The Days of Ta’if

The insults and defamation from the non-believers was constantly increasing. The Messenger of Allah decided to step out of Mecca to keep away from the unpleasant environment for a while. He also wished to be able to perform his duty in other places. He took his adopted child Zayd with him and they travelled to Ta’if together. They stayed here for about ten days. Allah’s Messenger called the idol-worshipping people there to believe in the Existence and Oneness of Allah the Almighty. Unfortunately, after all the meetings and encounters during his stay in Ta’if there was not even a single person willing to believe and help him. Afraid that their youth would become Muslim, the people of Ta’if did not accept our Prophet’s offer. They asked him, “Could Allah not find another man besides you to send as Prophet?” “You may go wherever you like so long as you leave our land,” they told him.

Then they ridiculed and mocked our Prophet. As if that were not enough, they gathered a dissolute group from the people and placed them on the two sides of the road through which our Prophet would pass. These immoral persons injured the Messenger of Allah by attacking him with stones as he passed through them. All the while, Zayd was selflessly trying to protect our Prophet. He used his body as a shield to guard against the stones that were being thrown. Despite all their effort, the Messenger of Allah was injured and his blessed feet were covered in blood. Zayd’s head had also been hit by the stones. Through extreme hardship, they were finally able to take refuge in Utba and Shayba’s vineyard. The Messenger of Allah first tended to Zayd’s wound before taking care of his own. After sitting down for a bit and resting in the shade of a hanging grape vine he performed a two-unit Prayer, raised his hands and prayed to Allah the Almighty, “Everything is for Your sake alone and all power and strength is in Your hands!”

Meanwhile, a distant relative of our Prophet who owned the gardens had sent them grapes with his slave Addas. Our Prophet uttered the words “In the Name of Allah” before starting to eat the grapes. The slave Addas, who was a Christian, was taken aback upon these words that he heard. “I have never heard such words before. What kind of words are these?” he exclaimed.

Our Prophet smiled at Addas and asked him where he was from. “I am from the people of Nineveh,” he replied. Upon his response the Messenger of Allah declared, “The land of my brother Yunus.”

Full of curiosity, Addas asked our Prophet how he knew about Yunus, peace be upon him. The fulfilling responses he received from Allah’s Messenger and the tidings of a last Prophet which he had previously heard from the priests were enough for Addas to embrace this new faith.

A short while later, our Prophet and Zayd got up to leave this dangerous place. Our Prophet’s tender heart had been seriously hurt and his mind was preoccupied as they slowly headed towards Mecca. It was only until they reached a place called Salib that he was able to recover and come to himself. When he raised his head, he noticed that there was a cloud shading over him. A short while later, he saw the Archangel Gabriel also. Gabriel called to our Prophet, “Allah the Almighty is aware of all that your people have said to you. He has sent the Archangel of the mountains to you. Whatever outcome you wish for your people, the Archangel will be at your command.”

Meanwhile, the Archangel of the mountains greeted our Prophet. Pointing to the mountains surrounding Mecca, the Archangel said, “O Muhammad! I am the Archangel of the mountains! Your wish is my command. If you wish so, I will close these two mountains over Ta’if at once.”

Allah’s Messenger’s response beautifully portrayed the degree of his mercy and compassion even towards the ones who denied and insulted him.

“No indeed! I do not wish for them to be destroyed. I only wish that Allah will bring about righteous ones from among them in the generations to come, righteous individuals that will worship only Allah and not associate any partners with Him.”

Our Prophet and Zayd then continued on their way. After performing the Morning Prayer in a place near Mecca called Nahla, they finally reached Mecca.