ISLAM SPREADS TO MADINAH
Islam was now spreading very swiftly. The Ansaar who lived in Madinah were
idol worshippers, but because they associated with the Jews and the Christians,
they heard of the coming of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
The Jews, who said that they would join with the Final Messenger and destroy
the idols and idol worshippers, often threatened the two tribes of the Ansaar, namely the Aus and Khazraj.
In the eleventh year after announcement of Nabuiwat,
the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) as always went
for Hajj. He went to Mina to invite people towards Islam. In Mina, near a
valley called Aqaba, the Prophet (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam) met six Ansaar men from
Madina. He asked their names and the names of their
forefathers. He then recited few verses of the Holy Quran
to them. This recitation inspired them deeply. Each one looked at the other and
said, “Verily he is the Final Messenger concerning whom the Jews and
Christians have always spoken. Let us thus accept Islam before they do.” All
six of them thus accepted Islam. The names of those six personalities who first
accepted Islam from Madinah are as follows:
1. Hazrat Abul Hasheem bin Tihaan (radi Allahu anhu)
2. Hazrat Abu Amaama As'ad bin Zararah (radi Allahu anhu)
3. Hazrat Auf bin
Haarith (radi Allahu anhu)
4. Hazrat Raaf'i bin Maalik
(radi Allahu anhu)
5. Hazrat Qutbah bin Aamir bin Hadeeda (radi Allahu anhu)
6. Hazrat Jaabir ibn Abdullah bin Riyaab (radi Allahu anhu).
[Madarijun
Nabuiwat vol.2 pg.51]
BAI’AT AQABA ULAA :
The following
year during the time of Hajj, twelve more people secretly accepted Islam in the
valley of Aqaba and took the oath of allegiance at
the hands of the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
This was known as “Bai'at Aqaba
Ulaa” -The First Pledge at Aqaba.
They requested the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)
to send someone as a teacher with them to Madinah, so
that they may learn about the laws of Islam. The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) sent Hazrat Mus'ab bin Umair
(radi Allahu anhu) as the teacher to the people of Madinah. He stayed in Madinah at
the home of Hazrat As’ad
bin Zararah (radi Allahu
anhu) and he went from house to house inviting the Ansaar
to Islam and every day, one or two more persons accepted Islam. This continued
until there were Muslims in almost every house up to Quba.
The leader of the Aus tribe at that time was Hazrat Sa’ad ibn Muaaz
(radi Allahu anhu). He was a very brave and commanding
personality. When Hazrat Mus’ab
(radi Allahu anhu) first invited him to Islam, he
became very furious, but when Hazrat Mus’ab (radi Allahu anhu) recited
the verses of the Quran to him, his heart melted and
he accepted Islam. With him, the entire Aus tribe also accepted Islam.
It was in the same year, on the night of
the 27th of Rajab, that the Holy Prophet (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam) went for Me’raj
(Journey into the Heavens) both with body and soul. It was during this journey, that the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)
brought from the Court of Allah, the Gift of Namaaz.
[Madarijun Nabuiwat
vol.1 pg.316]
BAI’AT AQABA THAANIYA : In the 13th year after
the announcement of Nabuiwat, during the occasion of
Hajj, another 72 people from Madinah discreetly
accepted Islam at Aqaba and took the oath of
allegiance at the hands of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
This was known as the “Bai'at Aqaba Thaaniya” - The
second Pledge at Aqaba. These 72 Muslims invited the
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) to come to Madinah with them and said that they were prepared to
protect Islam and the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)
with their lives. During this pledge Hazrat
Abbas (radi Allahu anhu), the
uncle of the Prophet (sallal laahu
alaihi wasallam) who had
not as yet accepted Islam, was also present. When he heard the words of
the people of Madinah, he said, “Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) is very respected and loved in his family,
The Banu Hashim. We have
always put our lives on the line to assist him and protect him. If you have the
intention of taking him with you to your city, then you too should be prepared
to stand by him until your death. If so, then all is well. If not, then you
should step aside right now.” On hearing this, Hazrat
Bar’ra ibn Ghaazib (radi Allahu anhu) said, “We
have grown up in the midst of swords.” Hazrat
Bar’ra (radi Allahu anhu) was
still talking when Hazrat Abul
Hasheem (radi Allahu anhu)
stepped in and said, “Ya Rasoolallah
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)! We have an old
relationship with the Jews. Now that we have become Muslims, it is obvious that
this relationship will be broken. We do not want that when Almighty Allah
blesses you with victory, then you should leave us alone and return to Makkah.” On hearing this, the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) smiled and said, “You should be
reassured that your blood is my blood and you should know that my life and my
passing away shall be with you. I am yours, and you are mine. Your enemy is my
enemy and your friend is my friend.” [Zirkani vol.1.
pg.316 - Seerat-e-Mustafa pg.159 - Seerat ibn Hishaam
vol.4 pg.
441/42].
When they took Bai’at
at the hands of the Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam),
either Hazrat ibn Zarara (radi Allahu anhu) or Hazrat Abbas bin Nudla (radi Allahu anhu) said, “Are
all of you that are taking the pledge aware of what you are doing? You are now
openly declaring war with the Arabs and non-Arabs.”They all
answered in one voice by saying, “Yes, we are aware of the consequences.”
After the pledge was taken, the Prophet (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam) appointed nine members of the Khazraj
and three members of the Aus as leaders upon them. [Zirkani
vol.1 pg.317]
