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THE INCIDENT OF MONK BUHAYRA
It was a massive caravan and a great number of people travelled along with a huge quantity of merchandise until they arrived in Syria and entered the city of Busra. In the vicinity of a monastery, they pitched a tent and took rest. A monk, whose title was "Buhayra", came out of the monastery and invited them to a feast. Everybody accepted Buhayra's invitation and entered the monastery. Leaving his nephew, Muhammad (SA) with his belongings, Abu Talib also attended the feast along with others. Buhayra asked: "Is everybody present?" Abu Talib replied, "Everybody is here except a youth who is the youngest of all." Buhayra said: "Bring him along as well!" Abu Talib called on the Holy Prophet (SA) who was standing under an olive tree and came to the monk. Buhayra cast a deep glance at the Holy Prophet (SA) and said: "come a little bit closer, I have something to tell you." Then, he took the Holy Prophet (SA) aside. Abu Talib also went near them. Buhayra told the Holy Prophet: "I am going to ask you a question and, by swearing on Lat and 'Uzza, would you answer me" (Lat and 'uzza were the names of two idols worshipped by the people of Makkah). The Holy Prophet (SA) stated: "These two idols are the most hated ones to me". Buhayra said: "By swearing on Allah, would you tell the truth". The Holy Prophet said: "I always speak the truth and I have never told a lie; you ask your question". Buhayra asked: "What do you like the most"? The Holy Prophet (SA) answered: "Loneliness". Buhayra asked: "What do you look the most at and what do you like to look at"? The Holy Prophet said: "The sky and the stars within it". Buhayra asked: "What do you think of"? The Holy Prophet (SA) remained silent, but Buhayra carefully glanced at his forehead. Buhayra asked: "When do you sleep and with what thoughts"? The Holy Prophet stated: "When I fix my eyes upon the sky, I see the stars and I find them in my lap and myself above them". Buhayra asked: "Do you see dream also"? He stated: "Whatever I see in dream, the same I see while I am awake." Buhayra asked: "What do you dream of, as an example"? The Holy Prophet (SA) kept quiet, Buhayra also kept quiet. After a while, Buhayra asked: "May I take a look at the centre of your shoulders"? The Holy Prophet (SA), while standing still, stated: "Come and see." Buhayra stood up, came closer, and pulled the dress of the Holy Prophet (SA) off his shoulders. A mole appeared. Buhayra took a look and said in a murmuring voice: "He is the very person". Abu Talib asked: "Which one? What do you mean"? Buhayra said: "Tell me, what is your relationship with this youth"? Since Abu Talib loved the Holy Prophet (SA) as one of his own children, he said: "He is my son". Buhayra said: "No, the father of this youth must have died". "How do you know"? said Abu Talib; "That is true, this youth is my nephew". Buhayra told Abu Talib "Listen, this youth will have a very bright and astonishing future. If others see what I have seen and recognize him, they will kill him. Hide and protect him from the enemies". Abu Talib said: "Tell me, who is he"? Buhayra replied: "His eyes bear the signs of the eyes of a prominent prophet and a clear mark of prophethood is on his back".
Nestorius asked Masirah: "Who is the man resting underneath that tree"? Masirah replied: "He is a person from the family of Quraysh". The monk said: "under this tree, no one but a prophet from among the prophets of Allah has lodged or can lodge". He added: "Is there redness in his eyes". Masirah said: "Yes, his eyes are always like this". The monk said: "That's it. He is the last prophet of the prophets of Allah. I wish I could find out the day when he will invite the people."
Complaining against the injustice of the Arabs, the Jews told them that they would tolerate their cruelty and robbery until the migration of the Ummi prophet from Makkah to Madinah. They said that on that day, they would have their faith in him and would take vengeance on them. One of the main factors that led to the rapid belief of the people of Madinah in the Holy Prophet (SA) was the memory they had about these news. Finally, they acknowledged their faith, but the Jews refrained from believing in him due to their strong communalism and prejudice.
"Those who follow the Apostle-Prophet, the Ummi, whom they find written down with them in the Tawrat and the Injl, (who) enjoins them good and forbids them evil, and makes lawful to them the good things and makes unlawful to them impure things, and removes from them their burden and the shackles which were upon them...(7:157)." Again, He states: "And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they already had, and aforetime they were seeking victory against those who disbelieved - yet when there came to them that (Book) which they had recognized, they disbelieved in it...(2:89)."
Initially, the Holy Prophet (SA) was charged with the responsibility of inviting the people. Since the environment was full of obstinacy, ruthlessness, and injustice, the Prophet (SA) talked his mission over only with people who were more or less susceptible to conversion. Thus a limited number of people believed in him and (according to narrations) the first man was 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (AS), the son of his uncle and educated by the Prophet (SA) himself, and the first woman was his wife Khadijah al-Kubra (AS). Then, Muhammad (SA) was commissioned to invite his close relatives and companions (who were about forty people) to his house and described his divine mission. Then, by the order of Allah, the Holy Prophet (SA) proceeded to an overt and public invitation, thus bringing forward the luminous torch of divine guidance from within the house to the arena of the world. The reaction of the Arabs, especially the people of Makkah, was very severe against this invitation specifically after it was publicized. Unbelievers and polytheists responded negatively, savagely, and in a cruel way to this immaculate and pure invitation without using any proper logic whatsoever. Sometimes, they called the Holy Prophet (SA) a soothsayer and magician, while at times they called him lunatic and poet and used to make fun of him. Whenever he wanted to invite the people to the newly-grown religion of Islam or wanted to worship Allah, the people used to make noise and disrupt his actions. They threw garbage and thorns on his head and used to beat and abuse him. Sometimes, they stoned him, while at times, they tried to allure him by giving enticing and sweet promises such as of wealth and leadership, so that through these means they could shake up his resolution and determination. But the Holy Prophet (SA) displayed no weakness and withdrawal. Sometimes, he regretted and became sad because of the ignorance and stubbornness of his people. In this regard, Qur'anic verses were frequently revealed by which the Almighty Allah expressed His consolation to him and ordered him to be patient and forbearing. Sometimes, verses were revealed to prohibit the Holy Prophet (SA) from showing the least willingness to the remarks of the people or from displaying any weakness and leniency. Those who believed in the Holy Prophet (SA) were severely tortured and punished by the kafirin. In many instances, they died under torture. Sometimes, the matter became so serious that they were tortured to the extreme and then they sought the permission of the Holy Prophet (SA) to start a bloody movement and finalize their destinies. The Holy Prophet (SA) said: "I do not have an order from the Almighty Allah in this respect. You must wait". A group of people took their belongings with them and left their homeland due to the heavy pressure on them. After a while, things became much harder on the Muslims due to the extreme torture. The Holy Prophet (SA) allowed his disciples to migrate to Ethiopia to be relieved of the torture and harassment of their people for a while. This group of people, led by Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, the brother of 'Ali (AS) (Ja'far was one of the most trusted friends of the Holy Prophet [SA]), migrated to Ethiopia along with their families. After being informed of the Hijrah of the Muslims, the Kafirin of Makkah sent two of their experienced men, along with a large number of gifts and souvenirs, to the king of Ethiopia, requesting the extradition of the immigrants of Makkah. Bu t with a speech delivered in the presence of the king of Ethiopia, Ja'far ibn Abi Talib explained the entirely illuminating personality of the Holy Prophet (SA) and the sublime principles of Islam for the king, the Christian priests, and top authorities present at the time. He also cited several Qur'anic verses of Surah (Chapter) Maryam. The immaculate statements of Ja'far ibn Abi Talib were so attractive that the king and the audience started shedding tears. Thus the king rejected the request of the people of Makkah and declined all gifts and souvenirs sent to him. The king issued instructions to provide all means of convenience, peace, and comfort for the immigrant Muslims in every respect. After this event, the Kafirin of Makkah decided to break their relations with Banu Hashim (family of Hashim) who were the relatives of the Holy Prophet (SA) and his followers. They also decided to totally stop all relations, discourse, and transactions with them. In this respect, they wrote a special agreement, got it signed by everyone, and left it in Ka'bah. Banu Hashim, accompanied by the Holy Prophet (SA), had to inevitably leave Makkah and take refuge in a valley known as "Shi'b Abi Talib" and lived there almost in utmost hardship and hunger. In this period, no one dared to come out of the Shi'b. During the days, they had to endure the burning heat and in the nights, they were faced with the wailing of women and children. After three years, as a result of the obliteration of the agreement and because of the denouncement by the tribes settled around, the unbelievers dispensed with their agreement and Banu Hashim came out of their refuge. But at that time, Abu Talib, who was the lone supporter of the Holy Prophet (SA), and also Khadijah al-Kubra, the kind wife of the Holy Prophet (SA), died. As a result, things became much harder for the Holy Prophet (SA) and he was unable to appear in public or reveal his identity to anyone, or stay in a specific place. Altogether, he had no life-security.
The Holy Prophet (SA) returned to Makkah from Ta'if and remained there for a while. But since he had no security of his life, he did not appear among the people. Since the circumstances were favourable to exterminate the Holy Prophet (SA), the elders of Makkah assembled in Darun-Nadwah, which was like a consultative assembly and hatched up the final plot in a secret session to exterminate him once and for all. The plot was designed to select one man from each Arab tribe. The selected men were then to rush into the house of the Holy Prophet (SA) collectively and kill him. The purpose of selecting one representative from each tribe was to prevent the relatives of the Holy Prophet (SA) from rising in revenge and from fighting with all those tribes who would direct the murder. Also the participation of one person from Banu Hashim would also keep the mouths of Banu Hashim shut regarding this matter. This decision was finalized. About forty people from
various tribes were nominated to kill the Holy Prophet (SA). They
surrounded his house at night, so as to enter it at dawn in order to carry
out their plot, but the divine will was above the determination of these
people and thwarted their plans. The Almighty Allah sent His revelation to
the Holy Prophet (SA), informed him of their intention, and ordered him to
come out of Makkah at night itself and set out for Madinah. Some of the dignitaries of Madinah had already met the Holy Prophet (SA) in Makkah and had expressed their faith prior to his Hijrah. They had also made an agreement to support and vindicate the Holy Prophet (SA), if he came to Madinah, just as they would defend their own life and honour. |