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Posted by msk2000 on 11/23/07 17:03
The Year of Sorrow
The Prophet (pbuh) and his followers went back to a normal way of
life
but the years of hardship had made Khadijah very weak.
She became ill and soon afterwards she died. Thus, the Prophet (pbuh)
lost his beloved wife and friend, the first person to accept Islam
and
support him. She had been a refuge from all his troubles and, through
her good-heartedness, the best company in his suffering. He had loved
her very much. This happened in 619 A.D., the year which became known
as the 'Year of Sorrow'. Soon after this, the Prophet Muhammad's
uncle
and protector, Abu Talib, also died. Abu Talib had been one of the
most respected men in Mecca-one of the elders of Quraysh. Even though
he had never been a follower of Islam, he had protected the Prophet
(pbuh) against his enemies. Not only was this a sad occasion for the
Prophet (pbuh) but also a dangerous one. According to Arab custom
anyone who is under the protection of another is safe so long as his
protector lives. Now, with the death of his uncle, the Prophet's
protection was gone.
The Prophet's enemies rejoiced to see him so sad, without a wife to
console and comfort him, and without his uncle to protect him. They
began to treat him worse than ever before. Even small children
insulted him. One young man actually threw some filth on the
Prophet's
head, but the Prophet (pbuh) went home without making anything of it.
When one of his daughters rushed, weeping, to wash it away, he
comforted her saying, 'Do not weep my little girl, for Allah will
protect your father.' Abu Talib had been the Prophet's last tie with
Quraysh and the Prophet (pbuh) now felt that Islam could make no
further progress in Mecca because the hearts of Quraysh were closed
against him. He decided, therefore, to travel to Ta'if where he hoped
to find support. He walked all the way to the town, which was seventy
kilometers away. There he spoke in all the places where people
gathered, but no one listened to him. He met the leaders of the three
most important tribes but they would not listen either. Not only did
they take no notice of what he said,
but they laughed at him and ordered their slaves to insult him and
pelt him with stones.
Sadly, the Prophet (pbuh) left the city and found a quiet place near
a
wall on the edge of town where he could be alone. There he prayed to
Allah in these words: " O Allah, to Thee I complain of my weakness,
helplessness and lowliness before men. 0 Most Merciful, Thou art the
Lord of the weak, and Thou art my Lord. To whom wouldst Thou leave my
fate? To a stranger who insults me or to an enemy to whom Thou hast
given power over me? If Thou art not angry with me, I care not what
happens to me. Thy favor alone is my objective. I take refuge in the
Light of Thy countenance by which the darkness is illumined and on
which this world and the other depend, lest Thy anger descend upon me
or Thy wrath light upon me. It is for Thee to be satisfied until Thou
art well pleased. There is no power and no might save through Thee."
The wall near which the Prophet (pbuh) was sitting belonged to a
garden owned by two brothers.
When they heard his prayer, they were very sorry for him and sent one
of their slaves to him with a dish filled with grapes. Before he
began
to eat, the Prophet (pbuh) said 'Bismillah'-'In the Name of Allah.'
The servant, whose name was 'Addas, was very surprised at these
words,
which he had never heard before. 'By Allah', said 'Addas, 'this is
not
the way the people of this country speak.' 'Then from what country do
you come, 'Addas, and what is your religion?' asked the Prophet
(pbuh). 'I am a Christian from the Assyrian town of Nineveh', he
replied. 'From the town of that good man Jonah, son of Matta', added
the Prophet 'How do you know about him?' asked 'Addas. 'He is my
brother-he was a Prophet and I am a Prophet', answered the Messenger
of Allah (pbuh). 'Addas bent down and kissed the Prophet's head, his
hands and his feet, because now he saw that he was truly a Prophet.
The Prophet (pbuh) then walked back to Mecca. He was now able to put
up with everything patiently for he knew that Allah would never leave
him.
His journey to Ta'if had not been in vain for 'Addas, the Christian,
had become a Muslim, and this was to be the beginning of great
changes
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