using force and weapons as the people of Prophet Abraham had done with Prophet Abraham. They said as revealed in His word:

Burn him (Prophet Abraham), and help your gods. (Q.S. 21 Al-Anbiya: 68)

The steps taken by the polytheists against the Companions intensified their pressure on everyone who converted to Islam. They acted in this way to dissuade people from following the Messenger of Allah. They never left any opportunity to torment the Muslims. Finally the Prophet said to his Companions, “Scatter yourselves over the earth. Verily, Allah will gather you back one day.” Then they asked the Prophet which direction they should take. So the Prophet signaled to them to leave for Habsyah (Ethiopia).

THE FIRST HIJRA TO ABESINIA

At that time the Muslims began to prepare themselves to leave the land of their blood and leave their possessions to save their religion in accordance with what the Prophet had signaled. This event was the first hijra performed by the Muslims from the city of Mecca. The number of those who made this hijra was ten men and five women. They were Companion ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan and his wife, Rugayyah bint Rasulullah: Abu Salamah and his wife, Umm Salamah, and his brother Abu Sabrah ibn Abu Rahm and his wife, Umm Kalthum: Amir ibnu Rabi’ah and his wife Laila: Abu Hudzaifah ibnu ‘Atabah ibnu Rabi’ah and his wife, Sahlah bint Suhail: ‘Abdur Rahman ibnu ‘Auf: Uthman ibnu Mazh’un: Mush’ab ibnu ‘Umair, Sahl ibnu Baidha, and Az-Zubair ibnul-‘Awwam. Most of them were members of the Quraish tribe, while the leader of the journey according to the narration given by Ibn Hisham was ‘Uthman ibn Mazh’un. They traveled to Abesinia (Ethiopia) under the blessing of Allah swt. When they reached the shore, they hired a boat that could take them to their destination. They arrived in Abyssinia safely, and settled in the land in safety and security free from the encroachments of the mu’rishis. Thus the Muslims who were left behind with: UMAR’S ENTRY TO ISLAM.

At the time when the Muslims were making the first hijra to Abesinis, the famously strong and mighty man ‘Umar ibn: Khaththab al-Adawiy al-Qurashi. Previously he had hated the Muslims with a passion, and was known to be the harshest in hurting them. One of the women who had migrated to Abyssinia with her husband recounted that ‘Umar was the harshest on them because they had converted to Islam. “As I was riding my vehicle to Abyssinia, I suddenly met ‘Umar on the way. Then ‘Umar asked, ? Where are you going, Ummu ‘Abdillah? I replied, You have harmed us in our religion, so we are going to the land of Allah where we are not harmed. Then ‘Umar said, ? May Allah be with you. When ‘Amir, my husband, came after me, I told him about ‘Umar’s gentle manner. So my husband said, You are hoping for his Islam, by Allah, he will not enter Islam until Al Khaththab’s donkey enters Islam first.” ‘Amir said this based on his knowledge of ‘Umar who was so harsh and cruel to the Muslims. He was fortunate to receive the blessing of the Prophet’s prayer because before ‘Umar converted to Islam, the Prophet had prayed:

O Allah, strengthen Islam with ‘Umar’s conversion.

‘Umar converted to Islam in the house of Al-Argam ibn Abul Argam, the gathering place of the Muslims. Allah swt. had proved the blessing of ‘Umar’s Islam to be what the Prophet had hoped for, so much so that the Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud once said, “We have remained victorious since ‘Umar entered Islam.” This is what was stated by Imam Bukhari. ‘Umar once asked the Messenger of Allah to show his prayers in the mosque, so the Messenger of Allah did what he suggested.

The Quraysh were very sad when they saw ‘Umar’s conversion to Islam, and they then agreed to kill him. They surrounded ‘Umar’s house, waiting for him to come out. Suddenly, however, came Al-‘Ash ibn Wail as-Sahmiy from among the Banu Sahm, an ally of the Banu ‘Addi, ‘Umar’s people. He came with gold jewelry and a silk robe, and he asked ‘Umar: “What has happened to you?” ‘Umar replied: “Your people intend to kill me if I convert to Islam.” Al-‘Ash said, “They will not be able to harm you for I will protect you. “Then Al-‘Ash went out of the house. He saw that many people had filled the valley. He asked, “Where are you going?” They replied, “We intend to arrest Ibnul Khaththab who has embraced the new religion.” Al-‘Ash replied, “I will not allow you to touch him.” Finally the people dispersed and returned to their homes.

THE RETURN OF THE MUHAJIRIN FROM ABESINIA

Three months after the Muslims had migrated to Abesinia, they returned to Makkah. They found it very difficult to stay in Abyssinia, for they were few in number. However, most of them longed for their homeland. Moreover, they were prominent people from the Quraish, and they had brought their wives with them, so they did not feel at home in a foreign land under such circumstances.

However, some historians were tempted by a story, which they used as the reason for the return of the Muhajirs from Abyssinia. The story says that they heard that their people had converted to Islam when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, recited to them surah An-Najm. The story mentions that at that time the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) spoke good words about their idols. He said this after reciting His words:

So do you (O polytheists) consider the lata and the ‘uzza and the third manah, the latest (as daughters of Allah)? (Q.S. 53 An-Najm: 19-20).

In this story it is mentioned that the Prophet said, “The high angels are to be looked up to.” Then the polytheists bowed down to idols of manat (statues of these angels, etc.) to express their joy.

This narration is only reported by those who are short-sighted, who are in the habit of simply quoting every story they come across without testing its veracity. In the following we present to the reader the nagli and agli proofs that prove the nullity of this story. In short, the sanad and matan of the story are very weak. With regard to the sanad, al-Gadhi ‘Iyadh says in Ash-Shifa that the valid sanad of this story has not been narrated by anyone from among the ahlus-sunnah, nor has it been narrated by anyone who is trustworthy with the correct sanad. As for the text, it is certain that neither the companions of the Prophet nor the polytheists were mad until they heard the praise between the reproaches, then they left it alone.

Later in the story it is said that after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had mentioned their idols with good names, he said:

These are nothing but names which you and your fathers have invented: Allah has not revealed any information for their worship. (Q.5. 53 An-Najm: 23)

From this it is clear that there is no connection between this verse and the previous verse (if understood according to the version of the story, pen.), even though the two verses are very closely related. Had this been the case, the disbelievers would have used it as their hyijah to beat the Muslims when they were arguing with them. The polytheists are people whose disbelief we know. They try their best to argue even with weak arguments, and even more so with this argument. It is no less an accusation than what people such as the narrator of the story have said, so that they are labeled by Allah through His words in Sūrat al-Bagarah as people who are not of sound mind, which is what is mentioned in the following words:

Those who are of unsound mind among the people will say, “What has turned them (Muslims) away from their qiblah (Baitul Magdis) to which they used to turn?” (Q.S. 2 AlBagarah: 142)

Indeed, it has never been heard of any of those who were leaders in opposing the Messenger of Allah saying to him, “Why do you revile our gods after you have praised them?” We think that this hyjjah was enough for them to face the Messenger of Allah rather than using the sword and sacrificing many of their lives.

It should be noted that the historians quoted the phrases of this story as a reason why the Muslims who migrated to Abyssinia dared to return to Makkah. Then, in the midst of this discussion, they said that they made the migration to Abyssinia in the month of Rajab, then they returned in the month of Shawwaj. Sūrat Najm was revealed in the month of Ramadan, and the interval between its revelation and the return of the Muhajirs was only one month.

However, whoever pays attention to what they say, even if only for a moment, will undoubtedly conclude that one month was not enough to travel back and forth from Makkah to Abyssinia. This is because at that time there were no motorized ships that could allow one to travel on the sea quickly. And there was no telegram that could quickly convey the news of the Quraysh’s conversion to Islam to the Muslims in Abyssinia. It would not be strange to say that the story was a figment of the imagination of those who wanted to destroy Islam. Alhamdulilah, Allah has granted us the grace that Al-Guranul-Karim, which cuts between us and any instigator of lies, is still preserved. In the same surah Allah swt. also says, namely:

And nothing he (the Quran) says is according to the whim of his lust. (Q.S. 53 An-Najm: 3)

What Satan has taught us includes the worst kind of narration: how could the Messenger of Allah have uttered it, or would he have dared to say anything that would cast doubt on the revelation? However, it turned out that the incitement launched by people of unsound mind was returned to them by Allah swt. so that the ruse they devised became a snare for themselves.

According to an authentic hadith, the matter of prostration is as narrated by the Companion Ibn Mas’ud. In this tradition Companion ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud relates:

When the Prophet recited Sūrat An-najm, he prostrated,

The Prophet prostrated, and those who were with him also prostrated except for one man: he took a handful of pebbles and placed them on his forehead, saying: “This is enough for me.” (Then Companion ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud continued his narration), then I saw that after that incident he was killed for apostasy.

From the meaning of the above Hadīth, there is nothing to indicate that those who prostrated with the Prophet were polytheists. Rather all we can infer from the words of Ibn Mas’ud is that the man used to be a Muslin and then the Companions of Ibn Mas’ud saw him apostatize after that. This is what happens to some weak-hearted people, who cannot bear the torture, so they become disbelievers again. Among those who did so was ‘Ali ibn Umayyah ibn Khalaf.

When the Muhajirs of Abesinia returned to Makkah, it was found that they were unable to re-enter it except those who had protectors. Abu Salamah took refuge under his maternal uncle Abu Talib, while ‘Uthman ibn Mazh’un took refuge under Al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah who was now willing to protect him again. At first Al-Walid had withdrawn his guarantee from ‘Uthman. When ja saw the polytheists harming the Muslims, he gave back his guarantee. He was not happy that he was living well while his brothers were living in torment.

THE WRITING OF THE CALIPHATE

After the disbelievers of Quraysh ran out of tricks against the Messenger of Allah and his followers, they offered the Banu ‘Abdu Manaf, which included the Messenger of Allah, a large amount of blood money. They were willing to pay the diat on the condition that the people of Banu ‘Abdu Manaf would hand over the Messenger of Allah into their hands. However, the Banu ‘Abdu Manaf refused the offer. Then they offered Abu Talib an honorable young man from among them to be his adopted son, and ja handed over the Messenger of Allah to them. Abu Talib spontaneously replied, “How strange your attitude is, you give your son so that I educate him and feed him in exchange for you, while I have to give up my son for you to kill.”

When they reached a deadlock, they agreed to ostracize Banu Hashim and Banil-Muththalib, both of whom were the grandchildren of ‘Abdu Manaf. Then they expelled Banu Hashim and Banil-Muththalib from the city of Makkah, then cut off economic relations with Banu Hashim and Banil-Muththalib. They would not trade with them unless they handed over Muhammad to them to be killed. Their actions did not stop there, they even wrote this sanction on a piece of caliphate, then they placed the caliphate in the Kaaba.

Eventually Banu Hashim joined Abu Talib’s block which was later followed by Banil-Muththalib because of this sanction. Whether Muslims or disbelievers, everyone from Banu Hashim and Banil-Muthtalib joined Abu Talib’s block where the Prophet was, except Abu Lahab. Abu Lahab sided with the disbelievers of Quraysh. Ja ignored the reproaches hurled at him by his half-brothers, ‘Abdusy-Syams and Naufal who were both from Banu ‘Abdul Manaf.

After this sanction, all the people were subjected to famine so that they were forced to eat leaves. Meanwhile, their enemies prevented others from entering into trade relations with them. The fiercest of these was Abu Lahab.

THE SECOND HIJRA TO ABESINIA

After the Prophet and his people had entered Abu Talib’s block, the Prophet ordered the Muslims to emigrate to Abyssinia, so that in large numbers they could help each other in exile. So the majority of the Muslims emigrated. There were an estimated eighty-three men and eighteen women. Among the men were Ja’far ibn Abu Talib and his wife, Asma bint ‘Umais, Al-Migdad ibn al-Aswad, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, ‘Ubaidullah ibn Jahsh and his wife, Umm Habibah bint Abu Sufyan. Then followed those from the land of Yemen who had converted to Islam. They were the Ash’ariyin, namely Abu Musa and his people.

When the polytheists of Quraysh heard the news of the migration of the Muslims, they sent ‘Amr ibnul-‘Ash and ‘Ammarab ibnul-Walid to King Negus with gifts. They did so to persuade him to hand over the Muslims to them, but they returned to Makkah empty-handed. All they found when they spoke to him was contempt, for he did not like to break the promises he had made to those who sought his protection.

As for the Banu Hashim, they remained in Abu Talib’s block for about three years in a state of famine and deprivation, not a single morsel of food reaching them except by stealth.

ANNULMENT OF THE CALIPHATE

Then five men rose up from among the honorable men of the Quraish. They demanded that the agreement contained in the caliphate, which was unjust, be annulled. They were Hisham ibn ‘Arnr ibn al-Harith al-‘Amiri, the fiercest of the five in championing this cause, then Zuhair ibn Abu Umayyah al-Makhzumi, son of the Prophet’s aunt ‘Atikah: Al-Muth’im ibn ‘Addiy an-Naufalis AbulBukhturi ibn Hisham al-Asadi: and Zam’ah Ibnul-Asad al-Asadi. They held an agreement on this matter in the evening. The next day they set out, then Zuhair circumambulated the Ka’bah carrying gold jewelry. People came to him. Then he said, “O people of Makkah, are we willing to eat our fill and dress to our heart’s content, while Banu Hashim and Banil-Muththalib are starving? They cannot trade at all. By Allah, I will not sit down and rest my chin until this unjust and friendship-breaking caliphate is torn up.”

Abu Jahl said, “You are lying.” But Zam’ah replied to Abu Jahl’s words, “You, by Allah, are the one who lies the most. In fact we were not willing when you wrote the shahifah.” Then Abul-Bukhturi said, “It is true what Zam’ah said.” Muth’im ibn ‘Abdi also said, “You are both right, and false is the one who says otherwise.” Then Hisham confirmed what his companions had said. So al-Muth’im ibnu ‘Abdi stood up to go to the place where the shahifah was hung to tear it up. However, when he arrived at the place he found that it had been eaten by termites: nothing was left but the name of Allah which was still intact.

However, before this the Prophet had informed Abu Talib, his uncle, about the termites that had eaten the caliphate. After the caliphate was annulled, the exiled people returned to their homes after a long period of suffering.

THE MESSENGER FROM NAJRAN

After the Messenger of Allah was free from the exile, there came to him a messenger from the Christians of Najran. They had heard the news about the Messenger of Allah from the Muslims who were migrating to Abyssinia. They rushed to meet the Messenger of Allah so that they could see firsthand the attributes of the Messenger of Allah, and then they adjusted them to what was found in their holy book. There were approximately twenty men. So the Messenger of Allah recited to them the Quran. Eventually they all believed. However, Abu Jahal said to them, “I have never seen a caravan more ignorant than you. Your people sent you to know the news of this man (Prophet Muhammad PBUH), but then you embraced a new religion.” They replied to Abu Jahl’s words, “May prosperity be upon you. We do not take you for fools for what you do, and we have the right to choose as we wish.” In connection with this event Allah swt. revealed His words:

Those to whom We had revealed the Book before the Quran, they believed in it. And when it was recited to them, they said, “We believe in it: surely it is the truth from our Lord; indeed, we were before him the justifiers. They were rewarded twice for their patience, and they repelled evil with good, and of that which We had sustained them, they spent. And when they hear unwholesome speech, they turn away from it, and they say, “For us our deeds and for you your deeds. Prosperity be upon you. We do not wish to associate with the ignorant.” (Q.S. 28 Al-Gashash: 52-55)

The people of Makkah, after they were unable to confront the Prophet with proofs, ended up accusing the Prophet with false accusations. Sometimes they accused him of being a magician, sometimes of being a liar or a madman, and sometimes of being a fortune teller. All of this is just a description of a weak person who denies until his denial makes him feel no shame in saying the following things as revealed by His words:

O Allah, if this is the truth from You, then rain upon us stones from the sky, or bring upon us a painful punishment (Q.9. 8 Al-Anfal: 32).

SITI KHADIJAH R.A. PASSED AWAY

After the Messenger of Allah (saws) came out of isolation, not long after, namely three years before the hijrah to Medina, Siti Khadijah r.a. died. After that the Messenger of Allah often mentioned her and connected his friendship. It is not strange that the Messenger of Allah did so because Siti Khadijah’s soul was very clean, and she was the first to believe in what was conveyed to the Messenger of Allah from his Rabb. The Messenger of Allah had many children from her, in fact all the children of the Messenger of Allah were from Siti Khadijah, except Ibrahim. Among the Prophet’s children from Siti Khadijah was Zainab. Zainab is the biggest daughter. Then Zainab was married by Abul-‘Ash ibnur-Rabi’ during the Age of Jahiliyah. From the results of this marriage Zainab had a daughter named Umamah, who was later married by Companion ‘Ali ibnu Abu Talib after Siti Fatima died.

Among the Prophet’s other children were Rugayyah and Umm Kalthum, both of whom were married by Companion ‘Uthman ibnu ‘Affan. Siti Ruqayyah was married by him in Makkah before the hijrah. When Companion ‘Uthman migrated to Abyssinia, he took her with him. While Siti Ummu Kalthum married him in Medina after his brother died first.

The youngest child of the Prophet was Siti Fatimah az-Zahra. Siti Fatimah was married by Companion ‘Ali ibnu Abu Talib. In addition, Siti Khadijah was blessed with other children: they died while still young. After the Prophet’s death there was no one living among his children other than Siti Fatimah who lived for some time after the Prophet’s death.

When Siti Khadijah died, the Messenger of Allah was very sad because Siti Khadijah was very gentle, a place of complaint and a bulwark for the Messenger of Allah from the treatment of the disbelievers, because Siti Khadijah had an honorable position in her family environment, namely Banu Asad, so that the disbelievers did not dare to do anything careless with her husband, the Messenger of Allah.

Among the sons of the Messenger of Allah from Siti Khadijah was AlQasim so that the Messenger of Allah was called Abul Qasim (father of AlQasim). Another son of the Prophet was ‘Abdullah, nicknamed Ath-Thayyib and Ath-Thahir.

MARRIAGE WITH SITI SAUDAH

After Siti Khadijah died, and still in the same month, the Messenger of Allah married Siti Saudah bint Zam’ah al’Amiriyah al-Qurashiyah after her husband and cousin named As-Sakran ibnu ‘Amr died. Siti Saudah was a woman who believed in Allah and His Messenger. Her principles were different from all her relatives and her uncle’s children. She migrated with her husband to Abyssinia for fear of temptation. Her Hijrah was the second Hijrah to Abyssinia.

However, upon returning from her hijrah, it was not long before her husband died. There was no better alternative for the Prophet than to marry the ex-wife of someone who believed in him. Had the Prophet left Saudah with her people who were hard on the Muslims and hated Islam, they would have slandered her. Similarly, considering her noble descent among her people, she did not want to marry a man of lesser descent and position.

MARRIAGE WITH SITI ‘AISYAH

A month later the Messenger of Allah married Siti ‘Aisha bint Abu Bakr, who was no more than seven years old at the time. The Prophet never married a virgin other than Siti ‘Aisha. The Prophet only married her after being in Medina, while with Siti Saudah he married her while still in Makkah.

After Siti Khadijah died, a month later his uncle, Abu Talib, also died. Abu Talib was the one who always protected the Prophet from the treatment of his enemies. Even though Abu Talib never denied the Messenger of Allah for what was brought to him, in fact he believed in the truth, he did not say the Shahada until the end of his life. In this regard, Allah revealed His words:

Verily, you cannot guide those whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills, and Allah knows better those who will receive guidance. (Q.9. 28 Al-Gashash: 58)

It is only his great deeds that he has done against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that we ask Him for leniency. The non-Muslimization of Abu Talib and most of the Messenger’s relatives contains a clear wisdom because if they had immediately followed the Messenger, there would have been people who said that they were people who sought influence and pride that they did not have, so they made up.

After the disbelievers and their followers found out that the followers of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) consisted of other people, not his family, and sometimes even his former enemies like ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan of the Banu Umayyah, they did not have the slightest proof to accuse the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) except with false allegations when they were pressed and had no other reason, such as their saying that Muhammad was a sorcerer who divides a man from his wife. Sometimes they say that Muhammad was a fortune teller who could predict the supernatural.

The Prophet named the year his wife and uncle died as ‘amul huzn (year of sorrow). After Abu Talib died, the polytheists of Quraysh were able to exert pressures on the Prophet that they had not exerted while Abu Talib was alive. The pressure that they exerted grew more and more severe every day so that they dared to sprinkle earth on his head while he was walking, and they once put goat dung on the body of the Messenger of Allah while he was praying.

One day the disbelievers of Quraysh pulled the body of the Messenger of Allah among themselves and said, “Are you the one who wants to make many gods into one God?” At that time no one from among the Muslims who witnessed the incident, dared to come forward to free the Messenger of Allah from their clutches because the Muslims at that time were still very weak. Finally, the Companion Abu Bakr came forward boldly and said to them, “Do you want to kill a man who only says, My Lord-Allah?”

HIJRA TO THAIF

When the Messenger of Allah saw that the people of Quraysh began to insult him, he intended to go to the people of Banu Tsagif in the city of Thaif. The Prophet went to Thaif with the intention of asking for their help and assistance to face his people until he could fulfill the command of Allah, the Almighty, which was to spread the message of Islam. The people of Thaif lived near the city of Makkah, and the Prophet was related to them because Hashim ibnu ‘Abdu Manaf’s mother, ‘Atikah as-Sulamiyyah, was from Banu Salim ibnu Manshur, and these Banu Salim were the halif (allies) of Banu Tsaqif.

The Prophet left for Thaif in the company of his former slave, Zaid ibnul-Haritsah. Arriving in Thaif, the Prophet was welcomed by the leaders of Thaif. They were three, namely ‘Abdu Yalil, Mas’ud, and Habib, all sons of ‘Amr ibn ‘Umair ats-Tsagafiy. The Prophet then stated the purpose of his visit, which was to ask them to help him so that he could fulfill his mission. However, they rejected the Prophet’s request with a bad refusal, and the Prophet did not see any signs of goodness in them. At that very moment the Messenger of Allah asked them not to broadcast it so that the Quraysh would not know about it. If the Quraysh had known about this, their pressure would have increased because they would have known that the Messenger of Allah had enlisted the help of the people of Thaif to antagonize them.

However, the people of Tsagif did not want to fulfill what the Messenger of Allah expected, on the contrary, they sent their fools and children to line up along the road and pelt the Messenger of Allah with stones. As a result of this treatment, the Messenger of Allah suffered bleeding wounds. At that time Zaid ibnul-Haritsah was always a shield for the Messenger of Allah from stone throwing. Finally the Messenger of Allah came to a vine tree with shrubs, then took shelter under it. The vine was located next to the garden belonging to ‘Atabah and Shibah. Both were sons of Rabi’ah, and they were enemies of the Messenger of Allah. At that time they were in the garden. Seeing them there, the Messenger of Allah did not like it, but he could only pray with the following words:

O Allah, verily I complain to You about my weak strength and my insignificance in the eyes of men, O Most Merciful of the merciful, You are the Rabb of the weak, and You are my Rabb, to whomsoever You surrender me as long as You are not angry with me, then I do not care about that. When the two sons of Rabi’ah saw the Messenger of Allah saying this prayer, they felt sorry for him. Then they sent grapes to the Messenger of Allah through ‘Addas, their former Christian slave. When the Messenger of Allah began to eat it, he said bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim (by mentioning the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful). ‘Addas said, “That has never been said by the people of this country.” Then the Messenger of Allah asked, “What country are you from, and what is your religion?” ‘Addas replied, “I am a Christian from Neinewi.”) The Messenger of Allah said, “Then you are from the village of a righteous man, Jonah ibn Matta (Matthew).” ‘Addas asked in astonishment, “Who taught you about Jonah?” Then the Messenger of Allah read to him the Quran in which the story of Jonah was told. When ‘Addas heard this, he immediately converted to Islam.

After that, the angel Gabriel came with a message from Allah swt. Then the angel Gabriel said, “Allah has commanded me to do to you what you wish for your people because of what they have done to you.” However, the Prophet only prayed:

O Allah, guide my people for they are ignorant.

Hearing the prayer uttered by the Messenger of Allah, the angel Gabriel said, “It is right that people call you a gentle and compassionate person.”

When the Messenger of Allah was in Nakhlah, a group of jinn came to him to listen to the recitation of Al-Guran. They were the jinn from the time of Prophet Moses a.s. When they heard the recitation of the Qur’an, they came to listen to the recitation of the Qur’an. When they heard the recitation of the Qur’an from the Messenger of Allah, they returned to their people to warn them. They told their people about the Messenger of Allah. Then Allah swt. revealed His words in relation to them, namely:

And (remember) when We presented a group of jinn to you who were listening to the Quran, so when they attended the recitation (of it), then they said, “Be silent (to listen to it).” When the recitation was finished, they returned to their people (to) warn them. They said, “O our people, we have heard the Book that was sent down after Moses, confirming the previous Books and leading to the truth and the straight path. O our people, accept (the call of) those who call to Allah, and believe in Him, surely Allah will forgive your sins and deliver you from a grievous punishment. And he who does not accept (the call of) those who call to Allah, he will not be able to escape the punishment of Allah on the earth’ and there is no protector for him but Allah. They are in manifest error.” (Q.S. 46 Al-Ahqaf: 2932)

Allah swt. has told us a long story about these jinn in the surah Al-QQur’an, which is also named after them. The beginning of the surah says:

Say (O Muhammad), “It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn have listened to the Quran, and they said, “We have listened to a wondrous Quran, (which) guides to the right path, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate anyone with our Lord….” (Q.5. 72 Al-Jin: 1-2)

TAKING REFUGE IN AL-MUTH’IM IBNU ‘ADDI

When leaving Thaif for Makkah, the Messenger of Allah could not simply enter the city of Makkah because the Quraysh had known that he had gone to Thaif to seek the help of its people to confront them. The Prophet sent a messenger to Al-Muth’im ibnu’Addi ibnu Naufal ibnu ‘Abdu Manaf, informing him that he would enter the city of Makkah under his protection. Al-Muth’im granted the request, and is and all his sons took up arms to welcome the Messenger of Allah. After the Messenger of Allah arrived, Al-Muth’im took him to circumambulate the Ka’bah, informing the people that the Messenger of Allah was under his protection.

Some of the mugyrikin said, “O Muth’im, are you his protector or his follower?” Al. Muth’im replied, “I am his protector.” They said, “If this is so, then your guarantee will not be violated.”

MESSENGER OF DAUS

There came to the Messenger of Allah, who was then back in Makkah, the messenger Ath-Thufail ibn ‘Amr ad-Dausi from the tribe of Daus, the family of the famous Companion Abu Hurairah. Ath-Thufail was a respected man among his people. He was a wise man and a poet. When the Messenger of Allah recited the Quran to him, he immediately converted to Islam. Then the Prophet said to him, “Go to your people and invite them to Islam.” The Messenger of Allah prayed for him: “O Allah, guide the people of Daus.”

Then Ath-Thufail returned to his people and invited them to Islam. Eventually many of them converted to Islam thanks to Ath-Thufail’s preaching. Later on, a delegation from them would come to the Messenger of Allah a second time, but the Messenger of Allah at that time had already migrated to Medina, and Aththufail and his people met the Messenger there.

ISRA’ AND MI’RAJ

Before the Prophet made the hijrah to Medina, Allah swt. first honored him with the Isra’ and Mi’raj events. Isra’ means the journey made by the Prophet at night from Makkah to Baitul Magdis in Jerusalem, then still on that night also returned to Makkah. As for mi’raj, it means the ascension of the Prophet to the heavenly realm.

The majority of scholars, ahlus-sunnah wal-jama’ah, are of the opinion that this was done by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his glorious body. Siti “Aisha r.a. forbade people from saying that Muhammad had seen his Lord. She said: “Whoever says that Muhammad saw his Lord is telling a great lie against Allah”).”

The story of Isra’ is explained in the Qur’an as follows

Glory be to Allah, Who made His servant travel one night from the Sacred Mosque to the Sacred Mosque, which is blessed in its surroundings, that We might show him some of Our signs. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Q.S. 17 Al-Isra’: 1)

As for the story of al-Mi’raj, it has been clearly mentioned in a sahih hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim through Companion Abas ibnu Malik r.a. Furthermore, this hadith was quoted by Al-Qadhi ‘Iyadh in the book Ash-Shifa. Companion Anas ibn Malik r.a narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

I was given the vehicle of al-burag, ja is an animal larger than a donkey, but not as big as a mule, it can reach as far as the sight of his eyes. (Then the Prophet continued the story), then I rode the vehicle al-burag until it reached Bait-ul-Magdis, then I moored him where the prophets used to moor their vehicles. Then I entered the Masjid al-Agsha and prayed two raka’ats therein. After that I went out and the angel Gabriel came to me carrying two containers, one containing wine and the other containing milk. However, I chose milk. Then the angel Gabriel said, “You have apparently chosen al-fitrah (dinul-Islam).” Then the angel Gabriel took me up to the sky. When I arrived at the door of the sky, the angel Jibrit asked for the door of the sky to be opened, then someone asked, “Who are you?” The angel Gabriel replied, “I am Gabriel.” Then someone asked, “Who is with you?” Archangel Gabriel replied, “Muhammad.” He asked again, “Has he been sent to address Him?” Archangel Gabriel replied, “Yes, he has been sent to face Him.” Then the door opened. Suddenly the Prophet Adam appeared, then he welcomed me very warmly and he prayed for my good. Then the angel Gabriel took me up to the second heaven. Gabriel asked for the door to be opened. Then someone asked, “Who are you?” Gabriel replied, “I am Gabriel.” He asked again, “And who is the one with you?” Gabriel replied, “Muhammad.” He asked, “Has he been sent to Him?” Gabriel replied, “Yes, he has been sent to Him.” Then the door was opened. Suddenly I met two prophets, the sons of my aunt, Yahya and ‘Isa ibn Maryam. Both welcomed me warmly, and both prayed for my good. Then Gabriel took me up to the third heaven, and the angel Gabriel repeated what had been said before. Then the door of heaven was opened for us. Then suddenly I met the Prophet Yusuf, and it turned out that he had been endowed with half the handsomeness. Then he welcomed me warmly and wished me well. Then Gabriel took me up to the fourth heaven, and in repeated the original question and answer. Then the door of heaven was opened, and suddenly I met the Prophet Idris. He welcomed me warmly and wished me well. Allah has said in surah Maryam, “And We have raised him to a high dignity” (Q.S. 19 Maryam: 57). Then Gabriel took me up to the fifth heaven, and he mentioned the answer as before. Then suddenly I met the Prophet Aaron, and he welcomed me warmly and wished me well. Then the angel Gabriel took me up to the sixth heaven, and he gave the answer as before. Suddenly I met the prophet Moses, then he welcomed me warmly and wished me well. Then the angel Gabriel took me up to the seventh heaven, and he mentioned the answer as before. Suddenly I met the Prophet Ibrahim who was leaning his back against Baitul Ma’mur. It turned out that Bait al-Ma’mur was entered every day by seventy thousand angels and they did not return to it (after entering it). Then the angel Gabriel took me to Sidratul Muntaha. I found its leaves as big as an elephant’s ear and its fruit like a large barrel. So when it was covered by the command of my Rabb (covered by the Nur of Rabb), it suddenly changed. It looked so beautiful that none of Allah’s creatures could describe its beauty. Then Allah swt. gave revelation to me (directly). He obliged me and my people to pray fifty times for each day and night. Then I went down to meet Prophet Moses, and he asked, “What has your Raab made obligatory upon your people?” I replied, “Fifty prayers.” Prophet Moses said. “Go back to your Rabb, and ask for relief from Him for surely your people will not be able to do that, for I have tested and tried the Children of Israel.” (Companion Anas r.a. continued his story). So I returned to my Rabb, and I said to Him, “O my Rabb lighten the burden of my people.” Then He reduced the obligation by five prayers. After that I returned to Prophet Moses, and I said that He had reduced it for me by five prayers. Prophet Moses said, “Indeed your people will not be able to do that, so you should return to your Rabb, to ask for relief from Him (Companion Anas r.a. continued the Prophet’s story.) At that time I was still pacing back and forth between my Rabb and Prophet Moses until finally Allah swt. decided His case through His words: “O Muhammad, verily the obligations are five prayers for each day and night: for each prayer (in place of) ten (prayers), the whole becomes fifty prayers. And whoever intends to do a good deed and then does not carry out his intention, one good deed shall be written for him. And whoever intends to do a good deed and then does it, the reward of ten times the good deeds will be written for him. And whoever intends to do a bad thing, and then does not do it, it is not written on him anything. And whoever intends to do a bad thing, and then does it, it is written on him the sin of one bad thing.” (Companion Anas r.a. continued the story of the Prophet). Then I went down until I reached the Prophet Moses, and I told him what I had experienced. However, he still said, “Return to your Lord, and ask Him for more leniency. So I replied: “I have gone back and forth to my Lord so that I feel ashamed of Him.” (Hadith narrated by Shaykhain through Anas ibn Malik r.a.)

That same night, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went back down to earth, and the next day he went to the place where the Quraysh had gathered. There the Messenger of Allah was visited by Abu Jahal. The Messenger of Allah immediately told him about what he had experienced last night. Before the Messenger of Allah (saw) told his story, Abu Jahl called out, “O Banu Ka’b ibnu Luay, come here all of you.” So all the disbelievers of Quraysh came together to him.

Then the Messenger of Allah told them about it. Some of them clapped their hands (mockingly) and others put their hands on their respective heads as an expression of amazement, but with a sense of denial. It turned out that the event resulted in the apostasy of those who were still weak in faith. Then the people rushed to Abu Bakr, but Abu Bakr said to them, “If it is true that the Messenger of Allah said this, surely what he said is true.” They asked, “Do you believe in his story?” The Companion of Abu Bakr replied, “Indeed I believe in him further than that.” From then on, Abu Bakr was called Ash-Shiddig.

Then the disbelievers began to test the truth of the Prophet’s story. They asked him about the specifications of the Bayt al-Magdis. At that time among them were some people who had seen the Temple Mount. The Prophet had never seen it before the Isra’ and Mi’raj events. Allah swt. revealed the Bayt al-Magdis to the Messenger of Allah so that he could describe it to them, door by door and place by place. They said, “The specifications are correct. Now tell us about our expedition.” Indeed, the convoy of their commercial expedition was at that time on its way back from the Levant. The Prophet then informed them about the number of camels used and their condition. Then he said that they would come on so-and-so’s day as the sun rose on that day, with the youngest camel at the front. On the day that the Apostle had hinted at they went out into the valley, and one of them said, “By Allah, it is true that the sun has risen.” Another said, “By Allah, it is true that the sun has risen.” The other said, “By Allah, look, our procession has come, and at the head of it is the youngest camel, just as Muhammad had reported.”

However, this fact only made them more disbelieving and arrogant so that they finally said, “This is a real act of magic.”

On the morning after the night of the Prophet’s Isra’, the angel Gabriel came to teach the Prophet how to pray and the timing of the prayer. He prayed two rak’ahs at the break of dawn, four rak’ahs when the sun slipped a little from the center, four rak’ahs when the shadow doubled its length, three rak’ahs when the sun set, and four rak’ahs when the red mega disappeared. Before the five daily prayers were made mandatory, the Prophet only prayed two rak’ahs in the morning and two rak’ahs in the evening as had been done by the Prophet Ibrahim a.s. The Prophet made an offer to the Arabian tribes of the Arabian tribes to offer them the five daily rak’ahs.

MAKING AN OFFER TO THE ARAB TRIBES

When the Messenger of Allah sensed that the Quraysh were preventing him from conveying the message of his Lord, and that arrogance and pride had taken hold of their hearts, Allah swt. wanted to reveal the matter of His religion through Arabs other than the Quraysh. The Messenger of Allah went out to visit the markets of the Arabs, which were established by the Arabs to showcase their merchandise and culture. Then the Messenger of Allah offered himself to the tribes that were present so that they would protect him so that he could fulfill the message of his Lord. Some of them rejected the offer kindly, and some of them rejected it harshly. Among the worst rejecters were the Banu Hanifah, the tribe of Musailamah al-Kadzdzab. Then Banu ‘Amir asked the Messenger of Allah that they would believe in him if he would hand over the mantle of leadership after his death. Their request was answered by the Prophet that the matter was entirely in the hands of Allah: It is He who gives it to whom He wills.

Among the people who came on pilgrimage to the Temple were Arabs from Yathrib (Medina). Yathrib is the name of the city that lies between Makkah and the Levant. Its inhabitants consisted of two tribes. One of them was the Banu AlAus, while the other was the Banu Al-Khazraj. Al-Aus and AlKhazraj were brothers, but their children and grandchildren were involved in a se. ngit enmity between them, so that there was war between the two groups without stopping. They always lived in dispute and conflict. Besides them there were also some people from among the Jews in Medina. They were the Banu Qainuqa’, Banu Quraizhah, and Banu Nadhir. At first they were the ones who ruled the city of Medina, then the Arabs fought them so that they could control it and have a power that they respected.

If the Jews were defeated, they would invoke the name of the prophet, who was now nearing the time of his sending, for victory against their enemies. However, when strife had raged among the Arabs, and their unity was broken, they made treaties with the Jews for themselves. The men of the tribe of Aus made a defense pact with the Banu Quraizhah, while those of the tribe of Khazraj with the Banu Nadhir and the Banu Qainuglqa’. The most recent battle between them and their allies was the Battle of Bi’ats. In that war many of the leaders of the Jews were killed. None of the Jewish leaders survived except ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul from among the Jews who sided with the Khazraj, and Abu ‘Amir, a Jewish monk, from among those who sided with the Aus.

Hence, based on this fact, ‘Aisha r.a. said, “The battle of Bi’ats was a battle that Allah swt. granted to the Messenger of Allah.” It came to the minds of the leaders of the Aus tribe to enter into a treaty with the Quraysh against the Khazraj tribe. They sent Iyas ibn Mu’adz and Abul-Haisar Anas ibn Rafi’ with a group from Medina to propose the treaty to the Quraysh. When they arrived in the city of Makkah, they were met by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who said to them: “Do you not wish that your arrival should be filled with good? (That is) that you should believe in Allah alone, and that you should never associate anything with Him. Indeed, Allah has sent me to all mankind.” Then the Messenger of Allah recited the Qur’an to them, and Iyas ibn Mu’adz said, “People, by Allah this is better than what we came for.”

However, his words were immediately cut off by Abul Haisar. Abul Haisar said to Iyas ibnu Mu’adz, “Leave us to our business. We did not come here for that.” So Iyas ibnu Mu’adz was silent.

THE BEGINNING OF THE ANSHAR’S CONVERSION TO ISLAM

When the season of pilgrimage to the Temple had come, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) met only six of them, all from the tribe of Khaz- raj. They were As’ad ibn Zararah, ‘Auf ibnul Harith from Banu Najjar, “Rafi’ ibn Malik from Banu Zuraig, QGathabah ibn ‘Amir from Banu ‘Salamah, ‘Ugbah ibn ‘Amir from Banu Haram, and Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah from Banu ‘Ubaid ibn ‘Addi. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) invited them to Islam and assisted him in conveying the message of his Lord. ” Some of them said to others, “Indeed he is the prophet whom the Jews used to mention against you, so let not the Jews precede you in believing in him.” Finally they believed and – believed in the Prophet (peace be upon him), then they said, “Verily we ” left you ouryn, while they were in enmity among themselves. If it turns out that God unites them through you, there will be no one more noble than you.” Then they promised the Prophet to meet him again during the pilgrimage season next year. It was this event that initiated the conversion of the Arab inhabitants of Yathrib to Islam.

THE FIRST BAI’AT AQABAH

The following year arrived. Twelve men came from among them, ten from the Khazraj clan, the other two from the Aus clan. They were As’ad ibn Zararah and ‘Auf and Mu’adz, both sons of Al-Harith: Rafi’ ibnu Malik: Dzakwan ibnu Qais: ‘Ubadan ibn Shamit, Yazid ibnu Tsa’labah, Al-‘Abbas ibnu ‘Ubadah, ‘Agabah ibnu ‘Amir, and Qathabah ibnu ‘Amir, all from the Khazraj: Abul Haitsam ibnu Taihan and ‘Uwaim ibnu Sa’idah, from the tribe of ‘Aus. They all gathered at ‘Agabah and embraced Islam and pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) like women pledge allegiance because at that time war (jihad) was not yet obligatory. They were to associate nothing with Allah, not to steal, not to commit adultery, not to kill their children, not to commit falsehood between their hands and feet, and not to disobey Allah in a good cause. If they fulfill their promise, Paradise will be their reward. If they cheat on either of them, their case is up to Allah. If Allah wills forgiveness for them, He will forgive them, and if He wills punishment, He will punish them. This bai’at was the first bai’at ‘Agabah.

Then the Prophet sent them Mush’ab ibn ‘Umair al-‘Abdari and “Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum, the sons of Khadija’s aunt, with the task of reciting the Qur’an to them and teaching them Islam. Mush’ab stayed in the house of one of the converts, Abu Umamah, whose real name was As’ad ibnu Zarrarah. Then Mush’ab actively invited the remaining Ausites and Khazrajites who had not yet converted to Islam.

When one day Mush’ab was sitting in a garden with As’ad ibnu Zarrarah, suddenly Sa’d ibnu Mu’adz, the leader of the tribe of Aus, said to Usaid ibnu Hudhair, As’ad’s half-brother, “Do you not act against those two men, who have both come to seduce the weak among us? Prevent them by you.” Then Usaid stood up drawing his short spear to meet the two messengers. However, when As’ad saw him coming, he explained to Mush’ab, “This is the leader of his people. He has come to you, so guide him in the way of Allah.” When Usaid came before the two messengers, he said, “What is it that has brought you both here that you dare to pester the weak among us? Do you two have any particular need?” Then Mush’ab said to him, “Calm down, please sit down first, then listen to what I am going to say. If you like what I am going to say, you may accept it, and if you do not like it, then I will restrain myself from doing to you what you do not like.” Then Mush’ab recited the Qur’an to him. Finally Usaid thought that Islam was good and was guided by Allah, so he recited the Shahada (conversion to Islam). Then he returned to Sa’d ibn Muw’adz. Sa’d asked him about what he had done to the two messengers of the Prophet. Usaid replied, “By Allah, I think those two men were fine after I saw them.” After receiving this answer Sa’d ibn Mu’adz became angry, so he immediately set out to meet them. Mush’ab did the same, and Allah swt. guided him so that he too converted to Islam like Usaid. Then he rejoined the people of Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal. They were one of the tribes of the Aus. He said to them, “What do you think of me?” They replied, “You are our leader and the son of our leader.” Sa’d said to them, “It is forbidden for your men and women to speak to me until you convert to Islam.” Eventually all the families of Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal converted to Islam and complied with Sa’d ibnu Mu’adz’s invitation. Eventually the religion of Islam spread to all the houses in the city of Medina, so that there was no other conversation for them except the matter of Islam.

THE SECOND BAI’AT AQABAH

In the next Hajj season, which was a year after the Bai’at ‘Agabah. First, most of them came to Makkah with the intention of performing the Hajj. Among them were those who were still polytheists. Their messenger went to the Messenger of Allah and conveyed the message that they promised to meet the Messenger of Allah at night in ‘Agabah. Then the Prophet advised them not to wake people who were sleeping soundly, and not to wait for people who were not there. All these activities were carried out in secret so that the polytheists of Quraysh would not find out. If they had known this, they would have prevented what they had agreed to do with the Messenger of Allah.

After the Ansar had performed their Hajj, they moved to the promised meeting place in secret so that their polytheist companions would not know about it. This they began to do after one-third of the night had passed (around 10:00 p.m.). They set out one by one without any fuss so that the full number of them were on the spot. There were seventy-three of them in all. Among them were sixty-two men from the Khazraj tribe, while eleven others were from the Aus tribe. With them were two women, Nasibah bint Ka’b from Banu Najjar and Asma bint ‘Amr from Banu Salamah.

The Messenger of Allah met them at the place. He was followed by Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdul-Muththalib who at that time still embraced the religion of his people, but he wanted to avoid the matter of his nephew so that he would be sure and see for himself what he would do. When they had gathered, Al-‘Abbas told them that this nephew of his was still so respected among his people that no one from among his people showed any hostility and hatred towards him and harmed him. On the contrary, it was they themselves who endured much suffering and unrest in dealing with him. Al-‘Abbas then emphasized to them, “If you are really going to fulfill your promise to him according to what you have said to him, then you must be ready to defend him from those who oppose him, ready to bear all the consequences. If you are not willing to do that, then let him be with his family, for his family is in a great position (to protect him).” Then their leader and spokesman, Al-Barra ibn Ma’rur, said: “By Allah, if we had anything to say to him, we would have said it. However, we have come here for no other reason than to fulfill our promise and to believe and be ready to sacrifice our lives for the Messenger of Allah.” Then at that moment they all said to the Messenger of Allah, “Take (from us) for you and your Lord whatever you like.” So the Messenger of Allah said to them, “I require of you, by my Rabb, that you worship Him alone, and that you never associate anything with Him. I require of you for me that you defend me as you would defend your own women and children when I come to you.”

Then Al-Haitsam ibnut-Taihan said to the Messenger of Allah, “O Messenger of Allah, there is a covenant between us and others, and we are ready to break it. What if we do so, then Allah swt. tells you to return to your people and you leave us alone?” The Messenger of Allah smiled and said, “No, but blood for blood and destruction for destruction.” That is, if they wanted to demand blood, then the Messenger of Allah would demand it: and if they wanted to waste it, then the Messenger of Allah would waste them too. Or in other words, the Prophet was ready to live with them.

From that moment on, the Bai’at began, this Bai’at was called the second Bai”at “Agabah. Then the Ansar began to pay allegiance to the Prophet according to what he asked. The first to pledge allegiance was As’ad ibn Zarrarah, but according to another opinion it was Al-Barra ibn Ma’rur. Then the Messenger of Allah chose twelve men from among them, one from each family to be their leader, nine from the Khazraj tribe and three from the Aus tribe. They were Abul-Haitsam ibnut-Taihan, As’ad ibn Zarrarah, Usaid ibn Hudhair, Al-Barra ibn Ma’rur, Rafi” ibn Malik, Sa’d ibn Khaitsamah, Sa’d ibnur-Rabi”‘, Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah, ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah, ‘Abdullah ‘Amr, ‘Ubadah ibnush-Shamit, and Al-Mundzir ibn ‘Arnr.

Then the Prophet said to them, “You are the protectors of your people just as the Hawariyin protected ‘Isa ibn Maryam, and I am the protector of my people.” However, it was the will of Allah swt. Eventually the news of this allegiance reached the ears of the Quraish polytheists. They came to the camp of the Ansar and said: “O Khazrajites, I hear that you have come to Muhammad and that you are going to expel him from our homeland, and that you have pledged allegiance to him to fight us.” The Ansar, however, denied this. The polytheists who came from Medina with the Ansar, i.e. those who did not attend the allegiance, swore to the QQuraysh polytheists that their companions on that night had gone nowhere and done nothing (because they did not know, pen.) so ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay, a leader from the Khazraj tribe said, “If indeed my people had done any of these things, they would have included me.”

THE HIJRA OF THE MUSLIMS TO MADINAH

When the Ansar returned to Madinah, Islam became more vibrant than ever. Meanwhile, Hasulullah and his companions came under even greater pressure from the polytheists because the polytheists had heard the news that the Messenger of Allah had made a treaty with the people of Medina against them. This made them even more hostile to the Prophet.

Then the Messenger of Allah ordered all Muslims to emigrate to Medina. Then they secretly be. rangkatangkat to Medina for fear of being discovered by the Quraysh. If they had known about it, they would have prevented it. The first person to leave Makkah was Abu Salamah al. Makhzumi with his wife, Umm Salamah. At first Umm Salamah’s people prevented her from following in her husband’s footsteps, but eventually they let her go along with her husband, then Umm Salamah followed her husband and left for Medina.

Successively the Muhajirins migrated to Medina while carrying their religion, so that they could worship Allah, because this was ingrained in them. They no longer cared about being separated from their beloved homeland and away from their parents and children as long as it was the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger.

At that time the Muslims who remained in Makkah were only Companion Abu Bakr, Companion ‘Ali, Companion Shuhaib, Companion Zayd, and some people who were unable to make the hijrah given their impossible conditions. Companion Abu Bakr himself was eager to migrate, but the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him, “Relax, for I am waiting for permission from Allah to do so.” Abu Bakr asked, “My father is your ransom. Are you really looking forward to that?” The Prophet replied, “Yes.” So Companion Abu Bakr curbed his desire for the sake of the Messenger of Allah (saws), understanding that he was needed by the Messenger of Allah (saws) to accompany him. However, Companion Abu Bakr did not remain silent. He gave enough food to his two camels in preparation for the vehicle in the hijrah later, and Companion Abu Bakr often did not sleep.

DARUN-NUDWAH – (COUNCIL OF THE QURAISH)

The Quraish seemed to burn their ears when they heard that the Ansar had pledged allegiance to the Prophet, ready to defend him to the death. Their leaders and warlords gathered at Darun-Nudwah, the place that Gushay ibn Kilab had originally built. It was there that every matter of the Quraysh was decided. They deliberated there to find the best way to deal with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who was now worrying them more and more.

Then one of them said, “Let us expel Muhammad from our place so that he will not trouble us anymore.” But they rejected the suggestion considering that if he went out, many people would follow him because they would be attracted by the sweetness of his speech and the eloquence of his language. Someone else said, “What if we put him in stocks as we have done with the poets before him until he meets the same fate as them, that of dying in stocks?” They rejected this suggestion because in time the news would surely reach the ears of his helpers. “We have all known the attitude of those who enter his religion, they prefer Muhammad to their own parents and children. If they hear of this, they will surely come to free him from our hands, and inevitably this will lead to war. That is definitely not what we want.” But the most wicked among them said, “No, we’d better kill him. To prevent his father’s brothers from retaliating, we will take a strong young man from each tribe. Then we told them to surround his house. If he comes out, they should all beat him together. Thus his blood is divided among each tribe. Undoubtedly the Banu ‘Abdu Manaf will not be able to fight the Quraish as a whole, rather it is certain that they will be willing only to accept blood money.” Eventually they agreed to this opinion, such was their trickery. However, they did not realize that Allah’s will is above all wills as He reveals in the following words:

The disbelievers deceive, and Allah avenges their deceit. And Allah is the best avenger of deceit. (Q.S. 8 Ali ‘Imran: 654)

Then Allah swt. informed His Prophet about their secret plan against him. God commanded the Prophet to leave immediately for the place of his migration, namely Medina. In that place the religion of Islam will spread more and in that place the position of the Prophet will be more respected and will gain its glory.

This was obviously a great wisdom because, had Islam spread at the beginning in Makkah, those who disliked Islam would have said that the Quraysh were ambitious to rule the Arabs. So they appointed someone from among them and popularized his call to Islam, so that in the end they used it as a means to achieve their goals.

However, this was not the case as the people of Quraysh were the Prophet’s sworn enemies and it was they who obstructed his invitation. They had treated him in such a painful manner that Allah swt. chose for him to separate from his homeland to get away from their evil.

THE APOSTLE OF ALLAH, PEACE BE UPON HIM. HIJRAH TO MADINAH

After the Prophet received permission from Allah swt., at that very moment he went to the house of Companion Abu Bakr. he informed him that Allah swt. had authorized him to migrate. Companion Abu Bakr asked to accompany him. The Prophet’s request was granted. The Companion of Abu Bakr offered the Messenger of Allah one of the two vehicles that he had carefully prepared for this purpose. Then he prepared the provisions for the journey as neatly as possible. All food for the journey was put into a large bag. Asma bint Abu Bakr volunteered to cut her belt in half, then tied it to the mouth of the bag of provisions.

Next, the Companions hired ‘Abdullah ibnu Uraigith from among the Banu Dail ibnu Bakr. He was an adept wayfarer, and although he was still a polytheist like the rest of the Quraysh, he was trustworthy. The Prophet and Abu Bakr handed over the vehicle to him and told him to meet them both at the Cave of Tsaur three nights later.

Having agreed, the Prophet then parted company with Companion Abu Bakr. The Prophet promised to meet outside the city of Makkah later that night.

On that night, coinciding with the execution of the Quraysh’s secret plan, young men from all the Quraysh tribes surrounded the Prophet’s house. At that time the Messenger of Allah was inside his house. When the time to go out came, the Messenger of Allah ordered his uncle’s son, Companion ‘Ali, to sleep in his bed so that the Quraysh would not suspect his departure. Indeed, they always observed all the movements of the Messenger of Allah from the cracks of the dome to investigate his whereabouts that night.

Then the Messenger of Allah wrapped his Companion ‘Ali in his burdah cloth, and he went out past the Quraysh youths who were outside the door of his house while reciting His words:

And We made before them a wall and behind them a wall, and We closed their eyes so that they could not see. (Q.S. 36 Yasin: 9)

Allah afflicted them with great drowsiness. Finally they all fell asleep so that none of them saw the departure of the Messenger of Allah.

The Messenger of Allah continued to walk without turning around until he met the Companion Abu Bakr at the promised place, then both of them continued their journey until they reached the Cave of Tsaur. Then they both hid in it. When the polytheists found out that their trickery had not worked, that they had been watching ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib all night instead of Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah, their anger grew. So they sent out their men in all directions. They offered a large reward for anyone who could capture Muhammad or show him his hiding place. Yet the Messenger of Allah had reached the Cave of Tsaur while they were looking for him. Had one of them looked at the soles of their feet, he would have seen the person they were looking for. This made Abu Bakr cry for fear of being discovered by them. However, the Messenger of Allah (saws) said to him as he recited His words:

Do not grieve, for surely Allah is with us. (Q.3. 9 At-Taubab: 40)

Allah turned their eyes away. So that none of them looked in the direction of the cave until the Messenger of Allah’s nemesis, Ummayyah ibn Khalaf, made it impossible for the person he was looking for to hide in the cave. The Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr stayed in the Cave of Tsaur for three nights until their search ceased.

“Abdullah ibnu Abu Bakr, the son of Companion Abu Bakr, prior to this event used to stay in the neighborhood of the Quraysh. He was an educated and experienced young man. When the night was almost over, that is, at the time of Suhoor, he left the Messenger of Allah and the Companions of Abu Bakr. Then in the morning he appeared in the eyes of the Quraysh so that they suspected that he was spending the night with them. He always spied on the movements of the Quraysh and intercepted all the plans of the Quraysh. Then he went to the place where the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr were when the night was dark to convey the news he had obtained.

In addition, ‘Amir ibnu Fuhairah always set out in the direction where the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr were with his sheep. When ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Bakr left the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr, then ‘Amir followed ‘Abdullah’s footsteps with his sheep so that ‘Abdullah’s footsteps would be erased by the sheep’s footsteps.

After the search of the Quraysh stopped, the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr came out of the cave. This happened after three nights had passed. Then both of them met the signpost who brought the animals of both of their vehicles. Fuda at that time the signpost was ready to perform the task according to the original agreement. Then the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr along with the guide walked along the coast. However, on the way they were overtaken by Suragah ibnu Malik al-Mudlaji who was hunting them.

At first he had a messenger from the polytheists of the Quraish. The messenger said that the Quraysh had provided a bounty of the lives of the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr for anyone who could kill or capture them both. At that time Suragah was sitting in the assembly of his people, the Banu Mudlaj. Suddenly there came a man from Banu Mudlaj who immediately stood in front of those who were sitting. He said, “O Suragah, I have seen a black dot on the coast. I am certain that it is Muhammad and his companions.” Suraqah said in his heart they must be Muhammad and his companions, but ja wanted the informer not to look for them. Then he said, Verily what you have seen is so-and-so and so-and-so. They both to my knowledge set out to look for their lost goods in the area.”

After a short silence among his people, Suragah got up, mounted his horse, and spurred his horse towards the coast so that he was close to the Messenger of Allah and his Companion Abu Bakr. However, as he approached, he found that his horse’s front leg had fallen off and he fell. He rode back after the Messenger of Allah until he had time to listen to the recitation of the Quran by the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah never looked back, but the Companion Abu Bakr often looked back. The front legs of Suragah’s horse went into the sand up to his knees, Suragah fell down. Then he yelled at his horse to get up, but when his horse’s foreleg was about to be pulled out, suddenly there came out of it dust so thick that it soared into the sky. The dust looked like smoke. Now Suragah understood that his work was in vain, and now fear crept into him. Immediately he cried out for the protection of the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr. The Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr stopped their vehicle until Suragah came to them. Suragah sought the protection of the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr after he felt what he had experienced. He felt sure that the cause brought by the Messenger of Allah would definitely experience victory. After meeting them both, Suragah said, “Indeed, your people have now provided a reward equal to your diat.” Then Suragah told them both about what the people wanted for the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr because they saw such a large reward.

Then Suragah offered them both provisions and wealth, but neither of them would take anything from him, rather they both said, “Now go away from us.” However, before Suragah left, he first asked for a letter of security for himself. So the Prophet ordered Abu Bakr to write it down. Thus ended the event which signaled the great care of Allah for His Messenger.

Since the people of Medina heard the news of the Prophet’s departure from Makkah to join them, they always went out to the Harrah area, an area full of black stones, to welcome him. When it was noon they returned to their homes because of the heat of the sun. One day, when they had just returned from Harrah in order to await the arrival of the Messenger of Allah, when they had reached their homes, suddenly a Jew who was climbing a hill because he wanted to come to see the arrival of the Messenger of Allah, saw the Messenger of Allah and his companions from a distance, sometimes appearing and sometimes not because they were covered by a mirage. Then the Jew called out at the top of his voice, “O people of Arah, your fortune that you have been waiting for has come.” They hurriedly took their weapons, then set out for the Harrah area to welcome the arrival of the Messenger of Allah.

STOPPING AT AUBA’

However, the Messenger of Allah turned to the right, not directly to Medina, until he reached the place of Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Auf in Quba’. Then he and the people who were with him stopped at the place of Banu ‘Amr ibnu ‘Auf. This event, according to the research done by Mahmud Basya, the astrologer, took place on the 2nd of Rabiulawal, which coincided with September 20, 622 CE. This day was the beginning of the new calendar” as a commemoration of the emergence of Islam after a long period of thirteen years of heavy pressure from the polytheists of Quraysh. During those thirteen years the Prophet was forbidden to worship his Lord openly. But now Allah swt. has placed the Prophet and his companions after a long period of harassment by the polytheists.

ABOUT THE HIJRAH OF THE PROPHETS

With this hijra, the Prophet had fulfilled the sunnah (journey) of his brothers, the previous prophets. There was not a single prophet who was not expelled from his birthplace and then migrated away from it. This was done from Prophet Abraham to Prophet ‘Isa (a.s). Even though they all had great degrees and high positions, they were despised by their own people. But they were patient in the face of this trial, so that they would be a good example for their followers in the future in terms of steadfastness and patience in the face of things that are not liked while it is in order to obey Allah.

Look at the land of Egypt and its history. You will surely hear about Prophet Ya’gub and his sons. They migrated to Egypt when they saw that the Egyptians welcomed them into their country and allowed them to worship as a tribute to Prophet Yusuf and his wisdom. However, after many years the Egyptians forgot the merit of the Prophet Joseph towards them. Finally they began to oppress and harm the Children of Israel. Then the Children of Israel under the leadership of Prophet Moses and Prophet Aaron left the country so that they could fulfill their obligations to Allah, namely worshiping him.

Prophet ‘Isa a.s. fled from the Jews when they denied him and intended to kill him so that among the teachings conveyed by Prophet ‘Isa to his disciples was, “Blessed are those who are expelled for the sake of virtue because indeed they obtain the kingdom of heaven.” Furthermore, Prophet ‘Isa also said to his disciples, “Cheer up and worship because your reward is great, and it is not strange that they have expelled the prophets before you.”

Look at the lands that have been afflicted by the punishment of Allah swt. because of the disbelief of their inhabitants such as the land of the people of the Prophet Lot, the people of ‘Ad, and the people of Tsamud. They will tell you about the migration of the Prophets from those lands before being afflicted by the punishment of Allah. It is not strange that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) migrated from a country whose people had prevented him from conveying the message that had been intended by Allah swt. In this regard Allah swt. has said:

It is the sunnah of Allah which was upon those who were before you, and you will never find any change in the sunnah of Allah. (Q.S. 38 Al-Ahzab: 62)

RESULTS IN MAKKAH

In this discussion we will mention the things that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) announced while in Makkah, in the form of religious principles (ushulud-din). These are two things, namely:

First: Believing in the oneness of Allah and not associating anything with Him in matters of worship, whether that something is an idol like what the polytheists of Makkah used to do, or a father, wife, child like what other religions have done, such as Christianity. If there were no belief that Allah is the Supreme Being, people would not burden themselves with the obligation to implement the norms of life in the form of morals and ethics. Rather, he would live as he pleases in order to fulfill his desires as long as what he is doing is not seen by others.

Second: Believing in the existence of the Day of Resurrection and that there is another world for human beings, in which each person will receive retribution for his deeds while he lived in this world. If the deeds are good, then the reward will be good as well. If his deeds were bad, his reward will also be bad.

These two issues dominate the content of the Quranic verses revealed in Makkah. It is rare that a Makkiyyah surah does not deal with these two issues; rather, it is filled with arguments that point to them and reproaches those who neglect them. All of this is presented by the Qur’an in a way that appeals to the intellect and is full of clear evidence. It contains all the benefits of this world and the hereafter for mankind.

Most of the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet in Makkah, while the other part, consisting of twenty-three suras, was not revealed in Makkah. The suras that were not revealed in Makkah are Al-Bagarah, Ali ‘Imran, An-Nisa, Al-Maidah, Al-Anfal, At-Taubah, Al-Haj, An-Nur, Al-Ahzab, Al-Qital (Muhammad), Al-Fath, Al-Hujurat, Al-Hadid, Al-Mujadilah, Al-Hasyr, Al-Mumtahanah, Ash-Shaf, Al-Jumw’ah, Al-Munafigun, At-Taghabun, Ath-Thalag, At-Tahrim, and An-Nashr. All of these suras were revealed in Medina, while others were revealed in Makkah.

When the Prophet stopped at Quba’, he stayed in the house of the sheikh of Banu ‘Amr, Kultsum ibnul-Hadm. However, when the Messenger of Allah received people and spoke to them, he did so in the house of Sa’d ibn Khaitsamah because Sa’d was a widower. The Companion Abu Bakr lived in AsSanh (one of the areas in the city of Medina), namely in the house of Kharijah ibn Zaid from BanilHarith, a Khazraj tribe.

CONSTRUCTION OF QUBA’ MOSQUE

The Prophet stayed in Quba’ for several days. From the first day of his stay in Quba’, he immediately built the Guba’ Mosque which later became known as the mosque founded on the foundation of piety. Then the Prophet prayed together with his companions consisting of Muhajirin and Anshar, while they felt safe and calm.

The shape of the mosques at the time of the Prophet was very simple. There were no decorations in them, as the mosque architects did several generations later. We can understand that the center of attention of the Prophet and his companions at that time was only to adorn the heart and cleanse it from the temptation of the devil so that the walls of the mosque at that time were only up to the height of a person standing and no more than that, then a roof was installed on it for protection from the heat of the sun.

COMING TO MADINAH

Then the Prophet left for Medina, while the Ansar companions at that time escorted him while carrying their respective swords. At that time there was a heresy, but there was nothing wrong with it because it was an expression of the overflowing joy of the people of Madinah. The day turned into a very lively day, full of joy, which they had never felt before. This was none other than because of their excitement in welcoming the arrival of the Messenger of Allah. The women, children, and girls came out to welcome the Messenger of Allah, saying:

Now the moon (the Messenger of Allah) has come to us from Tsaniyyatul Wada”. We should be grateful for the arrival of the one who invites to Allah. O one sent to us, you have come with a matter to be obeyed. At that time people walked with the Messenger of Allah. Then they disputed with each other over holding the reins of the Messenger’s vehicle. Everyone wanted the Messenger of Allah to stop at his house.

THE FIRST FRIDAY PRAYER

When the Messenger of Allah reached the place of Bani Salim, the time for Friday prayer came. The Messenger of Allah got down from his vehicle and prayed the Friday prayer with the people. This was the first Friday prayer performed by the Messenger of Allah, and it was also the first sermon he gave. At the beginning of the sermon the Prophet first said hamdalah and praise to Allah, then he said:

Amma ba’du. O mankind, treat yourselves. Surely you will know, by Allah, that one of you will die, and then he will leave behind his sheep, which will no longer have a shepherd. Then Rabb will surely say to him, without any interpreter or guard preventing him from meeting Rabb, “Did not My messenger come to you, and he conveyed My call to you, and I have given you wealth and I have granted you (many favors). Now what have you done for yourselves? Then he would have looked to his right and left, and found nothing, then he would have looked in front of him, and found that all he saw was Hellfire. Make whoever is able to keep his face from Hell, even if it is only with the charity of half a date seed, then he should do so. And whoever does not find it, he should speak with good speech. Because in fact all of this is a kindness that will be rewarded tenfold to seven hundredfold. And may the welfare and mercy and blessings of Allah be upon you all.

DISEMBARKATION AT ABU AYYUB’S PLACE

The Messenger of Allah and his companions continued their journey. Whenever the Messenger of Allah passed by an Ansar house, the occupants asked him to stop at their house and stay with them. They scrambled to take the reins of the Messenger’s vehicle to lead him to his house. However, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to them, “Leave him alone because he has a command from Allah.” The Messenger of Allah continued walking until he reached the courtyard of Banu ‘Addi ibnun-Najjar. The Banu ‘Addi ibnun Najjar were the Prophet’s maternal uncles because the Prophet’s great-grandfather, Hashim, had married a woman from the Banu ‘Addi. Suddenly the camel of the Prophet’s vehicle stopped in a yard belonging to them, precisely in front of the house of Abu Ayyub al-Anshari whose real name was Khalid ibnu Zaid.” then in that place the Prophet’s Mosque was built. The Prophet said, “This is my home, God willing.” Then the Prophet prayed and recited His words:

My Rabb, place me in a blessed place, and You are the best of those who give places.” (Q.S. 23 Al-Mu’minun: 29)

Then Abu Ayyub al-Anshari brought the saddle and provisions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and placed them in his house. Then came As’ad ibn Zarrarah, and he brought the Prophet’s riding animal to be tethered in his stable.

The girls of Banu Najjar came out saying: We are the girls of Banu Najjar: how happy Muhammad would be to be with us. The Messenger of Allah said to them, “Do you love me?” They replied, “Yes.” Then the Prophet said, “Allah knows that my heart loves you.” The Messenger of Allah chose to stay in one of Abu Ayyub’s houses which was located in the lower area so that it would be convenient for those who wanted to visit him. However, Abu Ayyub al-Anshari’s companions did not agree to this out of respect for the Messenger of Allah. This is because if the Messenger of Allah lived at the bottom, he would have been exposed to the dust caused by the feet of people walking on the top, or would have been exposed to water poured from the top. Coincidentally, one night Abu Ayyuh’s wife’s water barrel broke, so Abu Ayyub and his wife cleaned up the broken pieces while wiping the poured water because they were afraid that it would hit the Messenger of Allah. Therefore, Abu Ayyub r.a. continued to persuade the Messenger of Allah to stay at the top. Gradually the Messenger of Allah accepted his request. Deliveries of food always came in the place of the Prophet’s gal from the well-off Anshar companions such as Sa’d ibnu ‘Ubadah, As’ad ibnu Zarrarah, and the mother of Zaid ibnu Tsabit. There was no night that passed, in front of the door of the Prophet’s place there were always three or four fabsi of food.

THE RESIDENCE OF THE MUHAJIRIN

When most of the Muhajirs who had come with the Messenger of Allah arrived in Medina, the Ansar vied to receive them. In the end, it was decided by lot among them, so that no Muhajir could stay with the Anshar without a lottery.

ISLAMIC BROTHERHOOD

Whoever pays attention to this love, which is not due to human influence, but to the mercy and grace of Allah, will understand why they were able to win against the polytheists and the People of the Book who opposed them despite their small numbers and equipment.

The Ansar were more concerned with the Muhysjirin than themselves as revealed by His words:

And those who had settled in Madinah and had believed (Anshar) before (the arrival of) them (Muhajirin), they loved those who migrated to them. And they had no desire in their hearts for what was given to them (the Muhajirs): And they preferred (the Muhajireen) over themselves even when they were in distress. And whoever is preserved from selfishness, they are the fortunate ones. (Q.S. 59 Al-Hasyr: 9)

This is clearly the highest degree of brotherhood. All this treatment was considered by the Ansar Companions to be inadequate to the obligations they had to offer the Muhajirin. This was due to the influence of the Prophet who was able to bring the Muhajirin and the Anshar together, so that every Anshar and his Muhajirin guest were two brothers for the sake of Allah swt. It would be futile for us to try to explain to our readers that this brotherhood is higher in solidarity than the brotherhood of bigotry. However, this was due in no small part to the feeling of Islam that had permeated their hearts. This is the only fact that we can reveal.

In general, it can be concluded that their hearts have been united by Allah swt. so that it is as if they are one heart even though their bodies are different. We hope that Allah swt. will unite the hearts of the Muslims of our time so that they will have the same influence that the Muslims of old had when they were united.

This brotherhood is based on the principle of helping each other to uphold what is right, and they should inherit from each other even if they are not related.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to every two of them (a Muhajir and an Ansar):

Brothers in the cause of Allah, every two of you are like two brothers.

This system of inheritance continued at the beginning of Islam until the words of Allah swt. were revealed: :

And those who are related to each other by blood

are more entitled (to inherit) in the book of Allah ….. (Q.S. 33 Al. Ahzab: 6)

THE FAMILY OF THE APOSTLE OF ALLAH, PEACE BE UPON HIM. HIJRAH

When he had settled in Medina with peace of mind, the Prophet sent a delegation consisting of Companions Zaid ibn Harithah and Abu Rafi’ to Makkah. Both were given the task of retrieving the Prophet’s family who were still left behind in Makkah. The Prophet included with them ‘Abdullah ibn Uraigith as a guide. They both came to see Siti Fatima and Ummu Kalthum, the two daughters of the Prophet. They also met the Prophet’s wife, Siti Saudah. Next they contacted Umm Aiman, Zaid’s wife, and Usamah, his son. The other daughter of the Prophet, Zainab, was forbidden by her husband, Abul ‘Ash ibnur-Rabi’, so she did not join the hijrah. With them came ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Bakr, Umm Rauman (wife of Companion Abu Bakr), and ‘Abdullah’s two sisters, Siti ‘Aisha and Asma. Asma was the wife of Companion Az-Zubair ibnul’Awwam. At that time Asma was pregnant. Then she gave birth to her son in Medina and was named ‘Abdullah.

‘Abdullah was the first child of the Muhajirin to be born in Medina.

MADINAH FEVER

In the beginning, the air of Medina was not suitable for the Muhajirs from Makkah, so many of them were stricken with fever. The Prophet was very diligent in visiting them when they complained about this problem, so the Prophet prayed:

O Allah, make us love the city of Medina as You made us love the city of Makkah with a stronger love. And bless us with its mudd and sha’and move its plague to Juhfah.

Allah swt. granted the Prophet’s prayer and the Muhajirin lived in Medina in peace and tranquility.

WEAK MUSLIMS PREVENTED FROM MAKING HIJRAH

Anger had burned in the hearts of the polytheists of Makkah. Finally, they prevented some Muslims who wanted to migrate. They were detained and tortured by the polytheists. Among those who experienced this treatment were Al-Walid ibnul-Walid, ‘Iyasy ibn Rabi’ah, and Hisham ibnul-Ash. For this reason, the Prophet always prayed for them in his prayers. This is the origin of the gunut prayer. This prayer was made by the Prophet at different times of prayer and in different places of prayer. Sometimes in the odd rak’ah of the ‘Isha prayer and sometimes in the Fajr prayer after bowing and before. Each Companion narrated the Hadith on the subject of the gunut prayer according to what he had seen, and this was the cause of the difference of opinion among the Imams of jurisprudence on the place of the qunut prayer.

THE FIRST YEAR OF THE HIJRAH

Furthermore, the Prophet began to plan the construction of his mosque in the place where his camel used to lie, namely in front of the village of Bani Najjar. Before that, the place was a drying place for dates belonging to two orphaned boys under the care of As’ad ibnu Zarrarah. The Prophet called the two boys and offered the price of the date drying place for the mosque. But the two boys said, “No, instead we give it to you, O Messenger of Allah.” The Messenger of Allah still insisted on not accepting the gift of the two orphans. Finally Rasulu. lah saw. managed to buy it from them.

On the land there was a grave of the polytheists and some dug holes and date palms. Then the graves were dug up and moved, while the potholes were leveled and the date palms were cut down. Then the Messenger of Allah ordered the bricks to be made, and the construction began. They made the two pillars supporting the door from stone and the roof of the mosque from the fronds of date palm leaves, while the pillars were made from the trunks of date palms. The height of the wall was only a little more when measured by a person who stands upright. self. The Prophet himself was directly involved in this work to encourage the Muslims who were working. While working they chanted poetry and the Prophet joined in with them. The poem they recited was as follows:

O Allah, there is no good but the good of the Hereafter: so have mercy on the Anshar and Muhajirin. The Qibla was placed on the left side of the mosque facing the direction of Bayt al-Magdis, and the mosque had three doors. The ground was covered with small stones because when it rained the ground was muddy so the Prophet ordered that the ground be covered with small stones. The mosque was not decorated with anything, there were no rugs and no mats. Then the Prophet built two rooms next to the mosque: one for Siti Saudah bint Zam’ah and the other for Siti ‘Aisha because at that time the Prophet only had two wives, namely Siti Saudah and Siti ‘Aisha. The two rooms are next to each other and are located against the wall of the mosque building. Later other rooms were also built when there were new wives again.

THE BEGINNING OF THE AZAN

Allah swt. has made the prayer obligatory upon the Muslims so that they will always be in a state of remembrance of the freedom of the Most High. Thus they will obey His commands and avoid His prohibitions. Allah swt. has said:

Verily, prayer prevents (the commission of) evil and forbidden deeds. (Q.S. 29 Al-Ankabut: 45)

Then Allah made the most important prayer to be the one performed in congregation to remind the Muslims of each other in their affairs and needs and to strengthen the bonds of harmony and unity among them.

When the time for prayer comes, it is necessary to wake up the negligent and remind the forgetful so that the congregation will be very general. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) consulted with his Companions to choose the most important task to achieve this goal. Some of the Companions suggested that they should raise the flag when the time for prayer came. They rejected this suggestion, since it would not alert the sleeping or the inattentive. Some of the Companions suggested lighting a fire in the highest place. They also rejected this suggestion. Others suggested that a trumpet should be sounded. This was similar to what the Jews used to do as a call to their mass. The Messenger of Allah did not like this method, because he did not like to imitate the Jews in anything. Then a Companion suggested using bells, which is what the Christians used to do. This was also hated by the Prophet. Then one of the Companions suggested that when the time for prayer came, someone should call out for it. Finally, this suggestion was accepted by the Prophet. Among the Companions who were given the task of announcing the call was the Companion ‘Abdullah ibnu Zaid al-Anshari. When he was half asleep and half awake, suddenly someone stood in front of him, then the person said, “Would you like me to teach you the words that you will call out as a call to prayer?” Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Zaid replied, “Of course I will.” The man then said, “Say ‘Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar’ (God is great, God is great) twice”. And then you recite the shahada twice, then say, ‘Hayya ‘alash-shalah’ (Come to prayer) twice, and also say, ‘Hayya ‘alal falah” (Come to happiness) twice. Then glorify Allah twice, and finally say, ‘LaaIlaha illallah’ (There is no God but Allah).

When Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd awoke, he immediately went to the Prophet and told him what he had seen in his dream. Immediately the Prophet replied, “Indeed, it was a right dream.” After that the Prophet said, “Teach the sentence to the Companion of Bilal because he is louder than you.” When the Companion Bilal was calling out the call, suddenly came the Companion ‘Umar while rolling up his cloth, then said, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, indeed I have dreamed something similar.” Rila made the call for the morning prayer, after the phrase ‘Hayya ‘alal falah’ Bilal. added the phrase “Ash-shalaatu khairum-minan-nauum” (Prayer is better than sleep). Then the Prophet recognized the truth of this.

The Prophet always instructed his Companion Bilal at the dawn of Ramadan to call out the call to prayer twice: once to awaken the people for Suhoor and once for the Fajr prayer. As for the call to prayer on Friday, the call to prayer begins when the khatib sits on the pulpit. This was the practice from the time of the Prophet until the time of Caliph Abu Bakr and Caliph ‘Umar. However, during the reign of Caliph ‘Uthman and when the number of Muslims increased, he added another call that was made above the az-zaura. This is according to the tradition narrated by Imam Bukhari.

When Hisham ibn ‘Abdul-Malik assumed the reins of government, the call added by Caliph ‘Uthman that was made on the az-zaura was made on the minaret. Subsequently, the call to prayer that had been made in the minaret, that is, the call to prayer made when the imam ascended the pulpit as in the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), was now made in the presence of the imam. This means that the call to prayer in the mosque in the presence of the preacher is an innovation made by Hisham ibn Malik. This call is meaningless because it is meant to call to prayer, whereas the people inside the mosque do not need this call because they are already in the place they are called to. Those who are outside the mosque cannot hear it because the call is made inside the mosque. This is according to the information given by Shaykh Muhammad ibn Hajj in al-Madkha.

Al-Hafizh ibn Hajar in Fathul-Bari says that the things that people do before the Friday prayer, namely calling out for the Friday prayer in the form of dhikr and reciting blessings on the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), are only found in some countries, not all Islamic countries. In this case it is better to follow the Salaf scholars. This is according to the information given by Ibn Hajar in Fathul-Bari.

From this it can be concluded that the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) with regard to the call to prayer on Friday is that when the imam is seated at the pulpit, the muezzin calls to prayer from the minaret. When the sermon is over, the call to prayer is given. Anything other than that is bid’ah.

The igamah is the call to prayer in the mosque. In this regard, the hadith-reports regarding its text differ. According to Imam Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’i, the call to prayer is uttered once, except for the phrase “gad gamatish-shalah” (the prayer has been established). This phrase is said evenly (twice). According to Imam Malik ibnu Anas, the phrase is only said oddly (once-once). However, according to Imam Abu Hanifah all the words are recited twice.

THE JEWS OF MADINAH

Just as Allah swt. had tested the Muslims while they were in Makkah through the polytheists of Ouraisy, Allah swt. tested them in Madinah through the Jews who inhabited the city of Madinah. The Jews consisted of the Banu Qainuga, the Banu Quraizhah, and the Banu Nazhir. Indeed, they showed their hostility and hatred towards the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims because of the envy that arose from themselves after the truth became apparent to them. Before that, when fighting against the polytheistic Arabs, they had always hoped for victory with the imminent arrival of a prophet. When the prophet whom they had known came, their leaders felt superior and denied the prophethood of the descendants of the Prophet Isma’il. Finally, they denied the Quran revealed by Allah because they were motivated by their arrogance. In fact, they knew that Allah’s Apostle Muhammad had not sent any other Book except that which confirmed the Scriptures of Allah that had been sent down to the messengers before him. The Book (Al-Guran) that was sent down to him clarified things that had been corrupted by their own interpretations, which they included in their books. But they completely disregarded the Quran, as if they did not know it. Among the things they denounce is that the Qur’ān overrides their books. They are totally ignorant of the fact that the Almighty and All-Knowing knows better than they what mankind needs. Indeed, it is the nature of man to want to progress.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) initially lived among the ummi Arabs. They did not understand anything about the creed of uluhiyah. It was wise that the Shari’a of Islam was revealed to them gradually. Had Allah swt. forbidden them to drink alcohol and eat usury, and then commanded them to pray, pay zakat, and so on, which are the commands and prohibitions brought about by the Islamic Shari’ah, none of them would have accepted Islam since they had different inclinations, and they sank into many misguidance. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to them with the commands of Allah, little by little, so that eventually their minds could be subdued and their souls could be cleansed.

None of the Islamic rulings revealed by Allah swt. were revealed outside of an event. All of them were revealed after the events related to them occurred. This was so that the rulings would stick to their minds and souls. However, the Jews had shackled their abilities by drowning them in what their lusts deemed good. The Qur’an itself has refuted them with proofs that show that they actually know that their souls are far from the path of truth. In this regard Allah swt. says:

Say, “If you (consider that) the Hereafter (paradise) is exclusively for you in the sight of Allah, not for others, then desire your death if you are righteous (9.5. 2 AlBagarah: 94).

In the next verse Allah swt. immediately decides that they will definitely not respond to this challenge by saying:

And they will not covet death forever for the wrongs which their own hands have done. And Allah knows best those who are wrongdoers (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 95).

Had they known that they were in the right, they would not have delayed the challenge because it would have been so easy. However, their attitude was nothing but motivated by their deep desire to disbelieve the honest and trustworthy Messenger of Allah. It turns out that there has never been a single narration stating that there was someone among them who wished for this (wanting to die) even though it was only expressed verbally. Nevertheless, it turned out that the Prophet’s guidance was clearly accepted by one of the leaders of Banu QGaunuga’, namely ‘Abdullah ibnu Sallam. He was willing to abandon his lusts and convert to Islam. He did this after he heard the recitation of Al-Guran. Before that he was considered by his people as one of their leaders. Now that he had embraced Islam, they regarded him as someone who lacked intelligence. They made this judgment after they heard the news of his Islam. How terrible was the result of those who sold themselves into disbelief in what Allah had revealed out of spite that Allah bestows His bounty on whom He wills. Having materialized in their hearts a sense of hostility to Islam, they tried their best to extinguish the light of Allah, but were rewarded by Allah through His words:

But Allah desires nothing but the perfecting of His light, though those who disbelieve dislike it (Q.5. 9 AtTaubah: 32).

HYPOCRITES

The intentions of the Jews were supported by some of the Arabs of Medina whose hearts were blinded by Allah, and they hid their disbelief for fear of their lives being threatened. The leader of these hypocrites was ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul from the Khazraj tribe. Originally, before the arrival of the Messenger of Allah, he was to be appointed as the leader of the people of Medina.

There is no doubt that the danger of the hypocrites was felt by the Muslims more severely than the danger of the disbelievers themselves. The reason for this is that the hypocrites can enter the Muslims, so that they know the secrets of the Muslims, after which they broadcast them to the enemies of the Muslims, namely the Jews and others, as has happened many times.

The basis on which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) relied was that he accepted only what was outward, but as for what was in the heart, that was up to Allah. Even so, the Prophet still acted cautiously and not rashly so that he had never entrusted them with any work. The Prophet often left the city of Madinah, and he always left the affairs of Madinah to the Ansar. He had never entrusted the affairs of Madinah to someone whose signs of hypocrisy could be read, because the Prophet knew that if they were entrusted with a job, they would no doubt get the opportunity to cause harm to the Muslims. This is an important lesson for the leaders of Islam: they should not entrust their important affairs into the hands of people who show their hypocrisy or show things that are different from what is kept in their hearts.

THE COVENANT WITH THE JEWS

We have already explained that in Madinah there were two groups that opposed the Muslims, the Jews and the hypocrites. However, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) accepted their outward demeanor. Then he made a covenant in which there was to be no war and no harm. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah did not allow fighting them, did not allow harming them, and they could not ask for help from anyone to fight the Messenger of Allah. If in Madinah the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) ads against them, they should help him. On the contrary, the Messenger of Allah allowed them (the People of the Book) to embrace their religion freely.

WARFARE IS PRESCRIBED

We know from the previous discussion that the Prophet never fought anyone to embrace Islam, but the invitation was limited to delivering good news and giving warnings. For this reason, Allah, the Almighty, always sent down verses that encouraged the Prophet to be patient in the face of painful treatment from the Quraysh. Among these verses are His words:

So be patient, as those who have the steadfastness of the messengers have been patient, and do not ask for hastening (of the punishment) for them. (Q.S. 46 Al-Ahgaf: 35)

Among the verses revealed by Allah swt. during these times often recounted to the Messenger of Allah the stories of the previous messengers. The intention was to strengthen the Prophet’s heart. When the hostility of the people of Makkah increased, the Prophet was forced to leave his homeland. He did this after they conspired to kill him. So, they were the ones who started the hostility against the Muslims because they had clearly expelled the Muslims from their homeland for no good reason. After the hijrah, Allah swt. gave permission to the Muhajirin to fight the polytheists of Makkah through His words

It is permitted (to fight) for those who are being fought against, for indeed they have been wronged. And Allah is indeed mighty to help them. (Those who have been expelled from their homes without just cause except that they say, “Our Lord is Allah.” (Q.S 22 Al-Hajj: 39-40)

Then Allah swt. commands its implementation through his words:

And fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, (but) do not exceed the limits for surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits. And kill them wherever you find them, and expel them from where they have expelled you (Makkah), and fitnah is more dangerous than killing, and do not fight them in the Sacred Mosque, unless they fight you there. If they fight you there, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers. Then, if they cease (from fighting you), then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. And fight them so that there may be no more fitnah and (so that) the religion may be of Allah alone. If they cease (from fighting you), then there is no enmity (anymore) except against the wrongdoers. (Q.S. 2 AlBagarah: 190-193)

Thus the Prophet was limited to fighting the Quraysh only, not all Arabs. However, when they joined together with the Arab polytheists other than the inhabitants of Makkah, they united to fight the Muslims, so Allah swt. ordered the Messenger of Allah to fight the polytheists as a whole as explained by His words

And fight the polytheists all, as they fight you all. (Q.S. 9 At-Taubah: 36)

Thus it means that jihad is general, i.e. it is held against people who do not have the book or the watsani people. This understanding is inferred from the saying of the Messenger of Allah who said:

I have been commanded to fight people until they say laa ilaha illallah (there is no God but Allah), so if they want to say it, then they have preserved their blood and property from me except for a rightful reason, then their account is up to Allah. When the Muslims saw that the Jews had betrayed the treaty they had made, and that they had helped the polytheists in fighting them, Allah, the Almighty, commanded the Prophet to fight the People of the Book as well.

And if you find out the treachery of a group, then return the covenant to them in an honest way. Verily, Allah does not like those who betray (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 58).

Thus, fighting them for the Prophet was obligatory until they embraced Islam or gave jizyah, while they were defeated and humiliated, so that the Muslims were safe from their treachery. It can be concluded from the previous explanation that the warfare carried out by the Prophet against his enemies was based on the following principles:

1) The polytheists of Quraysh were considered as kafir harbi because they were the ones who started hostilities against the Muslims. So the Muslims have the right to fight them and confiscate their merchandise until Allah gives permission to the Prophet to conquer the city of Makkah or make a temporary agreement between the two groups.

2) If the Jews are seen to be treacherous, and they side with the polytheists, then they should also be fought so that they are no longer a danger to the Muslims, namely through expulsion or war.

3) If any Arab tribe is hostile to the Muslims, or they help the Quraysh, they too must be fought so that they will embrace Islam.

4) Any group that first initiates hostility from the people of the book such as the Christians, they will be fought se. until submitting to Islam or paying jizyah, while they are in a state of humiliation and defeat.

5) Everyone who has entered Islam, his blood and property are protected except for a rightful reason, the religion of Islam abolishes all the past.

Allah swt. has revealed in the Qur’an many verses encouraging Muslims to fight their enemies and the prohibition of running away from the battlefield. With regard to the first part of the subject matter, Allah says:

Therefore, let those who exchange the life of this world for the life of the Hereafter fight in the cause of Allah. And whoever fights in the cause of Allah and dies or gains victory, We will give him a great reward. (Q.5. 4 ArNisa: 74)

Then Allah swt also says in connection with the second part of the subject matter through His words:

O you who believe, when you meet the disbelievers who are attacking you, do not turn your backs on them. Whoever turns his back on them at that time, except to turn for war or to join another army, then indeed that person returns with the wrath of Allah, and his place is Hellfire. And very bad is the place of his return (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 16-18).

THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR

The custom of the Quraysh was to go to the Levant with their merchandise. In the Levant they sold the merchandise and at the same time they shopped. The caravan that carried this merchandise was called ir (trading expedition). To keep the caravan safe many honorable and wealthy people participated in this task. However, their journey to the Levant had to pass through the city of Hijrah (Medina). So the Prophet used this opportunity to intercept the procession of the polytheists of Makkah, both those who were leaving and those who were heading home. This was done in order to punish the polytheists of Makkah so that their economic strength would be weakened, and it would obviously affect their fighting power on the battlefield which was bound to happen. We say the war was bound to happen because the Quraysh would not have tolerated a person they considered to be of unsound mind who they once considered to be wise. They would not have tolerated someone who criticized their worship, especially since they considered themselves to be the model of the Arabs in matters of religion. SARIYYAH”

In the month of Ramadan, the Prophet sent his uncle Hamzah ibn ‘Abdul-Muthtalib to lead thirty men from the Muhajirin. The Prophet gave him a white banner carried by Abu Martsad, Hamzah’s ally. This sariyyah force was intended to intercept the caravan of the Quraysh trading expedition returning from the Levant. In this caravan there was Abu Jahal and three hundred polytheists who were his friends. Companion Hamzah set out with his troops until they reached the shore of the sea in the area of Al-‘Aish. They met the caravan, however, when the two groups had faced each other, suddenly a person named Majdi ibnu ‘Amr al-Juhani appeared to separate the two groups that would fight. Finally, they obeyed him and did not fight. The Prophet was very grateful for the role played by Majdi because at that time the personnel of the Mug limin troops were few, while their enemies were far more numerous.

In Shawwal of that year the Messenger of Allah also sent ‘Ubaidah ibnul-Harith, the cousin of Companion Hamzah, to lead eighty horsemen from among the Muhajirin. Ra. sulullah made a white banner for the troops. As its bearer was Misthah ibnu Atsatsah. The aim was to intercept the trade caravan of the Quraysh passing through the area, The caravan was escorted by two hundred troops. They met the expedition in the Rabigh Valley.” Then there was an exchange of arrows dj between the two armies. However, the polytheists feared that it was a trap set by the Muslims. So they ran away and were defeated, but the Muslims did not pursue them. At that time there were those among the polytheists who defected to the Muslim army. They were Al-Migdad ibnul. Aswad and ‘Atabah ibn Ghazwan due to the fact that both men had previously converted to Islam. They both deliberately joined the army of the polytheists to join the Muslims.

PEOPLE WHO DIED THAT YEAR

‘Uthman ibn Mazh’un, the Prophet’s half-brother, died in that year from among the Muhajirs. He was one of the earliest converts to Islam and had participated in the two hijrahs of the Muslims. When ‘Uthman ibn Mazh’un was buried, the Messenger of Allah ordered that his grave be watered with water and a stone be placed on it, after which the Messenger of Allah said: “I will make this stone a sign of my brother’s grave, and I will bury my family members who die in the same way.” This is the reason for placing the tombstone on the grave, so it is not like what the people who lived long after him did. They built structures over the graves, then put images that looked similar to idols. They intended that the relatives of the deceased should come and hold feasts of various kinds, so that they resembled what the polytheists of Makkah used to do in their places of worship. It would be a waste of time to do something that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never did when it comes to the Hereafter.

In that year another of the Ansar companions died, namely As’ad ibnu Zarrarah, one of the leaders of the twelve. The Companion As’ad ibnu Zarrarah r.a. was the leader of Banu Najjar. When he died, the Prophet chose his own successor to lead the Companions of As’ad ibnu Zarrarah because the Prophet was the son of their sister. Later that year another leader of the Ansar Companions died, the Companion Al-Barra ibnu Ma’rur. Al-Barra ibnu Ma’rur was the spokesman of his people at the time of the second Bai’at ‘Agabah.

In that year also from among the polytheists of Makkah died Al-Walid ibnul-Mughirah. When he was facing his death, he seemed very agitated. Then Abu Jahl said to him, “What is it that causes you so much anxiety?” Al-Walid ibnul-Mughirah replied, “By Allah, actually I am not anxious because I am facing death, but I am anxious because I am worried if the religion of Ibn Abu Kabsyah (the Prophet Muhammad PBUH) experiences victory in Makkah.” Abu Sufyan replied, “Do not worry, I assure you that he will not win.”

In that year also died Al-‘Ash ibnu Wail as-Sahmi. Finally Allah swt. silenced the evil of the two wretched men.

SECOND YEAR OF HIJRI

THE WAR OF WUDDAN

After the twelfth night of the second year of Hijri had passed, the Messenger of Allah left Madinah after first appointing Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah to take his place in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and his troops left the city of Medina with the aim of intercepting the trading expedition of the Quraysh.

The Messenger of Allah set out until he reached Wuddan.” At that time the one who carried the banner of war was the Prophet’s uncle, Hamzah However, it turned out that the Messenger of Allah did not encounter the expedition he was aiming for because they had preceded him.

Finally, the Messenger of Allah could only do something else, namely entering into a defense agreement with the Banu Dhamrah with the following conditions:

That the Muslims would not interfere with the security of the Banu Dhamrah, and the Muslims should help them if they attacked. On the other hand, the Banu Dhamrah should help the Muslims whenever they needed help. Fifteen nights later the Muslims under the leadership of the Prophet returned to Medina.

THE BATTLE OF AL-BUWATH

No sooner was the Messenger of Allah in Medina on his return from Wuddan than news reached him that an expedition of Quraysh was on its way back from the Levant. This time the expedition was under the leadership of Umayyah ibn Khalaf along with one hundred Quraysh men. They were carrying two thousand five hundred camels.

Upon hearing the news, the Messenger of Allah set out with two hundred warriors, all of whom were from the Muhajirin, For this time as the standard bearer was the Companion Sa’d ibnu Abu Waqqash r.a. The Messenger of Allah led his troops to AlBuwath.”: However, it turned out that he did not find the expedition because it had already passed. Finally he returned and did not experience any battle. The polytheists were very careful in guarding themselves. They tried their best to hide the details of their expedition so that the people of Madinah would not hear about it.

WAR OF AL-‘ASHIRAH

When the Messenger of Allah returned from Al-Buwath, at the same time the Quraysh came out of Makkah with a huge trading expedition. The Quraysh had gathered all their possessions so that there was not a man or a woman of Quraysh who owned a single mithgal of gold that he had not sent to trade through this expedition. The expedition was under the leadership of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb with over twenty men to escort it.

After hearing the news, on Jumada, the Prophet went out with one hundred and fifty Muhajirin soldiers to intercept it. Before the Prophet departed, he first handed over the affairs of Medina to Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdul-Aswad. Holding the banner of the army was Companion Hamzah, the Prophet’s uncle. The Messenger of Allah continued to walk until he reached the Al’Asyirah area, but it turned out that the expedition had gone far past him. Finally in this expedition the Messenger of Allah could only enter into a defense agreement with Bani Mudlaj and his friends. Then the Prophet returned to Medina to wait for the return of the expedition.

THE FIRST BATTLE OF BADR

Not long after the Messenger of Allah arrived in Medina, Karz ibnu Jabir al-Fihri attacked and robbed the cattle belonging to the people of Medina, then he ran away with his friends. Then the Messenger of Allah went out after him. Before that he first handed over the affairs of the city of Medina to Zaid ibn Harithah al-Anshari. The one who held the banner of war at that time was Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib. The Messenger of Allah continued to pursue until he reached the area of Sifwan.” Apparently Karz had run far away so that the Messenger of Allah did not experience battle. This battle is called the First Battle of Badr.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Rajab that year, the Prophet sent a sariyyah of eight men under the leadership of Companion “Abdullah ibn Jahsh. The Prophet gave him a letter which was sealed. The letter was not to be opened before he left Medina for two days. After ‘Abdullah ibnu Jahsh had traveled for two days, he opened the letter and read it immediately. The letter read as follows:

When you have seen this letter of mine, go on until you reach Nakhlah. You should camp there, then intercept from that place the movement of the Quraysh. After that you should inform us about their situation. This time the Prophet deliberately did not inform them of his destination while they were still in the city of Medina because the Prophet feared that if this news spread, the enemies of Islam consisting of the hypocrites or the Jews would convey it to the polytheists of Quraysh. If this news was leaked, the situation would be reversed, i.e. the Quraysh would await their arrival. This was also because the Muslims who were sent at that time were very few in number and would not be able to put up a fight.

Companion ‘Abdullah ibnu Jahsh continued his journey, but on the way Companion Sa’d ibnu Abu Waqqash and Companion ‘Atabah ibnu Ghazwan were left behind as both were busy searching for their lost camels. The rest of the troops continued on until they reached the area of Nakhlah. It was not long before an expedition of Quraysh passed by with the destination of Makkah. It included ‘Armr ibnul-Hadhrami, ‘Uthman ibn ‘Abdullah ibnul-Mughirah and his brother, and Al-Hakam ibn Kaisan. The Muslims agreed to attack them and seize all the goods they were carrying. It was at the end of Rajab that the Muslims attacked the expedition. They killed ‘Amr ibn al-Hadhrami and took ‘Uthman and Al-Hakam captive, while Naufal escaped. After that they led the expedition’s convoy, which the Muslims now controlled. This was the first ghanimah for the Muslims taken from their enemies, the polytheists of Quraysh.

The Muslims returned to Medina, and the polytheists who pursued them were unable to catch up. After they arrived in Medina, news spread that they had fought a battle in the haram months (months of Hajj). The Quraysh denounced what the Muslims had done, as did the Jews. They were so severely reprimanded by the Muslims themselves that the Messenger of Allah said to the congregation of Muslims who participated in the war, “I did not order you to fight in the forbidden months.” Finally, they regretted their actions. However, then Allah revealed His words

They ask you about fighting in the unlawful months. Say. “Fighting in that month is a grave sin: but to obstruct from the way of Allah, to disbelieve in Allah, and to expel the inhabitants from its precincts is a greater sin in the sight of Allah. And slander is a greater sin than murder.” (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 217)

With the revelation of this verse, the Muslims involved in the battle were relieved.

Then the polytheists asked to redeem the two men who were now being held captive by the Muslims, but the Prophet refused the request if Sa’d and ‘Atabah had not returned safely. After Sa’d and ‘Atabah returned safely, only then did the Messenger of Allah accept their ransom to free his two captives. Al-Hakam ibn Kaisan, one of the captives, converted to Islam and practiced Islam well with the other Muslims. ‘Uthman, the other captive, returned to Makkah and remained a disbeliever.

DISPLACEMENT OF THE QIBLA

During his fifteen-month stay in Medina, the Prophet always faced the direction of Baitul Magdis in his prayers. Yet he himself wanted the Qiblah of his prayer to face the Ka’bah. So he often looked up to the sky and prayed to Allah for this. One day, while the Prophet was praying, a revelation came down to him ordering him to shift the Qibla to the Kaaba. It turned out that this incident was the cause of the slander of some of the Mus. limin who were still weak in faith, they apostatized and returned to their original faith. The Jews launched a torrent of criticism against Islam with this change of Qibla direction. They did not realize that to Allah belongs the east and the west. It is He who guides whom He wills to the straight path.

FASTING MONTH OF RAMADAN

In the month of Sha’ban that year, Allah swt. obliged the Muslims to fast the month of Ramadan. Before that, the fasting that the Prophet always did was only three days in each month. Fasting is a pillar of Islam and an obligation that makes the Islamic order run perfectly because human nature tends to be selfish, ignoring the needs of the weak and poor. With fasting instilled in them a sense of solidarity to make him feel the situation of people who are unable to meet their needs because they do not have sufficient ability. There is nothing more painful and more influential on a person to train these feelings than to endure hunger and thirst. This is because by being hungry and thirsty, their hearts become soft and their morals become clean, so they realize and easily give their zakat.

ZAKAT FITRAH

Allah the Wise enjoins zakat al-fitr after fasting during the month of Ramadan. After practicing fasting for a month with ease and sincere love, they give zakat.

ZAKAT OF PROPERTY

In that year it is also obligatory to pay zakaah on property. This was a unified order. Thanks to this order the poor and needy can eat from the wealth of their rich brothers and sisters without their brothers and sisters feeling aggrieved. When the amount of money owned by a Muslim reaches ten dinars or two hundred dirhams, and one year has passed since he acquired it, he is required to pay two and a half percent of zakat on his property. If it is more, it is calculated according to the excess. If the property is in the form of goats, it must reach forty heads, if it is cattle, it must reach thirty heads, and if it is camels, it must reach five heads. After he has owned it for one year, he must pay zakaah on it, which is the amount prescribed by sharee’ah. The same applies to merchandise and agricultural produce, for which zakaah is due at the rate prescribed by sharee’ah.

The imam then takes all the zakaah money and distributes it to those who are entitled to receive it, namely the poor and others, as mentioned in the following verse:

The zakaahs are only for the poor, the administrators of the zakaahs, the converts whom they guide, the slaves, the debtors in the cause of Allah, and those who are on a journey, as a decree of Allah, and Allah is All-Knowing and All-Wise (Q.S. 9 At-Taubah: 60).

An astute and reasonable person who is far from being fanatical would have judged at the outset of his attention to this system that it, while not causing harm to the rich, could also alleviate the pressure of calamities that befall the poor. These calamities have often prompted many of the poor in various nations to oppose the order of their countries, and to create principles that destroy development and destabilize security, as the socialists and others have done. THE GREAT BATTLE OF BADR

After the event of the great expedition, when the Prophet went out to intercept the expedition to the Levant, but found that the Prophet could not meet it because the caravan had passed, the Prophet was still waiting for the return of the expedition. As soon as the Messenger of Allah heard of his arrival, he immediately called out to his companions, “This is the expedition caravan of the Quraysh. Go out to intercept it, and may Allah grant it to you as ghanimah.” Some of the people were willing and others objected because they were of the view that the Messenger of Allah did not intend to fight. They understood the Prophet’s words to mean the following: Whoever has his vehicle ready, let him go with us. Thus the Messenger of Allah did not wait any longer for those whose vehicles were not ready or who did not have them.

Precisely on the 3rd of Ramadan the Messenger of Allah went out to intercept the caravan after he had first handed over the affairs of Medina to ‘Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum. At that time the Prophet was accompanied by 313 men: 240 of them were from the Ansar, while the rest were from the Muhajirin. They brought with them two horses and seventy camels. Carrying the battle banner was Mush’ab ibn ‘Umair al-Abdari.

When Abu Sufyan, the leader of the caravan, learned that the Messenger of Allah had come out to intercept him, he immediately hired a rider on a fast horse to contact the Quraysh and convey the news to them. When the Quraishites heard the news, their fanaticism flared up, and they feared that their caravan would be attacked. So they immediately blew the trumpet ready for war so that none of their honorable men were left behind except Abu Lahab ibn ‘Abdul-Muthtalib. He sent only his successor, Al-‘Ash ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughirah. Umayyah intended not to participate because he had heard the news from Sa’d ibnu Mu’adza while he was performing ‘umrah after the Hijrah not so long ago as narrated by Imam Bukhari, Sa’d ibnu Mu’adz said to him, “I have heard directly from the Messenger of Allah that they (the Muslims) will fight you in Makkah.” Umayyah replied, “I am not aware of such news.” Apparently this news shocked him. Therefore, he vowed not to go out. However, Abu Jahal continued to persuade him so that finally he was willing to go out with the intention of returning to Makkah in the not too distant future. However, the will of Allah swt. is above all wills, so death led him to destruction even though he did not intend to fight. Allah swt. had decreed that he should die in the Battle of Badr. Similarly, some people from among the honorable people of Quraysh intended to remain in Makkah, but they were reproached by their friends. In the end, the Quraysh army agreed to leave together. They came out feeling reluctant and lazy. In the front row were women singers who sang songs insulting the Muslims. In this regard, Allah swt. says:

And when Satan made them look favorably upon their work, and said, “No man can prevail against you this day, and indeed I am your protector.” (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 48)

Allah swt. deliberately explains the work of Satan so that it is used as an example to be shunned by those who have reason after them. | Allah says:

(The persuasion of the hypocrites is) like (the persuasion of) Satan when he said to man, “Disbelieve you.” So when the man disbelieved, he said, “Verily, I dissociate myself from you, for I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.” (Q.S. 59 Al-Hasyr: 16)

Such is the work of Satan and his share in the event. Then Allah swt. explains through His other words, namely:

When the two armies saw each other, the devil turned back and said, “I am free from you; indeed, I can see what you cannot see; indeed, I fear Allah”. And Allah is very severe in His torment. (Q.S 8 Al-Anfal: 48)

The number of the polytheists who fought at that time was 950. Among them were 100 horsemen and 700 men on horseback. The Messenger of Allah did not know anything about what the polytheists had done because he went out only to intercept the Quraysh’s trade caravan. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah did not make complete preparations to face them. The Messenger of Allah camped at Buyutus-Sugya which is located outside the city of Medina, then he inspected the ranks of the Muslim army. In this inspection the Messenger of Allah sent home those who were considered less capable of fighting, then he sent two men to seek news about the caravan of the Quraysh. When the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) reached Rauha, he heard news of the Quraysh polytheists intending to protect their trade caravan and then two of his spies came with news that the Quraysh caravan would reach Badr tomorrow or the day after.

Upon hearing both news, the Prophet immediately gathered the leaders of his army and said to them:

O people, verily Allah has promised me one of the two groups, the caravan or the army.

Here it became clear to the Messenger of Allah that some of them wanted to choose the group that had no strength, namely the trade caravan. They intended to take possession of the treasures that the caravan brought with it: and it turned out that their response was, “Why did you not mention to us that you wanted to fight so that we would make preparations for it?” This is in accordance with the explanation given by Allah swt through His words:

And (remember) when Allah promised you that one of the two groups (that you faced) would be for you, while you wished that the one without arms would be for you. (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 7)

Then Al-Migdad ibnul-Aswad r.a. stood up and said, “O Messenger of Allah, continue your steps according to what Allah has commanded you. By Allah, we do not say what the Children of Israel said to Moses:

Go therefore with your Rabb, and fight both of you; indeed, we are only sitting here waiting. (Q.S. 5 Al-Maidah: 24)

But (we said), ‘Go ye with your Rabb, and fight ye both, verily we will fight with you both.” By Allah, had you taken us to Barkil Ghimad, we would have stayed with you until you reached it.” Then the Messenger of Allah prayed for good for Al-Migdad ibnul-Aswad. After that the Prophet said, “O people, give me your opinion!” This was addressed to the Ansar. The Prophet said this because they might have interpreted the Bai’at ‘Agabah to mean that it was not obligatory for them to help the Prophet except when he was among them (in Madinah). Indeed, at the time of the Bai’at ‘Agabah they said, “O Messenger of Allah, we are not responsible for you unless you reach our country. When you have reached our land, you will be under our protection: we will defend you as we defend our children and women.” Then said Sa’d ibn Mu’adza, the leader of the tribe of Aus, “As if you wanted us, O Messenger of Allah?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, it is.” So Sa’d said, “We have believed in you and have trusted you and we have given you our promises. Continue your steps according to what Allah swt. has commanded you. By Allah who has sent you righteously, if you had to sail this sea, and then you sailed it, we would have sailed it with you, We do not hate to fight against our enemies tomorrow, Indeed we are a tough people in the battlefield and never back down. May Allah swt. show you from us things that will make your heart glad. Be of good cheer. May you always be blessed by Allah.” Upon hearing this, the Prophet’s face lit up with joy, and he said as narrated by Imam Bukhari, namely:

“Cheer up, by Allah, as if I saw the place where people die.” (Hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari)

The Muslim army understood from these words that war was a necessity and an inevitable reality.

When Abu Sufyan found out that the Muslims had come out to confront him, he did not take the usual path, but walked along the coastal path so that he was safe. He sent messengers to the Quraysh to inform them that he and his caravan were safe, then he signaled to them to return to Makkah. Abu Jahl, however, said, “We will not return until we reach Badr,”) then settle there for three days, then we will slaughter camels, buy food and drink alcohol so that the Arabs may hear about us, so that they may remain forever afraid of us.” Al-Akhnas ibn Shuraig ats-Tsagafi al-Adawi, however, said to his companions, the Banu Zahrah, “O people, let us return for Allah has saved us all.” So they returned to Makkah so that none of the Banu Zahrah or Banu ‘Adawi participated in the Battle of Badr. Then the army of the polytheists continued their journey until they reached the valley of Badr, then they dismounted at the edge of the valley which was far from the city of Medina, in a place where the ground was soft.

When the Muslim army approached the village of Badr, the Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Ali Abu Talib and Companion Az-Zubair ibnul’Awwam to investigate the situation. On the way the two messengers met the water fetchers of the Quraysh. Among them were two messengers Banil-Hajjaj and Banil-‘Ash, both from Banu Sahm. Companions ‘Ali and Companion Az-Zubayr captured the two messengers and brought them before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who was praying at that time Before the two messengers were brought before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Companions ‘Ali and Companion Az-Zubayr interrogated them first. The two messengers were asked about their identity. Both replied, “We are water carriers for the people of Quraysh. They told us to carry drinking water for them.” Companion ‘Ali and Companion Az-Zubayr beat the two messengers because they suspected that the two messengers belonged to Abu Sufyan. The two messengers could read what Companions ‘Ali and Companion Az-Zubayr meant. Finally they said, “We are the messengers of Abu Sufyan.” After hearing this answer, Companion ‘Ali and Companion Az-Zubayr did not beat him again.

After the Messenger of Allah had finished his prayer, he said, “If they had told you the truth, they would have been beaten. And if they had lied to you, you would not have beaten him again because you believed in him. By Allah, they were sent by the Quraysh.” Then the Messenger of Allah said to the two messengers, “Tell me about the condition of the Quraysh.” They replied, “They are behind the hill.” The Messenger of Allah asked again, “How many are they?” They replied, “We do not know how many they are.” The Messenger of Allah asked again, “How many acres do they slaughter each day?” They replied, “Sometimes nine and sometimes ten.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Then they are between nine hundred and one thousand.” Then the Messenger of Allah asked them about the leaders of Quraysh who were in the army. The two messengers mentioned a considerable number of them. Then the Messenger of Allah said, “This is Makkah which has presented you with its leaders.” After getting complete information about them, the Muslim army moved forward until they came down to camp on the edge of the Badr valley close to Madinah. The place where the Muslim army camped was far from water, while the ground was dry and hard. Finally, the Muslims felt thirsty, and some of them had jinnabah and others had minor impurity. At that time Satan whispered his temptation to them. Had it not been for the mercy and grace of Allah, their spirits would have faded. For Satan whispered to them that the polytheists would not stall for time so that they would lose strength due to thirst, thus the polytheists would easily dominate them and act as they pleased, towards them.

Then Allah swt sent rain for them so that the valley of tem. pat they camped in became well watered. Then they drank from the rainwater and made water reservoirs at the edge of the valley. Those who had jinnabah immediately took a bath, and those with minor impurity immediately performed ablution, then filled their respective water bags. The ground became solid and their footing became firm and strong. However, when the rain fell on the polytheists, the ground on which they stood became muddy so that they could not move easily. This event has been explained by His words:

And Allah sends down upon you rain from the sky to purify you with it and to remove from you the troubles of the devil and to strengthen your hearts and make firm the soles of your feet. (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 11)

Allah swt. had previously shown the Prophet in his dream the state of his enemies, exactly as the Prophet himself had witnessed when confronted with them, that is, their numbers seemed small. This was so that the Muslims would not be discouraged and because Allah swt. wanted to do something that had to be done. This has been explained by His words:

That is, when Allah showed them to you in your dreams, they were few in number. And if Allah had shown them to you (many), you would have trembled, and you would have argued about it, but Allah saved you. Verily, Allah knows all hearts. And when Allah revealed them to you, when you met them few in number in the sight of your eyes, and He revealed you few in the sight of their eyes, it was because Allah wanted to do a business that had to be done. And to Allah alone are all affairs returned. (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 43-44)

Then the army of the Muslims moved until it reached the lowest place of Badr, then the Messenger of Allah ordered all the troops to “gar down. However, Al-Habbab ibn al-Mundzir alAnshari said to the Messenger of Allah, “O Messenger of Allah, is this place the place that has been determined by the revelation of Allah that He sent down to you so that we should not bargain for it anymore? Or is it only an opinion and a stratagem in warfare?” The Companion of Al-Habbab ibn al-Mundzir was known to have good and telling opinions. The Prophet replied, “No, but it is merely an opinion and a stratagem in warfare.” ,

Al-Habbab ibnul-Mundzir said, “O Messenger of Allah, this place is not suitable for us, and take us all to the lowest place in, this area because I know a place that has a lot of water, then we are based there. After that we close all the other wells, then we build a large pond to hold the water so that ‘we have a large supply of water, while they will not be able to find drinking water.” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) replied, “Indeed, you have expressed the best opinion.”

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) then mobilized the Muslim army until it reached the lowest area of the region where there was plenty of water. Before that he ordered that all the wells that were behind the Muslims be filled up so that the polytheists would have no hope of finding drinking water. Then the Messenger of Allah! 8aw. ordered that a pond be made to collect water at the place where they were stationed. After all was done, Companion Sa’d ibn Mu’adz, the leader of the tribe of Aus, said, “O Messenger of Allah, shall I build a special camp for you and us, preparing your vehicle nearby? Then we will face the enemy. If it turns out that Allah swt. wins us and can defeat our enemies, then that is what we hope for. What. if it turns out otherwise, O Prophet, there are people behind you (in Medina) who love you more than them, and we obey you more than them in terms of jihad and sincerity of intention. Had they suspected that you were going to war, none of them would have been left behind, and all of them would have followed you. Indeed, they did not join you because they suspected that you only intended to intercept the caravan of Quraysh. They were the people whom Allah swt. made a stronghold for you. They are ready to wage jihad with you.” The Prophet replied, “I believe that there is no better opinion than this.”

Then they built a special camp on a cliff overlooking the battlefield area for the Messenger of Allah. After the ranks of the Muslims were all assembled, the Messenger of Allah leveled their ranks. Their shoulders were tightly pressed together so that they resembled a neat and solid building. Then the Messenger of Allah said to them:

O Allah, these are the Quraysh who have now come with their pride and arrogance: they intend to challenge You and disbelieve Your Messenger. O Allah, I expect Your help which You have promised me. At that time in the ranks of the polytheists there was a dispute among their leaders. ‘Atabah ibn Rabi’ah prevented his people from going to war, for he only wanted to claim the blood money of his companion, ‘Amr ibn al-Hadhrami, who had been killed by the sariyyah of ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh. He also wanted to claim the dues of his men who were killed at that time other than ‘Amr ibn al-Hadhrami. Then he called upon the people to do so. However, when the news was heard by Abu Jahl, Abu Jahl labeled him a coward and said, “By Allah, we will not retreat a step until He decides between us and Muhammad.”

Before the battle began, Al-Aswad ibnu ‘Abdul Asad al-Makhzumi suddenly came out of the ranks of the polytheists and said, “I swear to Allah, I must drink from their pool or I must tear it down or I must die from it.” His arrival was greeted by Companion Hamzah ibn ‘AbdulMuthtalib. Companion Hamzab struck him with his sword and cut his leg in half. Al-Aswad fell down, but he still crawled to the pool even though his leg was severed. He wanted to fulfill his vow. Companion Hamzah chased him and killed him. Then the Prophet stood up and preached to encourage the ranks of the Muslims to be firm and patient in facing this battle. Among what he said was as follows:

And indeed being patient in the face of the chaos of war is the time when Allah swt. will remove all sorrow, and He will remove all difficulties. Then the battle began with sparring. From the ranks of the polytheists came three men, namely ‘Atabah ibn Rabi’ah and his brother Shibah, along with ‘Atabah’s son Al-Walid. They challenged men of equal standing from the Muslim army. There came out from the ranks of the Muslims three men from among the companions of Anshar. But they said: “We have nothing to do with you, but we only want those who are equal to us, that is, from among the sons of our uncles”. So the Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Ubaidah ibnul-Harts ibn ‘Abdul-Muthtalib to face ‘Atabah ibn Rabi’ah, and Companion Hamzah to face Shibah, and Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib to face Al-Walid son of Shibah.

Eventually Companion Hamzah ibnu ‘Abdul-Muthtalib and Companion ‘Ali were able to kill both of their opponents, but ‘Ubaidah who faced ‘Atabah was both wounded because each had struck a blow against his opponent. ‘Ubaidah’s companion attacked ‘Atabah and killed him instantly, bringing ‘Ubaidah into the ranks of the Muslims. Abu ‘Ubaidah was so wounded that white blood (marrow) melted from his calf bone. They laid him down next to the Prophet’s place. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) held his severely wounded leg in his lap, and he laid his cheek on it and told him the good news that he had attained the rank of martyrdom. ‘Ubaidah said to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), “By Allah, I would have loved to have Abu Talib alive, and I would have told him that I am more deserving than he of the title he has spoken of:

And we will not surrender him (Muhammad) until we die on the ground around him, and surely (for the sake of defending him) we will forget our children and wives.”

After the sparring was over, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) walked around checking the ranks of the Muslims while leveling them with the stick he had brought for that purpose. When the Messenger of Allah passed Sawwad ibn Ghazyah, a companion of the Banu Najjar, he stood out from the line. The Messenger of Allah struck him on the stomach with his stick and said, “O Sawwad, straighten your line.” Sawwad replied, “O Messenger of Allah, indeed you have harmed me, while you were sent with the cause of right and justice. So give me a chance to retaliate against you.” Then the Messenger of Allah opened his stomach and said to Sawwad, “You may reply, Sawwad.” However, it turned out that Sawwad only embraced the stomach of the Messenger of Allah and kissed it. The Messenger of Allah said, “What made you do that?” Sawwad replied, “O Messenger of Allah, as you yourself have seen, the battle is at the doorstep. So I wish that before I die, my skin should come into contact with your glorious skin.” So the Prophet wished him well.

The Messenger of Allah began to deliver his message to all the soldiers of the Muslims:

Do not do anything before I order it, and whenever the enemy surrounds you, rain arrows on them. Do not draw your swords unless they attack you at close range.

Then the Prophet advised them to be steadfast and patient. Then he returned to his camp with Companion Abu Bakr who always accompanied him. His bodyguard was Companion Sa’d ibn Mu’adz. He always stood at the door of the tent with his sword drawn.

In the book of Sahih Bukhari it has been mentioned that among the prayers uttered by the Prophet at that time was: O Allah, I crave for Your command and promise. O Allah, if You will, You will not be worshipped.

The Companion Abu Bakr r.a. said, “Enough of what you have said, surely Allah will fulfill His promise to you.” Then the Prophet came out of his tent and recited the words of Allah:

That group will surely be defeated, and they will retreat backwards. (Q.S. 54 Al-Gamar: 45)

Then the Prophet preached to the ranks of the Muslim army to encourage it with his words: By the One in Whose hand is the soul of Muhammad, there is no man who fights them today, and dies in patience, expecting Allah’s reward, and advancing without retreating, but Allah will admit him into Paradise. And whoever kills his opponent, then he is entitled to take his ghanimah. “Umair ibnul-Hammam who was holding some dates said, “Well, then, there is no distance between me and Paradise except that they should kill me.” Then he threw away the dates he had in his hand, took his sword, charged into the enemy ranks, tore them apart and was himself killed.

The battle between the two armies intensified and the atmosphere grew hotter and hotter. Then Allah swt. strengthened the ranks of the Muslims with the help of angels as good news for them so that their hearts would be calm. It was not long before the polytheists were defeated and fled. Then they were pursued by the Muslim army so that many of them were killed and taken captive. The number of polytheists killed in the battle was approximately seventy. Among them were ‘Atabah and Shibah, both sons of Rabi’ah, and Al-Walid son of ‘Atabah, all of whom were killed in the duel at the beginning of the battle.

Among those killed were Abul-Buhturi ibn Hisham and Al-Jarrah, the father of Abu ‘Ubaidah, who was killed by Abu ‘Ubaidah, his own son, after Abu ‘Ubaidah had first warned him to stay away from the battlefield, but he ignored him. Also killed in the battle were Umayyah ibn Khalaf and his son. They were killed by a group of Ansar along with Companion Bilal ibnu-Rabbah and Companion ‘Ammar ibnu Yasir. Companion Bilal and Companion ‘Amr ibnu Yassir had attempted to do so in view of the atrocities that the Umayyads had committed while in Makkah against them both. Others among those who died from the polytheists in the war were Hanzhalah ibnu Abu Sufyan and Abu Jahal ibnu Hisham, both of whom were wounded by two teenage boys from the Ansar because they had heard that the two had often harmed the Messenger of Allah. Next Hanzhalah and Abu Jahal were killed by the Companion ‘Abdullah ibnu Mas’ud. Then Naufal ibnu Khuwalid who was killed by Companion ‘Ali ibnu Abu Talib, and ‘Ubaidah and Al. Ash who had killed Abu Uhaihah’s father named Sa’id ibnul. Ash ibn Umayyah. There were many more from among the polytheists who were killed in the Battle of Badr.

As for the prisoners of war, they numbered seventy. Then the Messenger of Allah killed two of them, namely ‘Ugbah ibn Abu Mu’ith and An-Nadhr ibnul-Harith, both of whom at the time of Makkah were among the most violent in insulting the Messenger of Allah. This incident took place on the 17th of Ramadan, which coincided with the anniversary of the revelation of Al-Guran. The distance between the beginning of the revelation of the Qur’an and the Battle of Badr was fourteen Qamariyah years.

Then the Prophet ordered that the bodies of those killed among the polytheists be disposed of. Their bodies were removed from the place of their death that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) had announced before the incident and put together in an old well in Badr, because it was the sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) in all the battles he fought when he found human remains, he ordered that they be buried without asking whether they were believers or disbelievers. When the body of ‘Atabah, the old man of Companion Abu Hudhayfah, one of the earliest converts to Islam, was thrown into the old well, the Messenger of Allah approached his son. He caught something of the romance of his face, so he said to him, “Perhaps there is something on your mind regarding your father?” Abu Hudhayfah replied, “No, by Allah, except that I know that my father is a critical, merciful, and righteous man. I always hoped that Allah would guide him to Islam, but after I saw his death in a state of disbelief, it saddened me.” So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) wished him well.

After that, the Messenger of Allah ordered his vehicle to be prepared. He mounted it and stopped at the edge of the old well where the bodies of the polytheists were thrown. There the Messenger of Allah called each of them by name along with the names of their fathers:

“O Fulan ibn Fulan, and O Fulan ibn Fulan! Would it have pleased you had you obeyed Allah and His Messenger. For indeed we have actually found what our Rabb has promised, so have you also found what your Rabb has actually promised?” Then Companion ‘Umar said, “O Messenger of Allah, are you speaking with bodies that have no spirit?”. The Messenger of Allah replied, “By the One in whose hand the soul of Muhammad is, they can hear what I am saying, just like you.”

Siti ‘Ā’ishah r.a. interpreted what the Messenger of Allah meant to say to mean that he intended them to now know that what he had said to them was true. Siti ‘Ā’ishah r.a. then recited the words of Allah:

Surely you cannot make the dead hear. (Q.S. 27 An-Naml: 80)

And you can never make those who are in the grave hear. (Q.S. 35 Fathir: 22)

What ‘Ā’ishah means is that they will know this when they occupy their place in Hell. This is according to the tradition narrated by Imam Bukhari from Siti ‘Aisha r.a.

After this incident, the Messenger of Allah sent a messenger to deliver good news. The Messenger of Allah sent ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Rawwahah to the people of the region of ‘Aliyah,” and sent Companion Zaid ibn Harithah to the people of As-Safilah (who inhabited the lowlands of Medina) while riding on the Messenger’s camel. The hypocrites and the disbelievers, namely the Jews, always frightened the Muslims of Madinah with negative news about the Messenger of Allah. Such was the habit of the enemy, that they broadcast unfavorable news about the Muslim army with the intention of slandering the Muslims. However, when the messengers of Ra sulullah (peace be upon him) came with good news of the victory of the Muslims, the Muslims of Medina rejoiced. The messengers came when the Muslims of Medina had just buried the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, Siti Rugayyah, the wife of Companion ‘Uthman.

Then the Messenger of Allah returned to Medina. At that time there was a dispute among some of the Muslims regarding the issue of the distribution of the ghanimah. The young people said that they were the successors of the old people, so they took the same share of the ghanimah as the old people. Considering that this dispute could lead to weakness and instill hostility and hatred that would scatter unity, Allah swt. sent down His revelation to end this dispute, namely through His words:

They ask you about (the division of) the spoils of war. Say, “The spoils of war belong to Allah and the Messenger, so fear Allah and mend relations among yourselves, and obey Allah and His Messenger if you are believers”. (Q.S. 8 AlAnfal: 1)

The light of the Quran penetrated their hearts so that they became harmonious after almost dividing. Finally, they handed over the ghanimah to the Messenger of Allah in accordance with what had been decided by the Quran. Then the Messenger of Allah distributed it fairly: foot soldiers were equal in share with other foot soldiers, and horsemen were equal in share with other horsemen. The Prophet gave a share of the ghanimah to people who did not participate in the war, but they were given a special task by the Prophet. Those who got this type of share were Abu Lubanah al-Anshari, because he was given the task of being the successor of the Messenger of Allah to take care of the people of Medina, Al-Harith ibn Hathib got a share because the Messenger of Allah gave him the task of being the successor of the Messenger of Allah over Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Auf, namely to carry out a special task that the Messenger of Allah had ordered him: Al-Harith ibnushShummah and Akhawat ibn Jubayr received a share because they had sprained both their legs in Rauha and could not walk: Talhah ibn “Ubaidillah and Sa’id ibn Zaid both got a share because they were released by the Messenger of Allah to be spies who watched all the movements of the enemy, and both only returned to Medina after the war was over, “Uthman ibn “Affan r.a. was given a share because the Messenger of Allah left his daughter, Siti Rugayyah, who had become ‘Uthman’s wife for ‘Uthman to take care of her, ‘Ashim ibn ‘Addi got a share because the Messenger of Allah gave him the task of replacing the Messenger of Allah to manage the population of Quba and the area of ‘Aliyah. Similarly, the Messenger of Allah also gave a share of the ghanimah to the Muslims who died on the battlefield. There were fourteen of them. Among those who died was ‘Ubaidah ibnul-Harith ibnu ‘Abdul Muttalib ibnu Hashim who was wounded during a duel at the beginning of the war. He died while the Muslims were on their way back to Medina from Badr, and was buried in Ash-Shafra.

When the Messenger of Allah was about to enter the city of Medina, his arrival was greeted by the girls of Medina beating tambourines and saying:

The Messenger of Allah has come to us, from Tsaniyatul-Wada’. We should be grateful for his call to Allah. O one sent to us, indeed you have come with a matter to be obeyed.

CAPTIVES OF THE BATTLE OF BADR

When the Muslim army had entered Medina, the Prophet deliberated with his companions about what they should do with the captives. Companion ‘Umar said, “O Messenger of Allah, they have denied you, fought you and expelled you. In my opinion, let me take possession of so-and-so with whom I am related and cut his throat. Let Hamzah rule over his brother Al-‘Abbas, and ‘Ali over his brother ‘Ugail. And so on until everyone knows that in our hearts there is no love for the polytheists. I have no other opinion except that I should cut the throats of all the captives. They are the warriors, leaders and commanders of the polytheists.” The opinion of ‘Umar was agreed upon by Sa’d ibn Mu’adz and ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah.

However, Companion Abu Bakr argued, “O Messenger of Allah, they are your family and kindred. Allah has given you victory and His help over them. In my opinion, you should let them live, then take their ransom. Thus, what we take from them will be a strength for us against the disbelievers. May Allah swt. guide them through you. Thus, they will become your helpers.”

Then the Messenger of Allah said, “Verily, Allah has softened the hearts of some people so that they become soft-hearted like milk. Verily, Allah has hardened the hearts of some people so that they have become people more hardened than stones. Verily, your example, Abu Bakr, is that of Prophet Ibrahim, when he said:

So whoever follows me is surely among my people, and whoever disobeys me, then surely You are Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q.5. 14 Ibrahim: 36)

Indeed, your example, O ‘Umar, is like that of Noah a.s, when he said:

O my Rabb, do not let any of the disbelievers dwell on the earth (Q.S. 71 Nuh: 26).

It turned out that the Prophet chose the opinion of the Companion Abu Bakr after first praising the opinion of the two Companions, because the purpose of both opinions was the same, namely strengthening religion and humiliating the polytheists. Then the Prophet said to his companions, “You are now the ones who bear the burden, so do not let any of your captives go except by ransom.” The news of what the Messenger of Allah had decided with regard to the captives was heard by the Quraysh, so they intended to weep for their men who had died in the Battle of Badr for one month. But one of their leaders signaled that they should not do so because, if the news were to come to Muhammad and his companions, they would rejoice over it. Finally they kept quiet and resolved not to weep for their dead until the time came to take revenge to make up for their defeat. They advised each other not to be in a hurry to ransom their captives because, if they were, the Muslims would set a high price for them.

RANSOM

However, this advice was ignored by Al-Muththalib ibn Abu Wadda’ah as-Sahmi whose father was now in the custody of the Muslims. He went out secretly and headed for Medina. After reaching Madinah, he redeemed his father for four thousand dirhams. At that very moment the Quraysh sent a messenger to redeem their captives. The ransom for each person was four thousand dinars, and to the one who had no wealth to redeem himself, and he was good at reading and writing, ten children of Medina were given to teach him to read and write. His services were used as a ransom for himself.

Among the captives was ‘Amr ibn Abu Sufyan. When he asked his father Abu Sufyan for his ransom, his father refused, saying, “By Allah, Muhammad should not collect my son and my property. Let him remain in their hands. They may do with him as they please.” However, when Abu Sufyan was in the city of Makkah, he suddenly came across Sa’d anNu’man al-Anshari performing ‘umrah. Then Abu Sufyan captured Sa’d and held him hostage as a ransom for his son, ‘Amr. Then Sa’d’s people went to the Messenger of Allah and informed him of the incident that had befallen Sa’d. Finally the Messenger of Allah delivered ‘Amr to the delegation of the Quraysh, and in return Abu Sufyan and the polytheists also released the reward, namely Sa’d.

Among the captives was also Abul-‘Ash ibnur-Rabi’, the husband of the Prophet’s wife, Siti Zainab. The Prophet had previously praised him for his kindness in his relationship as son-in-law. When the hostility between the polytheists of Quraysh and Rasoolullah (peace be upon him) in Makkah came to a head, they asked Abul-‘Ash to divorce Siti Zainab. ‘Ash to divorce Siti Zainab as Abu Lahab’s two sons had done with the other two daughters of the Messenger of Allah. However, Abul-‘Ash refused their request and said, “By Allah, I will not divorce this companion of my life, and I am very happy to have a wife from among the Quraysh.” When Abul-‘Ash was taken captive Siti Zainab sent a ransom in the form of her personal necklace that she had received from her mother, Siti Khadijah, on the day of her marriage. When the Messenger of Allah saw the necklace, his heart became very fond of his daughter. Then the Prophet said to his companions, “If you agree to let her husband go and return the necklace to her, do so.” Finally the companions all agreed to the Prophet’s proposal. Then the Messenger of Allah released Abul-‘Ash on the condition that he let Siti Zai. nab migrate to Madinah. When Abdul-‘Ash arrived in Makkah, he ordered Zainab to follow her father. The Messenger of Allah at that time sent his men to fetch his daughter. When Abul-Ash converted to Islam before the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet returned his daughter, Siti Zainab, to him on the basis of first marriage.

Among the other captives was Suhail ibnu ‘Amr. He was an orator from the Quraish and a literary expert and often hurt the Muslims with his words. Companion ‘Umar r.a said, “O Messenger of Allah, let me pull out Suhail’s two incisors. He is always running his mouth, so he will no longer reproach you through his speech wherever he is.” However, the Messenger of Allah replied, “I will not take such a retaliation, for Allah would have taken a similar retaliation against me, even if I were a prophet. May Suhail one day occupy a position for which you will not reproach him.” The one who came to redeem him was Mukarriz ibn Hafsh. Mukarriz willingly made himself a hostage in place of Suhail. Then Suhail came with his ransom to free Mukarriz. This took place after Mukarriz received approval from the Muslims.

Later, it turned out that Allah swt. proved the truth of the news that had been spoken by the Prophet in connection with Suhail. When the Prophet died, many of the people of Makkah intended to apostatize from Islam as other Arabs had done. Suhail stood up and preached to them. He began his sermon after he had first praised and praised Allah swt. after reciting salawat to the Messenger of Allah swt. Then he said. “O people, whoever worships Muhammad is dead, and whoever worships Allah, Allah is alive and will never die. Do you not know that Allah swt. has said:

Verily you will die, and verily they will die also. (Q.S. 39 Az-Zumar: 30).

And Allah swt. has also said:

Muhammad is nothing but a messenger; indeed, several messengers have gone before him. So if he dies or is killed, will you then turn back (apostatize)?” (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 144).

Suhail went on to say, “By Allah, I know that this religion (Islam) will continue to spread in influence as long as the sun rises, so do not be persuaded by the seduction of this man (meaning Abu Sufyan). Even if he knows about this matter as well as I do, his heart is locked shut due to envy of the Banu Hashim. Fear your Rabb, for surely the religion of Allah is established and His kalimah is perfect. Verily Allah will help those who help and strengthen His religion, and Allah has united you under the leadership of the best of you (he means the Companion Abu Bakr). This will not add any burden to the religion of Islam other than strength, so whoever we see apostatizing, you will surely cut his throat.”

Finally all the people of Makkah retreated back, not daring to do what they had intended. This news is a miracle of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. because it happened exactly what he had predicted before.

Among the captives was also Al-Walid ibnul Walid who was later redeemed by his two brothers, namely Khalid and Hisham. After Al-Walid was redeemed and returned to Makkah, and he converted to Islam, someone asked him, “Why did you not convert to Islam before you were redeemed?” He replied, “I was worried lest they assume my Islam out of fear.” Later, when he intended to migrate to Medina, he was prevented by his two brothers, but he escaped while performing ‘Umrah gadha to join the Prophet.

Another captive was As-Saib ibn Zaid. He held the banner of the polytheists in that war. He was released after redeeming himself. He was the fifth grandfather of Imam Muhammad ibn Idris ash-Shafi’i.

Another captive was Wahb ibn ‘Umari al-Jumahi. His father’s name was ‘Umari, one of the criminals of Quraysh and one of the people who hurt the Prophet the most. One day after the Battle of Badr was over, he sat with Shafwan ibn Umayyah and recounted the defeat in the Battle of Badr. ‘Umair said, “By Allah, if I had not had debts which I could not pay, and children whom I feared would become poor if I left them behind, I would have come to Muhammad, then I would have killed him, for indeed my son is now their prisoner”. Then Shafwan said to him: “Your debt is mine, and your children I will keep with my children.” So ‘Umair immediately took his sword, sharpened it and gave it poison, then he set out until he reached Medina.

When the Companion ‘Umar was with a group of Muslims, he suddenly saw the arrival of ‘Umair complete with his sword. Then Companion ‘Umar said, “This dog is an enemy of Allah, never does he come except to bring evil.” Then Companion ‘Umar reported to the Messenger of Allah. “This is the enemy of Allah, ‘Umair. It comes complete with its sword.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Let him enter to me.” Companion “Umar took his sword first, then allowed him to enter with a strict escort. When the Messenger of Allah saw him, he said, “Let him go, O ‘Umar. You, ‘Umair, come near to me.” So ‘Umair approached and said respectfully, “Good morning.” The Prophet said, “Allah swt. has replaced that salutation with a better salutation, as-salam (greeting).” Then the Messenger of Allah began to ask, “What is it that you have come here for, O ‘Umair?” ‘Umair replied, “I have come for the prisoner who is in your hands. I ask that you do well by him.” The Messenger of Allah asked again, “What then is the use of the sword?” ‘Umair replied, “This unlucky sword, can it do anything for me?” The Messenger of Allah asked again, “Be honest with me. What caused you to come here?” ‘Umair replied, “I only came for that.” The Messenger of Allah said, “No, rather you had a conversation with Shafwan near the Ka’bah, and you both said so and so.” Finally ‘Umair converted to Islam, then he said, “Previously we denied the news from heaven that you conveyed and the revelation that was revealed to you. Indeed, no one witnessed it except me and Shafwan.” Then the Prophet said to his companions, “Teach him Islam, and recite to him the Quran, then release his captivity.” Then ‘Umair returned to Makkah, and it turned out that when he arrived in Makkah he revealed his Islam.

Another captive was Abu ‘Aziz ibnu ‘”Umair, the brother of Mush’ab ibnu ‘Umair. Mush’ab met his brother one day, and Mush’ab said to his captors, “Hold him tight because his mother is a rich woman, perhaps she will redeem him.” So Abu ‘Aziz said to his brother, “O my brother, is this your message to me.” So the rich mother sent a ransom to free him. The ransom amounted to four thousand dirhams.

Another captive was Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib, the Prophet’s uncle. He joined this war by force. When he became a prisoner, he was asked to redeem himself and his brother’s son who was also a prisoner, ‘Ugail ibnu Abu Talib. He said, “Why should we pay, when we only joined under duress?” Then the Messenger of Allah replied, “However, outwardly you are still our enemy.” Finally he was forced to pay the ransom for himself and his nephew. Then he said to the Messenger of Allah, “You have made me the poorest of the Quraysh forever.” But the Messenger of Allah replied, “How can that be, did you not leave a considerable fortune to Ummul Fadhl (his own wife), then you said to her, ‘When I die, I leave you rich?” “Al-‘Abbas replied, “By Allah, no one knows that but why do you know it?”) The decision illustrates the Prophet’s great justice and wisdom. The Prophet did not forgive his own uncle, even though he knew that his uncle joined the war because he was forced. Even the Messenger of Allah himself has given pardon to many other captives. which turned out to be completely incapable. This is what is called justice. It is not strange because such an attitude is a translation of the word. Him:

O you who have believed, be you men of justice, bearing witness for God’s sake even if it be against yourselves or your mothers and fathers and your relatives. (Q.S. 4 An. Nisa: 135)

Another captive, Abu ‘Izzah al-Jumahi, was a poet. He used to be one of the harshest in hurting the Prophet while in Makkah. When he was taken captive in the Battle of Badr, he said to the Messenger of Allah, “O Muhammad, I am a poor man with many dependents and many needs, as you know. So please free me.” So the Messenger of Allah freed Abu ‘Izzah due to his generosity.

THEQUR’AN FOR RANSOM

When the redemption was completed, Allah swt. revealed His words:

It is not befitting for a prophet to have a prisoner until he has put down his enemy on earth. You desire worldly possessions while Allah desires the Hereafter (for you). And Allah is mighty and wise. Had it not been for the previous decree of Allah, you would have been subjected to a great torment because of the ransom you took. (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 67-68)

Allah swt. forbade the Messenger of Allah to take prisoners until he had eliminated his enemies, namely by killing those who obstructed the way of Allah and prevented the spread of the religion of Allah. Then Allah reproached some Muslims who wanted worldly possessions, namely the fidyah itself. Had it not been for Allah’s earlier decree that He would not punish the one who makes ijtihad so long as his aim is only good, then He would have sent down His punishment. Then Allah, the Almighty, allowed them to eat the ransom (fidyah) which was taken according to the right view. This is a strong evidence that proves the truthfulness of our Prophet in conveying what he obtained. Had this been from Allah’s side, the Prophet would not have been rebuked. However, it turned out that what he had done was only based on the results of deliberation with most of the companions. Allah swt. has promised the captives that Allah knows that in their hearts there are good intentions, then surely Allah will give a better reward than what has been taken from them (ransom), and He will also forgive them, as explained by His words, namely:

O Prophet, say to the captives who are in your hands, “If Allah knows that there is good in your hearts, He will give you better than what has been taken from you, and He will forgive you.” And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 70)

The Battle of Badr was a battle through which Allah swt. made the religion of Islam victorious and its adherents became strong people, polytheists were destroyed in this war, and their positions were destroyed even though the number of Muslims was small while their enemies were many. This is a clear sign of Allah’s care for Islam and its followers. Even though their enemies were better equipped with weapons and supplies and more personnel, it was the Muslims who won. Therefore, Allah swt. mentioned this victory as a gift from Him to His servants, namely through His words:

Indeed, Allah helped you in the Battle of Badr, but you were weak. (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 123)

At that time you were few in number: that you may know that the victory was none other than from Allah.

The Battle of Badr was the greatest war in the History of Islam because with this war the religion of Islam appeared prominently, after the war the nur of Islam shone in all directions. In that war many strong men were killed, who had previously been the sworn enemies of Islam. Now fear began to creep into the hearts of other Arabs against the Muslims who now had great power that could defeat the strongest troops. It is not strange that we should thank Allah Most High for His care of the Muslims. We then make the day of the Battle of Badr, which falls on the 17th of Ramadan, a feast day to commemorate the favors that Allah has bestowed on His Messenger and on the Muslims.

THE BATTLE OF QAINUQA’

If a person has two enemies, and they fight each other so that one of them wins over the other, then this situation will encourage him to fight against his enemy who is now only one. In this way, he will show hatred without thinking of the consequences that will befall him. This was the situation of the Jews of Banu Qainuga’ when the Muslims won the Battle of Badr. After that event, they dared to break the covenant they had made with the Muslims. Now they really dared to reveal their true hearts against the Muslims. It started after they dared to desecrate the honor of an Anshar woman. This prompted the Muslims to be cautious and wary of them, and to distrust them in the future. Especially if there was a war in the city of Medina between the Muslims and other people. For this reason, Allah swt. revealed His words:

“And when you learn of the treachery of a party, then restore the covenant to them in an honest manner.”) Verily, Allah dislikes those who betray (Q.S. 8 Al-Anfal: 58).

The Prophet’s action was to summon their leaders, and he warned them against the consequences of adultery and breaking the covenant. However, they defiantly replied, “O Muhammad, do not be proud of the victory you have gained over your people, for they are not experts in warfare. When you come face to face with us, you will know that we are the experts in warfare.” The Jews of Banu Qainuqa’ were known for their bravery, so Allah swt. revealed His word:

Say to those who disbelieve, “You will surely be defeated (in this world) and will be herded into the hell of Jahannam. And that is the worst place. Verily there is a sign for you in two groups that have met (to fight). One group fought in the cause of Allah and the other disbelieved, seeing (as if) the Muslims were twice their number. Allah strengthens with His help whomsoever He wills. Verily in such is a lesson for those who have eyes of the heart. (QS. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 12-13)

At that time the one who had entered into a treaty with them, i.e. ‘Ubadah ibnush-Shamit, one of the leaders of the Khazraj tribe, broke away from the treaty. However, there was also one who still adhered to the covenant, namely ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay. He said, Verily I fear a calamity. In connection with that, Allah swt. revealed His word as a notification to the Muslims, namely :

O you who believe, do not take the Jews and Christians as your leaders, some of them are leaders for others. Whoever among you takes them as leaders, then indeed he is one of them. Indeed, Allah does not guide the wrongdoers. Then you will see those in whose hearts there is a disease (hypocrites) hastening to approach them (Jews and Christians) saying, “We fear a calamity.” Perhaps Allah will bring victory (to His Messenger) or a decree from His side. So they became sorry for what they had kept secret within themselves. (Q.5S. 5 Al-Maidah: 51-52)

When the Jews of Banu Qainuqa’ felt unable to put up a fight against the Muslims, and their hearts were frightened because they saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) setting out in the middle of Shawwal that year to fight them. At that time, it was the Companion Hamzah, the Prophet’s uncle, who held the banner of war, and the Prophet had appointed Abu Lubabah al-Anshari to be his successor in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah besieged their fortress for fifteen days.

THE EXPULSION OF THE PEOPLE OF BANU QAINUQA’

When the Jews of Banu Qainuqa’ felt unable to put up a fight against the Muslims, and their hearts were afraid of seeing the Muslim army, they asked the Messenger of Allah to let them leave Madinah. They would take only their women and children with them, while their property could be taken by the Muslims. The Messenger of Allah accepted the offer. The Messenger of Allah then delegated the Companion ‘Ubadah ibnush-Shamit to expel the Jews. The Prophet gave them three days, after which they left Madinah for Adzri’at. It was not until a year after their departure from Madinah that they all perished.

After that the Messenger of Allah took one-fifth of their wealth, then gave a share of one-fifth to all his relatives, namely Banu Hashim and Banil-Muththalib, but Banu ‘Abdusy-Shams and Banu Naufal who were still brothers with Banu Hashim and BanilMuththalib were not given a share. When someone asked about this, the Prophet replied:

“Indeed, Banu Hashim and Banil-Muththalib in the Age of Jahiliyyah and Islam were a unity, like this,” while wrapping the fingers of both hands.

THE SAWIQA WAR

Abu Sufyan’s heart was burning. He was very curious because he did not participate in the Battle of Badr. His children and relatives had been killed in that war. He vowed not to wash his hair until he had fought with Muhammad. To fulfill his vow he went out with two hundred of his companions to attack the city of Medina. When he came near the city of Medina, he intended to meet the Jews of Banu Nadhir with the aim of rousing them to join the fight against the Muslims.

Then Abu Sufyan contacted their leader, Hay ibnu Akhthab, but Hay ibnu Akhthab would not meet him. Then Abu Sufyan contacted Sallam ibnu Misykum, and it turned out that Sallam ibny Misykum was willing to receive him so that Abu Sufyan could confer with him about the plan he would carry out. After that Abu Sufyan left Sallam ibnu Misykum, then sent his men to carry out terror in the city of Medina. Abu Sufyan’s men as soon as he arrived in Medina burned the date palms belonging to the people of Medina, and they met an Ansar companion, then they immediately killed him en masse.

After the news of the incident reached the ears of the Prophet, the Prophet immediately went out with two hundred soldiers to pursue them. This was done by the Messenger of Allah on the 5th of Dhu’l-Hijjah, after first appointing the Companion Bashir ibn ‘Abdul Mundzir to be his successor in Madinah. However, it turned out that the Messenger of Allah and his army could not catch up with them because they had already run away. To lighten the burden, Abu Sufyan ordered his soldiers to throw some of their provisions so that they would run even faster and could not be pursued by the army of the Muslims of Medina. They threw sacks of flour that became their provisions which were then taken by the Muslim army. Hence the battle was called the Sawig (Flour War).

SALAT ‘ID

That same year Allah swt. ordained a great sunnah for all Muslims. With this sunnah, the Muslims of a country can gather with their religious brothers to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood and strengthen religious ties, namely gathering (on Hari Raya Fitri and Hari Raya Adha. On both holidays, the Prophet gathered the Muslims in a field to pray with them for two rak’ahs while drawing closer to Allah swt. so that Allah would not break their unity and help them in the face of enemies. The Prophet then preached a sermon encouraging them to unite and live in harmony while reminding them of their obligations towards one another. Then the Muslims shook hands with each other and went out of the mosque to give alms to the poor and mis kin so that the joy of the feast would extend to all levels of the Muslim community. This means that after the Feast of al-Fitr, we give zakaah and after the Feast of al-Adha, we ask Allah to unite our hearts and help us to emulate the actions of the salaf.

THE MARRIAGE OF ‘ALI AND FATIMAH

In the same year, ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib married Siti Fatimah. The age of ‘Ali at that time was twenty-one years, and the age of Siti Fatimah bint Rasulullah saw. fifteen years. As a result of this marriage, the Prophet had three grandchildren, namely Al-Hasan, Al-Husain, and Siti Zainab. In that year the Prophet also began to have intercourse with Siti ‘Aisha bin Abu Bakr r.a. At that time Siti ‘Aisha r.a. was nine years old.

THE THIRD YEAR OF HIJRI

May Allah swt. finish the wretch with an accident so that he is neither heard nor seen. If left unchecked, he will always cheat and betray. The best way to deal with such a person is to kill him so that the world will be pacified. Such was the case with Ka’b ibnul-Asyraf, the Jewish leader of Banu Nadhir. A feeling of vengeance had burned in him that he did not shy away from inciting the Quraysh to fight the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). His heart was filled with hostility towards the Muslims. He did not hesitate to insult the Messenger of Allah through his poetry, and did his utmost to cause discord and enmity among the Muslims. Every schism that the Messenger of Allah had successfully patched up, this wretch (Ka’b ibn al Asharaf) broke it up again through the incitement of his poisonous mouth.

THE KILLING OF KA’B IBNUL-ASYRAF

When the Muslims experienced victory in the Battle of Badr, Ka’b ibnul-Asyraf saw the

 prisoners of war from the mushrikeen being taken to the mountain. Then he left the city of Medina for Makkah in order to meet the Quraysh. After meeting them he wept for the dead from among them and suggested that they fight the Muslims again. So the Prophet said, “Who will punish Ka’b ibnul-Asyraf? For indeed he has offended Allah and His Messenger.” Muhammad ibn Maslamah al-Ausi said, “Do you like it if I kill him?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes.” Muhammad ibn Maslamah al-Ausi said, “I will kill him for you, but first let us say something to him so that we can take possession of him.” The Messenger of Allah gave Muhammad ibn Maslamah permission to do so.

Then Muhammad ibn Maslamah went out with four men of his own people until he came to Ka’b. Then Muhammad ibn Maslamah said to Ka’b ibnul-Asyraf, “Verily that man (the Prophet Muhammad) has asked us for alms, and he has indeed made it difficult for us. Therefore we have come to you, to borrow money.” Ka’b ibn Asyraf said, “But why do you still want to follow his religion too?” Muhammad ibn Maslamah replied, “We followed him only to find out where the matter would end. That is why we do not want to leave him. We came here with the intention of borrowing from you a wasag or two.” Ka’b ibnul Asyraf said, “Yes, that is fine as long as you give me a guarantee.” They said, “What kind of security do you want? “Ka’b replied, “Give me your women as security.” They said, “How should we pledge our women to you when you are the most handsome?” Ka’b said, “Well, then give me your sons as security.” They replied, “How should we give our sons to you as security? Undoubtedly one of them will say in an abusive tone that he was made collateral for only one or two wasags. This is a disgrace to us. But what if we give you weapons as collateral?” Finally Ka’b agreed. Then Muhammad ibn Maslamah promised that one night, is would come to him.

On that night Muhammad ibn Maslamah came to him with Abu Nailah, who was Ka’b’s brother by marriage, ‘Ibad ibn Bisyr, Al-Harith ibn Aus, and Abu “Abbas ibn Jabar, all from the tribe of Aus. Then Muhammad ibn Maslamah called him. Ka’b intended to go down from his house to meet Muhammad and his companions, but suddenly his wife said, “Where are you going at this time of night? Remember that you are a man at war.” Ka’b ibnul-Asyraf replied, “Verily those who call me are my own nephew, Muhammad ibn Maslamah, and my blood brother, Abu Nailah. Verily, if a noble man is invited to fight even at night, he will surely welcome him.”

Muhammad ibn Maslamah said to his companions, “When he comes to me, I will hold his hair then I will kiss it. When you see that I have actually taken hold of his head, you shall strike him with the sword.” Ka’b came down from his house to meet them carrying his sword and wearing musk. Muhammad ibn Maslamah said, “I have never smelled a fragrance like this. May I kiss your head?” Ka’b ibn Asyraf replied, “Yes, you may.” So Muhammad ibn Maslamah immediately kissed his head. After Muhammad had got hold of his head, he said to his companions, “Hurry up and kill him!” Then they immediately killed him. Finally Allah swt. freed the Muslims from the evil of Ka’b’s deeds that he used to unleash against them.

Muhammad ibn Maslamah and his companions informed the Messenger of Allah that their task had been well accomplished. The wretch was killed in the month of Rabi’ul Awal that same year. When he saw that a leader of a tribe was treacherous and intended to cause war, the Messenger of Allah sent someone to silence his evil. The Messenger of Allah had done the same with Abu ‘Afk, a Jew whose attitude was similar to that of Ka’b ibnulAsyraf, who was a seditionist.

THE BATTLE OF GHATHAFAN

The Messenger of Allah had heard the news that the Banu Tsa’labah and the warriors of Ghathafan had gathered a force under the leadership of a prominent man from among them, named Da’tsur. They intended to attack Medina. So the Messenger of Allah intended to paralyze their strength first so that they would not carry out the attack. For this purpose, the Messenger of Allah left Madinah with four hundred and fifty soldiers on the 12th of Rabiulawal. He appointed ‘Uthman ibny ‘Affan as his caliph to manage the affairs of Madinah before leaving.

When they heard that the Prophet was on the road, they fled to the tops of the mountains. The Muslim army continued its journey until it reached a place known as Dza Amrin. The Messenger of Allah camped at that place. At that place the Messenger of Allah took off his clothes to dry because they were wet with rainwater, then rested under a shady tree, while the Muslims scattered. It turned out that the Messenger of Allah was seen by Da’tsur. Then Da’tsur came to him with his sword ready in hand so that he stood right above the Prophet’s head. Then he said, “O Muhammad, who will prevent you from my hand?” The Prophet replied, “Allah.” Upon hearing that answer, Da’tsur suddenly became afraid and horrified and his sword fell from his hand. The Messenger of Allah immediately picked up his sword and said, “Now who will prevent you from my hand?” Da’tsur replied, “No one.” The Messenger of Allah pardoned him, and Da’tsur converted to Islam. He returned to his people and invited them to Islam. It turned out that Allah swt. had changed his heart. From being very hostile to the Messenger of Allah and even inviting people to fight him, he now became a person who loved the Messenger of Allah and was even very diligent in calling people to help the Messenger of Allah. Allah swt. has said:

That is the bounty of Allah, which He gives to whom He wills. (Q.S. 5 Al-Maidah: 54)

That is the result of good treatment and far from being harsh and hard-hearted as what has been explained by His other words, namely:

It is by the mercy of Allah that you are gentle with them. If you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would have distanced themselves from you. Therefore, forgive them, ask forgiveness for them and consult with them in this matter. (Q.S. 3 Ali Imran: 159)

NAJRAN WAR

News reached the Messenger of Allah that a group of people from among the Banu Salim intended to attack Madinanh Therefore, the Messenger of Allah left Madinah with three hundred companions. The incident took place on the 6th of Jumadilawal. He appointed Ibn Ummi Maktum as his successor in Madinah before leaving for the battlefield. However, when the Messenger of Allah reached Najran, it turned out that the people of Banu Salim had fled the city. Finally, the Messenger of Allah did not find any battle on his journey, so he returned to Medina.

SARIYYAH

The Quraysh realized that the road to the Levant was closed to their trade caravan. They could no longer bear this situation because it was the lifeblood of their trade and the source of their livelihood. They were forced to send their trade caravan, only this time through Iraq. This time the caravan was escorted by a group of Quraysh, among whom were Abu Sufyan Harb, Shafwan ibn Umayyah, and Huwaithib ibn ‘Abdul’Uzza. Their news was heard by the Messenger of Allah. So the Messenger of Allah sent his army of one hundred mounted troops under the leadership of Companion Zaid ibn Harithah to wait for them to come. The incident took place in the month of Jumadilakhir. The Muslim troops kept going until they met the Quraysh caravan at a spring called Al-Qirdah, located in the region of Najd. The Muslim troops managed to seize some of the caliph and his men on foot. After the ghanimah reached the Prophet, he took one-fifth of it.

THE WAR OF UHUD

When the Quraysh had suffered a fatal defeat in the Battle of Badr, and their trade caravan route had now been sealed off to them, the remaining honorable men from among them went to the newly-stricken caravan leader, Abu Sufyan. At that time Abu Sufyan and his caravan were still standing in front of Darun-Nudwah, and the goods had not yet been handed over to their owners. Then they first said, “Surely Muhammad has deprived us of many of our chosen ones, and we are willing to have the profits of our trade used as expenses in preparation for fighting Muhammad and his companions.” Then it turned out that those who had shares in the caravan were all willing. The profit they managed to earn was about fifty thousand dinars. They managed to gather people who were willing to do the task in the presence of such large funds. The Quraysh who expressed their willingness amounted to three thousand people along with the Habsyahs who were friends of some of them, namely Banil-Musthalig and Banil-Haun ibn Khuzaimah. Also joining them was a monk named Abu ‘Amir from the tribe of Aus. He left Madinah because he was displeased with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and joined the Quraysh with a number of his companions. Later, some groups of Kinanah and Tihamah Arabs also joined them.

Then Shafwan ibn Umayyah said to Abu ‘Izzah, a poet whom the reader knows had been forgiven by the Messenger of Allah in the Battle of Badr so that he could go free without a ransom, “You are a poet. So help us with your tongue.” But Abu ‘Izzah replied, “Verily I have promised Muhammad that I will no longer help a man to fight him, and I fear that if I fall again into his hands I shall certainly not be saved.” However, Shafwan continued to persuade him so that Abu ‘Izzah finally complied with his wishes, then he set out to call people to fight the Muslims.

Then Jubayr ibn Muth’im called a servant of his, Wahshi, who was from the land of Habsyah. He was known as a spear thrower who rarely missed. Jubayr ibn Muth’im said, “Go with the people to fight. If it turns out that you can kill Hamzah in retaliation for the death of my uncle Thu’aimah, I will free you at once.”

Then the army of the mugyrikin went out with singers, tambourines, drums, and alcohol, while the honorable among them took their women with them so that their spirits would be burning and they would not back down. They proceeded until they reached a place close to Medina, Dzil-Hulaifah.

The Prophet had received news from his uncle, Al-‘Abbas ibn Abdul-Muthtalib, through a letter sent to him. Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdul-Muthtalib did not join the polytheists this time. He argued with them that he still remembered the calamity that had befallen him in the Battle of Badr. When the news of the approach of the polytheists in the city of Madinah reached the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), he gathered the Companions and informed them of the news. The Prophet said to them, “What do you think if we stay in the city of Madinah, and we leave them where they are camped? If they stay where they are encamped, they are in the most dangerous place for them. If it turns out that they entered the city of Madina, then we will fight them.” All the chiefs of the Muhajirin and Anshar companions supported the Prophet’s opinion and agreed with ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay.

‘Abdullah ibn Ubay. As for the new converts to Islam, especially those who had not participated in the Battle of Badr, they were of another opinion, that it was better to go out and beat them. Companion Hamzah agreed with their opinion so they still continued to defend their opinion. Finally, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) agreed with them because they consisted of people who were more numerous and were among the strongest in battle. Then the Prophet performed the Friday prayer with them. That day was the 10th of Shawwal. In his sermon the Prophet advised them to be firm and patient, then he said:

You will win if you are patient.

Then the Prophet entered his room to put on his war clothes, then emerged wearing two layers of armor while carrying a sword, while his shield was placed on his back. When the wise men of the Ansar saw the Messenger of Allah being forced by them to come out, they reproached the new converts. Finally the new converts said, we should return the matter to the Messenger of Allah. If. where he commands something, we will carry it out completely. his. When the Messenger of Allah came out of his room, they all said, “O Messenger of Allah, we all follow your opinion. The Prophet replied, “It is not appropriate for a prophet who has drawn his weapon and then laid it down again. He will continue to advance until Allah swt. decides between him and his enemies.” Then the Messenger of Allah formed the battle banners. He gave the banner of the Muhajirin to the Companion Mush’ab ibn ‘Umair, the banner of the Khazraj to Al-Habbah ibnul-Mundzir, and the banner of the Aus to Usayid ibnul-Hudhair.

Then the Messenger of Allah went out with a thousand soldiers. However, when the Muslim army reached the summit of Tsaniyyah, the Messenger of Allah saw a large army. The Messenger of Allah asked his companions about the troops who came. Some said that they were the friends of ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay from among the Jews. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) immediately said, “We will not ask the disbelievers for help against the polytheists.” The Messenger of Allah ordered them to be rejected, because they were untrustworthy people and they were people who had been known to commit treason.

After that, the Messenger of Allah inspected the ranks of the war and ordered the return home of everyone who was a minor. Among those who were told to return were Rafi’ ibn Khudaij and Samirah ibn Jundab. But the Prophet finally allowed Rafi’ when he stated that he was an accomplished archer. Samirah, however, wept and said to her foster father, “The Messenger of Allah has allowed Rafi’ and rejected me, while I can beat Rafi’.” News of this reached the ears of the Messenger of Allah. So he ordered the two to wrestle. The result was that Samurah won. Finally, the Messenger of Allah allowed Samurah to join the war. On that Saturday night the Messenger of Allah stayed at the place, while the watchman that night was Muhammad ibnu Maslamah, whose personal guard was Dzakwan ibnu Qais.

On the next day, precisely at dawn, the Messenger of Allah set out with his army towards Uhud. However, when the Messenger of Allah reached Ash-Shuth, the name of a garden located between Uhud and Medina, suddenly ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay returned to Medina with three hundred of his companions. They were pursued by ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, Jabir’s old man, who said to them: “O people, I warn you by Allah, do not insult your own people and Prophet”. But they replied, as revealed in His words: ,

They said, “If we had known that there would be a war, we would have followed you.” (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 167)

“Abdullah ibn ‘Amr said, “May you be kept away from the mercy of Allah, Allah swt. does not need your help against His Prophet.” When ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay did that, it almost affected two groups of the Mu’minin, namely Banu Harithah from the Khazraj tribe and Banu Salamah from the Aus tribe. But Allah swt. preserved the two groups so that they were not affected. The Muslims at that time were divided into two groups with regard to what the people who withdrew did. One group was of the opinion that they should fight them first, while the other group was of the opinion that they should leave them to their own devices. In connection with this event Allah swt. revealed His word: In surah An-Nisa

So why are you divided against the hypocrites, when Allah has turned them to disbelief by their own efforts? Do you intend to guide those whom Allah has misled? Whom Allah has led astray, you will not find a way to guide him. (QS. 4 An-Nisa: 88)

Then the Muslim army continued its march until it reached the slopes of the Hill of Uhud, and then they made their base there. Behind the Muslim army was the Hill of Uhud, while in front of them was the city of Medina. The polytheists were stationed in the valley opposite the Hill of Uhud. Their right wing was under the command of Khalid ibn Walid, while their left wing was under the command of ‘Ikrimah, son of Abu Jahal, and their foot soldiers were under the command of Shafwan ibn Umayyah. The Prophet appointed Az. Zubair ibnul-Awwam to lead the troops facing Khalid ibnul-Wahid’s troops, while the rest of the Muslims were assigned to face the other two wings of the polytheists. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) formed a force of fifty archers under the command of ‘Abdullah ibn Jubair al-Anshari. Then he placed them behind the ranks of the Muslims, that is, on the top of the hill, and told them:

Never leave this place, even if you see us victorious over them. Similarly, if you see that they are victorious over us, then you should still not leave this place. After that the Messenger of Allah straightened their ranks and preached to them. Among what the Prophet said at that time was:

The Angel Gabriel has revealed to me that no one will die until all his sustenance is given to him in full, without any deduction, even if it comes late. Fear your Lord, seek your sustenance by means of good (halal) means, and do not let delayed sustenance encourage you to seek it by disobeying Allah. Verily, a believer to another believer is like the head of a body: if the head feels pain, the pain will spread throughout the body.

The battle began with a sparring match. From the ranks of the polytheists came a man who was met by Az-Zubayr. Az-Zubayr eventually killed him. Subsequently, Talhah ibn Abu Talhah took over as their leader, but he was killed by ‘Ali. Then their banner was held by Talhah’s brother ‘Uthman, but ‘Uthman was killed by the companion Hamzah. Then the banner was held by their brother Abu Sa’id, but Companion Sa’d ibnu Abu Waqqash struck him and he died like his brothers. Their battle banner was then held by four sons of Talhah ibnu Abu Talhah in turn, but eventually they were all killed. When ‘Abdur Rahman, the son of Abu Bakr’s Companion came out of the ranks of the polytheists to challenge the Muslims, Abu Bakr’s Companion intended to match his son, but the Messenger of Allah said to him, “O Abu Bakr, make us happy with your safety.”

The cavalry of the polytheists tried three times to disperse the Muslim ranks, but all retreated under the arrows of the Muslim archers. When the two ranks met and engaged in intense fighting, the women of the polytheists began beating drums and singing encouraging verses to their men. Whenever the Prophet heard their singing, he used to pray:

O Allah, it is only to You that I turn for strength, and it is only to You that I turn for power, and it is for You that I fight. Let Allah suffice as my Helper. Verily, Allah is the best of protectors. In this campuh battle Companion Hamzah ibnu ‘Abdul-Muththalib, the Prophet’s uncle, died as sayyidusy-syuhada. He was supported by Wahshi. At that time Companion Hamzah was raging in the enemy ranks, then unbeknownst to him he was targeted by Wahshi with his spear which rarely misses. Finally the spear pierced his stomach, then Hamzah died as a martyr.

When the mushrikeen banner holders were all killed and none of them were able to come close to seize the banner, they fled from the battlefield, while their women wept and screamed. Then they were pursued by the Muslim army while collecting the ghanimah and goods left behind by them as booty.

However, when the Muslim archers at the top of the hill, who were guarding the rear of the Muslim army, saw this, they said, “Now we no longer need to guard this position. “They forgot the command of the Messenger of Allah. Their leader reminded them, but they ignored him, and went down to collect the spoils, while their leader remained in his position with the few of them who remained obedient to the Prophet’s command.

Khalid ibnul-Walid, one of the leaders of the polytheists, after seeing the strategic hilltop abandoned by most of its guards, then attacked the position with some of his soldiers. He was able to kill the surviving Muslims with arrows. After that he mobilized all his troops to attack the Muslims from the rear, who were busy collecting the ghanimah. When the Muslims saw the sudden attack, they panicked, so they let go of the ghanimah that they had just collected. Their ranks became scattered and mixed up, so that imperceptibly because of the panic they fought with their own friends. At that moment one of the women from the polytheists raised the banner of war. So the army of the mugsyrikin gathered under the banner. One of the mugsyrikin soldiers known as Ibn Qumaiah managed to kill Mush’ab ibnu ‘Umair, the holder of the battle banner of the Muslims. Then Ibn Qumaiah broadcast the news that Muhammad had died. It turned out that his stratagem succeeded in frustrating the ranks of the Muslims so that some of them said, “Why do we continue the war if it turns out that Muhammad has died? Go back to your people, surely they will guarantee your security. “And there were others who said, “If it turns out that Muhammad has fallen, then fight for your religion.”

As a result of this frustration, some of the Muslim soldiers lost the war. Among them were Al-Walid ibn ‘Ugbah, Kharijah ibn Zaid, Rifa’ah ibn-Mu’alla, and ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan. They fled from the battlefield to Medina, but they felt ashamed to enter it. So after three days they returned to the battlefield.

The Messenger of Allah stayed behind with a number of companions, including Abu Talhah al-Anshari. Abu Talhah al-Anshari persistently persisted to protect the Messenger of Allah with his shield He was an accomplished archer. He spread his arrows around the Messenger of Allah saying, “This body of mine is a ransom for your body.” The Messenger of Allah used to say to any soldier of the Muslims who passed near him while he was carrying arrows, “Give your arrows to Abu Talhah.” The Messenger of Allah always looked to see what his people were doing. At that time Abu Talhah said to him, “O Prophet of Allah, my father and mother are a ransom for you. Do not look around, you will be hit by the arrows of the enemy. My neck is a shield for your neck.” Among those who stayed with the Messenger of Allah was the Companion Sa’d ibn Abu Waggash. The Messenger of Allah used to say to him, “O Sa’d, release your arrows. My father and mother are your ransom.” Among them was also Companion Sahl ibnu Hanif. Is was famous as a master archer. His arrows rained down on the enemy to protect the Messenger of Allah so that eventually the enemies dispersed and no longer surrounded him. Abu Dujanah, whose real name was Samak Kharsyah al Anshari protected the Messenger of Allah with his body from the enemy’s arrows so that the enemy’s arrows hit his back. Finally his back was full of enemy arrows. Also protecting the body of the Messenger of Allah was Ziadah ibnul-Harith so that because he received many wounds he finally died. When the Messenger of Allah saw that Ziadah was badly wounded, he laid him at his feet so that he died as a martyr.

In this war the Messenger of Allah was hit by many great calamities. All of them could be endured thanks to the firmness bestowed by Allah swt. One day, a polytheist soldier named Ubay ibn Khalaf came with the intention of killing the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet immediately took a spear from the hand of one of those with him and said, “Let him come near.” When Ubay approached, the Messenger of Allah threw his spear. At that moment Ubay was about to run away, but the spear thrown by the Messenger of Allah preceded him and he died. The Messenger of Allah had killed him. Neither before nor after this war did the Messenger of Allah kill anyone other than Ubay.

Abu ‘Amir, the monk, had made some trap holes. He covered the holes with the intention that the Muslim army would fall into them. It turned out that the Messenger of Allah fell into the trap so that he fainted and injured both knees. Then Companion ‘Ali pulled his hand while Companion Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidillah lifted him from the hole. Companion ‘Ali and Companion Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidillah were among those who stayed with the Messenger of Allah. Just as the Messenger of Allah stood up after being lifted from the pit, he was suddenly thrown with a stone by ‘Atabah ibn Abu Waqqash so that it knocked out his serrated teeth. Then ‘Atabah was chased by Hathib ibn Abu Balta’ah and killed him immediately. The face of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was cut by the sword of ‘Abdullah ibn Shihan az-Zuhri, both temples by the blow of Ibn Qumaiah: may Allah curse him. Ibn Qumaiah’s blow hit the Prophet’s iron hat so that the two pointed parts of the iron hat injured both of his temples. Then came the Companion Abu ‘Ubaidah to pull out the pointed iron hat that stuck to the Prophet’s temples. At that time the incisors of the Messenger of Allah had fallen out. Then the Messenger of Allah said:

How can a people be happy if they dare to injure the face of their prophet?

At that time Allah revealed His words:

There is not the slightest interference on your part in their affairs, nor does Allah accept their repentance or punish them, for indeed they are wrongdoers (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 128).

After the great calamity, the first person to know that Ra. sulullah saw. was still alive was the Companion Ka’b ibnu Malik al-Anshari. Therefore, he cried out with all his voice, “O Muslims, rejoice!” However, his exclamation was cut short by the Prophet’s signal to him to be quiet. Then the Messenger of Allah, flanked by Companions Sa’d ibn Abu Waqqash and Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah walked up the hillside, accompanied by several Companions, namely Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Ali, Talhah, Az-Zubayr, and Al-Harist ibnush-Shumt. But suddenly came ‘Uthman ibn ‘Abdullah ibn al-Mughirah, boasting, “Where is Muhammad? Woe to me if it turns out that he is still safe.” His horse suddenly fell down so that he entered the pit of the trap. Then Al-Harist ibnush-Shumt rushed in and killed him.

After the Messenger of Allah reached the hillside, Fatima washed the blood from his wounds, while Companion ‘Ali poured water. Then she took a piece of mat cloth, burned it, and placed the ashes on the Prophet’s wounds. After that the blood did not flow anymore. After being treated, the Messenger of Allah intended to climb a large rock located on the slope of the hill, but his strength was no longer able because too much blood had come out of his body so that he could not stand up. Then Companion Talhah ibn ‘Ubaidillah carried him up to the top of the rock. The Messenger of Allah saw a group of polytheists at the foot of the hill. Then he said, “Do not let them be above us. O Allah, there is no power for us but only with You.” The Prophet then ordered his Companion ‘Umar to lead a group of Muslim troops to drive the polytheists away from the foothills.

Many of the Muslims who were protecting the Messenger of Allah suffered wounds as they blocked the arrows from hitting him. It turned out that there were more than seventy wounds on Talhah’s body so that one of his hands became paralyzed. Ka’b ibnu Malik received seventeen wounds. As for the number of Muslims who died in the war, it is estimated that there were more than seventy people, six from among the Muhajirin and the rest from among the Anshar.

Among the Muhajirin who died on the field of Uhud were the Companions Hamzah ibnu ‘Abdul-Muthtalib and Mush ‘ab ibnu ‘Umair. Among the Anshar who died were Hanzhalah ibnu Abu ‘Amir, Amr ibnul Jamuh and his son Khallad ibnu ‘Amr and his wife’s brother, the parents of Jabir ibnu ‘Abdullah. Then came the wife of ‘Amr, Hindun bint Haram. Then she carried the bodies of her husband, son, and brother on a camel to be buried in Medina. However, the Messenger of Allah forbade burying them outside the Uhud area. Finally, their bodies were returned to Uhud.

Sa’d ibnur Rabi’ had also died in this battle. At first, after the war the Messenger of Allah sent some people to look for him. The messenger found him among the fallen. He was still breathing. Then the messenger said to him that the Messenger of Allah asked about his condition. He said to the messenger: “Tell my people that Sa’d ibnur Rabi’ has told you to hold on to Allah, hold on to Allah and what you have pledged to the Messenger of Allah on the night of Agabah. By Allah, other than that I do not allow you on any grounds.”

Anas ibnun-Nadhr also died in this battle. He was the uncle of the Companion of Anas ibn Malik. When Anas ibnun-Nadhr heard about the killing of the Messenger of Allah on the battlefield, he said, “O people, what will you do if you are still alive while he is gone? Die in defense of that for which your brothers were willing to die.” Finally the Companion Anas ibnun-Nadhr pushed forward into the enemy ranks and continued to fight with burning zeal, but in the end he was martyred.

Driven by vengeance, the Quraysh mutilated the bodies of the Muslims who died in the battle. Hindun, the wife of Abu Sufyan, tore open the stomach of the body of Companion Hamzah. Then she took his liver to eat raw, but she only chewed it, then vomited it back. Likewise the other Quraish people, they did the same thing to the colleagues of Companion Hamzah who had fallen as martyrs.

Then Abu Sufyan climbed the hill and cried out with all his might, “Verily, wars take turns. Today is the vengeance of the Battle of Badr, and we will meet again next year at Badr.” Then he went on to say, “You will find among your people those who have died in pieces. However, I did not order this, so do not be prejudiced against me.”

It may be recalled that the army of the polytheists, after that, returned to Makkah. They did not pursue to Medina. This is a sign that the Muslims were not defeated in the battle, because if the Muslims had been defeated, the polytheists would have pursued them all the way to Medina and attacked the city.

After that the Prophet examined the fallen of the Muslims. He was very sad when he saw the condition of his uncle Hamzah. All the martyrs who died were buried at Uhud complete with the clothes they wore when they died. At that time two or three people were buried together in one grave because the Muslims were too tired to dig a grave for each martyr.

When the Muslims returned to Medina, the Jews and hypocrites mocked them. Now they began to show the hatred that had been hidden in their hearts. They said to their friends as expressed in His words:

Had they remained with us, they would not have died or been killed. (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 156)

The calamity that befell the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud was an important lesson for them and reminded them of two things that they had left behind to bring about this severe calamity, namely:

First: They disobeyed the order of the Messenger of Allah (saws) because the Messenger of Allah (saws) had told the archers not to leave the strategic position even if the Muslims were victorious or beaten back. However, they disobeyed his order and left their position.

Second: All deeds should be done for the sake of Allah, the Almighty, and one should never look at worldly matters, because worldly matters are mostly the cause of great calamities. It turns out that those who abandoned their position because they were tempted by worldly matters so that they sayik collecting ghanimah: this resulted in them being subject to the punishment of Allah. In connection with this, Allah swt. revealed His word: lam surah Ali ‘Imran in detail

And indeed Allah has fulfilled His promise to you when you killed them with His permission until the time when you were weak and disputed in the matter and disobeyed the command (of the Messenger) after Allah had shown you what you liked. Among you were those who desired the world, and among you were those who desired the Hereafter. Then Allah turned you away from them to test you: and indeed Allah has forgiven you. And Allah has bounty (bestowed) upon those who believe. (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 152)

The cause of this calamity was a disagreement, when they should have been in harmony. They were frustrated, whereas they should have been firm and energized. They disobeyed the orders of the Messenger, when they should have obeyed him. Finally, we ask Allah to help us not to do these things.

THE BATTLE OF HAMRAUL ASAD

When the Messenger of Allah returned to Madinah, he was still on alert and wary of the return of the mogyrikin, who might intend to complete their victory by attacking Madinah. The Prophet called upon his companions to go out to follow the enemy, and only those who were with him yesterday at Uhud should go out. It turned out that Jerusalem fulfilled the call of Allah and His Messenger even though they had just sustained wounds. They bandaged their wounds and came out following the Messenger of Allah. At that time the battle banner was still fixed and had not been released. Then the Messenger of Allah gave the banner of war to Companion ‘Ali ibnu Abu Talib, and he appointed Ibn Ummi Maktum as his successor in Medina.

The Messenger of Allah brought his army to Hamraul Asad. It turned out that the Prophet’s conjecture was correct because the polytheists reproached each other. Some of them reproached others because the Muslims were allowed to return to Medina without being pursued and no attack was made on Medina to complete their victory. After that they all resolved to attack again. However, when news reached them that the Messenger of Allah had come out of Madinah following them, they assumed that he had come with those who were not present at the Battle of Uhud. Then Allah swt. made their hearts afraid of the Muslims. Finally, they continued their journey to Makkah.

At Hamraul-Asad, the Messenger of Allah captured Abu ‘Izzah, a poet who had been taken prisoner in the Battle of Badr, who was later released by the Messenger of Allah without ransom on the condition that he would no longer fight the Muslims. Eventually the Prophet ordered him to be put to death. But before that Abu ‘Izzah said, “O Muhammad, set me free and grant me forgiveness, ‘Let me take care of my daughters, and I promise never again to do what I did.” The Prophet replied, “No, by Allah, I will not let your big mouth speak again and say that you have deceived Muhammad. No, the believer will not be pecked twice from one burrow. O Zaid, cut off his head.” Then Zaid carried out the order of the Messenger of Allah, beheading him immediately. This incident is a great education from the owner of the noble Shari’ah. Indeed, a man who does not act cautiously about something that has happened to him is not a sensible person. A leader must be firm to uphold the pillars of his kingdom.

SOME IMPORTANT EVENTS

In the same year, the Prophet married his daughter, Ummu Kalthum, to Companion ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan after the death of his first wife, Siti Rugayyah. Hence Companion ‘Uthman from then on was given the nickname Dzun Nuraini. In the same year the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) married Siti Hafshah bint “Umar ibnul-Khaththab. Siti Hafshah’s mother was the sister of Companion “Uthman ibn Mazh’un. Before that she had been the wife of Khunais ibn Hudzafah as-Sahmi r.a. who died of wounds sustained in the Battle of Badr.

In that year the Prophet was also married to Zainab bint Khuzaimah al-Hilaliyah of Banu Hilal-ibnu ‘Amir. In the Age of Jahiliah she was known by the nickname Ummul-Masakin (mother of the poor) because she was very affectionate and liked to do good to them. She was previously the wife of ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh who died in the Battle of Uhud. She was the maternal sister of Maimunah bint Harith. It was in that year that Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali r.a. was born.

It was also in that year that alcohol was completely forbidden. In the beginning, alcohol was forbidden gradually because the Arabs in the Age of Jahiliah loved it so much that it was very difficult if it was forbidden drastically and at once. The prohibition of alcohol was in line with the events that caused it to be disgusting, because something that is forbidden if the prohibition is associated with an event that highlights to everyone its ugliness, will surely have a deep effect on everyone’s soul. The first step in explaining the prohibition of alcohol is stated by Allah through His words:

They ask you about alcohol and gambling. Say, “In both there is a great sin and some benefit for man.” (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 219)

The benefit of gambling is to give away the profits to the poor, as the Arabs did in the Age of Jahiliyyah. The benefit of alcohol is that it strengthens the body. However, when some Muslims drink it and then find that the recitation of Al-Guran is mixed up, prayer is forbidden for someone who is drunk. For this reason, Allah swt. says in surah An-nisa:

O you who believe, do not pray while you are drunk so that you understand what you are saying. (Q.S. 4 An-Nisa: 43)

After some of the Muslims drank it, and then he mistreated his friends, then alcohol was completely forbidden, through His words:

O you who believe, verily (drinking) wine, gambling, (sacrificing to) idols, casting lots with arrows are abominable deeds of the devil. So avoid them so that you may have good fortune. Verily, the devil intends to cause enmity and hatred among you by drinking alcohol and gambling, and to prevent you from remembering Allah and praying. So stop (from doing those things). (Q.S. 5 Al-Maidah: 90-91)

Finally, the Muslims at that time responded to this by saying, “Now we have stopped (from drinking it).”

FOURTH YEAR OF HIJRI

At the beginning of the fourth year of Hijri, the Prophet heard news that Thulaihah and Salamah, both sons of Khuwailid from the tribe of Asad, were inviting their people to fight the Prophet. Then the Messenger of Allah called Abu Salamah ibnu ‘Abdul-Asad from the Makhgum tribe, then appointed him as the banner holder of the war, and said, “Walk until you reach the area of the Banu Asad ibnu Khuzaimah, then attack them.” In addition, the Messenger of Allah also sent his soldiers with Abu Salamah as their leader. Abu Salamah set out in the middle of Muharram until he reached their camp, then attacked them. However, they had left the village. Finally Abu Salamah found only their camels and goats. Then everything was taken by Abu Salamah. Thus it meant that Abu Salamah had not experienced warfare and had managed to carry the ghanimah without a fight after ten days from the day of his departure.

At the beginning of this year the Messenger of Allah heard news that Sufyan ibn Khalid ibn Nabih al-Hazali who lived in the area of ‘Arafat had gathered people to fight the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah sent ‘Abdullah ibn Unais al-Juhani alone to kill him. However, before that ‘Abdullah first asked the Messenger of Allah for permission to say made-up words so that he could arrest him. The Messenger of Allah gave him permission to do so and told him, “Admit that you are from the Khuza’ah tribe.” ‘Abdullah ibn Unais left Madinah on the 5th of Muharram. When he arrived Sufyan asked him, “Where are you from?” ‘Abdullah ibnu Unais replied, “From the tribe of Khuza’ah. I heard the news that you had gathered men to fight Muhammad. So I came here to join you.” Sufyan ibn Khalid said, “It is true, I have gathered my men to fight him.” Then ‘Abdullah ibn Unais walked with him as they talked. At that time Sufyan spoke very kindly. Upon reaching his tent, all those who had gathered there dispersed, and now only Sufyan and ‘Abdullah were inside. The two of them talked until Sufyan fell asleep, then ‘Abdullah ibn Unais got up and immediately killed him. After that ‘Abdullah ibn Unais left without permission until he reached Medina, and apparently no one pursued him. Thus, it means that Allah swt. has made the believers not bother to do battle with Sufyan.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Safar, the Prophet sent ten soldiers as spies to observe the Quraysh with the group of ‘Adhl and al-Garah who came to the Prophet to ask someone to teach them Islam. To teach them the Messenger of Allah sent ‘Ashim ibn Tsabit al-An. shari. They set out at night. When night fell they traveled, and when it was day they stopped to hide themselves until they reached a place called Ar-Raji.” It turned out that the companions of ‘Adhil and al-Qarah betrayed them because they gave Hudzail, the Sufyan ibn Khalid al-Hazali who had been killed by ‘Abdullah ibn Unais, information about them. Sufyan set out on their trail with approximately two hundred of his men, all of whom were archers, until they came close to the group of Sariyyah sent by the Messenger of Allah.

When the sariyyah sensed that they were being pursued by Sufyan, they hid on one of the hills in that place. Their enemies said, “Come down, we promise not to kill you.” Three of the Sariyyah were deceived by their promise, so they came down from the hill where they had taken refuge, while the rest remained until the end with ‘Ashim ibn Tsabit who was not willing to come down and be under the protection of the polytheists. However, when one of the three who had come down sensed treachery on the part of the polytheists, he wanted to rejoin his companions, but was killed by them. The other two were sold in Makkah to Makkans who had a grudge against the Muslims. Then they were both killed by the people who bought them. One of them, Habib ibnu ‘Addi, said as they were about to kill him:

I do not care if I am killed as a Muslim. By what means I am killed, for Allah my life will be accepted with Him. If He wills, He will surely bless every limb of my body that is torn apart.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Safar came a visitor to the Messenger of Allah. Abu ‘Amir ibnu Malik Mulai’bul-Asinnah, one of the chiefs of Banu ‘Amir. The Messenger of Allah invited him to embrace Islam, but he neither accepted nor rejected it. He only said, “I see that your case is good and noble. It would be good if you sent your companions with you to the people of Najd. Then they would invite the people of Najd to embrace your religion. I hope that they will accept it. “The Messenger of Allah (saw) replied, “However, I fear for their fate in the face of the people of Najd. “Abu ‘Amir replied, “I will guarantee their safety.”

After hearing Abu ‘Amir’s willingness, the Messenger of Allah sent with Abu ‘Amir’s party seventy men from the Companions under the leadership of Al-Mundzir ibn ‘Amr. The group of messengers of the Messenger of Allah was called the gurra because they were people who memorized a lot of the Quran.

They made the journey. When they reached Bir Ma’unah, they sent Haram ibn Milhan to deliver a letter to ‘Amir ibn Thufail, the leader of the Banu ‘Amir. When Haram reached him, ‘Amir ibnuth-Thufail did not heed his letter, rather he attacked and killed him. Then ‘Amir ibnuth-Thufail asked his friends from Banu ‘Amir for help against the other messengers of the Prophet, but they did not want to violate the guarantee given by Abu ‘Amir ibnu Malik. ‘Amir ibn al-Thufail did not despair, so he asked the tribe of Banu Salim, the Dzakwan and ‘Ashabah, for help in attacking them. It turned out that they granted his request. They set out together. When they were faced with the gurra, they began to surround them from all directions. Finally the gurra experts were killed after they had fought fiercely to the end. Their resistance was meaningless as they were few in number and the enemy was too numerous. Almost none of them survived except Ka’b ibn Zayd who fell wounded among the fallen so that they thought he was dead. Another survivor was ‘Amr ibn Ummayyah who was taken prisoner by them.

News of the fate of the gurra reached the Messenger of Allah and he addressed the Companions. Among the things he said at that time was, “Verily your brothers have fought against the mugyrikin, and the mugyrikin have killed them all. Indeed they had said, “O our Rabb, tell our people that we have met our Rabb (passed away), and we are willing to Him and He is willing to us.” The news of the two sarees came that very day. Because the Messenger of Allah was so sad that he prayed for the cheated people for a whole month in his prayers.

THE WAR OF BANI NADHIR

O Allah, how terrible was the result of this blind act. The state of the ummah at that time was very calm and peaceful and secure. However, after some of its leaders committed treason thinking that they would achieve success by doing so, it brought disaster upon themselves, causing them to be expelled from their homes. Such was the case with the Jews of Banu Nadhir, a companion of the Khazraj tribe. They lived next to the city of Medina, neighbors of the Muslims. Between them and the Muslims there was a treaty of defense, i.e. each party was bound by the treaty, to protect the other. However, the people of Banu Nadhir did not fulfill this covenant due to their deep-rooted envy and enmity towards the Muslims.

One day, when the Messenger of Allah and his Companions were in the house of the Banu Nadhir, a group of the Banu Nadhir wanted to commit treason against the Messenger of Allah. They intended to drop a large stone from the highest place on the Messenger of Allah. However, the Messenger of Allah was alert and knew of their foul plan. Then ja immediately left the place, which was immediately followed by his companions. Then the Messenger of Allah sent Muhammad ibn Maslamab to say to them, “Get out of my country.

You are really determined to commit treason. “A firm attitude is necessary, especially in dealing with people who are known to betray. That was a lesson for him.

The people of Banu Nadhir immediately packed up to leave their homes, but their friends who were hypocrites told them, “Do not leave your homes because we are ready to help you. “The story of them is mentioned in the following words:

“Verily, if you were driven out, we would have gone out with you, and we would not have obeyed anyone to trouble you, and if you were fought, we would have helped you. “And Allah witnesses that they are indeed liars. Verily, if they were driven out, the hypocrites would not go out with them. And indeed, if they were fought, they would not help him. Indeed, if they were to help them, they would turn back and flee, and then they would find no refuge. (Q.5. 59 Al-Hasyr: 11-12)

It turned out that the Jews were tempted by their promise so that they deliberately delayed their departure. Finally, the Prophet ordered to be ready to fight them. When the people had gathered, the Prophet went out with them after he appointed Ibn Ummi Maktum to be his successor in Medina. The banner of war was given by the Prophet to Companion ‘Ali r.a.

The Banu Nadhir only took refuge in their fortress thinking that it would protect them from Allah. The Messenger of Allah laid siege to their fort for six days and ordered that their date palms be cut down so that they would surrender more quickly. Allah struck fear into their hearts. It turned out that they did not get any help from ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay (the leader of the hypocrites), even insulting them as they had done to the Jews of Banu Qainiqa’ earlier.

Reneging on his promise, he hired Na’im ibnu Mas’ud al-Ashja’i to come to Madinah and frighten the people with fabricated news that Abu Sufyan had gathered his army in great numbers. After Na’im arrived in Madinah, he said to the Muslims as he had been revealed:

“Verily the people (Quraysh) have gathered an army to attack you, so fear them.” So these words increased their faith, and they replied, “Sufficient is Allah to be our Helper, and Allah is the best of protectors.” (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 173)

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not pay any attention to the bluff because he only relied on his Lord. Then the Prophet gathered his army of one thousand five hundred men, all of whom were Companions. Before that the Prophet appointed his successor to govern Madinah, ‘Abdullah ibnu ‘Abdullah ibnu Ubay. Then the Muslim army marched towards Badr. When they reached Badr, they found none of their enemies. This happened because Abu Sufyan signaled the Quraysh to leave with the intention of returning to Makkah after traveling one or two nights. He suspected that the bluff conveyed to the Muslims through Na’im might influence the Muslims. Thus, it was the Muslims themselves who broke the promise, not them. Then Abu Sufyan brought his army to Majinnah, the name of a place already famous for its market, located in the Zhahran area. Once in Majinnah Abu Sufyan said to his people, “As a matter of fact this year is a famine year, and it is not worthy of any of us but a fertile year. So return all of you.”

After not encountering their enemies, the Muslim army settled in Badr to trade so that there was no one else in the trade except them. This is revealed by His words:

They returned with favors and bounties from Allah, they had not suffered any calamity, they followed the pleasure of Allah. And Allah has great bounty. (Q.S. 3 Ali Imran: 174)

After the news of this spread, Shafwan ibn Umayyah said to Abu Sufyan, “Indeed I have prevented you from returning the people. Now they are daring us because they see that we are the ones who have begun to break our promises.”

SOME EVENTS

In this year Al-Husayn ibn ‘Ali was born, and in this year also died Siti Jainab bint Jahsh Ummul-Mu’minin (wife of the Messenger of Allah.) Also died Abu Salamah r.a., the son of the Prophet’s aunt and also his half-brother. Abu Salamah was one of the first to migrate to Abesinia (Habsyah). It was also in that year that the Prophet married Umm Salamah, Abu Salamah’s former wife, after Abu Salamah died.

FIFTH YEAR

WAR OF DAUMATUL JANDAL

In the month of Rabiulawal in the fifth year of the Hijri, news reached the Prophet that there was a group of Arabs in Daumatul Jandal who always mistreated those who passed through their area, and they had the intention of approaching the city of Madinah. The Prophet prepared an army to fight them. He went out with a thousand companions after first authorizing the city of Madinah to Siba’ ibn ‘Urfuthah al-Ghifari.

The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) led them out only at night, stopping during the day so as to be close to them. However, when the news of the Prophet’s arrival with his army reached them, they fled. Finally, the Muslim army attacked their cattle and shepherds. Some of the herdsmen were killed and some escaped. Then the Muslims entered their homes, but found no one there. The Messenger of Allah sent special forces to look for them, but they found no one. So the Prophet returned with the ghanimah. On the way back he entered into an agreement with ‘Uyaynah ibnu Hishn al-Fazzari, a person whom the Messenger of Allah called the Obedient Fool because he was always followed by a thousand girls. Then the Prophet gave him a piece of land so that he could graze his cattle on it, because his land was dry. The grazing land was thirty miles from the city limits of Medina.

THE WAR OF BANIL-MUSHTHALIQ

In the month of Sha’ban that year news reached the Messenger of Allah that Al-Harith ibn Dhirar, the leader of the Banil-Mushthalig people who had helped the Quraysh fight the Muslims at Uhud, had succeeded in gathering his men to fight the Messenger of Allah. Immediately, the Messenger of Allah gathered a large enough army to fight Al-Harith ibnu Dhirar and his people. Before leaving he first appointed Companion Zaid ibnu Harithah as his deputy to take care of the city of Medina. At that time the Prophet took only two of his wives with him, while the other wives remained in Medina. Also participating at that time was a group of hypocrites, those who had never gone out to fight with the Prophet. This time they wanted to come with the hope of getting worldly benefits, namely ghanimah.

On the way, the Prophet managed to catch someone who turned out to be a spy of the Banil-Mushthalig. Then the person was interrogated about the state of the enemy, but he did not want to answer. Finally the Messenger of Allah ordered that he be put to death. When news of the arrival of the Muslims reached Al-Harith, the leader of the Banil-Mushthalig army, with the intention of fighting them, and the Muslims had captured and killed their spy, Al-Harith was afraid, and his army was so afraid that some of them separated themselves and did not want to fight.

When the Muslims reached Muraisi, they met their enemy, and the two armies faced off to fight. However, before that the Apostle of Allah (peace be upon him) invited them to enter felam. They refused the invitation. So the battle began with archery interludes for an hour. After that the Muslims attacked them simultaneously giving none of their enemies a chance to escape. Finally, the Muslims killed ten of their enemies, took the rest of the women and children captive, and herded away all their camels and sheep. The number of animals that the Muslims managed to herd was two thousand camels and five thousand goats. To count all the livestock, the Prophet ordered his former slave Syagran, while the person assigned to count the number of captives was Buraydah.

Among the female captives was Burairah bintil-Harith, the daughter of the leader of the Banil-Mushthalig. Upon examination it turned out that the captive women came from a hundred households because they were all included by Burairah. Subsequently they were distributed among the Muslims. Here began to appear the political wisdom and generosity of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH. because the Prophet realized that the Banil-Mushthalig people were among the Arabs whose lives were quite luxurious. If their women were taken captive in such conditions, it would be very difficult for the Muslims to take care of them. Therefore, the Prophet intended that the Muslims would free the women voluntarily. For this reason, the Prophet married Burairah bintilHarith who was later renamed Siti Juwairiah. At that time the Muslims said, “The brothers-in-law of the Messenger of Allah should not be our subordinates.” So they voluntarily freed all the female captives who were in their hands without any ransom. According to Siti ‘Aisha r.a., Siti Juairiah was the most trusted woman of her people.

With this generous donation and kind treatment, the Banil-Mushthalig without exception all converted to Islam. They were now friends of the Muslims who had previously been enemies of the Muslims.

In this battle two events occurred that were very rare in the hands of the Muslims. Had it not been for the wisdom of the Prophet, the Muslims would have been divided as they were before Islam. The two events are:

First: A messenger of Companion “Umar ibnul-Khaththab fought with a halif (ally) of the Khazrajites. The messenger of Companion “Umar struck the Khazrajite friend until he was wounded and bleeding. Then he asked for help from his people, the Khazrajites, and the messenger of Companion ‘Umar also asked for help from the Muhaijirin so that the tension encompassed both groups of Muslims concerned. Had the Messenger of Allah not intervened, there would have been war between the two groups. Then the Prophet said to them, “Why is the call of ignorance being used again?” A call of ignorance is a word uttered by someone when asking for help such as, “O So-and-so! Please help me.” The Messenger of Allah said, “You should abandon these words because they are rotten.” The Prophet advised the person who was hit so that he would be willing and forgive the person who had hit him. Thus the tense atmosphere was eased, and the fire of fitnah was extinguished.

When the news reached “Abdullah ibn Ubay, he was furious. At that time there was a group of Khazrajites before him. Then he said, “I have never been insulted like today. Why do they dare to be so insolent? Challenge us by you in our place to battle. By Allah, the example between us and the Muhajireen is nothing other than what the ancients said: ‘Fatten your dog, and it will eat you. ‘ Remember, by Allah, indeed, when we return to Medina, the strong will drive out the weak.”

Then ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay looked at the Khazrajites who were with him at that time. Then he said to inflame their anger, “This is what they have done to you, even though you have given them a place in your land, and you have shared your own wealth with them. Remember, by Allah, if you had clasped your hands and not given them what you had, they would have left your land. Then it turned out that they were still not satisfied with what you had done, so they made you a target of death to protect Muhammad so that you made your children orphans and your numbers became small while their numbers increased. Do not spend your wealth on them so that those who were with Muhammad disperse away from him.”

At that time there was at that place a young man of strong Islam, named Zaid ibn Argam. Immediately he told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about it. When the Prophet heard the news, his face changed and he said: “Young man, do you hate him so much that you said what you said about him?” Zaid ibn Argam replied, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, I have actually heard it firsthand.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Perhaps you have heard it wrong.”

After that Companion ‘Umar r.a. asked the Messenger of Allah for permission to kill Ibn Ubay, or he gave him permission to order others to kill him. But the Messenger of Allah forbade him. Then he said, “O ‘Umar, what will people say in the future? They will say that Muhammad killed his own companions.” Then the Messenger of Allah ordered everyone to go home, even though it was not the time to go home because the sun was very hot. The Prophet deliberately ordered this so that their attention would be drawn away from the matter. Usaid ibn Hudhair asked the Messenger of Allah about the reason for his departure at this hot time. The Prophet replied, “Did you not hear what Ibn Ubay had said earlier? He thought that if he returned to Medina, the strong would drive the weak away from him. “Usaid ibn Hudhair said, “O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, it is you who will drive him away if you like, and he, by Allah, is a weak man while you are a victorious one.”

The Messenger of Allah led the people back at such a slow pace that they suffered from the heat of the sun. When he saw that they were completely exhausted, he invited them to rest, and as soon as they touched the shady ground, they fell asleep.

Then some of the Ansar went to ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay and spoke to him to apologize to the Messenger of Allah. However, he turned his face away and acted arrogantly, refusing to apologize. At that time, Sūrah Al-Munafigun was revealed to the Messenger of Allah, whose contents unmasked ‘Abdullah ibnu Ubay and his friends and confirmed what Companion Zaid ibnu Argam was tired of saying.

When the news reached the ears of ‘Abdullah ibnu ‘Abdullah ibnu Ubay, he immediately asked the Messenger of Allah for permission to kill his father. He did so for fear that if the Messenger of Allah commissioned someone else to do so, he would feel resentment towards that person. However, the Prophet ordered him to do good to his father, and the Prophet did not punish his father.

HADITHUL IFKI (FALSE STORY)

Second: The incident of hadithul ifki is more dangerous than the first one, and its effects have caused many calamities among the Muslims. The subject of this incident was Siti ‘Aisha asShiddigah, the wife of the Prophet, who was accused by them of committing an abominable act with Shafwan ibn al-Mu’aththal as-Sulami. The story begins when they were nearing the city of Medina, and the Prophet ordered them to leave. At that time it was night. Before that, ‘Aisha r.a. had gone to fulfill a great need, so she separated herself from the group of Muslims. When she had finished her business, she returned to her vehicle. However, on the way back she felt her chest and found that her necklace was missing. He returned to the place where he had performed his rituals to look for his lost necklace and was late because he was busy looking for it.

Then the people who had put her haudaj (hood) on her immediately put her on the back of a camel. They thought that Siti ‘Aisha r.a. was already on it. They were not the least bit suspicious of the lightness of the haudaj because at that time women were not fat. If one of them took the haudaj and carried it, the difference in weight would not be noticeable. This fact was not denied by anyone who carried her haudaj at that time, especially since Siti ‘Aisha r.a. was a very young woman at that time. Siti ‘Aisha r.a. returned to her entourage after a long search for her necklace and managed to find it again. However, when she arrived at the group, it turned out that all of them had departed, no one was left behind at that place. Being too tired, Siti ‘Aisha r.a. fell asleep.

There was a man among the Muslims who walked far behind the group. He too fell behind the group because he was looking for his lost property. His name was Shafwan ibn al-Mu’aththal. When he reached the place of Siti ‘Aisha r.a., he saw her sleeping. Ig immediately knew that the woman who was sleeping soundly was Siti ‘Aisha r.a. the wife of the Prophet, because he had known her before the verse of hijab was revealed. Seeing this, Shafwan was shocked, so he performed istirja’ (saying the kalimah inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’una) Siti? Aisha r.a. woke up when she heard it and covered her face with her veil. Then Shafwan lowered his camel and told Siti ‘Ā’ishah to mount it without saying a word, but only with a gesture. After that Shafwan set off on his journey, leading his camel, which was now ridden by Siti ‘Aisha r.a., until they caught up with the army, which had stopped for a rest.

From that time on, lies began to be spread by the people of slander, accusing Siti ‘Aisha r.a. and Shafwan of committing adultery. The person who first spread this lie and was its source was ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salul.

When ‘Ā’ishah arrived in Madinah, she fell ill for a month, while the people were gossiping about the words of ahl al ifki (the fabricators of false news), while she herself was not the least bit aware of what the people were gossiping about. The Prophet had always been gentle with her when she was sick, but this time he did not do so. Instead, he simply passed by her door and said nothing more than the question, “How are you?” After her illness had subsided somewhat, Siti ‘Aisha r.a. went out with Misthah ibn Atsatsah’s mother. Misthah was one of those involved in this false story. Siti ‘Ā’ishah went out with Misthah’s mother to relieve herself outside the village. On the way Umm Misthah stumbled, then she cursed, “Woe to Misthah (her son).” Siti ‘Aisha r.a. replied, “How terrible what you have said. Do you dare to revile a man who participated in the Battle of Badr?” Umm Misthah replied, “O my brother, did you not hear what they said?” Siti ‘Aisha r.a. asked her about it. Then he told her everything, which made her more and more ill.

When the Messenger of Allah came to her as usual, Siti ‘Aisha r.a. asked his permission to stay at her father’s house during her illness. The Messenger of Allah granted her permission. Once at his house, Siti ‘Aisha r.a. asked her mother what the people were talking about. Siti ‘Aisha’s mother said, “O my daughter, be patient. Dem Allah, it is rare for a woman to be the wife of a man who has many other wives, then he loves her very much, of whom people do not talk much.” Siti ‘Ā’ishah r.a. said, “Glory be to Allah, is it true that people are talking about this?” That night until the next morning Siti ‘Ā’ishah r.a. cried continuously and could not sleep for a single moment until she felt that all her tears had been shed.

During this time, the Prophet deliberated with the adults of his family about what he should do in this matter. Usamah ibn Zaid, who was convinced of Siti ‘Aisha’s purity and cleanliness, said to the Prophet, “Hold on to your family, hold on to your family. We know them nothing but good.” However, it was different with the Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib. He said, “Allah has not narrowed you. There are many women besides her. Ask her slave girl, and she will tell you the truth. “So the Messenger of Allah called Burairah, Siti ‘Aisha’s slave girl, and asked her, “Do you see anything doubtful (about her)?” Burairah replied, “By the One Who sent you with the truth, I have never seen her do anything, then I closed my eyes from her. It is just that she (Siti ‘Aisha) was a young girl. She fell asleep forgetting her bread, then a bird came and ate her bread.”

On that day the Messenger of Allah stood up and mounted the pulpit while the Muslims were gathered. Then the Messenger of Allah preached to them, “Who can forgive me for a man who has dared to hurt my heart by mentioning my family? By Allah, I do not know my family except what is good. But indeed they have spoken of a man of whom I know nothing but good; never has he met my family except with me.” The Companion Sa’d ibn Mu’adz said, “It is I who forgive you from him. So if it turns out that he is someone from the tribe of Aus (his own tribe), I will cut off his head. If it turns out that ja is one of our brothers from among the Khazraj, and you order us to punish him, we will do so.” At that very moment the Companion Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah from the Khazraj tribe stood up and said: “You lie, by Allah, you would not have killed him and you would not have been able to kill him. Had he been of your own people, you would not have been pleased with his death.” So Usaid ibn Hudhair said to Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah, You lie, by Allah, we would have killed him. Indeed you are a hypocrite, and you argue with hypocrites.”

The slander would have flared up between the Aus and Khazraj had not the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) come down from the pulpit and intervened and calmed them down. As for ‘Aisha, she cried incessantly for two nights and did not sleep at all. One day, while she was with her parents, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came in and greeted them and sat with them. The Prophet said, Amma ba’du, O ‘Aisha. Verily, news has reached me about you that you did such and such. Had you been innocent, Allah would have cleansed you. Whenever you have committed a sin, ask Allah for forgiveness, and repent to Him. Verily, if a servant confesses his sin and repents, Allah will surely forgive him.” At that time, Siti ‘Ā’ishah’s tears stopped, so she said to her parents, “Answer the Messenger of Allah by both of you.” But her parents replied, “By Allah, we do not know what we will say. “So Siti ‘Aisha r.a. said, “I, by Allah, have known that you have heard this news so that you are affected by it and want to believe it. Had I told you that I was innocent, you would not have believed me. Had I confessed to you that I had done something, while Allah knew that I was innocent, you would have believed me. By Allah, I have not found a simile to tell you except that of the Prophet Joseph’s father when he said:

Then good patience is (my patience). And Allah is the One to whom you seek His help in what you narrate.” (Q.S. 12 Yusuf: 18)

Then Siti ‘Aisha turned away and immediately lay down in her bed, while the Messenger of Allah himself did not remain in the assembly until the verses of Sūrat An-Nur were revealed to him, declaring the chastity of Siti ‘Aisha r.a. through His words:

Verily, those who bring false news are from among you. Do not think that false news is bad for you, rather it is good for you. Each one of them will be recompensed for the sin he has committed. And whoever among them takes the greatest part in spreading false news, for him is a great punishment. Why did the believers not think well of themselves when you heard the false news, and (why did they not) say, “This is a manifest falsehood”? Why did they (the accusers) not bring four witnesses to the false news? Since they did not bring witnesses, they are in the sight of Allah those who lie. Had it not been for the bounty of Allah and His mercy upon you all in this world and in the Hereafter, you would have been afflicted with a great torment because of your talk of false news. (Remember) when you received the false news by word of mouth and you said with your mouth what you did not know at all, and you considered it a light matter. But it was great in the sight of Allah. And why did you not say when you heard the false news, “It is not fitting for us to say this. Glory to You (O our Lord), this is a great lie.” Allah warns you against doing so forever if you are believers, and Allah explains His verses to you. And Allah is all-knowing, all-wise. Indeed, those who wish that the news of their abominable deeds should spread among the believers, for them is a painful punishment in this world and in the Hereafter. And Allah knows, while you do not know. And had it not been for the bounty of Allah and His mercy upon you all, and Allah is Merciful and Compassionate (surely you would have been afflicted with a great torment). O you who believe, follow not the steps of the devil. Whoever follows the steps of the devil, then indeed the devil urges to do evil and forbidden deeds. Were it not for the bounty of Allah and His mercy upon you, none of you would be clean (from those abominable and forbidden deeds) forever, but Allah cleanses whom He wills. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. (Q.5. 24 AnNur: 11-21)

The revelation made the Prophet very happy. He laughed with a radiant face, then immediately informed Siti ‘Aisha r.a. that she was clean. Then Siti ‘Aisha was reprimanded by her mother, “Stand up and thank the Messenger of Allah.” Then Siti ‘Aishah replied, “No, by Allah, I will not thank anyone but Allah who revealed my cleanliness.” After that, the Messenger of Allah ordered that those who openly caused this false news be flogged eighty times, which is the hadd of accusing another person of adultery without proof. There were three people who received this punishment: Hamnah bint Jahsh, Misthah ibn Atsatsah, and Hissan ibn Tsabit. Before this incident, the Companion Abu Bakr had always provided for Misthah ibnu Atsatsah because Misthah was his relative, but was poor. After Misthah became involved in this fake news incident, Companion Abu Bakr cut off his livelihood. So the word of Allah swt. was revealed reproaching him :

And let not those who have excess and spaciousness among you swear that they will not support their relatives, the poor and those who migrate in the way of Allah, but let them forgive and be patient. Do you not want Allah to forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q.S. 24 An-Nur: 22)

Companion Abu Bakr said, “Of course we love that (Allah’s forgiveness), O Messenger of Allah. “Then Companion Abu Bakr returned his livelihood to Misthah.

That is the danger posed by the hypocrites: they infiltrate the ummah and appear to them to be loyal, while their hearts are full of malice and they are always looking for opportunities to stir up sedition: Whenever they see a crack, they rush in. We seek refuge in Allah from such people.

THE WAR OF KHANDAQ

The rulers of Banu Nadhir were still not satisfied after they were expelled from their homes which were now occupied by the Muslims. In fact, there was still a grudge in their souls, and they still wanted to reclaim their land from the hands of the Muslims. So a group of them set out for Makkah to meet the leaders of the Quraish. Arriving in Makkah, they met with the leaders of the Quraish and advised them to fight the Messenger of Allah. They were willing to help the Quraysh in this regard with all they had. It turned out that the request of the Banu Nadhir people received a warm welcome from the Quraish tribe. Then the Banu Nadhir came to the Ghathafan tribe and encouraged their men to fight the Messenger of Allah, then they informed them that the Quraysh were willing to fight with them. Their request was warmly welcomed by the Ghathafans.

The Quraysh prepared their army which was directly led by Abu Sufyan himself. As the standard bearer was Uthman ibnu Talhah ibnu Abu Talhah al-‘Abdari. They numbered four thousand men. With them were three hundred horsemen and one thousand soldiers on horseback. The Ghathafans prepared their palatial pulses led by ‘Uyaynah ibnu Hishn. ‘Uyaynah ibnu Hishn, as explained earlier, had received kindness from the Messenger of Allah, but now he was repaying the Prophet’s kindness with disbelief. The Prophet had given him a piece of land to graze his cattle, and after his cattle had flourished and fattened and multiplied, he now led his army to fight the one who had been kind to him, milk for tuba. “Uyaynah at that time brought a thousand horsemen.

The Banu Murrah also took part in this invasion. They prepared a force of four hundred men under the command of Al-Harith ibn ‘Auf al-Murri. The Banu Asyja’ had also prepared a band under the leadership of Abu Mas’ud ibnu Rakhilah. The Banu Salim were not to be left behind, they prepared their army under the command of Sufyan ibnu ‘Abdusy-Syams, seven hundred in number. The Banu-Asad had also prepared their army under Thulainah ibnu Khuwailid al-Asadi so that there were a total of ten thousand soldiers, all of whom were under the supreme command of Abu Sufyan.

After the news of the preparations of the enemy army to attack the Muslims reached the ears of the Prophet, he immediately deliberated with the Companions on what the Muslims should do in the face of them: whether to remain in Medina or to go out to face such a large enemy army? The Companion Salman al-Farisi suggested to the Prophet to make a trench. This work had never been known to the Arabs in their wars. The Messenger of Allah ordered the Muslims to make the trench, so they began to dig a trench in the north of the city of Medina, starting from the east to the west, because this direction was not fortified because it was behind the city of Medina. As for the boundaries of Madinah that were lined with houses and date palms, it was impossible for the enemy to attack from that direction…:

The Muslims did a great deal of hard labor in digging this trench because their livelihood was still very simple and it was not easy for them to do such heavy work. The Messenger of Allah himself joined them in this work and it is said that he moved the earth while reciting the verse that Ibn Rawwahah has said:

O Allah, if it were not for You we would not have been guided, would not have been able to pay zakat, and would not have prayed. We ask you to give us peace in our hearts and to strengthen our hearts in the face of the enemy. The polytheists have transgressed against us; when they want a fitnah (war), we defend ourselves.

Then the army of the Muslims was based in the north of the city of Ma. dinah while their rear was protected by the Hill of Sila” which extends in the city of Medina, the number of all of them was only three thousand soldiers. The banner of war of the Muhajirin at that time was in the hands of Zaid ibn Harithah, while the banner of war of the Ansar was held by Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah. The Quraish army was based at the lowest place, while the Ghathafans were based in the direction of Uhud Hill. The polytheists were in awe of the fort with the moat because the Arabs had not known it before, so the battle between them and the Muslims was fought by archery.

When the war of arrows had gone on for a long time, there was a group of polytheists who felt bored. Finally, some of their horsemen jumped over the trench and came face to face with the Muslims. Among those who did so were ‘Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahal and ‘Amr ibn Wudd. Companion ‘Ali ibnu Abu Talib r.a. confronted ‘Amr ibnu Wudd and was able to kill him, while his companions ran away in fear. At that time Naufal ibnu ‘Abdullah fell into the trench and broke his neck, and Companion Sa’d ibnu Mw’adz r.a. was hit by an enemy arrow and severed his arm. This battle of campuh and arrow warfare lasted a full day so that the Muslims did not have time to pray on that day, then they held it.

The Prophet ordered that the trenches be guarded at night. For this reason, the Prophet appointed people to guard it so that the enemy would not invade at night. The Prophet himself stood guard at one of the posts even though the night was very cold. He always conveyed good news to his companions, that they would definitely get help and victory, and he promised them good (ghanimah). As for the hypocrites, they began to reveal what had been hidden in their hearts after seeing this critical situation, so they said as revealed by His words:

Allah and His Messenger have promised us nothing but deceit. (Q.S. 33 Al-Ahzab: 12)

Then they withdrew, saying that their houses were open and they feared that the enemy would attack them. Their words are revealed by His words:

The houses were not open at all; they wanted nothing more than to flee. (Q.S. 33 Al-Ahzab:13)

The Muslims felt the hardship of this siege, coupled with the hardship of the poor people of Medina. Adding to the Muslims’ plight was the news that the Jews living with them in Medina were now preparing to break their treaty with the Muslims. It began when Huyay ibnu Akhthab, the leader of the Banu Nadhir who had been expelled with his people, came to see Ka’b ibnu As’ad al-Gurazhi, the leader of the Banu Quraizhah.He incited him to break the treaty with the Muslims. He persuaded Ka’b to fight the Muslims.

When this news reached the Messenger of Allah, he sent Maslamah ibn Aslam with two hundred soldiers, and Zaid ibn Harithah with three hundred soldiers to guard the city of Medina because he was worried about the women and children. The Messenger of Allah sent Az-Zubair ibnul-Awwam to check the truth of the news, then he reported it to him. When Az-Zubayr reached the Banu Quraizhah, he found them furious and angry. There were evil intentions on their faces, and they insulted the Messenger of Allah in front of him.

Companion Zubair ibnul-‘Awwam immediately returned to the Messenger of Allah and told him what he had seen and experienced. The hearts of the Muslims began to feel horrified and shaken after hearing this news because the enemy came to attack them from above and from below them, the vision of the Muslims was no longer fixed because of shock, and their hearts rose to their throats. They began to presume against Allah with various prejudices. The hypocrites began to speak according to their hearts. At that time the Prophet intended to send a messenger to ‘Uyaynah ibn Hishn to convey his message that he was willing to make peace and was willing to give ‘Uyaynah one-third of the dates of Medina on the condition that he withdraw his troops. The Ansar, however, rejected the proposal, saying that the Ghathafans had never gotten even a fraction of their dates when they were disbelievers. Should the Ghathafans be allowed to share it with them after they became Muslims?

When Allah swt. desires to help a people, He has prepared for them the means by which they can win without their knowledge. At that time there appeared Nu’aim ibn Mas’ud al-Ashja’i from Ghathafan, a friend of the Quraysh and the Jews. He said to the Messenger of Allah, “O Messenger of Allah, I have embraced Islam, while my people are still unaware of my Islam. So command me so that I may help.” The Messenger of Allah said, “You are alone. What can you do? Even so, do all you can to defeat the enemy, for war is deceit.”

DECEIT IN WAR

Nu’aim left the presence of the Messenger and went straight to the Banu Quraizhah who had broken their treaty with the Muslims. When the Banu Quraizhah saw him coming, they honored him, remembering their friendship with him. Nu’aim immediately said, “O Banu Quraizhah, you must have known about my friendship with you and my worry .over you. Indeed now I am going to tell you, but I beg you to conceal it. “They replied, “Yes.” Nu’aim said to them, “You must have witnessed what happened to the Banu Gainuga’ and Banu Nadhir. They have been expelled and their property and houses have been taken over. The Quraysh and the Ghathafans, however, are not like studies. Whenever they saw an opportunity they used it immediately, and if not, then they returned to their respective lands. As for you, you are still living with that man, Messenger of Allah, while you yourself will not be able to fight him. Therefore, I advise you not to intervene in this war unless you are assured by the Quraysh and the Ghathafans that they will not leave you alone afterwards. As a guarantee, you should take as many as seventy honorable men from among them to remain with you.” It turned out that they found Nu’aim’s proposal favorable, and they accepted it. Then Nu’aim left them and went straight to the Quraysh and assembled with their leaders. He told them, “You must have known my love for you, and now I am really going to discuss something important with you. We hope that you will conceal it, and that you will not divulge that we have told you.” They replied, “We are willing to do so.” Then Nu’aim said, “Verily the Banu Quraizhah have regretted what they had done to Muhammad, and now they are worried lest you should leave and let them confront Muhammad. They said to me, what if I suggest to you that they take a group of your honorable people so that the vulnerability that they (Banu Nadhir) have experienced can be healed. It turned out that most of them agreed with the proposal. Now, they will send a messenger to meet you. So be careful that you do not mention anything of what I have said to you now.”

Then Nu’aim went to the Ghathafans and told them what he had told the Quraysh. Abu Sufyan sent messengers to the Jews of Banu Quraizhah to invite them to join the battle tomorrow. But the people of Banu Quraizhah replied, “Surely we cannot fight on a Saturday (the messenger was sent on a Saturday night). What has befallen us is none other than because we transgressed on Saturday. Moreover, we are still unwilling to fight until you give us hostages from your people so that you do not leave us alone and go to your own country.” Declare now to the Quraysh and Ghathafan that what Nu’aim had said was true. Due to the influence of Nu’aim’s trickery, they now became suspicious of each other and their hearts became worried.

As for the Messenger of Allah, he always prayed to Allah, Who has no refuge but Him. At that time the Prophet always said the following prayer:

O Allah, You Who have sent down the Book and are swift in reckoning, defeat those groups, O Allah, defeat them, and help us in dealing with them. Allah swt. granted the Prophet’s prayer by sending the enemies of the Prophet a very cold wind on a very dark night. Finally, the Arabs were worried that the Jews might agree with the Muslims and attack them on that dark night. Finally, they agreed to leave before morning.

When the Prophet heard the noise of the enemy, he said to his companions, “Something must have happened. Who among you wants to see the enemy’s situation for our sake?” The Companions were all silent so the Prophet repeated his words three times. Among the companions was Hudzifah ibnulYaman. Then the Prophet said, “You have heard what I have been saying, but why do you not respond?” Hudzifah ibnul-Yaman said, “O Messenger of Allah, the night is very cold. “The Prophet said, “O Messenger of Allah, the night is very cold.” The Prophet said, “Go for the sake of the Messenger of Allah, and see the enemy for our mutual benefit!” Hudzifah ibnul-Yaman finally ventured to take up the task to serve his Prophet so that he could see the real situation of the enemy. It turned out that he saw that the enemy was getting ready to depart.

THE DEFEAT OF THE ALLIED FACTIONS

Their concern can be described by what their leader, Abu Sufyan, said. He said, “Let each one of you know his friend well, and let him hold hands with his friend because I fear that the enemy will infiltrate among you. “Abu Sufyan had untied the moorings of his vehicle with the intention of setting out, but Shafwan ibn Uma yah said to him, “Verily you are the leader of the ibnv ym, so do not just leave them, then go alone. “Then Abu Sufyan dismounted and called for everyone to set out immediately. However, he commissioned Khalid ibnul-Walid with a company of soldiers to guard the rear of the departing people lest the Muslims attack them from behind.

Allah swt. had removed from the Muslims this distress, which was from the actions of an allied group consisting of the polytheistic Arabs and the Jews. Had it not been for the mercy of Allah and His help as a grace and favor from Him to the Muslims, the situation would have been bad for the Muslims. The expulsion of the allied groups in the month of Zulkaedah, and it is appropriate to call it a favor as expressed by Allah swt. through His words:

O you who believe, remember the favor of Allah (which was granted) to you when there came to you armies, then We sent against them hurricanes and armies which you could not see. And Allah is all-seeing in what you do. (When they come to you from above and below you, and when your sight is no longer fixed, and your hearts rise up to your throats, and you presume against Allah with all kinds of presumptions. Therein are the believers tested and shaken with a great shock. And (remember) when the hypocrites and the diseased in heart said, “Allah and His Messenger have promised us nothing but deceit.” And (remember) when a group of them said: “O inhabitants of Yathrib (Medina), there is no place for you, so go back to you. “And some of them asked permission from the Prophet (to return) saying, “Our houses are open (without guards).” And the houses were not open at all; they wanted nothing more than to flee. (Q.S. 33 Al-Ahzab: 9-13)

THE BATTLE OF BANI OURAIZHAH

When the Prophet returned with the Companions, he intended to take off his armor. Then came the command from Allah swt. that he should continue his journey to Bani Quraizhah. The intention was that the land where the Prophet lived should be cleared of people whose covenants were of no use and whose trust was no longer useful to them. The situation of the Muslims was always in danger when living with them, especially at critical times. The Prophet said to the Companions, “Let none of you perform the ‘Asr prayer except at Banu Quraizhah.” Then they walked quickly followed by the Messenger of Allah riding his donkey. The banner of war at that time was held by the Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib, and his successor in charge of the city of Medina was ‘Abdullah ibn Ummi Maktum. The Muslim army at that time numbered three thousand men.

A group of the Companions, when the time for the ‘Asr prayer came, prayed the ‘Asr prayer in the middle of the road. They did so because they understood the Prophet’s command not to pray the ‘asr prayer as an order to walk quickly. The other Companions did not perform the ‘asr prayer until they reached Banu Guraizhah when the time for ‘asr prayer had passed. This second group understood the Prophet’s command literally. Nevertheless, the Prophet did not prevent the two groups from doing their own ijtihad.

When the Banu Quraizhah saw the arrival of the Muslim army, Allah swt. made their hearts fear and dread the Muslims. There was a desire in their hearts to purge themselves of their bad behavior of betraying those with whom they were in covenant. They did this while the Muslims were busy dealing with external enemies. However, they could not have done that because the Muslims had strong evidence of their treachery. When they saw this, they took refuge in their fortress, while the Muslims surrounded them for twenty-five days. When they could no longer avoid the battle, and if they had remained in this state, they would have starved to death. Then they asked the Muslims to treat them as the Muslims had treated the Banu Nadhir, that is, to expel them with nothing but their weapons. However, their proposal was rejected by the Messenger of Allah. Then they asked the Messenger of Allah to allow them to leave the place unarmed. This proposal was also rejected, and he even said that they should surrender and be willing to accept the punishment that would be inflicted on them, whether it was good or bad. Then they said to the Messenger of Allah, “Then send us Abu Lubabah. We will deliberate with him.” Abu Lubabah was from the tribe of Aus, an ally of the Banu Quraizhah, and evidently he had children living among them, as well as property.

When Abu Lubabah came to them, they asked for his opinion about submitting to the ruling to be determined by the Messenger of Allah. Instead, Abu Lubabah said to them, “Surrender yourselves!” as he put his hand to his throat, meaning that the ruling was to be slaughtered. Then Abu Lubabah said, “Before I left my place, I realized that I had betrayed Allah and His Messenger.” Abu Lubabah withdrew from their presence and left for Medina because he was ashamed to meet the Messenger of Allah. Then he tied himself to one of the pillars of the Medina Mosque so that Allah swt. would decide the matter concerning him.

When the Messenger of Allah asked about Abu Lubabah, he told him what he had done. The Prophet said, “Why did he not come to me? If he had come to me, I would have forgiven him. But now everything has happened, so we will leave him alone until Allah decides about him.”

When the Banu Quraizhah saw that there was no other way before them but to follow what the Messenger of Allah decided, they did so. Then the Messenger of Allah ordered his soldiers to stand by, but suddenly there came to him men from the tribe of Aus. They asked the Messenger of Allah to treat them in the same way as he had treated the Banu Qainuga’, the allies of their brothers, the Khazraj. Then the Messenger of Allah said to the Augs, “Are you not willing to have one of you decide their fate?” They replied, “Yes.” Finally the Messenger of Allah chose their leader, Sa’d ibn Mu’adz, who at that time was wounded by an arrow that hit his hand. He was in a tent inside the mosque that had been set aside for the treatment of the wounded. The Messenger of Allah sent for him and they put him on the Messenger’s donkey. Then a group of the Ausites surrounded him and said to him, “Be kind to your friends, remember, have you not seen what Ibn Ubay has done to his friends?” So Sa’d said, “Surely now the time has come for Sa’d to decide the matter, by Allah, regardless of the reproach of the reproachful.” When Sa’d came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who was sitting with all the companions, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Stand up to greet your leader, and send him down.” They immediately carried out the Prophet’s order and said, “Verily, the Messenger of Allah has entrusted you to decide the case of your friends.” Then the Messenger of Allah said to him, “O Sa’d, give them a decision!” So Sa’d turned to the direction where the Messenger of Allah was not, and said to them, “You must keep the promise of Allah and His trust and the decision will be what I decide. “They replied, “Yes.” Then Sa’d turned to the Messenger of Allah and said, “The same applies to those who are on this side.” He said this while lowering his eyes out of respect for the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes.” Then Sa’d said, “I have decided that you should kill the men and take the women and children captive.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Indeed you have decided against them with the decision of Allah, O Sa’d.” Indeed, it was appropriate to do so as retribution for traitors and renegades.

Then the Prophet ordered that the judgment be executed against them. Eventually the Muslims won and were able to collect a lot of ghanimah. The amount of ghanimah taken by the Muslims at that time was one thousand five hundred swords, three hundred pieces of armor, two thousand spears, and five hundred shields and other weapons. In addition, the Prophet obtained many other ghanimah in the form of valuable furniture and containers, camels, and goats. The Prophet took one-fifth of the whole along with dates and captives. The foot soldiers got a third of the share of the cavalry, and the Messenger of Allah also gave a share of the ghanimah to the women who took care of the wounded. The Messenger of Allah found among the ghanimah barrels filled with alcohol, which he spilled.

After that incident, the wound of Companion Sa’d burst, leading to his death. The position of Companion Sa’d ibn Mu’adz from among the Ansar in the presence of the Messenger of Allah was like that of Companion Abu Bakr from among the Muhajirs. He had unwavering determination and firmness in all the battles that preceded the Battle of Khandag. The Messenger of Allah loved him so much that he gave him the good news that he would enter Paradise as a reward for his great deeds.

After the Muslims returned to Medina, it was not long before Allah swt. forgave Abu Lubabah through His words:

And (there were) others who confessed their sins, mixing good work with bad work. May Allah accept their repentance. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Q.8. 9 At-Taubah: 102)

Abu Lubabah had promised Allah that he would emigrate from the house of the Banu Quraizhah forever. In that place he had committed a despicable act.

With the end of this battle Allah swt. had freed the Muslims from the evil of the Jews who lived alongside them because the Jews often acted and used to be cunning and treacherous. Now the remnants of them still live in Khaibar with their families. Most of them consisted of their leaders, and they were the main cause of the gathering of the allied groups. The dear reader will soon find out about the time when they received their just retribution as a result of their deeds.

MARRIAGE WITH ZAINAB BINT JAHSH

It was also in this year that the Prophet married Zainab bint Jahzy. Her mother’s name was Umaimah, a paternal aunt of the Prophet himself. The Prophet married her after she was divorced by Zaid ibnu Haritsah, a former slave of the Prophet who later became his adopted son. The marriage between Zainab and Zaid was originally caused by the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet proposed Zainab in marriage to Zaid. However, Zainab’s family objected to this proposal considering that Zainab’s noble position among her people was not equal to Zaid’s position. The Arabs did not like to marry their daughters to former slaves, and they believed that no one from among the former slaves was compatible with their daughters. Even if Zayd was taken as a foster son of the Prophet, he could not follow the glory possessed by the Prophet. With regard to this matter Allah revealed His word:

And it is not fitting for believing men nor for believing women that when Allah and His Messenger have made a decree, there should be for them a choice in their affairs. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then indeed he has gone astray, a clear astray. (Q.S. 33 Al-Ahzab: 36)

Zainab’s family had no choice but to accept the Prophet’s proposal. When Zayd married her, Zainab showed her arrogance and high position that made Zayd unable to live with her. Zaid complained about this to the Prophet, and the Prophet ordered him to remain patient in the face of this attitude. However, over time Zaid could no longer stand it, so he informed the Prophet of his determination to divorce Zainab. After the harmony and harmony of family life could no longer be maintained between the couple, Allah ordered His Prophet to marry Zainab after she was divorced by Zaid on the one hand to avoid disputes, and on the other hand to maintain Zainab’s honor after she was married by a former slave. However, the Prophet was worried about the Jews and Arabs reproaching him for marrying the former wife of his adopted son. So the Prophet said to Zayd, “Hold on to your wife and fear Allah.” However, the Prophet did not tell him what God had said. So Allah confirmed His ruling by canceling the tradition that forbade a man to marry the former wife of his adopted son, by saying :

So when Zayd had fulfilled his purpose with his wife (divorced her), We married you to her so that there may be no objection for the believers to marry the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have fulfilled their purpose with her. And the decree of Allah is certain. (Q.S. 33 Al Ahzab: 37)

Then Allah swt. canceled this law of adopted children considering the many disadvantages. In connection with this matter Allah swt. said:

Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. And Allah knows all things. (Q.S. 33 AlAhzab: 40).

From then on Zaid’s name, which had been Zaid ibnu Muhammad, was changed to Zaid ibnu Harithah. The name change is clearly mentioned in the Quran so that his name is read throughout the ages.

Some historians, especially those with low aims, have commented with remarks that would not be appropriate except from someone who has lost his mind and no longer realizes what he is saying. They say that one day the Messenger of Allah visited Zayd’s house. Then the Messenger of Allah saw Zayd’s wife by chance because at that time the wind was blowing strong enough to blow away the cloth covering her face. Since then the Messenger of Allah loved her, and the Messenger of Allah said subhanallah (Glory be to Allah). When Zainab’s husband came, she told him about it. Then Zaid felt obliged to divorce her. So he went to the Prophet’s house and told him of his determination to divorce his wife. However, the Messenger of Allah prevented him … and so on.

The story is a complete lie because Arab women at that time did not recognize the existence of face coverings, and Zainab was the daughter of the Prophet’s aunt, and she had converted to Islam a long time ago, while still in Makkah. How could it be that the Messenger of Allah had never seen her before that, while her period of Islam had lasted for ten years, and Zainab was her aunt’s daughter. Is it possible to say that the Prophet saw her only when the wind uncovered her face by chance? Was it not the Prophet himself who married her to Zayd? If the Messenger of Allah had any interest in Zainab, he would have married her himself, and for that we think nothing could have prevented him. Who among us would have thought of that noble leader, who told his people that he was sent from his Lord, and recited to them every morning and evening the commands of Allah as revealed by His words:

Show not your eyes to the pleasures of life which We have given to some of them. (Q.S. 15 Al-Hijr: 88)

In another Surah Allah says:

And do not fix your eyes on what We have given to some of them as the interest of the life of the world. (Q.S. 20 Thaha: 131)

Then he enters the house of a man from among his followers and sees his wife by chance and takes a fancy to her? Surely this is a great matter and can be felt by our own hearts. Even if such a thing were done by the lowest of the low, it would still be condemned. This is even more so if it was done by the historians who have agreed that he was the best of manners, the furthest from lowliness, and the most intelligent and keenest of intellects, so that Allah, the Almighty, praised him as stated in His words:

And you are indeed of great character. (QS. 68 Nun: 4)

There is no doubt that this story is similar to a fairy tale deliberately concocted by the enemies of religion in order to achieve their aims. But, alhamdulillah, this has been refuted by both the evidence of the nagli and the evidence of the ‘agli, so that all ambiguity is removed and the true nature of what we have quoted is revealed. What we have narrated is the understanding that is deduced from the words of Allah, may He be exalted:

And (remember) when you said to the one on whom Allah had bestowed favors, and you had bestowed favors on him, “Keep your wife and fear Allah,” while you concealed in your hearts what Allah would reveal, and you feared men, while Allah is more worthy of your fear. So when Zayd had finished with his wife (divorced her), We married you to her so that there would be no objection for the believers to marry the wives of their adopted sons when the latter have finished with their wives. And the decree of Allah is certain. (Q.5. 33 Al-Ahzab: 37).

The matter described by Allah swt. is the Prophet’s marriage with her, and nothing more. This is the greatest testimony because it is the Quran.

HIJAB

In the same year the verse about hijab was revealed: this was specific to the Prophet’s wives.

The Companion ‘Umar ibn Khaththab before the revelation of the verse of hijab always wished that the Qur’an would reveal this, and he often mentioned it. He used to say to them (the Prophet’s wives), “If you were careful about yourselves, no eye would see you.” His words were revealed:

And when you ask them (the Prophet’s wives) for anything, ask from behind the veil. That is purer for your hearts and for theirs. (Q.S. 33 Al-Ahzab: 53)

There were some of the Companions who said, “Are we forbidden to speak to our uncle’s daughters except from behind the veil? Had Muhammad died, I would have married ‘Aisha.” Then the verse was revealed:

And you shall not hurt the Messenger of Allah nor marry his wives after his death forever. Verily, that is a great sin in the sight of Allah. (Q.S. 33 Al-Ahzab :53)

In addition to the Prophet’s wives, the believers are also commanded to lower their eyes and maintain their honor and are also commanded not to show their adornments to other men who are not mubrim other than those that are usually visible such as rings on the fingers, nail polish on the fingertips, and kohl on the eyes. As for the hidden jewelry, it is not permissible to show it at all, such as hand bracelets, arm bands, anklets, neck necklaces, headbands, breast pendants, and ear-rings. What is meant by visible and hidden jewelry is the place, or in other words, what is forbidden is revealing the part of the body where the jewelry is.

Women are also commanded to cover their chests with veils so that their breasts are not exposed. In fact, women’s clothing at that time was wide open in the front so that their necks and breasts and their surroundings were visible. They used to wear the veil only by draping it from behind. It was also forbidden for them to tap their feet to make it known that they had anklets. The prohibition of making the sound of jewelry is stated after the prohibition of revealing jewelry to show that revealing the member where the jewelry is is even more prohibited. In this regard Allah swt. says:

Say to the believing women, “Let them restrain their gaze, and keep their private parts, and let them not reveal their adornment except what is (ordinarily) apparent therefrom. And let them cover their chests with a veil, and not reveal their adornment except to their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands’ fathers, or their sons, or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers, or their sisters’ sons, or Muslim women, or the slaves they own, or male servants who have no desire (for women), or children who do not yet understand the ‘awrah of women. And let them not strike their feet that they may discover the adornment which they conceal. And repent to Allah, O you who believe, that you may be fortunate. (Q.3. 24 An-Nur: 81)

The way women dressed at the beginning of the Islamic era was the same as in the Jahiliyyah: they dressed modestly so that their tops and arms were visible, making no difference between free women and slaves. Prankster youths often harassed girls when they went out at night for their needs in the date palm groves or at the place of defecation. Sometimes they dared to harass a free woman thinking she was a slave. So they were commanded to dress differently from slaves. For this reason, they were ordered to cover the upper part of their bodies along with their faces and arms so that no one would dare to disturb them again. In this regard Allah swt. says:

O Prophet, say to your wives, your daughters, and the wives of the believers, “Let them spread their veils over their bodies. “That they may be more easily recognized, so that they may not be molested. And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. (Q.3. 33 AlAhzab: 69)

The veiling of women from those who wish to propose to them was not practiced at the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), nor was it practiced at the time of the righteous salaf scholars. In other words, it was not commanded. This was deliberately promoted by the wise Shari’ah so that the prospective husband would know his future wife well, so that compatibility and harmony could be established between the bride and groom in matters agreed upon by the Imams. In this regard, Hujjatul Islam Imam Ghazali, in his book ihya ‘Ulumud-Din, says that the Shari’ah always calls for attention to the causes that can create harmony and compatibility. Therefore, looking at the prospective wife is something that is recommended. Imam Ghazali goes on to say that if Allah has moved the heart of one of them towards a woman, then let him look at her. Surely that will be more harmonious and compatible between them than skin to skin contact. This is mentioned with the intention of mubalaghah in creating harmony and compatibility. In this regard, the Prophet said:

Verily, there is something in the eyes of the Ansar (women), so when one of you wants to marry a woman from among them, he should look at her first. According to one narration, many of the Anshar women’s eyes were myopic. And in another narration it is mentioned that their eyes were slanted.

Al-A’masy said that any marriage that takes place without knowing each other beforehand will result in hardship, sadness and regret. Not far from the corruption of the times and far from religious education, even though religious education can lead to noble morals, is a symptom experienced by the Muslim laity in the early days of Islam. Hence, the command for women to wear the hijab came to put an end to moral corruption and to prevent fitnah.

HAJJ MADE COMPULSORY

That year, according to the opinion expressed by the majority of the scholars of tarikh, was also the year when the Hajj was made obligatory for the Muslims. Allah made Hajj obligatory for the Muslims in that year, so that Muslims from all over the world would gather to worship Allah, glorify Him, and ask Him to strengthen them with His help and help them to follow His righteous religion. The Hajj also has other benefits, such as strengthening the bonds and unity of the Muslims. These are great benefits for the Muslims.

SIXTH YEAR OF HIJRI

On the 10th of Muharram in the sixth year of Hijri, the Prophet sent Muhammad ibnu Maslamah with thirty horsemen with the aim of fighting the Banu Bakr ibnu Kilab whose camp was located in the area of Dhariyyah.” Then Muhammad ibnu Maslamah led his troops towards their place: during the day stopping to rest, and during the night walking until he reached their place. Arriving at their place Muhammad ibn Maslamah charged straight at them so that he killed ten of them, while the others fled. Finally, Muhammad ibnu Maslamah’s troops got ghanimah in the form of camels and goats, then he and his troops returned to Medina with the ghanimah.

On the way, as they were returning, they met Tsamamah ibn al-Athal al-Hanafi, one of the leading men of the Banu Hanifah. Then the Muslims took him captive while they did not know who he was. When they brought him to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), he introduced him to them and treated him with good manners. It was three days before the Messenger of Allah let him go. During this time he was offered by the Messenger of Allah to convert to Islam, but he refused to do so. However, after Tsamamah had experienced all the good treatment and noble manners of the Messenger of Allah, it occurred to him that there was no point in indulging in his lusts and abandoning a religion whose pillars were praiseworthy things. He returned to the Messenger of Allah in a Muslim state without being forced. Then Tsamamah said to the Messenger of Allah: “O Muhammad, by Allah, there was no face on earth that I hated more than yours. However, now your face is the face that I love more than anything else. By Allah, formerly there was no religion on earth that I hated more than yours, but now it is indeed the religion that I love the most. By Allah, there was no country on earth that I hated more than yours, but now it is the country that I love the most.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was overjoyed to hear this, for he had a people behind him who obeyed him.

When Tsamamah returned to his country through Makkah while performing ‘umrah, in Makkah he revealed his Islam. The Quraysh intended to harm him, but they remembered that their need for grain was supplied from the country of Yamamah where Tsamamah lived. So they left him alone. In addition, Tsamamah had sworn that he would not send any more grain to the people of Makkah until they believed in the Messenger of Allah. This made the people of Makkah distraught and miserable, so they had no alternative but to ask the Messenger of Allah for help. The Messenger of Allah received them well and treated them with the compassion that had become his nature. Finally, the Messenger of Allah sent a letter to Tsamamah so that he would restore the situation to its original state, namely supplying the people of Makk-h with the grain of the land of Yamamah. Tsamamah fulfilled the Prophet’s request well.

This noble man (Tsamamah) played an important role in his people after the Prophet’s death, when most of the people of his country apostatized. He always prevented his people from following Musailamah al-Kadzdzab, and always told them, “Beware of that dark and lightless matter (the matter of Musailamah al-Kadzdzab), indeed whoever follows it, Allah has ensured that he will be a wretch.” Many of his people stood firm with him, not being tempted by Musaylima and his followers.

THE WAR OF BANI LIHYAN

The Banu Lihyan were the ones who killed ‘Ashim ibn Tsabit and his companions. The Prophet was still in a state of condolence over their deaths, and always hoped to avenge their enemies with the law of gishash. Then in the month of Rabiulawal in the sixth year of Hijri, the Prophet ordered the Companions to get ready. As was usual in most of his battles, he did not inform them of the destination. The intention was that the plan he had devised would not be known by the enemy. Then before that he appointed Ibn Ummi Maktum as his successor in Medina.

The Prophet walked with two hundred mounted troops, among them twenty horsemen. The Messenger of Allah continued traveling until he reached a place called Ar-Raji’. In that place the Messenger of Allah remembered his companions who were killed by the katirs in that place. Then the Prophet asked Allah for mercy and forgiveness for those who had died as martyrs.

When Bani Lihyan heard about the arrival of the Messenger of Allah and his troops, they fled to the mountains. The Messenger of Allah stayed in their village for two days while sending several groups of troops to pursue them, but none of them were found. Then the Messenger of Allah sent some of the Companions to ‘Asfan” so that they would be known to the people of Makkah and the people of Makkah would be frightened. Then the Muslims set out for Kura’il Ghaim, and continued back to Medina. The Prophet said:

We return repentant and praising our Lord. I seek refuge in Allah from a tiring journey, a disappointed return, and a bad state of family and property.

THE WAR OF GHABAH

The Prophet had twenty dairy camels which were grazing in the Ghabah area. Then the Prophet’s cattle were attacked by ‘Uyaynah ibn Hishn with forty horsemen and they seized all the cattle from the hands of the herdsmen. News of the incident reached the Prophet quickly. The person who conveyed the news was Salamah ibnul-Akwa’, a member of the Ansar archers and a marathon champion. The Messenger of Allah ordered him to go out after the enemy and keep them busy with his arrows. He ran quickly after them so that he could catch up with them, then hit them. When the enemy cavalry pursued him, he ran quickly so that he would not be overtaken by them. When the cavalry entered a narrow area between two hills, Salamah ibnul Akwa’ climbed the hill, then pelted them with stones from the top of the hill. Finally, they threw down their spears and shields so that their burden would be lightened and they would be able to gallop away until the Muslims could not catch up with them.

Salamah ibnul Akwa’ continued to do this until the Muslims joined him. Before that the Messenger of Allah invited the Companions to undertake this pursuit, so they granted his request. The last person to be invited by the Prophet was Al-Migdad ibnul-Aswad. Then the Messenger of Allah said, “Go out after them, and I will follow you.” Then the Prophet gave him the banner of war. He set out followed by the cavalry. Eventually they caught up with the enemy’s rear guard, and there was an exciting battle between the two armies. One Muslim died and two disbelievers were killed. The Muslims were able to save most of the camels, while the rest were taken away by the fleeing enemy vanguard.

Then Salamah ibnul Akwa’ asked the Messenger of Allah to allow him to pursue the remaining enemy soldiers with a group of Muslim soldiers in order to attack them while they were off guard and resting in their oases. The Messenger of Allah said, “Now that you have defeated them, forgive them.” Then the Muslims returned to Madinah after five days.

SARIYYAH

The Banu Asad whose story we have mentioned earlier often harmed the Muslims passing through their area. The Messenger of Allah sent ‘Ukashah ibn Muhashshin with forty horsemen to attack them. However, when the troops almost reached their area, they heard of his arrival and fled. At that place the Muslims found a man sleeping, so they took him captive to show them where the cattle belonged to the Banu Asad. The man agreed to show them the place. The Muslims herded all their livestock, a hundred camels in all. After that they returned to Medina without encountering any resistance from the enemy.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Rabiulawal of the same year (sixth Hijri) news reached the Messenger of Allah that the people inhabiting the area of Drul-Qishshah intended to attack the cattle of the Muslims grazing in the area of Haifa. The Messenger of Allah sent Muham. mad ibn Maslamah with ten Muslim soldiers to teach them a lesson. The Muslims reached their place at night.

However, the polytheists who had known of their arrival laid a trap for the Muslims. When the Muslims went to bed to rest, unbeknownst to them the arrows of the enemy were raining down on them. The Muslims jumped to their weapons, but the enemy intercepted them first. Eventually the enemy was able to kill them all, except Muhammad ibn Maslamah himself. The enemy thought that he had died with his companions, and he was left for dead. Muhammad ibn Maslamah returned to Medina alone and told the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) all that had happened.

Then in the month of Rabiulakhir the Messenger of Allah sent the Companion Abu “Ubaidah ‘Amir ibnul-Jarrah to avenge their treatment. When the Muslim army arrived at their place, it turned out that they had fled from their homeland. Finally the Muslims herded all their cattle and returned to Medina with the ghanimah.

SARIYYAH

Bani Salim were those who joined the allied faction in the Battle of Khandag. They always harassed the Muslims traveling through their area. The Prophet sent his friend Zaid ibn Harithah with the Muslim army to attack them at Al-Jamum. This happened in the month of Rabiulakhir in the sixth year of Hijri. When Zayd and his army reached their place, he found no one because they had fled. In that place he and his soldiers found only a woman from Muzayyanah. Then she showed the Muslim army the campsite of Banu Salim. Finally in their camp the Muslims found many camels and sheep, and they also found men. All of them were taken prisoner, including the woman’s husband who was with them. Then the Muslims returned to Medina. When they arrived in Madinah, they were brought to the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet freed the woman and her husband.

SARIYYAH

News had reached the Prophet that a Quraysh merchant caravan was on its way back to Makkah. The Messenger of Allah sent his Companion Zaid ibn Harithah with one hundred and seventy horsemen to intercept them. Eventually, the Muslim army succeeded in taking all that the caravan had brought with them, while its bearers were taken prisoner, including Abul-‘Ash ibnur-Rabi’, the husband of the Prophet’s daughter, Siti Zainab, who was with them.

Abul-‘Ash ibnur-Rabi’ was a well-respected man of Makkah in terms of trade, wealth, and trust. He asked his wife, Siti Zainab, for protection. Finally, she agreed to give him protection, then he asked for support from the Quraysh (who had converted to Islam). The Prophet said, “The Muslims are like one hand: the lowest of the Muslims can provide protection to those (taken captive). Now we want to free those whom you are protecting.”

This is an illustration of the strongest principle of equality among Muslims. Then the Messenger of Allah returned all the treasures he had brought with him without missing a beat. Then Abul’Ash ibnur-Rabi’ returned to Makkah safely, complete with the proceeds of his trade. Arriving in Makkah he returned every right to its owner, then he returned to Madinah in a Muslim state. Then the Messenger of Allah returned his wife to him.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Jumadailakhir in the sixth year of Hijri, the Messenger of Allah sent Zaid ibn Harithah with fifteen soldiers to attack Banu Tsa’labah. The Banu Tsa’labah were those who had killed the friends of Companion Muhammad ibn Maslamah, They lived in Ath-Tharf.” Hence the Messenger of Allah sent his sariyyah to beat them.

When the enemy saw them, they thought that they were a large army under the leadership of the Messenger of Allah. They were frightened, so they ran away and left their camels and sheep behind. Finally, the Muslims took all their livestock as ghanimah. After four days they returned to Medina.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Rajab, the Prophet sent his Companion Zaid ibnu Haritsah with a number of Muslim soldiers to attack the Banu Fazzarah because they had intercepted Zaid ibnu Haritsah’s caravan returning from the Levant with merchandise. They seized everything that Zayd was carrying, and they almost killed him. When he arrived in Medina, Zayd reported to the Messenger of Allah all that had happened to him. Immediately the Messenger of Allah sent him back to avenge the treatment of the Banu Fazzarah who settled in Wadil-Qura.

Zayd’s companions set out until they reached the enemy’s place, then immediately surrounded and attacked them. Zayd and his troops were able to kill most of the enemy soldiers and were able to take a woman captive from among their leaders. Once in Medina the captive woman was asked by the Prophet to be exchanged for Muslims held captive in Makkah.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Sha’ban in the sixth year of Hijri, the Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn ‘Auf along with seven hundred companions to fight Banu Kalb at Daumatul-Jandal. Before the troops were dispatched, the Prophet advised them: Fight all of you in the way of Allah. Kill those who disbelieve in Allah, but do not corrupt (with ghanimah), do not commit treason, do not kill by chopping, and do not kill children. That is the promise of Allah and the journey of His Prophet among you. Then the Prophet handed over the banner of war to Companion ‘Abdur-Rahman ihnu ‘Auf.

Companion ‘Abdur-Rahman set out with his troops with the blessing of Allah until he reached the enemy. Then the Muslim army called them for three days to Islam. On the fourth day their leader, Al-Ashbagh ibnu ‘Amr, converted to Islam. A Christian with a group of his people also converted to Islam, while the others voluntarily chose to pay the jizyah.

Furthermore, Companion ‘Abdur-Rahman ibnu ‘Auf married the daughter of their leader in accordance with the Prophet’s order to him. This was the most effective means of strengthening the relationship between the leaders so that a family relationship was established between them. Some of them felt what others felt. This is the best way to establish peace and compassion.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Sha’ban the Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib with a hundred Muslim soldiers to fight the Banu Sa’d ibn Bakr in Fadak” because the Messenger of Allah received accurate information that they had gathered an army to help the Uahudi of Khaibar fight the Muslims in return for Khaibar dates.

The Muslim army led by Companion ‘Alj ibnu Abu Talib set out. On the way they met an enemy spy sent by the Banu Sa’d to make an agreement with the Jews of Khaibar on their behalf. The Muslims asked him to show them the place of their people, and the Muslims guaranteed his safety. The man was willing to show them their place. Ak.hirnya from the enemy’s place the Muslims managed to herd their cattle, while the herders ran away in fear. an. Then the herders informed their people of the arrival of the Muslim army. This frightened them, so they fled from their villages. The Muslims returned with five hundred camels and a thousand goats belonging to the people as ghanimah. It turned out that Allah swt. had broken the tricks of the polytheists so that they could not give any help to the Jews.

THE KILLING OF ABU RAFI

The one who mobilized the people of Khaibar against the Muslims was their own leader, Abu Rafi” Sallam ibnu Abul Hagig who was known as the Master Trader of Hijaz. He got this nickname because he was an expert in commerce and had a lot of wealth, with which he could influence the Jews of Khaibar. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent some men to deal with him. This task was undertaken by five men from the Khazraj tribe under the leadership of ‘Abdullah ibn “Utaig. They deliberately agreed to take on this task so that they would receive the same reward as their brothers from the tribe of Aus who had killed Ka’b ibnul Asyraf. Among the bounties that Allah bestowed upon His Messenger was that, whenever the Aus tribe felt proud of what they had done in fulfilling the Messenger’s wish, the Khazraj tribe did their utmost to match it by doing the same.

The Prophet ordered them to undertake the task after he advised them not to kill children and women. They set out until they reached Khaibar, then ‘Abdullah said to his companions, “Please stay here because I will go to the gatekeeper and persuade him to let me in, perhaps my way will be fruitful.” So ‘Abdullah approached the gatekeeper of Khaybar, covering his head with his garment as if he had just returned from relieving himself, while others had already entered the gate. The gatekeeper said, “O ‘Abd Allah, if you wish to enter, hurry up for I will close this door in a moment.” So ‘Abdullah entered and hid for some time until the gatekeeper fell asleep. After that ‘Abdullah approached him and took the key to the gate so that he could easily run away after fulfilling his duty later.

Then ‘Abdullah ibn Utaig went straight to Abu Rafi”s house, opening the doors leading to his place one by one. Every time he opened a door, he immediately locked it from the inside until he reached a room where Abu Rafi’ lived. It turned out to be a very dark room. Abu Rafi’ was in the midst of his children and family, so Abdullah could not be sure where Abu Rafi’ was. Then he called out, “O Abu Rafi’!” Abu Rafi’ replied, “Who are you?” Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utaig swung his sword towards the sound, but to no avail. At that point Abu Rafi”s wife said, “This is unmistakably the voice of Ibn Abu ‘Utaig”. Abu Rafi’ replied, “Woe to your mother, where is Ibn Abu ‘Utaig now?” Then ‘Abdullah called out again while changing his voice, “Whose voice are you hearing now, O Abu Rafi’?” Abu Rafi’ replied, “Woe to your mother, indeed there is now a man in the house trying to strike me with a sword.” So ‘Abdullah again put his sword towards the sound, but this time it did not bring any result. So he hid for a while, then came to the call for help and changed his voice. Finally he found Abu Rafi’ lying down, so he swung his sword into his stomach and heard the sound of bones beating.

After that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utaig came out of Abu Rafi”s house, his eyesight weak from myopia. Ja fell down the stairs. This caused him to sprain his leg, so he wrapped the sprain in his turban and joined his companions. On coming out he cried out, “Help, by Allah, Abu Rafi’ has been killed.”

Finally they returned safely and told everything to the Messenger of Allah. Then the Messenger of Allah said to ‘Abdullah, “Try to straighten your leg.” The Messenger of Allah rubbed it. After that ‘Abdullah felt his leg completely healed as before and did not feel the slightest pain. Take a look, may Allah swt. take care of you. What was the state of the Muslims at the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)? They took all obstacles and difficulties lightly as long as they were for the pleasure of the Messenger of Allah. May Allah be pleased with them.

SARIYYAH

After Ka’b ibn al-Asyraf was killed, the leadership of the Jews was held by his successor, Asir ibn Razzam. Then the Messenger of Allah sent people to keep an eye on his movements. News reached the Messenger of Allah that Asir had said to his people, “I will do to Muhammad what has never been done by my predecessors. I will go to Ghathafan and gather them to fight Muhammad.” It turned out that he made the attempt. The Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah al-Khazrajiy along with thirty soldiers from among the Ansar to persuade him not to carry out his intention.

They went out until they reached Khaibar, then they said to Asir, “We have come in good order until we offer you the purpose of our coming.” Asir replied, “Yes, so did we.” Then they agreed to it. Then they invited Asir to the Messenger of Allah and to abandon his intention to fight the Messenger of Allah. Later the Messenger of Allah would appoint him as the leader of the land of Khaibar and the people would live in safety and peace. Asir was willing to accept the proposal. Finally, he went out with thirty Jews. Each Jew rode on the back of a Muslim.

However, on the way Asir felt sorry for his willingness to go to the Messenger of Allah. So he intended to betray the people who had guaranteed his safety. Then ja tried to grab the sword carried by ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah. ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah said, “O enemy of Allah, do you want to betray?” Then ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah came down and slashed him with the sword, severing his thigh. Soon Asir was destroyed. The Muslims who were present at that time rose up against every Jew who was with him, and they killed them all. Such was the retribution for the betrayal.

THE STORY OF ‘AKL AND ‘ARINAH

In the month of Shawwal of the sixth year of Hijri, a group of people from ‘Akl and ‘Arinah came to the Messenger of Allah. They came with the appearance of Islam and wanted to pledge allegiance to the Messenger of Allah. They were sick, their bodies looked pale, and their bellies looked large. The weather of Medina was not suitable for them. Allah’s Apostle ordered his shepherds to graze their camels. Then he ordered them to catch up with the herders at the grazing place. This meant that the people of ‘Akl and ‘Arinah would seek medical treatment there by drinking the water of sugu and camel urine. So they did what the Messenger of Allah commanded.

After they recovered, they returned milk for tuba. They killed the herdsman and even chopped him, then they herded the cattle. When the news reached the Messenger of Allah, he ordered Companion Karz ibn Jabir al-Fihri with twenty horsemen to pursue them. Eventually Companion Karz caught up with them and captured them all. When they were brought to the Messenger of Allah in Medina, he ordered that they be given retribution commensurate with their treatment of the cattle herders. Their hands and feet were cut off and their eyes blinded, then they were thrown in the desert until they all died. Such was the retribution of the traitors whose kindness was not to be expected. Their evil behavior showed the corruption of their character and the despicable attitude of their association. However, after this incident the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade the act of chopping.

SARIYYAH

One day while sitting in the gathering place of his people, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb suddenly said, “Is there a man who would go tomorrow to meet Muhammad and kill him because he likes to walk in the markets, so that we may be free from him?”. A man came forward who was willing to do what Abu Sufyan wanted, and he promised to do it. Then Abu Sufyan gave him a vehicle and provisions and prepared him for the task.

The man set out until he reached Madinah on the morning of the sixth day from his departure. He asked where the Messenger of Allah was and got instructions. At that time the Messenger of Allah was in the mosque of the people of Banu ‘Abdul-Ashhal. When the Messenger of Allah saw him coming, he said, “Surely this man intends to commit treason, and Allah will prevent him.” Then the man approached the Messenger of Allah. When he bowed in homage, Usaid ibn Hudhair suddenly pulled his cloth from behind. At that moment the dagger tucked into his cloth fell out, and the man regretted his action. Then the Prophet asked him why he wanted to do so. The man told him all his intentions after he was sure that his soul was safe and not harmed. Then the Messenger of Allah let him go. The man said, “By Allah, O Muhammad, I have never been afraid of any man, but as soon as I saw you my mind became confused and my soul became weak. Then you have come to know the intentions that lie in my heart. That no one else knew. Now I know that you are preserved and that you are righteous and that Abu Sufyan’s party is of the devil.” Subsequently the man converted to Islam.

The Prophet immediately sent ‘Amr ibn Umayyah adh-Dhimri. In the Age of Jahiliah he was known as a gallant and brave man. The Prophet told him to bring a friend to kill Abu Sufyan secretly in retaliation for what he had done to him. After arriving in Makkah the two went straight to the Ka’bah to perform tawaf before fulfilling the task assigned to them. However, one of the people of Makkah recognized him. He said, “This is ‘Amr ibn Umayyah, never will he come except with evil.” When ‘Amr realized that (the QQuraysh) had learned of his arrival, he had no choice but to leave Makkah immediately. Immediately he invited his friends to return to Medina. Thus it was as if Allah swt. wanted Abu Sufyan to remain alive so that he handed over the keys of the Kaaba to the Muslims and until he converted to Islam.

THE WAR OF HUDAIBIYAH

One night the Prophet had a dream that he and his companions entered the Masjid al-Haram in safety. Some of them shaved their hair and some just shortened it. The Prophet informed the Muslims that he intended to perform ‘Umrah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) informed the Muslims that he intended to perform ‘Umrah. He then called upon the Arabs living in the vicinity of Medina to come with him, as a precautionary measure for fear that the Quraysh would reject their arrival. They argued that they were busy with their property and family affairs and apologized.

Finally the Messenger of Allah went out with the Muhajirin and Anshar who numbered one thousand five hundred people. Before that, the Prophet appointed Ibn Ummi Maktum as his successor in Medina. This time the Prophet brought his wife, Umm Salamah, and sacrificed an animal as a notification to his people that he had not come for the purpose of fighting. The Companions at that time did not carry any weapons other than swords that remained in their respective sheaths because the Messenger of Allah did not like them carrying drawn swords while performing ‘umrah.

The Messenger of Allah set out until he reached ‘Asfan”. At that place the Messenger of Allah was met by his informant who told him that the Quraysh had agreed to prevent the Muslims from entering the city of Makkah, and they were trying to prevent the Muslims from entering it by force. For this purpose they had prepared themselves for war, so they sent Khalid ibnul-Walid with two hundred horsemen to obstruct the Muslims’ journey. Upon hearing the news, the Prophet said, “Who can guide us so that we do not cross paths with them?” A man from the tribe of Aslam said, “I, O Messenger of Allah.” So the man led the Muslims along a difficult path, then he led them out of the difficult path onto a road that was flat and easy to travel. This road led to Makkah from the lower regions.

When Khalid learned of what the Muslims had done, he returned to Makkah to the Quraysh and informed them of all that he had experienced. When the Messenger of Allah reached Tsaniyyatul Mirar, his camel suddenly stopped and crouched down. The Companions rebuked it to get up, but it would not stand up. They said, “Qashwa (the name of the Prophet’s camel) is stubbornly refusing to obey.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Actually, it is not stubborn and this is not its habit, but it has been restrained by God who has restrained the army of the bergajah. By the One in whose hand the soul of Muhammad is, not once did the Quraysh invite me to a principled matter of honoring the sanctuary of Allah, but I was obliged to comply with their request.” If they had fought their enemies at that time, the Muslims would have won. However, it seems that Allah swt. prevented the Muslims against the Quraysh as He also prevented the Quraysh against the Muslims. This was so that the sanctity of the Ka’bah would not be tainted by warfare. Allah wanted the Ka’bah to be a holy and safe place where Muslims from all over would strengthen their brotherhood.

Then the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, ordered the Muslims to stop at the end of the boundary of Hudaibiyah.” To that place came Badil ibn Waraqa’ al-Khuza’iy, the messenger of Quraysh to ask the purpose of the Muslims coming to Makkah. Then the Messenger of Allah told him the real purpose. When Badil returned to the Quraysh and told them this, they did not believe him, for he was from Khuza’ah who sided with the Messenger of Allah as his forefathers had done. Then the Quraysh said to him, “Does Muhammad intend to enter our city with his army for ‘Umrah? Have you not heard what the Arabs have said that Muhammad wants to enter our city by force, and that there has been war between us and him for a long time? By Allah, no, we do not believe it in the least.”

Then they sent Hulais ibn ‘Algamah, the leader of the Habgyi allies of the Quraysh. When the Messenger of Allah saw him coming, he said, “He is from the people who glorify sacrifice, so display the sacrificial animal before him so that he may see it.” They did as the Messenger of Allah had commanded, and then they welcomed him while saying talbiyah. When Hulais saw all this, he returned and said to the Quraysh: “Glory be to Allah, it is not worthy that they should be hindered. Are Lahm, Judzam, and Himyar allowed to perform Hajj while ‘Abdul-Muthtalib’s own grandson is prevented from visiting the Ka’bah? By the Lord of the Ka’bah, woe to the Quraysh. Verily they have come for the purpose of ‘umrah.” When the Quraysh heard these words from Hulais, they said to him: “Sit down and listen, for you are a villager who does not know the meaning of trickery.”

Then the Quraysh sent ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ud ats-Tsagafi, the leader of the Thaifites. He went to the Messenger of Allah and immediately said to him, “O Muhammad, you have gathered the various tribes, then you have come to your people and family. This means that you want to divide them. Verily the people of Quraysh have gone out. They promised Allah that you would not enter Makkah by force forever. By Allah, it is as if I imagine that they will be able to defeat you.” Hearing these words, Abu Bakr’s Companion became angry and said, “Woe to you. It is we who will defeat them in his defense.”

While ‘Urwah was speaking, he always stroked the Prophet’s beard (as a sign of respect), while Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah, when he had the urge to do so, knocked his hand away. After that ‘Urwah returned, and he had seen all that the Companions had done for the Messenger of Allah. Whenever the Messenger of Allah performed ablution, the Companions would almost fight among themselves over the water he used to wipe over their limbs. Whenever they spoke to the Messenger of Allah, they always lowered their voices and lowered their eyes. Then ‘Urwah said to the Quraysh: “By Allah, O people of Quraysh, I have only seen a Kisra in his kingdom and an emperor in his greatness. I have never seen a king who was honored by his people as the Companions honored Muhammad. I have seen a people who would never give him up for anything. Consider carefully your opinion. indeed he is offering you something that makes sense. So I advise you to accept his offer. I fear for you that you will not be victorious in dealing with him.” The Quraishites immediately replied, “Do not speak of that again. We have agreed to reject his coming this year, and he may come next year.”

Then the Messenger of Allah chose Companion ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan as his messenger to inform the Quraysh of his intention to come. Companion ‘Uthman set out accompanied by ten others. Before that they asked permission from the Messenger of Allah to visit their relatives. The Messenger of Allah commanded ‘Uthman to visit the weak among the believers of Makkah and tell them the good news that the conquest of Makkah was near and that Allah would surely reveal His religion.

Companion “Uthman entered the city of Makkah under the protection of Abban ibn Sa’id al-Umawiy and conveyed his message. The Quraysh replied, “Verily Muhammad shall not forever enter it with violence against us.” Then they asked ‘Uthman to perform fhawaf in the Ka’bah, but “Uthman replied, “I will not perform tawaf while the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is forbidden to do so.” Then they arrested ‘Uthman ibn ‘Af-. fan, and news spread among the Muslims that ‘Uthman had been killed. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) heard the news he said: “We will not tolerate this until we avenge them through war.”

BAI ‘ATUR-RIDHWAN

The Prophet invited people to pledge allegiance to him by expressing their willingness to fight, so they pledged allegiance to the Prophet under a tree in that place. Henceforth the tree was called Sharatr-Ridhwan (the tree under which the Muslims pledged their allegiance to be willing to sacrifice for the sake of the religion).” Then the Quraysh heard about this allegiance, and they became afraid.

Before that the Quraysh had sent fifty of their soldiers under the leadership of Mukarriz ibn Hafsh, to reconnoiter the camp of the Muslims, in the hope that they might attack some of the Muslims while in the middle. They were, however, captured by a patrol by Companion Muhammad ibnu Maslamah. Their leader, Mukarriz, managed to escape. When the Quraysh learned of this, they gathered an army from among themselves to attack the Muslims.

There was a battle between them and the Muslims. In the end, twelve soldiers of the polytheists were taken prisoner, while only one of the Muslims died.

THE TREATY OF HUDAIBIYAH

From then on the Quraysh began to fear the Muslims. So they sent Suhail ibn ‘Amr as a spokesman for peace. When he came he said, “O Muhammad, indeed what has just happened is not the thought of our clever men, but the rash act of our fools. So we ask you to send our people whom you have taken captive.” The Messenger of Allah replied, “We will do so if you also send our people whom you have taken captive.” At that time they released the Companion “Uthman along with ten Muslims.

Suhail then offered the Messenger of Allah the conditions that the Quraysh wanted. These conditions were as follows:

1. A truce between the Muslims and the Quraysh for four years.

2. Whoever comes to the Muslims (in Medina) from among the Quraysh, the Muslims should return him to them. Whoever from the Muslims comes to the Quraysh, the Quraysh are not required to return him to the Muslims (in Medina).

3. The Prophet should return without performing ‘Umrah for this year. He may come next year with his companions after the Quraysh have first left the city of Makkah. The Prophet could stay for three days in the city of Makkah while the Companions were not allowed to carry any weapons other than a sheathed sword and a bow and arrow.

4. Whoever wished to enter into covenant with Muhammad instead of the Quraysh could do so. And whoever wants to enter into a covenant with the Quraysh, he may do so.

The Prophet was willing to accept all these conditions. The response of the Muslims was different. They said, “Glory be to Allah, how is it that we are required to return to them the one who came to us as a Muslim, and they are not required to return the one who came to them as an apostate” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied, “Whoever goes to them from among us, Allah will keep him away (from His mercy). Whoever comes to us from among them and we are obliged to return him, Allah will show him a way out.” Condition number three, the prohibition of the Muslims from circumambulating the Ka’bah, affected the Muslims deeply because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had told them that he had dreamt that they would enter the Ka’bah in safety. Companion ‘Umar asked Companion Abu Bakr about this, to which Companion Abu Bakr r.a. replied, “Did the Messenger of Allah mention that it would happen this year?”

Then the terms of the agreement were written by both parties. The secretary from the Prophet’s side was Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib. Then the Messenger of Allah declared: “Bismillahir-rahmanir-rahim” (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful). However. Suhail interrupted him, “Write, Bismikallahumma” (In Your name, O Allah): then the Messenger of Allah commanded Companion ‘Ali to do so. Then the Messenger of Allah said, “This is the agreement that Muhammad the Messenger of Allah has agreed to.” Suhail interrupted him again, “Had we recognized that you are the messenger of Allah, we would not have opposed you. However, write Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah.” Then the Messenger of Allah told Companion ‘Ali to erase it and replace it with “Muhammad ibnu ‘Abdullah”. However, Companion ‘Ali r.a. did not want to do so. Finally, the Messenger of Allah himself erased it with his own hand. This treaty was written on two sheets: one sheet for the Quraysh, the other for the Muslims.

After the writing of the treaty was completed, there came to the Muslims Abu Jandal ibn Suhail who was still in chains. He was among those Muslims who were not allowed to migrate, so he fled to the stronghold of the Muslims to seek their protection. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to him, “Be patient and do it for the sake of Allah for surely Allah will make a way out and a solution for you and those with you from among the weak. Indeed we have entered into a treaty with the Quraysh. There is an agreement between us and them. For that reason we do not want to betray the agreement that we have agreed upon.” At that time the Khuza’ah tribe entered into a treaty with the Messenger of Allah, while the Banu Bakr entered into a treaty with the Quraysh.

After the treaty was concluded, the Prophet ordered the Companions to shave their heads and slaughter their sacrificial animals as a sign of exiting their ‘umrah. This caused the Muslims a great deal of emotional distress, so they did not immediately carry out the Prophet’s order. The Messenger of Allah went to Ummul Mu’minin Ummu Salamah and said to her, “Woe to the Muslims, I ordered them to do it, but they did not do it.” Umm Salamah replied, “Forgive them. Indeed you have borne a great deal in the covenant that you have made. The Muslims returned without making a conquest. Therefore, they are sad and distressed. However, you should go out, O Messenger of Allah, and set an example of what you want. When they see that you have done it, they will follow your steps.

Then the Messenger of Allah stepped up to his sacrificial animal and slaughtered it. After that he asked for a barber and shaved his own hair. When the Muslims saw the Messenger of Allah doing this, they rushed to their sacrificial animals and shaved their heads as he had done. After that the Muslims returned to Medina. Each party kept the agreement.

However, when things were going well, Umm Kalthum bint “Uqbah ibnu Abu Mu’ith, the maternal sister of Companion “Uthman ibnu ‘Affan, came to them with the intention of emigrating. The polytheists asked the Muslims to return her to Makkah. But Umm Kalthum said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman. If I were returned to them, they would slander my religion.” Then Allah swt. revealed His words:

O you who believe, when believing women come to you in migration, test them. If you find out that they are believers, do not return them to the disbelievers (their husbands). They are not lawful for the disbelievers, and the disbelievers are not lawful for them. And give to their (husbands) the dowry which they have paid. And there is no sin on you to marry them if you pay them their dowries. And do not hold fast to unbelieving women: and let you ask for the dowry which you have paid: and let them ask for the dowry which they have paid. Such is the law of Allah which He has established among you. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise (Q.S. 60 Al-Mumtahanah: 10).

Umm Kalthum who emigrated swore that she left Makkab not because she wanted to move, not because she hated her husband, not for worldly pursuits, and not because she liked a man from the Muslims. She left only for the purpose of emigrating out of love for Allah and His Messenger. After she had sworn the oath, she was not returned, but only what her husband had given her in the form of maintenance and dowry. After that, Umm Caltum could be married to any Muslim who wanted her. The verse implies that it is forbidden to keep a believing wife with a disbelieving husband, rather the wife should be returned to her family, and the wife’s family should compensate her husband.

Abu Buhsair whose real name was ‘Atabah ibn Usaid ats-Tsagafi r.a, had fled, then came to the Messenger of Allah. The Quraysh sent two men to return him to them. Then the Messenger of Allah ordered him to return. However, Abu Bushair said, “O Messenger of Allah, do you have the heart to return me to the disbelievers? No doubt they will slander my religion after Allah has saved me from their clutches.” The Prophet replied, “Surely Allah will provide a way out for you and your like-minded companions.”

Finally Abu Bushair found no other way but to obey the Prophet’s command. So he returned to Makkah escorted by two men from the Quraysh. When they approached Dzul Hulaifah, Abu Bushair attacked one of the two friends until he killed him, while the other had time to flee back to Makkah. Abu Bushair returned to Medina, met the Prophet and said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, I have fulfilled your promise. As for me, I am now safe,” so the Messenger of Allah said to him, “Go as you like but do not stay in Medina. Medina.” Laiu Abu Bushair went to a place that lay in the middle of the road that led to the country of Sham. That road was commonly traveled by the trade caravans of the Quraysh.

Abu Bushair then settled in that place and joined the group of Makkah Muslims who had survived the escape. Abu Jandal also joined them. Also joining them were some of the villagers who inhabited the area. They robbed every caravan of the Quraysh that passed through the place so that the trade of the Quraysh came to a standstill and their supplies were completely cut off. The Quraysh sent a messenger to ask the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to cancel the condition concerning this matter. They were willing to give the Prophet the right not to return the Quraysh who came to him as Muslims. The Messenger of Allah accepted the proposal. Finally Allah swt. removed from the Muslims the distress concerning this condition, because they could not bear to see what they had experienced at Hudaibiyah, when the Prophet ordered them to return Abu Jandal to the Quraysh.

Now they came to know that the Prophet’s opinion was better than theirs because the fulfillment of this condition brought peace between the Muslims and the disbelievers. Thus the disbelievers got along with the Muslims, and then the light of Islam had time to influence their hearts so that Islam grew. Companion Abu Bakr responded to this by saying, “There is no greater conquest in Islam than the conquest of Hudaibiyah. However, their (the Muslims’) reach was short, unlike what the Prophet Muhammad and his Rabb saw, Allah’s servants are always in a hurry, whereas Allah will not be hastened by the haste of His servants because He waits for things to mature first.”

When the Messenger of Allah returned from Hudaibiyah, the verse was revealed to him:

Verily We have given you a clear victory. (9.5. 48 Al-Fath: 1)

This battle is called Al-Fathul Mubin (The Apparent Victory) in justification of what Saha. bat Abu Bakr as-Siddig has said above.

WRITING TO KINGS

After the Muslims returned from Hudaibiyah at the end of the sixth year of Hijri, and the routes had been secured from the intrusion of the Quraysh. Then the Prophet sent letters to the kings of the world at that time, inviting them to embrace Islam. From then on, the Prophet made a silver seal to put on all his letters. The seal was inscribed with the words “Muhammadur Rasulullah” (Muhammad the Messenger of Allah).

The Prophet sent Dahiyyah al-Kalbiy to deliver his letter to the Roman emperor. He ordered that the letter be delivered through the official of Bashra, then the official of Bashra would deliver it to the Roman Emperor.

LETTER TO THE EMPEROR

The letter read as follows:

“In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful, from Muhammad ibnu ‘Abdullah to Heraclius, the Roman emperor. Prosperity to those who follow guidance. Amma ba “du: Verily I invite you with the call of Islam: enter Islam and you will be saved, and Allah will reward you double. If you turn away, then surely the sins of the Farmers are upon your shoulders”.

Say, “O People of the Book, come to a sentence (decree) about which there is no dispute between us and you, that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing with Him, nor do some of us make others gods besides Allah. If they turn away, then say to them, “Behold, we are those who surrender ourselves (to Allah).” (Q.5. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 64)

ABU SUFYAN’S STORY

When the letter reached the Emperor Heraclius, he said, “Bring me someone from among his people. I will ask him about him (Prophet Muhammad).”

At that time Abu Sufyan ibnu Harb was in the country of Sham with the Quraysh who were on a trading mission. Then came the Emperor’s messenger to Abu Sufyan, and invited him to appear before the Emperor. Abu Sufyan was willing to fulfill the invitation.

When they reached Baitul-Magdis, the Emperor said to his interpreter, “Tell him, who among them is most closely related to the man (Prophet Muhammad) who claims to be a prophet?” Abu Sufyan replied, “Me!” for there was no one else in the caravan except Abu Sufyan himself. The Emperor said to Abu Sufyan, “Come closer to me.” Then the Emperor ordered his companions to stand behind him. Then the Emperor said to his interpreter, “Say to his friends, I have deliberately placed this man (Abu Sufyan) before you because I wish to ask him about the man (Prophet Muhammad) who claims to be a prophet. I told you to stand behind him so that you would not be ashamed of him to refute any of his falsehoods.” Then the Emperor began to ask about the man’s descendants among them. Abu Sufyan replied, “He is a man of honorable lineage among us.” The Emperor further asked, “Has anyone of you said anything like this before?”

Abu Sufyan replied, “No.” The emperor asked, again, “Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he is saying now?” Abu Sufyan replied, “Never.” The emperor further asked, “Did any of his grandfathers ever become king?” Abu Sufyan replied, “None.” The emperor asked again, “Did the honorable ones follow him, or the weak ones?” Abu Sufyan replied, “No, not even the weak.” The emperor further asked, “Are his followers increasing or decreasing?” Abu Sufyan replied, “In fact, they are increasing day by day.” The emperor asked again, “Has anyone apostatized out of hatred for his religion?” Abu Sufyan said, “No.” The emperor asked again, “Has he ever betrayed a promise?” Abu Sufyan replied, “No, and now we are entering into a treaty with him, but we do not know what he will do with it. The emperor asked, “did you fight him?” Abu Sufyan replied, “Yes.” The emperor again asked, “What is the state of your war with him?” Abu Sufyan replied, “The war between us and him took turns, sometimes for our victory and sometimes we lost.” The Emperor asked, “What did he order you to do?” Abu Sufyan replied, “He said, worship Allah alone, and do not associate anything with Him. He forbade worshipping what our fathers used to worship, and commanded prayer, almsgiving, keeping honor, keeping covenants, and keeping trust.” Then the Emperor said, “I asked you about his lineage, and you said that he was of honorable lineage among you, and as for the messengers, they were raised from among their people of honorable lineage. I asked you whether anyone among you had said this before, and we said that no one had. If someone had said this before, I would have assumed that he was someone who only said what people had said before him. I ask you, did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said? You replied that you had not. So I concluded that it was impossible for him not to lie to people and then to lie to Allah. I ask you, did any of his grandfathers become kings? Then you said, no. Had any of his grandfathers been kings, I would have concluded that he was claiming the kingdom of his grandfathers. I have asked you, were the honorable ones his followers, or the weak? Then you said, no, rather his followers were made up of the weak. So I concluded that such were the followers of the apostles. I asked you whether his followers were increasing or decreasing. Then you said, even they increased. Such is faith that it is perfect. I asked you whether any of his followers had apostatized out of hatred for his religion. Then you say, no. Such is the state of faith when it has permeated the heart. Akn has asked you, do you fight him? Then you said, no, and indeed the battle between you and him went on and on. This was the case with the apostles, they were tested first, but in the end they were victorious. I ask you, what did he command the people to do? Then you said that he commanded prayer, giving alms, maintaining honor, fulfilling promises, and keeping trust. I ask you, did he ever betray? Then you answered, never. The same is the case with the messengers; they never betrayed.

Now I know that he is a prophet, and I know that he was truly sent as an apostle. I did not suspect that he was from you. If it turns out that what you have told me is true, then surely he will rule over this place where my feet stand. Had I obeyed him, I would have forced myself to do so.”

Abu Sufyan related that at that time there was a noise because they were talking about this in a loud voice, but he did not understand what they were saying. Then they ordered that Abu Sufyan and his companions be brought out. When they came out Abu Sufyan said, “Indeed this matter concerning Ibn Abu Kabsyah has worried the king of the yellow-skinned people.”

When the Emperor departed for Himsha, he called upon the Roman princes to assemble in his private palace. When all were assembled, he ordered the doorkeeper to lock the doors of his palace. Then he said, “O Romans, do you want to be fortunate and be guided and do you want your empire to stand? Then you should pledge allegiance to that prophet (Prophet Muhammad).” Suddenly they became fierce and scrambled for the exit, only to find it locked from the inside. When the Emperor saw their earnest antipathy, he said to his personal guards, “Bring them back to me!” Then the Emperor said to them, “I have said this only to test your firmness in your religion.” Then they were quiet and calm again and were willing to accept his decision. It turned out that the Emperor’s love for his empire was greater than his love for Islam. This meant that he bore his own sins and the sins of his people as revealed by the Prophet’s letter, only he rejected Dahiyyah in a kind and polite manner.

LETTER TO THE RULER OF BASHRA

The Prophet sent Al-Harith ibn ‘Umair al-Azdi with his letter to be delivered to the ruler of Bashra. However, when he reached Mu’tah, which is one of the villages included in the region of Al-Balga, in the country of Sham, he was stopped by Shurahbil ibn ‘Amr alGhassaniy (an Arab who sided with the Roman king, pen.), then Shurahbil said to him, “Where are you going?” Al-Harith replied, “The land of Sham.” Shurahbil asked again, “Perhaps you are a messenger of Muhammad, are you not?” Al-Harith replied, “Yes.” So Shurahbil ordered his men to arrest him, then he was killed by beheading. Al-Harith was the only messenger of the Messenger of Allah who was killed, and the Messenger of Allah was very sad for his loss.

LETTER TO AL-HARITH IBNU ABU SHAMR

Then the Messenger of Allah sent Syuja’ ibn Wahb to deliver his letter to the Heraclius’ emir of Damascus, Al-Harith ibn Abu Shamr. He lived in the plantation area of Damascus. The contents of the letter are as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Al-Harith ibnu Abu Shamr. Prosperity to those who follow guidance and are willing to believe and trust in Allah.

Verily, I invite you to believe in Allah alone, there is no partner for Him. Then surely your kingdom will remain. When Al-Harith finished reading the Prophet’s letter, he threw the letter away saying, “Who dares to snatch my kingdom from my hands?” After that he prepared to assemble his army to fight the Muslims and said to Shuja’ “Tell your friend (the Prophet) what you have seen.” Al-Harith then sent a letter to the Emperor asking for permission to do so. It turned out that when the messenger went there, he had met Dahiyyah who was also there. So the Emperor wrote back and praised him for his intention, and he ordered Al-Harith to make preparations for his visit later because, after the Emperor had defeated the Persian royal army, he intended to visit him in Elijah. After Al-Harith had read the Emperor’s letter, he welcomed Shuja’ ibn Wahb back in a kind manner, even giving him provisions and clothing.

LETTER TO MUQAUQIS

The Messenger of Allah sent Hathib ibn Abu Balta’ah with a letter addressed to Mugaugis, the king of Egypt, who was appointed by the Roman emperor. This letter reads:

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad the Messenger of Allah, addressed to Mugaugis the ruler of the Egyptians (Qibth). Prosperity to those who follow guidance.

Amma ba’du: Verily, I invite you with the invitation of Islam, enter Islam, you will be saved, Allah will reward you twice as much. If you turn away, then surely the burden of all the sins of the Egyptians will be upon your shoulders. O people of the book, come to a sentence… and so on.

Then the letter was delivered by Hathib to Mugaugis in Iskandariah. After Mugaugis read it, he said, “What is it that prevents him, if he is indeed a prophet, from praying that those who oppose him and who have expelled him from the land of his blood be destroyed and annihilated” Hathib replied, “Don’t you believe that Prophet ‘Isa ibnu Maryam was the Messenger of Allah when his people seized him and intended to kill him? Why did he not pray to Allah to destroy them? Why did he wait until Allah took him to His side?” Mugaugis said, “Your answer is very good. You are wise and you come from a wise man.” Then Mugaugis said, “Indeed I have looked into the matter of this prophet and found that he neither commands what is disliked nor does he forbid what is liked. I found him neither a sorcerer nor a heretic nor an oracle nor a liar. I find in him the sign of prophethood, that he can know the hidden unseen, and can tell what is in his heart. I will consider it first.” He then wrote the following reply:

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful. Addressed to Muhammad ibnu ‘Abdullah, of Mugaugis the ruler of the Egyptians. May prosperity be upon you.

Amma ba’du: I have read your letter and have understood what you are calling for, and I have learned that there is still a prophet whom I suspect to have come out of the Levant. I have honored your messenger and I have sent with him two jariahs, both of whom are of honorable standing among us, and we have sent clothes, and I have gifted you a mule as your vehicle.

Wassalam.

One of the two jariahs was named Mariah, whom the Prophet later married. As a result of his marriage with Mariah, the Prophet had a son named Ibrahim. The other jariah was given to the Companion Hissan ibn Tsabit. Unfortunately, Mugaugis did not convert to Islam.

LETTER TO KISRA, KING OF PERSIA

The Messenger of Allah sent Sahaba’ ‘Abdullah ibn Hudzafah as-Sahmiy to deliver a letter to Kisra, the king of Persia. The letter read:

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, from Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Kisra, the ruler of Persia. Prosperity to the one who follows the guidance, believes in Allah and His Messenger, and testifies that there is no god but Allah, no partner for Him, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

I call you with the call of Allah. Verily I am a messenger of Allah to all mankind, to warn the living, and to declare the right against the disbelievers. Convert to Islam and you will be saved. If you disobey, then surely the sins of the Magi are upon your shoulders. After he read the letter, he tore it up in a haughty manner. When this reached the ears of the Prophet, he prayed, “May Allah tear his kingdom to shreds.” It turned out that the Prophet’s prayer was answered. The kingdom of Persia was the first to fall. This wretched king started his hostilities first. He ordered his governor who ruled the land of Yemen to order his people to bring the Messenger of Allah before him. However, his intention was not accomplished because Allah swt. had destroyed him first through his son named Shairuwaih. Syairuwaih seized the throne of his father’s kingdom, and killed him. Then Syairuwaih sent a messenger to his representative in Yemen so that he would not carry out what his father had ordered.

LETTER TO KING NAJASHI (NEQUS)

The Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Amr ibn Umayyah adh-Dhimriy un “uk with a letter to King Najasyi, the king of Habsyah (Ethio pia). The letter read as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad the messenger of Allah to Najashi the ruler of the country of Habsyah. May prosperity be upon you.

Amma ba’du: I begin my letter to you by praising Allah, There is no god but He, the King, the Glorious, the Welfare, the Security, the Preservation, and I testify that ‘Isa the son of Maryam is the breath of the spirit of Allah which He conveyed to Maryam the Holy Virgin, so she conceived ‘Isa by the breath of His spirit just as He created Adam by the hand of His power.

Verily, I invite you to worship Allah alone, to have no partner with Him, to obey Him, and to follow me and believe in what I have been told. Verily I am the messenger of Allah. I invite you and your army to worship Allah. I have conveyed and expressed my advice so accept my advice. May prosperity be upon those who follow guidance.

When the Messenger’s letter reached him and he read it, he honored the Messenger with great respect. Then he said to ‘Amr: “I have known, by Allah, that ‘Isa has given glad tidings of his coming. It is just that my servants in Habsyah are still few in number. Therefore suspend me until my followers are many, and I can soften their hearts.”

‘Amr then offered those who remained in Habsyah from among the Muhajirin Muslims to rejoin the Messenger of Allah in Medina. Among them was Umm Habibah bint Abu Sufyan, the wife of ‘Abdullah ibn Jahsh who had converted to Islam and then brought his wife to migrate to Habsyah. ‘Abdullah ibnu Jahsh was destined to be tempted by Christianity, so he converted to Christianity (and he divorced his wife). Then the Prophet married Umm Habibah through the intermediary of the Muslims in Habsyah. The person who married her was King Najashi on behalf of the Prophet.

LETTER TO AL-MUNDZIR IBNU SAWI

To deliver his letter to Al-Mundzir ibnu Sawiy, the king of Bahrain, the Prophet sent Al’Ala ibnulHadhramiy. The purpose of this letter was to invite him to convert to Islam. The content of the letter is as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, convert to Islam. Verily, I begin my letter to you by praising Allah, there is no god but He.

Amma ba’du: Verily, the one who prays like us, faces our Qiblah, and eats our sacrifices, then he is a Muslim, for him is the guarantee of Allah and His Messenger. Whoever likes these things among the Magi, then he is a believer. Whoever disobeys, then it is obligatory for him to pay the jizyah, so enter Islam.

Al-Mundzir ibnu Sawiy wrote back to the Messenger of Allah, as follows:

Amma ba’du: O Messenger of Allah, I have read your letter to the people of Bahrain. Some of them liked Islam and admired it, so they converted to Islam. Some of them did not like it. There are people in our country who are Mussulmans and Jews, so tell me in this regard about your matter.

So the Prophet sent him another letter which read as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad the messenger of Allah to Al-Mundzir ibn Sawiy. May prosperity be upon you. I begin with you by praising Allah, there is no god but He, and I testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Amma ba’du: I remind you of Allah. Whoever takes advice benefits himself, and indeed whoever obeys my messenger and follows his commands is obeying me. Whoever advises them is advising on my behalf. Verily my messengers have praised you with good praise, and now I give you help against your people. Leave the wealth of the Muslims since they have embraced Islam, and I have forgiven the sinners, so accept (the jizyah) from them. Indeed, how good your attitude is, I will not change your duty. Whoever maintains his youth or his purity, then he must pay the jizyah.

LETTER TO THE TWO RULERS OF ‘AMMAN

The Messenger of Allah sent ‘Amr ibn ‘Ash to deliver a letter to Jaifar and ‘Abd, two sons of Al-Jalandi who were both rulers of the country of ‘Amman. The content of the letter was as follows:

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad the messenger of Allah to Jaifar and ‘Abd, the two sons of Al-Jalandi. Prosperity to those who follow guidance.

Amma ba’du: Verily I call you both with the call of Islam. Convert to Islam, both of you, and you will be saved. Verily I am a messenger of Allah to mankind as a whole, to warn the living and to establish the right against the disbelievers. Verily, if you both pledge yourselves to Islam, then I will elevate you both. If you both disobey, then surely your kingdoms will cease to exist, and there will be horsemen occupying your lands, and my prophethood will surely appear in your kingdoms.

When ‘Amr entered the room of the two rulers, ‘Abd ibnul-Jalandi asked him about what the Messenger of Allah had commanded and what he had forbidden. ‘Amr replied, “He commanded obedience to Allah swt. and forbade disobeying Him: commanded virtue and friendship: forbade wrongdoing, enmity, adultery, drinking alcohol, and worshipping stones, idols and crosses.” ‘Abd ibnul-Jalandi said, “How good is what he is calling for. Had my brother followed me, we would have set out to believe in Muhammad and trust him. But, alas, my brother was so strong in his kingdom. He was very worried about losing his kingdom and did not want to become a follower.” Then ‘Amr said to him, “If your brother were to convert to Islam, the Messenger of Allah would appoint him king of his people, and he would be in charge of taking the zakat from the rich among his people and giving it to the poor.” ‘Abd ibnul-Jalandi said, “Surely this is good manners. What is zakat?”

Then ‘Amr told him about what Allah had enjoined in the form of zakaah on property, but when ‘Amr mentioned zakaah on livestock, ‘Abd said, “O ‘Amr, is zakaah taken from our livestock that graze on vegetation and drink their own water?” ‘Amr replied, “Yes.” So ‘Abd said, “By Allah, in my opinion, I feel that my people, who are so far apart and so many in number, will not relate to this.” Then ‘Abd took ‘Amr to his brother Jaifar. Then ‘Amr spoke to Jaifar in a way that softened his heart. Eventually Jaifar converted to Islam along with his brother. Similarly, ‘Amr was able to make them both realize that they wanted to pay zakat.

LETTER TO HAUDZAH IBNU ‘ALI

The Messenger of Allah sent Salbath ibn ‘Amr al-‘Amiriy to deliver his letter to Haudzah ibn ‘Ali, the ruler of Yamamah. The contents of the letter are as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, from Muhammad, the messenger of Allah, to Haudzah ibn ‘Ali. Prosperity to the one who follows guidance.

I inform you that my religion will appear as far as the foot and the footsteps, so convert to Islam, and you will be saved, and I will appoint you as ruler in your area.

When the letter reached him, and after he had read it, Haudzah replied to the letter as follows: How good and beautiful is your invitation. I am the poet of my people and their orator. The Arabs respect my position. So make for me some things, surely I will follow you. When the reply reached the hand of the Messenger of Allah, the Messenger of Allah said, “If he had asked me for a piece of land, I would not have given it to him. Indeed, what was in his hand would have disappeared. Shortly thereafter he died when the Prophet returned to Medina from the conquest of Makkah. For every people who embraced Islam, the Prophet always appointed the most honorable person among them to be the leader of their people.

SEVENTH YEAR HIJRI

THE WAR OF KHAIBAR

In the month of Muharram in the seventh year of Hijri, the Prophet ordered the Muslims to get ready to attack the Jews of Khaibar, because they were the main cause that mobilized the group: allied against the Prophet in the previous Khandag War. Until then they were still trying their best to ally themselves with the Arabs against the Messenger of Allah, as we have mentioned in the story of Ka’b ibnul-Asyraf. The Messenger of Allah at that time managed to mobilize the Arabs who were around him, namely those who took part with him in the Battle of Hudaibiyah. At that time there also came people who did not participate in the Hudaibiyah War, asking to be allowed to participate this time. So the Prophet said to them, “Never go out with me except for Jihad. As for the ghanimah, I will not give any of it to you.” Then the Messenger of Allah ordered someone to announce the call.

Then the Prophet departed after appointing the Companion Siba’ ibn “Urfuthah al-Ghifariy to be his successor in Madinah. Among the wives of the Prophet who participated this time was Umm Salamah r.a.. When the army of the Muslims entered the land of Khaibar which was only a hundred miles away from the city of Medina, i.e. to the southwest, they raised their voices and recited takbirs and prayers. The Messenger of Allah said to them: .

Be slow, for you are not praying to the deaf nor to the unseen; you are praying to the All-Hearing, the Near. He is always with you. The fort of the Khaibarites consisted of three parts, separated from each other, namely the fort of Nithah, the fort of Katsibah, and the fort of Shig. The first fort (Nithah) consisted of three more parts, namely fort Na’im, fort Sha’b, and fort Qillah. The second fort (Katsibah) consisted of two parts, namely fort Abi and fort Barri. While the third fort (Shig) consisted of three parts, namely Gamush fort, Wathih fort, and Salalim fort.

The Messenger of Allah started his attack on the fortress of Nithah, while the camp of the Muslim army was to the east of it, far from the range of arrows. However, before that the Messenger of Allah ordered his soldiers to cut down the enemy’s date palms in order to frighten them into surrendering. Then the Muslims cut down the date palms. It is estimated that the number cut down at that time was four hundred trees. When the Prophet saw that the Jews were still unwilling to surrender, determined to wage war, the Prophet began to launch an attack on the fortress of Na’im. The battle was fought with mutual archery between the two sides. The banner of the Muslims at that time was held by one of the Muhajirin. The battle on that day did not bring any results. On that day Mahmud ibnu Maslamah, the brother of the Companion Muhammad ibnu Maslamah, was killed. Every day the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went to the battlefield with part of his army to attack the enemy, the other part of the army was left behind to guard the camp. On the seventh night, the camp guard, Companion “Umar ibnul-Kaththab, caught a Jew trying to get out of his fort. Then the Jew was brought to the Messenger of Allah. When he saw the Messenger of Allah, he looked very afraid. He said, “If you guarantee my safety, I will show you something that can lead you to victory.” The Companions replied, “Well, show us, we are willing to guarantee your safety.”

The Jewish man Jalu said, “Verily the inhabitants of this fortress have been afflicted with weariness and fatigue. When I went out, they were evacuating their children to the fortress of Shig. Tomorrow they will come out to fight against you. If you are able to conquer this fortress tomorrow, then I will show you a storehouse in which there are manjaniks, dabbabat, armor, and many swords. If you manage to master all these weapons, it will be easy for you to conquer other fortresses. Because on that very day you can use the manjanik, some of you can enter into the dabbabat and they will certainly be able to break the fortress, then on that very day you can open their fortress.

Then the Prophet said to Companion Muhammad ibn Maslamah, “Tomorrow I will give the banner of war to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger and both love him.” The Muhajirs and the Ansar on that night were all expecting it so that Companion ‘Umar ibn Khaththab said “I have never expected an appointment other than on this night.” When the next day the Messenger of Allah asked about the Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib, some said that he was sick in his eyes. The Messenger of Allah sent someone to fetch him. When Companion ‘Ali reached him, he spat on his eyes. Immediately Companion ‘Ali recovered, as if his eyes had never been hit by anything. Then the Messenger of Allah gave him the banner of war, and Companion ‘Ali set out with the Muslims to the battlefield.

On the battlefield the Muslims found the Jews preparing to welcome them. Then a Jew came out and asked for a sparring match. Companion ‘Ali went forward to fight him and was able to kill him. Then came Mirhab. He was the bravest of the Jews, but Companion ‘Ali killed him. Then came his brother Yasir, but Yasir was killed by Companion Zubair ibnul-“Awwam.

After the sparring was over, the Muslims attacked the Jewish troops and defeated them. They fled towards the fortress, and the Muslims continued to pursue them. The Muslims entered their fortress preceded by a fierce battle. Eventually the enemy fled to the fort next to the first fort, the Sha’b fort. The Muslims obtained a lot of ghanimah from the fortress of Na’im in the form of bread and dates. After that the Muslims

pursued the Jews who were now taking refuge in the fortress of Sha’b. The Jews fiercely defended this fortress so that they could hold back the Muslim army and could drive them out of the fortress. Al-Habbab ibnul-Mundzir and his companions, however, held their ground. They fought tenaciously, and finally they managed to repulse the Jewish troops. Then Al-Habbab and his friends managed to conquer the fortress. Inside the fort they found a lot of ghanimah in the form of food. The Prophet ordered the caller to say, “Eat and feed your riding animals, but do not take anything from them.”

Then the defeated Jews left the fortress for the fortress of Qillah, but they were pursued by the Muslims, and the Muslims besieged them for three days. But the fort was very strong and difficult to break down. On the fourth day the captured Jews showed the Muslims their sources of drinking water. Then the Muslims took control of the water sources so that the Jews could not get a supply of drinking water. Finally they came out of the fort and fought against the Muslims. The two armies engaged in a very fierce battle. The Jews were defeated, so they moved to the fortress of Shiq.

However, the Muslim army pursued them, then began an attack aimed at Abi’s fortress. The inhabitants of Shig fort came out to fight against the Muslims. They engaged in a fierce battle. In this battle Abu Dujanah al-Anshari gained such a glorious victory that he and his companions were able to enter the fortress by force. Inside the fortress the Muslims found a lot of ghanimah in the form of furniture, property, livestock and food, while the defeated Jews moved to the Barri fortress next door. They defended this fort very strongly. The inhabitants were known as the most skillful Jews in throwing spears and stones so that the Prophet was hit by some of them. Then the Muslims set up manjaniks and bombarded them with stones. The stones thrown by the Muslims’ manjaniks fell in the center of the fort, panicking the inhabitants and they fled. Thus this time the Muslims were able to conquer the fortress without heavy labor. Inside the fort, the Muslims found the Jews’ spoils in the form of furniture made of copper and ceramics. The Prophet said to the Muslim army, “Wash them, then you can use them for cooking.”

Then the Muslims pursued the remnants of the Jewish army that had taken refuge in the fortress of Katsibah, and they began their attack on the fortress of Qamush. The Muslims besieged this fortress for twenty days. It was finally captured by Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib, and Shafiyyah bint Huyay ibn Akhthab was taken prisoner from within.

The Muslim army continued its attack on the fortress of Wathi’ and the fortress of Salalim, but the inhabitants did not put up any resistance, rather they surrendered. They asked the Messenger of Allah to protect their lives. For that they were willing to leave Khaibar with their children and grandchildren. None of them carried more than one pair of clothes on his shoulders. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) agreed to their request. The Muslims gained from these two fortresses 100 pieces of armor, 400 swords, 1000 spears, and 500 Arab-made bows and arrows. In addition, they found books of the Torah and gave them to those who wanted them.

During the war the Prophet ordered Kinahah ibn Abul-Haqiq to be put to death because he had hidden jewelry belonging to Huyay ibn Akhthab. This was discovered by the Muslims. After opening it, it turned out that there were many jewelry in the form of bracelets, earrings, and rings all made of gold. In it were also found various kinds of gems and emeralds and other jewelry.

There were fifteen martyrs from the Muslim army and ninety-three from the Jewish army who were killed in the battle. In this war there was a Jewish woman who presented the Messenger of Allah with a dish of goat’s feet. She had previously sprinkled poison on the dish. The Messenger of Allah took some of it and chewed it, but he did not eat it, instead he immediately threw it back because someone told him that the dish had been spiked with poison. However, Bisyr ibnul-Barra ate some of it, and he died immediately. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) remained silent, and then ordered the arrest of the woman who had committed this act. When the Messenger of Allah interrogated her as to why she had done this, the Jewish woman replied, “I said to myself, if he were really a prophet, the food would not have harmed him, and if he were not a prophet, then Allah would have spared us.” The Prophet forgave him, but he was still sentenced to death by gishash because Bisyr ibnul-Barra had died from poison.

MARRIAGE WITH SHAFIYYAH

After achieving victory and good fortune, the Messenger of Allah married Shafiyyah bint Huyayin, the daughter of the leader of Banu Nadhir. As her dowry she was freed. Shafiyyah then converted to Islam and managed to gain the honor, namely the title of Ummul-Mu’minin.

PROHIBITION OF MUT’AH MARRIAGE

When the Prophet was in Khaibar, he prohibited mut’ah marriage. Mut’ah marriage is a temporary marriage. In the pre-Islamic period, this kind of marriage was allowed, and at the beginning of Islam it was still valid, then it was forbidden by Shara’ah in the seventh year of Hijri, when the Messenger of Allah was in Khaibar. The Messenger of Allah also forbade the use of the meat of local donkeys. When the prohibition was announced, the Muslims spilled their pots of donkey meat, which was already cooked, but they did not eat it because of the prohibition of the Messenger of Allah.

THE RETURN OF THE MUHAJIRIN OF HABSYAH

When the Muslims returned from the land of Khaibar, there came from the land of Habsyah the Companion Ja’far ibn Abu Talib with the Ash’arites, namely the Companion Abu Musa and his people. They had just completed their Hijrah which had been ten years in the making. During that time they lived safely and quietly in Habsyah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) welcomed them gladly, then he gave a share of the ghanimah from the fortresses that were conquered peacefully to the Asyi’ari people. At the same time the people of Daus also came to the Prophet. They were friends of Companion Abu Hurairah r.a. At that time Companion Abu Hurairah was also with them. The Prophet also gave them a share of the ghanimah.

THE CONQUEST OF THE LAND OF FADAK

After the land of Khaibar was completely conquered, then the Messenger of Allah sent a letter to the Jews who inhabited the land of Fadak so that they would submit and obey him. The Jews made a treaty with the Prophet on the condition that their blood be preserved. For that they were willing to leave their property, namely the land of Fadak. The land of Fadak was then reserved only for the Prophet. The Prophet used the proceeds of this land to support his family, and the rest was used to support the little children (orphans) of Banu Hashim, and the rest was also used for the cost of marrying his widow.

THE TREATY OF TAIMA

When the Jews of Taima” heard what the Muslims had done to the Jews of Khaibar, they made a peace treaty with the Muslims. For that they were willing to pay the jizyah, and so they could live in their ting. gal in peace and security.

THE CONQUEST OF THE LAND OF WADIL-QURA

Then the Prophet called on the Jews who inhabited the land of Wadil-Gura to surrender, but they refused and chose to fight. Finally the Muslims fought them and were able to take twelve men captive from among them and obtained quite a lot of ghanimah. The ghanimah was divided into five by the Prophet, and the land of Wadil-Qura was left to be managed by its inhabitants. They were allowed to cultivate it on the condition that a portion of the produce be given to the Muslims (as jizyah). The same treatment was imposed on the people of Khaibar. For this purpose, the Prophet sent Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah to act as an arithmetician.

Companion ‘Abdullah ibnu Rawwahah was very strict in doing his calculations of the Jews of Khaibar. Finally they tried to bribe him. But they got a firm answer from ‘Abdullah who told them, O enemies of Allah, do you want to give me the haram (usury)? By Allah, I come to you from the side of the one I love the most. Indeed, I hate you more than the apes and pigs. Do not try to urge me to be unjust. You should know that I hate you very much, and love him very much.

With the conquest of all the Jews living around Medina, the Muslims were freed from the evil of the enemy who had always lurked to bring down the Muslims. Even when bound by treaties or agreements, the Jews were always treacherous. All treaties were useless against them. Finally, the Muslims returned to Medina in a state of lust and victory.

KHALID AND HIS TWO FRIENDS CONVERTED TO ISLAM

The events of the Battle of Khaibar were followed by another joyous event, namely the conversion to Islam of three men, who had previously been strong men in leading the ranks of the army against the Muslims. They were Khalid ibnul-Walid al-Makhzumi ‘Amr ibnul’Ash asSahmi, and ‘Uthman ibn Abu Talhah al-‘Adawi. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was overjoyed to welcome them to Islam, so he said to Khalid: “Praise be to Allah who has guided you. Indeed I see in you an intelligent person, and I hope that you will not be directed by Him except to goodness (Islam).” Then Khalid said, “O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to ask forgiveness for me for the battles I have fought against you,” to which the Prophet replied. “Islam absolves the past.”

SARIYYAH

In the month of Sha’ban the Messenger of Allah heard news that there was a group of Hawazin in Turbah” who showed hostility towards the Muslims… The Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Umar ibnul-Khaththab with thirty horsemen to teach them a lesson. Companion ‘Umar set out with his troops, but when the news of the arrival of the troops reached their ears, they fled so that when ‘Umar reached the place they found no one. Then ‘Umar returned to Medina.

SARIYYAH

Then the Messenger of Allah sent the Companion Bagyir ibn Sa’d alAnshari to fight the Banu Murrah who inhabited the land of Fadak. However, when Baqyir ibn Sa’d reached their place with his army, he found no one. Finally he took all their cattle. As for the people to whom they were heading, they were in the valley when a man came to them asking for help. They were able to catch up with Bashir during the night who was on his way back. Then both armies shot at each other.

The next day the two armies met and engaged in a fierce battle in which many of the Muslims died. Bashir himself was so badly wounded in the battle that the enemy thought he was dead. When the enemy had dispersed, Bashir forced himself to get up and return to Medina. When he arrived at the Messenger of Allah, he told him everything that had happened to him and his troops.

In the month of Ramadan the Messenger of Allah sent the Companion Ghalib ibn “Ubaidillah al-Laitsi to attack the people of Maifa’ah. He led one hundred and thirty men of the Muslim army. Ghalib set out with his troops and attacked the enemy as soon as he arrived. Ghalib and his troops killed some of the enemy and captured others in the battle. Usamah ibn Zaid, while the war was raging, had chased a polytheist. When the polytheist saw that there was no way to escape Usamah, he recited the shahada. However, Usamah suspected that the polytheist was saying this to save himself. In the end, Usamah killed him anyway.

When the Muslims returned to Medina, the Prophet was informed of what Usamah had done. Upon hearing the story, the Prophet said, “Did you kill him after he said Jaa ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah)? What will you do with the kalimah laa ilaha illallah?” Usamah replied, “O Messenger of Allah, he said it only to protect himself from death.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Why don’t you cut open his chest and then cut open his heart so that you may know whether he is telling the truth or lying?” Usamah said, “O Messenger of Allah, please forgive me.” The Messenger of Allah asked, “Then what about Ia ilaha illallah?” He repeated the question. It made Usamah so sorry that he wished he had not converted to Islam at that time. In connection with this incident Allah revealed His words:

And do not say to one who greets you, “You are not a believer,” (and then kill him) with the intention of gaining wealth, for with Allah there is great wealth. (Q.5. 4 An-Nisa: 94)

Then the Prophet ordered the Companion Usamah to free a slave as his expiation because he was categorized as killing mistakenly.

SARIYYAH

In Shawwal, news reached the Messenger of Allah that ‘Uyaynah ibn Hishn had made a pact with a group of Ghathafans living near the land of Khaibar, an area known as Yumn and Jabbar, to attack the Muslims in Madinah. The Messenger of Allah sent Companion Bashir ibn Sa’d with three hundred soldiers to attack them first. Bashir led his troops by night, and when it was daytime they stopped until they reached their destination. When they reached the place, they immediately attacked. The Muslims got a lot of ghanimah in the form of livestock, while the herders fled and told their people what they had experienced. They were surprised at this sudden invasion, while the Muslims pursued them to the highlands of their area. In this battle the Muslims were able to capture only two of the enemy who later converted to Islam. Then the Muslims returned to Medina with the ghanimah.

‘UMRAH OADHA

A year had passed since the ‘Umrah of Hudaibiyah. Then the Messenger of Allah went out with those who were prevented last year, to perform his ‘Umrah. Before that the Prophet appointed the Companion Abu Dhar alGhifariy as his successor to manage the affairs of the city of Medina. The Prophet’s departure was also accompanied by bringing animals for sacrifice, which amounted to sixty camels. In addition, the Prophet also brought weapons, as well as the Companions because it was feared that the Quraysh would betray their promise. In the group there were a hundred horsemen led by Bashir ibn Sa’d.

The Prophet started his Ihram from the door of the Medina mosque. When he reached Dhul Hulaifah, he came to the front of the horsemen. Someone said, “O Messenger of Allah, you are carrying weapons, didn’t they ask you not to carry weapons?”

The Messenger of Allah replied, “We do not intend to bring it into the Holy Land (Makkah), but to keep it near us. In case of battle, we can reach it quickly.”

When the Muslims passed through the area of Zhahr, they came across a group of Quraysh. They were surprised to see all the equipment. They immediately reported the matter to the Quraysh. Then there came to the Muslims some of the Quraysh youths, and they said, “By Allah, O Muhammad, I have never known you to betray, neither as a child nor as an adult, and indeed we have done nothing.” The Messenger of Allah replied, “We will not enter the Holy Land with weapons.”

When the time came for the Messenger of Allah to enter the city of Makkah, all the people came out of the city of Makkah because they hated to see the Muslims doing fhawaf in the Ka’bah. Then the Messenger of Allah and his Companions entered the city of Makkah from the valley of Kada while sheathing their swords. In front of the Messenger of Allah walked the Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah, saying:

There is no god but Allah. He has fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, won His army, and defeated the allied factions alone. The Prophet performed tawaf around the House of Allah while riding a vehicle and holding the Hajar Aswad only with his crooked stick. Then he ordered the Companions to perform the next three tawaafs at a fast pace, to show off to the polytheists that they were strong because the polytheists said, “Later on, a people will circumambulate the Ka’bah who have been exhausted by the heat of Yathrib.” The Prophet said, “May Allah have mercy on the one who shows them that he is strong.” At that time the Prophet rolled up the right sleeve of his shawl so that his right arm was visible. This is similar to the behavior of young men. The Muslims later imitated this behavior. Now the Muslims had completed their tawaf in the House of Allah in safety. After that some of them shaved their hair and some of them just cut it short or cut it. The dream that the Prophet had seen was now a reality.

MARRIAGE WITH MAIMUNAH

While in Makkah the Prophet married siti Maimunah bintilHarith al-Hilaliyah, the former wife of his uncle, Hamzah ibnu ‘Abdul-Muththalib, who was martyred in the Battle of Uhud. Siti Maimunah was the aunt of Companion ‘Abdullah ibnul-‘Abbas. She was the last wife of the Messenger of Allah (saw), and the Messenger of Allah (saw) did not mix with her while in Makkah, but after leaving the city, namely while in Saraf.

When the Messenger of Allah left the city of Makkah, he ordered those who had not gone along because they were guarding their horses to do tawaf. Then they did it. After everything was done, the Messenger of Allah returned to Medina with a happy heart for the bounty that Allah had given him, that is, his dream came true.

THE EIGHTH YEAR OF HIJRI

SARIYYAH

In the month of Safar the Messenger of Allah sent his Companion Ghalib ibn ‘Abdullah al-Laitsiy to the Banil-Muluh, a people from the Arabs who inhabited the Qadid area. Ghalib ibnu ‘Abdullah set out with his party. When they reached Gadid they met Al-Harith ibn Malik al-Laitsiy who was known by the nickname Ibnul-Barsha. He was the sworn enemy of the Messenger of Allah. Then they arrested and detained him. Al-Harith said to them, “I have come only to convert to Islam.” They replied, “If you are truly a Muslim, you will not harm yourself by staying all night. If you do not, we will bind you.”

Then they continued their journey until they reached the village of the Banil-Muluh people, then they immediately herded their cattle, camels and goats. The herders called out to their people for help, and the Banil-Muluh people came in such great numbers that the Muslims did not expect them at all. Allah bestowed His bounty on the Muslims at that time, then Allah sent a great flood. The flood separated the two armies, that is, between the Muslims and their enemy so that the polytheists were unable to make an attack on the Muslims. They could only see the Muslims herding their cattle on the other side, and they were unable to seize them because they were blocked by the great flood that filled the valley.

SARIYYAH

After Ghalib returned to Medina with victory, the Prophet sent him back with two hundred soldiers to avenge what the Banu Murrah had done in Fadak. The Banu Murrah were the ones who had defeated the Sariyyah under the leadership of Bashir ibn Sa’d. They set out to fulfill this task. When they were near the place of the intended people, Ghalib ibn ‘Abdullah preached to his followers. Ghalib first offered praise and worship to Allah swt. and then said.

Amma ba’du: “I advise you to fear Allah alone, with whom there is no partner; you should obey me, and you should never disobey my commands, for surely the ruler should be obeyed.” Ghalib ibn ‘Abdullah then brought his brothers together by saying, “O so-and-so, you are brothers with so-and-so, O so-and-so, you must be brothers with another so-and-so. Never should one separate from his brother. Never should one of you return alone, then if I ask him, ‘Where is your brother?” then he answers, ‘I do not know.’ When I say Takbir, all of you say Takbir to signal the start of the attack.”

When they had surrounded their enemies, and Ghalib uttered the takbir, the whole army of the Muslims uttered the takbir, and they drew their swords. In this battle there was not a single survivor among the enemy; all were utterly destroyed. Then the Muslims herded their cattle, which were so numerous that at that time each soldier carried ten camels.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Rabiulawal the Messenger of Allah sent the Companion Ka’b ibn ‘Umair al-Ghifariy to Dzatu Athlah, a vassal of the Levant. At that time Ka’b ibnu ‘Umair was in charge of fifteen Muslims. When they arrived at the place, they found it populated with a large number of people. Then Ka’b ibnu ‘Umair called them to Islam, but they did not want to. Finally there was a battle between the two sides, while the enemy was very large in number. In the battle all the Muslims died as martyrs except their leader, Companion Ka’b ibnu ‘Umair. He was able to escape, then he conveyed the news to the Messenger of Allah. Hearing the news the Messenger of Allah was very sad. He intended to send men to take revenge on them, but there was news that they had moved away and it was not known where. Finally, the Prophet abandoned his intention.

THE WAR OF MU’TAH

In Jumadilawal of the seventh year Hijri, the Messenger of Allah prepared an army to take revenge on those who had killed Al-Harith ibn ‘Umair al-Azadiy who was sent to deliver his letter to the ruler of Basira. The Messenger of Allah appointed the Companion Zayd ibn Harithah as their leader and he told them, “When Zayd ibn Harithah falls, in his place will be Ja’far ibn Abu Talib: and when Ja’far falls, in his place will be ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah.”

At that time the Muslim army numbered three thousand men. They were sent off by the Messenger of Allah himself. Among the messages that the Prophet said to them was the following:

Fight in the name of Allah, kill the enemies of Allah and your enemies in the land of Sham. And you will find in it men in their places of worship in seclusion, so do not disturb them, and do not kill women, small children, and the very old, and do not cut down trees and do not tear down buildings.

The Muslims traveled until they reached Mu’. tah,” the place where the Companion Al-Harith ibn ‘Umair was killed. At that place the Muslims met the Romans who had now prepared a very large army. Among them were Arabs who had converted to Christianity. The Muslim troops deliberated among themselves as to what they should do in the face of such a large enemy force. Should they send word to the Messenger of Allah for help? Or should they go ahead with the battle? .

Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Rawwahah said, “O people, by Allah, you do not like what you have come out for. You went out to seek shahadah (martyrdom), and we never fought for strength nor for numbers. We fought in defense of this religion (Islam) which Allah has honored us with. Indeed the issue is only one of the two goods, that is, sometimes victory and sometimes martyrdom.” At that the people said, “It is true, by Allah, what Ibn Rawwahah has said.”

Then they all advanced to the battlefield, and there was a fierce battle between the two very large armies. In that battle Companion Zaid ibn Harithah r.a. was martyred, then the banner of war was taken by Companion Ja’far ibn Abu Talib saying:

O heaven that is now near, it is very beautiful and cool drink. The Romans are now nearing their doom. They are disbelievers of distant lineage. I have to hit them in the war.

Companion Ja’far ibnu Abu Talib continued to fight until he died as a martyr. Then the banner of war passed into the hands of ‘Abdullah ibnu Rawwahah. He advanced into the enemy ranks, but he was somewhat beaten, then he said to himself:

I swear, come forward, my self, obey my command or I will force you forward. If the people advance, you must also advance and not retreat. I do not think you will hate the heaven you have been waiting for. Didn’t you just come from semen?

Then he went forward and pushed his way through the enemy lines, and continued to rampage through the enemy lines with his horse, but eventually fell as a martyr. At that time some of the Muslim army intended to retreat, but Companion ‘Ugbah ibnu ‘Amir said: “O people, it is better to fall in advance than to fall in retreat.” Finally, the Muslim army prepared again to advance, then they agreed to appoint a person who was famous for being brave and gallant, namely Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid, as their commander. Thanks to his experience and expertise in warfare, he finally managed to reunite the determination of the Muslim army so that they were not in disarray, because what means three thousand people against one hundred and fifty thousand people.

When Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid took the helm of the Muslims, he fought vigorously that very day. On the next day he changed the strategy of the Muslim army. He moved the middle ranks to the front and the ranks that had been in front to the back, the right wing was changed to occupy the left wing while the left wing was placed on the right wing. This tactic apparently frightened the enemy because they thought that now the Muslims’ help had come.

Then Companion Khalid brought his troops back until they reached Mu’tah. At that place the Muslims fought against their enemy for seven days. After that, both sides stopped attacking because the disbelievers suspected that the Muslims’ reinforcements were now coming in droves. They were now horrified because they feared that the Muslims would trap them in the Sahara so that they would not be able to escape again if they were beaten back. Thus the battle ceased.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had condoled the deaths of Zayd, Ja’far and Ibn Rawwahah before the news arrived. He recounted the circumstances of the battlefield, “The banner of war was initially held by Zaid, Zaid died, then the banner of war passed into the hands of Ja’far, and Ja’far also died, then the banner of war was held by Ibn Rawwahah, and it turned out that he also died,” At that moment both eyes of the Messenger of Allah (saw) shed tears. Then he continued his story, “Finally the banner of war was held by one who was nicknamed the Sword of Allah so that Allah bestowed victory on the Muslims.”

At that moment a man came and immediately said. “O Messenger of Allah, Ja’far’s wives are all crying.” The Messenger of Allah ordered him to prevent them from crying. Then the man left. However, soon he came back and said, “I prevented them, but they did not stop.” The Messenger of Allah ordered him to go to them a second time. However, he came again and said, “By Allah, we are not able to face them.” The Messenger of Allah said to him, “Then sprinkle dust in their mouths.”

When the army of the Muslims came to Madinah and the Muslims welcomed them, the Muslims said to them, “Hajj of those who fled.” The Messenger of Allah (saws) immediately cut them off saying, “Why even go forward.” This was because the Muslims thought that Khalid’s retreat along with his troops was a defeat. But then the Prophet gave them an understanding that this was one of the tricks in war. The Prophet praised the action that Khalid had taken.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Jumadilakhir, the Messenger of Allah heard news that a group of Qudha’ah had gathered forces in their place, behind Wadil-Qura, with the aim of attacking Medina. The Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Amr ibn ‘Ash with three hundred soldiers from the Muhajirin to attack them first. Then the Messenger of Allah supported them with an army under the leadership of ‘Abu Ubaidah ibnul-Jarrah with two hundred men from the Muhajirin. Among them were the Companion Abu Bakr and the Companion ‘Umar. Then they overtook the army led by ‘Amr before it reached the place of the people to whom it was directed.

At that time there were some of the Muslim soldiers who wanted to light a fire, but were prevented by ‘Amr but Companion ‘Umar did not want to accept his prohibition. Companion Abu Bakr said, “Verily he has been appointed by the Messenger of Allah to be our leader because his knowledge in matters of warfare is far more than ours. Therefore, do not oppose him”. Only then did ‘Umar obey him.

When the Muslims reached the enemy they immediately attacked, and within a few moments the enemy had been scattered and fled. The Muslims collected the ghanimah. When they intended to pursue the enemy, their leader prevented them from doing so. Then the Muslim armies returned to Medina in victory and gained the ghanimah. However, while they were resting on a very cold night, Companion ‘Amr ibnul’Ash experienced jinabah.

On the following day he said, “Verily, if I had taken a bath, I would have perished from the cold, whereas Allah has said.

And do not bring yourselves down to destruction.” (Q.S. 2 AlBagarah: 195)

Then Companion ‘Amr ibnul-‘Ash simply performed tayammum, then prayed. Then ‘Amr ordered his troops to continue their journey. When they arrived in Medina, they were welcomed by the Prophet. As usual the Messenger of Allah asked about the experiences they had gained on their journey. Then the people told him everything that ‘Amr had done. This made them unhappy with him, namely ‘Amr forbidding them to light a fire, forbidding them to chase the enemy, and praying while having jinnabah.

Then the Prophet asked ‘Amr about it directly. ‘Amr replied, “I deliberately prevented them from lighting a fire (even though the night was very cold) so that the enemy would not see their small number. If the enemy could see them, they would become bolder. I also deliberately prevented them from pursuing the defeated enemy so that they would not be trapped by the enemy. I also deliberately prayed while I was junub because Allah, the Almighty, has said:

And do not bring yourselves down to destruction. (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 195)

If I had taken a bath, I would have perished from the cold.” Upon hearing ‘Amr’s reply, the Prophet smiled and praised him for his action.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Rajab, the Messenger of Allah sent his Companion Abu ‘Ubaidah alias ‘Amir ibnul-Jarrah with three hundred horsemen to attack the Juhainah tribe who inhabited the coast. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) provided the troops with sacks of dates. The Muslims traveled until they reached the coast. They stayed there for half a month waiting for the arrival of the enemy while the food supplies they had brought were all exhausted. They were forced to eat leaves until their lips were chapped. Before eating, they would wet the leaves with water.

In the ranks of the Muslims there was a generous man and the son of a generous man, Qais ibn ‘Ubadah. Qais slaughtered for them three camels, one each day. On the fourth day, when Qais intended to slaughter the fourth camel, Abu ‘Ubaidah, his leader, forbade him to do so because Abu ‘Ubaidah knew that Qais had taken the camels on the basis of a debt from his father and he feared that Qais would not be able to repay the debt to his father. But Qais said, “Don’t you see that Sa’d (his father) was willing to pay people’s debts, and he was willing to feed in times of famine, so would he have the heart to collect the debt I borrowed from him to feed the Mujahideen in the cause of Allah?”

After the Muslims had given up hope of meeting the enemy, they returned to Medina. Once in Medina Qais said to his father Sa’d, “I was in the ranks of the army, then they went to the field.” Sa’d replied, “Then slaughter my camel.” Qais said, “I have slaughtered it, but they are hungry again.” Sa’d said, “Why don’t you slaughter it again?” Qais said, “I have slaughtered them, but they are hungry again.” Sa’d said, “Why did you not slaughter them again?” Qais replied, “I did, but they were still hungry, and when I was about to slaughter the fourth, I was forbidden to do so again.”

THE GREATEST WAR OF AL-FATH (THE CONQUEST OF MAKKAH)

Whenever Allah wills a thing, He prepares its causes and removes all its obstacles. The Prophet knew that the Arabs could not be defeated unless the Quraysh were defeated first. The Arabs would not submit unless the people of Makkah were subdued first. The Prophet always yearned to conquer the city of Makkah, but was hampered by the agreements that had been made with the Quraysh at Hudaibiyah, while the Prophet was the leader of those who fulfill their promises. However, whenever Allah wills a thing to happen, He will ease the causes that give rise to it.

As the reader knows, the Khuza’ah had entered into a treaty with the Messenger of Allah, while the Ba kar had entered into a treaty with Quraysh. There was a blood debt between the Khuza’ah and the Bakar during the Age of Jahiliyyah. This became unbearable with the advent of Islam. When the treaty and truce had been signed, a man from the Bakr tribe recited insulting verses against the Messenger of Allah in the presence of a man from the Khuza’ah tribe. The Khuza’ah man got up and immediately hit him and the incident reawakened the grudge that had been pent up between the two tribes. Bani Bakr were now reminded of their desire to take revenge on the Khuza’ah. So they resolved to fight their enemies. They asked their allies from among the Quraysh for help. The Quraysh provided assistance to them in secret, namely in the form of war equipment along with soldiers. Then they set out to attack the Khuza’ah who lived in peace. Eventually they managed to kill about twenty people from among the Khuza’ah.

When the Khuza’ah who were now allies of the Messenger of Allah saw the incident, they sent messengers under the leadership of ‘Amr ibn Salim al-Khuza’iy to inform the Messenger of Allah about what the Banu Bakr and the Quraish had done to them. When the messengers reached the Messenger of Allah and had informed him of all the incidents, the Prophet said, “By Allah, by Salim al-Khuza’iy. The Prophet said, “By Allah, I will defend you as I defend myself.”

When the Quraysh realized that what they had done was tantamount to breaking the treaty they had signed with the Muslims, they were very sorry. They intended to remedy this blemish, so they sent their leader, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, to Medina in order to strengthen the treaty and to increase its duration. Abu Sufyan boarded his vehicle and headed straight for Medina. He assumed that no one would precede him.

When he reached Medina, he alighted at the place of Ummul Mu’minin Umm Habibah, his own daughter. When he intended to sit on the rug where the Messenger of Allah sat. Umm Habibah immediately folded it. Abu Sufyan said, “My daughter, do you like him more than me, or do you like me more than him?”” Umm Habibah immediately replied, “You have no right to sit on the Messenger’s rug while you are polytheist again unclean.” Abu Sufyan replied, “Indeed you have been exposed to evil after me.”

Then Abu Sufyan left Umm Habibah’s house and went straight to the Prophet who was at that time in the mosque. He stated the purpose of his visit to the Prophet. The Prophet said, “Has anything happened?” Abu Sufyan replied, “No.” So the Messenger of Allah said, “We are only holding on to the past period of the agreement.” meaning that he did not want to extend its validity.

Then Abu Sufyan got up and went around among the elders of the Muhajirin from among the tribe of Quraysh in the hope that they would help carry out his intention. It turned out that he did not receive any help from them. All the Companions said, “Our protection is under the protection of the Messenger of Allah.”

Then Abu Sufyan returned to his people without any results. Finally they alleged that he had betrayed them and that he had converted to Islam. So Abu Sufyan performed worship before idols to remove this accusation.

In the meantime the Messenger of Allah made preparations for the journey. He ordered the Companions to do the same. Then the Messenger of Allah explained his purpose to Companion Abu Bakr Shiddiq. Companion Abu Bakr said, “O Messenger of Allah, was there not a truce between you and the Quraysh?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, it was, but the Quraysh have betrayed and broken it.”

The Messenger of Allah called out to the Arabs around Medina, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should be present in Medina during Ramadan.” A number of people from the tribes of Aslam, Muzayyanah, Ashje’, and Juhainah came to him to declare their willingness to follow the Prophet’s call. The Prophet deliberately hid this news so that it would not spread so that the Quraysh could intercept it, then they made preparations for war, while the Prophet did not want a war in Makkah. The Prophet’s goal was only to amaze the people of Makkah without touching the sanctity of the city. For that he prayed to Allah swt, “O Allah, close the spies and hide the news from the people of Quraysh so that we may surprise them in their land.

However, Hathib ibn Abu Balta’ah, one of the companions who participated in the Battle of Badr, wrote a letter to the Quraysh informing them of some of the preparations that the Messenger of Allah had made. Then he sent the letter through a female slave to be delivered to the Quraysh immediately. Allah swt. informed His Messenger of this. So the Messenger of Allah immediately sent Companion ‘Ali, Companion Zubair, and Companion Migdad to follow him. The Prophet told them, “Travel until you reach the plantation of Khakh. Verily in that garden there is a traveler woman who carries a secret letter, so you must take the letter from her hand.” So they set out until they reached the garden. There they found a woman, and they said to her, “Bring out the letter.” She replied, “I have no letter with me.” They said, “You must take out the letter and give it to us, or we will throw away your clothes.” Finally, the woman was forced to take the letter out of her bundle.

They gave the letter to the Messenger of Allah, then the Messenger of Allah rebuked Hathib, “O Hathib, what is this? “Hathib replied, “O Messenger of Allah, do not be hasty in sanctioning me. Verily I am an ally of Quraysh, and I am not from among them. Whereas among those who were with you from among the Muhajireen had kinsmen, so they protected their kinsmen and their property. I was eager, because I was not related to them, to maintain this relationship, even though I loved them very much. I do not do this because I have apostatized from my religion, nor because I am willing to accept disbelief after Islam.” The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, “Remember, now he has really told you the truth.” But Companion ‘Umar said, “O Messenger of Allah, let me cut the throat of this hypocrite. “The Messenger of Allah replied, “Indeed he participated in the Battle of Badr. Do you know, perhaps Allah has other considerations for the people who witnessed the Battle of Badr. “Then the Messenger of Allah said, “Do as you please, for you have been forgiven.” In connection with this event His words were revealed

O you who believe, do not take My enemies and your enemies for friends, to whom you convey (the news of Muhammad) out of affection, when in fact they have disbelieved in the truth that has come to you, they drove away the Messenger and (drove away) you because you believed in Allah, your Rabb If you had really gone out to strive in My way and seek My pleasure, you would not have done so.) You told them in secret (the news of Muhammad) out of affection. I know better what you conceal and what you reveal. And whoever of you does so, then indeed he has strayed from the straight path. (Q.S. 60 Al-Mumtahanah: 1)

The Prophet brought his large army in the middle of Ramadan after first appointing Ibn Ummi Maktum as caliph in Medina. The number of those who participated at that time was ten thousand Mujahideen. When they arrived at Al-Abwa they met two men who were among the sworn enemies of the Messenger of Allah, namely the Messenger’s own cousin named Abu Sufyan ibnul-Harith ibnu ‘Abdul-Muththalib. He was the brother of the Companion ‘Ubaidah ibnul-Harith who had died in the Battle of Badr as a martyr. The other was the Prophet’s own brother-in-law ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Umayyah ibn al-Mughirah, the brother of Umm Salamah, the Prophet’s wife. Both of them came intentionally to convert to Islam. So the Messenger of Allah welcomed them with great joy, then he recited His words:

On this day there is no reproach against you, may Allah forgive (you), and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. (Q.S. 12 Yusuf: 92)

When the Messenger of Allah reached Qadid, he saw that the Muslims were finding the fast very hard. So he ordered them to break their fast, and he did. On the way, the Prophet met his uncle Al-‘Abbas, who was on his way to migrate to Madinah with his family and children. The Messenger of Allah ordered him to return to Makkah with him, then he sent his children to Madinah.

When they reached the Zhahran Road, the Prophet ordered the Muslims to light ten thousand torches. The Quraysh at that time had heard the news that Muhammad with a very large army was on the move, but it was not known exactly where he was headed. They sent Abu Sufyan ibn Harb and Hakim ibn Hizam and Badil ibn Warga’ to seek information about the Messenger of Allah and his army. The three men agreed to this task, so they walked until they reached the Zhahran Road. At that place they were surprised by the number of torches like the torches of the people of ‘Arafat. Abu Sufyan said, “What is that? It is as if the people of ‘Arafat.” Badil ibn Warga said, “Perhaps they are the torches of the Banu ‘Amr. “But Abu Sufyan denied, “The people of ‘Amr are fewer in number than that.”

They were spotted by the people escorting the Messenger of Allah, so the escorts chased and captured them, then they were brought to the Messenger of Allah. When confronted by the Messenger of Allah. Abu Sufyan converted to Islam in his presence. When the Messenger of Allah departed, he said to Al-‘Abbas, “Keep Abu Sufyan on the hill so that he can see the Muslims. ” Al-‘Abbas immediately carried out his order, and each tribe passed before him, one tribe after another. At that time Abu Sufyan wondered, “What am I to them? “There passed before him a tribe from among the Ansar. The one carrying the banner was the companion Sa’d ibnu ‘Ubadah. Sa’d said, “O Abu Sufyan, today is the day of battle. On this day the Ka’ bah is forbidden.” Then Abu Sufyan said, “O ‘Abbas, if only I could defend the land of my blood.” Then came a rather small group of troops. In it were the Messenger of Allah and the Companions, while the one who held the banner was the Companion Zubair ibnul-Awwam. Abu Sufyan told the Messenger of Allah what Sa’d had said. The Messenger of Allah said, “Sa’d is lying, in fact today is the day Allah honors the Ka’bah, and today is the day the Ka’bah is dressed”.

Then the Messenger of Allah ordered that the banner be planted at Juhun” then ordered also that the companion of Khalid ibnul-Walid enter Makkah from the lower area, namely from Kuda while the Messenger himself entered it from the upper area, namely Kadaun.? Then the caller announced, “Whoever enters his house and locks the door is in safety: and whoever enters the Masjid al-Haram is in safety, and whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan is in safety. “This is a great boon for Abu Sufyan who has now converted to Islam. But it excludes from this a group of people whose sins are very great and who have harmed Islam and its adherents with very painful acts. Their blood is not protected even if they. They hang on the cloth of the Ka’bah.

Among those who were not protected was ‘Abdullah ibn Sa’d ibn Abu Sarah who had converted to Islam and had been the scribe of the Prophet’s revelations for some time. However, he apostatized from Islam, then made up lies about the Messenger of Allah. He once said, “Verily Muhammad ordered me to write alimun hakim. So I wrote ghafurun rahim, then he said that everything was good.” :

Also not protected were ‘Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahal, Shafwan ibn Umayyah, Harib Ibnul-Aswad, Al-Harith ibn Hisham, Zuhair ibn Abu Umayyah, Ka’b ibn Zuhair, Wahshi the murderer of Companion Hamzah, Hindun bint ‘Atabah (wife of Abu Sufyan), Qalil, and others. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) forbade the Muslims to kill anyone except those mentioned above and those who resisted inviting war.

Khalid ibnul-Walid’s troops were welcomed by the Quraysh with the intention of preventing them from entering. So Khalid fought against them and managed to kill twenty-four of the enemy, while only two of his troops died. Khalid entered Makkah from this direction through a battle first, and succeeded in breaking through it. The Prophet’s troops did not encounter any obstacles. At that time the Messenger of Allah mounted his riding animal while bowing his body out of humility to Allah and thanking Him for this great bounty so that it appeared that his head was almost touching the saddle of his vehicle. At that time he was riding Usamah ibn Zaid. This happened on the morning of Friday, the 20th of Ramadan. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) continued walking until he reached Juhun, where the banner was set up. In that place a tent had also been prepared for him. Umm Salamah and Maimunah were in the tent and the Prophet rested for a while. After that he continued his journey, beside him was the Companion Abu Bakr who became a conversation partner, while the Prophet at that time recited surah AlFath until he reached the House of Allah.

When the Messenger of Allah arrived at the Ka’bah, he immediately circumambulated it seven times by riding his vehicle, and kissed Hajar Aswad only by means of his crooked stick. At that time there were about three hundred and sixty idols around the Ka’bah. The Prophet struck the idols with the wooden stick in his hand and said:

The right has come and the false has disappeared. The falsehood will not appear and will not return.

Then the Prophet ordered the Muslims to remove the idols from the Ka’bah. Inside the Kaaba there were images of Prophet Isma’il and Prophet Abraham holding the azlam (the drawing instrument). The Prophet said, “May Allah curse those who drew them. In fact they knew that neither of them had ever used the azlam.”

This was the first time that the Ka’bah was purified from such false worship. With the cleansing of the Ka’bah from such unclean things, idolatry disappeared from the Arabs entirely. There are those who still do it, but the number is so small that it can be said to have almost disappeared.

FORGIVING IN TIMES OF POWER

The Prophet entered the Kaaba and said Takbir in every corner of the room. After that he went out to the tomb of Ibrahim and prayed at that place, then drank zamzam water and sat in the Mosque. All eyes were on him, waiting to see what decision he would make against the polytheists of Quraysh who had harmed and driven him from his homeland and attacked him. However, at that thrilling moment came the glory of his character. This should be emulated by every Muslim, who should be willing and angry for the sake of Allah alone, not for the sake of lust. At that time the Prophet said, “Haj people of Quraysh, what do you think of me, what shall I do to you?” They replied, “Only kindness, you are a noble brother son of our noble brother. “So the Messenger of Allah said, “Go away all of you for you are free.”

Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) delivered his sermon in which he contained many Islamic rulings. Among other things, he said that a Muslim should not be put to death for killing a disbeliever, two people of different religions should not inherit from each other, a woman should not be married to her paternal aunt or her maternal aunt, evidence for the accuser and an oath for the denier, a woman should not travel for three days’ distance unless accompanied by her muhrim: no prayers after Fajr and ‘Asr: and no fasting on Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr.

Then the Messenger of Allah said, “O Quraysh, Allah has removed from you the traditions of Jahiliyyah and the glorification of ancestors. Man came from Adam, and Adam came from the earth.” After that he recited His words:

O mankind, indeed We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the noblest among you in the sight of Allah is the most pious among you. Verily, Allah knows best. (Q.S. 49 Al-Hujurat: 13)

After that people came to pledge allegiance to the Messenger of Allah and declare themselves Muslims. Among the people who converted to Islam on that day were Mu’awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan and Abu Quhafah, the father of Companion Abu Bakr as-Siddig. The Messenger of Allah was very happy to welcome them to Islam. Then on that day came a man who was trembling with fear. The Messenger of Allah said to him:

Calm yourself, indeed I am not a king, I am just the son of a Quraysh woman who used to eat dried jerky. For people who do not have the protection of the Messenger of Allah, this vast earth feels very narrow. Among them there are those who have been confirmed by Allah to receive His torment, finally he died in the state of disbelief. Some of them received His help and converted to Islam. ‘Abdullah ibn Sa’d ibn Abu Sarah took refuge with his blood brother, Companion ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, and he asked him to ask the Messenger of Allah for protection for him. Companion ‘Uthman hid him until things calmed down, after which he presented him to the Messenger of Allah. In the presence of the Messenger of Allah. Companion ‘Uthman asked, “O Messenger of Allah, I have guaranteed his safety, so I ask you to give allegiance to him. “The Messenger of Allah turned away from him many times, but finally he was willing to give allegiance to him.

When the Companions ‘Uthman and ‘Abdullah had come out, the Messenger of Allah said, “I deliberately turned away from him so that one of you would cut his neck. “The Companions said, “Why did you not signal to us?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “It is not proper for a prophet to cheat. “As for ‘Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahal, he fled and was pursued by his wife and his uncle’s daughter, Umm Hakim bintil-Harith ibn Hisham, who had converted to Islam before the conquest of Makkah. She had sought refuge with the Messenger of Allah, and he granted her request. After receiving permission from the Messenger of Allah, she immediately pursued ‘Ikrimah. When ‘Ikrimah was about to board the boat, Umm Hakim caught up with him and said, “I have come to you from the side of the kindest and choicest of people. Do not destroy yourself. Indeed I have sought his protection for you. “Finally ‘Ikrimah wanted to return to Makkah. When he was seen by the Messenger of Allah, the Messenger of Allah jumped to his feet for joy at his arrival and said: “Welcome to the one who migrated (from polytheism) and entered Islam.” Then ‘Ikrimah entered Islam. “Then ‘Ikrimah converted to Islam and asked the Messenger of Allah to ask forgiveness for all the enmity he had committed, and the Messenger of Allah asked forgiveness for him. After that ‘Ikrimah was among the choicest of Muslims and had the greatest enthusiasm for Islam.

Hubar ibn-Aswad fled and went into hiding. When the Messenger of Allah was in Jaranah”. He came to the Messenger of Allah to convert to Islam. He said, “O Messenger of Allah, I had fled from you and intended to join the ‘Ajam. However, I was reminded of your return, your friendship, and your forgiveness of those who did not understand you. We, O Messenger of Allah, were polytheists before, then Allah guided us through you, and He saved me from destruction. So forgive me with a good forgiveness.” So the Messenger of Allah said. “I have forgiven you.”

Al-Harith ibn Hisham and Zuhair ibn Umayyah al-Makhzumiy, received protection from Umm Hani bint Abu Talib, so the Messenger of Allah allowed the protection. When Al-Harith ibn Hisham appeared before the Messenger of Allah in a Muslim state, the Messenger of Allah said “Praise be to Allah who has guided you. It is not appropriate that someone like you should not understand Islam.” After that Al-Harith was among the leading companions.

Shafwan ibn Umayyah hid himself and intended to throw himself into the sea to commit suicide. His uncle’s son, ‘Umair ibn Wahb al-Jumahi, came to the Messenger of Allah and said, “O Prophet, Shafwan is the leader of his people. He has fled and intends to throw himself into the sea. We ask you to give him security (protection) as you have given security to the red-skinned man and the black-skinned man. “The Prophet replied, “Take your uncle’s son. He has now received my protection. “Umar said, ‘Then give me the proof. “So the Messenger of Allah gave ‘Umar his turban. ‘Umair accepted the turban of the Messenger of Allah and immediately caught up with Shafwan. After catching up with him, he said, “My father and mother are a ransom for you. I come to you from the side of the most excellent, the most noble, the most merciful, and the most kind. He is the son of your uncle, his glory is your glory, his glory is your glory, and his kingdom is your kingdom too. “Shafwan replied, “However, I fear him greatly. “Umayr replied, “He is more merciful and more generous than what you describe. “Then ‘Umair showed the turban of the Messenger of Allah as a sign of security. So Shafwan returned and went to the Messenger of Allah. When he reached him, Shafwan said, “Surely this man thinks that you have given me security. “The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, he is right”. Shafwan said, “Suspend me for two months to choose”. The Messenger of Allah said, “I will give you a respite of four months. “Shortly thereafter he converted to Islam, and he turned out to be a good Muslim.

Hindun bint ‘Atabah went into hiding, then converted to Islam. Then she came to the Messenger of Allah, and the Messenger of Allah welcomed her. Hindun said to him, “By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, before there was no family on earth that I would have despised more than yours. Now there is no family on earth that I would rather be victorious than yours.”

MESSENGER OF KA’B IBNU ZUHAIR

Ka’b ibnu Zuhair, when he felt that this vast earth was becoming narrow for him, and found no one to protect him, then ja came to the Messenger of Allah in Medina after the Messenger of Allah had returned from Makkah, then he converted to Islam. At that time he recited his verses in praise of the Messenger of Allah, namely:

Every friend who is my hope, all of them say I do not want to interfere in your affairs anymore, so I say, get rid of you, I don’t care about you anymore, everything that has been destined by the Most Merciful will definitely happen. Every child who hides even if his safety is long, one day he will be caught too. I had a premonition that the Messenger of Allah promised safety for me, and forgiveness on the side of the Messenger of Allah was my hope. Wait, may the One who has given you the Qur’an in which there is advice and virtue grant you patience. In his poem he also said his flattery of the Messenger of Allah, namely: Verily, the Messenger is a sword that can be used to enlighten (the way), the sword is very strong and he is among the sharpest swords of Allah.

When Zuhair recited this verse, the Messenger of Allah took off his burdah cloth which was then presented to Zuhair. As for Wahshi, the murderer of Companion Hamzah, he also converted to Islam and eventually became a good Muslim: The Messenger of Allah forgave him. Then Abu Lahab’s two sons, ‘Atabah and Mu’tib, came to the Messenger of Allah, and they both converted to Islam. Their Islam was welcomed with joy by the Messenger of Allah.

Among those who hid themselves was Suhail ibn ‘Amr. Then he received protection from his son, ‘Abdullah. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) gave him security and said: “Suhail is a man of understanding and honor; it is not proper for a man like Suhail to be ignorant of Islam.” When the Prophet’s words reached Suhail’s ears, he said, “By Allah, he was noble as a child and noble as an adult. “Not long afterward he converted to Islam.

THE WOMEN’S ALLEGIANCE

After the men finished their allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, the Messenger of Allah accepted the allegiance of the women. They pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah that they would not associate partners with Allah, would not steal, would not commit adultery, would not kill their children, would not make up lies between their hands and feet, and would not disobey the Messenger of Allah in a virtuous matter. Then the Prophet ordered his Companion Bilal to call the adhan over the Ka’bah. This was the beginning of the advent of Islam on the noble Kaaba, so it is not surprising that the Muslims made this day a historic day that they celebrated. On that day they praised Allah with true praise for this great bounty and great victory.

The Messenger of Allah stayed in Makkah after conquering it for nineteen days. During that time the Messenger of Allah always had his prayers hashar. Then the Prophet appointed ‘Itab ibn Usaid as the mayor of Makkah. He was paid one dirham a day. After his appointment Companion ‘Itab ibnu Usaid always said, “May Allah not fill this hungry stomach in exchange for one dirham a day.”

DESTRUCTION OF THE IDOL OF ‘UZZA

On the fifth day of the Prophet’s stay in Makkah, he sent Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid along with thirty horsemen to demolish the idol of ‘Uzza. The idol of ‘Uzza was the largest idol of the Quraysh, placed in the village of Nakhlah. Companion Khalid led his troops to the place. Once there Khalid and his troops destroyed the idol.

DESTRUCTION OF SUWA’ IDOL

The Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Amr ibnul-‘Ash to tear down the idol of Suwa’. Suwa’ was an idol of the Hudzailites which was very large. It was placed in a place three miles away from Makkah. Companion ‘Amir ibnul’Ash went to the place and immediately tore it down.

DESTRUCTION OF THE IDOL OF MANAT

The Messenger of Allah sent Companion Sa’d ibn Zaid al-Ashhaliy along with twenty horsemen to bring down the idol of Manat. Manat was an idol worshipped by the Caliphs and Khuza’ah in Al-Mugyallal, a hill located on the coast. From that place, when descending it will lead to the Qadid area. The Companion Sa’d ibn Zaid set out with his army to that place. Arriving there he tore down the idol.

THE WAR OF HUNAIN

With this conquest and the fall of the idol kingdom, all the Arabs submitted to Islam, and they began to convert to Islam in droves. However, two other tribes, the Hawazin and the Tsagif, were consumed by ignorant fanaticism. Then the honorable people of the two tribes assembled for deliberation. They said, “Muhammad has finished fighting his people, so there is no obstacle for him to fight us. We should attack him first before he attacks us. “Finally they agreed to carry out the decision, then they appointed Malik ibnu ‘Auf an Nadhri as their warlord. Joining them were various tribes so that their numbers were very large. Among them were the Banu Sa’d ibnu Bakr from among whom the Prophet had suckled as a child. Among these people was Duraid ibnush-Shummah who was known as a clever person in expressing opinions, famous for being great on the battlefield. Because he was too old in this war he only took part in expressing opinions.

Malik ibn ‘Auf ordered his troops to take their wives and children and their possessions with them. This was known by Duraid. Then Duraid asked Malik why he did so. Malik gave his reason. “I deliberately ordered the people to bring their property and children and wives, then I placed behind each man his family and property, in which place he must fight and must defend.” Duraid asked, “Can the one who loses reclaim anything of his own? If you want to win, there is no use for you other than men with their swords and spears. If you lose, and you are carrying your family and property, then you are causing harm to your family and property. “Malik, however, would not go along with Duraid’s suggestion. He stood his ground. He lined up the women behind the troops, and behind them the camels, then the cows and goats. Malik organized the strategy so that none of the troops would run away if they were beaten.

When the Prophet heard the news that the Hawazin and the Tsagif were preparing to attack him, he and the Muslims agreed to go out to fight them. The Messenger of Allah went out with twelve thousand soldiers. Two thousand of them were residents of Makkah, while the rest consisted of people who came with him from Madinah. At that time the people of Makkah also came out. Some of them rode and some of them walked so that women also walked without feeling the slightest fatigue because they expected to get ghanimah. In the army of the Messenger of Allah (saws) also participated eighty people who were still polytheists. Among them were Shafwan ibn Umayyah and Suhail ibn ‘Amr.

When the enemy camp was near, the Prophet organized the ranks of the troops and appointed group leaders. The banner of the Muhajirites was given to Companion ‘Ali, the banner of the Khazraj tribe was given to Al-Habbab ibnul-Mundzir, and the banner of the Aus tribe was given to Usaid ibn Hudhair, the Messenger of Allah also gave battle banners to other Arab tribes. After that, the Prophet mounted his mule and wore two layers of armor.

When confronted with the enemy, the Muslims were astonished at the sheer numbers, but they could do nothing against the enemy. When the vanguard of the Muslims advanced against the enemy, they suddenly entered a hidden enemy trap. They were trapped between two cliffs, then the enemy showered them with arrows, as many as locusts spread out. Finally, they turned their horses to retreat. When they reached the rearguard, the rearguard also retreated in surprise. The Messenger of Allah persevered on the battlefield with a small number of soldiers from among the Muhajirin and Anshar. Among those who stayed with the Prophet at that time were Companion Abu Bakr, Companion ‘Umar, Companion ‘Ali, Companion Al-‘Abbas and his son, Al-Fadhl, Abu Sufyan ibnul Harith and his brother, Rabi’ah ibnul-Harith, and Mut’ib ibn Abu Lahab. The Prophet called out, “O people, come forward with me.” But no one turned to him. At that time the retreating people felt that this vast earth was very narrow for them.

Among the Makkans who were new converts to Islam, and those who had not yet renounced their polytheism, some were happy to witness this, and some were disappointed with this defeat. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb said, “Their defeat is still not so fatal.” Shafwan ibnu Umayyah’s brother also said, “Now magic is canceled.” Then Shafwan who was still a polytheist said to his brother, “Shut up, may Allah tear your mouth. By Allah, I would rather be mourned by the Quraysh than be mourned by the Hawazin.” Then a man from the Quraish passed by him and said, “Rejoice in the defeat of Muhammad and his companions. By Allah, Muhammad and his companions will not be able to defeat them.” Shafwan became angry and said, “Woe to you. Are you pleased with the victory of the Bedouins?” Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahal said to the man who had spoken, “That Muhammad and his Companions cannot defeat them is not at all in your hands. The provisions are entirely in the hands of Allah’s power, and have nothing at all to do with Muhammad. If he loses today, he will surely win tomorrow.” Suhail ibn ‘Amr said, “By Allah, you used to oppose him, and only this time have you taken his side. “Ikrimah replied, “O Abu Yazid (the nickname of Suhail Ibn ‘Amr), indeed we used to have nothing to hold on to and our minds were not used because we worshipped stones that could do no harm or good.” The news of the defeat of the Muslim army had also reached Makkah.

In this critical situation the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stood his ground and said:

I am a prophet who never lies. I am the son of ‘Abdul-Muththalib. Then the Prophet said to the Companion Al-‘Abbas who was known to have a loud voice, “O ‘Abbas, call out the Ansar!” Then Al-‘Abbas called out, “O Ansar, O people who have participated in the bai’aturRidhwan. “This call was heard by the people who were trapped in the valley. Then the Ansar who were in that place responded to the call, “Labbaik, labbaik. “Each one of them intended to turn back the reins of his camel, but was prevented by the large number of people who were retreating. They were forced to put their armor around their necks, pick up their swords and shields, and dismount to clear the way while reiterating the call of Companion al-‘Abbas. Finally, a large number of troops from among them joined the Messenger of Allah. Then Allah sent calmness to the Messenger of Allah and the believers, and He also sent down to help them invisible armies (angels). Finally, the Muslims marched back against the enemy in unity and were able to repel the enemy. Many of the enemy were killed and then they fled, ignoring their property and the women and children they had left behind on the battlefield. However, the Muslims pursued them and killed and captured them. Eventually the Muslims captured the enemy women and children. The Muslims also gained many captives of the captured enemy troops, while the surviving enemy troops fled. In this battle, Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid was severely wounded. The effect of victory in this battle made many Makkah polytheists convert to Islam because they saw Allah’s help to the Muslims.

What happened in this battle is a very important lesson because actually in the Muslim army at that time there were quite a lot of mixed elements consisting of polytheists, Bedouins, and people who had just converted to Islam. For them it was the same whether Islam won or lost. Hence, when at the start of the battle the Muslims were pushed back, they hastily fled from the battlefield. This would have almost resulted in a fatal defeat for the Muslim ranks had it not been for the mercy of Allah. The Muslim ranks should have consisted only of those who were sincere in defending their religion. Thus their hearts would have remained steadfast and they would not have been tempted to flee, because they would have feared the punishment that Allah has prepared for those who flee from the battlefield, which is a very painful punishment.

Furthermore, the Prophet ordered that the captives and the ghanimah be collected together. The total amount of ghanimah won by the Muslims consisted of 24,000 camels, over 40,000 goats, and 4,000 augiyah of silver. They were all gathered together in Ja’ranah.

The polytheists, who had lost the battle, scattered and fled. Some of them took refuge in Thaif, some took refuge in Nakhlah, and others fled and made camp in the area of Authas.”

SARIYYAH

Then the Messenger of Allah sent Companion Abu ‘Amir al-Ash’ari with a group of Assyrians, in whom Companion Abu Musa al-Ash’ari participated, to crush the remnants of the enemy army. Abu ‘Amir took his troops to pursue them. Finally he and his troops succeeded in eliminating them all and obtained the remaining ghanimah that the enemy still had. However, in this battle Abu ‘Amir himself died as a martyr, then the leadership of the troops was held by his nephew, namely Companion Abu Musa al-Ash’ari. Finally, Companion Abu Musa returned to Medina with victory and ghanimah.

THE THAIF WAR

Then the Messenger of Allah left with those who followed him to Thaif in order to destroy the remnants of the Thaifites and the Hawazin who joined them. The Prophet appointed Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid as a warlord who was at the forefront. On the way, the Messenger of Allah passed by the fortress of ‘Auf ibn Malik an-Nadhri, so he ordered the Muslims to tear it down. The Messenger of Allah also passed by a garden belonging to a man from Tsagif. The Messenger of Allah was forbidden to enter it. So the Messenger of Allah sent someone to get the man out of his garden. If he disobeyed, his garden would be burned. The man refused. Finally the Messenger of Allah ordered that the man’s garden be burned.

When the army of the Muslims reached Thaif, they found that their enemies had taken refuge in the fortress of the city of Thaif, and they put enough food for many years into the fortress. The Muslims took up camp near the fort, but the polytheists shot at them so fiercely with arrows that many of the Muslim soldiers were wounded. Among those wounded was ‘Abdullah ibn Abu Bakr. His wounds got so bad that he died during his father’s caliphate. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb was also wounded so that one of his eyes was blinded by an enemy arrow. There were twelve members of the Muslim army who died from arrow wounds.

The Prophet saw that the situation was not favorable for the Muslims. It appeared that the enemy could reach the Muslim camp with their arrows. Then the Prophet ordered the Muslims to move their camp to a higher place, which is now the site of the Thaif Mosque. Furthermore, at that place the Prophet made two special tents for Umm Salamah and Zainab.

This siege lasted for eighteen days. One day Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid challenged the enemy to a sparring match, but no one responded. The challenge was answered by ‘Abdu Yalil, the leader of the Tsagifites, “None of us will come down from the fort. We will remain in this fortress of ours. Verily in this fortress there is enough food for several years. If you continue to wait until this food is exhausted, then after that all of us, with no one left behind, will come out to fight to the last man.”

Then the Messenger of Allah ordered the Muslims to shower them with stones thrown by the majanik. The order was immediately carried out. There was a group of companions who entered the dabbabat to break their fortifications. However, the Tsagifites who were inside the fort pelted them with burning iron plates so that the Companions who were inside the dabbabat retreated because of the heat. Seeing that his efforts were unsuccessful, the Prophet ordered his troops to cut down their vine and date palms. Then the Myslimin actually cut down their trees. Finally the inhabitants of the fortress cried out to the Messenger of Allah to stop cutting down their trees for the sake of Allah and for the sake of friendship. The Messenger of Allah replied, “Well, if it is for the sake of Allah and for the sake of friendship I will stop it.” Then the Messenger of Allah ordered his crier to say that whoever came down from the fort would be guaranteed safety. Then more than ten people came out of the fort, surrendering to the Muslims, while most of them remained inside and did not want to come out.

When the Messenger of Allah saw the hardheartedness of the Tsagifites who would not surrender, the opening of the fortress of Thaif was still not permitted. Then he deliberated with Naufal ibn Mu’awiyah ad-Daily whether to go or wait for them to come out. Naufal replied, “O Messenger of Allah, a weasel in a hole, if you wait you will surely catch it, and if you leave it, it will not harm you. “The Messenger of Allah ordered his troops to set out. Before that, some of the Companions asked the Messenger of Allah to pray for the accident of the Tsagifites. However, the Messenger of Allah said the following prayer:

O Allah, guide the people of Tsagif, to You alone do I surrender them.

DISTRIBUTION OF GHANIMAH

After that the Messenger of Allah returned to Ja’ranah where the spoils were left, then he counted and took one-fifth of it. The Prophet gave a considerable portion to those whose religion was still weak in order to make them more interested in Islam, just as he gave it to those who had not yet converted to Islam so that they would want to convert to Islam.

Among the first to be given a share of this ghanimah was Abu Sufyan. He was given forty augiyah of gold and one hundred camels, as well as his two sons, Mu’awiyah and Yazid. After that Abu Sufyan said, “By my father and mother, you are very generous, both in peace and in war.” Among those who were given was Hakim ibn Hizam. The Messenger of Allah gave him as much as Abu Sufyan, but he asked for more. Then the Messenger of Allah gave him, and after that he asked for more. So the Messenger of Allah gave him like the first gift. After that he said:

O judge, indeed the treasure is green and sweet, so whoever takes it with a generous heart?

he who takes it with an open heart will be blessed, and whoever takes it with an excessive heart will not be blessed, his example is like a person who eats who is never full. The hand above is better than the hand below. The judge took one hundred camels from the first gift, then he rejected the others, saying: “By the One who sent you with the truth, I will not accept anything from anyone after this gift of yours until I leave this mortal world. During the reign of the caliphs, they each gave him the ‘atha that he was entitled to receive from the baitulmal, but he would not accept it. .

Then the Prophet gave one hundred camels to ‘Uyaynah ibn Hishn, similar to what he had given to Al-Agra’ ibn Habis and Al-‘Abbas ibn Muradis. To Shafwan ibn Umayyah he gave a hillside full of camels, cows and goats. When Shafwan saw it, he was amazed at the number of livestock. The Prophet said to him, “Did they amaze you?” Shafwan replied, “Yes, of course.” The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “Then all of it is for you, take it.” Shafwan ibn Umayyah said, “There is no one

who would give such a thing except you.” This was the cause of Shafwan’s conversion to Islam.

The main purpose of all these gifts was none other than to soften their hearts, so that they would convert to Islam. This is one of the tactics of religion to attract people to Islam, which is to make a part of zakat for them in order to soften their hearts towards Islam so that they will want to enter Islam. It turned out that this attitude had a very beneficial effect on the interests of Islam because the hearts of most of the people who were given a share on that day had not yet been infused with love for Islam. Afterwards they became honorable Muslims and were of great benefit to Islam such as Shafwan ibn Umayyah, Mu’awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan, and Al-Harith ibn Hisham.

After that, the Prophet ordered the Companion Zaid ibn Tsabit to count the remaining ghanimah, then he distributed it to his troops after the Bedouins had first surrounded him. The Bedouins said, “Give us a share!” so they cornered the Messenger of Allah against a tree until his turban was tied to it. He said, “O people, give me back my turban. By Allah, if I had so many cattle as to fill Tihamah, I would have distributed them among you. You must have known that I am not a miserly person, nor a coward, nor a difficult person.”

Then the Messenger of Allah mounted his camel and plucked a feather from its hump and said, “O people, by Allah, I have taken only one-fifth of your ghanimah without a hair’s breadth, and that one-fifth will come back to you. Collect both the large and the small prey, for ghulul is an evil for the one who does it, and on the Day of Resurrection it will be a fire that burns him. “After there was a statement from the Messenger of Allah, then everyone who hid the ghanimah secretly returned it again even though what was taken was small. Then the Messenger of Allah divided it so that each foot soldier got a share of four camels and forty goats, while for the horsemen the share of each was three times the share of the foot soldiers.

There was a man from among the hypocrites who said “This is a division that is not for the sake of Allah. “The Prophet’s face turned red. Then he said to him “Woe to you. Who will be fair if I am not fair?” However, this anger did not encourage him to take it out on the insolent person, rather it made him more careful and vigilant and self-correcting, because the Prophet was far from feeling like that. At that time Companion ‘Umar and Companion Khalid said to him, “O Messenger of Allah, let us cut the neck of that man.” The Messenger of Allah replied, “No, perhaps he is one of those who pray.” Khalid replied, “But many of the praying people like to say what is different from their hearts”. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) replied, “I have not been commanded to pierce the hearts of men, nor to split their breasts.”

When the Messenger of Allah distributed the ghanimah to the Quraysh and the Arab tribes, the Ansar were passed over so that some of them were annoyed and said, “How strange he is, why were the Quraysh given and he passed us over, while our swords are still dripping with their blood?” Their words were heard by the Messenger of Allah, so he gathered them all in one place. After they had gathered, and there was no one else there but them, the Messenger of Allah said to them, “O people of Anshar, what words have reached me from you? Did I not find you in a state of misguidance, then Allah guided you through me? I found you in a state of poverty, then Allah made you rich through me. I found you in a state of enmity, Allah reconciled hearts among your neighbors through me. Verily the Quraysh were still fresh from disbelief and calamity, so I intended to soften their hearts and make them docile. Are you, O people of Ansar, angry because of a little of the world’s goods that I used to tame a people so that they would embrace Islam, then I leave you alone because your religion of Islam is firmly established and unshakeable? Are you not willing, O people of Anshar, when people go away with goats and camels, then you return to Madinah with the Messenger of Allah joining your caravan? By the One in Whose hand the soul of Muhammad is, had there been no Hijrah, I would have been an Ansar too. Had the people traveled one way, and then the Ansar traveled another, I would have traveled the way of the Ansar. O Allah, have mercy on the Ansar and their children.” At once the Ansar wept so much that their beards were soaked with tears, and they said, “We are willing to take the Messenger of Allah as our share and allotment.” Then the Messenger of Allah left and they dispersed.

THE MESSENGER FROM HAWAZIN

After ten days had passed, messengers from the Hawazin, led by Zuhair ibn Shard, came to the Messenger of Allah. They said, “O Messenger of Allah, surely among the people whom you have taken captive are your mothers and aunts. They are simple people. We will persuade them to love Allah and you.” Zuhair also said, “Verily among the captives are your aunts and your nannies who once took care of you.” Zuhayr then recited a few verses of verse as he begged for mercy:

Deliver us, O Messenger of Allah, by your mercy, for you are the one for whom we hope and wait for forgiveness. Deliver the women whom you have suckled, for your mouth was once full of their milk. Verily we would be very grateful for your grace if you would release her, after today we are greatly indebted to you. Verily we seek refuge in your forgiveness. You are a guide for the creatures, to give forgiveness and help. Extend your forgiveness to the mothers who have nursed you. Indeed, your forgiveness is better known. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Verily, the speech I like best is the most truthful, so choose by you between two groups: the captives or property. Indeed, I was waiting for you, so I thought that you would not come.” They said, “Our offspring mean nothing to you and are not worth much, so give us back our wives and children. This is more to our liking, and we will no longer discuss the matter of goats and camels.”

Then the Messenger of Allah said to them, “As for my share and that of the Banu ‘Abdul-Muthtalib, they are for you. When I have performed the noon prayer, stand up and say, “We seek intercession through the Messenger of Allah for the Muslims, and through the Muslims for the Messenger of Allah. You do this after you have first manifested your Islam to them, then you should say, we are your brothers in religion.” Then they did what the Messenger of Allah had commanded. After that the Messenger of Allah said, “Amma ba’du. Indeed your brothers have come in a state of repentance, and in my opinion I should return the captives to them. Whoever likes that, let him do so. Whoever among you would like me to give him something in return, which I will give him as soon as Allah bestows the fai’ on us, let him do so.”

The Ansar replied, “What is for us is for the Messenger of Allah.” However, there was a group of Arabs who did not want to give it freely, such as Al-Agra’ ibn Habis, ‘Uyaynah ibn Hishn, and Al-‘Abbas ibn Muradis. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took it from them in debt, then he ordered that the family of Malik ibn ‘Auf an-Nadhri be detained in Makkah in the house of their aunt, Umm ‘Abdillah, the wife of Umayyah. The Hawazin envoys said, “They are our leaders.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) replied, “We have only good intentions towards them.”

Then the Messenger of Allah asked about Malik ibn ‘Auf. The Companions replied that he had fled with the people of Tsagif. The Messenger of Allah said, “Tell him that if he will come as a Muslim, I will restore to him his family and property, and I will give him one hundred camels.” When the news reached Malik’s ears, he came down from the fort and secretly met the Messenger of Allah who was at that time in Ja’ranah. Then Malik converted to Islam and regained his property. After that the Messenger of Allah appointed him as the leader of the Hawazin who had converted to Islam.

“UMRAH JA’RANAH

After this incident, the Messenger of Allah went to Makkah to perform ‘Umrah. He started ihram from Ja’ranah, and entered the city of Makkah at night. He performed tawaf and kissed Hajar Aswad, then returned that same night. The Messenger of Allah stayed in Ja’ranah for thirteen days. After that he ordered the Muslims to return to Madinah. The Muslim army set out for Madinah in safety and calm, and on the 3rd of Dhulkaedah they reached Madinah.

The Battle of Hunain was a battle that scattered the groups of the polytheists so that their power disappeared. The rich among them were also depleted because the Hawazin required every man to fight with all his possessions so that there was not a camel or sheep that they did not include in the ranks of the army. Allah wanted Islam to win and defeat its enemies. For that reason, the property of the enemies of Islam was plundered by the Muslim army so that the power of the polytheists was destroyed. After this event, there was no force that they could rely on to oppose Islam or to defend themselves.

Therefore, we can say that with the destruction of the Hawazin, the war against the Arabs was over. What remained of them were only small groups who blindly took up arms against Islam. However, it was not long before they re-holstered their weapons after seeing that the forces of the right were completely unchallenged.

SARIYYAH

After the Messenger of Allah returned to Madinah, he sent Companion Qais ibn Sa’d with four hundred men to invite the people of Shada (a tribe inhabiting the land of Yemen) to Islam. A man from among them came to the Messenger of Allah and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have come to you on behalf of those who are behind me. I beg you to withdraw your troops. I and my people submit to you.” Then the Messenger of Allah ordered the troops he had sent to return to Madinah.

MESSENGER OF SHADA

Then the man went to his people, then came again with fifteen men from his people. They stayed in the house of Companion Sa’d ibn ‘Ubadah as guests. Then they pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah to embrace Islam, and they said, “We surrender ourselves to you with my people who are behind me.” After they returned to their country, Islam spread among them. At the time of the Farewell Hajj, one hundred of them went to the Messenger of Allah.

SARIYYAH

Then the Messenger of Allah sent Companion Bisyr ibn Sufyan al’Adawiy to the Banu Ka’b of the Khuza’ah tribe to collect the zakat of their property. However, the Banu Tamim who lived next door to them forbade them from fulfilling what had been obligatory upon them, namely zakat. When the Messenger of Allah (saw) learned of this, he sent Companion ‘Uyaynah ibn Hishn with fifty horsemen from among the Bedouins. ‘Uyaynah went to them and fought them. Eventually ‘Uyaynah’s troops captured 11 men and 21 women and 30 children. “Uyaynah took them all to Medina. Once in Medina, the Prophet ordered that all the captives be housed in the house of Ramlah bintil-Harith.

MESSENGER FROM TAMIM

When they reached Madinah, there came behind them a delegation from the Banu Tamim. Among them were ‘Utharid ibn Hajib, Zabargan ibn Badar, and ‘Amr ibnul-Ahtam. They sat waiting for the Messenger of Allah to come out. When the Messenger of Allah took a long time to meet them, they called out from behind his room in a harsh voice, “O Muhammad, come out to meet us. We will boast about you. Indeed, our praise is pleasant to hear and our reproach is very unpleasant to hear.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went out to meet them while he was hurt by their rude call. With regard to this incident, the word of Allah was revealed:

Verily, those who call you from outside your room are mostly ignorant. If they had been patient until you came out to meet them, it would have been better for them, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 19.5. 49 Al-Hujurat: 4-5)

At that time the time for Zuhr had arrived. The Companion Bilal called the call to prayer, and the Messenger of Allah came out of his room. When they saw that the Messenger of Allah had come out, they grabbed him and said, “We are the people of Banu Tamim. We deliberately came with our poets and orators with the intention of boasting.” The Messenger of Allah replied:

We were not sent for poetry, and we were not commanded to boast. Then the Messenger of Allah prayed. After that the people of Tamim gathered around him, boasting of their glory and the glory of their ancestors. ‘Amr ibnul Ahtam praised Az-Zabargan ibn Badr by saying, “Surely he is a man who is obeyed forever and a leader among his people.” So Az-Zabargan said, “O Messenger of Allah, he is jealous of my honor when he knows better than to say that.” ‘Amr said, “He has no self-respect, people avoid him, and he has a bad character.” There was a sign of anger on the Prophet’s face as he heard ‘Amr’s two different words. ‘Amr said, “O Messenger of Allah, in the first statement I spoke the truth, but I did not lie in the second. In the first I was in a state of pleasure, so I said the best of what I knew about him. In the second I was angry, so I said the worst of what I knew about him.” Then the Prophet said:

“Verily, there is beauty in the knowledge of bayan that is as mesmerizing as magic.” Then the messengers all converted to Islam. The Messenger of Allah returned their captives to them and gave them good gifts. They did not go home immediately, but stayed for some time to learn the Qur’an and religious knowledge.

SARIYYAH

Then the Messenger of Allah sent Al-Walid ibn ‘Ugbah ibn Abu Mu’ith to collect the Zakat of the Banil-Mushthalig people. When the Banil-Musthalig people saw him coming, twenty men came out from among them, armed with weapons, to welcome him, and with them camels for zakat. However, when Al-Walid saw their situation, he suspected that they intended to fight him since there had been hostilities between him and them during the pre-Islamic era. Seeing this, Al-Walid returned quickly to Madinah and informed the Messenger of Allah that the Banil-Musthalig had apostatized and refused to pay their zakat. The Prophet immediately sent Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid to check the truth of the news. So Khalid set out for their camp secretly. When he entered their gathering place, he heard one of them announce the call to dawn prayer. Then Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid went to them, and he saw that they were truly obedient. Then Khalid returned to Madinah and related all that he had witnessed. Then the Messenger of Allah sent other than Al-Walid to take their zakat. In connection with this incident of Al-Walid, His words were revealed.

O you who have believed, when a wicked man comes to you with news, examine it carefully so that you do not inflict a calamity on a people without knowing the circumstances, causing you to regret it. (Q.S. 49 Al-Hujurat: 6)

SARIYYAH On one occasion news reached the Messenger of Allah that a group of Habsyah people were seen by the people of Jeddah in their boats. From their movements it could be read that they intended to attack the city of Jeddah. The Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Algamah with three hundred men to repel them. Then ‘Algamah took his troops as far as Jeddah, and he went straight to the shore, then got into a boat to chase them. At that time the people of Habsyah were in a fortress located on an island. When the Habsyahs saw the Muslims coming, they knew that the Muslims were coming to attack them, so they hurriedly fled. Thus, when the Muslims reached the place where they had taken refuge, they found no one. Finally, the Muslims returned without having fought with the enemy.

When the Muslims were on their way back, ‘Algamah ordered them with a call to walk faster. Then ‘Algamah appointed ‘Abdullah ibn Hudzafah as-Sahmiy to lead them. ‘Abbdullah ibnu Hudzafah as-Sahmiy liked to joke around. He lit a large fire for them while they were resting on the way. After that ‘Abdullah said to them, “Were you not commanded to obey my orders?” They replied, “Yes.” Then ‘Abdullah said, “I intended with this fire that you should jump into it.” Some of them said, “No, we entered Islam to avoid the fire.” However, it turned out that some of them actually obeyed him so that they wanted to throw themselves into the fire, then ‘Abdullah prevented them, saying, “I was just joking.” When they mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah, he said:

“There is no obedience to a creature when it enjoins disobedience to the Creator (Allah).”

NINTH YEAR

SARIYYAH

In the month of Rabiulawal, the Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib with fifty horsemen to destroy the idol of Fuls belonging to the Thayyi. Then Companion ‘Ali set out with his troops until he reached the place, then he immediately knocked down and burned the idol immediately. However, the worshippers defended it so they fought with the Muslims. Companion ‘Ali defeated them and all their cattle were driven away, as well as the captives he had taken. Among the captives was Sifanah bint Hatim ath-Thaiy. .

After Companion ‘Ali and his troops returned to Medina, Sifanah asked the Messenger of Allah to release her without any ransom. The Prophet granted her request because the Prophet’s custom was to honor the noble. Sifanah thanked the Messenger of Allah and said to him, “The hand that became poor after it was rich is now grateful to you, and the hand that has been rich after being poor will not be able to possess you. Allah has indeed placed virtue against you in the most appropriate place. Never has a despicable person been in need of you, and never has a boon been taken away from a noble person unless you have interceded for its return to him.” ‘

The Prophet’s excellent treatment of Sifanah was the cause that prompted Sifanah’s brother to convert to Islam. His name was ‘Addi ibn Hatim ath-Thaiy. He fled to the Levant when he saw that the banner of Islam was heading towards his country. Regarding the story of his arrival in Medina, it is mentioned that his sister, Sifanah, went after him to the Levant. Then Sifanah told him about the good treatment she had experienced from the Messenger of Allah. ‘Addi said to her, “What do you think of that man (the prophet Muhammad)?” Sifanah replied, “In my opinion, you should come to him immediately. If he is indeed a prophet, then the one who recognizes him first has the advantage: and if he is a king, then you…” Then ‘Addi interrupted, “By Allah, your opinion is correct.”

ARRIVAL OF ‘ADDI IBNU HATIM

So ‘Addi left the Levant for Medina. He immediately met the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah asked, “Who is the man who came.” ‘Addi replied, “I am ‘Addi ibnu Hatim.” Then the Messenger of Allah took him with him to his house. When the two of them were traveling, suddenly an old woman came to the Messenger of Allah. The old woman stopped him. The Messenger of Allah stopped for a long time and talked to her to fulfill her need. At that moment ‘Addi said in her heart, “By Allah, she is not a king.”

After that the Messenger of Allah continued his journey towards home. Arriving home, he took a pillow made of leather and filled with fibers for him. The pillow was presented to ‘Addi saying, “Sit on this pillow.” However, ‘Addi refused saying, “No, you should sit on it.” The Prophet still refused and gave the pillow to ‘Addi, while he himself sat on the ground. Then the Messenger of Allah said, “O ‘Addi, convert to Islam and you will be saved.” The Messenger of Allah said these words three times. ‘Addi replied, “Indeed I have embraced a religion (he was a Christian).” The Messenger of Allah said, “I know your religion better than you do.”

‘Addi asked in astonishment, “Is it true that you know my religion better than I do?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes.” Then the Messenger of Allah mentioned to him some of the things that he did based on the rules that prevailed among the Arabs. These things had nothing to do with the religion of the Messiah, such as taking al-mirba’, which is a quarter of the spoils. Then the Prophet said, “O ‘Addi, the thing that prevents you from entering Islam is what you have seen. Surely you say that his followers are made up of weak people and people who have no ability. However, the Arabs have indeed thrown it (the worldly) away, even though they need it. By Allah, it is certain that one day wealth will become so abundant in their hands that no one will want to accept it. Perhaps the thing that prevents you from entering Islam is what you have witnessed, namely that the Muslims have many enemies while they are few in number. Do you not know AlHivarah?” ‘Addi replied, “No, I have not seen it, but have heard of it.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “By Allah, this matter is so much expected that a woman comes out of Al-Hirayah and circumambulates the House of Allah without any protection. Or perhaps the thing that keeps you from converting to Islam is that you have witnessed kings and sultans treating people other than them. By Allah, the time is near when you will hear of the white buildings of Babylon being conquered by them (the Muslims).” Eventually ‘Addi converted to Islam, and he lived long enough to see all that the Prophet had predicted.

THE WAR OF THE TABUK

News reached the Messenger of Allah that the Romans were preparing an army to attack Medina. At that time the Muslims were in recession due to famine and the weather was very hot, at a time when the fruits were ripening and people preferred to wait for the fruits and take shelter under the shade of the trees. Then the Prophet ordered the Muslims to get ready, whereas before that the Prophet always hid this when he intended to travel to fight, so that the news would not be heard by the enemy. However, in this battle he made his intention known to them, considering the long journey and the strength of the enemy to be faced so that they would prepare everything.

The Prophet then sent messengers to Makkah and the Arabian tribes to inform them of this. Then he advised the rich to provide supplies for the poor. Companion ‘Uthman ibn “Affan spent ten thousand dinars, then gave three hundred camels complete with saddles and fifty horses. Then the Prophet prayed for him, “O Allah, be pleased with ‘Uthman for indeed I am pleased with him.” The Companion Abu Bakr donated all his possessions, which were four thousand dirhams of money. Then the Prophet asked him, “Do you have anything left for your family?” Companion Abu Bakr replied, “I leave for them Allah and His Messenger.” The Companion ‘Umar at that time donated half of his property. Companion ‘AbdurRahman ibnu ‘Auf donated one hundred augiyah of gold. Similarly, Companion Al-Abbas and Companion Talhah donated a considerable amount of their wealth. ‘Ashim ibnu ‘Addiy donated seventy wasags of dates. The Muslim women also took part. They gave what they could from their jewelry. Then came to the Messenger of Allah seven poor men from the Companions. They asked the Messenger of Allah to take them with him in this war. However, the Prophet replied, “I have not found any provisions to take you with us.” They left while their eyes were wet with tears because they were sad that they could not find provisions to support them in this war. Then Companion ‘Uthman provided for three of them, Companion Al-‘Abbas provided for two, while Yamin ibn ‘Amr provided for the other two.

When all the troops were assembled and ready, the Messenger of Allah set out with them. There were thirty thousand of them in all. The Messenger of Allah appointed Companion Muhammad ibn Maslamah to be his successor in Madinah, and Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib to look after his family. Many people from among the hypocrites did not want to participate. Their leader was ‘Abdullah ibnu Ubay ibnu Salul. ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay said, “Muhammad set out to fight against the white-skinned people in difficult, hot conditions, and the destination was very far away. Did Muhammad think fighting the white people was a toy? By Allah, it was as if I saw his companions all shackled in a mine (taken captive by the enemy).”

A group of hypocrites gathered among themselves, and they made up rumors whose purpose was to frighten the Messenger of Allah and his companions. News of their rumors reached the ears of the Messenger of Allah. So he sent his Companion ‘Ammar ibnu Yasir to ask them what they had said. They replied, “We were only joking and not in earnest.”

Next came to the Messenger of Allah a group of people from the hypocrites. Among them was Al-Jadd ibn Qais. They came with the intention of apologizing for not being able to participate with the Messenger of Allah. They said, “O Messenger of Allah, allow us not to go with you, and do not expose us to slander because we cannot bear the sight of white women.” Then came the Arabs to ask permission not to go. They were people who were unable to go because they were weak and some because they were unable to go. So the Prophet gave them permission not to go. In connection with this permission Allah swt. rebuked the Messenger of Allah through His words:

May Allah forgive you. Why did you give them permission (not to go to war) before it was clear to you those who were right (in their reasons) and before you knew those who were lying? (Q.S. 9 At-Taubah: 43).

Furthermore, Allah says in relation to those who make excuses for not going to war, namely:

Those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day will ask your permission, and their hearts are in doubt, so they are always in doubt. (Q.S. 9 At-Taubah: 45)

Then Allah refuted their excuse by saying:

And if they had wanted to depart, they would have made preparations for the departure, but Allah disliked their departure, so Allah weakened their desire, and it was said to them, “Stay with those who stay.” (Q.5. 9 At-Taubah: 46)

In order for the Muslims not to despair over the hypocrites not going, Allah swt. consoled them through His words, viz:

If they had gone with you, they would have added to you nothing but mischief, and they would have rushed forward in the gaps of your ranks to create confusion among you, while among you are those who are very fond of listening to their words. And Allah knows the wrongdoers.” (Q.S. 9 At-Taubah: 47)

In this war there was a group of Muslims whose faith was not in doubt, who were excused from participating in the war. Among them were Ka’b ibn Malik, Hilal ibn Umayyah, Mararah ibnur Rabi’ and Abu Khaitsamah.

When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) left the Companion ‘Ali, the hypocrites said, “Apparently Muhammad was so hard on ‘Ali that he left him.” When the Companion ‘Ali heard their words, he rushed to the Messenger of Allah and complained to him about what the hypocrites had said. So the Messenger of Allah said to him:

Wouldn’t you like it if your position by my side was like Aaron’s to Prophet Moses?

Then the Messenger of Allah led his troops on. He handed over the leadership of the army to the Companion Abu Bakr as-Siddig. Giving the leadership of the army to Companion Abu Bakr in the last war that the Prophet did, and giving the caliphate for his family to Companion ‘Ali, contains gentle wisdom that the reader can understand. Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah distributed banners to various tribes. He gave Companion Zubayr the banner of the Muhajireen, Usaid ibn Hudhair the banner of the Aus, and Al-Habbab ibn al-Mundzir the banner of the Khazraj.

When the Muslims reached Al-Hijr, the place of the Tsamud, the Prophet said to his companions:

Do not enter the villages of the wrongdoers unless you are weeping.

This meant that they should be horrified and fear Allah. The Messenger of Allah appointed Companion ‘Ubbad ibn Bisyr as the bodyguard and guard of the Muslim army, and Companion Abu Bakr as the prayer leader for the Muslim army. When they reached Tabuk, which was an area completely devoid of buildings, the Messenger of Allah said to Companion Mu’adz ibnu Jabal, “When you live long, you will surely see this place full of gardens,” and indeed in the end it was exactly as the Messenger of Allah had predicted.

When the Muslim army was resting, suddenly came after Abu Khaitsamah. The story of his arrival began when one day he intended to go to his family. At that time the day was very hot. When he entered his garden, he suddenly found his two relatives in the garden. Each had pitched his tent and had cooled the water and provided food on that very hot day. When Abu Khaitsamah saw this, he said, “The Messenger of Allah is in the heat while Abu Khaitsamah is in cool shade, available water and a beautiful woman, this is not fair.” Then he said, “By Allah, I will not enter the tent of either of you until I catch up with the Messenger of Allah. So provide yourselves with enough provisions.” His two wives then did as he had instructed. When everything was ready, he mounted his vehicle. Before that he took his sword and spear and set out for the Messenger of Allah, and he was able to catch up with him when he reached Tabuk.

THE MESSENGER OF THE AILAHS

When the Messenger of Allah reached Tabuk, he did not see any of the enemy troops, unlike the news he had heard that he stayed at Tabuk for a few days. At that time John, the leader of the Ailahs, came with the people of Jarba and the people of Adzrach and the people of Maina. John made a peace treaty with the Messenger of Allah and expressed his willingness to pay the jizyah, but he did not want to convert to Islam. Then the Messenger of Allah sent a letter to John which reads as follows:

LETTER TO THE LEADER OF THE AILAH

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, this is a letter of security from Allah and Muhammad as His Prophet and Messenger to John and the people of Ailah. Their ships and caravans, both on land and sea, are in the security of Allah and Muhammad, and this also applies to the people who are with them consisting of the inhabitants of the land of Sham, the inhabitants of Yemen and the inhabitants of the coastal areas. Whoever among them creates a new thing will not be taken from him that which protects him, for it is taken from the people voluntarily. And indeed it is not permissible to prevent the water that flows to them, nor to prevent the road that leads to them, whether by land or sea.

LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF ADZRAKH AND JARBA’ Then the Messenger of Allah sent a letter to the people of Adzrakh and the people of Jarba which read as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, this is a letter from Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah, to the people of Adzrakh and the people of Jarba.

Verily they are in the security of Allah and Muhammad, and it is obligatory upon them to pay one hundred dinars in the month of Rajab, fully and voluntarily. Allah guarantees the Muslims to be good and to abide by this covenant.

Then the Messenger of Allah made another treaty with the people of Maina on the condition that they should give him a quarter of their fruits.

After that the Prophet deliberated with the Companions about continuing the journey beyond Tabuk to a place further into the Levant. Companion ‘Umar said, “If you are commanded (by Allah) to continue the journey, then continue.” The Messenger of Allah said to him, “Had I been ordered to do so, I would not have deliberated.” Companion ‘Umar r.a. said, “O Messenger of Allah, the Romans have a very large army, and there is no one in the Levant who has embraced Islam, and now we are close to them. Your nearness to them will make them alert. In my opinion, it is better for us to go back for this year and wait for the continuation or Allah will ordain something,” Finally the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) complied with what the Companion ‘Umar suggested. Then he ordered all the troops to return to Medina.

DHIRAR MASJID

When the Messenger of Allah almost arrived in Medina, news reached him about the Dhirar Mosque. This mosque had been built by a group of hypocrites to rival the Quba Mosque and to break the unity of the Muslims. A group of the hypocrites came to the Messenger of Allah to beg him to pray in the mosque on their behalf. Then the Prophet asked them about the reason for building the mosque. They swore that they had never built it except for a good purpose. But Allah saw that they were liars.

Then the Prophet ordered a group of companions to go to the mosque, and they were ordered to tear it down. Then they did all that was commanded.

When the Prophet was back in Medina and everything was going well, there came some groups of people who did not participate in the war apologizing to him falsely. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would only accept their outward excuses, and he left the matter of their hearts to Allah swt. then he asked forgiveness for them.

THE STORY OF THE THREE MEN WHO DID NOT JOIN THE WAR

Came to the Messenger of Allah. Ka’b ibn Malik al-Khazraji as well as Mararah ibnur Rabi’ and Hilal ibn Umayyah who were both from the tribe of Aus. They came confessing their sins for not joining the war. When Ka’b entered the Prophet’s house, the Prophet smiled sarcastically and asked, “What is the reason you did not join the war?” Ka’b ibn Malik said, “O Messenger of Allah, if I were to sit in the presence of anyone other than you among the people of this world, I would choose the alternative of avoiding his anger for some reason. I have been blessed with skill in debate, but by Allah, I have come to know that had I spoken to you today with false talk, Allah would have been angry with me. Had I spoken to you truthfully, you would have been angry with me. I ask Allah to forgive me in this matter. Indeed, I have no excuse for not joining the war.” The Prophet said, “This man is telling the truth. Now go away until Allah decides about you. Similarly, his two companions who did not participate in the war said the same thing, so the Messenger of Allah said the same thing he said to Ka’b. Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah forbade the Muslims to speak with these three men so that people ostracized them. The Messenger of Allah forbade the three men from having sexual relations with each other’s wives. For that he ordered them to stay away from their wives. However, the wife of Hilal ibn Umayyah asked the Messenger of Allah for permission to serve her husband because he was an old man and had no servants. Finally the Messenger of Allah allowed it.

The three men carried out their punishment until it seemed to them that this vast world had become narrow, their souls felt narrow, and they now felt that there was no refuge except in Allah. After that Allah swt. gave repentance to them. So the Prophet sent someone to convey this good news to the three men. The people welcomed them in droves and congratulated them on this repentance from Allah.

When Ka’b entered the mosque, he was greeted by the Messenger of Allah with a joyful welcome. Then the Messenger of Allah said, “O Ka’b, rejoice in this most auspicious day since you were born to your mother.” Then Ka’b asked, “O Messenger of Allah, is this repentance from yourself or from Allah?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Rather it comes from Allah.” Ka’b said, “O Messenger of Allah, as a sign of my repentance I will give all my property in charity to Allah and His Messenger.” Then the Messenger of Allah said to him, “No, not all of it. Hold on to some of it, it is better for you.” Then the Messenger of Allah recited the verses relating to the forgiveness of himself and his two friends as stated in surah Baraah:

And as for the three who deferred their repentance until when the earth had become narrow for them, even though it was wide and their souls had become narrow for them, and they knew that there was no escape from Allah except Him. Then Allah accepted their repentance that they might remain in repentance. Verily, Allah is the Recipient of repentance, the Most Merciful. (Q.S. At-Taubah: 118)

MESSENGER OF THE TSAQIF

When the Messenger of Allah had just returned from Tabuk, messengers from the people of Tsagif came to him. The story of their arrival begins when the Messenger of Allah returned after besieging the Tsagifs. ‘Urwah ibn Mas’ud ats-Tsagafiy followed them and caught up with them before they reached Madinah. ‘Urwah converted to Islam, and he asked the Messenger of Allah to allow him to return to his people to invite them to Islam. The Messenger of Allah advised him, “They will kill you if you return.” ‘Urwah replied, “O Messenger of Allah, I am the most beloved of them all.”

‘Urwah insisted on going to his people. Then he went to them in the hope that they would obey him in view of his position among them because he was respected and loved by his people. When he reached Thaif, he showed them what he had brought, but they showered him with arrows and he was killed.

After a month had passed since “Urwah was killed, they exchanged ideas among themselves. Finally they concluded that they would not be able to deal with all the Arabs around them as all of them had converted to Islam. They agreed to send to the Messenger of Allah a man from among them to confer with him. Then they asked ‘Abdu Yalil ibn ‘Amr to do this, but ‘Abdu Yalil refused the task, saying, “I will not do this task unless you appoint men to accompany me.” Finally they appointed five men from among their honorable men to accompany ‘Abdu Yalil. So ‘Abdu Yalil and his party set out for Medina.

When they had a meeting with the Messenger of Allah, he made a camp for them to stay in one of the courtyards near the mosque. This was so that they could listen to the recitation of the Quran and see the people praying. Every day they met the Messenger of Allah, and they left the youngest of them, ‘Uthman ibn Abul-‘Ash, to look after their animals. Whenever they returned, ‘Uthman went to the Prophet, and the Prophet recited the Quran to him, When the Prophet was sleeping, it was his Companion Abu Bakr who recited the Quran to him. Thus he memorized many verses of the Quran. During that time he hid this from his friends. Soon the group all converted to Islam, then they asked the Prophet to appoint someone from among them to be their imam. The Messenger of Allah appointed ‘Uthman ibn Abul’Ash as their leader because the Messenger of Allah had seen for himself his sincerity towards Islam and his skill in reading the Quran in learning Islam.

LETTER TO THE PEOPLE OF THAIF

Then the Prophet wrote a letter to the people of Thaif, the contents of which are summarized as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, from Muhammad, the Prophet and Messenger of Allah, to the believers.

Verily the trees of Thaif are protected and its game animals are forbidden to be killed and its vegetation is not to be cut down. Whoever is found to have done any of these forbidden things shall be flogged and his clothes taken off. Then they asked the Prophet to postpone the destruction of their idols for a month. This was so that the religion of Islam could be absorbed by the people first so that the ignorant people among their women would not hesitate to tear them down. Finally the Messenger of Allah agreed to their request. When they left the Messenger of Allah, their leader said, “I am the one who knows best among you about the character of the Tsagifites. I ask you to hide your Islam. Then let us frighten them with wars and bloodshed, and tell them that Muhammad asked for such heavy conditions that we refused.”

When they had reached their dwelling place, the people of Tsagif came to meet them. The messengers said to them, “We have just come from a man (Prophet Muhammad) who is hard-hearted and harsh. He has shown his teeth so that everyone submits to him. He offers very heavy things.” Then they mentioned these things. The people of Thaif replied, “By Allah, we will not obey him forever.” The messengers said to them, “Now prepare all your weapons, and close your fortresses tightly. Then get ready for battle.” They did so and it lasted among them for two or three days. Then Allah put fear into their hearts. Finally they said, “By Allah, we will not be able to fight against him. Go back to him, and give him all that he asks for.” At that time the new messengers told the truth, “We have agreed to it and we have converted to Islam.” They said in an exasperated tone, “Why did you hide that from us?” The messengers replied, “Yes, we deliberately did that so that your satanic pride would first disappear.” Eventually all the people of Thaif converted to Islam.

DESTRUCTION OF THE IDOL OF LATA

When the Messenger of Allah heard that the people of Tsagif had now converted to Islam, he sent the Companions Abu Sufyan and al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah ats-Tsagafiy to destroy the idol of Lata, the former worship of the people of Tsagif, in Thaif. Abu Sufyan and al-Mughirah set out for Thaif. Once there, they destroyed the idol of Lata to the ground.

COMPANION OF ABU BAKR ON HAJJ

At the end of the month of Zulkaedah the Prophet sent Companion Abu Bakr to perform Hajj with other people. Companion Abu Bakr set out with three hundred people from Madinah. He brought with him twenty camels given by the Prophet, while he himself brought five camels.

When the Companion Abu Bakr and his congregation had departed, the verses found at the beginning of surah AtTaubah were revealed to the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Ali r.a. to convey them to the Muslims on the day of the Grand Hajj. The Prophet said, “No one will convey it from me except a man from among my family.”

Companion ‘Ali caught up with Companion Abu Bakr and his party. He was able to catch up with him while still on the way. Companion Abu Bakr asked, “Did the Messenger of Allah appoint you as the leader of the Hajj?” Companion ‘Ali replied, “No, but he sent me to recite surah Al-Baraah to everyone. When they gathered in Mina on the day of sacrifice, the Companion ‘Ali recited to them thirteen verses from the beginning of surah AlBaraah. The meaning of these verses was to declare the termination of the covenant relationship with all the polytheists, those who had never fulfilled their covenant. Furthermore, they were given a respite period of four months. During this period they may go anywhere on earth as they please. As for the covenant with the polytheists who had never opposed the Muslims and had never betrayed them, it was suspended until the covenant period was over.

After that Companion ‘Ali r.a. exclaimed, “No polytheist shall perform Hajj after this year, nor shall he circumambulate the House of Allah naked.”

On this journey Companion ‘Ali always prayed behind Companion Abu Bakr as a mum.

DEATH OF IBNU UBAY

In the month of Zulkaedah ‘Abdullah ibnu Ubay died. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed the funeral prayer for a long time, not as usual. Then he escorted his body to the grave. The Messenger of Allah deliberately did so in order to comfort his son, Companion ‘Abdullah ibnu ‘Abdullah, as well as to please the Khazraj people because Ibn Ubay had a respected position among them. It turned out that after that incident many people from the hypocrites left their hypocrisy because they had seen for themselves the treatment of the Messenger of Allah who was so kind to their leader. However, after that incident the Prophet was forbidden by Allah to perform funeral prayers for the hypocrites. For this reason Allah swt. revealed His word :

And you shall not offer the funeral prayer for any one who dies among them, nor shall you stand at his grave. (Q.5. 9 At-Taubah: 84)

DEATH OF UMMU KALTHUM

That same year Umm Kalthum bint of the Messenger of Allah, the wife of Companion ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, passed away.

TENTH YEAR OF HIJRI

SARIYYAH

In the month of Rabiulakhir the Messenger of Allah sent Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid with an army of Muslims to visit the people of Banu ‘Abdul Madan in Najran, Yemen. Before leaving, the Prophet ordered Khalid ibnul-Walid to call them to Islam three times. If they refused, then they should be fought.

After Companion Khalid and his troops reached their land, he sent his men to all parts of the land calling them to Islam. They called out, “Convert to Islam, and you will be saved.” Eventually they converted to Islam in droves, and now they were believers in the religion of Allah.

Companion Khalid ibnul-Walid stayed among them for some time to teach them the religion of Islam and the Qur’an. Then he sent a letter to the Messenger of Allah to inform him of what he had done. The Messenger of Allah wrote back and ordered him to send a delegation from among the Banu ‘Abdul Madan to him. Companion Khalid carried out the order.

When the delegates of Banu ‘Abdul Madan met the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) he asked them, “What was it that made you always victorious against those who fought you in the days of ignorance?” They replied, “We were always united and never scattered, and we never started doing wrong to others.” The Messenger of Allah said, “You are right.” Then the Messenger of Allah appointed Zayd ibn Hushain as their leader.

SARIYYAH

In the month of Ramadan the Messenger of Allah sent Companion ‘Ali at the head of an army to meet Banu Mudzahih (a tribe in Yemen). The Prophet put a turban on Companion ‘Ali with his own hand and said, “Go until you reach their place, then invite them to the kalimah Ia ilaha illallah (there is no god but Allah). When they are willing to say it, command them to pray, and do not command them other than that. Verily, Allah guides a man through you. That is better for you than the sun rising on him. Never fight them until they have first begun to fight.”

When the Companion ‘Ali and his troops arrived at their place, he invited them to embrace Islam, but they were defiant, unwilling, and they even shot arrows at the Muslims. Companion ‘Ali quickly organized his troops, and there was a battle between the two armies. Finally, ‘Ali defeated them and they fled, but ‘Ali let them run for some time. After that Companion ‘Ali pursued them. When he had caught up with them, he invited them to convert to Islam. Finally they complied and their leaders pledged allegiance to Islam. They said, “We are the representatives of those who are behind us, our people. This is all our property, please take some of it as Allah’s right (zakat).” Companion ‘Ali did so. After that he returned to the Messenger of Allah. It turned out that the Messenger of Allah was in Makkah at the time of the Farewell Hajj,’ and he met him there.

SENDING DEPUTIES TO THE COUNTRY OF YEMEN

Then the Messenger of Allah sent his deputies to the country of Yemen. He sent Companion Mu’adz ibnu Jabal to the mountainous region of Yemen from the direction of ‘Aden, and Companion Abu Musa al-Ash’ari to its lowlands. Then the Messenger of Allah said to both of them: Be easy on both of you, never make it difficult, and give a good impression, never cause antipathy. In particular he advised the Companion Mu’adz ibnu Jabal as news: Verily you will one day meet the people of the book, so when you have come to them, invite them to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Then, if they will obey your invitation, tell them that Allah has made obligatory upon them the zakaah, which is taken from the rich and given to the poor. And if they obey your call, be careful of their precious possessions. And fear the prayer of the wronged for surely the prayer of the wronged will not be rejected by Allah. Companion Mu’adz ibnu Jabal stayed in Yemen until the Prophet died, while Companion Abu Musa returned to the Prophet and met him on the Farewell Hajj”.

HAJI WADA’

In the tenth year of Hijri, the Prophet performed the Hajj with the Muslims. During this pilgrimage the Prophet bid farewell to all the Muslims. He had never performed Hajj other than at that time. Precisely on Saturday, the 5th of Zulkaedah, the Prophet departed from Madinah to perform the Farewell Hajj. He appointed the Companion Abu Dujanah alAnshari to be his caliph in Medina. At that time the Prophet was accompanied by a very large group so that the number of Muslims reached ninety thousand people. He entered ihram for Hajj from the moment he boarded his vehicle, then recited the talbiyah, as follows: I fulfill Your call, O Allah, I fulfill Your call, there is no partner for You, I fulfill Your call. Indeed, all praise and favor and kingdom are only for You, there is no partner for You.

The Messenger of Allah continued walking until he entered Makkah at dawn from the pass of ‘Ulya, which is the pass of the Horse’. When he saw the Ka’bah, he prayed:

O Allah, add glory, majesty, influence, and goodness to it. Then the Messenger of Allah circumambulated the Ka’bah seven times, kissed the Hajar Aswad and prayed two rak’ahs at the tomb of Ibrahim. After that he drank zamzam water, then did sa’i between Shafa and Marwa seven times while riding his vehicle. Whenever he climbed the hill of Shafa, he always said the following supplication:

There is no god but Allah. Allah is the Greatest, there is no god but Allah alone. He has fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, and defeated those who were allies alone. On the 8th of Dhu’l-Hijjah the Prophet departed for Mina and stayed there overnight.

KHUTHBATUL WADA’ (FAREWELL SPEECH)

On the 9th the Messenger of Allah departed for ‘Arafat. At ‘Arafat he delivered his glorious sermon. The content of his sermon this time contains the main and branches of Islamic teachings. The sermon reads as follows: Praise be to Allah, we praise Him, seek His help, ask His forgiveness, repent to Him, and seek refuge with Him from the evil of ourselves and the evil of our deeds. Whoever Allah guides, He will not lead him astray, and whoever He leads astray, He will not guide him. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone, with whom there is no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. O servants of Allah, I advise you to fear Allah, and I command you to obey Him, and I open this sermon with something better. ‘

Amma Ba’du: O people, listen to me carefully, I will explain to you because I do not know, perhaps I will not meet you again after this year in the same place. O people, indeed your blood and property are forbidden to you until you meet your Rabb, as forbidden as this day, month, and country of yours. Remember, have I not said it? O Allah, bear witness. Whoever has a trust with him, let him deliver it to those who are entitled to it. Verily the usury of the ignorant has been abolished, and verily the first usury that I abolished was that of my uncle, Al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib. Verily the blood of ignorance has been abolished, and the first blood that I abolished was that of ‘Amir ibn Rabi’ah ibn al-Harith. Indeed the traditions of ignorance have been abolished other than sidanah and sigayah. Killing intentionally is gishash, and killing like that intentionally is killing with sticks and stones, and the blood money is one hundred camels. Whoever adds to it, then ja is a jahiliah.

O people, indeed Satan has despaired of being worshipped in this land of yours, but he will be happy when obeyed in other things that you take for granted in your deeds. O mankind, verily rice”) is an addition to kufr. Thus the disbelievers went further astray: they made it lawful one year and forbidden another in order to match the number of months sanctified by Allah. Verily, the days revolve as they did when Allah created the heavens and the earth, and the number of months with Allah is twelve, mentioned in the Book of Allah since Allah created the heavens and the earth, of which four months are forbidden, three of which are consecutive and one of which is solitary: Zulkaedah, Zulhijjah, Muharram and Rajab, which lies between Jumada and Sha’ban. Remember, did I not say that? O Allah, bear witness.

O mankind, your wives have rights over you, but they have duties: they should not let anyone enter their rooms except you, they should not let anyone in whom you do not like except with your permission, and they should not commit fahisyah (adultery). If they do (any of these), then Allah permits you to confine them and make it difficult for them, then separate from them in their beds, then beat them with a blow that does not harm. If it turns out that they have ceased from their actions and they obey you, then you should provide them with sustenance and clothing in a reasonable manner. Indeed, your companions have nothing against themselves. You have taken them as a trust from Allah, and you have made their fornication lawful in the name of Allah. Fear Allah with regard to women, and advise them well. Remember, have I not said this? O Allah, bear witness.

O people, verily the believers are brothers; it is not lawful for any man to own his brother’s property except voluntarily. Remember, did I not convey it? O Allah, bear witness. Do not be of those who disbelieve after me, some of you striking the necks of others, for indeed I have left for you a thing which if you would practice it, you would not go astray, namely the Book of Allah (and the sunnah of His Messenger). Remember, did I not convey it? O Allah, bear witness.

O mankind, verily your Rabb is one and verily your forefathers are also one. You came from Adam and Adam came from the earth. The noblest among you is the most pious. There is no advantage for an Arab over a non-Arab except his piety. Remember, have I not said it? O Allah, bear witness. The witnesses among you should convey (this sermon) to those who are not present.

O people, verily Allah has distributed to each heir his share of inheritance. Wills are not allowed for the heirs, and the will should not be more than one-third (of the estate). The child is for his (mother’s) bed, and for the man who commits adultery is a stone (stoning). Whoever denies his father or makes him a ruler other than his own is subject to the curse of Allah, the angels and the people, and his good deeds and worship are not accepted.

Wassalamu ‘alaikum warahmatullah.

On that very day Allah bestowed upon the believers His bounty, in His words:

On this day I have perfected for you your religion, and I have completed for you My favor, and I have chosen Islam to be your religion. (Q.S. 5 Al-Maidah: 3)

It is not strange that the Muslims make this day their feast day full of happiness. On that day they express their gratitude to Allah for this great gift.

It should be noted that the Prophet performed the rituals of Hajj, starting with stoning the Jamaraat, slaughtering the sacrifice, shaving the head, and circumambulation. After staying in Makkah for ten days, he returned to Madinah. When he saw the city of Madinah, he said takbir three times, after which he prayed as follows:

There is no god but Allah, with whom there is no partner. To Him be all kingdoms and to Him be all praise, and He is all-powerful over all things. We return repentant, worshipful, and prostrate to our Lord and praise Him. Allah has fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, and defeated the allied groups alone.

THE ARRIVAL OF ENVOYS FROM VARIOUS TRIBES

In the tenth year of Hijri and the year before, messengers from various tribes came to the Messenger of Allah to pledge allegiance to Islam to him. They came in droves. Since the story of these messengers contains praiseworthy teachings and is very necessary to know, we will deliberately mention it in the following discussion.

THE MESSENGER FROM NAJRAN

The delegation of the Christians of Najran who went to the Messenger of Allah numbered sixty people. After arriving in Medina, they immediately entered the mosque. They wore robes and silk scarves stitched with gold thread. They brought tapestries in which there were images of statues and cloth made of fur. They deliberately brought them to present to the Prophet. The Prophet was only willing to accept the cloth made of fur and refused the gift of the tapestry. When their prayer time came, they prayed in the mosque facing the direction of Baitul-Magiis. After they had prayed, the Prophet invited them to convert to Islam, but they refused and said, “We were Muslims before you.” The Prophet replied, “There are three things that prevent you from converting to Islam: your worship of the cross, your eating pork, and your belief that God has a son.” Then they asked, “Who is the one who is like ‘Isa in creation?”” So at that time Allah swt. revealed His words: |

Verily, the example of ‘Isa in the sight of Allah is like that of Adam. Allah created Adam from the ground, then Allah said to him, “Be” (a human being) and he became. (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 59)

To reveal to them that they were still in doubt about what they believed, Allah revealed His words, namely:

Whoever disputes with you about the story of ‘Isa after knowledge has come to you, then say to him, “Let us call our children and your children, our wives and your wives, ourselves and yourselves, then let us contend with Allah, and let us ask that Allah’s curse may be upon those who lie. (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 61)

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) invited them to change their minds, but they refused and preferred to pay the jizyah, a thousand hullah in the month of Safar and another thousand hullah in the month of Rajab. For each hullah there was one auqiyah of gold. Then they said to the Messenger of Allah, “Send us someone trustworthy from among you.” The Messenger of Allah sent his Companion Abu ‘Ubaidah ‘Amir ibnul-Jarrah to do the job. So after this event Abu ‘Ubaidah was given the nickname as the trustworthy person of this ummah.

THE ARRIVAL OF DHAMAM IBNU TSA’LABAH

One day the Messenger of Allah was sitting with his companions. Suddenly a man from the village came forward. The man’s hair was matted and from his mouth came a sound, but it could not be understood. The man lowered the camel he was riding in front of the mosque, then he said, “Who among you is the son of ‘Abdul Muttalib?” The companions pointed him out. Then the man approached and said, “I will ask you many questions, so please do not be angry with me.”

The Prophet said, “Say what you want to ask.” The man asked, “By Allah I ask, is it Allah who has sent you to all mankind? The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, it is.” The man asked, “By Allah, I ask you whether Allah has commanded you to perform the five daily prayers.” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, it is true.” The man asked again, “By Allah I ask you if Allah has commanded you to take the wealth of our rich and give it to our poor” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, Allah, it is true.” Then the man asked again, “By Allah, I ask you, has Allah commanded you to observe a fast for one month of the year?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, Allah has.” The Prophet replied, “Yes, Allah, He has.” Then the man asked again, “By Allah, I ask you, has Allah commanded you that the Hajj should be performed by everyone who is able to travel until he reaches it?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, Allah, it is.” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Yes, Allah, it is.”

After that the man said, “Verily now I have believed and believe, I am Dhamam ibn Tsa’labah.” After the man left, the Messenger of Allah said, “How clever that man is.” Then the man returned to his people and invited them to convert to Islam and abandon idolatry. Eventually all his people converted to Islam.

THE MESSENGER OF ‘ABDUL QAIS

Another messenger who came to the Messenger of Allah was the delegation of ‘Abdul Qais. The story of their arrival begins when one day the Prophet and his companions were sitting around, then he said to them, “There will come before you from this direction a caravan. They consist of the best inhabitants of the eastern region. They have not entered Islam under compulsion. Their vehicles are tired and their provisions are all gone. O Allah, forgive ‘Abdul Qais.”

When the messengers of ‘Abdul Qais saw the Prophet, they immediately dismounted from their vehicle at the door of the mosque and greeted him. Among them was a man named ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Auf al-Asyaj. He was the youngest among them. He did not hurry like his companions, but first lowered his vehicle, then dismounted quietly. After that he took care of his luggage. Then he took out the two white garments he had brought with him and put them on. He came to the Messenger of Allah with a calm step until he greeted the Messenger of Allah. He was a neat and polite person. This was known by the Messenger of Allah when he saw his attitude and movements. Then ‘Abdullah said, “O Messenger of Allah, it is not appropriate to come before you this evening dressed like these people even though a person is only judged by two small members, namely his heart and his tongue.” The Messenger of Allah replied:

Verily, there are two adornments (morals) in you that Allah and His Messenger love, namely, generosity and calmness (not rushing). The Messenger of Allah welcomed them warmly and said, “Welcome to a people who will not be humiliated and will not regret.” They replied, “O Messenger of Allah, indeed we have come to you from a distant land,” and indeed between our land and yours there is a barrier, namely a tribe consisting of the disbelievers of Mudhar. We cannot reach you except in the month of haram (holy month), so give us a complete command.” The Prophet said, “I command you to believe in Allah. Do you not know what faith in Allah means? It is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah: to pray: to pay the zakat: to observe the fast in Ramadan, and you are to give one-fifth of the spoils. I forbid you to drink diba, hantam, nagir, and muzaffat.” What is meant by the whole is a container for making alcohol.

Al-Asyaj said, “O Messenger of Allah, our climate is very harsh. If we do not drink this drink, our stomachs will become swollen. Grant us mercy in such a case.” He said so while gesturing with his hand. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made a gesture with his hands and said to him, “O Asyaj, if I were to grant you mercy in such a case, you would also drink it in such a case (while opening his hands and spreading them out). So, when one of you gets drunk from the drink he has taken, ja will rise up towards his uncle’s son and cut his calf with a sword.” Indeed, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade them this in particular, given the wide variety of intoxicants among them.

EMISSARIES OF THE BANU HANIFAH

Among the emissaries of the Banu Hanifah was Musailamah alKadzdzab (Musailamah the Liar). Before that he had said, “If he (Prophet Muhammad) had given me his prophethood afterward, I would have followed him.” Then the Messenger of Allah met them. At that time the Messenger of Allah was with Qais ibn Shammas, while in his hand was a date palm frond. The Messenger of Allah stood before Musaylima, who was with his companions, and said: “If you ask me for this frond, I will not give it to you, but I will show you what I have seen in my dream.”

Before that, the Prophet had dreamt that he had two gold bracelets in his hand. This, of course, caused him trouble. Then Allah gave him the revelation to blow on the two gold bracelets. He blew on them and they flew away. This was interpreted by the Prophet as the existence of two liars who would come after him. It turned out that one of them was Musailamah, while the second person was Al-Aswad al-‘Anasiy of Shana”. At that time the people of Banu Hanifah converted to Islam.

MESSENGER OF THAYYI’

Another messenger who came to the Messenger of Allah was the Thayyi’. Among the delegation was Zaid al-Khail, their leader. About him the Prophet had said, “There is no Arab of whom I have spoken who is not below what is said about him, except Zaid al-Khail.” From then on the Prophet gave him the nickname Zaid alKhair (Zaid the Good).

THE MESSENGER FROM KINDAH

Among the messengers from Kindah, there was a man named Alsh’ats ibn Qais. He was highly respected and honored by his people. When they came to the Messenger of Allah, they were hiding something and asked him, “Guess what we are hiding for you”. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Glory be to Allah, it is only done by fortune-tellers, and the truth is that fortune-tellers and those who ask for fortune-telling will fall into hell.” Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Verily, Allah has sent me with the right, and He has sent down a Book from which no falsehood comes, either from before or behind.”

Then they said, “Then recite to us some of the Book.” So the Messenger of Allah recited his words:

For the sake of the group that makes rows in truth, and for the sake of the group that forbids in truth, and for the sake of the group that recites lessons. Verily your Lord is indeed One, Lord of the heavens and the earth and what lies between them, and Lord of the places where the sun rises. (Q.S. 37 AshShaffat: 1-5)

After that the Messenger of Allah was silent and calm, while his tears rolled down his cheeks. They asked, “We saw you weeping. Is it because you are afraid of the One who sent you that you are crying?” The Messenger of Allah replied, “I am crying out of fear of Him. He has sent me with a path that is as straight as the sharpness of a sword. If I deviate, I will surely perish.” Then he recited another saying of Allah, namely:

And indeed if We had willed, We would have obliterated what We have revealed to you, and with that obliteration you would not have found a defender against Us except by the mercy of your Rabb. Surely His bounty upon you is great. (Q.S. 17 Al-Isra: 86-87)

Then the Messenger of Allah asked, “Did you not enter Islam?” They replied, “Yes, of course,” the Prophet asked again “If that is so, then what is the meaning of the silk around your necks? Immediately they tore their silk scarves and threw them away.

MESSENGER FROM AZD SHANUAH

Another delegation that came to the Messenger of Allah was from Azd Shanuah, the leader of which was Shard ibn ‘Abdullah al-Azdi. They converted to Islam, and the Messenger of Allah appointed Shard ibn ‘Abdullah al-Azdi as the leader of his people. Then the Messenger of Allah ordered him to fight with his people who had converted to Islam against the polytheists who lived around them.

MESSENGERS FROM THE HIMYAR KINGS

The messengers who came from the kings of Himyar and brought messages from their kings were Al-Harith ibnu ‘Abdu Kulal, An-Nu’man, Mu’afir, and Hamdan. They had previously converted to Islam. Then they sent messengers to the Messenger of Allah to explain the matter. The Messenger of Allah sent a letter to them which reads as follows:

LETTER TO THE KING OF HIMYAR

In the name of Allah the Merciful, from Muhammad the Messenger of Allah to Al-Harith ibnu ‘Abdu Kulal and to An-Nu’man alias Dhu Ra’in, Mu’afir, and Hamdan. Amma ba’du: Verily, I begin this letter to you by praising Allah, there is no god but He. Amma ba’du: Verily there came to us your messenger when we had just returned from Rome, and we met him in Madinah. Then he conveyed your message that he had brought and news of what you had done before. The messenger informed us of your Islam and the war you waged against the polytheists. Verily Allah has guided you with His guidance. When you do good and obey Allah and His Messenger, then you establish prayer, pay zakaah, and give one-fifth of the spoils to Allah and His Messenger, and you also give what has been obliged upon the believers in the form of shadagah. Amma ba’du: Verily the Prophet Muhammad sent someone to Zar’ah ibn Dzi Yazin. When my messengers come to you, I advise you to be kind to him. They were Mu’adz ibn Jabal, ‘Abdullah ibn Zaid, Malik ibn ‘Ubadah, ‘Ugbah ibn Namir, Malik ibn Murrah and his companions. When they have collected the zakat that is due to you, and the jizya from the people of different religions, then convey it to my messengers, and their leader is Mu’adz ibn Jabal, so he should never return except willingly.

Amma ba’du: Verily Muhammad testifies that there is no god but Allah and that he is His servant and Messenger. Then Malik ibn Murrah ar-Rahawiy has told me that you were the first Himyarite to convert to Islam and that you fought the polytheists. So accept this good news: I appoint you as the leader of Himyar. Lead them well. Do not betray and do not insult one another for indeed the Messenger of Allah is the leader of the rich and the poor. Verily, zakaah is not lawful for Muhammad and not lawful for his family. Indeed, zakaah is a purification of wealth which is then given to the poor of the Muslims

and ibnus-sabil. Malik conveyed this news and left everything to Allah. I command you to be kind to him. May Allah’s welfare, mercy and blessings be upon you.

THE MESSENGER FROM HAMDAN

Among the messengers from Hamdan who came to the Messenger of Allah was Malik ibn Namath. He was a great poet. They met the Messenger of Allah when he was returning from Tabuk. They came wearing robes made in Yemen and turbaned cloth from ‘Aden. At that time Malik ibnu Namath praised the Messenger of Allah through his poetry, as follows: I swear by the name of the Lord of the female dancers who were heading to Mina, and were at the forefront of a procession coming down from the rock that the Messenger of Allah among us is believed, he is an apostle who came from the side of the One who has the ‘arsh, as a guide. What had been loaded on the camel of their vehicle was the thing that Muhammad was most hostile to.

Then the Messenger of Allah appointed him as the leader of his people who had converted to Islam. The Messenger of Allah had said about the Hamdan people, “The best of the tribes are the Hamdan. They are the quickest to help and the most patient in the face of hardship, and among them are Ibdal and Awtad.

MESSENGER FROM TAJIB

There were thirteen messengers who came to the Messenger of Allah from Tajib (the name of one of the tribes in the land of Kindah). They came with the zakaah of their wealth that Allah had enjoined upon them. The Messenger of Allah greeted them with great joy and respect. They said, “O Messenger of Allah, we have brought our property which is due to Allah (zakat).” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Take it all back, and give it to your poor!” They replied, “O Messenger of Allah, never have we come before you except with the excess of what our poor have received.” So Companion Abu Bakr said, “O Messenger of Allah, no messenger has ever come to you from among the Arabs like them.” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Verily, guidance is in the hand of Allah’s power. So whoever He wills to be good, He will certainly make his chest wide to believe.”

They then asked the Prophet to teach them Al Guran. This increased the Prophet’s interest in them. When they intended to return to their families, someone asked, “What is it that causes you to hasten to return?” They replied, “We are going back to meet those who are behind us, then we will tell them of our meeting with the Messenger of Allah and what he returned to us.” Then they came to the Messenger of Allah and immediately said goodbye to him. The Messenger of Allah gave them a gift that was better than what he had given to other messengers. Then the Prophet asked them, “Is there anyone among you who is still missing?” They replied, “There is still someone who is the youngest among us. We intentionally left him behind to take care of our vehicle.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Bring him here!” So they sent him to the Messenger of Allah. The young man then came forward and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I am one of the people who came to you yesterday. You have fulfilled their needs, so fulfill my needs.” The Messenger of Allah asked, “Then you have fulfilled my needs. The Messenger of Allah asked, “Then what is your need”” The young man said, “Ask Allah for forgiveness for me, and ask for His mercy for me, and ask Him that He may make my sufficiency be in my heart.” Then the Messenger of Allah prayed, “O Allah, forgive him, and grant him mercy, and make sufficiency be in his heart.” After that the Messenger of Allah ordered the Companions to give him gifts as they had given to his friends.

THE MESSENGER OF TSA’LABAH

The delegation of Tsa’labah consisted of four men who came to the Messenger of Allah and declared their Islam. When they came, they immediately greeted the Messenger of Allah and said, “O Messenger of Allah, indeed we are messengers from our people who are behind us. We have come to declare Islam, but we have heard that you have said that there is no Islam for one who has not experienced hjjrah.” The Prophet replied. “Wherever you are, then you fear Allah, that is enough for you.” Then the Prophet asked them, “What is the condition of your country?” They replied, “It is fertile and prosperous.” The Messenger of Allah said, “Praise be to Allah”. Then for a few days they were the guests of the Messenger of Allah. When they intended to leave, the Messenger of Allah gave each of them five augiyah of silver as a gift.

MESSENGER OF BANI SA’D IBNU HUDZAIM

One of the messengers who came from Banu Sa’d ibnu Hudzaim from Qudhaah was named An-Nu’man. He said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah with a group from my people as a delegation. At that time the Messenger of Allah had taken control of many lands and defeated the influence of the Arabs. The people at that time consisted of two groups, those who converted to Islam out of pleasure and those who converted out of fear of the sword. After arriving in Medina we camped in one corner of the city of Medina. Then we went out to the mosque until we reached its doorstep. At that time we found the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performing the funeral prayer in the mosque. So we stood in one corner of the mosque, straight behind him, but we did not join the prayer with them. We just waited quietly until the Messenger of Allah finished his prayer. At that time we would pledge allegiance to him.

“When the Messenger of Allah finished his prayer, he looked at us and called us. He asked, “Where are you from? We replied, ‘From the Banu Sa’d ibn Hudzaim.” The Messenger of Allah asked again, ‘Are you Muslims? We replied, ‘Yes.” The Messenger of Allah asked again, “Why do you not pray over the corpse of your brother?” We replied, “O Messenger of Allah, we suspect that it is not permissible except after we have pledged allegiance to you. The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Wherever you enter Islam, you are Muslims.”

An-Nu’man continued his story: ‘Then we entered Islam and pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah directly. After that we went to the place of our vehicle which was awaited by one of us who was the youngest in age. Suddenly a messenger from the Messenger of Allah came looking for us so that we would all come before him. When we reached the presence of the Messenger of Allah, the youngest among us declared his allegiance to the Messenger of Allah to convert to Islam. We said, “O Messenger of Allah, he is the youngest among us, and he is our servant.” Then the Messenger of Allah said,

The ruler of a people is its servant. May Allah bless him!

An-Nu’man relates that the young man eventually became the best among them and the most proficient in reciting the Quran. All this was thanks to the Prophet’s prayer for him. After that the Messenger of Allah gave gifts to all of them, then they left for their hometowns.

MESSENGER OF BANI FAZZARAH

This time the messenger who came to the Messenger of Allah was from Banu FazZarah. A group from among them came to the Messenger of Allah and declared themselves Muslim. At that time his people were afflicted with famine. They asked the Prophet to pray for the fertility of their country. A man of them said, “O Messenger of Allah, our country is afflicted with famine, our cattle are perishing, we are experiencing drought, and our children are stricken with hunger. So ask your Rabb to send rain upon our land. Intercede with your Rabb for us, and let your Rabb intercede with you for us.” The Messenger of Allah replied, “Subhanallah (Glory be to Allah), woe to you. Do I intercede for my Rabb? Who is it that He will intercede for? There is no god but He, the Most High, the Most Majestic; His seat encompasses the heavens and the earth; and His seat sounds because of His greatness and majesty, just as a new load sounds.” This means that the chair sounds because of the weight of the load. Then the Prophet climbed the pulpit and prayed to Allah swt. to ask for rain. The land of the messengers was immediately hit by a heavy rain that brought many blessings.

MESSENGER OF THE BANU ASAD

Among the delegates of Banu Asad were Dhirar ibnul-Azur and Thulaihah ibn ‘Abdullah who later recognized himself as a prophet. All the delegates declared their acceptance of Islam. Then they said, “O Messenger of Allah, we have walked in the darkness of the starry night with the intention of coming before you. But why did you not send a messenger to us?” At that very moment His words were revealed:

They feel that they have favored you with their Islam. Say, “Do not think that you have favored Me with your Islam. It is Allah who favors you by showing you the faith if you are the true ones. (Q.S. 49 Al-Hujurat: 17)

They asked the Prophet about the things that they used to do in the Age of Jahiliyyah, namely about doing ‘iyafah, kahanah, and fortune-telling using pebbles. The Messenger of Allah prevented them from doing these things. Then they asked the Prophet again about fortune-telling using sand. The Prophet said, “That was taught by a prophet, so whoever happens to have the knowledge of what he was taught is allowed and if it is the opposite, then it is not allowed.”

They stayed for a few days to learn the fard things. After that they said goodbye, but before that they were given a gift by the Messenger of Allah to soften their hearts.

MESSENGER OF THE BANU ‘UDZRAH

Those who came to the Messenger of Allah were delegates from Banu ‘Udzrah, from Banu Bala, from Banu Murrah, and from Khaulan. They were the tribes that inhabited the land of Yemen. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) commanded them to fulfill their promises and trusts and to treat their neighbors with kindness, and not to wrong anyone. Indeed, wrongdoing will be darkness on the Day of Judgment.

THE MESSENGER OF BANI MUHARIB

Originally the Banu Muharib were among those who rejected the Messenger of Allah in a bad way. At that time the Prophet was in the marketplace of ‘Ukazh in order to invite the tribes in that place to convert to Islam. How great was the bounty that Allah had bestowed upon them. Once they were bitter enemies, and now they are obedient Muslims.

MESSENGERS FROM GHASSAN.

The messengers who came to the Messenger of Allah were from Ghassan, from Banu “Ais, and from Banu Nakh’i. As usual, the Messenger of Allah welcomed all the messengers with a radiant face and noble manners, and he did not forget to give them pleasant gifts. The Prophet taught them about faith and Shari’ah with the intention that they would convey it to those who were behind them from their respective communities. With these messengers the religion of Islam grew more and more rapidly in the interior regions.

DEATH OF IBRAHIM IBNU MUHAMMAD RASULULLAH

In the tenth year of Hijri, the Prophet’s son, Ibrahim, died.

ELEVENTH YEAR OF HIJRI

SARIYYAH

On the 26th of Shafar the Messenger of Allah prepared an army led by Usamah ibnu Zaid to attack a village near Mu’tah known as Ibni, where Companion Zaid ibnu Harithah, the father of Companion Usamah, was killed. The Prophet said, “Set out until you reach the place where your father was killed, surprising them with your horsemen. I have appointed you commander of this army. Attack them in the morning and defeat them, and set out quickly so that you are ahead of the news. If Allah ordains you to win, then do not tarry long in their place. Use a signpost, give precedence to your spies while the troops are with you.” In Usamah’s army there were prominent companions from the Muhajirin and the Anshar. Among them were Companion Abu Bakr, Companion ‘Umar, Companion Abu ‘Ubaidah, and Companion Sa’d.

“After appointing Usamah as commander of the army, the Prophet said to him: “Fight in the name of Allah in the way of Allah, and fight those who disbelieve in Allah.” However, there was a group of companions who criticized Usamah’s appointment because he was a young man, only seventeen years old, while his command consisted of prominent Muhajirin companions. Then the news reached the Messenger of Allah, who came out very angry and said, “Amma ba’du: O people, what have some of you said about my appointment of Usamah? If you have made false accusations about my appointment of Usamah, then you have also made false accusations about my appointment of his father before him. By Allah, he was fit for leadership, and indeed his son after him was fit for it as well. Indeed he is among those whom I love the most. Both of them are truly good people. So I urge you to be kind to him. He is one of the chosen ones among you.”

This troop had not yet departed because at that time the Prophet’s illness became so serious that he was called by Him to RafigulA’la (death). Dear readers, Insha Allah, you will find out the rest of the journey of this army in our book entitled Siratul-Khulafa.

THE APOSTLE OF ALLAH, PEACE BE UPON HIM. SICK

After the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had completed all the tasks assigned to him and had fulfilled what was entrusted to him, had guided his people, then Allah swt. called him to His side. One day before he was called to His side, he sat on his pulpit and said, “Verily, there was a servant whom Allah told to choose between the glitter of this world and the reward that is with Him, and he chose what is with Him.” The Companion Abu Bakr immediately burst into tears and said, “O Messenger of Allah, we compare you to our grandfathers and fathers.” The Messenger of Allah said: Verily, the person whom I trust most in terms of friendship and property is Abu Bakr. Had I taken a lover, I would have taken Abu Bakr (as a lover), but (remembering) the brotherhood of Islam. There is no gap (seat) in the mosque that is not closed except the gap of Abu Bakr.

The Messenger of Allah began to fall seriously ill at the end of the month of Safar in the eleventh year of Hijri in the house of Siti Maimunah, one of his wives. The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was sick for thirteen days. During that time he moved from one house to another among his wives. When his illness became serious he asked the other wives for permission to be admitted to the house of Siti ‘Aisha bint Abu Bakr, and they gave him permission. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) began to stay at Siti ‘Aisha’s house, his sickness worsened, so he said, “Pour me seven gourds of water that are still cool because I am going to see what the people are doing outside.” So his wives sat him down on a bench and poured the water over him. When he had enough, he signaled with his hand for them to stop. The water was meant to lower the body temperature caused by fever. His body heat could be felt by those who held him.

ABU BAKAR LEADING THE PRAYER

When the Messenger of Allah could not come out of the house to lead the prayer, he said, “Order Abu Bakr to pray with the people.” The Messenger of Allah was willing for Abu Bakr to be his successor while he was still alive. When the Ansar saw that the Prophet’s illness was getting worse, they gathered around the mosque. Companion Al-Abbas entered the Prophet’s house and informed the Companions of his concern. So the Messenger of Allah came out flanked by Companion ‘Ali and Companion Al-Fadhl, while Companion Al-Abbas walked in front of him. At that time the Prophet’s head was bandaged and he walked with a weak step until he sat on the first step of the pulpit. Then the people scrambled towards the Messenger of Allah. The Messenger of Allah praised Allah and honored Him, then said, “O people, I have heard that you are worried about the death of your prophet. Was there before me a prophet sent by Allah who could live forever, then he could live forever among you? Remember, indeed I will be called to His side, and indeed you will follow me. So I advise you to be kind to the first Muhajirin, and I advise the Muhajirin to be kind to each other. Indeed Allah swt. has said:

By the time, indeed, mankind is truly in loss except those who believe and do righteous deeds and exhort to obey the truth and exhort to patience. (Q.S. 103 Al-Ashr: 1-3)

All things are possible with the permission of Allah swt. So do not let the delay of a matter make you rush to do it, because Allah swt. will not hasten a matter because of someone’s haste. Whoever challenges Allah, He will defeat him, and whoever deceives Allah, He will deceive him. ,

So would you, if you were in power, make mischief on earth and break up families? (Q.8. 47 Muhammad: 22)

I advise you to be kind to the Ansar because they were the ones who had settled in Madinah and had believed before your arrival. Did they not give up half of their fruits for you? And have they not cleared their houses for you to live in? Remember, whoever is given the authority to decide a case between two men, let him accept the good man (innocent) and let him forgive the bad man (guilty). Remember, you should never bear grudges. Remember that I am the one who will precede you, and you will follow me. Remember, the place where you will meet me is at Al-Haudh (the pool of Kautsar). Remember, whoever wishes to meet me in the future should refrain from using his hands and tongue except in those things that are obligatory for him.”

When the Muslims were performing the dawn prayer on Monday the 13th of Rabiulawal and the Imam was Companion Abu Bakr, suddenly the Messenger of Allah (saw) opened the curtain of Siti ‘Aisha’s room, then looked at those who were praying in their respective rows. Seeing their situation, the Messenger of Allah smiled. So Companion Abu Bakr retreated to continue his prayer with the front row because he thought that the Messenger of Allah had come out to pray. This almost caused the Muslims to be slandered in prayer because they were happy to see the Messenger of Allah, but apparently the Messenger of Allah signaled with his hand that they should continue praying with Companion Abu Bakr. After that he went back to his room and closed the curtains again.

THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH PBUH. DEAD

Not yet at dawn that day, the Prophet was called to His side and left this mortal world. It happened on Monday the 13th of Rabiulawal year 11 Hijri, coinciding with June 8 year 633 AD. Thus the Prophet’s age was 63 years and 3 days based on the calculation of the gamariyah year, or 81 years and 84 days based on the calculation of the shamsiyah year.

At that time the Companion Abu Bakr was at As-Sanh, the campsite of Banil-Harith ibn al-Khazraj, having his wife Habibah bint Kharijah ibn Yazid. Then the Companion ‘Umar drew his sword and said, “Verily he was only sent to meet Him as Moses was sent to meet Him until he left his people for forty days. By Allah, I will sever the hands and feet of those who say that he has died.”

When the Companion of Abu Bakr heard this news, he immediately came and entered the house of Siti ‘Aisha. The Companion of Abu Bakr took off the cloth covering the face of the Messenger of Allah’s body, then he bent down and kissed it while crying and saying the words, “By the One in whose hand my soul is, he has passed away, may the blessings of Allah be upon you, O Messenger of Allah, how fragrant you were, both during life and after death. By my father and mother, Allah will not make you die twice.”

After that Abu Bakr came out, then made a speech by first praising and extolling Him, “Remember, whoever worships Muhammad, indeed he has died, and whoever worships Allah, indeed Allah is alive and will not die.” Then Companion Abu Bakr recited His words:

Indeed you will die and indeed they will die. (Q.S. 39 Az-Zumar: 30)

Muhammad is nothing but a messenger; indeed, several messengers have gone before him. Will you turn back if he dies or is killed? Whoever turns back, then he cannot harm Allah in the least, and Allah will reward the grateful. (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 144)

Then Companion ‘Umar said, “It is as if I had never read these verses at all.

The body of the Prophet stayed in his house from that day until the evening of the following Wednesday until the Muslims finished electing their caliphs to govern the Muslims. The person who bathed the body of the Messenger of Allah was Companion ‘Ali ibn Abu Talib assisted by Companion Al-Abbas and his two sons Al-Fadhl and Qatsm, and Usamah Ibn Zaid and Shagran, a former slave of the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet’s body was shrouded with three layers of cloth, without a robe and turban. After they finished taking care of his body, then the body was placed on the hall in his own house. Then people began to come in succession to pray for him, and no one led the funeral prayer. After that, a grave was dug in the room of Siti ‘Aisha, where the Messenger of Allah died. The people who put the body into the grave were Companions ‘Ali and Companion Al ‘Abbas with his two sons, Al-Fadhl and Qatsm. After that Companion Bilal poured water over the grave of the Messenger of Allah. The grave of the Messenger of Allah was raised an inch from the ground.

The Messenger of Allah died leaving something for the Muslims. If they had followed him, there would have been nothing to harm them, namely the Book of Allah from which no falsehood has come, either from before or behind, sent down from God, the Wise, the Praiseworthy. He also left behind his devoted and noble companions as the champions of Islam to complete the opening of the unconverted countries and to spread the sunlight of Islam throughout the world so that Allah would complete His word and fulfill His promise. It turns out that Allah swt. has fulfilled it.

We ask Allah to enable us to thank Him for this great blessing, the religion of Islam.

THE CHARACTER OF THE APOSTLE OF ALLAH, PEACE BE UPON HIM.

Allah swt. has bestowed upon our Prophet all the perfections of this world and the Hereafter that have never been bestowed upon anyone before or after him. It is imperative for us to mention in this chapter a glimpse of the good qualities of the Messenger of Allah and his noble morals. This is intended to be used as an example by the dear reader so that whoever follows in his footsteps will be entitled to praise in this world and reward in the Hereafter.

It should be noted, in the hope that Allah will guide me and the reader, and that He will guide us to the straight path, that there are two types of excellent behavior in mankind: 1. It is innate from birth because it is an absolute necessity for human life. 2. Being kasbi again religious, namely behavior that the culprit is praiseworthy, and this can be used as an act of takarrub to Allah SWT. As for behavior that is innate, what is meant is that there is no choice and no effort for the person concerned in connection with its existence. That is like the inheritance found in the Messenger of Allah in the form of a perfect form, beautiful appearance, strength of thought, correct understanding, fluent speech, strong senses and limbs, balanced movements, honorable descent, noble people and residence. Also included in this category are things that are the basic necessities of life such as food, sleep, clothing, shelter, property, and position.

As for the things that are kasbi again ukhrawi, they are all in the form of noble morals and ethics such as strong religion, having knowledge, compassion, patience, gratitude, justice, zuhud and modesty, forgiveness, maintaining honor, generous, brave, shy, self-worth, quiet, calm in all matters, graceful, compassionate, good in socializing, and other things that are included in good morals. If you look, may Allah preserve you, at the perfect traits that are not inherent in the nature of things, you will find all the good aspects of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

As for his appearance, his handsomeness, and the harmony of his beautiful form, it has been mentioned by many sahih and well-known atsar. It is mentioned that the skin color of the Messenger of Allah was reddish-white, the black part of his eyeballs was quite large, his eyes were wide but beautiful, the white color of his eyes was mixed with reddish color, his eyelashes were thick, his face always looked radiant and radiant, his eyebrows were thin but elongated, his nose was pointed, his face was round, his forehead was wide, and his beard was bushy, curly and not too long. His belly was flat (not distended), his chest was broad, his shoulders were well-built, his bones were large, his arms and chest were strong, his palms were broad and so were his feet, and his fingers were long but adequate, his chest was hairy, and his height was medium, neither too tall nor too short. Nevertheless, whoever walked with him, who was considered a tall person, the Prophet looked taller. He always combed his hair. When he laughed, his face lit up like a flash of lightning and like raindrops. When he spoke, it looked as if light was coming out of his serrated teeth. The shape of his neck was best, neither too fat nor too thin, his body was stocky and not fat. Al-Barra ibnu ‘Azib narrated: I have never seen a man who had black sideburns dyed red more beautiful than that of the Messenger of Allah. The Companion Abu Hurairah r.a. has also narrated: I have never seen a face more beautiful than the face of the Messenger of Allah, as if it were the sun shining on it, and when he laughs, his face appears to be sparkling. In a hadith narrated by Ibn Abu Halah it is stated: The face of the Messenger of Allah always looked as radiant as the moon on the fifteenth. Companion ‘Ali r.a. said at the end of his sentence when he described the Messenger of Allah: Whoever catches a glimpse of him will fear him, and whoever gets to know him will love him. The one who describes his form will say, I have never seen anyone who resembles the Messenger of Allah, either before seeing him or afterward. As for the cleanliness of his body, the fragrance of his body, his sweat, his purity from dirt, and his neatness in covering the body, it is a gift of Allah that is specifically given to him and is not found in other people. Then this is also perfected by cleanliness in Shariah. The Prophet said: Religion is based on cleanliness. The Companion Anas ibn Malik once said: I have never smelled perfume nor musk nor any other fragrance more fragrant than the body odor of the Messenger of Allah. Companion Jabir related that one day the Messenger of Allah wiped his cheeks. Then Jabir said, “The feeling of his hand when touching my cheek was so cool and fragrant, as if the hand had just been removed from the perfume place.” Another narration added that whether his hand had touched perfume before or not, his hand still smelled good. A person who shakes his hand, his hand will remain fragrant for the whole day. For example, if he puts the palm of his hand on the head of a child, the child will know that the smell is from shaking hands with the Messenger of Allah. Imam Bukhari narrated in his book of tarikh through the Companion Jabir r.a.:

Never has the Prophet passed through a street, then his mark was followed by a person, he did not know that the Messenger of Allah had just passed through that street because of his fragrant smell. In terms of the intelligence of his mind, the keen eye of his heart, the strength of his senses, the eloquence of his tongue, the balance of all his movements, and the goodness of his appearance, there is no doubt that he was the most intelligent and the most clever person. Whoever notices his management of the inner and outer affairs of the creatures, and his wisdom in managing the public, and his amazing appearance and movements, especially when coupled with the knowledge he possesses and the Sharīʿah rulings he has made without having studied, practiced, or read books, then the first impression that comes to him is no doubt about the brilliance of his mind and the sharpness of his vision in all matters.

When the Prophet prayed, he could see the person behind him just as he could see the person in front of him. Based on this understanding, one mufassir interpreted His words in this way:

And (also see) the change of your body movements among those who prostrate themselves. (Q.S. 26 Ash-Shu’ara: 219)

Siti ‘Aisha r.a. related that the Messenger of Allah could see in the dark as he could in the light. She once calculated that the number of stars of Tsurayya was eleven. Many traditions narrate that the Messenger of Allah one day invited Rukanah to Islam. Rukanah was the strongest person at that time. However, Rukanah refused unless the Prophet could defeat him in a wrestle. Eventually he was able to bring him down.

The Companion Abu Hurairah r.a. in one of his traditions relates: I have never seen anyone faster than the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny), as if the earth were folding in on itself for him.

Indeed, we were very hard to keep up with him in walking, while he did not pay any attention at all.

With regard to the nature of the Messenger of Allah, it has been mentioned that his laughter was only a smile: when he turned away, his body also turned away, and when he walked, his steps were firm. As for the eloquence of the tongue and the literature of his speech he occupied the foremost place. The style of the Prophet’s language in his conversations was easy to digest, skillful in making terms, concise, eloquent, elegant, precise meaning and not contrived. He was endowed with sentences that had a global meaning and had the distinction of being skillful in making wise words and having knowledge that covered all Arabic dialects.

He used to speak to every tribe according to their dialect and rival their literature, and spoke in the language that was popular among them, so that many companions asked him about the meaning and interpretation of his speech, not just once or twice. Whoever reflects on his speech and pursues it will surely know and be able to prove this. The Prophet’s conversation with the Quraysh was not like his conversation with the tribes of Hadhramaut, the kings of Yemen, and the rulers of Najed. He always spoke to each tribe according to what was considered good among them in terms of words and literature. Thus the Prophet could explain to them what had been revealed to them so that he could speak to them according to what was customary among them.

As for his daily speech, the eloquence of his easy-to-understand language and the globality of his speech have been collected in books, and their phrases and meanings have been preserved in them. Among them are talks that are rarely matched in terms of eloquence and literature such as his words:

The blood of the Muslims is equal, the lowest of them can provide security, they are like one hand to those other than them. The Prophet’s words: People are like the teeth of a comb.

A person (in the hereafter) will be with whom he loves.

You should not be friends with someone who does not see you as you see him.

People are like things of metal.

He who knows his own weight will not perish.

A counselor is one who is trusted.

May Allah have mercy on a servant who speaks well and receives good, or is silent and receives safety.

Enter Islam, and you will be saved: and enter Islam, and Allah will reward you doubly.

Verily, the people whom I love the most and the closest to me among you on the Day of Resurrection will be those among you who have the best manners and are the most humble, those who love others and are loved by others.

So that he may say what he has no business saying or be stingy with what he has enough of.

The two-faced person will not be able to face Allah on the Day of Judgment.

This is also what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in connection with his prohibition of gil and gal, asking a lot of questions, being fond of wasting wealth, and his prohibition of hat (give), harming mothers, and burying daughters alive.

The Prophet said:

Fear Allah wherever you are: Balance bad deeds with good deeds, and the good deeds will erase the bad deeds, and associate with people with good manners. And the best of things is the most temperate.

Love your lover moderately, perhaps he will one day become someone you hate. The act of wrongdoing (will be) thick darkness on the Day of Judgment (later).

The Prophet said in one of his prayers:

O Allah, I ask You for the mercy that guides my heart, that gathers my affairs, that tidies up my mess, that corrects my desires, that cleanses my deeds, that inspires me to the path of guidance, that restores my love, and that keeps me from all evil deeds. O Allah, verily I ask You for good fortune in Your gadha, the position of martyrs, a happy life, and victory over Your enemies(s).

There are many other things that are narrated by scholars without exception in the form of lectures, sermons, prayers, letters, and agreements that he had made. All of them unanimously conclude that the Prophet in this regard occupies an incomparable place and is an indescribable predecessor to his greatness.

One day the Companions said to the Prophet. “We have never seen anyone more eloquent than you.” The Prophet replied, “Nothing can prevent me because the Qur’an was revealed in my language, the clear language of Arah.” In another narration it is added, “It is just that I am from the tribe of Quraysh and I grew up among the Banu Sa’d.” Thus, the Bedouin’s linguistic talents and the elegance of his style were gathered in him. This

This was accompanied by the brilliance of the words of the urban people and the beauty of their language style. It is reinforced by divine support through His revelation which cannot be overwhelmed by human knowledge.

As for the greatness of the Prophet’s lineage (descent) and the honor of the country where he grew up, there is no need for proof because it is clear and undoubted. The Prophet came from the descendants of Bani Hashim, one of the groups of the Quraysh tribe, and was even its core. The Prophet’s father and mother were from the most honorable and most glorified group of Arabs, and his birthplace was the city of Makkah which Allah swt. sanctified for His servants. A detailed explanation has been given at the beginning of this book, so we will not repeat it.

As for the things that are necessities of life, the Prophet’s attitude in this regard was that some things are better when they are few and some things are better when they are many, and some things depend on circumstances. Regarding the first type, which is something that is considered to be good when it is little, it concerns eating and sleeping.

The Arabs and other wise men of old considered it praiseworthy to abstain from these two things, and reprehensible to abstain from them. Eating and drinking too much reflects that the person is greedy, covetous, savage, and always indulges in lustful desires, which can cause harm in this world and the hereafter, inviting many diseases in the body, turbidity in the soul, and blockage of thought. Sparing oneself in these matters is a reflection that the person is accepting of what is, can control himself, and can suppress his lusts. Then this will bring health, clarity of heart, and sharpness of thought. Similarly, sleeping too much is a mirror that shows that the person is lazy, weak, unintelligent, and unintelligent. Of course, sleeping too much can cause laziness, weakness, wasting life on things that are not useful, can cause the heart to become hard, forgetful, and dead.

In this regard the Prophet said in one of the traditions:

There is no vessel filled by the son of Adam (man) that is worse than his own stomach. It is enough for the son of Adam to take a few mouthfuls of food to strengthen his bones. If there is no other option for him, then one third of his stomach is for his food, and another third for his drink, and another third for his breath.

Moreover, much sleep is caused by eating and drinking too much. Siti ‘Aisha r.a. narrated that the Prophet’s stomach was never full due to overeating. Whenever he was in the house of his wives, he never asked them for food, nor did he express his desire to eat. When they gave him food, he ate it: when they did not give him food, he remained silent; and when they gave him drink, he drank. In an authentic hadith it is mentioned that the Prophet said:

As for me, I have never eaten while leaning.

The meaning of the word al-ittika (leaning) in the above Hadīth is to sit in a position that gives the freedom to eat a lot, such as cross-legged and similar ways of sitting. Sitting in this position can encourage eating a lot, and in fact the sitting that the Prophet did while eating was sitting in a position that did not allow eating a lot. The Prophet said:

Verily, I am but a servant; I eat as a servant eats.

Similarly, the Prophet slept very little. In this regard he has also said:

Verily my eyes sleep, but my heart does not sleep. As for things that are considered excellent when they are many, an example is position. Position is a praiseworthy thing among people of understanding, as is the custom. It is determined by the degree of honor and majesty of a person in the hearts of many people. In connection with this Allah swt. said about the nature of the Prophet ‘Isa a.s., namely :

A man of honor in this world and in the Hereafter. (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 45)

The Prophet has been endowed with the trait of being respected, admired by the hearts of the people, and revered. This has been integrated into his personality since the Age of Jahiliyyah and beyond. His people disbelieved and hurt his companions and secretly intended to harm him. When they aimed to do so and came face to face with him, the situation became the opposite, and they were reluctant towards him and were willing to give him what he needed, as we have mentioned before.

A person who has never known him when he sees him for the first time will immediately tremble and get nervous at the sight of him, as in a hadith narrated by Qublah. It is mentioned in the hadith that when QGublah first saw the Prophet he became nervous and trembled and the Prophet said to him:

Poor you, calm down.

In the hadith narrated by the Companion Abu Mas’ud it is mentioned that there was a man when he confronted the Messenger of Allah for some purpose, suddenly his body trembled with fear. Then the Prophet said to him:

Calm down, for I am not a king. As for the great degree due to prophethood, the noble position due to apostleship, and the high rank due to being a chosen and honored creature in this world, it reaches the peak of its perfection, while in the hereafter he is the ruler of mankind.

Things whose value varies according to the situation and conditions, in the sense that they can be used as subjects of praise and pride and virtue, for example, property. Owners of material possessions are respected by the common people because they believe that these possessions can lead the owner to achieve his needs and goals. If this is not the case, then it is not a virtue. If the property is like this, then the owner spends it for his own benefit and the benefit of those who are his goals and desires, then he spends it in the right place with the aim of gaining honor and good praise and a place in the heart. This means that the property is a virtue for the owner according to the people of the world. If the owner of the property spends it for benevolent purposes and he directs it to the path of goodness with the aim of seeking Allah’s pleasure and reward in the Hereafter, then the property is a virtue for the owner in all conditions and situations according to the overall judgment.

If the owner of property holds on to it tightly without spending it on the right things because he is eager to accumulate it, then having a lot of property is tantamount to having no property at all, and is a disgrace and a reproach to the owner because he does not use it for his own safety, rather he uses it as a means to plunge himself into the abyss of stinginess and contemptible wonder.

Material possessions are not an end but a means to achieve other things and to invest them in the right way, according to their function. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) was given all the treasures of the earth and the keys to the lands: all the spoils of war were given to him, and during his lifetime the lands of Hijaz, Yemen, and all the regions of the Arabian Peninsula as well as the adjacent lands of Sham and Iraq were opened to him, and the khums, Jizyah, and zakat of these lands were given to him by most of the kings of the Arabian Peninsula. However, he never used anything for his own personal use, nor did he ever hold a single dirham that he did not spend on the proper things, and spent it on others and on strengthening the Muslims. The Prophet said:

I would not be happy if I had as much gold as Mount Uhud, and a dinar of it stayed by my side, which I did not spend for the benefit of my religion. One day the Prophet received so many dinars that his heart felt uneasy, so he quickly distributed them and left a little, the little remaining he immediately distributed to his wives, after which he said: “Now I feel at ease”.

When the Prophet died, his armor was still in a state of pledge to provide for his dependents. In terms of sustenance, clothing, and shelter, he always limited himself to the essential needs only. He always avoided anything more than that. He always dressed as he was. Most of his clothing consisted of simple woven cloth and coarse furs. He distributed silk cloths embroidered with gold thread to those who were present in his presence, and sent them to those who were absent among the companions. As the reader has witnessed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) acquired the virtue of his possessions by sparing them and giving them to those who deserved them.

As for the kasbi dispositions of praiseworthy morals and noble ethics, they all fall under the category of good manners. They all existed in the Prophet in such a perfect and stable form that Allah Himself praised him in His words:

And you are indeed of great character. (Q.S. 68 Al-Galam: 4)

Siti ‘Aisha r.a. has narrated in one of the traditions:

The character of the Messenger of Allah is the Quran: he is pleased for the sake of the Quran, and he is angry for the sake of the Quran.

The Prophet said in one of the traditions:

I was sent to perfect good manners. Companion Anas r.a. in a tradition narrated by him said:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the best of men.

For the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), all of these noble ethics were like those found in his brothers the prophets. They had been created with this noble disposition, then it took root in them, and successive touches from Allah made the light of knowledge shine more and more brightly in their hearts. After that they were able to achieve their goal and attain prophetic status in practicing these noble character traits without limit and practice. These praiseworthy character traits and beautiful dispositions are numerous, but we will mention only the main points and hint at the segments to express the all-encompassing attributes of the Messenger of Allah (S) as discussed below.

The main branch, the source element, and the point of the circle is the intellect. From the intellect comes knowledge, and from the intellect and knowledge comes sharpness of vision, brilliant intelligence, accuracy in thinking, correct guesses, being able to see the consequences of things and self-benefit. This knowledge can also encourage its owner’s ability to fight against his lusts, have good habits and arrangements, and always seek virtue and avoid lowliness. In this case the Prophet has reached the peak of perfection that has never been achieved by other humans. This can be known by those who want to trace the history of his life, the traditions he spoke, his good morals, and all his amazing actions. It can also be known through the wisdom contained in his traditions, his knowledge of the contents of the Torah, the Gospel, and the books revealed by Allah, which can be known through his knowledge of the wisdom spoken by wise men, his knowledge of the journeys of previous nations and the events that have been experienced by them. It can be known through the similes he has presented, his wisdom in governing mankind, the Shari’ah decrees he has decided, and through his great morals and praiseworthy traits, in addition to the various branches of science that use the words of the Prophet as an example and proof for those who pursue them. These branches of knowledge are the science of medicine, the science of hysab, the science of faraidh (inheritance), the science of nasab (descent), and others, all of which the Prophet was able to master without going through the process of education, without studying, without reading the books of the previous people, and also without associating with their scholars. He was an ummi prophet and did not know anything about these things, but Allah swt. expanded his chest and explained these things to him and taught them to him.

All of the Prophet’s knowledge, which came from his own intellect, was supported by what Allah swt. taught him and what was shown to him, in the form of knowledge about what will happen and what has happened, and about the wonders of Allah’s power and the greatness of His kingdom. In this regard Allah swt. has said:

And He has taught you what you did not know. And Allah’s bounty is great upon you. (Q.S. 4 An-Nisa: 113)

As for the traits of mercy, self-control, forgiveness, ability and patience in the face of all things that are not liked, including ethics taught by Allah to His Prophet. In this regard, Allah swt. has said:

Be thou forgiving, and urge people to do what is right, and turn away from those who are foolish (Q.S. 7 Al-A’raf: 199).

Then the Prophet asked the angel Gabriel a.s. about the interpretation of the above verse. The angel Gabriel a.s. replied: O Muhammad, Allah has commanded you to connect your ties of kinship with those who sever them from you, and to give to those who do not give to you, and to forgive those who have wronged you. Allah swt. says:

And be patient with what befalls you. Surely that is one of the things that Allah requires (Q.S. 81 Lugman: 17).

It also says in another verse:

And let them forgive and bear with patience. Do you not want Allah to forgive you? And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Q.5. 24 An-Nur: 22)

 But those who are patient and forgiving are indeed among the best of things. (Q.S. 42 Ash-Shura: 43).

There are many hadith-reports about the Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) that reveal this trait in its most perfect form. There is no one who possesses the trait of mercy who has never committed an oversight or mistake. Whereas our Prophet, in spite of receiving a lot of hurtful treatment, only increased his patience, and in dealing with people who were ignorant of his situation, he was very merciful. Siti ‘Aisha r.a. in one of the traditions narrated by her has said:

Never once was the Messenger of Allah told to choose between two things, while he did not choose the easiest of the two as long as it was not a sinful thing, so if it turned out to be a sinful act, he was the one who avoided it the most. And he has never retaliated for himself, except when the prohibition of Allah is violated, at that time he retaliates for the sake of Allah.

When the polytheists struck a heavy blow against the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud, and the Prophet was asked to supplicate to Allah for their destruction, the following was said in his supplication:

O Allah, guide my people, for they do not know the truth.

To serve as evidence, it is sufficient in this case what the polytheists of Quraysh had done. They hurt and insulted him and drove him and his companions out of their homeland, then they fought against him and even encouraged people other than them from the Arab polytheists to fight against him, so that an allied group of polytheists was formed. However, after Allah swt. bestowed upon him the opening of the city of Makkah, the attitude taken was nothing more than forgiveness and mercy. He said to those who had been conquered, “What do you think, what shall I do with yourselves?” They replied, “It is well because you are a noble brother and the son of our noble brother.” The Messenger of Allah only said to them:

Go, now you are free men.

Companion Anas r.a. relates that one day he was with the Prophet and was wearing a shawl made of coarse cloth. Then came a Bedouin who pulled his shawl so roughly that it made red marks on his neck. Then the Bedouin man said, “O Muhammad, give me some of the treasure of Allah that you have so that I can put it on these two camels of mine. For you have given me neither from your own wealth nor from the wealth of your parents.” The Prophet paused for a moment and then said, “This wealth belongs to Allah and I am His servant.” Then he said, “You will be rewarded according to what you have done to me.” The Bedouin man replied, “No way.” The Prophet asked, “Why not?” The Bedouin man said, “Because you will not repay evil for evil.” The Messenger of Allah laughed after hearing the Bedouin’s answer, then he ordered that one of the Bedouin’s camels be loaded with wheat, and his other camel be loaded with dates.

Among the traits that the Prophet had were courage and helpfulness. Siti ‘Aisha r.a. recounted, “I have never seen the Messenger of Allah retaliate against those who wronged him as long as it was not a violation of anything that Allah had forbidden. He never struck anyone with his hand except in jihad in the cause of Allah. He has not beaten his servant nor has he beaten his wife.” Finally, Allah swt. poured His blessings on him and made his heart happy because his attitude was followed by the Muslims.

As for the Prophet’s generosity, kindness, and tolerance, he is a prime example of noble character. There is no one who can match him. This is expressed by people who have seen firsthand and know him well. Companion Jabir r.a. relates in one of the traditions he narrated:

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was never asked for anything, so he replied,

“No.”

Companion Ibn ‘Abbas r.a. has also narrated:

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the most generous person in terms of good deeds, and he was even more generous during the month of Ramadan.

When the angel Gabriel met him, he was more generous than the breeze.

Siti Khadijah r.a. narrated about the Prophet’s character when she said to him, “You are a person who likes to bear the burden of suffering (of others) and likes to strive for the sake of those who do not have.”

It would suffice as evidence in this regard what the Prophet had done with the Hawazin, namely the return of their captives. What he had done when dividing the ghanimah, when he gave a large share to those whose hearts were softened to Islam. We have discussed this in detail. One day ninety thousand pieces of coins were presented to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), so he immediately distributed them and he only left after they had all been distributed. The man asked him for something. He replied, “I have nothing to give you, but don’t worry, I consider this as my debt to you. Later, when I get something, I will pay you. “Companion ‘Umar r.a. said, “O Messenger of Allah, Allah does not impose on you things that are beyond your ability.” This displeased the Messenger of Allah, but suddenly a man from among the Ansar companions said, “O Messenger of Allah, give alms, and do not be afraid of being deprived by the One who controls the ‘arash (Allah).” The Prophet’s face lit up, and he said, “This is what I have been commanded to do.”

There are many reports of his generosity and magnanimity. We will suffice this with the above discussion as evidence so that it is known.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had been in very difficult circumstances during the war. At that time all the strong men and warriors often ran away from the Messenger of Allah. However, the Prophet remained steadfast in the face of the enemy and did not run away and did not waver from his position in various battles. No one is said to be brave who was never beaten back and never fled except the Messenger of Allah. It is sufficient to prove what the Prophet did in the Battle of Hunain and the Battle of Uhud as we have explained earlier. In this regard, Companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar r.a. narrated, “I have never seen anyone more courageous, more helpful, and more willing than the Messenger of Allah.” Companion ‘Ali r.a. also narrated, “Indeed, when the situation was critical in a battle and the atmosphere of battle was raging violently, we took refuge behind the Messenger of Allah. At that time none of the Muslims was closer to the enemy than the Messenger of Allah. I have witnessed in the Battle of Badr, we all took refuge behind the Messenger of Allah. He was the closest to the enemy among us, and at that time he was the greatest in battle.” Companion Anas in this case relates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the bravest, kindest, and most generous person. One day the people of Medina were troubled. At that time it was night. Everyone set out in the direction of the source of the roaring sound, carrying their weapons. However, they met the Messenger of Allah who had just returned from the source of the sound. It turned out that he had preceded them. At that time the Messenger of Allah was riding Abu Talhah’s horse which was bareback, while his sword was hanging on the horse’s neck. Then the Messenger of Allah calmed them by saying, “You need not be afraid, there is nothing.”

Regarding shyness and lowering the eyes, the Messenger of Allah was the most shy and lowered the eyes of the aurat. The Companion Abu Sa’id alKhudri in this regard has related, “The Messenger of Allah was more shy than a chaste girl. Whenever he disliked something, we could tell by the expression on his face, and he was a gentle and kind person. She has never shown anyone the things she dislikes because of the nobility of her soul and out of shyness.”

Siti ‘Aisha r.a. relates that the Messenger of Allah, when he heard news about someone he disliked, did not say why so-and-so was doing such-and-such. Rather, he would ask what it was that so-and-so had done or said that had emboldened him to do or say that. At that time he did not mention the specific culprit but used a comprehensive expression with the intention of prohibiting it.

Siti ‘Aisha r.a. also recounted that the Messenger of Allah never spoke badly and never bad-mouthed others. He never made noise in the markets through which he passed, and never repaid a bad deed with another bad deed. He was forgiving and forgave those who had wronged him.

Regarding his kindness in socializing and his good manners and noble behavior with various kinds of people, many authentic traditions are mentioned. In this regard, the Companion ‘Ali r.a. narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was the most open-minded, the most honest in his speech, the most gentle in his manner, and the most noble in his manners. The Prophet was the one who could make people get along and not make them feel antipathy towards him. He honored every noble person among his people, then he appointed him as the leader of his people. The Prophet warned people and was vigilant towards them without discrediting any of them about their bad deeds and morals. He always checked on his companions and always gave each of his seatmates his rightful share so that no one from his seat felt that there was someone more honored than him among the people sitting with him, or among his relatives who came for a need that he deliberately withheld so that the person would go away from him. Whoever asks him for a need has not been refused. He either got what he needed or he only got good advice. The spaciousness of his chest and his character made the Prophet himself a place of complaint for all people so that he became like their father and they had the same rights and treatment at his side. Hence, Ibn Abu Halah described his nature as one who was always happy, easy to get along with and gentle, not loud, not rude, not rowdy, not bad, not reproachful, and not praising much. He always forgets undesirable things, but people never feel hopeless towards him. In relation to the Prophet’s character. Allah swt. says: –

It is by the grace of Allah that you have been gentle with them. If you had been harsh and harsh-hearted, they would have distanced themselves from you. So forgive them, ask forgiveness for them, and consult with them in the matter. (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 159)

Repel (the evil) in a better way, then suddenly the one between whom you and he had enmity seems to have become a faithful friend. Q.S. 41 Fushshilat: 34

It has been mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (saws) always met those who invited him and always accepted gifts even in the form of a goat’s leg, then he immediately returned the gift. It has also been mentioned that he loved to joke with his companions, mingle with them and talk with them, and loved to play with their children and sit their children on his lap. He would always accept invitations from free men, male slaves, female slaves, and the poor. He always visited his sick friends even if their homes were far from the city limits of Madinah, and he always accepted people’s excuses that were presented to him.

Companion Anas ibn Malik r.a. relates that no one ever presented his reason before the Messenger of Allah to get permission from him, then the Messenger of Allah turned his face away, except after the person turned his face away first. No one ever shook hands with the Messenger of Allah and then let go of his hand before the other person let go of his hand. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his progeny) always started greeting people who met him first. Whenever he met his companions, he always extended his hand first to shake hands with them.

It is also said that he never stretched out his legs among his companions so that someone felt constricted by it. The Prophet always honored those who visited him, and sometimes he would spread out the clothes or pillow he was sitting on, then invited the guest to sit on it even if the guest refused. He always called his companions by their preferred nicknames out of respect for them, and he never interrupted anyone’s conversation before he had finished: only then did he answer him, either by prohibition or by command. It is also said that the Prophet was the one who smiled the most and was the most kind except when he was receiving the revelation of the Qur’an or giving advice or preaching.

His compassion, mercy and merciful nature towards all creatures is described by Allah swt. through His words:

He feels your suffering, he desires (faith and salvation) for you, he is very merciful and compassionate towards the believers. (Q.S. 9 At-Taubah: 128)

And I have not sent you except to be a mercy to the universe. (Q.S. 21 Al-Anbiya: 107)

In a hadith it is narrated that one day a Bedouin man came to ask for something from the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet gave him what he asked for, then he said, “Have I done you any good?” The Bedouin man replied, “No, and you have done nothing good to me.” At that time the Companions were angry with the Bedouin man, so they got up to beat the insolent Bedouin man, but the Messenger of Allah signaled them to calm down. Then the Messenger of Allah got up and entered the house, then added his gift to the Bedouin man. Then the Prophet said to him, “Have I done good to you?” The Bedouin man replied, “Yes, may Allah swt. reward your gift to your own people with a good reward.” At that time the Prophet said, “Indeed you have said the words you have said earlier, and there is something in my companions because of your behavior. If you like, say in front of them what you have said in front of me now so that what is stuck in their hearts against you disappears.” The Bedouin man replied, “All right, I will say it.” When on the next day or in the afternoon of that very day the Bedouin man came, the Messenger of Allah said, : “Indeed this Bedouin man has said what he said earlier, then we gave him more, and ja suspects that he has been pleased with the gift. Is this not so?” The Bedouin man replied, “Yes, may Allah swt. reward you for giving to your own people with a good reward.” The Prophet explained to his companions, “The example between me and him is like a man who owns a camel, then the camel runs away uncontrollably. People chased the camel, but the camel became even worse. The man or the owner of the camel called out to them, let him catch the camel because he had more compassion for it than they did, and he knew more about it than they did. Then the man set out and came to the camel, and he immediately caught it from where it had escaped, and he was able to return it to its original place. After that he came and bowed his camel, then tied the saddle to its back, then mounted it immediately. Verily, if I had left you alone while the Bedouin man was saying what he had said, then you had killed him out of emotion, the Bedouin man would have gone to Hell.” The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) then said, “I do not want any of you to convey any news about my companions, for I wish to meet you while my chest is full.”

Once, while the Messenger of Allah was praying and leading the prayer, he heard a child crying. He immediately accelerated his prayer because he felt sorry for the child because his mother was praying with him. Companion ‘Abdullah ibnu Mas’ud said that the Prophet always interspersed his advice to them with other things for fear that they would get bored if it was done continuously.

In connection with the Prophet’s character, especially in terms of fulfilling promises, in making promises, and his penchant for friendship, there is a tradition narrated by ‘Abdullah ibn Abul Khamsa who said that he had promised to make a sale transaction with the Prophet before he was appointed as an apostle. After this had taken place he found that he still owed the Prophet money, so he promised to bring it to the place where he had promised to pay it off. However, it turned out that he had forgotten. After three days he remembered his promise to the Prophet, so he went to the place. He found the Prophet at the place where he had promised. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his progeny) said: “Young man, you have made me tired of waiting for you. I have been in this place since three days ago waiting for your arrival.”

Whenever the Prophet received a gift, he said, “Take the gift to the house of so-and-so because he was a good friend of Khadija, and she loved him.” The Messenger of Allah always connected with all his relatives indiscriminately and without favoritism.

One day messengers came to the Messenger of Allah. He rose to address them, then the Companions said, “Let us address them.” The Prophet replied, “The messengers were very respectful to my companions, so I intend to return the favor.” Khadijah r.a. said, “Cheer up, by Allah, He will never fail you; you are a person who loves to establish friendship, to bear burdens, to help the poor, to honor guests, and to help those who are afflicted.”

As for the Prophet’s modesty, despite his very high position and rank, he was the most humble person and almost never arrogant. It is sufficient to prove that one day he was told to choose between being a prophet again a king, or a prophet but an ordinary servant. At that time the Prophet chose to be a prophet again an ordinary servant. One day the Prophet went out to meet his companions. At that time he walked while leaning on a stick. When the Companions saw him coming, they stood up in honor of him. At that moment the Prophet said to them, “Do not stand as the ‘Ajam stand in honor of their neighbors: Then he continued, “Verily I am but a servant of Allah. I eat as a servant of Allah eats, and I sit as a servant of Allah sits.”

When riding his vehicle, the Prophet often had someone riding behind him. He liked to visit the poor and mingle with them, or fulfill the invitation of a slave. He always sat around, mixing with his companions, wherever there was a place, there he sat with his companions.

The Prophet said, “Do not flatter me as the Christians flatter the son of Maryam (Prophet ‘Isa). Verily I am but a servant. Call me a servant of Allah and His Messenger.” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) performed the Hajj with only four dirhams worth of provisions, and a very simple saddle. Then he prayed, “O Ailah, make this a true Hajj, not for vanity and not for pride.” Yet when he performed Hajj, a hundred camels were given to him, and many lands were opened to him.

When the city of Makkah was opened (conquered), then he entered the city of Makkah with the Muslim army, he lowered his head on the vehicle so that his head almost touched the front of the saddle. This is what he did because he humbled himself to Allah. The Companion Abu Hurairah r.a. has narrated a hadith: “I entered the market with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and bought some pants and said to the seller: “Measure them and give more.” Abu Hurairah further narrated, “The seller caught the hand of the Messenger of Allah and kissed it, but the Messenger of Allah withdrew his hand saying, ‘This is the custom of the ‘Ajam people towards their kings. I am not a king. I am just a man among you. Then the Messenger of Allah took the pants that he had bought. I wanted to bring them to him, but he said, ‘The one who has something has more right to bring it.”

Regarding justice, trustworthiness, maintaining honor and truthfulness in speech, the Prophet was the most truthful person from the beginning. This was recognized by his enemies and even by those who opposed him. Before he became a prophet, he was called Al-Amin (The Trustworthy One). We have explained this in detail in the discussion of his life before prophethood.

In a hadith it is mentioned that the hand of the Prophet had never touched the hand of another woman whose freedom he did not have.

Abul ‘Abbas al-Mubarrad said that Kisra (the king of Persia) divided his days into several parts: a day with a strong wind he used to sleep, a cloudy day he used to hunt, a rainy day he used to play and drink, and a bright sunny day he used for necessities. However, our Prophet divided his daytime into three parts, one part for Allah, one part for his family, and another part for himself. Then the Prophet divided the time for himself to deal with people.

The Prophet always asked special people to convey his message to the common people. To that end he said, “Convey by you that which is needed by those who could not come to me because indeed whoever conveys it to those who are unable to attend, Allah will take care of him on the Day of Resurrection.” The Messenger of Allah (saws) never punished anyone for the wrongs or sins committed by others, nor did he believe anyone who spoke ill of others in his presence.

In terms of elegance, majesty, poise, dignity, and good guidance, he was known to be the most revered person in his assemblies so that they were always calm and solemn. When he sat, the position he took was always in ihtiba so that most of his sitting positions were in ihtiba.

The Prophet was a man of silence. He never spoke without an important need, and never responded to people who spoke poorly. His words were firm, straightforward, and never rambled. The Companions would laugh when they saw him smiling because they respected him and followed in his footsteps. The assembly where the Prophet sat was an assembly full of courtesy, shyness, kindness and trustworthiness. In the assembly of the Prophet there was never a high-pitched voice and never things that were forbidden were said. Whenever the Prophet was speaking, his companions sat with their heads down to listen to him, as if there were birds on their heads.

Ibn Abu Halah said that the Prophet’s silence was due to four things: patience, vigilance, respect, and thought. Siti ‘Aisha r.a. said that whenever the Messenger of Allah spoke, if someone were to count it, he would be able to count it. The Messenger of Allah was a person who liked to wear good perfume, and he often wore it and encouraged people to wear it.

Among the things that show the Prophet’s dignity is that he prevented people from blowing on food and drink, ordered people to eat the food that was in front of him, and ordered people to always take a toothbrush and clean the crevices of the fingers and toes, both outside and inside.

We have already mentioned his abstinence from worldly matters in detail in the previous discussion. What is sufficient evidence to show the Prophet’s abstinence from worldly matters and his turning away from worldly glitter is that when he died, his armor was in a state of pawn to a Jew in order to provide for his family. Whereas many ghanimah flowed to him and many lands were opened. The Prophet always prayed:

O Allah, make the sustenance of Muhammad’s family in the form of basic food.

Siti ‘Aisha r.a. recounted that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) never experienced satiety from eating bread for three consecutive days until he died. ‘Ā’ishah r.a. also recounted that the Messenger of Allah, when he died, did not leave behind any dinars, or dirhams, or goats, or camels. It turned out that in his house there was nothing that could be eaten by living beings, except for a piece of dry bread stored in his cupboard.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “I was once offered that the land of Makkah be made for me full of gold. I said, “O Lord, do not make it so. I want one day to be hungry and another day to be full. As for the day when I feel hungry, I will use it to humble myself and pray to You. As for the day when I feel full, I will use it to praise and honor You.”

Then Siti ‘Aisha r.a. recounted, “We, the family of Muhammad, did not light a fire even once for one month. Our only food was dates and water. “Companion Anas ibn Malik r.a. also relates that the Messenger of Allah never ate on a tabsi or large plate, never ate bread with soup, and never ate roasted mutton.

In a hadith narrated by Siti ‘Aisha r.a. it is stated, “The mattress on which the Messenger of Allah slept in his house was made of thick fur cloth. We folded it into two folds, then the Messenger of Allah slept on it. One night we folded it into four folds, and the next day he asked, “What have you done to my sleeping mat?” We explained to him what we had done. Then he said, ‘Return the bed to its original position (doubled) for surely its softness makes me forget my Sunnah prayers.”

Siti ‘Aisha r.a. also recounted, “The Messenger of Allah’s stomach was never full because of overeating, and he never complained to anyone because he was hungry. Poverty was more beloved to him than wealth. Even if he remained hungry all night, it could not prevent him from observing fast the next day. Had he wished, he could have asked his Lord for all the treasures of the earth, its fruits, and all the luxuries of life found on the face of the earth. Indeed I had wept for him out of compassion when I saw his situation. As I stroked his empty stomach, I said to him. “Myself ihi became your ransom. Why don’t you look for worldly provisions to feed yourself with?” The Prophet replied. At that time the Messenger of Allah (S) replied, ‘O ‘Ā’ishah, I have nothing to do with worldly matters, while my brothers the messengers who are included in Ulul-‘Azmi remain patient in the face of things that are more severe than this. Nevertheless, they continued to fulfill their message under such circumstances until they went to their Lord, then He honored their place of return and gave them a great reward. I feel so ashamed of them when I live in such luxurious circumstances that I fear I will be below them in the future. There is nothing I love more than following my brothers and lovers.” Siti ‘Aisha r.a. further narrated that this incident occurred one month before her death. May His peace and blessings be upon him.”

His fear and obedience to Allah swt. and his persistence in worship, in accordance with the level of his knowledge. Hence, the Prophet said, “If you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much. I can see things that you cannot see, or I can hear things that you cannot hear. The heavens have spoken out of objection, and indeed they have the right to speak out because there is no place, let alone four fingers, where an angel has not placed his forehead in prostration to Allah swt. By Allah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh a little and cry a lot. You would not be able to have fun with your wives on your beds, and you would go out to high places and ask Allah for help. Indeed, I wish that I were a tree that is uprooted.

The Prophet used to pray so much that the soles of his feet were swollen. Then someone asked him, “Why do you force this upon yourself when Allah has forgiven your previous and future sins?” At that time the Prophet replied:

Am I not a grateful servant?

Siti ‘Aisha r.a. also recounted, “The Prophet’s acts of worship are continuous. Who among you can do what he has done?” ‘Ā’ishah r.a. also narrated, “The Messenger of Allah used to fast so much that we said he never broke his fast, and he used to break his fast so much that we said he never fasted.”

‘Auf ibn Malik narrated, “One night we were with the Messenger of Allah. Then he took a tooth-stick and performed ablution. Then he stood up to pray. We also stood up and prayed with him. In his prayer, the Messenger of Allah began with the recitation of surah Al-Bagarah. He never passed the verse of mercy without stopping and praying, and never passed the verse of ‘Adhab without stopping and asking Allah for protection. Then the Messenger of Allah bowed and remained in his bowing as long as when he stood up. Then he prayed:

Glory be to the One Who possesses might, great dominion, greatness and majesty.

After that the Prophet prostrated and said the same supplication as when he was bowing. Then he recited surah ‘Ali Imran and other surahs in the next rak’ah, and he did the same as he had done in the first rak’ah.”

One of the Companions said: “I came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) who was praying at that time. From his stomach came a sound like water boiling in a pot.”

Abu Halah narrated in connection with the attributes of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that he was a man of constant distress and always thought without rest. Companion ‘Ali r.a. relates, “I asked the Messenger of Allah about his sunnah (habit) He replied:

Makrifah is my capital, reason is the staple of my religion, love is my base, longing is my vehicle, dhikrullah (remembrance of Allah) is my entertainment, confidence is my store, hardship is my friend, knowledge is my weapon, patience is my clothing, pleasure is my reward, inadequacy is my pride, zuhud (shunning worldliness) is my occupation, belief is my strength, cheeseJuran is my view, obedience is my sufficiency, jihad is my morality, my pleasure is in prayer, and the fruit of my heart is during dhikr of Him, and my distress is for the sake of my people, and my longing is only for my Rabb. May Allah reward His Prophet with a good reward from his people, may Allah have mercy on a servant who will pay attention to these noble morals and beautiful traits, then he sticks to them and follows the footsteps of the Messenger of Allah so that he will have his intercession on the Day of Resurrection and earn His favor. O Allah, we ask You to guide us to this good deed as a blessing from Your bounty and mercy, O Most Gracious of the Gracious.

MIRACLES OF THE APOSTLE OF ALLAH, PEACE BE UPON HIM

If one is willing to pay attention to the discussion that we have presented earlier, namely in connection with the life journey of this noble Messenger, his praiseworthy traces, the excellence of his knowledge, the brilliance of his

all the perfections of his humanity, all his manners, behavior, and the truthfulness of his speech, there will be no doubt about the validity of his prophethood and the truthfulness of his preaching. This has been sufficiently testified to by a person of unquestionable Islam and faith like ‘Abdullah ibn Sallam. He narrated: “When the Prophet came to Madinah, I came to him to see the true situation. When I saw his face, it became clear to me that it was not the face of a liar.”

Imam Muslim also narrated that when Dhamad came to the Prophet as a messenger from his people, the Prophet said:

Verily, all praise is due to Allah. We praise and seek help from Him. Whoever Allah guides, no one can lead him astray.

And whoever He leads astray, no one can guide him. I have testified that there is no god but Allah alone, that there is no partner for Him, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.

At that very moment Dhamad said to him, “Repeat to me again what you have said. Indeed those words have reached a very wide vocabulary. Give me your hand, I will pledge allegiance to you.”

When it reached the ears of the king of ‘Amman that the Messenger of Allah had called him to Islam, he said, “By Allah, indeed this ummi Prophet has guided me. Never does he command a good thing unless he is the first to emulate it. Never did he forbid something unless he was the first to avoid it. He always wins, but is not arrogant. When he wins he is not rowdy. He is always faithful to his promises and always carries out what he has promised. I testify that he is a prophet.”

Ibn Rawwahah in one of his poems says:

Had there been no clear signs in the Prophet (peace be upon him), his appearance would have impressed you as authoritative.

Moreover, Allah swt. has revealed through his hands various kinds of miracles as justification for his prophethood. The miracles that emanated from him were innumerable. This makes him the prophet with the most miracles and the clearest evidence. In this article, God willing, we will highlight the miracles of the Messenger of Allah that can make the reader’s heart satisfied and increase confidence. These miracles have been narrated by most of the Companions and have been recognized by the scholars of hadith. Here we begin by presenting the most famous and well-established miracle, which is the miracle of the Quran.

It should be noted that the Book of Allah contains quite a number of miracles. These can be summarized into four categories as explained below:

First: The Qur’an has a good method, its sentences form a harmonious blend, and the eloquence of its language and the conciseness of its imagery and its literature are completely different from the customs prevailing among the Arabs. As they were men of great skill and eloquence, they possessed a skill in paraphrasing and stringing together words of wisdom that no other nation possessed. They were endowed with a verbal eloquence that no one else possessed, and the sharpness of their speeches could captivate the hearts of their listeners. This has been made by Allah swt. in them as an inherent and natural disposition.

It was instinctively formed in them and had a very strong influence on them. They can easily create amazing expressions, and they use them in every need. They can make speeches instinctively in various congregations and critical situations. They can announce their skill in poetry when they are at war. Through this skill they can discredit someone, ask for intercession, elevate or demean someone, thus they are able to come up with very mesmerizing phrases whose effect is like magic.

Their phrases are more beautiful than a string of pearls, and the heart can be enchanted by them, all obstacles and difficulties can be eased, and all calamities and trials can be removed. Through their skill in literature, they can make the brave cowardly, the cowardly brave, the flawed seem perfect, and the famous not famous. Some of them were brought up among the Bedouins (villages) who were characterized by extensive vocabulary, emphatic sentences, graceful language style, brilliant talent and strong inclination in this field. Some of them were raised in the hadhar (urban) environment, which is characterized by their literary prowess, their brilliant phrasing and generalized sentences, their easy-to-digest expressions, and their ability to string together words that are not forced, but are very beautiful and soft to hear.

In both spheres, in terms of literature, they have a firm argument and the power to refute it, and a very dominant influence in refuting the opponent’s argument and mobilizing potential. There is no doubt that the science of speech is subject to their influence and paralanguage has become their talent. They have managed to encompass all its types, master all its sources, enter all its doors, and they can master its towers to achieve its goals. They can express all great and small events just as they are skilled in expressing ugly things. They are also good at strings of words in little or much as they are good at strings of words in poetry and ordinary speech, but they do not fear anything other than the Messenger of Allah with the Book of Allah which contains no falsehood, neither before nor behind it, and it was sent down by the Wise, the Praiseworthy. Its verses are neatly arranged, its sentences are very clear, its literature amazes all minds, and its eloquence surpasses all that has been said. The conciseness of its language and its miraculousness have been integrated in it, and its essence and majesty stand out in it. Its beginnings are rare in beauty, and its globality and beauty encompass all clarity. Its density is matched by the beauty of its sentence structure, and its choice of phrases is matched by its many benefits.

In fact, they (the Arabs) have very extensive knowledge in this regard, they are very well known for being experts in preaching and their repertoire of poetry and rhymes is very extensive. They were very good at stringing words together. Nevertheless, the Quran is far superior to them. It spoke and refuted them at all times and reminded them for over twenty years as His words make clear:

Or (should) they say, “Muhammad made it up.” Say, “If it is true what you say then bring forth a letter like it and call upon whom you can call upon (to make it) besides Allah if you are true people. (Q.S. 10 Yunus: 38)

And if you (remain) in doubt about the Quran which We revealed to Our servant (Muhammad), then produce a letter (only) like it and call upon your helpers besides Allah if you are the true ones. (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 23)

Say, “Verily, if men and jinn were gathered together to make anything like this Quran, they could not make anything like it, though some of them were helpers to others.” (Q.5. 17 AlIsra: 88).

Say, “(Then) bring ten surahs made up to equal it.” (Q.S. 11 Hud: 13)

The Qur’ān still reminds them with a stern warning, reproaching them with a stern reproach, making fools of their wise men, degrading their clever men, destroying their order, denouncing their gods and ancestors, and forfeiting their lands and houses and possessions. Yet in all this they were powerless to challenge him and unable to come up with anything like him. Finally, they deceived themselves through confusion, lies, and boasting to compensate for their inability, by saying the following: “The Qur’an is nothing but fabricated magic. The Qur’an is continuous magic and a fabricated lie and the fables of the ancients.” They are willing in their humility as revealed by His words:

Our hearts are under a covering (that covers) what you call us to, and in our ears are plugs, and between us and you is a wall. (Q.S. 41 Fushshilat: 65)

Allah swt. has said that narrates their words:

Listen not earnestly to this Quran and make a noise about it. (Q.S. 41 Fushshilat: 28)

They are only claiming, when in reality they are completely unable to match it as has been narrated in His words:

Had we liked, we would have been able to say something similar to it (Al-Guran). (Q.5. 8 Al-Anfal: 31)

Then Allah swt. refutes their words through His words:

 You will not be able to do so. (Q.5. 2 Al-Bagarah: 24)

They can do nothing and will not be able to. The foolish one among them who dares to do so exposes himself to everyone just as Musailamah al-Kadzdzab did.

Allah swt. has deprived them of their habitual eloquence. Had this not been the case, the experts among them would not have considered the Qur’an as a type of their eloquence and not their literature. They would even run away from it, but in fact they would come to it in a state of submission when they think of the following words of Allah swt:

And in the gishash there is life for you. (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 179)

And (how great) if you see when they (the disbelievers) are seized with fear (on the Day of Resurrection). They will not be able to escape and they will be seized from a close place (to be taken to Hell). (Q.S. 34 Saba: 51)

Repel (the evil) in a better way, then suddenly the one between whom you and he had enmity seems to have become a very faithful friend. (Q.S. 41 Fushshilat: 34)

And it was said, “O earth, swallow up your water, and O heavens (rain) cease,” and the water was stilled, the command was accomplished, and the ark was anchored on the hill of Judi, and it was said, “Perish the wrongdoers.” (Q.S. 11 Hud: 44).

So We punished each one of them for his sins, so among them We rained pebbles upon him, and among them a loud thunderous sound, and among them We sank them into the earth, and among them We drowned them. Allah did not intend to wrong them, but they wronged themselves. (Q.5. 29 Al-Ankabut: 40)

Other similar verses, even most of the Qur’an, will undoubtedly be able to prove what we have explained earlier, namely regarding the conciseness of the Qur’an’s words, the density of its meaning, the beauty of its expression, and the beauty of the arrangement of letters and their harmony. In fact, every word of the Qur’ān contains an understanding that is long enough to lead to various disciplines that have now filled books as a summary of what it contains.

The Qur’ān’s presentation of long stories about the people of the past, which eloquent people would not have been able to do, is evidence for those who pay attention to it, namely the relationship between one number of sentences and another number of sentences, the cohesiveness of its presentation, and the clarity of its aspects, such as the long story of the Prophet Joseph. Then when the story is repeated, it turns out that the expressions used are different and the harmony of the expressions is so mesmerizing. A person’s soul will not get bored even if it is repeated and will not feel antipathy towards it: in fact it attracts him even more.

Second: The miracle of the Qur’ān concerns its marvelous description of its structure, its strange uslububub, which is different from the usual uslububub of the Arabic language, and different from the nizham and natsar prevailing among them. All that is presented in the Qur’ān is different, and neither before nor after has anything similar been found, nor has anyone been able to create anything similar to it. In fact, the Qur’ān left them bewildered and their abilities weakened in its presence. They could not find a way to make anything like it from their own words. Such a thing as the Qur’ān they did not find in their natsar, nizham and rhymes. Whether the miracle of the Qur’ān is in terms of its brevity of expression, its poetry, or its strange expressions, they are unable to do so because each of them is beyond their ability and different from their eloquence.

Third: One of the miracles of the Qur’an is that it contains news about the unseen and things that have not yet happened, and then the events happen exactly as they have been reported in it, as stated in His words:

You will surely enter the Sacred Mosque, God willing, in safety. (Q.S. 48 Al-Fath: 27)

With regard to the Romans Allah says:

And after they are defeated, they will be victorious in a few years. (Q.5. 30 Ar-Rum: 3-4)

For His victory over all religions. (Q.S. 9 At-Taubah: 33)

And Allah has promised to those who believe among you and do righteous deeds that He will indeed make them rulers on earth as He made those before them rulers, and indeed He will establish for them the religion which He has purposed for them, and He will indeed change them after they were in fear, into security. (Q.S. 24 An-Nur: 55)

When the help of Allah and the victory come, and you see people entering the religion of Allah in droves. (Q.S. 110 An-Nashr: 1-2)

It turned out that everything the Qur’ān had preached came true. The Roman Empire finally defeated the Persian Empire, people converted to Islam in droves, and the rule of the Muslims expanded, so that at one time their rule reached Andalusia (Spain) in the west, to the borders of India in the east, to Anatolia (Asia Minor) in the north, and to the last borders of Sudan in the south. Allah swt. says in His word:

Verily, it is We who have sent down the Qur’an, and verily, We have preserved it. (Q.5. 15 Al-Hijr: 9)

It turned out, al-hamdulillah, to be just as He had announced until now. Allah swt. also says in another verse:

That group (of disbelievers) will surely be defeated and they will retreat backwards. (Q.S. 54 Al-Gamar: 45)

Then the event did happen as reported by the Qur’an, namely in the Battle of Badr. The above verse was revealed in Makkah. In another verse Allah swt. says:

Fight them, and Allah will torment them with your hands. (Q.S. 9 At-Taubah: 14)

It happened exactly as Allah swt. had announced in His Book. The reader can find this out through the history of the life of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. In it, the secret of the hypocrites and the Jews and the falsehood of their words in their oaths are mentioned, as He said:

And they say to themselves, “Why does Allah not torment us for what we say?” (Q.S. 58 Al-Mujadilah: 8).

They conceal in their hearts what they do not reveal to you (Q.S. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 154).

The Jews, they change words from their places. They say, “We hear,” but we do not obey. And (they also say), “Hear” may you not be able to hear anything. And (they say) “Raina,” twisting their tongues and denouncing religion. (Q.S. 4 An-Nisa: 46)

There are many other verses that tell us about them.

Fourth: One of the miracles of the Quran is that it contains the stories of the previous nations and their laws. One of these stories would not have been known except by the truly brilliant priests of the Book, who have been devoted to this subject all their lives. This can be stated by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in accordance with what happened in the past. The people of the book who knew this story in truth immediately confirmed what he had said, because they already knew that the Prophet was an ummi, could not read and could not write, and had never studied in a madrasa or sat in an assembly of knowledge. This is a fact that is not denied by the people of the Book. None of them denied this. Many times the people of the Book asked the Prophet about these stories. So the Qur’an was revealed to the Messenger of Allah, who recited to them as a warning, such as the stories of the prophets, the stories of events, and what had been mentioned in the previous books. It turned out that none of their scholars dared to deny what had been told by the Messenger of Allah because everything was true. The Prophet was able to distinguish between what was true and what had been altered from their books after the Qur’an he recited had first warned and reproached them as He said:

Say, “(If you say that there were forbidden foods before the Torah was revealed), then bring the Torah and recite it if you are the true ones.” (Q.5. 3 Ali ‘Imran: 93)

Among the evidences that show that the people of the Book knew the truth of what the Prophet had said was the challenge from Allah to them through His words:

Say, “If you (consider that) the Hereafter (Paradise) is exclusively for you in the sight of Allah, and not for others, then seek death (for yourselves) if you are righteous. (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 94)

Then in another verse Allah swt. ensures about their unwillingness to die, namely through His words:

And they will not covet death forever for the wrongs that their hands have done. (Q.S. 2 Al-Bagarah: 95)

Apparently it is unheard of for any of them to wish for it (death) even if it is only through the mouth without being carried out. Nevertheless, they were the ones who most fiercely denied the Messenger of Allah. An example of this is what the people of Najran did when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) asked them to do mubahalah and they refused. We have already mentioned this in the discussion of the messenger of Najran.

Among the things that show that the Quran is not the word of man is the fear that creeps into the hearts of the listeners and the influence that overcomes them when the Quran is recited. This is because the power of the Quran and its graceful authority make it difficult for them to listen to it and the more it is recited, the more their antipathy towards it increases. Hence, it is true what the Prophet said, namely:

Verily, the Quran is difficult and troublesome for those who hate it: The Quran is the law.

For the believer, the majesty and influence of the Quran when he reads it actually increases his pleasure and trust in it, as revealed by His words:

The skins of those who fear their Lord tremble with it, then their skins and hearts become calm at the remembrance of Allah. (Q.S. 39 Az-Zumar: 23).

In another verse Allah swt. says:

If We had sent down this Quran on a mountain, you would have seen it bowed down and divided for fear of Allah. (Q.S. 59 Al-Hasyr: 21)

Among the miraculous aspects of the Quran is that it is a sign (miracle) that is eternal and will not disappear as long as the world exists. In addition, Allah swt, has guaranteed the preservation of its integrity as revealed through His words:

Verily, it is We who have sent down the Quran, and verily, We have preserved it. (Q.S. 15 Al-Hijr: 9)

In another verse Allah swt. has also said:

What does not come to it (the Quran) is falsehood, neither from the front nor from the back. (Q.S. 41 Fushshilat: 42)

None of the miracles of the other prophets have been left behind, only their news, but the miracle of the Qur’an is still there. It is a proof that can overcome all proofs, and it is a challenger without a match. That era was full of masters of bayan, masters of linguistics and imams of balaghah, as well as eloquent speakers and scholars. Most of them disbelieved and denied the laws of Al-Guran. In spite of this, none of them was able to come up with anything meaningful to challenge the Quran, and they were unable to come up with two sentences similar to it. In fact, everyone who dared to try to challenge the Quran by doing everything in his power, eventually retreated with a broken heart because he could not compete with it.

It would have been better if we had ended this chapter by mentioning the Prophet’s hadith about the Quran, namely:

Verily, Allah has sent down the Qur’an in the form of commands, prohibitions, narration of the previous sunnahs, and parables. It contains news about you and the stories of the nations before you, news about what will happen after you, and rulings about what is between you. The Quran is not boring despite its many repetitions, and its wonders are never exhausted. The Quran is true and not a plaything. Whoever speaks of it is right; whoever judges by it is just; whoever disputes by it is victorious; whoever judges by it is just; whoever practices it will be rewarded; whoever adheres to it will be guided to the straight path; whoever seeks guidance in anything other than the Quran will be led astray by Allah; and whoever judges by anything other than it will be broken by Allah. The Qur’an is a wise warning, a clear light, a straight path, a strong rope of Allah, and an effective antidote. It is a safeguard for those who adhere to it and a salvation for those who follow its guidance. It is not crooked in a way that requires straightening, and it does not deviate in a way that makes it reprehensible.

MIRACLES OF THE MESSENGER OTHER THAN THE QUR’AN

Among the other miracles of the Messenger of Allah is the splitting of the moon: This has been mentioned by the hadith in detail.

Another is the gushing of water from the crevices of the Prophet’s fingers so that the water increased in quantity due to his miracle. This was reported by most of the Companions, among them Companion Anas ibn Malik, Companion Jabir, and Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud. Companion Anas r.a. related that he had seen the Messenger of Allah one day when the afternoon prayer had arrived. The Companions were looking for water for ablution, but they could not find any. Finally, the Prophet brought water in a container that was enough for one ablution, then he put his hand into the container. After that the Prophet ordered the people to perform ablution from that container. Companion Anas r.a. continued his story, that he saw water coming out of the cracks of the Prophet’s fingers. Then the people performed ablution so that they all had time to perform ablution from the container. After that the Messenger of Allah asked, “How many of you are there?” Some answered that there were about three hundred of them.

Companion ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud r.a. also narrated, “We were with the Prophet at the time when we did not have any water with us. The Prophet said, “Seek water from those who have surplus water.” There was someone who brought some water. The Prophet poured the water into a container, then he put his palm into the container. It was as if water was gushing from between his fingers.

Companion Jabir narrated. “On the occasion of Hudaibiyah the people were thirsty while in the hand of the Messenger of Allah there was a container containing a little water. Then the Prophet made ablution. At that time people came to him saying that they had no water except that which was in the container he was using. The Prophet put his hand into the container. At that moment water seemed to gush from between his fingers like a spring. Then someone asked, ‘How many of you are there?’ The Prophet replied, ‘If we were a hundred thousand people, this water would be enough for all of us.’ At that time there were only one thousand five hundred of us.” Stories like the above have been narrated by many Companions. Such things, which happened in places where many people witnessed them, are things about which the narrators have no doubt. This is because the narrators were the most selective in presenting the traditions and they were the ones who would not remain silent when they saw something false. While most of the Companions had witnessed these events and experienced them themselves so none of the narrators denied what the Companions had narrated. Since the Companions themselves were the perpetrators and witnesses of these events, they have the same status as the traditions that have been agreed upon by all the Companions.

Another miracle that resembles the gushing of water from between the fingers of the blessing of prayer and the touch of his hand is that narrated by the Companion Mu’adz. Companion Mu’adz ibnu Jabal r.a. related that while the Companions were in the Battle of Tabuk, they came across a spring that had very little water left. They scooped out the water with their hands, then they collected it in a container. Then the Messenger of Allah washed his face and hands with the water, then returned the water to the spring. At that moment the spring became abundant again so that everyone could drink from it. In the hadith narrated by Ibn Ishag, it is mentioned that at that time a sound like thunder was heard from the spring. Then the Prophet said to the Companion Mu’adz:

O Mu’adz, when you live long, you will see many gardens around here.

The story of the above incident has been presented in the chapter on the Battle of Tabuk.

In a hadith narrated through Al-Barra and Salamah ibnul Akwa’ it is also mentioned about the spring at Hudaibiyah which became abundant with water due to the prayer of the Prophet.

Abu Qatadah narrated, “On a journey, the Companions complained to the Messenger of Allah about the thirst that was choking their throats. The Messenger of Allah ordered a container to be brought to him for ablution, and he held it close to him, then put his mouth to the rim of the container. Only Allah knows whether he blew into the vessel or not. After that the people drank from it and were refreshed, and they filled every container of water that they had brought with them. Strangely, I saw that the container was still as full of water as it had been when he took it from me. At that time there were seventy companions.” There are many more similar stories that occurred in various places, all of which have been narrated by many companions so there is no doubt about their veracity, especially since they are corroborated by reliable narrators. “

Another miracle that the Prophet had was that a little food could become a lot thanks to his prayer. Companion Talhah has related that the Messenger of Allah once fed eighty or seventy people only from a little verse (wheat) brought by Companion Anas. Then the Messenger of Allah ordered that the wheat be distributed, and before that he recited a prayer as Allah had willed. In the end, the small amount of wheat was enough to feed the people.

Companion Jabir narrated that the Prophet had fed a thousand people from only one saa’ of wheat. This happened during the Battle of Khandag. Companion Jabir r.a. commented, “I swear by Allah, indeed they had eaten everything so that they left it. When they left the food, our tabsi were still as full of food as before, even though they were all full. Our bread dough was still intact so we still had time to make it into bread. Before that the Messenger of Allah spit on the dough and the tabsi and blessed it with a prayer.”

Abu Ayyub r.a. also related that he had made a meal for the Messenger of Allah and Companion Abu Bakr r.a. that was only enough for the two of them. However, from this food the Messenger of Allah could feed one hundred and eighty of his companions. This was also reported by many Companions, among them were Companions ‘Abdur Rahman ibn Abu Bakr, Salamah ibnul-Akwa’, Abu Hurairah, ‘Umar ibnul-Khaththab, and Anas ibn Malik, may Allah be pleased with them all.

Another miracle of the Prophet is the story of the groaning of the date palm. Companion Jabir ibnu ‘Abdullah r.a. recounted that the Medina Mosque at that time was given a roof supported by date trunks. “Whenever the Messenger of Allah preached, he stood near one of these date trunks. When a pulpit was built for him, we heard a sound coming from the date trunk similar to that of a camel.” In the narration given by the Companion Anas, it is said that the mosque shook because of his moaning. According to the report given by Sahl, many people wept when they saw this.

In the hadith above, according to the narration given by AlMuththalib, it is said that the date palm was broken, so the Prophet went to it and put his hand on the broken date palm so that the date palm was still and quiet. In a narration other than that of AlMuththalib, it is added that afterwards the Prophet said, “Verily, this date palm is crying because it is deprived of remembrance.” Another narrator adds. “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, had the Messenger of Allah not calmed him down immediately, the date palm would have remained in this state because he was saddened to be left behind by the Messenger of Allah.” The narrator further added. Then the Messenger of Allah ordered the date palm trunk to be buried, and it was buried under his pulpit.”

This hadith has been narrated by reliable narrators, and many Tabi’in have narrated it from the Companions. Later it was narrated by the weak Tabi’een and those below them from the sources of the Tabi’een. However, the truth of this story will be known to the one who studies this subject. May Allah establish the truth.

Another miracle of the Prophet was that he could heal the sick and the disabled. During the Battle of Uhud, the eye of Companion Qatadah ibn Nu’man was hit, causing his eyeball to pop out. Then the eyeball that came out was returned to its original place by the Messenger of Allah PBUH. After that it turned out that the eye returned by the Apostle was much sharper in sight than the other one.

In the Battle of Dzu QGard Abu Qatadah’s face was hit by an arrow, then the Messenger of Allah spit on the wound (treated it). Apparently after that it healed without leaving a mark. Ibn Mula’ibul-Asinnan was afflicted with a very serious illness. He sent a messenger to the Messenger of Allah to ask for medicine. The Messenger of Allah took a handful of earth, spat on it, and gave it to Ibn Mula’ib’s messenger. The messenger accepted the soil, but he seemed to feel disgusted and disdain it. Nevertheless, he was forced to give it to Ibn Mula’ib, who was about to die. Then the soil was mixed with water and drunk by him. Finally, Allah healed Ibn Mula’ib.

In the discussion of the Battle of Khaibar we have mentioned the story of Companion ‘Ali and the eye pain he suffered, which was later cured by the Prophet. In fact, there are many more such stories narrated by reliable scholars of the Muslims, but we cannot mention them all because of their number.

Regarding the grace of Allah bestowed upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in connection with his answered prayers, there is a tradition narrated by Companion Anas ibn Malik r.a. He relates that his mother Ummu Sulaim said to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). “O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah for your helper Anas.” The Messenger of Allah prayed, “O Allah, multiply his property and children, and bless what I have given him.” Then Companion Anas ibnu Malik said, “By Allah, indeed my property has become very large, and my children have now reached about one hundred.”

The Messenger of Allah also prayed for the good of Companion ‘Abdur-Rahman ibn ‘Auf, so that his property would be blessed. It turned out that the share of each of his four wives, after he died, his camels multiplied to as many as eighty thousand heads. He once donated a caravan of his with camels and goods he was carrying, while the number of camels in his caravan was seven hundred.

The Prophet had also prayed for Mu’awiyah to be given power on this earth. Finally it turned out that Mu’awiyah became khalfah. The Messenger of Allah also prayed for the Companion Sa’d to be a person whose prayers were always answered. After that there was no one who was prayed for by Sa’d whose request was not granted. In the previous discussion, we explained the Prophet’s prayer for Companion ‘Umar r.a., which was that Allah would prosper Islam through him. One day the Messenger of Allah prayed for the Companion Abu Qatadah, “May you be fortunate, O Allah, bless his hair and skin.” It turned out that when the Companion Abu Qatadah died at the age of seventy, his body looked as if he was only fifteen years old. The prayers of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are so numerous that it is difficult to count them. This can be known by someone who reads the entire book of his biography. As for what Allah has revealed to the Messenger of Allah in the form of knowledge of things that have not yet happened, many of the Companions have told. Companion Hudhayfah r.a. narrated, “The Messenger of Allah stopped by us and stood in a place. He told us what would happen in that place until the Day of Resurrection. This was memorized by those who memorized it, and some of them forgot it. It is known to all my friends that something will happen in that place in the future. I knew and recognized it immediately, just as a person remembers the face of another person who has gone away, and when he sees him, he recognizes him immediately. However, I did not know whether my companions had forgotten him or were pretending to forget. By Allah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) never failed to mention a leader of the Fitnah until the Day of Judgment, of which there are over three hundred. He told us his name, the name of his father and the name of his tribe.

The authentic narrators of traditions and the Imams have presented traditions that relate the Prophet’s promise to his companions that they would gain victory over their enemies and that Mecca would be conquered by them as well as Bayt al-Magdis, Yemen, Sham and Iraq. Then security would prevail in the countries they had conquered so that a woman could travel from Hairah to Makkah alone without fearing anyone except Allah. Also that the city of Medina would be attacked, and the land of Khaibar the next day would be subdued by the Companion ‘Ali r.a. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had also announced about the conquests that Allah bestowed upon his Ummah so that many great countries were conquered by his Ummah, so that Persia was subdued under the rule of his Companions, and they gained much wealth and luxury. In the previous part of this book we have explained most of them. That is enough to be used as a guide.

For more details, we will tell you about the grace that Allah bestowed on His Prophet, namely that he was always in His care from the people and their actions that wanted to harm him. In this regard Allah swt. has said:

Allah preserves you from people. (Q.S. 5 AlMaidah: 67)

And be patient in awaiting the decree of your Rabb, then surely you are in Our care. (Q.S. 62 Ath-Thur: 48)

Is not Allah sufficient to protect His servants? (Q.S. 39 Az-Zumar: 36)

Indeed, We have preserved you from those who mock you. (Q.S. 15 Al-Hijr: 95)

When it was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) the following words of Allah:

Allah will protect you from people. (Q.S. 5 AlMaidah: 67)

The Prophet immediately sent away his personal bodyguards and said to them, “Go away, for Allah has taken care of me.”

In the previous discussion we have explained about the Da’tsur who intended to kill him, then Allah swt. preserved His Prophet from the evil of the Da’tsur. We narrated what Abu Jahl had done, when he tried to deceive the Prophet in many painful ways, but Allah swt. preserved the Prophet from his evil. We have also told the story of the grace of Allah that was bestowed upon him on the night of Hijrah and the story of Suragah when the Prophet was on the journey of Hijrah.

We can conclude from the previous discussion that the Prophet lived in Makkah among his enemies for thirteen years (after he was appointed as an apostle). He lived in Medina among the pretenders to Islam, the hypocrites, and the Jews for ten years. However, during that long period of time, none of them were able to do any harm to him because Allah swt. had preserved him from the evil of his enemies so that Allah won and perfected His religion.

Praise be to Allah, with praise equal to the abundance of His bounties and more, and we ask Allah to guide the readers of this book of the Prophet’s biography to follow in his footsteps. May Allah bestow His peace and blessings on the Messenger of Allah, his Companions, and all his Ansar.