Hadith

There is a hadith that quotes the Prophet (Pbuh) as saying to his uncle: “By God! If they were to place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand in order to abandon this mission, I would not do so until it has been well established or I would perish in my attempt to do so.” The Prophet sets a good example for us. If we want to fulfill our duty and advocate the message of Islam, we must be prepared to resist all sorts of pressure, whatever form they may take.


When Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) received his message and was made fully aware of his responsibility to deliver it to people and call on them to believe in God, he was certain that the fulfillment of his task as God’s messenger meant that he was bound to be met with strong opposition which could have strong bearing on his life. This was particularly the case in the first 13 years of his message, when he preached Islam in Makkah, his hometown. The Quraysh, the top Arabian tribe that resided in Makkah, was totally unwilling to consider the new faith and tried hard to suppress the message of Islam, resorting to persecution and torture of the new converts to Islam. The Prophet was spared such physical torture because his uncle, Abu Talib, gave him protection. Nevertheless, the Quraysh people were always looking for an opportunity to abuse him. Worry, physical hardship and hunger were all experienced by the Prophet at one time or another.


Anas ibn Malik quotes the Prophet as saying: “I was subjected to physical hardship when none other than me was subjected to it; and I was placed in fear when no one was in fear; and I passed thirty days and nights when Bilal and I had nothing that could be eaten by any creature other than what Bilal carried under his arm.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah.)


This Hadith speaks of a time when the Prophet was the sole target of all that the unbelievers could muster against him and his followers. Yet none other than him was subjected at that time to the sort of worry, fear and hunger that was targeted at him. Yet it was not a case of a day or two, but a full month, when he and Bilal had nothing to eat other than what one of them could carry under his arm. This is a very difficult situation, placing enormous pressure on the people going through it. The Prophet made it clear that his opponents had nothing against him other than the message he preached. Therefore, it was part of his jihad or striving, for God’s cause. The Hadith tells us that bearing such difficulties is expected from every Muslim when it comes to standing up for his faith.


While bearing such difficulties requires strong determination and solid effort, there are situations that may require a greater degree of both. This is when a person is faced with various types of temptation, or subjected to moral pressure. During the Prophet’s lifetime, he was subjected to a variety of these. A report by Aqeel ibn Abi Talib, the Prophet’s cousin, states: “A delegation of the Quraysh came to see Abu Talib. They said to him: ‘your nephew comes to us in our front yards and meeting places and says to us things that we dislike. You may wish to stop him from doing so.’ Abu Talib told me to bring my cousin, and I found him in one of Abu Talib’s little places. He came with me, trying in vain to walk in the shade. When he arrived at Abu Talib’s, the latter said to him: ‘Nephew! I know very well that you always obey me. Your people came to me complaining that you go to the Kaaba and their meeting places saying to them what they dislike. You may wish to spare them that.’ The Prophet looked up to the sky and said: ‘By God! I am no more able to abandon my mission than is any of you able to light a fire from the sun in the sky.’ Abu Talib said to the Quraysh people: ‘By God! My nephew has never told a lie. So you may wish to go back home.’ (Related by Al-Tabarani, as well as by Al-Bukhari in his book of biographical notes on Hadith reports.)


We note here that when Abu Talib spoke to his nephew, the Prophet, in front of his people, he realised that the Prophet would not change his approach in this respect no matter who would request him to do so. He was on a mission that he was intent on fulfilling. Therefore, Abu Talib wanted his people who requested him to intervene in the matter to realise that he could do little for them. This is the reason why he started by asserting that the Prophet would normally obey him so that when he refused his request, it meant that such obedience was not within his power.


There is a hadith that quotes the Prophet as saying to his uncle: “By God! If they were to place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand in order to abandon this mission, I would not do so until it has been well established or I would perish in my attempt to do so.” When he said this, the Prophet felt his eyes tearful, and Abu Talib realised this. He, therefore, reassured his nephew that he would not abandon him no matter what pressure was brought to bear on him.


Indeed, Abu Talib never wavered in his support of his nephew. He did so in line with the traditions of the Arabian tribal society that placed very strong emphasis on ties of blood and the need to support one’s clan and tribe in the face of all types of external danger. Abu Talib did so, in spite of the fact that he did not take any real step to believe in Islam. He remained an unbeliever, but his support of the Prophet was motivated by ties of kinship.


The Prophet recognised this and spoke of his gratitude to his uncle. Abu Hurayrah reports: “When Abu Talib died, people started to be harsh on the Prophet. He even remarked: ‘Uncle! How quickly have I felt your departure.’” Such a change was common among the Quraysh, because in keeping with their traditions, Abu Talib’s death meant that they no longer needed to observe any value in dealing with the Prophet. All restraint was over. On one occasion, a bully from the Quraysh stopped the Prophet as he was going about his business and he threw dust and dirt on the Prophet who went back home. One of his daughters was in tears as she wiped the dust off his blessed face. He consoled her, saying: “Daughter! Do not cry, for God will certainly protect your father.” As she cleaned him, he said: “The Quraysh were never able to cause me any harm until Abu Talib had died. They then started.”


All these Hadiths make it clear that the Prophet was not spared pressure, which after Abu Talib’s death added a physical form to what the Quraysh brought to bear on him when his uncle was alive. Temptation and moral pressure were exercised in abundance, but the Prophet always stood his ground, knowing that he had no option, but to fulfill his mission. He sets a good example for us. If we want to fulfill our duty and advocate the message of Islam, we must be prepared to resist all sorts of pressure, whatever form they may take.