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Your guide: Miss RabiaReads every story twice: once for fun, once for the paper.
Some journeys are remembered for what happened to the traveller. This one is remembered for how he answered cruelty.
Pre-reading question from the book: why are patience and forgiveness important when we are treated unfairly?
Six short parts.
The author says this journey has a unique place in Islamic history and in the history of mankind.
Never before had people seen such greatness of character on one side and such a fallen society on the other.
It shows the spiritual strength and power of endurance of Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ in extreme suffering.
He made the journey in 619-620 CE. This was the 10th year of prophethood, about three years before the great Migration.
These were very hard years. Both well-wishers, Hazrat Abu Talib and Hazrat Khadija-tul-Kubra (RA), had passed away.
The Quraysh of Makkah had used every cruelty on him and his companions. They also imposed a boycott, a blockade and economic sanctions.
He needed spiritual peace, comfort and moral support to deliver the message of Tawheed, the Oneness of Allah.
He set out on foot in the burning heat. His adopted son, Hazrat Zayd bin Haritha (RA), was with him.
Banu Thaqeef lived in Taif. The city was green and cold, which was rare in Arabia. This made the people proud.
He first met the three chiefs, who were brothers. One said he would shave his beard in front of the Ka'ba if Allah had truly sent him.
The second asked why Allah had not found a better person, such as a ruler, instead of someone without even a humble animal to ride.
The third refused to talk. If he was true, it was dangerous to reject him. If he was false, it was beneath him to talk to a liar.
He asked them to keep their views to themselves, so that others would not be misguided.
The chiefs instigated their slaves and street children to chase him. While he was giving a sermon, they pelted him with stones.
Blood ran down to his shoes and clotted there. It was hard to take the shoes off for wudu.
Mischief-makers clapped and shouted. He took refuge in an orchard that belonged to 'Otba and Shayba, sons of Rabi'a.
They saw his miserable condition and sent a plate of grapes with their slave, Addas.
He said Bismillah before eating. Addas was surprised, because people there did not say these words.
Addas said he was a Christian from Naynawa.
Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ asked, 'Are you from the city of the pious Hazrat Yunus bin Matta (AS)?' He said, 'He is my brother. He was a Rasool and I am a Rasool, too.'
Addas leaned towards him in eagerness and kissed his head, hands and feet.
'Otba and Shayba were watching. They scolded Addas and told him not to leave his religion, which they said was better.
Addas said, 'Nobody on the earth today is better than him. He told me something only a Rasool could know.'
Once, while he was preaching, he was hurt so badly that he fell unconscious.
Hazrat Zayd (RA) carried him on his back out of the city. He sprinkled water on his face until he woke up.
Not one person in Taif accepted Islam. Still, his heart stayed full of faith in Allah's grandeur and love.
He prayed to Allah. He spoke of his weak strength and small resources. He called Allah the protector of the oppressed and the helpless.
He asked only that Allah not be angry with him. He sought refuge in the light of Allah. The full prayer is printed in the book.
Then Hazrat Jibreel and the Angel of the Mountains came. They asked his permission to crush the town by overturning the mountains on it.
He preferred forgiveness to revenge. He said he hoped Allah would bring from their children people who worship Allah alone.
The people of Taif were blinded by ignorance and arrogance. A few years later the people of Madinah welcomed the same message and gave shelter to him and his companions.
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Some journeys are remembered for what happened to the traveller. This one is remembered for how he answered cruelty.
Pre-reading question from the book: why are patience and forgiveness important when we are treated unfairly?
Six short parts.
The author says this journey has a unique place in Islamic history and in the history of mankind.
Never before had people seen such greatness of character on one side and such a fallen society on the other.
It shows the spiritual strength and power of endurance of Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ in extreme suffering.
He made the journey in 619-620 CE. This was the 10th year of prophethood, about three years before the great Migration.
These were very hard years. Both well-wishers, Hazrat Abu Talib and Hazrat Khadija-tul-Kubra (RA), had passed away.
The Quraysh of Makkah had used every cruelty on him and his companions. They also imposed a boycott, a blockade and economic sanctions.
He needed spiritual peace, comfort and moral support to deliver the message of Tawheed, the Oneness of Allah.
He set out on foot in the burning heat. His adopted son, Hazrat Zayd bin Haritha (RA), was with him.
Banu Thaqeef lived in Taif. The city was green and cold, which was rare in Arabia. This made the people proud.
He first met the three chiefs, who were brothers. One said he would shave his beard in front of the Ka'ba if Allah had truly sent him.
The second asked why Allah had not found a better person, such as a ruler, instead of someone without even a humble animal to ride.
The third refused to talk. If he was true, it was dangerous to reject him. If he was false, it was beneath him to talk to a liar.
He asked them to keep their views to themselves, so that others would not be misguided.
The chiefs instigated their slaves and street children to chase him. While he was giving a sermon, they pelted him with stones.
Blood ran down to his shoes and clotted there. It was hard to take the shoes off for wudu.
Mischief-makers clapped and shouted. He took refuge in an orchard that belonged to 'Otba and Shayba, sons of Rabi'a.
They saw his miserable condition and sent a plate of grapes with their slave, Addas.
He said Bismillah before eating. Addas was surprised, because people there did not say these words.
Addas said he was a Christian from Naynawa.
Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ asked, 'Are you from the city of the pious Hazrat Yunus bin Matta (AS)?' He said, 'He is my brother. He was a Rasool and I am a Rasool, too.'
Addas leaned towards him in eagerness and kissed his head, hands and feet.
'Otba and Shayba were watching. They scolded Addas and told him not to leave his religion, which they said was better.
Addas said, 'Nobody on the earth today is better than him. He told me something only a Rasool could know.'
Once, while he was preaching, he was hurt so badly that he fell unconscious.
Hazrat Zayd (RA) carried him on his back out of the city. He sprinkled water on his face until he woke up.
Not one person in Taif accepted Islam. Still, his heart stayed full of faith in Allah's grandeur and love.
He prayed to Allah. He spoke of his weak strength and small resources. He called Allah the protector of the oppressed and the helpless.
He asked only that Allah not be angry with him. He sought refuge in the light of Allah. The full prayer is printed in the book.
Then Hazrat Jibreel and the Angel of the Mountains came. They asked his permission to crush the town by overturning the mountains on it.
He preferred forgiveness to revenge. He said he hoped Allah would bring from their children people who worship Allah alone.
The people of Taif were blinded by ignorance and arrogance. A few years later the people of Madinah welcomed the same message and gave shelter to him and his companions.
Q1. Question A 1: why did Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ travel to Taif?
Life in Makkah had become almost impossible. Abu Talib and Khadija (RA) had passed away, and the Quraysh had boycotted him. He needed peace and support to deliver the message of Tawheed.
Q2. Question A 2: how did the chiefs of Taif respond to the message of Islam?
All three answered with insults. One mocked him, one said Allah could have chosen a ruler, and one refused to talk to him.
Q3. Question A 3: what did he ask the chiefs at the end of the meeting?
He asked them to keep their views to themselves, so that others would not be misguided.
Q4. Question A 8: why did he refuse to curse the people of Taif?
He was an embodiment of mercy and kindness. He preferred forgiveness to revenge. He hoped their children would worship Allah alone.
✗ “The Prophet ﷺ went to Taif to trade.”
✓ No. He went to preach the message of Tawheed.
✗ “'Otba and Shayba were chiefs of Taif.”
✓ The chiefs were 'Abdyalayl, Mas'ud and Habeeb. 'Otba and Shayba were sons of Rabi'a. They owned the orchard.
✗ “Many people of Taif accepted Islam.”
✓ The book says not a single person accepted Islam in Taif.
1. Why did Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ go to Taif? (Book B 1)
(a) He went to deliver the message of Tawheed.
2. Who went with him? (Book B 2)
(a) His adopted son Zayd went with him.
3. Which tribe lived in Taif? (Book B 3)
(a) The text names Banu Thaqeef.
4. What made the people of Taif proud? (Book B 4)
(a) The book: the greenery and cold climate made them proud.
5. Who sent the grapes? (Book B 7)
(a) They sent the grapes with their slave Addas.
6. Who was Addas? (Book B 8)
(a) He was the slave of 'Otba and Shayba. He was a Christian from Naynawa.
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