During the Ashhur-e-Ḥurum, as per his custom, while the Holy Prophet was visiting tribes, he found that a renowned man from Yathrib, Suwaid bin Ṣāmit was staying in Makkah. Suwaid was a famous man from Madīnah, who on account of his courage, generosity, and other qualities was called ‘Kāmil’1; he was also a poet. Ascertaining his whereabouts, the Holy Prophetsa reached his encampment, and invited him to Islām. He said, “I also possess a special book named Mujallah Luqmān.” The Holy Prophetsa responded, “Let me hear a portion of it as well,” upon which he recited a portion of this scripture. The Holy Prophetsa praised it saying, “There are good things in it, but the book which I possess is extraordinarily exalted and sublime.” As such, the Holy Prophetsa recited a portion of the Holy Qur’ān to him. When the Holy Prophetsa finished, he said, “Indeed, this is a very good book.” Although he did not become a Muslim, he completely agreed with the Holy Prophetsa and did not reject him. Alas, after his return to Madīnah he did not receive much respite, and was killed in a conflict. This is prior to the Battle of Bu‘āth.2 After that, during the same era, that is, prior to the Battle of Bu‘āth, the Holy Prophetsa was visiting tribes during the occasion of Ḥajj, when he suddenly spotted a few men. These people were from the Aus tribe, and had come to seek help from the Quraish against their idolatrous rivals, the Khazraj. This occurrence is also prior to the Battle of Bu‘āth, thus, their seeking assistance, was a part of their preparations of war. The Holy Prophetsa went to them and invited them to Islām. Upon hearing his address, a young man named Iyās could not restrain himself and said, “By God, to which this man (Muḥammadsa) calls us, is greater than that for which we have come here.” But the chieftain of that group took a handful of pebbles and threw them at his face, saying, “Be quiet! We have not come here for this purpose!” and in this manner the matter was disposed of. However, it is written that when Iyās returned to his homeland and was about to die, the words of the Kalimah were upon his tongue.3
Sometime afterwards, when the Battle of Bu‘āth had taken place, in Rajab 11 Nabawī,4 the Holy Prophetsa happened to meet the people of Yathrib once again. When the Holy Prophet inquired as to their genealogy, he found that they belonged to the Khazraj, and had come from Yathrib. In an extremely loving tone, the Holy Prophetsa said to them, “Can you people listen to a few things I have to say?” They said, “Yes, what do you say?” The Holy Prophetsa took a seat and invited them to Islām, recited a few verses of the Holy Qur’ān and informed them of his mission. These people looked at each other and said, “This is our opportunity, lest the Jews excel us,” and saying this, they all became Muslim. These were six people, whose names are as follows:
Abū ’Umāmah As‘ad bin Zurārahra who was from the Banū Najjār, and was the very first in his affirmation.
‘Auf bin Ḥārithra who was also from the Banū Najjār, which was the tribe of the maternal kindred of ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib, the grandfather of the Holy Prophet.
Rāfi‘ bin Mālikra who was from the Banū Zarīq. On this occasion, the Holy Prophetsa bestowed the entirety of the Holy Qur’ān to him, which had been revealed thus far.5
Qutbah bin ‘Āmirra who was from the Banī Salamah.
‘Uqbah bin ‘Āmirra who was from the Banī Ḥarām.
Jābir bin ‘Abdullāh bin Rummānra who was from the Banī ‘Ubaidah.
After this, these people took leave of the Holy Prophetsa and upon their departure, said:
“We have been greatly weakened by civil war, and there are many disagreements between us. We shall go to Yathrib and preach Islām to our brothers. How remarkable would it be that Allāh the Exalted may gather us again through you. Then we shall be fit to assist you in every way.”
Therefore, these people left, and due to them, Islām began to find popularity in Yathrib.6
1 The Complete (Publishers)
2 Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, pp. 244-256, Bābu Dhikril-Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā......, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
3 As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 306, Islāmu Iyās bin Mu‘ādh wa Qiṣṣatu Abil-Ḥaisar, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
4 Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az-Zarqānī, Volume 2, p. 77, Dhikru ‘Arḍil-Muṣṭfāsa Nafsahū ‘alal-Qabā’ili wa Wufūdil-Anṣār, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)
5 Prior to this, in the acceptance of Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra, similar mention was made. In the same context, this is a second instance, which categorically proves that the Holy Qur’ān was continuously brought into writing as it was revealed. (Author)
6 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, pp. 307-308, Bad’u Islāmil-Anṣār, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
* Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, pp. 245-246, Bābu Dhikril-Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā......, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
* Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az-Zarqānī, Volume 2, pp. 72-78, Dhikru ‘Arḍil-Muṣṭfāsa Nafsahū ‘alal-Qabā’ili wa Wufūdil-Anṣār, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)