لَمَّا بُعِثَ ﷺ، بَدَأَ يَدْعُو النَّاسَ، فَآمَنَ بِهِ قَوْمٌ، وَأَظْهَرَ آخَرُونَ الْكُفْرَ، حَتَّى شَاعَ الْإِسْلَامُ فِي مَكَّةَ، وَتَحَدَّثَ النَّاسُ بِهِ. وَكَانَ الرَّسُولُ ﷺ فِي الْبِدَايَةِ يَزُورُهُمْ فِي بُيُوتِهِمْ. ثُمَّ دَعَا النَّاسَ إِلَى الْإِسْلَامِ جِهَارًا فِي مَكَّةَ، امْتِثَالًا لِقَوْلِهِ سُبْحَانَهُ: {يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ * قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ} [المدثر: 1-2] . وَكَانَ قَدْ جَمَعَهُمْ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ مُتَمَاسِكَةٍ عَلَى أَسَاسِ هَذَا الدِّينِ سِرًّا، وَلِذَلِكَ كَانَ أَصْحَابُهُ يُصَلُّونَ فِي الشِّعَابِ مُخْتَفِينَ عَنْ قَوْمِهِمْ. وَكَانَ ﷺ يُرْسِلُ مَنْ يُعَلِّمُ الْقُرْآنَ لِمَنْ أَسْلَمَ حَدِيثًا؛ فَأَرْسَلَ خَبَّابَ بْنَ الْأَرَتِّ لِيُعَلِّمَ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ الْخَطَّابِ وَزَوْجَهَا سَعِيدًا الْقُرْآنَ، فِي بَيْتِ سَعِيدٍ. وَكَانَتْ تِلْكَ الْحَلْقَةُ بِعَيْنِهَا الَّتِي أَسْلَمَ فِيهَا سَيِّدُنَا عُمَرُ. وَاتَّخَذَ ﷺ دَارَ الْأَرْقَمِ مَرْكَزًا لِلْكُتْلَةِ الْمُؤْمِنَةِ وَمَدْرَسَةً لِهَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ الجَدِيدَةِ، يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمُ الْقُرْآنَ، وَيَأْمُرُهُمْ بِحِفْظِهِ وَفَهْمِهِ. وَاسْتَمَرَّ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فِي كِتْمَانِ هَذَا الْأَمْرِ وَإِخْفَائِهِ، وَإِدْخَالِ مَنْ آمَنَ بِهِ فِي الْبِنَاءِ. وَكَانَ ﷺ يُعَلِّمُهُ سِرًّا فِي دَارِ الْأَرْقَمِ بْنِ أَبِي الْأَرْقَمِ، حَتَّى أَنْزَلَ سُبْحَانَهُ: {فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ} [الحجر: 94] . وَفِي الْبِدَايَةِ، كَانَ يَدْعُو كُلَّ مَنْ لَاحَظَ فِيهِ الِاسْتِعْدَادَ لِقَبُولِ الدَّعْوَةِ، بِغَضِّ النَّظَرِ عَنِ السِّنِّ أَوِ الْمَكَانَةِ الِاجْتِمَاعِيَّةِ، وَبِصَرْفِ النَّظَرِ عَنِ الْجِنْسِ أَوِ النَّسَبِ. وَانْضَمَّ إِلَى جَمَاعَتِهِ نَحْوُ أَرْبَعِينَ شَخْصًا، رِجَالًا وَنِسَاءً، مِنْ بِيئَاتٍ وَأَعْمَارٍ مُخْتَلِفَةٍ، حَتَّى أَمَرَ اللهُ سُبْحَانَهُ بِأَنْ يُجَاهِرَ بِدِينِهِ. وَكَانَ أَكْثَرُهُمْ مِنَ الشَّبَابِ.

When he 􀁕 was sent, he began to call the people. Some believed in him and others professed disbelief, until Islam became widely known in Makkah, and the people talked about it. The Messenger 􀁕 initially used to visit them in their homes. He called people to Islam publicly in Makkah, in accordance with His 􀀬 saying; “O you (Muhammad 􀁕) enveloped (in garments)! Arise and warn!” [TMQ 74:1- 2]. He organised them in a bloc on the basis of this deen secretly, which is why his companions used to pray in the valleys, hiding from their people. For the one who newly embraced Islam, he 􀁕 would send someone to teach him the Qur’an; He sent Khabbab b. Arat to teach Zynab bint al-Khattab and her husband Sa’eed the Qur’an, in the house of Sa’eed. It was the very halaqah (circle) at which Sayyiduna ‘Umar embraced Islam. He 􀁕 took the house of al-Arqam as the centre of the believing block and as a school for this new da’wah, where he would recite the Qur’an to them and instruct them to memorise it and understand it. The Prophet 􀁕 continued to conceal and hide this matter, and bring into the structure anyone who believed in him. He 􀁕 taught him secretly in the house of al-Arqam b. abi al-Arqam until He 􀀬 revealed; “Therefore proclaim openly that which you are commanded.” [TMQ 15:94] At the start, he used to give da’wah to anyone who he noticed had the readiness to accept the call, irrespective of the age or social standing, and regardless of gender or lineage. About forty people - men and women - from different environments and ages joined his group, until Allah 􀀬 ordered him to proclaim His 􀀬 deen. Most of them were youths.

من بينهم الضعيف والقوي والغني والفقير.

Amongst them were the weak, strong, rich and poor.

لَمَّا نَضِجَ أُولَئِكَ الصَّحَابَةُ فِي الثَّقَافَةِ، وَتَشَكَّلَتْ عَقْلِيَّتُهُمْ وَأَصْبَحَتْ عَقْلِيَّةً إِسْلَامِيَّةً، وَصَارَتْ نَفْسِيَّتُهُمُ الوِجْدَانِيَّةُ إِسْلَامِيَّةً أَيْضًا، وَلَمَّا اطْمَأَنَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِلَى أَنَّ كُتْلَتَهُ قَدْ صَارَتْ كُتْلَةً قَوِيَّةً قَادِرَةً عَلَى مُوَاجَهَةِ المُجْتَمَعِ كُلِّهِ، خَرَجَ عَلَنًا بِهَذِهِ الكُتْلَةِ حِينَ أَمَرَهُ اللَّهُ ﷻ بِذَلِكَ.

When those Sahaba matured in the culture, and their ‘aqliyyah (mentality) had been moulded and it had become an Islamic mentality, and their (nafsiyyah) emotional disposition also became Islamic and when the Messenger 􀁕 was satisfied that his block had become a strong block which was able to confront the whole of society, he came out publicly with the bloc when Allah 􀀬 ordered him.

كانت الدعوة الإسلامية علنيةً منذ اليوم الذي بُعث فيه ﷺ. وكان أهل مكة يعلمون أن محمدًا ﷺ يدعو الناس إلى دينٍ جديد، وكانوا يعلمون أن كثيرًا منهم قد أسلموا. وكانوا يعلمون أيضًا أن المسلمين يُخفون انتماءهم إلى الفئة وإيمانهم بالدين الجديد. وكان هذا العلم يعني أن الناس يُحسّون بالدعوة الجديدة وبمن يؤمن بها، وإن لم يعرفوا أين يجتمعون، ولا من هم المؤمنون المجتمعون. ولم يكن إعلان الرسول ﷺ الإسلامَ شيئًا جديدًا، وإنما الجديد هو ظهور هذه الكتلة المؤمنة.

The Islamic da’wah was open from the day in which he 􀁕 was sent. The people in Makkah used to know that Muhammad 􀁕 called people to a new deen and they knew that many had embraced Islam. They also knew that the Muslims were hiding their affiliation to the bloc and their conviction in the new deen. This knowledge implied that the people used to sense the new da’wah and people who believed in it, though they did not know where they gathered, or who the gathering believers were. The Messenger’s 􀁕 declaration of Islam was not something new. Rather what was new was the appearance of this believing block.

لَمَّا نَزَلَ قَوْلُ اللهِ ﷻ على رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ

When the following saying of Allah 􀀬 was revealed to the Messenger 􀁕:

﴿فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ * إِنَّا كَفَيْنَاكَ الْمُسْتَهْزِئِينَ * الَّذِينَ يَجْعَلُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَٰهًا آخَرَ فَسَوْفَ يَعْلَمُونَ﴾ [سورۃ الحجر: 94-96]. أَعْلَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الدَّعْوَةَ عَلَنًا، فَانْتَقَلَ بِهَا مِنْ مَرْحَلَةِ السِّرِّ إِلَى مَرْحَلَةِ الْعَلَنِ. انْتَقَلَ ﷺ مِنْ مَرْحَلَةِ الِاتِّصَالِ بِمَنْ يَسْتَشْعِرُ فِيهِمُ الِاسْتِعْدَادَ، إِلَى مَرْحَلَةِ مُخَاطَبَةِ النَّاسِ جَمِيعًا. وَكَانَ هَذَا بِدَايَةَ الصِّرَاعِ بَيْنَ الْإِيمَانِ وَالْكُفْرِ، وَالِاحْتِكَاكِ بَيْنَ الْأَفْكَارِ الصَّحِيحَةِ وَالْأَفْكَارِ الفَاسِدَةِ.

“Therefore proclaim openly that which you are commanded, and turn away from al- Mushrikeen (polytheists). Truly! We will suffice you against the scoffers. Who set up along with Allah another Ilah (god), they will come to know.” [TMQ 15:94]. The Messenger 􀁕 proclaimed the da’wah publicly and thus moved from the private stage to the public stage. He 􀁕 moved from the stage of contacting those in whom he sensed readiness, to the stage of addressing all the people. This was the start of the clash between Imaan and Kufr, and the friction between the correct thoughts and the corrupt thoughts.

ثم بدأت المرحلة الثانية، وهي مرحلة المواجهة والصراع، وكانت أشدّ المراحل خطرًا من بين المراحل كلها. فقد رُجم بيتُ رسول الله ﷺ بالحجارة. وكانت امرأة أبي لهب، أم جميل، تلقي الأذى أمام بيته. وكان ﷺ يكتفي بإزالته. وألقى أبو جهل عليه رحمَ شاةٍ كانت قد ذُبحت قربانًا لأصنامهم، فكان ﷺ يحتمل الأذى. وما زاده ذلك إلا إصرارًا وثباتًا على الدعوة. وكان المسلمون يُتوعَّدون ويُؤذَون. وكانت كل قبيلة تنقضّ على المسلمين الذين بين أظهرها، تعذّبهم وتُنكّل بهم بسبب دينهم. ومن ذلك ما كان من بلال وعمار وأمّه وأبيه، وغيرهم كثير، فقد ترَكوا أروع الأمثلة في الثبات والصبر على العذاب والتحمّل.

Thus the second stage started, which is the stage of interaction and struggle; and which was the most alarming amongst all the ages. The house of the Messenger 􀁕 was stoned. The wife of Abu Lahab, Umm Jameel, used to throw impurities in front of his house. He 􀁕 was content just to remove it. Abu Jahl threw upon him the uterus of a sheep, which had been slaughtered as a sacrifice to their idols, but he 􀁕 would bear the hurt. It only increased his insistence and steadfastness in the da’wah. The Muslims used to be threatened and harmed. Every tribe fell upon the Muslims in its midst, torturing and tormenting them because of their deen. Such was the example of Bilal, Ammar, his mother and father, and many others who left the best examples of steadfastness, suffering and enduring torture.

في البداية لم يُبدِ الكفارُ اهتمامًا كبيرًا بدعوة الرسول ﷺ، لأنهم ظنّوا أن كلامه ليس إلا كلامَ الكهنة والحكماء، وظنّوا أن الناس سيرجعون إلى دين آبائهم. ولذلك لم يفرّوا منه ولم يستنكروا عليه. وكانوا إذا مرّ بمجالسهم يقولون: "هذا ابنُ عبد المطلب الذي يُكلَّم من السماء". فلما واجههم الرسول ﷺ وعارضهم، فذكر آلهتهم وعابها، وسفّه عقولهم، وحكم على آبائهم بالضلال، عندئذٍ أعلنوا عداوته، واتحدوا في معارضته وعداوته وخصومته له.

At the beginning, the Kuffar did not show much concern for the da’wah of the Messenger 􀁕 because they thought his speech was nothing more than the talk of priests and wise men. They thought the people would return to the deen of their fathers. That is why they did not run away from him or condemn him. When he used to pass their gatherings, they would say, “This is the son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib who is spoken to from the sky.” When the Messenger 􀁕 confronted and opposed them, where he mentioned their gods and disgraced them, and he insulted their minds and charged their forefathers with misguidance; then they declared him as their enemy and united in their opposition, enmity and belligerence against him.

أرادوا أن يُنقِصوا من مكانته بتكذيبه في دعوى النبوة، فسألوه عن معجزاته سؤال تهكّم واستهزاء، فقالوا: «لماذا لا يحوّل محمدٌ ﷺ الصفا والمروةَ ذهباً؟» و«لماذا لا يُنزَل عليهم كتابٌ (مكتوب) من السماء؟» و«لماذا لا يظهر لهم جبريل؟» و«لماذا لا يُحيي الموتى؟» وزادوا بعد ذلك عناداً. وظلّ الرسول ﷺ يدعو الناس إلى أمر ربّه ﷺ... واستخدموا وسائل كثيرة ليصرفوه عن دعوته، من تعذيب أتباعه، والدعاية الكاذبة، والمقاطعة، وغير ذلك من الوسائل، فلم يزدهم ذلك إلا تمسّكاً من الرسول ﷺ بحبل الله ﷻ، وحرصاً على الدعوة.

They wished to diminish his status by disproving him in his claim of prophethood. Thus, they inquired about his miracles in a taunting and mocking manner. They said; “Why doesn’t Muhammad turn as-Safah and al-Marwah into gold?” “Why is a book (in written form) not revealed from the sky?” “Why does Jibreel not appear in front of them?” “Why does he not give life to the dead?” Furthermore they became more stubborn. The Messenger 􀁕 continued calling the people to the command of his Lord I. They used many ways to make him turn back from his da’wah, torturing his followers, propaganda and boycott, and other such means, which only increased the Messenger’s 􀁕 hold on the rope of Allah 􀀬 and his zeal for the da’wah.

وصل خبر الرسول ﷺ وما يلقاه من الأذى إلى أسماع القبائل، وشاع أمر دعوته بينهم عموماً. وذُكر الإسلام في سائر الجزيرة، وتحدّث الركبان به من مكان إلى مكان. ولم يكن للمسلمين فرصة للاختلاط بالناس والتحدّث إليهم إلا في الأشهر الحرم، إذ كان الرسول ﷺ ينزل إلى الكعبة فيدعو العرب إلى دين الله ﷻ، ويبشّرهم بثوابه، ويحذّرهم من عذابه وعقابه.

News about the Messenger 􀁕 and his suffering reached the hearing of the tribes and his da’wah became generally known. Islam was mentioned throughout the peninsula, and the riders spoke about it from one place to another. The Muslims did not have opportunity to mix with the people and speak to them, except in the sacred months when the Messenger 􀁕 would come down to the Ka’bah and call the arabs to the deen of Allah 􀀬 and give them the glad tidings of His reward and warn them of His torment and punishment.