Manners in Speech

Answer, but do not rebuke At the outset of his mission, the Prophet was able to continue with his work, because he had the protection of his uncle, Abu Talib. But, in the tenth year of his mission, his uncle died, and the People of Makkah, now able to take action against the Prophet, cut him off from the tribal brotherhood, thus forcing him to search for a new patron. Accompanied by his uncle Abbas, the Prophet went to the fair of Ukaz, where he visited the tents of various tribes to ask them to extend their patronage to him, so that he could continue his preaching work. But, for fear of the Quraysh, no one was willing to do this. The next year, the Prophet once again visited Arab fairs in search of a patron. This time he met six men of the Aus and Khazraj tribes of Yathrib (Madinah) whom he talked to about Islam. When they asked him about the nature of the revelation he had received, the Prophet recited some Quranic verses from the chapter of “Abraham” to them. It took only this to melt the hearts of these men from Madinah, and they accepted Islam. It was nighttime and their voices were overheard by Abbas ibn Abd al Muttalib as he passed nearby. Recognizing the Prophet’s voice, he came up to the group and asked his nephew (the Prophet) who it was he was talking to. The Prophet told his uncle that they were from Yathrib and that he had given them the same message that he had given to the other tribes. “They accepted it and believed. They are willing to take me to their own town.” Abbas alighted from his camel and came over to the group. He warned the men of Aus and Khazraj that there was no one dearer to him than this nephew of his. “You have taken his teaching to heart and believed in him, but if you wish to take him to your own land, I must first make a covenant with you and only then will my mind be at ease. You must promise not to disgrace or deceive him. There are Jews in your neighbourhood and the Jews are his enemies; not for a moment do I consider him immune from their plotting.” The leader of the Yathribian party, Asad ibn Zararah, became offended at this, feeling that what Abbas had said cast aspersions on the character of his people. He asked the Prophet for permission to answer Abbas. The Prophet said that he might do so, but “without rebuking him.” (ABU NU‘AYM)