The Sealed Nectar (15 page)

The conversion of ‘Umar was a real triumph for the cause of Islam. So great and
instant was the effect of his conversion on the situation that the believers who had
hitherto worshipped All
?
within their four walls in secret now assembled and
performed their rites of worship openly in the Holy Sanctuary itself. This raised their
spirits, and dread and uneasiness began to seize Quraish.

Ibn Ishaq narrated on the authority of ‘Umar [R], "When I embraced Islam, I
remembered the archenemy of Muhammad [pbuh] , i.e. Abu Jahl. I set out, and
knocked at his door. When he came out to see me, I told him directly that I had
embraced Islam. He immediately slammed the door repulsively denouncing my move
as infamous and my face as ugly." In fact, ‘Umar’s conversion created a great deal of
stir in Makkah that some people denounced him as an apostate, yet he would never
waver in Faith, on the contrary, he persisted in his stance even at the peril of his life.

The polytheists of Quraish marched towards his house with the intention of killing
him. ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar [R] narrated: While ‘Umar was at home in a state of fear,
there came Al- ‘As bin Wa’il As- Sahmy Abu ‘Amr, wearing an embroidered cloak and a
shirt having silk hems. He was from the tribe of Bani Sahm who were our allies
during the pre- Islamic period of ignorance. Al- ‘As said to ‘Umar: What’s wrong with
you? He said: Your people claim that they will kill me if I become a Muslim. Al- ‘As
said: Nobody will harm you after I have given protection to you. So Al- ‘As went out
and met the people streaming in the whole valley. He said: Where are you going?

They replied: We want son of Al- Khattab who has embraced Islam. Al- ‘As said: There
is no way for anybody to touch him. So the people retreated. [Bukhari 1/545; Ibn
Hisham 1/349]

With respect to the Muslims in Makkah, ‘Umar’s conversion had a different
tremendous impact. Mujahid, on the authority of Ibn Al- ‘Abbas [R], related that he
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had asked ‘Umar bin Al- Khattab why he had been given the epithet of Al- Farouque
(he who distinguishes truth from falsehood), he replied: After I had embraced Islam,
I asked the Prophet [pbuh]: ‘Aren’t we on the right path here and Hereafter?’ The
Prophet [pbuh] answered: ‘Of course you are! I swear by All
?
in Whose Hand my
soul is, that you are right in this world and in the hereafter.’ I, therefore, asked the
Prophet [pbuh] ‘Why we then had to conduct clandestine activism. I swear by All
?

Who has sent you with the Truth, that we will leave our concealment and proclaim
our noble cause publicly.’ We then went out in two groups, Hamzah leading one and
I the other. We headed for the Mosque in broad daylight when the polytheists of
Quraish saw us, their faces went pale and got incredibly depressed and resentful. On
that very occasion, the Prophet [pbuh] attached to me the epithet of Al- Farouque.

Ibn Mas‘ud [R] related that they (the Muslims) had never been able to observe their
religious rites inside the Holy Sanctuary except when ‘Umar embraced Islam. [Ibn
Hisham; Tareekh 'Umar bin Al- Khattab, p.13; Mukhtasar As- Seerah p.103]

Suhaib bin Sinan [R], in the same context, said that it was only after ‘Umar’s
conversion, that we started to proclaim our Call, assemble around and
circumambulate the Sacred House freely. We even dared retaliate against some of
the injustices done to harm us. In the same context, Ibn Mas‘ud said: We have been
strengthened a lot since ‘Umar embraced Islam.

Quraish’s Representative negotiates with the Messenger of All
?
[pbuh]

Shortly after the conversion of these two powerful heroes, Hamzah bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib and ‘Umar bin Al- Khattab[R] , the clouds of tyranny and oppression started to clear away and the polytheists realized that it was no use meting out torture to the Muslims. They consequently began to direct their campaign to a different course.

The authentic records of the biography of the Prophet [pbuh] show that it had occurred to the Makkan leaders to credit Muhammad [pbuh] with ambition. They, therefore, time and again plied him with temptation. One day some of the important men of Makkah gathered in the enclosure of Al- Ka‘bah, and ‘Utbah bin Rabi‘a, a chief among them, offered to approach the Prophet [pbuh] and contract a bargain with him whereby they give him whatever worldly wealth he asks for, on condition that he keep silent and no longer proclaim his new faith. The people of Quraish endorsed his proposal and requested him to undertake that task. ‘Utbah came closer to Muhammad [pbuh] and addressed him in the following words: We have seen no other man of Arabia, who has brought so great a calamity to a nation, as you have done. You have outraged our gods and religion and taxed our forefathers and wise men with impiety and error and created strife amongst us. You have left no stone unturned to estrange the relations with us. If you are doing all this with a view to getting wealth, we will join together to give you greater riches than any Quraishite has possessed. If ambition moves you, we will make you our chief. If you desire kingship we will readily offer you that. If you are under the power of an evil spirit which seems to haunt and dominate you so that you cannot shake off its yoke, then we shall call in skilful physicians to cure you.

"Have you said all?" asked Muhammad [pbuh]; and then hearing that all had been said, he spoke forth, and said:

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"In the Name of All? , the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.
H?M
? . [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’? , and none but All? (Alone) knows their meanings]. A revelation from All? , the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. A Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; — a Qur’? in Arabic for people who know. Giving glad tidings [of Paradise to the one who believes in the Oneness of All?

(i.e. Islamic Monotheism) and fears All? much (abstains from all kinds of sins and evil deeds.) and loves All? much (performing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], and warning (of punishment in the Hell- fire to the one who disbelieves in the Oneness of All? ), but most of them turn away, so they listen not. And they say: Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that to which you invite us …" [Al-Qur'an 41: 1- 5]

The Messenger of All? [pbuh] went on reciting the Chapter while ‘Utbah sitting and listening attentively with his hand behind his back to support him. When the Messenger reached the verse that required prostration, he immediately prostrated himself. After that, he turned to ‘Utbah saying: "Well Abu Al- Waleed! You have heard my reply, you are now free to do whatever you please." ‘Utbah then retired to his company to apprise them of the Prophet’s attitude. When his compatriots saw him, they swore that he had returned to them with a countenance unlike the one he had before meeting the Prophet [pbuh] . He immediately communicated to them the details of the talk he gave and the reply he received, and appended saying: "I have never heard words similar to those ones he recited. They definitely relate neither to poetry nor to witchcraft nor do they derive from soothsaying. O people of Quraish! I request you to heed my advice and grant the man full freedom to pursue his goals, in which case you could safely detach yourselves from him. I swear that his words bear a supreme Message. Should the other Arabs rid you of him, they will then spare you the trouble, on the other hand if he accedes to power over the Arabs, then you will bask in his kingship and share him his might." These words of course fell on deaf ears, and did not appeal to the infidels, who jeered at ‘Utbah and claimed that the Prophet [pbuh] had bewitched him. [Ibn Hisham 1/293,294]

In another version of the same event, it is related that ‘Utbah went on attentively listening to the Prophet [pbuh] until the latter began to recite All? ’s Words:

"But if they turn away, they say (O Muhammad [pbuh] ): "I have warned you of a
Sa‘iqa
(a destructive awful cry, torment, hit, a thunder- bolt) like the
Sa‘iqa
which overtook ‘Ad and Tham? (people)." [Al- Qur'an 41:13]

Here ‘Utbah stood up panicked and stunned putting his hand on the Prophet’s mouth beseeching him: "I beg you in the Name of All? and uterine ties to stop lest the calamity should befall the people of Quraish." He then hurriedly returned to his compatriots and informed them of what he had heard. [Tafseer Ibn Kathir 6/159-161]

Abu Talib assembles Bani Hashim and Bani Al-Muttalib
The new and welcome changes notwithstanding, Abu Talib still had a deep sensation of fear over his nephew. He deliberated on the previous series of incidents including the barter affair of ‘Amarah bin Al- Waleed, Abu Jahl’s rock, ‘Uqbah’s attempt to choke the Prophet [pbuh] , and finally ‘Umar’s (before conversion) intention to kill 73

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Muhammad [pbuh] . The wise man understood that all of these unequivocally smacked of a serious plot being hatched to disregard his status as a custodian of the Prophet [pbuh] , and kill the latter publicly. In the event of such a thing, Abu Talib deeply believed, neither ‘Umar nor Hamzah would be of any avail, socially powerful though they were. [Ibn Hisham 1/269; Mukhtasar Seerat Ar- Rasool p.106]

Abu Talib was right. The polytheists had laid a carefully- studied plan to kill the Prophet [pbuh] , and banded together to put their plan into effect. He, therefore, assembled his kinsfolk of Bani Hashim and Bani Al- Muttalib, sons of ‘Abd Munaf and exhorted them to immunize and defend his nephew. All of them, whether believers or disbelievers, responded positively except his brother Abu Lahab, who sided with the idolaters.

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General Social Boycott

Four events of special significance occurred within less than four weeks — the conversion of Hamzah, the conversion of ‘Umar, Muhammad’s [pbuh] refusal to negotiate any sort of compromise and then the pact drawn up between Banu Muttalib and Banu Hashim to immunize Muhammad [pbuh] and shield him against any treacherous attempt to kill him. The polytheists were baffled and at a loss as to what course they would follow to rid themselves of this obstinate and relentless obstacle that had appeared to shatter to pieces their whole tradition of life. They had already been aware that if they killed Muhammad [pbuh] their blood would surely flow profusely in the valleys of Makkah and they would certainly be exterminated.

Taking this dreadful prospect into consideration, they grudgingly resorted to a different iniquitous course that would not imply murder.

A Pact of Injustice and Aggression

The pagans of Makkah held a meeting in a place called Wadi Al- Muhassab, and formed a confederation hostile to both Bani Hashim and Bani Al- Muttalib. They decided not to have any business dealings with them nor any sort of inter- marriage.

Social relations, visits and even verbal contacts with Muhammad [pbuh] and his supporters would discontinue until the Prophet [pbuh] was given up to them to be killed. The articles of their proclamation, which had provided for merciless measures against Bani Hashim, were committed to writing by an idolater, Bagheed bin ‘Amir bin Hashim and then suspended in Al- Ka‘bah. The Prophet [pbuh] invoked Allâh’s imprecations upon Bagheed, whose hand was later paralysed. [Za'd Al- Ma'ad 2/46]

Abu Talib wisely and quietly took stock of the situation and decided to withdraw to a valley on the eastern outskirts of Makkah. Banu Hashim and Banu Al- Muttalib, who followed suit, were thus confined within a narrow pass (Shi‘b of Abu Talib), from the beginning of Muharram, the seventh year of Muhammad’s mission till the tenth year, viz., a period of three years. It was a stifling siege. The supply of food was almost stopped and the people in confinement faced great hardships. The idolaters used to buy whatever food commodities entered Makkah lest they should leak to the people in Ash- Shi‘b, who were so overstrained that they had to eat leaves of trees and skins of animals. Cries of little children suffering from hunger used to be heard clearly.

Nothing to eat reached them except, on few occasions, some meagre quantities of food were smuggled by some compassionate Makkans. During ‘the prohibited months’ — when hostilities traditionally ceased, they would leave their confinement and buy food coming from outside Makkah. Even then, the food stuff was unjustly overpriced so that their financial situation would fall short of finding access to it.

Hakeem bin Hizam was once on his way to smuggle some wheat to his aunt Khadijah

[R]Ç when Abu Jahl intercepted and wanted to debar him. Only when Al- Bukhtari intervened, did Hakeem manage to reach his destination. Abu Talib was so much concerned about the personal safety of his nephew. Whenever people retired to sleep, he would ask the Prophet [pbuh] to lie in his place, but when all the others fell asleep, he would order him to change his place and take another, all of which in an attempt to trick a potential assassin.

Despite all odds, Muhammad [pbuh] persisted in his line and his determination and courage never weakened. He continued to go to Al- Ka‘bah and to pray publicly. He 75

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used every opportunity to preach to outsiders who visited Makkah for business or on pilgrimage during the sacred months and special seasons of assemblies.

This situation ultimately created dissension amongst the various Makkan factions, who were tied with the besieged people by blood relations. After three years of blockade and in Muharram, the tenth year of Muhammad’s mission, the pact was broken. Hisham bin ‘Amr, who used to smuggle some food to Bani Hashim secretly at night, went to see Zuhair bin Abi Omaiyah Al- Makhzoumy and reproached him for resigning to that intolerable treatment meted out to his uncles in exile. The latter pleaded impotence, but agreed to work with Hisham and form a pressure group that would secure the extrication of the exiles. On the ground of motivation by uterine relations, there emerged a group of five people who set out to abrogate the pact and declare all relevant clauses null and void. They were Hisham bin ‘Amr, Zuhair bin Abi Omaiya, Al- Mut‘im bin ‘Adi, Abu Al- Bukhtari and Zam‘a bin Al- Aswad. They decided to meet in their assembly place and start their self- charged mission from the very precinct of the Sacred House. Zuhair, after circumambulating seven times, along with his colleagues approached the hosts of people there and rebuked them for indulging in the amenities of life whereas their kith and kin of Bani Hashim were perishing on account of starvation and economic boycott. They swore they would never relent until the parchment of boycott was torn to piece and the pact broken at once. Abu Jahl, standing nearby, retorted that it would never be torn. Zam‘a was infuriated and accused Abu Jahl of telling lies, adding that the pact was established and the parchment was written without seeking their approval. Al- Bukhtari intervened and backed Zam‘a. Al- Mut‘im bin ‘Adi and Hisham bin ‘Amr attested to the truthfulness of their two companions. Abu Jahl, with a cunning attempt to liquidate the hot argument that was running counter to his malicious goals, answered that the issue had already been resolved sometime and somewhere before.