THE PROPAGATION OF ISLAM IN MADINAH
The Madinan people were on their nature. That is why Islam spread rapidly throughout the tribes of Madinah.
After accepting Islam, these new converts returned to Madinah and started introducing Islam to the people until Islam became the talk of the town. The following year, twelve men from Madinah came to perform Hajj in the same season. These people had already been influenced by Islam. They gave allegiance to the Prophet that they would associate nothing with God and that Muhammad was God’s messenger. When these men were going back to Madinah, the Prophet sent Musab ibn Umayr with them, so that they could introduce Islam to the Madinans. Musab ibn Umayr used to read passages from the Quran to them. That is why he was called the ‘reciter’ (muqri) in Madinah.
When, Usayd ibn Huzair, who was the leader of his clan, heard about the propagation of Islam in Madinah, he was enraged. He thought that some Makkans had come there and were making fools of their weak members and turning them away from their ancestral religion. So, he picked up his lance and went to accost them.
He met Musab ibn Umayr in an orchard where he was telling people about Islam. Usayd ibn Huzair scolded him and said that he had come there to deceive their weak people and turn them away from their religion. Musab asked him to sit down and listen to him. “If you like what you hear, you can accept it and if you don’t, you can reject it.” Usayd agreed that it was fair, stuck his lance in the ground, and sat down. Musab explained Islam to him and read the Quran to him. On hearing the verses of the Quran, Usayd said how wonderful and beautiful these words were. Then he asked what one should do if he wanted to enter this religion. Musab told him that he must wash and purify himself, then bear witness to the truth. He immediately did so and entered the fold of Islam. (Seerat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, p. 436)
Another tribal chief, Saad ibn Muaz of Madinah, had a similar experience. When he learned of the propagation of Islam in the town, he too was enraged and came to Musab ibn Umayr in great anger. The latter asked him first to listen to him and only then decide what to do. Then Musab read a part of the Quran to Saad ibn Muaz. He too was so impressed with the words of the Quran that he asked Usayd what had to be done to enter this religion. When he was told that he must wash and purify himself, then bear witness to the truth and say two units of prayer, he immediately did so and prostrated himself twice. (Seerat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, pp. 436-437)
After this, both the leaders, Saad ibn Muaz and Usayd ibn Huzair, returned to their tribes and asked their people their opinion of them. They replied, “You are our chief, the best in judgment among us.” Saad then said to his people, “I will not speak to a single man or woman among you until you believe in God and His messenger.” As a result, every man and woman of his clan joined Islam. (Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, pp. 435-37)
The Madinan people were on their nature. After having learned the truth, they could not do other than accept it. That is why Islam spread rapidly throughout the tribes of Madinah until every house in Madinah became a Muslim household.
