Chapter 6

The Orphan's Childhood

Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) returned to live with his mother in Mecca when he was about three years old. Three years later Aminah decided to take her son to visit his uncles in Yathrib. She told her maid, Barakah, to prepare everything they would need for the long journey, and then they joined one of the caravans going there.

They stayed in Yathrib for a month and Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) enjoyed the visit with his cousins. The climate there was very pleasant and he leaned to swim and to fly a kite. On their way back to Mecca, however, Amina became ill and died. She was buried in the village at al-Awa not far from Yathrib. Muhammed (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) returned sadly to Mecca with his mother's maid. He was now six years old and had lost both his father and mother. He was then adopted by his grandfather, 'Abd al-Muttalib, who loved him dearly and kept him by his side at all times.

It was the custom of 'Abd al-Muttalib to sit on a blanket near the Ka'bah. There he was always surrounded by people who had come to speak to him. No one was allowed to sit on the blanket with him, however, except his grandson Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), which shows how close they were to each other. Many times Abd al-muthalib was heard to say: 'This boy will be very important one day.'

Two years later 'Abd al-Muttalib became ill and Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) stayed by him constantly. 'Abd al-Muttalib told his son, Abu Talib, to adopt Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) after his death, which he did. Abu Talib had many children of his own, but Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) immediately became part of his family and the favourite child.

The time has come for Quraysh to prepare a caravan to go to Syria. Abu Talib was going with them and he took Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) along. It was Muhammad's first journey to the north. After days of travel, the caravan arrived at a place near Syria where the Romans used to come to trade with the Arabs. Near this market place lived a monk called Bahira. His cell had been used by generations of monks before him and contained ancient manuscripts.

Bahira saw the caravan in the distance and was amazed to see that over it was a large white cloud, the only cloud in a clear blue sky and it appeared to be shading one of the travellers. The monk was even more surprised to see that the cloud seemed to follow the caravan but disappeared when the person it was shading sat down under a tree. Bahira knew from the scriptures that a prophet was expected to come after Jesus and it had been his wish to see this prophet before he died. Realizing that what he had just seen was a miracle, he began to think that his wish might, after all, come true.

The monk sent an invitation to the Meccans to come and eat with him. The Arabs were surprised because they often passed by and Bahira had never invited them before. When the group was all together for the meal, the monk said, "Is this everyone?
'No', someone said, 'a boy was left watching the camels.'
Bahira insisted that the boy should join them. The boy was Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). When he arrived Bahira said nothing, but watched him all through the meal. He noticed many things about his appearance which fitted the description in the old manuscripts. Later on he took him aside and asked Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) many questions. He soon found out how he felt about the idols in the Ka'bah. When Bahira tried to make him swear by them, as the Arabs used to do, Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said, 'There is nothing in this world that I hate more'. They talked together about Allah, and about Muhammad's life and family. What was said made Bahira certain that this was indeed the Prophet who would follow Jesus.

Then the monk went to Abu Talib and asked him how he was related to Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). Abu Talib told him that Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was his son. Bahira replied that this could not be so because the boy was destined to grow up an orphan, and he ordered Abu Talib to watch over Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) with great care.

There are many stories told about Muhammad's youth. Some tell of how he used to take the family's sheep to graze and was always kind to them. While they grazed, he would sit thinking about the mysteries of nature. Unlike those around him, he never worshipped the idols and never swore by them. He also wondered why people were always struggling for power and money, and this saddened him and made him feel lonely, but he kept his feelings to himself. He was a quite, thoughtful boy, and rarely played with other boys of his age.

On one occasion, however, Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) went with some of the boys to a wedding in Mecca. When he reached the house he heard the sounds of music and dancing but just as he was about to enter he suddenly felt tired and, sitting down, fell asleep. He didn't wake up until late in the next morning and thus missed the celebrations. In this way Allah prevented him from doing anything foolish because, he was keeping Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) for something much more important.

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Chapter 7

The Prophet's Marriage

By the time Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was twenty-five he was famous for his honesty. He was respected by everyone, including the elders of Mecca. The purity of his nature has increased with the years. It seemed he had an inner knowledge that other people did not have. He believed in one God- Creator of the world- and he worshipped Him with all his heart and with all his soul. Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was the finest of his people, the most kind, truthful and reliable person in Mecca. He was known among Quraysh as 'the trustworthy' (al-Amin) because of the good qualities Allah had given him. He spent many quiet hours in a cave in Mount Hira, not far from Mecca, thinking about Allah.

Among Quraysh was a respected and wealthy woman named Khadijah (radiAllahu anha). She was involved in trade and on hearing of Muhammad's reputation, sent for him and asked him to take her goods and trade with them in Syria. Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) agreed and left for Syria with one of Khadijah's caravans. With him went her slave, Maysarah, and they spent a great deal of time talking together. Maysarah soon came to admire Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). He thought he was quite different from all the other men of Quraysh.

Two unusual events took place during this journey, which puzzled Maysarah very much. The first happend when they stopped to rest near the lonely home of a monk. Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) sat under a tree while Maysarah was busy with some work. The monk came up to Maysarah and asked, 'Who is the man resting under the tree?
"One of Quraysh, the people who guard the Ka'bah", said Maysarah.
"No one but a Prophet is sitting beneath this tree", replied the monk. The second event occured on the journey back to Mecca. It happened at noon, when the sun is at its hottest. Maysarah was riding behind Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)and as the sun grew hotter he saw two angels appear above Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)and shield him from the sun's harmful rays.

The trading was very successful and Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) made more profit for Khadijah than she had ever received before. When they arrived back in Mecca, Maysarah told Khadijah everything about the trip and what he had noticed about Muhammad's character and behaviour.

Khadijah was a widow in her forties , she was very rich, beautiful and was highly respected. Many men wanted to marry her but none of them suited her. When she met Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) , however, she thought he was very special. She sent a friend to ask Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) why he was not married. Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said that it was because he had no money, to which the friend replied: 'Supposing a rich, beautiful and noble lady agreed to marry you?' Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) wanted to know who that could be. The friend told him it was Khadijah. Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was very happy, because he greatly respected Khadijah. He went with his uncles, Abu Talib and Hamzah, to Khadijah's uncle, and asked his permission to marry her. The uncle gave his permission and soon after, Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and Khadijah were married.

Their marriage was a joyful one and Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and Khadijah were well suited. Their life together, however, was not without some sadness. They were blessed with six children, two sons and four daughters. Sadly their first born son, called Qasim, died shortly before his second birthday, and their last child, also a son, only lived for a short time. Happily, their four dauthters - Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah - all survived.

For a few years Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) lived a calm and quiet life as a merchant in Mecca. His wisdom benefited many people. One such time was, when Quraysh decided to rebuild the Ka'bah. It was a difficult decision for them because they had to knock it down before rebuilding it and the people were afraid that Allah might be angry with them for knocking down His sanctuary. At last one of the wise old men of Quraysh decided to begin, then everybody followed him.

They worked until they reached down to the first foundation that Abraham had built. As soon as they began to remove the stones of this foundation, however, the whole of Mecca began to shake. They were so afraid that they decided to leave these stones where they were and build on top of them.

Each tribe brought stones and they built the Ka'bah up until they reached the place where the black stone was to be set. Then they then began to argue about who should have the honour of carrying the black stone and lifting it to its place in one of the corners of the Ka'bah. They almost came to blows but fortunately one of the men offered a solution. He suggested that they should be guided by the first person to enter the place of worship. They all agreed because Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was the first to enter and everyone was pleased, because they all trusted him.

They told him the cause of the argument and he asked them to bring a large cloak. They did as he asked, and after spreading the cloak on the ground he placed the black stone in the centre of it. Then he asked a man from each tribe to hold one edge of the cloak and together to raise it to the height where the stone should be set. When this was done, he took the stone off the cloak and put it into place himself.

This story shows how all Quraysh respected and trusted Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and how, by his wisdom and good sense, was able to keep the peace.

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Chapter 8

The Coming of the Archangel Gabriel

Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) believed that there was only one Allah, Creator of the sun, the moon, the earth, the sky, and all living things, and that all people should worship only Him. Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would often leave the crowded city and go to the cave in Mount Hira. He liked to be alone there, away from all thoughts of the world and daily life, eating and drinking little.

In his fortieth year, Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) left to spend Ramadan, the traditional month of retreat, in the cave. In the second half of Ramadan, Allah began to reveal His message for mankind through Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) . This first revelation occured as follows. The Archangel Gabriel came to Muhammad in the cave and commanded him to 'Read'.
Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) replied "I cannot read".
At this the Archangel took Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) in his arms and pressed against him until it was almost too much to bear. He then released him and said again 'Read'.
'I cannot', replied Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) , at which the Archangel embraced him again. For the third time the Archangel commanded Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) to read, but still he said, he could not and was again embraced. On releasing him this time, however, the Archangel Gabriel said:

Read: In the Name of thy Lord who createth,
Createth man from a clot.
Read: And thy Lord is the Most Generous
Who teacheth by the pen,
Teacheth man that which he knew not.
(Quran xcvi.I-5)

Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) repeated these verses, just as the Archangel had said them. When the Archangel was sure Muhammad knew them by heart, he went away.

Now that he was alone Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) could not understand what had happened to him. He was terribly afraid and rushed out of the cave. Perhaps the cave was haunted? Perhaps the devil had taken a hold of his mind?

But he was stopped by a voice from heaven which said: 'O Muhammad, you are the Messenger of Allah, and I am Gabriel.' He looked up at the sky and wherever he turned he saw the Archangel Gabriel.

In a state of confusion he returned home to Khadijah. When his wife saw him she became very worried as he began to shiver, as though in a fever. He asked her to wrap him in blankets, which she did. After a while he recovered sufficiently to tell her what had happened at Hira'. Khadijah believed all that he told her and with great respect said: 'Be happy, O son of my uncle and be confident. Truly I swear by Allah who has my soul in His hands, that you will be our people's Prophet.' Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) , the Messenger of Allah, was eased by her faith in him, but after all that had happened he was exhausted and fell fast asleep.

Khadijah left the Prophet sleeping and went to see her cousin, Waraqah ibn Nawfal, to ask him what he thought about all that had happend. Waraqah was a very wise man who had read many books and had become a Christian after studying the Bible. He told Khadijah that Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had been chosen by Allah to be His Messenger. Just as the Archangel Gabriel had come to Moses before and had ordered him to guide his people, so, too, would Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) be the Prophet of his people. But Waraqah warned that all the people would not listen to the Prophet and some would mistreat his followers. He must, however, be patient because he had a great message for the world.

From that day on, the Archangel Gabriel came often to the Prophet and he taught the verses to him, the message from Allah to man, which were later written down, and are known to us as the Holy Koran (Qur'an).

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Chapter 9

The First Muslims

After that momentous day in the month of Ramadan, revelation came again and again to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). He understood now what he had to do and prepared himself for what was to come. Only a strong and brave man, helped by Allah, can be a true prophet because people often refuse to listen to Allah's message.

Khadijah was the first to believe the Prophet and accept as true what he brought from Allah. Through her,Allah made things easier for the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) . Khadijah strengthened him, helped him to spread his message, and stood up to the people who were against him.

Then Revelation ceased for a time. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was upset and unhappy, thinking that Allah had left him, or that he might have angered Allah in some way so that Allah no longer thought him worthy of His message. However, the Archangel Garbiel came back to him and brought this surah, or chapter, of the Koran:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

By the morning hours
And by the night when it is stillest,
Thy Lord hath neither forsaken thee nor doth He hate thee,
And verily the Last will be better for thee
then the First.
And verily thy Lord will give unto thee so that
thou wilt be content.
Did He not find thee an orphan and pretech thee?
Did He not find thee wandering and guide thee?
Did He not find thee destitute and enrich thee?
Therefore the orphan oppress not,
Therefore the beggar drive not away,
And as for thy Lord's blessing, declare it.
(Quran xciii.I-II)

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) began to speak secretly of Allah's message to those who were close to him and whom he could trust. At that time Mecca was going through hard times. There was very little food to eat. Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, who had taken care of him after his grandfather's death, was finding it very difficult to feed his large family. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said that he and another uncle, al-'Abbas, who was a rich man, would each bring up one of Abu Talib's children in order to help him. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) took Ali and his uncle took Ja'far.

One day, when the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was outside the city, the Archangel Gabriel appeared to him. The Archangel kicked the side of a hill and a spring of water began to flow out. He then began to wash himself in the running water to show the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) the ritual ablution to be made before prayer. Then the Archangel showed him all the positions of Muslim prayer-the various movements and things to be said with each movements. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) returned home and taught all these things first to Khadijah and then to his followers. Since then Muslims have continued to purify themselves before prayer by performing the ritual ablution and have followed the same movements and prayers which were first performed by the Prophet.

To begin with, though, only the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his wife knew of these things. Then one day Ali entered the room and found the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and Khadijah praying. He was puzzled and asked what they were doing. Then the Prophet said that they were praising Allah and giving thanks to Him. That night Ali was thinking about all that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had said; he had great admiration and respect for his cousin. Finally he came to a decision and the next day he communicated it to the Prophet and told him that he wanted to follow him. Thus Khadijah (radiAllahu anha) was the first woman to embrace Islam, the teachings which the Prophet brought from Allah, and 'Ali (radiAllahu anhu) was the first young man. Shortly after they were joined by Zayd ibn Harithah (radiAllahu anhu), a slave, freed and adopted by the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam).

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) began to leave Mecca with 'Ali in order to pray. One day Abu Talib happened to pass by and when he saw them he stopped and asked them what they were doing. The Prophet told him that they were praying and following the same religion as Abraham. He explained that, like Abraham, he had been ordered to guide the people to Allah's truth. Abu Talib looked at his son, 'Ali, and said: 'Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would never make you do anything that was wrong. Go with him. But I cannot leave the religion I now follow and which was followed by my father.' Then he turned to the Prophet, saying, 'Even so, I promise you, Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), that no one will hurt you as long as I am alive.' And with that Abu Talib went on his way.

During this time the news of Muhammad being the Prophet reached an honest, wise, and respected merchant of Mecca called Abu Bakr. He knew Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) well and believed he could never lie, so he went to find out the real story. The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) told him that he was sent by by Allah to teach everyone and to worship the Allah. On hearing this, Abu Bakr (radiAllahu anhu) became a believer instantly. Later, the prophet was reported to have said that everyone he ever invited to accept islam showed signs of disbelief and doubt, except Abu Bakr; when he was told of it he did not hold back or hesitate.

Because of his wisdom, honesty, and kindness people had always turned to Abu Bakr for advice. He was, therefore, a man of some influence and through him many people came to Islam. Among these was Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (radiAllahu anhu), the uncle of Aminah, the Prophet's mother. The night before Abu Bakr came to visit him to tell him about Islam, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas dreamt that he was walking in darkness. As he walked he saw the moon and when he looked at it he saw 'Ali, Abu Bakr, and Zayd, the Prophet's freed slave, beckoning to him to come and join them. When Abu Bakr told him about the Prophet's religion, he understood the meaning of his dream and went at once to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and declared himself a Muslim. He understood that to be a Muslim means to submit oneself to Allah's Will and to serve only Him.

Another person brought to Islam by Abu Bakr was Bilal (radiAllahu anhu). One night Abu Bakr went to the house of Umayyah ibn Khalaf, one of the most important men of Quraysh. Umayyah was out and Abu Bakr found only Umayyah's slave, Bilal, at home. Abu Bakr talked to the slave about Islam and before he left, Bilal, too, had become a Muslim.

Followers of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) began to grow. Sometimes they would all go out of the city to the mountains around Mecca to hear him recite the Koran and to be taught by him. This was all done very secretly and only few people knew about Islam in those early days.

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Chapter 10

The Troubles Begin

Three years passed and one day the Archangel Gabriel came to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and ordered him to preach openly to everyone. So the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) told the Meccans that he had something very important to tell them. He stood on a hillside in Mecca, called Safa, and people gathered around to hear what he had to say.

He started by asking them whether they would believe him if he had to say that an army was about to attack them. They answered that indeed they would, because he never lied. He then told them that he was the Messenger of Allah, sent to show them the right way, and to warn them of terrible punishments if they did not follow him in worshipping only Allah and none other. Abu Lahab, one of the Prophet's uncles who was among the listeners, suddenly stood up and said, 'May you perish! Did you call us here just to tell us this?At this, Allah sent to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) the following surah:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, The Merciful

The Power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish.
His wealth and gains will not save him.
He shall roast at a flaming fire,
And his wife, the carrier of firewood
Will have upon her neck a rope of palm-fibre.
(Quran cxi.I-5)

Then the crowd dispersed and the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was left alone. A few days later the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) tried again. A feast was prepared in his house for all of his uncles. After the meal he spoke to them and said, 'O sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib! I know of no Arab who has come to his people with a better message than mine. I have brought you the best news for this life and the next. Allah has ordered me to call you to Him. So which of you will help me?'
All the men kept silent. Then 'Ali, his cousin, jumped up and said: 'O Prophet of Allah! I will help you.'
Then all men got up and left, laughing as they went because only one young boy had agreed to help the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam). His message ignored by most of the people and his uncles, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) continued to meet his friends secretly in a house near the hill of Safa. There they prayed together and he taught them about Islam.

But even though they kept to themselves, they were sometimes, abused by non- believers. On such an incident, however, an unexpected conversion to Islam took place. One day, when the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was returning home, speaking with his followers, he met Abu Jahl,a leader of Quraysh, who hated the Prophet and his teachings. Abu Jahl started to insult him and spoke spitefully of Islam, but the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) made no reply and went on his way.

Later, Hamzah, one of the Prophet's uncles, who was a strong and brave warrior of whom people were quite afraid, heard how his nephew had been insulted. Filled with rage, he ran straight to the Ka'bah where Abu Jahl was sitting among the people and struck him a violent blow in the face with his bow. Hamzah then shouted. 'Will you insult him when I follow his religion, and I say what he says? Hit me back if you can!'
Some people got up to help Abu Jahl but he stopped them saying, 'Leave Hamzah alone, for by Allah, I have insulted his nephew badly.'

From that moment, Hamzah followed the teachings of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and with his conversion to Islam Quraysh realised that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had a strong supporter and so for a while they stopped persecuting him.

Soon, however, the leaders of Quraysh became angry again, because the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was going ahead with his teaching. Some of them went to his uncle, Abu Talib, who had promised to protect him. They told him to ask the Prophet to stop attacking their gods and their way of life, and in return they would let him do as he wished with his religion.

Even after some time, there was no change, so they went back to Abu Talib and told him that if he did not stop his nephew, they would fight them both. Abu Talib was very upset by this quarrel among his people, but he could not break his word to his nephew. He went to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and told him what had happened, saying, 'Spare me and spare yourself; do not put a greater burden on me than I can bear.'

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) thought that his uncle might abandon him and that he would no longer have his support, but nevertheless he answered, 'O my uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left in return for my giving up this cause, I would not give it up until Allah makes Truth victorious, or I die in His service.'

Abu Talib was deeply moved by this answer. He told the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) that he would support him for as long as he lived and encouraged him to go on spreading Allah's message. From that time on, however hard the leaders of Quraysh tried to convince Abu Talib to sto protecting his nephew, he always refused to listen to them.

In order to get rid of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his followers, his enemies started persecuting those Muslims who were poor or weak, or had no powerful friends. One such person was Bilal, the slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf. His master would take him out into the desert, tie him up, and leave him in the sun with a large stone on his chest. Fortunately Abu Bakr was passing by one day and saw Umayyah torturing Bilal, so he bought him from his master for a large sum of money and then set him free.

But not all persecuted Muslims were as fortunate as Bilal. Many suffered, but all of them endured it patiently, knowing that they were doing the right thing and that their reward in the life to come would be greater than any happiness they could find on earth.

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Chapter 11

The King Who Believed

As the numbers of the Prophet's followers increased, the enemies of the Muslims grew more and more angry. At last some of the Muslims migrated to another country, to live in peace. It was only after five years since the Archangel Gabriel had first come to the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and two years since the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had spoken out in public. The Muslims asked the Prophet's permission to leave Mecca. He agreed, saying 'It would be better for you to go to Abyssinia, a friendly country, with a just king. Stay there until Allah makes it possible for you to return.'

The Muslims prepared for the journey. They decided to wait until night so that they could leave unabsorbed. The first sixteen left Mecca, reached the shore of the Red Sea, and crossed over to Abyssinia. Another eighty-three men and nineteen women followed, hoping that the king the people would welcome them. This was the first hijrah, or migration, in Islam.

The Meccans were furious, because of this migration, which consisted of sons and daughters of many of the leading families of Mecca. Their angry grew when they found that the Muslims had been warmly welcomed in Abyssinia.

The leaders of Quraysh decided to send two men to the Abyssinian king to persuade him to send the Muslims back. These were 'Amr ibn al-'As, a very clever speaker, and 'Abd Allah ibn abi Rabi'ah. Before they met this king, they gave each of his advisers a gift, saying; "Some foolish men from our people have come to hide in your country. Our leaders have sent us to your ruler to persuade him to send them back, so when we speak to the king about them, do advise him to give them up to us.' The advisers agreed to do what the Meccans wished.

'Amr ibn al-'As and 'Abd Allah ibn abi Rabi'ah (radiAllahu anhum) went to the king and presented him with a gift, saying: 'Your Highness, these people have abandoned the religion we have always followed in Mecca, but they have not even become Christians like you.'

The royal advisers, who were present there, told the king that the Meccans were right, and he should send the Muslims back. At this, the king became angry and said, 'No, by God, I will not give them up. Those who have come to ask for my protection, settled in my country, and chosen me rather than others, shall not be betrayed. I will summon them and ask them about what these two men have said. If the Muslims are as the Meccans say, I will give them up and send them back to their own people, but if the Meccans have lied I will protect the Muslims.'

'Amr was very upset by this and the last thing he wanted was for the king to hear what the Muslims had to say. The king then sent for the Muslims. When they entered, they did not kneel before him, as was the custom of the Abyssinians.
'Why do you not kneel before our king?' they were asked by one of the advisors.
'We kneel only to Allah', they replied.
So the king queried them about their religion.

Ja'far ibn abi Talib, 'Ali's brother and a cousin of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) were chosen to speak for the Muslims.
He replied, 'O King, at first we were among the ignorant. We and our ancestors had turned from the faith of Abraham, who, with Ishmael, rebuilt the Ka'bah and worshipped only Allah. We used idols in our worship of Allah; we ate meat that had not been killed in the right way; we did not respect the rights of our neighbours; the strong took advantage of the weak. We did terrible things of which I dare not speak. This was our life until Allah sent a Messenger from among us, one of our relatives, whom we have always known to be honest, innocent, and faithful. He asked us to worship only Allah, and to give up the bad customs of our forefathers. He asked us to be truthful and trustworthy, to respect and help our neighbours, to honour our families, and to put a stop to our bad deeds and endless fighting. He asked us to look after orphans. He ordered us not to slander or speak evil of women or men. He ordered us to worship Allah alone and not to worship anyone or anything else alongside Him. He ordered us to pray, to give alms, and to fast. We believe he is right and therefore we follow him and do as he has commanded us. The Meccans began to attack us and tried to come between our religion and us. So we had to leave our homes and we have come to you, hoping to find justice.'

The king, who was a Christian, was moved by these words. 'Amr had to think quickly of a way to win the argument. Cunningly he said to the king, 'These people do not believe in Jesus in the same way as you'. The king then wanted to know what the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) had said about Jesus. Ja'far replied by reciting a surah from the Koran which tells the story of Jesus and his mother Mary. These are a few of the lines he recited:

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

And make mention of Mary in the Scripture, when she had withdrawn from her people to an eastern place, and had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man.
She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou fearest God.
He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son.
She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I have unchaste?
He said: 'Even so thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me. And (it will be) that We may make of him a revelation for mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is a thing ordained.
And she conceived him, and she withdrew with him to a far place.
Then she brought him to her own folk, carrying him. They said; O Mary! Thou hast come with a monstrous thing.
Oh sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a wicked man nor was thy mother a harlot.

Then Mary pointed to the child (Jesus);
But they said, 'How can we speak
to one who is still in the cradle,
A young child?
He said, 'Lo, I am Allah's servant;
He has given me the Book, and
made me a Prophet.
He has made me Blessed, wheresoever
I may be; and He has enjoined me
to pray, and to give alms, so
long as I live,
and likewise to cherish my mother;
He has not made me arrogant,
unblest
Peace be upon me,
the day I was born,
and the day I die,
and the day I am
raised up alive!'
(Quran xix: 16-33)

When the king heard this, he turned to his advisers, with water filled eyes and said, 'These words have surely come from God; there is very little to separate the Muslims from the Christians. What both Jesus and Muhammad, the Messengers of Allah, have brought comes from the same source.'

So the Muslims were allowed by the king to live peacefully in his country. 'Amr was given back the gift he had presented to the king and the two Meccans returned home, bitterly disappointed.

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Chapter 12

The Cruelty of Quraysh

The leaders of Quraysh became increasingly worried about the way the people of Mecca were being divided by the Prophet's teachings. Finally, 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (radiAllahu anhu), one of the nobles of Mecca, decided that the only way to silence the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was to kill him. Having made up his mind, he set out at once to look for him.

On his way, he met a man who saw at once what 'Umar was going to do and said: 'why don't you take a close look at your home, before going to kill Muhammad? Don't you know that your own sister Fatimah is a Muslim?

'Umar was shocked to believe this. He went at once to his sister's house. When he was outside the house he heard Fatimah (radiAllahu anha) and her husband Sa'id (radiAllahu anhu) reading aloud surah Ta Ha, a chapter from the Koran. Hearing her brother's voice at the door,Fatimah quickly hid the scroll with the surah written on it among the folds of her dress. 'Umar stormed into the room and demanded. 'What is this nonsense, I heard? Fatimah denied everything. 'Umar then lost his temper and attacked Fatimah's husband shouting, 'They tell me that you have joined Muhammad and his religion!' Fatimah tried to defend her husband and 'Umar hit her too.

Then she admitted, 'Yes, we are Muslims and we believe in Allah and His Messenger and you can do what you like!'

Seeing her faith and courage, 'Umar suddenly felt sorry for what he had done and said to his sister, 'Let me see what I heard you reading just now so that I may understand just what it is that your Prophet has brought.'

Fatimah gave the scroll to him after he had washed, to make himself clean and pure before touching it, and had promised to give it back afterwards.

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful

Ta Ha
We have not revealed unto the (Muhammad) this Koran
For thee to be distressed, but only as a reminder
Unto him who fears, a Revelation from
Him who created the earth and the high heavens;
The Beneficent One
Who is established on the Throne;
To Him belongs
Whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth
And all that is between them, and
All that is between them, and
All that is underneath the soil.
If Thou speakest aloud
Be thou loud in thy speech, yet
Surely He knows the secret (thought)
And that yet more hidden.
Allah
There is no god but He
To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.
(Quran xx:I-8)

As he read, 'Umar (radiAllahu anhu) suddenly knew that these were the most beautiful words he had ever heard and that this religion must be the true one. With his sword in hand, he went straight to the Prophet's house and knocked loudly at the door. One of the Prophet's closest followers looked out. There stood 'Umar who was known for his courage and strength. When he saw 'Umar so excited and with his sword in hand, he was afraid for the Prophet's life. But the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) asked him to allow 'Umar to come in and to leave them alone together.

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) asked 'Umar why he had come, to which he replied: 'I have come to swear that there is no god but Allah and that you, Muhammad, is the Messenger of Allah.' As he spoke these words, holding the sword with which he had intended to kill the Prophet. This same sword will now be used to defend the Prophet and the faith of Islam.

At that time, whenever Muslims wanted to perform the ritual encircling of the Ka'bah, known as tawaf, they had to do it secretly and in fear. 'Umar, however, was very courageous. As soon as he had declared his faith, he went directly to the Ka'bah and in broad daylight made the circling of the Sacred House in front of the astonished people of Mecca. No one dared to say anything. But now the leaders of Quraysh became more alarmed and began to see Islam as a threat to the whole life of the city of Mecca. Their anger grew as the numbers of Muslims increased until finally they, too, decided as 'Umar once had, that the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) would have to be killed.

On hearing these plans, Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, immediately sent a message to all the sons of 'Abd al-Muttalib, asking them to protect their nephew, and they agreed to do. When Quraysh realised that they could not kill the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) because of this protection, they decided instead to avoid him and his followers completely. A declaration to this effect was hung at the Ka'bah. It stated that no one in the city was allowed to have anything to do with the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his people, or even to sell them any food or drink whatsoever.

At first the Muslims found some support among the Bani Hashim, the branch of Quraysh to which the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) belonged. Some of them were not Muslims but still showed loyalty to their kinsmen by suffering along with them. However, life became difficult and food was scarce. The hatred of the rest of Quraysh for the followers of the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) grew so great that when his companions tried to buy supplies from a caravan passing near to Mecca, Abu Lahab, one of the Muslims' worst enemies, offered ten times the price of the goods to the merchant. By this he stopped Muslims from buying what they desperately needed.

During this time a wonderful thing happened. Instead of Islam becoming weaker, it grew stronger. Allah sent more and more Revelations. It was as though the Muslims were being strengthened and cleansed by the hardships they suffered and were being tested in their faith.

Every year, during the pilgrimage of Mecca, people came from all over Arabia. These pilgrims saw the terrible cruelty and injustice of Quraysh towards the Muslims, and many of them felt sorry for the Prophet's followers. Quraysh began to feel ashamed of their harsh treatment, especially as many of the Muslims were their cousins and close relatives.

Finally, at the end of three years, they felt that the time had come to put an end to the persecution of the Muslims, and they decided to take down the notice hanging at the Ka'bah. To their astonishment, the sheet of paper was completely eaten up by worms, all except the words, 'In Your Name, O Allah', which was written at the top of the paper.

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Chapter 13

The Year of Sorrow

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) and his followers led a normal way of life but the years of hardship made Khadijah (radiAllahu anha) very weak. She became ill and soon afterwards she died. Thus, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) lost his beloved wife and friend, the first person to accept Islam and support him. She had been a refuge from all his troubles and, through her good-heartedness, the best company in his suffering. He loved her very much. This happened in 619 A.D, which became known as the 'Year of Sorrow'.
Soon after this, the Prophet Muhammad (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)'s uncle and protector, Abu Talib, also died. Abu Talib had been one of the most respected men in Mecca -- and one of the elders of Quraysh. Although he never followed Islam, but he protected the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) against his enemies. Not only was this a sad occasion for the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam), but also a dangerous one. According to Arab custom anyone who is under the protection of another is safe so long as his protector lives. Now, with the death of his uncle, the Prophet's protection was gone.

The Prophet's enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a wife to console and comfort him, and his uncle to protect him. They began to treat him worse than ever before. Even small children insulted him. One young man actually threw some filth on the Prophet's head, but the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) went home without making anything of it. When one of his daughters rushed, weeping, to wash it away, he comforted her saying, 'Do not weep my little girl, for Allah will protect your father.'

Abu Talib was the Prophet's last tie with Quraysh and the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) now felt that Islam could make no further progress in Mecca because the hearts of Quraysh were closed against him. He decided, therefore, to travel to Ta'if hoping to find support. He walked all the way to the town, which was seventy kilometers away. There he spoke at all the places where people gathered, but none listened to him. He met the leaders of the three most important tribes but they would not listen either. Not only did they take no notice of what he said, but also they laughed at him and ordered their slaves to insult and pelt him with stones.

Sadly, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) left the city and found a quiet place near a wall on the edge of town where he can be alone. There he prayed to Allah in these words:

O Allah, to Thee I complain of my weakness, helplessness and lowliness before men. O Most Merciful, Thou art the Lord of the weak, and Thou art my Lord of the weak, and Thou art my Lord. To whom wouldst Thou leave my fate? To a stranger who insults me or to an enemy to whom Thou hast given power over me? If Thou art not angry with me, I care not what happens to me. Thy favour alone is my objective. I take refuge in the Light of Thy countenance by which the darkness is illumined and on which this world and the other depend, lest Thy anger descend upon me or Thy wrath light upon me. It is for Thee to be satisfied until Thou art well pleased. There is no power and no might save through Thee.

The wall where the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) was sitting belonged to a garden owned by two brothers. When they heard his prayer, they were very sorry for him and sent one of their slaves to him with a grapes dish. Before he began to eat, the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) said 'Bismillah' - 'In the Name of Allah.'
The servant, whose name was 'Addas, was very surprised at these words, which he had never heard before.

'By Allah', said 'Addas, 'this is not the way the people of this country speak.'
'Then from what country do you come, 'Addas, and what is your religion?' asked the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam).
'I am a Christian from the Assyrian town of Nineveh', he replied.
'From the town of that good man Jonah, son of Matta', added the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)
'How do you know about him?' asked 'Addas.
'He is my brother- he was a Prophet and I am a Prophet', answered the Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasalam).
'Addas bent down and kissed the Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam)'s head, hands and feet, because he now saw that he was truly a Prophet.

The Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasalam) then walked back to Mecca. He was now able to put up with everything patiently for he knew that Allah would never leave him. His journey to Ta'if had not been in vain as 'Addas, the Christian, became a Muslim,and this was the beginning of great changes.

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