Taqiya

Suyooti in Tafseer Durr Manthoor, through Ibn Jurair, Ibn Abi Hatim, Ibn Mardawiya, Hakim, Baheeqi and others:

Muhammad ibn Ammar narrates that some idol worshippers caught Ammar ibn Yasir and tortured and forced him to condemn the Rasool and praise their idols. Ammar later came to Rasool and related everything. The Messenger of Allah asked: “Tell me, how do you find your heart?” Ammar replied: “I find my heart content with complete faith in you.” The Rasool then replied that if that is the condition of your heart, then if the idol worshippers force you to say similar words as they did now, then go ahead and say them.

The Year of Grief

Ibn al-Wardi’s History:

In the tenth year of Nubuwwah, Abu Talib passed away, and a few days after that Lady Khadijah left this world. After their passing away, the Quresh increased their persecution of the Rasool. Foremost among the persecutors were Abu Lahab, Hakam bin ‘Aas and ‘Aqba’ bin Abi Mu’eet.

Ascension (Me’raj)

Mulla Ali Qari in Sharhe Fiqhe Akber:

Rasool’s ascension to the heavens was bodily. This hadith is proven through various narrations, so if any one denies bodily me’raj of the Rasool, he has gone astray.

Qadhi “Ayadh in Shifa and Suyooti in Durr Manthoor:

Rasool said that at the time of asension, I saw written on the ‘Arsh: La ilaha illallah, Muhammad ur-Rasoolallah, ayyad-tuhu bi Ali (There is no God except Allah, Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger, Allah has aided His Rasool through Ali).

 

Hamza ibne Abdul Muttalib

Tareekh of Ibn al-Wardi:

One day, when the Rasool was sitting on Mount Safa, Abu Jahl passed that way and used extremely insulting words for the Rasool. The Rasool remained silent. At that time, Rasool’s uncle, Hamza, had gone on a hunt. After he returned from the hunt, he came to know of Abu Jahl’s words to his nephew. He went towards Ka’ba. At that time he had a bow in his hands. When he saw Abu Jahl, he hit him such a blow with the bow that Abu Jahl’s head bled. Then Hamza addressed Abu Jahl, saying: You insult Muhammad! Don’t you know that I follow his religion? Hamza then came to the Rasool, recited the Kalema: There is no God except Allah, and professed Islam.

 

Miracle of Splitting the Moon (Shaqqul Qamar)

Qadhi ‘Ayadh in Kitab Shifa:

Anas narrates that people of Mecca demanded a miracle from the Rasool. Rasool pointed to the moon and the moon split completely in two, such that mount of Hira could be seen between the two pieces.

Shehab Khafaji in Naseem ur-Riyadh further report that the people who demanded this miracle were Waleed bin Mughaira, Abu Jahl, ‘Aas bin Wael, ‘Aas bin Hisham, Aswad bin Abd Yaghooth and Aswad bin Abdul Muttalib.

 

Abu Talib’s Protection of the Rasool

Tareekh of Abul Fida:

One day some men from Quresh, including ‘Atba, Shaiba, Abu Sufyan, Abu Jahl, Waleed ibn Mughaira, and ‘Aas bin Wael, came to Abu Talib and said: Your nephew calls our beliefs false and says that our ancestors were misled. Either stop him from saying all this or stop aiding him, else there will be a war until one of our groups is destroyed. Abu Talib went into the house and related to Muhammad all that the Quresh had said. Rasoolallah replied: My uncle, if these people put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, I will not stop doing what is right. Abu Talib said: Do what you have to do. I will never abandon your support.

 

Abu Talib recited some couplets:

O Muhammad, you called me to Islam and I knew that you were truthful

Certainly I believed that the religion of Muhammad is the best of religions

By God, as long as I am alive, none from Quresh can harm you.

 

These lines of poetry clearly indicate that Abu Talib believed in Muhammad’s message from the bottom of his heart.

Zul-‘Asheera

Baheeqi in Dalael un-Nubuwwah; Tafsir Khazin Baghdadi; Suyooti in Jam’ul Jawame’; Alauddin Ali in Kanzul-Ummal; Ibn Jurair Tabari in Tareekhur-Rusul wal Mulook; Tareekh of Kamil ibn Atheer; Tareekh of Abul Fida, etc. all narrate from Ali ibne Abi Talib:

When the Ayat, “wa unzur ‘asheeratakal aqrabeen…” was revealed, Rasoolallah called me and said that Allah had ordered him to invite his relatives towards Islam. He ordered me to get a measure of rice, a leg of goat and a big jug of milk and to gather the tribe of Abdul Muttalib together. I followed Rasool’s orders and about 40 men gathered, including Abu Talib, Hamza, Abbas and Abu Lahab. Rasool served the food, which was enough for one man but all the 40 men ate to their fill. Then Rasool tried to address them but Abu Lahab said that his nephew (i.e. Rasoolallah) had performed magic. Then everyone scattered and Rasool did not get a chance to speak. At the order of Rasool, I gathered the tribe of Abdul Muttalib once again the next day. I complied, and after food, Rasool addressed the gathering and said: O Bani Abdul Muttalib, I have brought to you the good of this world and the hereafter. Allah has appointed me to call you to Him, so who will be my assistant in this affair and be my brother, my vicegerent and successor? No one answered but in spite of my meagre years, I said: O Messenger of Allah, I am here to assist you in this task. Rasool put his hand affectionately on my neck and (addressing the others) said: Among you, he is my brother, my vicegerent and my successor. Hearing this, everyone got up laughing and said to Abu Talib: Here, you have been ordered to obey Ali.

Invitation to Islam

Abul Fida:

Rasool invited people to Islam secretly for 3 years. Then Allah commanded him to invite people to Islam openly.

The First Muslims (continued)

Nisaai in Kitab al-Khasaes:

Afeef narrates that in the times of jahiliya, I once visited Macca. It was the time of sunset. I was sitting with Abbas ibne Abdul Muttalib, talking to him and looking at Ka’ba when I saw a young man come there, look at the sky and stand facing the Ka’ba. In a little while a young lad came and stood to right of the young man. Then a lady came and stood behind them. The young man bent down in ruk’oo and the boy and the lady followed suit. When the young man got up, so did they and when he prostrated, they prostrated as well. I said to Abbas that this was a great event and he said: That is so. Do you know this young man, the boy and the lady? I said, no. Abbas said: The young man is my nephew Muhammad ibne Abdullah, the young boy is also my nephew, Ali ibn Abi Talib and the woman is Khadija bint Khwailad, the wife of the young man. The young man states that his God is the same God that has created the heaven and the earth and He has commanded him to this Deen that he is following. O Afeef, by God there is no one following this Deen today except these three.

The same book narrates that Ali ibne Abi Talib said: I have worshipped Allah 9 years before all of the followers of Muhammad.

—

Tafseer Durr Manthur of Suyooti; Fat-hal Qadeer of Shokani; Tafseer of Ibne Mardawiya:

All the above books, in exegesis of verse #10 of Surat al-Waqi’a, narrate from ibne Abbas that “Sabiqoon” refers to 3 people: (1) Hizqeel, momin-e aal-e Fir’oun; (2) Habib-un-Najjar, momin-e aal-e Yaseen; and (3) Ali ibn Abi Talib.

Bukhari in Tareekh Sagheer (narrating from ibne Abbas); and Siddeeq Hasan Khan in Tafseer Fat-hal Bayan (narrating from ibne Abi Laila):

Three persons are Siddeeq: Momin-e aal-e Fir’oun, momin-e aal-e Yasin and Ali ibne Abi Talib.

Declaration of Risalat and the First Muslims

Abul Fida:

When Rasool was 40, he received Allah’s command to declare his Risalat (Be’that). His wife, Lady Khadija was the first person to accept Islam. According to an authentic hadith of Rasool, there are many men who are perfect in Eeman but there are only 4 women who are perfect, and the four are: (1) Aasia, wife of Fir’oun; (2) Mariam bint Imran; (3) Khadija bint Khwailad; and (4) Fatima bint Muhammad.

The following books, among many others, state that Ali ibn Abi Talib was the first among men to accept Islam: Seerah of Ibn Hisham; Kitab al-isaba of Ibn Hajar; Isti’yab of Ibn Abdul Bar Maliki.