ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Life of Muhammad Publicity of the Mission Three years passed and the Islamic mission was still secret. After that, Allah ordered the Prophet (a.s.) to publicize it by revealing to him this verse, (And warn your nearest kin).[1] The Prophet (a.s.) received the order of his Lord and was determined to open his mission.

He ordered his cousin Ali (a.s.) to invite the Hashemites, the children of Abdul Muttalib, the children of Nawfal, and other children of Abd Manaf, and asked him to serve a meal of a sheep leg, about one kilo of wheat, and three liters of yogurt. The invitees, who were forty men among whom were Abu Talib, Hamza, al-Abbas, and Abu Lahab, came. The Prophet (a.s.) offered the food and said to them, “Eat in the name of Allah!” They had food and yogurt until they were satiated.

Though the food was too little, they all were saturate. They were astonished at that. The Prophet (a.s.) wanted to speak, but Abu Lahab said before him, “We have not seen magic like this of today. Let us leave!” All of them parted while mocking and making fun. The Prophet (a.s.) could not say anything, for Abu Lahab interrupted his speech. The next day, the Prophet (a.s.) invited them to have a meal too.

They ate and drank, and then the Prophet (a.s.) got up making speech before them saying, “O children of Abdul Muttalib, by Allah, I do not know that a young man among the Arabs has brought to his people a thing better than what I have brought to you. I have brought to you the good of this life and of the afterlife, and Allah the Almighty has ordered me to invite you to it. Which of you shall support me in this matter to be my brother, guardian, and successor among you?” [1] Qur'an, 26:214.

All of them kept silent except Ali who said zealously, “I, O prophet of Allah, will be your vizier on it.” The Prophet (a.s.) put his hand on Ali’s neck and addressed the attendants saying, “This is my brother, guardian, and successor among you.

You should listen to and obey him.” They began mocking saying to Abu Talib, “He orders you to listen to and obey your son!” [1] The Prophet (a.s.) compared his invitation to monotheism with the invitation to the caliphate, viziership, and imamate after him, and he entrusted these positions to his brother and the gate of the city of his knowledge Imam Ali (a.s.).

Anyhow, these people lent the Prophet (a.s.) deaf ears and no one of them responded to him except his uncle Abu Talib and his son Ali (a.s.).