Episode Summary
This episode recounts the Prophet’s (saw) departure from Ta’if and his transformative encounter with Addas, a Christian slave. Despite being subjected to a brutal three-mile ordeal of stoning and mockery, the Prophet remained steadfast, reciting Surat at-Tariq and seeking strength from Allah. The narrative details how divine mercy was manifested through a shielding cloud and the arrival of Jibril, followed by a surprising moment of compassion from his adversaries, Utbah and Shayba. The encounter concludes with Addas recognizing the Prophet’s divine status through their shared knowledge of the Prophet Yunus, leading to his immediate conversion. The episode serves as a profound lesson on the necessity of maintaining a strong personal relationship with Allah to sustain one's mission and character during times of extreme trial.
Key Highlights
- The Prophet recited Surat at-Tariq repeatedly for three miles while being pelted with rocks and mocked by the people of Ta'if.
- A cloud provided physical shielding for the Prophet at Qablal Manazen, where Jibril and the Angel of the Mountains descended to him.
- Utbah and Shayba, despite being staunch adversaries, felt pity for the Prophet and sent their Christian slave Addas to tend to his wounds.
- Addas accepted Islam after the Prophet identified himself as a brother to the Prophet Yunus ibn Matta of Neenawah.
- The Prophet emphasized that the guidance of even one individual is more valuable than the most precious worldly possessions.
- The episode warns that dawah efforts are only as fruitful as the strength of the caller's personal relationship with Allah.
Comprehensive Analysis
1. Resilience and Recitation During the Ordeal
As the Prophet was leaving Ta’if, he was subjected to a brutal three-mile ordeal where he was pelted with rocks, jeered, and mocked. Throughout this physical and emotional torture, he did not respond to the crowds but instead continuously asked Allah for strength. For the entire three miles, he recited Surat at-Tariq in its entirety, over and over again. A narrator who was in Ta’if at the time—and later accepted Islam—noted that the Prophet did not find any type of comfort and was unable to recover until he reached a place called Qablal Manazen.
The narrator was so affected by the recitation that he memorized the Surah that day just from listening to the Prophet and later used it in his Salah. Eventually, members of the Thakeef tribe asked the narrator what he had heard Muhammad reciting; when he recited Surat at-Tariq for them, some were very affected. However, members of the Quraysh who were visiting Ta’if interjected to dismiss the message as “mumbo jumbo,” claiming they knew him better and that if it were the truth, they would have followed him long ago.
2. Divine Shielding and the Arrival of Jibril
When the Prophet finally reached Qablal Manazen, he raised his head and saw a cloud that covered and shielded him. He interpreted this as a physical sign that the mercy of Allah was with him and that his Lord had not forsaken him. The Prophet later noted that the cloud reminded him of the protection he had experienced since his childhood years. Inside that cloud, the Prophet saw Jibril, who descended with the Angel of the Mountains after the Prophet had made his profound dua for strength and support.
3. The Compassion of Adversaries and the Grapes of Addas
After the angels left, the Prophet rested against a tree near a garden owned by Utbah and Shayba, the sons of Rabi’a. These brothers were staunch and stubborn adversaries of the Prophet in Makkah, yet witnessing him covered in blood and nearly fainting moved them to feel pity and compassion. They observed Zayd bin Haditha attempting to hold the Prophet up and decided to call their Christian slave, Addas, to gather a basket of water, cloth, and grapes—an expensive delicacy—to look after him.
Even in his wounded state, the Prophet did not compromise his etiquette (akhlakh and adab). When Addas approached and offered the food, the Prophet asked for the stranger’s name. Before eating, the Prophet put his hand in the bowl and said “Bismillah.” This act caused Addas to stare intensely with his jaw open, remarking that the local people did not speak in such a manner.
4. The Brotherhood of Prophets and the Conversion of Addas
When the Prophet asked Addas about his origins, Addas revealed he was a Christian (Nasrani) from Neenawah. The Prophet identified this as the town of the “great righteous man, Yunus unbu Matta.” Addas was shocked that anyone in Arabia knew the name of Yunus, as the region was filled with idol worshippers. The Prophet explained that Yunus was his brother, as they both belonged to the same fraternity of Prophets sent by Allah.
Upon hearing this, Addas sprung forward and started to kiss the head, hands, and bloody, torn feet of the Prophet. He realized he was in the presence of a Messenger of Allah, an experience that led him to accept Islam right then and there. This encounter highlights the Prophet’s unwavering passion for dawah; even while bruised and exhausted, he prioritized the guidance of one individual, noting that guiding a single person is better than whatever the world contains.
5. Lessons in Dawah and the Relationship with Allah
The Prophet’s experience serves as a reminder that dawah is only as fruitful as one’s relationship with Allah is strong. Throughout his trial, the Prophet maintained his connection through the recitation of the Book of Allah and constant dua. Without this internal strength, a person is compared to a burning candle that illuminates a room but withers away into a puddle of wax, or a lantern that sits in a circle of darkness while everything else is illuminated.
Utbah and Shayba, watching from afar, were shocked by Addas’s reaction and told him that Muhammad had “ruined” him. They pressured Addas not to change his religion, claiming their idol-worshipping ways were better than his Christianity. Despite this, Addas insisted that there was nothing on earth better than the man he had just met. After recovering, the Prophet started his journey again to Makkah, having successfully guided a man who could have easily been overlooked.