Basics of Religious Education — Page 224
224 224 224 224 224 B ASICS OF R ELIGIOUS E DUCATION - F IFTH E DITION After his proclamation as a prophet of God, the Holy Prophet sa started preaching secretly. Hadrat Khadijah ra was evidently the first person to declare faith in him. Then his freed slave, Zaid ra , his cousin, `Ali ra (about eleven) and his childhood friend, Abu Bakr ra accepted Islam. These were followed by Hadrat `Uthman bin `Affaan ra , Hadrat Abdur-Rahman bin `Auf, Hadrat Sa`ad bin Abi Waqqaas, Hadrat Zubair ra bin al-`Awwaam, Hadhrat Talhah bin `Ubaidah ra and more. The preaching in secret continued for about three years. Then, under divine guidance, the Holy Prophet sa started preaching openly and to his own tribe Quraish. He advised the people of Mecca to worship only one God, set free all the slaves, and be kind to the poor. The poor and the slaves of Meccans were attracted to the Islamic teachings which established their rights in the society. However, the rich and their chiefs, rejected his message and started persecuting and torturing the new converts, especially the slaves. Among these, were `Umar bin Hash-shaam (called Abu Jahal), Abu Lahab (Prophet's uncle), Abu Sufyaan and many others. In the fifth year of the Prophet’s mission (5 A. P. ), when tyranny towards the Muslims reached its climax, he advised his followers to seek refuge in a foreign land, when a small party of Muslims (14 men and women) migrated to Abyssinia. There, they were given refuge by the Christian King named Negus (Najashi), despite opposition from the Quraish. Next year, another group (101 men and women) of Muslims emigrated to Abyssinia, where they stayed peacefully until the Holy Prophet's emigration to Medina. In the sixth year after prophethood (A. P. ), two highly influential persons — Hadrat Hamzah ra and Hadrat `Umar bin Khattaab ra embraced Islam. This important event brought high support to the Muslims. However, the Quraish took it as a turning point for the spreading of Prophet's influence. They decided to punish the whole Hashimite clan (Muslims and non- Muslims). They were besieged in the valley of Sha`b-Abi-Talib and their complete boycott was declared. The Holy Prophet sa and some other Muslims were among them. During this period all supplies of food were cut off. This terrible situation lasted for three years. Start of Preaching and the First Believers in Islam (610 A. D. ) Emigration to Abyssinia ( Habshah ) (615 A. D. , 5 A. P. ) The Muslims Besieged (617 A. D. , 7 A. P. ) H H H H H OL OL OL OL OLY Y Y Y Y P P P P P ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET SA SA SA SA SA AND AND AND AND AND S S S S S UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS UCCESSORS — L — L — L — L — L IFE IFE IFE IFE IFE OF OF OF OF OF H H H H H O L O L O L O L O LY Y Y Y Y P P P P P ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET ROPHET SA SA SA SA SA 6. 1 6. 1 6. 1 6. 1 6. 1