Alipotumwa, alianza kuwaita watu. Baadhi yao waliamini kwake, na wengine walidhihirisha kukataa, hadi Uislamu ukajulikana sana Makka, na watu wakaanza kuzungumza kuuhusu. Mtume ﷺ mwanzoni alikuwa akiwatembelea nyumbani mwao. Aliwaita watu kwenye Uislamu hadharani huko Makka, kulingana na kauli Yake (SWT): {Ee wewe (Muhammad ﷺ) uliyejifunika nguo! Simama uonye!} [TMQ 74:1-2]. Aliwapanga katika kundi moja juu ya msingi wa dini hii kwa siri, ndiyo maana Maswahaba zake walikuwa wakisali mabondeni, wakijificha mbali na watu wao. Kwa yule aliyekuwa amesilimu hivi karibuni, Mtume ﷺ alikuwa akimtuma mtu amfundishe Qur’an; alimtuma Khabbab bin Al-Arat amfundishe Zaynab binti al-Khattab na mumewe Sa’eed Qur’an, nyumbani kwa Sa’eed. Hiyo ndiyo halaqa (mzunguko wa masomo) hasa ambayo Sayyiduna ‘Umar alisilimia humo. Mtume ﷺ alichukua nyumba ya al-Arqam kuwa kitovu cha kundi la waumini na shule ya da‘wah hii mpya, ambako alikuwa akiwasomea Qur’an na kuwaagiza wahifadhi na waielewe. Mtume ﷺ aliendelea kuficha na kuisitiri jambo hili, na kumkaribisha katika jumuiya yeyote aliyemwamini. Alimfundisha kwa siri nyumbani kwa al-Arqam bin Abi al-Arqam, hadi Yeye (SWT) alipoteremsha: {Basi tangaza waziwazi yale unayoamrishwa.} [TMQ 15:94] Mwanzoni, alikuwa akitoa da‘wah kwa yeyote aliyeona yuko tayari kuukubali wito, bila kujali umri au hadhi ya kijamii, na bila kujali jinsia au ukoo. Takriban watu arobaini - wanaume na wanawake - kutoka mazingira na rika mbalimbali walijiunga na kundi lake, hadi Allah (SWT) alipomwamuru kutangaza dini Yake. Wengi wao walikuwa vijana.

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.

Miongoni mwao walikuwepo dhaifu, wenye nguvu, matajiri na maskini.

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

Masahaba hao walipokomaa katika malezi, fikra zao zikaundwa na kuwa fikra ya Kiislamu, na hisia zao za ndani (nafsiyyah) nazo zikawa za Kiislamu, na Mtume ﷺ aliporidhika kwamba kundi lake limekuwa kundi imara lenye uwezo wa kukabiliana na jamii nzima, alijitokeza hadharani pamoja na kundi hilo pale Allah (SWT) alipomwamuru.

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.

Da'wa ya Kiislamu ilikuwa wazi tangu siku ambayo yeye ﷺ alitumwa. Watu wa Makka walikuwa wakijua kwamba Muhammad ﷺ aliwaita watu kwenye dini mpya, na walijua kwamba wengi walikuwa wameukubali Uislamu. Pia walijua kwamba Waislamu walikuwa wakificha uhusiano wao na kundi hilo na imani yao katika dini mpya. Maarifa haya yalidokeza kwamba watu walikuwa wakiihisi da'wa hiyo mpya na watu waliouamini, ingawa hawakujua mahali walipokusanyika, wala ni nani waumini waliokusanyika. Kutangazwa kwa Uislamu na Mtume ﷺ halikuwa jambo jipya. Badala yake, lililokuwa jipya ni kuonekana kwa kundi hili la waumini.

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.

Wakati aya ifuatayo ya Allah 􀀬 ilipoteremshwa kwa Mtume 􀁕:

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

“Basi bainisha waziwazi yale unayoamrishwa, na uwaepuke al-Mushrikeen (washirikina). Hakika! Sisi tutakutosha dhidi ya wafanyao kejeli. Wale waliomshirikisha Allah na ilaha (mungu) mwingine, watajua.” [TMQ 15:94]. Mtume ﷺ alitangaza da'wah hadharani, na hivyo akahama kutoka hatua ya siri kwenda hatua ya wazi. Alihama kutoka hatua ya kuwasiliana na wale aliowahisi kuwa tayari, kwenda hatua ya kuwahutubia watu wote. Huu ulikuwa mwanzo wa mgongano kati ya Imani na Kufuru, na msuguano kati ya mawazo sahihi na mawazo potofu.

“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.

Hivyo ndivyo hatua ya pili ilivyoanza, ambayo ni hatua ya mwingiliano na mapambano; na ilikuwa ya kutisha zaidi kuliko zama zote. Nyumba ya Mtume ﷺ ilirushiwa mawe. Mke wa Abu Lahab, Umm Jameel, alikuwa akitupa uchafu mbele ya nyumba yake. Yeye ﷺ alikuwa anaridhika tu kuuondoa. Abu Jahl alimtupia ﷺ mji wa kondoo, uliokuwa umechinjwa kama sadaka kwa sanamu zao, lakini yeye ﷺ alivumilia maumivu hayo. Haya yalizidisha tu msimamo wake na uthabiti wake katika da'wah ﷺ. Waislamu walikuwa wakitishiwa na kudhurika. Kila kabila lilimshambulia Muislamu aliyekuwa miongoni mwao, likiwatesa na kuwaadhibu kwa sababu ya dini yao. Mfano wa hayo ulikuwa kwa Bilal, Ammar, mama yake na baba yake, na wengine wengi ambao waliacha mifano bora ya subira, mateso na kuvumilia adhabu.

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.

Mwanzoni, makafiri hawakuonyesha wasiwasi mkubwa kuhusu da'wah ya Mtume ﷺ, kwa sababu waliona kwamba maneno yake hayakuwa zaidi ya mazungumzo ya makuhani na watu wenye hekima. Walidhani kwamba watu watarudi kwenye dini ya baba zao. Ndiyo maana hawakumkimbia wala kumlaani. Alipopita katika mikusanyiko yao, walikuwa wakisema: "Huyu ndiye mwana wa 'Abdul-Muttalib anayezungumzwa kutoka mbinguni." Lakini Mtume ﷺ alipowakabili na kuwapinga, alipotaja miungu yao na kuwadhalilisha, alipozidharau akili zao na kuwashutumu baba zao kwa upotevu, ndipo walipomtangaza kuwa adui yao na wakaungana katika upinzani, uadui na ukaidi dhidi yake.

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.

Walitaka kudhoofisha hadhi yake kwa kumkanusha katika dai lake la unabii. Hivyo, waliuliza kuhusu miujiza yake kwa dhihaka na kejeli. Walisema: "Kwa nini Muhammad ﷺ asigeuze as-Safah na al-Marwah kuwa dhahabu?" "Kwa nini kitabu (kilichoandikwa) hakiteremshwi kutoka mbinguni?" "Kwa nini Jibril hajitokezi mbele yao?" "Kwa nini yeye hawafufui wafu?" Zaidi ya hayo, walizidi kuwa wakaidi. Mjumbe ﷺ aliendelea kuwaita watu kwenye amri ya Mola wake Mlezi I. Walitumia njia nyingi za kumgeuza na kumzuia asiendelee na da'wah yake, kuwatesa wafuasi wake, propaganda na kususiwa, na njia nyingine za namna hiyo, lakini jambo hilo lilizidi tu kumfanya Mjumbe ﷺ kushikilia zaidi kamba ya Allah 􀀬 na kuwa na bidii zaidi katika da'wah.

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.

Habari za Mtume ﷺ na mateso yake zilifika masikioni mwa makabila, na da'wah yake ikajulikana kwa ujumla. Uislamu ukatajwa kote katika rasi nzima, na wapanda farasi wakaizungumzia kutoka mahali hadi mahali. Waislamu hawakupata nafasi ya kuchanganyika na watu na kuzungumza nao, isipokuwa katika miezi mitukufu, wakati Mtume ﷺ alipokuja kushuka Al-Ka'bah na kuwaita Waarabu kwenye dini ya Allah (SWT), na kuwapa habari njema ya thawabu Yake na kuwaonya juu ya adhabu Yake na mateso Yake.

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.