 |
| Preacher in Makkah |
The repeated experience of the Divine Revelation had a profound effect on the Prophet (PBUH). Prior to this experience he was a quiet man, a lover of solitude, but suddenly he had become the most eloquent man of Makkah, uttering words of great wisdom, unfolding the secrets of heavens and earth and narrating historical events of earlier generations which only the Jewish scholars and Christian monks knew to some extent. The Question before his opponents was, “How could an unlettered man do that”?
They were simply surprised. However, this is a question which has bothered the non-believers even today. Going through the Holy Quran, for example, Maurice Bucaille (35) wonders, “How could he pronounce truths of scientific nature that no other human being could possibly have discovered at the SBM Page 65 ~ children ke Lectures time, and all this without making the slightest error in his pronouncement on the subject?" In favor of their forefathers' age-old custom of wa the Messenger of Allah (PBUH).
They had failed to se thecilly and thought that he had been possessed by some Spirit. Very few of them realized that he had been chosen to be the Messenger of Allah, as Moses and Jesus (Peace be u them) had been before to the commands of Allah's revelation, he began to preach openly in market places to general public and tribes in the outskirts of Makkah. Often he could be seen preaching in the streets of Makkah and in front of the Kaabah, proclaiming “O, people, say there is no God but Allah. You will find salvation.".
The response was very discouraging, sometimes quite violent, from the pagans of Makkah. They understood exactly what this simple statement meant for them. It implies negation of their home-made gods for different assignments, such as rain god, fertility god, god of war and peace, and god for health and sickness, etc. They found it hard to accept, and they were puzzled in their reaction. They had believed in hundreds of idols as intercessors or sharing power with Allah. Even the strong among them behaved like gods.
They wondered, “How could one God do all these different chores by Himself alone?” Makkah was a place of pilgrimage for the whole of Arabia. People came with bags full of money to please their deities. Besides such philosophical reasons, there were powerful material motives for not accepting the new religion. The Quraish thought of deprivation from all such gifts to idols if they believed in the unseen God of Mohammad (PBUH).
So they rejected the Prophet (PBUH) and planned to silence his voice by persecuting new Muslims and ridiculing the Messenger of Allah. May God bless him and his family and grant them peace. The article of faith to enter Islam was simple and straightforward, clear and definite. It was simply to declare wholeheartedly, “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah.”.
It begins with a negation, i.e., “There is no God," asking man to reject all the customary, preconceived, man-made philosophies and false authorities. Once the heart is clear of the spiritual and temporal bonds of slavery, only then will it be able to receive the truth of the Supreme Creator by saying, “But Allah." This is to accept the Creator of the "time and space" as one's only Lord, the Supreme Authority, and to obey His will and law. As for how to know what Allah has desired for man, the answer is provided by the second part of the article of faith, “And Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah.”
It implies that Revelation on Muhammad (PBUH) is the will and the word of Allah; obeying him is like obeying Allah directly.
Thus, the declaration "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" had an electrifying effect on the one who accepted it. It meant throwing away old customs and a complete change of heart in the light of Allah's Revelation.
The Makkans refused to admit and submit to these monotheistic ideals. They saw in them a direct clash with their age-old traditions and customs. Particularly, the priestly class, who managed idol worship in Kaabah, and local tribal churches saw in Muhammad (PBUH) and his followers a great threat to their global exploits.
Thus, they all got together to crush the budding movement of Islam. On the other hand, Muslims prayed to Allah Subhana-Hu day and night with the following ayaat of the Holy Quran to gain strength against their brutalities.
In the name of Allah, The Rahman, The Merciful: All Praise be to Allah, Rabb of all the worlds, Most Beneficent, Ever-Merciful, King of the Day of Judgement.
You alone we worship, and to You alone we turn for help.
Guide us (O Lord) to the path that is straight, the path of those You have blessed, not of those who have earned Your anger, nor of those who have gone astray.
0 Comments