The Jibril Hadith

The Inquiry of the Archangel Gabriel into the Enigma of Religion

We were one day sitting with the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) when there appeared before us a man dressed in extremely white clothes and with very black hair. No traces of journeying were visible on him and none of us knew him. He sat down knee to knee with the Prophet (pbuh) upon whose thighs he placed his hands and asked: Oh Muhammad, inform me about Islam. Said the Messenger of God (pbuh), Islam is that you should bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship other than God and that Muhammad is His Messenger; that you should perform salah (ritual prayer), pay the zakah (tax), fast during the month of Ramadan, and perform the Hajj pilgrimage to the House (the Kaabah in Mecca) if you can find the way to it or the means to make the journey there. Said he (the questioner): You have spoken truly. We were astonished that he was questioning him (the Prophet) but also confirming that he was right. He went on to ask: Tell me about iman (faith) The Messenger of God (pbuh) answered, It is that you believe in God and His Angels, and his Books, and His Messengers, in the Last Day, and in qadar (divine providence) both its good and its evil. The man remarked: You have spoken truly. Still he asked, Tell me about excellence of virtue (ihsan). The Messenger of God (pbuh) answered, It is that you should serve God as if you see Him, for although you cannot see him, indeed He sees you. The man continued, Tell me about the Final Hour. The Messenger of God replied, Concerning that, the one questioned knows no better than the questioner. So he said, Then inform me about the Signs (of its impending arrival). The Messenger of God (pbuh) answered, They are that the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress; that you will see the barefooted, naked and destitute herdsman of sheep competing with one another to raise taller and taller buildings. Then the enigmatic questioner left our company, and I stayed awhile after he had gone, while the Prophet asked me, Oh Umar, do you know who the questioner was? I replied, God and His Messenger know best. He (pbuh) said, He was Jibril (the Archangel Gabriel). He came to teach you all the religion.

Convey Religion with Compassion . . .

In order to properly educate people, various approaches to teaching are required. An intelligent teacher is one who is aware of the intellectual, emotional, mental and physical conditions of his charges. The teacher finds the most effective and appropriate means to enlighten the child and kindness is his guiding principle. The Prophet (saw) was once with a group of his companions in the Nabawi mosque in Madinah. As they were conversing together an Arab nomad made his way into the mosque, walked past them without greeting anybody and headed straight for the corner of the prayer hall. What did he have in mind? He actually answered natures call right there and then! The Companions started yelling at him : Stop it immediately! They were shocked and outraged. But the nomad was no less shocked by their response and seemed amiss about what to do. The Prophet (saw) was similarly taken aback, but his emotions were in control. He commanded his companions : Laa tuzrimuhuu! (Dont shock him) He didnt want anyone to interrupt the man in the midst of his preoccupation. The companions were quite surprised by the Prophets interjection but they kept still as the interrupted nomad carried on urinating until he was done. The Prophet, may Gods peace and blessings be upon him, then summoned him and gently reproved him : This is the House of God. It is not a place to ease yourself; it does not bear anything impure. We worship and remember God in his House, and here we recite the Quran. The Prophet (saw) asked a companion to fetch a pail of water to clean the polluted spot in the mosque.1 That was the end of the matter for him. Such was the noble demeanour of the Prophet (saw). With a collected mind, he calmly perceives the situation at hand. He sympathized with the wrongdoer and resolved an awkward situation with great compassion. Imagine the scene if the companions had manhandled or beaten the uncultured nomad - his urinary function would have been prematurely cut off and he would have probably been harmed physically! If he had to scurry away, he could have spilled himself all over the floor! More labour would be wasted over that! In reality, the Prophets greater concern was that the nomad should not come to hold a grudge against the religion of Islam. He might believe, though unfairly, that all Muslims are unfriendly and coarse, and even accuse Islam of being self-righteous. After that, he would probably not be inspired to visit the mosque, or to get to know the Messenger, or to learn about Islam. Wouldnt it be a sin for that to happen? Would the sinner be the ignorant man knowing nothing of propriety or the understanding person who recognize crudeness for what it is, but are not capable of empathy for others? The Messenger (saw) said: Verily Islam is maturity, it is illuminating and wonderful . . . so bring forth the religion with great compassion.
[1] hadith related by Bukhari, Muslim and Ahmad. Dr. Abd. Hamid al-Hasyimi : Ar-Rasul al-Arabi al-Murabbi, pp157-159.

Let not greed and ignorance defeat your ultimate

purpose . . .
Once two men got involved in a dispute over some inheritance. They were next of kin and they both laid claim to a fertile and valuable plot of land. They each forwarded all sorts of uncertain evidence - some explicit, others were vague, and some were outright unlawful! In order to fight their cases, these two people were putting forth proofs which they really doubted. The Prophet (saw) was the authority, judge, and enforcement agency through whom the law was upheld in the Muslim community. The disputants sought him out to decide on a settlement. The Prophet (saw) eventually handed out a decision which favoured one party over the other one man was awarded a larger tract of the disputed land. However, it was obvious to those present that both the relatives were discontented with the settlement. So the Prophet (saw) taught this lesson to the disputants in particular and the people in general: You have come to complain about this matter to me. Each party claims his own rights. I am only a human being placed in a position to judge over your case as fairly as possible. I have for evidence nothing beyond what you have put in front of me. Perhaps one of you has what seems like the stronger and clearer proofs over the other. Consequently, I examine your arguments and evidences based on my limited knowledge, and I make a decision in your favour. However, the truth of your claims and the knowledge of its applicability lies entirely with you. And God knows all secret and hidden things. Therefore, I say to the one to whom I award this disputed piece of earth, that if hes aware that his brother has the greater right to it, then he should refrain from accepting it. Because in truth, I have given him but a piece of the embers from hell! It shall be strung around his neck as proof of his deception and as requital for his sin on the Day of Judgement! The Prophets words gripped the hearts of the two relatives with trepidation: The dissatisfied one who had obtained more, and the one who got less who thought he had been cheated, soberly examined themselves. It was not the time for speculation ephemeral gains must not destroy eternal merits the Messenger of God had pronounced sentence over them! It was a suffering too terrible to imagine on Judgement Day, for fighting over something which was not right. Eventually both men owned up: My brother has a greater right over my share! They werent putting up a show in front of the Prophet. He told them, If you are thus assured, then first divide the estate into two equal halves. Then negotiate with mutual respect between yourselves until you come to an agreement that justice has prevailed in your settlement. Rest content with what God has apportioned to you and be pleased that your brother has received his rights. Wouldnt it be excellent if every virtuous judge were to emulate the Prophet by reciting the above edict after he has given his verdict in every case? Know that no judicial verdict nor official statement and certainly no dictators decree, could ever make truth out of falsehood. The Prophet has this counsel for his ummah: Virtue will never disappear and sins are never forgotten. The Glorious One Who cherishes all never wanes. So do what you will . . . but rest assured that you will

be held accountable for your actions.

Dr. Abdul Hamid al-Hasyimi : Ar-Rasuul al-Arabi al-Murabbi 160-161.

Fulfill the rights of the weak promptly . . .

One day the Prophet (saw) was confronted by an Arab nomad who began hurling loud accusations at him claiming that the Prophet (saw) had not repaid his loan. The uncouth man ignored the Prophets followers who were gathered about him in silence, and shouted, Settle it now or Ill broadcast your deeds and make life miserable for you! The Companions were controlling themselves in deference to the Prophet (saw) but now they exploded : You! Who do you think youre addressing?! Not only was the nomad in the presence of a leader wielding worldly influence but this was the Prophet held in high honour by God and His servants! The Prophet (saw) however would not side with his friends; they were exchanging like for like with the ignorant. Shouldnt we empathize with the weak whose rights have been overlooked? he posed them the question and then bade the nomad to be patient. Apparently, the Prophet (saw) had once taken a loan of date fruit from the man, for he would borrow from his companions and the non-Muslims as well. The fruits were meant for the poor who sought him for donations. Now, one of the Companions stepped forward to offer his assistance and he returned home to collect the dates but when he arrived later with sacks of the fruit the claimant inspected it and pronounced that they were inferior in quality to what he had loaned out. Are you going to reject what the Prophet gives to you? asked the exasperated Companion. Why not? Isnt he the man who is most capable of justice? he retorted. The Prophet was affected by these words and tears welled up in his eyes. What the man says is true. Who else but I should practice fairness in my affairs? said the Prophet (saw) . He then summoned someone to seek out Khaulah binti Aus the wife of his uncle Hamzah ibn Abdul Mutalib. Borrow some dates on my behalf from Khaulah and tell her that I shall return her loan as soon as possible, he requested. When the companion returned with sacks of the fruit, the Prophet returned the man his due and as a token of appreciation he added more to it. At this unexpected gesture the nomad declared, You have acted fairly oh Messenger. May God reward you and preserve your excellent conduct! After the man had departed, the Prophet (saw) turned to his followers and said : The virtuous among you are those who strive to fulfill their obligations to those with whom they have entered into agreement. For each day that passes by while he knowingly withholds the repayment of a loan, that person commits yet another sin. And woe to the people among whom the weak obtain with great difficulty what is rightfully theirs.

Al-Kandahlawii : Hayaat Sahaabah vol 2, pp 92-93

Greatness is reserved for the person who loves Him and who loves what He loves . . .
Soon after his arrival in Madinah, Muhammad (saw) was visited by an Ansari woman by the name of Ghumaishaa. Ummu Saliim as she was commonly known was carrying a young child of ten in her arms as she addressed the Prophet (saw), All the Ansari men and women without exception, have demonstrated their love for you, oh Messenger! As for me I have nothing to present you but this my son. Please accept him as a token of my love and allow him to serve you in any way you deem proper. Umm Saliim was a woman of strong faith in God and His Messenger (saw). She was unfortunate to be married to Malik ibn Nadhr who was an idolater and a drunkard. Not only did he not believe in the Oneness of God and the message of Muhammad (saw), but he frequently slandered the Prophet (saw). At that time, God did not prohibit marriages between Muslim women and non-Muslim men. The news I bring home today is not going to please you, said Umm Salim to her husband. Since when have you brought home good news from the Arabi, that uncultured nomad? Hes not an Arabi but a Quraishi noble born and bred in Mecca, then God chose him and purified him and raised him as a prophet and messenger, she explained. Whats that you wanted to tell me now? he wondered. God has prohibited alcohol, announced Umm Saliim. What a curse! A bad omen for us all. This is where we part ways! he cried. Malik had divorced her! He left her a few days afterwards firm in unbelief. Later on Umm Saliim was courted by Abu Thalhah, a man who also believed in his tribal deities. Unlike the case with her first husband though, Umm Salim was now a Muslimah and she would only marry a follower of Islam. I will never marry a pagan like you, she told Abu Thalhah plainly. Thats only an excuse. Actually, you are willing to marry anyone who can satisfy you with gold and silver. I swear to this and I call the Prophet (saw) to be my witness: the instant you embrace Islam, I shall be your wife. Your Islam is enough for me as dowry. Who shall see to it that you wont go back on your word? Anas . . . ! she called out to her son who had been serving the Messenger (saw) and was visiting her, accompany our guest to the Prophet. Muhammad (saw) observed the two figures approaching the mosque from afar and commented to his companions, Thats Abu Thalhah coming to meet us I see the light of Islam shining in his eyes. No sooner had Abu Thalhah met the Prophet (saw) that he professed: I testify that there is no god but God and I testify that Muhammad is His Messenger. Some time later, the Prophet (saw) sealed the marriage of Abu Talhah and Umm Saliim. The Companions commented, Never has there been a dowry dearer than Abu Thalhahs dowry for Umm Saliim Islam! The couple were blessed with a baby boy. But alas! their parental joy was

to be shortlived for the child passed away about the time he was able to walk. He died at home from a fever while his father was praying in congregation with the Prophet (saw). Quietly, Umm Saliim wrapped a blanket around her little son as if he was alive and fast asleep where only a while ago he had been suffering. She instructed her family: I hope none of you will break this sad news to Abu Talhah. I want him to rest well when he comes home from work today. He shall learn about our loss in due time. After the Isha prayer Abu Thalhah left quickly for home anxious to see his son : Hows our child? Hes sleeping leave him to rest tonight, his wife answered calmly without betraying her sadness. Abu Talhah felt satisfied to see the infant lying in bed peacefully. Umm Saliim continued, Lets have dinner you havent had anything all day. Ive prepared your favourite food. They ate together. She had dressed herself prettily for she wanted to console her husband from the impending news that must shatter him. The night seemed lovely as they lay together. When the right moment arrived as Umm Saliim had planned, she entered into conversation with Abu Talhah : My beloved husband, a family once borrowed some expensive embellishments from someone. After a long time had passed the owner requested for its return. Would it be proper for the family to feel reluctant to return the ornament? No, . . . that wouldnt be right. They ought not to feel that way, he reflected. Why Abu Thalhah, they had endeared themselves to this valuable thing while it was in their possession and it felt just like their own now? Which is exactly why they should be grateful and happy to return what is not theirs but which they have enjoyed. It was the moment for Umm Saliim to disclose her secret, That family is ours Abu Thalhah! What do you mean? he was caught by surprise. That most valuable ornament is our little prince, whose owner is none other than God, the Compassionate and Merciful. The Possessor has taken back your beloved son! Abu Talhah sprang to his feet and rushed to the bed of his son. He calmed down enough to unravel the cloth wrap slowly staring intently at the lifeless body. Tears streamed down the faces of the father and the mother. He prayed : Inna lillaahi inna ilaihi rajiun (Verily we come from Him and to Him do we return). Alhamdu lillaahi rabbil alamiin (Praise be to the Lord of the Worlds) . . . He is worthy of praise in every affair and situation. He entrusted this child to us and He nurtured him . . . Before burying his son the following day, Abu Talhah visited the Prophet (saw) to inform him of the sad news and the behaviour and speech of his wife the day before. Werent you both intimate last night? asked the Prophet (saw). We were, oh Messenger, Abu Talhah confirmed. By the truth of Him who sent me, the Most High has blessed the seed which you sowed in her last night. He has granted you another male child as a sign that He has accepted Umm Saliims perseverance and surrender to His Will, the Prophet (saw) revealed and he gave these instructions : When Umm Saliim gives birth, bring him to me as soon as the umbilical cord is cut; the child must not have tasted his mothers milk. When the baby was born his brother Anas carried him to the Prophet (saw) :

Oh Prophet, here is the child our mother promised. Give him a name, oh Prophet! He shall be called Abdullah! Bring me three dates, he instructed. The Prophet (saw) chewed on each piece thoroughly with his undefiled saliva. He placed the dates into the babys mouth one at a time to let him taste every piece. The child seemed to enjoy it so much that the Prophet remarked, He is an Ansar who likes dates! The Prophet (saw) sent Anas home saying, Bring your brother home to Umm Saliim and tell her : God has blessed you. Your baby will grow up to be a kind and upright man. That was how Abdullahs character developed. His mother was subsequently graced with seven other sons who were all able to recite the entire Quran from memory. It is recorded in a hadith that Ibn Saad narrates that Umm Saliim was a courageous woman who strove in the cause of God Glorious is He the Most High. She fought by the side of the Prophet (saw) in the battles of Uhud and Hunain. Bukhari and Muslim recorded that the Prophet (saw) once said: I have visited heaven. On one of those occasions I heard someones footsteps it slowly became apparent to me that it was the footsteps of Umm Saliim.

Al-Kandahlawii : Hayaat Sahaabah vol 2, p 589;

Adz-Dzahabii

: Alaam an-Nubalaa vol 2, p 304; vol 3, p 395

Live with dignified modesty through times of want and plenty . . .

Someone asked Bilal (ra) how the Prophet (saw) dispensed with his expenses. Bilal (ra) narrated this story : I was one of the Prophets assistants who helped to manage his expenses from the day I embraced Islam until he passed away from the world. Whenever the Prophet (saw) came across someone in dire need, he would direct me to seek a loan to provide for the needy person eventhough he himself was usually indigent. That was my work and one day it came to pass that a non-Muslim man offered his help. He said : Hey Bilal, surely you have heard about my commercial success. I can lend you whatever you want any time. This was glad news and so I borrowed from him several times afterwards for those who sought aid from the Prophet (saw). It came as a shock to me one day at the masjid as I was taking ablutions to call the faithful to prayer (adhan) that the same man accompanied by some other traders, approached me shrieking, Hey black man! I responded, Labbaik, I am here! His hot flushed face was a different picture from his usual geniality. He snapped, Hey black slave, do you realize its time to settle your debts? I acknowledged, Yes, its close to the time. He started threatening me, Four days more to go! Beware, let there be no delay. You know that I loaned you money not because you touch my heart nor because your friend is anyone extraordinary. If you fail to pay up in time, be sure Ill return you to slavery! You shall be my bondsman and Ill make you herd goats as you did in Mecca! My thoughts and feelings reeled into a frenzy. I suppose anyone who has ever faced the trials of slavery would be similarly affected. He left after that and I recollected myself to make the call for prayer. That night after the Isya prayer, I explained my situation to the Messenger: Oh Messenger of God, whom I love above all else, I am ready to sacrifice everything for you. I have been threatened with slavery by the nonMuslim whom I have been borrowing money from. At this moment you do not have enough funds to return his loan. He is determined to take advantage of me. Please permit me, oh Messenger of God, to appeal for help from the Muslim households. I hope that God will favour His Messenger to free us from the burden of debt. The Prophet (saw) made no comments nor did he give me any instructions. I returned to my apartment. That night my eyes would not stay shut. The disbelievers words kept reveberating inside my head. As the rays of dawn glided ponderously over the darkness of night, I arose from bed. Just about then someone from outside called, Bilal, come and meet the Messenger, may the peace of God be with him. I made my way quickly to his house. Along the way I caught sight of four fully laden camels and when I greeted the Messenger (saw) he said: Be glad, oh Bilal. God has sent you provisions with which to clear the debts. I praised God for His timely mercy. He questioned me, Did you see the four laden camels tied up outside? The goods comprises clothing and food from the governor of Fadak. Please sell them off to cover the repayments.

After the dawn prayer with the Prophet (saw) I set off to accomplish my task and soon I managed to clear the Prophets debts. I looked for him at his residence and found him alone in the masjid. May peace and blessings be with you, Messenger of God. And peace be upon you Bilal, what have you made out of your goods? All has been sold off and your debts are completely settled. Is there any remainder from your sales? Yes, two dinars. Please check where you could channel it to. I shall not leave this seat until we are free of its fetters. On that day however, no one came forward to ask for the Prophets help, so he stayed on through the night in the masjid until dawn returned. On the evening of the second day I came across two poor travellers and I bought them clothes and food with the two dinars. After the night prayer the Prophet called me over to him, What has happened to the two dinars in your keep? Praise be to God, who has freed you of it, I conveyed the good news happily. God is Most Great, praises and thanksgivings are for Him alone, he resounded. So afraid was the Messenger of God (saw) that death might overtake him before he could fulfil his obligations and safekeep his trusts. His countenance brightened upon receiving the news and he left for the apartments to greet his wives. He hadnt slept a wink for a day and a night since I departed from him in the masjid the day before. This was the personality of the Messenger, may God bestow him peace and blessings, the mould of a true leader. Such leaders take their people or ummah as their own children, giving them more importance than themselves. One of the Prophets (saw) supplications goes : Oh God, grant me a modest life through times of want or plenty.

Al-Kandahlawii : Hayaat Sahaabah

A heart of stone softens into a man of virtue . . .

The city of Mecca had been liberated by God from the stranglehold of the false gods. The veils of pride which had concealed the truth from the pagans were quickly shed. File upon file of men and women came forth to profess Islam. In their ranks was Baghum a woman of the Banu Kinanah whose husband was Shafwan ibn Umayyah, the Quraishi elder and warlord. Shafwan had fled capture and was hiding out in the desolate wilderness. One day while he was resting with his young loyal follower Yasar he sensed that something was approaching his camp. Yasar, see who is coming our way! Yasar went out among the rocks taking care to hide himself from the alien figure. Once inside the tent he reported, It is Umair ibn Wahb your uncle, sheikh. Umair? What does he want? By God he means ill! Hes Muhammads warrior and he is going to take my life. Hell kill anyone for him. The meeting of these two former friends could not be avoided. They were of the same tribe and related by close ties of kinship. What do you want Umair? Havent you fooled me enough? I bore your debts and cared for your children with the pact that you were going to finish Muhammad. Whats happened? Liar, youve given him your loyalty and thats hardly enough! Youre here to kill me! Calmly Umair responded: You are mistaken, oh leader of our esteemed family. May God consent to save you by means of the message I bear. I speak on behalf of a man who is benevolent and compassionate towards everyone. I come on behalf of Muhammad the Messenger of God. To him I said: Shafwan our leader has fled. He is terrified that you will not pardon him as you have pardoned the others in Mecca who opposed you and plotted to kill you. Im afraid that he might drown himself in the sea. Grant him clemency and vouchsafe his return . . . Shafwan, I have come here with an offer of surrender. Shafwan suspected trickery : No! by God, it is too easy to believe you. Im not going into Mecca until you can prove your words. Umair returned empty-handed to the Prophet (saw) but was directed to repeat his task : Take my turban to him as proof of my sincerity. At the second meeting Umair repeated his original message : I come from a man of excellent morals, generous and merciful to one and all. His greatness is also part of your nobility, Shafwan. His authority is your authority. He is your flesh and blood. By God, may I persuade you to not turn away this invitation from God. Shafwan softened : This may be a snare. It is not! He entreats you to accept Islam. But it is your choice. If you do not assent to join us now you still have a period of two months to decide. After that you can find another place to settle down if you refuse. Do not doubt my words because you will not find a man truer to his word than the Messenger of God. He has sent you this turban which covered his noble head the day he entered victorious into the city of Mecca. Shafwan was impressed : Yes, this is the turban Muhammad wore on that fateful day. Shafwan returned to Mecca with his steadfast nephew Umair. The Messenger (saw) was leading the Asar prayer as they arrived. The Prophet (saw) walked out of the mosque after the prayers and Shafwan, seated atop his animal, addressed him : Muhammad, Umair met me with this turban. He said he represents you and invited me to come and meet you. His words were : He hopes that you will accept Islam and if you are unwilling then you can stay for two

months. Is that right!? Please come down from your carriage Abu Wahb, the Messenger addressed him by his honorific. I am not coming down sheikh before you answer my question, he insisted. The Prophet (saw) accommodated him : Umairs words were true and for you I extend the grace period to four months. Shafwans terms of surrender were unexpectedly lightened. Not long after this meeting, rebel tribes including the Thaqib and Hawazin joined forces to attack Muhammad and the Muslims who were still rejoicing over the peaceful takeover of Mecca. As more and more Muslims sought out the Messenger (saw) to withdraw battle gear, the situation compelled the Prophet (saw) to approach Shafwan for assistance. Shafwan was well stocked with weaponry and the Prophet (saw) needed to loan a hundred sets of iron-mail armour complete with accessories. Suspicion crept into Shafwan when he was approached and he questioned the Prophet (saw) directly, Is this veiled compulsion Muhammad?! Or will it be a loan based on mutual agreement? The Prophet (saw) promised, A loan which will be repaid to you in full . . . if you consent. Shafwan dispatched the goods and as he did so there was a strange witnessing in his heart: This is not the behaviour of a victor dictating to a foe on bent-knees. Nay, its the conduct of a Prophet . . . As the Messengers convoy readied themselves to advance against the aggressors, Shafwan was inspired : I couldnt bear to see the Thaqib and their allies defeat Muhammad whose men are mostly Quraish, my own clansmen. Driven by deep-seated group identity he therefore sought the Prophets permission to fight alongside the Muslims at the battle of Hunain. God gave the victory to the Muslims and the spoils of war were aplenty. When the opportunity availed itself after the battle, Shafwan headed towards the Prophet (saw) who was moving among his troops in the valley. Shafwan was carried away by the sight of thousands of camels and sheep grazing freely in the paths and tracks of Hunain, bounty left behind by the fleeing tribesmen of Thaqib. He stared unblinkingly at these newly-acquired possessions of Muhammad (saw). Presently, some distance away he spotted about a hundred or more camels grazing in a herd. The Prophet who was nearby read his thoughts and asked, It appears you are attracted to this land, oh Abu Wahb! Indeed! came the reply. Then the Prophet (saw) startled him, This land and its wealth are all yours. In stupefaction he declared : No one offers all this up with such liberality unless he be a renunciant, . . . a man of God . . . I bear witness There is no god worthy of worship other than God and I witness that you Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger. Shafwan had become a Muslim. The Prophet (saw) and his forces reassembled back in the city of Mecca. Once there he fulfilled the terms of his loan with Shafwan and returned the battle gear he had borrowed but a few of the armour plates were either damaged or lost. The Prophet (saw) apologized to Shafwan and promised to make up for the shortage in due time. In response, Shafwan forwarded a confession : At this moment oh Messenger of God, all this is meaningless to me. I would rather have Islam and Gods covenants more than anything else. Muhammads noble character had transformed Shafwans heart into one in which the tree of faith had taken root, whose shoots had sprung up and spread rich foliage.

The Prophet (saw) returned to his residence in Madina soon after that. In the Masjid Nabawi some time afterwards, a peculiar incident took place. When he went there to pray, the Prophet (saw) found a man asleep on the masjid floor with his folded clothes for a pillow - it was Shafwan of Mecca, one of the wealthiest aristocrats of the times who had once vehemently opposed Islam. What has come over you Abu Wahb? the Prophet (saw) asked him tenderly. He answered, They told me that a mans Islam is unacceptable to God unless he leaves everything behind to be with you, oh Messenger of God. When I heard that, I vowed to God to cease all relations with my wife. I got myself ready and travelled as quickly as I could to your city. The Prophet (saw) smiled and gave counsel to Shafwan : You may go home in peace to Mecca, for the hijrah (emigration) which you contemplate is past its day that was a time when the people of faith were being oppressed in their own land. The true significance of the hijrah makes for the real meaning of jihad - to strive in utmost sincerity for what God requires of us. Hence sheikh, should God call upon you in the days to come to sacrifice something for His sake, do your part without procrastination. And the Prophets (saw) lasting testimony to the Muslims : Shafwan has imbibed the spirit of Islam. His faith is earnest.

Ibn Atsir : Usuud al-Ghaabah vol. 1, pp 573-574.

Greatness is a phantasm without the Lords sanctification . . .

An Ansari companion by the name of Salamah ibn Salaamah ibn Waqsh narrated this story in a hadith of the Prophet (saw) :

One of our neighbours was a Jewish rabbi who never tired of sermonizing us. One early morning he arrived at the meeting place of the clan of Abd al-Ashhal to address us. I was the youngest among those present at the time and I listened to him as I rested on the verandah of my house next door. With great alarm he warned us, worshippers of deities and idols, about the Last Day and the Hour of Judgement. He described Heaven and Hell to us. Some of us became fed up with his preaching and someone interrupted, You say that once we die, our lifeless bodies will be brought back to life again, then we shall be gathered together and sent either to heaven or hell . . . and everyone will see the merits and demerits of his past life? Is this serious chatter? Yes, it will come to pass! By the Lord Himself we swear! the rabbi replied strongly, How glad would I be on that day, if Gods requital for my sins was merely this torment : Being thrown into a large cauldron of boiling water over a smouldering woodfire. It would be a great salvation if that punishment alone could save me from the worst infernoes of hell. What proof do you have for all these? they interrogated him. Proof? Alright, the chosen prophet will appear from that direction, he prophesied as he pointed towards Mecca. And in your estimation, when is this going to take place? He gazed into the distance, then searched the faces of the people around him, finally resting his gaze upon me as I lay in my verandah. When that child grows up he will meet the Prophet, and his index finger was pointing to me. The mission of Muhammad, may Gods blessings and peace be upon him, arrived earlier than he had predicted. The rabbi was fortunate enough to meet the Prophet when he emigrated to Medina. Those of us who remembered the rabbis teachings and predictions during those early days naturally believed in Muhammads prophethood, but surprisingly the rabbi himself turned away from the prophet he had once championed. He recoiled in envy and disappointment because his intended prophet was not of his kind. Didnt you remind us time after time to place our faith in the last of the messengers? we pressed him. No, I did not mean him! came the retort. The rabbi was thoroughly disappointed with God, for he had envisioned a Jewish prophet. But the Prophetic mission was taking place here in Arabia and not in the traditional lands of the Jews. Enamoured with the conceit of belonging to a chosen race he could only deny Prophet Muhammads greatness. The eminence which he imagined about the Jews was a mere semblance of the true reality of the Jewish prophets. The inspirations of the prejudiced are not from God.

Al-Baihaqi : Dalaail an-Nubuwwah : vol 2, pp 78-79. Ibn Atsir : Usuud al-Ghaabah vol. 2, pp 499-500.

Bear with others without compromising your own convictions . . .

After the Messenger (saw) had subjected the holy city of Mecca, delegations from all the tribes of the Arabian Peninsula began to convene there. It was the 9th year after the Hijrah, traditionally referred to as the Year of Delegations.

The Christians of Najran were among the various groups arriving in Mecca. Their delegation comprised of sixty men, fourteen of whom were the leading men of Najran and the delegation was headed by three persons :- Abdul al-Masiih, the minister of civil affairs, Abham, the chief elder of the community, and Abu Haaritsah ibn Alqamah, the bishop holding authority over the Christian church and its affairs. The bishops close relative, Kurz ibn Alqamah, was in this expedition and he narrated the following events in retrospect : We were on the journey from Najran to Madinah, when the horse carrying my brother Abu Haritsah unopportunely sprained one of its legs. On seeing this I interjected : A curse! We are devoid of Gods grace! I attributed the cause of the accident to Muhammad, whom we were travelling to meet. Nay! the jinx is probably your old lady! the bishop Alqamah cut me off. Why do you speak such words dear brother!? I protested. Because, by God, Muhammd is the prophet we have been waiting for all this while. Why then have you kept silent for so long? Why havent you announced it to the people? Because the emperor and the aristocracy of Rome have brought us great prosperity . . . it is by virtue of them that we are recognized. If we ever professed another faith, most of the things we have so far enjoyed will be lost. The words of my bishop brother cut deeply into my heart and the wound never healed until that fateful day I accepted Islam as my religion. On arriving in Madinah, the Najrans were received by the Prophet (saw) in his mosque. They came into the Prophets presence after the Asar prayer dressed in fine and beautiful clothing which amazed quite a few of the Companions present. When the time for the celebration of mass neared the Najran Christians were unable to find a place to perform their worship, so they began to pray right there in the Prophets Mosque! This did not go down well with some of the Companions and they started to restrain them. However, the Messenger (saw) silently motioned to his disciples to mean : Allow them to pray! Thus the Christians performed their worship in peace and afterwards a religious discussion took place between the three Najran leaders and the Messenger (saw). The Christians believe that Jesus (as) is God because he was able to raise the dead, cure all kinds of illnesses, and access the invisible realms; he could also fashion birds out of the earth, incredibly blowing life into them so that the vitalized birds just fluttered away. At other times they consider Jesus (as) to be the Son of God because he was miraculously born without a human father. Or they professed that Jesus (as) was one of three persons in a Holy Trinity worthy of worship - did not God in His speech commonly refer to Himself in the first person plural pronoun : We cause . . . We reveal. They reasoned that if God was truly a Singular Being, He would have only used the first person singular pronoun : I cause . . . I reveal etc. To the Najrans the Prophet (saw) proclaimed : Accept Islam!1 But they countered : We have submitted to Him even before you. You do not speak truthfully - your surrender is handicapped because you profess that God has begotten a son. If Jesus is not the son of God, then who might his father be? Dont you agree that every child bears some resemblance to his father?

That is true. Havent you understood that God the Creator and Sustainer is Eternal Life and shall never cease, while Jesus was subjected to death? That is true. Do you not know that our God the Creator and Bestower is the Being Who subsists by Himself. From Him do all things issue, and it is His sustenance and grace that maintains creation? Certainly! Does Jesus possess qualities such as these? No. Do you know that there isnt a single thing in the heavens nor on earth which is hidden from God? That is certain. Does Jesus know anything which God did not teach him? No. Wasnt it the Lord Creator Who fashioned Jesus in the womb as He wished. And the Creator and Sustainer Himself needs no food nor drink, nor is He ever affected by change? Of course! Arent you aware that Jesus was borne by his mother the virgin Mary the way that other women bear their offspring. She gave birth to him as other mothers give birth. Jesus was suckled by his mother in the manner of other suckling babies. Then he ate and drank and experienced physical and psychological changes in himself as he grew up? That is true. Then what is the basis of your creed? asked the Messenger (saw) and his inquiry promptly ended there. So goes the story of Kurz ibn Alqamah. Indeed, the birth of Jesus (as) is truly peculiar in view of our common experience of human beings. Yet, should it seem anymore extraordinary than the creation of prophet Adam (as)? God Most Glorious and High wants humanity to understand the miracle of Jesus birth in this balanced perspective. The Lord therefore fortified the Prophet (saw) during his discussion with the Najran Christians with this revelation : Verily the likeness of Jesus before God is like that of Adam. He created him from dust, then He said to him : Be! and he existed.
Ali Imran : 59

The People of the Book in general, and the Christian leaders who discussed about Jesus the Messiah (as), believe in Adams creation from earthly clay. God imbued His Divine Spirit unto his earthly design and imparted to him human life. He was Gods uniquely wondrous creation to whom all the angels were commanded to prostrate in veneration. Strangely, Christians who deify Jesus (as) have never considered Adam (as) to be one with God eventhough the creation of prophet Adam was more miraculous and significant that God deemed him worthy of the homage of Angels. The Quran tells us of Archangel Gabriels (as) appearance to the immaculate virgin Mary (as). He brought her glad tidings of a child she was soon to bear, destined to become a messenger exalted in this world and in the hereafter. Mary, taken aback, questioned her Lord :

Oh God, how could I be with child, seeing that I have never been touched by a man? He said : (It will be) for God creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He only
has to say : Be! and it is. Ali Imran: 47

This holy converse of God, conveyed through Archangel Gabriel, served as a sign to Mary and all of us His servants, that His Will is attended by Absolute Sovereignty. If we realize this then nothing ought to surprise us! There is nothing in the diverse phenomena of creation so incredible that it should astound us, because all things are made possible through His Will and Power. Our rightful part is to call out Subhanallaah Glory be to God for Whom there is no peer. The servants heart finds repose when he realizes the correspondence between the births of Prophet Jesus (as) and Prophet Adam (as). Indeed, the peace of the man of faith is unyielding because he knows that all phenomena transpire by virtue of Gods Will and Sovereignty. Nothing ought to surprise us about Gods miracles. What ought to surprise instead us is the way people cling on to their misguided beliefs about God and His creation. Instead of faithfully affirming Gods sublime sovereignty over all, they make themselves partners to His Lordship. They forget that they are His servants and brothers and sisters to other human beings. The lines of a poet allude to such people : He was created, but quite unmeaningful is his creation, He exists but he is as inconsequential as non-existence, He has talents, but he is not gifted with generosity, He has means, yet he is poorer than the destitute.

___________________________________________________________________
[1] meaning : submit your self to the religion of your Lord Creator and Sustainer. Al-Haaqi : Ruuh al-Bayaan vol 2 pp 2-3.

The Final Sermon of Muhammad

This final sermon of the Prophet Muhammad (saw) encapsulates his lifetime teachings and eliminates all distinctions of class, race and colour. It is one of the worlds outstanding human rights documents. The Prophet (saw) said :

 Oh ye people! Listen unto my words, for I know not whether another year will be vouchsafed to me after this year to be amongst you in this place. Your lives and property are sacred and inviolable among one another even as this day and this month are sacred to all, until you appear before our Lord, and you shall appear before your Lord Who will demand from you an account of your actions. Oh ye people! You have rights over your wives and your wives have rights over you. Treat your wives with kindness and love - verily we have enjoined you to them on the security of God. Usury is forbidden. The debtor will return the principal sum, and we shall begin with the loans of my uncle Abbas, son of Abdul Muttalib. The aristocracy of the past is trampled under my feet. The Arab has no superiority over the non-Arab and the non-Arab has no superiority over the Arab. [Nor is the fair-skinned superior to the dark-skinned nor the dark-skinned superior to the fair-skinned]1. All are children of Adam, and Adam was made of earth. Ye people! Listen unto my words and understand me. Know that all Muslims are brothers unto one another. You are one brotherhood. Nothing that belongs to another is lawful to his brother, unless freely given out of goodwill. Guard yourselves against committing injustice. And your slaves! See that you feed them with such food as you eat yourselves and clothe them with the stuff that you wear. If they commit a fault which you are disinclined to forgive, then part with them, for they are servants of the Lord and should not be treated harshly. I am leaving with you two noble things; so long as you cling unto them, you will not go astray. One is the Book of God and the other is the Tradition of His Apostle. Let him who is present here convey to him who is absent. It could be that the one whom you inform will remember it better than the one who has heard it from me. Oh you who are assembled here! Have I delivered my message and fulfilled my promise? The assembled congregation cried out in one voice: Yes, indeed you have! Then a sudden glow appeared upon the face of the Prophet; his eyes were filled with grateful tears as he raised his trembling hands towards heaven. Three times he said : Oh Lord! I beseech Thee, bear witness unto what I have pronounced.