Remember The Dua at Taif

The city of Tā’if was ruled by the Banu Thaqif tribe.

The town is about 80 km southeast of Mecca. The walled city was a pagan religious centre. It housed the idol of the goddess al-lāt, who was then known as “the lady of Tā’if.” Its climate was different from its dry and barren areas closer to the Red Sea. Wheat, vines, and fruit were grown around Tā’if.

The death of Abu Talib signaled the beginning of a difficult period for the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). None of the Qurayshites dared touch the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) during the lifetime of Abu Talib, but now the restraint was gone. In one instance, dust was thrown over his head.

And to make matters far worse, the Quraysh, moved by the desire to impose themselves upon the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), insulted and mocked at him and made caustic remarks on Islam. When the pagans persisted with their mockery and sarcasm as well as resolute behaviour, the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) thought of going to Ta’if to seek the help of Thaqif.(17)

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) intended to invite them to Islam for he believed that they would receive his message with sympathy. His expectation was apparently well grounded as he had spent his childhood with Bani S’ad who were settled near Ta’if.

Ta’if was a delightful city, only next to Mecca in its population and prosperity, holding an important position in the Peninsula as alluded to in this verse of the Qur’an.

“And they say: If only this Qur’an had been revealed to some great man of the two towns (Mecca and Ta’if)?” [Qur’an 43:31]

Taif was also a religious center since pilgrims from every part of the country visit its so-called “Temple of al-Lat” and thus, it competed with Mecca in such respect for the latter housed Hubal, the chief deity of Arabia. Ta’if was, as it still is today, the summer resort of the Meccan aristocracy. An Umayyad poet, ‘Umar Ibn Rabi’a said about his beloved:

“Winter in Mecca, living in clover, In Ta’if she spends the summer.”

The inhabitants of Ta’if, endowed with diversified large farms and vineyards, were wealthy and prosperous. They had become conceited and boastful embodying the following description of the Qur’anic verse:

“And we sent not unto any township a Warner, but it’s pampered ones declared: Lo! we are disbeliever’s in that which ye bring unto us. And they say: We are more (than you) in wealth and children. We are not the punished!” [Qur’an 35:34-35]

In Ta’if, the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) first met the chiefs and leaders of Thaqif whom he invited to accept Islam. They were, however, rude and discourteous in their treatment of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam). Not being content with their insolent reply, they even stirred up some gangs of the town to harass him. He was forced to leave the city while the people are ridiculing him, insulting him, and throwing stones at him, so much so that the blood began to pour from his body and that his shoes became soaked with his own blood.

These riff-raffs followed the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), abusing,insulting and throwing stones on him.

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) consequently had to endure even more obstacles in Ta’if than he had to face in Mecca. After the people of Taif had stopped chasing him, and he sat down, tired and bleeding, being tortured and humiliated all alone under a tree. These oppression’s grievously dejected the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), whereby being in such a state of pain, turned to Allah Ta’ala citing his helplessness and pitiable condition and seeking the aid of the Almighty :

اللهم إليك أشكو ضعف قوتي، وقلة حيلتي، وهواني على الناس، يا أرحم الراحمين، أنت رب المستضعفين، وأنت ربي، إلى من تكلني؟ إلى بعيد يتجهمني؟ أو إلى عدو ملكته أمري؟ إن لم يكن بك غضب علي فلا أبالي، ولكن عافيتك أوسع لي، أعوذ بنور وجهك الذي أشرقت به الظلمات، وصلح عليه أمر الدنيا والآخرة، أن تنزل بي غضبك أو تحل بي سخطك، لك العتبى حتى ترضى، ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بك.

“O You, my Lord, I complain of my weakness, lack of support, and the humiliation I am made to receive. Most Compassionate and Merciful! You are the Lord of the weak, and You are my Lord. To whom do You leave me? To a distant person who receives me with hostility? Or to an enemy You have given power over me? As long as You are not displeased with me, I do not care what I face. I would, however, be much happier with Your mercy. I seek refuge in the light of Your face by which all darkness is dispelled, and both this life and the life to come are put in their right course against incurring Your wrath or being the subject of Your anger. To You I submit, until I earn Your pleasure. Everything is powerless without Your support.”

After Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was driven out of Taa’if and pelted with stones, he came to the orchard of Utbah and Shaibah. Utbah and Shaibah were staunch enemies of Islam. However, on this occasion, seeing the pitiable condition of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), they were overcome by feelings of sympathy.

After Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) entered their orchard, they summoned their slave, Addaas, and said to him, “Place a bunch of grapes on a platter and take it to that man (referring to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam)). Request him to partake of the grapes.” When Addaas presented the platter of grapes to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), then he had found that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) recited bismillah and then commenced eating the grapes.

Hearing Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) take the name of Allah Ta‘ala, he exclaimed, “By Allah! No person in this city speaks words such as these!” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked Addaas, “Which city are you from, and what religion do you follow?” Addaas replied, “I come from the city Neenway and I follow the Christian religion.”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked, “Are you from the same city of Neenway in which the pious servant of Allah Ta‘ala, Nabi Yunus bin Mattaa (‘alaihis salaam), used to reside?” Addaas was quite surprised and asked Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), “What do you know of Nabi Yunus bin Mattaa (‘alaihis salaam)?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) responded, “He was my brother, a prophet of Allah Ta‘ala, and I am also a prophet of Allah Ta‘ala.”

Hearing this, Addaas immediately kissed the blessed feet, hands and forehead of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and accepted Islam testifying, “I bear witness that you are the servant and Rasul of Allah Ta‘ala!”

Utbah and Shaibah had been observing the scene, and on seeing Addaas kissing the hands, feet and forehead of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), one of them said to the other, “This man has corrupted your slave!” When Addaas then returned to them, they said to him, “Why did you kiss the hands and feet of that man?” Addaas replied, “My master! There is nothing on the surface of the earth better than this (deen he has brought), and he informed me of such a thing which only a Nabi could have knowledge of!” They retorted saying, “Woe to you, O Addaas! Do not let him turn you away from your religion, as your religion is better than his religion.”

The Jinn of Naseebeen Listening to the Qur’aan Majeed at Nakhlah

On the return journey from Taa’if, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) stopped in a place named Nakhlah which is the distance of one night’s journey from Makkah Mukarramah. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) spent a few days in Nakhlah.

During this period, while Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was engaged in performing salaah, a group of seven jinn from Naseebeen (a city in Shaam) passed by. While passing, they stopped and listened to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) while he was reciting the Qur’aan Majeed. After listening to the recitation of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), they departed. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was totally unaware of the jinn listening to his recitation of the Qur’aan Majeed, until the following verses of the Qur’aan Majeed were revealed:

وَ اِذۡ صَرَفۡنَاۤ  اِلَیۡکَ نَفَرًا مِّنَ الۡجِنِّ یَسۡتَمِعُوۡنَ الۡقُرۡاٰنَ ۚ فَلَمَّا حَضَرُوۡہُ قَالُوۡۤا  اَنۡصِتُوۡا ۚ فَلَمَّا قُضِیَ وَلَّوۡا اِلٰی قَوۡمِہِمۡ  مُّنۡذِرِیۡنَ ﴿۲۹﴾  قَالُوۡا یٰقَوۡمَنَاۤ  اِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا کِتٰبًا  اُنۡزِلَ مِنۡۢ  بَعۡدِ مُوۡسٰی مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَیۡنَ یَدَیۡہِ یَہۡدِیۡۤ  اِلَی الۡحَقِّ وَ اِلٰی طَرِیۡقٍ مُّسۡتَقِیۡمٍ ﴿۳۰﴾  یٰقَوۡمَنَاۤ  اَجِیۡبُوۡا دَاعِیَ اللّٰہِ  وَ اٰمِنُوۡا بِہٖ یَغۡفِرۡ لَکُمۡ  مِّنۡ ذُنُوۡبِکُمۡ  وَ    یُجِرۡکُمۡ مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ اَلِیۡمٍ ﴿۳۱﴾  وَ مَنۡ  لَّا یُجِبۡ دَاعِیَ اللّٰہِ  فَلَیۡسَ بِمُعۡجِزٍ فِی  الۡاَرۡضِ وَ لَیۡسَ لَہٗ مِنۡ دُوۡنِہٖۤ اَوۡلِیَآءُ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ فِیۡ ضَلٰلٍ مُّبِیۡنٍ ﴿۳۲﴾

And (recall) when We directed a group of jinn towards you, listening to the Qur’an. So, when they attended it, they said (to each other), “Keep quiet.” Then once it was over, they went back to their people as warners. They said, “O our people, we have heard a book sent down after Nabi Musa (‘alaihis salaam), confirming what was before it, which guides to the truth and to a straight path. O our people, respond to Allah’s messenger, and believe in him, and (once you do that,) Allah will forgive your sins for you, and will save you from a painful punishment. The one who does not respond to Allah’s messenger is not (able) to cause failure (to Allah) in the land, and for him there are no supporters besides Him. Such people are in open error. (Surah Ahqaaf v. 29-32)

Allah Ta’ala then sent the angel of mountains who sought the Prophet’s (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) permission to join together the two hills between which Ta’if was located but the Messenger of God (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied, “No, I hope God will bring forth from their loins people who will worship God alone, associating nothing with Him.” (Muslim, Kitab-ul-Jihad)

Moved to compassion by the grief of the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam), ‘Utbah and Shayba Ibn Rabi’a sent for ‘Addas, one of their young Christian slaves, and told him to take a bunch of grapes on a platter for the Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) to which the bondman obeyed. While in the Prophet’s presence, Addas observed his kind demeanor that compelled him to talk to him and instantly professed his faith in Allah and His Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).(18)

The Prophet (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) then returned to Mecca where the Quraysh were as bitterly opposed to him as ever, deriding, annoying and assailing him day after day.

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Footnotes

[17] Authorities hold the view that the Prophet Undertook the journey to Taif towards the end of Shawwal in the tenth year of Apostleship (Khatim-un-Nabiyin by Sheikh Muhammad Abu Zuhra, Vol. I. p. 580).

[18] Ibn Hisham, Vol. I, pp. 419-22, Ibn Kathir, Vol. II, pp. 149-53 Zad ul-Ma’ad, Vol. I, p. 302.