Chapter 21

Section Three: The Islamic Da'wah during the phase of presentation to tribal leaders, and the concluding of the pledge (Bay'ah) with the Ansar for combat. Introduction: On the circumstances that compelled the Islamic Da'wah to seek support (Nusrah) from outside Makkah. Issue One: Presenting the Islamic Da'wah to tribal leaders in search of support. The characteristics that distinguished this support and the seeking of it during this phase: 1. The Prophet's (PBUH) seeking of support after the intensity of persecution increased. 2. The Prophet's (PBUH) presentation of himself to the tribes was solely by the command of Allah (SWT). 3. The Prophet's (PBUH) restriction of his request for support to tribal leaders and those of honor and status. 4. Belief in the Da'wah is a condition for those from whom support is accepted. The distinction between personal protection for the bearer of the Da'wah (which may be accepted from a non-believer) and the support of the Da'wah itself (which necessitates that the provider be a believer). 5. The Prophet (PBUH) sought support for two purposes: First: To protect the propagation of the Da'wah. Second: To assume the reins of governance and authority based on the Da'wah. 6. The Prophet (PBUH) refused to give any guarantees to the forces prepared to offer support that they would receive any portion of governance or authority as a price or reward for their individuals. ¶

7- It is a condition that those from whom 'Nusrah' (support/aid) is accepted must be capable of standing against the enemies of the Da'wah once their state is established. 8- It is a condition that those from whom 'Nusrah' is accepted must not have their lands bound by international treaties from which they cannot break free, and which contradict the Da'wah. 9- The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) did not seek 'Nusrah' from outside of Makkah until he had despaired of obtaining it from within, and until there was an insufficient number of Muslims present to assume governance. Second Issue: The convening of the pledge (Bay'ah) with the Ansar for war. Introduction: Regarding the stages in which the meetings between the Messenger (PBUH) and the Aws and Khazraj took place until the Bay'ah for war was concluded with them. First Point: What was the role of the third meeting of the Messenger (PBUH) with the Khazrajite group after the Battle of Bu'ath in paving the way for the Ansar's entry into Islam and the First Pledge of Aqaba? Second Point: What was the role of the First Pledge of Aqaba in seeking 'Nusrah' and striving to achieve it? Third Point: Upon what was the Second Pledge of Aqaba based? ¶

Third Section: The Islamic Call (Da’wah) in the phase of presentation to tribal leaders, and the conclusion of the pledge of allegiance (Bay’ah) with the Ansar for combat. ¶

Introduction: Regarding the circumstances that led the Islamic Call to seek support from outside Mecca. ¶

We learned in the previous section how the Islamic Call in Mecca reached a deadlock. The leaders of disbelief remained steadfast in their old stubbornness. Abu Jahl declared to the Quraysh his despair of the Prophet (ﷺ) ever abandoning his mission, saying: 'Continue in the religion of your forefathers, until Allah judges between you and him.' The followers of the Islamic Call were either suppressed in Mecca or had fled with their faith from persecution to the land of exile in Abyssinia. Although this second phase of the Meccan period witnessed a form of visibility for the Call and some degree of vindication for its followers against their oppressors, as previously explained, this was not the entirety of what the Islamic Call desired for its followers, nor was it the ultimate dominance it sought for itself. ¶

It desires for its followers what Allah Almighty intended for the righteous followers of His messengers, as He said: 'And We wanted to confer favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them leaders and make them inheritors * And establish them in the land...' Furthermore, the Call desires for itself the kind of dominance above which there is no other, which is what Allah has clarified. ¶

The Mighty and Majestic, as revealed in Medina: 'It is He who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to manifest it over all religion' (1). ¶

How does this compare to the reality of the Muslims' situation in this second phase of the Islamic call? Among the factors that increased the difficulties facing the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in this phase was the death of Khadijah, the Prophet's wife. She was—may Allah be pleased with her—his emotional support. Then came the death of his uncle, Abu Talib, who was his social protection against the Quraysh. Ibn Ishaq said: 'Then Khadijah bint Khuwaylid and Abu Talib died in the same year. Calamities followed the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) one after another due to the death of Khadijah, who was a sincere helper to him in the cause of Islam, and to whom he would express his distress; and the death of his uncle Abu Talib, who was his strong support... This was three years before his migration (Hijrah) to Medina. When Abu Talib died, the Quraysh caused the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) harm such as they never dared to inflict during the lifetime of Abu Talib' (2). ¶

In this situation, it was necessary to seek a way out of this deadlock that the Dawah (call), its bearer, and his followers had reached. For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) headed to the city of Taif (3)—near Mecca—hoping to find among its leaders someone who would provide him with protection and support to continue delivering the message of his Lord. However, he found nothing from them but rejection, incitement to insult him, and abuse (4). Indeed, when Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him one day, after the Dawah had triumphed and established a state and influence, whether he had ever experienced a day harder than the Day of Uhud, he replied: 'I have suffered much from your people! And the hardest thing I encountered was when I presented myself to Ibn Abd Yalayl ibn Abd Kulal—one of the notables of Taif—and he did not respond to what I wanted. I left, overcome with grief, and did not regain my composure until I reached Qarn al-Tha'alib' (5). ¶

After this journey of torment, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned to Mecca, and he could not enter it except under the protection of one of its polytheist leaders, Mut'im ibn Adi. ¶

Ibn Ishaq states: 'Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to Mecca, while his people were more intense in their opposition to him than ever before. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) would present himself during the seasons—whenever they occurred—to the tribes of the Arabs, calling them to Allah, [and asking for their support], informing them that he is a Messenger sent by Allah, and asking them to believe in him and protect him, so that he might clarify what Allah had sent him with.'... 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) continued in this manner whenever people gathered during the season... and he would not hear of any prominent or noble Arab coming to Mecca without approaching him, calling him to Allah, and presenting what he had to offer.' ¶

Thus, the Messenger’s (ﷺ) journey to Taif to seek support, and his tireless activity in searching for Ansar (helpers) among the leaders and nobles of the Arab tribes during the Hajj seasons following the journey to Taif, represent a new phase of the Islamic Da'wah in Mecca before the migration to Medina. ¶

It is not the original purpose of our treatise to delve into the details of the Da'wah in Mecca during its three phases, nor to review all the meetings and negotiations that took place between the Prophet (ﷺ) and the leaders of those tribes whom he sought for his support, as exploring such matters requires a separate, independent study, as previously indicated. Therefore, we have limited ourselves to what is necessary of these matters to provide a general overview of each phase, through which we can perceive that which pertains to our treatise—namely, the issue of 'violence and combat' during the Meccan phase of the Islamic Da'wah, which is the issue we have made the conclusion of our discussion regarding the three phases of the Islamic Da'wah in Mecca before the migration. ¶

Accordingly, we shall restrict ourselves in drawing the general outline of this third phase of the Da'wah in Mecca to addressing the two issues indicated by the title of this research. ¶

First Issue: Presenting the Islamic Call (Dawah) to tribal leaders in search of support (Nusrah). Second Issue: The conclusion of the pledge (Bay'ah) with the Ansar for warfare. First Issue: Presenting the Islamic Call to tribal leaders in search of support. By reviewing the life of the Prophet ﷺ during the period we are addressing, we observe that he ﷺ presented himself to the tribal leaders as a messenger from Allah, seeking protection so that he could convey the message to the people. He sought support to establish an authority for this message, one that would provide protection and security for it and its followers, thereby enabling it to spread across the land, inviting every race and color to respond to the command of Allah. Furthermore, the support (Nusrah) that the Prophet ﷺ sought in Ta'if or requested from tribal leaders was not general or absolute support; rather, it was subject to specific considerations—whether in terms of time, place, number, strength, or purpose. It was support of a specific nature, detailed as follows: 1. The Messenger’s ﷺ search for support outside Makkah began to intensify noticeably after the hardships against him increased following the death of his uncle, Abu Talib, who had protected him from the Quraysh. This is because the bearer of a call (Dawah) cannot act effectively in promoting it and securing a response to it in an atmosphere of violence, pressure, and terror. This is evident in what is mentioned in the Sirah of Ibn Hisham: "When Abu Talib passed away, the Quraysh inflicted upon the Messenger of Allah ﷺ such harm as they had never inflicted before... so the Messenger of Allah went to Ta'if to seek support from the Thaqif tribe..." (1). It is also mentioned therein regarding his activity after Ta'if: "Then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ returned to Makkah, while his people were at their most intense in their opposition to him... The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to present himself during the pilgrimage seasons... to the Arab tribes... asking them to believe in him and protect him..." (2). (1) Sirat Ibn Hisham: (Al-Rawd al-Unuf fi Tafsir al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah li-Ibn Hisham: 172/2). (2) Sirat Ibn Hisham: (Al-Rawd al-Unuf fi Tafsir al-Sirah al-Nabawiyyah li-Ibn Hisham: 173/2). ¶

2 - The Prophet ﷺ presenting himself to the tribes to seek their support (nusra) was strictly by the command of Allah (Almighty and Majestic), and not merely an independent reasoning (ijtihad) of his own necessitated by the circumstances the Da'wah had reached. This is evidenced by the text found in Fath al-Bari, Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari: 'Al-Hakim, Abu Nu'aym, and al-Bayhaqi narrated in Al-Dala'il with a hasan (sound) chain of transmission from Ibn Abbas, who said: Ali ibn Abi Talib told me: When Allah commanded His Prophet to present himself to the tribes, he went out, and I and Abu Bakr were with him, to Mina... [the hadith continues].' (1) This is an explicit text that the Prophet’s presentation of himself to the tribes was by the command of Allah. This long hadith mentions how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his two companions would visit the gatherings of the Arabs in Mina during the Hajj season... until it mentions their approach to the gathering of Rabi'ah, then the gatherings of the Aws and Khazraj, in order to seek asylum and support! ¶

3 - The Messenger of Allah ﷺ limited his request for support (nusra) to the tribal leaders and those of honor and status, for they had followers who would listen to them and obey them; because these were the people capable of providing protection to the Da'wah and its bearer. This is evident in the following text recorded in the Seerah: 'When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reached Ta'if, he headed toward a group of Thaqif, who were at that time the masters and nobles of Thaqif... He sat with them, called them to Allah, and spoke to them regarding the purpose for which he had come: their support for Islam and standing with him against those among his people who opposed him...' (2) ¶

4 - The Prophet (peace be upon him) would require those from whom he sought support for Islam to believe in him first and affirm his truthfulness, as previously mentioned in the texts: 'And he would ask them to confirm his truthfulness and protect him.' (3) Through this condition, the difference becomes clear between seeking protection for his person ﷺ, distinct from the protection of the Da'wah he carried, and protecting him in his capacity as the bearer of the Da'wah—meaning the protection of the Da'wah he carried as well. This is done by standing in the face of its enemies and preventing them from inflicting harm upon it and its followers. ¶

As for personal protection: this may come from a non-Muslim, and it may be requested from a non-Muslim. ¶

The protection provided to the Prophet (PBUH) by Abu Talib, his seeking protection from Mut'im ibn Adi so he could enter Mecca, the protection of Umar ibn al-Khattab by al-As ibn Wa'il al-Sahmi, and the protection of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq by Ibn al-Dughunnah—all of whom were polytheists—demonstrate that it is permissible to seek protection, and for an individual Muslim to request it from non-Muslims. ¶

As for seeking protection in the sense of 'support' (nusrah) for the Islamic call (da'wah), all the previous texts indicate that the Prophet (PBUH) would insist that those from whom he sought support must first embrace Islam before he would request their aid. This is dictated by the logic of affairs; for how can one ensure the sincerity and consistency of a party’s support for a cause if that party itself does not believe in the cause it is supporting? ¶

Yes, special circumstances may arise that lead opponents of a movement to seek a truce or express readiness to support it, without adopting its faith or embracing its ideology. ¶

In such cases, it is naive to assume that this is an opportunity to be seized, leading proponents of that cause to throw themselves into the arms of that party seeking their support. Since the motive of that party in supporting a cause they do not believe in is merely a transient circumstance or a temporary interest, it is the nature of circumstances to change and interests to shift, swinging from one extreme to another. In such a scenario, that party will find it in their interest to strike at the movement, and they will turn against it without any restraint of shame or religious deterrent. ¶

Hence, the Prophet (PBUH) insisted in all his negotiations for support that those providing it must enter into Islam above all else! ¶

E - It is also observed in the life (Seerah) of the Prophet (PBUH) regarding the seeking of support (nusrah) that he requested it for two purposes: ¶

First: He (the Prophet ﷺ) sought Nusrah (support/aid) for the protection of conveying the Da’wah (call to Islam), so that it could move among the people protected and safe from harm to it or its followers. ¶

Second: He sought Nusrah so that the Prophet ﷺ could assume the reins of governance and authority based upon that Da’wah. This is the natural order of things. ¶

This is because protecting the propagation, in the first place, serves to create what is called a popular base upon which the ideology of the Da’wah rests. This happens through those who have embraced the idea under the umbrella of the protection provided to it. When these believers in the idea, who are prepared to sacrifice for its sake, increase in number, a solid ground and a broad base are established upon which governance and authority rely. Here, the transition to seeking Nusrah for the sake of assuming governance based on that Da’wah becomes possible. ¶

Furthermore, the Prophet’s ﷺ seeking of Nusrah for the protection of the propagation is evident in what was previously cited from Ibn Ishaq regarding the Prophet’s ﷺ activities after the journey to Ta’if in this field. It is also evident in what Al-Hakim narrated in Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn: “From Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to present himself to the people at the station (during Hajj), saying: 'Is there a man who will take me to his people? For the Quraysh have prevented me from conveying the word of my Lord.' A man from Banu Hamdan came to him and said: 'I will!' He asked: 'Do your people have the strength to protect?' He said: 'Yes.'... [the narrative continues describing the man's promise to return the following year]." ¶

The Nusrah sought here is solely for the protection of the Messenger ﷺ in his capacity as the bearer of the Da’wah, so that he may be enabled to convey the message of Allah to the people in an atmosphere of strength, security, and tranquility. This, in turn, enables the creation of a base that believes in this idea, so that one may subsequently transition to the other type of seeking Nusrah: seeking Nusrah for the sake of assuming governance and authority in the land that provided the Nusrah, in order to establish the state on the basis of the Islamic Da’wah. ¶

This is evident from the negotiations that took place between the Messenger (PBUH) and the nobles of Banu Amir ibn Sa'sa'ah regarding the request the Messenger (PBUH) had presented to them. The men of Banu Amir later recounted the nature of this request to one of their elders, saying: 'A youth from Quraish came to us, claiming to be a Prophet, inviting us to protect him, stand by him, and take him to our lands.' ¶

Banu Amir understood that the result of accepting this request for Nusrah (support) would be that the Prophet (PBUH) would become the sovereign and authority over all the Arabs, should Allah grant him victory over them due to the support they provided. Here, they wanted this matter—that is, the rule and authority after the Prophet (PBUH)—to be legally vested in Banu Amir as a price for the sacrifices they would make. The negotiator of Banu Amir, named Buhayrah ibn Firas, said: 'What do you think if we follow you in your affair, and then Allah grants you victory over those who oppose you, will the authority be ours after you?' He replied: 'The authority belongs to Allah; He places it where He wills.' He then said to him: 'Shall we expose our throats to the Arabs for your sake [in another narration: Shall we fight the Arabs for your sake] and then, when Allah grants you victory, the authority goes to someone else? We have no need for your affair!' Consequently, they rejected him. ¶

It is clear from this text that there was no disagreement that the authority belonged to the Prophet (PBUH) during his lifetime. This means that the Nusrah was offered to the Prophet (PBUH) on that basis. However, the disagreement concerned the matter of authority after his passing: to whom would it belong? ¶

The Prophet's (PBUH) response was that this matter belongs to Allah's judgment and is not subject to bargaining. Allah the Almighty later decreed in the subsequent legislations that authority belongs to the Ummah, which it bestows upon whom it wills through the Bay'ah (pledge of allegiance) in accordance with Islamic laws, as has been detailed in previous discussions. ¶

6. It is also observed in the Seerah of the Prophet (PBUH) regarding the request for Nusrah, that he (PBUH) refused to give the powers willing to provide support any guarantees that they would have any share of rule or authority as a price or reward for the support and backing they offered to the call. ¶

The Islamic da'wah, as manifested in the previous point, was also evident in the negotiations that took place between the Prophet ﷺ and the tribe of Banu Amir ibn Sa'sa'ah (1). ¶

This is because the Islamic da'wah, being a call to Allah, requires as a fundamental condition for anyone who believes in it and prepares to support it that sincerity to Allah and the seeking of His pleasure be the ultimate goal driving that support and sacrifice, rather than a desire for influence or a craving for power. This is because the goal an individual sets for an objective determines their activity in pursuing it, defines the extent of their commitment to preserve it, and dictates the volume of sacrifice made for its sake! Therefore, it is essential that the goal targeted behind supporting the da'wah be stripped of any material interest to ensure the continuity of support, to protect it from any deviation, and to ensure the maximum possible provision of support and sacrifices in its path. ¶

7 - Another observation from the Prophet's ﷺ life regarding seeking support (nusrah) is that he did not seek support from individuals merely because they were tribal leaders or held positions of nobility among their people. Rather, he sought to determine whether these leaders possessed in their lands the strength capable of standing against the enemies of the Islamic state, should they embrace the faith and submit their leadership to him. If he did not find within those forces the ability to protect the da'wah, he would not approach them with a request for support and would suffice with reminding them of Allah. ¶

This is demonstrated by what is stated in some accounts of the Seerah: "When the tribe of 'Bakr ibn Wa'il' came to Makkah for Hajj, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to Abu Bakr, 'Go to them and present the message to them.' So he went to them and presented it, asking them, 'How numerous are you?' They replied, 'As numerous as the dust.' He asked, 'And how is your defensive power (mana'ah)?' They replied, 'We have no power! We are neighbors of Persia; we cannot defend ourselves against them, nor can we grant asylum against them' (2)." Here, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sufficed with reminding them of Allah and informed them that he was the Messenger of Allah. ¶

This is also evidenced by the aforementioned hadith of Jabir regarding the Hamdani man who... ¶

He expressed his readiness to convey the Message to his people, but the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stipulated that his people must possess sufficient power (mana'ah) to protect him! ¶

8. Among the qualities of 'Nusrah' (support) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sought from tribal leaders for his Da'wah was that those providing support should not be bound by international treaties that contradict the Da'wah and from which they cannot free themselves. This is because their hosting the Da'wah under such circumstances would expose it to the risk of being eradicated by those states with whom they have such treaties, and which perceive the Islamic Da'wah as a danger to themselves and a threat to their interests. ¶

Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was searching for supporters capable of shielding Islam from all sides, without leaving the slightest loophole through which enemies could penetrate to inflict harm upon the Da'wah and its followers. ¶

This is corroborated by what is mentioned in the book 'Al-Rawd al-Unuf', a commentary on the Prophetic Biography by Ibn Hisham, regarding the dialogue that took place concerning the request for Nusrah between the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr on one side, and the leaders of Banu Shayban on the other. ¶

These are some sentences from that profound and conscious dialogue that point to the point we are discussing: Abu Bakr said to one of the chiefs of Banu Shayban, whose name was 'Mafruq': 'How is the numerical strength among you?' Mafruq replied: 'We exceed one thousand, and a thousand will not be defeated by lack of numbers!' Abu Bakr asked: 'How is the strength (mana'ah) among you?' Mafruq replied: 'We exert our utmost effort, and every people has its own fate.' Abu Bakr asked: 'How is war between you and your enemy?' Mafruq said: 'We are at our most furious when we meet, and at our toughest in combat when we are furious. We prefer thoroughbred horses over children, and weapons over livestock! Victory is from Allah; He grants it to us sometimes, and grants it to others against us at other times. Are you the brother of Quraish?' - (Mafruq meant: Are you Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Quraishi, the bearer of the Message?) - Abu Bakr replied: 'Has it reached you that he is the Messenger of Allah?! Well, here he is!' - (pointing to the Messenger of Allah) - Mafruq replied: 'We have heard that such is being mentioned!' ¶

Then Mafruq turned towards the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: 'To what do you invite, O brother of Quraish?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stepped forward and said: 'I invite to the testimony that there is no god but Allah, alone without partner, and that I am the Messenger of Allah. I also invite you to give me refuge and support me, for the Quraish have conspired against the command of Allah, belied His Messenger, and have relied upon falsehood to block the truth; and Allah is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.' (1) ¶

It appears that this man from Banu Shaiban felt reassured by the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and was impressed by the call he carried after asking many questions about it, finding in the responses of the Messenger (ﷺ) that which quenched his thirst. Here, the man from Banu Shaiban stepped forward and said to the Prophet (ﷺ): 'By Allah, those who belied you and conspired against you have lied!' ¶

Then Hani ibn Qabisah, the chief of Banu Shaiban and their religious leader, spoke: 'I have heard your words, O brother of Quraish. I believe that if we were to abandon our religion and follow you in yours based merely on this single meeting—which has neither beginning nor end—it would be a lapse in judgment and a lack of foresight regarding the consequences; for lapses occur with haste. We have a people behind us, and we dislike to enter into an agreement without them. However, we shall return, and you shall return; we shall contemplate, and you shall contemplate.' ¶

Then al-Muthanna ibn Harithah, one of the chiefs of Banu Shaiban and their war leader, spoke. He mentioned that Banu Shaiban resided in lands situated between the rivers of Kisra (Chosroes) and the waters of the Arabs—that is, on the borders of the Persian lands. He presented what his people could offer the Prophet (ﷺ) regarding the support he requested, given the location of his lands and his people's relationship with the Persian state. He said: 'As for the rivers of Kisra, the sin of its master is unforgivable, and his excuse is unacceptable! As for the waters of the Arabs, their sin is forgivable and their excuse is acceptable. We are settled there under a covenant taken from us by Kisra that we will not incite any trouble (2), nor harbor any troublemaker. I see that this matter to which you invite us is something that kings dislike! If you wish for us to give you refuge and support you against those bordering the Arab waters, we shall do so!' ¶

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) replied: 'You have not done wrong in your response, for you have been truthful. Indeed, the religion of Allah will not be supported except by those who protect it from all its sides.' (3) ¶

It appears that the influence of the Prophet's ﷺ personality and his message on the hearts of these leaders of Banu Shayban compelled them to support the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in their response to the request for aid (nusrah) that the Prophet had presented to them. They offered everything they possessed in response to this request, even though it was not what was required to protect a message and establish an emerging state on its foundations—especially while being in the proximity of the great Persian Empire at that time, which had just emerged from a fierce war with the great Roman Empire and was, in fact, basking in the glow of victory, as indicated by the opening verses of Surah Ar-Rum in the Holy Quran. ¶

This is particularly true given that there was an international treaty between the 'Banu Shayban'—who held the status of a small statelet—and the great Persian Empire, stipulating that they would not instigate any trouble nor provide shelter to any fugitives. ¶

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ praised their sincerity and explained to them that the required support went beyond the limits of what they had offered: "Indeed, no one shall support the religion of Allah except those who encompass it from all its sides." ¶

9 - Finally, we understand from the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the seeking of nusrah (aid)—as a means to bring the message to governance and authority—that he ﷺ did not seek it from outside Mecca until he had despaired of obtaining it from within. Furthermore, he did not seek it until the followers of the message lacked a sufficient number of people of strength (ahl al-mana'ah) and those with commanding influence within their tribes, upon whom the message could rely to grasp the reins of power and seize control of the authority. ¶

The leaders of Quraish realized that withholding their support from the Prophet ﷺ was what delayed the victory of the message and its attainment of governance and authority. Yet, at the same time, they feared that the base of those who believed in the message would expand and attract a greater number of individuals like Hamza and Umar. The masters of Quraish feared that the Muslims would then be able to pull the rug of authority from under them, whether they realized it or not! Or, in their own words—as will follow: "We fear that this affair might be snatched from us!" meaning, that authority would shift to the Muslims, regardless of the fact that they were the masters of Quraish! ¶

Pertinent to this is the statement of Umar ibn al-Khattab to those leaders: "I swear by Allah that if..." ¶

"If we—that is, the Muslims—had been three hundred men, we would have left it to you—that is, Mecca—or you would have left it to us." (1) ¶

Evidence for what we have clarified is provided by what is stated in the Sirah of Ibn Hisham: "Ibn Ishaq said: When Abu Talib fell ill and his precarious condition became known to the Quraish, the Quraish said to one another: 'Hamza and Umar have embraced Islam, and the affair of Muhammad has spread throughout all the tribes of Quraish. Let us go to Abu Talib, so that he may restrain his nephew and settle matters between us! By Allah, we do not feel safe that they might seize our authority from us!'... The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Yes, a single word you give me, by which you will possess the Arabs and to which the non-Arabs will submit!' Abu Jahl said: 'Yes, by your father, and ten words!' He (ﷺ) said: 'You say: "La ilaha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah), and you renounce those whom you worship beside Him!' They clapped their hands, then said: 'Do you want, O Muhammad, to make the gods into one God? Your affair is truly strange!'... Then they dispersed." (2) ¶

We hasten to state here that the Prophet (ﷺ) offering the leaders of Quraish dominion over the Arabs and non-Arabs, should they embrace Islam, was not in the sense of a price for the support they would provide to the call through their conversion. Such a price is rejected in the Islamic call, as became evident later in the Prophet’s (ﷺ) negotiations with the Banu Amir ibn Sa'sa'ah, as previously mentioned. (3) ¶

It appears that the intent of the Prophet (ﷺ) in that was similar to what Abu Bakr al-Siddiq said later—in the meeting at Saqifah with the Ansar regarding governance and authority (the Caliphate) after the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said: "The Arabs will not recognize this matter except for this clan of Quraish; they are the most centrally located of the Arabs by lineage and home..." (4) ¶

In conclusion, these are some of the lines that emerged to us through the meetings of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with the leaders of the Arab tribes, seeking support for his call, to secure protection for it, and then to move on to establish the Islamic state upon its foundation. ¶

These lines are sufficient to provide a general overview of the state of the Islamic Dawah in its third and final phase in Makkah, before the migration to Madinah, which was the stage of presenting the Islamic Dawah to the leaders of the Arab tribes to seek support (Nusrah). With this, we conclude this first issue and move on to the second issue of this study. ¶

Second Issue: The Conclusion of the Pledge (Bay'ah) with the Ansar for War. ¶

Introduction: Regarding the stages in which meetings took place between the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and the tribes of Aws and Khazraj, until the pledge for war was concluded with them. ¶

It is mentioned in the Prophetic Biography (Sirah) that the meetings of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with the people of Madinah from the Aws and Khazraj took place during the Hajj seasons, while he was seeking support from the tribal leaders. This meeting with the Aws and Khazraj passed through five stages: ¶

1. His (ﷺ) meeting with one of the leaders of the Aws, whom his people called 'Al-Kamil' (the perfect one) due to his endurance, character, and honor; his name was Suwayd bin Samit. He came to Makkah for Hajj or Umrah, so the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) approached him, invited him to Allah and to Islam, and recited the Quran to him. He said: 'This is indeed a good speech,' then he returned to Madinah. Not long after, the Khazraj killed him, and his killing was the cause of the 'Bu'ath' (1) war between the Aws and the Khazraj. Some men of his tribe used to say: 'We believe he was killed while he was a Muslim' (2). ¶

2. After the killing of 'Suwayd bin Samit' of the Aws by the Khazraj, a delegation from the Aws came to Makkah seeking an alliance with the Quraish against their rivals, the Khazraj. At the head of the delegation was 'Abu al-Haysar, Anas bin Rafi,' and among them was a young man named 'Iyas bin Mu'adh.' When the Prophet (ﷺ) heard of their arrival and their purpose, he came to them and said: 'Would you like something better than what you have come for?' He presented Islam to them. Iyas bin Mu'adh said: 'O my people! By Allah, this is better than what you have come for!' Abu al-Haysar retorted to the young man, saying: 'Leave us alone!' ¶

(1) Bu'ath: The name of a place near Madinah, two nights away, near the Banu Qurayza, where the battle between the Aws and Khazraj took place. (Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah: 2/6-7). Victory was initially with the Khazraj, then it went to the Aws. (2) Sirat Ibn Hisham: (Al-Rawd al-Unuf: 2/175), Tarikh al-Tabari: 2/351, Zad al-Ma'ad: 2/44, and Al-Sirah al-Halabiyyah: 2/7. ¶

By my life! We did not come for this! The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and left them, and the delegation of the Aws returned to Medina, having failed to form an alliance with the Quraysh against their cousins of the Khazraj. The war of 'Bu'ath' broke out between the Aws and the Khazraj. Shortly thereafter, Iyas ibn Mu'adh died. Those from his people who witnessed his death mentioned: 'They kept hearing him declaring the Oneness of Allah (tahlil), magnifying Him (takbir), praising Him (tahmid), and glorifying Him (tasbih) until he died, and they had no doubt that he died a Muslim.' ¶

3. In the Hajj season following the war of 'Bu'ath', a group of six or eight people from the Khazraj came to Mecca. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ met them, presented Islam to them, and recited the Quran to them: 'When they heard his words, they listened attentively. Their hearts became at peace with his call, and they recognized what they used to hear from the People of the Book regarding his description and what he was calling them to. Thus, they believed in him and affirmed his truth, and they became a cause of goodness. Then they said to him: "You know the blood that has been shed between the Aws and the Khazraj. We desire that which Allah has used to guide your affair, and we are striving. We advise you with what we deem best: Stay in the name of Allah until we return to our people, inform them of your affair, and call them to Allah and His Messenger. Perhaps Allah will reconcile us and unite our affairs. We are currently distant and hateful toward one another. If you come to us today before we have reconciled, we would have no united group to support you. We promise to meet you at the Hajj season next year." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was pleased with what they said. They returned to their people, calling them in secret, and informed them about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the message Allah had sent him with... until there was hardly a household among the Ansar where some people did not embrace Islam...!!' ¶

It is recorded in Ibn Hisham and al-Tabari regarding this meeting with the Khazraj group: 'Some of them said to others: "O my people! By Allah, you know that this is indeed the Prophet whom the Jews warn you about, so do not let them reach him before you." They answered his call and affirmed his truth... and said: "We have left our people, and there is no enmity or evil between any people like there is between them. Perhaps Allah will unite them through you! We will go to them and call them to your cause... If Allah unites them upon you, then there will be no man more honored than you!"... When they arrived in Medina... they spoke to them about the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' ¶

And he invited them to Islam until it spread among them, and there was no house among the homes of the Ansar that did not mention the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). ¶

4. In the following year, during the Hajj season, twelve men from the people of Medina arrived, ten from the Khazraj and two from the Aws. Among them were most of the Khazraji group who had embraced Islam the previous year. The Prophet (ﷺ) met with these Aws and Khazraj in 'Mina' and concluded the 'First Pledge of Aqaba' with them. ¶

It is narrated by Ubadah ibn al-Samit that he said: I was among those who attended the First Aqaba, and we were twelve men. We pledged to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) the 'pledge of women' (bay'at al-nisa'), and this was before fighting was made obligatory. (We pledged) that we would not associate anything with Allah, not steal, not commit adultery, not kill our children, not utter a slander that we had fabricated between our hands and feet, and not disobey him in any good deed. He (ﷺ) said: 'If you fulfill this, you will have Paradise, and if you commit any of these, your matter is with Allah the Almighty; if He wills, He will punish, and if He wills, He will forgive.' ¶

Ibn Ishaq said: 'When the group departed, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent Mus'ab ibn Umayr with them... and commanded him to recite the Quran to them, teach them Islam, and instruct them in the understanding (fiqh) of the religion. Thus, he was known as the 'Muqri' (teacher/reciter) in Medina.' ¶

Mus'ab ibn Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him) achieved unparalleled success in guiding many of the people of Medina to Allah and won over several of their leaders to Islam, such as Usayd ibn Hudayr and Sa'd ibn Mu'adh. ¶

5. In the following year, during the Hajj season, there arrived from the Muslims of Medina three... ¶

Seventy men and two women, who were part of their polytheist tribe's group intending to perform Hajj. The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had set a secret meeting time for the Muslims from the people of Medina, away from the Quraysh and the polytheists of their own tribe, which was to take place during the middle days of Tashreeq, after one-third of the night had passed, at Al-Aqaba. ¶

Ka’b bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “...When we finished the Hajj and the night arrived for which the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) had made an appointment with us... we slept that night with our people in our camps until one-third of the night had passed. We went out for the appointment with the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), slipping out stealthily like the Qata (grouse) bird, keeping ourselves hidden until we gathered in the mountain pass at Al-Aqaba. We were seventy-three men and two women... We waited for the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) until he came to us... along with Al-Abbas bin Abd al-Muttalib, who was at that time still following the religion of his people, but he wished to be present for his nephew’s affair and ensure his protection. When he sat down, Al-Abbas bin Abd al-Muttalib was the first to speak. He said: 'O people of Khazraj'—he said: The Arabs used to call this tribe of the Ansar both Khazraj and Aws, as Khazraj—'Muhammad is among us as you know. We have protected him from our own people; he is held in honor and protected by his tribe and in his city. However, he has insisted on moving to you and joining you. If you feel that you will fulfill what you have invited him to, and protect him from those who oppose him, then you are responsible for what you have taken upon yourselves. But if you feel that you will abandon him and let him down after bringing him to you, then leave him now, for he is in honor and protection among his own people and city!' He said: We replied, 'We have heard what you said. You speak, O Messenger of Allah! Take for yourself and for your Lord whatever you wish!' ¶

He said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) then spoke, recited the Quran, called to Allah, and encouraged Islam. He said: 'I seek your allegiance (bay'ah) that you will protect me just as you protect your own women and children.' Al-Bara’ bin Ma'rur took his hand and said: 'Yes! By Him who sent you with the truth, we will certainly protect you as we protect our own lives and honor (izar). Accept our oath of allegiance, O Messenger of Allah! We are, by Allah, people of war and we are experts in weaponry (al-halqa), which we have inherited from generation to generation.' ¶

Then Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayyihan interrupted while al-Bara' was speaking to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! There are covenants between us and the people (meaning the Jews), and we are going to sever them. Is it possible that if we do that, and then Allah grants you victory, you might return to your people and leave us?' It is narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) smiled and said: 'Nay, rather blood is blood, and destruction is destruction (honored as mine). I am of you, and you are of me; I will fight those whom you fight, and I will be at peace with those whom you are at peace with.' ¶

And it is mentioned in the hadith of Jabir ibn Abdullah: 'We stood before him one by one, and he took our pledge in exchange for Paradise.' ¶

This is not intended as an exhaustive review of everything that occurred during this pledge; rather, the intent here is only to establish that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) met with the people of Medina several times regarding the support (nusrah) he was actively seeking from the leaders of remote areas during this phase of the Islamic call in Mecca. ¶

After this introduction, in which we presented the encounters between the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Aws and Khazraj across five stages, in the context of his efforts to seek support from the leaders of the Arab tribes, we proceed to address the issue of the ratification of the pledge with the Ansar for war, by addressing the following points: ¶

1. What was the role of the third meeting of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with the Khazraji group during the Hajj season following the end of the Battle of Bu'ath between the Aws and Khazraj—what was the role of this meeting in preparing for the entry of the Ansar into Islam and the First Pledge of al-Aqaba? ¶

2. What was the role of the First Pledge of al-Aqaba in seeking support and striving to achieve it? ¶

3. Upon what was the Second Pledge of al-Aqaba based? ¶

1. The first point: What was the role of the third meeting of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) with the Khazraji group following... ¶