18 - THE FIRST AQABAH PLEDGE

Abdullah Baothman

The Six Madinese

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 Six Madinese

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 (PBUH) The year before, the sixth who stayed away was Jabir bin Abdullah bin Reyab, the other seven were:

The Other 7 of THE Companions

Muadh bin Al-Harith, Ibn Afra, from Khazraj. Dhakwan bin Abd Al-Qais, from Khazraj. Ubadah bin As-Samit, from Khazraj. Yazeed bin Thalabah, from Khazraj. Al-Abbas bin Ubadah bin Nadalah, from Khazraj. Abul Haitham bin At-Taihan, from Aws. Uwaim bin Saidah, from Aws.

The Pledge
They confirmed their faith in Muhammad (PBUH) 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.

Prophets Reply
Muhammad (PBUH) said: He who carries it out, Allh 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 Allh. He may forgive him or He may not.

The First Muslim Ambassador

After the Pledge the Prophet (PBUH) sent to Yathrib (Madinah) Musab bin Umair Al-Abdari, (May Allah be pleased with him) Why? 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.

The First Muslim Ambassador

Asad 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 Musabs task. One day Musab and Asad 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.

The First Muslim Ambassador and 2 Chief Clans

There they sat near a well conversing with some new converts. Sad bin Muadh 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 Sad excused himself on grounds that Asad was his maternal cousin.

The First Muslim Ambassador and 2 Chief Clans

Usaid came closer cursing and swearing and accused the two men of befooling people weak of heart, and ordered that they stop it altogether. Musab calmly invited him to sit saying, If you are pleased with our talk, you can accept it; should you hold it in hatred, you could freely immunize yourself against what you hate.

The First Muslim Ambassador and 2 Chief Clans

Thats fair, said Usaid, pierced his lance in the sand, listened to Musab and then heard some verses of the Noble Qurn. 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 Raka.

The First Muslim Ambassador and 2 Chief Clans

He responded and did exactly what he was asked to do, and then said there was a man (Sad bin Muadh) whose people would never hang back if he followed the Islam. He then left to see Sad and his people. Sad could immediately understand that Usaid had changed. To a question posed by Sad, 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 Sad privately.

The First Muslim Ambassador and 2 Muslim Cheifs

The previous scene with Usaid recurred and Sad embraced Islam, and directly turned to his people swearing that he would never talk with them until they had believed in Allh, 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.

Never Prostrate, Yet In The Paradise

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 (PBUH) commented saying: He has done a little but his reward is great.

Musab and his Mission

Musab stayed in Madinah carrying out his mission diligently and successfully until all the houses of Al-Ansar (the future Helpers) had Muslims elements, men and women. One family only stood obdurate to the Islamic Dawah (Call). They were under the influence of the poet Qais bin Al-Aslat, who managed to hold them at bay and screen off the Call of Islam from their ears until the year 5 A.H.

Musab and his Mission

Shortly before the approach of the following pilgrimage season, i.e. the thirteenth year of Prophethood. Musab bin Umair returned to Makkah carrying to the Prophet (PBUH) glad tidings about the new fertile soil of Islam in Madinah, and its environment rich in the prospects of good, and the power and immunity that city was bound to provide to the cause of Islam.