The Dawn of Islam|The Prophetic age (570-632)|Biography of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW)Third phase(Part 6)

 Third phase

1:Trial and test:

Untill now ,the preaching of Islam resulted into three forms:

1. Some fortunate persons embraced Islam and we're ready to serve the Islamic cause at every cost.
2. The majority of infidels had rejected the invitation due to the their blinkered vision, selfishness, misconceptions and the blind faith in their ancestral religion i.e idolatry.These infidels were vehemently opposing the movement.
3. The message of Islam was spreading outside Makkah and Islamic circle was expanding gradually.Henceforth, the struggle between the new Islamic movement and ancient ignorance would begin.Those who wanted to cling on to their old religion were determined to annihilate this new Islamic movement with all available resources.They inflicted all kinds of atrocities and cruelties on Muslims and tried thier best to take them away from Islam .
   
   
   

Historians have copied some incidents of these cruelties some are mentioned as below:

Hazrat Khabbabd was Umme Ammar's slave.only six or seven persons had embraced Islam until now ,he followed the suit and became and became the target of Quraish 's atrocities.One day ,they laid him on burning coals and a man put his leg on his chest so that he may not turn frome one side to other till the coals cooled down under his back .The burning marks were apparent on Hazrat Khabbad 's back even after a long time.

Hazrat Bilal (R.A.)was Umayya bin Khalf's slave .Umayya used to make him lie on burning sand.He used to put a heavy stone on his chest and say to him,"Deny Islam otherwise you will die one day in this sand ."But Hazrat Bilal in this painful condition,used to utter "AHAD AHAD"("THE ONE THE ONE").Umayya used to put a rope around his neck and handover the other end to urchins who used to drag him from one corner of the city to another.

2: Migration to Abyssinia 615AD:

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had entered the sixth year of Prophethood and He (SAW)bore the Quraish 's oppressions with extreme patience .Though He (SAW)was sure that the Quraish would not be able to turn away even a single Muslim from Islam but as the hardships were out of their endurance and performing Islamic duties was becoming almost impossible in Makkah ,the Holy Prophet Muhammad on the injunctions from the ALLAH ALMIGHTY decided that some Muslims should migrate to Abyssinia,is located on the eastern coast of Africa.

A just and kind christian king Najashi (Negus)was the ruler of Abyssinia.

This migration provided solace and a golden opportunity to spread Islam in far off areas.So the first batch of 11 men and 4 women migrated.

When the news reached the Quraish,they became enraged and to send a delegation to the king of Abyssinia to request him for the extradition of these Muslim migrants.

Abdullah bin Rabi'aand Amr bin Al-Aas were selected as emissaries.

They set off for Abyssinia where they first met the Popes of Negus.They told the Popes that these migrants are following the new religion,when we dealt them strictly,they  took shelter in your country.

They requested the pope to recommend their case before the king and ask him to extradite these migrants.

3: Muslims in the Court of Negus:

When the extradition request was presented before Negus ,He sent for Muslims and asked them,"What new religion you people have invented?"

Muslims had chosen Hazrat J'afar (R.A.)bin Abi Talib as their representative.

J'afar(R.A.)was Hazrat Ali (R.A.) brother .

I'm reply to Najashi's question, Hazrat J'afar (R.A.) delivered a speech elaborating the Islam and faith in ALLAH.Najashi ,after hearing all this ,asked Hazrat J'afar (R.A.)to recite something from ALLAH'S MESSAGE revealed to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Hazrat J'afar (R.A.)

Hazrat J'afar (R.A.)recited few Ayahs of chapter Maryam.

Najashi was so impressed that tears started rolling out his eyes.

He allowed the Muslims to stay here.