Chapter 20

According to information that has reached me, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) remained hidden in his mission of declaring his religion for three years after his call. Then, Allah the Almighty commanded him: {Proclaim, then, that which you are commanded, and turn away from the polytheists} (Surah Al-Hijr, 94). And He said: {And warn your nearest kinsmen} (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, 214). Ibn Ishaq then says: 'When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) openly declared Islam to his people and proclaimed it as Allah had commanded him, his people did not distance themselves from him, nor did they oppose him—as far as I know—until he mentioned their gods and criticized them.' ¶

From this text cited by Ibn Hisham, and similar texts found in the books of Sirah (biography), and the various events of the Prophetic biography upon which these texts rely, one or more aspects of the secrecy of the call in its early years are manifested. ¶

I say: From these texts and events, various concepts have emerged regarding the extent of secrecy and concealment in the call during its initial phase: - A concept that tends to widen the scope of this secrecy. - A concept that tends to narrow this scope. - A concept that lies in between. This depends on the events that each concept relies upon to support its position. ¶

Furthermore, a researcher into the Prophetic biography regarding the Islamic call in Makkah, in its first stage, finds difficulty in determining the distinctive features of this stage and the time it spanned, due to the conflicting reports related to this issue. ¶

A researcher of the Prophetic biography declares this by saying: '...There is no precise date in the books of chronicles, Sirah, and history for the time when the Messenger and the Muslims were hidden in the House of Al-Arqam. The reports concerning this are inconsistent... and the reports are conflicting regarding the duration of this concealment in the House of Al-Arqam; some set its duration at only one month... Furthermore, they are also conflicting regarding the nature of the concealment. Was it complete concealment from people in that house, such that no one would leave it? Or was it concealment in...' ¶

In short intervals of the day, for example, during the times of their gathering with the Prophet for prayer, or for the clarification of Islam and the proclamation of the glad tidings from Allah, and the acceptance of anyone into it (1). ¶

As for our preferred view, it is what is indicated by the totality of the events proven to have occurred during that first blessed stage of the Da'wah, without restricting it to a specific, precisely defined time. ¶

Our preferred view is summarized in four points: ¶

1 - The declaration of the call (Da'wah) to Allah from the moment Allah commanded His Prophet ﷺ to begin the mission of the call, as stated in His saying: {O you who are wrapped in garments (Al-Muddaththir), arise and warn} (2). ¶

It is recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari regarding the occasion of the revelation of the opening verses of Surah Al-Muddaththir: 'Abu Salamah asked Jabir bin Abdullah: Which part of the Qur'an was revealed first? He said: {O you who are wrapped in garments (Al-Muddaththir)}. I said: I was informed that it was {Read in the name of your Lord}. He replied: I will not tell you except what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: I performed I'tikaf in Hira. When I finished my seclusion, I descended and reached the middle of the valley. I was called out, so I looked in front of me, behind me, to my right, and to my left, and there he was (meaning the Angel, Jibril) sitting on a throne between the sky and the earth. I came to Khadijah and said: Cover me, and pour cold water over me. Then it was revealed to me: {O you who are wrapped in garments, arise and warn, and your Lord magnify} (3).' ¶

In Tafsir al-Qurtubi, it states: '{Arise and warn}: Threaten the people of Makkah and warn them of punishment if they do not embrace Islam' (4). Our evidence from the Hadith of Jabir as narrated in Al-Bukhari is that Surah Al-Muddaththir, which contains the command to warn the people of Makkah, was the first Surah to be revealed—and it appears this occurred after the period when revelation ceased (fatrat al-wahy) for some time following the revelation of {Read in the name of your Lord...}. Then the revelation resumed intensely and continued, as understood from other narrations in Sahih al-Bukhari (5). ¶

And it is stated in Hashiyat al-Jamal 'ala al-Jalalayn: 'The first of the Qur'an to be revealed in Makkah is {Read...}'. ¶

In the name of your Lord who created, then 'Nun. By the Pen and what they inscribe', then 'O you who covers himself [with a garment]', then 'The Cloaked One', then 'May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined...' (1), until they were counted as eighty-one Surahs. ¶

It is reported by Al-Qurtubi in his Tafsir under the Surah 'May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined...' with an attribution to the Sahihayn, using Muslim's wording: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out until he ascended Safa and cried out: 'Ya Sabaha! (O danger of the morning!)' They asked: 'Who is this calling?' They said: 'Muhammad.' So they gathered around him. He called: 'O Bani so-and-so, O Bani so-and-so... O Bani Abd Manaf, O Bani Abdul Muttalib!' When they gathered, he said: 'What do you think if I were to inform you that cavalry were emerging from the foot of this mountain, would you believe me?' They replied: 'We have never known you to lie!' He said: 'Then I am a warner to you before a severe punishment.' Abu Lahab said: 'May you perish! Did you gather us only for this?' Then he stood up, and this Surah was revealed: 'May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined and ruined he is...' (2).' ¶

Based on the above, the command in 'Arise and warn' (3), the occasion of the revelation of 'May the hands of Abu Lahab be ruined...' (4)—which is among the first five Surahs revealed in Makkah—and the vehement warning that occurred on the occasion of its revelation, and the public call to the people of Makkah on Mount Safa; all of this indicates that the Islamic Da'wah in its first stage was a public invitation, not a secret one, as the authentic and explicit texts testify. ¶

2- Whether a Muslim announced his entry into Islam or concealed it was a matter left to the individual Muslim. It was natural that whoever feared for his life by making his Islam public would conceal it and not announce it. As for the one who did not fear for himself—due to his honor, strength, or the presence of protection—he did not mind making his Islam public; rather, he would take a challenging stance by announcing his Islam openly. ¶

From the well-known story of the conversion of Umar ibn al-Khattab—which we need not recount—we observe several Islamic figures whose conversion Umar was previously unaware of. These figures are: Nu'aym ibn Abd Allah ibn al-Nahham, from the Banu Adi, the very clan to which Umar ibn al-Khattab himself belonged; Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas; Khabbab ibn al-Aratt; and Sa'id ibn Zayd, who was Umar's cousin and the husband of his sister, Fatima, who was herself among those who concealed their conversion, as mentioned in this account. ¶

On the other hand, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was among the early Islamic figures who did not conceal his faith. It is stated in the Sirah of Ibn Hisham: 'When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) embraced Islam, he declared his Islam and called [people] to Allah and His Messenger.' This indicates that the Prophet's (peace be upon him) command to some early Muslims to conceal their faith was not binding, as evidenced by Abu Bakr's declaration of his Islam and the declaration of others, which the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not rebuke. This shows that the instruction to conceal was out of compassion for the Muslim to avoid harm, not as a mandatory obligation. This is clear from the story of the conversion of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari; Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) was among the foremost of the early Muslims. The following excerpts from al-Bukhari’s long account of Abu Dharr’s conversion are sufficient to support our point: '...Abu Dharr said: ...Ali passed by me and asked: What is your business? And what brought you to this town? I said: We heard that a man has appeared here who claims to be a prophet... so I wanted to meet him. He said: ...I am heading to him, so follow me; enter where I enter. If I see anyone I fear for you, I will stand by a wall as if I am fixing my sandal; you keep walking. So he went, and I went with him until he entered, and I entered with him to the Prophet (peace be upon him). I said: Present Islam to me. He presented it, and I embraced Islam on the spot. He said to me: O Abu Dharr! Conceal this matter and return to your land. When you hear of our emergence, then come. I said: By Him who sent you with the truth, I will certainly proclaim it openly among them. He then went to the mosque, where the Quraysh were, and said: O assembly of the Quraysh! I...' ¶

"I testify that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger." They said, "Go for this apostate," so they rose and beat me until I was near death. Then Al-Abbas reached me, threw himself over me, and turned to them, saying, "Woe to you! You are killing a man from the tribe of Ghifar, while your trade and transit routes pass through Ghifar?" So they desisted from me." (1) ¶

The context of this story, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari, reflects the clandestine atmosphere in which the Islamic Dawah (call) was operating. It reveals the secrecy of the location where the Messenger (ﷺ) resided, where he would meet his companions and those who wished to meet him to understand the Islamic ideology. The point of interest for us here is that the Messenger (ﷺ) commanded Abu Dharr to conceal his Islam by saying, "Keep this matter secret." ¶

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) understood that the reason for this command was caution for his own safety, fearing he might be harmed by the Quraish infidels if they knew of his conversion, as he was a stranger in Makkah with no one to protect him. The command was not intended to establish the necessity of secrecy for the Dawah itself—at that stage—nor for those joining it. This is evidenced by the second narration also recorded by al-Bukhari, which states: "Return to your people and inform them, until my command reaches you." (2) Here, the instruction to inform was issued in the form of a command, which included informing his people, the tribe of Ghifar, about the Dawah and his own Islam. Hence, Abu Dharr understood the instruction to conceal his Islam in Makkah to be a matter of compassion towards him rather than a binding obligation. Consequently, he found no hesitation in declaring to the Messenger (ﷺ) his resolve to announce his Islam publicly before the Quraish, and the Prophet (ﷺ) did not forbid him from doing so. Abu Dharr then went to the place where the idols of the Quraish were erected, with the Quraish gathered at the feet of those so-called gods, and raised his voice with the word of Tawhid (Monotheism), leading to the events described in the story. ¶

Indeed, this does not negate the fact that if the interest of the Dawah requires that the Islam of an individual or more be kept absolutely secret, according to the judgment of the leader of the Dawah, he may issue a mandatory order in this regard. However, that is a different matter from the one we are currently discussing. ¶

We conclude from the above that the first stage of the Da'wah, described as the stage of concealment and secrecy, only pertains to the concealment of those Muslims who feared for their lives if they openly declared their Islam. That is, not all members of the Islamic organization were concealing their Islam. Yes, the majority of the members of this organization sought refuge in concealment because they belonged to the weak class and were not among the people of strength and immunity. Indeed, logic dictates that the person of the Messenger ﷺ himself should be in hiding in circumstances where his life is at risk. It is stated in Sahih al-Bukhari: 'On the authority of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both), regarding the saying of Allah the Almighty: {Do not recite your prayer loudly, nor be silent in it}, he said: It was revealed while the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in hiding in Mecca. When he prayed with his companions, he would raise his voice with the Quran. When the polytheists heard it, they would insult the Quran, the One who revealed it, and the one who brought it. So Allah the Almighty said to His Prophet ﷺ: {Do not recite your prayer loudly}—meaning your recitation, lest the polytheists hear it and insult the Quran. {Nor be silent in it}—from your companions, meaning do not withhold it from them. {And seek between that a way}.' From this narration, it is clear that the concept of 'Ikhtifa' (hiding/concealment) does not mean the secrecy of the Da'wah. The Messenger ﷺ would hide his person when he felt a danger to his life, while at the same time, he would pray openly, causing the people of Mecca to hear the verses of the Da'wah. This means that the Da'wah was public, not secret, even with the description of the Prophet ﷺ being in concealment due to transitory circumstances, as in the statement of Ibn Abbas: 'While he was in hiding in Mecca.' Furthermore, the prohibition contained in this verse regarding loud recitation in prayer does not indicate a prohibition against declaring the Da'wah; rather, it is a specific prohibition concerning a manner of performing worship or conveying the teachings of the Da'wah when that specific manner becomes a cause for provoking the disbelievers and inciting them to hurl insults at the sacred values brought by Islam. This is what we shall discuss in the next point. 3- Worship at this stage was subject to the punishment of the Quraish if it were performed in a manner of declaration and defiance against the creed of Shirk that prevailed in the regions of Mecca. ¶

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Everything remained secret during the period of concealment (marhalat al-istikhafa') that we are discussing, as evidenced by the incident of the conversion of Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. ¶

It is reported that when he arrived at the house of his sister Fatima and her husband Said ibn Zayd, he was surprised to find that this house was one of the locations where the circles of this organization were held! The supervisor of this circle was Khabbab ibn al-Arat, may Allah be pleased with him. When Islam entered his heart, he said to Khabbab, 'Guide me, O Khabbab, to Muhammad so that I may come to him and embrace Islam.' Khabbab replied, 'He is in a house near al-Safa with a group of his companions.'(1) This is despite the fact that, moments earlier, he had been brandishing his sword, intending to strike the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), without even knowing the location that he (peace be upon him) had adopted as a headquarters to deliberate on the affairs of the Dawah and to hold meetings with members of the organization! ¶

From all of the above, we conclude that the period of concealment, and what is hidden or revealed within it regarding the affairs of the Dawah, revolves around the axis of ensuring the safety of the Islamic Dawah so that it is not aborted in its infancy. Simultaneously, there is a commitment to demonstrating that there is a Dawah carried by people who desire for their lives, their society, and all of mankind a better formula than the one they have been accustomed to—and this is to be achieved by reformulating all of it based on the creed upon which the Islamic Dawah is established, with all the values and systems it carries! ¶

With this, we conclude the first discussion, which is 'The Islamic Dawah during the period of secrecy and concealment,' and we proceed to the second discussion, which is 'The Islamic Dawah during the period of openness and proclamation.' ¶

(1) Sirat Ibn Hisham (Al-Rawd al-Unuf fi Tafsir al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah by Ibn Hisham: 96/2). Also see Sirat Umar ibn al-Khattab by Al-Tantawi, pp. 30–34. ¶

Second Topic: The Islamic Call in the Phase of Proclamation - The preceding secret phase did not prevent the Islamic call from making its voice heard in Makkah and elsewhere. - Desires and initial attempts to transition the call into the phase of proclamation, and the reasons for this. - Accounts of the Sira (Prophetic biography) indicate that the transition to the phase of proclamation did not occur all at once. - The conversion of Umar ibn al-Khattab to Islam, following that of Hamza ibn Abd al-Muttalib, and the final entry into the stage of manifestation and proclamation. - The effects of entering the stage of manifestation and proclamation. ¶

Respected Sir, Your letter was a source of great joy. Your scholarly taste and your search for truth have always strengthened me. In this tumultuous era, where materialism dominates everywhere, the existence of individuals like you is a blessing. ¶

I have deliberated deeply upon the questions you raised. The truth is that the dichotomy between religion and the worldly life is an intellectual crisis that has practically paralyzed our nation. The comprehensive system of life towards which the Holy Quran provides guidance is not merely a collection of rituals, but a complete code of life. ¶

We shall discuss this in further detail in our next meeting. Until then, farewell. Best regards, Yours humbly, Muhammad Abdullah ¶

Second Topic: The Islamic Da'wah in the Phase of Proclamation ¶

It became clear to us in the previous discussion that the first phase of the life of the Islamic Da'wah in Mecca was not a phase of suppressing the 'breath' of this Da'wah, such that the society of Mecca would not have felt the warmth of that breath! ¶

Nor was it a phase of curbing the 'tongue' of this Da'wah within its mouth, such that the ears of the people of Mecca would not have been struck by the declarations of that Da'wah and the tidings and warnings contained therein! ¶

No, the first phase of the life of the Da'wah in Mecca was not a phase of concealment in this sense. Rather, it was a phase in which the declarations of the Da'wah echoed within the flanks of Mecca; indeed, it even transcended them until it reached the ears of the Arab tribes far from Mecca, as we saw in the Hadith of Al-Bukhari (1) regarding the story of the conversion of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, whom the author of 'Nur al-Yaqin' (2) counted among those who embraced Islam during this first phase of the Islamic Da'wah. ¶

It appears that the atmosphere of caution and vigilance, the hiding of one's Islam by most of those who entered it, and the stance of the tyranny of Quraish against this Da'wah, and the threats issued to those who responded to it... all of this had a major role in delaying the acquisition of new individuals to this Da'wah. For the number of Muslims stood, after... ¶

The efforts of three years of inviting people to Islam resulted in approximately forty individuals, as previously mentioned (1). ¶

It appears that desires emerged within the circles of the Islamic Dawah calling for a transition to a new phase: the phase of openness and public proclamation. This meant that many who had previously kept their Islam hidden would now declare, openly and confidently, that they belonged to the Islamic community, serving as an overt challenge to the arrogance and haughtiness of the Quraysh, and that they would prepare themselves to engage in an intellectual struggle against the proponents of the polytheistic creed! ¶

It seems that those who held these desires estimated that such a proclamation, and the engagement in an intellectual battle between the ideas of Islam and the ideas of polytheism, would have a significant impact in clarifying Islamic concepts, making them the focus of public discourse, and exposing the myths of polytheistic ideas, thereby revealing their inherent flaws. This would eventually lead to the triumph of the correct Islamic ideas over the false polytheistic ones, prompting people to embrace the call and leaving the polytheistic creed to face its inevitable fate. ¶

These were the desires that surfaced within the milieu of the Dawah. Perhaps they were justified by the fact that remaining in a static position for too long without sensing progress, while being subjected to constant persecution, could have negative repercussions on the feelings of the believers, leading to the fear that some might succumb to the pressures of the trials (fitnah) exerted by the disbelievers against the Muslims (2). ¶

In such a situation, it is often the case that the adventure of a small group of believers facing a large majority of disbelievers in the arena of intellectual struggle—provided this small group is firmly convinced of its ideology, clear in articulating it, strong in defending it, aware of the vulnerabilities of the opposing ideology, clever in highlighting its flaws and exposing its disgrace, and possessed of a firm resolve to stand their ground in this arena—I say, this confrontation by such a faithful few against that faithless many, within the framework mentioned, is often the most [effective]. ¶

The benefit for the Da'wah and those who believe in it—in terms of gaining positions and influence in the long run—lies in remaining in the shadows (concealment) for the sake of preserving the Da'wah and the safety of its bearers, regardless of the hardships, trials, losses, and sacrifices incurred in the short term! ¶

It appears that the Revelation, which charted the path for this Da'wah, conditioned the permission to enter the phase of struggle and confrontation upon the strengthening of the resolve to emerge within the environment of the Da'wah, the presence of a sufficient number of Muslims for such a bold step, and the joining of powerful individuals to the blessed movement—individuals who would provide it and the Muslims with dignity and awe, so that some of the harm and persecution expected to be faced as a result of this new step would be mitigated or overcome. ¶

It also seems that this stage—the stage of public emergence and declaration in the sense we have explained—did not happen all at once. Although it reached its peak when Umar ibn al-Khattab—who was until that moment in the camp of the disbelievers—declared, with heart-filling certainty, that he had moved to the other side of the battle, transforming the seething indignation and overwhelming fervor he held against this Da'wah and its followers into the opposite direction, becoming one of the most steadfast and defiant believers in the face of the polytheists. ¶

Several matters indicate all of the above, including: ¶

1. What is mentioned in al-Sirah al-Halabiyya: 'When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the House of al-Arqam to worship Allah the Almighty, along with the companions who were with him in secret—they were thirty-eight men—Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) persistently urged the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) to go public, meaning to go out to the mosque. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "O Abu Bakr! We are few!" Yet he continued to press him until the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and those with him went out to the mosque. Abu Bakr stood and addressed the people while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sat, and he called people to Allah and His Messenger. He was the first orator to call people to Allah the Almighty. The polytheists rose against Abu Bakr and the Muslims, beating them, and Abu Bakr was trampled underfoot... Utbah ibn Rabi'ah began striking Abu Bakr with two sandals, twisting them against his face until his nose could not be distinguished from his face. Then the Banu Taym (Abu Bakr's tribe) came running, drove the polytheists away from Abu Bakr, and carried him in a cloth... to his house, convinced that he would die... Then they returned to the mosque and said: "By Allah, if Abu Bakr dies, we will certainly kill Utbah!"' (1). ¶

(1) Al-Sirah al-Halabiyya: Vol. 1 / 321-322. ¶

This is what is mentioned in Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah regarding the first attempt to reveal the Islamic group publicly and to announce the Islamic organization in a manner full of challenge and courage, and the severe harm and intense suffering that resulted from this attempt. ¶

Shaykh Ali al-Tantawi comments on this situation in his book 'Abu Bakr al-Siddiq', saying: 'Al-Siddiq was the first to urge the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to emerge publicly, and this was before the Islam of Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both), even though people think that Umar was the first to emerge and the first to strike the polytheists and be struck by them, due to the fame of Umar’s biography and the less visible nature of Abu Bakr’s biography.' ¶

2- Among the evidences for how the beginning of entering the new phase—the phase of appearance and announcement in the sense previously explained—is what happened following the revelation of the Almighty's saying: 'Therefore proclaim openly that which you are commanded, and turn away from the polytheists.' ¶

Ibn Kathir states in his Tafsir: 'Abu Ubaidah reported from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud: The Prophet (peace be upon him) remained in concealment until the verse was revealed: {Therefore proclaim openly that which you are commanded}, at which point he and his companions went out.' ¶

Al-Shawkani says in his Tafsir: '{Therefore proclaim openly that which you are commanded} ... Al-Farra said: Manifest your religion.' The command to 'proclaim openly' (sad') was interpreted by the Messenger (peace be upon him) through his practical Sunnah and approval by going out with his companions in public, as manifested in his fulfillment of this command following the revelation of the verse: {Therefore proclaim openly that which you are commanded...}, and as seen in his going out with his companions to the mosque, where Abu Bakr stood as a preacher, calling the polytheists to Allah and His Messenger. ¶

'Proclaiming' was also interpreted as the manifestation of the religion. The manifestation of the religion here is distinct from the manifestation of the call (da'wah). The call itself was directed to the disbelievers in an overt, public manner from the very first days of the mission, as previously explained. However, the manifestation of the religion here includes the manifestation of the rites of this religion, which were previously concealed due to circumstances of fear and caution. ¶

The result of beginning this stage of public proclamation — in the aforementioned sense — was that many Muslims openly declared their Islam, marched with the Messenger to the Kaaba in an act of open defiance, and displayed the rituals of worship and religion in a manner that the Quraish perceived as a provocation to their sentiments. They clashed with the polytheists in the arena of intellectual conflict between Islamic thought and pagan thought, which inevitably led to the distinction between truth and falsehood. This is part of the meaning of 'al-sad' (the open proclamation) that was commanded, as stated in the Tafsir of al-Naysaburi regarding the verse, 'So proclaim (fasda')...' meaning: declare openly what you have been commanded, manifest it, and differentiate between truth and falsehood. ¶

I say: The result of initiating this stage of public declaration was that the fury of the Quraish erupted as they saw the dignity of their values and gods being dragged in the dust and trampled underfoot. They rose to defend their gods, pouring out the fullness of their wrath and indignation upon the new Islamic call and upon those followers of this call whom they were able to oppress. ¶

It is stated in the Sirah of Ibn Hisham: 'Ibn Ishaq said: When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) openly declared Islam to his people and proclaimed it as Allah had commanded him, his people did not keep their distance from him, nor did they oppose him — as far as I know — until he mentioned their gods and criticized them. When he did that, they viewed it as a grave matter, denied him, and united in their opposition and enmity toward him, except for those whom Allah the Exalted protected through Islam, and they were few and hiding. His uncle Abu Talib showed affection toward the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), protected him, and stood by him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) continued upon the command of Allah, making it manifest, and nothing could turn him away from it.' ¶

Then he says: 'Ibn Ishaq said: Then the Quraish conspired among themselves against those of the Messenger of Allah’s companions within their tribes who had embraced Islam along with him. Every tribe turned upon the Muslims within their ranks, torturing them to make them renounce their religion, while Allah protected His Messenger through his uncle, Abu Talib.' ¶

Here, it was necessary to find a way out of this ordeal that had befallen the Muslims, out of fear for them from the danger of fitna (strife/trial) or the danger of liquidation. Thus, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ encouraged those among them who were able to emigrate to Abyssinia. ¶

Ibn Ishaq said: When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw the affliction befalling his companions... and that he was unable to protect them from the tribulation they were in, he said to them: 'If you were to go to the land of Abyssinia, for there is a king there under whom no one is wronged, and it is a land of truth, Allah will make for you a relief from what you are in.' Consequently, the Muslims from among the companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ went out to the land of Abyssinia out of fear of fitna and fleeing with their religion to Allah, and this was the first migration in Islam. ¶

Thus, we find that one of the meanings of the migration to Abyssinia was that it was the price for entering the new phase of the Islamic da'wah (call), which is the phase of public appearance and open declaration, which was essential to enter into to advance the message of this call forward. ¶

3 - Another indication of the beginning of entering this new phase, and the realization by some Muslims of the necessity of transitioning to the stage of public appearance and declaration, is what has been narrated regarding the conversion of Hamza bin Abdul-Muttalib, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺ. Upon hearing that Abu Jahl had harmed his nephew Muhammad ﷺ and insulted him, he went to the leaders of Quraish in their gathering around the Ka'bah, where Abu Jahl was present. Hamza raised his bow and struck Abu Jahl with it while he was among the assembly of Quraish, wounding him severely, and said: 'Do you insult him? I am on his religion and I say what he says. Reply to me if you can!' Then, Hamza returned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and engaged in a dialogue with him, the result of which was that the nature of the new stance he had taken towards the call and its bearer shifted from a faith prompted by anger and tribal zeal to a faith based on conviction and certainty. Here, Hamza said to his nephew: 'I bear witness that you are truthful, so declare your religion, O my nephew!' ¶

And Hamza’s declaration of his Islam in this forceful manner, before all the people, without... ¶

For someone to dare to respond to it (the Da'wah) has a profound effect on the person of the caller, especially while he is taking his first steps to transition his call from one stage to another. ¶

It is stated in As-Sirah al-Halabiyyah: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was greatly pleased by the conversion of Hamza, for he was the most honorable youth among the Quraysh and the firmest in resolve.' ¶

Thus, a new voice was heard within the circle of the Islamic Da'wah at this time, urging a transition to the stage of openness and public declaration! ¶

4. The final entry into the stage of manifestation and public declaration, and the progress in this phase, occurred when Umar ibn al-Khattab announced his Islam and declared to the Prophet ﷺ his desire to transition the Da'wah—with strength—into its new phase. This is evident in his words to the Prophet ﷺ: 'We shall no longer worship in secret after today!' And also in his saying: 'O Messenger of Allah! Are we not upon the truth, whether we die or live? He ﷺ replied: Yes, by Him in whose hand is my soul, you are upon the truth, whether you die or live. He said: Then why hide? By Him who sent you with the truth, you shall surely go out. So the Prophet ﷺ went out in two lines: Umar in one and Hamza in the other. There was dust rising from their steps like the dust of flour, until they entered the Mosque. When the Quraysh looked at Umar and Hamza, they were overcome by a gloom such as they had never felt before, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ named him 'Al-Farooq' (the Discriminator) on that day.' ¶

Describing the final manifestation in this stage, Suhayb ibn Sinan says: 'When Umar embraced Islam, Islam became manifest, it was called to openly, we sat in circles around the House (Ka'bah), we circumambulated the House, and we took our due from those who were harsh toward us, returning some of what they brought against us.' ¶

Ibn Mas'ud says: 'We have seen ourselves in a state where we were unable to pray at the House (Ka'bah) until 'Umar embraced Islam. When he accepted Islam, they (the Muslims) fought them until they left us alone, and we prayed.' (1) It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari from Ibn Mas'ud that he said: 'We have remained mighty ever since 'Umar embraced Islam.' (2) This is some of what has been said in describing the final manifestation in this second stage of the life of the Islamic call in Mecca, following the conversion of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab three days after the conversion of Hamzah. (May Allah be pleased with them both). However, we should not understand from such narrations regarding the effect of 'Umar's announcement of joining the blessed bloc, the auspicious organization, and the Islamic call—we should not understand from this that the harm was lifted from the Muslims by his conversion. No, rather, the cauldrons of hatred and enmity against the Muslims boiled over even more when 'Umar embraced Islam, as a result of the growing fear among the polytheists regarding the new strength acquired by the Islamic ranks. Consequently, the opposing faction increased its defense of Jahili (pre-Islamic) values and the sanctities of polytheism in a manner commensurate with that fear, and to counter that new strength which had bolstered the advancing Islamic tide. So much so that 'Umar himself witnessed with his own eyes that aggression pouring down upon his new brothers in Islam after he had converted. His sense of Islamic brotherhood would not allow him to remain safe from that aggression due to the protection granted to him by his maternal uncle 'As ibn Wa'il al-Sahmi (4), while his brothers in faith were being subjected to the worst of punishments! Therefore, he desired to endure what the rest of the Muslims endured of suffering, as he narrated about himself... He said: '...I would not wish to see any Muslim being beaten except that I saw him... So I said: The people...' ¶

‘Shall I be beaten, and not strike back?!’ So when the people sat in the Hijr (the place where the Quraysh would gather in the shade of the Ka’bah), I came to my uncle and said, ‘Do you hear?’ He asked, ‘What should I hear?’ I said, ‘I return your protection to you!’ He said, ‘Do not do that,’ but I refused. He said, ‘Then do as you wish!’ The narrator says: ‘I continued to strike and be struck until Allah granted Islam victory.’ (1) ¶

From this, and from the events of this transitional period from the phase of concealment to the phase of emergence and declaration, it is understood that one of the meanings of the ‘emergence of Islam’ after the conversion of Hamzah and then Umar, is that prior to this, the Muslims were unable to defend themselves against the beatings and persecution they suffered. Or, they viewed that refraining from defense and remaining patient under persecution was safer for them than defending themselves, because resorting to defense while they were few, and lacking among them a number of Muslims whose prowess the Quraysh would fear, might have led the disbelievers to use this as a pretext to wage a full-scale armed war against the Muslims, resulting in their total eradication. ¶

Thus, the general position of the Muslims during the period of concealment against the campaign of persecution launched by the polytheists was to hold fast to patience and refrain from retaliation. However, this position gave an impression of weakness and humiliation regarding the message of Islam and the Muslims at that stage. Hence, the Prophet ﷺ yearned for Allah to strengthen Islam through one of the two Umars: ‘Amr ibn Hisham (Abu Jahl) or Umar ibn al-Khattab.’ (2) ¶

When Hamzah converted, and then Umar converted, the morale of the Muslims soared. They became capable of meeting blow for blow, or at least, there were now those among the Muslim community who could meet blow for blow. This new development, in general, removed from the Muslims the heavy feeling of weakness and instilled in their souls the sense of izzah (honor/might), which Ibn Mas’ud declared in the narration of al-Bukhari: ‘We have remained in a state of honor ever since Umar became a Muslim.’ (3) This was one of the meanings of the emergence of Islam through the conversion of Umar in this new phase. ¶

Perhaps the accounts mentioned in the Sirah of Ibn Hisham point to this meaning, specifically in his description of the impact of Umar’s conversion following Hamza’s conversion on the spirits of the Muslims, which prompted them to emerge from the place where they had been hiding. After mentioning the conversion of Umar, he wrote: 'The companions of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) dispersed from their place, having felt empowered within themselves when Umar converted along with Hamza; they realized that the two of them would protect the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) and defend them against their enemies.' ¶

This new phase continued in this manner, but without any significant progress in turning the tide of the Jahili society in Mecca towards Islam. The leaders of polytheism possessed means of steering the ship of that society toward its old direction that were tens of times more powerful than the few resources possessed by the Muslims. From this, we understand the words of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in his address to the disbelievers of Quraysh: 'I swear by Allah! Had we been three hundred men, we would have left it to you, or you would have left it to us.' ¶

Thus, this phase continued without any mentionable gain of new ground for the Islamic call. Consequently, the Da'wah moved to search for new supporters outside the borders of Mecca who would be prepared to turn the ship of their society in the direction advocated by the Islamic ideology after believing in it. ¶

This is the subject of the third discussion in this chapter: The Islamic Call in the phase of presentation to tribal leaders, and the concluding of the pledge (Bay'ah) with the Ansar for warfare. ¶