Chapter One

The Chapter Concerning dawah Towards Allaah and His Rasool This chapter highlights how calling people towards Allaah and towards Rasulullaah @%% was the action that Rasulullaah and the Sahabah @Wj loved more than anything else. It also draws attention to the fact that their ardent desire was for mankind to be guided towards the Deen of Allaah and to enter its fold so that they may be immersed in Allaah's mercy. In additioh to this, it focuses on their tireless efforts to achieve this so that the creation could be linked to their Creator. L ove for dawah and Preoccupation with it The Concern of Rasulullaah @@$ for Mankind to Accept Imaan ~ a d h r a t Abdullaah bin Abbaas %&W narrates that Rasulullaah @@ was extremely concerned that the whole of mankind should accept lmaan and pledge allegiance to him. Allaah therefore revealed Qur'aanic verses such as: Among them (mankind) are the fortunate (those destined for Jannah) and the unfortunate (those destined for Jahannam). {Surah ~ o o d , verse 105) In these verses, Allaah informed Rasulullaah @@ that people will accept Imaan only if the good fortune of doing so has been destined for them in the Lowhul Mahfoodh. Similarly, only those people for whom ill-fortune has been destined in the Lowhul Mahfoodh will go astray. Allaah then revealed to Rasulullaah @&$: (0 Rasuluflaah @I!%) It seems like you will destroy yourself (with grieg because they (the Kufhar) are not becoming Mu'mineen. If We willed, We could have revealed a (great) Aayah (miracle) to them from the sky, causing their necks to bow before it in humility (because of which they THE LIVES OF THE SRHABAH @ , w s (Vol-I) would be forced to accept Imaan. However, Allaah does not do this because forcing people into submission would defeat the object of . testing them and rewarding or punishing them according to their merit). {Surah Shu'araa, verses 3, 4)(') Rasulullaah @#@ Preaches to his People at the Time when his Uncle Abu Taalib is about to Leave the World Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Abbaas -2 narrates that when Abu Taalib was about to leave the world, a group from the Quraysh came to see him. Among this group was Abu Jahal. They complained to Abu Taalib about what his nephew (Rasulullaah @@) was saying and doing, including insulting their gods. They expressed the wish that Abu Taalib call for Rasulullaah w and forbid him from what he was doing. When Abu Taalib sent for Rasulullaah w, he promptly arrived and entered the house. When Rasulullaah @$% came to the room, there remained a space for one person between the group of the Quraysh and Abu Taalib. Narrating further, Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Abbaas W%% states, "The accursed Abu Jahal feared that if Rasulullaah @@ occupied the empty space next to his uncle, Abu Taalib may become more lenient. Therefore, he jumped to occupy the place, leaving no place for Rasulullaah @& near his uncle. For this reason, Rasulullaah @@ was forced io sit near the door. Addressing Rasulullaah @@, Abu Taalib said, '0 my nephew! Why are your people complaining that you insult their gods and tell them so many things?' Upon this, those present started saying many things." Rasulullaah @@ finally addressed his uncle saying, "0 my uncle! All I want these people to do is to accept a single statement that would make all the Arabs serve them and make all the non-Arabs pay them taxes." Taken aback by this, the people exclaimed, "Only one statement! By the oath of your father, we are prepared to accept ten such statements! What is this statement?" Abu Taalib also asked, "0 my nephew! What is this statement?" Rasulullaah replied, "Laa Ilaaha Illallaah ("There is none worthy of worship but Allaah")." Upon hearing this, the people hastily stood up and brushing down their clothing, they said,'"Does he make all the (many) gods (that we worship) into one god? This is indeed something strange!" I Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Abbaas W5iWkk states that it was with reference to this that Allaah revealed the verses: (1) Tabraani. Haythami x3GiN& states that the narrators of this Hadith are reliable, but adds that Ali bin Abi Talha did not hear the Hadith directly from Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Abbaas 4 m .

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