The Life of Mohammad 2

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	3 Previous Page For a few days the Quraysh, Muslim and non-Muslim, were re-united when in Sura 53 (19-22) the three goddesses were joined with Allah. Many Muslims deny this tradition of Tabari which is known as the "Satanic Verses". 19 "Do you see Al-lat and Al-Ozza. 20 and Manat,the third goddess? 21 These are the exalted birds (females) 22 And truly their help may be expected." Several days Muhammad disowned verses 21 and 22 and they became: 21 "What! For you the male sex, and for him the female? 22 This indeed would be an unfair partition." The backlash was worse than if Satan had not inserted the two verses; the Meccans were livid. Henceforth the condemnation of gods other than Allah became stronger and stronger. * * * about this time muhammad was revealing Sura 23, "The believers": "Now of fine clay have We created man; Then We placed him, a moist germ, in a safe abode20 Then We made the moist germ a clot of blood: Then made the clotted blood into a piece of flesh; Then made the piece of flesh into bones; and We clothed The bones with flesh; and developed out of it yet another being." At this point the Prophet took a breather and Abdullah ibn Saud, his scribe, completed verse 14: "Blessed therefore be, the most excellent of Makers", and to his shock Muhammad replied: "Yes, that's it."

Abdullah left Muhammad's employ and became an apostate21.When Islam took Mecca some time later, Abdullah was one of those not spared.

Another Revelation included a reference to the Jewish Sabbath (Saturday).22 (7:163)

"Ask them about the city that stood by the sea (Elath?) when its inhabitants broke the Sabbath. For on that day their fish did come to them openly holding up their heads; but on days which were not Sabbath they came not. Thus did We make trial of them, for they were evil-doers."

* * *

In 622 CE Allah gave his Prophet permission to wage war. The promise to fight became binding on all Muslims. An act of allegiance was concluded with representatives of Yathrib. Satan was so displeased at this that he roared from the top of a hill. Muhammad replied to Satan:

"Listen to me, enemy of Allah! I shall make an end of you."

Persecution became so bad that the Muslims, some one hundred and fifty people, decided to emigrate to Yathrib. This was the Hijrah, or Emigration, from which dates the Islamic calendar.

Some of the Meccans who had embraced Islam did not break with the infidels and make the Hijrah. These persons were miraculously slain by angels later at Badr. "The angels,... took the souls of those... who did not flee... their home shall be Hell..." (4:99)

* * *

Satan, disguised as an old sheikh, convinced the Meccan leaders that it was necessary to kill Muhammad. Gabriel warned the Prophet who, with Allah's help, was able to slip past the attackers without them seeing him. "And We have enshrouded them, so they cannot see." (36:9)

He and Abu Bakr went south, instead of north to hide in a cave on Mount Thaur. There they remained for three days. In the meantime the Meccans offered a reward of one hundred camels to anyone who brought him back. They remembered the Prophet saying: "Quraysh, I bring you slaughter", and they realized that the Muslims would not consider their kinship when it came into conflict with their religion.

Most of the bounty hunters went north but one party, knowing how wily Muhammad was, went south. The emigrants heard the sound of voices of five or six men at the entrance of the cave. "And he (the Prophet) said to his companion: "Have no fear for Allah is with us." (9:40)

They heard the searchers agree that no one could possibly be there. When the bounty hunters had gone the emigrants went to the entrance of the cave and found that a large acacia tree had grown in front of it. Some doves were nesting in the tree and between it and the wall of rock a spider had woven its web.

Later that night, as prearranged, a Bedoum with two camels came to lead them, by a circuitous route, to Yathrib. So many of the people there wanted to give him residence that, not wanting to show favoritism, the Prophet declared that he would stay where Qaswa, his camel guided by Allah, knelt. There Muhammad, Emigrants and Ansars built a mosque.

* * *

Muhammad was becoming the most powerful man in Medina (formerly Yathrib). Unlike at Mecca where all converts had been sincere, there were now sound political reasons for converting to Islam. These "Muslims" were the Hypocrites that we read of in the Qur'an.

And when they meet the faithful they say, "We believe" but when they are apart with evil-ones.

They say "Truly we hold with you and at them (the Muslims) we only mock." (2:14)

It was about this time when the Muslims had to restrain themselves, that there was given the famous saying:

"Let there be no compulsion in religion." (2:256)

Later this dictum was to be only in force when the Muslims were not powerful enough to impose Islam by the sword.

* * *

Muhammad was still hoping to secure the Jews as allies if not as Believers and an agreement was drawn up with them. The Qur'an shows a positive attitude towards them: "Dispute not, unless in kindly sort, with the people of the Book; save with such of them as have dealt wrongfully with you: And say ye, "We believe in what hath been sent down to you. Our God and your God is one, and to him are we self-surrendered." (Muslims) (29:46)

But the Jewish hearts hardened and hardly any converts were plucked from their midst. The Qur'an reflects a new attitude: "Desire ye them that for your sakes the Jews should believe? Yet a part of them heard the word of God, and then,... perverted it." (2:70)

Soon Allah revealed a verse forbidding any contact with the Jews:

"Contract no friendships except among your own number. Others would certainly corrupt you. They desire your humiliation: their hatred is clear enough in what they say, but what their hearts conceal is even worse. . ." (3:118)

Seventeen months after the Prophet arrived in Medina, the qiblah (the direction in which Muhamrnad and his followers faced during prayers) was changed from Jerusalem to Mecca.

* * *

To test Muhammad, the rabbis sent to him a married man and a married Jewish woman who had committed adultery together. "If he condemns them to the tajah (whereby the criminals are lashed with a rope of date fibres dipped in resin) then obey him, for he is a prince.

But if he condemns them to be stoned, he is a Prophet and be on your guard against him." The Prophet ordered the pair to be stoned: the man bent over his mistress to protect her from the stones, but they were both killed.

* * *

Once when some Muslims were so weak with fever that they could barely stand, they prayed sitting down. Muhammad told them: "The prayer of a seated man has only half the value of a prayer performed standing." So they rose shakily to their feet.

* * *

The Emigrants had no regular source of income and so Muhammad decided to raid passing Meccan caravans; this was an old Arab custom. Moreover, by plundering the Meccans, he would be doing God's work.

In the month of Rajab AH 2 (January 624) a party of seven to twelve Muslims was sent out to observe a caravan. Instead they attacked it, killing one Meccan, capturing two and one escaping. This was the first life that Islam took in combat but certainly not the last.

Muhammad was upset because Rajab was a month holy to Mecca and he refused to take his twenty percent share of the booty. However Gabriel revealed a sura to him wherein Allah approved, so Muhammad accepted his share.

"They will ask thee concerning war in the Sacred Month. Say: To war therein is bad, but to turn aside from the cause of God.. . is worse in the sight of God." (2:27)

They ransomed one prisoner for the sum of 1600 dirhams but the other elected to remain and became a Muslim.

Muhammad's grip on some of his converts was still rather tenuous. One day as he was preaching, a caravan entered Medina. It was preceded by musicians and all but 12 of his congregation left the sermon and joined in the fun. The Prophet had to "like it or lump it". Allah commented "But when they get a sight of merchandise or sport, they disperse after it, and leave thee standing alone." (62:11)

In Ramadan AH 2 (March 624) a very large caravan from Gaza to Mecca attracted the interest of Muhammad. However the Meccans were forewarned. The caravan took a different route and a thousand Meccans were sent to teach the three hundred Muslim plunderers a lesson. The Ansars came too saying, "O Messenger of Allah we will obey you even though you command us to jump into the sea."

Muhammad had all the wells filled in except the one that they occupied. He told his men that they would go straight to Paradise if they met their death.

"Let those fight in the cause of Allah who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter. To him whom fighteth in the cause of Allah... We shall give him a reward of great value." (Paradise) (4:74)

One Abu Daud went to attack a Meccan but the latter's head flew off before he could strike. Helping the Muslims were a thousand angels with white turbans, except for Gabriel whose turban was yellow.

During the battle, the Prophet threw a handftil of sand and gravel in the general direction of the Meccans. This miraculously landed in their eyes. God commented: "When thou threwest (the sand and gravel), it was not thy act, but Allah's." (8:17)

Another miracle was of no small assistance. Ukkashah broke his sword and was handed a wooden club by Muhammad. It became a long, strong gleaming sword. They named it al-Awn.

The larger force was defeated; "The one host fought in the cause of God, and the other was infidel. To their own eyesight, the infidels saw you twice as many as themselves." (3:11)

Muhammad's old enemy, Abu Jahl was killed and his head brought triumphantly to him. The Muslims lost fifteen dead but the Meccans about seventy and, in addition about the same number were captured. Two of these the Prophet had executed-Nadr for laughing at him and his divine revelations and Uqba for throwing offal at him in Mecca. When Uqba asked him, "But who will take care of my sons, Muhammad?", he answered him "Hell!"24

Umar and Saad wanted to slaughter all of the prisoners but Muhammad decided to ransom those that they could and only kill any that were left over.

Muhammad was humbled and reduced to tears in the next Revelation from Allah which showed Umar and Saad to have been correct.

"It is not fitting for a Prophet that he should take prisoners of war until he has thoroughly subdued the land... Allah is exalted in might, Wise." (8:67)

God did not make this order retrospective and great was the ransom that the Muslims obtained. In addition they scored one hundred and fifty camels, ten horses and a quantity of arms and armour. In the meantime the prisoners were secured with their wrists tied to their necks.

Years later one ofAbu Bakr's sons, fighting on the Meccan side said, "Father! at Badr you were twice under my sword. But my love for you held back my hand". "Son", replied Abu Bakr, "if I had that chance only once you would have been no more.

Allah, however, was not pleased that many of Muhammad's men fought with the spoils of war mainly in their minds and He said: "You have sought ransoms and worldly goods, but Allah wants the next world." meaning that they should kill rather to spread his religion, which is the path to the next world."

* * *

Muhammad was sorely tried by several poets. One was Asma bint Marwan. When her latest verses were recited to the Prophet, he cried out, "Will no one rid me ofthis daughter of Marwan?" Umayr ibn Ali, a clansman of hers volunteered. That night she was sleeping, her youngest child still at her breast, when her clansman thrust his sword through her. On that day new converts were won as they could see the power of Islam.

A month later an almost identical situation occurred. This time it was the poet Abu Afak, reputedly over a hundred years old, who raised the Prophet's ire. Muhammad exclaimed: "Who will avenge me on this scoundrel?" and Salim ibn Umayr was the helper of God.

* * *

The victory at Badr had increased the Prophet's standing: the Bedoums, in particular, showed him much more respect. However, not one Jew had volunteered for Allah's army, indeed they became more passively and actively hostile. When Muhammad demanded tribute in the name of God from one tribe of Jews, the Banu Qaynuka, they sarcastically replied: "Aye, God is poor and we are rich"... "Taste ye the torment of burning." (3:177) The Prophet considered revoking the covenant between them: he received a command from Allah:

"If thou fearest treachery from any group throw back their covenant to them: For Allah loveth not the treacherous." (8:58)

Soon an opportunity presented itself to take on the Banu Qaynuka. A Muslim girl was selling her wares at the Qaynuka market when some Jewish boys teasingly tried to lift up her veil. Joining in the fun, a Jewish goldsmith tied her skirts without her knowledge so that when she rose the world could see her private parts. The honour of Islam was at stake and a Muslim, in revenge, killed the goldsmith. Thereupon the Muslim was killed by a group of Jews.

The Qaynuka withdrew inside their fort hoping that the affair would blow over. For two weeks the Jews were besieged in their fort. The other Jewish tribes did not come to their assistance. When the Qaynuka surrendered, Muhammad wanted to put them all to death. However, Ibn Ubayy, a pagan Medinan whom he did not yet wish to fight, persuaded him otherwise.

But Allah had decreed: "If thou overcomest them in war, then make of them an example, to strike fear into those that are behind them, that may take heed."(8:57)

The decision was that the Jews should leave their homes and all their possessions behind them. Eventually the Qaynuka reached exile near Syria. The booty the Muslims received was enormous and the Prophet and his state received a fifth share.

A poet, Ka'b ibn al-Ashraf who was partly Jewish was deeply upset by Muhammad's actions. Ka'b went to Mecca to agitate the Quraysh against the Prophet, who determined to rid himself of Ka'b and his satire. Kab's foster-brother and some accomplices pretended that they were conspiring against the Prophet so that they could lure Ka'b out of his fortress. They succeeded in tbis and having killed him exultantly presented the head of Ka'b to the Prophet.

Muhammad was becoming quite wealthy and took a third wife, Hafsah the daughter of Umar (later to be the second Caliph).

The Quraysh were seeking allies to help avenge the defeat at Badr. The decision to do something drastic against him crystallized after a Muslim attack near Qaradah on a caravan worth 100,000 dirhams.

On 20th March 625 CE, three thousand Quraysh and their allies rode against Medina. Muhammad marched out to meet them with an army of a thousand men, but next morning Ibn Ubayy and three hundred doubters ("hypocrites") turned back to Medina.

One young man, Hanzalah, caught up with the seven hundred. The previous evening had been his wedding night and he had not even stopped for ablutions before setting out for the battle.

The Prophet set his men in the gorge of Uhud. In particular he ordered fifty archers to guard their rear and to stay at their posts whatever happened.

At Badr the battle-cry had been "One God", One God "but today it was "Amit, Amit" which means "Kill, Kill". At first the Muslims did well. So well indeed that a mass of them, intent on plunder, surged towards the Meccan camp. Most of the archers left their posts hoping to secure their share of the booty.

The Meccans saw their opportunity of changing the tide of battle and pushed right up to where the Prophet was seated. One Quraysh struck a glancing blow on his helmet and the Prophet fell to the ground. Thinking Muhammad had been slain, the enemy disengaged from battle.

The Meccans had lost twenty two men killed and the Muslims seventy. One of these was the young bridegroom, Hanzalah, who was seen supported by angels between heaven and earth. They had taken him up there to wash him with water from the clouds.

Why had the angels not helped the Muslims at Uhud? Allah's Revelations of sirrty verses in the "Family of Imran" explain;

We alternate days of success and reverses among men,

that God may know those who have believed,

and that He may take martyrs from among you, …

And that God may test those who believe..." (3:135)

"And ye disputed about the order (to stay put at Uhud)

and disobeyed the... Prophet..." (3:144)

"And it was Satan alone who caused those of you

to fail in duty (the 300 who turned back) on the day when the hosts met...

But God hath pardoned them." (3:149)

And that which befell you on the day when

the armies met, was certainly by the will of God,

and that he might know the faithful, and that

He might know the hypocrites." (3:160)

"And repute not those slain on God's path be dead.

Nay alive with their Lord, (Paradise) are they richly sustained."(3:163)

"And let not the prosperity in the land (Mecca)

on the part of those who believe not, deceive thee.

"'Tis just a brief enjoyment! Then shall Hell be their abode." (3:196)

Thinking that Uhud had demonstrated the Muslims' weakness, several tribes tried to attack them but the believers held their own. News came that a chief of Hudhayl was planning mischief so the Prophet sent Abd Allah ibn Unays to assassinate him. In revenge some men of Hudhayl killed three Muslims including Asim of Aws. Now Asim's head was worth money because he had killed two Qurayshites at Uhud. Their mother had sworn to drink wine out of his skull. The Hudhayli cut off his head but a swarm of bees prevented them from taking it away. In the afternoon a flood swept Asim's head away so that they could not find it.

The angel Gabriel came to the Prophet to tell him that the Jewish tribe of Nadir was plotting to kill him. The Prophet told the Jews: "Leave your land and take all that your camels can carry, except your arms and your armour.

"And had it not been that Allah had decreed Banishment for them, He certainly would have Punished them in this world: and in the Here-after They shall have the Punishment of the Fire." (59:3)

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