In Madina

Fast Made Obligatory

When the Muslims had taken the prayer as a mark and symbol of their faith it had got a hold on their hearts and souls. Then it was, in the second year of Hijrah, that God commanded them to observe the fasts also.1

“O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off (evil)” (Qur’an 2:183).

In another verse, the Qur’an said,

“The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur’an, a guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong). And whosoever of you present, let him fast the month” (Qur’an 2:185).

Footnotres:

1. Ibn Hisham, Vol. I, pp. 591-606. Also see the chapter dealing with “Fasts” in The Four Pillars of Islam by the author.

Expidition Of Abwa And ‘abdallah B. Jahsh

In pursuance of the command given by God, the Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) started sending raiding parties for sudden descent on hostile tribes. These raids were not meant to launch out against the enemy but simply to frighten those inimical to Islam by a show of force.

We shall mention here one of the earliest raids, led by ‘Abdallah b. Jahsh, for it gave occasion to a revelation sent down by God which shows that Islam does not countenance the least excess or highhandedness even by its own followers. Islam is always fair and impartial, without any regard to persons or parties, in bringing its verdict on every affair.

The Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent ‘Abdallah b. Jahsh on an expedition with eight emigrants during the month of Rajab 2 A.H. He gave him a letter with the instruction that he was not to read it until he had journeyed for two days, and then act according to the directions contained in it but not to force his companions to follow his orders.

‘Abdallah b. Jash read the letter after he had traveled for two days. The instruction contained in it was, “When you have read this letter, proceed to the oasis of Nakhlah between Mecca and Ta’if. Pitch your tents there to find out the movements of the Quraysh and send the information to us.” Having gone through the letter ‘Abdallah b. Jahsh said, “We hear, and we obey;” and then he said to his companions. “The Apostle of God has ordered me to lie in wait at the oasis on the road between Mecca and Ta’if and watch the movements of the Quraysh so as to bring him news of them, but he has also asked me not to compel anyone of you to follow me. If anyone wishes martyrdom, he may come with me, and whoever wishes may go back, for I have to abide by the instructions of the Apostle.” Then he went ahead, and so did all of his comrades, not one of them falling out.

The party moved on to the oasis where they bivouacked. In a short while, a caravan of the Quraysh passed by them. ‘Amr b. al-Hadrami was also with the caravan. When the Qurayshites saw the party camping near them they got frightened but when they saw ‘Ukkasha, whose head was shaved, their suspicions were lulled for they took the party to be pilgrims. They said: “Nothing to fear from them, they are pilgrims.”1 That was the last day of Rajab.2 The raiding party, on the other hand, took counsel among them and decided that if they left the Qurayshites alone that night, they would get into the sacred area and obstruct their entry there; but if they fought them, they would be fighting in the sacred month. At first they felt hesitant as well as dismayed but ultimately made up their mind to kill as many of the Quraysh as possible and plunder as much of their good as feasible. Waqid b. ‘Abdallah at-Tamimi shot the first arrow killing ‘Amr b. al-Hadrami while his companions captured two of the Qurayshites. ‘Abdallah b. Jahsh and his companions returned to Madina with his captives.

When ‘Abdallah b. Jahsh and his companions came back to Apostle, he said: “I did not ask you to fight in the sacred month, nor seize the caravans and take captives.” The Apostle also refused to accept the spoils brought by the party.

The campaigners were worried and fearfully apprehensive of being doomed. They were also reproached by the other Muslims. On the other and, the Quraysh laid a charge, saying, “Lo! Muhammad (peace be upon him) has allowed war and bloodshed in the sacred months!” It was on this occasion that sent down the revelation to the Apostle:

“They question you (O Muhammad) with regard to warfare in the sacred month. Say: Warfare therein is a great (transgression), but turn (men) from a way of Allah, and to expel the people thence is a greater (sin) with Allah; for persecution is worse than killing.”3

“God has given a fair deal to His friends as well as foes,” writes Ibn Qayyim in the Zad al-Ma’ad, “for He has not commended the sin of fighting in the sacred month, committed by His pious and devout servants. God has held it to be a serious act of transgression but He also reminds that the idolaters have been guilty of even greater sins through their acts of persecution in the sacred city of Mecca, and thus they deserve still more condemnation and punishment. Since, however, the believing servants of God had been guilty of indiscretion or they had made a mistake, God has lent them a hope that they might be forgiven on account of their faith in the Unity of God, submission to Him, migration with the Apostle and their strivings in His way.”4

The expedition of Abwa, also known as that of Buwat, was the first drive which was led by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in person but there was no fighting. Thereafter several raiding parties were sent out by the Apostle.

Footnotes:

1. Arabs preferred to perform ‘Umra during the month of Rajab.
2. Rajab was the first of the four months held to be sacred when it was not lawful to fight. The remaining three months where Dhul Q’adah, Dhil Hijjah and Muharram. Arabs observed this custom during the pre-Islamic and in the initial period of Islamic era, and this also finds a mention in the Qur’an (9:36). But the consensus of the doctors of law is that the interdiction in this regard has been repealed by later revelations which say, “Slay the idolaters wherever you find them” (9:5) and “Wage war on all the idolaters as they are waging war on all of you” (9:36). Said b. Al-Musayyab was asked if the Muslims were permitted to fight the disbelievers during the sacred months. He replied, “Yes. This was so during the wars waged by the earlier Muslims for there is not one instance in the history when the battles were suspended during the month of Rajab or for three months of Dhul Q’adah. Dhil Hijjah and Muharram or when Muslim force left the battlefield for their cantonments during the these months.’
3. Qur’an 2:217 (Ibh Hisham, Vol. I, pp. 601-2)
4. Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. I, p. 341

Permission To Fight

Gradually the Muslims were invested with power and became strong enough to take up arms against their enemies, they were then allowed to resist aggression and to fight against the mischief-loving people; but it was only a permission rather than obligation to join in clash of arms with the enemies.1

“Sanction is given unto those who fight because they have been wronged; and Allah is indeed able to give them victory” (Qur’an 22:39).

Footnotes:

1 See Zad al-Ma’ad, Vol. I, p. 314

Jews Give Offence To Muslims

It preyed upon the minds of the Jews that Islam had gained a footing in Medina and was making rapid strides day after day. They were intelligent enough to realise that if the popularity of Islam continued unabated for some time more, it would be difficult for them to stand up against their potential enemies. They decided to put up a front against the Muslims and launched a campaign to slight, vilify and ridicule the Muslims who, however, were not permitted to return the ‘compliments’ paid to them: they were still commanded to be long-suffering and forbearing “Withold your hands, establish worship”1 was the code of behaviour enjoined upon them, so that they might learn to disdain the world and its pleasures, become self-denying, get prepared to make sacrifice for a higher cause and have the experience of obeying the commands of God.

Footnotes:

1. Qur’an 4:77

Change Of The Qiblah

The Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as well as the Muslims had been facing towards Jerusalem while worshipping, or, as they called it, took Jerusalem as their Qiblah.1 The pratice was followed for one year and four months after emigration to Madina. The Apostle desired that the K’aba were made the Qiblah for prayers as did the other Arab converts to Islam, since they had been holding the sanctuary at Mecca in a reverential regard since immemorial times. To them the house of worship built by Ibrahim and Ismail was the holy of the holies, incomparable in sanctity to any other sanctum or shrine; they were put to a severe test by being asked to face Jerusalem instead of K’abah, and they stood this trial by dutifully obeying the divine command. Such was their devotion to the Apostle that they always replied: “We hear, and we obey,”2 and “We believe therein: The whole is from our Lord,”3 whether they found anything to their linking or not. Thus, after the faith of the earliest Muslims had been brought to a test and they had stood it successfully, the Qiblah for the prayer was changed to Ka’ba.

“Thus We have appointed you a middle nation, that you may be witness against mankind and that the messenger me be witness against you. And We appointed the Qiblah which you formerly observed only that We might know him who follows the messenger from him who turns on his heels. In truth it was a hard (test) save for those whom Allah guided.”4

The Muslims changed their direction promptly in prayer, in compliance with divine command, towards K’aba which was henceforth selected as the Qiblah for all the believers, living in any part of the World, for all times to come.5

Footnotes:

1. Lit. Anything opposite. The direction in which all Muslims must pray, whether in their private or in their public devotions, namely, towards, K’aba.
2. Qur’an 24:51
3. Qur’an 3:7
4. Qur’an 2:143
5. See Sihah Sittah and the Quranic verse relating to the change of the qiblah.

Beginning Of Jewish Animosity

After maintaining an attitude of indifference and neutrality at the start, the Jews gradually began to show their hatred and rancor against Islam. In the beginning they steered a middle course between the Muslims and the pagans and the Arab tribes of Mecca and Medina—or were rather inclined towards the Muslims. The Jews of Medina had, in the beginning, felt closer to the Muslims owing to the striking resemblance between such fundamental teachings of Islam as prophecy and prophethood, belief in the Hereafter, Unity of Godhead, etc. and their own faith, nothwithstanding the differences in details as well as the fact that undue veneration of certain Prophets and adoption of pagan custom through their age-long association with heathens had beclouded their pristine faith in monotheism.1

It was thus reasonably expected that if they did not side with the Muslims, they would at least remain non-partisan. At any rate, Islam testified the divine origin of scriptures and called upon the Muslims to have faith in all the Hebrew prophets. This is a fundamental dogma of faith in Islam, thus expressed by the Qur’an,

“Each one believes in Allah and His Angels and His scriptures and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messenger” (Qur’an 2:285).

Would that the Jews had understood the conciliatory mood of Islam. Had it been so, the history of Islam or rather the world’s history would have been entirely different today. Then Islam would not have faced the impediments it had to encounter in the dissemination of its message, especially in its initial stages, resulting from the strife between the early Muslim, armed only with the strength of their faith, and the powerful and influential, educated and wealthy Jews of the time. The attitude of the Jews could be attribute to two causes. One of these was their inborn trait of envy and covetousness, bigory and narrow-mindedness and obstinate rigidity while the other lay in their errant beliefs, misdemeanors and wickedness, repeatedly critisized by the Qur’an and illustrated by a reference to their past doings, for instance, constantly wrangling with their own prophets, opposing their teachings and even putting them to death, refusing to take the right path, bearing ill will and malice to those who commended the path of virtues, speaking slightly of God, excessive greed of wealth, driving hard usurious bargains despite its interdiction, grabbing the property of others, making interpolations in the Torah to suit their convenience, the insatiate thirst for worldly life and what it stand for and the national and racial jingoism which had become their characteristic hallmarks.

Had there been a political leader in the place of the Apostle of God, he would have tactfully met the Jews halfway, especially in view of their importance in the tangled Medinian politics. Even if it were not possible to placate the Jews, a national leader would have at least avoided to set them at odds against him by concealing his ultimate objective. But, as a messenger of God, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was obliged to preach the message sent by God, proclaim the truth, interdict what was forbidden and countenance no vestiges of evil and piquancy. He had been saddled with the responsibility to deliver the message of God to the whole World, to all races and the nations including the Jews and Christians, and to invite them to accept Islam regardless of the cost or consequences it involved. This was really the path taken by all the prophets of old—a distinctive mark of the prophets—which is never the way taken by politicians and national leaders.

But this was what the Jews detested most for it struck at the roots of their beliefs and mental outlook, or, rather their very nature and character, and it led them to become hostile to Islam and the Muslims. They gave up their earlier policy of steering the middle course and decided to oppose Islam in every way possible, openly as well as through intrigues. Israel Welphenson, quoted here, has been frank and straightforward in his analysis of the reasons for ill will between the Jews and the Muslims:

If the teachings of the Prophet had been restricted only to the denunciation of idolatry and the Jews had not been called upon to acknowledge his prophethood, there would have been no conflict between the Jews and the Muslims. The Jews might have then commended and acclaimed the Prophet’s doctrine of monotheism and backed him or even supported him with men and material until he had succeeded in destroying the idols and effacing polytheistic creed rampant in Arabia. But this depended on the condition that he left the Jews and their religion well enough alone, and not demanded the acceptance of the new prophethood. For the bent of Jewish temperament cannot take kindly to anything that tries to seduce it from its faith, they can never acknowledge any prophet save one belonging to Bani Israel.2

The Jews were further shocked and agitated when some of their learned rabbis, like ‘Abdallah Salam, whom they held in esteem, embraced Islam. The Jews could never think that a man of his standing and erudition would accept the new faith. However, this only served to make the Jews still more annoyed and jealous of Islam.3

The animosity of the Jews against Islam was not such as to be content with defying or putting up a bold front against Islam, although the Muslims shared their faith in monotheism. It was only logical as well as reasonable to expect that if the Jews were called upon to bring in their verdict on the Prophet’s faith vis-a-vis the idolatrous creed of the Quaraysh, they would speak well of Islam and the soundness of its belief in one God against the multiplicity of deities taken for granted by the pagans of Mecca. But their animus against Islam had so maddened them that they were willing even to deny that gospel truth. Once, when some of the rabbis went to Mecca, the Quraysh asked them whether their idolatrous religion or that of the Prophet was better, the answer these rabbis gave was, “Your religion is better than his and you are more rightly-guided than they.”4 The comment of Dr. Israel Welphenson on the reply given by the Jews is worth repeating here,

But, surely, the thing for which they deserved to be reproached and which would be painful to all those who believe in the Unity of God, whether they be Jews or Muslims, was the conversation between the Jews and pagan Quraishites wherein they had given preference to the religion of the Quraysh over what had been brought by the Prophet of Islam.5

The same writer further goes on to say:

Deception, mendacity and similar means for entrapping the enemy have been sanctioned by the nations for achieving a military objective in times of warfare, yet, the Jews ought not to have committed the grievous mistake of declaring roundly that adoration of idols was preferable to the Islamic faith in the Unity of God; not even if they feared to miss the mark by doing so. For Bani Israel had, in the name of their forefathers, held aloft the banner of God’s Unity for ages amidst heathen nations of the old, had all along braved innumerable trials and tribulations, and gone through fire and blood for its sake; it was their bounden duty to sacrifice their lives and whatever they held dear to humble the idolaters and polytheists.2

Of a fact, the matter was sufficiently serious to warrant a reference in the Qur’an:

“Have you not seen those unto whom a portion of the Scripture has been given, how they believe in idols and false deities, and how they say about those (idolaters) who disbelieve: These are more rightly guided than those who believe?” (Qur’an 4:51).

Footnotes:

1. See the Chapter ‘The Age of Ignorance’
2. Al-Yahud fi Balad il-‘Arab, p. 123
3. The number of Jews who accepted Islam and had the honour of enjoying the Apostle’s company was 39. Some of them belong to the category of eminent companions, as can be seen from their boigraphical details contained in the books on the Tabaqat-I-Sahabah, such as, Al-Isabah, Al-Isti’ab, Usd al-Ghabah, etc. also see Ahl-I-Kitab Sahabah wa Tabi’yeen by Mujib Ullah Nadwi from which the number of Jewish converts to Islam, quoted above, has been taken.
4. Ibn Hisham, Vol. II, p. 214. It was on this occasion that the verse 4:51 of the Qur’an was sent down by God.
5. Al Yahud fi Balad il-Arab, p. 142

Hyprocricy Raises Its Head In Medina

There was no room for deception and double-dealing in Mecca.1 Islam was helpless, harried and harassed there. Moreover, none had the power to turn the tide in Mecca, nor could anyone think of gaining any advantage by accepting Islam. Giving one’s faith to Islam meant one was prepared to set the whole of Mecca at defiance and to risk one’s life. Only one venturesome in spirit and having the courage of convictions could bear to play with the fire of hostility raging in the hearts of Islam’s enemies, only a man of mettle could take a chance with his life and property, future and prosperity. In Mecca, there were not two powers equally poised; the heathens were brought out forcefully by the Quran in its elegant style.

“And remember, when you were few and reckoned feeble in the land, and were in fear lest men should extirpate you” (Qur’an 8:26).

When Islam found a new safe haven in Madina and the Apostle and his companions were blessed with peace and stability, Islam began to prosper. It brought into existence a new society, a new brotherhood of men united by the consciousness of a common outlook in life and common aspirations as expressed by Islamic principles. The dazzling spectacle of an idealistic commonwealth meant a complete break with the past for the change was so radical so as to induce the fainthearted to sail under false colors. This was quite logical or rather based on the natural instincts of those who could not cope with the revolutionary movement. Also, pharisaism shows up its mettle only where two contending powers or principles are pitted against each other, for the indecisive and the spineless are always wavering, swinging from one end to another. They are always in two minds, hesitant and never able to take a final decision. Often they hang together with one of the two contenders, profess loyalty and try to go along with it, but their self-solicitude and vested interests do not permit them to cling on and sacrifice and endure with it. The fear that the other party might recover its strength someday never evades them, nor are they ever able to make a total break with their past for the sake of new ideas or ideals. This is a delicate state of disloyalty or infirmity of purpose portrayed graphically by the Qur’an as follows:

“And among the mankind is he who worships Allah upon a narrow merge so that if good befalls him, he is content therewith, but if a trial befalls him, he falls away utterly. He loses both the world and the hereafter. That is the sheer loss” (Qur’an 22:11).

The distinctive trait of this group is delineated in another verse, which says:

“Swaying between this (and that), (belonging) neither to these nor to those.” (Qur’an 4:143)

The leader of the hypocrites, drawn from the ranks of Aus and Khazraj as well as the Jews of Medina, was Abdullah b. Ubayy b. Sal’ul. Exhausted by the battle of Buath that was fought between the Aus and Khazraj around five years before the arrival of the Apostle of God in Medina, both these tribes had agreed to recognize ‘Abdullah b. Ubayy as their leader. By the time Islam came to gain adherents in Medina, preparations were already being made to formally crown him as the king of the city. When he saw that the people were being won over by Islam, quickly and in large numbers, he became so annoyed that his resentment lingered to prey on his mind.

Ibn Hisham writes,

When the Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came to Madina the leader there was ‘Abdallah b. Ubayy Salul al-‘Aufi, none of his own people contested his authority and Aus and khazraj never rallied to one man before or after him, until Islam came, as they did to him... ‘Abdallah b. Ubayy’s people had made a sort of jewelled diadem to crown him and make him their king when God sent His Apostle to them; so when his people forsook him in favour of Islam he was filled with enmity realising that the Apostle had deprived him of his kingship. However, when he saw that his people determined to go over to Islam he went too, but unwillingly, retaining his enmity and dissimulating.2

All those persons who had a suppressed desire concealed in their hearts or were ambitious of a name or power or authority felt cut to the heart at the success of religion that welded the Muhajirin and the Ansar as two bodies with one soul and inspired them with the love for the Prophet which was even more intense than one felt for one’s own father, son and wife. Hate and ill will against the Apostle filled their heart and they started hatching plots against Muslims. This was how a coalition of the two faced malcontents came into existence within the Islamic society, but they masqueraded as part and parcel of the Muslim society, but were in reality no better than the snake in the grass, the Muslims had to be even more careful of them than the declared enemies of God.

This is why the Qur’an repeatedly exposes their falseheartedness and warns against their concealed designs. Their surreptitious intrigues continued to undermine the stability of the Islamic society and, hence, the works on the life of the Prophet cannot do otherwise than describe their activities.

Footnotes:

1. Most of the exegetes of the Qur’an agree that the Qur’anic verses making a mention of hypocrites were revealed in Medina. A verse of the Qur’an in chapter ‘Repentance’ (9:101) specifically refers to the hypocrites among the townspeople of Medina.
2. Ibn Hisham, vol. I, pp. 277-8 (Trans. A Guillaume)

The Call To Prayer

After the Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) settled down and Islam was deeply entrenched in the soil of Medina, the mode of calling the faithful to prayer caught the attention of the Prophet. He disliked the customs of the Jews and Christians, like kindling fire or the use of bell and horn to summon the people to such a spiritual obligation. Initially, the Muslims used to come by themselves for prayer at the scheduled time without any announcement or call at all. While different proposals were being considered, God guided the Muslims to the method of giving the call to prayer. A number of companions had a vision of the call in their dreams, which was approved by the Apostle and prescribed as the official form of assembling the Muslims for such a worship act. Bilal was entrusted by the Apostle to give the call to prayer and thus he came to be known as the Muadhdhin of the Prophet and the leader of all those who would call the faithful to prayer until the end of time.

Covenant Between The Muslims And The Jews

Shortly thereafter, the Apostle had a document written which bound the Muhajirin and the Ansars to a friendly agreement. The covenant made the Jews a party to the treaty that guaranteed them the freedom of their rights and obligations.2

Footnote:

2.   Ibn Hisham, Vol. I, p. 501

Bonds Of Brotherhood Between The Ansars And Muhajirin

The Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) established bonds of brotherhood between the Muhajirin and the Ansar putting them under an agreement and obligation of mutual welfare, benevolence and assistance. Each Ansari took a Muhajir brother, where the former went so far as to give his Muhajir brother half of whatever he possessed in the form of houses, assets, lands and groves. Such was the enthusiasm of the Ansars to share everything with their brothers-in-faith that they divided everything into two parts to draw lots for allocating their share. In most cases, they tried to give the Muhajirin the fairer portion of their property.

An Ansari would say to his émigré brother “Behold, I shall divide my possessions into two halves. And I have two wives, see whichever of the two pleases you better, and tell me her name. I shall divorce her and you wed her.” The Muhajir would answer, “May God bless you in your family and your possessions! Just tell me where the market is.”

The Ansar were magnanimous and self-denying and the Muhajir forbearing, self-reliant.1

Footnote:

1. Bukhari, see the conversation between ‘Abdur Rahman b. Auf and S’ad b. Rabi in the section dealing with the ‘Brotherhood established by the Prophet between the Muhajirin and the Ansar.’

Construction Of The Prophet’s Mosque

The Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent for the two boys who owned the date-store and asked them to name the price of the yard. They answered, “Nay, but we shall make you a gift of it, O Apostle of God!” The Apostle, however, refused their offer, paid them its price and built a mosque there.1

The Apostle himself carried the unburned bricks for construction of the building along with the other Muslims. He is reported to have recited as he worked.

“O God! The true reward is the reward of the hereafter, have mercy O God on the Ansars and Mujajirin.”2

Overjoyed to see the Messenger of God invoking blessings on them, the Muslims, too, sang and thanked God.

The Prophet lived in the house of Abu Ayyub Ansari for seven months.3 In the meantime, the construction of the mosque and apartments for the Apostle’s family were completed and he moved to live in his house.

The Muslims who had been restrained from migration by the polytheists of Mecca continued to emigrate to Medina until the only ones left there were those who were either forcibly detained or had apostatized. On the other hand, not a house of Ansar was left in which the people had not sworn allegiance to God and His Apostle.4

Footnotes:

1. Bukhari, Chapter Arrival of the Prophet and his companions in Medina.
2. Ibn Kathir, Vol. II, p. 251
3. Ibid, p. 279
4. Ibn Hisham, vol. I, pp. 499-500

In The House Of Abu Ayyub Ansari

As the Apostle rode through the streets of the city, people approached him in batches with everyone offering to accommodate him in their homes. They said, “Live with us and enjoy our wealth, honor and protection.” Sometimes they took hold of his camel’s halter, but he said to one and all, “Let her go her way. She is guided by Allah.” This happened more than once.

While the Apostle was going through the locality of Bani an-Najjar, the slave girls of the clan recited these verses to greet him:

“Daughters of Bani Najjar we are, What a luck! Muhammad is our neighbor!” On reaching the house of Bani Malik b. an-Najjar, the Apostle’s camel knelt by herself at the place where now stands the gate of the Prophet’s mosque. The place was then used for drying dates and belonged to two orphan boys who were related to the Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) on his mother’s side.

The Apostle (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) dismounted from his camel. Abu Ayyub Khalid b. Zayd, who belonged to the clan of an-Najjar, hastily unloaded the camel and took the luggage to his house. Thus, the Prophet stayed with Abu Ayyub, who paid him the greatest respect and did all he could to entertain the honored guests. Abu Ayyub was loath even to live in the upper-story, as he requested the Apostle to occupy the place and came down with his family to live in the ground floor. The Apostle, however, said to him, “O Abu Ayyub, it would be more convenient for me as well as those who come to see me if I stay in the lower portion.”

Abu Ayyub Ansari was not a man of means, but he was extremely happy on having the Apostle as his guest. He was besides himself with joy at the great honor bestowed by God on him. The loving regard he paid to the prophet was an indication of his genuine gratitude to God and the Apostle himself. “We used to prepare the evening meal for the Apostle of God,” says Abu Ayyub, “and send it to him. We used to take only what was left. Umm Ayyub and I took the food from beside the part the Apostle had taken in order to partake in its blessings. In compliance with the Apostle’s preference, he lived in the ground floor, while we occupied the upper portion. Once, we broke a jar of water whereby Umm Ayyub and I mopped up the water with the only robe we had for fear that it would drop on the Apostle thereby causing him inconvenience.”1

Footnote:

1. Ibn Is’haq, on the authority of Abu Ayyub Ansari, Ibn Kathir, Vol. II, p. 277.

The Mosque Of Quba

The Apostle stayed for four days in Quba where he laid the foundation of a mosque. He left Quba on Friday; the time for Friday prayers found him among the clan of banu Salim b. ‘Auf where he performed the prayer in their mosque. This was the first Friday prayer offered by the Apostle of God in Medina.1

Footnotes:

1.  Darimi, on the authority of Anas

The Cordial Welcome

The news about the Apostle’s departure from Mecca spread fast. Eagerly expecting his arrival, the Ansars used to go out after morning prayers to the outskirts of the city and await his arrival until there was no more shade and the sun became unbearable. Then, it being the hot season, they returned to their homes, sad and disappointed.

At last, the Apostle arrived one day. The Ansar had already returned to their houses but a Jew, who happened to see him, cried aloud announcing his arrival. Everybody rushed out to greet the Apostle whom they found sitting beneath a tree with Abu Bakr who was of like age. Many of them had never seen the Apostle and did not know which of the two was the Prophet. They crowded round both, but Abu Bakr realized their difficulty. He rose up, stood behind the Apostle shielding him with a piece of cloth from the sun, and thus dispelled the doubts of the people.1

More or less five hundred Ansars rushed to pay their respects to the Apostle of God; they requested him to enter the city, saying, “Ride on! You two are safe and we shall obey you!”

The Apostle went on, accompanied by his companions and the welcoming crowd. The inahabitants of Medina stood in front of their doors, the women lined up on the roofs asking one another about the Prophet. Anas says that he never came across such a happy event later on.2

The people thronged in the way and their doors and windows and on the roofs of the houses. The slaves and lads cried excitedly, “Allah-O-Akbar [Allah is Greates], the Prophet of God has come! Allah-O-Akbar [Allah is Greates], the Prophet of God has come!”1

Bara b. Azib, who was then in his youth, had said: “I never saw the people of Medina show joy so great as the happiness they expressed on the arrival of the Apostle of God where even the slave-girls were shouting that the Apostle of God has arrived!”

The faithful greeted the arrival of the Apostle with the joyful cries of Allah-O-Akbar. No other welcome wore that festive glance to gladden their hearts.

Medina appeared to be jubilant, beaming into a smile, the young maidens of Aus and Khazraj felt elated and sang in chorus.2

“On the hillside whence caravans are given a send off,

The full moon comes up this day.

All the while God is praised,

We had better return our thanks

The holy one, O you sent to us,

You have brought binding commands.”3

Anas b. Malik had not come of age when the Apostle came to Madina. He was present on the occasion and he said, “I never saw a day more graceful and radiant than the day when the Apostle came to us.”4

Footnotes:

1. Bukhari, Chap. The Migration of the Prophet, on the authority of Abu Bakr.
2. Bukhari, Chap. The Migration of the Prophet, on the authority of Abu Bakr.
3. Ibn Kathir, Vol. II, p. 269. On the authority of ‘Aisha
4. Ibn Qayyim has raised an issue about these verse wherein he says that the hillside ‘Thaniyatul Wid’a mentioned in these verses is not on the (south-north) road leading from Mecca to Medina, but is on the road one takes for Syria from Medina. He, therefore, holds the view that these verses were recited on the occasion of the Apostle’s triumphant return from Tabuk. Bukhari also mentions the place in question in connection with the expedition. On the other hand, almost all the biographers, including the earliest ones, relate that the verses were recited on the Prophet’s first coming to Madina. The writer has inquired about it from the inhabitants of Medina who told him that one coming from Mecca can also take the road going towards Syria. It is just possible that in view of the conditions in which the Prophet had to emigrate to Medina, he might have preferred the other route. It is also to be noted that Thaniyatul Wid’a was not the name given to a single spot in Medina. On the way to Mecca, there is a similar elevation which slopes down to the Wadi Aqiq, surrounded by low plains on all sides. It was a pleasure resort of Medina in olden times where people used to assemble in the evening during the summer season. It is also probable that the verses allude to this place, for, at this place also the caravans going to Mecca were given a send off. (Athar al-Madina al-Munawwara, 3rd Edition, p. 160).
   The verses in question furnish intrinsic evidence that they were sung at a time when the Prophet first came to Medina. The vigour and spirit of the verses, particularly the last one, clearly indicate that these were recited when the people of Medina first found the Prophet among them. Even if the verses were recited on the return of the Prophet from the expedition of Tabuk, as some of the authentic Traditions relate, it merely means that the verses were stated again on that occasion, since, a popular song like this is very often repeated on joyous occasions.