Reminder of the prophet’s mission in Mecca and Medina

The Prophet’s mission in Mecca and Medina was to solidify the pillars of faith. He established the power of faith in the souls of his companions; the power of glorifying Allah, The Almighty. He acquainted them with Allah, and with dooms day. He carried them to pledge allegiance.

I’ve mentioned in a previous lesson many principles of the accomplishments the companions have achieved in Mecca. Yet in Medina, the Prophet, peace be upon him, added the right of power to the power of faith, thus building a strong Islamic community. What are the elements of strength of this community? We are today in utmost need of these civil accomplishments that turned Muslims to an entity that attained the right for power on top of the proclaimed power of truth. In the Mecci stage, the construction was spiritual, but the Madani was civil. A strong Muslim community which possessed an army that could defend its faith with might.

I’ve mentioned in the previous lesson that the first stage with which the Prophet, peace be upon him, started was the reconciliation between two big tribes in Medina: Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj. We can not confront a strong enemy which the whole world supports, except with a cohesive Islamic community. Thus, we have to start with conciliation upon the layers of the community, and the elements of the community. That is what the Prophet, peace be upon him, has started with.

The current denotation of what the prophet has done in Medina is ‘National Reconciliation’.  This is a must in order to be able to face a strong, violent, arrogant enemy that ruins everything, and does not know mercy for woman or child; and that is what you hear and see.

The next stage is equity, and indiscrimination among individuals and groups. How? Equity is a must.

( Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you ) (Al-Hujurat 13)

( All of you are sons of Adam, and Adam is of dust.)

( People are equal like the teeth of a comb.)

Unless an Islamic society sets measures like knowledge and action,  where a person is valued according to his knowledge first, and accomplishments second, letting aside measures like descent, power, charm, cleverness, and wealth, the society won’t be strong.

It is said that one of the followers, called Ahnaf ibn-AlQays, was short, dark-colored, crippled, hollow-eyed, with a tilted chin and high cheek bones. He had a share of every ugly appearance characteristic. Yet, he was master of his people; a 100 thousand swords aggravated to his anger, not asking about the reason for his anger. He would not drink water if he learnt that it would compromise his nobleness.

The first thing the Prophet has started with to establish a strong Islamic society, was conciliation.

The second thing, he asserted equality among believers, with no exceptions. We express this equality in the day the Prophet, peace be upon him, left Qibaa to Medina. The Ansar (Supporters) stood family after family, clan after clan, inviting the Prophet to stay at their homes. He said : Leave it ( his camel); it is directed. Had he accepted the invitation of any family or clan, he would have had conferred distinction upon them.

When you single out one of your sons, you distinguish him. Try to be fair with your children. If you have to choose one, then let it be through drawing.

Discrimination of the Modern Era

Every person with which the Prophet, peace be upon him, has associated, thought he was the closest to him. Yet a society with a person of the first degree, and another of the second degree, third degree, fourth, and fifth... this is discrimination from which the world is suffering today. So what is discrimination?

I see that all human beings may be classified in two ways only; a human classification, and a racial classification. Who is the racist? He is the one who considers himself distinguished from those around him: he has surpassing rights, he is exempt from their duties, he alone shall eat, inhabit, enjoy life, buy what he desires of the most expensive things, build his glory upon the ruins of others, accumulate his wealth upon their poverty, build his life and security upon their death, his glory upon their humiliation.. This is racist.

What we suffer from the West today is racism. They treat their nation treatment that surpasses imagination, and treat other nations treatment that monsters would demean. They use destructive weapons that exterminate the people and preserve the stones. A nation with people of two layers; strong and weak, will not rise. People must be equal like the teeth of a comb.  

( No privilege to an Arab over a foreigner,  neither red over black except upon piety.)

( By Him in Whose Hand is my life, even if Fatima daughter of Muhammad were to commit theft, I would have cut off her hand.)

This is the society of justice and equality. With this, we get stronger than our enemy. With this, we confront them. With this, we stand one row. With this, they can not break through us.

‘Leave it; it is directed.’ Until it settled down. In that scene we find respect for everybody, and insistence on indiscrimination. His choice of Abu Ayyoub’s house was for the sole reason that it was the nearest to where the camel had settled – no discrimination, and no embarrassment.

Let me give you some examples: you want your son to be a doctor. You put him in the most expensive of schools, and get him the best tutors. A young man works at your commercial store. He asks you for an hour early leave to join a night school in order to attain a qualifying degree; you refuse to let him go. You are a racist; even if you pray and fast.

When you treat people arrogantly, in a superior manner, when you want for your children what you don’t allow for other people’s children, you are a racist. A Muslim may be a racist in these times. God will not be content with us unless we be humane.

The peak of mercy and modesty : A woman who cleaned the mosque

Is there a job on earth  less significant than floor-sweeping? A woman who minded the mosque cleanliness passed away. The Prophet’s companions thought the matter was not important enough to inform the noble Prophet about it. He asked about her later when he missed her, he was told she had passed away. ‘You should have let me know.’ He said.  He got up to her grave where he prayed an exceptional janazah(funeral) prayer.

What we see in the world of wildness, savagery, killing of the innocent, and destroying constructions… This is mere racism.

Racism is a crime; not a point of view

Racism is not a point of view, but rather a crime. Say you have an Indonesian girl at your house. If you never allow her to call her family, then you are a racist, even if you go to the mosque. She misses her family the same way you miss your family. If you burden her with more than what she can take, if you don’t help her out, if you keep her up till after midnight to look after your needs, if you don’t treat her as your daughter, then you are a racist, even if you are Muslim.

I’ve been into a commercial store once. One of the small employees was complaining of the heavy loads of clothes the owner was piling on his back; one heap, two, three, four heaps, ‘ I can not take more!’ He said. ‘But you are young!’ Came the reply. The same man got worried when his son carried only one pile, ‘watch out for your back, son’. This man is racist, even if he prays and fasts. Mind you; we will not be able to gain victory over our enemy as long as we are racist, for they are racist. We must fear God and be humane.

When the Europeans conquered Jerusalem, they slaughtered 70 thousand. When Salahuddine occupied it, he did not shed a drop of blood – humane, bound to the doctrine of God, fears God.

A racist is a person who considers himself distinguished from others; privileged. Ten thousand captives, 30 members of the Palestinian parliament and eight ministers imprisoned, and the whole Lebanese nation, do not equal two captive soldiers. What is this called? This is racism. A human being is either connected to God; hence humane, or disconnected from God; hence racist.

Some house maids commit suicide because of the woman of the house’s harshness. She can not bear the cruelty, the beating, the pain, so she throws herself from the fourth floor and dies. That woman of the house is racist, even if she prays and fasts, and God will punish her severely.

A believer is humane. He treats people as he likes to be treated. He shows benevolence to the stranger and the dear. He has mercy upon others as he is merciful with his children.

Thus, treating people on an equal basis is an Islamic principal factor.  

Consideration of the social conditions in the society of Medina

The second basic factor in building the society in Medina:  

The Prophet, peace be upon him, took into consideration the social conditions of every host family who received Al-Muhajireen (the emigrants). Saad bin khothaimah, a bachelor, received the bachelor emigrants, and thus his house was called the house of bachelors. The emigrants with wives and children resided at the houses of the married Ansar (supporters) and their families, who had ample income, and spacious houses. 

The Prophet, peace be upon him, is now building a society. How did Salahuddine achieve victory over the Europeans? There existed a span of 50 years between his start to work on the causes that contributed to victory, and the final triumph. He built an Islamic society, spread education, taught the doctrine of God, The Almighty, urged people to obey God, and abolished all iniquities.

The Khedive, one of the Egyptian rulers, passed by Al-Azhar scholars to consult them about what was to be done when Egypt was being exposed to attack. The answer was that they usually read the hadith book of ‘Sahih Al-Bukhary’ in such cases, for it might overpower the assault. So he ordered some scholars to read the book. Nonetheless, the attack continued with an increasing ferocity, so the Khedive returned back to the scholars and said exasperatedly ‘Either this idea of reading the Bukhary book is not right and is of no origin, or you are not scholars, or this book is not actually the ‘Sahih Bukhary’ book!’ The scholars kept silent for they feared his oppression. Only one young scholar among them got the guts to say ‘you are the reason!’. The Khedive turned away with no reply, leaving the young man under severe censure from his fellows for endangering their lives with what he had said. After a period of time, the young scholar made his will and bid his friends farewell when he was called to the Khedive’s palace, for everybody assumed he was to be executed. When he got there, the Khedive inquired ‘In what way am I the reason?’ He answered ‘ The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, has said that if you don’t enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil, your prayers will not be answered.’ ‘What can I do?’ The Khedive confessed ‘ This is what Westerners want me to do; open amusement centers, nightclubs and bars. This is civilization.’ He abolished all iniquities, and eventually gained victory.

Thus, the Prophet, peace be upon him, built a society void of discrimination – a society ruled with standard values.

( By Him in Whose Hand is my life, even if Fatima daughter of Muhammad were to commit theft, I would have cut off her hand.)

This is the society that became strong, and achieved victory against the mightiest forces in the Arabian Peninsula.

The Manners of the Noble Prophet as he built the society of belief

1- Sharing food with his companions

Zaid bin-Thabet narrated: Upon his residence at Abu Ayyoub’s house, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, sent him most of every present he received. Mind you; staying as a guest, and sharing the presents with his host. A bowl filled with bread, margarine and yoghurt was put between his hands. He said ‘O’ Messenger of Allah, my mother has sent this.’ He said ‘May Allah bless her’, and called his companions to eat. Soon after, arrived a boy with a covered bowl from Saad bin-Ubadah. He uncovered the meat, and delivered it to the Prophet, for we where among the people of Malek bin-Alnajjar; every night three or four of us carried food to the Prophet’s door until he left Abu-Ayyoub’s house in which he stayed for seven months. The bowls of Saad bin-Ubadah and Asaad bin-Zurarah never missed him.

Did he distinguish himself with special food? He shared all food he received with his companions. If the food was not much, he ate little and sent the rest to Abu-Ayyoub. This is leadership.

Every time he entered his residence, Omar bin-AbdulAziz, may Allah be pleased with him, read the verse:

( Sees thou? If We do let them enjoy (this life) for a few years. Yet there comes to them at length the (punishment) which they were promised. It will profit them not that they enjoyed (this life)) (Al-Shuaraa 205-207)

Omar bin-Alkhattab, may Allah be pleased with him, addressed his stomach saying ‘Gurgle or not, by Allah you will not taste meat, until Muslim children have enough of it.’

2- He never found fault with food

Of his food etiquette: Um Ayyoub was asked: what food was the Prophet’s favourite? You should have known this from his stay at your house. What did he eat? What did he like? She said ‘ I never saw him ask for specific food to be prepared, and we never saw him disapprove of  food brought to him.’

Someone described his friend saying: I had a friend whom I consider one of the greatest of people. The principal characteristic that made him superior in my eye, is the insignificance of this world in his eyes. He is free of the stomach supremacy; does not desire what is not present, and does not eat to excess of what is present.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, never asked for a specific dish to be prepared for him. He never criticized food expressing neither approval nor disapproval. If he had inclination to eating it, he would eat; and if he disliked it, he would leave it.

3- Decency in embarrassment of eating certain foods

Jaber bin-Sumrah narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to send the rest of his food to Abu Ayyoub. Food that contained garlic was brought to him one day, so he sent the whole thing to Abu Ayyoub. ‘O’ Messenger of Allah, is it forbidden?’ He asked. ‘No, but I dislike its odour.’ He said ‘and I dislike what you dislike O’Messenger of Allah.’ Hence, in consideration for his companions, he did not eat food with garlic; because of its odour.

What great decency! What gracefulness! Abu Ayyoub, may Allah be pleased with him, said: we used to prepare dinner, then send it to him. If he returned what was left, Um Ayyoub and myself looked for the trace of his hands on the food, seeking blessing. One night, we sent him dinner with onion and garlic, which was returned with no trace of the noble Prophets’ hands. I asked him in panic ‘ O’Messenger of Allah, you have returned your dinner untouched. Um Ayyoub and myself used to look for the trace of your hands seeking blessing.’ The Prophet, peace be upon him answered ‘ I have found in it the smell of this plant(i.e. garlic), and I am a man who approaches his Lord, but you may eat it.’ Abu Ayyoub continued: ‘So we ate it. We never served him food with that plant (onion and garlic) thereafter.’

4- Modesty in residence

Abu Ayyoub narrated: when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stayed in my house, he stayed in the ground floor, while Um Ayyoub and I stayed in the first floor. I told him ‘ O’Messenger of Allah, I hate to be above you, and you below me. Stay in the upper floor, and we shall stay in the lower one.’ He said ‘O’Abu Ayyoub, it is easier for me and for those who visit me to stay in the lower level of the house.’ He said: So the prophet, peace be upon him, stayed in the lower level, and we resided above him. A jug of water broke, Um Ayyoub and I hurried to dry the spilled water with the only quilt we had, dreading it might drop on the prophet and bother him.

5- Favouring fresh water

When the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, stayed at his home, Abu-Ayyoub used to fetch him fresh water from the well of Malik bin-AlNathar, Anas’ father.  Anas, Hind, and Harithah, the children of Asmaa, used to carry water from storage reservoirs to the houses of his wives. There is inference in this to the norm of fetching fresh water. The Prophet, peace be upon him, was of very high taste.

6- Drinking in three gulps, and praising Allah afterwards

Anas bin-Malik narrated that he had seen the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, take one gulp of his drink, then stop; mention the name of Allah, then take another gulp, then stop and mention the name of Allah, then take a gulp, then stop till he was through. He praised Allah when he had finished. He drank water in three gulps.

Abu Ayyoub Al-Ansari narrated that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used to say upon eating or drinking:

( All praise due to Allah who has provided me with food and drink, and made it pleasant, and provided an outlet for it.)

7- Gathering around food and drink

The Prophet, peace be upon him, did not eat alone. Five to sixteen men gathered round his dinner.

As such were the manners of the Noble Prophet. Due to his modesty, a stranger who did not know him could not identify him among his companions; he would ask: whom among you is Muhammad?

8- Helping in the preparation of food

They wanted to prepare a lamb to eat in travel once. One of them said: slaughter is on me. Another said: skinning is on me. A third one said: cooking is on me. The Prophet, peace be upon him, said: collecting logs is on me. They said: we do this on your behalf. He said: ‘I know that you may do this on my behalf, but God does not like to see his servant distinguished from his peers.’

9- Alternating between walking and riding

In the battle of Badr, the Noble Prophet and his companions outnumbered the animals to be ridden. He said :

( Every three on an animal (i.e. to ride); Abu Lubabah, Ali and myself on an animal. He rode the camel on his turn. When his turn in riding was over, and it was his turn to walk, his companions begged him to stay riding. He said: you are not more capable of walking than I am, and I am not less in need for the reward than you are.’

10- The last of people to drink

He was the last to drink upon his distribution of water among his companions.

11- He sat down in the first available place

He sat down in the first available place. This is the society of Muslims in which discrimination does not exist.

12- Reunification

There is now a concept called reunification. Many Islamic countries do not accept a foreign employee except by himself; without his wife. The couple suffer being apart for a whole year. If either of them is of weak faith, he or she may fall into sin.

When the Prophet, peace be upon him, built up the society of Medina, he reunified families. What did he do? When he was in the house of Abu Ayyoub, the Prophet, peace be upon him, sent Zaid bin-Harithah and Abu Rafiaa to Mecca with 500 dirhams and two camels to bring back his family. They took it from Abu Bakr to buy what they needed, so Zaid bought three camels. Abu bakr also sent Abdullah bin-Uraiqet with them as a guide. They returned with Fatimah and Um kulthoom, the daughters of the Noble Prophet, his wife Sawda bint Zumaa, his nursemaid Um Ayman, Zaid bin-Harithah’s wife and their son Usama, Abu Bakr’s son Abdullah, his wife Um Rouman, and his daughters Aisha and Asmaa, wife of Al-Zubair, and she was pregnant. Due to the difficulties of emigration, she gave birth to Abdullah bin-AlZubair in Qibaa, then came to the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, and put the baby in his lap. Thus, Abdullah bin-AlZubair was the first Muslim baby to be born in Medina. 

This is the society of the companions

Abdullah bin-AlZubair was once playing with children when Omar, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by. The children, struck with awe, ran away and dispersed. Only Abdullah bin-AlZubair stood still, thus attracting Omar’s attention. He asked ‘ Kid, why didn’t you flee with those who fled?’ He answered ‘ O Prince, you are not an oppressor so that I fear your oppression, Nor am I guilty to fear your punishment, and the road is wide enough for you and me.’

The same Abdullah bin-AlZubair sent a letter to Muawiyah bin-AbiSufian; it read:

O’ Muawiyah – not Prince or Caliph, your men have entered my land. Stop them, or else I will have to deal with you.

Intolerable speech from a citizen to the Prince..

Muawiyah handed the letter to his son, Yazid, who was sitting next to him. ‘What do you think we should do?’ He asked. ‘ I see that you send him an army of which head is where he is in Medina, and back is here in Syria, to get you his head,’ came Yazid’s answer. ‘Otherwise is better.’ Said Muawiyah. He ordered his messenger to write :

I have received the letter of the son of the disciple of the Messenger of Allah. What have upset him, upset me indeed. The whole world is insignificant next to his contentment. I’ve given up to him the land with whom it carries.

The letter from Abdullah bin-AlZubair read:

O’Prince, may Allah prolong your life, and preserve your sense of judgement which has placed you in this position.

He handed the letter to his son Yazid who had formerly suggested his father send an army, saying : ‘ O’Son, he who pardons prevails, and he who tolerates glorifies, and he who forgives inclines hearts to himself.’

Abu Bakr’s children stayed at Harithah bin-AlNoman house. Abdullah bin-AlZubair was born in the month of Shawwal, a few months after the emigration.

We continue in a following lesson, showing how the Prophet, peace be upon him, built the society of believers, and how he managed to add the right of might to the might of right.