The politician continued, "The Prophet (ﷺ), like other prophets before him was trained directly by Allah and his faith was strengthened through the most powerful way there is; inviting others to his faith. Allah ordered,
"And warn, [O Muhammad], your closest kindred." - [QS.26:214]The first challenge came when Allah ordered the Prophet (ﷺ) to call his relatives to the faith and warn them of the result of continuing in their current lifestyle of polytheism and social corruption. I have already mentioned the incident when the Prophet (ﷺ) went out and stood on Safa and called out ‘Wa Subahaa’.
This is the way of the Anbiya who Allah ordered to convey the message plainly, without any doubt and confusion. So the Anbiya did not use diplomacy, sweet talk or any other way. The Prophet (ﷺ) spoke clearly and directly. The people were surprised. For a materialistic society, material is supremely important. They believe what they can see and hold, buy or sell. But talk to them about death and the Hereafter and their eyes glaze over and they look askance at the speaker as if he were mad. In their eyes to talk of something in Al Ghaib (the Unseen) is to show that you are not intelligent, modern or scientific. Materialistic societies live as if they will never die and as if there is no resurrection and reckoning. And anyone who reminds them of the reality of death and the Hereafter is not welcome and they oppose them. Same rules today, 15 centuries later.
The Prophet’s (ﷺ) life in Makkah was a series of increasing difficulties and escalating opposition. But resistance builds strength as long as you don’t succumb to it. The greater the resistance the more it will build your strength as long as you stand firm against it. As in body building, it is the lifting of weights that builds strength in your muscles. So also in Da’awa, calling people to the truth and being firm and patient against opposition builds Imaan. This was the practice that the Muslims were getting in Makkah. There are many stories of all kinds of persecution that the Prophet (ﷺ) was a victim of. Those who dared to follow him were also subjected to cruel persecution, even torture and some of them were murdered. All this was done with complete impunity by the rich and powerful chiefs of Quraysh. However all that this served to do was to make them even more firm in their belief in Allah.
The Quraysh of Makkah of which the Prophet (ﷺ) was himself a member and belonged to the pre-eminent among them – Banu Hashim – were the foremost in persecuting him. They tried every means at their disposal. They threatened him, spread propaganda against him, maligned his good name and character and even attacked him physically. When none of these things served to either intimidate him or stop him from preaching his religion of Islam, they decided to tempt him with kingship and wealth.
Ibn Abbas, radhiyallahu 'anhu, said, “The leaders of Quraysh sent someone to call the Prophet ﷺ) who came eagerly thinking that they may have changed their stance and softened. Utbah said, ‘We have called you to reconcile with you. We have never seen anyone who has brought so much evil on his people. You have reviled our ancestors, criticized our religion, cursed our gods and done everything to bring about a rift between us. If you are doing this because you need money, we will collect money and give it to you until you are the wealthiest among us. If you want power, we will elect you our king. If you want women, we will choose the 10 most beautiful women and give them to you. If you are obsessed with devils, we will spend all our money until you are cured.
The prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘What you have said does not apply to me. I have not brought this message seeking wealth or honor from you. Neither am I interested in sovereignty over you. Allah has sent me as a Messenger. He has revealed a message to me and has ordered me to give you good news and to warn you. I have brought you a message from my Rabb and have given you counsel. If you accept my message it will be good for you in this world and the next. If not I will wait for Allah’s decision when He will decide between you and me.’
They said, ‘So you are rejecting our offers. You know how narrow our land is and how poor we are and how difficult our lives are. So why don’t you tell your Rabb to move these mountains and give us some rivers like there are in Syria and Iraq. And tell him to bring back to life our forefathers (Kusai bin Kilaab) and if they tell us that you are speaking the truth, we will follow you.’ The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘This is not why I have been sent. I have only brought from Allah what I have been sent with and I have conveyed it to you. If you accept it, that is good for you on the earth and the Hereafter. If you reject it then I must wait patiently for Allah to judge between us.”
Then they said, ‘Why don’t you ask your Rabb to send an angel to testify that you are speaking the truth? And why don’t you ask him to give us some castles and gardens and gold and silver. And also why don’t you ask him to give you livelihood without working. We see that you are doing business like us. Tell your Rabb to give you wealth so that you will be prestigious among us. You are like all of us.’ He refused.
Then they said, ‘Okay ask your Rabb to bring down the punishment that you have been promising us. Tell your Rabb to bring down the sky on our heads if you are truthful. Doesn’t your Rabb know these questions that we are going to ask you? How is it he is not helping you to answer them? We know who is teaching you all these things. It is a man in Yamama called Ar-Rahman. We will not believe in him or in you.’
The Prophet (ﷺ) returned with sadness at this rejection. Aqeel bin Abi Talib, radhiyallahu 'anhu, narrated that the Quraysh complained to Abu Talib that the Prophet (ﷺ) was disrupting their meetings. Abu Talib gently requested the Prophet (ﷺ) to stop Da’awa. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘My uncle do you see the sun? I am no more capable of stopping the sun and you are no more capable of getting a flame from it than I am of stopping this message.’ Abu Talib said, ‘I believe you. Go ahead and do what you must do.’
[Part 1]This last incident was the seal which demonstrates best his complete certainty in his belief, in the message that he had been charged with and his commitment to his responsibility. Nothing could deter him or slow him down or persuade him to dilute his message. Nothing could make him be politically correct or frighten him or to force him to give up preaching or compromise the message in any way to please anyone. He was only concerned with the pleasure of His Creator and worked only to achieve that, whatever be the cost that he had to pay.
The Prophet’s (ﷺ) character was such that even his enemies had to acknowledge his truthfulness and sincerity. One of the most famous stories that illustrates this is about Abu Sufyan’s meeting with Heracles, the Byzantine Emperor. This was before Abu Sufyan became Muslim and was the leader of the opposition against the Prophet (ﷺ) and his most powerful enemy in Makkah.
In the period following the Treaty of Hudaibiya between the Quraysh of Makkah and the Prophet (ﷺ), he sent letters to the kings of neighboring countries inviting them to Islam.
The Prophet (ﷺ) said to the Sahaba, ‘I want to send some of you to foreign kings. Don’t dispute among yourselves about me as the Bani Israel disputed about Eesa son of Mary.’ They said, ‘O Allah's Messenger! We will never disagree about you over anything. Order us to go forth.’ To go to foreign kings, who for the most part were hostile, was no easy task. It was a journey fraught with danger but the spirit of the Sahaba was such that each one vied with the other for the honor of being selected as the Ambassador of the Prophet (ﷺ).
The Prophet (ﷺ) appointed Dihyah Wahi al-Kalbi, radhiyallahu 'anhu, to take his letter to the Heraclius the Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium Empire). This was the name they used to refer to themselves and the Muslims used to call them Rum. Byzantium was a word coined less than a century ago and was not used at the time of the Prophet (ﷺ). The capital of the Empire was Istanbul (Constantinople). The Roman Empire was split into the Western (with its capital in Rome) and the Eastern (with its capital in Istanbul). Heraclius was a military commander from Carthage (Tunis) who rose from the ranks to become Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire in 610 AD.
The Roman Empire was going through a very difficult time and was being pounded by the Persians and they were losing to them in battle after battle. In 613 AD Damascus fell and then in 614, Jerusalem fell and the Persians carried away the so-called ‘True Cross’. This was a wooden cross that Christians believe that Jesus was crucified on. However since Eesa was not crucified at all, it is not an authentic thing but Christians believe it is the most important relic of Christendom. Heraclius was a strong leader and a good military commander but his army was losing to the Persians. In 621 Heraclius himself led a campaign against the Persians and took over one city after another and retrieved what was taken from them including the True Cross. He eventually entered Persia itself and defeated the Persians in their own country. Allah prophesied this in Sura Rum (1-2). In 630 Heraclius marched into Jerusalem barefoot as a pious Christian pilgrim to fulfill his vow and he restored the Great Cross to its place in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. He was given a tremendous welcome, with carpets and flowers and was received with great honor. It was at this time, when he was at the height of his power and glory that he received the letter from the Prophet (ﷺ).
Heraclius listened to the Da’awa of the Prophet (ﷺ) but in the end he rejected it. Allah reversed the victories of the Romans and he lost city after city, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon and in the end, in the time of Muhammad al-Fateh, the Eastern Roman Empire ceased to exist when Constantinople fell to the Muslims.
Dihyah al-Kalbi, who was a very handsome man. When Jibreel would come to the Prophet (ﷺ) in human form, he would sometimes come in the form of Dihyah al-Kalbi. Heraclius read the letter and said, ‘Turn Ash-Shaam upside down and bring me some people from the people of this man.’ His soldiers found Abu Sufyan and his companions in Gaza and brought him to Heraclius. Heraclius ordered the men of Abu Sufyan to stand behind him and said to them, ‘If he lies, make a sign to me.’ Abu Sufyan says, ‘I have never met a man more astute and intelligent than this man. I knew my men would not betray me before him but I was a man of honor and dignity and didn’t want to lie before them. Also I feared that they would tell others and I would be known as a liar.’
Heraclius asked, ‘Who is Muhammad (ﷺ) ?’ Abu Sufyan said, ‘Huwa Saahirul Kazzab’ – He is a magician and a liar.’ Heraclius said, ‘I am not interested in hearing cursing. I want you to tell me about him.’ Heraclius: ‘What sort of family lineage does he have among you?' Abu Sufyan, ‘His ancestry is a distinguished one.’ Heraclius, ‘Were any of his forefathers kings?’ Abu Sufyan, ‘No.’ Heraclius, ‘Has anyone among you come out with a similar claim before him?’ Abu Sufyan, ‘No.’ Heraclius, ‘Do the majority of his followers belong to the aristocracy or are they poor people?’ Abu Sufyan, 'They are poor.' Heraclius, ‘Are they on the increase or decrease?' Abu Sufyan, ‘They are on the increase.’ Heraclius, ‘Does anyone of them turn away from his religion after accepting it?’ Abu Sufyan, ‘No.’ Heraclius, ‘Have you ever known him to lie before he started to make this claim?’ Abu Sufyan, ‘No.’ Heraclius, ‘Is he given to treachery?’ Abu Sufyan, ‘No. We however have an armistice agreement with him but we don’t know what he will do in this period.’ (Abu Sufyan said, ‘That was the only negative thing that I was able to sneak in.’) Heraclius, ‘Have you ever fought him?’ Abu Sufyan, ‘Yes.’ Heraclius, ‘How did the fighting go?’ Abu Sufyan, ‘Sometimes he wins and sometimes we win.’
Heraclius, ‘What sort of commandments does he give you?’ Abu Sufyan, ‘He tells us to worship Allah alone without ascribing divinity to anyone else. He tells us not to follow our fathers. He commands us to pray, to be truthful and chaste and to be kind to our fellow human beings. Then Heraclius said, 'You said he enjoys distinguished ancestry. This is the case with all Prophets and Messengers. You said nobody made such a claim among you before him. So I can’t say that he is imitating anyone. You also denied that any of his forefathers was a king, so he is not the claimant of a kingdom. You also said that he was not known to tell a lie before he came out with this message. Well, I know that he would not start by lying about Allah. You stated that the poor are his followers. This is the case with all Messengers from Allah. The fact that his followers are on the increase is always associated with true faith until it is complete. You have also mentioned that no one turns away from his religion after having embraced it. This is a characteristic of true faith when its light shines in people’s hearts. You also denied that he was treacherous and no Messenger of Allah was a treacherous person. You also told me that he calls upon you to believe in the Oneness of Allah, to pray, to be truthful and chaste. If what you have told me is true then he will have the supremacy right here where I stand. I knew his time was due but I did not think that he would belong to your people. Had it been in my power I would certainly have taken the trouble to meet him and to wash his feet.
The letter to Heraclius, delivered by Dihyah al-Kalbi:
In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the BeneficentAfter the letter was read, Abu Sufyan said, ‘When he said what he said and he finished reading the letter, the noise became loud so we were driven out. I said to my people, ‘This (Ibn Abu Kabsha) affair has gone to the point where he even scares the kings of the pale skins. Thereafter I was convinced that he would prevail and thereafter Allah drew me into Islam.’
From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
To Heraclius, the Great One of the Romans….
Peace be on those who follow the right guidance. I call you to believe in Islam. Accept Islam and you will be safe and Allah will give you double the reward. If you decline you shall bear the responsibility for the farmers (your people) disbelief.
Heraclius tried to tell his Patriarchs that they should accept Islam but they got very angry so he told them that he was only testing them in their faith. He was afraid for his kingdom. Abu Sufyan said that sweat was falling from the forehead of Heraclius when the letter was being read to him. He knew what the truth was but did not have the courage to accept it. He told someone, if I could reach Muhammad (ﷺ), I would have done so but he feared for his kingdom and did not accept Islam.
There is a great lesson in this whole matter of Heraclius where clearly it was love for his kingdom which overcame his acceptance of faith and he rejected Islam and chose his kingdom in this world. How many times do we fall into the same trap, not with respect to entering Islam but with respect to following its rules? Rules which are for our own benefit in this world and the next, but we fall into the trap of Shaytaan or bow to the pressure of our misguided friends and companions as Heraclius did and break the rules of Allah. We forget that this life is a test and the result of that test is what we will see when we meet Allah.
The second lesson we learn is that if the character of the leader is pure and he is sincere in his mission, then even his enemies will be forced to speak in his favor. This is very clearly visible in the life of the Prophet (ﷺ). Even those who try to malign him are reduced to making false allegations and slander because they can find nothing in his character which can be criticized. Their slander is clearly visible for what it is; frustrated anger that will not allow them to accept the truth.
On the other hand the vast majority in any situation which is primarily neutral watch and listen and gradually their hearts are drawn to the one who is noble and truthful. And gradually a following is created. However in the work of Islam we must never lose sight of the fact that in the end it is only the pleasure of Allah that matters; not the number of followers or the extent of popularity. This is what happened in the case of the Prophet (ﷺ) where in a period of 23 years he went from being the most hated to becoming the most beloved of people. But it took 23 years. Patience is not easy. But patience always pays.
The politician then said, "O young man, for any leader this complete certainty is the single most critical requirement on which hinges his very credibility. One can only give what one has. So if the leader wishes to transfer his own passion into the hearts of his followers, his own belief can’t be shaky. The leader will be tested in his faith and must stand firm and demonstrate his total commitment until it becomes clear to all concerned. Then he will see the tide turn and people will be won over to his side, as happened in the case of the Prophet (ﷺ) as well. People listen with their eyes. They don’t care what you say until they see what you do. When they see the leader walking his own talk then they realize that he means business and will start to consider his message seriously. Then as they see the benefits that accrue, more and more start to follow him. And Allah know best."
"Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe, You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman. And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted. And indeed, you are of a great moral character. So you will see and they will see. Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil]." - [QS.68:1-6]
References :
- Muhammad Al-Ghazali, Fiqh-us-Seerah, IIFSO
- Mirza Yawar Baig, Leadership Lesson from the Life of Rasoolullah (ﷺ), Standard Bearer Academy.
