Come peace beyond you. Welcome to another episode of Islamic focus on your host, Ahmed Rashid. There is our 64th program in our series, The Bahamas, the last vestige of a lab. Today we’ll be discussing the various offers and temptations placed before Prophet Mohammed to try to dissuade him from his mission. I’m very happy to have him join me on today’s program. Dr. Jamal abeta we have St. Mary’s University, brother Jamal Assalamu alaikum.
Before we look at the tactics of trying to various offers made to the profit, could I ask you to very quickly summarize the main points that we touched on in our program last week, where we discuss some of the prosecution’s that the profit was subjected to Sure, we continued actually, the last week was the second part of the persecution. But it’s focused more on what the prophet himself suffered at the hands of his people, both in terms of psychological hurt, as well as even physical hurt. We indicated that even though there were certain incidents where they really hit the Prophet physically, there were more than one incidents instance, where they seem to have been divine
intervention, and those who tried to hurt him came back, terrified, like what happened, for example, with a Buddha, we discussed, why wasn’t that the case all the time. And we indicated that for the Prophet, Prophet Muhammad, and for other prophets before him, and for a true believer, there got to be a test, to test the truthfulness of one’s love of God and
submission to him. And that requires sacrifice, while the Prophet could have been, of course, saved from all of this. Give us an example, that the Prophet as a leader, should also be exposed to some of the sufferings of his followers, and that would give them good morale, and they chose again, his sincerity and his steadfastness, and finally indicated that in some cases, even this kind of persecution had as it might have been may, in fact, that fire on those persecutors and we have described one instance where the attack on the Prophet reviving him and in something in by Abuja, ultimately contributed to his other uncle Hamza, embracing Islam and become a defender of Islam and
the profit
the making people
how did they cope with the the steadfastness on the part of the Prophet and his companions in the face of all the persecution that they subjected them to? I guess, after they realized that he was going to be dealing, they they adopted another strategy and made various offers to the problem is that exactly. That’s true. That’s precisely what they tried to do. Because you see, like they say, they try to use the stick and the carrot the stick doesn’t affect the sticks were breaking and you get another stick. Yes. But Muslims didn’t waver, the prophet didn’t waver. So you’re quite right, it is only natural to expect the dickert could be now used temptation. One time, the nobility or
leaders of Christ were seated in the normal place where they meet near the Kaaba, and the Prophet was seated nearby.
So they started to discuss amongst themselves and one of them the one very influential person who was also good, diplomatic, as you could say, Good in communicating a message. His name was IVR.
He taught them listen, operation, why should they not go to Mohammed?
Talk to him and offer him a few things. And he may perchance accept some of them. We can give him whatever he wishes, in return for leaving us in peace means not speaking ill about our about our garden items.
Keeping in mind, of course, that at that time, Muslims number the number of Muslim despite of persecution was increasing. Keeping in mind what we covered in the previous program that comes up a powerful person embraced Islam, and keeping in mind that they have already sensed the danger of the spread of Islam threatening their vested interest. They said to
go ahead, go ahead and win it, which is Nick, go ahead, talk to him.
Right
now into the profits.
And let’s again see the how the conversation,
outlets to the profit,
also one of my brother, you are among us, as you know, of an honorable family
and another lineage and you brought to your people, a grave matter indeed, referring to Islam,
by which you divided their community, belittle their minds, criticize their gods and their religion, and consider their ancestors as misled or misguided so listen to me
proposing matters some matters to you, and see if you may accept some of them.
The Prophet Muhammad
say, I believe his nickname, the nickname of Arthur C.
I listened to you.
Mohammed if you brought this matters is this religion and teaching, if you brought this matter, because you are seeking wealth, we will put together from our wealth of fortune for you, that you become the richest one of us.
If it is owners that you see, we will make our leaders and decide not anything without your consent.
And if it is kingship
that you seek, we will make you our king.
And if what comes to you is a spirit that you can rid yourself of. We will seek medication for you. And we will spend our wealth until you’re cured.
After all, a man may be overwhelmed until history that means a man will be overwhelmed by some strange spirits until he is until his treated. It is interesting to stop here and ask a question in view of this kind of offers that was made.
If it were true at some orientalist or writers may speculate
that the Prophet Prophet Muhammad had any ulterior motive behind preaching Islam, yes, pursuit of wealth, power leadership. And he’s offered all of that.
Knowing that he and his companions, if they refuse, if he refuses, would be subjected to all kinds of persecution that his own life will be threatened. What would one expect an answer? Even the tone of the answer if he doesn’t accept, at least one would expect if that hypothesis were to be correct, that you should choose some sort of inclination toward that. But his firm rejection of all of these tempting offers seem to indicate, I believe, truthfulness, and sincerity.
While the offers, as you mentioned, are quite generous and indeed very, very tempting to somebody so motivation is misplaced. I think we can get a glimpse of how the Prophet responded, perhaps you would explain to us what did he respond? Okay, let’s put it again in the same scenario.
Prophet Muhammad after he listened to this offer, set to unveil it,
Tata abalone, have you finished? a ballad?
out there? Yes.
Prophet Muhammad, then listen to me.
I do.
Mohammed, this weapon in
this we let her mentor him In the name of Allah, most Gracious, Most Merciful. Hand in a revelation from Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. A book in the Quran. A book where of the signs or verses are explained in detail? A Quran in Arabic for people who understand, giving good news and admonitions, yet most of them turn away. And so they hear
and they say, Our hearts are under veiled conceal from that, to which you do invite us. And in our ears is deafness. And between us and new is a screen. So do what you will. For us, we will do what we will,
as the profit rich, this recitation, from a portion from the Quran that’s in Surah 41, beginning of sort of what you want.
And really, I believe, Raja was listening to those few verses, apparently struck
by the words of the Quran, in terms of the strength, power, the fact that speaks about what they have in their hearts.
He placed his hand behind his back and leaned upon them
and continued to the list to listen to the Prophet. With a great deal of amazement, as the prophets continued to recite up to verse in some narrations purchased, that would take too much time to decide to hear but I would recommend for those who really want to get the feel of that scene, to go to Surah or chapter number 41. In the Quran, from verses one to 38. Upon reaching that verse, or as 38 Prophet Muhammad because there was talking about frustration, frustrated his forehead and put his forehead on the ground, in submission and prayer to Allah to God and then he
And then he addressed whatever
you have heard or absolutely
what you have heard, and all is now between you and that?
Was this a spontaneous, receiving a revelation by the prophet? And then what to
do next after hearing this? Once?
Upon hearing this few verses from the Quran, which could have possibly been revealed before yesterday, there’s no clear indication to me as to whether it’s positive, exactly at that time. Apparently, it was revealed before because usually when the Prophet receives revelation, he will undergo certain tense, you know, stages, so that was not reported. So I presume that he recited to him something that was revealed before Yes, that’s a possibility, the likely possibility in my mind,
of actually after hearing this
return, returned back, he didn’t say a thing after he heard the Quran. So he returned back to his companions, the leadership of the tribe of Christ. They noted that his face was changed.
So when they saw him coming, they explained, say, what happened to Abdullah lead?
What’s happened to you?
So he told them, Well, I have heard an utterance, the like, of which I have never heard,
by Allah, or by God. It is not poetry.
Neither is it sorcery. Not soothsaying, like what the clergy used to say,
are people of Christ.
Listen to me and obey him, Do as I say, Come not between this man, and what he’s about, and leave, leave him alone. For By Allah, the utterances I heard from him, will have a great future of influence. And then he tries to continue to persuade them not to oppose the Prophet is to leave him alone, revealing again, his motive.
He says, if the Arabs strike him down, which means if what he’s teaching
allows us the anger of other Arabs, and they kill him.
So if the Arabs take him down, he says, then you will be rid of him at the hands of others, let others do the job for you that is,
and if he is the victors, when he fights against those who oppose him,
if he’s the victor of the Arabs, then his kingdom will be used. And his honor would be yours. And you would be the happiest Fox by him.
Obviously, materialistic, objective, materialistic assessment that even if we live him, and not a positive message, not because it’s the truth, even though he knows in his heart, it is the truth? No, but because you might benefit from that leave him, people might fight him, either. They kill him for you. Or if he’s the vectors, he is one of you. So you will benefit also from his kingdom as he imagined
the reaction really was outrage against us. They taught him by Allah. He has been which you abolish, he has been which deal with his time. He replied to them, he said, one, this is my opinion of him. Do as you please.
And modern day parents, you might say that he made him a win win kind of offer, which they rejected. But were there any other attempts? Besides this offer that we’ve just discussed? Did they make other attempts to persuade the problem? Yes, there is an indication that they try the second time. So what they did actually, after that offer was rejected. That’s through automatic. They tried to do that offer in unison as a group because they were afraid now that you know, there might have been bewitched they say it let’s let’s try to make an offer again. So in one reference actually says that when the with until sundown.
And then they said to themselves, well, that’s a sin, for Mohammed, to talk to him. We also talked to him so as not to have been blamed or to be blamed in the future for not trying any way with him to stop what he’s teaching.
So they sent to him a messenger and they said to him, the leaders or nobility of your people are gathered together and wish to speak to you would you come and talk to them?
The Prophet interpreted this offer as maybe as a change in their attitude that now they might be willing to listen to his Mister, you know, message and talk makes sense, at least of what he’s saying. So he listened to them happy.
And he sat with them, hoping that they might examine his claim. But very soon he was disappointed because they
began again, to continue with that same carrot approach, repeating the same kind of offers that earthbath offered him before. If you want money will give you all the money you want leadership will give you leadership you want status will make you our king, medication anything you want. But just for God’s sake, you know, stop attacking our, our gods and idols. But the response of the Prophet was not either was not different either.
In my translation I tried to do, for example of his response that says, I did not come with this mission, or this matter, in pursuit of your well
known in pursuit of honor, means leadership amongst you.
But Allah sent me as a messenger to you.
And revealed to me a book, referring to the Quran and appointed me as a bringer of good news. And as a warner,
I have conveyed to you the message of my Lord.
And I have given you good counsel, or advice. If you accept it, that is what I brought to you. That is your good fortune, in this word, and in the next. And if you reject it, then I will persevere until Allah judge between us.
different wording, perhaps than what he said to us, but is, in essence really trying to tell them, for God’s sake. I didn’t teach or preach the truth. In pursuit of any materials, benefits, or power or anything, I’m just conveying what I’m supposed to do.
Lots of lessons in the prophets response. What can we learn or conclude in your review from the prophets responsibilities, these offers were made to him. Well, I believe in that incident that we see once more of the steadfastness and determination of the Prophet, which is quite clear, that any kind of pressure, threat,
temptation by all kinds of generous offers, were of no avail in checking the conviction of the Prophet peace be upon him. And once more, again, I believe we can see clearly that there is absence logically of any ulterior motive on his part,
as he could have got more than anyone could have dreamed of, in return for being a bit compromising. I mean, nobody can aspire for anything more than that, in some other offer just said, also, they offered him to get him the most beautiful young girls to marry anything well, girls, or women, you know, wives, and all that. And he checked all of that, in return for a small compromise, and I say, a small compromise, because they didn’t say we would give you with this, provided that you follow our religion, or worship our items, because they knew that he never did that, even before he proclaimed Prophethood or was appointed a commission to be a prophet. They did not, for example,
even give him as a condition that he should renounce his faith in God, even if he doesn’t follow the religion. They did not say our condition is that you should stop praying to your gods, or the one you believe it’s got in a person and in private manner. Basically, it was apparent from their offer, that all they wanted that, for God’s sake, do as you wish, we’ll give you all you want, but stop,
you know, uttering things against our items in public, stop telling people that there is no God, but the one true God, because that applies that our gods are false god, this is basically what they wanted from him. When for any person who is pursuing any person and benefits, how could one refuse this slight compromise? You know, in return for all the great benefits, great in terms of material assessment, of course, immense benefit that could accrue to him as a result of this show. I believe that this is also an indication in my humble understanding that he was selfless, that he was simply devoted to do what God has simply told him to do.
We’ve seen it in response to be seen how the tactic of the carrot and the stick and neither of these work, whether other tactics that were used by the Mexican people that they resort to other means to try to. Yes, one, I don’t know whether that could be regarded as mutually exclusive. But one tactic also they try to use against the Prophet is to try to challenge his credentials as a prophet and messenger of God and ask him, challenge him to show miracles and to show things that are extraordinary. And some of these actually are referred to in the Quran, but just to abbreviate, basically, they told him, alright, if you are truly
profits,
then not mean that after a nominal or the employer that will not believe in you until you make the springs gush from the middle of,
of our land, miraculously,
that if you want to show us that you’re a profit you should have good or shed or garden with, you know, buying yards and palm trees.
And then you let the rivers gush and flow, of course, you don’t have a desert. So, show us really, that you really the servant of God, and sometimes they move and not believe in to, until, unless you have
a huge house of golden parents, or somebody tell him No, we will not believe in you. And you unless you go up in heavens, we see you going up and heavens. And then you bring us a book, come down with the physical book in your hand, so that we can read it
all kinds of demands. And as the Quran directed the prophet to respond, so cannot be held queen to elaboration of slsa Glory be to my Lord, have I been more than a mortal? A human being?
Some ask the asking him to write if you’re truly a prophet, why don’t you remove all this mountain surrounding us and flatten the earth?
So that you know, we’ll have more
easy passage? Why don’t you show us that you’re a prophet by raising our forefathers who died a long time ago, so that we can ask them when they
when they, you know, rise up from death as to whether what you’re teaching is correct or not?
Why don’t Why didn’t God sent an angel with you to confirm what you say, Come and tell us that what you’re teaching is is correct.
So this is the kind of response and actually as the Quran refer to it, and as he himself also was quoted and other historical reference, to quote, one, he says, I am not one to ask his Lord, such things, or the lack of such things. nor was I sent for that I’m not saying just to show you Americans, but Allah has sent me as a warner, and has and as a bringer of good news are good, glad tidings to you.
So some of them actually even invoked curse upon themselves by saying, if you really want to show us that you’re a prophet, why don’t you let the sky fall in pieces upon our heads? Such was the attitude, the total incidents total arrogance, and took an unpreparedness. In fact, some historians say that after they told him, all of that you go into heavens bring a book that you can read and all of that, and one of them said that even if you do that, we will not believe
as the final say, they might even take if all of this was shown to them, they showed that was a sorcery It was just an illusion. Yes. So it was a very strange type of attitude that they should lead with
the acceptance of Islam by powerful people such as Hamsa, as we discussed the and Omar did this mean that the Prophet success with some of the was there then with the meccan leaders?
Not necessarily because the great majority of those who embraced Islam in the first part, even though they were on a cross section, people who accepted but many were either slaves or people who have been just freed
or people who belong to the fringes of Christ, why they might belong to the general tribe, but they may not necessarily be among the leading clans of the Prophet. But even then, among the leading people who believe in the process, like Hamza, for example, that you mentioned his story, we still find that the top leadership of koresh still were the ones who will did so much influence and power did not accept Islam, the most powerful people that included people like Abu Jamal, the enemy of the Prophet, it included the Abu lahab included Abu Talib, even the uncle of the Prophet even though he loved him, but he still did not believe it included the unbelievable mahira who was almost like an
official, you know, leader of all the tribes or at least regarded as such, from Nazareth, clan.
So this most influential people still held on held back from accepting Islam.
However, it appears that the Prophet peace be upon you never lost hope to invite those people to Islam.
Hoping that if such influential people accept Islam, then the weaker people may not be subjected to as much persecution and maybe those who are wavering or waiting for the leaders to take a step would accept Islam
as well. In fact, in the Quran, you might find instances where they seem to be an indication of other attempts on the one to one basis with some of those leaders.
Or we’re close to the end of our time for today, but maybe we might have a chance to examine some of these attempts. Okay, at least one study that comes clear in mind, which is narrated in the Quran actually will refer to an apprenticeship say in Surah, number 80. Others are found.
Basically, to give a background, Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was reported once to have had a chance to talk to elderly, along with perhaps a very, very influential leader. And that’s a good lesson for us, because sometimes people, when you embarrass them or talk to them in front of all others, they take a role, which might be contrary to what they believe, but the role that people expect them to play this is sort of neutral expectation or as some behavior squad, broadcasting Mutual Broadcasting. Anyway, so the Prophet tried to get to him privately on a one to one basis. And then, while they were talking very deeply discussing with each other, about Islam.
During that conversation, a blind man by the name of Abdullah hypno Maktoum, who recently embraced Islam was a blind person, but very faithful person passed by when apparently Abdullah recognized the voice of the Prophet while he was talking to an elite.
So he came to the Prophet, begging him please, our Prophet of Allah, they say at some of the other Anthony who wanted to enjoy listening to the Quran, please recite some for Anthony
Abdullah, that blind person was perhaps a bit impatient, he couldn’t wait for the Prophet until he finished his conversation and became too persistent interrupting the profit in this important conversation with such an important leader of Christ. As a result of this, the profit just flowing a little bit and turned away from him, you know?
Perhaps he might have been thinking that why can that, you know, man wait a little bit until I finish such an important discussion. It’s not for my sake, it’s for the sake of Islam and truth. If that
powerful person accept Islam,
the prophet was chewed, corrected by revelation. And the revelation came to him as we read, in the beginning of that, sorta number 80.
He means the Prophet, he found and turned away, because the blind man came to him.
What told you that this man will not be purified?
Or heed the reminders that is that he might hear from you, as to him who feels self sufficient, or arrogant, referring to an really powerful person, you are always trying to
talk to him. In other words, it was really a source of
you might say, a blame or chastisement on the other prophets, through the Quran, that basically say that maybe you might have good intentions in trying to concentrate in your discussion with that, importantly, that maybe you’re frowning and turning away from Abdullah, the blind man was not really out of any vicious intention or anything of that nature, but simply that you did not feel comfortable about this kind of interruption because he’s already a Muslim, you can wait a little bit.
So regardless of your intention, your judgment of the situation, God has a different kind of judgment has a different kind of standard, that even such poor, blind person in the sight of God might be more important than that powerful unbeliever rejecter of truth, because this man came eager, trying to purify himself and throw knees to his creator. And I know we have to stop because our time is gone. Thank you very much for watching and invite you back next week. Assalamu alaikum peace
