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 The Life of the Messenger is a pioneering
work that details the life of the Holy
Prophet of Islam. This text looks into the
life of the Prophet and it weaves an intricate
and complex narrative of the factors which
influenced the struggle for the spread of
Islam. Through extensive research, Shaykh
Rasul Ja'farlyan has been able to craft
together many details which were not widely
known before. This is the first time that a m
book of this caliber and depth has been
translated and it constitutes one of the most
detailed Ja'farl researched biographies of the
Holy Prophet in the English language.

nail ISBN 9798671754117

90000

^BRL|CC°iLTE,C0T，NVES

9 798671 754117
 T-

A Look at the
the Pro

Written by: She

Translated by: S
HE LIFE OF THE
MESSENGER
(Part Two)

'Social and Political Life of

phet Muhammad

iykh RasulJaYarlyan

ayyid Ali Musawl

 Copyright 2020 Sayyid Ali Musawi

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced

in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means,
including information storage and retrieval systems,
without permission in writing from the publisher, except by
reviewers, who may quote brief passages in a review.

Library of Congress Control Number 143568

Printed and bound in the United States of America

First Print-July 2020

Published by Noor Collective Publications

PO Box 500862
San Diego, California, USA 92150

't www.NoorCollective.org
 Preface and Acknowledgments

-By Sayyid Ali Musawi

In the name of God, the All-Beneficent, the Ever Merciful

Although this book began as a project many long years

ago, it has finally reached completion on the 8th of Dhu al-
Hijjah, in the year 1441 (July 29, 2020). Tommorow is the
blessed day of cArafah. We thank God for his blessings
which weigh heavy on us and we ask that he guides us on
his path and allows us to be more perfect in serving him.
Truly, nothing is possible except through God.
I would like to extend my gratitude and thanks to my
parents, who have been so integral all these years in teaching
and guiding me. I would also like to thank everyone who
has been a part of this journey thus far, particularly my
teachers in the religious seminary of Qum, Iran. My years
there proved invaluable to who I am today and I would not
trade them for anything in this world. I would also like to
thank the members of the Noor Collective in San Diego,
California for creating the platform which inspired this
publication. Finally, I would like to thank Issa D. for his
help in the final editing of this manuscript, as well as
Haider al-Shaher for his work on the cover page. May we all
be worthy one day to call ourselves the followers of the
Messenger and his Holy Family...

Sayyid Ali Musawl

July 29, 2020

San Diego, California

CONTENTS
The Life of the Messenger..............................
Section Four..............................................................
The Opposition o£...................................................
the Quraysh...............................................................
The Opposition of the Quraysh..............................
Why did the Polytheists Oppose Islam? ••…
The Polytheists’ Persecution of the Muslims.......... 18
Immigration to Ethiopia.......................................... 23
1- The Reasons behind the Immigration .... 24
2- Was there more than One Immigration? 26
3- Choosing Ethiopia for Immigration..... 27
4- The Quraysh5 s Effort to Remove the Muslims from
Ethiopia and their Defeat.......................................... 29
5- The Return of the Immigrants from Ethiopia..... 3i
The Story of the Gharanlq......................................................... 32
The Valley ofAbu Talib............................................................. 39
Section Five................................................................................. 49
Islam in Medina.......................................................................... 49
Islam in Medina..........................................................................
Yathrib before the Rise of Islam.................................... 51
The Hrst Muslims ofYathrib..................................................... 59
The Pact of the People ofYathrib with the Prophet................ 64
1-The First Pact of the Muslims ofYathrib with the
Prophet............................................................................ 64
2-The Second Pact of cAqabah...................................... 68
3- The Details of the Pact................................................. 74
The Reasons behind the Swift Growth of Islam in Medina.... 80
Immigration to Medina and Other Related Issues................. 87
1-The Meaning of Immigration (Hijrah)..................... 87
2- The Beginning of the Immigration.......................... 88
 3- The Immigration of the Prophet.................................. %
4- From Mecca to Medina.................................................... 98
5- The Prophet in Quba....................................................... 101
6-The Muslims Settle in Medina...................................... 106
7- The Continuation of the Necessity of Immigration
until the Time of the Conquest of Mecca................ 111
8- Immigration: The Starting Point of the Islamic
Calendar.............................................................................. 118
The Actions of the Prophet after Becoming Established in
Medina............................................................................................ 122
1- The Construction of the Mosque................................ 122
2- The Formation of the Pact of Brotherhood............. 124
3- The First Constitution of the Unified Muslim
Community....................................................................... 130
Section Six: 141

The Wars of Early........................................................................... Mi

Islamic History............................................................................... Mi
The Wars of Early Islamic History Up Until the Fifth Year........ M3
How the Prophet Dealt with Those who Opposed Islam............ M3
Islam as a Force That Invites People towards Peace and
Tranquility.......................................................................... 150
Can War ever be Justified?.................................................... 153
Were die Wars of Early Islam Offensive or Defensive in Nature? 160
The Events Preceding the Batde of Badr 162
Relations with the Jews of Medina up until the Battle of
Badr...................................................................................... 170
The Changing of the Qiblah and the Criticism of the
Jews....................................................................................... 173
The Battle of Badr................................................................. 176
The Battle of Badr as Mentioned in the Quran........... 201
Events That Took Place between the Battles of Badr and Uhud. 206
1- Incidents with the Polytheists............................. 206
2- Incidents with the Jews of the Ban! Q_aynuqac 209
The Batde of Uhud.............................................................. 211
 Section Four:

The Opposition of

the Quraysh
The Opposition of the Quraysh

Why did the Polytheists Oppose Islam?

The people who came out in opposition to Islam had a
number of justifications for why they opposed the new
faith. Some may ask why these individuals were not willing
to accept Islam, in spite of its rational ideas and clear
beauty. There are a number of Quranic verses and traditions
which explain the reasons behind this opposition. At a core
level, these reasons contain elements that are social,
political, cultural, and intellectual in nature. Understanding
the roots of the polytheist’s opposition is important
towards realizing why the struggle between Islam and the
polytheists took place. In addition, it is critical in
understanding how Islam was able to defeat the polytheists
and spread throughout the pre-Islamic society of the
Arabian Peninsula. Let us now take a detailed look at the
various reasons behind this opposition.

One: The Surprise of the Polytheists at the Concept of

Tawhld (Monotheism)

When Islam was first revealed, its emphasis on the

oneness of God, particularly its rejection of all other gods,
proved to be a shocking concept for the polytheists. The
pre-Islamic Arabs had been worshipping their idols as gods,
or as representatives of the gods, for many generations.
Accepting Islam meant leaving aside their ideas of religion
and accepting something completely new. Changing one’s
beliefs, even in a liberal and open society, is a difficult task,
but changing one’s beliefs in the society of that time was
exponentially more difficult.
 When the concept of monotheism was first introduced to
the Arabs, it not only deeply surprised them but it even
angered them. The Quran mentions: “They consider it odd
that there should come to them a wamer from among
themselves, and the faithless say, ‘This is a magician, a
mendacious liar.5 ‘Has he reduced the gods to one god? This
is indeed an odd thing!”’1 The idol worshippers expressed
shock and protested that this monotheism was an unknown
innovation which even Jesus (ca) had not introduced. The
Quran details their reaction in the following verse: “Their
elite go about urging others: ‘Go and stand by your gods!
This is indeed the desirable thing [to do]. We have not
heard of this in the latest religion. This is nothing but a
fabrication.,,，a The polytheists criticized the Muslims, saying
that they had rejected the faith of their fathers and had
chosen a new way of life.3 Many years later at the Battle of
Badr, Abu Jahl was heard saying: “Oh God, our religion is
an ancient way of life, while Muhammad5s is a new one—
therefore, aid the one which you prefer/^
In response to this surprise, the Prophet (s) was
instructed to explain that his religion was not something
new; rather, it was a continuation of the message of past
prophets. The Quran tells the Prophet (s) to declare: “."‘I
am not a novelty among the apostles.The efforts of the
Prophet (s) in explaining the Abrahamic foundations of his
religion played a big role in putting this criticism to rest. In
spite of this, it did take some time until people became
accustomed to the concept of worshipping only one God.

1 Surah Sad, Verses 4 and 5.

2 Surah Sad, Verses 6 and 7; Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 231.
3 Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 5, p. 2; Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 3, p. 55; Al-Musannaf, Ibn
Abl Shaybah, vol. 7, p. 332.
4 Majma‘ al-Bayan, vol. 4, p. 531.
5 Surah Ahqaf, Verse 9.

2
 Two: The Arab Nobility’s Fear of Losing their Position

The Quraysh, due to their dominance in the city of

Mecca and their position as the merchants of that region,
were considered the noble class among the Arabs. They had
given themselves the title of Ahl al-Hums and saw
themselves as the protectors of the pre-Islamic Arab religion.
If the Quraysh accepted Islam, they would lose their
preeminence, potentially never to regain it again. At that
time, the success of Islam was questionable, and therefore,
accepting the new religion was a big risk, both politically
and socially. Among these risks was losing their
preeminence, as well as facing the anger of the rest of the
Arab tribes, many of whom considered themselves potential
rivals of the Quraysh. The leaders of the Quraysh told Abu
Talib: “Give Muhammad to us so that we may kill him, for
it is possible that he may change our religion and cause
warfare to erupt between us and the other Arabs.”1 They
would also say to the Prophet (s): “We have not seen
anything more inauspicious for our tribe than you, for you
have sowed disunity amongst us, put our affairs into
disarray, criticized our religion, and disgraced us in front of
the rest of the Arabs. The Arabs now believe that there is a
magician and oracle present in our midst.”2

Three: Rivalry between the T ribes of the Quraysh

There were many different subtribes within the

Quraysh itself. These tribes would compete with one
another and they would strive to make their group more
prestigious and influential than the others. The Ban!
Hashim tribe had both prestige and influence, and although
some of their members were not as wealthy as they had been

1 Nathar al-Dar, vol. 1, p. 398.

2 Al-Musannaf, Ibn Abl Shaybah, vol. 14, p. 296 (India Print).

3
in times past, they were still considered one of the top tribes
of the Quraysh. Within this tribe, the family of 'Abd Manaf
possessed a very high position. When the Prophet (s) began
to spread Islam, since he was of the Ban! Hashim, it was
clear that if his movement succeeded, it would bring his
tribe to a position of preeminence over all the other tribes.
The BanI Ummayah, as well as some other tribes of the
Quraysh, stood as rivals to the BanI ^bd Manaf. One such
tribal rival, Abu Jahl, explained this issue in the following
way: “Our tribe and the children of cAbd Manaf were rivals
for preeminence. When they gave food, we did the same.
When they gave wealth, we also gave wealth and were thus
able to reach their level. This rivalry continued until they
said that they had a prophet who receives revelation from
the sky! How could we compete against this? No, we will
never believe in him.”1
Mughlrah ibn Shu(bah narrates that he was in Mecca
with Abu Jahl when they saw the Prophet (s). The Prophet
(s) invited Mughlrah to Islam. When Abu Jahl saw this, he
said to Mughlrah: “Even if I knew that his message was the
truth, I would never follow him.” Abu Jahl then added: “I
know that he speaks the truth but the children of Qusay say:
cWhen they wished to place the curtains of the Kaaba, we
accepted. When they said that ‘Al-Nadwah’ should be with
them, we accepted. Then they said that the flag should be in
their hands and we again accepted. Then they gave food and
we did the same, becoming their equals... until the time
that they said that they had a prophet from themselves. No,
by God, we will not accept this.”’2 In other instances, Abu
Jahl would point to the Prophet (s) and tell Abu Sufyan:
“Oh children of cAbd Shams, this is your prophet.’％

1 Al-Slrah al-Nabawiyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 316; (UyQn al-Athar, vol. 1，p.
204; Dur al-Manthur, vol. 4, p. 187.
2 Dalasi al-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, p. 207; Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 3, p. 64;
Al-Musannaf, Ibn Abl Shaybah, vol. 14, pgs. 91 and 92.
3 DalaMl al-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, p. 284; Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 3, p. 65.

4
 Moreover, when the nobles of the Quraysh saw a man
who had been orphaned as a child, claiming prophethood,
they sensed that this was going to lower their status. In
reality, they felt jealousy towards the Prophet (s). The two
sons of Hajjaj Sahml (Manbah and Nablyah) would tell the
Prophet: “Couldn’t God find anyone besides yourself to
make his prophet? There are people here who are older than
you and wealthier.” They would also accuse the Prophet (s)
of being an insane individual taught by the "People of the
Book/'
There were many criticisms against the prophethood of
Muhammad (s) from the people living in Mecca and Taif.
Surah Zukhruf, which deals with many of the claims of the
polytheists, narrates: “And they said, ‘Why was not this
Qpr’an sent down to some great man from the two cities?’ Is
it they who dispense the mercy of your Lord? It is we who
have dispensed among them their livelihood in the present
life, and raised some of them above others in rank, so that
some may take others into service, and your Lord’s mercy is
better than what they amass.”2 This sense of arrogance and
entitlement has been mentioned in another verse of the
Quran: “And when a sign comes to them, they say, ‘We will
not believe until we are given the like of what was given to
Allah’s apostles.’ Allah knows best where to place His
apostleship…Not only did they hold such feelings
towards the Prophet (s), but they also said similar things
about his companions: “The faithless say about the faithful,
‘Had it been anything good, they would not have taken the

1 Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 144. This event has been mentioned in the Qurai
in Surah Dukhan, Verse 14: “But they turned away from him, and said, ‘A
tutored madman?*” It has been reported that these two brothers were cursed
by the Prophet and they were later killed in battle by Imam *AlT.
2 Surah Zukhruf, Verses 31 and 32; Al-Slrah al-NabawIyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1,
p. 361.
3 Surah Ar^am, Verse 124.

5
lead over us towards accepting it.”’1 This verse highlights the
arrogance and sense of entitlement which the Quraysh
possessed. Their refusal to accept a religion simply because
it had followers from the lower classes shows their true
motives for rejecting the new faith. Another verse of the
Quran mentions: “Thus do we test them by means of one
another so that they should say, ‘Are these the ones whom
Allah has favored from among us?!’ Does not Allah know
best the grateful?”2 In addition, whenever Suhayb, 'Ammar,
and Khabbab passed by the Quraysh, the Quraysh would
ridicule them and say: “These are the companions of
Muhammad/^
The Quraysh felt that only weak people followed the
religion of the Prophet (s).-* The Quran mentions how the
polytheists would make fun of the believers: “Indeed the
guilty used to laugh at the faithful, and when they passed
them by they would wink at each other.’、In response to
their mocking, the Quran ordered the Prophet (s) to watch
over the oppressed believers: “Do not drive away those who
supplicate their Lord morning and evening desiring His
face. Neither are you accountable for them in any way, nor
are they accountable for you in any way, so that you may
drive them away and thus become one of the wrongdoers. ”6
The Quran also mentions how the words of the
polytheists against the Prophet (s) were similarly used
against previous prophets. For example, the polytheists of
Prophet Noah’s time said to him: “‘Shall we believe in you,
when it is the riffraff who follow you?”、Another verse

1 Surah Ahqaf, Verse 11. This was a statement made by Abu Jahl: Ansab al-
Ashraf, vol. i, p. 196.
2 Surah Ancam, Verse 53.
3 Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 184.
4 Al-Musannaf, Ibn Abl Shaybah, vol. 7, p. 347.
5 Surah MutafFifin, Verses 29 and 30; Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 197; Majma1 al-
Bayan, vol. 3, p. 306.
6 Surah An*am, Verse 52.
7 Surah Shu*ara, Verses 111 and 114.

6
states: “But the elite of the faithless from among his people
said, *We do not see you to be anything but a human being
like ourselves, and we do not see anyone following you
except those who are simpleminded riffraff from our
midst...,w, Prophet Noah (ca) responded to the polytheists
by saying that he would not drive away the pious believers
simply because they were from the poorer classes.2

Four: A Fear of Destabilization in the Meccan Society

Another issue was that the polytheists saw Islam as a

destabilizing force for their society in Mecca. They feared
that through this destabilization, Mecca would lose its
political and social order. One must keep in mind that the
Meccan elite had worked long and hard to build their
society, and they had built it in a very specific way. Distinct
social classes had been created for specific purposes and the
elite benefited greatly from this order. People derived their
sense of self-worth and character from the structure of the
society. If this were to fall, then everything would have to be
built anew. Naturally, this was difficult for the people to
tolerate, particularly the elite, who had the most to lose.
At the same time, from a socio-political perspective,
the pre-Islamic Arabs had made the idols symbols of their
honor and glory. The Quran mentions: “They have taken
gods besides Allah that they may be a source of might to
them.”3 Their system of worship had become intertwined
with their sense of human worth and value. This has been
mentioned in the Quran where Prophet Abraham (ca) said
to his people: “‘You have taken idols for worship besides
Allah for the sake of [mutual] affection amongst yourselves
in the life of this world."’、

1 Surah Hud, Verse 27.

2 Surah Hud, Verse 29.
3 Surah Maryam, Verse 81.
4 Surah €Ankabut, Verse 25.
 Since the Meccan society was a relatively new society, its
people possessed a stronger inclination towards accepting
the revolutionary faith of Islam. It has been narrated that
the Quraysh feared that many of their youth would convert
to Islam.1 During one incident, Marwan ibn Hakam said to
an elderly man: “Oh my elder, you thought about Islam for
so long that all the youth already converted.” The elderly
man replied: “I actually decided to accept the new faith
many times, but each time, your father, Hakam ibn Abl al-
4As, prevented me and said: cAre you willing to leave aside
your dignity, leaving the way of life of your forefathers
simply because of a new religion?”’2
In any case, the transformation of society has always been
one of the main goals of revolutionary movements. In past
times, as well as today, the societal elite would always try to
prevent the spread of such movements, out of fear of losing
their wealth and status. Naturally, the power of such
individuals is based on their society’s social and political
structure. Since the society of the Arabian Peninsula was
tribal, each individual was considered a part of his tribe. As
a result, these individuals could not easily accept Islam
without raising the enmity and hostility of their tribal
elders. When Maysarah ibn Masruq was asked by the
Prophet (s) to accept Islam, he replied: “How beautiful and
enlightening are your words, but unfortunately, if I were to
accept, my clan would rise up against me and what is there
in this world but the individual and his clan. If an
individual’s clan does not support him, then others will not
support him as well.’、
In spite of such words, there were many individuals who
separated from their tribes and converted to the new faith.
Indeed, when the time came, they even proved willing to

1 Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 212.

2 Al-Muntakhab Min Dhil al-Mudhil, p. 517; Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1，p. 362.
3 Hayat al-Sahabah, vol. 1, p. 65; DaU’il al-Nubuwwah, Abu Na^m, vol. 1, p.
294, num. 220.

8
stand against their own tribesmen in battle. Many years
later, (All ibn Abl Talib ((a) gave a speech where he said:
“Alongside the Prophet of God, we battled against our
fathers, our children, our brothers, and our uncles, and yet,
this did nothing but strengthen our faith and our
submission (to God).”1 Another example is found during
the Battle of Badr, when Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr became happy
that his brother had been taken as captive. He even told the
Muslim who captured him to be careful that he did not
escape since he was a wealthy man and it was customary to
pay a ransom for one’s freedom. When his brother
complained about this, Mus4ab replied that the Muslims
were his true brothers.2 It was for this reason that the
polytheists accused the Prophet (s) of dividing families，

Five: An Incorrect Un derstanding of Prophethood

The polytheists had an incorrect understanding of

prophethood, which was based on how the Christians
viewed Prophet Jesus ((a). In addition to this, the Arabs had
strange beliefs about Angels and Jinns, whom they
w orshipped as gods alongside their idols. All of these beliefs
were so intertwined and interconnected that it made it
difficult for them to have a correct understanding of
prophethood. Furthermore, the Prophet (s) introduced
himself as the messenger of an unknown, or at least, a not
very well-known God. The polytheists asked that if such a
thing as prophethood existed, why hadn’t one of the angels
been selected as a prophet. According to their
un derstanding, this should have been the natural course of
events, but in spite of this, a human being was claiming to
have been sent by God as his messenger. This was, after all, a

'Nahj al-Balaghah, Sermon 56; Rabi* al-Abrar, vol. 3, p. 312.

2 Hayat al-Sahabah, vol. 2, p. 294.
3 DaU’il al-Nubuwwah, BayhaqI, vol. 2, p. 313; *Uyun al-Athar, vol. 1, p. 222.

9
human being just like them, and according to their view,
there was no possibility of a human being having any
contact with God. This incorrect but prevalent idea brought
about many issues and the Quran has mentioned it as a
major obstruction towards their acceptance of Islam:
“Nothing kept the people from believing when guidance
came to them, but their saying, ‘Has Allah sent a human as
an apostle?’”1 Likewise, God references their surprise that a
man from among themselves was selected as a messenger.2
Interestingly enough, this issue also existed for previous
prophets ((a) and it gives us some perspective as to the
difficulties people had in understanding this point.) It is
also one of the reasons why prophets would perform
miracles for people. The polytheists did not expect that a
prophet sent by God would eat food and walk in the
marketplace like them. This reality surprised them and it
did not meet their preconceived notions of what a prophet
should be like.4*
God gives a number of responses to this issue throughout
the Quran. First, he mentions: wWe did not send any
apostles before you but that they indeed ate food and
walked in the marketplaces...^ Secondly, the messenger sent
by God should be the same as the people he is sent to. If a
race of angels lived on earth, then their messengers would be
angels, and as such, mankind has messengers who are
human beings just like them: “Say, ‘Had there been angels
on the earth, walking around and residing [in it like
humans do], we would have sent down to them from the
heavens an angel as an apostle.”’6

1 Surah Isra*, Verse 94.

2 Surah Sad, Verse 4; Surah Yunus, Verse 2.
3 Surah Ibrahim, Verse 10; Surah Anblya*, Verse 3; Surah Mi^minin, Verses 23
and 24; Surah Shu*ar5’, Verses 154 and 186; Surah Yasln, Verse 15; Surah
Taghabun, Verse 6; Surah Qamar, Verses 24 and 27.
4 Surah Furqan, Verse 7.
5 Surah Furqan, Verse 5.
6 Surah Isra*, Verse 95.

10
 The Quran furthermore explains that all of these
criticisms were simply excuses. By this time, there had been
enough proofs of the truthfulness of Islam and its
Messenger for the polytheists to clearly see reality. The
Quran mentions: “Even if we had sent down angels to them,
and the dead had spoken to them, and we had gathered
before them all things manifestly, they would still not
believe unless Allah wished. But most of them are
ignorant.”1

Six: Requests for Miracles from the Polytheists

The polytheists would regularly demand miracles from

the Prophet (s) as a result of their preconceived notions of
what prophethood entailed. To prove that a divine source
had sent them, many past prophets indeed performed such
miracles, and the Quran has mentioned some of them.
While the Quran has made the case that miracles were a
common phe nomenon of the prophets, it has also
mentioned that the people should reflect upon the verses of
the Quran itself as proof of the Prophet’s divinely ordained
mission. Still, the polytheists insisted that they wished to see
a physical miracle from the Prophet: “They say, ‘We will not
believe you until you make a spring gush forth for us from
the ground. Or until you have a garden of date palms and
vines and you make streams gush through it. Or until you
cause the sky to fall in fragments upon us, just as you assert.
Or until you bring Allah and the angels [right] in front of
us. Or until you have a house of gold, or you ascend into
the sky. And we will not believe your ascension until you
bring down for us a book that we may read.’ Say,
immaculate is my Lord! Am I anything but a human, an
apostle?!’ Nothing kept the people from believing when

1 Surah An'am, Verse 111.

ll
guidance came to them, but their saying, ‘Has Allah sent a
human as an apostle?!”’1
Another verse mentions: “And they say, ‘What sort of
apostle is this who eats food and walks in the marketplaces?
Why has not an angel been sent down to him so as to be a
wamer along with him?* Or, ‘Why is not a treasure thrown
to him, or why does he not have a garden from which he
may eat?”’2 These verses show how the polytheists wanted
God to directly speak with them and send them signs; such
requests were in reality excuses and delay tactics for not
believing in the new religion, and they were also expressed
by previous nations and peoples. The similarity of demands
was due to the similarities of their hearts，The extreme
insistence of the polytheists on such things left the Prophet
(s) heartbroken; God comforted him through the following
verse: “[Look out] lest you should disregard aught of what
has been revealed to you, and be upset because they say,
‘Why has not a treasure been sent down to him, or [why
does] not an angel accompany him?’ You are only a warner,
and Allah watches over all things.’％
In the continuation of this verse, God asks the Prophet
(s) to take the Quran and challenge them with it: “Do they
say, *He has fabricated it?’ Say, ‘Then bring ten surahs like
it, fabricated, and invoke whomever you can, besides Allah,
should you be truthful/ But if they do not respond to you,
know that it has been sent down by Allah’s knowledge, and
that there is no god except Him. Will you, then, submit [to
Allah]?”，In another verse, the Quran mentions how the
polytheists would ask: “."‘Why has not some sign been sent

1 Surah Isra, Verses 90-94; 'Uyun al-Athar, vol. 1, pgs. 198-201.

2 Surah Furqan, Verses 7 and 8.
3 Surah Baqarah, Verse 118. Also refer to: Surah An*am, Verse 37; Surah Ra'ad,
Verses 7 and 27; Surah Yunus, Verse 20; Surah Taha, Verse 133; and Surah
Shu'ara*, Verse 154.
4 Surah Hud, Verse 12.
，Surah Hud, Verses 13 and 14.

12
down to him from his Lord?’” In response, God has said:
“•"*The signs are only with Allah, and I am only a manifest
warner•’ Does it not suffice them that we have sent down to
you the Book which is recited to them? There is indeed a
mercy and admonition in that for a people who have faith.’’1
In any case, this topic is mentioned quite often in the
Quran, which indicates that it was an oft-repeated criticism
by the polytheists. Of course, such a criticism was quite
nonsensical in light of the existence of the Quran. Such an
excuse was used by the nobles solely as a means of confusing
the masses; the Quran has mentioned how the elite of the
Quraysh had no intentions of ever accepting Islam,
regardless of whether they were given any signs or not:
“They swear by Allah with solemn oaths that were a sign to
come to them they would surely believe in it. Say, The signs
are only with Allah/ and what will bring home to you that
they will not believe even if they came?’’2 God repeatedly
mentions that the polytheists would reject whatever signs
they were given.? In addition, they would also ridicule therrv*
and never have faith in whatever they witnessed) ShamI has
mentioned many of these discussions between the Prophet
(s) and the polytheists in great detail.6

Seven: The Insistence of the Polytheists on Predestination

Another argument used by the polytheists for not

believing in Islam was that God had preordained their
status as idol worshippers. Their belief in predestination led
them to assert that their idol worship was not up to them
and therefore, it was not something which they could

1 Surah 'Ankabut, Verses 50 and 51.

2 Surah An'am, Verse 109.
^ Surah An'am, Verse 124.
4 Surah Safat, Verse 14.
5 Surah A'raf, Verse 146; Surah An'am, Verse 25.
6 Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, vol. 2, pgs. 451-459.

13
change: “The polytheists say, ‘Had Allah wished, we would
not have worshiped anything besides him—neither we, nor
our fathers—nor would we have held anything holy besides
him.’ Those who came before them had acted likewise. Is the
apostles5 duty anything but to communicate in clear
terms?’’1 Another verse mentions: “They say, cHad the All-
Beneficent wished, we would not have worshipped them.’
They do not have any knowledge of this, and they do
nothing but surmise. ”2
This reference to the idea of predestination was most
probably taken from beliefs found during the pre-Islamic
era. It is also possible that they mentioned this line of
reasoning due to the Qpran’s mention of God as the one
who guides people towards the truth. From the
aforementioned two verses, it’s clear that God does not
accept this reasoning from the polytheists. When it comes
to the issue of free will, the Quran explains that human
beings are free to choose, even if certain things in their lives
are predestined. What is predetermined for people are the
parents they are born from, whether they are bom into
wealth or poverty, whether they are physically healthy or
predisposed to illness, and other such things. While these
external factors can be predetermined and may play a role in
our lives, the Quran has clearly mentioned that human
beings are given the choice of selecting the path of piety or
the path of sin, and this is something which is left
completely up to them.3 It is interesting to note that this
topic of predestination later became a very important
theological debate and played an important role in the
social and political life of the Muslim world.

1 Surah Nahl, Verse 35; Surah An'am, Verse 148.

2 Surah Zukhruf, Verse 20.
3 Surah Shams, Verses 7-9.

14
 Eight: Fixation on Pre-IslamicTribal Customs

Tribal life in the pre-Islamic era was based on customs

and values derived from the common ancestors shared by
the tribe. In light of this, all morality and the very concept
of right and wrong was based on this social structure.
Defending these values was a duty shared by each individual
in the tribe— these values were seen as the tribe’s life blood.
Any individual who went against these tribal norms and
customs was seen as one who rejected his ancestor’s way of
life. Unsurprisingly, such a person was considered a serious
threat to his tribe. The Prophet (s) was seen as being such an
individual, and he was in fact considered even more
dangerous, due to his power of attracting followers.
Furthermore, he was working to completely transform the
social and political tribal structure, instead basing its
structure on the worship of the one God. The Prophet’s
rejection of the tribe’s ancestors and their way of life was
seen as sufficient reason to reject his religion. During the
talks between Abu Talib and the polytheists, one of their
main concerns was that the Prophet (s) considered their
ancestors as having deviant beliefs and being worthy of
punishment in the hellfire.1
When the Prophet (s) was visiting various tribes and
inviting them to Islam, Abu Lahab was heard saying: “This
man wants you to reject the religion of your fathers.”2 This
same line was directed towards Prophet Hud (‘a) when the
polytheists said: “."‘Have you come to tell us that we
should worship Allah alone and abandon what our fathers
have been worshiping? Then bring us what you threaten us
with, should you be truthful.”、Another chapter mentions:
Rather they say, *We found our fathers following a creed,

1 Refer to: Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, pgs. 128 and 141.

2 *Uyun al-Athar, vol. 1, p. 257.
3 Surah A'raf, Verse 70.

15
and we are indeed guided in their footsteps.’ And so it has
been that we did not send any warner to a town before you,
without its affluent ones saying, ‘We found our fathers
following a creed and we are indeed following in their
footsteps•’ He would say, What! Even if I bring you a better
guidance than what you found your fathers following?!’
They would say, ‘We indeed disbelieve in what you are sent
with.，”1 Another verse mentions: “And when they are told,
‘Come to what Allah has sent down and come to the
Apostle，，they say, ‘Sufficient for us is what we have found
our fathers following.，What, even if their fathers did not
know anything and were not guided?!”2
This tribal structure, and the role of the individual
within it, made conversion to Islam extremely difficult, if
not virtually impossible. When one of the members of the
Ban! al-Mustaq tribe was invited to Islam, he gave the
following reply to the Prophet (?): “I will not convert to
your faith until I see how my tribe responds. If they convert,
I will also become a Muslim and if not, then I am one of
them. ”3

Nine: Stubbornness in the Face of the Truth

At a foundational level, it’s clear that the intellectual and

social explanations the polytheists gave for not accepting
Islam were nothing more than excuses. In many cases, their
personal desires and inclinations were so strong that they
were simply not willing to accept the truth. People
sometimes flee from the worship of God in order to play
the role of god over other human beings. The leaders of the
polytheists knew that if they accepted the worship of God,
their power would diminish, and they could not accept this.

1 Surah Zukhruf, Verses 22-24.

2 Surah Ma*idah, Verse 104; Surah Baqarah, Verse 170.
3 Al-Maghazi, vol. 1, p. 406.

16
 The Quran has emphasized that the driving force behind
the polytheist’s lack of faith was their sense of arrogance
and superiority over others: “Indeed it was they who, when
they were told, ‘There is no god except Allah，’ used to be
disdainful, and [they would] say, ‘Shall we abandon our
gods for a crazy poet?”’1 Indeed, the invitation towards the
worship of one god was considered intolerable to the
polytheists: “...Hard on the polytheists is that to which you
summon them."”2 This is the same arrogance and
superiority complex which we mentioned previously: “Woe
to every sinful liar, who hears the signs of Allah being
recited to him, yet persists disdainfully, as if he had not
heard them. So inform him of a painful punishment.
Should he learn anything about our signs, he takes them in
derision. For such there is a humiliating punishment.，、
The characteristic of being materialistic is one of the base
foundations of arrogance and the development of a
superiority complex. Islam condemned the polytheists for
their extreme worldly nature. It is interesting to note that
when the polytheists heard verses of the Quran about the
Day of Judgement, they would express hatred and disgust:
“When Allah is mentioned alone, [thereat] shrink away the
hearts of those who do not believe in the Hereafter, but
when others are mentioned besides him, behold, they
rejoice!，、The polytheists believed that through their
reliance on wealth, social position, and children, they would
never be the subject of divine punishments Contrary to this
belief, the Quran mentions: ccWoe to every scandal-monger
and slanderer, who amasses wealth and counts it over. He
supposes his wealth will make him immortal!’’6 Another

1
Surah Safat, Verses 35 and 36.
2 Surah Shura, Verse 13.
3 Surah Jathlyah, Verses 7-9.
4 Surah Zumar, Verse 45.
5 Surah Saba*, Verse 35.
6 Surah Humaza, Verses 1-3.

17
verse mentions: “Know that the life of this world is just play
and diversion, and glitter, and mutual vainglory among you
and covetousness for wealth and children."”1 These verses
clearly explain that the main cause of the polytheist’s
opposition to Islam was their arrogance and their love of
worldly wealth.

The Polytheists’ Persecution of the Muslims

In addition to the many Muslims who bravely faced the
torture and persecution of the polytheists and were able to
withstand these hardships, there were also many individuals
who simply could not. When they found themselves unable
to tolerate the extreme hardships they encountered, they
would leave Islam. Among these individuals, there were
some who would secretly keep their faith while outwardly-
announcing their rejection (i.e. taqlyah). Others would reject
the faith externally as well as internally. There are historical
examples from both of these categories.
The method of Taqlyah was a logical way out for those
who were not in a position to continue enduring the torture
and persecution which they were being subjected to. This
was a method which could even be used by those who could
tolerate the hardships but found that there was no reason to
do so. They could keep their faith, escape the persecution,
and wait for a more ideal time to manifest their faith.
The people of Mecca belonged to one of two main
groups. They were either from the noble class, which
included the tribal heads and the wealthy, or they were from
the downtrodden and oppressed members of the society.
The polytheists threatened the nobles who were considering
the new religion with stripping them of their noble status,
as well as threatening social disgrace and exclusion. Those
who were wealthy were also threatened with the prospect of
losing their wealth and properties. The polytheists

1 Surah Hadid, Verse 20.

18
threatened the weaker classes with persecution; it was not
uncommon that they would instigate people to act against
them.1 The level of persecution was so extreme that
according to Ibn Abbas, in some cases, the Muslims had no
choice but to leave Islam.
Oftentimes, the weak were tortured with starvation and
dehydration, and the level of this torture was so extreme
that those subjected to it were unable to sit down due to the
physical damage their bodies had endured. After such
torture, they were pressured into recognizing Lat and ‘Uzza
as their gods and renouncing Islam. They would also be
forced to say that they accepted Ju*al as their lord.2 In the
tribal system of the pre-Islamic Arabian society, the nobles
persecuted the Muslims who belonged to their clan. This
was because the tribes were not allowed to interfere in one
another’s affairs and so each would focus on their own
members.
Ibn Ishaq has mentioned: “Each tribe began to persecute
its own Muslims by imprisoning, torturing, and starving
them. They would gather and force the Muslims to lay
down on the ground in the extreme heat of the Arabian
Desert. The people who were weaker and could not tolerate
these tortures left Islam, while others endured and were
killed. Some, due to various circumstances, were saved from
these tortures.”3 Another narration mentions that the
Quraysh imprisoned a number of Muslim men and
women.4 Bilal was tortured by Ummayah ibn Khalaf.J One

1 Al-Slrah al-NabawIyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. i, p. 320; Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. l, p.

198.
2 Al-Slrah al-NabawIyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 320; Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p.
197; Al-Sirah al-NabawIyah, DhahabI, p. 219.
3 Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 317.
4 Al-Sirah al-NabawIyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 294.
5 In regards to the manner of his torture, refer to: Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p.
184. A collar was also fastened around his neck, and kids would drag him
from place to place in the mountains of Mecca. Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 185.
Bilal narrates: “They left me without water for one whole day and night, and

19
of the female slaves of the Ban! cUday tribe was tortured by
‘Umar ibn Khattab, who was still a disbeliever at that time.1
cAmmar was also tortured alongside his mother and father
by the Ban! Makhzum tribe. They were placed under the
burning hot sun and continuously tortured. ‘Ammar’s
mother refused to turn away from Islam and she died under
torture,2 becoming the first martyr of the faiths In another
case, individuals from the tribe of Ban! Makhzum requested
permission from Hisham ibn Walld to torture his brother
Walld ibn Walld, who had become a Muslim. They feared
that because of him, Islam would spread throughout the
BanI Makhzum tribe. Hisham gave them permission but
told them that he was only to be tortured and if he died in
their custody, he would personally take revenge and kill
them all. The polytheists ended up backing down for fear
that Walld might die under torture and they would then be
faced with the wrath of Hisham.^
This shows that the tribal system, while the cause of the
torture of Muslims, also protected their lives in some cases.
The historians have described how torture and persecution
was mainly inflicted on those who had no protection and
backing in the society.，Many of the companions of the
Prophet (s) were of the weaker members of the Arabian
society. Abu Sufyan would say: “The majority of the

then they placed me on top of hot stones. Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 186; Subul
al-Huda wa al-Rashad, vol. 2, p. 277.
1 Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 319; Subul al-Huda wa al-
Rashad, vol. 2, p. 482.
2 Refer to: Al-Sirah al-NabawIyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 320.
5 Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. i, p. 158; Al-Sirah al-NabawIyah, DhahabI, p. 218; DaU’il
al-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, p. 282; Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, vol. 2, p. 481.
4 Al-Sirah al-Nabawiyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 321; Al-Sirah al-NabawIyah,
DhahabI, p. 219.
5 Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 197; also refer to: Sharh Nahj al-Balaghah, Ibn Abl
al-Hadid, vol. 13, p. 255.

20
supporters of Muhammad are comprised of women and
weak individuals.’，1
It is natural that many of the companions who belonged
to the lower classes were subjected to the persecution of the
Meccan nobles. The torture was of such an extreme nature
that its effects could be seen on the back of ‘Ammar ibn
Yasir for years to come.2 After witnessing the murder of his
mother and enduring much torture, cAmmar told the
polytheists that he was ready to reject Islam. According to
historians and narrators of tradition, the 106th verse of
Surah Nahl was revealed in regards to his question to the
Prophet (s) of whether he had acted correctly.3 The verse
mentions: “Whoever renounces faith in Allah after
[affirming] his faith—barring someone who is compelled
while his heart is at rest in faith一but those who open up
their breasts to unfaith, upon such shall be Allah’s wrath,
and there is a great punishment for them.，、
The action of‘Ammar later took on the name of Taqlyah
in Islamic law— being taken from the 28th verse of Surah Ale
Imran. It is also noteworthy that ‘Ammar was not the only
individual to perform Taqlyah; many other Muslims are
mentioned as having practiced it during the Meccan era. Ibn
JawzI mentions that while a group of the Muslims
immigrated to Ethiopia, a number of them stayed,
concealing their faith.，After becoming Muslim, Muscab ibn
"Umayr hid his faith from his parents and tribe. When
someone eventually told his family that he had become
Muslim, he was imprisoned until he was able to escape to
Ethiopia.6

1 Al-Musannaf, Ibn Abl Shaybah, vol. 7, p. 347.

2 Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 158.
3 Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, pgs. 159 and 160.
4 Surah Nahl, Verse 106.
5 Al-Munazam, vol. 2, p. 384.
6 Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 3, p. 116.

21
 Khalid ibn Sa*ld was tortured until he too escaped to
Ethiopia.1 Two other individuals who concealed their faith
in Mecca were Suhayl ibn Bayda>2 and Na’Im ibn 'Abdullah
ibn Asld.3 cAbdullah ibn Suhayl ibn *Amr was one of the
immigrants to Ethiopia who returned when the Prophet (s)
emigrated from Mecca to Medina. He came back with the
intention of going to Medina but his father imprisoned
him before he could complete the journey. At that point, he
said that he had apostated from Islam and began expressing
hostility towards the Muslims. When the time came for the
Battle of Badr and the two sides were standing in battle
formation opposite to one another, he quickly joined the
Muslims before the battle could begin. It is narrated that his
father became enraged at what had taken places Sahl ibn
Bayda* (the brother of the aforementioned Suhayl) was
forced to go to Badr alongside the polytheists and was taken
as captive by the Muslims. ‘Abdullah ibn Mascud gave
testimony that he had seen Sahl praying in Mecca and he
was thus exempted from paying ransom.，
The imprisonment of Muslims was one of the major
tools used by the polytheists in their fight against Islam.
While Mecca did not have an actual prison, the polytheists
would imprison people in their own homes or in other
buildings. One such example was Abu Jandal, the other son
of Suhayl ibn cAmr, who was imprisoned by his own father.
He escaped from captivity and joined the Muslims in the
sixth year Hijrl, but was forced to return since the treaty of
Hudayblyah had been signed between the Prophet (s) and
the polytheists.6 According to the polytheists, the benefit of
imprisoning the Muslims was that they weren’t being killed

1 Ibid, vol. 4, p. 95.

2 Ibid, vol. 4, p. 213.
3 Ibid, vol. 4, p. 138.
^ Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, pgs. 219 and 220.
J Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 225.
6 Refer to: Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 220.

22
(thus causing inter-tribal warfare), but they were barred
from visiting the Prophet. Almost all of the Muslims who
returned from Ethiopia were imprisoned.1
In spite of these pressures, the Muslims proved to be very
resilient, and they were willing to go to great lengths to
preserve and protect their faith. For example, one narration
shows cAs ibn WaJil refusing to pay back his loan unless his
Muslim lender apostated from Islam. It’s been narrated that
the Muslim refused, in spite of losing a great deal of
money.2
According to the historians, verses were revealed in the
Quran in regards to the steadfastness of the pious believers:
“Those who migrate for the sake of Allah after they have
been wronged, we will surely settle them in a good place in
this world, and the reward of the Hereafter is surely greater,
had they known...，、According to TabarsI, the
aforementioned verse was revealed in regards to Bilal,
Khabbab, Suhayb, and cAmmar. Many years later, when
'Umar was giving the Muhajirs (the Immigrants) their
pensions, he would say: “Take this, for this is the same
promise that your Lord gave to you in this world.’、Yet, as
the Muslims continued to resist, the polytheists increased
their persecution and torture. In time, the danger reached a
point where the Prophet (s) was forced to come up with a
solution for the protection of the believers. This came in the
form of the call for immigration to Ethiopia.

Immigration to Ethiopia
It is interesting to note that there is a significant amount
of information on the emigration of the Muslims from

1 Refer to: Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1，p. 215.

2 DaU’il al-NubQ'vwah，vol. 2, pgs. 280 and 281; Bukhari, vol. 3, pgs. 157 and
158.
3 Surah Nahl, Verses 41 and 42. Also refer to: Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, pgs. 158
and 159.
4 Majma* al-Bayan, vol. 5, p. 361.

23
Mecca to Ethiopia. The historians have named this
movement as the Hijrah (The Immigration). This name
comes from the 41st verse of Surah Nahl, and later on, the
Prophet (s) also called this event by this name. There are a
few different issues which must be discussed in regards to
this critical event.

1- The Reasons behind the Immigration

When Ja(far ibn Abl Talib was s peaking to the NajjashI,
the King of Ethiopia, he mentioned the oppression of the
polytheists as the reason why they had immigrated.1 He said:
“When the number of Muslims grew and the people’s faith
became public, a number of the tribes began to torture and
imprison the Muslims who were in their tribe. Their
intention was to make the Muslims turn away from their
religion. When this happened, the Prophet (s) said to them:
‘Disperse throughout the land.’ The Muslims asked him:
*Where should we go?’ The Prophet (s) said: ‘Ethiopia•’ After
this, a number of Muslims immigrated to Ethiopia with
their families, and iin some cases ,even without their
families.”2 Other historians have also narrated this point
and emphasized that the main reason behind the
immigration to Ethiopia was to save the Muslims from the
persecution of the polytheists.
Ibn Ishaq has mentioned that the Prophet (s) understood
that he was mostly safe from the persecution of the
polytheists due to the protection of his uncle, but that his
companions were the target of widespread torture and
persecution and he was unable to protect them. Due to this

1 Al-Sirah al-NabawIyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 336. There were Muslims who
were continuously tortured until their escape to Ethiopia. Refer to: Tabaqat al-
Kubra, vol. 4, p. 123.
2 Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 1, p. 204. A more complete form of this narrative can
be found in Zuhrl*s narration which is actually from Umm Salamah, who was
herself one of those who immigrated: Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, Bayhaqi, vol. 2, p.
301. Also refer to: ‘UyCin al-Athar, vol. 1, p. 209.

24
reason, he told them to immigrate to Ethiopia. Out of fear
of being forced to return to the practice of idol worship,
these Muslims journeyed to Ethiopia in what became the
first immigration (Hijrah) in Islam.1 The Prophet (s) is
quoted as having said: “Oh Lord, accept the immigration of
my companions and do not allow them to return to their
(ways of) ignorance. ”2
It is hard to imagine that the Prophet (s) had other
reasons during these difficult times for directing his
companions towards immigration. In spite of this, it is
possible that the presence of the Muslims in Mecca and
their continued persecution may have resulted in some
form of conflict, and this was something which the Prophet
(s) wished to prevent. The emigration of 80 Muslims from
Mecca would have decreased the potential of such a clash.
In addition, the Quraysh felt that they were in less danger
after the emigration since the number of Muslims had
visibly decreased in Mecca.
In addition to the Muslims being individually
persecuted, Islam as a whole faced very serious dangers in
Mecca. It was possible for the small Muslim community to
suddenly become entangled in a conflict with the
polytheists and be completely destroyed. Sending a group of
Muslims to a far-off region, along with certain preeminent
individuals such as Ja(far ibn Abl Talib and (Uthman ibn
Maz'un, who could further the people’s knowledge of Islam,
was a precautionary move. While this possibility has not
been directly mentioned in the historical texts, there is one
strong piece of evidence in its favor— when the Muslims
immigrated to Medina alongside the Prophet (s), there were
still a number of immigrants living in Ethiopia under the
leadership of Ja(far ibn Abl Talib. They were only asked by

'Al-Slrah al-NabawIyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 320; Subul al-Huda wa al-

Rashad, vol. 2, p. 485.
2 Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 1, p. 222.

25
the Prophet (s) to return after the Treaty of Hudayblyah had
been signed and the safety of the Muslims was secured. This
was while Medina was severely in need of a greater number
of Muslims. Another noteworthy point is that not all of the
immigrants were from the weaker classes of Mecca whom
the polytheists could persecute. The main example of this is
Ja'far ibn Abl Talib, but there were others, including
Zubayr, (Uthman，and *Abd al-Rahman ibn cAwf.*
Therefore, the immigration of the Muslims cannot be
understood to have been solely for freedom from
persecution. In any case, life in Ethiopia proved to be more
agreeable to the new Muslims than life in Mecca. One of the
verses of Surah Nahl refers to an immigration, probably
Ethiopia, due to the Meccan nature of the chapter: “Those
who migrate for the sake of Allah after they have been
wronged, we will surely settle them in a good place in the
world, and the reward of the hereafter is surely greater, had
they known. ，，2
There is also another theory that this group was sent to
propagate Islam in a new land, but this idea does not stand
up to scrutiny. Even if such a thing did take place, it was
simply the byproduct of the immigration and not its
intended goal. History shows us that the people of Ethiopia
did not become Muslims until centuries later and this was
the result of Muslim merchants who visited the land for the
purpose of trade.

2- Was there more than One Immigration?

The Muhajirs (those who emigrated from Mecca) ended
up emigrating more than once, and they were not limited to
the first group which went to Ethiopia. A tradition, which
is generally accepted by modern day historians, shows that
the immigration to Ethiopia took place twice— the first

1 Tathbit Dala*il al-Nubuwwah, p. 350.

2 Surah Nahl, Verse 41.

26
being in the month ofRajab in the fifth year after the
Prophet began preaching Islam. During this immigration,
approximately twelve to seventeen men and women
journeyed to Ethiopia. They stayed in Ethiopia during the
months of Sha(ban and Ramadan until the ‘Event of
Prostration,’ also known as Gharanlq.
During this event, the immigrants heard news that the
people of Mecca had become Muslim and they decided to
return. When they arrived near the city limits, they realized
that the news had been incorrect, and they entered the city
with great caution. After the passing of some time (the
duration of which is unknown), a second immigration took
place. During this second immigration, the number of
Muslims who left was more than eighty, with Ja(far ibn Abl
Talib being one of them.*
From a historical perspective, there is a lot of uncertainty
in regards to this issue of the first and second immigration.
Many of the historical reports are of a contradictory and
unclear nature. What is certain though is that when the
polytheists saw the peace and security the Muslims were
enjoying in Ethiopia, they formed a pact with one another,
exiling the entire BanI Hashim tribe to the barren 'Valley of
Abl Talib/

3- Choosing Ethiopia for Immigration

An important question which arises is why the Prophet
(s) chose Ethiopia rather than some other land for
immigration? The reason in this selection can be found in
these words attributed to the Prophet (s): “There is a king
there who does not oppress anyone and it is the land of
truth and integrity.’’2 Historians have further mentioned
that Ethiopia was one of the regions which the Quraysh

1 Refer to: Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, vol. 2, pgs. 487-489; Al-Muntazam, vol.
2, pgs. 374 and 375.
2 Al-Slrah al-Nabawiyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. i, p. 321.

27
traveled to for the purposes of trade.1 Ethiopia was also a
well-known land, and when compared to other areas and
their rulers, it was better in many respects. In addition,
Ethiopia bordered the Red Sea, and Yemen was just across
this span of water. This route was easily crossed by trade
ships and the Muslims used such means to arrive there. The
word Habash (the name of Ethiopia during that time being
Habashah) was taken from a nation who lived in that land.
During a later part of history, the Muslims were not able to
fully influence this land and thus, Christianity remained
the predominant religion.2 Samcanl has considered the
people of this land as being Habashl (Ethiopian) and as
being from the same group as the Zang and Nubah people.
He considered Bilal to have been from this same ethnicity .3
It is known that the Ethiopians exerted some influence
over the land of Yemen and it is natural that some of them
lived there as well. In any case, Ethiopia was a well-known
land to the Quraysh. Ultimately, what was imperative to the
Muslims was that they not be returned back to the Quraysh.
Such a thing was not guaranteed in Syria, Taif, or any of the
other lands which they could have immigrated to.
The Muslims lived in complete peace and security in
Ethiopia and there have been no historical reports of even
one of them being persecuted or harassed. On the contrary,
we have many reports on the complete support of the king
of Ethiopia towards the small Muslim community.^ In
regards to the work of the Muslims, it is known from one
narration that 'Abdullah ibn Mas《Qd and a group of others
worked as merchants in the market of Ethiopia where they
bought and sold various trade goods.?

1 Al-Muntazam, vol. i, p. 374.

2 Refer to: Mu1 jam Ma*alim al-Jughrafiyah Fl al-Slrah al-NabawTyah, p. 91.
3 Al-Ansab al-Ashraf, vol. 2, p. 167.
4 Dalasi al-Nubuwwah, BayhaqI, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 334; Subul a 1-Hud a wa
al-Rashad, vol. 2, p. 517.
5 Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, BayhaqI, vol. 2, p. 298.

28
4- The Quraysh, s Effort to Remove the Muslims from
Ethiopia and their Defeat
The Quraysh were taken by surprise by the immigration
of the Muslims and they most likely felt a sense of
embarrassment at what had taken place. Their reputation
with the Ethiopians was decidedly tarnished by this exodus.
They therefore decided to send a delegation after the
Muslims and take them back by force. It is possible that the
Quraysh also feared the spread of Islam in Ethiopia. It has
been narrated in some historical traditions that cAmr ibn
cAs and cAbdullah ibn Abl Rabl(ah were sent by the
Quraysh to Ethiopia, but other narrations mention that it
was actually cAmr ibn cAs and cAmmarah ibn Walld. Ibn
Sayyid al-Nas has explained this discrepancy by mentioning
that the Quraysh actually sent two delegations— the first
after their immigration to Ethiopia and the second after the
Battle of Badr.1
In any case, the journey of (Amr ibn cAs and 'Abdullah
ibn Abl Rablcah, who came laden with expensive gifts for
the king, was without result. The reason behind their failure
was primarily due to Ja(far ibn Abl Talib, who was the
leader of the immigrants appointed by the Prophet (s).2 In
his speech to the king, Jacfar described the history of the
corruption and oppression which was present in the
Arabian society, and he explained the role of Islam in
moving people away from the worship of idols and taking
them towards the worship of the one God. He then
explained Islamic concepts such as honesty, trust, nearness
to one’s relatives, safeguarding the rights of the neighbors,
preventing bloodshed, abstaining from corruption, as well
as staying away from the usurpation of the wealth of

1 'Uyun al-Athar, vol. 1, p. 209.

2 WaqidT mentions: “It has been narrated to us that the leader of the
immigrants of Ethiopia was JaTar ibn Abl Talib/* Tabaqat al-Kubra, vol. 4, p.
34-

29
orphans. He then went on to describe the role of the
Qurayssh in forcing them back to idol worship and added:
“When they began to oppress us and made life difficult for
us, we immigrated towards your land so that we could live
as your neighbors. We have hope that we will not be
oppressed.”
At this point, the Quraysh tried to instigate the king
against the Muslims by saying that their beliefs in Jesus (ca)
and his mother, Mary ((a), were heretical. The king asked the
Muslims to recite some verses about this issue from the
Quran. When the verses were recited, the King was deeply
affected in a manner evident for everyone to see. Seeing this,
'Amr ibn 'As again mentioned how the Muslims saw Jesus
only as a servant of God. Jacfar, without any hesitation, said
to the King: “He is the servant of God, as well as his
messenger, his spirit, and his word who was imparted upon
the Lady Maryam (£a). The king expressed pleasure at these
words, confirming them as the correct belief.
Islamic historians have mentioned that this issue caused
difficulties for the Christian King. It appears that he had
other political problems which Umm Salamah has
mentioned in a narration. Furthermore, it has been narrated
that the Muslims hoped for the victory of the king over his
opponents.1 These reports are quite detailed in nature and
they go beyond the scope of this text. In addition, it is not
possible to be certain as to the veracity of these reports.
The title of the Ethiopian king was Najjashl and this was
a title carried by all the kings of Ethiopia.2 In some
narrations, the names of Najjashl the First and Najjashl the

1 Refer to: Subul al-Huda wa al-Rashad, vol. 2, pgs. 519-524. Also refer to: Ibn
Hisham, vol. 1, pgs. 334-338. Ya*qub! (vol. 2, p. 29) has added that the envoys
of the Quraysh told the Ethiopian king that the Muslims might end up
corrupting his religion.
2 BayhaqI (vol. 2, p. 310) has narrated from Ibn Ishaq that the Najjashrs name
was Mushamah which means ‘gift’ or ‘bounty’ in Arabic BayhaqI has added
that the name Asham is more accurate due to a narration from Jabir; Ya*qubl
(vol. 2, p. 30) has also recorded the name Ashamah.

30
Second are mentioned as well. Najjashl the First was the
king who supported the Muslims when they immigrated
and he also became a Muslim himself, according to our
sources. He passed away before the Conquest of Mecca and
the Prophet (s) prayed for him from Medina.
The first letter of the Prophet (s) to this Najjashl was a
letter in which he confirmed that Jesus ((a) was the ‘Spirit of
God* and he also spoke of his own prophetic mission. He
continued and said: “I have sent the son of my uncle Ja'far
to you, along with a number of Muslims. When they arrive,
help to settle them and stay away from tyranny. I invite you
and your men towards the acceptance of God. I have
conveyed my message and my advice to you. ”,
From the contents of this message, it appears that it was
written during the same year the Muslims went to Ethiopia,
even though some historians are of the opinion that it was
from the letters written to the kings of several nations
during the beginning of the prophetic mission. We know
that Abu Talib praised the Najjashl for his support of the
emigrants through his poetry.2
As for the second Najjashl, history books narrate that he
came to power after the first Najjashl had passed away, and
that, contrary to his predecessor, he rejected Islam. He even
went as far as to tear up the letter the Prophet (s) sent him
inviting him to Islam.?

5- The Return of the Immigrants from Ethiopia

After some time had passed, a number of the immigrants
began to gradually return to Arabia. A number of them
returned to Mecca, while others, who remained in Ethiopia
longer, immigrated directly to Medina after the Prophet’s

1 Makatlb al-Rasul, vol. l, p. 121，narrated from: riam al-Wara, p. 30; Al-

Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 3, p. 83, as well as other sources. Also refer to:
Dala'il al-Nubuwwah, BayhaqI, vol. 2, p. 309.
2 Al-Slrah al-Naba\viyah, Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, pgs. 333 and 334.
3 Refer to: Makatlb al-Rasul, vol. 1, pgs. 123 and 124.

31
immigration. There are no traditions in which anyone was
rebuked by the Prophet (s) for returning early. Those who
returned to Mecca were subject to persecution by the
polytheists, in addition to facing other related difficulties.
In spite of the conditions in Mecca, the Prophet (s) did not
show any opposition to their move, although historical
sources show that the rest of the immigrants were waiting
for the command of the Prophet (s) on when to leave
Ethiopia.
The Prophet (s) sent them instructions to return to
Medina in the seventh year. Waqidl mentions: “The
immigrants were comprised of 83 men, 11 women, and 8
non-Qurayshl women. They lived in Ethiopia until
instructions came for their return. During this time, 33 men
and 8 women returned to Medina, and of them, two died in
Mecca, 7 were imprisoned, and 24 participated in the Battle
of Badr.” Yet the return of the immigrants was not solely
related to the immigration of the Prophet (s) to Medina.
Some of the immigrants returned earlier to Mecca before
the Prophet’s immigration and they were subjected to
significant persecution and difficulties. The question
remains as to why these individuals returned to Mecca
during this still difficult time period.

The Story of the Gharamq1

In the late 1980’s，many people became familiar with a
man by the name of Salman Rushdie and his book, ‘The
Satanic Verses.’ The idea behind this book was that certain
verses of the Quran were actually inspired by Satan and this
was taken from an account found in some history texts by
the name of the Gharanlq. It is important that we describe

1 This was a name which was used for the idols. In lexicon, it refers to a bird
which lives near water (specifically, a long necked bird like the crane). During
the moment when these birds would take flight, the polytheists would refer to
that pinnacle of flight and compare their idols to it. Refer to: Al-Slrah al-
Nabawlyah, vol. 1，p. 325.

32
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