Openly Inviting to Islam

In the beginning of Islam, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would invite people to Islam in secret, and those who accepted Islam would also try to keep their Islam a secret. The reason for doing this was that the disbelievers in Makkah Mukarramah were idol worshippers. They wanted people to worship idols and did not want them to worship Allah Ta‘ala alone. If the disbelievers heard that any person had accepted Islam, they would punish him and trouble him.

As time passed, more people began to accept Islam, until the Muslims were now a small group. At that time, they needed a place where they could gather in secret to learn deen and worship Allah Ta‘ala. The place they chose to gather was the house of Hazrat Arqam (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) which was situated on Mt Safaa. Hazrat Arqam (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was among the first ten people to accept Islam.

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) continued to invite people to Islam in secret for three years. After three years had passed, Allah Ta‘ala commanded Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to now invite to Islam openly.

To fulfil this command of Allah Ta‘ala, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) went on the top of Mt Safaa and called all the different clans and families of the Quraish. After they came, he asked them, “If I tell you that there is an army on the other side of this mountain, and this army wants to attack you, then will you believe me?” All the people replied, “We will definitely believe you, because we have always known you to be honest and truthful.”

Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) then invited them to Islam, and warned them that if they do not accept Islam, then they will be punished by Allah Ta‘ala in Jahannum.

Even though the disbelievers knew that Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) never spoke a lie, they did not accept what he said. Abu Lahab was very angry and told Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) that he was wasting their time by inviting them to Islam. He also cursed Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said that he wants him to be destroyed.

Allah Ta‘ala Himself replied to this by cursing Abu Lahab in the Qur’aan Majeed. Allah Ta‘ala says:

تَبَّتۡ یَدَاۤ  اَبِیۡ  لَہَبٍ وَّ  تَبَّ ؕ﴿۱﴾

May the hands of Abu Lahab be destroyed, and may He be destroyed!

Allah Ta‘ala also informs us that Abu Lahab will be punished in the fire of Jahannum. Allah Ta‘ala says:

سَیَصۡلٰی نَارًا ذَاتَ  لَہَبٍ ۚ﴿ۖ۳﴾

He will soon enter a fire full of blazing flames

The wife of Abu Lahab, whose name was Ummu Jameel, was a bad and evil woman. She used to trouble Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) by fetching thorns from the jungle and placing them in the pathway of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) so that he would walk on them and hurt his feet.

She also did not believe in Allah Ta‘ala and did not follow Islam. Rather, she always tried to harm Islam and the Muslims. Allah Ta‘ala tells us, in this surah, how she will also be punished in the fire of Jahannum. Allah Ta‘ala says:

وَّ  امۡرَاَتُہٗ ؕ حَمَّالَۃَ  الۡحَطَبِ ۚ﴿۴﴾  فِیۡ  جِیۡدِہَا حَبۡلٌ مِّنۡ مَّسَدٍ ٪﴿۵﴾

From this incident, we learn that if any person curses Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) or speaks anything bad about him, then Allah Ta‘ala will destroy him and punish him. Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is the greatest from the entire creation and he is the most beloved to Allah Ta‘ala. We must only think good of him, we must love him, we must follow his Sunnah, and we must recite lots of durood shareef, as this is a present for him. If we do this, then Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) will love us and Allah Ta‘ala will bless us.