What is the cruible of troubles?
To save humankind from an eternal loss, the Prophet would (SAW) tirelessly convey the religion at every given opportunity. He never took a holiday in his entire life. He never had a break from his duty.
His only relaxation came from the people he led to guidance. The more he saw his companions gain faith, awareness and piety, the more he was at peace.
During the seasons of pilgrimage, he would go to trade fairs in Mecca such as Ukaz, Majannah and Dhul-Majaz and visit tribesmen at the places where they were lodged. There, he would introduce himself and invite them to affirm the oneness of Allah (JJ) and worship only Him; and deliver them the message that Allah (JJ) had sent him as a prophet. (See, Ahmed, III, 492; Ibn Sad, Tabaqat, I, 216)
Jabir (RA) explains:
During pilgrimage season, Allah’s Messenger (SAW) would go to Arafat, introduce himself to pilgrims and say:
“Can anyone of you take me to their tribes? Quraysh has prevented me from communicating the word of Allah.” (Abu Dawud, Sunnah, 19-20)
To be a guiding light and rescue his people from the fire, the Prophet (SAW) showed such great effort and desire that the Almighty calmed and consoled him in a number of verses:
“It is almost as though you will kill yourself with grief because they do not believe. If We willed, we could send down on them from the sky a sign that would humble their necks.” (Al-Shuara, 26:3-4; also see, al-Kahf, 18:6)
When it came to inviting people to Islam, the Prophet (SAW) looked down on no one.
On the way back from Taif, where he was exposed to severe abuse and assaults, the Prophet (SAW) still took great delight out of the guidance of a slave named Addas, which made him forget about all the troubles he had gone through.
During the conquest of Khaybar, the Prophet (SAW) explained Islam in length to a Jew herding his sheep and ended up leading him to guidance. (Ibn Hisham, Sirah, III, 398)
The Prophet (SAW) also trained his companions to shoulder the responsibility of tabligh and carry the message of Islam to distant corners. Both in Dar al-Arkam in Mecca and the Suffah in Medina, he was always busy with raising Islam’s future bearers. It was on them that the Prophet (SAW) spared most of his time and focus.
The most important aspect of tabligh is to raise ideal, quality and righteous human beings.
During his time as caliph, Umar (RA) was one day sitting with his friends. He asked them to make certain wishes from Allah (JJ). Some of them wished for material things, remarking:
“If only this room was full of gold so we could donate it.”
Umar (RA) thereupon said:
“If you ask me, I would love for this room to be filled with (exceptionally equipped and model people like) Abu Ubaydah ibn Jarrah, Muadh ibn Jabal and Huzayfatu’l-Yamani, so I could employ their services in the way of conveying Islam, reforming people and getting them to obey Allah.” (Bukhari, Tarikhu’s-Saghir, I, 54)
Raising ideal people of this kind is also our Lord’s command. The Qur’an states:
“And let there arise from among you a community inviting to good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. It is they who have found salvation.” (Al-i Imran, 3:104)
Abu Talha (RA) recounts the great obstacles the Prophet (SAW) had to overcome just to teach them:
“He had tied a rock to his belly, so it could straighten up his spine which had bent double from hunger. He was standing in that condition and teaching the Qur’an to the students of the Suffah.” (Abu Nuaym, Hilyah, I, 342)
Making tabligh to humankind should be part of every Muslim’s essential nature. The divine command is:
“Your are the best nation raised for the good of mankind. You enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” (Al-i Imran, 3:110)
Wishing for Muslims to uphold the duty of conveying Islam, the Prophet (SAW) also commanded his companions:
“Pass on what you hear from me, even if it be a single verse.” (Bukhari, Anbiya, 50)
Allah’s Messenger (SAW) desired his companions and ummah to socialise so that they could properly fulfil the task of conveying Islam, disallowing them from withdrawing into their shells and living in solitude.
Abu Hurayrah (RA) explains:
“A companion of the Prophet (SAW) had once passed by a mountain road with a flowing spring of fresh water nearby. He liked the setting so much that he remarked:
‘If only I could move away from people and live in this valley. But I cannot do that without getting the Prophet’s (SAW) permission.’
He then went to Allah’s Messenger (SAW) and spoke of his desire.
The Prophet (SAW) said:
“No, do not do that; for any one of you to engage in activity in the way of Allah (jihad, tabligh, etc) is more virtuous than seventy years of praying at home (by yourself away from congregation). Would you not like Allah to forgive you and admit you into His paradise? In that case, strive in the way of Allah.” (See, Tirmizi, Fadailu’l-Jihad, 17)
He has moreover prayed for the members of his ummah who diligently carry this duty out:
“May Allah brighten the face of he who hears something from us and conveys it to others in the exact way he has heard it.” (Tirmizi, Ilm, 7)
In the hadith below, our Prophet (SAW) also points to the enormous rewards that come with making tabligh:
“I promise that for Allah to deliver a single person to guidance through your efforts is better for you than to possess red camels, the world’s most precious commodity.” (Bukhari, Ashabu’n-Nabi, 9)
“A person who calls to guidance is rewarded as much as the people who follow him, without reducing any of their rewards.” (Muslim, Ilm, 16)
Source: BEING A GUIDING LIGHT, Osman Nuri Topbas, Erkam Publications
