THE BANU QURAYZAH BREAK A TREATY: When the Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah came to Madinah, he had a covenant drawn up between the Muhajirun and Ansar to which the Jews were also a party. The Jews were given freedom of religion and protection of life and property. They had reciprocal obligations. The clauses included: ‘Each must help the other against anyone who attacks. They must seek mutual advice and consultation, and piety rather than wrongdoing. They are bound to

THE BATTLE OF THE DITCH: The Battle of the Ditch took place in Shawwal 5 A.H. It was a decisive battle but it presented to the Muslims grave trials that they had not previously experienced. Allah says in the Qur’an: When they came against you from above you and from below you, and when your eyes swerved and your hearts reached your throats, and you thought thoughts about Allah; there it was that the believers were tried, and shaken most

THE BATTLE OF UHUD: REVENGE: When their heroes were defeated on the Day of Badr and the remnants of the army returned to Makkah, it was a terrible blow for the Quraysh. Men who had lost their fathers, sons and brothers approached Abu Sufyan and others who had valuable merchandise in that caravan. They wanted the profits to be used for fighting the Muslims again. The merchants agreed to their request. The Quraysh decided to conduct a new war. Poets

THE DECISIVE BATTLE OF BADR: The Great Expedition of Badr took place in Ramadan, 2 A.H. Allah called this battle ‘The Day of Distinguishing.’ Allah says, ‘if you believe in Allah and what We sent down on Our servant on the Day of Distinguishing, the day the two hosts met.’ (8: 41) The Messenger of Allah had heard that Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, who was extremely hostile to Islam, was coming from Syria with a large trading caravan belonging to

MADINAH RECEIVES THE MESSENGER (SALLALLAHU ALAIYHI WASSALLAM) OF ALLAH: The Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah and his party continued their journey to Quba’ which is on the outskirts of Madinah. It was Monday the 12 of Rabi’ al-Awwal and this date marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. When the Ansar heard that the Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah had left Makkah they waited for him even more eagerly than people who are fasting wait for the new moon of

THE HIJRAH TO MADINAH BEGINS: Once the Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah had taken this pledge, the Muslims had more security and some from Makkah took refuge with the Ansar. The Messenger(sallallahu alaiyhi wassallam) of Allah ordered his Companions and those Muslims who were with him in Makkah to leave for Madinah, and to join their brothers among the Ansar. He said, ‘Allah has given you brothers and an abode where you will be safe.’ They soon began to leave

THE DEATHS OF ABU TALIB AND KHADIJAH: Soon after the end of the boycott, in the tenth year of prophethood, Abu Talib and Khadijah died. They had been good companions noted for their loyalty, support, and devotion. Abu Talib, however, never became a Muslim. At this time, troubles fell on the Messenger of Allah one after another. ISLAM SPREADS: At-Tufayl ibn Amr ad-Dawsi came to Makkah. He was a noble man, a poet, and intelligent. The Quraysh warned him against

THE QURAYSH TORTURE THE MUSLIMS: The Messenger of Allah continued to call people to Allah and the Quraysh despaired of both him and Abu Talib. Their anger descended on those of their fellow tribesmen who had become Muslims and were defenceless. Every clan targeted those who had become Muslims. They began to imprison them and torture them with beatings, hunger and thirst, even leaving them exposed on the sun-baked ground of Makkah when the heat was most intense. Bilal, an

INTIMATIONS OF PROPHETHOOD: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was forty when the first glimpses of light and of his future happiness appeared. The time of his mission approached. It had always been the Divine practice that whenever the darkness had become too intense and the wickedness widespread, a Messenger appeared. The Messenger of Allah’s distaste for what he saw reached a peak. It was as if he was being guided towards a certain

MAKKAH AND THE QURAYSH: After a long journey, Ibrahim (Alayhis salam) approached Makkah, which lies in a valley between desolate mountains. As there was no water, crops could not grow and human life could not be sustained there. Accompanied by his wife Hajar and his son Isma’il, Ibrahim was fleeing from the cult of idol-worship which had spread throughout the world. He wanted to establish a centre in which Allah alone would be worshipped and to which people could be