In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
The Abridged Prophetic Biography (Seerah).
Authored by Sheikh Musa ibn Rashid Al-Azimi,
May Allah preserve him.
The Year of the Delegations.
Ibn Ishaq said:
When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) conquered Mecca,
concluded the expedition of Tabuk,
and Thaqif embraced Islam and pledged their allegiance,
Arab delegations began arriving to him from every direction.
The Arabs had merely been holding back from embracing Islam, waiting to see what would happen with this clan of Quraysh
and the affair of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
That was because Quraysh were the leaders and guides of the people,
the custodians of the Sacred House,
the purest descendants of Ishmael, son of Abraham (peace be upon them both),
and the chiefs of the Arabs,
none of whom denied this status of theirs.
Furthermore, it was Quraysh who had spearheaded the war and opposition against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
So when Mecca was conquered and Quraysh submitted to him,
being subdued by Islam,
the Arabs realized that they possessed neither the power to wage war against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) nor to oppose him.
Thus, they entered the religion of Allah, as the Almighty said, in crowds,
flocking to him from every direction.
Allah Almighty says to His Prophet (peace be upon him):
“When Allah's succour and the triumph cometh” (110:1)
“And thou seest mankind entering the religion of Allah in troops,” (110:2)
“Then hymn the praises of thy Lord, and seek forgiveness of Him. Lo! He is ever ready to show mercy.” (110:3)
"Indeed, He is ever Accepting of repentance."
Meaning: Praise Allah for having made your religion triumphant, and seek His forgiveness, for He is ever Accepting of repentance.
Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir said:
Delegations followed one after another in this year and the years following to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
yielding in submission to Islam,
entering into the religion of Allah in crowds.
An Important Note.
Al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir said:
Allah Almighty has said:
“Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who strive with their wealth and lives a rank above the sedentary. Unto each Allah hath promised good, but He hath bestowed on those who strive a great reward above the sedentary;” (4:95)
“Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who strive with their wealth and lives a rank above the sedentary. Unto each Allah hath promised good, but He hath bestowed on those who strive a great reward above the sedentary;” (4:95)
“Those of the believers who sit still, other than those who have a (disabling) hurt, are not on an equality with those who strive in the way of Allah with their wealth and lives. Allah hath conferred on those who strive with their wealth and lives a rank above the sedentary. Unto each Allah hath promised good, but He hath bestowed on those who strive a great reward above the sedentary;” (4:95)
"And to all Allah has promised the best reward."
And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said on the day of the Conquest:
"There is no migration after the Conquest, but only jihad and good intention."
Therefore, a distinction must be made between those who arrived early up to the time of the Conquest,
whose delegation is counted as a migration (hijrah),
and those who followed them after the Conquest,
to whom Allah has promised good and the best reward,
yet they are not equal in status to those who preceded them in time and virtue.
And Allah knows best.
The Delegation of Thaqif.
The delegation of Thaqif came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Ramadan,
in the ninth year of the Hijrah,
and embraced Islam.
They had stipulated certain conditions.
Abu Dawud recorded in his Sunan with an authentic chain of transmission
from Wahb, who said:
I asked Jabir about the condition stipulated by Thaqif when they pledged allegiance.
He said:
They stipulated to the Prophet (peace be upon him)
that they would not have to pay charity (zakat) nor participate in jihad.
And he heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) say afterward:
"They will pay charity and wage jihad once they have truly embraced Islam."
When the delegation of Thaqif intended to depart back to their lands,
the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) appointed 'Uthman ibn Abi al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him) as their leader.
He was among the youngest of them in age,
and that was because he was the most eager among them to acquire fiqh in Islam and to learn the Qur'an.
Imam Muslim recorded in his Sahih
from 'Uthman ibn Abi al-'As ath-Thaqafi (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him:
"Lead your people in prayer."
I said, "O Messenger of Allah,
I sense something within myself."
So the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"Come closer."
He seated me before him,
placed his palm upon my chest between my nipples,
and then said:
"Turn around."
He then placed it on my back between my shoulders,
and then said:
"Lead your people in prayer.
Whoever leads people in prayer must keep it light,
for among them are the elderly,
among them are the sick,
among them are the weak,
and among them are those with pressing needs.
But when one of you prays alone,
let him pray however long he wishes."
Imam an-Nawawi said in his commentary on Sahih Muslim
regarding the statement of 'Uthman ibn Abi al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him),
"I sense something within myself":
It is possible that he meant a fear of pride and self-admiration arising within him from stepping forward to lead the people,
which Allah Almighty removed through the blessing of the Messenger of Allah's palm and his supplication.
It is also possible that he meant the intrusive whispering (waswasah) during prayer,
as he used to suffer from waswasah,
and one who suffers from waswasah is not suited to lead the prayer.
Imam Ahmad recorded in his Musnad with a strong chain of transmission
from 'Uthman ibn Abi al-'As (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
The very last instruction the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) gave me
when he appointed me governor over at-Ta'if,
was that he said:
"Make the prayer light for the people,
and measure its length for me
“Read: In the name of thy Lord Who createth,” (96:1)
and similar surahs of the Qur'an."
Thus, Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, answered the supplication of His Messenger (peace be upon him) for the guidance of Thaqif to Islam.
Imam Ahmad recorded in his Musnad with a strong chain of transmission
from Jabir ibn 'Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"O Allah, guide Thaqif!"
The Delegation of Banu Tamim.
The delegation of Banu Tamim came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
in the ninth year of the Hijrah.
Among them were 'Utarid ibn Hajib,
al-Aqra' ibn Habis,
az-Zibriqan ibn Badr,
'Amr ibn al-Ahtam,
al-Habhab ibn Yazid,
'Uyaynah ibn Hisn,
and others.
Ibn Ishaq said:
When the delegation of Banu Tamim entered the mosque,
they called out to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) from behind his private apartments:
"Come out to us, O Muhammad!"
Their shouting annoyed the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
so he came out to them.
They said, "O Muhammad, we have come to compete with you in boasting,
so permit our poet and our orator."
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
"I have granted permission."
So their orator delivered a speech,
and he was 'Utarid ibn Hajib.
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said
to Thabit ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him):
"Respond to him."
So he responded to him.
Then they said, "O Muhammad,
grant permission to our poet."
So he gave him permission,
and he was az-Zibriqan ibn Badr,
who then recited poetry.
Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said
to Hassan ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him),
and he countered him with a poem of the same meter and rhyme.
So they said:
"By Allah, his orator is more eloquent than our orator,
his poet is more gifted in poetry than our poet,
and they possess far greater forbearance and nobility than we do."
And regarding them was revealed:
“Lo! those who call thee from behind the private apartments, most of them have no sense.” (49:4)
Abu Bakr and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) disagreed
regarding the selection of a chieftain for the delegation of Banu Tamim.
Imam al-Bukhari recorded in his Sahih
from 'Abdullah ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:
A delegation from Banu Tamim arrived before the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"Appoint al-Qa'qa' ibn Ma'bad ibn Zurarah."
'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"Rather, appoint al-Aqra' ibn Habis."
Abu Bakr said:
"You only intended to oppose me!"
'Umar replied:
"I did not intend to oppose you!"
They disputed until their voices were raised,
whereupon regarding that was revealed:
“O ye who believe! Be not forward in the presence of Allah and His messenger, and keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is Hearer, Knower.” (49:1)
until the verses concluded.
The Abridged Prophetic Biography (Seerah).
Though people's longing for one another may stretch long,
The longing felt for you knows no bounded end.
May Allah send blessings upon you whenever the call to prayer is raised,
And whenever lips move in praise of the Everlasting.