THE DESCENT OF THE REVELATION; THE COMING OF JEBRÂIL [GABRIEL], AND HIS RECITING THE EVIDENT SIGNS TO THAT PRINCE AND CHIEF OF BEINGS—UPON WHOM BE THE BLESSING OF ALLAH AND PEACE!
Some historians—may Allah have mercy on them—have related that in the beginning of the forty-first year from the most propitious birth of that intercessor on the day of judgment Jebrâil appeared on Monday, the seventeenth of the blessed month of Ramazân, on the top of Mount Hira, and ordered his lordship to recite the Surah [chapter]: Read.145 Having rubbed his heel on the ground, and thereby produced a spring of water, Jebrâil taught his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—how to perform the religious ablution and to pray. Others say that Jebrâil taught him how to wash himself and to pray on Tuesday, the second day of the mission. Some traditionalists assert that his lordship the last of prophets—u. w. b.—was sleeping in the cave of Mount Hira, when Jebrâil made his appearance in the shape of a man, and said: ‘Read.’ But his lordship answered: ‘I am not a reader.’ Then Jebrâil squeezed him so hard that he thought his death was near; but the angel again said, ‘Read,’ received the same answer, and again pressed his holy and prophetic lordship. After having repeated this proceeding thrice, Jebrâil exclaimed: ‘Read in the name of thy Lord who hath created. Who hath created man of congealed blood. Read by the most beneficent Lord who taught the use of the pen. Who teacheth man that which he knoweth not.’146 One of the U’lâma says: ‘The first squeezing purified his august nature from all concupiscence, the second from all sinful desires, although the heart receives all good and evil impressions, such as the radiations of the faith and the inspirations of Satan. It is true that the blessed heart of his holy and prophetic lordship was free from all ignominious qualities, but his purification was necessary to divest it from human failings and to prepare it for the reception of Divine revelations.
Quatrain: For the veil he lifted
From the virgin Qurân,
And explained its signification,
Free of all contamination.
Some chroniclers relate that when this operation took place his lordship thought that he would receive some blameworthy qualities, such as soothsaying or madness; therefore he hastened to the mountain to precipitate himself down therefrom. But when he reached the middle of it he heard a voice exclaiming: ‘O Muhammad, thou art the apostle of Allah, and I am Jebrâil!’ These words diverted his lordship from his intention, and in whatsoever direction he looked he perceived that intimate angel opposite to himself. After that awful event and immense favour he returned to his holy dwelling, where Khodaijah received him with the words: ‘O father of Qâsim, where hast thou been? for the messengers I sent were unable to find thee.’ His lordship then narrated what had taken place, and said: ‘Verily I fear I shall become a soothsayer.’ But Khodaijah rejoined: ‘Allah forbid! The Lord will bestow on thee only favours and blessings, and I hope thou wilt become the prophet of this nation.’ Then Khodaijah went to the son of her uncle, Waraqah Bin Naufil, who was one of the Christian U’lâma distinguished for his great intelligence, and she informed him of what had taken place. Waraqah replied: ‘I swear by that God in whose power my life is, that if these words of thine be true, Muhammad will be the prophet of this nation, for Jebrâil is the great Namûs147 who descended to Mûsa—u. w. b.—and to I’sa—u. w. b.’ Afterwards his lordship the apostle met Waraqah Bin Naufil and explained what had taken place. Waraqah swore an oath that Jebrâil was the great secretary who had brought the revelation to Mûsa, and continued: ‘Thou wilt be the prophet of this nation; but verily the people will injure, exile, and fight thee.’ Hereby the mind of his lordship was pacified, and he returned to his sacred mansion. One day he was reclining in the cave of Hira, when Jebrâil entered from the rear and struck him with his foot. Hereon the apostle—u. w. b.—sat up straight, looked in all directions, but could see no one; when he again reclined, Jebrâil touched him with his foot again, and said: ‘O Muhammad, arise!’ His lordship got up and saw a man in front of himself, whom he then followed. When they had arrived between Marvah and Safa that man fixed his feet on the ground, stretched his head up to the sky, and spread out his wings, which reached from the east to the west. His feet are said to have been yellow, his wings green, and he had a necklace of red rubies, but according to others of coral. The hair of his head was of the hue of corals, his forehead bright, his countenance luminous, his teeth bright and shining; between his two eyes the words were written, ‘There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.’148 When the apostle of Allah— u. w. b.—perceived this spectacle he was frightened by the magnitude of Jebrâil’s person, and said: ‘May Allah have mercy upon thee—who art thou? Verily I have never seen such a handsome and tall man as thee!’ That individual replied: ‘I am Jebrâil, the Faithful Spirit who has descended to all prophets and inspired messengers. Read, O Muhammad.’ His sacred and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.— asked: ‘What am I to read? I have never read anything, nor do I know how to read.’ Hereon Jebrâil took from beneath his wing a piece of the silk of paradise, embroidered with pearls and gems, and threw it upon his blessed face. Then he squeezed him so that he nearly fainted, and letting go his lordship again, he said: ‘O Muhammad, read.’ His lordship the refuge of the termination [of prophecy] repeated the same answer, whereon Jebrâil again squeezed him as in the first instance. According to the most current tradition, he did so thrice, and the fourth time he said: ‘Read in the name of thy Lord who hath created, who hath created man of congealed blood.’ According to another tradition, his lordship wished to die in order to escape the calamity of further squeezing, when Jebrâil was for the third time saying, ‘Read.’ On that occasion Jebrâil struck his foot upon the ground, whereon a spring of water gushed out, and he performed the religious ablution according to the well-known custom, and then taught the prophet to do so likewise. Then Jebrâil stepped forward, the lord of apostleship —u. w. b.—imitated him, and they performed orisons with two prayer-flexions. From that time prayers became obligatory upon his lordship, and he occasionally performed them with two flexions, until the time when the ‘five prayers’ and the ordained periods thereof were established. After the termination of their devotions Jebrâil disappeared, and his holy and prophetic lordship returned home. He knocked at the door, which Khodaijah opened, and, embracing him, said: ‘May my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee! I perceive a light in thy countenance the like of which I have never beheld. I smell a fragrance from thee the like of which I have never inhaled. Relate to me what has happened.’ The lord of apostleship— u. w. b.—then narrated the occurrence, and she replied: ‘Allah the most glorious and high has shown thee favour.’ According to another tradition, she bade his lordship to remain in the house, and said: ‘Whenever Jebrâil appears to thee inform me of it.’ Afterwards, when Jebrâil came to his lordship, Khodaijah, having become aware of his presence, took his lordship the refuge of the apostolate— u. w. b.—upon her left knee, and asked: ‘Seest thou him?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ Then she seated him on her right knee, repeated the question, and received the same answer. She then concealed his lordship under her robes, lifted his blessed head out from the collar-drapery, and, opening the coif round his head, asked: ‘Seest thou him?’ But he said: ‘No.’ Khodaijah then continued: ‘Glad tidings to thee, for this is a noble angel from the Lord God most high and holy.’ Thereon Khodaijah left his lordship in the house and paid a visit to Waraqah, who had a long time before abandoned the religion of the Qoraish, had become a Christian, and was well acquainted with the Enjil [Evangel]. She said to him: ‘O son of my uncle, inform me about Jebrâil.’ Waraqah replied: ‘Holy! holy! How can Jebrâil be mentioned in a city where God is not worshipped?’ Khodaijah continued: ‘Muhammad Bin A’bdullah Bin A’bd-ul-Muttalleb says: Jebrâil has descended upon me.’ Waraqah rejoined: ‘If Jebrâil descends in this country, great benefits and blessings will appear. He is the great messenger who has come down to Mûsa and to I’sa—salutation to both—and has conveyed to them Divine revelations.’ Khodaijah said: ‘Inform me whether it is recorded in the Toratah and in the Enjil that at present a prophet will be sent, who is an orphan and poor, but whom Allah the most high and glorious will enrich, and who will be united to a woman noble in station and descent?’ Waraqah replied: ‘Yes; and the qualities of that woman are thy qualities.’ She further inquired: ‘Has that prophet any other peculiarities?’ Waraqah continued: ‘One of his peculiarities is that he will, like I’sa, walk on the surface of the water, and as a corpse conversed with I’sa, so one will speak with him likewise. A rock will salute him, and trees will bear witness to his prophetship.’
It is related that Waraqah said to Khodaijah: ‘Send Muhammad to me, that he may himself narrate his affairs in detail.’ After his prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—had paid a visit to Waraqah, and had narrated his circumstances to him, Waraqah exclaimed thrice: ‘Glad tidings to thee, O Muhammad! Verily I bear witness that thou art the prophet whose advent I’sa—u. w. b.—has predicted when he said: “After me a prophet will be sent whose name will be Ahmed,” and that the great messenger who had come down to Mûsa has descended also upon thee.’ Hereon he kissed the crown of his head, and continued: ‘Thou wilt soon be commanded to attack, fight, and wage war against infidels. Would to God that I could be alive at that time when the people will expel thee from the country, that I might aid and succour thee!’ His lordship asked: ‘Will the people drive me out?’ Waraqah replied: ‘Yes; no mortal attained such dignity without being hated and persecuted.’ A short time afterwards Waraqah Bin Naufil died, and therefore could not live to witness the period of the mission, but his lordship said: ‘I have seen the beazle of the ring in paradise, dressed in green robes; for he has believed in me.’ And in traditions ‘the beazle of the ring’ means Waraqah Bin Naufil.
It is related that after meeting Waraqah, Khodaijah went to the monk A’dâs, a decrepit old man, who received her with much affability, and asked for the reason of her having condescended to pay him a visit. Khodaijah replied that she desired to be informed about Jebrâil, but he prostrated himself, and exclaimed: ‘Holy! holy! What is the mention of Jebrâil in a town where God is not worshipped?’ Khodaijah reiterated her request, but he continued: ‘I swear by Allah that I shall give thee no information until thou sayest whence thou hast received this word.’ Khodaijah promised to comply on condition of his not informing anyone of what she would tell him. This he promised, and she continued: ‘Muhammad, the son of A’bdullah, son of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, says: “Jebrâil has descended upon me.”’ A’dâs stated: ‘Jebrâil is the great messenger who has brought revelations to Mûsa and to I’sa. If he descends in this country great blessings will redound thereon; but, O Khodaijah, by some machinations of Satan the calamity of madness has possibly befallen Muhammad! Take this book of mine to him, and tell him to study it in order to remain safe from the attacks of Satan, and if he be on the side of the Merciful One, the perusal of this book will bring him no harm.’ When Khodaijah brought the book to that prince, Jebrâil was just reciting the blessed verse, ‘By the pen, and what they write, thou [O Muhammad] through the grace of thy Lord art not distracted,’149 to his lordship. Khodaijah, pleased with hearing the evident signs [i.e., verses], said to the apostle: ‘May my father and mother be a sacrifice for thee! Arise, and let us go to A’dâs.’ Accordingly both visited A’dâs, who seated his lordship the refuge of the termination [of prophecy] near himself, bared his blessed shoulders, and perceived the seal of prophecy shining between them. He immediately prostrated himself, and then, raising his head, said: ‘Holy! holy! O Muhammad, I swear by God that thou art the prophet, whose advent Mûsa and I’sa have predicted. By Allah! should I be alive when thou wilt be inviting the people to believe, I shall fight with a sabre in front of thee.’ A’dâs continued, and asked: ‘O prophet of Allah, hast thou been commanded to do anything?’ He replied in the negative, whereon A’dâs said: ‘Thou wilt soon be ordered to proselytize the people, but they will accuse thee of falsehood and expel thee from this city; angels, however, will aid thee.’
In some traditions it is related that after Jebrâil had recited the Surah ‘Read’ to his lordship, he disappeared. Then his lordship entered the house of Khodaijah, the flesh of his shoulder-blades trembled, and he exclaimed: ‘Wrap me up!’ Accordingly something was placed upon his head till his fright left him. It is said that when his holy and prophetic lordship had after the descent of the revelation returned home, he said to Khodaijah: ‘I am afraid for my life.’ And she replied: ‘Allah the Most High will not distress thee; for thou art benevolent to thy relatives and distinguished for thy veracity. Thou art the support of a family, art hospitable, and helpest people labouring under calamities and misfortunes.’ Then Khodaijah betook herself to Waraqah, explained the matter to him, and he gave her the information recorded above.
It is said that after the [first] revelation, and the instructions concerning ablutions and prayers [had been vouchsafed to Muhammad], the revelations were interrupted for a long time. For this reason his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—became so melancholy that he intended on several occasions to throw himself down from the top of the mountain; each time, however, Jebrâil presented himself, and said: ‘O Muhammad, thou art indeed the prophet of Allah!’ These words always pacified his august mind and comforted it, whereon he returned to his house.
There is a tradition according to which Jâber Bin A’bdullah said: ‘The apostle of Allah—u. w. b.—said: “When the revelation ceased, I was walking on the road, and heard suddenly a voice from heaven. I looked up, and beheld the angel who had descended to me in the cave of Hira. I beheld him sitting on a chair between heaven and earth. Fear and trepidation overwhelmed me; I returned to the house, and exclaimed: ‘Wrap and cover me up.’ Therefore they put something over me, and the Most High afterwards sent the revelation: ‘O thou covered one, arise and preach, and magnify thy Lord. And cleanse thy garments, and fly every abomination,’” etc.’150
THE MANNER OF THE DESCENT OF THE REVELATION, AND SOME
VARIETIES THEREOF.
One way of revelation is by means of a true dream, as chroniclers relate that true visions constitute one of the forty-six parts of prophecy. There is a tradition of A’aishah that she said: ‘The first thing that impels the apostle of Allah is a true vision.’ Another way was that Jebrâil appeared to him in his own form, without changing it, and thus communicated the Divine message. Another manner was that Jebrâil appeared to his lordship in human shape and recited to him the verses of the Qurân with the words of the Lord. Another was that Jebrâil inspired his blessed heart with secret matters, although his lordship did not see him, and Allah the Most High has said: ‘The Faithful Spirit has inspired thy heart therewith, that ye both may be preachers.’ At other times his sacred and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—obtained revelations sounding like bells,151 and this manner was the strongest and most difficult, so that if he happened on such occasions to be mounted on a camel, both its fore-feet bent themselves.152 A’aishah says that when a revelation descended upon his lordship during severe cold weather, she had, nevertheless, on account of the great pains he felt, seen the perspiration dripping from his blessed forehead. It is related that one day, when the lord of apostleship—u. w. b. —was sitting in the area before the Ka’bah, O’thmân Bin Mutta’vum arrived, and accosted him with much civility. His lordship invited him to take a seat, which he did; but suddenly the lord of apostleship lifted his blessed eyes to heaven, then looked down to the ground, as well as on his right side. He appeared to O’thmân in the attitude of one who is being taught. He pointed to his own head, and some time afterwards again looked at the sky; then again glanced at O’thmân, who further relates: ‘I said: “O apostle of Allah, I have never seen thee in the state I behold thee this day.” He replied that a messenger had arrived from his majesty the Lord of both worlds, and had brought him a message; and on my asking what it was, he exclaimed: “Verily Allah commands you to act justly and kindly, to cherish your relatives, to abstain from profligacy, from iniquity, and from cheating each other; perchance you will remember.”153 From that time faith again took possession of my heart, and love for the apostle —u. w. b.—overpowered my soul.’
It is related that Zu-n-nûrin154 said: ‘I was one day sitting near the apostle of Allah; his lordship had placed both his knees upon mine and recited the blessed verse, “Shall those who remain sitting be equal with the believers?”155 which I wrote down. On that occasion the blind woman, Omm Maktûm, entered and said: “O apostle of Allah, if I do not, because I cannot, go to war, I must be excused.” Hereon immediately the words “Except those who are afflicted” were revealed.’ O’thmân said also: ‘By the descent of the load of the revelation the blessed body of his lordship became so heavy that I feared my thighs would break.’ Let it not remain hidden that such phenomena manifested themselves when the revelation was communicated according to the fifth manner.
A LIST OF THE HAPPY INDIVIDUALS WHO ATTAINED THE FELICITY OF RELIGION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE MISSION OF THE PROPHET—U. W. B.
The U’lâma of the nation agree that the first person the stature of whose ability became honoured by the robe of the religion was Khodaijah; but a number of pious men assert that A’li, the son of Abu Tâleb—u. w. b.—was made happy by becoming the first proselyte to the faith, and after him Zaid Bin Hâreth, the freed slave of the prince of existences, was exalted by that gift, and after that Abu Bakr believed the words of the prophet—u. w. b. The traditions now related may, however, also be adjusted as follows: The first person who believed in the prophetship of the prince of the righteous was Khodaijah, the first who confessed it was Ali the select—u. w. b.—and the first who attached himself to his lordship was Zaid Bin Hâreth. The priority of these three in believing the words of Ahmed, the chosen receptacle of the blessings of the Almighty Sovereign, is made clear as follows: ‘Sidiq Akbar156 was the first man, A’li Murtaza [i.e., the select] the first boy, and Zaid Bin Hâreth the first liberated slave, who had professed the religion; and as for the priority of Khodaijah, it needs no explanation. By the blessing of their sanctified utterances, O’thmân Bin U’ffân, Zobeir Bin Ala’wâm, Tolhah Bin A’bdullah, Sa’ad Bin Abu Woqâss, and A’bd-ur-rahman Bin A’wuf, who belonged to the evangelistic family, entered the assembly of his lordship the refuge of termination [of prophecy], and pronounced the beautiful Kalimat.157
It is recorded that when Sidiq became a Musalmân he caused the next day O’baidah Bin Jarrâh, Abu Moselamah Makhzûmi, O’thmân Bin Mutta’vum, and Râfum Bin Alarqum, to wait upon the prince of men and genii— u. w. b.—that they might become believers, monotheists and Moslems. On that occasion, also, A’mar Bin Yasar, with his mother Mimanah, O’baidah Bin-ul-Hâreth Bin A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, Sa’ad Bin Nafil, Ebn Omm A’mru, Hallâl, Sahib, Janâb Bin Arath, A’bd-ullah Musa’vur Ahazli, A’amer Bin Quhbarah, Khis Bin Hozaqah, Khâled Bin Sa’aid Ala’ass, A’bbâs Bin Abu Rabia’h, A’bdullah Bin Mahash Allasadi, with a number of other men and women, whose names have been recorded in biographies, successively made their profession of the Faith.
REASONS WHY HIS LORDSHIP MUHAMMAD MUSSTAFA—U. W. B. —PROTECTED AND EDUCATED A’LI MURTAZA—MAY ALLAH ENNOBLE HIS REPUTATION—AND HOW ABU TÂLEB WAS INFORMED OF THE MISSION OF HIS LORDSHIP, AND FOLLOWED THE EXAMPLE OF HIS OWN SON.
The principal historians relate that once there was a great famine in Mekkah, and that dearth prevailed among the Qoraish. At that time Abu Tâleb had but little property, but a numerous family; therefore his holy and prophetic lordship said to A’bbâs, who was distinguished among his contemporaries by the extent of his possessions: ‘Abu Tâleb is poor, and has a large family to support, accordingly we must try to lighten his burden during this year of scarcity, and each of us must take charge of one of his sons.’ A’bbâs having approved of this proposal, they went to Abu Tâleb’s house, explained the matter to him, and he replied: ‘Leave me, O’quail, and do with the rest as you like.’ After they had agreed on this point, his lordship the asylum of termination—u. w. b.—took A’li—u. w. b.—to his sacred house, and A’bbâs took Ja’far. A’li Murtaza— u. w. b.—was cherished by the protection of the prince of existences until he was ten years old. When Jebrâil appeared to his lordship commanding him to perform his orisons with two prayer flexions, A’li Murtaza happened to see his lordship engaged in prayers with Khodaijah; but as he perceived nought in front of them during their protractions, he was astonished, and asked after they had terminated: ‘O Muhammad, what art thou doing?’ His lordship replied: ‘This is the religion which Allah the Most High has selected for himself, and I invite thee to believe in Him who has no partner.’ According to one tradition A’li made his profession of the Faith on the very same day; but according to another he replied: ‘I can do nought without first consulting Abu Tâleb.’ But as his lordship the refuge of prophecy—u. w. b.—was unwilling that the matter should be divulged on that day, he said: ‘O A’li, if thou wilt not profess Islâm, at least conceal it.’ The boy meditated on the subject during that night. Allah inspired his heart to profess Islâm, and when the love thereof had taken root in the mind of that model of piety, he said the next morning to the lord of prophets: ‘What proposest thou to me?’ His lordship replied: ‘To bear witness that there is but one God. To renounce Lât and U’zza, and to abstain from apostasy.’ Accordingly he made his profession of the Faith on the spot.
In the Fazâil-ahl-beit it is recorded that his prophetic lordship received the mission on Monday, and that A’li— u. w. b.—was made happy by professing the religion on the second day after the mission—i.e., on Tuesday—but kept the matter secret from Abu Tâleb, and was saying prayers with his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—in the recesses of the mountains. One day Abu Tâleb happened to be looking for them, but being unable to find where they were, he made inquiries from Fattimah, the mother of A’li—u. w. b.— and she said: ‘A’li is greatly attached to Muhammad, and I dread lest he be engaged in a matter contrary to the religion of our fathers and ancestors.’ Abu Tâleb replied: ‘My son does not engage in such affairs without my approbation and advice.’ He, nevertheless, went in search of A’li, and discovered him in a mountain gorge with Muhammad. When A’li saw his father he became frightened, but Abu Tâleb asked: ‘What religion is this?’ And his lordship answered: ‘This is a religion which Allah the Most High has selected for Himself, and for the propagation whereof He has sent prophets.’ Hereupon the prince of existences invited his uncle to profess the orthodox religion and to aid him. Abu Tâleb retorted: ‘My soul does not allow me to abandon the Faith of my ancestors, to renounce idolatry and the religion of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb. Be thou, however, steadfast in the mission thou hast received, for as long as I am alive I shall protect and aid thee, and shall never betray thee to any foe. I shall ward off from thee the wicked machinations of enemies until Allah the Most High completes the matter whereunto He has sent thee.’ After that he turned to A’li Murtaza—u. w. b. —and said: ‘O A’li, be not afraid to become the first proselyte of the religion of thy uncle’s son and to follow the excellent Faith, because Allah—whose name be glorified— will be your keeper, guardian, and protector.’
There is also a tradition that one day Abu Tâleb entered a mountain-pass with his son Ja’far, where he perceived his lordship the refuge of apostleship—u. w. b.—and A’li the [future] commander of the faithful—u. w. b.—engaged in prayers. Abu Tâleb said to Ja’far: ‘Join the wing of the son of thy uncle.’ Accordingly, the latter stood by the side of the prophet and prayed with him, his lordship the asylum of termination uttering the following invocation in his favour: ‘The blessing of Allah be on thee and thy wings, for their bird will be in paradise.’ No doubt the Lord—whose name be magnified and exalted—responded to this prayer of His favourite by causing Ja’far to attain martyrdom158 in the war of Mautah, and by bestowing on him two wings, wherewith to soar about in the gardens of paradise, for which he is now called the ‘flying Ja’far.’
It is related that when Abu Tâleb ordered Ja’far to obey the prophet his lordship was much pleased and rejoiced. When Abu Tâleb returned home Fattimah, the daughter of Asad and mother of A’li Murtaza—u. w. b.—asked him: ‘Where is thy son?’ He queried: ‘What wouldst thou do with him?’ She continued: ‘A girl informed me that he is praying with Muhammad in a certain mountain-pass, and wouldst thou permit A’li to secede?’ Abu Tâleb retorted: ‘Be quiet and do not mind him, for he is right in taking the part of his uncle’s son Muhammad. If my soul were to allow me to renounce the faith of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb and to follow him, I would certainly do so.’ When these sentiments became public among the Qoraish they were greatly offended and afraid.
A trustworthy authority records as follows: ‘Once I had come to Mekkah during the time of the prilgrimage for the purpose of trading, and was purchasing goods at Mina from A’bbâs, when suddenly a man came out from an adjoining large tent, looked at the sun, and began to pray. A woman in his rear followed with a full-grown boy and imitated him. I asked A’bbâs who these people were, and he said to me: “The man is Muhammad Bin A’bdullah, the son of my brother, and the woman is his wife Khodaijah, the daughter of Khoilad, and the boy is A’li Bin Abu Tâleb, the son of my brother.” I asked: “What are they doing?” He said: “They are praying. Muhammad pretends to be a prophet, and says that the empires of the Qaissar and Kesra159 will be conquered by his followers; but up to this time no other persons are adhering to him except these two.”’ The author of this tradition some time afterwards made his profession of Islâm, and said: ‘Had I at that time been exalted by the blessing of Islâm and monotheism, I should be second only to A’li for all time to come.’ There is also a tradition that A’li said: ‘I prayed with the prophet before the people nine hundred and seven times.’
ABU BAKR SIDIQ—M. A. R. H.—PROFESSES ISLÂM.
There are various narratives recording the circumstances under which the sun of eternal grace first threw a ray of grace upon the heart of this happy man; one of these is the account contained as follows in the chronicle of Ebn Ahmed: After Zaid Bin Alhâreth had professed Islâm, Sidiq met the apostle of Allah on the road, and addressed him thus: ‘Is it true what I have heard about thee—that thou hast interdicted the worship of our gods, hast accounted our wise men to be fools, and hast occupied thyself with uttering declarations that the religion of our fathers and ancestors is a false one?’ His sacred and prophetic lordship answered: ‘O Abu Bakr, I am the apostle of Allah and a prophet. He has sent me to promulge His message. I invite thee to believe in the God who is one and has no partner, and, by Allah! these words are true.’ Hereon he recited with his wonderfully eloquent tongue several verses of the Qurân, whereon Sidiq made his profession of the religion. It is related in the Mostaqassa of Qâsim Bin Muhammad that the apostle of Allah—u. w. b.—said: ‘I never proposed Islâm to anyone but he had some excuse, repugnance, or procrastination [to plead] except Abu Bakr, for he did not study—i.e., hesitate in his readiness to accept the Faith.’ Sidiq being famous for his noble manners, good works, and laudable qualities, there was no one in Mekkah equal to him also in hospitality and the entertainment of strangers. The Qoraish were his intimate friends, associated constantly with him, and consulted him in their greatest difficulties. He was most learned in the knowledge of genealogies and of histories; scholars waited upon him and derived instruction from him; therefore he guided his friends and associates in the right way after he had been ennobled by professing Islâm, and explained to them the truthfulness, as well as the acceptability, of the words and signs of his prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—so that by the blessing of his successful efforts many Qoraish grandees and Arab princes were by him led from the desert of aberration to the fountain-head of guidance, and their names have been recorded above.
AFTER THE MISSION OF THE PROPHET OF THE LATTER DAYS THE SATANS ARE PROHIBITED TO APPROACH HEAVEN, AND KHOSRU PARVIZ, THE KING OF ERÂN, IS ADMONISHED.
It is related that before the mission the Satans used to ascend to heaven, each of them taking his position in a certain place, thus overhearing the conversations of the angels concerning the events of the world. Each of them, however, mixed a great deal of falsehood with the truth, and thus imparted it to mankind. When twenty days had elapsed after the appearance of prophecy and the honour of the mission, the Satans were—by means of inflamed shooting stars hurled against them—prohibited from listening stealthily, and lost their position in the sky. The first people who became aware of their having been stoned in this manner were the inhabitants of Tâif, each of whom began, according to his means, to sacrifice to idols, slaughtering sheep and camels, until at last they had scarcely any cattle left, and said to each other: ‘Nearly all our animals have perished, but the stars of heaven have not diminished.’ Therefore they ceased offering sacrifices. It is related that when Eblis witnessed this event he said: ‘Something must have happened in the world,’ and, in order to ascertain the matter, ordered the genii to bring some earth from every region, all of which he smelled, and when the turn of the soil of Tahâmah came, he said: ‘In that country some memorable event must have taken place;’ and after inhaling the odour of that earth the fire of confusion blazed up in his heart and in the ill-nature of that accursed one, and the smoke of disappointment mounted into his brains.
One of the events that took place at the time of the mission was the admonition of Khosru Parviz, who awoke one morning from a heavy sleep and beheld that the cupola of his palace had received an injury. He therefore became melancholy and oppressed, assembled his soothsayers and astrologers, and said to them: ‘Find out what this occurrence portends or may portend.’ After considering the position of the celestial bodies, they replied: ‘Allah is omniscient. But it appears that a great ruler will come forth from the region of Tahâmah and the country of Hejâz, whose religion will embrace the east and the west, and whose righteousness will civilize the inhabited world. The heads of the pulpits and the current coins of the various regions of the world will likewise be adorned and beautified by his blessed name and august titles.’
| Distich: | In the east the pulpits will resound with his praise; In the west the coins will be stamped with his name. |
There is a tradition of Hasan Bossry that the noble companions of his lordship the best of existences asked him: ‘What argument did Allah the Most High and Glorious use towards the Kesra with reference to thy mission?’ That prince replied: ‘The Most High had sent an angel, whose hand appeared through the wall of his castle, and shone so as to illuminate the whole apartment.’ This phenomenon terrified the Kesra, and the angel said: ‘The Most High has sent a prophet, and has given him His book; follow thou him, and thou wilt remain safe in this and in the next world.’
There is an authentic tradition that Khosru Parviz was sleeping in an apartment, when the inscrutable Creator sent an angel in the shape of a man, who appeared at the bedside of the Kesra with a staff in his hand, and said: ‘O Kesra, wilt thou become a Musalmân, or shall I break this staff?’ Kesra replied: ‘Let alone, let alone, and break it not.’ The angel then disappeared, whereon Kesra called for the chamberlains and gate-keepers, whom he blamed for having admitted that man. They, however, all swore that they had not seen him, nor allowed anyone to enter. After the lapse of one year the same angel again appeared to Khosru, and invited him to profess Islâm, but he refused, and the angel broke the staff.
It is related in biographies that Khâled, who had been one of the chief Magi, but had at last become a Musalmân, said: ‘When Khosru was riding out on a certain occasion, and preceded by two troopers—but according to another tradition they were riding on his right and left hand—they said to him from time to time: “O Khosru, thou art a servant, and the son of a servant of God; for God the Most High alone is King!” He nodded affirmatively with his head to this remark. One day those two men accompanied him, according to their wont, and again repeated the same words, but received no confirmation of their assertion as usual. Therefore they complained to the Mobed of Mobeds, whom no one had ever restrained from entering Khosru’s private apartments. Accordingly they went in to discuss this matter with the king, who was at that time asleep, but awakened by the voice of the Mobed and exclaimed: “Why hast thou aroused me, and not allowed me to complete my sleep? for I was in a dream borne beyond the seventh heaven, and carried before the Lord—may His glory be exalted and His honour magnified —where I perceived an individual wrapped in a Redâ, with an Izâr down to his feet, standing in that place. The Lord —m. h. g., etc.—said to me: “Surrender the keys of the treasuries of the surface of the earth to this man.” I had heard thus far when the noise of thy feet awakened me.’ It is related that the man with the Redâ and Izâr was our prophet—the blessing of Allah and peace be on him and on his family.
THE PROPHET—U. W. B.—FIRST SECRETLY INVITES THE PEOPLE [TO ACCEPT ISLÂM], AND AFTERWARDS PROMULGES HIS MISSION, BY THE COMMAND OF THE MOST HIGH AND GLORIOUS LORD TO ALL MANKIND.
It is related that during three years his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—was secretly inviting the people to accept the immaculate Law, and some professed Islâm, one by one or two by two; and in connection with this matter the blessed verse, ‘Obey to what thou art ordered, and avoid idolaters,’160 was revealed. After that his lordship the refuge of the termination [of prophecy] began openly to invite the people to accept the upright faith and the straight road; and when the blessed verse, ‘Admonish thy near relatives, and protect those believers who follow thee,’161 was revealed, his lordship the seal of the prophets and prince of the illustrious—u. w. b.—went to Mount Safa and exclaimed: ‘O tribe of the Qoraish!’ Accordingly the people assembled, and asked for the reason of his calling them. His lordship replied: ‘Would you believe me if I were to inform you that in the rear of this hill there is an army desirous of surprising you?’ They answered: ‘Yes; because thou art not suspected of falsehood, nor did we hear thee utter anything but truth and righteousness.’ Then the favourite of the Gracious Sovereign and Mercy to mankind said: ‘I warn you of a severe punishment!’ Here Abu Lahab Bin A’bd-ul-Muttalleb interrupted him, asking: ‘Is it for this that thou hast assembled us all in this day?’ Therefore the Surah, ‘The hands of Abu Lahab shall perish,’162 was revealed on the spot.
Some traditions have it that when his sacred and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—ascended to Mount Safa, he exclaimed, ‘O family of the Qoraish!’ and that when the people had congregated he turned his blessed face towards them, saying: ‘Did you consider me to be a liar?’ They replied: ‘No.’ He continued: ‘Then be it known unto you that Allah has sent me to be an apostle to you!’ and recited to them the words, ‘O ye men, I am an apostle from Allah to you all!’ But Abu Lahab said: ‘My cousin has become demented; do not pay attention to what he says.’ Accordingly the people dispersed.
In the Fazâil-ahl-beit163 it is recorded that A’li Murtaza said: ‘When the blessed verse “Admonish thy relatives” was revealed, his lordship the apostle ordered me to prepare food, to bring a pitcher of milk, and to convene his more near relatives who were scattered. Accordingly I invited forty of them to the repast, among whom were also Abu Tâleb, Hamzah, A’bbâs and Abu Lahab. When I got the meal ready, his lordship took up some meat with his blessed hand, tasted it, and put the remainder back near the dish, saying: “Take ye, in the name of Allah!” All of them ate and were filled, and I swear by Allah, in the grasp of whose power the life of A’li is, that one person alone might have consumed the whole meal, and that the thirst of all was quenched by that one pitcher of milk, which would not have sufficed one man. After drinking, and before his lordship the apostle had begun to speak, Abu Lahab turned towards the guests, and said: “O people, let him not prevail who is your companion, namely, Muhammad, who has practised magic.” Then he said to the prophet—u. w. b.: “The Qoraish have not the strength to contend against all the Arab tribes, and my proposal is, so to coerce the Bani Hâshem as to deprive them for ever from every pleasure and joy. This would be easier to us than that all the Arabs should gird their loins to fight and wage war against us; nor did any one of our tribe or family ever machinate to bring such an evil upon us except thyself.” These words of Abu Lahab displeased his lordship, but he remained silent, and the people dispersed.’
His lordship A’li Murtaza—u. w. b.—continues: ‘On another occasion the apostle of God said: “O A’li, Abu Lahab has been forward in speaking, as thou hast heard. Prepare thou again food as before.” I did as he had bid me, and after the people as well as the family of his lordship had assembled, they ate and drank, whereon his lordship exclaimed, after praising the Creator and testifying to His unity: “I swear by Allah that, if I tell a falsehood to everybody, I shall not do so to you. I swear by that God besides whom there is no other, and who has raised me in truth, that I am an apostle of the Lord to you, and to all mankind. By Allah! you will die as if you were falling asleep, and you shall be resuscitated in the same way as you are awaking. Verily you shall have to account for all your acts, and shall receive rewards and punishments according to your deserts.”’
A’li the Commander of the Faithful continues: ‘I said: “I, who am younger than they, have believed and faithfully served thee, and would not sell the dust of thy feet for collyrium made of jewels.” The apostle of Allah praised me, and said: “This is my brother and my legatee. Listen to what he says, and do not transgress his injunctions.”’ A’li the Commander of the Faithful says: ‘At these words the people rose, and, roaring with laughter, said to Abu Tâleb: “Seest thou how Muhammad has appointed thy son over thee, and has subjected thee to him?”’ It is related that at the time when his holy and prophetic lordship invited the people to profess the religion, and paid no attention to the idols whom the Qoraish called gods, who knew nothing certain about the abode of their fathers and ancestors who had departed on their journey to eternity without the provisions of the Faith, the people paid no attention to his lordship, and when he happened to pass near a company of the Qoraish, they used to say: ‘This is the grandson of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, who gives news about heaven, and with whom the denizens of the upper world are conversing.’ After some time had elapsed in this manner, the false gods were blamed in the verses of the Qurân, and the people were informed that their fathers who had departed this life without the adornment of the Faith were condemned to suffer in hell; and as the glorious book was being revealed, the Arabs manifested enmity, and began to persecute the prince of the righteous and his noble companions.
THE WICKED AFFLICT HIS LORDSHIP, THE BEST OF MEN— U. W. B.—AND THE IRRELIGIOUS NATION PERSECUTES HIS NOBLE COMPANIONS—MAY ALLAH REWARD THEM.
Of the number of the idolaters who greatly distressed his lordship the refuge of the apostolate, Abu Lahab was one, and O’tbah Bin Moghairah another. Both these wicked men were living in the neighbourhood of the apostle of God—u. w. b.—and were in the habit of throwing offal with other impurities, which the prophet removed, and meekly said to them: ‘O ye Bani A’bd Munâf, what kind of a neighbourly manner is this in which you are acting towards me?’
Tàruq Bin A’bdullah says: ‘Once I beheld the apostle— u. w. b.—in the market-place of Zulmajâz exclaiming in a loud voice: “O ye people, say, ‘There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah,’ that ye may attain felicity.” A man, however, was walking in his rear, throwing stones at him, and saying: “Do not listen to this liar!” I asked: “Who is this man that invites the people to monotheism?” They replied: “He is Muhammad, the son of A’bdullah.” I queried further: “Who is the man throwing stones at him?” They replied: “His uncle A’bd-ul-a’ziz, namely, Abu Lahab.”’
Quatrain: Relatives are like vultures,
Troubles are not removed by uncles;
Many a grief comes from an uncle,
Many an uncle refuses to do good.164
There is a tradition that his sacred and prophetic lordship —u. w. b.—addressed the people as follows during the time of the pilgrimage: ‘Who will give me a place, and help to promulge the message of my Creator?’ Many enemies, however, met foreign pilgrims on the road, and said to them: ‘Alas! beware of Muhammad, lest ye be seduced by him.’ They also delivered various speeches against his lordship, accusing him of soothsaying, magic, lunacy, and the like, by which he was much afflicted and distressed. Allah, however, the Most High and Glorious, revealed, for the consolation of his luminous mind, certain verses justifying him against these imputations, so that this prince wholly trusted to the favour of the Eternal, took firm hold of patience and meekness, concentrating his whole mind upon the sublime words of Allah, and continuing to invite the people to worship the Omnipotent and to abandon their idols, and to lead those who were wandering in the desert of ignorance to the fountain-head of knowledge, patiently enduring the insults of the wicked unbelievers.
Of the number of tricks played by the Qoraish, which became the occasion of punishment and misfortune to them, the following was one: His holy and prophetic lordship was one day saying his prayers near the house of the Ka’bah in the presence of Abu Jahl Bin Heshâm and a number of the Qoraish. The eyes of Abu Jahl happened to alight on a membrane which envelops the fœtus in the womb, but comes out along with the infant, and exclaimed: ‘Who will take up this caul, full of blood and dung as it is, and will place it between the shoulders of Muhammad when he makes his prostration?’ Then that wicked fellow O’tbah Bin Abu Mo’itt, accursed in this world and in the next, executed this base proposal. But the prince of beings— upon whom be the most excellent of blessings and the most perfect salutations—did not raise his head from his devotions until Fattimah Zohra—u. w. b.—having been informed of the event, came out and removed the membrane. When that chief of beings had completed his prayers, he said: ‘O my God, the Qoraish are against Thee!’ After having thus mentioned them in one word, he proceeded to name some of the Qoraish princes in detail, and said: ‘O my God, against Thee are Abu Jahl Bin Heshâm, Ot’bah Bin Abu Mo’itt, O’tbah Bin Abu Rabia’h, Ammiah Bin Khuluf, and O’mmârah Bin Wolid.’ Therefore, all the individuals whose names his lordship the refuge of prophecy had mentioned perished in the combat of Bedr, except O’mmârah Bin Wolid, who, although he had not perished there, was sent in a more ignominious manner to the infernal regions than they, as shall be related in these pages by-and-by, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.
A’bdullah Bin A’bbâs says that all the Qoraish had entered into a covenant to assassinate Muhammad— u. w. b.—as soon as they could get hold of him. Fattimah Zohra—u. w. b.—who had heard of this intention, went crying to her father, and informed him of the matter, whereon his lordship proceeded to the mosque of the sanctuary; but when the infidels beheld the prince of the righteous they were unable to do anything. Then his lordship the asylum of termination—u. w. b.—took up a handful of dust and threw it towards them, saying: ‘Thy countenances are defiled!’ And every one whose face had been touched by the dust was killed on the day of Bedr, and punished in hell-fire.
There is a tradition of O’rvah Bin Zobeir as follows: ‘One day I asked A’bdullah Bin A’mru A’ass what had been the greatest insult offered by the idolaters to his lordship the refuge of apostleship—u. w. b.—and he replied: “One day that prince was sitting in the area of the Ka’bah, when O’tbah Bin Abu Mo’itt suddenly approached him and threw his Redâ around his blessed neck, squeezing it so as nearly to suffocate him. Sidiq immediately rushed upon that accursed fellow from the rear and delivered his lordship, saying: “Are you killing him who has brought the evident signs, and says that Allah is his nourisher?” Hereon all the idolaters attacked Abu Bakr, and pulled his moustache so violently that he got a tremendous headache. But if we were to attempt to notice all the tricks of the Qoraish with the pen of explanation, we could not do so; therefore we have in this place abridged some and omitted some, but some are to be recorded hereafter.’
It is related that as long as Abu Tâleb was alive the idolaters could do no great harm to his lordship the apostle —u. w. b.—nor were they able to distress his noble and excellent companions, as much as they would have liked, because they were protected by their families and relatives; but poor believers, such as Hallâl, Habib, and O’mmâr Bin Yâser, were cruelly persecuted by them; some were made to lay down on hot sand, others were kept in the burning sun, tormented by hunger and thirst, in order to induce them to renounce the religion of Muhammad—u. w. b. Some Musalmâns who had no power of endurance uttered the words prompted by the unhallowed infidels. On the other hand, some noble companions who were able to suffer pains remained steadfast, and selected under the most grievous torments patience and meekness for their watchwords. It is related that Samiah, the mother of O’mmâr Bin Yâser, had been tied between two camels as a punishment, and that one of the idolaters killed her suddenly by piercing her with a lance. Her husband Yâser was assassinated in another manner and sent to the gardens of paradise; and these were the first individuals among the adherents of the prophet—u. w. b.—who tasted the beverage of martyrdom.
In some books these events are narrated as follows: In the morning O’mmâr Bin Yâser had pronounced the words suggested by the idolaters, and the prophet—u. w. b.— having been informed of the circumstance, exclaimed: ‘Allah forbid that he should become an infidel; for verily he is replete with the faith from head to foot, and it permeates his flesh, blood, and skin.’ When O’mmâr was released by the infidels he came to the prophet and wept. On account of the molestation of these people, his lordship passed his blessed hands over O’mmâr’s eyes and dried his tears, saying: ‘I shall retaliate upon them and tell them [again] what I have said.’ Some commentators declare that the blessed verse, ‘Who becomes an infidel after professing the Faith, except who is forced, his heart being happy in the Faith,’ etc., was revealed on the above occasion, but Allah knows best!
The author of these lines says that as the Qoraish deemed the Qurân to be powerless, and only a human fabrication, it is strange that they nevertheless persecuted his lordship the apostle and his noble companions, and wanted Abu Tâleb to surrender his lordship to them, that they might slay him, and persecuted the adherents of the religion so much that they preferred to emigrate, which is the greatest calamity, and went to Abyssinia, as shall be narrated in detail, if it pleaseth Allah the Most High.
THE IDOLATERS CONSIDER THE QURÂN TO BE POWERLESS,
AND PERSIST IN THEIR OBSTINACY AND INFIDELITY.
It is related that the Qoraish one day assembled in the house of Wolid Bin Moghairah—who was at that time distinguished above all his contemporaries by his powerful intellect, venerable age, great property and multitude of children; he was also a patron of poets and orators, who addressed their compositions to him, and whose arguments were decisive in every subject—and asked him whether the speeches of Muhammad were rhetorical, or had something to do with magic and soothsaying? But he answered that this question could be decided only after hearing what Muhammad had to say. Therefore he arose, paid a visit to his lordship—u. w. b.—who was sitting in his apartment, and asked: ‘O Muhammad, recite some of thy poetry.’ Hereon his holy and prophetic lordship uttered, with his wonderfully eloquent tongue, the words: ‘In the name of Allah, the merciful, the clement!’ When Wolid heard the word ‘merciful,’ he said by way of derision: ‘Thou callest on the name of a man who dwells in Yamâmah, and is called Merciful!’ He meant Musailamah, the false prophet, who was nicknamed ‘the Merciful one of Yamâmah.’ His lordship, however, replied: ‘No! I call upon the name of Allah, who is merciful and clement.’ After that he recited the chapter of Adoration H. M.,165 and when he reached the verse ‘If they [the Mekkans] withdraw from these [instructions], say, I denounce unto you a sudden destruction, like the destruction of A’ad and Thamûd,’166 the hair on Wolid’s body commenced to bristle up and his skin was nearly bursting; therefore he immediately returned home without entering the assembly of the Qoraish. Afterwards the people said to Abu Jahl: ‘O Abu-l-Hukm,167 thy uncle has professed the religion of Muhammad, and therefore he has not come to us.’ Accordingly Abu Jahl went to the house of Wolid, and said: ‘Uncle, why hast thou received the religion of Muhammad and hast been misguided?’ Wolid replied: ‘I profess the religion of my fathers and ancestors, but I heard difficult words, so that the skin of my body was bursting.’ Abu Jahl queried further: ‘Was it poetry?’ He replied: ‘No!’ Then he asked whether it was oratory, and Wolid said: ‘Oratory is composed of connected words, but these are disjointed, and do not resemble each other; they nevertheless have a grace and fluency not existing in any other form of speech.’ Abu Jahl further asked: ‘Is it soothsaying?’ He replied: ‘No.’ ‘Then what is it?’ He said: ‘Leave me to meditate on this subject.’ Then Abu Jahl, who had asked the same questions the next day, and was convinced that his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. —was innocent of magic, nevertheless said [to himself]: ‘I shall impute sorcery to Muhammad, because such an accusation will be most readily accepted, and will give rise to discussions between wives and husbands, fathers and sons.’
Meanwhile, however, Allah the Most High and Glorious had revealed the following verse with reference to Wolid: ‘Let Me alone with him whom I have created, on whom I have bestowed abundant riches and children dwelling in his presence’168 till the end. This event is in some chronicles related in another manner, but as the gist thereof amounts to the fact that Wolid had, after consulting the Qoraish and discussing this subject with them, accused the prophet of sorcery, and attributed thereto also the words of the Lord revealed concerning himself, therefore the author has refrained from details.
We read in some traditions that when Wolid waited on his sacred and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—and requested him to recite something from the Qurân, his lordship pronounced the verse: ‘Verily Allah commandeth justice, and the doing of good, and the giving unto kindred [what shall be necessary]; and He forbiddeth wickedness and iniquity, and oppression; He admonisheth you that you may remember’169 And Wolid stated that these verses possessed a freshness and pleasantness such as no man does or can invent.
Some of the principal historians have related that when the idolatrous Qoraish saw the number of the companions of his lordship the best of men—u. w. b.—augmenting day by day, they agreed to send a man learned in poetry and skilled in the arts of soothsaying and magic to his lordship, to induce him by fair speeches, or in any possible way, to desist from his mission and from the promulgation of his message. The lot fell upon O’tbah Bin Rabia’h, who was one of the Qoraish U’lâma, and who, puffed up with hopes that his artifices would take effect, went to the prince of men and genii, who happened to be sitting in the mosque of the sanctuary, but the poor fellow did not recollect
| Hemistich: | The difference between an extinguished lamp and sun- light. |
It is related that when O’tbah approached his lordship the best of men, he exclaimed: ‘O Muhammad, a great calamity has arisen among the Qoraish! Thou hast denounced their gods as vanities, hast endeavoured to seduce the people from the religion of their forefathers, hast disgraced us among the Arabs, and hast considered our wise men to be fools. If thou art ambitious of power, we shall unanimously make thee our ruler. If lust has enticed thee to embark in this business, we shall procure thee any maiden thou mayest covet; but if want and poverty be the cause, we shall give thee so much property that none of the Qoraish will be able to cope with thee in riches; and lastly, if some disease [of the mind] has impelled thee to this step, we shall produce a skilled physician, and will spend as much property as may be required to cure thee.’ When O’tbah had terminated this foolish harangue, his lordship asked: ‘Hast thou finished thy speech?’ He replied: ‘Yes.’ Then the prophet recited: ‘In the name of Allah, the merciful, the clement! A revelation from the merciful, the clement,’ etc.170 There is a tradition that whilst his holy and prophetic lordship was reciting this chapter O’tbah had folded his arms over each other and was listening. When his lordship had reached the verse of adoration he prostrated himself, and then, raising his head, bade O’tbah to go away. When the people of O’tbah saw him arrive they exclaimed: ‘Abu-l-Wolid is returning disappointed.’ When O’tbah reached them he said: ‘By Allah! I have heard words the like of which I have never listened to before. By Allah! these words do not at all resemble magic or soothsaying. O ye Qoraish, receive my advice with approbation, and do not injure him, because his words presage great things and events. If the Arab tribes overcome him, your wishes will be fulfilled; but if he prevails over them, his power will be your power, and his glory your glory, and you will be the happiest people.’ The Qoraish replied: ‘O Abu-l-Wolid, we swear by Allah that Muhammad has bewitched thee with his words!’ But O’tbah rejoined: ‘I have told you my opinion; do as you like.’
THE QORAISH GO IN THEIR RAGE AND FOLLY TO ABU TÂLEB,
BUT RETURN CONFOUNDED AND DISAPPOINTED.
The U’lâma of biographies—may Allah have mercy on them—have related that when the Qoraish heard his holy prophetic lordship reproving and cursing their vain idols, they sent a deputation to Abu Tâleb with the following address: ‘Thou art a chieftain and a prince among the Qoraish. Mete out justice to us against thy brother’s son Muhammad. Prohibit him from reviling our gods, and we shall also leave him to his own God.’ Hereon Abu Tâleb called the noble one of the family Lowa Bin Ghâlab [i.e., Muhammad], and said to him: ‘All thy people ask for justice and restraining thee from maligning their gods, on condition that they will likewise abandon thee to thy God!’ The prophet replied: ‘I am inviting them to something better than that, and on account of which the Arabs will obey them, and will also become the masters of Persia.’ Abu Jahl asked: ‘What is it, that we may do it ten times over?’ That prince exclaimed: ‘Say, “There is no god but Allah!”’ The people asked: ‘Requirest thou from us anything else besides this?’ He replied: ‘If the sun were to be taken down from heaven, and placed into my hands, I would not say anything else.’ Hearing these words, the Qoraish became angry, rose, and said: ‘We curse thee and thy God, and shall never abandon our gods.’
Muhammad Bin Esahâq says that when the Qoraish had learnt that Abu Tâleb was guarding and protecting his lordship the apostle, they invented the stratagem of taking O’mmârah Bin Wolid Bin Moghairah—who was distinguished above all other Arab youths by his handsome stature, pleasant face, beautiful aspect and agreeable conversation —to Abu Tâleb, and said: ‘This youth is the best and handsomest of the Qoraish boys; adopt him to be thy son, and surrender Muhammad to us, that we may kill him, because in his religion he opposes thee and thy ancestors. He has caused dissensions in our tribe; he is insulting us and considers our men to be fools. We offer thee one man for another.’ But he replied: ‘It is an evil suggestion you make to me to surrender my son to you to be killed, and to adopt a stranger. No intelligent man would ever follow such advice.’ Hereon Moa’zem Bin A’da said: ‘By Allah! the people have acted justly, that no evil may befall thee.’ Abu Tâleb replied: ‘There is no justice in thee, who endeavourest to procure an opportunity for the people to injure me as they like.’ When the idolaters perceived that on account of Abu Tâleb’s protection they could not get hold of the apostle—u. w. b.—they laid the foundations of enmity by insulting him more and more, as well as his companions; but the Lord—whose name be glorified— kept and protected His prophet by His eternal favour from the evil designs of the idolaters. Abu Tâleb on his part watched over and protected his lordship the refuge of the apostolate—u. w. b.—most carefully. But when the apostle of men and demons saw that the idolaters persecuted his companions to the utmost, he advised them to emigrate.
THE MONOTHEISTS LEAVE MEKKAH AND DEPART SECRETLY TO
ABYSSINIA.
In the fifth year of the mission eleven men and four women left Mekkah by the permission of the lord of the apostolate—u. w. b.—as emigrants to Abyssinia, walking as far as the seashore, where they found a ship, in which they sailed for that country, where they remained under the protection of the Najâshi, the king of it, in comfort, and secure from the machinations of the wicked.
It is related that after the emigration of that company the Surah ‘The Star’171 was revealed; and as his lordship the refuge of termination—u. w. b.—was for the propagation of the religion in the habit of occasionally reciting the evident verses to the obstinate and idolatrous, he happened, after the revelation of the just-mentioned Surah, to be reciting it in the mosque of the sanctuary in the presence of a company of the Qoraish. When his lordship came to the words ‘What think ye of Al-Lât and Al-U’zza and Manah, that other third [goddess]?’172 Satan made use of this opportunity and conveyed instead of them the following words by his [Muhammad’s] wonderfully eloquent tongue to the idolaters: ‘These are the exalted Gharâniq,173 and, indeed, their intercession may be expected,’ which expression greatly exhilarated and rejoiced the image-worshippers. After the termination of this Surah his lordship touched the ground with his blessed head in sign of adoration, which was done also by the opponents and idolaters present in that congregation, except by the impure Wolid, who, being unable to prostrate himself on account of his corpulency and old age, took up some earth with his hand, and placed his unhallowed forehead thereon. Some authors, however, attribute this act to Ammiah Bin Khuluf and to other persons. When the idolaters arose from the assembly, they said to each other: ‘We know that the keys of life and death, as well as the food of mankind, are in the grasp of the Most High and Glorious One, therefore we must acknowledge our gods to be [only] our mediators with Allah the Most High; and as Muhammad has now honourably mentioned our gods, and we agree on this subject, we must refrain from insulting and persecuting him.’ It is related that [on this occasion] Wolid Bin Moghairah said to his lordship: ‘O Muhammad, persevere in thy enterprise, for the Qoraish follow and obey thee. We shall second and aid thy efforts until thy Law is propagated in the whole world, and the structure of the castle of thy religion is strengthened.’ It is related that when, after this event, his sacred and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—had returned to his august mansion, Jebrâil arrived and informed his lordship about Satan’s inspiration, which greatly distressed and troubled the prophet. Therefore the Bounteous Giver sent for the consolation of his noble mind the following verse: ‘We have sent no apostle or prophet before thee, but when he read, Satan suggested [some error] in his reading. But Allah shall make void that which Satan hath suggested—then shall Allah confirm his signs, for Allah is knowing and wise.’174 When the Qoraish heard this verse, they said: ‘As Muhammad has repented of mentioning the high dignity of our gods to the Most High, we shall likewise break our covenant, as well as the peace.’ Accordingly the followers of the bad religion retracted their promise, and considered it their greatest happiness to persecute and to insult Musalmâns.
CAUSE OF THE RETURN OF THE EXILES FROM ABYSSINIA, AND
THEIR SECOND DEPARTURE TO THAT COUNTRY.
When O’thmân, Abu Khodaiqah Bin O’tbah Bin Rabia’h, Zobeir Bin Ala’vâm, A’bd-ur-rahman Bin A’wuf heard that the idolaters had submitted, they deemed it best to return to the noble city of Mekkah, in the neighbourhood whereof they arrived after duly performing the journey. But there they were informed that the people had retracted their conciliatory steps and had again begun to persecute and to injure the professors of Islâm. As they thought it very hard again to retrace their steps to Abyssinia, each of the monotheists took refuge with an inhabitant and entered Mekkah, except A’bdullah Bin Masu’d, who alighted at his own house without a protector. Some assert that the last-mentioned individual was one of the refugees of the second emigration, who went again to Abyssinia with a great multitude of companions and the permission of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—on account of the persecutions of the infidels, which increased day by day. The idolaters sent A’mru A’ass and O’mmârah Bin Wolid with gifts and presents to the Najâshi, hoping that he would comply with their request and surrender the refugees to the envoys. It is related that whilst on the voyage these two individuals happened to quarrel in a drinking bout in so violent a manner that O’mmârah watched his opportunity and threw A’mru overboard; the latter, however, took hold of the edge of the ship and was saved by the crew from that peril; but he nursed his rancour in his heart until the time arrived when he was able to take revenge upon his foe during their sojourn at the court of the Najâshi, as follows: One day both of them were sitting in the assembly of the Najâshi, one of whose most beautiful slave girls was now and then casting glances at O’mmârah during the audience, he being a young man of very pleasing appearance. When the meeting was over the envoys returned home, and A’mru said to O’mmârah: ‘I found that girl of the king inclined towards thee. Make friendship with her, and ask some of the king’s special perfume from her, because she may possibly aid us in our negotiations.’ Accordingly, O’mmârah commenced, by the intervention of an accommodating friend, a love intrigue with the girl, and obtained some perfume from her, which A’mru got hold of, took to the king, and said: ‘My companion had intercourse with your majesty’s slave-girl, and this perfume which she sent to O’mmârah is a proof of it.’ The Najâshi was so irritated by this information that he intended to slay the culprit; on second thoughts, however, he considered it improper to shed the blood of a man who had entered the country on a promise of safety, therefore he appointed sorcerers over him, who blew mercury into his sexual organ, in consequence whereof he avoided mankind and associated with animals. He wandered about in the desert until a company of the Qoraish laid a snare, caught, and imprisoned him; but his captivity distressed him so much that he soon departed to the infernal regions.
THE QORAISH ENVOYS MEET THE NAJÂSHI, REQUEST HIM TO SURRENDER THE REFUGEES, AND JA’FAR BIN ABU TÂLEB HARANGUES HIM IN THAT ASSEMBLY.
When A’mru A’ass and O’mmârah Bin Wolid arrived in Abyssinia, they were, by means of the gifts and offerings they had brought, introduced through the favourites and courtiers to an audience, on entering which they prostrated themselves before the Najâshi according to the custom of the country, presented their letters of introduction, and said: ‘A number of young men of our nation have adopted a religion different from ours, as well as from your majesty’s —i.e., from Christianity—have without our knowledge come to this country, and have comfortably established themselves therein. Our petition to your majesty is that they be surrendered to us, so that we may convey them back to our people.’ This request was also supported by a patriarch who, being a courtier of the Najâshi, had been suborned by gifts from the Qoraish, and seconded the wishes of A’mru and of O’mmârah. The Najâshi, however, being incensed with anger [at this demand], said: ‘By God! I shall not do that. I shall not surrender persons who have taken refuge with me, and have settled in my country, into the hands of their enemies. I shall, however, call them and hear what they have to say.’ In accordance with this decision, the Enjil [Gospel] was produced, the Christians were convened, and the refugees sent for. When the king’s message had been communicated to the professors of Islâm, they consulted with each other what to say if they were to be examined concerning the tenets of their religion; but the Flying Ja’far,175 who was one of the emigrants, said: ‘The best for us is to profess what Allah and the apostle have published.’ All assented to this declaration, and elected him for their spokesman. They went to the assembly, but when they entered it they did not perform the salutations and prostrations required by the usage of the country, and this want of respect having been noticed by the courtiers, Ja’far said: ‘By the command of our prophet we prostrate ourselves to no one except to the only true God.’ These words awed the Najâshi, and he said to Ja’far: ‘The envoys of the Qoraish want me to surrender you to them.’ Ja’far then exclaimed: ‘O king, ask the envoys whether they claim us as slaves.’ This question A’mru hastened to answer, saying: ‘Allah forbid that these men should be slaves. They are all free and noble.’ Ja’far continued: ‘Are we under any obligations to them which they might claim?’ A’mru replied: ‘They are indebted to none of us.’ Ja’far further queried: ‘Have we shed the blood of any person for which they might retaliate?’
Amru: ‘We have none of these claims.’
Ja’far: ‘Then what do you want from us?’
Amru (turning to the Najâshi): ‘O king, these people have adjured our religion and that of our ancestors; they have insulted, and are insulting, our gods in order to pervert the principles of our young men, and for this reason our unanimity has been turned into discontent. Surrender them to us that we may restore the ancient order of things.’
The majority of chroniclers relate that on this occasion the Najâshi said to Ja’far: ‘A’mru and O’mmârah have brought a message from the Qoraish that you renounced their religion, but are following neither Judaism nor Christianity. Inform us therefore about your religion.’
Ja’far: ‘We followed their religion until the time when Allah the Most High and Glorious sent an apostle to us, whom we know to be an individual of noble descent and connections, of veracious speech and deeds. He is honest, peaceable, and forgiving; he has recited to us words not at all resembling human conceptions, and has, by evident proofs and convincing miracles, demonstrated his claim to be true. Therefore we have believed him and acknowledged him to be a prophet. He has invited us to profess monotheism and to reject all other religions. He has ordered us to abstain from all wickedness and sin, to observe the times of fasting and of prayer, to cherish our kindred, to pay our religious tax, to adhere to purity of morals, and to practise all laudable acts. But when the people became aware of our principles they stretched forth the hands of oppression, which we endured as long as we could; but at last we complained to our prophet, who advised us to emigrate to your majesty’s dominions, where we would remain free from the wicked attempts of our enemies in the shadow of the protection and the compassion of your majesty.’
The Najâshi: ‘Are you able to recite any of the words which have been revealed to your prophet?’
Accordingly, Ja’far began to recite the Sura K.H.Y.A.S.,176 and when he came to the verse ‘And eat and drink and calm thy mind,’177 the Najâshi began to weep, so that tears trickled from his eyes upon his moustache, and the bishops, who, having opened the book [of the Gospels], were sitting around, cried so much that the moustache of every one, as well as the volume he had before him, became wet. The Najâshi then said: ‘Verily this is the truth.’ But according to another tradition he exclaimed: ‘By God! these words are the same as those revealed to Mûsa [Moses], and have come from the courts of heaven.’ Then he turned towards A’mru A’ass and O’mmârah, and said: ‘By God! I shall not surrender this company to you, nor leave you together.’
Omm Solmah178 says: ‘When the Qoraish envoys returned disappointed and angry from the audience, A’mru A’ass said: “By Allah! I shall go to the Najâshi to-morrow, and shall annihilate them.” A’bdullah Bin Rafia’h endeavoured to dissuade him from his purpose, but ineffectually; accordingly, he went the next morning to the Najâshi, and said: “These people maintain views contrary to yours with reference to I’sa [Jesus], because they pretend that He is a servant of God.” The Najâshi accordingly assembled the emigrants, and asked: “What do you say of I’sa?” Ja’far replied: “I declare that Allah the Most High has said: ‘He is the servant of Allah and His apostle, and His word wherewith He has impregnated Mariam; and a spirit from him.’” Hereon the Najâshi took up a little wooden stick from the ground, and exclaimed: “There is no difference between what we and you say of I’sa—u. w. b. —blessed are ye, and blessed is he to whom you have come. I bear witness that he is an apostle of the Lord, because I’sa—u. w. b.—has proclaimed the tidings of his advent, and we have seen his description in the Enjil. Do you settle comfortable in my country, and I shall punish everyone who insults you. Should I be offered great sums of gold I would not surrender one of you. As God has given me the land without a bribe, so shall I take no bribe, and shall listen to no one.” Then he returned the offerings and presents to the Qoraish.’
It is related that the father of the Najâshi had no other son besides him, but had a brother who had twelve sons. The Abyssinians conspired to slay the father of the Najâshi, and to raise his brother to the throne, by whose numerous sons the kingdom would afterwards be inherited, and would thus remain safe from the attempts of strangers. Accordingly they killed the father of the Najâshi and made his uncle king. Some time afterwards, when the Najâshi had attained years of discretion, he entered the service of his uncle, who gradually began to appreciate his intelligence and penetration, allowing him the greatest authority in state affairs. When the persons who had been concerned in the murder of his father perceived his good fortune, and apprehended that he might at some future time himself become the ruler of the country after the decease of his uncle, and punish them for their crime, they represented their fears to the king, and proposed to him either to kill or to exile the prince. The monarch, however, replied: ‘Woe unto you! Ere this you have assassinated his father, and now you want to murder him.’ But as the Abyssinians pressed him beyond measure, he was compelled to separate himself from the prince, whom the grandees of the realm sold to a navigator. Meanwhile, however, also the uncle of the Najâshi died, and none of his sons having been found worthy to govern after him, the nobles repented of their deed, went in search of the prince after the merchant, took him by force from the purchaser, brought him to the capital, and seated him on the throne of dominion, and the words of the Najâshi, ‘God the Most High has given me the land without a bribe,’ refer to this event. It is related that the merchant returned to Abyssinia and wanted the ministers of the Najâshi to refund to him the sum he had paid them, but as they refused to do so, he laid the following complaint before the king: ‘Your majesty’s courtiers had sold to me a slave, whom they afterwards again took away by force, and I hope a sense of equity and justice will induce your majesty to order them to return to me either the money or the slave.’ This justice-loving sovereign was of opinion that if the words of this man were true, they would have to restore to him either the money or the man. Accordingly they paid down the price they had taken for the Najâshi; and this was the first regular judgment decreed by that religious monarch—may Allah have abundant mercy on him. In other chronicles, however, the sale of the Najâshi is recorded in a different manner.
HAMZAH BIN A’BD-UL-MUTTALLEB BIN HÂSHEM AND O’MAR BIN AL-KHATTÂB—MAY ALLAH REWARD THEM— PROFESS ISLÂM.
In the sixth year after the mission the prince of witnesses [i.e., martyrs], Hamzah Bin A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, and O’mar Bin Al-Khattâb, became participators in the happiness of the religion, and were invested with the robe of Divine knowledge. The reason of their, but particularly of Hamzah’s, profession of Islâm was that Abu Jahl saw one day his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—sitting in the vicinity of Mount Safa. On account of his great folly, that miserable and impure fellow began to insult his lordship the best of men; the latter, however, very patiently endured the imprecations of that accursed man, and offered no resistance; but the slave-girl of A’bdullah Bin Juda’an was looking from the top of Mount Safa upon his lordship the Musstafa.179 When Hamzah returned from the chase he circumambulated the Ka’bah according to his usual custom, and the just-mentioned girl informed him of what had taken place. Then Hamzah went in pursuit of that accursed individual, saying: ‘I shall taste neither food nor drink till I have revenged myself upon the person who has insulted Muhammad.’ After that he went to the prophet —u. w. b.—who was sitting in the area of the Ka’bah, and said to him: ‘Thy uncle has come to take vengeance on thy enemy.’ His lordship answered: ‘Let him alone who has no uncle, neither father nor mother, no man of business, nor wazir.’ But Hamzah swore by Lât and U’zza, saying: ‘I have come only to aid and to protect thee.’ His lordship rejoined: ‘I swear by that God who has sent me in truth, that if thou fightest long enough against infidels to be drowned in their blood, thou wilt only be removed further and further from the Lord of unity, until thou sayest: “I bear witness that there is no God but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.”’ Accordingly Hamzah pronounced this excellent Kalimat, entered the assembly of the Qoraish, wounded the head of Abu Jahl in seven places, and made a public profession of Islâm; but in some chronicles it is related that he first broke the head of Abu Jahl, then went to the assembly of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.— and became a Musulmân. In short, his lordship the refuge of termination was greatly rejoiced at Hamzah’s profession of Islâm, his noble companions were comforted and emboldened, and the disappointed infidels abstained from insulting his lordship by word or deed.
The most correct tradition on the conversion of O’mar to Islâm is as follows: When the verse ‘Ye, and what ye worship besides Allah, will be projected into fire; ye will descend to hell,’ was revealed and promulged, Abu Jahl rose in the assembly of the Qoraish and said: ‘O men, Muhammad reproves our and your gods, considers your wise men to be fools, and says that your fathers are, together with the gods they have worshipped, the fuel of hell-fire. Now, I proclaim that anyone who shall kill Muhammad will receive from me one thousand red she-camels and one thousand Oqiahs of red gold.’180 But according to another tradition he said ‘one hundred red-haired and black-eyed camels, with one thousand Oqiahs of white bullion-silver.’ O’mar Bin Al-Khattâb, who was present in that company, replied: ‘O Abu-l-Hukm! there must be a security for this promise.’
Abu Jahl: ‘As I intend to make payment immediately, there will be no need for any security.’
Omar: ‘Swear by Lât and by U’zza that thy tongue agrees with thy heart.’
Hereon the accursed Abu Jahl swore an oath, and to convince O’mar took him into the house of the Ka’bah, where he appealed to Hobal the greatest of the Qoraish idols to be a witness in this matter, whereon O’mar girded his sword, the breadth whereof measured one, and the length seven spans, and sallied forth to murder the prophet—u. w. b. According to one tradition, a companion, Na’im Bin A’bdullah, met him on the road, and informed him, for the purpose of gaining time, that his sister and his brother-in-law Sa’aid Bin Zaid had made their profession of Islâm. According to another tradition, Sa’ad Bin Abu Woqâss happened to see him, and to ask: ‘O’mar! where art thou going?’ He replied: ‘To kill Muhammad.’ Sa’ad continued: ‘Thou art unable to do it. Fearest thou not the Bani A’bd Munâf?’ O’mar retorted: ‘I shall first make an end of thyself for having changed thy religion.’ Sa’ad retorted: ‘Thou art unable to kill either me or Muhammad. Such acts are above thy capacity.’ At these words O’mar bared his sword, and Sa’ad his, because at that time Musulmâns never went about unarmed, for fear of the unbelievers. When the dispute was about to terminate with bloodshed, Sa’ad exclaimed: ‘Thou must first slay thy own relatives, because thy sister and thy brother-in-law have also become Musulmâns.’ O’mar continued: ‘What is the proof of the truth of these words?’ Sa’ad replied: ‘That they do not eat of thy sacrifices.’181 Accordingly O’mar no longer pressed Sa’ad, but deflected from the road to the house of his sister, to which the latter and her husband Sa’aid Bin Zaid happened on that occasion to have invited Habbâb Bin Arath. When O’mar arrived he found the door locked, but, listening, he heard someone reading; then he knocked, and when the inmates perceived him, Habbâb retired to a corner, and they hid the leaf on which the Surah T. T. H. of the Qurân was written. O’mar asked: ‘Have I heard words?’ They replied: ‘We were conversing with each other.’ Then O’mar slaughtered a kid with his own hands and ordered it to be roasted. When it was done, he said: ‘Let us sit down and eat together.’ They, however, refused to partake of it. Therefore O’mar believed the words of Sa’ad Bin Abu Woqâss, and in his anger took hold of the beard of his brother-in-law; he moreover threw him on the ground and sat on his chest. The sister wished to release her husband from the grasp of O’mar, who then struck her cheek; but according to another tradition he broke her head, and her face was bloody. His sister then exclaimed: ‘Thou insultest us because we have become Musulmâns.’ O’mar replied: ‘Yes.’ His sister retorted: ‘We have both professed Islâm, and say, despite of thee, There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah! Do as thou listest; we are both Musulmâns, and will not renounce the Faith of Muhammad.’ When Fârûq182 beheld their constancy in the religion, and perceived the blood on his sister’s face, he was touched, repented of his act, sat down on the edge of a couch, and said: ‘Give me the leaf you have been reading.’ But his sister replied: ‘It is the command of the Lord that “none shall touch the same except those who are clean.”183 Arise and wash thyself.’ When O’mar went out for his ablution, Habbâb came forth from his hiding-place, and said to that believing woman: ‘Givest thou the Qurân into the hands of an infidel?’ She replied: ‘I hope he will become a Musulmân.’ O’mar had washed himself and entered the room, whereon Habbâb again concealed himself for fear of him. O’mar then received the book from the hands of his sister, and when he came to the verse ‘The Lord of heaven and earth, and what is between them,’184 O’mar said: ‘He alone must be worshipped to whom these words apply, and no one else.’ When he came to the words ‘Thou art proud of speech, but He knows what is secret and most concealed; he is God, and there is no other besides Him,’ the padlock of carelessness of his breast’s treasury was opened, and he said: ‘There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah!’ When Habbâb Bin Arath had heard the excellent Kalimat pronounced by O’mar he shouted the Takbir,185 and, coming forth from his hiding-place, said: ‘I congratulate thee, for verily the prayer of the apostle—u. w. b.— which he uttered yesterday in the words, “O Allah, make Islâm dear to Abu Jahl Bin Heshâm or to O’mar Bin Al-Khattâb,” has been responded to with regard to thee.’ O’mar replied: ‘Take me to the lord of the apostolate— u. w. b.’ When O’mar arrived at the august mansion where his lordship and the companions were assembled he knocked at the door, and one of the friends, looking through a chink, perceived him standing near it with a sword, and the company having been informed of the fact, no one was willing to open the door, but Hamzah said: ‘O apostle of Allah, order the door to be opened. If O’mar has come with a good intention, it will be all right; but if not, I shall cut off his head with his own sword.’ When the companions had opened the door, his lordship the refuge of prophecy hastened to meet O’mar. The tradition is that his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—took hold of the arm of O’mar and squeezed it, saying: ‘O’mar, tell us whether thou hast come in peace, that I may let go my hold of thee; or whether thou hast come in enmity, that I may punish thee.’ O’mar replied with fear and trembling: ‘I have become a Musulmân.’ His lordship continued: ‘Then say: “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his apostle.”’ Whereon O’mar pronounced the beautiful Kalimat, and his lordship responded with the Takbir, the companions doing the same from gladness and joy, in such a manner that the shouting was heard in the assemblies of the Qoraish. Then O’mar said: ‘O apostle of Allah, it is unseemly that the idolaters worship Lât and U’zza openly, and the professors of Islâm adore the Lord secretly. Order the religion of Allah and the true Faith to be promulged openly.’ After saying these words they went out, and proceeded to circumambulate the house of the Ka’bah, Sidiq [i.e., Abu Bakr] walking on the right, Hamzah on the left, and A’li Murtaza—u. w. b.—with a drawn sword in front of his lordship the prophet—u. w. b. O’mar preceded A’li, and all the companions of the apostle followed in the rear. The Qoraish chiefs were sitting in an apartment and expecting O’mar, when they all of a sudden perceived him from a distance joyfully approaching with the apostle of Allah and his friends. The infidels exclaimed: ‘O’mar, who is coming after thee?’ But he replied: ‘There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah! Whoever of you moves, I shall cut off his head with my bright scimitar, and shall send him to the mansion of destruction!’ The idolaters were astonished, and said: ‘We have sent O’mar to kill Muhammad, and, lo, now he follows and aids him! A great event has happened, and a great calamity has taken place.’ When the infidels approached O’mar he warded them off, and drove them away from the house of the Ka’bah, which his lordship the apostle then entered with his noble companions, where they all prayed, and the blessed verse ‘O prophet, Allah will reward thee, and the believers who are with thee,’ was revealed. Let it not remain unknown that there are other traditions concerning the conversion of O’mar, but as we have received a hint to abstain from repetitions, we have contented ourselves with the above tradition. Some historians narrate that the Fârûq was honoured by professing Islâm after thirty-nine men; others assert that he was the forty-first, and others that he was the forty-sixth individual who professed the Faith. In short, by his aid the arm of the religion was strengthened, and by his accession the believers were comforted.
A NUMBER OF TYRANNICAL INFIDELS AGREE TO QUARREL WITH THE BANI AL-HÂSHEM AND WITH THE BANI AL-MUTTALLEB. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THESE TWO TRIBES WHILST IN THE SHI’B OF ABU TÂLEB, AND THE REVELATION OF ‘A. L. M. THE GREEKS HAVE BEEN OVERCOME.’
When the Qoraish infidels perceived that the faction of his sacred and prophetic lordship had acquired additional dignity and power by the accession of Hamzah and of O’mar, that the banners of Islâm were rising, and the flags of the infidels and idolaters were falling, the flames of envy and malevolence blazed up in the ovens of the minds of those black-hearted wretches; they went to Abu Tâleb and said: ‘Surrender Muhammad to us that we may kill him, because he opposes thy religion and ours. If thou refusest this demand be prepared for battle and slaughter, and be aware for a certainty that we shall not cease to persecute thy nephew until he leaves off reviling and insulting our gods.’ When the chieftains had delivered this angry message to Abu Tâleb they left his house, whereon the latter called his holy and prophetic lordship, and explained the matter to him in detail, adding: ‘Cease to curse and to blaspheme the gods of these people, because I apprehend that some great calamity, which no one will be able to prevent, is about to befall thee.’ His lordship, thinking that Abu Tâleb was not inclined to protect him as warmly as hitherto, replied: ‘Whatever I do or say I perform by the command of Allah. Reproaches of friends and threats of foes cannot bias me. If thou aidest me it will be better for thee, but the protection and favour of Heaven are sufficient to me.’ After uttering these words he rose to depart. Abu Tâleb was, however, touched, and, reseating his lordship, said: ‘Occupy thyself with thy business, and act according to the orders thou hast received, for as long as I am alive thy enemies will not be able to prevail over thee.’ And the following two distichs contain a portion of the verses composed by Abu Tâleb on that occasion:
Distich: By Allah! they shall not reach thee
Until I am buried under ground!
Preach what Allah has ordered thee,
And raise the joyful sound!
When the infidels became aware how carefully Abu Tâleb was watching over and protecting the lord of apostleship they swore enmity to the Bani Hâshem, and confirmed it by a written agreement, which they suspended from the door of the Ka’bah. Muhammad Bin Esahâq says that when the idolaters perceived that the monotheists had gained a strong footing, that the foundations of the Law had been wonderfully strengthened by the public profession of Hamzah and of Fârûq [i.e., Omar], and that the sounds of the clarion of prophecy had reached the Arab tribes dwelling near and far, their minds were bent on the destruction of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b. When this news was brought to the notice of Abu Tâleb, he assembled the Bani Hâshem and the Bani Muttalleb, asked them to protect his lordship the refuge of the apostolate— u. w. b.—and the believers unanimously agreed to stand by each other for mutual defence, according to the usage of Arab tribes, and for the purpose of raising their degrees in the next world. As a precaution, Abu Tâleb took refuge in the Shi’b186 with the apostle and his companions, where he was followed by all the Bani Hâshem and the Bani Muttalleb, except Abu Lahab, who refused to go there on account of his very miserable nature. When the idolaters saw what had taken place, they corroborated their alliance by an oath not to intermarry, to trade, or to associate with the progeny of Hâshem and the offspring of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb; not to inform them of anything that might redound to their advantage, but on the contrary to make the greatest efforts that nothing whatever should become profitable to them in the country; and, lastly, that neither peace nor affinity should be restored between themselves and these two Battins,187 unless Muhammad be killed. With reference to this matter they wrote a treaty of alliance, to which forty chieftains of the Qoraish appended their signets [i.e., seal signatures], and suspended it from the door of the Ka’bah.
It is related that after the Musalmâns had entered the Shi’b they fell into great difficulties; for when anyone left that retreat, the wicked [idolaters] tried to injure them, so that they could not come out except during the season of the pilgrimage;188 but even during that period Abu Jahl, Nassar Bin Alhâreth, A’ass Bin Wâbut, O’tbah Bin Abu Mo’itt, and fanatic idolaters like these, watched the roads and threatened the people coming with provisions to the bazâr of Mekkah that if they sold any to Muhammad, or to his companions, they would for a certainty destroy and deprive them of all they possessed; and if those opponents saw any friend of the apostle purchasing something, they enhanced the price [by a higher bid], so as to compel the poor man to return disappointed. Traders in the bazâr of Mekkah could not venture to sell even an ounce of food to professors of Islâm; and if any of the idolaters sent them eatables from motives of compassion, they were prohibited from doing so by the narrow-minded and cruel enemies, and were threatened and persecuted.
Of all the iniquitous idolaters, Wolid Bin Moghairah and Abu Jahl Bin Heshâm were the most active in persecuting the professors of Islâm; but Abu Tâleb had fortified the Shi’b, and never ceased nor relaxed his watchfulness over his sacred and prophetic lordship, whose house he used to walk round with a drawn sword after nightfall, not unfrequently transferring him during the first portion of the night from the place where he slept to another, enjoining his sons and grandsons to guard him during the day. On account of this great watchfulness, some people are of opinion that Abu Tâleb could not possibly have been an infidel.
When three years had elapsed in this manner, and the distress of his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—of Abu Tâleb, and of their companions and friends, had reached its utmost limits, Heshâm Bin A’mru Bin Al-Hâreth, whose father was related to the mother of Fazl Bin Hâshem Bin A’bd Munâf, went to Zoheir Bin Ommiah Makhzûmi, and said: ‘How is it permissible, according to the laws of kindness and humanity, that, whilst thou eatest delicate food and drinkest cold, healthy water, and livest in splendour and affluence, thy relatives should be spending their weary days and long nights in the most abject wretchedness, so that no one dares even to trade or to have anything to do with them? By Allah! if thou hadst required Abul-Hukm—i.e., Abu Jahl—to act with reference to his kindred as he has induced thee to do, he would never have complied.’ Zoheir replied: ‘I swear by Allah, that if I had an associate I would have annulled that covenant.’
Heshâm: ‘I have found a man who will second thy intention.’
Zoheir: ‘Who is he?’
Heshâm: ‘Myself.’
Zoheir: ‘Find a third man.’
Then Heshâm went to Mutta’m Bin A’dwi Bin Naufil Bin A’bd Munâf, and asked: ‘Art thou willing that two Battins of the Bani A’bd Munâf should perish by the miseries of famine and destitution, thou being a witness to the fact, and agreeing with the Qoraish in persecuting them?’
Mutta’m: ‘What can one man do?’
Heshâm: ‘I shall act with thee in this matter.’
Mutta’m: ‘There must be one more.’
Then Heshâm informed him of the connivance of Zoheir, but he wanted a fourth companion. Accordingly Heshâm went to Abu-l-Bakhri, to whom he reported the above conversations, and being informed of the names of the associates, Abu-l-Bakhri said: ‘We must have yet another to agree with us in this affair.’ Therefore Heshâm had an interview with Rabia’h Bin Aswad Bin Muttalleb Bin A’bd-ul-U’zza, spoke to him on this subject, and when he agreed gave him the names of the other associates. Arrangements were made that all these friends should meet during the night; and when the sun had set, all five of them met in an appointed place, where they agreed to make next morning the greatest efforts to bring about the destruction of the iniquitous document of the covenant. Zoheir volunteered to speak first in the assembly of the Qoraish; the others promised to support his motion, and afterwards they returned to their homes.
The next morning, when the surface of the world was illuminated by the rays of the sun, like the minds of those who are filled with Divine knowledge, the above-named five individuals made their appearance in the assembly of the Qoraish. After Zoheir had performed the circumambulation [of the Ka’bah], he turned towards the people, and said: ‘O ye denizens of Mekkah, is it proper that we should live in affluence, eating dainty food, spending our time in luxury, wearing costly garments, quaffing the goblets of joy, whilst our kindred, the Bani Hâshem and the Bani A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, are dragging out their existence in wretchedness and misery, and are on the verge of destruction from hunger and distress? By Allah! I shall not sit down until I tear that accursed writing to pieces!’ When Zoheir had ceased speaking, Abu Jahl began to shout from a corner of the mosque of the sanctuary: ‘Thou hast lied, for thou canst not tear it!’
Rabia’h B. Aswad (turning to Abu Jahl): ‘By Allah! thou art a greater liar; because when that leaf was written, we had not agreed on its contents.’
Abu-l-Bakhri: ‘I swear by Allah that Rabia’h has spoken the truth, because we did not consent to what is written on that page.’
Mutta’m B. A’dwi: ‘Rabia’h and Abu-l-Bakhri are veracious in their assertion, and whoever says the contrary is a liar.’
Heshâm B. A’mru confirmed what his companions had said, and most of the Qoraish likewise took their part; but Abu Jahl said: ‘This business must have been planned and agreed upon during the night.’
The authors of chronicles—Allah have mercy on them— have related that contentions and disputes arose among the Qoraish on the [impending] disruption of the covenant, whereon Abu Tâleb, with his intimate friends and dear associates, left the Shi’b, and approached the house of the assembly. When the Qoraish perceived Abu Tâleb, they were under the impression that he had become tired of protecting Muhammad, and accordingly they welcomed him, saying: ‘Hast thou consented that the man be killed with whose death our concord and thine is bound up?’ Abu Tâleb replied: ‘I have come on a business wherewith the pacification of the whole community is connected. Bring forth the page you wrote in enmity against us!’ Abu Jahl with his adherents rejoiced, thinking that Abu Tâleb would now surrender the prophet into their hands after the production of the covenant. They accordingly took it down, and Abu Tâleb said: ‘O people, are your signets on this agreement or not?’ They said: ‘Yes.’ He continued: ‘Allah the Most High and Glorious has decided that everything written in this document about tyranny, violence and enmity to relatives be effaced, and that His name alone shall remain. If this assertion of Muhammad be false, I abandon him to you, and you may do to him whatever you like; but if it be true, you must consider the document as annulled, and must abstain from enmity and opposition.’ The Qoraish approved of these words, and said: ‘Thou hast spoken justly.’ When the page was opened nothing was found thereon except these words ‘In thy name, O Allah!’ which were on the top, and not another letter had remained. At this sight the opponents hung down their heads for shame, but Abu Jahl persisted, despite of so great a miracle, in his former enmity and opposition. Then Abu Tâleb stepped with his friends and confidants upon the threshold of the Ka’bah, uttered imprecations against their enemies and opponents, and again returned to the Shi’b with his companions. The five individuals whose name have been recorded above declared that they were innocent of the guilt connected with that document. Mutta’m B. A’dwi then tore that old paper189 to pieces, and the hand of Manssûr B. Akramah, who had written it, became paralytic.
After the covenant had been annulled and the opponents had become friends, they went to the Shi’b, brought out the besieged, and led them to their houses. This event, by which the professors of the religion were delivered from trouble and misery, took place during the tenth year of the mission. At that time the Qoraish also received the news that the Byzantine and Persian armies were at war in Syria, and that the former had been vanquished by the latter, which fact rejoiced the idolaters greatly, and they said to the Musalmâns: ‘In the same way as the Persians, to whom no book had been revealed, have been victorious, so shall we overcome you; because we and you share the same fate with the Persians and Byzantines in the matter of existence and non-existence.’ When the professors of Islâm became melancholy on account of the exultation of the image-worshippers, the blessed verse ‘A. L. M. The Greeks have been overcome [by the Persians] in the nearest part of the land; but after their defeat they shall overcome [the others in their turn] within a few years,’190 was revealed; and when Sidiq Akbar [i.e., Abu Bakr] recited it in the assembly of the Qoraish, they said: ‘These are words of Muhammad!’ But Sidiq replied: ‘They are the words of the Lord!’ The idolaters asked: ‘Wilt thou make a bet that the Byzantines will prevail over the Persians?’ Sidiq assented, and Abu B. Khuluf made a wager with him to the effect that if within six years from that date the Byzantines did not conquer the Persians, Abu Bakr would give ten camels to Abu B. Khuluf; but if they conquered them, Abu would have to pay ten camels to Abu Bakr. When the latter came out from the assembly of the Qoraish, he informed all the Musalmâns of his bet; he was, however, reproved by them, and told that he ought not to have agreed to a definite number of years, because in Arabic the word ‘few’ denotes any number between three and nine, and that therefore the victory of the Byzantines may take place after the stipulated six years had elapsed; but when the matter was brought to the notice of his holy and prophetic lordship, he ordered Sidiq to go and to augment the number of camels and of years. Accordingly the latter went to Abu and increased the number of camels to one hundred, and that of years to nine. A tradition has it that after the peace of Hudaibiah the Arabs received the news that the Byzantines had conquered the army of Khosru Parviz, but as Abu B. Khuluf had in the battle of Bedr hastened to the infernal regions, the hundred camels were taken from his securities.
THE WICKEDNESS OF THE SCOFFERS, AND THEIR PUNISHMENT.
Some chroniclers have narrated that there were five idolaters who derided his lordship the refuge of the apostolate —u. w. b.—whenever they found him alone. Their names are as follows: A’ass B. Wâbul Sahmi, Aswad B. Al-Muttalleb, Aswad B. Yaghuth, Wolid B. Moghairah and Hâreth B. Qais Attulattulah. It is said that when one day Jebrâil—u. w. b.—was sitting with his lordship the prophet —u. w. b.—these five individuals walked around them [in derision], but Jebrâil pointed to the foot of A’ass, to the eye of Aswad B. Muttalleb, to the head of Aswad B. Yaghuth, to the leg of Wolid, and to the abdomen of Hâreth, whereon his lordship exclaimed: ‘What hast thou done, O Jebrâil?’ The Faithful Spirit replied that he had done their business. A short time afterwards every one of those men perished in a special manner as follows: A’ass B. Wâbul was one day riding with two of his sons to a field, but when he alighted in a mountain-pass near Mekkah, and placed his foot on the ground, a thorn pierced it, so that he exclaimed: ‘A snake has stung me!’ His sons, however, though they looked around, could see nothing, and when his foot had become swollen to the thickness of a camel’s neck, he shouted: ‘The Lord of Muhammad has killed me!’ till the moment when he hastened to the infernal regions. Aswad B. Muttalleb was sitting in the neighbourhood of Mekkah, in the shade of a tree, when he was suddenly struck with blindness, and Jebrâil, arriving, knocked his iniquitous head against a tree. Aswad called to his aid a slave-boy whom he had with him, but he said: ‘I see no one near him; what is all this distress for?’ Aswad, however, continued shouting: ‘The God of Muhammad has killed me!’ and in a short time followed A’ass B. Wâbul. Aswad B. Yaghuth, being outside the city of Mekkah, was touched by the wind Simûm, so that the colour of his body became black, and his friends did not recognise him when he returned, but locked the door against him, against which he continued to strike his head until he departed to hell. Hâreth B. Qais had been eating salt fish, and was so overpowered by thirst that water could not quench it. Then he repeated the words ‘The God of Muhammad has killed me!’ and drank so much water that his abdomen burst. Wolid B. Moghairah was one day passing near an archer practising his trade; an arrow happened to adhere to his skirt, which, however, he failed to remove, either from pride or because women were near, in whose presence he was ashamed to lift up his skirt. Accordingly he did not disentangle the dart from his robe, and walked on till it wounded his leg and injured the sciatic artery. His pain compelled him to shout: ‘The Lord of Muhammad has killed me!’ until he departed to hell; and the blessed verse ‘We have punished those who ridiculed thee’ is confirmatory of the just-mentioned events.
DEATH OF ABU TÂLEB AND OF KHODAIJAH.
In the tradition Ahlu-l-beit191 it is related that when Abu Tâleb was on his death-bed he convened the Bani Hâshem, and said: ‘O ye Bani Hâshem, you are the saints of Allah, the marrow of the Arabs, the confederates of the Almighty, and the chiefs of the nobility. Muhammad is one of you. The chief of the braves is one of you. You attempt no weighty affair without completing it, nor a noble enterprise without effecting it. Therefore you excel all men and aid them.’ After this preamble he continued: ‘I enjoin you to honour this family, because the glory and magnificence thereof will entail the approbation of the Almighty Nourisher, will become the cause of prosperity, and of the fulfilment of desires.’ He further said: ‘I recommend you to cherish your kindred, because that will prolong life and multiply our progeny. Abstain from discord, because many nations have perished on account thereof. Be prompt to give alms, and to assist the needy; for both these qualities ennoble life and facilitate death. Adhere to truth, and honestly restore whatever has been entrusted to your care, because these two qualities avert the suspicion of covetousness.’ He further said: ‘I order you to obey and to aid Muhammad, who is the Ameen [i.e., faithful one] of the Qoraish, and the Siddiq [i.e., veracious one] of the Arabs. He has come on a business, to the truthfulness whereof, and to the veracity of his tongue, the angels have borne witness. I swear by Allah that I am beholding the nobles of the world, as well as the poor of all countries, responding to his invitation, and believing his words, for the sake of which the sabres of friends and foes are unsheathed, blood will be shed, and Qoraish chiefs aiding or opposing him slain; [I am beholding] the richest people most in need of him and the poorest most respected by him. [I see] the Arabs surrendering to him their country and the direction of their affairs, whilst love for him is taking root in their hearts. O ye Bani Hâshem, seek his favour, and assist him in word and in deed.’ He further said: ‘Be ye his close allies and confederates, because Allah does not make anyone walk in a path, but He directs him; nor does He guide anyone, but He prospers him. By Allah! if my life were to be prolonged I would give him all possible satisfaction, and would ward off from him all calamities.’
In the Rauzatu-l-ahbâb192 it is recorded by Muhammad B. Ka’b that when Abu Tâleb was on his death-bed, the Qoraish came to visit him, and after the usual inquiries said: ‘Request thy nephew to bring some food from the paradise he is speaking about, that it may become the occasion of health to thee.’ Accordingly Abu Tâleb sent a man to his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—with the message: ‘Thy uncle says, “I am old, weak, decrepit and sick. Send me some of the food and drink of paradise, that I may recover my health.”’ His lordship sent, however, no reply whatever by the envoy of Abu Tâleb; but Siddiq Akbar [i.e., Abu Bakr], who happened to be present in the assembly, replied: ‘Allah the Most High and Glorious sends neither food nor drink from paradise to infidels,’ which words the messenger duly reported on his return. The infidels, however, induced Abu Tâleb to despatch the same individual a second time with the same request, and on this occasion the lord of prophecy returned the following answer: ‘Verily Allah has excluded infidels therefrom,’ but followed the messenger to the house, which he found full of unbelievers, and said to them: ‘Go out, and leave me with my uncle.’ They replied: ‘We are as much related to him as thyself, and we shall not abandon him at such a time as this.’ Then his lordship sat down on the couch, and said: ‘O uncle, may Allah reward thee for having taken care of me in my minority, and for having protected me in my majority!’ Then he continued: ‘O uncle, second me in uttering an expression by means of which I shall intercede for thee with Allah on the day of the resurrection.’ Abu Tâleb asked: ‘What expression is it?’ The prophet replied: ‘Say, “There is no God but Allah alone, who has no partner.”’ Abu Tâleb exclaimed: ‘I am convinced that thou art my well-wisher, and were I not apprehensive that after my death people would say to thee, “Thy uncle was frightened!” I would rejoice thy heart by pronouncing these words.’ Then he uttered the following:
Verses: Thou hast invited me, thou art my adviser;
Thou hast indeed been veracious and faithful;
Thou hast promulged a religion, and I know it is
The best religion in the world.
Were it not for reproach, I would profess it,
As now I plainly express it.
When the Qoraish heard these verses they began to reproach Abu Tâleb with having apostatized from the religion of his ancestors A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, Hâshem, and A’bd Munâf, but he replied: ‘Abu Tâleb acts according to the religion of his forefathers.’ Some authors of chronicles relate that when Abu Tâleb was on his death-bed he convoked the sons of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, and said: ‘As long as you follow and aid Muhammad prosperity, Divine grace, and peace will be your portion,’ and his lordship asked: ‘Enjoinest thou them to follow me, and thyself abstainest to do so?’ Abu Tâleb replied: ‘Had I been in good health I would have complied; but now I am apprehensive of the reproaches of the Qoraish, who would say: “Whilst Abu Tâleb was well he made no profession of the religion, but has become a Musalmân in the agony of death.” For this reason I refuse to become a Moslem.’ It is related that when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.— despaired of inducing Abu Tâleb to profess Islâm, he arose from the couch, and said: ‘By Allah! I shall continue to pray for his pardon until such time as I am forbidden to do so.’ Accordingly, his lordship sat in his house several days after the death of Abu Tâleb, praying for his pardon. When the companions were informed hereof they likewise united with his lordship the refuge of prophecy—u. w. b. —in praying for their relatives who had died infidels until the verse was revealed: ‘It is not [licit] for the prophet, nor for those who are true believers, that they pray for idolaters, though they be of kin, after it has become known unto them that they are inhabitants of hell.’193 It is related that when the disease of Abu Tâleb had reached a stage at which the Qoraish despaired of his life they consulted with each other, and said: ‘Abu Tâleb had during his life protected Muhammad as much as he possibly could, and, as he is now on the point of death, we also must not neglect his nephew, the more so as Hamzah—a more brave Arab than whom does not exist—has become a Musalmân, and as O’mar B. Al-Khattâb, whose courage and power are known to the high and to the low, has become his follower. Moreover, as many of the Qoraish and of other tribes have professed Islâm, and we are convinced that the adherents of Muhammad will increase, will help him more and more, will propagate his religion among all the Arabs, will attack and fight, and will, after taking possession of Mekkah, subjugate us also; therefore it will be proper for us to go to Abu Tâleb and request him to invite Muhammad to conclude a treaty of peace with us in such a manner that he shall hereafter abstain from meddling with our religion, and we shall have nothing to do with his.’ When they had arrived at this conclusion, O’tbah, Shaibah, Abu Jahl, O’mmiah B. Khuluf, Abu Sofiân B. Harb, and a number of other well-known Qoraish leaders, presented themselves at the bedside of Abu Tâleb, and said: ‘O Abu Tâleb, we have always acknowledged thy rule and government, nor have we ever swerved from thy mandates. But now we fear that after thy departure from this perishable world quarrels and contentions will arise between the Qoraish and Muhammad. Call him if thou deemest proper, and enjoin him to cease injuring our religion, and we shall let alone his.’ Accordingly, Abu Tâleb called his holy and prophetic lordship, and spoke to him as follows: ‘Son, the nobles and the chiefs of the Qoraish have a request to make, and agree to promote thy interests, and to act according to thy behests, if thou wilt comply therewith.’ The prince of the world replied: ‘I have also a request to make to the tribe.’ Abu Tâleb queried: ‘What is it?’ His lordship replied: ‘I request them to utter only one expression, after pronouncing which they will reign over all the Arabs, and the whole of Persia will become subject and obedient to them.’ Abu Jahl replied: ‘O Muhammad, instead of one expression we are prepared to utter a hundred. Tell it.’ He said: ‘There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.’ When the people heard these words they became angry, clapped their hands, and said: ‘O Muhammad, wishest thou to reduce our gods from one thousand to one? This is a very strange thing, and although we desire to reconcile thee and to please thee, thou art unwilling to settle thy business.’ After these words they arose and dispersed. When they had left the house, Abu Tâleb said: ‘Thy request to the Qoraish was not unfit, and thy words were appropriate.’ This declaration induced his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—to conceive hopes of Abu Tâleb’s conversion, and he said: ‘Uncle, pronounce those word’s thyself, that I may, with their aid, intercede for thee on the day of the resurrection.’ But Abu Tâleb replied: ‘By Allah! were I not apprehensive of the reproaches of the Qoraish, and of the suspicions of the people that I have professed the Faith for fear of death, I would have pronounced the Kalimat to please thee, would have rejoiced thy heart and brightened thy eyes.’ After that his condition changed, his tongue moved in his mouth, and when A’bbâs placed his ear to the mouth of Abu Tâleb, he said: ‘O nephew, he pronounces the words which thou wishest him to say.’ Despite of Muhammad B. Esahâq, one of the greatest historians and biographers, who has a tradition that although when his lordship the refuge of the apostolate—u. w. b.—proposed to Abu Tâleb to utter the Kalimat of monotheism he first refused, but afterwards repeated it in a low voice, as A’bbâs had heard it, the Sunnis and Sheikhs of the Motazzelites194 refuse to believe it, because, according to the opinions of many writers on tradition, the blessed verse ‘It is not allowed to the prophet,’ etc.,195 had been revealed on the occasion of his praying that Abu Tâleb might be forgiven, as has been recorded above. That assertion contradicts also the tradition of many U’lâma, who say that the blessed verse ‘Verily thou canst not guide whom thou pleasest, for Allah guideth whom He willeth to the straight road, and He knows best who are guided,’ had been revealed with reference to Abu Tâleb. On this subject there are so many traditions that they cannot be recorded in this abridgment, but Muhammad B. Esahâq is the author who asserted that Abu Tâleb professed the Faith, and Allah knows best. After that his lordship the apostle went out, and Abu Tâleb departed to the gardens of paradise.
In some biographies we read that when Abu Tâleb died Murtaza A’li—u. w. b.—informed the prophet thereof, saying: ‘Verily thy uncle, that misguided old man, has died,’ and that his lordship, who was weeping, replied: ‘Go, wash his body, shroud it, and make all the arrangements necessary for the funeral.’ A’li replied: ‘O apostle of Allah, he has died an unbeliever.’ But his lordship again said: ‘Go, wash his body, and say nothing until thou returnest to me.’ Accordingly, A’li did as he was bid. There is a tradition of A’bbâs—m. A. r. h.—that in Abu Tâleb’s funeral the prophet walked in front of the bier, and said: ‘O uncle, thou hast cherished thy kin, and hast done good acts. May Allah reward thee!’ All the U’lâma agree that Abu Tâleb died during the tenth year of the mission, and that his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.— was overpowered by vehement grief.
During the same year, three days or thirty-five days after Abu Tâleb’s decease, Khodaijah Kabri also hastened to the gardens of paradise, and his lordship was so melancholy on account of the departure of these two beloved persons that he declined to leave his house, and the said year was surnamed the year of mourning. In some books it is recorded that when Khodaijah Kabri fell sick, his lordship the refuge of termination said to her: ‘Thy disease produces a disagreeable odour, but with the loathsomeness thereof Allah the Most High and Glorious has vouchsafed thee great benefits. Knowest thou not that the Most High has exalted thee above Mariam, the daughter of E’mrân and sister of Mûsa, and above Asiah, the daughter of Mozâhum, the wife of Fara’ûn?’ When Khodaijah died she was sixty-five years old, and was buried in Hajûn. The prophet—u. w. b.—used to visit her grave, although at that time the funeral customs and prayers had not yet become obligatory. This statement is, however, contrary to the assertion of the author of the Mustaqaza, according to which the prophet—u. w. b.—is said to have forbidden A’li—u. w. b.—to pray for Abu Tâleb. It is said that after the decease of the latter the idolaters stretched forth the hand of opposition against the prophet, and they —may dust cover their heads—induced a caitiff to throw dirt at the august head and countenance of his lordship. When A’bd-Bin A’bd-ul-Muttalleb heard that the prophet —u. w. b.—was, on account of the insults of the infidels, hindered from pursuing his mission as he wished, he met his lordship, and exclaimed: ‘O Muhammad, pursue thy avocation as during the lifetime of Abu Tâleb. I swear by Lât and by U’zza that as long as I am alive thy enemies will not be able to injure thee.’ It is related that when on a certain occasion an imbecile fellow was cursing the prophet—u. w. b.—the words were reported to Abu Lahab, and he rated him soundly for them, but the Qoraish asked: ‘Hast thou accepted the religion of Muhammad?’ He replied: ‘I profess the Faith of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb, but I protect my nephew from insults, to enable him to live at ease and to pursue his business.’ Then the Qoraish said: ‘Thou actest well in cherishing thy kinsman.’ After that his lordship attended to his mission for some time without being insulted by the idolaters for fear of Abu Lahab, until one day Abu Jahl B. Heshâm and O’tbah B. Abu Mo’itt—may Allah curse them both—asked Abu Lahab: ‘Has thy nephew told thee where the place of A’bd-ul-Muttalleb is now?’ He replied: ‘No.’ They continued: ‘Ask him.’ Abu Lahab then questioned his lordship, and was told that A’bd-ul-Muttalleb was with his people, and on his reporting this reply to them, they said: ‘The meaning of these words implies that he is in hell.’ Then Abu Lahab put the following question to his lordship: ‘Will A’bd-ul-Muttalleb go to hell?’ The prophet—u. w. b.—replied: ‘Yes, and all who follow his religion will go to hell.’ On hearing these words Abu Lahab became angry, and said: ‘By Allah! henceforth I shall always be thy enemy.’ Accordingly, he united himself at that time to the Qoraish in persecuting and insulting the prophet to such a degree that his lordship was compelled to leave Mekkah.
HIS HOLY AND PROPHETIC LORDSHIP—U. W. B.—GOES TO TÂIF AND RETURNS THEREFROM, AFRAID AND MELANCHOLY, TO THE VICINITY OF THE SANCTUARY, WHERE A NUMBER OF GENII PROFESS THE RELIGION, AND HE RE-ENTERS MEKKAH BY THE AID OF ONE OF HIS WELL-WISHERS.
His lordship the prince of the righteous left Mekkah on account of the persecutions and insults of the infidels and the wicked, and went to the tribes Bani Bakr and Wâbel, inviting the people to walk in the straight way; but they remained unblessed by the grace of acceptance, whereon he removed to another encampment, the tenants whereof first aided but afterwards repelled him, repenting of their first friendliness. Then he paid a visit to the inhabitants of Tâif and to the tribe Thaqif, where, as a certain tradition informs us, he stopped ten days, inviting the chiefs and heads of the people to accept Islâm, but none were willing to do so. There is a tradition of Muhammad B. Ka’b Qurtti that on the said occasion there were two brothers and chiefs of the tribe Thaqif A’bd Thalil at Tâif, whose names were Mosa’vud and Habib, sons of O’mar B. O’mair, whom his lordship the refuge of prophecy—u. w. b. —met, invited them to accept Islâm, and worked evident miracles. One of them said: ‘If thou art a prophet then I must have stolen the door of the Ka’bah,’ but according to another tradition he said: ‘I do not know what to answer thee.’ Another asked: ‘Has Allah the Most High not found a better man than thee to send as an apostle?’ Another said: ‘I cannot reply to thee, for if thou art a prophet thy dignity unfits me to converse with thee; but if thou art not one, why should I do so?’ His lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—however, said to them: ‘If you do not accept my invitation, may Allah keep this matter secret!’ The lord of existences uttered this wish lest the Qoraish might become informed of the state of affairs and might augment their persecution.
The miserable ones of that locality struck the hand of refusal upon the breast of the invitation of the chief of both worlds, and instigated foolish persons to throw stones at that prince, so that they broke the head of Zaid, wounded the blessed legs of his lordship, and exclaimed: ‘Thou sorcerer! thou madman! Hast thou come to raise quarrels among us, and to lead astray the simple?’ His lordship left that tribe, entered a garden belonging to O’tbah and to Shaibah on the road to Mekkah, and sat down in the shade of a tree. His luminous mind was highly aggrieved, and the stones thrown by the hard-hearted fools of Tâif having soiled his august legs with blood, he raised his hands in prayer with a sorrowing heart and wounded body, saying: ‘O Allah, in my weakness I lay my complaint at the courts of Thy magnificence. I acknowledge my simplicity and impatience at the palace of Thy greatness, and represent to Thee my abject and miserable condition, because Thou art the most merciful of [those who are] the merciful and the protector of the helpless. Thou art my cherisher. Referest Thou me to a friend who may become displeased as soon as he perceives me, or to an enemy who would like to become the master of my destiny? If this affliction has not befallen me from Thy wrath I dread it not. But Thy mercy is greater. I take the light of Thy countenance to witness, the light which has illuminated darkness, and has connected me with the affairs of this world and the next, that Thy displeasure and anger will not befall me. Thou canst punish according to Thy good pleasure. There is no power nor strength except by the will of Allah!’
It is related that on the above occasion O’tbah and Shaibah were in their garden sitting on an elevated spot, and looking at the tricks played by some insolent persons upon his lordship, but their vein of consanguinity being touched, they felt pity for him, and sent a few grapes to the prophet by a Christian boy from Nineveh, called A’dâs. When this youth presented the dish to the august vision of the best of men, his lordship said: ‘In the name of Allah,’ and began to eat. A’dâs, who had scrutinized the noble countenance of his lordship, thereon exclaimed: ‘By God! these are words which I have never heard in this country from anyone.’ His lordship asked: ‘Who art thou? What is thy religion and thy country?’ He replied: ‘I am a Christian servant from Nineveh.’ His lordship continued: ‘Thou art from the village of that pious man Yûnas Bin Matti [Jonah].196 A’dâs asked: ‘How knowest thou Yûnas?’ The apostle—u. w. b.—replied: ‘He is my brother. He was a prophet, and I am one also.’ When A’dâs heard these words he prostrated himself at the feet of his lordship, and when O’tbah with Shaibah had seen what was taking place, they said: ‘He has perverted the boy.’ When A’dâs returned to them, they asked him what that man had said, why he had kissed his hands and feet, manifesting all that humility? He replied: ‘That individual has informed me of a matter which none but prophets know.’ They rejoined: ‘Woe to thee! He has deceived thee and injured thy religion.’ A’dâs answered: ‘Do not say so; for a better man than he is not living on the face of the earth.’
When his holy and prophetic lordship departed from Tâif he went to the valley of Nakhlah, from which Mekkah can be reached in one night. At that place he arrived in the latter part of the day, but during the night seven of the genii of Nassibin197 came, and overheard the lord of apostleship reciting the Qurân. They waited till he had finished his prayers, and then presented themselves to his lordship, who invited and received them into the firm religion, saying: ‘When you return to your country, invite your people to accept the bright religion.’ God the Most High has said: ‘[Remember] when we caused certain of the genii to turn aside unto thee that they might hear the Qurân, and when they were present at the [reciting of the] same, they said [to one another] “Give ear”; and when it was ended, they returned back to their people preaching [what they had heard].’198
In some chronicles it is recorded that when, after the mission [of Muhammad], the Satans were prohibited from listening by stealth, they said to each other: ‘A great event must have taken place in the world, on account of which a curtain has been interposed between us and the celestial news. Therefore we must make inquiries in the east and in the west of the inhabited world and learn the cause.’ Accordingly the above-mentioned number of their company alighted on the earth in the region of Tahâmah, went to the valley of Nakhlah, where his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—happened to be engaged in his devotions when the genii arrived. When the latter heard the Qurân, they said: ‘By God! there is no other veil between us and the celestial information except this.’ After they were made happy by professing the Faith, and had returned to their people, they exclaimed: ‘Verily we have heard a wonderful Qurân,199 which directeth unto the right institution, wherefore we believed therein, and we will by no means associate any other with our Lord.’200
It is related that the genii waited twice upon his lordship —u. w. b.—the first time in the manner just narrated, and the second time many of that tribe, who had heard his lordship’s description from those seven individuals, made —three months after the above event in the valley of Nakhlah—their appearance in the Hajûn mountain-pass near Mekkah. They desired to meet the prince, and during the same night his lordship went to the said place, where he beheld many wonderful and strange things, which can be ascertained in detail from voluminous books.
It is also on record that when the lord of existences, the prince of men and demons, was returning from Tâif towards the sanctuary he learned that the Qoraish had, after being informed of the misbehaviour of the inhabitants of Tâif, instigated a number of fools to imitate those heedless men to overstep the boundaries of decency and to protrude the hand of impudence from the sleeve of respectfulness. Some allege that during the journey Zaid Bin Hâreth said to his lordship the prophet: ‘We went to Tâif on account of the persecutions and insults of the idolaters, therefore it will be proper for us not to re-enter Mekkah except under the protection of someone.’ Accordingly, his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—stopped near Mount Hira, and sent a man to Akhanas, [who was] of the Bani Srariq, with the request to protect him. Akhanas, however, refused, and the same question having been addressed to Sahal Bin O’mra Mutta’m, he complied, and sent the following answer: ‘Condescend to visit me, for I shall protect thee.’ The next morning Mutta’m armed himself, as well as his sons and retainers, and went to the temple of Mekkah. When Abu Jahl heard of this event he ran headlong from his dwelling, never stopping till he likewise arrived there, and when he perceived Mutta’m in this attitude, he asked: ‘Art thou a follower or protector [of Muhammad]?’ Mutta’m replied: ‘I am a protector.’ Abu Jahl continued: ‘To whomsoever thou grantest safety we also grant it to him. Accordingly, his lordship entered Mekkah, kissed during that night the black stone, circumambulated the Ka’bah, performed his devotions with two prayer-flexions, and then returned to his august domicile.
Some relate that the next day his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—went to Mutta’m, and requested him to withdraw his protection. Being asked for the reason of the demand, his lordship replied: ‘I do not wish to be under the protection of an idolater more than one day,’ and Mutta’m complied with the request. During the tenth year after the mission his lordship the refuge of the termination [of prophets] married A’aishah Ssiddiqah,201 but consummated his marriage with Sowdah, that of the former taking place only three years afterwards in the honoured city of Madinah, because she is said to have been only six years of age when the betrothal was made.
ASCENSION OF HIS HOLY AND PROPHETIC LORDSHIP—U. W. B. —HIS ATTAINING THE DIGNITY OF INTIMACY, AND HIS HEARING DIVINE WORDS CONCERNING THE MYSTERIES OF BOTH WORLDS.
The U’lâma are at variance how long before the flight, in what month, and in what locality the ascension took place; but numerous traditions concerning the mysteries and wonders unfolded to his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—during that journey have been recorded in many books. Some authentic historians allege that the prophet went twice to the upper world, and was on both occasions honoured by conversing with the Lord of lords without the intervention of Jebrâil. Sheikh A’li Abu Sinâ composed a treatise explaining the ascension, which contains philosophical maxims and unheard-of narratives, but as this abridgment cannot embrace all that has been written on the subject by learned and pious men, only an epitome of that miraculous event will be given; but He [i.e., God] vouchsafes protection and grace.
Some traditionalists, who wrote biographies of the prince of the righteous, have recorded that one night his lordship was about to fall asleep in the mansion of Omm Hâni, the sister of A’li Bin Abu Tâleb—u. w. b.—when Jebrâil arrived with Mikâil, and said: ‘Arise, Muhammad; the Omnipotent calls thee.’
| Verses: | In the morning he [Muhammad] propagated the Faith; In the evening he ascended to heaven. One night he left this perishable world, When Jebrâil in the house of Omm Hâni From the heavenly tabernacle arrived, Bringing Borâq (who is swift as lightning) from the light; His aspect was lovely, like that of a garden, His whole form was handsome to behold. Was there ever a cloud brighter than in the month of Nisân, Was there ever a breeze gentler than in the month of Nisân? He was adorned with jewels like the sea, As no one sitting in a boat would suspect; His back was strong, his action heavy, his step light, Far-seeing in travel, and swift in motion. |
It is recorded in several books of traditions that Jebrâil first opened the breast of his lordship from above till down to the pubes, and that Mikâil washed the veins, the throat, and the interior of his blessed breast with water from the well Zamzam in order to divest him from every quality unsuitable for a prophet. They brought a golden dish filled with religion and wisdom, emptied it into the heart, and put it back into its place. Then Jebrâil caught hold of his noble hand and led him out. When they arrived between Ssafâ and Marwah he beheld a quadruped smaller than a mule and larger than a donkey. His face resembled the countenance of a man, and his breast looked as if it were of red rubies; his back was of white pearls, and he had two wings large enough to conceal his legs. Jebrâil exclaimed: ‘Muhammad, mount him; for this is Borâq, whom all prophets rode.’ Then Jebrâil took hold of the stirrup, and Mikâil of the bridle. His lordship the apostle—u. w. b.— wanted to mount; Borâq, however, frisked, and Jebrâil said: ‘Borâq, no prophet dearer to God than Muhammad has ever bestrode thee!’ These words disconcerted Borâq, and made him perspire. Accordingly he bowed down, the prophet mounted him, and they departed to the farther temple [i.e., to Jerusalem]. On the road he was offered two vessels, one of which contained milk and the other wine, but the apostle of God selected the milk, and Jebrâil said: ‘Hadst thou chosen the wine, the people would have fallen into error.’ In the same manner [to tempt him] a man on the right side exclaimed: ‘O Muhammad, stop! I want to ask thee something.’ But the prophet paid no attention. The same question was heard on the left, but met with the same indifference. Farther on a woman, decked out with ornaments, was sitting near the road and also shouted: ‘Stop, O Muhammad!’ But the lord of apostleship—u. w. b.—heeded her not. After passing all these individuals, he asked Jebrâil who they were, and the latter replied: ‘The first man was a Jew, and if thou hadst answered him thy people would, after thy decease, have become Jews. The second was a Christian, and hadst thou replied to him thy people would have turned Christians. That elegant female was the world, and if thou hadst conversed with her all thy adherents would have preferred this world to the next.’ After they had travelled for some time, Jebrâil said: ‘Alight, O Muhammad, for this is the pleasant city [Madinah] which will become the place of thy exile.’ Accordingly his lordship did as he was bidden, performed his devotions, remounted Borâq and continued his journey. When they arrived near Ttûr Sina and Beit-ul-lahm, which was the birthplace of I’sa [Jesus] —u. w. b.—he alighted and held his prayers also in that place, at the request of Jebrâil. On reaching the further temple [i.e., Jerusalem], a company of Cherubim angels, who had come to meet him, addressed him in the following words: ‘Salutations to thee, O first, O last, O assembler!’ The prophet asked for the signification of this greeting, and Jebrâil replied: ‘Thou wilt be the first man resuscitated from the garden of paradise; thou wilt be the first man whose intercession is accepted; and thou art the last of prophets. On the appointed day the resurrection of all mankind will begin with thee.’ Then Jebrâil took his lordship down from Borâq and tethered the latter to a ring of a door in the farther temple, to which the prophets of former times had fastened their quadrupeds, and that door is called ‘the ascension gate.’ When he entered the temple he beheld a number of prophets, and at a hint from Jebrâil he went forward and held his orisons with two prayer-flexions, the prophets imitating his example. After that Jebrâil took him to the desert and showed him a ladder, the like of which in beauty no mortal eye had ever beheld. Its top was in heaven, and its foot [on earth] was surrounded by angels. The lord of the apostolate—u. w. b.—approached the said ladder and ascended by means of it [to heaven]. According to another tradition, however, Jebrâil took that prince upon his wings, conveyed him to the first heaven, and knocked at the door. Voices asked: ‘Who is that?’ Jebrâil replied: ‘I.’ They continued: ‘Who is with thee?’ He said: ‘Muhammad.’ They queried: ‘Has he been called?’ He rejoined: ‘Yes.’ Then the door was opened, and when his lordship mounted to the heaven of the world, he beheld a man of full stature. Jebrâil said: ‘This is thy father Adam; salute him.’ When his lordship had done so, Adam—peace be on him—returned the greeting, saying: ‘Welcome, pious son and pious prophet.’ On Adam’s right side there was a door, from which a pleasant, and on his left, one from which an unpleasant, odour issued. Whenever Adam cast a glance on the former he laughed, and when he looked at the latter he wept. His holy and apostolic lordship—u. w. b.—asked Jebrâil about the door, and was told that the one on the right was the entrance to paradise, opened to the souls of saved mortals, and the cause of his pleasure; whereas the door on the left led to hell, reserved for the souls of the condemned, and was a cause of grief to him.
From the heaven of the world his lordship went with Jebrâil up to the second heaven. There, as in all of the following heavens, the latter had some conversation as before at the gates with the angels, and obtained admission. In the second heaven his lordship saw two youths, and on his asking Jebrâil who they were, he was informed of one of them being I’sa [Jesus] the son of Maryam [Mary], and the other Yahya [John the Baptist], the son of Zakria, whom he was told to salute. He complied, and they answered: ‘Welcome, pious brother, pious prophet.’ In the third heaven they met Yusuf [Joseph], in the fourth Edris [Enoch], and in the fifth Harûn [Aaron], repeating and receiving the same greetings as before. In the sixth heaven his lordship beheld Mûsa [Moses], and departed after saluting him; but Mûsa commenced to weep, and on the angels asking him for the reason thereof, he replied: ‘Because after me a youth has received a mission, more of whose followers will enter paradise than of mine.’ He wept, however, not from envy, but on account of the paucity of his followers. In the seventh heaven he beheld Ebrahim [Abraham], and Jebrâil exclaimed: ‘This is thy ancestor.’ His lordship saluted him, and after replying, Ebrahim said: ‘Welcome, O pious son! O pious prophet!’ There is a tradition that his holy and prophetic lordship said: ‘I saw a man whose hair was half gray sitting on a chair near one of the gates of paradise. Around him were some persons with countenances as white as paper, and others who had a touch of darkness in their complexions; but they washed themselves in a river and came out from it as white as the former. When I asked Jebrâil for an explanation, he said: “This is thy ancestor Ebrahim, and the people who had a touch of darkness in their complexions are such as have with their good works mixed bad ones, but have repented, and God the Most High has accepted their repentance.”’ There is a legend that the prince of existences said: ‘I beheld Ebrahim leaning against the heavenly tabernacle, which is an edifice in the seventh heaven opposite to the house of the [celestial] Ka’bah, and is daily visited and circumambulated by seventy thousand angels. When they go out they do not return again, because [their numbers are so great that] their turn never comes again. After that I was taken to the lote-tree, which marks the boundary.202 I beheld a tree the fruits whereof were as large as rocks, and its leaves as big as the ears of elephants. The residence of Jebrâil is in the centre of that tree. At its foot I perceived four brooks, two of which were open, and two concealed. On asking Jebrâil about these streamlets, he declared that the secret ones flowed into paradise, and that the two open ones were the Nile and the Euphrates.’ After passing the lote-tree Jebrâil stepped back, allowing his lordship to precede him, until they arrived near a curtain, from the rear of which an angel protruded his hand, and took up that prince. But Jebrâil remained behind in this place, and on the prophet’s asking him for the reason, he replied: ‘Every one of us has his appointed station, beyond which he cannot pass, and if I go farther I shall be burnt.’
Verses: He so quickly went on the journey of approach
That Jebrâil lagged behind at the lote-tree;
So the prince of the holy house said:
‘O bearer of revelation,203 ascend higher!’
He replied: ‘I cannot proceed farther,
I dread to use my wings farther;
For if I fly one atom higher
The lustre of the glory will burn my wings.’
Accordingly his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—advanced alone and passed beyond the curtains. When Borâq became fatigued, a green Refref,204 exceeding sunlight in brilliancy, made its appearance, upon which his lordship the apostle—u. w. b.—took his seat, and travelled until he arrived at the foot of the great throne. Then the allocution ‘Approach nearer!’ was heard, and a drop of some fluid from the throne touched his blessed forehead, whereby he became imbued with the wisdom of ancient and of modern times, and the oftener the words ‘Approach nearer’ were repeated at short intervals, the more his dignity and proximity increased. He first touched the lowest step, and then ascended till he arrived very close, and heard the words ‘Salute thy Creator,’ and having been inspired with the following words, he said: ‘Blessed salutations and the most excellent benedictions to God, the Lord of glory.’ To which he received the answer: ‘Greeting to thee, O prophet, with the mercy of God and His blessings! Salutation to us, and to the pious servants of God!’ When the angels heard these words, they exclaimed: ‘We testify that there is no God but Allah, and that Muhammad is the apostle of Allah!’ After that, great mysteries and numerous conversations took place; fifty prayer-flexions in orisons during one day and night became obligatory upon Muhammad and his people; he was distinguished by receiving various Divine favours, and was then allowed to depart. When he arrived at the station of Jebrâil, that faithful spirit congratulated his lordship, took him to the gardens of paradise, and having shown him everything in detail, he made him see hell, where his lordship beheld with his own eyes the torments and punishments of the damned. On returning he again encountered Mûsa, who asked: ‘What has been made obligatory upon thy people?’ The prince of apostles replied: ‘Fifty prayer-flexions in orisons each day and night.’ Mûsa rejoined: ‘I have known mankind before thee, and have tried the children of Esrâil. Thy people are much weaker than the ancient nations, and unable to execute fifty prayer-flexions. Return to the place of monotheism, and ask for a diminution.’ He complied, and when he returned he brought the information that the fifty prayer-flexions had been reduced to five. Mûsa, however, instigated the lord and refuge of apostleship—u. w. b. to go again and to ask for a reduction. His lordship replied: ‘I have returned to God till I was ashamed. Now I assent and comply.’
After that the apostle of Allah again returned to the house of Omm Hâni. According to the statement of Muhammad Bin Esahâq, four hours of the night had elapsed from the prophet’s departure till his return. The writer of these lines says that what has been recorded in these pages is only [like] one word from a book, one pearl from an ocean, and a compendium from a detailed account, in comparison to what chroniclers and authors have related about the events of the ascension; but as one of those most excellent individuals has separately recorded the phenomena of it, and his tradition appeared to discerning persons to be exquisite—Allah, however, knows best whether it is correct —it has here been inserted as follows: The prince of all creatures—upon whom be the most excellent of blessings— spoke thus: ‘One night I was sleeping in the house. It was a night of thunder and lightning, when no quadruped roared, nor any birds uttered sounds, nor was anyone awake. I was in a state between sleep and wakefulness when Jebrâil arrived in his own form, with such glory and brightness as to illuminate the whole house. He was whiter than snow, and his countenance beauteous to look at; his hair was curled, and his forehead inscribed with the words: “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the apostle of Allah.” His eyes were handsome and his brows slender. He had seventy thousand rays of red and white rubies [as a nimbus of glory?], and three hundred feathers of brilliant pearls. He approached me, took me in his arms, kissed my eyes, and said: “O sleeper, how long wilt thou sleep?” Hereon I became frightened, and leapt up, but he said: “Be quiet. I am thy brother Jebrâil.” I asked: “O brother, has an enemy prevailed?” He rejoined: “I shall not surrender thee.” I continued: “What am I to do?” He said: “Arise, collect thy senses, and follow me.” Accordingly I walked after him until I perceived Borâq standing. He was taller than a donkey and smaller than a horse; his face was like the face of a man; his fore and his hind legs were high, and when I desired to mount him he would not allow it. Jebrâil, however, aided me until he subdued him. When we had started and passed the heights of Mekkah, a person came after me, and exclaimed: “Halt till I reach thee.” Jebrâil, however, interposed: “Do not speak, but go on.” When we had left him in our rear, Jebrâil said: “If thou hadst allowed him to reach thee, the love of the world would have found entrance into thy heart.” We progressed until we arrived in Jerusalem, when a person met us who had three goblets, which he offered to me. One of them contained milk, the other water, and the third wine. By the advice of Jebrâil, I selected the milk and drank it. When we reached the farther temple [of Jerusalem], and entered it, a Muedhdhin was calling the people to prayers. I preceded, whilst a company of angels and of prophets followed my example. When I had terminated my prayers I saw prophets standing at my right and at my left, all of whom saluted me. I beheld a ladder, the steps whereof were alternately of silver and of gold. By means of it I ascended into the heaven of the world, where I beheld Esma’il [Ishmael] sitting on a chair of light, with a company of men standing around him. I saluted him, and advanced to the second heaven, where I beheld two angels of perfect beauty and stately presence, one half of whom was of [the nature of?] snow and the other of fire; still, they neither commingled nor quarrelled with each other. They saluted me, saying: “Glad tidings to thee! For all blessings are with thee.” When I arrived in the third heaven I saw an angel the like of whom in beauty and elegance I had never beheld. He was complacently and blandly sitting on a chair of light, with numbers of other angels around him. Arriving in the fourth heaven, I perceived a celestial spirit sitting with great dignity on a throne of light. I saluted him. He replied with pride, and on account of his haughtiness he neither smiled nor spoke with anyone. He said to me: “O Muhammad, I see all blessings and felicities united in thee. I congratulate thee!” After reaching the fifth heaven I was made aware of hell. I beheld [from a distance] a black, dark, and fearful region, and I saw Mâlek205 sitting at the side thereof engaged in punishing and tormenting the wicked. He had wings and hair. When I arrived in the sixth heaven I perceived an angel sitting on a chair of light praising and magnifying the Lord. His wings and hair were inlaid with rubies and emeralds. I saluted him, and he greeted me, congratulating me on the prosperity and happiness that awaited me; and he also said: “I constantly utter blessings upon thee.” When I reached the seventh heaven I beheld an angel sitting on a chair of red rubies. Not everyone could approach him, but whoever did so was well received. I saluted him, and he replied, pronouncing benedictions. When I arrived near the final lote-tree I saw a world full of brilliancy and splendour. It was so bright that it dazzled my eyes. Wherever I looked round I perceived heavenly angels engaged in worshipping the inscrutable Creator. I asked: “O Jebrâil, who are these people?” He replied: “They have never any other occupation besides worshipping God. They have their places, which they never leave. There is not one of us but has his appointed place.” As I passed them by I saw four rivers, the water of each being of a different colour, and many angels, who were singing hallelujahs and praises, all engaged in their appropriate modes of adoration. As I passed them by I saw a boundless ocean, the end whereof I was [of course] utterly unable to see. Near it I perceived a large river and an angel pouring water from the ocean into it, whence it was flowing to all places. Near that ocean I saw also a great valley, larger than any I had ever beheld, and although I looked much, I could see neither the beginning nor end thereof. At the side of the valley I perceived an exalted, glorious, and refulgent angel, who called me to himself. When I arrived near him I asked: “What is thy name?” He replied: “Mikâil; I am the greatest of angels. Ask me about anything which is difficult to thee, and about anything thou longest for, that I may reply to all thy queries.” I replied: “I suffered much trouble and fatigue till I reached this place. My intention in coming here was to behold and to know God the Most High. Guide me to Him that I may attain my wish, derive the greatest profit therefrom, and then return to my house. Then that angel took me by the hand and led me beyond several thousands of curtains, taking me to a world where I saw naught resembling the things I had seen in these worlds [or heavens I had visited]. When we reached the Lord of glory I heard the words: “Approach me and come nearer.” Then I lost the faculty of motion and of sensual perceptions. I felt all happiness and ecstasy, forgetting everything from awe of the Lord. Everything I knew and felt was so intensified by the delight of the happiness in approaching Him that I might have been considered as beside myself. I smiled at the proximity, and trembled, but the words “Come nearer” were heard. I trembled, whereon I again heard the words: “Fear not. Compose thyself.” When I advanced nearer the salutation of the Lord reached me in sounds the like of which I had never heard before. Then the allocution came: “Say praises.” I replied: “I am unable. Thou art such as Thou hast Thyself said.” The words were then heard: “Say whatever thou desirest and whatever thou seekest.” I said: “I crave permission to put questions that my doubts may be removed.”’ Then his lordship the apostle proposed his doubts and obtained the solution thereof. Then also the principles of the religious law, such as fasting, prayers, etc., were settled for the religious and civil government of the world. The prophet says: ‘When I returned from this journey to my house the bed-clothes were still warm,’ and the apostle of God spoke the truth. This narrative of the ascension has been copied by the author of these pages from the tradition of the above-named celebrated individual without any addition or omission; but He [i.e., God] knows best what is correct.
Ebn Kathir has related in his chronicle that when his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—returned to Mekkah after his ascension he knew that the Qoraish would accuse him of falsehood; and he was sitting in the mosque of the sanctuary in a melancholy and depressed frame of mind, when the accursed Abu Jahl approached, and derisively asked him whether he had learnt his lesson yesterday. His lordship replied: ‘Yes.’ The accursed Abu Jahl asked: ‘Wilt thou inform the people of this tale?’ His lordship replied: ‘Yes.’ Then Abu Jahl began to shout: ‘O ye Qoraish people, come in!’ Accordingly all the men assembled, and the prophet made his statement, whereon some believed and some did not. It is on record that Abu Jahl went with a company of idolaters to Abu Bakr, and said: ‘Thy friend Muhammad alleges that last night he had been taken to Jerusalem, although he had remained with us since the evening.’ Ssiddiq replied: ‘If he has said so, it must of course be true.’ They queried: ‘Believest thou that he went during a portion of the night from this place to Jerusalem, and that he again returned before morning?’ Ssiddiq replied: ‘I do believe it, because he states that Jebrâil comes down in one moment from the seventh heaven and brings the message of the Most High, whereon he again returns.’ Then Abu Jahl, with his companions, departed abashed. It is said that from that day Abu Bakr was surnamed Ssiddiq.206 It is said that many idolaters who had seen the farther temple [of Jerusalem] came to his lordship the refuge of the apostolate, and questioned him for the purpose of trying him about the peculiarities thereof. His lordship said: ‘I described the temple until I was nearly confused. Jebrâil [however] brought the farther temple and placed it near the house of Naufil, where he kept it in my sight. I was looking at it and replying to all the queries of the idolaters.’ After his lordship the apostle had described the farther temple as it really was, the idolaters said: ‘He has correctly described the temple.’ In some translations it is narrated that his holy and prophetic lordship said: ‘I was sitting in a room, when the Qoraish examined me about the ascension. They then questioned me about matters concerning Jerusalem, which I had not borne in mind. Therefore I became more grieved than I had ever been before. Then the Lord of glory kept Jerusalem before my sight, so that I was enabled to answer their inquiries.’ It is said that the reason of the unbelief of those who had not professed Islâm must be attributed to the fact that they were conscious of caravans spending two months in going to Syria and returning to Mekkah. Let us fly to Allah for refuge from error after guidance.
The chief biographers relate that when the seal [i.e., last] of the prophets—u. w. b.—had, by a Divine inspiration, given a description of the farther temple, his opponents challenged him to give information about their travellers and clansmen who were in Syria, which would be more important. His lordship replied: ‘I passed by a caravan from such and such a tribe, who were going in search of a camel which they had lost. In their camp there was a jug of water, and as I was thirsty I drank it. When they arrive you may ask them whether there was any water in the vessel or not.’ He also said: ‘I passed by the caravan of a tribe called so and so. Two men, called so and so, happened to be riding on a young camel, which got scared and ran off from Borâq, in consequence whereof one of those two men fell to the ground and broke his arm. Ask them whether this happened or not.’ They further asked: ‘Where hast thou seen our own camels and the caravan of our relatives?’ He replied: ‘In Shaa’im.’ They continued: ‘What are their goods and provisions?’ He replied: ‘Such and such; this and that man is among them. An ash-coloured camel, covered with striped cloth, precedes their caravan, which will arrive to-morrow at sunrise.’ When his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—had thus given explanations about every caravan, they said: ‘This is another sign.’ The next morning the Qoraish were sitting on a hillock before daybreak, and waiting for the sun, but hoped that the caravan would not arrive, so that they might stretch forth their wicked tongues in reproof against the prophet, and accuse him of falsehood. Suddenly [however] one of them exclaimed: ‘Behold the sun has risen!’ and another shouted: ‘See, the caravan has arrived!’ It is related that as the caravans successively approached the Qoraish verified the words of his holy and prophetic lordship— u. w. b.—and found them all to agree with the facts. But despite all these signs and miracles, those dark-hearted wretches, unwilling to admit the light of the Faith into their hearts, said: ‘We have never heard such words, and this is nothing but evident sorcery.’
Distich: Look at those wretches who saw,
But would not believe, the Divine signs.
The above was a narrative of the journey of his holy and prophetic lordship—u. w. b.—to the sacred world, and of his return to direct the inhabitants of the earth. The writer of these pages says that the detailed accounts of the ascension and the moral reflections connected therewith have been recorded in works written by biographers on that subject, and had they all been copied here the account would have become very prolix. Although most of the U’lâma say that the ascension took place during the twelfth year of the mission, all biographers agree that it happened in the eleventh year when the Anssâr207 began to profess Islâm. The musked pen has recorded the events of the ascension in order not to tear the string of the narrative nor to disturb the pearls of words, and will now relate how the inhabitants of Yathreb208 professed Islâm.