Life of the Messenger Muhammad (ﷺ)

Ar-Raheequl Makhtum (THE SEALED NECTAR) [Author: Saifur Rahman Mubarakpuri]

Geography and Tribes of Arab

There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often. (Surah Ahjahb: 21)

The Last and Greatest Prophet 'Biography of Muhammad (ﷺ)' refers to the fulfillment of the message of Allah which Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) presented to mankind and by which he rescued people from the wrong path and established them on the right path shown by Allah and freed them from the slavery of Satan and made them obidient to Allah.

The biography of the Prophet (ﷺ) cannot be fully understood until the conditions before and after the revelation are known. Hence a detailed description of the geographical boundaries of Arabia, the condition and position of the various communities living in Arabia and the course of their progress, in which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appeared is given.

Geographical location of Arab

The word 'Arab' is derived from the Arabic word Arabat. The literal meaning of the term is 'sandy desert', 'gray desert' or 'a region devoid of vines and grass crops'. Since ancient times, the term has been used in this characteristic sense for the Arabian Peninsula and the communities living there.

Arab is bounded by the Red Sea Sinai Peninsula in the west, the Arabian Gulf in the east, a large part of Iraq in the south and the Arabian Sea-which is a vast part of the Indian Ocean, the Kingdom of Sham and parts of northern Iraq in the north. There is some disagreement in some cases about the said boundaries. The area of the entire territory is estimated to be between 10 lakh and 13 lakh square miles.

The Arabian Peninsula is of great importance and significance both from the internal geographical and geological point of view. The peninsula is surrounded by desert or horizon-wide sandy desert. Due to which the peninsula has become such a fortified fortress, it is very difficult for any foreign power or external enemy to attack, establish rights or influence it. For that reason, the inhabitants of the central part of the Arabian Peninsula have been able to maintain their own distinctive characteristics since ancient times. However, in terms of location, this peninsula is the neighbor of two superpowers, which would never have been possible for the Arabs to be free from the influence of these two superpowers if there were no geographical barriers.

Looking at the position of the Arabian Peninsula from the outside world, it will appear that the country is located at the very center or center of the ancient continents, and both water and land borders are the gateway to the African continent. The north-eastern border is the gateway to the European continent and the eastern border is the gateway to other Far Eastern countries including China-India via Iran and Central Asia. In this way, the waterways coming from different countries and continents of the world through seas and oceans have made the Arabian Peninsula an excellent link with the rest of the world. Ships from different countries go directly to Arabian ports. In view of such geographical conditions and boundaries, the northern and southern borders of the Arabian Peninsula were the destination or center of trade, agriculture and exchange of various communities.

Races and Tribal Positions of Arab

Historians have divided the Arab communities into three categories based on the origin. namely-
1. Arabe Bayeda
2. Arabe Areba
3. Arabe Mostareba.

1. Arabe Bayeda: They are the ruined ancient clans and communities that have completely disappeared from the face of the earth and it is almost impossible to find reliable information about them. These communities are respectively Ad, Thamud, Tasm Jadis, Imlak, Umayim, Jurham, Hayyub, Wabar, Jasim, Hazramaut etc. They are so lost in the abyss of oblivion that there is no possibility of rising after their fall.

2. Arabe Areba: They are the tribes that are descended from Yarur bin Yashzur bin Qahtan. They are called 'Kahtani Arabs'.

3. Arabe Mostareba: They are the Arabs who descended from the lineage of Ishmael (as). They are called 'Adnani Arabs'.

The real home of 'Arabe Areba' i.e. Kahtani Arabs was the kingdom of Yemen. It is here that their lineages and clans split into many branches. Among them later two clans gained more prominence. They are-

a. Himyar: Its prominent branches are Zaidul Jamhul Kozayah and Sadasek.

b. Kahlan: Its prominent branches are the Hamdan, Anmar, Tai Majhiz, Kindah Lakhm, Juzam, Azd, Aws, Khazraj and Jafran clans. They later established an empire around the kingdom of Shash and became known as 'Ale Ghassan'. Later, most of the Kahlani tribe left the kingdom of Yemen and spread to different parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Generally their exodus takes place some time before 'Sayre Aram'. This was the case at the time when the Romans invaded Egypt and Syria and established absolute dominance over the commercial caravan routes of the Yemenites and cut off all land access forever. As a result, the business of the Kahlanis stopped.

The conflict between the descendants of the 'Himiyari' and 'Kahlani' clans, which was one of the main reasons for their abandonment, is indicated by various sources. The information obtained from all these sources shows that the Kahlani tribes were forced to leave the illusion of their homeland due to the emergence of various complex problems in various areas of life due to self-conflict. But the Himiyari tribes remained permanently in the homeland.

There was for [the tribe of] Saba’ in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left. [They were told], "Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land [have you], and a forgiving Lord." But they turned away [refusing], so We sent upon them the flood of the dam, and We replaced their two [fields of] gardens with gardens of bitter fruit, tamarisks and something of sparse lote trees. [By] that We repaid them because they disbelieved. And do We [thus] repay except the ungrateful? And We placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [many] visible cities. And We determined between them the [distances of] journey, [saying], "Travel between them by night or by day in safety." But [insolently] they said, "Our Lord, lengthen the distance between our journeys," and wronged themselves, so We made them narrations and dispersed them in total dispersion. Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful. (Surah Saba: Verses 15-19)

It is known from reliable sources that the Kahlani tribes who left the illusion of their homeland and went elsewhere were divided into four branches. They are-

1. Azd
2. Lakhar and Jazam tribes
3. Banu Tai tribe
4. Kinda tribe

1. Azd: They left the country on the advice of their leader Imran bin Amr Muzaikia. Early on the eve of the journey they stayed at a place in Yemen. They used to send scouts ahead to ensure security. Traveling this way, they finally split into many branches as they progressed northward; and while traveling to and fro settled in different places. The details regarding their migration and settlement are respectively as follows-

a. Salaba bin Amr: He first moved towards the Hejaz and settled between two places called 'Salabia' and 'Zeekar'. When his offspring grew old and the progeny became strong, he moved towards Madinah and settled there, finding Madinah a suitable place to live. From the descendants of the Salaba came the tribes of 'Aws' and 'Khazraj', the Ansars of Madinah.

b. Harissa Bin Amr: That is Kujayma and his children. They used to travel around the Hejaz land and camped at a place called 'Marruz Jahran'. Then they attacked the Haram Sharif and expelled the Banu Jurhum from there and settled themselves permanently in the city of Makkah.

c. Imran bin Amr: He and his children settled in 'Amman'. So they were called 'Azde Amman'.

d. Nasr bin Azad: The people related to him who settled in Tehama were called 'Azde Shanuah'.

e. Jaffna Bin Amr: He went to the kingdom of Sham and settled there and lived with his children. He is the reputed ancestor of the Ghassani rulers. They lived for some time near a spring called 'Gassan' in the Hejaz before moving to the state of Sham. Hence their descendants were called 'Ghassani clan'.

2. Lakham and Jujam tribes: Among these Lakhmi's was a man named 'Nasr bin Rabiyya' who was a very influential ancestor of the rulers of the 'Heebar Munzeer' dynasty.

3. Banu Tai tribe: After the exodus of the Banu Azad tribe, this tribe moved towards the north and settled permanently at the foot of the two hills called 'Aja' and 'Salma'. The two hills came to be known as 'Tai tribe Hills' after the name of this tribe.

4. Kinda tribe: This tribe first set up camp in 'Bahrain' present day 'Al Ahsa'. But due to not getting the expected environment and facilities there, was forced to travel towards 'Hazra Maut'. But as there was no such favorable environment, they finally went to the 'Najd' region and built a settlement. There they founded a huge state of great splendor. But that state did not last long. Within a short time, its existence disappeared forever. Apart from Kahlan, Himyar also has a similar Kojaya tribe. However, there is some difference of opinion for those who left Yemen and settled on the border with Iraq as being 'Himayari'.

Arabe Mostareba and Ibrahim (as)

Their main ancestor is Ibrahim (as). He was originally a resident of a city called Ura in Iraq. The city is located near Kufa on the banks of the Euphrate river. A lot of valuable and important information about the city has been revealed through the inscriptions, books and documents that have been recovered by the archaeologists during the underground excavation of the city. A lot of new information has been uncovered and new horizon have been revealed about the religious and social customs and conditions of Sayyedena Ibrahim (as) and his senior progeny and the inhabitants there. In this context, we are also aware that Ibrahim (as) arrived in the city called 'Harran' from that place.

In this context, we are also aware that Ibrahim (as) arrived in the city called 'Harran' from that place. Then from there he again went to Palestine and settled and made that country the focal point of his prophetic or God-called activities. Allah subhanahu ta'ala bestowed upon him the most honorable title of 'Khalilullah' and from the great responsibility and duty of Rasalat he entrusted to his shoulders, he dedicated himself to the extensive propagation within the country and outside the world.

Ibrahim (as) once went to live in the land of Egypt. The then King of Egypt 'Pharaoh' was attracted to his wife Sara by hearing his minister's words about her immense beauty and was slyly motivated to reach out to her to satisfy his sexual desire. Meanwhile, when 'wife Sara', burning with hatred and anger, prayed to Allah with a passionate heart to preserve her chastity, Allah immediately accepted it, and as an inevitable result, Pharaoh became deranged and began to throw his arms and legs. At the end of the intervention of an invisible force, Pharaoh became completely helpless and weak.

He was completely shocked and amazed at the terrible consequences of his abominable and heinous misdeeds. Through this very traumatic situation, he realizes that 'Sara' is no ordinary woman; Rather, she is a noble woman beloved by Allah.

Marriage of Ibrahim (as) and Hajera

Pharaoh was so impressed and amazed by Sara's personality that he engaged his daughter Hajera in the service of Sara. Sara was impressed by Hajera's care and dignity. Then she married Hajera to her husband Ibrahim Khalilullah (as).

Ibrahim (as) returned to Palestine with Sara and Hajera. Then Allah blessed Ibrahim (as) with the most fortunate child in the womb of Hajera. His child is the world-famous great man and Prophet Ismail (as) who was awarded the title of 'Zabihullah'.

Sara was childless. She became somewhat ashamed and jealous because Abraham's child was born in the womb of Hajera. Because of that, she pressured her husband to send Hajera along with the newborn into exile.

Forced by the circumstances, Ibrahim (as) accepted Sara's demand. He came to the land of Hijaz with Hajera and his newborn son Ishmael (as). Then he exiled them near Baitullah. Baitullah in its present form did not exist at that time. At the time where Baitullah is located, the shape of the place was that the current of flood flowed. At that time, there was a large tree on the surface of the Masjid Haram near the well of Jamjam. Ibrahim (as) left his wife Hajera and infant son Ishmael (as) under that tree.

At that time there was no reservoir or source of water in that place, no locality or human settlement. Putting some dates in a bowl and some water in a small pot, Ibrahim (as) again went to Palestine. But within a few days, dates ran out, water also ran out. Even the difficult crisis was solved in a supernatural way by the infinite mercy of Allah. 'Abe Hayat' Jamjam well is created. Food and commodities needed for a long time are also collected in the same way.

After some time a tribe of people from Yemen arrived there. In the history of Islam, this tribe is called 'Zurhame Sani' or 'Second Jurham'. This tribe continued to stay in Makkah with the permission of Ismail's mother. It is said that at first this tribe settled in the mountainous open desert around Mecca. it is clearly stated in Sahih Bukhari that they came to live in Makkah. After the arrival of Ishmael (as), but before he entered his youth. Of course, they used to travel through the wilderness surrounding that mountain long ago.

Ibrahim (as) sometimes came to Makkah to meet his abandoned wife and children. But no exact account has been found of how many times he came to Makkah that way. But according to historians, he visited Mecca four times. The details of his four arrivals are respectively given below-

1. The noble Book: It is stated in Al-Qur'an, Allah showed Ibrahim (as) in a dream that he had sacrificed his son Ishmael (as). On the contrary, this dream was an instruction from Allah. So both the father and the son got ready with their hearts and souls to carry out that order.

When the father laid his son on the ground for the purpose of sacrifice, Allah Almighty announced - 'O Ibrahim, you have made your dream come true in the best possible way. Surely this is how I reward the righteous. Surely this event was a great trial from Allah and Allah gave them a large animal in return.

'Majuma', mentioned before the birth of the Bible, was 13 years older than Ishmael (as) and according to the Qur'anic account the event took place before Ishaq (as). Because after the detailed description of the birth-history of Ishmael (as), good news is given regarding the birth of Ishaq (as).

It is evident from the said incident that Ibrahim (as) visited Makkah at least once before Ishmael (as) reached his youth. The details of the remaining three tours are found in a long narration in Sahih Bukhari - narrated directly from Ibn Abbas (ra). A summary of that description is as follows-

When Ismail (as) first entered his youth, he mastered Arabic well from the people of the tribe of Zurham and was able to win the hearts of all concerned in every way. After some time he got married to a woman of that tribe. When time was passing through such a situation, Hajera became a resident of Paradise leaving Ismail (as) in sorrow. (We belong to Allah and we will return to him)

Meanwhile, when the memory of the abandoned family came to mind, Ibrahim (as) again started his journey towards Makkah. Consort Hajera was then a resident of paradise. He first went and appeared in the house of Ismail (as). But due to his absence there was no meeting and conversation between father and son. Meeting and talking happened with the daughter-in-law. At one stage of the discussion between the father-in-law and the daughter-in-law, when the daughter-in-law complained about poverty, he advised that after the arrival of Ismail he should change the door frame. After hearing his father's advice from his wife, Ismail (as) divorced his wife and married a second woman. This woman was the daughter of 'Mayaz bin Amr' of the tribe of Zurham.

Second time: After Ishmael's (as) second marriage, Ibrahim (as) returned to Makkah. But even this time he could not meet his son. When Ibrahim (as) asked his daughter-in-law about her condition, she thanked Allah. Satisfied with this, Ibrahim (as) advised to keep the door frame permanently and returned to Palestine.

Third time: Then Ibrahim (as) came to Makkah for the third time. At that time, Ismail (as) was making arrows under a tree near the well of Zamzam. Suddenly seeing his father in such a situation, he jumped up in an overabundance of emotion and joy and spent some time cuddling and embracing both father and son.

This meeting took place after such a long time that it was very emotional and poignant to the childlike, tender-hearted and benevolent father and the patriarch and dutiful son. At that time both father and son built the Kaba together. After the completion of the construction of the Kaba house, Ibrahim (as) invited the Muslim nation to perform the holy Hajj.

Allah blessed Ishmael (as) with 12 good children in the womb of Mayaz's daughter. Their names are respectively-
1. Navit or Nabayut,
2. Kaeder,
3. Adbail,
4. Mobsham,
5. Mesha,
6. Doma,
7. Misha,
8. Hadad,
9. Taima,
10. Yatur,
11. Nafis,
12. Kaidman.

From the 12 children of Ishmael (as) 12 tribes originated and all settled in the city of Makkah. In most cases, their way of life was dependent on trade and commerce with countries like Yemen, Egypt, and Syria. As a result of the increase in population, these tribes gradually spread to different parts of the Arabian Peninsula and even beyond Arabia.

Although all these clans were created from the bloodline of a great man who was very beloved and chosen by Allah, in most cases, they remained in the unknown state behind the cycle of bloodlines. Only the descendants of Na'bit and Kaidar were able to free themselves from the dark webs created by the cycle of time. Over time, the literary and artistic culture of the Navit in Northern Hejaz flourished. Not only that, they were able to establish a single powerful nation and a vast empire, subjugating the surrounding communities and collecting regular taxes from them. The capital of this nation was 'Batra'. No one around had the courage or strength to compete with them.

Rise of the Romans

Then in the course of time, the Romans emerged. In various fields they prospered and accumulated so much energy that the prower and prowess of the Navits became a fairy tale.

Maulana Sayyid Sulaiman Nadvi proved after his research, discussion and deep investigation that none of the Ghassan descendants and the Ansar of Madinah and the Aws and Khazraz tribes belonged to the Qahtani Arabs; Rather, only the descendants of Nabvit bin Ismail (as) remained in that region and were in Arabia.

The family of Kaeder bin Ismail (as) grew up in the holy land of Makkah and over time they climbed to the golden peak of progress there. Then in the course of time they became unknown. Then Adnan and his children appeared in that place. The genealogy of the Adnanis of Arabia is purely known so far.

'Adnan' is the 21st male descendant of the Prophet (ﷺ). It is stated in some narrations that when the Prophet (ﷺ) was narrating his genealogy, he would go up to 'Adnan' and suddenly stop, and would not advance a bit. He used to say that the experts were wrong about genealogy.

But a group of scholars are of the opinion that a genealogical source can be narrated from Adnan. The Prophet (ﷺ) called the narration weak. According to the findings of the scholars, there is a gap of 40 long stairs between Adnan and Ibrahim (as).

However, it is said about 'Nazar', Maya's son, that Mayad had no other children apart from him. But a few tribes have come into existence from this Nazar. In fact, Nazar had four children and from each child a tribe was founded. The names of these four children of Nazar were respectively:-
1. Yiad,
2. Unmar,
3. Rabia
4. Muzar

Among them, branches of 'Rabia' and 'Muzar' tribes spread widely. Therefore, from Rabi'a came Asad bin Rabi'a, Anja, Abdul Qais, Wa'il, Bakr, Taghlib and Banu Hanifa. The children of Muzar were divided into two major clans. There are two tribes:-
1. Qais Aylam bin Muzar and
2. Ilyas bin Muzar.

Banu Sulaiman, Banu Hawazen, Banu Gatfan from Qais Ailam. From Banu Ghatfan sprang the tribes of Abs, Juwayyan, Ashja and Ghani bin Asur.

From Ilyas bin Muzar sprang the tribes of Tamim bin Murrah, Huzail bin Mudreqa, Banu Asad bin Khuzaima and Kenana bin Khuzaima. Then the tribe of Quraish emerged from Canaan. This tribe is the children of Fehr bin Malek bin Namar bin Kenana.

After that, the Quraish tribe split into different branches. Prominent branches of these are Juham, Saham Adim Makhjum, Tayyim, Zuhra and descendants of Qusai bin Kelab. That is, the tribe of Abduddar, Asad bin Abdul Uzza and Abde Manaf were the children of Qusai. Among them Abde Manaf had four sons and from the four sons arose four tribes, namely Abde Shams, Naufal, Muttaleb and Hashem. From the tribe of Hashem, Allah chose our beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as a prophet and messenger.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said - 'Allah chose Ishmael (as) from the children of Ibrahim (as) and Banu Hashem from the children of Ishmael (as) and me from Banu Hashem.

Narrated from Ibn Abbas (ra). He said, The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said - 'Allah created man and made me among the best. Then the tribe are selected and in this case I am included in the best tribe. Finally attention was paid to family status and in this case I was included in a very prestigious family. Therefore, I am excellent in my personal being as well as in respect of good family status.

However, as Adnan's clan grew in numbers, they spread across the Arabian continent in search of livelihood. In this context, the tribe of Abdul Qais, some branches of Bakr bin Wael and the descendants of Banu Tamim traveled towards Bahrain and settled there.

The tribe of Banu Hanifa bin Sa'rab bin Ali bin Bakr moved towards Yamama and settled at the place called 'Hijr' as its center. The remaining branches of the Bakr bin Wael tribe settled in the region from Yamama to Bahrain, Sahel Qa'imah, Khaliz, Sawad Iraq, Ubullah and Hitt.

The Banu Tagalab tribe settled in the Euphrates Peninsula region. However, some of their branches continued to live with Banu Bakr. Meanwhile, the Banu Tamim tribe designated the remote areas of Basra as suitable land for settlement.

The Banu Sulaim tribe settled near Madinah. Their abode extended from Wadi al-Qora to Khaybar and extending eastward of Madinah to the two hills joining the Banu Sulaym at Harray.

Banu Saqif settled in Taif and Banu Hawazain settled in the vicinity of Wadi Awtas, east of Makkah. Their residence was next to the Makkah-Basra highway.

Banu Asad established their settlements east of Taima and west of Kufa. Between them and Taima was the plantation of a Bohtar family of the Banu Tai tribe. The distance between Banu Asad's occupied land and Kufa was five days distance.

The Banu Juwayan tribe settled and farmed around Hawan near Taima.

The Banu Kenana people remained in Tehama. From among them the Quraish settled in Makkah and its surrounding areas. These people had a detached mindset. There was no discipline among them. This is how their lifestyle was going. Then a man called 'Qusai bin Kelab' took their leadership. By proper management it raised them to the seat of dignity and honor in the conventional sense and made them wealthy and victorious over others.

Various kingdoms and administrative conditions in contemporary Arab

In view of the special need to discuss the various Arab states and political conditions, leadership, community, religion, etc., during the early period of the spread of Islam, a brief discussion of these topics is inserted. Through this it will be possible to easily get an idea about the different conditions of pre-Islamic and post-Islamic Arabia.

In the Arabian Peninsula, when the sun-bright teaching of Islam began to develop, there were two types of kingdoms and systems of government. One type was the crowned emperor—who was not really completely independent or free. Another type was the tribal chiefs. The status of the crowned emperors was similar to that of other prominent tribal chiefs. But the characteristic they had from the emperors was that they were mostly independent. Empires that were ruled by crowned emperors were Shahane Yemen Shahane Ale Ghassan (Empire) and Shahane Hira (Iraq). In all other cases the tribal chief ruled. They were uncrowned kings.

Kingdom of Yemen: The 'Arabe Areba' communities identified as the oldest Yemeni communities belonged to the 'Saba' community. Ancient 'Ur' (Iraq) – Evidence recovered from the ruins of many of the continent's oldest ruined cities indicates a community dating back to 2500 BC. But the evidence that their rise began in the 11th century BC is largely speculative. Based on the research data, the idea about their life style is as follows-

Mokarrab Saba: Their era started from 650 BC. During that period Shahane Saba's prestigious title was 'Mukarrabe Saba'. His capital was at Sarwah, the ruins of which can still be seen a day's journey west of Mayareb, and is known as Khabibah. It was during this period that the foundation of the famous dam of Mayareb was laid - which is particularly significant in the history of Yemen. It is said that during that period the empire of 'Saba' expanded so much that they built new settlements, towns and cities in different places inside and outside Arabia.

Saba-King: During the period from 650 to 115 BC, the 'Saba' emperors abandoned the title of Mokarrab, adopted the honorific title of 'Raja' (King) and declared Mayerrab as the capital of the empire instead of 'Sawar'. The ruins of that city can still be seen 60 miles east of Sanya.

Decline of Saba: From 115 BC to 300 BC, the 'Himya' tribe dominated the Sabah state. Makes 'Raydan' the capital instead of Mayareb. Later the name of the capital was changed from 'Raydan' to 'Zifar'. The ruins of this city can still be seen in a round mountain near the city of 'Yarim'.

From this time the decline of the 'Saba' community began. The Nabayites first established their authority in the northern province of the Hejaz, expelling the Saba settlers from there. Additionally, the Rumi's conquest of northern Egypt, Sham and the Hejaz affected their trade by sea. In this way, gradually their business and trade shrinks and eventually ceases. On the other hand, the Qahtani' clans got involved in conflicts and quarrels among themselves, abandoning their respective abodes and spreading to different places.

Abolition of Freedom: From 300 AD until the advent of Islam, Yemen continued to experience unrest and chaos. One after the other, many disasters - counter-revolutions and civil wars take place. This creates unwanted opportunities for outside intervention. Even once such a situation arose, as a result of which Yemen's independence was abolished. On the other hand, during that period, the Rumis dominated Yemen by gathering troops in 'Adan Island'. Then with the opportunity of Himya and Hamdan's mutual self-conflict the Abyssinians established authority over them. The Abyssinian occupation lasted from 340 to 478 AD. After this period, the independence of Yemen became a kind of restoration. But cracks started in Mayareb's famous dam. As the cracks continued to grow, the dam finally broke completely in 450 or 451 AD. The destruction of this dam caused a terrible flood, which is mentioned in Surah Saba Sayale Arem in the Quran. As a result of this terrible flood, village after village was submerged and many tribes were scattered in different directions.

Pressure to convert to Judaism: Later, in 523 AD, an accident of a different style occurred again. The Jewish Emperor of Yemen, 'Zu Nawas', led a vicious attack on the Christians of Nazran and put great pressure on them to renounce Christianity and convert to Judaism. But as the Christians did not agree to this at all, 'Ju Nawas' dug several huge pits and lit them on fire. Christians were thrown into the fire. In the Qur'an, the ayat of Surah Buruj, 'Kutila Ashabul Ukhdud', alludes to the atrocious incident.

Invasion of the Romans: As a result of the event, Christians under the leadership of the Roman emperors repeatedly attacked and conquered the cities and towns of the Arabian Peninsula. Encouraged by this, they became determined to take revenge on the Jews and encouraged the Abyssinians to participate and cooperate in this counter-attack. A fleet was even provided to the Abyssinians for this purpose. With the help of the Rumis, the Abyssinians became quite powerful and in 525 AD, under the leadership of Irat, a large army of 70,000 men advanced and re-established rule over Yemen.

During the early stages of the occupation of Yemen, Yayat continued to govern Yemen as governor of the Abyssinian emperor. But one of his subordinates named 'Abraha' killed him and established his authority and managed to remain on good terms with the Emperor of Abyssinia with great prudence. He was 'Abraha' who marched towards the Ka'ba with a large army of elephants to destroy the Ka'ba and was ultimately destroyed by the birds of God. In the heavenly book Al-Qur'an, the event is described as 'Ashabe Fiel' (Elephant Army).

Rebellion against the Abyssinians: The Abyssinian were greatly disturbed by the incident of the Ashab elephant. The Yemenis took this opportunity to declare a rebellion against the Abyssinians with the help of the Persian kingdom. The people of Yemen expelled the Abyssinians from the country under the leadership of 'Madi Karab', the son of 'Saife zi Yazan Himyari', and named Madi-Karab as emperor as a free and independent community. This was the event of 575 AD.

After gaining independence and state power, 'Madikarab' employed a number of Habshis in his service and increasing the magnificence of the royal court. But it is this misconception of his indomitability that the proverb 'To cherish a serpent in one’s bosom' becomes a tragic truth. Instigated, those negroes one day killed Madi Karab and ended the rule of the 'Zee Yazan' family forever.

Provinces of the Persian Empire: Seeing this fragile situation as a golden opportunity, the Persians 'Kisra' appointed a man of Persian origin as the governor of the province of San'a and thereby made the country a province of the Persian Empire. Since then several governors of Persian origin continued to govern the province of Yemen one after the other. Finally, when the Persian governor 'Bazan' accepted Islam in 628 AD, Yemen was freed from the grip of Persian rule and sheltered under the shade of Islamic lifestyle and governance.

Hira Empire: In Persian-ruled Iraq and its surrounding areas, Persian rule had been in place since the time of Cyrus the Great, or Cyrus Dhul-Qarnain (557-525 BC). During this period no one had the strength or courage to compete or compete with them. Then, around 325 BC, Secander Makduni defeated the Persian king Prothom Dara, and completely overthrew the Persian power. This resulted in the disintegration of the Persian Empire and chaos everywhere. This chaos continued till 230 AD.

At that time the Qahtani tribes migrated and settled in a fertile border region of Iraq. Meanwhile, the exiled Adnanis declared rebellion and engaged in war. After winning the battle, they settled on a part of the Euphrates river bank.

On the other hand, when 'Ardashir' took over the rule of the Sassanid Empire in 226 AD, the glory and power of the Persian Empire gradually began to recover. 'Ardashir' made the Sassanids a disciplined nation and subjugated the Arabs living in the frontier regions of the country. In view of such situation, the Kojaya clan moved towards the empire. The Arab inhabitants of Hira Anbar, on the other hand, took a lenient attitude towards submission.

During the Ardashi period, the Jajimat al-Wayzahs dominated the Rabi'i and Mu'ari tribes of Hira, Baghiyat al-Irak, and the peninsular tribes. This means that Ardashir did not want to dominate the Arabs directly. He was able to realize that it would not be easy to dominate the Arabs directly or stop their plunder from the frontier areas. In that context he thought of an alternative arrangement and that was that if a ruler was appointed from his clan then it might be possible to get support and assistance from his clansmen and relatives.

As a result of this, one more special advantage was likely to be gained, that if necessary, they would have the opportunity to receive help from them against the Romans. In addition, it may be possible to keep the situation somewhat favorable by pitting those Arab rulers against the Roman-oriented Arab rulers of the empire. A point to be noted in this context is that the Hira Emperor had a unit of Persian troops always kept in reserve by which it was easy to subdue the rebels living in the desert.

Lakhmi's rule

By the time of 268 AH, 'Jazima' died and was succeeded by Amr bin Adi bin Nasr Lakhmi. He was the first ruler of the Lakham tribe and a contemporary of Shapur Ardarshi. After that, until the era of Kothaz bin Firoz, the rule of the Lakhmi was established over the diamond. Muzdaq appeared during the Kobaaz. He was an independent man. Kothaj and many of his subjects patronized the muzdaq. In Korah, the emperor of Hira again sent word to Munajer bin Maws Samay that he should accept the religion. But Munaj was a man with some self-respect. He rejected the message without giving any importance to it. As a result, Kothaz removed him from his position and entrusted the rulership of Hira to Haris bin Amr bin Hajar Findi, a disciple of Muzdaker.

Kisra Nowsherwa's rule

After Kobayaz, the rulership of the Persian kingdom fell into the hands of Kisra Nowsherwa. He had a strong hatred for that religion. He killed the muzdaq and a large group of his followers. Then again Munazir was entrusted with the rulership of Hira and Harith bin Amr was summoned to his court. But he fled to Banu Kalb tribe and settled there.

After Munaj bin Maws Sama until the time of Noman bin Munaj, the responsibility of managing the Kingdom of Hira was entrusted to his descendants. Again, when Zaid bin Adi Uwadi made a false complaint to Kisra about Noman bin Munaj, Kisra got angry and summoned Noman to his court. Noman went secretly to Hani bin Mas'ud, the leader of the Banu Shayban tribe, leaving his family members and resources in his custody and went to Kisra. The emperors kept him imprisoned and died there.

Victory of Yas army of Arab

Meanwhile, Qisra, after imprisoning Noman, replaced him with Yas bin Kabisa Ta'i as governor of Hira and ordered Hani bin Mas'ud to summon Noman's safe deposit. But the self-respecting man Hani Talbi not only refused to pay the deposit; Instead, war was declared. Then what happened happened. Yas advanced with his well-armoured army, Kisra's army and Murban's entire army to deal with it. A fierce battle took place between the two groups in the field called 'Jeekar'. Banu Shayban won the battle and the Persians suffered a crushing defeat. This battle is very important in history because it was the first victory of Arabs against Arabs. This incident took place shortly after the birth of the Prophet (ﷺ). In the eighth month of Yas' mastery over the Hira, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) brought Tashrif to the world.

After Yas, Kisara appointed a Parsi as governor of Hira. But in 632 A.D., the rights of the Lakhmi were re-established and a man of that tribe named Munajer bin Ma'rur took over the administration. But when the eighth month had passed in order to fulfill this duty, Khalid bin Walid (ra) entered Hira as the forerunner of Islam.

The rule of the kingdom of Sham

Discussions about the topics of that era were ongoing in the Arab tribes. A few branches of the Kojaya tribe also crossed the border and settled in the Sham kingdom. They had relations with Banu Sulaim bin Hulwan. Banu Yaz'am bin Sulaym', the tribe that later became known as 'Yazazimah', belonged to them. That branch of the Qojaya was patronized by the Rumis for use against the Persians in order to protect them from the nomadic marauders of the Arabian desert and to resist the marauders. For this purpose, they put the crown of state rule on one of their heads.

Since then, the administration of the state continued to be conducted under his leadership for some time. The most famous ruler among them was Emperor 'Ziyad bin Hazullah'. It is believed that the state administration led by the 'Yazaymah' tribe existed throughout the second century AD. Then the discussion of the arrival of the descendants of the 'Ghassani' tribe in that region continues. In this context, it is needless to say that the Ghassani had already defeated the Banu Jazema and robbed them of their power and resources. In such a situation, Rumi recognized the ruler of the Ghassani dynasty as the emperor of the Arabs for the region of Sham. The capital of Ghassani was 'Dumatul Jandal'. As the director of Rumian activities, they continued to rule in the Sham region successively until the Battle of Yarmouk took place in 13 A.H. during the Farooqi Khulafat period and the last ruler of the Ghassani dynasty, 'Jablah bin Ayyam', took shelter under the cool shade of Islam. However, his pride could not tolerate Islamic equality for long and he became a self-abnegator.

Leadership of Hejaz

It is well known that the settlement of Makkah dates back to the arrival of Ismail (as) in Makkah. He lived till he was 137 years old. And served as the leader of Makkans and servant of Baitullah for a lifetime.

After his death, Nabit and Qaida's two sons alternately served as Khadem of Makkah. After that, his grandfather Mu'az bin Amr Jurhumi took over the administration of the kingdom. Thus the leadership of Makkah passed into the hands of the tribe of Banu Zurham and remained in their hands for an era.

Since Ismail (as) worked hand in hand with his father to build the Baitullah, his children occupy a special position of dignity. Although they had no share in leadership or rights. Ibn Hisham mentions only Nabid leading from the descendants of Ismail (as).

Then day after day and year after year began to pass. But the children of Ishmael (as) remained like in the mother's womb. They remained unknown in public. On the other hand, before the fame of 'Bakhte Nasr' was revealed, the power of the Banu Jurham tribe weakened and the political star of the Adnanis began to shine in the sky of Mecca. This is evidenced by the fact that Zuruhumi was not the commander of the Arab army in the fierce battle that Bakhte Nasr fought with the Arabs at a place called 'Jate Iraq'.

When 'Bakhte Nasr' attacked Mecca again in 587 BC, the Adnanis fled to Yemen. At that time, the Prophet of Bani Israel was 'Yeremiah' (as). He took Adnan's son Mayad with him to Sham and when Bakhte Nasr's influence faded, Mayad returned to Makkah. On his return to Makkah he met only one of the tribe of Jurham. He was, 'Zurhum bin Zalahamah'. Mayad married his daughter Mayanah. 'Nair' was born from her womb.

From then on, the condition of the tribe of Jurhum in Makkah became very bad. They tend to fall into extreme poverty. As a result, they started harassing the Hajj-pilgrims coming to Baitullah. They do not hesitate to embezzle money from the Kaaba.

Meanwhile, the tribe of Banu Adnan secretly kept a keen eye on their activities and became terribly angry and furious with them. So when the tribe of 'Bun Khuzayima' camped in Marruja Jahran and noticed that the tribe of Banu Adnan looked upon Banu Zurham with hatred, they took the opportunity to take an Adnani tribe (Banu Bakr bin Abde Manath bin Kenana) against the tribe of Banu Zurhum, started a war and drove them out of Makkah and seized power. This event took place in the middle of the second century AD.

When the Banu Jurhum tribe left Makkah, they threw various objects into the well of Jama'am, almost filling it up. Among the objects they threw into the well were some historical artifacts. According to the narration of Muhammad bin Ishaq, Amr bin Harith bin Mu'az Zurhumi.

Two deer of the Khanaye Kaaba

Mas'udi writes that in the past, the Persians used to send a lot of wealth and pearls to the Kaaba in Khana. Sasan bin Babuk sent two deer made of gold, pearls, swords and much gold. Amr threw them all into the well of Zamzam.

The stone placed in the corner (hazre aswad or black stone) was taken out and thrown into the well. Then he left Makkah with his tribe Banu Jurhum. But there was no end to their sorrow as the kingdom of Mecca ended.

That is why Amr recite the following poem:-
It seems that there was no known person from Hajun to Safa and presenting a story at the nightly story session. It was not because we were its residents. But the change of times and the irony of fate have left us speechless.

The era of Ishmael (as) was approximately two thousand years before the birth of Jesus Christ. Accordingly, the tribe of Jurhum existed in Makkah for two thousand one hundred years and their reign lasted for two thousand years.

Banu Khozayah tribe rule

After the conquest of Mecca, Banu Khuzayima administered the administration alone without including Banu Bakr in administrative responsibilities. But in spite of this the tribe of Banu Muzar got a share of three particularly notable and prestigious posts. The posts are respectively as follows-

1. Guiding Pilgrims: Taking the Hajis from Arafah to Muzdalifah and issuing written orders to the Hajis to depart from Mina on the last day of Yaomun Nafar i.e. 13 Zil Hajj. Among the descendants of Ilyas bin Muzah, Banu Ghaws bin Murrah - who was called 'Sufa' - was entitled to this honor. The explanation of this status is that when the 13 Zil Hajj pilgrims had finished throwing their stones and wanted to depart from Mina, the people of Sufa would stand on both sides of the only road to Aqaba, and no one would be allowed to pass on that road until they had all gone. After they left, the road was left for other people. When Sufa left, this honor went to Banu Sa'ad bin Zayd, a family of Banu Tamim.

2. Efaz: The march from Muzdalifah to Mina on the morning of the 10th of Zil-Hajj was a symbol of great honor under the jurisdiction of the Banu Adwan.

3. Determining Haram 'month': Bringing the Haram months forward or backward was a sign of high honor. The matter of this honor was under the jurisdiction of Banu Tamim bin Adi, one of the branches of Banu Kenana tribe.

The authority of the Banu Khuzayima tribe over Mecca was established for about three hundred years. During that period, the Adnani tribes crossed the borders of Mecca and the Hejaz and spread to the regions of Nad, Iraq, Bahrain, etc. Only a few branches of Quraysh remained around Mecca. Of course, they lived in different neighborhoods. There were also a few houses scattered among the friends of the Konana tribe. But they had no part in the administration of Makkah or the management of Baitullah. At such a time the tribe of Qusai bin Kelab made its debut.

Qusai's rule

As it is said about 'Qusai', his father died while he was in his mother's arms. Then his mother got married to a man named 'Rabiya bin Haram' from Banu Uzra tribe. This tribe lived in a region of Sham kingdom. So Kusai's mother went there with Kusai. After coming of age, Qusai is the guardian of Mecca. When Qusai proposed marriage to Holail's daughter Hoba, she accepted and the two became engaged.

A few days later, when Holayl fell to his death, a war broke out between Khuzayma and Quraish over the management of Makkah and Baitullah. In post-war Makkah, the Qusai became the centerpiece of all. He was entrusted with the management of Makkah and Baitullah.

There are three types of narrations about the cause of the war between Khumayma and Quraish. The first of these is as follows-

The first description is: When the sons of Qusai became very prosperous, wealth was found in abundance in their hands and prestige also began to increase. On the other hand, when Holayl died, Qusai realized that his claim to the administration of Mecca and the management of the Kaaba was preferable to that of Banu Khuzaima and Banu Bakr. He also continued to hold the view that the Quraish were pure Arabs of Ismaili descent and chieftains of other Ismaili lineages. So only they have the right to lead.

In the meantime, he discussed with some of the leading men of Quraysh and Banu Khuzaymah why Banu Bakr and Banu Khuzaymah should not be expelled from Makkah. The participants in the discussion agreed with him in this regard.

The second description is: According to Banu Khuzayma, Holayl himself bequeathed to Qusai that he would take over the rulership of Mecca and be responsible for the upkeep of the Kaaba.

The third description is: Holail entrusted the management of Baitullah to his daughter Hoba and appointed Abu Girman Khuzayi as his representative. As Hoba's representative, Abu Girman Khuzayamai became the man in charge of the Kaaba. Meanwhile, when Holayl died, Qusai bought the right to manage the Kaaba from Abu Girman in exchange for a bottle of wine. But the Khuzaima community did not approve of such buying and selling and kept obstructing Qusai regarding Baitullah, but Qusai did not give up. Banu Khuzaymah united the Quraysh and Banu Kenana to seek their help in order to expel them from Makkah. Responding to Qusai's call, they also declared unity.

Whatever the reason, the way things turned out is that Sufa wanted to do what Holail had always done when he died. Qusay then accompanied the people of Quraish and Canaan to the place where they had gathered in Akaba and said - 'We are more qualified than you to manage the Kaaba in Khana and our claim is superior.

But they did not heed Qusai's words and declared war. Qusai defeated them in this battle and established his status and rights. On the other hand Banu Khuzaima and Banu Bakr took advantage of the conflict between Qusai and Sufa and adopted the path of non-cooperation. Kusai advises them to be careful by showing them fear. But the people of these two tribes did not pay any attention to Qusai's words and declared war. Thus, both sides engaged in a bloody conflict. Many people were killed in this war on both sides.

In view of the loss of life and property, both parties are finally interested in resolving the issue through compromise and both parties agree to enter into an agreement. For that purpose a person named 'Yamar bin Auf' from Banu Bakr tribe was appointed as mediator. Reviewing all aspects of the problem, he ruled that Qusai was more qualified than Khuzayymah to govern Makkah and manage the Baitullah. He also ruled that all the blood shed by Kusai in this war was pointless and trampled. Moreover, it was decided that the responsibility of paying the blood money for all the people killed by Khuzaymah and Banu Bakr and managing the Baitullah should be handed over to Qusai without hesitation. Because of that trial and arbitration Yamar was nicknamed 'Shaddakh'. The literal meaning of the word Shaddakh is 'a trampling person'.

As a result of the compromise and agreement, the Qusais and Quraysh gained full control over Makkah and the highly respected position of the religious leader of the Baitullah was also given to Qusais. As a result, he came into contact with people who came from different parts of Arabia to visit the Kaaba. The incident of Qusayy's domination of Makkah took place in the middle of the fifth century AD, i.e. sometime around 440 AD.

After gaining power in Makkah, Qusai focused on some reform-oriented activities in the regime. By bringing the Quraish who lived around Makkah to Makkah, he divided the entire city between them and assigned suitable places for the people of each tribe to live. However, those who used to delay the month of Haram, even the people of the tribes like Ale Safwan, Banu Adwan and Banu Murrah bin Awf, retained their respective positions. Because Qusai thought that all these actions are included in religious actions and it is not right to change them.

Qusai's reform work

A notable aspect of Qusai's reformist activities was the establishment of the 'Darun Nadwa' north of the Kaaba. Its door was towards the mosque. "The Great Nadwa was the 'national parliament' of the Quraish in a real sense. Important and significant issues were also judged there. It was a very benevolent institution for the Quraysh. Because this 'Darun Nadwai' was the symbol of their unity and it was here that their scattered and controversial issues were settled in a just manner.

In the context of Qusay's superiority and the leadership of the Makkans, he was entitled to perform the following important duties:

1. He could preside over the session of 'Darun Nadwa'. In all these sessions decisions were taken after consultation about the important issues of the society. Marriages of the daughters of the society were also organized there.

2. Leaoa: That is, the battle flag was tied in the hand of Qusai.

3. Hejabat: It means maintenance of the Ka'ba house. Qusay himself used to open the door of the Kaaba and perform all the related duties himself.

4. Sekaya: It means drinking water. There was a beautiful custom of offering water to pilgrims. For this purpose, reservoirs and Chowbachcha water storage systems were used. A very delicious drink or sherbet was made with plenty of dates and raisins in that water. When the pilgrims arrived in Makkah, he would make them drink.

5. Refadah: That is, the hospitality of pilgrims. For the entertainment and convenience of the pilgrims there was a custom of preparing food and feeding them. For this purpose Qusai used to fix a certain amount of tribute on the Quraish and collect it. With the help of the collected money, food items were made and arrangements were made to feed the pilgrims who were financially poor or those who did not have food items.

Each of the aforementioned activities was a symbol of high honor and Kusai was the master of these. Qusai's first son was named 'Abduddar'. But in spite of this, during Qusai's lifetime, his second son Abde Manaf' succeeded to the seat of honorary leadership.

For that reason Qusai was saying to his son Abduddar - 'Although some bequeathed honor and leadership. That is, the right to preside over the 'Darun Nadwar' session, the right to maintain the Ka'ba house, the right to carry the war flag, the right to give water to the pilgrims, and the duty of Mohmandah to the pilgrims, etc.

Qusai was a leader with a personality of great stature. So no one ever opposed him and no one ever rejected any of his proposals or decisions. Therefore, adherence to the rules and principles promulgated by Qusai was considered a religious duty even after his death. On the other hand, Qusai's sons followed his bequests without hesitation even after his death for the same reason.

But when Abd Manaf passed away, his sons began to compete with Abd al-Dar's sons for the said positions. As a result, the Quraysh became divided and there was a possibility of war between the two groups. But considering the dire consequences, both sides showed restraint and entered into a treaty. As a result of this agreement, the issues of leadership and status were divided between the two parties. Banu Abde Manaf was given the two posts of 'Qua' and Refadah'. The presidency of Darun Nadwa, the responsibility of Lewa and Hejabat remained in the hands of Banu Abduddar.

Banu Abde Manaf again drew lotteries among themselves for the positions they had received. The name of Hashem bin Abder Manaf came up in the lottery. From then on, Hashem-i Sekaya and Refadah continued to lead the two affairs until his death.

When Hashem died, his brothers 'Muttalib' succeeded him. But after Muttalib, his nephew Abdul Muttalib (who was the Prophet's grandfather) continued to hold the position. Even when the era of Islam began, Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib' held the position.

Besides, there were a number of other positions which the Quraish divided among themselves. By conducting and managing the activities related to all those positions, the Quraish introduced a small state rather a state-oriented social structure. The administrative infrastructure and social system of the bent and mold that is followed in today's parliamentary system of governance was built in Mecca at that time. The posts mentioned earlier are respectively as follows-

1. Esar: It had a system of ownership of arrows kept next to the idol for divination and fortune-telling. The holder of this position was Banu Jumah.

2. Wealth Management: This is the management of the Qurbani and Manat or Mansi offered to gain proximity to the idol. The issue of settling disputes and litigations was also related to it. The responsibility in this regard was assigned to the 'Bandhu Saham' tribe.

3. Sura: The tribe associated with this honor was 'Banu Asad'.

4. Ashnak: The work of this department was to arrange bloodshed compensation and fines. Its responsibility was assigned to the 'Banu Tayem' tribe.

5. Ukab: Its function was to carry the national flag. Banu Umayya tribe was in charge of this department.

6. Kubbah: This post was very important. The responsibility of this department was to set up camps for the soldiers and manage the troops. This responsibility was assigned to the 'Banu Makhyam' tribe.

7. Safarat: The duty of this department was to carry out laundry. Its responsibility was on Banu Adi tribe.

A few more words about the leadership of Arab patriarchs

Earlier the Qahtanis and Adnanis have been discussed about leaving their respective residences. It has also been discussed in this context that all the Arab states were established by the combination of these tribes. Furthermore, the nature of their leadership and patriarchy was such that the tribes that lived around Hira were considered included in the state of Hira or Iraq, and the tribes that settled in Badiatus Shas were considered included in the Ghassani rulers. Whatever may be said about it, it will be only words. It is not possible to accept any historical source or discussion as final about all these tribes, sub-tribes, their residence, migration and finally return.

Apart from the above-mentioned tribes, there is also a need for some discussion about the tribes that lived in the interior of the country. These tribes were independent in all respects. The tribal system was in operation among them. The people of the tribe themselves elected their chiefs. They gave their tribe a small state and the tribal head the status of head of state. The tribal people used to work collectively for the existence, stability and integrity of the tribal state, sovereignty, security of the tribal people, resistance to external enemy attacks, etc.

The rules of the patriarchs

Any tribe could declare war, wage war or conclude treaties with complete independence. In any situation of war or peace, the people of the tribe had to obey the orders of the tribe leader. He could not be opposed under any circumstances. Even some of the patriarchs were in such a state that if he was angry, thousands of swords would instantly be unsheath. In that case, there would be no room to ask what is the reason for the patriarch's anger!

In some cases, rivalries and conflicts with the cousins of the patriarch would also start over the question of leadership. Due to this, the patriarch had to follow many rules. They are as follows-

1. The patriarch should show courage and show a liberal attitude in talking and discussing with the people of the same tribe.

2. He has to be frugal in spending state resources. In no case can he spend more money than he needs.

3. He has to play a leading role in hospitality.

4. He must show skill and patience in his work.

5. As the epitome of tribal valor, he has to display real examples of valour.

6. He should refrain from doing any act that would make him feel ashamed.

7. A benevolent society in the eyes of the common people, and especially in the eyes of the poets, moving towards a beautiful and sublime path is mentioned because the poets were considered wise-virtues and guides of the society in that era. Thus the patriarch had to lead a righteous life with utmost devotion following the statutory code of conduct to attain exaltation or higher status than his rivals.

The rights of patriarchs

As the society expected many things from the patriarchs, on the other hand, the society provided some facilities for the patriarchs. A poet has described it through his poetic rhythm-

"We have for you a quarter of the wealth of booty and what you like and what you dispose of and what is left over from hard-earned wealth and distribution."

Morba: One-fourth of the booty.

Sofi: That wealth - which the patriarch determines for himself before distribution.

Nasita: Those resources - which are taken by the patriarchs on the way before reaching the basic level i.e. common people.

Fujul: That wealth - which is left because it is not possible to distribute proportionally to the number of Ghazis. After the distribution, the remaining wealth such as camels, horses etc. belongs to the patriarch. The tribes and patriarchs of the Arabian Peninsula have been discussed earlier. Now we feel it is necessary to shed some light on the contemporary political situation.

Contemporary Arab political situation

The political situation of the countries bordering the three sides of the Arabian Peninsula was very unstable, chaotic and on the verge of collapse. No matter the title of lord, king, patriarch, narpati, all welfare or privileges of social life were reserved for them, especially for external leaders. On the other hand, the people and slaves had to work hard for the arrangements and materials for all the comforts, happiness and prosperity of the patriarch or Narapati. In a more simple and clear way, it could be said that the subjects were like crops - from which all the income of the state was sourced. The statesmen used these earnings for their indulgences, lust and various other vices. The will or reluctance of ordinary people had no value. When the people suffering from tyranny brought up their grievances or sufferings, the flames of tyranny and oppression would be poured in hundreds of streams. In short, what is meant by autocracy reached its peak in those regions. So the helpless people had no other option but to suffer silently.

The tribes living around the area sometimes had to suffer these rituals. Devastated by the wantonness, selfishness and senseless pride of despotic patriarchs, they had to run in different directions. These tribal chiefs would advance a little further in the pursuit of their nefarious interests, sometimes strengthening the hands of the Iraqis, sometimes keeping pace with the people of Syria.

The tribes who lived in the interior of the Arab land had various problems and chaotic conditions in their way of life. The environment used to be heated due to various reasons, such as tribal feuds, hereditary enmity, religious disagreements, communal hatred etc. At any cost, the people of each tribe worked for their own tribe. Whether it was founded on truth or falsehood, there would be no question of verification. As stated in their mouthpiece-

"I too belong to the Gathia clan. If that clan goes astray, I too shall go astray, and if it is guided, I shall be guided."

There was no leader within the Arabs who would strengthen their voice. There was no refuge in times of danger or crisis where they could take shelter and depend upon in case of need.

But yes, it can be said without a doubt that the Hejaz was considered by some to occupy a seat of honor in the peninsular state and was thought of as the center of religion and the director and protector of religious practices. In fact, the state was a hybrid form of secular administration and religious priest-theists. By this, the status of the Arabs was raised in the name of religious rule. Along with that, the governance of Haram Sharif and the surroundings of Haram Sharif was also conducted regularly. They were the ones who managed to fulfill the needs of the visitors of Baitullah and to maintain the commandments of the Ibrahimi Shariat. But this state was so weak that it did not have the capacity to bear the weight of all the internal responsibilities of Arabia. This fact was clearly proved during the attack of the Habshids.

Arab religious doctrines monotheistic religious beliefs

The common people living in Arabia were the followers of the religion preached by Ibrahim (as) as a result of the invitation and preaching of Ismail (as). That is why they believed in the monotheism of Allah and worshiped only Allah. But with the passage of time, they gradually forget or become indifferent to some part of the monotheistic religious teachings of Allah. But in spite of all this, the oneness of Allah and the religion of Ibrahim (as) remained some of the characteristics until Amr bin Luwai, the chief of the Banu Khuzaymah tribe, appeared in public. People came to have deep respect for him due to his nurturing and nurturing of religious ideology, charity and his deep affection for religious matters. Thinking he is along with big scholars and respected saints, started following him.

Prevalence of idol worship

At one point in this situation, he went on a trip to Sham and there he witnessed the famous practice of idol worship. As Sham was the birthplace of many prophets and the place of divine revelation, he considered those idolatries to be more good and true. So on his return home he brought with him the idol called 'hobal' and started worshiping it by placing it inside the Kaaba. Openly started worshiping the idol Hobal. Without delay Hejazrashi began to follow in the footsteps of Makkans. Because they were once managers of Baitullah and residents of Haram.

In this way the monotheistic Arabs indulged in a most heinous and abominable vice and vice like idolatry. This is how idolatry began in Arab lands.

Apart from 'Hobal', among the oldest statues in Arabia was the 'Manat' statue. It was established at a place called 'Musallal' near the territory called 'Kodaid' on the shores of the Red Sea.

Then the establishment and worship of the idol called 'Lat' at Taif began. On the other hand, in the valley called 'Nakhla', the worship of the idol called 'Uzya' continues. These three were the largest and most famous statues in Arabia. After that, polytheism and idolatry spread widely in different parts of Hejaz.

It is said that a jinn was loyal to 'Amr bin Lohai. He states that the idols of Noah's sect "Wadd Sewa" "Yagues, 'Yauk' and 'Nasr' are rooted in the land of Jeddah. Amr bin Lohai went to Jeddah after finding these idols and dug the ground and brought out the idols. They are then taken to Tehama and during the next Hajj season the idols are handed over to different tribes. In this way, each idol came into the possession of each tribe. In the later stages, idols were placed in the houses of people of different tribes.

Then the polytheists of Makkah filled the Haram in the mosque with idols one after the other. It is stated that before the conquest of Makkah, there were 360 idols in Masjid al-Haram. After the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet (ﷺ) destroyed the idols with his blessed hands. One by one he ordered the memorials to be taken outside the Masjid Haram and burned.

The intention was to completely destroy the idea that the Arabs of that time had the vain pride and delusion that their religion was founded on Ibrahim (as), despite the fact that idolatry and sectarianism were the worst iniquity and wickedness in religion.

On the other hand, the people of the Jahili period also had special rituals and methods of idol worship. Most of these were fabricated practices introduced by Amr bin Lohai. The group of idol worshipers introduced by Ibn Lohai thought that the practices he spoke about in religion are not changes or abolition of the religion introduced by Ibrahim (a). Rather, it is to introduce a perfect way of life suitable for all people of all ages through some new additions for good. The following were the methods adopted by the people of the Jahili period in their fabricated religion:

1. Prayer to idols: The idolaters used to sit beside the idols like dargar khadems, seek shelter near them and call upon them in loud voices. They used to pray to them with supplications for relief from poverty and danger. The supplicant believed that these gods and goddesses in the form of idols would intercede with Allah to grant their prayers, which would bring them good fortune.

2. Circling and prostrating the idol: They used to perform Hajj to idols, perform tawaf and sijadah to idols and behave with great devotion and humility in front of them.

3. Sacrifice to Idols: Various vows and sacrifices were offered to the idol. Sacrificial animals were sacrificed on the idol's altar bearing his name. Incidentally, even if sacrifices were made elsewhere, they were done with the name of the idol. Allah Ta'ala mentions two customs in the Qur'an regarding the sacrifice of their dedicated animals. As mentioned:-

Those animals which are sacrificed on the altar of idols are also forbidden. (Al Ma'idah: Verse 3)

Elsewhere mentioned:-

Do not eat the meat of animals that have been sacrificed without the name of Allah. That is, the sacrifice has been made in the name of Ghairullah. (Al Anam: Verse 121)

4. Dedication to idol: Idol worshipers used to set aside certain portions of food and drink, cultivated crops, and certain animals of domesticated herds for idols in order to gain nearness to God through worship. In this case, there was another interesting and commendable thing, some part of the produced crops and herds of livestock were dedicated to the idols by mixing the products reserved for the name of Allah with the products reserved for the idols. But it was never offered to Allah mixed with the things reserved for idols. Allah Ta'ala has said in the Qur'an:-

And the crops and animals that Allah has created, they (the polytheists) set aside some of them for Allah and say, according to their own ideas, these belong to Allah, and these belong to our gods. The portion that belonged to their gods does not reach Allah. And that portion which is (in the name of) Allah leads them to their god, and how evil they have been. (Al Anam: Verse 136)

5. Vows for idols: Another practice to gain proximity to idols was that polytheists used to make various vows on grain and four-footed animals. Allah Ta'ala said:-

And the polytheists (believed) that these four-footed beasts and the grain fields are not lawful for anyone, but none can eat of them except whom We will. And some animals on which it is forbidden to climb or burden. They do not recite the name of Allah while sacrificing some other animals. All this is lying about Allah. (Al Anam: Verse 138)

6. Sacrifice of animals for idols: Among those four-footed animals were 'Bahira', 'Saiba', 'Wasila' and 'Hami'. Historian Ibn Ishaq said: 'Bahira' is the female child of Saiba and the female camel is called 'Saiba' from whose womb ten times the female has been born, without any male born. Female camel of such condition or nature were released freely. No one climbed on his back, no one cut his fur. And none but the guests could drink her milk.

Then when that female camle gave birth to a female child they would split her ear and she too would be released to roam free with her mother. No one rode on it, its hair was not cut, and none but guests milked and drank from it. It was called 'Bahira' and his mother was called 'Saiba'.

'Wasila' was a goat that gave birth to ten females in five consecutive cycles and did not give birth to any males. The goat is called 'Wasila' because it has tied all its udders together. As a result, only men can eat the baby that the goat gives birth to, not women. But if a dead child is born, both men and women may eat it.

The female camel is called 'Hami' whose reproduction has given birth to ten females in succession and no males have been born out of them. Such camel's back would have been preserved. In other words, it was forbidden to climb on its back and it was also forbidden to cut its fur. It was released freely into the herd of camels for breeding purposes only, and was not used for any other purpose. In protesting against the practices of idolatry of the Jahili era, Allah Ta'ala has said:-

Allah Ta'ala did not introduce Bahira, Saiba, Wasila and Hami. But those who disbelieve are those who slander Allah, and most of the disbelievers do not understand (religion). (Al Ma'idah: Verse 103)

Also mentioned-

And they say, whatever is in the wombs of these animals is (lawful) only for our men and haram for our women. And if it is dead, everyone can participate equally. (Al Anam: Verse 139)

The way in which the mentioned animals are described, such as Bahirah, Sa'iba etc. and what is also described, seems to be somewhat contrary to and somewhat different from the explanation given by Ibn Ishaq. Narrated by Saeed Bin Musa'i (ra). He said these animals were for idols of idolaters.

Amr bin Loha was the first person to arrange for quadrupeds to be sacrificed to idols.

The Arabs used to do these things around idols in the belief that they would help them get close to Allah. As stated in the Holy Quran, the polytheists used to say-

We worship them only because they bring us closer to Allah. (Surah Jumar: Verse-3)

Also mentioned-

And they worship other than Allah who can neither harm nor benefit them. And they say that they are our intercessors with Allah. (Surah Yunus: Verse-18)

Belief on fortuneteller and arrows: The polytheists of Arabia used 'Azlam' i.e. arrows to determine the outcome of future actions (Aylam' is the plural of 'Zalamun' and 'Zalam' refers to arrows with feathers attached to them). There were three types of arrows used to determine the outcome of future actions.

1. First class arrows had 'yes' or 'no' written on them. Arrows belonging to this category were generally used for: travel, weddings and other similar functions. Arrow sorting was done in a special way. For the purpose of determining the course of action, if 'Yes' was written in the selected arrow, the planned action was initiated. But if the arrow written 'no' came out while selecting, the planned work was declared suspended for one year and in the future again auspicious time for the said work was found.

2. Some of the arrows of the second class had 'water' written on them, some had 'diat' written on them and others had something else written on them.

3. Among the third category of arrows, some would have 'including you' written on them, some would have 'except you' written on them, or perhaps some would have 'mulhab' (meaning combined) written on them. The use of the mentioned arrows was as follows.

Use of arrows

When there was doubt about one's lineage, he was taken to the idol called 'Hobal' along with a hundred camels. The camels were surrendered to the arrow-wielding sevayat (saint).

Sebayet would combine all the arrows and rotate them to shake them. Then an arrow would be taken out of it. If the arrow with 'among you' came out, he would have been ranked as a respectable person in their tribe. On the other hand, if the arrow written 'outside of you' came out, it would have been ranked as 'Haleep'. But if the arrow written 'Mulhaq' had come out, he would have been kept in his own place. He was not ranked as a tribal person or a 'caliph'.

Arrows for gambling or fortune telling

Another similar custom is known to be common among polytheists, that is gambling. For fortune telling in gambling or something similar, they used arrows according to the above rules. The camels obtained from the arrows marked with their marks were slaughtered and the meat was distributed.

Gamblers used to sacrifice a camel and divide it into ten or twenty-eight parts. Then lotteries were done with the help of arrows without winning symbols. Those whose marked arrows landed were considered victorious and given their fair share of free camel meat. But those who got unmarked arrows had to pay the price of meat.

Belief in magic

The polytheists of Arabia believed in the predictions, arts and oracles of so-called soothsayers, sorcerers and astrologers. A person who predicted future events and claimed to have knowledge of esoteric matters was called a soothsayer. Some kahens (soothsayers) even claimed that a jinn was loyal to them and kept them informed. Some soothsayer even claimed that he had enough knowledge to learn about the unseen and he did.

Belief in soothsaying

There was another type of people in the society of that time who used to search people's words and actions and predict their intentions. They were known as 'Arof'. They claimed that when a person comes to him to know about something, he can find out about his condition, some premonitions and incidental talk, the place or address of the incident and the person or group of people associated with the incident. For example, inquiries regarding stolen property, place and time of abduction, lost animals or anything else.

Belief in astrology

The work of astrologers is to provide information about the future weather or any event or accident that may occur by observing the movement of stars in the sky, Udayas, arrivals and departures etc. The influence of the astrologer's thinking and calculations can be seen in the society today, as it was then. But there was a special difference that if the forecast of rain-clouds was predicted by observing the position and position of the stars, they believed that this star was raining for them. This stardom is at the root of their happiness. In this way they used to commit abominable shirk.

Belief in tiara practice for good and bad results

The polytheists of Arabia have introduced many fabricated rituals to check whether the result of the work will be good or bad before starting any work. This practice of checking good and bad was called tiara'. The activities that were carried out based on their own ideas were:

When they wanted to do something, a bird was released or a deer was chased away before starting it. If a bird or deer fled from their right side, they considered it a good omen and started work quickly. But fleeing on the left side was considered an inauspicious sign and refrained from working. Similarly, if an animal or bird was seen scratching the road, it was considered to be a bad omen. Such superstitions are observed even in this era among some Shirk or Bid'at people.

Belief in the concept of good and bad

Similarly, sitting, walking, or standing in any particular posture was considered inauspicious. The bone above the ankle of a rabbit's foot was hung to ward off evil. Various superstitions were prevalent among them that the visit of the woman of the week is inauspicious, some times of the day and night are inauspicious, some houses are inauspicious etc. Epidemics such as cholera pox were believed to be the effect of some evil force. They also believed in twisting the human spirit. They believed that the soul of a person who killed someone would not rest until he was avenged. That spirit turned into an owl and roamed the desert. Thirsty, cries 'thirst' or 'drink me and drink me.' He calms down when the murder is avenged.

Incorporation of Quraish's bid'ah into Ibrahimic religion

The innovations incorporated and followed by the Quraysh in the religion of Ibrahim were the core of the religious beliefs and rituals of the Arabs of the Jahili period. Some parts of the true religion introduced by Ibrahim (as) were still practiced. That is, they did not completely abandon the religion introduced by Ibrahim (as). As a result, they used to show respect to Baitullah and performed Tawaf as usual, performed Umrah and Hajj, stayed in Arafa and Muzdalifah, and sacrificed (Hadir) animals.

Although they observed some rituals and rituals of Sanatan Islam, in fact, in terms of religion, they had so much shirk-bid'at that the rituals of true religion became completely meaningless. The other innovations that the Arabs adopted are as follows-

1. Deserving of separate status: The Quraish claimed that they were the descendants of Ibrahim (as) and that they were the custodians and managers of the Haram Sharif and the true inhabitants of Makkah. No person is their equal and no one's rights are equal to theirs. For these reasons they called themselves 'Husam' (valiant and strong). So they felt that they should not move beyond the Haram boundary. So they did not go to Arafa during Hajj season and they did not return from there according to the rules. They used to stay in Muzdalifah and return from there. In order to correct their innovation, Allah Ta'ala has instructed,

"Return ye also from the place from which all others have returned."

2. Special rules for Quraysh: Another innovation of the polytheists was that it was not right for the Humus (Quraysh) to make cheese and ghee in the state of Ihram, and it was not right for them to take shelter in any place or under the shade of anything other than a camp made of leather if they needed shade.

3. Food for Hajis: Another innovation they used to say was that, it is not permissible for them to eat anything brought by Hajj and Umrah pilgrims from outside Makkah.

4. Tawaf while naked: Another innovation is known and that is, they instructed the residents outside the Haram to perform the first Tawaf after entering the Haram wearing clothes collected from hummus. In view of this, if it is not possible to collect hummus clothes, men perform tawaf naked and women take off their clothes and wear a small open dress. During Tawaf, they used to recite this stanza of the poem-

"Today some or all of the private parts will be exposed, but what opens up, I don't think it's legal to see."

Calling to abstain or be careful from these obscenities, Allah Ta'ala has said:

O Bani Adam! Wear your clothes every time you pray. (Araf: Ayat-31)

5. Restrictions on dress: On the other hand, if a woman or a man considered himself to be of high status and performed Tawaf in clothes brought from outside the Haram, then he had to throw away the clothes after Tawaf. As a result, neither they nor anyone else benefited.

6. Not going out through doors while in Ihram: Another matter of bid'ah was that they did not enter the house through the door when it was haram. To enter the house, they made a big hole at the back of the house and he used to come and go through the hole. Like fool and stupid, they considered this act as a virtuous act. In order to refrain from such actions, Allah Ta'ala has mentioned in the Holy Qur'an:

And there is no virtue in entering your house from the back; Rather, there is virtue if one acquires piety. So enter the house through the (front) door and fear Allah. (Surah Al-Baqara: Ayat-189)

The true and traditional religion of Islam, introduced by Ibrahim (as), was buried under the veil of obscenity and other superstitions.

What was the status of major religions

Judaism, Christianity, the earliest Persian priesthood, and the Sabaean religion took over various regions of the Arabian Peninsula. So it is absolutely necessary to discuss about their brief history and historical background.

Judaism in Arabia: There were at least two periods of Jewish existence in the Arabian Peninsula. The first age relates to the time when the Jews were forced to emigrate due to the conquest of Babylon and Attar in Palestine.

A large number of Jews left Palestine and settled in the northern Hejaz as a result of mass arrests of Jews by the occupying forces, the destruction and devastation of Jewish settlements by Bukhte Nasr, the damage to their image and the mass emigration from Babylon.

The second phase began when the Rumis, led by Typus Rumi, forcibly occupied Palestine in 70 AD. At that time, many Jewish settlements of the Rumi were destroyed and their facade was damaged. As a result, many Jewish tribes were forced to flee the Hejaz and seek refuge in Yasrib, Khaibar and Taymay. They settled permanently in those places. After gaining financial prosperity and harmony, he built forts and fronts.

A type of Jewish ritual was introduced among the Arabs through the aforementioned emigrant Jews. This Arab-Jewish fusion predates the advent of Islam, with a particular beginning in the context of rapidly changing political conditions and events in the early Islamic period. The prominent Jewish tribes at the time of the advent of Islam were Khaybar, Nazeer, Mustalaq, Quraiza and Qaynuqa respectively. The famous Samhudi in his book 'Wafaul Wafa' mentioned on page 116 that the number of Jewish tribes at that time was a little more than twenty.

Judaism flourished in Yemen. The master of expansion here was 'Tabban Asyad'. This person went to Yasrib fighting. There he converted to Judaism and went to Yemen with two Jewish scholars from Banu Qurayza. Thus Judaism spread in Yemen.

After Abu Bakr, his son 'Yusuf Yu Nawas' was appointed ruler of Yemen. After assuming power, he exerted great pressure to impose Judaism on the Nazarene Christians and eventually forced them to convert to Judaism. But despite great pressure, the Christians refused to accept the Jewish doctrine, as a result of which Yu Nawas dug a pit and built a fire in the pit and threw many people into the fire, young, old, male and female. It is said that between twenty and forty thousand people were victims of the brutal event. This cruel event took place in the month of October 523 AD. The incident is mentioned in Surah Al-Buruj of the Quran.

"Destroyed are the people of the pit - (in which there was) a burning fire of burning fuel, while they sat on the edge of the pit - and witnessed what they were doing to the believers." (Al Buruj Ayat: 4-7)

Christianity in Arabia

All that is known of the Christian doctrine is that its arrival in the cities of Arabia took place through the conquerors after the Abyssinian and Rumid conquests. As mentioned earlier, Abyssinian rule over Yemen was established from 340 AD to 378 AD. In the meantime, Christian missionaries carried out extensive preaching. About that time there came to Najran an old man whose prayers were said to be accepted in the court of God; He was a very respectable and charismatic man. His name was 'Faymun'. With great devotion he continued to preach the Christian doctrine in Nazran. The people of Najran saw in him a number of miracles which strengthened the foundations of their faith. After that they all converted to Christianity.

Then the Abyssinians retook Yemen for the second time in 525 AD in retaliation for the diabolical acts of burning Christians in pits by Yu-Nawas, and a man named 'Abaraha' took over the state. After assuming state power, he devoted himself to the propagation and expansion of Christian doctrine with new zeal. His efforts resulted in the construction of another Kaaba in Yemen and the call to the people of Arabia to perform Hajj around the Kaaba he built.

Ruler Abraha did not stop at only calling for the construction of a separate Ka'bah and the performance of Hajj. He undertook to completely destroy the Kaaba at Khana. But he was far from destroying the Ka'aba, he himself was completely destroyed by the wrath of Allah Ta'ala along with a huge army of elephants. As stated in Surah Fil in the Qur'an. This incident of Surah Fil has become a shining example for the learning of all people of all ages.

On the other hand, Christianity spread among the Al Ghassan, Banu Taghlib, Banu Tai and other Arab tribes due to their proximity to the Roman territories. The Arab emperors of Hira are also known to have converted to Christianity.

Magus doctrine or fire worshipers

What is known about the 'Magus' doctrine is that this doctrine was very prominent and established in the Arab lands near Persia. such as in Arab Iraq, Bahrain (Al Aqsa), Hijra and the Arabian Gulf border region. Moreover, during the Persian rule in Yemen, two separate peoples adopted the Majusi doctrine.

Sabi or star worshiper

Then there remains the 'Sabi' doctrine. From the documents that have been recovered from the ruins of ancient cities in Iraq and other countries, it is known that the 'Sabi' doctrine is the doctrine of the 'Qaldani' community of Ibrahim (as). Many inhabitants of ancient Syria and Yemen followed this doctrine. But later, when Judaism and later Christianity spread, the foundation of the 'Sabi' doctrine became loose and the burning lamp was gradually extinguished. But nevertheless, living together with or alongside the Magus, some adherents of the doctrine remained in Iraq, the Arabian Peninsula, and in the regions bordering the Arabian Gulf.

The general state of religion

When the 'sun' of the ever-luminous and eternal 'Islam' broke through the deep darkness of paganism, obscenity, shirk, bid'ah and pluralism, the followers of all the prevailing faiths and doctrines were shocked. The eternal words of the last heavenly book Al-Quran and the exalted voice of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) shook all the polytheists and idolaters from being immersed in the sins of polytheism and idolatry and making the foundation of all false beliefs tremble. Those who claimed that they were founded on the Deen of Ibrahim (as) were destroyed in the foundations of their faith.

Distortion of the religion of Ibrahim (as).

Although they claimed to be followers of the true religion introduced by Ibrahim (as), in fact none of the features of the religion of Ibrahim were present in their thoughts, meditations and religious rituals. In course of time they indulged in idolatry and various forms of immorality and immorality. The insensitivity of their claims regarding religion became clear as day when they pointed out its identical relationship with the deen introduced by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the light of the Divine Word revealed by Allah Ta'ala.

Judaism

The situation in Judaism was exactly the same. There was nothing among the Jews but a vain outward tyranny. The Jewish priests forgot God and wanted to sit in the Lord's throne. They wanted worldly establishment under the cover of religion. For the sake of religion, they wanted to influence the common people regarding their own views. Their main objective was to accumulate wealth and build a mountain of wealth. There is no problem if his religious activities go awry while amassing wealth, if unbelief or unbelief spreads. This was the true form of Judaism.

Christianity

Christianity was also full of false polytheism and paganism. Instead of monotheism, the idea of Trinitarianism took root in their minds and it was this misconception that bound God and man in a strange union. Moreover, the Arabs who adopted this religion did not really have any influence on them. Because their traditional way of life had no match with its ideals. And they also could not abandon their traditional way of life.

The religious status of the rest of the Arabs was like that of the polytheists. Because their hearts were the same, their beliefs were similar and their customs were similar.

Brief description of Jahiliyya society

After presenting the details of the political and religious conditions of the various tribes or peoples of the Arabian Peninsula, a brief picture of the social, economic and moral conditions of the people are presented at this stage.

Social status

Different classes of people lived in Arab society at that time. A consideration of status and location shows that there is considerable variation among the different classes or tribes of the population. In aristocratic families, the relationship between men and women was based on a system of dignity and justice. Women were given freedom in many respects, their rational opinions were given considerable weight and their individual characteristics were respected. Careful attention was always paid to the upkeep and dignity of women of noble families. When any matter or humiliating situation arose which harmed the dignity of women, the sword would immediately become free of cells and start bleeding.

According to the prevailing custom in Arabia at that time, if a person wanted to say something in praise of his generosity or bravery, he would say it by addressing women. In most cases, women could help bring together warring clans and conclude treaties if they wished. On the other hand, by rousing and exasperating the men, it could easily ignite the flames of war between the two sides.

But in spite of this, the male-dominated social structure was actually prevalent in Arabia. As the head of the family or the director of the family, men were dominant and their decisions were recognized and accepted as final. In family life, the relationship between husband and wife was established through marriage. The marriage ceremony was conducted with the permission of the guardians of both the bride and groom and under the supervision of the guardians of the bride. Women did not have the right to marry at will in the presence of guardians.

Promiscuous lifestyle

On the one hand, when this system was common for the noble and elite families, on the other hand, there were such abominable systems and abominable practices in the relationship and association of men and women among the common people - which can be called nothing but obscenity, brutality and adultery. According to sources narrated by Ummul Mumineen Ayesha (ra), there were four marriage customs in the Arab society during the dark ages.

a. Regular Marriage: A type of marriage based on normal customs was prevalent in the society. Such marriages were also called 'nekahe rusm' i.e. customary marriages. One of these is the practice which is prevalent in the society even today. According to this custom, after consideration of various aspects, a guardian give marriage by giving a formal dowry to the bride and groom after reaching an agreement through discussion among his subordinates.

b. Nikah Istivya: The second practice of marriage between a man and a woman was called "Nikahe Istivya". The main purpose of the union of a man and a woman was to get children of the best class by engaging in intercourse with a wise, virtuous and powerful man. With this aim in mind when a woman is purified from menstrual impurity. If it happened then her husband would ask her to send a proposal to marry any handsome man of her choice. In this situation, the husband would separate from her, and would not engage in intercourse with her in any way. Meanwhile, if the proposal given by the wife was accepted, she would have no clear signs of pregnancy. She used to engage in sexual intercourse with him. Then when the signs of pregnancy were obvious, she would join her husband. In Indian parlance, this marriage is called 'niyog'.

c. Group Marriage: The third practice of male-female union called 'marriage' is a different kind of abomination. It involves a group of fewer than ten males congregating and all copulating with the same female in turn. As a result, the woman used to give birth on time after conception. A few days after giving birth, the female would call together all those who had mated with her. According to the conventional rules, it was mandatory for all concerned to attend there. Because there would have been no way to disagree about being there, the girl would say - 'You all are aware that this child of mine has been born as a result of intercourse with you. Then he would notice one of the people gathered and say - 'O so-and-so! My child is your child. According to the woman's declaration, the child was his own and all concerned were bound to acknowledge it.

Prostitution: Another disgusting obscene practice called 'marriage and union' of men and women was prevalent in the Arab society of the Jahili era. In this, many people gather around a woman and have physical relations with her periodically. These are women who resort to the profession of prostitution. So they did not object when a man approached them for the purpose of establishing physical relations. At the entrance of their houses a sign was placed as a symbol of prostitution - so that those who wanted could come and go freely.

When a woman gives birth to a child after conception as a result of carnal intercourse, all the men who had sexual relations with her were brought together. Then the person who was able to judge by observing the appearance of people was invited there. That person would observe the appearance of all present and establish the link or relationship of the child with one as per his opinion. He used to say - 'This child is yours.

He who was judged once was bound to accept it. Thus the newborn would be associated with a male. He also considered the child as his child.

When Allah sent Muhammad (ﷺ) as a Messenger, all the immoral marriage practices of the Jahili era came to an end. The system of marriage that is prevalent in the Islamic society today was established by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the Arab society at the command of Allah.

Sex with conquered women

In some cases, a different relationship between Arab men and women is known. At that time, i.e. in the Jahili era, the relationship between men and women was based on such customs, which were established with the help of the edge of the sword and the tip of the spear. In the case of tribal wars, the victorious tribe would keep the women of the defeated tribe and use them for sexual intercourse. The children who were born to these women were not given any social status. They had to remain socially small all their lives.

polygamy

In Jahili era, the practice of taking multiple or indefinite number of wives at the same time was prevalent. At the same time, it was not a sin to marry his two sisters. The abominable custom of marrying a divorced woman after the death of the father and by the father was also in vogue. The men had the right to divorce wife, but there was no time limit.

Unrestricted adultery

In those days almost all classes of people were seen indulging in a most abominable and heinous crime like adultery. Very few people of any clan or tribe were free from this immoral vice. Of course, there were some men and women whose sense of nobility and common sense prevented them from this filth of wickedness. Women had to live under very miserable conditions. However, the status of free women was slightly better than that of slaves.

The lifestyle of slaves

In the society, the maidservants had to live through very miserable conditions. There were very few masters in the society at that time - who did not indulge in various lawlessness, debauchery and wickedness of the maidservants. They did not feel any sense of shame or guilt about indulging in these lawlessness and wickedness. As it is described in Sunan Abu Dawud, once a person stood and looked at the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said - 'O Messenger of Allah! Such a person is my son. I committed adultery with his mother during the Jahili period.

In reply, the Prophet said - There is no opportunity or value for such a claim in Islam. All the customs of the Dark Ages have been trampled and vanished. Now the son will be considered to be one who has a wife or maidservant. And for the adulterer there are stones.

The dispute between Sa'ad bin Abu Waqqas (ra) and Abd Ibn Jamaya regarding Jamaya's slave son Abdul Rahman Bin Maya is a famous incident. This matter is certainly known to many.

Father-son relationship was also different in Jahili period. Some things have been discussed in this regard earlier. However, it should not be said that they were somewhat deficient in childbearing. The stanza of the following poem is transcribed-

Our children are the pieces of our heart that walk the earth.

Behaviour with daughters

On the other hand, they did not hesitate at all to commit hellish misdeeds on daughters. In many cases female children were buried alive under the ground for fear of public shame and censure of the society and of having to pay for them. They did not even hesitate to kill their sons due to want, hunger and famine.

But it is very difficult to ascertain or verify the accuracy of the popular belief about infanticide. Because during clan disputes and wars, one's own children proved to be more reliable than others in strengthening the ally and winning the war. In that case, it is natural that the number of sons is desired by the Arabs.

However, it would not be appropriate to say that the legend is not based on any historical fact. Because a large number of sons may be desirable for power-hungry patriarchs. But for starving, half-fed, innocent, the abundance of sons cannot be desired in any way. In such a case, the issue of killing sons and daughters during famine or bad times cannot be completely ruled out.

Sibling relationship

As far as is known, in the Arab society of that time, the relationship between brothers, cousins and people of clans and clans was established on a very strong and strong basis. This is because the Arab society, which was divided into many tribes and engaged in tribal rivalry, had to depend on the strong bonds of tribal unity to survive. The Arabs did not hesitate to sacrifice their lives to protect the dignity and security of the tribe. The principles of mutual cooperation and sociability within the clans were helpful in keeping tribal consciousness and emotions alive and active. Communalism and kinship were the source of tribal order. They used to translate the example literally into reality, like "Help your brother whether he is an oppressor or the oppressed."

Before the establishment of Islam, this fierce tribalism was common among different tribes. Islam eradicated those ideas. Helping the oppressor means restraining him from injustice and lawlessness.

Of course, the urge and desire to advance one before the other in terms of status and leadership-authority exists in the human mind because the same person wants to make it a reality many times, because of the fact that the clans get into fighting. This can be seen in the incidents of Aws and Khazraj, Abs and Juwayan, Bakr and Taghlib and other tribes.

Clan relations

On the other hand, as far as is known, the interrelationship of the various clans or groups was based on relatively loose ties. In fact, all the powers of the different clans were used to fight each other. However, the intensity and ferocity of the war was gradually relaxed by some customs and practices formed by the combination of religious system and vulgar rituals. In some cases, clans came together and developed relationships under a system consisting of mutual transactions, agreements related to cooperative work, pledges of loyalty. After all, the Haram months were particularly helpful in earning their lives and fulfilling their lives.

Summary

To sum up the social condition of the Arab society during the Jahili era, it is only necessary to say that stability and mediocrity are the main characteristics of social life. The society was full of ignorance, vulgarity, arbitrariness and superstition. Truth and justice were completely defeated by falsehood and injustice. Ordinary people had to live like animals. Women were bought and sold like market goods and in some cases were treated like clay and stone. Regardless of tribe or state, the basic foundation of administration was on the basis of "Might is right". Administration was run for the benefit of the powerful. The welfare of the weaker sections or the common people was not thought of ever. The treasury was filled with money collected from the subjects and reserved for the purpose of military exercises and warfare against rivals.

A sketch of contemporary Arab economic conditions Trade and commerce

The economic structure and economic conditions and management of the Jahili period cannot be said to be superior to the social conditions in any way. In fact, Tejarat or trade was the main source of life and livelihood of the Arabs. But there were so many problems related to movement from country to country, transportation of goods, security and peace and order for business travel and tourism that it was a difficult thing to conduct business and trade smoothly. At that time, camels were the only means of transportation and transportation of goods. The system of traveling on camels and transporting goods was very time consuming. Besides, the road was very difficult and dangerous. It was unthinkable to travel without large caravans well equipped on all sides. But even then everyone in the caravan had to live in fear of being attacked by bandits and robbed of everything. Of course, during the Haram months, they could carry on their business activities without any fear and disturbance. But it was limited to a limited period of time. So, even though they depended on trade, they could not benefit much due to various reasons. However, during the Haram months, they used to earn by trading in 'okayya, jilmazy. In this case, they could earn some money by buying and selling at Mazinnat and some other famous fairs.

Industry

The industry was not very popular in the Arab continent. Arab countries are still lagging behind many other countries in the world in terms of industry. Compared to that time, it was far behind. Among the industries, textile industry, leather industry, metal industry etc. were in vogue. However, these industries flourished in Yemen, Hira and the neighboring regions of Sham empire. But women of all regions were involved in spinning.

Agriculture

Almost all the people in the interior of the Arab continent made a living through animal husbandry. Agriculture was practiced in places where arable land was available around the desert. But the problem that was most complicated in the economic field was that very little of the wealth was spent on improving the quality of life by eradicating poverty, eradicating epidemics and diseases or any other welfare work. Most of the wealth was spent on war. So there was no such thing as happiness, peace or comfort in public life. There was a class of people in the society - who could not afford even two handfuls of food twice a day for their livelihood and the minimum necessary clothes to guard shame.

Ethics of Arab society in Jahili era

In terms of ethics and character of the Arabs, two completely opposite trends can be observed. On the one hand, gambling, drinking, adultery, hatred, violence, murder, vindictiveness, etc. can be observed. On the other hand, kindness, generosity, hospitality, sincerity in keeping promises and many other good human qualities can be observed. Their inhuman activities and behavior have been discussed earlier. At this stage, various human aspects of their character and virtuous qualities are discussed:

Kindness and Generosity: The lore of the Arabs of the Jahili era about kindness was a matter of pride for people of all ages. Although they reached the lowest level of corruption in terms of morals and ethics, they were at the top of all human groups in terms of kindness or generosity. Not only that, there was a regular competition between them and they used to boast about this - 'Arab's share of money has become a gift for him.'

Some have praised themselves based on that quality. Their generosity was in fact so high that it left people in awe. It has also been seen in some cases that even in the time of severe winter or famine, if a guest came to someone's house and had no other possessions than a single camel which was essential for his life and livelihood, yet his kindness and hospitality even in such a critical moment would so affect him that, Without thinking ahead or behind, the camel was immediately sacrificed and the guests were entertained. In addition, their unique spirit of kindness and benevolence would save the people from the horrors of destruction and bloodshed by taking the root of major problems or the related financial responsibility on their shoulders in such a way that it would become a matter of pride much more than other leaders or patriarchs.

An interesting thing in this context was that they took pride in creating unique examples of Daya-Dakshini as well as drinking alcohol. 'Drinking' is a 'good deed' in the sense that they were not proud; Rather, they were proud of the fact that alcohol dominated them as pioneers of liberality, with the result that they did not consider any sacrifice too great. The real reason for this is that intoxicated people do not hesitate to do the impossible. That is why they called the grape tree 'karam' and the wine made from grape juice 'bintul karam' (daughter of karam).

Such laudatory and glorifying compositions occupy a significant place in the poetry of Jahili period poets. Antara bin Saddad Absi' said in his own Mu'allaqa-

After the heat of Nidagh had subsided, I drank clear liquor from a patterned glass vessel of boiling and sealed liquorous yellow, kept to the left, and when I drank it, I gave my possessions but my dignity was intact. There is no stumbling or injury on it. Then when I am sane or when I regain my senses I do not fail to give charity and you are aware of my benevolent and characteristic qualities.

They gambled and thought that this too was a way of their kindness- South. Because through this they used to donate a part of the amount they benefited or what was left from the benefited people's share to the helpless and poor. That is why the benefits of alcohol and gambling are not denied in the Qur'an; Rather, it is said about this-

The sin is more abominable than the benefit of the two. (Baqarah:-219)

Commitment: One of the characteristic features of the Arabs in the Jahili period was keeping promises. They considered it a religious duty to keep promises or commitment. Even so important a matter as shedding the blood of one's children or forsaking one's habitat for those with whom they were intimately associated in society, trade, or in any other way, was considered a small task. The narrations of Hani bin Mas'ud Shaibani, Samwal bin Adiya and Hajir bin Jurrah are sufficient to realize its accuracy.

Personality and self-esteem: One of the characteristics of the Arabs in the Jahili era was to prioritize their dignity over everything in the world and not tolerate any kind of injustice and oppression. As a result, their sense of pride and dignity went beyond limits. For any particular reason, even if there was a slight blow or insult to their pride and dignity, they would get excited and engage in bloody clashes with swords, spears, blades etc. They had no fear of losing their lives while engaging in this conflict. They valued dignity more than life.

Implementation of resolutions: Another characteristic of the Arabs in the pre-Islamic era was that, considering any work as a symbol of honor and manliness, when they were determined to perform that work, they would bet their life and jump to the completion of that work. No earthly power could stop them from this determination.

Gentleness, patience and seriousness: Gentleness, decency and patience-seriousness were very dear and admirable things to the Arabs. They never underestimated these human qualities. But due to their fierce nature, fierce pride and vindictiveness, they were rarely able to maintain its accuracy.

Simplicity and unambitious: In the pre-Islamic era, it can be known from the culture of Arabs that their lifestyle was very simple, simple and unpretentious. There was no patch or trace of complexity in their thoughts and consciousness. Their minds were as open as the generous as the open desert. But the mood was sharp. Because of this, they were honest and truthful by nature. Such things as cheating and breach of trust were completely unknown to them. They considered it a sacred duty to protect the accumulated wealth or deposits.

We firmly believe that the location of Arabia in the heart of the world, the unique geographical features of Arabia, The generous human spirit of the people, hospitality, simple and unpretentious way of life, and the incomparable example of hoarding deposits make Arabia the center of Islam. The organization and implementation of Islam was initiated with due consideration of the Arab nation as the most suitable human group to protect Islam, the most sacred trust of Allah, the Arabic language as the appropriate language for receiving and conveying the message of Allah, and the best person from all perspectives in the Arab community as a prophet and messenger.

The prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) came to earth

On the authority of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra), he said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "Allah created the creatures and made me the best of the group. Then the tribes are selected and in this case too I am included in the best tribe. Then attention was paid to family status and in this case too I was included in the most prestigious family. Therefore I am the best in my personality, so I am the best in terms of family status." (Tirmidhi)

The library building located next to the Holy Haram Sharif is believed to be where the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was born.

The genealogy of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), his arrival and his prophethood

The genealogy of the Prophet (ﷺ) can be divided into three stages according to genealogical sources. The first stage is up to Adnan - about the purity of which historians and genealogists agree. And historians and genealogists disagree about the purity of the second stage. In this case, some have avoided the matter of making the right decision, some have taken the decision again.

The third period is from Ibrahim (as) to Adam (as). According to experts, there is some fallacy in this stage discussions and decisions.

First stage: Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul Muttalib (Shayba) bin Hashem (Amr) bin Abde Manaf (Mughirah) bin Qusai (Zayed) bin Kilab bin Murrah bin Ka'b bin Luwai bin Ghalib bin Fihr (his title was 'Quraysh' and the Quraish in that source Genealogy) Bin Malek Bin Namb (Qays) Bin Kenana Bin Khuzaymah Bin Mudreka Amer Bin Ilyas Bin Muzar Bin Nazar Bin Mayadd Bin Adnan.

Second stage: From Adnan upwards i.e. Adnan bin Ad bin Hamisayah bin Salaman bin Aws bin Buz bin Qawwal bin Ubai bin Awam bin Nasheed bin Hejah bin Baldas bin Yadlaf bin Tarikh bin Jahim bin Nahis bin Makhi bin Ays bin Abkar bin Ubayd bin Adwa bin Hamdad Sunbar bin Yasiri bin Yahoon bin Yalhan bin Arawa bin Ayaz bin Jishan bin Aisar bin Afnad bin Ayham bin Mukshir bin Nahis Jareh bin Sumai bin Mukhi bin Awah bin Eram bin Qaidar bin Ismail bin Ibrahim (as).

Third Stage: Above Ibrahim (as) are Ibrahim bin Tarih (Azr) bin Nahur bin Saruh (or Sarugh) bin Raw bin Falekh bin Aber bin Salekh bin Arfakhshad bin Sham bin Nuh (as) bin Lamek bin Matushalkh bin Akhnukh [it is said that this name was Idris (as)] bin Yad bin Mahalael bin Kainan bin Anush bin Sheesh bin Adam (as).

Family tradition

The family of the Prophet (ﷺ) was popularly known as the Hashemi family because it traced its family identity upwards from his great-grandfather Hashem bin Abd Manaf. In order to get a clear understanding of the Prophet (ﷺ), I think it is necessary to discuss the biographies of his grandfather, great-grandfather, that is, the leading people of the previous generations. The next discussion is in that context.

Hashem

We have already discussed that when the agreement was signed between Banu Abd Manaf and Banu Abdur regarding the distribution of the posts related to the Haram, Hashem among the sons of Abd Manaf was given the prestigious responsibility of 'Sekaya' and 'Refadah' i.e. giving water to and entertaining the pilgrims. . Hashem was a very honorable and noble person. He was the first person to arrange to feed the pilgrims in Makkah by mixing bread with 'shorba' or broth. His original name was 'Amar'. But he was called 'Hashem' because he mixed bread with broth or soup. Because 'Hashem' means the one who breaks something. Again it was Hashem who was the first to initiate two business trips or tourism for the Quraish in summer and winter. A poet said about him:

Amr fed pieces of bread soaked in 'shorba' or broth to Makkah for the famine-stricken weak tribe and arranged for travel during winter and summer days. A very important event related to his personal life and subsequent history. That is, when he reached Madinah on his way to the Sham empire for business purposes, there he married a woman named 'Salma bint Amr' from the tribe of Banu Najjar and stayed there for some time. After that, leaving his pregnant wife in her father's house, he went to the Sham empire and there he passed away in the city of Gaza in Palestine.

Meanwhile, Salma's unborn child was delivered on time. According to the calendar, that year was 497 AD. The newborn baby had white hair, so Salma named her Shaiba.

Salma continues to raise her child carefully from her paternal home. This child of that day was later 'Abdul Muttalib', the grandfather and guardian of the last Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Although the baby Abdul Muttalib was growing day by day, for a long time no one in the Hashem family knew about his birth. Hashem was the father of 9 children. Out of 9 people 4 boys and 5 girls. Their names are Asad, Abu Saifi, Nazlah, Abdul Muttalib and Shifa, Khalidah, Mayifah, Ruqayyah and Jannah respectively." The names differ according to various narrations.

Abdul Muttalib

From the previous discussion we are certain that the terms related to 'Sekaya' and 'Refadah' were entrusted to Hashem. After Hashem's death, the responsibility was transferred to his brother Muttalib. He also possessed various qualities and status within the tribe. No one else in the tribe had the power to disobey him. He was also famous for his generosity. The Quraysh named him 'Faaya' because of his generosity. Tears began to flow from Shaiba's eyes when he saw her. Then, hugging him on his chest, he mounted the camel and started his journey towards Makkah.

But Shayba refused to go to Makkah without his mother's permission, so Muttalib asked his mother's permission to take him. But when Shayba's mother refused to give him permission, Muttalib explained to her that the boy was going to his father's kingdom and to Allah's Haram Sharif. Surely this is his greatest fortune. After hearing this, her mother gave permission to take Shayba. After receiving permission, Muttalib mounted him on his camel and proceeded towards Makkah.

After reaching Makkah, seeing Shayba with Muttalib, the Meccans said, this boy is 'Abdul Muttalib' meaning 'Muttalib's slave'. Muttalib answered him, "No, no, this is my nephew, the son of my brother Hashem." Since then he was brought up by Muttalib.

At some point when Shayba was entering his youth, Muttalib went to the afterlife in the Yemen of the Roman Empire. After his death, Abdul Muttalib inherited the vacated posts. That none of his fathers or grandfathers - were able to possess such dignity. As a virtuous person, the people of the nation loved and respected him very sincerely.

When Muttalib passed away, 'Nawfal' forcibly occupied Abdul Muttalib's quarters. As Abdul Muttalib was unable to deal with his uncle alone, he sought help from some of the Quraysh tribe. But they objected that it was impossible for them to do anything about his dispute with his uncle. Desperate, Abdul Muttalib wrote some poems to his uncle's tribe, the Banu Najjar, which contained a pitiful plea for help.

Responding to this call, his uncle 'Abu Sa'd bin Adi' marched towards Makkah with eighty horsemen and stayed at a place called 'Abtah. Abdul Muttalib went there to meet his uncle and requested him to go home. But Abu Sa'd refused to go to his house until an understanding was reached with Nawfal. Then he advanced and stood at Nawfal's position.

After hearing this, Abu Sa'd requested some of the leading men of the Quraish to be witnesses in this matter and give evidence if necessary. When they agreed to this, he went to Abd al-Muttalib's house and after staying there for three days and performing Umrah returned to Madinah. After that incident, 'Nawfal' entered into a treaty of mutual aid and cooperation with Banu Abde Shams against Banu Hashem.

On the other hand, when the tribe of Banu Khuzaima saw the tribe of Banu Najjar helping Abdul Muttalib, they said, Abdul Muttalib is your son as well as our son. So it is our first duty to help him.

The reason for this was that Abde Manaf's mother was related to the tribe of Khuzayima, therefore the tribe of Banu Khuzayima went to 'Darun Nadwa' and entered into a treaty of aid and cooperation with Banu Hashem against Banu Abde Shams and Banu Nawfal. The treaty made promises that were very helpful for the conquest of Mecca in the later Islamic period. Details in this regard will be provided in due course.

Two special incidents are associated with Abdul Muttalib as he was associated with Baitullah. One of these is related to the excavation of the 'Jamjam' well and the other is related to the 'Elephant army' incident. These two incidents are briefly discussed below.

Digging Jamjam wells

The summary of the incident is that Abdul Muttalib came to know in a dream that he was being instructed to dig a well and its location was specified in the dream. Then he woke up and started digging at a certain place. During the excavation, the stuff that was excavated from the well which the tribe of Banu Zurham had thrown into the well when they left Makkah. Among the brief items were several swords and armor and two golden stags.

Abdul Muttalib welded the doors of the Kaaba with swords, attached golden deer to the two doors, and arranged for the pilgrims to drink water.

Another incident occurred during the excavation of the Zamzam well, when the well was revealed the Quraish started a dispute with Abdul Muttalib and demanded that they too be allowed to participate in the excavation. Abdul Muttalib said, since he had been instructed in a dream to dig this well, it is not possible for him to let others participate in this work.

But the Quraysh also refused to give up their claim. They decided to go to a woman of the tribe of Banu Sa'd - who was a prophetess - to get an opinion on this matter and started their journey from Makkah for this purpose. But on the way they saw some signs that made it clear to them that the Almighty Allah had appointed the digging of the Well of Zamzam for Abdul Muttalib. So they did not advance further and returned to Makkah.

In the wake of the said incident, Abdul Muttalib vowed that if Allah Ta'ala pleases him with ten sons and all grow up to be able to fend for themselves, then he will sacrifice one of his sons for the Baitullah.

The incident of the elephant army

A summary of the second event is that Abraha Sabah Habshi, who was the governor of Yemen on behalf of Emperor Najjashi Habash, saw that the Arabs were performing Hajj to the House of Ka'ba and that people from different countries were coming there for the same purpose. He then built a great church at San'a and invited the Arabs to perform Hajj in the center of the church.

But when the people of Banu Kenana came to know about this news, they secretly entered the church one night and smeared faeces on its front.

Abraha was enraged at the incident and marched towards Makkah with a large force of about sixty thousand armed soldiers to destroy the Ka'bah in revenge. He himself mounted on the back of a mighty elephant. The soldiers had a total of nine or thirteen elephants.

Abraha marched from Yemen to a place called 'Al Magammas' and there prepared his army for attack and advanced to enter Makkah. Then when it reached Wadi Muhassar, the place between Muzdalifah and Mina, Abraha's elephant sat down on the ground. There was no way he could be raised to proceed towards the Ka'ba. But if tried to get him up to go north, south or east, it immediately got up and started running. At such a time Allah Ta'ala sent a flock of small birds. In the Qur'an, those birds are referred to as 'Ababeel' or flocking birds. The birds brought small pieces of stone and started throwing them at the soldiers. Each bird carried three pieces of stone or pebbles - one in its beak and two in its legs. The pebbles were the size of chickpeas. But the body where the pebbles hit the part of the body ruptured and the blood flowed out and he died.

Not everyone was hurt by the pebble. But at this miraculous event everyone was greatly frightened and many died when they started running recklessly to escape from the place in fear of their lives. Crushed by stones and trampled underfoot, the brave men started falling to their death.

On the other hand, Allah Ta'ala sent such a severe affliction on Abraha that his fingers joint were undone and he became like a baby bird before reaching the place called 'Sana'. Then his chest burst open and his heart came out and he fell to his death.

On hearing the news of Abraha's campaign towards Mecca, the people of Mecca fled in a state of panic and took refuge in the mountains or mountain tops. Then when they came to know that Abraha and his army had been utterly destroyed, they returned to their homes with a sigh of relief.

Most historians are of the opinion that the incident took place in the month of Muharram just 50 or 55 days before the birth of the Prophet (ﷺ). In view of this, it can be assumed that the event took place in 571 AD in the last part of February or the first part of March.

This event of the elephant army is a clear sign of divine decision and help for future prophets, messengers and the Kaaba. Another reason behind this was that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw during his time that Baitul Muqaddas was the 'Qibla' of the Muslims and its inhabitants were also 'Muslims'. But in spite of this, the rule of the enemies of Allah, the polytheists, was established over it. Clear evidence of this is Nasr's invasion of Bukhta (587 BC) and the establishment of Roman rule (70 AD). On the other hand, the right of Christians over the Kaaba was not established. Although they were Muslims then and the people of the Kaaba were polytheists.

In addition, this incident happened at such a time that the news about it spread very quickly in most of the regions of the civilized world at that time, i.e.: Roman Empire, Persian Empire, etc. On the other hand, the eyes of the Persians were equally on the Romans, and finally the situation was that the Persians were very Quickly occupied Yemen.

At the time in question, both the Roman and Persian states represented a significant part of the world at that time and since the elephant incident was well known to all of these two states. Therefore it can be said that the eyes of the whole world were focused on the miracle of the Kaaba. After witnessing with their own eyes the clear signs given by Allah regarding the high honor and noble status of Baitullah, it was firmly established in their minds that Allah Ta'ala adopted the said miraculous measures to preserve and sanctify this house and to keep its noble status intact. Therefore, if one of the inhabitants here in the future claims prophethood, it will be a just and desirable thing in the context of that event and it will be above worldly management. The foundation of God's kingdom - which was sent down from an unseen source to help the believers. Abdul Muttalib had a total of ten children. Their names were respectively-

1. Haris.
2. Jobair,
3. Abu Talib,
4. Abdullah,
5. Hamzah,
6. Abu Lahab,
7 Gaydaq,
8. Muqaam,
9. Cipher,
10. Abbas.

Some say, he had 11 children, one of whom was named 'Qazam'. Another group said, 13 children. The names of the other two are Ka'ba and 'Hazal'. But those who said about the ten people said, Muqawam's other name was 'Abdul Ka'ba and Gaidak's other name was 'Hazal'. According to them Abdul Muttalib had no son named 'Qazam'. Abdul Muttalib had 6 daughters. Their names are respectively-

1. Ummul Hakim (her name is Bayza),
2. Barrah,
3. Atiqah,
4. Safiyah,
5. Aroa,
6. The Umayya.

The blessed man Abdullah

Abdullah was the respected father of the Prophet (ﷺ). Abdullah's mother's name was Fatima. She was the daughter of Amr bin Ayez bin Imran Makhjum bin Yamah bin Murrah. Among the sons of Abdul Muttalib, "Abdullah" was the most beautiful and the best of character. He was very beloved by his father. His surname was 'Zabeeh'. That is why he was called 'Zabeeh'. That is, when the number of sons prayed for by Abdul Muttalib reached 10 and they all qualified to defend themselves, then Abdul Muttalib informed them of his vow. (Regarding their offering one to the name of Allah). They all agreed to the proposal.

Abdul Muttalib then wrote the names of all of them on the fortune-telling arrow and handed it over to the attendants or overseers of the Hobal statue. After circling the arrows in their designated directions, the attendants draw out the selection beads or lottery beads. Abdullah's name comes up in the lottery. Abdul Muttalib took Abdullah's hand and led him to the Kaaba. He had in his hands a group of people who were experienced in slaughtering and Abdullah's brother Abu Talib prevented him from doing so. Being prevented from fulfilling his vow, Abdul Muttalib said, then what can be done about his vow? They advise him to take advice from a woman who has special knowledge or theology.

When Abdul Muttalib went to some theoretician and asked for his advice in this regard, he suggested the use of lottery or electoral beads between Abdullah and ten camels to make the right decision. If Abdullah's name comes up in the election beads, ten more camels should be added to the election beads. However, if Abdullah's name comes up, add ten more camels to the aforementioned twenty camels and use the election beads and continue using the election beads in the same manner until the word 'camel' appears in place of Abdullah's name, until Allah is pleased. Then the number of camels that will be used for election beads should be sacrificed in the name of Allah.

After returning from there, Abdul Muttalib used electoral beads between 'Abdullah' and ten 'camels'. But Abdullah's name is revealed in it. As per the instructions of the theoreticians, he increased the number of camels by ten more in the second phase and used electoral beads. But even in this Abdullah's name comes up. So he continued to use electoral beads, increasing the number of camels by ten in each subsequent round. In this way the word 'camel' appears when a hundred camels and Abdullah's name are used in election beads. In view of this, Abdul Muttalib sacrificed one hundred camels in the name of Allah instead of Abdullah. There were no restrictions on the consumption of the flesh of the sacrificed animal by any human or animal.

Before the mentioned incident, the price of bloodshed between the Arabs and Quraysh was ten camels. But after this incident its increased number was fixed to one hundred camels. Islam also fixed the number permanently. It was narrated from the Prophet that he said - 'I am the son of two Zabeeh - one is Ishmael (a) and the other is my father Abdullah.

Abdul Muttalib chose Amina for his son Abdullah's marriage. She was the daughter of Wahab bin Abde Manaf bin Zohra bin Kilab. She was considered the noblest woman of the Quraish tribe in terms of lineage and status. His father was a famous Banu Zohra patriarch. After marriage, Amina came to her husband's house in Makkah and lived with her husband. But shortly after, Abdul Muttalib sent Abdullah to Madinah to bring dates for business. He died there.

Some historians say that Abdullah traveled to Sham for business purposes. On his way back to Makkah with a Quraysh caravan, he fell ill and took up residence in Madinah. Due to that illness he died in Madinah. He was cremated at Nabega Ja'di's house. At that time he was only 25 years old. Most historians are of the opinion that the Prophet was not born before the death of his father. And few historians are of the opinion that he was born two months before his father's death.

When news of Abdullah's death reached Makkah, Amina recited a poignant eulogy. The sad story is - The land of Batahar lost Hashem's son, he was contented with blissful sleep in the tomb amidst the shouting and noise. Death beckoned to him in such a way that death has not spared a man like Ibn Hashem. How sad it was when people were carrying him to his deathbed that evening. Although a death agony ended his existence, it could not erase his superior character traits. He was very kind and soft hearted.

The endowments he left behind at the time of his death were 5 camels, a herd of goats and a negro slave-girl named 'Barakata' and nicknamed 'Umme Aiman' respectively. This Umm Ayman breastfed Prophet (ﷺ) as a child.

Auspicious birth and Forty years of pre-prophetic life

Auspicious birth: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was born in the famous Banu Hashem clan of Makkah on the 9th of Rabiul Awal (year of Phil) during the dawn of Sadiq on Monday. In the English calendar the date was 20 or 22 April 571 AD. This year was the fortieth year of King Nowsherwa's accession to the throne.

It was narrated from Ibn Sa'd that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, When I was born, a light came out of my body - so that the buildings of Shamdesh were illuminated.

At the time of the birth of the Prophet (ﷺ), several events were revealed as foreshadowing of prophethood. As the spiers of Kisra's palace crumbled, the fires that had blazed for ages in the shrines of the ancient Persian priesthood were extinguished, the bustling churches of the Bohaira clergy became dull and dull and their comforts perished, the 360 statues of the Ka'bah were plundered.

After the birth of the child, Amina sent the good news of her son's birth to Abdul Muttalib. As soon as he heard this good news, he entered the nursery with joy and excitement and took the newborn in his arms and arrived at the Ka'ba. After that, looking at the face of this beautiful child with tears of joy, he started thanking God and praying for his overall welfare. In this moment of pure joy, he also decided that the new born would be named 'Muhammad' (ﷺ). It was a 'fancy' name in the list of Arabic names. Then he was circumcised on the seventh day according to the Arab custom.

Abu Lahab's maidservant 'Suwayba' was the first to breastfed the Prophet (ﷺ) after his mother. The child who was in Suwayba's arms at that time was named 'Masruh'. Before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) Suwayba breastfed Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib and later Abu Salma bin Abdul Asad Makhzoomi.

Nurture of baby Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) under the supervision of Halimah (ra)

There was a special custom among the urban Arabs of the time to raise breastfed children, babies were handed over to midwives of Bedouin families to be raised in a well-developed rural environment away from the ill-effects of the crowded urban environment so they develop strong bodies and strong muscles and for the purpose of being able to learn pure Arabic language. In order to keep children free from the polluted environment of the city, midwives were practiced in the Arab countries. Maybe the midwives were adopted by different countries of the world from the Arabs.

According to the tradition, the family of Abdul Muttalib searched for a midwive to breastfed the baby Muhammad (ﷺ) and finally handed him over to Halima bint Abu Jubayb. This woman was a 'Khatun' of the tribe of Banu Sa'd bin Bakr. Her husband's name was 'Harith' bin Abdul Uzzah and his nickname was 'Abu Kabshah'. He was also related to Banu Sa'd tribe.

Halima and Haris had several children. They received the honor of being milk brother and sister of the Prophet (ﷺ). Their names are Abdullah, Anisah, Hozafa or Zoama respectively. Hozafa was better known and famous as 'Shaima'. It is said that this Shaima helped mother Halimah in the nurturing of the Prophet (ﷺ). In addition, his cousin Abu Sufyan bin Harith bin Abdul Muttalib was also a milk brother because of Halimah.

Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib, the uncle of the Prophet (ﷺ) was also breastfed by a woman from the tribe of Banu Sa'd. While staying at Halima's house, the woman also breastfed the Prophet one day. In this context, the Prophet and Hamza (ra) became related to each other as 'milk brothers' - first through Suwayba's relationship and secondly through the Banu Sa'd woman.

While breastfeeding, Halima was amazed and shocked to witness many scenes of the Prophet's (ﷺ) miraculous and blessed qualities. According to Halimah's narration, the historian Ibn Ishaq said - Halimah and her husband went to Makkah with a group of women from the Banu Sa'd tribe, along with a suckling child, in search of a baby to nurse in exchange for money. At that time there was a lot of food and money shortage due to famine in Arab land.

Halima said: 'I was traveling on the back of one of my white female donkeys. I had a she-camel with me. But what is the glory of Allah that, not even a drop of milk was coming out of the camel's udder. There was not even a drop of milk in my breast for the baby. Meanwhile, the child was fussing so much because of hunger that we couldn't sleep the whole night. In this situation we were hoping for rain and prosperity. But as the condition did not improve, without seeing any way we finally started walking again. I mounted my donkey and continued on my way. The donkey was very weak. Because of his weakness and powerlessness, he moved so slowly that the others in the caravan were greatly annoyed and embarrassed. In any case, we arrived at Makkah through such uncomfortable conditions. Then there was not a woman in our group who was not offered to breastfed the baby Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). But when they came to know that the child was a fatherless orphan, they refused to accept him. Because, everyone expected to get the desired price from the father for breastfeeding the baby. But in this case there is no possibility. The mother is a widow, the grandfather is old, what can he expect to get in return for raising this child! So after thinking about these, none of the party expressed interest in taking him.

Halima added: 'Meanwhile the other women in the party who went with me all collected one child each. Only I remained. I have not been able to collect any children. As the time for my return approached, my mind began to feel heavy and disorientated. Finally I told my husband, my partner or all are returning with babies for nursing and I have to go back empty handed. Rather than go back empty-handed, I take that orphan boy, whatever Allah does.

The husband said: 'Okay, no problem, go and get him. It may also be that Allah has keep blessing in it for us.' Halimah said: 'It was in such a condition and in such a context that I accepted the baby Muhammad (ﷺ) for nursing.'

Then Halimah added: 'When I returned to our temporary abode in Makkah with the baby Muhammad (ﷺ) and took him in my arms, he pressed his chest against mine and drank milk with full satisfaction. His milk brother i.e. my own child also drank milk with full satisfaction. Then both fell asleep. On the other hand, my husband, while milking the she camel, saw that her udder was full of milk. He milked the camel so much that we both drank it to our fill and passed the night in peace. With full satisfaction. At the end of the night, when the morning came, my husband said, Halima, byAllah! You have a lucky child. I said in reply, I feel the same way from the point of view of feeling and situation.

Halimah said: Then our party started the journey from Makkah to return to their respective homes. With the baby Muhammad (ﷺ) on my chest I mounted my weak and dull female donkey and started the journey with them. But Allah's oath! It was my weak donkey that kept moving ahead of everyone, leaving everyone behind. No other donkey could keep pace with him. Even the other companions began to say, O daughter of Abu Zuar, tell us what happened! Do us a favor. Isn't that the donkey you came riding on? I said, yes, yes, by Allah! This is the donkey on which I came to Makkah.

They said, surely something mysterious happened in it. Through such a mysterious situation, we finally arrived at the Banu Sa'd tribe's residence. Before this, I did not know that the people of any other region can be in need more than the people of our region in this land of Allah. But in the context of various contingencies my mistake was broken.

After our return from Makkah, our goats used to eat grass from the pasture and return home satisfied. We milked the milch goats and drank milk with satisfaction. But other people did not get even a drop of milk. Their animals had no milk in their udders. In view of such a situation, the owners of other herds used to say to their shepherds 'Wretches! Can you not take your flocks to the pastures where the shepherd of the daughter of Zuwayb leads his flocks?'

As a result, other shepherds also took their herds to the pastures where our shepherd took herds. But despite this, their animals returned home hungry and starved for lack of grass. There was no milk in the udder of those animals. But our goats would return home satisfied with grass and full of milk in its udder. We continued to receive blessings from Allah in every action.

Thus two full years of this son passed and I stopped breastfeeding him. Compared to other children, this child continued to grow so beautifully that before two years were complete, his body became quite strong and fit. We took him back to his mother as he had completed two years of foster care as per the law. But from the prosperity and blessings we were enjoying in our family life after bringing him, we were secretly hoping that he would stay with us for some more time.

We expressed our secret wish to his mother to let him stay with us for some more time - so that he becomes possessed of good health and a fit body. We are somewhat apprehensive of the outbreak of the epidemic in Mecca. Reassured by our repeated requests and sincerity, she agreed to take the baby Muhammad (ﷺ) back with us.

Cutting of the chest

Thus, after the weaning period had passed, the baby Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) continued to stay in the tribe of Banu Sa'd. In the second phase, during his stay in the Banu Sa'd tribe, the incident of his cutting of the chest occurred in the fourth or fifth year of his birth. A detailed account of the incident is narrated in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Anas (ra). The thing is, once when the baby Prophet was playing with his companions, Gabriel (as) came there. Then he took him a little distance and laid him down and tore open his chest and took out the heart. Then he took some clotted blood out of it and said - This is the part of Satan that was in you.

Then he placed the heart in a gold vessel and washed it with the water of Yama-yam and re-inserted it in its proper place and attached it to the cut part. At that time his playmate ran and told the midwife Halimah, Muhammad (ﷺ) has been killed.

Hearing this, Halimah and her husband became very anxious and disturbed and went there and saw the look of paleness and distress on the face of Muhammad (ﷺ). In this condition, they brought him home and started caring for him.

The baby Prophet returned to the loving mother's arms

Halima, the midwife, was frightened by the cutting of the chest of the baby Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and sent him to his mother. Thus the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has grown up in a midwife's home until he was six years old.

After getting the child back from the midwife, Amina decided to go to Yasrib (the former name of Medina) to visit her husband's grave. After that, under the management of her father-in-law Abdul Muttalib, she reached Madinah by crossing the five hundred kilometer route between Makkah and Madinah with her child son Muhammad (ﷺ) and the manager Umm Ayman. After staying there for a month, she started her journey from Madinah to return to Makkah. Mecca is a long way ahead, Medina is a short distance behind. At one stage of the journey, Amina fell ill. Gradually her disease began to increase. Finally she died at a place called 'Abwa' leaving the orphan and child Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and her relatives.

Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) under the shelter of old grandfather's love

Baby Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was left with a loving mother after his father's death, and an old grandfather after his mother's death. After the death of the mother, the grieving grandfather brought the fatherless grandson to the holy city of Mecca, the land of Prophethood and Messengership. Abdul Muttalib felt more pain in the death of his daughter-in-law Amina than the death of his beloved son Abdullah. Because after the death of Abdullah, the child Muhammad (ﷺ) was supported by mother Amina. But after the death of his mother, he had no help. So his sorrow increased a hundredfold. On the other hand, his affection and love for the orphan child also increased hundredfold. It seemed as if he began to love him more than his own child.

However, it is also true that even before the death of his daughter-in-law Amina, he loved this child more than his own life. Not only that, he also looked at this child with respect. According to Ibn Hisham, a special seat was laid out for Abdul Muttalib in the shadow of the Ka'ba. Abdul Muttalib used to sit on that seat and his children used to sit on the side of that seat. Out of respect for the father, none of his children used to sit on that seat. But when the baby Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) arrived there, he used to sit on that seat.

Seeing this situation, the uncles of the child Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) used to take him by the hand and take him down from the seat. But in the presence of Abdul Muttalib, if someone wanted to remove the baby Prophet from that seat, he would say - 'Don't try to remove him from this seat, let him go. Because this child does not seem like a normal child. This is a special child, with a unique personality. There's more of everything about him. Then he would make him sit close to him on the seat, caress him with his hands and express his joy by seeing his behavior and actions.

Grandfather Abdul Muttalib also passed away when Muhammad (ﷺ) was eight years two months and ten days old. Thus death took away the infant Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) from the warm chest of his grandfather's affection and plunged him into the ocean of grief. The boy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) now learned to think of his dead father, learned to think of his dead mother, the embodiment of love. Again he had to think of his dead grandfather with indescribable grief and pain.

Uncle Abu Talib came forward to ease the burden of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) in the moment of grief. He willingly took on his shoulders all the responsibilities of raising and managing the boy Muhammad (ﷺ). The old Abdul Muttalib gave that advice to Abu Talib before his death.

The Boy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) Under the Care of a Loving Uncle

Respecting his father's last advice, Abu Talib carefully nurtured his nephew and future Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Abu Talib did not raise him as one of his children; Rather began to nurture him with more love than his children. Moreover, like his father Abdul Muttalib, he continued to show respect to him in various ways. It can be easily assumed that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) of the future age and the guide of the liberation of the world will continue to receive respect from his relatives in childhood, youth or adolescence. He continued to be guided by his uncle until the Prophet (ﷺ) reached the age of 40. Other events related to fatherhood will be discussed in context at a later stage.

A shower of mercy from a blessed face

Narrated by Ibn Asaki from 'Zalhama bin Arafah'. He said, 'I arrived in Makkah once. Due to the famine, the people were very poor and the people of Arabia faced severe time due to the famine. Let's all pray to Allah for rain.

After hearing this, Abu Talib took the boy Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) with him. The boy seemed like a clouded sun in the sky from which the thick clouds suddenly separated. There were other boys around that boy, but the light was falling from the boy's face.

Abu Talib took the boy by the hand and led him to the house of the Ka'ba and asked him to stand with his back against the wall of the Ka'ba. The boy stood holding his uncle's fingers. At that time there was not a single cloud in the sky. But in no time, the sky was covered with clouds and darkness came and it started raining in torrents. The rainfall was so high that the valleys flooded and the cities and deserts were rejuvenated.

As a result of that incident, Abu Talib sang the praises of Muhammad (ﷺ) as follows - 'He is very pure. His appearance is due to Mubarak. He is the refuge of orphans and the protector of widows.'

The eyes of the Christian priest Buhaira Rahab did not avert

It is said that when Muhammad (ﷺ) was 12 years old (in another narration 12 years 2 months and 10 days), he traveled to Sham (Syria) with his uncle Abu Talib on business, and at one stage of the journey he visited Basra. Basra was a part of Sham empire and the central city of Huran. At that time it was the capital of the Roman state in the Arabian Peninsula.

A Christian priest (Rahab) called 'Jazis' lived in that city. His title was 'Buhaira' and by this title he was known and famous to all. When the Meccan trading party encamped at Basra, Rahab came out of the church and came to them and entertained them.

But before this he had never come out of the church and met any trade caravan. He saw the appearance, behavior and other characteristics of the young Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) and understood that he is the last Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) who will guide the liberation of the world. Then he held the hand of the young Prophet (ﷺ) and said - 'This is the ruler of the universe. Allah will choose him as the last prophet of mercy to the world.'

Buhaira said - When your arrival from that side of the pass was slowly coming into view, I witnessed that there was no tree or stone that did not prostrate to him. These things never prostrate to anyone among the creatures except the Prophet and Messenger. In addition, I recognized him by seeing the seal of prophecy. He has an 'apple' shaped scar on his lower shoulder bone. That is the seal of prophecy. I was informed by our scriptures, the Bible.

Then Buhaira said to Abu Talib: 'Don't travel abroad again with him. Take him back to the country soon. Because if they know his identity, the Jews can kill him.' After hearing this, Abu Talib took measures to send him back to Makkah as soon as possible.

The heart of the young Prophet (ﷺ) wept at the Battle of Fujjah

When Muhammad (ﷺ) was 15 years old, the 'Battle of Fujjar' took place. On one side of this war were Quraysh and their allies Banu Kenana. Kayes Aylan was on the other side. The commander of the Quraysh Kenan allies was 'Harb bin Umayyah' because of his talent and influence, he was able to establish himself in a high position among the Quraysh and Kenan clans. In the beginning of this war, the support of the Kayes over the Kenans was more, but later the support of the Kenans became more. This war is called the 'Battle of Fujjah' because it violates both the forbidden things and the sanctity of the holy month. As a teenager, the Prophet (ﷺ) witnessed the battle with his uncle Abu Talib. In this war, he was engaged in protecting his uncles from being hit by arrows.

Formation of 'Hilf ul fuzul' or taking the pledge of righteousness

The brutality and horror of the battle of Fujah greatly disturbed the well-intentioned and well-intentioned people of Arabia. It is difficult to measure the loss of life, how many children are orphaned, how many women are widowed, how many mothers are childless and how much property is destroyed in this war. In order to prevent the Arabs from suffering such a senseless war in the future, the prominent Arab patriarchs gathered in the house of Abdullah bin Judayan Taymi and made a 'pledge' in the name of Allah.

Abdullah bin Judayan was a very wealthy person in Mecca at that time. In addition, he had considerable influence over the Arabs as his preaching was popular throughout the Arab lands for honesty, charity and hospitality. It is in this context that arrangements are made for taking the pledge at his residence.

Among the tribes that participate in the discussion, the main tribes are Banu Hashem, Banu Muttalib, Banu Asad bin Abdul Uzzah, Banu Zohra bin Kilab and Banu Tamim bin Murrah respectively. All come together in meetings to discuss remedies for all injustices and senseless wars.

Prior to this, the rule was that one must help a person of the tribe or clan and relatives, no matter how big or serious the wrongdoing. In the said consultation meeting it was decided that such a policy is terribly unjust, inhuman and degrading. So this kind of heinous policy cannot be allowed to continue. They all made a pledge to the effect that-

a. We will try our best to remove the unrest in the country.
b. We will do our best to protect the property and dignity of foreigners.
c. We will never hesitate to help the poor, weak and helpless people.
d. We will try hard to protect the weak countrymen from the injustice and oppression of tyrants and lawless people.

The Prophet and his uncle Jubayer bin Abdul Muttalib attended the meeting. In fact, Young prophet Muhammad was the originator of the welfare thought and Uncle Jubayer is the first supporter. With the united efforts of both of them, the number of supporters gradually increased and finally, in the presence and consent of Abdullah bin Judayan's various tribal chiefs, the 'pledge' was executed and an organization was established on that basis. It was a pledge to establish truth and justice against injustice and lawlessness. That is why this organization was named 'pledge of righteousness' or 'Hilf ul fuzul'.

As a result of that commitment, a massive change in Arab thinking began to take place and at first the activities continued very well. But after the prophethood of the Prophet, due to the creation of some negative feeling among the Quraysh, its effectiveness eventually weakened. Of course, the Prophet (ﷺ) himself never forgot this promise. He mentioned this promise while dealing with the prisoners of Badr war. Once, while talking about this, he said with a strong voice - Even today, if an oppressed person says, O people of 'Hilf ul fuzul'! I will definitely respond to his call. Because Islam has come to establish justice and truth, to help the wronged and oppressed.

Furthermore, in another context in this regard, he said - 'I was a participant in such a pledge in the residence of Abdullah bin Judayan - in exchange for which I do not like a pregnent camel and if I was called upon to make such a pledge in the age of Islam, I would have said that I was present.

Another relevant direct background to the 'Hilf ul Fuzul' institution is also known, that of a man named Zobair who purchased goods from outside, but retained them without paying the price. For help in this matter, he appealed to the tribes of Abduddar, Makhjum, Jamh, Saham and Adi. But when no one heeded his pleas, he climbed to the top of Mount Abu Qubais in Jabal and recited in a loud voice several poems - including his own persecution. On hearing the recitation of the poem, Jubayer bin Abdul Muttalib ran and said, 'Why is this man helpless and penniless?' It was through his efforts that the above-mentioned tribes came together and entered into a treaty, and later the dues of Zubair were recovered from As bin Wael.

Living a miserable life

There is no mention of any specific occupation-related activities during the childhood, adolescence and early youth of the last Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). However, it is known through various reliable sources that he used to go to the fields to graze goats with other boys during his stay in the midwifery house of Sa'd tribe. He also grazed goats in Makkah for a few kirats.

In addition, he traveled to Syria on trade with his uncle Abu Talib as a teenager. Then when he reached the age of 25, Khadijah (ra) went to Shamdesh to trade with commercial goods. According to the narration of Ibn Ishaq, Khadija (ra) bint Khwalid was a noble wealthy and business woman. He used to invest money with businessmen in return for a certain amount of money as a business partnership and dividend as per customary practice. The entire Quraish tribe was engaged in trade for livelihood.

After learning about Muhammad's (ﷺ) truthfulness, good character, virtue and faithfulness, Khadijah (ra) made a proposal to him that he may travel to Sham with her slave Maysara for business with her money. She also guarantees that he will be paid a higher rate of profit than the rate of profit paid to other businessmen. Muhammad (ﷺ) accepted this offer and went to Sham with her wealth and slave Maysara.

Marriage with Khadija (ra).

After the return of the young Prophet from Syria to Mecca, the business profits and losses were calculated. Khadijah (ra) got a huge amount of money including capital, which she had never received before. Khadija's heart was filled with joy. In addition, Khadija's respect for Muhammad (ﷺ) gradually increased after learning about Muhammad's (ﷺ) soft-spokenness, truthfulness, high-mindedness, sincerity in protecting trust, etc. from her servant Maysara's speech, and the desire to have him as her husband was formed. Before this, many big chiefs, leaders and tribal chiefs sent marriage proposals to her. But she granted none. But she became anxious to get Muhammad (ﷺ) as her husband. She told the secret desire of her heart to her girlfriend 'Nafisa bint Munabbih' and requested her to discuss the matter with Muhammad (ﷺ). Nafisa informed Muhammad (ﷺ) about Khadija's (ra) proposal to protect the request.

Muhammad (ﷺ) agreed to the proposal and discussed the matter with his uncle Abu Talib. Abu Talib, after discussing this matter with the guardian uncle of Khadijah (ra) proposed marriage and in one auspicious moment the two blessed souls were united in a sacred marriage to be emulated and followed by the world. Banu Hashem and Muzar tribe chiefs were present at the wedding and added to the splendor of the ceremony.

Khadijah (ra) was 40 years old at the time of her marriage to Muhammad (ﷺ). He was at the top of the society in all respects of lineage, wealth, intelligence, etc. She was a matchless woman of good character and the first wife of the Prophet (ﷺ). He never married again during her lifetime.

All the children of the Prophet (ﷺ) except Ibrahim (ra) were conceived by Khadijah (ra). Qasem was the first child of the Prophet's couple, hence Muhammad (ﷺ) was nicknamed 'Abul Qasem, i.e. father of Qasem'. Then Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulsoom, Fatima and Abdullah were born respectively. Abdullah's surnames were 'Tayer' and Taher'.

All the sons of the Prophet (ﷺ) died in childhood. But among the daughters, all of them received the era of Islam, became Muslims and also got the status of Muhajir. But all the daughters died during the father's lifetime except Fatima (ra). Fatima (ra) died 6 months after the death of the Prophet.

Rebuilding the Ka'bah and resolving the dispute over Hazrat Aswad When Muhammad (ﷺ) reached the age of 35, the Quraysh began rebuilding the Ka'bah. Because the site of the Kaaba was only surrounded by walls. There was no roof over the walls. Taking advantage of this situation, a number of thieves entered the Kaaba and stole many valuables and ornaments kept there. The height of this house was thirteen and a half feet since the reign of Ismail (as).

Since the Ka'bah was built long ago, cracks appeared in the walls and it was liable to collapse at any time. Moreover, in that year, the city of Makkah was submerged under water due to the flood, and the water stream towards the Ka'ba flowed at a high speed, and the wall of the Ka'baghar was severely deteriorated and there was a fear that it would collapse at any time. In the context of such a fragile situation, the Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka'ba to preserve its place and dignity.

For the purpose of building the Ka'bah, the Quraish of all the clans came together and jointly determined some principles. They are, respectively, that only legal funds (Halal) will be used in rebuilding the Kaaba. Money that is earned through prostitution, interest money and money collected by spoiling the rights of others - can not be used for construction work. All these principles were agreed upon and preparations were made to start the construction work.

Construction of new buildings requires demolition of old buildings. But no one had the courage to help destroy the house of Allah. Finally, 'Waleed bin Mughirah Makhumi' was the first to break it and the others watched in horror. But after breaking the parts, when they saw that no danger befalls him, they all joined in the breaking. When the parts are demolished till the foundation of Ibrahim (as), construction began. Some clans collected stones separately so that each clan could participate in the construction work.

Construction started. Construction progressed under the supervision of a Roman operator named 'Bakum'. When reaching the place of black stone, a new problem arose. The issue is as to who or which clan will have the honor of re-establishing it in the place of Hazare Aswad or Blackstone.

All demanded that he himself or his tribe should place the black stone in its proper place. Everyone remained adamant in favor of their demand. They will do this. Everyone remained adamant. No one is willing to make a small concession. Everyone has the same words, the same insistence. Stubbornness slowly turned into resentment. The next stage of the race is bloodshed. Yes, they will not hesitate to bleed in this regard. For this purpose, Saj Saj Rab is going on in all tribes. The weapons drill has begun. A little bit of moderates are afraid of who knows when the war will break out.

In the context of such a terrible situation, the senior leader 'Abu Umayya Makhyoumi' thought a lot and found a way to solve this problem. He proposed to all that the responsibility of settling this dispute should be assigned to the person who enters the Masjid Haram first tomorrow morning.

All present expressed their support for this proposal. What great glory of Allah! It was seen that Al-Amin, the beloved and revered of all Arabs, was the first to enter the Masjid Haram. Seeing Muhammad (ﷺ) coming like this, everyone shouted - This is our Al-Amin - our trusted man. We all trust him. He is Muhammad (ﷺ).

Then when Muhammad (ﷺ) approached them, the matter was explained to him in detail. Then he asked for a sheet. When the sheet was given to him, he spread it on the floor and placed the black stone on the sheet with his own hand. Then he called the patricians of the disputing clans and said, all of you together hold the sheet in four corners and carry the black stone to the designated place. Then with his own hand he lifted the black stone and placed it in its proper place. Everyone accepted this settlement with satisfaction. A burning issue was peacefully resolved in a very simple, orderly and fair manner.

Meanwhile, while rebuilding the Ka'bah, Quraish faced a shortage of legitimate money. That is why the length of the Kaaba from the north side has been reduced to approximately nine feet. This part is famous as 'Hijr' or 'Hatim'. Now the Quraish raised the door of the Ka'ba specially above the ground so that only those whom they would allow could enter through it. When the walls were twenty-two and a half feet high, six pillars were built inside the house and roofed over it.

The height of the Kaaba is fifteen feet. The black stone wall and its front walls i.e. south and north walls are thirty feet. The black stone is four and a half feet high from the place of the mataf and the front wall i.e. the east and west walls are thirty six feet. The door is six feet above the floor. The low area of the quadrangle flanking the wall is surrounded by an elongated chair-equivalent section—twenty-five centimeters in height and thirty centimeters in average width. It is called 'Shaje Rawa' (moving rare). It is also actually a part of Baitullah. But the Quraish abandoned that too.

Brief character before prophethood

The development of virtues which are observed at different levels in the life of all human beings, all of them achieved the utmost excellence throughout the entire existence of Muhammad (ﷺ). He was a shining symbol of soundness of thought, excellence and integrity.

Muhammad (ﷺ) was endowed with a well-balanced physique, sharp intellect, perfection of all knowledge and assurance of success in the pursuit of purpose. He was engaged in uninterrupted meditation and inquiry through silence for a long time. And by thinking far and wide about the details of various subjects, he was able to discover justice and truth.

He was able to take correct decisions by understanding the real condition of human society, the movement and mentality of groups or tribes, the mutual relations of people, with his sharp intelligence and accurate monitoring and observation. As a result, he was above everything, free and pure from everything despite living in a society steeped in injustice, obscenity and lawlessness. Although he lived with drunkards, he never touched alcohol, never ate the flesh of animals sacrificed in the abode of gods and goddesses, and did not participate in any kind of sports held in the name of idols. He participated in all the morality and virtues of society, otherwise passed the time in silent seclusion.

From childhood Muhammad (ﷺ) hated all the false gods prevalent in the society of that time and that hatred was so great that in his eyes nothing else was so reprehensible and distasteful. Even when he heard swearing by Lat and Uzza, it was as if fire rained in his ears.

There is no doubt that the Prophet was nurtured, guided and controlled under the special mercy, protection, maintenance and direct guidance of Allah. Therefore, whenever there is an inclination towards worldly gain or following a ritual, then the direct control of Allah stands in the way and prevents him from doing it. In a narration by Ibn Asir, the Prophet said:

I never remember the deeds done by the people of the Jahili era except twice. But Allah has created obstacles between me and that work. And I never had any idea about it until Allah gave me the status of a Prophet. The story is that one night I said to the boy with whom I used to graze goats on the outskirts of Makkah, you take care of my goats, I will go to Makkah and attend the recitation of poetry on youth related topics like other youths. He said, ok. Then I went out and was still near the first house of Makkah - when I heard some musical instruments. I asked, from where the sound of the instrument is coming? People said, so-and-so is getting married, they are playing the music.

I sat there listening to that instrumental music. Thus Allah's control was imposed on my hearing. He turned off my hearing and I lay there. Then I woke up in the heat of the sun. Then I went to my friend and explained the incident in detail to him in response to his question. Then again one night I was sitting with my friend and on reaching Makkah I encountered the same incident. Apart from these two incidents, I have never stepped into a similar error.

Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah in Sahih Bukhari. When the construction of the Ka'bah was going on, the Prophet was carrying stones with Abbas (ra). Abbas (ra) said to the Prophet, take off your clothes and put it under the brick on your shoulder and carry it. Then shoulder pain will be less. But as the Prophet did not agree to it, his clothes were taken off by force. Immediately he fell to the ground. His gaze rose to the sky and he fainted.

As soon as he regained consciousness, he started shouting - 'My clothes, my clothes! Immediately he was dressed. Another narration says that after this incident, his shame was never seen again.

The actions of the Prophet (ﷺ) were the most interesting, the character was the best and the magnanimity was worthy of all ages to follow and imitate. He was most polite, humble, kind and virtuous. He was most compassionate, farsighted and truthful. A lie could never touch him. Everyone used to address him as 'Al-Amin'.

The Prophet was the most reliable trustee among the Arabs. Khadija testified that she carried the burdens of the needy, helped the destitute and helpless. He helped the rightful claimants and was known for his hospitality.

The beginning of the era of Prophethood

Recite in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from a clot of blood. Recite, and glorified is your Lord, who taught with the pen - He taught man what he did not know. (Surah Al-Alak: Verses 1-5)

Duration and Phase of Invitation: For the ease of understanding of the readers, we can divide the prophetic life of the Prophet into two parts. A consideration of the process of action and the context of success and failure shows that one part of it was heterogeneous and characterized by different characteristics from another. The two parts are respectively.-

1. He stayed in Mecca for about thirteen years.
2. He stayed in Madinah for ten years.

Then Makki and Madani were both hierarchical and heterogeneous in terms of life span, characteristics and processes. By reviewing and observing with deep insight the various and varied conditions and course of events in both parts of his prophetic life, it becomes much easier to discern the hierarchical levels.

The period of the Prophet's (ﷺ) stay in Makkah and his activities can be divided into three levels. They are-

1. Secret invitation level (three years) behind public view.
2. Public invitation to Makkans and Tablighi stage (fourth year to end of tenth year). 3. Level of invitation and expansion of Islam outside Mecca (up to the latter part of the 10th year of the Prophethood)

Prophecy begins in Hera Cave, Mount of Light

When the Prophet reached his forties, his long judgment, intelligence and thoughts, which had been creating a wall of separation between him and the people, were exposed and he gradually became reclusive. Taking food and water with him, he went to a secluded cave on Mount Hera, two miles from Makkah, and began to meditate. It is a small cave. Its length is 12 feet and width is 7 feet. The bottom was not that deep.

At the edge of a narrow road, the top of the mountain blended together to form a shape that resembled a riderless well-dressed horse at the forefront of a procession.

When he used to travel there, Khadijah (ra) would accompany him and stay somewhere nearby. He used to stay in the cave of Hera during the entire month of Ramadan. The Prophet - used to feed the poor and helpless travelers and spend the rest of the time engaged in the worship of Allah. He was busy in the meditation of the great and great being, who from behind the visible objects of the world gives life and energy to everything at every moment, maintains an eternal system of orderly control over the entire universe. The nonsensical pluralistic beliefs and pagan ideas of his native people caused a great reaction in his heart. But there was no path open before him along which he would be able to walk in peace and comfort. The seclusion of the Prophet (ﷺ) was indeed a part of Allah's management.

Thus Allah was preparing him for a great program in the future. The soul to whom a great divine prophetic destiny has been assigned and who will bless the misguided and degenerate people with the right guidance, needs to be freed from all the busyness of social life, all the troubles and problems of living, and gain the nearness of Allah through seclusion. When Allah chose Muhammad (ﷺ) as the most dignified and responsible trustee of the world system, by placing the responsibility on his shoulders, he wanted to change the outline of the world's life and introduce a refined course of history under the guise of eternal ideals, by removing the mess of meaningless ideals, then resorting to a month-long seclusion for him on the eve of the prophethood, made it imperative that he be able to advance on the path of attaining divine knowledge through deep meditation. In that meditative state of the secluded cave of Hera, he used to travel through the spiritual realms of the world and ponder and study the invisible secrets hidden behind all existence so that he could vow to carry out the instructions as soon as they came from Allah.

The arrival of Jibrail (a) with the great message of Allah

When the Prophet (ﷺ) reached the age of 40 years, this is the age of human perfection and it has been said that this age is the appropriate age for Prophets to receive prophethood, then some clear signs of prophethood began to appear. Those symptoms were manifesting through dreams in the early stages. Whenever he had a dream, it would come true like the light of dawn. Six months passed through such a state - which was the forty-sixth part of the period of Prophethood and the period of Prophethood was twenty-three years. Then when he was absorbed in uninterrupted meditation in the cave of Hera, and thus day after day, month after month and year passed, the third year began to pass, then Allah wished to shower His mercy on the people of the earth. Then Allah sent down some verses of His Holy Qur'an through Gabriel (as) and anointed Muhammad (ﷺ) with the great dignity of Prophethood.

It will be possible to know the actual date and time of the arrival of Jibraeel (as) only by analyzing the evidence related to various events in depth. Based on our analysis, it can be said that this incident took place on the night of Tuesday, 21st of Ramadan. According to Christian reckoning, the day was 10 August 610 AD. According to the lunar reckoning, the Prophet (ﷺ) was forty years six months and two days old and according to the solar reckoning it was 39 years, three months and 22 days.

Date of revelation

There is considerable disagreement among historians regarding the month and day of the Prophet's revelation and anointing with the great dignity of Prophethood. Most historians agree that the month was Rabiul Awal. But another group said, the month was Ramadan Mubarak. Some also say that the month was Rajab.

We find the opinion of the second party to be more acceptable, i.e. those who say that it was revealed in the month of Ramadan. Because Allah Ta'ala said in the Holy Quran: The Holy Quran was revealed in the month of Ramadan. (Surah Al-Baqara: Ayat-185)

It is also stated in the Holy Quran - I sent down the Quran on the night of the Holy Qadr. (Surah Qadar: Verse-1)

We all know that the topic of Night of Qadr comes in the month of Ramadan. It is also stated in the Holy Qur'an - I sent down the Qur'an on a blessed night. Surely I warn people from danger. (Surah Dukhan: Verse-3)

Another reason for the acceptance of the second view is that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to stay in the cave of Hera most of the time during the month of Ramadan, since the other heavenly books were also revealed in the month of Ramadan and it is also known that Jibraeel (as) used to come there. Those who say that the revelation was revealed in the month of Ramadan also expressed different opinions about the date on which it was revealed. Some say it was revealed on the 7th of Ramadan, some say on the 17th, and some say it was revealed on the 18th.

In my opinion, the 21st of Ramadan is acceptable because, although there is no one in favor of it, most of the narrators agree that the Prophet's (ﷺ) prophethood day was a Monday. This is supported by the narration of Abu Qatada when the Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about fasting on Monday, he replied that it is the day on which I was born and the revelation was revealed to me and prophethood was given to me. It happened on Mondays in the month of Ramadan on the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th. On the other hand, it has been proven and accepted by the sources of Sahih Hadith that the Holy Night of Qadr is observed only on the odd nights during the last ten days of the month of Ramadan.

Now we know the details from the narration of Ummul Mu'mineen Ayesha (ra). It is such a ray of light in the form of natural light or celestial light-which with its revelation dispels the darkness of unbelief and corruption, changes the course of life and changes the course of history and creates new chapters. Ayesha (ra) said: The revelation to the Prophet (ﷺ) began with a dream while he was asleep. Whenever he had a dream it would appear like a ray of dawn. Then gradually he began to prefer solitude. He used to stay in the Hera cave for the convenience of meditating in uninterrupted solitude devoid of light, sometimes without coming home, night after night he was immersed in worship and deep meditation. For this he used to take food and drink with him. When they ran out, he would return home again.

But he could not stay still at home. As the solitude of Hera cave made his mind restless. So he used to go to the Hera cave again with food and drink as before and meditate. Thus he remained in seclusion in the cave of Hera until the truth was revealed to him through revelation.

Thus, one day when he was meditating, Allah's Messenger Jibraeel (as) came to him and said: 'Read'. He said - 'I don't know how to read.'

Gabriel (as) held him very tightly and hugged him and let him go and said - 'Read'. The Prophet - replied - 'I am not among the reciters.' Jibraeel (as) then embraced him for the third time and released him saying: 'Read',

Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clinging substance. Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not. (Surah Al-Alaq: Verses 1-5)

After that, keeping the verses in his heart, the Prophet returned to Khadija bint Khuwaylid with a somewhat restless and trembling mind and said - 'Clothe me, clothe me.'

Khadijah (ra) covered him while he was lying down. After staying like this for a while, when his restlessness and heart palpitations subsided, he informed his consort about the incident at Hera Cave. Noticing his restlessness and nervousness, Khadija (ra) reassured him and said - 'Don't be afraid, be patient. Allah will never insult you. You maintain good relations with relatives. He tried to relieve the needy. Provides shelter to the helpless. Entertains guests and helps debtors to pay off their debts. Surely Allah will not wrong you.'

Then Khadijah (ra) took him to her cousin Waraqah bin Nawfal bin Asad bin Abdul Uzzah. Waraka converted to Christianity during the Jahili era and learned to read and write the Iranian language. At one time he also wrote books in Iranian language. But at the time in question he had become very old and blind. Khadijah (ra) said to him: 'Brother, listen to your nephew. He seems all talkative and restless.

Waraka said: 'Nephew, tell me what you saw? what happened to you? The Prophet narrated to Waraka in detail what he had witnessed and what had happened in the cave of Hera. After hearing everything, Waraka said in a surprised voice: 'This is he, who also came to Moses.

Then he continued to say, 'Alas! Alas! If only I were strong and alive on the day when your people and kindred will oppress you in many ways and drive you out of the land. After hearing this from the mouth of Waraka, the Prophet was surprised and asked - what are you saying! Will they drive me out of the country?

Waraka said: Yes, they will certainly drive you out of the country. He also said: Not only in your case, many such incidents have happened in the past as well. Whenever a prophet-messenger of truth came to the people, his own people persecuted him in various ways and drove him out of the country.

Waraka added: 'Remember, if I am alive till then I will give you all kinds of assistance. But Waraka died shortly after. On the other hand, revelation also temporarily stopped.

Narrated by Tabari and Ibn Hisham, the Prophet came out of the cave of Mount Hera immediately after the revelation. Later he went there again and stayed for some time. Then he returned to Makkah. The following points are highlighted in Tabari's account of the reason for the Prophet's (ﷺ) coming out of the cave of Hera.

I could not bear to look at them for such hatred of revelation and lunacy. But when the revelation was revealed to me, I thought to myself, has this inaction (i.e. myself) become a poet or a madman? Although the Quraish would never have dared to think of me in such a way, the matter nevertheless made me very uneasy. I decided to climb the mountain top and jump from there to kill myself. Then I will be freed from this emotional dissatisfaction and discomfort forever. Thinking this, I continued to climb to the top of the mountain. When I reached the middle, I heard a voice from the sky - O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah, I am the angel Gabriel.

I looked at the sky and saw Jibreel (as) standing on the edge of the sky in the form of a man with wings spread and saying: O Muhammad! You are the Messenger of Allah and I am the Angel Gabriel.

At that time I was faced with such a situation that wherever I looked, the angel Gabriel began to appear. I was then so much occupied with gazing at all the ends of the sky that the thought of ending myself by leaping from the mountain-top was lost in the recesses of consciousness, and I stood in a state of enchantment; I couldn't go forward, I couldn't go back.

Meanwhile Khadijah (ra) sent people to look for me as I did not return home for a long time. That man looked for me in Makkah. But he returned home without finding anything. But I am standing there in the same situation. Then when Jibraeel (as) passed out of sight, I returned home to meet my family.

Returning home, I sat on Khadija's thigh. Khadijah said: 'Abul Qasem where were you? Oh Allah! I sent people to look for you. He returned home without finding you. I explained to Khadijah (ra) all the details of my first-hand experience in response to her question.

He said: 'O beloved husband! May you enjoy and rest in peace. By the Almighty One in Whose hand is my life, I hope and firmly believe that these miracles have been revealed to you by Allah for the great purpose of prophethood.

Then she went to Waraqah bin Nawfal. She explained the incident to him in detail. Waraka bin Nawfal heard everything and said: 'Quddus! Oath of the being in whose hands is my life! To him came that 'Namuse Akbar' - who used to come to Musa (as). He will be the Prophet of this Ummah. Tell him to be patient.

Then Khadija (ra) came back and narrated the words of Waraka. Warqa met the Prophet again when he returned to Makkah after completing his stay in the Cave of Hera. Waraqah heard the narration from the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: By the One in Whose hand is my life! You are the prophet of this nation. To you has come that 'Namuse Akbar' - who used to come to Musa (as). And the meeting with Waraka happened on the very day after the revelation. He completed the remaining stay in the Cave of Hera on his return from Mecca.

Temporary suspension of revelation

Earlier it has been mentioned incidentally that revelation is closed. Now the question is about how long the revelation was withheld. Ibn Sa'd quoted a quote from Ibn Abbas (ra). It is said that revelation was closed for only a few days.

If the matter is analyzed from various aspects, the said word is considered to be the most acceptable. According to some sources, the word has been circulating that revelation was stopped for two and a half or three years. But since there is no reliable evidence in this regard, various questions arise regarding its acceptability. A little thought and research reveals the simple fact that when the unprepared Prophet first received the revelation, he was a bit overwhelmed. In view of such a situation, the Prophet, for his own sake, temporarily withheld the revelation for a few days, is a very reasonable thing to do. But it does not seem to be acceptable in any argument that revelation should be closed for two and a half or three years. Had that been true, the history of Islam would have been written and read differently. Since in this case there is very little scope for evidence-based discussion as it needs to be reasoned.

During the time when the revelation stopped, the Prophet felt very worried and upset. When the revelation stopped, the Prophet would feel so upset and embarrassed and his anxiety and insecurity would increase to such an extent that he would make up his mind to jump to his death from a mountain peak. But whenever he climbed the mountain top for this purpose, Jibraeel (as) said, 'You are the true Prophet of Allah.' Hearing this, the discomfort in his mind calmed down, he gained eternal peace in his mind. Then he would return to his house. Again, if the revelation stopped for some time, the same situation would repeat itself.

The return of Jibreel (as) with revelation

Hafez Ibn Hajar Asqalani (ra) said: When the first revelation was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ), he was astonished with some fear. In his mentality, a sense of awe is also observed. It is in this context that Allah Rabbul Alamin stopped the revelation for some time. So that he gets a chance to go back to normal.

However, when the Prophet (ﷺ) recovered from the difficulties he faced at the time of the first revelation and became normal in mind, the idea that he had been chosen as a "Messenger" of Allah was rooted out in his mind and to Him. He who came with revelation is the heavenly 'messenger or bearer of revelation'. When the mysterious matter thus became clear to him, he looked forward to receiving the next revelation. When he was mentally prepared to receive the revelation, Jibraeel (as) came again with the revelation.

Narrated in Sahih Bukhari on the authority of Jabir bin Abdullah (ra). He heard the story of revelation stopped coming from the Messenger of Allah. He said: Narrating the incident, the Prophet said, I was walking along the road when suddenly a voice entered my ears from the sky. As I looked up at the sky, I saw the angel who had come to me in the cave. He was seated on a throne between heaven and earth. My eyes were downcast in fear and wonder. Then I went to my wife and said, Cover me with a sheet. He covered me with a sheet. Then Allah Ta'ala revealed up to the seventh verse of "Ya Ayyuhal Muddassir" and from then on revelation continued.

The command to preach Allah's commands to people and its implications

The instructions given to the Prophet (ﷺ) in the verses from the first verse of Surah Muddasshir to the seventh verse may seem very brief and simple on the surface. But actually it is very important and significant. It contains the basic instructions for the implementation process of an eternally purposeful program of the Eternal, Infinite and Eternal Creator and Sustainer. The inherent features of this directive are respectively:

1. The ultimate purpose of fear-mongering through the mentioned verses is to make those who continue to go against the will of Allah or the rules given by Allah in this worldly life aware of the dire consequences. It was also one of the purposes that they were afraid of the punishment given by Allah so that their minds and brains started to stir and change.

2. It is intended to declare the Lord's greatness and majesty, so that there is no place of greatness or excellence in the midst of the world except God; Rather, recognizing the superiority of Allah by shattering the senseless pride and superiority of all others.

3. The main theme of attaining purity of clothing is external and internal purity. 'External purity' refers to the purity of body, clothing and all other accessories. 'Inward purity' refers to spiritual purity. To gain nearness to Allah by purifying the mind and heart from all injustice, indecency and corruption. Furthermore, by achieving total purity, to create such an example for mankind that people of clear and simple hearts will be attracted to him and seek the correct truth, and the hearts of people of crooked hearts will fear and tremble. In this way, the people of the whole world will be attracted to you, both for and against.

4. The true meaning of not accepting the return of favors is that no importance should be attached to proving one's own superiority or predominance by benefiting others through one's hard work; Rather, preparing oneself for greater sacrifice through altruism, accepting altruism as a duty and constantly doing one thing after another and above all gaining the pleasure of Allah will be the main purpose.

5. The main theme of the last verse of the Surah is that after you start the work of calling to the Deen of Allah and Tabligh, you and your companions will continue to face opposition, mockery, mockery and all kinds of oppression and torture from the enemy. All efforts will even be made to kill you and your monotheist companions and wipe them off the face of the earth. In the face of all those dangers you have to be steadfast like a rock and show extreme patience. In this case, the context of one's achievement will not be remembered in any way. Nor will there be any expectation of worldly gain; Rather, it should be done only for the purpose of pleasing the Lord and attaining the high status of His religion.

How great is our Lord! How easy, simple and short all these rules are from the external point of view. How peaceful and charming are the rhythms and consonances of its words. Its inherent richness and diversity of language is so inspiring! How excellent and respectable are these rules in terms of their underlying purpose and procedure. But how difficult is the process of its implementation, how diverse are its results. Its influence will spread all over the world, getting involved in various conflicts and problems. The situation will become dire. In the end, the void and defeated will be canceled. All around will shine with the glory of truth.

In the related verses, the matters of Dawat Tabligh are also mentioned. The meaning of the word 'injar' (showing fear) is that the children of Adam have certain actions - the consequences of which are bad and everyone is aware that people are not rewarded for all their deeds in this world. That is why the word 'injar' has a different meaning and call, apart from the days of the world, there is a system of Karma days that are different on the day that every action will be duly rewarded. That day is the Deluge Day, the Day of Retribution, the Day of Judgment.

The essential claim and significance of giving karma on the Day of Judgment is that the way we live on earth must be different because of the presence of the Day of Judgment.

In the rest of the verses, the demand and promise is made from the servants that they will stand firm on pure monotheism and submit themselves to the court of Allah in all areas and matters of life and not be guided by their own instincts but control and guide their instincts according to the will of Allah.

The summary of the discussed matter is respectively-
a. Believing firmly in the Oneness of God.
b. Establishing a firm belief in the Day of Judgement.
c. The system of self-purification means abstaining from impure and obscene actions that lead to evil ends and always striving to achieve good character and complete humanity.
d. Surrendering to Allah for the accomplishment of all works.
e. After that, the last and special rule of this method is to have firm faith in the message and prophecy of the Prophet, to gain his wisdom, to perform all the activities of life in the light of his guidance and instructions.

In the opening tone of the above-mentioned verses, an exalted call from Allah is evident, in which the Prophet was instructed to wake up from his sleep for the noble task of Prophethood and to abandon the blanket and the warm bed and engage in preaching the message of the Oneness of Allah. O clothed (Messenger)! You wake up and show fear.

He who wants to live for himself can float in comfort. But what is your relationship with sleep when you have to devote yourself to a great and great responsibility? What is your relationship with comfort? Why do you need soft bed? Why do you need to live a happy life? Get up and jump into the great work that's waiting for you, that's been prepared for you. Your time for sleep and relaxation is now over. Now you must toil unceasingly and engage in a long and painful struggle.

Calling to the path of Allah and the work of Dawat and Tabligh is a work of great dignity. But walking on this path is very scary and dangerous. This act pulled the Prophet out of his nest of peace, happy family environment, comfortable soft bed and threw him into the ocean of worry, despair and suffering. Stands between the great tension between man's external behavior and the age-old inner real dilemma.

Then the Prophet became aware of his status, position and duties and spent more than twenty years in this state of awakening. For a long time, he had nothing else to call happiness, peace and comfort. He gave up everything. His life was no longer for himself or his family.

His life was devoted to the fulfillment of Allah's work. His task was to call the people of the world to Allah. Guiding people for the establishment of justice and truth by uprooting all kinds of falsehood, injustice and falsehood from the chest of the world.

Calling to the path of Allah and establishing the truth etc. may not seem so hard or difficult at first glance. But in fact there can be no more hard and difficult task in the world.

Risalat deposit is the most responsible and hard deposit in the world. This deposit is, on the one hand, the deposit of the highest excellence and development of the people of the world, and on the other hand, the deposit of destroying and resisting all the nullifications and influences of Ghairullah. So the burden placed on his shoulders was the burden of the whole of humanity, the burden of the complete doctrine and the burden of Jihad in the field and countering it. For more than twenty years, he spent his life in an extensive and multifaceted struggle. For a long time that is, when he received the most difficult and arduous task by listening to the heavenly call. Since then, he could not be indifferent about any situation while in another situation. May Allah grant him a good reward on behalf of our entire humanity.

Types of Revelation to the Prophet (ﷺ)

Here we feel the need to take a momentary departure from the main topic of discussion, i.e., before recording a detailed account of the blessed matters of Rasalat and Prophethood, to discuss a little about the nature and types of revelation. Because this is the source and means of propagation of Prophethood. Allama Ibn Qayyim rahmatullah alaihi discussed the nature and types of revelation as follows:

1. True Dreams: Revelation was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) through dreams.

2. The angel Jibraeel brought the revelation to the Prophet's heart without being visible, that is, from behind the scenes. In this regard, as the Prophet (ﷺ) said: The angel Jibraeel instilled in my heart that no soul will die until it has fully received its allotted food. Therefore, fear Allah and follow the right path in seeking sustenance. Do not be tempted to seek the displeasure of Allah because of the delay in sustenance. Because everything that is with Allah is not obtained without obedience to Him.

3. Angel Jibraeel used to address the Prophet (ﷺ) in human form. Then he used to memorize whatever the Prophet (ﷺ) said. In this condition, the Companions could also see the angel Gabriel.

4. At the time of the revelation, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to hear the sound of bells ringing. This was the most difficult condition of revelation. The angel Jibraeel would come with revelations and meet the Prophet while giving the sound signal. At the time of the revelation, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to sweat from his forehead even in the harsh winter days. If he was riding on a camel, the camel would fall to the ground under the weight of the revelation. One such time when the revelation was revealed, the head of the Prophet (ﷺ) was on the thigh of Zayd bin Thabit (ra). Then he felt such a weight on his thigh that it seemed as if the thigh would become paralyzed.

5. The Prophet - Gabriel would sometimes see the angel in his natural form and by the will of Allah, he would come to him with revelations in that state. Such a situation occurred twice during the Prophet's (ﷺ) prophetic life - which Allah mentioned in Surah 'Nazm'.

6. During the night of the Holy Mi'raj, the Prophet was in the sky when Allah arranged the revelation through direct orders regarding prayer and other matters.

7. Direct conversation between Allah and the Messenger (ﷺ). As it happened with Musa (as). The direct conversation of Allah with Musa (as) is irrefutably presented in the Qur'an. But the conversation between Allah and the Messenger (ﷺ) has been proven not in the Qur'an but in the hadith.

Some people have spoken of the eighth method of revelation through face-to-face conversation between Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) without a veil or veil. But from the early days of Islam until today, there have always been disagreements about revelation in this manner.

He started the work of spreading Islam, three years of secret invitation to spread Islam

1. O covered (person)! 2. Wake up and warn. 3. And proclaim the excellence of your Lord. 4. Avoid shedding your clothes. 5. Abstain from (all) impurity. 6. Do not favor (to someone) for the sake of getting more. 7. Be patient for your Lord's (pleasure). (Al-Mudasir-1-7)

It is well known that Mecca was the center of the religious consciousness of the Arabs. In this Mecca, on the one hand, there were the custodians and servants of the Kaaba who believed in monotheism, on the other hand, there were also the custodians of idolatrous idols, who were looked upon by the whole Arab people with respect, honor and purity. That is why it was much more difficult and difficult to implement reform programs in Makkah than in distant places.

Therefore, such a strong determination was needed for this work so that no danger or problem could stop the activity by creating obstacles in front of it.

In view of the said situation, it was necessary to carry out the work of spreading Islam and tabligh in Makkah at the initial stage in secret, so that no ambivalent or exciting situation would suddenly arise in front of the people of Makkah, and in fact, with great wisdom and prudence, the campaign was conducted in a similar manner.

The First Group to Accept Islam: It is natural and appropriate that those who were closest, closest and most reliable to the Prophet (ﷺ) were the first to present the invitation to Islam. The group included family members, close relatives and friends.

Moreover, in the early stage he called to the truth those people - whose countenances had the appearance of activity and truthfulness. Moreover, those who were well aware of the Prophet's (ﷺ) honesty, truthfulness and cleanliness and respected him for that reason belonged to this group. They were so fond and respectful of the Prophet (ﷺ) that they accepted Islam at the first call and achieved the rare honor of being the first Muslims. The first number among this group was Prophet's wife Umm al-Mu'minin Khadijatul Kubra (ra) bint Khuwaylid. His freed slave was Zayd bin Thabit bin Shurahbeel Kalbi.

He was captured in the war and became a slave. Later Khadija (ra) became his owner. She gave him to the Prophet (ﷺ). Then his father and uncle arrived to take him home. But he preferred to stay with the Prophet (ﷺ) rather than go home. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) adopted him as his adopted son according to the custom. That is why he was called Zaid bin Muhammad. Islam later announced the abolition of this practice.

His cousin Ali bin Abu Talib who was still a teenager under his care and his companion Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) of Garre Sawor. As soon as the above people received the invitation to religion from the Prophet (ﷺ), they accepted it and became Muslims.

After that, Abu Bakr (ra) became active in spreading Islam. He was very popular, mild-mannered, likable in habits, well-mannered and generous-minded. Due to his generosity, foresight, business and good company, people would almost always come and go to him. On the other hand, he used to present the invitation to Islam to those who came to him and those who lived around him whom he considered trustworthy. Through his efforts Uthman (ra), Zubayr (ra), Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra), Sa'd bin Abu Waqqas (ra) and Talha bin Ubaidullah (ra) accepted Islam. These venerable people are the first Muslim community.

Belal Habshi (ra) also belonged to the group who accepted Islam in the early stage. Then Abu Ubaydah, (ra) Amer Bin Jarrah (ra), Abu Salma Bin Abdul Asad (ra), Arkam Bin Abil Arkam (ra), Uthman Bin Mazun (ra) and his two brothers Kodama (ra) and respectively accepted Islam. Abdullah (ra) Ubaydah bin Harith bin Muttalib bin Abde Manaf (ra), Saeed bin Zayd (ra), and his wife i.e. Fatima bint Khattab (ra) sister of Umar (ra), Khabbab bin Arat (ra), Abdullah bin Masud (ra) Besides some other people accepted Islam and became Muslims.

Roughly speaking, the first converts to Islam were related to all branches of the Quraish tribe. Ibn Hisham said their number was more than forty. But there is some difference of opinion regarding the inclusion of some of their Companions in the first group.

According to Ibn Ishaq, after that men and women began to embrace Islam in droves. Even in Mecca, the discussion of Islam gradually spread and its practice began among the masses.

They all became Muslims secretly and the Prophet used to gather them together for their religious education in secret. Because at that time the propagation of Islam was being carried out on a personal level with great dedication and closeness. Meanwhile, the first verses of Surah Muddassir were being revealed. The last part of those verses consisted of similar catchy phrases and was very satisfying in terms of jingle and melodiousness. In terms of tone, the verses were in keeping with the quiet and cordial atmosphere.

In addition, the verses praise self-purification and condemn those who indulge in immorality. In it, the image of heaven and hell is depicted so masterfully that it appears vividly before the eyes. These verses lead the believers to travel in an environment completely different and different from the human society of that time.

Salah or ceremonial prayer

In the early stages, the verses that were revealed contained instructions for prayer. Muqatil bin Sulaiman said, Allah made the two rak'ats of Fajr and the two rak'ats of Maghrib obligatory in the first position of Islam because Allah said, describe your Lord by glorifying Him in the morning and in the evening.

Ibn Hajar Asqalani (ra), said: The Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions (ra) used to pray in the same way (i.e. two times) before the occurrence of Mi'raj. However, there is a difference of opinion as to whether the five times prayer was obligatory or not before it became obligatory. Some say that it is obligatory to pray once before sunrise and sunset. Zayd ibn Haritha narrated on the authority of the narrators through Haritha ibn Usama ibn Lahiya:

When the first revelation was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ), Gabriel (A.S.) came and taught him the method of ablution. When ablution was learned, one choli (about 250 grams) of water was taken and sprinkled on the private parts. Ibn Majah also narrated a hadith in this sense.

Similar hadiths have been narrated from Bara Ibn Azir and Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra). It is also mentioned in the hadith narrated from Ibn Abbas that 'Salat' was among the obligatory duties in the initial state.

Narrated by Ibn Hisham, the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Companions (ra) used to go to a secret base during the prayer and perform the prayer out of sight of the tribesmen. Abu Talib once saw the Prophet and Ali (ra) praying and advised them to remain firm on the truth when they inquired about it.

A brief description of the invitation to the Quraish

In view of the accompanying events it is clearly evident that although at that time the work of propagating Islam was going on very secretly at the private level, yet it was not completely unknown to the Quraysh.

According to Muhammad Ghazali's written account, although the work of spreading Islam was going on in secrecy, its news reached the Quraysh. But the Quraysh did not attach much importance to these events. It is possible that they considered Muhammad (ﷺ) to be the kind of traditional religious person who talks about God and the merits of divinity. As did Umayyah ibn Abis Salat Qus ibn Sa'ida and Amr ibn Nufail and others. However, as the preaching work of the Prophet (ﷺ) and its influence gradually increased, the Quraish were thinking about the matter with more importance than before, and with the momentum of cooperation, their attention was drawn to the results of the preaching of the Prophet (ﷺ).

For three years the campaign had been conducted in great secrecy at the individual level. In the intervening period a small band of believers had formed—whose mutual relations were founded on a very strong brotherhood and co-operation, and who, like the heart of a living creature, strove all the time to give due honor to the Messenger of God. Then the revelation was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) to openly preach Islam to the natives and tribal people and they were asked to reveal the futility of idol worship and the nature of idols.

Order to spread Islam openly

First: At one point, after about three years of preaching Islam in secret, Allah commanded the Prophet (ﷺ) to publicly invite people to Islam. The first instruction given by Allah through revelation in this regard is: (First) Warn your near relatives. (Surah Ash-Shura: Verse-214)

In this Surah, the incident of Musa (as) is described first. It tells how the early period of Prophethood of Musa (a.s.) was spent, how he migrated with the Children of Israel and escaped from the grip of the Pharaoh and finally how the Pharaoh was drowned in the Nile.

In other words, there was an integrated discussion of the steps that Musa (a.s.) had to go through in order to deliver the call to God's religion to Pharaoh and his people.

In this regard, we believe that when the Prophet was ordered to publicly present the invitation to religion to his relatives and relatives, the detailed accounts of the events of Musa (a.s.) are presented for this reason - so that after the invitation to the public, how a conflict ensues between falsehood and abrogation and a picture of how the rightists face injustice and oppression is presented to the Prophet and the Companions.

Second: In this Surah the consequences of the people who falsify the prophets and messengers, namely: the community of Noah (a), Aad, Thamud, the community of Ibrahim (a), the community of Lut (a) and Ashabul Aika, except for Pharaoh and his party, have also been mentioned.

Perhaps it is intended to describe the consequences of their stubbornness, the consequences of their disobedience, the ways in which Allah can destroy them, how terrible their consequences can be, and its main purpose is to highlight how the believers gets rid of the difficult situations surrounded by the mercy of Allah.

Order to invite relatives to religion

First assembly: Anyway, after the revelation of the said verse, the Prophet organized a gathering with the Banu Hashem tribe. A group of people from Banu Muttalib bin Abde Manaf were also present in that gathering. The number of people present in the meeting was forty five people. At the beginning of the gathering, Abu Lahab, the uncle of the Holy Prophet, suddenly said, 'Look, nephew, these are all your relatives, uncles, cousins, etc. Try to talk to them well without being rude. You should know that we do not have the strength to make enemies of all the Arabs for you. It is the duty of your relatives to arrest you and keep you imprisoned. So your family is enough for you. If you persist in your thoughts and words, it is very easy and natural that the whole tribe of Quraysh will 'take up arms' against you and the other Arab tribes will cooperate in this. Then it is not a matter for me to know that anyone else can be a greater disaster than you to your family.'

In the context of Abu Lahab's pointless exaggeration, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) adopted complete silence, and the gathering ended with that silence.

Second assembly: Then the Prophet (ﷺ) gathered the people of his clan and made a second arrangement. Addressing the people present in the gathering, he said - 'All praise is due to Allah, I praise Him and ask Him for help. Believing in Him, relying on Him, and bearing witness that none is worthy of worship but Allah. He is single and unique, He has no partner.

Then he said: 'A benevolent guide can never lie to his relatives. By the oath of Allah - there is no way other than Him. I have been sent as the 'Messenger of Allah' to you in particular and to all the people of the world in general. Allah knows that you will all face death as you fall asleep in bed and rise again as you wake up from sleep. On the Day of Resurrection your deeds will be accounted for and you will be admitted to Paradise, the abode of eternal happiness and peace as a result of virtue.

Hearing the words of the Prophet (ﷺ), his uncle Abu Talib said - 'How much we can help you, how much your advice will be acceptable to us and how true your words are we will know! The people gathered here are members of your paternal family and I am a similar member. The only difference is that I am ahead of them for your cooperation. So proceed according to the instructions that have been revealed to you. By the will of Allah! I will constantly assist you in your work and I will always have my kind sympathy for you. But I am not ready to leave the religion of Abdul Muttalib.

Abu Lahab said - God's oath! This is injustice and mischief. Stop it before others. After hearing the words from Abu Lahab, Abu Talib said: I swear by Allah! As long as there is life in my body I will continue to protect Muhammad.

On Safa mountain

When the Prophet (ﷺ) was very sure that Abu Talib would help him in the intervening period of preaching the religion of Allah, then one day he climbed the peak of Mount Safa and called out to the people in a loud voice - 'O good morning,' hearing the voice of the Prophet (ﷺ) call when the people of Quraysh gathered there, he addressed them all and called them in very poignant terms to believe in the Oneness of God, his Prophethood and the Hereafter. A part of this incident has been narrated in Sahih Bukhari by Ibn Abbas (ra).

When the verse "Wanjir Ashirnatakal Qarabin" was revealed, the Prophet climbed the peak of Safa mountain and started shouting at all the Quraysh tribe by uttering some special words - 'O Banu Fir! O Banu Adi! Abde Manaf etc.!'

Hearing the call, everyone gathered there. Even though it was not possible for any person to be there, he sent representatives to find out about the matter. In short, all of the Quraish tribe. At that time there was Arab rule. Whenever there was a threat of danger or someone sought justice or redress in a serious matter from the countrymen, he would climb the mountain top and shout (Ya Sabahah), Good morning. People used to gather there.

Abu Lahab was also present there. Then the Prophet said: 'O Quraysh! You say, if I tell you today (standing on this mountain peak) that a strong enemy army is hiding behind the mountain to rob you of everything, will you believe me?'

All answered in unison, Yes indeed, there is no reason not to believe. We never heard you lie.'

Then the Prophet said in a solemn voice: 'If that is the case, listen well, I have been sent to remind you of the dire consequences of sin and disloyalty to Allah and the inevitable severe punishment for it.

Hearing his warning, Abu Lahab said in a very angry voice - 'May you be destroyed! Is this why you have gathered us here?

As a result of Abu Lahab's behavior, the verse "May the hands of Abu Lahab and himself be destroyed" was revealed.

Another part of the incident was narrated by Imam Muslim in Sahih Muslim on the authority of Abu Hurairah (ra). He said: When the verse was revealed, the Prophet called out to everyone. This call was of both a special and 'general' sense. He shouted: 'O Quraysh! Save yourself from hell. O people of the tribe of Banu Kaab! Save yourself from hell. O Muhammad's daughter Fatima! I cannot save ourselves from Allah's grasp and the terrible punishment of Hell. However, I will do as much as possible to benefit you based on family and kinship.

The public declaration of truth and the reaction of the polytheists

The above call was still being heard around Mecca. In such a situation, the revelation was revealed, "So proclaim the matter that you have been commanded, loudly and openly, and turn away from the polytheists." (Surah Al-Hijr verse-94)

Then the Prophet began to speak openly about the idolatrous nature, dignity and vanity of value, revealing the veil of pluralistic belief and falsehood. He argued in a loud voice about the inertness, impotence and ineffectiveness of these idols and the depravity of those who made them as mediators between God and themselves.

This campaign of the Prophet (ﷺ) was very vigorous and wise. He announced in a loud voice to his close relatives that from now on the relationship of the servant with Allah would depend on the belief in the prophethood. The bonds of tribal or clan relations which have been established and practiced in Arabia for ages were melted by the fierceness of Allah's intimidation and were wiped out.

When this uncompromising declaration of truth against the idolaters and polytheists caused the collapse of the foundations of the pluralistic faith of the ages, the heathen and egotistical Meccans erupted in fury and fury, as the terrible roar of thunderbolts bursting from the enraged clouds bursts the firmament above the peaceful earth. The Quraysh tried their best to root out this newly sprouting monotheism. Because the idea of monotheism, which would eventually wipe out their inherited traditions and creeds, started to take root in their minds.

The Quraysh were enraged at the announcement of the monotheism of the Prophet (ﷺ): for they knew that believing in monotheism, prophethood and the afterlife meant unconditional submission to the Messenger and obeying his commands without objection. Putting other matters aside, even in the use of one's life and wealth, do not be arbitrary. This would mean that the status of priesthood and leadership that the Meccans had been enjoying over the Arabs in religious matters would be uprooted. They will not have the right to do anything other than the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). Incidentally: It should be noted that there will be no more opportunity to do the injustices and atrocities they have committed against the weaker sections and the misdeeds they have been involved in day and night. The Quraysh were well aware of this and therefore were not ready to accept this humiliating situation in their eyes. But actually there was nothing good or honorable behind this mentality. Allah says - "Rather, some people wish that they will indulge in sinful activities in their future life." (Surah Al-Qiyamah: Verse-5)

Whatever the Prophet said about the Oneness of Allah and religion, the Quraysh could not accept it for only one reason, even though they realized its truth and correctness. That reason is the fear of loss of their permanent interests, i.e. their power, arbitrariness and leadership. But they did not have the ability to deny or avoid the Messenger of Allah. Because truthfulness, justice, benevolence, generosity, intelligence, gentleness of character, forbearance, etc., combined with all human qualities, he was an ideal and glorious personality for all people of all times, such as they have never heard or seen. In this situation they became somewhat disoriented and indeed they were supposed to be disoriented. The Prophet (ﷺ) was an outstanding figure without precedent in their genealogical history.

Finally, the Quraysh after much deliberation found a way out and that was to go to his uncle Abu Talib and demand that he stop his nephew from doing such an act.

The Quraysh also decided to raise the issue of their idols. Muhammed (ﷺ) made various slanderous and derogatory statements about their idols and told them not to worship them, this cannot be tolerated at all. All the religious rites that they have practiced since the time of their ancestors, has to leave everything because of one word of Muhammad; Why is this and how is it possible? Were their ancestors stupid? They decided to go to Abu Talib with seven or five such words, questions and arguments.

Quraysh delegation near Abu Talib with their demands

Ibn Ishaq said, some of the leading people of Quraysh gathered together and went to Abu Talib and said: 'O Abu Talib! Your nephew is abusing our Gods and Goddesses, slandering our religion, calling us fools without wisdom and judgment and calling our forefathers heretics. So either you prevent him from doing such things or you stay away from us and him. Because you are like us; According to his statement, we will be sufficient for your nephew regarding him who is a follower of a different side.

Regarding the demands of the Quraish delegation, Abu Talib sent them away by talking calmly in a very cold mood. After that they left again. Meanwhile, the Prophet continued his preaching work with full vigor.

A meeting of the Quraish to keep away the pilgrims

Then another problem appeared before the Quraysh. The season of Hajj arrived before the Prophet had been on public campaign for a few months.

Since at that season delegations from various tribes would begin to arrive from far and wide across the Arabian land, and since the Quraysh planned to speak about Muhammad (ﷺ) in such a way that they lose their faith in Muhammad (ﷺ) and his speech does not create any reaction in their mind.

They gathered at the house of Alid bin Mughira for discussion and consultation regarding the said plan. Alid said: 'Set your opinion on this matter: so that there is no disagreement or difference of opinion between you about this, and that the words of one of you are not taken as false by the other.

Others said: 'You fix a suitable comment, then it will be acceptable to all of us.

Alid said: 'No, it will not; Rather, you speak and I will listen.

After Alid's words, some people said in unison; Well, we will remark that he is a soothsayer.

Alid said: 'No, by Allah! He is not a kahen (soothsayer). We have seen many soothsayer. He does not sing like the priests. Neither recites poetry nor composes poetry.'

Others said: 'Then we will call him a madman.'

Alid said: 'No he is not mad, we have seen mad and know his nature. I don't see him lounging around like a madman, doing any unusual activities, talking wildly or anything like that.'

Others said: 'Then we shall say that he is a poet.'

Alid said: There is no characteristic of a poet in him that he would be called a poet. We are aware of all types of poetry like our martial rhythms Najam, Hajaj, Karim, Makbuz, Mabsut etc. However, his speech cannot be called poetry at all.

Others said - 'Then we will call him a magician.'

Alid said: 'This man cannot even be called a magician. We have seen magicians and sorcerers, they don't care how much they tell lies, how much they gesture, how much they blow and shake. But Muhammad does not speak truth or lie like magicians, nor does he do anything like magic.'

Others then said: 'What else shall we say?

Alid said: By Allah! His speech is very sweet and sweet, his foundation or roots are very strong and the branches are very charming. Whatever you say about him, those who have been in contact with him for a while will surely find your words false.

After thinking for a while, Alid said again, 'If you have to say anything about him, you can say Barojo's magician. It would seem somewhat useful to him. He conjures up things that seem like magic. He has created divisions between fathers and sons, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, clans and clans.

At last they agreed to call him 'Magician' and departed from there.

Some narrations also state that when Alid rejected their proposal, they said: You then express your opinion of acceptance. In reply, Alid said - 'Give me a chance to think.' He then pondered for a long time and expressed the said opinion.

In this regard, 16 verses of Surah Muddassir number 18-26 have been revealed about Aleed. Some verses of which depict his way of thinking. The Qur'an says - "He pondered and decided on a comment. So let him perish, what comment did he decide? Then he cast his gaze, then distorted his face. More distorted. Then he turned his face and boasted, finally saying, It's nothing, just magic coming from the past. It's nothing but a human word."

Be that as it may, they now began to make preparations for the execution of the decision they had taken. A number of infidels started to mislead the pilgrims arriving at Makkah by entangling them on the way or at the intersections of the alleys of Makkah saying that they were going about the preaching of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Tabligh. Abu Lahab plays a leading role in these matters about the Prophet.

During the Hajj season, going to the tents of the pilgrims and standing in the Uqa Majinnah and Dhul Majaz markets, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) preached the Oneness of Allah and the Deen, 'Abu Lahab' would follow him and say - 'None of you listen to his words. He has become a liar and irreligious.

The result of this running and jumping was that when the pilgrims returned to their respective villages after performing the Hajj, they were well informed about the Prophet. They also came to know that Muhammad also claimed prophethood. In this way, the prophethood of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the initial message of Islam spread throughout the Arab world through the pilgrims.

Various strategies of opposition to the Quraish

When the Quraysh saw that no strategy was working to stop Muhammad (ﷺ) from preaching his Deen and Tabligh. Then they rethought and started adopting various methods to completely stop his Tablighi activities. The positions they adopted are as follows:

1. Mockery of Opposition: They wanted to make the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) burdened and upset through unnecessary laughter, jokes, sarcasm, calling liars, insulting words, etc. Its underlying purpose was to make the new-Muslims suspicious, dangerous and busy, killing their enthusiasm and willpower. For this reason, the polytheists sometimes called the Prophet 'mad'. As mentioned-

"They say, O such person to whom the Qur'an was revealed, you are mad." (Surah al-Hijr: verse 6)

Sometimes the Prophet was called a 'magician' and slandered as a 'liar'. As mentioned-

And those (Quraysh) disbelievers were astonished at the words that a warner had come from among them, and they began to say, This man is a magician, a liar. (Surah Sad: Verse-4)

These infidels used to walk before and behind the Prophet (ﷺ) with an angry and vindictive attitude and mentality. It is mentioned in the Quran-

And when the disbelievers hear the Qur'an (they look at you with such harsh eyes) it seems as if they will strike you with their (sharp) eyes and say, This person is mad. (Surah Al-Qalam: 51)

Furthermore: When the Prophet used to travel somewhere and his companions who were weak and feeble were present with him, the polytheists used to look at them and say mockingly,

"And these are the people on whom Allah has shown mercy from among us." (Surah Al-An'am: Verse 53)

In response, Allah said:

Does not Allah know more about the grateful servants? (Surah Al-An'am: Verse 53)

Generally, the condition of the polytheists was like this which is depicted in the following verses-

And those who were criminals (in the world) used to laugh at the believers (with mockery and scorn). And when they (the believers) passed by them, they (the disbelievers) used to wink at each other. And when they returned to their homes they used to enjoy (discussing among themselves about the believers). And when he saw them, he used to say that surely they are in confusion. (Surah Al-Mutaffifeen: 29-33)

2. Creating doubt in the public mind by opposing: Distorting the teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ). Creating doubts and misgivings about the teachings and teachings of the Prophet (ﷺ) and spreading lies and misinformation, including raising meaningless and absurd questions about his teachings, personality, etc. so the people does not get a chance to concentrate or think deeply. As the polytheists say about the Qur'an:

It is nothing but a lie—which he has concocted. For this he was helped by some other people. (Surah Al-Furqan: Verse-4)

And they say that this is the story of the past - which this person has written down from someone else, and it is read to him in the morning and in the evening. (Surah Al-Furqan: Verse-5)

Moreover, the polytheists also said:

Surely it (the Qur'an) was taught to Muhammad by a man. (An-Nahl: 103)

Moreover, their question to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was:

How is this person a prophet, eats and walks in the market? (Surah Al-Furqan: Verse-7)

The words of polytheists are also protested in many places in the Qur'an. Sometimes the question is mentioned, sometimes it is done without mentioning it.

3. Creating smokescreens of opposition: To create barriers in the public mind by creating meaningless quarrels or competition between the events and anecdotes of the past and the matters mentioned in the Holy Quran and not giving the opportunity for free thinking. Incidentally, the incident of Nazar bin Haris can be mentioned here. One day he called upon the Quraish and said: "O brothers of the Quraish! By Allah! A time of great calamity has come before you, yet you have not made any attempt to remedy it or save yourself from it until today. When Muhammad (ﷺ) was a youth among you, he was loved by all. He was most truthful and trustworthy. Now when the hair between his ears and his head turned white (i.e. advanced in age and reached middle age) and presented to you some words and sayings, you said that he is a 'magician'.

No, by Allah! He is not a 'magician'. We have seen magicians, and seen their thrashing and tyranny. But I don't see anything like that in him.

You say that he is a 'soothsayer'.

But he doesn't seem to be anyone. We have seen Kahn, their numbing rhetoric, flippant actions and eloquence. But I don't see anything like that in him.

You say, he is a 'poet'. But I don't think he is a poet. We have seen poets and also heard Kavyadhara Hajja, Bajja etc. But what I heard from Muhammad (ﷺ), I never heard from anyone. What I heard from him is a strange thing.

You call him 'mad'. But I can find no reason to call him mad. We have seen the insanity of many madmen, seen their perverted actions, heard their incoherent and obscene talk and many more. But I never saw anything like that in Muhammad (ﷺ). O Quraysh! Allah's oath! You have fallen into a very difficult situation. Think very well, seek salvation.

Then Nazar bin Haris Hira left. There he learned the history of kings, the famous Persian hero Rustom and the ancient Greek emperor Alexander. After learning this he returned to Makkah. Incidentally, when the Prophet was discussing the guidance of Allah at some place and warned about the terrible punishment of Hell if he disobeyed Allah's command, that person would appear there and say - 'Muhammad's words are not better than my words.'

Then he started telling the story of the Persian emperors Rustom and Secander (Alexander) and said - 'Tell me in what way the words of Muhammad (ﷺ) are better than my words!

It is also known from the narration of Abdullah Ibn Abbas (ra) that 'Nazar' kept several slaves as a measure of extreme hostility to Islam. Whenever he came to know that a person was attracted to the religious Tabligh of the Prophet (ﷺ), he used to engage a slave girl for that person. The slave-girl fed him and arranged for his entertainment with songs and other entertainment. He used to do the same until the person's attraction to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) waned.

In this context, the Holy Qur'an has mentioned-

And of the people is he who buys the amusement of speech to mislead [others] from the way of Allah without knowledge and who takes it [His way] in ridicule. (Surah Luqman: Verse-6)

4. Compromise strategy of opposition: The main point of this approach is a compromise system between Muslims and polytheists by accepting some things and rejecting some things. What this really means is that if the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Muslims accept some parts of the worship of the polytheists, they will also accept some parts of the Islamic rules preached by Muhammad (ﷺ). As stated in the Holy Quran-

They want you to be a little flexible or relaxed. Then they will also become relaxed and flexible. (Surah Al-Qalam: Verse-9)

As narrated by Ibn Jarir and Tabarani: The polytheists proposed to the Prophet (ﷺ) that if he worshiped their Lord for a year, then they too would worship the Lord and Master of the Prophet (ﷺ). There is a narration from Abd bin Homayd - The polytheists proposed that if you accept our Lord, we too will worship your Lord.

Narrated Ibn Ishaq: One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was performing Tawaf of the Ka'ba - when Aswad bin Muttalib bin Asad bin Abdul Uzzah, Alid bin Mughira, Umayya bin Khalaf and As bin Wael Sahmi came before him. All of them were chiefs of their respective clans. They said - 'O Muhammad. Come, we worship the God you worship, and you worship the God we worship. Then it will be seen that if your Lord is superior to our Lord in some respect, then we will participate in the worship of that Lord, and if our Lord is superior to your Lord in some respect, then you will participate in the worship of that Lord.

This is why Allah Ta'ala revealed 'Surah Kafirun' in its entirety. In which it is announced in a solemn tone - We cannot worship what you worship. This irrefutably decisive answer marked the final end of their ridiculous talk and action.

Injustice-torture of infidels-polytheists against Muslims

When the invitation to Islam was first presented to the public in the fourth year of the Prophethood, the polytheists took the steps described earlier as a strategy to resist it. In carrying out this strategy, they proceeded slowly, adopting the principle of slowness, and thus did not initiate any injustice until some time had passed. But when they realized that their strategies and activities were not effective in the development of the Islamic movement, they again met in a discussion meeting and formed a committee of twenty-five members. Generally, this committee is formed with tribal chiefs. Abu Lahab, uncle of Muhammad (ﷺ) was the leader of this committee. In view of the situation, the members of the committee decided through mutual discussion and deliberation that they would have no hesitation in imposing strict measures of injustice and torture in order to deter Muhammad (ﷺ) from preaching Islam and bring Muslims out of the fold of Islam.

After taking the decision, the polytheists are determined to implement it properly. The polytheists had no problem with Muslims and especially with the weaker sections of Muslims. Their real problem was with the Prophet. In private life he was very dignified. He was also a great personality in terms of lineage. If someone from the enemy or the ally came to him, he had to come there after awarding him with the honor of dignity. It would never have been possible for a miscreant or a lawless person to have the audacity to commit any obscene or abominable act before him.

The above-mentioned qualities and personal characteristics of the Prophet (ﷺ) were linked to the influence and prestige of his uncle Abu Talib's help and support. Both individually and collectively, Abu Talib was so dignified and influential that no one dared to disobey him or interfere with his decisions. In the context of such a situation, the rest of the Quraish had to be plunged into great anxiety, bewilderment and tension, but the most difficult question before them was the question of the dignity of idols and priests and the loss of their own social status, influence, prestige and leadership. They were fully aware that when Islam was established, these things would be completely lost and destroyed. So, seeing no alternative, they became desperate and under the direction and leadership of Abu Lahab, started to persecute the Muslims and the Prophet (ﷺ).

Abu Lahab's attitude towards the Prophet (ﷺ) was very harsh and difficult from the beginning. Even when the other Quraish did not even think of persecuting the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Abu Lahab's behavior was very cruel and harsh. What Abu Lahab did at the meeting of Banu Hashim and near Mount Safa has already been mentioned. In some narrations, he lifted a stone in his hand to kill the Prophet (ﷺ) on Mount Safa.

There are various other proofs regarding the brutality and cruelty Abu Lahab used on the Prophet (ﷺ). One of them is breaking the marriage between the son of Abu Lahab and the daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Abu Lahab gave his two sons in marriage to the two daughters of the Prophet (ﷺ) before attaining prophethood. But after receiving the Prophethood, he divorced both his sons through extreme cruelty and torture.

Another incident of his brutality is when Abdullah, the son of the Prophet (ﷺ) died, he (Abu Lahab) burst into joy, ran and ran to tell his friends the bad news as good news that Muhammad had become tailless (sonless).

It has already been discussed that during the Hajj season, Abu Lahab used to follow the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the markets and public gatherings to make him a liar and spread false propaganda among the people.

According to Tariq bin Abdullah Muharabi, this person did not stop trying to make the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a liar; Rather, sometimes he would throw a stone at the Prophet - causing him to bleed up to his ankles.

Abu Lahab's wife Umm Jamil (real name 'Arwa) was the daughter of Harb bin Umayya and the sister of Abu Sufyan. This woman was a worthy helper of her husband in the torture and persecution of the Prophet (ﷺ). She was a very spiteful and vengeful woman. She was not behind her husband in these vices. He used to engage in various heinous acts like thorning, cursing, slandering the Prophet's (ﷺ) path and doors. Moreover, it is one of her characteristic features to create the horrors of a terrible war by inciting the fire of various seditions against the Muslims. That is why the Qur'an has called her (wooden burden bearer). When Umm Jamil came to know that the blasphemous verses had been revealed about her and her husband, she started searching for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

The Prophet (ﷺ) was staying at the Masjid al-Haram near the Ka'bah at that time. Abu Bakr Siddique (ra) was also staying with him at that time.

When Umm Jamil, the wife of Abu Lahab, came to the Bait al-Haram (Holy House) in front of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with a stone, she could not see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) because Allah closed the woman's eyesight. But he could see Abu Bakr (ra). Ahe went in front of him and asked: 'Where is your partner? I found out that he is talking bad about us? Alas! If I had found him now, I would have thrown this stone at his face. God's oath! Listen, I am a female poet.

Then he recited the following poem:

We have despised evil. I disobeyed his orders and hated his religion. Disobeyed his orders and hated his religion.

Then Umm Jameel left from there.

Abu Bakr (ra) said - 'O Messenger of Allah! Did she not see you? Allah's Messenger said - No, she did not see me. Allah removed her sight from me.'

Bajayar also narrated the incident and added some other words to it. He said-

Abu Lahab's wife 'Umme Jamil' appeared in front of Abu Bakr (ra) and said - 'Your husband has slandered me.'

Abu Bakr (ra) said: No, by the Lord of this house! He does not compose or recite any poetry. And not all that he brought to the mouth. Umm Jamil said: You are telling the truth.

Despite this, Abu Lahab continued to perpetrate those horrific incidents - even though he was the Prophet's (ﷺ) uncle and neighbor. Both had houses side by side and together. This is how other neighbors of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to torture him.

In the narration of Ibn Ishaq, the people who tormented the Prophet in his house were led by Abu Lahab, Hakam bin Abul As bin Umayyah, Uqba bin Abu Mu'ayt, Adi bin Hamra Saqafi, Ibn Asad Huzaili. They were all his neighbors. None of them accepted Islam except Hakam bin Abul As later.

The manner of their persecution of the Prophet (ﷺ) was such that when he was praying, camel pulses and excrement were thrown at him. And it would fall on his stove, pots and pans would be pressed and garbage would be thrown on the stove while cooking. In this situation, he made a separate mud house so that the Prophet could pray with focus after being freed from their hands.

When these garbage were thrown on the Prophet (ﷺ), he would stand at the door with it and call them - 'O Abde Manaf!' How is the behavior of the neighbor with the neighbor. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) used to throw them outside in the rubbish heap.

Uqba bin Abu Mu'ayt was even worse and vindictive. In Sahih Bukhari, it is narrated from Abdullah bin Mas'ud (ra) that once the Prophet was offering Salat next to Baitullah, when Abu Jahal and his friends came there. One of them pointed at the others and said - Who are you, who will bring a camel's intestine from so-and-so's house and put the intestine on Muhammad's back when he goes into prostration in prayer?

At that time the worst person among the Arabs was Uqba bin Abu Muayt. Stood and waited with the said intestine. When the Prophet prostrated, he took the intestine and placed it on his back. I (the narrator) was seeing everything, but I had no power to do anything. Alas! If only I had the power to save him.

Abdullah Ibn Masood (ra) also narrated - 'After that, they began to thrash each other in joy and excitement. It seems that nothing can be more fun for them. Oh Alas! On that day, if they would understand a little, what path of destruction they have chosen.

On the one hand, while they were indulging in joy and hellish activities, Prophet Muhammad was in the state of prostration and was enjoying the heavenly abode. What a strange contrast.

The daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ) Fatima (ra) heard the bad news and rushed there and rescued her father from under the intestine. Then the Prophet raised his head and said three times, "O Allah! Arrest these Quraysh." When he made this supplication to Allah, some fear arose among them and they became distraught. Because they also believed that prayers are accepted in this city.

Then the Prophet named some of them and presented complaints and appeals: 'O Allah! Arrest Abu Jahal, Utbah bin Rabi'ah, Shayba bin Rabi'ah, Alid bin Utbah, Umayya bin Khalaf and Uqba bin Abu Mu'ayt.

The Prophet mentioned the name of another person besides them, but the narrator does not remember that person's name.

Abdullah Ibn Masud said - 'By the One in Whose hand is my life! In that situation, I saw all those whom the Prophet had displeased with, who were killed in the battle of Badr and fell into the well.'

Umayyah bin Khalaf had become in such a nature that whenever he saw the Prophet he would reprimand and curse him.

It is in this context that the following verses were revealed:

Destruction is for every curser, reprobate, and wrongdoer. (Al-Humajhah: Verse 1)

Ibn Hisham said: 'Humaza' is a person who secretly slanders or slanders people and causes them pain.

Umayyah's brother Ubayy ibn Khalaf was a close friend of Uqba ibn Abu Muayt. Once Uqba sat near the Prophet (ﷺ) and heard some talk about the religion of Islam.

When Ubai came to know the news, he reprimanded and scolded him very much. Asked him with extreme severity and said - 'You go and spit in Muhammad's face. In the end, Uqba does just that. Ubai bin Khalaf himself once took a dead bone and crushed it and blew it's dust towards the Prophet (ﷺ).

One of those who tortured the Prophet was Akhnas bin Shuraiq Saqfi. Nine of his characteristics are described in the Qur'an. Through this one can know about his mentality and actions. Referred to-

And do not imitate a person who swears too much and is of a bad nature. One who is more slanderous and slanderous, hinders good deeds, is a very tyrannical, sinful, rough-tempered, moreover illegitimate caste. (Surah Al-Kalam: Ayat-10-13)

Abu Jahl sometimes used to go to the Prophet (ﷺ) and listen to the Qur'an. But his hearing was a trivial matter. There was no question of sincerity, faith, manners or loyalty at the root of his hearing. It can be called as his strange attention. He used to trouble the Prophet (ﷺ) with obscene or harsh speech and obstructed the path of Allah. In addition, he used to walk happily, considering it a matter of pride to be successful in injustice and oppression. It seemed as if he had performed some great work of great importance. The following verses of the Qur'an were revealed about him.

He did not give alms and did not pray. (Al-Qiyamah: Ayat-31)

From the first day he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) performing the prayer, Abu Jahl tried to prevent him from performing the prayer. Once when the Prophet was offering prayer near the 'maqame Ibrahim', Abu Jahl was passing by. Seeing him, he said - 'Muhammad! Didn't I tell you to refrain from praying? He also scolded the Prophet.

The Prophet also rebuked Abu Jahal and strongly protested his words. In reply he said - 'O Muhammad! Why are you bullying me? God's oath! Behold, my meeting-house is the largest in this valley (in Makkah).

In view of his words, Allah Ta'ala revealed this verse.

Pretty good! Let him call his companions, I will call my guardian angel of Hell. (Surah Al-Aaq: Verses 17-18)

According to another narration, the Prophet took hold of the chest part of Abu Jahal's shirt and pulled it hard and recited the ayat in this verse:

Woe to you, and woe! Then woe to you, and woe! (Surah Al-Qiyamah: Ayat-34)

In this context, that enemy of Allah started saying - 'O Muhammad. Are you threatening me? God's oath! You and your Lord can do nothing to me. I am the most dignified of those who wander among the mountains of Makkah.

Abu Jahl did not desist from them even after revealing his numb and fierce arrogance; On the contrary, his lawlessness and unjust behavior continued to increase. As narrated by Abu Huraira (ra) in Sahih Muslim:

Once Abu Jahel said to the leaders of Quraish, "Muhammad is not dusting his congregation in front of you?" In reply they said - 'Yes.'

Then he exulted and said: 'By Lat and Ujja! If I see him in that position (salat) again, I will crush his neck under my feet and rub his face against the ground to make fun of him.

After some time, one day by chance he saw the Prophet performing the prayer and proceeded to carry out his self-proclaimed resolution to the chiefs of Quraish. But it was suddenly observed that instead of advancing, he began to retreat, and was making a vigorous effort to avoid what seemed to be an escape by moving his hands with great rapidity in the air for self-defense.

People present asked: Oh Abul Hakam! What has become of you that you indulge in such hand-wringing?'

He replied - 'Between me and him there is a pit of fire, a chain of terrible horror and fear.

The Prophet said - If he had tried to move towards me, the angels would have cut off a part of him and taken it away.

The polytheists continued to persecute and oppress the Prophet (ﷺ) in such an indescribable way. Not to mention the common Muslims of the poorer classes, despite being personally held in high esteem by the general and special classes of people and sheltered under the umbrella of Abu Talib, the wisest, influential and dignified personality of Makkah, where he himself had to suffer such oppression. The newly initiated Muslims of the poor class were persecuted with such cruelty that it is not possible to give an accurate picture of it through language.

Every tribe used to torture the neo-Muslims of their own tribe. But the Muslims who did not belong to any tribe were tortured to such an extent that even a hard-hearted person could not witness it without being disturbed or upset.

When Abu Jahal heard of a noble or powerful person becoming a Muslim, he used to abuse him, humiliate him and threaten him with loss of wealth. If a weak member of the tribe was a Muslim, he would beat him very mercilessly and incite others to beat him as well.

The uncle of Osman bin Affan (ra) used to wrap him in a palm leaf mat and set fire to it from below.

When the mother of Mus'ab bin Umayr (ra) came to know about his conversion to Islam, she stopped his food and water and threw him out of the house. In his early life he grew up in comfort and happiness. But after accepting Islam, he faced such severe hardships that his skin would peel off like a snake's shell.

Hazrat Belal was a slave of Umayyah bin Khalaf Jumahi. When he accepted Islam, Umayya tied a rope around his neck and handed him over to the wicked boys. They used to drag him by the rope. Even as a result of the pulling, rope spots would sit on his neck. Umayya himself tied his hands and feet and beat him and made him sit in the hot sun. He was kept hungry and thirsty without food and water. It was much more difficult and difficult than this when the sand became hot like fire in the midday sun of the road and he was laid on the hot sand and stones were pressed on his chest. Then he would say - 'By Allah! You will lie like this. Then will fall into the lap of death. Or will disbelieve in Muhammad.'

One day Hazrat Belal was in such a distressing condition when Abu Bakr Siddique (ra) was passing by. He freed Belal (ra) by purchasing a black slave and two hundred dirhams (735 grams of silver) or two hundred and eighty dirhams (over 1 kg of silver).

Ammar bin Yasir was 'the slave of Banu Makhjum'. His father's name is Yasir and mother's name is Sumaiya. He and his parents all embraced Islam at the same time. Due to accepting Islam, the doomsday comes down on them. Two ropes were tied to the legs of Yasir (ra) and the two ends of the rope were tied to the legs of two camels and the two camels were driven in opposite directions with great strides. As a result, his body split in two and he fell to his death instantly.

The heretic Abu Jahel killed Sumaiya (ra) by piercing her private parts with a spear. Sumayya (ra) was the first martyr among Muslim women.

When the sand and pebbles of the desert were hot like fire in the midday heat, the polytheists led by Abu Jahl used to punish Ammar (ra) by laying him on the hot sand and pebbles. One day when he was being punished in that way, the Prophet (ﷺ) was passing that way. Looking at Ammar (ra) he said: O descendant of Yasrib! Be patient, your place is in Paradise.

Torture on Ammar (ra) continued. Sometimes he was laid in the hot sun and stones were pressed on his chest, sometimes he was punished by drowning in water. The polytheists used to say to him - 'You will not be released until you insult Muhammad and say good things about our Lord Laat and Uzzah. Ammar (ra) accepted their words, being very helpless.

Then Ammar (ra) appeared in the court of the Prophet (ﷺ) and narrated the incident in detail in a tearful voice and begged forgiveness from Allah. For this reason, the verse was revealed:

For whoever disbelieves after believing in Allah, there is wrath and severe punishment. But he who is forced but whose heart is steadfast in faith has nothing to worry about. (Surah Nahl: Ayat-106)

Fuqayha (ra) was a slave of the tribe of Banu Abdudda. His other name was 'Aflah'. Because of his conversion to Islam, his owner used to drag him along the gravel path with shackles on his feet.

Khabbab bin Arat (ra) was the slave of a woman named 'Umme Anmar' of the tribe of Khuzaymah. The polytheists used to torture him in various ways. Sometimes he was tortured by pulling his hair with very strong hands. Sometimes they would hold his neck with a very strong hand and twist it. Once he was laid on the burning embers of wood and stones were pressed on his chest - so that he could not get up. His back was burnt and turned white like leprosy.

Jinnirah Nahdia and her daughter Umm Ubais were all slaves. After accepting Islam, they all faced indescribable suffering and pain due to being persecuted and oppressed in various ways by the polytheists. They have been briefly discussed earlier.

Omar bin Khattab (he had not yet accepted Islam) on hearing the news that a slave girl of Banu Muammel, a family of Banu Adi tribe, had become a Muslim, beat her so much that he himself became tired and said - 'Not for any humanitarian reason; Rather, I have spared you from being punished for being too tired.

Finally, Abu Bakr (ra) bought and freed the said slaves like Belal and Amer bin Fuhaira.

Other methods and procedures followed by the Kafir-polytheists in punishing the Muslims were that some Companions were wrapped in the raw skin of a camel or a donkey and left in the heat of the sun. In some cases, they were put on iron armor and laid on hot stones.

Individually, the list of names of tortured and oppressed people following the religion of Allah was quite long and the scenes of torture and oppression were very pathetic, hair-raising and heart-rending. The real situation was, when the polytheists got the news of someone becoming a Muslim, they became very eager and determined to hurt them.

The home of Arkam, a secret center of Islamic propagation

In view of the tyranny and persecution of the Muslims, the alternative claim of the scholars was that the Prophet (ﷺ) would advise the Muslims to refrain from doing anything publicly, both in word and deed, and to unite with them in secret.

Because if he openly unites with them, the polytheists will hinder his self-purification and learning of the Book and wisdom, and this will lead to a possibility of conflict between both the Muslim and the polytheist groups. Just such a conflict broke out in the fourth year of the Prophethood. Details of the incident are as follows-

Sahabah Kiram used to gather at their specific bases and offer prayers. Incidentally, one day some of the disbelieving Quraish, seeing them praying in this way, began to abuse and attack them. The Muslims also came forward to resist the attack. In retaliating, Sa'd bin Waqqas (ra) struck a man in such a way that blood flowed from the injured part of his body. This was the first instance of shedding of blood from the body of an infidel by the Muslims of the Ummah Muhammadi.

It is a well-known fact that if the conflict between the Muslims and the polytheists continued like that, the small number of Muslims would have been annihilated in a very short time. Therefore, the demand to complete all activities of Islam very secretly was very logical and reasonable.

For this reason, the common Companions continued to do Talim, Tabligh, Ibadat, conferences and mutual exchange of ideas openly in front of the polytheists. The polytheists did not have the courage to stop them in anything. However, thinking about the welfare of the Muslims, he used to unite with them secretly.

On the other hand, since the house of Arqam bin Abul Arqam Makhumi was located on the Safa mountain, hidden from the eyes of the infidels-polytheists and away from their meeting place, from the fifth year of the Prophet, that house was used as a secret propagation center of Islam and a secret base for Muslims to meet.

First migration of Muslims to Abyssinia

The above-mentioned horrific course of injustice-torture on the part of the infidels-polytheists of Makkah began in the middle or the end of the fourth year of the Prophethood. At the beginning of persecution, its level was small. But as day after day, month after month passed, the level of persecution increased and reached its peak in the middle of the fifth year, and finally such a situation was created that it became absolutely impossible for the Muslims to survive in Makkah. So they were forced to find a way to get rid of this horror.

Surah 'Kahaf' was revealed by Allah in that darkness of uncertainty and misery. In fact this Surah was revealed as an answer to the questions raised by the polytheists. But the three events that were mentioned by Allah were signs for the believing servants about their future. For example, from the incident of the 'ashabe Kahf', the lesson or indication is that when religion and faith are under mortal threat, it is obligatory to migrate from the center of 'kufr' and injustice-torture, relying on the grace of Allah. Referred to-

And when you are separated from them and from those whom they worship besides Allah, take refuge in the caves, then your Lord will extend His mercy to you and favor your deeds. (Surah Al-Kahf: Verse-16)

From the narrations of Musa (ra) and Khizr (a) it is evident that the outcome of something does not always follow the manifest position. In some cases, the situation is quite the opposite. Therefore, in the said incident, it is subtly hinted that the present injustice and persecution against the Muslims will be counterproductive and if these disobedient polytheists do not accept Islam, they will be defeated by the oppressed and exiled Muslims in the future. And will be forced to be flexible and compromise with them.

Incidentally, 'Zulkarnain' can be mentioned here. The Zulqarnain incident points to a few specific issues. They are respectively-

1. The true owner of this world is Allah. He gives inheritance to whom He wills from among His servants.

2. People's success or achievement, the root of this topic is related to faith, not disbelief.

3. Allah gives faith, deeds and wisdom to some of His servants - those who save the oppressed and downtrodden people from the clutches of that times oppressors and wrongdoers.

4. The righteous and virtuous servants of Allah are the most fit to inherit the earth. Surah Jumar is revealed after Surah Kahaf in the next Surah. It provides hints for them and says-

There is a good reward for those who do good deeds in this world. The land of Allah is wide, and for the patient there is an incalculable reward. (Surah Jumar: Verse-10)

When the level of persecution of the infidels-polytheists on the Muslims exceeded the limits of patience and tolerance, especially when the mental pain of not being allowed to read the Qur'an and perform the prayers reached its peak, then the Prophet became restless for his Ummah and began to think about migration. He also knew that there was no injustice done to anyone there. If Muslims go there, they will be able to stay safe and practice their religion without hindrance. Considering all this, the Prophet instructed the Companions to emigrate to Abyssinia in order to ensure the security of their lives and faith and to gain the opportunity to practice religion without interruption.

According to the decision taken on the basis of the necessary consultation on the subject, the first group of the Companions migrated from Makkah to Abyssinia in the month of Rajab of the fifth year of the Prophet.

There were 12 males and 4 females in the group. Uthman bin Affan (ra) was their leader. He was accompanied by Roqayyah, the daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet said about them: 'After Ibrahim and Lut (a.s) they were the first family to migrate in the way of Allah.

This group of first emigrants of Islam left their homes in the darkness of the night, unnoticed by everyone, and left for a new destination. The utmost secrecy was maintained so that the Quraysh infidels would not know anything about this migration.

The journey of the Muhajir group was towards the Red Sea port 'Waibah'. Fortunately there were two merchant boats present - in which they safely crossed the sea and reached Habsha.

The Quraish belatedly came to know about this emigration and chased the group of emigrants to the Red Sea. But the Muhajirs were then beyond their reach. So they returned to Makkah with failed monoliths. On the other hand for verification they started living in Abyssinia in complete safety and peace.

It has already been said that this group migrated from Makkah in the month of Rajab. But a very important event took place in the Kaaba that year during the month of Ramadan.

Prostration of Kafirs with Muslims and return of Muhajirs

In the month of Ramadan, the Prophet (ﷺ) once went to Haram Sharif. A large group of Quraish was present there at that time. The Prophet appeared there and suddenly started reciting Surah 'Nazm'. The Kafir-Mushriks present in that group did not listen to the Qur'an before, and whenever the Qur'an was recited somewhere, they would make noise so that it could not be heard. Because they had an ingrained idea that they would be influenced by listening to the Quran. In the language of the Quran, the matter was like this:

Do not listen to this Quran and speak noisily during [the recitation of] it that perhaps you will overcome. (Surah Fussilat: Verse-26)

But when the Prophet (ﷺ) began reciting the said Surah, they were enthralled and amazed when its melodious words, indescribable sweetness and incomparable sweetness entered their ears. Far from messing up like they used to do while reciting the Quran; Rather, they began to listen to it with a more attentive ear. They did not have any negative feeling in their hearts.

Then when the Prophet (ﷺ) continued reciting the last verses of the said Surah, their hearts began to tremble when he recited the last verse containing the instructions of Allah:

Prostrate to Allah and worship Him. (An-Nazm: Ayat-62)

He went to Sijdah and then everyone fell into Sijdah as if hypnotized. In fact at that time the divine charm, sublime sweetness and divine guidance of the Qur'an had so impressed and subjugated the minds of the proud, self-righteous and insolent Quraysh that they had no power to oppose or deny it. And as a result they prostrated themselves from the equatorial position of will and reluctance.

But soon, when they came back from their hypnotic state, they were able to realize that the miracle of Allah's word had destroyed their individuality - forcing them to prostrate themselves to Allah. But they are determined to completely destroy those who worship Allah. In the context of such a situation, they start burning with self-loathing.

The deplorable state of mind of the Kafir-Mushriks worsens when other absent Mushriks come to know about it and start shaming and condemning them for this behavior.

In order to protect themselves from the trident situation and divert the attention of the polytheists who were criticizing them, they started a slanderous campaign by slandering the name of the Prophet (ﷺ). They started propagating a blatant lie in various forms and colors in the name of the Prophet (ﷺ) who, referring to the honor and respect of their idols, said:

These are idols of highly respected gods and goddesses and their intercession is sought.

But it was completely false. Their propaganda is to get rid of the grief of what they think they did by prostrating with the Prophet (ﷺ).

It is not surprising that those who were always indulging in slander and backbite about the Prophet (ﷺ) should do so in this case as well; Rather, it is natural that they will never hesitate to tarnish the pure character of the Prophet (ﷺ) for any source at any moment.

However, news of Quraysh's prostration reached the Muslim emigrants in Abyssinia. But that news was different. The same is true in this case as additions and combinations naturally occur with word of mouth. The emigrants staying in Abyssinia received news that the Quraish of Mecca had converted to Islam.

As soon as they heard the words, many of them were anxious to return to their homeland, and in the following month of Shawwal, a group of them set out for Makkah. But when they were at a distance of a day's journey from Makkah, when they came to know the true facts, they realized that the matter as it had been brought to them was not the true facts. So some of the party again marched towards Abyssinia and some entered Makkah in great secrecy or under the protection of the Quraysh.

Second migration to Abyssinia

After that, the Quraish's oppression and oppression of the emigrants who returned to Makkah in particular and other Muslims in general increased manifold. Not only the Muhajirs, but also their families were not spared from this torture. This is because, earlier when the Quraish came to know that Najjashi was treating the Muhajirs of Abyssinia very cordially and extending his hand of help to them in various ways, the Quraish became even more enraged and waited for an opportunity. When the Muhajirs returned to Makkah, the Quraish took advantage of it.

In the context of increasing persecution of the Muslims by the violent Quraish, the Prophet suggested re-migration to Abyssinia. But the second issue was more problematic and risky than the first. Because the Quraish were not aware of the matter at first. But this time like watchmen they were alert and determined to resist such attempts at any cost.

But the level of awareness and unity of the Muslims was many times higher than that of the Quraish in terms of achieving success in achieving the desired objective. In addition, there was a special mercy of Allah towards the innocent and righteous Muslims. As a result, before any harm or hindrance came from the Quraysh, they went safely to the court of the Emperor of Abyssinia.

A total of 82 or 83 men migrated in the second round (of which there is a difference of opinion about the migration of Ammar (ra)) and 18 or 19 women were also in that group. Allama Sulaiman mentions the number of women emigrants as 18.

Conspiracy of the Quraish against the emigrants to Abyssinia

In order to protect their lives and property and faith, the Muslims left the country and went to Abyssinia and found peace and security there, so the Quraish became enraged.

Then two ambassadors were sent to Abyssinia on a mission with many valuable gifts for the Emperor Najjashi and the Christians and fire-worshippers.

Arriving in Abyssinia, they first appeared at the court of the lay priests and made offerings. Then he presented to them all the details and proofs on the basis of which the initiative was taken to expel the Muslims from Abyssinia. Although those accounts and evidences were not so much based, yet after receiving gifts from Quraysh, the clergy agreed that they would recommend to Emperor Najjashi to expel the Muslims from Habsha. Having received the assurance of cooperation from the clergy, the Quraish emissaries appeared in the court of Emperor Najjashi and gave gifts. The details of their pleas are as follows-

'O His Majesty the Emperor! A number of ignorant and ignorant people of our country fled from our country and took refuge in your country. They have abandoned the religion handed down from their forefathers. Having taken refuge in your country did not accept your religion. This is an indication of their extreme audacity. Not only that, they also invented a new religion. Tell me what could be more absurd than this. The chiefs and dignitaries of our tribe, the parents, tutors and relatives of these Arbachins have sent two of us as envoys to your court, requesting them to be sent back to their homeland. Please arrange to send them back with us. Our chiefs have a very high opinion of them and are aware of the cause of their discontent.'

When the Quraish emissaries presented this request to the emperor, the priests said: 'I do not think it appropriate to express any comments or make decisions before getting a clear understanding of the various aspects of the matter under discussion. I need to know about the matter in detail before taking a decision.'

So he invited the Muslims to attend his court. The Muslims also remembered the words of Allah and went to the court with good mental preparation to present all the matters including the details to the emperor.

Emperor Najjashi looked at the Muslims present in his court and said: Because of the religion you have been initiated into, you have abandoned the religion that has been handed down by your forefathers for ages and you are completely indifferent to our religion even though you have taken shelter in our country, which religion is that?

In reply 'Jafar bin Abu Talib' Radiyallahu Anhu as the appointed spokesman of the Muslims said in a fearless voice: O Emperor! We were a nation of miscreants mired in the darkness of ignorance, immorality and lawlessness. We worshiped idols, ate the flesh of dead animals, indulged in indiscriminate fornication and lewdness, severed ties with relatives, treated our neighbors unjustly, cheated on deposits and destroyed the rights of people and devoured the welfare of the weak. When we were living inhuman life in such a dark social life, Allah Rabbul Alamin kindly sent a Messenger among us. We were already aware of the qualities and character traits of his lineage, honesty, forbearance, moderation, righteousness, benevolence etc. He called us and said, We will not worship anyone except Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the entire universe. We have to discard the stone idols or idols that we have been worshiping for generations. He instructed to always speak the truth by rejecting false worship, guarding trusts, maintaining kinship ties, treating neighbors well, abstaining from obscene and illegal activities and avoiding bloodshed, and also refraining from slandering women unnecessarily. He also instructs us to pray, fast and pay zakat. In this way, Jafar (ra) explained the principles of Islam and its rules in a very inspiring and touching language. Then he said again: We firmly believe that this Prophet is the Messenger of Allah, the Creator of the universe, and we are following Allah and His Messenger with conviction and faith in following God in the religion brought by him. So we do not worship anyone except the One and Only Lord Allah and we do not believe that He has any partner anywhere in the universe. We have abandoned the words, actions and food that the Prophet prohibited for us. Because of this, various tribes and communities of the Arab society have engaged in conflict with us. They have tortured us hellishly to turn us away from this true, beautiful, eternal and chaste way of life and lead us to the path of immorality and lawlessness.

To turn us away from the worship of God and indulge in idolatry, we have been subjected to blow after blow, laid on burning coals, stoned to the chest, tied to the feet with ropes and dragged along the way. Even thus, when they continue to oppress us incessantly, stop our trade and make Allah's land narrow for us, and even threaten us and our religion with obstacles and threats of death, then becoming aware of your magnanimity, generosity and justice, Allah's Messenger instructed us to leave the country and seek refuge in your country. O Emperor! We are overwhelmed by your kindness, generosity and generosity. We want to stay under the cool shade of your shelter. Please don't hand us over to these bigoted oppressors.

Ja'far (ra) said: 'Yes, of course. Najjashi said: 'Then present something before me.

Ja'far (ra) recited the first few verses of Surah Maryam in devotion to the king. Najjashi was so impressed by the heavenly inspiration and melody of Allah's words that tears flowed from his eyes and wet his beard.

On hearing the recitation of Jafar (ra), the eyes of Najjashi's religious advisers also shed tears and wept in such a way that their sahifahs were wet.

Najjashi then said: This kalam (word) is the kalam which was revealed to Jesus (as) from the same source.

Then Najjashi addressed Amr bin As and Abdullah bin Rabi'ah and said: 'Return to the country with the trouble with which you came to my court. There is no question of handing them over to you. Furthermore, no trickery can be resorted to in this regard.

After receiving this order from Emperor Najjashi, they came out of his court room as a complete failure.

Just as the devils continue to use one strategy after another to mislead the children of Adam, they also continue to think of another strategy when one strategy fails.

At one point 'Amr bin As' said to Abdullah bin Rabia - 'By Allah! Tomorrow I will raise such a topic about them to the ears of Najjashi - which will cut the root of their survival. Otherwise, I will send down such an instrument regarding them: that their roots are cut and their vitality and freshness are destroyed.

Abdullah bin Rabi'a said: 'No, no, it would not be appropriate to do such a thing. For though they have opposed us, yet it must be remembered that they are our kindred and kinsmen.

But Amr bin As Abdullah bin Rabi'a did not pay attention to his words and remained firm on his claim.

On the next day, Amr bin As again appeared in the court of Najjas and said 'O Emperor! They say something about Jesus bin Maryam that no one has ever said. You know it from them and remedy it.

After hearing this, Emperor Najjashi called the Muslims again.

When they came to the court, he asked to know what the Muslims thought about Jesus (A).

Hearing this from the mouth of the emperor, the Muslims fell into confusion and doubt. Because Muslims think that Jesus (as) is the servant and messenger of Allah.

The doubt of the Muslims due to this difference in theory is that if Emperor Najjashi become upset because of saying this, then it would be a matter of great concern for the Muslims. But that was only momentary. The steadfast Muslims, trusting in the grace of God, immediately made up their minds that the teachings they had received from God and His Messenger (ﷺ) would be their motto and that would be their speech, come what may.

In response to Najjashi's question, Ja'far (ra) said: We have learned from what we have received from Allah and Allah's Messenger that Jesus (A.S.) is the servant and Messenger of Allah. His mother Maryam was chaste and a woman of high status in the sight of Allah. Jesus (A.S.) was born in the womb of the virgin Mary under God's order and special arrangement.

After hearing these words, Nazzashi held up a piece of straw and said 'By Allah! After listening to Najjashi's expression and opinion, the priests present in the court agreed with him and expressed their support by saying 'Huh' and 'Yes'. Najjashi said - yes, now you will support by saying yes yes.

Then Najjashi addressed the Muslims and said: 'You live in my kingdom with peace and security without fear. I will not tolerate anyone who gives me a mountain of gold in return for wronging you.

Then he pointed at his companions and said: 'Return to them the gifts brought by these Quraysh messengers. I don't need any gifts. By God! When Allah gave me back my kingdom, He did not accept any gift or favor from me, so how can I accept favor while working for His pleasure. Since Allah does not accept any man's word about me, I cannot accept any man's word about Allah.

Umm Salma (ra), the narrator of the event, said: Then the Quraysh envoys with the rejected gifts left the court of Najjashi with great shame and we stayed in his kingdom with honor under his protection.

However, the ploys of the polytheists eventually failed and they also realized that there was no chance of success in their enmity against the Muslims or in disciplining them outside the homeland. Therefore, if they want to stop their propaganda activities or to discipline them, it has to be done within the borders of the homeland.

But the second system was very difficult and risky. Because the guardian of Muhammad (ﷺ) was Abu Talib - who stood as an iron wall between his nephews and the polytheists. So they preferred the decision to have some tough talk with Abu Talib rather than resorting to extreme and risky measures.

Threats from Quraysh to Abu Talib

After taking decision of heated exchange of words with Abu Talib, the Quraysh leaders came to Abu Talib and said:

O Abu Talib! You are an old man of dignity among us. We have previously appealed to you to prevent your nephew from slandering our religion. But you didn't. Mind you, we cannot bear to have our fathers, grandfathers and forefathers insulted, our conscience called stupidity and our gods and goddesses blasphemed. Again we beseech you, either to restrain him from them, or the fight will continue until one of our parties is destroyed.

Abu Talib was greatly disturbed by such severe threats and insults by the Quraysh chiefs. He could not decide his duty at that moment and called for the Messenger (ﷺ). When the Prophet arrived there at the invitation of his uncle, Abu Talib told him in detail about the discussion and behavior of the Quraysh chiefs and said to him - 'Son! Act with some judgement. Do not impose on me a burden that I do not have the strength to bear.'

The Prophet thought to himself that his uncle, the only protector and helper among mankind, seems to have abandoned his company from today and he also seems to be weak in helping him. He also clearly realized that from today he was going to fall into a dire crisis. Still, with steadfast trust in God, he said - 'Uncle, by God! Even if they bring the sun to my right hand and the moon to my left, yet I will not deviate for a moment from my duty to preach this eternal truth. Either God will make me victorious in this great work, or I will perish. But uncle! You must know that Muhammad (ﷺ) would never deviate from this duty.'

The eyes of the Prophet (ﷺ) were overwhelmed by the heartache of the stupidity, stubbornness and wickedness of the natives and tribesmen. He clearly realized that the coming days would be more difficult for him and he would have to face it with more horror and harshness.

Tears in his eyes but courage in his heart. In such a mental state, he came out from his uncle Abu Talib. Seeing Abu Talib's dearest nephew in this helplessness and mental turmoil, his soul wept. Immediately he sent for the Prophet again.

When the Prophet appeared before Abu Talib he addressed him and said: 'Dear nephew! Feel free to do your duty. By Allah, I will not leave you under any circumstances.

He then recited the following lines of poetry:

By God! They will never reach you with their forces until I am buried. You should continue your religious preaching as best you can, there will be no hindrance. May you be happy and let your eyes be satisfied.

Return of Quraysh near Abu Talib

When they saw that Muhammad (ﷺ) far from relenting, despite the harshness and threats of the Quraish in the past, continued to preach more vigorously, it became clear to them that Abu Talib would not abandon Muhammad (ﷺ). In this regard he is ready to separate from the Quraish and even buy their enmity, but is not ready to abandon his nephew.

When nothing happened even with harsh words and threats of war, one day he took Umar, the son of Alid bin Mughira, and came to Abu Talib and said: O Abu Talib! This is the most handsome young man of Quraish. Take him as a son. You will also be entitled to its bloodshed benefit and help. You accept him as a son. This young man will be considered as your child from today. Instead hand over your nephew to us.

He is opposing you and our fathers, grandfathers, covering us with a veil of ignorance. We have no choice but to kill him. One person is enough for one person.

In response to the Quraysh's proposal, Abu Talib said: 'Could there be anything worse and more meaningless than what you have said? You give me your child for the purpose that I will feed him, clothe him and bring him up, and hand over my child to you for the purpose that you kill him. By God! This can never happen.

As a result, Mutayim bin Adi, the grandson of Naufal bin Abde Manaf, said: 'By Allah, O Abu Talib! People in your circle of acquaintances are talking to you in a judicious way, trying to protect you from the ways in which you are dangerous. But from what I see, it seems to me that you pay no heed to them.

In response, Abu Talib said - 'By Allah! You did not speak to me in a judgmental way; Rather, you have abandoned my company and engaged in my opposition and girded your loins to help the adversaries. Well, do whatever you think you should do.

There is no specific period of discussion of the two topics discussed within the original source of the life character. But from various sources of evidence it becomes clear that these two discussions took place in the middle of the 6th year of the Prophet and the time gap between the two discussions was very short.

Conspiracy to kill the Prophet (ﷺ)

Due to the failure of the Quraysh to come to a compromise in the above two discussions with the Prophet's (ﷺ) uncle, Abu Talib, their level of injustice - torture and tension - gradually increased and the type of torture became harsher and harsher. It was at that time that extreme and hellish thoughts arose in the minds of some of the most radical Quraysh. That is, they will kill the Prophet to remove the root of his preached Tawheed philosophy.

But at such a delicate and dangerous time, as a special mercy of Allah, 'Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib' and 'Umar bin Khattab' accepted Islam, on the one hand, the strength of the Muslims was significantly strengthened, on the other hand, the power of the polytheists was also weakened. But despite this, the severity of their torture did not subside. There are innumerable proofs in the pages of history of how they tortured and oppressed the Muslims. For example, few incidents are mentioned here-

One day Abu Lahab's son 'Utba' came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said - 'I deny these two verses. Then he proceeded to torment the Prophet. He tore the Prophet's (ﷺ) clothes and spat in his face. By the grace of Allah, the spit did not reach him. In that situation, the Prophet prayed to Allah - 'O Allah! Appoint a dog for him from among your dogs.'

The prayer of the Prophet (ﷺ) was accepted by Allah.

Once Utba went abroad for business with some Quraysh traders. When they pitched their tent at a place called 'Zarka' in Sham, a tiger came at night and started prowling around the tent.

Seeing the tiger, Utba said in a frightened voice - 'Alas, alas, my destruction! By Allah, it will eat me - Muhammad prayed to Allah for my destruction. Look, I am staying in the kingdom of Sham while he is killing me from Makkah.

After hearing this, Utbar's companions laid him down in their midst as a precaution, so that the tiger would not come and reach him easily.

But late in the night the tiger came there bypassing everyone and went straight to Utba and tore off his head from his body and took it away.

Once 'Uqba bin Abi Mu'ayt' crushed the neck of Prophet under his feet so hard while he was prostrating that his eyes seemed to pop out of their sockets.

In a long narration by Ibn Ishaq, there is a glimpse of the plight of the wicked extremist Quraish, who were engaged in a conspiracy to kill the Prophet and wipe him out of the world.

It is said in the source of the narration: One day Abu Jahl said to the Quraish - O brothers of the Quraish. You are well aware that Muhammad defames our religion, slanders our forefathers, denigrates our wisdom and insults our gods and goddesses. For these reasons I swear by Allah, I will sit in the Kaaba square with a stone that is heavy and easy to lift, and when Muhammad goes to prostration I will crush his head with that stone. Now in this situation, either you leave me helpless, or help me. Let Banu Abde Manaf do whatever he wants.

The Quraish present said - 'By Allah! We cannot leave you helpless. Do what you want to do. In the morning, Abu Jahal, as he had announced, took a stone and sat in the Kaaba square, waiting for the Prophet (ﷺ).

The Prophet (ﷺ) arrived at the Kaaba square as usual and started offering the prayer. The Quraish also arrived there and waited to see the alleged incident of Abu Jahel.

When the Prophet prostrated, Abu Jahl raised a stone and advanced towards him. But as soon as he came near, he retreated like a defeated soldier. At that time he looked very pale and frightened. Both his hands were tightly pinched against the stone. He had to struggle and gain momentum to free himself from the rock.

Observing the situation, some people from among the Quraysh quickly approached him and started saying - 'Abul Hakam. What is the matter? We can't understand anything.

Abu Jahl said - I was going ahead to do what I said at night. But when I reached it, a camel stood in front of me. Oh Allah! Never have I seen such a ministry, such a camel with such a neck and teeth. It felt like he wanted to eat me.

Ibn Ishaq said, I was told that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Gabriel (as) appeared there in the form of a camel. If Abu Jahl had gone near me, great calamity would have befallen him.

Then Abu Jahl created a disturbance which became the main reason for Hamza's conversion to Islam. The details of that incident will be presented at the appropriate place.

It can be truly said about other Quraish miscreants that a deep plot and conspiracy to erase the name of Islam from the surface of the world by killing the Prophet (ﷺ) gradually began to grow in their hearts. As narrated by Abdullah bin Amr bin As Hud ibn Ishaq, quoting his narration: One day, the polytheists of Quraysh were standing en masse at the 'Hatim' of the Ka'ba. I was also present there. The polytheists were discussing various topics about the Prophet. At one point in the discussion they said - The patience we have shown for this person is unmatched. Indeed, we have been very patient about this.

While their conversation was going on about such a subject, the Messenger of God appeared there somewhat unexpectedly. After arriving there, he first kissed the 'Hajar Aswad stone and circumambulated the Ka'bah. While doing this, he had to pass through the polytheists. In this situation, I clearly noticed the expression of the reaction that was created in the mind of the Prophet as they mocked him by saying some ironic words.

Then the second time when he went there, the polytheists similarly reprimanded him with ironic speech. I heard them say ironic words like before.

Now the Prophet stood there and said: 'O Quraysh! have you heard? Oath of the being, in whose hands is my life! I have brought you sacrificial animals.

The Prophet's (ﷺ) speech and address to them affected them so much that they all fainted and felt as if sparrows were sitting on each of their heads. Even the person who was the most vengeful towards the Prophet (ﷺ) among the group became a very good person and started praising him. Very humbly he began to say - Abul Kasem! Return! By God! You were never ignorant.

On the second day also the polytheists were gathered there discussing about the Messenger: at that time he came there. Seeing the Prophet (ﷺ) like this, they all surrounded him from all sides with the intention of attacking him.

I noticed that one of them started pulling the cloth around his neck. At that time, Abu Bakr (ra) was also present there. He tried to save the Prophet from the polytheists. With that he was crying and saying-

Do you kill the man because he says: 'Allah is my Lord' Then they left the Messenger and went back to their places.

Abdullah bin Amr bin As said: 'This was the most severe torture and oppression that I saw the Quraish do. On the authority of Urwa bin Jubayr (ra) in Sahih Bukhari, he said: I asked Abdullah bin Amr bin As to describe to me in detail the most severe oppression the polytheists inflicted on the Prophet (ﷺ).

He said: 'One day the Messenger of Allah was offering Salat in the 'Hatim' of the Ka'bah: At that time Uqba bin Abi Mu'it arrived there. When he arrived there, he slapped the Prophet's (ﷺ) neck very hard with his cloth and strangled him. At that time Abu Bakr (ra) came there and took Uqba's shoulders and pushed him away and said:

Do you kill the man because he says - 'My Lord is Allah.'

It is described in detail from Asma (ra). When this voice reached Abu Bakr (ra) - Save your friend - he left us with great haste. He had four combs of hair on his head. As he left he began to say that-

You kill the man only because he said: "My Lord is Allah." Then the polytheists left the Prophet and attacked Abu Bakr. When he came back, his condition was such that the hair we were holding from his hair was coming out with our pull.

Acceptance of Islam by the greatest of Sahaba

Acceptance of Islam by Hamza (ra).

During the Jahili era, the vast area of Makkah was covered by a thick black cloud of injustice and oppression. As a sudden flash of lightning flashed from among those clouds, the path of oppressed people was illuminated, and Hamza became a Muslim after being illuminated by that light. His conversion to Islam took place in the latter part of the 6th year of the prophethood of the Prophet (ﷺ). Probably: He became a Muslim in the month of Zilhajj.

It is only possible for him on whom Allah has mercy to drink from the pure stream of Islam. Although Hamza's acceptance of Islam is also a result of God's special mercy, one special thing about his acceptance of Islam cannot be left out. The event is as follows:

One day Abu Jahl was walking along the side of Safa mountain. The Prophet (ﷺ) was present there. When he saw the Prophet, he cursed a lot and spoke insulting words.

The Prophet (ﷺ) remained completely silent without answering Abu Jahl's speech. But despite this, Abu Jahl picked up a stone and hit the Prophet (ﷺ) on the head. As a result, blood started to flow from the injured area. Then Abu Jahl went to a meeting of the Quraysh near the Kaaba.

As soon as he returned from his home with his bow and arrow in hand, a maidservant of Abdullah bin Judayan narrated to him the injustice and torture of Abu Jahl and the patience of the Prophet (ﷺ).

As soon as Hamza heard the incident, he was furious. Among the Quraish he was a mighty and mighty youth. Without a moment's delay, he ran with the promise that he would teach Abu Jahl wherever he met him. Hamza (ra) was looking for Abu Jahl and found him in Masjid al-Haram. There he stood facing him and exclaimed: 'O you who emits air from back! Did you abuse and stone my nephew Muhammad? But I am in his religion.'

Then he struck him hard on the head with the bow in his hand: so that he was wounded. As a result, the Banu Makhyoum of Abu Jahl and the Banu Hashem of Hamza (ra) became angry with each other.

But Abu Jahl disarmed everyone by saying, Let Abu Umar go. I really scolded and hurt his nephew.

Hamza's conversion to Islam at an early stage was somewhat motivated by feelings for his nephew. It was very difficult for him to bear that the polytheists were tormenting his nephew. So he accepted Islam with the idea that maybe his sufferings would be alleviated if he accepted Islam.

Later, as Allah strengthened his love for Islam in his heart, he strongly hold the rope of religion. His conversion to Islam increased both the power and prestige of the Muslims.

Omar's acceptance of Islam

The Arabs were revealed by another lightning flash through the chest of the thick black clouds in the vast scope of injustice and oppression of the infidels-polytheists. Omar bin Khattab, one of the most brilliant men of the Arab world, embraced Islam. His conversion to Islam took place in the 6th year of Prophethood just 3 days after Hamza's conversion to Islam.

Prophet Umar (ra) prayed to Allah for his acceptance of Islam. Imam Tirmidhi narrated this matter on the authority of Abdullah bin Umar and confirmed it as pure. Similarly, Tabrani narrated through Ibn Mas'ud (ra) and Anas (ra) that the Prophet prayed saying:

O Allah! Strengthen Islam by whoever is dearer to you, Umar bin Khattab or Abu Jahl bin Hisham.

Allah accepted this prayer of the Prophet (ﷺ) and Umar (ra) was dearer to Allah than the two. And Omar became a Muslim.

If we look at all the narrations related to Umar's conversion to Islam, it becomes clear that Islam gradually gained a place in his heart. Before summarizing the issues related to accepting Islam, I think it is necessary to briefly shed light on his mentality and emotions.

Umar (ra) was particularly famous in Arab society for his fierce temper, harsh nature and bravery. The Muslims had to be oppressed and oppressed by him for some time. But in spite of this a glimpse of a remarkable characteristic seemed to be observed in him from the very beginning. From his demeanor it seemed as if two opposing forces of emotion were in conflict with each other within him. On the one hand, he was very respectful of the customs and rituals followed by his ancestors and had a considerable addiction to alcohol and entertainment. On the other hand, he used to be amazed by the faith and belief of the Muslims and their extraordinary ability to persevere in the face of danger and looked at them with admiration.

In addition, sometimes, like wise people, there were thoughts in his mind. He used to think about various things. Sometimes he also thought that the path that Islam is showing, the path that is being called towards to follow; That is the best and purest way. Because of this, he often suffered from dilemmas, sometimes felt upset, sometimes discouraged.

Omar had to spend the night outside the house one day. He arrived at Baitullah Square and entered inside the Kaaba's screen. The Prophet was praying at that time. He was reciting Surah Al-Haqqa in Salah. Umar (ra) listened to the recitation in silence with rapt attention and was mesmerized, amazed and stunned by its rhythm, phrasing and sweetness.

According to the narration of Umar, it is narrated that he said, 'I said to myself, By Allah! He is a poet, as the Quraish say. But at this time the Prophet read this verse - "This Qur'an is a message brought by a messenger and it is not the imagination of a poet, but you hardly believe in it."

Umar (ra) said: 'I said to myself, Oh, this is my mind, how did he know! Surely Muhammad is a clerical soothsayer.'

Immediately after the thought arose in my mind, Muhammad recited:

It's not even the words of a soothsayer, you rarely take advice. It is the word revealed by Allah.

The Prophet recited the Surah to the end in his Salat and Umar (ra) heard it. In this context Omar (ra) said: 'At that time Islam took place in my heart.'

In fact, this was the first time when the seeds of Islam were sown in the heart of Omar (ra). But even then his consciousness was full of ignorance, strong blindness towards self-defense and the traditional influence of the religious sentiments and beliefs of his forefathers had influenced his mind and brain like a stone, so much so that the effectiveness of the initial feeling of Islam was not that much. So he was only interested in clinging to the superstitions inherited from his father and grandfather.

He was a very strict person. He was one of the most dangerous enemies of the Prophet and Muslims because of his harshness of nature. He was so dangerous that one day he came out with an open sword to kill the Prophet. At one stage of his journey in a rough mood, he accidentally met a certain person named Naeem Bin Abdullah Nahham Advi. Seeing his anger, that person asked - O Omar! Where are you going for what purpose? He said: I am going to kill Muhammad.

The man said - 'How can you save yourself from Banu Hashem and Banu Zohra by killing Muhammad? Umar said: 'It seems that you too have abandoned the religion of your forefathers and become unbelievers. The man said: 'Umar! Do you want to hear a strange thing? Your sister and brother-in-law have also abandoned your religion and become unbelievers.

On hearing this, Umar got furious and marched straight towards his sister-in-law's house. There, Khabbab bin Arat was teaching the husband and wife a part of Surah Taha. Khabbab used to travel there regularly to teach them.

When Khabbab (ra) heard the sound of Umar (ra) coming there. He then hid himself in the room and Omar's sister Fatimah hid that part. But Umar got closer to the house and heard Khabbab's voice. So he asked - 'From whose voice did I hear a soft sound?

His sister replied: 'No, it's nothing. We were talking to each other. Umar (ra) said: 'Perhaps both of you have become unbelievers?'

Sister-in-law Saeed said: 'Well Omar! Tell me, if there is truth in a religion other than yours, what should be done in that case?

On hearing this, Umar became very angry and started beating his sister-in-law mercilessly. Desperately, the younger sister forced her husband away from her brother's hand. Omar slapped his sister's cheek so hard that her face became bloody.

According to Ibn Ishaq, he was hit on the head. Sister Fatima said in an angry and emotional voice: 'Omar! If a religion other than yours is true - he recited the Kalima Shahadat saying: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger."

As soon as he heard this message of martyrdom, the heart of Omar (ra) began to change. He felt ashamed and remorseful when he saw the bloody face of his younger sister. Then he addressed his sister and said in a soft voice: Will you let me read the verses that you have?

The sister said: "You are impure. Impure people cannot touch it. Only pure people can touch it."

Omar took a bath and purified himself, then took the verses of the Quran and read 'Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem' and commented - 'This is a very holy name. Then in the Surah it is said: "Surely I am Allah, there is no [true] god but Me; so worship Me and establish the prayer in remembrance of Me." He recited up to (Surah Taha: Ayat-1-14) and at the end of the recitation he said - 'This is a very good and honorable thing. Tell me the location of Muhammad.

Hearing this from Umar (ra), Khabbab (ra) came out of the hiding place and said: 'Umar! be satisfied I think that the Prophet prayed about you last Thursday night, 'O Allah! Strengthen Islam by Omar bin Khattab or Abu Jahl bin Hisham.' I think it is accepted.

At that time the Prophet was staying in his residence near Mount Safa. After hearing this from the mouth of Khabbab (ra), Umar (ra) sheathed his sword and started walking towards the residence of the Prophet (ﷺ). Then he appeared outside the house and knocked on the door.

A man peeked through the door and saw Omar standing with a sheathed sword. Instantly the Messenger was informed. All the people present who were there at that time were frightened and immediately came closer and united to confront Omar.

Noticing the look of horror in everyone, Hamza (ra) asked - 'What's the matter, what happened? Hamza (ra) said - OK. Omar has come, open the door. If he has come with goodwill then there will be no lack of goodwill from our side, InshaAllah. And if he has come with any evil intention, we will cut him off with his sword.

Meanwhile the Prophet was staying inside the house and the revelation was being revealed to him. When the revelation was completed, he came to the meeting room to meet Umar. He took hold of Umar's clothes and the scabbard of the sword and pulled it tightly and said: 'Umar! Will you not desist from wrongdoing until insult, humiliation and chastisement are sent down on you from Allah, as the wrath was sent down on Walid bin Mugheera?

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) supplicated to Allah: O Almighty Lord! Your will or unwillingness is final. Increase the strength and honor of Islam by Omar Bin Khattab.

After hearing this prayer of the Prophet (ﷺ), Umar (ra) felt such a stirring in his heart that he became restless and recited: "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah."

As soon as Umar (ra) heard this message of Tawheed, the people present there uttered the sound of 'Allahu Akbar' so loudly that even the people staying in Masjid al-Haram could clearly hear it.

It was well known in Arabia that Omar bin Khattab was very powerful and influential. He was so influential that no one in that society had the courage to compete with him.

As soon as it was revealed that he had become a Muslim for that reason, there was weeping and wailing among the polytheists and they themselves began to feel greatly insulted and humiliated.

On the other hand, the acceptance of Islam by Umar (ra) significantly increased the strength, courage and dignity of the Muslims and a tide of joy began to flow among them. Ibn Ishaq quoted in the hadith of Umar (ra) in the hadith:

When I became a Muslim, I began to think that which people in Makkah were the most powerful enemies of the Prophet (ﷺ). I immediately went to his house and knocked on the door.

Abu Jahel came out and said hello! Welcome! He welcomed me very sincerely and said - 'How did you remember me today?

Without making any prepositions in reply, I directly said - 'I have come to tell you that I believe in Allah, His Messenger Muhammad (ﷺ) and the religion of Islam, and I believe in all that has been revealed to him from Allah.

As soon as he heard me, he closed the door and said - "May God harm you and everything you have brought to me."

Imam Ibn Jawzi cites the narration of Umar (ra) who said: Whenever a person became a Muslim, people would chase him and beat him.

I used to beat them too. Because of this, when I became a Muslim, I went to my uncle Asi bin Hashim and informed him of my becoming a Muslim. As soon as he heard me, he entered the room. Then I went to the house of a great chief of the Quraysh (perhaps Abu Jahl is alluded to) and informed him also of the matter. But he entered the room.

Ibn Hisham and Ibn Jawzi narrate that when Umar (ra) became a Muslim he went to Jamil bin Ma'mar Jumahi. He was famous among the Quraish for preaching any word or information to people or drumming. Umar told him that he had become a Muslim. As soon as he heard this, he came out of the house and began to announce in a very loud voice that Umar son of Khattab had become unbelievers.

Umar was behind him. He immediately replied: "This man is lying. I did not become a non-believer but became a Muslim." However, the crowd pounced on him and a fight ensued. A large crowd on one side and Omar on the other. The beating continued. The fight went on for so long that the sun almost came over the head. Omar sat down tired. People were standing around him.

Umar (ra) said: 'Do whatever you like.' God's oath! After saying if we were three hundred in number, they became more angry and agitated and engaged in a deep conspiracy to attack the house of Umar (ra) and kill him - as narrated by Ibn Umar in Sahih Bukhari.

Umar (ra) was staying in the house in a state of fear, fearing the attack of the polytheists: when Abu Amr As bin Wael Sahmi arrived there. She was dressed in a designer zaridar sheet made in Yemen and a dazzling dress e mbellished with silk. He was related to the tribe of Saham and during the Jahili period this tribe pledged to help the tribe of Umar (ra) in times of danger.

He asked: What is the matter?

Umar (ra) said: Your people want to kill me because I am a Muslim.

As said: It is not possible.

Umar (ra) felt some peace in his mind, some satisfaction after hearing the words of As.

Then he returned from there and took the initiative to meet the people. The entire valley was buzzing with crowds. He asked the people at the forefront of the general crowd: Where are you going?

They replied: 'We are going to arrange something for Khattab's son. As said: Because he is not an unbeliever. There is no way to go there. As soon as they heard this, the crowd stopped advancing and went back to their previous position.

In one of Ibn Ishaq's narrations - 'By Allah! They looked as if they were all one cloth thrown over them.

The conversion of Umar (ra) to Islam led to a situation for the polytheists which has been discussed earlier. On the other hand, it will be possible to get a guess or some idea about the condition of the Muslims, besides this, from the next incident discussed.

On the authority of Mujahid Ibn Abbas (ra): I asked Umar bin Khattab, why was your surname 'Farooq'?

Then he said to me, Hamza (ra) became a Muslim three days before me.

Then he narrated the events of his acceptance of Islam and finally said: "When I became a Muslim I said: "O Messenger of Allah! Are we not founded on truth, whether we live or die?"

The Prophet - said: 'Certainly! By the One in whose hand is my life, whether you live or die, you stand on the truth.'

Umar (ra) said: Then I looked at everyone and said, what is the need for secrecy? By the One who sent you with truth! We must go out and avoid secrecy.

Then we formed two rows and came out with the Messenger between the two rows. Hamza (ra) was at the head of one row, and I was at the head of the other row.

A light dust was rising from the road as we walked. Going like this, we went to Masjidul Haram and entered.

Umar (ra) said, "When the Quraysh saw me and Hamza with the Muslims, they were so sad and pained in their hearts that such a thing had never happened before." On that day the Prophet gave me the title "Farooq".

Ibn Mas'ud (ra) said, "We did not dare to go to the Ka'bah and pray until Umar (ra) embraced Islam."

Suhaib bin Senan Rumi narrated: From the day Umar (ra) accepted Islam, Islam came out of the secret chamber to the outside world. From that day it became possible to preach openly and call people to religion openly.

It has been said from the previous sources - 'We sat in a circle next to the house of Allah and circumambulated the house of Allah. Those who wronged us, we took revenge and protested against their wrongdoing.

Narration of Ibn Mas'ud

From the day Umar (ra) became a Muslim we became equally strong as the polytheists and were able to live with dignity.

Quraish representative to the Prophet (ﷺ).

Since the conversion of the two honorable and illustrious heroes Hamza bin Abdul Muttalib and Umar bin Khattab (ra) to Islam, the level of injustice and oppression of the polytheists gradually decreased and the application of judgment instead of brutality and meanness in dealing with the Muslims became visible.

In this context, instead of resorting to harshness and cruelty to discourage the Prophet from his Da'wah and Tabligh work, he devised a new strategy to discourage him from preaching by showing the lure of providing him with money, power, leadership, beautiful women, etc.

But those unfortunate people did not know that their proposal did not carry the status of a straw compared to the invitation and Tabligh of the Prophet (ﷺ). Because of this, they have to fail in this plan as well.

Ibn Ishaq quoted the narration of Muhammad bin Ka'b al-Qurazi through Yazid bin Ziyad that one day the Prophet (ﷺ) was standing alone in a place in Masjid al-Haram. At that time, Utba bin Rabiyyah - who was the head of the tribe - addressed the Quraish in a meeting and said - 'O Quraish! Why I will not go to Muhammad and I will not present anything to him! Maybe he will accept something from us. But we will dissuade him from his campaign by giving him whatever he takes.

This is about the time when Hamza became a Muslim and the polytheists were seeing that the number of Muslims was increasing day by day.

The polytheists said: 'Abul Waleed! You go and talk to him. Then Utbah went from there and sat near the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'Nephew, you know the status and place you have in our tribe and the honor of the clan. Now you have brought a big issue to your clan which has caused a rift among the various people of the clan. You have made their intelligence to face stupidity. By exposing the faults of their idols and their religion, you declare the dead ancestors to be 'Kafir'. In view of these various problems, I am presenting a few things to you, pay attention to them. It may happen that something will appeal to you and you will accept it.

He said to the Prophet: 'Nephew, if it is for the purpose of what you have come with and what you have been saying to the people that you want to acquire some wealth through it, then We will gather so much wealth for you that, You will become the owner of the most wealth among us. Or if you want that, you want dignity, influence and prestige, then we will hand over our leadership to you and we will not solve any problem or give verdict without you. If it so happens that you want to be a king, then we make you our emperor. Moreover, if the one who comes to you is a jinn or a ghost whom you see but you are unable to resist his evil influence by yourself, then we will arrange for your treatment and we will spend the necessary amount until you are fully cured. Because, sometimes it also happens that the jinn-ghost dominate the people and for this reason treatment becomes necessary.

Utbah began to speak these words in unison and the Prophet (ﷺ) listened to them with keen attention. When he finished speaking, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Abul Waleed, have you finished speaking? He said: 'Yes.' The Prophet said: 'Very well, now listen to me.' He said - 'Okay, I will listen.' The Prophet said-

I begin In the name of Allah most Gracious most Merciful. Ha, Meem. [This is] a revelation from the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. A Book whose verses have been detailed, an Arabic Quran for a people who know. As a giver of good tidings and a warner; but most of them turn away, so they do not hear. And they say, "Our hearts are within coverings [screened] from that to which you invite us, and in our ears is deafness, and between us and you is a partition, so work; indeed, we are working." (Surah Fussilat: Verses 1-5)

The Prophet (ﷺ) continued to recite and Utbah listened with his hands on the ground behind his back. When the Prophet reached the verse of prostration, he prostrated and said: Abul Waleed, you have heard what you needed to hear, now you know and your actions know.

Utba got up from there and went straight to his friends. Seeing him coming, the polytheists began to say to each other, "By Allah! Abul Waleed is not coming to you with the same face that he went with."

Then when Abul Waleed sat near them, they asked: 'Abul Waleed what is the news behind?

He said: 'The back story is that I have heard something that I have never heard before. By Allah, that word is neither poetry nor magic. O Quraysh! Take my word and leave it to me. In my opinion, leave the person on his own terms. Be separate. By God! The words I heard from his mouth would lead to something very serious. And if an Arab kills him, then your work will be completed by another. But if this person is able to prevail over the Arabs, then his reign will indeed be your reign. His existence or survival will be most beneficial to you.

The people said: 'Abul Waleed! By Allah, his magic has worked on you too. Utbah said: Whatever you think, I have informed you of my opinion about it. Now do what you think is best.

According to another narration, Utbah listened in silence when the Prophet began the recitation. Then when the Prophet recited this verse:

Then if they turn away, say: I am warning you of a devastating punishment like the people of Aad and Thamud.

On hearing this, Utbah stood up trembling with fear and placed his hand on the Prophet's (ﷺ) mouth and said: 'I am asking by Allah and reminding him of the matter of kinship that this should not be done.

He was afraid that the fear shown by the Prophet (ﷺ) would actually come. He then went to the assembled polytheists and had the aforesaid conversation with them.

Abu Talib's initiative to unite Banu Hashem and Banu Muttalib

There was some change in the trend of the situation. The surrounding environment and the glimpse of change gradually became clear. But Abu Talib's fear was still evident. He was still troubled by the prospect of danger to his nephew from the polytheists. Because the polytheists had previously argued with him face to face and threatened to take extreme measures. In addition, they offered to hand over Umara Bin Waleed in exchange for his nephew to kill him. In addition, Abu Jahl tried to crush his nephew's head with a large stone. Uqba Bin Abu Muayir tried to kill him by tying a sheet around his neck. Khattab's son went to kill him with a bare sword.

When Abu Talib thought about the above-mentioned events, his heart began to beat. In view of all these events, his belief was strengthened that the polytheists were determined to destroy his pledge and kill his nephew. In that situation, God forbid, if a polytheist suddenly attacks the Prophet, then what will they do, be it Hamza, Umar or any other person?

Abu Talib could never take the matter lightly as the polytheists had publicly announced the killing of the Prophet. In addition, because one verse hints at the matter, he continues to attach more importance to it. The verse is-

Now the question is what Abu Talib was supposed to do in the context of the above events?

When Abu Talib saw that the Quraish were generally opposed to his nephew in all respects, he united the clans of Hashem and Muttalib, the two sons of his great-grandfather Abd Manaf. Then he urged them by saying that until now he had looked after and helped his nephew alone, but in the context of the changed situation, since it was no longer possible for him to fulfill that responsibility alone, he requested everyone to fulfill that responsibility collectively.

Abu Talib's request was accepted by all of those two families in view of the tribalism of the Arab society. But Abu Talib's brother Abu Lahab did not accept it and announced that he would work together with the Quraish polytheists and help them.

Total boycott

A complete boycott of the Prophet and his tribe

In just four weeks or less, the polytheists had to experience four major shocks and unexpected turns in the course of events. In the first stage, the acceptance of Islam by Hamza (ra), in the second stage, the acceptance of Islam by Umar (ra), in the third stage, the proposal of partial acceptance and rejection of religious rituals by the Prophet was directly rejected, in the fourth stage, the Muslims and Kafirs of Banu Hashem and Banu Muttalib Pledge to help the Prophet collectively. Because of these things the polytheists were almost bewildered and that was normal for them. For it was then clear to them that if they proceeded to kill Muhammad, the valley of Makkah would be stained with the blood of the polytheists for his protection. They may even be wiped out altogether.Because of this, they abandoned the plan of killing and resorted to a method of torture - which was the most brutal of the tortures conducted so far.

Pledge of the polytheists to persecute the Muslims

According to the said decision, the polytheists gathered inside Khaif Bani Kenana in the Naq Valley of 'Muhassab' and unanimously pledged that all trade, social activities, economic exchange, skill exchange etc. with Banu Hashem and Banu Muttalib will be stopped. No one can accept their daughter or give their daughter (in marriage). No one is allowed to get up, walk, talk, socialize, travel home etc with them. This ban will remain in force until the Prophet (ﷺ) is handed over to them to be killed.

The polytheists executed a pledge as a document of the boycott, promising never to accept any offer of treaty from the Banu Hashim, nor to show them any courtesy. This pledge will remain in force until they hand over the Messenger to the polytheists to kill him.

According to Ibn Qayyum's narration, the pledge was written by 'Mansoor bin Iqrama bin Amer bin Hashem'. Some have mentioned that the pledge was written by 'Nazar bin Harith'. But the correct thing is that the correct author of the pledge was 'Bugayez bin Amer bin Hashem'. The Prophet cursed him as a result of which his hand became paralyzed.

However, when this pledge was accepted unanimously, all the people of Banu Hashem and Banu Muttalib, whether infidels or Muslims, panicked and took refuge in the hill of Shiabe Abu Talib. This incident took place in the seventh year of the Prophet and at the beginning of the month of Muharram on the night of the moon.

The internal situation of Shiabe Abu Talib

As a result of the boycott of the polytheists, the condition of the people of Banu Hashem and Banu Muttalib became very difficult and without company. The import of food grains and other essential commodities and the supply of beverages were stopped. Because food grains and other essentials that came to Makkah, the Mushiraks hurriedly bought them. Because of this, the condition of the besieged in the hills became very pathetic. Due to lack of food they were forced to eat leaves, skin etc. Sometimes they had to starve. The state of starving was such that when the innocent children and women were restless with hunger and cried out piteously, the cries could be heard from outside the hills.

It was almost impossible to reach goods to them in the hills, and what was reached was very secretive. They could not buy essentials at any other time except during the Haram months. But the merchants and people of Makkah would increase the price of all those things so much that it would be beyond the purchasing power of the hill dwellers.

Hakeem bin Hizam, the nephew of Khadijah (ra), sometimes sent wheat for his mother-in-law. One day he met Abu Jahl. He tried to prevent him from taking food grains, but Abul Bokhtari intervened and only helped him to send food to his mother-in-law.

Meanwhile, Abu Talib was always worried about the Prophet (ﷺ). For his safety, when people slept in their own beds, he advised the Prophet to sleep in his own bed, so that if someone wanted to kill him, he should see where he slept. Then when people fell asleep he would change his bed.

The pledge of the polytheists is destroyed

Three long years passed in that indescribable crisis. Then in the month of Muharram of the 10th year of the Prophet, the written pledge was torn up and efforts were made to end the persecution. This was because from the beginning some of the Quraish were in favor of the pledge and some were against it. Those who were against were always looking for opportunities to nullify or destroy it. After two years had passed through many sacrifices and hardships, suddenly, by the grace of God, an opportunity came to destroy that promise.

Its real initiator was a man named 'Hisham bin Amr' from Banu Amer bin Lua'i tribe. In the darkness of the night, this man used to sympathize with the people of Banu Hashem by secretly sending food grain inside the Shi'a Abu Talib Giri mountain. One day this person went to Juhayr bin Abu Umayyah Makhumi. Zuhayr's mother Ateqa was the daughter of Abdul Muttalib and the niece of Abu Talib. He addressed Zuhayr and said: Zuhayr, how do you bear it, that we are eating with satisfaction, wearing good clothes and Banu Hashem is living without food, clothes, money. You know very well the current state of your Mothers clan.

Hearing the words full of emotion and sadness, Juhayer said in a pain-ridden voice - every word is right, but what can I do alone in this matter? But yes, if I had someone with me, I would definitely try my best to tear the pledge.

Juhayr said: Well, then look for a third person.

In view of the said situation, Hisham went to 'Mutayim bin Adir'. Mu'tayim was among the children of Abde Manaf by the relationship of Banu Hashem and Banu Muttalib.

After Hisham reprimanded them by referring to their tribal relationship, Banu Hashem also mentioned the great suffering of Banu Muttalib and said: How can you support the Quraish after knowing so much of the suffering of your clansmen?

Mutayim said: 'All is well, but what can I alone do in this matter?
Hisham said: 'There is one more.
Mutayim asked: 'Who is he?
Hisham said: 'It is I, I am that person.
Mutayim said: 'Then look for a third person.
Hisham said: I did that too.
Mutayim said: Who is he?
Hisham replied: 'Zuhayr bin Abu Umayyah.
Mutayim said: Well, now look for the fourth person.
In view of this, Hisham bin Amr went to 'Abul Bokhtari bin Hisham' and spoke to him in the same way as he had spoken to Mutayim.
Abu Bokhtari said: 'Is there anyone who supports it?
Hisham said: Yes.
Abu Bokhtari asked - who?
Hisham said: 'Zuhayr bin Abu Umayyah, Mutayim bin Adi and I.
He said: 'Well, all right, but now look for the 5th person.

Thus Hisham went to Jamaya bin Aswad bin Muttalib bin Asad and conversed with him reminding him of the kinship of Banu Hashem and their dues. He said: 'Well, is there anyone else who supports the work you are calling me for?

Hisham responded with a 'yes' sign and said everyone's name. Then they all came together to Hazun and pledged that the Quraish pledge must be torn up. Juhayr said: I will be the first to open my mouth in this matter.

As previously said, everyone attended the gathering the next morning. A pair of clothes appeared well tied on Yuhay's body. First he circumambulated Baitullah seven times. Then he addressed the assembled people and said: O people of Makkah. We will eat and drink to our heart's content, wear fine clothing and Banu Hashem will perish. Trading with them has been stopped. By God! I cannot sit by until that unjust and oppressive pledge is torn up.

Abu Jahl was sitting at one end of the Haram in the mosque. He said: You are wrong. By God! That pledge can never be broken. In response, Jamra bin Aswad said, By Allah! You are more wrong. What pledge! We had no agreement to write it. We were not satisfied with it. On the other hand, Abul Bokhtari cooperated and said: Jamaya is right. We did not agree to what was written in that undertaking and we are not bound to abide by it.

Hearing all these conversations, Abu Jahl said: I understand, I understand, these things were discussed and decided last night and the advice regarding this was done elsewhere except this place.

At that time, Abu Talib was also present at one end of the Holy Haram. The reason for his arrival was that Allah informed the Prophet about the pledge that Allah had sent for it a kind of worm - which destroyed all the words of the pledge which was unjust and oppressive and destroyed kinship and only the name of Allah remained.

The Prophet told this to his uncle Abu Talib and he too came to Masjid Haram to tell the Quraysh.

Abu Talib looked at the Quraysh and said: My nephew has received news from Allah that all the writings of your covenant have been destroyed by insects sent by Allah. It contains only the name of Allah. My nephew has sent me to convey this news to you. If his words are proved to be false then I will withdraw from him and you. Then do whatever you want. But if his words are proved to be true, then you have to refrain from the injustice-torture you have been doing to us through boycott.

Hearing Abu Talib, the Quraysh said: 'You are talking about justice. Meanwhile, when the war of words between Abu Jahl and the people ended, Mutayim bin Adi stood up to tear down the pledge. After taking it in hand, it was indeed found that some kind of worm had completely destroyed the writings. Only the words 'Bismika Allahumma' remain and where Allah's name was written only those writings remain. Worms did not eat them.

The pledge was then torn up and the boycott ended. Rasulullah and all the others came out from Shiabe Abu Talib. The polytheists were astonished to witness a special sign of Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but despite this there was no change in their behavior. Which is mentioned in this verse-

And if they see miracles, they argue and say that it is magic. (Surah Qamar: Verse-2)

The last Quraish delegation to Abu Talib

After coming out of the hill, the Prophet once again started the work of calling and Tabligh.

On the other hand, the polytheists avoided the boycott, but continued to put pressure on the Muslims in various ways and create obstacles in the way of Allah, as before.

Abu Talib continued to help his nephew at the risk of his life as before and took every possible precaution for his safety. But now he is very old. For the past few years he had spent his days in various perils, and especially in the mountains of Giri, for three years confined in indescribable privations, and his strength was almost exhausted and his back was bent. After coming out of the prison life in the hills, he became very ill due to these various reasons.

At that time, the polytheists thought that if Abu Talib died and they wronged his nephew again, it would bring them great disrepute. For this reason, a decision should be made about Muhammad while Abu Talib was still alive. He may also grant some concessions in this regard: which he was never willing to grant before.

Following these thoughts, a Quraysh delegation came to Abu Talib and this was the last such delegation to him.

According to the narrations of Ibn Ishaq and others, when Abu Talib was bedridden and his condition was deteriorating day by day, the Quraysh started whispering to each other that Hamza and Umar had become Muslims, and the religion of Muhammad had spread among the various Quraysh tribes. So let us go to Abu Talib and ask him for a pledge to prevent his nephew from propagating his religion and make a pledge that no harm will come from our side. Because we are very afraid and terrified that if Muhammad (ﷺ) continues his preaching like this, people will accept his religion and everything will go out of our control.

In another narration, the Quraysh were quoted as saying that we fear that if old Abu Talib dies and then there is a conflict with Muhammad (ﷺ), the people of Arabia will condemn us and say that they have abandoned Muhammad (ﷺ). (ie could not do anything against him). But when his uncle fell to his death, they attacked him.

However, this delegation of Quraysh reached Abu Talib and discussed and exchanged views with him on various related matters. This delegation consisted of notables and nobles from among the Quraysh. Among the particularly notable ones were Utbah bin Rabiyyah, Shayba bin Rabiyyah, Abu Jahl Bani Hisham, Umayyah bin Khalaf and Abu Sufyan bin Harb. There were total twenty five members in this delegation.

The delegation came to the old Abu Talib and said to him, O Abu Talib! You are well aware of the position of dignity you hold among us and the condition you are currently passing through is also clear to you. We are afraid as you are going through the last phase of your life. Meanwhile, you are also aware of the conflict and disagreement between us and your nephew. We want you to call him and take a pledge from us about him and from him about us. For the purpose of this pledge we shall be separate from him and he from us. In other words, he will not interfere in our religion and we will not interfere in his religion.

Following the discussion with the Quraysh delegation, Abu Talib summoned the Messenger of Allah and said: 'Dear nephew! You must be aware that these are your own national dignitaries. They are gathered here for you. They want that, they will make some promises to you and also you have to make some promises to them. In other words, they will not sneer at you regarding religion and you will not sneer at them.

In reply, the Prophet (ﷺ) addressed his delegation and said - 'If I present a proposal which, if accepted, will become the emperor of the whole of Arabia. And the non-Arabs will be subordinates, then tell me what you think about it.

In some narrations, it is said that the Prophet addressed his uncle Abu Talib and said, 'Uncle! I seek from them their recognition and support of a proposal which, if accepted, would make the whole Arab world subject to them and forced to live by paying taxes.'

Another narration mentions this, the Prophet said: Uncle! Why do you not call them to words - that which is indeed good for them?

According to the narration of Ibn Ishaq, the Prophet said to them - Accept only one thing - by which you will become the emperor of the Arabs and non-Arabs will become your subordinates.

When they heard this from the mouth of the Prophet (ﷺ), they became completely silent and speechless and seemed to be bewildered. The thought that they could gain so much if they accepted just one word of Muhammad completely occupied their minds and brains. They thought to themselves that if there is so much profit in just one word, how can they leave it?

Abu Jahl said: 'Well, you say, what exactly is that? By your father! If the word is true then why one, we are ready to accept ten.'

The Prophet said: 'Say La-ilaha illallahu and avoid those whom you worship besides Allah.'

In view of the words of the Prophet (ﷺ), they clapped their hands and said: 'Muhammad, what you want is that we accept only one God instead of all God. In fact, your attitude is very surprising.' Then they said to each other, By Allah! This person is not ready to obey a single word of yours. So go and stick to the religion handed down from our forefathers until Allah makes a settlement between us and Him. Then they went to their respective destinations.

After that incident these verses of the Quran were revealed for those people - (Swad - 38)

1. Swad. By the Quran containing reminder.
2. But those who disbelieve are in pride and dissension.
3. How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they [then] called out; but it was not a time for escape.
4. And they wonder that there has come to them a warner [Prophet Muhammad] from among themselves. And the disbelievers say, "This is a magician and a liar.
5. Has he made the gods [only] one God? Indeed, this is a curious thing."
6. And the eminent among them went forth, [saying], "Continue, and be patient over [the defense of] your gods. Indeed, this is a thing intended.
7. We have not heard of this in the latest religion. This is not but a fabrication.

Year of mourning

Death of Abu Talib

Abu Talib's illness gradually increased due to old age, anxiety, irregularity, etc. and he eventually died. He died in the month of Rajab of the 10th year of Prophethood.

There is disagreement among the biographers as to the month in which Abu Talib died. I prefer the month of Rajab because most historians agree that his death occurred six months after his release from the cave. The siege began on the first day of the month of Muharram, 7th Nababi. As such, the death occurred on the 10th Nababi year.

A different opinion in this regard is that when he was present at the time of Khadija's death, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to him. Abu Jahl was also present there. The Prophet said - 'Uncle! You recite La-ilaha illallahu kalama just once - so that I can present it before Allah as evidence on the Day of Judgment.'

Abu Jahl and Abdullah bin Umayyah said, Abu Talib, will you turn away from the religion of Abdul Muttalib in the end?

Then both of them continued to talk to him incessantly. The last thing Abu Talib said was - 'On the religion of Abdul Muttalib.'

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'I will continue to ask forgiveness for you until I am prevented.'

It is in this context that the verse of the Quran was revealed: "It is not fitting for the Prophet and the believers to ask forgiveness for the polytheists, even if they are close relatives. When it is clear that they will surely be in Hell." (At-Tawbah: 113)

Furthermore this verse was also revealed - 'You do not have the power to guide whomever you like.' (Qasas: 56)

It is needless to say here that Abu Talib saved the Prophet with all his might and from the injustice and oppression of the infidels-polytheists. He was a veritable bulwark in the defense of the Islamic movement against the attacks of the tyrannical polytheists of Mecca. But even after doing so much for the Messenger of Allah and Islam, because he could not believe in the Tawheed of Allah by overcoming the influence of shirk inherited from generation to generation, he remained deprived of the success that was at the doorstep. Narrated in Sahih Bukhari on the authority of Abbas Ibn Abdul Muttalib. He asked the Messenger of Allah - will you benefit your uncle?

Because he was ready to fight with his enemies for the protection and security of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Narrated Abu Saeed Khudri (ra): Once the Prophet (ﷺ) was presented with a discussion about his uncle Abu Talib. According to the source of discussion, he said - 'Perhaps my intercession will benefit him on the Day of Judgment and he will be placed in a shallow place in Hell - which will only reach up to the ankles of his two feet.

The death of Khadijah (ra).

Two months after the death of Abu Talib (according to some sources, only three days later), Umm al-Mu'minin Khadijat al-Kubra (may Allah be pleased with her) passed away. She died in the month of Ramadan in the tenth year of the Prophethood. She was 65 years old at the time of her death. Our Prophet was then in his 50th year of life.

Khadijah (ra) was a special blessing of Allah in the life of the Prophet (ﷺ). For twenty-five long years, she accompanied the Prophet (ﷺ), provided him with care, gave him courage and strength in times of trouble, provided him with wealth and wealth in times of need, and provided him with inspiration and advice in times of need for meditation and knowledge. Her outstanding contribution to the germination of the seeds of Islam and the nurturing of the new Islam is unparalleled in the history of Islam.

Speaking about Khadijah (ra), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When people disbelieved in me, she believed in me, when people denied me, she acknowledged my truthfulness, when people deprived me, she shared her wealth with me. Allah gave me children in her womb, and He did not give children in the wombs of any other woman."

It was narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Abu Hurairah (ra). Gabriel (as) came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: O Messenger of Allah! This is Khadijah (ra). She has a vessel with her. In it is some food or drink. When she comes to you, greet her from her Lord and give her the good news of a palace made of the finest materials in Paradise. There will be no commotion or noise, no fatigue or weariness.

Sadness upon sadness

The death of his beloved uncle Abu Talib and the death of his beloved wife, Umm al-Mu'minin Khadija (ra) - these two tragic and painful events took place within a very short period of time. The far-reaching consequences of these two deaths began to be reflected in the life of the Prophet (ﷺ). On the one hand, a shadow of deep sorrow spread over his life, on the other hand, he was deprived of the guardianship of a very influential guardian and the unwavering love and companionship of his wife.

The death of his uncle increased the courage of the polytheists. They began to persecute the Prophet and the Muslims in various ways. On the one hand, the loss of his beloved family members, the pain and suffering, on the other hand, the persecution of the infidels and polytheists, despite having the patience of a mountain, made the Prophet's life sad, troubled and full of despair.

In the midst of despair, he set out on his journey to Taif with some hope - if the people there would accept his invitation, or help him a little in his calling and preaching, or give him some shelter, and help him against his people. But far from accepting his invitation, sheltering him, or helping him; rather, he was treated so cruelly and subjected to such physical torture that it surpassed all previous examples of torture. This matter will be discussed in detail later.

Meanwhile, the polytheists in Mecca continued to oppress and torture the Prophet and his followers, just as they had been doing before. Not only that, but the level of torture increased so much that even a very patient and tolerant person like Abu Bakr (ra) became fed up with the oppression and, seeing no other option, left Mecca for Abyssinia. But on the way, when he reached a place called 'Barake Gamad', he met Ibn Dagana. He assured him of his safety and brought him back to Mecca under his protection.

Ibn Ishaq narrated that when Abu Talib died, the Quraysh inflicted such hardship on the Prophet that he could not have imagined during Abu Talib's lifetime. The following is an incident mentioned.

One day, a foolish Quraysh infidel came before the Prophet (ﷺ) and threw dirt on his head. He returned in that state. After returning home, one of his daughters washed the dirt and cleaned it. While washing it, she was crying. The Prophet said to comfort her: 'Mother, do not cry. Allah is the Guardian of your father.'

At that time, he also said, "As long as my uncle Abu Talib was alive, the Quraysh had never treated me so badly - which was beyond my tolerance."

Due to the continuous hardships faced by the Prophet (peace be upon him), he named that year 'Amul Huzan', meaning the year of sorrow and hardship. That year is famous in history by this name.

In the month of Shawwal of the 10th year of Prophethood, the Prophet married Sawda bint Zamzah (ra). This woman became a Muslim in the early stages of Prophethood. She also migrated to Abyssinia (Abyssinia) during the second migration. Her previous husband's name was 'Saqaran bin Amr'. He was also an early Muslim and Sawda (ra) migrated to Abyssinia with him. Sawda's first husband died in Abyssinia. However, some believe that he died after returning to Mecca.

Later, when her waiting period was over, the Prophet sent her a marriage proposal. Then they were married.

This woman was the second wife of the Prophet (ﷺ). After a few years, she gave her turn to Aisha (ra).

The patience and steadfastness of Muslims

The great scholars and wise men of the world, deeply understanding the indescribable suffering, torture and oppression that those who became Muslims in the first few years had to face, and how they nurtured the new Islam and continued its development with extraordinary patience and tolerance, sacrifice and hardship, courage and determination, mutual cooperation and compassion, and perseverance, in some cases at the cost of their lives, in some cases at the risk of their lives, on the one hand, they were shocked with amazement, and on the other hand, they were amazed and fascinated by their steadfast devotion to the truth, sense of duty, and steadfastness in action. At the same time, the question arises in their minds as to why this impossible feat was possible for them. I feel it necessary to shed some light on what the correct answer to this question of countless people could be, and I present the following discussion:

1. Unwavering faith in Allah: In the context of the above question, the first and most important of the possible answers is a deep faith in Allah, the Lord of the entire universe, and a correct and clear understanding of His existence, wisdom, and power. Because when the believer's heart is illuminated, enlivened, and delighted by the clear concept of Tawhid and the light of Tawhid, even mountain-sized obstacles seem as insignificant as dry grass in front of him. A believer who has the rare fortune of possessing mature and firm faith and strong certainty does not consider any of the world's greatest problems, no matter how terrifying and frightening, to be a threat. This is why the liveliness of the believer's soul and the joy of a generous and open heart never care about the man-made suffering or pain of the foolish and inferior classes. As it is stated in the Quran:

What is waste is thrown away, and what benefits mankind remains on the earth. (Surah Ar-Ra'd: Verse 17)

Then, from this one cause, countless causes come into existence that further strengthen that patience, tolerance, and steadfastness.

2. The visionary leadership of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ): It is a well-known and unanimously agreed upon fact that the Prophet was a glorious leader and wise guide for the Muslim Ummah in particular and for humanity in general. In body, mind, leadership, courtesy, and good conduct, he was a good role model for all people of all ages. With his unique physical beauty, spiritually perfect character, humble nature, generous and open disposition, righteous actions, extraordinary scholarship, growth and eloquence, he was such a personality - in whose presence or company people were automatically influenced to return again and again and were eager to dedicate themselves to his service.

There is ample evidence to show that the Prophet (ﷺ)'s (ﷺ) virtues of humility, truthfulness, tolerance, compassion, trustworthiness, cleanliness, etc., were such that even his enemies, let alone his friends, could not disbelieve any of his statements or promises. Here is an incident that is mentioned.

Once, three people from the Quraysh gathered together - who had listened to the Quran recitation separately, one without the other knowing it. But later, the secret information of each of them was revealed. One of those three was Abu Jahl.

Later, when the three men gathered, one of them said to Abu Jahl, "Tell me your opinion about what you heard from Muhammad."

Abu Jahl said: 'What else have I heard? The truth is that we and Banu Abd Manaf have been competing with each other in respect of honor and dignity. As they feed the poor and needy We feed them. We also give them charity like them. Now we and they are competing with each other in everything and are running like two horses competing in a competitive race. Now they have started saying a new thing that there is a prophet among them to whom divine messages are sent down from the sky. So tell me, how can we reach them? By Allah, we will not believe in that person and we will never call him truthful.

Like we're not calling him a liar, but we consider what he brought to be false.

But they do not call you a liar, but the wrongdoers deny the verses of Allah. (Surah An-Nam: Verse-33)

The incident has been mentioned in detail before that one day the infidels cursed the Prophet three times. On the third occasion the Prophet said: O Quraysh! I have come to you with a sacrificial animal.

That word had such an impact on them that the one who was the most hostile among them tried to please the Prophet with the best words.

Similarly, a detailed account of an incident has already been mentioned. The incident was that, intestine was thrown onto the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) while he was in prostration, and when he raised his head and began to make supplications against the thrower, they became completely restless. A wave of fear and anxiety began to sweep over them. They became convinced that they would not be able to survive.

According to another narration, when the Prophet (ﷺ) cursed Utaybah, the son of Abu Lahab, he became convinced that he would never be free from the curse of the Prophet. Just as when he saw a tiger while on a journey to the Sham kingdom, he said, "By Allah! Muhammad has killed me from Mecca."

In another incident, it is mentioned that Ubayy bin Khalaf repeatedly threatened to kill the Prophet. Once the Prophet replied, "(Not you) but I will kill you, if Allah wills, God willing!" Later, when the Prophet struck Ubayy in the neck with a spear in the battle of Uhud, although the wound was very slight, Ubayy kept saying, "Muhammad told me in Mecca that I would kill you. So even if he had spat on me, I would have died."

Thus, once Sa'd bin Mu'adh said to Umayya bin Khalaf in Mecca: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah say, "The Muslims will kill you." From then on, Umayya became very afraid and fear was always present in his heart. So he decided in his heart that he would never go outside Mecca. But during the Battle of Badr, due to the insistence and pressure of Abu Jahl, he was forced to go outside Mecca to participate in the Battle of Badr. However, in order to be able to retreat quickly if necessary, he purchased the fastest camel in Mecca and rode on it to fight.

Meanwhile, his wife, witnessing his preparations for war, interrupted him, saying, "Abu Safwan, have you forgotten what your Yathrib brother said?"

He replied, "No, I haven't forgotten, but by God! I will only go a short distance with them."

This was the condition of the enemies of the Prophet (ﷺ). On the other hand, he was dearer to his companions, companions and friends than their own lives. He was the physician of their thoughts and hearts. The stream of devotion and love that flowed from their hearts flowed towards the Prophet (ﷺ) just as a stream of water flows from high to low, and their souls were attracted to the soul of the Prophet (ﷺ) just as a piece of iron is attracted to a magnet. As it is said:-

The form of the Prophet (ﷺ) was the essence of existence for every human body and was like a magnet for every human heart.

The heavenly stream of love, respect, devotion and affection that always flowed in the hearts of the Companions for the Prophet (ﷺ) is unparalleled anywhere in the history of mankind. The Companions never considered any sacrifice to be too great for the sake of the Prophet (ﷺ). They did not even like the slightest scratch of a nail on the Prophet (ﷺ) or the prick of a thorn on his foot. They were always ready to sacrifice their own lives for him.

One day Abu Bakr Siddique (ra) was beaten very badly. Utbah bin Rabi'ah came to him and started beating him with a shoe with a clasp. He especially targeted his face and sat on his back while beating him. The situation became such that it became difficult to distinguish between his nose and face and he became unconscious. In this state, the people of his tribe, Banu Taymi, wrapped him in a cloth and brought him home. They believed that he would not live any longer. But at the end of the day, words came out of his mouth. At that time, he asked before anything else, what was the condition of the Prophet (ﷺ)?

Hearing his words, the people of Banu Tayyim said to give him something to eat and drink. His mother requested him to eat and drink in private.

But she continued to say the same thing as before - how is the Messenger of Allah? Finally, Umm Khair said: 'I do not know the news of your companion.'

Abu Bakr said: Go to Umm Jamil bin Khattab and ask her.

He went to Umm Jamil and said: 'Abu Bakr wants to know how Muhammad bin Abdullah is doing.'

Umm Jamil said: 'I neither know Muhammad bin Abdullah nor your son. But if you wish, I can go with you to your son.'

Umm Khair said: Very good.

Then Umm Jamil came with him and saw Abu Bakr lying in a very injured and distressed state. Then she approached him and shouted: Those who have put you in this predicament are certainly vile people and inhuman infidels. I hope that Allah will take revenge for this injustice.

Abu Bakr (ra) asked: "What happened to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?" She said: "He is in perfect health."

Where is he?

At Ibn Arqam's house.

Abu Bakr (ra) said: I will not take any food or drink until I appear before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). This is my pledge to Allah.

Then Umm Khair and Umm Jamil stayed there. When the movement of the people stopped and silence fell, Umm Khair and Umm Jamil went out with Abu Bakr (ra). He started walking holding their shoulders and thus they brought him to the service of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Rare incidents of respect, love, dedication, and sacrifice for the Prophet (ﷺ) will be narrated in various places and contexts in this book. They will be mentioned in particular in the events of the Battle of Uhud and the incident of Khobayb.

3. Sense of responsibility: The Companions were clearly aware that this handful of soil, which is called 'man', and the huge and difficult responsibility that has been entrusted to him by Allah, To deviate from it under any circumstances would result in the injustice, oppression and torture of the infidels and polytheists, or in the loss of one's own and the entire humanity, and in the emergence of all kinds of problems, in comparison to which these sufferings and losses are nothing.

4. Belief in the afterlife: One of the most powerful means of strengthening the sense of responsibility and directing action towards the responsibility that Allah has entrusted to man to establish the religion on Allah's earth is belief in the afterlife. The Companions firmly believed that in the afterlife, on the Day of Judgment, they would have to give a detailed account of all their activities in the world before the Lord of the Worlds. The righteous would live in eternal bliss in Paradise, the eternal abode of eternal happiness and peace. On the other hand, the sinners would be cast into Hell, the abode of suffering and pain, and would suffer indescribable pain and suffering.

On the one hand, the Companions were obsessed with the pursuit of virtue and were always engaged in good deeds, hoping to gain Allah's pleasure and Paradise, but on the other hand, they were restless due to the fear of Allah's displeasure and the punishment of Hell. As is mentioned in the following verse:

They do whatever they do with fear in their hearts, because to their Lord they will return. (Surah Al-Muminun -60)

They also had a firm belief that all the wealth, luxury and pleasures of this world were not even equal to the wing of a mosquito compared to what they had in the hereafter. Their belief was so strong that all the problems, suffering, oppression and torture of this world were insignificant in comparison. Therefore, as the level of oppression and torture increased, their faith and tolerance also increased to the same extent - which shocked and astonished the infidels and polytheists or the opposition.

5. The irresistible attraction of the Quran: In the midst of the terrible dangers and calamities caused by the infidels and polytheists, and the darkness of social injustice and decadence, such surahs and verses were revealed, in which evidence was established for the fundamental principles of Islam in a concise yet attractive manner. At that time, along with the above-mentioned rules and regulations, the work of Da'wah and Tabligh was also going on in full swing. In these verses, the followers of Islam were being asked to do all the basic works on the basis of which Allah had indicated the training of mankind regarding the process of building and implementing the most advanced society, that is, the Islamic society. Through these verses, the Muslims were being encouraged to give stability and firmness to their emotions and feelings. As is described in the following verse in the Holy Quran:

Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, "When is the help of Allah?" Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near. (Surah Al-Baqarah: Verse -214)

The Holy Quran also states:

Alif, Lam, Meem. Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. (Surah Ankabut: Verses 1 - 3)

And alongside them, verses were being revealed that gave crushing answers to the questions of the disbelievers and opponents. They were not given any kind of opportunity.

Furthermore, they are told very simply and clearly that if someone persists in deviation and disobedience, the consequences will be very dire. As proof of this, such incidents and historical evidence of past nations are presented, through which it becomes clear what are the customs and laws of Allah regarding His friends and enemies. Then, in addition to fear, mercy and grace are also mentioned. Furthermore, the demand for giving and receiving advice, and for commanding and guiding is also made, so that those who are immersed in manifest error can desist if they wish to.

Indeed, the Quran took Muslims on a journey to a different world, and they were shown various scenes of creation, the grandeur of sovereignty, the magnificence of God, and such dazzling scenes of mercy, kindness, and contentment that contained attraction and pleasure (grace and satisfaction) and the good news of Paradise, the abode of eternal happiness and peace. On the other hand, the condition of the enemies of Muslims, the lawless and disobedient infidel polytheists, was being depicted - which will be presented before the Lord on the Day of Judgment. Their righteous and good deeds will be confiscated and they will be dragged on their faces and thrown into Hell, saying - Taste Hell from now on.

6. Good news of success: In addition to the above, Muslims were aware even before they were persecuted that embracing Islam did not mean getting involved in permanent disputes or becoming victims of losses due to disputes; rather, its true meaning and purpose was to remain steadfast on the path shown by Allah and His Messenger from the very first day of presenting the Islamic call to the ignorant and ending all the wrong paths and methods followed by them.

Another very important goal of this call is to propagate and spread Islamic ideology and Islamic rules in the political arena of the world. To this end, to influence world politics in such a way as to establish the servitude of Allah in particular nations.

This good news has been revealed in the Quran, sometimes in a figurative manner, sometimes in clear language. Yet, despite the signs and hints that the Muslims' right over the entire world was being established, it seemed that the world had become very narrow for the Muslims and that their existence was on the verge of disappearing. While the Muslims were sinking into darkness in such a state of despair, on the other hand, such verses were being revealed - which mentioned the events of the previous prophets and messengers and the detailed accounts of those who told them to be liars. The picture being painted in those verses was exactly the same as the situation of the Muslims and the disbelievers in Mecca. The narration of these events also indicated how, in the context of the situation at that time, the unjust and oppressors were destroyed and how the righteous servants of Allah were given the inheritance of the earth.

Thus, there is a clear indication in those verses that in the future the polytheists living in Mecca will be completely defeated and the Muslims and their Islamic call will be completely successful and will inherit Arabia and the Greater Arabia. Among the verses revealed in the context of various situations, there were also verses that contained the good news of the Muslim's victory. As it is stated in the Holy Quran:

My word has already been decreed concerning My Messenger and My servants that they will certainly be helped and My forces will certainly be victorious. So ignore them for a while and keep an eye on them, they too will soon see. Do they then wish for My punishment to be hastened? When the punishment comes to their doorstep, it is further stated:

Soon this group will be defeated and will turn their backs and flee. (Al-Qamar: Verse-45)

Among the many armies of the disbelievers of all times, this is also the army of the disbelievers of Mecca, which will be defeated there (in Mecca). (Surah Sawad: Verse-11)

It is said about the emigrants to Abyssinia:

Those who emigrated in the way of Allah after being wronged - We will surely give them a good abode in this world, and the reward of the Hereafter is even better. If only they knew. (Surah An-Nahl: Verse-41)

Thus, the disbelievers asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about the incident of Joseph (as), and in response, the following verse was revealed:

Indeed, in the story of Joseph and his brothers there is a sign for those who ask. (Surah Yusuf: Verse-7)

That is, the polytheists of Mecca, who are asking about the incident of Joseph (as) today, will themselves be similarly unsuccessful - just as the brothers of Joseph (as) were unsuccessful - and their condition of maintenance will be the same - as their brothers were. They should learn a lesson from the incident of Joseph (as) and his brothers. And it is necessary to know how the tyrants are defeated.

Referring to the Prophet, the Holy Quran states:

And those who disbelieved said to their messengers, "We will surely expel you from our land, or you will surely return to our religion." Then their Lord revealed to them, "We will surely destroy the wrongdoers." And "We will surely make you dwell in the land after them. That is for him who fears My presence and fears My punishment." (Surah Ibrahim: 13-14)

Similarly, when the war between Persia and Rome was about to break out, and the infidels and polytheists wanted the Persians to win, because the Persians were polytheists. But the Muslims wanted the Romans to win, because the Romans were supposed to believe in Allah's angels, prophets, revelations, heavenly books, and the Day of Judgment. But when the Persians had advanced a long way on the path to victory, Allah gave the good news that the Romans would be victorious in a few years. But not considering that good news enough, He also gave the good news that Allah would provide special help to the Muslims on the eve of the Romans victory - so that they would be satisfied.

As it has been said—

On that Day, the believers will also be satisfied with Allah's special help. (Surah Ar-Rum: Verses 4-5)

This help of Allah was later manifested in the great success and victory achieved in the Battle of Badr. The Prophet himself encouraged the Muslims by giving similar good news. For example, during the Hajj, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to go to the markets of 'Majinnah' and 'Zulmaja' to preach among the people. At that time, he would not only give the good news of Paradise; but he would also declare in clear language -

O people! Recite the Kalima 'La ilaha illallah', then you will be successful, as a result of which you will be able to become the emperor of Arabia and the Ajam will become subject to you. Then you will enter Paradise after death.

This incident has been narrated before. The point is that when Utbah bin Rabi'ah offered the Prophet (ﷺ) worldly goods in exchange for a trade, and in response, the Prophet recited the verses of Surah Ha-Meem as Sajdah, Utbah became convinced that Muhammad (ﷺ) would ultimately be victorious.

Similarly, the details of the conversation that the Prophet (ﷺ) had with the last representatives of the Quraysh who had come to Abu Talib have already been given. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) also told the polytheists in an unequivocal voice that if they accepted just one word from him, their empire would be established in the entire Arab world and the non-Arabs would become their subjects.

Khabbab bin Arat said: I was once present in the service of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He was lying in the shade of the Kaaba with a sheet as a pillow under his head. At that time, we were being severely persecuted by the polytheists. I said, "Why don't you pray to Allah?" Upon hearing this, the face of the Prophet (ﷺ) turned red. He immediately said, "Those who passed away before you did not even have flesh or bones on their bodies. Those who had flesh on their bodies had their flesh and muscles combed with iron combs. But despite being so tortured and oppressed, they never lost patience."

Then he said, "Allah will perfect this matter, that is, the religion, God willing. Even from Sana'a to Hazra Maut, a rider will not fear anyone except Allah. But for a goat, there will be fear of a tiger."

Another narration also says, "But you are hurrying." However, it can be said that nothing about this good news was hidden. The infidels, like the Muslims, were aware of these matters.

Because of their knowledge of all this, when Aswad bin Muttalib and his friends saw the Companions, they would mockingly say to one another, "Look, the emperor of the world has arrived. He will soon defeat emperor of Kisra." Saying these things, they would clap their hands and hiss mockingly.

At that time, the injustice, oppression, and humiliation inflicted on the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) had reached its peak in both scope and extent. But despite all this, the sure hope of attaining Paradise and the good news of a bright future drove everything away and removed everything from the minds of the Muslims like clouds tossed and driven away by a gust of wind in a storm.

In addition, the Prophet continuously provided spiritual nourishment to the Muslims through religious teachings, provided spiritual purification through the teachings of the Book and wisdom, and provided very subtle and timely advice and guidance. Moreover, by acquiring qualities such as self-respect, physical and mental purity, sweetness of character and purity of character, tolerance, restraint, unwavering devotion to truth and justice, hatred of untruth and injustice, and uncompromising struggle, he prepared the Companions in such a way that they could ignite like a spark of fire in times of need.

Above all, when He brought them out of the darkness of ignorance and brought them into the radiant wilderness of guidance, the difference between their previous life and their new life became as clear as the darkness of night and the light of day. The infinite glory and vision of the Creator, the infinite expansion and diversity of the boundless world, the path and path of the infinite possibilities of human life, and the realization of the great truth regarding the success of the hereafter were revealed before their insight.

In light of the above, a unified consciousness was created within each companion, through which they acquired the miraculous ability to endure hardships, control emotions, change their tendencies, develop self-confidence, fulfill their responsibilities with devotion, and accept the pleasure of Allah as the only path in life. They devoted themselves to building a life that is unmatched anywhere.

The call to Islam outside the city of Mecca

Proclaiming Islam outside Mecca The Prophet's (ﷺ) Journey to Taif In the tenth year of his prophethood, in the month of Shawwal, 619 A.D., the Prophet went to Taif. Taif is located approximately sixty miles from Mecca. He covered this distance on foot. He was accompanied by his freed slave, Zayd bin Harith. He would extend the invitation to Islam to the tribes or clans he met along the way. But no one from any tribe responded to his call.

He went to Taif and met three leaders of the Thaqif tribe, all of whom were brothers. Their names were Abd al-Yalayl, Mas'ud and Habib. The fathers of the three brothers were Abd al-Yalayl, and he invited them to help him. One of them replied:

If you are the Messenger of Allah, then tear open the curtain of the Kaaba.

This saying is similar to an Urdu expression: "If you are a prophet, may Allah destroy me." The meaning of this saying is to firmly state that it is not possible for you to be a prophet, to raise your hand to tear open the curtain of the Kaaba.

The second one said: Didn't Allah find anyone other than you to send as a prophet?

The third said, "Keep what you did and said a secret."

The Prophet stayed in Taif for ten days. During this time, he met with the leading people and presented the invitation to Islam. But everyone's answer was the same - 'You leave our city.'

As a result, he prepared to return from there with a broken heart. When he set out on his way back, children, teenagers and young men were sent behind him to tease, insult and torment him. Meanwhile, a crowd of evil people gathered on both sides of the road. They started clapping their hands, saying obscene words, cursing him and throwing stones at him. As a result of the blows, wounds were formed on the heels of the Prophet (ﷺ) and his sandals became bloody.

When the unfortunate boys and youths of Taif threw stones at the Prophet (ﷺ), Zayd bin Harith was acting as a shield to protect him. As a result, he was injured in several places on his head. Thus, the Prophet continued his journey amidst inhuman oppression and torture, and the wicked people of Taif continued their oppression.

The Prophet (ﷺ) became very tired and exhausted as he walked, battered and bleeding, and was finally forced to seek refuge in a vineyard. The vineyard belonged to Utbah and Shaybah, the sons of Rabi'ah. When the Prophet entered the vineyard, the wicked Taifbashis turned back towards their homes.

The vineyard was located three miles from Taif. Entering the vineyard, the Prophet sat down leaning against a wall in the shade of a grape tree. After resting for a while and regaining some strength, the Prophet raised his hands to Allah and prayed. This prayer of his is well known as the prayer of the weak. From each word of his prayer, it can be understood how much he was hurt by the mistreatment of the people of Taif and how much he was pained by their lack of faith. He prayed:

O Lord! I complain to You of my weakness, my incompetence, and my lack of esteem among people. O Most Merciful. You are the Lord of the weak and my Lord. To whom have You entrusted me? To a relative who is harsh, or to an enemy who has made me the master of my head? If You are not angry with me, there is no concern. Moreover, Your forgiveness is vast for me. I pray for the means of the light of Your countenance - by which darkness is illuminated and worldly and hereafter affairs are successful. So that Your anger may not befall me. I will seek Your pleasure until all power and might belong to You alone. There is no power except for Your power.

Meanwhile, Rabia's sons also went to the garden and when they saw the Prophet (ﷺ) in such a miserable condition, tribal sentiments were aroused among them. They sent a bunch of grapes to the Prophet (ﷺ) through their Christian slave named 'Adas'.

When the slave wanted to hand the bunch of grapes to the Prophet (ﷺ), he said 'Bismillah', raised his hand, accepted it, and began to eat.

At that time, Addas said to the Prophet (ﷺ), "I have never heard such a thing from the people of this region?"

The Prophet said: Where do you live? What is your religion?

He said, "I am a follower of Christianity and a resident of Nineveh."

Hearing the words of the Prophet, Addas leaned towards the Prophet (ﷺ) and kissed his head, hands and feet. The two sons of Rabia stood nearby and observed this and said to each other, "Look, look, that man has finally corrupted our slave."

Then, when Addas returned to them, the two brothers said to him, "Tell us, what's the matter? I see that man has corrupted you too."

He said, "O my master! There is no one better than him in this world. He told me something that no one except the Prophets and Messengers knows."

They both said, "Look, Addas, don't let that person turn you away from your religion. Because your religion is better than his religion."

After a while, the Prophet left the garden and set out for Mecca. His heart and mind were very heavy and tired due to the thoughts of the failure of his mission and the physical pain. When he reached a place called Qarne Sayaler in this state, by the command of Allah, Jibril (as) arrived there. With him were the angels who control the mountains. They came with the intention from Allah that if the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wished, thhe would bring two mountains together and crush the wicked people of Taif.

The details of this incident are narrated in Bukhari from Aisha Siddique (ra). She narrated:

She once asked the Prophet, "Has there ever been a day in your life that was more difficult than the day of Uhud?"

He replied, "Yes." The most difficult of all the hardships I faced from your people was the day I went to Ta'if and presented myself to the sons of 'Amr bin Umair al-Thaqafi. But they did not listen to me, so I set out for my destination, burdened with grief and exhausted by the oppression of the wicked. Continuing in this way, when I reached 'Qarna Sayal', I regained Feeling.

At that time, I felt a little relieved. There, I looked up at the sky and saw a cloud giving me shade. When I looked closer, I realized that it was Gabriel (peace be upon him). He called me and said, "Allah has heard and seen everything your people have said to you and how they have treated you. Now He has sent the angels who control the mountains to serve you. You can order them whatever you want." Then the angel of the mountain greeted me and said, "O Muhammad! The only thing is, if you want me to crush them with two mountains together, then it will be done."

At this point, Sahih Bukhari uses the word 'Akhshabain', which refers to two famous mountains in Mecca, Abu Quraysh and Qazaqian. These two mountains face each other on the south and north sides of the Kaaba respectively. At that time, the general residential area of ​​Mecca was located between these two mountains.

Then I said, "No, rather, I hope that Allah Almighty will create from them such descendants who will worship Him alone and will not consider anyone else as a partner of him."

The Prophet (ﷺ)'s (ﷺ) reply reveals his extraordinary human qualities, a personality full of love for humanity and an incomparable forgiving character. When the angels came to his service with the offer and promise of this unseen help from above the seven heavens, his personality and character became even more glorious. Forgetting his own sorrows and troubles, he began to offer thanks to Allah with a relieved heart. In this way, the clouds of thought and worry were removed from the sky of his mind.

There were two places suitable for living here. One of them is "Assailul Kabir" and the second is "Jaima". Because water was somewhat available there and both places were rich in crops. But it is not known from any source where he stayed between these two places.

In Wardiyyah Nakhla, when he had stayed for a few days, Allah sent to him a group of jinn - who are mentioned in two places in the Quran. One of them is Surah Al-Ahqaf and the other is Surah Jinn. The verses of Surah Ahqaf are:

And [mention, O Muhammad], when We directed to you a few of the jinn, listening to the Quran. And when they attended it, they said, "Listen attentively." And when it was concluded, they went back to their people as warners. They said, "O our people, indeed we have heard a [recited] Book revealed after Moses confirming what was before it which guides to the truth and to a straight path. O our people, respond to the Caller [Messenger] of Allah and believe in him; He [Allah] will forgive for you your sins and protect you from a painful punishment. (Al-Ahqaf: Verses 29-31)

Say, [O Muhammad], "It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened and said, 'Indeed, we have heard an amazing Quran [recitation]. It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone. (Surah Jinn; verses 1-2)

From the relevant discussion of these verses revealed in the context of the incident, it is understood that the Prophet was not aware of the arrival of the jinn before this verse was revealed. Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, informed him of the arrival of the jinn through this verse and then he came to know about it. From this it is also understood that this was the first arrival of the jinn to the Prophet (ﷺ). It is known from various hadith sources that since then their visits to the court of the Prophet (ﷺ) continued.

The arrival of the jinn and their acceptance of Islam was actually the second helping event from Allah. The help He gave was from His unseen resources through unseen forces. No one except Allah was aware of this event. The verses that were revealed regarding this event contain the good news of the success of the call of the Messenger (ﷺ). Furthermore, it is clear that no power in the world will be able to create any obstacle in the way of the effectiveness of his call. Therefore, it is said:

But he who does not respond to the Caller of Allah will not cause failure [to Him] upon earth, and he will not have besides Him any protectors. Those are in manifest error." (Al-Ahqaf: Verse 32)

And we have become certain that we will never be able to defeat Allah on earth, nor will we be able to defeat Him even by fleeing. (Al-Jinn: Verse-12)

With this help and good news, all his worries, sorrows, and despair, as well as the dark clouds of pain and suffering from the abuse, beatings, and stoning of the people of Taif, were erased from his mind. He resolved that he must return to Mecca and begin anew the call to Islam and the propagation of the Prophethood with full vigor.

This was at the time when Zayd bin Haritha (ra) said to him: 'How can you return to Mecca when the people of Mecca, i.e. the Quraysh, have expelled you from Mecca?'

In response, he said, "O Zayd! There will certainly be a solution to the situation you see, and Allah will certainly make a way out of it. He will certainly strive to establish His chosen religion and make His Messenger victorious."

The Prophet finally set out from there and stayed at the foot of Mount Hira near Mecca. Then a man from the tribe of Khuzaymah sent a message to Akhnas bin Shurayk asking him to provide shelter to the Prophet.

But Akhnas objected, saying that the Quraysh were his allies, so it was not possible for him to shelter Muhammad (ﷺ) against their will.

Then he sent the same request to Suhayl bin Amr, but he too objected, saying that it was not right for Banu Ka'b to shelter anyone from Banu Amer.

Then he sent a request to Mutaym bin Adi. Mutaym agreed and ordered his sons and people of his community to gather near the Kaaba, armed and saying: Since I have agreed to give shelter to Muhammad (ﷺ), we must be prepared to face any situation.

After making these preparations, Mutayim sent word to the Prophet (ﷺ) to come to Mecca. Upon receiving the news, he arrived in Mecca with Zayd bin Haritha and stood up and announced in a loud voice, "O Quraysh! I have given refuge to Muhammad (ﷺ), so let no one harass him."

Meanwhile, the Prophet went straight to the Black Stone and kissed it. Then he prayed two rak'ahs and returned home, surrounded by Mut'im bin Adi and his men, who were armed.

It is said that at that time, Abu Jahl asked Mutayim, "Did you shelter Muhammad, or did you follow the Muslims?" Mutayim replied, "I sheltered him."

Abu Jahl replied, "I have sheltered the one you have sheltered."

Inviting Islam to various individuals and tribes

In the month of Dhu al-Qadh in the tenth year of the Prophethood (late June or early July 619 CE), the Messenger of Allah returned to Mecca from Taif and again began to invite various groups and individuals to Islam. Since it was near the Hajj season, people from near and far had started to come to Mecca on foot and in vehicles to perform Hajj. The Messenger of Allah considered this time to be a good time to invite people to Islam, and he went to each group and invited them to Islam, which he had been doing since the fourth year of his Prophethood.

The tribes who were invited to Islam

Imam Zuhri said: I was told about the following tribes among the tribes to which the Messenger of Allah went and invited them to Islam. The tribes are:

Banu Amir bin Sa' Sayyah, Maher bin Khasfah, Fazarah, Ghassan, Murrah, Hanifah, Salim, Abs, Banu Nasr, Maher bin Khasfah, Fazarah, Ghassan, Murrah, Hanifah, Salim, Abs, Banu Nasr, Banu Bakra, Kalb, Harith bin Ka'b, Azrah and Hazarimah. But none of them accepted Islam.

It is clear that the invitation to Islam was not given to all the tribes mentioned by Imam Zuhri in the same year or during the same Hajj season, but rather, he extended this invitation over a period of ten years, starting from the fourth year of Prophethood and ending with the last Hajj season before the migration.

The following is a summary of Ibn Ishaq's description of the invitation to Islam to certain tribes and the status and nature of their response:

Banu Kalb: The Prophet (ﷺ) went to Abdullah, a branch of Banu Kalb, and presented himself before them, inviting them to accept the call of Islam. During the conversation, he said to them, "O friend Abdullah, Allah has bestowed His grace upon your forefathers and has given them a great reward. You should respond to this call of Allah." But this tribe did not accept the call of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Banu Hanifa: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to their tent and presented himself to them, inviting them to Allah. But they rejected him in such obscene language that no one else in Arabia had done so.

Amir bin Sa'saah: The Prophet also called the people of this tribe to the path of Allah and presented himself before them. In response, a man from that tribe named 'Buhairah bin Fasar' said - 'By Allah! If I accept this young man from Quraysh, I will devour the whole of Arabia with him.'

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked again: "Tell me, if we pledge allegiance to you and Allah grants you victory over your opponents, will the responsibility of leadership be entrusted to us after you?"

The Prophet replied: 'The key to leadership is in the hands of Allah. He gives leadership to whomever He wills.'

The man said: "Good, for your protection our chests will be under the target of the arrows and spears of your Arab opponents. But when Allah gives you victory, the key of authority will be in the hands of someone else - this can never happen. So we have no need of your religion."

In short, they rejected the invitation of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Then, when the people of Banu Amer returned to their area, they told an old man who was unable to perform Hajj due to old age, and said: "A young man from Banu Abdul Muttalib of the Quraysh clan came to us. He thought that he was the Prophet of Allah. He invited us to embrace Islam, take responsibility for his care, and bring him to our area."

Hearing these words, the old man held his head with both hands and said: 'O friend Amer! Is there any way to correct this mistake now? And can what has been lost be brought back? By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Omuk! It is not possible for any of the tribe of Ishmael to falsely claim prophethood. He is certainly a true prophet. Have you lost your intellect?

The flame of faith was lit outside Mecca.

Just as the Prophet (ﷺ) invited tribes and groups to Islam, he also invited prominent individuals to Islam. Some of them responded favorably. In addition, a few people embraced Islam after a few days of this Hajj season. A brief introduction to them is given below.

1. Suwaid bin Samit: He was a poet, a man of deep knowledge and a resident of Medina. Due to his knowledge, maturity, experience, poetic practice, social status and lineage, the nation bestowed upon him the title of 'Kamil'. He came to Mecca for the purpose of performing Hajj and Umrah. He said to the Prophet, 'Whatever I have, you probably also have.'

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: 'What do you have?
Suwaid said: 'Hiqmate Luqman.'
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Bring it.'
He brought it.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Of course, that is good. But what I have is better than that, and that is the heavenly book, the Quran, which Allah has revealed to me. It is guidance and light.

Then the Messenger of Allah recited the Quran to him and again invited him to Islam. He accepted Islam and said: 'This is a very good thing.'

Then, soon after the poet Suwaid returned to Medina, a war broke out between the Khazraj and Aws tribes, and he was killed in that war.

2. Yas bin Mu'adh: He was also a resident of Medina. He was a young man. In the eleventh year of the Prophethood, some time before the Battle of Bu'ath, a group of the Aws tribe arrived in Mecca in the hope of gaining the alliance and support of the Quraysh against the Khazraj tribe. Yas bin Mu'adh also came with that group. At that time, war broke out between the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj in Yathrib. The Khazraj were more numerous than the Aws in the war.

When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) heard of the arrival of the Aws in Mecca, he went to them and, thinking of the horrors and losses of the war, said to them: "Will you accept something better than that for which you have come?"

They said: 'What is that thing?'

He replied: 'I am the Messenger of Allah. Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, has sent me to His servants to invite them to this saying: Worship Allah and do not associate anyone with Him. Allah has also revealed to me the Book.'

He discussed some more about Islam and recited some parts of the Quran.

Yas bin Mu'adh said: O my brothers, by Allah, this is better than what you have come for.

But one of the group, 'Abul Haysar Anas bin Rafi', picked up a handful of pebbles and threw them at Yas's face, saying: "Leave this. By my age! We have come to this place for another purpose."

After hearing this, Yas kept quiet. The Prophet also got up and left.

The group was unable to conclude a treaty of alliance and support with the Quraysh, and so they returned to Medina in a state of despair.

Yas died a few days after returning to Medina. At the time of his death, he was reciting Tahlil (La ilaha illallah), Takbir (Allahu Akbar), Hamd and Tasbeeh. For this reason, many firmly believe that he died on faith.

3. Abu Dharr Ghifari (ra): He lived in Yathrib. When Suwayd bin Samit and Yas bin Mu'adh Ma'ruf heard about the advent of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), they felt a great trembling in their hearts, which led to their acceptance of Islam. The incident of their acceptance of Islam is narrated in detail in Bukhari. According to the narration of Ibn Abbas (ra), Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (ra) said:

I was a man from the tribe of Ghifar. I learned that a man had appeared in Mecca who claimed to be a prophet. I said to my brother, "Go to him, talk to him, and bring me news."

He went there and spoke to him and then returned.
I asked him, "What news have you brought?"
He said, "By Allah! I have seen a man who commands what is good and forbids what is evil."
I said, "You have not given a satisfactory answer."

Finally, I set out on my own for Mecca, carrying a sack of food on my shoulder and a stick in my hand. I reached there, but I did not know the Messenger of Allah and did not dare to ask anyone about him. So I drank water and lay down in the Grand Mosque.

Finally, Ali (ra) passed me on his way somewhere.
He saw me and said, "You look like a foreigner!"
I said, "Yes."
He said, "Yes."
I walked with him.
As we walked, we had some very casual conversations with him.

He didn't ask me anything. I didn't tell him much about the purpose of my visit. The night passed like this.

As soon as the morning dawned, I went to the Masjid al-Haram with the intention of asking anyone there about the Prophet. But there was no one there who would tell me anything about him. Finally, I saw Ali (ra) passing by again. Seeing me, he said something to himself, "I see this man has not yet found his address!"

I said, you are right.
He said, good, you come with me.
At one point he said to me, well, tell me what is your matter? For what purpose have you come to this city!
I said, if you keep secret what I say about the purpose of my coming, then I can tell you.
He said, okay, I will do that.

In view of the situation, I said, "I have learned that a man has appeared here who claims to be the 'Prophet of Allah.' I sent my brother to inquire about this matter and talk to him. But when he returned he could not tell me anything satisfactory. Therefore, I thought that I should go and meet him myself and talk to him."

Ali (ra) said, "Brother! You have reached the right place. Listen, my journey is towards Him. Wherever I enter, you will enter. And if I see a person who may be dangerous to you, then I will stand against a wall in such a way that it will look like I am fixing my shoes. But you will continue walking."

Then Ali (ra) set out on his journey. I followed him.

He went to the court of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I went there with him and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Introduce Islam to me."

He presented the essence of Islam to me through his touching words and language. I was immediately impressed by the subject and speech and embraced Islam.

Then he said to me: O Abu Dharr! Keep this matter secret and go to your own land. When you hear the news of my victory, you will come to me.

I said: 'By the Almighty Who sent you as a messenger of truth! I will proclaim this message of truth among them in a loud voice.

Then I went to the Grand Mosque. A number of people from the Quraysh tribe were present there. I looked at them and said:

I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the servant and Messenger of Allah.

As soon as they heard the message of Tawheed from my mouth, the Quraysh infidels and polytheists began to beat me as if I will die. In such a state of disaster, he came there and peeped through the crowd and saw me. Addressing the Quraysh, he said: "May you be destroyed!. You are beating a man from the tribe of Ghifar, while your route for travel and business passes through the tribe of Ghifar."

After hearing this, they stopped and they left me and left. The next morning, I went there again and said the same thing I had said the previous day. That is, I loudly proclaimed the words of Tawheed: Ash-hadu Allah ilaha illallahu wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan abduhu wa rasuluhu.

After hearing my words of Tawheed, they started beating me as before. That day too, Abbas (ra) rescued me from the hands of the Quraysh. He leaned towards me and, looking at the Quraysh, repeated the words he had said the day before.

4. Tufail bin Amr Dawsi (ra): He was the leader of the Daws tribe. He was a poet and a respected and intelligent man. Some members of his tribe ruled over some parts of Yemen. He arrived in Mecca in the eleventh year of the Prophethood.

Upon his arrival, the infidels of Mecca welcomed him warmly and paid him homage. We were very happy with your arrival in the city. But all our joy is turning into sorrow because of one man. He has created confusion among us by talking about various new things, destroying our unity and breaking up our order. His words are exerting a magical influence on many. He is also causing division between fathers and sons, brothers and husbands and wives. We fear that you and your people may be in the same danger that we have been in. Therefore, you must not talk to him or listen to him.

The way Tofail describes the matter is as follows:

They tried to convince me again and again and in that context I decided that I would not listen to anything he said. I would not talk to him in any way. Even when I went to the Grand Mosque, I put some cotton in my ears so that we would not hear anything he said.

But perhaps that was not God's will. Perhaps it was God's will that I should listen to Him. As a result, I was able to hear His words very well.

Then I thought, "Woe to me! I am, by the grace of God, an intelligent man and a poet. I will not keep a single good or bad secret from him, so why should I not listen to that person? If his words are good, I will accept them, if they are bad, I will reject them." Thinking about these things, I went down and when he set out for home, I followed him.

As we were walking, he entered the house. I followed him and explained to him in detail the purpose of my arrival, the fear of the Quraysh, the curiosity that had arisen in his mind, etc. Then I said: 'Now present your statement.'

He invited me to Islam and recited some parts from the Quran.

Allah is witness, I have never heard a better and more just speech than this. I was captivated by the words of the Quran and the sweetness of his speech, so I embraced Islam and testified to the truth by uttering the Kalima Shahadat. Then I said to him, 'My people obey my words. I will return to them and invite them to Islam. So pray to Allah that He may grant me a sign.'

After listening to me, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made supplication to Allah. The sign that Tufail (ra) was given as a result of the blessings of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)'s supplication was as follows:

When Tufail (ra) appeared before his people, his face was radiant like the light of a lamp. But due to some mental or other difficulty, he prayed to Allah: 'O Allah! Let this sign appear in some other place instead of my face. I am afraid that people will call me deformed.'

As a result of Tufail's (ra) prayer, the light was transferred to his staff.

Then he invited his father and wife to Islam and both of them accepted it and became Muslims. But the rest of his community was quite late in accepting Islam. However, he continued to make constant efforts in this regard. As a result, it is seen that when he left his homeland and migrated to Medina after the Battle of Khandaq, he was accompanied by people from 70 to 80 tribes of his community.

Tufail (ra) was martyred in the Battle of Yamama after completing important tasks for Islam.

5. Ziman Azdi (ra): He was a native of Yemen and a member of the Azde Shanwah tribe. His job was to perform ablutions to cure people's illnesses and to exorcise people possessed by jinn.

After arriving in Mecca, Ziman Azdi learned from the enemies of Islam that Muhammad (ﷺ) was a madman. The Quraysh also learned that Ziman Azdi was a sorcerer who cast out demons.

The Quraysh advised Ziman Azdi to go to Muhammad (ﷺ). But he decided to go to him thinking that if Allah wills, he might be cured by his hands. Since he met the Messenger (ﷺ) and said: 'I blow on the broom to drive away the jinn and ghosts. Do you have any need for that?' He replied:

Indeed, all praise is due to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help. He whom Allah guides, none can misguide him, and he whom He sends astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah. He is One, He has no partner. I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and His servant.

Then Ziman said: 'Repeat your words, I want to listen.'

The Prophet repeated his speech three times in a very moving manner. After hearing it all, Ziman said: "I have heard the speeches of astrologers, magicians and poets, but I have never heard such inspiring and heart-touching speeches as yours. These speeches have stirred and excited my heart with thoughts and emotions, like the great currents that stir the depths of the deepest sea."

Then he raised his hand towards the Prophet (ﷺ) with great reverence and said in a trembling voice:

O Messenger of Allah! Please take this hand and pledge my allegiance to Islam. Ziman Azdi (ra) thus took refuge in the cool shade of Islam.

The Six Virtuous Human Souls of Yathrib

In the eleventh year of the Prophethood (July 620 AD), the season of Hajj returned. The Prophet (ﷺ) received some effective seeds of the Islamic call, which soon grew into a huge tree. Sitting under the cool shade of its dense branches and foliage, the Muslims found some comfort and peace from the heat of many years of injustice, oppression and persecution.

In order to avoid the obstacles that the polytheists of Mecca had created to deny the Prophet and to divert people from the path of Allah, the Prophet (ﷺ) changed his tactics. In order to prevent the polytheists from creating obstacles, he began to travel to different tribes in the darkness of the night instead of during the day, maintaining contact.

Following this strategy, the Prophet (ﷺ) set out one night with Abu Bakr and Ali (ra). While passing by the residence of Banu Juhal and Banu Shayban bin Tha'lab, he spoke to them about Islam. Although their response seemed very favorable during the conversation, nothing decisive could be obtained from them regarding accepting Islam. At that time, Abu Bakr (ra) and a man from Banu Juhal had a very cordial conversation about his kinship with him. Both of them were very knowledgeable about genealogy.

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions were passing through the checkpoint of Mina when he overheard a group of people talking nearby.

So he set out to meet them and soon reached them. In this group were six young men from the Khazraj tribe of Yathrib. Their names were:

1. Asad bin Zurarah. (From the tribe of Banu Najjar)
2. Awf bin Harith bin Rifa'ah (Ibn Afra). (From the tribe of Banu Najjar)
3. Rafi bin Malik bin Azlan. (From the tribe of Banu Zuraiq)
4. Qutbah bin Amir bin Hadidah. (From the tribe of Banu Salamah)
5. Uqbah bin Amir bin Nabi. (From the tribe of Banu Haram bin Ka'b)
6. Habir bin Abdullah bin Ri'ab. (From the tribe of Banu Ubaid bin Ghanem)

Their tribes were Banu Najjar, Banu Zuraik, Banu Salma, Haram bin Ka'b and Banu Ubaid Ghanam respectively. It was fortunate for the people of Yathrab that they had learned from their Jewish allies that a prophet would be sent in this age and that it would soon become manifest. The Jews used to say that we would follow him and with him we will kill you like the people of 'Ad in Iran.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) walked towards them and asked them about their identity. They said, "We are related to the Khazraj tribe." He said, "That is, allies of the Jews." They said, "Yes." He said, "Sit down, let's have some conversation."

After listening to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), they sat down. After he explained the truth of Islam to them, he recited some parts of the Quran and invited them to embrace Islam.

After receiving the invitation from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), they started saying among themselves, "This seems to be the Prophet whom the Jews are threatening us with. So let the Jews not leave us behind."

Having said that, they immediately accepted the call to Islam and became Muslims. They were the wise men of Yathrib. Recently, they accepted Islam and became Muslims.

They were the wise men of Yathrib. The recent war in Yathrib, the smoke of which still darkens the sky of Yathrib, could be an occasion for this call to Islam to end this war. Therefore, they said: 'We have left our community in a state where there has been such enmity and hatred among them that there is no precedent. Hopefully, your call will unite them. We will return there and invite the people to your religion, and if Allah unites them because of your call, no one will be more honored than you.'

Marriage to Aisha (ra)

The Prophet (ﷺ) married Aisha (ra) in the same year, i.e., in the month of Shawwal of the eleventh year of Prophethood. At that time, Aisha (ra) was only six years old. Umm al-Mu'minin Aisha (ra) entered into her husband's house in Medina in the month of Shawwal at the age of nine. The companion Abu Bakr (ra) wanted to establish a blood relationship with the Messenger of Allah. It was in this context that the miraculous unequal marriage was arranged.

The Mi'raj or Ascension of the Prophet (ﷺ)

The Prophet (ﷺ) was passing through a period of hardship and oppression, and the success of his preaching and invitation. A faint light of hope and a dusty glimmer began to appear at the edge of the distant sky. It was at this time that the night journey and the ascension took place.

It is called 'Mi'raj' in Arabic - and it is by this name that the event has gained greater fame. The differences of opinion among historians regarding when this world-famous miraculous event of Mi'raj took place are outlined below:

1. The Ascension took place in the year in which the Prophet was given prophethood - this is what Tabari said.
2. The Ascension took place five years after the Prophethood - Imam Nawawi and Imam Qurtubi have determined this view to be more acceptable.
3. The Ascension took place on the 27th of Rajab in the tenth year of the Prophethood - Allama Mansurpuri has accepted this view.
4. The Ascension took place sixteen months earlier, i.e. in the month of Ramadan in the twelfth year of the Prophethood.
5. The Ascension took place one year and two months earlier, i.e. in the month of Muharram in the thirteenth year of the Prophethood.
6. The Ascension took place one year earlier, i.e. in the month of Rabiul Awwal in the thirteenth year of the Prophethood.

The first three of these opinions cannot be accepted as authentic because Umm al-Mu'minin Khadijah (ra) died before the five daily prayers became obligatory. Furthermore, everyone agrees that the five daily prayers became obligatory after the Ascension. Moreover, it is also a well-known fact that she died in the month of Ramadan in the tenth year of Prophethood. In this context, it can be said with certainty that the event of the Ascension took place after her death, not before.

There remain three final opinions. There is no evidence to support any one of these over the others. However, from the narrative of Surah Isra, it can be inferred that this event took place towards the end of the Prophet's life in Mecca.

The following lines summarize the detailed narrations provided by hadith scholars on this incident.

Ibn Qayyim wrote, "According to the information received, the true story is that the Prophet (ﷺ) was taken on the Buraq in person by Gabriel (as) from the Masjidul Haram to the Holy Masjidul Aqsa. After descending to the Masjidul Aqsa, the Prophet led the congregational prayer. Buraq was tied to the doorknob of the mosque during the prayer."

After the prayer, he was again taken up on the Borak to the heaven closest to the earth. When the door of the first heaven was opened, the Prophet (ﷺ) met Adam (a.s.) there. Gabriel (a.s.) pointed to him and said: 'This is your Primitive father Adam (a.s.) greet him.

Upon hearing this, the Prophet greeted him respectfully. Adam (a.s.) responded with an emotional voice, saying, "Welcome, O jewel of my lineage! Welcome! O glory of my lineage!"

Then Adam acknowledged the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah and the souls of the righteous servants of Allah were shown to him on his right and the souls of the wicked servants on his left.

Then the Prophet was taken to the second heaven. When the door was opened, he met Yahya bin Zakariyya and Isa bin Maryam (a.s.). After the introduction, he greeted him respectfully. Both of them returned the greeting and warmly welcomed him, expressing their gratitude and acceptance of prophethood.

In the third stage, the Prophet was taken to the fourth heaven. There he saw Idris (a.s.) and greeted him respectfully. Idris (a.s.) returned the greeting, congratulated the Prophet (ﷺ) and acknowledged his prophethood.

Then the Prophet was taken to the sixth heaven. There he met Moses bin Imran (a.s.). The Prophet greeted him respectfully and exchanged greetings. Moses returned the greeting with respect, congratulated the Prophet and acknowledged his prophethood.

Then, as the Prophet moved forward, he began to weep. When he was asked why he was weeping, he said, "A young man was sent before me as a prophet whose followers will enter Paradise in greater numbers than my followers."

In the next stage of the journey, the Prophet was taken to the seventh heaven. In the seventh heaven, he met Ibrahim Khalilullah (as). The Prophet respectfully greeted him with Salam and Mubarak. Ibrahim (as) also acknowledged his respect.

After meeting Ibrahim (as), the Prophet (ﷺ) continued his journey and reached Sidratul Muntaha. Here Gabriel (as) stopped his journey. It was no longer possible for him to continue. Therefore, the Prophet, riding on Buraq's back, continued to travel alone. At the end of his journey, he reached Baitul Ma'mur. Here Buraq, the Prophet's vehicle, stopped his journey.

Then the great glory, the ever-desired human prophet, the highly respected emperor of the underworld, the crown of Medina, the Prophet of the Holy Spirit, the Mercy of the Worlds, the Seal of the Prophets, reached the presence of Allah, the Owner of infinite power, might, and wisdom. On one side of the screen, there is the eternal God of the universe, the unique Creator, the Lord, and on the other side, His most beloved creation and the most beloved Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), with a distance equal to the length of two bowstrings or less. An unprecedented meeting, a conference, between the Creator and the creation took place. The divine message was exchanged between the eternally glorious Creator and His chosen and beloved creation. Fifty obligatory prayers were assigned as a gift. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) began his return to the world of the dead. At one point, he met Moses (as), who said, "It will not be possible for your ummah to offer fifty daily prayers." You should go back and appeal to Allah to lighten this heavy duty imposed on your Ummah. Upon hearing this, the Messenger of Allah turned to Gabriel (as) to seek his advice. Gabriel (as) indicated that he could do so if he wished.

Then Gabriel took the Messenger of Allah to the court of Allah the Almighty. He remained in his place. In some narrations in Sahih Bukhari it is said that Allah the Most Gracious reduced the daily prayers by ten times and the Messenger of Allah was brought down.

When the Prophet came to Moses and told him about the reduction of the prayer by 10 times, he again advised him to return to Allah's court and reduce it even further. In this way, until it reached five times, Moses advised the Prophet to return to Allah's court and reduce it even further.

In response, the Prophet said, "I am too ashamed to go to Allah's court again on this matter. With great satisfaction, I accepted the decision of five obligatory prayers during the day and night. After several discussions between the Prophet, Moses and Allah on the issue of prayer between the two destinations, the decision of five daily prayers was made.

Having said this, he moved forward. When he had gone some distance, these words reached his ears: 'I have decreed My obligations for My servants and have lightened their duties.'

Ibn Qayyim has narrated the different opinions of different people regarding whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw his Lord with his external eyes or not. Then he discussed this subtle narration of Ibn Taymiyyah - the main point of which is - 'There is no evidence of seeing Allah with his own eyes. No companion has said anything like that. And of the two opinions narrated from Ibn Abbas, of seeing with his external eyes and seeing with his own eyes, the first is not contradictory to the second.

Ibn Qayyim then wrote, "What Allah says in Surah An-Najm - 'Then he drew near and drew nearer - is different from the closeness that occurred in the event of the Ascension. Because the closeness mentioned in Surah An-Najm refers to the closeness of Gabriel (peace be upon him). As Aisha Siddique (as) and Ibn Mas'ud (as) said, and this is also indicated in the narration." The closeness mentioned in the hadith of Miraj clearly refers to the closeness of the Almighty God - something that is not mentioned in Surah An-Najm; rather, it states that the Prophet saw Him a second time near Sidratul Muntaha and that He was Gabriel (as).

The Prophet saw him in his true form twice: once on earth and once near Sidratul Muntaha.

Allah knows best what the correct information is about this. During the Miraj, the Prophet's chest(ﷺ) was cleansed once again and during this journey he was shown some things. He was offered 'milk' and 'wine' to drink. He preferred milk. In this regard, the Prophet was told that you have been shown the path of Fitrah (Islam) or you have been given Fitrah. If you had consumed wine, your Ummah would have gone astray.

The Prophet saw four rivers in Paradise. Two of them were open and two were hidden. The two open ones were the Nile and the Euphrates. Perhaps the meaning of this was that his message would make its home in the fertile valleys of the Nile and the Euphrates rivers, meaning that Islam would spread to all these regions and the people here would become Muslims from generation to generation. The point is not that the source of these two waters came from Paradise. But, Allah knows everything best.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw Maalik the guardians of Hell. They were not smiling and there was no joy or happiness on their faces. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) also saw Paradise and Hell.

The Prophet also saw those who were unjustly taking the property of orphans. Their lips were shaped like the lips of camels. They had stones like fire in their mouths and they were coming out of their anus.

The Prophet witnessed the condition of the usurers. Their bellies were so large that it was very difficult for them to carry the weight of their bellies and it was not possible for them to move around under their weight. Furthermore, when the descendants of Pharaoh were being presented to be thrown into the fire, they trampled them and crossed the road.

At one point, the Prophet witnessed the condition of adulterers. In front of them was fresh and fatty meat and next to it was rotten meat with a foul smell. They were eating rotten meat instead of fresh and fatty meat.

Prophet also saw the women, who gave their husband children that is by other men. That is, they were adulterers. Due to adultery, they would become pregnant with the semen of another man, but without the knowledge of their husbands, they would place the child on their husband's shoulders. The Prophet saw their chests pierced with large hooks and suspended between the sky and the earth. During the journey in the state of mi'raj, the Prophet also saw a group of Arab traders and one of their runaway camels. At that time, the Prophet also drank the water that the traders had brought with them to drink.

The water was covered in a container. At that time, the merchants were asleep. After drinking the water, he covered the container again. This incident, which occurred at the end of the night of Miraj, in the morning it is considered as evidence to prove the truth of the claim of the ascension of the Prophet (ﷺ) or Miraj.

Ibn Qayyum (ra) said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) narrated to his people in the morning about the signs that Allah had shown him, they dismissed them as lies and fabricated stories and increased their oppression and torture towards him. Not only that, they also tested him in various ways and kept him busy with question after question.

The disbelievers and polytheists started asking him various questions about the Holy Mosque and started pressuring him for answers. In such a situation, Allah presented the image of the Holy Mosque before the eyes of the Prophet (ﷺ). He saw that image and started answering the questions of the disbelievers and polytheists. As a result, it was possible for the Prophet (ﷺ) to answer all their questions without hesitation. The disbelievers and polytheists were not able to object to anything he said.

Furthermore, he narrated the time and details of the arrival of the caravan of merchants he had seen during his journey. He even gave the marks of the camels leading the caravan. They refused to accept anything he said about the caravan as true.

On the other hand, Abu Bakr (ra) accepted these words of the Prophet as 'the truth' as soon as he heard them in public and began to proclaim their authenticity.

It was at that time that Abu Bakr (ra) was given the title of Siddiq (the truthful) because while everyone was dismissing this incident as a lie, he wholeheartedly accepted it as the truth.

This is Allah's policy regarding the Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them. He says in Surah Anam: "And thus did We show Abraham the realm of the heavens and the earth that he would be among the certain [in faith]." (Surah An-am: Verse -75)

And said to Moses (as): "Let him be one of the firm believers, and thus the matter is made clear."

As a result, when the knowledge of the Prophets is thus certified as direct witness, they attain the level of Aynul Yaqeen (vision with one's own eyes), which is not possible to speculate about. For example, is hearing with the ears the same as seeing with the eyes? And this is why the Prophets, peace and blessings be upon them, can endure such hardships and sufferings in the path of Allah that no one else can.

In fact, in their eyes, all the forces of the world, even if combined, could not be equal to the wing of a small fly. For this reason, they did not consider any kind of hardship or suffering coming from that force as suffering.

The most scientific and mysterious matters that lie behind the curtain of this Miraj are the subject of discussion in the books of Sharia philosophy. But there are a number of fixed theories that have been passed down to the Prophet. For this reason, they are briefly discussed below:

Through the event of the night journey in surah Bani Israel, Allah indicates that the Jews will be dismissed from leading the people because they have committed such evils that it is not right for them to continue in that position after doing those things. Therefore, that position will be given to the Messenger and the two centers of the Israeli call will be placed under his leadership. In other words, a situation has arisen that will require the transfer of spiritual leadership from one community to another.

That is, it is necessary to take away the leadership from a community whose history is full of betrayal, treachery, dishonesty, injustice, oppression, and misdeeds and give the responsibility to another community whose Prophet is the most guided, the right guide, and who will benefit from the divine message of the Quran.

But how could this return be possible when the Messenger of this Ummah was wandering among the people in the deserted mountains of Mecca? This was only a question of time, when another mystery was being revealed. And that mystery was that one stage of the Islamic call had ended and reached its perfection, and another stage was about to begin, the course of which was somewhat different from the previous one. That is why we see that in some verses the partners have been openly warned and reprimanded. It has been said:

And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word [deserved decree] comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction. And how many have We destroyed from the generations after Noah. And sufficient is your Lord, concerning the sins of His servants, as Aware and Seeing. (Surah Isra: Verses 16-17)

On the other hand, alongside these verses, there are also verses through which Muslims have been taught such rules and regulations of Tahzeeb-Tamaddun and general rules of defense - on the basis of which the foundation of the new Islamic life can be built, controlled and strengthened. It seems that Muslims have now made their home on such a green land that their problems are in their hands in all aspects and they have been able to form such a consensus in the field of society and life on the basis of which society runs.

The above verse also indicates that the Prophet will soon seek refuge in a place that will be completely sunny and the religion he preaches will be well established.

There is a wisdom and courage underlying the events of this night journey and the Miraj, which is directly related to our subject. Therefore, I have written it down here, considering it worthy of description. After looking at these two great wisdoms, we have come to the conclusion that the event of this night journey may have occurred before the first pledge of allegiance at Aqabah or between the two pledges. Allah knows best.

The First Bay'ah or Pledge of Allegiance at Aqaba

We have previously mentioned that during the Hajj season in the eleventh year of the Prophethood, six people from Yathrib embraced Islam and promised the Prophet (ﷺ) that they would go to their people and preach his prophethood.

So when the Hajj season arrived the following year (i.e. in the twelfth year of the Prophethood, July 621 CE), twelve men came to the service of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Among them, except for Jabir bin Abdullah bin Ri'ab, five were the same as those who had come the previous year. The other seven were new. They were:

1. Maya bin Harith bin Afra. - Bani Najjar (Khazraj).
2. Zakwan bin Abdul Qays. - Bani Jaraiq (Khazraj).
3. Ubadah bin Samit. - Bani Ghanam (Khazraj).
4. Yazid bin Thalabah. - Friend of Bani Ghanam (Khazraj).
5. Abbas bin Ubadah bin Naila. - Bani Salih (Khazraj).
6. Abul Haysham bin Tayyhan. - Bani Abdul Ashhal (Aws).
7. Waim bin Sa'ida. - Bani Amr bin (Aws).

Of these, only the last two were from the Aws tribe. All the others were from the Khazraj tribe.

These people met the Prophet (ﷺ) near Minaret Aqaba and pledged themselves to the religion he preached on certain terms. These terms were all included in the later Treaty of Hudaibiyah and the pledges taken from the women during the conquest of Mecca.

The incident of the Covenant of Aqabah is narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Ubada bin Samit (ra). He narrated:

The Prophet said: "Come and pledge to me on this promise:

1. Do not associate anything with Allah, 2. Do not steal, 3. Do not commit adultery, 4. Do not kill your children, 5. Do not bring false accusations between your hands and feet, and 6. Do not disobey me with any good word.

Those who obey and fulfill these words will have a reward with Allah. But whoever does any of them and his punishment is given here, then it will be a reason for his salvation. And if anyone does any of these things and Allah keeps it a secret, then his matter will be left to the will of Allah, if He wills, He will punish him, or if He wills, He will forgive him.

Ubadah (ra) said: We took a pledge from the Messenger of Allah on these words.

A group of Islamic preachers in Medina

After the pledge was fulfilled and the Hajj was completed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent the first missionary group to Yathrib with these people. This missionary group was sent for various purposes. The first purpose was to teach the newly converted Muslims the rules and regulations of Islam. The second purpose was to spread Islam to those who were still clinging to polytheism. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) selected a prominent young man from among the first pioneers for this task - his name was Mus'ab bin Umayr Abdari (ra).

Glorious success

Mus'ab bin Umayr (ra) went to Medina and took refuge in the house of Asad bin Zurarah (ra) and together they started preaching Islam to the people of Yathrib with great zeal and enthusiasm. In recognition of his preaching, he was given the title of 'Mukriyun'. 'Mukriyun' means 'the one who teaches'. In that era, a teacher or a teacher was called 'Mukriyun'. The most successful and important incident in the preaching is mentioned here:

One day, Asad bin Zurarah, accompanied by Mus'ab bin Umayr (ra), went to the area of ​​Bani Abdul Ashhal and Bani Ja'far, and there they sat down on a well called 'Maraq' in a garden of Bani Ja'far. At that time, some Muslims gathered around them. Until then, the two leaders of Bani Abdul Ashhal, Sa'd bin Mu'adh and Usayd bin Huzayir, were still on the path of polytheism, that is, they had not become Muslims.

When they heard of their arrival, Sa'd said to Usaid: 'Go to them and warn them both, who have come to fool our weak-hearted people, not to come to our neighborhood.'

Asad bin Zurara is my cousin, that is why I am sending you. Otherwise I would have done this work myself.

Usayd (ra) raised his spear and approached the two of them. Asad (ra) saw them coming and said to Mus'ab, 'This is the leader of his people, coming to you. Pray to Allah for him.'

Mus'ab said: "If he comes and sits here, I will talk to him."

When Usayd reached them, he spoke harshly while standing. He said: "Why have you two come to us? Are you fooling our weak-minded people? If you want to save your lives, then get away from us."

Mus'ab said: 'You sit for a while and listen to some talk. If you like something, accept it. If you don't like it, reject it.'

Usayd said: "You have spoken justly."

Then he buried his spear in the ground and sat down. At that time, Mus'ab began to talk about Islam and recited the Quran. In his own narration, it is said that as soon as we spoke about Allah to Usaid, we noticed that a look of surprise was visible on his face. We thought that he would accept Islam. Then he opened his mouth and said, 'Nothing can be better than what you have said. But the question is, what do you do when you want to convert someone to Islam?'

They replied, "Take a bath, wear clean clothes, and pray two rak'ahs, testifying to the truth."

He took a bath, put on clean clothes, recited the Kalima Shahadat, testified to the truth, and prayed two rak'ahs. Then he said: 'There is another person behind me. If he follows, no one in his community will be left behind. I am sending him to your service right now.' He was referring to Sa'd bin Mu'adh.

Then Usaid (ra) raised his spear and returned to Sa'd. He was then talking to his people. When he saw Usaid coming, he said, "I swear by Allah, this man who said to you: 'How did you do?'

He said: 'I spoke to them both, but by Allah! I did not notice any injustice or difficulty. However, they were forbidden. They also said, 'Okay, whatever you want, we will do.' Furthermore, I learned that the people of Bani Haritha have gone to kill Asad bin Zurrah. The reason is that they know that Asad is your cousin. So they want to break the agreement that you have with them.'

Hearing this, Sa'd became angry and agitated and, raising his spear, went straight to the two men. When he got there, he saw that they were sitting peacefully. He understood that Usayd wanted him to listen to them.

But he stood up and said to Asad bin Zurrah in a stern voice: 'By Allah! O Abu Umam, if there were no ties of kinship between you and me, you would never have dared to come to my area and speak words I dislike.'

Meanwhile, Asad had said before that a leader is coming to you by Allah - behind whom his people are. If he accepts your words, then no one will be behind him. Therefore, Mus'ab (ra) said to Sa'd: 'Why don't you come? And why don't you listen to us? If you like something, accept it, and if you dislike it, we will keep you away from what you dislike.'

Sa'd said: 'You have spoken justly.'

Then he buried his spear in the ground and sat down. Mus'ab (ra) introduced Islam to him and recited the Quran.

Mus'ab (ra) narrated that he could sense Sa'd's acceptance of Islam by the joy on his face even before he confessed.

Then he opened his mouth and said, 'How do you convert people to Islam?' They said, 'Take a bath, wear clean clothes, and pray two rak'ahs, testifying to the truth.' Sa'd did so. Then he lifted it and went to the gathering of his people. As soon as they saw him, they said, 'By Allah! Sa'd has returned with a different face from the one he had taken.'

Sa'd (ra) then approached the people present in the meeting and said, "O Bani Abdul Ashhad! What kind of person do you consider me to be among you?"

They said: You are our leader, the possessor of immense knowledge and the blessed leader.

He said: Very well, but now listen to one thing. That is, from now on, my speech with all of you, men and women, is forbidden until you believe in Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ).

His speech had such a reaction that by evening there was not a single man or woman left in that tribe who had not embraced Islam. Only one man, whose name was Usairim, did not embrace Islam at that time. His conversion to Islam was delayed until the Battle of Uhud. He embraced Islam on the day of the Battle of Uhud and participated in the battle and was martyred while fighting. He was martyred shortly after reciting the Kalima-e-Shahadah. He did not have the opportunity to prostrate to Allah. That is why the Messenger of Allah said about him: 'He worked a little and received a great reward.'

Mus'ab (ra) continued to preach Islam from the house of Asad bin Zuhara. Except for the houses of Banu Umayya bin Zaid, Khatmah and Wael, there was no house of the Ansar that did not have some men and women who had become Muslims. The famous poet Qays bin Aslat was from among them. They used to obey him. It was this poet who prevented them from accepting Islam until the Battle of the Trench (5th Hijri).

However, before the next Hajj season, that is, the Hajj season of the thirteenth year of the Prophethood, Mus'ab bin Umayr (ra) brought the good news of his success to the court of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in Mecca and informed him of the condition of the tribes of Yathrib and the excellence of their military tactics and defensive skills.

The second oath of Aqaba, a sign of a bright future

During the Hajj season of the thirteenth year of the Prophethood (June, 622 A.D.), more than seventy Muslims from Yathrib arrived in Mecca to perform the obligatory Hajj. They were among the polytheist pilgrims from their own community.

They were either in Yathrib or on the way to Mecca, and at one point the Muslim pilgrims began to say to each other, "How long will we leave the Prophet in this state of fear, wandering and stumbling among the mountains of Mecca?"

When these Muslims reached Mecca, they began to communicate with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and finally it was unanimously decided that on the middle day of the day of Tashreeq (12th Dhul-Hijjah), both groups would meet in Mina at the tunnel near Jamra-e-Ula, that is, Jamra-e-Aqaba, and that the meeting would be held secretly in the darkness of night.

How that historic gathering turned the tide of the ongoing conflict between Islam and idolatry is known from an account received from an Ansar companion. Ka'b bin Malik Ansari (ra) said,

The 11th, 12th and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah are called the Days of Tashreef. We set out for Hajj. It was decided to meet the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the night between the days of Tashreeq and finally the appointed time arrived. With us was Abdullah bin Rawaha, one of our most influential leaders - who never embraced Islam. He was the only one of the polytheists we took with us. We were keeping our actions and conversations secret from the other polytheists who had come with us. But our conversation with Abdullah bin Haram was going well. We said to him, 'O Abu Jabir! You are an influential and high-ranking leader among us. Out of our respect and love for you, we want to get you out of your current situation - so that you do not become fuel for the terrible fire of Hell.

Then we invited him to Islam and said, "Today we are to meet the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Aqaba." He accepted Islam after listening to us and was chosen as our leader for our meeting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) at Aqaba.

Ka'b (ra) narrated the incident in detail. We slept that night with our people as usual. But when the third part of the night had passed, we left our tents and went to the appointed place to meet the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). We left the tents in secret.

Finally, we all went and gathered at Aqaba. We were seventy-five in number. Seventy-three were men and two were women. One of the two women was Umm Ammara Nasira bint Ka'b. She was related to the tribe of Banu Mu'in bin Najjar. The second was Umm Mani Asma bint Amr. She was related to the tribe of Banu Salma.

We gathered in the tunnel in the morning and waited for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Finally, the longed-for moment arrived and he arrived. His uncle Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib was with him, and although he was still firmly rooted in the religion of his community, he wanted to be present in his nephew's problems so that he would have complete conviction. He was the first to speak.

Discussion topics and Abbas' explanation of the severity of the problem

After the preliminary business of the meeting was completed, discussions began with the aim of drawing up a comprehensive plan for concluding treaties and agreements for religious and military assistance. Abbas was the first to speak. His purpose was to explain in detail the great responsibility that would be placed on the shoulders of both parties as a result of the agreement concluded between them and the delicate situation that could arise as a result of it. So he said:

O people of Khazraj! (The two tribes of the Ansar near the Throne were known as Khazraj and Aws) you are all aware of the status and position of Muhammad (ﷺ) among us. The people of our community also have the same attitude towards religion as we do. We have protected him from the harm of his opponents. He is now in his home with respect, strength and protection among his community. But now he has decided to go to you and join you. If in this situation it happens that you will try to protect him, then everything is fine, there is no objection. I hope you have a clear understanding of the great responsibility and the weighty burden that you are going to take on. But if it happens that you will be separated from him or if you are not of any use to him, then leave him now. Because he is in his homeland with respect and protection among his community.

Ka'b (ra) said: We said to Abbas, "We have heard what you have said." Then we said to the Messenger of Allah, "You may begin your speech and make whatever treaty and agreement you like for yourself and your Lord."

From Ka'b's (ra) answer, it is easy to understand the level of determination, bravery, faith, zeal and sincerity of the Ansar in bearing this great responsibility and its extremely risky and dangerous consequences.

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) spoke: He first recited some parts from the Holy Quran, invited people to the religion of Allah and created a love for Islam. Then he took the oath of allegiance. Imam Ahmad (ra) narrated the event of the oath in detail from Jabir (ra). Jabir said, 'We asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): O Messenger of Allah! What word should we accept from you? He said, 'You will accept the words on which you will take an oath, and they are:

1. Listen and obey in all circumstances, in happiness and in sorrow.
2. Spend equally in poverty and prosperity.
3. Enjoin good and forbid evil.
4. Stand firm in the way of Allah and do not listen to anyone who criticizes Allah.
5. When I migrate to you, then guard me as you guard your own lives, property and children. If you do these, you will have Paradise.

The last verse is mentioned in the discussion by Ibn Ishaq on the authority of Ka'b (ra). It is said that the Messenger of Allah recited the Quran, invited people to the religion of Allah and encouraged them to embrace Islam, and then said, "I am taking an oath from you that you will protect me from what you protect your children and relatives from." After saying this, Bara bin Marur (ra) took the hand of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, "I will protect you from the evils from which I protect my children and relatives." After saying this, Bara bin Marur (ra) took the hand of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, "By Him Who sent you as a true Prophet, we will protect you from the evils from which I protect my children and relatives. So, O Messenger of Allah! Take our oath of allegiance. By Allah! We are the children of war and weapons are our toys. This is our way since the time of our forefathers."

Ka'b (ra) said: While Bara was talking to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Abu'l-Haytham bin Tayhan said to him, "O Messenger of Allah! There is a treaty and a covenant between us and some people, namely the Jews. We are breaking that treaty. In that case, it will not be the case that you will leave us and return to your people."

Hearing this, the Prophet smiled softly and said, 'No; rather, your blood is my blood and your destruction is my destruction. I am yours and you are mine. I will fight those with whom you fight. I will make peace with those with whom you make peace.'

Recalling the dangerous aspects of the pledge: When the negotiations regarding the terms of the pledge were almost over and the people had embraced Islam during the Hajj season in the year of the pledge, they explained to the people the seriousness and vulnerability, their responsibility and the potential dangers so that they would take the pledge after being fully informed of all aspects of the problem. Another purpose behind this was to understand how much these people were prepared to sacrifice.

Ibn Ishaq said, When the people gathered to take the pledge, Abbas bin Ubadah bin Nazlah said, "Do you know on what words you are going to take the pledge with him (pointing to the Messenger of Allah)?" They answered in unison, "Yes."

Abbas (ra) said, "You have pledged to him to fight against the red and black people in exchange for Paradise. If you have such an idea that you will leave his company when the noble people of your party are killed, then leave him now. Because if you leave him after taking him, it will be a matter of great shame for this world and the Hereafter." And if you wish to fulfill this covenant to which you invite him, despite the destruction of your wealth and the killing of honorable people, then certainly accept it. For, by Allah, therein lies good for the life of this world and the Hereafter.

After hearing this, everyone said in a united voice, "We are accepting this in exchange for a very dangerous situation such as loss of wealth and killing of noble people. But that is a relevant matter. O Messenger of Allah! If we fulfill this promise properly, what reward is there for us in return?" He said, "Paradise." The people said, "Stretch out your blessed hand." When he stretched out his hand, the people took hold of his hand and accepted the promise.

According to Jabir (ra), when we stood up to take the pledge, the youngest of the seventy, Asad bin Zurarah, said, "O people of Yathrib! Stop for a moment. We have come to serve him, having destroyed the liver of a camel (i.e., having traveled a long distance), strengthened in our belief that he is the Messenger of Allah!" Taking him today means enmity with all the Arabs, the killing of your prominent people by the sword, and a huge loss of wealth. So, if you can bear all this, take him with you. In return for all this, the great reward that is in store for you in the court of Allah is 'Paradise'.

If these things are more beloved to you than the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), then leave him now. That will be an acceptable excuse or objection to Allah.

Fulfilling the pledge of allegiance

The terms and conditions of the pledge had been laid down in advance. Its terrible aspects had been explained once. When this extra precaution was mentioned, everyone shouted in unison, 'Asad bin Zurarah! Withdraw your hand. By Allah! We cannot abandon or break this pledge.'

In response to this response from the people present, Asad bin Zurarah got the opportunity to become well aware of how much people were ready to sacrifice for the sake of the Messenger of Allah. In fact, Asad bin Zurarah was engaged in the propagation of Islam in Medina along with Mus'ab bin Umayr and became famous as the greatest missionary. Therefore, it can be naturally assumed that he was also the leader of those who took the pledge. As a result, he was the first to take the pledge, which is why it is narrated from Ibn Ishaq that Banu Najjar said, Abu Umama Asad bin Zurarah was the first person who shook hands with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

I think that perhaps the conversation that took place before the pledge with Abul Haitham and Baraya was taken as a promise. Otherwise, Asad al-Zubayr has a greater right to go first at this time. Allah knows best.

Then the general pledge was made. It is narrated from Jabir (ra), "We stood up one by one and the Prophet (ﷺ) took the pledge from us. In return, he gave us the good news of Paradise."

There were two women left, who were present there. Their oath was verbal. The Prophet never shook hands with any woman.

Twelve Naqibs

When the oath-taking ceremony was over, the Prophet (ﷺ) selected twelve leaders from among the people who had taken the oath. The chosen ones would take charge of their respective communities and would be responsible for implementing the terms of the oath within their communities. The Prophet (ﷺ) had indicated that they would select leaders from among themselves who would play a role in solving the problems of their respective communities. The election of leaders was quickly completed on his indication. A total of twelve leaders were selected, nine from the Khazraj tribe and three from the Aws tribe.

The names of the leaders of the Khazraj tribe are:

1. As'ad bin Zurarah bin 'Adas
2. Sa'd bin Rabi bin Amar
3. Abdullah bin Rawahah bin Tha'labah
4. Rafi bin Malik bin 'Azlan
5. Bara bin Marur bin Sakhar
6. Abdullah bin Amr bin Haram
7. 'Ubada bin Samit bin Qays
8. Sa'd bin Ubada bin Dulaim
9. Mundhir bin Amr bin Khunais.

The leaders of the Aus tribe are:

1. Usaid Hudair bin Samak
2. Sa'ad bin Khaysama bin Harith
3. Rafaya bin Abdul Munzer bin Zubair.

Some have written Zunair instead of Zubair. Some historians have written Abul Haisham bin Tayhan instead of Rifayyah.

When the election of these leaders was over, the Prophet (ﷺ) took a new pledge from them. He said, "Just as the Haoari were entrusted with responsibility by Jesus (ﷺ), so from today on you are entrusted with the responsibility of your own community. And I am entrusted with the responsibility of the entire Muslim nation." They all said in unison, "Yes."

When the covenant was completed and the people were about to depart for their respective destinations, an evil person came to know about it. Since he came to know about it at the last moment and at that moment he did not have time to convey this news to the Quraysh polytheists and they would suddenly attack inside this tunnel and annihilate them all. So he quickly stood on a high place on the mountain and called out in a loud voice, O tent-keeper! Look at Muhammad, the disbelievers are now with him. They have gathered here to fight you.

The Ansar's preparations for the attack on the Quraysh

Hearing the words uttered by evil, Abbas bin Ubadah bin Naila said, "By Him Who sent you with justice, if you wish, we will attack the people of Mina tomorrow with swords." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "I have not been ordered to do so." So go to your respective homes. So the people went to their respective homes. Thus the morning came.

The Quraysh protest before the leaders of Yathrib

As soon as this news reached the ears of the Quraysh, unbearable grief and sorrow began to arise among them. For they knew very well that such a promise and agreement of the Muslims would have far-reaching adverse effects on their lives and property. So as soon as morning came, a large group of their leaders and sons set out towards the tents of the people of Medina to protest against the agreement and appealed as follows:

O people of Khazraj! We have learned that you have come to take this man from us and are making a pact with him to fight us, whereas we only dislike fighting with you among the Arab tribes.

But since this pledge was made in the dark of night, the Khazraj polytheists were not aware of it at all. Therefore, they repeatedly swore by Allah that no such act had taken place. We are not aware of this at all. Finally, this group involved in the protest reached Abdullah bin Ubayy bin Sulun. When asked about this, he replied, 'This is indeed nonsense. It is impossible for my people to do such an act without my knowledge. Even if I were in Yathrib, my people would not have done it without my advice.'

The Muslims remained. They looked at each other with furtive eyes and remained silent. No one even opened his mouth to say yes or no. Finally, the Quraysh leaders realized that the polytheists were telling the truth and so they returned in despair.

The truth of the news and the pursuit of the oath-takers: The Quraysh leaders in Mecca probably firmly believed that this news was false. But they were always engaged in investigating it and finally confirmed that the event of taking the pledge was true. After coming to know about this event, they became aggressive towards the pledge-takers. But when they came to know about this news, the pledged pilgrims had already advanced rapidly and covered a long distance. The Meccans advanced quickly but could not catch up with them. However, they saw Sa'ad bin Ubadah and Mundhir bin Amr. Then they started chasing them. But Mundhir managed to get out of their reach very quickly. But Sa'ad bin Ubadah was caught by them. They tied his hands behind his neck with ropes that he had twisted. They took him to Mecca, tormenting him. But there, Mut'aym bin Adi and Harith bin Umayya came and freed him. Because the trade caravans of the two of them used to travel on the route to Medina, they used to travel under the protection of Sa'ad. Meanwhile, the Ansar felt very embarrassed by his capture and started consulting to take appropriate measures to free him. In the meantime, it was seen that Sa'ad, having been freed from captivity, had returned to his companions. Then everyone returned safely to Medina.

This is the second pledge of Aqabah, which is called the Great Pledge of Aqabah. This pledge was made in an open space that was filled with the enthusiasm of love, promise-keeping, help, cooperation, mutual dependence, trust and faith among the separated believers, self-sacrifice and heroism. As a result, the hearts of the believing people of Yathrib were filled with compassion for their weak brothers in Mecca. There was no lack of enthusiasm in their hearts to help their brothers in Mecca. Moreover, there was great anxiety and anger against those who oppressed them. Their hearts were filled with love for these brothers, whom they took as brothers for the sake of Allah without seeing them.

And this enthusiasm and pursuit were not just the result of an imaginary attraction, which may end with the evolution of time; rather, the source of such a thing is faith in Allah. Which does not bow down to even the greatest forces of injustice and oppression. Due to that faith, the companions have established such epoch-making deeds and feats and have written such chapters in the history of mankind, which cannot be compared to any past or present time. Perhaps they will not be found in the future either.

The first group of emigrants

When the Second Covenant of Aqabah was fully implemented, the foundations of Islam were largely established in the barren desert of atheism and ignorance. This was the most important and notable achievement of the Islamic call since its inception. After this, the Prophet (ﷺ) permitted the Muslims to migrate to this new land.

The meaning of migration was to give up all kinds peace and comforts and to save only life by sacrificing all wealth and resources. And it must be remembered that the lives of Muslims surrounded by polytheists were more likely to be in danger at any moment. Moreover, there was a possibility of danger approaching at any point from the beginning to the end of the path. And travel was a symbol of an uncertain future. It was not known what kind of dangers and suffering they would have to face in the future.

The Muslims, knowing this, began the migration. Meanwhile, the polytheists began to create obstacles in their path. Because they understood that there was a hidden danger in it. Some examples of migration are presented for the readers.

1. The first Muhajirin was Abu Salama (ra). According to Ibn Ishaq, he migrated before the great oath of Aqabah. He was accompanied by his wife and children. When he wanted to leave Mecca, his father-in-law said, "You have prevailed over us in your own life. But we cannot allow our daughter to travel from city to city with you."

After saying this, they took his wife away from him. At this, the relatives of Abu Salama (ra) became very angry and said, "When you are taking this woman away from us, we cannot let our child live here."

Then both sides started to struggle over the child. As a result of the struggle, one of the hands of the child was torn off. In such a situation, Abu Salama's relatives took the child into their own custody. Due to this, Abu Salama had to go to Medina alone.

From then on, Umm Salama's (ra) condition became such that she would come there almost every morning and would continue to cry until evening. A year passed in this state. Seeing her condition, her relatives felt deep sorrow. Finally, they turned to her father and said, "Why do you not allow this woman to go to her husband? Why have you separated her from her husband and children for no reason?"

In the wake of this conversation, her relatives told her, "If you wish, you can go to your husband." Then she took her son back from her grandfather's house and went to Medina. Allahu Akbar! A journey of five hundred kilometers! None of Allah's creation was with her. When she reached Medina with her children, she met Uthman bin Abi Talha. Knowing the situation, he took her to Medina as a companion. When the settlement came into view, he said, "Your husband is in this village, go there. May Allah bless you." Then she moved towards Mecca.

2. When Suhaib (ra) wanted to migrate, the infidels of the Quraysh tribe said, "When you came to us, you were a lowly beggar. But after coming here, you have acquired a lot of wealth and have made progress in various fields. Now you think that you will leave here with your wealth. By Allah! This cannot happen." Suhaib (ra) said, "Okay, if I leave my wealth, will you leave my path?"

They said, Yes. Suhaib said, Okay. Let me give you all my wealth and possessions. Then he gave all his wealth to the disbelievers for the love of Allah and His Messenger. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard this news, he said in a voice filled with emotion, Suhaib has benefited, Suhaib has benefited.

3. Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra), Ayyash ibn Abu Rabi'ah (as), Hisham al-As ibn Wa'il (ra) decided among themselves to gather at Tana'ur in Thaqif early in the morning and migrate to Medina from there. Umar (ra) and Ayyash arrived at the appointed time, but Hisham was taken prisoner. When Umar (ra) and Ayyash arrived in Medina and landed at "Quba", Abu Jahl and his brother Harith came to Ayyash. All three of them were the children of the same mother. They both said to Ayyash (ra), "Your mother and our mother have vowed not to comb her hair until she sees you and not to seek shelter in the shade from the sun." Seeing this, Ayyash (ra) became very kind to his mother. Upon hearing this, Umar (ra) said to Ayyash (ra), "Look, Ayyash! By Allah, if your mother is troubled by lice, she will definitely use a comb. And if the sun of Mecca bothers her, she will definitely seek shelter in the shade. So be careful of them." But Ayyash did not listen to him and decided to go out with them to fulfill his mother's vow.

Umar (ra) noticed him and said, "When you are determined to fulfill your mother's wish, take my she-camel for your journey. It is very fast and calm. If you take it, you should not let you go out of your hand. Moreover, if you fear any harm or mistreatment from the polytheists of Mecca, come back fleeing."

Ayyash (ra) mounted the camel and set off with them. After covering some distance, Abu Jahl said, "Brother, I am having a hard time with this camel. Will you let me ride with you on the back of your camel?" Ayyash said, "Okay." Then he dismounted the camel.

They both dismounted their camels so that Abu Jahl could dismount from his camel and climb onto the camel of Ayyash (ra). But when all three of them touched the ground, suddenly the two of them attacked Ayyash together and tied him up with ropes. Then, in this tied state, they brought him to Mecca during the day and said to the people of Mecca, "O people of Mecca! Do to your fools what we did to our fools."

Hisham and Ayyash (ra) were imprisoned by the infidels. One day after the migration of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he said, "Who is there who will free Hisham and Ayyash for me?" Walid said, "I have taken the responsibility of freeing them for you." Then Walid secretly went to Mecca. He followed a woman (who was carrying food for the two of them) and found out their whereabouts. The two of them were imprisoned in a roofless house. At nightfall, Walid climbed over the wall and came to them, freed them from their captivity and fled with them to Medina.

Three examples are given how the polytheists of Mecca treated those who were determined to migrate. But despite this, the migration continued, so that within just two months after the great pledge of Aqabah, there were no Muslims left in Mecca except the Prophet (ﷺ) - Abu Bakr (ra) and Ali (ra). On the orders of the Prophet (ﷺ), they both remained in Mecca. However, there were some other Muslims in Mecca who were being held captive by the polytheists. The Prophet had packed his belongings and was fully prepared for the journey, awaiting the command of Allah. Abu Bakr (ra) was also shown the place of migration. This was a date palm grove located between the two Lawa mountains. Then the Muslims migrated towards Medina. The common emigrants from Abyssinia also migrated to Medina. Abu Bakr also prepared his belongings for the migration to Medina. But the Messenger of Allah said to him, "Be patient, for I hope that I too will be given permission to migrate." Abu Bakr (ra) said, "May my parents be sacrificed for you. Can I expect permission to migrate for you as well?"

He said, "Yes." Then Abu Bakr (ra) stayed behind to travel with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He had two she-camels. He fed them well for four months on acacia leaves, so that they could travel very quickly.

The gathering of the Quraysh in Darun Nadwa

When the Muslims took refuge in the inhabited areas of the Aws and Khazraj tribes with their wealth, wives, sons and daughters, there was a commotion among the polytheists. They became so restless due to extreme anxiety and mental anguish that it was never seen so much restlessness among them before. The issue of migration was a great challenge to their idol worship, social unity and economic activities.

The polytheists were well aware of the attractive power that Muhammad (ﷺ) possessed, along with his full leadership and guidance. Moreover, the strength and fighting ability of the Aws and Khazraj tribes, the zeal for reconciliation and purity among the scholars of those two tribes, and their eagerness to end the suffering and enmity among themselves after years of civil war.

They also realized how important the position of the soldiers of Medina was on the national highway (highway) that ran from Yemen to Syria along the Red Sea coast for their trade. They found themselves in such a sensitive situation. At that time, the trade of the Meccans with Syria was equivalent to about 250,000 dinars. In addition, there was the trade of the people of Taif. And this trade depended on the security of the trade caravans.

From this account it is not difficult to imagine that the arrival of the Muslim emigrants in Medina, if they had established the foundation of the Islamic call and enabled the Medinans to take part in the struggle against the Meccans, would have been a very dangerous thing for the Meccans. The polytheists were fully aware of the situation that had arisen. So they set out to meet this challenge. It was well known to them that the root of this danger was the call to Islam and Muhammad was its standard-bearer.

First of the day

According to Ibn Ishaq, it is said that Gabriel (as) brought the news of this meeting to the Prophet and informed him of the permission to migrate. It is known from the hadith narrated by Aisha (ra) that the Prophet said to Abu Bakr (ra) at noon: I have been given permission to migrate. The full details will come later. First, the Quraysh and polytheists held an important meeting in Darun Nadwa, the parliament building in Makkah. The leaders of all the Quraysh tribes participated in it.

The subject of discussion was to create an irrefutable plan that would completely erase the existence of Islam by killing the Prophet, the flag-bearer of the Islamic call, as soon as possible.

Notable among the Quraysh leaders from all the tribes who were present at this fierce and violent session were:

1. Abu Jahl bin Hisham. - From Bani Makhzum
2. Zubayr bin Mut'im, Tuayma bin Adi, Hashim bin Amer. - From Bani Abd Shams bin Abd Manaf.
3. Shaibah bin Rabi'ah Utba bin Rabi'ah, Abu Sufyan bin Harb. - From Bani Abdur.
4. Nazr bin Harith. - From Bani Asad bin Abdul Uzza.
5. Abul Bukhtari bin Hisham, Yazma bin Aswad and Hakim bin Hizam. - From Bani Asad bin Abdul Uzza.
6. Bin Hajjaj and Munabbah bin Hajjaj. - From Bani Saham.
7. Umayya bin Khalaf. - From Bani Jumah.

When these leaders reached Darun Nadwa at the appointed time, Iblis also appeared at the door, dressed in the most elegant clothes, in the form of a distinguished scholar. Seeing him, everyone began to say in agreement, "Where is this Sheikh (scholar) from?"

The unanimous decision to unjustly kill the Prophet

After the meeting room was filled with dignitaries, the debate began. Then the debate continued in the form of proposals and decisions. First, Abul Aswad proposed that we expel that man from among us and expel him from this city. We will have no further relations with him as to where he will go or where he will stay. We will have no more problems with this and the previous situation will return.

But Sheikh Najdi said, "By Allah, this is not a good proposal. Don't you see how beautiful the words of that person are and how sweet his speech is? Don't you see how he is winning the hearts of the people? By Allah, if you do this, he will take refuge in an Arab tribe and make them his followers. Then, making friends with them, he will attack your city, make you miserable and treat you harshly. Think of another solution instead of the one you are talking about."

Abu'l-Bukhtari said, "Bound him with iron chains. Keep him confined in his house, shut the door from the outside, and wait for the inevitable outcome (death) as happened to the poets (Zuhair, Nabega, and others) before him."

Sheikh Najdi said, "No, by Allah! This proposal does not seem very good either. By Allah! If you capture him as you say, then news of him will reach his companions through the closed door. And then it may not be impossible for them to attack you and free him. Then they will attack you together and completely overwhelm you. Therefore, this proposal is also not acceptable. It is necessary to think of some other solution."

When both proposals were rejected, a different proposal was finally made. This proposal was put forward by Abu Jahl, the most notorious person in Mecca. He said, "I have an opinion about this man Muhammad (ﷺ). I see that none of you have reached that point so far." The people said, "Abu al-Hakam! What is that?" Abu Jahl said, "My proposal is: Let a handsome and strong young man be selected from each tribe and each be given a sharp sword. Then let everyone advance towards him and kill him with their swords together. Only then will we be saved from him. And the result of killing in this way will be that the responsibility for shedding blood will be spread equally among all the tribes. One of the special advantages of this will be that Banu Abd Manaf will not be able to fight with everyone. As a result, they will agree to accept blood money (paying one hundred camels for one kill) and we will pay it.

Sheikh Najdi said, "What this young man said remains valid. If any other proposal and support comes up, this will remain the same, the others will not have much importance."

The session of the great assembly was adjourned for the day, after a cowardly, despicable and heinous decision was taken. The members returned to their respective homes, determined to implement this decision quickly.

The migration of the Prophet (ﷺ)

The will of Allah Subhanallah and the efforts of the Quraysh

They held such atrocious consultations in secret to implement their goals and objectives, so that no one would know until the action was completed. They brought about a change in their previous method of resistance, which was more terrifying than all the previous decisions. This was the conspiracy of the Quraysh. When the sinful, hateful and heinous decision to kill the Prophet was taken, Gabriel (as) appeared before him with a divine message from the great and blessed Lord and informed him of the conspiracy of the Quraysh polytheists. He said, "Your Lord has given you permission to migrate from Mecca. Do not sleep on the bed you have been sleeping on tonight. With this statement, the time for migration was determined.

After receiving the divine message regarding the migration, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) went to the house of Abu Bakr (ra). The purpose was to discuss and decide on the timing and various methods of migration. Aisha (ra) narrated, I was sitting at home at noon. Then a person came and informed me that the Prophet (ﷺ) had come with his head covered. It was during the day when the Prophet usually did not go anywhere. Abu Bakr (ra) said, "May my parents be sacrificed for you, have you come at this time to discuss some important matter?"

Aisha (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked permission to enter, and when he was given permission, he entered. Then he said to Abu Bakr (ra), "Remove all the people who are with you."

Abu Bakr (ra) said, "Enough, there is no one here except your housewife. May my parents be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah!"

He said, "Good. I have been given permission by Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, to migrate." Abu Bakr (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed for you." The Messenger of Allah said, "Yes."

Then, having set the time for the migration, the Prophet returned and waited for the arrival of night.

Besieging the house of the Prophet (ﷺ): While the Prophet was preparing for the migration, the sinners of Mecca were busy preparing for the day to implement the great decision taken. Eleven sinners were selected for the purpose. Their names are:

1. Abu Jahl bin Hisham.
2. Hakam bin As.
3. Uqba bin Abu Mu'it.
4. Izar bin Harith.
5. Umayya bin Khalaf.
6. Jamiyah bin Aswad
7. Tuwaimah bin Adi
8. Abu Lahab.
9. Ubay bin Khalaf.
10. Hubayh bin Hajjaj and his brother.
11. Munabbah bin Hajjaj.

Ibn Ishaq narrated that at the end of the day, after the evening prayer had passed and darkness had fallen, they sat in ambush at the door of the Prophet's house, intending to attack him as soon as he lay down.

Their confidence in implementing and executing their heinous plan was so strong that they thought they would kill him in a moment. Abu Jahl was extremely arrogant. With mockery and contempt, he said to his companions who surrounded the Prophet's (ﷺ) house, "Muhammad said, if you convert to his religion and follow him, the rule of the Arabs over the non-Arabs will be established. When you are resurrected after death, you will be given gardens like the gardens of Urudun. And if you reject his orders, you will burn in the fire of Hell forever."

However, the appointed time for this heinous crime was the second half of the night. That is why they were spending the night awake and waiting for the appointed time. But Allah's decree is final and His victory is the real victory. He has sole authority and sole dominion over the heavens and the earth. He does whatever He wills. No one can touch even a hair of the one He wants to save. And no power on earth can save the one He wants to seize. In this context, the following verse addresses the Messenger of Allah:

And [remember, O Muhammad], when those who disbelieved plotted against you to restrain you or kill you or evict you [from Makkah]. But they plan, and Allah plans. And Allah is the best of planners. (Surah Anfal: Verse-30)

The Prophet (ﷺ) left his home for the purpose of migration.

The Quraysh polytheists tried their best to implement their evil plan but failed miserably. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to Ali (ﷺ), "Sleep on my bed wearing this green sheet of mine. They will not be able to harm you." Ali (ﷺ) slept wearing the sheet of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) went out of the house and, passing through the line of the polytheists, took a handful of pebbles and sprinkled them on their heads. By doing so, Allah blocked their sight, so that they could not see the Messenger of Allah. At that time, he was reciting this verse:

We placed a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, then We covered them so that they could not see.

At that time, there was not a single polytheist left on whose head he did not throw pebbles. After that, he went to the house of Abu Bakr and soon set out with him towards Yemen. Then, while the night was still dark, they reached a mountain cave called "Thawr", a few miles away from Mecca.

Meanwhile, the besiegers, crazed with anticipation of the massacre, waited for a golden opportunity. But they were completely shocked when they realized their failure before the appointed time. The thing was that one man was not involved in this work. He saw them waiting around the house of the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "What are you waiting for here?"

They said, "We are only waiting to kill Muhammad." He said, "You have completely failed in your purpose. By Allah! Muhammad passed by you a while ago. Before leaving, he sprinkled a handful of dirt on your heads."

They said, "By Allah! We did not see him." Saying this, they stood up shaking their heads. After this, with great disappointment and anger, they kept looking into the house through the crack in the door. When they saw Ali (ra) lying down wrapped in a sheet, they started saying, "By Allah! This is Muhammad lying down." With the mistaken belief that he was lying down, they kept waiting for the morning. Meanwhile, when morning came and Ali (ra) got out of bed, they realized that Muhammad was indeed not there. They asked Ali in a very angry and resentful voice - "Muhammad is not there. Where is he?" Ali said, "I do not know."

From house to cave

This period of the journey of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would be during the fourteenth year of the Prophethood, when the year begins in the month of Muharram. And if the year is counted from the month in which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) received prophethood, then it would have been in the month of Safar in the thirteenth year of the Prophethood. The general historians have accepted the first calculation. And those who have accepted the second have made a mistake in the date of the event. I have taken the beginning of the year from Muharram.

Shortly after midnight, he left his house and went to the house of his most trusted companion, Abu Bakr (ra), and from there, exiting through a window at the back, the two of them proceeded along the path, so that they could leave Mecca while it was still dark. Because the Prophet knew that if the Quraysh did not see him, they would search for him with all their might, and the first road they would look at was the busy road to Medina, which led north. So they proceeded along that path - the path that was completely opposite to the one they had taken. That is, the road to Yemen, which was south of Mecca. After covering a distance of five miles along that path, they reached the foot of the famous 'Sattar' mountain. This mountain was very high, the path to the top was winding and winding. The climb was also very difficult. There were many sharp stones here and there on the mountainside that injured the feet of the Prophet (ﷺ). It is narrated that he walked on his toes to hide his footprints. Due to this, his feet were injured. However, with the help of Abu Bakr (ra), he reached the cave located at the top of the mountain. This cave is known in history as 'Gare Sattar' or 'Sattar Caves'.

Entrance to the cave

Approaching the cave, Abu Bakr (ra) said, "For the sake of Allah, do not enter the cave now. First, I will enter and see if there is anything that would cause trouble. If there is anything, I will first confront it and as a result, you will not have to face any initial difficulties." Having said this, Abu Bakr (ra) entered the cave and first cleaned it. There were several holes on one side of the cave. He closed the mouths of the holes by tearing pieces of his own cloth. But due to the shortage of pieces of cloth, it was not possible to close the mouths of two holes. Abu Bakr placed his feet at the mouths of the two holes and requested the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to come in. He entered, laid his head on Abu Bakr's thigh, and fell asleep in a short while.

Meanwhile, a snake or scorpion that was in the hole under Abu Bakr's feet stung him. He was suffering because of the poison but did not move for fear that it might wake the Prophet (ﷺ) up. Meanwhile, tears started flowing from his eyes due to the intensity of the poison and those tears started falling all over the face of the Prophet (ﷺ). As a result, he woke up, he asked, "Abu Bakr. What happened to you?"

They both stayed in this mountain cave for three nights (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights).

Abu Bakr's (ra) son Abdullah also spent the night there at the same time. According to the narration of Aisha (ra), Abdullah was a hardworking and intelligent young man. He would go there when the night was dark and would return to Mecca before the time of Sahur and meet the people of Mecca. It would seem that he had spent the night in Mecca. He would convey to them with great precision all the conspiracies that the polytheists were plotting against those who were hiding in the cave.

Meanwhile, Abu Bakr's (ra) slave, Amir bin Fuhaira, used to graze his goats in the mountain plains, and when part of the night had passed, he would take the goats to Sattar Caves and give milk to the Prophet and his companions who were in hiding. Then, before dawn, he would take the goats and leave. He did this for three consecutive nights.

Furthermore, Amir bin Fuhayrah would drive goats along the path of Abdullah bin Abu Bakr so that his footprints would blend in with his movements.

The efforts of the Quraysh

Meanwhile, the situation of the Quraysh was such that after spending the night in a frenzy to kill the Messenger of Allah, when they knew for sure in the morning that he had managed to escape from their grasp, they were completely disoriented and burst into a fit of rage. Their first victim was Ali (ra). They dragged him to the Kaaba and tortured him in various ways for about an hour, so that they could extract some information from him about the two of them.

But since it was not possible to gather any news from him, they set out for the house of Abu Bakr (ra) and knocked on the door. Hearing the knock on the door, Asma bint Abu Bakr (ra) came out. They asked her, "Where is your father?" She said, "Allah knows best. I do not know where my father is." At this, the cruel Abu Jahl slapped her on the cheek so hard that she screamed in pain and her earrings fell off.

Then the Quraysh hastily held a meeting and unanimously decided to take all possible measures to capture them without delay. As a result, a very strict armed guard was posted on every road leading out of Mecca. Moreover, a proclamation was spread everywhere that whoever bring Muhammad and Abu Bakr or either of them, alive or dead, would be given a reward worth one hundred camels.

As a result of this campaign, various travellers, infantry and footprint experts began a very vigorous search operation. They continued their search in the desert, mountains, farmlands, and deserted areas, but nothing came of it.

The searchers reached the entrance of the mountain cave where the Prophet and Abu Bakr were hiding. But Allah prevailed in His cause. It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari on the authority of Anas that "Abu Bakr said to the Messenger of Allah, "I am afraid."

I said, "O Prophet of Allah, if any of them just lowers their gaze, they will see us."

He said, "Abu Bakr. Be quiet. We are two, and the third is Allah." Another narration says, "O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two people whose third is Allah?"

The truth is that this was a miracle that Allah bestowed upon His Prophet. So the searchers were forced to turn back at that time, failing, with the distance between the Prophet and them being less than a few feet.

On the way to Medina

After three days of fruitless running and searching, when the sudden anger of the Quraysh subsided somewhat, the intensity of the search became lighter, and their enthusiasm subsided somewhat, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Abu Bakr (ra) resolved to set out for Medina. Abdullah bin Ariqat Laisi, who was experienced in the deserted roads, was given a contract and a wage to take him to Medina, and two vehicles were also kept with him. Although he was still a member of the Quraysh idolaters, there was no room for doubt about his trust as a guide. It was agreed with him that after three nights had passed, he would reach Gar Sattar on the fourth night with two vehicles. As promised, he arrived on Monday night with the two mounts. It was the moonlit night of Rabi'ul Awwal in the 1st year of the Hijri calendar (September 16, 622 AD). When he arrived with the two mounts, Abu Bakr said, "O Messenger of Allah! Take one of my two mounts." The Messenger of Allah said, "For a price."

Meanwhile, Asma bint Abu Bakr (ra) brought the provisions for the journey. Then the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr mounted their camels. Amr bin Fuhayrah was also with them. The guide, Abdullah bin Ariqat, did not take the usual route to Medina but took the route along the coast of the Red Sea. Starting from the Sattar Caves, he (the guide) set out on the road to Yemen and took them far to the south. Then he turned west and led them towards the seashore. Then he led them along a path that the common people did not know how to find. Then he turned north, which was very close to the Red Sea. Very few people traveled on this path.

Ibn Ishaq then described the places that the Prophet passed through on this journey. He said that when the guide set out with the two of them, he took them through the lowlands of Mecca, then along the coast, he took them through the lowlands of Asfan, then he continued through our lowlands and crossed Kudayd.

Then he passed through Sannayatul Murrah, then through Lif, then through the vast land of Likbaf. Then he reached the vast land of Hejaz and from there he passed through the junction of Mujah and then went to the green fields of the junction of Dhul-Ghazwain. Then he entered the fields of Kesra and went towards Jdajada and from there he reached Azad. Then he passed through the vast area of ​​Ta'han and passed through Ju'salam. From there he went towards Abid and then towards Faja. Then he went to Sannayatul Ayer on the right side of Raquba and descended into the valley of Rim. After that he went to Quba.

A few isolated incidents along the way

1. It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Abu Bakr Siddiq (ra) that he said, "We continued walking (from the camp) throughout the night and until noon the next day. As the sun increased in intensity, the number of travelers gradually decreased and the shade of the rock did not go yet. We disembarked there. I leveled a place with my own hands for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to sleep on and spread a tarpaulin there and said, 'O Messenger of Allah! You sleep here,' and I went out to look ahead and behind. Suddenly I saw a shepherd coming towards the rock with his flock of goats. He was also seeking the same thing from that rock that we were seeking, shade. I said to him, 'O young man, whose man are you?'

He mentioned a person from Mecca or Medina. I said to him, "Does your goat have any milk in its udder?" He said, "Yes." I said again, "Can I milk it?" He said, "Yes." Then he brought a goat. I said, "Clean the udder from the dirt, straw, and hair." After cleaning it, he milked a little milk in a cup. I poured the milk into a leather container. I had taken that container with me for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)'s water and ablution. I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with the milk container in my hand and found him still asleep.

So, I did not dare to wake him up. Then when he woke up, I poured some water into the milk so that it became a layer on the bottom and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Drink this milk." He drank it. I thanked Allah with joy for giving me the opportunity to make him drink.

After drinking the milk, the Messenger of Allah said, "Isn't it time to set out yet?" I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Why not, it is the right time to set out." Then we set out again.

2. Abu Bakr (ra) used to sit behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on journeys. He used to sit behind because the signs of old age were already visible in him and people's eyes would fall on him first. The signs of youth were still evident in the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Therefore, people would look at him less. The result of this was that when a person met him, he would ask Abu Bakr (ra), "Who is that man in front of you?" Abu Bakr (ra) would answer him very delicately. He would say, "This man is showing me the way." In this, people would easily understand the meaning of the way. But by this statement, he meant the path of goodness.

3. During the journey to Medina, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed by the tent of Umm Ma'bad of the tribe of Khuza'ah. She was a woman of good health. She would sit in the tent with a cloth in her hand and serve food and drink to the travelers. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked her, "Do you have anything?" She said, "If I had anything, by Allah, there would be no deficiency in your hospitality." There was nothing in the house, and the goats were far away. It was a time of famine. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw a goat in a corner of the tent. He said, "O Umm Ma'bad, what kind of goat is this?" The woman said, "She has been kept out of the group because of her weakness." The Prophet (ﷺ) asked, "Does she have any milk in her udder?" She said, "She has no strength to give milk." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If you give me permission, I will milk her."

The woman said, "Yes, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you. If you see milk in the udder, you must milk it." After these words, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) passed his hand over the udder of the goat, mentioned the name of Allah, and made supplication. Then its udder became full of milk.

The Prophet took a large pot and milked so much milk that the foam rose to the top of the pot. After milking, he gave it to Umm Ma'bad to drink. She was completely satisfied with the milk. Then he gave it to his companions to drink. After giving everyone a drink with full satisfaction, he drank it himself. He milked so much milk a second time that the pot was full. He left the milk with Umm Ma'bad and proceeded with his companions on their way to Medina.

After a while, her husband Abu Ma'bad arrived there. He was amazed to see the milk in the pot. He asked his wife, "Where did you get this milk?" The milking goats were in a distant pasture and there were no milking goats at home. In that case, where did so much milk come from in the pot?

His wife, Umm Ma'bad, told her husband about the blessed guest who had come to her house while he was on his way and described in detail what had happened. Hearing this, Abu Ma'bad said, "This seems to be the man whom the Quraysh are looking for." Abu Ma'bad again said to his wife, "Well, describe his appearance and nature.

Umm Ma'bad drew such a fascinating picture of his qualities and abilities that it seemed to the audience as if they were seeing him right before their eyes. She said that she wanted to accept his friendship and if she found a way, she would definitely do so.

Meanwhile, a sentence was gradually spreading in Mecca, which people could hear but could not see the speaker. The words were as follows:

May Allah, the Lord of the Throne, bestow a good reward on the two friends who alighted in the tent of Umm Ma'bad. They both alighted in goodness and departed in goodness. He who becomes a friend of Muhammad (ﷺ) is successful. O Qusay! What an unprecedented act and leadership Allah has taken from you and given to them, the Banu Ka'b. Blessed are the Banu Ka'b, for the station of their women and their homes are the garrisons of the believers. Ask your sister about her vessel and her sheep. If you ask the sheep themselves, they will testify.

Asma (ra) said, "They did not see that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and any other people were following him. They were listening to him, but no one could see him. Finally, he left the highlands of Mecca."

4. Suraqah bin Malik chased the Prophet on the way. Suraqah himself narrated this incident. He says, "I was sitting in a meeting of my people, the Banu Mudalij. Meanwhile, a man came and stood beside me. He said, "O Suraqah! I saw some people in east coast in the desert a while ago. I think they are Muhammad and his companions."

"Then, after waiting for a while at the meeting place, I went to the inner palace and ordered the maid to take my horse out of the stable and wait for me behind. And I took the arrow and went out through the back door of the house. At that time, one end of the stick in my hand was rubbing against the ground and the other end was kept low. In this state, I mounted the horse. Then, paying attention to the man's given direction, I started riding." Considering the inhabited habitation of Banu Khair, it is more acceptable that this incident took place on the second day of the journey from Gare Sattar.

I saw the horse galloping with me normally. At one point I got close to them, but suddenly my horse slipped and I fell off the horse. I stood up and extended my hand towards them and pulled out an arrow from the dice and asked if I could shoot him. But the arrow that came out was not to my liking. I ignored the symbolic expression of the arrow and mounted the horse. The horse galloped with me and at one point I heard the voice of the Prophet reciting the Quran. He did not look back for a moment. But Abu Bakr kept looking back.

And in a situation where I could block their path by just crossing a short distance, suddenly my horse's legs got stuck in the sand up to my knees. As a result, I fell off its back. I managed the situation and started scolding the horse to stand up straight. After my scolding, it tried to stand up. But it was not easy. Finally, with great difficulty, it pulled its legs out. When it stood up, dust like smoke was created from its footprints towards the sky.

I again asked the arrow of the dice for the sign of my fortune. But again the arrow came out, which I disliked. Then I gave them a safe space and they stopped. I stopped my horse and reached them. When I had stopped them, it was already in my mind that Muhammad would be the winner in the end. So I told him, "Your people have announced a reward for your life," and on the basis of that, I warned him about the attitude of the people. Moreover, I wanted to arrange for some food and furniture. But he did not accept anything from me and did not ask me any questions. He only said, "Keep our affairs secret." I requested, "Write to me about security."

He ordered Amir bin Fuhaira to write it down, and he wrote it down on a piece of parchment and gave it to me. Then the Prophet's party advanced forward.

Surakah was near the house of the Bani Mudlij and the Prophet was searching for it when he was going up from Qudayd.

This incident is described in a narration by Abu Bakr (ra) himself: "After our journey, our people began searching for us. But none of them reached us except Suraqah bin Malik bin Ju'shum, who was riding his horse. I said, "O Messenger of Allah, the followers will find us."

The Prophet said, "There is no reason to worry, Allah is with us."

In any case, Suraka returned and saw that the people were searching in a panic. He told them, "I have investigated this area. Meanwhile, whatever work you had was done as usual." Thus he led the people back. The one who was the attacking enemy in the early part of the day, became the life-saving friend in the late part of the day.

5. On the way, the small caravan of the Prophet (ﷺ) met Buraidah Aslami. He was the leader of his community and a powerful man. He had set out in search of the Prophet and Abu Bakr, eager for the large reward announced by the leaders of the Quraysh. But after encountering the Prophet (ﷺ), when some conversation took place with him, he gave his heart and became Muslim there along with seventy people from his community. And he took off his white and black turban and tied it to an arrow, which was swaying in the wind. He was announcing in a loud voice that the King of peace and security, the helper of reconciliation, the one who will enrich the world with justice and equity, has come.

6. Later in the journey, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) met Zubayr bin Awam with a Muslim trading caravan. He was returning from Syria. Zubayr presented white clothes to the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) arrived in Qubāt on 8 Rabi’ al-Awwal, 14 AH, i.e. 23 September 622 AD.

At that time, the Prophet was 53 years old. And according to those who consider the date of his prophethood as 9th Rabi'ul Awwal 41 AH, exactly 13 years of prophethood had been completed. However, according to those who consider the date of his prophethood as 14th Ramadan 1 AH, it had been 12 years, 5 months and 22 days.

According to the narration of Uruwa bin Zubayr, the Muslims of Medina saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his companions from Mecca. They saw his companions as they were coming, covered in white clothes. As they were coming, covered in white clothes, it was as if the rays of the moon were radiating from their clothes. Seeing this situation, he lost his self-confidence and said in a loud voice, "O people of Arabia! Your fortune has been blessed, your much-desired guest has arrived." As soon as the Muslims heard this, they ran to the armory.

And they gathered to welcome the Messenger of Allah, armed with weapons.

Ibn Qayyim said, "Meanwhile, the people of the tribe of Bani Amr bin Awf (the inhabitants of Kubar) became very noisy and the sound of Takbir was heard. The Muslims gathered together to greet the Prophet and started reciting Takbir in joyful voices. When he came among them, they all greeted him and surrounded him from all sides. At that time, the Messenger of Allah was covered with a veil of peace and the divine word was being revealed:

Allah and Gabriel and the righteous Muslims are the helpers of the Messenger (ﷺ), and even the angels are the helpers. (At-Tahrim: Verse-4)

According to the narration of Uruwa bin Zubayr (ra), after meeting the people, the Prophet turned to the right with them and went to the tribe of Amr bin Awf.

This day was Monday and the month was Rabi'ul Awwal. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sitting there quietly. But Abu Bakr stood up to greet the people who had come. The Ansar who had gathered were greeting the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Then, when the sun rose over the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Abu Bakr (ra) spread his cloak over him and shaded him. The people who had gathered realized that he was the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

On the occasion of the arrival of the Prophet (ﷺ) in Medina, the people of Medina came out in droves to welcome him and see him. This day was a historical day for the people of Medina that was unparalleled and unprecedented. On that day, the Jews also received the vision of the Prophet, whom they had received the good news of through the Prophet Aaron. That news was: "Allah will bring a Prophet from the south, and the Holy One will come from Mount Faran."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stayed in the house of Kulthum bin Haddam and, according to different opinions, in the house of Sa'ad bin Khaythama. Of these, the first opinion is stronger.

Meanwhile, Ali (ra) returned the entrusted thins of the people to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in Mecca and then set out for Medina. Upon reaching Medina, he met the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in Quba and stayed at the house of Kulthum bin Haddam.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stayed in Quba for four days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) or more than ten days or twenty-four days excluding the days of arrival and departure. During this time, he laid the foundation stone of the Quba Mosque and prayed in it. This was the first mosque after the advent of his prophethood, its foundation being founded on piety (fear of Allah). On the fifth day (or the twelfth day or the twenty-fourth day), on Friday, he mounted his camel by Allah's command. Abu Bakr (ra) was his follower. He set out towards Medina with the Banu Najjar (who were his maternal uncles). Then, when he reached the abode of Banu Salem Awf, it was time for the Friday prayer. He prayed in the valley of Batna, where there is still a mosque. At that time, they were one hundred people.

Entry into Medina

The Prophet entered Medina after the Friday prayer. From that day on, the name of the city changed from Yathrib to Madinah-ur-Rasul or the city of the Messenger. It is called Medina for short. This is an important historical day. On that day, the streets of Medina were filled with the sounds of Taqdeer and Tahmid (sanctity and praise). The children of the Ansar were singing the following verses in joyful voices with melody and rhythm.

The full moon has risen upon us from the mountain called "Saniyatul Wada." "As long as a caller calls to the path of Allah, it is obligatory upon us to express gratitude to Allah." "O man who has been sent among us! You have brought a matter to be followed (religion) (therefore, following your instructions is obligatory)." "O man who has been sent among us! You have brought a matter to be followed (religion). (therefore, following my instructions is obligatory)."

Although the Ansar were not wealthy, they all hoped that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would stay in their homes. So whenever his camel passed by a house or neighborhood of the Ansar, the people there would hold the reins of the camel and request that it come with furniture, weapons and provisions ready. But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would say, "Leave the camel alone. She has been guided by Allah." So the camel continued on its way and sat down at the place where the Masjidul Nababi is located.

But he did not get down. Then the she-camel got up again and went a little distance, looked back and sat down in the same place as before. Then the Messenger of Allah got down. This was the neighborhood of his grandmother, that is, the Banu Najjar tribe. And this was a command from Allah for the she-camel. The people began to plead with him to take the Messenger of Allah to their homes. But Abu Ayyub Ansari (ra) lifted the camel's bridle and took it home. The Messenger of Allah said, "The people are with the camel." Meanwhile, Asad bin Zurarah (ra) came and took the bridle of the she-camel, so the she-camel remained with him.

After a few days, the Prophet's wife, Umm al-Mu'minin Sawda (ra), the Prophet's daughter Fatima (ra), Umm Kulthum (ra), Usama bin Zaid (ra), and Umm Ayman (ra) arrived in Medina. All of them went with the relatives of Abdullah bin Abu Bakr, among whom was Aisha. However, the Prophet's daughter Zaynab (ra) stayed with Abul-As. He did not allow her to come. She came after the Battle of Badr.

According to the narration of Aisha (ra), after the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in Medina, Abu Bakr (ra) and Bilal (ra) fell ill with fever. I went to their service and asked, "O my father! How are you?" Then I turned to Bilal and said, "How are you?" She, i.e., Aisha (ra) said, "When Abu Bakr had fever, he used to recite poetry:

Every person is said good morning to his relatives, yet death is closer than his shoelaces.

When Belal's body was a little healthier, he would say in a voice filled with pain,

"Would that I knew that I would ever spend a night in a desert (in Mecca) with Izkhir and Jalil (grass) beside me, and that I would ever descend to the spring of Majin and see the mountains of Sama and Tufail?"

Aisha (ra) said: I went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and informed him of their delirium. He said:

"O Allah! Make Medina dear to us as Mecca was dear to us; nay, make it dearer to us than it was, and make its fields and air suitable for health. Bless its 'sa' and muddah (a special measuring vessel for grain), and turn its illness back to Johfa." Allah accepted his supplication and the situation changed.

Thus ended a kind of holy life and an era of Islamic Da'wah, the Makkan life. We will now briefly discuss his Madani life. May Allah grant us success.

The Medina Chapter of the Holy life

And if We establish them on the earth, they will establish prayer, give zakat, enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; and the outcome of all actions is with Allah. (Surah Al-Hajj: 41)

First stage: From the first Hijri to the sixth Hijri: 6 years.
*War, destruction and the struggle for survival.

Second stage: Sixth Hijri to eighth Hijri: 2 years.
*Treaty.
*Conquest of Mecca.
*Letters of invitation to kings.

Third stage: 8th Hijri to 11th Hijri.
*Groups took refuge under the shadow of Islam.
*Death of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ).

Life in Medina can be divided into three stages.

1. The first stage: In which sedition and unrest were created. Barriers were created in the city and enemies attacked from outside, so that the existence of Islam in Medina was extinguished. This stage ended with the Treaty of Hudaybiyah in the month of Dhu al-Qadh in the 6th year of the Hijri.

2. Second stage: In this stage, a treaty was made with the idolatrous leaders. It ended with the conquest of Mecca in the 8th year of the Hijri. This stage can also be called the stage of sending the invitation of Islam to the ruling class of the world.

3. The third stage: This stage expanded in Rabi'ul Awwal of the 11th Hijri. Its scope extended until the last moments of the holy life of the Prophet (ﷺ). During this time, people from different countries and tribes embraced Islam in droves. This stage was the stage of the arrival of representatives of different nations and tribes in Medina.

The situation in Medina at the time of the Hijra

The main purpose of the migration was not to get rid of the objects of unrest and ridicule, but rather to create a message of peace for the Islamic movement in a peaceful area. Therefore, it was made obligatory upon all able-bodied Muslims to participate in the construction of this new country and state to the best of their ability and to strive to maintain it and elevate it to the highest heights of dignity. And it is undoubtedly known to everyone that the architect of this great way of life and the Imam, leader and guide of this great nation was the best human being in the world, Muhammad (ﷺ).

In Medina, the Prophet had to establish relations with three groups whose conditions were different from each other and whose relations with each other were characterized by such characteristics that the differences were more prominent. The three groups are introduced as follows:

1. A group of companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who were well trained by Allah's chosen Messenger (ﷺ) and were always ready to sacrifice their wealth and lives in the path of Allah.
2. The indigenous people of Medina, who were pagans and polytheists who had not yet believed.
3. The Jews.

The condition of the Prophet and his companions in Medina was completely opposite to that of Mecca. Although their religious beliefs, religious activities, and goals were the same, they lived in separation and isolation in Mecca. They were helpless, humiliated, and weak. Although they were extremely strong in spirit and morals, they had little verbal power, ability, or personal freedom. All kinds of power and wealth were concentrated in the hands of the eternal enemies of religion.

Thus we see that the Makki Surahs contain only the initial aspects of Islam and give instructions on those things which are possible for the individual to do. Moreover, at this stage, in most cases, they encourage spiritual development and the formation of good character through a pure life and they also instruct one to guard against immoral and anti-social activities. On the other hand, from the very beginning of the life of Medina, the leadership and authority were in the hands of Muslims. The leadership of all the communities that existed in Medina or its surrounding areas other than Muslims was powerless. Therefore, a time and opportunity had come when Muslims would be guided in all matters of economic and political activities, state administration, war and treaties, etc., according to the rules and regulations of Islam. As a result, a complete settlement of all matters of life, including halal, haram, worship, morality, etc., was possible.

The time and opportunity had come for Muslims to introduce a way of life that was completely different from the way of life of the Age of Ignorance. In fact, there was no way of life anywhere in the world that could be compared to it. For the past ten years, Muslims have played an indescribable role, which cannot be compared anywhere.

What is particularly noteworthy in this context is that such a way of life cannot be the work of a day, a month or a year. It requires a long period of time, so that its rules and regulations can be gradually implemented and its principles can be practiced and perfected through implementation. As long as Islam was at the stage of giving, collecting and preserving rules, Allah Himself was responsible for it. On the other hand, the Messenger was responsible for implementing all this, practicing and accustoming the Muslims and showing them the way. In this regard, it has been said:

He is the One who has sent a Messenger from among the unlettered, teaching them the Book (the Quran) and wisdom (the Hadith), while they were before in manifest error. (Surah Al-Jumu'ah: Verse-2)

Meanwhile, the companions were in such a state that they always kept a watchful eye on the Prophet (ﷺ). They would accept any ruling as soon as it was laid down and would find joy in following it.

It is stated in the Quran, "When the verses of Allah are recited to them, it increases their faith." (Surah Anfal: Verse-2)

However, this was the most important issue that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had to face in establishing mutual relations among Muslims. But in reality, it was not a temporary issue; rather, it was a complete and permanent issue in itself. However, there were also some issues that required immediate attention for their resolution. The summary of which is as follows:

There were two classes of people among the Muslims. The first class lived in their own lands, houses and wealth. They did not need to think about this any further. These were the Ansar tribe. There was intense hostility and disagreement among them from generation to generation. The other group that was next to them was the Muhajir tribe. They were completely deprived of all those benefits. They had reached Medina, destitute and empty, having been robbed and beaten.

In Medina, the Muhajirs had no work to get shelter, food and clothing. Nor was there any wealth with which they could establish themselves. Yet the number of these Muhajirs seeking refuge was not small. Moreover, their number was increasing day by day. They came to Medina because of a clear announcement. Yet it is worth knowing that there was not much wealth in Medina. Even the opportunities for trade and commerce were very limited. As a result, the economic balance of Medina was severely disrupted. The anti-Islamic circles took advantage of this disaster and started an economic boycott. Therefore, imports were completely stopped and the situation became very chaotic. But there was no hatred, opposition or hostility in the hearts of the Muslims.

Second community: The pagan (mushrik) inhabitants of Medina belonged to this community. They had no leadership or authority over the Muslims. Some of the mushriks were in doubt and ambivalence and were hesitant and reluctant to abandon their ancestral religion. But they did not have any hatred or hostility towards the Muslims in their hearts. This class of people embraced Islam within a short time and became part of the group of devoted Muslims. On the other hand, there were some mushriks who harbored hatred, jealousy and hostility towards the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the Muslims in their hearts but they did not have the power to confront them. Whatever their feelings were in their hearts, they were forced to openly express their friendship. Among them, Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul was the first to agree on the selection of a leader from the Aws and Khazraj tribes after the Battle of Bu'asan. However, before that, these two tribes could not agree on the selection of a leader. After the selection of the leader, a crown studded with pearls was being made for him. After wearing this crown, he was supposed to be anointed as the king of Medina. But this changed unexpectedly with the arrival of the Prophet (ﷺ) in Medina. As a result, after he went against the Prophet (ﷺ), when he saw that the situation was not favorable for him at all and that he was being deprived of worldly benefits due to his persistence in polytheism, he outwardly announced his acceptance of Islam. But in reality, he was an infidel.

For this reason, even if he got the slightest opportunity to show hostility towards the Prophet and the Muslims, he would not hesitate to take advantage of it. He was generally associated with those leaders who were hoping to get big positions in his kingdom. But due to the dominance of the Muslims, they had to be deprived of their desired positions and prestige. For this, they were very upset about it. To fulfill this vile purpose, they sometimes wanted to use the innocent Muslim youth as weapons.

Third community: The Jews of Medina belong to this category. They were oppressed by the unjust oppression of the Romans and took refuge in the Hejaz. They were actually Hebrews (Hebrew-speaking). But after living in the Hejaz, their behavior, language, etc. were completely colored with Arabic colors. Even marriage relations were established between their tribes and the Arabs. But despite this, their lineage and genealogy were correct. They did not completely mix with the Arabs; rather, they were proud of being followers of Jewish or Israeli nationalism and considered the Arabs to be of the lowest class. In some cases, they were characterized by adjectives such as uneducated, barbaric, violent, low, etc. They thought that the wealth of the Arabs was legal or halal for them.

It is stated: "They say, 'We have no responsibility for the ignorant.' That is, we will not be held responsible if we take the wealth of the foolish." (Aal Imran: 75)

There was no militant spirit or enthusiasm among the Jews in terms of spreading religion. The main theme of religion that could be observed among them was determining good and bad signs, casting spells, divination and various other tricks. For all these works, they considered themselves wise, virtuous and spiritual imams and leaders. The Jews were very skilled in various methods, processes and strategies of making money. They were at the top for exporting grain, date, wine and cloth trade at that time. They used to import food grains, cloth, wine etc. and export dates. Apart from that, they were also engaged in various other activities. While doing business, they used to earn very high profits from the Arabs. Not only that, they also used to do usury business at high interest rates.

These usurious Jews used to lend money to the big business leaders of Arabia at interest. These businessmen and leaders used to finance poets who would sing the praises of the Jewish lenders and write laudatory poems. At the time of lending, the Jews would pledge the Arabs' lands and gardens as collateral for the repayment of the loan. Later, when the amount actually borrowed swelled due to high interest rates, it became impossible for the borrowers to repay the loan. As a result, their pledged property would go to the Jews.

They were skilled in igniting the fires of evil schemes, conspiracies, wars, and enmity. They were so subtle that no one would have guessed. As a result of their cunning, bloody conflicts continued between tribes. Occasionally, when the intensity of the war subsided, they would again resort to cunning tactics and increase its intensity. The most interesting thing about this was that when the destruction was going on between tribes, they would feel a sense of humor when they witnessed the destruction of the Arabs. In order to ensure that the war did not end in terms of equipment or finances, they would provide huge loans at low interest rates to the warring parties and in return, they would pledge their resources and assets. In this way, they would exploit two-sided profits like a double-edged sword. Moreover, on the one hand, they were always trying to preserve Jewish unity. On the other hand, they were always active in keeping the interest market hot.

Three of the Jewish tribes of Yathrib were the most prominent. These three tribes were -
1. Banu Qaynuqa: They were allies of the Khazraj and their residence was in Medina.
2. Banu Nadir:
3. Banu Qurayza: These last two tribes were allies of the Aws. Their residence was on the outskirts of Medina.

For almost a century, these three tribes had been stirring up war between the Aws and Khazraj tribes, and had fought on behalf of their respective allied tribes in the Battle of Bu'as.

In short, regarding the relationship between the Jews and Islam and the Muslims, it can be said that they never looked upon the Muslims with favor. They were always vengeful and hostile towards the Muslims. Because they had no tribal or lineage relationship with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Incidentally, it is particularly noteworthy that their lineage ties became a part of their mentality and they also took great pleasure in it.

Another reason for their negative feelings about Islam was that its call was a very good call that healed broken hearts. It extinguished the fire of hatred and enmity, inspired and trained people to adopt the path of honesty and purity in all transactions and to earn and eat lawfully. As a result, the loose relations between the tribes of Yathrib gradually became stronger and stronger, which created a great reaction and panic in the minds of the Jews. In this regard, they feared that if Islam was established, their rampant usury business would be completely stopped. Moreover, they would be forced to return all the wealth that they had stolen from the people of Medina through the tricks of usury business.

When the Jews realized that the Islamic call was going to establish itself in the land of Yathrib and become prominent in its own right; from that moment on, they identified it as a problem for them. That is why, as soon as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) arrived in Yathrib, they started to enmity with Islam and the Muslims. However, this enmity of theirs continued secretly for a certain period. Then they gained the courage to openly enmity. A clear idea about this matter can be obtained from an incident narrated by Ibn Ishaq.

According to his narration, I have received this narration from Umm al-Mu'minin Safiyyah bint Huwayh bin Akhtab (ra). She said, "I was the most beloved of all the children to my father and uncle Abu Yasir. Whenever I met them with their other children, they loved me more than anyone else and would pick me up before anyone else. When the Messenger of Allah arrived in Medina and stayed at the house of Banu Amr bin Awf in Quba, my father Huwayh bin Akhtar and my uncle Abu Yasir used to come to his court early in the morning. They were returning at sunset, tired and exhausted. When I peeked at them, I ran to them as usual, but by Allah, they were so worried that they did not even look back at me."

I heard my uncle say, he was saying to my father, "Is this him?"
My father said, "Yes," by God.
My uncle said again, "Do you recognize him exactly?"
My father said, "Yes."
Then my uncle said, "What do you think about him now?"
My father said, "Enmity, by God! As long as I live."

Evidence of this is found in a narration in Sahih Bukhari, which narrates the conversion of Abdullah bin Salam, a high-ranking scholar of the Jewish community.

When he learned that the Prophet (ﷺ) had come to the tribe of Bani Najjar, he quickly went to his court and asked him some questions that no one except the prophets could answer. When he got the answers to his questions from the Prophet (ﷺ), he became a Muslim there and then and told him that the Jews were a hateful people who slandered. If they were asked about me after they learned about my conversion to Islam, they would continue to slander me.

Upon hearing this, the Prophet summoned the Jews. They came to his court and the Prophet asked them what kind of person Abdullah bin Salam was. They replied, "He is the greatest scholar among us and the son of the greatest scholar. He is the best man among us and the son of the best man."

Another narration states that they said, "He is our chief and our son." Another narration states that they said, "He is the best of us and the son of the best of us."

The Prophet said, "Well, what if Abdullah becomes a Muslim?" The Jews said two or three times, "May Allah protect him from this." Upon hearing this, Abdullah bin Salam came out of the house and said, "I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

As soon as the Jews heard this, they said, "This is the worst of us and the son of the worst of us." Then they began to slander him. Another narration states that Abdullah bin Salam said at that time, "O people of the Jews! Fear Allah. By Him besides Whom there is no god but He. And know that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and that he has come with the truth." But the Jews said, "You are lying."

This was the Prophet's (ﷺ) first experience with the Jewish community, and it occurred on the first day of his entry into Medina.

All the matters discussed so far were related to the situation and arrangements at the time of the entry of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) into Medina. Outside Medina, the strongest enemies of the Muslims were the Quraysh polytheists. The Muslims had to live under their intense pressure, intimidation, oppression and tyranny for ten years. On the other hand, through their strong faith in Allah and His Messenger, proper training in faith and practice, sacrifice and patience, etc., the spiritual excellence of the Muslims reached its peak. As a result, their morale continued to increase despite hundreds of difficulties.

When the Muslims migrated to Medina, the Quraysh polytheists took possession of their houses and property. Not only that, they continued to create obstacles in the way of maintaining contact between the Muslims and their relatives. Moreover, they imprisoned everyone they found and continued to inflict inhuman cruelty on them. But even after doing this, they did not stop there; in order to take even more extreme measures, they continued to try to kill the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and destroy his call completely. They went to Medina, five hundred kilometers away, and incited the polytheist inhabitants of the peninsula against Medina and completely boycotted it. As a result, the import of goods into Medina gradually decreased. However, the number of emigrants continued to increase day by day. In fact, a state of war was created between the opponents of Mecca and the Muslims of Medina in the context of their new situation. Those who, without going into the inner problems, put the blame and responsibility of this war on the shoulders of Muslims should understand that either they are saying this out of hatred, or they have no idea about it.

It was the just right of the Muslims at this stage to take away the wealth of the oppressors just as their wealth had been taken away. They would take revenge on the oppressors just as they had been oppressed. They would create obstacles in the way of the oppressors life as they had created obstacles in their life. In short, they would continue to adopt the principle of "As you sow so you reap" with the oppressors, so that their vengeful attitude towards Muslims and their idea of uprooting Islam would be stopped forever.

The events described and the problems that the Prophet witnessed after his arrival in Medina as a leader, he solved all those problems through his role as a prophet and leader. He solved all these problems by showing mercy to those who deserved mercy and showing severity to those who deserved severity. However, there is no doubt that mercy was more desirable and beloved to him than severity. As a result, within a short time, the keys of Medina came to the hands of the Muslims.

First stage

Implementation of a new social system

It has been narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) arrived in Medina on Friday, the 12th day of Rabi' al-Awwal, 1st Hijri month, September 27, 62 CE, and landed in front of the house of Abu Ayyub Ansari of the Banu Najjar tribe, saying, "Insha Allah, this will be the place of residence." Then he moved to the house of Abu Ayyub Ansari.

Construction of the Masjidul Nababi

Then the first task of the Prophet (ﷺ) was to build the Masjid-e-Nabawi. And for this, the place was chosen where his she-camel had first sat down. The owner of this place was two orphan boys. He bought the place for a fair price and participated in the construction of the mosque. He was carrying bricks and stones and was saying at the same time:

"O Allah, life is only the life of the Hereafter. So forgive the Ansar and the Muhajirin."

Furthermore, he was also saying:

"O our Lord! This is not the burden of Khazrab, but it is more virtuous and pure."

The actions of the Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged and inspired the Companions (ra). That is why they also said:

"If we sit and the Prophet works, this work will be our nullified work."

There were a number of graves of the polytheists on this land. Some of them were fallen. There were also some date palms and sycamore trees. The Prophet cleared the graves of the polytheists, leveled the fallen area, and cut down the date palms and other trees and made them stand in the direction of the Qibla. At that time the Qibla was the Baitl-Mukaddis (Al-Aqsa). The pillars on both sides of the gate were made of stone and the walls were built of mud bricks. The roof was covered with date palm branches and the pillars were made of date palm trunks. Sand and small pebbles were spread on the floor. Three doors were installed. The length from the Qibla wall to the back wall was one hundred cubits and the width was the same or slightly less. The depth of the foundation was three cubits.

The Masjid-e-Nabawi was not only the center of prayer; rather, it was the source of various activities of the Muslim state of that time. This mosque was the original educational center of the Muslim society, where Muslims received all the teachings and initiations of Islam and the life of guidance, ending the long-standing disputes and wars, and building bonds of friendship and brotherhood among the Arab tribes. The mosque housed the advisory council for the management of state affairs. This mosque was the center of all activities such as determining state policy, leading the army, establishing treaties, concluding agreements, etc. Moreover, this mosque was the residence of many devoted companions (ra), who had no homes, wealth, or relatives.

This mosque was on the one hand a symbol of peace, comfort, and knowledge for the Muslims, and on the other hand, this community was a source of fear for the infidel polytheists. The practice of adhan was introduced early in the migration. It is a melodious heavenly music and a pleasant call to come to the mosque for prayer, which is broadcast five times a day from the minaret of the mosque. When the adhan was given in the Masjid-e-Nabawi and the solemn sound of the adhan echoed in all directions, on the one hand the hearts of the Allah-loving Muslims would be filled with emotion, on the other hand the hearts of the infidel polytheists would tremble with fear.

The Prophet and Muslims set a unique example of mutual understanding, cooperation, and enthusiasm in the construction of the Masjid-e-Nabawi.

Similarly, he established such a wonderful bond of brotherhood among the Muslims. The like of which cannot be found anywhere in the history of mankind. This bond of brotherhood among the Muslims has been called the "bond of brotherhood between the Muhajirs and the Ansar". Ibn Qayyum (ra) wrote that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) established the bond of brotherhood between the Muhajirs and the Ansar in the house of Anas bin Malik. The last ninety people present at that meeting, half of whom were Muhajirs and half were Ansar. The basic principles of the "Muhajirs-Ansar brotherhood" were "they will be the heirs or successors of each other." This system of inheritance or succession continued until the Battle of Badr. Then when this verse was revealed:

"Blood relations have more right to each other." (Surah Anfal: Verse 75)

Then the mutual inheritance arrangements between the Ansar and the Muhajirin were made according to the provisions of the Quran, but the bond of brotherhood remained.

It is said that the Prophet established another bond of brotherhood only among the Muhajirin. But the first view is more authentic and acceptable. Because the Muhajirin were already bound to each other by Islamic brotherhood, by national and tribal brotherhood and by kinship. There was no need to establish a new bond of brotherhood among them, but the matter of the Ansar was different.

Regarding the purpose of this brotherhood, Muhammad al-Ghazali wrote, "This was the severing of the family ties of the Jahili era. The ties of kinship or non-kinship will be erased. The criterion of humanity between the high and low classes will be based solely on piety, and nothing else."

The Prophet did not leave this bond of brotherhood in empty words; rather, it was a practical pledge and promise that was linked to blood and wealth. It was not limited to greetings and blessings. Rather, this brotherhood contained a wonderful combination of compassion, cooperation and empathy. And for this reason, this new way of life planned and established by him created a chapter in the history of mankind that will never be compared.

It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari that when the Muhajirun arrived in Medina, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) established the bond of brotherhood between Abdur Rahman bin Awf and Zayd bin Rabi. Then Zayd said to Abdur Rahman, "I am the richest man among the Ansar. Divide my wealth into two and take half. Moreover, I have two wives. Tell me which one you like best, and I will divorce her. Marry her after completing her waiting period."

Abdur Rahman said, "May Allah bless your wealth and your children. Where is your market?" He was shown the market of Banu Qaynuqa. When he returned from the market, he had some cheese and ghee with him. From then on, he used to go to the market regularly. When he returned from the market one day, there was a yellow mark on his body. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked him, "What is this?" He said, "I have married." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Have you given your wife a dowry?" He said, "I have given her gold equal to the weight of a date seed as dowry."

According to a narration from Abu Hurairah, the Ansar requested the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), "Distribute our date palm gardens between us and our Muhajireen brothers." He said, "No."

The Ansar said, "Then you will do our work. In return, we will give you a share of the grain." They said, "Okay."

From this it can be easily inferred how the Ansars extended their hands of sympathy and cooperation to their Muhajireen brothers with sincerity and enthusiasm and how much love, sincerity and self-sacrifice they worked with. Moreover, how much respect and sympathy the Muhajireen also had for their Ansar brothers is evident from this incident. They took the opportunity of the Ansars' sacrifice, but never misused this opportunity. They took whatever was necessary to make their broken way of life functional in terms of minimum needs.

To be truthful about this, it must be said that the foundation of this brotherhood was also an unexpected and wonderful divine vision.

Pledge of mutual religious assistance

Similar to the above-mentioned bond of brotherhood, the Prophet made another covenant among the Muslims, which put an end to all tribal strife of the Age of Ignorance and abolished all superstitions and oath-taking. A brief description of the clauses of the covenant is recorded below. This agreement is made on behalf of the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) for the Quraysh, the Yathribs and their followers and for the Muslims who joined them in Jihad.

1. They are a group distinct from all other humans except themselves.

2. The Quraysh and the Muhajirin will pay blood money among themselves according to their previous status and will ransom their captives on behalf of the believers, and all their groups will ransom their captives in a just manner among the believers.

3. The believers should not refrain from respecting and advocating for the orphans in a good manner, in paying ransom and blood money.

4. All devout believers will oppose those who choose the path of injustice, oppression, sin, and chaos against believers.

5. The believers will act against them, even if some of them are their own sons.

6. Do not kill a believer in exchange for an infidel.

7. No believer should help an infidel against another believer.

8. The pledge of Allah will be the same. The pledge given by a common man is equally binding on all Muslims.

9. Those Jews who follow the Muslims must be helped in their need and they will become like other Muslims. No injustice can be done to them. Nor can anyone be helped against them.

10. The treaties made by Muslims shall be the same. No Muslim shall make any treaty regarding fighting in the way of Allah excluding another Muslim; rather, all shall do so on the basis of equality and justice.

11. Muslims will maintain equal rights regarding the shedding of blood that is shed in the path of Allah.

12. No Quraysh will shelter the polytheists, nor will they help them in guarding their wealth, nor will they make the polytheists an obstacle in the protection of any believer.

13. Whoever kills a Muslim and it is proven, revenge for the killing will be taken from him, if the guardian of the deceased agrees.

14. It is not for a believer to help or shelter those who create mischief (bidyat) or to shelter those who help them. Whoever does that will be cursed and cursed on the Day of Resurrection, and no worship, obligatory or optional, will be accepted.

15. Whenever there is a difference of opinion among you, it is to be decided by the rules of Allah and His Messenger.

Introducing revolutionary ideas into lifestyle

At this turning point in the Islamic state and the great Muslim society, the Prophet laid the foundation of a new way of life. The externality of this way of life was in fact a ray of that inner perfection, which was made possible by the company and companionship of the Prophet to a place of unprecedented honor. The Prophet (ﷺ) encouraged his disciples to initiate, purify themselves and form good characters, and he continued to strive for it.

He always taught his disciples brotherhood, love, loyalty, and good manners, and advised them to follow them faithfully.

A companion asked the Prophet, "Which Islam is best? That is, which Islamic behavior is best?" He said, "Feed people food and greet (all) people, both those you know and those you do not know."

According to Abdullah bin Salam (ra), "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) arrived in Medina, I was present in his court and saw his pure face clearly. This charming, beautiful, gentle and radiant face could not be that of a liar. And the first word I heard from him was, "O people! Start the custom of greeting one another, Feed people food, strengthen the ties of kinship and be engaged in the worship of Allah at night when people are absorbed in sleep. (Then) you will enter Paradise safely."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A person will not enter Paradise whose neighbor is not safe from his injustice and oppression."

He also said, "A (true) Muslim is one from whose hand and tongue other Muslims are safe."

He also said, "None of you can be a (true) Muslim until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself."

He also said, "All believers are like a human body. If his eyes hurt, the whole body will feel the pain, and if his head hurts, the whole body will feel the pain."

He also said, "A believer is like a building to another believer, one part strengthens the other part."

He also said, "Do not harbor hatred or jealousy among yourselves, do not be angry, do not turn your backs on one another, be brothers among the servants of Allah and reconcile. It is not lawful for a Muslim to not talk with his brother for more than three days because of anger."

He also said, "A Muslim should not wrong his Muslim brother or hand him over to the enemy. And whoever strives to meet the needs of his (Muslim) brother, Allah will meet his needs. If a Muslim removes the hardships of his Muslim brother, Allah will remove his hardships on the Day of Judgment. And if a Muslim hides the faults of his Muslim brother, Allah will hide his faults on the Day of Judgment."

He also said, "Be kind to the people of the earth, and the people of the heavens (Allah) will be kind to you."

He also said, "A person is not a Muslim who eats to his full stomach while his neighbor goes hungry."

He also said, "Abusing Muslims is a fasiq (sin), killing them is an act of kufr (disbelief)."

Thus, he considered removing harmful objects from the road as charity and considered it one of the branches of faith.

The Prophet used to encourage charity and describe its virtues in such a way that the mind would be drawn to them. He used to say that charity wipe out sins just as water completely extinguishes fire.

He also said, "If a Muslim clothes a naked Muslim, Allah will clothe him with the green clothes of Paradise, and if a Muslim feeds a hungry Muslim, Allah will feed him with fruits in Paradise, and if a Muslim gives water to a thirsty Muslim, Allah will give him a drink of the holy wine sealed in Paradise."

He said, "Try to escape the Fire, even if it is with half a date. If you cannot get even that, then at least appease the beggar with a kind word."

Yet he strictly forbade begging, extolled the virtues of patience and contentment with little, and described the begging of beggars as scratches, bruises, and wounds on their faces.

Of course, those who beg in extreme helplessness are excluded from this.

He would also discuss the virtues of any act of worship and its rewards and rewards with Allah. In addition, he would keep the Muslims firmly attached to the verses that were revealed to him. He would recite those verses to the Muslims and then ask them to recite them later. The aim was to stimulate their minds to think and create a sense of the ability to call others to Islam and a sense of prophethood.

Thus, the Prophet raised the Muslims to the highest level of humanity by fully developing their latent potential and by harmoniously combining worldly and otherworldly ideas, he established a human community dedicated and devoted to divine consciousness and justice, which has no precedent in history. Among this human community, the disciples he met were called t he Companions (ra). In terms of dignity and excellence of humanity, the Companions were second only to the Prophets and Messengers. Abdullah bin Mas'ud (ra) said, "Whoever needs to be followed, let him follow the past human communities. For there is a fear of fitnah (tribulation) in the case of the living."

By "the past generation," he refers to the Companions. He says, "They were the companions of the Prophet. This followers and companions of the Prophet was the best of people, the most virtuous, the most knowledgeable, and the most devoted. Allah blessed and honored them with the rare opportunity of being friends with His Prophet and sharing in the great mission of establishing the Divine religion. It is the sole duty of every Muslim to follow in their footsteps and emulate their character. Because they were the brightest examples of guidance.

Through the inspiration and earnest effort of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), inspired by the spiritual and supernatural consciousness, he was able to introduce into the social life of Medina a way of life that was of the highest quality and most complete in the history of the entire human race. In this way of life, he introduced such rules and customs that filled the oppressed human life with the joy of peace, comfort and freedom in the midst of the continuous cycle of exploitation, rule and oppression that had been going on for ages. The elements of this way of life were perfected through such a high standard of education and training that Muslims acquired the ability to deal with all situations, both war and peace, and to turn any situation in their favor. Such a changed way of life of Muslims seemed to suddenly change the course of history.

Making a treaty with the Jews

After the migration, when the Holy Prophet was able to establish the Muslim society of Medina, consisting of the Muhajirin and the Ansar, on the basis of mutual trust, strong brotherhood and clean rules and regulations, he focused on improving relations and building understanding with the non-Muslim population of Medina. The purpose of his activities was to expand the happy, prosperous and blessed life of all people regardless of their race and religion, to create a sense of unity between the people of Medina and the surrounding people and to strengthen the bond of unity. To that end, he adopted all the rules and policies and activities with a liberal and open mind that were unimaginable in the contemporary society, which was plagued by religious fanaticism and selfishness.

This agreement was made in conjunction with the agreement that Muslims had concluded with each other, which was mentioned earlier. Its salient clauses are discussed below.

1. The Jews of Banu Awf will be one community with the Muslims, but both communities will practice their own religion. This will be their right, as well as that of their relatives and their slaves. This will also apply to Jews other than Banu Awf.

2. Both Muslims and Jews will be responsible for their own income.

3. If any other power engages in war with any of the parties to this treaty, the parties to the treaty will jointly fight against it.

4. The people of the two parties to this agreement will act among themselves on the basis of sympathy, goodwill and mutual benefit, and not on the basis of any injustice or wrongdoing.

5. The party concerned cannot be held guilty for injustices committed by the allied party.

6. If someone oppresses someone else, the oppressed will be helped.

7. If any of the parties to the treaty engage in war, the Jews will also have to bear the costs of the war with the Muslims for as long as it continues.

8. It shall be forbidden for all parties to this agreement to cause any kind of commotion or bloodshed in Medina.

9. If the parties to the agreement are about to get involved in any new problem or quarrel, Allah and His Messenger will resolve it.

10. The Quraish of Mecca and their supporters should not be given shelter.

11. If anyone attacks Yathrib, they must fight against them collectively and repel it from their respective territories.

12. This agreement will not be helpful to any wrongdoer or sinner.

As a result of this agreement, Medina and the surrounding areas became a peaceful and prosperous empire, with Medina as its capital and the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) as its sole leader. The basis of this empire was Islamic law and most of the officials in the administration were Muslims. In fact, Medina thus became the capital of the Islamic government.

In order to expand the boundaries of the region of peace and order, the Prophet (ﷺ) later concluded similar treaties with other tribes in the context of the situation. Various aspects of those treaties will be discussed in the following section.

The clang of weapons

The conflicting programs of the Quraysh against the Muslims after the migration and the correspondence with Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the unjust oppression and persecution that the Quraysh polytheists of Mecca inflicted on the Muslims and the kind of hostile measures they took against them when they started migrating to Medina have already been described. As a result, they became eligible to rob them of their wealth and generally give orders to kill them. But even then, their unjust behavior and reckless activities did not stop. On the other hand, seeing that the Muslims had escaped their grasp and found a safe haven in Medina and were gradually becoming well-organized and gathering strength, their anger became extremely inflamed. So they wrote a letter to the leader of the non-Arabs, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, with an open threat, although he was still an open polytheist and the people of Medina were all of one mind regarding his leadership. At that time, such a situation had arisen among the people of Medina that if the good news of the arrival of the Prophet had not reached Medina, they would have crowned him and elected him as their king. The summary of the letter of the polytheists was as follows.

"You have given shelter to some of our misguided people. Therefore, we swear by Allah, either you will expel them from your land or we will launch a fierce attack on you with all our forces, killing your warriors and slandering your women."

As soon as Abdullah ibn Ubayy received this letter, he was eager to obey the orders of his Meccan polytheist brothers. Since the belief had become firmly rooted in his heart that he had been deprived of the kingdom of Medina because of the arrival of the Messenger of Allah in Medina, he had already been burning with jealousy towards the Messenger of Allah. Therefore, without delay, the Messenger of Allah came to them and addressed them, saying, "I see that the threat of the Quraysh has deeply impressed you. But you should understand that the Quraysh will never be able to harm you as much as you are going to expose yourselves to. "Do you want to fight your sons and brothers yourselves?"

They were scattered after hearing the Prophet's words. Therefore, Abdullah ibn Ubayy had to refrain from his determination to wage a war of revenge as he had done before. Because, the words of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had calmed down the warlike spirit of his companions, but despite this, his secret communication with the Quraysh continued. Because, he did not want to miss any opportunity to create discord between the Muslims and the infidels. Moreover, he continued to maintain contact with the Jews so that if necessary, he could gain something from them. But as a result of this timely arrangement of the Messenger, the flames of quarrel and dispute gradually subsided.

Announcement of closing the doors of Masjid al-Haram

Then Saad ibn Mu'adh (ra) went to Mecca to perform Umrah and became the guest of Umayya ibn Khalaf. He addressed Umayya and said, "Appoint a time for me when I can circumambulate the House in solitude." As promised, Umayya took him out on a hot afternoon and met Abu Jahl on the way. He addressed Umayya and said, "O Abu Safwan! Who is this man with you?"

Umayya replied, "This is Sa'd."

Abu Jahl then looked at Sa'd (ra) and said, "I see that you have come to perform Tawaf in great safety, yet you have given shelter to the infidels and have decided to help them. By Allah, if you had not been with Abu Safwan, you would not have been able to return safely."

Hearing this, Sa'd said in a loud voice, "Look, by Allah! If you hinder me in this matter, I will hinder you in something that will be very dangerous for you. That is the trade route that passes by Medina."

The Muhajirin were threatened by the Quraysh.

The Quraysh polytheists sent a threatening message to the emigrants of Medina, saying, "Do not be arrogant because you were able to escape safely from Mecca to Yathrib. Know this, we have the power to destroy you by attacking Yathrib."

Their threats were not limited to words alone; rather, they were also active in this regard secretly. The Prophet learned of their conspiracy from such an important source that he could not help but be careful. For the sake of security, he would either spend the night awake or sleep while guarded by the Companions. As narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim on the authority of Aisha (ra). She said, “After arriving in Medina, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was awake one night and wished that one of his Companions would come and guard us tonight (how good it would be).

We were in that state. Suddenly, we heard the clang of weapons. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked, "Who are you?" The reply was, "I am Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked, "What is the reason for your coming here at this late hour of the night?" He replied, "I have come to guard you because I fear danger for you." Hearing this, he prayed for him and fell asleep.

It is important to remember that the guarding of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was not limited to a few nights; rather, it was a periodic and permanent arrangement. As narrated by Aisha (ra), she said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was guarded at night. Then the following verse was revealed:

Again, this danger due to the hostility of the polytheists was not limited to the Prophet alone; rather, it extended to all members of the Muslim community. As narrated by Ubayy ibn Ka'b (ra). He said, "When the Prophet and his companions arrived in Medina and the Ansar sheltered them, the Arab polytheists attacked them with the same cannons. So they would not spend the night without weapons, nor would they wake up in the morning without weapons."

War permission

The situation of fear and danger in Medina, which posed a serious challenge to the existence of the Muslims and which made it clear that the Quraysh were not ready to give up their hatred and stubbornness, was such that Allah gave the Muslims permission to fight. But until then, fighting had not been made obligatory upon the Muslims. The verse that Allah revealed in this regard is as follows:

Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they were wronged. And indeed, Allah is competent to give them victory. (Hajj: Verse-39.)

Then many more such verses were revealed, in which it is stated that this permission for war is not for the sake of war; rather, its purpose is to eradicate falsehood and establish the religion of Allah. As it is stated:

[And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. (Hajj: Verse-41.)

The correct statement, which cannot be denied, is that the verse regarding this permission was revealed in Medina after the migration, not in Mecca. However, it is undoubtedly difficult to determine the exact time of its revelation.

The permission for war was revealed, but since the situation in which it was revealed was only the result of the power and monotony of the Quraysh, it was the most important and wise thing for the Muslims to expand their territory to the Quraysh trade route, which ran from Mecca to Syria. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) adopted two plans for expanding the territory. The two plans are:

1. Establishing alliances and concluding agreements not to fight with the tribes that lived along the highway or in the area between it and Medina.

2. Send a patrol team on this highway.

Particularly noteworthy in connection with the first plan was the incident which had previously taken place with the Jews, and the details of which have already been given. Before embarking on military action, the Prophet had thus concluded a treaty of friendship, alliance and non-war with the tribe of Juhayna.

Their dwelling place was located more than three manzils from Medina, meaning 40 to 50 miles. During the patrolling of the army, they also concluded several agreements with the people, which will be discussed later. The second plan was related to the war.

The Saryiyah and the Ghazwahs before the Battle of Badr

With the revelation of the verses regarding the permission for war, the military activities of the Muslims began to implement these two plans. The Muslim Guards began to patrol Medina and its surrounding areas as itinerant guards. As has been hinted at earlier. The main purpose of their patrolling was to keep a close eye on the roads around Medina, especially those coming from Mecca. By observing the condition of the various roads, they took the matter of security very seriously and at the same time, they concluded treaties of friendship and alliance with the tribes living around these roads. Moreover, another purpose of this well-organized patrol was to instill in the hearts of the Jews, polytheists and Bedouins of Yathrib the idea that the Muslims were now strong enough and had advanced far beyond their previous fragile state. Moreover, to warn the Quraysh polytheists of the terrible consequences of their senseless anger and sensual passion, so that they might emerge from the abyss of their foolishness and embark on the luminous path of knowledge, intelligence and judgment. In addition, they actively contemplated the idea of ​​peace in order to avoid the possibility of dangers to their income and livelihood, and at the same time refrained from the extremely stubborn decision they had taken to attack and destroy the homes of Muslims and continue to perpetrate inhuman oppression and torture in the path of Allah's religion.

Above all, one of the purposes was to enable Muslims to continue their work in conveying the message of Allah to the Arabian Peninsula with a peaceful mind.

Brief description of the Shari'ah and Ghazwahs

A brief description of the Shariahs and Ghazwas that the Muslims had to participate in after the migration to Medina is given below:

1. Forces sent to the coast: In the month of Ramadan, 1 AH, in March 623, the Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Hamza bin Abul Muttalib as the commander of this expedition and sent him with 30 Muhajireen soldiers to observe the movements of the Quraysh caravan returning from Syria. Abu Jahl was one of the members of this Quraysh caravan of three hundred members. When the Muslim army reached the nearby seashore at a place called 'Is', they met the caravan. When the two groups faced each other, at one point both groups lined up in battle formation. But Majdi bin Amr, the leader of the Juhayna tribe, who was an ally of both groups, tried hard and prevented both groups from fighting.

2. Sariatu Rabeg or Rabeg Expedition: This expedition was conducted in Shawwal, 1 AH, April 623 AD. The Prophet sent Ubaydah ibn Harith ibn Muttalib as a leader of a force of 60 Muhajirin. During the expedition, they encountered Abu Sufyan in the Rabigh Valley and did little except shoot a few arrows at each other, resulting in no major incident.

In this campaign, two men from the Meccan army joined the Muslim army. One of them was Miqdad bin Amr al-Bahrani and the other was Utbah bin Ghazwan al-Ma'ani (ra). Both of them were Muslims. They had set out with the infidels with the intention of going ahead and joining the Muslims. The flag of Abu Ubaydah (ra) was white and its bearer was Mistah bin Asasah bin Muttalib bin Abd Manaf.

3. Sariyayyah Kharar: This expedition took place in May 623 CE, corresponding to the month of Dhul-Qadh, 1 AH. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appointed Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas as the commander of this Saryah and sent him with a force of twenty warriors to observe the movements of a Quraysh caravan. He warned them not to advance further from Kharar. This army traveled on foot. They concealed themselves during the day and traveled at night. On the morning of the fifth day, they reached Kharar. But when they got there, they found that the caravan had passed that place the day before. The flag of this Saryah was white and the flag-bearer was Miqdad ibn Amr (ra).

4. Ghazwa-e-Abwa or Waddan: The time of this expedition was August, 623 CE, corresponding to the month of Safar in the 2nd year of the Hijri. The Prophet himself took part in this expedition along with 70 Muhajireen warriors. On the eve of the expedition, Sa'd ibn Ubadah (ra) was appointed as his deputy in Medina. The purpose of their expedition was to intercept a Quraysh caravan. At one stage of their advance, he reached Waddan.

But no conflict occurred. During this Ghazwa campaign, the Prophet concluded a treaty of friendship with Amr ibn al-Mukshi al-Jamri, the then chief of the Banu Jamrah tribe. The terms of the treaty were as follows:

"This is the evidence of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for the Banu Jamrah. The people of this tribe will have security for their lives and property. If they are attacked, they will be helped against the attackers, provided they do not wage war against the religion of Allah. On the other hand, whenever the Messenger (ﷺ) calls them for help, they must come forward to his aid."

This was the first military campaign in which the Prophet himself participated. After spending 15 days outside Medina, he returned to Medina. The color of the flag of this campaign was white and the flag-bearer was Hamza (ra).

5. Ghazwa-e-Buwat or Buwat Campaign: It took place in Rabi' al-Awwal 2 AH (September or October 623 CE). Muhammad led a force of 200 men to intercept a Quraysh caravan. The Muslims reached a place called Buwat, but the two sides were unable to meet. During the campaign, Saad ibn Mu'adh was appointed as the amir of Medina. Saad ibn Abi Waqqas carried the white flag of the army.

6. Ghazwa-e-Safwan: This campaign took place in the month of Rabi' al-Awwal, the second year of the Hijri calendar, corresponding to September 623 AD. The reason for this campaign was that, A group led by Kurz ibn Jabir al-Fihri raided the pastures of Medina and plundered the Muslims' cattle.

The Prophet, accompanied by seventy companions, pursued them and reached the Safwan Valley, which is adjacent to the Badr desert. But Kurj and his companions were able to escape their reach very quickly. The Prophet returned to Medina with his army. There was no opportunity to engage in combat with the enemy in this campaign. Some call this campaign Ghazwa-e-Badr-e-Ula or the First Battle of Badr.

While going on this expedition, the Prophet appointed Zayd ibn Haritha (ra) as the Emir of Medina. The color of the flag in this expedition was white and Ali (ra) was the standard-bearer.

7. Ghazwa Jil Ushairah: This Ghazwa took place in the second year of Hijri, Jamadi-ul-Ula and Jamadi-ul-Ukhra, in November and December 623 AD. One hundred and fifty or two hundred Muhajireen companions participated in this expedition with the Prophet (ﷺ). However, he did not force anyone to participate in this expedition. There were only thirty camels for riders. Therefore, they would ride in turns. The purpose of this expedition was to intercept a Quraysh caravan heading towards Syria. It is known that the caravan had set out from Mecca. The Quraysh had many beautiful and valuable goods with it. In search of this caravan, the Prophet (ﷺ) advanced with his army to Dhul-Ushayrah. But a few days before they reached there, the Quraysh caravan had left that place. This was the group of travelers whom the Prophet wanted to arrest on their way back from Syria. The group of travelers escaped his clutches and returned, but this paved the way for the Battle of Badr.

According to Ibn Ishaq, the Prophet set out on this expedition at the end of Jamadi al-Ula and returned to Medina at Jamadi al-Ukhra. During this expedition, the Prophet concluded a treaty of non-war with the Mudlij and their allies, the Banu Jamrah.

8. Shariatu Nakhla: The time of this expedition was in the month of Rajab of the second year of the Hijri, January 624 AD. In this expedition, the Prophet sent an army of twelve Muhajireen companions under the leadership of Abdullah ibn Jahsh (ra). The vehicle of this army was a camel for every two. They would ride on the same camel in turns. The Prophet gave a letter to the commander of the army and ordered that this letter should be read after two days of travel. So after two days of travel, Abdullah (ra) read the letter. The letter read, "After reading this letter from me, you will move forward and land at Nakhla, which is located between Mecca and Taif. You will wait there for the arrival of a Quraysh caravan and inform us of their condition and location." Abdullah, after making mental preparations to carry out the order of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), revealed the contents of the letter to his companions and said, "I do not want to force anyone. Whoever among you does not like martyrdom, let him return. Martyrdom is what I want."

After hearing this, all the companions continued to move forward. But after crossing the road, the camel of Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas (ra) and Utbah ibn Ghazwan got lost. This camel was the vehicle of both of them. Due to the loss of the camel, they were forced to stay behind.

Abdullah ibn Jahash (ra) and his companions landed at Nakhla after a long journey. At that time, a Quraysh trading caravan was passing through that route. Their trade goods were raisins, leather and many other goods. In that caravan were Abdullah ibn Mughira's two sons, Uthman and Naufar, and Mughira's freed slaves, Amr ibn Hazrami and Hakim ibn Qaisan. The enemy was within reach, and the day was the last day of the sacred month of Rajab. Since some hesitation arose in the minds of the Muslim army, they continued to consult each other. If they engaged in battle on this day, then the sacred month would be disrespected. On the other hand, if they refrained from engaging in battle until nightfall, the caravan would advance further and enter the sacred territory. After putting an end to the hesitation caused by both crises, the Muslim army finally decided to attack the Quraysh caravan.

At the beginning of the attack, the Muslim army shot arrows at Amr ibn Hazrami. Hazrami, pierced by an arrow, fell to his death.

Then they captured Uthman and Hakim. But Nawfal managed to escape and defend himself. The Muslim army returned safely with the two prisoners and the baggage. They also took a fifth of the booty.

The incident of Shariat al-Nakhla gave the polytheists the opportunity to create the story that the Muslims had violated the forbidden law by fighting and killing people in the month that Allah had forbidden. This created a very uncomfortable situation. Finally, Allah Almighty revealed a revelation to solve this problem. Through revelation, He declared that the actions of the polytheists were many times more criminal than the actions of the Muslims. The Holy Quran states:

They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of Allah and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-haram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of Allah. And fitnah is greater than killing." (Surah Al-Baqarah: Verse 217)

As a result of the revelation, it became clear that the slander that the polytheists were spreading about the Muslim emigrants was completely baseless. Because the Quraysh polytheists did not hesitate in committing injustice and oppression against Islam and the Muslims. Nor did they show any respect for the rules and principles when they were busy plundering the wealth of the Muslim emigrants and even decided to kill the Messenger of Allah. At that time, they did not pay any attention to the sacred month or the sacred boundary (Makkah). But why did they suddenly become so aware of the sanctity of these holy months and so vocal about the sin of violating their sanctity? Of course, the rumors and uproar that the polytheists have spread against Muslims are based on open hatred and obvious shamelessness.

The Prophet then freed the two prisoners and arranged for the blood money to be paid to the guardian of the deceased.

The sources of information about this Ghazwa and Shari'ah are the Shari'ah and Ghazwa that preceded the Battle of Badr. In none of these did any clear and significant killings occur, until it was understood under the leadership of Qurum ibn Jabir al-Fahri that it had also been initiated by the polytheists. Just as they had previously carried out various forms of oppression, the plundering of cattle was also a similar incident.

After the assassination of Abdullah ibn Jahsh, a certain sense of fear was observed among the Quraysh polytheists and they clearly realized that the possibility of a terrible danger was gradually gathering before them, and that they had finally fallen into the trap they had been fearing for so long. It also became clear to them that the Muslim army in Medina was very alert and vigilant and was keeping a sharp eye on the movements of every Quraysh trade caravan. They also understood that the Muslims were now fully capable of attacking three hundred miles, taking people captive and returning safely if they so wished. It also became clear to them that trade with Syria was now facing grave danger. But despite this, they did not stop their foolishness and arrogant behavior. Instead of adopting the path of peace like the tribes of Juhayna and Banu Jamrah, they increased the level of anger, violence and hostility. They thought that their leaders would attack the settlements of the Muslims and completely annihilate them. With this aim, they advanced towards the plains of Badr with a well-equipped fighting force.

Now, speaking about the Muslims, it must be said that after the death of Abdullah ibn Jahsh, Allah made war obligatory upon them in the month of Sha'ban of the second year of the Hijri and revealed some clear verses in this regard:

Fight in the way of Allah those who fight against you but do not transgress. Indeed, Allah does not like transgressors. And kill them [in battle] wherever you overtake them and expel them from wherever they have expelled you, and fitnah is worse than killing. And do not fight them at al-Masjid al-haram until they fight you there. But if they fight you, then kill them. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers. And if they cease, then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Fight them until there is no [more] fitnah and [until] religion [worship] is [acknowledged to be] for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression [assault] except against the oppressors. (Surah Al-Baqarah, verses: 190-193)

Then, some verses were revealed which described the rules of war. It is stated:

So when you meet those who disbelieve [in battle], strike [their] necks until, when you have inflicted slaughter upon them, then secure [their] bonds, and either [confer] favor afterwards or ransom [them] until the war lays down its burdens. That [is the command]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allah - never will He waste their deeds. He will guide them and amend their condition. And admit them to Paradise, which He has made known to them. O you who have believed, if you support Allah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet. (Surah Muhammad: Verses 4-7)

Then Allah condemned those people whose hearts began to tremble upon hearing the command to fight. It is stated:

But when a precise surah is revealed and battle is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is disease [hypocrisy] looking at you with a look of one overcome by death. (Surah Muhammad: Verse-20)

In fact, the necessity of making war obligatory, encouraging it, and ordering its preparation was the need of the situation. Even if there was a commander who was alert and keen to the situation, he would have ordered his army to be ready to deal with all kinds of conflicting situations immediately. So why would Allah, the Almighty, who is fully aware of all things, both the open and the hidden, not give such an order? The fact is that the necessity and the situation absolutely required a bloody conflict between truth and falsehood, especially the situation after the campaign of Abdullah ibn Jahsh, which was a severe blow to the dignity and self-esteem of the polytheists and left them in agony.

The verses related to the commandment indicate that the time of bloody conflict is near and instruct the Muslims to tie up the polytheist prisoners and to end the war by crushing the opponents, which is associated with a victory story. This clearly indicates that the victory of the Muslims is certain.

But it is said secretly and with hints, so that the person who is eager and eager to fight in the way of Allah can practically express it.

Then at that time, i.e. in the month of Shaban of the second Hijri, in February 624 CE, Allah declared the Kaaba as the Qiblah instead of Baitul Muqaddas and ordered that the faces be turned towards it in prayer. As a result, the Muslims were particularly benefited by this, as the hypocritical Jews who had come to the ranks of the Muslims only to create divisions and chaos among them were exposed. They now separated from the Muslims and returned to their original position. And thus the ranks of the Muslims were purified from the contamination of treacherous hypocrisy.

The subtle hint contained in the change of Qibla at this time was that from now on a new era was about to begin, which would continue until the Muslims' right to this Qibla was established. For it would be a very strange and humiliating thing for any community to free the Qibla of their enemies and establish their own right there. After the publication of these instructions and hints, the joy and emotion of the Muslims increased even more and their enthusiasm for fighting in the way of Allah and their desire to engage in a final decisive clash with the enemies increased manifold.

The Battle of Badr was the first decisive battle of Islam.

Causes of war: In the narration of Ghazwa-e-Ushayra, it is mentioned that a Quraysh caravan escaped the capture of the Prophet (ﷺ) on its way from Mecca to Syria. When the caravan was returning from Syria to Mecca, the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Talha ibn Ubaidullah (ra) and Saeed ibn Zayd (ra) to the north to keep an eye on their condition and position. These two companions (may Allah be pleased with them) went to a place called "Hawrah" and waited there. When Abu Sufyan (ra) was passing that place with the caravan, the two companions returned to Medina at a very fast speed and informed the Prophet (ﷺ).

The caravan was a great treasure for the Meccans. There were one thousand camels, and the camels were carrying goods worth at least fifty thousand gold coins. There were forty workers with the caravan just to maintain and care for them.

This was a wonderful opportunity for the people of Medina to gain wealth. On the other hand, being deprived of this huge amount of wealth was a great loss for the people of Mecca in military, political and economic terms. That is why the Prophet announced to the Muslims that a Quraysh caravan returning to Mecca from Syria was carrying a lot of wealth. So go out to intercept this caravan. Perhaps Allah will give you all this goods as booty.

But the Prophet did not mention the necessity of going for this purpose; rather, he left it to the will and interest of the people. Because, at the time of this announcement, it was not at all imagined that instead of fighting the said caravan, they would have to face a terrible bloody clash with the powerful Quraysh army in the desert of Badr. Many of them had this idea, which is why many of the companions remained in Medina. Many of them had the idea that the Prophet's expedition would be something ordinary like his previous expeditions. And that is why no charges were raised against those who did not participate in this battle.

The number of Muslim soldiers and their leadership structure

The Prophet prepared to go out on the Badr campaign. He was accompanied by more than three hundred companions. By more than three hundred, the number could be 313, 314 or 317, of whom 82, 83 or 86 were Muhajirin and the rest were Ansar.

Among the Ansar, 61 were from the Aws tribe and 170 were from the Khazraj tribe. The army of the Prophet (ﷺ) did not have any of the preparations that an army needs to make for war. There was no system of preparation for war. There were only two camels for this army of more than three hundred men. Zubair ibn Awam had one and Miqdad ibn Aswad Kindin had one; two or three men would ride each camel in turn. The Prophet (ﷺ) and Marshad ibn Abu Marshad Ghanawi had one camel each. The three of them would ride it in turns. The responsibility of managing Medina and leading the prayers was initially entrusted to Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. But after reaching the place called "Ra'uha", the Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Abu Lubabah ibn Abdul Mundhir (ra) as the governor of Medina and sent him away.

Then came the pre-war situation. The Prophet (ﷺ) divided the Muslim army into two groups. One group consisted of the Muhajireen and the other group consisted of the Ansar. The flag of the Muhajireen was given to Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra) and the flag of the Ansar was given to Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (ra). The overall flag was given to Mus'ab ibn Umayr (ra). The color of this flag was white. The right wing of the army was appointed to Zubayr ibn Awam (ra) and the left wing was appointed to Miqdad ibn Amr (ra), because only these two were cavalrymen in the entire army. The rear wing of the army was appointed to Qays ibn Abu Sa'sa' (ra) and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) himself took command of the entire army as the commander-in-chief.

The Muslim army's advance towards Badr

The Prophet (ﷺ) set out with his army without much preparation. His sister left Medina and followed the general road to Mecca and reached "Bireh Rawha". Then he moved forward from there and left the road to Mecca on the left and continued on the right. At one point, he moved forward along one side of Nazih and crossed the Rahkan Valley. This is a valley located between Nazih and Darra-e-Safra. After this valley, he passed through Darra-e-Safra. Then he descended from Darra and reached Safra. From there, two men from the tribe of "Juhayna", namely Basis ibn Umar and Adi ibn Abu Jagbah, were sent towards Badr to observe the situation and location of the Quraysh caravan.

Warning issued in Mecca

On the other hand, Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraysh caravan, was a shrewd, cautious and very alert person. That is why he was constantly seeking news of the route. He would question every caravan he met on the way about the condition of the route. So, he was able to learn from various sources that Muhammad (ﷺ) had ordered his companions to attack the caravan. So, he immediately sent Zamzam ibn Amr al-Ghifari to Mecca in exchange for some remuneration and through him sent a message to the effect that "the caravan is facing a terrible danger, and help is urgently needed for its protection." Zamzam arrived in Mecca with great speed and, in accordance with the custom of Arab society, he slapped the nose of his camel, overturned the saddle, tore his clothes, and stood on his camel in the valley of Mecca, shouting, "O Quraysh! The caravan (is attacked). The caravan (is attacked). Your wealth is with Abu Sufyan, and Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions are preparing to attack him. So I do not believe that you will get it back. So come forward for help, come forward."

Meccans' war preparations are complete

The news of the attack on the caravan caused a commotion throughout the valley of Mecca. People came running from all sides, saying, "Do Muhammad and his companions think that this caravan is like Ibn Hazrami's caravan? No, no, never. By Allah! It is never like that. They will soon find out that our case is different."

The entire city of Mecca was divided into two groups. One group was going to war with war preparations and the other group was sending others to war instead of themselves. And in this way, almost everyone came out of their homes. Especially, none of the respected and leading people of Mecca stayed behind. Only Abu Lahab did not come himself but sent a person who owed him money. They also included other Arab tribes in their ranks. Among the Quraysh tribes, no tribe remained behind except Banu Adi. No one from Banu Adi participated in this war.

The size of the Meccan army

At first, the Meccan army numbered thirteen hundred soldiers. They had one hundred horses and six hundred iron armor. The number of camels was so large that there was no way to count them. The commander-in-chief of the army was Abu Jahl ibn Hisham. Nine noblemen of Quraysh were in charge of the supplies of this army. Sometimes nine and sometimes ten, camels were slaughtered every day.

When the Meccan army was ready to advance with all its might, the Quraysh remembered the Banu Bakr tribe. They were at war with the Banu Bakr tribe at that time. Because of this, they feared that Banu Bakr might attack them from behind and as a result they would have to fall between two blazing fires. This thought created a mental environment that prevented them from deciding to fight. But at that time, the accursed Iblis, the devil, came in the form of Suraqah ibn Malik ibn Jushum al-Mudlazi, the leader of the Banu Kinana tribe, and said, "I am also your friend and I am your guarantor that Banu Kinana will not oppose you or do any indecent act."

The Meccan army's campaign

The Quraysh left Mecca without fear after the cursed devil, Suraqah ibn Malik, promised to be a surety for the Banu Kinanah. As Allah says, "And be not like those who came out of their homes in arrogance and to be seen of men, and hindered from the way of Allah." (Surah Anfal: 47). And as the Prophet said, "Insulted and driven to revenge and driven to arrogance, they went out to war, saying, 'Where did the Prophet and his companions find the courage to raise their eyes to the Meccan trading group?'"

The Meccan army was advancing rapidly through the northern Badr desert. At one point in their advance, they crossed the Usfan and Qudayd valleys and reached a place called Juhfa when Abu Sufyan's men came and reported, "The caravan has arrived safely, so it is time to turn back without advancing any further."

Safe passage of the caravan

The details of the safe march of Abu Sufyan's caravan are as follows: The caravan was marching along the highway from Syria; but Abu Sufyan was very cautious. He kept on receiving news at various points along the way. Near the plains of Badr, he stopped the caravan and himself went ahead and met Majdi ibn Amr and questioned him about the army of Medina.

The details of the safe march of Abu Sufyan's caravan are as follows: The caravan was marching along the highway from Syria; but Abu Sufyan was very cautious. He kept on receiving news at various points along the way. Near the plains of Badr, he stopped the caravan and himself went ahead and met Majdi ibn Amr and questioned him about the army of Medina.

Majdi said, "I have not seen such an army, but I have seen two camel riders who have set their camels on the side of the hill and filled their skins with water and gone away."

Hearing this, Abu Sufyan rushed to the spot and broke open the dung of their camels. Then a date seed came out from the dung. Seeing this, he said, "By Allah! This is the date seed of Yathrib (Medina). Then he returned to the caravan at a fast pace and turned them towards the west. Leaving the route towards Badr on the left, he told the caravan to proceed towards the coast. In this way, he saved the caravan from the hands of the Medinan army. At the same time, he sent news of the caravan's safety to the Meccan army and advised the army to return to Mecca. The Meccan army received this news while it was stationed at Juhfa.

Disagreement among the Meccan army regarding the return to Mecca

After seeing Abu Sufyan, almost all the members of the Meccan army wanted to return to Mecca. But Abu Jahl, the leader of the Quraysh and the commander-in-chief of the Meccan army, said with great pride, "By Allah! We will not return from here; rather, we will go to Badr, stay there for three days, and during these three days we will slaughter camels, eat, drink and be merry. As a result, the entire Arab nation will be aware of our strength and power, and thus our influence will be reflected on them forever."

Despite Abu Jahl's words, Akhnas ibn Shurayk advised to return. But most of the people did not listen to him. So, he returned to Mecca with the people of Banu Zuhra. Because he was an ally of the Banu Zuhra tribe and he was their leader in the army. None of them participated in the Battle of Badr. Later, the people of Banu Zuhra tribe expressed great joy at this decision of Akhnas ibn Shurayk and their respect for him was established forever in their hearts. Their number was three hundred.

Like Banu Zuhra, Banu Hashim also wanted to return to Mecca. But Abu Jahl was very strict and it was not possible for them to return to Mecca. He said in a stern voice, "This group will not be able to separate from us until we return."

In short, the army continued on its journey. With the return of the Banu Zuhra tribe to Mecca, their number became to one thousand and they were heading towards Badr.

Approaching Badr, they set up camp behind a hill, which faced south on the border of the Badr Valley.

The sensitive situation of the Muslim forces

The Prophet, on the way, learned about the trade caravan of Abu Sufyan and the Meccan army. After thinking deeply about the details of the impending difficulties in the context of the situation that had arisen, he firmly believed that it was now necessary to engage in a bloody conflict. Therefore, it was necessary to proceed in a way that would be based on indomitable courage, valor and fearlessness. For it is certain that if the Meccan army were allowed to move freely in the area, their military prestige would increase considerably and their political dominance would spread far and wide. On the other hand, this will reduce the strength of the Muslims and limit their regional opportunities. As a result, everyone who considers the Islamic call to Islam to be a lifeless ideal and has jealousy, hatred and enmity towards Islam in their hearts will rush to harm Islam. In addition, there is no guarantee that the Meccan army will not dare and try to advance towards Medina and carry the war to the four walls of Medina and destroy and annihilate the Muslims in their homes. If the slightest negligence, laziness or cowardice were to be displayed on the part of the Muslim golden army, then there was a considerable possibility and fear of these. And even if this were not the case, there is no doubt that an evil and adverse reaction would be reflected on the military influence, prestige and reputation of the Muslims.

Advisory board meeting

In the context of this sudden and terrible change in the situation, the Prophet (ﷺ) organized a high-level military consultation meeting. In that meeting, he analyzed the current critical situation and exchanged views with the leading and common soldiers. As a result of this sudden turn of events, the hearts of a group began to tremble, aware of the impending bloody conflict. Allah declared about this group:

[It is] just as when your Lord brought you out of your home [for the battle of Badr] in truth, while indeed, a party among the believers were unwilling. Arguing with you concerning the truth after it had become clear, as if they were being driven toward death while they were looking on. (Surah Anfal: 5-6)

But Abu Bakr (ra) stood up from among the leaders of the army and spoke a very good speech. Then Umar (ra) stood up and spoke a very good speech. Then Miqdad ibn Amir (ra) stood up and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Continue on the path that Allah has shown you. We are with you at all times. By Allah! We will not say to you what the Children of Israel said to Moses (as):

Go, you and your Lord, and fight; we will sit here. (Surah Maidah: 24)

But our case is different. We would rather say, you take us to 'Barke Gimad', yet we will go there with you, fighting those who block the way.

The Prophet spoke well of them and prayed for them. All three leaders were Muhajirin. The number of Muhajirin soldiers in the army was much smaller than that of the Ansar. The Prophet felt the need to know the opinion of the Ansar. Because they were the ones who were more numerous in the army and the burden of bearing the expenses of the war was actually greater on them. However, according to the acceptance of the Bay'ah of Aqabah, it was not essential for them to go and fight outside Medina. In this context, after listening to the speeches of the above three great leaders, he said again, "Brothers present! In view of the present situation, advise me on what we should do."

He said these words to the Ansar. Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (ra), the leader and standard-bearer of the Ansar, understood the true meaning of the Prophet's words and said, "O Messenger of Allah! It seems that you want to know our opinion."

The Prophet replied, "Yes."

Then he said, "We have believed in you, acknowledged your truth, and testified that what you have brought is the truth, and we have promised you after hearing and obeying them. So, O Messenger of Allah! Proceed forward to fulfill what you have desired. By Him who has sent you with the truth, if you command us, we can jump into the raging sea. We can tread the most inaccessible places on earth, God willing! Not a single one of us will be left behind. You will see us in battle as brave and fearless warriors. Perhaps God will show you such a feat among us that your eyes will be cooled by seeing it. So take us wherever you wish. May God bless our deeds."

In another narration, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (ra) said, "Perhaps you fear that the Ansar will only consider their duty to help you from within their city. Therefore, I say on their behalf and I answer on their behalf: Take whatever you wish from our wealth and leave whatever you wish. But whatever you take will be more beloved to us than whatever you leave. And whatever you decide in this matter, our decision will follow it. By Allah, if you decide to throw us into the sea, we will also throw ourselves into it."

Hearing this, the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) shone with joy. He said, "Go and go with joy. Allah has promised me one of the two groups. By Allah, I feel as if I am seeing the slaughter of that (infidel) people at this very moment."

The next advance of the Muslim army

Then the Prophet moved forward from Zafran and crossed some mountain passes, which are called Asafir. From there he moved further and landed at a town called 'Dabbah'. Then he continued his advance by passing the mountain called 'Hinan' on the right side, and in the next stage he landed near Badr.

Information seeking attempt

Upon reaching here, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his cave companion and closest friend Abu Bakr (ra) set out to search for the enemy army. From a distance, they were surveying the camp and position of the Meccan army. At that time, they found an old Arab. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked the old man about the situation of the Quraysh army and Muhammad and his companions. The purpose of asking about the two armies was so that he would not recognize him. The old man said, "I will not tell you anything unless you tell me which people you belong to."

The Messenger of Allah said, "Okay, if you tell us, we will tell you." He said, "This is in exchange for that?"

He replied, "Yes."

He then said, "Today I learned that Muhammad and his companions left Medina on such and such a day. If the informant tells me correctly, they are in such and such a place today."

Then he said, "I also learned that the Quraysh army left Mecca on such and such a day. If the news bearer told me the correct news, they are today stationed in such and such a place." He named the exact place where the Quraysh army was stationed at that time.

The old man finished his speech and said, "Well, now tell me, which community do you belong to?"

The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "We are from one water."

Saying this, he turned back. And the old man kept on babbling, "From what water? From the water of Iraq?"

Gain important information about the Meccan army

That evening, the Prophet (ﷺ) formed a new reconnaissance force to observe the enemy's situation. He sent Ali ibn Abu Talib, Zubair ibn al-Awwam and Sa'd ibn Waqqas to manage this force. This reconnaissance force went straight to the spring of Badr. There, two slaves were filling water containers for the Meccan army. The Muslim reconnaissance force captured these two water carriers and brought them to the Prophet (ﷺ). At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was praying. The companions present questioned the two slaves about various matters. In response, they said, "We are water carriers for the Quraysh. They have sent us to fill the containers with water." The companions were not satisfied with their answer. They had hoped that these two would be from Sufyan's people. Because, there was still a faint hope in their hearts that they would be victorious over Abu Sufyan's trade caravan. So they put some hard pressure on the two slaves. They then forced themselves to say that they were from Abu Sufyan's caravan. After saying this, they were beaten.

By then, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had finished his prayer. Annoyed by the behavior of his companions, he said, "You beat the two slaves when they spoke the truth, but you let them go when they lied. By Allah, they spoke the truth, that they were from Quraysh."

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to the two slaves, "Now tell me about the Quraysh."

They said, "That hillock, which is visible at the end of the valley, is where the Quraysh are stationed."

He asked, "How many are there?" They replied, "Many." He asked again, "How many are there?" They said, "We do not know." He asked again. How many camels are slaughtered every day?

Then he asked them again, "Who are the nobles of Quraysh with them?" They replied, "The two sons of Rabi'ah, Utbah and Shaybah, Abu al-Bakhtari ibn Hisha, Hakim, ibn Hizam, Nawfar ibn Khuwaylid, Harith ibn Amir, Tu'imah ibn Adi, Nazr ibn Harith, Jam'ah ibn Aswad, Abu Jahl ibn Hisham, Umayya ibn Khalaf, and many others." The Messenger of Allah said, "Makkah has brought pieces of its heart and thrown them near you."

Rain of mercy

The Almighty Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, then sent rain. The torrential rain fell on the Meccan army. Due to the heavy rain, the advance of the Meccan army was somewhat hindered. But it fell on the Muslim army as a special mercy from Allah. This rain of Allah's mercy purified the Muslims from the impurity created by Satan and made the land flat and smooth. As a result, the sand layer became somewhat hard, which created a very favorable position for the Muslim army to move. Due to the creation of favorable conditions for walking, a feeling of firmness was also created in their hearts.

Muslim forces advance towards important military centers

At this time, Habbab ibn Mundhir (ra) asked, as an experienced military figure. "O Messenger of Allah, have you landed here by Allah's command, or have you adopted this arrangement only as a war strategy, because we have no opportunity to go infront of it or behind it."

In response, the Prophet said, "I have adopted this arrangement only as a tactic of war." Hearing this, Habbab (ra) said, "This is not a suitable place. Let us move forward and camp at the watercourse nearest to the Quraysh army. Then, block all other watercourses and build a reservoir on your watercourse and fill it with water. Then, when we engage the Quraysh army in battle, we will get water but they will not."

Hearing this, the Prophet said, "You have given good advice." Then the Prophet ordered his army to advance, and before half the night had passed, they reached the nearest water source to the Quraysh army and set up camp. Then they built a pond there and blocked off all the remaining water sources.

Center of Leadership

When the Muslim army was encamped near the stream, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (ra) proposed that a camp be built for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as a headquarters for the army. God forbid, if instead of victory we were to be defeated or faced with some other difficult situation, then we should be prepared for his safety in advance. When his proposal was unanimously supported, they said, "O Messenger of Allah! We have decided to build a tent of cloth for you. You will stay in it and your ride will be ready next to it." Then we will face the enemy. If Allah grants us victory over our enemies while preserving our dignity, that would be our most desired and desirable thing. And God forbid, if we encounter another situation, you will mount the ride and go to those of our people who have remained behind. O Prophet of Allah! Indeed, there are people behind you whose love for you is boundless. If they had known that you would face war, they would never have stayed behind. They would have fought with you. The Messenger of Allah was pleased with their words and praised them and prayed for their well-being.

The Companions pitched the Prophet's (ﷺ) tent on a high hill to the northeast of the battlefield, from where the entire battlefield could be seen. Then a group of Ansar youths were selected under the leadership of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh to guard his tent.

Army formation and overnight stay

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) arranged the soldiers. At one point he arrived at the battlefield. There he was pointing with his holy hand, "Insha Allah, this will be the place of slaughter for so-and-so in the future and this will be the place of slaughter for so-and-so tomorrow." Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) spent the night there near the root of a tree and the Muslims also spent the night in peace. Their hearts were filled with trust in Allah. They hoped that each of them would see with their own eyes the glad tidings of their Lord.

This night was the night of Friday, the 17th of Ramadan, 2nd year of the Hijri. The Prophet (ﷺ) had set out from Medina on the 8th or 12th of that month.

The arrival of the Meccan soldiers on the battlefield and their mutual disagreements.

On the other hand, the Quraysh spent the night in their camp on the outside of the valley. And in the morning, the entire army descended from the hill and set out for Badr. One group advanced towards the fountain of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Leave them alone." The one among them who drank water was killed in the battle. Only Hakim ibn Hizam survived. He later became a true Muslim. His rule was that when he took a firm oath, he would say, "By the One who saved me from the day of Badr."

Meanwhile, a great commotion had begun in the Quraysh army. Some were shouting arrogantly and some were stamping their feet on the ground in anger. At that time, on the orders of the Quraysh leaders, a man named Umayr ibn Aharr Jumahi rode around them on horseback to determine the number of Muslims. Returning to his own army, Umayr began to say, "The number of Muslims will not exceed three hundred and there is no one to help them behind them. They do not have anything to protect them except their swords. I have also understood this very well. But they are so well prepared for war that we cannot destroy one of their lives without exchanging one of our lives. Therefore, we will not be able to win this war without sacrificing at least three hundred lives on our side. If they kill our special people, what will be the reason for living after this? Therefore, we need to think about something."

Hearing this from Umayr, the Quraysh chieftain, Hakim ibn Hizam, regained his senses and stood up and gave a long speech, trying to convince everyone that there was no reason to engage in this unjust war. There was no point in winning this war by sacrificing three hundred lives. Hakim did not stop with his speech. He went to the Quraysh chieftain, Utbah ibn Rabi'ah, and expressed his views to him. Utbah could not deny the reasonableness of Hakim's words. Hakim then said with hope, "Look, you are a wealthy and distinguished man among the Quraysh. So, be firm and stop your people from this unjust war, then your name will be remembered forever in the history of Arabia." Utbah replied, "I am ready. I can pay the blood money of one Amr bin Hazrami (who died in Saria-e-Nakhla), but it is not possible to stop the son of Hanzaliyya (Abu Jahl) by any argument. In any case, you go to him and try, I agree to your proposal."

Then Utbah stood up and began to speak. He said, "O Quraysh! You must not show any bravery by fighting Muhammad and his companions. By Allah, if you kill them, you will see such faces that it will not be pleasant to see. Because in this war, either a cousin will be killed, or a cousin, or a person from your own tribe will be killed. So go back and leave Muhammad and the whole of Arabia. If the other people of Arabia kill Muhammad, then that will be what you want. Otherwise, Muhammad will look at you with respect because you did not do what you should have done to him.

Meanwhile, Hakim appeared before Abu Jahl and expressed his and Utbah's opinions. Hearing Hakim's words, Abu Jahl's mind was inflamed. He said in an angry voice, "Muhammad's magic has been particularly effective on Utbah. The coward, the scoundrel, the disgrace of the Quraysh is now looking for an excuse to save his life in the name of war. No, no, I have understood by now that Utbah is a member of Muhammad's party (Utbah's son Abu Haifa (ra) was an early Muslim and migrated to Medina). He is present on the battlefield. He is so upset with the fear of his death. Woe to him!"

Hakim then left Abu Jahl there and went to Utbah and revealed the whole story. Utbah became completely restless with anger, arrogance and pride. He said, "Then let the Arabs see, let the world see who is the brave man, I will not return until a final understanding is reached with Muhammad." Saying this, he marched forward to the battlefield. Meanwhile, Abu Jahl ran and said to Amir ibn Hazrami, "Do you see, your brother's revenge will no longer be possible. Utbah, the coward, is leaving the battlefield with a march. Get up quickly and start crying out."

As soon as Abu Jahl finished speaking, Amer started walking around, smearing dust and sand all over his body and tearing his clothes, crying out the name of his slain brother. And in a moment, all of Hakim's hard work was wasted. In a moment, the battlefield was filled with the terrifying sounds of the war-hungry polytheist army and shook.

The polytheist and Muslim armies face each other

When the Muslim and polytheist armies faced each other, the Prophet said, "O Allah! These polytheist Quraysh are coming forward with great arrogance, opposing You and belittling Your Messenger. O Allah! We seek Your help. O Allah! Fulfill today the promise You have made to Your servants of this religion."

The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Utbah ibn Rabi'ah riding a camel and said, "If there is goodness among the people, it is with the owner of the red camel. If the people listen to him, they will be guided."

At this point, the Prophet (ﷺ) arranged the ranks of the Muslims. While arranging the ranks, a wonderful thing happened. The Prophet (ﷺ) had an arrow in his hand with which he was arranging the ranks. At that time, Sawad ibn Ghaziyyah had risen a little ahead of the ranks. He touched his stomach with the arrow and said, "O Sawad! Arrange yourselves." Sawad said, "O Messenger of Allah! You have hurt me, so give revenge." Hearing this, the Prophet embraced him and kissed his stomach. The Prophet then said to him, "O Sawad, what is your reason for doing this?" Sawad replied, "O Messenger of Allah! You can see what is ahead. I want my last exchange with you at this point to be this: 'My skin touches your skin.' Hearing this, the Prophet prayed for his well-being. When the ranks were arranged, the Prophet (ﷺ) went to advise the soldiers and said, "Do not start fighting until I give them the final order." Then he gave a special piece of advice regarding war strategy, saying, "When the polytheists come near you in large numbers, shoot arrows at them and try to save your own arrows."

(That is, do not waste your arrows by shooting unnecessarily from the beginning.) And do not lift your sword until they overwhelm you.

Then the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr returned to the camp, and Sa'd ibn Mu'adh and his guards stationed themselves at the gate of the camp.

If you [disbelievers] seek the decision [victory] - the decision [defeat] has come to you. And if you desist [from hostilities], it is best for you; but if you return [to war], We will return, and never will you be availed by your [large] company at all, even if it should increase; and [that is] because Allah is with the believers. (surah Anfal- 19)

The final battle and the first spark of war

The first instigator of this war was Aswad ibn Abul Asad Makhzumi. This man was very stubborn and wicked. He came out on the battlefield saying, "I will drink the water from their pool or break it or give my life for it."

Saying this, when he came out from that side, Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib came forward from this side. The two met on the bank of the pond. Hamzah struck him with his sword in such a way that his leg was cut off halfway down the leg and he fell on his back. A fountain of blood was running from his leg, which was heading towards his companions. But despite this, he crawled forward on his knees towards the pond and wanted to enter it so that his oath could be fulfilled. Meanwhile, Hamzah struck him with his sword a second time and he fell dead in the pond.

The main image of the outbreak of war

This was the first killing of the war. As a result, the fire of war was ignited. At that time, it was customary that before the battle, the famous heroes of each side would descend on the battlefield and call the other side to battle. Then some selected famous heroes of that side would march forward with bravery to answer this call. This was also the case in this case. The expedition, including the angry Utbah, his brother Shaybah and his son Walid, began to shout. "Who will come, come and watch our sword play." Hearing his call, three Ansar heroes rushed towards it with drawn swords. They were Auf (ra) and Muawiyah (ra). These two were the sons of Harith and their mother's name was Afra. The third was Abdullah ibn Rawaha. The Quraysh asked them, "Who are you?" They said, "We are Ansar."

Then they said, "We do not want you. We want our cousins." And one of them shouted, "O Muhammad! It is dishonorable for us to fight these peasants of Medina. Send us worthy warriors." Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ordered the three Ansar warriors to return to their respective places. Then he called out to Hamza, Ubaydah bin Harith and Ali from among his relatives, saying, "Go forward to confront them." When they went forward, the Quraysh asked, "Who are you?" They identified themselves.

The infidels attacked them. Ali fought with Walid, Hamza with Shaybah, and Ubaydah with Utbah. In a moment, Shaybah and Walid lost their heads. Ubaydah was the oldest of them all. He and Utbah were seriously wounded by each other's swords. Meanwhile, Ali and Hamza, having defeated their rivals, rushed at Utbah, finished him off, and brought Ubaydah up. Ubaydah's voice had stopped and remained stopped. Finally, on the fourth or fifth day, when the Muslims were crossing the Safa Valley on their way back to Medina, Ubaydah (ra) passed away.

Ali (ra) used to swear by Allah, "This verse was revealed concerning us."

"These are two disputing parties who have disputed about their Lord." (Surah Al-Hajj: Verse 19)

General attack

The outcome of this battle was a very bad omen for the polytheists. They had lost three of their famous cavalry leaders in a single moment. Therefore, they were filled with anger and attacked the Muslims in one go. After praying to their Lord with great sincerity and humility for help, the Muslims remained steadfast in their positions and took measures to repel. They continued to repel the attacks of the polytheists in various ways, causing them great harm. The words Ahad Ahad were being uttered on their lips.

The Prophet's (ﷺ) heartfelt prayer

Meanwhile, the Prophet, upon returning from the task of classifying the soldiers, began to pray to his Almighty Lord to fulfill the promise of help. His prayer was:

"O Allah! Fulfill the promise You have made to me. O Allah! I ask You to fulfill Your promise and covenant."

Then, when a fierce battle broke out between the two sides, he prayed:

"O Allah! If You destroy this group today, You will no longer be worshipped. O Allah, if this is Your will, You will never be worshipped after today."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed with great humility and became so self-absorbed that his cloak fell from his shoulders. He continued to pray as before. Seeing this, Abu Bakr (ra) rushed forward and covered his body with his cloak; embracing him, he said, "O Messenger of Allah! It is enough. You have prayed to your Lord with a very pleading voice. This prayer will not be in vain. He will soon fulfill His promise."

Meanwhile, Allah revealed to the angels:

[Remember] when your Lord inspired to the angels, "I am with you, so strengthen those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved, so strike [them] upon the necks and strike from them every fingertip." (Surah Anfal: Verse- 12)

And Allah revealed to the Messenger (ﷺ):

"Indeed, I will reinforce you with a thousand from the angels, following one another." (Surah Anfal: Verse- 9)

Angels descend to help

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) felt a little sleepy. Then he raised his blessed head and said, "Be happy, Abu Bakr. This is Gabriel, (as), his body is full of dust and sand."

According to Ishaq's narration, the Prophet said, "Rejoice, Abu Bakr, for the help of Allah has come to you. This is Gabriel (as), leading his horse with the reins. His body is covered with dust."

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came out of the gate of the camp. He was wearing iron armor. He was advancing with full enthusiasm and was saying:

"When you threw, you did not actually throw; rather, Allah threw." (Surah Al-Anfal: Verse-17)

Counterattack

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered a counterattack and encouraged the battle, saying, "You attack. By the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad! Whoever among them, steadfast in battle, considers fighting a virtue, advances forward, and dies fighting without retreating, Allah will certainly admit him to Paradise."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) encouraged them to fight and said, "Ascend to Paradise whose width is as wide as the heavens and the earth." Hearing this, Umayr ibn Hammam (ra) said, "Very good! Very good!" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then asked him, "Why did you say that?" He replied, "O Messenger of Allah, I hope that I too will be among the people of Paradise, nothing else." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Yes, you will be among the people of Paradise." Then Hammam took out some dates from his food bag and started eating them. Then he said, "If I live until I finish eating this dates, then this too will be a long life." So he threw away the dates that he had. Then he keep fighting the polytheist until he became a martyr.

Thus, Awf ibn Habish (ra) son of the famous woman Afra asked, "O Messenger of Allah, at what deed of His servants does Allah laugh being pleased?" The Messenger of Allah replied, "He laughs at that deed of a servant when he plunges his hand into the enemy while he is naked (without wearing a battle armor). Hearing this, Awf took off his iron armor and threw it away, and he jumped on the enemy with his sword. Then he became a martyr while fighting.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave the order to counterattack, the intensity of the enemy's attack had decreased and their excitement had subsided. Because, when the Companions received the order to attack, they were in the prime of their Jihad. So they launched this fierce and decisive attack. They scattered and scattered the enemy's ranks, slitting their throats and advancing. When they saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) himself coming in armour and hearing him clearly say that 'they will soon be defeated and turn their backs and flee', their excitement increased even more. That is why the Muslims fought bravely and the angels also helped them. As narrated by Ibn Sa'd from Ikramah (ra). On that day, people's heads would be cut off but it would not be known who cut them off, and people's hands would be cut off but it would not be known who cut them off.

Narrated Ibn Abbas: A Muslim was chasing a polytheist. Suddenly, the sound of a Whip being struck at the polytheist was heard, and the voice of a horseman was heard saying, "Move forward." The Muslim saw the polytheist in front of him with a wound on his nose and bruises on his body as if he had been beaten with a whip. The Ansar Muslim came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and narrated the incident. He said, "You have spoken the truth. This was the help of the third heaven."

Abu Dawud al-Ma'ini said, "I was chasing a polytheist to kill him. Suddenly, his head fell off before my sword could reach him. I then realized that it was not I who killed him, but someone else."

An Ansari captured Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib. Abbas (ra) said, "By Allah, this man did not capture me. I was captured by a bald man who was very handsome and rode a horse of a different color. I do not see him among the people now." The Ansari said, "O Messenger of Allah, I captured him." The Messenger of Allah said, "Be quiet, Allah has helped you with an honorable angel."

Iblis's escape from the battlefield

As we have said, the accursed Iblis came in the form of Soraka ibn Malik ibn Jushum al-Mudlazi and up to this point he had not separated himself from the polytheists. But when he witnessed the role of the angels against the polytheists, he turned back and started to flee. But the angel punched him in the chest so hard that he fell to the ground. Then Iblis fled from there. He started to say to the polytheists, "You do not see what I see. I fear Allah greatly. He is the Owner of severe punishment." Then he fled and went into the sea.

Devastating defeat

In a short time, various signs of failure and fear began to appear in the army of the polytheists. Due to the hard and continuous attacks of the Muslims, the soldiers of the polytheist army were scattered and the outcome of the battle was coming close to being decided. Then the polytheist army started retreating in extreme disorder. The Muslims even ran after them. Even in a short time, they were forced to accept complete defeat.

Abu Jahl's stubbornness

But when the great Taghut Abu Jahl saw the disorder in his ranks, he still decided to stand firm in his position. So he said to his soldiers in a loud voice and with sincerity, "Do not lose hope because of Soraka's retreat from the battlefield. For he had been plotting with Muhammad (ﷺ) from the beginning. You have no reason to fear the killing of Utbah, Shaybah and Wali. They have done this because they acted in a hurry. By Lat and Uzza! We will not return until we tie them tightly with ropes. See that none of you kills any of them. Imprison them so that we may punish them for their wrongdoing."

But he soon had to realize the consequences of his reckless arrogance. Because within a moment, the Muslims counterattacked and in a few moments, their defense force was shattered. But Abu Jahl had left a group of people on all sides of him in a well-organized state. The people had created a wall of swords and spears around him. But the devastating storm of the Islamic people completely destroyed his wall of swords and spears. Then this great Taghut came within the sight of the believers. The Muslim soldiers saw that he was riding a horse and circling. Meanwhile, the hands of two Ansar youths were waiting to suck his death blood.

The murder of Abu Jahl

It was narrated from Abdur Rahman ibn Awf that: "On the day of the Battle of Badr, I was in the ranks of the soldiers. Suddenly, I saw two young men on my right and left. I did not feel safe in their presence. One of them came to me, avoiding his companion, and said: "Uncle, show me which one is Abu Jahl."

I said, "Nephew, what do you need him for?" He said, "We have learned that he has troubled the Messenger of Allah many times. By Him from Whom my life depends, if I see him, my existence will not be separated from his last until the one among us whose death is already decreed dies."

He said, "I was completely overwhelmed by his words."

He also said, "The second man came and gestured to me with the same words. Then I saw Abu Jahl walking around among the people. I said to them, 'Look, that is your victim whom you were asking me about.'"

He narrated that, "As soon as they heard this, they both jumped forward with their swords, killed that infamous scoundrel, and returned to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Which of you killed him?"

They both said, "I killed him."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said again, "Have you wiped your swords?" They said, "No."

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw their swords and said, "You both killed him."

However, he gave Abu Jahl's belongings to Mu'adh ibn Amr ibn Jamuh. The names of the two killers of Abu Jahl are: 1. Mu'adh ibn Amr ibn Jamuh and 2. Mu'adh ibn Afra.

And Ibn Ishaq narrated that Mu'adh ibn 'Amr ibn Jamuh said, "I heard the polytheists say about Abu Jahl that he was surrounded by spears and swords like dense trees. They also said that no one would be able to reach Abu al-Hakam," meaning that he would not be able to kill him.

Mu'adh ibn Amr also said, "When I heard this, I took myself to the center of my aim and focused my attention on him. Then, when I got the opportunity, I attacked him and struck him in such a way that his legs split in two and fell apart."

He also narrated that while I was striking Abu Jahl, his other hand was cut off and became an obstacle to the fight. I pulled him back and continued fighting normally.

Then Mu'adh ibn Afra reached Abu Jahl. He hit him so hard that he turned into a pile right there. At that time, only his breath remained. Then Mu'adh ibn Afra keept fighting until he died.

When the battle was over, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Who are you to come and see what has happened to Abu Jahl?" Hearing this, the Companions scattered in search of him. Abdullah ibn Mas'ud found him in a state where his breathing was still labored. He placed his foot on his neck and grabbed his beard to cut off his head, saying, "O enemy of Allah! Has Allah humiliated you like this?" He said, "What kind of humiliation have you inflicted on me? Is there anyone of higher rank than the man you are killing?" Or is there anyone more honorable than the man you are killing? Then he said, "If only someone other than the farmers had killed me, how much better it would have been." Then he said, "Well, tell me who has won today?" He said to Abdullah ibn Mas'ud , who was standing on his neck, "O goatherd! You have climbed a very high and difficult place." It is clear that Abdullah ibn Mas'ud used to herd goats in Mecca.

After this conversation, Abdullah ibn Mas'ud cut off his head and presented it to the Messenger of Allah and said, "O Messenger of Allah, this is the head of Abu Jahl, the enemy of Allah." The Messenger of Allah said three times, "Indeed, by Allah, besides whom there is no god but He."

Then he said, "Allah is the greatest. All praise is due to Allah, who has fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, and defeated all the groups single-handedly."

Then the Messenger of Allah said, "Come and show me his dead body." Abdullah ibn Mas'ud said, "I took him and showed him his dead body. He said, "That man is the Pharaoh of this nation."

Glorious in the brightness of faith

The subjects of the faith-filled character of Umayr ibn Hammam (ra) and Awf ibn Harith ibn Afra' (ra) have already been mentioned. The fact is that in the war, step by step, scenes were seen in which the strength of faith and the maturity of fundamental principles became clear and bright. In this war, factions or classifications were formed between father and son and brother and the sword of disagreement on fundamental principles was unsheathed. Thus, the oppressed person calmed the fire of anger by striking at the oppressor. The correctness of this will be proven in the following discussion.

1. Ibn Ishaq narrated from Ibn Abbas (ra) that the Prophet (ﷺ) said to his companions, "I know that some people from Banu Hashim and some other tribes have been forced into the battlefield. They have nothing to do with our war. So if a person from Banu Hashim falls in front of someone's sword, he should not kill him. If Abbas ibn Abdul Muttalib falls in front of someone, he should not kill him either, because he was forced into this war."

Hearing this, Abu Hudhayfah (ra) said, "Shall we kill our father, son, brother and relatives and spare Abbas? By Allah, if he falls before me, I will put the bridle of the sword on him." When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard this, he said to Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra), "Shall the face of the uncle of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) be struck with the sword?" Umar replied, "Leave me alone, I will cut off his neck with the sword, for he has become a hypocrite."

Later, Abu Hudhayfah (ra) would say, "I never find peace in my heart because of what I said that day. I am always afraid of it. The only way to be free from it is to atone for it through my martyrdom." He was finally martyred in the Battle of Yamama.

2. The reason for forbidding the killing of Abu al-Bakhtari was that he was the most careful in Makkah to avoid harming the Prophet. He did not harm the Prophet in any way and he never heard anything bad from him. He was one of those who tore up the letter of boycott of Banu Hashim and Banu Muttalib.

But despite this, Abu al-Bakhtari was killed in the end. The incident was that he fought with Mu'adhzar ibn Ziyad Balawi. He had another companion with him. The two were fighting together. Mu'adhzar said to him, "O Abu al-Bakhtari! The Messenger of Allah has forbidden us to kill you." He said, "What about my companion?" Mu'adhzar replied, "No, by Allah! We cannot spare your companion." He then said, "By Allah! Then both of us will die." Then the two of them started fighting. Mu'adhzar was forced to kill him too.

3. During the Jahiliyyah period in Mecca, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (ra) and Umayyah ibn Khalaf were friends. On the day of the Battle of Badr, Umayyah ibn Khalaf was holding the hand of his son Ali. At that time, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf passed by. He had stolen some iron armor from the enemy and was carrying it on the back of a camel. Umayyah saw him and said, "Do you need me? I am better than these iron armors of yours. I have never seen a scene like today. Do you not need my milk?" He meant that whoever captures me will be ransomed with many milking ewes."

Hearing this, Abdur Rahman ibn Auf threw away his iron armor, arrested the father and son, and advanced forward.

Abdur Rahman said, "I was walking between Umayya and his son when Umayya asked me, "Who was this man among you who had an ostrich feather on his chest?" I replied, "He was Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib. He then said, "This is the man who created chaos among us."

Abdur Rahman said, By Allah. I was walking with these two when suddenly Bilal saw Umayya walking with me. It is worth remembering that this Umayya had inhumanly tortured Bilal in Mecca. Bilal said, This is the leader of the disbelievers, Umayya ibn Khalaf. Either I will live or he will live. I said, O Bilal! This is my prisoner. He said again, Now either I will live in this world or he will live. Then he called out very loudly and said, "O Ansar of Allah! This is the leader of the disbelievers, Umayya ibn Khalaf. Now either I will live or he will live." Abdur Rahman said, By now the people had surrounded us. I was trying to save him, but a man stabbed his son in the leg with his sword. He fell down immediately. Umayya turned towards him and screamed so loudly that I had never heard such a scream. I said, Run away. But there is no way to escape today. By Allah, I will not be able to do you any good today. Abdur Rahman narrated that the people killed both of them with swords. Then Abdur Rahman said, May Allah have mercy on Bilal. My armor has also gone and I have to worry about my prisoner.

4. Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) killed his maternal uncle, As ibn Hisham ibn Mughirah. On that day, he did not care about kinship ties.

5. Abu Bakr Siddique (ra) called his son Abdur Rahman and said to him when he was fighting on behalf of the polytheists, "O wicked one! Where is my wealth?" Abdur Rahman replied, "Nothing remains except weapons, armor, fast horses, and the sword that ends the corruption of old age."

6. When the Muslims began to arrest the polytheists, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was standing in the barracks and Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (ra) was guarding the gate with his sword in his hand. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) noticed that Sa'd's (ra) face showed signs of displeasure at the Muslims' actions. So, he asked him, "O Sa'd! By Allah, you do not like what the Muslims are doing, do you?" Sa'd replied, "Yes, O Messenger of Allah. By Allah! This is the first battle with the polytheists that Allah has given us. So it is more preferable to me to kill them in large numbers than to leave them alone."

7. In this battle, the sword of Ukashah ibn Muhsin Asadi (ra) was broken. When he came to the service of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave him a broken wooden staff and said, "Ukashah (ra), fight with this." Ukashah took it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and as soon as he moved it, it turned into a long, strong, white, shining sword. Then he fought with it, and in the end, Allah granted victory to the Muslims. That sword sheath remained with Ukashah (ra) permanently and he used it in various battles. Finally, he was martyred while fighting against the apostates during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (ra). That sword was with him at that time as well.

8. After the battle, Mus'ab left. Abu Umayr was fighting against the Muslims and at that time an Ansar companion was tying his hand. Mus'ab said to the Ansar, "Strengthen your hand through this person. She is a very wealthy woman. She will certainly give you a good ransom." Hearing this, Abu Aziz said to his brother Mus'ab, "You will give for me a good ransom." Hearing this, Abu Umayr said to his brother Mus'ab, "Is this your advice for me?" Mus'ab replied, "Yes, this Ansar is my brother instead of you."

9. When the order was given to throw the bodies of the polytheists into the well and Utbah ibn Rabi'ah was dragged towards the well, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) looked at the face of his son Abu Hudhayfah (ra). He saw that he was sad and his expression had changed. He asked him, "Abu Hudhayfah! Surely, seeing your father in this state has stirred up some feelings in your heart, hasn't it?" He replied, "O Messenger of Allah! By Allah, I did not feel the slightest emotion in my heart regarding my father's affair and his killing. However, I knew about my father that he had good sense, foresight and gentleness. Therefore, I hoped that these qualities would lead him to Islam. But now, seeing his fate and seeing his end in disbelief contrary to my expectations, I am saddened." Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for his well-being and spoke to him kindly.

Deaths of both parties

This battle ended in a clear defeat for the polytheists and a clear victory for the Muslims. Fourteen Muslims were martyred, six Muhajirin and eight Ansar. But the polytheists suffered a heavy loss. Seventy of them were killed and seventy were taken prisoner. Most of them were leaders.

At the end of the battle, the Prophet (ﷺ) stood beside the slain polytheists and said, "What a wretched tribe and tribe you were to your Prophet! You have denied me. You have left me friendless and helpless when others have supported me. You have expelled me when others have sheltered me." Then, on his orders, they were dragged and thrown into a well at Badr.

It was narrated from Abu Talha (ra) that on the day of Badr by the orders of the Prophet (ﷺ), the bodies of twenty-four prominent leaders of the Quraysh were thrown into a well in Badr.

It was his custom that when he conquered a people, he would stay on the battlefield for three days. So when the third day of Badr arrived, he ordered his horse to be mounted. Then he continued on foot, and his companions followed him. Finally, he stood by the well and began to call them by their names and the names of their fathers. 'O son of so-and-so! O son of so-and-so! Would it not be a matter of happiness for you if you obeyed Allah and His Messenger? For we have found true what our Lord promised us.' Umar (ra) then said, "O Messenger of Allah, what is the matter with you that you are speaking to bodies that have no soul?" The Prophet replied, "By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, you do not hear what I say any more than they do." According to another narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You cannot hear more than these. But they cannot answer."

News of defeat and mourning in Mecca

The polytheists left the battlefield of Badr and headed for Mecca in a state of fear and confusion. Due to extreme shame and embarrassment, they had no idea how they would enter Mecca.

Ibn Ishaq said that the first person to reach Mecca with the news of the defeat of the Quraysh was Haytham ibn Abdullah al-Khuza'i. The people asked him, "What is the news of the battle?" He replied, "Uttah ibn Rabi'ah, Shaybah ibn Rabi'ah, Abu'l-Hakam ibn Hisham, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and a number of other prominent men, all of whom were killed." When he began to list the names of the noble Quraysh who were killed, Safwan ibn Umayyah, who was riding on Hatim, said, "By Allah! If he has any sense, ask him about me?" He replied, "Look, he is riding on Hatim. By Allah! I myself saw his father and brother killed."

Abu Rafi (ra), a slave freed by the Prophet, narrates: "I was a slave of Abbas (ra) at that time, and Islam had entered our house. Abbas (ra) became Muslim, Umm al-Fadl (ra) became Muslim, and I became Muslim. However, Abbas (ra) kept his Islam a secret. Meanwhile, Abu Lahab did not appear in the Battle of Badr. When the news of the defeat of the Quraysh reached him, his face turned black with shame and humiliation. On the other hand, we felt strength and honor among ourselves. I was a weak man, making arrows and sitting in the Zamzam room, holding the arrowheads. By Allah! At that time, I was sitting arrows in the room, holding the arrows. Umm al-Fadl (ra) was sitting next to me, and we were happy and delighted with the news that had come. Meanwhile, Abu Lahab dragged his feet shamelessly and came to us and sat down at the edge of the room. His back was towards me. Suddenly, a commotion was heard. "This is Abu Sufyan ibn Harith ibn Abdul Muttalib." Abu Lahab said to him, "O my beloved nephew, come to me. On my life! What news from you?" He replied, "Nothing, suffice it to say that we faced the Muslims and we surrendered our shoulders to them. They killed us and took us prisoner at will. Despite this, I cannot blame our people. In fact, we faced some people who were riding horses mixed with black and white between the sky and the earth. By Allah! They did not leave anything, nor could anything withstand them."

Abu Rafi (ra) said, "I lifted the edge of the tent with my own hand. Then I said, "By Allah! They were angels." Hearing this, Abu Lahab raised his hand and slapped me on the cheek with great force. I fought with him. But he lifted me up and threw me to the ground. Then he sat on my knees and started beating me. I proved to be weak. But in the meantime, Umm Fayl got up and took a tent pole and hit him in such a way that he was badly injured on the head. And immediately Umm Fadl (ra) said, "You think he is weak because he has no master." Abu Lahab then left ashamed. Then, by Allah, only seven days had passed, and by Allah's command he was afflicted with a severe disease called 'Adasa', and this ended his life. The Arabs considered boils to be very ugly. Therefore, after his death, his sons did not bury him, but left him on his bed for three days. No one went near him because of the stench, nor did they make arrangements for his burial or shrouding. Finally, when his sons feared that if they left him like this, the people would scold them, they dug a hole and pushed his dead body into it with a stick and covered it with stones from a distance.

In short, the Meccans thus learned of the clear defeat of their people, and it had a very bad effect on their character. They even forbade lamentation for the dead so that the Muslims would not have the opportunity to rejoice in their sorrow.

There is an interesting incident in this regard that in the battle of Badr, three sons of Aswad ibn Abdul Muttalib were killed. He wanted to weep for them. He was a blind man. One night, he heard the wailing of a woman. He immediately said to his servant, "Go and see if permission has been given to weep? Are the Quraysh weeping for the dead? Then I will also weep for my son Abu Hakima. Because my heart is burning. The servant is weeping." Hearing this, Aswad could no longer control himself. In his emotion, he recited the following lamentable poem:

Is she crying because her camel is lost? And has insomnia made her sleep forbidden? O woman, do not cry for the camel. Yes, yes, rather cry for Badr, where the fate of the leaders of the tribes of Banu Hasis, Banu Makhzum, Abul Walid and others was disastrous. If you must cry, cry for Aqil and do not mention everyone by name.

Good news of victory in Medina

Meanwhile, when the Muslims' victory was complete, the Prophet (ﷺ) sent two messengers to give the good news to the people of Medina very soon. One was Abdullah ibn Rawah (ra) who was sent to the people of the highlands of Medina, and the other was Zayd ibn Haritha (ra) who was sent to the people of the lowlands of Medina.

At that time, the Jews and hypocrites spread a rumor that the Muslims had been defeated. They even spread the rumor that the Messenger of Allah had been killed. So when a hypocrite saw Zayd ibn Haritha riding the camel of the Messenger of Allah, he said, "Muhammad has indeed been killed. Look, this is his camel, we know it. And this man, Zayd ibn Haritha, has fled in defeat and is so terrified that he does not know what to say." In short, when the two envoys reached Medina, the Muslims surrounded them and listened to their detailed news. Finally, they were convinced that the Muslims had won. Then, joy spread everywhere and the sky and air of Medina began to resound with the sound of Takbir. All the leading companions who had remained in Medina went out on the road to Badr to publicly congratulate the Prophet on the victory.

Usamah ibn Zayd (ra) narrated, "This good news reached us at the time when Ruqayyah (ra), the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the wife of Uthman (ra), had been buried. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had left me with Uthman in Medina to look after her.

Solution to war booty

The Prophet (ﷺ) stayed at Badr for three days after the battle and had not yet set out from the battlefield. In the meantime, the Prophet ordered that whoever had the spoils of war should hand them over to him. The Companions followed his instructions and then Allah resolved the matter through revelation.

Ubadah ibn Samit (ra) reported: We set out with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) from Medina and reached the plain of Badr. We fought the people (the polytheists) and Allah defeated the enemy. Then a group of us pursued them and captured and killed them. Another group plundered and hoarded the spoils. Another group surrounded the Messenger of Allah from all sides so that the enemy could not deceive him and harm him in any way. When night fell and each group met with the other, the gatherers of the spoils said, "We have collected this, so no one else has any share in it." The pursuers of the enemy said, "You are no more entitled to it than we are, because we drove the enemy away from it and drove them away." And those who guarded the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "We feared that the enemies of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) might harm him because of our negligence. So we guarded him. So we are more deserving of it." Then Allah revealed the following verse:

The people ask you about the spoils of war, say: The spoils of war belong to Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). So fear Allah and establish reconciliation between yourselves, and obey Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ), if you are believers. (Anfal, verse 1). Then the Messenger distributed the spoils among the Muslims.

Muslim army on the way to Medina

After staying at Badr for three days, the Prophet set out for Medina. He had with him the polytheist prisoners and the booty he had taken from them. He entrusted their guard to Abdullah ibn Ka'b (ra). When he came out of the pass of the Safra Valley and rested on a hill, he separated one-fifth of the booty and distributed the rest equally among the Muslims. And in the Safra Valley, he ordered the killing of Nadr ibn Harith. This man had held the flag of the polytheists in the Battle of Badr and was one of the greatest criminals of the Quraysh. He played a major role in causing trouble to the Prophet in his hostility to Islam. On the orders of the Prophet, Ali (ra) killed him. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reached a place called Irqu Jabiyah and ordered the killing of Uqbah ibn Abu Mu'ayt. Some of the ways in which this man had tormented the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) have already been discussed. This was the man who had thrown a camel's entrails on the back of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) while he was praying and had tried to kill him by tying a cloak around his neck, and had Abu Bakr (ﷺ) not arrived in time, he would have strangled him. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered him to be killed, he said, "O Muhammad, what is for me and my children?" He replied, "Fire." Then Asim ibn Thabit (ﷺ) and, according to another version, Ali (ﷺ) beheaded him.

According to military policy, the killing of these two miscreants was essential, because they were not only prisoners of war, but also war criminals in modern terms.

The welcoming delegation When the Muslim army reached a place called 'Ra'ha', they met the Muslim delegation who had come out of Medina to welcome the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and congratulate him on his victory after hearing the good news from the two messengers. When they congratulated him, Salamah ibn Salamah (ra) said, "The encounter was with old men with long heads, who were like camels." Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) smiled and said, "My nephews, these were the leaders of the people."

Then Usaid ibn Hudhayyar (ra) said: "O Messenger of Allah! All praise is due to Allah, He has granted you success and has made your eyes cool. By Allah! I did not go to Badr thinking that you would face the enemy. I thought that it was only a matter of the caravan. If I had known that the enemy would have to face him, I would not have stayed behind." The Messenger of Allah entered Medina in such a victorious manner that his influence was reflected on the enemies of the city of Medina and its surroundings. As a result of this victory, many people of Medina came to Islam in droves. At that time, Abdullah ibn Ubayy and his companions only accepted Islam for show.

The prisoners arrived a day after the Prophet's arrival in Medina. The Prophet distributed them among the Companions and advised them to treat them well. Due to this advice, the Companions (ra) ate dates themselves and fed the prisoners bread. Because dates were a common food in Medina and bread was a particularly valuable food.

Advice about prisoners of war

Returning to Medina, the Prophet (ﷺ) consulted with his companions about the prisoners of war. Abu Bakr (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah! These are all our cousins, relatives and kinsmen. I think we should release them with some money as ransom. This will save enough money in our general fund. On the other hand, it will be possible for all of them to embrace Islam in a short time. Then we can use them as our support force."

Then the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) addressed Umar, son of Khattab and said, "O son of Khattab, what is your opinion?" Umar (ra) replied, "By Allah, I cannot agree with Abu Bakr on this matter. My opinion is that you should hand over to me so-and-so, who was a relative of Umar, and I will kill him. You should hand over Aqeel ibn Abi Talib to Ali, and he will kill him, and you should hand over to Hamza, who was a brother of Hamza, and he will kill him. So that Allah may know that there is no weakness in our hearts towards the polytheists. And they were the leaders of the polytheists at all times. They were the eternal enemies of Islam and the enemies of the souls of the Muslims. They used to oppress us, they used to plot to kill the Messenger of Allah, and they did not fail to do their utmost to wipe out the true religion of Allah from the face of the earth."

These are the very embodiment of injustice, injustice and oppression. They should be killed immediately. Every Muslim should stand with his sword in his hand and behead his relatives with his own hands, that is my opinion.

Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah liked Abu Bakr's opinion and did not like mine. So it was decided to take the ransom from the prisoners." The next morning I went to the Messenger of Allah and Abu Bakr. I saw that they were both crying. I said, "O Messenger of Allah! Tell me, why are you crying? If there is any reason for crying on that day, I will cry too." The Messenger of Allah replied, "I am crying because of what was presented to your companions for accepting the ransom." And he pointed to a nearby tree and said, "Their punishment is presented to me closer than this tree." Then Allah revealed the following verse:

It is not for a prophet to have captives [of war] until he inflicts a massacre [upon Allah's enemies] in the land. You [some Muslims] desire the commodities of this world, but Allah desires [for you] the Hereafter. And Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise. If not for a decree from Allah that preceded, you would have been touched for what you took by a great punishment. (Surah Anfal: 67-68)

The previous decree from Allah was as follows:

Then either mercy or ransom. - (Surah Muhammad: Verse-4)

However, as a decision was made in accordance with the opinion of Abu Bakr (ra), a ransom was accepted from the polytheists. The ransom was up to four thousand dirhams. Some of the prisoners of war could read and write. Therefore, it was decided that whoever was unable to pay the ransom would teach ten boys from Medina to read and write. When these boys learned to read and write well, this would be considered his ransom.

The Prophet (ﷺ) also showed mercy to some prisoners and freed them without ransom. The names of Muttalib ibn Hantar, Saifi ibn Abu Rifa'ah and Abu Izzah Jumah are found in this list. The last two were captured and killed in the Battle of Uhud. (Details to come)

The Prophet (ﷺ) released his son-in-law Abu al-As without ransom on the condition that he would not obstruct the path of his daughter Zaynab (ra). The reason for this was that Zaynab (ra) had sent some goods as ransom for Abu al-As, including a necklace. This necklace actually belonged to Khadija (ra). When he sent Zaynab (ra) off to Abu al-As, he gave her the necklace. Seeing the necklace, the Prophet (ﷺ) was moved. So he asked the companions for permission to release Abu al-As without ransom. The companions accepted this with a happy heart. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) released Abu al-As on the condition that he would not obstruct Zaynab’s (ra) journey. On this condition, Abu al-As released him and Zaynab (ra) migrated to Medina. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent Zayd ibn Harithah (ra) and an Ansar companion (ra) to accompany him. As per the instructions of the Prophet (ﷺ), they returned to Medina with Zaynab (ra). The story of Zaynab’s (ra) migration was very long and heartbreaking.

Among the prisoners was Suhayl ibn Amr. He was a great eloquent and good speaker. Umar (ra) requested, "O Messenger of Allah! Let the two front teeth of Suhayl ibn Amr be broken so that he cannot speak against you in any place." But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) refused his request, because it is included in the Muslah (cutting of the nose and ears), because of which there will be a fear of being seized by Allah on the Day of Judgment.

When Sa'd ibn Nu'man went out to perform Umrah, Abu Sufyan captured him. Abu Sufyan's son Amr was also one of the prisoners taken in the Battle of Badr. When Amr was sent to Abu Sufyan, he released Sa'd.

Quranic commentary on this war

Surah Anfal was revealed about this war. In fact, this Surah is a detailed description given by Allah about this war. And this description of Allah is completely different from the description of the victory of the kings and commanders. Some of the words of this detailed description are briefly as follows:

Allah first drew the attention of the Muslims to the carelessness and weaknesses of character that remained among them, some of which had been revealed in this war. The purpose of drawing their attention to this was that they would purify themselves from these weaknesses and attain perfection.

Then Allah Almighty described the inclusion of His patronage and unseen help in this victory. The purpose of this was so that the Muslims would not be deceived by their own courage and heroism. Because this would create pride and arrogance in their nature and character; rather, they would rely on Allah. And acknowledge their obedience to His Messenger (ﷺ).

Then, the noble objectives for which the Prophet embarked on this terrible and bloody struggle are discussed, and among them, the characters and qualities that lead to victory in battles are identified.

Then the polytheists, hypocrites, Jews and prisoners of war were given such touching advice that they bowed down to the truth and became its followers. Then the Muslims were addressed regarding the spoils of war and all the basic rules and principles regarding this matter were explained.

Then, at this point, the principles of war and peace that were necessary for the Islamic call have been analyzed and explained. So that the distinctive characteristics between the wars of the Muslims and the wars of the era of ignorance are established and the excellence of the Muslims in terms of character and actions is achieved. And the people of the world know well that Islam is not only a doctrine; rather, it is a set of principles that call for customs and practices, and teaches its followers to act accordingly.

Then, several points of Islamic rule are described, which show how much difference there is between Muslims living within the boundaries of Islamic rule and Muslims living outside it.

Important provisions issued: In the second year of Hijri, fasting in Ramadan and giving Sadaqah al-Fitr were made obligatory, and the various nisabs of Zakat and the amount of wealth at which Zakat became obligatory were specified. As a result of specifying the nisab of Zakat, which is obligatory for Sadaqah al-Fitr, the burden and hardship that many poor emigrants were carrying became lighter to a great extent. Because they were unable to make a living even after roaming the land in search of livelihood.

Then, it was a very beautiful opportunity and a perfect arrangement that the first Eid that the Muslims celebrated in their lives was the Eid of Shawwal in the 2nd year of the Hijri, which came after the clear victory of the Battle of Badr. How beautiful was this Eid of fortune, which Allah bestowed upon the minds of the Muslims after crowning them with victory and honor. And how faith-filled was the scene of this Eid prayer, which the Muslims would go out of their homes and perform in the fields filled with the sky and the wind, chanting the Takbir and Tawheed. The situation at that time was that the hearts of the Muslims were filled with the desire to gain Allah's mercy and pleasure due to the blessings and help He had given them, and they were filled with the joy of victory. Their foreheads were bowed in gratitude to Him. Allah has described this blessing in the following verse:

And remember when you were few and oppressed in the land, fearing that people might abduct you, but He sheltered you, supported you with His victory, and provided you with good things - that you might be grateful. (Surah Al-Anfal: Verse - 26)

Activities after Badr

The Battle of Badr was the first armed conflict and decisive battle between the polytheists. In this battle, the Muslims won a clear victory and the whole of Arabia witnessed it. Those who were directly affected by this battle were the most shocked, i.e. the polytheists of Mecca. In addition, those who considered the victory and success of the Muslims to be very dangerous for their religious, financial and moral existence, i.e. the Jews. Therefore, when the Muslims achieved an unimaginable victory in the Battle of Badr, both these groups started burning with anger, resentment and mental anguish towards the Muslims. As it is stated in the Holy Quran:

You will find the most fierce of people in hostility towards the believers to be the Jews and the polytheists. (Surah Al-Ma'idah: Verse-82)

Some people in Medina were companions and close friends of these two groups. When they saw that there was no way to maintain their dignity, they converted to Islam outwardly.

This was the group of Abdullah ibn Ubayy and his friends. They harbored no less anger, jealousy, and hatred towards Muslims than compared to the Jews and polytheists.

Apart from them, there was a fourth group. That is, those Bedouins who lived in the vicinity of Medina. They had no interest or passion for anything, whether it was kufr or iman. They were plundering bandits. For this reason, they too became worried about the success of the Muslims in the Battle of Badr. They feared that if a strong state was established in Medina, their plundering and banditry would be stopped. For this reason, hatred and revenge against the Muslims also grew in their hearts. As a result, they also became part of the group of enemies of the Muslims.

The Muslims were thus faced with danger from all sides. But the methods of action of each group towards the Muslims were different from the methods of action of the other groups. Each group, in view of its own situation, adopted such positions as they thought would be helpful in achieving their objectives. So the hypocrites of Medina, after outwardly accepting Islam, secretly conspired and resorted to the path of starting wars among themselves. A group of Jews openly expressed their anger and hostility towards the Muslims. And the people of Mecca began to threaten to give a crushing reply and openly declared that they would take revenge. Their military activities and preparations were also open. It was as if they were giving the Muslims the following message through their actions:

A bright and luminous day will surely come, after which we will hear the lamentations of the mourners for a long time.

And years later, they actually attacked Medina to wage war, which is known in history as the Battle of Uhud. It had a considerable negative impact on the reputation of the Muslims.

The Muslims took important steps to confront this danger. This is evidence of the capable leadership of the Prophet (ﷺ). It is evident that the leader of Medina, the Prophet, was always aware and vigilant about these dangers on all sides, and here is a brief picture of the comprehensive plan he adopted to confront them.

1. The Battle of Ghazwa Bani Sulaim at a place called Qudr: The first news that the Muslim intelligence service provided after the Battle of Badr was that the people of Banu Sulaim, a branch of the Ghatfan tribe, were gathering an army to attack Medina. In response, the Prophet (ﷺ) suddenly pursued them into their own territory with two hundred camel riders and reached their destination at a place called 'Qudr'. The Banu Sulaim tribe was completely stunned by this sudden attack and, seeing no other option, fled, leaving five hundred camels in the valley. The Muslim army of Medina took possession of them. The Prophet took out one-fifth of them and distributed the remaining booty among the Mujahideen. Each of them got two camels. In this battle, a slave named Yasar was captured and freed by the Prophet. Then the Prophet returned to Medina after staying in the Banu Sulaim's residence for three days.

This Ghazwa took place in Shawwal, 2 AH, just seven days after the return from Badr. During this war, Saba' ibn Arafat (ra) and Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum (ra) were entrusted with the administration of Medina.

2. Conspiracy to kill the Prophet (ﷺ): Defeated in the Battle of Badr, the polytheists became furious and furious. A fierce conspiracy continued to take revenge for the disgrace and humiliation of Badr by killing the Prophet. Finally, they decided that the two young men would use their intelligence to uproot the basis of all these differences and disagreements and the humiliating situation of the Battle of Badr, that is, kill the Prophet (ﷺ). As a result, the incident after the Battle of Badr was that Wahhab ibn Umayr Jumahi played a leading role in tormenting the Companions, and his son Wahhab ibn Umayr was captured by the Muslims in the Battle of Badr. One day, Umayr was sitting in Hatim and discussing with Safwan ibn Umayya about the people who had been thrown into the well of Badr. Safwan said, "By Allah! There is no point in us living after this." Umayr replied, "By Allah! You have spoken the truth. If I did not have a debt that I am not in a position to pay at present, and if I did not have young children who are likely to perish due to my absence, I would have mounted my mount and gone to Muhammad and killed him. Because I have a reserve to go to him. My son is a prisoner with him." Safwan replied, "I am the one who is responsible for all your debts and I am responsible for the maintenance of your family. Your children will be my children."

Umayr said, 'Be careful! Let the matter remain a secret.' It was decided that he would go to Medina on the pretext of freeing his captive son and, at the opportunity, would strike the Prophet with his sword. In doing so in a hurry, it might not be possible to strike more than once, and as a result, the Prophet might be injured and survive. With these considerations in mind, Umayr's sword was soaked in a strong poison. So that if he could strike Muhammad in any way, it would be completely impossible to save his life.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was sitting in the mosque. Umar (ﷺ) and some of his companions (ﷺ) were sitting outside, discussing the Battle of Badr, at that time Umayr appeared at the door of the mosque with his sword around his neck. Umar (ﷺ) then called him one of the devils of the Quraysh. Seeing his crooked look and suspicious demeanor, Umar (ﷺ) felt a pang in his heart. He signaled everyone to be careful and ordered some of the Ansar to sit around the Messenger of Allah. Then he dragged him into the mosque, holding his sword. Seeing this, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered him to be released and said, "Allah has given us a better greeting than this." (i.e., Salam, which is the greeting of the people of Paradise.)

Then he called Umayr to him and asked, "Umayr, what do you think you have come for?" He replied, "O Messenger of Allah, show mercy to these prisoners." He said, "That is very good. But why have you brought this sword?"

The Prophet repeatedly ordered him to tell the truth, but he kept on saying the same thing, making various excuses. Then the Prophet smiled and began to tell all about the secret conspiracy of Mecca and the promise made to Safwan. Such secret advice, such secret conspiracy! How did he come to know about all these things? Umayr then began to think about this miracle of the Prophet with a shocked heart. His conscience could no longer hide the truth. He began to say slowly in a voice mixed with fear and devotion, 'Muhammad, I did not believe your words before, and now I regret it. Indeed, you are truly the Messenger of Allah. All praise is due to Allah that He has given me the fortune of seeing the light of truth.'

Thus, the enemy of his soul became the servant of the Prophet (ﷺ) in two days. The Prophet (ﷺ) addressed his companions and said, "Teach this brother of yours the religion and the Quran in a good manner and release the prisoners he has requested." After some time, Umayr appeared before the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "I have tried hard to extinguish the light of Allah and to oppress the servants of truth. Thus, I want to atone for the great sin that I have knowingly committed." He returned to Mecca. Meanwhile, Safwan had hinted to the people of Mecca, "Look, I will soon be able to give you such good news that you will forget all the sorrows of the Battle of Badr." But he was surprised to see Umayr. Oh! Such a fierce Umayr, Muhammad's magic worked on him too, however, Umayr continued to perform his duty without looking at anything else. Due to his ideals and great preaching, a large number of men and women of Mecca were blessed to take refuge in the cool shade of Islam.

3. Ghazwa of Bani Qainuka or Qainuka Expedition: The terms of the agreement that the Prophet (ﷺ) made with the Jews after his arrival in Medina have already been discussed. The Prophet’s full effort and desire was that the conditions laid down in this agreement should be fully observed. Therefore, the Muslims did not move even a hair's breadth that contradicted any letter of this agreement. But the history of the Jews is full of treachery, stubbornness and breaking promises. They soon returned to their former nature. They tried to create discord and strife among the Muslims. An example of this is being presented.

An example of Jewish deception: According to Ibn Ishaq, there was an old Jew named Shas ibn Qays. His feet were as if he were hanging in the grave (he was very old). He harbored extreme hostility and jealousy towards the Muslims. Once he was passing by a gathering of the Companions, in which people from both the Aws and Khazraj tribes were conversing with each other. Seeing this situation, his heart burned with jealousy and he began to seek ways to create division between them. Before the advent of Islam, there had been a long and bloody conflict between the two communities. But with the adoption of Islam, their hostility turned into love and affection, and thus their long-standing suffering came to an end. Seeing the assembled people, he said, "The nobles of Banu Qayla have gathered here. By Allah, it would not be right for me to pass by these nobles." So he ordered one of his young companions to go to their assembly and sit with them and discuss the Battle of Bu'ath and its preceding events, and to recite some of the poems that had been recited by both sides at that time. The young Jew did exactly as he was told.

As soon as those poems were heard, the old fire of hatred and jealousy flared up between the people of both the tribes, and many words were exchanged between the two sides. Even the place and time of the battle were fixed. In the frenzy of war, the warriors of both the sides gathered at a place called 'Harrah'.

As soon as the Prophet Muhammad received this bad news, he came to them with his companions and said, "O Muslim community! May Allah forgive you, what is happening? Allah has uprooted the roots of ignorance and made you Muslims during my lifetime. He has uprooted the roots of ignorance through Islam, freed you from disbelief and bound your hearts together."

Hearing the words of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), they controlled themselves and realized that this was nothing but the instigation of Satan. Then they wept and repented together. Thus the fire of jealousy towards Shas ibn Qays was extinguished.

This is an example of the mischief and strife that the Jews used to try to create among the Muslims. For this purpose, they used to adopt various plans and spread false rumors. They used to become Muslims in the morning and become infidels in the evening, and thus they tried to sow the seeds of doubt in the hearts of the sincere Muslims. And if they owed a debt to a Muslim, he would not pay it; rather, they would consume it unjustly and say, "The debt was due when you were on the religion of your former men. But now you have changed that religion. Now you have no way of recovering your debt from us."

It is clear that the Jews had begun these activities before the Battle of Badr and had already begun to break the treaty made with them. But the situation of the Prophet and his companions was such that they continued to be patient with these activities of the Jews, hoping that they would be guided. It was also intended that there should be no disturbance to the peace and security of the region.

The breach of promise of Banu Qainuka: When the Jews saw that Allah had greatly helped the Muslims in the Battle of Badr and had increased their status, and that their influence was reflected in the hearts of the people of every place, far and near, they became filled with hostility and jealousy towards them. They openly displayed their hostility, openly declared rebellion, and rushed to inflict suffering on them.

The most jealous and vengeful of them was Qar bin Ashraf, whose story is coming up. Similarly, the most jealous of the three Jewish tribes was the Banu Qaynuqa. They all lived in Medina and their neighborhood was named after them. They were goldsmiths and potters by profession. Therefore, each of them had a large amount of weapons. Their number of warriors was seven hundred. They were the bravest Jewish tribe in Medina. The details of their first breach of promise are as follows:

When Allah granted the Muslims victory in the Battle of Badr, they increased their level of mischief and quarreling. So, they would mock and ridicule any Muslim who visited their markets, and would harass them in various ways. They would not hesitate to mock and ridicule even Muslim women.

When the situation reached its peak and their arrogance continued to increase, the Prophet himself appeared in the market of Banu Qaynuqa. Imam Abu Dawud and others narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet arrived in Medina after defeating the Quraysh in the desert of Badr, he gathered the Jews in the market of Banu Qaynuqa and said, "O Jewish community! Accept your allegiance, otherwise you too will be in danger like the Quraysh."

But they did not accept his advice. With extreme arrogance they said, "O Muhammad! Do not be proud that you have killed some clumsy Quraysh. They were completely inexperienced in warfare. But when you fight us, you will understand how difficult it is."

In response to their words, Allah says: "Say to those who disbelieve, You will be overcome and gathered together to Hell, and wretched is the resting place. Already there has been for you a sign in the two armies which met [in combat at Badr] - one fighting in the cause of Allah and another of disbelievers. They saw them [to be] twice their [own] number by [their] eyesight. But Allah supports with His victory whom He wills. Indeed in that is a lesson for those of vision." (Surah Imran: 12-13)

In short, the response given by Banu Qaynuqa was clearly a declaration of war. But the Prophet (peace be upon him) restrained his anger and remained patient. The other Muslims also remained patient and waited for the next situation.

Meanwhile, after that proverb, the fanaticism of the Jews of Banu Qaynuqa increased even more and within a short time they started rioting in Medina. As a result, they dug their own graves with their own hands and endangered their own lives.

At that time, a Muslim woman, who was selling milk in the market of Banu Qaynuqa, went to a Jewish goldsmith for some need and sat down. Some weak Jews tried to remove her veil, but the woman refused. The goldsmith secretly tied a piece of the woman's clothes around her back, but she did not notice it. When she got up her dress peeled off and she became naked. Seeing this woman naked, they started laughing and clapping their hands loudly. The woman started crying out in anger and shame. Hearing this, a Muslim attacked the goldsmith and killed him. Then the Jews jumped on the Muslim and killed him.

Then the family of the slain Muslim cried out and complained to the Muslims against the Jews. As a result, a conflict broke out between the Muslims and the Jews of Banu Qaynuqa.

Siege, surrender and exile- After this incident, the Messenger of Allah's patience broke. He entrusted the management of Medina to Abu Lubabah ibn Abdul Mundhir (may Allah be pleased with him) and gave the flag of the Muslims to Hamzah ibn Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) and led the army of Allah towards Banu Qaynuqa. As soon as the Jews saw them, they took refuge in the fort and closed its gates tightly. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) besieged their fort with great severity. This day was Friday, the 15th of Shawwal in the 2nd year of Hijri. The siege continued for 15 days, i.e. until the new moon of Dhul-Qadar appeared. Then Allah struck fear and terror into the hearts of the Jews, and His principle is that when He intends to defeat and humiliate a people, He strikes terror into their hearts. Finally, Banu Qaynuqa surrendered and said that they would accept whatever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) decided regarding their lives, property, children and women. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered them all to be tied up. But at this point, Abdullah ibn Ubayy took advantage of his cunning. He kept urging the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to show them mercy. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) turned away from him. But finally, he grabbed the Prophet's shirt. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked him to let it go again and again with great annoyance and anger, but despite this, he kept replying, “I will not let you go until you have mercy on them.” You will slaughter four hundred naked youths and three armoured youths on the same morning, while they saved me from a severe danger. By Allah, I fear the danger of the cycle of time.

Finally, the Prophet showed mercy to him who outwardly converted to Islam only a month earlier, and pardoned the death penalty for each of them. However, he ordered them to leave Medina. So they all went to Syria, and within a short time most of them died there.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) seized their wealth, from which he chose three cannons, two shields, three swords and three spears for himself. He also set aside one-fifth of the booty. Muhammad Maslama (ra) carried out the task of collecting the booty.

4. Ghazwa-e-Saviq or Battle of grist: On the one hand, Safwan ibn Umayya, the Jews and the hypocrites were engaged in their own plots, while on the other hand, Abu Sufyan was also in a position to implement a system that would reduce the hardship and bring good results. He wanted to implement this system quickly to protect the dignity of his people and demonstrate their strength. He had vowed that water would not touch his head due to impurity until he fought Muhammad (ﷺ). So, to fulfill his vow, he set out with ten horsemen and pitched his tent on the edge of a mountain called Nib, which is located at the end of the Qanat Valley. The distance from Medina was about twelve miles. He did not dare to attack Medina openly, so he carried out a plan that could be called a robbery. The details of it are that he entered the neighborhood of Medina in the darkness of the night. And he went to Huway ibn Akhtar and asked him to open his door. But Huway, thinking of the consequences, refused to allow him to enter his house. Abu Sufyan then returned from there and went to another chief of Banu Nadir, named Salam ibn Mushkim. He was the treasurer of the Banu Nadir tribe. When Abu Sufyan asked permission to enter his house, he granted it. He also entertained him. In the latter part of the night, Abu Sufyan went out and ordered his companions to attack a place. They cut down and burned some date palms there, and killed an Ansar and his friend on their land, and fled at a rapid pace and returned to Mecca. As soon as the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard this news, he quickly chased Abu Sufyan and his companions, but they fled even faster. So it was not possible to catch them. But they threw away their gist, food and many other things to lighten their load, which the Muslims came across. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pursued them as far as Karqurat al-Qudr and returned. On the way back, they brought back grist and other things. This campaign was called Ghazwa-e-Saviq, because grist are called Saviq in Arabic. This battle took place in the month of Zil-Hijjah, 2nd year of the Hijri, just two months after the Battle of Badr.

During this war, the responsibility of managing Medina was entrusted to Abu Lubabaha ibn Abdul Mundhir (ra).

5. Ghazwa-ji-Amar: This was the largest military campaign led by the Prophet (ﷺ) between the battles of Badr and Uhud. It took place in the month of Muharram in the third year of the Hijri.

The reason for this expedition is: The intelligence service of Medina informed the Prophet that a large army of the Banu Salamah and Muhari tribes was gathering to attack Medina. As soon as the Prophet heard this news, he ordered the Muslims to prepare and set out with a total army of four hundred soldiers, both cavalry and infantry. He appointed Uthman ibn Affan (ra) as his successor in Medina.

On the way, the companions captured a man named Jabar from the Banu Salamah tribe and presented him to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) invited him to Islam and he accepted Islam. Then he gave him to Bilal (ra) as a friend and he guided the Muslims to the location of the enemy.

Meanwhile, the enemy, having heard of the arrival of the army of Medina, dispersed and hid in the surrounding mountains. But the Prophet continued his advance and reached the place which the enemy had chosen as the place of assembly for their party. It was actually a spring known as Amr. He spent there the entire month of Safar of the third Hijri, establishing his influence over the Bedouins and informing them of the strength and capabilities of the Muslims. Then he returned to Medina.

6. The murder of Ka'b ibn Ashraf: This was a man among the Jews who harbored great hostility and jealousy towards Islam and Muslims. He used to harass the Prophet (ﷺ) and openly threaten war against him. He was related to Narhan, a branch of the 'Ta' tribe. And his mother belonged to the Banu Nadir tribe. He was a very rich and capitalist man and had a reputation in Arabia. He was also a famous poet. His fort was located south of Medina behind the cultivated land of the Banu Nadir tribe.

When he first heard the news of the Muslim victory in the Battle of Badr and the killing of the leading Quraysh, he suddenly said, "Is this really happening? These were the nobles of Arabia and the kings of the people. If Muhammad had killed them, it would be better for us the inside of earth then outside, that is, it would be better for us to die than to live."

Then, when he knew for sure that this news was true, he began to criticize Allah and the Messenger of Allah and the Muslims and praise the enemies of Islam and incite them against the Muslims. But this did not appease his hatred, so he mounted his horse and went to the Quraysh and became the guest of Muttalib ibn Abu Adaa'a Sahmeera. Then he aroused the Quraysh to a sense of dignity, kindled their fire of revenge, and encouraged them to fight against the Prophet by reciting poetry, lamenting the Quraysh leaders who had been killed in the desert of Badr and then thrown into a well. During his stay in Mecca, Abu Sufyan and the polytheists asked him, "Is our religion more beloved to you or the religion of Muhammad and his companions?" And which of the two groups is more guided? Ka'b ibn Ashraf replied, "You are more guided and better than them." In this regard, Allah revealed the following verse:

Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Scripture, who believe in jibt [superstition] and taghut [false objects of worship] and say about the disbelievers, "These are better guided than the believers as to the way"? (Surah An-Nisa: 51)

After doing all this, Ibn Ashraf returned to Medina and began to recite bad poems about the Companions and to cause them great pain through insults.

The Prophet, angered by his mistreatment, said, "Who is there who can kill Ka'b ibn Ashraf? Because he has caused and continues to cause harm to Allah and His Messenger."

In response to the Prophet's (ﷺ) question, Muhammad ibn Maslama (ra), Abbad ibn Bishr (ra), Abu Nayla (ra), who was Ka'b's foster brother, Saras bin Aw (ra), and Abu 'Abs ibn Jabar (ra) came forward to serve. The leader of this small force was Muhammad ibn Maslama (ra).

The essence of the narrations about the killing of Ka'b ibn Ashraf is that when the Prophet said, "Who can kill Ka'b ibn Ashraf? He has hurt and is hurting Allah and His Messenger."

Ibn Maslama (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah, I am ready. Do you want me to kill him?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "Yes." He then said, "Then do you allow me to say something unusual?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "Yes, you may say it."

Then Muhammad ibn Maslama (ra) went to Ka'b ibn Ashraf and said to him, "This man Muhammad (ﷺ) is asking us for charity, and in reality, he has put us in difficulty."

Hearing this, Ka'b said, "By Allah! You will have to suffer many more hardships." Muhammad ibn Maslama (ra) said, "We do not think it appropriate to leave his company suddenly when we have already become his followers. Let us see what happens in the end. Well, I request you for one or two asaks of food grains." He said, "Give me some as mortgage."

Muhammad ibn Maslama said, "What do you like as mortgage?" Ka'b replied, "Give me your woman as mortgage." Muhammad ibn Maslama said, "You are the most handsome man among the Arabs, so how can we mortgage our women with you?"

He said, "Then mortgage your son."

Muhammad ibn Maslama said, "How can we mortgage our sons? If we do so, they will be insulted, as if they were pawned for one or two asaks of food. That would be a great shame for us." We can, of course, pledge our weapons to you. Then it was decided between the two that Muhammad ibn Maslama would come to him with the weapons. Meanwhile, Abu Naila advanced, that is, he came to Ka'b ibn Ashraf. For a while, the two of them listened to and recited various poems. Then Abu Naila said, "Brother Ibn Ashraf, I have come for a need. I want to tell you this on the condition that you do not reveal it to anyone." Ka'b said, "Okay, I will do that."

Abu Naila said, "The arrival of this man 'Muhammad' has become a test for us. The whole of Arabia has become our enemy. Our roads are blocked, our families are about to be destroyed. We are suffering from the pain of our children." Then he discussed some things similar to what Muhammad ibn Maslama had done. During the conversation, Abu Naila also said, "I have some friends whose thoughts are just like mine. I want to bring them to you. You sell something to them and show them favor."

Muhammad ibn Maslama and Abu Nayla succeeded in achieving their goals through their respective conversations. Because, after this conversation, Ka'b ibn Ashraf was not supposed to be alerted by the arrival of these two with their armed friends. Then, on the moonlit night of the 14th of Rabi' al-Awwal in the 3rd year of Hijri, this small army gathered near the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah followed them as far as 'Baqiyyah Garqad'. Then he said, "Go In the name of Allah. O Allah! Help them." Then he returned to his house. Then he engaged in prayer and supplication at home.

Meanwhile, when this army reached the gate of Ka'b ibn Ashraf's fort, Abu Nayla called out loudly. Hearing the call, Ka'b got up to come to them. His wife, who was a newlywed, said to him, "Where are you going at this time? I hear a sound as if drops of blood were falling from it."

Hearing this from his wife, Ka'b said, "This is my brother Muhammad ibn Maslama and my foster brother Abu Nayla. If a noble man is called to fight with the sword, he will respond to that call." Then he came out. His body was fragrant and his hair was flowing with waves of jasmine.

Abu Naila had told his companions. When he comes, I will grab his hair and sniff it. When you see that I have grabbed his head and have him in power, then you will kill him at that opportunity.

So when Ka'b arrived, there was a long discussion and gossip. Then Abu Nayla said, "O Ibn Ashraf! Let us go to the Ajuy camp. There will be talks there tonight." He said, "If you wish, come." Then he went with them.

On the way, Abu Nayla said to him, "I have never known such a good perfume as today." Hearing this, Ka'b's chest swelled with pride. He said, "I have the most perfume-wearing woman in Arabia next to me." Abu Nayla said, "Do you have permission to smell your head a little?" He replied, "Yes, yes," Abu Nayla then placed his hand on Ka'b's head. After going a little distance, Abu Nayla said, "Brother, can I smell it again?" Ka'b replied, "Yes, yes. No objection." Abu Nayla sniffed it again. So he became certain.

After walking some more distance, Abu Naila asked again, "Brother, should I sniff again?" Ka'b answered again, "Yes, you can sniff."

Now Abu Naila struck him on the head. Several swords had already fallen on him, but seeing that it was of no use, Muhammad ibn Maslama killed him using his spade. During the attack, he shouted so loudly that the sound of his screams reached all around, there was not a fort left where fire had not been lit. But it did not cause any harm to the Muslims.

While attacking Ka'b, Harith ibn Aws was hit by the edge of one of his companions' swords. As a result, he was injured and blood was flowing from his body. When this small Muslim army reached a place called Harbay-e-Ariyah while returning after killing Ka'b, they found that Harith was absent. So they stayed there. After a while, Harith followed the footsteps of his companions and reached there. From there, they picked him up and when they reached Baqi-e-Gharqad, they shouted Takbir so loudly that the Messenger of Allah heard it. He understood that Ka'b had been killed. So he also shouted Allahu Akbar. Then, when this Muslim army came to his service, he said, "May these faces be successful."

Then they said, "O Messenger of Allah, may your face also be successful." And immediately they placed the severed head of Ka'b in front of him. He then praised Allah. And he applied the saliva from him mouth to the wound of Harith. Immediately he recovered and didn't feel any pain after that.

Meanwhile, when the Jews heard the news of the murder of Ka'b ibn Ashraf, a wave of fear and terror swept through their treacherous hearts. They understood that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) realized that admonishing those who disturb peace, create discord and chaos, and break their promises and covenants was of no avail, he would not hesitate to use force against them. That is why they did not dare to do anything in protest against the murder of Ka'b; rather, they became completely straightforward. They acknowledged the fulfillment of their promise and completely lost the courage to oppose the Muslims.

Thus, the Prophet had a wonderful opportunity to confront the external attack against Medina, and the Muslims were completely free from the internal turmoil that they had been fearing and which they could sometimes smell.

7. Ghazwa-e-Bahran: It was a major military campaign with a force of three hundred men. The Prophet set out with this army in Rabi’ al-Akhira, 3 AH, towards a region called Bahran. It is a place rich in mineral resources on the border of Farah in the Hijaz. The Prophet’s army stayed there for two months between Rabi’ al-Akhira and Jumada al-Ula, and then returned to Medina. They did not encounter any fighting during this campaign.

There is disagreement about the reason for this expedition. It is said: News reached Medina that the Banu Sulaim tribe was making considerable military preparations to attack Medina and its surroundings. It is also said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had set out in search of a caravan of Quraysh. Ibn Hisham narrated this reason. And Ibn Qayyim also accepted it. Therefore, he did not mention the first reason. This seems to be the truth. Because the Banu Sulaim tribe did not live in the area of Farah; rather, they were residents of Najd, which is far away from Farah.

8. Shari'ah of Zayd ibn Harithah: This battle took place in the month of Jumada al-Sani in the 3rd year of the Hijri. It was the last and most successful campaign for the Muslims before the Battle of Uhud. The details of the incident are that the Quraysh were already immersed in anxiety and worry after the Battle of Badr, and when summer arrived and the time for trade from Syria arrived, they were now faced with another worry. Safwan ibn Umayya, who had been appointed as the amir of the caravans going to Syria that year, said to the Quraysh, "Muhammad and his companions have made our trade routes difficult. I do not know how to deal with his companions. They do not want to leave the coast. And the people of the coast have made peace with them. The common people have also become their allies. So, I do not know which route I should take now. And if we sit at home, we will also eat up our capital, there will be nothing left. Because our livelihood depends on trading with Syria in the summer and with Abyssinia in the winter."

After Safwan heard this, he began to think about the matter further. Finally, Aswad ibn Abdul Muttalib said to Safwan, "Leave the coastal road and travel along the road to Iraq." It turned out to be a very long road. It went through Najd to Syria and some distance to the east of Medina. It was a completely unknown route to the Quraysh.

Therefore, Aswad ibn Abdul Muttalib advised Safwan to take Furat ibn Hayyan, a relative of Bakr ibn Wail, as a guide.

After this arrangement, the Quraysh trade caravan, led by Safwan ibn Umayya, set out on a new route. But news of the caravan's departure had already reached Medina. The incident occurred when Salit ibn Nu'man, who had become a Muslim, was sitting with Na'im ibn Mas'ud. This was before the prohibition of drinking alcohol. When Na'im became drunk, he narrated in full the journey of the Quraysh caravan and their intentions.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) immediately prepared for an attack and sent a force of one hundred horsemen under the command of Zayd ibn Haritha. Zayd attacked with great speed and overran the entire caravan. Safwan ibn Umayya and the rest of the caravan were left with no choice but to flee.

The Muslims arrested the caravan's guide, Furat ibn Hayyan, and two others. The caravan had a large amount of silver, worth an estimated one hundred thousand dirhams, all of which the Muslims took as booty. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took out one-fifth and distributed the rest among the Muslims. Furat ibn Hayyan embraced Islam at the hands of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ).

This was the most painful event for the Quraysh after the Battle of Badr, which increased their anxiety and worries manifold. Now they had only two options before them, either they should give up their pride and arrogance and make peace with the Muslims, or they should fight a fierce battle and restore their past glory and dignity and crush the power of the Muslims in such a way that they could raise their heads a second time. The Meccans chose the second option. So after this incident, the Quraysh's desire for revenge increased even more. They started making full preparations to confront the Muslims and to attack them by entering their homes. Thus, apart from the previous events, this incident also became a major cause of the Battle of Uhud.

Battle of Uhud:

Quraysh's preparations for a war of revenge

The Meccans, who were deeply saddened by the defeat and humiliation they had suffered in the Battle of Badr, and the killing of their noble and leading men, were burning with anger and revenge against the Muslims. They even forbade them from expressing their grief for their dead and from hastening to ransom their captives, so that the Muslims would not be able to imagine the severity of their suffering. Moreover, after the Battle of Badr, they unanimously decided that they would cool their hearts and appease their anger and revenge by fighting a fierce battle with the Muslims. In this context, they immediately began to prepare for war in all its forms. Among the Quraysh leaders, Ikramah ibn Abu Jahl, Safwan ibn Umayya, Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, and Abdullah ibn Rabi'ah were very enthusiastic and pioneering in this work.

The first thing they did was to seize all the property of Abu Sufyan's caravan, which had been the cause of the Battle of Badr and which Abu Sufyan had managed to save and lead out, to be used for military purposes. Addressing the owners of the property, they said, "O people of Quraysh! Muhammad has caused you great harm and killed your prominent leaders, so help us fight him with this property. Perhaps we will be able to take revenge." The Quraysh supported him in this. So all the property, which amounted to one thousand camels and fifty thousand gold coins, was spent on preparing for the war. It was in this regard that Allah revealed the following verse:

Indeed, those who disbelieve spend their wealth to avert [people] from the way of Allah. So they will spend it; then it will be for them a [source of] regret; then they will be overcome. (Surah Anfal: 36)

Then they announced that any soldier from among the inhabitants of Kenah and Tehmah who wanted to fight against the Muslims should gather under the banner of the Quraysh.

In addition, they began to incite them by sending representatives to different tribes and clans in different provinces of Arabia. For this, they specially appointed two poets in Mecca. The first and foremost of them was Abu Uzza. This wretched man had been captured by the Muslims in the Battle of Badr. He was then released without ransom by the mercy of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He came to the Messenger of Allah promising that he would never again go against the Muslims. But later, Musafah ibn Abd Manaf joined hands with Jumahi and went to the Arabs of various tribes and, under the influence of their evil talents and satanic powers, ignited the fire of propaganda from one end of the Hejaz to the other. To encourage this work, Safwan ibn Umayya promised Aru Uzza that if he was able to return safely from the war, he would enrich him with wealth. Otherwise, he would guarantee the upbringing of his daughters.

Moreover, by spreading slanderous propaganda about insults to religion, insults to religious temples, insults to gods and goddesses, they created such excitement everywhere that within a short time, many fierce Arab warriors from various places gathered in Mecca, and soon a large army of about three thousand soldiers was ready to attack Medina.

Meanwhile, Abu Sufyan, who had failed in the previous campaign and had fled without all his wealth, began a campaign against the Muslims.

In addition, the financial loss and suffering caused to the Quraysh by the incident of Zayd bin Hara in Sariya also added fuel to the fire, and preparations for a decisive battle against the Muslims began.

The war equipment and cannons of the Quraysh army

Before the year was over, the Quraysh were ready. Fifteen women accompanied a force of three thousand soldiers. The Quraysh leaders believed that by including women in their ranks, they would be more motivated to fight bravely and to the death, in order to protect their honor and dignity. They had three thousand camels for riding and two hundred horses for war.

The horses were not mounted to keep them healthy. The defensive armament consisted of seven hundred iron armor. Abu Sufyan was chosen as the commander of the entire army, and Khalid ibn Walid was appointed commander of the cavalry, and Ikramah ibn Abu Jahl was made his assistant. According to custom, the designated flag was handed over to the tribe of Banu Abdiddar.

The Meccan army's war journey

After this complete preparation, the Meccan army began its march towards Medina in such a state that anger, vengeance, and the desire for revenge against the Muslims were burning like flames in their hearts, which soon bore the hint of a bloody conflict.

News in Medina

Abbas (ra) was observing the war preparations of the Quraysh very carefully and was very disturbed by it. So he sent a trusted person to Medina with a letter containing detailed news. Abbas's messenger proceeded towards Medina very quickly. After covering the distance of about five hundred kilometers from Mecca to Medina in just three days, he handed over the letter to the Prophet (ﷺ). At that time, he was staying in Masjidul Kuba. Ubayy ibn Ka'b read the letter to the Prophet (ﷺ). He maintained its secrecy and arrived in Medina hurriedly and consulted with the leading figures of the Ansar and Muhajirin.

Preparation for a sudden war situation

After this, a general military situation was established in Medina. The people were always armed to repel any sudden attack. They did not even put down their weapons during prayers.

Meanwhile, a small force of Ansar, including Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, Usayd ibn Hudhayl, and Sa'd ibn Ubadah, were assigned to guard the Prophet (ﷺ).

A number of other forces were deployed at various entrances to Medina, fearing that they might be the victims of a sudden attack while they were unwary.

Some other forces began reconnaissance work to observe the enemy's movements.

The Meccan army on the outskirts of Medina

Meanwhile, the Meccan army continued its march along the famous highway. When they reached a place called 'Abwa', Hindah Uttah, the wife of Abu Sufyan, proposed that the tomb of the Prophet's (ﷺ) mother be excavated. But the army, fearing the dire consequences of opening its doors, refused her offer.

The army then continued their journey and finally approached Medina, first crossing the valley called 'Aqeeq. Then turning slightly to the right, they camped at a place called 'Aynain, near Uhud, which is located north of Medina near the valley of 'Qanat.' This happened on Friday, the 6th of Shawwal, 3rd AH.

Meeting of the Medina Defense Advisory Council

The intelligence service of Medina was conveying news of the Meccan army to Medina. They even conveyed the latest news about their camp. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) called a council, where he wanted to consult on a strategic plan. In that council, he also revealed a dream he had seen. He said, 'By Allah, I have seen a good thing. I see that some cows are being slaughtered. I also see that there is some fragility on the head of my sword. I also see that I have put my hand in a strong armor.' Then he explained in detail that some of the companions would be killed. And he explained the fragility of the sword that some of his family would be martyred and explained the strong armor that it meant the city of Medina. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) presented his opinion on the preventive plan before the companions, saying that it would not be appropriate to go outside the city at this time; Rather, it would be more appropriate to fight from within the city, because Medina is a fortified city. So when the enemy army approached the city, the Muslims would easily be able to harm them. And the women would throw bricks at them from the rooftops. This was the correct view. And the leader of the hypocrites, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, also supported this view. He appeared at this consultation meeting as a representative of the Khazraj tribe. He did not support this view from a military point of view; rather, his main aim was to stay away from the war. Because as a result, he could avoid the war, and no one would even notice it. But Allah's will was different. He wanted this man and his companions to be humiliated in front of everyone and the veil that had fallen on his hypocrisy to be removed. And so that the Muslims would know in the time of extreme danger how many snakes were crawling in their clothes.

But a group of prominent companions expressed their disagreement with this proposal. They said, O Messenger of Allah, we cannot support this proposal. In our opinion, if the city is besieged in this way, the enemy's courage will increase. They will think that we have become intimidated by their vision of strength and prowess. We want to show the enemy that we are neither weak nor cowards. If we can advance and attack today, then in the future the people of Mecca will not be able to dare to attack us so easily.

Again someone said, O Messenger of Allah, we have been waiting for this day. We prayed to Allah for this moment and He has accepted it. This is the right time to go to the battlefield. The Prophet's paternal uncle, Birkul Keshari Hamza (ra), had been listening to these discussions silently for so long. At this point, he shouted and said, "This is just talk. We are Muslims, servants of truth. Dedicating ourselves to the service of truth is the greatest success of our worldly life. Victory and defeat are in the hands of Allah and life and death are in His hands. We have no need to think about this. O true Prophet of Allah, by the One who revealed the Quran to you, I will not touch food until I go outside Medina and fight them."

The Prophet abandoned his own opinion in the face of this majority opinion, and the decision was made to fight the enemy forces outside Medina.

The formation of the Islamic army and its march to the battlefield

Then the Prophet led the Friday prayer. During the sermon, he advised the people, encouraged them to fight, and said that victory could only be achieved through patience and steadfastness. He also instructed them to prepare for the battle. Upon receiving this instruction, a wave of joy swept through the people.

Then, during the afternoon prayer, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saw that the people had gathered and that the people of Awali had also arrived. So he entered, accompanied by Abu Bakr and Umar. They tied a turban on his head and dressed him in clothes. He put on two iron armor, one above and one below, took his sword, and came out in front of the people, fully armed.

The people were waiting for his arrival, but before his arrival, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh and Usayd ibn Hudhayl said to the people, "You have provoked the Messenger of Allah to come out into the field by force. So now leave the matter to him." The people felt ashamed and when the Messenger of Allah came out armed, they said to him, "O Messenger of Allah! It was not right for us to oppose you. So do whatever you like. If you prefer to stay inside Medina, then stay there, we will not object to it." In response to their words, the Messenger of Allah said, "When a Prophet is armed, it is not right for him to take off his weapons until Allah has judged between him and his enemies."

Dividing the army into three parts

1. The flag of the Muhajirin army was given to Mus'ab ibn Umayr Abdari (ra).

2. The army of the tribe of Aws (Ansar). Its flag was given to Ubayy ibn Zubayr (ra).

3. The flag of the Khazraj (Ansar) tribe was given to Habbab ibn Mundhir (ra).

The total number of soldiers was one thousand, of whom one hundred were in armour and fifty were on horseback. It is also said that there was not a single horseman. Ibn Umm Maktum (ra) was appointed to lead the prayer for those who had remained in Medina. He then ordered the army to set out and the Muslim army began to move northwards. Sa'd ibn Ma'adh (ra) and Sa'd ibn Ubadah (ra) were in armour and were walking ahead of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

This is narrated by Ibn Qayyim. Ibn Hajar said that this is wrong. Musa ibn Uqbah insisted that there were no horses with the Muslims in the battle of Uhud. Wakedi said that there were only two horses. One was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the other was with Abu Bardah (may Allah be pleased with him). When they advanced from the 'Sanyat al-Bida', they saw a force that was very well equipped with weapons and separated from the rest of the army. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) inquired about them and found out that they were the Jews, allies of the Khazraj, who wanted to join the fight against the polytheists. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then asked, "Have they become Muslims?" The people replied, "No." Then he refused to take the help of the infidels against the polytheists.

Soldier observation

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reached a place called Shaykhān and inspected the army. He sent back those who seemed small and unfit for battle. Their names were: Abdullah ibn Umar, Zayd ibn Arqam, Arbah ibn Aws, Amr ibn Hazm, Abu Sa'id Khudri, Zayd ibn Harithah al-Ansari, and Sa'd ibn Hibbah (ra).

Bara ibn Azib is also mentioned in this list. But the hadith narrated in Sahih Bukhari makes it clear that he participated in the battle of Uhud. Of course, Rafi ibn Khadij and Samurah ibn Jundub were allowed to participate in the battle despite their young age. The reason for this was that Rafi ibn Khadij was a very skilled archer. When he was given permission to participate in the battle, Samurah ibn Jundur said, "I am stronger than Rafi. I can defeat him in wrestling." When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was informed of this, he made the two of them wrestle and indeed Samurah defeated Rafi. So he too was given permission to participate in the battle.

Spending the night between Uhud and Medina

It was evening here. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed Maghrib and Isha prayers here and decided to spend the night here. He selected fifty companions to guard the camp, who would patrol all four sides. Their leader was Muhammad ibn Maslama Al-Ansari. He was the same old man who had led the group that killed Ka'b ibn Ashraf. Safwan ibn Abdullah ibn Qays was guarding the Prophet's side.

The deceit of Abdullah ibn Ubayy and his companions

Shortly before dawn, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) resumed his journey and reached a place called 'Shawt' and prayed the Fajr prayer. He was now very close to the enemy and both armies were in sight of each other. Here the hypocrite Abdullah ibn Ubayy rebelled. He returned with one-third of the army, that is, three hundred soldiers, saying, "Why should we go and sacrifice our lives for nothing?" He also raised the issue that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had accepted the advice of others instead of following his advice.

The Prophet's refusal to accept his words was certainly not the reason for his separation from the Muslim army. Because, in this situation, there was no question of his coming so far with the Prophet's army. Rather, he should have separated before the army started its journey. So the real matter is not what he expressed; rather, the real matter is that his main purpose in separating at that critical moment was to create an uncomfortable situation within the Muslim army. So that on the one hand, the common soldiers would desert the Prophet (ﷺ) and the enthusiasm and morale of those who remained would also be broken. On the other hand, seeing this scene, the courage of the enemies would increase. So, in his act, the hypocrites basically hoped that the field would finally be cleared for him and his friends to lead.

These hypocrites were about to succeed in some of their purposes. For, two other groups, Banu Hasithah and Banu Salma from the Khazraj tribe, were about to stumble and they were thinking of returning. But Allah helped them. As a result, their enthusiasm disappeared and they abandoned their intention to return. Allah says about them:

"When two parties among you were about to lose courage, and Allah was their supporter, then upon Allah let the believers put their trust." (Al Imran: 122)

However, when the hypocrites decided to return, Abdullah ibn Haram, the father of Jabir (ra), wanted to remind them of their duty and responsibility at that critical moment. So he followed them, urging them to return (to fight) and saying, "Come, fight in the way of Allah or resist." But they replied, "If we had known there would be a fight, we would have followed you." Hearing this reply, Abdullah ibn Haram (ra) returned saying, "O enemies of Allah! May the wrath of Allah be upon you. Remember that Allah will make His Prophet independent of them." It is about these hypocrites that Allah says:

And that He might make evident those who are hypocrites. For it was said to them, "Come, fight in the way of Allah or [at least] defend." They said, "If we had known [there would be] battle, we would have followed you." They were nearer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah is most knowing of what they conceal. (Aal Imran: Verse 167)

The remaining Islamic army at the edge of Uhud

After the hypocrites' stubbornness and their retreat, the Prophet, with the remaining seven hundred soldiers, rushed towards the enemy army. The enemy's camp was blocking him from several sides and Uhud. So, he asked, "Is there anyone who can take us by another route without going through the enemy's flank?" In response to this question, Abu Khaythama (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah, I am ready for this service." Then he took a short route that left the polytheist army to the west and passed through the fields of the Banu Haritha tribe.

While they were on this path, they had to pass through the garden of Mirba ibn Qayzi. This man was a hypocrite and was also blind. He, sensing the approach of the army, threw dust in the faces of the Muslims and said, "If you are the Messenger of Allah, then know that you are not allowed to enter my garden."

As soon as the Muslims heard this, they tried to kill him. But the Prophet said to them, "Do not kill him, he is blind in heart and sight."

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) advanced and landed at the foot of Mount Uhud at the end of the valley and set up camp for the Muslim army there. Medina was in front and the lofty Mount Uhud was behind. Thus, the enemy army became the dividing line between the Muslims and Medina.

Army classification and defense system

Upon reaching here, the Prophet arranged the army in order and divided it into several ranks from a military point of view. A group of skilled archers was also selected. They were fifty in number. Abdullah ibn Jubayr ibn Nu'man Ansari Dawsi Badri (ra) was appointed as the commander of this group. His group was ordered to take up position on the edge of a small hill, one hundred and fifty meters east-southeast of the camp of the Islamic soldiers, south of the Qanat Valley. That hill is now known as Jabal al-Rumat. There was a pass in that mountain range. In order for the enemy soldiers not to be able to attack from the rear, these fifty archers were given the responsibility of guarding that pass. They were told to keep the cavalry away from us by shooting arrows. They should not be able to attack us from the rear in any way. Be careful, whatever our victory or defeat, there should be no attack from your side.

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) addressed the commander again and said, "You will protect our rear. Even if you see us falling to the brink of death, you will not come forward to help us. And even if you see us gathering booty, you will not join us."

And according to the words of Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet said, "Even if you see the birds attacking us, do not leave your place until I call you."

With these strictest military instructions, he deployed this army in the mountain pass, through which there was a great fear of the polytheist army attacking the Muslims from the rear.

The Prophet (ﷺ) arranged the remaining army in such a way that he appointed Mundhir ibn Amr on the south and Zubayr ibn Awam on the left, and he was given the responsibility of resisting the cavalry of Khalid ibn Walid. In addition to this arrangement, selected Muslim warriors whose fame for bravery had spread far and wide and each of whom was considered equal to a thousand were placed in front of the line. This arrangement of the Prophet was very subtle and strategic, and it proves his military skill. No commander, no matter how skilled and capable he was, could have devised a more subtle and skillful plan than the Prophet. For it is seen that although he arrived on the battlefield after the enemy army, he chose for his army a place that was militarily the best on the battlefield. That is, he protected the rear and southern sides by hiding behind the mountains and choosing the pass through which the Muslim army was likely to be attacked. This was so that, if Allah forbid, they were defeated, they could take refuge in the camp instead of fleeing. If the enemy came forward to capture the camp, they would suffer great losses. On the other hand, he forced the enemy army to take such a low place to set up their camp that even if they were victorious, they would not be able to gain any advantage. And the Muslims formed a group of selected brave men to make up for the shortage of military numbers. This was the classification of the army of the Prophet (ﷺ) which came into effect on Saturday, the 7th of Shawwal, 3rd AH.

The Prophet (ﷺ) inspired bravery in the army

The Prophet (ﷺ) declared that no one should start fighting until he gave the order. He was wearing two iron armors, one above and one below. He encouraged the Companions (ra) to fight and urged them to act with great courage while facing the enemy. Inspiring courage in them, he took a very sharp sword and said, "Who will take it? Who will give it its right?" Needless to say, hundreds of arms were raised from all sides to take the sword, including Ali ibn Abi Talib, Zubayr ibn al-Awwam and Umar ibn al-Khattab. Many of the devotees present expressed their desire to take it. But Abu Dujanah Simak ibn Kharshah (ra) stepped forward first and said, "O Messenger of Allah! What is the right of this sword?" He said, "With this you will strike the faces of your enemies so hard that they it bend." He said, "I will give its right." Then the sword was given to him.

Who saw Abu Dujanah's pride when he got the sword in his hand? He tied a beautiful turban of a red handkerchief on his head and, swaying and dancing, charged the Quraysh army. Observing this scene, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah does not like such behavior, but not in such a situation."

The formation of the polytheist army

The polytheists also formed their army following the principle of formation. Their commander was Abu Sufyan. He established his center in the middle of the army. On the south was Khalid ibn Walid, who was still a polytheist. On the left was Ikramah ibn Abu Jahl. The commander of the infantry was Safwan ibn Umayya, and the leader of the archers was Abdullah ibn Rabi'ah.

Their flag was in the hands of a small group of Banu Abdiddar. They had obtained this position when Banu Abd Manaf had divided the positions inherited from Qusai among themselves. Then, keeping in mind the tradition passed down from their ancestors, no one could argue with them about this position. But the commander Abu Sufyan reminded them that the Quraysh had suffered greatly when their flag bearer, Nadr ibn Harith, was captured in the Battle of Badr. As soon as he reminded them of this, he said to increase their anger, "O Banu Abdiddar! You took our flag on the day of Badr. You are aware of the suffering we suffered that day. Indeed, danger comes to the army from the side of the flag. When the flag falls, their feet become loose. So now either hold our flag properly or give it to us. We will take care of it ourselves." Abu Sufyan succeeded in his purpose in this conversation. For, on hearing this, the Banu Abdiddar became very angry and were on the verge of bursting into anger. They said, "Shall we give you our flag? You will see what we do when we meet tomorrow." And indeed, when the battle began, they fought with great valor and in the end, one by one, they all fell to their deaths.

Quraysh's political maneuvers

Shortly before the battle began, the Quraysh tried to create division and discord in the ranks of the Muslims. For this purpose, Abu Sufyan sent a message to the Ansar, "You leave our people and stand aside, we will not say anything to you, we will not attack your city and we will return from here." As soon as the Ansar heard this outrageous proposal of Abu Sufyan, they became furious and began to scold and rebuke him. When the two armies approached each other, the Quraysh made another attempt to achieve their aforementioned goal, and that was Abu Amir ibn Sayfi, from the Aws tribe of Medina. Before Islam, he was called a 'Rahib' (forest dweller). However, when Islam came, the Prophet renamed him 'Fasiq' (debauched). During the Age of Ignorance, he was the chief of the Aws tribe. However, when Islam came, that became a noose around his neck and he openly became an enemy of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Seeing that the people of the Aus and Khazraj tribes were becoming Muslims in droves, he fled to Mecca with some people and there he was involved in a conspiracy against the Muslims with the Quraysh. This senior priest of Medina, surrounded by some fierce soldiers, was the first to appear on the battlefield and addressing the Ansar, he said in a loud voice, "O people of Medina! Do you recognize me? I am your priest Abu Amir. Leave Muhammad and join me, you will be well." But the Ansar were now beyond the deception of the priests, they replied in a united voice, "Get away, you deceiver, we do not hold any claim to your priesthood, your plan will not be fulfilled." Abu Amir gave the Quraysh hope, saying, "I am the priest of Medina, if I appear on the battlefield and call once, all the people of Medina will join my party."

But on hearing the Ansar's reply, he said, "I see that the unfortunates have completely disintegrated in my absence." Then the angry pride of his leadership, combined with the old resentment, became fierce and this unfortunate one first initiated the battle by showering stones and arrows in a large number and finally, after receiving a suitable reply to the attack, withdrew. Thus, the second attempt by the Quraysh to create a division in the ranks of the Muslims also failed. The fear of the Muslims, despite their superior numbers and abundance of equipment, can be easily guessed from the above incident.

The activities of the Quraysh women to increase their fighting spirit and enthusiasm

Meanwhile, the women of Quraysh also rushed to fulfill their duty in the battle. They were led by Hindah ibn Uttah, the wife of Abu Sufyan. These women agitated the people by moving around in the ranks and beating the tambourines. Sometimes they would address the flag-bearers and say, "Look, O Banu Abdiddar! Look, O rearguards! Strike hard with your swords."

Sometimes, in their agitation, they would say, "If you advance, we will embrace you and make beds for you. But if you lag behind, we will be separated (from you) forever."

The first fuel of war

Then the two sides faced each other and came close to each other and the battle began. The first instigator of the battle was Talha ibn Abu Talha Abdari, the flag-bearer of the polytheists. This man was a great warrior and horseman of the Quraysh. The Muslims called him Qabshul Qutaybah (the sheep of the soldiers). He mounted his camel and called out for a fight. Due to his excessive bravery, the common companions did not dare to fight him. But Zubayr (ra) advanced and without a moment's hesitation, he jumped on the camel like a lion and took him into his possession. Then he jumped to the ground and cut him into two pieces with his sword.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was very happy to see this promising sight and uttered the Takbir in a loud voice. Seeing him, the companions also recited the Takbir. Then the Prophet praised Zubair and said, 'Every prophet has a companion and my companion is Zubair.'

The epicenter of the war and the deaths of the flag bearers

"It is the duty of the flag-bearers that their flag be stained with blood or torn." Both of them struck each other with their swords. But Abu Sa'd was killed by the sword of Ali. Then Musafah ibn Thabit ibn Abu Aflah shot him with an arrow. Then his brother Kilab ibn Talha ibn Abu Talha raised the flag. But Zubayr ibn Awam jumped on him and killed him. Then the brother of the two, Jillah ibn Talha ibn Abu Tanha, raised the flag. But Talha ibn Ubaidullah shot him with an arrow and finished him off. It is also said that Asim ibn Thabit ibn Abu Aflah shot him with an arrow and finished him off.

These were six men from the same family. That is, all of them were sons or grandsons of Abu Talha Abdullah ibn Uthman ibn Abdiddar, who were killed while defending the flag of the polytheists. Then another man from the tribe of Banu Abdiddar, named Artat ibn Shurahbil, raised the flag. But Ali ibn Abu Talib and, according to some sources, Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib killed him. Then Shurah ibn Qays raised the flag. But Kuzman killed him. Kuzman was a hypocrite and came to fight out of the excitement of protecting the dignity of his tribe instead of Islam.

After Shurayh, Abu Zayd Amr ibn Abdi Manaf Abdari raised the flag. But he too was killed by Kuzman. These ten men of the tribe of Banu Abdiddar, who had raised the flag of the polytheists, were all killed. After that, no one of the tribe was left alive who could raise the flag. But at that time, an Abyssinian slave named 'Shu'ab' jumped up and raised the flag and fought with more courage than his previous flag-bearers.

Finally, one by one, his hands were cut off. But even after that, he did not let the flag fall; instead, he sat on his knees and held the flag upright with his chest and shoulders. Finally, he was killed by Kuzman. Even then, he was saying, 'O Allah! Now I have made no excuse.' After the slave, that is, Suwab, was killed, the flag fell to the ground and no one was left alive to pick it up. That is why it remained down.

War situation in the remaining parts

On one side, the standard of the polytheists was erected in the center of the battle, while on the other side, fierce fighting was going on in other parts of the battlefield. The spirit of faith was pervading the ranks of the Muslims. Because of this, they were breaking upon the polytheist and infidel soldiers like a flood before which no dam can stand. At that time, the Muslims were saying, "kill them, kill them".

Abu Dujanah (ra) turned the ranks of the polytheists upside down.

Meanwhile, Abu Dujanah tied his red turban and took up the sword of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and resolved to claim its right and went far in the war. He would kill any polytheist he encountered.

Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (ra) narrated, "When I asked the Messenger of Allah for the sword and he did not give it to me, my heart was hurt. I thought to myself that I was the son of Safiya, the Messenger of Allah's maternal aunt, and a Quraysh. I went to him and asked for a sword before Abu Dujana.

But he did not give it to me but gave it to Abu Dujanah. Therefore, I swear by Allah that I will definitely see what Abu Dujanah does with the sword. So I started following him. I saw that he took out his red turban and tied it on his head. Seeing his act, the Ansar commented, 'Abu Dujanah has tied the turban of death.' Then he proceeded towards the battlefield, reciting the following:

"When we were at the edge of the palm grove, I made a promise to my friend the Messenger of Allah that I would never remain behind the lines in battle, but would (rather) move forward and wield the sword of Allah and His Messenger."

Then he would kill whoever he came across. Meanwhile, there was a man among the polytheists who would finish off any of our wounded if he found him. The two of them were gradually getting closer. I prayed to Allah that a clash would break out between them. And so it happened. They both attacked each other. First, the polytheist struck Abu Dujanah with his sword. But Abu Dujanah blocked the attack with his shield and the polytheist's sword got stuck in the shield. Then he attacked the polytheist with his sword and he fell dead there.

Then Abu Dujanah advanced, breaking through the ranks of the polytheists, and finally reached the leader of the women of Quraysh. But he did not know that she was a woman. He himself narrated, 'I saw a man who was shouting very loudly and inciting the polytheist army. So I took him into my sights. But when I wanted to attack him with my sword, he cried out, "Oh! Alas! Alas!" Then I realized that she was a woman. I did not disgrace the sword of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) by killing a woman with it.

This woman was Hindah bint Uttah. I saw Abu Dujanah raise his sword to the middle of Hindah bint Uttah's head and then immediately remove it. I said: Allah and His Messenger know best.

The martyrdom of Hamza, the Lion of Allah

Meanwhile, Hamza (ra) was fighting bravely like a lion and was penetrating the middle of the army. The great heroes of the polytheists could not stand in front of him. But, the matter of great regret is, he also received martyrdom. But he was not martyred by face to face battle like a brave man, but rather he was martyred secretly like a coward.

The name of the assassin of Hamza (ra) was 'Ahshi ibn Harb'. We are narrating the story of his martyrdom in Ahshi's own language. He narrated, 'I was the slave of Jubair ibn Mut'im. His uncle Tu'imah ibn 'Adi was killed in the battle of Badr. When the Quraysh went out to fight the battle of Uhud, Jubair ibn Mut'im said to me, 'If you kill Hamza the uncle of Muhammad in exchange for my uncle, you will be set free.' In response to his words, I also set out with the people. I was an Abyssinian and like the Abyssinians, I was very skilled in throwing spears. I rarely missed my target. When the fighting among the people reached its peak, I went out and started looking for Hamza. Finally, I saw him among the people. He was breaking the ranks of enemies.

By Allah, I was preparing to kill him and was waiting for him to come to me, hiding behind a tree or a rock, when Siba ibn Abdul Uzzah went ahead of me and reached him. He called out to him in a loud voice, saying, "O son of the one who cut the skin of the private parts! Have fun!" Saying this, he struck him with his sword so hard that his head was severed.

Immediately I raised my spear and when he came within my reach I threw it at him and it hit him below his navel and passed between his feet. He wanted to chase me, but he was unable. I left him in that state. Finally he died. Then I went to his dead body, took out my spear and sat down among the soldiers. (My work was finished) I had no connection with anyone except him. I killed Hamza, the Lion of God and the Lion of the Messenger, only to be free. Hamza's martyrdom caused irreparable loss to the Muslims, but despite this, the Muslims' balance in the war remained heavy. Great men like Abu Bakr (ra), Umar Abdullah ibn Jahush (ra), Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (ra), Sa'd ibn Ubadah (ra), Sa'd ibn Rabi' (ra), Nadr ibn Anas (ra), etc. fought with such valor that the polytheists became hopeless and discouraged, and their physical strength decreased.

Leaving wife's bosom and on the edge of the sword

At this point, another scene comes to mind. Another of the above-mentioned martyrs is Hanzalatul Ghasir (ra). He appeared on the battlefield with a strange greatness. He was the son of that Abu Amir Bahir, who later became famous as Fasiq. The description of whom has been mentioned earlier. Hanzalat was a newlywed. When the announcement was made to go to war, he was embracing his newlywed bride. As soon as he heard the announcement of war, he left his bride's bosom and set out for jihad. When a fierce battle was going on in the desert of Uhud, he broke through the ranks of the polytheists and reached their commander, Banu Sufyan, and was about to defeat him. But Allah had written martyrdom in his destiny. So just as he raised his sword towards Abu Sufyan, Shaddad ibn Aus saw him and immediately attacked him. As a result, he himself became a martyr.

Archers activities

The archers that the Prophet had stationed on Jabal Rumat also played an important role in turning the tide of the battle in the Muslims favor. The Meccan cavalry, led by Khalid ibn Walid and supported by Abu Amir al-Fasiq, launched three fierce attacks to break the left side of the Muslim soldiers. But the Muslim archers, by shooting arrows, wounded them so badly that all three of their attacks ended in failure.

Defeat of the polytheists

For some time this fierce battle continued, and the small Muslim army completely dominated the battle. Finally, the morale of the polytheists collapsed. It seemed as if three thousand polytheists were facing not seven hundred, but thirty thousand Muslims. Meanwhile, the Muslims, with the highest morale of faith, belief and heroism, were wielding their swords.

When the Quraysh, despite exerting all their might to repel the Muslim attack, felt helpless and their morale was so broken that after the killing of Zuwab, no one dared to approach their fallen flag and raise it to continue the fight, they took the position of fleeing and completely forgot about taking revenge on the Muslims.

Ibn Ishaq says that Allah Himself sent down help upon the Muslims and fulfilled His promise to them. The Muslims began to cut down the polytheists with the sword to such an extent that they fled from the camp and were undoubtedly defeated.

Abdullah ibn Zubayr (ra) narrated that his father said, "By Allah, I saw the feet of Hindah bint Uttah and her companions being seen. They were running away with their clothes up. There was no obstacle to their arrest, not even a little."

It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Bara ibn Adhir (ra) that he said, "When we met the polytheists, they would flee, to the point that I saw women running away with their clothes pulled up from their feet. Their ornaments were visible."

And taking this opportunity, the Muslims were pursuing the polytheists, wielding swords against them and collecting their abandoned goods.

The archers' terrible mistake

The archers had been stationed at the foot of the mountain and were doing their duty. But now, in the joy of this unexpected victory, they became self-forgetful. They forgot that the Prophet had strictly forbidden them to leave their positions under any circumstances and started rushing towards the battlefield to collect the spoils. Because of this, the face of the war changed. The Muslims suffered a great loss, the Prophet himself narrowly escaped martyrdom. And because of this, the fear of Muslims that had entered the hearts of the polytheists in the aftermath of the Battle of Badr began to fade away to a great extent. The main reason for this was the love of the world, the greed for the wealth of the spoils. So at that time they were saying to each other, spoils, spoils...

Your companions have won.. and what are you waiting for? Their commander Abdullah ibn Zubair (ra) ordered them to stop. But his subordinates ignored him and said, 'Now we have a complete victory. So why should we sit here any longer?'

Most of their soldiers left their positions and ran towards the field. Abdullah (ra) remained there with only nine men. Those who remained steadfast in their duty said that either they would be allowed to leave or they would remain there until they died.

The Muslim army is surrounded by the polytheists.

Thus, the consequences of disobeying the strict orders of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the prohibitions of the commander began to bear fruit. Khalid ibn Walid, the famous hero and strategist of Arabia, was roaming around with his cavalry, looking for an opportunity. When he saw that the Muslims had abandoned the pass, he did not waste any time and rushed towards that unprotected path and came upon the heads of the Muslims from behind. The brave Abdullah, along with a few of his companions, continued to obey the orders of the Prophet (ﷺ) until the last moment of his life. But in a short time, they all became martyrs. Meanwhile, the Muslim soldiers were busy collecting the spoils of war. At that time, first Khalid's cavalry and then the other group of Swab and the infantry attacked them in a surprise attack and many Muslims were martyred by the Quraysh before they were alerted. The Quraysh flag had been rolling on the ground for a while. Seeing this attack by Khalid and the critical situation of the Muslims, a Quraysh warrior named Amrah bint Alqamah raised it again. After a complete defeat, seeing the fallen flag flying again on the battlefield, the scattered and fleeing Quraysh soldiers rushed towards that flag and again attacked the Muslims in groups. This time, the situation was the same as the Muslims were fallen into a crusher being attacked from both sides in front and behind.

The Prophet's decisions in danger and Heroic Steps

At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was left behind with only nine companions when suddenly the cavalry of Khalid ibn Walid came into his sight. After this, the Prophet (ﷺ) had two options. Either he could flee with his nine companions to a safe place and leave the army to the fate of those who had fallen into the hands of the enemy, or he could risk his own life and call upon his companions and gather a reliable number of companions to him and through them break the siege and pave the way for his army to the top of Mount Uhud. At this critical moment, the unparalleled bravery of the Prophet (ﷺ) was revealed. For instead of saving his own life by fleeing, he decided to risk his own life and save the lives of his companions.

Therefore, as soon as he saw the cavalry of Khalid ibn Walid, he called out to his companions in a loud voice, "O servants of Allah, here." However, he knew that his words would inform the polytheists before the Muslims about his current position. As a result, one of their forces reached him before the Muslims and the rest of the cavalry quickly began to surround the Muslims. Now, the details of the crowd is mentioned separately.

Hesitation among Muslims

When the Muslims were in the midst of the crowd, one group lost their senses. They were only concerned about their own lives. So they left the battlefield and fled. They had no idea what was happening behind them. When another group turned back, they mixed with the polytheists. They were unable to recognize each other. As a result, some Muslims were killed by the Muslims. For example, in Sahih Bukhari, it is narrated from Aisha (ra) that on the day of the Battle of Uhud, the polytheists were defeated. Then Iblis (generally) called out, "The servants of Allah is behind" (i.e. attack from the rear). At this, the soldiers in the front row turned back and the battle with the soldiers in the rear row began. Hudhaifah saw that his father Yaman was being attacked, so he said, "O servants of Allah! He did not desist until my father was killed." Hudhaifah said, "By Allah! Hudhayfah was always filled with goodness. He eventually met Allah.

In short, there was severe confusion and disorder in the ranks of this group. Many people were worried and worried. They did not know which way to go. In this situation, an announcer was heard announcing that Muhammad (ﷺ) had been killed. Hearing this announcement, they lost consciousness. Most of the people lost their courage and enthusiasm. Some stopped fighting and threw down their weapons in sorrow, while others even thought that they would meet Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the leader of the hypocrites, and be told to seek protection from Abu Sufyan for them.

After a while, Anas ibn Nadr (ra) passed by those people. He saw that they were lying on their hands. He asked them what they were waiting for. They replied, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has been killed." Hearing this, Anas ibn Nadr said to them, "Then what will you do by living after the death of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)? Get up and give life to that upon which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave life." Then he said, "O Allah, I seek Your forgiveness for what those Muslims have done. And I disassociate myself from what the polytheists have done." Saying this, he moved forward. When he met Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, he asked him, "Where are you going, O Abu Umar?" Anas replied, "What can I say about the fragrance of Paradise! O Sa'd! I smell its fragrance." Then he moved forward and was martyred while fighting the polytheists. At the end of the battle, he was unrecognizable. In the end, his sister could only recognize him by the marks on his fingers. He had been wounded more than eighty times by spears, swords, and arrows.

Similarly, Thabit ibn Dahdah (ra) called out to his people and said, "If Muhammad is killed, then know that Allah is alive. He cannot die. Fight for your religion, and Allah will grant you victory and help." Hearing this, a group of Ansar rose up and Thabit attacked Khalid's cavalry with their help. While fighting, he was martyred by Khalid's spear. His companions also attained martyrdom while fighting.

A Muhajir companion passed by an Ansar companion who was covered in blood. The Muhajir said to him, "O brother! You know that Muhammad has been killed." The Ansar said, "If Muhammad (ﷺ) has been killed, then know that he has conveyed the religion of Allah. Now it is your duty to fight for the protection of that religion."

With such words of courage and enthusiasm, the enthusiasm of the Muslim soldiers was revived and their knowledge and consciousness returned. Instead of praying for safety, they took up arms and engaged in an attempt to confront the polytheists, break their siege and build a road to their center.

At this time, they also came to know that the news of the Prophet's (ﷺ) death was completely false and baseless. As a result, their strength increased and their zeal and enthusiasm were renewed. So, after a hard and bloody struggle, they broke through the siege, emerged from the crowd and succeeded in gathering around a strong center.

There was a third group of people in the Muslim army who were only thinking about the Prophet. As soon as they were informed about this arrangement, they turned to the Prophet alone. At the forefront of them were Abu Bakr Siddique (ra) and other great men. They were also at the forefront of the front lines of the warriors. But when the great personality of the Prophet was in danger, they also came to the forefront of his protection and resistance.

Bloody struggle around the Prophet (ﷺ)

When the Muslim army was caught between the two sides of the polytheists in the crowd and was being fed, a bloody battle broke out around the Prophet (ﷺ). It has been mentioned before that when the polytheists began to surround the Muslims, the Prophet (ﷺ) had only nine companions with him, and when he called out to the Muslims, "Come to me, I am the Messenger of Allah," the polytheists heard his call and recognized him because they were closer to him than the Muslims at that time. So they rushed forward and attacked him and completed their task before any of the Muslims arrived. As a result of this sudden attack, a fierce battle broke out between the polytheists and the nine companions present there. In this, extraordinary events of love for the Prophet, heroism, and sacrifice of life took place.

Narrated Anas (ra) in Sahih Muslim. On the day of the Battle of Uhud, only the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) remained alone with seven Ansar and two Quraysh. When the attackers came very close to him, he said, "Is there anyone who can take them away from me? For him is Paradise." Hearing this, an Ansar companion advanced and was martyred while fighting. Then the polytheists came very close to him again and this time he said the same thing. In this way, seven Ansar companions were martyred in turn. Seeing this, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to his two remaining companions, "We did not deal justly with our companions."

The last of these seven was Ammarah ibn Yazid ibn Sakan (ra). He continued to fight until he fell to the ground, wounded by a weapon.

After the fall of Ammarah (ra), only two Quraysh companions were with the Prophet (ﷺ). For example, it is narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim from Abu Uthman (ra) that in one of the battles in which the Prophet fought, no one was with him except Talhah ibn Ubaidullah (ra) and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (ra).

And this moment was very dangerous for the Prophet (ﷺ) and a golden opportunity for the polytheists. In fact, the polytheists did not fail to take advantage of this opportunity. They only attacked the Prophet in several ways and threw stones at him, causing him to fall and breaking his right molar tooth. And his lower lip was wounded. Abdullah ibn Shihab Zuhri advanced and wounded him on the forehead. Another fierce horseman, Abdullah ibn Kamah, jumped and struck him on the shoulder with his sword so hard that he felt the pain and suffering for more than a month. However, his iron armor could not be cut. Then he struck him again with his sword, which struck the bone under his eye and caused two ring of his helmet stuck in his face.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was struck in the face with his teeth broken and his head wounded. He was wiping the blood from his face and saying, "How can a people succeed who have struck the face of their Prophet and broken his teeth, while he was calling them to Allah?" At that time, Allah revealed the following verse:

"He (Allah) will either forgive them or punish them, and you have no control over that, for they are wrongdoers." (Aal-Imran: 128)

According to the narration of Tabarani, on that day the Prophet said, "May Allah's severe punishment be upon those people who have stained the face of their Prophet with blood." Then he paused for a moment and said:

O my Lord! Forgive my people, for they know not. It is also narrated in Sahih Muslim that he used to say repeatedly:

My Lord, forgive my people, for they know not.

O Allah, guide my people, for they do not know.

There is no doubt that the polytheists wanted to send the Prophet away from this world. But two Quraysh companions, namely Saad ibn Abi Waqqas (ra) and Talha ibn Ubaidullah (ra), acted with extraordinary bravery and incomparable courage, and both of them made it impossible for the polytheists to succeed. These two men were the best archers of Arabia. They shot arrows and kept the attacking polytheists away from the Prophet.

The Prophet (ﷺ) took out all the arrows with his own hands for Sa'd ibn Abu Waqqas and spread them out and said to him, 'Keep shooting arrows, may my parents be sacrificed for you.'

Sad's courtesy and efficiency can be inferred from the fact that the Prophet did not mention sacrificing his parents for anyone other than him.

Talha's (ra) ability can be gauged from a narration in Sunan an-Nasa'i, in which Jabir mentions the attack of the polytheists on the Prophet at a time when he was left with a handful of Ansar.

Jabir (ra) said that when the polytheists approached the Messenger of Allah, he said, "Is there anyone who can fight them?" Talha replied, "I am." Jabir then described in detail the advance of the Ansar and their martyrdom one by one, which is narrated by Sahih Muslim. Jabir said that when they were martyred, Talhah went forward and fought alone with eleven men. Finally, a sword struck him in the hand, which severed his fingers. At that time, a 'hiss' came out of his mouth. The Messenger of Allah saw it. Jabir said, "Then Allah turned the polytheists back." It is narrated by Al-Hakim in Iqleel that he received thirty-nine or thirty-five blows on the day of Uhud, and his index and middle fingers became useless.

Imam Bukhari (ra) narrated from Qays ibn Abu Hazm (ra). He said, "I saw Talha's (ra) hand, which was inactive. It was with that hand that he protected the Prophet (ﷺ) on the day of the Battle of Uhud."

Imam Tirmidhi narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said about Talhah that day, "If anyone wants to see a martyr walking on earth, let him see Talhah ibn Ubaidullah."

Abu Dawud Tayalisi (ra) narrated from Aisha (ra). When Abu Bakr used to talk about the Battle of Uhud, he would say that the battle was entirely for Talha. He was the one who carried out the real task of protecting the Messenger of Allah. Abu Bakr also said the following about him:

O Talha ibn Ubaidullah, Paradise has become obligatory for you and a place has been prepared for you in Paradise among the freed ones.

At this critical moment, Allah sends His help from the unseen. As narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim from Sa'd. He said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah on the day of the Battle of Uhud, and there were two men with him. They were wearing white clothes. They were fighting bravely on his behalf. I have never seen these two men before or after that. In another narration, it is said that they were Gabriel (as) and Michael (as).

The beginning of the gathering of the Companions around the Prophet (ﷺ)

These events happened suddenly and very quickly in a few moments. Otherwise, the chosen companions of the Prophet (ﷺ), who were in the front line during the battle, came to the Prophet (ﷺ) as soon as the battle changed, so that no harm would befall him. But they did not know this news because they were in the front line. Then when this news reached their ears, they ran to the Prophet (ﷺ) very quickly. But when they reached him, he was already wounded. Six Ansar were martyred and the seventh was wounded. And Sa'd and Talha were fighting fiercely and resisting the enemies. As soon as they arrived, they made a fence around the Prophet with their bodies and weapons and started fighting with great heroism to repel the fierce attack of the enemies. The first of those who returned to the Prophet (ﷺ) from the battle lines was his cave companion, Abu Bakr Siddique.

Ibn Hibban narrated in his Sahih from Aisha (ra). Abu Bakr said, "On the day of the Battle of Uhud, all the people had turned away from the Prophet, meaning that all the companions except the guards got surrounded by the disbelievers. I was the first to return to him. When I came, I saw that there was only one person in front of him, fighting on his behalf and protecting him. I said (to myself), 'You must be Talha. May my parents be sacrificed for you!' Meanwhile, Abu Ubaidah ibn Jarrah came to me. He was running as if a bird was flying. Finally, he joined me. Then we both ran towards the Prophet. When we came, we saw Talhah in front of him, very distressed. The Messenger of Allah said to us, 'Take care of your brother Talhah. He has made Paradise obligatory for him.' Abu Bakr Siddiq said, We saw that the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was badly injured and two of the hard points of his headgear were stuck in the ground under his eyes. When I wanted to remove the hard points, Abu Ubaidah said, 'I swear by Allah, let me remove these two.' Saying this, he took one of the hard points with his teeth and started removing it slowly so that he would not suffer. Finally, he pulled it out, but one of his lower teeth broke. Now I wanted to remove the second hard point. But this time he said, 'Abu Bakr! For the sake of Allah, I ask you to let me remove this one too.' Then he slowly pulled out the second one. But another of his lower teeth broke. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'Take care of your brother Talha, for he has made Paradise obligatory.' Abu Bakr (ra) said, "Then we turned our attention to Talha (ra) and took him in front. He had more than ten wounds on his body. This shows how bravely Talha (ra) fought that day in this battle of resistance."

And at that critical moment, a group of companions also came to the Prophet (ﷺ). They were: Abu Dujanah, Mus'ab ibn Umayr, Ali ibn Abi Talib, Sahl ibn Hunayf, Malik ibn Sinan, Abu Sa'id Khudri, his maternal uncle Ammar Rahnusaibah bint Ka'b Maziniyah, Qatadah ibn Nu'man, Umar ibn Khattab, Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah (ra).

Increasing pressure from the polytheists

Meanwhile, the number of polytheists was also increasing. As a result, their attacks were becoming more and more difficult. As a result, the strength and pressure were increasing. Even the Prophet (ﷺ) fell into one of the holes that Abu Amir the Fasiq had dug for such dangers. As a result, the Prophet (ﷺ) sprained his knee. Ali held his hand and Talha ibn Ubaidullah, who was also severely injured, took him to his chest. Then he was able to stand up straight.

Rafi ibn Jubayr (ra) said: I heard a Muhajireen companion say: I was present at the Battle of Uhud. I saw arrows being fired at the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) from all sides, and he was in the midst of the arrows, but all the arrows were being deflected (i.e. the Companions surrounding him were blocking them). I also saw Abdullah ibn Shihab al-Zuhri saying: "Tell me where Muhammad is, now either I will live or he will live." The Messenger of Allah was near him. Seeing this Safwan rebuked him. He replied: "By Allah! I did not see him. By Allah! He was saved from me." Then four of us came, vowing to kill him, but we could not reach him.

Extraordinary bravery and fierce fighting

However, at this time, the Muslims fought bravely and risked their lives and showed self-sacrifice in a way that is unparalleled in history. For example, Abu Talha (ra) made himself a shield in front of the Prophet (ﷺ). He would raise his chest so that he could protect the Prophet from the arrows of the enemies. Anas (ra) narrated that on the day of Uhud, the common Muslims were defeated and instead of coming to the Prophet (ﷺ), they fled here and there, and Talha stood in front of the Prophet with a shield. He was a skilled archer. He used to shoot arrows with great force. That day, he broke two or three bows.

Whenever a man passed by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with a quiver, he would say, 'Spread your arrows for Abu Talha.' And when he once raised his head to see the situation of the battle, Abu Talha would be astonished and say, 'O Messenger of Allah! May my parents be sacrificed in exchange for your lives. May my body be a shield for your body. Do not expose your head.'

At that time, Abu Talha was catching the arrows shot at the Prophet.

It is also narrated from Anas. Abu Talhah was defending himself with the same shield as the Prophet (ﷺ). Abu Talhah was a very skilled archer. When he would shoot an arrow, the Prophet (ﷺ) would raise his neck to see where the arrow was being shot.

The bravery of Abu Dujanah (ra) has already been mentioned. At this moment of danger, he stood before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and used his back as a shield. Arrows were fired at him, but he remained steadfast.

Hatib ibn Abu Baltaah (ra) chased after Utbah ibn Abu Waqqas, who broke the tooth of the Prophet. He struck him with a sword, which severed his head. He then seized his horse and sword. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (ra) was very eager to kill his own brother Utbah with his own hands. But he did not succeed; Hatib was the one who achieved this.

Sahl ibn Hunayf (ra) was also a skilled archer. He received the initiation of death from the Prophet. He repelled the attacks of the polytheists with great bravery.

The Prophet himself was shooting arrows. As Qatadah ibn Nu'man narrated, the Prophet shot so many arrows with his bow that the tip of it broke. Then Qatadah ibn Nu'man (ra) took the bow and kept it with him. Abdur Rahman ibn Awf was wounded in the face while fighting. As a result, his front teeth were broken and he suffered twenty or more wounds on his body. His legs were also wounded, causing him to become lame.

In this battle, a woman named Umm Ammarah Nusaybah bint Ka'b (ra) showed immense bravery and self-sacrifice. She, along with Aisha (ra) and other Muslim women, was present on the battlefield as a nurse, providing water to the wounded soldiers and providing them with other types of services. At that time, she heard that the Muslims had been defeated and that the Quraysh soldiers had started attacking the Prophet. As soon as she heard this news, Umm Ammarah threw away her shoulder bag and water jug and ran to the Prophet with a bow, arrows and a sword. At that time, a handful of companions were protecting the Prophet. Umm Ammarah arrived there and began to destroy the Quraysh by raining arrows with special speed and skill. Once she fell in front of Ibn Kamah. Ibn Kamah struck her shoulder with his sword so hard that it left her shoulder deeply wounded. She also struck Ibn Kamah several times with her sword. But he survived because he was wearing two iron armors. Her whole body was scarred and battered by the blows of the enemy's spears and swords. But this brave girl did not pay attention to that and continued to perform her duty. While describing the battle of Uhud, the Prophet himself said, "In that time of danger, wherever I looked to the right or left, I saw Umm Ammarah fighting to protect me."

In the Battle of Uhud, the Muslim flag was entrusted to Mus'ab ibn Umayr (ra). Mus'ab had to fight from the very beginning to protect the dignity of this flag. During the aforementioned crisis, the fierce Ibn Kamah advanced and struck his right hand with his sword. As soon as his hand was cut off, Mus'ab held the flag in his left hand. But immediately, Ibn Kamah's sword cut off his left hand with a second blow. Then an enemy arrow came and pierced his chest and he was martyred. Ibn Kamah thought that he was Muhammad because his shape resembled Mus'ab's. So Ibn Kamah martyred Mus'ab and turned back to the polytheists and shouted that Muhammad had been killed.

The news of the martyrdom of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the reaction to the war

With his announcement, the news of the martyrdom of the Prophet (ﷺ) spread among both the Muslims and the polytheists. After this sad news spread, most of the Muslims were momentarily stunned. A group of Muslims had already been martyred, and one of the survivors was seriously injured. And upon hearing that the Prophet (ﷺ) had been killed, a group abandoned their weapons and left the battlefield, and some even fled to Medina. But this news of the Prophet's martyrdom turned out to be beneficial in another way. Because after that, the heated attacks of the polytheists relaxed somewhat. Because they felt that their final goal had been achieved.

So now many polytheists stopped attacking and started performing musala (cutting off noses, ears, etc.) on the dead bodies of Muslim martyrs.

Gaining control over the ensuing war and the situation

After the martyrdom of Mus'ab ibn Umayr (ra), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave the flag to Ali (ra). He fought bravely. The remaining companions also resisted and attacked with unparalleled bravery. This finally made it possible for the Messenger of Allah to break through the ranks of the polytheists and make way for the companions who were in the crowd. He stepped forward and approached the companions. The first to recognize him was Ka'b ibn Malik (ra). He shouted happily, "O Muslims! Rejoice, this is the Messenger!" He motioned to him, "Be quiet, so that the polytheists do not know my existence and whereabouts." But Ka'b's voice had already reached the Muslims. So they started approaching the Messenger of Allah and gradually about thirty companions gathered.

When such a large number of companions had gathered, the Prophet (ﷺ) started to move towards the base of the mountain, i.e. the camp. But since moving away meant that the polytheists' plan to bring the Muslims under their control would be in vain, they launched a fierce attack to thwart the Muslims' return. But despite this, the Prophet pushed back the attackers and made a way, and none of their power could withstand the bravery of the lions of Islam. In the meantime, a horseman of the polytheists named Uthmaan ibn Abdullah ibn Mugheerah advanced towards the Prophet and said, "Either I will stay or he will stay." Meanwhile, the Prophet stayed behind to confront him. But he did not have the opportunity to confront him, because his horse fell into a hole. Meanwhile, Harith ibn Sammah (ra) reached him and struck his leg with such force that he sat down there. Then, sending him to Hell, he took his weapon and appeared before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). But in the meantime, another Meccan horseman named Abdullah ibn Jabir retaliated and attacked Harith ibn Sammah and struck him on the shoulder with his sword, wounding him. But the Muslims jumped and lifted him up. Meanwhile, Abu Dujana (ra), who was playing with death, who was wearing a red turban today, jumped on Abdullah ibn Jabir and struck him with such force that his head flew off.

During this bloody struggle, the Muslims were falling into a state of drowsiness. As the Holy Quran says, 'It was a rest and tranquility from Allah.' Abu Talha (may Allah be pleased with him) said, I was one of those who fell into a state of drowsiness on the day of the Battle of Uhud. In fact, the sword fell from my hand several times. It was like this, it was falling and I was catching it. It was falling again and I was catching it again.

The gist of the matter is that by fighting in this way, this army retreated in orderly fashion until it reached the camp at the base of the mountain and cleared the way for the rest of the army to reach this fortified place. So the rest of the army also reached the Prophet (ﷺ) and Khalid's army became ineffective in front of the Prophet's (ﷺ) army.

The assassination of Ubayy ibn Khalaf

Ibn Ishaq narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reached the camp, Ubayy ibn Khalaf came forward and said, "Where is Muhammad? Either I will stay or he will stay." Hearing this, the Companions said, "O Messenger of Allah, will any of us attack him?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "Let him come." When he approached, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked Al-Harith ibn Sammah for a small spear and shook it. When he shook it, the flies flew away. Then he faced him and saw a small gap between his helmet and his armor on the side of his neck, so he aimed at that and struck him with the spear in such a way that he fell off his horse. His neck was not badly bruised, the blood had stopped, and in this state he reached the Quraysh and said, "Muhammad has killed me." The people said to him, "By Allah! Your mind has calmed down, otherwise you were not injured that much, why are you still acting so restless?" He replied, "He told me in Mecca that I would kill you."

The incident is that when Ubayy met the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in Mecca, he would say to him, "Muhammad, I have a horse called 'Aud.' I feed it three Sa's (seven and a half kilograms) of grain every day. I will mount it and kill you." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would reply, "Insha'Allah, I will kill you."

Therefore, by Allah! If he had spat on me, my life would have ended. Finally, he died on his way back to Mecca and when reached a place called 'Saraf'.

Talha (ra) lifted the Prophet (ﷺ)

On the way back to the mountain, the Prophet (ﷺ) came across a hill. He tried to climb it, but he was unable to do so. First, his body was heavy, and secondly, he was wearing two iron of armor. He was also badly injured. So Talha ibn Ubaidullah (ra) sat down and made him sit on his shoulder and stood up. Thus, he reached the hill and said, "Talha has made Paradise obligatory."

The last attack of the polytheists

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) reached his position in the camp, the polytheists made a last attempt to attack the Muslims. Ibn Ishaq narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the camp, a group of polytheists led by Abu Sufyan and Khalid ibn Walid climbed the mountain. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed, "O Allah! Do not let them climb over us." Then Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) and a group of the Muhajirun fought and drove them down from the mountain.

According to the narration of Maghazi Umwi, when the polytheists climbed the mountain, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to Sa'd: "Frustrate their zeal, that is, push them back." He replied, "O Messenger of Allah! How can I alone frustrate their zeal?" The Prophet (ﷺ) repeated this three times. Finally, Sa'd took an arrow from his quiver and shot it at a man. The man died there. Sa'd said, "I took my arrow again. I knew it. I shot it at a second man. He also died. Then I took an arrow again and I knew it. I shot it at a third man and He also died." Then the polytheists went down. I said, "This is a blessed arrow." Then I put that arrow in my quiver." This arrow remained with Sa'd (ra) throughout his life and was preserved by his children after his death.

The mutilation of martyrs (i.e. cutting off noses, ears, etc.)

This was the last attack against the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Since the polytheists were not properly informed about the whereabouts of the Prophet (ﷺ), rather they were almost convinced of his martyrdom, they returned to their camp and began to prepare for Mecca.

Some of the polytheists, both men and women, indulged in the practice of mutilation (cutting off the noses, ears, etc.) of the Muslim martyrs. Hindah bint Utbah tore out the liver of Hamza (may Allah be pleased with her) and put it in her mouth and chewed it. She wanted to swallow it. But she could not swallow it and spat it out. She made bouquets and necklaces of the cut ears and noses.

Then, at the end, two events occurred that make it not difficult to guess how ready this brave Mujahideen of Islam was to fight to the end and how eager they was to sacrifice their life in the path of Allah.

Ka'b ibn Malik (ra) narrated that, I was among the Muslims who had come out of the camp. I saw the noses and ears of the Muslim martyrs being cut off by the hands of the polytheists. Seeing this, I stopped. Then I moved forward and saw a polytheist, who was wearing heavy armor, walking among the martyrs and saying, "The bones of the slaughtered goats are like soft bones." I also saw a Muslim lying in wait in his path. He was also wearing armor. I walked a few steps further and remained behind him. Then I stood up and began to weigh the Muslim and the infidel with my eyes.

From what I saw, I thought that the polytheist was on top of the Muslim, both in terms of body armor and equipment. At this point, I waited to see what would happen next. Finally, a fight broke out between the two and the Muslim struck the polytheist with his sword, cutting off his leg. The polytheist was cut into two pieces. Then the Muslim opened his face and said, "Brother Ka'b, how are you?" I am Abu Dujanah.

After the battle, some Muslim women reached the battlefield. Anas (ra) narrated, "I saw Aisha bint Abu Bakr (ra) and Umm Sulaim (ra). They had their clothes pulled up to their ankles and were carrying water skins on their backs. On the day of Uhud, Umm Salit was carrying water skins for us.

One of these women was Umm Ayman (ra). When she saw the defeated Muslims about to enter Medina, she threw dirt in their faces and said, "Take this spinning wheel and give us your swords."

Then she quickly reached the battlefield and started giving water to the wounded. Hibban ibn Arakah shot an arrow at her. She fell down and her veil was removed. Seeing this, the enemy of Allah burst into laughter. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) found it very difficult and he gave Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas an unfeathered arrow and said, "Shoot it." Sa'd shot it and it hit Hibban's neck and he fell down and his clothes fell open. Seeing this, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) laughed so hard that his teeth were visible and he said, "Sa'd has avenged Umm Ayman." May Allah accept his supplication.

After stabilization at the base

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had settled down in his position in the camp, Ali ibn Abu Talib (ra) filled his own shield with water from the Mihras. It is said that the Mihras is a hole made of stone that can hold a lot of water. It is also said that 'Mihras' is the name of a spring in Uhud. However, Ali offered the water to the Prophet (ﷺ) to drink. The Prophet (ﷺ) felt a slight unpleasant smell. So he did not drink the water, but washed the blood off his face with it and also put it on his head. At that time, he said - May the severe wrath of Allah be upon the person who has made the face of His Prophet bleed.

Sahl (ra) said: I know very well that who washed the wound of Messenger of Allah, who poured water on and what was applied as a remedy. Fatima (ra) was washing his wound, Ali (ra) was pouring water from his shield, and when Fatima saw that the water was not stopping the bleeding, she took a piece of the mat and burned it and applied its ashes to the wound. As a result, the bleeding stopped.

Meanwhile, Muhammad ibn Maslama (ra) brought sweet and delicious water. The Prophet drank it and prayed for goodness.

Due to the pain of his wound, the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed the Zuhr prayer sitting, and his companions also prayed sitting behind him.

Abu Sufyan's joy and conversation with Umar (ra)

When the polytheists had finished preparing to return, Abu Sufyan was seen on Mount Uhud. He said in a loud voice, "Is Muhammad among you?" The Muslims did not answer. He said again, "Is Abu Bakr son of Abu Quhafa among you?" They did not answer this time. He asked again, "Is Umar ibn al-Khattab among you?" The companions did not answer this time either. Because his people knew very well that Islam was established through these three. In short, when no answer was received, he said, "Let us go, respite has been obtained from these three." Hearing this, Umar could not bear it any longer. He said, "O enemy of Allah! All those whom you have named are alive and Allah has still left you a source of humiliation." Then Abu Sufyan said, "Your slain have been mutilated, i.e. their noses, ears, etc. have been cut off." But I did not order to do so, nor did I consider it bad. Then he shouted, "Glory be to Hubul!"

The Prophet (ﷺ) then said to his companions, "Why do you not respond?" They said, "O Messenger of Allah! What shall we respond?" He said, "Say, 'Allah is Most High and Most Honorable.'"

Again Abu Sufyan shouted, "We have Uzza (idols), but you have no Uzza."

The Prophet again said to the companions, "Why do you not answer?" They said, "What shall we answer?" He said, "Say, 'Allah is our Master and you have no Master.'"

Then Abu Sufyan said, 'What a good deed! Today is the revenge of the day of Badr. And war is like a bucket.'

Omar replied, "Not equal. Because our dead are in Paradise, and your dead are in Hell."

Then Abu Sufyan said, "Umar, come to me." The Messenger of Allah said to him, "Go, let us see what he say." When Umar came to him, Abu Sufyan said to him, "I ask you by Allah, did we kill Muhammad?" Umar replied, "By Allah! No. Rather, he is listening to you now." Abu Sufyan then said, "You are more truthful to me than Ibn Kamah."

The promise to fight a second time at Badr

Narrated Ibn Ishaq. When Abu Sufyan and his companions started to return, Abu Sufyan said to the Muslims, "There is a promise to fight again at Badr next year." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said to one of his companions, "Tell him, 'Okay. Now this decision has been made between us and you.'"

Verifying the truth of the return of the polytheists

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Ali ibn Abi Talib and said, "Go after the (polytheist) people. Then observe what they do and what their intention is. If you see them riding camels, leaving their horses beside, then know that their intention is to return. And if you see them riding Horses and leaving their camels beside, then know that their intention is to (attack) Medina." Then he said, "By the One in Whose Hand is my life, if their intention is to (attack) Medina, then I will go to Medina and confront them." Ali said, "Then I went out after them and found them riding camels, leaving their horses behind, and facing Mecca."

Search for the martyrs and injured

After the return of the Quraysh, the Muslims had the opportunity to inquire about their martyrs and wounded. Zayd ibn Thabit (ra) narrated that on the day of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah sent me to search for the body of Sa'd ibn Rabi (ra) and said, "If you find him alive, convey my greetings to him and tell him about me, for the Messenger of Allah wants to know how he is feeling." I then went around among the dead and found him breathing heavily. He had been wounded by more than seventy spears, swords and arrows. I said to him, "O Sa'd! The Messenger of Allah has conveyed his greetings to you and asked how you are feeling." He replied, "Convey my greetings to the Messenger of Allah and tell him that I smell the fragrance of Paradise. And tell my people, the Ansar, that if even one of their eyes moves and the enemy reaches the Messenger of Allah, they will have no excuse before Allah." And at that moment his soul departed.

The Muslims also saw Usairim among the wounded, whose name was Amr ibn Thabit. His life was at that time in the flesh. He had been invited to Islam before, but he had not accepted it. Therefore, the Muslims asked each other (in surprise), "O Usairim! How did you come here? We left him in a state where he was against the religion." So, they asked him, "O Usairim! What brought you here? The excitement of helping the community, or the attraction of Islam?" He replied, The attraction of Islam, because I believed in Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ) and then participated in the battle to help the Messenger, and then he fell asleep in eternal sleep. When the Muslims mentioned this incident to the Messenger of Allah, he said, "He has become one of the people of Paradise." Abu Hurairah said, but he did not pray a single prayer for Allah. Because after embracing Islam, he became a martyr before the time for any prayer.

Among the wounded was Kuzman, who had shown great bravery in battle and had single-handedly killed seven or eight polytheists. He was found wounded. The Muslims lifted him up and took him to the neighborhood of Banu Ja'far and gave him the good news. He said, "By Allah! My fight was only for the honor of my people. If it were not for that, I would not have fought." Then, when he felt the pain of his wound, he slaughtered himself and committed suicide. After that, whenever he was mentioned before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he used to say that he was from the Hellfire.

Such is the fate of those who fight for anything other than establishing the Word of Allah, even if they fight under the banner of Islam, in partnership with the Messenger and his companions.

On the other hand, among the dead was a Jew from Banu Salaba. When the battle was raging, he said to his people, "O people of Jews! By Allah! You know that Muhammad said, 'There is no Saturday for you.'" Then he took out his sword and his armor and said, "If I am killed, my wealth will go to Muhammad (ﷺ). He can do with it whatever he wishes." Then the man went to the battlefield and was killed while fighting. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Mukhairiq was a good Jew."

At that time, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) himself visited the martyrs and said, "I will bear witness about these people. The truth is that whoever is wounded in the way of Allah, Allah will raise him up on the Day of Resurrection in this state, blood flowing from his wound. The color will be that of blood, but the fragrance will be like musk."

Some of the Companions (ra) had transferred their martyrs to Medina. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered them to bring them back and bury them at the place of their martyrdom, and he also ordered that their weapons and leather clothes should not be taken off, and that they should be buried in the same state without being washed. He would dress them in the same clothes and bury two or three martyrs in the same grave, asking them which of them had the most memorised Quran. He would put the one whom the Companions pointed to first in the grave and say: "I will bear witness against these people on the Day of Resurrection." Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Haram and Amr ibn Jamuh were buried in the same grave because they were friends.

The body of Hanzala (ra) could not be found. After searching, it was found in a place in such a state that it was above the ground and water was dripping from it. Seeing this, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to his companions, "The angels are bathing him." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Ask his wife what the real matter was." When his wife was asked, she told him the real matter. From here, the name of Hanzala became Ghasilul Malaikah (i.e., bathed by the angels).

The Prophet was deeply saddened to see the condition of his uncle Hamza (ra). His aunt Safiya (ra) arrived and also expressed her desire to see her brother Hamza (ra). But the Prophet told his son Zubair (ra) to take his mother back and not let him see his brother.

Hearing this, Safiya (ra) said, "Why is this? I have come to know that my brother's nose, ears, etc. have been cut off. But my brother is in the path of Allah. So I am completely satisfied with whatever has been done to him. I consider it a virtue and, God willing, I will be patient." Then she came to Hamza (ra), saw him, recited Innalillah for him, and prayed for Allah's forgiveness. Then, according to the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), Hamza was buried with Abdullah ibn Jahsh. He was Hamza's nephew and foster brother. Ibn Mas'ud narrated, "We never saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cry more than he did for Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib. He made him face the Qiblah. Then, standing at his funeral, he wept so loudly that his voice became louder.

Indeed, the sight of the martyrs was very heartbreaking. Khabbab ibn Arat narrated that no shroud was found for Hamza (ra) except a sheet with black edges. If the sheet were to be used to cover the head, the feet would remain exposed, and if the sheet were to be used to cover the feet, the head would remain exposed. Finally, the head was covered and the feet were covered with Izkhir grass.

The Prophet praised and glorified Allah, the Most High, and made supplication to Him.

Imam Ahmad narrated that on the day of Uhud, when the polytheists were returning to Mecca, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to his companions, "Stand up straight, I will praise and glorify my Lord, the Most High." The companions followed him in line. He said, "O Allah! All praise is for You. O Allah! What You expand, none can narrow, and what You narrow, none can widen. Whom You lead astray, none can guide. What You withhold, none can grant, and what You grant, none can withhold, and what You remove, none can bring near. O Allah! Expand upon me Your blessings, mercy, grace, and provision. O Allah! I ask You for a blessing that is permanent and never ends. O Allah! I ask You for a blessing that is permanent and never ends. O Allah! I ask You for help in the day of need and safety in the day of fear. O Allah! I seek refuge in You from the evil of what You have given us and from the evil of what You have not given us. O Allah! Endear faith to us and include us among the beautifully guided. O Allah! Make us die while we are Muslims and keep us alive while we are Muslims. And make us among the righteous before we are humiliated and afflicted. O Allah! Destroy the disbelievers who were given the Book, O True God.

The return to Medina and the extraordinary events of love and devotion

After burying the martyr and glorifying Allah Almighty and praying to Him, the Prophet (ﷺ) set out for Medina. Just as the Companions (ﷺ) displayed extraordinary acts of love and self-sacrifice during the war, so too did the Muslim women demonstrate amazing acts of truthfulness and self-sacrifice during the journey. On the way, the Prophet (ﷺ) met Hamna bint Jahash (ﷺ) and was informed of the martyrdom of her brother Abdullah ibn Jahash. He recited Inna Lillaah and prayed for his forgiveness. She was informed of the martyrdom of her maternal uncle Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib (ﷺ). She recited Inna Lillaah again and prayed for his forgiveness. Then she was informed of the martyrdom of her husband Mus'ab ibn Umayr (ﷺ). Hearing this news, she cried out in anguish and began to cry hysterically. Seeing this, the Prophet said, 'This woman had a special status for her husband.'

Similarly, the Prophet passed by a woman from the tribe of Banu Dinar, whose husband, brother and father had all been martyred. When she was informed of their martyrdom, she said, "The Messenger of Allah is well and, Alhamdulillah, he is as you wish (i.e. he is alive)." The woman said, "Show him to me, I want to see his blessed body."

The companions pointed towards the Prophet (ﷺ). As soon as she saw the Prophet (ﷺ), she said, "If i find you, all dangers will be insignificant."

While they were on the way, the mother of Sa'd ibn Mu'adh (ra) came running to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Sa'd ibn Mu'adh was holding the reins of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She said, "O Messenger of Allah! This is my mother." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Welcome." Then he stopped to greet her. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for the martyrs of Uhud and said, "O Umm Sa'd! Be happy and give the good news to the families of the martyrs that their intercession will be accepted."

Sa'd's (ra) mother then said, "O Messenger of Allah! Pray for their heirs as well." He said, "O Allah! Remove the sorrow in their hearts, compensate them for their hardships, and grant the living heirs a good life."

The Prophet arrived in Medina.

On that day, Saturday, the 7th of Shawwal, 3rd year of Hijri, the Prophet reached Medina before evening. Upon reaching home, he gave his sword to Fatima (ra) and said, "Mother! Wash off its blood. By Allah! This has proven to me very true today." Then Ali extended his sword towards Fatima and said, "Wash off its blood too. By Allah! This has also proven to me very true today." Hearing this, the Prophet said to her, "If you are fighting selflessly, then Abu Dujana of Suhayl ibn Hunaif has also fought with you selflessly."

Most narrators agree that the number of Muslim martyrs was seventy, the majority of whom were Ansar, that is, sixty-five of them were martyred. The Khazraj tribe had forty-one and the Aws tribe had twenty-four. One Jew was killed, and the number of Muhajirin martyrs was only four.

Now the number of Quraysh killed remains. According to Ibn Ishaq, their number was twenty-two. However, if we think deeply and calculate the details of this battle given by the Ashab al-Maghazi and the Ahl al-Syrians, and the mention of the polytheists killed at various places in the battle, this number is not twenty-two, but thirty-seven. Allah is the Most Knowing of these matters.

Worrying situation in Medina

The Muslims returned from the Battle of Uhud (between Saturday and Sunday, 8 Shawwal, 3 AH) and spent the night in a state of anxiety. The battle had left them scarred. Despite this, they kept watch all night on the roads and places of departure to Medina and took special measures to protect their commander, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), because there was a fear of attack from any direction.

Hamraul-Assad campaign

Meanwhile, the Prophet spent the whole night thinking deeply about the war. He feared that if the polytheists thought that they had not gained any advantage in the field of battle despite their huge number, they would surely be ashamed and return from the road and attack Medina a second time. Therefore, he decided to pursue them at all costs.

According to the Ahl al-Siyab, the Prophet announced on the morning of the second day of the battle (Sunday, 8 Shawwal 3 AH) that they have to go out to fight the enemy. He also announced that only those who had participated in the Battle of Uhud would go. Even after this, when Abdullah ibn Ubayy asked permission to go with them, the Prophet did not allow him. With this announcement, the Muslim village of Medina was awakened to new life.

The wounded Muslim warriors jumped up shouting Allahu Akbar. Forgetting all their sorrow, all their anger, all their pain, they took up their blood-stained weapons of yesterday and enthusiastically began to gather in the service of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Muslim army left Medina in a flash.

Jabir ibn Abdullah (ra) who was not able to participate in the Battle of Uhud. He requested the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to participate in that battle. He said, "O Messenger of Allah! I wish that I could participate in every battle that you participate in. But since my father left me at home to look after his children in this battle (Uhud), I was not able to participate in it, so I should be given the opportunity to participate in the expedition." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave him permission.

The Prophet, dressed in his usual military attire, mounted his horse and continued in the forefront. Everyone else was on foot. As per the schedule, they reached a place called 'Hamraul Asad', eight miles from Medina, and set up camp.

While staying at this place, Ma'bad ibn Abu Ma'bad Khuza'i came to the service of the Prophet (ﷺ) and embraced Islam. It is said that he was firmly established on the basis of shirk. But he was a well-wisher of the Prophet. However, he said, "O Muhammad (ﷺ), I am deeply saddened by the loss of you and your companions. I wished that Allah would keep you safe." Pleased with his sympathy, the Prophet said to him, "Go to Abu Sufyan and make him humble."

Meanwhile, the Prophet's fear that the polytheists would consider returning to Medina was completely true.

When the polytheists reached a place called 'Rawha', thirty-six miles from Medina, and set up camp, they began to criticize and reproach each other. They began to say to each other, "We could not do anything and we did not succeed in our purpose." The leaders of the group, Abu Sufyan, Ikrama and others, began to say, "Muhammad is wounded and most of his followers are wounded, in this situation it is not reasonable for us to return without attacking Medina."

We have made so many efforts to uproot and completely destroy the Muslims and have spend everything we could. Now that the opportunity has arrived, and we are going back, they will regain control in two days, and then it will not be easy to achieve our goal, because, although their glory and power have been somewhat reduced, there are still a few people among them who will cause you headaches again. Therefore, you should return to Medina and root them out.

Abu Sufyan, who had lured people from different tribes to join his party in various ways, started saying, what did we come to do and what are we doing? We will attack Medina and destroy the enemies of religion, plunder all the wealth of Medina, destroy the chastity of its young women and virgins and do whatever we want. But now we see that none of this has happened. On the contrary, we have to return damaged. So they decided that we must attack Medina. Umayya's son Safwan protested against this, but no one listened to him.

But it can be assumed that this was the opinion of the common people of the polytheist Quraysh who did not have a correct idea of the strength of both sides. But Safwan bin Umayya, who was a high-ranking person, opposed this opinion and said, "O people! Do not do such a thing. I fear that those in Medina who did not participate in the Battle of Uhud will also participate in this battle against you. Go back in this state. So far, victory is yours. Otherwise, I fear that if you attack Medina, you will be in danger." But a large number of people did not accept this opinion and it was decided that Medina should be attacked.

While they were still not leaving the camp, Ma'bad ibn Abu Ma'bad arrived there as a scout. Abu Sufyan knew nothing about Ma'bad's conversion to Islam. So on seeing him, Abu Sufyan eagerly exclaimed, "This is Ma'bad!" What is the news? Ma'bad replied, What is the news, move away now. And Sufyan asked, What is the matter, is there any news about Muhammad? Ma'bad replied, "Yes, the news is, Muhammad is advancing with great preparations. Now every Muslim in Medina has joined." Hearing this, Abu Sufyan said, Oh, disaster! What do you mean? We are going to advance towards Medina, determined to destroy their remaining strength, to uproot them completely, and Muhammad has set out on a war expedition again with firm determination? Is this even possible, what do you mean? It is not too late, move away quickly.

Abu Sufyan then ordered everyone to set out for Mecca. The Quraysh army rushed towards their homeland without further delay. However, Abu Sufyan did one thing, so that Muhammad (ﷺ) would not pursue the polytheists, so he said to the men of a caravan of the tribe of Abul Qays who were passing by them, "Will you convey a message to Muhammad for us? I promise that when you reach Mecca, I will give you as many raisins as your camel can carry in return."

Those people said, "Yes, we can." Abu Sufyan then told them, "Tell Muhammad that we have decided to attack him a second time to eliminate him and his companions."

Then, when the caravan passed by the Messenger of Allah and his companions at Hamraul Asad, they recited to them the message of Abu Sufyan and said, "People (polytheists) have gathered against you. So fear them." But this only strengthened their faith, and they said, "Allah is sufficient for us, and He is an excellent Disposer of affairs."

Then they returned with Allah's grace and mercy. No evil touched them, and they followed that which pleased Allah, and Allah is Most Merciful.

The Prophet reached Hamraul Asad on Sunday and returned to Medina on Monday and Tuesday. Before returning, Abu Uzza Jumhi was captured by the Prophet (ﷺ). This was the man who was released without ransom after being captured in the Battle of Badr due to poverty and having many daughters. The condition was that he would never help anyone against the Prophet (ﷺ) in the future. But he broke his promise and started inciting the people against the Prophet and his companions through poetry. Then he himself came to fight against the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud, and when he was arrested, he started saying, "For the sake of my children, leave me alone. I promise never to do such a criminal act again." The Prophet replied, "Now it is not possible that he will return to Mecca and say, 'I have deceived Muhammad twice.'" A believer is not stung twice from the same hole. Then he ordered Zubayr or Asim ibn Thabit to slit cut his head. They killed him.

Similarly, a spy from Mecca was killed. His name was Muawiyah ibn Mughirah ibn Abul-As. He was the grandfather of Abdul Malik ibn Marwan. When the polytheists of Uhud returned to Mecca, he came to meet his cousin Uthman ibn Affan (ra). Uthman asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for protection for him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) granted him protection on the condition that if he stayed in Medina for more than three days, he would be killed. But when Medina was empty of Muslim soldiers, this man stayed in Medina for more than three days to spy for the Quraysh.

Then, when the Muslim army returned to Medina, he tried to escape. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered Zayd ibn Harithah and Ammar ibn Yasar to pursue the man and kill him.

Although the Hamraul-Asad campaign is described under a separate name, it is actually a part and appendix of the Battle of Uhud.

Review of victories and defeats in the Battle of Uhud

Historians say that the Muslims were severely defeated and suffered losses in the Battle of Uhud. There is no doubt that the Muslims suffered greatly in this battle through their own fault. However, there is no evidence to suggest that the Quraysh suffered less than the Muslims. On the other hand, the opinion expressed by historians that the Muslims were defeated in this battle cannot be supported either. Because if the Muslims were defeated, why did the victorious Quraysh soldiers leave the battlefield without destroying the defeated Muslims? It is seen that the Quraysh could not capture a single Muslim in this battle, and not even a wounded Muslim soldier was captured by them.

If the Quraysh side had won the battle, this would not have been possible. Historians say that only 23 soldiers of the Quraysh side were killed. But their account cannot be trusted at all. Because they themselves have said that 31 Quraysh soldiers were killed by Hamza (ra) alone. About 70 brave soldiers of the Muslims were martyred after fighting with all their might.

The number of people killed by the Muslims can also be easily estimated. In the early stages of the battle, the fierce attack of the Muslim warriors forced three thousand Quraysh soldiers to flee. At that time, the Muslim soldiers did not make any mistakes in destroying the enemy. Therefore, there can be no doubt that a large number of enemy soldiers were killed at this time as well.

In such a situation, we can call this war not a victory for one side and a defeat for the other, but an unresolved war, in which both sides have gained their share of success and loss. This is what Allah indicates by saying:

And do not weaken in pursuit of the enemy. If you should be suffering - so are they suffering as you are suffering, but you expect from Allah that which they expect not. And Allah is ever Knowing and Wise. (Surah An-Nisa: Verse - 104)

In this verse, Allah compares one army to another in terms of causing harm and suffering harm. The meaning is that both sides were on an equal footing.

Both sides returned in a state where neither side was able to prevail over the other.

The Quran's explanation of this war

Later, when the Quran was revealed, it shed light on each of the stages of this war and explained in detail the reasons that led to the Muslims suffering severe losses. It also pointed out the weaknesses that still exist among the various groups of believers and this Ummah in relation to the lofty and important purposes for which they were brought into existence at such a decisive time.

Similarly, the Quran describes the hypocrites and reveals their true nature. It reveals the enmity that was hidden in their hearts against Allah and His Messenger. And it removes the evil that these hypocrites and their Jewish brothers had spread in the hearts of the sincere Muslims. The Quran points to this commendable wisdom and purpose that was the result of this war.

Sixty verses of Surah Al Imran were revealed about this battle.

"Remember when you went out from your family in the morning and stationed the believers in their camp for battle." (Surah Al-Imran: Verse-121)

And it is not that Allah will inform you of the unseen. But He chooses of His messengers whom He wills. So believe in Allah and His Messenger. If you believe and fear Allah, then for you is a great reward. (Surah Al-Imran: Verse-179)

The active purpose and mystery of Allah in this war

Hafiz Ibn Hajar (ra) said that the scholars said that Allah Almighty had an important purpose and secret in the Battle of Uhud and the defeat of the Muslims in it. Such as warning the Muslim nation about the consequences of disobedience and the punishment for disobeying the command of the Messenger of Allah to remain at their posts in both victory and defeat, and they abandoned their positions, resulting in this defeat. The purpose of this is to reveal the Sunnah of the Prophets, if they are always victorious, then people who are not believers will infiltrate the Muslim community. Then it will not be possible to distinguish between the righteous and the wicked. And if they always face defeat after defeat, then the purpose of sending a prophet will not be successful. Therefore, both victory and defeat are necessary to fulfill the desired purpose. So that the distinction between the righteous and the wicked is made. Because, the hypocrites revealed it in their words and deeds. And the Muslims came to know that they had their enemies among them. So the Muslims were prepared and alert to confront them.

There was also a purpose or secret, that in some cases, delay in coming help creates flexibility and eliminates self-conceit. So when the Muslims were put to the test and in danger, they exercised patience, while the hypocrites began to cry out.

One of the purposes was that Allah has created for the believers many ranks of reward (in Paradise) that cannot be attained by their deeds. Therefore, He has placed elements in the dangers and trials through which they can attain those ranks.

Another wisdom or mystery was that martyrdom was the greatest rank among the Companions. Therefore, this rank was provided for them.

Another mystery may be that Allah wanted to destroy His enemies. He destroyed and exterminated the infidels because of their excessive disobedience in oppressing and causing hardship to the servants of Allah.

The Shari'ah and campaigns between the battles of Uhud and Ahzab

The unexpected and tragic situation of Uhud had a great impact on the reputation and strength of the Muslims. This caused a slight dip in their morale and as a result, the fear of Muslims gradually decreased in the hearts of the opponents. In this context, internal and external problems arose for the Muslims. The Jews, hypocrites and Bedouins engaged in open hostility and tried to humiliate the Muslims. The aim of their conspiracy and hostility was to uproot Islam in such a way that the Muslims would never be able to raise their heads again. With this aim in mind, less than two months after Uhud, Banu Asad began to prepare for an attack on Medina.

On the other hand, in the month of Safar of the 4th Hijri, the tribes of Adl and Qara created such a conspiracy that 10 companions were martyred. Moreover, in the same month of Safar, the chief of Banu Amer martyred 70 companions (ra) through a wicked conspiracy and deceit. This incident is called the 'Incident of Bir-e-Mawna'. At that time, Banu Nazir also started open hostility. Even in the month of Rabi'ul-Awal of the 4th Hijri, they tried to kill the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). Meanwhile, Banu Ghatfan's courage increased so much that they set the date for the attack on Medina in the month of Jumada al-Ula of the 4th Hijri.

The main point is that, in the context of the loss of dignity of the Muslims in the Battle of Uhud, they had to face various calamities one after another for a certain period of time. But the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) through his extraordinary wise leadership was able to overcome all kinds of plots, deceit and hostility and once again establish the Muslims on a high position of glory and dignity. The first step of the Prophet in this regard was to pursue the polytheists as far as Hamraul Asad. As a result of this step, the dignity of the Prophet's army was increased and permanently established.

Because this step was so important and heroic that it left the opponents, i.e. the polytheists, hypocrites and Jews, completely stunned and shocked. Then the Prophet took other military steps which not only helped in restoring the pride of the Muslims but also helped in their growth. This matter is discussed below.

1. Abu Salma's campaign: After the Battle of Uhud, Banu Asad bin Khuzaymah was the first to oppose the Muslims. They reached Medina to the effect that Talha and Salma, the two sons of Khuwaylid, were calling on Banu Asad to attack the Prophet (ﷺ) with their own people and followers. On hearing this news, the Prophet (ﷺ) quickly formed an army of one hundred and fifty soldiers from the Ansar and Muhajirun and sent them under the command of Abu Salma. Before Banu Asad could prepare, Abu Salma (ra) ambushed them, causing them to be startled, scattered and flee. The Muslim army returned safely to Medina with their abandoned herds of camels and goats and the booty they had taken. This campaign took place after the moon had risen in the month of Muharram, the fourth month of the Hijri calendar. After returning from this expedition, Abu Salama's injuries from the Battle of Uhud worsened again, and he soon died.

2. The expedition of Abdullah bin Unais: On the 5th of Muharram, 4th AH, news was received that Khalid bin Sufyan al-Hudhali was gathering troops to attack the Muslims. The Prophet sent Abdullah bin Unais (ra) to thwart this evil plot of the enemy.

Abdullah bin Unais returned on the 23rd of Muharram after staying outside Medina for 18 days. He killed Khalid and brought his head with him. When he came to the court of the Prophet and presented the head before him, he gave him a 'asa' (stick) and said, "This will be a sign between me and you on the Day of Judgment." When the time of his death approached, he made a will that the stick be buried with his body.

3. The incident of Razi: In the month of Safar in the fourth year of Hijri, some people from the tribes of 'Adl and Qara' came to the court of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and requested that some of them practice Islam. Therefore, it would be better to send some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) with them to teach them the Quran and religion. Accordingly, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent six companions with them, according to the historian Ibn Ishaq, and ten companions according to the narration of Sahih Bukhari. According to Ibn Ishaq, Murshed ibn Abu Murshed al-Ghanavi was given the leadership of this group, and according to the narration of Sahih Bukhari, Asim bin Thabit, the grandfather of Asim bin Umar bin Khattab, was given the leadership of this group. When they reached the spring of the tribe of Huwail called 'Razi', between Rabigh and Jeddah, the aforementioned people of Ayl and Qara incited the Banu Lahyan, a branch of the tribe of Huwail, to attack them.

A hundred archers from that tribe started searching for them. They caught up with them while following their footprints. The companions took shelter on the top of a mountain. In this situation, Banu Lahyan surrounded them from all sides and said, "We have made a promise with you that if you come down, we will not kill anyone." Asim did not agree to their proposal and joined the battle with his companions. But due to the continuous arrow fire of the enemy, 7 people were martyred. 3 people remained alive. They were Khubaib (ra), Zayd bin Dasnah (ra) and one other person. When Banu Lahyan repeated their promise, they came down.

But as soon as they reached them, they broke their promise and tied them with bowstrings. The third companion refused to go with them, citing the breach of promise. They tried to force him to go with them. But when they could not, they finally killed him. Meanwhile, they took Khubaib (ra) and Zayd bin Haritha (ra) to Mecca and sold them. These two companions had killed the leading men of Mecca in the Battle of Badr.

Khubaib (ra) remained a prisoner with the people of Mecca for some days. Then the people of Mecca took him to Tan'im outside the Haram Sharif with the intention of killing him. Just before he was crucified, he said, "Let me be given time and opportunity to pray two rak'ahs." When he was given time, he prayed two rak'ahs. After returning the salaam at the end of the prayer, he said, "If you had not been afraid of saying that I do what I do out of fear, I would have prayed this prayer for a longer time."

Then he said, "O Allah! Count them one by one. Then cause them to die in scattered numbers and leave none remaining." After saying this, he recited the following lines:

My enemies have gathered their forces around me and they have all gathered in one place. They have gathered their children and women to witness my killing. And I have been brought near a large and strong palm tree to be killed. I complain to Allah about my loneliness: then I complain about my misfortune; and I complain about what the enemies have gathered near my deathbed.

O Lord of the Throne, grant me patience in what they intend to do to me in order to kill me, for in a short time they will tear my flesh to pieces and all my hopes and desires will be shattered.

Before killing me, they gave me the option of accepting kufr or dying, but I chose to die in the path of religion rather than accepting kufr. Then my eyes shed tears without any tears, that is, I did not shed tears out of fear of death; rather, my heart was aching with anger and sorrow because of their wrongdoing and foolishness.

"When I am killed by the infidels in the way of Allah as a Muslim, I do not fear anything, no matter what the circumstances of my death. I know that I am dying for the sake of Allah Almighty. If Allah Almighty wills, He can bless every part of my body that has been severed."

Then Abu Sufyan said to Khubaib, "Do you prefer that Muhammad should be beheaded here instead of you, and that you should live with your relatives?" He said, "No, by Allah! It is not acceptable to me that I should live with my relatives and that Muhammad (ﷺ) should be wounded by a thorn where he is and suffer from the wound."

Then the polytheists killed him by impaling him and appointed people to take care of his body. But Amir bin Umayya Al-Jamri (ra) arrived there and with great cunning at night removed the body and buried it. Uqbah bin Harith killed Khubaib (ra). Khubaib had killed his father Harith in the Battle of Badr.

It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari that Khubaib (ra) was the first respected person to introduce the practice of praying two rak'ahs at the time of killing. While in captivity, he was seen eating grapes, although at that time even dates were not available in Mecca.

The second companion who was captured in the incident was Zayd bin Haritha. Safwan bin Umayya bought him and killed him, avenging his father.

The Quraysh sent people to bring parts of Asim's (ra) body. The purpose was to identify him. Because he had killed a prominent Quraysh leader in the Battle of Badr. But Allah sent a group of hornets against them who protected the body from the evil intentions of the Quraysh people. It was not possible for the Quraysh to take any part of the body. Asim had indeed prayed to Allah that no polytheist should touch him and that he should not touch any polytheist. When Umar (ra) came to know about this incident, he said, 'Allah protects the believing servant after his death, just as He does when he is alive.

4. The Tragic Incident of Bir Mauna: The month in which the 'Razi incident' took place was also the month in which the painful incident of Bir-e-Mauna also took place. This incident was even more difficult and painful than the Razi incident.

The summary of the incident is that Abu Baraya Amir bin Malik, who was given the title of Mulayebul Asinnah (the one who plays with the spear), once came to the Prophet's service in Medina. The Prophet (ﷺ) invited him to Islam. But he did not accept Islam nor did he turn away from it. He said, "O Messenger of Allah! If you send the companions to the people of Najd to invite them to the religion, I hope they will accept your invitation."

The Prophet said, "I fear for my companions from the people of Najd."

Abu Bara said, 'They will stay under my protection.'

For this reason, according to the historian Ibn Ishaq, the Prophet sent 40 companions with him, and according to Sahih Bukhari, 70.

The number of 70 was proven to be correct. He appointed Mundhir bin Amir (who was related to the Banu Sa'idah tribe) as the leader of the group. These companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were learned reciters and leaders. They would collect firewood from the forest during the day and buy food for the people of Suffah in exchange for it. They would learn and teach the Quran and would stand in prayer and supplication before Allah at night. By following this path, they reached the well of Mauna. This well was located between Banu Amir and Harrah Sulaym.

After setting up camp at that place, the said Companion (ra) sent Haram bin Milhan, the brother of Umm Sulaym, with a letter from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to the enemy of Allah, Amer bin Tufail. But before he could read the letter, a man came from behind and struck Haram with a spear so hard that it came out on the other side of his body. Haram, who was pierced by the spear and covered in blood, exclaimed, 'Allah is Great! By the Lord of the Kaaba, I have succeeded.'

Immediately after this, the enemy of Allah, Amir, called upon his tribe, Banu Amir, to attack the remaining companions (ra). But since they were under the protection of Abu Bara, they did not respond to the call. When they did not receive a response from this side, he called upon Banu Sulaim. The three tribes of Banu Sulaim, Usayyah, Ra'il and Zakwan, responded to this call and immediately surrounded the companions from all sides. In response, the companions engaged in battle and all but one were martyred. Only Ka'b bin Zaid (ra) remained alive.

In addition, two other companions, Amr bin Umayya Jamri (ra) and Mundhir bin Uqbah bin Amir (ra), were grazing camels. They saw a bird flying and reached the spot. Mundhir then participated in the battle against the polytheists with his friends and was martyred while fighting. Amr bin Umayya Jamri was captured. But when they came to know that he was related to the Mu'za tribe, Amir cut off the hair on his forehead and freed him on behalf of his mother (who had a vow to free a Sa'd).

Amr bin Umayya Jamri (ra) reached Medina with the news of this painful incident. This heartbreaking martyrdom of 70 learned Muslims increased the wounds of the Battle of Uhud many times over. But this incident was more tragic than Uhud because in that battle, the Muslims were martyred by fighting face to face with the enemy. But in this case, the Muslims died in a completely helpless state, having been the victims of a terrible betrayal.

Amr bin Umayya al-Jamri (ra) on his return journey reached a place called Karkara, which is located at the end of the Qanat Valley, and sat down under the shade of a tree. Two men from the Banu Kelab tribe also took up their positions there. When they both fell asleep, Amr bin Umayya killed them. He thought that by killing them he would avenge the killing of his companions. However, both of them had a promise from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), but Amr bin Umayya did not know this. So, when he informed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) after returning to Medina, he said, "You have killed two people whose blood I must pay for." Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got busy collecting blood money from the Muslims and the Jews who had made treaties with them. This ultimately led to the Battle of Banu Nadir, the details of which are given below.

The painful events mentioned by Mauna and Razi, which took place within a few days, distressed and worried the Prophet (ﷺ) so much that he spent a month in the court of Allah cursing the tribes and communities that had betrayed and killed the Companions. He cursed the tribes of Rail, Dhakwan, Lahyan and Usayyah in the Fajr prayer. Allah revealed verses to His Prophet about this which were later omitted. They are as follows: "Tell my people that we have met our Lord, and He is pleased with us, and we are pleased with Him." After that, the Prophet stopped cursing.

Despite being aware of everything, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) continued with great patience and tolerance. But through the painful events of Razi and Mauna, they displayed unlimited arrogance and adopted a plan of action to eliminate the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), which is mentioned below:

The Messenger of Allah, accompanied by some of his companions, went to the Jews and spoke about the blood money of the two men from the Banu Kalab tribe, whom Amr bin Umayya al-Jamri had mistakenly killed. It was an urgent duty to help them in this matter because of the treaty that had been concluded with them.

While the Messenger of Allah was discussing with them, they said, "O Abul Qasim! We will do as you say. You stay here, we are fulfilling your needs." The Messenger of Allah sat down against the wall of one of their houses and waited for their promise to be fulfilled. The Prophet was accompanied by Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali (ra) and a group of other companions.

Meanwhile, when the Jews gathered secretly, Satan found them and made the misfortune that had been written on their foreheads more beautiful. In this context, they engaged in a conspiracy to kill the Prophet (ﷺ) and said to each other, "Who is there who will climb the wall with this knife and then throw it at Muhammad's head and kill him?"

Jahhash said, "Salaam bin Mushkim from among them said, 'Do not do that. By Allah, he will be informed of what you intend to do. Moreover, it will be contrary to the covenant that is between us and them.'"

But they did not listen to his words and remained steadfast in carrying out the conspiratorial activities. Meanwhile, Gabriel (as) came from the Almighty God and informed the Prophet of the plot of the Jews. He quickly left there and set off towards Medina. Later, the companions came and joined him and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, you have left there, but we did not understand anything. The Prophet said, 'The Jews have plotted a terrible plot, which Allah has informed me of.'

Immediately after returning to Medina, the Prophet immediately sent Muhammad bin Maslama to Banu Nadir with the order that they should leave Medina immediately and go somewhere else. They would no longer be able to live in Medina with the Muslims. They were given ten days to leave Medina. After this period, anyone among them found in Medina would have their throats cut. After receiving this order, the Jews had no choice but to leave Medina.

After receiving the order from the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), they started preparing to leave Medina. But within the specified time, the hypocrite leader Abdullah bin Ubayy advised them not to leave Medina and to remain firmly in their respective places. He said, he has two thousand brave soldiers, if they are expelled from the country, they will also leave with them. If they have to fight, they will help them and they will not bow down to anyone in any matter. Moreover, Banu Qurayzah and Banu Ghatfan, who are your allies, will also help them.

After receiving this proposal from Abdullah bin Ubayy, the morale of the Jews increased and they decided not to abandon Medina but to confront the Muslims.

Their leader, Huway bin Akhtab, believed that he would fulfill what the hypocrite leader had said. Therefore, in response, he sent a message to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying that they would not leave their homes. He could do whatever he wanted.

There is no doubt that this situation was very sensitive for the Muslims. Because, in the critical phase of the history, the business of dealing with the enemy was not very positive or encouraging. It cannot be denied that the consequences were very terrible. At that time, the entire Arab world was against the Muslims and two groups of Muslim missionaries had to be brutally killed. Moreover, the Jews of Banu Nazir were so strong that it was not easy to disarm them. Moreover, the issue of declaring war against them was not without its dangers from various perspectives, given the turn of events before and after the painful incident of Bir-e-Mouna, which resulted in the breach of promise and the brutal killing of Muslims, and which created an unprecedented awareness and consciousness in the minds of Muslims about these crimes. As a result, the feeling and desire for revenge also intensified in the minds of Muslims.

In such a situation, when the Prophet (ﷺ) received a response to his instructions from Huway bin Akhtab, he and his companions (ra) burst into the sound of Allahu Akbar. Preparations for war immediately began. After entrusting the responsibility of administering Medina to Abdullah bin Umm Maktum, the Muslim army set out towards Banu Nadir. The flag was in the hands of Ali bin Abu Talib. Upon reaching Banu Nadir, the Muslim army besieged their fort.

Meanwhile, the Banu Nazir took up positions inside the fort and began to throw arrows and stones from the fort walls. Since the date palm groves were there as a shield or cover for them, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered them to be cut down or burned. Later, referring to this, Hassan (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

It was a common occurrence for the leaders of the Banu Luwaid that there would be a massive fire in Buwayra; the date palm grove of the Banu Nadir was called Buwayra.

Whatever palm trees you cut down or left standing, it was by Allah's command, and that the transgressors might be humiliated. (Surah Hashr: 5)

However, when they were besieged, Banu Qurayzah remained separate from them. Abdullah bin Ubayy also did not keep his promise. Moreover, the tribe of Ghatfan, who had a treaty with them, did not come forward to help them. In short, no one helped them in any way during their time of crisis. For this reason, Allah revealed the verse, citing their example in this incident:

As Satan says to man, "Disbelieve." Then when he disbelieves, Satan says, "I have no relation to you." (Surah Hashr: 16)

The siege did not last long. The siege continued for nine nights, or fifteen nights, according to some sources. In the meantime, Allah struck fear into the hearts of the enemies. They proposed to the Messenger (ﷺ) that they were ready to leave Medina and go elsewhere. The Messenger agreed to their proposal and ordered them to take whatever goods they could carry on their camels, except weapons. Their families could also go with them.

After this recognition, the Banu Nazir surrendered their weapons. Then they destroyed their houses with their own hands so that they could load the windows and doors of their houses on the backs of camels. Some of them were also seen carrying the roof beams and wall posts. Then they put the children and women on the backs of camels and loaded everything on six hundred camels and set off. A large number of Jews and their leaders, such as Huway bin Akhtar and Salam bin Abul Hukayq, went towards Khaybar. A group went towards Syria. Only Yamin bin Amr and Abu Saeed bin Wahhab accepted Islam. Therefore, their property was not touched.

In view of the conditions imposed, the Prophet took possession of the weapons, lands and houses of Banu Nadir. Among the weapons were 50 helmets and 340 swords. The Prophet (ﷺ) alone had full authority over the houses, lands and gardens of Banu Nadir. He had such freedom in taking decisions regarding these matters that he could keep them all in his possession if he wished or give them to whomever he wished. As a result, he did not take out one-fifth of them like the war booty. Because Allah had given all those properties to the Prophet (ﷺ). It was not conquered by the use of camels, horses or swords. Therefore, the Prophet, taking this as his special right, distributed the wealth among the previous emigrants. However, due to poverty, he gave some of it to the Ansar companions Abu Dujanah and Sahl bin Hukayq. In addition, he kept a small part for himself, with which he spent his wives full year expenses. The rest he spent on preparing for war and collecting weapons.

The Battle of Banu Nadir took place in Rabi' al-Awwal, 4th AH, in the month of August, 625 AD. It was in this context that Allah revealed the entire Surah Al-Hashr. It mentions the migration of the Jews and praises the Muhajirun and Ansar. At the same time, it is instructed that for the purpose of war, the trees of the enemy can be cut down or set on fire and burned. Doing so cannot be called creating havoc on the earth. Then, the necessity of piety for the believers and preparation for the Hereafter are specially urged. After describing the mentioned matters, Allah ends the Surah with His Names and Attributes after praising and glorifying Himself. Ibn Abbas (ra) used to say about Surah Al-Hashr that this Surah is called Surah Bani Nadir.

6. Najd War: Without any sacrifice, the Muslims were able to achieve a great success in the battle of Banu Nadir. As a result, the position of the Muslims living in Medina became quite strong. On the other hand, the opponents of Islam became largely weak. From then on, they lost the courage to do anything openly against the Muslims. Now the Prophet took the initiative to get news of all the Bedouins, who had put the Muslims in a difficult situation after the Battle of Uhud and had very unjustly attacked and killed the preachers of Islam. In this context, their courage had increased so much that they were thinking of attacking Medina.

When the Prophet, having been freed from the treaty of Banu Nadir, was thinking about punishing the Bedouins who had broken their promise, he suddenly received news that two tribes of Banu Ghatfan, Banu Muhar and Banu Salabah, were gathering soldiers from among the Bedouins and villagers to fight against the Muslims. As soon as the Prophet (ﷺ) received this news, he decided to attack Najd and sent his companions to Najd for this purpose. The aim was to instill fear in the hearts of those hard-hearted Bedouins so that they would not dare to repeat any action against the Muslims as before. Meanwhile, those Bedouins who were preparing to plunder fled in terror and took refuge on the mountaintops due to the sudden attack of the Muslims. After establishing dominance over these plundering tribes, the Muslims returned safely to Medina.

Historians have mentioned a specific battle at this time which took place in Najd in the month of Rabi'us Sani or Jumadi-ul-Ula in the 4th AH. They have referred to this battle as the Battle of 'Jath-ur-Rika'. However, there is no doubt that a battle took place in the land of Najd at this time. Because the situation in Medina was exactly the same at that time. The time when Abu Sufyan had called for a battle in the desert of Medina on his return from the battle of Uhud and the Muslims had accepted it was approaching. From a military point of view, it was not at all advisable to leave Medina empty of Mujahideen while the Bedouins and villagers were engaged in the terrible battle of Badr, leaving them to their arrogance and stubbornness; rather, it was extremely important to strike at these Bedouins before they fought in the desert of Badr in such a way that they would not dare to approach Medina under any circumstances.

Incidentally, it is particularly noteworthy that the battle that took place in the month of Rabi'ul Akh or Jumadi'ul Ula of the 4th Hijri is said to be called the Battle of 'Jath-ur-Rika'. According to my research, Abu Hurayrah and Abu Musa Ash'ari were present in the Battle of 'Jath-ur-Rika', although Abu Hurayrah had converted to Islam only a few days before the Battle of Khaibar. Similarly, Abu Musa Ash'ari had joined the Prophet in Khaibar after converting to Islam. Therefore, there is no doubt that the Ghazwa-e 'Jath-ur-Rika' took place after the Battle of Khaibar.

The second evidence that the Battle of 'Jath-ur-Rika' took place some time after the 4th Hijri is that the Prophet prayed the prayer of Khawf in this battle. The prayer of Khawf was first offered in the Battle of Asfan. And there is no doubt that the Battle of Asfan took place after the Battle of Khandaq. The Battle of Khandaq took place in the latter part of the 5th Hijri. In fact, the Battle of Asfan was a relevant event of the Hudaybiyah campaign. And the Hudaybiyah campaign was an event of the latter part of the 6th Hijri. After returning from there, the Prophet set out for Khaybar. This also proves that the Battle of 'Jath-ur-Rika' took place after the Battle of Khaybar.

7. Second Battle of Badr: After uprooting the influence of the nomadic Arabs and recovering from the evils of the Bedouins, the Muslims began to prepare for renewed warfare with their formidable enemies, the Quraysh. For the year was rapidly drawing to a close and the time declared by one side and supported by the other after the Battle of Uhud was drawing near.

It was obligatory for the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions (ra) to go to the battlefield and fight Abu Sufyan and his people, and to fight with such a strategy and tactics that the tide of battle would turn in their favor against the group that was more guided and more likely to be established.

So, in the month of Shaban 4 AH, corresponding to January 626 AD, the Prophet entrusted the responsibility of managing Medina to Abdullah ibn Rawah (ra) and set out for the announced Battle of Badr. He was accompanied by one and a half thousand companions and ten horses. He handed over the flag to Ali (ra). Then, upon reaching Badr, he set up camp to await the polytheists. On the other hand, Abu Sufyan set out with two thousand polytheist soldiers, including fifty horsemen. Then, he reached a place called Marush Dahran, one marhala from Mecca, and set up camp near the famous spring called Majinnah. But after setting out from Mecca, he began to feel discouraged about the war. His heart began to tremble with fear at the thought of engaging in repeated battles with the Muslims. When Maruruj reached Dhahran, he completely lost his courage and started looking for an excuse to return to Mecca. Finally, he said to his companions, "O Quraysh, this is not the time for war. The time for war is when you are refresh, the animals can eat grass and you can drink milk. Now the dry conditions prevail. So I have decided to return, so return with me."

It seemed as if all the soldiers were terrified, for without any opposition, they all agreed to the proposal to return. No one expressed an opinion on continuing the journey or fighting the Muslims.

Meanwhile, the Muslims waited for the enemy in the Badr desert for eight days, and in the meantime, they sold their trade goods and converted one dirham into two dirhams. Then, with great pomp and show, they returned to Medina. This battle is known as Ghazwa-e-Badr-e-Mawud (The Promised Battle of Badr), Badr-e-Saniyah (The Second Battle of Badr), Badr-e-Akhir (The Last Battle of Badr), and Badr-e-Sugra (The Lesser Battle of Badr).

8. Ghazwa-e-Dumatul Jandal: After the return of the Prophet (ﷺ) from Badr, a beautiful atmosphere of peace and security was created all around and an air of peace and comfort began to flow throughout the Islamic government. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) gained mental peace and leisure suitable for paying attention to the ends of Arabia. This was also necessary for the Muslims to have complete control over the situation and for all enemies and friends to understand and recognize it. Therefore, after the second battle of Badr, the Prophet stayed in Medina in complete peace for several months. Then he learned that the tribes living around a place called Dumatul Jandal near Syria were attacking people traveling for business and robbing them of their belongings. Moreover, he was informed that they had gathered a large army with the intention of attacking Medina.

In this context, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Sheba bin Arafat Ghafari (ra) as his successor in Medina and set out with an army of one thousand Muslim soldiers. This was on the 25th of Rabi' al-Awwal, 5th AH. He took with him a man named Mazqur from the Banu Azraq tribe as a guide.

In that expedition, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to travel at night and hide during the day. The intention was to launch a surprise attack on the enemy. When they approached the target, they found that they had gone out. So, they attacked their herds and shepherds and captured some of the cattle. The shepherds fled with the rest.

As far as the news of the inhabitants of Dumatul Jandal is concerned, everyone fled wherever they could. When the Muslims arrived at Dumatul Jandal, they found no one. The Prophet (ﷺ) stayed there for a few days and sent several small groups of soldiers here and there. But none of the enemy fell within their reach. Finally, the Prophet (ﷺ) returned to Medina. During that expedition, a peace treaty was concluded with Uyaina bin Hasan. Dumatul Jandal is a town located on the border of Syria. The distance from here to Damascus is five nights' journey and the distance to Medina is fifteen nights' journey.

Through this sudden and decisive campaign and diplomatic wisdom of the Prophet (ﷺ), the peace changed in favor of the Muslims and the severity of the internal and external calamities that surrounded them was reduced. The hypocrites became silent and discouraged. A tribe of Jews was expelled from the country. Other tribes acknowledged their goodwill and the fulfillment of their promises to the Muslims. The Bedouins and Quraysh became weak. In the context of all this, the Muslims got an unprecedented opportunity to spread Islam and carry the message of the Lord of the Worlds across the land.

Ghazwa-e-Ahzab (Battle of the Trench)

For more than a year, in the context of successive military campaigns and activities, there was a message of peace and comfort in the Arabian Peninsula, and an atmosphere of balanced peace and security prevailed everywhere. But the Jews, who had to taste various kinds of humiliation and punishment due to their misdeeds and plots, had not yet awakened. They had not learned any lesson from the evil consequences of various misdeeds such as betrayal, breach of promise, deception, betrayal of trust, etc. Therefore, after being expelled from Medina and going to Khaibar, they were waiting to see what the outcome of the military tension that was going on between the Muslims and the idolaters would be. But when they saw that the situation was gradually turning in favour of the Muslims and their rule was expanding far and wide, they became enraged and began to plot various plots. They began to prepare for a final blow to the Muslims, so that their light would be extinguished forever. But since they did not have the courage to confront the Muslims directly, they adopted a very dangerous strategy, which is recorded below.

Twenty leading men from the Banu Nadir tribe approached the Quraysh of Mecca and encouraged them to fight against the Prophet (ﷺ). On the day of the Battle of Uhud, the Quraysh had promised to fight the Muslims again at Badr, but had failed to do so, and as a result, their reputation as warriors had been greatly damaged, so the Banu Nadir's proposal encouraged them and they accepted it.

Then this group of Jews went to the Banu Ghatfan tribe and, like the Quraysh, they also started inciting them to fight. As a result, they also got ready for war. Furthermore, the delegation went around the remaining tribes of Arabia and started inciting and encouraging them to fight. As a result, many of them got ready for war. In this way, the evil-minded Jews very effectively incited and encouraged the large groups of the polytheists against the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Muslims, and prepared them for war.

Then, according to the set schedule, the Quraysh Kenanah and the second Caliph (contracted) tribes living in Tohama set out from the south towards Medina. Their number was four thousand and Abu Sufyan was in command. When this army reached Maruz-e-Zahran, their friend Sulaym came and joined them. At that time, the Ghatfani tribes of Fazara, Murrah and Ashja set out from the east. Fazara was led by Umayya bin Hisan, Banu Murrah was led by Harith bin Awf and the Ashja tribe was led by Misr bin Ruhai. Banu Asad and many people from other tribes also came under their leadership.

The aforementioned tribes were advancing towards Medina according to a specific time and schedule. In that context, within a few days, a formidable army of ten thousand soldiers gathered around Medina. In their ill-conceived war preparations, they had collected such a large number of soldiers that their number was even greater than the combined number of women, children, old people and young people of Medina. If the waves of the enemy's army had suddenly reached the walls of Medina, it would have been extremely dangerous for the Muslims. Then there would have been nothing surprising in the fact that the Muslims would have been completely wiped out and exterminated.

Immediately, the messengers of Medina quickly conveyed the news to the Prophet.

As soon as the news reached the Prophet, he called a meeting of the leading companions and consulted them on a plan of resistance. After much deliberation, the representatives of the Shura unanimously accepted a proposal from Salman al-Farsi (ra). The language of Salman al-Farsi's proposal was as follows:

O Messenger of Allah, when we were besieged in Persia, we used to dig trenches around us.

This proposal regarding resistance was very wise and promising. The Arabs were not aware of the wisdom of this proposal. As soon as this proposal was accepted, the Prophet took effective steps to implement it. In it, the responsibility of digging a trench of 40 cubits was assigned to every ten people. As soon as the responsibility was received, the Muslims devoted themselves to digging the trench with great devotion. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) kept inspiring and encouraging everyone in this work and himself participated fully in it.

It was narrated in Bukhari from Sahl bin Sa'd that he said: We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in Khandak. The people were digging and we were carrying the soil on our shoulders. At that time the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited:

"O Allah! The life of this world is not real life without the Hereafter. So forgive the Muhajirun and the Ansar."

It was narrated from Anas that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was approaching Khandak when he saw the Ansar and the Muhajirun digging it on a winter morning. They had no slaves to do the work for them. Seeing their hardship and hunger, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:

"O Allah! Indeed, the Hereafter is the real life, so forgive the Ansar and the Muhajirin."

The Ansar and Muhajirin replied, "We have pledged our allegiance to Muhammad (ﷺ) for as long as we live."

It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari on the authority of Bara bin Azib that, I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) carrying the soil of a ditch. His body was covered with dust as he carried it. In that state, I heard him reciting the following verses from the poem of Abdullah bin Rawaha:

O Allah! Were it not for Your grace, we would not have been guided, nor would we have given charity, nor would we have established prayer. So send down peace upon us, and if we encounter the disbelievers, make our feet firm. Indeed, they have incited the people against us. If they intend to cause trouble, we will not tolerate them.

Bara bin Azeeb said that the Prophet was pronouncing the last words with great emphasis, while in another narration the last part of the poem was as follows:

Surely they have oppressed us, and if they intend to cause trouble, we will not tolerate them.

The Muslims were working with such passion on the one hand, and on the other hand, their hunger was so great that it would be heartbreaking to think about it. Anas (ra) narrated that the small amount of food that was brought for the Muslims digging the trench was very smelly. They ate this smelly food.

Abu Talha (ra) narrated: We complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about our hunger and uncovered our bellies and showed them stones tied to them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) uncovered his bellies and showed that two stones tied to it.

Some signs of prophethood were also revealed during the digging of the trench. It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari that Jabir bin Abdullah, upon learning of the severe hunger of the Prophet (ﷺ), slaughtered a goat and his wife ground barley (approximately two and a half kilograms) into flour. Then he requested the Prophet (ﷺ) to come to his house privately with some prominent companions. But the Prophet (ﷺ) went to his house with all the companions who were digging the trench, who numbered one thousand.

By the infinite grace of Allah, all the companions ate this meager food with complete satisfaction, but there was meat left in the meat bowl, and bread continued to be made, with flour remaining in the flour bowl as before.

When the sister of Nu'man ibn Bashir came to the trench with some dates to feed her father and maternal uncle, the Prophet (ﷺ) took them and spread them on a cloth. Then he invited the companions who were digging and told them to eat them. As the companions continued to eat, the amount of dates kept increasing. After all the companions had eaten to their full satisfaction, there was so much left over that some of it even spilled over the cloth.

Imam Bukhari (ra) narrated an even more significant incident during the digging of the trench. Jabir (ra) said, "While we were digging the trench, a very hard stone obstructed us." Some of the companions came to the Prophet and said, "O Messenger of Allah! A very hard stone obstructed our digging."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I am descending." When he descended, a stone was still tied to his stomach. We did not eat any food for three days. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) struck the stone, and it shattered into pieces and became a pile.

Bara (ra) narrated that while digging a trench, a very hard stone was seen at one place. When we struck this stone with a spade, it did not do any harm, but the spade kept bouncing back. Seeing no other option, the Prophet was informed of the matter. The Prophet came to know about the matter and after taking the spade in his hand, he said Bismillah and struck the stone. As a result of the blow, a part of the stone broke. Then he said, Allahu Akbar. I have been given the key of Syria. By Allah, I see the red buildings there.

Since the city of Medina was surrounded by hills, mountains, and date palm groves on all sides except the north, as a wise, experienced, and skilled soldier, he rightly assumed that an attack by such a large force on Medina could only be possible from the north, and he had the trench dug in that direction.

The Muslims continued to dig the trench continuously. They would continue digging during the day and return home in the evening. Thus, the trench was completed according to the schedule before the well-equipped infidel army reached the outskirts of Medina.

Meanwhile, the Quraysh army, consisting of four thousand soldiers, camped at a place called Majma'ul Asyal, between Rumah, Jarf and Jagba, near Medina. On the other hand, Ghatfan and his Najdi companions, with an army of six thousand soldiers, camped at a place called Janab-e-Naqmi, east of Uhud. Referring to such a situation, Allah the Almighty says:

And when the believers saw the companies, they said, "This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth." And it increased them only in faith and acceptance. (Surah Al-Ahzab: Verse-22)

And the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease say, "What Allah and His Messenger promised us is nothing but deception." (Surah Al-Ahzab: Verse-12)

However, to confront the enemy, the Prophet advanced with an army of three thousand soldiers and established a position at Shirib, with Mount Salaya behind him. In front was a trench, which served as a barrier between the Muslims and the infidels.

At this time, the responsibility of Medina was entrusted to Ibn Umm Matum. The women and children of Medina were kept safe in the city's forts and trenches.

When the polytheists advanced towards Medina to attack, they saw that a wide ditch stood between them and the Muslims. Having no choice, they had to think of creating a siege. However, they had no such thought or preparation when they set out for the war. Because this plan for resistance; according to their own words, it was such an ingenious strategy that the Arabs had no idea about. Therefore, they had no idea about such a strategy. When they arrived at the ditch, the polytheists became very angry at this strategy that they had not imagined and started circling with great speed. In this situation, they were looking for a weak spot through which it would be possible for them to land. Meanwhile, the Muslims were keeping a careful eye on their movements and were occasionally shooting arrows so that they would not dare to approach the ditch, so that they could not jump into it or fill up a part of it and make a way.

Meanwhile, the Quraysh cavalry could not bear to sit for an indefinite period of time, waiting for results by creating a blockade along the side of the ditch. This arrangement was completely contrary to their habits and honor. Therefore, a group of them; including Amr bin Abd al-Udd, Ikrama bin Abu Jahl and Jarar bin Khattab crossed the ditch through a narrow passage and their horses even circled between the ditch and the salar. On the other hand, Ali and some of the companions (ra) took up positions at the part of the ditch through which they had entered and blocked their path. In view of this, Amr bin Abd al-Udd called out loudly for a face-to-face encounter. Ali (ra) confronted him and uttered a sentence that caused him to jump off his horse in a fit of rage, cut off both of its legs, and disfigure his face. He was one of the bravest and most courageous polytheists of the Quraysh.

Then the two began to fight, and they exchanged attacks and counterattacks. Finally, Ali (ra) killed him with a powerful blow. Seeing this, the other polytheists fled from the trench in fear. The others were so frightened that Ikrama dropped his spear while fleeing.

The polytheists sometimes made great efforts to cross the trench or to narrow its width to make a way, but the Muslims also used various methods with great skill to keep them away from the trench. They shot arrows with indomitable courage and skill and countered the enemy's archery, thus thwarting all their attempts.

The Prophet and his companions were unable to offer their prayers due to the constant fighting with the enemy. As narrated in the Sahih on the authority of Jabir (ra), on the day of the Battle of Qadr, Umar ibn al-Khattab came and after saying some good and bad things about the infidels, he said, "O Messenger of Allah! Today, I was able to offer my prayer with great difficulty when the sun set."

The Prophet said, "By Allah! I have not yet been able to pray."

Then we descended with the Prophet (ﷺ) to a place called Butha. The Prophet performed ablution there and we also performed ablution. Then he prayed the afternoon prayer. This was after the sun had set. After that he prayed the evening prayer.

The Prophet was so distressed by not being able to offer the prayer at the appointed time that he cursed the polytheists. According to a narration from Ali (ra) in Bukhari, on the day of the Ditch, the Prophet said, "O Allah! Fill the houses and graves of those polytheists with fire in the same way that they prevented us from leading the prayer, and thus the sun has set."

It is narrated in Musnad Ahmad and Musnad Shafi'i that the polytheists prevented the Prophet (ﷺ) from praying Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha. In this context, he prayed all of these prayers together. Imam Nawawi said, "The issue of consistency between the above narrations will be resolved, as this problem continued until a few days after the Battle of the Trench. Therefore, on some days, there was a situation like this and on other days, there was a different situation.

This also proves that the attempt to cross the trench by the polytheists and the continued resistance by the Muslims continued for several days. But since the trench was a great obstacle for the two parties to engage in face-to-face combat, there was no opportunity for face-to-face combat. The course of the battle was limited to the shooting of arrows.

Of course, some people died on both sides as a result of the arrows. The number of Muslim martyrs was six and the number of Mushriks was ten. Of these, one or two were killed by sword blows. At one point, when the two sides were shooting arrows at each other, Sa'd bin Mu'adh was hit by an arrow. The arrow severed the main vein in his hand. He was wounded by an arrow from a Quraysh man named Hibban bin Arikah. He then prayed, "O Allah! You know that fighting a people who denied Your Messenger and expelled him from the land is more beloved to me than fighting any other people. O Allah! I think that You have now brought our war with them to an end. But if there is anything left in the war, then leave me for them so that I can fight with them. And if You have finished the war, then leave this wound and make it the cause of my death."

The last part of his prayer was, (but) do not cause me to die until I have satisfied my eyes with regard to Banu Qurayzah.

In any case, on the one hand, the Muslims are busy in solving the problems by facing the enemies, while on the other hand, the deceit of the conspirators and hypocrites are weaving their webs and trying to poison the Muslims. For example, the great criminal Huway bin Akhtar of Banu Nadir came to the residence of Banu Qurayza and met their leader Ka'b bin Asad Al-Qarazi. This Ka'b bin Asad was the man who had the right to fulfill the promise on behalf of Banu Qurayza and who had made a pact with the Messenger of Allah that he would help him in the war. Then he closed the door from inside. But Huway kept talking to him in such a way that finally he opened the door for him. Huway said, "O Ka'b! I have brought to you the glory of the age and the sea of ​​​​tide. I have brought the Quraysh with their leaders and leaders and landed them in the Majma'ul Asyal of Ruma. Moreover, I have made Banu Ghatfan, with their leaders and leaders, camp at Janab Naqmi near Uhud. They have pledged to me that they will not return from this place until Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions are completely destroyed.

Ka'b said, 'By Allah! You have brought me the humiliation of the age and a rain-bearing cloud that only flashes lightning. But there is nothing fruitful in it. Huway said, I am sorry, leave me to my own condition. I have not seen anything in Muhammad (ﷺ) except honesty and keeping the faith.

But Huwa'i continued to seduce him by twisting his hair between his shoulders and his head. In this way, he subdued him. However, Huwa'i had to make a pact with Ka'b. The pact was that if the Quraysh returned without finishing Muhammad (ﷺ), he would enter their fortress with them. Then whatever would happen to them would happen to him. As a result of this pact between the two, Ka'b's pact with the Prophet (ﷺ) was broken, and instead of supporting the Muslims, they sided with the enemies.

Then the Jews of Banu Qurayza actually became involved in the activities related to the war. According to the narration of Ibn Ishaq, Safiyyah bint Abdul Muttalib was staying in the fort of Hassan bin Thabit called 'Faro'. Hassan was there with women and children. Safiyyah (ra) said, "A Jew passed by us and started roaming around the fort. This was at a time when Banu Qurayza had broken their promise with the Messenger of Allah and freed themselves from the terms of the treaty. And there was no one among us or them who could resist their attack. The Messenger of Allah was busy fighting the enemies with the Muslims. He could not come near us. So I said, 'O Hassan! I see this Jew roaming around our fort. By Allah! I fear that he will make the other Jews aware of our weakness.' Meanwhile, the Prophet and his companions are so busy fighting the enemy that they cannot come to our aid. So you go and kill him.

In response, Hassan said, "By Allah! You know I am not the type of person to do this." Safiya said, "I have now girded myself. Then I took one of the pieces of wood from the pillar and went out of the fort to the Jew. Then I killed him by hitting him with that piece of wood and returning to the fort I said to Hassan, "Go and bring his weapons and equipment. He is a men so I have not opened his weapons." Hearing this, Hassan said, "I have no need of his weapons and equipment."

The fact is that the risky move of the Prophet's (ﷺ) aunt had a profound and significant impact on the protection of Muslim children and women. It created in the minds of the common Jews the impression that soldiers were stationed to protect the inhabitants of the fort, and that is why they did not dare to attack the fort. However, there were no soldiers in the fort at that time.

However, as a sign of their solidarity with the idolatrous invaders, they continued to provide them with supplies. By then, the Muslim army had captured twenty camels carrying their supplies. However, when the Prophet heard of the Jews breach of their promise, he immediately set about finding out the facts. The intention was to ascertain the attitude of the Banu Qurayzah and, if necessary, to reorganise his military strategy in the light of that.

Therefore, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Sa'd bin Mu'adh, Sa'd bin Ubadah, Abdullah bin Rawaha and Khawat bin Zubayr (ra) to investigate the matter. He advised them to investigate whether the information given about Banu Qurayza was true or false. If it was true, he advised them to inform him only by hint. This was to keep the morale of the soldiers strong. On the other hand, he advised them to publicly announce and discuss it if they were keeping their promise.

When they reached Banu Qurayzah, they found them in a state of great disorder and agitation. They openly abused him, spoke hostile words and made insulting remarks against the Messenger. They also said things like, "Who is the Messenger of Allah? There is no covenant between us and Muhammad."

After witnessing this situation of Banu Qurayza, they returned to the Prophet (ﷺ) and gestured, "Azl and Qara." This means that just as the tribes of Azl and Qara had broken their promise with the respective companions, the Jews of Banu Qurayza had also broken their promise.

Despite the secrecy of the companions concerned in the matter, everyone became aware of the real situation and as a result, the glimpse of an impending danger gradually began to appear before them. Indeed, the Muslims were faced with a very delicate situation at that time. Behind them were the Banu Qurayzah, whose attack the Muslims had no suitable means to repel. In front were the well-armed polytheist army, from whose presence it was impossible to retreat. Moreover, the Muslim children and women were staying close to the treacherous Jews without any special security measures. The Muslims fell into great anxiety for various reasons, which are described in this verse:

[Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats, and you assumed about Allah [various] assumptions. There the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking. (Surah Al-Ahzab: Verses 10-11)

In the context of such a complex situation, some hypocrites also raised their heads. They started saying, Muhammad used to promise us, for example, that we would enjoy the treasures of Caesar and Kisra. But here the situation is now that even going out to urinate and defecate, there is fear for our lives. Some hypocrites even said to their people that our houses are open to the enemy. So let us be allowed to return to our houses. At that time, the situation reached such a stage that the enthusiasm of the people of Banu Salama was broken and they started thinking of returning. It was about these people that Allah said:

And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, "Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion." And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you [here], so return [home]." And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are exposed [unprotected]," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee. (Surah Al-Ahzab: Verses 12-13)

While the condition of the soldiers was like this, on the other hand, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) heard the news of the breach of the promise of Banu Qurayza, he lay down with his face covered with a cloth for a long time. Seeing the condition of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), the people's anxiety increased even more. But after some time, the face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) shone with the light of hope. Saying Allahu Akbar, he stood up and said, "O Muslims, listen to the good news of Allah's help and your victory."

The Prophet (ﷺ) then formulated a plan to deal with the situation and as part of his plan, he sent a part of the army to secure Medina. The aim was to ensure that the malicious Jews would not be able to take advantage of the vulnerable children and women and attack them.

But at that time, a diplomatic move was needed, through which it was possible to separate each group from the other by creating a rift in the unity of the different enemy groups. In this context, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) intended to conclude a treaty with the two leaders of Banu Ghatfan, Uyaina bin Hisan and Harith bin Awf, on the condition of giving them one-third of the produce of Medina, as a result of which these two leaders would leave the battlefield with the people of their respective tribes and in this situation the Muslims could attack the separated Quraysh army with great force.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) discussed this diplomatic strategy with Sa'd bin Mu'adh and Sa'd Ubadah, they both said in one sentence, "O Messenger of Allah! If you do not receive this order from Allah, we have no need of it. When these people and all of us were idolaters, they could not earn even a grain of rice by any means other than hospitality and trade. And now Allah has blessed us with the light of Islam and has granted us honor through you. Why should we give them wealth now? By Allah! We will only strike them with the sword. We are not ready to give them anything else." The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed their opinion and said, "I wanted to do this only for your sake, since the whole of Arabia has taken up arms against you."

But Allah, in His mercy, took a measure that created division and separation among the enemies. As a result, the morale of their soldiers was broken and their fervor was dampened. The incident happened when Nu'aym ibn Mas'ud ibn Amir al-Ashja'i of Banu Ghatfan came to the Messenger of Allah and said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have become a Muslim. But my people have not heard of my conversion to Islam. So give me some order."

The Prophet said, "Since you are completely alone as an individual, it is not possible for you to take any military action. However, you can adopt some strategy to create a rift in their unity and destroy their morale. Because these strategies are very valuable in defeating the enemy. War means a game of cunning, and in view of this, Nu'aym immediately set out for Banu Qurayzah."

Nu'aym had good relations with Banu Qurayza during the pre-Islamic period. He went there and said, "You must acknowledge the good relations that exist between you and me." They said, "Yes."

Then Nu'aym went straight to the Quraysh and said, "I trust you understand the love and goodwill I have for you." They said, "Yes."

Nuaim said, "Well then, listen. The Jews have broken their sworn oath with Muhammad (ﷺ) and his companions and have become ashamed of it. Now they are maintaining relations with them on the condition that they take a number of people from you as hostages and then hand them over to Muhammad, thereby making up for the breach of the oath. So if the Jews ask for a number of people from the Quraysh as prisoners, they will not be given them." Then Nuaim went to the Ghatfan tribe and repeated what he had told the Quraysh. They also became alert.

Then, on the night between Saturday and Sunday, the Quraysh sent a message to the Jews that their position was not favorable. The horses and camels were dying. Therefore, you from that side and we from this side should attack Muhammad together. The Jews replied, "Today is Saturday and you know how the punishment was inflicted on those of our ancestors who disobeyed the Sharia on this day. Moreover, we will not participate in the war until you give us some of your people as hostages."

When the messenger returned from the Jews with this answer, the Quraysh and Ghatfan said, "By Allah! Nu'aym has spoken the truth." So they sent word to the Jews. "By Allah! We will not hold any man hostage in your hands. Come out with us and we will attack Muhammad's army from both sides at the same time." Hearing this, the people of Banu Qurayz said to each other, "By Allah! Nu'aym has spoken the truth." Thus, the path of mutual assistance and dependence between the two sides was blocked and a rift was created in their relations. As a result, their courage and morale were broken.

At that time, the Muslims were making the following supplication to Allah: O Allah! Cover our faults and keep us safe from fear and danger.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) made the following supplication: O Allah! O Revealer of the Book! O Swift in Reckoning! Defeat this army. O Allah! Defeat them and make them tremble.

Finally, Allah accepted the supplications of His Messenger and the Muslims, created a rift in the unity of the polytheists and broke their spirit. Then He sent upon them a hot wind and a storm. Which uprooted their tents, overturned their main vessels, uprooted their tent poles and destroyed everything. Along with this, He sent armies of angels who weakened their position and instilled fear in their hearts.

On that bitterly cold night, the Prophet sent Hudhayfah bin Yaman (ra) to gather news of the pilgrims. When he reached their meeting place, he saw that their preparations for their return were almost complete. Hudhayfah came to the Prophet and informed him of their departure. In the morning, the Prophet saw that the field had been completely cleared due to their return. Allah alone was sufficient to drive the enemies back with deep displeasure and anger without achieving any success and fight them. In short, Allah fulfilled His promise and honored His soldiers. In the context of this situation, the Prophet returned to Medina.

According to the authentic tradition, the Battle of the Trench took place in the month of Shawwal in the 5th year of the Hijri calendar, and the polytheists besieged the Prophet and the Muslims for about a month. The battle ended in the month of Dhu al-Qadh, according to the historian Ibn Sayyid.

The day the Prophet returned from the trench was Wednesday, and there were seven days left until the end of the month of Dhul-Qadh.

The Battle of Ahzab was not really a war of attrition; rather, it was really a war of nerves. No bloody clashes took place in it. But despite this, this battle was a turning point in the history of Islam. As a result of this battle, the morale of the polytheists was broken and it became clear that no Arab power could destroy the growing strength of the Muslims of Medina. Because, a huge army was gathered for the Battle of Ahzab. It was not possible for the Arabs to gather a stronger army than this. Therefore, after returning from Ahzab, the Prophet said:

From now on, we will attack them, they will not attack us. Now we and our soldiers will go towards them.

The Battle of Banu Qurayza

On the day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned from the Battle of Khandaq, while he was taking a bath in the house of Umm Salamah (ra) at the time of Zuhr, Gabriel (as) came and said, "Have you put down your weapons?" The angels had not yet put down their weapons. I too have come here straight pursuing the enemy. Get up and continue towards Banu Qurayzah with your companions. I will go ahead and shake their fortresses and strike fear into their hearts.

After telling the Prophet these things, Gabriel (as) set out with the group of angels.

Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) announced through a companion that those who were determined to listen and obey would pray the afternoon prayer at Banu Qurayza. Then he entrusted the responsibility of overseeing Medina to Ibn Umm Maktum (ra) and went towards Banu Qurayza with the flag of war given in the hands of Ali (ra). When he reached the forts of Banu Qurayza, they were raining abuse on the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) set out with a well-organized group of Muhajirin and Ansar and camped near a well called 'Anna' of Banu Qurayza. The other common Muslims also, upon hearing the announcement of war, set out towards Banu Qurayza with great speed. On the way, it was time for the Asr prayer. Some of them said, "We will do as we have been ordered. We will go to Banu Qurayza and pray the 'Asr prayer." For this reason, some of them prayed the Asr prayer after the Isha prayer.

But some of the companions also said that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not intend for us to adopt this view or approach regarding prayer; rather, he wanted us to set out for Banu Qurayzah without delaying for a moment. Those who held this view offered the Asr prayer on time on the way. However, when the matter was brought before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he did not say anything good or bad about either side in this regard.

In any case, the Muslim army, divided into different groups, reached the land of Banu Qurayza and met the Prophet (ﷺ). Then they surrounded the forts of Banu Qurayza from all sides. The number of Muslim soldiers was three thousand and the number of horses was thirty. When the Jews of Banu Qurayza fell into a state of siege, the Jewish leader Ka'b bin Asad presented three alternative proposals to them. They were:

1. Either we will accept Islam and enter the religion of Muhammad and save our life, property and children from destruction. While presenting this proposal, Ka'b Asad also said that by Allah! It has become clear to you that he is indeed a Prophet and Messenger. Moreover, he is the one about whom you have been informed in your Divine Book.

2. Or kill your own children with your own hands. Then raise your sword and advance towards Muhammad and fight with all your might. In the end, either we will be victorious or we will be completely wiped out.

3. Or they will deceive Muhammad and his companions and attack them on Saturday, because they will be sure that no fighting will take place on that day.

But the Jews did not accept any of the three proposals. As a result, Ka'b bin Asad became angry and said, "None of you have spent a single night with intelligence since you were born in your mother's womb."

After rejecting the three proposals, the only option left for the Banu Qurayza was to surrender to the Messenger of Allah and leave their fate to his decision. But they decided, after further deliberation, that before taking such a step, that is, before surrendering their arms, they would discuss the matter with the Muslims with whom they had entered into a treaty of assistance. Perhaps through this they would be able to gain some idea of the consequences of giving up their arms.

After rejecting the three proposals, the only option left for the Banu Qurayza was to surrender to the Messenger of Allah and leave their fate to his decision. But they decided, after further deliberation, that before taking such a step, that is, before surrendering their arms, they would discuss the matter with the Muslims with whom they had entered into a treaty of assistance. Perhaps through this they would be able to gain some idea of the consequences of giving up their arms.

In this context, they sent a proposal to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to send Abu Lubaba to them. Since they were maternal relative with Abu Lubaba, it was necessary for them to consult him. Moreover, Abu Lubaba's gardens, children, and relatives were residents of that region.

When Abu Lubaba arrived there, the men saw him and ran to him, and the children and women began to cry pitifully. Seeing this, Abu Lubaba's heart was filled with emotion. The Jews said, "Abu Lubaba! Do you think it is reasonable that we surrender our weapons to Muhammad (ﷺ) to settle our dispute?"

Abu Lubaba said yes, but immediately pointed with his hand towards the throat, which meant killing. But he immediately realized that the matter was a clear betrayal of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). Therefore, instead of returning to the Messenger (ﷺ), he went straight to the Prophet's Mosque and tied himself to a pillar in the mosque and swore that he would remain in this state until the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) untied him and that he would never enter the land of Banu Qurayzah again. Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was observing his delay in returning with deep attention. Then, realizing the truth, he said, "If he had come to me, I would have asked for forgiveness for him. But since he has done this on his own, preferring his own opinion, I cannot free him until Allah accepts his repentance."

Meanwhile, despite the secret hints of Abu Lubaba's cunning, the Qurayza decided to surrender their arms to the Prophet and agreed to accept whatever he deemed appropriate without question. However, they had the strength and endurance to endure the hardships of this siege for a long time. Because on the one hand, they had abundant food and drink, water springs and wells, and on the other hand, they also had a strong and well-protected fortress. Allah had struck fear into their hearts, as a result of which their enthusiasm gradually subsided. Their gradual enthusiasm reached its final limit when Ali ibn Abi Talib and Zubayr ibn Awam advanced towards the gate of their fortress and Ali announced in a thunderous voice, "O soldiers of Allah! By Allah! I will either drink from the cup of nectar that Hamza drank, or it is certain that I will conquer this fortress."

On learning of Ali's determination, the Banu Qurayza hastened to surrender to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and he took such action as he deemed fit for them. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered the capture of the men, and all the men of Banu Qurayza were captured under the supervision of Muhammad bin Maslama Ansari, and the women, children and the elderly were kept separately. The leaders of the Aws tribe appealed to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "You know very well what you have done to Banu Qaynuqa. You may remember that Banu Qaynuqa was the caliph of our brothers, the Khazraj, and these people are our caliphs. So be kind to them."

The Prophet said, "Are you not satisfied that a man from among you should settle their dispute?" They replied, "We have no reason not to be satisfied." The Prophet said, "Good, this matter is in the hands of Sa'd bin Mu'adh." The people of Aws said, "We are satisfied with that."

Then Sa'd bin Mu'adh was summoned. He was then staying in Medina. He could not go with the army to Banu Qurayzah because his arm was cut in the Battle of the Trench. He was made to ride on a donkey and presented to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When he reached there, the people of his tribe surrounded him from all sides and said, "O Sa'd! Make a good and beneficial decision with your Caliph. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has appointed you as a judge so that you will treat them well." But he remained silent and did not answer them. The people kept on pleading with him about this. In this context, he said, "Now a time has come when Sa'd will not think of or fear any blasphemy against Allah." After hearing this, some people came to Medina and declared that the death of the prisoners was inevitable.

Then when Sa'd (ra) reached the Prophet (ﷺ), he said, "Bring your leader forward." When he was brought down, the Messenger of Allah said to him, "O Sa'd! These people have surrendered, trusting in your decision."

Sa'd said, "Will my ruling apply to them?" The people said, "Yes." He said, "What about the Muslims?" The people replied, "Yes."

He said again, "Will that apply to those who are present here?" He was pointing towards the place where the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had landed. But out of respect and honor, his face was turned away.

The Prophet replied, "Yes. It will be on me too." Sa'd said, "Then my verdict regarding them is that the men should be killed, the women and children should be held captive, and the wealth should be divided."

The Prophet said, "You have judged them just as Allah has judged them above the seven heavens."

This judgment of Sa'd was very fair and just. Because, what Banu Qurayza wanted to do in a very delicate situation for the lives and deaths of the Muslims was very terrible and horrible. They also committed a heinous crime of breaking the promise. Moreover, to exterminate the Muslims, they had collected one and a half thousand swords, two thousand spears, three hundred iron armor suitable for use in war, and five hundred defensive shields. Later, they came into the possession of Muslims.

After this decision, the people of Banu Qurayza were brought to Medina by the order of the Prophet and confined in the house of the daughter of Harith of Banu Najjar. Then a ditch was dug in the market of Medina and groups of prisoners were taken there and their heads were beheaded. When the remaining prisoners fell into this situation, they asked their leader Ka'b bin Asad how those who were being taken from here were being treated?

He said, "Don't you have the common sense to realize this? Don't you notice that those who are being taken away are not coming back, and that the request of the supplicant is not being fulfilled here. By Allah! Nothing is happening except killing."

Thus all the prisoners (who numbered between six and seven hundred) were beheaded. By the above-mentioned arrangement, the established and mature rebellion of the Banu Qurayzah, who had broken their oaths, was completely eradicated. They deserved the death penalty for the heinous war crime they had committed by helping the enemy with the aim of annihilating the Muslims in their hour of distress and great misfortune.

Like Banu Qurayza, the evil devil of Banu Nazir and the great culprit of the Ahzab war, Huway bin Akhtar, deserved to be punished because of his various injustices. This man was the father of Umm al-Mu'minin Safiyya (ra). When Banu Qurayza returned from the battle with Quraysh and Ghatfan, they were besieged and they were trapped in the fort. This was because during the battle of Ahzab, when this man came to incite Ka'b bin Asad to commit treachery and betrayal, he had made a promise, and here the fulfillment of that promise was taking place.

When he was brought to the Prophet, he was wearing a pair of clothes that he had worn. He had torn this garment into pieces, on each side, so that he would not be counted among the plunder. His hands were tied together with ropes behind his neck. He looked at the Prophet and said, "I have not condemned myself for your enmity. But whoever fights against Allah, he is defeated."

Then he addressed the people and said, "O people! There is no difficulty in the decision of Allah. Such is the matter of destiny. This is a great massacre which Allah has written for the Children of Israel." Then he sat down and he was beheaded.

A woman from Banu Qurayza was also killed in the incident. She had killed Khallad bin Suwayd (RA) by throwing a piece of a millstone at him. She was killed as punishment for this murder.

In connection with this incident, the Prophet ordered that those who had hair growing below their navels should be killed. Atiya Quraishi had not yet grown that hair, so he was left alive. Later, he embraced Islam and became a companion.

Thabit bin Qays requested Zubayr bin Bata and his family to be given to him as a donation. The reason for this was that Zubayr had done some favors to Thabit. His request was granted and Zubayr and his family were given to him. Then Thabit bin Qays said to Zubayr, "The Messenger of Allah has given you and your family to me at my request."

Now I am giving everyone to you as your Hawala or Zimmah. (That is, you are free along with your family.) But when Zubayr bin Bata came to know that all his tribe members had been killed, he said, "Let what happened to my tribe members happen to me as well." In that context, he was beheaded and included in the group of his Jewish tribe members. However, Zubayr bin Bata's son, Abdul Rahman, was saved from being killed. Later, he converted to Islam and attained the status of a companion.

Similarly, a woman from Banu Najjar, Umm al-Mundhir Salma bint Qays, requested that Rafaya, the son of Samwal Quraazi, be given to her as a donation. Her request was accepted and Rafaya was handed over to her. In this way, he saved Rafaya from death. Later, Rafaya converted to Islam and attained the status of a companion.

A number of other Banu Qurayzah people had already embraced Islam before they laid down their arms and surrendered. Therefore, their lives, wealth and children were completely safe. That night, a man named Amr came out of the fort without participating in the breach of the Banu Qurayzah's pledge. Muhammad bin Aslam, the commander of the guards, recognized him and released him. He was never seen again.

The Prophet took out one-fifth of the wealth of Banu Qurayza and distributed it. He gave three parts to the cavalry. One part for the riders and two parts for the horses. He gave one part to those who went on foot. The prisoners and children were sent under the care of Sa'd bin Zaid Ansari and horses and weapons were purchased in exchange for them.

Prophet chose Rayhana bint Amr bin Khanafa from among the women of Banu Qurayzah as a slave. According to the narration of Ibn Ishaq, Rayhana remained in his possession until the death of the Prophet.

But according to the narration of Kalbi, the Prophet (ﷺ) released her in the 6th Hijri. Then she returned to Medina. She died a few days later. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) buried her in the graveyard of Jannatul Baqi.

When the final solution to the problems related to the tribe of Banu Qurayzah was reached, the righteous servant Sa'd bin Muadh's prayer was accepted in the court of Allah, and the time came to reveal it. This was mentioned in the discussion of the Battle of Ahzab. Therefore, his wound became infected. At that time, he was staying in the Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet (ﷺ) had set up a camp for him in the mosque so that he could be cared for from close by. According to the narration of Aisha (ra), blood flowed from his wound. There were also some camps of the people of the tribe of Banu Ghifah in the mosque. Since blood was flowing towards them, they said, "O camp owners! Is this what is flowing from your side towards us?" They noticed that blood was flowing from Sa'd's wound. Then he died in that wounded state.

In Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, it is narrated from Jabir that the Messenger of Allah said: The Throne of Allah shook at the death of Sa'd bin Mu'adh. Imam Tirmidhi narrated a hadith from Anas and certified it as authentic: When the funeral procession of Sa'd bin Mu'adh was carried out, the hypocrites said: How light is this body? The Messenger of Allah said: The angels of Allah carried his body.

During the siege of Banu Qurayza, a Muslim was martyred. His name was Khallad bin Suwaid. He was the companion on whom a Banu Qurayza woman threw a piece of a millstone. In addition, Ukasha's brother Abu Sinan bin Muhsin died during the siege.

As far as is known, Abu Lubaba spent six nights tied to a pole. Each time during the prayer, his wife would come and untie him. After the prayer, he would tie himself to the pole again. Then in the morning, it was revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) that his repentance is accepted. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was staying in the house of Umm Salama (ra). Abu Lubaba narrated that Umm Salama stood at the door of her house and said to me, "O Abu Lubaba! Be pleased, Allah has accepted your repentance." Hearing this, the Companions (ra) who were present hurried out to untie him. But he refused to untie him by anyone other than the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So, when the Prophet (ﷺ) was passing by for the Fajr prayer, he untied him.

This battle took place in the month of Dhul-Qa'd. The siege of Banu Qurayza lasted for twenty-five days. In Surah Al-Ahzab, there is a detailed account of the Battle of the Trench and the Battle of Banu Qurayza, with various situations of many believers and hypocrites. The disintegration and lack of enthusiasm of the various groups of the enemy and the consequences of the breach of the promise of the People of the Book are clearly highlighted.

Events after the Battle of Ahzab and Qurayza

1. The murder of Salam bin Abul Hokaik: Salam bin Abil Hokaik's nickname was Abu Rafi. He was one of the Jewish leaders who were hostile to Islam and hostile to Islam. He always played a leading role in inciting and tempting the polytheists against the Muslims and helped them by providing them with wealth and supplies.

Moreover, he was always on the lookout for trouble for the Prophet. Therefore, when the Muslims were relieved of the troubles of Banu Qurayzah and breathed a sigh of relief, the people of the Khazraj tribe sought the permission of the Prophet (ﷺ) to kill him. Since some companions of the Aus tribe had previously killed Ka'b bin Ashraf, the Khazraj tribe was also eager to commit a similar act. Therefore, they wanted to hurry up and get his permission.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) gave them permission. But he specifically ordered that women and children should not be killed. After receiving the permission of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), a group of five members set out towards their intended destination. All of them were related to Banu Salama, a branch of the Khazraj tribe. Their leader was Abdullah bin Atiq.

The group went straight towards Khaybar, because Abu Rafi's fort was there. When they reached his fort, the sun had set. The people had returned home with their herds. Abdullah bin Atiq said to his companions, "Wait here. I will speak to the gatekeeper and devise a clever strategy by which it may be possible to gain entry into the fort." Then he went to the gate and, pulling up his headscarf, took a position in such a way that it looked as if someone was sitting down to respond to the call of nature. The gatekeeper shouted at that time, "O servant of Allah! If you need to enter, then come in immediately, otherwise I will close the door."

Abdullah bin Atiq said, "I took the opportunity to enter the fort and hid myself. When all the people had entered, the guard closed the door and hung the bunch of keys on a pole. After waiting for a long time, when I noticed that the entire environment was silent and still, I took the bunch of keys in my hand and opened the door. Abu Rafi was staying on the upper floor. That was where his consultation meetings were held. After the meeting, when the meeting participants had gone to their respective places, I went up to the upper floor. I closed every door from inside that I opened. I decided that even if the people were aware of my intrusion, I would kill Abu Rafi before they reached me. In this way I approached him. But he was in a dark room surrounded by his family and children. I could not be sure where in the room he was. So I called out his name, Abu Rafi. He replied, "Who is calling?"

I immediately followed his voice and moved forward quickly, and despite striking him with my sword, it seemed to have no effect. At that moment, he shouted loudly. So, I quickly left the house and stopped a short distance away. Then I changed my voice and called out again, Abu Rafi. What is this voice like?

He said, "May your mother perish. Someone struck me with a sword in this very house a short time ago."

Abdullah bin Atiq said, I struck him with the sword again with great force. Blood gushed from his wound. But even this could not kill him. At this point, I forcefully inserted the tip of the sword into his stomach. The tip of the sword reached his back. Now I was sure that he was killed. So I started going down, opening doors one after another. Then, when I reached the last step of the stairs, I fell down.

The moonlight was shining all around. As soon as I fell down, my ankles got dislocated. I took off my turban and tied my ankles tightly. Then I sat down far from the door and decided in my heart that I would not leave this place until I heard the announcement of his death from the mouth of the announcer.

Hearing the crowing of the rooster, I realized that the night was almost over. At that moment, the herald from the top of the fort announced, "I announce the death of Abu Rafi, the prominent merchant of the Hejaz." After hearing this, I left the place very quickly and went to my companions and said, "Allah has given Abu Rafi the final reward for his evil words and evil deeds. Abu Rafi has been killed. Let us flee from here now."

After returning to Medina, I attended the service of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) and narrated the incident. After learning about the incident from the beginning, he said, "Stretch out your leg." When I stretched out my leg, he placed his blessed hand on the dislocated ankle. As soon as he moved his hand, I felt that there was no more pain there. Not only that, but the pain that had been there seemed to have disappeared.

This is the narration of Sahih Bukhari. According to Ibn Ishaq, five companions (ra) entered Abu Rafi's house and all of them were active in killing him. However, the companion who killed him with a sword was Abdullah bin Unays.

The narration also states that when they killed Abu Rafi at night and Abdullah bin Atiq's ankle was dislocated, they lifted him up and hid him behind the walls of the fort where the spring stream was.

Meanwhile, the Jews lit a fire and ran around searching for him. After much searching, when they could not find him, they returned to the man in despair. Taking this opportunity, the Companion carried Abdullah bin Atiq on their shoulder and came to the Prophet's service.

The successful campaign of this small force was carried out in the month of Dhu al-Qadh or Dhu al-Hijjah of the 5th Hijri.

When the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) recovered from the battles of Ahzab and Banu Qurayza and completed the trial of the war criminals, he began to conduct corrective attacks against the Bedouins and against the people who were creating obstacles in the way of peace and order. A brief description of the campaigns and battles he participated in at this stage is discussed below.

2. Muhammad bin Maslama's expedition: This was the first expedition after the liberation from the Ahzab and Banu Qurayza crises. This expeditionary party consisted of thirty believers. To conduct this expedition, the expeditionary party was sent to a place called Qarta, near Jariya, in the Baqarah region of Najd. Jariya and Medina were located at a distance of seven nights. The journey of the travelers in this expedition took place on the 10th of Muharram, 6 AH. Their destination was a branch of Banu Bakr bin Kilab.

When the Muslims suddenly attacked the enemy, they were surprised and scattered and fled. The Muslims captured their abandoned wealth and cattle. They set out towards Medina with all that wealth and cattle. When they returned to Medina, only one day remained in the month of Muharram. On their return, they also captured the chief of Banu Hanifa, Somamah bin Asal Hanafi. He had come out in disguise to kill the Prophet (ﷺ) on the orders of Musaylama Kajjab.

But the raiding companions captured him and tied him to a pillar in the Prophet's Mosque.

In this situation, the Prophet (ﷺ) came there and asked her, "O Somama! What do you have?"

In response, he said, "O Muhammad, I have wealth. If you kill me, you will kill a murderer. And if you show kindness, you will show kindness to a grateful person. On the other hand, if you ask for wealth, you will get what you ask for." After hearing these words from him, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) left him in that state.

Then, when the Prophet (ﷺ) came there for the second time, he asked him the same questions. He answered exactly as before. This time too, the Prophet left him in the same state. Then, when he came for the third time, he asked the same questions. Somama gave the same answer this time too. After hearing the answer from his mouth for the third time, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered the Companions to set him free.

When they released him, he went to a date garden near the Prophet's Mosque. After bathing there and purifying himself, he returned to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and embraced Islam. Then he said, "By Allah! There was no face on earth more hateful to me than your face. But at this moment, there is no face on earth more beloved to me than your face." He also said, "By Allah! Before, the religion you preached on earth was the most hateful to me, but at this moment, your religion seems to me to be the most beloved and pure to me." The expeditioners who were sent on this expedition arrested me while I was making up my mind to perform Umrah.

The Holy Prophet ordered him to perform Umrah and gave him the good news. When he reached the territory of the Quraysh to perform Umrah, they said to him, "O Somama, have you also become a disbeliever?"

Somamah said, "No; rather, I have pledged allegiance to Muhammad (ﷺ) and become a Muslim." He added, "Know, by Allah, not a grain of wheat will come to you from Yamamah unless the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gives permission." Yamamah was considered a cultivated land for the people of Mecca.

Somamah returned home and stopped the shipment of food to Mecca. As a result, the people of Mecca were faced with a food shortage. In response, they wrote to the Prophet, citing their relatives, asking him to stop Somamah from stopping the shipment of food. The Prophet ordered Somamah to stop stopping the shipment of food.

3. Battle of Banu Lahyan: The people of Banu Lahyan, after deceivingly capturing ten companions (ra) at a place called Raji, killed eight of them and sold the remaining two to the polytheists of Mecca. They were also mercilessly killed. The region was located in the interior of the Hejaz, close to the borders of Mecca, and since at that time there was a severe tension between the Muslims and the Quraysh and the Bedouins, the Prophet did not consider it advisable to enter the deep interior of the Hejaz and approach the great enemy.

But when the infidel polytheists were divided into different groups and their unity was destroyed due to the division in the group, they became relatively weak, then the Prophet was able to clearly realize that the time had come to take revenge for the brutal killing of the companions by the people of the Lahyan tribe at a place called Razi. Therefore, in the month of Rabi'ul Awwal, or Jumada al-Ula, 6 AH, the Prophet set out towards Razi with two hundred companions. On the eve of the journey, he entrusted the responsibility of supervising Medina to Ibn Umm Maktum and announced that he was setting out towards the kingdom of Sham.

At one point during the advance, he and his expedition reached the valley of Batna Garran, located between Amaz and Usfan. It was here that the people of the Lahyan tribe had killed the companions. Arriving there, he prayed to Allah for mercy for the martyred companions (RA). Meanwhile, the people of the Lahyan tribe, hearing the news of the advance of the Muslim army, fled across the mountaintops, as a result of which none of them could be arrested.

Prophet (ﷺ) stayed with his army at the residence of the Lahyan tribe for two days, but he did not find any news of the people of that tribe. After the second day, he sent ten horsemen towards Qura'ul Ghamim. So that the Quraysh would also be informed about the Prophet's expedition. But no reaction was observed among them in this regard. After spending a total of fourteen days outside Medina, he returned to Medina.

After his return from Banu Lahyan, he continued to conduct one expedition after another. A brief discussion of all the expeditions conducted is given below:

4. Gamir's expedition: In Rabi'ul Awal, or Rabi'us Sani, of the 6th Hijri, an army of forty companions led by Muhammad bin Maslama set out towards Gamir. Gamir is the name of a spring in Banu Asad. Hearing the news of the advance of the Muslim army, the people of the Asad tribe fled in fear of their lives, leaving their herds behind. The Muslim army returned to Medina with two hundred camels they had abandoned.

5. Fulkesara's first expedition: In the month of Rabi'ul Awwal or Rabi'us Sani of the 6th Hijri, a ten-member army was sent towards Dhul-Khasra under the leadership of Muhammad bin Maslama (RA). The enemy force located in the region called Banu Salaba was one hundred strong. The enemy force hid in a secret place. While the Muslim army was in a somewhat careless state and was fast asleep, the enemy force attacked them suddenly and killed them all. Only Muhammad bin Maslama (RA) was seriously injured and somehow escaped with his life.

6. Fulkesba's Second Expedition: In order to avenge the martyrdom of the companions and to punish the Banu Salaba, Prophet sent another army of forty men under the leadership of Abu Ubaydah (RA) towards Dhul-Kisra in the month of Rabius Sani. This army, walking on foot in the darkness of night, approached the Banu Salaba and launched an ambush. But the people of Banu Salabaa fled quickly over the mountaintop. The Muslim army did not reach them. They only managed to capture one person, who converted to Islam and joined the Muslim army. Therefore, the Muslim army returned to Medina with the abandoned cattle of the Banu Tha'laba tribe.

7. Jumum Campaign: In the month of Rabi'us-Sani in the 6th Hijri, this army was sent towards Jumum under the leadership of Zayd bin Haritha. Jumum is the name of a spring of the Sulaym tribe in Marraj Zahran (present-day Fatima Valley). Soon after Zayd reached there with his army, a woman named Halima of the Mu'ayna tribe was captured by them. From that woman, they learned specific and various information about the Banu Sulaym tribe. They attacked their friend Sulaym and captured many people and captured a lot of cattle. Zayd and his army returned to Medina with these prisoners and cattle. After the Prophet freed the captive woman of the Mu'ayna tribe, he arranged for her marriage.

8. Eis Campaign: In the month of Jumada al-Ula in the 6th year of the Hijri, an army was sent towards Eis under the leadership of Zayd bin Haritha. This army consisted of one hundred and seventy horsemen. During this expedition, some of the goods of a Quraysh trade caravan were captured by the Mujahid army. This Quraysh trade caravan was traveling under the leadership of Abul-As, the son-in-law of the Prophet. Abu al-As had not yet embraced Islam.

After the caravan's property was captured by the Muslim army, he fled towards Medina in great haste to avoid arrest and to get his belongings back. He took refuge with Zaynab, the daughter of the Prophet, and asked her to request her father to return of all the caravan's property. When the matter was presented to Zaynab's father, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered the Companions to return all the property without any conditions. As per the instructions of the Prophet (ﷺ), the Companions returned all the property of the caravan. Abul As returned to Mecca with all the property and after returning all the property to its owners, he embraced Islam and migrated to Medina. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave his daughter Zaynab to him on the basis of a previous marriage. This information has been proven through authentic hadiths.

The Prophet had given his daughter Zaynab to him on the basis of a previous marriage, because until that time the verse prohibiting Muslim women from living with unbelievers had not been revealed.

9. Taraf or Tariq or Shariah Zayed: This expedition also took place in the month of Jumadaul-Sani. This force, consisting of 15 members, was sent towards Taraf under the leadership of Zayd bin Haritha. This place was in the region of Banu Salaba. But as soon as the news of the advance of the Muslim army came to light, the Bedouins fled from that place. Four camels of the fleeing Bedouins were captured by the Muslim army. After staying there for four days, they returned to Medina. The Bedouins were afraid that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) himself was arriving there.

10. Wadil Qura or Sariaye Zayed II: This expedition was led by Zayd bin Haritha. This expedition consisted of 12 companions. The Wadil Qura expedition took place in the month of Rajab, 6th Hijri. The purpose of this expedition was to find out about the movements of the enemy. But the inhabitants of Wadil Qura suddenly attacked the Muslim army and killed 9 companions. Only 3 companions escaped from this massacre. Zayd was one of these three.

11. Kharat Expedition: The time of this expedition is said to have been the month of Rajab in the 8th year of the Hijri. However, calculations show that this expedition took place before Hudaybiyah. According to the narration of Jabir (RA),

The Prophet (ﷺ) sent an army of three hundred horsemen on this expedition. The leadership of this expedition was entrusted to Abu Ubaydah bin Jarrah (RA). The purpose of this expedition was to observe the movements of a Quraysh caravan and gather information. It is said that during the expedition, the expeditionists fell into extreme hunger and starvation. Since they were unable to procure food, at one stage the members of this army had to eat leaves of trees to satisfy their hunger. For this reason, this expedition was named the Kharat Expedition (fallen leaves are called Kharat). Finally, one man slaughtered three camels, and in the next stage, he slaughtered three more camels. But Abu Ubaydah prevented him from slaughtering more camels.

Then a huge fish called 'Amber' was thrown from the sea. The expedition team ate this fish for half a month and used the oil secreted by its body. As a result of eating this fish, their weakened muscles and nervous systems became healthy and refreshed. Abu Ubaydah took a bone of the fish and asked the tallest man in the army to climb the tallest camel and pass through the piece, and he did so with ease. He did this to prove the huge size of the fish.

The surplus part of the fish was preserved and taken with them when they went to Medina. When the fish was presented to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he said, "This is a kind of food that Allah has provided for you. If you have any more of its meat, then give it to us to eat." We arranged to send some of the meat to him.

When we examine the various aspects of the Kharat campaign, it becomes clear that this incident took place before the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, because after the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the Muslims did not create any obstacles in the way of any Quraysh caravan.

Battle of Banu Mustaliq or Ghazwa al-Muraisi (5th or 6th AH)

From a military point of view, this battle was not particularly significant. But due to the characteristics of Islam and the relevant events, this battle was of great importance. As a result of this battle, great excitement and chaos were created in the Islamic society, the veil of hypocrites was lifted, and on the other hand, verses containing punitive provisions were revealed, which increased the dignity of the Islamic society and provided the characteristics of self-purification of the Muslims. First, we will discuss the context of the battle and then present the related events. According to the war narrator, this battle took place in the month of Sha'ban, 5th or 6th AH.

According to the incident, the Prophet learned that Harith bin Abu Zarar, a chief of Banu Mustaliq, was advancing with his own tribe and other Arabs to fight against the Muslims. The Prophet sent Buraidah bin Husayb Aslami (RA) to investigate and assess the situation. He went to the said tribe and met and talked with Harith bin Abu Zarar. Then, upon returning, he informed the Prophet (ﷺ) about the situation.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) was convinced of the truth of the news, he ordered the Companions (ra) to prepare for war and the army was immediately dispatched. The day this army was dispatched was 2 Sha'ban. In that battle, a hypocrite group also went to war on behalf of the Muslim army. The hypocrite group did not participate in the war on behalf of the Muslim army. The Prophet (ﷺ) assigned the responsibility of guarding Medina to Zayd bin Haritha, some say Abu Zar, and another group says Namila bin Abdullah Laith. Harith bin Abu Zarrah sent a spy to inquire about the Muslim army. But the Muslims captured him and killed him.

When Harith bin Abu Jarrah and his friends learned that the Muslims had killed their spy and that the Messenger of Allah had sent an army against them, they were terrified.

The Bedouins who were with them also scattered. When the Prophet advanced to the spring called Murais, the Banu Mustaliq prepared for battle.

The Prophet (ﷺ) lined up his companions in preparation for battle. Abu Bakr Siddique (RA) was carrying the standard of the entire army and Sa'd bin Ubadah (RA) was carrying the special standard of the Ansar. For a while, some arrows were exchanged between the two sides. Then the Muslim army of the Prophet (ﷺ) attacked the enemy and achieved an easy victory. The polytheists were defeated and some of them were killed. The women and children were captured. The goats and other livestock came into the possession of the Muslims. Only one companion was martyred on the side of the Muslims. An Ansar companion mistakenly struck him, mistaking him for an enemy.

This is how the historians describe the battle. But Allama Ibn Qayyum writes that this idea is wrong. Because, no battle took place between the Muslims and the Banu Mustaliq; rather, the Muslim army launched a surprise attack on the Banu Mustaliq at the spring and captured the children and took possession of their wealth and livestock. At that time, the Banu Mustaliq were still in a state of unpreparedness.

Among the captured enemies was Juwayriyyah (may Allah be pleased with her). She was the daughter of Harith bin Abu Jarrar, the leader of the Mustaliq tribe. During the distribution, she fell into the share of Thabit bin Qais. Thabit made her a condition of the agreement as a scribe. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) married her on his behalf with a certain amount of money. As a result of this marriage, the Muslims freed one hundred families of the Banu Mustaliq tribe. All of them embraced Islam. After this, it was spread that they were all from the family of the Prophet's father-in-law.

This was the account of the Battle of Banu Mustaliq. There are some other incidents that occurred in that battle. However, since the main perpetrators of all of them were the hypocrite leader Abdullah bin Ubayy and his friends, it would not be considered pointless or unnecessary to first mention some very important incidents of their activities in the Islamic community and then give a detailed account of them.

The customs of the hypocrites before the battle of Banu Mustaliq

As has been mentioned several times before, the arrival of the Muslims in general and the Prophet in particular in Medina was a cause of considerable distress to Abdullah bin Ubayy. For, at a critical juncture when the crown was being prepared to receive him as the leader of the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj, the light of Islam reached Medina, and the attention of the people was strongly drawn to the Prophet (ﷺ) instead of Abdullah bin Ubayy. Because of this, the idea took root in his mind that it was the Prophet (ﷺ) who had deprived him of this honor and dignity.

This hatred and mental anguish towards the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) began at the beginning of the migration and continued for some time. Because he had not yet embraced Islam. This is proven beyond doubt by an incident that occurred before his conversion to Islam. Once, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was riding a donkey to visit Sa'd bin Ubadah, upon receiving news of his illness, some people, including Abdullah bin Ubayy, were chatting on the side of the road. When he saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) going, he covered his nose with his cloth and said, "Do not throw dust on us." Then, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) recited from the Quran to the people present, he said, "Do this in your own house. Do not involve us in this."

But after witnessing the outstanding success of the Muslims in the Battle of Badr, when it became clear to him that opposing the Muslims would be very dangerous, he embraced Islam. But despite this, he remained as enemy to Messenger of Allah and Muslims. The fact of embracing Islam was only an external manifestation of his. He continued to secretly make efforts to create chaos in the Islamic society and weaken the Islamic Dawah system. Not only that, he also started to establish close cooperation and alliance with the enemies of Islam. In this regard, the incident of Banu Qaynuqa is particularly noteworthy. He showed great recklessness in the matter of Banu Qaynuqa (this matter has been discussed earlier). Similarly, he was involved in the Battle of Uhud by treachery, creating divisions among the Muslims, and thus creating unrest, disorder and instability. (This matter has also been discussed earlier.)

This hypocrite used to oppose the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) through various tricks, deceits and cunning. Every Friday, when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to deliver the sermon, he would stand up unexpectedly and address the people and say, "O people! This is the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) among you. Allah has given you honor and respect through this. So, cooperate with him and help him. Strengthen his hand and obey him." After all these unnecessary and meaningless talks, he would sit down. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would stand up and deliver the sermon.

Thus, his outrageous misconduct and shamelessness reached its peak when the first Friday after the Battle of Uhud arrived. For, after playing a very deceitful, hypocritical and deceitful role during that battle, he stood before the sermon and repeated all the words that he had said on various occasions before. But this time the Muslim crowd present could not accept his words without question. They pulled his clothes from all sides and said, "O enemy of Allah! Sit down. You are not worthy of the role after what you did in various situations." In protest to the angry people, he left the mosque chattering. When he left the mosque, these delirious words were heard by everyone, as if I had come here as a criminal. I had stood up to speak in his support.

Fortunately, he met an Ansar at the gate. He said, "May you perish. Go back. The Messenger of Allah will ask for forgiveness for you." He said, "By Allah! I do not want him to ask for forgiveness for me."

In addition, Ibn Ubayy had been conspiring against the Muslims by secretly communicating with the Banu Nadir tribe. Similarly, in the Battle of the Trench, he used various cunning tactics to create chaos, excitement and fear among the Muslims. Allah has mentioned this in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab:

12. And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, "Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion."

13. And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you [here], so return [home]." And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are exposed [unprotected]," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee.

14. And if they had been entered upon from all its [surrounding] regions and fitnah [disbelief] had been demanded of them, they would have done it and not hesitated over it except briefly.

15. And they had already promised Allah before not to turn their backs [flee]. And ever is the promise to Allah [that about which one will be] questioned.

16. Say, [O Muhammad], "Never will fleeing benefit you if you should flee from death or killing; and then [if you did], you would not be given enjoyment [of life] except for a little."

17. Say, "Who is it that can protect you from Allah if He intends for you an ill or intends for you a mercy?" And they will not find for themselves besides Allah any protector or any helper.

18. Already Allah knows the hinderers among you and those [hypocrites] who say to their brothers, "Come to us," and do not go to battle, except for a few.

19. Indisposed toward you. And when fear comes, you see them looking at you, their eyes revolving like one being overcome by death. But when fear departs, they lash you with sharp tongues, indisposed toward [any] good. Those have not believed, so Allah has rendered their deeds worthless, and ever is that, for Allah, easy.

20. They think the companies have not [yet] withdrawn. And if the companies should come [again], they would wish they were in the desert among the bedouins, inquiring [from afar] about your news. And if they should be among you, they would not fight except for a little.

The above verses paint a complete picture of the hypocrite's thoughts and ideas, actions, arrogance and conceit, and their search for opportunities and opportunism in specific situations.

Despite all this, the Jewish hypocrites, the polytheists, in short, the enemies of Islam, were well aware that the reason for the victory of the Muslims was not natural superiority, well-equipped armies or the large number of people in the army; the real reason for their victory was the enslavement of Allah and the acquisition of sincere character traits, through which a complete Islamic social organization was possible and as a result, every person associated with the religion of Islam was satisfied and devoted. They also considered themselves lucky because of the religion alone. The enemies of Islam also knew very well that the main source of the generosity of the Muslims was the blessed personality of the Prophet (ﷺ), who was the greatest model in reaching the ultimate stage of miracles in the character, wealth and sweetness of character of the Muslims.

Moreover, the enemies of Islam and the Muslims, after four or five years of hostility, violence and hatred, did everything they could, but when they realized that it was not possible to annihilate this religion and its followers by force of arms, they began to think of adopting a dangerous method. As an alternative strategy, they decided to strike at the main source of strength and valor of the Muslims - the main asset of character. They chose the Prophet of Allah as the first target of their evil plot. Because the hypocritical Muslims constituted the fifth army. Due to their residence in Medina, they had ample opportunity to associate with the Muslims. Therefore, they also had the opportunity to easily seduce them by appealing to their feelings through cunning tactics. In order to fulfill their heinous purpose, they started a massive propaganda campaign. The hypocrites took responsibility for their campaign themselves, and Abdullah bin Ubayy himself was responsible for its leadership.

When Zayd ibn Haritha (ra) divorced Zaynab and the Prophet married her, the hypocrites had a great opportunity to mock and slander the character of the Prophet (ﷺ). This was because, according to the prevailing Arab customs of that time, a foster son was given the same status as a natural son, and the wife of a foster son was considered illegitimate like the wife of a natural son. Therefore, when the Prophet married Zaynab, they began to slander the Prophet.

They created various false and baseless stories and spread rumors about this marriage. People also said that Muhammad was so attracted to Zaynab's beauty as soon as he saw her that they immediately fell in love. Their question was, Zaynab was the wife of his son (adopted son). According to the prevailing Arab customs of that time, this marriage was illegal and a grave sin.

The hypocrites continued to spread this hateful story so vigorously that its traces have been preserved in the books of Hadith and Tafsir till today. At that time, all this propaganda affected the weak hearts in such a way that finally Allah revealed the verses of Surah Ahzab in this regard. In it, there was a provision for proper treatment for the sick of doubt. It can be easily guessed from the relevant verses that the extent of this propaganda had spread.

And He has not made your claimed [adopted] sons your [true] sons. That is [merely] your saying by your mouths, but Allah says the truth, and He guides to the [right] way. Call them by [the names of] their fathers; it is more just in the sight of Allah. But if you do not know their fathers - then they are [still] your brothers in religion and those entrusted to you. (Surah Al-Ahzab: Verses 4-5)

This verse was a clear indication of the actions and activities of the hypocrites and a brief picture of their plots. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) with his natural generosity and patience had been enduring all these wrongdoings of the hypocrites. The common Muslims were also patient in protecting themselves from their vengeful tendencies. Because, it had been proven to them many times that the hypocrites were being humiliated by Allah from time to time. As Allah has said in the Holy Quran:

Do they not see that they are tried every year once or twice but then they do not repent nor do they remember? (At-Tawbah: Verse-126)

The actions of the hypocrites during the Ghazwa of Banu Mustalik

When the Battle of Banu Mustaliq took place and the hypocrites also participated in it, they did exactly what Allah said in the following verse:

Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah [chaos and dissension]. (At-Tawbah: 47)

Therefore, in that war, they had two opportunities to take revenge. As a result, they created chaos among the Muslims and spread the worst propaganda against the Prophet. The details of the two opportunities they got are as follows:

The expulsion of the wicked from Medina

After the Battle of Banu Mustaliq, the Prophet (ﷺ) was still staying near the spring of Murais, when some people came there to collect water. Among those who came was a worker of Umar (RA). His name was Jahjah Ghafari. There was another person near the spring, whose name was Sanam bin Abar Juhani. For some reason, the two of them argued and eventually ended up fighting. At one point Juhani started shouting, "O Ansar! (Ansar people) come quickly for help." On the other hand, Jahjah kept calling, "O Muhajirun! (Emigrants) come quickly to help me."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) immediately went there and said, "I am present among you, yet you are behaving as if you were in the age of ignorance. Avoid these things, for they are foul-smelling."

Abdullah bin Ubayy became furious when he heard this and said, "Have they started doing this? They have taken refuge in our land and started competing with us and want to be our equals? By Allah! The example that applies to us is like the saying of the people of the past: 'Keep your dog and feed it until it eats you.' Listen, by Allah! If I could go back, you would see that our respected people expelled the wicked from Medina."

Then, looking at the people present, he said, 'You have brought this calamity upon yourselves. You have made him land in your own city and divided your wealth. Look. If you stop giving him what you have, he will leave your city and go somewhere else.'

At that time, a young companion named Zayd bin Arqam was present at that meeting. He returned to Medina and told his uncle about all these things. His uncle then informed the Prophet about everything. Umar was also present at that time. He said, 'O Messenger of Allah! Order Abbad bin Bishr to kill him too.'

The Prophet said, "O Umar! How is this possible? People will say that Muhammad (ﷺ) is killing his companions. No, that cannot be. So announce the journey."

The time and situation was such that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would not leave his place at that time. Just as the people had started their journey, Usaid bin Huwail (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived in the service of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). After greeting him, he asked, 'Why have we started our journey today at such an untimely time?'

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Have you not heard what your companion (i.e. Ibn Ubayy) said?" He asked, "What did he say?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "He thinks that if he returns to Medina, the honorable people will expel the lowly people from Medina." He said, "O Messenger of Allah, if you wish, I will expel him from Medina. By Allah, he is lowly and you are highly honored."

Then he said, "O Messenger of Allah! Be patient with him. For Allah knows best. You came among us at a time when his people were making a crown of pearls to crown him. Therefore, he now thinks that you have taken away his kingdom from him."

Then he continued the journey for a whole day until evening and a whole night until morning, and even continued the journey until the next morning, when the heat of the sun was already becoming unbearable. Then he landed at a place and set up camp.

The companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) were so tired that they fell asleep as soon as their bodies touched the ground. The Prophet intended that during a long journey, people would not have the opportunity to sit comfortably and gossip.

Meanwhile, when Abdullah bin Ubayy learned that Zayd bin Arqam had revealed all his words, he came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, "By Allah! I never said or even uttered what Zayd told you."

Those from the Ansar who were present at that time also said, "O Messenger of Allah! He is still a minor and perhaps he has made a mistake. Perhaps he did not remember what he said correctly."

For this reason, the Prophet accepted Ibn Ubayy's words as true. In view of the situation, Zayd (ra) said, 'Then I became so sad about this that I had never been so sad about anything before. I sat at home in sorrow due to that thought.'

Finally, Allah revealed a Surah called Surah Munafiqun, which mentions both of these issues:

They are the ones who say, "Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disband." And to Allah belong the depositories of the heavens and the earth, but the hypocrites do not understand. They say, "If we return to al-Madinah, the more honored [for power] will surely expel therefrom the more humble." And to Allah belongs [all] honor, and to His Messenger, and to the believers, but the hypocrites do not know. (Al-Munafiqun: 7-8)

Zayd said, "Then the Messenger of Allah called me and recited those verses to me. Then he said, 'Allah has confirmed the truth of your words.'"

The son of the aforementioned hypocrite was also named Abdullah. The son was the complete opposite of his father, a very righteous person and one of the best companions. He separated from his father and stood at the gate of Medina with an open sword in his hand. When his father reached there, he said, 'By Allah! You will not be able to move forward from here until the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gives you permission. Because the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) is beloved, pure and honorable and you are the lowest.' Then, when the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) arrived there and gave him permission to enter Medina, the son left his father's way. The son of Abdullah bin Ubayy requested the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, 'If you intend to kill him, then order me. By Allah! I will cut his head in two and present it to you.'

False slander case

The important incident of the mentioned war was the matter of false slander. The summary of the incident is that the rule of the Prophet (ﷺ) was that before going on a journey, he would draw lots among his wives. Whoever's name came up in the lottery, he would take on the journey. During that expedition, the name of Aisha (RA) came up in the lottery. Therefore, the Prophet took her with him on the journey. After the expedition, a camp was set up at a place on the way back to Medina. While in the camp, Aisha (RA) went out of the camp for her own needs. The gold necklace that she had brought from her sister for the purpose of the journey was lost. At the time of loss, she did not remember the necklace. After returning to the camp from the field, as soon as she remembered the lost necklace, she went back to the place where she had left. Meanwhile, those who were entrusted with the responsibility of lifting the saddle of the Prophet's wife on the camels back lifted it. They thought that the Mother of the Believer was inside the saddle. Since her body was very light, the fact that the saddle was light did not cause any reaction in their minds. Moreover, if two people had lifted the saddle, it would have been easier for them to guess and it would have been easy to catch a mistake. But since several people were lifting the saddle together, they did not pay much attention to suspecting the matter.

However, after receiving the lost necklace, Aisha returned to the shelter and found that the entire army had already left the place and moved on. The desert was completely deserted. There was no caller or responder. She sat there thinking that when people could not see her, they would come here to search for her. But Allah, the All-Knowing and All-Wise Lord, is always active and powerful in His work. Whatever He intends to do, it is accomplished. Therefore, Allah caused Aisha's eyes to fall asleep and she fell asleep there. Then she woke up when she heard the voice of Safwan bin Mu'attal. He was saying, 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un' The wife of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?

Safwan (RA) was sleeping at the end of the army. He had a habit of sleeping a little too much. He recognized Aisha as soon as he saw her in this state. Because he had seen her before the command of veiling was revealed. Then, while reciting 'Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji'un', he made his mount sit near the Prophet's wife. When Aisha mounted her mount, she kept pulling on its reins and kept repeating 'Inna lillahi ...'

Safwan did not utter a single word except Innalillah. When Safwan (RA) joined the army with Aisha (RA), it was midday. The army had set up camp and was resting. Seeing Aisha in this condition, the people began to discuss and consider the matter according to their own natures. The people of good nature accepted it easily. But the people of evil nature and inclinations twisted it and thought about it in various ways. Especially Abdullah bin Ubayy, the enemy of Allah and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), found this as a perfect opportunity for his propaganda. This event ignited the fire of hypocrisy, jealousy and hatred that was in his heart. He gave this small incident various imaginary shapes and colors and started spreading propaganda on a large scale.

The fact that people are more easily influenced by sins than by virtues was once again proven very simply. Many people were influenced by this propaganda of Abdullah bin Ubayy and they also started spreading propaganda. The Prophet returned to Medina with an army full of such ambivalent mentality. After returning to Medina, the hypocrites joined forces and started spreading propaganda.

Faced with this slander and propaganda, the Prophet (ﷺ) remained silent, hoping for a solution through revelation.

But despite waiting for a long time, the revelation did not come, so he arranged for his companions to consult him about separating from Aisha (RA). Ali (RA) hinted at him to separate from him and marry another woman. But Usama and the other companions (RA) did not listen to the enemies and advised him to keep Aisha (RA) in her position.

Then, in order to relieve the suffering caused by the hypocrisy of Abdullah bin Ubayy, the Prophet (ﷺ) ascended the pulpit and attracted the attention of the people through a speech. In this context, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh expressed his opinion to kill him. But Sa'd ibn Ubadah (who was the leader of Abdullah bin Ubayy's Khazra tribe) was influenced by tribal influence and strongly opposed this, and a war of words broke out between the two. As a result, the people of both tribes became agitated. The Prophet tried hard to calm the tension of the people of both tribes and himself remained silent.

Meanwhile, after returning from the battlefield, Aisha (RA) fell ill and suffered from illness for a month. She did not know anything about the slander. But she felt some discomfort and anxiety because she did not receive the care and attention that she was supposed to receive from the Prophet (ﷺ) during her illness.

After suffering from the disease for several days, she gradually recovered. After recovering, one night, she went to a nearby field with Umm Mesta to relieve herself. While walking, Umm Mesta slipped on her cloak and fell to the ground. In this state, she started cursing her son. When Aisha told her to refrain from cursing her son, she said, "My son is also involved in spreading that slander." When Aisha asked about that slander, Umm Mesta told her everything. In this way, she came to know about the slander. In order to verify the truth of the news, she asked the Prophet (ﷺ) for permission to go to her parents. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave her permission, she went to her parents and, knowing the situation, burst into tears. Two nights and one day passed in her continuous weeping. During that time, her tears did not stop flowing for a moment, nor did she sleep. She felt as if her liver would burst from the pain of weeping. In that state, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came there and delivered a short speech consisting of the Kalima Shahadat. Then he said, "O Aisha! I have heard some disgusting things about you. If you are pure from that act, then by the grace of Allah, He will reveal the truth of it. And if you have committed any sin, Allah forbid, then seek forgiveness from Allah and repent. Because when a servant repents after committing a sin and repents to Allah with a pure heart, He accepts it."

After listening to the Prophet (ﷺ)'s speech, Aisha's tears completely stopped. It seemed that not a single drop of water was left in her eyes. She told her parents that they would have to answer the Prophet's question. But they could not find any words to answer. Seeing her parents so helpless and speechless, Aisha (RA) herself said, "By Allah! What you have heard has affected your hearts and you have accepted it as the truth. Therefore, if I say that I am completely pure and Allah certainly knows that I am pure, you will still not accept my words as the truth. In such a situation, by Allah! The same example that Yusuf's (RA) father said will apply to me and you."

'So patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe.' (Surah Yusuf: Verse-18)

Satisfied with this, her mother said, "(Aisha) get up and express gratitude to the Messenger of Allah." Aisha proudly said, "By Allah! I will not stand before him, I will only praise Allah." The verses that were revealed regarding false accusations regarding this incident were the ten verses of Surah An-Nur.

Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you. (Surah An-Nur: Verses 11-20)

Then, Mistah ibn Asasa, Hassan ibn Thabit, and Hamna bint Jahash were executed with eighty lashes for the crime of false accusation.

However, the wicked Abdullah bin Ubayy was spared from the punishment. Although he was the one who had taken the lead in spreading the slander. The reason why the Prophet did not punish him was perhaps because Allah had announced that he would be punished in the Hereafter. The punishment was not provided on the assumption that if he was punished now, his punishment in the Hereafter would be lightened. But for others for whom punishment is provided, the sins of the Hereafter are light and it is done as an expiation for the sins.

After a month, the atmosphere of Medina was cleared of suspicion, fear, and unrest. As a result, Abdullah ibn Ubayy was so humiliated and humiliated that he was unable to raise his head a second time. Ibn Ishaq said, "After that, whenever he tried to stir up trouble, his people would scold and reprimand him and force him to sit down." Seeing this, the Messenger of Allah said to Umar, "O Umar! What do you think about this? Look, by Allah! If I had given you permission the day you asked me for permission, and if you had killed him, many people would have been against it. But if those people were ordered to do so today, they would have killed him."

Umar said, "By Allah! I have been able to understand it well, the Messenger of Allah is more blessed than I am."

Military campaigns following the Ghazwa al-Muraisi

1. The expedition of Diyare Banu Kalb: This expedition was sent under the leadership of Abdur Rahman bin Awf (RA) in the month of Sha'ban of the 6th Hijri. The Prophet made the leader of the group sit in front of him and tied his turban with his own hand and advised him to adopt the best method for the expedition. He advised him that if they accept your allegiance, then you should marry the daughter of their emperor. After reaching the destination, Abdur Rahman bin Awf continued to invite them to Islam for three days in a row. Impressed by the divine book of the Quran, the miraculous features of the Islamic way of life and the sweetness of the character of the Muslims, they finally became Muslims. Then Abdur Rahman bin Awf married Tamazir bint Asbag. She was the mother of Abu Salma, the son of Abdur Rahman. The woman's father was a leader of his people and a king.

2. The expedition of Diyare Banu Sa'd in the Fadak region: This expedition was conducted under the leadership of Ali (RA) in the month of Sha'ban, 6th AH. The reason for this expedition was that the Prophet had learned from a special source that a group of Banu Sa'd had decided to help the Jews. To counter this, the Prophet sent a force of two hundred Mujahideen under the leadership of Ali. They traveled at night and hid during the day. Finally, an enemy spy was caught by them. He confessed that they had offered help in exchange for dates from Khaybar. The spy also gathered information about the location of the Banu Sa'd tribe. Based on the information received, the Muslim army attacked them and captured five hundred camels and two thousand goats. However, the Sa'd tribe, including children and women, managed to escape and get out of their reach. Their leader was Abar bin Ulaym.

3. Wadil Qura Expedition: This expedition was sent in the month of Ramadan of the 6th Hijri under the leadership of Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) or Zayd bin Haritha (RA). A branch of Banu Fayarah hatched a cunning and conspiratorial plan to kill the Prophet. Upon learning of their heinous plot, the Prophet sent Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA) along with a Mujahid army against the conspirators.

According to the narration of Salman bin Akwa, he said, "I was also with him on that expedition. After performing the Fajr prayer, on his orders, we launched a surprise attack on the enemy and established our right over the spring."

After establishing the right, some of the enemy were killed. My attention was drawn to another group of them. There were women and children with them. I was afraid that they would not reach the top of the mountain before the people arrived. So I moved quickly and approached them. Among them and the group was a woman named Umm Qurfa, who was wearing a dress made of old skins. She had a daughter with her. This daughter belonged to the group of beautiful Arab women. I brought them to Abu Bakr. Then the daughter was handed over to me. But she remained in the dress she was wearing. Her dress was not changed during this time.

Later, the Prophet sent this woman to Mecca from Salma bint Akwa, and in exchange, he freed some Muslim prisoners.

Umm Qurfa was a wicked woman. She was involved in a deep conspiracy to kill the Prophet (ﷺ) and for this purpose she arranged for thirty riders from her family. As a result of her conspiracy and evil deeds, all thirty riders were killed.

4. The Urayaniyin Campaign: In Shawwal of the 6th Hijri: This expedition was led by Kurz bin Jabir Fahri (RA). The background of this expedition is that some people from Uqal and Urayani came to Medina, embraced Islam and started living there. But since the climate of Medina was not conducive to their health, the Prophet sent them to pastures with some camels and advised them to drink camel milk and urine for health. Then, when the people recovered, one day they killed the shepherd, drove the camels away and returned to their place. Thus, after embracing Islam, they again adopted disbelief. For the above-mentioned reason, the Prophet sent Kurz bin Jabir the mountaineer with twenty companions to search for them. While sending this army, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) prayed, O Allah! Make the people of Urayani darker and shorter than a bracelet. Accepting the prayer of the beloved Prophet, Allah darkened their path. As a result, they were captured by the expedition. As a reward and revenge for the deception they had committed against the Muslim shepherds, their hands and feet were cut off, their eyes were poked, and they were left at a place called Harrah. There, they searched the soil until they reached the punishment for their evil deeds. This incident of theirs is narrated in Sahih Bukhari and other books from Anas.

The historians then mention another expedition. This expedition was sent in Shawwal 6 AH by Amr bin Umayya al-Jamri and Salma bin Abi Salam. The account of this expedition states that Amr bin Umayya went to Mecca with the intention of killing Abu Sufyan. The reason for this is that Abu Sufyan had sent a Bedouin to Medina with the intention of killing the Prophet. However, neither of these parties was able to achieve their desired goal.

These are the campaigns that took place after the Battle of Banu Qurayza. No major incidents took place in these campaigns, most of them were ordinary minor incidents. The purpose of these campaigns was to instill fear in the hearts of the foolish Bedouins and the enemies. Analyzing the context of the changing situation, it becomes clear that after the Battle of Ahzab, the situation gradually started to turn in favor of the Muslims. As a result, the morale and enthusiasm of the enemies began to break. The nightmare they had of silencing the Islamic call or making it forget its dignity did not remain in their minds even a drop. The fact that the situation was gradually turning in favor of the Muslims became even more clear with the Treaty of Hudaybiyah. The most important aspect of this treaty was the end of the obstacles created by the Arab polytheists in recognizing the Islamic power and establishing it as a power.

Treaty of Hudaybiyah (Dhu al-Qa'd, 6th Hijri)

Reasons for the Umrah of Hudaybiyah: When the situation in the Arabian Peninsula largely turned in favor of the Muslims, various signs of the effectiveness of the Islamic call and the greatest victory gradually began to appear. The polytheists had kept the doors of the Masjidul Haram closed to the Muslims for six years. But after this treaty, the process of positive demands for Muslims to worship in the Masjidul Haram began.

In Medina, the Prophet was shown in a dream that he and his companions had entered the Sacred Mosque. He took the key of the Kaaba and performed Tawaf and Umrah with his companions. Then some people shaved their heads and some people considered cutting their hair sufficient. When the Prophet informed the companions about the dream, they were very happy. As a result, they also began to think that by the grace of Allah, they would soon gain entry to Mecca. The Prophet also told the companions that he intended to perform Umrah. In view of this situation, the companions began to prepare for the journey.

Announcement of the pilgrimage to Mecca among Muslims

The Prophet (ﷺ) announced in Medina and the surrounding populated areas that he would accompany him to Mecca. But most of the Arab travelers delayed their departure. Meanwhile, the Prophet cleaned his clothes. Then, he appointed Ibn Umm Maktum or Namila Laisi as his successor in Medina and, mounting his camel named Kaswa, set out for Mecca on the first of Dhul-Qadh of the 6th Hijri. Umm Salama (ra) was with him. He took fourteen hundred (according to some sources, fifteen hundred) companions with him. While traveling, they did not take any open weapons with them except for their sheathed swords, as was the custom of taking weapons.

The Muslim march towards Mecca

The Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions were on their way to Mecca. When they reached Dhul-Hulaifa, they put a necklace on the sacrificial animal.

He marked the high point of the camel's back and started Ihram for Umrah. The direct purpose of this was to reassure the people that they would not fight. A spy from the tribe of Khuzayyah was sent ahead to gather news of the Quraysh. When the Messenger of Allah reached a place called Usfan with his army, the spy returned and informed him that Ka'b bin Luwa' was mobilizing the Ahabish (allied) tribe to fight the Muslims face to face and was trying to gather more troops. He has vowed to fight you and prevent you from the House of Allah.

After hearing this news, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) held a meeting with his companions and said, "Do you think that we should attack the families of those who are preparing to help the Quraysh against us and take them over? If they then sit down quietly, that would be good. We would think that they were sitting down after suffering the losses, worries and hardships of the war. And if they fled, we would find them in a state as if Allah had cut off one of their necks. Or do you think that we should continue towards the Kaaba. If anyone obstructs our path, we will fight them."

In response to the Prophet's words, Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Allah and His Messenger know best what to do, but we have come to perform Umrah, not to fight. Of course, if anyone creates an obstacle between us and the House of Allah, we will be forced to fight them." The Prophet said, "Good, let's go. You keep moving forward." So everyone started their journey.

Attempts to prevent Muslims from the House of Allah

Meanwhile, when the Quraysh were informed of the arrival of the Muslims, they met in a council and decided that they must prevent the Muslims from the House of Allah at any cost. Thus, they continued their advance by the side of the inhabited town. At that time, a friend from Kaaba came and informed the Prophet that the Quraysh had set up camp at a place called Ji'tawa and that Khalid bin Walid was ready with two hundred cavalry at Qura'ul Ghamim. (Qura'ul Ghamim is located in the middle of the road to Mecca and on the main road of travel)

Khalid tried to stop the Muslims, Khalid stationed his cavalry at a place from where both sides could see each other. During the Zuhr prayer, Khalid saw that the Muslims were bowing and prostrating during the prayer. This gave him the idea that if he attacked them while they were oblivious to the outside world, he could easily defeat them. In view of this idea, he decided to attack them suddenly with his army during the Asr prayer. But at that very moment, Allah revealed the law of Khattaf during the prayer. As a result, Khalid did not get the opportunity to attack.

Changing course in an effort to avoid bloody clashes

The Prophet avoided the main road of Qura'ul Ghamim and continued to advance along another curved path. This path was a mountainous one. Leaving the main road on his left, he turned right and advanced through Hims, taking a path that passed over Saniatul Marar. From Saniatul Marar he descended to Hudaybiyah. Hudaybiyah was located in the lower region of Mecca. The advantage of advancing along the changed route was that by moving forward on the left, the main road of Qura'ul Ghamim, which went from Tanim to Haram Sharif and where Khalid bin Walid's army was deployed, it was possible to avoid the risk of conflict. Seeing the dust that was visible in the air due to the Muslims' progress, Khalid was able to realize that they had changed their route. Then he excited his horse as much as possible to inform the Quraysh of the changed situation and rushed towards Mecca at a very furious speed.

Meanwhile, the Prophet continued his journey as usual, and when he reached Saniatul Marar, the camel sat down. The people said, "Why are you sitting down? Let's go." But it remained sitting down. The people said, "The Kaswa refused."

The Prophet said, "The kaswa has not stopped, and this is not its nature or habit. But it has been stopped by the One who stopped the elephant."

Then the Messenger of Allah said, "By Him in Whose Hand is my soul, do not demand anything that shows respect for what Allah has forbidden, and I will certainly accept it."

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) scolded his camel. It jumped up and stood up. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) changed the route slightly and alighted at a spring at the end of Hudaybiyah. There was a small amount of water there and the people were taking it little by little. So, in a short time the water ran out.

When the thirsty people came to the Prophet (ﷺ) for water, he took out an arrow from his quiver, gave it to them, and advised them to throw it into the spring, and the water in the spring immediately began to bubble up. Finally, so much water flowed into the spring that everyone returned with full satisfaction after drinking the water.

The mediation of Budayl bin Waraqa

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) felt a little better, Budayl bin Waraqah came to his service with some men from the tribe of Khwaja. This tribe (Khwaja) among the inhabitants of Tohama was the well-wisher of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Budayl said, "I have seen Ka'b bin Luway' camped at the well-watered place of Hudaybiyah. There are also children and women with them. They are determined to fight you and prevent you from the House of Allah."

The Prophet said, "We have not come here to fight anyone. The past wars have completely defeated and destroyed the Quraysh. They have suffered a lot in this. So if they wish, I will fix a time with them, during which they will move away from me and the opposing people. This will avoid major losses. Otherwise, if they wish to fight, they will definitely suffer the punishment of their arrogance."

And if war is their only desire, then by Him in Whose Hand is my life, I will fight them in the cause of Allah as long as I have a soul in my body or until Allah makes a final decision regarding His religion.

Budayl said, "I will inform the Quraysh of what you have said." Then he went to the Quraysh and said, "I have met Muhammad in Medina. I have heard something from him, and if you wish, I will present it to you." Hearing this, the foolish and ignorant people said, "We have no need for you to narrate anything of his to us." But those who were intelligent and wise said, "Tell us what you have heard from him."

He narrated to them what the Messenger of Allah had said to Budayl. In this context, the Quraysh sent Mukhriz bin Hafs to him. When the Messenger of Allah saw him, he said, "This man is a breach of promise."

But when he went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and discussed it, he told him the same things he had told Budayl and his companions. Then he returned to Mecca and informed the Quraysh of the matters of his discussion.

The Quraysh envoy

Upon learning of the matters discussed, Halis bin Alqamah of Banu Kinanah said, "Let me go to him." The people said, "Very well, then go."

When he came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the Prophet (ﷺ) looked at the Companions and said, "This man belongs to a people who respect the animals of sacrifice. So make the animals stand."

The Companions (ra) made the animals stand up and they themselves greeted him with a greeting. Seeing this, the man was overjoyed and said, "Subhan Allah! It would not be right to prevent these people from the House of Allah." So he returned to his people.

Returning, he said to the Quraysh, "I saw the animals of the Hadi, whose necks are tied and whose backs have been slit. Therefore, I do not think it appropriate to keep them away from the House of Allah." Hearing all this, the Quraysh people exchanged some words with him, which made him very angry.

At that time, Urwa bin Mas'ud Al-Thaqafi intervened and said, "That man Muhammad (ﷺ) has made you a good offer. Accept his offer and let me go to him."

When the people allowed him to go, he approached the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and began a conversation. During the conversation, the Prophet (ﷺ) told him everything he had told Budayl. Urwah replied, "O Muhammad, even if you were to wipe out your own people, have you ever heard of any Arab before you who wiped out his own people? And if the latter happens, by Allah! I see many fools and scoundrels who will flee from you."

Hearing this, Abu Kabar (ra) said, "Keep sucking the hanging skin of Lat's private parts, will we run away from the Messenger of Allah?"

Urwah said, "Who is this man?" The people said, "He is Abu Bakr."

He addressed Abu Bukhar and said, "Look, by the One in Whose Hand is my life, if it were not for the fact that you did me a favor and I was unable to repay it, I would certainly have reciprocated it."

Then Urwa resumed his conversation with the Prophet (ﷺ). While he was talking, he repeatedly touched the Prophet’s (ﷺ) beard. Mughira bin Shu’bah was standing next to the Prophet’s head. He had a sword in his hand. When Urwa raised his hand towards the Prophet’s beard during the conversation, he would strike his hand with the hilt of his sword and say, “Keep your hand away from the Prophet’s (ﷺ) beard.”

Finally, Urwah raised his head and said, "Who is this man?" The people said, "He is Mughira bin Sho'bah."

Then he said, "Promise-breaker. Am I not facing difficulties because you broke promise?" The real fact was that the Mughir were with a group of people during the Age of Ignorance.

At one point, he killed his companions and fled with their wealth. Then he embraced Islam. In view of the situation, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'You have embraced Islam, but I will have nothing to do with your wealth.' The reason for Urwa's haste in this matter was that Mughira was his nephew.

Then Urwa continued to witness the sincerity in the treatment of the companions toward the Prophet (ﷺ). Then he returned to his people and said, "O brothers of the tribe! By Allah! I have been to the courts of emperors like Caesar, Kesra and the Negus, but I have not seen any emperor who was respected by his companions as much as Muhammad is respected by his companions. By Allah. When he spits, some take it in their hands and smear it on their faces or bodies. When he gives an order, everyone is eager to carry it out. When he performs ablution, it seems as if people will start a war for the water he uses. When he speaks, everyone's voice becomes low. Out of respect for him, the companions never look at him in return. Surely, he has such qualities that his companions respect him so much. He has made a good offer for you. You should accept it.

When the Quraysh saw that their leaders were in favor of the treaty, they decided against it, and under the cover of darkness, they would enter the Muslim camp and create such chaos that the flames of war would spontaneously ignite.

Then, in order to carry out the decision, seventy or eighty young men descended the Tanim mountain in the darkness of the night and tried to enter the Muslim camp. But Muhammad bin Maslama, the director of the Muslim camp guards, captured them all. But for the sake of the treaty, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) forgave them all and set them free. It was in this regard that the following verse was revealed from Allah:

And it is He who withheld their hands from you and your hands from them within [the area of] Makkah after He caused you to overcome them. And ever is Allah, of what you do, Seeing. (Al-Fath: 24)

Sending Uthman as an envoy to the Quraysh

The Prophet thought that at this time it was necessary to send a messenger to the Quraysh who would be able to present a strong statement about the purpose and goal of the present journey. When the Prophet first called Umar for this task, he apologized saying, "O Messenger of Allah, if I am given trouble there, then send Ibn Affan of the Banu Ka'b tribe to Mecca for this purpose. Many of his relatives and people of his tribe are still in Mecca. He will be able to convey your message to the Quraysh very well."

Then the Messenger of Allah ordered Uthman to go to the Quraysh and said, "Go and tell them that we have not come to fight. We have come to perform Umrah. Also, invite them to Islam."

Furthermore, he instructed Uthman to go to the believing men and women in Mecca and give them the good news of the Muslims' conquest of Mecca in the near future, and also to tell them that Allah would soon manifest and establish His religion in Mecca. Therefore, no one would need to remain in hiding to believe in the religion of Allah.

Uthman traveled to Mecca with a message from the Prophet. When he passed by the Quraysh at Baldah, they asked him, "What is the purpose of this journey?" He said, "The Prophet of Allah, Muhammad has sent me here with a message."

They said, "We have heard Muhammad, go to your work." On the other hand, Saeed bin As came up and greeted him and greeted him. Then he saddled his horse and mounted it and took Uthman with him to his residence in Mecca. There, Uthman conveyed the message of the Messenger of Allah to the leading Quraysh. When he was relieved of his duty by delivering the message, the Quraysh proposed that he should circumambulate the House of Allah. But he refused, as he did not consider it appropriate to circumambulate before the Messenger of Allah.

Rumors of the martyrdom of Uthman (RA) and the Bay'ah of Rizwan

Uthman (ra) fulfilled the duty entrusted to him in a proper manner. But the Quraysh detained him. Perhaps because they were unable to take a correct decision regarding the situation that had arisen, and with the intention of conveying the correct decision through him, although with some delay. Since the matter was very embarrassing for them and they needed further consultation in this regard, they wanted to delay Uthman's return.

But due to the unusual delay in Uthman's return, a rumor spread among the Muslims that Uthman had been killed. When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard this news, he declared that we would not leave this place until a final decision was made through war. Then the Prophet called upon the Companions to pledge. A group of the Companions felt a little like breaking down. However, they pledged that they would not flee from the battlefield. Another group pledged to die.

That is, they will not leave the battlefield even if they die. The first to pledge was Abu Sinan Asadi. Salma bin Akwa pledged three times. First, in the middle and at the end. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) himself held his hand and said, "This is Uthman's hand." When the pledge-taking ceremony was over, Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) returned and also pledged. Only one person did not participate in the pledge-taking ceremony. He was a hypocrite. His name was Jud bin Qays.

Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree. (Surah Fath: Verse-18)

Treaty and contract clauses

However, the Quraysh realized the seriousness of the situation and immediately sent Suhayl bin Amr to the Prophet (ﷺ) to discuss and decide on the treaty. When he was sent, he advised that the treaty should definitely stipulate that Muhammad would return to Medina with his companions without performing Umrah this year. The people of Mecca should not have any reason to think that Muhammad had entered our city by force. When Suhayl bin Amr returned from the Quraysh, the Prophet (ﷺ) saw him coming and said to his companions, "Your task has been made easy for you. The purpose of sending this person is that the Quraysh are seeking peace." After Suhayl came to the Prophet (ﷺ), they discussed various matters for a long time and finally the terms of the treaty were determined between the two parties. The terms of the treaty are as follows:

1. The Prophet will return to Medina with his companions without entering Mecca this year. The Muslims will arrive in Mecca next year and stay there for three days. They will have the necessary weapons for the journey with them and their swords will be sheathed. No obstacles will be created for their arrival.

2. There will be a cessation of hostilities between the two sides for ten years. During this time, people will be safe, and no one will raise a hand against anyone else.

3. All tribes or groups of people who wish to enter the covenant of Muhammad may enter. The tribe in which they join will be considered part of that group. In such a case, if any tribe is wronged, it will be considered as if the group concerned has been wronged.

4. If a person from Quraysh escapes and joins Muhammad's party without the permission of his guardian, he must be sent back. However, if a person from Muhammad's party escapes and goes to Quraysh for refuge, the Quraysh will not return him.

After this, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered Ali to write down the terms of the treaty.

He said, "Write, 'Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim.'"

In response, Suhail said, "We do not know what 'Rahman' means. You write it like this, 'Bismika Allahumma' (In the name of Allah). The Prophet ordered Ali to write it that way, and he wrote it that way."

Then by the order of the Prophet (ﷺ), Ali wrote, 'These are the words on which the Messenger of Allah made the treaty.'

In response to this, Suhail said, "If we had known that you were the Messenger of Allah, we would not have prevented you from the House of Allah, nor would we have fought you. So write 'Muhammad bin Abdullah.'"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Even if you deny it, it is a great truth that I am the Messenger of Allah." Then he ordered Ali to erase the word 'Rasulullah' and write 'Muhammad bin Abdullah' in its place.

But Ali the Prophet could not accept the deletion of this word 'Rasulullah'. Understanding Ali's mental state, the Holy Prophet erased the word with his own blessed hand. Then the entire agreement was written down.

When the treaty was concluded, the Banu Khuzayyah entered into the covenant of the Holy Prophet. They had actually been the caliphs of the Banu Hashim since the time of Abdul Muttalib, as mentioned at the beginning of the book.

The entry of Banu Khuzayyah into the Prophet's covenant was the result or maturity of the previous promise. On the other hand, the Banu Bakr tribe entered into the covenant of the Quraysh.

The return of Abu Jandal

While the treaty was being drawn up, Abu Jandal, the son of Suhayl, arrived there, dragging himself in chains. He had come from the lower regions of Mecca. He joined the Muslims on his own accord as soon as he arrived. Seeing his condition, Suhayl said, "This Abu Jandal is the first person about whom I have discussed with you that you should return him." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Our treaty has not yet been concluded."

He said, 'Then I am not willing to discuss the matter with you any further.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Then for my sake, release him.'

He said, "I won't leave him even for your sake." He said, "No, no, at least you have to do this much."

He said, 'No, I can't do that.'

Then Suhail slapped Abu Jandal in the face and dragged him by his clothes to return to the polytheists.

Abu Jandal then shouted loudly, "O Muslim brothers! Shall I return to the polytheists and have them subject me to trial concerning my religion?"

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'O Abu Jandal! Be patient and consider it a means of gaining reward. Allah has prepared a spacious place of refuge for you and for the weak and oppressed Muslims like you. We have made a treaty with the Quraysh and we have made a covenant with each other. Therefore, we cannot break our covenant.'

Then Umar went out and reached Abu Jandal at a very fast pace. He passed by him and said, "Abu Jandal, be patient. These are polytheists and their blood is the blood of dogs." He also held out the hilt of his sword in front of him. It is narrated from Umar that he hoped that Abu Jandal would take up the sword and kill his father. But he was stingy towards his father and the treaty came into effect.

Sacrifice and haircut to be purified from Umrah

After the peace treaty was signed, the Prophet advised his companions to sacrifice their animals. But by Allah, no one left their place. It seemed as if this had not reached them.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) repeated his statement three times. But no one left the place. Then he went to Umm Salamah (ra) and informed her of the situation. Umm al-Mu'minin said, "O Messenger of Allah! If you want everyone to sacrifice their animals and shave their heads, then slaughter the animal yourself without telling anyone else and call the barber and shave your head."

The Prophet (ﷺ) acted on the advice of Umm al-Mu'minin, that is, he slaughtered his hadi animal, called the barber and shaved his head.

Seeing the Prophet performing the sacrifice and shaving his head, everyone else slaughtered their own animals and, with the help of one another, had their heads shaved. The whole atmosphere was solemn and everyone was so worried that it seemed that they would kill each other due to excessive worry. At that time, a cow and a camel were slaughtered for seven people.

The Prophet slaughtered a camel belonging to Abu Jahl, which had a silver ring in its nose. The intention was that the Quraysh polytheists would suffer mental anguish as a result. Then the Prophet asked for forgiveness three times for those who shaved their heads, and three times for those who cut their hair with scissors, and made a supplication once. On that journey, Allaah revealed to Ka’b ibn Ujrah that whoever shaves his head (while in Ihram) out of hardship should fast, or give charity, or sacrifice an animal.

Refusal to return migrant women

Then a number of female emigrants arrived. Their guardians demanded that they be returned in accordance with the treaty of Hudaybiyah. But the Prophet (ﷺ) rejected their demand.

Allah revealed the verse about these women:

O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine [test] them. Allah is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give them [the disbelievers] what they have spent. And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation [mahr]. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them [the disbelievers] ask for what they have spent. That is the judgement of Allah; He judges between you. And Allah is Knowing and Wise. (Surah Mumtahinah: Verse-10)

After the revelation of the above verse, whenever a woman migrated, the Holy Prophet would test her in the light of the following instructions from Allah:

O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allah, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs, nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (Surah Mumtahinah: Verse-12)

When the women pledged to follow the conditions mentioned in the verse, the Prophet would accept their pledge. Then they were not returned.

In order to comply with these instructions, Muslims divorced their infidel wives. At that time, Umar had two polytheistic women in his marriage. - He divorced both of them. One of them was married to Muawiyah and the other to Safwan bin Umayya.

Summary of the clauses of the treaty

The most important and turning point in the history of Islam is the Treaty of Hudaybiyah. Whoever thinks deeply about the terms of this treaty and the subsequent scenario, it will be clear to him that this treaty was a great victory for the Muslims. Because until then, the Quraysh did not recognize the existence of any Islamic society or state. They were even determined to destroy it. They were waiting for the day when their power would be destroyed. Moreover, the Quraysh, due to their religious leadership and the responsibility of the worldly head in the Arabian Peninsula, were an obstacle to the establishment of full authority of the Islamic call and the common people.

Analyzing the subsequent scenario, it becomes clear that although this treaty appeared to be a concession on the part of the Muslims, it was actually an acknowledgement of the strength of the Muslims and the fact that the Quraysh did not have the power to crush or annihilate the Islamic power.

In the third phase, it appeared that the Quraysh had no awareness of their past situation and position in the changed circumstances.

They had almost forgotten that their role in religious matters was at the top. Even if all the common people of the Arabian Peninsula had taken refuge under the cool shade of Islam, they would have had nothing to worry about and would not have been any obstacle in this regard. Was this not a clear defeat for the Quraysh in the context of their aims and determination? On the other hand, was it not a clear victory for the Muslims in the context of the aims and objectives?

Finally, what was the aim and purpose of the bloody conflict that took place between the Muslims and the enemies of Islam, other than that the people should act completely independently and have power in matters of faith or religion? That is, according to their free will, they should be able to adopt whatever they want? Whoever wants to be a Muslim will be a Muslim, and whoever wants to remain an infidel, they should remain an infidel. There should be no obstacle to their wishes or desires. It was never the intention of the Muslims to confiscate the property of their enemies, kill them and force them to become Muslims. That is, the aim of the Muslims was only what Allama Iqbal described in his words:

The desire of believers is martyrdom; not booty or kingdom.

The goal and purpose of a believing Muslim servant was to attain martyrdom. He had no desire to gain booty or become a king or the owner of any territory.

What the Muslims were able to achieve through the said treaty, was not possible even after winning an open victory in most of the wars. Being freed from the risks of propaganda and the possibility of disasters through the treaty, the Muslims continued to achieve unprecedented success in the field of invitation and propagation of Islam. Whereas before the treaty, the number of Muslim soldiers never exceeded three thousand. In the case of the treaty, in just two years, on the eve of the conquest of Mecca, it reached ten thousand.

The second point was also actually part of the apparent victory. Because the polytheists broke the terms of the treaty and started the war. In this regard, the Quran states:

They were the ones who attacked you first. (At-Tawbah: Verse 13)

The Muslims hoped that the Quraysh would abandon their foolish arrogance and pride and refrain from obstructing the path of Allah, and would carry out their affairs on the basis of equality and friendship. That is, each side would be completely free to pursue its own goals. Now, if we think about it, it will become clear that the ten-year ceasefire was a pledge to refrain from their pointless arrogance and from obstructing the path of Allah. Moreover, it proves that those who started the war were weak and exhausted, and therefore they were completely unsuccessful in achieving their goals.

If we analyze the context of the first point, it can be easily understood. Although it may seem humiliating to the Muslims, it was actually a symbol of their success. Because, through this condition, the Muslims and the Quraysh had previously issued a ban. However, the thing that satisfied the Quraysh in that condition was that they had succeeded in preventing the Muslims from entering Mecca for that year. But that was a temporary matter of no importance.

Another point of special concern regarding the said treaty is that the Quraysh accepted only one opportunity in exchange for giving the Muslims three opportunities, which is mentioned in the fourth point. But this opportunity was very simple and insignificant. It did not harm the Muslims in any way. Because, it was a well-known fact that as long as a Muslim remains in the bonds of Islam, he cannot run away from Allah and His Messenger - and from Medinatul Islam. He can run away for only one reason and that is to renounce his religion. When a Muslim renounces his religion, whether openly or secretly, then there will be no need for him in the Muslim community; rather, his separation from the Muslim community will be much better. Referring to this crucial matter, the Holy Prophet has said:

Whoever left our group and fled to the polytheists, Allah removed him or destroyed him.

Then there remains the matter of those inhabitants of Mecca who had embraced Islam or were eagerly waiting to embrace Islam. Of course, as a result of this agreement, although there was no possibility for them to take refuge in Medina, yet it was a peaceful new thing for them that Allah's earth is spacious.' Did not Abyssinia open its arms to the Muslims at the most critical moment of the Muslims of Mecca in the early stages of Islam? When the inhabitants of Medina had not even heard of the name of Islam. Similarly, even today any part of the world can open its arms to the Muslims. Referring to this matter, the Prophet said:

If anyone from among them comes to us, Allah will bring out for him any space. (Muslim)

Then, although such a security system helped to increase the temporary prestige of the Quraysh externally, in reality it was a sign of personal anxiety, thoughts, tribal pressure and disaster for them. Moreover, it was also understandable from this that they were very afraid of their idolatrous society. Moreover, they were also realizing that the social system, which was as empty and meaningless as a children's playhouse, was located next to a ditch dug from the inside, which was in danger of collapsing at any moment. Therefore, it was necessary to adopt such a national maintenance system for its protection.

On the other hand, the Prophet's generous acceptance of these conditions, that he would not demand the return of any Muslim who was in the custody of the Quraysh, clearly demonstrates that the Prophet's (ﷺ) influence and control over the well-organized Islamic society was fully effective. There was no reason for him to hesitate or hesitate in agreeing to such conditions.

The Sadness of the Muslims and the Controversy of Omar (RA)

The terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah and its summary discussion have been presented earlier. But two of the said terms were clearly of such a nature that they caused great sorrow, disappointment and depression in the minds of the Muslims. They are:

1. The point was that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said that he would go to the House of Allah and perform Tawaf, but in view of the circumstances, he agreed on the condition that he return to Medina without performing Tawaf.

2. The second point of grief was that he was the Messenger of Allah and was based on the truth. The Muslims could not understand at all that he had agreed to the terms of this treaty that were humiliating to the religion of Allah. These two points created great doubt, suspicion and apprehension in the minds of the Muslims. The feelings of the Muslims were so hurt and wounded in this matter that they did not have the mental patience to go into the depths of the matter and think about its far-reaching consequences. They were all almost broken in their feelings, perhaps Umar was the most hurt.

He came to the court of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! Are we not on the truth and the disbelievers on falsehood?" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "Of course."

He asked again, "Are not our dead in Paradise and their dead in Hell?" He said, "Why not?"

Omar said, "Then why should we submit to the pressure of the polytheists regarding the religion of Allah and return in a state when Allah has not yet decided between us and them?"

The Prophet said, "O son of Khattab! I am the Messenger of Allah and I will never disobey Him. I believe that He will help me in all my needs and will never let me perish."

Umar said, "Didn't you tell us that you would go to the House of Allah and perform Tawaf?"

The Prophet said, "Of course. But did I say that we would come this year?" He replied, "No."

The Prophet said, "However, Allah willing, you will come to the House of Allah and perform Tawaf."

Then Umar, filled with anger and pride, went to Abu Bakr Siddique (ra) and told him the same things he had told the Messenger of Allah. Abu Bakr replied to him the same things the Messenger of Allah had said, and finally said, "Stand patiently on the path until the truth is established, for by Allah, He is established on the truth."

Then the verses were revealed in which he called the treaty a clear victory and recited the verse. He then said, "O Messenger of Allah! Can we call this a victory?"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes."

He was consoled by this and left there. Later, when Umar realized his mistake, he felt very ashamed. His own narration on this matter is, "Fearing the mistake I made that day and the words I said, I did many deeds, gave a lot of charity, fasted and freed slaves. After doing all this, I now hope for my well-being."

Topic on solving the problems of weak Muslims

After returning to Medina, the Prophet (ﷺ) began to feel somewhat at ease. But within a few days, another problem arose. A Muslim went to Mecca and was being tortured, but somehow managed to escape and return to Medina. He came to Medina with the Thaqif tribe. His name was Abu Bashir. He was related to the Thaqif tribe and had a treaty of cooperation with the Quraysh. The Quraysh sent two men to Medina to bring him back. They said to the Prophet (ﷺ), "The treaty that has been concluded between us and you. Implement it and return Abu Bashir."

In response to their words, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) handed Abu Bashir over to them. The two of them set out towards Mecca with him. At one point on the way, they disembarked at a place called Dhul-Hulaifa and started eating dates. While eating and drinking, Abu Bashir said to one of them in an intimate atmosphere, "O brother! By Allah! Your sword seems very good to me." The man took the sword out of its sheath and said, "Yes, by Allah! This is a very good sword. I have tested it many times."

Abu Bashir said, "Give me the sword, brother, and I will look at it." He did as he was told, and gave him the sword. As soon as he got the sword in his hand, Abu Bashir attacked him and turned him into a pile.

The second man fled in fear for his life and arrived in Medina and ran into the Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet saw him and said, "What happened? Why does he look so scared?"

The man approached the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, ‘By Allah! My companion has been killed and I will be killed too.’ At that time Abu Bashir came there and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Allah has fulfilled your promise. You handed me over to them. Then Allah saved me from their oppression.’

The Prophet said, "May his mother perish, if this man finds a companion, he will ignite the fire of war."

Hearing this from the Prophet (ﷺ), Abu Bashir realized that he would once again be handed over to the infidels. So, without delay, he left Medina and headed towards the seacoast.

Meanwhile, Abu Jandal bin Suhail also somehow escaped from Mecca and joined Abu Bashir. From then on, whenever any of the Quraysh converted to Islam, they would flee from Mecca and join Abu Bashir. In this way, they became a well-organized group.

From then on, whenever they heard of a Quraysh trade caravan traveling to Syria, they would attack it, beat the people, and plunder whatever wealth they found. Fed up with repeated plundering, the Quraysh finally came to the Prophet and, invoking the intercession of Allah and their relatives, offered him help, asking him to bring them under his control.

In this context, when the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) invited them to Medina, they came to Medina. The Quraysh also proposed that the Muslims who left Mecca for Medina would not be asked to return.

Newer trends

The Treaty of Hudaybiyah truly marked a new turning point in the life of Islam and Muslims. Because, the Quraysh had been playing a very important role as the most stubborn, stubborn and riotous community in the hostility and opposition to Islam. But when they retreated from the battlefield and leaned towards security arrangements by concluding a treaty, the strongest group (Quraysh) of the three warring groups (Quraysh, Ghatfan and Jews) became flexible, and their strong bond of unity weakened. Moreover, the key to idolatry and the leadership of the idolaters in the entire Arabian Peninsula were in the hands of the Quraysh. However, when they retreated from the battlefield, the warlike fervor and enthusiasm of the idolaters subsided and their fierce hostility towards the Muslims subsided.

It is also noteworthy that after the treaty, there was no major hostile action or demonstration by the Ghatfan tribe to create disturbances. If they did anything in these matters, it was not the result of their own thoughts and intentions; rather, it was due to the instigation of the Jews.

The Jews, after being expelled from Yathrib, had turned Khaybar into a centre of all kinds of intrigues and conspiracies. There, Satan was providing them with all kinds of fuel and they were busy fanning the flames of sedition. They were busy plotting to incite the Bedouins of the surrounding areas of Medina and to exterminate the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Muslims or to inflict a major blow on them. That is why, after the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, the Prophet (ﷺ) first decided to take decisive action against the instigating activities and conspiracies of the Jews.

However, the atmosphere of security and peace and tranquility created by the Treaty of Hudaybiyah created a great opportunity for the Muslims in terms of Islamic campaigning and the spread of Da'wah. As a result of this opportunity, their enthusiasm continued to increase, so did the scope of their work. Peacetime efforts and processes proved to be much more effective than those during the war. In order to facilitate the presentation and discussion of the subject, the post-Treaty activities were presented from two perspectives. Namely:

1. Campaigns and sending letters to the emperor and social leaders.

2. War campaign.

Of course, it would not be wrong or unreasonable to say that before talking about this level of warfare, it is necessary to present a detailed account of the delivery of letters to the emperor and social leaders. Because, in the case of Islamic da'wah, the issue of propagation and publication actually comes first, and this is why Muslims had to be subjected to various tortures, sufferings, corruption and misgivings.

Letter to the The king and social leaders.

After returning from Hudaybiyah towards the end of the 6th Hijri, the Prophet sent letters to the kings and leaders of the neighboring states inviting them to Islam. When the Prophet expressed his intention to write letters, he was requested that the kings would accept the letter when it was stamped with a seal. In this context, the Prophet had a silver ring made, on which was printed 'Muhammadur Rasulullah'. This printing consisted of three lines, 'Muhammad' in one line, 'Rasulullah' in another line and the word 'Allah' in the third line.

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) appointed wise, well-educated and experienced companions as messengers and sent letters to the kings and leaders through them. Allama Mansurpuri has firmly stated that the Prophet sent these messengers on the 1st of Muharram, 7th AH, a few days before his journey to Khaibar.

Later, all those letters and their perspectives and effective effects were presented.

Letter to the Emperor of Abyssinia, Najjashi

The name of the Najjashi mentioned was Ashamah bin Abzar. The letter that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) had written in his name was sent by Amr bin Umayya al-Jamri towards the end of the 6th or the beginning of the 7th Hijri. The contents of the letter are as follows:

Bismillahir Rahmanihir Rahim
From the Messenger of Allah Muhammad, In the name of the honorable king of Abyssinia, Negus. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance. Then I praise you, O Allah. There is no god but He. The Giver of Peace, the Protector, and the Guardian. I bear witness that Jesus, son of Mary, was a spirit from Allah and His Word. Allah created him and purified him and cast him into the chaste Mary, and she conceived him with His breath, just as He created Adam with His mighty hand. I call to Allah alone, who has no partner, and to help and support one another in His obedience, and to the word that you follow me and believe in what has been revealed to me. For I am the Messenger of Allah. I call you and your soldiers to Allah, the Most Honorable and the Most Great. I convey to you the responsibility that Allah has entrusted to me and advise you to accept it. So accept my advice. Peace be upon him who accepts guidance and follows it.

When Amr bin Umayya al-Jamri handed over the letter of the Holy Prophet to Najjashi, he took it and kept it before his eyes, and then descended from the throne and embraced Islam before Ja'far bin Abi Talib. Then he wrote a letter to the Holy Prophet, the content of which was as follows:

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem
Messenger of Allah! May peace, mercy and blessings be upon you from Allah. Allah is the One besides Whom there is no god but He. Then, O Messenger of Allah! Your most valuable letter has come to my hand in which you have mentioned the matter of Prophet Jesus (as). By Allah, the Lord of the heavens and the earth! It should be noted that Jesus (as) was not an atom's weight more than that. He was exactly as you have mentioned. Then we learned what you sent to us and entertained your cousin and his companions. So I bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah. I accepted Islam through your letter and embraced Islam by placing my hand in the hand of your cousin, for the sake of Allah, the Almighty.

The Prophet (ﷺ) also told the Najjashi to send Ja'far and the other Abyssinian emigrants. For this reason, he arranged for them to be sent in two boats with Amr bin Umayya al-Zamr (ra). Among those on board one boat were Ja'far, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari and other companions (ra). They reached Khaibar directly and attended the service of the Prophet. Among those on board the second boat were mostly people from different families. They went straight to Medina.

The Najjashi emperor died in the month of Rajab, 9 AH, after the Battle of Tabuk. On the day of his death, the Prophet (ﷺ) informed the Companions about his death and performed his funeral prayer. After his death, another person succeeded him and ascended the throne. The Prophet (ﷺ) also sent a letter to him. But it is not known whether he had embraced Islam or not.

Letter to Emperor Mokawkis of Egypt

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) delivered a valuable letter to the Emperor of Egypt and Alexandria, Jorais bin Matar. His title was Muqawqis. The contents of the letter were as follows:

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
From the servant of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad to Muqawqis - Peace be upon him who follows guidance. Then I invite you to Islam. Embrace Islam and be at peace. Embrace Islam and Allah will give you double reward. But if you turn away, the sins of the Kibti will be on you. O Kibti! Come to a word that is equal between us and you. That is, that we will worship none but Allah and that we will not associate anyone with Him. And that we will not take any lord or lord besides Allah. But if they turn away, then say, 'Bear witness that we are Muslims.'

Hatib bin Abu Balta was chosen to deliver the letter. He appeared in the court of Muqawkis and said, "A man has passed away before you on this earth who considered himself a great lord. Allah has finished him off and made him a lesson for people. First, He took revenge on people through him. Then He made him the target of revenge. Therefore, learn from others and do not let others learn from you."

Muqawsiq said, "We have only one religion and we will not abandon it until we find something better than it." Hatib bin Abu Bal Tayyah said, "Allah has chosen Islam as a complement to all other religions. Look, the Prophet invited the people to Islam. The Quraish were the most vehement in this regard and the Jews were the most hostile. But the Christians were the closest. By my life! Just as Moses (as) gave the good news of Jesus (as), so Jesus (as) gave the good news of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). We invite you to the Quran just as you invited the followers of the Torah to the Gospel. When a prophet appears among a community, the people of that Christian community are considered the followers of that prophet. Obedience to that prophet then becomes an obligatory duty for the people of that community. You have followed the Prophet. We are not asking you to abandon the true religion; rather, we are inviting you to follow the complementary system of his religion.

Muqawqis said, "I have thought about the Prophet. I have found that he did not command anything that was disliked or forbade anything that was desirable. He does not practice evil magic or lie; rather, I find in him the signs of prophethood, such as revealing secrets and giving advice. I will think about this further." Muqawqis took the letter of the Prophet (ﷺ) and placed it in a box made of ivory with great respect, sealed it, and gave it to a maidservant to keep it carefully. Then he called a scribe who could write in Arabic and wrote the following letter for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Bismillahir Rahmanihir Rahim. From the great Muqawqis of Kibti to Muhammad bin Abdullah:
Please accept my greetings. Then your letter has reached me. I have understood your words and invitation mentioned in the letter. Now I have an idea that a Prophet will appear. I had an idea that he would appear from the kingdom of Sham.
I have sent to your service two maidservants, who are of great status among the Kibtis, as a sign of the messenger you have sent. In addition, I have sent some clothes for you to wear and a mule to use as a vehicle as a small token. Then I again presented my greetings to your service.

Muqawqis did not write anything more than this. Although he showed great respect for the Prophet (ﷺ), he did not convert to Islam. The names of the two slave girls he sent were Maria and Shirin. The mule's name was Duldul. The mule lived until the time of Muawiyah. The Prophet (ﷺ) married Maria. She gave birth to the Prophet's son Ibrahim. Shirin was given to Hasan bin Thabit Ansari.

Letter from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to the Persian Emperor Khusrau Parvez.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) sent a letter to the Persian Emperor Kisra (Khusrau). The content of the letter was as follows:

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem
From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to the Persian Emperor Kisra. Peace be upon him who follows guidance, believes in Allah and His Messenger, and bears witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah. Allah is One and Unique. He has no partner, and Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. I invite you to Allah. For I am sent by Allah to mankind to warn the living of the evil consequences of sin and to make the truth manifest to the disbelievers. So if you accept Islam, you will be safe. But if you reject it, then upon you will be the sin of the fire-worshippers.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Abdullah bin Hudhaifa al-Sahmi as the messenger to carry the letter. He handed over the letter to the chief of Bahrain. However, it is not known whether the chief of Bahrain himself sent the letter to Kisra through someone else or Abdullah bin Hudhaifa al-Sahmi sent it to Kisra. However, when the letter was read to Kisra, he tore it up and said arrogantly, "A vile servant from among my subjects has written his own name before mine."

When the Prophet learned of Kisra's arrogance, he said, "May Allah destroy his empire." And what he said came true.

Then Kisra wrote to his governor of Yemen, Bajan, saying, "Send two able and strong men to bring that man from Hejaz to my court." Bajan, as instructed by Kisra, selected the two men and sent a letter to the Prophet in their hands. The letter asked the Prophet to appear at Kisra's palace.

When they reached Medina and appeared before the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), one of them said, "Kisra has sent a letter to the governor of Yemen, Bajan, to send someone to bring you to Kisra's palace. Bajan has sent us to you to carry out that order. So, you should go to Kisra's palace." At the same time, they both spoke in a threatening tone. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Meet us tomorrow."

Meanwhile, while this impressive event was taking place in Medina, the flames of a rebellion against Khusrau Parvez's family were burning fiercely in the palace of Kisra. As a result, after the successive defeats of the Persian army at the hands of Caesar's army, Khusrau's son Shirwai killed his father and ascended the throne. This event took place on the night of Tuesday, 10 Jumadi-ul-Ula, 7 A.H. The Prophet was informed of this event through revelation.

The next morning, when the Persian representatives appeared before the Prophet, he informed them of the incident. They said, "Do you have any sense? What are you saying? We have also included many common things you said as crimes. Should we write this and send this to the king?"

The Prophet said, "Yes, tell him my news and tell him that my religion and my rule will reach where Kisra reached; nay, it will advance even further and stop at a place beyond which neither camel nor horse can reach. You both should also tell him that if he becomes a Muslim, everything under his control will be given to him and he will be made king over your people."

Then the two of them set out from Medina and reached Bajan and informed him of everything in detail. Shortly after, a letter arrived stating that Shirwa had killed his father Kisra. Shirwa also advised in his letter that the person about whom my father had written to you should not be provoked until further orders.

As a result of this incident, Bajan and his Persian friends (who were staying in Yemen) became Muslims.

Letter to the Roman Emperor Caesar

The contents of the letter are narrated in a long hadith in Sahih Bukhari. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent the letter to the Roman Emperor Heraclius. The contents of the letter are as follows:

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem
From the servant of Allah and His Messenger Muhammad to the Roman Emperor Heraclius - Peace be upon him who follows the guidance. Embrace Islam and you will be safe. Embrace Islam and Allah will give you double your reward. But if you turn away, the sins of the preachers will be upon you. O People of the Book! Come to a word that is equal between us and you: that we will worship none but Allah, and that we will associate no partners with Him, and that we will not take any other lords besides Allah. But if the people turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims."

The Prophet appointed Dahiyyah bin Kalbi as the messenger to deliver the letter. The Prophet instructed him to hand over the letter to the chief of Basra. Then he would deliver it to Caesar. What happened next in this regard is narrated in Sahih Bukhari on the authority of Ibn Abbas (ra). He narrated that Abu Sufyan bin Harb told him that Heraclius sent him with a group of Quraysh. This group had gone to Sham for trade depending on security aquired by the Treaty of Hudaybiyah. They came to him at a place called Ilia (Bait al-Maqdis).

Heraclius summoned them to his court. At that time, the Roman chieftain was present with him. Then he addressed the Muslims through his interpreters, saying, 'Who among you is closest to the one who claims to be a prophet?' Abu Sufyan narrated that 'I said, I am closest.'

Heraclius said, "Bring him to me and make his companions sit behind him." Then Heraclius said to his interpreter, "I will question this man about the prophet. If he tells a lie, you will prove him to be a liar."

Abu Sufyan said, "By Allah! If I were not afraid of being called a liar for lying, I would certainly have lied about the Prophet."

Abu Sufyan said, 'Then the first question that Heraclius asked me about the Prophet was, "What is his lineage among you?"
I said, "He is of noble lineage."
Heraclius said, "Did anyone among you say this before him?" I said, "No."
Heraclius said again, "Were any of his ancestors kings?" I said, "No."
Heraclius said, "Well, then, did the honorable people follow him, or the weak?" I said, "Rather, the weak."
Heraclius asked, "Is their number increasing or decreasing?"
I said, "No; rather, it is increasing continuously."
Heraclius said, "Has any old man rebelled and apostatized after embracing this religion?"
I said, "No."
Heraclius said, "Since he has been saying these things, have you seen him involved in any lie before?"
I said, no.
Heraclius said, does he break his promise?
I said, no. But now we are bound by a treaty with him. A long time has passed since then. I do not know what he will do next in this regard."
Abu Sufyan said in the context, as if I had not had the opportunity to say anything against him anywhere other than this sentence.
Heraclius said, Did you ever engage in a war with him?
I said, Yes.
Heraclius said, What was the state of your and his war?
Abu Sufyan said, The war that took place between us and him was like a bucket, that is, he defeated us and we defeated him.
Heraclius said, What kind of speech and action does he command you to do?
I said, He commanded us to worship Allah alone, not to associate anyone with Him, to abandon what our ancestors used to say, to establish prayer, to be truthful and virtuous, and to treat our relatives well.

Then Heraclius said to his interpreter, 'Tell that man (Abu Sufyan) that when I asked you about the Prophet, you said that he was of noble birth. And the Prophets are of noble birth. Did anyone say this before him? You answered, 'No.' I say that if anyone else had said this before him, I would have said that this man was imitating something that had been said before him.

I asked whether any of his fathers or paternal uncles had become kings! You replied, 'No.' In this regard, I say that if it were proven that any of his fathers or paternal uncles had become kings, then I would have said that this person was saying this in the context of his father's or paternal uncle's claim to the kingship.

I asked, "Has he been accused of lying before?" You said, "No, I know very well that a person who does not lie to people cannot lie about Allah." I asked, "Are his followers the wealthy and influential, or the lower and weaker classes?" You said, "The poor and weaker classes follow him." In fact, these are the people who follow the prophets.

I asked, "Does anyone become disheartened and leave the religion after entering it?" You replied, "No." The fact is that this is what happens when a person who enters the religion tastes the taste of faith.

I asked, "Does he break his promise?" You replied, "No." This is how it is with the Prophet. He never breaks his promise.

I also asked, what kind of words and actions did he command? You replied, he tells us to worship Allah alone and not to associate anyone with Him. Furthermore, he tells us to abstain from idolatry, to establish prayer, and to be truthful and virtuous.

In this context, if what you have said about him is correct and true, then this person will soon take the place under my feet. I knew that this Prophet would appear. But I did not think that he would come from among you. If I had been sure that I would be able to reach him, I would have suffered to meet him. And if I had been close to him, I would have washed his feet.

Then Heraclius asked for the letter sent by the Messenger of Allah and read it. When he finished reading the letter, the sound of some voices gradually increased and finally there was a lot of noise. At the order of Heraclius, we were then taken out of there. When we were brought out, I said to my companions, Abu Kabshar. The matter of the Messenger of Allah has become very strong. The emperor of Banu Asfar (the Romans) is afraid of him. I think that after this the religion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) will be victorious, and Allah has even made a place for Islam in my heart.

Abu Sufyan himself witnessed the effect of the Prophet's letter on the emperor. The second proof that the letter had a special effect on the emperor is that under its influence he rewarded the messenger of the Prophet (ﷺ) Dahiya Kalbi (RA) with money and valuable clothes. But when Dahiya Kalbi (RA) was returning with all these gifts, some people from the tribe of Jozam looted everything from him at a place called Husma. After Dahiya returned to Medina, instead of going to his own house, he went to the Prophet and informed him of everything.

Upon learning the details of the incident, the Prophet (ﷺ) sent a group of five hundred companions under the leadership of Zayd bin Haritha (ra) towards Husma. Zayd ambushed the Jozam tribe at night, killed some of their men, and captured a number of cattle and women. Among the cattle were one thousand camels and five thousand goats. Among the captives were one hundred women and children.

Since the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Juzam tribe had a pre-existing treaty, Zayd bin Refaya al-Juzami, one of the leaders of the tribe, immediately went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and engaged in a debate and argument, protesting the incident. Zayd bin Refaya had already converted to Islam along with some of the people of the tribe. In this context, when Dahiya al-Kalbi fell into the hands of a band of robbers, he even helped him. That is why the Prophet accepted his protest and returned the booty and the captives.

Letter to Mundhir bin Savir

Mundhir bin Savi was the governor of Bahrain. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) delivered a letter to him inviting him to Islam. The letter was carried by Alaa bin Hazrami (RA).

After receiving the letter, Mundhir replied to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): "O Messenger of Allah! I have read your letter to the people of Bahrain. Some of them expressed their love for Islam and its purity and took refuge in its cool shade. Some of them expressed their dislike and turned away. I have Jews and fire worshippers under my command. So, you should take your own course of action in this regard."

In response, the Holy Prophet wrote him this letter:

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful."
"Letter from the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, to Mundhir bin Savi - Peace be upon you. First of all, I praise and glorify Allah, besides Whom there is no god but He. I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.
Then I remind you of Allah. It is necessary to remember that whoever shows kindness and gains virtue does so for his own benefit, and whoever imitates My representative and obeys his instructions obeys Me. Whoever treats him with kindness, it is as if he treated me with kindness. My representatives have praised you and I have accepted your intercession regarding your nation. So leave the Muslims in the state in which they believed. I have forgiven the criminals. So accept them, and We will not turn you away from your work as long as you are on the path of reform. But those who remain Jews or worship fire, upon them is the tax (jizyah).

Letter to Hawja bin Ali, Chief of Yamama

The letter that the Prophet (ﷺ) sent to Hawja bin Ali, the governor of Yamama, is given below.

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem.
From the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, to Hawja bin Ali - Peace be upon the one who follows guidance. You should know that my religion will spread to the ends where the camels and horses can reach. So embrace Islam and be at peace. I will establish for you what is under your control permanently."

Salit bin Amr Ameri (RA) was appointed as the messenger to carry the said letter. Salit (RA) went to Hawja with the said sealed letter. Hawja treated him with great respect and hospitality. Salit (RA) read the letter to him.

Then Hawza wrote to the Prophet, "There is no question about the excellence and excellence of the matter to which you are calling, and I have felt a great fear in my heart regarding this matter and I have decided to render some service. Therefore, if I am entrusted with some work, I am ready to obey you." He also gave Salit many tokens. He also gave him clothes made by Hijra. Salit returned to Medina with the gifts and went to the Prophet and informed him about everything.

When the letter was read to the Prophet (ﷺ), he said, "Even if he asks me for a piece of the earth, I will not give it to him. He himself will be destroyed and everything he has will be destroyed." Then, when the Prophet returned after the conquest of Mecca, Gabriel (ﷺ) gave the news that Hawza had died.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Listen! A liar will appear in Yamama, who will be killed after me."

One of them said, "O Messenger of Allah! Who will kill him?" The Messenger of Allah said, "You and your companion." And that is what actually happened.

Letter to Harith bin Abi Shamir Ghassani, Governor of Damascus

The content of the letter that the Prophet (ﷺ) wrote to him is recorded below.

Bismillahir Rahmaniir Rahim
"From the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, to Harith bin Abu Shamir Ghassani. Peace be upon the one who believes, has faith and follows guidance. I call upon you to believe in Allah, the One and Only. Who has no partner and Who alone is worthy of worship. Accept the call of Islam, and your kingdom will be established for you permanently."

This letter was passed on to Shuja bin Ahab (RA), a companion of the tribe of Asad bin Khuzaymah. When he handed over the letter to Harith, he said, "Who can take away my kingdom? I will attack him." He did not accept Islam.

Letter to the Emperor of Amman

The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a letter to the Emperor of Amman, Jafar, and his brother Abd. Their father's name was Fulandah. The contents of the letter were as follows:

Bismillahir Rahmanihir Rahim
In the name of Muhammad bin Abdullah, the two sons of Fulandah, Ja'far and Abd. Peace be upon the one who follows the guidance. Then I invite you both to Islam. Accept Islam and be at peace. For I have been sent as the Messenger of Allah to the worlds to warn the living from the horror of the final end and to prove the truth of Allah's word against the disbelievers. If you two accept the invitation to Islam, I will appoint you as rulers and governors. But if you turn away from the invitation to Islam, your kingdom will end. Cavalry will attack your kingdom and my prophethood will prevail over your kingdom.

Amr bin As was appointed as the representative to carry the letter. He narrated, "After leaving Medina, I reached Amman and met Abd. He was the more far-sighted and gentle of the two brothers. I said, 'I have come to you and your brother as a representative of the Messenger of Allah.'" He said, 'My brother is older than me and superior to me in both lineage and kingdom. Therefore, I am sending you to him so that he may read your letter.'

Then he said, "Very well! What words are you inviting us to?"

I said, "We call upon the One Allah, who is One and Unique, who has no partner, except Whom there is none worthy of worship. We say that you abandon those whom you worship besides Allah and bear witness that 'Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah.'"

Abd said, 'O Amr! You are the son of the leader of your people. Tell me what your father did? Because they died without believing in Muhammad. But my sorrow is that if he had embraced Islam and believed in the Messenger, how much better it would have been. I was like him before.

But Allah has guided me to Islam."
Abd said, "When did you accept his allegiance?
I said, "A few days ago." He asked, "Where did you accept Islam?"
I said, "With the Najjashi. He also accepted Islam." Abd asked, "What did the people do in his community and empire?"
I said, "By keeping him permanently established and obeying him." He said, "Did the council of ministers and monks also obey?"
I said, "Yes."
Abd said, "O Amr! What did you say? Because there is no habit of a person more humiliating than lying."
I said, "I am not lying, we do not consider it permissible to lie."
Abd said, "I think that Heraclius does not know about the Najjash's acceptance of Islam."
I said, "Why not?"
Abd said, "How did you know this?"
I said, "The Najjash used to pay taxes to Heraclius. But when he embraced Islam and believed in the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, he said, 'By Allah! Now if he asks me for a single penny, I will not give it to him."

When Heraclius heard this news, he said to his brother Yana, "Will you release your slave if he does not give you money? Moreover, what if he adopts the religion of another instead of you?" Heraclius said, "This is a man who has chosen a new religion and adopted it for himself. What can I do to him now? By Allah! If I had not been greedy for my own kingdom, I would have done what he did."

Abd said, "Look, Amr! What are you saying?"

I said, "By Allah! I am telling you the truth." Abd said, "Okay, then tell me, 'What words or actions does he command and what words or actions does he forbid?'"

I said, 'He commands obedience to Allah the Almighty and forbids disobedience to Him, commands good conduct and establishing kinship ties. He commands abstinence from injustice, lawlessness, adultery, drinking alcohol, worshipping idols and the cross.'

Abd said, "How good are the words you are calling us to! If my brother had followed these words, I would have traveled on horseback. I would have believed in Muhammad (ﷺ) and confirmed him. But my brother's desire for kingship is so great that he is not willing to accept any subordination."

I said, 'If he accepts Islam, the Messenger of Allah will establish his kingdom over his people and will take 'Sadaka' from the wealthy among them and distribute it among the poor.'

Abd said, "That is a very good thing. So tell me, what is Sadaka?" In response, I discussed in detail the matter of taking out a certain amount from the wealth of the wealthy and distributing it among the poor, which is called Sadaka (charity). When the subject of camels came up, he said, "O Amr! Should we give charity from that four-legged animal that moves on its own?" I said, "Yes."

Abd said, "By Allah! I do not think that my people will accept this despite the vastness of their kingdom and their great numbers."

Amr bin As narrated that, "I stayed in his belcony for a few days. He went to his brother and told him everything I had said. Then one day he called me to him. When I entered, the guards held my arm. He said, "Let him go." I was let go. I wanted to sit down, but the guards did not allow me to sit down. When I looked at the emperor, he said, "Speak your words." I then handed over the sealed letter to him.

He opened the seal and read the letter. When he finished reading, he handed the letter to his brother. His brother also read it. In this regard, I noticed that his brother was of a more gentle nature than the emperor.

The emperor asked, "Tell me what kind of behavior the Quraysh have adopted?"

I said, "All have accepted his allegiance, some inspired and encouraged by the religion of Allah, and others defeated by the sword."

The emperor asked, "What kind of people are with him?"

I said, "There are those people who have embraced Islam willingly and with complete satisfaction and have given it priority over everything else. I do not know whether there is anyone else left outside the religion in this area except you. If you do not embrace Islam and obey Muhammad (ﷺ), the cavalry will trample you and wipe out your vitality. Embrace Islam and you will be safe, and the Messenger will appoint you as the ruler of your people. If you embrace Islam, no cavalry or infantry will enter your area."

The emperor said, "Give me some time to think. Come back tomorrow." Then I went back to his brother.

He said, "Amr! I hope that if the greed for kingship does not prevail, he will embrace Islam."

Amr bin As says, "On the second day I went to the Emperor again, but he refused to grant me permission. So I went back to his brother and told him that it was not possible for me to meet the Emperor. In that case, his brother sent me to him."

He said, "I have thought about your invitation. If I surrender my kingdom to a man whose skilled cavalry has not reached here, I will become the weakest figure among the Arabs. On the other hand, if his cavalry reaches here, a struggle will begin such as they have never experienced before."

I said, "Well, then, I am going back tomorrow." When the idea of my going back had created a firm belief in their minds, he discussed it with his brother and said, "Indeed, we are not in any position compared to those over whom this Prophet has been victorious. Moreover, all those to whom he has sent the invitation have also accepted it."

So, the next morning they called me again. When I arrived, both the emperor and his brother embraced Islam and believed in the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). They left me free to receive Sadaka and mediate between people, and they took on the role of a helper against my opponents.

Through the above-mentioned letters, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) conveyed the invitation of Islam to most of the kings of the world. In this context, some accepted the invitation of Islam, while others rejected it. But the advantage of this was that even those who rejected the religion became aware of it, and the name of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the religion he preached became well known to them.

Preparations for war after Hudaybiyah

Ga-ba war or Ji Karad war

In fact, this battle was against a group of Banu Fazara. This war was started because they looted the livestock of the Holy Prophet. This was the only battle that took place after Hudaybiya and before Khaibar. Imam Bukhari (ra) determined this episode and said that this battle took place just three days before Khaibar.

The narrations from Salma bin Akwa (RA), the best warrior of that war, are summarized as follows: The Prophet (ﷺ) sent his camels to pasture under the supervision of his servant Robah. Abu Talha and I were with him along with the horses. In the morning, Al-Rahman Al-Fazari suddenly attacked them and killed the shepherd and fled with the herd. I said, 'Take Robah's horse, take it to Talha and inform the Messenger of Allah of this accident.' Then I stood on a small hill and shouted three times towards Medina, 'Alas morning attack!' Then I started moving behind the attackers. At this stage, I kept reciting this words while shooting arrows at them:

Today we will know who drank their mother's milk.

Salma bin Akwa said, "By Allah! I kept on shooting at them with my arrows. Whenever a horseman would turn and look at me, I would sit down and hide behind a tree. I continued to work in this manner until they entered the narrow path of the mountain. But when they entered the narrow path of the mountain, I climbed the mountain and kept on throwing stones to gauge their progress. I continued to work in this manner until they left the camels of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) behind them. Even after they left the camels of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I continued to chase them and shoot arrows. They kept on moving at a very fast pace. In order to maintain their speed, they threw away more than thirty cloaks and spears to lighten their load. I kept on putting stones on everything they were throwing away as a sign. The purpose was for the Holy Prophet and his companions to recognize that these were treasures taken from the enemies.

Then they sat down on a narrow corner of the ground and began to eat their lunch. I went up to a peak and sat down. Seeing me in this state, four of them climbed the mountain and started coming towards me. When they came a little closer so that they could hear me, I said, "Do you know me? My name is Salama bin Akwa. I will easily catch up with whomever of you I chase. But if any of you chases after me, he will never catch up with me.

When they heard this, all four of them returned. I remained where I was. I waited until I saw the Prophet's horsemen advancing among the trees. Akhram was in the forefront. Behind him was Abu Qatada and behind him was Miqdad bin Awad. As soon as they reached the spot, Abdur Rahman and Akhram clashed. Akhram hit Abdur Rahman's horse and it was injured. But Abdur Rahman killed Akhram with a spear and mounted his horse. At that moment, Abu Qatada hit Abdur Rahman with a spear. He was injured as a result of this blow. The others retreated and fled. We followed them. I was walking with my feet. Some time before sunset, they advanced towards a place where there was a spring called Dhikrād. They wanted to drink water there because they were thirsty. But I forced them to stay away from the spring, so they were not able to drink even a drop of water. The Holy Prophet and his mounted companions reached me after sunset.

I pleaded, 'O Messenger of Allah! They are thirsty. If you give me a hundred men, I can capture their horses and their camels and bring them to your court by their necks.'

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Son of Akwa! You have done a lot. Now rest a little. At this time, they are being entertained by Banu Ghatfan."

The Prophet reviewed the various aspects of the battle and said, "Today, the best of us is Abu Qatada, the cavalryman, and the best of us is Salma bin Akwa, the infantryman."

Salma said, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave me two parts of the war booty. One part as an infantryman and the other as a cavalryman. Furthermore, he made me ride behind him on his camel, Ajba, on the way back to Medina (as a sign of respect)."

During that incident, the Prophet entrusted the administration of Medina to Ibn Umm Maktum and entrusted the responsibility of carrying the flag to Miqdad bin Amr.

Battle of Khaibar and Wadil Qora (Muharram, 7th AH)

Khaybar was a large town situated eighty or sixty miles north of Medina. At the time in question, it had a fort and was cultivated. It has now become a settled area. The climate here is not very conducive to health.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) felt that the Muslims were safe and secure from the hostility of the Quraysh, the most powerful of the three forces in the Battle of Ahzab, as a result of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, he began to think about reaching an agreement with the other two powers, the Jews and Najd, and other tribes. The aim was to avoid hostility and enmity with these peoples so that the Muslims could live in peace and comfort and devote themselves more to the work of inviting and preaching Islam.

Since Khaybar was the center of military campaigns, the meeting place of various conspirators and troublemakers, and the center of incitement, deception and the creation of the fire of war. Therefore, it was especially necessary for this place to be identified as the first point of attention of the Muslims. In this context, a question may now arise, whether the idea that the Muslims had about Khaybar was correct or not. It can be said without a doubt that the idea of ​​the Muslims in this regard was correct.

Because it was these people of Khaybar who organized the polytheist forces in the Battle of the Trench and helped and encouraged them to fight against the Muslims. Moreover, it was they who incited the Banu Qurayza to revolt and betray the Muslims. Moreover, they were in constant contact with the hypocrites, the fifth class of Islamic society, the third force in the Battle of Ahzab, the Banu Ghatfan, and the Bedouins, and were themselves preparing for war. Through all these activities, they put the Muslims in an extremely uncomfortable situation and a fiery trial. They even plotted to kill the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). In the context of all these uncomfortable situations, the Muslims, were forced to engage in bloody clashes again and again. Through these wars, it became imperative to completely destroy the leaders and directors of the troublemakers and conspirators, Salam bin Abil Hukaiq and Asim bin Jarem. However, the issue of punishing the hostile Jews was all the more necessary for the Muslims.

But the reason why the Muslims delayed taking appropriate action in this regard was that the Quraysh polytheists were much stronger, more experienced in war and more arrogant than the Jews and were equal to the Muslims in terms of strength. Therefore, the Holy Prophet did not consider it appropriate to engage in conflict with the Jews and waste his strength and resources before reaching an understanding with the Quraysh. But when it was possible to reach an understanding with the Quraysh, he got the opportunity to focus on the Jews and the field was cleared for taking their account.

Journey towards Khaibar

According to Ibn Ishaq, after returning from Hudaybiyah, the Holy Prophet stayed in Medina for the entire month of Dhul-Hijjah and a few days of Muharram. Then, sometime in the last part of Muharram, he set out for Khaibar. According to the commentators, Allah's promise regarding Khaibar is stated in the Quran as follows:

"Allah has promised you much wealth as spoils. He hastened for you what you will attain." (Surah Al-Fath: 20)

This meant the Treaty of Hudaybiyah and the wealth of booty. This meant the Khaybar issue.

Number of Muslim soldiers

Since the hypocrites and the weak-minded Muslims refrained from the journey to Hudaybiyah and stayed in their homes instead of seeking the company of the Prophet (ﷺ), Allah instructed the Prophet (ﷺ) regarding them, saying:

Those who remained behind will say when you set out toward the war booty to take it, "Let us follow you." They wish to change the words of Allah. Say, "Never will you follow us. Thus did Allah say before." So they will say, "Rather, you envy us." But [in fact] they were not understanding except a little. (Surah Al-Fath: 15)

Therefore, when the Holy Prophet announced the expedition to Khaibar, he stated that only those who were truly interested in Jihad would be allowed to participate in the expedition. As a result of this announcement, only those who had joined Rizwan pledge of allegiance under the tree of Hudaybiyah were eligible to go with him. They were only fourteen hundred (1400) in number.

During the war, the responsibility of managing Medina was entrusted to Sheba bin Arafat Ghifari.

At that time, Abu Hurairah (ra) had embraced Islam and arrived in Medina. At that time, Sawba bin Arafat was leading the Fajr congregation. When the prayer was over, Abu Hurairah came to his service. He set out with him towards Khaibar. When he reached Nawawi, the victory of Khaibar had ended. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) discussed with the Companions (ra) and gave Abu Hurairah and his friends a share of the spoils.

The hypocrites' preoccupation with the Jews

On the eve of the Prophet's expedition to Khaibar, the hypocrites took special measures to help the Jews. The hypocrite leader Abdullah bin Ubayy sent a message to the Jews of Khaibar, saying, "Now Muhammad (ﷺ) is going to launch an expedition against you. So be careful and make good preparations. See that you do not make a mistake. Keep making good preparations, there is nothing to fear. Because, on the one hand, you are few, and on the other hand, he is almost empty-handed. His weapons are very few."

When the people of Khaibar heard this news, they sent Kenan bin Abul Hukayq and Hawa bin Qais to seek the help of Banu Ghatfan, who were their allies and supporters against the Muslims. They also sent a proposal to Banu Ghatfan that if they were able to defeat the Muslims, they would be given half of everything produced in Khaibar.

The road to Khaibar

On the way to Khaibar, the Holy Prophet crossed the mountain. Then he went to the valley called Sahaba. Then he reached the valley called Raji.

The settlement of Banu Ghatfan was only a day and a night away from Raji. With war preparations, Banu Ghatfan set out towards Khaybar to help the people of Khaybar. But on the way, hearing some noise behind them, they thought that the Muslims had attacked their children and livestock, so they left Khaybar in the hands of the Muslims and turned back.

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked Husayn, one of the two experienced men who were assigned to guide the army on this journey, to find a way to enter Khaibar from the Syrian route, instead of Medina. The Prophet (ﷺ) intended to use this strategy to prevent the Jews from escaping to the kingdom of Sham and to cut off their means of getting help from Banu Ghatfan.

Husayl said, "O Messenger of Allah, I will take you by that path." Then they continued on. At one point, they reached a place from which several paths emerged. He said, "O Messenger of Allah, you can reach your destination by taking all these paths."

He said, "It is called 'Hayan' (hard and rough). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not like to follow this path. He called the second path, "Shash" (separation and mobility). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not accept this either. He called the third path, "Hater" (wood gatherer) and he refused to follow this path either.

Husayl said, "Now there is only one path left." Umar said, "What is the name of this path?" Husayl said, The name of this path is 'Marhab'. The Prophet (ﷺ) preferred to follow this path.

Events along the way

Salma bin Akwa (ra) said: We were travelling with the Prophet (ﷺ) towards Khaibar. We were travelling at night. A man said to Amir, "O Amir! Why don't you tell us some of your wonderful stories?" Amir was a poet. Hearing this, he got down from his mount and began to recite a poem in praise of his people. The verses of the poem were as follows:

That is, O Allah! "If it were not for Your favor, we would not have been guided, nor would we have given charity, nor would we have performed prayer. We have surrendered ourselves to You, so forgive us, as long as we are righteous, and if we fight, then make our feet firm, and keep our feet firm, and send peace upon us. When we are threatened, we do not care, and people rely on us in times of war."

The Prophet asked, "Who is this reciter of poetry?"
The people said, "Amer bin Akwa."
The Prophet said, "May Allah have mercy on him."

One of the community members said, "Now that his martyrdom has been fulfilled, why didn't you give us the opportunity to benefit from his existence?"

The Companions (ra) knew that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) specifically asked for forgiveness for someone during a battle, it meant that he was certain of being martyred.

This truth was proven in the case of Amir in the Battle of Khaibar. That is why the Companions asked the Prophet of Allah why he was not prayed for long life so that we could benefit more from his existence in the future.

The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed the afternoon prayer in a valley called 'Sahab' near Khaibar. Then he asked for provisions. But only Barley Flour was brought and on the Prophet's orders it was kneaded. The Prophet and his companions ate that food. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) prepared for the Maghrib prayer. However, in preparation for the prayer, he only washed his mouth. The companions also washed their mouth. Then he prayed without performing ablution again.

He considered the previous ablution sufficient. Then he performed the Isha prayer.

Muslim army in the Khaibar region

On the morning of the battle of Khaibar, the Muslim army spent the night before it near Khaibar. But the Jews did not receive any news about this. The rule of the Prophet (ﷺ) was that if he wanted to attack a community, he would go there and spend the night and not attack until morning. In this context, when the night was about to end, he offered the Fajr prayer while it was still dark. Then the Muslim cavalry soldiers advanced towards Khaibar. Meanwhile, the people of Khaibar were going to the fields with the necessary tools and equipment for farming, as they did their daily work. But suddenly, seeing the advancing Muslim soldiers, they ran towards the city and kept shouting, "By Allah! Muhammad has come with his army." The Prophet (ﷺ) observed this scene and said, "Allahu Akbar, Khaibar is destroyed, Allahu Akbar, Khaibar is destroyed. "When We descend upon a people who was threatened, their morning becomes bad."

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) selected a place for the army to camp. In this context, Hubab bin Mundhir (ra) asked, "O Messenger of Allah! Has Allah ordered you to camp at this place, or are you doing this as a necessary measure for war? Is this your personal opinion?"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No, this is purely a matter of opinion. It is being done because it is considered convenient for war."

Hubab bin Mundhir (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah! This place is near the fort of 'Nizat' and the soldiers are stationed in this fort during the Khaibar campaign. From there they will be able to keep track of our situation and position, but we will not be able to gather any information about their situation. Moreover, we will not be safe from their night attacks. Their arrows will reach us, but our arrows will not reach them. Moreover, this place is located in a lowland in the palm grove. There will also be a risk of disease spreading in this place. In view of all these difficulties, you should arrange to set up camp in a place where we can be free from these harmful conditions." The Holy Prophet said, "What you have suggested is correct." Then he ordered us to change the place and set up camp.

At one point in their advance, the Muslim army came so close to Khaybar that the city could be clearly seen from there. The Prophet ordered the Muslim army to halt, and they did. Then he prayed:

O Allah! Lord of the seventh heaven and its shade, and the Lord of the earth and all that is on it, and the Lord of the devils and those whom they mislead! We ask You for the good of this city, its people, and all that is in it. We seek refuge in You from the evil of this city, its people, and all that is in it. (Then he said) Come, in the name of Allah, move forward.

War preparations and the forts of Khaibar

On the night when the Prophet (ﷺ) entered the borders of Khaibar, he said, "Tomorrow I will give the flag to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger and whom Allah and His Messenger love." When the night ended, when it was morning, the Companions came to the Prophet's service. Everyone hoped that the flag would come to him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Where is Ali ibn Abu Talib?"

The Companions (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah! He has an eye disease." He fell behind because of that disease, so he went and joined the soldiers."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Call him." He was called. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took saliva from his mouth and applied it to his eyes and prayed for him, and he was cured as if he had never had any pain from his illness. Then the flag was given to him. He said, "O Messenger of Allah! I will fight them until they become like us."

The Prophet said, "Go in peace and descend upon their land. Then invite them to Islam and inform them of the rights of Allah in Islam, which are their duties. If Allah guides even one person through you, it will be better for you than a red camel."

The settlement of Khaibar was divided into two regions. One region had five forts - 1. Na'im Fort, 2. Sab bin Mu'adh Fort, 3. Zubair's Fort, 4. Ubai Fort and 5. Naza Fort. The first three of these forts and the remaining area were called Natat. The area associated with the remaining two forts was known as Shik.

The second settlement area of khaybar was called Qatibah. It had only three forts.

The second settlement area of khaybar was called Qatibah. It had only three forts - 1. Qasum Fort (this was the fort of Abul Huqaiq of the Banu Nadir tribe). 2. Watih Fort. 3. Salalim Fort.

The Battle of Khaybar was limited to the first region. Despite the fact that the three forts in the second region had a lot of warriors, the inhabitants of the forts surrendered to the Muslims without a fight.

The beginning of the war and the conquest of Nayem Fort

Of the eight forts mentioned, the first to be attacked was the fort of Na'im. This was because, from the standpoint of position and strategy, it was the first and most important for resisting attack. Moreover, it was the fort of that mighty and hardworking Jew named Marhab, who was considered to be the equal of a thousand men.

Ali bin Abu Talib (RA) reached the fort with the Muslim army and invited the Jews to Islam. They rejected this invitation and took a stand to challenge the Muslims under the leadership of their emperor Marhab. Marhab first invited the Muslims to challenge him.

Salma Akwa describes the situation as follows: "When we reached Khaybar, the Jewish emperor Marhab took his sword in his hand and said proudly, "Khaybar knows that my name is Marhab. When the fire of war breaks out, I am a brave and experienced warrior."

In that context, Amer came forward as his rival and said, "Khaybar knows that my name is Amer, armed, brave and a warrior!"

Then both of them struck each other. Marhab's sword pierced my uncle's shield. He tried to kill him but because his sword was short, he hit the Jew on the shin. But the blow did not hit Marhab's leg but his own knee. He fell down and died after. The Prophet (ﷺ) put his two fingers together and said about him, "He has received a double reward. He was a great warrior. There will be warriors like him on the Arab land."

However, after Amir (RA), Ali (RA) went to compete with Marhab.

Salma bin Akwa narrates, "At that time, Ali (ra) was reciting this verse of a poem:

I am the one whom my mother named Haida (tiger). As fierce as the tiger of the forest, I will repay them with a single blow, that is, with a heavy blow instead of a slight blow.

Then he struck Marhab on the head with his sword in such a way that he became a pile. Thus, victory was achieved at the hands of Ali (RA).

In the midst of the battle, Ali (RA) reached the Jewish fortress. Then a Jew peered from a high place in the fortress and asked, "Who are you?" Ali (RA) said, "I am Ali ibn Abu Talib."

The Jew said, "By the Book that was revealed to Moses, you are indeed exalted."

Then Marhab's brother Yasir came out saying, "Who is there who will come before me?" At his call, Zubair (RA) descended onto the field. Seeing him descending into battle, his mother Safiyya (AS) said, "O Messenger of Allah! Will my son be martyred?"

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "No, rather your son will kill him." Within a short time, the words of the Messenger of Allah came true, and Zubair killed Yasir.

Then a fierce battle took place on both sides near the Naim Fort. In this battle, some leading Jews were killed. The remaining Jews also became discouraged. This battle continued for several days and the Muslims had to face fierce resistance. But despite this, they were discouraged from continuing the war with the Muslims from this fort. Therefore, in great despair, they abandoned this fort and went to the fort called Sab. As a result, the Naim Fort came into the possession of the Muslims.

Conquest of the fort of Sab bin Mu'adh

The fort of Sab bin Mu'adh was the second most fortified and strong fort after Na'im. The Muslims, led by Hubar bin Mundhir Ansari (ra), attacked the fort and besieged it for three days. On the third day, the Prophet prayed for victory over the fort.

According to Ibn Ishaq, the people of Banu Saham, a branch of the Aslam tribe, came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "We are devastated and have no resources to support us." The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed, "O Allah! You know best about their condition. You are certainly aware that they have no resources and I have nothing with which to help them. So grant them victory over sush a fort that will be beneficial for them in every way." Then the Companions (ra) launched a powerful attack, and Allah granted the Muslims victory over the fort of Sab bin Mu'adh. There was no other fort that had more food and fat than that fort.

When the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) ordered the Muslims to attack the fort after supplicating to Allah, Banu Aslam was at the forefront of the attackers. Here too, there was competition and fighting in front of the fort. Then the fort came under the control of the Muslims before sunset. The Muslims found some minjaniq and dababa instruments in the fort.

According to Ibn Ishaq, the severe hunger of the Companions, as mentioned above, was due to the fact that the people (upon victory) slaughtered donkeys and cooked them on the stove. When the Holy Prophet learned of this, he forbade the eating of domesticated donkeys.

Conquest of Zubair's fort

After the Muslims conquered the forts of Na'im and Sab, the Jews, having left the forts of Najat, gathered at the fort of Zubair. It was a fortified fort situated on a high mountain peak. The way to it was so remote and difficult that it was a difficult task for not only cavalry but also infantry. Therefore, the Prophet ordered a siege to be laid on all sides of it. This siege continued for three days. Then a Jew came and said, "O Abul Qasim! Even if you continue this siege for three days, they will not have any fear. However, they have a problem with water there. Because there is a spring of water in the ground below. At night, they come out of the fort, drink water and collect it and return to the fort. So they are safe from your attack. If you stop their water, they will have to come out." In the context of this situation, the Jews came out of the fort and engaged in a bloody clash. In this clash, some Muslims were martyred. And approximately ten Jews were killed. But the fort came into the possession of the Muslims.

Conquest of Ubai Fort

After the defeat in the Battle of Zubair Fort, the Jews were confined to the Ubai Fort. The Muslims laid siege to this fort. Two brave and hardworking Jewish warriors of this fort came out one after another, calling for a duel. Both of them were killed by the Muslim warriors. The killer of the second Jew was the famous red-banded brave Abu Dujana Sammak bin Kharshah Ansari (RA). After killing the second Jew, he entered the fort at a furious pace. The Muslim soldiers also entered the interior of the fort with him. A fierce clash broke out between the two sides inside the fort and continued for some time. But the Jews, unable to withstand the attack of the Muslim warriors, fled the fort and took refuge in the fort of Nizar. It was the last fort in the region.

Conquest of the fortress of Nezar

This was the strongest and most fortified fort in the region. The Jews were convinced that the Muslims would not be able to enter the fort even with all their might. That is why they stayed in this fort with their women and children. None of the four forts mentioned above kept women or children.

The Muslims also besieged this fort and kept up a strong pressure. But since the fort was very well-fortified on a high mountain peak, the Muslim soldiers were unable to gain any opportunity to enter the fort. Meanwhile, the Jews did not dare to come outside the fort and engage in battle. However, they were pelting the Muslims with arrows and stones from inside the fort.

When the conquest of the Nezar fortress seemed too difficult, the Prophet suggested the use of the Minjanik machine. A few cannonballs hit their walls, causing a large crack. Through the crack, the Muslims were able to enter the fortress and engaged in a fierce battle with the Jews. After suffering a crushing defeat in this battle, the Jews fled the fortress in disarray.

They were so frightened for their lives that they fled, leaving their women and children behind and abandoning them to the mercy of the Muslims. With the capture of the fortified base of Nezar, the first half of Khaibar, i.e. the entire region of Natat and Sikh, came under the control of the Muslims. There were also some smaller forts in this area. But as the stronger bases fell to the Muslims, the Jews abandoned the smaller forts and later abandoned the city of Khaibar and fled to the second region, i.e. Qatibah.

The victory of the second half of Khaybar

After the conquest of Natat and Sikh, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) turned his attention to the regions of Katiba, Uhih and Salam. Salam had a fort, owned by Abu al-Huqaiq, a prominent Jew of Banu Nadir. Meanwhile, the defeated Jews of Natat and Sikh had come here to seek refuge and strengthen the defenses of this fort.

There is a difference of opinion among military scholars as to whether any of these three were fought. According to Ibn Ishaq, it was through battle that the Muslims' rights over this fort were established. There was no negotiation between the Jews and the Muslims regarding the voluntary surrender of this fort.

But Wakedi clearly states in two words that the three forts in the region were surrendered to the Muslims through negotiations. It is likely that the Qamus fort was initially fought over and then negotiations began. However, the other two forts were surrendered to the Muslims without a fight.

Then the Muslim army went to Qatira and laid a strong siege against the inhabitants of that place. This siege lasted for fourteen days. During the siege, the Jews did not come out of the fort until the Holy Prophet expressed his intention to use the Minjanik machine. Fearing the use of the machine and when they were afraid of being destroyed, they decided to go into a treaty.

Treaty talks

Ibn Abil Hukaiq was the first to send a message to the Messenger of Allah, saying, "May I come to you and speak to you?" He said, "Yes."

After receiving the Prophet's affirmative answer, he went to him and made a treaty on the condition that all the soldiers who were staying in the fort should be left alive, their families should be allowed to stay with them (i.e. they should not be made slaves), they should be allowed to leave Khaybar with their families and go out. They should hand over their property, such as gardens, gold, horses, iron armor used in war, etc. to the Prophet (ﷺ). They should only take with them those clothes that are necessary for the protection of human modesty and for survival.

The Jews accepted all these conditions, and a treaty was made with the Muslims.

The Holy Prophet said, "If you conceal something from me, Allah and His Messenger will be free from responsibility."

As a result of the treaty, the three forts in question came into the possession of the Muslims, and thus the conquest of Khaibar was completed.

Abul Hokaik's two sons broke promise and they were killed

Abu'l-Hakaik's two sons broke the terms of the treaty and secretly removed a large amount of wealth. They also made a leather bag disappeared containing many treasures and the ornaments of Huway bin Akhtab, which Huway bin Akhtab had brought with him when he expelled the Banu Nadir from Medina.

According to Ibn Ishaq, when Kinana bin Abil Hukaiq was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ), he had the wealth of Banu Nadir hidden with him. But when the Prophet (ﷺ) questioned him about it, he denied knowing anything about it and said that he did not know anything about the location of the hidden wealth. Then a Jew came and said, "I see Kinana every day wandering around in some place in this desert."

In response to the Jew's words, the Prophet said to Kenana, "Tell us, if we find this hidden treasure from you, will we kill you or not?" He said, "Yes."

The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered his companions to dig in that desert, and some treasures were found there.

When the Prophet (ﷺ) asked him about the remaining wealth, he denied it as before. As a result, he was handed over to Zubair for punishment and it was also said that the punishment would continue until the wealth is in our hands.

Zubair (RA) kept hitting him with flints, which caused him to be in a state of near death. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) handed him over to Muhammad bin Maslama. He killed him by slitting his throat in revenge for the killing of Mahmud bin Maslama. (Mahmud was sitting by the wall of the Naim fort, seeking shade. At that time, this man threw a millstone at him and killed him.)

Distribution of spoils

The Prophet wanted to expel the Jews from Khaibar and the treaty was concluded on that condition. But the Jews requested the Prophet to allow them to remain in the land. They said, "Let us stay in this land, we will also look after it. Because, we have much more skill and experience in this land than you. Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah and his companions did not have any slaves who could look after this land and do the work of cultivating and weeding. Moreover, the companions did not have such free time that they could do all these works. For this reason, the Prophet left the land of Khaibar to the Jews on the condition that all the fields, farms and gardens would be given to the Jews as a share of the produce and this arrangement would continue as long as he wished. Abdullah bin Rawaha was appointed to determine the amount of produce.

The abundance of wealth gained in the Battle of Khaybar is proven in the hadith narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (RA) in Sahih Bukhari. He said, "We were not satisfied until we were able to conquer Khaybar." Similar evidence is found in the hadith narrated by Aisha (RA), "Now we can eat dates to our hearts' content."

When the Prophet (ﷺ) returned to Medina after the conquest of Khaibar, the Muhajirin returned the date palm trees that the Ansar had given to them to help them, because at that time, there was a provision of wealth and date palm trees for them in Khaibar.

The arrival of Ja'far bin Abu Talib and the Ash'ari companions

During that battle, Ja'far bin Abu Talib (ra) came to the Prophet (ﷺ). He was accompanied by the Ash'ari Muslims, namely Abu Musa and his friends.

Abu Musa Ash'ari (ra) narrated, "When we learned of the advent of the Messenger of Allah, my brother and I, along with fifty people from our community, set out on a boat for the purpose of migration to reach Nababi. But our boat took us to the land of the Najjashi and landed us there. There we met Ja'far (ra) and his friends. He said, 'The Messenger of Allah has sent us here, so stay with us.' So we stayed with them and reached Nababi at the time when he conquered Khaibar. The Messenger of Allah also assigned a share of the booty to Ja'far and his friends and the people on the boat who came with us. No share was assigned to those who did not participate in the battle.

When Jafar arrived at the service of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he welcomed him with a kiss and said, "By Allah! I do not know which makes me happier, the victory of Khaibar or the arrival of Jafar?"

It is important to remember that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Amr bin Umayyah al-Jamri (ra) to the Najjashi to bring these people and asked him to send them to him. So the Najjashi sent two boats to Medina. There were sixteen (16) of them in total. Moreover, some women and children were also in the group, and the rest of them had already returned to Medina.

Marriage with Safiya

Safiya's husband, Kinana bin Abul Hokaik, was killed by the Muslims in the Battle of Khaibar for breaking his promise. After his death, his wife Safiya was included in the group of captive women. Then, when these captive women were gathered, Dahyah bin Khalifa Kalbi appealed to the Prophet, "O Prophet of Allah! Give me a slave girl from among the captive women."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Choose one of them." He went there and chose Safiyyah bint Hukayq from among them. At this, a man said to the Prophet (ﷺ), "O Prophet of Allah! You have handed over Safiyyah, the chief of Banu Qurayza and Banu Nadir, to Dahyah, even though she was suitable only for you." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Tell Safiyyah and Dahyah to come here."

When Dahyah came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with Safiya, he said, "Take another slave from among the captive women."

Then the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) himself invited Safiya to Islam. When she accepted Islam, he freed her and married her. This freeing her was the dowry for the marriage.

At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) saw a gray mark on his face. He asked, "What is that?"

She said, "O Messenger of Allah! Before you came to Khaibar, I saw in a dream that the moon had shifted from its orbit and was on my lap. Allah knows that I had no idea about you. But when I narrated this dream to my husband, he slapped me in the face and said, "Your heart is attracted to the king of Medina."

The incident of the poisonous goat

After the conquest of Khaibar, when the Prophet was safe and content, Zaynab bint Harith, the wife of Salam bin Mushriq, sent him roasted goat meat as a gift. She had learned from various sources that the which part of the goat meat Prophet liked the most. She had been told that he liked the thigh meat the most. Therefore, she mixed the thigh meat well with poison and also applied poison to the remaining parts. Then, when the meat was brought before the Prophet, the Prophet picked up the piece of meat, chewed some of it, took it out of his mouth, threw it away, and said, "This bone tells me that it has been poisoned."

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) called Zaynab and asked her about it, and she confessed of poisonning it. He asked her again, "Why did you do this?"

She replied, "I thought, 'If this man is a king, we will be saved from him, and if he is a prophet, he will be informed of this news and he will be saved.' Hearing this, he forgave her. At that time, Bishr bin Bara' bin Marur (ra) was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He swallowed it in one gulp, and as a result, he died.

The Prophet (ﷺ) initially forgave the woman, but when Bishr (ra) died, she was killed in retaliation.

Casualties on both sides in the Battle of Khaybar

The total number of Muslims martyred in the various battles of Khaibar was sixteen: four from the Quraysh, one from the Ashja tribe, one from the Aslam tribe, one from the inhabitants of Khaibar, and the rest from the Ansar.

The number of Jewish deaths was ninety-three.

Fedak

Upon reaching Khaibar, the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Muhayyasa bin Masud to the Jews of Fadak to invite them to Islam. The people of Fadak were initially reluctant to accept Islam due to their mental confusion. But when Allah granted the Muslims victory over the Jews of Khaibar, they became fearful and sent a messenger to the Prophet (ﷺ) to propose a treaty similar to the people of Khaibar, promising to give half of the produce of Fadak. The Prophet (ﷺ) gladly accepted the proposal, which resulted in the Muslims' right to Fadak being established very easily. The Muslims did not have to use horses, camels or swords to establish this right.

Wadil Kora

After the conquest of Khaibar, when the Prophet was somewhat free from worries, he went to the Wadil Qora or Qora Valley. There was a group of Jews living there. At one point, a group of Arabs went and joined them.

When the Muslims landed in the valley of Qora, the Jews began to attack them by shooting arrows. They had already lined up in front of them and were ready to attack. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) arranged the Muslim army in an orderly manner and gave the flag of the entire army to Sa'd bin Ubadah. He gave the second flag to Hobban bin Mundhir and the third flag to Ubadah bin Bishr. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) invited the Jews to Islam. Not accepting this invitation, one of them went out to fight. On behalf of the Prophet of Allah, Jubazir bin Awam went out to fight and completed its outcome. Then a second man from the Jews went out to fight. To counter him, Ali went out to fight and killed him. In this way, 11 of their men were killed one by one. When one was killed, the Prophet (ﷺ) would invite the remaining Jews to Islam.

When it was time for prayer that day, the Prophet (ﷺ) would lead the prayer with his companions. After the prayer, he would return to the Jews and invite them to Islam.

While fighting like this, evening fell. On the morning of the second day, they set out again. The sun had not yet risen to the height of the spear, when the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) achieved victory and Allah gave all their wealth to the Companions as booty. The equipment and weapons went to the Companions.

The Prophet stayed at Wadil Qora for four days and distributed the spoils of war among his companions, but he made a treaty with the Jews regarding the land and date palm gardens.

Taima

When the Jews of Taima heard of the defeat of the inhabitants of Khaibar, Fadak and Wadi al-Qura, they sent envoys to the Prophet to conclude a treaty of peace without any show of force against the Muslims. The Prophet accepted their offer of peace and allowed them to stay with their property.

Then he concluded a treaty with them, the terms of which were as follows:

This document was written on behalf of the Messenger of Allah Muhammad (ﷺ) for the Banu Adiya. Taxation was imposed on them and the Muslims became their guardians. They would not be wronged in any way and they would not be expelled from the land. The night would be their helper and the day would be their fulfillment. This agreement was written down by Khalid bin Saeed.

Return to Medina

After concluding the treaty with the people of Taimaya, the Prophet (ﷺ) set out to return to Medina. On their way back, when the people reached a valley, they all began to shout out, "Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Lailaha Illallahu."

Hearing this, the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

Show tenderness towards your own soul. You are not calling upon the deaf or the absent, but rather you are calling upon the One who hears and is near.

While traveling, he once set up camp at a place along the way at the end of the night and, while going to bed, he urged Bilal (ra), saying, "Keep watch over us at night (i.e., wake us up in the morning)."

But Bilal (ra) had also fallen asleep. He was leaning on his horse facing east and had fallen asleep in that manner. At the end of the night, the sun was shining on everyone, but no one could wake up. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was the first to wake up and wake everyone up. The Prophet came out of the valley and walked a little further ahead. Then he led the people in the Fajr prayer.

Looking at the detailed accounts of the Battle of Khaibar, it is known that the Prophet (ﷺ) returned to Medina in the last part of the month of Safar in the 7th Hijri, or in the month of Rabi'ul Awwal.

Sariyay Aban bin Saeed

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized that it would not be wise or prudent to leave Medina completely unprotected after the sacred months. There were Bedouins around Medina who were always waiting for the Muslims to take advantage of their inattention to plunder and rob them. Therefore, on the eve of his departure for Khaibar, he sent an army to Najd under the leadership of Aban bin Saeed (RA) to intimidate the Bedouins. When Aban bin Saeed returned after completing his duties, he met the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) at Khaibar. At that time, the victory of Khaibar had been completed. The more authentic information is that the expedition was sent in the month of Safar, 7th AH. This is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari.

Battle of Zat-ur-Reka

When the Prophet felt somewhat relieved and at ease after destroying two of the strongest of the three branches of the Ahzab, he was able to devote his full attention to the third branch. The members of this branch were the Bedouins who camped in the sandy deserts of Najd and occasionally indulged in robbery and plunder.

Since these Bedouins were not residents of any permanent towns or cities and did not have any permanent fortresses, it was very difficult to subdue them or to restrain them from injustice and mischief, unlike the inhabitants of Mecca and Khaybar. Therefore, acts of terror and punishment, in keeping with their characteristic features, were considered appropriate to discipline them.

The aforementioned incident instilled fear in the minds of the Bedouins, and the punitive attack that the Prophet carried out to disperse the Bedouins who had gathered in the surrounding areas of Medina is known as the 'Battle of Zat-ur-Reka'.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) received news that the people of Banu Tha'labah and Banu Muharreb, two branches of the Anmar or Banu Ghatfan tribe, had gathered. He entrusted the responsibility of supervising Medina to Abu Dharr or Uthman ibn Affan and set out towards Najd with 400 or 700 companions. Then he reached a place called 'Nakhl', which is a two-day journey from Medina. There he had to face the Banu Ghatfan tribe, but no battle took place. However, the Holy Prophet led the prayer of fear (prayer in a state of war) at that time.

Jabir (ra) said, "While we were fast asleep, a polytheist came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and took his sword and said, 'Are you afraid of me?' The Prophet said, 'No.' He said, 'Who will protect you from me?' The Prophet said, 'Allah.'" Jabir said, "The Messenger of Allah suddenly called us. When we reached there, we saw a Bedouin sitting near the Messenger of Allah."

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I was sleeping, and this man took my sword and it woke me up." He took the sword is his hand and said, "Who will protect you from my hand?" I said, "Allah!" This is the man who is sitting. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not reprimand him or scold him in any way.

Abu Awana (ra) narrated that when the Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Allah!" the sword fell from his hand. Then the Messenger of Allah took the sword in his own hand and said, "Who will protect you from my hand now?" He said, "You have proven to be a good keeper (i.e. have mercy)." The Messenger of Allah said, "Do you testify that there is no god but Allah and that I am the Messenger of Allah?"

He said, "I promise not to fight you and not to be with those who want to fight you."

Jabir (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then released him. Then he went to his people and said, "I have come to you from the best person."

It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari that the Iqamah for prayer was called and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led one group in two rak’ahs, then they went behind and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led the other group in two rak’ahs. Thus the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed four rak’ahs and the Companions prayed two rak’ahs.

In Sahih Bukhari, Musaddad narrated from Abu Awana, who narrated from Abu Bishr that the man's name was Gottares bin Hasher.

Ibn Hajar said, "In the details of the incident narrated to Wakedi, it is stated that the Bedouin's name was Dasur and he embraced Islam. Allah knows best."

While returning from the battle, the Companions (ra) captured a polytheist woman. In response to this, her husband vowed that he would shed the blood of one of the Companions of Muhammad (ﷺ). For this purpose, he went out at night.

Abbad bin Bishr and Ammar bin Yasir were assigned to guard the Muslims from enemy attacks and harm. Abbad (ra) was standing and praying when the husband of the captive woman arrived. The man shot an arrow at him in that state. But he finished his prayer with the final salutation without breaking it. Then he woke up his companion.

Understanding the situation, the companion said, "Why didn't you call me?" He said, "I was reciting a Surah. I didn't like being interrupted from completing it."

The effect of that battle was very important in terrifying the stony-hearted Bedouins. After that battle, all those tribes of Ghatfan did not dare to raise their heads again. Their morale gradually weakened until they were finally defeated and they were seen with the Muslims in the Battle of Hunayn. They were also given a share of the spoils of the Battle of Hunayn. Again, after returning from the conquest of Mecca, officials of the Islamic state were sent to collect their alms and they regularly collected alms and zakat. The main point is that as a result of adopting this strategy, the three forces broke down that attacked Medina in the Battle of the Trench because of which the strength and security of the entire region was disrupted.

After that, the Muslims were able to easily control the chaos and conspiracies that some tribes had started in different regions. Moreover, after that war, the path to conquering big cities and different countries began to open up. Because, after that war, the internal situation of the country became completely favorable for the security, peace and comfort of Islam and the Muslims.

Some campaigns of the 7th Hijri

After returning from the above-mentioned battle, the Messenger of Allah stayed in Medina until the month of Shawwal in the seventh year of the Hijri. The details of the expeditions he sent out during his stay in Medina are recorded below:

1. Kodaid Expedition - 7th Hijri (Safar or Rabiul Awwal month): This expedition was sent under the leadership of Ghalib bin Abdullah Laisi to a place called Kodaid to punish the Banu Mullah tribe. Banu Mullah had killed the friends of Bishr bin Suwaid. This expedition was sent to avenge this murder. This expedition attacked at night and killed many people of the Banu tribe and drove away the cattle. The enemy followed the Muslim army with a large force. The intention was to counterattack the Muslim army. But when they came close to the Muslim army, heavy rains began. As a result, floods occurred. These floods acted as a defensive wall between both sides. Using this opportunity, the Muslim army passed the rest of the way in safety.

2. Husma Campaign (7th AH, Jumada al-Ukhra): Discussions regarding this expedition are discussed in the chapter on letters to Heraclius.

3. Turbah Expedition (7th Hijri Shaban): This expedition was sent under the leadership of Umar bin Khattab (RA). Thirty Muslim soldiers participated in this expedition. They traveled at night and hid during the day. The target of this expedition was Banu Hawazin. Upon hearing the news of the Muslim advance, the Banu Hawazin fled, resulting in the Muslim army returning to Medina without killing or capturing anyone.

4. Expedition towards the Fadak region (Sha'ban, 7th AH): This expedition was sent under the leadership of Bashir bin Saad Ansari (RA) to reform Banu Murrah. The number of members of this expedition was thirty. Bashir (RA) reached their territory and drove away the sheep and cattle and proceeded towards Medina. But at night, the enemy followed them. They tried to repel them by shooting arrows at them. But because the arrows ran out, they became unarmed and finally all of them had to be martyred. Only Bashir (RA) survived in his wounded state. He was brought to Fida in his wounded state. He stayed with the Jews until he recovered. After recovering, he returned to Medina.

5. Mifaya Campaign (7th Hijri Ramadan): This expedition was sent under the leadership of Ghalib bin Abdullah Laisi to reform Banu Waal and Banu Abd bin Tha'laba and it is said that it was to teach the a branch of Juhayna tribe. The number of members of the expedition party was one hundred and thirty. The Muslim Mujahideen organized an attack on the enemy and killed anyone who raised his head to resist the attack. Then they drove away the enemy's cattle.

During that campaign, Usama bin Zaid killed Nahq bin Murdas (despite his saying La ilaha illallah). In this context, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) condemned him and said, "Why didn't you try to understand him by tearing his heart apart? Was he telling the truth or was he lying?"

6. The Khaibar Campaign (7th Hijri Shawwal): This expedition consisted of a group of thirty cavalrymen. It was sent under the leadership of Abdullah bin Rawaha (RA). The reason for this expedition was that Asir bin Jarram was gathering the Ghatfan to attack the Muslims.

When the Muslims reached the place, they assured Asir that the Prophet would appoint him as the governor of Khaybar. They encouraged him to go with them along with thirty of his friends. But after reaching Karkara, some suspicion arose between the two parties, and Asir and thirty of his companions were killed by the Muslims.

7. Expedition to Yaman and Jabar (7th Hijri Shawwal month): Jabar is the name of a region of Banu Ghatfan, Banu Fayra and Banu Uqar. Sabir bin Ka'b Ansari (RA) was sent there with a group of three hundred Muslim soldiers. The purpose was to disperse a large army that was preparing to attack Medina. The Muslim army on the expedition would travel at night and hide during the day. When the enemy heard of Bashir's advance, they fled. Bashir's army managed to capture two enemy men and capture a large number of cattle. When the two prisoners were presented to the Prophet, they embraced Islam.

Gaba expedition

Imam Ibn Qayyum included this campaign in the campaigns of 7 AH before Umrah-e-Qaza. The main story of this campaign is that a man from the tribe of Jashm bin Muawiyah came to a place called Gaba with a large number of people. His intention was to gather the people of the tribe of Banu Qays to fight against the Muslims. Upon learning of this news, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) sent Abu Hadrad (ra) with only two companions against them. Hadrad adopted such a strategy of war that the enemy was defeated miserably. The Muslim army drove away many camels, sheep and goats.

Kaja Umrah

When the moon of Dhul-Qadh was sighted, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered each of his companions to perform their Umrah as a Kaja. All those who were present at Hudaybiyah were to participate in performing Umrah, no one was to be left behind. In that context, all the rest, except those who were martyred at that time, set out. A number of people who were not present at Hudaybiyah also set out to perform Umrah at the same time. Thus, the number of people who set out to perform Umrah was two thousand (2000), women and children being outside this number.

At that time, the Holy Prophet appointed Abu Rahm Ghaffari (RA) as his steward in Medina. He took 60 camels with him and appointed Nazia bin Jundub Aslami (RA) to look after them. They entered Ihram for Umrah in Dhul-Hulaifa and loudly recited Labbayk. The Muslims also recited Labbayk with the Prophet. Fearing that the polytheists would break their promise, the people of the caravan were armed with weapons and people who were skilled in warfare were also taken with them. Later, after reaching the valley called Yajez, all the weapons, i.e. armor, shields, swords, arrows and spears, were left behind and Aws bin Khawli Ansari (RA) was appointed to look after them along with 200 men. The riders entered Mecca with sheathed swords.

When the Prophet entered Mecca, he was riding on his camel, Kaswa. The Muslims had their swords slung over their shoulders and were shouting Labbayk, placing the Prophet in the middle of them. The polytheists, considering this expedition of the Muslims to be a joke, went out of their homes to watch it and sat on a hill called Qayyiqan, located to the north of the Kaaba, and they were saying to each other that a group is coming to you who have been completely destroyed by the fever of Medina. For this reason, the Prophet (ﷺ) instructed his companions to complete the first three circuits very quickly and then to pass the space between Rukn-e-Yamani and Hajar-e-Aswad in a normal manner. The command to perform seven circuits was not given only to show mercy and greatness; rather, the intention of giving the above instruction was so that the polytheists would witness the power of the Prophet.

In addition, the Prophet (ﷺ) instructed his companions to perform Ijtibah. Ijtibah means leaving the right shoulder uncovered and passing the outer garment under the right armpit, and bringing its second corner over the left shoulder from both the front and back.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) entered Mecca through the pass that led to Hajun. The polytheists were waiting in lines to see the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) kept reciting the Labbayk sound. Then, when he reached the Haram, he circumambulated it. The Muslims also circumambulated the Kaaba.

The Prophet and his companions ran and completed three circle. Seeing this, the polytheists said, "We thought that the fever of Medina had destroyed these people, but that was not true; rather, they are stronger than the common people."

After completing the circumambulation of the House of Allah, the Prophet (ﷺ) performed Sa'i' between Safa and Marwa. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was standing near Mount Marwa with the sacrificial animal. After completing the Sa'i, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "This is the place of sacrifice and the whole of Makkah is the place of sacrifice." Then he sacrificed the animals near Marwa. Then he shaved his head. The Companions (ﷺ) did the same. Then some people were sent to Yajeez. The intention was that they would go there and take care of the weapons and those who were engaged in the task of preserving them would perform Umrah.

He stayed in Mecca for three days. On the fourth day, when the morning came, the polytheists came to Ali (ra) and said, "Tell your companion to leave here, for the time has passed." Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) left Mecca and landed at a place called Saraf.

On the eve of the Prophet's (ﷺ) departure from Mecca, the daughter of Hamza (RA) also came after him, calling him uncle. Ali (RA) took her in his arms. Then a dispute began between Ali, Ja'far and Zayd (RA). Each of them claimed that he was the one who had the greater right to raise her. The Prophet (ﷺ) ruled in favor of Ja'far because Ja'far's wife was the girl's aunt.

During the aforementioned Umrah, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) married Maimuna bint Harith Amaria. Before reaching Mecca, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) sent Ja'far bin Abu Talib to Maimuna (ra) to make the necessary arrangements for her, and he entrusted all his responsibilities to Abbas, because Maimuna's sister Umm al-Fadl was his wife. Abbas (ra) arranged Maimuna's marriage to the Holy Prophet (ﷺ).

Then, on his return from Mecca, the Prophet (ﷺ) left Abu Rafi behind. When the Prophet (ﷺ) reached a place called Maimuna, he brought the Prophet's wife to him.

The aforementioned Umrah is called Umrah-e-Kaja' because it was performed as a Kaja' of the Umrah of Hudaybiyah. It is clear that the said Umrah is known by four names: Umrah-e-Kaja, Umrah-e-Kajiya, Umrah-e-Qisas and Umrah-e-Sulah.

Some other expeditions

1. The Abul Awja' expedition (took place in the month of Dhul-Hijjah, 7th AH): The Holy Prophet (PBUH) sent a group of 50 (fifty) people under the leadership of Abu al-Awza to invite the Banu Sulaim to Islam. When the Banu Sulaim were invited to Islam, they replied, "We have no need of what you are inviting us to." Then they engaged in battle with the Muslims. Abu al-Awza was wounded in this battle. But despite this, the Muslims were able to capture two of the enemy.

2. Ghalib bin Abdullah's expedition (took place in the month of Safar, 8 AH): Ghalib bin Abdullah, with a party of two hundred men, was sent to the site of the martyrdom of Bashir bis Sa'd's friends in the Fadak region. They seized the enemy's cattle and killed several people.

3. Zat-e-Atalah Campaign (occurred in the month of Rabi-ul-Awal, 8th Hijri): Banu Quzayyah had gathered a large group to attack the Muslims. When the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) learned of this, he sent a group of only fifteen companions (ﷺ) under the leadership of Ka'b bin Umair (RA). When the companions invited them to Islam, they rejected it and shot arrows at them, killing them all. Only one survived, who was brought out from among the dead.

4. The Campaign of Jat-e-Iroq (took place in the month of Rabi'ul Awwal, 8th Hijri): The reason for this expedition was that the Banu Hawazin tribe had repeatedly been helping the enemy. To punish them, a group of 50 men was sent under the leadership of Shuja' bin Wahhab Asadi (RA). There was no battle between the Muslims and the enemy in this expedition. However, some of the enemy's cattle were captured by the Muslims.

Muta War

Muta is the name of a town near Balqa' in the region of Urdun. From there, Bayt al-Maqdis is located two miles away. The battle in question took place at that place. It was the bloodiest engagement with the Muslims during the lifetime of the Prophet. This battle took place in August or September 629 AD, according to Jumada al-Ula, 8 AH.

Causes of war

The reason for the war was that the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Harith bin Umayr Azdi (ra) with a letter to the ruler of Busra. The governor of the Roman emperor at that time, Shorahbil bin Amr Ghassani, who was posted in a place called Balqa', captured him, tied him up tightly, and killed him.

It is worth noting that the killing of state envoys and messengers is the worst act and the most heinous crime. Such an act was tantamount to declaring war, or rather, it can be said to be more terrible than it. When the Prophet (ﷺ) learned of this news, a terrible situation arose before him. As a result, there was no other option open to the Muslims except to fight. For this purpose, he prepared an army of 3000 (three thousand) soldiers. This was the largest Islamic fighting force. Before this, except for the Battle of Ahzab, such a large army of Muslims had not been assembled in any other war.

The Prophet's (ﷺ) advice regarding commanders

The Prophet appointed Zayd bin Haritha as the commander of the army and instructed that if Zayd was martyred, then Ja'far would be the commander, and if Ja'far was martyred, then Abdullah bin Rawah would be the commander.

The Prophet (ﷺ) tied a white flag for the army and handed it to Zayd.

Go to the place where Hasher bin Umayr was martyred and first invite the people to Islam. If they accept Islam, that will be better. Otherwise, seek help from Allah and then engage in war. He also said, "Fight in the name of Allah, in the way of Allah, against the disbelievers. Beware! Do not break your promises, do not betray your trust. Do not kill children, women, the elderly, or priests in the churches. Do not cut down palm trees or any other trees, and do not destroy houses and buildings."

The march of the Islamic army and the lamentation of Abdullah bin Rawaha

When the Islamic army was ready to set out, the people came and greeted the commanders appointed by the Prophet. At that time, Abdullah Rawaha, one of the commanders, began to cry. The people said, "Why are you crying?"

He replied: Look, by Allah! This is not because of the worldly illusions or my sweet relationship with you: rather, I heard the Messenger of Allah reciting a verse from the Book of Allah, which mentions Hell. The verse is:

"And each of you will have to pass through it (Hell); this is the final decision of your Lord." (Surah Maryam: Verse-71)

I don't know how I can return after approaching Hell.

Others said, "May Allah be with you and grant you security, repel your enemies on your behalf, reward you with good deeds, and bring you back with booty." Abdullah bin Rawaha recited:

But I ask forgiveness from the Merciful Allah and I ask for a blow so severe that blood spurts out or a sharp blow from the hand of a bloodthirsty warrior that pierces the intestines and liver. Among the servants of Allah, the Messenger of Allah is like full moon and holds a high status. May I be martyred with such torture and humiliation that when people pass by my grave, they say, "What a wonderful martyr!" The one whom Allah guided and who was guided.

Then the army set out. The Prophet followed them as far as Sanyatul Ada and bid them farewell.

The march of the Islamic army and the sudden and terrible situation

The Islamic army advanced northwards and reached a place called Mayan. This place is located in the Shami (Urdu) region near the northern Hejaz. The Muslim army set up camp here. The Muslim army's spies reported that the Roman emperor Heraclius was stationed at a place called Ma'ab in the region called Balqa' with one hundred thousand Roman soldiers, and that more than one hundred thousand soldiers from the Lakhm and Jozam Bilkin and the Bohra and Bala (various Arab tribes) tribes had gathered under their banner.

Consultation meeting at a place called Mayan

The Muslims had no idea that they would have to face such a large army, eager for war. After crossing this long and difficult path, they were suddenly faced with this problem and were completely overwhelmed with thoughts. The question that now loomed large before them was whether they could face this huge army, which was equal to the sea of ​​two hundred thousand soldiers, with only three thousand soldiers. They seemed to be restless and disoriented in their thoughts and, amidst great anxiety and discussion, they were thinking of writing a letter to inform the Messenger of Allah about the number of the enemy army. As a result, there would be a possibility of getting correct instructions from him or getting more help.

But Abdullah bin Rawaha (ra) opposed this view and said, "O brothers! By Allah! What you fear is the martyrdom you have set out in search of. Remember that our fight with the enemy is not be based on numbers, strength or weapons; rather, we will fight them for the sake of Allah's religion with which Allah has honored us. So let us move forward. There is goodness and endless blessings for us in fighting for the sake of Allah's religion, and we will receive one of them. If we are victorious, we will receive the honor of victory. And if we are martyred, we will receive the honor of martyrdom." Finally, the decision was made on the proposal of Abdullah bin Rawaha.

Islamic army attacks on enemies

The original story is that after spending two nights at a place called 'Mayan', the Islamic army attacked the enemy and encountered the army of Heraclius in a settlement called Balqa; which was called Sharif. Then, when the enemy army came closer, the Muslim army advanced towards a place called Muta and took up position. Then the army was arranged in order. Qutbah bin Qatadah al-Waziri (ra) was assigned to the right and Ubadah bin Malik al-Ansari (ra) to the left.

The beginning of the war and the martyrdom of the commanders one after another

Zayd bin Haritha (RA), the beloved of the Prophet (ﷺ), was the first to take up the flag and fought with enthusiasm and courage. He continued to fight with great bravery, but at one point in his battle, he was pierced by an enemy spear and was martyred.

Then it was Ja'far's turn. He immediately raised the flag and started the battle with full enthusiasm. When the battle reached its peak, he jumped down from his red and black horse. He cut off the horse's legs and continued to block the enemy with blow after blow. At one point, his right hand was cut off by the enemy's blow. Then, he held the flag with his left hand and continued to make continuous efforts to keep it raised. At one point, his left hand was also cut off. Then, he hugged the flag to his chest with the remnants of both his hands and continued to try to keep the flag high until he was martyred.

It is said that a Roman struck him with a sword in such a way that his body was split in two. In exchange for his two hands, Allah gave him two wings in Paradise, which enabled him to fly wherever he wanted. For this reason, he was given the titles of Ja'far Tayyar and Dhul Janaheen. That is, Ja'far the Flying One with Two Wings.

Imam Bukhari (RA) narrated on the authority of Nafi' from Ibn Umar (RA) that after the martyrdom of Ja'far (RA) on the day of the Battle of Mu'ta, I counted fifty blows from spears and swords on his body. Not a single blow was on the back.

After fighting with such extraordinary valor and bravery, Ja'far (RA) was martyred. Then Abdullah bin Rawaha (RA) mounted his horse, carrying the flag, and proceeded towards the front, reciting the following verses of poetry, calling for a fight with him:

O soul! I swear, you will certainly descend into rivalry, even if unwillingly - or else you will accept submission. If people continue to sound the war drums, then why do I see you retreating from Paradise?

Then he entered the competition. In this situation, his cousin brought a bone with meat and said, "Strengthen your back with this. Because, you will face a difficult situation on this day." He took the bone and bit it once. Then he threw it away, took his sword and advanced forward and fought until he was martyred.

A sword from among the swords of Allah, flag in his hand

At that time, a companion named Thabit bin Arqam from Banu Azlan jumped up, held the flag high and said, "O Muslim brothers! Choose one of us as the commander." The companions (ra) said, "You should fulfill this duty."

Hearing this, he said, "It is not possible for me to fulfill this duty." In this context, the Companions appointed Khalid bin Walid as the commander. After assuming the responsibility of the commander, he took the flag in his hand and fought with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm. Khalid bin Walid himself narrated in Sahih Bukhari, "On the day of the Battle of Mutah, nine swords broke in my hand and only one Yemeni sword remained."

Meanwhile, the Prophet (ﷺ) was very worried, having not received any news from the battlefield.

At that time, he was informed through revelation that Zayd (RA) had been martyred while fighting with the flag in his hand. Then Ja'far (RA) continued to fight with the flag in his hand and he too was martyred. After his martyrdom, Abdullah bin Rawaha also died while fighting with the flag in his hand. Upon hearing this news, the eyes of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) became filled with tears. Then a sword from among the swords of Allah took the flag in his hand and fought with such ferocity that Allah gave victory to the Muslims.

End of the war

No matter how bravely and courageously they fought, it was a matter of great wonder that a small army of Muslims could stand firm like a mountain against a huge Roman army that was so war-hungry and skilled in battle, and even more amazing was the military wisdom and skill of Khalid bin Walid. The strategy he adopted in bringing the Muslim army out of the terrible horror of the battle with honor in the Battle of Mu'ta will forever be written in golden letters in the history of Islam and will be a source of pride and inspiration for every Muslim.

On the first day of the battle, Khalid bin Walid remained steadfast in his fight with the Romans. But in the later stages, he adopted a strategy that created some hesitation and fear in the minds of the Romans and was able to drive the Muslim army back with great skill and safety. Because of this strategy, the Roman army did not dare to pursue the Muslim army. This battle was a very unequal battle between the two sides in terms of numbers. Therefore, a respectful retreat of the Muslims was inevitable. But he adopted a strategy in the matter of retreat that not only prevented the enemy from pursuing him, but also made them somewhat afraid.

In the context of his changed strategy, on the morning of the second day, he arranged his army in a new line. While making this arrangement, he moved the front group to the rear and the rear group to the front, the right flank group to the left flank and the left flank group to the right flank. Seeing the changed arrangement, the enemy was surprised and thought that they had received new help. As a result, fear was instilled in their hearts. Then, when the armies of both sides engaged in a clash, Khalid bin Walid (RA) began to slowly move the well-organized Muslim army towards the rear.

But the Romans did not pursue them, thinking that the Muslims might have adopted a strategy through which they would have to go into the desert and if that happened, they would have to face great danger. As a result, instead of pursuing the Muslims, the Romans preferred to return to their own territory and left the battlefield with the intention of returning to their own place. Meanwhile, the Muslims retreated safely and returned to Medina.

Number of soldiers killed on both sides

In this battle, 12 believers were martyred. But it is not known exactly how many Roman soldiers were killed. However, it is known from the detailed accounts of the battle that many of their soldiers were killed. It can be assumed that when Khalid (RA) alone broke 9 (nine) swords with his own hands, the number of killed and wounded could be much higher.

Reaction to this war

Although the revenge for which they had been subjected to the terrible conditions of that war was not possible, it was still of immense importance to the Muslims. It became even more clear that the Muslims were a fearless nation and that they could not bow down to any earthly power, no matter how great it was. Not only that, but the news of the bravery of the Muslims also spread throughout the world. Because, as a result of this, the entire Arab world was stunned and shocked. Because at that time the Roman power was one of the greatest powers in the world. The hostile people thought that engaging in a conflict with the Roman army would be suicidal for the Muslims. But the fact that a force of only three thousand soldiers could face two hundred thousand well-equipped and skilled soldiers and be able to retreat safely without any significant losses was an unthinkable thing. Moreover, the Arab world was also made aware that the Muslims were a unique group, different from what they had known about the people of the Arab lands. They were the recipients of help and sympathy from Allah, and their leader was indeed the Messenger of Allah.

In such a situation, we see that after the Battle of Mutah, the tribes of Arabia, which were hostile to the Muslims and fought against them for whatever reason, were also attracted to Islam. Among them, Banu Sulaym, Ashja, Ghatfan, Jubayyan and Fazarah and some other tribes embraced Islam. It was through this war that the bloody conflict between the Muslims and the Romans began, which later led to the conquest of various countries included in the Roman Empire and the establishment of complete Muslim authority over various far-flung regions.

Jatus Salasel Expedition

When the Prophet understood the attitude of the Arab tribes living in rome regarding the battle of Mutah, that they had gathered under the banner of the Romans to fight against the Muslims, he felt the need to adopt a strategy through which, on the one hand, he could create a rift in the unity of the Arab tribes and the Romans, and on the other hand, he could build trust and confidence in the minds of the arab tribes that Muslims are their friends. If such a situation were created, they would not feel the need to form an alliance with the Romans to fight against the Muslims in the future.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Al-Amr bin Al-As (ra) to take the necessary measures for this purpose. Because he was related to the Bala tribe of the valley. Therefore, immediately after the Battle of Mutah, i.e. in Jumada al-Akhirah of the 8th AH, the Holy Prophet sent Amr bin Al-As to console the people of those tribes. It is said that the spies also reported that the Banu Quzayah had gathered an army to attack the surrounding areas of Medina. Perhaps the Holy Prophet sent Al-Amr bin Al-As with these two objectives in mind.

However, Amr bin As (ra) had a white and a black flag in his hand and he had thirty horses with him and the Muhajirin. When they departed, Prophet ordered the commander of the army to seek help from the tribes of Bala, Uzra and Bilqin whom he met while passing by. The Muslim army used to travel in the darkness of the night and hide during the day. Then it was learned that their army was much larger than his. So Amr bin As sent Rafi' bin Muqais Juhani to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with a request for help. In this context, he sent an army of two hundred soldiers under the command of Abu Ubaydah bin Jarrah (RA). This army included the leaders of the Muhajirin, such as Abu Bakr Siddiq and Umar bin Khattab (RA) and the leaders of the Ansar. Abu Ubaydah was instructed to join Amr bin Al-As and complete the tasks together, without any disagreement. When Abu Ubaydah (RA) wanted to join Amr bin Al-As (RA) and lead the prayer, Amr bin Al-As (RA) said, "You have come as my helper, and I have come as the leader of the army." Abu Ubaydah (RA) agreed. Amr bin Al-As (RA) continued to lead the prayer."

After the help arrived, the Muslim army advanced and entered the region of Qozaar and after conquering that region, reached the farthest borders. At one point in their advance, they engaged in battle with a group of soldiers. But when the Muslims attacked them, they scattered and fled in all directions.

Then Awf bin Malik Ashja'i (RA) was sent as a messenger to the Prophet (ﷺ). He reported the safe return of the Muslim army and other news of the battle to the Prophet (ﷺ). They advanced some distance from a field in that country called Wadi al-Qora. From here, the distance to Medina was ten days' journey. According to the narration of the historian Ibn Ishaq, the Muslims landed at a place called 'Salasal' in the land of the Zoya tribe, by a spring. That is why the battle was called 'Zath al-Salasal'.

Khazirah Expedition, 8th Hijri Sha'ban

The reason for the expedition was that Banu Ghatfan was gathering troops at a place called Khazirah in the territory of the Muhari tribe in Najd. In this context, Abu Qatada (RA) was sent with fifteen Mujahids to teach them proper lesson. He killed and captured several people from the enemy. Some booty was also seized. They remained outside for fifteen days during this expedition.

Battle of Mecca:

8th Hijri Ramadan: Imam Ibn Qayyum, while writing about the conquest of Mecca, wrote that this was the great victory through which Allah bestowed the status of His religion, His Messenger, His army, His wealth, and His House, which was the center of guidance for the people of the world. He freed it from the clutches of the infidels and polytheists. With that victory, a wave of happiness also descended in the hearts of the inhabitants of the heavens. As a result, people started entering the religion of Allah in droves and the face of the earth became brighter with flashes of light.

The reason for the war

In the discussion of the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, it is mentioned that one of the conditions of the said treaty was that if anyone wanted to make a treaty with Muhammad (ﷺ), he could. On the other hand, if anyone wanted to make a treaty with the Quraysh, he would also have to be given that opportunity and recognition. Furthermore, if any such protected person or tribe was attacked, then this attack would be considered an attack on the sheltering party.

Under the above conditions, Banu Khuzayah was recognized as sheltered by the Prophet (ﷺ). In this way, both the tribes were apparently freed from mutual hatred and conflict and gained security. But since there had been mutual enmity and conflict between the two tribes since the Age of Ignorance. Therefore, despite being being sheltered by the two parties to the treaty, the question of revenge did not disappear from their minds. Therefore, when Islam began to spread and the Treaty of Hudaybiyah was written, Banu Bakr, considering their position stronger than before by taking the side of the Quraysh, considered it an excellent opportunity to take revenge on Banu Khuzayah for their old enmity. In view of this idea, Nawfal bin Muawiyah Daili led a force of Banu Bakr in the month of Sha'ban in the 8th AH and attacked Banu Khuzayah under the cover of night. At that time, the Banu Khuzayah were living by a spring called Watir. Many of the Khuzayah tribe were killed in this attack.

In this battle, the Quraysh helped Banu Bakr with weapons. Even in the darkness of night, the Quraysh warriors participated in this battle on the side of Banu Bakr. In this battle, many people of Banu Khuzayyah were killed and they were driven out and brought to the Haram.

Upon reaching the Haram, Bakr said, "O Nawfal! Now we have entered the Haram. Your god! Your god!" In response, Nawfal said a very serious thing. He said, "O Banu Bakr! There is no god today, take revenge. By my life! You steal in the Haram, but can you not take revenge in the Haram?"

You were the children and we were the fathers.

We have never withdrawn our hands from helping since we became Muslims. May Allah guide you to always help and call upon the servants of Allah. Then they will come for help. But their faces will turn pale. You will come in a (warlike) army that will be like the waves of the sea filled with foam (of blood). The Quraysh have certainly broken their promise to you and broken your firm pledge. They have taken a position for me in a place called 'Kada' secretly and thought that I would not call upon anyone for help. But they are very inferior and few in number. They attacked us at night while we were praying Tahajjud and killed us while we were bowing and prostrating. That is, we were Muslims and they killed us.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Amr bin Salem! You have been helped." Then a cloud appeared in the sky. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "These clouds are shining with the good news of the help of Banu Ka'b."

Then a group of Banu Khuzayyah under the supervision of Bodhayl ​​bin Uqba Al-Khuzayyah arrived in Medina and informed the Prophet that Ka'b had been killed and how the Quraysh had helped Banu Bakr. Then this man returned to Mecca.

Abu Sufyan's arrival in Medina to renew the treaty

There is no doubt that what Quraysh and the party that had entered into a treaty with him had done was a clear breach of promise and a complete violation of the treaty. Their actions could not be considered right or proper. Therefore, they immediately realized that by breaking the treaty, they had indeed committed a wrong and the consequences of this could be very bitter and terrible. In view of this fear, they held a consultation meeting. In this meeting, they decided to send Abu Sufyan, the leader of the party, to Medina immediately to revive the treaty.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was discussing with his companions what the Quraysh could do after breaking the treaty. In this context, he said to them, "I see Abu Sufyan coming to Medina to reaffirm the pledge and extend the term of the treaty."

Meanwhile, when Abu Sufyan reached a place called Usfan, as decided by the Quraysh council, he met Budayl. Budayl was returning from Medina to Mecca. Abu Sufyan understood that he was returning from the Prophet (ﷺ). He asked him, "Budayl! Where have you come from?" Budayl said, "I went with Khuzayyah to this neighboring bank and the Wadi valley." Abu Sufyan asked, "Have you gone to Muhammad (ﷺ)?" He said, "No."

But when Bodayl set out for Mecca, Abu Sufyan said, "If he had gone to Medina, the proof would be the fruit he had fed his camel there." Then he went to where Bodayl had put his camel and found date seeds in the camel's dung. Examining the date seeds, he said, "By Allah, Bodayl had gone to Muhammad (ﷺ)."

However, Abu Sufyan reached Medina and went to the house of his daughter, Umm al-Mu'minin al-Hasibi (ra). When he wanted to sit on the bed of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), she removed it. Seeing this, Abu Sufyan said, "O my daughter! Do you think that this bed is not suitable for me, or that I am not suitable for this bed?"

Umm al-Mu'minin said, "This is the bed of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and you are an impure polytheist." Hearing this, Abu Sufyan said, "By Allah! Your misfortune will come after me."

Then Abu Sufyan went out from there and went to the Messenger of Allah and spoke to him. The Messenger of Allah did not answer him. Then he went to Abu Bakr (ra) and asked him to speak to the Messenger of Allah. He said, "I cannot do that."

Then he went to Umar ibn al-Khattab (ra) and spoke to him. He said, "Why should I intercede for you? By Allah, if I find nothing but a stick, I will fight you with it! Yet I will not forgive you."

Then he went to Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra). Fatima and Hasan (ra) were also there. Hasan (ra) was still young and was walking around talking. Abu Sufyan said, "O Ali! I have a closer lineage to you than anyone else. I have come now for a special need. Let it not happen that I have to return unsuccessfully. Intercede for me with Muhammad (ﷺ). Ali (ra) said, "Woe to you, Abu Sufyan, I will not be able to say anything to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)." Then he turned to Fatima (ra) and said, "Can you do me this much that you will instruct this son of yours to announce my asylum to the people and become the leader of the Arabs forever?" Fatima said, "By Allah, this son of mine is not fit to announce someone's asylum to the people. Moreover, no one else can announce it in the presence of the Messenger of Allah."

Having failed to achieve his goal, the world became dark before Abu Sufyan. In a state of great fear, anxiety and despair, he said, "O father of Hasan! I realize that the situation has become very difficult. Therefore, give me some indication of the future course of action."

Ali (RA) said, "By Allah! I do not see any way that can benefit you. However, since you are the chief of Banu Kanna, stand before the people and announce your refuge. Then return to your country."

Abu Sufyan said, "Do you think this will be beneficial for me?"

Ali said, 'No, by Allah I do not think it will be beneficial for you. But I cannot think of any alternative.' Then Abu Sufyan stood in the mosque and announced, 'O people! I am announcing my refuge to all of you.'

Then when he reached the Quraysh, they asked him about his situation. Abu Sufyan said, I went to Muhammad (ﷺ) and spoke to him, but by Allah, he did not answer me. Then I went to the son of Abu Quhafa. But I did not see any good in him. From there I went to Umar ibn al-Khattab. I found him the strongest of enemies. Then I went to Ali. I found him the softest of hearts and minds! He gave me some advice and I acted on it. But I do not know whether it will work or not. The people said, 'What is that advice?'

Abu Sufyan said, 'His advice was that I should announce my asylum to the people. So I did so.'
The Quraysh said, 'So did Muhammad (ﷺ) actually accept it?
Abu Sufyan said, 'No.'
The people said, 'You are ruined. That man (Ali) has only made a secret with you.
Abu Sufyan said, 'By Allah! There was no other way.'

Secret war preparations

According to Imam Tabarani, three days before breaking the promise, the Prophet had instructed Aisha to secretly make all the necessary preparations for the journey. But no one knew about this news. While Aisha was busy with the preparations, Abu Bakr came and said, "Daughter! What are these preparations for?"

She replied, "By Allah! I do not know."

Abu Bakr (RA) said, 'This is not the time for fighting Banu Asfar, i.e. the Romans. So what is the intention of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?' Aisha (RA) said, 'By Allah! I do not know.'

On the morning of the third day, Amr bin Salem arrived in Medina with 40 horsemen and recited the previous poem, to the end. Then the common people came to know that the promise had been broken. Then came Buqail. Then came Abu Sufyan. In the context of the situation, the people understood the nature of the situation. Then the Messenger of Allah ordered preparations to be made and said, 'We must go to Mecca.' At the same time, he also prayed, 'O Allah! 'Create a barrier and stop this news from reaching the spies and the Quraysh, so that we can reach them right above their heads without them knowing.'

Then, in order to achieve the goal in great secrecy, in the first half of Ramadan 8 AH, a small force of eight Mujahids towards Batn-e-Azam was sent under the leadership of Abu Katamah bin Riba'i. This place is located between Dhi Khashab and Dhi Marwah, about 36 Arabic miles from Medina. The intention was that the common people, upon witnessing this expedition, should not think that they were going towards that region, and eventually the news spread far and wide. But when this group reached the designated place, they learned that the Messenger of Allah had already set out for Mecca. Then they also went and joined the Messenger of Allah.

Meanwhile, Hatib bin Abi Baltaya wrote a letter to the Quraysh, informing them that the Prophet was going to attack Mecca. He sent the letter through a woman on the promise of a reward. The woman was walking with the letter in her hair. But the Prophet was informed of Hatib's actions through a revelation from heaven. In this context, he sent Ali, Miqdad, Zubair and Abu Murshed Ghanavi, saying, "You will find a woman riding a camel in a garden called Khaq. She has a letter written and sent to the Quraysh. You must retrieve that letter from her." The companions mounted their horses and ran very fast to catch up with the woman. At one point, they caught up with the woman riding a camel. They got down from the camel and asked her if she had any letter. But she completely denied having any. They searched his camel's saddle but were worried because they did not find any letter. Finally Ali said, 'I swear by Allah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not lie. Nor do we lie. Either you take out the letter or we will strip you naked and search you.' When she sensed their determination, she said, 'Then turn your faces away.' When they turned their faces away, the woman took out the letter from her hair and handed it to them. They took the letter and reached the Prophet (ﷺ). The letter read:

From Hatim bin Baltaya to the Quraysh - Then the Quraysh were informed of the Prophet's (ﷺ) advance towards Mecca.

The Prophet (ﷺ) asked Hatib, why did you do this? He said, O Messenger of Allah! Do not be hasty in your decision against me in this matter. By Allah, I have complete faith in Allah and His Messenger. I have not apostatized, nor has there been any change in me. I am not related by blood to the Quraysh. However, we were related to them in some matters, and my family and children are there. I have no kinship or relationship with them that would take care of my family members. On the other hand, all those who are with you in Mecca have relatives who take care of them. Although it is completely illegal and unjust, I wanted to do a favor for the Quraysh in the context of this purpose, in return for which they would take care of my relatives.

In response to this conversation, Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah! Allow me to cut off his head. Because he has betrayed Allah and His Messenger and has become a hypocrite." The Messenger of Allah (ra) then said, "O Umar! Do you not know that he participated in the Battle of Badr? Perhaps Allah has said to the participants in that battle, "Do whatever you wish, I have forgiven you." Hearing this, Umar's eyes filled with tears. Then he said, "Allah and His Messenger know best."

Thus, Allah had the spies arrested and prevented any news of the Muslims' preparations for war from reaching the Quraysh.

The Islamic army is on its way to Mecca.

On the 10th of Ramadan, 8th AH, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) set out for Mecca with an army of ten thousand Muslims. At this time, the administrative responsibility of Medina was entrusted to Abu Raham Ghafari (RA).

Before Juhfa or some part of it, he met the Prophet's uncle Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib. After embracing Islam, he was migrating to Medina with his family. Again, at a place called Abwa, he met the Prophet's cousin Abu Sufyan bin Harith and Abdullah bin Umayya. Seeing both of them, the Prophet (ﷺ) turned away. Because both of them had caused the Prophet (ﷺ) great suffering and slander. From this situation, Umm Salama (ra) said, "It should not be that your cousins will be the most unfortunate for you." Meanwhile, Ali taught Abu Sufyan bin Harith that 'you should go to the Prophet and say what Joseph's brothers said to Joseph,

"By Allah! Allah has honored you above us, and indeed we were guilty." (Surah Yusuf: Verse-91)

Because the Prophet (ﷺ) would not like it if someone else's answer was better than his. So Abu Sufyan did so, and the Prophet immediately replied:

"There is no blame upon you this day. May Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful." (Surah Yusuf: Verse-92)

In this context, Abu Sufyan recited the following verses of the poem:

By your life! At that time I raised the flag so that the cavalry of the infidels would be victorious over the cavalry of Muhammad, and my condition was like that of a night traveler who wanders in the darkness, lost in his way. But now the time has come for me to be shown the way and guided. I have been guided by another guide, and he is the one who told me about the path of Allah, whom I had driven out from every place with reproach.

Hearing this poem, the Messenger of Allah struck his chest with a paw and said, 'You drove me away every moment.'

The camp of the Islamic army was set up at a place called Marrawz Dahran.

The Prophet continued his journey. During this journey, the Prophet and his companions were fasting. But they broke their fast when they reached a place between Usfan and Kodai.

The Companions also broke their fast. Then they continued their journey. In this way, they traveled during the eastern part of the night and reached Marraw Zahran and disembarked. There, on the orders of the Prophet, people lit separate fires. In this way, fires were lit in ten thousand places. The Prophet appointed Umar bin Khattab (RA) as a guard.

Abu Sufyan in the court of the Prophet

After setting up camp at Marrawz-e-Zahran, Abbas (ra) rode out on the white mule of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). His intention was that if a suitable person could be found, he would send a message to the Quraysh that they should come to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and seek forgiveness before he entered Mecca.

Meanwhile, Allah had closed all the means of sending news to the Quraysh. For this reason, no news of this matter reached them. However, they were living in great fear and panic, and Abu Sufyan was repeatedly trying to get news from outside. At that time, Hakim bin Hizam and Bodhail bin Warqa went out to find out the news.

Abbas (ra) said, "By Allah! I was riding the mule of the Messenger of Allah when I overheard a conversation between Abu Sufyan and Bodhail bin Warqa. Abu Sufyan said, 'By Allah! I have never seen so many fires and soldiers as on this night.'"

In reply, Bodail said, 'By Allah! These are Banu Khozayyah. The war has angered them.

Abu Sufyan said, "How small and inferior the army of Banu Khozayah is, where will they find so many men and so much fire?"

Abbas said, 'I overheard their conversation and understood everything and said, 'Is it Abu Hanzalah or not?' He recognized my voice and said, 'Is it Abu al-Fadl or not?
I said, 'Yes'.
He said, 'What is the matter? May my parents be sacrificed for you.'
I said, 'The Messenger of Allah is there with the people. Oh, destruction of the Quraysh! By Allah!'
He said, 'What is the solution now? May my parents be sacrificed for you.'

I said, 'By Allah! If he finds you, he will cut off your heads. So, come and sit on my mule. I will take you to the Messenger of Allah and seek refuge with him.' Then Abu Sufyan sat behind me. His two other companions went back.

Abbas (ra) said, "I went with Abu Sufyan. Whenever I passed by a hut, the people would say, 'Who is going?' But when they saw that it was the mule of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and I was riding it, they would say, 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)'s uncle and his mule.' When we went on like this, when we came to the hut of Umar bin Al-Khattab (ra), he said, 'Who is it?' Then he came to me humbly and saw Abu Sufyan behind me and said, 'Abu Sufyan is the enemy of Allah. Praise be to Allah, he was found among us without any promise or trick.' After saying this, he left there and quickly advanced towards the place where the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was standing. I also chased the mule and quickly advanced.

I had reached there a while ago and dismounted from my mule and sat with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Meanwhile, Umar had also arrived and said, "O Messenger of Allah! This is Abu Sufyan! Let me be commanded to cut his throat." I said, "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah! No one will whisper to you tonight except me." Meanwhile, Umar kept saying the same thing about Abu Sufyan. I said, "O Umar, stop. By Allah! This was from the tribe of Adi bin Ka'b, you should not say such things." Umar said, "O Abbas, stop. By Allah! Your greeting was more beloved to me than the acceptance of Islam by Al-Khattab. That is because your acceptance of Islam was more beloved to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) than the acceptance of Islam by Al-Khattab.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Abbas, take him (Abu Sufyan) to your tent and bring him to me in the morning." He took him to the tent as instructed and presented him to the Prophet in the morning. When he saw him, he said, "O Abu Sufyan! What a pity for you is that you have not yet realized the great truth that there is no god but Allah." Abu Sufyan said, "May my parents be sacrificed for you. How tolerant, honorable and protective of your relatives you are! I have realized that if there had been another god, it would have been of use to me by now."

The Prophet said, 'Abu Sufyan! I am truly sorry for you. Hasn't the time come for you to understand that I am truly the Messenger of Allah?

Abu Sufyan said, "May my parents be sacrificed for you. You are so patient, so kind and so kinship-building. But there is still some doubt about that." In this context, Abbas said, "O you, accept Islam before your head is cut off and testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." In response to this statement of Abbas, Abu Sufyan accepted Islam and recited the Kalima, testifying to the truth.

Abbas (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah! Abu Sufyan is a man of honor, so honor him." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "That is right. Whoever enters the house of Abu Sufyan will be safe, and whoever closes the door of his house from the inside will be safe, and whoever enters the Sacred Mosque will be safe."

Islamic army marches from Marraw to Dahran towards Mecca

On the morning of Tuesday, 8th AH, 17th Ramadan, the Messenger of Allah set out from Marruz Dahran towards Mecca. He instructed Abbas to stop Abu Sufyan at the edge of the mountain at the narrowest point of the valley so that he could see the soldiers of Allah passing by that way. Abbas obeyed the Messenger of Allah's command. Meanwhile, the tribes were carrying their own flags. Whenever a tribe passed by, Abu Sufyan would ask, "Who are these people?" Abbas would reply, for example, "Banu Sulaym." Abu Sufyan would then say, "What is my relationship with Sulaym?"

Then, when the next tribe was leaving, Abu Sufyan asked, "Who are these?" Abbas replied, "Muzayna." Abu Sufyan said, "What is my relationship with Muzayna?" In this way, the tribes left one by one. Whenever the people of a tribe left, Abu Sufyan would probably ask Abbas about them. When his question was answered, he would mention the name of the tribe and say, "What is my relationship with this?"

Then when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) arrived in his green company in great pomp and circumstance. He was surrounded by the Muhajireen and the Ansar. Here, apart from the people, only an iron fence was visible. Abu Sufyan said, 'Glory be to Allah! O Abbas! Who are these?'

He said, 'The Messenger of Allah is coming amidst the splendid presence of the Ansar and the Muhajirin.' Abu Sufyan said, 'Can anyone ever have the power to compete with them?'

Then he added, 'Abul Fadl, Allah has made your nephew's kingdom very strong.
Abbas (RA) said, 'Abu Sufyan! This is the honor of prophethood.'
Abu Sufyan said, 'Yes, now I have to say it,
At this time another incident occurred. The flag of the Ansar was with Sa'd bin Ubada. As he passed by Abu Sufyan, he said:

"Today is a day of bloodshed and violence, today the forbidden will be made lawful."

Today Allah has decreed humiliation for the Quraysh. Then when the Messenger of Allah passed by, Abu Sufyan said, 'O Messenger of Allah! Did you not hear what Sa'd said?' He said, 'What did Sa'd say?' Abu Sufyan said, 'This is what he said.'

Hearing this, Uthman and Abdul Rahman bin Awf said, "O Messenger of Allah! We are afraid that Saad will start beating the Quraysh again."

Allah's Messenger said, 'No, it will not happen; rather, today will be the day when the Kaaba will be shown its due dignity. Today will be the day when Allah will honor the Quraysh.' Then the Prophet (ﷺ) sent someone to take the flag from Sa'd and give it to his son Qays. The purpose was to make him understand that the flag remained in his hand, it did not leave his hand. However, it is also said that the Prophet (ﷺ) took the flag and gave it to Zubayr.

Suddenly, the Islamic army came upon the heads of the Quraysh.

When the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) left Abu Sufyan, Abbas said to him, "Return to your people in Mecca quickly." Abu Sufyan returned to Mecca very quickly and called out in a loud voice, "O Quraysh! Muhammad (ﷺ) is coming to Mecca with such a large army that no one has the power to confront or compete with him. But whoever enters Abu Sufyan's house will be safe." Hearing this, his wife Hindah bint Utbah came and grabbed his mustache and said, "Kill this fat and tough meat". May the bearer of such news and the one who predicts such things perish."

Abu Sufyan said, "May you all perish. Be careful that this woman does not deceive you about your lives. For Muhammad has come with such a large army that no one is able to withstand it. In this situation, whoever enters Abu Sufyan's house will be safe."

The people said, 'May Allah destroy you. How many of us will your house shelter?'

Abu Sufyan said, "There is another thing. Those who close the doors of their houses from the inside will also be considered safe. Furthermore, those who enter the Sacred Mosque will also be considered safe." Upon hearing this, the people all started fleeing towards their houses and the Sacred Mosque.

However, they turned a few of the rascals against the Muslims and said, "We are putting them in the forefront. If the Quraysh are successful, we will join them, but if they are badly beaten, we will accept whatever is asked of us."

To fight the Muslims, all these foolish Quraysh gathered in a group led by Ikrama bin Abu Jahl, Safwan bin Umaima, and Suhail bin Amr.

Among them was a man named Hemas bin Qais from the Banu Bakr tribe who was previously preparing weapons. In this context, his wife said one day, 'What is everything I see being prepared for?'

He said, 'Getting ready for a fight with Muhammad and his companions.'

The wife said, "By Allah! I hope that I will make one of Muhammad's companions your servant."

Then he said, "If they come to compete today, I will have no rival." This is a complete weapon, a long-bladed spear and a fast-attacking double-edged sword. This man also came to the battle of Khandama.

Islamic soldiers at a place called Jutawa

At one stage of the advance, the army of the Prophet (ﷺ) reached Jutawa from Marruz-e-Zahran. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) with great humility, in order to show great respect for the victory granted by Allah, kept his head lowered in such a way that the hairs of his beard were touching the horsemen. The Prophet went to Jutawa and organized the army. He assigned Khalid bin Walid on the right flank. There were Aslam, Sulaym, Ghafar, Muzayna, Juhamna and other tribes. Khalid bin Walid was ordered to enter Mecca through the lowlands. If the Quraysh created obstacles, he was to kill them all. Then he would meet the Prophet (ﷺ) on Mount Safa.

Zubayr bin Awam was on the left. He had the flag of the Prophet with him. The Prophet ordered him to enter Mecca through the upper part, i.e. the Koda area, and to go to Hajun and raise the flag and wait for him there.

The infantry was led by Abu Ubaydah. He was ordered to advance by the Batna Valley route in such a way that he would be able to land in Mecca before the Prophet.

The entry of Islamic troops into Mecca

After receiving the above order, the different armies continued to advance along their respective designated routes. All the polytheists who came in front of Khalid bin Walid's army were killed. However, among his friends, Qurza Ma'bin Jabir Al-Fahri and Khunais bin Khalid bin Rabi'ah were martyred. This was because they were separated from the army and were traveling along different routes. In that state, they were killed.

After reaching Khandama, a clash broke out between Khalid (RA) and the Quraysh. Twelve polytheists were killed in a minor clash, and they began to flee. Hemas bin Qaisam, who had prepared his weapons in advance to fight the Muslims, fled from the battlefield and entered his house and said to his wife, "Close the door." His wife said, "Where did that thing you were saying go?"

He replied: If you had seen the battle of Khandama when Safwan and Ikrama fled and when we were greeted with open swords that cut off wrists and skulls in such a way that nothing could be heard behind them except their roar and chaos, you would not have uttered the slightest word of reproach.

Then Khalid (RA) crossed the streets of Mecca on foot and met the Prophet on Mount Safa.

Meanwhile, Zubayr (ra) went ahead and raised the flag of the Prophet near the Fatah Mosque in Hajun and pitched a tent for him. He remained there until the Prophet arrived.

The Prophet (ﷺ) entered the Grand Mosque and removed the idols.

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up and entered the Sacred Mosque with great pomp, surrounded by the Ansar and the Muhajirin in front, behind, right and left. After entering the Sacred Mosque, the first thing he did was kiss the Black Stone and then circumambulate the House of Allah. At that time, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had a bow in his hand and there were 360 idols around the House of Allah and on its roof. The Prophet (ﷺ) was hitting the idols with that bow and saying:

"Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart." (Surah Isra: 81)

"The truth has come, and falsehood can neither begin [anything] nor repeat [it]." (Surah Saba: Verse-49)

The idols were being toppled by the blows of the Prophet (ﷺ).

He mounted his camel and performed Tawaf. Since he was not in the state of Ihram, he considered it sufficient to perform Tawaf. After completing Tawaf, he called Uthman bin Talha and took the key of the Kaaba from him. Then, according to his instructions, the Kaaba was opened and he entered. At this time, the images inside the Kaaba appeared to him. Among them were the images of Abraham and Ishmael (as). In their hands were arrows related to divination. Seeing this scene, he said, "May Allah destroy those polytheists, by Allah, those two prophets never used such arrows to know the future." He also saw a wooden image of a pigeon inside the Kaaba. He completely destroyed that image with his own hands. The other images were also removed by his orders.

The Prophet's prayer at the Kaaba and his speech to the Quraysh

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) closed the door of the Kaaba from the inside. Usama and Bilal were inside. Then he faced the wall in front of the door and stopped only three cubits away from the wall. In this situation, there were two pillars on the left side of the Prophet (ﷺ), one on the right side and three pillars behind him. At that time, the Kaaba had six pillars. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed there. After the prayer, he would look around the inside of the Kaaba and recite the verses of Takbir and Monotheism. Then he opened the door of the Kaaba. A large number of Quraysh were lined up in front of the Kaaba to see what the Prophet (ﷺ) was doing.

Addressing the Quraysh who were standing low, holding the two parts of the door, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "There is no god but Allah. He is One, He has no partner. He has fulfilled His promise. He has helped His servants and He has defeated all the parties single-handedly. Listen, all honor or virtue or shedding of blood is at my feet except the honor of guarding the keys of the House of Allah and giving water to the pilgrims. Remember, accidental killing, which is done with a stick, is included in intentional killing and blood money is payable for it. That is, one hundred camels, forty of which are pregnant.

O Quraysh! Allah has removed from you the arrogance of the pre-Islamic period and the pride of your ancestors. All people are the children of Adam (as) and he was made of clay. Then the Holy Prophet recited the following:

O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Aware. (Surah Al-Hujrat: Verse-13)

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "O people of Quraysh! How do you think I will treat you?"

They all said, 'Very good. You are a kind brother and the son of a kind brother.' He said, 'Then know that I am speaking to you in the same way. Just as Joseph said to his brothers, there is no reproach for you today.' Go, today you are all set free.

The key to the Kaaba

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat in the Grand Mosque. Ali (ﷺ) said, "The one who had the key came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'Messenger of Allah! Grant us the honor of providing water for the pilgrims and also the honor of keeping the key of the Ka'bah. May Allah have mercy on you.' According to another narration, this request was made by Abbas (ﷺ). Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Where is Uthman bin Talha?' When he was called, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Uthman! Take your key. Today is a day of righteousness and fulfilling a promise.' While giving the key, the Prophet (ﷺ) also said, 'Take this key for safekeeping. The one who will will snatch it from you is an oppressor.'

"O Uthman! Allah has made you trustworthy in His house. So enjoy what you will find in this house of Allah in a just manner."

The call to prayer of Bilal (RA) on the roof of the Kaaba

It was time for prayer, so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) to go up to the roof of the Kaaba and call for prayer. At that time, Abu Sufyan bin Harb, Attab bin Asid, and Harith bin Hisham were sitting on the belcony of the Kaaba.

Attab said, 'Allah has honored Asid that he did not hear the call to prayer, otherwise he would have heard something unpleasant.' At this, Harith said, 'By Allah! If I knew that it was true, I would follow them.'

Abu Sufyan said, "Look! By Allah! I will not say anything. If I say anything, these pebbles will also tell about me." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) came to them and said, "Now I have been informed of what you are talking about." Then he repeated what they had said. At that, Harith and Attab said, "We bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah. By Allah, there was no one with us who could have heard our conversation. If something like that had happened, we would have said that he had conveyed our conversation to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). (Otherwise, how did he know?)

Post-victory thankful prayer

That day, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to the house of Umm Hani bint Abu Talib. He took a bath there and prayed eight rak'ahs in her house. He prayed this prayer between sunrise and noon. That is why some have considered this prayer to be the p rayer of Chasht and some have considered it to be the prayer of being thankful after the victory. Umm Hani had sheltered two of her brothers-in-law. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Umm Hani! I have sheltered those whom you have sheltered." The reason for his announcement was that Umm Hani's brother Ali bin Abu Talib wanted to kill these two. That is why Umm Hani had locked them up in her house and kept them secret. When the Prophet (ﷺ) went there, he asked about them and made the above announcement.

The blood of the greatest sinners was declared in vain.

On the day of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet declared the blood of nine of the greatest sinners to be in vain and ordered that even if they were found under the curtain of the Kaaba, they would still be killed. Their names are:

1. Abul Uzza bin Khattal,
2. Abdullah bin Saad bin Abid Sarah,
3. Ikramah bin Abu Hazal,
4. Harith bin Nufail bin Ahab,
5. Markis bin Sababa,
6. Habbar bin Aswad,
7. and 8. Two slave girls of Ibn Khatal who used to defame the Prophet (ﷺ) through poetry,
9. Sarah; who was the slave girl of one of Abdul Muttalib's children, to whom Hatib's letter went.

Ibn Abi Sara was in such a state that Uthman ibn Affan came to the Prophet with him and interceded for his life. The Prophet forgave him and converted him to Islam. But before that, the Prophet (ﷺ) remained silent for a long time, hoping that some companion would come and kill him. Because this person had previously embraced Islam and migrated to Medina. But later he apostatized again. Yet his subsequent actions were a mirror of the beauty of Islam. (May Allah be pleased with him).

Ikramah bin Abu Jahl fled via Yemen. But when his wife came to the Prophet's service and sought refuge, he granted her refuge. She then followed Ikramah and brought him back. After returning to Mecca, he embraced Islam and became a devout Muslim.

Ibn Khattal was hanging from the curtain of the Kaaba. When a companion came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him about him, he ordered him to be killed. As a result, he was killed.

Markis bin Sababa was killed by Numaylah bin Abdullah. Markis had previously converted to Islam, but later became an apostate by killing an Ansar.

Habbab bin Aswad is the man who stabbed Zaynab (RA), the daughter of the Prophet (ﷺ), with a sharp weapon on the eve of her migration. As a result, she fell from her camel's saddle onto a rock and miscarried. This man fled during the conquest of Mecca. Later, he embraced Islam and became a devout Muslim.

One of Ibn Khattal's two slave girls was killed. The second one sought refuge and was granted it. She then converted to Islam.

Similarly, when Sarah sought refuge, it was granted to her and she later converted to Islam (in total, four out of nine people were killed and five were pardoned. All of them converted to Islam.)

Hafiz Ibn Hajar Asqalani wrote, "Among those whose blood was declared in vain, the name of Abu Mashar Harith bin Tala til Khuwayi is also mentioned. Ali (ra) killed him. Imam Hakim mentioned the name of Ka'b bin Zuhair in the list. Ka'b's story is famous. Later, he embraced Islam and praised the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The list also included Wahshi bin Harb and Hindah bint Utbah, the wife of Abu Sufyan, whom Sa'd killed. Ibn Ishaq also mentioned the same. Thus, the number of men is eight and the number of women is six. The reason for the difference is that there were two slave girls, Arnab and Umm Sa'd, and the difference was only in the name, surname or title.

The conversion of Safwan bin Umayya and Foala bin Umayr to Islam

Safwan's blood was not declared in vain, but since he was a great leader of the Quraysh, he feared for his own life and fled. Umayr bin Wahhab Jumahi came to the Prophet and sought refuge for him. The Prophet (ﷺ) granted him refuge and, as a token of this, gave him the turban he had tied on his head when he entered Mecca.

Foala was a brave man. When the Prophet was performing Tawaf, he approached him with the intention of killing him. But when the Prophet told him about his secret desire, he became a Muslim.

The Prophet's (ﷺ) speech on the second day of the conquest of Mecca

The Prophet of Allah stood before the people to deliver his speech on the second day of the victory. After praising Allah at the beginning of his speech, the Prophet said, 'Allah made Mecca a Haram (forbidden city) on the day He created the heavens and the earth. Therefore, it will remain Haram or sacred until the Day of Judgment. It is not lawful for anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day to shed blood here or to cut down any tree in it. If anyone thinks it permissible because the Messenger fought here, then tell him that Allah Himself gave permission to His Messenger. But He did not give permission to you, and He made it lawful for me only for a certain time of the day. So today its sanctity has returned to the same extent as it was yesterday. Now it is imperative that those who are present convey this message to those who are absent.

Another narration adds that it is not permissible to cut down any tree, chase away prey, or pick up any fallen object. However, only a person who spreads the word about it can pick it up. Furthermore, no grass of any kind can be pulled up.

Abbas (ra) said, "O Messenger of Allah, but allow the grass of Izhkhir (a famous Arab grass, which is like Urmi and is used as tea and medicine. Because it is a daily necessity for workers and households)." The Messenger of Allah said, "Izhkhir is permitted."

On that day, Banu Khuzayyah killed a man from Banu Laish. Because, during the pre-Islamic period, one of their people was killed by Banu Laish. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said about that, “O people of Khuzayyah! Keep your hands from killing and being killed. Because if there were any benefit in killing, then there would have been much benefit from all the killing that has been done so far. But where is the benefit? You have killed a man whose blood money I must pay. So if anyone kills anyone in this place, the heirs of the killed person have two options: either they kill the killer in exchange for the killed person, or they take the blood money.

According to another narration, then a man named Abu Shah from Yemen stood up and said, "O Messenger of Allah, write it down for me." The Messenger of Allah said, "Write it down for Abu Shah."

The Ansar's Suspicion

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) completed the conquest of Mecca, and it was well known that Mecca was the home, birthplace and motherland of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the Ansar began to argue among themselves about whether the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would remain in Mecca after the conquest of his city and birthplace. At that time, he was praying on Mount Safa with his hands raised. After the prayer, he asked, "What were you arguing about?" They said, "No, O Messenger of Allah!" But when the Messenger of Allah insisted on knowing about it, they revealed their discussion to him, and he said, "By Allah, life and death will be with you now."

Oath of acceptance of Islam

When Allah granted the Prophet and the Muslims victory over Mecca, a right over the Meccans became clear and their belief became firm that there was no other path to success except Islam. That is why they gathered to take the oath of allegiance and acceptance of Islam. The Prophet began taking the oath of acceptance from the Meccans while sitting on Mount Safa. Umar bin Khattab took the pledge of the people while sitting under the Prophet's (ﷺ) seat. The people promised the Prophet, saying, 'We will listen to you and obey you to the best of our ability.'

When the Prophet finished taking the oath of allegiance from the men, he began taking the oath of allegiance from the women on Mount Safa. Umar was standing below the Prophet, taking the oath of allegiance as instructed, and conveying the Prophet's message to them.

During the said time, Hindah bint Utbah, the wife of Abu Sufyan, arrived with a change of attire. She had indeed behaved badly with the body of Hamza (ra) and was afraid that the Messenger of Allah might recognize her. Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah, while taking the oath of allegiance, said, "I take a pledge from you that we will never associate anyone with Allah."

Umar (RA) also took the pledge of allegiance from the women by repeating the same words that they would never associate anyone with Allah. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'Do not steal.' At this, Hinda said, 'Abu Sufyan is a stingy person. What if I take something from his wealth without his knowledge? Abu Sufyan was present there and said, 'Whatever you take from my wealth will be lawful for you.'

Recognizing Hinda, the Prophet smiled softly and said, 'You are Hinda.'
Hinda said, 'O Messenger of Allah! I am Hinda. Forgive me for what happened in the past.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Do not commit adultery.'
In response, Hinda said, 'Well, do free women ever commit adultery?
He said, 'Do not kill your children.'
Hinda said, 'We also raised them in their childhood, but when they reached adulthood, you killed them. That is why they and you know best.'

It is revealed that Hinda's beloved son, Hanzala bin Abu Sufyan, was killed in the Battle of Badr. Hearing this from Hinda, Umar fell down laughing, and the Prophet also smiled softly.

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not slander anyone." Hinda said, "By Allah! Slander is very bad. You are indeed giving guidance and good character." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not disobey the Messenger of Allah in any good advice." Hinda said, "By Allah! We did not sit in this meeting with the intention of disobeying you."

Then, returning from the Messenger of Allah, Hinda broke her idol. While breaking the idol, she said, 'We were in error about you. Our error has now been broken.'

The Prophet's (ﷺ) stay in Mecca

The Prophet stayed in Makkah for nineteen (19) days. During this time, he was active in the revival of Islam and enjoined guidance and piety on the people. During this time, Abu Usayd al-Khuzai erected new pillars on the boundary of the Sacred Mosque, called people to Islam, and demolished the idols in the vicinity of Makkah. Furthermore, a herald from the Prophet went out to Makkah to announce that whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not keep any idol in his house. If there is an idol in his house, he must demolish it.

Various expeditions and sending representatives

After completing all the tasks related to the conquest of Mecca, when he had some time off, on the 25th of Ramadan of the 8th AH, he sent a small army under the leadership of Khalid bin Walid (RA) to destroy the idol of Uzza. The temple of Uzza was located in a place called Nakhla. Khalid returned after breaking it, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked him, "Did you see anything?" Khalid said, "No." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Then you did not break it. Go back and break it." Excited, Khalid went there again with his open sword. This time a disheveled and naked woman came out towards them. The temple guard started shouting at her. But at that moment, Khalid (RA) struck her with his sword so hard that her body was split in two. Then when he told the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), he said, "Yes, that was Uzza." Now she has become disillusioned with her worship in your country (meaning he will never be worshipped again).

Then, in that month, the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Amr bin Al-As (ra) to break the idol of 'Sawa'. This idol was a god of Banu Huwail, at a place called Rahat, three miles from Mecca. When Amr reached there, the guard asked, 'What do you want?' He said, 'The Messenger of Allah has ordered us to break this idol.'

He said, "You will not be able to break this statue."
Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Why?"
He said, "You will be prevented by the natural law."
Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Are you still on falsehood? Woe to you, what does this statue see or hear?"
Then he went to the statue and broke it and ordered his companions to break the treasure house. But nothing was found in the treasure.
Then he said to the guard, "Tell me, how did it happen?"
He said, "I have embraced Islam, the religion of Allah."

In that month, Sa'd bin Zayd Ashhali (RA) sent twenty cavalrymen to destroy the idol of 'Manat'. This idol of 'Manat' was the idol of the Aws, Khazraj, Ghassan and other tribes in a place called Mushallal near Kodai. When Sa'd's army reached there, the guard of the temple said, 'What do you want?'

They said, 'We have come here to break the idol of Manat.'
He said, 'You know and you your deeds know.'

As Sa'd advanced towards the statue of Manat, he saw a naked woman with black and disheveled hair coming out. She was slapping her chest and exclaiming, "Ha ha!" The guard noticed her and said, "Manat." You destroy these disobedient people.

But at that moment, Sa'd killed him with a sword. Then he broke the statue into pieces. No wealth was found in the treasury.

After destroying the idol of Uzza, Khalid bin Walid (RA) returned. The Prophet sent him to Banu Jazimah in Shawwal 8 AH. The purpose was to spread Islam without attacking. Khalid (RA) went to Banu Jazimah with three hundred and fifty people from the Muhajirin, Ansar and his friend Sulaym tribe and invited them to Islam. Instead of saying that they had embraced Islam, they said that they had abandoned their religion. For this reason, Khalid (RA) ordered them to be killed and taken prisoner. He gave one prisoner in the hands of one of his companions. Then he ordered that 'everyone should kill the prisoner who is handed over to him.' But Ibn Umar and his companions refused to carry out this order. Then when they came to the service of the Holy Prophet, they discussed the matter. He raised his hands and said twice, 'O Allah! I declare myself innocent before you of what Khalid did.'

In that situation, only the people of Banu Sulaim killed their captives. The Ansar and the Muhajireen did not. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Ali to pay the compensation and damages to their victims. This led to some heated exchanges between Khalid and Abdul Rahman bin Awf. Upon hearing this news, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Khalid, stop, and refrain from telling my companions anything. By Allah, if Mount Uhud were turned into gold and you spent all of it in the way of Allah, still you would not be able to achieve the piety equal to any of my companions one morning or one evening's worship"

The battle of the conquest of Mecca was the real decisive battle. This victory was the real victory, which shattered the pride of the polytheists in such a way that there was no more room for shirk or idolatry in the Arabian Peninsula. Because, the common people, beside Muslims and polytheists, were watching with great curiosity to see which way the conflict between Muslims and polytheists would turn. The common people knew very well that only the power that would be based on truth would be able to establish its right over the Kaaba. Their faith was strengthened by the incident of Abraha and his elephant army that had taken place half a century earlier. The Arabs of that time had witnessed with their own eyes how the elephant army that was advancing to attack the House of Allah was destroyed and annihilated.

It is clear that the Treaty of Hudaybiyah was the key to this great victory. As a result of this treaty, the path of peace and security was paved, people were able to openly talk to each other and exchange ideas about Islam. As a result of this treaty, those who had secretly converted to Islam in Mecca were able to openly talk about their religion, and many people took refuge under the cool shade of Islam. As a result, the number of Islamic soldiers also increased at a very rapid pace. In a place where it had not been possible to gather more than three thousand Muslim soldiers in any previous battle, ten thousand Muslim soldiers participated in the conquest of Mecca.

That decisive battle was the one that opened the veil that had been created before the eyes of the people and was a great obstacle to the acceptance of Islam. After that victory, the religious and political sky of the entire Arabian Peninsula was illuminated with a radiant sun. After the conquest of Mecca, the religious and administrative responsibilities came into the hands of the Muslims.

The favorable trend of change that had begun in favor of the Muslims after the Treaty of Hudaybiyah was completed with the conquest of Mecca. Moreover, as a result of this conquest, the rights and dominance of the Muslims were firmly established throughout the Arabian Peninsula. As a result, the only way open to the tribes of Arabia was that they would come to the service of the Prophet (ﷺ) in the form of representatives of different tribes, accept the call of Islam, and spread to different parts of the world for the spread of Islam.

The third stage in the life of the Prophet (ﷺ)

This stage is the last stage of the Prophet's (ﷺ) prophetic life, which represents the results of his Islamic call, which he achieved through twenty-three long years of hard work, overcoming countless problems and crises, unbearable suffering and bloody struggles. His eventful life was a combination of unprecedented events of unmixed victories and achievements. However, the most notable and important of these achievements was the conquest of Mecca. In fact, this conquest was an epoch-making event between the two eras before and after the conquest and the boundary line between two opposites. In the eyes of the Arab inhabitants, the Quraysh were the protectors and guardians of the religion, as a result of the defeat of the Quraysh, the foundation of idolatry of the people of the Arabian Peninsula was forever uprooted and the foundation of Islam was firmly established.

This final stage can be divided into two stages:
1. The pursuit and struggle and
2. The race of nations and tribes to embrace Islam.

These two situations are intertwined and have occurred between the previous and the subsequent and between each other in this stage. However, in the preparation of this book, we will discuss one from the other separately. Therefore, the subsequent war will be discussed in the context of the struggle and war that has been discussed in the previous discussions.

Battle of Honain

The Muslim conquest of Mecca was the result of a sudden attack. As a result, the Arab tribes were almost stunned and bewildered. They and the neighboring tribes did not have the strength to resist this sudden attack. Therefore, except for a few stubborn and arrogant tribes, all the other tribes surrendered to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Among these stubborn and arrogant tribes were the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif. With them were the tribes of Mu'zar, Josham, Sayyid bin Bakr and a number of people from Banu Hilal. All these tribes were related to Qays Aylan. They considered it a great humiliation to surrender to the Muslims after admitting defeat. Therefore, all these tribes united under the leadership of Malik bin Awf Nasri and decided to attack the Muslims.

The departure of the enemies and the setting up of camp at Awtas

After this decision, they made all preparations to fight the Muslims and set out under the leadership of Malik bin Awf. They had with them wealth, cattle and children. They advanced in front and set up camp in the valley of Awtar. This is a valley belonging to the territory of Banu Hawazayn near Hunayn. But this valley is different from Hunayn. Hunayn is another valley, which is located near a place called Ful Majay. From there, the distance to Mecca via the road to Arafat is more than ten miles.

A description of the commander's mistakes by a person experienced in military knowledge

After landing at Awtas, the people gathered around their leader. Among them was Doraid bin Semma. This man was very old. Therefore, he was not qualified to do anything except give advice after being informed about the facts of war. But he was indeed a brave rebel and a wise warrior. He asked, "This is a good place for horsemen to travel. It is not rocky, nor has it any ditches or bad lowlands. But what is the matter that I hear the braying of camels, the braying of donkeys, the crying of children and the bleating of goats?"

The people said, 'Malik bin Awf has brought his soldiers with them, their women, children, cattle and wealth.' In this context, Duraid called Malik bin Awf and said, 'What did you think that you did this?'

He said, 'I thought that every person would have his family and wealth with him, so that they would fight with the excitement of their security.'

Doraid said, 'By Allah! You are a shepherd of sheep. If you are defeated in battle, will anything save you? Look. And if you are victorious in battle, then you will benefit only from the sword and the spear. And if you are defeated, then your family, relatives and resources will be humiliated in every way.'

Then, after questioning about several tribes and leaders, Duraid said, 'O Malik! You have not done a very good job by bringing the women and children of Banu Hawazin around the necks of horsemen. Send them to the high and protected places of their region. Then mount your horses and engage in battle with the infidels. And even if you are defeated, your families, wealth and cattle will be safe.'

But Commander Malik rejected this advice and said, 'By Allah, I will not do such a thing. You have grown old and your judgment has also disappeared. By Allah! Either Hawazen obeys me, or I will rely on this sword and it will come out from one side of my back to the other. In fact, Malik could not bear the thought of obeying Doraid in this battle. In view of this, Doraid said, 'This is a battle in which I will not participate; I will think that I lost my hands.'

Alas! If I had been a young man at that time, I would have walked like a hero, roaring and swaying. I would have led a horse with long hair on the back of its hooves like a medium-sized goat.

Enemies detective

Then the spies of Malik who had been sent to gather information about the condition and position of the Muslims returned. They were in such a state that their hands, feet, and joints were cracked. Seeing their condition, Malik said, "You are ruined, what has become of you?" They said, "By Allah! Since we saw some white men riding on horses mixed with black and white, we have been in this state that you are witnessing."

The Prophet's (ﷺ) detective

Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was informed of the location of the enemies and sent Abu Hadrad Aslami (ra) with the instructions to enter among the people and inform him after making accurate inquiries about them. He did so as instructed.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was on his way from Mecca to Hunayn.

On the 6th of Shawwal, 8th AH, the Prophet (ﷺ) set out from Mecca. This was the nineteenth day of the Prophet’s arrival in Mecca. The Prophet was accompanied by twelve thousand soldiers. He had brought ten thousand soldiers with him during the conquest of Mecca and had recruited two thousand more from the nine Muslims of Mecca. For this war, the Prophet took one hundred iron shields from Safwan bin Umayyah and appointed Attab bin Asis as the governor of Mecca.

After noon, a horseman came and reported, "I climbed such and such a mountain and saw that the Banu Hawazin tribe had arrived on the battlefield with their wagons. Women, children, and cattle were with them." The Prophet said with a gentle smile, "Allah willing, all of this will come into the hands of the Muslims tomorrow as booty." At the end of the day, Anas bin Abu Murshed Ghanavi (ra) volunteered to be the night watchman.

After reaching Hunayn, the people saw a very large, fresh plum tree. At that time, this tree was called Jato Anwat. The polytheists of Arabia used to hang their weapons on it, slaughter animals near it, build temples and hold fairs. Some soldiers from the Muslim army said to the Prophet, 'Make a Jato Anwat for us, just as they have for them.'

The Prophet said, "Allahu Akbar! By the One in Whose Hand is my life, you have said exactly like that-"

They have gods, so make for us gods like them. (Surah Al-A'raf: Verse-138)

That was the custom. You too will definitely climb on top of the previous custom.

On the way, some people said, "We will never be defeated" because of the large number of soldiers. The Prophet was deeply saddened and distressed by this statement.

Suddenly arrows were fired at the Islamic soldiers

After marching on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Muslim army reached Hunayn at midnight on the 10th of Shawwal. But Malik bin Awf had landed there with his army beforehand and, in the darkness of the night, he deployed his various units at different places. Furthermore, they were instructed to fire arrows at the Muslim army as soon as it landed in the valley, annihilating them and attacking them simultaneously.

Meanwhile, at the time of Sahri, the Prophet sorted out the soldiers and distributed the flags among the people. Then in the morning, the Muslim army advanced rapidly and reached the valley of Hunayn. They were unaware of the enemy's position. They did not know that the brave soldiers of the enemy's tribes of Sakiq and Hawazin had taken up positions in the narrow pass of the valley, intending to launch a surprise attack on the advancing Muslim army. Therefore, they were landing there with a completely relaxed mind. At that moment, a sudden shower of arrows began and within a few moments the enemy rushed at them in one go. Unable to handle the intensity of this sudden attack, the Muslim army continued to run in a scattered manner, without anyone noticing anyone else.

However, when the race began, the Messenger of Allah called out from his right, "O people! Come to me, I am Muhammad bin Abdullah." At that time, no one was with him except a few Muhajirin and his family.

Al-Nawawi said that there were twelve people with the Messenger of Allah at that time. Imam Ahmad narrated from Hakim ibn Mas'ud: 'I was with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the day of Hunayn. The people were fleeing. But a group of the Muhajirun and the Ansar remained steadfast with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). We were on foot and we did not turn our backs.

The brilliance and bravery displayed by the Prophet (ﷺ) at this critical moment was unparalleled. Despite the hesitating and scattered Muslim army, he remained steadfast and turned towards the enemy, urging his mule to move forward. At this time, he said:

I am a true prophet, I am not a liar, I am a descendant of Abdul Muttalib.

But at that time Abu Sufyan bin Harith (ra) was holding the mule of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Abbas (ra) was holding the mule by its stirrups. Both of them were holding the mule so that it would not move forward too quickly. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered his uncle Abbas to call out to the Companions. He was a man of a loud voice. Abbas said, "I called out very loudly, O man of the tree. Where are the participants of the Bay'ah in Rizwan? By Allah!

As soon as they heard my voice, they returned, just as a cow returns to the call of it's cub, and replied, "Yes, yes, we are coming." Having gathered in this way, when a hundred people gathered near the Messenger of Allah, they began to fight the enemy.

Then the call to the Ansar began, "Come, come, O Ansar, come quickly." This call to the Ansar was limited to Banu Harith bin Khazraj. At this point, the Muslim soldiers returned to the battlefield at the same speed with which they had left it. Within a short time, a fierce battle broke out between the two sides. The Messenger of Allah looked at the battlefield and said, "Now the stove has become hot." Indeed, the battlefield was in a state of extreme heat. Then he took a handful of earth from the ground and threw it at the enemies, saying, "Shahat al-Uzuh" (May their faces be distorted). This handful of earth spread so much that there was no enemy whose eyes were not filled with it. From then on, their fighting frenzy gradually subsided and their situation changed.

The enemy's miserable defeat

Within a few moments of the Prophet's prostration, the enemy's defeat began, and within a short time they were defeated miserably. Seventy men of Thaqif were killed, and all the wealth, weapons, women, children, and cattle that they had with them were captured by the Muslims. This is the change that Allah has indicated in the Holy Quran:

Allah has already given you victory in many regions and [even] on the day of hunayn, when your great number pleased you, but it did not avail you at all, and the earth was confining for you with [in spite of] its vastness; then you turned back, fleeing. Then Allah sent down His tranquility upon His Messenger and upon the believers and sent down soldiers [angels] whom you did not see and punished those who disbelieved. And that is the recompense of the disbelievers. (Surah At-Tawbah: Verses 25-26)

Pursuit

After being defeated, one group of the enemy went towards Taif. Another group fled towards Nakhla. Another group took the route of Awtas. The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a pursuing party led by Abu Amer Ash'ari (RA) towards Awtas. After a brief clash between the two groups, the polytheist group tried to flee. However, the leader of the group, Abu Amer Ash'ari (RA), was martyred in the clash.

A group of Muslim cavalry pursued the retreating polytheists towards Nakhla and captured Duraid bin Simma, who was killed by Rabi'ah bin Rafi.

After gathering the spoils of war, the Prophet and his companions pursued the third and largest group of defeated polytheists.

Booty or war booty

The booty included six thousand prisoners of war, twenty thousand camels, more than forty thousand goats, and four thousand uqiyyahs of silver (i.e. one hundred and sixty thousand dirhams), which is a few kilograms of six quintals. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered all the wealth to be collected. Then he deposited it in a place called Zierrana and appointed Mas'ud bin Amr al-Ghifari as its custodian. He did not distribute the booty until he returned from the Battle of Taif and retired. Among the prisoners of war was Shaima bint Harith, the foster sister of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). She was brought to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When she presented herself, he easily recognized her by one of her familiar marks and spread a blanket for her and seated her with respect. Then he sent her back to her people.

Battle of Taif

In fact, this battle was an extension of the Battle of Hunayn. Since a large number of the defeated forces of the Hawazin and Thaqif tribes had fled to Taif with the commander of the polytheist army, Malik bin Awf Nasri, and had taken refuge in the fort there, the Prophet, after getting a break from the busyness of Hunayn, turned his attention to Taif and intended to send an army to Taif in the month of Shawwal of the 8th AH.

First, he sent a brave army of one thousand soldiers under the leadership of Khalid bin Walid. Then the Messenger of Allah himself set out towards Taif. On the way, he passed through places such as Nakhla Yamania, Qadal Manazil, Liyyah, etc. In Liyyah, there was a fort of Malik bin Awf. The Messenger of Allah destroyed that fort. Then he continued his journey and reached Taif and camped near the fort of Taif and besieged it. The siege gradually became longer. It is narrated from Anas (ra) in the hadith of Sahih Muslim that this siege continued for forty days.

In order to get out of this situation, the Prophet (ﷺ) fired several shells at the people of Taif using a minjanik machine. As a result, a hole was created in the fort's walls and a group of Muslims tried to enter the fort and reach the walls to light a fire. But the enemy continued to throw hot pieces of iron at them. As a result, some Muslims were martyred.

The Prophet (ﷺ) ordered the cutting of grapevines as a different tactic of warfare in order to defeat the enemy. But when the Muslims cut down too many trees, the tribe of Thaqif appealed by the sake of Allah and by the sake of kinship to stop cutting the trees, and the Prophet granted their request.

During the siege, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) announced that any slave who came out of the fort and surrendered to us would be considered free. In response to this announcement, twenty-three people came out of the fort and joined the Muslims.

Among them was Abu Bakrah (ra). He climbed the wall of the fort and was able to descend with the help of a spinning wheel (which was used to draw water from a well). Since the spinning wheel is called Bakrah in Arabic, the Prophet named him Abu Bakra. The Prophet freed all these slaves and handed them over to Muslims one by one. The intention was to make them share their needs with each other. This incident was a sign of great weakness for the fort's owners.

As the siege continued to drag on, there was no prospect of capturing the fort. However, the Muslims continued to be hit by arrows and hot irons, and the inhabitants of the fort had already stocked up on food and drink for a year. As a result, the Prophet sought the advice of 'Nawfal Muawiyah Doyali'. He said, "The fox has entered its hole. If you persist in this position, you will be able to catch them, and if you leave them, they will not be able to harm you."

Hearing this, the Prophet decided to end the siege and announced through Umar bin Khattab (RA) that they would return to Mecca the next day. But the Companions (RA) were not satisfied with this announcement. They said, 'How can we return without conquering Taif?' The Prophet said, 'Then we will have to start the battle tomorrow morning.' So on the second day, the Muslim army went out for battle. But it was not possible to achieve any advantage except to suffer losses. So they said, 'Insha Allah, we will return tomorrow.'

Everyone was delighted with this proposal of the Prophet (ﷺ) and without any discussion, they started preparing for their return. Seeing this situation, the Prophet (ﷺ) smiled softly. Then, when the people started to raise the tent poles and set off, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You keep saying:

We are returning, repenting, worshipping, and praising our Lord.

It was said, "O Messenger of Allah! Invoke evil against the Thaqifs." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Allah! Guide the Thaqifs and bring them back."

Distribution of spoils at a place called Zeyrrana

After the siege of Taif, the Prophet (ﷺ) returned. He stayed at a place called Zierrana without distributing the spoils. The purpose of the delay was that a delegation from the Hawazin tribe would come to the Prophet (ﷺ) to apologize and take back their property. But despite such goodwill, when none of their supporters came, the Prophet (ﷺ) began distributing the spoils. The purpose was to silence the leaders of the various tribes and the nobles of Mecca who were suspicious about the spoils and were talking nonsense. The Muallafatul Qalub were the first to receive help. They were given a large share.

Abu Sufyan bin Harb was given forty Uqiyas (a little less than six kilograms) of silver and one hundred camels. He said, "My son Yazid?" The Prophet (ﷺ) gave Yazid a similar share. He said, "My son Muawiyah?" The Prophet (ﷺ) gave him a similar share (i.e. Abu Sufyan alone, along with his sons, was given approximately eighteen kilograms of silver and three hundred camels).

Hakim bin Hizam was given one hundred camels. When he requested another hundred camels, he was given another hundred camels. Similarly, Safwan bin Umayya was given one hundred camels, another hundred camels in the second round, and another hundred camels in the third round (a total of three hundred camels).

Harith bin Kuldah was also given one hundred camels. In addition, the Quraysh and other leaders were also given hundreds of camels. Furthermore, some other leaders were also given fifty and forty camels. It even spread among the people that Muhammad (ﷺ) was giving charity in such a way that they no longer had any fear of being in need. So, groups of Bedouins kept gathering around the Prophet (ﷺ) to receive financial assistance. He was forced to move towards a tree to avoid the excessive crowd. But by chance his cloak got entangled in the tree. He said, 'O people! By Allah! I have nothing of your wealth for me. Not even the amount of these hairs. There is only one-fifth and that too will be returned to you.

After giving the Muwallafatul Qulub, the Prophet ordered Zayd bin Thabit to prepare a book of accounts for the distribution of the booty among the soldiers. The accounts he prepared showed that each ordinary soldier received four camels and forty goats. Each cavalryman received twelve camels and one hundred and twenty goats.

The basis of this distribution was a strategic politics. Because, there are many people in the world who are brought to the path of truth not through the path of conscience and intellect, but through the path of the stomach.

The Ansar's sadness and anxiety

Some verbal questions were raised in the minds of some people due to the lack of a clear understanding of this wise policy of the Prophet in the initial stage. Its impact and reaction on the Ansar was especially greater than anything else. Because they were deprived of all the opportunities of the Battle of Hunayn. Yet, they were the ones who were called upon at the time of danger and, responding to that call, they were the first to join the Prophet (ﷺ) and fight with such valor that within a short time, a difficult disaster turned into a beautiful victory. But then they saw that the hands of the fugitives were full while their hands remained empty.

Ibn Ishaq narrated from Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (ra) that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) distributed the spoils among the Quraysh and other Arab tribes, the Ansar received nothing. They became very sad and worried. Many questions arose in their minds regarding this. One of them even said, 'By Allah! The Messenger of Allah has mixed with his own people.' Sa'd came to the Messenger of Allah and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, the Ansar are saddened and distressed by the way you have distributed the spoils among your people and have given them a lot of money, but you have not given anything to the Ansar.'

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "O Sa'd! What is your opinion about this?" He said, "O Messenger of Allah! I am one of my people." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Then gather your people in such and such a place."

Sa'd (ra) gathered his people at a designated place. When some of the Muhajirin arrived, they were allowed to enter. When some of the non-Muslims arrived, they were turned away. When the people gathered there, Sa'd came to the Messenger of Allah and said, "The Ansar have gathered at your service."

The Ansar said, "O Messenger of Allah! What shall we answer? This is the grace of Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ)." The Messenger of Allah said, "By Allah! If you wish, you can speak the truth and your words will be accepted as true." They said, "You came to us at a time when you were being called a liar, but we accepted you as truthful. We supported you when you were a friend and helpless person. We sheltered you when you were driven out. We helped you when you were in need and distressed."

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'O Ansar! You have become discontented in your hearts over a lowly herb, while We have united your hearts with one another through it, so that you may submit to Islam as Muslims. O Ansar! Are you not satisfied that those people should return with a piece of sheep, and you should return to your people with the Messenger of Allah? By Him in Whose Hand is my life, if it were not for the decree of migration, I would have been one of the Ansar. If the people follow one path and the Ansar follow another, I would have followed the Ansar. O Allah! Have mercy on the Ansar, their children, and their children's children (i.e. grandchildren).

Arrival of the representative of the Hawazin tribe

After the distribution of the spoils of war, a delegation from the Hawazin tribe came to Islam. The number of members of this group was fourteen. The leader of this group was Zuhair bin Sorad. Abu Barkan, the foster-uncle of the Prophet (ﷺ), was also in this group. The delegation requested, 'Please return the captives and their wealth.' Their conversation was such that it was so heart-warming.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "You can see the people with me, and I love the truth." So tell me, which is more beloved to you? Children or wealth? They said, "We value nothing like the dignity of lineage."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "When I finish the Zuhr prayer, stand up and say, 'We make the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) an intercessor for the believers and the believers for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). So, return our captives."

Then when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) finished the prayer, they said so. In response, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I have given you all that is for me and Banu Abdul Muttalib regarding this portion, and I am now asking the people about it." Upon this, the Ansar and the Muhajirun stood up and said, "We have given all that is with us for the Messenger of Allah." Then Aqra bin Habis said, "What is with me and Banu Fajr is not for you."

Abbas bin Mirdas said, "Whatever I and Banu Sulaim have is not for you." Banu Sulaim said, "No, whatever we have is for the Messenger of Allah." Abbas bin Mirdas said, "You have disgraced me."

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "These people have come after embracing Islam, and I delayed the distribution of their captives. Now I have given them their rights. But they did not consider anything else as equal to their children. So whoever has something that has been seized and returns it with a satisfied heart, that is the best way. And whoever wants to withhold what is theirs, then it is theirs to withhold. So, they will be given it back. From the first government wealth that will be acquired in the future, the one who returns it will definitely be given six instead of one, God willing."

The people said, "We are ready to return everything for the sake of the Messenger of Allah." The Messenger of Allah said, "I do not know who among you is willing and who is not. So, go back. Your leaders will present your case to us." Then the people returned their children. Only Uzaynah bin Hisan remained. He had an old woman in his share. He refused to return her at first, but later he did. The Messenger of Allah gave each prisoner a Kibti cloak at the time of their release.

Performing Umrah and returning to Medina

After distributing the booty, the Prophet (ﷺ) entered Ihram for the purpose of performing Umrah and performed Umrah. Then, appointing Attab bin Asid as the guardian of Mecca, he set out for Medina. The Prophet returned to Medina on the 24th of Dhu al-Qadh, 8 AH.

When he first arrived in Medina, he was a seeker of refuge. He left Mecca in the face of a terrible conspiracy to kill or expel him. At that time, he was a stranger, afraid, and seeking safety and friendship. The people of Medina respected him, sheltered him, helped him in all matters, and followed the light that had been sent as a guide. Moreover, they considered the hostility of the whole world as a small matter for the sake of the Prophet. That day, Medina welcomed the Prophet as a Muhajireen missionary.

But eight years later, today, that same Medina is welcoming him in such a way that Mecca has become subordinate to him, the people of Mecca have thrown their arrogance and ignorance-based meaningless greatness at his feet, and have forgiven their previous mistakes and deviations and bestowed the highest status on Mecca through Islam.

Whoever practices justice and patience, surely Allah does not waste the reward of the righteous.

Minor expeditions and the journey of servants after the conquest of Mecca

After returning from the long and successful journey of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet spent a considerable time in Medina. During this time, he welcomed the delegations arriving in Medina, dispatched administrative officials, sent out callers to the religion, and subdued those who refused to enter the religion of Allah and to accept defeat in the face of religion. The details of these matters are mentioned below:

Zakat collectors

It has been mentioned earlier that after the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet returned to Medina in the latter part of the 8th year of the Hijri. Then, immediately after the moon of Muharram in the 9th year of the Hijri, the Prophet sent officials to collect charity and zakat from the Muslims of different tribes. The names of the officials sent to the different tribes and the list of the tribes from which they collected zakat are as follows:

1. Uyaina ibn Hisan - Banu Tameen

2. Yazid ibn Husayn - Aslam and Ghifah tribes

3. Abbad ibn Bashir Ashhali - Gosaim and Mu'aina tribes

4. Rafe ibn Markis - Zohaina tribe

5. Amr ibn al-As - Banu Fazara

6. Dahhak ibn Sufyan - Banu Kilab

7. Bashir ibn Sufyan - Banu Ka'b

8. Muhajir Lutbiyah Azdi - Banu Jubayyan

9. Muhajir ibn Abu Umayya - Sana'a city

10. Ziyad ibn Labid - Hazra Maut region

11. Adi ibn Hatim - Ta'i and Banu Sa'd tribe

12. Malik ibn Nuwayrah - Banu Hanzah

13. Jibrikan ibn Badr - A branch of Banu Saad

14. Qais ibn Asem - Another branch of Banu Saad

15. Alaa Ibn Hazrami - Bahrain Region

16. Ali ibn Abu Talib - Najran region

It is clear that these officials were not sent in the month of Muharram of the 9th Hijri; rather, in some cases there was a considerable delay, due to the delayed acceptance of Islam by the tribes concerned.

Expeditions

Just as officials were sent to collect zakat from various tribes, military expeditions were also undertaken in various places despite the general peace and security prevailing in the Arabian Peninsula. The details of these expeditions are as follows:

The expedition of Uyaina bin Hisan al-Fazari

9th Hijri, Muharram: A force of 50 cavalrymen, led by Uwaina, was sent to the Banu Tamim tribe. This expedition was sent because the Banu Tamim tribe was creating obstacles in paying taxes by inciting other tribes. There were no Muhajirin or Ansar in the expedition.

Uyaina bin Hisan used to travel at night and advance with great stealth during the day. Thus, an attack was launched on the Banu Tamim in the Sahara. The Banu Tamim tribe, terrified by the sudden attack, fled. However, eleven of their men, twenty-one women and thirty children were captured by the Muslim army. They were brought to Medina and kept in the house of Ramla bint Harith.

Then ten leaders of Banu Tamim came to Medina to discuss the prisoners and went to the door of the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Muhammad! Come to us." When the Prophet (ﷺ) came out at their invitation, they embraced him and continued their discussion. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) stayed with them and when the time for the Zuhr prayer came, he led the Zuhr prayer. After the prayer, they went to the veranda of the Prophet's Mosque and sat down. They also put forward Hajar as the spokesman of the party and continued to speak in a competitive manner with arrogance and pride. Meanwhile, the Prophet appointed Thabit bin Qais bin Shammas as the speaker of Islam to give a suitable answer to their speech. He presented a suitable speech in the light of their discussion. Then they put forward their poet Zarqaan bin Badr and he recited some poems in their honor. Muslim bin Badr was placed in the forefront and recited some poems in their honor. The Muslim poet Hassan bin Thabit delivered a speech in response to them.

When the speakers and poets of both parties had finished their presentations, Aqra bin Habes said, "Their speakers are stronger than ours and their poets have presented a stronger speech than our poets. Their speech is stronger than our speech and their discourse is better than our discourse." Then they embraced Islam. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) honored them with good gifts and returned their captive children and women.

The expedition of Qutbah bin Amer (9th Hijri)

The expedition was sent to a branch of the Khasham tribe in the Tabala region near Turba. Qutbah set out on this expedition with a group of twenty men. The group's vehicles were ten camels, on which they would ride in turns.

The Muslim army attacked the target at night. As a result, a clash broke out between the two sides. In this clash, people from both sides were killed. Qutbah and several others from the Muslim army were killed. However, despite this, the Muslims were able to bring some sheep, goats and children to Medina.

Zahhak bin Sufyan's expedition to Qilawi (9 AH, Rabi'ul Awwal)

He was sent to the coast of Jeddah as the leader of a force of three hundred men. A number of Abyssinians had gathered on the coast of Jeddah and were plotting a robbery against the Meccans.

Alkama landed on the sea and advanced to a peninsula. The Abyssinians, hearing the news of the Muslims' arrival, fled.

The campaign of Ali bin Abu Talib (9th Hijri, Rabi'ul Awwal)

He was sent to destroy an idol of the Tai tribe called Kalsa (Kalisa). The army under his command consisted of one hundred and fifty men and was equipped with one hundred camels and fifty horses. The battle flags were black and the ensign was white. This army attacked the neighborhood of Hatem Tai at dawn and after destroying the idol, they captured many people and seized a lot of cattle, including sheep and goats. Among the captives was Hatem Tai's daughter. Hatem Tai's son Adi fled to the country of Sham. The Muslims found three swords and three sets of armor in the treasury of the idol of Kalsa. The spoils of war were distributed along the way. However, some desirable things were set aside for the Prophet (ﷺ). However, Hatem Tai's family was not distributed.

After reaching Medina, Hatim's daughter approached the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Messenger of Allah! I have no idea who was able to come here. My father has passed away and I am old. I am not able to serve. Please be kind to me, and Allah will be kind to you."

However, the narrators have narrated that when the Prophet himself asked to return the captives of the Hawazin tribe, Aqba bin Harith himself said that I and Banu Tamim will not return them. This proves that Aqra bin Hasher became Muslim before the month of Muharram in 9 AH.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Who was likely to come for you?" He replied, "Adi bin Hatim. He fled from Allah and His Messenger." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) moved on from there.

On the second day she repeated the same thing and the Prophet (ﷺ) repeated the same thing he had said yesterday. On the third day she repeated the same thing and the Prophet (ﷺ) set her free. The Prophet (ﷺ) was with a companion, probably Ali (ﷺ), and he said, "Ask the Prophet (ﷺ) for a rider." She asked for a rider and the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered him to provide it.

After her release, Hatim's daughter returned to her brother in the kingdom of Sham. There she met her brother and narrated everything in detail. Speaking of the Messenger of Allah, she said, "He has done such a good job that even your father could not have done it. Go to him with trust or fear."

So, without seeking refuge or writing a petition, Adi came to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) took him to his house. When he sat down before him, he glorified Allah and said, 'What are you fleeing from? Are you fleeing from the statement La ilaha illallah? If that is the case, then do you think that there is any god other than Allah?' He replied, 'No.' After a while of conversation, the Prophet (ﷺ) said again, 'Well, tell me, are you fleeing from saying Allahu Akbar? Do you think that there is anything greater than Allah?' He replied, 'No.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Listen, the wrath of Allah has fallen on the Jews and the Christians are astray.'

He said, "But I am a sincere Muslim." The face of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) brightened upon hearing this from him. Then he ordered him to be placed in the house of an Ansari. He used to stay in the house of an Ansari and would come to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in the morning and evening.

Ibn Ishaq also narrated from Adi that when the Prophet (ﷺ) took him to his house and made him sit down, he asked, "O Adi bin Hatim! Were you not a priest?" Adi replied, "Of course." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do you not follow the custom among your people of taking a quarter of the spoils of war?" He said, "Of course." The Prophet said, "But it is not permissible in your religion." He said, "Yes." By Allah! And then I knew that you were indeed the Messenger of Allah, for you know that which is not known.

It is narrated in Sahih Bukhari from Adi that he said: "I was once sitting in the service of the Prophet. Suddenly a man came and complained of poverty. Then another man came and complained of robbery. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

"Adi! Have you seen the Hira? If your life is prolonged, you will see veiled women safely coming from Hira and circumambulating the Kaaba, fearing nothing but Allah. If your life is prolonged, you will conquer the treasures of Caesar and see people bringing out handfuls of gold and silver, but searching for them, they will not find anyone to accept them."

Regarding this matter, Adi said, 'I saw veiled women performing Tawaf around the Kaaba, coming safely from Hira, and they did not fear anything except Allah.' He also said, 'I myself was among those who conquered the treasures of Kesra bin Hurmuz. Moreover, if your lives are prolonged, you will also see all that the Prophet (ﷺ) said that people will bring out handfuls of gold.

The Battle of Tabuk, in the month of Rajab, 9th Hijri

The battle of the conquest of Mecca was a battle that distinguished between truth and falsehood and between right and wrong. After that battle, there was no room for doubt or doubt in the minds of the Arabs about the Prophet's message. Due to this, the situation changed completely and people started entering the religion of Allah in droves. A detailed account of this will be presented in the chapter "Sending Representatives" and some insight into it will also be possible to get a feel for it in the discussion on "Farewell Hajj". However, there were no more internal problems at that time. As a result, the Muslims got the opportunity to be dedicated to spreading the teachings of the Sharia and propagating Islam.

Even at such a stage of the establishment of Islam, the effect of a punishment was being reflected on Medina by those who were constantly disturbing the Muslims without any reason. In history, they are known as the Romans. They were the richest in military resources in the world at that time. It has been discussed earlier that this disturbing act was initiated by Shorahbil bin Amr Ghassani because he killed the Prophet's envoy Hasher bin Umair Azdi (RA). Moreover, the soldiers that the Prophet sent under the command of Zayd bin Haritha (RA) to avenge this murder and who clashed with the Roman army at a place called Murta, have also been discussed earlier. But this army was not able to take revenge against those arrogant tyrants. However, as a result, a favorable situation was created for the Muslims to exert influence over the Arab inhabitants far and near.

In fact, it was not possible for them to ignore the awareness created among the Arab tribes due to the impact of the Muslims on them and the determination created to join them on the side of the Romans. The fear that the Romans had in this regard was gradually expanding towards the borders. Especially for the kingdom of Sham, which was bordering the Arab land, it appeared as a great challenge. For this reason, the Roman emperor felt the need to completely crush the Islamic power before it could accumulate enough strength to confront the Roman army. So that there would be no possibility of any sedition or riot from the Arab areas adjacent to the Roman Empire in the future.

In the context of the above reasons, less than a year after the Battle of Muta, the Roman Emperor began to gather troops from among the natives of the Roman Empire and from the subordinate Arab tribes, namely the Ghassan family and various other tribes, and began to prepare for a bloody and decisive war.

General news of the preparations of the Romans and the Ghassanis

Meanwhile, news gradually began to arrive in Medina that the emperor was making extensive preparations for a final and decisive war against the Muslims. The news of such military preparations by the Roman emperor naturally created some uneasiness in the minds of the Muslims and they were also wary of hearing any news that was not acceptable.

They also had a notion that the Roman army would attack at any moment. At that time in the 9th year of the Hijri, the Prophet (ﷺ) became dissatisfied with his wives and withdrew from their company for a month, secluding himself in a separate room.

Initially, the Companions were not able to understand the real problem. They thought that the Prophet (ﷺ) had divorced his wives and this caused great sorrow and grief in their hearts. Narrating the incident, Umar bin Khattab (ra) said, "I had a friend from the Ansar. When I was not present in the service of the Prophet, he would convey the news to me. And when he was absent, I would convey it to him. Both of them lived on the outskirts of Medina. They were neighbors of each other and would take turns in the service of the Prophet. At that time, we were afraid of the Ghassani emperor. We were told that he would attack us and we were always afraid of this.

One day, my Ansar friend suddenly knocked on the door and kept saying, 'Open, open,' I said, 'Have the Ghassanis come?' He said, 'No. Rather, a more difficult problem has arisen. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) has separated from his wives.

Another narration states that Umar (ra) said: "It was widely spread among us that the Ghassan tribe was shoeing horses to attack us. One day, my friend came to the Prophet's service. After the Isha prayer, he returned home and kept banging on the door. Are they asleep?" When I came out of the house in a panic, he said, "A great incident has happened." I said, "Have the Ghassanites come?" He said, "No, and what is worse is that the Messenger of Allah has divorced his wife."

It can be easily inferred and understood from the incident narrated by Umar bin Khattab (RA) that how worried and disturbed the Muslims were by the war preparations of the Romans. The conspiracy of the hypocrites of Medina made it even more obvious. However, the hypocrites were well aware that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had been victorious in every case of the problems that arose and that he had never feared any power on earth. Moreover, they were also well aware that all those who opposed the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had been defeated and scattered. Yet, in their hearts, they had been harboring a faint hope that in the course of the changing times, the fire of their cherished revenge against the Muslims would one day be kindled and it was very possible that this was the desired time. In the context of their imagined opportunity, they created a conspiracy hall in the shape of a mosque. The purpose of this was to create factions among the Muslims and to disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger and to use it as a center for secret information to fight the Muslims. As a strategy to conceal their evil intentions, they requested the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) to offer prayers there.

Their intention behind requesting the Prophet to lead the prayer there was to prevent the Muslims from thinking that a deep conspiracy was being hatched against them. Moreover, one of the aims was to avoid any suspicions about the people who used to visit the mosque. In this way, the mosque became a safe haven and a center for secret activities of the hypocrites and their associates.

But the Prophet delayed offering the prayer in that mosque until he returned from the battle. Because he was very busy preparing for the battle, the hypocrites were unable to succeed in their evil plans. Moreover, Allah revealed their evil intentions before he returned from the battle. Therefore, after returning from the battle, the Prophet did not offer the prayer in that mosque but destroyed it.

Special news about the war preparations of the Romans and the Ghassanis

While the Muslims were gradually facing the above situation, it was suddenly reported through a group of oil carrying team arriving from the kingdom of Sham that Heraclius had formed a warlike army consisting of 40,000 soldiers and had placed this army under the command of a renowned Roman commander. Moreover, he had also gathered under his banner the Lakham, Joam and other tribes among the Christian tribes, and the advance party of their army had reached a place called Balqa. Thus, a terrible danger had appeared before the Muslims.

The fragility of the situation

In the face of such a delicate situation, the situation became very complex and complicated due to various problems. The time was very hot. People were in the grip of poverty and famine. The number of vehicles was also very limited. The fruits of the orchards and gardens had reached maturity. People preferred to stay in the orchards and gardens for collecting fruits and shade. For these reasons, they were not mentally prepared for the war journey. Moreover, the distance of the road and the hardships of the journey were greatly affecting their minds.

Clear instructions for war from the Prophet (ﷺ)

The Prophet was observing the difficult situation and the various adversities with deep concentration. He clearly understood that if at this critical moment there was laxity or delay in dealing with the Romans, if they were allowed to enter the Muslim-dominated areas without hindrance. Or if they advanced further and reached the gates of Medina, it would be very harmful and humiliating for the Islamic call and the Muslims. It would greatly diminish the military prestige of the Muslims and would repeat the ignorance due to which the Muslim army suffered a great loss in the Battle of Hunayn. Moreover, the opportunity that the hypocrites are waiting for in the course of the changing times and the attempt to establish a peace with the Roman emperor through the wicked Abu Amer will be like stabbing the Muslims in the stomach from behind. And from the front, the flood of Roman soldiers will strike them with a bloody blow. Thus, all the extraordinary efforts and hard work that the Prophet and his companions spent in the propagation and expansion of the religion of Allah will become meaningless, and all the rare successes that were achieved through extraordinary sacrifices, bloody conflicts and long struggles will be reduced to failure.

After a detailed discussion and review of the past, present and future of Islam and Muslims, despite various problems, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) decided that it was essential to engage in a final decisive conflict with the Romans within their territorial boundaries, rather than allowing them to enter Muslim-dominated areas.

Declaration of readiness for war with the Romans

In view of the decision to engage in war with the Romans, the Prophet instructed the Companions to make good war preparations. Moreover, he sent messages to the various tribes and inhabitants of Mecca to set out for war. The Prophet had a policy in these matters that whenever he decided to engage in a war, he would consult with another party. But due to adverse circumstances and obvious hardships, he now clearly announced that the decision to engage the Romans in war had been taken. The purpose behind this was that the warriors should set out for war with good preparation. He strongly encouraged the Companions for the war. It was at this time that a part of Surah At-Tawbah was revealed to encourage them for war. At the same time, the virtue of giving charity was described and they were encouraged to spend their good wealth in the way of Allah.

Muslims rush to prepare for war

This was a very difficult decision for the Prophet because Tabuk was not only a very long journey, but it was also the time of harvest and a particularly hot year. Added to this was the fact that the enemy had a large army. Now at this time there were some people living in Medina who were not true believers. They were called 'hypocrites' because they pretended to believe but hid what was in their hearts. When the Prophet (ﷺ) called everyone to battle, these hypocrites tried to create fear and doubt among the Muslims, saying, 'How can we hope to defeat the Romans whose vast empire spanned a vast area of ​​the world? And even if we could, we would not have the chance because the long journey and the heat would defeat us first. In any case, it is time to harvest our crops and fruits; how can we leave it? If we do, we will be destroyed!'

All that the hypocrites have said has severely tested the Muslims. Who will continue to fight for his religion against such adversity? Who has the courage to give his wealth to equip an army? This test of faith will truly show who the true Muslims are. In response to this question, Allah Almighty revealed the following verse:

O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little. (Tawbah -38)

When the Companions (ra) heard that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had ordered them to prepare for war against the Romans, they immediately began to prepare for it. People from various tribes and allied communities began to gather in Medina. No Muslim, except those who had hypocrisy in their hearts, thought of remaining indifferent to the war. However, three Muslims were excluded from this order. Despite being sincere believers, they did not participate in the war.

On the other hand, the poor and helpless people would come to the Prophet and request that if they were provided with mounts, they too would be able to participate in the war. The Prophet would then ask Allah for forgiveness for them, saying:

I cannot find a vehicle for you to ride on. So when they turn back, tears flow from their eyes because they have nothing to spend (in the way of Allah). (Surah At-Tawbah: Verse -92)

In preparation for war, competition began among the Muslims. Who could give more charity and charity in the way of Allah than the other? At that time, Uthman bin Affan was preparing a trade caravan for the kingdom of Sham, which included two hundred camels with their saddles and mattresses and two hundred uqiyas of silver (which weighed about thirty-nine kilograms). He donated all of this as charity for the war. Then he donated another hundred camels with their saddles. Even then, he brought back one thousand (approximately five and a half kilograms) gold coins and poured them on the lap of the Prophet (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) looked at the gold coins and said, 'Whatever Uthman does after today he will not be harmed.' Even then, Uthman donated again and gave more charity. Even then, the amount of things he donated reached nine hundred camels and one hundred horses, excluding cash.

On the other hand, Abdur Rahman bin Awf (ra) brought two hundred uqiyyahs of silver (which weighed about thirty-nine and a half kilograms) and Abu Bakr (ra) presented all his wealth to the Prophet. Nothing was left for his family except Allah and His Messenger. His donation amounted to four thousand dirhams and he was the first person to bring charity to the Prophet. Umar bin Khattab (ra) donated half of his wealth. Abbas (ra) brought a lot of wealth. Talha (ra), Saad bin Abi Waqqas (ra) and Muhammad bin Maslama brought a lot of money. Asim bin Adi came with ninety asaks (i.e. thirteen and a half thousand kilograms) of dates. The other companions also brought more or less different things. Some even donated a handful or two of what they had. Because, they did not have the ability to donate more than that. The women sent necklaces. No one was stingy in this regard and there was no hand that did not donate anything. Only the hypocrites did not participate in charity. Not only that, they did not stop criticizing the Muslims who played a leading role in charity. They used to mock those who had nothing to give except their labor, saying, 'They dream of conquering the Roman Empire with just a date or two.'

"Those who blame those who give freely among the believers and mock those who give with difficulty, Allah mocks them, and for them is a terrible punishment." (At-Tawbah: 79)

Islamic soldiers on the way to Tabuk

The preparation of the Muslim army was completed through the above-mentioned activity, enthusiasm and running. Then the Prophet appointed Muhammad bin Maslama (according to some sources, Sawa bin Arafat) as the governor of Medina and ordered Ali bin Abu Talib to look after his family. But when the hypocrites mocked him and said some things, he left Medina and went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) again ordered him to return to Medina and said, "Are you not satisfied that you have the same relationship with me as Aaron (as) had with Moses (as)? But know that no prophet will come after me.

However, after these arrangements, the Prophet set out north. (According to al-Nasa'i, the day was Thursday) The destination was Tabuk and the number of soldiers was thirty thousand. Never before had the Muslims been able to assemble such a large army. Despite a large army and spending all their resources, they were unable to fully prepare the soldiers. There was a serious shortage of food and vehicles. There was only one camel for each group of eighteen, which they would ride in turns. Similarly, they often had to use leaves for food, which caused bloating in the anus. Moreover, despite the lack of camels, camels had to be slaughtered so that the water stored in the stomach and intestines could be drunk when thirsty. For this reason, this army was named 'Jayim al-Usrat' (the army of deprivation).

On the way to Tabuk, the Muslim army passed through the territory of the Hijr, i.e. the Thamud tribe. Thamud were the tribe who built houses by cutting stones in the valley called Wadi al-Qora. When the Companions (ra) set out after collecting water from the wells, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not drink this water, do not perform ablution with it, and feed the flour you have made with this water to your animals, do not eat it yourself."

He also gave the order that you should collect water from the well from which the camel of Saleh (as) drank water.

It was narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn Umar (ra). When the Prophet (ﷺ) was passing through Hijr (the land of the Thamud tribe), he said: "Do not enter the land of the oppressors Thamud, lest a calamity befall you like that which was befallen them from Allah, and if that happens, you will have to cross this valley weeping." Then he covered his head and crossed the valley at a fast pace.

On the way, the soldiers were in dire need of water. The people even complained to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about their thirst. When he prayed for water, Allah created clouds and it rained. The people drank the water with full satisfaction and collected it as needed.

That night they slept peacefully for the first time in days, refreshed by the water and confident that Bilal would wake them up for the dawn prayer as usual. But Bilal slept so deeply that he did not wake up. This was the first time the Muslims had missed a prayer and they were very upset. However, the Prophet (ﷺ) was not angry with Bilal and told the Muslims that they did not need to be upset because they had not missed the prayer intentionally.

Then when they reached Tabuk, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Tomorrow, God willing, we will reach the spring of Tabuk. But if anyone reaches it before me, let them not touch its water until I reach it." Mu'adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "When we reached it, I saw two men who had already reached it. Water was coming out of the spring little by little. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked, "Have any of you touched its water?" They replied, "Yes." The Prophet (ﷺ) said to the two men whatever Allah willed.

Then he took out a little water from the spring with the help of his hand and thus some water was collected. He washed his face and hands with this water and drained it from the spring. Then a good flow of water appeared in the spring. The Companions (ra) drank the water with full satisfaction. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'O Mu'adh! If your life is long, you will see this place full of gardens and green.'

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "A strong dust storm may blow over you tonight. So no one should get up. Moreover, whoever has a camel should tie it tightly with a strong rope." And so it happened, and the dust storm continued to grow stronger and stronger. At this time, a man was standing. The storm blew him away and threw him near the two mountains of the tribe.

While traveling, the Prophet (ﷺ) would pray Zuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha together. In addition, he would also perform Jama Taqdim and Jama Takhir (Jama Taqdim means praying Zuhr and Asr at the time of Zuhr, and Maghrib and Isha at the time of Maghrib, and Jama Takhir means praying Zuhr and Asr at the time of Asr, and Maghrib and Isha at the time of Isha.)

Islamic soldiers in Tabuk

The Muslim army landed at Tabuk and set up camp. They were ready to fight the Romans. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) delivered a speech to the soldiers. In that speech, he gave important instructions, encouraged them to do good in this world and the Hereafter, warned them of Allah's punishment and gave them the good news of His mercy. The speech of the Holy Prophet helped to boost the morale of the soldiers. The difficulties they faced due to the shortage of food and daily necessities were largely overcome by creating a sense of psychological comfort in this way.

By now the Romans had heard that the Muslims were coming out to meet them. Hearing this, they felt more confident of victory because they believed that it was impossible for an army to cross the waterless desert in the scorching summer sun. Even if the Muslims were miraculously successful, they would be so exhausted that they would be easy to defeat. But hearing about the miraculous crossing of the desert by the Prophet and the Muslim army, such fear and panic struck the Roman army and their allied tribes that they lost the courage to advance and confront them and scattered to various cities in the interior of the country. This fear-induced inaction of the Romans had such an impact inside the Arabian Peninsula that it created a space for the Muslim army to gain political advantages that were not at all easy to achieve through war. The details of all this are as follows:

The governor of Ayla, Yahnah bin Ruba, appeared before the Prophet (ﷺ) and acknowledged the payment of tribute and concluded a treaty. The inhabitants of Jarba and Azruh also appeared before the Prophet (ﷺ) and pledged to pay tribute. The Prophet (ﷺ) gave them a written certificate, which was kept in their possession. He also sent a written certificate to the governor of Ayla, the contents of which are as follows:

Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Rahim This is a letter of peace from Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). To Yahnah bin Ruba and the people of Ayla. Their ships and their trading parties on land and sea are under the responsibility of Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ). Moreover, this responsibility is for Syria and the people of the coasts of those who are with Yahnah. Yes, if any of them causes any disorder, his money will not save his life, and whoever takes his money will have it lawful for him. They will not be prevented from landing at any spring and from crossing any land or water route.

In addition, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Khalid bin Walid (ra) with a force of four hundred and twenty soldiers to Uqayd, the ruler of Dumatul Jandal. During the journey, he said to him, "You will see him hunting blue cows."

Khalid (ra) went there on the orders of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). When the Muslim army was at a distance where the fort was clearly visible, suddenly a blue cow came out and started to bang its horns on the gate of the fort. Uqayd went out to hunt it. The moonlight was shining brightly in the night sky. Taking this opportunity, Khalid and his cavalry captured him and sent him to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forgave him and concluded a treaty with him on the condition of giving two thousand camels, eight hundred slaves, four hundred iron armor and four hundred spears. The treaty also included the condition of paying taxes. So he entered into a treaty with him on the terms of Dumah, Tabuk, Aylah and Taima, along with Yahnah.

When the tribes that were still working for the Romans realized that the days of living under the old system were over, they allied themselves with the Muslims for their own safety. Thus, the boundaries of the Islamic Empire expanded to the very edges of the Roman Empire. As a result, the tribes that provided the Romans with strength were completely wiped out.

Return to Medina

Without any conflict or bloodshed, the Muslim army returned to Medina victorious. Allah was the sufficient helper of the believers in the war. However, at one point along the way, a heinous attempt was made by 12 hypocrites near a pass to kill the Prophet. At that time, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was passing through that pass. With him were only Ammar (RA) who was holding the reins of the camel and Hudhayfah bin Yaman who was driving the camel. Therefore, the hypocrites considered this as a perfect opportunity for their heinous plot and continued to advance towards the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Meanwhile, the Prophet and his two companions were advancing in the front as usual. At that time, he heard the footsteps of the hypocrites advancing from behind. They were all wearing masks. During their attack, the Prophet sent Huzaifa towards them. He kept hitting the front of the hypocrites' vehicles with his shield. As a result, by the will of Allah, they fled in fear and joined the people, then the Prophet named them and informed everyone about their evil intentions. For this reason, the Prophet called Huzaifa 'Razdan', the mystic. On the occasion of this incident, Allah revealed this saying: "And they planned that which they were not to attain." (Surah At-Tawbah: 74)

At the end of the journey, when the Prophet saw the sight of Medina from a distance, he said, "This (star) and this (Uhud) is the mountain that loves us and whom we love." Meanwhile, when the news of the arrival of the Prophet reached Medina, women and children came out of their houses and welcomed him and his companions and raised the humming sound of this song.

The moon of the fourteenth of the month of Ramadan has risen upon us from the place called 'Saniatul Wada'. It is our duty to be grateful as long as the callers continue to call upon Allah.

The Prophet (ﷺ) was traveling to Tabuk in the month of Rajab and returning in the month of Ramadan. The journey took a full fifty days. He spent thirty days on the way and twenty days in Tabuk. The Tabuk campaign was the last campaign of his life in which he personally participated.

Those who were behind the war

The Battle of Tabuk was such a severe test from Allah that a clear line of distinction was drawn between the believers and the rest. Allah's rules in such situations are as follows:

Allah would not leave the believers in that [state] you are in [presently] until He separates the evil from the good. (Imran -179)

So, the believers and the truthful participated in that battle. Absence from the battle was considered a sign of hypocrisy. So, such a situation arose that if someone stayed behind, when he was mentioned to the Messenger of Allah, he would say, "Leave him. If there is good in him, Allah will soon bring him to you. And if not, Allah will grant you peace through their absence." And it turned out that those who were absent were either incompetent or hypocrites. The hypocrites falsely claimed to believe in Allah and the Messenger (ﷺ). But they were completely inactive in the battle. They used to sit behind the fighting soldiers on false pretexts. There were three people who were true believers and refrained from participating in the battle without any reason. Allah tested them and again accepted their repentance.

After entering Medina, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) first took the position of the Prophet's Mosque and prayed two rak'ahs there. Then he sat there for the people. At this time, a group of more than eighty hypocrites arrived there and started making various excuses and objections. They started swearing. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) accepted their excuses outwardly and accepted their oath and forgave them. Then he submitted the inner question to Allah.

The remaining three believers, namely Ka'b bin Malik, Murrah bin Rabi' and Hilal bin Umayyah, truthfully admitted that they had refrained from participating in the war without any difficulty. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah ordered the Companions not to speak to them.

So a strict boycott was imposed on them. Changes came to the people, the world took on a terrible shape and despite its spaciousness, the world became narrow. A dangerous situation arose for their lives. After 40 days had passed in this danger, they were ordered to remain separate from their wives and families. When the boycott had completed 50 days, Allah revealed the verse giving them the good news of accepting their repentance:

And [He also forgave] the three who were left alone [boycotted, regretting their error] to the point that the earth closed in on them in spite of its vastness and their souls confined [anguished] them and they were certain that there is no refuge from Allah except in Him. Then He turned to them so they could repent. Indeed, Allah is the Accepting of Repentance, the Merciful. (Tawbah -118)

The Muslims and the three companions were very happy when the verse about the settlement was revealed. People started running to spread the good news. Everyone's faces were radiant with joy and they started giving charity. This day was truly a day of great happiness for them.

Similarly, Allah said for those who could not participate in the war due to incapacity:

There is not upon the weak or upon the ill or upon those who do not find anything to spend any discomfort [guilt] when they are sincere to Allah and His Messenger. There is not upon the doers of good any cause [for blame]. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. Nor [is there blame] upon those who, when they came to you for you to take them along, you said, "I can find nothing upon which to carry you." They turned back while their eyes overflowed with tears out of grief that they could not find something to spend [for the cause of Allah]. (Surah At-Tawbah: Verses 91, 92)

Regarding them, the Prophet (ﷺ) said after reaching Medina, "There are people in Medina who are with you wherever you travel and whatever valley you cross. Their incapacity prevented them. The people said, "O Messenger of Allah! Were they with us while they were in Medina?" He said, "Yes." They were with us while they were in Medina.

Impact of war

This war was a very important and fruitful event in terms of expanding the influence of Muslims on the Arabian Peninsula and strengthening their position. After this war, it became as clear as day to people that the Islamic power was the only established power in the Arabian Peninsula. No other power was of any use. As a result, all those evil desires of the hypocrites that the Muslims would disappear in the course of time were completely extinguished. Because when the Roman power, which was the center of all their hopes and dreams, was defeated by the Islamic power, then there was no other way to fulfill their cherished desire. Then it also became clear to them that there was no other way left for salvation except to surrender to the Islamic power.

Therefore, in the context of this changed situation, there was no need for Muslims to be gentle and polite with the hypocrites. Muslims were instructed by Allah to deal with them firmly, courageously and fearlessly. Muslims were even forbidden from accepting their charity, attending their funerals, asking for forgiveness for them and visiting their graves. Moreover, orders were given to destroy the small hut called the mosque that they had built as a result of conspiracy and evil intentions. At that time, the activity became public. There was no longer any room for doubt about their deceit and evil intentions. For the people of Medina, the aforementioned verses were as if they were a signal to identify those hypocrites.

Among the positive effects of the war, it can be clearly stated that although Arab representatives began to come to the service of the Prophet (ﷺ) after the conquest of Mecca and even before, it actually began properly only after the war.

Verses of the Quran revealed about that war

Many verses were revealed about the following war. Many verses were revealed in Surah At-Tawbah about the situation of this war. Some before the journey, some after the journey, some during the journey and some after the return to Medina. The above verses describe the veil of the hypocrites plot, its revelation, the situation of the war and the status of the Mujahid. Moreover, the repentance of those who participated in the war and those who did not, etc., are discussed.

Some important events of the 9th Hijri year

After the return of the Prophet (ﷺ) from Tabuk, a li'an was performed between Uwam's Ajlani and his wife. (The method by which a husband divorces his wife if he accuses her of adultery and there are no witnesses is called li'an.)

The woman from Gamedia, who had confessed to adultery in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ), was executed by being stoned to death. This punishment was inflicted on her after the birth of her child, when the child stopped breastfeeding.

Emperor Asahama Najjashi passed away and the Prophet (ﷺ) performed his funeral prayer.

The Prophet's (ﷺ) daughter, Umm Kulthum, passed away. The Prophet was deeply saddened by her death. He said to Uthman, 'If I had a third daughter, I would have married her to you.'

After the Prophet's return from Tabuk, the leader of the hypocrites, Abdullah bin Ubayy, died. The Prophet asked for forgiveness for him and led his funeral prayer despite Umar's objection. Later, the verse of the Quran was revealed prohibiting the Prophet from leading the funeral prayers of hypocrites.

Hajj of the 9th Hijri

In the month of Dhul-Qadh or Dhul-Hijjah of the 9th Hijri, after Abu Bakr Siddique (ra) was sent as a representative to establish the Hajj (the rules and regulations of Hajj), the first part of Surah Bara'at was revealed, in which it was ordered to terminate the contracts made with the polytheists on the basis of equality. After the verse was revealed, the Prophet sent Ali bin Abu Talib to make a declaration on his behalf in this regard. Since this was the Arab rule regarding the issue of pledges or contracts involving blood and wealth, this had to be done (the person concerned would declare it himself or have it done through a member of the family. A declaration made through a person outside the family was not accepted. Ali met Abu Bakr in the valley called Araj or Jaznan. Abu Bakr asked, "Are you the one who gives the order or the one who receives the order?" Ali said no, rather, I am the one who receives the order).

Then both of them proceeded towards the same place. Abu Bakr performed Hajj with the people. On the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of sacrifice, Ali bin Abu Talib stood near the Jamra (stone throwing place) and announced to the assembled people what the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had instructed. That is, he declared the annulment of all the pledges of the pledge-holders and gave them a period of four months to finalize all these matters. However, those polytheists who did not fail in fulfilling their pledge with the Muslims, or did not help anyone else against the Muslims, their pledges were kept in force until the specified time.

Abu Bakr (ra) announced through a group of his companions that in the future no polytheist would be able to perform Hajj to the Kaaba and no naked person would be able to perform Tawaf around the Kaaba.

This announcement was the last omen for idol worship. That is, from then on there was no more opportunity for idol worship.

War parade

After being properly informed about the various wars, campaigns and military campaigns conducted under the leadership of the Prophet (ﷺ), anyone who will judge and analyze the background, environment, management, immediate and far-reaching reactions and results of the wars from an impartial perspective must admit that the Prophet (ﷺ) was the greatest military expert and war hero of all times. Not only that, but his military philosophy was also the best model to be followed and imitated by all war heroes of all times. His understanding and perception regarding war were correct and timely, his insight was very deep and his decision was sharp and wise. He was the leader of all the prophets in the characteristics of prophethood. He was also an incomparable personality and possessed of unique qualities in the field of military management. Whenever he prepared for any war, it was seen that he displayed courage, caution and foresight in all matters, including the selection of the battle site, the arrangement of the army, military tactics, the use of weapons, attacks, retreats, etc. No error or deficiency was ever observed in his time planning and time strategy and that is why the Muslim army never had to suffer defeat in any battle.

Of course, the Muslim army had to face some temporary setbacks in the battles of Uhud and Hunayn. But this setback was not caused by any flaw or deficiency in military tactic or strategy. If the strategy prescribed by the Prophet had been followed faithfully, there would have been no question of this setback. This setback was caused by the misconceptions and weak mentality of a few soldiers. In the Battle of Uhud, some setbacks were caused by the misunderstanding of the unit that was assigned to guard the pass. On the day of the Battle of Hunayn, there was a short-term setback due to the mental weakness of some soldiers and their being taken by surprise by the enemy's sudden attack.

The unparalleled bravery and efficiency that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) displayed in the face of the defeat of the Muslim army in the two aforementioned battles is an excellent example in the history of human warfare. It was because of his steadfastness like a mountain in the face of the terrible horror of war that he snatched the glory of victory from the almost defeated Muslim army.

The discussion that has been made so far has been related to war. Therefore, all these issues have been discussed from the perspective of war. But apart from war, there were some problems that were more important. By relentlessly trying to solve all these problems, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) ensured peace and security in the Arab society of that time, extinguished the fire of unrest and evil, established a pure Islamic social system by uprooting idolatry, and ended the hostility of the polytheists by entering into compromises and treaties. Moreover, through all these struggles, he came to know about the true Muslims and the hypocrites and was able to keep the Muslims free from their conspiracies and harmful activities.

Moreover, by engaging in face-to-face confrontations with the enemy in various battles and setting practical examples, he had made the Muslim army so skilled and powerful that later this army engaged in clashes with the huge Persian and Roman armies on the plains of Iraq and Syria, defeated them miserably, and then expelled them from their homes, resources, gardens, springs, and fields, and established their own rights.

Similarly, through those wars, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) provided the Muslims who had been uprooted due to migration with land for their residence, cultivable land and agricultural systems, as well as weapons and equipment suitable for war, horses and money to meet the expenses of war. While doing all this, he never resorted to any illegal measures, injustice or oppression.

The Prophet brought about a epoch-making change in the aims, objectives and policies of war. The form of war in the era of ignorance was looting, indiscriminate killing, torture and oppression, rape, torture, cruelty and the creation of disorder. But in Islam, there was no slightest room for oppression, rape, torture, looting, kidnapping, unnecessary killing, etc. In Islam, the rules given by Allah were followed very strictly in any decision related to war.

The Prophet always kept a watchful eye on the humane laws and regulations that he had formulated and introduced regarding warfare, to ensure that neither the army chief nor the common soldiers misused or ignored them.

It was narrated from Sulayman bin Buraidah that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) appointed a person as the commander of a Muslim army or the leader of an expedition, he would specifically advise him, before setting out for his destination, to fear Allah and to be mindful of the good and bad of his companions.

Then he would say, "Fight in the name of Allah in the way that Allah has guided you, fight those who have disbelieved in Allah. Fight justly, do not betray, do not break your promise, do not cut off the nose, ears, etc. of any person on the enemy side. Do not kill any child."

Similarly, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to advise people to perform their duties with ease and would say, ‘Be easy. Do not be harsh.’ Punish people for wrongdoing, do not hate them. When he would go to a settlement at night to attack, he would never attack it before morning. He strictly forbade throwing an enemy into a blazing fire. He also forbade killing a person while his hands and feet were tied, and he also forbade beating and killing women. He strictly discouraged looting.

Moreover, he forbade the destruction of fields, the killing of animals, and the unnecessary cutting of trees. Of course, he did allow the cutting of trees for the special needs of war, but not a single one more than was necessary.

Even on the eve of the conquest of Mecca, the Prophet (ﷺ) had ordered not to attack the wounded, not to pursue any fugitive, not to kill any prisoner, not to kill the envoy of any nation or state. He also strictly forbade killing citizens of non-Muslim countries who had made a pact. He said that whoever killed a person who had made a pact would not even smell the fragrance of Paradise. Yet its fragrance could be detected at a distance of more than forty years.

In addition to the above-mentioned issues, he formulated and introduced many more advanced rules and regulations, as a result of which the activities of his time were freed from the demonic and impure corruption of the Jahili era and took the form of holy jihad.

Entering the path of Allah in groups

As has been discussed earlier, the Battle of Mecca was a turning point that completely uprooted the roots of idolatry and established truth by removing falsehood in Arabia. In the glory of the victory of Islam, all kinds of doubts and doubts in the minds of the Arabs were removed and they began to enter the religion of Allah in droves. Narrated by Amr bin Salama (RA). "We used to live by a spring. That place was a trade route for caravans. When the caravans would pass by, I would ask the people, 'How are the people? How is the condition of that man, the Prophet (ﷺ)?' They would say, 'He thinks that Allah has made him a prophet and that He is inspired by Him. Allah has revealed a revelation to him.' I would remember the words in such a way that they would remain in my heart.

The entire Arab world was waiting for the conquest of Mecca to take shelter under the cool shade of Islam. They said, 'Leave him and his people for a test. If he is victorious over the Quraysh and their allies, then it will be known that he is truly a Prophet.' So, when the conquest of Mecca took place, people from different tribes moved towards Medina with the desire to embrace Islam. My father also went to the Prophet's Mosque to embrace Islam. Then when he came to the Prophet's Mosque, the Prophet said, "Pray at such and such a time. When the time for prayer comes, one of you will call to prayer, and the one who knows the Quran well will lead the prayer."

This hadith clearly proves how widespread and profound the impact of the conquest of Mecca was in turning the tide, strengthening Islam, shaping the policies of the Arabs, and removing the idea of ​​pluralism from their minds and hearts and submitting to Islam. This situation spread very rapidly, especially after the Tabuk campaign. As evidence of this, it can be seen that in the 9th and 10th AH, various groups of people who wanted to embrace Islam continued to arrive in Medina one after another and they began to enter the religion of Allah in droves.

Delegations

The number of delegations mentioned by those knowledgeable about the religious wars was more than seventy. But there is no time and no need to detail them all here. In that context, we will discuss only those delegations that are more important from a historical point of view. Another thing that needs to be drawn to the attention of the readers in this context is that although the delegations of the general tribes started to appear at the Prophet's Mosque after the conquest of Mecca, there are some tribes whose delegations arrived in Medina even before the conquest of Mecca. We will mention them here as well.

Abdul Qais' delegation: A delegation from this tribe visited the Prophet's Mosque twice. The first time was in the 5th year of Hijri or a little before that, and the second time in the 9th year of Hijri. The reason for their first visit was that a man from that tribe named Munkaj bin Hibban was traveling to Medina with trade goods. When he first came to Medina after the migration of the Prophet, he learned about Islam and became a Muslim. He then returned to his tribe with a letter from the Prophet. After learning about the affairs of Islam, the people of that tribe also embraced Islam. A delegation consisting of 13 or 14 people visited the Prophet's Mosque during the sacred months. At that time, the delegation raised questions with the Prophet (ﷺ) about faith and drinks. Their leader was Al-Ashaj Al-Asri.

About whom the Prophet said that there are two qualities among you that Allah loves, and they are: Foresight and patience.

Delegation of the Daus tribe: This delegation arrived in Medina in the first half of the 7th year of the Hijri. The Prophet (ﷺ) was staying in Khaibar at that time. It has been mentioned earlier that the leader of the tribe, Tufail bin Amr Dawsi (may Allah be pleased with him), took refuge under the banner of Islam while the Prophet (ﷺ) was in Mecca. He then returned to his people and continued to work tirelessly, concentrating on the work of Dawah and Tabligh. But his people kept delaying him by resorting to various tricks. Due to this unnecessary time passing, Tufail became disappointed with them and went to the Prophet's Mosque and informed him about the people of the Dawsi tribe. On hearing the incident, instead of invoking bad on them, the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed for them, saying, 'O Allah! Guide the people of the Dawsi tribe.'

The people of the Da'is tribe became Muslims through the supplications and blessings of the Prophet (ﷺ). Tufail Da'usi, along with a group of 70 or 80 families from his tribe, arrived in Medina in the early part of the 7th Hijri. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) had gone to Khaibar. Therefore, Tufail advanced and met the Prophet at Khaibar.

Carrying news of Fawah bin Amr al-Jawzami:

Farwah was an Arab general in the Roman army. The Rumis appointed him governor of the Arab territories on the borders of the Roman Empire. His headquarters was in Mazan (southern Jordan) and had influence in the surrounding areas. He fought against the Muslims in the Battle of Mutah (8th AH). In this battle, he was impressed by the bravery and military prowess of the Muslims and embraced Islam. Then he sent the news of his conversion to Islam to the Prophet (ﷺ) through a messenger. He also sent a white mule as a gift. When the Romans heard of his conversion, they captured him and threw him into prison. Then he was asked to decide whether to renounce Islam and return to his former religion or prepare for death. He preferred death to apostasy. So, he was hanged on a stake at a spring called Afra' in Palestine.

Sada delegation: After the Prophet (ﷺ) returned from Jiranah, this delegation appeared in the service of the Prophet in 8 AH. The reason for this was that the Prophet (ﷺ) had organized an army of 400 Mujahideen and ordered them to attack the inhabited areas of the 'Sada' tribe in Yemen. When this army was ordered to move to the camp set up in the Qanat Valley, Ziyad bin Hari al-Sadayi came to know about this and immediately appeared in the service of the Prophet (ﷺ) and said that I have come as a representative of those who will come after me. Therefore, you should withdraw your army and I will be a guarantor for my people. The Prophet (ﷺ) did not delay and brought the Muslim army back from the valley. Then, Ziyad himself went to the tribe and encouraged the people of his clan to attend the court of the Prophet (ﷺ). As a result, a group of 15 people attended the service of the Prophet and took the oath of Islam as commanded. Then they returned to their community. During the Farewell Hajj, one hundred people from that community had the honor of attending the service of the Prophet (ﷺ).

The arrival of Ka'b bin Zuhair bin Abu Salma: He was a famous poet of noble Arab descent. He was an infidel and used to slander the Prophet. According to Imam Hakem, he was among those criminals. On the eve of the conquest of Mecca, it was announced that even if they were found hiding behind the curtain of the Kaaba, their throats would be cut. But this man was saved. Meanwhile, when the Prophet (ﷺ) returned from the Battle of Taif (8th AH), his brother Buzayr bin Zuhair wrote to Ka'b in this regard: "The Prophet (ﷺ) killed some people in Mecca who used to slander him and hurt him. Whoever among the minor poets of the Quraysh had the opportunity to do so fled that day. So, if you want to save your life, go and present yourself in the service of the Prophet (ﷺ). Because, if someone goes to the court of the Prophet (ﷺ) and asks for forgiveness with repentance, he forgives him and does not kill him. If you do not believe this, then you can go wherever you like and try to save your life.

Then the two brothers continued to correspond and gradually the world seemed to Ka'b to be narrow. Finally he arrived in Medina and took refuge as a guest with a man from the tribe of Juhaina. Then he prayed the Fajr prayer with him. As soon as he finished the obligatory prayer, the man from the tribe of Juhaina motioned to him and he got up and sat down with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Messenger of Allah did not recognize him. He said, "O Messenger of Allah! If Ka'b bin Zuhayr repents and becomes a Muslim and seeks your forgiveness and refuge, will you accept him?" The Messenger of Allah said, "Yes."

Then he said, "I am Ka'b bin Zuhair." Hearing this, an Ansar companion jumped up to kill him and asked permission to cut his throat. The Prophet said, "Stop, this man has repented and because of his repentance he has been freed from all his sins."

It was at this time that Ka'b bin Zuhair recited one of his famous poems to the Prophet (ﷺ), the first line of which is recorded here:

Suad is gone, so my heart aches with the pain of separation, my mind is running after him (wanting to have him). I am a prisoner, chained up, my ransom has not been paid.

In the same poem, Ka'b recites the following lines praising the Prophet (ﷺ) and asking for his forgiveness.

I have been informed that the Messenger of Allah has rebuked me. But forgiveness is expected from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Wait. May Allah, who has given you the Quran full of guidance, grant you success in your work of guidance. Do not listen to the words of the slanderers, although many things have been said about me. But I have not committed any crime. I am standing in a place, I hear and see such things that if an elephant were to stand there and hear those words, it would tremble. But if the Messenger of Allah, by Allah's permission, has mercy on it, then that is a different matter. Even though I have placed my hand in the hand of a respected person from whom I will not withdraw my hand and whose word is final, when I am speaking to him, tell me, "You said such and such and such and will be questioned about him." He is more terrible to me than a lion in a forest of harmful places, whose dwelling place is in a valley that is very dangerous and where there is danger of danger above. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah is a light, by which darkness is dispelled. He is a sharp sword among the swords of Allah, free from thorns.

Then Ka'b bin Zuhair praised the Quraysh Muhajirun, because none of them had anything but good to say upon Ka'b's arrival, and no such attitude was observed. But while praising them, he mocked the Ansar, because one of them had asked permission to cut his throat.

Uzrah delegation: This delegation arrived in Medina in the 9th year of the Hijri. The number of members of this group was twelve. Among them was Hamzah bin Numan. When asked about their origin, the leader of the group said that they were half-brothers of the Qusai tribe, which belonged to the Banu Uzarah. We were the ones who supported the Qusais and expelled the Banu Bakr and Banu Khwaja from Mecca.

We are also related to them. In this context, the Prophet (ﷺ) welcomed them and gave them the good news of the conquest of the kingdom of Sham. He forbade them from asking any questions of the women fortune-tellers and forbade them from slaughtering the animals that they used to slaughter (while they were polytheists). The group embraced Islam and after staying for a few days returned to their tribe.

Bali delegation: This group arrived in Medina in the month of Rabi'ul Awwal in the 9th year of the Hijri calendar and stayed there for 3 days after embracing Islam. While in Medina, the group's leader, Abu Jabir, asked what was the reward for inviting people. The Prophet replied, "Any good deed done to the rich or the needy is considered charity." He asked, "What is the period for inviting people?"

He replied, 'Three days.' He also asked, 'What is the ruling on finding a lost sheep or goat without an owner?' He said, 'It may be for you or for your brothers or for the tigers.' Then he asked about the lost camel. The Prophet said, 'What is your relationship with it? You should let it go until you find its owner.'

Sakif delegation: After the return of the Prophet from Tabuk, in the month of Ramadan of the 9th Hijri, this group arrived at the service of the Prophet. The course of events before the acceptance of Islam by the said tribe was that when the Prophet returned from the Battle of Taif in the month of Dhul-Qad of the 8th Hijri, the chief of the said tribe, Urwah bin Masud Thaqafi, arrived in Medina and accepted Islam before they reached Medina. Then he returned to his people and continued to invite them to Islam. Since he was the leader of his people and not only that, the people of his tribe obeyed him; his people loved him more than their daughters and womans. That is why he thought that the people would definitely follow him. But when he continued to invite them to Islam, the opposite happened. The people killed him with arrows.

After his assassination, time continued to pass in the same manner. After a few months, it became clear to them that they did not have the strength to survive in the competition with those who had embraced Islam in the surrounding areas. So, in view of the situation, after discussion and consultation, they decided to send a man to the service of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and they selected Abd al-Yalil bin Amr for this task. But he did not agree to this task at first. And there was a fear that he might be treated the same way as Urwa bin Mas'ud al-Thaqafi. Therefore, he said, 'I cannot do this unless you send some more people with me.'

The people accepted his request and sent two from their tribe and three from Banu Malik with him. So, including him, the group was formed of six people. In that group was also Uthman bin Abil As-Shaqafi, who was the youngest in age.

When they arrived at the Prophet's service, the Messenger of Allah pitched a tent for them in a corner of the mosque so that they could listen to the Quran and see the companions praying. Then they continued to visit the Prophet (ﷺ) and he called them to Islam. Finally, their leader proposed that the Messenger of Allah conclude a treaty between himself and the tribe of Thaqif, in which fornication, drinking alcohol and consuming interest would be permitted. Furthermore, their god Lat would remain, prayers would be forgiven for them and their idols would not be destroyed. But the Messenger of Allah could not accept any of their unreasonable demands. So they continued to consult among themselves in private, but they could not decide on any option other than to surrender to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Finally, they surrendered to the Messenger and embraced Islam. But they imposed a condition on this, and that was that the Messenger himself would take action to destroy their idol, Lat. The people of the Thaqif tribe would never destroy it with their own hands. The Messenger accepted this condition and wrote a letter. He appointed Uthman bin Abil As-Shaqafi as the leader of their group. Because he was the most enthusiastic and foremost in gaining a clear understanding of Islam and in the teaching of religion and the Quran. The reason for this was that every morning when the members of the group would attend the service of the Prophet, Uthman bin Abil As would stay in the camp. Then when the people of the group would return to the camp in the afternoon and rest, Uthman bin Abil As would attend the service of the Messenger (ﷺ), recite the Quran and ask him about the religion. When he found the Messenger of Allah resting, he would go to the service of Abu Bakr. Under the leadership of Uthman bin Abil As, it proved to be very effective.

After the death of the Prophet (ﷺ), during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (RA), when the new Muslims were prone to apostasy, the people of the Thaqif tribe expressed their desire to apostatize. Then Uthman bin Abil As (RA) addressed everyone and said, "O people of the Thaqif tribe! You have embraced Islam last of all. If you abandon your religion now, you will be the first to abandon your religion." After hearing this, they abandoned the thought of apostasy and remained firm in Islam.

However, after the group returned to their own people, they concealed their true situation and mentioned the possibility of future fighting, worried and sad, saying that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Accept Islam and give up fornication, alcohol and interest, otherwise a great war will be launched against you." Upon hearing this, the people of Thaqif initially became arrogant in the Jahili era and for two or three days they kept thinking about war. But then Allah struck fear into their hearts; as a result, the delegation again revealed the truth to the Messenger of Allah and clearly stated the terms on which the agreement had been reached. After being informed of everything, the people of Thaqif embraced Islam.

Meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent a group of some distinguished companions, led by Khalid bin Walid, to demolish the statue. Mughira bin Shoba stood up, raised his iron-made mace, and addressing his companions said, "By Allah, I will make you laugh about the Thaqifs."

Then he struck the idol with his mace and fell on the ground himself and continued to strike the ground with his heel. Seeing this strange sight, fear filled the hearts of the Taiftribe. They started saying, "May Allah destroy Mughira." Lat idol had killed him. At that moment Mughira jumped up and said, "May Allah destroy you. This is nothing but an idol made of clay and stone." Umar climbed the highest wall. Several other companions also climbed with him. Then they destroyed the idol. The people of Thaqif tribe witnessed all this while holding their breath. Khalid (RA) returned to Medina with his group, carrying ornaments and clothes. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) distributed the goods brought from the temple and praised Allah for the help of the Prophet (ﷺ) and the honor of the religion.

Letter from the Emperor of Yemen: After the return of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) from Tabuk, letters arrived from the Emperor of Himyia, namely, Harith bin Abd al-Kalal, Na'im bin Abd al-Kalal and Rayin Hamdan and the commander of Mu'afir, Renaman Kin Kin. The sender of the letter sent a message of separation. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) wrote a letter in response to their letter, clearly stating the rights and responsibilities of the believers. In that letter, the Holy Prophet mentioned the responsibilities of Allah and His Messenger for the pledges, subject to conditions. The condition was that they would pay the tax as usual. Then the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) sent some of his companions to Yemen. He appointed Mu'adh bin Jabal as the leader of this group.

He was given the responsibility of the highlands of Sakun and Sakan and Sakasik towards 'Aden. He was the judge of 'Hurub' and the collector of Zakat and Jizya. He used to lead them in the five daily prayers.

Hamdan delegation: After the return of the Prophet (ﷺ) from the Battle of Tabuk, in the 9th year of the Hijri, this delegation arrived at the Prophet's Service. After asking the Prophet for some information, he gave them a letter and appointed Malik bin Namat (RA) as their leader and the governor of those of his community who had become Muslims. He sent Khalid (RA) to invite the rest of them to Islam. He stayed there for six months and continued to invite. But the people there did not accept Islam. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) sent Ali bin Abu Talib there and advised Khalid to return to Medina.

Ali (RA) read the letter of the Prophet (ﷺ) to the people of the Hamdan tribe and invited them to Islam. As a result, they all embraced Islam. Upon receiving the news of their acceptance of Islam from Ali (RA), the Prophet fell in prostration. Then he raised his head and said, "Peace be upon Hamdan, peace be upon Hamdan."

Banu Fazara delegation: After the return of the Prophet (ﷺ) from Tabuk, this delegation arrived in Medina in the 9th year of the Hijri. The number of members of this group was more than ten. All of them had embraced Islam. When they spoke of a famine in their region, the Prophet ascended the pulpit and raised his hands in supplication for rain. He supplicated to Allah, saying, O Allah! Satirate Your creation by sending down and spreading Your rain of mercy, and make the dying city pleasant, beneficial and comfortable, and spread it over a wide area, and do not delay it but hasten it. O Allah! Let this rain be the rain of Your mercy, not a punishment or a destruction, and do not overwhelm us and annihilate us. O Allah! Satirate us with rain and help us against our enemies.

Najran delegation: There was a large region seven miles from Mecca towards Yemen. That region consisted of seventy-three villages. No fast vehicle of the day could travel the entire region in one day. There were one hundred thousand fighting men in that region, all of them followers of the Christian religion.

The delegation from Najran arrived in Medina in the 9th year of the Hijri. Its members numbered sixty. Twenty-four were nobles. Three of them were leaders. One of them was named Abdul Masih. He was Aqeb. His responsibilities were leadership and state administration. The second was named Ayhama or Sorabil. He looked after political and economic affairs, and his title was Sayyid. The third was Abu Haritha bin Alqamah. He was a religious and spiritual leader (Lat title).

After reaching Medina, this group met the Prophet (ﷺ). Then the Prophet and this delegation discussed some questions on both sides. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) presented the invitation to them and recited some parts of the Quran. But they did not accept Islam and asked a counter question. 'What did you say about the Messiah?' The Prophet remained silent in response. Then the following verses were revealed:

Surely the example of Jesus with Allah is like that of Adam. He created him from clay. Then He said to him, "Be," and he was. The truth is from your Lord. So do not be of those who doubt. If anyone disputes about him after the knowledge has come to you, say, "Come, let us supplicate with our sons and you with your sons, and with our women and you with your women, and with ourselves and you with yourselves, and let us invoke the curse of Allah upon the liars." (Surah Al-Imran; Verses 59-61)

In the morning, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) answered their questions about Jesus (ﷺ) in the light of these verses, and they refused to accept any further talk about him for the rest of the day. Since the members of their party refused to accept the Messenger's talk about Jesus (as) and accept the call to Islam, the Messenger of Allah invited them to Mubahala (supplication) the next morning. Hasan and Husayn (ra) arrived wrapped in the same cloak. Fatima (ra) followed behind.

When the delegation saw that the Messenger was indeed fully prepared, they went into seclusion and consulted among themselves. Aker and Sayyid said to each other, "Look, do not engage in mubahala. By Allah, if he is truly a Prophet and we engage in mubahala with him, our next generation will never be successful. Not a single hair or nail of ours on the surface of the earth will be saved from destruction. Finally, they decided to appoint the Messenger as the judge in this matter."

So they came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said, "We are ready to accept whatever you demand." In response to this proposal, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) agreed to collect the tax from them and a treaty was concluded on the condition that they would give them two thousand pairs of clothes. They would give one thousand pairs of clothes in the month of Rajab and one thousand pairs in the month of Safar. Furthermore, it was agreed that with each pair of clothes they would give one uqiyyah of silver (one hundred and fifty-two grams). He gave them complete freedom in this regard. He gave them a written document in this regard, but they requested that the Prophet (ﷺ) should send a trustee to collect the tax from them. According to the agreement, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah, the trustee of the Ummah, for this task.

Banu Hanifa delegation: This delegation arrived in Medina in the 9th year of the Hijri. The number of members of this group, including Musaylamatul Kajjab, was 17.

This group of Musaylama bin Thumamah bin Kabir bin Harith took shelter in the house of an Ansari companion. Then he appeared in the service of the Prophet and embraced Islam. However, there are different accounts about Musaylama Kajjab. The summary of all the accounts shows that he did not appear in the service of the Prophet (ﷺ) due to his desire for leadership and his great pride. The Prophet (ﷺ) initially tried to please him by behaving very politely and courteously. But when he realized that politeness would not be fruitful, he was able to realize that there was a possibility of injustice in this.

Hearing this, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to him. He had a date palm branch in his hand and was accompanied by Thabit bin Qays bin Shammas (ra) as his spokesman. Musaylama was standing among his companions. He stood above his head and spoke.

At that time he said, 'If you wish, I will leave you completely free in the affairs of the state. But you have to take the decision of giving me the leadership after you.' Then the Messenger of Allah said, '(Pointing to a date palm branch) Even if you ask me for this share, I will not give it to you. But you cannot deviate from the share of Allah for yourself. If you turn back, Allah will destroy you. By Allah, I think you are the one about whom I have been shown a dream. Thabit bin Aisha will tell me on my behalf what I have been shown in my dream.' Then he returned from there.

What the Prophet thought, happened. Musaylama Qadzab Yamama went back and first thought about himself. Then he claimed that he had been made a partner in the Prophethood with the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). So he claimed prophethood and began to compose rhymed poems. He made adultery and drinking alcohol lawful for his people and, in connection with these things, he also testified that Muhammad (ﷺ) was the Prophet of Allah. Due to the preaching of this person, his people began to follow him. His influence, prestige and status among his people increased so much that he was called the Most Gracious of Yamama.

Then he wrote to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) saying, "I have been made your partner in the work that you are engaged in, half of the kingdom is for us and half for the Quraysh." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied, "The earth belongs to Allah! He appoints as its guardian whom He wills of His servants, and the final outcome is for the pious."

It was narrated from Ibn Mas'ud that Ibn Nawaha and Ibn Asal came to the Prophet (ﷺ) as messengers of Musaylama. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked them, "Do you bear witness that I am the Messenger of Allah?" They said, "We bear witness that Musaylama is the Messenger of Allah." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I believe in Allah and His Messenger. If it were my policy to kill a messenger, I would kill you."

Musaylama Kazzab claimed prophethood in the 10th year of Hijri. He was killed in the Battle of Yamama in the 12th month of Rabi' al-Awwal during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. His killer was the brave Wahshi who had killed Hamza (ra) during the Age of Ignorance.

This was the fate of the prophet Musaylama Qadzab. The second claimant to prophethood was Aswad Anas, who had been causing controversy in Yemen. Firuz (ra) killed him just 24 hours before the Prophet's death. Then the Prophet received revelations about him and he informed the Companions. After that, news from Yemen started reaching Abu Bakr regularly.

The delegation of Banu Amer bin Sa'sa: The delegation included the enemy of Allah, Amir bin Tufail, the half-brother of Labid, Arbad bin Qays, Khalid bin Jafar and Jabbar bin Aslam. They were leaders of their respective people and men of evil nature. Amir bin Tufail was the man who had seventy companions martyred in Bir-e-Mawna. When they wanted to come to Medina, Amir and Arbad conspired together; by deception they started a conversation with the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) and Arbad bypassed him and stood behind him. Then he drew his sword and tried to unsheath it. But the sword did not come out of the sheath by a finger. Thus Allah protected His Prophet.

The Prophet (ﷺ) cursed them. As a result, on the eve of their return, Allah sent lightning on Arbad and the camel, which burned Arbad to death. Meanwhile, Amer landed near a woman from Saruliya. At that time, a boil broke out in his throat and as a result, his condition deteriorated greatly and he died. At the time of his death, he kept saying, 'Alas! A boil like a camel's boil and death in the house of a woman from Saruliya?

Tojaib delegation: This delegation came to Medina with the surplus of their people's charity after giving it to the poor. There were 13 (thirteen) people in this group who asked about the Quran and Sunnah and sought their knowledge. They asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) a number of things. He wrote them down for them. They stayed in Medina for a short time. When the Prophet (ﷺ) rewarded them with gifts, they sent a young man from among them. They had left this young man in the camp. The young man came to the service and said, 'By Allah, Nothing have brought me from my region except that you should pray for me to Allah.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed for him. As a result, this man was satisfied with the least. They continued to advise the people of their people and as a result they too became established in Islam. Then the people of this group met the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) for the second time during the Farewell Hajj in the 10th year of Hijri.

Tai delegation: With this group was Zayd al-Khayl, the famous horseman of Arabia. They spoke to the Prophet (ﷺ) and the Prophet (ﷺ) presented Islam to them. They accepted Islam and many became true Muslims. The Prophet praised Zayd and said, "I have heard the praise of any Arab and when he came to me, I found him less than what he had praised. But Zayd al-Khayl is the opposite. Because his fame did not come close to his true qualities." Then he named him 'Zayd al-Khayl'.

Thus, in the 9th and 10th AH, various delegations began to arrive in Medina. Historians have discussed the delegations of Yemen, Azad, Quzayar Banu Sa'd, Huzaim, Banu Amer bin Qays, Banu Asad, Bohra, Khawlan Muharib, Muzaynam Murad, Jabid, Kindah, Zimarah, Ghassan, Banu Aish and Nakh. Nakh's delegation was the last to arrive in the month of Muharram 1100 AH. The number of members in that delegation was two hundred. The remaining other delegations arrived in the 9th and 10th AH. A small number arrived later in the 11th AH.

The arrival of all those delegations shows how much the Islamic call had spread at that time and how much recognition Islam had gained in different regions. Moreover, it is also possible to guess how much respect the Arabs had towards Medina. They even had no choice but to bow their heads before Medina. In fact, Medina was recognized as the capital of the entire Arabian Peninsula and it was not possible for anyone to avoid Medina. Of course, it would not be correct to say that the hearts of the Arabs were influenced by knowledge. Because, there were still some Bedouins among them who became Muslims only by following their leaders. Even though they identified themselves as Muslims, their attitude of killing and plundering was the same as before. They were not that much influenced by the influence of Islamic ideals. In this context, Surah At-Tawbah of the Holy Quran says about them:

The bedouins are stronger in disbelief and hypocrisy and more likely not to know the limits of what [laws] Allah has revealed to His Messenger. And Allah is Knowing and Wise. And among the bedouins are some who consider what they spend as a loss and await for you turns of misfortune. Upon them will be a misfortune of evil. And Allah is Hearing and Knowing. (Surah At-Tawbah: Verses 97-98)

Some people have also been praised. It has been said about them:

But among the bedouins are some who believe in Allah and the Last Day and consider what they spend as means of nearness to Allah and of [obtaining] invocations of the Messenger. Unquestionably, it is a means of nearness for them. Allah will admit them to His mercy. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. (Surah At-Tawbah: Verses 99)

To the extent that the inhabitants of most of the cities of Mecca, Medina, Thaqif, Yemen and Bahrain had extensive contacts, Islam fully matured among them, and it was from among them that the famous companions and leading Muslims emerged.

The success and impact of the invitation

Now we have reached the stage of discussing the last days of the holy life of the Prophet (ﷺ). But before discussing that, I would like to briefly shed light on his successful diversity and distinguished lifestyle which made him superior to other Prophets and Messengers. Allah placed on the head of the Prophet (ﷺ) the crown of all the previous and subsequent leadersip.

It was said to the Prophet: "O you who wear the cloak! Stand (in prayer) during the night except for a part of it."

And he also says: "O wrapped one! Get up and warn the people (of the difficult consequences)."

What was next? He was ready and continued to stand, on his shoulders was the responsibility of the greatest trust in this world. That is, the great responsibility of developing complete values, the great responsibility of believing in monotheism and moving forward towards the destination through continuous efforts and struggle for the implementation and establishment of the divine trust, which was in the deep darkness of the Jahili era, which was heavily burdened with materialistic and pluralistic ideas. Which was bound by the net of animal instincts and desires. Then, with the help of a group of very conscientious, trustworthy and dedicated companions, he defeated and shattered everything and went to a desert resplendent with divine thoughts and light, and when he stood on his shoulders, a different life struggle began.

War after war began. Against those enemies who wanted to destroy Islam even before it spread its branches. The Prophet had to fight against those enemies incessantly in the call of religion. And no sooner had the war with the polytheists of the Arabian Peninsula ended than a huge Roman army began to converge its troops in the border areas to wipe out this new Ummah forever.

Not only did he have to constantly fight with the armed polytheists, hypocrites and infidels on the battlefield; he also had to wage a continuous war with another terrible and constant enemy. That enemy was the eternal enemy of mankind, Satan. He roamed through the veins of man and plotted everywhere to plunge him into an abyss of misguidance and corruption. Although the Muslims faced temporary calamities in some cases due to the plots of Satan, the Prophet was able to deal with them all with great skill and wisdom and destroy everything. The devotion, sacrifice, confidence and courage with which the Prophet and his companions devoted themselves to the work of calling people to the religion of Allah is unparalleled in the history of mankind. They were so conscious and concerned about implementing and establishing the great honorable and very important responsibility of calling people to the religion that Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, had entrusted to the Holy Prophet, that there was no room for self-contemplation. They did not consider any sacrifice of life or property in this regard to be a big deal. They would give their lives selflessly for the cause of religion and would never hesitate to become completely destitute with everything they had. When mountains of wealth were accumulated at the feet of the Prophet, he would not retire without spending it in the way of Allah. For him, abundance was something to be rejected, poverty was desirable. During the day, he was always busy with religious preaching and national activities, and at night, he spent long hours devoted to the Lord.

The Prophet spent more than twenty years in this way, fighting one war after another. During that time, no single matter could make him indifferent or heedless of other matters. Despite many internal and external adversities and setbacks, within a short period of time, the Islamic call achieved such a great success that the world was completely astonished and amazed to witness it. Within a few years, the darkness of ignorance was dispelled from the entire Arabian land and the light of faith, education, knowledge, science, and conscience was revealed, and the roots of polytheism, disbelief, hypocrisy, and idolatry were uprooted, and the Arabs accepted the invitation and became loyal to the Messenger (ﷺ). The sky and air trembled with the sound and echo of the monotheism of Allah, and the melodious voice of the muezzin everywhere resounded. The desert became resounding with the arrival of various tribes towards Medina, the sounds of the Takbir of the new Muslims, and the sweet melodies of the voices of the reciters of the Quran.

A flood of unity, harmony and understanding began to flow among the diverse and hostile tribes. Having gained freedom from the slavery of man, man began to enter the slavery of Allah. There was no longer any slave, ruler, prisoner, oppressor or oppressed. All distinctions came to an end. The only criterion of human excellence is piety. Otherwise, all humans are the children of Adam and Adam (as) is a creation of clay. Through the establishment of Islam, Arabic unity, the unity of world humanity, and social justice were established. The right direction for the path of mankind in its problematic earthly life and the fundamental principles of welfare in the afterlife were found. A radical change was initiated in the way of life of people. Era-changing changes were initiated in all areas of state policy, social policy, and economy. Human civilization is humane, rich in thought, pure consciousness, and knowledge, and adorned with beauty.

Before the Islamic call, the world was dominated by darkness, the atmosphere of the world was foul-smelling and it was spreading stench. Size and measure were unclear. The rule of injustice, slavery, exploitation and terror was prevailing everywhere. Unrest, vulgarity and destructiveness were plunging the world into extreme instability. The eternal form of the traditional way of life of man was covered with a thick veil of disbelief and corruption. However, the heavenly law of life still existed at that time. But that law had become distorted and confusing. The receptive power of that law had been completely exhausted. As a result, it had become a lifeless folk custom or tradition.

When the Islamic call emerged with its extraordinary expressive power, universal divine laws, eternal human values and spiritual consciousness, the futility of the conventional customs and all the rules of life was proven, and the meaningless folklore, class distinctions, egoism, instability, polytheism and pluralistic, misleading ideas that were prevalent in the name of religion came to an end. As a result, a blessed environment and a better and cleaner way of life began in the Arabian Peninsula, which had never been seen before.

The Farewell Hajj of the Prophet (ﷺ)

The work of invitation and propagation was completed and a new social structure was established on the basis of the recognition of the sovereignty of Allah, the denial of the sovereignty of anyone other than Allah, and the prophethood of Muhammad (ﷺ). Then, the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was informed by Allah Almighty that his time on earth had come to an end. In this context, the Holy Prophet appointed Mu'adh bin Jabal (ra) as the governor of Yemen and sent him in the tenth year of the Hijri. Then, during his farewell, he said, among other advice, 'O Mu'adh! I may not meet you again after this year, but you may pass by my mosque and my grave. Hearing this from the mouth of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ), Mu'adh began to weep, worried about the impending separation.

In fact, Allah wanted His Prophet to demonstrate the effectiveness and benefits of His Islamic call in practice. They had endured indescribable hardships and made extraordinary sacrifices in the cause of this call. In fact, it would be fitting at the end of this extraordinarily successful activity that, during the Hajj season, when the members and representatives of the Arab tribes surrounding Mecca would gather, they would learn the call of religion and the provisions of the Sharia from the Messenger (ﷺ), and the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) would take testimony from them that he had conveyed to them the sacred trust of Allah in a correct manner, that he had fulfilled the responsibility entrusted to him by his Lord and that he had fulfilled the desires of the Ummah.

When the Prophet, by the will of Allah, announced his intention and program for that historic Hajj, the Muslims of Arabia began to gather in groups. Each one had the sincere desire to adopt the footsteps of the Prophet (ﷺ) as the only desired and followable direction or path on their own path.

Then, on Saturday, with four days remaining in the month of Dhul-Qadh, the Prophet (ﷺ) prepared for the journey towards Mecca.

He combed his hair, rubbed oil on his hair, put on his clothes, garlanded the sacrificial animals and set out after the Zuhr prayer. He reached a place called Dhul-Hulaifa before Asr. He prayed two rak'ahs of Asr there and camped there for the night. In the morning he said to the Companions, 'A stranger has come to me tonight from my Lord and said, "Prayer in this sacred valley and Umrah is related to Hajj."

Then he took a bath for Ihram before the Zuhr prayer. Then Aisha (ra) rubbed perfume on the Prophet. The scent of perfume was visible on the Prophet’s head and beard, but he did not wash it off and left it on permanently. Then he put on his cloth, a cloak and prayed the Zuhr prayer.

Then, at the place of prayer, he put on the ihram for Hajj and Umrah at the same time and pronounced the sound 'labbayik' a second time. Then he mounted the camel and there he also pronounced the sound 'labbayik' in a loud voice.

Then he continued his journey towards Mecca. After a week-long journey, when the Prophet reached a place called Jitawa near Mecca in the evening, he stopped and spent the night there, and after performing the Fajr prayer, he took a bath. Then he entered Mecca in the morning. The day was Sunday, the 4th of Dhul-Hijjah, 10th AH. He spent eight nights on the way to cover the distance.

Upon reaching the Grand Mosque, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) first performed the Tawaf of the Kaaba. Then he performed the Sa'i between Safa and Marwa. But he did not break the Ihram. This was because he was in the Ihram for Hajj and Umrah at the same time and had a Hadi (sacrificial animal) with him. After completing the Tawaf and Sa'i, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stayed at a place called Hajun on the outskirts of Mecca. But he did not perform any other Tawaf except the Tawaf of Hajj for the second time.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) instructed those of the Companions who had not brought the sacrificial animal (hadi) with them to change their Ihram to Umrah and complete the Tawaf of the House and the Sa'i of Safa and Marwan and become lawful. But since the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) himself was not becoming lawful, the Companions were hesitating about this. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "If I had known what I have come to know about myself, I would not have brought the hadi with me. Moreover, if I had not had the hadi with me, I would have become lawful." Upon hearing this, those who did not have the hadi with them accepted the order of the Prophet (ﷺ) and became lawful.

On the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of Talbiyah, the Prophet went to Mina and stayed there until the morning of the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah. There he offered the five daily prayers: Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha and Fajr. Then he waited until sunrise. Then he set out for Arafat and when he reached there, the tent was set up in Wadi Namira. He disembarked there. When the sun went west, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered the camel Kaswa to be saddled. Then he went to Wadi Batn. At that time, a huge crowd of one hundred and twenty-four or one hundred and forty-four thousand people was with the Prophet. He delivered a historic and touching speech to this huge crowd. Addressing the assembled people, he said, 'O people gathered! Listen to me, because I don't know if I will ever be able to meet you in this place again.

Your blood and your wealth are Haram to others, just as your present day, this month and this blessed city are Haram. Listen, every tradition of the dark ages has been crushed under my feet. The talk of the pre-Islamic era has also come to an end. The first of our blood to be shed was the blood of the son of Rabi'ah bin Harith. This child was suckling in the tribe of Banu Sa'd when the tribe of Hozai killed him. The usury of the dark ages has been abolished, and the first usury that I confiscated was that of Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib. From now on, all forms of usury are completely prohibited.

Fear Allah regarding women. Because you have taken them as a trust from Allah and made them lawful by the Kalima of Allah. Your right over them is that they do not allow anyone to enter your bed who is beyond your tolerance. If they do such wrong, you may beat them. But do not severely beat them. Their right over you is that you feed and clothe them well.

I am leaving among you something that if you hold tight to it, you will never go astray. And that is the Book of Allah.

O people! Remember that there will be no prophet after me. So there will be no question of another nation after you. Therefore, worship Allah the Most High, perform the five daily prayers, fast the month of Ramadan, give zakat out of your wealth with a contented heart, perform Hajj to the House of your Lord, and follow the righteous leadership. If you do these things sincerely, you will enter Paradise as promised.

If you were asked about me, what would you answer? The Companions said, 'We bear witness that you have fulfilled the responsibility entrusted to you, have conveyed the trust of the Islamic call entrusted to you to the people, and have fulfilled the right to seek good for the servants.'

After hearing this from the mouth of the Companions (ra), the Prophet raised his index finger towards the sky and, pointing it towards the people, said three times, "O Allah! Be witness, O Allah! Be witness."

Rabi'ah bin Umayya bin Khalaf was conveying the words of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to the people in a loud voice.

When he finished speaking, Allah revealed this verse:

This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion. (Surah Al-Maidah: 3)

As soon as Umar (RA) heard this verse, he started crying. When asked the reason for his crying, he said, "I am crying because after perfection, there is always imperfection."

After the Prophet (ﷺ) had finished his speech, Bilal (ra) first said the Adhan and then the Iqamah. The Prophet (ﷺ) led the congregation in the Zuhr prayer. Then Bilal said the Iqamah and Prophet led the congregation in the Asr prayer. He did not offer any other prayer between the two prayers. Then the Prophet mounted his camel and rode away. He turned his camel towards the rocks and remained facing the Qiblah. He remained like this until the sun set. The yellow colour of the sun gradually disappeared and the sun disappeared. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) took Uthman and went to Muzdalifah. In Muzdalifah, he prayed the Maghrib and Isha prayers in one sitting with two Iqamahs. He did not offer any voluntary prayers in between. After that, the Prophet (ﷺ) fell asleep and slept until morning. But as soon as morning came, he offered the Fajr prayer with the call to prayer and the Iqamah. Then he rode on the Kaswa and went to the Masjid al-Haram and facing the Qiblah, he made supplication to Allah and recited the words of Takbir, Tahlil and Tawheed. He remained there until the darkness disappeared and the light became clear. Then he set out for Mina before sunrise. At that time, Fadl bin Abbas (ra) was sitting behind him. When he reached the inner enclosure, he drove the ride a little faster.

Then he went out towards Jamra-e-Kubra and reached Jamra-e-Kubra along that path. At that time, there was a tree there. Jamra-e-Kubra was also famous for that tree. Moreover, Jamra-e-Kubra is also called Jamra-e-Aqaba and Jamra-e-Ula. The Prophet (ﷺ) threw seven pebbles at Jamra-e-Kubra. While throwing each pebble, he uttered the word Takbir and threw the pebbles while standing in the valley. Then the Prophet went to the place of sacrifice and slaughtered sixty-three camels with his blessed hands. Thus, on the orders of the Prophet (ﷺ), Ali slaughtered thirty-seven camels. Thus, one hundred camels were sacrificed. The Prophet made Ali a partner in his sacrifice. Then, on the orders of the Prophet (ﷺ), a part of each slaughtered animal was cut and cooked. The Prophet and Ali ate the meat and drank the broth.

Then the Prophet mounted his horse and went to Mecca. After reaching Mecca, he performed Tawaf around the Kaaba. This Tawaf is called 'Tawaf-e-Ifaza'. After the Tawaf, he offered the Zuhr prayer. After the prayer, he went to the Zamzam well next to Banu Abdul Muttalib, who were providing water for the pilgrims to drink. He said, 'Banu Abdul Muttalib! Draw your water. If it were not for the fear that the people would defeat you in providing water, I would have drawn water with you. That is, if the Companions of the Holy Prophet had seen the gathering of the Prophet drawing water, they would have tried to draw water themselves. Thus, the honor and privilege of providing water for the pilgrims to drink remained with Banu Muttalib. Otherwise, this arrangement would not have been in their hands. So Banu Abdul Muttalib (ra) brought him a bucket of water and he drank from it with satisfaction.

The day was the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of sacrifice. On that day, when the sun had risen a little (at dawn), the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered a speech. He was riding a mule while Ali (ra) was reciting his words to the Companions. Some of the Companions were sitting and some were standing. In today's speech, the Prophet (ﷺ) repeated some parts of the previous day's speech. On the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to us in his speech:

"Through the cycle of evolution, time has reached the nature of the day on which Allah created the heavens and the earth. A year consists of twelve months, of which four are sacred months. Three consecutively, namely, Dhu al-Qadh, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram, and one Rajab-e-Muzar, which is between Jumada al-Akhira and Sha'ban."

Then he asked, 'What month is this?' We said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' The Messenger of Allah remained silent. We even thought that he might call it something else. But he asked again, 'Isn't this month Dhul-Hijjah?' We said, 'Why not?' Then the Messenger of Allah said, 'What city is this?' We said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' The Messenger of Allah remained silent. We even thought that he might call it something else. But he said, 'Isn't this city Mecca?' We said, 'Why not?' The Messenger of Allah asked again, 'Then what day is this?' We said, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He remained silent. We even thought that he might call it something else. But he said, 'Isn't this day the Day of Sacrifice?' We said, 'Of course.' He said, "Then know that your blood, your wealth, and your honor are as sacred to one another as this city of yours, this month of yours, and this day of yours are sacrificed."

You will meet your Lord soon and He will question you about your deeds. So remember, do not turn back and become astray after me. And do not do anything that will cause you to cut each other's throats. Say, "Have I fulfilled the duty of the Tabligh?" They said, "Yes." Then he said, "O Allah! Be Witness." Those who are present will have the duty to convey these words to those who are absent. For among those who are absent will be some who will be able to understand the religion of Allah to a greater extent than some of those present.

Then the Prophet stayed in Mina on the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah (the days of Tashreeq). During that time, he continued to observe the rules of Hajj and to teach the people the calls of the Sharia and to remember Allah. Furthermore, he continued to establish the Hadiths in the Sunan of the Ibrahimi traditions and marking signs of shirk. He delivered the sermon on the days of Tashreeq.

The Prophet's speech today was similar to yesterday’s speech. This speech was given after the revelation of Surah An-Nasr. On the second day of the month of Tashreeq, i.e., the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah, the Prophet (ﷺ) set out from Mina and stayed at Khaif Banu Konana in Wadi Abtah. He spent the rest of the day and night there, and offered the Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib and Isha prayers there.

After the Isha prayer, he fell asleep and after sleeping for a while, he mounted his horse and went to the House of Worship and performed the farewell Tawaf. Having completed all the rituals of Hajj, the Prophet directed his horse towards Medina. His intention in going to Medina was not to go there and indulge in comfort; rather, his intention was to engage in a new endeavor for the sake of Allah.

Last military campaign: It was not possible for the arrogant and conceited Roman emperors to tolerate the establishment of Islam and the rise of Muslims. Therefore, if any person under their rule converted to Islam, their lives and property would be in grave danger.

In view of such boundless favoritism and senseless arrogance of the Roman Emperor, the Prophet (ﷺ) prepared a large army in the month of Safar 11 AH and ordered Usama bin Zaid bin Hasira (ra) to march with his cavalry against the Balqa region and the Palestinian settlement of Darum. The purpose of this operation was to instill fear among the Romans. The stability of the Arab tribes living in their region would be maintained and no one would think that there was no investigation into the severity of the Church and that accepting Islam meant inviting death.

At that time, some people raised objections to the leadership of the commander due to his young age and delayed participating in the said battle. In this context, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "As you are raising questions about his leadership today, you raised similar questions about the leadership of his father before. But by Allah! He was very capable in leading the army and was one of the most beloved of my people."

However, the Companions gathered around Usama (ra) and joined the army, and at one point during the march they camped at a place called Zurf, three miles from Medina. But due to the illness of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), the march was halted and the army remained waiting for Allah's decision. By Allah's decision, this army was awarded and honored as the first golden army sent during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (ra).

The final chapter of a holy life, moving towards the highest friend

Signs of farewell

When the call to religion was complete and had reached the hearts of all Arab Muslims, signs began to emerge from the Prophet's (ﷺ) emotions and feelings, tendencies and reactions, speech and behavior, which made it increasingly clear that he was about to depart from this temporary life and bid farewell to the inhabitants of this temporary world. For example, the subject of his I'tikaf may be mentioned here. Normally, he would observe I'tikaf for the last ten days of Ramadan. But in 10 AH, he observed I'tikaf for twenty days.

Moreover, Gabriel (as) made the Prophet recite the Quran twice this year, whereas in other years he had recited the Quran only once. Moreover, the Prophet said during the Farewell Hajj, "I do not know whether I will be able to meet you in this place after this year." He said at Jamra-e-Aqaba, "Learn from me the rules of Hajj. Because it may not be possible for me to perform Hajj after this year." In the middle of the month of Tashreeq, Surah An-Nasr was revealed to the Prophet and he realized that the time for his departure from the world was almost at hand.

In the first month of the 11th Hijri month of Safar, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) went to the Uhud area and prayed to Allah for the martyrs as if he were taking leave of all the living and the dead. Then, returning from there, he stood on the pulpit and said, "I am the leader of your party and a witness over you. By Allah! I see this "Hawzah Kawthar". I have been given the keys of the earth and its treasures. By Allah! I do not fear that you will associate others with Allah after me. But I fear that you will compete with one another for the earth.

At this time, one night, he went to the graveyard of 'Jannatul Baki' and asked for forgiveness for the people of the graves. He said, "O people of the graves! Peace be upon you! May your position be blessed compared to the state of the people of the world. Evils are coming one after another like the dark night. The future generation is worse than the past generation."

Then he gave the good news to the people of the graves, saying, "We are also coming to join you."

Beginning of illness: On Monday, the 29th Safar of the 11th Hijri, the Prophet (ﷺ) went to Jannatul Baqi for a purpose. On his way back from there, he started having a headache and his body temperature rose to such an extent that heat could be felt even on the cloth tied around his head. This illness was the beginning of his deathbed illness. In this sick state, he led the prayers for eleven days. He spent 13 or 14 days in this sick state.

Last week

The physical condition of the Prophet (ﷺ) gradually deteriorated. During that time, he kept asking his wives, "Where will I stay tomorrow?" Understanding the reason for the question, the wives said, "You can stay wherever the Prophet wishes." In response to the wives words, the Prophet (ﷺ) changed places and went to Aisha's house. While changing places, he was leaning on his shoulders. He had a bandage tied around his head and was walking with his feet dragging on the ground.

In this situation, the Prophet (ﷺ) went to Aisha and spent the last week of his life there.

Aisha (RA) used to recite Surahs An-Nas and Falaq and the supplications memorized by the Prophet (ﷺ), then she would blow on the Prophet (ﷺ) and rub her hands on his body in the hope of blessings.

Five days before the death

Five days before his death, on Wednesday, the heat of his body increased. As a result, the pain increased and he began to lose consciousness. In this state, he said, "Pour seven skins of water from different wells on my body so that I may be purified and go to the people and give advice." In this context, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was placed in a large vessel and so much water was poured on him that he himself kept saying, "Stop."

At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ)'s illness and sufferings were somewhat relieved and he went to the mosque. He still had a bandage on his head. He sat on the pulpit and said that curse be upon those who turned the graves of their prophets into mosques. Another tradition states that Allah's punishment for the Jews and Christians was because they turned the graves of their prophets into mosques.

He also said, "Do not make my grave into an idol because it will be worshipped."

Then the Prophet presented himself for others to take revenge and said, "If I have slapped someone on the back, then let him take revenge by slapping this back. And if I have insulted someone's honor, then I am present, so let him take revenge."

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) descended from the pulpit and led the Zuhr prayer. Then he ascended the pulpit again and repeated his old discourses about jealousy and other matters. One said, "I have three dirhams left in your charge." The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to Fadl bin Abbas (ra), "Pay it to him." Then he gave advice about the Ansar, saying, "I advise you about the Ansar. Because they were my heart and soul. They fulfilled their duty properly, but their dues remain, so accept from the righteous and forgive the wicked.

In another narration, the Prophet said, "People will continue to increase, but the Ansar will continue to decrease. They will become like salt in food. So whoever among you is engaged in a matter of gain or loss, let him accept it from the righteous among them and forgive the wicked."

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Allah has given a person the right to take whatever he wants from the glitter and splendor of the world. He will give it to him, or he will prefer what is with Allah, then that person has preferred what is with Allah." Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (ra) narrated that on hearing this, Abu Bakr (ra) wept and said, "We are devoted to you, including our parents! We were amazed at his behavior."

The people said, ‘Look at this old man. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said about a servant that he will be given whatever he asks for or he will take whatever is with Allah. But this old man said that we are devoted to you, including our parents.’ But after a few days it became clear that the servant who had been given that right was the Messenger of Allah himself, and Abu Bakr was the wisest and most intelligent among us.

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Abu Bakr (ra) was the most generous to me in his companionship and wealth, and if I were to take anyone as a friend other than my Lord, I would have taken Abu Bakr. But he is the one with whom there is Islamic brotherhood and love. No door of the mosque will be left open; it will certainly be closed except the door of Abu Bakr."

Four days ago

On Thursday, four days before his death, when the Prophet was suffering from severe illness, he said, "Bring me a pen and paper so that I may write a note for you so that you will never go astray after me." At that time, some people were present in the house, one of whom was Umar (ra). He said, "You are more afflicted by illness and we have the Book of Allah, the Quran. The Book of Allah, the Quran, is sufficient for us." In this context, disagreement arose among the people in the house and they began to argue. Some said, "Bring me a pen and paper and write down what the Messenger of Allah will say." Others supported Umar. When the people continued to argue in this way, the Prophet said, "Get away from me."

Then the Prophet (ﷺ) gave three pieces of advice that day. The first of these was, "Expel the Jews, Christians and polytheists from the Arabian Peninsula." The second was, "Entertain the delegation as it was done (in my time). The narrator forgot the third piece of advice. But perhaps it was the advice to hold fast to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah. Or it was the advice to implement the activities of Usamah (ra). Or it was the advice to "Prayer and be attentive to those under your control, that is, your slaves." Despite his severe illness, the Prophet (ﷺ) led all the prayers until that day (i.e., the fortnight before his death). He also led the Maghrib prayer on that day and recited Surah 'Mursalat'.

But during the Isha prayer, his illness increased to such an extent that he did not have the strength to go to the mosque. Aisha (ra) said, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) asked, 'Have the people finished their prayer?' I replied, 'No, O Messenger of Allah! They are waiting for you.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'Give me a large vessel of water.' When water was given to him as he desired, he took a bath. Then he tried to stand up, but he could not, and he fainted. When he regained consciousness, he asked again, 'Have the people finished their prayer?' I replied, 'No, O Messenger of Allah! They are waiting for you.'

Then he did the same thing the second and third time as he did the first time. Finally, he sent Abu Bakr (ra) to lead the prayer. Accordingly, Abu Bakr led the prayer on those days.

During the Prophet's lifetime, the number of prayers led by Abu Bakr was seventeen.

Aisha (RA) requested the Prophet (ﷺ) three or four times to appoint someone else to lead the prayer instead of her father, Abu Bakr. Her request was to prevent people from forming any bad impression about her father. But the Prophet (ﷺ) refused each time and said: You have all become like the companions of Joseph (as). Order Abu Bakr to lead the prayer.

One or two days before the death

On Saturday or Sunday, the Prophet (ﷺ) felt somewhat better. So, he went to the mosque for the Zuhr prayer, carried by two men by his shoulders. At that time, Abu Bakr was leading the congregational prayer with his companions. When Abu Bakr saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) coming, he tried to come to the back row, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) hinted him to stay in front and ordered his two companions to sit on his right. So he was seated on Abu Bakr’s right. Then Abu Bakr imitated the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) in his prayer and recited the Takbir to the Companions.

Before the funeral

The day before his death, Sunday, he freed his slaves. He gave seven gold coins that he had in charity. He gave his weapons to the Muslims. Aisha (ra) borrowed oil from a neighbor to light the lamp in the house at night. An iron armor of the Prophet (ﷺ) was pawned to a Jew in exchange for thirty 'sa' (75 kg) of barley.

The last days of holy life

Anas narrated that on Monday, when the companions were praying at dawn under the leadership of Abu Bakr, the Prophet (ﷺ) removed the curtain of Aisha's house and looked at the companions praying. Then he smiled softly. Meanwhile, Abu Bakr moved backwards, leaning on the back of his leg, and joined the queue. He thought that the Messenger of Allah wanted to join him in the prayer. Anas also narrated that he was about to be tested during the prayer (i.e., the prayer was about to be interrupted in order to ask the prophet about his physical condition). But the Messenger of Allah gestured with his hand to complete the prayer and entered the house and removed the curtain.

After that, the Prophet (ﷺ) could not join the congregational prayer at any time. When the morning prayer time came, the Prophet (ﷺ) called his daughter Fatima (ﷺ) and whispered something in her ear. The daughter laughed softly at her father's words. According to the narration of Aisha (ﷺ), later, at our request, Fatima (ﷺ) said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) told me first that he would die from this illness. That is why I cried. The second time, he told me in my ear, that I would be the first of the Prophet's family to follow him." That is why I laughed.

Furthermore, the Prophet (ﷺ) also gave Fatima the good news that she would be the leader of the women of the world.

At that time, seeing the hardship that the Prophet (ﷺ) was facing, Fatima (ra) cried out without any hesitation, "Oh, the hardship of my father!" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "After today, your father will have no more hardship."

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) called Hasan and Hussain (as) and kissed them and gave them good advice. He called upon the wives and advised them.

Meanwhile, the pain was increasing every moment and the effects of the poison that he had been fed at Khaibar were also beginning to show. At that time, he said, "O Aisha! I am now gradually realizing the pain of the food I ate at Khaibar. The life of my veins and arteries is being cut off by the effect of that poison."

Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave this advice to the Companions. He said:

Prayer, prayer and those under your command! That is, be careful about prayer and those under your command (slaves). These words were repeated by the Prophet (ﷺ) over and over again.

Continuous death agony

Then the death throes began. Aisha (ra) placed the Prophet (ﷺ) on her body. It is narrated from her that she said, "The special grace of Allah upon me is that the Prophet died in my house, on my bed, between my throat and my chest. At the time of his death, Allah brought my saliva and his saliva together. The incident happened when the Prophet was leaning on my body. I saw that he was looking at the Miswak. So I understood that he wanted Miswak. I said, 'Shall I get Miswak for you?' He nodded and gestured for me to take it. Then I took a Miswak and gave it to the Messenger of Allah. He found it hard, so I said, 'Shall I soften the Miswak?' He gestured, 'Yes.' I softened the Miswak and he brushed himself very nicely. There was a water container in front of him. "He dipped his hands in water and wiped his face, saying, "La-ilaha-ha-illa-Allah" There is no god but Allah. The agony of death is a very difficult thing."

After finishing the Miswak, the Prophet raised his hand or fingers and looked up at the ceiling. His lips moved a little. Aisha (ra) heard him saying, 'O Allah! Make me one of the Prophets, the Siddiqs, the martyrs and the righteous whom You have rewarded, and forgive me and have mercy on me. O Allah! The Most Gracious Companion.

He repeated the last word three times. At that moment, his blessed hand went numb and he was reunited with his longed-for Rafik -A'la (Allah). (Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raje'un)

This incident occurred on Monday, the 12th of Rabi' al-Awwal, 11th AH, at the height of the sun's heat. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was sixty-three years and four days old.

Infinite sorrow and pain

The news of this heart-rending accident spread immediately. A mountain of grief fell upon the people of Medina. The ends of the earth and everything around them became dark. Anas narrated that he said: "I have never seen a day as bright as the day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to us, and I have never seen a day as dark and wretched as the day he died." Fatima said with a heavy heart on the death of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ):

Oh father! The one who responded to the call of Allah, Oh father! Whose address is Jannatul Firdaus, Oh father! We inform Gabriel of your death.

Omar's position

When Umar heard the news of the death of the Prophet (ﷺ), he could not remain still. He stood up and began to say, "Some hypocrites thought that the Messenger had died. But the truth is that he did not die; he had gone to his Lord. Just as Moses bin Imran (as) went and returned to his people after being absent from them for forty nights. Before his return, it was said that he had died. By Allah, the Messenger will certainly return and cut off the hands and feet of those who thought that he had really died."

Abu Bakr's position

Meanwhile, Abu Bakr (ra) rode a horse from his home in Sana'a and entered the Prophet's Mosque. Then, without speaking to the people, he went straight to Aisha (ra). The body of the Holy Prophet was covered with a Yemeni sheet of Zarida. Abu Bakr removed the sheet from his holy face, kissed it and started crying. Then he said, 'May my parents be sacrificed for you. Allah will not make you die twice. The death that was destined for you has come.' Then he came out. At that time, Umar was talking to the people. Abu Bakr said to him, 'Omar, sit down.' Umar refused to sit down. Meanwhile, the companions of the Holy Prophet turned their attention to Abu Bakr, leaving Umar behind. Abu Bakr said:

Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful. (Surah Al Imran: Verse-144)

The Companions who had been silent until then, in a state of immense grief and sorrow, were convinced after hearing this speech of Abu Bakr that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had indeed passed away. Ibn Abbas narrated, "By Allah! It seemed as if the people did not know that Allah had revealed this verse. When Abu Bakr recited this verse, it seemed as if everyone became aware of it for the first time and everyone was seen reciting it.

Sa'idah bin Musayyir said: 'Umar said: "By Allah! When I heard Abu Bakr reciting this verse, I felt very ashamed. I could not even lift my feet. I even fell on the ground when I heard Abu Bakr reciting this verse. Because I was then able to realize that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) had indeed passed away."

Shroud-burial

Meanwhile, before the burial of the Holy Prophet, a disagreement arose among the Muslims regarding the successor of the Prophet in 'Saqifa Banu Saida', discussions and arguments continued between the Muhajirin and the Ansar, and evidence and questions were being presented. Finally, a consensus was established regarding the representation of Abu Bakr (RA). As a result, a lot of time passed and night fell. People became busy with other related tasks instead of the burial of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ). In this situation, Monday night passed and Tuesday morning came. Until this time, the body of the Holy Prophet was lying on the bed, covered with a blessed Yemeni sheet. The people of the house had closed the door from the inside.

On Tuesday, the Prophet (ﷺ) was bathed in his clothes. Abbas, Ali, Abbas' two sons Fadl and Kusam, Shakran, a freed slave of the Prophet, Usama bin Zaid and Aws bin Khawli participated in the bathing. Abbas, Fadl and Kusam were changing the sides of the Prophet. Usama and Shukran were pouring water, Ali was washing and Aws was carrying the blessed body of the Prophet on his chest.

After the bath, the Prophet (ﷺ) was shrouded in three white Yemeni sheets. There was no shirt or turban among them.

There was a disagreement among the companions regarding the final resting place of the Prophet (ﷺ). But Abu Bakr (ﷺ) said, "I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) say, "No prophet is raised from the earth but is buried in the place where he died." After this settlement, Abu Talha took up the bed on which the Prophet (ﷺ) had died. Then a grave was dug under it.

Then the Companions entered the house in turns, ten by ten, and offered the funeral prayer. There was no fixed imam. The first to offer the prayer were the people of Banu Hashim, the family of the Prophet. Then, gradually, other men, women, and children offered the prayer.

The entire day of Tuesday was spent in performing the funeral prayer. After the end of Tuesday, the body of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was buried on Wednesday night. Aisha narrated that we did not know about the burial of the Prophet because the funeral prayer was going on all day. After time passed in this way, the sound of the burial shroud was heard in the middle of the Wednesday night.

The family of the Prophet (ﷺ)

The number of women with whom the Prophet married was eleven. Nine of them survived his death. Two died during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ). These two were Khadijah (ra) and Umm al-Masaqeen Zaynab bint Khuzaymah (ra). However, there is disagreement as to whether he married two more women. A brief biography of the holy wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) will be discussed later.

1. Khadijah bint Khuwaylid (ra): She was a member of the family of the Prophet (ﷺ) in Mecca before the migration and the first wife Khadijah (ra). At the time of their marriage, the Prophet (ﷺ) was twenty-five years old and Khadijah (RA) was forty years old. The Prophet did not marry anyone else during her lifetime.

Among the children of the Prophet (ﷺ), all the sons and daughters except Ibrahim were born to Khadija. None of the sons survived. But all the daughters survived. Their names were Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatima (RA). Zaynab (RA) was married to her cousin-brother Abul-As Rabi before the migration. Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthum (RA) were married to Uthman (RA). And Fatima (RA) was married to Ali bin Abi Talib between the battles of Badr and Uhud. Hasan and Husayn were born to Fatima.

2. Sawdah bint Jamaiyah (ra): A few days after the death of Khadijah (RA), in the tenth year of the Prophethood, in the month of Shawwal, the Prophet (ﷺ) married Sawda. Before marrying the Prophet, Sawda (RA) had been married to her cousin Sakran bin Amr. But she became a widow due to the death of her husband.

3. Aisha Siddiqa bint Abu Bakr (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) married Aisha (ra) in the month of Shawwal of the eleventh year of his prophethood. That is, one year after his marriage to Sawda and two years and five months before the Hijrah. At that time, she was six years old. Then, seven months after the Hijrah, in the month of Shawwal of the first Hijrah, she went to her husband's house. At that time, she was nine years old. She was a virgin. He did not marry any other woman while she was a virgin except Aisha. Aisha was the most knowledgeable and intelligent of all.

4. Hafsah bint Umar bin Khattab (ra): The Prophet married her in the third year of the Hijra. She was a widow. Her previous husband's name was Khunais bin Hudhafa (ra). He died between the battles of Badr and Uhud.

5. Zaynab bint Khuzaima (ra): This woman was related to the tribe of Banu Hilal bin Amer bin Sa'sah. Due to her kindness, generosity and compassion towards the poor, she was given the title of Umm al-Masakiin. Her first husband was Abdullah bin Jahash. He was martyred in the Battle of Uhud. Then the Prophet married her in the fourth year of migration. But after eight months of marriage with the Prophet (ﷺ), she passed away.

6. Umm Salama bint Abi Umayya (ra): Umm Salamah bint Abi Umayya (ra) was married to Abu Salamah. She had children with him. When Abu Salamah died in the month of Jumada al-Akhirah in the fourth year of the Hijri, the Prophet married her in the month of Shawwal that same year. She was the most learned of all the wives. She died in 59 Hijri, according to some sources, but in 62 Hijri. She was buried in Jannatul Baqi. She was 84 years old at the time of her death.

7. Zaynab bint Jahash bin Rayab (ra): This woman was related to Banu Asad bin Khuzaymah (ra). She was also the cousin of the Prophet (ﷺ). She had previously been married to Zayd bin Haritha, who was considered the son (foster son) of the Prophet (ﷺ). But he divorced him because she did not have good relations with him. After the period of waiting, Allah revealed the following verse to the Prophet:

And [remember, O Muhammad], when you said to the one on whom Allah bestowed favor and you bestowed favor, "Keep your wife and fear Allah," while you concealed within yourself that which Allah is to disclose. And you feared the people, while Allah has more right that you fear Him. So when Zayd had no longer any need for her, We married her to you in order that there not be upon the believers any discomfort [guilt] concerning the wives of their claimed [adopted] sons when they no longer have need of them. And ever is the command [decree] of Allah accomplished. (surah Ahjhab: 37)

The marriage of Zaynab (ra) to the Prophet was completed in the month of Dhul-Qadh, 5th Hijri, or shortly before that.

8. Juwayriya bint Harith (ra): Her father was the chief of Banu Mustaliq, a branch of the Khuzayyah tribe. Juwayriya was captured with the prisoners of Banu Mustaliq and was given the share of Thabit bin Qais bin Shammas. He made a contract with Juwayriya. That is, an agreement was made to free her in exchange for a certain amount of money. In this context, the Prophet married her by paying the money as agreed. This marriage was consummated in the month of Shaban, 5th or 6th AH.

9. Umm Habiba Ramlah bint Abu Sufyan (RA): In her first life, she was the wife of Ubaidullah bin Jahsh. She went to Abyssinia with her husband. But Ubaidullah apostatized there and converted to Christianity and died. But Umm Habiba remained steadfast in Islam. Then, in the month of Muharram of the 7th Hijri, when the Messenger of Allah sent Amr bin Umayya Jamri with a letter to the Emperor Najjashi, the proposal of marriage between the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and Umm Habiba was also presented. After Umm Habiba accepted it, her marriage with the Messenger of Allah was completed and she was sent to the service of the Messenger along with Shorah bin Hasana.

10. Safiyya bint Howay bin Akhtab (ra): This woman was from the Children of Israel. She was captured in the Battle of Khaibar. But the Prophet chose her as his wife and freed her and married her. This was after the conquest of Khaibar in the 7th Hijri.

11. Maymuna bint Harith (ra): She was the sister of Umm al-Fadl Lubabah bint Harith. The Prophet married her after completing the Qada Umrah in the month of Dhul-Qa'd in the 7th year of the Hijri.

The above eleven women were married to the Prophet (ﷺ) and enjoyed his companionship and friendship. Among them, Khadijah and Umm al-Masakiin Zaynab (ra) passed away during the lifetime of the Prophet (ﷺ). Nine Ummah al-Mu'minin were alive after his death. In addition, two more women are known about whom there is considerable disagreement among historians whether the Prophet married them or not and about their identities.

The Prophet (ﷺ) had two female slaves in his household. One of them was Maria Qibtiya, who was sent as a gift by the ruler of Egypt, Muqawqis. She gave birth to the Prophet’s (ﷺ) son, Ibrahim. This son of the Prophet (ﷺ) died in Medina on 27 or 29 May Shawwal 19 AH, corresponding to 27 May/January 632 CE.

The second slave was Rayhan bint Zayd, who belonged to the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadir or Banu Qurayza. She was among the prisoners of war of Banu Qurayza. The Prophet chose her for himself. She remained under the care of the Prophet (ﷺ). According to some historians, the Prophet (ﷺ) freed her and married her.

At this stage, there is a special need for reflection and discussion regarding a relevant aspect of the holy life of the Prophet. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) spent almost thirty years in the company of only one wife during the very important stage of his youth. His wife, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), was almost past her prime. Then he married Sawda, who was also an old woman. But is it reasonable or acceptable to assume that he had to take nine wives later, having reached the threshold of old age, for sexual needs? It cannot be. If we examine both stages of the life of the Prophet with impartiality, no sane person can find such a view reasonable; rather, he must admit that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) took many wives for the greater purpose of his prophethood, which was much greater than the ordinary purpose of marriage.

The prevailing Arab custom of that time was to give importance and respect to marital relations. For them, the relationship between a son-in-law and a daughter-in-law was a matter of great honor and it was a matter of extreme shame to fight or compete with one. In this customary system, the Prophet (ﷺ) entered into multiple marriages with the aim of transforming the opposing forces in Islam into supporting forces to achieve a great goal. His strategy of establishing marital relations opened an important chapter in the history of Islam.

In other cases, he followed the same principle: Umm Salama (RA) was related to the Banu Makhzum, which was the tribe of Abu Jahl and Khalid bin Walid. When the Prophet married Umm Habiba (RA), the daughter of Abu Sufyan, Abu Sufyan was no longer his rival, as Khalid bin Walid (RA) had played in the Battle of Uhud. Furthermore, when Juwayriya married Safyan (RA) of the Banu Mustaliq and Banu Nadir, the warlike nature of the Banu Mustalib and Banu Nadir tribes ceased. After this union, there is no information in history about any war or discontent with these two tribes; rather, after this marriage, Juwayriya (RA) became a very respected and blessed woman for her community. Because, when the Prophet (ﷺ) married her, the Companions freed a prisoner from her family and said, "They are freed because they are from the family of the Prophet's father-in-law." This freedom and message greatly affected their hearts.

More important than all these matters was that the Prophet was directed to educate, purify and consolidate the instincts and to impart civilized and social education to a chaotic people who were completely unfamiliar with decency, sociability and morality. Yet in the Islamic social organization there was no room for free mixing of men and women. Since their opportunities for education were very limited, the need for it was greater.

For this reason, the only way open to the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was to select a number of women of different ages and experiences, through whom he would provide them with appropriate education, purify their nature and instincts, teach them the rules and regulations of the Sharia, and adorn Islamic civilization in such a way that they could go everywhere in the city and village and teach the rules and regulations of Islam to women of all ages, young and old. They could work as worthy partners of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) in his work of spreading the religion. For this reason, we see that the role of the Ummah of the Believers was very important in educating the women of the Muslim society and conveying the Sunnah of the Prophet. Those among them who lived a long life played a more important role in this regard, such as Aisha (ra) who narrated in detail the words and deeds of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ).

The marriage of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) uprooted a custom of the pre-Islamic period that had been going on for a long time and had become an established reform. The custom was related to adopted sons. In the pre-Islamic period, adopted sons were judged from the perspective of natural sons and received all the privileges and respect of natural sons. The roots of this custom were deeply rooted in the Arab social system, which was very difficult to uproot. But as a result of the epoch-making changes in the Islamic social system in the areas of inheritance, marriage and divorce, all those social foundations of the pre-Islamic period gradually loosened and were finally uprooted.

It is important to remember that when a tradition is firmly established in society, it is not possible to uproot or reform it by mere words. In fact, it is necessary for the person who is committed to uprooting or changing it to have a model of actual practice. This true truth became clear to the polytheists from the behavior and attitude displayed by the Muslims during the Treaty of Hudaybiyah. At that time, the polytheists were overwhelmed by the dedication to Islam and the devotion to the Prophet among the Muslims. When Urwa bin Masud Al-Thaqafi saw that the companions were eagerly taking the saliva from the mouth of the Prophet (ﷺ) and that there was a competition among the companions to receive the water thrown by the Prophet for ablution, he was deeply moved.

Yes, these were the companions (ra) who were competing with each other to take an oath under the tree not to die or to run away. These were the companions among whom there were those who sacrificed their lives like Abu Bakr and Umar (ra). They considered it a great blessing and success to die for the sake of the Holy Prophet, that is, for the sake of Islam. But when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ordered them to slaughter their sacrificial animals after the Treaty of Hudaybiyah was concluded, they did not respond to the prophet's order. Seeing this attitude of theirs, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) slaughtered his sacrificial animal without speaking to anyone, as advised by Umm al-Mu'minin Umm Salama (RA). Then, following him, the Companions (RA) started running to slaughter their sacrificial animals and slaughtered their own animals. From this incident, it is clearly evident that there is a difference between words and deeds in uprooting an established custom. For this reason, the matter of abolishing the foster son custom of the Jahiliyyah era was not limited to words alone, but Allah ordered the Prophet (ﷺ) to adopt a powerful means such as his marriage to the wife of his foster son.

As soon as the marriage became a reality, the hypocrites started spreading lies and hatred against the Prophet (ﷺ). As a result of these rumors and rumors, some innocent Muslims were influenced to some extent. The hypocrites started to make a fuss about the Shariah rule, which is the Prophet's fifth marriage. It is forbidden for Muslims to have more than four wives at the same time. Since this marriage resulted in the Prophet (ﷺ) taking Zaynab (RA) as his fifth wife, they got a great opportunity. Moreover, since Zayd was considered the son of the Prophet, when he married Zayd's divorced wife, they got another opportunity to spread false propaganda. Finally, Allah revealed a few verses of Surah Ahzab and solved the problem. This made the Companions (RA) aware that foster-son relationships have no basis or dignity in Islam. Furthermore, they were able to realize that Allah had arranged this marriage for the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) as a special prophetic arrangement to eradicate a bad custom of the Jahiliyyah era. This number of marriages (5) was also for the Prophet (ﷺ) only, and not for anyone else.

The Prophet's (ﷺ) residence with the Ummah of the Believers (RA) was very polite, elegant, friendly and based on the highest sense of dignity. The Prophet's wives was also the embodiment of politeness, patience, contentment with little, humble service and sacrifice. However, the Prophet's lifestyle was one of voluntary poverty, deprivation and hardship, which it was not possible for any ordinary woman to accept or adapt to. Anas (RA) narrates, "I do not know that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ever ate soft bread made of flour until he died, nor do I know that he ever saw roasted goat meat with his own eyes."

Aisha (ra) narrated that two months would pass and the moon of the third month would be sighted, but the fire would not be lit in the house of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Urwah asked, "Then what did you eat?" He said, "Only two things, dates and water."

Despite the aforementioned hardships and poverty, the wives never expressed any dissatisfaction and did not say or do anything that could cause a reaction in the mind of the Prophet. Only once did an incident occur, due to which the Prophet (ﷺ) felt somewhat embarrassed. But it is difficult to say whether it was due to the needs of human nature or whether Allah created such a situation in order to implement the Sharia law. In the context of that incident, Allah revealed the verse:

O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release. But if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter - then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward." (Surah Al-Ahzab: 28-29)

In the light of the verse, it is easy to imagine how refined and conscious of their status the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) were. How devoted and obidient they were to Allah and His Messenger (ﷺ). In their lives, they gave priority to Allah and His Messenger and the hereafter instead of worldly happiness and comfort. Despite the large number of co-wife, despite the jealousy, hatred, arguments, quarrels or unwanted competition that is usually observed among the women, nothing undesirable has happened. Even if something rarely happens, it has never been seen to be repeated. The first five verses of Surah Tahrim discuss this.

Behavior and qualities

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was a personality of extraordinary beauty and perfect character, who has never been compared in human society. He was a personality endowed with all qualities and adorned with all kinds of character ornaments, and no one who came in his company could return without filling their hearts and minds with respect and contentment. The people who were in his company were also so aware and active in safeguarding his life and property, serving him and upholding his dignity, that there is no precedent for this in the history of mankind. Not only that, the Prophet never hesitated to make the highest sacrifice for the needs of the religion of Islam.

The friends and companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) also loved him to the point of self-sacrifice. They could not tolerate even the slightest injury to the body or mind of the Prophet (ﷺ). Even though it would have taken them to the extent of cutting their throats for this. The reason for their devotion and love for the Prophet (ﷺ) was that he was given such perfection in the development of humanity that no one else had ever been given. Admitting our helplessness, we humbly write down the summary of the above-mentioned matters at this stage.

Physical structure

During the migration, the Prophet passed by the tent of a woman named Umm Ma'bad Khuza'iyah. After the Prophet's (ﷺ) departure, the woman described her blessed appearance to her husband as follows: a radiant complexion, a radiant face, a beautiful body, free from defects such as a long and bald head, a figure adorned with a sweet radiance, beautiful and well-groomed eyes with long eyelashes, solemnity, which became evident when he remained silent, a very attractive manner of speech, a sweet-spoken, clean speech, neither short nor excessive, when he spoke, it seemed as if the words were flowing freely from the garland, a body of suitable middle height; neither unusually tall nor short, beautiful and radiant. His friends formed a circle around him. When he said something, they listened to it with great attention. They immediately obey any orders from him. They are obedient, respectful, sweet, and taciturn.

While describing the qualities of the Prophet (ﷺ), Ali (ra) said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) was neither unusually tall nor short. He was a man of medium height, a perfect combination of both. His hair was neither excessively curly nor completely straight; he had a beautiful appearance. His face was round, his complexion was a mixture of pink and brown. His eyelids were long, his joints and shoulder bones were large, he had a light chest line with little hair from the upper chest to the navel, and the rest of his body was hairless. His hands and feet were fleshy, and when he walked, he would lean forward and lift his feet in a way that looked like a sloping path. When he would glance at someone, he would pay full attention to that person. On his back, between his two shoulders, was the seal of prophethood. The Messenger of Allah was the last of the prophets. He was the most generous, courageous and truthful of all. He was the most custodian of trusts, the most faithful of promises. He was the most gentle of natures, the most trustworthy of companions and the most reliable of all.

If someone suddenly met the Prophet (ﷺ), his heart would tremble with fear. Some would meet him sincerely to get to know him properly. The narrators of the Prophet's biography can only say that they have not seen anyone like him before or after him.

According to a narration from Ali (RA), the Prophet (PBUH) had a large head, heavy joints, and a long line of hair on his chest. He would lean forward slightly while walking, as if he were descending a slope.

Jabir bin Samurah (ra) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) had a broad face, light red eyes, and thin ankles.

Abu Tufail said, "The complexion of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was fair, his face was very beautiful and sweet, and his body was of medium build."

Anas bin Malik said that the Prophet (ﷺ) had broad palms and a light complexion, between white and brown. His hair and beard did not turn white until his death. Only the hair between his ears and his head turned slightly white, and a small number of hairs on the top of his head turned white.

Abu Hudhaifa (ra) said, "I noticed some white hairs on the lower part of the beard of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Bara (ra) narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) was of medium build. There was a distance between his shoulders and his chest, his hair reached to his earlobes. I saw the Prophet wearing beautiful clothes. I have never seen anyone more beautiful than the Prophet.

Al-Bara (ra) said, "The face of the Prophet (ﷺ) was the most beautiful and his manners were the best."

He was asked whether the face of the Prophet (ﷺ) was like a sword. He replied, "No, rather it was like the full moon." According to one narration, the face of the Prophet (ﷺ) was round.

Rabi bint Mu'awbah said, "If you were to see the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), it would be as if you were seeing the rising sun."

Jabir bin Samurah said, "I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a moonlit night. He had a red glow on him. I looked at him and at the moon. I finally decided that he was more beautiful than the moon."

Abu Hurairah narrated, "I have never seen anything more beautiful than the Messenger of Allah. It was as if the sun was on his face. Moreover, I have never seen anything faster than the Prophet (ﷺ). It was as if the earth was being prepared for him. When we ourselves were exhausted, the Messenger of Allah did not care.

Ka'b bin Malik narrated, "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was cheerful, his face would shine so brightly that it seemed as if it were a part of the moon."

Once the Prophet was present with Aisha (RA). In this situation, when his body was covered in sweat, his face shone with radiance. Seeing this state, Abu Hawzali recited this poem to Aisha (RA):

When I looked at the lines of his face, it seemed to be illuminated as if I were seeing lightning flashing through a torrential rain.

Abu Bakr (RA) used to recite this poem when he saw the Prophet (ﷺ):

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was a believer, a chosen one. He calls to goodness, like the light of the full moon from which darkness has been dispelled.

Omar (ra) used to recite this poem by the poet Zohaib:

If you were anything other than a human being, you would illuminate the full moon night.' Then he would say that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was like that.

When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) became angry, his face would turn red. It would look as if pomegranate juice had been poured over his shoulders.

Narrated Jabir bin Samurah (RA): The heels of the Prophet (ﷺ) were somewhat thin. When he laughed, he would laugh softly.

His eyes were the color of antimony. It looked as if he had used antimony, but in fact he had not. Ibn Abbas (ra) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had a gap between his two front teeth. When he spoke, light would shine through the gap between his teeth.

The Prophet (ﷺ) had a neck like a doll's neck, shining with the purity of the moon. His beard was thick, his forehead broad, his eyebrows intertwined but separate, his nostrils high, his chins light, and a beautiful line of chest hair like a rod from his neck to his navel. Apart from that line, there was no hair anywhere else on his chest and abdomen. However, there was hair on his wrists and shoulders. If you look at the front of his abdomen and chest, the chest would appear flat and wide. His wrists were somewhat large, his palms were broad, and his feet and toes were somewhat large and straight. He would walk with ease, leaning slightly forward.

Anas (ra) said, "I have not touched silk or velvet more tender and smooth than the hands of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Furthermore, I have not smelled any perfume or musk more fragrant than the fragrance emitted by the body of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Jabir bin Samurah (who was a child) said, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) touched my cheek and his hand felt so cool and fragrant that I thought he had just taken it out of a perfume shop."

Anas (ra) said, "The sweat of the Prophet (ﷺ) looked like pearls." Umm Sulaim (ra) said, "The sweat of the Prophet emitted a beautiful fragrance."

Jabir (ra) said, "When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) walked along a path and someone else followed him, they would know (from the fragrance emitted by the Prophet's body) that the Prophet was walking on that path."

The Prophet (ﷺ) had a 'Mohar-e-Nabwiyyat' (Seal of Prophethood) between his two shoulders. Its shape was like a pigeon's egg and it resembled a pure complexion. This seal was located near the soft bone of his left shoulder. On this seal were a collection of moles like green lines.

Perfection of soul and nobility of conduct

The Prophet (ﷺ) was very famous for his eloquence. He was an extraordinary eloquent personality. He had an extraordinary ability to form clear sentences by choosing and combining the right words according to the need. In the Arab world of that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was given a rare ability to understand all kinds of language and to apply it appropriately in the context of any need. Therefore, he was able to understand the language of any tribe of Arabia and use it with great success. On the one hand, he was able to communicate and present his views in a very appropriate way with the bedraggled Bedouins of the remote desert region, and on the other hand, he was able to converse and present his views in a very advanced and elegant language with the city-dwelling Arabs. Moreover, he had heavenly support through revelation.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was an extraordinary personality endowed with all kinds of human qualities. Patience, tolerance, kindness, empathy, altruism, forgiveness, etc. All human qualities were developed in him to the fullest extent. If we review the history of mankind, it is seen that even among people endowed with many qualities, some faults were observed. But the Holy Prophet was such a personality endowed with all kinds of human qualities that even in his early years, not even the slightest flaw was observed in any matter. The most remarkable thing in this regard was that the more the hostility of the enemies and the level of wickedness of the wicked people increased, the more the Prophet's tolerance and patience increased.

Aisha (RA) said, "Whenever the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was given the right to do two things or the opportunity to do two things was presented to him, he would readily accept the good deed. But if there was any wrongdoing or sin, he would never accept it. If there was any wrongdoing or sin, he would be the first to refrain from it. The Prophet (ﷺ) would not personally take revenge for anyone who had done something against him. But if there was any act or word that insulted Allah, he would immediately take revenge for the sake of Allah alone. But in fact, he was above anger and revenge.

He was the first to agree to any fair agreement or understanding. His kindness and generosity towards all mankind were unmatched. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) always gave charity with a mind free from want and poverty. He never had any fear of poverty or poverty in his heart. Ibn Abbas (ra) narrated that the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was the embodiment of the greatest generosity. He was as generous and open as a river in his generosity.

The Prophet (ﷺ)'s (ﷺ) generosity would be extended even further during the blessed month of Ramadan when Gabriel (ﷺ) would visit him. It is noteworthy in this context that Gabriel (ﷺ) would visit the Prophet (ﷺ) every night of Ramadan and recite the Quran. Then the Prophet (ﷺ) would be more generous in giving charity.

Jabir (ra) said, "It never happened that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was asked for something, but he did not give anything to the beggar or say 'no'."

The Prophet (ﷺ) was at the forefront of bravery and courage. He was the greatest hero of all times. Even in critical moments and difficult places where famous heroes were seen to have their legs dislocated and retreat, the Prophet (ﷺ) remained steadfast in his position and continued to advance. Many heroes have been seen fleeing in front of battle at one time or another, but this was never seen in the case of the Prophet (ﷺ). Ali (ra) said, 'Whenever a terrible situation arose in front of battle, we would take refuge under the cover of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). No enemy dared to approach the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).'

Anas (ra) said, "One night, the people of Medina heard a loud noise and became somewhat frightened. After hearing the noise, they ran towards the source of the noise. Then they met the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). Hearing the noise, he went to the destination in the morning to inquire. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was riding on an untamed horse belonging to Abu Talha (ra). His sword was sheathed at his shoulder. He said to the people, "There is no fear, be at ease." This is a clear proof of his fearlessness.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was the most shy and had a low gaze. Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (ra) said, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was more shy than a veiled woman. When he disliked something or found something unbearable, it would show on his face."

The Prophet (ﷺ) never kept his gaze fixed on anyone for long. He always kept his gaze downwards and preferred to look at the ground rather than the sky. He would usually look at something with his gaze downwards. He was so shy that he would never say anything unpleasant to anyone in front of them. Moreover, no intolerable word from anyone would reach the ears of the Prophet (ﷺ). However, this matter would be discussed without mentioning names. It would be said, "What kind of talk is this that some people are saying such things?" The following poem by Farazdaq is purely a comparison to the Prophet himself.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) would lower his gaze out of shyness, and others would lower their gaze out of fear of him. He would only be spoken to when he smiled softly.

The Prophet was the greatest just judge of all time, the most pure, the most truthful and the most trustworthy trustee. Both Muslims and their enemies acknowledge these qualities in one sentence. In the pre-Islamic era, before Prophethood, he was given the title of Amin (Trustworthy). Even in that era, people used to come to him for a just settlement of disputes. It is narrated in Jami' Tirmidhi from Ali (ra). Once Abu Jahl came to the Prophet and said, 'We do not call you a liar, but we call what you have brought a lie.' In this context, Allah revealed this verse.

For these people do not tell you liars; rather, the wrongdoers deny the verses of Allah. (Surah Al-An'am: Verse-33)

The Roman Emperor Heraclius asked Abu Sufyan, "Did you find the Prophet a liar before all that you say about him?" Abu Sufyan replied, "No."

The Prophet (ﷺ) was the most humble of all. There was no place for arrogance or conceit in his behavior. He never treated his companions or servants the way rulers or emperors treat their servants. He would mingle with his companions and accept invitations. He would mingle with them very simply and normally and there was no difference between him and his companions. Aisha (ra) said that he would sew his own shoes. He would lace his shoes and sew his own clothes. He would do all the household chores himself like a common man. He would milk goats by hand, pick lice from clothes and clean his clothes.

Once, while the Prophet (ﷺ) was on a journey, it was decided to slaughter a goat and cook it. One of the companions said, "The responsibility of slaughtering it will be on me." The second said, "The responsibility of skinning it will be on me." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The responsibility of collecting the firewood will be on me." The companions (ra) said, "We will do your work." He said, "I know that you will do mine."

But I don't like any difference or distance between you and me to claim superiority. Then he got busy with the work of collecting firewood.

Description of Hind bin Ali Halha

Hind says in a long narration, 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was suffering from several troubles one after the other.

Due to his constant worry, he lacked mental peace and comfort. He did not speak much unless it was necessary. He would remain silent for long periods. However, whatever he did speak, he would speak completely and clearly. There was no unnecessary or incomplete speech in his speech. He was a very gentle, sweet-spoken and grateful person. He greatly appreciated even small favors. He never criticized anyone or said anything in absentia.

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) used to remember the name of Allah whenever he stood up or sat down. He would give his companions their fair share. He never gave anyone the opportunity to think that so-and-so was more respected by the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) than so-and-so.

He never called any food bad. If someone obstructed the praise of the truth, his anger would not subside until he took revenge. However, he certainly had a broad heart. He would not get angry or take revenge on any personal matter. When he pointed with his hand for something, he would use his whole hand. When he was surprised by something, he would turn his hand away. When he was angry, the color of his face would change. When he was pleased, his gaze would look down. When the Prophet needed to smile, he would smile softly. When he smiled, his teeth would sparkle like ice.

He kept his mouth shut in useless conversations. He always maintained good relations with his friends. He respected the respected people of every community and considered them as guardians of the respective community. He used to be careful from all activities that could cause harm to people. But he did not humiliate himself in front of anyone for this.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to keep track of his companions and inquire about the condition of people. He would praise good deeds and speak of the benefits of good deeds and the bad effects of bad deeds and would testify to honesty and truth in all matters. He would not be inattentive to any matter, lest, Allah forbid, people also become inattentive and self-absorbed. He was always ready to take action in the face of any need. He did not consider any truth to be small. He never supported any untruth, injustice or ugliness. Those who were in contact with the Messenger were of the best class. He was the best of them, the most well-wisher of all. He was the one who was most respected by the Messenger, the one who was the foremost in helping and sympathizing with everyone.

When someone sat or stood near him for some need, he would wait patiently for them until they returned on their own. When someone asked him for something, he would give it to them, otherwise he would say good things and leave. He would entertain everyone with a cheerful disposition.

The Prophet was like a father to all and held the highest dignity. The basis of the dignity of others for him was piety or piety. His meetings were meetings of patience, modesty, education and faith. He never raised his voice in normal conversation or discussion. He never said anything that harmed anyone's dignity. He maintained mutual cooperation and sympathy with others on the basis of piety. He honored the elderly. He was affectionate and kind to the young. He helped the poor and the suffering and respected everyone, both known and unknown.

The Prophet's face was always cheerful. He was very gentle in nature. He did not pay attention to unnecessary actions, words or things.

He used three methods to maintain the purity of his soul.

1. Avoiding communal excesses,
2. Avoiding excess of anything,
3. Avoiding useless talk.

Moreover, he kept his mind free from three unpleasant things:

1. Backbiting or slandering,
2. Shaming others,
3. Finding faults in others.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to speak more of words that were expected to be virtuous. When he spoke, his companions would lower their heads in such a way that it seemed as if a bird was perched on their heads. When the Prophet (ﷺ) stopped speaking, the companions would start talking. People would never say anything unnecessary in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ). When one person spoke to him, the others would remain silent, and no one would speak until he finished speaking. When everyone laughed at something, he would join in. When people were surprised by something, he would express it.

If a stranger tried to obtain something through verbal abuse, he would be patient and say, ‘When you see the needy seeking to fulfill their needs, give them what they need.’ The Prophet (ﷺ) would not praise anyone except the one who rewards kindness.

Kharijah bin Zahir (ra) said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to speak with great confidence and self-respect in his meetings. He would not reveal his private parts outside his clothes. He would not speak anything unreasonable or unnecessary, he would maintain silence, and if someone said something unreasonable, he would turn his face away from it. He would smile softly when he needed to laugh. He would not speak exaggeratedly and would try to convey his point clearly in a few words without saying much. When he needed to laugh, the companions would also smile softly following the example of the Prophet.

In short, the Prophet was a perfect personality, adorned with incomparable personal qualities and suitable for all times. Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, endowed the Prophet with an incomparable sense of ideals, concentration, and incomparable character traits. The Holy Quran has said about his great character assets:

And indeed, you are of a great moral character. (Surah Al-Qalam: 4)

The Prophet (ﷺ) was so unique that people could not help but be attracted to him as soon as they came into contact with him.

The hearts of the people were filled with love for the Prophet. Moreover, under his incomparable leadership and wisdom, they achieved unprecedented progress in various fields, economic, social, political, etc., and the personality of the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) permeated their entire consciousness. Under the influence of this sweetness of personality, the rugged desert Arabs were adorned with the attire of humility and began to enter the divine religion in droves.

What cannot be left unmentioned is that it is not possible for any human being, no matter how knowledgeable and experienced he may be, to fully describe the character of the last and greatest prophet of God and the greatest human being of all time.

In the words of the poet: The reader of the Quran outside is actually the Quran itself.

O Allah, bestow Your favor on Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad as You have bestowed Your favor on Ibrahim and on the family of Ibrahim, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You have blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim, You are Praiseworthy, Most Glorious.