Amr bin ‘Abasah As-Salami narrated
In Jaahiliyyah [pre-Islamic ignorance] I would think that people were wrong in worshipping idols. Meanwhile I heard of a man who was relating tales in Makkah. Therefore, I mounted my ride and went to him.
The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was at that time taking cover, as his people were brazenly taking advantage of him. I adopted a friendly attitude and thus managed to see him in Makkah. I asked him, “Who are you?” He replied: “I am a prophet.” I asked, “What is a prophet?” He replied: “Allah has sent me.” I asked, “What is the message that you have been sent with?” He said: “I was sent to call for maintaining the ties of kinship, demolishing the idols, and proclaiming the oneness of Allah such that nothing is to be associated with Him.” I asked, “Who is with you in this?” He replied: “A free man and a slave.” On that day Abu Bakr and Bilal were with the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) among those who had embraced Islam by that time. I said, “I will follow you.” The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “You will not be able to do this now. Do you not see how I and the people are? Go back to your people and when you hear that I have been granted victory, come to me.”
So, I returned to my family. After that, when the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) went to Madeenah, I was at home. I was among my people and would seek his news and ask people if he had arrived at Madeenah. Then a group of people from Yathrib [Madeenah] came. I asked them, “What has this man who came to Madeenah done?” They said, “People are hastening to him, while his people, the polytheists of Makkah, planned to kill him, but they could not do so.” I thus set out for Madeenah and went to him, and asked him, “O Messenger of Allah! Do you remember me?” He said: “Yes. You are the same man who met me in Makkah.”
In this Hadeeth, ‘Amr went on to mention his questions about prayer and ablution and the answers of the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) to them. [Muslim]
Points to be Highlighted and Lessons to be Learned:
A. ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah was a monotheist who disapproved of worshipping anything other than Allah The Almighty in Jaahiliyyah - before the advent of Islam.
B. The violent propaganda wars that the Quraysh were waging against the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) were a cause of ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah following the news of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ).
C. The brazenness and violence of the Quraysh toward the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) since ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah found him hiding while his people were taking advantage of him.
D. A person should be polite when he goes to see virtuous people or those of high status. ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah said, “I adopted a friendly attitude, and thus managed to enter Makkah and go to him.”
E. The message of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was based on two important principles: the rights of Allah and the rights of people. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “I was sent to call for maintaining the ties of kinship and to demolish the idols.” This shows the importance of maintaining the ties of kinship as this great foundation is closely connected to the call of Islam and Tawheed (monotheism). This also shows that Islam attacked the idols violently in spite of the fact that they were the most sacred thing to the Arabs. This also indicates the importance of removing the characteristics of Jaahiliyyah and that the call of Tawheed cannot be established or spread unless such practices are abolished.
F. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was concerned with the demolishing of the idols at an early stage even though he was actually unable to demolish them at that time. This proves that it is impermissible to delay religion-related matters on the pretext that they cannot yet be applied. Those who point out to the people the matters that can be easily applied, and abstain from explaining matters that require striving, have an incomplete Da’wah (call) and are not following the teachings of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) who confronted Jaahiliyyah and its tyrants while he had only a few supporters and his enemies were dominant.
G. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was keen on the safety of his Companions. He would direct them to safety so that they would avoid harm. He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said to ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah: “Today you will not be able to do this.”
H. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) always remembered his Companions and their circumstances. He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Yes. You are the same man who met me in Makkah.”
I. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would not give all those who converted to Islam a complete list of the names of his followers as this is not useful for the questioner and does not relate to delivering the Message. This is why the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “A free man and a slave,” when ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah asked him who was with him.
J. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Go back to your people and when you hear that I have been granted victory, come to me.” This teaches us that it is not wise to gather all the members of a group at times of calamities and harm. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) ordered ‘Amr bin ‘Abasah to return to his people and ordered his supporters to migrate to Abyssinia twice. This was done in order to alleviate the suffering of the Muslims, keep them away from danger, conceal the power of the Muslims, ensure secrecy, and give an opportunity to the leader so that he would not be too busy to plan for the future and ensure continuity and avoid eradication. Also, migration to a new location meant conveying the message to that place.
Among those who converted because of the propaganda war that was being waged against the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was At-Tufayl bin ‘Amr Ad-Dawsi. His story was mentioned in detail in the books of prophetic biography. Dr. Akram Dhiyaa’ Al-‘Umari says that nothing has been authenticated from him except that he called the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) to take refuge in the fortified fort of Daws and the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) refused. [Muslim] Another authentic narration indicates that At-Tufayl invited his people to Islam but they refused violently to the extent that he asked the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) to supplicate to Allah The Almighty against them. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) invoked Allah to guide them to the right path. [Al-Bukhari] At that time, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was in Madeenah.
