Journey to Ta’if — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 1
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Journey to Ta’if.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: VIII-Expansion of Preaching
Pages: Book pp. 252–255 (PDF pp. 276–279)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Visits to the Tribes] | Next: [Delegation of Jinn Before the Holy Prophet (sa)] »
Historical Account
When the ban was lifted, and the Holy Prophetsa found a sort of freedom in his movements, he decided to visit Ṭā’if and invite its people to Islām. Ṭā’if is a famous place situated forty miles to the south-east of Makkah. During this era, it was home to the Banū Thaqīf. Putting aside the speciality of the Ka‘bah, Ṭā’if was recognised equal to Makkah and many eminent, influential and affluent people resided there. The people of Makkah themselves admitted to this importance of Ṭā’if. As such, it was the very Makkans who said:
Meaning, “Why has not this Qur’ān from God been sent to some great man of Makkah or Ṭā’if?”
([Az-Zukhruf (43:32)])
Therefore, in Shawwāl of 10 Nabawī, the Holy Prophetsa took a journey to Ṭā’if by himself. On the authority of other narrations, Zaid bin Ḥārithahra also accompanied him. Upon his arrival, the Holy Prophetsa remained there for ten days, and one after another he met with many chieftains, but like Makkah, it was not in the destiny of this city to accept Islām either. Therefore, all of them refused, as a matter of fact they mocked at the Holy Prophetsa. At last, the Holy Prophetsa approached the grand chieftain of Ṭā’if named ‘Abdu Yālail and invited him to Islām, but he also refused, rather, in a manner of mockery he said, “If you are truthful, then I have not the strength to speak to you, and if you are a liar, then to speak to you is useless.” Then, concerned that the youngters of the city may become influenced by the Holy Prophetsa, he said, “It is best that you leave this place, for there is nobody here who is willing to listen to you.” After that, this evil man had the miscreants of the city start off behind the Holy Prophetsa. When
[The name Ibnu ‘Abdi Yālīl is mentioned in Ḥadīth– refer to Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Khalq, Bābu Idhā Qāla Aḥadukum Āmīn, Ḥadīth No. 3231]
253
he left the city, this rabble chased the Holy Prophetsa and began to bombard him with rocks, due to which the entire body of the Holy Prophetsa became drenched in blood. These people pursued the Holy Prophetsa for three miles, more or less, and cursed at him and threw stones at him continuously.
At a distance of three miles from Ṭā’if, there was an orchard, which belonged to a Chieftain of Makkah named ‘Utbah bin Rabī‘ah. The Holy Prophetsa took refuge in this orchard, and his ruthless enemies returned exhausted. Standing beneath a shadow, the Holy Prophetsa prayed before Allāh in the following words:
َاَللّٰھُمَّ اِلَیْكَ اَشْ كُ وْ ضُ عْفَ قُوَّتِیْ وَ قِلَّةَ حِ یْلَتِیْ وَھَوَانِیْ عَلَی النَّاسِ اَللّٰھُمَّ یَا اَرْحَ م
الرّٰحِ مِیْنَ اَنْتَ رَبُّ الْمُسْ تَضْ عَفِیْنَ وَانْتَ رَبِّیْ :۔۔ (الخ)
Meaning, “O My Lord, I complain to you of my helplessness, and my inability, and my helplessness before the people. O My God, You are the most merciful, for You are the guardian and protector of the feeble and helpless – You are my Lord. I seek refuge in the light of Your countenance. It is You who dispels all darkness and it is You who bestows the inheritance of favor in this world and in the next.”
At this time, ‘Utbah and Shaibah were in their garden. When they saw the Holy Prophetsa in this state, perhaps moved by emotions of near or far relations, or perhaps national responsibility, they sent the Holy Prophetsa a tray of grapes in the hand of their Christian slave named ‘Addās. The Holy Prophetsa took them and addressed ‘Addās saying, “Where are you from, and a follower of which religion?” “I am from Nineveh,” responded ‘Addās, “and a Christian.” The Holy Prophetsa inquired, “The same Nineveh, which was home to the righteous servant of God, Jonahas son of Matthew?” “Yes,” responded ‘Addas, “but how are you aware of Jonahas?” “He was my brother,” said the Holy Prophetsa, “for he was a prophet of Allāh, and I am also a prophet of Allāh.” Then the Holy Prophetsa preached the message of Islām to him, which moved him greatly. In his passion of sincerity, he moved forward and kissed the hands of the Holy Prophetsa. ‘Utbah and Shaibah observed this sight from afar; as such, when ‘Addās returned to them, they said, “What happened to you that you began to kiss the hands of this man? This
man shall ruin your faith, while your religion is better than his.”
The Holy Prophetsa rested in this orchard for some time. He then departed from here and arrived at Nakhlah, which is situated at a distance of approximately one day’s journey from Makkah, and remained there for a few days. After this, the Holy Prophetsa departed and reached the mountain of Ḥirā, and since the apparent failure at Ṭā’if entailed the possibility of the Makkans growing overly bold, the Holy Prophetsa sent word to Muṭ‘im bin ‘Adiyy that I wish to enter Makkah, can you help me in this regard? Although Muṭ‘im was a firm disbeliever, his disposition possessed graciousness, and in times like these, it was against the nature of noble Arabs to refuse. For this reason, along with his sons and relatives, fully armed, they stood by the Ka‘bah, and sent word to the Holy Prophetsa that he may enter. The Holy Prophetsa entered and performed the Ṭawāf of the Ka‘bah, and along with Muṭ‘im and his children, escorted under the shadow of swords, the Holy Prophetsa entered his home. On the way, when Abū Jahl witnessed Muṭ‘im in this state, he was astonished and inquired, ٌ اَمُ جِ یْرٌ اَمْ تَابِعmeaning, “Have you given Muḥammad[sa] refuge, or have you become a follower?” Muṭ‘im responded, “I am only one to give refuge, not a follower.” Upon this Abū Jahl said, “Alright, then there is no problem.” Muṭ‘im died in a state of disbelief, but the Muslims were not ones to lose sight of rightly due value. Alluding to the gracious treatment of Muṭ‘im, Ḥassān bin Thābitra, who was practically the court-poet of the Holy Prophetsa, said many passionate couplets in his praise, which have been vouchsafed in his collection to this day. The journey to Ṭā’if was a special occurrence in the life of the Holy Prophetsa. The details of this journey shed light on the lofty magnificence of the Holy Prophetsa, his astronomical magnanimity, and his incomparable patience and steadfastness. As such, Sir William Muir writes:
[Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Khalq, Bābu Idhā Qāla Aḥadukum Āmīn, Ḥadīth No. 3231]
“There is something lofty and heroic in this journey of Moḥammad to Aṭ-Ṭā’if; a solitary man, despised and rejected by his own people, going boldly forth in the name of God, like Jonah to Nineveh, and summoning an idolatrous city to repent and support his mission. It sheds a strong light on the intensity of his
belief in the divine origin of his calling.”
[Life of ‘Mahomet’, By Sir William Muir, pp. 112-113, Reprint of the 1894 Ed., Published by Voice of India New Delhi (Publishers)]
It is mentioned in Ḥadīth that on one occasion, it was inquired of the Holy Prophetsa by Ḥaḍrat ‘Ā’ishahra, “Were you ever confronted by a day more difficult than the Battle of Uḥud?” The Holy Prophetsa responded, “O ‘Ā’ishahra, your people have compelled me to confront times of severe adversity.” Then the Holy Prophetsa described the details of his journey to Ṭā’if and said:
During my return from this journey, the Angel of the mountains came to me and said, “God has sent me to you, that if you so command, I may bring the two mountains of this valley together upon these people, and destroy them.”
But the Holy Prophetsa said, “Nay! Nay! I trust that Allāh the Exalted shall give birth to such people from among them who shall worship the one true God.”
[Saḥīḥ Bukhārī, Kitābu Bad’il-Khalq, Bābu Idhā qāla aḥadukum āmin…, Ḥadīth No. 3231]
Delegation of Jinn before the Holy Prophetsa
[A creation of God generally hidden from the sights of man (Publishers)]
With relevance to the journey of Ṭā’if, it is narrated that when the Holy Prophetsa was returning from his journey, during the night at a place called Nakhlah, when the Holy Prophetsa was occupied in reciting the Holy Qur’ān, a party of Jinn, composed of seven entities, who came from a city in Syria named Naṣībain, passed by the Holy Prophetsa, listened to his recitation, and were moved. When these Jinn returned to their people, they mentioned the prophethood of the Holy Prophetsa and the Holy Qur’ān. This occurrence is mentioned twice in the Holy Qur’ān, and from both these instances, it is apparent that the Holy Prophetsa was not directly aware of the arrival of these Jinn. Instead, after their departure, the Holy Prophetsa was given knowledge of this occurrence by the revelation of God that a party of Jinn listened to your recitation and left. This occurrence has been mentioned in various places in Ḥadīth. In finer points, although the descriptions of historical accounts vary from that of Ḥadīth, the primary notion is the same, which is, that a delegation of Jinn listened to the recitation of the Holy Prophetsa in a state
[To be more exact, this city is situated between Syria and Iraq (Author)]
([Al-Aḥqāf (46:30), Al-Jinn (72:1-2)])
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1)
Section: VIII-Expansion of Preaching | Navigation: « Previous: [Visits to the Tribes] | Next: [Delegation of Jinn Before the Holy Prophet (sa)] »