Two Words
Islam is the only complete way of life. There is no department of human life concerning which Islam has not provided correct and clear guidance. Islam came to bring the whole of human life under divine guidance. Thus, Islam is a complete movement, an all-embracing revolution. Calling human society toward the Islamic way of life is the principal activity of this movement and revolution. Allah Almighty assigned His Messenger the responsibility of being a da‘i ilallah, and through him the call to the Din had to be conveyed in the world. The true identity of a worker of the Islamic movement is that he is a da‘i ilallah.
This book has been compiled from Maulana Syed Abul A‘la Maududi (d. 1979 CE), the mujaddid of the century and leading figure of the global Islamic movement, in Sirat-e Sarwar-e Alam and Khutbat-e Europe. In the light of the Qur’an and Hadith, this book presents a complete outline of the qualities a da‘i ilallah must possess and the correct method of working in the call to the Din.
Abdus Shahid Nasim
1. Qualities of the Caller toward Allah
(On April 8, 1979, Mr. Anis Ahmad, representative of the Muslim Students Association of America and Canada, interviewed Maulana Syed Abul A‘la Maududi (rahimahullah), the thinker of the global Islamic movement and founder of Jamaat-e-Islami. It was essentially recorded as a message of greetings for the M.S.A.’s annual conference, although it was conducted in the form of questions and answers.
M, S, representative
Maulana! On behalf of the Muslims of South America and Canada and the M.S.A., I sincerely thank you for accepting our invitation despite your serious illness and agreeing to give this special interview for our ’79 annual conference. It is entirely Allah’s kindness and grace that your writings and those of the leaders of the Ikhwan al-Muslimun in South America are rapidly spreading the ideas of the Islamic movement. Today countless people in America are waiting to see you even once and to hear some words of advice from you. In response to their intense interest and demand, I have come to wait upon you.
Question: Respected Maulana! The Noble Qur’an calls the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) a ‘da‘i ilallah.’ In the light of the Qur’an and the pure Sirah, which qualities do you consider most important for a da‘i of truth?
Answer: Please convey my greetings to all those servants of Allah in America and Canada who are working for the Islamic movement. (Because of my illness) I cannot speak for long. Therefore, I am answering your question briefly:
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‘Who can speak better than one who calls toward Allah, does righteous deeds, and declares: “I am a Muslim”?’ (Hamim as-Sajdah 33)
To understand the full significance of this verse, we must remember that it was revealed amid the intense opposition in Makkah. It was that tragic period when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and his followers were subjected to merciless persecution. In such circumstances, saying and declaring, ‘I am a Muslim,’ was no easy matter. In this situation, the first thing stated was that the speech of the person who calls people toward Allah is the best. In other words, the characteristic of one who calls to the true path is that his call must be toward Allah. He must have no worldly objective before him. No other purpose may find a place in any corner of his heart. According to the teachings of the Qur’an, the first characteristic of one who sincerely calls toward Allah must be that he calls to the Oneness of Allah (Tawhid). He must call in this way: O people, do not serve, obey, or worship anyone besides Allah. Fear no one besides Allah. Do not desire or covet anything from anyone besides Him. Obey only Allah’s commands and instructions. Follow only His law.
Whatever a person does in this world, he does so while considering whom he is serving and obeying and before whom he will have to give an account. The aim and purpose of all human activity and effort should be to attain Allah’s pleasure by establishing personal and social life according to the laws prescribed by Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him).
The second matter mentioned is that the caller to the path of truth must be adorned with the beauty of righteous deeds. He must perform good deeds. A little thought will make the significance of this statement clear. The point is that if the caller’s own deeds are not sound, his call has no effect at all; it becomes completely futile. A person must first become an embodiment of the very thing to which he calls people. Not the slightest deviation from obedience to Allah should be found in his own life. His moral character must be such that no one can find even a blemish in it. The people around him—his society, friends, close ones, and relatives—should feel that among them there is a person of elevated and pure character.
Along with the Noble Qur’an, we find exactly the same teaching in the pure Sirah. The blessed life of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) bears witness that when he began calling people to the true Din from Allah, among the society in which he had spent forty years of his life there was not a single person who was not an advocate and admirer of his elevated moral character. The closer a person was to him, the more devoted he was to him. Those from whom no aspect of his life was hidden were the very first to affirm his Prophethood.
Hazrat Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her)
Hazrat Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) had been the intimate companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in married life for the preceding fifteen years. She was not a young woman. Rather, she was considerably older than the Prophet (peace be upon him). At the time he received Prophethood, she was fifty-five years old. Such an older, experienced, and intelligent woman, who had seen him closely and without concealment as a husband for fifteen years, could not have been unaware of any fault in him. A wife may join her husband in an impermissible undertaking to achieve some worldly objective, but under no circumstances can she accept that he may be, or ought to be, a prophet. Yet Hazrat Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) had such profound faith and conviction in the Prophet (peace be upon him) that when he related to her the event of receiving Prophethood, she accepted faith in him and affirmed his Prophethood immediately, without thinking for even a moment or experiencing any hesitation.
Hazrat Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him)
The second person who knew him at the closest quarters was Hazrat Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him). He came into the Prophet’s household as a slave. He entered that home at the age of fifteen. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) received Prophethood, he was thirty years old; that is, having spent a full fifteen years in the Prophet’s home, he had the opportunity to observe and understand him in every aspect of life. His view of the Prophet becomes even clearer through an incident. As a child, he had become separated from his parents. Fate brought him to the Prophet (peace be upon him). When his father and uncles learned that their son was living the life of a slave in such-and-such a place, they came to Makkah. This occurred before the Prophet (peace be upon him) received Prophethood. They came and said to the Prophet:
‘If you set our son free, it would be a great kindness to us.’
He said: ‘I will call the boy. If he wishes to go with you, I will send him with you. But if he wishes to stay with me, I am not the kind of person who would forcibly push away anyone who wished to remain with me.’
They replied, ‘You are speaking with great justice. Call Zayd and find out the matter.’ He sent for Zayd. When Zayd appeared before him, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked him:
‘Do you know these people?’
Zayd said: ‘Yes, indeed! They are my father and my uncle.’
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘They have come to take you back home. You may go with them happily if you wish.’
His father and uncle also said the same: ‘We want to take you with us.’ In reply, Hazrat Zayd ibn Harithah said: ‘I have seen such beautiful qualities in this man that, after seeing them, I do not wish to leave him and return to my father, uncle, and relatives.’
This was the testimony of his servant concerning the Prophet (peace be upon him). A servant is grateful to his master, but he cannot become so devoted and attached that he accepts faith in his master. For him to accept faith, such noble character, good conduct, purity, and elevated morality must be manifested in the master that the servant accepts without hesitation, ‘My master truly is a prophet.’ It must also be remembered that Hazrat Zayd was not a man of ordinary ability. After the state was established in Madinah, he was entrusted with command in many battles. This testimony concerning the Prophet’s character is the testimony of such a capable person.
Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)
Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had the opportunity to observe and know the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a close friend from twenty years before he received Prophethood. They were friends: one was Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the other was Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). A friend likes another friend very much and shares his inner thoughts with him, but he cannot become so devoted that he accepts him as a prophet. Hazrat Abu Bakr’s unhesitating affirmation of his Prophethood proves that during those long twenty years he had found the Prophet (peace be upon him) to be an embodiment of pure character and sublime conduct. That is why he affirmed his Prophethood without hesitation and declared that a person possessing such elevated character must indeed be able to be a prophet, and ought rightly to be one.
Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him)
I did not mention Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) first because he was ten years old at the time. He was brought up in the household of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Yet even a ten-year-old boy remains familiar with the personal life of the person whose home he shares and with whom he stays. In particular, the fact that a person of intellectual ability like Hazrat Ali affirmed his Prophethood even at a young age means that he was aware of his affection, limitless purity of character, exalted nature, and dignity.
The finest examples concerning righteous deeds make it clear that whoever calls people to something must shape his own life exactly according to the standard of that call; his personal life must be a practical testimony and reflection of his call. He must possess such pure character and elevated nature and conduct that when he enters the field bearing the call to Allah, people are influenced by his words and his deeds bear witness to his call. People must acknowledge that what this person says cannot be false. Whether or not they accept his call, they should be compelled to acknowledge that whatever he says, he says sincerely, and that this creed, principle, and call are his way of life. That is why even Abu Jahl, the closest enemy of the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him), once said:
“O Muhammad (peace be upon him)! We are not calling you a liar. We are calling the call you have brought a lie.” In other words, even the vilest enemy testified to his truthfulness. This is the purity of moral character and the excellence of nature and conduct.
The third characteristic is stated:
‘…and declares, “I am a Muslim.”’
To understand the significance of this, we must keep before us the environment of exalted Makkah that I mentioned at the outset. During that period of Prophethood, for anyone to declare, ‘I am a Muslim,’ was not an easy or ordinary matter. Rather, it was tantamount to inviting savage beasts to attack him. Thus, the characteristic of the caller to the true Din becomes clear: he is not merely one who calls toward Allah and not merely one who possesses pure deeds; rather, even before the worst enemies and in an intensely hostile environment, he neither denies nor conceals that he is a Muslim. He feels no shame, hesitation, or fear in acknowledging and declaring that he is a Muslim. He openly declares, ‘Yes, I am a Muslim; let anyone do as he wishes.’ In other words, an important quality of the caller to the true Din must be that he is extremely resolute and courageous. Calling people toward Allah is not the work of a timid coward. A person who collapses at the slightest blow can never call people to Allah’s path. The person worthy of calling people to Allah’s path is one who has the courage to stand with the banner of Islam even in the most hostile, oppositional, and dangerously perilous circumstances, without caring about the consequences. The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself was the practical and perfect example of such courage. In the intensely hostile environment of Makkah, he presented the call openly. He fulfilled the responsibility of bearing witness to the truth and continued this movement among people who thirsted for his blood and spared no effort in subjecting him and his Companions to the harshest oppression and persecution. Even amid such intense opposition, persecution, and hardship, he continued presenting the call for thirteen consecutive years. Then, after reaching Madinah, even amid the circumstances that arose and the terrible battles he faced, his feet never retreated. When the Muslims in the Battle of Hunayn were almost facing defeat, the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself not only stood firm on the battlefield but advanced toward the enemy ranks, without concealing who he was. He was saying:
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“There is no trace of falsehood in me; I am a prophet. Know well: I am the grandson of Abd al-Muttalib.”
He made this declaration on a battlefield amid such circumstances of war that he was within reach of the enemy’s attacks and had only two or three companions left with him. Even then, his declaration, ‘I am a prophet,’ clearly shows that a da‘i ilallah must be courageous and brave. If a caller is not adorned with qualities such as courage, steadfastness, determination, and bravery, he is not qualified to set foot on this path. Even if he does enter it, his fear and weakness will instead make him a cause of harm to the entire movement.
This is what I have placed before you. If these words are considered carefully, it will become clear that these very words constitute a complete program for calling people toward Allah. According to it, work can be carried out in any place and in any environment.
2. Da‘wah ilallah
A Brief Discussion of the Initial Stage of the Call:
Allah Almighty appointed His servant Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the famous central Arab city of Makkah to fulfill the responsibility of Prophethood, and instructed him to begin this work of calling among his own city and his own tribe, the Quraysh. At the very beginning of this work, he was given the guidance necessary for it, consisting chiefly of three types of subject matter:
First: He was taught how the Prophet should prepare himself for fulfilling this immense responsibility and by what methods and procedures he should work.
Second: Basic information about the true realities and mysteries was given, and the commonly prevalent misconceptions about profound truths—because of which their way of life had been directed along extremely misguided paths—were refuted.
Third: They were called toward the true way of living, and the fundamental principles of character in divine guidance were analyzed, in whose observance lie the eternal welfare and prosperity of all humanity.
As the beginning of the call, these initial directions were conveyed in several brief, concise messages—clear and flowing, extremely sweet and melodious, highly influential, and adorned with refined literary embellishment suited to the tastes of those being addressed. Consequently, they pierced the hearts and minds of the listeners like sharp arrows; because of their harmonious sweetness, people began to recite and repeat them in a state of rapture.
Above all, it was deeply influenced by the local outlook. Although eternal truths were discussed, the arguments, proofs, testimonies, and examples used to establish their truth were drawn from the surrounding society, with which the audience was intimately familiar. Its history, its national traditions, the signs they observed in their daily lives, and its beliefs, moral character, and social shortcomings were discussed, so that they would be intensely affected by them.
This initial stage of the da‘wah lasted for approximately three or four years. (Of these, three years were the period of the secret da‘wah.) During this stage, the reaction to the Noble Prophet’s (peace be upon him) da‘wah manifested itself in three ways:
1) Some upright and truth-oriented people accepted this da‘wah and became ready to unite in the Muslim Ummah.
2) A great many people, engrossed in ignorance, selfishness, or blind love for inherited customs, became determined to oppose it.
3) Crossing beyond the boundaries of Quraysh and Makkah, the voice of this new da‘wah entered a relatively broader sphere.
From then onward, the second stage of this da‘wah began. In this stage, an intense and life-and-death conflict commenced between the Islamic Movement and the old Jahiliyyah, the repercussions of which continued for eight or nine years. Not only in Makkah, and not only among the Quraysh tribe, but throughout most of Arabia, the supporters of the old Jahiliyyah employed all their strength to eradicate this movement. They began making every possible effort to weaken and annihilate it. They launched fierce attacks of false propaganda, slander, accusations, doubts, suspicions, and various cunning questions. They continued creating all kinds of propaganda and incitement in the hearts of the people. They tried to prevent strangers from listening to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). They inflicted the most extreme brutal persecution and torture on those who accepted Islam. They severed all economic and social relations with them. Such indescribable persecution and oppression were inflicted upon them that many of them abandoned their homes and were compelled to migrate to Abyssinia twice, and ultimately all of them had to migrate to Madinah for a third time. Yet despite this fierce opposition and growing obstruction, the movement continued to expand widely. There was no clan or family in Makkah from which at least one person had not accepted Islam. The reason for the intense hostility of most of Islam’s enemies was that their own brothers, nephews, sons, sons-in-law, daughters, sisters, and brothers-in-law had not merely accepted the Islamic da‘wah; rather, they had become devoted to Islam and its helpers. Their own beloved children had become fighters against them. Most remarkable of all was that those who broke away from the old Jahiliyyah and joined this new movement were acknowledged, even in Jahili society, as its finest people. As a result of joining this movement, they became so upright, truth-oriented, and pure in moral character that this revolutionary work itself made the movement’s superiority and distinction clear in the eyes of the world. Throughout this long and arduous conflict, Allah continued to send down to His Prophet, at the appropriate time and as circumstances and needs required, such emotionally powerful discourses that they contained the surging flow of the sea, the irresistible force of a flood, and the sharp, fiery intensity of flame. On the one hand, these discourses informed the believers of their initial responsibilities and duties. They developed in them an awareness of communal life and trained them in taqwa, moral excellence, purity of nature, and a pure way of life. They taught them the method of propagating the true Din. Their courage was strengthened by promises of success and glad tidings of Paradise. They were urged to strive and struggle in the path of Allah with patience, steadfastness, and great courage. Such an irresistible fervor for sacrifice, self-surrender, and self-devotion was created in them that they became ready to confront every danger, calamity, and the towering waves of opposition. On the other hand, the opponents, those averse to truth and immersed in the sleep of heedlessness, were warned by mention of the dreadful ends of those nations whose history they knew well. They were admonished by references to the remains of destroyed peoples over which they traveled day and night during their journeys. The clear signs in the heavens and the earth that appeared before their eyes day and night, which they observed and experienced every moment of their lives, were themselves used to present proofs of Tawhid and the Hereafter. The errors of shirk, arbitrariness, rejection of the Hereafter, and blind following of the forefathers were established through clear arguments and proofs capable of influencing their minds and hearts. Thereafter, all their doubts and misgivings were dispelled. A rational answer was given to each of their questions. Clear solutions were presented to the complex problems that tormented their minds or cast doubts into the minds of others. Old Jahiliyyah was surrounded from every side so completely that not even the slightest space remained for it in the realm of reason and conscience. Along with this, they were warned of Allah’s wrath and curse, the terrifying scene of the Day of Resurrection, and the severe punishment of Hell. They were censured and reproached for their bad character, misguided way of life, Jahili customs and practices, opposition to truth, and persecution of the believers. The major principles of moral character and social order that formed the foundation of Allah’s divinely chosen, truth-based civilization were set out before them in detail.
This stage itself consisted of various manzils, and in each manzil the da‘wah work became extremely broad and extensive. Efforts and opposition also grew more intense. The movement encountered countless active groups and factions representing different and mutually opposed views. Accordingly, the diversity of subject matter in the messages coming from Allah also continued to increase. If one considers the detailed guidance given to the Prophet (peace be upon him) for carrying out this immense responsibility of the Islamic da‘wah, one can easily understand what great moral strength cleared the way forward during the period of Makkah’s fierce opposition, and what powerful influence encouraged those participating in this movement to confront every force and endure every hardship without complaint. Below, we describe these directions one by one:
Wisdom and the Method of Good Admonition in Giving the Da‘wah
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‘O Prophet, call people to the path of your Lord through wisdom and good admonition.’ (An-Nahl 125)
It is stated here that two methods must be followed very strictly when giving the da‘wah of the Din: one, wisdom; two, good admonition.
“Applying wisdom in the da‘wah means that it should not be delivered foolishly, in the manner of fools. Rather, one must speak intelligently, understanding the listener’s mentality, capacity, and comprehension, and according to the appropriate place, time, and opportunity. It is not right to try to straighten out all kinds of people with the same stick. First, the disease of the person or people to whom the da‘wah is being taken must be diagnosed. Then they must be treated with such arguments and proofs as can uproot the source of every illness from the depths of their minds and hearts.
‘Good admonition’ has two meanings. First, it is not enough merely to try to convince and satisfy the listener with arguments and proofs; rather, his feelings must be awakened. It is not enough merely to refute wrongdoing and error through arguments; rather, the innate hatred and aversion people possess toward wrongdoing must be aroused, and they must be warned of its evil consequences. Rational and intellectual proofs alone are not sufficient to demonstrate the beauty and purity of guidance and righteous deeds; at the same time, the listener must be made to feel attracted to and develop love for them. Second, advice must be given with sympathy, sincerity, and genuine concern. The listener should never feel that the adviser considers him ignorant and mocks him while regarding himself as something great. Rather, such an atmosphere must be created that the listener can feel that the adviser truly has concern and a sympathetic yearning in his heart for his reform, and that he genuinely wishes for his welfare.”
There is no need to display intellectual arrogance in one’s manner of speech and discussion, argumentation, debate, or learning. In this work, one must refrain from heated discussion, slander, and hurtful remarks. The purpose of discussion or speech should not be to defeat an opponent or beat the drum of one’s own loquacity. Rather, discussion and conversation in the work of da‘wah must be pleasant. The character of the one giving the da‘wah must be marked by the highest courtesy and decorum. One must establish one’s position with reasoned and compelling evidence and proofs. Under no circumstances should obstinacy, anger, or aggression be allowed to arise in the listeners’ hearts. One must try to explain one’s position to them in an extremely simple and straightforward manner. Whenever it is felt that the listener is proceeding into sophistry, discussion with him should be ended immediately, so that he does not advance further along the wrong path.
Calling to the Truth Requires a Cool Head and the Best Approach Suited to the Circumstances:
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‘O Muhammad! Tell My servants to speak in the best manner. Indeed, Satan tries to create quarrels and discord among them. Truly, Satan is man’s open enemy. Your Lord knows your condition best. If He wills, He may show you mercy, and if He wills, He may punish you. O Prophet, We have not sent you as a guardian over the people.’ (Bani Isra’il 53–54)
In other words, when believers discuss and speak with the unbelieving polytheists and the opponents of their Din, they must not speak falsely, exaggeratedly, or hastily. No matter how unjust or offensive the opponents’ words may be, Muslims must never utter any false or unjust words under any circumstances, nor respond to foolish words with foolish words in anger. They must speak with a cool head, weighing their words on the scales according to the circumstances. Every one of their words must embody justice and truth and honor their great da‘wah.
And if, while replying to the opponents’ words, you ever feel the fire of anger blazing within you and sense that your temper is getting out of control, understand at once that this is Satan’s work. He is provoking you so that the work of giving the da‘wah of the Din is ruined. He wants you, too, to abandon the work of reform and correction like your opponents and become involved in the same kind of quarrels and discord in which he wants to keep the whole human race entangled.
Believers can never claim with their tongues that we are destined for Paradise while so-and-so or such-and-such people are destined for Hell. The decision in this matter rests with Allah. Even the Prophet’s task was limited to giving the da‘wah. The keys to people’s destinies were not entrusted to him so that he could decide mercy for some and punishment for others.
The Status and Responsibility of the One Giving the Da‘wah:
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‘Behold, a light of insight has come to you from your Lord. Whoever acts with the help of his sight, it is for his own good; and whoever chooses blindness, it is to his own detriment. I am not a keeper over you.’ (Al-An‘am 104)
‘I am not a keeper over you’ means that my responsibility extends only to presenting to you the light that has come from your Lord. Thereafter, whether you open your eyes and see or not is your concern. I have not been given the responsibility of forcibly opening the eyes of those who keep them shut, or of making those who will not see behold what they refuse to see.
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‘O Prophet! Follow the revelation sent down to you from your Lord. There is no deity except Him. Do not concern yourself with the polytheists. Had Allah willed (that they not commit shirk), they would not have committed shirk. We have not appointed you as a keeper over them, nor are you their guardian.’ (Al-An‘am 106–107)
The significance of this is that you have been made a caller and preacher, not a police officer. There is no need for you to pursue them. Your responsibility is to present this light before the people and, to the best of your ability, leave no deficiency in fulfilling the duty of making the truth known. Thereafter, if anyone does not wish to accept this truth, let him not accept it. You have not been entrusted with the responsibility of turning people into followers of the truth. Nor does it form part of your responsibility and accountability that no follower of falsehood may exist within the sphere of your prophethood. Therefore, do not distress yourself with the thought of how sight can be given to blind people who do not wish to open their eyes and how those who do not wish to see can be made to see. If Allah’s will had been that no follower of falsehood could exist in the world, what need would there have been for Allah to have this task carried out through you? Could not a single creational command of His have made all people followers of the truth? But from the outset, that was not the purpose. The purpose is that people will be given the freedom to choose between truth and falsehood. Then the light of truth will be presented to them, and they will be tested as to which of the two they choose. Therefore, your correct course is to continue walking on the straight, right path in the light of the illumination shown to you, embrace those who accept this da‘wah, and never abandon their company, however insignificant and worthless they may be in worldly terms. And do not pursue those who will not accept this da‘wah. Leave them to go toward the evil end they themselves wish to reach and toward which they stubbornly insist on proceeding.”}]},{
An Easy Method of Propagating the Din
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‘And, O Prophet, I am making the easy way convenient for you. So continue giving admonition. If the admonition proves beneficial.’
In other words, O Prophet, I do not wish to place you in difficulty in propagating the Din. You are not responsible for making the deaf hear or guiding the blind. I am giving you an easy method: continue giving admonition as long as you feel that someone is ready to benefit from it. But who is ready to benefit from it and who is not? In reality, the answer to this question will become apparent through general da‘wah and tabligh. Therefore, general tabligh and propagation must certainly continue. Its purpose, however, should be to seek out from among Allah’s servants those people who will benefit from this advice and adopt the right path. These people alone deserve to be your sincere focus, and your attention should be directed only toward their education and training. There is no need to remain occupied with those others whom experience shows are unwilling to accept this advice.
Who Are the Important People from the Perspective of Propagating the Din?
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‘And, O Prophet, do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure. You are not responsible for their account, nor are they responsible for your account. Yet if you drive them away, you will be counted among the wrongdoers.’ (Al-An‘am 52)
In the early period, many of those who believed in the Messenger (peace be upon him) were poor and laboring people. Among the questions raised by Quraysh’s great chiefs and affluent people regarding the Messenger (peace be upon him) was this as well: only the slaves, freed slaves, and lower-class people of our community have gathered around him. They would sneer, saying, ‘What distinguished people this man has as companions and members of his procession! Bilal, ‘Ammar, Suhayb, Khabbab—so these are the people Allah found worthy of choosing from among us!’ Moreover, they did not limit themselves to mocking the believers’ poverty; if any of them had displayed a moral weakness before accepting faith, they would also raise a wave of ridicule over that, saying, ‘Until yesterday his character was like this, and he had done such-and-such things; yet now we see that he too belongs to this chosen group.’ Their statement is quoted in verse 53 of Surah Al-An‘am: ‘Are these the people among us upon whom Allah has bestowed favor and grace?’ This verse gives the answer to all these remarks. Its significance is that you must not push away those who come to you as seekers of truth merely to please the prominent people. Even if someone committed an offense before accepting Islam, you are not responsible for it.
The Incident of Ibn Umm Maktum
Once, several chiefs and leaders of Makkah were seated in the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) assembly. The Messenger (peace be upon him) was encouraging them to accept Islam.¹ In the meantime, a blind man named Ibn Umm Maktum came to the Messenger (peace be upon him) and asked to learn something about Islam. As he disliked causing an interruption at that time, he paid no attention to him. It was in this context that Surah ‘Abasa was revealed by Allah:
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‘He frowned and turned away because the blind man came to him.’ ( ‘Abasa 1–2)
Judging from the opening of the discourse, it may appear that this Surah reprimands and rebukes the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) for showing disinterest in the blind man and interest and attention toward the prominent chiefs. But when the Surah is considered as a whole, it becomes clear that it primarily expresses the strongest displeasure toward the unbelieving Quraysh chiefs, who were rejecting the Noble Prophet’s (peace be upon him) true da‘wah with contempt because of their arrogance, conceit, and aversion to the truth. At the same time, while teaching the Messenger (peace be upon him) the correct method of propagating the Din, it also clarified the error in the methods he had adopted in the initial stage of carrying out his responsibility as a Messenger. His lack of interest in the blind man and attention to the Quraysh chiefs was not because he considered these prominent people honorable and worthy while regarding the unfortunate blind man as insignificant. Nor was it because—Allah forbid—there was any kind of moral crookedness in him for which Allah was reprimanding and rebuking him here. No, none of these was the case. Rather, the actual matter was that when the caller or preacher of an ideal begins his da‘wah work, it is natural for him to hope that influential people in society will accept the da‘wah, making the work of propagation easier. Otherwise, even if the da‘wah spreads widely among ordinary people without influence, authority, strength, or ability, no substantial difference is created in the essential matter. At the beginning of the da‘wah, the Messenger (peace be upon him) had adopted more or less this policy. Its underlying cause was his complete devotion and deep sincerity for the success of the religious da‘wah. Honoring the prominent and despising the humble was not his objective. But Allah made him understand that this was not the correct and flawless method of the Islamic da‘wah. Rather, from the perspective of this da‘wah, those who seek the truth are the ones deserving importance, however weak, uninfluential, or powerless they may be. Conversely, those who have no love for the truth are entirely unimportant from the perspective of this movement, however high their status in society may be. Thus, you will indeed convey Islam’s call to everyone, but your focus and interest must be directed toward those in whom willingness to accept this great truth is found. As for those who, because of their arrogance and conceit, think that they have no need of you, but that you are dependent upon them, continuing to present the da‘wah only to such haughty and arrogant people is utterly degrading to the lofty dignity of this sublime da‘wah. In this context, Allah says:
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‘O Prophet! How could you know? Perhaps he would have purified himself, or accepted the admonition, and the admonition would have benefited him. As for the one who shows indifference, you give him your attention, although you bear no responsibility if he does not purify himself. And as for the one who comes running to you and fears, you turn away from him with disinterest. No indeed! This is an admonition; whoever wishes may accept it.’
At this point, the fundamental principle that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was overlooking in conveying the religion has been mentioned. To make this clear, Allah first reproached the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) for his conduct toward Ibn Umm Maktum. Then He explained what should truly be regarded as important by those who convey the true religion, and what should not. One person is characterized by the fact that his outward condition clearly shows him to be a seeker of truth, fearful and terrified lest he follow falsehood and incur God’s wrath. Therefore, he comes to the Prophet himself to acquire knowledge of the true path. In contrast, another person is characterized by the fact that his outward conduct and behavior show that he has no inclination whatsoever toward the truth. He considers himself far above any need to be shown the true path. The distinction between these two kinds of people does not lie in whether one person’s accepting faith might bring great benefit to the religion while another’s acceptance might bring no significant benefit. Rather, the point to observe is which person is ready to accept guidance and reform himself, and which person is wholly unprepared to value this priceless treasure and completely unaware of its worth. Even if the first person were blind, lame, powerless, destitute, and poor, and, outwardly, not considered capable of undertaking any major responsibility for the advancement of the religion, he would nevertheless be the important person for the preacher of truth. He must give his attention to that person, because the very purpose of this call is to reform God’s servants. From this person’s condition it is clear that, if he is admonished, he will reform and change himself. As for the second kind of person, no matter how influential and powerful he may be in society, the preacher of the true religion has no need to run after him. His outward behavior clearly shows that he has no desire or interest in accepting purification and reform. Thus, trying to reform him is nothing but a waste of time. If he does not wish to reform himself, he alone will suffer the loss; the preacher of the true religion bears no responsibility for it.
The blind man mentioned here was the renowned Companion, Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum (may Allah be pleased with him). Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr wrote in Al-Isti‘ab, and Hafiz Ibn Hajar wrote in Al-Isabah, that he was the maternal cousin of Lady Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). His mother, Umm Maktum, and Khadijah’s father, Khuwaylid, were brother and sister. Knowing this relationship with the Prophet (peace be upon him), there is no possibility of suspecting that he turned away from him in annoyance, considering him poor or low in status, and directed his attention toward the prominent men present before him. For, by relationship, he was a brother of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him)—a man of noble lineage. He was by no means a person without status. In reality, the reason the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) behaved toward him in that manner is clearly indicated by the Qur’anic word meaning ‘the blind man.’ Allah Himself used this word here as the very reason for explaining the Prophet’s lack of interest. In other words, the Prophet’s state of mind at that moment was that if even one of the people whom he was trying to bring to Islam accepted guidance, it might become a major means of strengthening Islam. Ibn Umm Maktum, on the other hand, was blind. Because of his disability, he could not be expected to benefit Islam as much as one of these chiefs might if he accepted Islam. Therefore, it was not appropriate for him to interrupt the conversation at that time. Whatever he wished to know and understand, he could learn at some later time.
The Wisdom in Conveying the Religion
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‘And do not argue with the People of the Book except in the best manner.’ (Al-‘Ankabut 46)
That is, this debate must be conducted through reasonable proofs and evidence, civilized and courteous language, and an effort to understand and make others understand. One should speak in such a way that the thinking of the person being addressed may be corrected. The preacher’s principal concern must be to open the listener’s heart, allow the truth to enter it, and try to bring him to the true path. He must not fight like a wrestler with the aim of belittling his opponent. Rather, he should act like a wise physician who, while treating a disease, remains alert at every moment lest any mistake on his part worsen the patient’s condition, and who strives to cure the patient with the least possible pain. Here, guidance has been given regarding how to behave when debating with the People of the Book in the relevant circumstances. But this guidance is not limited specifically to the People of the Book; rather, it is a general directive for conveying the religion, given in various places throughout the Noble Qur’an. For example:
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‘Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition, and debate with people in the best manner.’ (An-Nahl 125)
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‘Good and evil are not equal. Repel the attack of the opponents in the best manner, and then you will see that even the one who is your bitter enemy has become a devoted friend.’
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‘Repel evil and wrongdoing in the best manner. We know what they say against you.’ (Al-Mu’minun 92)
The Correct Method for the Call to the Truth
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‘O Prophet, adopt a gentle and forgiving policy. Continue directing people toward recognized good, and do not engage in debate with the ignorant. If Satan ever incites you, seek refuge with Allah. Indeed, He hears all and knows all. In truth, those who are mindful of Allah are such that, even if an evil thought from Satan’s prompting touches them, they immediately become alert and cautious. Then they clearly perceive what they ought to do. As for their brethren and friends—the brethren of the devils—Satan drags them along a crooked path and makes no shortcoming in misleading them.’ (Al-A‘raf 199–202)
These verses teach several important points concerning the wisdom of calling people to the religion, conveying the message, guiding them, and reforming them. Their purpose is not merely to teach the Prophet (peace be upon him); rather, through the Prophet, the purpose is also to teach all those people who will take his place and act as his representatives, ready to show the inhabitants of the world the straight and correct path. These teachings and principles are presented below in sequence:
1. One of the most essential qualities of a preacher of the truth is that he must be gentle, humble, patient, and broad-minded. With his fellow workers he must be gentle and loving; toward ordinary people, caring and compassionate; and toward opponents, exceptionally forbearing. He must keep his temperament calm even in a tense and highly agitated environment. He must be patient enough to tolerate the fierce opposition of hardened adversaries and the weaknesses of his own colleagues. He must generously overlook even completely intolerable words. No matter how harsh the words, lies, slander, torment, and purely malicious obstacles coming from opponents may be, he must absorb all of them with generosity and forgiveness. Harshness, rough treatment, bitter speech, and retaliatory agitation act like poison against this great work. Through them the work is shattered to pieces instead of being built. The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) described this principle as follows: ‘My Lord has commanded me that I should speak with justice in both anger and contentment; that I should maintain relations with one who cuts relations with me; that I should give his rightful due to the one who deprives me of my rightful due; and that I should forgive the one who wrongs me.’ He gave the same guidance to those whom he sent to convey the religion on his behalf:
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It means: ‘Wherever you go, let your arrival be a source of good news for people, not of hatred and displeasure. Make things easy for people; do not make them difficult and harsh.’ Allah Almighty also praised this very quality of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), saying:
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‘That is, it is by Allah’s grace that you are very gentle with people. Had you been hard-hearted and harsh, they would have dispersed from around you.’ (Al ‘Imran 159)
2. The success of the call to the truth lies in the preacher teaching people direct, recognized good—in other words, simple and clear benefit—instead of presenting grand philosophies and subtle metaphysical theories. These should be matters that ordinary people recognize as good, or that their common sense is sufficient to recognize as good. By adopting this method, the appeal of the caller to the true path influences both ordinary people and the learned. The call passes through the listener’s ears and reaches his heart of its own accord. Those who shout and create a commotion against such a call to recognized good themselves create the conditions for their own failure and for the success of the call. For, generally, no matter how immersed people may be in hatred and rancor, when they see on one side a polite person of elevated character calling them to simple, sound goodness, and on the other side many people opposing him by abandoning every form of morality and humanity and adopting base tactics, they gradually become disgusted with the opponents of truth and attracted to those who call to the truth. In the end, only those connected with the false social system remain in the field of confrontation, or those continue opposing who, because of blind imitation of past peoples or ignorant hatred and rancor, have been left with no ability or capacity to accept the true path. This is the wisdom whose adoption brought the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) success in Arabia. Afterward, within a short time, the stream of Islam began to flow into the neighboring countries so powerfully that in some places 100 percent of the inhabitants became Muslims, in some 80 percent, and in others 90 percent.
3. In the work of calling people, the preacher must be cautious. Training sincere seekers of truth in recognized good is important, regardless of how much they try to drag him into arguments and disputes. He should address only those who are prepared to understand this call through reason and intelligence. If an ignorant person begins behaving ignorantly and starts engaging in meaningless arguments, quarrels, and bitter speech, the preacher of truth must refuse to become his opponent. There is no benefit in becoming entangled in such quarrels. The loss is that the energy of the preacher, which should have been spent in conveying, spreading, and reforming people through the religion, is wasted on meaningless activities.
4. In connection with the guidance given in point three, there is further guidance: when the preacher of truth feels his temper becoming agitated because of the oppression, persecution, wrongdoing, foolishness, provocative questions, and accusations of opponents, he must understand immediately that this is nothing but Satan’s prompting. At that moment he must seek refuge in God, so that He may protect His servant from crossing the limits in this agitation and prevent him from becoming so unbalanced that he carries out some activity harmful to the call to the truth. The work of calling to the truth can be accomplished only with a calm heart in every circumstance. The correct step is the one taken not in defeat by agitation, but after careful consideration of the place, circumstances, time, and opportunity. Yet Satan never wishes or tolerates the spread of this work. He continually tries to have the preacher attacked by his own brothers and friends, and keeps inciting him to respond to the attack, saying that it must certainly be answered. The prompting Satan creates in the preacher’s heart is often concealed beneath the covering of grand deceptions and religious terminology. But within it there is nothing except sheer self-exaltation. For this reason, the last two verses state that the God-fearing become cautious and alert as soon as they experience any satanic activity, influence, or evil thought within themselves. Then they clearly see and understand which principle and course of action will benefit the call to the religion in that situation, and what the demands of the call to the religion are. Those immersed in the darkness of self-worship, and who therefore have a brotherly relationship with the devils, can never withstand satanic prompting. Defeated by it, they begin walking along a misguided path. Then Satan drives them everywhere according to his will, and their movement is never brought to a halt. For every insult from their opponents, they have an insult of their own; and for every conspiracy and act of wrongdoing by their opponents, they have a conspiracy and act of wrongdoing of their own.
This discussion also contains a general, concise statement: people possessing taqwa generally differ from those without taqwa in their way of life. Those who truly fear Allah and sincerely wish to avoid wrongdoing and sin are such that, if even the slightest evil thought casts a shadow over some corner of their minds, they immediately feel disturbed and uncomfortable—just as one feels pain when a thorn pierces a finger or dust enters the eye. Since they are not accustomed to such evil thoughts, wrongful desires, lusts, and bad intentions, these things are contrary to their nature. Just as a thorn in the foot, refuse entering the eye, or a splash of dirt on clean clothing troubles people of clean disposition, so these people’s eyes open and their minds become alert as soon as they feel this disturbance; immediately they begin shaking off the harmful filth. They are not like those who neither fear God nor wish to avoid wrongdoing and sin, and whose hearts are in harmony with Satan. Evil thoughts, corrupt desires, and wicked intentions continue to churn in their minds. Yet, despite being immersed in this filth, they feel no discomfort or abnormality within themselves—like a pot in which pork is being cooked, while they never even think about what is being cooked in it; or like a scavenger whose entire body is smeared with filth, yet who has no awareness of what is clinging to his body.
Calling to the Way of Allah in an Atmosphere of Fierce Opposition
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“And whose word is better than that of one who calls to Allah, does righteous deeds, and says: ‘Indeed, I am a Muslim’?”
The preceding verse had consoled the believers and strengthened their courage. Then this verse draws their attention to and encourages them regarding the actual responsibility for which they had become Muslims. In the preceding verse they were told that, after adopting the path of worshipping Allah, remaining firm upon it, and not deviating from it, they had performed a good deed that makes a person a friend of the angels and deserving of Paradise. Now they are being told about the next stage, beyond which no higher stage is possible: perform righteous deeds yourselves and invite other people to accept the worship and servitude of Allah. Even in an atmosphere of fierce opposition, where speaking about and openly declaring Islam is equivalent to bringing danger upon oneself, proclaim boldly: ‘I am a Muslim.’ To fully appreciate the importance of this statement of Allah, it is essential to keep before one’s eyes the environment and circumstances in which these words were spoken. The situation at that time was such that whenever a person openly declared himself a Muslim, he immediately felt as though he had entered a jungle of ferocious beasts, where every animal was rushing to tear him apart and devour him. A person who went further and opened his mouth to preach Islam was as though he were calling the wild beasts and saying: ‘Come and tear me apart and eat me.’ It was in this difficult situation that it was said that accepting Allah as one’s Lord and adopting the straight path is undoubtedly a great and fundamental good deed. But the highest level of good deed is to declare in such an environment, ‘I am a Muslim,’ to invite Allah’s servants to accept servitude to Him without caring about the consequences, and, while carrying out this work, to keep one’s own deeds so pure that no fault can be found with Islam or with the standard-bearers of Islam.
Confronting Evil with the Finest Good
Proceeding further, it is said:
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‘O Prophet, good and evil are not equal. Repel evil with the deed that is finest. Then you will see that those who were your most bitter enemies have become your closest friends.’
To understand the full significance of this verse, one must keep before one’s eyes the environment and circumstances in which this guidance was given to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), and through him to his followers. At that time, opposition to the call to the truth was being expressed through extreme obstinacy and fierce aggression. Various weapons were being used against it. Every group of opponents was engaged in creating doubts and suspicions about him in the minds of the people. He and his companions were subjected to various kinds of hardship, persecution, and torment, to such an extent that a considerable number of Muslims were forced to leave the country. At that time, a plan was devised to stop the Prophet (peace be upon him) from preaching: a group of troublemakers and rioters was kept constantly after him. Whenever he opened his mouth to call to the truth, they began making such noise and shouting that no one could hear what he was saying. In reality, this was an extremely delicate situation. Outwardly, every avenue for conveying the religion appeared to be closed. It was precisely in such circumstances that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was given this guidance for shattering the opponents’ resistance.
The first point stated is that good and evil, or virtue and wrongdoing, are not equal. In other words, no matter how great a storm of sin and injustice your opponents may outwardly create, and no matter how weak, helpless, and powerless goodness may appear in comparison, in reality evil and injustice are weak and helpless by their very nature. That is why, ultimately, people cannot help but hate wrongdoing and sin according to their natural disposition. It is not only the companions and followers of sin and injustice; even those who carry their banners feel inwardly that they are liars and oppressors, acting obstinately and unjustly for their own interests. This destroys their standing in their own eyes instead of winning them the trust of others. A thief takes up residence in their hearts, inwardly crushing their courage and resolve whenever they take an opposing step. If goodness—which outwardly appears entirely helpless and powerless—continues to work unceasingly against this injustice and sin, it will ultimately prevail. For, in the first place, goodness contains immense power that influences and captivates people’s hearts. No matter how corrupt and distorted a person’s moral character becomes, he cannot help feeling the worth of goodness within himself. When virtue and wrongdoing enter into open conflict and the concealed gems of both are exposed before the general public, then, after a prolonged struggle, very few people can remain without losing respect for injustice and sin and without becoming attached and devoted to goodness.
The second point is that sin must be confronted not merely with goodness, but with goodness of the finest and highest quality. In other words, if someone treats you unjustly, forgive him. That will be a good deed. But the highest form of goodness is that, whenever the person who mistreats you gives you an opportunity, you show him kindness and do him a favor.
The benefit of this has been stated: even the worst enemy will ultimately become a dear friend. For this is human nature. If someone abuses you, remain silent. Undoubtedly, this will be a virtuous act. But this will not silence the abuser; whereas, if you wish him well in response to his abuse, then no matter how shamelessly hostile he may be, he will inevitably feel ashamed. Thereafter, speaking ill of you will no longer be easy for him. A person never misses an opportunity to harm you, while you continue to endure all his excesses. This may perhaps make him bolder in his wrongdoing. But if, on some occasion, he is about to suffer harm and you save him from it, he will be compelled to remain at your feet. For no wrongdoing can withstand such virtue. Nevertheless, it is not right to turn this principle into an absolute or general rule—that such lofty virtue will make every mortal enemy into a dear friend. There are also people of such vile character in this world that, no matter how much humanity you display by forgiving their excesses and treating their misconduct with good conduct, the venom of their bite is not reduced even slightly. Yet such utterly vile people are as rare as those who are exceptionally benevolent.
The Importance of Patience in Calling to the Truth
Then it is said:
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‘This quality is granted only to those who exercise patience. And only those who are greatly fortunate can attain this rank.’
In other words, although this prescription is highly effective, its use and application are not a matter of joking or play. It requires tremendous moral courage and a strong spirit—firm resolve, great bravery, patience, and self-restraint. Someone may perhaps perform a great act of virtue against wrongdoing for a short time. This is not unusual. But when a person must continue fighting for years, for the sake of the true religion, against these evil-doers who follow falsehood—people who feel no hesitation about violating any moral limit and who are intoxicated with power and authority—then continuously responding to sin with virtue, indeed with the highest degree of virtue, without breaking the restraint of self-control even once, is not possible for an ordinary person. Only one who calmly resolves to advance and establish the true religion can do this; one who has made his soul obedient to knowledge, reason, and conscience, so that no wrongdoing or filthy conduct by opponents can succeed in lowering him from this noble rank or making him impatient.
And when it is said, ‘Only those who are greatly fortunate can attain this rank,’ this is the law of nature itself. Only people of very high stature are endowed with these qualities. And whoever possesses these qualities cannot be prevented by any power in the world from reaching the destination of success. It is impossible for the base conduct, vile conspiracies, and inhuman actions of people of the lowest order to defeat him.
Seeking God’s Refuge from Satan’s Temptation
Finally, it is said:
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‘If you feel any incitement from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah.’ (That verse—36)
When Satan sees that, in the conflict between truth and falsehood, courteous and decent conduct is being adopted against baseness, and just and virtuous conduct against wrongdoing and evil, he becomes deeply distressed. He wants, at least once, by some means, the fighters on the path of truth—especially their leading figures, and above all their leader—to make some mistake on the basis of which people can be told: ‘Look, the wrongdoing is not one-sided. Although one side may have behaved unjustly and badly, the people on the other side are not so superior either. In the end, they too have committed that particular wrong.’
Generally, people do not have enough ability to compare one side’s excesses with the other side’s response. As long as they see that, in the face of every kind of vile, base, and unjust conduct by the opponents, these people do not deviate even slightly from decency, courtesy, virtue, and justice, they will remain deeply influenced by them. But if they commit any kind of unjust conduct, or do something low in relation to their standing—even in response to a very great excess—then, in the eyes of the people, both sides become equal. The opponents also gain an excuse to hurl a thousand abuses in response to one harsh word. It is on the basis of this delicate matter that it has been declared: ‘Beware of Satan’s deception and incitement.’ He will provoke and excite you while pretending to be your sincere well-wisher and compassionate friend, saying, ‘Such-and-such excess simply cannot be tolerated,’ or, ‘That statement must be answered with a crushing reply.’ ‘You must fight this attack, otherwise you will be called cowards.’ Whenever you feel such unwanted agitation and provocation within yourselves, become alert at once that this is surely Satan’s work. He wants to make you blind with anger and induce you to take a wrong step. After becoming alert, do not assume, ‘I am capable of controlling my agitation; Satan cannot make me take a wrong step.’ To believe in such judgment and strength of resolve is another extremely dangerous deception of Satan. Instead, you must seek refuge in Allah. For people can be protected from mistakes and errors only when He grants success and safeguards them.
The finest commentary on this verse is the incident narrated by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad from Abu Hurayrah. He said: Once, in the very presence of the Prophet, a man continued to abuse Abu Bakr in obscene language. Abu Bakr quietly listened to his abuse, while the Prophet smiled as he watched. Eventually, the restraint of al-Siddiq broke. He also replied to the man with a harsh word. As soon as the words left his mouth, the Noble Prophet became deeply displeased, which appeared clearly on his blessed face, and he immediately rose and left. Abu Bakr also rose and followed him. On the way, he asked the reason for this and said: ‘When the man continued to abuse me, you remained silent and smiled, but when I answered him, you became displeased.’ The Messenger said: ‘As long as you remained silent, an angel was with you and was replying to the man on your behalf. But when you yourself began to speak, Satan came and took the angel’s place. I cannot sit with Satan.’
The Caller to Truth Must Be Selfless
In calling to the truth, the caller’s complete selflessness is a clear proof of his sincerity and devotion to the truth. The Noble Qur’an repeatedly states that the Prophet has no personal interest in the work of calling people toward Allah; rather, he is sacrificing his own life for the welfare of Allah’s servants.
It is stated in Surah al-An‘am:
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‘O Prophet, say: I ask no payment from you for this work of calling and conveying the message. It is only a general admonition and counsel for all the inhabitants of the world.’ (Verse 90)
It is stated in Surah Yusuf:
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And, O Prophet, you do not ask them for any payment for this work. It is only a general admonition for all the inhabitants of the world.’ (Verse 104)
Outwardly, the Prophet is addressed in this discourse. In reality, however, the address is directed to the disbelievers as a whole. The purpose is to make them understand: O servants of Allah, how unjust this obstinacy is. If the Prophet had begun this work of calling and conveying the message for some personal interest, or if he had sought something for himself, you would certainly have had grounds to say, ‘Why should we accept the words of this self-serving man?’ But you can see that he is entirely selfless. He is presenting this message selflessly for your welfare and the welfare of the whole world. Why would anyone stubbornly oppose him without reason? Listen to his words with an open mind; accept them if they appeal to you, and if you do not wish to, then do not accept them.
It is stated in Surah al-Mu’minun:
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‘O Prophet, are you asking them for anything? The provision of your Lord is best for you, and He is the best of providers.’ (Verse 72)
In other words, no fair-minded person can accuse you of carrying out this activity to achieve some personal interest. You had an excellent business, yet now you are immersed in poverty. The entire nation used to look upon you with respect and esteem; everyone honored and respected you. Now you hear abuse, stones are thrown at you, and even your life is plunged into grave danger. You had been living peaceful, happy days with your wife and children. Now you have fallen into such a difficult conflict that you have no time to rest for even a moment. Above all, you have entered the field with a message that has made the entire country your enemy. Who would say that this is the work of a selfish man? A selfish person takes sides with his people and tribe and strives vigorously to gain leadership. Unlike you, such people do not enter the field with a message that poses a great challenge to the interests of their people. From the very beginning, you have been uprooting the foundation on which the Quraysh tribe’s dominion over the Arab idolaters was established.
It is stated in Surah Saba:
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‘O Prophet, say: If I have asked you for any payment, then it is for your own benefit. My payment is the responsibility of Allah, and He is witness to every matter.’
The first phrase can have two meanings. One meaning is: If I have truly asked for any recompense, it is for you. The second meaning is: If I have truly asked for any recompense, it is nothing but your welfare. The significance of the final part of the verse is that, whatever accusation the accuser may wish to make, Allah knows everything. Allah Himself bears witness that I am a selfless person and am not doing this for any personal interest.
It is stated in Surah Sad:
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‘O Prophet, say: I ask no payment from you for conveying this religion, nor am I one of those who fabricate.’ (Verse 86)
That is, I am not among those who come forward with false claims to establish their own superiority and try to pretend to be what they are not. This was not said through the Noble Prophet’s mouth merely to inform the disbelievers of Makkah; rather, the forty years of his life spent among those disbelievers before his prophethood stand as testimony to it. Even the small children of Makkah knew that the Noble Prophet was not a fabricator. Not a single person among the entire nation had ever heard him say anything that could give reason to suspect that he wanted to become something or was trying to make himself influential.
It is stated in Surah al-Tur and Surah al-Qalam:
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‘O Prophet, are you asking them for a payment, so that they are being crushed beneath the burden of a fine forcibly imposed upon them?’ (al-Tur 40, al-Qalam 46)
The question is not directed toward the Messenger, but essentially toward the disbelievers. Its meaning is that if the Messenger were asking payment from you, or conducting these activities to gain some personal benefit, you would at least have a reasonable excuse for turning away from him. But you yourselves know that he is completely selfless in this call and is exerting himself solely for your welfare. Then what reason can there be for your unwillingness even to listen calmly to his words? This question also contains a subtle taunt. As in other parts of the world, the religious leaders and priestly scholars of the idolaters in Arabia openly conducted a religious business. It is in this context that they are asked: on the one hand, these religious businessmen openly collect payments from you for offerings and for performing every religious rite. On the other hand, one person is trying, entirely selflessly—and even after ruining his own business and trade—to show you the straight and correct path of religion with compelling arguments and proofs. Now tell us: what is this if not your manifest folly—that you turn your backs on this great man and run toward those religious businessmen?
There is only one verse on this subject that allows for some disagreement. The verse is:
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‘O Prophet, tell these people: I ask no payment from you for this. However, I do seek love for my near relations.’ (al-Shura 23)
There is considerable disagreement among the commentators regarding the true significance of the word ‘nearness’ here.
One group understood it to mean kinship. They explained the meaning of the verse as follows: ‘I ask no payment from you for this work. But I certainly ask that you Quraysh preserve the kinship between you and me. You ought to have accepted my words. But if you will not accept them, then at least do not take the leading role among all the Arabs in opposing me.’ This is the interpretation of Abdullah ibn Abbas, which Imam Ahmad, al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Jarir, al-Tabarani, al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Sa‘d, and others have cited through numerous transmitters. Mujahid, Ikrimah, Qatadah, al-Suddi, Abu Malik, Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, al-Dahhak, Ata ibn Dinar, and other eminent commentators also adopted this interpretation.
The second group understood ‘nearness’ in the sense of closeness to Allah. In their view, the meaning of the verse is: ‘I ask nothing from you for this work except that a feeling of nearness to Allah arise among you’—that is, that you reform yourselves. This alone is my reward. This interpretation is reported from Hasan al-Basri, and a statement supporting it is also narrated from Qatadah. A view of Ibn Abbas supporting it has even been cited in al-Tabarani’s narration. Elsewhere in the Noble Qur’an, this matter is stated in the following words:
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‘Tell these people: I ask nothing from you for this work. My payment is only that whoever wishes may take the path of his Lord.’ (al-Furqan 57)
The third group interpreted the word as meaning relatives. In their view, the meaning of the verse is: ‘You will love my close relatives; apart from this, I ask no other reward from you for this work.’ Some members of this group believe that ‘close relatives’ refers to all the descendants of Abd al-Muttalib. Others restrict it to Ali, Fatimah, and their children. This interpretation has been narrated from Sa‘id ibn Jubayr and Amr ibn Shu‘ayb. Some narrations attribute it to Ibn Abbas and Ali ibn Husayn (Zayn al-Abidin). But this interpretation is unacceptable for several reasons. First, when Surah al-Shura was revealed in Makkah, Ali and Fatimah were not yet married, let alone having children. Nor had all the descendants of Abd al-Muttalib yet become companions of the Prophet; many of them were openly allied with his enemies. The hostility of Abu Lahab is known throughout the world. Second, the Prophet’s relatives were not limited to the descendants of Abd al-Muttalib. Through his mother, father, and honored wife, Khadijah, he had relatives in every Qurayshi household. Thus, every Qurayshi household contained both his finest companions and his worst enemies. How could the Noble Prophet possibly designate only the descendants of Abd al-Muttalib among these vile people as his relatives and request special love for them? The third point is the most important. A prophet who stands at an exalted rank and calls people toward Allah—while holding that highest rank, to ask as payment for this great work that they love his relatives—is a very low act. No person of sound taste could even imagine that Allah would teach His Prophet such words, or that the Prophet would stand before the Quraysh and say them. In the stories of the prophets discussed in the Noble Qur’an, we see that every prophet clearly told his people: ‘I ask no payment from you; my payment rests with Almighty Allah.’ (Yunus 72, Hud 29, 51, al-Shu‘ara 109, 127, 145, 164, 180). In Surah Ya-Sin, it is stated as a criterion for verifying a prophet’s truthfulness that the prophet remains completely selfless in his work of calling people. (Verse 21.) The Qur’an repeatedly makes the Prophet himself say: ‘I ask no payment from you’; this has been quoted above. How, then, can there be any justification for saying: ‘In exchange for the work of calling people that I am undertaking on Allah’s behalf, love my relatives’? Moreover, when we see that this discourse is addressed not to believers but to disbelievers, such a statement appears even more inappropriate. The entire preceding discourse addresses the disbelievers, and the address immediately before this is also directed to them. In this context, how could the question of asking any payment from opponents arise at all? Payment can be requested only from people who regard the work as very valuable and for whom the valuable work has been arranged. What value were the disbelievers placing on the Prophet’s great work that he could say to them: ‘In exchange for the great service I am rendering you, love my relatives’? On the contrary, they considered this work a great fault and crime, because of which they even wanted to take his life.
Giving Greater Importance to Belief in the Hereafter at the Beginning of the Work of Calling
When the Messenger of Allah began the work of spreading Islam in exalted Makkah, his work rested on three foundations. First, no one may be regarded as a partner with Allah in His divinity. Second, Allah had chosen him as His Messenger. Third, one day this world would be destroyed, after which another world would be created. Then all people, from the first to the last, would be resurrected and brought to the plain of Resurrection with the very bodies and forms in which they had acted. Their beliefs and all their deeds would then be examined. Those who proved to be believers and righteous in this reckoning would enter Paradise forever. Conversely, those who proved to be disbelievers and sinners would remain inhabitants of Hell forever.
Although accepting the first of these three points was difficult for the people of Makkah, they nevertheless did not deny Allah’s existence. They acknowledged Allah as the greatest Lord, Creator, and Provider, and they also admitted that those whom they had taken as deities besides Allah were themselves creations of Allah. Thus, their only dispute concerned whether those deities possessed any share in Allah’s attributes, power, authority, and the very essence of divinity.
The people of Makkah were not prepared to accept the second point. Yet they could not deny that, before claiming prophethood, the Noble Prophet had lived among them for a full forty years, and that throughout this long period they had never seen him as a liar, a deceiver, or someone who adopted unlawful means to protect his personal interests. They had always supported and praised his intelligence, insight, sound judgment, and elevated moral character. Therefore, despite inventing thousands of excuses and accusations, they could not persuade other people of them—let alone accept them as true themselves. For when the Noble Prophet was truthful and committed to truth in every matter, how could he—God forbid—be a liar only regarding his claim to messengership?
In this way, the first two points were not as objectionable to the people of Makkah as the third point was. When this third point was presented before them, it was the one they mocked the most. On hearing it, they expressed the greatest astonishment and bewilderment, considering it irrational and impossible, and began proclaiming in various places that it was beyond comprehension and unacceptable. Yet making them believers in the Hereafter was essential in order to bring them into Islam, because unless they acknowledged the possibility of the Hereafter, it would have been utterly impossible for them to adopt an unbiased method of thinking about truth and falsehood, change the basis for distinguishing between good and evil, abandon the path of worldly worship, and follow the path shown by Islam. For this reason, the greatest effort in the early-period surahs revealed in Makkah was devoted to firmly establishing belief in the Hereafter in people’s hearts. Of course, even when presenting proofs and arguments for this purpose, such a method was adopted that the concept of monotheism would naturally take root in people’s minds. From time to time, proofs establishing the truth of the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) and the Noble Qur’an were also discussed briefly.
3. Three Years of the Messenger of Allah’s Secret Da’wah
Three Years of Secret Da’wah
Allah taught His Prophet special wisdom for conveying the message of prophethood. Accordingly, at the very beginning of his activity, he did not announce his prophethood or begin inviting people publicly. Rather, during the first three years, he secretly conveyed Islam to those righteous individuals who were willing to accept tawhid and reject shirk solely through evidence, reasoning, and intellect. In addition, this work was also mentioned to certain trustworthy people regarding whom it could be relied upon that, until that time, they would not disclose it, before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) decided, by Allah’s command, to make a general announcement and begin calling people openly toward Allah. In this work, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) proved to be the most influential and effective.
For this reason, al-Tabari and Ibn Hisham wrote that he was very sociable and cheerful. Because of his beautiful and refined qualities, he was highly popular among his people. Among the Quraysh, no one was a greater expert on genealogy than he was. No one knew the good and bad people of Quraysh, or the virtues and faults of individuals, better than Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
There was no one else like him. Trade was his profession. He was renowned for conducting beautiful and honest transactions. Because of his knowledge, business dealings, and excellent manners, the people of his community frequently mixed and associated with him. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he conveyed the da’wah at that time to reliable and trustworthy people. Attracted by his da’wah, a considerable number of people accepted Islam. Thereafter, everyone who accepted Islam conveyed the message of Islam to the righteous people among their circle of friends. At that time, the Muslims would pray secretly in secluded places in Makkah so that no one would learn that they had changed their religion.
Establishing the Da’wah Center and Gathering at the House of al-Arqam
Only two and a half years had passed. At this time, an incident occurred that created the possibility of a confrontation with the unbelievers of Makkah before the appointed time. It is narrated from Ibn Ishaq that one day the polytheists of Makkah saw the Muslims praying in one of the ravines and began insulting them as weak and cowardly. As the exchange grew heated, a confrontation broke out between the two groups. When Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) threw a camel bone at one man, his head was split open. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Hisham have narrated this incident briefly. However, Hafiz Umavi recorded a detailed account in his work al-Maghazi and stated that the man whose head was split open was Abd Allah ibn Qatal of Banu Taym. After this incident took place, the Prophet (peace be upon him) immediately made the house of al-Arqam, situated near Mount Safa, a center for the Muslims’ gatherings and for da’wah and tabligh. The Muslims gathered there to pray, and those who wished to accept Islam secretly also began coming there. This House of al-Arqam is forever famous in Islamic history. Even after the three years of secret da’wah ended and the general public da’wah began, the House of al-Arqam remained the Muslims’ center. The Prophet (peace be upon him) would come there. The Muslims would gather around him there, and this house remained honored with the status of the central headquarters of the Islamic da’wah until the Muslims were confined in Shi’b Abi Talib.
An Account of Three Years of Secret Da’wah
Before discussing the public da’wah, let us examine how much was accomplished during the three years of secret da’wah. Let us also investigate which individuals from the various clans of Quraysh accepted Islam, and which among the Qurashi clients, male slaves, and female slaves embraced Islam. After extensive research and investigation, we have recorded below a list of the names we collected—a list that has not been compiled together anywhere else.
Banu Hashim:(1) Ja’far ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). (2) His wife, Asma bint Umays al-Khath’amiyyah. She was not from Quraysh. (3) Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib (the paternal aunt of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the mother of al-Zubayr). (4) Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with her) (the paternal aunt of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the mother of Tufayl ibn Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him)).
Banu Abd al-Muttalib:(5) Ubaydah ibn al-Harith ibn al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf:(6) Abu Hudhayfah ibn Utbah ibn Rabi’ah (may Allah be pleased with him). (7) His wife, Sahla bint Suhayl ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with her).
Banu Umayyah: (8) Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). (9) His mother, Arwa bint Kurayz (may Allah be pleased with her). (10) Khalid ibn Sa’id ibn As ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) (his father Sa’id’s kunya was Abu Uhayhah). (11) His wife, Umaymah bint Khalaf al-Khuza’iyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) (some have recorded her name as Umaynah). (12) Umm Habibah bint Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her) (she was initially the wife of Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh; later she attained the status of Mother of the Believers).
From the allied clans of Banu Umayyah:(13) Abd Allah ibn Jahsh ibn Riyab. (14) Abu Ahmad ibn Jahsh. (15) Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh. They were members of Banu Ghanm ibn Dudan, sons of the Prophet’s paternal aunt Umaymah bint Abd al-Muttalib, and brothers of Zaynab bint Jahsh, the Mother of the Believers.
Banu Taym:(16) Asma bint Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her). (17) Umm Ruman (may Allah be pleased with her) (the wife of Abu Bakr and the mother of A’ishah and Abd al-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr). (18) Talhah ibn Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him). (19) His mother, Sa’bah bint Hadrami (may Allah be pleased with her). (20) al-Harith ibn Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him).
From the allied clans of Banu Taym:(21) Suhayb ibn Sinan al-Rumi (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Asad ibn Abd al-Uzza: (22) al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him) (the nephew of Khadijah and the cousin of the Prophet (peace be upon him) through his paternal aunt). (23) Khalid ibn Hizam (may Allah be pleased with him) (the brother of Hakim ibn Hizam and the nephew of Khadijah). (24) al-Aswad ibn Nawfal (may Allah be pleased with him). (25) Amr ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Abd al-Uzza ibn Qusayy:(26) Yazid ibn Zam’ah ibn al-Aswad (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Zuhrah: (27) Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (RA) (28) his mother, Shifa bint Awf (RA) (29) Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) (his actual name was Malik ibn Uhayb) (30) his brother, Umayr ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) (31) his brother, Are ibn Abi Waqqas (RA) (32) al-Muttalib ibn Azhar (RA) (Abdur Rahman ibn Awf’s cousin) (33) his wife, Ramlah bint Abi Awf Sahmiyyah (RA) (34) Tulayb ibn Azhar (RA) (35) Abdullah ibn Shihab (RA) (through his mother, he was Imam al-Zuhri’s maternal grandfather).
Among the allies of Banu Zuhrah: (36) Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (RA) (he was from the Hudhayl tribe and lived in Makkah as an ally of Banu Zuhrah) (37) Utbah ibn Mas’ud (RA) (the brother of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud) (38) al-Miqdad ibn Amr al-Kindi (RA) (Aswad ibn Abd Yaghuth had taken him as a client) (39) Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (RA) (40) Shurahbil ibn Hasnah al-Kindi (RA) (41) Jabir ibn Hasnah al-Kindi (RA) (the brother of Mubarahbil) (42) Junadah ibn Hasnah (RA) (the brother of Shurahbil).
Banu Adi: (43) Sa’id ibn Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl (RA) (Umar’s brother-in-law and cousin) (44) Zayd ibn al-Khattab (RA) (Umar’s sister) (45) Zayd ibn al-Khattab (RA) (Umar’s elder brother) (46) Amir ibn Rabi’ah al-Anazi (RA) (he was an ally of Banu Adi. al-Khattab had taken him as a son. His kunya was Abu Abdullah al-Anazi) (47) his wife, Layla bint Abu Hathmah (RA) (48) Ma’mar ibn Abdullah ibn Nadlah (RA) (49) Nu’aym ibn Abdullah al-Nahham (RA) (50) Adi ibn Nadlah (RA) (51) Urwah ibn Abu Uthathah (RA) (the maternal uncle of Aram ibn As) (52) Mas’ud (RA) ibn Suwayd ibn Harithah ibn Nadlah.
Among the allies of Banu Adi: (53) Waqid ibn Abdullah (al-Khattab had given him protection under a contract) (54) Khalid ibn Bukayr ibn Abd Yalil al-Laythi (RA) (55) Yas (RA) (56) Amir (RA) (57) Aqil (RA).
Banu Abd al-Dar: (58) Mus’ab ibn Umayr (RA) (59) Abu Rum ibn Umayr (RA) (Mus’ab’s brother) (60) Firas ibn Nadr (RA) (61) Jahm ibn Qays (RA).
Banu Jumah: (62) Uthman ibn Maz’un (RA) (63) his brother, Qudamah ibn Maz’un (RA) (64) his brother, Abdullah ibn Maz’un (RA) (65) Sa’im ibn Uthman ibn Maz’un (RA) (66) Ma’mar ibn Harith ibn Ma’mar (RA) (67) his brother, Hatib ibn Harith (RA) (68) his wife, Fatimah bint Mujallal Amiri (RA) (69) Ma’mar’s brother, Khattab ibn Harith (RA) (70) his wife, Fukayhah bint Yasar (RA) (71) Sufyan ibn Ma’mar (RA) (72) Nubayh ibn Uthman (RA).
Banu Sahm: (73) Abdullah ibn Hudhafah (RA) (74) Khunays ibn Hudhafah (RA), Umar’s son-in-law (the first husband of Hafsah (RA), Mother of the Believers) (75) Hisham ibn al-As ibn Wa’il (RA) (76) Harith ibn Qays (RA) (77) his son, Bashil ibn Harith (RA) (78) his other son, Ma’mar ibn Harith (RA) (79) Qays ibn Hudhafah (RA) (the brother of Abdullah ibn Hudhafah) (80) Abu Qays ibn Harith (RA) (81) Abdullah ibn Harith (RA) (82) Sa’ib ibn Harith (RA) (83) Hajjaj ibn Harith (RA) (84) Bishr ibn Harith (RA) (85) Sa’id ibn Harith (RA).
Among the allies of Banu Sahm: (86) Umayr ibn Riyab (RA) (87) Mahmiya ibn Jaz’u (RA) (he was the maternal uncle of Umm al-Fadl, the wife of al-Abbas).
Banu Makhzum: (88) Abu Salamah Abdullah ibn Abd al-Asad (RA) (the maternal cousin and foster brother of the Messenger (SAW), and the first husband of Umm Salamah, Mother of the Believers) (89) his wife, Umm Salamah (RA). (She and her husband Abu Salamah were close relatives of Abu Jahl) (90) al-Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam (RA) (al-Arqam’s house has already been mentioned) (91) Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi’ah (RA) (Abu Jahl’s maternal uncle and the cousin of Khalid ibn al-Walid) (92) his wife, Asma bint Salamah Tamimiyyah (RA) (93) al-Walid ibn al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah (RA) (94) Hisham ibn Abu Hudhayfah (RA) (95) Salamah ibn Hisham (RA) (96) Hashim ibn Abu Hudhayfah (RA) (97) Habbar ibn Sufyan (RA) (98) his brother, Abdullah ibn Sufyan (RA).
Among the allies of Banu Makhzum: (99) Yasir (RA) (the father of Ammar ibn Yasir) (100) Ammar ibn Yasir (RA) (101) his brother, Abdullah ibn Yasir (RA).
Banu Amir ibn Lu’ayy: (102) Abu Sabrah ibn Ruhm (RA) (the son of Barrah bint Abd al-Muttalib, the paternal aunt of the Messenger (SAW)) (103) his wife, Umm Kulthum bint Suhayl ibn Amr (RA) (the sister of Abu Jandal) (104) Abdullah ibn Suhayl ibn Amr (RA) (105) Hatim ibn Amr (RA) (the brother of Suhayl ibn Amr) (106) Salim ibn Amr (RA), the brother of Suhayl ibn Amr). In the work al-Isabah, he is called the nephew of Suhayl ibn Amr) (107) Sakran ibn Amr (RA) (the brother of Suhayl ibn Amr and the first husband of Sawdah bint Zam’ah, Mother of the Believers) (108) his wife, Sawdah bint Zam’ah (RA) (after Sakran’s death, she attained the status of Mother of the Believers) (109) Yaqazah bint Alqamah, the wife of Salit ibn Amr (in al-Isabah she is called Umm Yaqazah, while Ibn Sa’d gives her name as Fatimah bint Alqamah) (110) Malik ibn Zam’ah (RA) (the brother of Sawdah) (111) Ibn Umm Maktum (RA).
Banu Fihr ibn Malik: (112) Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (RA) (113) Suhayl ibn Bayda (RA) (114) Sa’id ibn Qays (RA) (115) Amr ibn Harith ibn Zuhayr (RA) (116) Uthman ibn Abd Ghanam ibn Zuhayr (RA) (the maternal cousin of Abdur Rahman ibn Awf) (117) Harith ibn Sa’id (RA).
Banu Abd Qusay: (118) Tulayb Umayr (RA) (the son of Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib, the paternal aunt of the Messenger (SAW)).
The people mentioned so far were all connected with the major clans of the Quraysh. In addition, quite a number of clients, male slaves, and female slaves accepted Islam during the three years of the secret da’wah. Their names are given below: (119) Umm Ayman Barakah bint Tha’labah (she had cared for the Messenger (SAW) in her arms and raised him from childhood) (120) Zinnirah, a Roman woman (the freedwoman of Amr ibn Mu’ammil) (121) Bilal ibn Rabah (RA) (he was the slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf) (122) his mother, Hamamah (RA) (123) Abu Fukayhah Yasar al-Jahmi (RA), the freed slave of Safwan ibn Umayyah (124) Lubaybah—the slave woman of Mu’ammil ibn Habib (125) Umm Ubayس (RA), the slave woman of Banu Taym ibn Murrah or Banu Zuhrah (the first view is that of al-Zubayr ibn Bakkar, and the second that of al-Baladhuri) (126) Amir ibn Fuhayrah (RA) (the slave of Tufayl ibn Abdullah) (127) Sumayyah (RA) (the mother of Ammar ibn Yasir and the slave woman of Abu Hudhayfah ibn al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi).
Besides these, among those who were not Quraysh and accepted Islam during this early period in Makkah were: (128) Mihjan (RA) ibn Adra al-Aslami. (129) Mas’ud (RA) ibn Rabi’ah ibn Amr. He belonged to the Qarah clan of Banu Uluhun ibn Khuzaymah.
Thus, with these 129 joining the first four Muslims, their number reached 133. Before the beginning of the public da’wah, they had believed in the Messenger (SAW) and joined the Muslim community. [1]
They were people of steady temperament, tranquil hearts, and pure thought. Through reason and common sense alone, they understood the harmfulness of shirk. They accepted the meaning and truth of tawhid. They acknowledged Muhammad (SAW), understood the Qur’an as the Word of Allah and the only path to their guidance, and recognized the life of the Hereafter as an inevitable supreme truth. After preparing this sincere group of workers possessing genuine knowledge of the religion, the Messenger (SAW), by Allah’s command, began the work of publicly conveying the Islamic da’wah.
The Arabic will be——
“O our Lord! Adopt the path of patience. Show steadfastness in confronting those who follow falsehood. Rise and strive to serve the truth, and continue to fear Allah. It may be that you will attain success.” (Aal Imran 200)
[1. Ibn Abd al-Barr wrote in Al-Isti’ab, and Ibn Athir wrote in Usd al-Ghabah: “It is said that Umm al-Fadl, the wife of Hazrat Abbas, was the first woman, to become Muslim after Hazrat Khadijah.” If this is correct, then the number of Muslims in this initial period would be 134. This woman’s real name was Lubaba bint al-Harith. She was the sister of Hazrat Maymunah, the Mother of the Believers,, the maternal aunt of Hazrat Khalid ibn al-Walid, and the maternal sister of Asma bint Umays, the wife of Hazrat Ja‘far ibn Abu Talib. Since the expression “it is said” concerning her is, in his view, a weak form of wording, we have not mentioned her name in the list. —The author]