The Predisposition of the People of Madina towards Islam

When the Prophet received the order from God to invite people to ( which existed in a form before Islam) he addressed the people and presented Islam to them. During this time he held a meeting with some of the tribe of Khazraj.

"What tribe are you from?" he asked.

"From Khazraj."

"Are you ready to sit together for a few moment and talk?”‌Yes, we are."

"I am calling you to the Unique God."

Then the Prophet read for them some verses from the sweet words of God, and they were so enraptured by the Qur’an, that they said to each other: "We swear that this is what the Jews were telling us of. Let not the Jews reach it before us." Then they all became Muslims, and when they returned to Medina they commenced the propagation of Islam. The Prophet also sent Mus'ab ibn 'Umayr after them to teach them the Qur’an and also to call others to Islam.

The Attraction of Salman to Islam

Salman was an Iranian from a peasant family; his mother and father were Zoroastrians, fire-worshippers. Salman, whose name was then Ruzbeh, they loved very much. They taught him the beliefs of their religion, and entirely prevented him from mixing with others.

One day, Salman went on his father's orders to inspect their fields. On his way he fell upon a church in which a group of God's servants were engaged in prayer. Ruzbeh started to think deeply, and he stayed with them till dusk approached, meditating. At last he understood that their way were" Syria," they answered.

His father became anxious because of his late return and sent someone to look for him. When he returned home, his father asked him where he had been. He described what had happened, but his father said, "The religion of your ancestors is much better."

"With my own thinking," he replied, "I have seen that their way is purer."

His father became even more disturbed and rebuked him. He then locked him up in the house.

Ruzbah secretly sent someone to the Christians and informed them that when merchants came from Syria and had done their work, and when the time came for their return, they should tell him and he would secretly leave his house and accompany them to Syria.

And thus it was that he went to Syria, and into the presence of one of the great Christian scholars, and begged him to take him as his servant and to instruct him on the acquisition of knowledge and servitude to God. The scholar accepted him.

When the scholar died, Ruzbeh went to some of the other great Christians of the day, in accordance with his master's instructions. From the last of these scholars, who lived in the 'Ammuriyah district of Damascus, he asked guidance to another, but he replied: "I have no idea of anyone else, but in the very near future, a prophet will arise in the lands of the Arabs who will migrate from his birthplace to a place covered in date-palms. This land is situated between two lava belts. Some of the signs of his magnanimity and special habits are these: He will accept what is given to him out of respect, hut he will not take food and alms given out of compassion and aid. Among the signs is the mark and seal of prophet hood on his skin. If you can go there, then you should go!"

After the death of that scholar, Ruzbeh asked the caravan leaders who were setting out for business in Arabia to take him with them to that place. They accepted, but on their way they betrayed him and sold him in slavery to a Jew from the Bani Qurayzah, who put him to labor in the vicinity of Medina. It happened that Ruzbeh recognized the very place he had reached as one of the signs told him by the old scholar. So he was happy to start work in the date-groves of his master, but he was always looking out for the advent of Muhammad (PBUH), and searched for him, but, because he was in difficult circumstances, he could not make many enquiries.

Had gone, together with some of his companions, to a place near Medina and Ruzbeh got to hear of this.

He said to himself that this was the best time to look for the signs from this person himself, and to compare them with what he had heard from the Christian scholar. So he took some morsels of food which he bad with him and gave them to that honoured person and said: "This food is for the special benefit of the needy, and since your companions are needy, please accept it from me."

The Prophet gave it to his companions. Ruzbeh looked carefully, but saw that the Prophet did not touch the food, and he could not contain himself with joy, for one of the signs had been found true in him.

With excitement he brought another morsel of food, which he had with him to the prophet, presented it to him and said: "This is my present to you, please accept it from me." The Prophet (PBUH) gladly accepted it and ate from it.

Ruzbeh was looking at him and was enthralled. He then walked around the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) to see the mark on the Prophet's shoulder. The Prophet understood what he wanted and took off the clothes that were on his back so that he sees the mark Ruzbeh saw it and accepted Islam.

All seekers after truth, who were suffering from the dryness and burning heat of that time like an unquenchable thirst, were looking for the source of being and the water of life. Since the signs, which they had read or heard of in the holy books, were present in the Prophet, they gave their hearts to the ocean and washed their souls in that spring of the water of life and wisdom. Group after group gave their hearts to the pure religion of Islam and became followers of Muhammad (PBUH).

People, group after group, turned to Islam. But together with these seekers after truth, there were groups of Jews and Christians and other enemies who did not embrace Islam, through bigotry or because their businesses or positions were endangered, although they were aware of the truth of that great, divine person.

But through obstinacy they clung to their illusions and did not desist from their stubbornness, but became caught in everlasting perdition and failed to reach contentment Now two examples.

Safiyyah, the daughter of Huyayy ibn Akhtab said: "When the Prophet (PBUH) migrated to Medina and alighted at Quha, my father and my uncle, Abu Yasir, went to call on him in the half-light of dawn. The sunset came and they returned, and I went to them with childish joy. But they were very tired, and, contrary to their custom, they paid no attention to me. My uncle said to my father: "Is he the one?"

"By God, I swear he is!"

'Did you recognize him?"

"Yes."

"Now what do you think of him?"

'By God, I swear that as long as I live I will be his enemy!"'

We will finish this lesson with another example of this black- beardedness.

One day the Prophet said (A.S) to Ka'b ibn asad: "Do you not remember the example of Ibn Hawash (the Jewish scholar who went from Syria to Medina - see above)? Has it had not effect on your "Yes I do," replied Ka'b, "and if the censure of the Jews did not torment me when they say 'Ka'b is frightened to be killed,' I would believe in you. But now I am in the faith of the Jews and I ant sale from their censure, and I shall stay in that religion till I die!

Author: Dar Rahe Haq Institute

Other links:

Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), the Radiance that Shone Forth in the Darkness

The Necessity for sending the Messengers (Part 1)

The Necessity for sending the Messengers (Part 2)

The Necessity for sending the Messengers (Part 3)