Ali was the son of Abu Talib, a prominent Quraish chief and custodian of the Holy Kaaba. Abu Talib was so called because he was the father of "Talib", the eldest brother of Ali. The real name of Abu Talib was Abd Manaf. He was however more popularly known by his surname than by his real name. Abu Talib was the son of Abdul Muttalib. Abdul Muttalib was also a surname, his real name being Shaybah. Abdul Muttalib was the son of Hashim. Hashim was a great man of the line, and his descendants came to be known as Hashimites.
The mother of Ali was Fatima. She was the daughter of Asad who was a son of Hashim. Fatima was a cousin of Abu Talib. Thus both the father and mother of Ali were Hashimites, and that was a great honor.
Ancestry of Ali and the Holy Prophet
The Holy Prophet was the son to Abdullah who was the son of Abdul Muttalib. Abdullah and Abu Talib were real brothers. Abu Talib was thus the real paternal uncle of the Holy Prophet of Islam. Ali was the first cousin of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet and Ali had a common grandfather Abdul Muttalib.
Abdul Muttalib was the son of Hashim who was the son of Abd Manaf who was the son of Qussay who was the son of Murrah, who was the son of Kaab, who was the son of Luayy, who was the son of Ghalib, who was the son of Fihr, who was the son of Malik who was the son of Nadr, who was the son of Kananah. Beyond Kananah the ancestry extended to Ismail, and Ibrahim, who flourished some 2500 years earlier.
Date of birth
The exact date of the birth of Ali is not known with any degree of certainty. According to traditions, Ali was born on the thirteenth of "Rajab" in the 28th year of the Elephant Era. The Elephant Era according to the annals of Arabia commenced when Abraha the Christian Viceroy of Yemen invaded Makkah with the intention of destroying the Kaaba, and shifting the center of pilgrimage to Yemen. The invasion failed and the Christian army had to beat a retreat without achieving its object. That marked the retreat of Christianity from the heartland of Arabia and paved the way for the rise of Islam. The Holy Prophet of Islam was born in the Year of the Elephant. According to scholars the Year of the Elephant corresponds to the year 571 of the Christian era. On this basis, the year of the birth of Ali would have to be placed around 599 or 600 C.E. Anyhow Ali was at the junction of the two centuries, the sixth and the seventh.
Birth of Ali
Ali was born under unusual circumstances. On the thirteenth of the holy month of "Rajab", Fatima, the mother of Ali, visited the Kaaba for performing the pilgrimage. During the course of the pilgrimage while circumambulating the Kaaba, Fatima felt the pangs of childbirth. She retired to a secluded place in the precincts of the Holy Kaaba, and there Ali was born. Ali had thus the unique honor of being born in the House of God. This unparalleled honor has endowed Ali with a halo of sanctity, which has become the subject of many legends. A hundred years later, Zain-ul-Abidin a grandson of Ali (son of Husain) met as Arab woman at Najaf who told him that her grandmother had helped on the occasion of the birth of Ali. She narrated that according to the account of her grandmother, the child was beautiful, a smile played on his lips, it did not cry like other children, and its birth did not cause any pain to his mother.
The Name
Fatima wanted to name the child "Asad" after the name of her father. Abu Talib wanted to name him Zaid. When the mother and the child came home, the Holy Prophet, and Khadija came to see the newborn child. Since his birth, the child had not opened his eyes, and that worried Fatima and Abu Talib. As the Holy Prophet took the child in his lap he opened his eyes. The first person that Ali saw after his birth was the Holy Prophet. When the Holy Prophet was asked whether he approved of the child being named as Asad or Zaid, he said that as the child was born in the House of God, he should be named Ali, the word Ali being a derivative of Allah. Ali had thus the distinction of being named after Allah. No person before him had ever been so named. The name acquired further sanctity as it was proposed by the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet and Ali
The Holy Prophet was a posthumous child, and he was born after the death of his father Abdullah. He lost his mother Aamina when he was hardly six years old. Thereafter he became a ward of his grandfather Abdul Muttalib. He lost his grandfather when he nine years old. The Holy Prophet next lived with his Uncle Abu Talib who a real brother of his father. In the house of Abu Talib, the Holy prophet was well cared for. Abu Talib loved the Holy Prophet more than his own sons. Fatima the wife of Abu Talib gave the Holy Prophet the love of mother. The Holy Prophet accompanied Abu Talib on his trade journeys. It was under the loving care of Abu Talib and Fatima that the Holy Prophet grew into manhood. At the age of twenty-five, some time around 596 C.E., the Holy Prophet married a rich lady Khadija and shifted to her house. There was not much distance between the two houses and the two families visited each other frequently. The Holy Prophet cold never forget the love that Abu Talib and Fatima had born for him. Even after his marriage, the Holy Prophet regarded himself as a member of the family of Abu Talib. In this context, it is probable that the Holy Prophet and Khadija would have rejoiced at the birth of Ali and would have some function to celebrate the occasion.
Life in the desert
No detailed account of the early years of the childhood of Ali is available, and where the source books are silent the story has been reconstructed on the basis of the laws of plausibility and probability. It was a custom of the Quraish of Makkah that they entrusted their new born sons to the care of foster parents belonging to the tribes of the desert, and it was in the open air of the desert that the young sons of the Quraish were bred during the first few years of their childhood. We know that the Holy Prophet spent the first five years of his childhood with his foster parents in the desert. We do not know who the foster parents of Ali were. Ali had a strong constitution, and after the Holy Prophet, he was the most eloquent person among the Quraish. This provides evidence to the effect that like the Holy Prophet, Ali spent the first few years of his childhood in the desert. It appears that the necessary arrangements in this behalf were made by the Holy Prophet, and he paid for the maintenance of Ali in the desert.
Induction of Ali as a member of the family of the Holy Prophet
As the Holy Prophet had arranged for the stay of Ali in the desert, it appears that on return from the desert, the young Ali was brought to the house of the Holy Prophet, and he arranged some function to mark the occasion which was attended by Abu Talib and his family, and other close relatives. The Holy Prophet had looked after the young Ali since his birth and he developed a great liking for him. It was against this background that the Holy Prophet requested Abu Talib that Ali be entrusted to his care, and be allowed to live with him as a member of his family. Abu Talib agreed as he felt that the Holy Prophet would look after Ali in a much better way than he could.
Most of the writers have expressed the view that the Holy Prophet took over the responsibility for the maintenance of Ali to provide financial relief to Abu Talib whose financial position had grown weak. It is difficult to accept this view. Abu Talib was a Quraish chief and he enjoyed reputation as such and commanded great influence. Like the other Quraish he undertook trading activities. There is no evidence to the effect that he was involved in any financial difficulty. Abu Talib had really any financial difficulty, the Holy Prophet who was in affluent circumstances could have supplemented the financial resources of Abu Talib by providing financial assistance as a son would help a father in old age. The truth of the matter is that Ali was entrusted to the Holy Prophet, not because of any financial considerations, but because the Holy Prophet had developed a liking for the child, and wanted to have him by his side. In entrusting Ali to the care of the Holy Prophet, Abu Talib did not part from Ali. Ali visited the house of his parents every day, and he was as much a member of the house of Abu Talib as that of the Holy Prophet. Indeed the house of the Holy Prophet was an extension of the house of Abu Talib, and the young Ali lived with the Holy Prophet as a younger brother would live with an elder brother without any break with the paternal house.
The Umayyads versus the Hashimites
It appears that most of the accounts of the period were written when the Umayyads had wrested power from the Hashimites. Because of the rivalry between the Umayyads and the Hashimites, most of the writers during the Umayyad period tried to create the impression that the Hashimites were not good managers, and that the financial position of Abu Talib had deteriorated because of his inefficiency. This view is uncharitable. The Muslims are under great obligation to Abu Talib for his guardianship of the Holy Prophet and for his support of Islam, and such views which cast an indirect aspersion on Abu Talib have to be rejected because of the bias of the writers.
Biographical study
Ali became the ward of the Holy Prophet at the age of five. No account is available from the source books about the life of Ali during this period. As Ali came to be attached to the Holy Prophet during this period, we can derive help from the life of the Holy Prophet in order to undertake a biographical study of Ali. There are three turning points in the life of the Holy Prophet. The first turning point was his marriage with Khadija in 596 C E. when he was twenty-five years old. The second turning point was the call to prophethood in 611 C.E. when he was forty years old. The third turning point was the migration to Yathrib in 622 C E. when he was fifty-one years old. The life of the Holy Prophet is thus divisible into four periods. The first period of 25 years extends from 571 to 596 C. E the second period of 15 years extends from 596 to 611 C.E. The third period of 11 years extends from 611 to 622 C.E. The fourth and the last period covering ten years extends from 622 to 632 C.E. We have sufficient details about the third and fourth periods. A few details are available about the first period, but there are practically no details in any source book pertaining to the period from 596 to 611. These were the formative years preliminary to the call to prophethood, and in order to get a complete picture of the life of the Holy Prophet we will have to reconstruct the life story of the Holy Prophet during this period on the basis of further research. The law of plausibility and probability will also have to be pressed into service to set the narrative in proper perspective. As Ali became the ward of the Holy Prophet, during this period we cannot reproduce an account of the life of Ali during this period from any source book. We will have to undertake an exercise in the reconstruction of the biography of Ali during this period.
The house of the Holy Prophet
When Ali came to live with the Holy Prophet that was some time in the year 604 C.E. By this time eight years had passed since the marriage of the Holy Prophet and Khadija. At the time the Holy Prophet was thirty-three years and Khadija was forty-eight years old. During these eight years, Khadija had given birth to seven children. Out of these three were sons and four were daughters. All the three boys died during infancy. The girls survived. These were Zainab, Ruqayya, Umm Kulthum and Fatima. There were no more births thereafter. All the source books that have come down to us are silent as to the activities of the Holy Prophet during this period. We know that Khadija was a rich lady and when the record is silent about any business activity of the Holy Prophet that tends to create the impression that the Holy Prophet depended on the wealth of his wife. The Holy Prophet being the greatest of all men of all times, and a personification of perfection in all spheres of human activity could not be supposed as living on the wealth of anybody else, howsoever close. Years later in a verse of the Holy Quran, Allah said, "Were thee not poor, and did We not enrich thee?" A person who depends on the wealth of another person cannot be regarded as a rich man. The test of richness is that such richness should be on his own account and because of his own efforts. We know that the Holy Prophet was a skilful Manager, and a man endowed with such qualities could not be expected to sit idle. We know that the Holy Prophet was known as "Amin". This means that he was a banker, and a person who practiced banking must necessarily be a rich man. The Holy Prophet undertook some trade journeys before his marriage, and such journeys proved to be profitable from the business point of view. There appears to be no ground to believe that the Holy Prophet stopped all business activity after marriage. On the other hand, the plausibility is that he undertook such activities on a still bigger scale. It appears that during this period, the Holy Prophet headed a trade organization whereof his wife and some other friends were partners. We can thus conclude that when Ali came to live with the Holy Prophet, he found in the house of the Holy Prophet, all the comforts that are found in the house of a rich man.
Education of Ali
As the Holy Prophet was rich, it is certain that on taking over the responsibility for the maintenance of Ali, the Holy Prophet made the best possible arrangement for his education. Later in life, Ali came to enjoy reputation for being the most learned man of his age in Arabia. This points to the fact that the Holy Prophet took particular care in educating Ali, Ali was a precocious child, at an early age he came to master knowledge which others could hardly understand.
Trade journeys
Though there is no record to show that the Holy Prophet undertook any trade journeys during this period, there are strong plausible grounds to hold that the Holy Prophet was very active in business enterprises, and that he undertook at least one or two journeys every year. These journeys were generally undertaken to Yemen and Syria. There are indications that the Holy Prophet undertook some sea voyages as well and visited Egypt and Abyssinia. We know that when the Holy Prophet was a child, he accompanied his uncle Abu Talib on trade journeys. Against this background, we would not be far from the truth to hold that the young Ali often accompanied the Holy Prophet on such trade journeys. These journeys were highly educative and contributed a good deal to the broadening of the outlook of Ali.
Ali and the Kaaba
Ali knew that he was born in the Kaaba. He had, therefore, a fond attachment for the Kaaba. Some time in 605 C.E. the Quraish reconstructed the Kaaba. A dispute arose about the placing of the Holy Stone as each section of the Quraish wanted to have this honor for itself. It was ultimately decided that on the appointed day whosoever was the first to enter the Kaaba should decide as to how the dispute was to be resolved. On the appointed day the Holy Prophet was the first to enter the Kaaba. He decided that the Holy Stone should be placed in a mantle, and this mantle should be upheld by a representative of each section of the Quraish. The stone was carried in this way to the place where it was to be fixed in the wall. There the Holy Prophet lifted the stone from the mantle and fixed it at the appropriate place in the wall. Young Ali was present in the Kaaba on this occasion and he watched the proceedings with great interest. Ali felt a sense of pride at the association of his family with the Kaaba. He himself was born in the Kaaba, and his guardian had presided at the ceremony of laying down the Holy Stone. The Kaaba was verily the House of God, but he wondered why it was studded with over three hundred and sixty idols made of stone. The people worshipped these idols and slaughtered animals at their altar. He young Ali wondered why these deaf and dumb idols were worshipped and propitiated when they were not capable of conferring any benefit or inflicting any wrong on the people.
Ali and the Holy Prophet
At this impressionable period of his life, the young Ali was most impressed with the personality and character of the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet was the paragon of virtues, and the personification of human perfection. The Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr, and some other friends often met at the house of the Holy Prophet. The young Ali listened attentively to such talks. From these talks the young Ali gathered that the Holy Prophet was in quest of a new order of things. Ali resolved in his young mind that in any adventure in the discovery of a new order of things, he would stand by the side of Muhammad (peace be on him). He came to know from Abu Talib how a Christian monk in Syria had prophesied many years ago that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was destined to be a prophet of God. He heard from Khadija that her dream signified that great destiny awaited Muhammad (peace be upon him),and that he was to be a great leader of men and the savior of humanity. The young Ali anxiously longed to see that day when such dreams would be realized. He moved by a strong determination that as and when Muhammad (peace be upon him) was lifted to the status of prophethood he, as the ward of the Holy Prophet, Ali regarded the Holy Prophet not merely as a brother or a guardian, but as his guide and preceptor. Availing of the company of the Holy Prophet, the young Ali took pains to acquire most of the attributes, which were the distinguishing features of the character of the Holy Prophet. It was a result of this training received because of close association with the Holy Prophet that Ali in due course grew to be the alter ego of the Holy Prophet.
Turning point in history
The year 611 C.E. was a turning point in the life of Muhammad (peace be upon him) for it was in this year that he was commissioned as a prophet of God to communicate the message of Islam to mankind. It was a turning point in the life of Ali for in this year he was converted to Islam. This was a turning point in the history of Islam. In fact it was a turning point in the history of mankind. It marked the end of the age of ignorance, and the dawn of a new era of enlightenment.
The call to Prophethood
Just as the clouds appear before the rain, thus Muhammad (peace be upon him) had some indications before hand of the things to come. He had frequent dreams, in some dreams he saw himself flying to the heavens in the great void of space. In some dreams he saw the stars bow to him. In some dreams he heard the trees, the rocks and the ether inanimate objects calling to him. In some dreams he saw himself standing at the summit of a mountain, and calling to the people assembled below in the valley. These dreams foretelling of some great things to come motivated Muhammad (peace be on him) to contemplate and meditate. To seek enlightenment through contemplation and meditation, Muhammad (peace be on him) sought the solitude of a cave in Mount Hira, some distance away from the city of Makkah. Muhammad (peace be on him) spent long hours in the cave absorbed in thought and meditation. When the stay in the cave extended to a long time Ali brought food for Muhammad in the cave. Ali kept watch on the cave and patrolled the neighborhood. One day in the year 611, the angel Gabriel appeared in the cave, and gave Muhammad (peace be on him) the tidings that God had commissioned him as a prophet and charged him to communicate the message of God to the people. The visitation of the angel, an unusual occurrence was a novel experience which upset Muhammad (peace be on him) and made him highly nervous.
Converts to Islam
When the Holy Prophet returned home he was highly agitated and most nervous. He told of the occurrence in the cave to his wife Khadija. She consulted her cousin Waraqa b Naufal who was versed in religious lore. Waraqa said that the angel who had appeared before Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the same angel who had appeared before Abraham, Moses and other prophets. Waraqa added that the visiting of the angel was a great event, and she should rejoice that her husband had been chosen by the Almighty God as His Messenger. When Khadija told Muhammad (peace be on him) what Waraqa had said, Muhammad (peace be on him) said that the burden of prophethood would be too heavy for him to bear, and he did not know who would accept conversion to the new faith at his hand. Khadija consoled him and said that the Almighty who had chosen him as His Messenger would Himself guide him in fulfilling His mission of prophethood. Khadija offered herself as the first person to owe allegiance to Muhammad (peace be on him) as the prophet of God. When Ali came to know of the conversion of Khadija he hastened to offer his allegiance to the Holy Prophet. Ali was the first among the youth to be converted to Islam. In some books it is written that when Muhammad (peace be upon him) invited Ali to the new faith, he showed some hesitation and said that he would consult Abu Talib in the first instance. This version of what happened is far from the truth. There was no hesitation on the part of Ali in accepting the truth. Ali had indeed been longing for the day when the call from the Almighty would come and when the call came he was so much overwhelmed with joy that there could be no question of any hesitation. The acceptance of the new faith on the part of Ali was spontaneous and without any hesitation, for Ali had the firm conviction that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the true prophet of God.
Early years of Islam
During the first three years, Islam remained a private affair and no attempt was made to proclaim Islam publicly. The message of Islam was during this period conveyed privately to his friends by the Holy Prophet. Among the persons outside the family of the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr was the first to be converted to Islam. Abu Bakr in turn brought some of his friends to the fold of Islam. Those who accepted Islam persuaded their friends to accept Islam. In this way the chain came to be extended, and the progress of Islam though not spectacular was quite satisfactory. The early Muslims prayed in secluded glens, or other solitary places. On one occasion Abu Talib happened to see the Muslims praying behind the Holy Prophet in a glen out side Makkah. Ali was one of the congregation. Abu Talib asked Ali as to whom they were praying, and what was the religion they had adopted. Ali told his father that they were praying to Allah, the Lord of the world and the universe. There was no god but Allah and Muhammad (peace be upon him) was His prophet. Abu Talib pondered for a while and said, "If Muhammad has become the prophet, hold fast to him for he cannot but be right. I know that his elevation to prophethood was expected many years ago". When the Holy Prophet and Ali visited the house of Abu Talib, they had a more detailed discussion about the new faith. Abu Talib was sympathetic, but as he was one of the tribal chiefs he could not abandon the faith of his forefathers. He warned the Holy Prophet that he would have to face the opposition of the Quraish. He promised that though he would not accept the new faith, he would stand by him through thin and thick, and he would enjoy his full support. Fatima the wife of Abu Talib was more sympathetic. She said that she had mothered Muhammad, and Muhammad (peace be on him) was not the man to make a false claim. She observed that it was yet too early for her to make a decision whether she was going to accept Islam or not. Jafar, a brother of Ali put a few questions to the Holy Prophet, who answered them satisfactorily. Jafar wanted some more time to consider over the matter.
Invitation to Banu Hashim
After three years of the call to prophethood, the Holy Prophet received the command of God that he should publicly proclaim the message of Islam, and that he could make a beginning with his relatives, belonging to the house of Banu Hashim. The Holy Prophet invited the Hashimites, about forty men, to a feast. After the feast the Holy Prophet gave an account as to how he had been visited by the angel Gabriel who had conveyed to him the orders of Allah commissioning him as His prophet. He said that there was no god but Allah, and that he was His Messenger commissioned to call the people to the faith. He added that the members of the house of Hashim should feel proud that this honor had come to one of them. Waxing eloquent the Holy Prophet said that in the task of promoting the new faith he needed their support. He posed the question, "Who out of you would support me in this task? A silence fell on the guests and no one uttered a word. Young Ali thereupon rose to say, "Holy Prophet, I will be your support"? The Holy Prophet looked approvingly at young Ali, and thanked him for his support. The Holy Prophet posed the same question for the second and third time but, no one out of the guests promised any support. Each time the young Ali rose to offer his support in unequivocal terms. Abu Talib had already assured the Holy Prophet of his protection and he did not consider it advisable to make a public declaration of his support or protection at that stage. He, however, felt happy at the courage shown by the young Ali. He felt that there was something extraordinary in the new faith, which had motivated young Ali to the demonstration of such courage in public. Abu Lahab a step uncle of the Holy Prophet took a hostile attitude. He ridiculed the new faith, and felt sorry that his nephew had lost his sense, and was suffering from some hallucination. He wanted the guests to disperse. The Holy Prophet felt very unhappy at his failure to win the support of the Banu Hashim. Though disappointed the Holy Prophet was not daunted. He knew that the course of the Truth could not be anything but rough and that in order to fulfil his mission he should prepare himself to face difficulties. After his disappointment with the Banu Hashim the Holy Prophet decided to make a public declaration of his faith. One day he mounted the hillock, Mt Safa, and called the people to come and listen to him. Ali was by the side of the Holy Prophet. In response to the call a large crowd gathered at the foot of the hill to listen to the Holy Prophet. Addressing the people, the Holy Prophet said: "O people, if I tell you that on the other side of this hill there were the forces of an enemy coming to attack you, would you believe me"? They said, "Yes, we would believe in you, for you are known to be truthful. " Thereupon the Holy Prophet said, "if I tell you that there is no god but Allah, and I am His prophet, would you believe me. " The people made no reply and the crowd dispersed. The people steeped deep in ignorance were not yet in the mood to know the Truth. As the Holy Prophet and Ali came down from the hill they felt that they would have to carry a great struggle in the cause of their mission before any results could be achieved.
The crisis
The public proclamation of Islam by the Holy Prophet led to a great crisis. The people were not prepared to accept any change in their age-long beliefs, and the Holy Prophet was not inclined to relax or spare any effort in the fulfillment of the great mission that had been entrusted to him by God. Thus began a battle between truth and falsehood. It was an extraordinary battle in the annals of mankind. In this battle waged under the command of the Holy Prophet, Ali was the right hand man of the Holy Prophet and was always in the forefront of the struggle. As in the subsequent battles fought between the Muslims and the pagans in the conventional style, Ali proved to be a warrior of extraordinary valor whose sword put hundreds of the unbelievers to death. It appears that at this stage during the second decade of seventh century when the stage was set for a conflict between truth and falsehood, Ali received some sort of military training which stood him in great stead in the following years of his life, marked by open warfare between the Muslims and the pagans.
The Muslim Community
In spite of the fact that at the feast held by the Holy Prophet in the honor of the men belonging to the house of Banu Hashim. No one had responded to his call, some members of the family were attracted to the new faith. These included Jafar, his wife Asma, and Hamza Jafar was a brother of Ali, and Hamza was an uncle of the Holy Prophet and Ali. It appears that Ali played an important part in the conversion of Jafar and his wife who were particularly attached to Ali. When the Holy Prophet gave the call at Mt. Safa, and invited the people to the new faith, they had refused to listen to him. In spite of that, some persons were attracted by the new faith, and they offered allegiance to the Holy Prophet regardless of what the other people said. By 615 C.E. in spite of untoward circumstances and unfavorable conditions about one hundred persons, men and women had joined the fold of Islam and the Muslim community had come to acquire particular identity of their own.
The Quraish in action
The growing strength of the Muslim community stirred the Quraish to action. They launched a vilification campaign against the Holy Prophet, Islam and the Muslims. In uncouth verses the Quraish poets ridiculed the Holy Prophet and his faith. Ali was a poet and it appears that he composed some verses highlighting the truth about Islam. The Quraish made a crude and undignified attempt towards the character assassination of the Holy Prophet. Some said that he had gone mad and had lost his senses. Some said that he was the victim of some hallucination. There were others who said that he was a wizard or a "Kahin." Some said that he was the victim of some "Jinn". When all attempts of vilification and character assassination failed, the Quraish made preposterous demands as a proof for the veracity of the Holy Prophet. They said that if the angel appeared to him, he should show them the angel. They said that if he was the beloved of God he should ask God to turn the rocks of Makkah into gold. They wanted that he should show them some miracle. He should get the desert of Arabia converted into an oasis. Some said that if he was a prophet, and knew of things not known to others, he should show them the spots where treasure was buried under the earth. The Holy Prophet maintained that the Holy Quran was his miracle, and he challenged the unbelievers to produce anything like that. When all the tactics of the Quraish proved abortive, they resorted to physical force. They persecuted the Muslims and subjected them to great hardships. When the persecutions of the Quraish became unbearable the Holy Prophet ordered his followers to migrate to Abyssinia. About eighty Muslims including women migrated to Abyssinia. About two dozen Muslims, including Abu Bakr and Ali, were left in Makkah, and this included the Holy Prophet and the members of his family. Thus to all intents and purposes, the Muslims evacuated Makkah.
Migration to Abyssinia
The source books that have come down to us do not throw sufficient light on the wisdom of migration to Abyssinia. It was the year 615 C.E. and by this time Ali had come of age. Ali was an embodiment of courage and bravery. When the Quraish subjected the poorer sections of the Muslims to hardship, Ali asked the permission of the Holy Prophet to retaliate, and fight against the Quraish who used force against the Muslims. There were some other young men among the Muslims who were of the same view as Ali, and who were prepared to fight against the Quraish, and die for the defense of Islam. The Holy Prophet felt that with such a meager number of Muslims, any headlong-armed conflict between the Muslims and the Quraish was likely to be against their interests. The migration to Abyssinia was undertaken not because of the fear of the Quraish, it was undertaken to restraining the Muslims from open war with the Quraish. The Holy Prophet also felt that if the Muslims established a settlement outside Arabia that would help in the promotion of Islam in other parts of the world. A Muslim settlement along the borders of Arabia was likely to be a source of strength to the Muslims in Arabia. The Muslims who migrated to Abyssinia were likely to have better opportunities for economic betterment and that would work to the advantage of the Muslim community as a whole. That would also help the Muslims in Arabia strengthen their trade relations with Abyssinia. The Quraish were alive to these advantages that were likely to accrue to them as a trestle of the migration of a batch of the Muslims to Abyssinia. Accordingly the Quraish sent a delegation to Abyssinia to prevail on the Negus of Abyssinia to expel the Muslims from his country. The Negus invited the Muslims to his court and asked them to explain what was the faith they had adopted. Jafar, the brother of Ali, acting as the spokesman of the Muslims presented such a splendid picture of Islam that the Negus was much impressed, and he refused to oblige the Quraish.
The discomfiture of the Quraish mission to Abyssinia gave a great setback to the cause of the Quraish. They had failed to convince the Negus of the genuineness of their cause. On the other hand, the Muslims had succeeded in impressing the Negus and he had agreed to patronize them. Thus in the first round of the battle between the truth and falsehood, falsehood suffered defeat while the truth scored a victory. Although we are not very definite as to what role Ali played in the battle, but there are strong grounds to believe that he played an important part in winning the battle.
The miracles of the Holy Quran
Exasperated at the failure of their mission in Abyssinia, the Quraish stepped up their opposition to the Holy Prophet and his mission. The Holy Quran served as shield for the Muslims, and in order to break up this line of defense of the Muslims, the Quraish launched an attack against the Holy Quran. They levied the charge that the Holy Quran was not a revealed book, it owed its authorship to a Christian Jabir. Allah Himself refuted the charge by pointing out that Jabir was not Arab, and he was not proficient in the Arabic language. A challenge was given to the Quraish that if they maintained that the Quran was a work of human authorship, they should produce something like that. The Quraish were unable to accept the challenge and thus, attack on the Quran failed.
In the meantime, the Holy Quran showed its miraculous aspect in many ways, and came to the help of the Muslims when things had become difficult for them. One day, Umar a fiery youth among the Quraish and an inveterate enemy of the Muslims girded his sword and came out of his house with the intention of putting an end to the life of the Holy Prophet. In the way he met a friend who advised him to take care of his sister and her husband first who had become Muslims. At the house of his sister, Umar heard some verses of the Holy Quran, which moved him to such an extent that he hastened to the house of the Holy Prophet not with a view to killing him, but to owe him allegiance. The conversion of Umar to Islam proved to be a matter of great asset to the Muslims and a setback for the Quraish.
Al Tufail b Amr of the Daus tribe having heard of the Holy Prophet came to him at Makkah. Al Tufail was an eminent Arabic poet. The Quraish met Al Tufail, and put pressure on him not to see Muhammad (peace be on him) as he was a wizard and a sorcerer. Al Tufail said that he was a poet and after hearing the verses of the Holy Quran he would be in the position to judge how far the Quran was genuine or otherwise. He saw the Holy Prophet, heard some verses of the Holy Quran and was so much impressed that he lost no time in conversion to Islam.
A delegation of a dozen Christians from the interior of Arabia, having heard of the advent of the Holy Prophet, came to Makkah with a view to seeing the Holy Prophet. The Quraish tried to prevail upon them not to see the Holy Prophet as according to their assessment he was an imposter. The Christians said that they would be able to judge this issue for themselves after they had seen the Holy Prophet. They saw the Holy Prophet, heard the Holy Quran, were impressed and were converted to Islam.
Maneuvers of the Quraish
The Quraish failed miserably in their attack on the Holy Quran. In view of their defeat on this front, the Quraish changed their strategy, and adopted new maneuvers. They whipped up their persecution campaign on the one hand, and offered inducements to the Holy Prophet on the other hand. They offered him the crown of Makkah in case he desisted from his activities. The Prophet was neither daunted by the persecution campaign of the Quraish, nor was he attracted by their inducements. He declared that even if all the wealth of the world was offered to him, he would not falter in the fulfillment of the mission entrusted to him by God. By 616 the Quraish felt the ground slipping under their feet. Their mission to Abyssinia had failed. Their attack on the Holy Quran had failed. Their campaign of persecution had failed to overawe the Holy Prophet. Their inducements had been turned down scornfully by the Holy Prophet. The Quraish failed to prevail any Muslim to return to his previous faith. On the other hand some remarkable conversions had been made to Islam. Islam had spread outside Makkah, and pockets of the Muslims had come to be established in other parts of Arabia.
Social boycott of Banu Hashim
Because of their repeated failures, the Quraish became desperate. They felt that now the only way before them was to kill Muhammad (peace be on him . The Holy Prophet enjoyed the protection of his tribe Abu Hashim, and as long as such protection was there Muhammad (peace be on him) could not be killed according to the tribal code, for any such murder would have precipitated tribal warfare. The Quraish approached Abu Talib, the head of the Banu Hashim, to prevail upon Muhammad (peace be on him) to desist from his teachings. Abu Talib consulted the Holy Prophet whether he could accommodate the Quraish in any way. The Holy Prophet expressed his resolution in strong terms that he would not fail or falter in the performance of the mission that had been entrusted to him by God. Thereupon the Quraish asked Abu Talib to withdraw the protection of Banu Hashim from Muhammad (peace be on him). Abu Talib consulted the Holy Prophet again, and tried to prevail upon him to compromise with the Quraish in some way, which could avert the crisis. The Prophet told his uncle that he could withdraw his protection from him if he liked, but he could not compromise in any way in the matter of the mission entrusted to him by God. Abu Talib felt unhappy on the growing rift between the Muslims and the Quraish, but he assured him that he would not abandon him, whatever might come. Abu Talib accordingly told the Quraish that he could not withdraw his protection from Muhammad (peace be on him). Thereupon the Quraish decided to enforce social boycott against Banu Hashim. An agreement was drawn up which was signed by the representatives of all the sections of the Quraish except the Banu Hashim. The agreement provided that the Quraish would neither marry their daughters to the Banu Hashim, nor marry the daughters of Banu Hashim. It was also provided that they would neither sell anything to nor buy anything from the Banu Hashim. The document was hung on the Kaaba. The Holy Prophet and the Banu Hashim moved to a glen outside Makkah and there remained in a state of semi-captivity for a period of two to three years. Thereafter the social boycott was lifted, and the Banu Hashim returned to their homes in Makkah.
Consequences of the social boycott
The accounts of the social boycott available in the source books that have come down to us are incomplete, and do not present a true picture of the actual state of affairs. We know that during this period the Banu Hashim lived in a glen outside Makkah. The point to be determined is whether the Banu Hashim were driven to this glen by the Quraish, or did the Banu Hashim move there out of their own accord. In the boycott instrument the Quraish were not required to drive the Banu Hashim out of their homes in Makkah. It appears that the Banu Hashim shifted to the glen, which belonged to Abu Talib out of their accord for reasons of safety, and with a view to living together in a time of crisis. The boycott was only against Banu Hashim. Abu Lahab and his wife who were Banu Hashim did not join the other members of the Banu Hashim. It appears that all other families of the Banu Hashim sided with the Holy Prophet even though they had not accepted Islam. An important issue in this connection is, whether Abu Talib had become a Muslim by the time the boycott was enforced. In this biography of the Holy Prophet Ibn Ishaq quotes some verses composed by Abu Talib with reference to the boycott. A translation of these verses is available in Guilluiman's Life of Muhammad. Addressing the Quraish, Abu Talib says: "Did you not know that we have found Muhammad a prophet like Moses described in the oldest books". When the boycott was lifted, and the boycott document was torn Abu Talib composed some more verses, which provided: "The deed was torn up, and all that was against God's wish was destroyed".
A person giving expression to such thoughts as these could not be any one other than a Muslim. It appears that Abu Talib would have accepted the new faith, but he could not make an open declaration, because he felt that people would say Abu Talib has professed Islam out of the fear of death.
Most of the writers refer to this event as a siege. It is doubtful whether this was in fact a siege. According to the agreement of boycott there was no stipulation for siege. The ban was only on marriage and purchase or sale of goods. This did not include any siege. This did not restrict the movements of Banu Hashim either. According to most of the accounts that come down to us, the impression is created that the Banu Hashim in the glen were starved and they were forced to subsist on the leaves of trees. This is not the correct presentation of facts. The boycott was enforced against Banu Hashim alone. Many Muslims still lived in Makkah proper, and there were no restrictions on their purchase or sale of goods. If the Muslims of Makkah purchased provisions from the market, and supplied them to the Banu Hashim in the glen they could do so for there was no term in the agreement of boycott that no one was to be allowed to supply any article of food and drink. Hardship was certainly involved in the segregation of the Banu Hashim in the glen outside Makkah, but the Holy Prophet being a great man was resourceful enough to overcome such hardships. In any proper account of Islamic history the emphasis should not be on the hardships inflicted by the enemies of Islam, the emphasis should be as to how the Muslims overcame such hardships and defeated the enemy at his own game. Under the leadership of the Holy Prophet the Banu Hashim met the ordeal of the social boycott successfully. The social boycott failed to achieve the purpose for which it was intended, and once again in the battle between the truth and falsehood, the Quraish met a reverse, and the Muslims scored a victory.
Ali
In the accounts of this period that have come down to us there is no mention of Ali. By this time Ali had come of age. He was well educated, highly intelligent, most enterprising and brave. It is difficult to believe that if the accounts make no mention of Ali, the inference is that he was idle and had nothing to do. When Abu Talib decided to espouse the cause of Muhammad (peace be on him), Ali most probably played an important part in prevailing upon Abu Talib to take the decision he did. We know that when the Holy Prophet migrated to Yathrib, he entrusted the responsibility for winding up the business in Makkah to Ali. In the accounts that have come down to us the Holy Prophet is shown as a good manager and businessman, but in the accounts of the post-prophethood period there is no account of any business activity on the part of the Prophet. The writers of the period apparently harbored the delusion that any business undertaking was repugnant to prophethood. An impression is tried to be created that in the post-prophethood period the Holy Prophet undertook no business and depended on the wealth of his followers, Abu Bakr, Othman and others. This is an erroneous presentation, for Islam is not a religion for the next world alone, it is a religion for this world as well. To abstain from business may be the Christian or the Buddhist concept of piety, but that is not the Islamic concept of prophethood. The Holy Prophet is the greatest man of all times and such a man perfect in every way cannot be without independent sources of income. It appears that when Ali came of age, the Holy Prophet entrusted the responsibility for running the business to Ali. It appears that during the period of the social boycott Ali continued to run the business of the holy Prophet (SAW). The boycott agreement merely restricted the sale or purchase by the Quraish; it did not and could not apply to business transactions elsewhere. It appears that Ali undertook business journeys during this period, and the necessary provisions procured from outside Makkah were duly supplied to the Banu Hashim in the glen.
The Holy Prophet and the Quraish
The troubles of the Holy Prophet and the Muslims did not come to an end with the end of the social boycott. Frustrated at the failure of the boycott, the Quraish were in a sullen and hostile mood, and they began to think of the adoption of more stringent measures which could bring the Muslims to their knees. In the meantime Abu Talib fell sick. He was already eighty years old and the strain of the confinement during the boycott had proved too heavy for him and had undermined his health. The malady grew worse, and when no hope was left of his survival, a deputation of the Quraish visited him at his deathbed. They said that as he was going to depart from the world, out of regard for him they were inclined to offer terms of peace to Muhammad. Abu Talib summoned the Holy Prophet to his presence, and the Quraish were asked to name their terms. They said that if Muhammad desisted from maligning their faith and criticizing their gods, they would let him alone to have his own way without any interference by the Quraish. The Holy Prophet said that the way of the Quraish was the way of many gods, while his way was the way of the Oneness of God "hereunder there is no god but Allah, and all other gods are false. As the two ways crossed each other no agreement could be reached between the parties. The Quraish, thus foiled, began to prepare for another major offensive against the Holy Prophet and the Muslims to be launched after the death of Abu Talib.
Bequest of Abu Talib
Before his death, Abu Talib recorded a bequest, and had it hung in the Kaaba According to "Rauza-tu's-Safa", this bequest reads as follows: "O thou people of Quraish! Thou art the chosen race of God, and the best in the world. In my dying behest I will ask you to be kind and well disposed towards Muhammad because he is a trustee from among the Quraish, and most truthful from amongst the whole population of Arabia. He has in his person all those things, which compel me to leave a will in his favor. He has tidings to reveal which your heart accepts although for fear your lips do not respond to confirm the call of your heart. I find that the half-barbarians of the Arabian desert, in contrast to you, respond to the call and obey his orders and verily these are the people who will be exalted in this world and the hereafter. Mark me when I say that your chiefs will be dishonored, and stiff necked though they now are, they will soon be humbled. I see the entire country has sincerity and enthusiasm for his message, and the people have widened their hearts to receive that love. In short they are willing to follow and obey him. O thou Quraish! It is high time that you should befriend him, support him and follow him in the path that he treads. I swear by God that only those who desist to follow him who are not destined to reform, and only those will follow in his footsteps who are destined to be great, pious and noble. If there is some respite or delay in my death, and I survive a few more days I will support his cause. As far as it lies within my power I will protect him from the evils of the enemy." This bequest was written by Ali and was dictated by Abu Talib.
Death of Abu Talib
Abu Talib did not live long after the recording of his bequest. The Quraish felt annoyed at the bequest, and said that Abu Talib had lost his senses in old age. When Abu Talib died there was rejoicing in the camp of the Quraish. Ali composed elegiac verses on this occasion. Some of these verses read: "Abu Talib is no more. His passing away is a great loss. He was the protector of the poor and the weak. Whenever there was a famine, He liberally aided those in distress. Whenever there was a difficulty he resolved it. He could distinguish the truth from falsehood. He was generous, kind hearted and sympathetic. Men of his caliber are rare. A vacuum has been created because of his death. The Quraish are happy at his death. They have forgotten that man is mortal and no one can tarry in this world for long. Because of their mental deficiencies the Quraish have made plans to destroy the Muslims, but we will teach them a lesson. It will be a war to the finish. Either they will destroy us; Or we will destroy them. "
Death of Khadija
A few days after the death of Abu Talib, Khadija also passed away. The deaths of Abu Talib and Khadija marked the end of an epoch. Abu Talib had been more than a father to the Holy Prophet. In spite of the strong pressure of the Quraish, he had protected the Holy Prophet to the last, and had left a bequest in his favor. Abu Talib was of course the father of Ali, and although Ali lived with the Holy Prophet, he was not denied the paternal love of Abu Talib.
Khadija had been for the Holy Prophet more than wife. She placed all her wealth which was considerable at his disposal. She gave him love. She was the mother of his children. She supported him through thick and thin. She was indeed the first person to be converted to Islam. To Ali she had been more than a mother.
The passing away of Abu Talib and Khadija created a great vacuum in the life of the Holy Prophet. He felt very lonely and disconsolate. His grief was so intense that the Muslims called the year "619 C. EL," the year of the deaths of Abu Talib and Khadija as the "Year of Sorrow. "
Ali shared this grief with the Holy Prophet. In heart-rending verses he mourned the deaths of Abu Talib and Khadija. He said: both my eyes weep, weep for that chief of the Bateha valley whose name was Abu Talib; and weep for that flower of womanhood whose name was Khadija. The woman first to accept Islam and first to pray. Both Abu Talib and Khadija were pure souls. Their passing away has created a great void. At the pain of their separation I spend the whole night in weeping. They helped the Holy Prophet. They were a source of strength to Islam. After them the world has been plunged into darkness. From God they came and to God they have returned; may their souls rest in peace.
Turning point
The Holy Prophet's ascension to the Heavens, proved to be a turning point in the life story of the Holy Prophet, and as such in the history of Islam. It had its repercussions on the life of Ali. After this momentous event in the annals of mankind, the clouds began to lift, and things became easier for the Holy Prophet and for that matter for the Muslims. The tribes around Makkah who had heretofore refused to listen to the Holy Prophet, now came to be divided among themselves and some persons out of them accepted the new faith. To overcome the grief and the irreparable loss because of the death of Khadija, the Holy Prophet married an elderly lady Sauda. She was a good housewife, she looked after the house of the Holy Prophet with proper care. She looked after the young daughters of the Holy Prophet with great affection, and consoled them in their grief at the loss of their mother. In 621 C.E., a delegation from Yathrib came to Makkah and they accepted Islam. The Jews of Yathrib observed that according to their scriptures that was the time for the advent of a new prophet. After the end of the social boycott, the Muslims stepped up trading activities. It appears that at this time while the Holy Prophet devoted his attention to religious affairs, Ali concentrated his attention at the management of the business affairs. The traditional accounts of the period that have come down to us create the impression that by this time the economic resources of the Holy Prophet had dried up, and neither he nor Ali had any source of income. This view cannot be accepted for an ideal prophet could not neglect this aspect of his activity. In the conduct of business the Holy Prophet entrusted this responsibility to Ali and he discharged this responsibility with due diligence. Heretofore the Holy Prophet had avoided any armed conflict with the Quraish. A state akin to cold war prevailed between the Quraish and the Muslims for a period of over ten years. In 622 C.E. the people of Yathrib invited the Holy Prophet and his followers to migrate to Yathrib and live in their midst. They promised their full support to the Holy Prophet and his followers. The Holy Prophet directed his followers to migrate in batches to Yathrib. By the beginning of the month of September in 622 C.E. all male members of the Muslim families had left Makkah for Madina except the Holy Prophet, Abu Bakr, and Ali.
The Quraish plot to assassinate the Holy Prophet
The migration of the Muslims to Yathrib caused a great stir in the Quraish camp. They felt that if the Muslims gained strength in Yathrib, they would be a source of great danger for the Quraish. The Quraish held a council of war under the leadership of Abu Sufyan and Abu Jahl. The Quraish felt that as long as Muhammad lived, be it in Makkah or elsewhere, he would continue to be a great challenge for the Quraish. The Quraish took cognizance of the fact that in spite of their hostility, Islam was fast spreading in various parts of Arabia. They viewed the process of the growth of Islam with great concern and alarm. They held that in the circumstances their safety lay in the assassination of Muhammad (peace be on him). The Quraish resolved that Muhammad (peace be on him) should be assassinated before he could proceed to Yathrib. The Council of war decided that the young men belonging to all sections should surround the house of Muhammad at night, and assassinate him when he came out of his house in the morning by falling on him in a body, and putting an end to him with the blows of their daggers.
Frustration of the Quraish plot
The Holy Prophet was forewarned of the Quraish plot by Allah. It was revealed that if the unbelievers plotted Allah could frustrate their plot and Allah was the best planner. The Holy Prophet asked Ali to sleep on his bed that night. Thereafter he was to wind up business in Makkah and come to Yathrib. After the departure of other Muslims to Yathrib, Abu Bakr had sought the permission of the Holy Prophet to migrate to Yathrib. Muhammad (peace be on him) had asked him to wait for it was possible that he might have a good companion for the journey to Yathrib. Abu Bakr was, however, asked to keep ready for the call to migrate might come any moment. That day before the Quraish youth could come to besiege his house the Holy Prophet left for the house of Abu Bakr and gave him the tidings that the time for their migration to Yathrib had arrived. At night in the cover of darkness the Holy Prophet and Abu Bakr left Makkah for Yathrib. They did not take the direct road to Yathrib. They moved in the opposite direction, and took refuge in a cave in Mt. Thaur some five miles south of Makkah. In the house of the Holy Prophet at Makkah, Ali locked the doors from inside and lay on the bed of Holy Prophet. He covered himself with the mantle which was the cover of the Holy Prophet. At night the youth of the Quraish surrounded the house according to plan. Peeping inside the house, they saw the bed occupied and felt satisfied that the Holy Prophet was sleeping there as usual. The Quraish youth kept the vigil throughout the night and they felt assured that during the night no one entered the house, nor went out of it. When the day dawned and the door of the house was opened, it was Ali and not the Holy Prophet who had to face the brunt of the fury of the Quraish at the frustration of their plan. "Where is Muhammad?" asked the Quraish, and Ali replied that he had left for Yathrib. When their plan was thus thwarted the Quraish youth were very furious, but Ali faced them boldly without showing any sign of fear. In utter disgust and disappointment the Quraish youth dispersed to carry the tale of the failure of their plan to their leaders Abu Sufyan and Abu Jahl. Once again in the battle between the truth and falsehood, the truth triumphed. That was the closing scene of the drama that had been played at Makkah during the period 611-622 C.E. During this period of eleven years, all the maneuvers that the Quraish had adopted ended in their failure and defeat. Ali remained in Makkah for a few days, and when he had settled all accounts and wound up business he took farewell of Makkah, and took the road to Yathrib. It was not a flight as some writers tried to present, it was a march on the road to the fulfillment of destiny. With the migration of the Muslims from Makkah the war between the Quraish and the Muslims was not over. It meant that such a war was now to be carried on a wider front to the increasing advantage of the Muslims, and the ultimate surrender of the Quraish.
Analysis of the events during the period 620-622 C.E.
When we objectively assess and analyze the events that took place during the three years covering the period 620-622, we notice certain facts which have not been given due coverage in the traditional accounts that have come down to us. The event of the Holy Prophet's ascension to the heavens was too novel and strange to be believable even by the Muslims. The way success came to the Muslims immediately after the ascension establishes the truth of the extraordinary event. The plan chalked out by the Quraish to assassinate the Holy Prophet was a close secret and the way the plan came to naught shows that the Holy Prophet enjoyed the protection of God. The way Ali asked his life for the sake of the Holy Prophet shows his great love and devotion to the Holy Prophet. How he faced the Quraish youth thwarted in their plan shows his unusual courage and strength of character. A question may be asked that when the Holy Prophet had already escaped from his house where was the need of Ali lying on the bed of the Holy Prophet and risking his life. This was necessary to prevent the pursuit of the Holy Prophet. If the Quraish had come to know that night that the Holy Prophet had left Makkah for Yathrib, an immediate pursuit by the Quraish would have been dangerous for the Holy Prophet. By a delay of twelve hours in the pursuit the Quraish lost the track of the Holy Prophet and could not catch him. In the traditional accounts that have come down to us, an impression is created that the entire project was financed by Abu Bakr and that the Holy Prophet was penniless at the time of migration. This impression is erroneous for evidence is available to the effect that out of the two camels that Abu Bakr had purchased for the journey, the Holy Prophet actually paid for the cost of one camel. The way Ali was left in Makkah to settle accounts shows that the Holy Prophet had some business undertaking in Makkah which was managed by Ali. This shows that at the time of migration neither the Holy Prophet nor Ali were resourceless. In some accounts it is stated that Ali traveled from Makkah to Yathrib on foot obviously because he had little money. This is not correct. There was no monetary difficulty either in the case of the Holy Prophet or Ali.
Early Days in Madina
Life in Madina
Ali arrived in Yathrib renamed as Madina-tun-Nabi or Madina in the honor of the Holy Prophet towards the close of September in the year 622 C.E. The Holy Prophet welcomed him to Madina, and appreciated his services for risking his life for him at Makkah in facing the fury of the Quraish. The Holy Prophet was glad to note that the task allotted to Ali at Makkah had been properly and satisfactorily done by him.
The world of Madina was quite different from the world of Makkah. At Makkah the Muslims were a persecuted people; at Madina they were the masters of their destiny. At Makkah they were surrounded by enemies; at Madina they were in the midst of friends. The life at Madina marked a break with the past. The days of trials, tribulations and tortures were over and the Muslims were now set on the path of fulfillment. The Muslims were now to build a new society and a new common wealth.
The climate of Makkah was dry, but the climate of Madina was damp. The landscape of Makkah was marked by barren rocks, and stony wastes; the landscape of Madina was market by agricultural fields, gardens, and groves of date palms. The change in the physical scene affected the health of the emigrants, and some of them including Abu Bakr fell sick. Ali withstood the climatic change without being affected in health. He spent most of his time in nursing the sick and helping them in adjusting themselves to the new environments.
Brotherhood between the emigrants and the Muslims of Madina
The Madinites felt honored to have the Holy Prophet and his companions in their midst, and in order to insure the comfort and well being of their friends from Makkah they were prepared to undergo any sacrifice themselves. Under the electrifying influence of Islam, the Madinites came to develop such traits of character which are unique and without a parallel in the annals of mankind.
The emigrants from Makkah were not to adjust themselves to the changed physical environments alone, they had to adjust themselves to changed social environments as well. To bring about such adjustment and rehabilitation the Holy Prophet established a fraternity among the Muslims from Makkah and those of Madina whereunder each emigrant was paired with a resident of Madina of the corresponding status. For their selflessness and help in the rehabilitation of the emigrants from Makkah in the society of Madina, the Madinites came to be known as "Ansars"-helpers. The brotherhood that was established in Madina during this period shows to what heights men can rise when they are motivated by some noble purpose. The bonds established as a consequence of this brotherhood surpassed the ties of blood relationship.
According to the accounts that have come down to us the Holy Prophet paired all emigrants except Ali with the Ansar. According to some traditions quoted by Arman Sarhadi in his book Ali b Abu Talib, Ali felt great disappointment in being passed over in the process of pairing. It is stated that Ali went weeping to his house where he was consoled by his wife Fatima. Later the Holy Prophet paired Ali with himself declaring that Ali was to him what Haroon was to the prophet Moses.
It is difficult to believe in the veracity of this tradition. By this time Ali was still unmarried, and it is prima facie untrue that his wife Fatima consoled him. Ali was a man of great courage who could face any ordeal, and he was not the man to weep because he was not paired with any Ansar. At this time Ali was a member of the family of the Holy Prophet. Ali had not acquired an independent identity of his own so far apart from being a member of the family of the Holy Prophet and the question of pairing him with any Ansar did not arise.
Implications of the pairing of the Holy Prophet and Ali
The pairing of the Holy Prophet and Ali was a matter of great significance, and it had deep implications and repercussions. In the various source books that have come down to us, no light is thrown on such implications. We will, therefore, have to undertake an exercise on our own account in spelling out the underlying implications. In the process of brotherhood-formation every emigrant from Makkah was paired with an Ansar of Madina. The Holy Prophet was himself an emigrant from Makkah, and the question that arises for consideration is: why did the Holy Prophet not pair himself with any Ansar of Madina ? To be paired with the Holy Prophet was a great honor, and many Ansars coveted this honor. If the Holy Prophet had shown preference for some particular Ansar that would have been a cause for jealousy on the part of the other Ansars who equally coveted the honor. In Madina the status of the Holy Prophet was that of a ruler, and if he had shown preference for some particular Ansar, that would have been a cause of heart burning for the other Ansar. The Holy Prophet did not pair himself with any Ansar because of his impartiality.
A consequence of the pairing of the emigrants and the Ansars was that the emigrants shared with the Ansar their income and property. If the Holy Prophet did not pair with any particular Ansar the question is what was the source of income of the Holy Prophet in Madina? When the Holy Prophet in order to maintain his impartially did not choose to have a share in the income and property of a particular Ansar, it implies that he had his share in the income and property of all Ansars. It is a common practice with religious fraternities that each person belonging to the fraternity contributes a certain percentage of his income to the common fund of the fraternity which is places at the disposal of the head of the fraternity. It appears that the Ansars of Madina constituted some common fund of similar nature and placed it at the disposal of the Holy Prophet. Presumably some property was also placed at the disposal of the Holy Prophet the income whereof could be utilized to meet his expenses as well as other common needs. The emigrants from Makkah were traders, and in Madina as well they undertook trading activities. Indeed Madina offered more trading opportunities than Makkah. The Holy Prophet ran some sort of business at Makkah which was managed by Ali. It appears that the same business was continued in Madinah. As the Holy Prophet had to devote a good deal of his attention to the affairs of the State, the responsibility for running the business enterprise rested a good deal on Ali. The Holy Prophet and Ali were already cousins and the brotherhood constituted signified that the ties between the Holy Prophet and Ali became still closer and stronger, and they shared each other's property.
Masjid-i-Nabwi
In 623 C.E. the Holy Prophet decided to build a mosque in Madina which was to be a prayer house as well as a community center. The Holy Prophet asked the Muslims to offer their services in labor as well as capital towards the construction of the mosque. Ali was the first person to offer his services as laborer. He shoveled the earth when the foundations were being laid and later carried on baskets of brick and mortar which he passed on to the masons. Ali composed some verses for the occasion, and he recited them as he worked as a laborer. Some of these verses which have been preserved are: "Whoever builds a mosque and works whether sitting or standing puts up with the pain of labor, while others shirk work for fear of dust and pain. Both of these verily cannot equal each other". As the other Muslims labored they chanted: "There is no life but the life of the next world, O God have mercy on the Muhajireen and the Ansar". Within a few months the mosque was completed. It was square in form, and each side measured fifty yards. The mosque faced towards the north, and had three gates on each of the remaining three sides. Adjoining the mosque apartments were constructed for the household of the Holy Prophet. Ali also had an apartment in the mosque. The mosque was a monument of simplicity. The walls were made of mud bricks and the roofs were supported by trunks of palm trees. The apartments for the household were hung with blankets of camel hair as doors. The courtyard in each case was hardly six to seven paces in length, and the length of the rooms did not extend ten paces.
Battle of Badr
Background
When the Muslims established themselves in Madina, and succeeded in acquiring strength, the Quraish of Makkah fumed and fretted at the success of the Muslims. Fearing lest Islam might be accepted by the tribes in the immediate neighborhood Of Madina, the Quraish heavily bribed these tribes not to be moved by any overtures by the Muslims. Some of the missionaries sent by the Holy Prophet to these tribes were murdered. The Jews of Madina had expected that the Prophet they were looking for would be a prophet of the Jews and would promote the Jewish faith, but when the Holy Prophet began to preach Islam which was an improvement on the Jewish faith, they became hostile to the Muslims. The Quraish of Makkah incited the Jews of Madina to create difficulties for the Muslims in Madina. In Makkah the Muslims were traders. In Madina the people who accepted Islam, and came to be known as "Ansar" were agriculturists. All trade in Madina was in the hands of the Jews. When the Muslim emigrants tried to undertake trading activities in Madina, they had to face competition and hostility of the Jews. The Holy Prophet realized that in the circumstances the Muslims would have to wage a war against the Quraish and the Jews on the economic front. The caravan route from Makkah to Syria ran close to Madina. There were some danger points on the route where the caravans could be ambushed by a small force. The Holy Prophet decided that in order to break up the trade monopoly of the Quraish, their caravans should be ambushed by the Muslims at strategic points.
The Quraish caravan
In the winter of 623 C.E., Abu Sufyan, the Quraish leader, led a trading caravan to Syria. This caravan was to return in the spring of 624 C.E. In the first week of March, Ali and Zubair b Awwam were commissioned by the Holy Prophet to undertake a reconnoitering exercise, and bring intelligence about the movements of the caravan of the Quraish. Ali and Zubair brought the intelligence that the caravan was nearing Badr. The Holy Prophet held a council of war, and after taking the pros and cons of the case into consideration, it was decided that the Muslims should make an attempt to ambush the caravan. A force of 313 persons was raised, and they marched to Badr some eighty miles from Madina.
Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraish caravan, was an astute man. He apprehended that the Muslims would try to ambush the caravan. He accordingly sent a message to the Quraish of Makkah that they should send a force to escort the caravan. The Quraish raised a force one thousand strong fully equipped, and they marched at great speed to meet the caravan.
When the Muslims reached Badr they found that the caravan of the Quraish had already crossed the danger point, and could no longer be ambushed. The Muslims felt frustrated that their prey had eluded them. God, however, assured the Holy Prophet that a better prize was in store for them.
The caravan of the Quraish marched to Makkah at great speed and they met in the way the force that had come to their assistance. Abu Sufyan desired that as the danger of the ambushing of the caravan by the Muslims was over the force should return with the caravan to Makkah. Abu Jahl who commanded the Quraish force said that it was a good opportunity for them to attack the Muslims and annihilate them. The caravan under Abu Sufyan proceeded to Makkah, and the Quraish force confident of their strength and superiority rushed forward for a clash with the Muslims.
The battle ground of Badr
When Abu Jahl came to know that the Muslims had assembled at Badr, he advanced to Badr. When the Muslim force came to know that the Quraish force was advancing to Badr they occupied the wells in the valley, and encamped in the rocky part of the valley. When the Quraish reached Badr they occupied that part of the valley which was plain. The Muslims had not come prepared for a full-fledged war, they had merely intended an ambush and a minor show down. Now a full-fledged battle was forced on them. That was to be the first armed conflict between the Muslims and the Quraish. There were heavy odds against the Muslims the Quraish force was three times the force of the Muslims in strength. The Quraish force was fully equipped, while the Muslim force was ill equipped. The Quraish could fight on horseback while the Muslims had to fight on foot. Greater part of the night before the battle was spent by the Holy Prophet in prayers, the Holy Prophet prayed: "O Lord I beseech you to fulfil the promise that you have given to me. O Lord, if you allow this band of the Muslims to perish, there will be none to worship you on the earth. " Abu Bakr and Ali kept watch over the Holy Prophet by turn. Allah assured the Holy Prophet that He would not allow the Muslims to perish, and that He would help them in their war against the unbelievers.
The battle
When the day dawned the two forces met in battle array. The Quraish raised boastful cries highlighting their superiority, skill, and richer resources. The Muslims were in a humble mood, and invoking the aid of God they raised the shouts "Allah-o-Akbar" Allah is great. That was the first battle to be fought by the Muslims, and they had no previous experience of war. The Holy Prophet, however, exhibited the qualities of a great military General. He marshaled the Muslim forces in a superb way, and arrayed them in such manner that they could contend against the larger force of the enemy. The previous night it had rained. That worked to the advantage of the Muslims for the rocky ground under their feet became firmer, while the ground under the feet of the Quraish became muddy and slippery. The Holy Prophet divided the Muslim force in a number of commands, each under a Commander. One unit was placed under the command of Ali and he was given the flag by the Holy Prophet.
As a prelude to the battle proper, three warriors, Utba, Shaiba, and Al Walid stepped out of the ranks of the Quraish, and challenged the Muslims to duel in single combat. In response to this challenge three Ansars stepped out of the ranks of the Muslims to fight the duel. The Quraish taunted the Muslim emigrants, and wanted them to come forward to cross swords with them if they had any trait of chivalry about them. Thereupon Ali was the first to step forward from the ranks of the Muslims to accept the challenge of the Quraish. He was followed by Hamza and Ubaida b Harith. In the contest that followed Ali killed Al Walid; and Hamza killed Shaiba. In the duel between Ubaida and Utba, Ubaida was mortally wounded. Ali and Hamza rushed to the help of Ubaida and cut off the head of Utba. Thereupon with a cry of rage three Makkans darted to assail Ali and Hamza. All the three Makkans fell dead before the blows of the swords of Ali and Hamza.
Exasperated at the death of its six warriors in single combat, the Quraish led the charge, and tried to break through the ranks of the Muslims. The Muslims stood fast at their posts, and when the fury of the Quraish force was spent, the Muslims launched a counter attack, and forced the Quraish to fall back. The ground was muddy and slippery and in the confusion that followed many Quraish slipped in the mud when the Muslims availing of the advantage thrust their swords in their bodies. Miraculously the battle ended in the favor of the Muslims. Over seventy persons from among the Quraish fell dead on the battlefield. All the leaders of the Quraish who held the command were killed. Over seventy persons were taken prisoners. A large booty fell into the hands of the Muslims. Ali was most conspicuous in performing prodigies of valor. According to traditions he killed twenty-one persons. Two brothers of Ali Talib and Aqueel fought on the side of the Quraish. Out of these Talib was killed and Aqueel was taken prisoner. When the booty was distributed Ali got an armor, a sword, and a camel.
Significance of the baffle of Badr
In its dimensions the Battle of Badr was one of the most insignificant battles, but in its significance it proved to be one of the most momentous battles in the history of mankind. The battle became a turning point in the history of Islam. If the Muslims had lost the battle, that would have been the end of Islam as the Holy Prophet himself feared. The Muslim victory in the battle established the truth of Islam. The battle humbled the pride of the Quraish. It cast a pall of mourning over Makkah for almost every family among the Quraish lost some dear one in the battle. The Quraish who had persecuted the Muslims for over eleven years had now to lick up their own wounds. The battle became the beginning of the end of paganism in Arabia. The tribes who had under the influence of the Quraish refused to listen to the message of Islam now felt the need of winning the favor of the Muslims. With the defeat of their allies, the Jews of Madina were forced to rethink of their relationship with the Muslims. Because of the booty that the Muslims received at the battle, the economic condition of the Muslims in Madina improved. The battle adversely affected the economic conditions of the Quraish firstly because of the loss that they suffered at the battle, and secondly because the trade route to Syria became unsafe for them. The great significance of the battle was that it assured the Muslims that a great destiny awaited him. The Holy Prophet felt happy that God had fulfilled His promise with him. The battle proved to be a landmark in the life of Ali for thereafter he came to be acclaimed as the greatest and the bravest warrior among the Muslims. Because of his bravery in the Battle of Badr, Ali won from the Holy Prophet the title of "Haider-i-Karrar" the warrior whom no body could beat.
Marriage of Ali
Fatima
When the Holy Prophet migrated to Yathrib he left his family at Makkah. When the Muslims had settled in Yathrib (renamed Madina) the Holy Prophet and the other Muslims called their families to Madina. At the time of migration, Sauda an elderly lady was the only wife of the Holy Prophet whom he had married after the death of Khadija. About a year after his arrival in Madina, the Holy Prophet married Ayesha, a daughter of Abu Bakr.
By this time, Fatima, the youngest daughter of the Holy Prophet had come of marriageable age, and the Holy Prophet had to consider the question of her marriage. Abu Bakr waited on the Holy Prophet, and asked for the hand of Fatima. The Holy Prophet made no answer. Thereafter Umar asked for the hand of Fatima and the Holy Prophet maintained silence. In the Arabian society of the day, the disparity in the age of the bride and the bridegroom did not matter. The Holy Prophet married Khadija when he was twenty-five and she was forty, fifteen years older than him. Later the Holy Prophet, when over fifty, married Ayesha yet within her teens. When the Holy Prophet did not respond to the requests of Abu Bakr or Umar he was not bothered about the age question; his silence was due to the fact that he had to wait for the guidance of God which was wont to get in all matters of importance affecting his person.
After the Battle of Badr, Ali made his suit. The Holy Prophet told Ali that he would give his reply after consulting Fatima. The Holy Prophet consulted Fatima, and she maintained silence signifying her assent. In the meantime the Holy Prophet received the revelation that God approved of the marriage of Fatima with Ali. When Fatima the mother of Ali called on the Holy Prophet to press the suit on behalf of Ali, the Holy Prophet was pleased to announce his acceptance.
Preparation for the Marriage
According to the accounts available in the source books, Ali had no money to meet the expenses of the marriage. He had to sell his armor to raise the necessary funds. Othman who enjoyed reputation for his wealth agreed to purchase the armor for five hundred dirhams. After the transaction had been completed, and the amount had been paid, Othman presented the armor to Ali as a marriage gift saying that the armor would be more useful for a warrior like Ali than for a trader like him. Ali was reluctant to accept the gift, but Othman prevailed to accept it in the name of God, for thereby it would serve the cause of Islam in fighting against its enemies. That made Ali accept the gift with many thanks. When Ali told of the transaction to the Holy Prophet, the Holy Prophet praised the conduct of Othman and prayed for him.
The Marriage Khutba
On the day fixed for the marriage, the Muslims assembled in the mosque, and the Holy Prophet delivered the Khutba solemnizing the marriage. The Holy Prophet said that all praise was due to God who should be extolled for His various bounties; who should be worshipped for His power and majesty and who should be obeyed for His omnipotence. The Holy Prophet observed that it behooves the people to seek refuge God for fear of His wrath. Dwelling on the might of God, the Holy Prophet said that His are the ordinances which prevail in Heaven and earth. He is the One who by His might ordained the existence of all creation. Through His commandments He gave us the power of discrimination. He honored us giving His religion, and commissioning Muhammad as His Prophet. Referring to the importance of marriages in human society the Holy Prophet said that undoubtedly the Almighty Lord made matrimonial alliances as the means of a fresh relationship which is a fundamental necessity and a just affair which is made incumbent on all and sundry, and through which creation is linked. The Holy Prophet observed that verily Allah is He Who has created human beings from a drop of blood. For this end He has created the relations of the in-laws. Surely God is Omnipotent. His decrees are enforced according to His decisions. His judgements decree the fate, and every fate is governed by an appointed time. Every appointed time is pre determined. Over and above this, God can obliterate or keep intact whatever He likes. The original record of all this is with Him. After these introductory remarks the Holy Prophet declared:
"Now in obedience to the Will of God I perform the marriage ceremony of Fatima with Ali, and ask you to bear witness that I have given Fatima in marriage to Ali against a dower of 400 pieces of silver coin. May God create love between the pair, bless them, purify their offspring, make their progeny a mine of wisdom, and a source of God's blessing and solace to the believers in faith. "
The Holy Prophet ended the Khutba by asking for the forgiveness of God for himself and for the Muslims.
Ideal Marriage
According to all accounts that have come down to us, the marriage of Ali and Fatima was an ideal marriage. It was a union of two great souls. Hafsa, a daughter of Umar and later a wife of the Holy Prophet wrote some verses highlighting the greatness of the pair. She said: Fatima is superior to womankind in the world; she is the lady whose face shines as the full moon; she is the bride whose groom excels all in Scholarship.
According to some authors Ali was twenty-one years old at the time of marriage, while Fatima was sixteen years old. According to my research the date of the birth of Ali is to be placed around 599 C.E. and on this basis he was 24/25 years old at the time of marriage. Fatima was born around 604 C.E. and on this basis she was 19/20 years old at the time of marriage. There appears to be a tendency with the writers of old to under estimate the ages of persons particularly women. In most of the books, for example, it is said that at the time of her marriage with the Holy Prophet, Ayesha was a child barely nine years old. Ayesha was more or less of the same age as Fatima or very nearly so, and was well within her teens at the time of her marriage.
Undoubtedly the marriage of Ali and Fatima was an ideal marriage as the marriage was performed by the Holy Prophet in accordance with the will of God, it could not be anything but an ideal marriage. As an ideal marriage it should have been a happy marriage. In this context two aspects of the case need special consideration. One is the economic factor and the other is the temperamental factor.
The economic aspect of the matter is that all writers of old are unanimous on the point that Ali was very poor. In his book Ali, the Superman, Dr. Ata Mohyuddin observes that Ali was extremely poor, and the young couple were obliged from the first, to live from hand to mouth. It is observed that often days passed without any fire being lit in their hearth. It is further observed that his bed sheet was so small, that if he covered his head, his legs remained uncovered, and if he covered his legs his head was exposed the account provides that Fatima had to work too hard. She did not have the wherewithal to wash her clothes which were blackened and soiled on account of dust and dirt. The shoulder on which she carried pitchers of water from the well was swollen, and the hands with which she worked the handmil1 to grind corn were often covered with blisters. There is a story that she requested the Holy Prophet to give her a maid slave to assist her, but he turned down the request. According to another story Ali hired himself as an ordinary manual laborer. One day he hired himself as a laborer to draw water from the well for a date per bucket. He drew sixteen buckets when his hands were blistered. He was given sixteen dates which he took to the Holy Prophet and both of them had their meal of these dates. I have long pondered over the question of the poverty of Ali and even the Holy Prophet. It appears to me that such accounts are highly exaggerated, and remote from the truth. I have prayed to God to show me light whereby I could ascertain the truth. Islam is not a religion for the next world alone; it is a religion for this world as well. Islam does not favor accumulation of riches and the hoarding of wealth, but it does not commend poverty either. It stands for the middle course marked neither by richness nor by poverty. The Holy Prophet before an ideal Prophet had to set an example in this respect. As such while the Holy Prophet could not be very rich, he could not be poor either. Islam stands for simplicity and austerity but simplicity and austerity are not another name for poverty. How could Allah permit his beloved to starve. When the Muslims migrated to Madina, Ansars shared all their resources with the Muslims. Under the circumstances how could the Ansar permit Ali and Fatima the beloved daughter of the Holy Prophet to live from hand to mouth on the verge of starvation. Ali and Fatima were after all human beings, and how could they be happy when they had to starve for days. When selecting husbands for their daughter even ordinary persons take steps to insure that their daughter is married in a family which is quite well off. This is a parental obligation, and it is unbelievable that the Holy Prophet would have married his beloved daughter to a person who had no source of income. The Holy Prophet married his two daughters to Othman, one after the other, and Othman was the richest person among the Quraish. The Holy Prophet could not discriminate between his daughters by marrying two daughters to a very rich man, and marrying the daughter whom he loved most to a man who was extremely poor. Ali was the greatest warrior of the age. He was also the greatest jurist, grammarian and scholar of the age. When the Muslims set up a polity at Madina it was an obligation on the part of the State to provide means of sustenance for Muslims according to their qualifications and utilize their services in the interests of the State. Under the circumstances the accounts that Ali was very poor are not correct.
It appears that there were some temperamental differences between the husband and wife. Ali is said to be hot tempered while Fatima was cool-headed. It is related that one day Ali picked up a quarrel with Fatima, Fatima felt aggrieved and she went to the Holy Prophet to complain of the conduct of Ali. Ali followed her and hid himself behind a wall to listen what transpired between the Holy Prophet and Fatima. The Holy Prophet advised Fatima to have patience and submit to her husband. When Ali saw the Holy Prophet later, the Holy Prophet counseled him to be kind to his wife. Due to the wise counsels of the Holy Prophet, both Ali and Fatima succeeded in making adjustments which insured mutual happiness. Hasan, their first child was born in 625 C.E. and Husain, the second child was born in 626 C.E. The Holy Prophet had great love for Hasan and Husain and treated them as his own sons.
The Jews in Madina
When the Holy Prophet and the Muslims migrated to Yathrib there was a considerable number of Jews in the city. Some time in the first century of the Christian era, the Romans expelled the Jews from Palestine, and some of the tribes of the Jews found refuge in Yathrib. The Jews were moneylenders. They lent money to the people of Yathrib at exorbitant rates of interest. Because of their wealth the Jews dominated the economic scene in Yathrib. The indigenous people of Yathrib belonged to two main tribes, the Aus and the Khazraj. The two tribes fought among themselves, and they had also to contend against the growing influence of the Jews. It was with a view to counter balancing the influence of the Jews that the people of Yathrib invited the Holy Prophet and the Muslims to come and live in their midst.
When the Holy Prophet proclaimed his prophethood in Makkah, and the news traveled to Yathrib, Jews confirmed that according to their sacred books that was the time for the advent of a prophet. When the Holy Prophet came to Yathrib, the Jews found in him all the signs of prophethood that had been foretold in their books. The Jews regarded themselves as the chosen people of God, and that made them think that all Prophets must necessarily belong to their race. When Jesus Christ who was not a Jew proclaimed his prophethood, the Jews denied his prophethood and had him executed. The Jews of Yathrib had thought that the Prophet of Arabia would be subservient to them. When the Holy Prophet adopted an independent policy, and declared that Islam was an improvement on the Jewish faith, the Jews developed an attitude of an animosity to Islam.
Animosity of the Jews
The Holy Prophet followed with regard to the Jews the policy of 'live and let live'. He promulgated a charter of rights whereunder the Jews were guaranteed freedom to worship without any interference. It was undertaken that the two communities would live on terms of mutual friendship, in any attack on the Muslims, the Jews were to help the Muslims. When the Holy Prophet established a polity and the Muslims acquired strength, the Jews came to regard the growing strength of the Muslims as a menace to their influence. They accordingly launched a campaign of vilification against Islam. A Jewish lady Asma wrote pungent verses ridiculing and vilifying Islam and the Holy Prophet. She was warned by the Muslims to refrain from her nefarious activity, but when she persisted, a Muslim stabbed her to death. Abu Afaq another Jewish poet wrote venomous satires and lampoons ridiculing Islam. He met the same fate as Asma and was assassinated by a Muslim young man. The Jews perverted the verses of the Holy Quran and gave them ominous meanings. The Prophet enjoined the Muslims to spend in the way of Allah. The amounts thus were to be a loan against Allah who would repay it many times the original amount. Islam forbade the charging of interest. That adversely affected the interests of the Jews. Most of the Quraish emigrants who were traders in Makkah undertook trading activities in Madina as well. That broke the monopoly of the Jews in trade. Finhas a Jewish rabbi held out that the God of the Muslims was poor who asked of loan from the people, but the God of the Jews was rich Who needed no loan and who had made the Jews rich. He maintained that they did not need God, but God needed them. He observed that the dependence of God on the Jews was manifest from the fact that He had given interest to the Jews, but had denied it to the Muslims. The rabbi came across Abu Bakr who took him to task for his sacrilege. Abu Bakr slapped the rabbi on the face and said that were it not for the treaty between the Muslims and the Jews, he would have cut off the head of Finhas, the enemy of Allah. During this period many verses of the Holy Quran were revealed exposing the perfidy of the Jews. It was pointed out that the Jews had gone on rejecting the signs of God, and slaying His messengers, and they were transgressors.
Ali and the Jews
In the original accounts that have come down to us there is no mention of the activities of Ali with reference to the Jews. The silence of the authorities in this respect does not mean that Ali was inactive, and he took no part in the cold war that prevailed between the Muslims and the Jews. The Jews boasted of their superior knowledge and argued that as Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate he could not be a prophet of God. Ali was the most learned scholar among the Muslims, and it appears very probable that Ali met the arguments of the Jews at intellectual level, and exposed their perfidies and transgressions during the course of history. Ali was a prominent poet as well, and we will not be far from the truth when we say that Ali composed verses vindicating Islam. Islam is a missionary religion, and when the Muslims had established a polity at Madina, they took steps to convert the unbelievers and the people of the Book to Islam. As Ali was the most eloquent person among the Muslims, excepting the Holy Prophet, it appears that Ali played a prominent role in propagating the message of Islam. In spite of the general hostility of the Jews to the Muslims, Ali succeeded in converting some of the Jews to Islam. The Holy Prophet as the Head of the State, had to adjudicate on disputes among the people, including the Jews. Because of his great learning and vast legal knowledge, Ali assisted the Holy Prophet in settling the disputes. Certain persons in Madina had accepted Islam for considerations of self-interest and expediency. Such persons led by Abdullah b Ubayy owed nominal allegiance to Islam. These hypocrites and dissemblers aimed at the subversion of Islam from within. The Holy Prophet made Ali responsible for keeping a watch on the activities of the hypocrites. The Jews aided and patronized the hypocrites in violation of the terms of the agreement between the Muslims and the Jews.
Bani Qainuqa
The Jews of the Bani Qainuqa tribe were the first to violate the terms of their agreement with the Muslims. These Jews had a walled stronghold outside Madina. When the Holy Prophet called upon these Jews to respect their agreement with the Muslims, their leader adopted a defiant attitude and said: "O Muhammad! Do you take us to be akin to the Quraish whom you can defeat. We are a different and a tougher people. If you cross arms with us you will know for yourself what we are." In spite of the offense given by the Qainuqa Jews, the Holy Prophet kept quiet and decided to bide his time for an actual confrontation. A crisis developed soon after the Battle of Badr. A Muslim lady visited a goldsmith's shop in the Banu Qainuqa quarters. A Jew rogue crept up behind her, and pinned her skirt to her bodice. When the lady after the disposal of her business in the shop walked unwittingly into the street, her skirt fell exposing her nakedness. Some Jews collected and began to jeer at the Muslim lady. A Muslim came that way and he fell upon the Jews with his sword. He killed the rogue who had done the mischief. He was on the point of killing another Jew when he himself was killed.
When the Holy Prophet came to know of the happening, he asked the Bani Qainuqa to pay compensation for the wrong done by them, and give adequate assurance of good conduct in the future. Banu Qainuqa defied the warning, and prepared for war. This exhausted the patience of the Holy Prophet, and he ordered punitive action against Banu Qainuqa. The Holy Prophet gave the flag to Ali, and a Muslim force led by Ali marched to the quarters of Bani Qainuqa, the Jews shut themselves in their stronghold, and the Muslims besieged the stronghold. Ali blocked all routes from where any help could come to Bani Qainuqa from outside. Thereafter the Muslims tightened the siege. Despairing of any help from without the Bani Qainuqa surrendered after a fortnight. Under the Jewish law all males among the Bani Qainuqa could be beheaded, and their females and children could be sold as slaves. The Holy Prophet took a lenient view, and merely ordered their expulsion from Madina. The property of Banu Qainuqa was confiscated. As a gesture of good will to the "Muhajireen", the Ansars decided to forego their share. The confiscated properties were distributed among the "Muhajireen" including Ali. Even if it is held that the financial position of Ali was weak in any way, his financial position definitely improved after the operations against Bani Qainuqa, for as a result of this battle he came to own a good deal of property. It was the first battle to be fought under the independent command of Ali. In this battle, Ali gave a good account of his generalship.
Extension of the Battle of Badr
The Battle of Uhud was an extension of the Battle of Badr. Smarting under the ignominy of their defeat at Badr, the Quraish of Makkah assembled a large army of 3,000 persons, and marched to Madina to avenge their defeat at Badr. The force was led by Abu Sufyan. The force included every adult among the Quraish. The force was fully equipped with war weapons. The force was accompanied by a considerable number of women. They sang songs to inspire the warriors. They said that if the Quraish won the battle, they would throw open their arms to embrace them, but in case they were defeated, their women would turn away from them. The Quraish were confident that this time they would win and teach the Muslims a lesson.
The Holy Prophet's preparation for the battle
When the Holy Prophet came to know of the intentions of the Quraish of Makkah, he held a council of war. He was personally of the view that in view of the strength of the enemy the proper course for the Muslims was to remain in Madina and let the enemy besiege the city. The idea was that if the enemy besieged the city its force would have to be dispersed in a number of sectors, and the Muslims could strike a blow at the enemy where the enemy's concentration was the weakest. The younger element among the Muslims, however, insisted that the battle should be fought in the open at some distance away from Madina. Their argument was that the enemy should not be allowed to approach Madina at any cost. Though the Holy Prophet believed that the defensive strategy proposed by him was the best in the circumstances, yet in deference to the enthusiasm for the young men to keep the enemy away from Madina, he agreed to meet the enemy in the open outside Madina. The Muslims could assemble a force of one thousand persons only. When the Holy Prophet gave the order for the march to the battlefield, three hundred hypocrites led by Abdullah b Ubayy withdrew and went to their homes. The Holy Prophet was thus left with 700 persons only and this was one fourth of the strength of the enemy.
The Battlefield
Uhud, a few miles from Madina was a great stretch of barren rock rising out of the desert without any growth of vegetation. The Holy Prophet commanded the Muslim warriors to take up their position at Uhud on the rising ground. A band of archers took up position on an adjoining mound behind the main position. The archers were commanded not to abandon their posts under any circumstances, without the approval of the Holy Prophet.
The Duel
As usual the battle began with a duel. Talha bin Abi Talha the standard bearer of the Quraish stepped forward, and challenged the Muslims to a single combat. Ali the standard bearer of the Muslims stepped forward to accept the challenge. Talha b Abi Talha was an expert swordsman among the Quraish, and it was the common belief that no body could beat him. As Talha stepped forward he boasted of his prowess. Talha was the first to attack Ali. Ali warded off the attack on his shield. Talha was wearing a coat of arms. Ali aimed his blows at the legs of Talha. The legs were severed and Talha fell dead. Then another brother of Talha, Abu Shaiba stepped forward to seek a duel with a Muslim warrior. He was done to death by Hamza. Thereafter the third brother, Said b Abi Talha rushed waving his sword and seeking vengeance for his two brothers. He was killed by Saad b Abi Waqas. The murder of the three brothers one after the other made the Quraish furious. Their flag was next held by Irtas b Sharjeel a formidable man. He challenged the Muslims saying that he who coveted death should step forward to measure swords with him. Ali met the challenge, and killed Irtas. Thereupon Asama b Zaid dashed at Ali, with a view to striking a blow at him, before he could adjust himself after killing Irtas. Ali moved his sword right and left and struck a mortal blow on his assailant who reeled and fell down dead. After the death of six warriors from among the Quraish one after the other, no other warrior of the Quraish could dare challenge a duel with the Muslims.
The battle
After the duels, the battle began. The Quraish charged with great force, but the Muslims held fast. Then in a counter attack the Muslims broke the enemy's line, and the Quraish fell back. At this stage, the contingent of the Muslim archers, contrary to the instructions of the Holy Prophet left their position in order to plunder the camp of the retreating Quraish. Khalid b Walid who was still a non-Muslim and was commanding a contingent of the Quraish cavalry rushed with his contingent, and occupied the position vacated by the Muslim archers. That exposed the Muslims to an attack from the rear as well as from the front. That changed the course of the battle. The defenses of the Muslims were broken, and in the confusion that followed many Muslims were martyred. Hamza an uncle of the Holy Prophet fell fighting. His dead body was desecrated by the Quraish as a mark of their fury against the Muslims. Hinda the wife of Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Quraish ripped the dead body, took out his liver, and chewed it. It was a barbarity which an unscrupulous woman like Hinda alone could practice. Among the Muslims who were martyred was Mas'ab b Omair. He bore some physical resemblance to the Holy Prophet, and seeing his dead body the Quraish shouted that Muhammad (peace be on him) had been killed.
In the confusion that followed, the Holy Prophet was wounded, and he fell in a pit over the dead bodies of his followers. Ali charged the Quraish with unprecedented fury, and killed many men of the enemy. He received no less than sixty-one wounds. When the Quraish continued shouting that the Holy Prophet had been killed, and Ali could no longer see the Holy Prophet where he was stationed, he rushed to the spot where the Holy Prophet lay wounded. He took the Holy Prophet from out of the pit, and with the aid of other companions including Abu Bakr and Umar escorted the Holy Prophet to a safer place. Ali fetched water in his shield, and dressed the wounds of the Holy Prophet, taking no heed of the wounds that he himself had received in the battle. As in the meantime, the Quraish continued shouting that the Holy Prophet had been killed, and no contradiction was made from the Muslim camp. The Muslim warriors engaged in combat with the Quraish were demoralized. They felt that if the Holy Prophet had been killed, there was no point in fighting the battle. At this juncture, at the instance of the Holy Prophet, Umar shouted back at the Quraish to say that the Holy Prophet was very much alive. On regaining consciousness, the Holy Prophet charged Ali to launch a counter attack against the Quraish. Ali rallied the Muslim, exhorted them to fight for the glory of Islam, and fell upon the enemy with the ferocity of a lion. Ali broke into the lines of the enemy, and caused great havoc in the ranks of the enemy. So great was the slaughter caused by Ali in the ranks of the enemy that his sword broke down. Thereupon the Holy Prophet sent Ali his own sword, and with this sword Ali caused further havoc among the ranks of the Quraish. He held the flag in his right hand, and when his right hand was wounded he held the nag in his left hand. Ali drove back the enemy. Because of the prodigies of valor performed by Ali, the Quraish could not take advantage of the victory that they had won at an earlier stage of the battle. Abu Sufyan accordingly commanded the Quraish to return to Makkah. He, however, shouted in a boastful mood that the Quraish had taken the revenge for their defeat in the Battle of Badr. Abu Sufyan declared that the Quraish would soon have another confrontation, when the Muslims would be annihilated.
When after the battle Ali returned to the camp his entire body was covered with so many wounds that Umm Salim and Umm Atiya, the Muslim nurses, did not know how to dress the wounds of Ali. The Holy Prophet washed and dressed the wounds of Ali himself, and said that God in whose cause Ali had received the wounds would heal them. Ali said, "
May God grant me the patience to bear this suffering. It was indeed a favor of God that He gave me the courage to stand and fight in spite of these wounds, and not to leave the field". For his marvelous bravery, the Holy Prophet conferred on Ali the appellation "Asad Allah", the lion of God.
Assessment of the Battle of Uhud
The Battle of Uhud is an important battle in the annals of Islam. In the early stage the battle went in favor of the Muslims, but because of a tactical mistake made by the archers, the tide of the battle was reversed, and the Quraish came to have the upper hand. The Muslims were thoroughly demoralized and practically lost the will to fight. It was at this stage that Ali took the command and prevented the Quraish from taking advantage of the victory that they had won earlier. The battle that would have otherwise ended in the annihilation of the Muslims concluded as a drawn battle. The Quraish could gain no booty; they could not make any Muslim a captive. True, many Muslims died as martyrs, but the casualties in the ranks of the Quraish were larger still.
Ali played the role of a hero in the battle. His services were highly appreciated by the Holy Prophet and the Companions. Some Muslim poets composed verses in the honor of Ali. Extolling his bravery one of the poets said: "There is no sword better than the sword of Ali; and there is no young man superior to Ali."
There is some controversy about the number of unbelievers killed by Ali at the Battle of Uhud. According to some accounts the number was about two hundred. According to more conservative accounts the number was about two dozen. We need not enter into any controversy about the number of persons killed. The basic point is that Ali played the role of a great hero at the Battle of Uhud, and he succeeded in averting a crisis which was fraught with great danger for the Muslims.
Banu Nadeer
Banu Nadeer
The Banu Nadeer were a Jewish tribe who had their settlement outside Madina. The Holy Prophet had given them a charter of freedom and they were expected to be loyal to the Muslims. They however indulged in activities prejudicial to the interests of the Muslims. Kaab b Ashraf a notorious poet of the tribe composed lampoons satiring Islam and the Holy Prophet. He visited Makkah and wrote elegies commemorating the death of the Quraish who had fallen in the Battle of Badr. Kaab was killed by a Muslim young man and the Jews felt bitter at his death. Another Jew of Banu Nadeer, Abu Raafi' Sallarn incited the Arab tribes of Sulaim and Ghatfan to rise against the Muslims.
The tragedy of Bir Maunah
In 625 C.E., one of the chiefs of the tribe of Kilab, Abu Bara Aamir requested the Holy Prophet to send Muslim missionaries to propagate Islam among the tribe. The Holy Prophet sent seventy Muslim missionaries with the chief. The party halted at a place Bir Maunah, and sent a Muslim, Haram b Mathan, along with the letter of the Holy Prophet to Aamir b Tufail, the principal chief of the tribe of Kilab. Aamir b Tufail killed Haram, and marched with an army to Bir Maunah. He assassinated all the Muslim missionaries except one, Amr b. Umayyah by name. Aamir b Tufail released Amr b Umayyah according to his mother's vow to free a slave. On his way back to Madina, Amr b Umayyah killed two persons belonging to the tribe of Banu Amar considering them to be enemies. As a matter of fact, the Holy Prophet had given the tribe amnesty. When the case was brought to the notice of Holy Prophet, he agreed to pay indemnity to the tribe for its murdered persons.
The Holy Prophet's visit to Banu Nadeer
According to the terms of the treaty that the Muslims had made with Banu Nadeer, they had to pay a share of the indemnity. In order to collect such share, the Holy Prophet with ten companions including Abu Bakr, Umar and Ali went to the settlement of Banu Nadeer. The Jews received the Holy Prophet with due courtesy and asked him to sit while they would bring their contribution. The Jews secretly contrived one of them to climb the wall, and from there throw a big stone on the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet perceived their game. He got up from the place, and returned to Madina without bothering to collect the share due from Banu Nadeer.
Expedition against Banu Nadeer
At the treacherous conduct of Banu Nadeer, the Holy Prophet sent an ultimatum to them that as they had violated their agreement with the Muslims, they should evacuate their settlement within ten days. The Banu Nadeer were incited by other Jewish tribes, and the hypocrites in Madina to accept the challenge of the Muslims and give them a fight. After the expiry of the period of ultimatum, Holy Prophet led a force to the Jewish settlement. The Jews shut themselves in their citadel and the Muslim camp was set up outside the fort. The Jews archers shot arrows which struck the Holy Prophet's camp. The camp was shifted to a safer place, and the safety arrangements were tightened by Muslims. The Holy Prophet appointed Ali on intelligence duty. One day Ali received the intelligence that a party of the Jews led by Urwa b Anis, a renowned warrior among the Jews was to fall on the Muslims that night. Their plan was to steal into the Holy Prophet's camp, and pierce him with arrows. Ali kept the watch hidden in a safe place. When at nightfall the party appeared Ali foil on them and sliced off Urwa's head. Ali, thereafter fought single handed with the followers of Urwa till some warriors from the Muslim camp joined him, and all Jews were exterminated. Under the orders of the Holy Prophet, the severed heads of Urwa and his followers were hung outside the citadel of the Jews.
The Banu Nadeer had expected help from other Jews and the hypocrites of Madina. The Holy Prophet blocked all ways from which any help could reach the beleaguered Jews. The siege dragged on for eleven days, and when no help came from outside, the Banu Nadeer lost heart and surrendered. According to the Jewish law, all male members of the Jews could be killed and their women and children could be enslaved. The Holy Prophet took a lenient view. They were required to evacuate the settlement and migrate to Syria or elsewhere. They could carry movable property with them except arms. The Jews accepted these terms and they migrated to Syria. The immovable property left by them was distributed among the Muhajirs. In the operations against the Banu Nadeer, Ali played a conspicuous role. It was his action against Urwa and his followers that demoralized the Jews and led to the ultimate victory of the Muslims.
Battle of the Ditch
Background
The Battle of the Ditch was an extension of the Battle of Uhud as the Battle of Uhud was an extension of the Battle of Badr. The Quraish suffered defeat at the Battle of Badr. Battle of Uhud was fought by the Quraish to take revenge of their defeat at the Battle of Badr. The Battle of Uhud proved to be indecisive. The Quraish were therefore, still suffering from the ignominy of their defeat at the Battle of Badr. The Quraish allied themselves with some Arab tribes of the desert and succeeded in mustering a force ten thousand strong.
Defense of Madina
When the Holy Prophet came to know of the war preparations of the Quraish, he held a council of war. It was felt that in view of the large strength of the forces of the enemy it would not be possible for the Muslims to face the enemy in the open. The Muslims had a bitter experience of the Battle of Uhud, and it was not proper to repeat the mistake. It was accordingly necessary to adopt a new strategy to face the enemy. Salman Farsi, a companion who hailed from Persia suggested that a ditch be dug around Madina for the purposes of defense. This advice was accepted by the Holy Prophet, and it was decided that in the impending battle, the Muslims should remain on the defensive.
The Ditch
Madina had natural defenses on three sides. Only the fourth side was vulnerable to attack. It was decided that a ditch should be dug on this side. The site for the ditch was demarcated by the Holy Prophet. All male adults of the Muslim community in Madina were mobilized to dig the ditch. The labor force was divided into batches and each batch had a leader. Each batch was required to dig a ditch ten yards long. Ali led one batch. The Holy Prophet, Ali and all other companions worked day and night as laborers to dig the ditch. The Muslims labored to the rhythm of a war song they sang:
By God, had not Allah guided us, we would not have been on the right path. We would not have given any Sadaqa nor offered prayer. May Allah bestow on us confidence and calmness of mind. May He make our steps firm to face the enemy. The enemy has risen against us and seeks our destruction. Allah, we seek your protection. There is no welfare except that in the next world; Allah, shower your grace on the Ansars and the Muhajjirs." These verses were composed by Ali.
These verses inspired the Muslims to action, and the entire stretch of the ditch was completely dug within twenty days. The ditch was five yards deep and five yards broad. Each batch of the Muslims who had dug the ditch was required to stand guard over the ditch in their part of the sector. In each sector there were archers who shot arrows to keep the enemy away from the ditch.
The Battle
The forces of the Quraish and the Arab tribes arrived beating drums, and raising shouts boasting, of their strength and invincibility. When they reached Madina, and found that a ditch intervened between them and Madina. They were confused as the Arabs were not used to ditch warfare. They set up their camps at some distance from the Ditch. Thus began the siege of Madina. The enemy made several attempts to cross the ditch, but the Muslim archers kept them at bay. The enemy approached the Jews of Banu Quraiza in Madina to help them in crossing the ditch. The Banu Quraiza were heavily bribed. They threw some dead animals in that part of the ditch where the Muslim defense was not very strong. Due to the treachery of the Banu Quraiza, some warriors of the Quraish led by Amr b Abdwoud managed to cross the ditch. Brandishing his sword, Amr challenged the Muslims to a duel in single combat; Amr was a formidable man who enjoyed the reputation of being equal to a thousand men in physical strength. Ali rose to accept the challenge. The Holy Prophet bade him sit down. Amr repeated his challenge for the second time, and Ali rose up once again to accept the challenge. The Holy Prophet once again asked Ali to sit down. Amr gave the challenge for the third time and Ali stood up again to accept the challenge. This time the Holy Prophet let Ali accept the challenge. When the duel began Ali appeared to be no match for Amr. Amr confident of his physical strength said to Ali that he did not want to kill him. Ali retorted that he intended to kill him. Amr succeeded in inflicting some wounds on Ali, but each time Ali aimed a blow, Amr successfully avoided the blows of Ali. When it appeared that the end of Ali was imminent, something miraculous happened. Amr imagined that some one was going to stab him in the rear. He turned his head. It was for a moment, but Ali took full advantage of the opportunity, and with a blow of his sword cut off the feet of Amr. Amr fell down, and Ali stabbed him to death. Thereupon Usl the son of Amr fell upon Ali. Ali was now as ferocious as a lion. He killed Usl with one stroke of his sword. Thereafter Naufal attacked Ali. Ali charged with full force, and while retreating Naufal fell in to the ditch, Ali jumped after him in the ditch and killed him there. Ikrama b Abu Jahl who had crossed the ditch along with Amr did not dare face Ali. He along with all other men who had crossed the ditch withdrew, and after again crossing the ditch found refuge in their camp. Ali was the hero of the day. It came to be felt that if Ali could overthrow Amr who was believed to be equivalent to a thousand men, Ali would be a man equivalent to ten thousand men. When the sister of Amr came to know that her brother had been killed she inquired from the people as to who had killed him, and when she came to know that Ali had killed him, she said that verily Ali was the bravest man among the Quraish.
Flight of the Quraish
The death of Amr at the hands of Ali demoralized the Quraish and their allies. The men of the Banu Ghaftan came to feel that some supernatural power was helping the Muslims. The Holy Prophet sent his agents to work with the confederates and give them the message of Islam. The leader of Banu Ghaftan accepted Islam, and withdrew his contingent from the battlefield. The game of the confederates was to draw the Muslims into the open and defeat them. The Muslims under the command of the Holy Prophet did not fall into the trap. As the siege lengthened, the Arabs of the desert became weary of the prolonged struggle. Under these circumstances more Arab tribes left for their homes. The confederates also began to suffer on account of the scarcity of food and fodder. It was nature that struck the final blow at the confederates. One midnight, a strong storm lashed the countryside. Rain and fast blowing winds overturned the tents of the confederates and extinguished their fires. The Muslims were safe in their houses in Madina, but the confederates who had to bear the brunt of the fury of the storm, rain and hail were unnerved. Losing all hope of victory Abu Sufyan the Quraish leader mounted his camel and ordered a retreat. Thus miserably foiled, the great coalition which had appeared so invincible at the outset suffered a great reverse. The battle ended in the triumph of Islam. That raised the morale of the Muslims, and they came to believe that Islam was the truth against which the forces of falsehood could not maintain a stand. The Muslim victory in the Battle of the Ditch was due to the superior generalship and organizational skill of the Holy Prophet and the prodigies of valor on the part of Ali. The Battle of the Ditch struck the last nail in the coffin of the Quraish of Makkah. Thereafter the Quraish lost their initiative, which now passed on to the Muslims.
Banu Mustaliq
In 627 C.E., Jewish tribe of Mustaliq which had its settlement at some distance from Madina entered into
alliance with the tribe of Banu Khuza'a, and both agreed to make common cause against the Muslims. The
Holy Prophet deputed the emissary to contact the Banu Mustaliq and report about the true state of
affairs. The emissary reported that the Banu Mustaliq were in a hostile mood and were planing invasion of
Madina. The Holy Prophet thereupon led a Muslim force to the territory of Banu Mustaliq. Ali bore the
standard as usual.
The Holy Prophet gave the Banu Mustaliq the option to submit but they chose to fight. The battle began
duel between Qattada the leader of Banu Mustaliq and Ali. In a few rounds Ali killed Qattada. Thereafter
another Jewish leader Malik confronted Ali. Ali killed in no time. After the death of Malik his son crossed
swords with Ali with the intent to avenge the death of his father. There after the tribe lost the will to fight.
They laid arms and agreed to pay tribute.
Ayesha and her Necklace
While returning from the campaign against Banu Mustaliq an incident took place which cast its shadow on
the future course of Islamic history. Each time the Holy Prophet went on a campaign, one or two of his
wives accompanied him, and the decision was always taken by the drawing of lots. On the Banu Mustaliq
campaign, Ayesha accompanied the Holy Prophet. She traveled on the back of a camel in a closed litter.
On the way to Madina the returning army followed by its long procession of supplies, captives and
thousands of beasts after travelling throughout the night broke camp at dawn. Ayesha left her litter to
satisfy a natural need and returned to her camel. Back in the litter she noticed that she had lost her
necklace of Yemenite agates. Returning in her footsteps she sought the necklace for some time, and at
last finding it, returned to the caravan. But the spot was deserted and the caravan had left. The camel
rider seeing the litter closed, and thinking that it was occupied had placed it on the camel and departed
with it. Ayesha called aloud but no one responded to her call. She decided to lie there covering herself
hoping that some one would come to fetch her. Soon she fell asleep. "We belong to God and to Him we
return" fell on the ears of Ayesha and she awoke with a start. A young man stood there holding a camel
by its tether. The young man Safwan bin Muattal following the army in the rear noticed a young woman
sleeping in the desert, and upon approaching her recognized her as the wife of the Holy Prophet. Ayesha
quickly covered herself with a veil, Safwan adjusted the camel's saddle-girth, and made it kneel. Ayesha
mounted the camel. Holding the beast by the bridle, Safwan took the road to Madina. After a long and
tiring journey, Ayesha caught up with the army at noon. The arrival of Ayesha attended by a young man
caused some rumors in the camp.
Back in Madina, the calumnies of the slanderers gained publicity. Safwan swore that in his lifetime he had
never touched a woman. Ayesha fell sick. She realized that the behavior of the Apostle of God towards
her had changed. She went to the house of her father. Amidst sobs, Ayesha asked her mother "Mother,
what story are the people relating about me". Her mother replied, "do not be distressed. By Allah, there is
not a handsome and noble woman whom her husband loves, but has other wives besides her, that such
tales are bandied about". This did not console the young lady. She knew no rest, and her tears did not
cease to flow. The Holy Prophet consulted his friends about divorcing Ayesha. Umar said that he was
certain that the hypocrites were speaking lies. He added, "By reason of God not allowing a fly to settle
upon your blessed skirts, because it alights also on impure things, how then God would not preserve you
and your name from a worse defilement". The other Companions advised the Holy Prophet to keep his
exalted mind at ease, for they were certain that God would cause the innocence of the young lady to
become manifest. Ali was of the view that there was no dearth of women for the Holy Prophet and
Ayesha could be divorced even though she was innocent.
The Revelation
One day, Ayesha was sitting in the house of her parents and was weeping when the Holy Prophet
appeared all of a sudden, and after the usual salutation spoke to his wife, "O Ayesha if you are innocent,
God will come to your help; if you are guilty repent, and ask forgiveness". Ayesha said that she had to
wait till God cleared her of the insinuation for He alone was her witness. Before the Holy Prophet could
leave the house of his father-in-law, the signs of divine revelation manifested themselves on the Holy
Prophet. His mother-in law placed a cushion under his head and covered him with a Yemeni cloak. When
the revelation was over, drops of perspiration trickled down his face. He smiled and said, "Glad tiding to
you Ayesha, God the Most High has exculpated you, and borne witness to your innocence". Ayesha
thereafter returned to the house of the Holy Prophet and those who had slandered were punished.
Bitterness between Ayesha and Ali
This incident led to some bitterness between Ayesha and Ali. Ali had not levied any charge against
Ayesha. He only said in a casual way that she could be divorced even if she was innocent. The grievance
of Ayesha was that Ali should have defended her like Umar. The Holy Prophet had great love for Ayesha
and that became a matter of some jealousy with others. It appears that even Fatima had some grouse on
this account. The Holy Prophet offered her the advice: "If your father loves a person, why should you not
love that person as well."
Banu Quraizah
The Jews settlements in Madina
There were originally three settlements of the Jews in Madina namely those of Banu Qainuqa, Banu Nadir, ant Banu Quraizah. Every settlement was a stronghold, The Holy Prophet gave them a charter of freedom, whereunder they enjoyed autonomy in the administration of their affairs. The Jews entered into agreements of alliance with the Muslim community and undertook to help the Muslims in the event of any attack on Madina. The Jews, however, did not honor such agreements, and the Muslims had to take punitive action against them. After Battle of Badr, action had to be taken against the Banu Qainuqa. They were expelled from Madina and they migrated to Syria. After the Battle of Uhud, action had to be taken against Banu Nadir. They were expelled from Madina and they migrated to Khyber.
Banu Quraizah
At the eve of the Battle of the Ditch there was only one settlement of the Jews in Madina, namely that of Banu Quraizah. They assured the Muslims of their loyalty, and entered into a fresh agreement whereunder they bound themselves to help the Muslims in the event of any attack on Madina. When the Battle of the Ditch began, they assured the Muslims that they would stand by them. They, however, avoided active assistance on one pretext or the other. In the course of the battle they acted treacherously. Huyayy b Akhtab the leader of Banu Nadir who had been expelled by the Muslims from Madina approached Banu Quraizah and prevailed upon them to cast in their lot with the Quraish and their confederates who were fighting against Islam. Banu Quraizah were heavily bribed by the Quraish and they undertook to assist the confederates in their action against the Muslims. The Holy Prophet sent Sa'ad b Muadh the chief of the Aus tribe to them to prevail upon them to bide by the their agreement which they had made with the Muslims. Confident of the victory of the confederates, the Banu Quraizah adopted a hostile attitude and declared that they knew of no treaty with the Muslims. At the stage it was not possible for the Muslims to take any action against the Jews, and the Holy Prophet chose to be quiet. It was because of the treachery of Banu Quraizah that some of the Quraish warriors were able to cross the ditch and challenge the Muslims to duel. When Ali killed Amr in single combat, and all the Quraish warriors who had crossed the ditch were forced to retreat, the Holy Prophet decided to keep a greater watch on the movements of the Banu Quraizah. When the Battle of the ditch began, the Holy Prophet shifted the women and children of Muslim families to safer quarters. The game of the Quraish was to have access to this quarter and carry away Muslim women and children as captives. Banu Quraizah undertook to help the Quraish. One day the Jews sent a spy to procure intelligence about the quarter where the Muslim women and children were lodged. Safia, an aunt of the Holy Prophet, saw the spy. She stealthily stole behind the spy, and struck a mortal blow at his head with a pole that she carried in her hand. Thereafter the Muslims strengthened the guard at the quarter. The Muslims had expelled the Banu Nadir from Madina after the Battle of Uhud and their leader Huyayy b Akhtab was a non-grate person for the Muslims. Banu Quraizah gave asylum to Huyayy who was an archenemy of the Muslims. During the course of the Battle of the Ditch, Banu Quraizah, at the instance of Huyayy, created difficulties for the Muslims.
Operations against Banu Quraizah
The Banu Quraizah had expected the Battle of the Ditch would end in the defeat of the Muslims, and that they would be duly rewarded by the confederates for the services rendered to their cause. When the Battle of the Ditch ended in the discomfiture of the Quraish and their allies, the Banu Quraizah felt themselves stranded and exposed to the wrath of the Muslims. Soon after the Battle of the Ditch, the Holy Prophet sent a small force under the command of Ali to the Jewish quarter. Ali contacted the leader of the Jews Ka'b b Asad, and brought home to him the point that as they had violated the terms of their agreement with the Muslims, and were guilty of high treason they could no longer be allowed to live in Madina. They were advised that they should lay down arms and migrate elsewhere. The Jews ridiculed the proposal and abused the Holy Prophet and the Muslims. Ali tried his best to make them see the light of reason and migrate elsewhere in their own interest. When Ali did not succeed in prevailing upon the Jews to migrate from Madina on their own account, he reported the matter to the Holy Prophet. The Holy Prophet thereupon ordered a military operation against the Jews. The Holy Prophet handed the war banner to Ali and the Muslim force-marched to the quarter of the Jews under the command of Ali. The Jews shut themselves in their citadel and the Muslim force besieged them. Banu Quraizah had expected that the Quraish and the Jews of Khyber would come to their assistance, but as the days passed on no help came, and things became difficult for them with the prolongation of the siege. On the Sabbath Day, Ka'b b Asad the leader of the Banu Quraizah told his people that things were getting difficult for them from day to day, and that it would not be possible to withstand the siege for long. He placed three proposals before his people. The first proposal was that they should be converted to Islam, and should accept Muhammad (peace be on him) as the Prophet of God. His people turned down the proposal, and said that they would never accept Islam. K'ab said that the next alternative was that they should kill their women and children, and thereafter fall upon the Muslims, and either kill them or be killed. His people said that they would not kill their women and children, Ka'b said that as it was be Sabbath Day the Muslims would not be expecting any attack from them. His third proposal was that they should attack the Muslims on the Sabbath Day. The Jews said that their ancestors who fought on the Sabbath Day were converted to apes and that therefore they would not fight on the Sabbath Day lest they might also be turned into apes.
End of Banu Quraizah
The siege lasted for twenty-five days. On the last day, Ali carried the citadel by assault. All Jews were taken captive, and Ali offered his midnight prayer in the courtyard of the citadel. In spite of their defeat the Holy Prophet was inclined to offer the Jews easy terms, more or less the terms which had been previously offered to Banu Qainuqa and Banu Nadir. The Jews, however, desired that Sa'ad b Muadh the leader of the Banu Aus be appointed as the arbitrator. The Holy Prophet accepted the proposal, and Sa ad was asked to suggest terms that should be offered to the Jews. Sa'ad asked the Jews whether they would like the terms to be offered to them under the Islamic law or the Jewish law. They said that as they were Jews and not Muslims, they would like the Jewish law to be applied to their case. Sa'ad consulted the Jewish rabbis, and asked of them the question, "If in a battle against the Muslims you would have won, and taken the Muslim men and woman captive, how would you have treated the captives under the Jews law?" They said that in that case they would have killed the men and sold the women and children as slaves. Thereupon Sa'ad gave his verdict that all male adults of the Banu Quraizah should be killed and their women and children should be sold as slaves. On hearing this verdict, the Jews were stunned and a pall of mourning fell upon them. It was a harsh sentence, but for all that happened the Jews were themselves to blame. They were guilty to high treason, and they had to face the consequences of their misconduct. Even then if they had thrown themselves on the mercy of the Holy Prophet, they would have escaped with a lighter punishment. Instead of asking for terms from the Holy Prophet they sought the verdict of an arbitrator of their own choice. Again they had opted for the Jewish law, and the sentence awarded was in conformity with such laws. The verdict was carried into effect. Over two hundred male Jews were executed. The Holy Prophet commissioned Ali to supervise the process of execution. About six hundred Jews comprising women and children were sold as slaves. The property of the Jews was confiscated and distributed among the Muslims. Details about such property are not available, but as the Jews were a rich people, this property both movable and immovable must have been considerable, and the share of each Muslim would have been sufficient to make him well to do. That would have considerably improved the financial position of Ali, and in this context, the oft-repeated accounts of the poverty of Ali or the Holy Prophet cannot be accepted. As over six hundred Jews were sold as slaves, Fatima would have got a slave girl to work for her. In the Battle of the Ditch or in the military operations against Banu Quraizah, Ali played the most important part. It was Ali who killed the "Hazar Mard" of the Quraish in a duel. It was Ali who carried the citadel of Banu Quraizah by assault. Details about the exploits of Ali are not available in the accounts that have come down to us.
Operations Against Banu Sa'ad
Conspiracy of the Jews
After the expulsion of the Jews of Bani Qainuqa and Bani Nadeer from Madina ,the policy of the Jews was to incite the Arab tribes to revolt against the Muslims. The Bedouin tribes of Banu Sa'ad and Banu Bakr which lived in the neighborhood of Khyber and Fidak were already hostile to the Muslims. The Jews incited them to attack Madina. They promised to provide them with arms and transport. Intelligence was brought to the Holy Prophet that these tribes were mustering a force and planned to attack Madina. The policy of the Holy Prophet was to strike before the enemy could strike and thus wrest the initiative from the enemy.
Ali's operations
Ali was commissioned by the Holy Prophet to undertake an expedition against the Banu Sa'ad and Banu Bakr. It was not to be a regular battle it was to be a tactical raid to be carried with utmost secrecy, with a view to springing a surprise on the enemy. Ali had a small force of a hundred persons with him. The force did not march in battle array, the party traveled as a caravan of traders in order to avoid suspicion. A series of forced marches conducted at night to conceal the movements brought the party in close proximity to Fidak, some distance from Khyber. Here they came across a scout of the enemy. He was taken captive. He volunteered to lead Ali and his men to the camp of Banu Saad and Bakr provided he was given amnesty. Ali gave him the amnesty, and the scout led Ali and his men to Fidak where the forces of Banu Sa'ad and Banu Bakr were camping oblivious of any danger. Ali and his men made a surprise attack on the enemy. The attack was so unexpected, sudden and furious that the forces of the tribes could not take a stand and were scattered after suffering heavy losses. So intense was the slaughter that the tribes laid down arms and sought for terms. The tribes undertook to remain faithful to the Muslims and offered a tribute of 100 camels and 2000 goats. Ali and his men returned triumphant to Madina where the Holy Prophet appreciated their services. One fifth of the booty was placed at the disposal of the Holy Prophet as state share, and the rest of the animals were distributed among the men who had participated in the foray.
Some points about the operations
In the various accounts that have came down to us, there is some confusion about this operation. In some accounts Banu Sa'ad and Banu Bakr are stated to be Jews. This does not appear to be correct. They were Arab tribes who were pagans. In some accounts it is said that Fidak was conquered as a result of these operations. This is not correct. Fidak was conquered a year later after the conquest of Khyber. In the Atab annals this operation is referred to as Sariya Fidak. The term Sarya is used to denote the operations in which the Holy Prophet did not participate in person. Such operations which were led by the Holy Prophet himself were known as Ghazwas. The Sarya-i-Fidak neutralized the Arab tribes of Banu Sa'ad and Banu Bakr and paved the way to the Hudaibiya pact of the Muslims with the Quraish of Makkah.
Journey to Makkah
In 628 C.E. six years had passed since the Holy Prophet and his companions had left Makkah the city of their birth. During this period of six years the Muslims had fought three battles against the Quraish, the battles of Badr, Uhud, and the Ditch. After the Battle of the Ditch, the Quraish had lost the initiative which now came to rest with the Muslims. In view of this changed position, the Holy Prophet decide to visit Makkah with a view to performing the Hajj. During the Hajj season, the Holy Prophet along with his companions including Ali started for Makkah to perform the Hajj. When the Quraish of Makkah came to know that the Muslims were coming to Makkah, they sent Khalid b Walid and Ikrama b Abu Jahl with two hundred horsemen to intercept the Muslims and prevent their entry into Makkah. The Muslims came to know of the intention of the Quraish at the early stages of the journey. The Holy Prophet consulted his companions whether they should return to Madina or continue their journey to Makkah. The consensus of opinion was that they should go ahead and if the Quraish chose to fight, they would also fight; otherwise, not. Instead of following the direct route to Makkah, the Muslims followed a less frequented way full of rough rocks through the ravines of Mudniya. After a weary march, the Muslim caravan comprising one thousand men reached Hudaibiya on the lower side of Makkah, and within the sacred territory for the purposes of the pilgrimage.
The Pledge
The Muslims encamped at Hudaibiya, and here Urwa b Masud, a son-in law of Abu Sufyan, came to see the Muslims on behalf of the Quraish. He talked in diplomatic language and tried to impress that the Quraish were strong, and would not allow the Muslims to visit Makkah. He also insinuated that at the time of crisis, the followers of the Holy Prophet were likely to leave him. Thereupon Abu Bakr flared up and said: "May God curse you; how dare you think that we will abandon the Holy Prophet. Rest assured, we will stand by him, whatever the cost, and will fight for him to the last." While talking, Urwa in the usual Arab way pushed his hand too close to the beard of the Holy Prophet. A companion who stood near warned him "Keep your hands away from the beard of the Holy Prophet for the hand that touches the sacred beard would be cut."
When Urwa returned to Makkah, the Holy Prophet sent Othman with him to assure the Quraish that the Muslims merely wanted to perform the Hajj and they had no intention of fighting against the Quraish. When Urwa returned to the Quraish, he gave his impressions about the Holy Prophet and the Muslims in the following terms: "O people of the Quraish I have seen kings, but by God I have never seen any king as I have seen Muhammad amongst his companions. If he makes his ablutions, they would not let the waterfall on the ground; if a hair of his body falls they pick it up. They will not surrender him for anything in any case, do what you may".
Othman met the Quraish leaders, but they adopted delaying tactics. When Othman took long to come, a rumor got current in the Muslim camp that Othman had been killed by the Quraish. Thereupon all the Muslims took the pledge that they would fight against the Quraish to seek revenge for the murder of Othman.
The Treaty
When the Muslims were poised to take up arms and attack Makkah, Othman returned to the Muslim camp with Suhail b Amr, an eminent citizen of Makkah, whom the Quraish sent to negotiate a treaty with the Muslims. Suhail was notorious for his hostility to Islam. He was one of the principal persecutors when the Holy Prophet declared his mission. He had fought in the Battle of Badr and had been taken captive. He was later ransomed. After a lengthy discussion, the Holy Prophet and Suhail came to terms and agreed to execute a treaty. Ali was commissioned to draft the treaty. The Holy Prophet dictated that it was a treaty between Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah, and the Quraish. Suhail objected to the preamble on the ground that the Quraish did not acknowledge him as the prophet of God and as such the reference to his prophethood should be omitted. Ali did not agree to omit the relevant words. Thereupon the Holy Prophet omitted these words himself. According to the treaty of Hudaibiya, truce was declared between the Muslims and the Quraish for ten years. If any tribe wished to enter into treaty with the Muslims it could do so, and whoever wished to enter into a treaty with the Quraish was likewise free to do so. If any one from the Quraish came to the Muslims and was converted to Islam he was to be returned to the Quraish. On the other hand, if a Muslim sought refuge with the Quraish, he was not to be delivered to the Muslims. It was further stipulated that the Muslims would withdraw that year without performing the Hajj, but they would be free to perform the Hajj the following year when they could stay in Makkah for three days.
Muslim reaction to the treaty
Prima facie the pact was loaded in favor of the Quraish and most of the Muslims were critical of its terms. Abu Bakr and Ali, however felt that the Holy Prophet knew things better than what his followers could comprehend, and that what appeared to be disadvantageous to the Muslims might ultimately turn to their advantage. Umar waited on the Holy Prophet, and gave expression to his dissatisfaction with the terms of the treaty. The Holy Prophet assured him that whatever he had done was under the command of God, and that the terms which appeared to he against the interest of the Muslims would turn out to their favor. While on the way back to Madina, God sent a revelation that the treaty was a victory for the Muslims. As subsequent events showed this treaty was in fact a prelude to the conquest of Makkah. In later years some one asked Ali as to how the treaty of Hudaibiya was a victory for the Muslims when the terms thereof were apparently in favor of the Quraish. Ali pointed out that during the previous seventeen years the Quraish had been waging a war against the Muslims sometimes cold, sometimes hot. Their aim was to crush Islam. When by the treaty of Hudaibiya the Quraish agreed to a truce for a period of ten years, it amounted to a confession of their failure. Heretofore the Quraish had exercised a pressure on the tribes of the desert not to ally themselves with the Muslims. By the treaty both the Muslims and the Quraish could have allies from amongst the tribes. This was a subtle point fraught with grave consequences. As things took shape later, it was such alliances that paved the way for the conquest of Makkah by the Muslims. It was stipulated that a Muslim who sought refuge with the Quraish was not to be returned to the Muslims, but someone from the Quraish who sought refuge with the Muslims was to be returned to the Quraish. Apparently the stipulation was against the Muslims, but it was really not so. When a Muslim were to seek refuge with the Quraish, it would obviously be a case of apostasy, and there was no advantage in pressing for the return of a person who had ceased to be a Muslim. When a man from the Quraish sought refuge with the Muslims, and was later returned to Quraish, there were two possibilities. If his faith in Islam was strong, he would still remain a Muslim, and was likely to cause the conversion of other people to Islam.
If on the other hand his faith was not strong, it would be a good riddance for the Muslims. Moreover by this time the stage of the conversion of individuals was over. The Holy Prophet was now looking forward to mass conversions, and in this context there were not likely to be many cases of individuals seeking shelter with the Muslims or the Muslims seeking shelter with the Quraish. The treaty of Hudaibiya indeed set the stage for the expansion of Islam to the peninsula of Arabia.
Battle of Khybar
The Khyber
About a hundred miles from Madina on the route to Syria was an important settlement of the Jews called the Khyber. Literally "Khyber" means a fort, and the place was so named because it consisted of a series of forts. There were six or seven forts, and each fort was occupied by a different section of the Jews. It was an oasis in the desert, and was conspicuous for its fields and groves of date palms. It was an important market as well. After their expulsion from Madina, most of the Jews of Banu Qainuqa and Banu Nadir took refuge in Khyber. In the Battle of the Ditch, the Jews of Khyber had helped the Quraish. When after the Battle of the Ditch, the Jews of Banu Quraizah were executed, the Jews of Khyber vowed vengeance, and they planned an invasion of Madina on a large scale. They were seeking an alliance with the Quraish. In the meantime by the treaty of Hudaibiya, the Quraish had made a truce with the Muslims and were no longer free to join the Jews in an attack on Madina. That was the first advantage that accrued to the Muslims as a result of the treaty of Hudaibiya. After the neutralization of the Quraish, in any conflict between the Muslims and the Jews, the initiative now came to lie with the Muslims. Taking full advantage of this favorable situation, immediately on return from Makkah after signing the Hudaibiya pact, the Holy Prophet led a Muslim force to Khyber.
The battle
The Jews were caught in surprise at the appearance of the Muslim force. The Prophet asked them to submit. They ridiculed the offer and said that their forts were impregnable, and that they would teach the Muslims bitter lesson. They shut themselves in their forts and the Muslims besieged them. The first battle took place on the fort called Naim. The Muslim force was commanded by Muhammad b Muslimah. The battle was fierce. The Muslim Commander was martyred, but the fort was captured. In the following days they captured other small fortresses. The main fort of the Jews was Qamus, and it was regarded as impregnable. The siege dragged on for twenty-one days, but the Jews held out. The Holy Prophet sent a force under the command of Abu Bakr to overpower the Jews, but the mission did not succeed. The Holy Prophet changed the Commander every day, but the fort proved to be a hard nut to crack. With the failure of successive missions, the Holy Prophet said that the following day he would entrust the command to a person who was the beloved of Allah as well as His Prophet, and who would conquer the fort. The following day when the Muslim forces assembled to lead the attack, all were anxious to know as to who was to have the honor of commanding the Muslim forces, and winning the victory that day. The honor fell to the lot of Ali. The Holy Prophet put the armor on Ali with his own hands. He handed him the standard, and after praying for the victory of the Muslims, the Holy Prophet commanded the Muslims forces to attack the fort in the name of God. As the Muslim forces came close to the fort, the Jew warrior Marhab emerged out of the fort, and challenged Ali to a duel. Marhab also known as Abu Ablit and Antar enjoyed reputation as a great warrior equivalent to a thousand men. Marhab sang the battle song: "I am Abu Ablit; My name is Antar. I am armed to the teeth. My home is Khyber. I am a lion whom none can face. "
Ali accepted the challenge with the battle song: "I am Ali, the lion of God. I fight in the name of God. Be prepared for your doom. He awaits you." The day, Ali appeared to be endowed with unusual extraordinary power. He killed Marhab in no time. Thereafter another Jewish warrior Rabih b Abu Aqiq stepped forward to challenge Ali. Rabih charged at Ali, but he missed the mark. Thereafter Ali charged at his adversary with the speed of lightning and severed his head with the stroke of his sword. Thereafter another Jew warrior stepped forward. He sang as he rushed at Ali: "I am Yasir I am a ferocious lion. None can escape my claws. In reply, Ali said: "O Infidel, your death calls you. I invoke the aid of God and strike the heads of those who come to oppose me " Yasir aimed a blow at Ali, but Ali warded off the blow with great dexterity. Then Ali attacked and Yasir fell dead. The death of three successive Jew warriors unnerved the Jews and they ran back to shut themselves in the fort. Before the Jews could shut the gate of the fort, Ali struck at the gate and uprooted it. Thereafter the Muslim force rushed inside the fort and massacred the Jews who resisted them. Ali performed prodigies of valor and killed a large number of the Jews. The Jews could not withstand the onslaught of the Muslims for long. Soon their resistance broke down and they laid down arms and sued for terms. Thus the fort which was regarded as impregnable fell before the might of Ali. According to legend, Ali exhibited supernatural strength that day and was most ferocious than the fiercest of lions. Verily, he was the "Lion of Allah".
source : http://witness-pioneer.org
