Tumeshazungumzia tayari kuhusu Waansari sita waliosilimu katika msimu wa Hija mwaka wa kumi na moja wa Utume. Waliahidi kuwafikishia watu wa mji wao ujumbe wa Uislamu. Mwaka uliofuata, katika wakati wa Hija, alikuja kundi la wafuasi kumi na wawili walio tayari kumkubali Muhammad ﷺ kuwa Nabii wao. Kundi hilo lilikuwa na wanaume watano kati ya wale sita waliokutana na Mtume ﷺ mwaka uliotangulia; wa sita aliyebaki mbali alikuwa Jabir bin ‘Abdullah bin Reyab. Wengine saba walikuwa:

We have already spoken about six Madinese who embraced Islam in the pilgrimage season in the eleventh year of Prophethood. They promised to communicate the Message of Islam to their townsfolk. The following year, on the occasion of the pilgrimage, there came a group of twelve disciples ready to acknowledge Muhammad as their Prophet. The group of men comprised five of the six who had met the Prophet (Peace be upon him) the year before, the sixth who stayed away was Jabir bin ‘Abdullah bin Reyab, the other seven were:

1. Mu‘adh bin Al-Harith, Ibn ‘Afra, kutoka kabila la Khazraj.

1. Mu‘adh bin Al-Harith, Ibn ‘Afra, from Khazraj.

2. Dhakwan bin ‘Abd Al-Qais, kutoka Khazraj.

2. Dhakwan bin ‘Abd Al-Qais, from Khazraj.

3. ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit, kutoka kabila la Khazraj.

3. ‘Ubadah bin As-Samit, from Khazraj.

4. Yazeed bin Tha‘labah, kutoka kabila la Khazraj.

4. Yazeed bin Tha‘labah, from Khazraj.

5. ‘Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Ubadah bin Nadalah, kutoka Khazraj.

5. ‘Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Ubadah bin Nadalah, from Khazraj.

6. Abul Haitham bin At-Taihan, kutoka kwa Aws.

6. Abul Haitham bin At-Taihan, from Aws.

7. ‘Uwaim bin Sa‘idah, kutoka Aws.

7. ‘Uwaim bin Sa‘idah, from Aws.

Walimkubali kwa imani yao Muhammad ﷺ kuwa ni Nabii, kisha wakaapa: "Hatutamwabudu yeyote isipokuwa Allah mmoja; hatutaiba; wala hatutazini, wala hatutawaua watoto wetu; hatutasema uzushi, kwa makusudi tukizua uongo; na hatutakuasi katika jambo lolote la haki." Walipokwisha kula kiapo, Muhammad ﷺ alisema: "Atakayelitekeleza hilo, Allah atamlipa; na atakayepuuza chochote kati ya hayo na akapatwa na adhabu duniani, hiyo itakuwa ni kafara yake Akhera; na ikiwa dhambi imebaki imefichika machoni pa watu wala hakumfikia huzuni yoyote, basi jambo lake liko kwa Allah. Akipenda atamsamehe, au asipopenda atamwadhibu."

They avowed their faith in Muhammad (Peace be upon him) as a Prophet and swore: “We will not worship any one but one Allah; we will not steal; neither will we commit adultery, nor kill our children; we will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood and we will not disobey you in any just matter.” When they had taken the pledge, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said: “He who carries it out, Allâh will reward him; and who neglects anything and is afflicted in this world, it may prove redemption for him in the Hereafter; and if the sin remains hidden from the eyes of the men and no grief comes to him, then his affair is with Allâh. He may forgive him or He may not.”

Baada ya Bai'a (ahadi ya kiapo) Mtume ﷺ alimtuma Yathrib (Madina) Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair Al-‘Abdari, (Allah amridhie) kuwa balozi wa kwanza wa Kiislamu, ili awafundishe watu wa huko mafundisho ya Uislamu, awape muongozo wa kivitendo na kufanya juhudi za kueneza Uislamu miongoni mwa wale ambao bado walikuwa wakifuata ushirikina. As‘ad bin Zurarah alimkaribisha nyumbani kwake Madina. Ardhi ilikuwa imeandaliwa vizuri, na juhudi za kueneza dini zilikuwa kubwa kiasi kwamba Uislamu ulienea kwa kasi kutoka nyumba hadi nyumba na kutoka kabila hadi kabila. Kulikuwa na mambo mbalimbali ya kufurahisha na yenye matumaini ya mafanikio yaliyoitambulisha kazi ya Mus‘ab. Siku moja Mus‘ab na As‘ad walikuwa njiani kwenda kwenye makazi ya Bani ‘Abd Al-Ashhal na Bani Zafar, walipoingia katika eneo la kabila la mwisho. Hapo walikaa karibu na kisima wakizungumza na baadhi ya waongofu wapya. Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh na Usaid bin Hudair, viongozi wa koo hizo mbili, walisikia kuhusu mkutano huo, hivyo Usaid alikwenda kwa Waislamu akiwa na mkuki wake, wakati Sa‘d alijiondoa kwa sababu As‘ad alikuwa binamu yake upande wa mama. Usaid alikaribia akiwatukana na kuapa, akawashutumu wale watu wawili kwa kuwadanganya watu dhaifu wa moyo, akaamuru waache kabisa jambo hilo. Mus‘ab kwa utulivu alimwalika akae, akisema, “Ukifurahishwa na mazungumzo yetu, unaweza kuyakubali; na ikiwa unayachukia, unaweza kujikinga kwa uhuru na kile unachokichukia.” “Hiyo ni haki,” alisema Usaid, akachoma mkuki wake mchangani, akamsikiliza Mus‘ab kisha akasikia baadhi ya aya za Qur’ani Tukufu. Uso wake ulionyesha kuridhika na furaha kabla hajatoa neno lolote la kukubali. Aliwauliza wale watu wawili kuhusu taratibu zinazohusu kuingia Uislamu. Wao walimwambia afanye udhu, asafishe nguo yake, ashuhudie Haki kisha aswali Rak‘a mbili. Alikubali na kufanya kile hasa alichoambiwa, kisha akasema kuna mtu (Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh) ambaye watu wake hawatasita kamwe iwapo atafuata Uislamu. Kisha aliondoka kwenda kumwona Sa‘d na watu wake. Sa‘d aliweza kuona mara moja kwamba Usaid alikuwa amebadilika. Alipoulizwa na Sa‘d, Usaid alisema kwamba wanaume wawili walikuwa tayari kutii amri yoyote watakayopewa. Kisha akafanikisha hali fulani iliyowapa wanaume hao wawili nafasi ya kuzungumza na Sa‘d faraghani. Tukio lile la awali pamoja na Usaid lilijirudia, na Sa‘d akaukubali Uislamu, kisha akawageukia watu wake moja kwa moja akiapa kwamba hatazungumza nao kamwe hadi watakapomwamini Allah na Mtume wake. Jioni ya siku hiyo haikufika kabla ya wanaume wote na wanawake wote wa kabila hilo la Waarabu kuukubali Uislamu, isipokuwa mmoja, Al-Usairim, ambaye alisita hadi Siku ya Uhud. Siku hiyo alisilimu na kupigana na washirikina, lakini hatimaye aliuawa kabla ya kufanya sijida yoyote katika swala. Mtume ﷺ alitoa maoni akisema: “Amefanya kidogo, lakini malipo yake ni makubwa.”

After the Pledge (in the form of an oath had been taken) the Prophet (Peace be upon him) sent to Yathrib (Madinah) Mus‘ab bin ‘Umair Al-‘Abdari, (May Allah be pleased with him) the first Muslim ‘ambassador’ to teach the people there the doctrines of Islam, give them practical guidance and make attempts at propagating the Islam among those who still professed polytheism. As‘ad bin Zurarah hosted him in Madinah. So prepared was the ground, and so zealous the propagation that the Islam spread rapidly from house to house and from tribe to tribe. There were various cheerful and promising aspects of success that characterized Mus‘ab’s task. One day Mus‘ab and As‘ad were on their way to the habitations of Bani ‘Abd Al-Ashhal and Bani Zafar, when they went into the premises of the latter clan. There they sat near a well conversing with some new converts. Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh and Usaid bin Hudair, chiefs of the two clans heard of this meeting, so Usaid approached the Muslims armed with his lance while the other Sa‘d excused himself on grounds that As‘ad was his maternal cousin. Usaid came closer cursing and swearing and accused the two men of befooling people weak of heart, and ordered that they stop it altogether. Mus‘ab calmly invited him to sit saying, “If you are pleased with our talk, you can accept it; should you hold it in abhorrence, you could freely immunize yourself against what you hate.” “That’s fair,” said Usaid, pierced his lance in the sand, listened to Mus‘ab and then heard some verses of the Noble Qur’ân. His face bespoke satisfaction and pleasure before uttering any words of approval. He asked the two men about the procedures pertinent to embracing Islam. They asked him to observe washing, purge his garment, bear witness to the Truth and then perform two Rak‘a. He responded and did exactly what he was asked to do, and then said there was a man (Sa‘d bin Mu‘adh) whose people would never hang back if he followed the Islam. He then left to see Sa‘d and his people. Sa‘d could immediately understand that Usaid had changed. To a question posed by Sa‘d, Usaid said that two men were ready to comply with whatever orders they received. He then managed a certain situation that provided the two men with a chance to talk with Sa‘d privately. The previous scene with Usaid recurred and Sa‘d embraced Islam, and directly turned to his people swearing that he would never talk with them until they had believed in Allâh, and in His Messenger. Hardly did the evening of that day arrive when all the men and women of that sept of Arabians embraced Islam with the exception of one, Al-Usairim, who hung back until the Day of Uhud. On that day he embraced Islam and fought the polytheists but was eventually killed before observing any prostration in the way of prayer. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) commented saying: “He has done a little but his reward is great.”.

Mwaka uliofuata, mwaka wa kumi na tatu wa Utume, Juni 622 B.K., wakati wa msimu wa hija, zaidi ya waongofu sabini kutoka Madina walikuja nyuma ya watu wao washirikina ili kutekeleza ibada za hija huko Makka. Swali lililorudiwa sana miongoni mwao lilikuwa: "Je, si wakati umefika wa kumlinda Muhammad ﷺ badala ya kumwacha peke yake, ametelekezwa na kuachwa, akijikwaa katika vilima vya Makka?"

The next year, thirteenth of Prophethood, June 622 A.D., during the pilgrimage season, over seventy converts from Madinah came in the trail of their polytheist people to perform the rituals of pilgrimage in Makkah. The oft-repeated question amongst them was “Isn’t it high time we protect Muhammad instead of leaving him forsaken, deserted and stumbling in the hillocks of Makkah?”.

Punde baada ya kuwasili, walifanya mawasiliano ya siri na Mtume (ﷺ) na walikubaliana kukutana naye kwa siri usiku wa katikati ya Siku za Tashreeq (siku ya 11, 12 na 13 ya Dhul Hijja) katika kilima kidogo huko Al-‘Aqabah, mahali pale pale pa mkutano wa mwaka uliopita. Mmoja wa viongozi wa Ansâr (Wasaidizi), Ka‘b bin Malik Al-Ansari (Allah amridhie), alisimulia mkutano huo wa kihistoria ulioibadilisha kabisa mkondo wa mapambano kati ya Uislamu na ushirikina, akisema:

Shortly after arrival, they conducted clandestine contacts with the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and agreed to meet him secretly at night in mid Tashreeq Days (the 11th, 12th and 13th days of Dhul Hijja) in a hillock at Al-‘Aqabah, the last year’s meeting place One of the leaders of the Ansâr (Helpers), Ka‘b bin Malik Al-Ansari (May Allah be pleased with him), gave an account of the historic meeting which changed the whole course of the struggle between Islam and paganism, he said:

Tulianza safari ya kuhiji na tukakubaliana kukutana katikati ya Siku za Tashriq. Tulikuwa pamoja na mtu maarufu na mtu mashuhuri miongoni mwetu aliyeitwa ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram, ambaye bado alikuwa mshirikina. Tulimweleza nia yetu ya kukutana na Muhammad ﷺ, tukamsihi ajiunge nasi na kuacha ushirikina, asije akawa kuni za Jahannamu Akhera. Yeye akasilimu mara moja, akashuhudia mkutano muhimu huko Al-‘Aqabah.

We set out for pilgrimage and struck a rendezvous in mid Tashreeq Days. We were accompanied by a celebrity and a notable of ours called ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Haram, who was still a polytheist. We disclosed to him our intention of meeting Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and exhorted him to join our ranks and give up polytheism lest he should serve as wood for Hell in the Hereafter. He promptly embraced Islam and witnessed the serious meeting at Al-‘Aqabah.

Usiku huo tulilala pamoja na watu wetu katika kambi zetu. Baada ya theluthi ya usiku kupita, tulianza kuondoka kwa siri na kukutana katika kilima kilichokuwa karibu. Tulikuwa wanaume sabini na watatu na wanawake wawili: Nusaibah bint Ka‘b kutoka kabila la Najjars, na Asma’ bint ‘Amr kutoka Bani Salamah. Tulimngoja Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ hadi alipofika akiwa pamoja na mjomba wake Al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib ambaye (ingawa yeye mwenyewe hakuwa Muislamu) alitutaka kwa kiapo tusimwondoe mpwa wake kutoka katika ulinzi wa jamaa zake isipokuwa tukiwa tayari kikamilifu kumtetea hata kwa hatari ya maisha yetu. Alikuwa wa kwanza kuzungumza:

Mtume wa Allah kisha aliwahubiri Imani, na ahadi ikachukuliwa. Al-Imam Ahmad, kwa mapokezi ya Jabir, alitoa maelezo yafuatayo:

The Messenger of Allâh then preached the Faith, and the pledge was taken. Al-Imam Ahmad, on the authority of Jabir, gave the following details:

Wa-Ansaar (Wasaidizi) walimuuliza Mjumbe wa Allah kuhusu kanuni ambazo wangeapa kiapo cha utii juu yake. Nabii akajibu:

The Ansâr (Helpers) asked the Messenger of Allâh about the principles over which they would take a pledge. The Prophet answered:

1. Kusikiliza na kutii katika kila hali.

1. To listen and obey in all sets of circumstances.

2. Kutoa kwa wingi pamoja na kwa uchache.

2. To spend in plenty as well as in scarcity.

3. Kuamrisha mema na kukataza maovu.

3. To enjoin good and forbid evil.

Katika kumtumikia Allah, hutaogopa lawama ya yeyote.

4. In Allâh’s service, you will fear the censure of none.

5. Kunilinda mimi endapo nitakutafuta msaada, na kunizuia kutokana na kila kitu ambacho wewe mwenyewe, wake zako na watoto wako mnazuiwa nacho. Na mkizishika kanuni hizo, Pepo iko tayari kwa ajili yenu. Katika toleo jingine lililosimuliwa na Ka‘b, alisema:

5. To defend me in case I seek your help, and debar me from anything you debar yourself, your spouses and children from. And if you observe those precepts, Paradise is in store for you. In another version narrated by Ka‘b, he said:

Mtume ﷺ alianza kuzungumza, akasoma baadhi ya aya za Qur'ani, akawalingania watu kwa Allah, akawahimiza waingie katika jamii ya Uislamu, kisha akamalizia kwa kusema: "Ninawapa ahadi yangu kwamba mtanilinda na kila kitu mnachowalinda nacho wanawake wenu na watoto wenu." Hapo Al-Bara' bin Ma'rur akamshika mkono, akasema: "Naam, tunaapa kwa Allah, aliyekutuma kuwa Nabii kwa haki, kwamba tutakulinda na kila kitu tunachowalinda nacho wanawake wetu. Tuamini sisi, ee Mjumbe wa Allah. Kwa Allah, sisi ni wapiganaji wa kweli na tunaaminika sana vitani; ni sifa tuliyorithi kutoka kwa wazee wetu."

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) began to speak, recited some Qur’ânic verses, called people unto Allâh, exhorted them to enter the fold of Islam and concluded saying: “I give you my pledge that you debar me from whatever you debar your women and children from.” Here Al-Bara’ bin Ma‘rur, caught him by hand, and said: “Oh yes, we swear by Allâh, Who sent you as a Prophet in Truth, that we will debar you from whatever we debar our women from. Have confidence in us, O Messenger of Allâh. By Allâh, we are genuine fighters and quite reliable in war, it is a trait passed down to us from our ancestors.”.

Baada ya majadiliano kuhusu masharti ya kiapo cha utii kumalizika, na hadhira yote ikakubaliana kwa pamoja kukiidhinisha, wanaume wawili wa kizazi cha mwanzo cha waongofu, waliosilimu katika mwaka wa kumi na moja na wa kumi na mbili, wakasimama ili kuwaeleza wengine hatua nzito waliyokaribia kuichukua, ili waweze kutoa ahadi yao wakijua jambo lote kikamilifu, na hivyo wawe tayari kwa dhabihu waliyotarajiwa kuitoa. Al 'Abbas bin Ubada bin Nadlah, katika muktadha huu, akasema: "Enyi watu wa Khazraj! Je, mnajua uzito wa mkataba mnaouingia na mtu huyu? Kwa hakika mnajiapiza kupigana na kila mtu bila kubagua. Ikiwa mnaogopa mali yenu itakuwa hatarini au maisha ya watu wenu mashuhuri yataingia hatarini, basi mwacheni sasa, kwa kuwa mkifanya hivyo baada ya kiapo, itakuwa ni aibu kwenu katika dunia hii na akhera. Lakini ikiwa mnadhani mtaweza kutekeleza mnachotakiwa kufanya licha ya kupotea kwa maisha na mali ya thamani, basi chukueni jukumu hili zito, nami naapa kwa Allah, kwamba ndani yake mna wema wa dunia hii na ule wa akhera."

After the negotiations concerning the conditions of allegiance had ended, and all of the audience were unanimously agreed to ratify it, two men of the early generation of converts who had embraced Islam in the eleventh and twelfth years rose to their feet to apprise the others of the serious step they were about to take so that they could give their pledge fully aware of the whole affair and consequently be ready for the sacrifice they were expected to make. Al ‘Abbas bin Ubada bin Nadlah, in this context, remarked: “O you people of Khazraj! Do you know the significance of the pact that you are entering into with this man? You are in fact avowing that you will fight against all and sundry. If you fear that your property will be at stake or the lives of your nobles will be endangered, then leave him now, because if you do this after the pledge, it will be degrading for you both in this world and the world to come. But if you think that you can carry out what you are called upon to do in spite of the loss of precious lives and property, then undertake this heavy responsibility, and I swear by Allâh, that herein lies the good of this world and that of the next.”.

Walijibu, “Tumeshazingatia upotevu wa mali na kuuawa kwa watu wetu mashuhuri, hata hivyo tunamwapia utii. Lakini malipo yetu ni nini iwapo tutatekeleza kila kipengele cha mkataba huu?” Nabii ﷺ akajibu: “Peponi imewekwa tayari kwa ajili yenu.” Kisha wakamwomba anyoshe mkono wake, nao wote wakanyoosha mikono yao na kula kiapo. Ni wakati huo tu As‘ad bin Zurarah alipotambua utayari wa watu hao wa kujitolea kwa ajili ya njia ya Allah.

They replied, “We have already considered the loss of property and the murder of our notables, yet we pay him allegiance. But what is our reward if we observe all the items of this pact?” The Prophet replied: “Paradise is in store for you.” Then they asked him to stretch out his hand, and they all stretched out their hands and took the pledge. Only at that time did As‘ad bin Zurarah come to realize the people’s readiness for sacrifice in the cause of Allâh.