ARRIVAL OF DEPUTATIONS IN MADĪNAH
ALLĀH FIRST CAUSED the Apostle of God to prevail over Makkah, thereafter he returned from the expedition of Tabūk with flying colours. Prior to that, he had sent letters to the rulers within the country and to the kings and emperors of neighbouring lands, inviting them to accept Islam; these were received by some with the greatest of honour, who sent back courteous replies; others were astounded or indifferent and yet others were irreverent and insolent. Before long, God required the arrogant suzerains by taking their lives or kingdoms, or both, and all these happenings were spoken of all over Arabia.
Makkah had been the spiritual and religious centre of Arabia. The submission of the Quraysh nobles to Islam was of the greatest importance for the whole of Arabia. The airy dreams of those who had counted on the Quraysh to bring Islam to its knees had fizzled out while those who were in two minds, marking time to see the result of the struggle between the Muslims and the Quraysh, found the obstacle to their acceptance of Islam removed. The noted Indian scholar of traditions, Muhammad Tāhir Patni (d. 986/1578) writes in the Majma’ Bihār al-Anwār:
This was the Year of Deputations. As the Quraysh were their religious leaders and guardians of the House of God, the Arab tribes had adopted a policy to watch and wait in regard to Islam. When the Quraysh bowed their heads to Islam, Makkah was captured and Thaqif also accepted Islam, they, too, realised that it would not be possible for them to resist the power of Islam. Then deputations began to arrive in Madinah from all over Arabia and the people entered the faith of God in legions.[1]
It was only natural that the events, stated earlier, had a deep effect on the Arabs and prepared them to accept Islam. Representative parties of the Arab tribes came to the Apostle to accept Islam in such a succession like the beads of a broken rosary falling one by one.
These deputations returned to their homes charged with a new spirit of faith to call their brethren to Islam and to efface all traces of paganism in their tribes.
One such deputation came from the large tribe of Banū Tamīm with a number of its orators and poets and challenged the Muslims to a contest in oratory and poetry. The contest ended in establishing the superiority of Islam and its adherents. The chiefs and nobles of Banū Tamīm acknowledged the superiority of the Muslim orators and poets, accepted Islam and left for their homes with valuable gifts that the Apostle presented them with.[2]
The deputation of Banū Āmir also came to Madinah. Banū Sād ibn Bakr sent Dimām ibn Tha’labah as their representative to the Apostle. He accepted Islam and went back to his tribe determined to invite them to his faith. When his tribesmen gathered round him, the first thing he said to them was, “Woe be to al-Lāt and al-Uzzā!” “Heavens forbid! Dimām”, they said. “Beware of leprosy, elephantiasis and madness!” Dimām replied, “Confound you! By God, they can neither hurt nor heal. God has sent an Apostle and given a Book to him, and delivered you thereby from your present state. I bear witness that there is no god but one God who is without any associate and that Muhammad is His slave and Apostle. I have brought you what he has commanded you to do and what he has forbidden you.” And by the time the evening was over there was not a man or woman in his tribe who had not entered the fold of Islam.[3]
The deputation of Banū Ḥanifah came to the Apostle. With it came Musaylamah, the arch-liar. He accepted Islam but later turned apostate and made a claim to apostleship. He was killed fighting with the Muslims.
The reputation of Banū Ṭayy also came to Madinah bringing with them their chief and gallant cavalier, Zayd al-Khayl. The Apostle of God changed his name to Zayd al-Khayr[4] and he proved himself to be staunch Muslim strong in faith.
‘Adi, the son of Hätim, whose name has long been known for generosity, called upon the Apostle. Impressed by the courteous bearing and considerateness of the Apostle, ‘Adi accepted Islam and said, “By God, this is not the way kings behave.”
The delegation of Banū Zubayd also came to the Apostle. It was led by Amr ibn Ma’dikarib, the noted warrior of Arabia. Al-Ash’ath ibn Qays came with the deputation of another tribe, Kindah. Then came the deputation from Azd and the envoys of the king of Himyār, who brought a letter to the Apostle informing him of the acceptance of Islam of their tribes.
The Apostle sent Mu’ādh ibn Jabal and Abū Musa to invite the people of Yemen to Islam. He also instructed them: “Make things easy and do not make them difficult. Cheer up (the people) and do not scare (them).”[5]
Farwah ibn ‘Amr al-Judhāmi was the governor of Ma’ān and surrounding lands in Syria on behalf of the Byzantines. He sent an envoy to the Apostle informing him of his acceptance of Islam.
Banū al-Hārith ibn Ka’b living in the territory known as Najrān were converted to Islam by Khalid ibn al-Walid, who stayed with the tribe and instructed them in the teachings of Islam. Khalid ibn al-Walid came back to the Apostle with the representatives of Banū al-Hārith. When these men returned to their tribe the Apostle sent ‘Amr ibn Hazm to instruct them in religion and to teach them the Sunnah and the rituals of Islam as well as to collect the poor-tax from them. Another deputation from Hamdān called upon the Apostle of God.[6]
The Apostle sent Mughirah ibn Shu’bah to break the idol al-Lât. Mughirah and his friends broke the idol into pieces and then razed it to ground the boundary-wall enclosing it. They returned the same day after accomplishing the task assigned to them and the Apostle praised them for it.[7]
The Apostle welcomed the deputation of ‘Abd al-Qays when it came to him but he also forbade them the glazed jars used for brewing intoxicants. He took this precaution since ‘Abd al-Qays were given to drinking liquors.[8]
Ash’ariyyīn and the people of Yemen came to Madinah singing verses which expressed their eagerness to meet the Apostle.
Tomorrow we shall meet our soul mates,
Muhammad and his comrades.
When the Apostle saw them he remarked: “The people of Yemen have come to you. They have the tenderest minds and the gentlest hearts. Faith belongs to Yemen and wisdom belongs to Yemen.”[9]
The Apostle had sent Khalid ibn al-Walid with a party to invite the people of Yemen to Islam. He stayed there for six months, preaching the faith to them, but none accepted his summons. Thereafter ‘Ali who was assigned the task went there and read out the Apostle’s letter to the people of Hamdan. The entire tribe entered the fold of Islam and ‘Ali communicated the news to the Apostle. He prostrated before God in thanksgiving and then raising his head from the dust, said, “Peace be upon Hamdan. Peace be upon Hamdan.”[10]
A delegation of 400 men paid a visit to the Apostle from the tribe of Muzaynah. Another deputation from the Christians of Najrān called upon the Apostle. There came 60 people riding the mules, 24 of whom were chiefs and ecclesiastics including Abu Hārithah, the great scholar of their religion. The kings of Byzantium honoured him because of his extensive knowledge, gave him stipends and built churches for him. A number of Qur’ānic verses concerning these people were sent down by God on this occasion.[11]
The delegation from Najrān had come to see the Apostle after he had sent a letter inviting them to Islam. They asked the Apostle a number of questions and God answered them in the verses included in Sūrah Āl ‘Imrān.[12] The Apostle of God proposed a muḥāhalah[13] that is, a solemn meeting in which both sides were to summon not only their men, but also their women, and children, and to earnestly pray to God invoking His curse on the party that belied His revelations. The Christians, being afraid to accept the challenge of the Apostle, declined. They presented themselves to the Apostle on the following day and asked that the protection of the Islamic State be granted to them in return for a tribute. The Apostle gave them a document specifying the tribute and sent Abū ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrāh with them. The Apostle also said, “He is the trustee of these people.”[14]
The Apostle of God felt happy on the arrival of a deputation from Tujib. They asked questions about a number of things and the Apostle had the answers to their questions written down for them. Then they asked to be told more about the Qur’ān and the Sunnah which caused the Apostle to have a liking for them. He instructed Bilāl to entertain them well. However, they stayed but for a few days with the Apostle and expressed the desire to return to their homes. When asked why they wanted to depart so soon, they replied, “We want to go back to tell our people how we met the Messenger of God, what talks we have had with him and what replies he gave to our questions.” Thereafter they returned and again called upon the Apostle during the pilgrimage in 10 A. H. when the Prophet was at Minā.[15]
Deputations also called upon the Apostle from Banū Fazāra, Banū Asad, Bahrā² and ‘Udhrah, and all of them accepted Islam. The Apostle promised them the capture of Syria. However he forbade them to have recourse to oracles for divination of the future and commanded them to cease offering the sacrifices they had been doing hitherto. He also told them that only the sacrifice on the occasion of ‘Īd al-Adḥā was lawful for them. When the delegations of Bali, Dhi Murrah and Khawlān called upon the Apostle, he asked them about the idol of Khawlān[16] to which they had been paying divine honours. They said, “God bless you! God has replaced it by what has been brought by you. There are however a few elderly persons and senile women who are devoted to it but we will break it when we return.”[17] Deputations also came to the Apostle from Muḥarib, Ghassān, Ghāmid and Nakha[18]. The envoys of Arab tribes coming to Madīnah learnt about Islam and its institutions, watched the graceful and genial behaviour of the Apostle and benefited from the company of Apostle’s Companions. Tents were often pitched for them in the courtyard of the Prophet’s mosque where they saw the Muslims offering prayers and reciting the Qur’ān. They spoke plainly and frankly, asked whatever they wanted while the Apostle answered their questions in all soberness, explained the wisdom of Islam and quoted the scripture to them which imparted in them certitude and peace of heart.
THE APOSTLE’S CONVERSATION WITH A PAGAN
Perhaps the most remarkable feature of the Arab character was their lack of inhibition, a frankness to the point of being blunt and rugged. The talk a pagan chief Kinānah ibn ‘Abd Yālīl had with the Apostle of God illustrates the brusqueness of the sons of the desert. Kinānah said, “As for adultery, we mostly remain bachelors or cannot get married[19] so we have to indulge in it.”
The Apostle replied, “That is unlawful for you. God has commanded: And come not near unto adultery. Lo! It is an abomination and an evil way.”[20]
Kinānah said again, “What you say about usury means that our entire property is nothing but usury.”
“You have a right,” replied the Apostle, “to get back the original sum that you lent for God has ordered: O you who believe! Observe your duty to Allāh, and give up what remains (due to you) from usury, if you are (truly) believers.”[21]
“As regards wine,” Kinānah said further, “it is the juice of our lands and a must for us.”
“Allāh has forbidden it,” replied the Apostle and then recited the verse, “O you who believe! Strong drink, games of chance, idols and divining arrows are only an infamy of Satan’s handiwork. Leave it aside in order that you may succeed.”[22]
Kinānah again asked, “And what do you say about the idol Rabbah?”
“Break it,” answered the Apostle.
Kinānah and his companions were taken aback. They protested, “If Rabbah were to know that you want to break her, she would finish off all her priests!”
‘Umar now intervened to say, “O ‘Abd Yālil, woe to you! How ignorant are you? What else is Rabbah except a stone?”
Kinānah and his friends replied angrily, “Ibn al-Khatṭāb, we have not come to ask you.” Then turning to the Apostle he said, “You may break it, but we cannot.”
The Apostle then said to them, “I will send someone with you who will do it for you.”
The deputation then took its leave of the Apostle who bade them farewell. Before leaving for their homes they asked the Prophet to appoint a leader for them. The Apostle selected ‘Uthmān ibn Abī’1-‘Āṣ to act as their leader. He was the youngest among them but the Apostle had noticed his keen interest in religion and he had also learnt some of the Qur’ān before leaving Madīnah.[23]
Thus the year of deputations was a year in which idolatry was once and for all purged from the Arabian Peninsula.
COMMANDMENT FOR ZAKĀT AND CHARITY
The divine commandment making it incumbent upon the Muslims to pay zakāt i.e. a tax at a fixed rate in proportion to the worth of the property, was revealed in the ninth year of the Hijrah.[24] The Apostle sent the order for collection of zakāt to all the functionaries appointed in the areas where the people had accepted Islam.
***
[1] Majma’ Bihār al-Anwār, vol. V, p. 272.
[2] Ibn Hishām, vol. II, pp. 560-68.
[3] Ibn Hishām, vol. II, p. 526.
[4] Zayd al-Khayl means Zayd of the horses and Zayd al-Khayr, Zayd of goodness. The Apostle preferred good and meaningful names.
[5] Bukhārī: Kitāb al-Maghāzi.
[6] Ibn Hishām, vol. II, pp. 575-96.
[7] Ibn Kathir, vol. IV, pp. 62-63.
[8] Zād al-Ma’ād vol. II p. 28; Bukhārī and Muslim, on the authority of ‘Abbās.
[9] Bukhārī-in another version “and understanding of faith” also occurs after the word “wisdom.”
[10] Zād al-Ma’ād vol. II, p. 33.
[11] Ibid, pp. 35-36.
[12] Verses 1-34 in the 3rd chapter of the Qur’ān.
[13] See verse 3:61 of the Qur’ān and its commentaries.
[14] Ibn Kathir, vol. IV, p. 100; see also Bukhārī.
[15] Zād al-Ma’ād. vol. II, p. 43.
[16] Ibid., pp. 44-47.
[17] Ibid., p. 47.
[18] Ibid. pp. 47-55.
[19] Kinānah perhaps meant that they could not get married as they were mostly out with commercial caravans.
[20] Qur’ān 17:32.
[21] Qur’ān 2:278.
[22] Qur’ān 5:90.
[23] Zād al-Ma’ād, vol. II, p. 25.
[24] Tarikh at-Tabari, vol. IV, p. 724.
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