In early times, in addition to the personal endeavors of the Holy Prophetsa, a substantial means by which the propagation of Islām took place was that when a tribesman converted, through him, Islām would gradually spread to the rest of his tribe. Or, when the Muslims would travel from Makkah, they would take the rays of this light along with them. For example, in the Banū Ghifār, through Abū Dharr Ghifārīra, in Abyssinia due to the immigrants to Abyssinia, and in the Ash‘ar tribe of Yemen due to Abū Mūsā Ash‘arīra, Islām had been introduced. Now, by the grace of Allāh, its influence had reached another tribe as well. Ṭufail bin ‘Amr was a revered chieftain of the Daus tribe, and was also a poet. He came to Makkah to attend a festival, and when the Quraish saw him, they were concerned that by meeting Muḥammadsa he may become a Muslim. For this reason, they went to him and said:
“You have come to us in a time when a man has spurred grave disorder and rift. His beliefs disunite father and son, brother from brother, and husband and wife. We are fearful that you might become influenced by his spellbinding words. As such, we forewarn you, do not be lured into his thoughts.”
Ṭufail said:
The Quraish warned me about this so forcefully that I believed them, and became greatly fearful, so much so that in order to protect myself, I plugged my ears to ensure that this magician’s voice does not reach my ears unpredictably, lest I fall victim to a trial. One morning, I went to Masjid-e-Ḥarām and saw the Holy Prophetsa offering his prayers in one corner. This sight seemed admirable to me, so I gradually approached him. The power of God was such as although my ears were plugged, I could still begin to faintly hear, and in my heart I said, “May my mother forsake me1, I am a sensible man, and possess the aptitude to differentiate a good and evil individual. What harm is there that I listen to this man? If it is good I shall believe it and if it is evil I shall reject it.” As this thought entered my heart, I unplugged my ears, and began to listen to the recitation of the Holy Qur’ān. When the Holy Prophetsa completed his prayers, and started off towards his home, I pursued him and said, “Tell me about your religion.” The Holy Prophetsa recited the word of God to me and preached the message of unity, the result of which was that I became a Muslim instantly. Then I said, “O Messenger of Allāh! I possess a distinct status within my tribe, and people pay heed to me. Please pray that through me, Allāh the Exalted guides them unto Islām.”
The Holy Prophetsa approved of this and prayed. When Ṭufailra returned home, first he preached to his father and wife, and they became Muslim. Then he turned towards his tribe and invited them unto Islām, but they rejected and did not accept. Quite the contrary, they grew in their hatred and opposition. Observing this, Ṭufailra presented himself before the Holy Prophetsa and said, “O Messenger of Allāh! My people have rejected and have grown in their opposition, so pray against them.” The Holy Prophetsa raised his hands, but instead of praying against them, said the following words, اَللّٰھُمَّ اھْدِ دَوْسًا meaning “O my Allāh, grant guidance to the Daus tribe.” Then the Holy Prophetsa said, “Return to your people and continue preaching with love and compassion.” Ṭufailra says:
“I returned to my tribe, and continued preaching to them, until the Holy Prophetsa migrated from Makkah, and the Battle of Badr, Uḥud and the Confederates took place, it was then that my tribe accepted Islām. After this, I migrated to Madīnah with seventy families. This was the time in which the Holy Prophetsa was engaged in the Battle of Khaibar.”2
Ḥaḍrat Abū Hurairahra who is a renowned narrator of Ḥadīth was from the Daus tribe, and came to Madīnah with these very people.
Regarding Ṭufail bin ‘Amrra, it is also narrated that when the Quraish of Makkah began to trouble the Holy Prophetsa and the Muslims more severely, he requested the Holy Prophetsa, “Come and stay with me”, upon which the Holy Prophetsa responded, “This matter is in the hands of Allāh. When he instructs a migration, only then shall I leave, and wherever he instructs, it is there that I must go.”
1 Meaning, ‘May I die’. This is an Arabic idiom used upon the perpetration of a mistake, etc., and the intent is to express that this is such an act as dying is better than it. (Author)
2 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, pp. 279-279, Qiṣṣatu Islāmiṭ-Tufail bin ‘Amrin Ad-Dausī, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
* Usdul-Ghābah, Volume 2, pp. 468-470, Dhikru Tufail bin ‘Amr, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut (2003)