Page 74 - The Vision of Islam

Seerah as a Movement

Prophet’s house while he and Khadija were saying their prayers. He
asked his cousin what they were about. The Prophet told him that
this was God’s religion, the path that God had chosen Himself.
It was to call people to this path that He had sent His prophets
to the world. ‘Believe in one God,’ the Prophet said. “He has no
partner. Worship Him alone. Forsake the idols, Lat and Uzza.’ ‘I
have heard nothing of this nature before. Ali replied. ‘I cannot
make a decision until I have talked the matter over with my father,
Abu Talib.’ But the Prophet did not want anyone to know about
his secret until the time had come for it to be made public. ‘Ali,’ he
said, ‘if you are not ready to become a Muslim, keep the matter to
yourself.’ Ali waited for one night, then God made his heart incline
towards Islam. He went back to the Prophet early in the morning.
‘What was it that you were telling me yesterday’ he asked. ‘Bear
witness that there is none worthy of being served save God. He
is One. He has no partner. Forsake Lat and Uzza, and disown all
those who are set up as equals with God.’ Ali did this and became
a Muslim. Then, in fear of Abu Talib, he used to come and see the
Prophet secretly. Ali kept his Islam a secret; he did not tell anyone
about it.” (Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah, Vol. III, p. 24)
Similarly, when the first Muslims among the tribes of Aws and
Khazraj returned to Madinah, they followed the same policy.
According to the historian Tabarani, “They returned to their
people and invited them, secretly, to embrace Islam.”
Throughout his entire public mission, the Prophet was very
careful not to take any initiative until he was quite sure that he
possessed the necessary resources. Aishah, wife of the Prophet and
daughter of Abu Bakr, tells how, when the Prophet had gathered 38
followers around him, Abu Bakr urged him to publicize his mission.
Abu Bakr was of the opinion that the Prophet and his companions
should go out into the open, and publicly preach Islam. But the
Prophet said to him: “No, Abu Bakr, we are too few.” The same
thing happened in the sixth year of the Prophet’s mission, when
Umar accepted Islam. He protested to the Prophet: “Why should
we keep our Islam a secret, when we are in the right? And why
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