The disbelieving chiefs of Makkah
conspired to assassinate the last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (sallallahu
alaihe wa-sallam). Allah, the Most High sent Jibreel (alaihis salaam) to inform
His Messenger (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) about the plots of the Qur'aish and
to grant him the permission to leave Makkah and migrate to Madinah.
The Qur'aish posted eleven assassins outside the Messenger's
house. They were to keep a vigil throughout the night and attack the Messenger
of Allah (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) as soon as he would leave home.
BUT, the One in Whose Hands lie all affairs of the heavens and
the earths did not allow this devilish plan to succeed.
“And (remember) when disbelievers plotted against you (O
Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) to imprison you, or to get you out (from
your home, i.e. Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was planning, and
Allah is the Best of planners.” [Soorah Al-Anfal (8): 30]
Despite of their (Quraish's) siege they laid to the Prophet's
house, their plan failed; Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) came out of his
room and cast a handful of dust at the assassins and managed to escape in the
protection of Allah through them reciting the verses:
“And We put a barrier before them, and a barrier behind
them, and We have covered them up, so they cannot see.” [Soorah Ya-sin (36):
9]
Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) proceeded to the house of
Abu Bakr (radiyallahu anhu) and both set out southwards, clambered up the lofty
peak of Mountain Thawr, and decided to take refuge in a cave. They confined
themselves to the cave for three nights.
The Quraish continued their frantic efforts to get hold of
them, they declared that whosoever would seize Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe
wa-sallam) will receive a hundred camels as reward, this spurred many people to
try their luck, but none could succeed.
Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) reached Madinah safely in
the protection of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. The joyful news soon spread
through the city, the shouts of “Alahu Akbar' resounded and the Muslims rushed
out of their houses to greet their noble guest. Though not wealthy, every Ansar
was wholeheartedly eager and anxious to receive the Prophet of Allah (sallallahu
alaihe wa-sallam) in his house. It was genuinely an unprecedented day in
Madinah, a triumphal (victorious) procession.
This emigration of Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihe
wa-sallam) to Madinah marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar and the
beginning of a New Society “the Muslim Society” A Society that could stand for
the Islamic Call for whose sake the Muslims had been put to unspeakable tortures
for 10 years.
No doubt, the construction of a society cannot be accomplished
overnight or a year, indeed it requires a long time to build during which
legislations and legalizations will run gradually in a complementary process
with mind cultivation, training and education. Allah, the All-Knowing undertook
legislations and His prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) implementation and
orientation.
The Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) established a code of
brotherhood among the believers. It was by the Grace of Allah that he
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) erected the pillars of the new society, by wisdom
and dexterity (skillfulness). He led the believers into the light of Islam,
sanctified their selves, enjoined them to observe righteousness and praiseworthy
manners and was keen on infusing into them the ethics of friendship, glory,
honor, worship and first and foremost obedience to Allah and His Messenger
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). He inculcated in the minds of the followers
clusters of virtues:
Abdullah ibn Salam (radiyallahu anhu) said: “When the Prophet
(sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) arrived in Madinah, I went to see him and I
immediately recognized through his features that he would never be a liar. The
first thing he said was: “Extend peace greetings among yourselves, provide
food to the needy, maintain upright relations, observe prayer at night while
people are asleep, then you will peacefully enter the Gardens (Paradise).”
[Tirmidhee, Mishkat Al-Masabih (1/168)]
Once a man asked the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alaihe
wa-sallam) which of the merits is superior in Islam? He (sallallahu alaihe
wa-sallam) remarked: “That you provide food and extend greetings to one whom
you know or do not know.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]
“The Muslim is that; one from whose tongue and hand the
Muslims are safe.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee]
“He will not enter Paradise, he whose neighbor is not secure
from his wrongful conduct.” [Muslim, Mishkat Al-Masabih (2/422)]
“None amongst you believes till one loves for his brother
that which he loves for himself.” [Bukharee 1 /6]
“A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim; he neither oppresses
him nor does he fail him. Whosoever removes a worldly grief from a believer,
Allah will remove from him one of the griefs of the Day of Judgement. Whomsoever
shields a Muslim, Allah will shield him on the Day of Resurrection.”
[Mishkat Al-Masabih, (2/422), Saheeh al-Bukharee and Saheeh Muslim]
“He is not a perfect believer, who goes to bed full and
knows that his neighbour is hungry.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih, (2/424)]
“The bonds of brotherhood between Muslims are like parts of
a house, one part strengthens and holds the other.” [Saheeh al-Bukharee
(2/890)]
“Believers in mutual love, are like the human body where,
when the eye is in agony, the entire body feels pain, when the head aches, all
the body will suffer.” [Saheeh Muslim]
“Do not have malice against a Muslim, do not be envious of
other Muslims, do not go against a Muslim and forsake him. O the slaves of
Allah! Be like brothers with each other. It is not violable for a Muslim to
desert his brother for over three days.” [Bukharee (2/896)]
“Show mercy to people on earth so that Allah will have mercy
on you in heavens.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih (2/424) ]
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (radiyallahu anhu) once said: “If you are
willing to follow a good example, then you can have a recourse in the tradition
of the deceased, because the living are likely to fall in easy victims to
oppression. Follow the steps of the Muhammad's (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam)
Companion. They were the best in the nation, the most pious, the most learned
and the least pretentious. Allah chose them to accompany the Prophet (sallallahu
alaihe wa-sallam) and establish His religion. Therefore, it is imperative to get
to know their grace, follow their righteous way and adhere as much as you can to
their manners and assimilate (study, understand) their biography. They were
always on the orthodox path. There is then the great Prophet (sallallahu alaihe
wa-sallam) whose morals visible attributes, aspects of perfection, talents,
virtues, noble manners and praiseworthy deeds, entitle him to occupy the
innermost cells of our heart, and become the dearest target that the self yearn
for. Hardly did he utter a word when his companions would race to assimilate it
and work in its light.” [Mishkat Al-Masabih (1/32)]
These are some of the practices with which Prophet (sallallahu
alaihe wa-sallam) build a new society, the most wonderful, and the most
honorable society ever-known in history, so that they could become models of
virtue to be copied by subsequent generations. On theses grounds, he strove to
resolve the longstanding problems, and later gave mankind the chance to breathe
a sign of relief after a long wearying journey in dark and gloomy avenues. Such
lofty morale lay at the very basis of creating a new society with integrated
components immune to all fluctuations of the time, and powerful enough to the
whole course of humanity.
Today, as his (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam) followers and the
Muslim Ummah, it rests upon us to be in the lead and step forward in guiding the
Muslims of today in establishing a well-built, powerful, and effective Muslim
society on the basis of the Book of Allah and the traditions of our beloved
Prophet (sallallahu alaihe wa-sallam). We are also responsible for extending
this Muslim society throughout the human race. May Allah guide us in building
and extending this Muslim Society and may He make our actions sincerely for His
Face
[This article is based on 'Ar-Raheeq
al-Makhtoom' by Safi ur-Rahmaan al-Mubarakpuri]
