Stories of Prophets- 8

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TOPIC 8

THE ISLAM OF OMAR AND HAMZA

(MAY ALLAH BE PLEASED WITH THEM)

THE DEPARTURE OF THE PROPHET MOHAMMED (MAY ALLAH’S

PEACE AND PRAYERS BE UPON HIM) TO TA’EF



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Learning Outcomes

After you finish this chapter, you will be able to:

Describe how Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib accepted Islam.

Describe the story of the conversion of Omar ibn al-Khattab to Islam.

Understand the power f Allah the Almighty in managing and controlling the hearts of His

creatures through the story of Omar ibn al-Kahttab conversion to Islam.

Realize the hardships endured by the Prophet (pbuh) in his effort to guide his people (his

departure to Ta‟ef).

Explain the Isra and Mi‟raaj of the Prophet (pbuh).

Explain the origin of our five daily prayers.



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1. Introduction

The situation of the Prophet and the Muslims in Mecca was very critical. They were few, weak,

and powerless. The people of Quraysh were persecuting them, torturing them, and oppressing

them. They were living in these adversities with fortitude, patience, and full trust in Allah the

Almighty. No single Muslim had rejected Islam and joined the disbelievers because of the

hardships and punishments inflicted to them by the people of Mecca. This fact increased the

irritation of the Quraysh and incited them to more acts of atrocities against the defenseless

Muslims.

The Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) was very afflicted by what was happening to his

followers. He was not subject to torture because of the position of his clan and the protection of

his uncle Abu Talib. He multiplied prayers and supplications to Allah the Almighty to protect

and empower the Muslims and provide them with a fortunate solution. He was asking Allah to

help Islam and the Muslins by opening the heart of one of two important and most brave men of

Quraysh to Islam. Each of these two men may equal one thousands or more men. They were Abu

Jahl and Omar ibn Al-Khattab. Allah answered His prophet‟s Du‟as and guided Omar to Islam

and also another brave warrior, Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib, uncle of the Prophet.

Given the rejection and hostility of the Quraysh people towards Islam, the Prophet

decided to go a nearby city called Ta‟ef. But the people of Ta‟ef also rejected the new religion

and even maltreated the Prophet and the companion who went with him. To console and comfort

His Messenger, Allah performed the “ Isra and Mi’raa j” or the “night travel” to him.

This chapter covers the Islam of Hamza and Omar (may Allah be pleased with them), the

departure of the Pr ophet to Ta‟ef, the “ Isra and Mi’raa j” or the “night travel”, and the invitation

of the tribes during Hajj.



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2. The Islam of Omar and Hamza

2.1 The Islam of Hamza Bin Abdul-Muttalib, may Allah be pleased with him

Hamza was the young uncle of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). He was tall, high in stature and

position among the Quraysh. He was one of the brave and most courageous men in Mecca and

spent most of his time hunting out of the city and was not always aware about what was going on

in it. He did not accept Islam so far and his position towards it was in between that of the other

two uncles of the Prophet: Abu Tallib who did not accept Islam too but was in the side of his

nephew protecting him from the Quraysh and Abu Lahab who did not accept Islam too but has

hatred and enmity Islam, the Prophet, and the Muslims.

Allah in His Infinite Wisdom has decided to guide the heart of Hamza to Islam and He

created the circumstances for this event to happen. One day, Abu Jahl passed by the Mosque and

the Prophet who was sitting near the Safa gate of the Mosque. Abu Jahl was known for his hatred

and hostility towards the Prophet and Islam. He directed numerous abuses at the Prophet in order

to engage him into dispute but the Prophet understood his intent and replied no single word to

him and returned home sadly.

Later on, Hamza returned from hunting and was informed about what Abu Jahl has done

to his nephew. Extremely enraged, he went straightaway to the Mosque to punish Abu Jahl.

When he reached the Mosque, he went straight to Abu Jahl, stood over him and hit him with his

bow with his force asking him if he will insult Mohammed again now that he, Hamza, follows

the religion of Mohammed and says what he says. Hamza challenged Abu Jahl to hit him back if

he could.



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Some people from the clan of Abu Jahl stood up in order to help him but he told them to

let “Abu Umarah” (Hamza) alone because he is the one who insulted his nephew with ugly

insults. Since that day, Hamza embraced Islam and fought in the cause of Allah till he was killed

as martyr at the battle of Uhud.

2.2 The Islam of Omar Bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him

With no power to protect the weak Muslims who were been tortured, the Prophet (pbuh)

returned to Allah, the All-Powerful. He prayed to Allah day and night to support Islam and the

Muslims with either Omar ibn Al-Khattab or Abu Jahl. The Prophet‟s du‟as wer e answered and

Allah chose Omar ibn al-Khattab al‟Adawi al-Qurayshy and guided him to Islam. The story of

his conversion is well known and it has been documented in most of the books about the “Sirah

of the Prophet” or books of Islamic history.

Omar (may Allah be pleased with him) was a man with an imposing personality, tall,

brave, and very strict and feared. The story about his conversion to Islam should be taught over

and over again to young Muslims for the many lessons it contained. It showed the Power of

Allah the Almighty in controlling and managing human being hearts. From being the most

hostile person about the Prophet and Islam and even searching for the Prophet in order to kill

him, Omar embraced Islam few hours later and the Prophet became the most beloved person to

him on earth.

Omar had a sister called Fatimah bint al-Khattab. She was married to Sa‟id ibn Zayd who

was a cousin of hers. The two had accepted Islam but they were hiding their conversion to Islam

because they were aware of Omar‟s violent nature and his aversion for Islam and the Muslims. A



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senior Muslim called Khabbab ibn al-Aratt was teaching Fatimah bint al-Khattab and her

husband Zayd how to read the Quran.

Omar was very sad for what was happening to the Quraysh people and the city Mecca.

The once united Quraysh were now divided into two distinct and hostile groups by this man who

proclaimed himself as the Prophet of Allah (Omar‟s thinking before Islam). Brave and feared by

his people, Omar taught that it is time for him to do something about this issue. He cannot

helplessly assist to the division of his people and the destruction of their most cherished values.

He reached to the conclusion that the only way to end this problem for ever is to kill the man

behind it (meaning the Prophet, pbuh).

So, one day Omar decided to take action. He took his sword and went out angrily to find

the Messenger of Allah who was, at that very moment, with his followers in a house at Safa. A

Muslim called Nu‟aym ibn Abdullah who was from Omar‟s clan (the Banu Adi) saw him in this

hurried state and asked him about his destination. Omar replied that he is going to find

Mohammed and kill him because he has divided the Quraysh, ridiculed their traditions, criticized

their religion, and insulted their gods and their forefathers.

Nu‟aym ibn Abdullah being a Muslim and knowing the bravery and violent nature of

Omar realized the gravity of the situation. Killing the Prophet Mohammed would be a fatal coup

to the new religion which he has embraced and practiced now. Moreover, as a true Muslim he

loved the Prophet more than his own children, parents, wives, and more than anything on earth

and he was ready to defend the Prophet even if it should be at the expense of his own life. But he

knew he cannot face an angry man with a sword and not every man: Omar ibn al-Khattab. So, he

immediately came up with an idea: he taught it wiser to reveal the conversion to Islam of Omar‟s

sister and changed his destination than to let him go and kill or hurt the Holy Prophet. If Omar



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changed his destination, Nu‟aym may have, at least, the time to rush and inform the Prophet and

the Muslims about Omar‟s intention so that they may take careful measures.

Nu‟aym ibn Abdullah told Omar: „You deceive yourself Omar. Why shouldn‟t you go

back to your own family and put their affairs in order first?‟ My own family? What do you

mean? Omar inquired. Nu‟aym informed him that his brother -in-law and cousin Sa‟id ibn Zayd

and his own sister Fatimah bint al-Khattab have embraced Islam and they were now following

the Prophet Mohammed‟s religion. And that Omar had better go deal with them first. Nu‟aym‟s

plan succeeded and Omar, actually, changed his destination and decided to go and punish his

family members first.

So, Omar returned to his sister‟s house. Khabbab ibn al-Aratt who was teaching her and

her husband Quran recitation was in the house. He had an excerpt from Surah Ta Ha. When they

heard Omar coming, they told Khabbab to hide in a small room inside the house and Fatimah

bint al-Khattab concealed the page from the Quran which they were reading in her clothes. But

before they stopped and hid everything Omar has already heard the voice of Khabbab when he

was reciting the Quran. So he directly asked them, „What is this rubbish?‟ They replied,

„Nothing. What did you heard?‟ Then he shouted at them, „By Allah! I was informed that you are

following Mohammed in his new religion.‟ Without waiting for their reply and their side of the

story, Omar started beating his brother-in-law Sa‟id ibn Zayd. When his sister Fatimah tried to

protect her husband from him, Omar hit her and injured her.

When they saw what he did to them, they said to him in one voice, „Yes, we have

embraced Islam and we now believe in Allah and His Messenger. Do whatever you can do.‟ The

blood on his sister made Omar regret what he had just done to them. He amazed by their courage

and determination in their new belief. Surprisingly, he even asked them to show him what he



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heard them reading before he entered the house. He asked them to show him what the Prophet

has brought because unlike the bulk of the Quraysh people, Omar knew reading and writing.

When his sister told him that they were afraid he would damage it if they gave it to him, he

assured them that he would not destroy it.

But his sister told him that only the purified people can touch the Quran and that as an

idol-worshipper he is unclean. Omar washed and then they gave him the excerpt from Surah Ta

Ha and just after reading few lines he couldn‟t retain himself and exclaimed, „How noble and

sublime are these words!‟ At this exact point, Khabbab came out from his hidden place and said:

“Omar! By Allah, I hope that Allah has singled you out by the prayer of His Prophet. I heard him

say last night, O Allah, strengthen Islam with Abu‟l-Hakam ibn Hisham (the real name of Abu

Jahl) or Omar ibn al-Khattab! Come to God! Come to God, yeah Omar!”1 Then Omar asked

Khabbab to guide him to the Prophet in order to become Muslim and Khabbab told him that the

Prophet is at Safa in a house with some of his companions.

Omar put on his sword and went back to his initial destination before he met Nu‟aym ibn

Abdullah (the Muslim who informed him that his sister and brother-in-law were Muslim and he

had better go to them first) but with a different intention. Few hours or minutes ago his intention

was to go kill the Prophet Mohammed and now his intention is to go to the Prophet and embrace

Islam. Allahu Akbar ! In whose Hands are the hearts of His creatures and He turn them as He

wishes!

Omar reached the house where the Prophet and his companions were and knocked on the

door. One of the companions of the Messenger of Allah looked through the fissures of the door

1 Sayyed, Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi. 1993. Muhmmad, the last prophet: a model for all time. Leicester: UK Islamic

Academy. P. 49.



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and saw Omar armed with his sword. Alarmed, he returned and informed the Prophet that it is

Omar ibn al-Khattab wearing his sword! Hamzah ibn Abdul-Muttalib who has accepted before,

as it was mentioned earlier, said, „Let him come in. If his intentions are peaceful, we will treat

him well. If not, we will kill him with his own sword‟2.

The Prophet of Allah told them to let him in and rose to meet him. It was his habitude,

peace and blessings upon him, to stand up and go to meet the people who are coming to him as a

sign of showing respect and consideration to them. The Prophet seized Omar‟s mantle violently

and asked him about the reasons of his visit. Omar informed the Messenger of Allah that he has

come to profess his believe in Allah and His Messenger. The Prophet (pbuh) said, Allahu Akbar

loudly so that everyone in the house knew that Omar had accepted Islam. With the entry of Omar

and that of Hamzah before him, the Muslims‟ power and confidence increased.

The news about the conversion of Omar to Islam spread quickly among the Quraysh who

were annoyed about this event. Some of them took their swords and tried to fight him but he

resisted and they finally decided to leave him alone. With the entry of Omar ibn al-Khattab in

Islam, the Muslims began practicing their acts of worships publically. One day he said to the

Prophet, „isn‟t it that we are on the right path? Isn‟t it that they (the idol-worshippers) are wrong?

So why should we hide our religion? So he went out with some Muslims showing publically

their new religion. Since that day the Prophet (pbuh) gave him the surname of “Al-far uq” which

means the one who divides between the Truth and the falsehood.

This was in summary the story of the conversion of Omar ibn al-Khattab to Islam. It was

a great event for the weak and oppressed Muslims. Islam and the Muslims were strengthened by

2 Sayyed, Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi. 1993. Muhmmad, the last prophet: a model for all time. Leicester: UK Islamic

Academy. P. 50.



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the conversion of Omar and Hamzah to Islam, two great men each of whom may equal one

thousand men. Omar used his bravery and violent nature for the good and the Truth and he

reached an exceptional place among the Muslims since the day he accepted Islam till his death,

may Allah be pleased with him. He was the second Khaleef of the Prophet after Abu Bakr As-

sidiq. Many books have been written about him and many theses have written about his various

policies during his Khilaafah. How great is the Ummah‟s need today for people and rulers like

Omar ibn al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him)?

3.

The departure of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) to Ta’ef

In the tenth year of prophethood, Abu Talib and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) died.

The Prophet beloved wife passed away thirty-five days after the death of his uncle Abu Talib.

With their death, the Prophet Mohammed lost their loyalty and support. He was deeply shocked

by these two sad events and even called this year “the year of sorrow” (نزحل م ع). With the death

of Abu Talib, the Quraysh knew that the Prophet had lost the protection he had since they were

restraining them from offending him because of Abu Talib‟s protection. Thus, they multiplied

their acts of oppression towards the Prophet and the Muslims. When the situation became very

critical, the Prophet decided to go to Ta‟ef in order to call its people to Islam and with the hope

of getting some support.

Ta‟ef is a city at about fifty miles southeast of Mecca. It was home for the people called

“the Thaqif”. The Prophet walked to that city with the company of his servant Zayd. Upon his

arrival, he went to the leaders of the Ta‟ef and called them to Islam. He invited them to abandon

worshipping idols and worship Allah alone, the Creator of all things. They were, however, rude

to the Prophet and ridiculed him. They ordered their slaves and children to shout at him, insult



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him, and even throw stones at him. It was narrated that the townspeople formed a line on either

side of the path and when the Prophet passed they stoned him until his feet were streaming with

blood3. In this state of hopelessness, the Prophet turned to Allah the Almighty the All-Powerful.

It was in this situation that the Prophet invoked Allah with a well-known and well-

documented Du’a in Islam. This du’ a is repeated by Muslims all over the world till the Day of

Judgment. He said:

“O Allah, to You do I complain of my weakness, of my helplessness, and of

my insigni fi cance in the sight of people. O You Who are Ever -M erciful ,

You are the Lord of the oppressed, and You are my Lord. I nto whose hands

wil l You entrust me? Into the hands of some far off stranger who scowls at

me? Or to an enemy whom you have empowered against me? If You are

not angry with me, I do not care; but Your Clemency is wider for me. I seek

refuge in the Light of Your Countenance whereby all darkness is

il luminated and the aff airs of th is wor ld and the next are rightl y ordered,

lest You may descend upon me Your anger, or lest Your wrath may beset

me! There is no power nor might save thr ough You.” 4

Despite his desperate situation, the Prophet was ever merciful and compassionate for

human kind. He knew that they were opposing him and oppressing him because of their

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Sayyed, Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi. 1993. Muhmmad, the last prophet: a model for all time. Leicester: UK IslamicAcademy. P. 54.

4 Ibn Kathir, Imam Abi al-Fidaa Ismail. Stories of the Prophets = Qissasul anbiya. 2001. Trans. Sayed, G, Tamir, Abu

A.,& Muhammad, A. M. Al-Mansoura: Dar Al-Manarah. P. 393.



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ignorance about the Truth he received from Allah the Almighty. Thus, when Allah sent the angel

of the mountains who asked him if he wanted him to punish the people of Ta‟ef, who had

maltreated him and wounded him, by bringing together the two mountains between which Ta‟ef

is situated and caught its people as a sandwich, the noble Prophet replied, „No, for I hope that

Allah will bring forth from them those who will worship Allah alone and not associate anything

with Him.‟ Allahu Akbar ! How merciful and forgiving is our beloved Prophet? If it was one of

us, isn‟t this a great opportunity to show to the Quraysh and the entire world the veracity of our

religion and the end of those who go against it and maltreat its adherents? But the Prophet was

sent as mercy for the entire universe! It is not for him to take revenge for what happened to him

for the cause of Allah.

It was in the shade of a palm-tree where he sat down that the Prophet prayed to Allah

with the abovementioned du’a. Two brothers of the „Thaqif people‟ Utbah ibn Rabi‟ah and

Shaybah ibn Rabi‟ah were moved with compassion by the situation of the Prophet. They sent

their Christian slave called „Addas‟ to bring some grapes to the Prophet. Addas noticed the

kindness of the Messenger of Allah and he was very impressed by the Prophet character that he

accepted Islam. The Prophet returned to Mecca not at all discouraged by the encounter of Ta‟ef.

He had strong faith in Allah and that Allah will assist and give victory to his religion and its

followers. It is just a matter of time.

4. Isra and Mi’raaj

Isra and Mi‟raaj was „The Night Journey‟ or „the Ascension to the Heavens‟. It refers to the night

journey made by the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) from Mecca to Jerusalem and thence to heaven.

It took place in the twelfth year of his mission. It was a real bodily journey and not only a vision.



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After the death of his beloved companions (Khadijah and Abu Talib), the escalation of

Quraysh‟s oppression, and what he had encountered in Ta‟ef, Allah wanted to relieve His

Prophet and provide him solace and generous hospitality and above all to make him witness the

signs of Allah in order to firmly strengthen his faith and determination in his mission. The

journey was in the company of Gabriel and it was on an animal called “Al-Bur aq”, a white

animal smaller than a mule and bigger than a donkey5.

So, the Pro phet traveled nightly from the “Masjid al-Haram” (the Holy Mosque of

Mecca) to the “Masjid al-Aqsa” (the Holy Mosque of Jerusalem) where he led the other prophets

in prayer. From the Mosque of Jerusalem Gabriel ascended with him to heaven where he met

some prophets from the first heaven to the seventh. During this journey, fifty prayers were

assigned to the Prophet (pbuh) and his community. But on his way back he met Prophet Moses

who asked him about he has done. The Prophet told him that Allah has enjoined on me and my

people fifty prayers. The Prophet Moses told him that he knew people better than him and he had

a difficult experience with the Bani Israa‟eel in bringing them to obedience and he advised the

Prophet Mohammed to return and request Allah to reduce the number of prayers because the

Muslims cannot perform them. The Prophet went back and Allah reduced them to forty. Once

again the prophet Moses advised him to go back and ask for reduction. The Prophet was going

forth and back between Allah and Moses till the prayers were reduced to five only. Even at this

stage, Prophet Moses asked him to go back and request for reduction but the Prophet said that I

surrendered to Allah‟s Final Order.





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Allahu Akbar ! What a great advice and many thanks to Prophet Moses! Imagine if we

have to perform fifty prayers daily ….Prophet Moses was fully right. Now it is five prayers

daily, but how many of us are really performing them on time as it should be? Even those of us

who are performing them daily and on time, how much concentration and sincere meditation is

there? May Allah the Almighty guide and assist us in carrying out His Commands in the way

that pleased Him.

The next morning the Prophet Mohammed informed the people of Quraysh about his

nightly journey. He only told them about the journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and did not

mention the ascension to the Heavens. Nevertheless, they said, „How unbelievable! How could

you do the return journey in one night while the caravan takes a month to go and a month to

return?‟ They rejected it and said he was mad. One of them met Abu Bakr before he heard about

the journey to Jerusalem and then to the Heavens and told: „Did you hear what your friend is

saying now? He pretends that he went to Jerusalem and came back last night.‟ To what Abu Bakr

replied: „If he had said that, then it is true. By Allah! If he told that he went to the Heavens and

came back in one night, I will believe him!‟.

Allahu Akbar ! This was Abu Bakr! Notice that at this time he even did not know that the

Prophet actually went from Jerusalem to the Heavens but he was ready to trust him if he said he

did so. No wonders, when the Prophet was informed about what Abu Bakr had replied to that

person about the night journey, he called Abu Bakr from that day on “As-sideeq”. It was reported

that the Prophet (pbuh) said: “When Quraysh disbelieved me (concerning my night journey) I



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stood up in Al- Hijr of the Ka’bah and Allah displayed Al -Aqsa Mosque before me, and I started

to inform them about its signs while looking at it.”6

5. The invitation for the tribes during Hajj

After the refusal of the Quraysh people and those of Ta‟ef to believe in Allah and worship Him

alone and abandon the worship of their idols which could not harm or benefit them, he began

approaching the different delegations of Arab tribes that were coming to Mecca for the festival

and for Hajj. On the other hand, the Quraysh also have agreed to sit by the paths taken by the

people coming to Hajj and they warned them about listening to the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh).

They told them that he is a magician that separates a man from his father, a man from his

brother, a man from his wife, and a man from his tribe.

The Prophet met the various Arab tribes who came to Mecca during their festival and

presented Islam to them and asked them protection from his enemies. He was going around

calling people to Islam and telling them that he is their Messenger from Allah. Unfortunately, his

uncle Abu Lahab, who has hatred for Islam and the Muslims, was following him and whenever

the Prophet finished talking to people, he used to stand up to tell people not to obey him and not

listen to him. But Allah the Almighty and Exalted opened the hearts of few people from the

Khazraj of Madinah to Islam. This was the beginning of a series of meetings and pledges

between the Prophet (pbuh) and the people of Madinah.





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REFERENCES

Ibn Kathir, Imam Abi al-Fidaa Ismail. Stories of the Prophets = Qissasul anbiya. Trans.Muhammad Mustapha, Azhar Unversity. From: www.islambasics.com

Ibn Kathir, Imam Abi al-Fidaa Ismail. Stories of the Prophets = Qissasul anbiya. 2001. Trans.Sayed, G, Tamir, Abu A.,& Muhammad, A. M. Al-Mansoura: Dar Al-Manarah.

Ali, Muhammad Mohar. The Bibliography of the Prophet and the Orientalists. Madianh:

King Fahd Complex for the Printing of the Holy Quran, 1997.

Sayyed, Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi. 1993. Muhmmad, the last prophet: a model for all time.

Leicester: UK Islamic Academy.

م. ,1002ؤس ساقص ابيين طف ن وي,-

وامسين, ل ش وي,- يا صقتو .ش و اط ص كم.1000

ا و رسه,حن ب,- يب ةزتمما ةفا صق : يبا د ر م طا وقص

و زع ش – هاق100.م

http://www.islambasics.com/




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