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Taif is a fertile green area around Mecca in Saudi Arabia. It
has plenty of fruit gardens and a pleasant climate.
The people of the tribe of Bani Sakeef used to relax under the
shadow of fruit trees in the Taif area. From the travellers of
Mecca passing by, they used to hear reports about the mission of
Prophet Muhammad (s). They came to learn from them how truthful,
trustworthy and kind the Prophet of Islam was. They also came to
know that among women Hazrat Khadija, the Prophet's wife and
among the men Imam Ali (a) - the Prophet's cousin and son-in-law
were the first to declare faith and accept Islam.
They were also informed that the followers of the Prophet were
still very few. That majority of the people from the tribe of
Quraish did not yet accept Islam and were opposing the spread of
the religion. They had even offered Prophet Muhammad (s) bribes
of large sums of money and high post if he would stop preaching
against idol worship.
One day when the people were resting under the shadow of fruit
trees, they received news that Abu Talib, his uncle had come and
told the Prophet "O my Nephew! the leaders of Quarish say
that whatever wealth you demand they are willing to give
provided you abandon the teaching of Islam."
The Quraish tried again by sending Ataba to persuade the Prophet
and offered everything that he would wish to have. In reply the
Prophet recited this verse from the Holy Qur'an:
"Say: I am only a man like you, it is revealed unto me that
your God is but one God. Therefore, whoever desires to meet his
Lord, he should do good deeds, and not join any one in the
service of his Lord."
Ataba was very moved to hear this and returned to the Quraish
saying, "From Muhammad (s) I have heard words which did not
at all sound like a poem nor witchcraft"! He advised the
Quraish to leave him on his own and added: "Muhammad grew
up among you and has always been most trustworthy and of good
character. Now that he has come out with a message of one God,
it is not fair to accuse him of witchcraft or lying. Do not
molest him and let us see what will happen!"
Thus the Prophet of Islam went on preaching the message of one
God and persuaded people to abandon the worship of Idols. On the
other hand, the people of Quraish continued to interfere and
oppress him and the new followers of Islam.
They asked everyone to boycott and not to have any dealings with
them. They wrote the following orders on the skin of a sheep and
hung it on the door of Ka'aba in Mecca.
"Do not buy or sell to Muslims."
"Do not salute the Muslims nor speak to them."
"Do not give or take daughters in marriage from any Muslim.
Do not have any dealing with them."
Thus the people of Quraish went on oppressing and torturing the
Prophet and his followers. They would throw dirt on him when he
walked on the streets of Mecca.
One day Prophet Muhammad (s) secretly went out of Taif to convey
the message of Islam to the people there. But the leaders of
that place laughed and jeered at the Prophet. They were always
intoxicated by drinking wine made from the grapes. The Prophet
was persuading them to leave this bad habit and was saying that
drinking wine has no benefit, it makes man senseless, it badly
affects health and more so, it draws man far away from God.
That day, the Prophet having conveyed to the people of Taif what
he wished to about Islam, decided to return to Mecca. But on the
way the children threw stones and laughed at him, When he
managed to be rid of them, he took shelter and rested under the
shadow of a grape tree. He raised his face toward the sky and
said:
"Oh God! I complain to Thee for my inability."
"Oh God! I pray to Thee to lead these people to the right
path."
"Oh God! You are the Forgiver and Kind".
Incidentally Atba and his brother Shaiba were in the same
garden. On hearing this prayer of the Prophet, they felt sorry.
They called their servant Adas and gave him a plate full of
sweet grapes and asked him to deliver them to the Prophet so
that he may recover from fatigue.
Adas took the plate of grapes and presented it to the Prophet.
Before he started eating the grapes, the Prophet said "Bismillah"
(in the name of one God).
Adas was an Iraqi Arab. On hearing this, he began to wonder and
asked what are these words. "I have never heard them
before!"
Prophet Muhammad (s) asked, "Where are you from?"
Adas replied, "I have come from Nainawa" (a region in
Iraq presently known as Kerbala.
The Prophet asked, "Have you heard of the Prophet Yunus?"
Adas said, "Yes! Yunus was a Prophet. But why have you
mentioned his name to me?"
The Prophet replied, "I, like Yunus, also am a Prophet and
have come from the One God for the guidance of mankind."
Adas had already heard before of the truthfulness and
trustworthiness of Prophet Muhammad (s). Now he became attracted
towards him because of his kindness and good character. With
tearful eyes he said: "Oh Muhammad I put my faith in your
Prophethood, because no one would be willing to face such
torture and trouble unless he was on the right path and had come
to lead others on the path!"
This is how Adas, a pagan unbelieving Arab accepted the religion
of Islam whilst under the shadow of a grape tree and joined the
Islamic brotherhood.
Thus Islam spread gradually, not with compulsion or at the point
of a sword, but through noble character and kindness of Prophet
Muhammad (s).
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