Narrated Anas bin Malik:
The Prophet (ﷺ) entered (Makkah) during they year of the Conquest, and upon his head was a helmet (Mighfar). It was said to him: ‘Ibn Khatal is clinging to the covering of the Ka'bah.’ So he said: 'Kill him.’“
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1693
In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 24
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1693
“On the Day of Uhud, the Prophet (ﷺ) wore two coats of mail. He tried to get up on a boulder but was not able to, so Talhah squatted under him, lifting the Prophet (ﷺ) upon it such that he could sit on the boulder. So he said: (Paradise) "It is obligated from Talhah.’”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1692
In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 23
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1692
Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas was only a 17 year old young man filled with excitement and energy. During this period, he saw a dream: While he was in pitch-black darkness, a bright moon rose instantly and he began to follow a moon-lit road. Afterwards, on the same road, he saw that Zaid bin Harith, Hazrat Ali, and Hazrat Abu Bakr were walking ahead of him. He asked them, “When did you all come here?” and they responded, “Now.”
Three days after his dream, Hazrat Abu Bakr, who showed remarkable exertion and zeal during the era of secret conversions, mentioned Islam to him. Afterwards, Hazrat Abu Bakr took him to our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) presence and after receiving knowledge on Islam from the Master of the Universe (PBUH), he immediately became a Muslim.
Both his mother’s and father’s pedigrees were connected to our Holy Prophet (PBUH). Since the family of Hazrat Sad’s mother belonged to the Sons of Zuhra, Hazrat Sad was considered to be our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) maternal uncle. For that reason, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) paid Hazrat Sad a great compliment by saying, “Here is my uncle, Sad. If anyone has an uncle like him, then he should show me.”
Hazrat Sa’d and his Mother
Hazrat Sad’s mother was not pleased by her son’s conversion to Islam. How could her son abandon the religion of his forefathers and follow a new religion without her consent? Hamna was aware of the respect and attachment that her son had towards her. She was determined to dissuade him from Islam and have him return to idolatry. One day she said to him:
“Are you not the one who says that Allah commands you to take care of your relatives and to show continuous kindness to and do favors for your parents?”
“Yes”, replied Hazrat Sad.
Upon hearing this response, Hamna expressed her true purpose with the following words:
“By God, until you disavow what Muhammad has brought forth, I am not going to put anything into my mouth until I die from thirst and hunger. The people are going to blame you for murdering your mother.”
Until that day, Hazrat Sad had submitted to all of his mother’s wishes and had always pampered her. However, he had now testified to Allah and had submitted to His Messenger (PBUH) with the fullest sincerity in his heart. And of course, everything was going to be ranked in accordance with his faith.
When Hazrat Sad saw that his mother was refraining from eating and drinking, he went by her side and said, “Oh mother, even if you had 100 lives and were to sacrifice each one so that I would denounce Islam, I would still keep firm with my faith. Now, if you wish, you can eat or choose not do so.”
Upon hearing this answer, Hamna’s stubbornness melted against Hazrat Sad’s steady faith in the truth; she quickly began to eat and drink. Once again, disbelief and polytheism were crushed and defeated by faith and the greatness of Tawhid (the doctrine of Oneness of Allah).
Allah presented an eternal criterion for the believers by sending down the eighth verse of Surah al-Ankabut upon this incident that took place between Hazrat Sad and his mother: “We have enjoined on man kindness to parents: but if they (either of them) strive (to force) thee to join with Me (in worship) anything of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not. Ye have (all) to return to me, and I will tell you (the truth) of all that ye did.”
This time, Hamna made another attempt to turn her son away from Islam: One day while Hazrat Sad was praying in his home, his mother called the neighbors to imprison him by having them all shut the door. In the meantime, Hamna, whose heart had been so hardened by polytheism that she could torture her own beloved child, shouted:
“He will either abandon the religion that he has entered or die!”
By looking at this example, it is possible to understand that a mother can torture her own son when her heart has been darkened from disbelief and wickedness and when it is devoid of compassion and mercy!
Every attempt that had taken place had counteracted Hamna’s interests since Hazrat Sad’s son, Amir, had followed his father’s tracks and became Muslim.
This time, Hamna, who had become completely ill-tempered, took Amir by the scruff of his neck: “I am not going to rest under the shade of this date tree nor am I going to eat and drink until you leave the religion you are following!”
As soon as he heard his mother’s vow, Hazrat Sad, who had experienced the unbounded pleasure of having faith in Allah and submitting to His Messenger (PBUH), went to his mother and said: “Oh mother, do not you dare rest under the shade nor eat and drink until you reach the station of hellfire.”
Hamna could not manage to do anything but keep silent in the face of this phenomenal amount of faith and unwavering perseverance and willpower.
The Courage of Hazrat Sa’d
It took place at a very crucial and most difficult period for the Muslims on account of the continuous persecution and torture the polytheists inflicted on them.
Hazrat Sa’d was praying in the Abu Dubb valley with some of the other Muslims who were among the first to embrace the glorious faith. Abu Sufyan, a leading figure among the polytheists, came to them with a few other unbelievers by his side. When the polytheists made the claim that the Muslims’ form of worshipping was a groundless practice, the two sides went at each other’s throats. With the bone of a camel’s chin that he held in his hands, Hazrat Sad wounded the head of one of the polytheists. When the other polytheists saw this, they lost their audacity and began to run away. And the Muslims chased them until they exited the valley.
In this way, Hazrat Sad had become the first companion to shed blood in the way of Allah. This was also the first instance in the history of the Islam in which blood had been spilled.
At the same time, Hazrat Sad bin Waqqas, who was immensely generous, was one of the ten companions who had been given the glad tidings of Paradise. He participated in all of the holy wars during our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) time. During the Battle of Uhud, he devoted his body as a shield for our Holy Prophet (PBUH) and threw arrows at the polytheists in such a manner that allowed him to become the recipient of an address that no other creature has ever had the honor of receiving:
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said to him, “Oh Sad, do not stop shooting your arrows, may my mother and father be sacrificed for you!”
Hazrat Ali would say:
“On the day of the Battle of Uhud, Allah’s Apostle (PBUH) only addressed Hazrat Sad with the words, “Fadaka Abi wa Ummi” (May my mother and father be sacrificed for you).
During the same battle, Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) would say, “Oh Lord, this is your arrow” each time Hazrat Sad shot one and would pray for him in this manner:
“O Lord, direct his shooting and respond to his prayer.“
It is through our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) decree, “O Lord, respond to his prayer” that he was able to attain wealth with the acceptance of his supplications alongside his heroism, bravery, arrow-shooting skills, and. Just as the enemies of Islam feared his sword and arrows, the Muslims feared his supplications for the same reason. They would be extremely hesitant to hurt his feelings.
Hazrat Sad, who at a young age became a Muslim during the era of secret conversions and the springtime of Islam, continued to spend his entire life in the service of Islam thereafter. He was appointed as the commander of the army that marched to Iran during Hazrat Umar’s reign. And by leading this army to victory in the Battle of Qadisiyya, he conquered the country of Kisra and incorporated it into Islamic territory. Therefore, he was given the title “the Conqueror of Iran”.
March 10th -
St. John Ogilvie. (1580-1615).
Convert from Calvinism, Jesuit Priest, Martyr. Hanged at Glasgow Cross, Glasgow, Scotland on 10th March 1615. Scotland’s only Canonised Martyr of the Scottish Reformation. - Beatified by Pope Pius XI on 22nd December 1929 and Canonised by St. Pope Paul VI on 17th October 1976.
Narrated Anas:
“The hand-guard on the sword of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was made from silver.”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1691
In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 22
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1691
The era of secret call to Islam was continuing.
During this period, another eminent figure from the Quraysh joined the ranks of Muslims: Khalid bin Said. Hazrat Khalid was a leading figure of the Quraysh and belonged to a rich family.
One night, Khalid bin Said, who had extensive knowledge of Arab literature, saw in his dream that our Holy Prophet (PBUH) rushed to save him when his father wanted to throw him into the pits of Hell.
He woke up screaming. Hazrat Khalid understood that such a clear dream could not be meaningless. He said, “By Allah, this dream is true”, and without losing time, he quickly ran to Hazrat Abu Bakr. Hazrat Abu Bakr said, “I hope the best for you. The Messenger of Allah is going to save you. Quickly go and subject yourself to him! You are going to follow him, convert to Islam, and then be with him. And he is going to save you from falling into Hell as you saw in your dream.”
Hazrat Khalid quickly went to our Holy Prophet (PBUH) and asked, “Oh Muhammad! What do you call people to do?”
Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) said, “I call people to believe in Allah, who is One and does not have a partner, to believe that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, and to forgo worshipping certain pieces of rock that cannot hear, cannot see, cannot benefit nor harm, and are unaware of those who worship and who do not worship them.”
Hazrat Khalid carefully listened to these words with respect and immediately recited the testimony of faith (shahada): “I testify that you are Allah’s Messenger!”
Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was immensely happy that this individual had entered the circle of Islam.
Hazrat Khalid began to mention Islam to other people in his family and around as soon as he became Muslim. A while later, his wife Umayna, also joined the ranks of Muslims.
Torture
When Abu Uhayha, one of Quraysh’s leading and wealthy figures, heard that his son had become a Muslim, he became exceedingly furious.
One day, he heard that Hazrat Khalid was praying (performing salah) on a desolate spot in Mecca. He sent his other sons to bring Hazrat Khalid before him and angrily said, “So, you have chosen to follow Muhammad despite seeing that he opposes your tribe and he has insulted the tribe’s gods and its past fathers, is that right?” Afterwards, he said many things so that Hazrat Khalid would abstain from practicing Islam.
However, Hazrat Khalid, whose heart had been enlightened with the light of faith, did not have the slightest hesitation and did not feel any regret. He responded to his father who looked at him with his frowning brows: “By Allah, Muhammad (PBUH) tells the truth. I have subjected myself to him and will run the risk of death; however, I will never leave his religion.”
Abu Uhayha, who was severely angered by these words, hit his son with the staff that he was holding until it broke.
However, his efforts were in vain! The faith that was a source of strength and perseverance had occupied and comforted Hazrat Khalid’s heart. Torture and persecution did not invoke the slightest amount of negativity in the face of this faith.
When his cruel father saw that beating him was in no way effective, he told him to “go” and said, “I am going to cut off your sustenance and livelihood; so, go wherever you please.”
Hazrat Khalid knew that Allah was the One that provided for his livelihood; so once again, he did not mind his father’s words. Instead, he said, “Oh my dear father, if you cut off my livelihood then Allah will provide me with all that is necessary to get by.”
This time, Uhayha imprisoned him and threatened the community:
“If one of you decides to speak with him, I will ruin you.”
Hazrat Khalid was left hungry and thirsty for days on end.
It was pointless to continue living with a father who committed such torture and cruelty on account of his son’s religion; so, upon finding an opportunity, he was able to escape from his father’s hands. He did not come into his father’s sight until the second emigration to Abyssinia.
Together, with his wife, he joined the procession that departed from Mecca to Abyssinia.
Hazrat Khalid was among the scribes that could write perfectly during the Age of Ignorance. According to a narration, Hazrat Khalid was the scribe of the letter that our Holy Prophet (PBUH) had sent to the King of Yemen and of many other treaties.
Hazrat Talha bin Ubaidullah followed Hazrat Uthman’s tracks by embracing Islam.
He went on a journey for the purpose of trade. While he was at the Busra fair, a priest who lived there shouted, “Is there anyone here who is from Mecca?”
Hazrat Talha answered, “Yes, I am a Meccan.”
“Did Ahmad appear?” asked the Priest.
Hazrat Talha then asked, “Who is Ahmad?”
The priest answered,
“He is the son of Abdullah bin Abdulmuttalib. Mecca is the city from which he will emerge. He is the final Prophet and will arise from the Harem ash-Sharif. He will be obliged to migrate to a rocky and barren place that is a date grove.”
The priest’s words captured Talha’s attention and as soon as he arrived in Mecca, he asked the people if there was “any news?”
They replied,
“Yes, Abdullah’s son, Muhammad-al-Amin (Muhammad the Trustworthy) claims that he is a prophet and Abu Kuhafa’s son, Abu Bakr, has become his follower!”
Upon hearing this, he immediately went to Abu Bakr and asked, “Have you subjected yourself to Muhammad?”
Hazrat Abu Bakr answered,
“Yes. I have and you should go and subject yourself to him! He is inviting the people to the truth and reality.”
They quickly went to our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) presence after Hazrat Talha explained what he had heard from the priest to Abu Bakr. When Hazrat Talha, who had instantly become a Muslim, explained what the priest had said, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) smiled.
The polytheists could not stand the fact that a virtuous person like Hazrat Talha had become a Muslim. Nawfal bin Adwiya, one of the Quraysh’s fiercest wrestlers, tied him to a rope and tortured him.
Hazrat Talha, who had embraced Islam at a young age, was one of the ten companions that had been given the good tidings of Paradise.
In respect to him, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) said,
“One who wants to see a martyr should look at Talha.”
He was an immensely generous and brave companion. His fingers were crippled due to holding the arrows that were shot at our Holy Prophet (PBUH) during the Battle of Uhud. He did not separate from our Master’s (PBUH) side despite having been afflicted with nearly 80 wounds in the same war.
Narrated Anas bin Malik:
“The Prophet (ﷺ) rode a horse belonging to Abu Talhah called Mandub. He said: ‘There is nothing to be frightened of, and we found him to be (quick) like the sea.’”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1685
In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 16
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1685
When the Master of the Universe (PBUH) reached the age of thirty-eight, he started to hear some voices and some lights around. And sometimes he was called as, “O Muhammad!” from unseen.
Yet he was then still unable to understand what those strange voices and lights meant. However, he knew that such occurrences were not meaningless and not for nothing and spent days pondering over them.
From time to time, he told his venerable wife, Khadija, about them and often they two spoke about them. His wife, Khadija, the only source of comfort then, kept consoling him during their conversations.
This state of Muhammad (PBUH) continued for about one year.
True Dreams
At the age of 39, the period of “True Dreams” started. The events that were to happen the day after were being shown to him in his dreams in a way between wakefulness and sleep. It was so much so that the dreams he had in the night were taking place during the day as he had in his dream.
This state went on about six months, which can be considered a preparation period for receiving divine revelations.
He seeks loneliness
After this six-month period, the Master of the Universe’s holy spirit was searching for complete solitude. His greatest desire was to distance himself from the community and to remain alone with his thoughts… because his soul was getting discomforted by the indecency, cruelty, and gloom that was found in the society in which he lived.
He was made to love loneliness, He could abandon everything that he possessed but he would never abandon being alone with the universe and his realm of contemplation, away from people.
For that reason, he did not stay much in Mecca and was seen to choose desolate places that were far from people and to be consumed in contemplation in these places.
During these periods of solitude, he asked why the mountains, rocks, the earth, the sky, and the universe had been created, why people were sent to Earth, and what their aim and purpose was. The boulders of Mount Hira, the immense deserts, the sun, the moon, the shining stars, nor the passing clouds could answer his inquiries. He passed his days and nights in wonder since he could not find the answers to his questions.
Yes, the Master of the Universe’s holy spirit craved solitude in the outwardly sense whereas in reality, he carried the desire of being in the presence of Allah within the depths of his soul. This desire was to reach an endless existence within solitude.
This condition was seen in almost all of the prophets before they received revelations. Before his prophethood, Hazrat Musa spent 40 days fasting in solitude in the mountain of Tur. Similarly, Hazrat Isa was consumed in worship for forty days in a peaceful forest as he remained far from the world.
THE MASTER OF THE UNIVERSE IN HIRA
The year was 610 in the Gregorian calendar.
The Master of the Universe (pbuh) was forty years old.
He had a regular custom that he had been doing for years. He would spend the month of Ramadan with contemplation, worship, and prayer at the cave at the hill of the Mount of Hira. It was quiet and serene in there. It was the best place for him to be left alone with his reflection. His blessed soul, which was bored with the corrupt atmosphere of the society he lived in, found tranquility and peace over there.
The Messenger of Allah did not worship randomly in the cave of Hira; he worshipped in accordance with the religion of Hanif, the religion of Ibrahim, his ancestor.
One day in the month of Ramadan, he went there again for worshipping and contemplation. He made his way to the mount of Hira with provisions that his wife Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) prepared for him.
The universe observed every step that its Master took with respect and stood in a deep silence. Yet, that stillness was not in vain. It was full of wisdom.
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) accompanied the stillness with his reflection, which thus brought about some harmony. It was as though the universe whispered to his great soul as saying, “The reason why I was created is you. It is you who will explain my meaning best and that I am full of wisdom and lessons. Therefore, I am grateful to you.”
The Master of the Universe (peace be upon him) was now in the cave at the hill of the Mount Hira, where he soon was to be worthy of having divine revelation. He was engaged with his worshipping and contemplation.
It was a few years before our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was given the duty of prophethood.
The “Suq Uqaz”, which was one of the two famous fairs, was filled with hundreds of people of a multitude of colors in Hijaz. There also were many Arab gentlemen among them. In the meantime, a patron saint, who was beyond a hundred years in age, appeared riding on top of a red-haired camel. His eyes were sagged down and he had become bent double due to old age. However, this horseman, who had an enlightened soul, was Quss b Saida, the elder of the tribe of Iyad. Quss, who believed in the existence and oneness of Allah as well as the Day of Resurrection, was the Arabs’ poet, orator, and judge. This individual, who had become legendary due to his eloquence, addressed the hundreds of people who were completely silent and were listening to him attentively:
“Oh people, come, listen, and commit the following to memory! Draw a lesson! Those who live will die and those who are dead will feel deep regret. Whatever is meant to happen will occur. The rain will pour, the grass will die. Children are born and then take the place of their parents. They all pass away at the blink of an eye. Incidents occur one after another and they all seem to chase each other. Listen carefully and pay attention; there are lessons to learn in the sky and on the ground. The Earth is a large council and the sky is a high ceiling. The stars move and the oceans come to a halt. What arrives does not remain and what leaves does not come back. Are they content in the place they go? Or do they fall asleep there as well? I swear, I swear that there is a religion in the presence of Allah that is more beloved to Him than the religion that you follow. There is a prophet of Allah who is about to appear and his arrival is very soon. His shadow is right on top of your heads. How happy is the person who puts his faith in him (the Prophet PBUH); May he guide him to the true path! Shame on the unfortunate person who will oppose and rebel against him! Woe on the ummahs that spend their lives in heedlessness!
Oh, people! What happened to (where are) the fathers, grandfathers, forefathers? Where are the family relations? Where are those fancy palaces and the tribes of Ad and Thamud that heightened those marble buildings? Where are the Pharaoh and Nimrod who boasted of their wealth and said to their tribes, “Am I not your greatest lord?” They were far more superior to you in terms of wealth and power. What happened to them? This ground ground them and dispersed them as dust in its mill. Even their bones have rotted and have dispersed. Their homes have fallen apart and are without owners. Now dogs enliven their grounds and territories. Avoid becoming heedless like them! Do not follow in their tracks! Everything is fleeting. Only Allah is everlasting. He is One and does not have a partner or a guardian. Only He is to be worshipped. He was not born and He did not give birth. There are many lessons to learn from those who have passed away. Death is a kind of river. There are many places in which you can enter but it does not have a place from which you can exit. All things that are big and small pass away. That which goes away does not come back. “I know for certain that whatever happens to everyone else will happen to you and me. “
Strangely, when Quss addressed the crowd with his magnificent speech and notified them of our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) arrival, which was very near, he was unaware that the individual whom he mentioned was among the crowd that was all ears.
The Master of the Universe (PBUH) was appointed as a prophet shortly after Quss bin Saida, to whose heart Allah granted guidance and beneficence during the Age of Ignorance, gave his speech.
However, Quss passed away during this time. Consequently, he was not granted the opportunity to meet with our Holy Prophet (PBUH) whose arrival he mentioned would be soon.
Many years passed…
Together with the leading figures, Jarud bin Ala, who was the Bani Iyad’s ruler and an elder who followed Hazrat Isa’s religion, went to see our Holy Prophet (PBUH) with the intention of learning his character. After he learned the purpose with which the Holy Prophet (PBUH) was sent by asking questions, he said, “I swear to Allah, Who has sent you as the Prophet of Truth, that I learned of your attributes in the Bible. Maryam’s son heralded your arrival. May peace and blessings be invoked upon you continuously and praise be to Allah for sending you. Extend your hand. I testify that there is no God but Allah and that you are Allah’s Messenger” and became a Muslim. His friends followed his example and became Muslims as well.
The Master of the Universe (PBUH) was extremely pleased and asked, “Does anyone among you know Quss bin Saida?”
Jarud answered, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah . We all know him. I know much about him because I always follow his path.”
Thereupon, our Holy Prophet (PBUH) answered:
“The sermon that Quss bin Saida read upon a camel during the Suq Uqaz in which he said, “The one who lives will die and the one who dies will feel deep regret. Whatever is meant to happen will occur” never leaves my mind. He recited other words of a strange and wonderful eloquence that I find I do not recall.
“Hazrat Abu Bakr, who was present at this gathering, quickly stepped in, “Oh Rasullulah, I was present at the Suq Uqaz that day. I remember all the words that Quss bin Saida spoke. I will recite them if you grant me permission.”
Afterwards, he recited the aforementioned discourse from the very beginning to the end.
Upon this, someone else from the assembly rose and recited a few other of Quss’ poems. In these poems, he openly declared that Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) would be sent from the Sons of Hashim and the Haram Sharif as a prophet.
Narrated Abu Sa’id Al Khudri :
“During the year of the conquest, when the Prophet (ﷺ) reached Marr Zahran, he told us that we would meet the enemy. So he ordered us to break the fast, and we [all] broke our fast.”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1684
In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 15
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1684
Some Governors Convert Subsidy Cash to Dollars for Personal Gain – Ex-Rep
Introduction
Corruption allegations have once again rocked Nigeria’s political landscape as a former federal lawmaker accuses certain state governors of diverting federal allocations meant for public welfare into personal accounts. This revelation comes amid ongoing economic reforms, including the controversial removal of…
Some governors convert subsidy cash to dollars for personal gain – Ex-Rep
Arabia - which covers a significant place in terms of politics, geography and trading on the world map - was not any different from other countries. Like everywhere else, everything was in a miserable, disgraceful situation except for its language and literature.
Let us have a short look:
Religious Situation
In terms of belief, Arabia was writhing in a state of absolute anarchy, and strange beliefs were to be found everywhere within her borders.
Some of the people were unbelievers and did not accept anything other than life on the Earth. They would say, “What is there but our life in this world? We shall live and die, and nothing but time can destroy us”, and would continue to spend their lives in a state of so-called pleasure.
When the Honorable Messenger (PBUH) began to receive revelations, Allah would address those people with the following words:
“Say: “It is God Who gives you life, then gives you death; then He will gather you together for the Day of Judgment about which there is no doubt”: But most men do not understand.”
Some of the Arabs believed in Allah and the Day of Judgment, however, they did not acknowledge the prophets.
The Quran describes these people in the following verse:
“What kept men back from belief when Guidance came to them, was nothing but this: they said,
“Has God sent a man (like us) to be (His) Apostle?”
They could not comprehend how a person could be a messenger and they thought that an angel should be appointed to such a role. The Quran, with its following verse, told those people how unreasonable their claim was:
“If there were settled, on earth, angels walking about in peace and quiet, We should certainly have sent them down from the heavens an angel for an apostle.”
And some of them believed in Allah; however, they would not believe in the afterworld, in resurrection after death and punishment and reckoning in the hereafter.
The Quran addresses this group of people with the following verse:
“And he makes comparisons for Us, and forgets his own (origin and) Creation: He says, “Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that)?”
And the Quran answers those people with the following verse:
“Say, “He will give them life Who created them for the first time! For He is Well-versed in every kind of creation!”
The majority of them worshipped idols that were made of stones, wood and sometimes of halwa, and would say:
“We only serve them so that they may bring us nearer to God.”
Yes, the majority of Arabs used to worship idols which were made of the aforementioned materials during times of war and they were in a miserable and disgraceful state since they sought help from them. They had filled the Baytullah, the first house of Tawhid on the Earth, with 360 idols.
Hazrat Umar, who is renowned for his justice after having been honored with his conversion to Islam, reminisced about one of his memories in which he used to worship the idols during the Era of Ignorance:
“There were two things that we did during the Age of Ignorance. I cry when I remember one of these accounts and I laugh when I remember the other,
“This is the matter that makes me cry:
“We used to bury our daughters alive. I do not know how we were able to do this to innocent and helpless babies who were in need of compassion. When I think about it, my heart breaks into pieces and I cannot help crying.
“As for the matter that makes me laugh, we used to have idols in our homes during the Age of Ignorance. When we embarked on a journey, we would construct these idols from flour or halwa and would worship and pay tribute to them during our journey. And when the journey lengthened, we would eat the idols that we had just worshipped and honored once we became hungry. Is there anything funnier than this? As I remember this, I laugh at and understand the silliness of our actions.”
However, traces from the religion of Tawhid that Prophet Abraham had conveyed could be seen in Arabia as well. The people who used to follow these traces were called the “Hanif” regardless of the huge amount of time that had passed since Hazrat Abraham’s arrival and the heedlessness that was prevalent in their present time. As a matter of fact, the word “Hanif” is used to refer to Hazrat Abraham in the Quran: “Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but he was hanif (translated as “true” in English translations) in Faith”
Those people who were called the “Hanif” despised the idols and believed in the oneness and existence of Allah. In fact, Waraqa bin Nawfal, Ubaidullah bin Jahsh, Uthman bin Huwairith and Zaid bin Amr, considered it despicable to prostrate before idols that could not speak, hear, harm or benefit anyone, and openly declared this during a fair that was organized to honor one of those idols.
There were people who were able to understand that it was pointless to worship lifeless idols through using their reasoning and crusaded against this false belief. Umayya bin Abi Salt, the famous Arabian poet and leader of the Taif tribe, was one of them. He read the holy books during the Age of Ignorance and converted from idolatry to Abraham’s religion.
He was the first poet to have found the expression “Bismika Allahumma”. Later, Arabs liked this expression and began to include it as a prelude in their books.
He would mention the need for a prophet in his poems and declared that prophets were indispensable for humanity. Since he had learned from the Holy Books that a prophet would rise among the Arabs, he also desired this role. For this reason, when our Holy Prophet was appointed to prophethood, Umayya became a victim of jealousy and envy and did not accept him. Moreover, he recited his poems in remembrance of the idolaters who were killed in the Battle of Badr.
Our Holy Prophet (PBUH) narrated a few hadiths about Ummaya who died without faith during the second year of the Hijra (migration).
One day, the Messenger (PBUH) was riding with Sharid bin Suwaid, who sat behind him. He asked the Companion: “Do you know anything about Umayya’s poems?”
The Companion answered: “Yes, I do” and began to recite some of his poems. Having liked the poems so much, the Messenger (PBUH) asked Sharid to recite some more.
The Companion finished reciting the whole poem. And the Messenger said:
“Umayya was very close to being a Muslim.”
In another narration, the Messenger said: “Umayya’s poems had faith yet he stayed in aberration himself.”
A famous Arab orator by the name of Quss bin Said should also be mentioned. We will discuss his khutbah that heralded our Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) arrival as a messenger at a later point.
Idols
There is a story about how these idols were first introduced to Makkah:
Amr bin Luhay was the first person to bring idols into the city and encouraged people to worship them.
When Amr went to Damascus, he passed by someplace called Maab, and saw a tribe having descended from Noah that was worshipping idols. When he asked them why they were worshipping idols, they answered: “We ask for help from them and we receive help; we ask for rain and we get rain.”
Upon this, Amr wanted an idol so that he could take it to Makkah. They accepted his wish and gave him an idol named Hubal.
Amr took Hubal with him to Mecca and put it there. He encouraged people to worship it. Ignorant people became convinced and started to worship idols.
This is how the first idol was brought to Makkah and how people began to worship idols.
Every Tribe had a Different Idol of Their Own
After that, idolatry began to spread in Makkah. Every tribe had its own idol.
Quraysh worshipped and considered Uzzah to be the greatest idol.
The tribes of Aws and Khazraj used to worship an idol named Manat which was located in between Makkah and Madinah in a place called Mushallal. At a later time, these two tribes began to worship the idols Lat and Uzza alongside Manat.
Wad, which was the idol that belonged to the tribe of Kalb, was in someplace called Dumatu’l-Jandal.
The tribe of Huzail used to worship an idol called Suwa which was in Ghatafan.
The Haywan, which was one branch of the tribe of Hamdan, used to worship an idol called Yauk which was somewhere in Hamdan.
The tribes of Tayy and Nasr used to worship an idol called Yaghuth. And the people of Himyari tribe used to worship Nasr.
The Sons of Bakr and the tribe of Kinana used to worship Sa’d.
The aforementioned tribes used to worship those idols and ask for help, rain and victory from them. According to their belief, these lifeless, soulless items made of stones or wood were capable of making their wishes come true.
However, anyone who is sane enough knows and agrees that lifeless, soulless items can neither give benefit nor cause harm to people. They have neither the capability nor the power to help people.
Nevertheless, the Arabs of that time were so unreasonable that they were not able to think of this truth.
The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) would to come in order to save those people suffering from ignorance and aberration in terms of faith, with the light of knowledge and righteousness. He would undertake the duty of giving them light and peace.
Moral Situation
The moral situation in Arabia during the Age of Ignorance was in a completely miserable state. Wretched desires and deeds prevailed over the community; alcohol, gambling, fornication, lying, theft, cruelty, in short, all kinds of immoral acts were widespread all over Arabia.
The strong used the whip of cruelty against the weak. At the same time, the strong were always right and could have the weak and powerless do whatever they wanted. The amount of importance that was given to the life of a fly was not given to humanity. People who were taken as captives in raids were either killed under torture or were sold as slaves in markets like simple items.
Women were regarded as simple and cheap commodities that could be bought and sold. Young maids were encouraged and even forced to commit fornication so that money could be made through them. The Quran mentioned this behavior, which does not comply with human dignity, and prohibited them from committing this ugly action:
“…But force not your maids to prostitution when they desire chastity, in order that ye may make a gain in the goods of this life. But if anyone compels them, yet, after such compulsion, is God, Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful (to them)” (16)
A woman could live with more than one man at the same time. Such a woman would notify the public of her decision by planting a pole on the roof of her house.
A step-mother could inherit her step-son from her husband just like a household item.
The Tradition of Burying Girl Infants Alive
Some Arabs who lived in the desert considered having daughters to be shameful and a disaster. For that reason, cruel fathers would bury their daughters alive upon their birth or would throw them into wells, sometimes without even giving anyone a chance to see them.
They tried to prove this cruel tradition right by putting forward some imaginary reasons.
They used to say:
“They will grow and taint our honor one day, or they will become wretched. Moreover, they will become a burden on us because of their living expenses and we will not be able to meet their needs.”
Sometimes a mother would have a hole dug up in the ground as the birth drew near. As the baby girl, who just came into the world, opened eyes for the first time, she would immediately be thrown into the hole and be covered with soil.
Other fathers would dress up their daughters in beautiful dresses when they reached the age of six as though they were taking them for a visit to their relatives, but would instead take them to the desert. Those poor children would be left in the graves that had been prepared for them and would be buried alive by having soil thrown over them.
Those who did not want to kill their daughters would have the latter dressed in thick, woolen gowns and isolate them from the society by sending them away to herd sheep or camels.
The Quran tells us of this barbaric tradition that the Arabs living in the desert practiced in the following verse:
“When news is brought to one of them, of (the birth of) a female (child), his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people, because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain it on (sufferance and) contempt, or bury it in the dust? Ah! What an evil (choice) they decide on!”
Someone who practiced this barbaric tradition in the Age of Ignorance and later became a Muslim tearfully related the following to the Messenger (PBUH):
“O Messenger of Allah! We are a people who lived during the Era of Ignorance. We used to worship idols and kill our daughters. I used to have a daughter. She used to come to me in joy when I called her.
“One day I called her again. She came running and followed me to a well which was not so far from our house. I held her hand and threw her into the well.
“Her last words to me were:
“Daddy! Daddy!”
The Lord of the Universe (PBUH) could not help crying upon hearing this violent memory. He cried so much that his beard got wet with his tears. Then he said:
“Verily, Allah leaves what you did in the Era of Ignorance there, unless you do it again. He does not transfer it into the Era of Islam.”
At that time, high virtues called compassion and mercy had been removed from spirits, hearts and consciences. Besides, in a heart where belief in the Sultan of the Universe does not exist, in a conscience where fear from that sultan does not exist, there will be no place for compassion, mercy and virtue.
Political System
Arabia did not have a proper political system and social system in the Era of Ignorance. The majority of the people were leading a nomadic life. They were separated into tribes.
A tribe is a community which determines its own social system.
These nomadic tribes were continuously in conflict with each other. They were ready to attack and dishonor someone else and steal his goods at any given moment. Incursion and plunder were their means of livelihood. They used to attack an enemy tribe of theirs and take away their camels and enslave their women and children.
There had not been a time in which there was peace. If a tribe wronged another tribe, that tribe would try to gain revenge by applying the philosophy of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
Wars, fighting and incursion were so rooted in their souls and lives that they would fight each other if they could not find any hostile tribe to fight against. The poet Qutami intends to express this situation with these lines, “If we cannot find anyone else, we will attack Bakrs, who are our brothers.”
They had been living as tribes and clans for a long time and never thought about uniting around a central government. For this reason, the Peninsula was deprived of civilized and social laws. Therefore, cruelty, conflicts, battles and fights continuously occurred. Anyone could do anything he wanted if he had enough power. The powerful and reputable would always get away with everything they did.
Literary Situation
In addition to all of this, it is an unobjectionable fact that Arabs were at the zenith of talent in literature, rhetoric and eloquence at the time Islam emerged. There was no nation in the world that could challenge them on this matter.
Poetry and poets meant everything to them because poetry was the only trustworthy mirror that could reflect the social life, traditions, and beliefs of their ancestors.
Poets were esteemed and received much respect in society, so much that Arabs always preferred that a famous poet rise from their community as opposed to a strong hero. A poet was the only one who could spread their fame, which was the Arabs’ sole aim. They feared a poet’s satires as they feared snakes.
Poets were considered to be heroes by them. Tribes would wage war on one another over the single word of a poet. Likewise, wars that had persisted for years could be resolved by the single word of a poet.
In old times, poetry was called, “an Arab’s notebook.” The Arabs’ moral values, traditions, religion, and rules could only be known through poems that were passed from generation to generation.
There were many factors that supported and encouraged poetry during those times. A strong poet would elicit esteem for both his tribe and himself.
Moreover, fairs that had been organized at certain times played an important role in the development of poetry. Those fairs were a kind of literature exhibition. At those fairs, poetry and rhetoric competitions were organized in the presence of juries. Poets and rhetoricians came from various places to recite their poems and speeches and would do their best to beat one another. They took great pride in defeating their opponents.
At last, juries would choose the winner and the winning poem would be written with golden letters on a linen fabric and hung on the Kaaba’s wall.
Suq Uqaz, which was between Taif and Nahla, was the largest of all the festivals. Mostly, poetry competitions were organized there.
At the same time, these fairs used to serve as a sort of exhibition in which all tribes would come together for commercial, social, and political activities. People who wanted to save the slaves they knew by paying ransom, to settle their problems, to find their enemies, to read poems and to make speeches would go to those fairs.“Holding poetry in high esteem resulted in the deep scrutiny of language.” In this way, literature, eloquence, and eloquence were at their peak in Arabia by the time Islam emerged. An invisible hand was preparing the minds and souls for the preternatural wording of the Miraculous Quran.
Because the Arabs had an eminent talent in literature, the Quran was sent down during the zenith of literature, rhetoric, and eloquence. It challenged Arabian poets and rhetoricians to compete with its miraculousness and conciseness. However, it was not long before that they understood that they had to quit and that it was impossible to compose a counterpart to this unique book.
The style of the Quran is so concise, so sweet, so clear and so fluent that Arabs who were experts in literature could not hide their surprise. One day, a scholar of literature who was from among the Bedouin Arabs, read the verse “Therefore expound openly what thou art commanded, and turn away from those who join false gods with God.”fell down in prostration.
This action infuriated the idolaters. They looked at him hatefully and shouted: “You became a Muslim too?”
“No”, said the litterateur. “I just prostrated before the eloquence and fluency of this verse.”
Imru’l Qais was one of the poets of Muallaqa. One day, his sister heard the verse “Then the word went forth: "O earth! Swallow up thy water, and O sky! Withhold (thy rain)!” and the water abated, and the matter was ended. The Ark rested on Mount Judi, and the word went forth: “Away with those who do wrong!” she went straight to the Kaaba and took down her brother’s poem, which was hung on the wall at the top of all the other poems and said: “Nobody has anything to say any more. Even my brother’s poem cannot stand before this eloquence.” When others saw that the most famous poem had been taken down, they took down the other poems down one by one as well.
The oldest and most famous examples of poetry in the Age of Ignorance were without a doubt the “Muallaqat as-Sab’a” (Seven hangers). Those poems were recited by people and transferred from generation to generation, reaching many centuries ahead.According to a strong view, these poems were collected by Hammad ar-Rawiya.
The poets whose poems were hung on the walls of the Kaaba are as follows:
Imru’l Qais, Tarafa, Labid, Zukhair, Amr bin Kulthum, Antara (a.k.a. Nabigha), Haris bin Hiliza (a.k.a. A’sha).
The religious, moral, political, social, and literary state of Arabia was like this during the time in which our Holy Prophet (PBUH) was going to be given the duty of prophethood.
Of course, there was need for someone who could change this scene that disseminated violence and barbarism. And that person was already decided by the command of pre-eternal Fate: Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh).
He was going to change the world’s physical and spiritual condition with the Divine Light he brought with him… He was going to turn the faces of people from this world to the hereafter, from that which is fleeting to the Eternal Beloved One; by doing this, he was going to provide people with worldly and unworldly happiness.
This person, who was to be appointed as a prophet by Allah, was the person who would declare that man was not unattended, that everything in the universe, from atoms to the solar system, from stars to galaxies, rotated and traveled for a holy aim and that the universe served a lofty aim with all of its constituents.
This person was going to save humanity from the swamp of immorality, in which they were about to be drowned, by teaching them the most beautiful lessons of morality.
This person was the person who would give the best answers to questions like, “Why was the universe created?”, “Where do people come from?”, “Where will they go?”
This person was going to inform people about Allah, who is the Owner of humanity, of what He wants from humans, what He likes and what He dislikes clearly.
This person was going to guide not only a specific tribe or a specific nation but also the whole of humanity with orders that he would take from Allah.
Like the whole world, the Arabian Peninsula, was also looking forward for that person to come in order to complete such significant duties.
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Narrated ‘Uthman bin Sa’d:
That Ibn Sirin said: “I made my sword like the sword of Samurah bin Jundab. Samurah claimed that he made his sword like the sword of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), and it was a Hanafiyah.”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1683
In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 14
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1683
really really really awesome (/s) that my sister who’s been stuck in our home state for 6 months due to medical complications with her pregnancy (that I have very Barely seen) has suddenly decided Tomorrow is the day she and her new family (i have not met my nephew!) go back to Oklahoma, which also happens to be the same fucking day I’ve finally set up another appointment with my rabbi after 6 years of attendance at my synagogue and 3 years since my last meeting. 😐
Narrated Jabir:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered Makkah, and his standard was white.”
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1679
In-book reference : Book 23, Hadith 10
English translation : Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1679
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Convert HHMMSS Time Format to Hours as Numbers #Excel #shorts
