The Phase of
Predictions for the Prophet (sws)
Islam’s Welcome in
Yathrab
Yathrab was a central settlement, about
as far as a ten day journey north of Makkah. Two tribes: the
Aws and the Khazraj, of the same origin, lived here. They were
Arabs by race and similar to the other Idolaters of Arabia in
religion. According to research by historians, their ancestors
came from Yemen and settled here. Adjacent to Yathrab were
three habitations occupied by three highly influential Jewish
tribes: the Banu Nadir, the Banu Qurayzah and the Banu
Qaynuqah. The Banu Nadir and the Banu Qurayzah were from the
original Israelites and scholars of the Torah. In terms of
lineage, the Banu Nadir were perceived nobler than Banu
Qurayzah, and this was an accepted fact amongst the Jews
living in Khyber, Fadak and the valley of al-Qura, a journey
of a few days north of Yathrab. These tribes had migrated from
Palestine to settle here.
The neighbourhood of the Jews influenced
the Aws and the Khazraj tribes in several ways. Despite being
Idolaters, they were aware of the concept of tawhid and the
Day of Judgement. Idol worship was less pronounced than in
other idolatrous tribes. Some families of both tribes had
accepted Judaism. According to Arab custom in a tribal
culture, the rights of these Jews were protected and they were
equal stakeholders in fulfilling their collective obligations
and implementing the decisions of their tribes.
Jews are known throughout the world as a
conspiratorial people. Their national characteristic is that
they betray those who are kind to them. This is the reason why
nations which provide refuge to them at one time, seek ways to
get rid of them later. Due to this plotting nature, the Jews
would employ all efforts to damage the Aws and the Khazraj
tribes. The leader of these tribes, Malik ibn ‘Ajlan played a
key role in breaking the hold of the Jews and did not allow
the latter to gain supremacy over his tribes. Thus, Aws and
the Khazraj inked collaborative agreements with nearby tribes
of Muzaynah, Sulaym, Juhaynah and Fazarah. The Jews resented
this and plotted to create rifts between the Aws and the
Khazraj, who began to wage battles with each other every now
and then. As a result, the Arabs faced human and financial
losses with each fight and no tribe was strong enough to
confront the Jews in any matter. The latter, in possession of
a divine book, were aware that a highly placed Prophet was due
to come after Jesus (sws), and also knew of the preceding
signs and the discerning features of the prophet. They knew
that when he arrived, God would grant him success and glory,
and his enemies would face humiliation. Whenever any trouble
with the Aws and the Khazraj tribes arose, they would threaten
the latter by saying that when the last Prophet came, they
would believe in him and fight with them, and then their fate
would be similar to that of ‘Ad and Thamud.
The series of battles between the Aws and
Khazraj, known as the Battle of Bu‘ath lasted for over 100
years. The last battle occurred a few years after the
prophethood of Muhammad (sws). The leaders of both tribes were
killed in large numbers. At this, they realized their
stupidity and began to ponder over ways to get out of this
situation and declare a single leader, under whom both could
lead a life of peace and collaboration. Narratives indicate
that they had ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Salul in mind for this
position. Some people wished to make him king of both tribes.
Interest of the
Khazraj in Islam
During the 11th year of prophethood, when
the Prophet (sws) went out to the tribes to preach Islam, he
met the people of the Khazraj. After introductions, he told
them that he had been assigned by God as a messenger to bring
people to the right path. He informed them of Islam’s basic
teachings and recited verses from the Qur’an. The people were
very impressed and after mutual consultation, decided that he
was the same Prophet of whose messengerhood the Jews had been
informing them, and threatening with. Not wanting to let the
Jews take a lead over them in accepting Islam, they told the
Prophet (sws):
O Messenger of
God! What we have left behind is a nation that is unique in
infighting and creating chaos. May God bring them together
through your blessings. We shall return to our people and
communicate your message to them. We shall call them to the
faith which we have accepted. If we are able to unite, there
shall be no one more revered and respected than you.[1]
It is clear that those were the words of
people who were exhausted and wounded, and tired of constant
wars. When they were attracted towards the Islamic teachings,
they recognized the potential of unity between warring tribes,
because religious relationships are stronger than others, and
the morals inculcated through faith are more sustainable than
secular ones. The fortunate men from the Khazraj who accepted
Islam included: As‘ad ibn Zurarah and ‘Awf ibn al-Harith from
the Banu Najjar; Rafi‘ ibn Malik from the Banu Zurayq; Qutbah
ibn ‘Amir ibn Hadidah from the Banu Salamah; ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir
ibn Nabi from the Banu Haram and Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah from the
Banu ‘Ubayd.
The Prophet (sws) asked them about the
conditions in Yathrab, especially regarding their relations
with the Jews. He was told that they were collaborators (in
the last battle of Bu‘ath, the Banu Qaynuqah were with the
Khazraj and the Banu Nadir and Banu Qurayzah had collaborated
with the Aws).
When this fortunate group returned to
Yathrab, they informed their tribe of the prophethood of
Muhammad (sws) and his teachings. They presented their point
of view about the possibility of unity among the tribes that
had occurred to them. As a consequence, many people were
influenced and they realized that, by being the first to
accept Islam, they could gain superiority over the Jews. In
other words, a major factor of the people of Yathrab in
accepting Islam was the background of their submissive
situation.
The Allegiance in
the First Hill Track
The preaching efforts of the first
Muslims in Yathrab resulted in several people, including those
from the tribe of Aws, coming into the fold of Islam. During
the hajj period of the 12th year of prophethood, 12 people
took an oath of allegiance at the hand of the Prophet (sws).
He taught them the Islamic instructions which they were to
obey, and of the things they were to desist from. This oath
was taken secretly on a steep hill, away from Mina. All those
present vowed to be careful about what was allowed and
disallowed in Islam, and to live their lives according to the
teachings of the Prophet (sws).
Describing the situation in Yathrab, this
group said that the message of Islam was being discussed in
every house and there was great interest in gaining more
information. However, no one knew much about it. If someone
from the early days of Islam was to be sent to them as a
teacher, this message would be grounded quickly within the
hearts of other people too. The Prophet (sws) promised to do
so and prepared a young man from the Quraysh, Mus‘ab ibn
‘Umayr (rta) to go to Yathrab, teach the Qur’an, explain
Islamic principles and arrange for group prayers by leading as
the Imam himself. When Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr (rta) went to Yathrab,
he was welcomed by Asad ibn Zararah (rta) and he introduced
him to influential people in Yathrab. Those who held negative
views about Islam were unhappy to see a stranger in their
midst. Mus‘ab ibn Umayr removed their misgivings very
diplomatically. Yathrab proved to be a fertile ground for
Islam. When the leaders of both the Aws and the Khazraj tribes
accepted Islam, no barriers remained for the rest of the
people and they followed suit. In the stifling environment of
Makkah, such happy tidings from Yathrab were a breath of fresh
air for the Prophet (sws). Even the Qur’an consoled him at
such times:
Did We not
expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast? And We removed from
you your burden. Which had weighed upon your back And raised
high for you your voice. For indeed, with hardship [will be]
ease; indeed, with hardship [will be] ease. So when you have
finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship]. And to
your Lord direct [your] longing. (94:1-8)
In the early
days of prophet hood, the Prophet (sws)’s heart was very heavy
with a sense of responsibility. When the Quraysh persisted in
creating barriers to spreading his message and became
increasingly aggressive, the Prophet (sws)’s worries
increased. But now a stage of relative ease had been reached.
The Qur’an told him not to worry. In the future too, hardships
would soon be replaced with ease.
Isra’ and Mi‘raj
The incidents
of isra’ and mi‘raj have been popularly included as miracles
in the life of the Prophet (sws) and people generally sway
with wonder at the descriptions of these amazing experiences.
However, the manner in which the incidents have been related
in the Qur’an and Hadith indicates a specific quality of the
Prophet (sws), which God had granted him specially. This was
the integration of the spiritual legacy of both branches of
Prophet Abraham (sws): the Ishmaelites and the Israelites; and
it was a prediction of the Prophet (sws)’s great victory. The
Qur’an says:
Exalted is He
who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to the
far away Mosque, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show
him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.”
(17:1)
Al-Masjid al-Haram means the mosque in
Makkah that surrounds the Ka‘bah, the centre of the Abrahamic
tawhid and prayer. This mosque is the custodian of Abrahamic
traditions. In it, the footprints of Ishmael (sws) and of the
pious among his progeny are deeply ingrained. The declaration
of God’s Oneness through prayer, hajj and ‘umrah, and
connection with God and arrangements of training for piety are
all present there. That is where Abraham (sws) brought his
only son to be sacrificed in the name of God, and thus became
an immortal example of practical demonstration of Islam’s true
message. Pious people will continue to take guidance from his
action until the Day of Judgement.
The far away
mosque is the Bayt al-Maqdis which was the result of the
dreams of prophets David (sws) and Solomon (sws); the sign of
obedience of the Israelites; a manifestation of God’s light
and guidance and blessings of the prophets from within the
Israelites.
In isra’, the
Prophet (sws) was taken from the Mosque of Haram to the Mosque
of al-Aqsa within one night, and was shown the spirituality
and great signs and symbols of the two sacred places.
Narratives tell of prayers being held with all prophets and
messengers under the leadership of the Prophet (sws). This
indicates that he was given supremacy over all messengers and
thus, the status of the Imam of all prophets showed his
qualities, the reverence with which he was held and the
highest level of prophethood. This indicated that his
personality was the amalgam of the best of all spiritual
essence of both branches of the progeny of Abraham (sws): the
Israelites and the Ishmaelites. Hence, in future, his persona
would be the meeting point of both generations. Now, neither
could the Jews claim the legacy of the prophets of the
Israelites, nor could the Ishmaelites, in their present
condition, retain a legitimate hold on the legacy of Abraham (sws).
The isra’ incident, thus held the message that the Prophet (sws)
had been placed at the highest status and, if the progeny of
Abraham (sws) insisted on its previous stance, it would cease
to exist. The only right path for it was to believe in the
Prophet (sws) and move forward under his guidance.
Prophets and
messengers are teachers for their nations. It is necessary for
a successful teacher to possess observatory skills and
experience, as well as knowledge of facts. This is why God has
used various ways and means of divine revelation for prophets.
Matters that relate to facts are communicated through the
guidance provided through revelation of texts, together, texts
but where it becomes necessary to show wider views and several
aspects would fill up books. As far as the physical body is
concerned, it has limited facilities. The eye can see only up
to a certain distance: when light increases beyond a limit,
eyes are blinded. If noise level goes beyond limits, the ear’s
ability to hear is affected. This is why multiple aspects of
the world that occur at more than one place do not come within
the purview of the physical powers and skills of the human
body. God, therefore, uses a type of revelation which embodies
the manifestation of a secret to a messenger through his
intuition. Prophets are thus able to see matters through their
internal eye. Several Ahadith contain examples of such
revelations to the Prophet (sws). For example, at one instance
of in Friday gathering, he was shown some conditions of
Paradise and Hell. He thought of breaking off a bunch of
grapes from a tree of Paradise and show it to his companions.
Similarly, he was taken from the Mosque of Haram to the Mosque
of al-Aqsa. The Qur’an has used the term ru’ya for this
experience, which is at a higher level than a dream. According
to a Hadith, He said that he was between the states of being
awake and slumber, when this incident took place.
‘A’ishah (rta),
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (rta), Mu‘awiyyah (rta) and Hasan al-Basri
believed that this was a spiritual journey, while Ibn ‘Abbas (rta)
was of the view that this was a physical journey. The Qur’an
calls it ru’ya and its purpose was to drive fear into the
hearts of the Quraysh. Verse 60 of Surah Isra’, referring to
three things, says that when God revealed that He was
tightening the circle around them, or said that those who
reside in Hell would be given cactus, which grew at the bottom
of Hell, to eat, or told the Prophet (sws) that he would be
taken to Isra through a ru’ya, the objective was to alert the
Quraysh of the terrible fate that awaited them in this world
and the next. But these warnings became an evil for them. They
ridiculed them and did not try to learn any lesson from them.
According to Ibn Kathir, the ru’ya mentioned in the Qur’an
refers to the isra’ incident and those who assume it to mean
something else are not correct.
Narratives also
include the incident of the mi‘raj (ascension), which is an
addition to isra’. This tells of the Prophet (sws) being taken
to the heavens where he was introduced to other prophets. The
surprising fact about the narration of this incident is that
the list of prophets does not include Noah (sws), Hud (sws),
Salih (sws), Lot (sws) and Shu‘ayb (sws), whose lives have
been presented in the Qur’an as examples. Instead, the
prophets who met Muhammad (sws) include Adam (sws), Abraham (sws)
and Moses (sws), Aaron (sws), Joseph (sws), John the Baptist (sws)
and Jesus (sws). Adam (sws) was the father of mankind, who was
given the custody of God’s guidance, and his progeny was
divided into good and evil. Abraham (sws) was the builder of
the Ka‘bah, the practical demonstrator of the real essence of
Islam and the ancestor of the Ishmaelites, who were the
addressees of the Prophet (sws) and who he was calling to
follow Abraham’s example. The other prophets belonged to the
Israelites, who were made custodians of God’s guidance and
were given the Torah. They were also those who had been
associated with the worship at Bayt al-Maqdis. In other words,
the meetings that took place during the incident of mi‘raj,
were in the context of Baytullah and at Bayt al-Maqdis. Which
spiritual experiences the Prophet (sws) came across, and what
messages the other prophets gave to him are only within the
knowledge of God. It is, however, clear that the Prophet (sws)
was introduced to the other prophets as an extraordinary
person, which shows his superior status and bearing over them.
Thus, the relation of this incident, in addition to that of
isra’, contributed to highlight the Prophet’s message. It
indicated to the Quraysh and their friends the Jews that their
customs and teachings were now invalid and that they were to
be subjected to by Islam.
The addressees
of the Prophet (sws) understood the purpose of isra’
immediately, and began a propaganda that he had started to
brag, and that he was dreaming of ruling over both the
Ishmaelites and the Israelites. His fancies and false desires
indicated that he had ceased to be realistic due to his
attachment to his views. While the Quraysh made fun of this
incident, they also decided to test his knowledge of the Bayt
al-Maqdis. Narratives indicate that the same Being Who had
taken him to the Mosque brought it in front of his eyes again,
so that he was able to observe and answer the questions raised
by the Quraysh.
The Prediction of Independence of the Ka‘bah
The Quraysh
were not only proud of their ancestry, but also of the
responsibility they carried toward the Ka‘bah. In addition to
being an Abrahamic legacy, it was their main source of
grandeur and power. Their view about the Prophet (sws) was
that he could have enhanced his standing and prestige in
society by remaining attached to his family, but he had
isolated himself and was guilty of cutting off his connections
with relatives, hence he was now like a broken branch of a
tree which dries up soon after because it no longer receives
sustenance from its trunk. Ka‘b ibn Ashraf was a well known
leader and poet of the Jews. When he came to Madinah, the
Quraysh told him about the Prophet (sws) who had, according to
them, cut himself away from his people, yet considered himself
to be above them, whereas they were the ones who guided the
pilgrims, provided water to them and were the sole bearers and
custodians of the Ka‘bah. Ka‘b replied that indeed, they were
superior to the Prophet (sws). In response to this, the Qur’an
replied through Surah Kawthar:
Indeed, We
have granted you, [O Muhammad], al-Kawthar. So pray to your
Lord and sacrifice [to Him alone]. Indeed, your enemy is the
one cut off. (108:1-3)
Ibn ‘Abbas (rta), Sa‘id ibn Jubayr,
‘Ikramah, Qatadah and Mujahid have taken kawthar to mean
plentiful blessings, which have been interpreted variously by
exegetes as the pond or river in Paradise, the Qur’an or
Paradise itself. The renowned exegetes of Nizam al-Qur’an,
Imam Hamid al-Din Farahi, has included the Ka‘bah within the
plentiful blessings, because the meaning of plentiful, found
in the word kawthar is indicated most by the Ka‘bah. He
writes:
If anyone
reflects upon the characteristics of the canal which was shown
to the Prophet (sws), he would realize that, in reality, it
was a spiritual form of the Ka‘bah and its surrounding
environment. Various sources have shown that the common
features are that it is a canal, palaces of pearls adorn its
corners and its ground is set with rubies, coral and topaz. It
has receptacles that are like stars of the skies. Its water is
whiter than milk, sweeter than honey, cooler than ice. Its
soil smells better than musk. Birds whose necks are like
sacrificial animals descend upon it.[2]
After this, he writes with reference to
Sahih Bukhari, that this canal was shown to the Prophet (sws)
during his journey to Paradise. The Prophet (sws) inquired of
Gabriel (asm) about this, and was informed that “it was the
kawthar which had been granted to him by His God.”
Imam Farahi
considers the observations during mi‘raj to be applicable to
the Ka‘bah, its environment, the feelings of the pilgrims and
their spiritual thirst and the sacrifice of animals, and
explains how the Quraysh leaders had, through their
corruption, brought wrong rituals to the hajj and its
practices. The Sunnah of tawhid and welcoming of the poor was
eliminated and thus, the core reality of prayer and sacrifice
was destroyed. It is because of this that they were condemned
in Surah Ma‘un. In the next surah, Kawthar, the prediction of
the Ka‘bah being taken away from the Quraysh and given to the
Prophet (sws) was made. This was a great gift from God. Thus,
he was to focus on the prayer and the sacrifice for God only.
As far as his enemies were concerned, they had been routed.
They had been now deprived of the blessings of the Ka‘bah.
Since the Prophet (sws) saw the Kawthar during mi‘raj, it
should be considered to be within the objectives of both isra’
and mi‘raj.
The main
indications from this prediction were:
1. The
Ka‘bah would be within the Prophet’s control and Makkah would
fall to him.
2. A large
number of people would come within the fold of Islam.
3. The
enemies of God and His Prophet would face deprivation and
failure.
The Prediction
of Destruction of Enemies of the Faith
The role of Abu
Lahab, the Prophet’s uncle, was based on enmity towards Islam
from the beginning. Despite being aware of the Arab tradition
of loyalty to relations and their consideration to be the
highest form of piety, the attitude which Abu Lahab adopted
towards his nephew was one that only a sworn enemy could have
had. In the early days of prophethood, when the Prophet (sws)
had gathered the Quraysh through a call from the mount of Safa,
and warned them of the Day of Judgement, Abu Lahab abused him
and walked away. When the Prophet (sws) invited members of his
family for a meal, to talk to them about his message, he got
up and refused to allow the Prophet (sws) to speak. When the
Prophet (sws) communicated God’s message to people he met
while walking around, Abu Lahab followed him to diffuse his
influence, telling people not to listen to him and to keep up
the prestige of Lat and ‘Uzza because the Prophet (sws) was
trying to sway them from the ways of their forefathers. When
some people of the Quraysh boycotted the Banu Hashim, Abu
Lahab did not side with the latter, but supported their
enemies. After Abu Ṭalib’s death, when the leadership of the
tribe passed on to him, he removed tribal protection from the
Prophet (sws), in contradiction to Arab custom. When the
responsibility of public welfare passed to him, he committed
acts of corruption and theft, although this wealth was to be
used for the benefit of the poor and needy pilgrims. The cause
of this enmity with the Prophet (sws) was his love of wealth
and jealousy. Thus, the attributes of both the Pharaoh and
Qarun had combined in his character.
During that
period, while other predictions had come to the Prophet (sws),
so too had that of destruction of his enemies, in which Abu
Lahab was made a symbol. The Qur’an said:
May the hands
of Abu Lahab be ruined, and ruined is he. His wealth will not
avail him or that which he gained. He will [enter to] burn in
a Fire of [blazing] flame. And his wife [as well] - the
carrier of firewood. Around her neck is a rope of [twisted]
fibre. (111:1-5)
This was a
prediction which came true when all of Abu Lahab’s supporters,
who burned with envy of the Prophet (sws), were killed in the
Battle of Badr. Abu Lahab had sent another man, who had been
unable to return a loan of 4,000 Dirhams, to this war in his
place. But this tactic did not help him evade death. He was
stricken with smallpox and died. His children would not go
near his body for fear of infection. His body became swollen
and started to smell foul. When people raised objections, they
removed the body after three days, kept it against a wall and
brought down another wall on it. This was how he was buried.
Thus, this enemy of God came to his end.
Exposure of the Wicked Leaders of the Quraysh
The Qur’an also
exposed to the public, the leaders of the Quraysh who had been
resisting the message of the Prophet (sws) and who had played
an important role in misguiding their people.
The Qur’an
lifted the veil from the morals of these leaders and informed
the people that these wicked leaders were in control of the
Ka‘bah, but their characters were so low and debased that they
were defiling the basic purpose of this sacred Abrahamic
centre. They were not worthy of being given this
responsibility any more. Some Qur’anic references to this
point are:
“Then do not
obey the deniers. They wish that you would soften [in your
position], so they would soften [toward you]. And do not obey
every worthless habitual swearer. [And] scorner, going about
with malicious gossip - a preventer of good, transgressing and
sinful. Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.”
(68:8-13)
This is a
description of the leadership of the Quraysh. They would swear
false oaths and prevent people from going to the Prophet (sws);
target the believers by calling them names and making lewd
signs; spread misunderstanding through gossip and usurping the
rights of others. They were hard hearted and disloyal. Some
were without legitimate ancestors, in that they did not belong
to the Quraysh, but had joined them and become their
protectors for personal benefits. Akhnas ibn Shurayq was one
such individual, who was a Thaqafi, but claimed to belong to
the Banu Zahra branch of the Quraysh. For the sake of being
called a Qarshi, he would agree sycophantically with the
Quraysh leaders.
[3]
The Prophet (sws)
was instructed to refrain from being misguided by such
people:
Woe to every
scorner and mocker. Who collects wealth and [continuously]
counts it. He thinks that his wealth will make him immortal.
No! He will surely be thrown into the Crusher. And what can
make you know what the Crusher is? It is the fire of God,
[eternally] fueled, Which will cover the hearts directly.
Indeed, Hellfire will be closed down upon them, tied to high
columns. (104:1-9)
In these
verses, the stingy leaders of the Quraysh, who counted their
wealth gleefully, as if it was a means to eternal life, are
referred to. When they saw others fulfilling the rights of
others, they would make their lives miserable through ridicule
and sarcasm.
Have you seen
the one who denies the Recompense? For that is the one who
drives away the orphan. And does not encourage the feeding of
the poor. So woe to those who pray [but] who are heedless of
their prayer - those who make show [of their deeds] and are
stingy with the simplest of things. (107:1-7)
In these verses, the uselessness of the
prayers of the custodians of the Ka‘bah is referred to. They
made a show of religious rituals that were empty of any
spiritual essence, full of deceit. They avoided sharing simple
things with their neighbours. When dealing with orphans and
the needy, they would make faces and shove them out of their
homes. It is obvious that such people could not be the
custodians of the House of God, because connections with Him
fill a person with gratitude and make him generous and kind.
Such a person shares his God’s blessings with others and
considers it their right to be given whatever he can from his
possessions.
When the
Prophet (sws) would read out these verses, the leaders of the
Quraysh became suffused with anger; the Prophet (sws) was
bringing their real character out into the open and trying to
lower their status in their eyes. Since no one’s character can
remain hidden, these people could not do anything against the
Prophet (sws), except gnash their teeth.
Deliberation about Migration
The Prophet (sws)
had been informed about God’s law of sending punishment to the
nations to whom their messengers have provided conclusive
arguments, but refused to believe them and remained adamant on
their practices and beliefs. Before this punishment, the
messenger and his companions must migrate to another place.
The situation was unfolding in a manner that the Prophet (sws)
realized that he would have to leave the city. He began to
think about where he would go if he were instructed to leave
with his supporters. One possibility was Abyssinia but it was
a completely different place from Makkah.
During this
period, he dreamt that he was migrating towards a barren land
where date palms grew in plenty. This area was between black
and rocky lands. The Prophet (sws) thought that this might be
Yamamah or Hijr. But he did not get a clear instruction at
this stage to either migrate or to go to a specific place. The
Prophet (sws) also began to prepare his companions mentally to
think of migration and leaving the city soon, considering the
way matters were proceeding and the verses promising
punishment were being revealed. The companions thus began to
prepare for migration on their own.
(Translated by Nikhat Sattar)
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