"Shias Should STOP Hurling Insults at the Companions of Prophet Muhammad (saws)
& His Wives While Sunnis Should STOP Calling Shias Infidels." - Ayatollah
al-Taskhiri
Political Awareness of the Hijri
The muslims ought to be reminded of the events that took place to signify the
Hijra. And what is incumbent is to reveal its essence so as to make the muslims
truly understand its meaning and significance as opposed to a mere spiritual
tradition that is inherited like the other religions, or the events that
resulted in a mere change in the recording of the calendar, much like the
calendar of the christians.
In order to portray its vital (ideological) aspects, that which is not
discussed today due to its threat to the present regimes, it is necessary to
first undertake a study of the Hijra from the authentic sources of seerah, and
then to derive the meaning from it. The meaning that will draw attention to the
real issues of today - that Islam is both a spiritual and political Doctrine -
such that by it the generation of a momentum to revive the muslim ummah will
spring from it, and at the same time all will be made aware of it.
A study from the authentic sources of seerah
The Messenger of Allah (saw) ordered the muslims in Makka to migrate to
Medina in small parties, and so they began to migrate either individually or in
small groups.
As for the political awareness of Quraysh with respect to the muslims Ibn
Ishaq states, "When Quraysh saw that Muhammad (saw), had assembled a party, and
had support from elsewhere other than from the Quraysh and Makka, from a town
other than theirs, and witnessed Muhammad's (saw) companions moving out to join
these forces, they realised that the muslims had found a new home with them and
had acquired their protection. Quraysh were concerned that Muhammad would also
leave them, since they knew that he had decided to do battle with them."
As for the actual Quraysh response to this situation ibn Ishaq states,
"Quraysh were concerned that the Messenger of Allah (saw), would leave and join
them (those from a different tribe), since they knew that he had decided to do
battle with them. They therefore, gathered in Dar al-Nadwa - the House of
Assembly - the home of Qusayy bin Kilab, where all their top-level decisions
were made."
According to ibn Kathir, "Related from Abdullah bin Abu Najih, from Mujahid
bin Jabr, that Abdullah ibn Abbas narrates the following. "The day arrived when
they agreed to meet to enter their assembly to discuss what to do about the
Messenger of Allah (saw). That day is known as yawm al-zahma (The Day of
Gathering), and on it Shaytan, came before them in the form of a Shaikh from
Nejd dressed in a heavy cloak. He stood at the door of the house, and when they
saw him they asked who he was. Shaytan replied, "I come from Nejd, from the
highlands, and I have heard why you have agreed to meet, and I have come to
listen to what you say and perhaps offer some advice or comment."
They invited him in. He entered the meeting where the Quraysh leadership were
assembled. They consisted of Utba, Shayba, Abu Sufyan, Tai'ma bin Adi, Jubayr
bin al-Harith, Abu al-Bakhtari bin Hisham, Zam'a bin al-Aswad, Hakim bin Hizam,
Abu Jahl, Nabih and Munabbih, sons of al-Hajjaj, and Umayya bin Khalaf, along
with various others of their supporters from Quraysh. They reminded one another
of what they had experienced from the behaviour of Muhammad (saw), and agreed
that they felt insecure (danger) from the possibility that he (saw), the
muslims, together with their material support (the chiefs of Medina), might
make an attack upon them.
Having discussed the issue, one of them said to have been Al-Bakhtari bin
Hisham suggested, "Put him in irons and gaol him, then wait for him to have the
same fate that befell poets before him, such as Zubayr and al-Nabigha. He would
die as they had." But the Nejdi Shaikh objected saying, "No that is not a good
plan. If you do shut him up, news of him will get right past the door you have
locked on him and reach his supporters. They will promptly attack you and
release him and then increase until they overcome you. That is not a good
idea."
They consulted further, and one suggested, "Let's exile him from our
territory. Once he has gone we'll be rid of him and we'll be able to restore
our affairs as they were before." The Nejdi Shaikh again observed, "No. That's
not a good idea for you. You know how sweet his talk is, and his reasoning, and
how he convinces others of his message. If you do that you'd have no security
against him going to live with some Arab tribe and using his speech and
discourse to get them to follow him. Then he would lead them against you and
perhaps defeat or dispossess you and do what they like with you. No, think of
something else."
Abu Jahl then said, "I have an idea that hasn't occurred to you yet." "What
is it?" They asked him. "I think we should select one young man from each
tribe, and someone who is strong, of excellent lineage and reputation as a
leader. We should give each one a sharp sword and they would go to him and use
the swords to strike him in unison. They would kill him and we would be rid of
him. If they do this, his blood would be spread over all the tribes. And Banu
Abd Manaf will not be able to do battle against them all. So they will accept
blood money which we can pay them." The Nejdi Shaikh commented, "What he says
is right. This is the right idea, and no other." Having agreed upon this the
assembly broke up.
Jibreel (as) then came to Muhammad (saw), and told him, "Do not sleep tonight
in the bed you usually use." When it was fully dark that night the Quraysh men
gathered outside his (saw) door waiting for him (saw) to sleep so that they
could attack him. Having seen where they were, the prophet (saw) said to Ali
(ra), "Sleep on my bed, and wrap yourself in this green cloak of mine from
Hadramawt; sleep in it. You'll not come to any harm from them." The prophet
(saw) was in the habit of sleeping in that cloak of his."
Yazid bin Abu Yazid relates from Muhammad bin Ka'b al-Qurazi, "The men met
there at his (saw) door, Abu Jahl, who was among them said, "Muhammad claims
that if you follow him you'll become kings of the Arabs and the non-Arabs
alike. Then you'll be given life after death and be provided with gardens like
those of Jordan. If you don't do that, then, he says, you will be slaughtered,
given life after death but be put into a hellfire where you will be burned."
The prophet (saw) then picked up a handful of dirt, saying, "Yes. I do say
that. And you are one of them!"
Then Allah (swt) took away their sight from them and they could not see him.
He began sprinkling the dirt on to their heads while he (saw) recited the
following verses from the Qur'an. "Ya-sin. By the Qur'an, the wise. You are
among those who are sent forth upon a straight path", upto the verse, "We have
placed a barrier before them and a barrier behind them, and have covered them
over so they cannot see" [TMQ Ya-Sin; 36:3-9]. Every single man among them had
dirt thrown on his head. He (saw) then left and went where he (saw) so wished.
Someone who had not been there with these men arrived and asked, "What are you
waiting here for?"
They replied, "For Muhammad." "God damn you! Muhammad just came out to you
and he did not leave any single one of you without throwing dirt on your head.
He then left and went elsewhere. Can't you see what has happened to you?" Each
man then placed his hand on his head and found dirt there. Looking closely they
saw Ali (ra) on the bed covered in the green cloak of Muhammad (saw). They
stayed there until morning; when Ali (ra) arose from the bed they said, "By
God, what he told us must have been true!"" Ibn Ishaq says that among other
verses Allah (swt) revealed the following. "And when the disbelievers plotted
to confine, kill or exile you they made plans and He made plans, and He is the
best Planner of all" [TMQ Al-Anfal; 8:30]."
Finally, Allah (swt) gave His (swt) Messenger the permission to migrate.
"Say: O Allah, make my place of arrival good and make my place of departure
good. And grant me an aid and an authority from Yourself" [TMQ Bani Isra'il;
17:80]" And ibn Kathir states that the event marks the beginning of the Islamic
era as was agreed upon by the sahaba (ra), during the rule of Umar (ra) - Al
Hijra.
All praises are due upon Allah the Almighty (swt). This was the move to
Medina (which was also known as Dar al-Hijra), and it proved to be a turning
point in the entire history of the ummah of Muhammad (saw), whereupon the
Islamic State was established as a political entity that would influence the
affairs of the world to come. The ideology was firmly established both in
concept and in practical existence, and indeed this State, the very State that
Muhammad (saw) himself established, continued in existence until its demise in
1924 at the hands of the colonialist disbelievers and their agent Mustapha
Kemal.
To Be Contd.
AB
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
"For to us
will be their return; then it will be for us to call them to account." (Holy
Quran 88:25-26)
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