Quranic Passages (1-5)

Allah in HImself
1. Ayat al kursi (2:255)
Allah. There is no god but He, the living, the self-subsisting, eternal. No slumber can seize
Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is there can intercede in
His presence except as He permits? He knows what is before or after or behind them. Nor
shall they compass any of His knowledge except as He wills. His Throne extends over the
heavens and the earth, and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them for He is the
Most High, the Supreme.

Theme:

The main theme of the passage of Ayat al Kursi (2:255) is Allah in Himself, it is from Surah Baqarah
which is a Madni surah. This verse says that Allah is beyond human perception and
comprehension and is the only one. Allah does not have humanly attributes like sleeping, slumber
or getting tired. The word “Hae and Qayyum” refers to Allah being ever living and self-subsisting.
Allah has authority over everything and he enjoys autonomy in exercising His powers. Quran says
in Surah Anaam “Indeed, it is Allah who is the (continual) Provider, the firm possessor of
strength.” (51:58). Allah is the sole owner of heavens and earth and whatever is in between and
nobody has any share in His authority. It is also known is ‘the Verse of Throne’

Importance:

The verse Ayat al Kursi is a source of spiritual guidance and enlightens Muslims heart and guides
them that they should not turn to anyone except Allah for any help in the time of need. Prophet
pbuh has declared this verse as one of the treasures of Paradise. This verse drives Muslims to
refrain from any possibility of Shirk (associating partners with Allah). Through it Muslims
recognize the power of Allah and always seek Allah’s assistance in their affairs. When Muslims
come to know that Allah’s authority prevails in this universe they always ask Him for help and
fulfill their needs. Offering five times prayer and bowing down to Him is a gesture of our total
submission to Him.

2. Surah Al Anaam (6:101-103)

101. To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: how can He have a son
when He has no consort? He created all things, and He has full knowledge of all things. 102.
That is Allah, your Lord! there is no god but He, the Creator of all things: then worship Him:
and He has power to dispose of all affairs. 103. No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is
over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things
Theme:

This passage is taken from Surah Anaam (6:101-103) a Makki Surah which represents the main
theme of Allah in Himself. He is the creator and the Originator of the whole universe. This passage
further denies Allah having any children or wife and thus explains that He is above all such
relationships. The Quran says: “Allah has not taken any son, nor has there ever been with Him
any deity…..” (23:91). Allah is the only one worthy to be worshiped and is away from human
comprehension. Human beings with all limited senses know very little but Allah is all powerful
and has perfect knowledge and perception of all.

Importance:

This passage strengthens the faith of a Muslim in his Lord. It requires a Muslim to rely on Allah as
He is the only one to be worshiped and has all authority. A Muslim should always refer back to
Allah and should not depend on any one for fulfillment of his needs and requirements. The
passage says that Allah is “Latif and Khabeer” and knows even the smallest of deeds, thus this
belief stops a person to commit any sin even if he is all alone. When a person believes that he
cannot comprehend Allah this guides him not to talk about Allah in Person and His physical
features and characteristics but to look into Allah’s attributes and blessings like sun, moon, fruits
and other blessings he is bestowed with.

3. Surah Fussilat (41:37)

Among His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Adore not the sun and
the moon, but adore Allah, who created them, if it is Him you wish to serve.

Theme:

This passage has been taken from the Surah Fussilat which is also named as Ha Mim Sajida, and
is a Makki Surah. This passage clearly conveys the theme of Allah in Himself by pointing out that
all creations are the signs of Allah. Sun, moon, stars and the rest of the creations points to a fact
that there is a creator who has created everything, and thus He should be worshiped only and
not the creation. Allah is Supreme and High and no one is to be worshiped except Him.“They
(believers) give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying) “Our Lord, You
did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
(3:191)

Importance:

This passage has an obvious impact on Muslim’s daily life by refraining them from Shirk
(associating partners with Allah). The passage states that only God is to be worshiped and thus is
conveying the message of oneness of God (towheed). We should look into the signs of Allah to
realize God’s Majesty, and Muslims should worship none except Allah. In today’s world we see
that people go to shrines and bow down to graves and ask for their needs from the dead. Allah
has denied all such concepts in this passage and has emphasized on worshiping Him only.

4. Surah Shura: (42:4-5)

To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: and He is most high, most great. The
heavens are almost rent asunder from above them, and the angels celebrate the praises of
their Lord, and pray for forgiveness for beings on earth: behold Verily Allah is He, the oft-
forgiving, the most merciful.

Theme:

The passage is taken from Surah Shura meaning council, it is a Makki Surah and the theme is Allah
in Himself. It glorifies Allah’s majesty by mentioning that everything belongs to Him only. It
further states that He is so high that the angels and the heavens tremble with His fear and
Highness, angels praise Him day and night and never get tired. Allah is so merciful that He has
appointed angels to seek forgiveness for the dwellers of earth. The Quran says: “Those (angels)
who carry the Throne and those around it exalt (Allah) with praise of their Lord and believe in
Him and ask forgiveness for those who have believed…..” (40:7)

Importance:

The passage shows the Highness of the Lord and requires Muslims to fear Allah as the heavens
and angels tremble with His glory. Allah has the power to punish or forgive mankind but the
passage clearly indicates that He is merciful towards mankind and is inclined to forgive them, we
therefore should be thankful to our Lord for being so forgiving. We should always ask Allah in the
time of need and seek help from Him. Muslims should do zikr (remembrance of Allah) and offer
prayers in order to be His obedient servants.

5. Surah Ikhlas: (112)

Say: He is Allah, the one and only; 2. Allah, the eternal, absolute; 3. He does not beget, not
is He begotten; 4. And there is none like Him.

Theme:

Surah Ikhlas, meaning purity of faith, is a Makki surah absolutely taking about Allah being one.
When the pagans asked Prophet pbuh about the ancestry of Allah, these verses were revealed
as an answer to their question. This surah states that there is no god but Allah the only, He is
ever living and perfect. The word ‘Samad’ represents that He does not need any help or
assistance from anyone, Quran says “But whoever disbelieves, then indeed, Allah is free from
need of the worlds” (3:97). Allah is beyond our imaginations and above our comprehension. The
surah denies Allah having a father, son, spouse or any other relationship. “How could He have a
son when He does not have a companion”? (6:101)

Importance:

This passage is very important in Muslim life as it clarifies all doubts about Allah’s personality and
states that Allah is one and only thus requiring Muslims to rely upon and worship only one God.
This surah explains all facts about Towheed and thus elucidates that Muslims should refer to Him
in their difficult times and for the fulfilment of their needs. Prophet pbuh stated that this surah
is one third of Quran and reciting it three times is equal in reward to the recitation of the whole
book. This surah also guides Muslims not to associate any children with Allah as Christians and
Jews did, or not compare Allah with anything or anyone.
Revelation of Quran
The First Revelation

When Prophet pbuh approached the age of 40 he started retiring into the nearby cave named
Hire. In the cave he was used to meditating and pondering upon the Creator and the creation.
He too spent his time pondering upon the condition of Arabia and how the injustice and
unnecessary bloodshed was being done in the society.

In the end of Ramadan 610 AD, an angel came in to the cave in human appearance, Prophet pbuh
himself reported saying, “The Angel hugged and squeezed me so hard that i thought I would die
of suffocation, then he released me and said, Read, and again I said, I cannot read, then the third
time he squeezed me as before and said, (the 1st five verses of surah Alaq were revealed) “Read
in the name of your Lord, who created, created man from a clot of blood. Read you Lord is most
generous, who taught man with the pen. Taught man what he didn’t know.”

The Prophet pbuh recited the verses revealed after the angel. He was shocked and thought that
he was possessed. He rushed to his home and asked Khadija r.a, his wife, to cover her. After some
time when Prophet pbuh gained his breath he told Khadija r.a the whole incident. She comforted
him and said, “Allah will never disgrace you, as you keep good relations with your kith and kin,
speak the truth, help the poor and the destitute, serve your guests generously and assist the
deserving, calamity afflicted ones”.

Hazrat Khadija r.a took prophet pbuh to his cousin Waraqa bin Naufil who was a convert Christian.
He was a scholar of the Gospel and used to write in Hebrew. He was an old man and had lost his
eyesight. Khadija r.a said to Waraqa bin Nofil saying, “LIsten to the story of your nephew, O my
cousin!” Waraqa inquired from the prophet about what he had seen, to which the apostle of
Allah described everything. Waraqa said, “This is the same angel who came to Moses. I wish I
were young and would live up to the time when our people would turn you out”. Prophet pbuh
inquired surprisingly, “Will they drive me out?” Waraqa nodded in affirmation and said “Anyone
(man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility;
and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you
strongly.”

After some days Waraqa bin Nofil died and could not see the time of the open announcement of
the prophethood of Muhammad pbuh. The divine revelation also stopped for some time after
the first inspiration, this time of no revelation is known as the time of ‘fatratul wahi’.
Revelation of Quran between 610 - 632 A.D
Q2) Write an account of the ways in which Quran was revealed to the Prophet pbuh between the years
610 A.D and 632 A.D (part of compulsory question) [10]
Ans) Holy Prophet pbuh when approached the age of 40 started retiring to the nearby cave, known as
cave of Hira. We used to stay there for days and to ponder upon the creation of the world and the Creator.
Once when he was meditating in the cave angel Jibrael appeared in the cave and asked him to read, in
reply the prophet said I cannot. Angel hugged him, this happened thrice and the first five verses of the
Surah Alaq were printed on the heart of Prophet pbuh:
“Proclaim in the name of your Lord and Cherisher who created, created man out of a clot of congealed
blood. Proclaim and your Lord is the most bountiful. He who taught by the pen. Taught man that he
knew not.” (96:1-5)
These five verses were the first revelation to the Prophet pbuh in 610 AD. After this revelation the prophet
kept on receiving revelations throughout his life except the time of fatra tul Wahi which was a gap
between the first revelation and the later revelations. Afterwards he was instructed to preach openly
“Then declare what you are commanded and turn away from the polytheists.” (15:94)
Revelation continued in Makkah and Madina. Period of revelation in Makkah is from 610 - to 622 AD. All
surahs revealed during this period are known as Makki Surahs. Total time period of the revelation is 22
years 5 months and 14 days. The total number of Makki chapters is 86. Makki chapters contained verses
for faith and instructions to be patient with verses consoling prophet pbuh and his companions. “Indeed
we have granted you al Kawthar. So pray to your Lord and sacrifice. Indeed your enemy is the one cut
off”. In the plain of Arafat at the time of annual pilgrimage prophet pbuh received the final revelation
saying, “Today I have perfected your religion upon you, completed My favor for you, and have chosen
Islam as your religion.”
In Madina Prophet pbuh received about 28 chapters. Time period in Madina was from 622 to 632 AD. The
surah revealed in Madina are known as Madni Surahs. These revelations in Makkah and Madina show that
the revelation came in different times according to the need and situation. In Madina Allah revealed the
instructions concerning the daily life of Muslims. Verses concerning social, political, economical issues
were revealed. Furthermore the verses about fasting, Zakat and Jihad were revealed. “fight in the cause
of Allah against those who fight you.” (2.190). For prayers and Charity Allah said, “And establish prayer
and give zakah and bow with those who bow (in worship and obedience)” (2.43)
When one of the companions asked prophet pbuh about how the revelation comes to him he replied,
“Sometimes it is (revealed) like the ringing of bells, this form of inspiration is the hardest of all and then
this state passes off after I have grasped what is inspired. Sometimes the angel comes in the form of a
man and talks to me and I grasp whatever he says.” (Bukhari).
Holy Prophet pbuh had seen angel Jibrael e.s in his original form as well, whereas dreams too make part
of revelation as in 6 hijri dream about umrah before the treaty of Hudaibiya. Weight of prophet pbuh
th

increased during revelation as when prophet pbuh was riding a camel and received revelation, the camel
sat down because of the weight. Hazrat Ayesha states that “After the revelation I have seen perspiration
on the forehead of prophet pbuh even in the severe winter.” Last verses of Surah Baqarah were revealed
to prophet pbuh directly to prophet pbuh without any intermediary during the incident of Miraj by Allah
the Almighty.
Along with the revelation prophet pbuh had a team of scribes who is were used to write the revealed
verses down for its preservation and protection. This writing helped Muslims in later times for making an
official copy of the Quran.
The Prophet's Life before His Prophethood

When Prophet pbuh was born on 12 Rabi-ul-Awal (570 AD), Abdul Muttalib named him
th

Muhammad and said “I wanted Allah to praise him in Heaven and I wanted people to praise
him on Earth." His father had already died six months before his birth while coming back from
the trade journey from Syria.
According to the tradition of Arabia, children were sent to the peripheries of cities for healthier
atmosphere and pure Arabic Language. Although Muhammad's father was dead, Halimah who
belonged to the tribe of Bani Sa’ad took him just eight days after he was born.
As soon as she lifted that boy, her life changed and became filled with immense good fortune
and blessings. Although she was the last woman leaving Makkah, because her camel was weak
she passed her friends. The old camel, which had not given a drop of milk, was soon overflowing
with milk. When he arrived home her goats gave much more milk for the family. Halima realized
it was not just a normal baby, but an angel of blessings.
After two years, Muhammad was returned to his mother Amina, but soon, Amina
was persuaded by Halima and her husband (Al-Harith) to return the child back with them for
another two years to protect him from a spreading disease in Makkah. During his stay with
Halima, Angel Jibrael came and opened his chest, washed his heart with Zam Zam, a clot of blood
was also taken out of the heart.
Prophet Muhammad pbuh lost his mother, Amina, at an early age. When she died in Abwa at age
25 or 26 on her way back from visiting her husband's grave in Madina, Muhammad pbuh was
only 6 years old, Umm-e-Aiman the slave girl brought him back to Makkah. His grandfather 'Abd
al-Muttalib, a respected Makkan elder, undertook his protection. 'Abd al-Muttalib, gave prophet
pbuh to his uncle Abu Talib at his death bed (578 AD), when prophet pbuh was only 8 years old,
saying, "I'm afraid something might happen to my Grandson, I entrust him to you for
safekeeping."
At the age of 12 (582 AD), Abu Talib took Prophet pbuh to Syria in a trade caravan. Near Basra a
Christian monk named Bahira recognized prophet pbuh as a prophet and asked Abu Talib about
his relationship with him. Abu Talib said he is my son, for which he replied "He can't be your son.
According to our books, his father must have died before his birth." Then he advised "Let me
give you this advice. Take this boy back immediately. The Jews are envious. If they recognize
him, they'll harm him." Abu Talib followed the instructions, sold his goods there and went back.
(Ibn Hisham, Sira)
At the age of 15 prophet pbuh participated in war (585 AD). This war violated the sanctity of the
sacred months (Dhu al-Qa'dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab) thus was named Harb ul
Fijjar. The war was between the Quraish and Hawazin tribes which broke out during the festival
of Ukaz. The Prophet helped his uncle Zubayr ibn 'Abd al-Muttalib, who represented Banu Hashim
in the war, gather the arrows shot by the enemy.
This war had a drastic impact on prophet pbuh, and seeing the bloodshed and killing prophet
started disliking wars. This war ended up on a peace agreement Half-ul-Fazul named after its
initiators. The meeting for the agreement was hosted at the house of Abullah bin Jadaan. The
members pledged to respect the principle of justice and collectively intervene in conflicts to
establish justice. Muhammad was also part of this agreement and was so impressed with its noble
objectives that he would say long after: "I attended the conclusion of an agreement at 'Abd
Allah ibn Jud'an's house. I would not exchange it for even 100 red camels. If someone appeals
to it in Islam, I would respond."
Prophet pbuh was known as Sadiq and Ameen in Makkah for his truthfulness and honesty. He
was used to do trade and his business partner Hazrat Saad r.a said: “I was a partner of
Muhammad pbuh in business. I always found him very honest in his dealing; he never picked
quarrels, nor made any false statement.”
When Khadija bint Khuwalid a successful business woman in Makkah heard of Prophet pbuh’s
trade qualities she gave her goods to him for trade in Syria. Her slave Maysera accompanied
prophet pbuh. Prophet Muhammad pbuh came back with reasonable profit. On return to
Makkah, Maysera praised prophet pbuh and spoke highly of his honesty and intellect. She sent a
marriage proposal to Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) through her friends named Nafisa which was
accepted by Prophet pbuh after consultation with his uncle. Prophet pbuh was 25 years old
whereas Khadija r.a was 40.
At the age of 35 (605 AD) The Kaaba was, once, damaged by the rain water and the alarmed
Quraish decided to rebuild it. The work went on in harmony till the time came to put the sacred
black stone in its proper place. Each of the tribes of Makkah wanted the honor. Finally, it was
decided that the first man to enter the Kaaba the following morning would settle the issue. The
man was obviously the Noble Prophet (pbuh). He asked the leaders of the tribes of Quraish to
hold the corners of a sheet of cloth which he spread on the ground. Then he placed the black
stone in the middle of the sheet and asked them to lift it up together and carry the stone in its
place with his own hands. Thus, an explosive situation was resolved peacefully by the wisdom
and foresight of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Muhammad's childhood and youth were a sign to his Prophethood. Everyone agreed upon his
truthfulness and trustworthiness. He never lied, cheated, broke his words, or participated in
pagan rituals. Those who knew him from his childhood immediately believed in him when he
declared his Prophethood.
Early Secret Preaching:
Q) How did Islam grow in the years between the Prophet’s first revelation and his first public preaching in Makkah?

Q) Give an account of the ways in which Prophet pbuh started to preach Islam in the first few years after receiving
the revelation. [10]

Answer:
After the first revelation, the Prophet pbuh did not get any further intimation from Allah the Almighty. He
was nervous and restless during this time and was waiting for any further revelations. During this time he
had heard Angel Jibrail e.s consoling prophet pbuh by certifying him as a prophet, until one day he say
Angel Jibrail e.s sitting in the chair in sky, prophet pbuh rushed home and asked Khadija r.a to cover him
were the second revelation came saying: “O you! Wrapped in your mantle! Arise and warn! And Glorify
your Lord” (74:1-3). After this revelation prophet pbuh started preaching Islam amongst his close friends
and relatives from whom he thought would get a favorable response. This was a secret preaching for
almost 3 year and he did not make any public announcement.
As a result of the secret preaching the first person ever accepted Islam was Khadija r.a the wife of the
Prophet pbuh, later Ali r.a who was almost 10 years at that time accepted the religion, first freed slave to
accept Islam was Zaid bin Harith and the first person to become Muslim amongst the outside of his family
was his close friend Abu Bakr r.a. Because of this secret preaching a set of almost 40 people accepted
Islam which include the well know companions like Usman (r.a), Talha (r.a), Zubair (r.a), Abdur Rehman
bin Auf (r.a), Saad ibn Abi Waqas (r.a),and Abdullah bin Masood (r.a). Some other people who accepted
Islam these days were Bilal r.a, Abu Ubaida bin Jarrah, Saeed bin Zaid and the sister of Umar r.a Fatima
bint Khattab.
All these early converts believed in the Prophet-hood of the Muhammad pbuh because of his truthful and
trustworthiness. The prophet pbuh kept on preaching these souls from the revelations and instructions
he was receiving from his Creator. Prophet pbuh held his meetings with these new converts at Dar-e-
Arqam (the house of Arqam r.a) which became the first preaching center of Islam.
After some time prophet pbuh got another revelation saying: “And warn [O Muhammad] your closest
kindred” (26:214). He therefore called upon almost 45 people of Banu Hashim; his relatives to his place
and said, “Allah has ordered me to call you to Him, so who amongst you will help me in this affair and
be my friend, my adviser and my deputy?” to these remarks only Ali r.a responded saying: “O prophet of
Allah, I shall be your assistant, I will fight him who fights you”. Abu Talib also assured prophet pbuh his
support and said: “Do propagate the message given to you. I shall help you and protect you. I am,
however, not willing to give up the religion of our ancestors”. Abu Lahab opposed the Prophet bitterly
but Abu Talib said, “By Allah, I shall protect him (the Prophet) as long as l am alive”.
Soon after, the Prophet was given another revelation in which he was ordered to, “Therefore, declare
openly to those, what you are commanded and turn away from pagans” (15:94). Consequently, one day
the Prophet stood on the hill of Safa and called the people loudly as if there was a big emergency. People
including Abu Lahab, gathered around him. The Prophet said, “If I tell you that there is a big army behind
this hill and they are ready to attack you, will you believe me?” They responded, “Yes indeed, since we
never heard you tell a lie”. The Prophet said, “In that case I warn you about a bit torment before it takes
place”. Then the Prophet warned various people and various tribes about this torment by calling their
names. After this speech, the people quietly went away since they never heard a lie from the Prophet.
However, Abu Lahab said to the Prophet, “May you be perished! You have gathered us for this
announcement only!”
Holy Prophet pbuh started preaching Islam openly in all private and public gatherings and to the people
who came for the annual pilgrimage to Makkah and many of them started accepting Islam which was a
matter of great encouragement for the Prophet pbuh.
Persecution to the Companions
Q) Describe the difficulties faced by the early converts/ companions of the Prophet pbuh in Makkah. (10)

When Islam started to spread, many people accepted it and right after embracing Islam, they
were tortured by their bosses and disbelievers irrespective of their gender, still they did not speak
a word against Islam and died because of the torture and embraced martyrdom.
When Ammar bin Yasir r.a , his father and his mother Sumaiyyah r.a accepted Islam, they were
extremely tortured. They were beaten severely. The Prophet pbuh comforted them by saying,
“Ammar is filled up with Iman from tip to toe. O family of Yasir! Be patient, your abode is
paradise”. Yasir r.a and Sumaiyyah r.a could not bear the torture and both died of the torture.
Sumayyah r.a was beaten on her private parts and became the first martyr of Islam.
Bilal r.a was slave of Ummayah bin Khalf. He was laid on hot pebbles and a heavy rock was placed
on his chest and was beaten badly. He proclaimed, “God is one, God is one”. Suhaib Rumi r.a
was tortured to the extent that he lost control over what he said, and repeated anything his
oppressors asked him. Khabbab bin Arat r.a was the slave of a woman named Umm Amaar. She
used to put a red hot piece of iron on his back and head. Once disbelievers made him lay on hot
fire and a person stood on his chest. The uncle of Uthman bin Affan r.a used to wrap him in a
mat of palm leaves then he used to choke him with smoke.
Musab bin Umair r.a belonged to a rich family, when he accepted Islam his uncle stopped his
daily meals and kicked him out of home. Abu Fakihah r.a was a slave of Safwan bin Ummayah,
like Bilal r.a he was also dragged on hot sand and rope was tied with this feet. When Zunyrah r.a
a Roman slave girl accepted Islam, Abu Jahal and Umar bin Khattab used to take turns to torture
her and she lost her eyes. Disbelievers said, “It is due to the curse of their gods on her”. Next
day by the grace of Allah her eyes recovered and healed, the disbelievers said, “It is due to the
magic of Muhammad pbuh”. Nahdiyah r.a and Umm Umais r.a were also female slaves who
were being tortured for their acceptance of Islam. Since Abu Bakr r.a bought and freed many
slaves like Lubina r.a, Nahdiyah r.a, Zunyrah, Bilal r.a, Allah mentioned about him in Quran “But
(he does it) only seeking the pleasure of his Lord, Most High. And he is going to be pleased
soon.” (92. 20-21)
Abdullah bin Masood r.a was a young Muslim. One day the Prophet pbuh asked the companions,
“Who would like to recite Surah Rahman in Kaaba?” Abdullah ibn Masood r.a volunteered
himself and he recited the surah near Kaaba. The disbelievers injured him severely, but he
completed the recitation of this surah. When Abu Dahr r.a announced his acceptance of Islam in
Masjid-ul-Haram, the disbelievers started beating him severely. Abbas r.a told them, “Abu Dhar
belongs to Ghaffar tribes which are on their trade route.” On hearing this, they stopped beating
him.
Abu Bakr r.a and Talha r.a were also harassed. Once they were tied up by the same rope while
they were praying, but mysteriously the rope was untied. Lubina r.a was a female slave of Mumil
bin Habib and she embraced Islam. Umar Bin Khattab tortured her. Whenever he paused,
torturing her, he said, “I did not stop beating you out of pity, I stopped because I am exhausted.”
The Prophet pbuh and the other members of Banu Hashim were boycotted by Quraish and were
forced to live in a valley out of Makkah known as Shab-e-Abi Talib but all Muslims remained
steadfast during this difficult time and none of them renounced his religion.
Persecution to Prophet pbuh
Qa) Describe the main difficulties encountered by the Prophet himself during his time in Makkah after his call to
prophet-hood?
Answer:
When various opposition tactics and bargaining failed, the Quraish disbelievers started inflicting cruelties on
the Prophet. They tried to stop the Prophet from preaching Islam in different ways as once they proposed to
the Prophet that he should worship their gods and they in return would worship his God. Allah revealed to
them that there could be no compromise on this and declared, “You have your religion and I have my religion”.
One day the disbelievers saw the Prophet praying near Kaabah. Abu Jahal announced in his gathering, “Who
can bring the dirty feces of a camel and place it on his back ?” Uqbah bin Abi Muait then brought those feces
and placed it on the back of the Prophet when he was prostrating. Fatimah (R.A), the daughter of the Prophet,
happened to pass that way. She removed the filth from her father’s back while she was crying. The Prophet
said three times, “O Allah catch these Quraish'' and most of the leaders of Quraish were killed in the Battle of
Badr. Another time Abu Jahal swore that he would throw dust on the face of the Prophet and tread on his face
if he saw him praying. When he approached the Prophet to fulfill his shameful task, he suddenly turned back
and was shielding his own face with his hands. When his companions asked him why he retreated, he said, “I
saw a ditch of burning fire and some wings flying”. Later the Prophet said, “If he had proceeded further, the
angel would have plucked away his limbs one after another''. Abu Lahab’s two sons were married to two
daughters of the Prophet. His sons divorced Ruqaiyah (R.A) and Umm e Kulthum (R.A).
Abu Lahab’s wife used to place thorns in the path of the Prophet to injure his feet. As neighbors, they used to
throw the uterus of a goat on the Prophet and in the Prophet’s cooking pot. The Prophet said, “What kind of
neighbors are you”? When Abu Lahab’s wife heard that a curse was thrown on her husband in the Quran, she
came to Kaabah with pebbles in her hands to throw on the Prophet. The Prophet was sitting near Kaabah with
Abu Bakar (R.A), she said to Abu Bakar (R.A), “If I see your companion, I shall throw these pebbles on him” and
she went away. Abu Bakar (R.A) asked the Prophet, “Did she not see you?” The Prophet replied, “Allah took
away her sight”.
One day some Quraish disbelievers suddenly attacked the Prophet in Masjid-ul-Haram and choked him by
wrapping a sheet around his neck. Abu Bakar (R.A) defended the Prophet. He said, “Do you want to kill a
person just because he says my creator is Allah?” When insults and persecution had no effect on the Holy
Prophet, the pagans tried other methods. They offered to collect a large fortune for him, or make him the king.
They even promised to marry him to the fairest girl in the land if he gave up preaching Islam. The Holy Prophet
turned down all such offers.
Sometimes Quraish disbelievers tried to confuse people with their ideas. They also launched a campaign
against the Holy Prophet calling him a ‘mad man’, ‘a poet’ and ‘a magician’. Poems were written to ridicule
the Holy Prophet. The Quraish disbelievers showed their cheapness and desperation. They whistled and
created all forms of noise during the recitation of the Quran, so people cannot hear the recitation clearly. The
Quraish also demanded and teased for some miracles although they had the Quran as the biggest miracle with
them. Allah showed them splitting of the moon as a miracle as mentioned in the Quran, “The Day of
Resurrection has drawn near, the moon did split”. When the Prophet’s second son died in infancy, Abu Lahab
rejoiced and called the Prophet ‘Abtar’, a man cut off with no male offspring. Leaders of Quraish disbelievers
approached Abu Talib (R.A) many times so that he would give up his support for the Prophet. They however
failed to convince Abu Talib (R.A) and it made them more furious.
After failing in all their tactics, they decided to boycott the Prophet and his followers and made them live in
the valley of Abu Talib known as ‘Shaib-e-Abi Talib’. The Muslims and Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) had to
suffer there for 3 years without food and many lives were lost because of hunger and the cruelties of Quraish
on the Prophet and as well as his followers.
Migration to Abyssinia:
(a) Write an account of the first migration (hijra) of the Muslims to Abyssinia

Answer:
Quraish kept on persecuting Muslims, and the tortures were becoming unbearable. Some
Muslims like Sumayya (r.a) and her husband Yasir (r.a) got martyred as a result of this oppression.
Muslims were allowed by the Prophet pbuh to migrate to Abyssinia after the verses revealed in
Surah Nahl saying, “And those who emigrated for (the cause of) Allah after they had been
wronged- We will surely settle them in this world in a better place……. (16:41)
In 615 AD, the fifth year of the Prophet-hood, the first batch of Muslims migrated to Abyssinia.
There were eleven men and four women in total including some prominent companions like
Hazrat Usman and his wife Ruqqaya r.a the son in law and the daughter of Prophet pbuh. They
left Abyssinia secretly and were granted asylum by Negus. Makkans got to know about their
movement later.
In Ramadan of the same year, Prophet pbuh went to Kaba where some notables Quraish
polytheists were sitting. Suddenly Prophet pbuh began reciting Surah Najm (chapter 41). The
awe-inspiring words of Allah stunned pagans. When the Prophet pbuh reached the stormy, heart-
beating ending, “So fall you down in prostration to Allah and worship Him (alone)” (53:62), the
idolaters, unconsciously and with full compliance went into prostration. A rumor broke out that
Quraish has accepted Islam which reached Abyssinia as well, Muslims there decided to come back
to their country but later discovered that it was just a rumor.
The persecution intensified and hence, the Prophet advised Muslims to migrate to Abyssinia once
again. This time 83 men and 19 women migrated to Abyssinia including Hazrat Jafar son of Abu
Talib, Hazrat Sawda and her Husband, Zubair, Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah, Abdur Rahman bin Auf
r.a.. This second batch of Muslims migrated through the port of Shuaiba. Makkans sent Amr bin
Al-Aas and Abdullah bin Rabiah to the king of Abyssinia with some precious gifts and requested
him to expel the Muslims from his land and said, “Some of our people have run away to your
country. They have coined a new religion. Please hand them over to us so that we can take
them back to their country”.
Negus was a just ruler and decided to listen to the other side as well. He called Muslims to his
court where Hazrat Jafar r.a delivered a speech representing Muslims. He said:
“O king! We were plunged in the depth of ignorance and barbarism, we adored idols, we lived
in unchastely, we disregarded every feeling of humanity, and the duties of hospitality and
neighborhood were neglected; we knew no law but that of the strong, when Allah raised
among us a man, whose truthfulness, honesty, and purity we were aware; and he called to the
Oneness of Allah, and taught us not to associate anything with Him, and he enjoined us to
speak the truth, to be merciful and to regard the rights of the neighbors and kith and kin; he
forbade us to speak evil of women, or to eat the substance of orphans; he ordered us to offer
prayers, to render alms, and to observe fast. We have believed in him, we have accepted his
teachings and his injunctions to worship Allah, and not to associate anything with Him. For this
reason, our people have risen against us, have persecuted us in order to make us forsake the
worship of Allah and return to the worship of idols and other abominations. They have tortured
and injured us, until finding no safety among them; we have come to your country. And hope
you will protect us from oppression.”
Najashi asked Muslims to recite some verses of Quran. Jafar r.a intelligently recited few verses
from the start of of Surah Maryam. After hearing this, Najashi and others who were present there
broke into tears and Najashi said, “This and what Isa brought are the light of same candle”. Then
‫ے‬
he returned the gifts and said to the Quraish delegates, “You ‫ گ ج‬should go back home. I am
not going to hand over these people to you”. Quraish left the court dejected and depressed.
Social and Economic Boycott of Banu Hashim
The sequence of persecution continued and in the seventh year of prophet-hood Quraish decided
to build pressure on Banu Hashim to hand over Prophet pbuh to them, and on failure to their
campaign they finally decided to boycott Banu Hashim as a consequence of their defense to
prophet pbuh. The Quraysh held a meeting and decided to outcast Banu Hashim and Banu al-
Muttalib by placing them under a total social boycott. The other clans from the Quraysh would
not marry their daughters, transact business with them, keep company with them, nor would
they accept any peace overtures from these two clans or even not give food or drink to
Hashmites until they handed over the Prophet. About forty leaders of idolaters drew up and
signed this document stating that this boycott will continue till they hand over the Prophet to
them.
The two clans of Banu Hashim and Banu Mutalib, including non-Muslims too were forced to live
in a gorge belonging to Abu Talib known as Sha’ab e Abi Talib in the peripheries of Makkah. The
boycott was devastating and for many months they lived in misery. It was so rigorously applied
and food was so scarce that they had to eat the leaves of trees. The women, and more specially
the children and suckling babies would cry with hunger which could be heard all over the valley.
The Quraysh told the merchants not to sell any goods to them. Prices were increased to prevent
them from buying even essentials. They remained in that state for three years. Apart from some
kind Qurayshi people like Muthim Bin Adi and Hakeem bin Hazam and some others, who used
to secretly send some food items and sometimes camels laden with food supplies to this valley,
the food was totally abandoned.
Despite such grim circumstances, the Prophet pbuh never ceased inviting non-Muslims to Islam.
He was particularly active during the time of Hajj. It was at this time that he would speak to tribes
that had traveled to Makkah from all over the Arab world. During this boycott the Prophet and
his companions used to go to Makkah during the Hajj period to preach Islam to the visitors of
Makkah. This boycott further strengthened the faith of Muslims and now they were more firm
and determined to accomplish their mission of spreading Islam.
Prophet pbuh made supplications saying, “O Allah send famine on the idolaters just as you sent
famine on the idolater just as you sent famine on the people of Prophet Yusuf” which was
accepted by Allah, moreover people like Hisham bin Amr, Zubair bin Abi Ummayyah, Zamah bin
Aswad and Muthim bin Adi had a soft corner for Muslims they too initiated a campaign for
Muslims saying, “this is utter cruelty. We should tear this document”. At the same time The
Prophet said to Abu Talib (R.A), “My creator has informed me that the document has been eaten
up by termite except the word ‘Allah’.
After this Abu Talib went to Makkah the first time during this boycott and informed the Quraish
about the destruction of the document by the termite. He said to Quraish, “If this is not true,
then I shall stop the protection and support of the Prophet. If however it is true then you should
annul or cancel the boycott”. The Quraish said, “It is a fair deal, we agree to it”. In the meanwhile
Muthim saw that the document was actually eaten up by the worms except the name of
‘Allah’.After this, the document was torn up and the Prophet and his followers came out of this
valley in the tenth year of Prophet-hood.
In the same year of Prophet-hood, the Prophet lost his uncle Abu Talib who was a source of
protection for him and his wife Khadija r.s who supported and consoled him in all difficult times.
This year was named as the year of grief. Abu Lahab was made the new leader of Banu Hashim,
thus because of such circumstances the Prophet knew that there’s no hope left for the people of
Makkah to accept Islam.

Visit to Taif
(a) Describe the events of the Prophet’s visit to Ta’if.
(a)The Prophet went to Ta’if to teach the people there about one God. Write about his experience of this
event.
(a) The Prophet (pbuh) went to spread Islam in Ta’if. Write about the background and details of this event.
Answer:
After the death of Abu Talib, the staunch supporter of prophet pbuh In 619 A.D (10th year of Prophet-
hood), Abu Lahab the uncle and the severest enemy of Prophet pbuh became the next leader of Banu
Hashim, thus prophet pbuh lost his tribal support too. The Quraish increased their persecution of the
prophet pbuh and his followers. This was the time when the prophet pbuh realized that the people in
Makkah would no longer accept Islam. In search of a better place to preach and live, the prophet pbuh
went to Taif, a town almost 60 miles from Makkah. His adopted son Zaid bin Harith r.a also accompanied
him.
Prophet pbuh met with three leaders in Taif named Abd Yalayl, Masood and Habib. Taif was populated by
Banu Saqeef and was the second largest tribe in Arabia. Prophet pbuh was very hopeful about their
support and spread of Islam in there, but unfortunately they not only denied prophet pbuh but mocked
him too. Prophet pbuh invited them to convert to his religion of Islam and asked for their help and protection
in his fight against his own tribe, the Quraysh But they responded:
“If you are truly a prophet, what need do you have of our help? If God sent you as his messenger, why doesn’t
He protect you? And if Allah wished to send a prophet, couldn’t He have found a better person than you, a
weak and fatherless orphan?” Prophet Muhammad pbuh did not lose hope and stayed in Taif for almost
10 days, and continued his preaching to the general public.
When the leaders got to know about the prophet's preaching they set upon youngsters and slaves to
follow him and to stone him, consequently prophet pbuh and his adopted son Zaid bin Harith got badly
wounded, while trying to save prophet pbuh Zaid got his head badly injured. Both of them ran for almost
3 miles and were driven to the peripheries of the city. The Prophet pbuh sought refuge in an orchard
belonging to Utba and Shayba bin Rabiyah. When they saw prophet pbuh in this condition they took pity
on him and sent their slave Adas with grapes which prophet pbuh ate. Prophet pbuh made supplication
here saying, “O Allah! I complain to You of my weakness, my scarcity of resources, and the humiliation
I have been subjected to by the people…..”.
Heart-broken and depressed, Muhammad pbuh set out on the way back to Makkah. When he reached
Qarn Al-Manazil, Allah Almighty sent Jibrael e.s together with the angel of mountains who asked the
Prophet pbuh for permission to crush the people of Taif between mountains. Prophet pbuh did not allow
him and replied “I would rather have someone from their descendants who will worship Allah, the
Almighty with no associate.” Prophet pbuh further prayed for their forgiveness and guidance to Islam.
His supplications were granted acceptance in 9th year of Hijra and the people of Taif accepted Islam.
Hazrat Aisha r.a once asked the Prophet, “Was there any day harder on you than the day of Battle of
Uhud?” The Prophet said, “Yes, the day of preaching Islam in Taif was the most difficult day”.
While returning to Makkah the prophet reached the valley Nakhla where Allah sent him a company of
Jinns who listened to him reciting the Noble Quran and accepted Islam, Prophet pbuh got revelation of
surah Jinn in which he was told of the incident. Prophet pbuh entered Makkah under the protection of
Mut'im bin Adi.
P2
Hadith # 1

Religion is sincerity; we said: ‘To whom?’ The Prophet pbuh said: ‘To Allah, his Book, his
Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and to their common people.’

a. Belief:

Sincerity means to be pure and honest in mind and intentions. We should obey Allah and His
prophet with purity and full dedication.

We should be sincere in all of our dealings and should always stay obedient to Allah the Almighty
and His prophet. We should follow the code of conduct explained in Quran and Shariah and
should always remain submissive to the rules made to maintain the law and order in the country
by our authorities. “O you who believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in
authority among you” (4:59). Sincerity to common people is that we should always remain a loyal
member and well-wisher of the community.

b. Action:

Muslims can put these teachings into action by obeying Allah and His commands. Muslims should
make it sure that whatever has been instructed by Allah and His prophet should become part of
their lives. All Quranic injunctions should be followed and instructions should be obeyed for
example Quran prohibits usury and defaming others and allows trade and asks to be kind to
fellow men. We should respect our elders and people in authority by listening to them and
following them and should remain a good part of community by being gentle with our relatives,
neighbors and other people who live, work and interact with us in our daily life. Prophet pbuh
said “Verily, Allah is gentle and He loves gentleness in all matters.” (Agreed upon)

Hadith # 2

None of you believes until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself.

a. Belief:

This hadith teaches a great practical lesson to Muslims to always think good for others and should
develop a sense of collective welfare and make efforts to ensure comfort and benefits for others
as much as for themselves. This Hadith furthermore negates the concept of self-centeredness
and promotes the concept of fraternity and brotherhood.
This hadith teaches Muslims that they should not treat others in the way they don’t want
themselves to be treated. Prophet pbuh said “that you desire for other what you desire for
yourself and do not desire for others what you do not desire for yourself”. The holy Quran
instructs Muslims to be helpful to each other “The believers are but brothers, so make settlement
between your brothers.” (49:10)

b. Action:

All Muslims should learn to abandon selfishness, promote spirit of sacrifice and love for the fellow
Muslims. As we do not want others to be rude and disrespectful to us or to look down upon us,
similarly we should treat others with care and always stay polite and respectful. Muslims should
always stand beside their brothers and should contribute to people in tragedy such as flood
victims and the war refugees in the world. A Muslim should always show empathy to others as
after the establishment of bond during the migration to Madina, the Ansaars preferred their
Muhajrin associates over themselves and gave half of their wealth to their brothers.

Hadith # 3

Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day, either speak good or keep silent, and Let him
who believes in Allah and the Last Day, be generous to his neighbor, and let him who believes
in the Last Day, be generous to his guest.

a. Belief:

This hadith carries communal teachings and discusses that the righteous faith directly effects the
deeds and makes a person conscious of the presence of Allah. The hadith emphasizes on the
good use of tongue, and states that keeping silent is better than speaking bad. Quran explains
the traits of true believer saying “And they who turn away from ill speech”. (23:3)

Hadith further teaches generosity and cordiality to the neighbors and the guests and guides that
we should be kind to them. Prophet pbuh said “He is not a believer who lets himself quenched
while his neighbor goes hungry."

This specific reference to neighbors and guests actually implies and extends to all those who we
are in contact with.

b. Action

The hallmark of a true believer is that he always treat others respectfully and in a polite manner.
Muslim should always be a source of comfort for his brothers and greets them by greeting and
invoking Allah’s blessings. He moreover remain courteous in his interaction with others and is
never a slanderer and backbiter. A Muslim does not remain confined to the word of mouth but
translates it into action when he practically helps and cares for others.
A Muslim should always be generous to his guests and neighybors. Prophet pbuh once instructed
to add some water into the broth and to share it with the neighbors, he moreover was used to
serve his guests himself. We should also hold others in high regard and serve them irrespective
of their social status.

Hadith # 4

A man asked the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) do you think that if I perform the obligatory
prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat as forbidden what which
is forbidden, and do nothing further, I shall enter paradise? He said: Yes.

Belief:
The secret of the entering paradise has been disclosed in this Hadith. This Hadith guides an
individual that to get the pleasure of Allah and to enter paradise one has to follow the basic
principles of Islam. Islam is an easy, practical and simple religion, Allah the Almighty says “…He
has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty… (22:78). It is stated
that by believing in the doctrine of the religion, following the major instructions and observing
the prohibition and merits ensures the entry to God’s paradise. “And whatever the Messenger
has given you-take, and what he has forbidden you-refrain from….” (59:7).

Thus the Hadith shows that the obligatory prayers and keeping fast in Ramadan are compulsory,
moreover knowing the lawful and unlawful and acting accordingly is the basic criteria to paradise.

Action:

Muslims can put these teachings into action by at least following the minimum criteria to please
Allah. Muslims should act on all pillars of Islam and must attain the knowledge of lawful and
unlawful. The believers also refrain from the prohibition and enjoy only allowable things in all
their actions. For example, they do not cheat in work and assignments, they do not be immoral
and do not get indulged in gambling and drinking vine, they do not violate the rights of the fellow
men by taking their wealth through stealing or fraud.

A believer is thus a true servant of God and must perform Salah, keep fast and should give charity
and perform hajj if applicable.

Hadith # 5

Every person’s every joint must perform a charity every day the sun comes up: to act justly
between two people is a charity; to help a man with his mount, lifting him onto it or hoisting
up his belongings onto it is a charity; every step you take to prayers is a charity; and removing
a harmful thing from the road is a charity.
Belief
The Hadith teaches us the broader concept of charity stating that any act of kindness towards
fellow humans for the sake of achieving Allah’s pleasure is charity. Charity is not confined to
giving money only but also includes good deeds like polite words, removing harmful things from
the way, helping others in their daily tasks. Prophet pbuh said that "The best of people are those
who are most beneficial to people.”This concept of charity also provides a chance for the poor to
contribute to the society.

Action:
This hadith emphasizes that a Muslim must spend each day of life doing acts of kindness. They
should try to contribute to the welfare of the society by helping people in their daily
tasks. Helping someone carrying his burden or removing harmful things from the path or
arbitrating justly between two people and even the smallest of the deeds like passing a smile to
someone is a charity. Muslims should not ignore small deeds feeling them unimportant as the
smallest of the deeds carry great rewards.

Prophet pbuh himself was used to carry burdens of the travelers and help people in their affairs,
we Muslims should also keep on looking for such an opportunity and keep pleasing Allah for a
higher rank in hereafter.