15- Ninth and Tenth Years of the Hegira A.D. 630, 631.

The adhesion of Taif was a further wake up call to the south Arabian tribes who realized the futility of resistance and one after the other send emissaries, submitted to the rising tyrant and agreed to pay tithes. Before the end of the ninth year of Hegira, many chiefs of Yemen, Mahra, Oman, Bahrein, and Yemama, had signified by embassy their submission to Islam and agreed they payment of their dues.

After the victory in Hunain Muhammad sent Amru to Jeyfar the king of Oman inviting him and his brother to submit to his command and convert to Islam. They responded that “they would be the weakest among the Arabs, if they made another man possessor of their property." But as Amru was about to depart they feared the consequences of Muhammad’s wrath and calling him back, professed their acceptance of Islam and paid their tithes. Amru returned to Oman and remained Muhammad’s representative there until the prophets’ death.

At the same time, Ayash ibn Harith was sent to other Christian princes of Yeman with a letter of Muhammad. Fearing reprisal, they too accepted Islam and Muhammad praised them for the alacrity of their conversion and established their tithes.

“These consisted of 'one‑tenth from land irrigated by springs and rains; one‑twentieth from land irrigated with buckets. For every ten camels, two sheep; for every twenty camels, four sheep; for every forty horned cattle, one cow; for every thirty, one male or female calf entering its third year; for every forty sheep, a young one old enough to graze alone. This is an ordinance from Allah ordained to Believers as the required alms; but he who is more generous will win merit. Any Jew or Christian who persists in his religion is not to be turned away from it, but must pay one golden dinar or its equivalent in cloth. He who pays this will be protected by Allah, and His prophet; he who refuses is an enemy of Allah and His prophet, as well as of all Believers. The grace of Allah be upon Muhammad; and salutation to him with the mercy and blessings of Allah.'

Then the man who had established his reign through terror, massacre and oppression, forbids the new converts to oppress the poor and claims declares that the tithes that he is gathering is not fro him or his family, “it is a means of purifying the rest of the giver’s property and is to be devoted to the poor and the wayfarer.

It is important to note that Muhammad truly saw himself as a just ruler. Narcissists have no conscience. They fully justify their cruelties and at the same time overrate their magnanimity and see themselves as exemplars of virtues.

Bahrein and Hejer.

At the same time Muhammad deputed Ala the Hadhramite towards the Persian Gulf to Mundhir ibn Sawa, the chief of Bahrain who accepted Islam at once and forwarded a reply to Muhammad saying “some of the people of Hejer had happily embraced Islam but others like the Jews and the Christians are not willing to give up their faith.” Muhammad sent a rescript confirming Mundhir in his office and instructed him to levy tributes on the Jews, the Christians and the Magians and ordered the believers to segregate the unbelievers, do not marry their women and do not eat from their food. Ala remained at the court of Mundzir as the representative of Mahomet. An exception was made in the case of the Jews and the Christians whose women could be taken as wives and their food could be eaten by Muslims.

At this moment the tale of Muhammad’s success had reached far and wide. To some this was the proof that he was a messenger of God. Primitive minds are bereft of logical reasoning. To them might was the proof of being right. Even today Muslims’ reasoning has not changed. They still believe that Muhammad’s swift rise to power is the proof of the truth of his claim. Genghis Khan also has a swift rise to power. Did he also have divine assistance? 

The following tradition is illustrative of the simplemindedness and gullibility of the people who embraced Islam. Among the Bani Abd al Qays was a Christian named Jarud. He said, "O Prophet, I have hitherto followed the Christian faith, and I am now called on to change it. Wilt thou be surety for me in the matter of my religion!" "Yea," replied Mahomet, "I am thy surety that God hath guided thee to a better faith than it." On this Jarud and his comrades embraced Islam. [Sira, 422]

Then he gave them the water with which he had performed ablution and ordered them to demolish their church, sprinkle from that water on the site and in its place built a mosque. He also prohibited baptism of Christian children in Arabia , which eventually lead to the weakening of the Christianity in that land its eventual extinction.

In this year the whole Arabia came under the control of Muhammad and he even ordered new tribes to wage war against those who had remained behind and force them to convert.  When Bani Azd of Yeman came to submit their alliance, Muhammad commissioned their chief Surad, to wage ware against their neighboring tribes. He besieged the city of Jorsh for more than a month and then through deception won the war and the people of Jorsh were forced to submit to Islam.

Najran submits to Khalid. Rabi 1st A.H. X. June, A.D. 631¹

In June 631, towards the close of his life, Muhammad sent Khalid to Bani Harith of Najran to call on the people to submit to Islam. He was instructed to attack if they decline. Having reached the destination he proclaimed “O people! Embrace Islam, and you will shall be safe."  He gave them three days ultimatum. They all submitted, and professed their belief in the new faith.

Ibn Ishaq writes: "So they, being worsted, believed, and embraced the invitation to profess their adhesion to the new faith. Thereupon Khalid began to teach them the nature of Islam, and the word of God, and the regulations of the Prophet." [Sira p. 430.]

1400 years later, Osama Bin Laden and other Muslim Khalid-wannabes blow up bombs, kill and behead people and demand the world to convert to Islam. What the terrorists do today is the replica of what Muhammad did 1400 years ago. The Muslim terrorists are not extremists, they are Muslims. They follow the examples set by Muhammad and follow his teachings. We cannot eliminate Islamic terrorism unless we do not eliminate the ideology behind it.

In December 631 Ali was sent to Yemen to subdue the remaining tribes that still had hold out. He headed three hundred well equipped horsemen and upon reaching Hejez he ravaged the country and returned with spoil of every kind,-women, children camels, and flocks.

The desperate people taken by surprise defended themselves by throwing stones at the marauding army and was dispersed when the army charged against them but twenty of their men were killed. After this he held back the pursuit, and summoned the fugitives to accept Islam. The wretched population had no choice but to accept. Their chief came forward and pledged his adherence and his people followed suit.

Ali accepted their pledge and retraced his steps with the rich booty, and reaching Mecca in the spring, joined Mahomet in his last pilgrimage.

Muslims are fond of fables attributing divine powers to their prophet. There is a history about Aamir ibn Tofail in the last year of Muhammad’s life came to him seeking advantageous terms. “What shall I have,” he asked, “if I believe?”  “That which other believers have," replied Mahomet. “Wilt thou not give me the rule after thee?" “Nay, that is not for thee, nor for thy tribe." "Then assign unto me the Nomad tribes; and do thou retain the rest." "This," said Mahomet, "I cannot do; but I will give thee the command over the cavalry, for thou excellest as a horseman." Aamir turned away in disdain: "Doth this man not know," he cried, "that I can fill his land from one end to the other with troops, both footmen and horse?" Mahomet was alarmed at the threat, for the Bani Aamir were a formidable tribe; he prayed accordingly for deliverance from this foe: "O Lord! defend me against Aamir ibn Tofail. O Lord! guide his tribe unto the truth; and save Islam from his stratagems!" The haughty chieftain never reached his home; he sickened by the way, and died miserably in a deserted hut.  [Muir V. 4. p. 227]

If Muhammad had such power, if just by cursing he could make his Allah eliminate his enemies, then why this much warfare and bloodshed? Why he killed so many people and committed this much genocide? These stories attributing mysterious powers to Muhammad are fairy tales. The truth is that Muhammad resorted to violence, deceit and war to achieve his goals. Neither his curses nor his prayers had any effect. He gained his power through sword and bloodshed and not through any divine intervention.

Another question that comes to mind is if really Allah could kill Muhammad’s opponents upon his request, couldn’t he guide them? Wasn’t it better to soften their hearts and make them see the “truth of Islam” rather than killing them? 

When again the period of Hajj arrived, Muhammad decided to go for pilgrimage and he took all his wives with himself. On the way he stopped in various mosques that had been built for prayer and upon reaching Mecca he proceeded to complete the ceremony while people followed him and Bilal was holding a cloth attached to staff to screen him from the sun. By then no sign of idolatry was left in Mecca , the unbelievers were not allowed to approach the temple and all the images in and around the town were destroyed.

After the pilgrimage he proceeded to Mina and passed the night there in a tent. The following morning he reached Arafat and climbing a prominence and standing erect upon his camel he addressed the multitude and said: “The entire valley of Arafat is the holy station for Pilgrimage, excepting only the vale of Urana?” The reason he excluded Urana is because he had hallucinated seeing Satan in this valley. Then he proclaimed: "This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” [Q. 5:3]

The effect of poison that Muhammad had received in Khaibar had debilitated him and perhaps for this reason he felt he may not be able to undertake long trips or perform another pilgrimage. He mounted his camel and taking up a central and prominent position in the valley of Mina valley, addressed the multitude of the pilgrims in these words:  

O’ People! Listen to my words, for I do not know whether we shall ever
meet again and perform Hajj after this year.

O’ Ye people! Allah says, O’ people We created you from one male and one female and made you into tribes and nations, so as to be known to one another. Verily in the sight of Allah, the most honored amongst you is the one who is most God-fearing. There is no superiority for an Arab over a non-Arab and for a non-Arab over an Arab, nor for the white over the black nor for the black over the white except in God-consciousness.

All mankind is the progeny of Adam and Adam was fashioned out of clay.

Behold; every claim of privilege whether that of blood or property, is
under my heels.

Behold! All practice of the days of ignorance are now under my feet. The blood revenges of the days of ignorance are remitted. ..All interest and usurious dues accruing from the times of ignorance stand wiped out...

O’ people! Verily your blood, your property and your honor are sacred and inviolable until you appear before your Lord, as the sacred inviolability of this day of yours, this month of yours and this very town (of yours).

Verily you will soon meet your Lord and you will be held answerable for
your actions.

O’ people! Verily you have got certain rights over your women and your
women have certain rights over you. It is your right upon them to honor their conjugal rights, and not to commit acts of impropriety, which if they do, you are authorized by Allah to separate them from your beds and chastise (beat) them, but not severely, and if they refrain, then clothe and feed them properly.

Behold! It is not permissible for a woman to give anything from the wealth of her husband to anyone but with his consent.

Treat the women kindly, since they are your helpers and not in a position to manage their affairs themselves. Fear Allah concerning women, for verily you have taken them on the security of Allah and have made their persons lawful unto you by words of Allah.

The child belongs to the marriage-bed and the violator of wedlock shall be stoned. And Reckoning of their (deeds) rests with Allah.

He who attributes his ancestry to other than his father or claims his
clientship to other than his master, the curse of Allah is upon him.

All debts must be repaid, all borrowed property must be returned, gifts should be reciprocated and a surety must make good the loss to the assured.

Beware! No one committing a crime is responsible for it but himself.
Neither the child is responsible for the crime of his father, nor is the father responsible for the crime of his child.

O’ People! Every Muslim is the brother of every other Muslim, and all the Muslims form one brotherhood. And your slaves; see that you feed them with such food as you eat yourselves, and clothe them with the clothes that you yourselves wear.

Take heed not to go astray after me and strike one another’s necks. He who (amongst you) has any trust with him, he must return it to its owner.

O’ people! Listen and obey, though a mangled Abyssinian slave is appointed your Amir, provided he executes (the Ordinance of) the Book of Allah among you.

O’ people! No Prophet would be raised after me and no new Ummah (would be formed) after you.

Verily I have left amongst you that which will never lead you astray, the Book of Allah, which if you hold fast you shall never go astray.

And beware of transgressing the limits set in the matters of religion, for it is transgression of (the proper bounds of) religion that brought
destruction to many people before you.

Verily, the satan is disappointed at ever being worshipped in this land of yours, but he will be pleased by obedience in anything (short of worship that is) in matters you may be disposed to think insignificant, so beware of him in your matters of religion.

Behold! Worship your Lord; offer prayers five times a day; observe fast in the month of Ramadhaan; pay readily the Zakat (poor due) on your property; and perform pilgrimage to the House of God and obey your rulers and you will be admitted to the Paradise of your Lord.

Let him that is present, convey it unto him who is absent, for many people to whom the message is conveyed may be more mindful of it than the audience.

And if you were asked about me, what would you say?"

They answered, "We bear witness that you have conveyed the trust (of religion) and discharged your ministry of Prophethood and looked to our welfare."

Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (may peace be upon him) lifted his forefinger towards the sky and then pointing towards people said:

"O’ Lord: Bear Thou witness unto it.

 (Khutbat-ul-Hajjatul Wida, Sira Ibn Hisham)
Source: http://www.inter-islam.org/condex.htm

The challenge of other claimants

In the eleventh year of Hegira (632 A.D) Muhammad was mainly occupied nominating the envoys and governors and the consolidating his authority in distant regions of Arabia . Where a chief or prince submitted to him, he would generally maintain him as the governor and a collector of tithes would be deputed as his, charged with political and judicial functions.

The success of Muhammad inspired a few others to proclaim their own prophethood. These represented some threat to Muhammad and his authority but they were immediately confronted and were all subdued.

One of such claimants was Tuleiha, the chief of the Bani Asad, It is said that his tribe once journeyed through the desert and were overpowered by thirst, when Tuleiha produced water which confirmed his authority. After the death of Muhammad he made public his rebellion but was defeated by Khalid and rejoined Islam.

The other contestant was Musailama. He was a man of small stature but of great speeches. It is said that he wrote many verses in the style of the Quran, but I read those verses and believe them to be apocryphal. He wrote a letter to Muhammad, proclaiming to be assigned by God as a messenger and demanded equal partnership with him. When his ambassadors handed the letter to Muhammad he turned with indignation to the messengers and asked: ‘What do you say to this?' They replied, We say what he says.' Then he exclaimed in anger, 'If it were not that messengers are guaranteed their safety, I would strike off your heads.' The he dispatched the messengers with a letter of his own denouncing the impostor and rejecting his claim. Musailama was subdued after the death of Muhammad during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr.

Another pretender was Aswad. He denounced Islam altogether while Muhammad was yet alive and assuming the garb of a magician proclaimed to be in communication with the unseen world. He had gathered many Arabs who found the practice of Islam irksome as his followers and many chiefs who were dissatisfied with Muhammad tyrannical demands pledged their allegiance to him. He advanced on Najran, winch rose in his favor; he then suddenly fell upon Sana , killed its Persian governor Shahr the son of Bijan who had converted to Islam and married his widow. His sudden success spread like wildfire and a great part of the Peninsula lying between the Bahrain , Taif and the coast came under his command.

When the news of the rebellion reached Muhammad he ordered his officers to eliminate Awad either by assassinating him or by to ambush him and kill him in the battle. Fortunately for Muhammad, Aswad’s sudden rise to power had made his arrogant and he had begun to slight his commanders to whose bravery he should have been indebted. The agents of Mahomet conspired with the disaffected generals of Aswad and plotting with his new wife, who despised him for having killed her husband Shahr, they managed to gain access to his house and assassinate him in the middle of the night. Thus the insurgence was quelled at once and the authority of Muhammad was fully re-established.