Did you know? (Inspirational Islamic Stories)

When you suffer from ill talking of people

Does it bother you when people talk ill about you?

Let me tell you about this incident that happened between Prophet Muhammad saws and a popular chief of the Daws tribe.

There was a popular chief of the Daws tribe named Tufail Ibn ‘Amr Radiyallahu Anhu. This chief was very valued by his tribe and people that whenever he gave a judgement, his people would act upon it.

One day, he went to trade in Makkah. Fearing that he might embrace Islam, the chiefs of the Quraish gathered around him. They forbade him from listening to the Prophet ﷺ or sit in his company.

The Quraish said to him: 

“You have come to our town as a guest of honor so we must warn you regarding an important matter. There is a person among us who has disturbed our peace and created schisms and dissensions among us. His speech has a magical effect. With it he creates rifts between a person and his parents, brothers, sisters and his wife. We are afraid that he might harm you or your people as he has harmed us. Therefore, beware, don’t talk or listen to him at all.”

Tufail RA narrated: 

“ By Allah, they persistently poisoned my ears against Muhammad ﷺ, so much so that I resolved that I wouldn’t let any speech of Muhammad ﷺ enter my ears.

Then I went to Allah’s House and noticed that Muhammad ﷺ was praying by the Ka’bah. I stood close to him.

Although I did not want to listen to him, Allah Azza Wa Jall enabled me to hear some of his speech, which sounded moving and impressive. I said to myself; 

‘What has happened to me?’ By Allah, I am the chief of a tribe, a sensible person and not a child or a fool. I am an astute poet and have the ability to distinguish between good and bad speech. So why shouldn’t I listen to his words? If he says something good, I should accept it and if he utters something that is not proper, I may give it up.’

I was still sitting when the Prophet ﷺ got up and left for hime. I followed, caught up with him and said 

‘O Muhammad! Your community has told me such and such things against you. By Allah, they have poisoned my ears against you to such a degree that I plugged my ears with cotton fearing that I might listen to what you had to say.

Nevertheless, Allah Azza Wa Jall, not withstanding my intention to contrary, made me hear a portion of your speech. I found your speech very impressive. So let me listen to your words.’”

Tufail RA said: 

“The Prophet ﷺ communicated to me the message of Islam in a beautiful manner and recited a few verses from the Noble Qur’an. By Allah, I have never heard such superior speech nor had I received teaching better than that. I instantly recited the testimony of faith and entered Islam.”

I said, “O Prophet of Allah ﷺ ! I am a person whose views carry great weight with the people of his community. I will go to them and call them to profess Islam. Therefore, please pray that I may be bestowed with a sign of support that may help to attract my community to Islam and enable them to listen to my message.”

The Prophet ﷺ prayed for me with the following words: “O Allah! Grant him a sign of support.”

When I reached my people, my elderly father came to me, I said to him ‘Dear father, please stay away from me, for now I have no relation with you that may bind us.’

My father asked me why and I told him that I adopted Islam and became a follower of Muhammad ﷺ. 

My father then testified to the oneness of Allah, same happened to my wife but when I went to the people of my community they evaded me and turned away.

I then went to Makkah, presented myself before the Prophet ﷺ and told him what had happened and asked him to invoke against them.

The Prophet ﷺ raised his hands and turned his face towards the Qiblah. I thought to myself that the tribe of Daws would be destroyed and ruined but the Prophet ﷺ made a supplication in these words: 

“O Allah, grant guidance to the people of Daws! O Allah, bring the people of Daws to the right path! O Allah, set the people of Daws on the straight path!”

Then he ﷺ told me to go back to my people and preach to them gently. I did so and many people from my tribe accepted Islam.

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Look at how the ill talking of the Quraish brought Tufail RA to the fold of Islam. 

This is a beautiful story of tolerance by the Prophet ﷺ. If only we could be this tolerant, we wouldn’t be so stressed about petty things.

When he was ill-talked about, persecuted and even was treated badly, look at how he responded to each - he always made a very generous and good du’a for people who have done him wrong.

May we all emanate the beautiful character of our beloved Prophet ﷺ especially at the time when so many of us suffer from the ill talking of people and bad desires of people towards us. 

Amin

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Story was taken from Golden Stories of Accepted Prayers, Mujahid, pp. 201-203