Mohammad The Last Prophet A Model For All Time || After Prophethood, Part-03
The story of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab's conversion to Islam
Allah then supported the Muslims by the Islam of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab al-'Adawi al-Qurashi. He was an imposing man, broad-shouldered, tall and brave. The Messenger of Allah wanted him to become a Muslim and prayed for him to be guided that way.
His sister, Fatimah bint al-Khattab had become a Muslim together with her husband, Sa'id ibn Zayd. They were concealing their Islam from 'Umar because of his violent nature. They knew he was against Islam and the Muslims. Khabbab ibn al-Aratt used to come to Fatimah to read the Qur'an to her.
One day 'Umar went out angrily swinging his sword to find the Messenger of Allah who was with his Compa- nions. He had heard that they were in a house at Safa. On his way he met Nu'aym ibn 'Abdullah, who belonged to 'Umar's people the Banu 'Adi, and who was already a Muslim.
'Where are you going, 'Umar?' he asked.
'I am going to find Muhammad,' he replied, 'He has divided the Quraysh, mocked their traditions, criticized their religion and abused their gods. I am going to kill him.'
'You deceive yourself, 'Umar,' Nu'aym retorted. 'Shouldn't you go back to your own family and put their affairs in order first?'
'What do you mean, my family?'
'By Allah, your brother-in-law and cousin Sa'id ibn Zayd and your sister Fatimah bint al-Khattab have become Muslims and are following Muhammad in his religion. You had better deal with them first.'
'Umar returned to his sister and brother-in-law. Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was with them, holding a page from Surah Ta Ha which he was reading to them. When they heard 'Umar's footsteps, Khabbab hid in a small room in the house while Fatimah took the page and concealed it beneath her clothing. While he was approaching the house, 'Umar had heard Khabbab reciting, so he demanded, 'What is this gibberish?'
'Nothing,' they answered. 'What did you hear?' 'By Allah!' he shouted angrily, 'I have heard that you are following Muhammad in his religion!'
'Umar then started to attack his brother-in-law Sa'id ibn Zayd. His sister Fatimah rose to hold him back from her husband but he hit her and wounded her.
When he did that, his sister and brother-in-law told him, 'Yes, we have become Muslims and we believe in Allah and His Messenger, so do what you think best.'
When 'Umar saw blood on his sister, he regretted what he had done. He even admired her courage. 'Show me that page I heard Khabbab reading,' he said. 'Let me see what Muhammad has brought.'
'Umar was one among a few Quraysh who could read and write, but when she heard what he wanted, his sister answered, 'We are afraid to give it to you.'
'Do not be afraid,' he said and he promised not to destroy it.
When she heard that, she longed for 'Umar to become a Muslim. She said to him, 'Brother, you are unclean from your idolworship and only the purified may touch it.'
'Umar got up and washed and then she gave him the page bearing the passage from Surah Ta Ha. After reading only a few lines, he exclaimed, 'How noble and sublime are these words!'
When Khabbab heard that, he came out from hiding to say, 'Umar! By Allah, I hope that Allah has singled you out by the prayer of His Prophet. I heard him say last night, "O Allah, strengthen Islam with Abu'l-Hakam ibn Hisham (Abu Jahl) or 'Umar ibn al-Khattab!" Come to God! Come to God, O 'Umar!'
At that 'Umar said, 'Khabbab, guide me to Muhammad so that I can go to him and become a Muslim.'
'He is in a house at Safa,' Khabbab said, 'with some of his Companions.'
'Umar put on his sword and went to find the Messenger of Allah. He knocked on the door. When they heard his voice, one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah got up and looked through a crack in the door. He saw 'Umar wearing his sword. In alarm, he returned to report, 'Messenger of Allah, it is 'Umar ibn al-Khattab with his sword on!'
Hamzah ibn 'Abdu'l-Muttalib said, 'Let him in. If his intentions are peaceful, we will treat him well. If not, we will kill him with his own sword.'
The Messenger of Allah said, 'Let him in,' and rose to meet 'Umar as he reached the middle of the room. He seized his cloak and dragged him along violently, saying, 'What has brought you here, Ibn al-Khattab? By Allah, I do not think that you will stop until Allah sends down a calamity upon you.'
'Messenger of Allah,' 'Umar replied, 'I have come to you to tell you that I believe in Allah and His Messenger and what has come from Allah.'
The Messenger of Allah said, 'Allahu Akbar' so loudly that the Companions in the house knew that 'Umar had become a Muslim.
The Muslims' confidence increased when 'Umar became a Muslim as it had when Hamzah before him had become a Muslim.
News that 'Umar was a Muslim quickly spread among the Quraysh. They were very annoyed. They took up their swords against him but 'Umar fought back. The Quraysh valued their lives too much to pick quarrels with him so they decided to leave him alone.
The Quraysh boycott the Banu Hashim
Islam began to spread among the tribes. The Quraysh were so concerned that they decided to write a document containing a ban on the Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib. They declared that they would not marry the women of these clans or give any in marriage to them, or sell them any goods or buy anything from them. The Quraysh displayed the parchment announcing the ban inside the Ka'bah in order to give it authority.
In the She'b Abi Talib
When the Quraysh did that, the Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib gathered round Abu Talib and joined him in his quarters in a narrow valley of Makkah. It was the seventh year of prophethood. However, Abu Lahab ibn 'Abdu'l-Muttalib left the Banu Hashim and aligned himself with the Quraysh.
For many months the Banu Hashim lived in misery. The boycott was so rigorously applied and food was so scarce that they had to eat the leaves of trees. Their hungry children's cries could be heard all over the valley. The Quraysh told the merchants not to sell any goods to them. Prices were increased to prevent them from buying even essentials.
They remained in that state for three years. Apart from some kind Qurayshi people who secretly sent food to them they were totally abandoned. The Messenger of Allah was in the same predicament but he continued to call his people to Allah night and day, secretly and openly and the Banu Hashim remained patient.
The boycott ends
A group of fair-minded Quraysh, led by Hisham ibn 'Amr ibn Rabi'ah, hated this unfair boycott. Hisham was highly respected among his people. He contacted some men of the Quraysh whom he knew to be kind-hearted and considerate. He told them it was shameful to allow such tyranny to continue. He asked them to abandon the unjust contract. When he had persuaded five men to agree, they met together to work towards this end. When the Quraysh were assembled the next day, Zuhayr ibn Abi Umayyah, whose mother was 'Atikah bint 'Abdu'l-Muttalib, faced the people and demanded, 'People of Makkah! Do we eat and clothe ourselves while the Banu Hashim are perishing, unable to buy or sell? By Allah, I will not sit down until this unjust document is torn up!'
Abu Jahl entered the discussion to disagree but no one supported him. Al-Mut'im ibn 'Adi went to the Ka'bah to tear the document down. He found that insects had eaten it all except for the words, 'In Your name, O Allah.' The Prophet had already told Abu Talib that Allah had given white ants power over the document. Now it was declared invalid.
The deaths of Abu Talib and Khadijah
Soon after the end of the boycott, in the tenth year of prophethood, Abu Talib and Khadijah died. They had been good companions noted for their loyalty, support, and devotion. Abu Talib, however, never became a Muslim. At this time, troubles fell on the Messenger of Allah one after another.
Islam spreads
At-Tufayl ibn 'Amr ad-Dawsi came to Makkah. He was a noble man, a poet, and intelligent. The Quraysh warned him against the Messenger of Allah. As a result, he was afraid to go near him to listen to him.
'By Allah,' At-Tufayl said, 'they kept at me until I decided not to listen to him at all nor to speak with him, to the extent that I stuffed my ears with cotton. I went to the mosque and the Messenger of Allah was standing there praying at the Ka'bah. I stood near him and Allah had decided that I should hear some of his words. I heard some good words and said to myself, "By Allah, I am an intelligent man, a poet. The difference between good and evil is not concealed from me. Why should I not listen to what this man says? If what he brings is good, I will accept it. If it is evil, I will leave it."'
At-Tufayl met the Messenger of Allah in his house and told him what had happened. The Messenger of Allah offered him Islam and recited the Qur'an to him. At-Tufayl became a Muslim and returned to his people to call them to Islam. He refused to live with his family until they all became Muslims. Eventually the whole tribe of Daws turned to Islam.
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