Part One: SEERAH (Biographical Sketch) CHAPTER

C:\Users\Admin\Dropbox\The Message - Material of Maulana\16. Books and Review\Apa's Books\Life And 15 They carried the stone to the site of construction. Then Muhammad picked up the stone from the sheet and set it in place. Thus a bloody clash was averted and the dispute resolved to everybody’s satisfaction. The life of Muhammad œ before prophethood has been recorded in detail in several books. However, the following events are worth mentioning. A covenant known as the Alliance of Fudul (Hilf al-Fudul) had been entered into by three men, Fadal bin Fadalah, Fadal bin Vida and Fadal bin Harith. This was to ensure that no oppressor ever lived in Makkah. (Sirat ibn Hisham) This Alliance ceased to exist after the death of its architects. Muhammad was 15 years of age when a civil war broke out involving the tribes of Quraysh and Qais. It is known as the Fijar War. In view of the widespread disturbances some people thought of reviving the Alliance of Fudul, to restore tribal harmony and ensure peaceful co-existence. It happened that a trader from Yemen sold some of his goods to Aaas bin Wail, but he was not paid in full. He composed couplets narrating his misfortune and pleading for justice. This touched the pride of the Makkans, who gathered at the house of Abdullah bin Jud‘an at the instance of Zubayr ibn Abd al Muttalib. After consultations, it was decreed that the Alliance of Fudul should be renewed. Everyone agreed to support the cause of the oppressed, whether or not they belonged to Makkah. They also resolved to force the oppressor to give the oppressed their rightful dues. Twenty years before prophethood, Muhammad œ participated in the Alliance. Twenty years after the prophethood he said, “I was present at the house of Abdullah bin Jud‘an at the time of the Alliance. I will not go back on it, even if I were to be given hundred red camels. Even after Islam has been established, I shall still be in favour of such treaty.’ During that period, there were other social treaties as well. Banu Abd alDar and his colleagues once gathered in the precincts of Kabah and vowed that they would not leave each other in time of need and they would not hand over anyone to other groups. Muhammad œ did not rescind these treaties. However, he supported them. He even said that such treaties of