The Truth Became Clear

“We are afraid that the Quraysh may harm you. We want someone whose family is from the Quraysh and can protect him.”

In response, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه said:

“Do not worry about me. Allah Almighty Himself will protect me.”

After midday, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه arrived at the Baytullah. He stood near Maqam Ibrahim.

At that time, the Quraysh were in their respective homes.

He then began reciting the Qur’an in a loud voice.

When the Quraysh heard this voice, they said:

“What has happened to this son of a slave?”

Another person said:

“He is reciting the very words that Muhammad has brought.”

As soon as they heard this, the polytheists rushed toward him and began beating him.

Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه continued reciting the Qur’an while suffering their blows.

He continued until he had recited most of the Surah.

Afterward, he returned to his companions.

By that time, his face was severely injured.

Seeing his condition, the Muslims said:

“We were afraid that this would happen to you.”

Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه replied:

“By Allah! I have never considered the enemies of Allah weaker and less significant than I do today. If you wish, I can go before them again tomorrow and recite the Qur’an.”

The Muslims said:

“No. You have made them hear enough of what they dislike.”

The ظلم and persecution of the disbelievers continued.

One day, the Noble Prophet ﷺ was near Mount Safa when Abu Jahl passed by him.

He saw the Prophet ﷺ and began insulting him. He also threw dust upon his head.

A slave woman belonging to ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘an witnessed this scene.

Then Abu Jahl walked away from the Prophet ﷺ and entered the Haram, where the polytheists were gathered.

He began telling them about what he had done.

At that very moment, the Prophet’s ﷺ uncle, Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه, entered the Haram.

At that time, he had not yet accepted Islam.

A sword was hanging from his waist. He had just returned from hunting.

It was his habit that whenever he returned from hunting, he would first go to the Haram and perform Tawaf, and then go home.

Before Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه entered the Haram, he passed by the slave woman of ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘an.

She had silently seen and heard the entire incident.

She said to Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه:

“O Hamzah! Have you heard what has just happened?

Abu al-Hakam bin Hisham—Abu Jahl—has just treated your nephew in this way.

Your nephew was sitting here when Abu Jahl saw him. He harmed him, insulted him, and treated him very badly.

Your nephew did not say anything to him in response.”

After hearing everything, Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه asked:

“What you are telling me—did you see it with your own eyes?”

She immediately replied:

“Yes! I saw it myself.”

As soon as Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه heard this, he became intensely angry.

His face showed his anger.

He immediately entered the Haram.

Abu Jahl was there, sitting among the Quraysh.

Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه went straight toward him.

He had a bow in his hand. He pulled it back and struck Abu Jahl on the head with it.

Abu Jahl’s head was injured.

Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه said to him:

“You insult Muhammad? Listen! I also accept his religion.

I say exactly what he says.

Now, if you have the courage, then answer me.”

Abu Jahl pleaded with him and said:

“He calls us foolish, speaks badly about our gods, and goes against the way of our forefathers.”

Hearing this, Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه said:

“And who is more foolish than you, who worship pieces of stone instead of Allah?

I testify that there is no deity except Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.”

When Abu Jahl’s family members heard these words, some of them suddenly moved toward Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه and said:

“Now we are also certain about you: you too have abandoned the religion of your forefathers.”

In response, Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه said:

“Come then! Who is there to stop me?

The truth has become clear to me.

I testify that he is the Messenger of Allah. Whatever he says is the truth and reality.

By Allah, I will never abandon him.

If you are truthful, then try to stop me.”

Hearing this, Abu Jahl said to his people:

“Leave Abu ‘Umarah”—meaning Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه—“alone. I really did treat his nephew badly just now.”

So they moved away.

Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه reached his home.

After arriving home, he began to feel troubled and confused:

“What have I said before the Quraysh?

I am one of the leaders of the Quraysh.”

But then his conscience began to reproach him.

Finally, in a state of great confusion, he prayed:

“O Allah! If this is the true path, then place this conviction in my heart.

And if it is not so, then rescue me from the difficult situation into which I have entered.”

He spent that night in this state of confusion.

At last, morning came, and he went to the Noble Prophet ﷺ.

He said:

“My nephew! I have become entangled in such a matter that I can see no way out of it.

To remain in a situation about which I do not know whether it is the truth or not is extremely difficult.”

Upon this, the Noble Prophet ﷺ turned toward Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه.

He warned him about the punishment of Allah and gave him glad tidings of reward.

The effect of the Prophet’s ﷺ advice and admonition was that Allah Almighty granted Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه the light of faith.

He exclaimed:

“My nephew! I testify that you are the Messenger of Allah.

From now on, present your religion openly.”

Hazrat Ibn ‘Abbas رضي الله عنهما says that on this occasion, this verse of the Holy Qur’an was revealed:

Translation: “Is someone who was dead, then We gave him life and gave him a light by which he walks among the people, like one who is in darkness and can never come out of it?”

(Surah Al-An‘am)

The Noble Prophet ﷺ was extremely happy when Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه accepted Islam.

One reason was that Hazrat Hamzah رضي الله عنه was his paternal uncle.

The second reason was that he was one of the most respected men among the Quraysh.

Along with this, he was also among the bravest, strongest, and most self-respecting men of the Quraysh.

Therefore, when the Quraysh saw that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had gained additional strength, they stopped directly troubling him.

However, they began directing all their oppression and persecution toward the weaker Muslims.

Whenever someone from any tribe accepted Islam, they would relentlessly persecute him.

They would imprison such people, deprive them of food and water, and expose them to the scorching sand until they became so weak that they could no longer even sit upright.

Among those who most strongly incited people to commit this ظلم and oppression was Abu Jahl.

One of these people was Hazrat Bilal al-Habashi رضي الله عنه.

His full name was Bilal bin Rabah.

He was the slave of Umayyah bin Khalaf.

Hazrat Bilal رضي الله عنه was born in Makkah.

Previously, he had been the slave of ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘an at-Taymi.

‘Abdullah bin Jud‘an had one hundred slaves, and Bilal رضي الله عنه was one of them.

When Islam began and its light spread, ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘an sent ninety-nine of his slaves outside Makkah out of fear that they might accept Islam.

He kept Hazrat Bilal bin Rabah رضي الله عنه with him.

Bilal رضي الله عنه used to look after his goats.

The light of Islam also reached Hazrat Bilal رضي الله عنه.

He accepted faith, but he kept his Islam hidden.

One day, he put filth upon the idols placed around the Kaaba.

He also spat upon them and kept saying:

“Destroyed is the one who worships you.”

The Quraysh came to know about this.

They immediately went to ‘Abdullah bin Jud‘an and said to him:

“You have abandoned the religion.”

He was astonished and said:

“Can this also be said about me?”

They replied:

“Your slave Bilal did such and such today.”

“What?!”

He was left completely astonished.