BREEZE OF ROSE OF PROPHET

MUHAMMAD

. IN PRAISE OF HABEEBUNA MUSTAFA
A BEAUTIFUL BOOK ON THE LIFE OF PROHET MUHAMMAD RAHMATUL LIL AALAMEEN

Ref: http://hazretieyupsultan.com/guli_muhammedi_ruzgari/BreezeOfRoseOfProphetMuhammad.htm

A NIGHT LIKE THIS

It was fourteen centuries ago and it was a night like this, An orphan as bright as the full moon emerged out of the sands! Alas, what a mishap it was: the eyes were ignorant of it, Whereas they had been in anticipation thereof for so many thousands of years! How could they see? Of course they would fail to see it; Since, for one thing, the desert where he rose was a most remote place; And, another thing, the state of world then Was in crises much worse than it is today. Mankind outdid hyenas in rapacity; If one did not have any teeth, his own brothers ate him! The anarchy had invaded all the horizons of the earth. Epidemic was the trouble of disintegration which has collapsed the East today. Then he had grown up and reached the age of forty the orphan, The bloody feet that walked over heads found water, That Innocent Personage saved the mankind in a single blast of breath, He defeated all the Kings and Emperors in an attack! All the rights of the weak were but to be oppressed, but they revived; And decline never occurred to the intellect of the tyrants, but they died! Yes, it was the Mercy to All the Worlds - His Manifest Law of Islam, He spread his wings over the lands that asked for justice. Whatever the world possesses, they are all thanks to Him; Indebted to him are all the communities; indebted to him are all the individuals. Indebted to that Innocent Personage is the whole humankind O, our Lord! We beg You to resurrect us on Judgment Day with this resolution. -Mehmet Akif Ersoy

NIGHT OF BIRTH
It was 20th April, one Monday night, in 571 A.C The dawn was about to break. Mother Aminah began to have pains of labor Mother Aminah was, in fact, not even 20 at the time. There were three accoucheueses Shifah, Fatimah and Umm Aiman And three blessed companions, who were sent from beyond the heavens Asiyah, wife of the Pharaoh, Exalted Mary, mother of Jesus and a Houri from the Heaven The birth of the New and the Last Prophet was actually observed and celebrated by the representatives of the earlier Prophets. Then, the blessed chamber filled with angels who spread their wings around Mother Aminah, whereby forming a shield to prevent any disrespectful eyes. His body touched the earthly soil Yet unlike any other baby He did not creep He was over his knees There was no filth on him coming with the birth His head was upwards with a smile. Then he raised the forefinger of his right hand. The midwives heard him speak: Allah-u Akbar Kabirah walHamdulillahi Kasirah! His umbilical cord had been cut and he was born having been circumcised.
Mother Aminah describes the moment as follows: A light emerged with him the moment I delivered him, which illuminated and showed him the distance between the East and the West. Then he put his hands on the floor and fell down. Next, he took a handful of earth and raised his head towards the sky. Another narration from Mother Aminah reads as follows: It was when I got the pains of labor that night that I heard a loud voice. I was enwrapped in fear; however, that feeling vanished when a white bird came down and rubbed my back. Next, a chalice of sherbet was put before me, which I thought was milk. I was so thirsty. I drank it. Then I was filled with peace and security. That night, birds rushed into and filled my house. Their beaks were of emerald and wings of ruby. GOD THE ALMIGHTY removed the screen off my sight. I witnessed the places of the Orient and the places of the Occident. I saw three standards, one in the East, one in the West, and one on top of the Holy Kaabah. When Muhammad ( ) was born, he put his hands on the floor and raised his face towards the heavens. Then, he placed his hands upon his knees and began to move his fingers as if he was glorifying GOD THE MOST HIGH. Then I heard a voice say: Muhammad has taken the whole world under his sovereignty. The creation in their entirety have obeyed him willingly or unwillingly.

After Muhammad ( ) was born, three persons - from the unknown world - appeared before me. Their faces were shining like the sun. One of them held a ewer made of ruby. Another one, who held a rectangular emerald washbasin embedded with pearls, said: O the Beloved One of GOD! This washbowl is the earth, hold any corner of it as you like! Muhammad ( ) put his hand in the middle of the washbasin. Then a voice out of nowhere said: Muhammad ( ) has preferred Kaabah; and GOD has who held a piece of silk in his hand, washed Muhammad ( ) in the washbasin seven times, wrapped him in the silken cloth and then put him under his wings. After that, he whispered into his ears many words I failed to understand. "Prophet Muhammad ( ) wore a smile when he was born. A voice from nowhere said: His name is Muhammad!

appointed him the Holy Kaabah as the Qiblah (the direction in which Muslims turn in ritual prayers) and a holy residence. Then, the third person,

Shifah, of the midwives, relates the happenings that occurred that night: I was the midwife of Aminah. Muhammad ( ) fell into my hands that night, when I heard: May your Lord have mercy on you. The entire sky from the

West to the East was filled with light, wherein I witnessed the palaces of Damascus. Then, the two people that appeared on my right said to the baby: O Muhammad ( !) We bring you good-news with honor and glory. You are certainly wrapped in the Firmest Bond. Whoever sticks to a branch of the Tree of Religion and Nation of yours and follow your Sunnah shall be resurrected as a member of your Ummah (Muslim Community in its entirety). I have never forgotten these words. Then, no sooner had he been assigned the Mission of Prophethood than I ran to him to be of the first Muslims.
Again, another midwife, Fatimah, narrates as follows: I was at the side of Aminah at the time of her delivery. I looked into the sky. The stars were so close that it seemed as if they would touch the earth. I thought they would fall upon me. Such a light left Aminah after the birth, whereby the whole house was illuminated. What ever I looked at turned into light. In fact, I could see nothing but the light. It was a custom of Arabs to cover the newborn baby with a cauldron, which was also applied for Muhammad ( ) However, when those that had put the caldron over the baby were amazed at the sight they witnessed in the morning The cauldron had split apart just in the middle and the Baby Muhammad ( ) was watching the sky from where he was lying with a smile on his face.

And the extraordinary phenomena that were witnessed that night were not limited to those that were lived in Mecca, in the house of Abdullah, son of Abd AlMuttalib In fact, in the Sassanian lands (todays Iran), which was over one thousand miles many a strange phenomena were seen Fourteen of the twenty-two towers at the Imperial Palace in Madain, capital of the Sassanian Empire, collapsed. Again, the holy fire of the Zoroastrians in the City of Istahrabad, which had been burning for one thousand years, burnt out without any apparent reason. Also, the Lake Sawah, which had been considered holy by the Magi, dried in one night sinking into the soil. On the other hand, the River Samawah, which had been dry for hundreds of years, began to flow. In the meantime, the Sassanian Emperor, which was dumfounded by all the incidents mentioned heretofore, convened his Advisory Council, where he asked the wise people of the interpretation of all the said happenings. The Chief Judge, Mubazan, started to talk and related the vision he had seen in his dream the previous night: I dreamed that hundreds of roaring camels accompanied by

Although the Emperor then demanded further details, the knowledge of Mubazan fell short therein. Thereupon, they sent for the famous soothsayer in Damascus, Satih to ask him of the wisdom behind the extraordinary incidents in the Sassanian Land. The replies of Satih, who was in his deathbed, was quite clear:

those thoroughbred prancing Arabian horses at the front cross the River Tigris and spread over the Sassanian soils. That dream dispirited the frightened Emperor, who asked: What is the meaning of all these? Mubazan then replied: Many important things are going to occur in the Arabs.

After as many Empires as the number of the fallen towers have come to power, the Sassanian Empire shall fall. The extinguishment of the holy fire of the Magi and the desiccation of the holy lake signify the end of Zoroastrianism. In truth, history justified Satih. That night, all the idols inside
the Holy Kaabah collapsed their faces down.

A meteoric shower was witnessed that very night. Thousands of meteors became the fireworks of the skies, which turned into fairgrounds, whereby the Satan and Jinns theft of news was exterminated. Thus, the stones of the path leading to the Revelation to come in forty years time began to be paved. And that night, the City of Prophet of fifty years later was not empty. The poet Hassan ibn Thabit, a famed resident of Medina, narrates: By God, I was a robust tall boy. I was

seven or eight years old. I could understand anything I heard. I heard a Jew cry out on top of a fortress called Atamah at the loudest volume of his voice: O the Jewish Community! Then the Jews gathered around him and said: May God damn you! What are you yelling for? Then, he said, Tonight

the star of Ahmad was born with Ahmad.

The following morning, a tall Bedouin poet with a gray beard was entering Mecca holding the bridle of his camel, reciting a poem:

Meccans were asleep last night, Alas, they failed to witness The light illuminating the skies And the festival of the stars. It was as if the stars had left their stations And how close the moon to the earth! And how the distant stars shined into the homes of the Meccans! All this news in the heavens and on earth Is what I saw in the desert. Aye, the secrets observed in the desert are not seen in cities. Yes, townsmen are unaware thereof

The Meccans that heard the above lines gathered merrily around the old man, who continued to sing the poem:

Meccans were asleep last night, Alas, they failed to witness The light illuminating the skies And the festival of the stars. What so many secrets the universe holds, Which reveal themselves at times, But not to everybody! Mecca was showered last night with roses, All of which were stars!

And there was another poet that night, who was very happy and joyful. The grandfather, Abd Al-Muttalib No sooner had he received the good tidings than he ran to Abdullahs home, grabbed the baby and headed for the Holy Kaaba, which he circumambulated with the baby in his arms, reciting in the meantime the lines below:

May God the Almighty be Glorified, Who Has Granted this purified baby, Enwrapped in a swaddle, Who has excelled all his peers even in cradle. I entrust him to the Lord of Holy Kaaba So He Protects him From all the wicked and From the malice of the jealous

Whose eyes roll in their socket So that I see him mature and sound.
In fact, the Lord of Kaaba would not share His trust with nobody. His father, Abdullah, died at the time when his beloved mother was pregnant to him for six months, thus leaving him as an orphan even before he was born. What is more, his mother was going to pass on to the Everlasting Heaven when he was only six years old before the mother and soon had not seen each other long enough And then, two years later, the blissful poet of that night, Grandfather Abd AlMuttalib, died when he was merely eight years old. Then, the last protectors, i.e. Uncle Abu Talib and his beloved wife, Khadijah, left this mortal life in the early years of his Prophethood And finally the Trust would belong to his Real Owner absolutely and only and exclusively To the Lord of Holy Kaaba to the Lord of Muhammad to the Lord of All the Worlds!

THAT NIGHT OF BIRTH

Aminah Hatun, Mother of Muhammad () , Of that mother-of-pearl was born that pearl, When the birth of Muhammad ( ) was near, Many portents were witnessed. In the Month of Rabi Al-Awwal , On the night of the twelfth day thereof, one Monday, The best of humankind was born that very night, Many a miracle did her Mother observe in him, I saw, said the Mother of that Beloved One, A magnificent light around which the sun was turning, It flashed out of my house like lightning all of a sudden, Whereby the whole universe got illuminated, The skies opened and the darkness was conquered, I saw three Angels with Banners in their hands, One of them was in the East and one in the West, And another one stood on top of the Holy Kaabah, Angels descended from the Heavens in ranks, They circumambulated my house like Kaabah, Houris came down in groups, too, My house was filled with the light of their faces, And a mattress was laid in the air, Its name was Sundus and the one that laid it was an Angel, And all these things appeared to me manifest, I was very amazed at the time, The wall split suddenly, And three Houris came out before me, They say that of those three beautiful women Of those charming women, one was Asiyah, One was Mother Mary, apparently, And another one was a beautiful one of the Houris, They came down graciously. They saluted me immediately, too And they came and sat around me, They gave the good tidings of Muhammad ( ) to one another, They said, Not any son like your son Has ever come since the universe was created GOD the Almighty, the Gracious has not granted

Any son like yours to any mother, You have been bestowed with great prosperity - O the Beloved One! The Best of the Creation has been born of you. This Coming One is the Sultan of the Knowledge of Divine Providence, This Coming One is the source of the Knowledge of Religion and Morals, For the sake of this Coming One the universe turns, All the humans and angels admire the beauty of his face This very night is the Blessed Night, He blesses the worlds with His Light, He changes the world into the Heaven this night, This night GOD blesses things this night, The devoted ones are blissful this night, The devoted ones vivify this night, Mustafa ( ) is Mercy to all the Worlds this night, And Mustafa ( ) is an Intercessor for the sinners, They have described him like this, They have unified that holy light, Aminah says, Now that the time has come, Let that Blessed Favour come into being. I got very thirsty definitely, Then they offered me a cup of sherbet, When I drank of it, my body was filled with light, I could not differ myself from the light. A Angel descended then in the form of a white bird, And it touched my back immediately It was that hour when the Sultan of Religion was born, The Heavens and the Earth were filled with Light -SULAIMAN CELIBI

THE DAY HE WAS ENTRUSTED TO A FOSTER MOTHER

It was a common practice among the Arabs living in cities to give their babies during the time of sucking milk to foster mothers of Bedouin tribes living on plateaus. Thus, their children grew up in a healthier environment in comparison to the city in a desert; also, they had the chance to learn the language of Arabic more eloquently. Needless to mention, that was a significant source of earning living for the Bedouins. However, a foster mother was hopeless with empty hands in the race of finding babies for fostering that year: Khalimah In fact, Khalimah had been in the pangs of a fierce drought and famine with the whole tribe of hers that year And for a long time. Those hard days were expressed by Khalimah with the following words:

I was pregnant and I had not eaten anything for three days before my delivery in that the pangs of hunger had even made me forget the pains of labour. And further, the crying of the baby after birth [viz. of Abdullah, foster-brother of Prophet Muhammad, ( ]) and the continuing hunger had been preventing me from sleeping. Nevertheless, I praised and thanked God the Almighty. In truth, those praises would soon be awarded in
quite a generous manner. And when the season arrived, the people of the Tribe of Sad ibn Baqr, men and women, descended to Mecca. Every foster-mother got a foster-baby with the exception of Khalimah, which case naturally grieved Khalimah, for being a foster mother that returned to the plateau where she lived empty-handed touched Khalimahs feelings of womanhood and motherhood. While she was in deep contemplation one late afternoon, a tall slim silhouette appeared before her: Muhammads ( ) grandfather Abd Al-Muttalib, a noble wise personage of Mecca. Abd Al-Muttalib had been searching a foster-mother to entrust his grandson Muhammad ( ) for days. Nevertheless, no woman from the Tribe of Sad ibn Baqr had appeared to be eager to receive him. For the baby Muhammad ( ) was an orphan. What is more, Abd AlMuttalib, who had undertaken the task of his father, was utterly poor, which case made being the foster mother of the baby Muhammad ( ) worthless

in the sight of the women of the Tribe of Sad ibn Baqr since there was no good money in return for that work. And in the late afternoon of that day, the Grandfather Abd Al-Muttalib stood perhaps with the last hope - before Khalimah and said: O Khalimah! I have an

orphan grandson, whom I have proposed to all the women of the Tribe of Sad ibn Baqr; however, none of them have volunteered to take him because he is an orphan. Would you breastfeed him? Haply, Almighty God shall bestow security and felicity upon you for his sake.
The proposal of Abd Al-Muttalib worked a positive effect on the heart of Khalimah, which had softened because of her grief, who said: Let me consult my husband thereon. Thereafter, she tried to convince him:

There is no other baby in Mecca to breastfeed. Would you deem it suitable that we take him? For, verily, I cannot stomach to return to our hometown empty handed. Indeed, by God, I cannot go near my friends without getting a baby to breastfeed. She tried to persuade her husband with some
other convincing words into accepting the baby as a foster-child. Then, having been encouraged with her husbands silence, she declared her decision:

I am going to fetch the orphan! The husband gave consent to Khalimahs decision: I would not mind your doing that!
Thereafter, Khalimah ran to Abd Al-Muttalib: Now! Take me to him! They both entered the room where the baby Muhammad ( ) was. Khalimah further narrates that incident: When I entered the room, I witnessed that he was enwrapped in white woolen swaddling-clothes with a green silken sheet below him, sleeping a deep sleep. A fine fragrance came from him. I was deeply impressed by his cuteness with a pretty face. I did not dare to awake him. I put my hands gently upon his breast, which slight motion sufficed to awaken him, though, whereupon he opened his eyes and smiled at me. Then I kissed him on his forehead and took him into my arms, when I was filled with such great peace, joy, happiness and security I fail to describe that I was about to fly out of merriment. Now the baby Muhammad had two mothers in place of one.

We then returned to our accommodation in Mecca. I wanted to breastfeed him. First, I gave him my left breast, but he refused it. However, he began to suck when I gave him my right breast. Then, with my left breast did I

breastfeed my own son, the foster-brother of Muhammad () , Abdullah. Thus they both began to suck my milk. That was the first of the extraordinary cases I witnessed in Muhammad () . He only sucked my right breast during the period I breastfed him, leaving the other one for his foster-brother. He never violated his right
A second unusual case occurred after that: Khalimahs breasts were full of milk first time after months in that both the babies, Muhammad ( ) and Abdullah, were always satisfied and went to sleep Khalimah and her husband were amazed at that. Then, Khalimahs husband, Abu Zuaib, got up to milk the camel for dinner. When he began to milk the old camel with scarce milk in meager hope, behold! another wonderwork was soon to throw them into further amazement. The udders of the camel were now full of milk. The first time for many months did they both drink of the milk to their fill and fell into a tranquil sleep. When they got up the following morning, the husband, Abu Zuaib, started to realize what great fortune befell them. He said:

O Khalimah! By God the Almighty! You have been entrusted with the most blessed child.

THE DAY MOTHER DIES

When Muhammad ( ) reached the age of six, he went to Medina in the company of his mother Aminah and nursemaid Umm Al-Ayman to visit his fathers grave and his maternal uncle. He stayed by his uncles in Medina for a month. When he later - after forty-seven years migrated to Medina as a Prophet, he would remember his memories of that first visit there: When he saw the residence of the Adiyy ibn Al-Najjarids, he would say: In my childhood did I play on the roof of that house with Anisah of the girls of the Ansar (Muslims of Medina) and some of the sons of my (maternal) uncles. Besides, when he saw Nabighas house in Medina, another memory would occur to him: At the first visit here in my childhood did we also come to this

house and the grave of my father is in this house.

In fact, Muhammad ( ) learnt to swim there on occasion of his first visit to Medina in the pool of his uncles, the Adiyy ibn Al-Najjarids. During a hot afternoon while he was swimming in that pool, two Jews of Medina came up to him and began to examine him, which examination lasted long. They asked him of his name He said, Ahmad. Then, they saw the Seal of Prophethood on his back. They understood that he was actually the Seal of the Prophets, the advent of whom had been anticipated. They shared what they had perceived with his uncles, whereby informing them that their nephew would be the most eminent of the Arab Nation. When she had heard of that fact from her brothers, Mother Aminah began to feel alarmed for the animosity of the jealous Jews. The preparations for returning to Mecca were completed in a short time and then the small caravan set off. They were three in number when they left Medina as they had. Nevertheless, they would arrive in Mecca as two people: Muhammad ( ) and the nursemaid Umm Al-Aiman No sooner had they journeyed only five days ride away from Medina than Mother Aminah got ill. The village they were hosted was called Abwah. Aminah, a young mother, who grew weak and turned pale within several days, perceived that death was close So she wished to spend her last few days caressing her dear son, her sole being in life, whom she had not been able to fond to her hearts content, with whose company those that would follow his path would never been able to

enjoy to their satisfaction, in tears The mother and the son spent those days embracing each other in tears. It was towards her last hours that Mother Aminah held the Bright Face of her son between her hands, having completed her farewell minutes watching him in tears and reciting a poem she dedicated to him:

O the son of a father, Who was released from the terrible arrow of death, With the Grace and Aid of GOD, In return for a hundred camels! May GOD Bless you forever! If my dream comes true, You will be appointed by God the Almighty So that you should enjoin goodness and forbid evil to mankind! God shall ever protect you Against the idols that have been coming with man And from idolatry Every living being dies Every new thing gets old Every old being dies And I will die, too. Yet I will be remembered till forever, For I have given birth to a purified son, And I have left behind a blessed memory.
And Mother Aminah died in Abwah when Muhammad ( ) was only six years old. Now he had neither a father nor a mother. Being an orphan touched him so greatly that whenever he later met a half-orphan without a mother he rubbed his hair with his hands from back to the front tidying it, for mothers did so to their children. And whenever he came across a halforphan without a father he stroked his hair with his hands from the front to back untidying it, for fathers did so to their children. In fact, Verse 6 of Surah Al-Duha (Chapter of the Forenoon) in the Holy Koran relates that tragic event: Did He not find you an orphan and protect you? This verse also expounds the wisdom of for what reason he remained an orphan at such an early age: He would only and solely be entrusted to the Lord of Heavens and Earth. He would know no other support, no other shelter, no other being to trust in save Him. He would have to

For the weight and importance of the mission he would be burdened with in the time to come would necessitate that. The nursemaid Umm Al-Aiman put Muhammad ( ) in her arms and headed for Mecca with the camel of the late Mother Aminah along with them. Muhammad ( ) was delivered into the custody of Abd Al-Muttalib. However, the interest and affection of Umm Al-Aiman did never cease. And Muhammad ( ) never forgot Umm Al-Aiman during the years of his Prophethood. He often visited her calling her: My Mother!, My Mother after my Mother! Whenever he looked at her, he said: Umm Al-Aiman is the one

that survives from my family members!

Years passed. Once Muhammad ( ) passed through the Village of Abwah on his way to Hudaibiyah Umrah and visited his mothers grave. He was a Prophet then and he was almost sixty years old. His Companions narrated that event as follows:

He sat at the head of her grave. We too did so. Then he began to shudder where he was and shed tears. We also wept. He cried in such a manner we had never seen before or would see ever after that. We asked him: O the Messenger of God! What makes you cry this much? He then replied: The love and longing I feel for my beloved Mother
After centuries, a poet of our age would address the Blessed Mother Aminah as follows:

O the Dead One lying in Abwah In your garden grew the Most Gracious Rose of the world

BY BAKHIRAH
Muhammad ( ) was 12 years old. The grandfather Abd Al-Muttalib had also died and his uncle Abu Talib became liable for his care. The wealthy of Mecca prepared a trade caravan to be sent to Damascus to be conducted by Abu Talib. Abu Talib was unwilling to take Muhammad ( ) with him just in case. However, just as the caravan was about to set out, the young Muhammad ( ) seized the bridle of Abu Talibs camel, saying:

My dear uncle! Where are you going leaving me behind like this while I have neither a father nor a mother?
Those words uttered in tears really shook Abu Talib. And thus Muhammad ( ) joined the caravan. When the caravan approached a Christian monastery called Busrah near Damascus, the old custodian of the monastery, Bakhirah the Monk, who was watching the caravan from his window, caught glimpse of a detail. There was only one patch of cloud in the clear sky and it was following the caravan in a very distinctive manner. Based upon a book found in his monastery, which was actually allowed to be read by very few people in the monastery apart from Bahkirah, Bahkhirah was very well cognizant of the fact that the Seal of the Prophets was soon to come. And he was also very informed of the features of that anticipated Last Prophet. Therefore, he got excited. That being an exceptional practice, he ordered his men to meet that caravan immediately and prepare them a noon meal. And for the first time for a long time, he left his room to lead his suite that would welcome the caravan. Not only the residents of the monastery but also the Arabs in the caravan got surprised at that unexpected interest of Bakhirah the Monk.. The caravan sheltered in the grove across from the monastery and everybody went to the monastery for the lunch. In the meantime, while they were having their meal, Bakhirah was watching the Arabs walking around them with attentive eyes. Nevertheless, he failed to see that person who had the qualities he was after, for which reason he was upset. No sooner had he gone out than his curiosity was ignited one more, for that cloud was hanging over the woods where the caravan halted. Then, he went back into the dining hall at once.

Is there any of you who is absent here? he asked.

The Meccans answered: One person only. We left the youngest of us as a

warden over the caravan.

Then, Bakhirah asked them earnestly to bring him also. The young Muhammad ( ) was soon with them at the desk. It was then that the harsh looks of Bakhirah got soft and his face turned luminous. Next, he looked at the back of Muhammad ( ) and witnessed the Seal of Prophethood. Then, he sat next to him and said:

I will ask you some questions. Would you swear in the name of Lat and Uzzah that you will tell me the truth?
The face of the young Muhammad ( ) got distorted He got furious

Do not make any mention of Lat and Uzzah By GOD, there is nothing else I detest more than them.
Bakhirah was very much pleased with that reply. He said within his breast, One! He asked one more question: Would you then swear in the Name of GOD? Muhammad ( ) then replied with a smile:

Now you may ask any question you like! Bakhirah said, again to himself, Two!
After that, Bakhirah asked him of the redness in his eyes. Muhammad ( )told him that it has ever been there ever since his childhood. And that was

Three!

When Bakhirah asked him about his sleep, Muhammad ( ) said, It is my eyes that sleep, but my heart never does. For Bakhirah that was Four

out of four! this child?

Then Bakhirah turned to his uncle, Abu Talib: What is your relationship to Abu Talib took the shortcut to reply, He is my son.

Nevertheless, Bakhirah the Monk objected: No! This childs father shouldnt

be in life!

Abu Talib affirmed what Bakhirah had said in amazement: Yes, I am actually

his uncle.

The truth was thus revealed for Bakhirah, who then took Abu Talib to one corner and warned him saying, This very nephew of yours is the anticipated Seal of

the Prophets. And you now should heed my words and not take him to Damascus, for there could be such Byzantines and Jews there as will witness what I have seen. They are likely to envy and plot harm to him.
In fact, that warning influenced Abu Talib, who ordered the people in the caravan to set the market where they were found, viz. in Busrah. So, after they had sold their commodities there, they started preparations to return to Mecca without travelling to Damascus. Thus, the Last Prophet received another affirmation for his Mission of Prophet from a Christian Priest in the lands of Damascus.

UNION OF THE VIRTUOUS (HILF AL-FUDUL)

Muhammad ( ) was twenty years old, that is, just in the midway of his life prior to his Prophethood. There was actually no peace and security for those without any supporters in Mecca, particularly for the poor Bedouins that had immigrated there. One of them was a poor person from the Tribe of Zubaid, who had come to Mecca in order to sell some goods. Unfortunately, he had met one of the strongest and oppressive people of the Tribe of Quraish: As ibn Wail. The poor man had him sold his goods but he had been unable to collect his money from him. The poor man of Zubaid went up to As ibn Wails home every day and he was always given the same reply: Go today and come tomorrow. Eventually, that poor man gave up all hopes from that master. Then he decided to resort to the strongest and the most populated clans of Quraish in order to collect his receivables, begging for their assistance. Nevertheless, whoever heard the name of As ibn Wail turned his back. Finally, the poor Bedouin, as a last remedy, climbed up to the top of the Hill of Abu Qubais near Mecca at dawn one day and began to wail out the injustice he had suffered. In fact, that cry sufficed to motivate the conscientious Meccans. Those people that had been about to rebel in face of so many kinds of torments and injustice they had been suffering for a long time had actually been seeking a spark, which had been personified in that oppressed member of Zubaid. The first person that took action was Zubair ibn Al-Abdulmuttalib, an uncle of Muhammad () , who was followed by a great many other virtuous Meccans, among whom was also Muhammad () . They began to convene at the house of Abdullah ibn Al-Judan, the eldest of them, in order to institutionalize and perpetuate that movement. They put their hands in the same bowl and swore an oath with their swords hanging on their necks, saying: No

poor or weak, be they Meccans or strangers, shall be oppressed in Mecca any longer. And that union was called Hilf Al-Fudul (the Union of the Virtuous)
And, as first act of theirs, they went up to As Ibn Wail. You can imagine what happened then. The arrogant oppressor paid the money of the Bedouin of Zubaid to the last penny with his hands shaking out of fright.

It was not long when somebody came to Mecca from the Tribe of Hasam out of the Arabian Desert to make Umrah (Minor Pilgrimage) accompanied by his daughter, Katul, who is said to be peerless in beauty among the Arab women, which beauty was yet to work trouble on her. Nubaih ibn Al-Hajjaj, of the lecherous mighty oppressors of Mecca, snatched the poor girl from his father and locked her up in his house. The poor father from Hasam begged those around him in desperation: Please!

Is there not anyone that will save my daughter from the hands of that tyrant?
What they only could afford was to advise him to go and tell about his problem to Hilf Al-Fudul (the Union of the Virtuous). Then, the helpless father started to cry, Help! O Hilf Al-Fudul! I have been

oppressed!

Although the father was quite hopeless when he began to cry for aid, it did not take long when he was surrounded by a group of valiant men with their swords swinging around their necks, one of whom was Muhammad () . The reply to the cry of the father was swift and clear:

Here is the help! What is it that you ask for?

After the father from Hasam summarized what had happened, the Union besieged the house of Nubaih ibn Al-Hajjaj. Then, one of them walked ahead and cried out to the enemy of chastity:

O Nubaih! We shall kill anyone that shall cause that girl the least harm.
Nubaih appeared at the door shivering from fear and begging:

Please let me stay with her at least one night!

Nevertheless, the reply of Hilf Al-Fudul was brief:

No! We shall allow you not even time enough to milk a camel. Now release the girl at once!
The girl ran to her father without having been caused the slightest harm.

In fact, the public order and security of Mecca lasted like this for a long time until it was perfected by Islam in time to come Forty years had passed The brave young member of Hilf Al-Fudul was appointed as the Seal of the Prophets, who became the Sovereign of the whole Arabian Peninsula. However, he did not forget those days or the promises he had given those days:

I also joined that Union founded by the pious kind men in the company of my uncles, which I would not have left even if I had been offered red-haired sheep I was present in an Alliance formed at the house of Abdullah Ibn AlJudan. I would accept if I were invited to fulfil the requirements of that Alliance even during the Islamic Era, for the members thereof had sworn to return people their rights, preventing oppressors maltreating people.
It was twenty years prior to his being appointed the Seal of the Prophets ( ) , but he was already a valiant young man that felt responsible against any kind of injustice and tyranny in the society

A Virtuous Brave Man

THE DAY WHEN HE GOT MARRIED TO KHADIJA

Muhammad ( ) was twenty-five years old and Khadijah 40, a widow with children, one of the noblest, richest women of Mecca. A great trade caravan was prepared to be sent to Damascus. The major portion the caravan belonged to Khadijah. Her relatives and friends tried to persuade Khadijah to entrust the conduct of the caravan to Muhammad () , praising his honesty, intelligence, knowledge and skills. Although she had not known him directly so far, Khadijah was impressed by what she heard about him and agreed to trust him with the management of the said caravan, appointing Maysarah, a trustworthy servant, to his service during the journey. In actual fact, Maysarah was intended to act as a controller. The caravan obtained much more profit in Damascus than anticipated. His return to Mecca caused great joy throughout the city. On the other hand, the report of Maysarah influenced Khadijah excessively. As a matter fact, Maysarah failed to find words enough to extol Muhammad ( ) His trustworthiness, his intellect, his commercial talent However, that was not all about him The rest: mysterious things, incomprehensible feats Khadijah listened to the whole story of Maysarah in absolute amazement and extreme amazement Birds and clouds were never absent over Muhammad ( ) during the journey, casting shade upon him continuously. In truth, Khadijah had also witnessed that wonderwork: While she was watching, with some women friends of hers, on the roof of her house, the caravans entering the city, something caught her sight. She had witnessed that Muhammad ( ) was shaded on that day too by two birds with extensive wings, as was narrated by Maysarah. Khadijah gave her decision in a short time. The love for Muhammad ( )fell in her. In negligence of her pride, she asked for his hand in marriage to her, in which pious proposal the closest friend of Khadijah, Nafisah, played a role as a mediatrix. Nafisah went up to Muhammad ( ) and asked him: O

Muhammad! Why do you not get married?

The conversation went on as follows:

I am not rich enough to get married. What would you do if a noble, rich and beautiful woman proposed to you

and undertook all the expenses for the wedding ceremony? Who is this woman? Daughter of Khuwailid: Khadijah! Will she want me, too?
The face of Nafisah then shined with a light smile. She said to herself, This is done! However, trying not to make her feelings apparent to Muhammad ( ) , she said:

Let it be my task to convince her to give consent to this marriage!

Then she hurried to Khadijah to give the glad tidings. The preparations were soon completed for the wedding. The parties assembled in the house of Khadijah for the wedding. First, Abu Talib, an uncle of Muhammads () , stood up and delivered a speech in the name of the bridegroom, praising and telling about the merits of his nephew, Muhammad () . Then, Waraqah Ibn Al-Nawfal made a similar speech on behalf of the bride. And with the further consent of Amr Ibn Al-Asad, another uncle of Khadijahs, the marriage was concluded. That was the beginning of a happy marriage that would last for twenty-two years. In fact, Khadijah would mother the six out of seven children of Muhammads () .

ZAID WAS MY SERVANT, NOW HE IS A SON OF MINE

Zaid Ibn Al-Harithah was a servant that was brought to Mecca in his childhood, who was then bought and raised by Khadijah scrupulously. Later, after Khadijah had got married to Muhammad () , she gave him to her husband, Muhammad ( ) as a gift. Even before he was assigned as a Prophet, all humans were equal in the sight of Muhammads () , like the children of the same parents or like the teeth of the same comb. Therefore, even though Zaid was apparently a servant of Muhammads, he was in actual fact like a son to him. Zaid was an eminent and faithful personage. Hence, Muhammad ( ) and Zaid Ibn Al-Harithah soon became bonded to each other in deep love and respect like a father and son. Nevertheless, in the meantime, the real parents of Zaid Ibn Al-Harithah had been looking for their son for many years. They were actually one of the noblest and richest families of Arab tribes in the desert. After a long pursuit, they at last found out that their son lived in Mecca. So two persons from the family, the father and an uncle of his, completed their preparations for the travel in excitement and set out for Mecca without any delay. Through a short inquest they learned that their son, Zaid, was the servant of some wealthy merchant of the Quraishites called Muhammad () . And it was just before noon when they met Muhammad ( ) near Kaabah and introduced themselves to him and revealed the motive of their trip to Mecca. They concluded their speech with an open cheque, saying:

O Muhammad () , give our son back to us and we shall give you any ransom in return.
The reply of Muhammad ( ) to that limitless proposal was a shy smile with his bent forward:

There is no need for money he said, adding: Let us send for Zaid and ask him about his decision. If he wishes to go with you, he is free You may take him with you.
Then he raised his head with his voice becoming hard: But, if he prefers to stay

with me, by GOD, I will prefer nobody or nothing to that that prefers me to everything. In other words, the father and uncle were given the delicate message

that their open cheque was invalid. Then, Zaid Ibn Al-Harithah was called to make his choice. The both sides were in apprehension. Yet, Zaid was not slow to come to a decision. Looking into the eyes of his father and uncle, perhaps in embarrassment, but definitely in a decisive manner, he declared his preference: I have witnessed in

Muhammad ( ) such great affection, respect, sympathy and loyalty that asking for your forgiveness I can quit his company by no means at all. Neither the father nor the uncle could believe their ears for what
they had heard. Finally, Zaid would stay by Muhammad () The recovery from the shock caused by Zaids preference was followed by the proper loyalty of Muhammad () . In the yard of Kaabah, before the very eyes of the father and the uncle did he hold and raise Zaids hand, saying under the witness of all the residents of Mecca: O people! Zaid Ibn Al-

Kharisah has been my servant this far. Now he is free. And he is a (foster-) son of mine. And also he is an heir to me.
That shocking event of love and loyalty greatly relieved the father and the uncle of the shock of not having been preferred. Although they were unable to get back their beloved son, they left there with the ease of mind that they had at least entrusted him with such an eminent personage as Muhammad ( ) that would care for him no less than his own parents. Thereafter, the name of Zaid Ibn Al-Kharisah was changed into Zaid Ibn AlMuhammad until it received its original form again years later, when GOD revealed His Decree through a verse. In fact, he was unique Companion of the Exalted Prophet ( ) that was honoured with the Pride of having been mentioned in the Noble Koran clearly with his original name, viz. Zaid Ibn AlKharisah. One who prefers the Exalted Prophet ( ) even to his own parents was in fact preferred to all his peers by Muhammad ( ) and GOD, the Lord of the Whole Creation

MUHAMMAD THE TRUSTWORTHY, MUHAMMAD THE ARBITRATOR

Muhammad was thirty-five years old. Kaabah, which had been first erected by Adam , and then reconstructed by Prophet Abraham and Ishmael , had worn away into ruins in the course of time. In fact, that was the second time it wreckage. Therefore, the Tribe of Quraish, who wanted to rectify that wrong that was a cause of shame upon them, decided to restore the Holy Kaabah. To that end, they purchased the construction materials that had been loaded on a Byzantine ship that had been stranded on the coast of the City of Jeddah. Nevertheless, there was a horrifying snake that had built its nest inside the Holy Kaabah, which allowed no one to approach. Therefore, the people of Quraish prayed to GOD the Almighty, saying:

O God! If You will be pleased with what we intend to do, we beg you please to rid us of that snake.
No sooner had they completed their supplication than a weird bird, larger than an eagle, turned up, snatched the snake and dropped it from high somewhere in the vast desert. After that a laborious operation began in Mecca. Each clan of Quraish was mending that part of Kaabah that had been allocated to their care. While men were carrying stones in cooperation in pairs, women were carrying puddle. Lo! One of those carriers of stones was Muhammad () . Once, he raised an edge of his robe and put it onto his shoulder under the stone he would carry lest it should cut his shoulder. The rest of the incident is reported by Abbas, an uncle of his:

I too was carrying stones with the Messenger of God () . we lifted the edge of our robes to put it on our shoulder lest the stones should hurt our shoulder. Then, while he was walking before me, he suddenly fell down and I ran to his aid. He stood on the spot with his eyes facing at the sky. Then, I asked him, What is wrong? whaat happened to you? He replied, I am forbidden to walk naked. I reported that incident to no one until he was
assigned the Mission of Prophethood. And, actually, nobody ever saw him in a

similar state even with his robe slightly folded up. The herald of the prohibition was Gabriel the Archangel, who had appeared to him in his actual appearance as before GOD the Almighty, the grandeur whereof had fainted Muhammad () . The Holy Kaabah was pulled down to the foundation thereof that first had been laid by Adam . Then, it came to the bright green foundation stones. A member of Quraish put the point of his axe between two foundation stones and moved them a little apart. No sooner had the stones been removed out their holes than a terrible earthquake shook the whole Mecca, whereupon the Meccans put an end to their excavation and began to construct the holy building. It was then that a stone tablet came up from among the foundation of the building whereupon was a glazed inscription. The incident occurred as follows as narrated by a witness from the Tribe of Quraish whose name was Aswad:

The Quraishites found an inscription at the bottom of the Position of Abraham during the restoration of the Holy Kaabah. Then, they sent for one of the Himyarids (those that could read the said inscription) and asked him
to read it:

There is such a statement in this very inscription that if I read it to you, you would certainly murder me. So he abstained from reading it. We later
found out that the mentioned inscription prognosticated the Prophethood of Muhammad () It was five years prior to his Mission of Prophethood and his traces and name were found everywhere even beneath stones. The building of Holy Kaabah was soon completed. It was then the time to place Hajar Al-Athwad (the Black Stone) into its niche, when a bedlam broke out, for all the clans that made up the Tribe of Quraish wished that the honour be given to them, when the hot temper peculiar Arabs revealed itself. Swords were unsheathed and the dispute began to be dragged towards the ground for a feud. They were about to shed blood due to an apparently very simple reason. Thereupon, the old wise men of the tribe interceded with a view to avoiding any potential bloodshed. Finally, they agreed to a common formula: The first person to enter through that gate of Holy Kaabah called Banu Shaibah would be the arbitrator, whose decision would be final for dispute which all the clans of Quraish would unconditionally abide by as to how Hajar Al-Athwad would be placed.

The eyes then were fixed upon the Gate called Banu Shaibah in anxiety. The wait did not last long Behold! The one that came in through the mentioned gate was the Reason for the Creation of the Universe, the Joy of Existence, the Beloved One of GOD The one that arrived was Muhammad the Exalted ( ). The moment the handsome tall young personage with a belt made of tigers skin entered gently through the Gate of Banu Shaibah rose to their feet clapping their hands is joy

There, they exclaimed, adding He is the Trustworthy! We are from now ready to welcome his decision, for he never commits injustice
Yes, Muhammad the Exalted ( ) was a Prophet from the age of forty. Nevertheless, he had ever been Al-Ameen (the Reliable One) from very early times, a perfect personality in whom nobody had ever been able to find any defect nor would they ever after until his passing away from this mortal world. And the greatest Miracle of Muhammad () , after the Noble Koran, was neither the Splitting of the Moon, nor the speech of trees and stones, nor the gushing forth of water from between his fingers The greatest Miracle of Muhammad ( ) after the Holy Koran was his perfect Personality without any defects His being Al-Ameen (the Trustworthy) Even before his Mission of Prophethood Beginning from his birth Muhammad () , who was informed of the problem, uttered the solution on the spot He took off his outer robe and laid on the ground. Then he placed Hajar Al-Athwad thereon. After that, the chiefs of the four major clans of Quraish that had built the four walls of the Holy Kaabah each held a corner of the cloak and Muhammad ( ) placed the stone in its niche in the wall. Thus was everyone pleased with the result, for an apparently very tough problem had been solved thanks to his intellect in the twinkling of an eye without hurting the feelings of anyone. After the stone had been placed into its hole, an old man from Najid that had come to Mecca from another place handed out a stone to Muhammad ( ), saying:

Get this and fix Hajar Al-Athwad securely in its place with this stone.
In fact, an uncle of Muhammads ( ) extended a stone to him at the same time with the same purpose and Muhammad ( ) preferred this one, saying: A stranger that is not one of us cannot build the House of

GOD with us.

That refutation infuriated the old man from Najid, who let himself go, yelling at the leaders of Quraish: Shame on you! Though you are so honourable, wise

and rich, you have been subjected to the youngest and the poorest of you! You have given the most prestigious task to him, having kind of been his servants. I swear that he will be victorious and sovereign over you. His position and glory shall be very supreme from now on
As a matter of fact, that old man was nobody but the very self of the Satan, who had been disguised in human form, who has been the vilest liar of the whole creation. But he told the truth that day

NIGHT OF REVELATION
Three years had passed over the restoration of the Holy Kaabah and Muhammad ( ) was thirty-eight years old. In the meantime, his daughter Fatimah, the only daughter of his that would outlive him for six months was born. Queer phenomena occurred to him during those recent years of his life. In fact, halos illumined around him while he was walking in the street; and stones and trees spoke to him along his way: O Muhammad ( !) Peace and

Greetings of GOD be upon you!

Muhammad ( ) failed to interpret all those incidents and got confounded thereby. In truth, he was worried to have been captured by the jinn. Nevertheless, it was not only stones and trees that uttered mysterious voices about him. In fact, some men also took part in the chorus of strange voices, one of whom was Ibn Al-Hayyiban, a Jewish savant from Damascus. That wise old man of Torah, who was actually living the last days of his life, had moved from Damascus to Medina. In his deathbed did he gather together the Jews of Medina around him so that he could warn them closely:

O the Jewish Community! Do you know what caused me to leave a place abundant with food and drinks for this place of poverty and starvation? You know better, was their reply. O Jews! I have come here to observe the Seal of the Prophets that has been expected to come to this country soon and that is later to move to this place. I was expecting him to be sent as a Prophet soon and hoping to put my faith in him. Indeed, the time of his advent is very close. O the Jewish Community! Let nobody transcend you in paying allegiance to him!
Then the wise old mans fell. Alas! He had given some advice that would unfortunately be ignored. The process of Revelation began with truthful dreams and lasted for six months. In fact, they were dreams that realized as clear as daylight.

And Muhammad ( ) was made to love solitude during the recent years preceding his Mission of Prophethood. There was a mountain whereto he ceded at times in the company of his wife Khadijah: Mount Hira, a mountain without either water or stone, three miles from Mecca. The periods of seclusions at Hira that lasted at times three to five days and at times up to ten days lasted up to a month during the Month of Ramadan (Month of Fasting). The Salah (Established Daily Prayers in Islam) had not yet been made obligatory Thus the form of prayer that then occupied the hours of retirement in the cave on Mount Hira was contemplation on and on and taking lessons in things and phenomena, after the practice of Prophet Abraham, of his earlier ancestors. Indeed, in deed meditation was Muhammad ( ) He thought of the vanity of the idolaters that worshipped as their lord trees and stones they had engraved with their own hands Again he thought of those girls that had been buried alive by their fathers for nothing. Besides, he thought of women that were not regarded as humans and slaves that were considered as ordinary commodities. Further, he thought of inebriety, gambling, adultery and fornication, usury He remembered that pitch-dark world where the power-holders oppressing the destitute was seen as something to be proud of And the most important of all, he grieved over the fact that the Lord of the Whole Creation had been forgotten by His slaves and that humans had become entirely ignorant of the reason for their creation. In so doing he fulfilled the duty of prayer and felt grieved thereof Until some night in the Month of Ramadan Until that night, the name whereof is Laylah Al-Qadr (the Night of Power) and which itself is Badr (Full Moon) for the history of mankind Yes, it was one Monday night in the Month of Ramadan and it was the time of dawn in that cave on Mount Hira. The pang of contemplation of Muhammad ( ) had reached to that point to tear his temples asunder It was just then that the Archangel Gabriel, the Angel of Revelation, turned up before him in disguise as a human in the brightly illumined cave. Thus, the greatest phenomenon in the history of mankind, whereof Muhammad ( ) was made to be familiar with through a dream wherein he had been shown the same vision several days before, had begun to come true. Archangel Gabriel turned and said to him, Read! The Messenger of GOD ( ) replied in an indescribable fashion that could be related by no pen; that could never be imagined unless one has experienced it; and that would never be sustained by anybody else other than Muhammad ( ) again: But I

cannot read!

Then Gabriel squeezed Muhammad ( ) to the limits of his endurance so much so that Muhammad ( ) narrated that incident in later years: I thought I was going to die! Then, Gabriel () loosened his embrace and said to him again:

which was no less tight than the previous one And the wisdom of the hugs was this: They were the last steps of the preparation for the Mission of Prophethood, whereby Muhammad ( ) was made perfect so that he could be ready to receive the Revelations both spiritually and physically. Thereafter, the call of Gabriel to Read! and the response of Muhammad ( ) I cannot read! and the embracing tight of Gabriel were repeated for the third time. The fourth repetition was not limited to the sole order of Read! but followed by the streaming of the cascade of Revelations:

Read! To which the reply was the same again: But I do not know how to read! Thereupon Gabriel embraced Muhammad ( ) once more,

Read: In the name of thy Lord Who creates, Creates man from a clot. Read: And thy Lord is the Most Bounteous, Who teaches by the pen, Teaches man that which he knew not. [Surah Al-Alaq (Chapter of the Clot)
Verses 1-5] Muhammad ( ) was now a Prophet. And the first conversation with Archangel Gabriel , who would be his closest Companion for the next 23 years, took place. Muhammad () , who had thus become a Messenger of God the almighty, was communicated the Greeting of GOD THE ALMIGHTY and his task: O Muhammad! God the almighty, honours you with His Greetings and decrees you with His Divine Order, saying: I have appointed you as My Envoy to all

the mankind and jinn so that you should invite them to pronounce, La ilahah illALLLAH (There is no god but God the almighty,).

Muhammad () , who was descending the mountain tremblingly, was being saluted by all the stones and trees on his way. As soon as he entered his blessed house, he said to his beloved wife, Khadijah: Please, cover me! Cover me, please! Although he had been covered, he was still shivering. In fact, the Most Righteous One of Mankind was quivering under the burden of the heavy task burdened on his shoulders.

THE PROSPERITY BY ABU BAQR TO ISLAM

Those were the first days after the Revelation. The news of what had happened to Muhammad ( ) began to be disseminated gradually across Mecca, in which process the wife of the Prophet Muhammad () , Khadijah, their daughter Rukiyyah, cousin Ali and foster-son Zaid were the first to profess Faith Nevertheless, of those free men, who formed the principal and the most superior element of the social structure of the time, none had yet embraced Islam. And that Special Quota had been spared by Divine Wisdom for the closest Companion and the Greatest Assistant of Muhammad ( ) during his Mission of Prophethood, who was in the wording of the Holy Koran the Second One of The Two in the Cave: Abu Baqr (may GOD be pleased with him). Abu Baqr had just returned from a commercial trip to Damascus and he was still under the influence of a dream he had seen during a sleep in Damascus, in which the moon descended in Mecca, then split apart and each piece thereof got into each house there. At the end of his dream, the moon appeared again in his house, which was than in its entire form each piece thereof having come together. He related his dream to the most famous dream-reader of Damascus the very next day, the interpretation of whom added to the curiosity of Abu Baqr:

If GOD makes your dream come true, a Prophet shall be assigned from among the members of your tribe and you shall be an assistant to him during his life and a Caliph of him after his death.
Abu Baqr, who had been filled with the excitement of all the mentioned incidents, was informed of the phenomena that had occurred to Muhammad () as soon as he had arrived at Mecca. Then, he did not hesitate a second to go up to Muhammad ( ) so that he should be relived of his doubts and could be sure thus. Abu Baqr asked:

O Muhammad ( !) Is what the Meccans say about you true that you have forsaken our gods; that you accuse us of fatuity and our ancestors of aberrance?
Muhammad ( ) was sure to reply that question in a clear and decisive manner:

Yes! I certainly am a Slave and Messenger of GOD THE ALMIGHTY! O Abu Baqr! I invite you to believe in GOD Who Is One And Unique; to not be a slave of anyone but HIM; and to obey only Him until the end of your life.
Thus the case became clear from the very mouth of Muhammad () . Secondly, Abu Baqr wished that his suspicions be removed and that the claim be proven, to which end he inquired:

What is the proof of this claim?

The reply thereto made the most unforgettable moment in Abu Baqrs entire life:

The vision you had during your stay in Damascus!

Abu Baqr, son of Abu Kuhafah, thus stepped onto the path that would lead him to Abu Baqr the Trustworthy (may GOD be pleased with him), for he had told no one of that dream of his in Mecca. Abu Baqr then did not hesitate even a second He asked no further question He professed faith on the spot However, before he voiced his faith he replied a question, which this time had been put by Muhammad () , who had wanted to be sure:

O Abu Baqr! Would you believe me?

The immediate reply in one sentence given without thinking even a second revealed perfectly the secret why Abu Baqr grew so high that he became the Second of the Two and was Trustworthy:

O the Messenger of GOD! Whom else would I believe if I did not believe you?
Their hands clasped firmly Muhammad ( ) would relate in later years how special that moment was for him as follows:

Whomever I have invited to this Religion so far has ever certainly thought for a while in hesitation except Abu Baqr When I communicated Islam to him, he neither waited nor wavered

In fact, with Abu Baqr did the spread of Islam earn a novel acceleration in Mecca, whereby the Religion went beyond the household and relatives of Muhammad () , thus having become a matter of all the Meccans and the whole Tribe of Quraish, which from the aspect of reasons were realized with the hand of Abu Baqr. In short, Abu Baqr was an occasion of Abundance for Islam

O YOU ENVELOPED IN YOUR CLOAK! ARISE AND WARN!

Muhammad ( ) was 43 years old. He had been a Prophet for three years. Nevertheless, Gabriel had not brought any new Revelation since the first Revelation for three whole years, which period lapsed with Muhammads ( ) being taught the names of things by Israfel , during which time Islam disseminated on to individuals one by one in a half secret manner. It had not yet begun to be communicated to masses overtly. In other words, Muhammad ( ) was a Nabi at the time and had not yet become a Rasul. And at last, one night when he was awake under his cloak, Gabriel (p.b.u.h.) appeared to him once more. A Revelation came down after an interim for three years: O you enveloped in your cloak! Arise and warn! [Verses 1-2, Surah Al-Muddathir (Chapter of the Enwrapped One)] Then, Revelations came one after another: So proclaim that which you are commanded, and withdraw from the idolaters. [Verse 94, Surah Al-Hijr (Chapter of Al-Hijr)] And warn your tribe of near kindred. [Verse 214, Surah Al-Shuarah (Chapter of Poets)] And so did Muhammad He climbed upon a high rock on top of the Hill of Safah in the vicinity of Mecca and shouted to the limit of voice: Ya Sabahah!, which was a call for urgent assembly meaning: We have been besieged by the

enemy. So run to help us!

That call for help had been made to all the relatives of Muhammad ( )and accordingly to all the clans constituting Quraish. Thereafter, the skirts of the Hill of Safah were soon thronged by people. The members of Quraish were worried and apprehensive. O Muhammad! said they, What is the matter? What is it that you

demand? What have you gathered us here for?

He replied: Would you believe me if I told you that the enemy troops were

now lying low behind those hills across from here and that they might raid Mecca any time? Yes, we surely would! For you are Al-Ameen (The Trustworthy) No one has ever heard any lie from you nor have they witnessed any alienation in
The whole Quraish replied unanimously without aught hesitation:

you. punishment. Then he began to mention the names of the tribes: O the Sons of Abd Al-Muttalib! O the Sons of Abd Al-Manaf! O the Sons of Zuhrah!
After he had mentioned the names of all the clans that made up the Tribe of Quraish, in each whereof he had some relatives, he concluded his address as follows: Upon that reply of theirs did he go on to say: So, I warn you of a great

GOD The Almighty has ordered me to warn my relatives of His Punishment. Your salvation is only through your proclaiming: La ilahah illAllah (There is no god but Allah). Otherwise, even I can have no intercession on your behalf.
Lo! Behold! Abu Lahab, an uncle of his, rose up. He was shaking all over He was about to burst out of his fury Then he picked up a stone from the ground and he threw it him, yelling in the meantime: May you perish! Is it this what

you have summoned us here for?

Nonetheless, the stone Muhammad ( ) threw at him in reply was of a different sort It was a Verse of the Holy Koran Gabriel had just revealed: The

power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish. His wealth and gains will not exempt him. He will be plunged in flaming Fire, And his wife, the wood-carrier, Will have upon her neck a halter of palm-fibre. [Verses 1-5,
Surah Al-Masad (Chapter of Perish)] The Tribe of Quraish dispersed swearing in fury. That day had Muhammad ( ) suffered one of the heaviest tests of his Mission of Prophethood. As a matter of fact, it was the beginning of those heavy tests that would last for ten years deteriorating from bad to worse every passing day reaching unbearable limits at times However, on the other hand, the Voice of Islam had been communicated to masses in the open that day. From then on, Muhammad ( ) was both a Nabi and a Rasul For ever and ever

DAYS OF TRIBULATION
As is comprehended from the title, the affliction was not restricted to that day It lasted for days And not for few days It took a whole period of ten years Roughly calculated three thousand six hundred days It had not been until that call atop the Hill of Safah that Muhammad ( )and a handful of those that believed in him were taken seriously by the leaders of the Tribe of Quraish, for they had been considered as eccentric ones that far Nonetheless, that their number continued to increase, that they rejected the idols and that they said that those ancestors of theirs that had died as idolaters were in the Hellfire and, further, that they had wished to replace the current social structure based upon the foundations of oppression and exploitation with a model that was brotherly and egalitarian, and, finally, that they voiced all those loudly on top of the Hill of Safah alarmed the leaders of Quraish. They felt they were supposed to do whatsoever was to be done so that they could suppress the rise of Islam even at the cost of blood and fire The person on the focus, naturally, was Muhammad () . So the days of tribulation, affliction and oppression that would last for ten full years started. First, Muhammad was mocked at And then physical assaults followed Some meddlesome Meccans, especially the wife of Abu Lahab, Umm Jameel, got involved in stratagems At nights did they disperse thorns on the way of Muhammad ( ) so that they bled his feet in the dark in lack of sight And some others poured buckets of faeces before the door of his house lest he should live happily there. Yet, his reaction to those torments was just saying:

Is a neighbours right fulfilled in this way?

Muhammad ( ) had two daughters that reached the age of marriage: Rukiyyah and Umm Qulthum, who had been engaged to the two sons of Abu Lahabs: Utbah and Utaibah

The sons, who had been provoked by their parents, cancelled the engagement However, they did it in no civilized manner They both faced their former father-in-law - and their cousin, and swore to him They both spat him in the face They both slapped him in the face They both tore his shirt they both yelled at him: Take your daughters away from us! They both committed all kinds of insults Muhammad ( ) only showed patience and prayed The leaders of Quraish, again under the conduct of Abu Lahab, followed him everywhere during the season of Hajj lest he should influence the Arab tribes that came for Hajj. Every tent Muhammad had visited was soon invaded by Abu Lahab, who did his best to dissuade them from him through all kinds of affronts and slanders, wherein he was successful each time. There were times when he was dissatisfied with his insults and stoned his own nephew. Yes, he stoned him many times and shed his blood. After some time Muhammad ( ) began to be seen by those Arabs that came from the desert for Hajj as a lunatic that was forsaken by his own society. As result, many groups of pilgrims did not even let him come near them. When they saw him from afar, they opposed him with stones and sticks in their hands, saying Keep off! we are not here to listen to your twaddle. Satisfied with his devilish work, Abu Lahab watched rubbing his hands. It was another day when Muhammad ( ) was surrounded by the leaders of Quraish near Kaabah and beaten to death, his throat being squeezed. He was about to die when Abu Baqr interfered.

Is it just because he says My Lord is GOD that you attempt to murder him?
Then they made for Abu Baqr with their fists and sticks falling one after another. Some other time, while he was performing his prayer next to Kaabah, they brought a rumen of a camel that had just beer slaughtered, which was still full of faeces and put it on his head while he was still in the position of prostration. Muhammad was breathless under the heavy burden of the rumen. He was about to get suffocated in the faces and blood of the camel. Then his little daughter, Fatimah, cried out for help in tears, My father is dying! Help! The poor girl tried to remove the heavy rumen with her tiny hands, but she failed to do so. It was again Abu Baqr that rescued him at the very last moment. In the meantime, the leaders of Quraish were so pleased at the sight that they were

shaking their sides with laughter, hitting the chests of one another in utter merry and holding on to one another lest they should fall down As a matter of fact, not only Muhammad ( ) but all the Muslims were tortured to the limit of their endurance. Zinnirah, of the female slaves, was beaten blind by her owner. Again, they put red-hot rings around the head of Habbab Ibn Arad, a blacksmith slave. And Bilal He was a slave too. His owner put a rope around his neck and gave it to the hands of Meccan children, who walked him around in the streets of Mecca; they beat him; they made him to lie on the scorching sands of the desert piling rocks on him; laying him on cinders. In short, Bilal was a device for the satisfaction of the sadism of the whole Mecca. There was one thing the tyrants asked Bilal for: Repudiate the Lord of Muhammad and kiss our idols! Yet,

Bilals response for years was nothing but: Ahad, Ahad! (GOD is One, GOD is One!)

The old Yassir of the Family of Yassir, who were actually not slaves but had immigrated to Mecca and therefore did not have any relatives that would protect them, was martyred. His wife Sumayyah had first been speared on her breast and then she was tied to two horses from her legs and torn apart. Then, all the Muslims were isolated in a quarter of Mecca for three years, during which period they were not allowed to do any shopping. Thus they were starved and a large number of young and aged people died from hunger All the incidents mentioned heretofore are only a few examples that will give some idea about what happened at the time And there was the sacred reason for the braving of Muhammad () and all those Muslims the said indescribable torments: So that you can still live as Muslims after the lapse of 14 centuries and attain to the Divine Pleasure and the Heaven of GOD the Almighty in the everlasting life Can you then really feel the weight of your devotion to those Muslims?

IT DEMANDS LOYALTY
Within the process of that long process of torture, Quraish tried changing tactics several times. They extended certain attractive proposals at times when they thought, This much ordeal we have caused them to suffer is to have

sufficed.

In fact, by means of Abu Talib, an uncle of Muhammads () , they said: O Muhammad! If it were the office you are seeking let us make you

the administrator of Mecca and an Ameer over all of us. If it were the riches you are after, let as hoard collect goods among us and make you the richest of us. If it were women you are asking for, let us marry you to the ones you choose. If you were possessed by an evil spirit, let us send for the best soothsayers and doctors of the world even if we had to spend our wealth and thus cure you. And, even, if you so wish, let us pray only your Lord and only in the manner you will describe every two years. They were in truth
such alluring proposals that could be refuted only by a Prophet. Muhammad ( ) rejected all the aforesaid proposals of theirs on the spot. On another occasion when such an offer was proposed, Muhammad ( )misinterpreted the attitude of his uncle Abu Talib He thought he too had been inclined to them and that he had been tired with supporting him against all the members of Quraish. And the contemplation that he had been abandoned by a person closest to him he had ever considered and respected as his father, from whom he had ever anticipated devotion was in fact far worse than all the torments he had been

THREE FUGITIVES IN KAABAH

Of the three leaders of Quraish, Abu Sufyan, Abu Jahl and Ahnas Ibn Al-Shuraik, unaware of each other, hid themselves under the cover of Kaabah in late hours of the night when the Meccans had already gone to sleep. Their intention was in fact to listen to Muhammads ( ) reciting of the Holy Koran by himself. As a matter of fact, they were fierce enemies to Muhammad () , the Holy Koran and Islam for they feared that their order would be changed and that they would lose their status However, on the other hand, the influence of those fascinating words was so great that they could not resist listening to them In fact, on another occasion not long before, when another one like them had heard the Verses of the Holy Koran that had been uttered by Muhammad ( ) , he could not desist dismounting from his camel and prostrating. Upon the questioning of the alarmed idolaters, Have you too been converted to Islam? he replied, Nay! I have actually prostrated the beauty of these words. It was such the grandeur of the Noble Koran that was recited from the blessed mouth of Muhammad () . And these three cronies could not avoid the attraction of this very beauty. Nevertheless, on the other hand, they were afraid and embarrassed to be seen by someone. They were enraptured by the harmonious recital of the Glorious Koran for the whole night, for hours and hours. But they met while they were returning to their homes secretly at dawn and condemned each other thereof:

Cave! Let us not repeat this act of ours anymore! We should abstain from this however hard it may be! If this were ever heard around in Mecca, we cannot prevent anyone from becoming a Muslim. Thus they promised each
other that they would not repeat that they act of theirs any longer and departed. However, they did the same thing again the next night. They encountered each other again. They reproached each other again. They promised not to do that again. And they left for their houses again. And the third night and the same thing! This time they got extremely furious with not only themselves but with each other. They were not satisfied with condemning each other. They swore at and cursed each other. Having witnessed that their verbal contract was of no use, this time did they take an oath

And in the morning of that very night, of the aforesaid comrades, Ahnas Ibn AlShuraik took his stick and went up to the house of Abu Jahl and asked:

What do you think of those words we heard Muhammad () utter?

He replied:

O the father of Salabah! By GOD my family and that of Muhammads have ever been vying with each other. They have ever fed people and so have we. They have reconciled and undertaken wergilds, and so have we. They have subscribed to people, and so have we. And at last have we become like two racehorses that have been galloping head to head we have become equal. And now one of them has turned up saying, I am a Prophet. So believe in me! And this thing can I not tolerate! How can we now find his peer and catch up with them? By GOD, we shall never believe in him. We shall approve him!
Thereupon, Ahnas Ibn Al-Shuraik got up in silence and left Abu Jahl alone.

BIRTHDAY OF OMAR
Some Muslims were now in preparation for emigration to Abyssinia, for the oppression in Mecca had reached unbearable limits, which Omar came to realize as he was passing through the street. Having been curious of the reason thereof, he asked where they were going, which they replied, To Abyssinia That actually added to his curiosity. He then further asked, But why?

And are you now making game of us? Have you let us live in our hometown? was the reply he was given.
Omar was shaken indeed. He could only whisper: May GOD help you!, then he rushed away. His conscience had softened and the first spark of faith had fallen into him. Nevertheless, he was not yet aware of the essence of the incidents that had been occurring around. And some time elapsed Omar was the same, apparently Harsh, oppressive and inimical to Islam And one day when Muhammad ( ) was involved in the turmoil of the contemplation of how to make his Religion that of the whole society, he opened up his hands in prayer in order that he could fulfil the requirements of the reason that would be likely to lead to the result he was seeking:

O my GOD! I beg you to fortify this very Religion by means of either Amr Ibn Al-Hisam (Abu Jahl) or Omar Ibn Al-Khattab! In fact, those two had the
influence and position that would direct the Meccan society. The prayer was accepted on behalf of Omar The following day, Omar, as was his custom, drank heavily until he got intoxicated. Then he was envenomed by those around him. Omar, the bravado of Mecca, was touched on his sore spot:

What is this? they said. A man has emerged in this city where you live and he maligns our gods, accuses our forefathers of folly and you are doing nothing
That was far too much for Omar. With his eyes crimsoned from alcohol and rage

he got up and girded his sword and left the place, resolved not to come back without reddening the soil with the blood of at least several Muslims including that of Muhammad () . Somebody he met in the street asked him where he was making for in such fury girded with his sword:

O Omar! Where are you going armoured with your sword? To Muhammad ( ) I am going to kill him
The man said grinning in a mocking fashion, You first look at your sister and

brother-in-law!

What do you mean? asked Omar. They too have become Muslims Do you not really know that? replied
the man. What he had heard shook Omar all over. His rage having been doubled, he returned and this time headed for the house of his sister Fatimah and her husband, Said Ibn Al-Zaid. He opened the door with a single kick at a time when Habbab Ibn Al-Arad, a slave Muslim, was reciting the newly revealed Surah Al-Ta-Ha (Chapter of Ta-Ha) to Fatimah and Said Ibn Al-Zaid. When Omar jumped on his brother-in-law to hit him, his sister came in between them and the slap of Omar hit his sister, whose face was covered in blood. In truth, becoming a Muslim in Mecca then meant being beaten bloodily. While the blood caused Omar to pause, it triggered Fatimah and Said Ibn Al-Zaid. The fear then gave way to courage. They began to shout at Omar:

Yes, we are Muslims! We have believed in GOD, His Message and His Messenger! Now do whatever you can!
The bloody face of his sister and that courageous resistance of theirs had calmed Omar. Let me hear what you were reading. Then, he sat and hearkened to the first Verses of Surah Al-TaHa. He murmured to himself when it came to this Verse:

Unto Him belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the

earth, and whatsoever is between them, and whatsoever is beneath the sod. [Verse 6, Surah Al-Ta-Ha (Chapter of Ta-Ha)]. Strange! We have 360 gods but none of them possess any land even an inch. You have only One GOD and everything belongs to him
Then Omar was whirled into the irresistible attraction of the Holy Koran. Habbab, who had been encouraged by that softening of Omar, came out of the place where he had been hiding.

O Omar! The Messenger of GOD ( ) prayed yesterday and begged GOD that He strengthens this Religion by means of either you or Abu Jahl.
Now Omar submitted They set out, Habbab being ahead of Omar. His destination was Muhammad ( ) again but this time with a totally different purpose. Now he was going to him to pronounce the Formula of Faith. At the time Muhammad ( ) was in the house of Arqam in the company of a group of Muslims. When the news reached that Omar was at the door girded with his sword, a wave of fright gusted around, for Omar was such a one as was feared by everybody in Mecca. Hamza, who heard the news rose up to his feet holding on to his sword:

Let him in! If he has come with good will, how nice! If not we shall behead him with his own sword.
On the other hand, Muhammad ( ) was calm. Let him in! he said. And the first person to stand against him was Muhammad ( ) again. O the Son of Khattab! What is it that has made you come here? said he. The reply of Omar, the son of Khattab, changed the wave of fear of a short time before into a wind of utter joy:

O the Messenger of GOD! I have come here to proclaim my belief in GOD, His Messenger ( ) and those that have been revealed to you by Him.

It was then that the house of Arqam echoed with the sounds of Taqbir (Formula of Declaring the Unity of GOD). The significance of that incident was to be related by Abdullah Ibn Al-Masud, of the notable Companions of Muhammad () : After Omar, the son

of Khattab, had become a Muslim, we all got ever strengthened.

And that day the Muslims prayed together as a congregation at Kaabah the first time. Who knows? Maybe it was the first time then that the fear of a potential defeat fell in the hearts of the leaders of Quraish Islam then passed another very important milepost in the process of socialization.

YEAR OF SORROW
The joy of Omars embracing Islam had still been felt when Muhammad ( ) and the Muslims this time were challenged by a Forcing Test: The Year of Sorrow It was three years before Hegira (the Migration to Medina) First Abu Talib died and without having professed Islam And his decease was soon felt hard. Quraish had now been relaxed, for the biggest obstacle that had been hindering them from hurting Muhammad ( ) that far had thus been ridden. All kinds of oppression and tyranny had accelerated to such heights in such a short time that, while the sorrow of the loss of his uncle, whom he had been putting for his uncle, had still been hot in his heart, Muhammad ( )sighed deeply:

O my dear uncle! said he, Your absence has too soon made itself felt!
The sorrow of the loss of Abu Talib on the one hand and the tribulation of the unrelenting attacks of Quraish on the other Nevertheless, the inflictions that gave the Year of Sorrow that name would not be restricted to that degree. Khadijah, the beloved wife of Muhammad () , his first love, the mother of the six children of his out of the seven, the source of comfort at his sad times, his greatest support among humans, also passed away. Khadijah too had passed on to the Eternal Life. That grief never left Muhammad ( ) until he passed away - for thirteen years, during which period he ever mentioned her name on every occasion As a matter of fact, there were times when Aishah was offended by Muhammads ( ) making so frequent mentions of Khadijah that she sort of upset.

Did GOD not grant you after Khadijah a woman that is younger, more beautiful and better? she would say.

What she hinted at was herself. However, the vacuity Khadijah had left behind in him was so vast that it was impossible to fill it - even at the cost of breaking Aishahs heart.

Nay! By GOD nobody has ever excelled Khadijah, was the reply he gave

her.
He got excited whenever he heard the voice of the sister of the late Khadijah, Halah, which really sounded like that of Khadijahs. And, maybe, he sometimes was deep in thought and took that voice for Khadijahs But what was it that made Khadijah so peerless? First of all, she had been his wife for twenty-two years. And, GOD only Knows how many times after the advent of Islam he had been consoled by Khadijah for the grief of the denials he had confronted, of the epithets he had been shouted at, of the slaps he had received and the spits he had been spat in the face And again only GOD Knows how many times the head of the weeping eyes of Muhammad ( ) was smelt, kissed and soothed by Khadijah so that he could be consoled Yes, why was Khadijah so peerless? Because Khadijah was the possessor of big wealth and she was the richest woman in Mecca at the time of their marriage. And that great wealth had been spent away so generously and in self-sacrificing manner within ten years that passed in Islam for the Cause of her husband, Muhammad ( ) and for the Religion of GOD that Muhammad () bought the cerement for his wife with the money he had borrowed That is why Khadijah was such a great and unique woman for Muhammad whose place was deservedly irreplaceable That is the reason why that year was the "Year of Sorrow" for Muhammad ( ) .

DAY AT TAIF
Upon the death of Abu Talib did the leaders of Quraish carry their oppression to unbearable excessive limits over Muhammad () . And it was only three years before the Hegira. Having been made to feel forlorn in Mecca, having lost his hope of Quraish, Muhammad ( ) started seeking the environment so that he could fulfil GODs Order, Rise up and Warn! and find support for his Religion within the scope of causes. First, he visited the Tribe of Banu Baqr Ibn Al-Wail near Mecca, who did not ever allow him to dismount from his camel - leave it aside utter aught word. Next, he went to the Tribe of Qahtan. Although they first let him be their guest, they later demanded him to leave the town without any delay in fear of the enmity of Quraish Finally, he set out for Taif. Taif was a lovely rich town with fine gardens and orchards located on mountains 90 km away from Mecca, the eminent ones whereof were the Saqifids, who were the relatives of Muhammads on part of his mother. Unfortunately, Muhammad ( ) was very soon to witness how disloyal his relatives were The leaders of the Saqif were three brothers named Abd Al-Yalail, Masoud and Habib, to whom Muhammad ( ) disclosed the reason of his visit to Taif, whereby communicating to them the Religion of Islam. All the three brothers not only rejected his Religion but also made game of him, saying:

Did GOD not find anyone else in whole Mecca to appoint as His Apostle but you? If you are the Prophet, then let me have robbed Kaabah of its cover. (That was an Arabic saying signifying the impossibility of something). If you are the Prophet, who do I think I am that I dare speak to you? If you are the Prophet, then GOD will help you anyway, having you not thus travel from door to door.
In fact, that year was the Year of Sorrow and Muhammad ( ) had

already been with a broken heart to the limits of his endurance. And with those responses of theirs, his heart had really been torn asunder. That grief and contempt actually were mentioned in the Holy Koran, too, whereby those that will ever be tested for the Religion of GOD until the Doomsday in the same manner are consoled They are kind of advised that they should not feel so much grieved, for far worse things happened to your Prophet than

those you have been suffering. This is the requirement of the way, which is to occur more or less to any passenger thereon And they say: If only this Koran had been revealed to some great man of the two cities (Mecca and Taif)? Is it they who apportion thy Lord's mercy?... [Verses 31-32, Surah Al-Zukhruf (Chapter of Ornaments)].
However, those that were to be suffered in Taif had not yet ended All the mobs and the children of the city were provoked and organized by the leaders of Saqif and they lined along the 3 km-long road whereon Muhammad ( ) and his companion Zaid Ibn Al-Kharisah would be passing And then started the shower of gibes, spits and stones Zaid was running to and fro around the Blessed Prophet ( ) to protect him from the stones and spits by shielding him with his body and opening up his arms to both sides. However, while he was trying to shelter him on one side, those stones and spits coming from the other side hit their target on the face and feet of Muhammad () . Yes, while the spits aimed the faces Muhammad ( ) and Zaid, the stones were carefully targeted at Muhammads ( ) feet and Zaids head and body, whereby they were both covered up in blood and spit head to feet. The way was long and the shower of stones and spits was heavy. Muhammad ( ) knelt down at times from the pain caused by the stones that had hit his feet, during which times the volley of stones and spits was intermitted and he was helped up amongst derisive laughter and then the shooting started anew. Behold! The pride of the Taifids did not allow them to attack someone that had fallen down On the other hand, Zaid Ibn Al-Kharisah was hurt not by those stones that hit his body but by those that missed him, for they were going to hurt Muhammad ( ) . At last the Bloody Journey ended. The mobs had fallen exhausted and gave up

their pursuit. And Muhammad ( ) and Zaid took shelter under the vines in a vineyard in the vicinity of Taif, where they rested and cleaned the blood and spit on them. After he had cleaned himself and rested for a while, the first thing Muhammad ( ) did was to get up for prayer and supplicate to GOD.

O the Creator Who Deserves to be worshipped! O my GOD, Who Sustains every living-being! I take refuge with You for my meagre power, for the exhaustion of my remedies and for falling dejected and being contemned by people. You are the Most Merciful of the Merciful. You are the Helper of every weak one and ever destitute one. O my GOD! If these that have happened to me are not the signs of Your Wrath upon me, I do not complain about aught. If You are with me, I fear nothing at all. The beatitude You shall grant is vest enough for me. O my God! I take shelter with the Light of Your Wajh (literally Face) that illuminate darks and change the affairs of this world and the Hereafter into goodness.
He got now relieved Although the state of pain and contempt had only remained a half hour behind in matter of time, it actually fell too far away now. Ho sooner had he rubbed his face with his hands than Gabriel appeared to him. Next to him was a second angel he had never seen that far. Both of them were in disguise as men. The next to Gabriel was charged with mountains, who had a message to convey to Muhammad () :

O the Messenger of GOD! ( ) said he If you wish, in retaliation of what they have done to you, let me raise the mountains and drop them over Taif, which Muhammad ( ) did not accept, saying: Nay! I do hope that GOD shall create such slaves from their generations as will believe in and worship HIM only.
Nothing befell Taif. However, the urgent reward of that grave testing was soon bestowed. A Christian slave named Addas that worked on the vineyard where Muhammad ( ) took shelter with Zaid Ibn Al-Kharisah came up to them with a bowl of grapes, which had been sent to them by the owner of the garden, who pitied them. That Muhammad ( ) pronounced the Formula of Basmalah (i.e. in the Name of GOD, the Merciful and the Beneficent) did not escape the attention

of Addas:

I have never heard this formula from anyone yet he remarked.

Then Muhammad ( ) asked: Who are you? Where are you from?

What is your religion?

I am a Christian and I am from Nineveh. Are you from the City of Jonah, who was a righteous slave of GOD? Do you really know him? He is my brother. He too was one of the Apostles of GOD as I am. What is your name? Muhammad.
Addas felt excited:

I have been in anticipation of your news for a long time, for I have read your Name and Qualifications in Torah and Bible. GOD will send you to Mecca, but its people will not accept you and you will return there. Then your Religion will spread all over the world. Please teach me your Religion I really have been awaiting this very Day for many years.
Thereupon, Addas grasped the hands of Muhammad () , pronounced the Qalimah Al-Shahadah (Formula of Faith in Islam) and became a Muslim. It was a case in which one could say, Man proposes, GOD disposes. Or in the expressions of the Holy Koran:

And whosoever keeps his duty to Allah, Allah will appoint a way out for him. And He will provide for him from (a quarter) whence he hath no expectation [Verses 2-3, Surah Al-Talaq (Chapter of Divorce)]
The Day of Taif proved to be the end of the testing and the beginning of salvation, for which reason that was the hardest of Meccan test that had lasted for thirteen years. When Aishah asked years later:

O the Messenger of GOD ( !) Have you ever suffered any day harder than the Day of Uhud? Yes, he replied, the Day of Taif.

While it was the hardest day, it was also the day whereon the hard times were over, after which Miraj (the Ascension) would come as the Spiritual Herald of Salvation

LAYLAH AL-MIRAJ(NIGHT OF ASCENSION)

It was the eleventh year after Muhammad had been appointed as Prophet ( ) . It was the night time on 27th Rajab (a month in Islamic Calendar) and the Messenger of GOD ( ) was sleeping the house of Umm Khani, of the Meccan Muslims. Then he was awaken by Gabriel, along with whom was Michael, of the chief Angels. Afterwards, Muhammads ( ) chest was split apart and then filled with Faith and Wisdom. Next, he was mounted upon a mount, the qualities whereof are not fully known, which was yet very fast. It was actually able to cover a distance the sight thereof caught in one single pace. After that, he was taken from Mecca to Jerusalem in a very short time, actually in the twinkling of an eye. There he conducted a two-raqah (part) prayer for a congregation that was made up of the Prophets (peace be upon them all) as well as the Angels that had been awaiting his arrival. After that prayer, he was offered two kinds of drink: Milk and wine. Without aught hesitation did Muhammad ( ) prefer the milk, on which choice Gabriel congratulated him, saying:

O the Prophet of GOD ( !) Having preferred the milk you have chosen that which is appropriate (for creation of; natural) for your Ummah (Muslims in the entirety). If you had selected the wine, your Ummah would have been gone astray and swerved from the Right Path. But now they will have been upon True Guidance until the Doomsday.
Thus, the initial stage of Israh of the Heavenly Journey, which had occurred parallel to the earth from Mecca to Jerusalem had ended and the stage of Miraj (the Ascension) took start, which would take place from the earth up into the skies and wherefrom into the space beyond. He was welcomed by a different Prophet at each station of the skies. At the first station did he meet Prophet Adam ; at the second Yahya (John); at the third Yusuf (Joseph); at the fourth Idris (Enoch); at the fifth Harun (Aaron); at he sixth Musa (Moses); at the seventh Ibrahim (Abraham), each of whom saluted him welcome. At the end of Miraj (the Ascension) Muhammad ( ) was addressed by GOD. According to a narration of his reply to Fatimah upon a question put by her on some later occasion GOD warned Muhammad ( ) free from any kind of quality or quantity as regards to his Ummah:

O Muhammad! Although I warrant the provisions of My slaves, your

Ummah will not trust that I am GOD that Sustains His slaves. Again, although I have created the Hell only for My Enemies, your Ummah will try to enter it. Although I do not ask them for the next days prayer, they demand the next days provisions. Although I do not give anyone else that provision destined for one, they worship others than me. Although I am the One that Dignifies and the One that Humiliates, they place reliance upon and fear others than me. Although I am the Sustainer, they thank and praise others than me.
Finally, he came up to the boundary of Sidrah Al-Muntahah in the company of Gabriel, where it was observed that Gabriel ( ) looked sort of like worn-out cloth made of camel-hair out of his fear and respect for GOD. And there the state of Kab Al-Qawsain (lit. the two ends of a bow) was experienced And here it is the time for us to remain silent, for it is above mans might to comprehend and describe that state:

Which one of mighty powers hath taught him, One vigorous; and he grew clear to view. When he was on the uppermost horizon. Then he drew nigh and came down Till he was (distant) two bows' length or even nearer, And He revealed unto His slave that which He revealed. [Verses 5-10, Surah AlNajm (Chapter of the Star)] Those that were experienced at the final station of Miraj are the secrets peculiar to GOD, Gabriel and Muhammad () . And at that point the last two verses of Surah Al-Baqarah (the Chapter of the Heifer) were directly revealed to Muhammad () . And the daily prayers were decree compulsory as 50 times Then the Journey back started On his way back did he converse with Moses, with the advice of whom he asked his Lord to lessen the burden of the obligation of Salah (ritual prayer in Islam) And, as a consequence, the prayers were decreased to five times a day. After that, Gabriel first showed him around the Heaven and then the Hell. Muhammad narrated those two stations as follows:

Later Gabriel guided me around the Heaven. He showed me the stations and the degrees thereof, whereat I witnessed the houris, mansions, children, trees and fruit, residents, rivers, gardens and pools of the Heaven. By GOD! Verily I know the degrees, palaces and tents of the Heaven better than the goods in that masjid (small mosque) of mine.

When I entered the Heaven, I witnessed large pearl tents. The soil of the Heaven was made of misc. The dwellers of the Heaven were mostly made up of the poor.
In the Heaven did Muhammad ( ) observe that these that served Islam and Koran had a very special position there.

I saw people that had gathered in a congregation. They sowed new seeds every day and they harvested the crop thereof on the very same day. I asked Gabriel, Who are they? And he replied: They are those people that endeavoured for the Cause of GOD and strived so that His Name is glorified, also spending their lives and riches therein. Each good deed they fulfilled are rewarded seven thousand times like fertile corn-ears.
And then they walked around the Hell:

I also saw the residents of the Hell, the majority whereof were unbelievers, tyrannical oppressors and the arrogant. Therein did I see chains, rings around necks, serpents, scorpions, suppuration oozing out of bodies, odorous waters, pitch-black smokes And I heard screams Then I saw an angel on whose face was no sign of joy or pleasure, about whose identity I asked Gabriel, who replied, This is Malik, the Guard of the Hell, who has never smiled at the face of anyone so far. If he did so, he would certainly smile at you. As GOD Wraths the dwellers of the Hell, so does Malik.
Then I wished to see the Hellfire. Upon the request of Archangel Gabriel, Malik raised a curtain and the fires of the Hell began to rise. It had black flames, which had no light at all. There I heard screams and sobbing. There were all kinds of punishment, which could be endured by neither mountains nor iron bars. I could not bear it, either. I said to Gabriel, Draw it back! and Malik took it back. And then they returned to Jerusalem, whence to Mecca. Upon their arrival in Mecca Muhammad ( ) shared a worry of his: The members of Quraish shall belie me in this incident. Gabriel replied, Do not grieve over that. You shall be confirmed by Abu Baqr, for he is the Veracious, which shall actually come true as foretold by Gabriel. When they got up for the Morning Prayer, Muhammad ( ) told Umm Khani about what had occurred.

The one to get worried this time was Umm Khani:

O the son of my uncles! O the Messenger of GOD! Verily, do not make mention of this to anyone, for they shall verily belie and grieve you over that.
Nevertheless, Muhammad ( ) was confident and serene:

By GOD! I shall tell them about this!

And he directly went to Kaaba to relate the incident. It was dawn then. Muhammad ( ) began to wait at Kaabah, sitting at the place named Hijr. Then, it was not long before that Abu Jahl turned up, asking in a mockingly:

Is there aught news not heard of yet? Yes, I went on a journey last night. Whither? To Masjid Al-Aqsa And whence to the heavens Well, well! Is it that you have been there overnight and returned to Mecca even before the daybreak? Yes, it is so! O Muhammad! Will you make mention of this to people, too?
Having received the reply in the affirmative, Abu Jahl began howling to the limit of his voice like a madman: O Banu Kab Ibn Al-Luayy! O Meccans! O Abu Jahl was in a state of between joy and confusion:

Quraish! Come here at once and listen to what Muhammad has to say! taken last night to Jerusalem and thence to the heavens

Then, Muhammad ( ) said to those that gathered around him: I was No sooner had he finished his statement than laughter rose over Kaabah The people screamed, clapped and put their hands on their heads and faces, in an expression of their astonishment and refutal Having recovered from their first bewilderment and ecstasy, the mob headed for the house of Abu Baqr, led by Abu Jahl, in contemplation that:

A wise man like him they thought, will not believe such a big lie, thus quitting going after Muhammad ()

It was early in the morning and Abu Baqr had not left home yet, unaware of anything. Then, seeing him at the door, Abu Jahl began to talk to him in excessive merry:

O Abu Baqr! Will you not go near your company? Listen to him what he has to say! What does he have to say? He is saying that last night he was first taken Jerusalem and thence to the heavens and that he returned before the daybreak Is he really saying that? Yeah! Then it is verily true!
All the idolaters, chiefly Abu Jahl, were all flabbergasted. Then Abu Baqr went to speak: For Gabriel descends the seven heavens in a twinkle, bringing

Revelations to him from GOD, and then he goes buck up to his station in Arsh (the Extreme Heaven), accordingly, in comparison to which it is not at all such a queer thing as is to be bewildered at that he has been taken to Jerusalem and thence to the uppermost heavens
Afterwards, they all including Abu Baqr went up to Kaabah to speak to Muhammad () . Abu Baqr was very excited:

O the Messenger of GOD ( !) said he Are you really saying these people that you have been to Jerusalem overnight? Yes! Could you please describe to me the place? Because I have been to Jerusalem before.
Muhammad ( ) first felt embarrassed at that question since it was night time when he was taken to Jerusalem; and, further, he had not paid close attention to how the city looked like. Behold! GOD the Almighty would by no means at all would leave His Apostle Muhammad ( ) helpless: All of a sudden a panorama of Jerusalem approached before his eyes in all its clarity, in sight whereof he answered all the questions he had been asked, After each reply given by Muhammad () , Abu Baqar said in full joy and excitement:

Yes verily! Exactly as you have said I endorse that you are a Slave and the messenger of GOD! in such a manner as that at the very end of their
conversation Muhammad ( ) said to him:

And you, Abu Baqr, said he, you are from now on the Veracious One Thus Abu Baqr became the Veracious One then, whereas the rest of the
audience there then were routed thereby. Nevertheless, the incidents Muhammad ( ) was to relate as evidence had not finished yet. The Quraishites asked him whether he had seen their caravans they had sent to Damascus, which he replied:

Yes. I encountered one of the caravans at the place named Ruhah, where your men were seeking a camel they had lost. Then I drank the whole water they had put at the place they had halted. Ask them whether they had found any water in their waterskin when they returned from the search for their lost camel.
The Quraishites then said: Yes, this is evidence. Muhammad ()

went to relate: I met another caravan of yours at the place called Zimarwah. Two men were riding on a camel, which was frightened of me and one of the men fell off and broke an arm of his. Inquire the accuracy of my relation upon their arrival here.
Quraish again nodded:

This too is evidence. Muhammad ( ) continued to narrate his Report of Itinerary, whereby further petrifying the Quraishites: And I caught up with your caravan at the place called Tanim. Then he gave detailed information on the people in the caravan, camels and the loads thereof, adding even more extensive information on the two camels at the front and what they were carrying, concluding then that they would arrive in two days.
The Quraishites then exclaimed: And that is the third piece of evidence. Now

let us wait and see.

However, having heard that detailed report with the precise description of Jerusalem there had remained no trace of joy of only a short time before on the faces of the Quraishites. In the meantime, the Muslims came to discover the wisdom of why the Israh had been experienced prior to Miraj (the Ascension). In fact, by having first been taken to Jerusalem instead of having been taken from Mecca directly into the Sublime Heaven - Muhammad ( ) was equipped with such evidence as would prove the veracity of the miraculous journey he had made. Otherwise, as there would be nothing to report as regards to

the earth and as the idolaters knew nothing of the distant skies, the allegation of Miraj would have lacked support and proof. Quraish waited in excessive tension for two days. And on the very same day and at the very precise hour after the exact description of Muhammad () , a carvan appeared on one of the hills surrounding Mecca. All the details verified his description. The other caravans arrived on the consequent days, whereby Muhammad ( ) was endorsed with corroborations one after another. Nevertheless, even that miracle did not penetrate the hearts of the obstinate Quraishites

What a big sorcecer Muhammad has turned up! was what they
conjectured

A NIGHT AT AQABAH
Thirteen years had passed after the assignment of Muhammad ( ) as the Seal of the Prophets. After he had been made to suffer all kinds of pain, sorrow and torments for as long a period as thirteen years, whereupon he had been inflicted with the Day of Taif, the Divine Destiny decreed: Enough is this! And thus with Miraj (the Ascension) the first implications that the wretched fate would turn the other way round, which as a token to one of the Spiritual Laws of GOD signified that the process of having been tested with distress had ended and the period of conquests pad started. Then a new incident was lived as a physical sign and preparator of that significant breaking point, i.e. Hegira (the Emigration): The Allegiance of Aqabah In fact, there were two Aqabahs: The first took place a year earlier with the participation of twelve Medinian, who in the company of Musab Ibn Al-Umair, whom they took with them from Mecca strived in Medina for Islam for one year and then returned to Mecca as seventy-five Muslims during the Season of Hajj the following year. On the night of one day during a Religious Festival those seventy-five Muslims, two of whom were women, met the Messenger of GOD ( ) at Aqabah, a spot amongst some low hills in the vicinity of Mecca. In the company of Muhammad ( ) was Abbas, an uncle of his, who despite the fact that he was at the time an idolater felt concerned at the security of his nephew out of his love and affection for him. He also wanted to witness through his own eyes how and to what extent the people of Medina would believe those new Muslims in it. Upon the reunion of the two parties, it was Abbas that took the first word:

O the people of Medina! As you well know, Muhammad () comes from Mecca. And we have been protecting him from the enemies therein. He is honourable and secure in his own city. And he will not join anyone else but you. If you feel sure that you will be able fulfil those things you promise to him and protect him against his enemies, I have nothing to tell you about your persons or the liability you have taken over. But if you will leave him alone without any assistance after you have taken him with you, then leave him here from now, for he is honourable and safe in his own city and own community.
Yet, the words of Abbas were far too optimistic.

The Medinians turned to Muhammad ( ) and asked:

We have listened to what Abbas has to say. Now it is your turn to speak, o the Messenger of GOD! What is it that you demand from us for you and your Lord?
Muhammad ( ) rose slowly and began to speak in a mild tone. HE first recited some verses from the Glorious Koran. He once more invited people to accept the Oneness of GOD. Then he said:

You shall enjoin good and forbid evil. You shall fear no one in telling the Truth. You shall obey the Orders of GOD and His Messenger unconditionally. You shall respect the rights of the Muslims more than those of yours. You shall assign a task to such ones as are competent therein. And if you are not competent in any task, you shall not be willing to get it. You shall expend for GOD not only in good times but also in hard times. You shall not be discouraged with the condemnations of the condemners. When I have got to Medina, you shall protect me as you protect your own household, in return for which service you shall be awarded with the Heaven.
He sat down at the closure of his address. The eldest of the Medinians, Asad Abn Al-Dhurarah, rose to his feet to speak:

O the people of Medina! Listen to me for a while. You all know that you have come here having spurn the bellies of your camels because you believe that this man is the Messenger of GOD () . And we shall make enemies with all the Arabs when we have taken him with us. A great number of our people will be murdered some day or other in this way while some others will be put to swords. If you shall really endure all of these, let us now take him with us. Verily GOD the Almighty shall reward us our award. But if you are afraid that you will not endure all of these, you admit it now so that we shall not take him, for it will be better to say it now and not to attempt this task than attempt and quit it half way
A similar remark came from Abbas Ibn Al-Ubadah, a Medinian:

O Medinians! Are you aware what you have given Allegiance to this personage for? You have paid him homage to fight all the people, red or black. If - when your goods decrease with some disaster that befalls them and your eminent ones are killed - you will leave him by himself without

any help, do so but now. By GOD, if you ever do such a thing, it will bring you grave loss both for this world and the Hereafter. However, if you believe that you well keep your loyalty to him although your effects diminish and your eminent ones are murdered for the sake of Islam he is inviting you to then keep him. By GOD! This will be better for you both in this world and the Afterworld.
Both of the warnings were intended to secure Muhammad ( ) and his cause. And the first reply in the name of the people in Medina in general came from Barah Ibn Al-Marur, who held the hand of Muhammad () tightly looking into his eyes in full sincerity and resolution:

By GOD, Who has appointed you as His Righteous Messenger ( ), we shall protect you as we protect our household. O the Messenger of GOD ( !) Please conclude an allegiance with us, for verily by GOD we are the masters of the warcraft, which we have inherited from our ancestors
The speech of Barah was interrupted by Abu Al-Haisam Ibn Al-Tayyihani:

O the Messenger of GOD! With the support we offer to you, we shall have quit all our ties with the Jews. Hence, if GOD makes you victorious after we have done this, will you return to Mecca, where your relatives are?
Although that question asked by Abu Al-Haisam had Muhammad () smile at first, he soon got serious and relied in a tone that would reflect all his determination: No! Your blood will be that of mine from now on; hareminiz benim haremim olacak; your friends will be my friends; your cemetery will be that of mine From now on, I am of you and you are of me! That reply brought about an eruption of emotions in the Medinians, whereby all the seventy-five Medinians hurried to pay allegiance. It was such an occasion of mercy and pleasure that the horrid scream that tore the air was noticed by nobody but Muhammad () . Indeed, that voice failed to cause the people to exit the ocean of faith. That voice had actually come from the Satan of Aqabah, who was howling out of rage:

O the people of the town! That condemned man [i.e., GOD forbid, Muhammad ( ]) caused some of you to forsake their religion

and gatheredthem together so they fight with you. Get up! Do not sleep!
Muhammad replied:

This is the Satan of Aqabah. Do you hear me, o the enemy of GOD the Almighty? I shall deal with you when it comes to you
The best thing that summarizes that incident of few hours lived at Aqabah that night and where it took them whence was the proposal of Abbas Ibn Al-Ubadah to Muhammad ( ) after the people of Medina had concluded the Task of Allegiance:

O the Messenger of GOD! By GOD, Who has sent you with the Truth! If you wish, we are ready to put to sword all the idolaters that shall come together at Mina tomorrow!
Muhammad ( ) put his hand on the shoulder of Abbas being pleased with what he had uttered:

We are not ordered to do so!

The dawn that broke the following morning in fact cast the first beams of Hegira (the Emigration from Mecca to Medina). And the Medinians were now Ansar (the helpers of Islam).

DAYS OF HIJRA

The Road to Medina that was opened with the Aqabah Allegiances was soon filled with those Meccan Muslims that soon emigrated in secrecy. Only three months had passed after the Second Aqabah Allegiance when Mecca had almost been evacuated by Muslims. Other than those old and sick believers that were unable to emigrate, there remained only three Muslims in Mecca: Muhammad ( ), Abu Baqr and Ali. Muhammad ( ) had a dream: The place where we will emigrate

to has been shown to me as an untilled date-palm grove between two black stony grounds, which I took for Yamamah or Najar, but it has turned out to be Medina
At last permission was given by GOD the Almighty for his migration, which was also a Verse of the noble Koran, which was also a Supplication:

And say: My Lord! Cause me to come in with a firm incoming and to go out with a firm outgoing. And give me from Thy presence a sustaining Power. [Verse 80, Surah Al-Israh (Chapter of Ascension)]
This is an important Decree of GOD: If He had not wished to give, He would not have given the wish. So it was first revealed into the heart of Muhammad ( ) the wish for Hegira and then the above-said verse and supplication into heart and onto his lips And GOD received his prayer, thus opening the Road to Hegira. Quraish were well aware of what had been going around them. So they got alarmed Most of the believers have left Mecca. If we now let Muhammad

( ) go away, too, we will then have absolutely lost the control over the city, thus leaving Muhammad ( ) by himself to act as he wills That was the conjecture of the Quraishites that made them to decide
to hold a meeting.

At that meeting, wherein the Hashimids the clan of Muhammad () were not allowed to take part, was also a swashbuckling figure: the cursed Satan, who was disguised as an old man from Najd Three opinions outstood at the conclave: - Confining Muhammad ( ) in some place for life; - Sending him into exile from Mecca; - Terminating his life. With also the provocations of Satan, the third opinion was opted: killing him! But that was to be executed in a very satanic fashion: a young warrior would be

selected from each of the five major clans that made up Quraish and the assassins were to sword Muhammad ( ) simultaneously, whereby, as his blood would be shared by the whole tribe of Quraish and the Hashimids would be unable to afford to oppose the whole Quraish, they would be satisfied with the blood-money they would be offered, thus the issue being solved. That opinion had been proposed by Abu Jahl. Muhammad ( ) was warned the same day by Gabriel, whereby the stratagem was described to him in all details and he was instructed as to how to deal with the plot, which in fact is mentioned in the Noble Koran as follows:

And when those who disbelieve plot against you (O My beloved Muhammad ) to wound thee fatally, or to kill you or to drive you forth; they plot, but Allah (also) plots; and Allah is the best of plotters.
[Verse 30, Surah Al-Anfal (Chapter of the Spoils)] At noon on the Day of the Emigration, contrary to his custom, Muhammad ( ) went to the house of Abu Baqr to inform him that the permission to emigrate had been decreed and that he would also be accompanying him, which moment was narrated by Aishah:

My father shed tears of joy when he heard the news and I had never seen a man crying out of joy that far.
Abu Baqr gave Muhammad ( ) one of the two camels, which he had purchased to that particular end four months earlier and had been feeding diligently ever since, which Muhammad ( ) accepted on condition that he paid for it. Then they hired a guide called Abdullah Ibn Uraikit, who although he was an idolater was a reliable person with a sound character, with which act of his Muhammad ( ) taught this lesson: If need be, you

can benefit from the service of those trustworthy people even if they are not of your Religion provided naturally that the initiative is in your hands.
That was some Monday, in the Month of Rajab, in the thirteenth year of his Mission of Prophethood. Muhammad () , first thing of all, took Ali with him in the early hours of the night and headed for Kaaba, where was nobody at the time. As the first step of the Migration, a spiritual cause was to be fulfilled by means of a Divine Transaction, the wisdom of which we still are unable to perceive: Muhammad ( ) first asked Ali to kneel down and pressed on his

moment I felt as if the whole world pressed upon my shoulders with all its weight Even Ali failed to carry that weight. Then, Muhammad (
)knelt down and Ali stepped on his shoulders, which instant was narrated by

shoulders, which moment Ali narrated: My strength vanished at that

Ali as follows: Such strength then came to me that I felt as if I could reach out for the horizons of the skies

Thereafter, Ali, who climbed up to the top of Holy Kaabah, dismounted an idol made of bronze and threw it down on the ground, which was rented asunder. Thus was the first step of Hegira taken Ali lay in his bed disguised in the robe of Muhammad () , whereby having been secured as well, as it was affirmed by Muhammad () : Be easy, o Ali! he said, Nothing will occur to you tonight! In the meantime, the house had already been surrounded by seventeen of the Quraishites, five of whom were murders and twelve provocateurs. Among the provocateurs were Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab. Muhammad ( ) left the house reciting the verses of the Holy Koran:

Ya Sin. By the wise Qur'an, Lo! You are of those sent; on a straight path; a revelation of the Mighty, the Merciful; that you may warn a folk whose fathers were not warned, so they are heedless. Already has the judgment, (for their infidelity) proved true of most of them, for they do not believe. Lo! We have put on their necks carcans reaching unto the chins, so that they are made stiff-necked. And We have set a bar before them and a bar behind them, and (thus) have covered them so that they do not see. [Verses 1-9,
Surah Yasin (Chapter of Ya-Sin)] Meanwhile, Muhammad ( ) was throwing dust over the heads of the besiegers. And those over the heads of whom dust was sprinkled that night were to die at the Battle of Badr with the exception of Abu Lahab. Muhammad ( ) hurried straight to the house of Abu Baqr. It was past midnight. They both left from the small door at the rear of the house, during which act Muhammad ( ) was devoted to His Lord in the heart with a supplication on his lips:

Praise be to GOD, Who created me when I was nothing! O my GOD! Help me against the hardships of the world. Help me against the evils of

the time and the tribulations of the days and nights. O my GOD! Be with me during my journey. Protect my family. Bless the provisions you bestow upon me. Make me obedient to You. Make me perfectly correct in good manners. Make me love You. Do not leave me to the mercy of others. O the Lord of the weak! You are my Lord. I take shelter with your Great Divinity that illumines the earth and the heavens, whereby darks are enlightened and the work of the predecessors and successors has ever been corrected. Do not make me to deserve Your Wrath. Do not make Your Anger to befall me. I take refuge with You lest Your Bounties are removed from me; lest Your Avenge strike me suddenly; lest You take Your Bestowal of Health from me. I shelter with You from all kinds of Your Wraths. My complaints are to you. The most pious of those that I will be able afford are with me. The might and the power are only with You.
Their destination was the Cave of Sawr, which is eight kilometres from Mecca en route to the Yemen. While they were walking, Abu Baqr got at times to the front in agitation and at times fell behind Muhammad ( ) When he was asked by Muhammad ( ) of the reason thereof, he answered:

O the Messenger of GOD ( !) When I think that you may be now sought by the idolaters, I get to the front; and when it occurs to me that you are being observed by them, I run to the front
In the meantime, the day was about to break. Those Quraishites that had besieged the house of Muhammad ( ) had still been sleeping with their eyes open due to the effect of the dust that had been dispersed over them until at last somebody came near them, who said to them:

May GOD damn you! What are you doing? What happened to you? It was
then that they came to and broke into the house. But it was Ali that they saw. The prey had escaped their hands. Led by Abu Jahl, they made for the house Abu Baqr in a fury. The door was opened by the elder daughter of Abu Baqr, Asmah. When she answered the question, Where is your father? with I do not know! the slap Abu Jahl hit on her face was so beastly that her earring fell onto the floor. Quaraish was in utter frenzy. Trackers were hired and searching-teams were formed immediately, who began to search the area in around Mecca in groups. In

the meantime, one hundred camels were put as reward for Muhammad ( )and Abu Baqr each, half of which were promised by Abu Jahl alone. Muhammad ( ) and his Companion Abu Baqr had reached the skirts of mount Sawr early in the morning. Nevertheless, the feet of Muhammad ( ) had got wounded because he had walked that eight kilometres on tiptoes so that he left behind his as few footprints as possible, wherefore he could no longer walk ahead. Hence, he climbed up the hill to the cave on the back of Abu Baqr. Then they entered the cave. The Quraishite idolaters were not late to get to the skirts of the hill under the guidance of the trackers. The traces stop here, said they, the only place they could be is that cave yonder. Yes, the spot where the fingers pointed at was the accurate address. The breaths were withheld. It was when the causes were silenced, whereby the Precaution of the True and Unique Possessor of All was witnessed: The mouth of the cave, which hosted Muhammad ( ) and Abu Baqr, was fast woven with a web by a spider. Again, a pair of wild pigeons appeared in front of the cave with several eggs. What is more, a small tree grew out of nowhere. And that sufficed to stop and thrash the all-armoured Quraishites, for they had ever been accustomed to living by causes Those walking at the front hollered at those at the rear:

There is such thick web here as if had been woven even before Muhammad ( ) was born. Besides, there are also pigeons, which if there were anyone inside, would by no means be here but fly away. Thus, the danger had come very close to them and then was repelled. It was again Abu Jahl, who was the cleverest of the Quraishites: Verily! he said I guess he is somewhere around here. Nevertheless, he has again enticed us with his magic, whereby blinding our sight to see him.
In the meantime, the anxiety of Abu Baqr, who was quite near, had reached the limits: O the Messenger of GOD ( !) If I am killed, it no matter

of worry, for I am only one single person. I die and it is done. However, if something befalls you, then the whole Ummah (Muslim Community in its entirety) will perish! Do not fear, o Abu Baqr! For GOD is with us.
Once, when Abu Baqr saw the feet of the idolaters just above their heads, he whispered to Muhammad ( ) in fear: O the Messenger of GOD

( !) If they once look down at their toes, they will see us.

His Beloved One and our Beloved One ( ) was very relaxed: O Abu

Baqr! What do you think of two people, the third of whom is GOD!
Eventually, the idolaters did not look down.

In fact, Omar would say, years later, concerning the time that had been spent in that cave: I would exchange all my acts and good deeds with that state of Abu Baqr in that cave. Again, the fear Abu Baqr incurred on behalf of his Beloved One would have him merit being mentioned in the Holy Koran as one of the two in the cave:

If ye help him not, still Allah helped him when those who disbelieve drove him forth, the second of two; when they two were in the cave, when he said unto his comrade: Grieve not. Lo! Allah is with us. Then Allah caused His peace of reassurance to descend upon him and supported him with hosts ye cannot see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the nethermost, while Allah's Word it was that became the uppermost. Allah is Mighty, Wise. [Verse 80, Surah Al-Tawbah (Chapter of Repentance)]
They remained in that cave for three days, during which period a son of Abu Baqrs, Abdullah, came up to them in the evenings with some victuals and some news from Mecca. In the meantime, the shepherd working for Abu Baqr, Amr Ibn Fuhairah, grazed the flocks of sheep so that he could erase the footprints of Abdullah. And at the end of the three days, just as the rage of the Quraishites was about to settle, the guide, Abdullah Ibn Uraikit, turned up with the camels. Now the operation of confusion was about to be terminated and the real journey about to start. An important point is that Muhammad ( ) was never deceived by the facts that he was the Prophet of GOD and that he had been enduring all the troubles for the sake of GOD, whereby adopting anticipations for being protected in an extraordinary manner, and he resorted to all the protective measures within his capacity. However, in such cases as their measures failed to suffice, GOD interfered with His Eternal Might and protected them sometimes by the cause of a spider and sometimes by means of a pair of pigeons, whereby ensuring their security, in which treatment are most precious lessons and portents for Muslims, which will be reminisced of till Doomsday. Just as Muhammad ( ) was mounting one of the two camels, which were owned by Abu Baqr, and which had been brought there by Abdullah the Guide, he suddenly stopped: I will not ride on a camel the price of which I

have not paid, whereupon Abu Baqr was obliged to disclosed the price of

the camel, which Muhammad ( ) remunerated, whereupon the journey began. Hence, Muhammad ( ) never compromised with his principles or moral values even when he was utterly pressed. Next, they made for the coast skirting around Mecca and turning the noses of their camels in the direction of Medina, thus starting a trek that would last more than ten days. Muhammad ( ) had a last look at his hometown, the town of his father, Mecca, from afar with wet eyes: By GOD! I know that you are, with no doubt, the most blessed one of the places GOD has created and the dearest one in sight of GOD! If your dwellers were not expelling me out of you, I would never leave you! lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun! (From GOD have we come and to HIM is our return) They have expelled the Messenger of GOD () . Therefore, verily, they too shall perish.
Then, they journeyed, without any resting, for one day and one night until the late morning of the following day. They were tired. So they halted in the shadow of a rock, where Abu Baqr cleared the ground and then put down a pelt: O the Messenger of GOD (
!)You should sleep and rest for a while. I will watch around for you.

In fact, what Abu Baqr uttered thereon sort of complemented his words: Inna

Then, he bought some milk from a shepherd that was grazing his sheep in the vicinity. Next, he offered the milk to Muhammad ( ) when he woke up. After they had rested for some time, they continued the journey. As they met some people from a distance on their way, Muhammad ( )moved to the front. As Abu Baqr had often had business trips to Damascus via those regions, he was a familiar face in the area. So people often asked him on their way: O Abu Baqr! Who is that personage ahead of you?

He replied: He is my Guide. He is Guiding me.

He would not compromise with rectitude and ethicism even at such a stressed time.

And on their way they visited the hut of Umm Mabad, a pious generous woman, who was famed for offering food and drinks to journeyers profoundly. However, owing to the famine of recent times she had nothing to give her guests that day. Then, Muhammad ( ) pointed to a dry sheep that was standing aside. Umm Mabad said: She has not even gone out to the pasture, for she is close

to death.

Nonetheless, Muhammad ( ) asked for permission, held the udder of the sheep with the Formula of Basmalah (i.e. in the Name of GOD, the Merciful and the Beneficent) and began to milk the sheep. Behold! There another miracle occurred. Everybody got flabbergasted particularly Umm Mabad. Muhammad ( ) handed the bowl of milk first to Umm Mabad and her children, who humbly said: After you, sir! However, Muhammad ( ) did not accept that and, in the meantime, introduced a new criterion to his Sunnah (The sayings and doings of the Prophet Muhammad : Whoever offers some drink will drink of it last. And that bowl was filled with the sheeps milk many a turn so that everybody drank to their satisfaction; and finally Muhammad ( ) drank of it. Thereafter, they paid Umm Mabad for the milk and went on with their journey. And, behold! That very sheep lived on for twenty-eight years from then on, earning fame in the desert for giving profuse milk each and every day. Umm Mabad described Muhammad ( ) to her husband that brought back the flock that evening:

He is a personage with an unusually lovely countenance, with white skin, of very good nature and of balanced size he is not fat with either a small head or a thin neck There is no default either in his appearance or in his creation! His voice is sweet and fine. he has a thick beard with thin eyebrows and large eyes. When he speaks, some beauty covers all his existence; and when he is silent, he is filled with dignity. In short, whether you look at him from near or from far, he is the most handsome and the most dignified and the most majestic of the whole mankind. He leaves no loops in his conversation; nor does he utter any irrelevant or meaningless words. He speaks very clearly and explicitly. Words pour from his mouth like pearls. He is neither short nor tall but of medium height. He has big eyes. His mouth and nose are extremely beautiful! GOD the Almighty created his as He Willed! How nice towards him are the loyalty and respect of his comrades!

Abu Mabad perceived who the described personality was:

By GOD! The personage you have described is the one that has emerged from amongst the Quraishites, who is said to be a Prophet!
One day, their way was cut by a tracker called Suraqah Ibn Jushum, who was after the reward for two hundred camels. He had started tracing them with the information eh had gathered from somebody in his tribe and soon caught them. He too soon felt as if he had already grasped the possession of the reward of two hundred camels, so he was excessively joyful However, there were soon to take place such miracles as would astound Suraqah The instant he had spurred his horse towards Muhammad ( ) and his comrade Abu Baqr, the forelegs of his horse got stuck in the sands of the desert, when some smoke rose whereby Suraqah fell face down on the ground. Suraqah was unable to perceive how it had happened. In fact, what he had failed to understand was due to the supplication of Muhammad ( ) that was received by GOD once it had been pronounced:

O my GOD! Help us against this man with what You Will, removing his evil from us!
Suraqah rose to his feet and mounted on his horse. Then, he attempted another attack. However, it was not long after the horse had made another charge that the same thing happened: The horses forelegs got stuck in the sands, dust rose up into the air and Suraqah fell off his horse upside down A further onslaught and the reoccurrence of the same things However, the horse failed to take its legs off the sands that time and Suraqah then came to perceive the wisdom of the affair, thus falling into fear and surrendering:

Help! I am Suraqah Ibn Jushum. Look at me, for I wish to talk to you. By GOD! No harm will touch from me! O Muhammad ( !) I perceive this is your business. Pray to GOD that He helps me out of this state I have incurred. By GOD! I will confuse those others that are after you. Here get this arrow of mine. Go to my flocks of camels there and there, show this arrow to the shepherd and take of the camels as you wish.
Muhammads ( ) reply was brief and clear: We need neither

camels nor cattle

Then, he prayed and Suraqahs horse pulled its legs off the sands. Then Muhammad ( ) ordered Suraqah: Drive back those that are

tracing us.

And Suraqah fulfilled that order to a word. The tracker, who had been a firce enemy in the morning, turned into an obedient soldier before the evening came. Thus, he sent back those that had been advancing in that direction, whereby having ensured the safety of Muhammad ( ) and his Companions. Of all those occurrences, something attracted the attention of Suraqah: While Suraqah was attempting attack after attack towards Muhammad () and his Companions, Abu Baqr was ever looking back and shedding tears in fear that something might befall Muhammad () . Nevertheless, Muhammad ( ) did not look back even once, reciting of the Holy Koran silently. Suraqah had yet to receive some good tidings before he left: O Suraqah, Muhammad ( ) said, I wonder how you will feel like when you

put on the bracelets of the Kisra on your wrists his belt around your waist and his throne on your head?
The one whose mention was made was emperor of the wealthiest empire in the world at the time. Suraqah was utterly amazed: The king of the kings Kisrah Ibn Hormuz? Muhammad replied, Yes! And the personage who promised all those things was such a one that was forced to emigrate to Medina since he had no security in Mecca. We are not sure to what extent Suraqah believed the reality of that promise at the time; nonetheless, the history would affirm Muhammad () . Fifteen to twenty years had passed when Iran was conquered during the Caliphate of Omar, whereby the Sassanian Empire collapsed and the belongings of the Kisrah were sent to Medina, the Capital City of Islam. Omar, who had been informed of the aforesaid incident, sent for Suraqah and having fulfilled the promise of his Prophet Muhammad () , he said: O Suraqah! Raise

your hands and pronounce Allahu Akbar! (Allah is the Most High) and Praise be to GOD, for GOD has taken these off from the Kisrah, who said I am the Lord of humans and put them on this Bedouin called Suraqah.

Now they were quite close to Medina. They arrived at the place named Juhfah. Then Gabriel came to Muhammad ( ) and asked: Do you miss

Mecca?

Muhammads ( ) eyes got wet: Yes! The answer to that Yes came from GOD: Lo! He Who hath given thee the

Qur'an for a law will surely bring thee home again. Say: My Lord is Best Aware of him who bringeth guidance and him who is in error manifest.
[Verse 85, Surah Al-Qasas (Chapter of the Story)] Verily, GODs Word would certainly come true eight years later Meanwhile, they were spotted by a pagan shepherd, who went to Mecca in full agitation and anticipation of the acquisition of the camels in return for his treachery Nevertheless, that segment of his memory was deleted the very instant he got to Mecca, in that he failed to remember the reason why he came there. He wandered for days in utter perplexity until Muhammad ( )and his Company Abu Baqr the Veracious arrived in Medina in safety and security, when the memory of the villain shepherd came back: Yes! Now I

remember! Muhammad and his Company were going in the direction of Medina
Anas Ibn Malik, who later acted as a servant of Muhammad () , related that day whereon Muhammad ( ) and his company entered Medina: It was such a day that Muhammad ( ) entered Medina

and I have never seen a day that is better or happier or brighter or more blessed
That day around the noontime, a Welcome Hymn, which was sung by a chorus of Medinian children una voce, welcomed Muhammad ( ) and Abu Baqr:

The full moon rose over us from the Mount Wadhah, For we have an Inviter that invites us to GOD. Therefore, it is incumbent upon us to thank Him. O the Messenger, who was sent to us from among us, You have verily come with such an Invitation as is to be obeyed. You have come and honoured Medina with your coming, O the Most Blessed One of the Inviters! Welcome!

AT THE HOUSE OF AYYUB SULTAN

The first months of Muhammad ( ) in Medina were spent in the house of Abu Ayyub, or as is famous Ayyub Sultan. The house had two storeys With the contemplation that it would be easier so for his visitors, Abu Ayyub and his wife moved upstairs for the first night. However, it was a sleepless night for them Their earthenware water jug fell and broke into pieces; and then they threw their quilt on the water lest it should drip over and disturb Muhammad (p.b.u.h.), who was staying downstairs Thus did they spend the whole cold desert night till the morning trembling without their quilt However, it was not the cutting cold that vexed them so much: How dare we do this? The person

to whom Gabriel reveals the Revelations is staying downstairs although with his own choice while we are staying upstairs!

They could barely wait until the morning Then early in the morning did they rush downstairs sadly with their heads bent down to disclose their anxiety, sorrow and wish to him. Muhammad ( ) listened to them in silence with a smile. And thus they moved downstairs On the following days, when the food they had given to Muhammad ( )was returned partly eaten every evening, they bent over the food and tried to eat from the part where his fingerprints were found, for the love and respect for him had enveloped them all over. Nonetheless, one day, that a dish that had been blended with garlic came back untouched grieved both of them deeply: O the

prophet of GOD! they said Did we make a mistake unknowingly in the preparation of that food? For you have not eaten any of it.

Nay! he replied, I do not eat any garlic lest it should disturb the Angels that come near me.
Thereupon, Abu Ayyub took an oath and never ate garlic until his death for the mere sake of his respect for Muhammad ()

CONSTRUCTION OF MASJID
The spot before the house of Abu Ayyub, where Muhammads () camel knelt down, was a plot of land in the possession of two Medinian brothers named Sahl and Suhail, both of whom were orphans and Muslims. When Muhammad ( ) asked these two brothers to sell their lot to construct there his Masjid in Medina, they replied in excitement: O the Messenger of

GOD! Our land is not for sale. We are donating it for the sake of GOD. So you may use it however you like!
Nonetheless, Muhammad ( ) did not accept that proposal. Both the parties insisted and eventually Muhammad ( ) managed to persuade them, whereupon the two brothers had to receive the ten miskals of gold paid by Abu Baqr though unwillingly. Then, the construction began without any delay. The adobes dried in the sun were on the shoulders of the merry Companions of the Prophet ( ) The walls rose fast All the believers - both the Meccans and the Medinians integrated their labour and zeal in the construction of their own Masjid (mosque), their Prophets ( ) Masjid the Centre of their Religion That atmosphere of intensive merry and happiness turned the construction site into a festival ground with poems recited reciprocally during the carriage of adobes Behold! One of the most laborious workers on that fairground is Muhammad ( ) The Most Beloved Slave and Apostle of GOD The Most Eminent of the Prophets He is 53 years old at the time And he is amongst his Companions with a brick on his back And yet the best of the poems recited on that festival site belongs to him:

O our lord! This very load we are carrying, Is more blessed than the load of Khaibar - and cleaner O our Lord! A good deed is only that for the Hereafter, You help Muhajirs (the Immigrants) and Ansar (the natives of Medina)!

DAY OF ABDULLAH, SON OF SELAM

Abdullah Ibn Selam was of the Jews of Medina one of the most respectable of them that was versed in Judaism and Torah. Again he was one of them that had been anticipating the advent of the Seal of the Prophets in great excitement for years on And at last, one day, the second he learnt that he had landed in the house of Abu Ayyub, he hurried there. When he got to the threshold of the house, he stopped and looked inside. He was sitting therein in a corner telling people around him: O people! Feed

the hungry. Be generous. Disseminate the greeting amongst you. Own your relatives and observe them. Rise while everybody is asleep and perform prayers in sincerity. Hence you shall enter the Heaven of your lord happily and blissfully!
What he had witnessed there at the threshold of the house in few seconds and what he had heard there in such a short while sufficed for Abdullah Ibn Selam. He pronounced Kalimah Al-Shadahah (the Formula of Faith) and thus became a Muslim. That fast conversion of a scholar of Torah raised curiosity in some people: O

Abdullah! said they, What caused you to renounce your religion this quickly? face. If he says, I am a Prophet, he verily is!

His reply really deserves ever remembrance: There could be no lie on such a

BADR, O BADR
Two years had passed over Hegira (the Emigration) when it was heard that Abu Sufyan, one of the leaders of Quraish, had left Damascus for Mecca with the trade caravan of one thousand camels Thereupon, the Muslims in Medina began preparations immediately with a view to compensating for the looted commodities of the Emigrants by Quraish. Nevertheless, it was eavesdropped that the Muslims had departed from Medina with the aforesaid objective And the goods of the Quraishite leaders were dearer to them than their lives. Hence, the news worked astounding impact in Mecca, which further aggravated to panicky dimensions with an accompanying incident: A paternal aunt of Muhammads () , Atiqah, had had a dream several days before the tidings that Muhammad ( ) is on his way reached Mecca.

A cavalryman mounted on a camel shouted to the limit of his voice: O the oppressors! Go to those places within three days where you will die! Thereupon, people gathered around him. Then, he entered Kaaba and people followed him into it And then the same person cried aloud again: O the oppressors! Go to those places within three days where you will die! Next, he appeared on top of Mount Abu Qubais with his camel and repeated the same exclamation: O the oppressors! Go to those places within three days where you will die! After that, he rolled a piece of rock down mount Abu Qubais towards Mecca. The rock was rented asunder half way down the slope Then each piece of the rock hit a house in Mecca in that every house became the target of the pieces of that rock with no exception at all.
Meanwhile, the courier that had been sent by Abu Sufyan to Mecca in order that he should help the caravan entered the city three days after that dream. And precisely as had occurred in the aforesaid dream, he started crying - also beating his breast for aid mounted on his camel. Not so many people were aware though that that cry for help was in fact an invitation to death as had been seen in the abovementioned dream. Mecca brought all their means together. Everybody able to fight participated in the auxiliary force except for one who did not join the army but sent a mercenary in his place That deserter was an uncle of Muhammads () : Abu

Lahab the Fit-for-Hell. Also, there was another man who found all kinds of excuses to avoid the campaign: Umayyah Ibn Khalaf, one of the most tyrannical oppressors of Quraish, the calamitous ex-master of Bilal Al-Habash (Bilal of Abyssinia). However, he could not resist the insistence of Abu Jahl and the humiliation of another provocateur that had sent him a feminine fragrance, and in the end he felt obliged to take part in the campaign. As a matter of fact, the actual reason for the fear of Umayyah was the news he had heard from a person who had come from Medina. That person had said that Umayyah was going to be killed by Muhammad () . Thenceforth, Umayyah continuously said: If Muhammad ( ) has said something, it is not a lie! Right was he in his fear, for the aforesaid news was confirmed several days later. There was another provocateur in Quraish, who was disguised in human form but was actually not of human kind: Eblis, who appeared in Mecca disguised as Suraqah Ibn Jushum, who constantly tempted the Meccans to fight by saying:

There is nobody to defeat you today. I, too, am on your side. The victory is yours!
Behold! The end of the Satans part in the war would actually be very bitter not only for the Meccans but for their incorrigible mentor The Meccan army that had fast been armoured set off within several days. It is here to be noted that whereas the Meccan army was constituted of about one thousand men, the Muslim army was made up of solely three hundred and thirteen warriors; whereas the Meccan had seven hundred camels, the Muslims only had seventy; whereas the Meccans had two hundred horses, the Muslims had only two; whereas all the Meccans were armoured, only six of the Muslims were armoured But the Meccans were going suffer a defeat in Badr in a manner they had never seen in their life, for despite all their deficiencies there was Some Being on the Muslims side: GOD the Almighty! The Meccan army, who had taken with them a large number of singers and concubines and plenteous wine, held a wild party every night and moved towards the place where the Badr Wells were. On the other hand, shortly after the Muslim army departed from Medina, they halted at some place to separate and send back those warriors that were too young to fight, in which process the juniors wept and groused During the roll, they stood up on their toes so that they could appear taller, thus avoiding being prevented from Jihad, in which game only one of them successful: Umair Ibn

Abi Waqqas, who was only sixteen, who was actually unable to girdle his sword around his neck in that his brother, Sad, helped him therewith In fact, Umair was to be one of the martyrs at the Battle of Badr. The warriors in the Muslim army rode on the camels in turn since the number of the camels was inadequate. Those Companions who shared turns with Muhammad ( ) offered him willingly: O the Messenger of GOD

( !) You can ride on the camel all the time. We are happy to walk!

No! For you are no abler than I am and I need to earn GODs Pleasure at least as much as you do! Who knows? Maybe the Battle of Badr was won then that day in the Divine Destinys Plan
They encountered two Muslim emigrants that had escaped from Mecca recently, who were caught just as they were taking the flight and managed to save their lives by promising the Quraishite idolaters that had captured them that they would only go to Medina with no intention to join Muhammads ( ) army. Nonetheless, when they had seen the Muslim troops that were approaching Badr, they said: O the Messenger of GOD Muhammad ( !) Of what

The reply was such a one as could be given only by Muhammad () :

value is a promise we have given to the idolaters? Give us a sword so that we can also fight.
But Muhammad ( ) frowned: We are in no need of soldiers; but

we need GODs Help!

Who knows? Perhaps, the Battle of Badr was won then that day
Meanwhile, the caravan of Abu Sufyan had managed to escape and the news that a fully-armoured army three times more crowded than Mecca had set off had reached the Muslims. Thereupon, Muhammad ( ) needed to assemble his Companions for a consultation on the issue: We intended to raid the caravan, but they

escaped. Now we face a colossal army. What do you deem is more suitable in this new situation?

Abu Baqr and Omar got up one after the other to say: O the Messenger of

GOD ( ! We are ready for any order of yours!

GODs Order is to you and do not worry about us. We shall be with you till the end we shall ever be on your side. We shall not say unlike the Israelites who said to Moses once: We shall be sitting here! You and your Lord go and fight against your enemies! Instead, we shall say: By GOD, Who has sent you with the True Religion and the True Book! We shall be with you even if you take us to Barq Al-Gimad (the far end of the earth); we shall fight on your right side and we shall fight on your left side; we shall fight before you and we shall fight after you!"
Thereupon, Muhammads ( ) face brightened and illuminated. Nevertheless, as the four-fifths of the army of Medina were constituted of the Medinians, viz. Ansar, theirs was the primary word in the consultation. Therefore, Muhammad ( ) turned to the Medinians: O people! Now it is your

However, as they were his closest Companions and lieutenants, it was not actually their reply Muhammad ( ) was in anticipation of. And the essence of the matter was perceived Miqdad Ibn Amr rose to his feet in the name of the Meccan emigrants: O the Messenger of GOD ( !) Do what

turn to speak!

Then, Sad Ibn Muadh, one of the leading members and the first Muslims of Medina, spoke on their behalf: O the Messenger of GOD ( !) We

have believed in and attested you. And we have verified your Religion and your Book. O the Messenger of GOD ( !) Do as you please and we shall support you to our best. If you take us to dark sees and dive therein, we shall follow you there. We hope GOD shall make you victorious with our hands. Guide us to the bounty of GOD!
The last word then was uttered by Muhammad () : By GOD! It

occurs to me that I could see from now the spots where the Quraishites will be shot and fall on the battlefield!
In the comfort of having ensured the safety of his caravan, Abu Sufyan sent a message to Abu Jahl at the head of the Meccan army: There is no need to fight anymore; so you can return to Mecca, he said. However, Abu Jahl was utterly conceited: Verily, we shall not return unless we get to Badr, where we shall

stay three days, slaughter camels, enjoy feasts, have dancers dance, drink wine and have parties, thus spreading our fame and glory to all the Arabs

The lot that fell to Abu Sufyan the Wise upon hearing Abu Jahls reply was to get utterly grieved: Poor my people! Abu Jahl is being excessive so that he

can be their leader, which shall only bring about defeat and evil. If they ever encounter Muhammads ( ) Companions, they will be done.
When they quite approached Badr, the Muslims captured several Meccans as slaves, whom Muhammad ( ) questioned so that he could do an Analysis of Inquisition:

How many camels are slaughtered in the Meccan army for daily food? Some days nine and some days ten! That means they are nine hundred to one thousand people!
It was the Muslims that first arrived at Badr. So they seized and closed all the wells leaving only one active for their own need for water. Nevertheless, since no rain had fallen there for a long time and the place where the Muslims halted was excessively sandy, their ability to manoeuvre was quite restricted, which state was a serious disadvantage for the battle that would be fought the following day, which did not please the Muslims. Then, Muhammad ( ) got up for prayer: While the Muslims except the guards - were asleep, Muhammad () was only awake the whole night performing prayers under a tree until the morning, saying supplications and shedding tears It was not long after he stood for prayer that a drizzle began to fall which made the ground hard enough for Muslims to move around easily, when GODs Saqinah fell over the Muslims, which Miracle is mentioned in the Glorious Koran as follows: When He made

the slumber fall upon you as a reassurance from Him and sent down water from the sky upon you, that thereby He might purify you, and remove from you the fear of Satan, and make strong your hearts and firm (your) feet thereby. [Verse 11, Surah Al-Anfal (Chapter of the Spoils)]
Meanwhile, the same rain had fallen upon the Meccans as well but in torrents so that the ground turned into bog which caused it impossible for the Meccans to manoeuvre to such an extent that they were unable even to blink their eyes, so they had fallen into utter fright. Badr gave its first good tidings In the expressions of the Holy Koran: Allah

had already given you the victory at Badr, when ye were contemptible. So observe your duty to Allah in order that ye may be thankful. [Verse 123,
Surah Al-i Imran (Chapter of the Family of Imran)] That handful of Muslims woke up in the morning with the Prophets voice: O

the slaves of GOD! Rise to Salah (Prayer)!

That was the Day of Badr One Friday, the seventeenth of Ramadan (Month of Fasting), the second year of Hegira The Day of Badr started with a temperature hotter than ever Then the army of the idolaters appeared in the horizon and a supplication rose into Arsh (the Highest Heaven) from Muhammad () : O my GOD! There the

idolaters of Quraish! They are coming with all their arrogance and haughtiness, vainglory and insolence, whereby challenging You and belying Your messenger, O my GOD! Please show me Your Promised Succour! Destroy them in the morning!
And Abu Jahl also prayed on the other side: O my GOD! Grant the victory to

which one of us is closer to and deserving the Truth!

Behold! Both the invocations were accepted!

The idolaters appeared only a handful to the sight of the Muslims, which was of the first grants of GOD to His Muslim slaves that day. Abdullah Ibn Masud asked his friend next to him:

- What do you think? Are they as many as seventy? - At most one hundred!
Muhammad ( ) first checked around the battlefield, pointing at those places where exactly the leaders of Quraish were going to be shot and fall. The incident was narrated by the little servant Anas: GODs Messenger (

shall be falling dead, inshaALLAH (By GODs Will)! And here is the place where such and such shall be falling dead, inshaALLAH (By GODs Will)! And there is where such and such shall be falling dead, inshaALLAH (By GODs Will)! Whenever he said that, he was also touching the ground with his hand, thus marking the spot. By GOD, Who has appointed him as the True Messenger ( !) None of them fell on any spot other than the marked one.
Then he embattled the army controlling the ranks with his arrow in his hand, whereby warning those projecting soldiers to step back, one of whom was Sawad Ibn Ghaziyah, whom Muhammad ( ) touched on his breast and asked to draw back, whereupon Sawad called after him: O the Messenger of

)said on the Day of Badr: And here is the spot where such and such

GOD ( !) Your arrow has hurt me. I ask for Qisas

(Retaliation)!
Everybody was astonished except for Muhammad () , who without any hesitation at all handed the arrow to Sawad to retaliate for his injury: Fulfil your retaliation! However, Sawad did not move: But my chest was bare! Muhammad () , then, pulled up his shirt: Retaliate your injury! Sawad all of a sudden threw the arrow aside and rushed and kissed the chest of Muhammad ( ) in tears, then adding: O the Messenger of GOD

( !) I wished that your scent mixes with mine in my last hours in this world so that I can walk to my Lord in this state
Sawad really walked to his Lord that very day Who knows? Maybe the Battle of Badr was won then The idolaters, after the tradition of the time, asked for a Mubarazah (duel) before the battle started between the armies. Then, three of the noblest warriors of the idolaters army proceeded to the front and cried for rivals. The idolater duellists were Utbah, his brother Shaibah and Shaibahs son Walid. Then, three Medinians walked ahead to fight them. However, the idolater duellists refuted them, for they did not deem them as their peers, for their vainglory allowed them only to fight with warriors from Quraish. Muhammad ( ) then shouted from his place:

Get up, O Ubaidah! Rise, O Hamzah! Come on, O Ali!

The duel did not last long. All the three of the idolaters went to the Hell too early. Unfortunately, Ubaidah fell a martyr due to the wounds he had received during the duel. The duel (Mubarazah) had already infuriated both the armies, thus signalling the start of the battle. Then, Muhammad ( ) gave the order for his army to start the battle from his position in a shadow: If Quraish attempts to

surround, prevent them from doing this with your arrows.

Soon after this command, he came out in his armour, with a Verse of the Holy Koran in his tongue, which he often recited: The hosts will all be routed and will turn and flee. [Verse 45, Surah Al-Qamar (Chapter of the Moon)]

Just as the armies were about to encounter, Iblis, who had ever been urging for war until then in disguise of Suraqah Ibn Jushum in the Meccan army, was seen to skedaddle. In other words, the Brave Gallant of the Meccans! was deserting his army without even looking back once. When he was later asked: O Master! Why did you take to your heels that day? his response was rather interesting: I

witnessed that Gabriel and Michael were embattling the Angels of Wrath. Hence, what could I do but run away?
In the meantime, when he was running away, he was crying to the idolaters: Lo! I am guiltless of you. Lo! I see that Which you do not see" (Verse 48, Surah Al-Anfal (Chapter of the Spoils)] Meanwhile, the angels disguised in human shape that were descending on the battlefield were moralizing Muhammads Companions:

Good News to you! The power of the idolaters army is very meagre. GOD is with you. Now, fall on them!
Or: I went near the idolaters army and heard them say: If the Muslims

charge us, we cannot resist. In truth, the idolaters army has no power.
Everything had already been getting clear gradually.

The war had begun Then, Muhammad ( ) said: O Muslims! Run

to GODs Heaven, which is as vast as the space between the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for the pious slaves of GOD.

Behold! Umair Ibn Himam, of the Companions of Muhammad () was completing his preparations for the battle and eating the dates in his hand lest he should faint during the fight from hunger. When he heard his Prophet ( ) shout, he said, Fine! Fine! When Muhammad ( ) asked him: Why did you say so? He replied: Because I wished to be of the dwellers of the Heaven! Muhammad ( ) then said: You are of the dwellers of the

Heaven!

Next, Umair had a look at the dates in his hand: It will take a long time to eat

all these

Afterwards, he threw away the dates, unsheathed his sword and got lost in the

multitude of the battlefield. Umair Ibn Himam walked from Badr to the Heaven that very day Abu Jahl was provoking his men with all his might on the one hand and praying on the other: O my GOD! Help the more powerful of the two armies; the

more esteemed of the people; the more crowded of the two communities!
How that invocation was received, to whom and how the succour was sent is revealed in a Verse of the Holy Koran:

(O Quraish!) If you sought a Victory, now has the Victory come unto you [Verse 19, Surah Al-Anfal (Chapter of the Spoils]
Thus, the Holy Koran gibes at the idolaters. However, there was also somebody else in the Medinian Army, who was plodding away, reciting invocation after invocation: O my GOD! If this community is

defeated here today, there will be nobody on earth that will know or worship You!
Muhammad ( ) was saying that prayer deep in his heart, which found its niche in history as narrated by Ali:

Having fought on the Day of Badr for a while, I went near the Messenger of GOD ( ) to see what he was doing? and I saw him in prostration saying incessantly, Ya Hayy, Ya Qayyum!. Then, I returned to the battlefield and after a while I went near him again. He was still saying, Ya Hayy, Ya Qayyum!
Again, with the narration of Ali, very hot moments were experienced in the course of the fight:

When the fight had got very fierce on the Day of Badr, we all were taking shelter with Messenger of GOD () . He was the bravest and the most heroic of people that day. At the most dangerous times nobody dared to get closer to the ranks of the idolaters than he did. In fact, Muhammad () , accompanied by Abu Baqr the Veracious, dashed into the battlefield with the sword in his and fought against the idolaters to his best.

And the fate of the Day of Badr gradually began to disclose itself to everyone - foes and friends alike. When the war came to the breakingpoint, Muhammad ( ) took a handful of soil and dispersed towards the army of the enemy: Black be their faces! Then he turned to his Lord, returning to supplication: O My GOD! Fill their hearts with fear! Make them unable to stand up!
Then a miracle occurred! That one handful of soil entered the eyes of each of the Meccan idolaters, whereupon they began to drop their swords out of their hands. Thereafter, the Meccan army dissolved and scattered in all directions trampling upon one another. And Muhammad ( ) gave an order for general attack to his army, who in one single mass hit the ranks of the idolaters like the waves of a stormy sea, who now were crying their War Motto: Ahad! Ahad! (GOD is One! GOD is One!) And that Miracle of Soil, which actually opened the path to that Glorious Instant found its place in the Noble Koran: You (Muslims) did not slay them, but

GOD slew them. And you (Muhammad) did not throw when you threw, but GOD threw [Verse 17, Surah Al-Anfal, Chapter of the Spoils)]
In the trepidation of having perceived the defeat, Abu Jahl was running to and fro in an effort to eschew the panic, whereby goading the idolaters to war with all his might. During his vain endeavour he was unaware that he had become the very hunt in person The incident is narrated by Abdurrahman Ibn Awf, of the Meccan Muslims: I was fighting in the ranks of the Muslims on the Day of Badr. When I looked around, I spotted two Meccan lads on my right and on my left, both of whom were looking at me. I recognized them. They were Muadh and Muawwidh, the sons of a lady called Afrah, of the Muslims of Medina. One of them came close to me and asked whisperingly:

Uncle! Could you show me Abu Jahl? What have you got to do with him, Nephew? We have heard that he swears and torments the Messenger of GOD ( ) . And I have taken an oath to my GOD that when I have seen him I shall either slay him or fall a martyr in this cause!

Then, the other brother approached me and whispered the same words, when I really wished I had been in their place rather than in their company. After that, I showed Abu Jahl to both of them, who charged Abu Jahl in an instant like a hawk making a dash upon a sparrow. Then they made him to fall off his horse, after which I saw their swords fall upon Abu Jahl one after another.
Thus, Muadh and Muawwidh had duly fulfilled their promise to GOD The Most High. The continuation and end of the incident is related by Abdullah Ibn Masud, again of the Meccan Muslims:

When I got near Abu Jahl, he was moribund, who recognized me at my sight and asked: O Ibn Al-Masud! Whose day is this day, yours or ours? And the Companion replied the question of the biggest of the living enemies of GOD, viz. Abu Jahl, declaring the Victory of Badr: Today the victory is of GOD and His Messenger () . After that, I decapitated Abu Jahl and took his head to GODs Messenger ( ) and threw it beneath his feet.
Thereby, the Decree of the Holy Koran, We make the days turn around

among mankind, had come true once more...

Muhammad ( ) pronounced Taqbir, Allah-u Aqbar (GOD is the Most Great), and thanked and praised his Lord: Endless praises be to GOD, Who has fulfilled His Promise, Who has helped His slave and Who has dispersed the enemies by Himself. And to the lot of Umayyah Ibn Khalaf fell his former slave, Bilal AlKhabash. Umayyah had satisfied all his sadistic idiosyncracies upon Bilal for years, torturing him in Mecca in unimaginable ways. And the equitable destiny had now brought them face to face in the Desert of Badr, when Bilal Al-Khabash cried in the grief and sense of revenge accumulated by years: There is the ringleader of disbelief, Umayyah Ibn Khalaf! If he survives this battlefield, let me not!
A group of the Medinian Muslims who had heard Bilals voice attacked Umayyah

along with him... Umayyah, a fat man, the haughty master of Quraish, was riddled with the holes of swords. We should also definitely make mention of the special type of warriors while we are relating the Day of Badr: GODs Angels... Abdullah Ibn Abbas narrates: In that war, for instance, while a Muslim was

pursuiting an idolater, he first heard and then saw a stroke falling upon an idolater. And he even heard a cavalier crying to his horse: Come on, my lion! However, he could not see the person that had given that strike. And when he looked before him, he saw the idolater dead on the ground:
Somebody from the Tribe of the Gifarids: I and my cousin were present

on the Day of Badr. We were idolaters and on their side. However, we were on top of a hill to observe the battlefield with an aim to loot the goods of that party that would be routed. Then a cloud appeared from the inside whereof the nighs of horses and clashes of swords came. We heard a cavalier crying an order to his horse, Khaidhum! Come on! After that, my cousin had a heart attack from fear and died of it. I was about to die when I fainted. When the Angels started descending, GODs Messenger said to Abu Baqr: O Abu Baqr! There is Gabriel holding the bridle of his horse, having girded his sword! While we were fighting against the idolaters at Badr, we witnessed extraordinary incidents. When one of us brandished his sword towards the head of an idolater, the idolaters head fell down at that instant whereas the sword we had wagged had not even touched the head of that idolater... On the Day of Badr, the Muslims differentiated those they had slain and those the Angels had slain, whereby those the Angels had killed were hit on the upper part of their necks and on their fingers. And there was some sign of burn where they had been hit. When your Lord inspired the Angels, (saying): I am with you. So make
Also, the Glorious Koran relates the same occurrence: Narrated by Rubayyih Ibn Anas: Abu Nuain Sahl Ibn Khanif relates: Ali narrates:

those who believe stand firm. I will throw fear into the hearts of those who disbelieve. Then smite the necks and smite of them each finger. [Verse 12,
Surah Al-Anfal (Chapter of the Spoils)] Narrated by Suhaib Ibn Sinan:

On the Day of Badr, one of the Medinians brought somebody from the Hashimids, who said: By GOD! I was not captured by this man but somebady on a piebold, who was the most handsome of humans with a lovely face, whom I fail to see now among the pople here!, whereupon GODS Messenger ( ) said, the one that captured you was a Gracious Angel.
On the Day o Badr, when the idolaters began to skirmish with the Muslims, some sounds were heard which sounded like the clinging of small hard stones they make when they are dropped into metal cups, which actually wer made by the Angels descending from the heavens, which sounds were resonating before and after the idolatkers, causing their hearts to tremble from fright. The Day of Badr ended with the first grand victory of the Muslims, whereby Badr became Badr Al-Qubrah (Badr the Great). The idolaters suffered to have seventy dead men and gave seventy prisoners o war. Muhammad conducted the funeral prayer with six Taqbirs. Then he ordered for the twenty-four of the seventy dead Meccan idolaters who constituted the leading members and th emost arrogant ones of Quraish to be thrown into one of the dry wells there. Nevertheless, that order of Muhammad ( ) could not be applied to the corpse of Umayyah Ibn Khalaf because the corpbe had swollen in the armour and decayed and smelt in a very short time. When they touched the body, the flesh thereof fell apart. Then, they left it there covering it with stones and dust. The Muslims stayed in the Desert of Badr for three days. One evening when the preparations started for the return, Muhammad ( ) went to that well wherein the idolaters had been thrown, and he voiced:

O the ones in the well!

Next, he mentioned their names one by one:

O Utbah! O Shaibah! O Umayyah! O Abu Jahl! What an evil community you were against your Prophet! Whereas you belied your Prophet, others confirmed and avered me! Whereas you expelled me out of my home, they have welcomed me! Whereas you

clashed me, they helped me! Have you found that the Chastisement Your Lord promised you is true? I have found that the Victory my GOD promised me is true.
The Muslims were amazed at that speech made in address to the dead. Then Omar asked:

O the Messenger of GOD ( !) Are you really addressing the dead that can neither hear nor speak?
GODs Messenger ( ) replied:

By GOD, in Whose Power Muhammad is! You are no better at hearing my speech than they are. Yet, they cannot answer me.
Yes. Because they were very busy with the Hell!... And the Muslims left Badr at the end of the third day. As fodxr the Muslims, they had left around the noontime of the first day soon after the battle had ended with the victory of the Muslims. But what a departure it was! Gabriel appeared atop a dune, mounted in his armour with a spear in his hand on a mare the forelock of which had been fastened on its forehead:

O Muhammad ( !) he said, Your Lord, GOD the Almighty has sent me to you, ordering me not to leave you until you are pleased. Are you pleased with our service?
Muhammad ( ) answered:

Yes, I am.
And Gabriel left in the company of the other Angels... At a place where they camped on their way back to Medina, Abbas, an uncle of Muhammads () , was moaning of the rope around his hands hindered Muhammad ( ) from sleeping. Seeing that, a Disciple went to unfasten that rope around Abbass hands. Upon the cessation of the groaning Muhammad ( ) asked:

Why did Abbas get silent? O the Messenger of GOD ( !) We have untied him so that you feel easy.

Then untie all the prisoners of war!

Yes, he was the Prophet of Mercy even towards his enemies who wanted to kill him... The news of victory worked an extraordinary effect upon Medina. There was really no limit to the mirth of the Muslims and to the sorrow of the hypocrites and Jews... However, with the exception of the concealed enjoyment of a handful of Muslims who were obliged to hide their belief, there was absolute heaviness of death in Mecca. In the meantime, that he had not gone to Badr by sending a mercenary in his place did not save Abu Lahab from facing his fate: He beat a slave who could not help revealing his mirth for the victory of the Muslims, whereupon an aunt of Muhammads ( ) and the seer of the aforesaid mysterious dream got angry and hit Abu Lahabs head with a log, splitting it therewith. The scar then got infected and became a contagious disease, which caused the death of Abu Lahab in ten days. Because of the unbearable odours from the body and the fear of the contagious disease, even the own children of Abu Lahab dared not approach the corpse of Abu lahab, which therefore remained disowned. At last, they hired several people and they pushed the corpse of Abu Lahabs dead body with sticks to the wall of a deserted house without Mecca wrapping up their mouths and noses closely. Next, they collapsed the the wall on him, whereby Abu Lahab found his last place in this world... What a grievous end it was for a path of life that had started with being of the eminences of Quraish! The wealthy Meccan prisoners of war got themselves freed by paying their ransoms in Medina while the poor ones were also manumitted in return for each teaching ten Muslim children to read and write. Further, those of them who were both and illiterate too were freed gratis by having had them promise not to war against Muslims anymore. Meanwhile, a grievous incident occurred: Muhammads son-in-law, Abu Al-As was among the Meccan prisoners-of-war, whose wife, and daughter of Muhammads () , Zainab, sent the ransom from Mecca for his manumission, which ransom was the necklace given by her mother Khadijah as her wedding gift, which actually had been inherited from Khadijahs mother. Muhammads ( ) eyes got wet when he saw that necklace. He said in a how voice, If you also deem proper, let it remain with Zainab and let as

manumit her husband gratuitously...

The reaction of his Companions was: Do not mention it! O the Messenger of

GOD () . Do as you please.

In fact, the necklace was in his heart the voice of his love and loyalty for his first beloved one, the one whose memory would never be forgotten until his death: Khadijah.

- O the Messenger of GOD! What are the position and rank of the warriors of Badr with you? How is their supeirority in your sight? - We deem them the most pre-eminent and blessed ones of Muslims. - With us it is the same, too! We consider those Angels that participated in the Battle of Badr the most eminent and respectable ones of all the angels.
We, as Ummah, have been of the same view for fourteen centuries, too.

And years after Badr, Gabriel asked him on occasion of one of his visits:

DAY OF UHUD
It was the third year of Hegira. The defeat at Badr caused an incurable wound in the haughty people of Quraish. The Meccans, particularly Abu Sufyan; Iqrimah, a son of Abu Jahls; Safwan, a son of Umayyahs, etc. began to incite people to avenge their relatives who had been killed at Badr... The whole income of the great trade caravan of one thousand camels, which had been brought by Abu Sufyan from Damascus and which had induced the Battle of Badr, was allocated to the new war of revenge that would be waged. In addition to the one thousand soldiers from Mecca, two thousand mercenaries were hired from the Arabian Desert with the incomes of the aforesaid caravan with the ultimate objective of building an army as great as possible, which incident is mentioned in the Glorious Koran as follows: Lo! Those who disbelieve spend

their wealth in order that they may debar (men) from the way of Allah. They will spend it, then it will become an anguish for them, then they will be conquered. And those who disbelieve will be gathered unto hell. [Verse 36,
Surah Al-Anfal (Chapter of the Spoils)] In the meantime, those Meccans that had been captured as prisoners-of-war at Badr and then emancipated on condition that they should not war against Muslims anymore breached their oath and joined the army that had been getting prepared for the war of revenge. Women, too, joined the army to encourage men so that they should not desert the battlefield. Besides, private assassins were prepared, one of whom was Wakhshi of Khabash, a slave of Jubair Ibn Mutim, who was peerless at throwing spears. His master told him: You, too, shall take part in this campaign. If you kill

Hamzah, an uncle of Muhammads () , in retaliation for my uncle Tuaimah, who was killed at Badr, you shall be free

my vengeance, too! Take my vengeance, too!

And Wakhshi also joined that Mob of barbarians and he was continuously provoked by Abu Sufyans spiteful wife all along the way: O Wakhshi! Take The Meccan army of three thousand soldiers, filled to the brim with senses of hatred and revenge, travelled to and settled on a barren dry part of the Valley of Uhud five kilometres away from Medina. As Medina was well aware of the idolaters preparations, the Muslims, too, made

brandishing my sword to and fro; then my swords mouth broke, which I interpret that a disaster shall strike the Muslims. Again, I saw some living beings of creatures of GOD, which were being decapitated, which dream I interpret that some members of my Community (Ummah) shall be martyred. Also, I saw in my dream that one of my hands was in my armour, which I interpret as Medina.
Next, he disclosed to his friends a significant conclusion from his dream: The most fortified place for us against the idolaters army approaching us is Medina, wherefore we had better stay here and fight a war of defence. If they enter Medina, we shall fight against them in the streets, shooting arrows from the roofs of our houses. Thereupon, the Muslims began building stone walls on the streets of Medina leading out, thus making the city into a fortress. However, contrary opinions started to be voiced up. A large crowd of Companions, the majority of whom were the youth who had been deprived of fighting at Badr opined that they should war a hand-to-had combat: O the Messenger of GOD ( !) they

their due preparations. Meanwhile, Muhammad ( ) shared a vision he had seen in a dream with his Companions: I saw in my dream that I was

said, We have been looking forward to such an occasion, praying to Almighty GOD ever for the advent thereof. Here! GOD has made our supplications come true! If we are not afraid, what is it that makes us abstain from that?

Nuaim Ibn Malik, of the Salimids: O the Messenger GOD (!)

Do not deprive us of the Heaven. By GOD in Whose Power my life is! I want to go to the Heaven. By having loved GOD the Almighty and His Messenger; and by not having deserted the front on the battlefield. - You have told the truth!
Behold! Nuaim fell a martyr at Uhud Having seen that the idea of leaving Medina and fighting a hand-to-hand battle with the idolaters predominated the majority, Muhammad () remained silent. He conducted the Friday Congregational Prayer. After he had advised his Companions to be patient and zealous, he put on his armour. It was then that the Muslims had come to understand that even if he did not find it suitable, even Muhammad ( ) did not oppose the view of the Then, GODs Messenger asked him: - How will you enter the Heaven? -

majority. The war would be fought at Uhud in the open. Nonetheless, seeing Muhammad ( ) in his armour in a silent and serious manner, even the most ardent advocates of the proposal of a battle slackened. They wondered if they had made a mistake by having opposed his proposal and insisted on theirs. In the meantime, some old wise Companions interfered: The Messenger of GOD ( ) had first commanded us

to stay within Medina. He knows better what GOD wills For revelations come down on him from the heavens.

!) We did something you did not like. We are now remorseful, for we had no right to do so! O the Messenger of GOD ( !) If you so

Thus the decision of the majority had fast changed the reverse. They were now in regret. They took their turns to apologize: O the Messenger of GOD (

wish, we shall stay in Medina! armour once he puts it on

Muhammad preserved his noble calm state: A Prophet may not take off his With that aptitude of his in that incident, Muhammad ( ) gave lessons first of respect, resolution and stability. On the other hand, with the sorrow they were going to suffer at the end of the Day of Uhud, the Companions were to take the lesson that they should not object to their Prophet () . Having deputized in Medina a son of Umm Maqtums, a blind Meccan Muslim, the Messenger of GOD led his army in the direction of the Valley of Uhud. When they got to Uhud, the hypocrites, with the pretext that they did not stay in Medina to fight a war of defence, left the army and returned to Medina, whereby decreasing the size of the army from one thousand at the beginning to seven hundred, which incident would be referred to in the Holy Koran: That which

befell you, on the day when the two armies met, was by permission of Allah; that He might know the true believers; And that He might know the hypocrites, unto whom it was said: Come, fight in the way of Allah, or defend yourselves. They answered: If we knew aught of fighting we would follow you. On that day they were nearer disbelief than faith. They utter with their mouths a thing which is not in their hearts. Allah is Best Aware of what they hide. [Verses 166-167, Surah Al-i Imran (Chapter of the Family of
Imran)] After the deserting of those turncoats, Abdullah Ibn Amr spoke to voice the feelings of all the Muslims: O the enemies of GOD! Curse be upon you!

GOD will not make His Messenger ( ) be in need of you!

Muhammad ( ) embattled his troops, in doing which he sent back those that were underage to Medina as he had done before the Battle of Badr, with the exceptions of Rafi because he was very good at shooting arrows and Samurah because he had beaten Rafi in wrestling. And those senior juniors were sad because they had no valid excuse Muhammad ( ) raised his sword and asked: Who will gird this sword giving its due right? His Companions grew curious: O the Messenger of GOD! What is the due right of that sword? Muhammad () replied: Striking the enemy therewith until it has broken Abu Dujanah, a warrior of wrestler-like build with his red turban signifying I am

a fedai of death (one who self-sacrifices his life) proceeded ahead majestically: I can give this sword its due right.

Then, Abu Dujanah girded the sword and went to his place by exhibiting his valour in his walk and throwing his arms wide to both sides. Muhammad ( ) then pointed at looking at those around him: GOD does not like such

a walk but in such a situation!

One ought to give the battlefield its due right After Muhammad ( ) had completed the embattlement of his army he placed a group of fifty archers upon a hill that was very strategic for the field behind the Muslim army, giving them the definite order: You shall stop the

idolaters cavaliers that shall attempt to encompass us from behind. No matter whether the war progresses to our advantage or to our disadvantage, you shall never leave your position without receiving a second order from me.
In fact, the fate from the point of reasons of Uhud would be destined by the negligence of that order

The war started and grew fierce in a short time. The Meccan women, particularly Hind, Abu Sufyans wife, who had come to Uhud with the army, were urging their men to war by playing tambourines and reciting poems. The war first developed to the benefit of the Muslims in that the Companions proceeded as far as the headquarters of the idolaters army, when the Meccans ranks dissolved and thereupon their soldiers began to scatter in panicked masses.

And that was when the fate of the battle turned the other way round and the Disposition of Divine Destiny interfered in the case: Most of the fifty archers who had been positioned atop the hill so that they should guard the back of the army forgot the order they had been given and descended the hill onto the battlefield, whereby having left behind a hazardous gap In the meantime, Khaled Ibn Walid, the masterly commander of Meccan army, had long been in anticipation of such an opportunity with the Unit of Cavaliers he had been keeping as a reserve outside of the action station from the beginning of the battle. And he took good advantage of the opportunity, whereupon the progression of the war changed within minutes. Now, the Muslims were between two fires, after which was a heartbreaking tragedy as is known by anyone: A Test of Tribulation that occurred to the Muslims after Badr Nonetheless, there were such moments and incidents within that grave test that despite the whole grievance thereof made that day very special and precious. After the disarray had started, the Muslims there gave such lessons as would ever maintain their place at the climax throughout the History of Islam as to the true quality of love for their Lord, Religion and prophet and self-sacrifice for the sake thereof. Such really were those examples that they almost alleviated that days sorrow as if having us say: Happily, it took place! Here are some of them: Sad Ibn Rabi was a valiant Muslim Medinian, who had shaken Muhammads hand at Aqabah paying allegiance to him and then welcomed his immigrant Muslim brethren and willingly shared half of his property with them. And at Uhud he further proved his love, loyalty and gallantry on the Day of Uhud and fought to his best. Nevertheless, towards the end of the war, he was encompassed by twelve enemy soldiers and got deadly wounded And the worst of the wounds was the one caused by an arrow that pierced through his chest out of his back. Not having seen him around for a while, Muhammad ( ) felt worried and sent Muhammad Ibn Maslamah, of his friends, to look for him.

Muhammad Ibn Maslamah at last found Sad at the end of the valley among a heap of dead bodies breathing out his last breaths, which would be devoted as always had been in his life to Muhammad () : Remember to the

Messenger of GOD. Tell him that I already smell the fragrances of the Heaven. Give this message of mine to our friends too: If you are able to wink your eyelashes and do not own and protect the Messenger of GOD () , you cannot account for that before GOD in the Hereafter!
And then Sads head fell down Anas Ibn Nadr, an uncle of Anas, the young servant of Muhammad, had utterly regretted not having participated in the battle of Badr In fact, he had spent the whole year prior to Uhud saying: If GOD will make us encounter with the

idolaters again, they will see who I am

And at last the Day of Uhud came The first advantageous hours were followed by the hours of being tested through afflictions and defeat based upon certain wisdom. At one point, it was rumoured that Muhammad ( ) had been martyred That news further deteriorated the already weakened power of resistance to the extent that some Muslims began retreating in groups. Anas, who stopped one of them asked: Why are you withdrawing? Why are you not attacking? Did

you not hear? GODs Messenger has been martyred!

That was the Day of Anas The Valley of Uhud echoed with the following scream, which will ever be remembered by all the Muslims till Doomsday: What

will you do living in a world where GODs Messenger is not?

Then he broke the scabbard of his sword and made a dash alone into the mob of the idolaters, just before which he said to Sad Ibn Muadh, a friend of his, whom he met on his way: O Sad! By GOD! I can already perceive the scent of the

Heaven behind Mount Uhud

There was such a one among the corpses of the martyrs brought to Medina that evening as was not able to be identified for hours, for his body had become unrecognizable owing to eighty-odd wounds by swords, arrows and spears, whereby he had almost turned into a squash of meat chopped on a butchers log. The tyrannical idolaters had even applied Muslah to his corpse; that is, they had gouged his eyes and cut off his nose, lips and ears to make him unidentifiable. And he was identified to be Anas Ibn Nadr by his sister hours later: These are

the nails of Anas! she said, identifying him from the henna on his nails

Along with many friends of his that had been martyred like him, Anas Ibn Nadr actually occasioned the Revelation of Verse 23 of Surah Al-Ahzab: Of the

believers are men who are true to that which they covenanted with Allah. Some of them have paid their vow by death (in battle), and some of them still are waiting; and they have not altered in the least. [Verse 23, Surah AlAhzab (Chapter of the Confederates)] She was a woman of the Dinarids She, too, was of those that admired him very much In the morning of the Day of Uhud, she came to bed farewell to four men while the army was leaving Medina, each of whom she looked in the face one by one. She addressed her father first: As this is a war, anything may happen.

If - GOD forbid anything happens to Muhammad () , do not return here alive! You stay at Uhud, too! If you err to come back here without Muhammad () , you should know from now that you shall have no daughter then!
Next, she talked to her husband, son and elder brother, respectively, to each of whom her last word was: You should know from now that you shall have

no wife/mother/sister then!

Afterward, the army progressed to Uhud As we have mentioned earlier, the fate of the battle, which had first been pleasant, turned the opposite in the later hours owing to the Secret Wisdom Disarrays and partial retreats were suffered in the ranks of the Army of Islam. As Uhud is near Medina, only five kilometres away, it did not take long for the sad news to reach Medina, the worst of which was the false news that Muhammad ( ) had been martyred. When that news was broadcast in Medina, there was no possibility at all to hold back the aforesaid lady of the Dinarids While she was running the distance of five kilometres to Uhud in frenzy, she was also crying to the limit of her voice: Where is the Messenger of GOD? What has happened to him? which scream was really piercing through the skies When she got to Uhud, the war had already ended and the armies had separated from each other, dealing with their dead and wounded soldiers. The woman who had entered the Valley of Uhud from Medina was tried to be stopped, for her husband had fallen a martyr: O Such-and-Such! they cried Stop and look!

There is your husbands corpse!

The woman, although she had heard that, did not stop, asking the same question: Where is the Messenger of GOD? As she proceeded further ahead, they said: O Such-and-Such! Look! There is your sons corpse! She responded

without aught hesitation: Where is the Messenger of GOD? Then, her father and then her elder brother The incident looks like a tragedic story But it was lived! Having seen the corpses of the four men of her household, she met Muhammad ( ) on the slope of Mount Uhud, wounded but alive, sad but vigorous. That that ill news she could not believe turned out to be as she could not believe pleased that lady excessively that day. And she dropped herself down before the Messenger of GOD As she was smelling and kissing his feet, which he had washed with his tears, on one hand, the following words were pouring from her lips, which shall have the whole history and the whole mankind as mountains shall remain where they stand say: Lo and Hearken!: O the Messenger of GOD! Now that you are alive, all the

sorrows are easy for me

when I saw Abdullah Ibn Jakhsh on my side, who held my hand and dragged me behind a rock, who was excited: Sad he said, Now you shall pray and I shall say Amen!. And then I shall pray and you shall say Amen! All right! I said. Next, I opened my hands: O my Lord! I said, Make me to encounter a fierce enemy now and help me fight with him to my best and give this very day its due right and then beat him and then leave this battlefield having been awarded the title of veteranship in the presence of Muhammad ( !) Son of Jakhsh acquiesced earnestly with his eyes closed and hands open: Amen!
Then he opened his eyes and looked far away apparently he was looking further beyond Uhud: O my GOD! he said in a wailing manner, Make me meet with

Narrated by Sad Ibn Abu Waqqath: It was the time the fight got very fierce

a gigantic idolater, and let me fight with him to my best, and give the due right of this very day, this very place and this very test. Then, let that unbeliever martyr me and apply Muslah to me Let him gouge my eyes and cut off my ears and nose and lips; and let the blood gushing from my head intermingle with the earth; and thus let me come to Your Presence in that state. And then You ask me: O Abdullah! What happened to your eyes and your nose and your ears and your lips? And then let me reply: O my GOD! I lost those organs of my body - wherewith I had rebelled against You excessively and committed too many sins - in the presence of Your Most Beloved One ( ) in order to guard him in the Desert of Uhud And I have now come to Your Presence in this state of mine Though, at first, I was reluctant to say Amen to that supplication, as we had

initially promised each other, I, too, had to say: Amen! After that, we unsheathed our swords and flew into the field of action once again. At the end of the war, I had become a veteran that had beaten a disbeliever that had proven to be even fiercer than I had prayed for. I began to search for Abdullah in the Desert of Uhud in the twilight. And I found him somewhere. However, just as he had supplicated for, his ears, nose and lips had been mutilated and his eyes had been gouged And just as he had wished, his blessed head was lying in blood mixed with the soil of Uhud I did not see but I can imagine if he had had his eyes and lips, he would have been smiling I did not hear but I can feel His Lord asked him and he answered: O my GOD! For I had rebelled against you excessively and I had

committed too many sins!

Another living shield Sahl, a son of Khunaifs They were the most critical times of the war Very few people had stayed with Muhammad () . And arrows were showering on them. Estimating those critical moments, Sahl perceived that it would no longer suffice to be a living shield. Then, he climbed on a flat rock where he would become a much batter target and shouted at the archers of the idolaters to the limit of his voice: Shoot your arrows at Sahl!

Aim him! It is an easy target!

Thinking, in the hubbub of the war, that the voice was an order given by their commander, the idolaters archers obeyed that command. Within minutes the body of Sahl had turned into a sieve like that of Hassan of Uluabat, a heroic warrior who erected the three-crescent Banner of Muhammad ( ) upon the ramparts of Byzantium: His clothes were invisible

because of the arrows piercing his body

At one point of time, there was nobody to protect the Messenger of GOD ( ) but a Medinian lady called Nasibah, during which two-minute gap of defence, two armoured cavalrymen of the idolaters attacked Muhammad ( ) . But Nasibah had already been alert and alarmed She mounted on her horse - knocked the first cavalryman down with a stroke of her sword Nevertheless, the second made a dash that time and his sword came down on her shoulder splitting it down to her chest Then, Ali the Lion of GOD came to their help and killed the second cavalryman The close peril had thus been eliminated Then GODs Messenger rubbed Nasibahs shoulder, which was about to fall apart. Lo! A second miracle happened

then that was similar to that had occurred to the eyes of Qatadah. Nasibah recovered in an instant However, she was not pleased therewith She complained to Muhammad () : O the Messenger of GOD (
!) It was my biggest dream to fall a martyr beneath your knees. Why did you not do me that favour? It was then the time for Muhammad ( ) to raise his hands for invocation: O my GOD! Do not separate me

from Nasibah and her family!

Two arrows had hit the rings of the iron helmet that protected Muhammads face, whereby the rings broke and got stuck in his gum. Seeing the blood gushing from the face of the Personage Praised by GOD, Abu Ubaidah Ibn Jarrakh turned crazy and he ran up to him. He was in hard thought to find out how to take those iron rings in his gum for a while If he were to pull them out with his hand, it would be hurting him greatly So he started pulling them out with his front teeth very slowly. The first ring came out, but one of his front teeth fell out, too Then he pulled the other ring with his second good tooth. The ring came out but causing his second good front tooth to come out as well Abu Ubaidah Ibn Jarrakh lived with those teeth missing until he died Yes, it is true that his speech got a bit queer lisping, causing him to utter a lot of S sounds, which case was likely to have made people smile at times And it is possible that it sounded more pleasant to the Lord of the Heavens and Earth than the normal speech of others As the scent of a Muslims mouth smells better to Him at the time Iftar (the time of breaking the fast) That day the number of those living shields around the Messenger of GOD that had been martyred was ten, the last of whom we are to mention here is Ziyad Ibn Sakan. Seeing he was deadly wounded, Muhammad ( ) said: Bring

him to me!

He then made his feet a cushion for his head And they began to look at each other. Muhammad ( ) was rubbing the bleeding head of Ziyad with tears in his eyes. And Ziyad was kissing and smelling his hand with a smile. The smiling head of Ziyad fell aside His spirit flew to the Heaven Now he is in a green bird there flapping his wings. If you listen closely, you may hear the sound of the flapping of the wings And Hamzah drank the Sherbet of Shahadah (martyrdom) by the cause of Wakhshi, who thrust the spear just into the groin of Hamzah, who for some time stood as if he had been standing on three legs and then collapsed. Wakhshi gouged the eyes of Hamzah and mutilated his nose, ears and lips and threaded

them on a string to make a necklace so that he gave it to Hind as a gift. Hamzah fell a martyr and Wakhshi was manumitted In the golden era of all times, which lasted for twenty-three years, the saddest of days - next to the Day of Taif for Muhammad ( ) was that day, viz. the Day of Uhud

DAY OF CONQUEST
Eighteen months had passed over the Peace Treaty signed between the Muslims and the idolaters at Hudaibiyah and eight and a half years over the Hegira. It was the Hegira, during which GOD the Almighty had promised Muhammad ( ) , a slave and the Prophet of His, a short time before they got to Medina, with the Revelation of Verse 85 of Surah Al-Qasas (Chapter of the Story): Lo!

He Who hath given thee the Qur'an for a law will surely bring thee home again [Verse 85 of Surah Al-Qasas (Chapter of the Story)] And now it was the
time to return One night, the Tribe of Banu Baqr, an ally of the allies of Meccans according to the terms and conditions of the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, assaulted the Tribe of Banu Khuzaah, an ally of the Muslims, which was ignited when a lad from Banu Khuzaah wanted to prevent a man from Banu Baqr who was reciting a poem wherein he was mocking at Muhammad () . Quraish joined Banu Baqr in that raid secretly, too, by contributing to their ammunition and manpower, as result whereof the Treaty of Peace of Hudaibiyah had been breached by the idolaters. Banu Khuzaah immediately sent a delegation to Medina to complain to Muhammad ( ) about the treachery they had suffered and the losses they had incurred, asking him for help. The reply of Muhammad () to that request was clear: If I do not help, let me be without help! And looking at the clouds of rain that appeared in the sky immediately after that reply of his, he said: Verily that cloud harbingers the aid for Banu Khuzaah. Not after long did Abu Sufyan, the master of Quraish, turn up in Medina in remorse of what they had committed Abu Sufyans aim was to ensure that what had happened be overlooked by the Muslims and the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, which had been breached by themselves, be renewed. Nevertheless, he was discountenanced by everybody in Medina even by his own daughter: Habibah, Muhammad () s wife and Abu Sufyans daughter, did not host him in her house Immediately after Abu Sufyan had left Medina empty handed, the Muslims began preparations for war. In short time, a colossal army of ten thousand warriors was formed, in which process they exerted utmost attention to investigation, wherefore Muhammad ( ) turned to his Lord and prayed: "O my

GOD! Blind and deafen them. Let them see us suddenly before them. Let

them hear us when we attack them! The prayer would be accepted and the
raid would be unexpected Now the waves were hitting the reverse. Now the idolaters became the preys and the Muslims the hunters

On the way of the Army of Conquest was a she-dog which was feeding her puppies she had just given birth to Thereupon, Muhammad () commissioned Juail Ibn Suraqah, of his Companions, to care the mother-dog and her puppies lest they should be disturbed until the army had passed by en truth, that was the gist that ensured the Conquest of Mecca And Mecca was besieged. It was night time. The Muslim Army was going to enter the City the following morning. That night all the Muslim warriors were commanded to light a fire, whereby Mecca was fully illumined all around, which actually was a psychological tactic of war against the enemy of idolaters, whereby their meagre wish for resistance if any had been eliminated That same night, Abu Sufyan came to the Headquarters of Muslims secretly and became a Muslim though reluctantly, who returned to Mecca in the morning and had a meeting with the leaders of Quraish, who had been anticipating anxiously the news he would bring, among whom was his wife, Hind, too, who had put on around her neck a string threaded with the eyes, lips and ears of Hamzah at Uhud Those at the meeting were soon informed by Abu Sufyan that any sort of resistance was to be in vain, who concluded to advise them to surrender and ask for the mercy of the Muslims. Driven crazy with what she had heard from him, Hind assaulted her husband: Kill that tub of lard! Then she assaulted him and scratched his face all over. And in the morning of a day in the Month of Ramadan, in the ninth year of Hegira, the Army of Islam of ten thousand warriors began to enter the City of Mecca in five columns in all their glory. Abu Sufyan, who was watching the parade of the Army of Conquest from the top of a hill along with Abbas, an uncle of Muhammads () , said looking at the army marching into the city: O also corrected the gravest error of his, which actually had caused him to remain a disbeliever for many years This is not Sovereignty but Prophethood! Lo and behold! Lest he should cause anyone to fall into even in the slightest arrogance or pride, Muhammad ( ) was entering the city in the position of prostration on his horse his head touching the saddle, thus setting an

Abbas! he said, your nephew has been granted a Sovereignty that has never been bestowed upon anyone in the world! Abbass reply to Abu Sufyan

example of being the most victorious but yet the most humble Commander-inChief just as it is decreed by his Lord, Who is the Only Owner of that Great Favour: When Allah's Succour and the Triumph comes and you see

mankind entering the religion of Allah in troops. Then hymn the praises of your Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show Mercy. [Verses 1-3, Surah Al-Nasr (Chapter of Succour)] And he ordered his army: Do not strike anyone unless they strike you! And
bitter smile. He remembered his home he had left years ago: Did Aqeel leave us a home to stay in? He said.Aqeel was a cousin of his and a brother of Alis. He was an incorrigible idolater. After Muhammad () had emigrated from Mecca, he pulled down his house just for it being a spiritual torture to him. However, he did not injure him the least that day. It did not even occur to him to take his revenge.

Mecca was conquered in a bloodless manner. His Companions asked Muhammad () : Where would you like to billet? His face waved with with a

He ate his lunch at the house of Umm Khani, a cousin of his. When he was told that there was nothing home but stale bread and vinegar, he said: Let us eat it then, then adding, a house with vinegar in it is no house without victuals! That very day he was a Prophet, a President and a Commander-in-Chief that was sovereign throughout the whole Arabian Peninsula and ruling over hundreds of thousands of people. Nonetheless, that day and ever, he was first and above all was a slave. And the biggest source of pride for him was that he was a poor slave A Meccan who came near him to profess Islam and pay him Allegiance, began to shiver seeing his majesty, whereby he was tongue-tied, whereupon, Muhammad ( ) tried to tranquillize him with a smile: Please, relax! Feel home

and talk easily, for I am not a king but the son of a woman from Quraish. My beloved mother also was a poor woman and she too would eat meat dried in the sun.
Then, Muhammad ( ) went to Kaabah. There were more than three hundred idols within and without Kaabah, most of which were of human height being clinched firmly to the floor/ground with nails and rivets. He smashed them up. Behold! Once he pointed his sceptre at the nose or the neck of any idol, it collapsed despite of the rivets thereof In the meantime, Muhammad ( )recited the following Verse of the Holy Koran constantly: And say: Truth

has come and falsehood has vanished away. Lo! Falsehood is ever bound to vanish. [Verse 81, Surah Al-Israh (Chapter of the Night Journey)] It is related

that Satan, too, screamed in address to all his soldiers around the world simultaneously: Cease now to hope to tempt the Ummah (Muslim

Community) to renounce Islam and return to polytheism!

After he had left Kaabah, he came face to face with all the townsfolk of Mecca, all of whom were all looking at him silently in an ashamed, timid and crushed manner. After they all looked at each other for some time, it was Muhammad ( ) that broke the silence: How do you expect me to treat you this

day?

Several of them advanced with their heads bent and said in a low voice, which was hardly audible: With beneficence You are a Benevolent Brother for us Meccans - as they had assembled scattered silently and embarrassedly Bilal of Khabash, upon Muhammads ( ) order, climbed on Kaabah and called the Azan for Noon Prayer. Mecca was a Muslim City now

And you have defeated us You may go, you are free! Today and ever will be no punishment or condemnation on you. You are all free! The

DAY OF HUNAIN
With the Conquest of Mecca, all the Arab Tribes surrendered to Islam, with the exceptions of Khawazin and Saqif, which were harsh unamenable nomadic tribes living in the mountains. They were proud of their power and number owing to their illiteracy. They waged war against the Muslims saying, Muslims can only

dominate docile societies that do not know how to fight. They shall take their lesson when they encounter with us! Then, they prepared their army and
raided Mecca. Muhammad ( ) too departed from Mecca at the head of his army to meet the enemy troops. The destination was Hunain. The size of the Army of Islam of ten thousand warriors, which had conquered Mecca short time before and then had grown by two thousand soldiers from Mecca, arrived at the place where the battle was to be fought, seeing then that the enemy was only one-third of themselves. The army of Saqif and Khawazin was composed of four thousand soldiers. Thus the Army of Islam first time outnumbered the enemy troops, which case caused blur in the conscience and intention of some Muslims, who said: in GODs Sight, which was actually to be the cause of the Revelation of the following warning to the Muslims: Allah has given you victory on many fields

With this our power of twelve thousand men, there is no army on earth that shall be able to overcome us! That was a wrongful statement, unpleasant and on the day of Hunain, when you exulted in your multitude but it availed you naught, and the earth, vast as it is, was straitened for you; then you turned back in flight. [Verse 25, Surah Al-Tawbah (Chapter of
Repentance)]

The Muslims were descending into the Valley of Hunain in the darkness of the early morning through a narrow strait, both sides whereof had been earlier occupied by the idolater archers, who all of a sudden began to shower arrows upon the Muslim troops, whereupon those new Muslims that had joined the Army from Mecca got panicked and began to retreat in disarray. The air of panic spread in the army in a very short time. Those twelve thousand warriors that had been exulting in their multitude were now retreating in waves And there were some Companions that did not escape but remained where they were courageously: Muhammad ( ) and a handful of Companions. The situation his very army had fallen into infuriated Muhammad () in such a manner as had never occurred and as would never occur to him in his whole life his face was crimson with the veins on his forehead swollen He was trying to stand on his horse, making dashes and shouting at the raiding enemy

to the limit of his voice: I am the Messenger of GOD! There is no lie in this!

I am the son of Abd Al-Muttalib! There is no lie in this!

Meanwhile, Abbas and Ali, of a handful of Muslims with him, were trying to hold his horse with all their might, for if they had let him, he would have assaulted alone the Khawazinids, who were attacking in ranks Then, Muhammad ( ) called his uncle Abbas, asking him to invite the Muslims that had been retreating to assemble around him. Having climbed on top of a high rock, Abbas shouted at the top of his voice: O, the Community of Ansar! O those that paid Allegiance under the Tree of Ridhwaan! In the expression of a Companion of Muhammad () , who had lived that moment: those that had heard the voice of Abbas began to gather around Muhammad ( ) in a rush as a she-camel hurries to her baby when she has missed it greatly. Thus the withdrawal had ceased. The ranks of the idolaters that were attacking in the euphoria of victory felt as if they had hit some hard rock. Then, Muhammad ( ) picked up a handful of earth from the ground and scattered it in the direction of the enemy, crying: May GOD blacken their faces! And a miracle that had been experienced at Badr reoccurred! While each of the idolaters was busy with the dust filling their eyes, the Army of Islam attacked. Now there was a smile on the blessed face of Muhammad () : The oven has heated up! he said. Eventually, the Battle of Hunain ended with the Victory of the Army of Islam, after which the Muslims attained to such great amount of loots as they had never possessed before. Now, Islam was dominant over all the Arabs and throughout the Arabian Peninsula!

LAST DAY
Eleven years had passed after Hegira. While he was making the Farewell Hajj in Mecca, Surah Al-Nasr (Chapter of Succour) was revealed, whereupon he said to Archangel Gabriel: O Gabriel! I think it has been revealed that I am to leave this world! Gabriel affirmed: The Hereafter is better for you than this

world.

It was thirty days before his departure from this world. He assembled his eminent Companions and advised them in tears for the last time: I entrust you with

GOD. Fear GOD. I have been an open warner to you. Shun pride, arrogance and vainglory in this land of GOD, amongst the slaves of GOD. GOD decrees, Does the Hell not suffice for those that are haughty?
Abdullah Ibn Masud asks: O the Messenger of GOD! When is the appointed

time of your departure from this world? The time of separation is near. It is time to return to GOD the Almighty; to Sidrah Al-Muntahah; to Jannah Al-Mawah; to the Most Beloved One.

It was thirteen days before the Last Day. With a Decree from Beyond the Skies he visited the Cemetery of Medina. He invoked for Mercy on their behalf. And the disease of death started the next day. It was some Wednesday. His illness was actually made up of three different diseases: The effect of the poisonous meat he had eaten at Khaibar years ago; acute malaria; and asthma. His health deteriorated within few days, causing him unable to get out of his bed. Narrated by Abdullah Ibn Masud: When I visited Muhammad ( ), he had ague. I put my hand on his blessed face. My hand could not endure the heat of his body. I said: O the Messenger of GOD ( !)How high your temperature is! Yes, he said, adding, the fever of my

disease is twice as high as yours.

the following supplication for the sick: O the Lord of Mankind! Remove hardships and bestow health, for You are the Bestower of Health! There is no remedy but from You. Grant healing in such manner as the disease does not recrudesce. So I said the same prayer for him and wanted to rub his blessed hands over his blessed body. However, he withdrew his hands, saying: O my GOD, forgive me! Make me reach the Most Beloved One! Raise me to the Heaven of Huld!

Narrated from Mother Aishah: The Messenger of GOD ( ) said

He went to the masjid from the chamber of Aishah, where he was staying, and went up the minbar (or mimbar, pulpit beside the mihrab reached by a long, straight flight of steps). He could hardly stand up. That was his last speech to the Muslims in congregation, which was in a way delivered to exchange forgiveness between each other for any injury or hurt done knowingly or unknowingly and to make amends for all that had passed: GOD has let a slave of His free to

choose between to stay in this world and to pass on to His Divine Presence and to attain to His Divine Pleasure, which slave has preferred the Reward with GOD.
At that point, Abu Baqr began to shed tears, for he was the sole one that perceived that that slave of GOD was Muhammad () : O the

Messenger of GOD! he said, Let our lives be sacrificed for you! It is enough for us to see that you are healthy and alive! People were puzzled. Looking at each other in the face they asked, What is it that makes Abu Baqr weep? What did he mean with these words of his?
Muhammad ( ) went on to speak: O the immigrants! You shall

increase in number and the Ansar (the natives of Medina) will become the minority of you. By GOD in Whose Power my life is! I love the Ansar. They have ever succoured us through our hard times, hence they have rights over you. Thus do favours for their good ones and forgive the evil acts of their evil ones. Muhammad ( ) concluded his speech about himself: O people! The time to leave you is near. If I have hit any of you, let him get up and hit me! If I have taken any effects of anyone, let him take the equivalent from me! Let him not think If I retaliate, the Messenger of GOD will turn against me. Beware! Bearing spite or enmity against people is not of my character, for my nature is far away from such things. The best of people in my sight are those that take their right from me or forgive their rights with me so that I can get to the Presence of GOD with a purified heart.
They were the last days of him. One day he received some Zaqah [(almsgiving) An obligatory payment made annually under Islamic Law on certain kinds of property and used for charitable and religious objects]. He distributed most of the money; and only seven Dinars remained with him, which he entrusted with Mother Aishah. He fainted at one time because of effects of the disease. When he came to, he asked: O Aishah! What did you do with the Dinars? Aishah replied:

They are with me!

Then he said: Distribute them to the poor! After that, he fainted again. Nevertheless, as she had to wait on him, Aishah did not have the time to distribute the money. And when he came to, he asked once more: What did you do with the Dinars? Having learnt that Aishah had not been able to dispense the Dinars yet, he charged Ali with that task, in which process he was heard to utter these words sotto voce: If Muhammad were to get into the Presence of

GOD with these Dinars, what excuse would he be able to find towards Him?
When he once again fainted owing to the severity of his disease, his daughter Fatimah said: O my Beloved Father! May my life be sacrificed for you! Please look at me even once! Say a word to me! Thereupon, Muhammad ( ) opened his eyes and wiped the tears of his beloved Fatimah with his hands: My dear daughter he said, Do not weep. Those Angels that

carry the Supreme Heavens have also wept with this crying voice of yours!
As it had thus been understood that his that journey was to be to GOD the Almighty, his granny, Umm Ayman, too, burst into a crying jag. Then people said to her: Do not cry! For the Messenger of GOD has preferred that with his Lord! She replied: How can I not weep? Now our link with the Heavens shall be severed: No Revelations will come anymore! It was three days before that Day, when he conveyed to his Ummah the last - and one of the most significant piece of advice: Let not any one of you die

without having good thinking of ALLAH THE MOST HIGH!

Having witnessed that his fathers pain had reached unbearable limits, Fatimah could not keep from saying: Poor my Father! What great pain he is suffering! He touched Fatimahs cheek affectionately: Your father will not suffer from any pain any longer. It was then the Last Day That Last Day was a Monday. Muhammad ( ) asked his daughter Fatimah to bring him his grandsons, Hassan and Hussain, who having seen their grandfather in deathbed started to cry, which caused everybody in the room to burst into tears. When they put their heads on his chest, the Grandfather opened his eyes and kissed and smelt them in affection. Then, he fainted again. When he came to, Verse 144 of Surah Al-i Imran was in his tongue:

Muhammad is but a messenger, messengers (the like of whom) have passed away before him. Will it be that, when he dies or is slain, ye will turn back on your heels? He who turns back on his heels doth no hurt to Allah, and Allah will reward the thankful. [Verse 144, Surah Al-i Imran (Chapter of

Family of Imran)] Aishah describes his agony at the time: His face was at times reddening and

at times paling. He was turning his hands up and down because of the pain. His cheeks were sweating. He was putting his hands in a bowl of water before him and dabbing his face therewith, praying constantly in the meantime: O my GOD, Help me with the throes of death!
Nevertheless, even in that state of his, he did not neglect expressing his love for his wife, Aishah: O Aishah! Now that I saw the white of your hand in the Heaven, I do not mind this pain of disease! And now the Heaven began to appear to him. Gabriel was now before him for the last time, this time accompanied by Azrael (the Angel who parts the soul from the body at death with Gods Will). Therefore, Gabriel asks Muhammad ( ) for permission: He asks you for

permission - for the first time. And he will not ask anybody else for that anymore. Azrael was granted the permission. Then it was Azrael that asked for permission this time. If you wish, I will take your soul. If you do not, I will go back. He, too, was granted the permission. His last words were: O, my GOD! O my Great Friend! Salah (Prayer), O Salah The Greatest History
of Creation ended Mother Aishah relates that instant: GODs Messenger ( ) passed

away with his head upon my chest. His Blessed Spirit disseminated such fine, pleasant fragrance as I have never scented. Although I had ablution and ate food, that fragrance did not go off my hands for a whole week.
Some were hesitant with the shock of the first instant. Did he really pass on to the Hereafter? they wondered. It occurred to one to check the Seal of Prophethood on his back. The Seal was not where it had been. Abu Baqr, his closest friend, his self-sacrificing Companion, bent down to kiss Muhammad ( ) on his forehead: He said, Poor my Beloved Prophet! Then he raised his head. Next, he bent down again and kissed him on his forehead once more, saying, Poor my Friend! After that, he raised his head for the third time and kissed him on the forehead again, saying Poor my Companion! Then he added: O, the Messenger of GOD (!)

You have ever been the most handsome throughout your life and you are now the most handsome at your demise!
And the inheritance of Muhammad ( ) were as follows: Twelve pieces

of clothing - including his underwear, several old skullcaps, container for kohl, a pair of scissors, a miswak (a stick of wood taken from a toothbrush tree, beaten into fibres at one end, and used as a toothbrush) and a box wherein he put his beard-comb; two cups made of earth, a cup made of glass and a cup made of wood; a ewer for ablution; a bowl; a flask; a sceptre; a felt mat on which he slept; a pair of shoes; and as furniture: a mattress, a pillow and a quern And after the list above any word that will be uttered to conclude this book will be deficient and any word dull Perhaps one statement: O, our GOD! Do not

deprive us of his help and intercession! Aameen bi hurmati nabiyyil ameen

Ref: http://hazretieyupsultan.com/guli_muhammedi_ruzgari/BreezeOfRoseOfProphetMuhammad.htm

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