The Year of GriefDEATH OF ABU TALIB AND KHADIJAH
Soon after the end of the boycott, in the tenth year of his mission, the Prophet (r) lost his
uncle, Abu Talib and his loving wife, Khadijah. Both were his protectors, tried and true hel-
pers and devotedly attached to him. Their deaths meant a great loss to the Prophet (r) who
at that time was already destined to encounter as many adversities in succession soon
thereafter.
SPARKLING ELOQUENCE OF THE QUR’AN
Tufayl Ibn ‘Amr al-Daust was a prominent poet honored by the Arabs. When he came to
Makkah, some of the Quraysh warned him against meeting the Prophet (r). They told him,
as usual, that Muhammed had created dissension among the Quraysh and so he had to be
careful lest he should also fall under the Prophet’s evil spell. Tufayl relates: “By God, they
were so insistent that I decided not to listen or speak to him. I went as far as to stuff cotton
in my ears before going to the holy mosque. Accidentally, my eyes captured the Prophet
who was offering prayer near me. I stood by his side and thus God caused me to hear some-
thing of his speech. It was beautiful and noble. I thought, that my mother might curse me,
for I am a poet and the connoisseur for nothing good or evil in a speech can elude me. Why
should anything prevent me from listening to his speech? If it is good, then I shall accept it,
but if contrarily bad, I shall reject it.”
He met the Prophet (r) at his house where he invited him to accept Islam and recited the
Qur’an to him. Tufayl embraced Islam and went back to his tribe determined to preach the
faith of God. He refused to do anything with his household members until they had also
acknowledged God and His Prophet (r). All of them became Muslims and Islam spread
thereafter in the tribe of Daus. (Ibn Hisham, Vol. I, pp. 382-384)
Abu Bakr used to pray within his house. Not being satisfied with it, he further selected a
place in the courtyard of his residence where he started offering prayers and reciting the
Qur’an. Abu Bakr was tenderhearted and when he recited the Qur’an, shedding tears all the
while, youths, slaves and women used to gather around him listening to his recitation. Now,
the Qurayshite chiefs got alarmed at Abu Bakr’s open recital of the Qur’an so he sent for Ibn
al-Dughunna who had pledged protection for him. When Ibn al Dughunna came, they said to
him, “We accepted your pledge of protection for Abu Bakr on the condition that he prays
inside his house but he has started praying and reciting in the open. We fear he might se-
duce our women and children. Now, if he agrees to offer his prayers secretly within his
house, it is well and good, otherwise he should avert your protection. We neither want to
make you break your word nor can we allow him to do it openly.”