The Da’wah To Islam by Sheikh Ahmad Mahmoud

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.

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

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.

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.

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

“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.

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.

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.

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.

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.