Chief of the Prophets — Page 78
Chapter Five 78 Sometime after the Battle of Bu‘āth, 1 in the month of Rajab, 11 th Nabawī, Muḥammad sa again met with the people of Yathrib and preached to them resulting in the acceptance of Islam by six persons. Following this event, Islam began to receive significant success in Yathrib. First Pledge of ‘Aqabah, 12 th Nabawī Islam was going through immensely challenging times. Recorded history proves that it was the most arduous time in the history of Islam. Sir William Muir mentioning this period says: Moḥammad thus holding his people at bay, waiting in the still expectation of victory; to outward appearance defenceless, and with his little band as it were in the lion's mouth; yet trusting in His almighty power whose Messenger he believed himself to be, resolute and unmoved; presents a spectacle of sublimity paralleled only by such scenes in the Sacred Records as that of the prophet of Israel when he complained to his Master, 'I, even I only, am left. ' Nay, the spectacle is in one point of view even more amazing… 'Say unto the Unbelievers,' such was the reiterated message from on high, ’Work ye in your place. Wait in expectation; We too in expectancy are waiting. ’ 2 At the time of Ḥajj , Muḥammad sa set out in search of the people of Yathrib. He came across a small party of twelve people from Yathrib including five who had affirmed the truth the previous year and seven who were new. The group of twelve met him in a valley, and after describing the situation of Yathrib they formally pledged allegiance at his hand. This pledge is known in history by the name 1 Before the migration of Muḥammad sa to Yathrib (Madīnah), the two idolater tribes, Aus and Khazraj fought a fierce battle which was known by the name of the Battle of Bu‘āth. 2 The Life of Moḥammad: From the Original Sources by Sir William Muir and T. H. Weir, p. 126, Published at Edinburgh by J. Grant, 1912.