The Eleventh Proof: The Prophet's Miracles (2/4)
The Stance of the Unbelievers When They Heard the Quran
A - Abu Jahl
Once, Abu Jahl (one of the Prophet's uncles who was persecuting him) and Abu Sufiyan went at night to listen to the Prophet (sws) perform his prayers at home. Each of them took a place, and neither one knew of the other. They spent the whole night listening to the Prophet pray until the dawn arrived, and on their way back, they met and advised each other not to come again. That is because they were afraid to be seen by the unbelievers of Quraish. The next day, however, each of them took his place to listen to the Prophet (sws) pray until the dawn. They did this three times, and on the last night, they made a pact to leave the place and not come back. So we see how the Quran attracted them, even though they were unbelievers. Later on, one of them, Abu Sufiyan, embraced Islam when the Muslims liberated Mecca.
B - The Negus, King of Abyssinia:
When the Negus asked Jaäfar ibn Abi Talib (the Prophet's cousin) what the Prophet (sws) had to say about Allah, Jaäfar read some verses of the Quran from the chapter called, Maryam (Mary). Upon hearing them, the Negus and his followers shed tears. He said, "Those sayings (verses) are entirely in agreement with what Jesus said; they come from one source." He then refused to deliver the refugee Muslims to the messengers from Quraish. He received them and honored them during their stay in Abyssinia. That was the effect of the Quran on the Negus and his people. He wept greatly when hearing the Quran. He believed in Muhammad (sws) and protected his companions.
C - The Jinn:
The jinn were also affected greatly on hearing the Quran from the Prophet of Allah (sws). It had a great influence on their souls. They benefited from its sermons from the first moment. They informed their people about the Prophet's call to benefit and warn them. They asked them to believe that book and warned them of the consequences of disbelief.
Allah says,
وَإِذۡ صَرَفۡنَآ إِلَيۡكَ نَفَرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ يَسۡتَمِعُونَ ٱلۡقُرۡءَانَ فَلَمَّا حَضَرُوهُ قَالُوٓاْ أَنصِتُواْۖ فَلَمَّا قُضِيَ وَلَّوۡاْ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِم مُّنذِرِينَ [29] قَالُواْ يَٰقَوۡمَنَآ إِنَّا سَمِعۡنَا كِتَٰبًا أُنزِلَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مُوسَىٰ مُصَدِّقٗا لِّمَا بَيۡنَ يَدَيۡهِ يَهۡدِيٓ إِلَى ٱلۡحَقِّ وَإِلَىٰ طَرِيقٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ [30] يَٰقَوۡمَنَآ أَجِيبُواْ دَاعِيَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَامِنُواْ بِهِۦ يَغۡفِرۡ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمۡ وَيُجِرۡكُم مِّنۡ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٖ
الأحقاف [29 : 31 ]
It means,
{And (remember) when We sent towards you (Muhammad, sws) a group (of between three and ten) of the jinn, (quietly) listening to the Quran. When they stood in the presence thereof, they said: "Listen in silence!" And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warning. * They said: "Oh our people! Verily, we have heard a Book (this Quran) sent down after Musa (Moses), confirming that which came before it: it guides to the truth and to a Straight Path (i.e. Islam). * Oh our people! Respond (with obedience) to Allah's Caller (i.e. Allah's Messenger, Muhammad, sws) and believe in him (i.e. believe in that which Muhammad, sws, has brought from Allah and follow him). He (Allah) will forgive you your sins and save you from a painful torment (i.e. the Hellfire). * And whosoever does not respond to Allah's Caller, he cannot escape on earth, and there will be no awliyâ' (lords, helpers, supporters, protectors) for him besides Allah (from Allah's Punishment). Those are in manifest error.}
[Al-Ahqaf 46: 29]
D – The Prophet (sws) and his companions:
The Prophet of Allah (sws) and his companions would shed tears and submit upon reading and hearing the Quran. Once, the Prophet (sws) asked Ibn Masoud (one of his closest companions) to read the Quran to him. Ibn Masoud was surprised because the Quran descended upon Prophet Muhammad (sws). The Prophet (sws) explained that he wished to hear it from someone else. Ibn Masoud began to recite some verses from the chapter, al-Nisaa', which means, "the Women."
Allah says,
فَكَيۡفَ إِذَا جِئۡنَا مِن كُلِّ أُمَّةِۭ بِشَهِيدٖ وَجِئۡنَا بِكَ عَلَىٰ هَـٰٓؤُلَآءِ شَهِيدٗا
[ النساء : 41 ].
It means,
{How (will it be) then, when We bring from each nation a witness and We bring you (oh Muhammad, sws) as a witness against these people?}
[Al-Nisaa' 4: 41]
Then he raised his head to find the Prophet (sws) weeping, his face covered in tears. Such was the Prophet (sws) for whom Allah promised to forgive his previous and forthcoming sins. The Quran and the Prophet (sws) had a great effect on the generation of the Companions. They described him as a living Quran, walking on the earth. Before Islam, the Companions were split into groups of adversaries, but with the Quran, they came to love each other. The Quran reconciled their hearts and reformed their souls. They had a government, an army, a constitution, a state and a civilization. Before that, they had been scattered and quarreling tribes. All of this
happened in less than 23 years, for that is how long the mission of the final prophet lasted.
uhammad (sws) truly is the Messenger of Allah.