Article first published as Impact of Islam (Part Two) on Blogcritics.
Previously, we discussed Muhammed's (pbuh) escape from Qureish(leading Arab tribe in Mecca), accompanied by his close friend, Abu Bakr and their guide, Abdullah bin Uraiqit.
We also discussed how the leaders of Qureish had offered a massive reward of 100 camels to anyone capturing Muhammed (pbuh) and whoever was with him, dead or alive, and how this had attracted fortune seekers and bounty hunters from all over the Arabian peninsula.
We spoke about Suraqah bin Malik, a warrior, and an absolute killer with a bow and arrow— someone who had relentlessly tracked down the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions, at a place somewhere near the Red Sea. We related what happened to Suraqa every time he had the Prophet (pbuh) in his sights and, prepared to strike. We discussed how Suraqah confessed to the Prophet (pbuh)— afterwards— about his evil intentions, and how on his return to Mecca he spread the rumor that the Prophet (pbuh) was nowhere to be found.
But the question that remains is, what was the impact of Islam on the people of Medina? How did they receive Muhammed (pbuh) and his 'Message of Islam'?
We find that after the episode with Suraqah bin Malik, Abdullah bin Uraiqit was taking no chances. No one could be trusted!
He led the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr away from the mainland, following a route that led them along the coast of the Red Sea as well as the treacherous Tihamat mountain ranges.
And what normally was a 200-mile journey that could be covered in a few days (by travelling inland, of course) now became an absolute nightmare!
For days they traveled through hot and inhospitable territory, resting only when they were certain that chances of discovery were minimal. At night when there was a full moon they made good ground, otherwise they lay under shimmering stars and distant galaxies.
Their rations were getting low; water was at a premium and Abdullah bin Uraiqit feared for the safety of the Prophet (pbuh).
But it was at times like these that Muhammed (pbuh) found his solace in his Almighty Allah. At times like these he would find his inner strength by looking at the mountains and the skies and everything around him— and praise the Almighty continuously, much to the wonderment of Abdullah bin Uraiqit who had only come to know the Prophet (pbuh) as of late.
He found himself continuously staring at Muhammed (pbuh) whenever he thought the Prophet (pbuh) was not looking. And he also had the strangest feeling that everything else, like the trees and the animals, even the birds, seemed to be focused on the presence of Muhammed (pbuh)!
After what seemed like an eternity, they reached the quarters of the Banu Sabin, a friendly tribe, situated not far from Medina.
Buraydah, the elder chieftain of the tribe, came to welcome them and the party of the Prophet (pbuh) had great difficulty in controlling their emotions. Their traumatic sojourn was nearly at an end.
They learnt from all the other tribesman that Qureish, albeit having given up the chase themselves, still kept dangling the reward of the 100 camels in front of anyone interested in capturing Muhammed (pbuh)— dead or alive. They (Qureish) were not giving up on their aims of destroying Islam.
However, to come back to our point of discussion- the impact that Islam had on Medina— one has to understand the ties the Prophet (pbuh) had to that city and its people.
First, his father, Abdullah, was buried in Medina, and, from his paternal side, Abdul Mutallib, his grandfather had close relatives there.
His mother, Amina, used to come for yearly visits to Medina, and Muhammed (pbuh) as a child used to accompany her. She died when the Prophet (pbuh) was six years old, at a place called Al Abwa, midway between Medina and Mecca.
Strangely enough, though, the people of Medina— the Arabs, that is— were a different breed to those of Mecca.
History records that when Qureish were at their most fervent in their persecution of the Muslims, Medina was the only city in the Arabian peninsula to give them a safe haven and succor.
One thinks back to the time when the Prophet (pbuh) advised the early Muslims to emigrate to Abyssinia, to escape the torture of Qureish, and, how the clansmen sent a delegation to the Negus(Christian king of that country) to extradite the Muslims and to punish them.
We learnt what happened there: how the Negus refused to turn the
Muslims over to Qureish, even though he was told that the Muslims did not accept any other religion except Islam, and that they did not recognize Jesus as the son of God.
But Medina was different. Many Muslims had emigrated to that city as well. Besides, Medina, compared to Abyssinia, was but a stone's throw from Mecca. So why didn't Qureish try to extradite the Muslims there?
Be that as it may, we find that even before the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions set foot in Medina, there was such a hive of excitement in that city that those who were not Muslim— like the Jews, Christians, Coptic, and whoever— couldn't understand the fever that was gripping Medina.
There seemed to be merriment everywhere. Young and old came to meet the Prophet (pbuh)— Muslims and non-Muslims; Arabs and non-Arabs. Everyone wanted to see what Muhammed (pbuh) looked like. Everyone wanted to meet Muhammed (pbuh), the man whom they had heard so much about, the man who had turned Mecca upside down with his preachings of the 'New Religion'. The only man who had managed to shake the mighty Qureish and their belief system to its very core.
They jostled with each other, pushing and shoving— almost trampling one another— as they tried to catch a glimpse of Muhammed (pbuh) when he entered the city gates.
Young girls, their faces lighting up as they watched him alighting from his camel, sang his praises: 'O Messenger of Allah! Blessings upon you! O Beloved of Allah! Blessings upon you!'
History records that so great was the impact of Islam on Medina at that moment, that all who witnessed the entry of Muhammed (pbuh) instinctively knew that a great revolution in the history of the world was coming.
Read more: http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/impact-of-islam-part-two/page-3/#ixzz0vzrkopZf
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Impact of Islam|Islam The Straight Path|Islam Teachings|Quran Guidance
Article first published as Impact of Islam on Blogcritics.
We previously discussed the Prophet Muhammed's (pbuh) 'Flight to Medina' also known as the 'Hijra' or 'The Prophet's Emigration' and we also touched on the massive manhunt Qureish(the leading tribe of Mecca) launched in order to capture Muhammed (pbuh) dead or alive and, consequently, bring an end to Islam.
But what impact did Islam have on the people of Medina particularly? How did they receive Muhammed (pbuh) and that which he brought to the world?
Before we look at that aspect of Islam, let us continue where we left off earlier, i.e. with the trackers of Qureish following the trail of Muhammed (pbuh) and his companion, Abu Bakr, and the subsequent discovery of the cave where the two were hiding.
We discussed previously how Abu Bakr became convinced that it was the end of both him and the Prophet (pbuh) since there was only one way into the cave, and the baying of the mob outside had sounded very ominous indeed. The Prophet (pbuh) had told him not to worry—that Allah was with them, and that the Almighty would not allow any harm to come to them.
We spoke about how the leaders of Qureish— when they arrived at the cave, which was situated on Mount Tuhr— refrained from entering the hideout, especially since a spider had spun its web across the mouth, and a bird's egg was entangled in the center of the web as well! The Prophet (pbuh) and his Companion didn't know about this.
Qureish had felt that no human being or even an animal could have entered the cave without disturbing the web or the egg, and so it was senseless wasting time searching inside, while the two were probably making their getaway. They (Qureish) then left in 'hot pursuit' of the fugitives, whom they knew couldn't have been too far ahead since the two had no means of transport, either by camel or horseback.
History records that a reward of one hundred camels was offered for the capture of Muhammed (pbuh) and Abu Bakr, his friend, dead or alive. Thus one can imagine what this must have meant to the ordinary citizens of not only Mecca, but all the outlying areas as well. One hundred camels! Here was the one chance, perhaps the only chance, of becoming rich and powerful overnight, and to say good-bye to the life of abject poverty and strife that so many of these Arabs were subjected to.
For three days, the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr remained inside the cave, and as per prior arrangement, Abu Bakr's son Abdullah came to visit and brought them food. He also brought them three camels.
After the three days, the two then prepared for the journey to Medina, which was known as Yathrib at the time, led by a guide by the name of Abdullah bin Uraiqit, who knew the back roads very well. He was also a trusted friend of Abu Bakr.
The hunt for the Prophet (pbuh) had by now somewhat abated.
Nonetheless, caution remained the watchword—opportunists and bounty-hunters were roaming the hills, and, as has been recorded, one such bounty hunter, a warrior by the name of Suraqah bin Malik, acting upon a rumor that the Prophet (pbuh) and his party had been seen in the vicinity of the Red Sea, came upon the three as they made their way through lesser-known territory towards Yathrib.
Suraqah was an absolute killer with a bow and arrow. And no one escaped his aim!
It is said that the Prophet (pbuh) and his friends had their backs to the killer when Suraqah bin Malik prepared to strike. He was a good distance away from them, but he was an expert— he could already see the hundred camels grazing on his ground. Muhammed (pbuh) was as good as dead.
Suraqah pulled back the arrow and his horse's knees buckled.
He swore, and took aim once again. Muhammed (pbuh) was lucky! He grimaced
The horse stumbled a second time just as Suraqah prepared to let fly. He cursed vilely.
What was going on? he thought to himself as he calmed the animal. There were no potholes or rocks that he could see lying in his path.
He took aim a third time and suddenly the horse reared so violently that Suraqah was unceremoniously dumped to the ground.
History records that after Suraqah bin Malik regained his composure and managed to get himself back on his horse again, he hastened after the Prophet (pbuh) and his party and called out to them to wait for him.
Suraqah had never been so shaken in all his life.
And when he caught up with them, he told the Prophet (pbuh) what his intentions had been and that he was convinced that the Prophet (pbuh) had the protection of his god.
Suraqah returned to Mecca and told everyone that Muhammed (pbuh) was nowhere to be found. Thus Qureish called off the search and Muhammed (pbuh) and his party could continue to Medina in safety.
Read more: http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/impact-of-islam/page-2/#ixzz0vFpA7mz1
We previously discussed the Prophet Muhammed's (pbuh) 'Flight to Medina' also known as the 'Hijra' or 'The Prophet's Emigration' and we also touched on the massive manhunt Qureish(the leading tribe of Mecca) launched in order to capture Muhammed (pbuh) dead or alive and, consequently, bring an end to Islam.
But what impact did Islam have on the people of Medina particularly? How did they receive Muhammed (pbuh) and that which he brought to the world?
Before we look at that aspect of Islam, let us continue where we left off earlier, i.e. with the trackers of Qureish following the trail of Muhammed (pbuh) and his companion, Abu Bakr, and the subsequent discovery of the cave where the two were hiding.
We discussed previously how Abu Bakr became convinced that it was the end of both him and the Prophet (pbuh) since there was only one way into the cave, and the baying of the mob outside had sounded very ominous indeed. The Prophet (pbuh) had told him not to worry—that Allah was with them, and that the Almighty would not allow any harm to come to them.
We spoke about how the leaders of Qureish— when they arrived at the cave, which was situated on Mount Tuhr— refrained from entering the hideout, especially since a spider had spun its web across the mouth, and a bird's egg was entangled in the center of the web as well! The Prophet (pbuh) and his Companion didn't know about this.
Qureish had felt that no human being or even an animal could have entered the cave without disturbing the web or the egg, and so it was senseless wasting time searching inside, while the two were probably making their getaway. They (Qureish) then left in 'hot pursuit' of the fugitives, whom they knew couldn't have been too far ahead since the two had no means of transport, either by camel or horseback.
History records that a reward of one hundred camels was offered for the capture of Muhammed (pbuh) and Abu Bakr, his friend, dead or alive. Thus one can imagine what this must have meant to the ordinary citizens of not only Mecca, but all the outlying areas as well. One hundred camels! Here was the one chance, perhaps the only chance, of becoming rich and powerful overnight, and to say good-bye to the life of abject poverty and strife that so many of these Arabs were subjected to.
For three days, the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr remained inside the cave, and as per prior arrangement, Abu Bakr's son Abdullah came to visit and brought them food. He also brought them three camels.
After the three days, the two then prepared for the journey to Medina, which was known as Yathrib at the time, led by a guide by the name of Abdullah bin Uraiqit, who knew the back roads very well. He was also a trusted friend of Abu Bakr.
The hunt for the Prophet (pbuh) had by now somewhat abated.
Nonetheless, caution remained the watchword—opportunists and bounty-hunters were roaming the hills, and, as has been recorded, one such bounty hunter, a warrior by the name of Suraqah bin Malik, acting upon a rumor that the Prophet (pbuh) and his party had been seen in the vicinity of the Red Sea, came upon the three as they made their way through lesser-known territory towards Yathrib.
Suraqah was an absolute killer with a bow and arrow. And no one escaped his aim!
It is said that the Prophet (pbuh) and his friends had their backs to the killer when Suraqah bin Malik prepared to strike. He was a good distance away from them, but he was an expert— he could already see the hundred camels grazing on his ground. Muhammed (pbuh) was as good as dead.
Suraqah pulled back the arrow and his horse's knees buckled.
He swore, and took aim once again. Muhammed (pbuh) was lucky! He grimaced
The horse stumbled a second time just as Suraqah prepared to let fly. He cursed vilely.
What was going on? he thought to himself as he calmed the animal. There were no potholes or rocks that he could see lying in his path.
He took aim a third time and suddenly the horse reared so violently that Suraqah was unceremoniously dumped to the ground.
History records that after Suraqah bin Malik regained his composure and managed to get himself back on his horse again, he hastened after the Prophet (pbuh) and his party and called out to them to wait for him.
Suraqah had never been so shaken in all his life.
And when he caught up with them, he told the Prophet (pbuh) what his intentions had been and that he was convinced that the Prophet (pbuh) had the protection of his god.
Suraqah returned to Mecca and told everyone that Muhammed (pbuh) was nowhere to be found. Thus Qureish called off the search and Muhammed (pbuh) and his party could continue to Medina in safety.
Read more: http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/impact-of-islam/page-2/#ixzz0vFpA7mz1
Friday, July 23, 2010
Turning-point in Islam|Islam The Straight Path|Islam Teachings|Quran Guidance
Article first published as Turning Point in Islam, Part Two on Blogcritics.
We have thus far discussed many of the trials and tribulations the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) endured in his quest of spreading the 'Message of Islam' to the world, and, we have looked at the various aspects of animosity and hatred Qureish (leading Arab Tribe in Mecca at the time) displayed towards Muhammed (pbuh) as his mission progressed. We have seen how the clansmen finally decided on a plan of getting rid of Muhammed (pbuh)—and at the same time ridding the (Arab) world of Islam—especially since his beloved wife, Khadija, his pillar of strength, and his uncle Abu Talib, his protector against Qureish, had both passed away.
But where did this all lead to, we ask? Why did the Prophet (pbuh) persist in ministering to a people who were so steeped in their ignominy and degradation, and who saw him not only as a detriment to their lifestyle and beliefs but as a serious threat to their actual existence?
What happened when Muhammed (pbuh) entered Medina?
However, before we can discuss the actual 'Turning Point' in the Prophet's (pbuh) mission, it becomes necessary to look at that tenth year of prophet-hood, the year he lost both his beloved Khadija and his uncle Abu Talib, and also the year that Allah Almighty summoned 'The Messenger' to his 'Domain' (as is recorded in the Holy Quran) to hand down the Injunction of the Five Daily Prayers (which is to this day prescribed for every sane Muslim anywhere in the world). It is necessary for us to try and access the Prophet's (pbuh) progress in his mission at that particular juncture—necessary, in a sense, to understand what it was that drove him so relentlessly.
We find that now that his confidante (Khadija) and Abu Talib, the Prophet's (pbuh) last line of defense against the wiles of Qureish, were gone, the clansmen had a free hand in persecuting and even killing the Muslims.
We find that because of the aggression and absolute malice of Qureish against Muhammed (pbuh) and his followers, not many people could be persuaded to enter the fold of Islam after that. Not many people had the conviction of standing against Qureish-—at peril of their lives! and see where their new-found beliefs were going to take them. Even some of those who had joined previously were having serious doubts about their commitment to the religion and one by one they turned on their heels. But as we have discussed before, people like Abu Bakr Al Sediq, the Prophet's (pbuh) true friend, Umar ibn Al Hattab, Hamza, the Prophet's uncle, Ali, his cousin, and quite a few others were not allowing Qureish to intimidate them; they continued performing their Five Daily Prayers in open defiance of Qureish's persecution, hence Qureish's murderous plan of getting rid of Muhammed (pbuh).
To try and fathom the Prophet's (pbuh) passion and commitment in spreading the Message of Islam one can but only marvel at his resolve in withstanding all the obstacles that dogged him ceaselessly and continuing his ministries against all odds. One cannot do otherwise but to wonder how it was possible that he could pick himself up after every blow and setback and continue on regardless—like the time when he went to a place called Ta'if, some 50 miles east0south-east of Mecca, to talk to the people there.
As we have said previously, in Mecca it was becoming increasingly difficult—if not impossible—for the Prophet (pbuh) to get people to accept Islam; here, in Ta'if, he felt, the populace might give him a fair hearing, since the Banu Thakif, a powerful tribe, held sway in Ta'if, and more importantly, Qureish had no say over them. After a month's stay in that place, though, Muhammed (pbuh) found himself exactly where he was before he came to Ta'if. He could get no one to listen to him at all! In fact, not only did they refuse to give him a hearing, they rounded up all the street urchins, placed them on both sides of the streets, and as Muhammed (pbuh) exited the city they pelted him with stones.
It has been recorded that so severe was their pelting that blood flowed freely from the Prophet's (pbuh) wounds and into his sandals, causing them to stick stubbornly to his feet!
It has also been recorded that Allah Almighty sent the Archangel Gabriel to Muhammed (pbuh) to inform him that Allah was a Witness to all that was happening to him, and, if he (Muhammed) (pbuh) so wished, Allah would command the Angel of the mountains to topple the mountains of Ta'if onto those who did this to him and destroy them like Allah had destroyed Pharaoh and his army when they went after the Prophet Moses and his people. Allah would annihilate them like He annihilated the wrongdoers during the time of Lot and the time of Noah.
But Muhammed (pbuh) refused, saying that even if those of his generation rejected Allah and Islam, their children and those that came after them might accept what he brought them and his mission would not have been in vain. Today, Ta'if is one of the foremost Islamic cities in the Arabian Peninsula.
Nonetheless, Qureish soon got word of Muhammed's (pbuh) mission to Ta'if and their joy knew no bounds when they heard what had happened to him there. But as if that were not enough, they refused to let him re-enter Mecca on his own; he could only do so in the custody of a Qureishite who was not a Muslim. Like a parole officer!
Muhammed (pbuh) endured all this humiliation and embarrassment, and not once did he give in to Qureish and their evil. He believed that Allah Almighty was his Protector and that no matter how his enemies conspired against him, nothing could happen to him that was not supposed to happen to him.
History tells us that during his 'Flight to Medina' (Hijra), the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr, his companion, who was with him at the time, took refuge inside a cave just outside of Mecca.
And, as we have discussed before, Qureish had mounted a manhunt that was unequaled at that time or any other time, for that matter.
They (Qureish), together with an army of men that included all the tribes of Mecca, young and old, plus a bevy of trackers who left no 'stone unturned' as they hunted for him, pursued the Prophet (pbuh) and his companion, Abu Bakr all through the night. No one was allowed to sleep; no one could turn back. A huge reward was offered for the capture of the two, dead or alive. Qureish wanted them!
And so the next day, just after the break of dawn, the trackers came to a halt outside the cave Muhammed (pbuh) and Abu Bakr were in. The trail had led them here and there was nowhere else the two could have gone to. They had them!
Meanwhile, inside the cave, Muhammed (pbuh) and Abu Bakr could hear the commotion outside. The trackers were talking animatedly as they waited for the leaders of the tribes to arrive.
Abu Bakr felt his heart pounding so fiercely that his breathing started to rasp. 'O Prophet of Allah (pbuh)...' he began, wiping sweat from his bow. 'I am afraid this is the end..!'
But the Prophet (pbuh) held up his hand and looked at his friend. 'No, Abu Bakr...' he whispered reassuringly. 'It is not the end! Allah will not forsake us. Do not fear!'
And as history records, the leaders all came to gather outside the cave, staring agitatedly at the trackers, who themselves couldn't understand what was going on.
The trail had led them here—there was no question about that—but a spider's web barred the entrance to the cave, and a bird's egg was entangled in it.
'How could anyone enter here without breaking this web?' one of the leaders demanded gruffly. The trackers had no answer.
'Come! We are wasting time!' another ordered. 'We cannot let them get away!'
This event and the consequent passage into the City of Medina heralded the turning-point in Islam.
We have thus far discussed many of the trials and tribulations the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) endured in his quest of spreading the 'Message of Islam' to the world, and, we have looked at the various aspects of animosity and hatred Qureish (leading Arab Tribe in Mecca at the time) displayed towards Muhammed (pbuh) as his mission progressed. We have seen how the clansmen finally decided on a plan of getting rid of Muhammed (pbuh)—and at the same time ridding the (Arab) world of Islam—especially since his beloved wife, Khadija, his pillar of strength, and his uncle Abu Talib, his protector against Qureish, had both passed away.
But where did this all lead to, we ask? Why did the Prophet (pbuh) persist in ministering to a people who were so steeped in their ignominy and degradation, and who saw him not only as a detriment to their lifestyle and beliefs but as a serious threat to their actual existence?
What happened when Muhammed (pbuh) entered Medina?
However, before we can discuss the actual 'Turning Point' in the Prophet's (pbuh) mission, it becomes necessary to look at that tenth year of prophet-hood, the year he lost both his beloved Khadija and his uncle Abu Talib, and also the year that Allah Almighty summoned 'The Messenger' to his 'Domain' (as is recorded in the Holy Quran) to hand down the Injunction of the Five Daily Prayers (which is to this day prescribed for every sane Muslim anywhere in the world). It is necessary for us to try and access the Prophet's (pbuh) progress in his mission at that particular juncture—necessary, in a sense, to understand what it was that drove him so relentlessly.
We find that now that his confidante (Khadija) and Abu Talib, the Prophet's (pbuh) last line of defense against the wiles of Qureish, were gone, the clansmen had a free hand in persecuting and even killing the Muslims.
We find that because of the aggression and absolute malice of Qureish against Muhammed (pbuh) and his followers, not many people could be persuaded to enter the fold of Islam after that. Not many people had the conviction of standing against Qureish-—at peril of their lives! and see where their new-found beliefs were going to take them. Even some of those who had joined previously were having serious doubts about their commitment to the religion and one by one they turned on their heels. But as we have discussed before, people like Abu Bakr Al Sediq, the Prophet's (pbuh) true friend, Umar ibn Al Hattab, Hamza, the Prophet's uncle, Ali, his cousin, and quite a few others were not allowing Qureish to intimidate them; they continued performing their Five Daily Prayers in open defiance of Qureish's persecution, hence Qureish's murderous plan of getting rid of Muhammed (pbuh).
To try and fathom the Prophet's (pbuh) passion and commitment in spreading the Message of Islam one can but only marvel at his resolve in withstanding all the obstacles that dogged him ceaselessly and continuing his ministries against all odds. One cannot do otherwise but to wonder how it was possible that he could pick himself up after every blow and setback and continue on regardless—like the time when he went to a place called Ta'if, some 50 miles east0south-east of Mecca, to talk to the people there.
As we have said previously, in Mecca it was becoming increasingly difficult—if not impossible—for the Prophet (pbuh) to get people to accept Islam; here, in Ta'if, he felt, the populace might give him a fair hearing, since the Banu Thakif, a powerful tribe, held sway in Ta'if, and more importantly, Qureish had no say over them. After a month's stay in that place, though, Muhammed (pbuh) found himself exactly where he was before he came to Ta'if. He could get no one to listen to him at all! In fact, not only did they refuse to give him a hearing, they rounded up all the street urchins, placed them on both sides of the streets, and as Muhammed (pbuh) exited the city they pelted him with stones.
It has been recorded that so severe was their pelting that blood flowed freely from the Prophet's (pbuh) wounds and into his sandals, causing them to stick stubbornly to his feet!
It has also been recorded that Allah Almighty sent the Archangel Gabriel to Muhammed (pbuh) to inform him that Allah was a Witness to all that was happening to him, and, if he (Muhammed) (pbuh) so wished, Allah would command the Angel of the mountains to topple the mountains of Ta'if onto those who did this to him and destroy them like Allah had destroyed Pharaoh and his army when they went after the Prophet Moses and his people. Allah would annihilate them like He annihilated the wrongdoers during the time of Lot and the time of Noah.
But Muhammed (pbuh) refused, saying that even if those of his generation rejected Allah and Islam, their children and those that came after them might accept what he brought them and his mission would not have been in vain. Today, Ta'if is one of the foremost Islamic cities in the Arabian Peninsula.
Nonetheless, Qureish soon got word of Muhammed's (pbuh) mission to Ta'if and their joy knew no bounds when they heard what had happened to him there. But as if that were not enough, they refused to let him re-enter Mecca on his own; he could only do so in the custody of a Qureishite who was not a Muslim. Like a parole officer!
Muhammed (pbuh) endured all this humiliation and embarrassment, and not once did he give in to Qureish and their evil. He believed that Allah Almighty was his Protector and that no matter how his enemies conspired against him, nothing could happen to him that was not supposed to happen to him.
History tells us that during his 'Flight to Medina' (Hijra), the Prophet (pbuh) and Abu Bakr, his companion, who was with him at the time, took refuge inside a cave just outside of Mecca.
And, as we have discussed before, Qureish had mounted a manhunt that was unequaled at that time or any other time, for that matter.
They (Qureish), together with an army of men that included all the tribes of Mecca, young and old, plus a bevy of trackers who left no 'stone unturned' as they hunted for him, pursued the Prophet (pbuh) and his companion, Abu Bakr all through the night. No one was allowed to sleep; no one could turn back. A huge reward was offered for the capture of the two, dead or alive. Qureish wanted them!
And so the next day, just after the break of dawn, the trackers came to a halt outside the cave Muhammed (pbuh) and Abu Bakr were in. The trail had led them here and there was nowhere else the two could have gone to. They had them!
Meanwhile, inside the cave, Muhammed (pbuh) and Abu Bakr could hear the commotion outside. The trackers were talking animatedly as they waited for the leaders of the tribes to arrive.
Abu Bakr felt his heart pounding so fiercely that his breathing started to rasp. 'O Prophet of Allah (pbuh)...' he began, wiping sweat from his bow. 'I am afraid this is the end..!'
But the Prophet (pbuh) held up his hand and looked at his friend. 'No, Abu Bakr...' he whispered reassuringly. 'It is not the end! Allah will not forsake us. Do not fear!'
And as history records, the leaders all came to gather outside the cave, staring agitatedly at the trackers, who themselves couldn't understand what was going on.
The trail had led them here—there was no question about that—but a spider's web barred the entrance to the cave, and a bird's egg was entangled in it.
'How could anyone enter here without breaking this web?' one of the leaders demanded gruffly. The trackers had no answer.
'Come! We are wasting time!' another ordered. 'We cannot let them get away!'
This event and the consequent passage into the City of Medina heralded the turning-point in Islam.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Turning-point in Islam|Islam The Straight Path|Islamic Teachings|Quran Guidance
Article first published as Turning Point In Islam on Blogcritics.
We have previously discussed the 'Miracles of Islam' and in that article we very briefly touched on the advent of the 'Hijrah,' the Flight to Medina by the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), that incidentally also marks the start of the Muslim Calender.
We also spoke about Qureish's (leading Arab tribe in Mecca, at that time) plan of getting rid of Muhammed (pbuh) once and for all, by appointing the seven young men of all the seven tribes of Mecca to strike as one and kill the Prophet (pbuh).
We discussed how Allah revealed to Muhammed (pbuh) Qureish's evil intentions and how the Prophet (pbuh) got his cousin Ali(son of Abu Talib) to sleep in his bed, knowing that Qureish would not harm Ali, and how the Prophet (pbuh) slipped past the seven young men during the night and disappeared into the desert, accompanied by his close friend, Abu Bakr.
One point of note, though, is Qureish's newfound boldness in going over to such drastic action of actually killing Muhammed (pbuh)!
We learnt previously how the clansmen seemed satisfied with persecuting and terrorizing the Prophet's (pbuh) followers, and how they relished abusing Muhammed (pbuh) personally, by casting thorn bushes in his path where he walked, or emptying filth over his person while he performed his 'Five Daily Prayers' at the 'Kaabah' (black-clothed building in the center of Mecca)!
It is recorded that Abu Jahl, a relative of the Prophet (pbuh), took immense pleasure in pouring the entrails, as well as the faeces, of a dead goat over the Prophet (pbuh) while he went into prostration—especially since this caused the Prophet (pbuh) great distress and stopped him from continuing his prayers.
Strangely enough though, Qureish, on their part, did try to come to some sort of arrangement with the Prophet (pbuh) when they ultimately realized that Islam was not just another fly-by-night entity, dreamt up by some ambitious trier— especially when people like Hamza and Umar and some other notables embraced the Religion.
They first sent someone by the name of Utbah bin Rabiah to the Prophet (pbuh) to find out what it was he wanted, hence his passion in spreading the 'Message of Islam'.
And the words of Utbah bin Rabiah have been recorded, who said, 'O Muhammed (pbuh) why do you persist in spreading the Religion of Islam? Can you not see the enmity and hatred you are causing between the people of Mecca? Can you not see the division you are causing between brothers and sister, even your own family! What is it you want, Muhammed (pbuh)?'
The Prophet (pbuh) did not answer immediately and Utbah continued. 'I swear that if it is power that you want you can have it. The clansmen of Qureish are prepared to make you king of Arabia if you so want to. They have instructed me to tell you that!'
And still the Prophet (pbuh) did not answer.
'Or perhaps a woman..?' Utbah enquired slyly. 'Perhaps a lady of very high standing and exquisite beauty..?'
Muhammed (pbuh) suddenly started reading a verse from the Holy Quran and Utbah looked at him strangely. 'Why are you doing this?'
The Prophet (pbuh) continued reading and Utbah fell silent as he listened to the words. He couldn't exactly fathom what was happening to him, but whatever it was, it was so beautiful that he sat open-mouthed as the Prophet (pbuh) ended off.
'By God! I swear to you, O Muhammed (pbuh)...' Utbah bin Rabiah exclaimed, jumping up when the Prophet (pbuh) finished. 'On the lives of my family...You shall not be harmed...I swear to you! You shall not be harmed by any one of us!' And he left.
Naturally, Qureish were not impressed when they heard Utbah bin Rabiah telling them that what he had heard was not the rantings of a mad man or the fancies of a power-hungry fortune seeker, but rather the 'Divine Injunctions' of a 'Much Higher Being', and that Muhammed (pbuh) was truly a messenger of this 'Being'!
Qureish then sent a delegation to Abu Talib, the Prophet's (pbuh) uncle, imploring him to stop his nephew from preaching Islam, and to stop vilifying their deities as well.
Abu Talib summoned his nephew and started off by telling the Prophet (pbuh) that he, Abu Talib, was an old man and that the last thing he wanted was for any harm to come to Muhammed (pbuh). Qureish, he had lamented, were desperate in their intentions of halting the Prophet's (pbuh) mission, but they had repeated their offer that they had initially sent Utbah bin Rabiah with, and they were serious in making Muhammed (pbuh) king of Arabia, if that's what he desired.
The Prophet's (pbuh) answer to all this was: 'If they should put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left I shall not turn my back on Allah!'
But during the 10th year of prophet-hood (the year the Prophet (pbuh) ascended into the 'Seventh Heaven' to receive the Revelation about the 'Five Daily Prayers') Muhammed (pbuh) suffered a major blow in his life. First: He lost Khadija, his beloved wife, his soul-mate who had stuck with him through all the trials and tribulations; the one who had consoled him when he had stood at the edge of the precipice of despair so many times! and who happened to be one of the 'First Muslims'.
Not long after that (some reporters say a few days, others a few weeks), Abu Talib, his beloved uncle, passed away.
One can only imagine what this must have done to Qureish's morale. Here, finally, was the answer to all their prayers! Abu Talib, perhaps the only person who stood in their way of eradicating Muhammed (pbuh), was gone!
As we have explained previously, there were many tribes in Mecca that came under the umbrella of the leading tribe of Qureish. And in some way or another they were all related or connected, either by blood lineage or intermarriage. Banu Hashim, the tribe which the Prophet (pbuh) belonged to, was a very strong tribe with great influence. In fact, they were the tribe who were the custodians of the 'Kaabah' and one could only enter the holy sanctity of the black-stoned building with their permission. They held the key to the 'Kaabah'.
Abu Talib, being the leader of the Banu Hashim, held great sway in Mecca. Nobody questioned his authority. But what none of the clansmen could understand was why he backed up the Prophet (pbuh) since he didn't accept Islam himself.
Nonetheless, now that he was gone, Qureish could put their heinous plans into action, and we find that after the seven young men of all the seven tribes of Mecca reported their failure at killing the Prophet (pbuh)—as we have explained before—the clansmen summoned all their able-bodied men and mounted a manhunt that was unequaled in that time, or any other time, for that matter.
We have previously discussed the 'Miracles of Islam' and in that article we very briefly touched on the advent of the 'Hijrah,' the Flight to Medina by the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), that incidentally also marks the start of the Muslim Calender.
We also spoke about Qureish's (leading Arab tribe in Mecca, at that time) plan of getting rid of Muhammed (pbuh) once and for all, by appointing the seven young men of all the seven tribes of Mecca to strike as one and kill the Prophet (pbuh).
We discussed how Allah revealed to Muhammed (pbuh) Qureish's evil intentions and how the Prophet (pbuh) got his cousin Ali(son of Abu Talib) to sleep in his bed, knowing that Qureish would not harm Ali, and how the Prophet (pbuh) slipped past the seven young men during the night and disappeared into the desert, accompanied by his close friend, Abu Bakr.
One point of note, though, is Qureish's newfound boldness in going over to such drastic action of actually killing Muhammed (pbuh)!
We learnt previously how the clansmen seemed satisfied with persecuting and terrorizing the Prophet's (pbuh) followers, and how they relished abusing Muhammed (pbuh) personally, by casting thorn bushes in his path where he walked, or emptying filth over his person while he performed his 'Five Daily Prayers' at the 'Kaabah' (black-clothed building in the center of Mecca)!
It is recorded that Abu Jahl, a relative of the Prophet (pbuh), took immense pleasure in pouring the entrails, as well as the faeces, of a dead goat over the Prophet (pbuh) while he went into prostration—especially since this caused the Prophet (pbuh) great distress and stopped him from continuing his prayers.
Strangely enough though, Qureish, on their part, did try to come to some sort of arrangement with the Prophet (pbuh) when they ultimately realized that Islam was not just another fly-by-night entity, dreamt up by some ambitious trier— especially when people like Hamza and Umar and some other notables embraced the Religion.
They first sent someone by the name of Utbah bin Rabiah to the Prophet (pbuh) to find out what it was he wanted, hence his passion in spreading the 'Message of Islam'.
And the words of Utbah bin Rabiah have been recorded, who said, 'O Muhammed (pbuh) why do you persist in spreading the Religion of Islam? Can you not see the enmity and hatred you are causing between the people of Mecca? Can you not see the division you are causing between brothers and sister, even your own family! What is it you want, Muhammed (pbuh)?'
The Prophet (pbuh) did not answer immediately and Utbah continued. 'I swear that if it is power that you want you can have it. The clansmen of Qureish are prepared to make you king of Arabia if you so want to. They have instructed me to tell you that!'
And still the Prophet (pbuh) did not answer.
'Or perhaps a woman..?' Utbah enquired slyly. 'Perhaps a lady of very high standing and exquisite beauty..?'
Muhammed (pbuh) suddenly started reading a verse from the Holy Quran and Utbah looked at him strangely. 'Why are you doing this?'
The Prophet (pbuh) continued reading and Utbah fell silent as he listened to the words. He couldn't exactly fathom what was happening to him, but whatever it was, it was so beautiful that he sat open-mouthed as the Prophet (pbuh) ended off.
'By God! I swear to you, O Muhammed (pbuh)...' Utbah bin Rabiah exclaimed, jumping up when the Prophet (pbuh) finished. 'On the lives of my family...You shall not be harmed...I swear to you! You shall not be harmed by any one of us!' And he left.
Naturally, Qureish were not impressed when they heard Utbah bin Rabiah telling them that what he had heard was not the rantings of a mad man or the fancies of a power-hungry fortune seeker, but rather the 'Divine Injunctions' of a 'Much Higher Being', and that Muhammed (pbuh) was truly a messenger of this 'Being'!
Qureish then sent a delegation to Abu Talib, the Prophet's (pbuh) uncle, imploring him to stop his nephew from preaching Islam, and to stop vilifying their deities as well.
Abu Talib summoned his nephew and started off by telling the Prophet (pbuh) that he, Abu Talib, was an old man and that the last thing he wanted was for any harm to come to Muhammed (pbuh). Qureish, he had lamented, were desperate in their intentions of halting the Prophet's (pbuh) mission, but they had repeated their offer that they had initially sent Utbah bin Rabiah with, and they were serious in making Muhammed (pbuh) king of Arabia, if that's what he desired.
The Prophet's (pbuh) answer to all this was: 'If they should put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left I shall not turn my back on Allah!'
But during the 10th year of prophet-hood (the year the Prophet (pbuh) ascended into the 'Seventh Heaven' to receive the Revelation about the 'Five Daily Prayers') Muhammed (pbuh) suffered a major blow in his life. First: He lost Khadija, his beloved wife, his soul-mate who had stuck with him through all the trials and tribulations; the one who had consoled him when he had stood at the edge of the precipice of despair so many times! and who happened to be one of the 'First Muslims'.
Not long after that (some reporters say a few days, others a few weeks), Abu Talib, his beloved uncle, passed away.
One can only imagine what this must have done to Qureish's morale. Here, finally, was the answer to all their prayers! Abu Talib, perhaps the only person who stood in their way of eradicating Muhammed (pbuh), was gone!
As we have explained previously, there were many tribes in Mecca that came under the umbrella of the leading tribe of Qureish. And in some way or another they were all related or connected, either by blood lineage or intermarriage. Banu Hashim, the tribe which the Prophet (pbuh) belonged to, was a very strong tribe with great influence. In fact, they were the tribe who were the custodians of the 'Kaabah' and one could only enter the holy sanctity of the black-stoned building with their permission. They held the key to the 'Kaabah'.
Abu Talib, being the leader of the Banu Hashim, held great sway in Mecca. Nobody questioned his authority. But what none of the clansmen could understand was why he backed up the Prophet (pbuh) since he didn't accept Islam himself.
Nonetheless, now that he was gone, Qureish could put their heinous plans into action, and we find that after the seven young men of all the seven tribes of Mecca reported their failure at killing the Prophet (pbuh)—as we have explained before—the clansmen summoned all their able-bodied men and mounted a manhunt that was unequaled in that time, or any other time, for that matter.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Miracles of Islam|Islam The Straight Path|Islam Teachings|Quran Guidance
Article first published as Miracles of Islam on Blogcritics.
What do we understand about the 'Miracles of Islam', or the 'Miracles' performed by some of the Prophets such as Jesus who could 'Raise the Dead' and Moses who opened the Red Sea to let his People through?
However, before we explore those Phenomena let us look at what we have discussed thus far.
We spoke previously about the terrible persecution and torture the Muslims had to endure at the hands of Qureish (the leading tribe in Mecca) and the Prophet's (pbuh) dilemma in trying to find a way of securing a measure of safety for his followers.
We learnt of how some of the Muslims migrated to Abyssinia(modern-day Ethiopia—on the instructions of the Prophet (pbuh)] and found asylum under the rule of the Negus (Christian King of that country) even though Qureish tried their utmost to get the Muslims out and back to Mecca.
We discussed how, despite the continuous efforts of Qureish to stop the spread of Islam, notable people like Hamza and Umar embraced Islam, much to the dismay of the clansmen, who decided on a final plan of eradicating Islam by killing the Prophet (pbuh).
We also discussed how the seven young men of the seven different tribes, all tasked to strike as one, failed to see the Prophet (pbuh) slipping past them during the wee hours of the night and disappear into the desert, heralding the start of the famous 'Hijra' (Flight to Medina) that marks the Muslim calendar.
But to come back to our point of exploring the 'Miracles of Islam' or the 'Special Powers' given to Jesus and Moses, one again needs to ask the question: Why was there a necessity for a religion like Islam? And, what was the purpose of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) on this earth?
One thing that has played a major factor in all our discourses this far is the condition of Arabia and the Arabs, in particular, at that time, i.e before the birth of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), and during the early days of Islam.
We find that Arabia, and especially its capital city, Mecca, was a cauldron of all kinds of evil imaginable (as we have explained so many times before). The Arabs indulged in pastimes such as drunken orgies, gambling, wife-swapping, wife-sharing—with friends, or anyone they fancied, battering their womenfolk, killing their female offspring for fear that they might bring bad luck to the household! Idol-worshipping, human trafficking, and even human sacrifices were the order of the day. Just to mention a few!
And it was against the backdrop of this near-impossible scenario of human failing and degradation that Muhammed (pbuh) was deployed to administer the 'Message' of the 'One God' and to change the mind-set of a People steeped to the hilt in their ignominy and fiercely resistant to change.
According to Al-Quran, Almighty Allah says that He does not 'Destroy' any nation without sending them a 'Warner' first.
And, we immediately think of Jesus and the money-changers and how he used a whip to get them out of the Temple when they refused to listen!
We also think of Moses and how desperately he tried to get the Mighty Pharaoh to let his People go.
In all these instances one thing remains abundantly clear: All the Prophets who were sent to their People with a 'Message' and a 'Mission' were given 'Special Powers' or 'Miracles' to perform, in order to convince their People that they were Messengers of God.
Muhammed (pbuh) did not perform any of these kinds of miracles, but the mere fact that he could not read nor write (history proves this) and the way the Quran was revealed to him, i.e. through the medium of the Archangel Gabriel, in the Cave of Hira on Mount Nur (Mountain of Light)—and the way he compiled the Quran over a period of 23 years—mainly by memorizing it—as it was revealed to him, and getting Zaid bin Thabit, his freed slave, to record it in writing, bears testimony to the fact that the Quran in itself is a 'Miracle'!
Today we find that there are thousands—if not millions—of men and women, all over the world, who have memorized the entire Quran...all 6666 verses of it! And still more and more people do so every day.
Another 'Miracle' of Islam is the 'Miraj'—the Ascension into Heaven by Muhammed (pbuh) accompanied by the Archangel Gabriel. It was a night journey that started from Mecca to Jerusalem and ended in the 'Precincts of Allah's Domain'—past the 'Seventh Heaven'.
Allah Almighty, Himself, explains this in the Quran when He says: "It was He (Allah) Who has taken His Slave (Muhammed pbuh) from the Holy Mosque in Mecca (Haram) to the Farthest Mosque (Aqsa) in Jerusalem—So that He May Convey to him (Muhammed pbuh) what He meant to Convey."
And Allah Almighty also states in the Quran that Muhammed (pbuh) was 'Two Bow Lengths' away from the 'Countenance' of His Lord and not once did his gaze waiver..."
Thus one can only imagine what happened when Muhammed (pbuh) returned from his 'Nocturnal Sojourn'- that same night- and tried to convince his Followers that he had transcended the 'Seven Heavens', that he had actually been in the 'Presence of the Almighty', and, that he brought them 'A Message From The One Allah, that Salaah ('Five Daily Prayers') were now compulsory upon them— as is (up till this day) compulsory on every sane Muslim male and female all over the world, and, that no one was exempted from it, except in a case of a woman who was busy menstruating.
Qureish couldn't believe their good fortune when they heard of this. They finally had something they could use— constructively— to prove that Muhammed (pbuh) had lost his mind, and that he was a sooth-sayer and a fraud. They worked on those Followers who had newly converted to Islam and those who were 'still busy making up their minds' about the Religion. They got a few to turn their backs on Islam, but overall, those Muslims like Abu Bakr, Hamza, Ali, Bilal, etc.—those who were not afraid of Qureish and their evil— those who believed firmly that Muhammed (pbuh) was 'The True Messenger of Allah' stood firm and even performed their 'Five Daily Prayers' openly in the precincts of the Kaabah!
Qureish was totally beside themselves with hatred and frustration at this turn of events; every way they turned Islam was there- in their faces! Every day more and more people turned Muslim, and could be seen performing the 'Five Daily Prayers', heedless of Qureish's animosity and threats.
Qureish couldn't believe that one man could cause such an upheaval and get away with it—hence their ultimate plan of having the Prophet (pbuh) murdered by the seven young men of the seven tribes.
What do we understand about the 'Miracles of Islam', or the 'Miracles' performed by some of the Prophets such as Jesus who could 'Raise the Dead' and Moses who opened the Red Sea to let his People through?
However, before we explore those Phenomena let us look at what we have discussed thus far.
We spoke previously about the terrible persecution and torture the Muslims had to endure at the hands of Qureish (the leading tribe in Mecca) and the Prophet's (pbuh) dilemma in trying to find a way of securing a measure of safety for his followers.
We learnt of how some of the Muslims migrated to Abyssinia(modern-day Ethiopia—on the instructions of the Prophet (pbuh)] and found asylum under the rule of the Negus (Christian King of that country) even though Qureish tried their utmost to get the Muslims out and back to Mecca.
We discussed how, despite the continuous efforts of Qureish to stop the spread of Islam, notable people like Hamza and Umar embraced Islam, much to the dismay of the clansmen, who decided on a final plan of eradicating Islam by killing the Prophet (pbuh).
We also discussed how the seven young men of the seven different tribes, all tasked to strike as one, failed to see the Prophet (pbuh) slipping past them during the wee hours of the night and disappear into the desert, heralding the start of the famous 'Hijra' (Flight to Medina) that marks the Muslim calendar.
But to come back to our point of exploring the 'Miracles of Islam' or the 'Special Powers' given to Jesus and Moses, one again needs to ask the question: Why was there a necessity for a religion like Islam? And, what was the purpose of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) on this earth?
One thing that has played a major factor in all our discourses this far is the condition of Arabia and the Arabs, in particular, at that time, i.e before the birth of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), and during the early days of Islam.
We find that Arabia, and especially its capital city, Mecca, was a cauldron of all kinds of evil imaginable (as we have explained so many times before). The Arabs indulged in pastimes such as drunken orgies, gambling, wife-swapping, wife-sharing—with friends, or anyone they fancied, battering their womenfolk, killing their female offspring for fear that they might bring bad luck to the household! Idol-worshipping, human trafficking, and even human sacrifices were the order of the day. Just to mention a few!
And it was against the backdrop of this near-impossible scenario of human failing and degradation that Muhammed (pbuh) was deployed to administer the 'Message' of the 'One God' and to change the mind-set of a People steeped to the hilt in their ignominy and fiercely resistant to change.
According to Al-Quran, Almighty Allah says that He does not 'Destroy' any nation without sending them a 'Warner' first.
And, we immediately think of Jesus and the money-changers and how he used a whip to get them out of the Temple when they refused to listen!
We also think of Moses and how desperately he tried to get the Mighty Pharaoh to let his People go.
In all these instances one thing remains abundantly clear: All the Prophets who were sent to their People with a 'Message' and a 'Mission' were given 'Special Powers' or 'Miracles' to perform, in order to convince their People that they were Messengers of God.
Muhammed (pbuh) did not perform any of these kinds of miracles, but the mere fact that he could not read nor write (history proves this) and the way the Quran was revealed to him, i.e. through the medium of the Archangel Gabriel, in the Cave of Hira on Mount Nur (Mountain of Light)—and the way he compiled the Quran over a period of 23 years—mainly by memorizing it—as it was revealed to him, and getting Zaid bin Thabit, his freed slave, to record it in writing, bears testimony to the fact that the Quran in itself is a 'Miracle'!
Today we find that there are thousands—if not millions—of men and women, all over the world, who have memorized the entire Quran...all 6666 verses of it! And still more and more people do so every day.
Another 'Miracle' of Islam is the 'Miraj'—the Ascension into Heaven by Muhammed (pbuh) accompanied by the Archangel Gabriel. It was a night journey that started from Mecca to Jerusalem and ended in the 'Precincts of Allah's Domain'—past the 'Seventh Heaven'.
Allah Almighty, Himself, explains this in the Quran when He says: "It was He (Allah) Who has taken His Slave (Muhammed pbuh) from the Holy Mosque in Mecca (Haram) to the Farthest Mosque (Aqsa) in Jerusalem—So that He May Convey to him (Muhammed pbuh) what He meant to Convey."
And Allah Almighty also states in the Quran that Muhammed (pbuh) was 'Two Bow Lengths' away from the 'Countenance' of His Lord and not once did his gaze waiver..."
Thus one can only imagine what happened when Muhammed (pbuh) returned from his 'Nocturnal Sojourn'- that same night- and tried to convince his Followers that he had transcended the 'Seven Heavens', that he had actually been in the 'Presence of the Almighty', and, that he brought them 'A Message From The One Allah, that Salaah ('Five Daily Prayers') were now compulsory upon them— as is (up till this day) compulsory on every sane Muslim male and female all over the world, and, that no one was exempted from it, except in a case of a woman who was busy menstruating.
Qureish couldn't believe their good fortune when they heard of this. They finally had something they could use— constructively— to prove that Muhammed (pbuh) had lost his mind, and that he was a sooth-sayer and a fraud. They worked on those Followers who had newly converted to Islam and those who were 'still busy making up their minds' about the Religion. They got a few to turn their backs on Islam, but overall, those Muslims like Abu Bakr, Hamza, Ali, Bilal, etc.—those who were not afraid of Qureish and their evil— those who believed firmly that Muhammed (pbuh) was 'The True Messenger of Allah' stood firm and even performed their 'Five Daily Prayers' openly in the precincts of the Kaabah!
Qureish was totally beside themselves with hatred and frustration at this turn of events; every way they turned Islam was there- in their faces! Every day more and more people turned Muslim, and could be seen performing the 'Five Daily Prayers', heedless of Qureish's animosity and threats.
Qureish couldn't believe that one man could cause such an upheaval and get away with it—hence their ultimate plan of having the Prophet (pbuh) murdered by the seven young men of the seven tribes.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Message of Islam(Part Two)|Islam The Straight Path|Islamic Teachings|Quran
Article first published as Message of Islam (Part Two) on Blogcritics.
Previously we asked the question: What was the True Message of Islam and what was the purpose of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)—on this earth—regarding that Message?
We also asked: What was the need for a religion like Islam, and was there, or can anyone offer, a clear-cut answer to any of these questions?
We looked at how the Prophet (pbuh) sent some of his followers(about 80 of them, women and children included) to a place called Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) to escape the hideous torture meted out to them by those hostile to the "Message of Islam."
We discussed how Qureish (the leading tribe in Mecca) tried to get the Muslims expelled from Abyssinia by dispatching a delegation to that country and telling the Negus (Christian King of Abyssinia) how Islam recognized no other religion except Islam and that Muslims did not accept the Prophet Jesus as the "Son of God."
We spoke about how the Negus, after listening to both sides, i.e. the delegation of Qureish, and a spokesperson for the Muslims explaining what Islam really stood for and what the Quran said about the Prophet Jesus as well as all the other Prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Lot, and Moses (to name but a few), offered his deliberation by letting the Muslims stay under his protection! And the delegation of Qureish had to return to Arabia, empty-handed, smarting profusely from the telling-off the Negus had given them.
Thus, we explored a vital part of the "Message of Islam."
But one can only imagine what suffering the Muslims (those who stayed behind in Mecca) must have endured at the hands of Qureish after the incident in Abyssinia.
History tells us that not only were Qureish satisfied with torturing the ordinary citizens of Mecca—in the streets—but they were now seriously conspiring on how to get rid of the Prophet (pbuh) once and for all in a last-ditch effort to eradicate Islam.
To crown it all, conversions to Islam was now taking place on a regular basis despite the hostilities and torture. People like Hamza (nicknamed Hamza the lion hunter) came into the fold of Islam without any coercion; Umar, the son of Hattab, was on his way to kill the Prophet (pbuh) when he embraced Islam.
The clansmen of Qureish were beside themselves with such turnabouts—not only was Hamza a well-known and well-respected member of the Qureish tribe, but he was as his name suggested: a genuine hunter and killer of mountain lions, and someone who took pride in his prowess of doing it alone, with only a hunting knife and unbelievable courage. Some called it foolishness, but no one argued with Hamza. Nobody was that foolish!
Umar, on the other hand, was something else. He was known more for his temper than his character. It is said that he was such a violent person that once, in an argument with someone, he cut off the man's arm with his sword, and unceremoniously beat the hapless soul to death with his own arm!
Be that as it may, Umar was on his way to kill Muhammed (pbuh) when he met an acquaintance who enquired about his doings.
Umar replied that he was on his way to kill the madman who was causing so much dissent in Mecca, the man who had the audacity to proclaim himself the Messenger of God, and cause so many families to split up. He, Umar, was going to make sure that Muhammed (pbuh) never repeated any more of his stupid rantings to anyone ever again!
The man looked at him strangely and said that he would be well-advised to first consult with his own sister and her husband before he went over to such drastic action. Apparently both of them had accepted Islam.
Umar immediately altered his course and proceeded to his sister's house, working himself up at what he had heard and how preposterous it sounded to him.
His own sister! How could she? he fumed. How dared she! He was suddenly possessed by an ice-cold rage as he barged into the house, intent on having this out with her and her husband. He would do whatever was necessary!
It so happened that his sister was busy teaching a youngster about the verses of Al-Quran, and she was reading it out loud.
"What gibberish is this?" Umar enquired, lunging forward to grab the parchment that it was written on. His sister hastily hid it away.
"Give it to me!" Umar demanded and when she refused, he hit her with brutal force on her mouth.
The force of the blow flung her to the floor and blood spurted from her lips. She stared at him wordless.
What went through Umar's mind at that moment was anybody's guess, but looking at his sister and seeing the damage he had done to her brought something else out of him. "Can I please see what it is you are reading?" he enquired in a completely different voice, and his sister once more refused.
"I cannot let you touch the verses of the Holy Quran," she remonstrated, keeping the parchment behind her back. "You are unclean! Go and purify yourself first and then I shall let you see it." And, strangely enough, Umar, the short-tempered and violent man, complied by washing himself and returning without any argument. He accepted Islam at the house of the Prophet (pbuh) and Qureish suffered a severe blow.
It is said that after the conversion of Hamza and Umar, the Muslims in Mecca grew bold in the practice and proclamation of their faith. Even those Muslims who had migrated to Abyssinia returned and joined their families.
Umar, in particular, was very vociferous in proclaiming his conversion to Islam. He was always ready to decapitate anyone who challenged him and the clansmen of Qureish watched him with caution.
However, Qureish were not going to be deterred by one man or a few for that matter. Muhammed (pbuh) was proving to be way beyond their control, and if left unchecked he was sure to bring their culture (idol-worshipping and what went with that) to its knees. Something drastic had to be done. Muhammed (pbuh) had to be taken out!
And so we find that during the 12th year of prophet-hood the clansmen decided on a plan to get rid of Muhammed (pbuh) and fortify themselves against any attacks or retribution from the Banu Hashim (the tribe Muhammed (pbuh) belonged to) or anyone else sympathetic to his course.
There were seven tribes that Qureish could rely on and from each tribe a young man was selected to help kill the Prophet (pbuh).
The plan was simple. Every youngster had to thrust his spear into Muhammed (pbuh), while he was sleeping, and in so doing the blame would not only fall on one person, or more importantly, one tribe, but practically all the tribes of Arabia. Nobody would dare take on the might of the seven tribes, Qureish felt sure. Muhammed (pbuh) was as good as dead!
But on the night of the planned murder, Muhammed (pbuh) was anything but asleep in his bed.
It is said that long before that night the revelation came about what was afoot, and the Prophet (pbuh) planned accordingly.
He was told to let his cousin Ali sleep in his bed, and not to worry about his safety. Ali would not be harmed!
It is also said that on that night, while the young men waited in the shadows to commit their dastardly deed, Muhammed (pbuh) slipped past them unnoticed.
Historians and biographers are at pains to explain how not one of the youngsters spotted Muhammed (pbuh) leaving the house. Suffice to say it is well recorded that when they went in and found Ali in the bed, all hell broke loose!
Qureish then mounted a manhunt that was unequaled in those times or any other times for that matter. They sent a force of young and old, soldiers and civilians—every able-bodied person was gathered to hunt Muhammed (pbuh) down. A huge reward was offered to anyone who captured Muhammed, dead or alive—they simply couldn't let Muhammed (pbuh) and whoever was with him get away. They had to get him before it was too late!
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000032064008
Previously we asked the question: What was the True Message of Islam and what was the purpose of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh)—on this earth—regarding that Message?
We also asked: What was the need for a religion like Islam, and was there, or can anyone offer, a clear-cut answer to any of these questions?
We looked at how the Prophet (pbuh) sent some of his followers(about 80 of them, women and children included) to a place called Abyssinia (modern-day Ethiopia) to escape the hideous torture meted out to them by those hostile to the "Message of Islam."
We discussed how Qureish (the leading tribe in Mecca) tried to get the Muslims expelled from Abyssinia by dispatching a delegation to that country and telling the Negus (Christian King of Abyssinia) how Islam recognized no other religion except Islam and that Muslims did not accept the Prophet Jesus as the "Son of God."
We spoke about how the Negus, after listening to both sides, i.e. the delegation of Qureish, and a spokesperson for the Muslims explaining what Islam really stood for and what the Quran said about the Prophet Jesus as well as all the other Prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Lot, and Moses (to name but a few), offered his deliberation by letting the Muslims stay under his protection! And the delegation of Qureish had to return to Arabia, empty-handed, smarting profusely from the telling-off the Negus had given them.
Thus, we explored a vital part of the "Message of Islam."
But one can only imagine what suffering the Muslims (those who stayed behind in Mecca) must have endured at the hands of Qureish after the incident in Abyssinia.
History tells us that not only were Qureish satisfied with torturing the ordinary citizens of Mecca—in the streets—but they were now seriously conspiring on how to get rid of the Prophet (pbuh) once and for all in a last-ditch effort to eradicate Islam.
To crown it all, conversions to Islam was now taking place on a regular basis despite the hostilities and torture. People like Hamza (nicknamed Hamza the lion hunter) came into the fold of Islam without any coercion; Umar, the son of Hattab, was on his way to kill the Prophet (pbuh) when he embraced Islam.
The clansmen of Qureish were beside themselves with such turnabouts—not only was Hamza a well-known and well-respected member of the Qureish tribe, but he was as his name suggested: a genuine hunter and killer of mountain lions, and someone who took pride in his prowess of doing it alone, with only a hunting knife and unbelievable courage. Some called it foolishness, but no one argued with Hamza. Nobody was that foolish!
Umar, on the other hand, was something else. He was known more for his temper than his character. It is said that he was such a violent person that once, in an argument with someone, he cut off the man's arm with his sword, and unceremoniously beat the hapless soul to death with his own arm!
Be that as it may, Umar was on his way to kill Muhammed (pbuh) when he met an acquaintance who enquired about his doings.
Umar replied that he was on his way to kill the madman who was causing so much dissent in Mecca, the man who had the audacity to proclaim himself the Messenger of God, and cause so many families to split up. He, Umar, was going to make sure that Muhammed (pbuh) never repeated any more of his stupid rantings to anyone ever again!
The man looked at him strangely and said that he would be well-advised to first consult with his own sister and her husband before he went over to such drastic action. Apparently both of them had accepted Islam.
Umar immediately altered his course and proceeded to his sister's house, working himself up at what he had heard and how preposterous it sounded to him.
His own sister! How could she? he fumed. How dared she! He was suddenly possessed by an ice-cold rage as he barged into the house, intent on having this out with her and her husband. He would do whatever was necessary!
It so happened that his sister was busy teaching a youngster about the verses of Al-Quran, and she was reading it out loud.
"What gibberish is this?" Umar enquired, lunging forward to grab the parchment that it was written on. His sister hastily hid it away.
"Give it to me!" Umar demanded and when she refused, he hit her with brutal force on her mouth.
The force of the blow flung her to the floor and blood spurted from her lips. She stared at him wordless.
What went through Umar's mind at that moment was anybody's guess, but looking at his sister and seeing the damage he had done to her brought something else out of him. "Can I please see what it is you are reading?" he enquired in a completely different voice, and his sister once more refused.
"I cannot let you touch the verses of the Holy Quran," she remonstrated, keeping the parchment behind her back. "You are unclean! Go and purify yourself first and then I shall let you see it." And, strangely enough, Umar, the short-tempered and violent man, complied by washing himself and returning without any argument. He accepted Islam at the house of the Prophet (pbuh) and Qureish suffered a severe blow.
It is said that after the conversion of Hamza and Umar, the Muslims in Mecca grew bold in the practice and proclamation of their faith. Even those Muslims who had migrated to Abyssinia returned and joined their families.
Umar, in particular, was very vociferous in proclaiming his conversion to Islam. He was always ready to decapitate anyone who challenged him and the clansmen of Qureish watched him with caution.
However, Qureish were not going to be deterred by one man or a few for that matter. Muhammed (pbuh) was proving to be way beyond their control, and if left unchecked he was sure to bring their culture (idol-worshipping and what went with that) to its knees. Something drastic had to be done. Muhammed (pbuh) had to be taken out!
And so we find that during the 12th year of prophet-hood the clansmen decided on a plan to get rid of Muhammed (pbuh) and fortify themselves against any attacks or retribution from the Banu Hashim (the tribe Muhammed (pbuh) belonged to) or anyone else sympathetic to his course.
There were seven tribes that Qureish could rely on and from each tribe a young man was selected to help kill the Prophet (pbuh).
The plan was simple. Every youngster had to thrust his spear into Muhammed (pbuh), while he was sleeping, and in so doing the blame would not only fall on one person, or more importantly, one tribe, but practically all the tribes of Arabia. Nobody would dare take on the might of the seven tribes, Qureish felt sure. Muhammed (pbuh) was as good as dead!
But on the night of the planned murder, Muhammed (pbuh) was anything but asleep in his bed.
It is said that long before that night the revelation came about what was afoot, and the Prophet (pbuh) planned accordingly.
He was told to let his cousin Ali sleep in his bed, and not to worry about his safety. Ali would not be harmed!
It is also said that on that night, while the young men waited in the shadows to commit their dastardly deed, Muhammed (pbuh) slipped past them unnoticed.
Historians and biographers are at pains to explain how not one of the youngsters spotted Muhammed (pbuh) leaving the house. Suffice to say it is well recorded that when they went in and found Ali in the bed, all hell broke loose!
Qureish then mounted a manhunt that was unequaled in those times or any other times for that matter. They sent a force of young and old, soldiers and civilians—every able-bodied person was gathered to hunt Muhammed (pbuh) down. A huge reward was offered to anyone who captured Muhammed, dead or alive—they simply couldn't let Muhammed (pbuh) and whoever was with him get away. They had to get him before it was too late!
http://clickserve.cc-dt.com/link/click?lid=41000000032064008
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Message of Islam|Islam The Straight Path|Islam Teachings|Quran Guidance
Article first published as Message of Islam on Blogcritics.
What was the 'Message of Islam'? i.e. The True Message of Islam? What was the purpose of the Prophet Muhammed(pbuh)on this earth regarding that 'Message'? And why was there a necessity for a religion like Islam?
Is there a clear cut answer to all these questions?
However to try and answer some, or all of the above, one cannot do otherwise but to trace back and look at what we have discussed so far.
We have spoken of how Islam began i.e. the Prophet's(pbuh)meditation in the 'Cave of Hira' on the 'Mountain of Light'; his inner turmoil at trying to understand why he was not like the majority of the Arabs of Mecca who believed in idols and ill-treated their women-folk- even to the extent of burying their female off-spring, alive! And how he encountered the Archangel Gabriel who had commanded him to "Read!"
We have discussed(at length!)how the Archangel had persisted that he "Read!" and, when he couldn't, how the Angel had embraced him and the "First Revelation of Al-Quran" was manifested.
Then there were the trials of Islam and how the Prophet(pbuh)endured endless ridicule and scorn at the hands of not only the clansmen of Mecca, but his own family as he went on his mission of preaching Islam.
We spoke of how the Prophet's(pbuh)uncle, Abu Lahab, went around telling people that Muhammed(pbuh) was a mad man and that nobody should listen to his rantings of the One true God, Allah, and that he, Muhammed(pbuh) was the Messenger of Allah! Even Bilal, a black, Abyssinian slave, was placed in the hot, desert sun with a huge stone on his chest for embracing the religion of Islam and proclaiming the sovereignity of God.
History taught us that when the clansmen of Qureish(ruling clan of Mecca)had had enough of Muhammed(pbuh)and his rebellious ways (as they put it)they banished the Prophet(pbuh)and forty of his followers to a valley, outside Mecca, where they were forbidden to have any contact with anyone, or re-enter Mecca for any reason whatsoever. There in that valley the Muslims were cut off from the rest of society- no trade, no food- nothing! Just their companionship and their infallible belief in the One Allah, which was being tested to its ultimate limit!
And, as the weeks turned into months and months into years- Qureish grew confident that the Muslims weren't going to last for very long- some even partying late into the night, offering extra rations of food to their idols, for the imminent demise of Islam!
We learnt of how the parchment- on which the injunction of the ban had been written- got eaten by white ants(even though it had been closely guarded) and the ban was lifted- after two years!
It was during the 5th year of Prophet-hood that Muhammed(pbuh)decided to send some of his followers- about 80 of them- to Abyssinia(today known as Ethiopia )because conditions in Mecca were becoming very alarming indeed.
In the streets of the City, women and children were being flogged openly for proclaiming their belief in the One God of Muhammed(pbuh)- children were separated from their mothers while the latter were taken into the desert to be defiled and tortured.
One woman was tied at a stake while a red hot poker was driven through her body- and all the while she kept mumbling the sovereignity of Allah- over and over, as her life blood oozed from her. Qureish was beside themselves with exasperation.
When Qureish learnt about the Muslims' sojourn to Abysinnia, they quickly dispatched a deputation to that country and tried to get the Muslims back.
The Negus(Christian king)of Abyssinia found it strange that the Muslims, with whose religion he wasn't very familiar with could revere the Prophet Jesus and all the other Prophets that the Bible spoke about- this after the deputation of Qureish had been laying it on thick that Islam did not recognize any other religion except Islam and that it did not except Jesus as the 'Son of God'.
One of the Muslims explained to the Negus what Islam really stood for- that it did away with oppression; that it gave women the right to decide for themselves- to be recognized as worthy human beings and not to be treated like animals by their husbands; that all men were equal in the sight of God. And, after listening to what was being explained, the King granted the Muslims permission to stay as long as they wanted to and the deputation of Qureish had to leave empty handed.
Thus a vital part of the "Message of Islam" unfolded.
What was the 'Message of Islam'? i.e. The True Message of Islam? What was the purpose of the Prophet Muhammed(pbuh)on this earth regarding that 'Message'? And why was there a necessity for a religion like Islam?
Is there a clear cut answer to all these questions?
However to try and answer some, or all of the above, one cannot do otherwise but to trace back and look at what we have discussed so far.
We have spoken of how Islam began i.e. the Prophet's(pbuh)meditation in the 'Cave of Hira' on the 'Mountain of Light'; his inner turmoil at trying to understand why he was not like the majority of the Arabs of Mecca who believed in idols and ill-treated their women-folk- even to the extent of burying their female off-spring, alive! And how he encountered the Archangel Gabriel who had commanded him to "Read!"
We have discussed(at length!)how the Archangel had persisted that he "Read!" and, when he couldn't, how the Angel had embraced him and the "First Revelation of Al-Quran" was manifested.
Then there were the trials of Islam and how the Prophet(pbuh)endured endless ridicule and scorn at the hands of not only the clansmen of Mecca, but his own family as he went on his mission of preaching Islam.
We spoke of how the Prophet's(pbuh)uncle, Abu Lahab, went around telling people that Muhammed(pbuh) was a mad man and that nobody should listen to his rantings of the One true God, Allah, and that he, Muhammed(pbuh) was the Messenger of Allah! Even Bilal, a black, Abyssinian slave, was placed in the hot, desert sun with a huge stone on his chest for embracing the religion of Islam and proclaiming the sovereignity of God.
History taught us that when the clansmen of Qureish(ruling clan of Mecca)had had enough of Muhammed(pbuh)and his rebellious ways (as they put it)they banished the Prophet(pbuh)and forty of his followers to a valley, outside Mecca, where they were forbidden to have any contact with anyone, or re-enter Mecca for any reason whatsoever. There in that valley the Muslims were cut off from the rest of society- no trade, no food- nothing! Just their companionship and their infallible belief in the One Allah, which was being tested to its ultimate limit!
And, as the weeks turned into months and months into years- Qureish grew confident that the Muslims weren't going to last for very long- some even partying late into the night, offering extra rations of food to their idols, for the imminent demise of Islam!
We learnt of how the parchment- on which the injunction of the ban had been written- got eaten by white ants(even though it had been closely guarded) and the ban was lifted- after two years!
It was during the 5th year of Prophet-hood that Muhammed(pbuh)decided to send some of his followers- about 80 of them- to Abyssinia(today known as Ethiopia )because conditions in Mecca were becoming very alarming indeed.
In the streets of the City, women and children were being flogged openly for proclaiming their belief in the One God of Muhammed(pbuh)- children were separated from their mothers while the latter were taken into the desert to be defiled and tortured.
One woman was tied at a stake while a red hot poker was driven through her body- and all the while she kept mumbling the sovereignity of Allah- over and over, as her life blood oozed from her. Qureish was beside themselves with exasperation.
When Qureish learnt about the Muslims' sojourn to Abysinnia, they quickly dispatched a deputation to that country and tried to get the Muslims back.
The Negus(Christian king)of Abyssinia found it strange that the Muslims, with whose religion he wasn't very familiar with could revere the Prophet Jesus and all the other Prophets that the Bible spoke about- this after the deputation of Qureish had been laying it on thick that Islam did not recognize any other religion except Islam and that it did not except Jesus as the 'Son of God'.
One of the Muslims explained to the Negus what Islam really stood for- that it did away with oppression; that it gave women the right to decide for themselves- to be recognized as worthy human beings and not to be treated like animals by their husbands; that all men were equal in the sight of God. And, after listening to what was being explained, the King granted the Muslims permission to stay as long as they wanted to and the deputation of Qureish had to leave empty handed.
Thus a vital part of the "Message of Islam" unfolded.
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