KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA MINISTRY OF ISLAMIC AFFAIRS, ENDOWMENTS, DA‘WAH AND GUIDANCE KING FAHD COMPLEX FOR THE PRINTING OF THE HOLY QUR’AN IN COOPERATION WITH ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY, MADINAH SIRATAL-NABI AND THE ORIENTALISTS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE WRITINGS OF WILLIAM MUIR, D. S. MARGOLIOUTH AND W. MONTGOMERY WATT Vol. I B From the early phase of the Prophet’s Mission to his migration to Madinah BY MUHAMMAD MOHAR ALI Ph.D. (London), Barrister-at-Law PROFESSOR OF THE HISTORY OF ISLAM CENTRE FOR THE SERVICE OF SUNNAH AND SIRAH ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY, MADINAH KING FAHD COMPLEX FOR THE PRINTING OF THE HOLY QUR’AN MADINAH tWW - Ai\V ^£> This book has been published in collaboration between: KING FAHD COMPLEX FOR THE PRINTING OF THE HOLY QUR’AN Madinah & CENTRE FOR THE SERVICE OF SUNNAH AND S1RAH Madinah. All rights reserved First edition, 1417 AH / 1997 CE © King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Qur’an, 1997 King Fahd National library Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ali, Muhammad Mohar Sirat al-Nabi and the Orientalists - Madina Munawwara. 492 p. , 16x23 cm ISBN: 9960-770-68-0 ( set) 9960-770-78-8 ( V.2 ) 1 - Prophet Muhammad Life 1 - Title 239 dc 1059/17 Legal Deposit No. 1059/17 ISBN: 9960-770-68-0 ( set) 9960-770-78-8 (V.2) I ^ ■ ' i . JL»oj aJIj LLmJj llJU*«# ^ip ^^-“db a^soJlj (J^lliJl ^ j j 4JJ PREFACE The scope and purpose of the work have been explained in the preface to its Vol. I A which covers the subject from the background to the beginning of the Prophet’s mission. The present volume is in continuation of that vol­ ume. As such the pagination as well as the numbering of the sections and chapters have been kept continuous in the present volume. It contains sections V to VII embracing chapters XXI to XXXIX and carries on the narrative since the early phase of the Prophet's mission till his migration to Madina. As in Vol. I A, in this volume too, the main events and developments rela­ ting to each section have been described first in one or more chapters, followed by an analysis and examination of the views and suggestions of the orientalists on them. Likewise attempts have been made to summarise the orientalists' arguments and reasons as faithfully as possible and to meet them on their own grounds. I am grateful to the authorities of the King Fahd Qur’an Printing Com­ plex, particularly to its Supervisor-General, His Excellency Dr. ‘Abd Allah ibn ‘Abd al-Muhsin al-Turki, and its Secretary-General, Dr. Muhammad Salim ibn Shudayyid al-‘AwfT, for having undertaken the publication of this work. I am also grateful to the authorities of the Islamic University, Madina Munawwara, particularly its President, Dr. ‘Abd Allah ibn Salih al-‘Ubayd, for having sponsored the project of the present work. My thanks are due also to the Director of the Centre for the Service of Sunnah and Sirah, Dr. Marzuq ibn Hayyas al-Zahrani, for his constant help and encouragement in accomplishing the project. I am thankful also to all my colleagues at the Centre, specially to my two colleagues in its Sirah department, Shaykh Safiur Rahman Mubarakpurl and Shaykh Ahmad ‘Abd Allah Bajur, for their help in checking up references; and and to Dr. V. ‘Abd al-Rahim of the Faculty of Arabic Language, for encouragement and help in various ways. My thanks are due also to Ma‘ruf and Mansur for help in preparing the final script of the work and in checking the proofs; and to my wife, Razia, for VI PREFACE constant encouragement and help in all possible ways. In preparing this work I had to work in the Central Library of the Islamic University, Madina, the Library of its Higher Studies Department, the Library of the Centre for the Service of Sunnah and Sirah, the Library of the Prophet's Mosque, the Library of the Oriental Section of the Faculty of Da‘wah of the Imam Muhammad Islamic University, situated at Madina Munawwara, the Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies, Lon­ don and the British Library (British Museum). Everywhere I received the best of attention and the most willing cooperation. My thanks are due to the staff of all these libraries and institutions. The Prophet's Mosque, M. M. Ali 19 Dhu al-Qa‘dah, 1413 H. (10 May 1993) CONTENTS Preface VII List of abbreviations XIV SECTION V THE EARLY PHASE OF THE MISSION XXI. THE EARLY PHASE OF THE MISSION 515-539 I. THE INITIAL PERIOD 5 15 II. THE EARLY CONVERTS 520 III. PUBLIC PROPAGATION 524 IV. MAKKA AND BEYOND 529 APPENDIX TO CHAPTER XXI 5 40 XXII. MARGOLIOUTH'S THEORY OF "ISLAM AS A SECRET SOCIETY" 549-563 I. THE INNUENDO AGAINST ’ABU BAKR (R.A) 5 50 II. THE IMPUTATION AGAINST ‘UTHMAN IBN ‘AFFAN AND OTHERS (R.A.) 555 III. THE ALLEGED EVIDENCES OF SECRECY 558 XXIII. THE BELL-WATT THEORY ABOUT THE CONTENTS OF EARLY REVELATIONS 565-592 I. WATT’S IDENTIFICATION OF THE EARLY PASSAGES 565 II. EXAMINATION OF THE ASSUMPTIONS (A) FAULTY SELECTION OF THE PASSAGES 569 (B) MISTAKEN INTERPRETATION OF THE PASSAGES 574 III. ON RELEVANCE TO THE CONTEMPORARY SITUATION 582 XXIV. THE EARLY PHASE OF THE MISSION AND WATT'S SOCIO-ECONOMIC INTERPRETATION 593-606 I. THE REMARKS REGARDING THE EARLY CONVERTS 593 II. THE PSEUDO-SOCIALISTIC CASTING 596 VIII CONTENTS III. THE FACTS BELIE THE FICTION 598 IV. AN OLD WINE IN A NEW BOTTLE 603 SECTION VI THE MAKKAN OPPOSITION XXV. THE MAKKAN OPPOSITION: NATURE, CAUSES AND IMMEDIATE ALLEGATION 609-625 I. NATURE OF OPPOSITION 609 II. THE CAUSES OF OPPOSITION 614 III. THE IMMEDIATE ALLEGATIONS AND SARCASM (A) THE ALLEGATION OF MADNESS 620 (B) THE ALLEGATIONS OF BEING A SORCERER, A POET AND A SOOTH-SAYER 621 (C) RIDICULE AND SARCASM 622 XXVI. ORGANIZED OPPOSITION: I. OBJECTIONS, ARGUMENTATION AND DEMAND FOR MIRACLES 627-644 I. OBJECTIONS AND ARGUMENTATION 627 II. DEMAND FOR MIRACLES AND UNUSUAL FEATS 631 XXVII. ORGANIZED OPPOSITION: II. DISSUASION, ENTICEMENTS, VIOLENCE AND PERSECUTION 645-665 I. DISSUASION 645 II. ENTICEMENTS AND ATTEMPTS AT COMPROMISE 648 III. VIOLENCE AND PERSECUTION 652 IV. PRESSURE UPON BANU HASHIM 658 V. ATTEMPTS TO KILL THE PROPHET 660 XXVIII. THE MIGRATION TO ABYSSNIA 667-682 I. THE BACKGROUND 667 II. WHY ABYSSINIA? 669 III. THE FIRST BATCH OF EMIGRANTS 670 IV. TEMPORARY RETURN OF THE EMIGRANTS 672 CONTENTS IX V. THE SECOND PHASE OF MIGRATION TO ABYSSINIA 674 VI. THE QURAYSH DEPUTATION TO ABYSSINIA 676 VII. SIGNIFICANCE AND SEQUEL 679 XXIX. THE SPURIOUS STORY OF THE "SATANIC VERSES" 683-702 I. SUMMARY OF THE STORY 683 II. THE QUR’ANIC EVIDENCE AGAINST THE STORY 684 III. THE REPORTS FAIL THE TESTS FOR GENUINENESS 695 IV. THE ORIGIN AND CURRENCY OF THE STORY EXPLAINED 698 XXX. THE CLIMAX OF OPPOSITION AND CALAMITY 703-714 I. THE BOYCOTT AND BLOCKADE OF BANU HASHIM 703 II. THE MIRACLE OF THE SPLITTING OF THE MOON 709 III. THE "YEAR OF GRIEF" 711 XXXI. THE MAKKAN OPPOSITION AND THE ORIENTALISTS: I. WATT'S THEORY ABOUT THE CAUSES AND BEGINNING OF OPPOSITION 715-742 I. INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 715 II. WATT’S USE OF ‘URWHA’S LETTER AND OF THE STORY OF THE "SATANIC VERSES" 717 III. WATT’S HANDLING OF THE QUR’ANIC PASSAGES 727 IV. WATTS VIEW OF THE SOCIO-RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL ISSUES 732 V. WATT'S VIEW OF THE "MOTIVE” AND "CHIEF REASON” FOR THE OPPOSITION 734 XXXII. THE ORIENTALISTS ON THE EXTENT AND NATURE OF THE OPPOSITION 743-759 I. MUIR’S AND MARGOLIOUTH'S VIEWS 743 II. WATT'S VIEWS: (A) PERSECUTION OF MUSLIMS 747 (B) WATT ON THE PRESSURE ON BANU HASHIM 756 X CONTENTS XXXIII. THE UNBELIEVERS’ OBJECTIONS VIS-A-VIS THE ORIENTALISTS 761 -787 I. SIMILARITY OF THE VIEWS OF THE ORIENTALISTS AND THE UNBELIEVERS 761 II. ON MARGOLIOUTH'S REMARKS 763 III. WATT AND THE UNBELIEVERS’ OBJECTIONS 782 XXXIV. THE ABYSSINIAN MIGRATION AND THE ORIENTALISTS 789-804 I. THE VIEWS OF MUIR AND MARGOLIOUTH 789 II. WATT'S THEORIES REGARDING THE ABYSSINIAN MIGRATION 796 SECTION VII THE LATE MAKKAN PHASE AND MIGRATION TO MADINA XXXV. LOOKING BEYOND MAKKA FOR SUPPORT 807-822 I. THE VISIT TO TA’IF 807 II. THE APPROACH TO THE TRIBES 812 III. THE SITUATION AT MADINA 819 IV. THE EARLIEST CONTACT WITH MADINA 820 XXXVI. AL- ’ISRA ’ AND AL-Ml‘RAJ 823-836 I. AL-ISRA ’ AND AL-Ml'RAJ 823 II. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPORTANCE 827 III. NATURE OF AL-ISRA' AND AL-Ml'RAJ 829 IV. DID THE PROPHET SEE ALLAH? 832 XXXVII. PRELIMINARIES TO THE MIGRATION 837-855 I. THE FIRST HARBINGERS OF SUPPORT 837 II. THE FIRST PLEDGE OF ‘AQABAH 839 III. MUS ‘AB'S WORK AND SPREAD OF ISLAM AT MADINA 841 IV. THE SECOND PLEDGE AT ‘AQABAH 844 V. THE SIGNIFICANCE AND NATURE OF THE SECOND ‘AQABAH PLEDGE 850 CONTENTS XI VI. REASONS FOR ISLAM’S SUCCESS AT MADINA 853 XXXVIII. THE MIGRATION TO MADINA 857-885 I. CAUSES AND NATURE OF THE MIGRATION 857 II. MIGRATION OF THE COMPANIONS 859 III. THE PROPHET'S MIGRATION: (A) THE LAST ATTEMPT TO KILL HIM 8 6 8 (B) "VERILY ALLAH IS WITH US” 871 IV. ONE HUNDRED CAMELS FOR THE HEAD OF EACH 880 V. THE LATER PHASE OF THE JOURNEY 883 XXXIX. THE ORIENTALISTS ON THE MIGRATION TO MADINA 887-925 I. REGARDING THE VISIT TO TA’IF 887 II. REGARDING THE NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE TRIBES AND WITH MADINA 892 III. ON THE CAUSES OF ISLAM'S SUCCESS AT MADINA 905 IV.