The Reality of Khilafah — Page 136
136 SIRRUL-KHILAFAH-THE REALITY OF KHILAFAH The Turmoil of Apostasy following the Death of the Best of Messengers & the Leader of the Righteous sas When the Messenger of Allah, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, passed away, the Arabs apostatized as whole tribes or factions of them, and hypocrisy resurfaced. On account of their small numbers and the large numbers of enemies, and also because of their grief and sadness on account of the passing away of the Holy Prophetsas, the Muslims were like sheep out on a rainy night. (History of Ibn Khaldūn, Part II, p. 65) IBN KHALDŪN ALSO WROTE 'The common and elite of Arabs apostatized. The public of Tayi' and Asad gathered around Tulayhah. Ghatfān apostatized, and Hawāzin withheld the pay- ment of alms. The elite of Banu Sulaim renounced Islam and peo- ple everywhere did likewise. ([History of Ibn Khaldūn, Part II,] p. 65) Ibn Athir writes in his chronicles: 'When the news of the demise of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, reached Makkah, its Governor, 'Itāb ibn Usaid, went into hiding and Makkah was shaken to the core, and it seemed imminent that its people would renounce Islam. ' ([al-Kamil fit- Tārīkh, Tārīkh ibn al-Athir,] Part I, p. 134) HE ALSO RECORDS-The common and elite of every tribe apos- tatized. Hypocrisy came out in the open, and Jews and Christians started looking for favourable opportunities. Muslims were like sheep on a rainy night due to the loss of their Prophet, their small number and the multitude of their enemy. It was at such a time that the people said to Hadrat Abu Bakr: 'These people