Oh Lord! to You, alone, do I complain of my helplessness, the paucity of my resources and of my insignificance before mankind. You are the most Merciful of the mercifuls. You are the Lord of the helpless and the weak. If your wrath has not fallen upon me, there is nothing for me to worry about.
When the torment and oppression by the Quraysh failed to stem the advancing tide of Islam, they decided to boycott the Hashim clan unless they handed over Muhammad for execution.
Under the terms of the boycott, it was forbidden to enter into marital relations with Banu Hashim, to sell or purchase things to them, to supply food or water to them or to have any social relationship with them.
The resolution to this effect was drafted by Mansur b. Ikramah and hung on the door of the Ka'bah.
Abu Talib, the Prophet's uncle, was thus, forced to confine his clan and himself in a gorge called Shi'b Abu Talib where they endured three years of extreme penury and hardship. No provisions could reach them from the outside.
They, therefore, had no alternative but to feed themselves on the leaves of trees. The Quraysh used to rejoice on hearing the cries of hungry children in the gorge. Some kind souls among them, however, secretly sent food supplies which served to sustain the hard-pressed clan.
After three years, some close relatives of the clan of Hashim roused by sympathy for their kith and kin decided to rescue the Hashimites. Despite Abu Jahl's bitter opposition, Hisham Makhzumi, Zam'ah b. Al-Aswad, Mut'am b. Adiyy and Zuhayr and Abu Ummayah (from the Quraysh) stood firmly against the boycott resolution.
One day, after an argument with Abu Jahl, Mut'am b. Adiyy got up to tear the pact hanging on the wall of the Ka'bah, only to find that insects had already devoured most of it, except the opening words, "In the name of Allah. At this juncture, Muhammad (SAW), his followers, and supporters from the clan of Hashim were liberated from oppression.
THE PROPHET'S ASCENSION (MI'RAJ) The year of liberation from excesses was also the year of ascension. Allah conducted the Prophet (SAW) through the heavens and back to earth.
In the first stage of his celestial journey, he went from Masjid-al-Haram (the sacred mosque at Makkah) to Masjid al-Aqsa (the distant sacred mosque at Jerusalem) where he led a congregation of Prophets from the past in prayer.
He was then conducted to the heavens. On the way, he held meetings with Prophets in their various abodes, after which he arrived at Sidrat al-Muntaha, where a lote tree marks the end of the physical world, and Bayt-al-Ma'mur, a Ka'bah of angels encompassed daily by 70,000 of them.
Gabriel, stopped there for a time during which the Prophet (SAW) had an audience with the Divine Being and experienced the thrill of witnessing Divine glory and manifestation. Here, the Prophet (SAW) received Divine commandments.
It is assumed that the five daily prayers were made obligatory during this journey to the Heavens.
DEATH OF ABU TALIB AND KHADIJAH: A few days after release from the prison of Shi'b Abu Talib, the Prophet's favourite uncle and guardian, Abu Talib died. Another calamity shortly followed this bereavement, when his illustrious wife, Khadijah (RA), also passed away.
Thus, two of the Prophet's most trusted supporters made their way to the grave in the same year.
For forty years, Abu Talib had been his faithful friend, the props of his childhood, the guardian of his youth and, in later life, his tower of defence.
The dangers to which Abu Talib exposed himself and his family for the sake of his nephew, yet incredulous of his mission, stamps his character as singularly noble and selfless.
As for Khadijah (RA), she had been his counsellor and supporter for 25 years and the first to believe in his Prophet-hood.
She offered him ungrudging support in the propagation of his faith and firmly stood by his side during the stormy period of persecution and hardship.
Her love for the Prophet (SAW) never wavered and her faith in him was never shaken come what may.
The Prophet's grief at her death was very profound. He retained the tenderest recollections of her love and devotion to the end of his life.
Because of the incidents which caused a lot of grief this year, was always remembered by the Prophet (SAW) as the year of sorrow ('Am-al-Huzn).
UNRESTRAINED PERSECUTION OF THE PROPHET (SAW) Hitherto, Abu Talib's patronage and Khadijah's financial prestige had restrained the hands of the Quraysh.
However, after their passing away, the Quraysh assailed the Prophet (SAW) boldly and mercilessly.
Books of Hadith and the Prophet's biography record several instances of unbearable torment that the Quraysh inflicted on the Prophet (SAW) following the death of his ardent supporters. One day an idiot from the Quraysh threw dust on him which had to be removed, from his hair by his daughter when he got home.
JOURNEY TO TA'IF: Disappointed with the people of Makkah, due to their stone-heartedness, the Prophet (SAW) decided to travel to Ta'if and invite the chiefs and wealthy men of that city to Islam.
However, when he preached to them they responded no different than the Makkans. In fact, the Makkans, due to familiarity with his character and kinship, sometimes treated the Prophet (SAW) with consideration.
The people of Ta'if however, were complete strangers. They, therefore, treated him even more harshly.
Accompanied by Zayd b. Harithah the Prophet stayed for 10 days in Ta'if delivering his message to several people, but to no avail.
Stirred to hasten the departure of the unwelcome visitors, the people hooted him in the street and set a bunch of hooligans after him who jeered and hurled stones at him, causing injuries that bled so profusely that the inside of the Prophet's shoes were clogged with blood.
When exhausted, he would sit down, but the hooligans would pull him to his feet, revile him, pelt him with stones thus forcing him to flee the city. Pursued by relentless rabble, Zayd (RA), also received head injuries while endeavouring to shield him.
The mob did not desist from inflicting injuries on the two until they had chased them two or three miles across the sandy plains to the foot of surrounding hills. There, wounded and exhausted, they found refuge in the vineyard of Utbah b. Rabi'ah. Here, the Prophet (SAW) rested against the wall of the vineyard.
The owners of the vineyard, Utbah and Shaybah, the sons of Rabi'ah, witnessed the condition of the Prophet (SAW) with pain. Moved by compassion, they sent one of their Christian servants to him with a tray of grapes.
The Prophet (SAW) accepted the fruit with the invocation, in the name of the Lord. He is also reported to have talked to the servant who was impressed by his remarks.
At a time when the whole world seemed to turn against him, the Prophet (SAW) turned to his Lord and took to prayer.
The following words uttered by him on the occasion were preserved by reliable sources; they indicate the way in which his soul gave vent during distress:
Oh Lord! to You, alone, do I complain of my helplessness, the paucity of my resources and of my insignificance before mankind You are the most Merciful of the mercifuls. You are the Lord of the helpless and the weak. Oh Lord of mine! into whose hands would you abandon me? Into the hands of unsympathetic foes who sullenly frown on me, or the enemy who has been given control over my affairs? If your wrath has not fallen upon me, there is nothing for me to worry about. I seek protection in the light of your countenance, which illuminates the heavens and dispels darkness, and which controls all the affairs of this world as well as that of the Hereafter. May it never be that I should incur your wrath or that you become wrathful to me? There is no other power nor source (of light) save You alone."
MUT'AM B. ADIYY EXTENDS SUPPORT: Disappointed and dejected the Prophet (SAW) returned to Makkah.
There was no one who could help and support him now anywhere. It was in such a situation of helplessness that Mut'am b. Adiyy came forward and declared his support for the Prophet (SAW).
He did this at the courtyard of the Ka'bah where he openly proclaimed: "I have taken Muhammad (SAW) under my protection. None dare persecute him now."
Under his protection, the Prophet (SAW) widened his field of Da'wah efforts and began to deliver speeches in open assemblies of people, in the trade fair, at Ukaz and Dhu-al-Majaz, and also among pilgrims on the occasion of Haj.
He also made a tour of the various tribes in Arabia and called them to Islam.
Abu Lahab pursued the Prophet (SAW) wherever he went. Whenever the Prophet (SAW) spoke to the people, he would call out: "O people, this fellow has turned away from the religion of his forefathers. He exhorts people to cast off the yoke of al-Lat and al-Uzza from their necks, Don't listen to him He's a liar."
Citizens of Madinah embrace Islam
As mentioned above, the Prophet (SAW) used to go to meet various caravans of pilgrims on the occasion of Haj in order to preach to them. One day on the eve of Haj ie on the 10th Rajab, the Prophet (SAW) went as usual to the encampments of several tribes, near a place called Aqabah, where the present day mosque stands. Here, he saw a handful of people moving.
Upon enquiring, as to who they were he learned that they belonged to the tribe of Khazraj. The Prophet (SAW) invited them to accept Islam and recited the verses of the Holy Quran to them. These people were idolaters like the pagans of Makkah.
However, because they were neighbours of the Jews, they had become familiar with the scriptures. Because of this they knew that the Jews were expecting a Prophet to come from Allah. On hearing the Prophet's discourse, they exchanged looks and exclaimed:
"Look, here is the Prophet (SAW) in whose name the Jews threaten you. We should not let them beat us."
The men who were six in all then pronounced their acceptance of Islam with one voice. Their names were: Abu al-Haytham b. Tayyihan, Abu Umamah Asad b. Zurarah, Awf b. Malik, Rafi b. Malik b. Ajlan, Qutbah b. Amir b. Hadith, Jabir b. Abd-Allah b. Riyab.
THE FIRST PLEDGE OF AQABAH: The following year twelve men, ten of whom were of Khazraj, and two from the Aws tribe, arrived in Makkah from Madinah and accepted Islam. They swore allegiance in the following words:
"We shall not worship any one but Allah. We shall not steal, neither shall we commit adultery nor kill our children. We shall obey the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in all that is good."
This oath is known as the first pledge of Aqabah, named after a little terraced mound where it was taken.
These people also requested the Prophet (SAW) to send a preacher with them to instruct them about the law of Islam.
On this occasion the Prophet (SAW) deputed Mus'ab b. 'Umayr (RA) to go with them as their instructor. Mus'ab later took up residence in the house of As'ad b. Zurarah, a wealthy citizen of Madinah from where he used to go from door to door daily to preach the message of Islam.
Every day he won one or two converts, due to which a sizeable body of Muslims came into being in Madinah.
Mus'ab's efforts also succeeded in converting the chief of Aws, Sa'd b. Mu'az, whose influence on his people was so great that upon his conversion the whole tribe entered the fold of Islam.
THE SECOND PLEDGE OF AQABAH: In the year after the first pledge of 'Aqabah, 72 men arrived on the eve of Haj and secretly swore allegiance to Islam at the hands of the Prophet (SAW) at Mina.
Due to the conversion of the Aws and Khazraj to Islam a large body of supporters of Islam came into existence in Madinah who were prepared to sacrifice all their belongings in the way of Islam.
The Prophet (SAW), who had been looking for a haven of peace wherein he could establish his headquarters and from where he could freely propagate the religion of Allah on a wider scale, then, naturally, decided to transfer his centre of da'wah activities to Madinah.
The Ansar, or "helpers" were eagerly waiting to be accorded such an honour. Abbas, the Prophet's uncle, who was still a non-Muslim, but nevertheless, closely associated with the Prophet (SAW) spoke out on this occasion and made the people of Khazraj aware of their decision to abide by the Prophet's (SAW) commands. Addressing the Ansar, he said:
"O people of Khazraj, Muhammad (SAW) is a prominent and respectable member of his clan. We have always protected him, even against those of his own people who think as highly of him as we do. Among us, he stands strong and secure. He refuses to join anyone except you and now wishes to live with you. If you think you can carry out what you promised, while inviting him to your town, and can defend him against his enemies, then steadfastly carry the burden you have taken upon yourselves. However, if you are going to surrender him to his enemies and betray him after bringing him with you, you had better leave him now, because he is respected and well defended in his own home."
After hearing his speech, the people from Yathrib (the former name of Madinah) replied: "We have heard what you have said, O Abbas, and turning to the Prophet (SAW) they continued, "O Prophet (SAW) of Allah speak out (about your opinion) and choose for yourself and your Lord what you desire."
On hearing this, the Prophet (SAW) after reciting some verses from the Holy Quran and preaching the faith of Allah in moving terms said:
"I have decided to make a covenant with you on condition that you protect me against everyone, just as you would protect your women and children."
Bara b. Ma'rur Ansari, who was the chief of his people and their elder, then stretched his hand to make the pledge upon which the Prophet (SAW) took his hand in his own hands.
Bara then declared, "O Messenger of Allah! we have been reared in the shadow of swords. Even before he could finish his words, Abu-al-Haytham b. al-Tayyihan Ansari interjected, and said "O Prophet of Allah! after this pledge, our relations with the Jews will be severed and we fear that when you gain power and authority, you will abandon us and return to your native city."
"No," replied the Prophet:
"Your blood is now like my blood and you are (as dear to me) as my own self; I shall fight whoever fights you and make peace with whoever you make peace with."
All the people present then said together, "We take him despite all threats to his property, wealth and life. Tell us, O! Prophet of Allah (SAW)! what will be our reward if we remain true to our oath"?
In his usual self-reliance, the Prophet (SAW) replied, "Paradise."
They stretched their hands towards him, and he towards them. The covenant was then concluded in the following words:
"All of us shall obey you, O Prophet of Allah in all kinds of circumstances, in good times as well as in hard times, in times of joy as well as in sorrow. We will not wrong anyone and shall speak the truth at all times, and we affirm that for Allah's cause, we will not fear opposition by anyone."
The second oath of Aqabah thus, aroused the hostility of the Quraysh even further. They were unhappy with the emigration, because it had moved the Muslims to a place entirely beyond their reach and could prove to be a safe haven from whence they might securely work out their plans.
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