Explore every episode of the podcast The Life of Prophet Muhammad - by Sheikh Azhar Nasser
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Title
Pub. Date
Duration
Event of Mubahila
21 Aug 2024
00:55:39
Among the delegations that came to Prophet Muhammad was on e from the Christians of Najran after their chief chief bishop and his people were invited to Islam. They came to negotiate a truce with the Prophet.
They offered terms that were unacceptable to the Prophet, and he invited them to a Mubahila, a prayer for divine curse upon the liars. The Prophet accepted, and a verse from the Quran was revealed telling each side to call their sons, women, and selves to invoke the curse.
While the Christians brough all their leaders, Prophet Muhammad brought only his daughter Fatima, his cousin Ali, and his grandsons Hasan and Husayn. The Christians were struck with fear at seeing their luminous faces and did not go through with the Mubahila.
The lecture goes on to discuss how this event highlights the importance of the family of the Prophet, comparing both Sunni and Shia views.
The Expedition of Tabuk demonstrated to Arabs the strength of the Muslims. Over the next year, the various tribes responded by sending the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) delegations to accept Islam and pledge their allegiance. Prophet Muhammmad welcomed them & forgave past conflicts.
He focused on: - Renouncing idolatry & polytheism - Spreading Islamic knowledge - Building strong alliances and goodwill
The Prophet's Methods:
- Generosity: Gave gifts (gold, dates, land) to solidify alliances. - Compassion: Blessed children & offered amnesty even before requested. - Education: Assigned teachers to delegations. - Respect: Gave new, honorable names to some converts.
Examples:
Bedouin Tribe: Wanted to convert & requested financial aid. The Quran revealed their motives weren't pure faith, but the Prophet didn't reject them.
Banu Thaqif: A stubborn tribe, they initially set conditions for conversion (avoid prayer, keep idols). The Prophet refused some demands but offered amnesty & teachers. - Uthman ibn Abi Al-Aas (secret Muslim from the tribe) was assigned to be their governor, highlighting the Prophet's trust in young converts.
Prophet Muhammad had promised safety to any Meccan who either remined in their own home during the invasion or went to Abu Sufyan's home.
After seeing the Muslim's strenght, Abu Sufyan saw the futility of struggle and urged the Meccans to surrender. Some Meccans remained defiant, notably his wife Hind and Ikrimah, the son of Abu Jahl.
After taking over Mecca, Prophet Muhammad granted general amnesty to all Meccans save for about a dozen who had been the most defiant.
The Prophet then went to the Ka'bah and destroyed all the idols there.
Prophet Muhammad kept the attack on Mecca a closely guarded secret. However Hatib ibn Abi Balta'ah sent a letter to the Quraysh warning them of the attack. The Prophet was informed of this by revelation and he sent Ali and Zubayr to retrieve it.
The Muslim army eventually marched to Mecca, where they were instructed to spread out and display their numbers. Under the cover of night, Abu Sufyan and two other senior leaders of Quraysh were brought to the Prophet to surrender and were granted amnesty.
The Treaty of Hudaybiyya had included a vow of there being no fighting between the Quraysh and the Muslims. However, when the tribe of Banu Bakr asked the leaders of Quraysh for help in a raid against their long time foe Banu Khuza'ah, a tribe with many Muslims and who were longtime allies of Prophet Muhammad, the Quraysh joined in.
The raiders killed 23 members of Banu Khuza'ah. The tribe went to Prophet Muhammad for help and the Prophet pledged to attack Mecca in resopnse.
Meanwhile Abu Sufyan learned about the raid and panicked realzing that it meant the Quraysh had violated the treaty. He went to Medina, to try to apologize. The same Abu Sufyan who used to be relentless in persecuting the Muslims was now begging for protection.
But the deaths and the violated treaty could not be taken back.
The Campaign of Dhat Al-Salasil occurred soon after "defeat" at the Battle of Mu'tah, when various Ghassanid affiliated tribes sensed an opportunity to invade Medina. They thought the Muslims would be weak and demoralized.
A bedouin learned about the gathering army and informed Prophed Muhammad, who designated an army and commander to go fight them.
From here the Shia and Sunni narratives diverge sharply. Sheikh Azhar Nassers explains both the different views and shares ideas for why they may have ended up with such drastically different versions.
The Roman army, with 10,000 soliders, outnumbered the Muslims 3:1 at the Battle of Mutah. Some of the Muslims feared the large army and wanted to retreat, but the senior companions bolstered their courage.
Prophet Muhammad had appointed a leader for the army, with two backup leaders in case the first one was martyred.
This was a hard battle. Jaffer ibn Abi Talib was the first leader, and he was martyred in the battle. Zayd ibn Haritha was the second leader, and he also became martyred. Abdullah ibn Rawaha was the final designated leader, and fell as well. Overall, about 11 Muslims were martyred in the battle, and the Muslims eventually ended up retreating.
Back in Medina, the prophet was witnessing the battle through his ilm ul ghayb (knowledge of the unseen) and narrated the battle in realtime, both the heroics and the shahadats.
The final verdict on the battle is mixed. Some historians called it a defeat since the Muslims retreated, others call it a draw due to the insignificant numer of casualties, where neither side took over the other's land, and some historians called it a strategic victory since fighting a non-arab army put htem on the map on a global stage and gave them experience to fighting non-arab armies.
The Battle of Mu'tah was triggered when a messenger Prophet Muhammad sent to Ghassani Shurahbil was murdered. This was a declaration of war.
While Prophte Muhammad himself didn't participate in this battle, thanks to the treaty of Hudaybiyya he was able to send 3000 Muslims to fight without compromising the securit of Medina.
As the army departed, the Prophet reminded them to maintain taqwa, keep to treaties kept, and to not attack women or children. He also insturcted them to offer the enemy three different surrender conditions
As they marched closer to the enemy, the Muslims realized that despite their large numbers, the opposing army outnumbered them more than 3 to 1.
Prophet Muhammad led the Muslims on a second attempt at Umra, thet qazaa for the last one which they couldn't complete.
Rumor spread among the Mushrikeen that the Muslims were weakened, so the Prophet instructed his followers to show extra strength and bravado to dispel that notion.
During the Umra: - Meccans removed their idols from the kaba for the Muslims - Muslims stashed their weapons nearby, under guard, in case the Meccans tried to attack them - The Prophet's Uncle Abbas, who had secretly converted to Islam and stayed in Medina, openly revealed his conversion - Bilal, the ex-slave, was instructed to recite the Adhan on top of the kaba, which outraged the class conscious Meccans - The prophet married Maymuna ibnt al-harith, most likely to establish a kinship with some of his fierce opponents
Prophet Muhammad had given the garden of Fadak to his daughter Fatima, but after his passing it snatched away from her by Abu Bakr and Umar.
This lecture explains: - How Fadak became the Prophet's property - Why he gifted it to Lady Fatima - Fadak was a source of immense wealth, generating enough income to fund an army. - How Umar adviced Abu Bakr to take Fadak away from her, since it would strip Imam Ali of his strength and make people less likely to follow him - Abu Bakr's twisting of Fiqh laws to create an excuse to take Fadak away - Fadak's history of being alternatively taken away from and being given back to the Ahlul Bayt, based on whether the ruler of the time needed to look like he supported the Ahlul Bayt, or if he needed to deprive them of their source of funding.
The lecture also describes: - How the Prayer of Jafar al-Tayyar came to be, it being a special gift Prophet Muhammad gave to Jaffer ibn Abi Talib. - During a severe drought, Prophet Muhammad sent gold nuggets from the spoils of Khaybar to the Meccans (who were still pagan) to be distributed among the poor
The victory at Khaybar changed the lives of the Muslim community and became a source of financial strength for them. The lecture includes: - The surrender treaty, where the Jews were allowed to remain on Khaybar in return for a share of the harvest - How the prophet distributed the khums from the war - The Muhajireen using their share of khums to return what the Ansaar had given them and become financially independent - Prophet Muhammad's marriage to Safiyyah Bint Huyayy
The Muslims marched to the Fort of Khaybar, attack and defeat it's treacherous occupants.
Along the way, various miracles occur: - An assassin attempts to kill Prophet Muhammad, but he miraciously is suddenly mentally handicapped. - Imam Ali's unable to fight due to an illness in his eyes. Prophet Muhammad heals him and Imam Ali leads the Muslims to victory. - Imam Ali single handedly moves the fallen gate of Khaybar, which was so heavy it normally take many men to open and close it.
In addition, while Imam Ali was sick, Prophet Muhammad also offered the army's standard (i.e. leadership) to Abu Bakr and Umar, giving them a chance to take on the fortress. Both returned unsuccessful, with them blaming their men, and their men blaming them.
Masjid ad Zarar, the Mosque of Harm, was a mosque built by the hypocrites of Madinah to coverty oppose the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). They completed it just before Prophet Muhammad departed on the Expedition of Tabuk.
Upon his return, Allah revealed their hypocracy in the Quran and the Prophet ordered the mosque to be destroyed.
Soon after, Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salul, the leader of the Munafiqeen fell critically ill, and he asked the Prophet to pray for him. After his death, his son asked the Prophet to lead his father's funeral prayer.
Out of mercy, the Prophet decided to pray for him, but Umar ibn al-Khattab forcefully objected, grabbing the prophet by his shirt, claiming Allah had prohibited the prayer. The Prophet replied "Allah has given me the choice. He said 'If you seek forgiveness 70 times, God will not forgive him" (there's no prohibition given) so I'll ask for more than 70 times."
Key lessons from this include: - Don't pray in a mosque that advances the agenda of Islam's enemies. Don't become their pawns - Worship cannot be detached from the political goals of Islam - Leaders serve as exemplars for others, and thus have an elevated responsibility - When we restrict acccess to centers of corruptions, we still have to provide alternatives - The true worth of a masjid is reflected in the character of it's congregation - Earnest desire for purification is a virtue Allah loves - The worth of our actions depends on our intentions - Anything undertaken with evil intentions is always on the verge of collapse - Misuse of a mosque is a type of oppression - Sometimes spiritual and psychological ailments are deeply rooted traits that resist change
Life of Prophet Muhammad by Sheikh Azhar Nasser
Live classes + Q&A held on Wednesdays at 6:30pm PST at www.why-quran.org
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Lecture slides available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=735
Playlist of this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpkB0iwLgfTat-Pgh4W3WFmupPamiC9UT
More classes can be found at http://www.why-quran.org
Battle of Khaybar - Attempting Diplomacy
30 Apr 2023
00:43:48
Khaybar was manned by Jewish tribes that had previously reacted treasonously against the Muslims and had been exiled from Medina in turn. They had already attacked the Muslims once, by participating in the Battle of Khandak, and Prophet Muhammad received intel that those Jewish tribes were again planning to ally with another pagan tribes to attack Medina. The Prophet again attempted a diplomatic outreach to the tribes in Khaybar, but it fell on deaf ears. Realizing that the Jews at Khaybar were determined to march against Mecca yet again, Prophet Muhammad prepared to strike against them first.
Prophet Muhammad continues his outreach to foreign leaders, sending messengrs to the Persian emperor Khosrow II and the Coptic ruler Muqawqis of Alexandria. The outreach teaches us: - Islam was always meant to be globalized, not just for the Arabs. We need to also think deeply about how to universalize the messaging - The way people respond to the Prophet had an impact on their dunya and akhira - The prophet addresses world leaders with their respective titles. This is part of the etiquette of dialogue. - Even when people are tyranical rulers, it doesn't give us the right to be abusive (especially when we're unprovoked). Even Musa was instructed to speak gently to Feron - Communicate using simple language and get to the point. The letters were short and succinct. - Customize your communication to cater to your audience
With the repreieve provided by the Treaty of Hudaybiyya, Prophet Muhammad can focus on spreading Islam by doing dawah to surrounding leaders. This lecture covers encounters with two prominent leaders:
1. The Abysinnian king Najashi, who converted to Islam 2. The Roman emperor Heraclius, who questioned Abu Sufyan and acertained Prophet Muhammad's legitimacy, but did not openly convert
The many of the Muslims had seen the Treaty of Hudaybiyya as a humiliating loss, yet Prophet Muhammad knew the treaty paved the way for their ultimate success. This lecture discusses the various ways this treaty helped the Muslims, along with how Allah sent Surah Al-Fath right afterwards to bolden the Muslims and help them understand the victory which had just been won.
The Quraysh sent Suhayl ibn Amr to negotiate the Treaty of Hudaybiyya with Prophet Muhammad. Suhayl had a vested interest in the outcome since two of his sons had converted to Islam, one of whom he was keeping captive. The Muslim masses were surprised by the treaty though, which they saw as an insult. Umar ibn Al-Khattab was particularly outraged, later saying that on that day he "doubted the Prophet's prophethood like [he] had never doubted it before" While on the surface the treaty looked like a setback, it set the stage for the Muslims' eventual victory over Quraysh.
Lessons include: - The importance of writing down agreements - Importane of making concessions for the greater good (when they don't violate Islamic values)
While camped outside Mecca at Hudaybiyya, the Prophet Muhammad sends an emissary into the city. The Quraysh kill his camel, and he's barely allowed to leave. The Prophet then tries to send Umar ibn Al-Khattab, but he refuses out of fear. Uthman, who had strong tribal ties with people in the city, is sent instead. However, he's prevented from leaving for three days, and Muslims fear the worst Given the shakiness of the Muslims, the Prophet is inspired to renew their pledge to him in The Pledge of Ridhwan, and many verse of the Quran are revealed in praise of those who would stick with that pledge
Prophet Muhammad saw a dream of the Muslims entering the Ka'bah to worship, and he instructs his followers to begin preparations to go to Mecca. They would go in peace, without arms. The call to go for this pilgrimage turns into an opportunity to expose more of the Munafiqeen as they make excuses to avoid the seemingly dangerous journey. When the Quraysh get word of the Muslims arriving, they panic, fearing that allowing their enemies into the city would make the Meccans appear weak. While they negotiate with the Muslims, the friendly local tribe of Khuza'ah helps the Muslims settle in Hudaybiyyah and even advocates for them to teh Quraysh, reminding them of their oath to allow all pilgrims to the holy Kaba
The tribe of Bani Mustaliq were planning to launch a surprise attack against the Muslims, and rumor of it reached Prophet Muhammad. He sent a companion named Buraydah ibn al-Husayb to investigate. The rumor was confirmed.
This lecture covers: - The attack Prophet Muhammad led in response - The secret hypocrites who joined this battle - The battle's outcome - The Prophet's political marriage to Juwayriyya bint al-Harith, the daughter of Bani Mustaliq's chief - Prophet Muhammad's response to munafiq Abdullah ibn Ubayy criticizing the Muhajireen during the return trip to Medina - Allah revealing Surah Munafiqun to expose ibn Ubayy, and an explanation of the verses
Sa'd was a very high ranking companion and a shaheed. Prophet Muhammad took much more care during his burial than he normally would, yet he still chided someone who said that he would go straight to heaven. Lesson: If you have bad akhlaq, even the prophet cannot help you against the consequences Later, Prophet Muhammad proposed Zaynab bint Jahash marry his adopted son and ex-slave Zayd ibn Haritha. When the couple was unable to get along and got a divorce, the Prophet married Zaynab instead. This broke multiple societal taboos: 1) Making marriage between the upper class and lower class seem acceptable and 2) Showing that the rules between father/son relations do not apply to adopted sons.
After Bani Qurayzah surrendered, the punishment for their betrayal had to be decided. This lecture covers: - The penalty set by Bani Qurayzah's pre-Islamic ally, Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, and Prophet Muhammad's reaction to it - Why the punishment was so harsh - How even Bani Qurayzah's tribal custom at the time was to treat treachery with a similar punishment - Rebutting claims that the punishment was driven by anti-semitism
Allah had warned Prophet Muhammad in the Quran (64:4) that his companions contained hypocrites so skilled at deceit that the prophet himself was pleased by their speech and appearance. Only revelation could expose them.
Later, during the return from the Tabuk expedition, while Prophet Muhammad went through a mountain pass while instructing his army to pass from below, some of these hypocrites tried to assault the prophet by startling his horse into dropping him off the cliff. Their plan was foiled and they fled. Despite wearing masks to hide their identies, they could be known by their horses.
The Quran (9:47) said that these hypocrites had renounced faith after becoming Muslims out of greed and vindictiveness.
However, instead of punishing those men, Prophet Muhammad decided to not pursue them because of the division it could cause amongh the Muslims. Those were men who appeared to be highly respected (as Quran 64:4 implied) and accusations against them would risk causing fitna.
Only Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman was told their names, and Prophet Muhammad instructed him to keep it a secret.
After the enemy coalition gave up and retreated from Medina, the Muslims had to deal with the Banu Qurayzah's treachery during the seige. This lecture covers: - Events during the three weeks the Muslims beseiged Bani Qurayzah - Options Bani Qurayzah considered in response - Their attemps to find allies to support them during their surrender, who would be lenient despite their deadly betrayal
Multiple factors came together to demoralize the Qurayshi coalition and got them to retreat, ending the battle: - Imam Ali's victory over Amr ibn al-Wadd - Shortage of food and fodder. They had prepared for quick battle, not a month-long seige - A violent storm that trashed the Qurayshi camp - Distrust sown between the kuffar and the jews by a secret convert - Some Arabs deciding they'd rather be ruled by Arab than by Jews, even of those Arabs are Muslims
The Qurayshi army arrive in Medina and are stumped by the trench, and persuade the Jewish tribe of Banu Quraydha in Medina and convince them to betray their oath of neutrality The Muslims stand vigilant day and night to defend the trench, even missing their obligatory prayers. Surah 33, Al Ahzaab captures the tension, covering the hypocrites who exposed themselves when they saw the pagan army, and the believers who saw the army as confirmation of what Prophet Muhammad had said to them. Amr ibn al-Wadd, a feared warrior, crosses over the trench and calls for one on one combat. Imam Ali ibn Talib is the only one who's willing to answer and defeats him in combat. Lessons: - Do not broadcast and sensationalize evil, even if it is true, unless there's a benefit in making it public - Trust Allah and know that there is something positive in every difficulty and hardship
Prophet Muhammad led by example, digging the trench harder than anyone else. When Fatima cooked some bread and brought it to him, she learned that it was the first thing the prophet had eaten in three days. During the digging, Imam Ali also dug relentlessly and the Prophet praised him saying "May my father be ransomed for the one who digs", highlights Imam Ali's high position in his the eyes. Prophet Muhammad never said this about any other companion. When some companions uncovered a large rock that no one could move, Prophet Muhammad hit it with three miraculous strikes, shattering it. At the end, Jabir ibn Abdullah al Ansari invited Prophet Muhammad to dinner. The prophet extended the invitation to the rest of the exhausted companions. Jabir worried the food would run short, but when the Prophet arrived at Jabir's home he blessed the food and there ended up being enough to feed every guest.
All the Muslim's enemies band together in a final attempt to defeat them. In the year 5 AH, the two banished Jewish tribes ally with the Meccans to mobilizing the masses for the ultimate battle against the Muslims, in what would later be known as the Battle of the Azhab, aka Battle of Khandaq. The Quraysh had been humbled by their constant failure to wipe out the Muslims, and now that Muslims were blocking their trade routs the Quraysh were feeling the pain in their wallets. Abu Sufyan, receptive to the invitation by the Jewish tribes, rallies the Meccans and other Pagan tribes to raise the largest army the Arab peninsula had ever seen so far and they begin marching against Medina. The Muslims in Mecca learn of this, and with Salman Al-Farsi's advice, begin digging a tranch along the city's border. The banished Jews reach out to the one Jewish tribe still remaining in Mecca and convince them to also break their truce with the Muslims (now that a huge army is coming towards the city). The tribe openly reveals that they'll break their covenant, and the Muslims realize they have to guard against enemies both outside and inside Medina.
Sheikh Azhar Nasser explores additional Sunni counter arguments to the Shia claim that the Verse of Purification (Quran 33:33)
The discussion covers: - Claims that the wives were already purified - Claims that the actions of the wives had no impact on the prophetic household - Claims that the Quran uses "ahl" to refer to wives in other places - Questions about how the 12 imams were included in the verse of purity
Sheikh Azhar Nasser explores Sunni counter arguments to the Shia claim that the Verse of Purification (Quran 33:33)
The discussion covers: - Claims that the context of the verse being different - Claims that the verses include all of Bani Hashim - Claims that the verse doesn't prove infallibility
The Q&A also answers:
- Why the Imams sometimes gave their children the same names as prominent Sunni's like Aisha and Uthman Ans: The names didn't necessarily imply endorsement back then, though Imam Ali specificlly said he named his son after a different Uthman)
- Why didn't the Quran explicitly state who the Ahlul Bayt were? Ans: This was one of the ways Allah preserved the Quran without affecting free will. Otherwise the enemies of those people would have fought harder to change the Quran.
Continuing the identification of who is meant by the holy Ahl al-Bayt, Sheikh Azhar Nasser uses hadiths from Sunni sources that are accepted by both Shias and Sunnis to compare Shia and Sunni viewpoints.
Hadith include: - (Jame-ut-Tirmidi) Hadith al Kisa - the hadith of the cloak - (Sahih Muslim) Zahid ibn Akram's explanation of why the wives are not part of the Ahlul Bayt - (Al Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn) The prophet going to Fatima's door every day for months after it was revealed, repeating the Verse of Purity saying "Oh Ahl al-Bayt..." - (Sahih Muslim) Hadith of Mubahila, where the Christians of Najran rejected the Prophet's message and were challenged to a mubahalah. Here the term "Ahl al-Bayt" was used for the holy five exclusively - (Sahih al-Tirmidhi) Hadith Al-Thaqalayn, where the prophet said "I'm leaving for you that which if you hold onto you shall never devate., one is greater than the other: The Book of God-an extended rope between the Heavens and the Earth; and my progeny, my Ahl al-Bayt" - The fact that the wives never used the Verse of Purification to show their superiority (despite sometimes using other claims to show their superiority)
Who does the Quran refer to when it says Ahlul Bayt? Sheikh Azhar Nasser compares Sunni and Shia viewpoints based on hadit from Sunni sources.
The three main perspectives are: - It includes the Prophet's wives, Bani Hashim, and the Holy Five (Ali, Fatima, Hassan, Hussain, and Prophet Muhammad) - It includes just Bani Hashim and the Holy Five - It includes just the Holy Five (shia perspective)
Sheikh Azhar discusses arguments for and against the verse of Purity (Quran 33:33) applying the wives as well as the Holy Five, looking at the verse in context with the surrounding verses.
The discussion covers: - Why are wives referenced before and after this verse? - Are wives actually being praised? - Changes in pronouns - Meaning of "warding off filth" - Context changing from "Your houses" to "The house"
Continuing the comparison of Shia and Sunni views on Aisha bint Abu Bakr, Sheikh Azhar compares Shia and Sunni perspectives on hadiths that cause each sect to have their varying opinions on Aisha.
Hadiths covered include: - (Bukhari/Sahih Muslim) Prophet Muhammad apparently pointing to Aisha's house and saying "fitna is from here" - (Bukhari) Prophet Muhammad saying Aisha is like "the female companion of Yusuf", i.e. Zulayqha - (Bukhari/Muslim) Various hadith given by Aisha that include implications of the prophet listening to women singing and being bewitched and halucinating, thus damaging the prophet's dignity with their alleged stories. (Shias reject the validity of these hadith)
Key message: The above and the discussions from the last lecture give Shia scholars enough reservations about Aisha's narrations that they prefer to get their teachings from more reliable sources like Imam Ali and Lady Fatima
When leaving for Tabuk, the Prophet (s) appointed Imam Ali (as) as his deputy in Madinah to protect against any uprising led by the Munafiqeen. Explaining it's significance, he said to Imam Ali "You are to me as Harun was to Musa, except that there is no prophet after me."
There were at least 7 occasions that Prophet Muhammad made such a statement during his life.
One such occasion was narrated by Umar ibn Al-Khattab, when he emphasized how precious such a statement was by saying "If I had [a quality like that mentioned about me or my family], it would be dearer to me than anything."
What ranks did Prophet Harun have compared to Prophet Musa? - Minister - Helper - Brother - Backer/Strengthener - Partner
The lecture includes objections Sunni scholars have raised to believing that this status continued after the Prophet's death, and Shia rebuttals to those objections.
Comparing the Shia and Sunni views on Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr and third wife of Prophet Muhammad. Sheikh Azhar also explains why the two sects may have such divergent views of her.
The lecture dives into: - Why Shia's believe Aisha was in her late teens when she married Prophet Muhammad (vs the Sunni narrative of being 9 years old) - How Aisha gained an prominence above other wives of Propeht Muhammad - Quranic verses establishing that the wives of Prophet Muhammad could choose to do either good or evil (Quran 33:30-31) - Comparing views on whether the Verse of Purification applies to all wives of the prophet or only Imam Ali, Lady Fatima, and their children - Quranic verses (Surah 66, verses 3-5) that accuse two wives of their deviation and threatens retribution. Sunnis and Shias both agree they refer to Aisha and Hafsa (another wife) - Comparing Sunni/Shia views on whether there's enough evidence of Aisha's repentance after the above Quranic condemnation to depend on her as a reliable narrator of hadith - Why Shias don't believe the Quranic title "The Mothers of the Believers" was intended to honor Prophet Muhammad's wives
At the end of the battle of Badr, Abu Sufyan had challenged the Muslims to a rematch a year later. This rematch was known as the Second Battle of Badr, and after seeing how much stronger the Muslims had gotten the Meccans were demoralized and decided to march back to Mecca. And so no battle never actually took place.
Around this time period many of the Prophet's multiple marriages took place. Reasons for those marriages included: - Protecting vulnerable Muslim women - Establishing peaceful ties with hostile tribes - Teaching men to free their slave girls and marry them - Promote the spirit of interfaith - Demonstrating how to deal with marital conflict - Testing the believers to see if they would believe the prophet or his wives
This lecture covers: - The gradual prohibition of Alcohol - Passing of Fatima bint Asad (Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib's mother) - Birth of Imam Husayn - Prophet Muhammad's Marriage to Umm Salamah
Prophet Muhammad approached the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadhir to help the Muslims make peace between themselves and another Jewish tribe, only to discover at the last minute that Banu Nadhir was planning to assassinate him. Why? The Banu Nadir couldn't accept a gentile as the final messenger of God. They considered it degrading to be subservient to a non-Jew. Faced with this treachery, Prophet Muhammad commanded them to take their belongings and leave Medina in ten days. The Banu Nadhir initially refuse, preparing for war, but surrender once the Muslims besieged their fortress. Despite their willingness to fight the Prophet still allowed the tribe to depart, but orders them to leave their weapons behind this time. Banu Nadhir reloate to the Fortress of Khaybar Surah Al Hashr (#59) verses 1-16 describe this encounter.
After the Battle of Uhud: - Quraysh mutilate the bodies of Muslims - Prophet Muhammad sends a reconnissance mission to see if the Quraysh will invade Medina or return to Mecca - Various verses of the Quran are revealed to console the Muslims and instruct them on how to recover from the losses - The Meccans decide to come back to finish off the Muslims, but their army is scared away - Nomadic tribes, emboldened by the Muslim's defeat at Uhud, try to raid the Muslims
Key lessons from the Battle of Uhud: - Do not be naive and assume anyone who claims to be a Muslim is a believer at heart. Uhud exposed the munafiqeen - God's help is guaranteed when Muslims are united and obey the Prophet - Being Muslim doesn't guarantee victory. Believers must struggle and endure hardships to achieve success - Beware of succumbing to material temptations. Love of the world can blind even those fighting alongside the prophet
- The Muslims marched towards the invaders with an army of 1000 men. - Munafiqs revealed: Abdullah ibn Ubayy deserted the army and left with 300 of the men, the munafiqs. - Battle tactics used by Prophet Muhammad - Fortications abandoned: The prophet gave the archerers unambiguous instructions to maintain a defensive position, yet they were ignored to try and obtain some spoils of war, giving the enemy a critical advantage
In many ways, this event was a precursor to Imam Ali's succession being ignored years down the road: - If 300 men were blatantly hypocritical when the population was just 2000, then how many must have been munafiqs when there were 100,000 Muslims when the Prophet Muhammad passed away? - The prophet gave clear, unambiguous instructions to the archers, yet they were ignored for some spoils of war. What instructions might such people ignore to gain the caliphate?
Both sides prepare for the Battle of Uhud soon after Imam Hasan's birth: - The battle was instigated by the Meccan's desire for revenge, the insult they felt from Islam, and the economic strain they had landed under - Abu Sufyan's attempts at raising an army - Hind's support of the army - Prophet Muhammad's investigation when an undercover Muslim informs him of Abu Sufyan's army - How Prophet Muhammad held his war council and respected his follower's wishes
Practical lessons: - Importance of consultative leadership - Appreciating the wisdom of elders - Youth tend to be overzealous - Certain Islamic rulings only apply to the Prophet - No shaming: Those who gave poor advice were not blamed even though going out to meet Quraysh was a sub-optimal option
The events that occurred after the Battle of Badr, which led to the Battle of Uhud: - The Expedition of Qarqarat Al-Kudr, where nomadic tribes started hostilities against the Muslims - The Expedition of Sawiq, where Abu Sufyan led an assault against Medina - The Qaradah Raid, where the Muslims raided a Meccan caravan - The death of Uthman ibn Madh'un, one of the highest companions - The death of Ruqayyah - The assassination of Ka'b ibn Ashraf, a member of the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadhir, for treason (inciting Meccans to war against the Muslims)
This lecture covers the prelude to the Battle of Tabuk. Key topics include: - Birth of Ibrahim: Upon returning to Medina, the Prophet’s wife Mariya the Coptic gave birth to a son, named Ibrahim. The Angel Gabriel congratulated the Prophet on becoming a father. - Expedition of Tabuk: This was the last military campaign led by the Prophet. It aimed to preempt a rumored Roman invasion and also test the faith and commitment of the Muslim community during extreme summer heat and the harvest season. - Challenges and Sacrifices: The expedition required significant personal sacrifice, including traveling long distances in severe heat and missing the harvest season, leading to financial hardships. - Legitimate Excuses: Some individuals, including the poor, weak, and elderly, were excused from the expedition due to genuine inability to participate, yet their desperately wanted to go. - The Repenters: A group of companions who stayed behind were punished with social ostracism. They later repented and were forgiven after 50 days. Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=720
While most Muslima and Jewish tribes in Medina were agriculture based, the Jewish tribe of Banu Qaynuqa consisted mainly of craftsmen and blacksmiths, making them highly militarized. The tax-free marketplace, along with the Muslim's conflict with the Meccans (one of Banu Qaynuqa's main customer base) threatened Banu Qaynuqa's financial interests.
This led to Banu Qaynuqa violating the peace treaty they had agreed to in the Medinan Charter and secretly start colluding with the Meccans to incite hostilities against the Muslims.
Once Banu Qaynuqa began openly violating the peace treaty and began abetting the Muslim's enemies, there was a stand off between them and the Muslims, which led to Banu Qaynuqa's defeat and banishment.
How and why the qiblah was changed from Jersalem to the Kaaba: - The Jewish tribes had been mocking Muslims for worshipping towards Jerusalem - Quranic verses in Surah Baqarah explain why the Qiblah was changed - Quran's criticism of the people who had enmity in their hearts against Muslims.
The immediate aftermath of the Battle of Badr, including: - How the prisoners of war were treated after the battle - Revelation of Surat al-Anfal, which included verses on warfare - How the spoils were divided
Warfare during Battle of Badr and the Muslim's victory: - The story of Umayr ibn Al-Humam, who longed for a martyrdom - The two youth who killed Abu Jahl, and how they attacked him - Abu Jahl's arrogance even with his dying breaths - Umayyah ibn Khalaf's attempt to seek refuge once defeat was imminent - Lessons taught after the battle