We will discuss here about the secret Islamic invitation and the Muslims of the first century. The invitation in Makkah has been divided into several parts for convenience. The first chapter is called the chapter of the Secret Invitation, when Prophet Muhammad (SW) limited the invitation of Islam within his family, relatives, and friends. At that time, he did not invite people to Islam openly. The conflict with the Quraysh mainly started from the stage of the open invitation. In the next stage starts with the events of boycotts, violence, and eventually migration.
When Prophet Muhammad (SW) began to invite his close relative to Islam, It wasn’t that the Quraysh knew nothing about this matter. They knew that Rasulullah had received prophethood and had brought a new ideology and way of life. But perhaps they did not understand it correctly because in that time, he did not openly criticize their deities and false idols. Speaking openly against their false gods and idol worship meant challenging their beliefs, social system, values, and, in short, their entire status. As long as he did not openly speak out against their false prophets and idols, there was no significant action taken against the Muslims.
During this period, there were no major incidents. Previously, we discussed a verse from Surah Al-Alaq, which was revealed at the time of the first revelation. The first word of that verse was “Iqra” (Read). The verse that was revealed during the second and third revelations started with “Qum” (Stand). We will now start discussing the significance of “Iqra” and “Qum.” These were the first few verses revealed in the Qur’an, marking the beginning of the Prophet’s mission. As mentioned earlier, after the revelation of Surah Al-Alaq, there was a brief pause in the revelation (Wahi)
The pause was necessary so that the Prophet could develop a love for the revelation being sent to him and start feeling its absence. In reality, his sense of missing Wahi became so strong that he felt like going to the top of a mountain and thinking about ending his life. After Surah Al-Alaq, some verses from Surah Al-Muzzammil and Surah Al-Muddathir were revealed. There is a difference of opinion about which of these two was revealed first, but it is agreed that verses from these two Surahs were revealed in the second and third instances. For those who preach Islam, these verses serve as a guide or manual.
These three revelation can be called in short as “Iqra” (Read), “Qum” (Stand), and “Qum” (Stand). These verses train the first generation muslim to invite others about Islam. The first revelation was “Iqra”. Through this, the command to recite or learn is being given. The next revelation is from the second verse of Surah Al-Muzzammil “Stand all night in prayer except a little”, and finally, the second verse of Surah Al-Muddathir ”Arise (stand up) and warn”. The first lesson was to study, to gain knowledge about Islam and implementing in life, and then to share this knowledge with others. Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said that:
No one can achieve complete faith without going through these three steps: learning the faith oneself, teaching it to others, and spreading Allah’s message.
The first step is “Iqra,” meaning to learn. Only when you know yourself can you teach others. The next step is to “rise and warn”. Alongside learning and teaching others, what is essential is worship, including voluntary worship like Qiyam al-Layl (the night prayer). For the early Muslims, Qiyam al-Layl was obligatory for several years. Later, this command was lifted for everyone except the Prophet. Spreading the message of Islam and teaching the religion to people is a demanding task. It can drain one’s inner self, which is why additional worship and devotion are needed. Standing before Allah at night and seeking His help soften the heart of the caller and prepares them for the following day. The same can be said for dhikr (remembrance of Allah).
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim spoke about his teacher, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, he used to go out after the Fajr prayer to the remote, dusty streets of Damascus, sit there, and recite the names of Allah until the sun rose. One day, Ibn al-Qayyim asked him curiously why he did this daily. He replied, “This is like my morning breakfast. If I don’t take it, my strength will weaken, and I will be in distress for the rest of the day.” The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, gained strength through Qiyam al-Lail, and Allah also make it compulsory practice to the Muslims of the first generation because they had to face such a challenges that no one else ever face after them. They had to endure hardships like no others after themThat’s why they had to go through this intensive training. They were the nucleus of Islam, the centre of faith. Islam was established through their base.
Those who benefited from this training were very few, even fewer than 100. This training made them such influential and powerful, that wherever they went, they would make an impact. The Ansar (Companion in Medina) became Muslims towards the end of his Dawah (invitation) in Makkah, but as the Muhajirun (companion who migrate to Medina) had been with them from the beginning, the Ansar learned from them very quickly. Through the bond of brotherhood established by the Prophet Muhammad (SW) between the Ansar and the Muhajirun, both groups were benefited. The Ansar gained religious knowledge from the Muhajirun, while the Muhajirun received essential financial and social support from the Ansar, which strengthened their unity.
The Muhajirun had a light that illuminated everyone around them. Therefore, it’s really important to remember these three words as a path to da’wah: Iqra, qum, and qum. After receiving this revelation, the Prophet’s life began a new mission. The verses of Surah Muddathir transformed the Prophet’s life.
The secret phase of da’wah lasted nearly three years. In the beginning the Prophet approached people whoever had clear and open hearts, who easily accepted his message without any conflict or excess. He met them privately and maintained contact with them. This period was significant for building the faith of new Muslims and purifying themselves from the impurities of ignorance. There is limited description of this secret phase of Dawah in historical books, but some notable points include
- At this time, Prophet Muhammad (SW) taught His companions the concept of Tawheed (monotheism). They learned about the reality of faith and the importance of faith. They recognized the futility of worldly life and understood that the Hereafter is the real life. They learned about Jannah (Paradise) and Jahannam (Hell). They were taught fundamental truths.
- They understood the nature and reality of Jahiliyyah (the pre-Islamic state of ignorance). They learned to reject idols and other Jahiliyyah practices and traditions. They understood the distinction between Islam and Jahiliyyah. They knew that Islam is the only true and divine religion, while all other beliefs and religions are false. Islam means not only belief in Allah but also rejecting all other religions and idol worship. In truth, true faith means rejecting all false gods and tyrants, cutting off ties with them, and then having faith in Allah alone. The Companions learned to understand this and developed themselves accordingly
- Islam is an ideal that must clashes with falsehood. When the call of Islam knocks on the door of ignorance, the inevitable result is conflict—an ideological battle. This has happened with every prophet, who and their followers faced difficult times. The Prophet Muhammad was no exception, as he was following the path of previous prophets. Thus, this challenging time was necessary to prepare for confronting the powerful trials ahead. It was a period of strengthening oneself and preparing Muslims for the next phase of da’wah.
- This period was a time for establishing the bond of brotherhood among Muslims. Under the leadership of the Prophet, a community was formed amongst Muslim, whose base was Iman (Faith)
In this phase, we have discussed the pioneering Muslims, As Sabiqun Al Awwalun. As mentioned before, the Prophet’s early mission was initially limited to his close family. These early followers later became well-known figures. In this section, we’ll focus on the first Muslims who embraced Islam right from the start, while the message was still kept secret. Though their number was small, their faith was exceptionally strong.
To make things clearer, we can divide the Companions into three groups. The first group includes Khadijah, Zaid, Ali, and Abu Bakr (Ra) who converted directly through the Prophet Muhammad (SW). Another group includes Uthman ibn Affan, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, Saad ibn Abi Waqqas, Talha ibn Ubaidullah, and Zubair ibn Awwam, all of whom became Muslims through Abu Bakr. Each of these five visited Abu Bakr’s house often and had a good relationship with him. All of them were under 20 years old, except Uthman ibn Affan. So they were quite young.
The well-known companions in the second group include Abu Ubaida ibn al-Jarrah, Abu Salama, Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam, Uthman ibn Majun and his two sons, Sayed ibn Zayed and his wife Fatima bint Khattab, Khabbab ibn Arat, and Abu Bakr’s daughter Asma bint Abu Bakr (RA).
In the third group are Umair ibn al-Akkas, Ayyash ibn al-Rabi’a, Abdullah ibn Jahash, the Prophet’s cousin Ja’far ibn Abi Talib and his wife Asma bint Umais, Bilal ibn Rabah, Yasir and his wife Sumayyah, and their son Ammar ibn Yasir (RA). Many in this group were slaves or had a lower social status. Umar and Hamza (RA) were very famous companions but embraced Islam later. However, due to their faith and actions, they advanced significantly. In the early years of Islam in Mecca, very few people converted, with the number just over 40. We haven’t listed everyone here. Critics and Orientalists often claim that the early followers of the Prophet were mostly poor, slaves, or in difficult circumstances, and embraced Islam out of necessity. However, if we look at the list of these 40 people, we see a mix of individuals: Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, a wealthy merchant; Bilal, a slave; Uthman, from a noble Qurayshi family; and Abdullah ibn Masud, not from a Qurayshi family. There were celebrities like Musab ibn Umair and simple individuals like Said ibn Zaid. Islam was accepted across different social classes, including the young, the old, the rich, the poor, and both Arabs and non-Arabs.
Many of the early Muslims were young. History shows that young people are often more eager to embrace the truth and are quicker to accept new ideas. Those who accepted faith from Moses and Jesus were young, and Prophet Ibrahim called his society to monotheism when he was young. Most of those who stood by the Prophet Muhammad (SW) were also young, usually under twenty. Young people are more open to change, whereas older individuals, who are often established in their social roles with families, might be less willing to face the challenges of accepting the truth. They might prefer to avoid trouble and not sacrifice their comfort for the truth. In contrast, the youth are more willing to make sacrifices and move forward.
Khadijah (Ra)
Khadijah (RA) was the first person to embrace Islam, as we’ve discussed earlier. Every member of the Prophet’s family accepted Islam right from the beginning. Besides Khadijah, his four daughters—Zaynab, Umme Kulthum, Fatima, and Ruqayyah—converted to Islam. Also in his household were his adopted son Zaid ibn Haritha and his cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib. They were all early Muslims.
There is no debate about Khadijah (Ra) being the first woman to accept Islam, but there is some disagreement among scholars about who was the first man. Some say it was Abu Bakr (Ra), while others say it was Ali ibn Abi Talib (Ra). Ibn Hajar Asqalani attempted to resolve this disagreement, suggesting that the first man to embrace Islam was Abu Bakr(Ra), because Ali (RA) grew up in the household of Prophethood and was raised as a Muslim. Thus, he was never in a state of disbelief. Another way to look at it is that the first slave to embrace Islam was Zaid ibn Haritha (Ra), the first child was Ali ibn Abi Talib (Ra), and the first man was Abu Bakr (Ra). However, it is important to note that exact details of who converted first are not definitively proven, so it is best not to consider these views as absolute. What is certain is that all these early followers converted at the start.
We have already discussed about Khadijah (Ra). She was not only the first Muslim but also the first to hear the Qur’an from the Prophet. She was the first to learn how to perform Salah (prayer). The Prophet’s first obligation was to believe in monotheism, and the second was to perform Salah. He prayed alongside Khadijah (Ra), and there is a description of this in Al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya. Jibril taught the Prophet how to perform ablution (wudu) and led the prayer. The Prophet then repeated this with Khadijah (Ra), showing her how to perform ablution and leading the prayer together.
Ali Ibn Abi Talib
The story of Ali’s conversion to Islam is described as follows: Ibn Ishaq narrates that a day after this prayer event, Ali (RA) came to the Prophet while he and Khadijah (Ra) were praying. Ali asked, “What are you doing?” The Prophet replied, “This is the religion of Allah, which He has chosen for Himself and sent His messengers with.” He invited Ali to turn to Allah and abandon the idols of Latt and Uzza. Ali responded that he had never heard of this before and needed to consult his father, Abu Talib. The Prophet advised Ali to keep the matter confidential if he did not want to convert immediately.
Ali waited until morning. Allah make his heart eager to accept and love for Islam. Next morning he came to the Prophet and asked for the proposal again. The Prophet asked Ali (Ra) to bear witness that there is no god but Allah, who has no partners, and to abandon Latt and Uzza and all forms of polytheism. Ali (Ra) accepted and embraced Islam. However, due to fear of his father, he did not frequently visit the Prophet. He kept his conversion secret for the time being.
During this period, Zaid ibn Haritha also converted to Islam. After about a month, Ali sometimes visited the Prophet. One of Allah’s blessings for Ali was that he was under the Prophet’s care even before his conversion. Ali (Ra) could not keep his conversion secret for long. One day, Abu Talib saw Ali and the Prophet praying together and asked what religion they were following. The Prophet replied that it was the religion of Allah, His angels, His prophets, and the religion of Ibrahim (Abraham). He urged Abu Talib to support and help him in his mission. Abu Talib replied that he could not abandon his ancestors’ religion, but he promised that no one would harm the Prophet as long as he lived. He then asked Ali (Ra) what he believe. Ali (Ra) replied that he had faith in Allah, His Prophet, and what the Prophet was teaching. Abu Talib told Ali (Ra) that the Prophet was calling him towards goodness and advised him to follow him.
Ali (Ra) was closely associated with the Prophet from a very young age. He was the son of Abu Talib, the Prophet’s uncle, who left Ali with the Prophet to ease his own burdens. As a young man, Ali (Ra) became the husband of the Prophet’s beloved daughter, Fatimah (Ra). Throughout the Prophet’s mission, Ali was a valiant warrior who participated in many battles. His greatest honor came during the Battle of Khaybar. The Muslims were struggling to conquer the fortress, and the Prophet declared that the next day he would give the flag to someone whom Allah and His Messenger loved and who loved Allah and His Messenger. The flag was given to Ali (Ra), and the Prophet himself testified that Ali (Ra) loved Allah and His Messenger, and that Allah and His Messenger loved Ali (Ra). There could be no greater honor.
In the ninth year of Hijra, Ali (Ra) was appointed as the leader of the pilgrimage. Another significant honor for Ali (Ra) came when, before the Battle of Tabuk, some hypocrites spread false rumors about him. The Prophet said, “Ali (Ra) is to me as Harun was to Musa.” This was a great status for Ali (Ra). After the Prophet’s death, Ali (Ra) performed his ritual washing. During Umar ibn al-Khattab’s caliphate, Ali served as the chief judge and played an active role in suppressing the rebellion against the third caliph, Uthman (Ra). Ali (Ra) is also known as the fourth of the rightly guided caliphs, those who led the Caliphate according to the path of Prophethood.
Zayd ibn Harithah
Let’s talk about the honour and status of Zayd ibn Harithah. Zayd was a beloved member of the Prophet’s family. He took part in all the important battles of early Islam. Zayd was one of the first Muslims to migrate to Medina. He also helped the Prophet and Abu Bakr’s families move safely from Mecca to Medina. Zayd was a leader in many military missions. What makes Zayd special is that he is the only companion whose name is mentioned in the Qur’an. No other companion has this honour.
Abu Bakr (Ra)
Now, let’s talk about the honour and status of Abu Bakr (Ra). To really talk about Abu Bakr’s greatness, we would need a separate series. But here, we will just give a short overview. To understand how great Abu Bakr was, we can look at what Ali (Ra) said: “Abu Bakr was first in everything; he was better than everyone.” Among all the companions, Abu Bakr was the best. After the Prophets, he is the greatest Muslim. Abu Bakr’s faith is greater than the faith of the entire Muslim community put together. All Sunni scholars agree on his excellence. He was ahead of everyone in both faith and good deeds. Whenever we think of good qualities or actions, Abu Bakr’s name comes first.
There is an interesting story about him worth mentioning. One morning, after the Fajr prayer, the Prophet asked his companions who had attended a funeral that day. Umar bin Khattab said, “We have just started our day.” Then the Prophet asked who had given charity. Umar again said, “We have just started our day.” But Abu Bakr said, “I heard that Abdur Rahman ibn Awf was sick, so I went to see him before coming to the mosque.” Whatever question the Prophet asked, Abu Bakr would reply, “I did it.” The Prophet said that if one person has all these good deeds, they will go to Paradise. No other Muslim is as close to Abu Bakr’s level. Abu Bakr bought many slaves just to make them free and he freed them. He was a respected person among the Quraysh, and he was highly regarded in their intellectual circles. The reason is that there was no one as knowledgeable as him about genealogy and family lineage. We have previously discussed how important genealogy was at that time. Not just because of his knowledge, but also because of his character and personality, he was a very beloved person. He was well known for giving away his wealth to people on the streets. He was one of the influential people in society. He spent all his wealth, which he earned from his business, for the sake of Islam. He dedicated all his wealth and knowledge to the service of the Prophet. He was a missionary of Islam. This is why he is called “Siddiq.” He was the first among the believing men. “Siddiq” means the one who believed. It is said that when everyone embraced Islam, they had some initial hesitation. Even if for a moment, they thought twice. But in the case of Abu Bakr, this didn’t happen. As soon as Islam was presented to him, he accepted it immediately. He didn’t have to think twice before embracing Islam. He was the person who first believed in the event of Mi’raj (the night journey). He was the Muslim who accompanied the Prophet in dangerous circumstances during his migration.
There is a hadith about who was dearest among the companions of the Prophet. Abu Darda narrates that once there was an argument between Abu Bakr and Umar. These two were the closest people to the Prophet. Ali said, “I have seen when the Prophet went anywhere, he took Abu Bakr and Umar with him. Wherever he came from, he would come back with them. When he sat, Abu Bakr was on one side and Umar was on the other side.” Although he loved everyone, the Prophet had a special affection for Abu Bakr, which was not the same for others. Once, when there was an argument involving Abu Bakr, the Prophet said to Umar, “Allah sent me to you all, and you said I was lying. But there was one among you who was different—Abu Bakr. He said you are telling the truth. He gave himself and his wealth to me. Will you not let my friend be at peace?” After hearing this, Umar never argued with Abu Bakr again.
In the case of Abu Bakr, with a single word from the Prophet, we can conclude that the Prophet said, “Allah has chosen me as a close friend (khaleel), just as He chose Ibrahim (Abraham) as a close friend. If I were to have taken anyone from my Ummah (community) as a close friend, I would have taken Abu Bakr as a close friend.” Abu Bakr is the only person whom Allah has described as a companion in the Holy Quran. The same verse of the Quran says,
“If you do not aid the Prophet – Allah has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; indeed Allah is with us.” And Allah sent down his tranquility upon him and supported him with angels you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allah – that is the highest. And Allah is exalted in Might and Wise.”
(Quran 9:40).
In this verse, Allah said, “He said to his companion.” This means that in the Qur’an, Abu Bakr is the only companion who has been called a companion by Allah Himself.
The second group of companions, along with the discussion about Abu Bakr, includes several other names that we can consider as the second batch of believers. Because many in this group adopted Islam through Abu Bakr. We know the stories of at least five companions who embraced Islam through Abu Bakr. Interestingly, each of these five companions is a member of the Ashara Mubashara (the ten companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) who were promised Paradise while they were still alive). Although Rasulullah gave glad tidings of Paradise to many more companions, the names of these ten are mentioned together in a single hadith. Out of the ten people mentioned, five of them accepted Islam through Abu Bakr.
The hadith mentioning these ten companions is narrated by Sa’id ibn Zayd (Ra), and it is as follows:
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Abu Bakr is in Paradise, Umar is in Paradise, Uthman is in Paradise, Ali is in Paradise, Talha is in Paradise, Zubair is in Paradise, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf is in Paradise, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas is in Paradise, Sa’id ibn Zayd is in Paradise, and Abu Ubaidah ibn al-Jarrah is in Paradise.”
Uthman ibn Affan
How did he accept Islam? When Abu Bakr invited Uthman to Islam, he was 34 years old and had not faced any confusion. He accepted Abu Bakr’s invitation and became one of the first Muslims. After Abu Bakr, Ali, and Zaid, Uthman was the fourth Muslim, Perhaps he accepted Islam quickly because of an incident during their return from Syria. Uthman told the Prophet Muhammad, “When Talha and I entered Makkah, Abu Bakr heard us reciting the Qur’an and told us about the responsibility of Islam, promising that Allah would make us pious. We believed him.”
Uthman said to Allah’s Messenger, “O Allah’s Messenger, I returned from Syria a few days ago. While we were between Ma’an and Al-Jarqa, and asleep, I heard a voice saying, ‘O sleeping people, wake up. Ahmad has been sent to Makkah.’ Then we came and listened to your story.”
Uthman was 34 years old when he embraced Islam. We all know Uthman as the third caliph of Islam. He married two daughters of Rasulullah, first Ruqayyah, and after her passing, Umm Kulthum. Rasulullah said, “If I had forty daughters, I would marry them off to Uthman one by one until none of them left”. Uthman was well-known for being shy and for his self-respect. He was among the first group of Abyssinian migrants, although he returned to Makkah later. He participated in all the battles except Badr, but his most famous act was his generous donation during the Battle of Tabuk. Rasulullah said about Uthman, “No harm will come to Uthman after today whatever Uthman (Ra) did from then on, he would be forgiven.
The incident of Bay’at al-Ridwan happened due to the rumors of Uthman’s death during the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. After accepting the pledges from everyone in that pledge, the Prophet (peace be upon him) placed one hand over the other and said, ‘This is Uthman’s hand.’ Undoubtedly, this was a special honor for Uthman
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas
Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas was 16 years old when he embraced Islam. There is a great lesson in his story for us. “His mother said to him, ‘Will you leave the religion of your father and forefathers and adopt a different religion? If you do that, and you do not change your mind, then know that I will die but I will neither eat nor drink, nor sit in the shade. When I die, you will suffer greatly because you will be responsible for my death.’
Sa’d was very devoted to his mother and a responsible son. First, he tried to explain to his mother, but when he was not successful, he took a different approach. He said to her, ‘Mother, sit down. I have something to say to you. You know very well how much I love you, and everyone praises my respect and love for you. You also know how responsible I am towards you. But know this, if you have 100 souls, and each one leaves one after another, and the only way to save them is abandoning my religion, I still won’t do that. So come inside the house, eat and drink something.’ Seeing Saad’s firmness, his mother gave up hope and listened to him
Sa’d was the first to throw arrows to save muslim. He was a brave warrior and a military commander. His greatest honour came due to his performance in the Battle of Uhud. On that day, he was part of the small group that directly helped the Prophet. When the enemy surrounded the Prophet, he threw arrows after arrows to repel the enemy. The Prophet then said, ‘throw arrows, Sa’d, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you.’ This statement means that if I could, I would dedicate my parents in honour of you. We often say, ‘I am ready to give my life for you’ or ‘I am ready to do anything for you.’ This was an expression used by the Arabs to give the highest honour
Talha ibn Ubaidillah
Talha embraced Islam at the age of 15. He accepted Islam at the invitation of Abu Bakr. During the early days, he was a regular member of the meetings held at Abu Bakr’s house. The story of his conversion is quite interesting.
He had gone with the Quraysh trade caravan to Syria. When they reached the city of Basra, the other merchants in the group became busy with their trade activities, and he wandered around the market. At that time, an event occurred that turned the course of Talha’s life. He said, ‘I was in the Basra market when I heard a Christian priest announcing, “O merchant community, ask those who have come to this market if there are any people from Mecca among them.” I was nearby and quickly went to him, saying, “I am from Mecca.” He asked, “Has Ahmad (Muhammad) appeared among you?” I replied, “Who is Ahmad?” He said, “The son of Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib. This is the month he supposed to appear. He will be the last prophet. He will appear in Mecca and then migrate to a land with black stones and date palm groves. You should go to him soon.” Talha said, “His words had a profound impact on my heart. I left my caravan and set out immediately. When I reached home, I asked my family if anything new had happened in Mecca since my departure. They said, yes, Muhammad ibn Abdullah has claimed prophethood, and Abu Bakr has become his follower.’ Talha said, “I went to Abu Bakr and asked him if it was true that Muhammad had claimed prophethood and that he had become his follower. Abu Bakr said yes, and then he invited me to Islam. I told him about the Christian priest’s words. Then he took me with him to the Prophet. There, I recited the Shahada and embraced Islam. I described to the Prophet in detail what had happened. He was very pleased upon hearing it. This is how I became the fourth person to embrace Islam through Abu Bakr.
Talha showed his greatest feat on the Day of Uhud. Seeing his bravery, the Prophet said, ‘Paradise has become obligatory for Talha.’ Abu Bakr used to say, ‘The Day of Uhud was Talha’s day.’ On that day of Uhud, Talha endured at least 35 wounds on his body just to protect the Prophet Muhammad (SW). His right hand was paralyzed from an arrow wound. In honour, the Prophet said, ‘If anyone wants to see a living martyr walking on the earth, they should look at Talha.
Az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam
Az-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam was a cousin of the Prophet and the son of Safiyyah bint Abdul Muttalib. He was also the nephew of Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha (Ra). Az-Zubayr accepted Islam at the age of 16. In both the battles of Badr and Uhud, there are examples of his bravery, which we will discuss in the accounts of the battles. During the conquest of Mecca, he was honored with the position of flag-bearer. He led many battles during the times of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (Ra).
Abdur Rahman ibn Awf
Abdur Rahman ibn Awf was known for his business expert mind. It was said about him that wherever he touched, he would make it lie gold. But he was also a brave warrior. Almost all the companions participated in battles with the Prophet. However, some were famous for their military genius, and he was one of them. In the important battles of Islam, he not only participated but also displayed bravery and courage. An verse in the Quran was revealed in his honor in response to false accusations by hypocrites
“There are˺ those who slander some of the believers for donating liberally and mock others for giving only the little they can afford. Allah will throw their mockery back at them, and they will suffer a painful punishment.”
(Quran 9:79)
The famous companion in third batch are Abdullah ibn Mas’ud, Bilal ibn Rabah, Yasir, Sumayyah, and their son Ammar ibn Yasir. We recognize them because they were among the most persecuted companions. This was due to their social status. They were not from high tribes. Due to being from lower classes and being slaves, they faced the most severe persecution. We will discuss their stories in detail in the chapters
We have learned about a few of the early companions. There is much more said about those who embraced Islam during the secret phase of the mission. However, we are not expanding on that now. It is important to note about the Meccan period that the descriptions are very limited, and in many cases, it is not possible to specify exactly when certain events occurred. Therefore, we will discuss some aspects of the Meccan period in a general manner rather than in chronological order.
One important point about the companions is that they were the closest to the Prophet. To understand the Prophet’s Sunnah, we need to know his companions because they knew him best. The Prophet’s biography is incomplete without his companions. The companions are our guiding stars. The Prophet testified to their faith. None of them are above making mistakes, but their overall understanding represents the correct understanding of the religion. Anyone who disregards the understanding of the companions to interpret Islam according to their own preferences will surely go astray, as seen with some Shia groups. An extreme Shia faction has gone beyond the bounds of Islam, though not all. Some extreme groups consider almost all companions except a few to be disbelievers, which is a grave error. For instance, they label Abu Bakr, whom Allah Himself has mentioned as a companion in the Quran, as a disbeliever. They also reject Umar, despite Allah revealing several verses in support of him. They denounce Uthman, whom Allah has forgiven, and even Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is sometimes excessively praised to the extent that some extremists place him above the Prophet. This lack of proper respect for the companions has serious consequences.
So, when studying the Prophet’s biography, we should recognize and learn from his close associates. After the Prophet, they are our role models. I conclude this section with a hadith. This hadith is narrated in Al-Bidaya wa’l-Nihaya:
Yunus ibn Bukayt narrated from Afif, who said, ‘I was a merchant. Once, during the Hajj season, I was in Mina. Abdul Muttalib’s son Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was also a merchant. I went to him with the intention of trading. While we were there, suddenly a man emerged from a tent, faced the Kaaba, and began to pray. Then a woman came and joined him in prayer. Afterward, a young boy also joined them. I said, “O Abbas, what kind of religion is this? I do not understand it at all.” Abbas said, “He is Muhammad (peace be upon him). He claims that Allah has sent him as a prophet. All the wealth of Persia and Rome will come into his possession. The woman is his wife Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her), and she has also embraced his faith. The boy is his cousin Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and he too has embraced his faith.”
The narrator expressed regret, saying, “If only I had embraced faith that day, I could have been the second person to embrace Islam among men.” The latter part of the hadith is particularly noteworthy. The narrator regrets that if he had embraced Islam at that time, he could have been the second man to do so. His regret shows the high status of the early Muslims. This hadith indicates that he had been a Muslim for nearly 20 years, reflecting on how he had witnessed Islam 20 years earlier but did not embrace it. Allah will not disregard Afif’s faith, but those who embraced Islam earlier are not the same as those who embraced it later. Before and after the conquest of Mecca, those who embraced Islam are not all equal in Allah’s eyes. Scholars say that the foremost companions include Ashara Mubashara (the ten who were given glad tidings of paradise), followed by those who participated in Badr, and then those who took part in the Bay’at al-Ridwan of 1,400 companions.
The lesson for us is to eagerly engage in good deeds, seizing every opportunity to do well. We should stay active in the competition of faith and never miss a chance to serve Islam. We should commit ourselves to the work of the religion with enthusiasm and effort. We surely do not want to regret like Afif. Let us rid ourselves of laziness from today. Let us mentally prepare ourselves for the effort of the day and participate in good deeds. Insha’Allah, we will become among the foremost in this era. Allah says in Surah Al-Waqi’ah, “and the foremost in faith will be the foremost in Paradise” (Quran 56:10).
