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 entirety of human life under divine guidance. Therefore, Islam is a complete movement, an all-encompassing revolution. Calling human society toward the Islamic way of life is the principal course of action of this movement and revolution. Allah Almighty sent His Messenger into the world with the responsibility of being a caller to Allah, so that he might invite people to the religion. The true identity of a worker in the Islamic movement is that he is a caller to Allah.
This book has been compiled from Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi’s Sirat-e Sarwar-e Alam and Khutbat-e Europe. Maulana Maududi (d. 1979 CE) was the mujaddid of the century and the leading figure of the global Islamic movement. In the light of the Qur’an and Hadith, this book presents a complete outline of the qualities a caller to Allah must possess and the correct method of working for the propagation of the religion.
Abdus Shahid Nasim
1. The Qualities of a Caller to Allah
(On April 8, 1979, Mr. Anis Ahmad, a representative of the Muslim Students Association of America and Canada, interviewed Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi (may Allah have mercy on him), the intellectual leader of the global Islamic movement and founder of Jamaat-e-Islami. In essence, it was recorded as a message of greetings for the MSA’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 MSA, I sincerely thank you for accepting our invitation despite your serious illness and agreeing to give this special interview for our Annual Conference ’79. It is solely by Allah’s mercy and grace that your writings, along with those of the leaders of the Ikhwan al-Muslimun, continue to spread the ideas of the Islamic movement rapidly in South America. Today, countless people in America are waiting to see you, even if only once, and to hear some words of advice from you. It is at their strong request and insistence that I have come to serve you.
Question: Respected Maulana! The Noble Qur’an describes the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) as a caller to Allah. In the light of the Qur’an and the Prophetic biography, which qualities do you consider most important for a caller to the truth?
Answer: Convey my greetings on my behalf to all the 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 is better in speech than one who calls to Allah, does righteous deeds, and declares, ‘I am a Muslim’?” (Fussilat 41:33)
To understand the full significance of this verse, one must remember that it was revealed amid the severe opposition in Makkah. This was the painful period when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his followers were being subjected to brutal persecution. In such circumstances, it was no easy matter to say and declare, “I am a Muslim.” In this situation and environment, the first statement was that the speech of the person who calls people to Allah is the best. In other words, the defining quality 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 the corner of his heart. According to the teachings of the Qur’an, the first quality of one who sincerely calls to Allah must be that he calls people to the oneness of Allah (tawhid). He must call out in this way: O people, do not serve, obey, or worship anyone other than Allah. Fear no one other than Allah. Do not covet or desire anything from anyone other than Him. Obey only Allah’s commands and instructions. Follow only His law.
Whatever a person does in this world, he does so while considering whose servitude and obedience he is rendering 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 building one’s personal and social life according to the law prescribed by Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
A second point has been stated: the one who calls to the truth must be adorned with the beauty of righteous deeds. He must perform good deeds. A little reflection will make the significance of this statement clear. The matter is that if the caller’s own deeds are not upright, his call has no effect whatsoever. 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, family, and relatives—should feel that among them there is a person of lofty and pure character.
We find exactly the same teaching in the Prophetic biography as in the Noble Qur’an. The blessed life of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) testifies that when he began calling people to the true religion from Allah, there was not a single person in the society where he had spent forty years of his life who did not acknowledge and praise his elevated moral character. The closer a person was to him, the more devoted that person was to him. Those who knew every aspect of his life were the 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 and blessings 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 and blessings be upon him). At the time he received prophethood, she was fifty-five years old. Such an older, experienced, and intelligent woman, who had observed him closely and without concealment as a husband for fifteen years, could not have been unaware of any fault in him. A wife might participate in her husband’s impermissible actions for the sake of achieving some worldly objective, but under no circumstances could she accept that he might be a prophet or ought to be a prophet. On the contrary, Hazrat Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) had such profound faith and conviction in the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he related to her the event of receiving prophethood, she believed in him immediately and without hesitation, without pausing even for a moment to reflect, and affirmed his prophethood.
Hazrat Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him)
The second person who knew him at very close range was Hazrat Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him). He came into the Prophet’s household as a slave. He entered that household at the age of fifteen. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) received prophethood, Zayd was thirty years old; that is, after spending a full fifteen years in the Prophet’s household, he had the opportunity to observe and understand him in every aspect of life. His view of the Prophet became even clearer through an incident. When he was a child, he had gone missing from his parents. Fate brought him to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). When his father and uncles learned that their son was living as a slave in such-and-such a place, they came to Makkah. This occurred before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) received prophethood. They came and said to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
“If you set our boy 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 remain with me, I am not the kind of person who would force away someone who wishes to stay with me.”
At this reply they said, “You are speaking with great fairness. Call Zayd and find out what he wants.” He sent for Zayd. When Zayd appeared before him, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him:
“Do you know these people?”
Zayd said, “Yes, indeed! They are my father and my uncle.”
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “They have come to take you back home. You may go with them gladly if you wish.”
His father and uncle also said the same thing: “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 the Prophet’s servant concerning him. A servant is generally grateful to his master. But he cannot become so devoted and attached that he believes in his master. For a servant to believe, such noble character, good conduct, purity, and high moral excellence must be manifested in his master that the servant accepts without hesitation, “My master is truly a prophet.” It should also be remembered that Hazrat Zayd was not a person of ordinary ability. After the establishment of the state in Madinah, he was entrusted with command in many battles. This testimony about the character of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was the testimony of such a qualified 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 and blessings be upon him) as a close friend for twenty years before he received prophethood. They were friends: one of them was Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and the other was Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). A friend may deeply like another friend and share his innermost thoughts with him, but he cannot ordinarily become so devoted that he accepts him as a prophet. Hazrat Abu Bakr’s unequivocal affirmation of his prophethood proves that during those long twenty years he had found the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to be the embodiment of pure character and the loftiest conduct and manners. That is why he affirmed his prophethood without hesitation and declared that a person possessing such elevated character must be, and ought to be, a prophet.
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 raised in the household of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Yet even a ten-year-old boy knows the personal life of the person whose home he lives in and with whom he stays. In particular, the fact that a person of such intelligence as Hazrat Ali affirmed his prophethood despite his young age means that he was familiar with the Prophet’s affection, boundless 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 precisely according to the standard of that call; his personal life must be living testimony to and a 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, his deeds bear witness to his call, and people acknowledge that what this person says cannot be false. Whether or not people accept his call, they should be compelled to acknowledge that whatever he says, he says sincerely, and that this creed, this principle, and this call constitute his way of life. That is why even Abu Jahl, the closest enemy of the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), once said:
“O Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)! We do not call you a liar. Rather, we call the message you have brought a lie.” In other words, even his worst enemy acknowledged his truthfulness. This is the purity of moral character and the loftiness of nature and conduct.
A third quality has been mentioned:
“…and declares, ‘I am a Muslim.’”
To understand the significance of this, one must keep in view the oppressive environment of Makkah that I mentioned earlier. During that period of prophethood, for anyone to declare, “I am a Muslim,” was not an easy or ordinary matter. Rather, it amounted to inviting savage beasts to attack him. Thus, the quality of the caller to the true religion becomes clear: he is not merely one who calls toward Allah, nor 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 his Islam. He clearly announces, “Yes, I am a Muslim; let whoever wishes do whatever he wishes.” In other words, an important quality of one who calls to the true religion must be that he is exceptionally resolute and courageous. Calling people to Allah’s path 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 qualified to call people to the path of God is one who has the courage to stand with the banner of Islam even amid the harshest hostility, opposition, and extremely dangerous circumstances, without caring about the consequences. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself was a practical and complete example of such courage. In the most oppressive circumstances in Makkah, he presented the call openly. He fulfilled the duty of bearing witness to the truth and kept this movement alive among the very people who thirsted for his blood and who spared no effort in subjecting him and his Companions to the severest oppression and persecution. Even amid such intense opposition, persecution, and hardship, he continued presenting the call for thirteen consecutive years. Then, after reaching Madinah, despite the environment that arose and the terrible battles he had to face, his feet never retreated. When the Muslims were nearly facing defeat in the Battle of Hunayn, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) himself not only remained steadfast on the battlefield but advanced toward the enemy ranks, and he did not conceal who he was. He was saying:
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“There is no trace of falsehood in me; I am a prophet. Know with certainty that I am the grandson of Abd al-Muttalib.”
He made this declaration on a battlefield in such circumstances that he was within reach of the enemy’s attacks and had only two or three companions with him. Even then, his declaration, “I am a prophet,” clearly shows that a caller to Allah must be courageous and brave. If a caller is not adorned with qualities such as courage, resolve, and bravery, he is not qualified to set foot on this path. Even if he does enter it, his fear and weakness will instead cause harm to the entire movement.
These are the points I have placed before you. If they are considered thoughtfully, it will become clear that these very points constitute a complete program for calling people to the path of Allah. Following this, it is possible to work in any place and under any circumstances.
2. The Call to Allah
A Brief Discussion of the Initial Stage of the Call:
Allah Almighty appointed His servant, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), in the famous central Arabian 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 that was necessary, and it consisted principally of three types of subject matter:
First: He was taught how the Prophet should prepare himself to undertake this immense responsibility and by which methods and procedures he should work.
Second: Basic information about the true nature and reality was provided, and the misconceptions commonly prevalent in society about profound truths—misconceptions that had caused their way of life to proceed along an extremely misguided path—were refuted.
Third: People were called to the proper way of living, and the fundamental principles of character based on divine guidance were explained, in following which the eternal welfare and prosperity of all humanity lie.
As the beginning of the call, these initial directions were conveyed in several brief, concise messages—clear and flowing, exceedingly sweet, highly influential, and adorned with refined literary expression suited to the tastes of those being addressed. Consequently, they pierced the hearts and minds of the listeners like arrows; because of their harmonious sweetness, people began to recite and chant them ecstatically.
Above all, it was strongly 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 nearby, with which the audience was intimately familiar. Their history, their national heritage, the signs they observed every day, and their beliefs, moral character, and social shortcomings were all discussed, so that they might be deeply affected by them.
This initial phase of the da‘wah lasted for approximately three or four years. (Of these, three years were the period of secret da‘wah.) During this phase, the response to the da‘wah of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) manifested itself in three ways:
1) A number of upright and truth-oriented people accepted this da‘wah and became prepared to unite as a body within the Muslim ummah.
2) A great many people, absorbed in ignorance, selfishness, or blind love for inherited customs and practices, became determined to oppose it.
3) Having crossed the boundaries of Quraysh and Makkah, the voice of this new da‘wah entered a comparatively wider arena.
From then onward, the second phase of this da‘wah began. In this phase, an intense and life-and-death conflict commenced between the Islamic movement and the ancient jahiliyyah, whose repercussions 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 ancient jahiliyyah exerted all their strength to annihilate this movement. They began making every possible effort to weaken and destroy it. They launched fierce attacks of false propaganda, slander, accusations, doubts, suspicions, and various devious questions. They stirred up different 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 subjected those who accepted Islam to extreme, barbaric persecution and torture. They severed all relations with them in the economic and social spheres. Such indescribable persecution and oppression were inflicted upon them that many of them were compelled to abandon their homes and migrate twice to Abyssinia, and ultimately all of them had to migrate to Madinah for the third time. Yet despite this fierce opposition and mounting obstacles, the movement continued to spread extensively. 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 supporters and helpers of Islam. Their own beloved children had risen in struggle against them. Most remarkable of all was that those who severed their ties with the ancient jahiliyyah and joined this new movement were acknowledged as the finest people even within jahili society. 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 difficult conflict and struggle, Allah continued to reveal to His Prophet, at the appropriate time and according to the occasion and need, such impassioned addresses as contained the surging flow of a sea, the irresistible force of a flood, and the sharp, blazing intensity of fire. On the one hand, these addresses informed the believers of their initial duties and responsibilities. They instilled in them the consciousness of communal life and trained them in taqwa, moral excellence, purity of nature, and pure living. They taught them the method of propagating the true religion. 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 zeal for sacrifice, devotion, and self-surrender 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 the truth and immersed in the sleep of heedlessness, were warned by reference to the dreadful fate of nations whose history they knew well. They were admonished by mention of the remains of ruined regions 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 witnessed and experienced at every moment of their lives, were themselves used to present proofs of tawhid and the Hereafter. The error of shirk, arbitrariness, denial of the Hereafter, and blind imitation of their forefathers was established through clear arguments and proofs that powerfully influenced their minds. Then all their doubts and misgivings were dispelled. Rational answers were given to each of their questions. Clear solutions were presented to the complex problems that tormented their minds or caused uncertainty in the minds of others. Ancient jahiliyyah was besieged from every direction so completely that no room remained for it to exist in the world 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 rebuked for their bad character, erroneous way of life, jahili customs and practices, opposition to the truth, and persecution of the believers. The major principles of morality and social order that form the foundation of the truth-based civilization chosen by Allah were presented to them in detail.
This phase itself consisted of various stages, and in each stage the da‘wah work became extremely broad and extensive. Efforts and opposition alike grew more intense. The movement encountered numerous groups and factions, differing in outlook and engaged in mutually opposed activities. Accordingly, the diversity of subjects in the revelations coming from Allah also continued to expand. If one considers the detailed guidance given to the Prophet (peace be upon him) for fulfilling this enormous responsibility of the Islamic da‘wah, it becomes easy to understand what great moral strength cleared the way forward during the era of Makkah’s intense opposition, and what powerful influence inspired those participating in this movement to confront every opposing force and endure every hardship without complaint. Below, we describe these instructions one by one:
Wisdom and Exhortation in Giving the Da‘wah
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‘O Prophet, call people to the way of your Lord through “wisdom” and gracious exhortation.’ (An-Nahl 125)
It is stated here that two methods must be followed very strictly when conveying the da‘wah of the religion: first, hikmah; second, al-maw‘izah al-hasanah.
“Applying hikmah in the da‘wah means that the da‘wah should not be presented foolishly, in the manner of fools. Rather, one must speak intelligently, understanding the listener’s mentality, ability, and capacity for comprehension, and speaking 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 all their illnesses from the depths of their minds and hearts.”
‘Al-maw‘izah al-hasanah,’ or good exhortation, has two meanings. First, it is not enough merely to try to convince the listener with arguments and proofs and leave him satisfied; rather, his feelings must be awakened. It is not enough merely to refute wrongdoing and error with arguments; rather, the innate hatred and abhorrence of wrongdoing found in human beings must be awakened, and they must be warned of its evil consequences. Rational and intellectual proof alone is not enough to demonstrate the beauty and purity of guidance and righteous deeds; at the same time, the listener must be inspired with attraction and love for them. Second, advice must be given with sympathy, sincerity, and heartfelt concern. The listener must never feel that the adviser considers him ignorant and, imagining himself to be a great person, is mocking him. Rather, an atmosphere must be created in which the listener can feel that the adviser’s heart genuinely contains concern and a compassionate yearning for his reform, and that he truly wishes him well.”
There is no need to display intellectual arrogance in the manner of speaking and discussion, in argument, debate, or the show of knowledge and intelligence. In this work, one must refrain from aggressive discussion, slander, and hurtful remarks. The purpose of discussion or speech should not be to overpower an opponent or beat the drum of one’s own verbosity. Rather, discussion and conversation in the work of da‘wah must be pleasant. The character of the person giving the da‘wah must be marked by the highest degree of courtesy and propriety. One’s position must be established with logical 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 point in an extremely simple and straightforward manner. Whenever it is felt that the listener is proceeding into sophistry, discussion with him must immediately be stopped, so that he does not advance further along a misguided path.
Calling to the True Path Requires a Cool Head and the Best Approach Suited to the Circumstances:
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‘Tell My servants to speak in the best manner. Indeed, Satan seeks to cause discord and conflict among them. Truly, Satan is man’s open enemy. Your Lord knows your condition best; if He wills, He may have mercy upon you, and if He wills, He may punish you. And, O Prophet, We have not sent you as a guardian over them.’ (Bani Isra’il 53–54)
That is, when believers discuss and speak with the unbelieving polytheists and those who oppose their religion, they must not speak falsely, excessively, or hastily. No matter how unjust or objectionable the opponents’ words may be, Muslims must under no circumstances utter anything unjust or wrongful, nor respond to foolish words with foolish words in anger. They must speak with a cool head, weighing their words according to the circumstances. Every word they utter must be just and true and worthy of the dignity of their great da‘wah.
And if, while replying to the words of opponents, you ever feel the fire of anger blazing within you and believe that your temper is getting out of control, then understand immediately that this is the work of Satan. He is provoking you so that the work of conveying the religion’s da‘wah may be ruined. He wants you, too, to abandon the work of reform and correction like your opponents and become involved in the same sort of quarrelling and disorder in which he wishes to keep the entire human race engaged.
Believers can never allow such a claim to pass their lips as: We are destined for Paradise, while so-and-so or those people are destined for Hell. The decision in this matter rests with Allah. Even the Prophet’s task was limited to conveying the da‘wah. He was not entrusted with the keys to people’s destinies, so that he could decide mercy for some and punishment for others.
The Status and Responsibility of the Person 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 vision will benefit only himself, and whoever chooses blindness will suffer loss himself. 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 is your concern. I have not been given the responsibility of forcibly opening the eyes of those who keep them closed, or of making those who will not see 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, 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, fulfill the duty of making the truth clear; you must not fall short in this. Then, if anyone does not wish to accept this truth, let him not accept it. You have not been entrusted with making people into followers of the truth. Nor is it part of your responsibility and accountability that no follower of falsehood may exist within the bounds of your prophethood. Therefore, do not distress yourself with the thought of how sight can be given to the blind, or how those who do not wish to open their eyes can be made to see. If Allah’s will had been that no follower of falsehood could exist in the world, why would Allah have needed to accomplish this through you? Could not a single takwini () command from Him have made all people followers of the truth? But this was not the purpose from the beginning. The purpose is to give people the freedom to choose between truth and falsehood. Then the light of truth will be presented before them, and they will be tested as to which of the two they choose. Therefore, the correct course for you is to continue walking on the straight and right path in the light that has been shown to you, embrace those who accept this da‘wah, and never abandon their companionship, no matter how insignificant and worthless they may be in worldly terms. As for those who will not accept this da‘wah, do not pursue them. Leave them to go toward the evil end they themselves wish to reach and for which they adopt extreme obstinacy.
An Easy Method of Propagating the Religion
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‘And, O Prophet, We are making the easy way convenient for you. So continue to exhort, if exhortation proves beneficial.’
That is, O Prophet, I do not wish to place you in any difficulty in propagating the religion. It is not your responsibility to make the deaf hear or to guide the blind. I am giving you an easy method: continue giving advice as long as you feel that someone is ready to benefit from it. The remaining question is: who is ready to benefit from it and who is not? In reality, the answer to this question will become evident through general da‘wah and tabligh. Therefore, general tabligh and propagation must certainly continue. Its purpose, however, will be to seek out from among Allah’s servants those who will benefit from this admonition and adopt the right path. These people alone deserve to become the sincere focus of your attention, and your attention must be directed solely toward their education and training. There is no need to remain occupied with those who, in the light of experience, you will come to know are unwilling to accept this admonition.
Who Are Important People from the Perspective of Propagating the Religion?
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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)
Many of those who believed in the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the early days were poor and working people. Among the questions raised by the leading chiefs of Quraysh and the affluent people about the Prophet (peace be upon him) was this: only the slaves, freed slaves, and lower-class people of our community have gathered around him. They would mockingly remark, ‘What distinguished people are there in this man’s company and procession! Bilal, ‘Ammar, Suhayb, Khabbab—these are the only people Allah could find among us worthy of choosing?’ They did not stop at ridiculing the believers’ impoverished condition; they also made waves of mockery over any moral weakness that any of them might have displayed before embracing faith: ‘Look, even someone whose character was like that until yesterday, who committed such-and-such acts, has become part of this chosen group!’ Their words are quoted in verse 53 of Surah Al-An‘am: ‘Are these the people among us upon whom Allah has bestowed grace and favor?’ This verse provides the answer to all these remarks. The significance of the verse is that when people come to you seeking the truth, do not push them away in order to favor the prominent and influential. Even if someone committed an offense before accepting Islam, you will not be held responsible for it.
The Incident of Ibn Umm Maktum
Once, several chiefs and leaders of Makkah were seated in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) assembly. He was encouraging them to accept Islam.¹ In the meantime, a blind man named Ibn Umm Maktum came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and asked to learn something about Islam. Since the Prophet (peace be upon him) disliked being interrupted at that time, he paid no attention to him. It was in the context of this incident 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)
From the opening style of the address, it apparently seems that this surah admonished and reproached 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 entire surah is considered as a whole, it becomes clear that its main expression is one of extreme displeasure toward the unbelieving chiefs of Quraysh, who, because of their arrogance, self-conceit, and aversion to the truth, were rejecting the true da‘wah of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) with contempt. Along with teaching the Prophet (peace be upon him) the correct method of propagating the religion, the error in the methods he had adopted at the initial stage of fulfilling his responsibility as Messenger was also explained. His lack of interest in a blind man and attention toward the Quraysh chiefs was not because he regarded these prominent people as honored and dignified and the unfortunate blind man as insignificant. Nor was it because, God forbid, any kind of moral distortion existed in him, for which Allah the Exalted admonished and reproached him here. No, none of these was the matter. Rather, the real matter is that when the caller to an ideal or da‘i begins his da‘wah work, it is natural for him to hope that influential people in society will accept the da‘wah, thereby making the work of propagation easier. Otherwise, even if the da‘wah spreads widely among ordinary people without influence, power, or ability, no great difference is made in the basic situation. At the beginning of the da‘wah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) had adopted more or less this policy. Its underlying cause was his wholehearted devotion and profound sincerity for the advancement of the religious da‘wah. Showing respect to prominent people and despising ordinary people was not his objective. But Allah the Exalted made him understand that this was not the correct and error-free method of the Islamic da‘wah. Rather, from the perspective of this da‘wah, those who seek the truth deserve importance, regardless of how weak, uninfluential, or incapable they may be. Conversely, those who have no love for the truth are entirely insignificant from the perspective of this movement, no matter how high their status in society may be. Thus, you will certainly convey Islam’s call to everyone, but your aim and interest should be directed toward those in whom there is a willingness to accept this great truth. As for those who, because of their arrogance and self-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 humiliating to the exalted dignity of this sublime da‘wah. In this context, Allah the Exalted says:
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‘O Prophet! How could you know? Perhaps he would have purified himself, or taken admonition, and the admonition would have benefited him. As for the one who shows indifference, you give him your attention, although you are not responsible if he does not purify himself. And as for the one who comes running to you while he fears Allah, you turn away from him. Never! This is indeed an admonition. So whoever wishes may accept it.’
Here, mention has been made of the fundamental principle that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was overlooking in his effort to propagate the faith. 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 and should not be regarded as truly important by those who propagate the true faith. The outward condition of one person clearly showed that he was seeking the truth and was terrified of falling under Allah’s wrath by following falsehood. Therefore, he came to the Prophet himself to gain knowledge of the true path. In contrast, the outward conduct and behavior of another person showed that he had no inclination whatsoever toward the truth. He considered himself far above any need to be guided to the true path. The distinction between these two kinds of people is not that one person’s accepting faith would greatly benefit the faith while another’s acceptance would bring no significant benefit. Rather, the important point is who is ready to accept guidance and reform himself, and who is wholly unprepared to value this priceless treasure and completely unaware of its worth. Even if the first person were blind, lame, weak, and destitute, and even if outwardly he were not considered capable of undertaking any major responsibility for the advancement of the faith, he would nevertheless be the important person for the propagator of truth. He must give his attention to that person, because the fundamental purpose of this call is to reform Allah’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, however influential he may be in society, the propagator of the true faith has no need to run after him. His outward behavior clearly shows that he has no desire or interest in accepting purification and righteousness. Therefore, 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 propagator of the true faith bears no responsibility for that.
The blind man mentioned here was the renowned Companion, Hadhrat 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 Hadhrat Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). His mother, Umm Maktum, and Khadijah’s father, Khuwaylid, were brother and sister. After knowing this relationship with the Prophet (peace be upon him), there is no possibility of suspecting that he considered him poor or lowly and, annoyed with him, turned away from him to attend to the prominent men present before him. For, by relationship, he was the Prophet’s maternal cousin. He was a man of noble lineage, not a person without honor in any way. In reality, the reason for the conduct adopted by the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) toward him is clearly indicated by the Qur’anic word meaning ‘the blind man.’ Allah Himself used this word here to indicate the actual reason for the Prophet’s lack of attention. 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 toward Islam accepted guidance, it could become a major cause of Islam’s gaining strength. 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 those chiefs accepting Islam could. Therefore, it was not appropriate for him to interrupt the conversation at that time. He could learn and understand whatever he wished at some later time.
The Wisdom of Propagating the Faith
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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 sound proofs and evidence, civilized and courteous language, and understanding and explaining. The central concern of the propagator of the faith must be to reform the thinking of the person being addressed, open the listener’s heart, enable 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 humiliating his opponent. Rather, he must act like a wise doctor who, while treating an illness, 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 suffering. Here, guidance has been given regarding how to behave when debating with the People of the Book in the relevant circumstances. However, this guidance is not limited specifically to the People of the Book; rather, in the work of propagating the faith, it is a general guidance given in various places in the Qur’an. For example:
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‘Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and debate with people in the best manner.’ (An-Nahl 125)
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‘Good and evil are not equal. Repel [the attacks of opponents] with what is best, and you will see that the one who was your bitter enemy has become a devoted friend.’
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‘Repel evil and wrongdoing with what is best. We know what they fabricate against you.’ (Al-Mu’minun 92)
The Correct Method of Calling to the Truth
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‘O Prophet, adopt leniency and a policy of forgiveness. Enjoin what is right and do not engage in argument with the ignorant. If Satan ever incites you, seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He hears all and knows all. In truth, those who are mindful of Allah are such that, if an evil impulse from Satan touches them, they immediately become alert and vigilant. Then they clearly see what they should do. As for the friends and brothers of the others [the devils], Satan drags them along a crooked path and leaves no effort undone to mislead them.’ (Al-A‘raf 199–202)
These verses teach several important points concerning the wisdom of calling and conveying the message, guidance, and reform. Their purpose is not merely to teach the Prophet (peace be upon him); rather, through him they are intended to teach all those people who, as his successors and representatives, would prepare themselves to show 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 caller to the truth is that he must be gentle, humble, patient, and broad-minded. He must be gentle and loving toward his fellow workers, caring and sympathetic toward ordinary people, and exceptionally tolerant toward opponents. Even in difficult and highly charged circumstances, he must keep his temper calm. He must have the patience to endure both the fierce opposition of hardened adversaries and the weaknesses of his own colleagues. Even completely intolerable words must be graciously ignored. No matter how harsh the words, lies, slander, suffering, and malicious obstacles coming from opponents, he must absorb all of them with magnanimity and forgiveness. Harshness, rough treatment, bitter words, and retaliatory anger act like poison against this great task. They shatter the work instead of building it. The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) described this principle as follows: ‘My Lord has commanded me to speak with justice both when angry and when pleased. I will maintain relations with one who cuts off relations with me. I will give his rightful due to one who deprives me of my rightful due. I will forgive one who wrongs me.’ He gave the same guidance to those whom he sent to propagate the faith:
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Meaning: ‘Wherever you go, let your arrival be good news to people, not a cause of hatred and resentment. Be facilitators for people, not those who impose hardship and severity.’ Allah Almighty also praised this quality of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), saying:
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‘That is, it is by Allah’s mercy that you are gentle with them. Had you been harsh-hearted and rough, they would have dispersed from around you.’ (Al Imran 159)
2. The success of calling to the truth lies in the caller teaching people straightforward and clear goodness—meaning “maruf”—instead of elaborate philosophies and subtle theories: things 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 by itself. Those who shout and create disorder against such a call to what is right merely create, through their own actions, the conditions for their failure and for the success of the call. For, no matter how deeply people may be immersed in hatred and hostility, when they see on one side a courteous person of elevated character calling to simple, sound goodness, and on the other side many people opposing him by abandoning every form of morality and humanity and adopting base methods, they gradually become disgusted with the opponents of truth and drawn toward those calling to the truth. Ultimately, only those associated with the false social order remain in the field of confrontation, or those continue opposing who, because of blind imitation of earlier people or ignorant hatred and hostility, have been left with no ability or capacity to accept the true path. This is the wisdom whose adoption brought the Noble Prophet’s (peace be upon him) success in Arabia. Afterwards, within a short time, Islam’s stream began to flow so powerfully into the neighboring countries that in some places 100 percent, in others 80 percent, and in others 90 percent of the inhabitants became Muslims.
3. Just as it is important in the work of calling to train seekers of truth in what is right, the caller must be cautious when they try to drag him into disputes, no matter how much they attempt it. 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 meaningless arguments, quarrels, and bitter speech, the caller to the truth must refuse to become his opponent. There is no benefit in becoming involved in such quarrels. The loss is that the caller’s strength, which should have been spent propagating, expanding, and reforming the faith, is wasted on meaningless pursuits.
4. A further guidance related to the instruction given in point three is that whenever the caller to the truth feels his temper becoming agitated because of the oppression, persecution, misconduct, and foolish questions and accusations of opponents, he must understand that this is nothing but Satan’s incitement. He must immediately seek Allah’s protection, so that He may save His servant from exceeding the limits in this agitation and prevent him from becoming so unbalanced that he undertakes some activity harmful to the call to truth. The work of calling to the truth can be carried out successfully only with a calm heart. The correct step is one taken not in defeat by agitation, but after careful consideration according to the place, circumstances, time, and opportunity. Satan never wants or tolerates the spread of this work. He continually tries to have the caller attacked by his own brothers and friends, and keeps inciting him to respond, saying that such an attack must certainly be answered. This incitement of Satan, which he creates in the caller’s heart, is often concealed beneath grand deceptions and religious terminology. But inwardly it contains nothing except sheer egotism. That is why the final two verses state that those who are mindful of Allah become alert and cautious as soon as they sense any satanic activity, influence, or evil thought within themselves. Then they clearly see and understand what policy and course of action will benefit the call to the faith in that situation, and what the demands of the faith’s call are. Those immersed in the darkness of self-worship, and who therefore have a brotherly relationship with devils, can never withstand Satan’s incitement. Defeated by it, they begin walking on a misguided path. Satan then drives them everywhere according to his wishes, and their course never stops anywhere. For every insult from opponents, they have an insult of their own; and for every conspiracy and misconduct by opponents, they have a conspiracy and misconduct of their own.
This discussion also contains a brief general observation. It is that people possessing taqwa generally differ in their way of life from those without taqwa. Those who truly fear Allah and sincerely wish to avoid wrongdoing and sin are such that, if even a slight evil thought casts a shadow over some corner of their minds, they immediately feel disturbed and distressed—just as one feels pain when a thorn pricks a finger or a speck of dust enters the eye. Since they are not accustomed to evil thoughts, wrongful desires, lusts, and bad intentions, these things are contrary to their nature. Just as a thorn in the foot, dirt entering the eye, or a splash of filth on clean clothing troubles people of a clean disposition, so these people are troubled by such thoughts. As soon as they feel this disturbance, their eyes open, their minds become alert, and they immediately begin removing this harmful filth. They are not like those who neither fear Allah nor wish to avoid wrongdoing and sin, and whose minds are in harmony with Satan. Evil thoughts, corrupt desires, and wicked intentions keep revolving in their minds, yet even while immersed in such filth they feel no discomfort or abnormality. It is like pork being cooked in a pot while they do not even think about what is being cooked, or like a cleaner whose entire body is smeared with dirt but who has no awareness of what is clinging to it.
Calling to Allah in an Atmosphere of Fierce Opposition
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“And whose speech is better than that of one who calls to Allah, does righteous deeds, and says: ‘I am a Muslim’?”
The preceding verse consoled the believers and strengthened their courage. This verse then directs their attention to and encourages them regarding the real responsibility for which they had become Muslims. The preceding verse told them that, after adopting the path of worshipping Allah and becoming firmly established upon it, not deviating from it is a righteous deed that makes a person a friend of the angels and deserving of Paradise. Now the next stage is being described, beyond which there can be no higher stage: you yourselves should perform righteous deeds and call other people to accept Allah’s worship and servitude. Even in an atmosphere of fierce opposition, where speaking about and openly expressing Islam amounts to inviting danger upon oneself, declare boldly: ‘I am a Muslim.’ To fully appreciate the importance of this statement by Allah Almighty, it is necessary to keep before one’s eyes the circumstances in which these words were spoken. The atmosphere at that time was such that, as soon as a person openly declared himself a Muslim, he felt as though he had entered a jungle of wild beasts, where every animal was rushing to tear him apart and devour him. The person who went further and opened his mouth to propagate Islam was as though calling the wild beasts: ‘Come and tear me apart and devour me.’ It was in this difficult situation that it was said that accepting Allah as one’s Lord and following the straight path is undoubtedly a very great foundational righteous deed. But the highest level of righteous action is to declare in such an environment, ‘I am a Muslim,’ to call Allah’s servants to accept His servitude 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 in Islam or in those who carry its banner.
Countering Evil with the Best Good
It is then stated:
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‘O Prophet, good and evil are not equal. Counter evil with the deed that is best. Then you will see that those who were your fiercest enemies have become your closest friends.’
To understand the full significance of this verse, one must keep before one’s eyes the circumstances in which this guidance was given to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), and through him to his followers. The situation was that opposition to the call to truth was being carried out with extreme obstinacy and intense 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 suffering, persecution, and torment, to such an extent that quite a number of Muslims were forced to leave the country. At that time, a program was devised to stop the Prophet’s propagation: a group of troublemakers and hecklers was kept constantly on his heels. Whenever he opened his mouth to call to the truth, they began making such a commotion, shouting, and clamoring that no one could hear what he was saying. In reality, it was an extremely delicate situation. Outwardly, all avenues for propagating the faith appeared to be closed. It was precisely in such circumstances that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was given this guidance to crush the opposition’s resistance.
The first point states that good and evil, or right and wrong, are not equal. In other words, no matter how great a storm of sin and wrongdoing your opponents may outwardly create, and no matter how weak, helpless, and powerless goodness may appear in comparison, in reality evil and wrongdoing are weak and helpless by their very nature. Therefore, in the end, people cannot help hating wrongdoing and sin according to their natural disposition. It is not only the companions and followers of sin and wrongdoing—even those who carry its banner inwardly feel that they are liars, oppressors, and acting obstinately and unjustly for their own interests. This destroys their standing in their own eyes instead of creating trust in them among 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 completely helpless and powerless—continues to confront this wrongdoing and sin, it will ultimately prevail. For one thing, goodness contains immense power that influences and captivates people’s hearts. No matter how corrupt and deformed a person’s moral character becomes, he cannot help sensing the value of goodness within himself. When good and evil enter into open conflict, and the hidden jewels of both are exposed before the general public, then after a prolonged struggle very few people can remain without losing respect for wrongdoing and sin and becoming attached and devoted to goodness.
The second point is that sin must not be confronted merely with goodness, but with goodness of the finest and highest quality. That is, if someone treats you unjustly, forgive him. This is a good deed. But the highest form of goodness is that, whenever the person who mistreats you gives you an opportunity, you should show him kindness and do him a favor.
It has been stated regarding its benefits that even the worst enemy will ultimately become a dear friend. This is human nature. If someone abuses you, remain silent. Undoubtedly, this will be a virtuous act. But it will not silence the abuser. If, in reply to his abuse, you wish him well, then no matter how shameless an opponent he may be, he will inevitably feel ashamed. After that, it will no longer be easy for him to speak ill of you. A person never misses an opportunity to harm you, yet you continue to tolerate all his excesses. This may perhaps make him even bolder in his wrongdoing. But if he is ever about to suffer some harm and you protect him from it, he will be compelled to remain at your feet. No wrongdoing can withstand such virtue. Nevertheless, it is not right to turn this rule into an absolute or general principle—that this high degree of virtue will make every deadly enemy into a dear friend. There are also people of such vile character in the world that, no matter how much human perfection you display by forgiving their excesses and responding to their mistreatment with good conduct, the poison of their sting does not diminish in the least. Yet such utterly vile people are as rare as people who are perfectly 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 truly fortunate can attain this rank.’
In other words, although this prescription is highly effective, its use and application are not a matter of amusement or play. They require tremendous moral strength and a robust spirit: firm resolve, great courage, patience, and self-control. A person may, for a short time, perform some great act of virtue in confronting injustice. This is not unusual. But when someone must continue fighting, year after year, for the sake of the true religion against such evildoers who follow falsehood—people who have no hesitation in violating any moral boundary and who are intoxicated with power and authority—then continuously responding to sin with virtue, indeed with the highest level of virtue, and never once allowing the restraint of self-control to break, is not possible for an ordinary person. This can be done only by one who, with a tranquil heart, has made a firm resolve to advance and establish the true religion; 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 truly fortunate can attain this rank,’ that is the law of nature itself. Only people of exceptionally high rank are endowed with these qualities. Whoever possesses them cannot be prevented by any power in the world from reaching the destination of success. It is utterly impossible that the base behavior, vile conspiracies, and inhuman actions of lowly people will defeat him.
Seeking God’s Refuge from Satan’s Temptation
Finally, it is said:
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‘If you sense 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 dignified conduct is being adopted in response to baseness, and justice and virtue in response to injustice and evil, he falls into great anxiety. He wants the champions of the true path—especially their leading figures, and above all their leader—to somehow make a mistake at least once, on the basis of which it can be said to the people: ‘Look, the injustice is not one-sided. Even if one side has behaved unjustly and badly, the people on the other side are not such high-quality people either. In the end, they too 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 these people do not deviate even slightly from the path of dignity, courtesy, virtue, and justice in response to every kind of low, despicable, and unjust conduct by their opponents, they will continue to be deeply influenced by them. But if they commit any kind of injustice, or perform some low act in relation to their standing—even in response to an extreme excess—then, in the people’s eyes, both sides become equal. The opponents also gain an excuse to hurl a thousand abuses in reply to one strong statement. It is on the basis of this delicate matter that it has been said: ‘Beware of Satan’s deception and incitement.’ Pretending to be your well-wishing and compassionate friend, he will incite and provoke you, saying: ‘Such excess simply cannot be tolerated’; ‘That statement must be answered with a crushing reply’; ‘You must fight this attack, otherwise you will be called cowards.’ Whenever you feel unwanted agitation and incitement arising within you in such a situation, immediately become alert that this is certainly Satan’s work. He wants to blind you with anger and make you take a mistaken step. After becoming alert, do not assume: ‘I am capable of controlling my agitation; Satan cannot make me take a wrong step.’ Assuming that you possess such judgment and resolve is another extremely dangerous deception of Satan. Instead, you must seek refuge in Allah. For a person can be protected from error and mistake only when He grants success and safeguards him.
The best 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 abusing 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 too replied to the man with a harsh statement. As soon as those words left his mouth, the Prophet became deeply displeased, which became evident on his blessed face, and he immediately rose and left. Abu Bakr also rose and followed him. On the way, he asked about the reason for this incident and said: ‘While the man continued abusing me, you remained silent and smiled quietly; but when I replied to 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 speaking, Satan came and took the angel’s place. I cannot sit with Satan.’
The Caller to the 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. It has been stated repeatedly in the Noble Qur’an that the Prophet has no personal interest in the work of calling people to 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 do not ask you for any payment 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 are not asking 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 passage. In reality, however, the address is directed to the disbelievers as a whole. Its purpose is to make them understand: O servants of Allah, how unjust this obstinacy of yours is. If the Prophet had undertaken this work of calling and conveying the message for some personal interest, or if he had wanted something for himself, you would certainly have had an opportunity to say: ‘Why should we accept the words of this self-interested man?’ But you can see that he is entirely selfless. He is presenting something selflessly for your welfare and the welfare of the whole world. Why would anyone needlessly oppose him? 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 gift of your Lord is better for you, and He is the best provider.’ (Verse 72)
In other words, no fair-minded person can accuse you of undertaking this effort to obtain some personal advantage. You had an excellent business, yet now you are immersed in poverty. Your entire people used to regard you with honor and respect; everyone treated you with dignity. Now you endure abuse, stones are thrown at you, and even your life has been plunged into grave danger. You were living peacefully and happily with your wife and children; now you have fallen into such a severe conflict that you have no time to rest even for a moment. Above all, you have entered the field with a message that has made the entire country your enemy. Who could say that this is the work of a selfish person? A selfish person takes sides with his people and tribe and strives energetically to gain leadership. People like that do not enter the field with a message that poses a great challenge to the interests of their own people. From the very beginning, you have been cutting at the roots of the system on which the Quraysh tribe’s domination over the Arab polytheists was founded.
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 reward is the responsibility of Allah, and He is witness over every matter.’
The first phrase can have two meanings. One is: If I have truly asked for any recompense, then it is for you. The second is: If I have truly asked for any recompense, then it is nothing other than your welfare. The meaning of the final part is that the accuser and slanderer may continue making whatever accusation he wishes. Allah knows everything. Allah Himself bears witness that I am a selfless person and that I am not doing this for any personal interest.
It is stated in Surah Sad:
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‘O Prophet, say: I ask you for no payment 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 in order to establish their superiority and try to become something they are not. This statement was not made through the mouth of the Noble Prophet merely to inform the disbelievers of Makkah; rather, his forty years of life among those disbelievers before his prophethood stand as evidence of it. Even the young children of Makkah knew that the Noble Prophet was not a fabricator. Not a single person among his entire people 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 any payment, so that they are being crushed beneath the burden of a fine imposed upon them by force?’ (al-Tur 40, al-Qalam 46)
The question was not addressed to the Messenger; rather, it was essentially addressed to the disbelievers. Its meaning is that if the Messenger had asked you for payment, or had undertaken these activities to obtain some personal benefit, you would at least have had a reasonable justification for turning away from him. But you yourselves know that he is completely selfless regarding this call and is sacrificing himself solely for your welfare. What reason, then, could there be for your unwillingness even to listen to him calmly? There is also a subtle sarcasm in this question. Just as artificial religious leaders and the custodians of religious institutions throughout the world do, the religious leaders and learned priests of the polytheists in Arabia openly conducted a religious business. In this connection, they are asked: On the one hand, these religious businessmen openly collect payments from you for offerings and every religious rite. On the other hand, one man is trying, in complete selflessness—and while ruining his own business—to show you, with compelling proofs and arguments, the straight and correct path of religion. Now tell us: what is this, if not your manifest foolishness, that you turn your backs on this great man and run to those religious businessmen?
There is only one verse on this subject about which there is some room for disagreement. The verse is:
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‘O Prophet, tell these people: I do not ask you for any kind of payment for this. I only ask for love of close kinship.’ (al-Shura 23)
There is considerable disagreement among the commentators concerning the true meaning of the word ‘close kinship’ here.
One group understood it to mean kinship. They explained the meaning of the verse as follows: ‘I do not ask you for any payment for this work. But I do ask that you, O Quraysh, preserve the ties of kinship between yourselves and me. It was your duty to accept 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 commentary of Abdullah ibn Abbas, cited through numerous chains of narration by Imam Ahmad, al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Jarir, al-Tabarani, al-Bayhaqi, Ibn Sa‘d, and others. Mujahid, Ikrimah, Qatadah, al-Suddi, Abu Malik, Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, al-Dahhak, Ata ibn Dinar, and other prominent commentators also gave this interpretation.
A second group understood ‘close kinship’ to mean nearness and proximity. 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 should awaken within you’—that is, that you reform yourselves. That is all my reward. This interpretation is narrated from Hasan al-Basri, and a statement supporting it is also reported from Qatadah. Indeed, in a narration of al-Tabarani, an opinion of Ibn Abbas supporting it is also cited. Elsewhere in the Noble Qur’an, this matter is stated in the following words:
The Arabic will be—
‘Tell these people: I ask you for nothing for this work. My reward is only that whoever wishes may adopt the path of his Lord.’ (al-Furqan 57)
A third group understood the word to mean relatives. In their view, the meaning of the verse is: ‘You should love my close relatives; I ask you for no other reward 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. In some narrations, it is attributed to Ibn Abbas and Ali ibn Husayn (Zayn al-Abidin). But this interpretation is entirely unacceptable for several reasons. First, when Surah al-Shura was revealed in Makkah, Ali and Fatimah had not yet married, let alone had children. Nor had all the descendants of Abd al-Muttalib become companions and supporters 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, his father, and his honored wife, Khadijah, he had relatives in every household of Quraysh. In the same way, every household of Quraysh contained both his most excellent Companions and his worst enemies. How could the Noble Prophet single out only the descendants of Abd al-Muttalib from among these vile people as his relatives and ask that they receive special love? The third point in this matter is the most important. A prophet who stands at an exalted rank and calls people toward Allah—while remaining invested with that highest rank, to ask as payment for this great work that people love his relatives—is a very low act. No person of refined taste could even imagine that Allah would teach His Prophet such words and that the Prophet would stand before Quraysh and say them. In the accounts of the prophets mentioned in the Noble Qur’an, we see that every prophet clearly informed his people: ‘I ask you for no payment; my payment is the responsibility of Almighty Allah.’ (Yunus 72, Hud 29 and 51, al-Shu‘ara 109, 127, 145, 164, 180). In Surah Ya-Sin, the fact that a prophet remains completely selfless in his calling is presented as a criterion for verifying his truthfulness (verse 21). Through the mouth of the Prophet himself, the Noble Qur’an repeatedly makes him say: ‘I ask you for no payment’; this has been cited above. How, then, can there be any justification for saying: ‘In return for the work of calling that I am carrying out on Allah’s behalf, love my relatives’? Moreover, when we see that this address is directed 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 also is directed to them. In this context, how could the question of asking any payment from opponents arise at all? Payment can be requested from people who consider the work valuable and for whose benefit the valuable work has been arranged. What value were the disbelievers assigning to the Prophet’s great work that he could say to them: ‘In return for this great service I am rendering for you, love my relatives’? On the contrary, they regarded this work as a grave 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 Call
When the Messenger of Allah began the work of propagating Islam in exalted Makkah, his work rested on three foundations. First, no one may be associated with Allah in His divinity. Second, Allah the Exalted had chosen him as His Messenger. Third, one day this world will be destroyed, after which another world will be created. Then all human beings, from the first to the last, will be resurrected and brought to the plain of Resurrection with the same bodies and physical forms with which they had carried out their deeds. Their beliefs and all their actions will then be reckoned. Those who are proved to be believers and righteous in this reckoning will enter Paradise forever. Conversely, those who are proved to be disbelievers and sinners will remain in Hell forever.
Although accepting the first of these three points was difficult for the people of Makkah, they were nevertheless not deniers of Allah’s existence. They acknowledged Allah as the greatest Lord, Creator, and Provider, and they also admitted that the other beings they had taken as deities besides Allah were creations of Allah. Thus, their only dispute concerned whether those deities possessed any share in the attributes, power, authority, or essential divinity of God.
The people of Makkah were not prepared to accept the second point. Yet it was impossible for them to deny that, before claiming prophethood, the Noble Prophet had lived among them for a full forty years, and that during this long period they had never found him to be a liar, a deceiver, or someone who adopted unlawful means to protect his personal interests. They had always supported and praised his intelligence, wisdom, sound judgment, and high moral character. For this reason, despite inventing thousands of excuses and accusations, they themselves could not accept these claims as true, let alone persuade others to believe them. Since the Noble Prophet was truthful and committed to truth in every matter, how could he—God forbid—be a liar only concerning his claim to messengership?
Thus, the first two points were not as objectionable to the people of Makkah as the third point. When this third point was presented to them, they made the greatest mockery of it. On hearing it, they expressed the utmost 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 for bringing them into Islam, because unless they accepted the possibility of the Hereafter, it would have been utterly impossible for them to adopt a sound method of thinking about truth and falsehood, change the basis for choosing good and evil, abandon the path of world-worship, and follow the way shown by Islam. For this reason, the greatest effort in the early surahs revealed in Makkah Muazzamah was devoted to establishing belief in the Hereafter in people’s hearts. Of course, even when presenting proofs and evidence for this purpose, such a method was adopted that the concept of monotheism would naturally settle in people’s minds. From time to time, arguments proving the truth of the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and the Holy Qur’an were also discussed briefly.
3. Three Years of the Messenger of Allah’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Secret Preaching
Three Years of Secret Preaching
Allah taught His Prophet special wisdom for conveying the message of prophethood. Accordingly, at the very beginning of his mission, he did not announce his prophethood or begin preaching publicly. Rather, during the first three years he secretly conveyed Islam to those virtuous people who were willing, through evidence, reasoning and intellect alone, to accept monotheism and abandon polytheism. In addition, this work was mentioned to certain trustworthy people who could be relied upon not to disclose it until the time when, by Allah’s command, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) decided to begin making a general proclamation and calling people openly toward Allah. In this work, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) proved to be the most effective influence.
For this reason, al-Tabari and Ibn Hisham wrote that he was extremely sociable and cheerful. Because of his beautiful and refined qualities, he was very popular among his people. Among the Quraysh, no one had greater knowledge of genealogy than he did. No one knew the good and bad people of Quraysh, or people’s virtues and faults, better than Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
There was no one else so well versed in genealogy. Trade was his profession. He was renowned for his honest and impeccable dealings. Because of his knowledge, business and excellent conduct, the people of his community frequently mixed and associated with him. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he conveyed the call to reliable and trusted people. Attracted by his call, a considerable number of people accepted Islam. Thereafter, each person who became Muslim conveyed the message of Islam to the righteous people among his circle of friends. At that time, the Muslims prayed secretly in secluded places in Makkah so that no one would learn that they had changed their religion.
Establishing the Center and Gathering Place for Preaching at the House of al-Arqam
Only two and a half years had passed. At this time, an incident occurred that created the fear that a clash with the unbelievers of Makkah might break out before the proper time. Ibn Ishaq narrated that one day the polytheists of Makkah came upon the Muslims praying in a ravine and began insulting them as weak and cowardly. As the exchange continued, a clash broke out between the two groups. When Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) threw a camel bone at a man, the man’s head split open. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Hisham have related this incident briefly. Hafiz Umawi, however, recorded a detailed account in his work al-Maghazi and said that the man whose head was wounded was Abdullah ibn Qatal of Banu Taym. After this incident, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) immediately made the house of al-Arqam, situated near Mount Safa, a center for the Muslims’ gatherings, preaching and propagation. The Muslims gathered there to pray, and those who wished to accept Islam secretly also began coming there. In the history of Islam, Dar al-Arqam is perpetually famous. Even after the three years of secret preaching ended and public preaching began, Dar al-Arqam remained the Muslims’ center. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would come there; the Muslims would gather around him there, and until they were confined in Shi’b Abi Talib, this house remained honored as the central seat of Islamic preaching.
An Account of Three Years of Secret Preaching
Before discussing the public preaching, let us review how much was accomplished during the three years of secret preaching. Let us also examine which individuals from the various clans of Quraysh became Muslims, and which Qurashis, clients, male slaves and female slaves accepted Islam. After extensive research and investigation, we have recorded below a list of the names we collected, a list that is not found 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’amiya. She was not Qurayshi; (3) Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet’s paternal aunt and the mother of al-Zubayr; (4) Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet’s paternal aunt and the mother of Tulaib ibn Umair (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 Qurayz (may Allah be pleased with her); (10) Khalid ibn Sa’id ibn al-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 first the wife of Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh, and later attained the status of Mother of the Believers).
From the allied clans of Banu Umayyah: (13) Abdullah ibn Jahsh ibn Riyab; (14) Abu Ahmad ibn Jahsh; (15) Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh. They were from Banu Ghanm ibn Dudan, sons of Umaymah bint Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet’s paternal aunt, 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 mother of Aishah 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 allies 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 Prophet’s cousin 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) Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him); (28) his mother, Shifa bint Awf (may Allah be pleased with her); (29) Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) (his original name was Malik ibn Uhayb); (30) his brother, Umayr ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him); (31) his brother, Amir ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him); (32) al-Muttalib ibn Azhar (may Allah be pleased with him), the cousin of Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf; (33) his wife, Ramlah bint Abi Awf al-Sahmiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her); (34) Tulaib ibn Azhar (may Allah be pleased with him); (35) Abdullah ibn Shihab (may Allah be pleased with him), who was, through his mother, the maternal grandfather of Imam al-Zuhri.
Among the allies of Banu Zuhrah: (36) Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), a member of the Hudhayl tribe who lived in Makkah as an ally of Banu Zuhrah; (37) Utbah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Abdullah ibn Mas’ud; (38) al-Miqdad ibn Amr al-Kindi (may Allah be pleased with him), whom al-Aswad ibn Abd Yaghuth had taken as an ally; (39) Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him); (40) Shurahbil ibn Hasnah al-Kindi (may Allah be pleased with him); (41) Jabir ibn Hasnah al-Kindi (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Mubarahbil; (42) Junadah ibn Hasnah (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Shurahbil.
Banu Adi: (43) Sa’id ibn Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl (may Allah be pleased with him), Umar’s brother-in-law and cousin; (44) Zayd ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), Umar’s sister; (45) Zayd ibn Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), Umar’s elder brother; (46) Amir ibn Rabi’ah al-Anazi (may Allah be pleased with him), an ally of Banu Adi whom Khattab had adopted; his kunya was Abu Abdullah al-Anazi; (47) his wife, Layla bint Abu Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with her); (48) Ma’mar ibn Abdullah ibn Nadmah (may Allah be pleased with him); (49) Nu’aym ibn Abdullah al-Nahham (may Allah be pleased with him); (50) Adi ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him); (51) Urwah ibn Abu Uthathah (may Allah be pleased with him), the maternal uncle of Aram ibn As; (52) Mas’ud ibn Suwayd ibn Harithah ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him).
Among the allies of Banu Adi: (53) Waqid ibn Abdullah, whom Khattab had bound by agreement and given protection; (54) Khalid ibn Bukayr ibn Abd Yalil al-Laythi (may Allah be pleased with him); (55) Iyas (may Allah be pleased with him); (56) Amir (may Allah be pleased with him); (57) Aqil (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Abd al-Dar: (58) Mus’ab ibn Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him); (59) Abu Rum ibn Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Mus’ab; (60) Firas ibn al-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him); (61) Jahm ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Jumah: (62) Uthman ibn Maz’un (may Allah be pleased with him); (63) his brother, Qudamah ibn Maz’un (may Allah be pleased with him); (64) his brother, Abdullah ibn Maz’un (may Allah be pleased with him); (65) Sa’ib ibn Uthman ibn Maz’un (may Allah be pleased with him); (66) Ma’mar ibn al-Harith ibn Ma’mar (may Allah be pleased with him); (67) his brother, Hatib ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (68) his wife, Fatimah bint Mujallal al-Amiriyyah (may Allah be pleased with her); (69) Ma’mar’s brother, Khattab ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (70) his wife, Fukayhah bint Yasar (may Allah be pleased with her); (71) Sufyan ibn Ma’mar (may Allah be pleased with him); (72) Nubayh ibn Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Sahm: (73) Abdullah ibn Hudhafah (may Allah be pleased with him); (74) Khunays ibn Hudhafah (may Allah be pleased with him), Umar’s son-in-law and the first husband of Hafsah, the Mother of the Believers; (75) Hisham ibn al-As ibn Wa’il (may Allah be pleased with him); (76) al-Harith ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him); (77) his son, Bashir ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (78) his other son, Ma’mar ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (79) Qays ibn Hudhafah (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Abdullah ibn Hudhafah; (80) Abu Qays ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (81) Abdullah ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (82) Sa’ib ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (83) al-Hajjaj ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (84) Bishr ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him); (85) Sa’id ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him).
Among the allies of Banu Sahm: (86) Umayr ibn Riyab (may Allah be pleased with him); (87) Mahmiya ibn Jazi (may Allah be pleased with him), who was the maternal uncle of Umm al-Fadl, the wife of Abbas.
Banu Makhzum: (88) Abu Salamah, Abdullah ibn Abd al-Asad (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet’s cousin through his paternal aunt and foster brother, and the first husband of Umm Salamah, the Mother of the Believers; (89) his wife, Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) (she and her husband Abu Salamah were close relatives of Abu Jahl); (90) al-Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him), whose house, Dar al-Arqam, has already been mentioned; (91) Ayyash ibn Abi Rabi’ah (may Allah be pleased with him), Abu Jahl’s maternal cousin and the paternal cousin of Khalid ibn al-Walid; (92) his wife, Asma bint Salamah al-Tamimiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her); (93) al-Walid ibn al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah (may Allah be pleased with him); (94) Hisham ibn Abu Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him); (95) Salamah ibn Hisham (may Allah be pleased with him); (96) Hashim ibn Abu Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him); (97) Habbar ibn Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him); (98) his brother, Abdullah ibn Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him).
Among the allies of Banu Makhzum: (99) Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him), the father of Ammar ibn Yasir; (100) Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him); (101) his brother, Abdullah ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Amir ibn Lu’ayy: (102) Abu Sabrah ibn Ruhm (may Allah be pleased with him), the son of Barrah bint Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet’s paternal aunt; (103) his wife, Umm Kulthum bint Suhayl ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with her), the sister of Abu Jandal; (104) Abdullah ibn Suhayl ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him); (105) Hatib ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Suhayl ibn Amr; (106) Salim ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Suhayl ibn Amr (the work al-Isabah calls him the nephew of Suhayl ibn Amr); (107) Sakran ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Suhayl ibn Amr and the first husband of Sawdah bint Zam’ah, the Mother of the Believers; (108) his wife, Sawdah bint Zam’ah (may Allah be pleased with her) (after Sakran’s death she attained the status of Mother of the Believers); (109) Yaqazah bint Alqamah, the wife of Salit ibn Amr (al-Isabah records her as Umm Yaqazah, while Ibn Sa’d gives her name as Fatimah bint Alqamah); (110) Malik ibn Zam’ah (may Allah be pleased with him), the brother of Sawdah; (111) Ibn Umm Maktum (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Fihr ibn Malik: (112) Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him); (113) Suhayl ibn Bayda (may Allah be pleased with him); (114) Sa’id ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him); (115) Amr ibn al-Harith ibn Zuhayr (may Allah be pleased with him); (116) Uthman ibn Abd Ghanam ibn Zuhayr (may Allah be pleased with him), the cousin of Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf through his paternal aunt; (117) al-Harith ibn Sa’id (may Allah be pleased with him).
Banu Abd Qusayy: (118) Tulaib ibn Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him), the son of Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet’s paternal aunt.
The people mentioned thus far were all connected with the major clans of Quraysh. In addition, a considerable number of clients, male slaves and female slaves accepted Islam during the three years of secret preaching. Their names are given below: (119) Umm Ayman Barakah bint Tha’labah, who had cared for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from childhood, carrying him in her arms; (120) Zinnirah al-Rumiyyah, the freedwoman of Amr ibn Mu’ammil; (121) Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah be pleased with him), who had been the slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf; (122) his mother, Hamamah (may Allah be pleased with her); (123) Abu Fukayhah Yasar al-Jahmi (may Allah be pleased with him), the freed slave of Safwan ibn Umayyah; (124) Lubaybah, the slave woman of Mu’ammil ibn Habib; (125) Umm Ubay s (may Allah be pleased with her), a slave woman of Banu Taym ibn Murrah or Banu Zuhrah (the first view is held by Zubayr ibn Bakkar and the second by Baladhuri); (126) Amir ibn Fuhayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), the slave of Tufayl ibn Abdullah; (127) Sumayyah (may Allah be pleased with her), the mother of Ammar ibn Yasir and the slave woman of Abu Hudhayfah ibn al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi.
In addition, among the non-Quraysh people who accepted Islam in this early period in Makkah were: (128) Mihjan ibn Adra al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him); (129) Mas’ud ibn Rabi’ah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), who belonged to the Qarah clan of Banu Uluhun ibn Khuzaymah.
When these 129 were added to the first four Muslims, their number became 133. Before public preaching began, they had believed in the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and joined the Muslim community. [1]
They were people of steadfast character, tranquil disposition and sound thought. Through reason and common sense alone, they understood the harm of polytheism. They accepted the significance and truth of monotheism. They acknowledged Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), understood the Qur’an as Allah’s word and the only path of guidance for themselves, and recognized the life of the Hereafter as an inevitable supreme truth. After this sincere corps of workers possessing true knowledge of the religion had been prepared, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), by Allah’s command, began the work of Islamic preaching publicly.
It will be in Arabic——
“O our Lord! Follow the path of patience. Show steadfastness in confronting the followers of falsehood. Rise up and devote yourselves to serving the truth, and continue to fear Allah. It may be that you will succeed.” (Aal Imran 200)
[1. Ibn Abd al-Barr, in Al-Isti’ab, and Ibn Athir, in Usd al-Ghabah, have written: “It is said that Umm al-Fadl, the wife of Abbas, was the first woman, to embrace Islam after Khadijah.” If this is correct, the number of Muslims in this early period would be 134. This woman’s real name was Lubabah bint al-Harith. She was the sister of the Mother of the Believers, Maymunah,, the maternal aunt of Khalid ibn al-Walid, and the maternal half-sister of Asma bint Umays, the wife of Ja‘far ibn Abu Talib. Since the expression “it is said” is a weak formulation regarding her, we have not mentioned her name in the list. —The Author]