TOPIC 8 THE ISLAM OF OMAR AND HAMZA (MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH THEM)

THE DEPARTURE OF THE PROPHET MOHAMMED (MAY ALLAHS PEACE AND PRAYERS BE UPON HIM) TO TAEF

Learning Outcomes After you finish this chapter, you will be able to: Describe how Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib accepted Islam. Describe the story of the conversion of Omar ibn al-Khattab to Islam. Understand the power f Allah the Almighty in managing and controlling the hearts of His creatures through the story of Omar ibn al-Kahttab conversion to Islam. Realize the hardships endured by the Prophet (pbuh) in his effort to guide his people (his departure to Taef). Explain the Isra and Miraaj of the Prophet (pbuh). Explain the origin of our five daily prayers.

1. Introduction The situation of the Prophet and the Muslims in Mecca was very critical. They were few, weak, and powerless. The people of Quraysh were persecuting them, torturing them, and oppressing them. They were living in these adversities with fortitude, patience, and full trust in Allah the Almighty. No single Muslim had rejected Islam and joined the disbelievers because of the hardships and punishments inflicted to them by the people of Mecca. This fact increased the irritation of the Quraysh and incited them to more acts of atrocities against the defenseless Muslims. The Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was very afflicted by what was happening to his followers. He was not subject to torture because of the position of his clan and the protection of his uncle Abu Talib. He multiplied prayers and supplications to Allah the Almighty to protect and empower the Muslims and provide them with a fortunate solution. He was asking Allah to help Islam and the Muslins by opening the heart of one of two important and most brave men of Quraysh to Islam. Each of these two men may equal one thousands or more men. They were Abu Jahl and Omar ibn Al-Khattab. Allah answered His prophets Duas and guided Omar to Islam and also another brave warrior, Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib, uncle of the Prophet. Given the rejection and hostility of the Quraysh people towards Islam, the Prophet decided to go a nearby city called Taef. But the people of Taef also rejected the new religion and even maltreated the Prophet and the companion who went with him. To console and comfort His Messenger, Allah performed the Isra and Miraaj or the night travel to him. This chapter covers the Islam of Hamza and Omar (may Allah be pleased with them), the departure of the Prophet to Taef, the Isra and Miraaj or the night travel, and the invitation of the tribes during Hajj.
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2. The Islam of Omar and Hamza 2.1 The Islam of Hamza Bin Abdul-Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with him Hamza was the young uncle of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). He was tall, high in stature and position among the Quraysh. He was one of the brave and most courageous men in Mecca and spent most of his time hunting out of the city and was not always aware about what was going on in it. He did not accept Islam so far and his position towards it was in between that of the other two uncles of the Prophet: Abu Tallib who did not accept Islam too but was in the side of his nephew protecting him from the Quraysh and Abu Lahab who did not accept Islam too but has hatred and enmity Islam, the Prophet, and the Muslims. Allah in His Infinite Wisdom has decided to guide the heart of Hamza to Islam and He created the circumstances for this event to happen. One day, Abu Jahl passed by the Mosque and the Prophet who was sitting near the Safa gate of the Mosque. Abu Jahl was known for his hatred and hostility towards the Prophet and Islam. He directed numerous abuses at the Prophet in order to engage him into dispute but the Prophet understood his intent and replied no single word to him and returned home sadly. Later on, Hamza returned from hunting and was informed about what Abu Jahl has done to his nephew. Extremely enraged, he went straightaway to the Mosque to punish Abu Jahl. When he reached the Mosque, he went straight to Abu Jahl, stood over him and hit him with his bow with his force asking him if he will insult Mohammed again now that he, Hamza, follows the religion of Mohammed and says what he says. Hamza challenged Abu Jahl to hit him back if he could.

Some people from the clan of Abu Jahl stood up in order to help him but he told them to let Abu Umarah (Hamza) alone because he is the one who insulted his nephew with ugly insults. Since that day, Hamza embraced Islam and fought in the cause of Allah till he was killed as martyr at the battle of Uhud.

2.2 The Islam of Omar Bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him With no power to protect the weak Muslims who were been tortured, the Prophet (pbuh) returned to Allah, the All-Powerful. He prayed to Allah day and night to support Islam and the Muslims with either Omar ibn Al-Khattab or Abu Jahl. The Prophets duas were answered and Allah chose Omar ibn al-Khattab alAdawi al-Qurayshy and guided him to Islam. The story of his conversion is well known and it has been documented in most of the books about the Sirah of the Prophet or books of Islamic history. Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) was a man with an imposing personality, tall, brave, and very strict and feared. The story about his conversion to Islam should be taught over and over again to young Muslims for the many lessons it contained. It showed the Power of Allah the Almighty in controlling and managing human being hearts. From being the most hostile person about the Prophet and Islam and even searching for the Prophet in order to kill him, Omar embraced Islam few hours later and the Prophet became the most beloved person to him on earth. Omar had a sister called Fatimah bint al-Khattab. She was married to Said ibn Zayd who was a cousin of hers. The two had accepted Islam but they were hiding their conversion to Islam because they were aware of Omars violent nature and his aversion for Islam and the Muslims. A

senior Muslim called Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was teaching Fatimah bint al-Khattab and her husband Zayd how to read the Quran. Omar was very sad for what was happening to the Quraysh people and the city Mecca. The once united Quraysh were now divided into two distinct and hostile groups by this man who proclaimed himself as the Prophet of Allah (Omars thinking before Islam). Brave and feared by his people, Omar taught that it is time for him to do something about this issue. He cannot helplessly assist to the division of his people and the destruction of their most cherished values. He reached to the conclusion that the only way to end this problem for ever is to kill the man behind it (meaning the Prophet, pbuh). So, one day Omar decided to take action. He took his sword and went out angrily to find the Messenger of Allah who was, at that very moment, with his followers in a house at Safa. A Muslim called Nuaym ibn Abdullah who was from Omars clan (the Banu Adi) saw him in this hurried state and asked him about his destination. Omar replied that he is going to find Mohammed and kill him because he has divided the Quraysh, ridiculed their traditions, criticized their religion, and insulted their gods and their forefathers. Nuaym ibn Abdullah being a Muslim and knowing the bravery and violent nature of Omar realized the gravity of the situation. Killing the Prophet Mohammed would be a fatal coup to the new religion which he has embraced and practiced now. Moreover, as a true Muslim he loved the Prophet more than his own children, parents, wives, and more than anything on earth and he was ready to defend the Prophet even if it should be at the expense of his own life. But he knew he cannot face an angry man with a sword and not every man: Omar ibn al-Khattab. So, he immediately came up with an idea: he taught it wiser to reveal the conversion to Islam of Omars sister and changed his destination than to let him go and kill or hurt the Holy Prophet. If Omar
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changed his destination, Nuaym may have, at least, the time to rush and inform the Prophet and the Muslims about Omars intention so that they may take careful measures. Nuaym ibn Abdullah told Omar: You deceive yourself Omar. Why shouldnt you go back to your own family and put their affairs in order first? My own family? What do you mean? Omar inquired. Nuaym informed him that his brother-in-law and cousin Said ibn Zayd and his own sister Fatimah bint al-Khattab have embraced Islam and they were now following the Prophet Mohammeds religion. And that Omar had better go deal with them first. Nuayms plan succeeded and Omar, actually, changed his destination and decided to go and punish his family members first. So, Omar returned to his sisters house. Khabbab ibn al-Aratt who was teaching her and her husband Quran recitation was in the house. He had an excerpt from Surah Ta Ha. When they heard Omar coming, they told Khabbab to hide in a small room inside the house and Fatimah bint al-Khattab concealed the page from the Quran which they were reading in her clothes. But before they stopped and hid everything Omar has already heard the voice of Khabbab when he was reciting the Quran. So he directly asked them, What is this rubbish? They replied, Nothing. What did you heard? Then he shouted at them, By Allah! I was informed that you are following Mohammed in his new religion. Without waiting for their reply and their side of the story, Omar started beating his brother-in-law Said ibn Zayd. When his sister Fatimah tried to protect her husband from him, Omar hit her and injured her. When they saw what he did to them, they said to him in one voice, Yes, we have embraced Islam and we now believe in Allah and His Messenger. Do whatever you can do. The blood on his sister made Omar regret what he had just done to them. He amazed by their courage and determination in their new belief. Surprisingly, he even asked them to show him what he
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heard them reading before he entered the house. He asked them to show him what the Prophet has brought because unlike the bulk of the Quraysh people, Omar knew reading and writing. When his sister told him that they were afraid he would damage it if they gave it to him, he assured them that he would not destroy it. But his sister told him that only the purified people can touch the Quran and that as an idol-worshipper he is unclean. Omar washed and then they gave him the excerpt from Surah Ta Ha and just after reading few lines he couldnt retain himself and exclaimed, How noble and sublime are these words! At this exact point, Khabbab came out from his hidden place and said: Omar! By Allah, I hope that Allah has singled you out by the prayer of His Prophet. I heard him say last night, O Allah, strengthen Islam with Abul-Hakam ibn Hisham (the real name of Abu Jahl) or Omar ibn al-Khattab! Come to God! Come to God, yeah Omar!1 Then Omar asked Khabbab to guide him to the Prophet in order to become Muslim and Khabbab told him that the Prophet is at Safa in a house with some of his companions. Omar put on his sword and went back to his initial destination before he met Nuaym ibn Abdullah (the Muslim who informed him that his sister and brother-in-law were Muslim and he had better go to them first) but with a different intention. Few hours or minutes ago his intention was to go kill the Prophet Mohammed and now his intention is to go to the Prophet and embrace Islam. Allahu Akbar! In whose Hands are the hearts of His creatures and He turn them as He wishes! Omar reached the house where the Prophet and his companions were and knocked on the door. One of the companions of the Messenger of Allah looked through the fissures of the door
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Sayyed, Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi. 1993. Muhmmad, the last prophet: a model for all time. Leicester: UK Islamic Academy. P. 49.

and saw Omar armed with his sword. Alarmed, he returned and informed the Prophet that it is Omar ibn al-Khattab wearing his sword! Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib who has accepted before, as it was mentioned earlier, said, Let him come in. If his intentions are peaceful, we will treat him well. If not, we will kill him with his own sword2. The Prophet of Allah told them to let him in and rose to meet him. It was his habitude, peace and blessings upon him, to stand up and go to meet the people who are coming to him as a sign of showing respect and consideration to them. The Prophet seized Omars mantle violently and asked him about the reasons of his visit. Omar informed the Messenger of Allah that he has come to profess his believe in Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet (pbuh) said, Allahu Akbar loudly so that everyone in the house knew that Omar had accepted Islam. With the entry of Omar and that of Hamzah before him, the Muslims power and confidence increased. The news about the conversion of Omar to Islam spread quickly among the Quraysh who were annoyed about this event. Some of them took their swords and tried to fight him but he resisted and they finally decided to leave him alone. With the entry of Omar ibn al-Khattab in Islam, the Muslims began practicing their acts of worships publically. One day he said to the Prophet, isnt it that we are on the right path? Isnt it that they (the idol-worshippers) are wrong? So why should we hide our religion? So he went out with some Muslims showing publically their new religion. Since that day the Prophet (pbuh) gave him the surname of Al-faruq which means the one who divides between the Truth and the falsehood. This was in summary the story of the conversion of Omar ibn al-Khattab to Islam. It was a great event for the weak and oppressed Muslims. Islam and the Muslims were strengthened by
2

Sayyed, Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi. 1993. Muhmmad, the last prophet: a model for all time. Leicester: UK Islamic Academy. P. 50.

the conversion of Omar and Hamzah to Islam, two great men each of whom may equal one thousand men. Omar used his bravery and violent nature for the good and the Truth and he reached an exceptional place among the Muslims since the day he accepted Islam till his death, may Allah be pleased with him. He was the second Khaleef of the Prophet after Abu Bakr Assidiq. Many books have been written about him and many theses have written about his various policies during his Khilaafah. How great is the Ummahs need today for people and rulers like Omar ibn al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him)?

3. The departure of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) to Taef In the tenth year of prophethood, Abu Talib and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) died. The Prophet beloved wife passed away thirty-five days after the death of his uncle Abu Talib. With their death, the Prophet Mohammed lost their loyalty and support. He was deeply shocked by these two sad events and even called this year the year of sorrow () . With the death of Abu Talib, the Quraysh knew that the Prophet had lost the protection he had since they were restraining them from offending him because of Abu Talibs protection. Thus, they multiplied their acts of oppression towards the Prophet and the Muslims. When the situation became very critical, the Prophet decided to go to Taef in order to call its people to Islam and with the hope of getting some support. Taef is a city at about fifty miles southeast of Mecca. It was home for the people called the Thaqif. The Prophet walked to that city with the company of his servant Zayd. Upon his arrival, he went to the leaders of the Taef and called them to Islam. He invited them to abandon worshipping idols and worship Allah alone, the Creator of all things. They were, however, rude to the Prophet and ridiculed him. They ordered their slaves and children to shout at him, insult
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him, and even throw stones at him. It was narrated that the townspeople formed a line on either side of the path and when the Prophet passed they stoned him until his feet were streaming with blood3. In this state of hopelessness, the Prophet turned to Allah the Almighty the All-Powerful. It was in this situation that the Prophet invoked Allah with a well-known and welldocumented Dua in Islam. This dua is repeated by Muslims all over the world till the Day of Judgment. He said: O Allah, to You do I complain of my weakness, of my helplessness, and of my insignificance in the sight of people. O You Who are Ever-Merciful, You are the Lord of the oppressed, and You are my Lord. Into whose hands will You entrust me? Into the hands of some far off stranger who scowls at me? Or to an enemy whom you have empowered against me? If You are not angry with me, I do not care; but Your Clemency is wider for me. I seek refuge in the Light of Your Countenance whereby all darkness is illuminated and the affairs of this world and the next are rightly ordered, lest You may descend upon me Your anger, or lest Your wrath may beset me! There is no power nor might save through You.4

Despite his desperate situation, the Prophet was ever merciful and compassionate for human kind. He knew that they were opposing him and oppressing him because of their
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Sayyed, Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi. 1993. Muhmmad, the last prophet: a model for all time. Leicester: UK Islamic Academy. P. 54.
4

Ibn Kathir, Imam Abi al-Fidaa Ismail. Stories of the Prophets = Qissasul anbiya. 2001. Trans. Sayed, G, Tamir, Abu A.,& Muhammad, A. M. Al-Mansoura: Dar Al-Manarah. P. 393.

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ignorance about the Truth he received from Allah the Almighty. Thus, when Allah sent the angel of the mountains who asked him if he wanted him to punish the people of Taef, who had maltreated him and wounded him, by bringing together the two mountains between which Taef is situated and caught its people as a sandwich, the noble Prophet replied, No, for I hope that Allah will bring forth from them those who will worship Allah alone and not associate anything with Him. Allahu Akbar! How merciful and forgiving is our beloved Prophet? If it was one of us, isnt this a great opportunity to show to the Quraysh and the entire world the veracity of our religion and the end of those who go against it and maltreat its adherents? But the Prophet was sent as mercy for the entire universe! It is not for him to take revenge for what happened to him for the cause of Allah. It was in the shade of a palm-tree where he sat down that the Prophet prayed to Allah with the abovementioned dua. Two brothers of the Thaqif people Utbah ibn Rabiah and Shaybah ibn Rabiah were moved with compassion by the situation of the Prophet. They sent their Christian slave called Addas to bring some grapes to the Prophet. Addas noticed the kindness of the Messenger of Allah and he was very impressed by the Prophet character that he accepted Islam. The Prophet returned to Mecca not at all discouraged by the encounter of Taef. He had strong faith in Allah and that Allah will assist and give victory to his religion and its followers. It is just a matter of time.

4. Isra and Miraaj Isra and Miraaj was The Night Journey or the Ascension to the Heavens. It refers to the night journey made by the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) from Mecca to Jerusalem and thence to heaven. It took place in the twelfth year of his mission. It was a real bodily journey and not only a vision.
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After the death of his beloved companions (Khadijah and Abu Talib), the escalation of Qurayshs oppression, and what he had encountered in Taef, Allah wanted to relieve His Prophet and provide him solace and generous hospitality and above all to make him witness the signs of Allah in order to firmly strengthen his faith and determination in his mission. The journey was in the company of Gabriel and it was on an animal called Al-Buraq, a white animal smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey5. So, the Prophet traveled nightly from the Masjid al-Haram (the Holy Mosque of Mecca) to the Masjid al-Aqsa (the Holy Mosque of Jerusalem) where he led the other prophets in prayer. From the Mosque of Jerusalem Gabriel ascended with him to heaven where he met some prophets from the first heaven to the seventh. During this journey, fifty prayers were assigned to the Prophet (pbuh) and his community. But on his way back he met Prophet Moses who asked him about he has done. The Prophet told him that Allah has enjoined on me and my people fifty prayers. The Prophet Moses told him that he knew people better than him and he had a difficult experience with the Bani Israaeel in bringing them to obedience and he advised the Prophet Mohammed to return and request Allah to reduce the number of prayers because the Muslims cannot perform them. The Prophet went back and Allah reduced them to forty. Once again the prophet Moses advised him to go back and ask for reduction. The Prophet was going forth and back between Allah and Moses till the prayers were reduced to five only. Even at this stage, Prophet Moses asked him to go back and request for reduction but the Prophet said that I surrendered to Allahs Final Order.

Ibn Kathir, Imam Abi al-Fidaa Ismail. Stories of the Prophets = Qissasul anbiya. 2001. Trans. Sayed, G, Tamir, Abu A.,& Muhammad, A. M. Al-Mansoura: Dar Al-Manarah. P. 393.

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Allahu Akbar! What a great advice and many thanks to Prophet Moses! Imagine if we have to perform fifty prayers daily .Prophet Moses was fully right. Now it is five prayers daily, but how many of us are really performing them on time as it should be? Even those of us who are performing them daily and on time, how much concentration and sincere meditation is there? May Allah the Almighty guide and assist us in carrying out His Commands in the way that pleased Him. The next morning the Prophet Mohammed informed the people of Quraysh about his nightly journey. He only told them about the journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and did not mention the ascension to the Heavens. Nevertheless, they said, How unbelievable! How could you do the return journey in one night while the caravan takes a month to go and a month to return? They rejected it and said he was mad. One of them met Abu Bakr before he heard about the journey to Jerusalem and then to the Heavens and told: Did you hear what your friend is saying now? He pretends that he went to Jerusalem and came back last night. To what Abu Bakr replied: If he had said that, then it is true. By Allah! If he told that he went to the Heavens and came back in one night, I will believe him!. Allahu Akbar! This was Abu Bakr! Notice that at this time he even did not know that the Prophet actually went from Jerusalem to the Heavens but he was ready to trust him if he said he did so. No wonders, when the Prophet was informed about what Abu Bakr had replied to that person about the night journey, he called Abu Bakr from that day on As-sideeq. It was reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: When Quraysh disbelieved me (concerning my night journey) I

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stood up in Al-Hijr of the Kabah and Allah displayed Al-Aqsa Mosque before me, and I started to inform them about its signs while looking at it.6

5. The invitation for the tribes during Hajj After the refusal of the Quraysh people and those of Taef to believe in Allah and worship Him alone and abandon the worship of their idols which could not harm or benefit them, he began approaching the different delegations of Arab tribes that were coming to Mecca for the festival and for Hajj. On the other hand, the Quraysh also have agreed to sit by the paths taken by the people coming to Hajj and they warned them about listening to the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). They told them that he is a magician that separates a man from his father, a man from his brother, a man from his wife, and a man from his tribe. The Prophet met the various Arab tribes who came to Mecca during their festival and presented Islam to them and asked them protection from his enemies. He was going around calling people to Islam and telling them that he is their Messenger from Allah. Unfortunately, his uncle Abu Lahab, who has hatred for Islam and the Muslims, was following him and whenever the Prophet finished talking to people, he used to stand up to tell people not to obey him and not listen to him. But Allah the Almighty and Exalted opened the hearts of few people from the Khazraj of Madinah to Islam. This was the beginning of a series of meetings and pledges between the Prophet (pbuh) and the people of Madinah.

Ibn Kathir, Imam Abi al-Fidaa Ismail. Stories of the Prophets = Qissasul anbiya. 2001. Trans. Sayed, G, Tamir, Abu A.,& Muhammad, A. M. Al-Mansoura: Dar Al-Manarah. P. 396.

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REFERENCES Ibn Kathir, Imam Abi al-Fidaa Ismail. Stories of the Prophets = Qissasul anbiya. Trans. Muhammad Mustapha, Azhar Unversity. From: www.islambasics.com Ibn Kathir, Imam Abi al-Fidaa Ismail. Stories of the Prophets = Qissasul anbiya. 2001. Trans. Sayed, G, Tamir, Abu A.,& Muhammad, A. M. Al-Mansoura: Dar Al-Manarah. Ali, Muhammad Mohar. The Bibliography of the Prophet and the Orientalists. Madianh: King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran, 1997. Sayyed, Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi. 1993. Muhmmad, the last prophet: a model for all time. Leicester: UK Islamic Academy.

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