Sacrifices Upon Sacrifices

“Abu Jahl suddenly stepped forward and tried to grab the clothes of the Prophet ﷺ. I stepped forward and struck him in the chest with my fist, causing him to fall to the ground.

From the other side, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه pushed Umayyah bin Khalaf away, while the Noble Prophet ﷺ himself pushed ‘Utbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt away.

Eventually, these people moved away from the Prophet ﷺ.

At that time, he ﷺ said:

‘By Allah! You will not die until you have suffered the punishment that Allah has decreed for you.’”

Hazrat ‘Uthman رضي الله عنه says:

“When they heard these words, there was not even one of the three who did not begin trembling out of fear.”

Then the Prophet ﷺ said:

“You people have proven yourselves very bad toward your Prophet.”

After saying this, he ﷺ returned toward his home. We followed behind him.

When he ﷺ reached his door, he suddenly turned toward us and said:

“Do not grieve. Allah Almighty Himself will spread His religion, fulfill His word, and help His Prophet. Allah will soon cause these people to meet their fate at your hands.”

After this, we also returned to our respective homes.

And by Allah, on the day of the Battle of Badr, Allah Almighty caused those people to meet their end at our hands.

One day, the Prophet ﷺ was performing Tawaf around the Kaaba when ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt came there.

He took off his shawl, placed it around the Prophet’s ﷺ neck, and pulled it tightly.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه came running, grabbed him by the shoulders, and pushed him away.

At the same time, he said:

“Do you want to kill a man merely because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ and he has brought you clear signs from your Lord?”

According to a hadith in Bukhari, Hazrat ‘Urwah bin az-Zubayr رضي الله عنهما narrates:

“I once asked Hazrat ‘Amr bin al-‘As رضي الله عنه:

‘Tell me, who among the polytheists treated the Noble Prophet ﷺ in the worst and harshest manner?’”

In response, Hazrat ‘Amr bin al-‘As رضي الله عنه said:

“Once, the Noble Prophet ﷺ was offering prayer in the Kaaba when ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt came.

He put a piece of cloth around the Prophet’s ﷺ neck and tightened it with all his strength.

At that time, Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه pushed him away.”

This is the statement of Hazrat ‘Amr bin al-‘As رضي الله عنه. Perhaps this was the harshest treatment that he himself witnessed. Otherwise, the Prophet ﷺ was subjected to treatment far harsher than this.

Then, when the number of Muslims reached thirty-eight, Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه said to the Prophet ﷺ:

“O Messenger of Allah! Let us go to the Masjid al-Haram so that we may offer prayer there.”

The Prophet ﷺ said:

“Abu Bakr, our number is still small.”

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه expressed the same desire again.

Finally, the Noble Prophet ﷺ went to the Masjid al-Haram with all his Companions.

Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه stood up and delivered a sermon. He invited the people to accept the Kalimah.

In this way, Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه was the first person to stand before a gathering and openly preach Islam in this manner.

In response to this sermon, the polytheists of Makkah attacked Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه and the other Muslims and began beating them.

They beat Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه particularly severely.

‘Uqbah was striking him with his shoes, which had double straps. He struck Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه on the face so severely that his face was covered with wounds.

At that moment, members of Hazrat Abu Bakr’s tribe, Banu Taym, arrived.

As soon as the polytheists saw them, they left Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.

The people of Banu Taym carried Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه on a cloth and took him home while he was unconscious.

Everyone had become convinced that Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه would not survive that day.

Afterward, the people of Banu Taym returned to the Haram and said:

“By Allah! If Abu Bakr dies, we will certainly kill ‘Uqbah.”

They then returned to Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.

They and Hazrat Abu Bakr’s father repeatedly tried to speak to him, but he was completely unconscious.

Finally, toward evening, he regained consciousness and became able to speak.

The first thing he asked was:

“How is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?”

The people present in the house did not answer him.

Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه repeatedly asked the same question.

Finally, his mother said:

“By Allah, we do not know anything about your companion.”

Hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه said:

“Then go to Umm Jamil bint Khattab and ask her about the condition of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and tell me.”

Umm Jamil رضي الله عنها was the sister of Hazrat ‘Umar رضي الله عنه. She had accepted Islam, but she was still concealing her faith.

Hazrat Abu Bakr’s mother went to her and said:

“Abu Bakr is asking about the well-being of Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah.”

Because Umm Jamil رضي الله عنها was afraid of her brother Hazrat ‘Umar رضي الله عنه, who had not yet accepted Islam at that time, she replied:

“I do not know.”

She then said:

“Would you like me to come with you?”

Hazrat Abu Bakr’s mother immediately replied:

“Yes!”

So the two of them came to Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.

When Umm Jamil رضي الله عنها saw Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه covered with injuries, she cried out:

“Those who treated you this way are certainly wicked and among the worst of people. I am sure that Allah Almighty will take revenge on your behalf against them.”

Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said:

“How is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?”

Umm Jamil رضي الله عنها was afraid to speak openly in front of people who had not yet accepted Islam, so she said:

“Your mother is here.”

Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه immediately said:

“Do not worry about her. She will not reveal your secret.”

Umm Jamil رضي الله عنها then said:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ is well.”

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه asked:

“Where is the Prophet ﷺ at this time?”

Umm Jamil رضي الله عنها replied:

“He is in Dar al-Arqam.”

Hearing this, Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه said:

“By Allah! I will neither eat nor drink until I meet the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”

The two women waited for some time, until things outside became calm.

Finally, they supported him and took him to Dar al-Arqam.

As soon as the Noble Prophet ﷺ saw Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه in this condition, he was deeply distressed.

He ﷺ stepped forward and embraced Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.

He ﷺ kissed him.

The other Muslims also embraced him and kissed him.

Then Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه said to the Prophet ﷺ:

“May my parents be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah! Nothing has happened to me except that my face has been injured.

This is my mother who has come with me. Perhaps Allah Almighty will save her from the Fire of Hell through you.”

The Noble Prophet ﷺ supplicated for his mother.

He then invited her to Islam.

She accepted Islam immediately.

This brought immense happiness to Hazrat Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه and all the Companions.

One day, the Companions were gathered around the Noble Prophet ﷺ.

Someone said:

“By Allah! Until today, the Quraysh have never heard the Qur’an being recited aloud by anyone other than the Noble Prophet ﷺ.

So who among you will recite the Qur’an aloud before them?”

Hearing this, Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه immediately said:

“I will recite the Qur’an aloud before them.”