Islamic Story

Islamic Story

Muhammad (Muhammad) - The Quraish Address Abu Talib

As to the sacred idols, so much honored and esteemed by the pagan Arabs, the Prophet openly recited: They are but names which you have named - you and your fathers - for which Allah has sent down no authority. Surah 53: 23

Muhammad (Muhammad) - The Quraish Torture the Weak

The Quraish would have none of this leveling of distinctions, as it reflected upon their long inherited privileges. Accordingly, they organized a system of persecution in order to suppress the movement before it became firmly established. They decided that each family should take upon itself the task of stamping out the new faith on the spot. Each household tortured its own members or adherents or slaves who were supposed to have connected themselves with the new religion. With the exception of the Prophet, who was protected by Abu Talib and his kinsmen, and Abu Bakr and a few others who were either distinguished by their rank or possessed some influence among the Quraish, all other converts were subjected to different sorts of torture. Some of them were thrown into prison, starved, and then flogged. The hill of Ramada and the place called Bata thus became scenes of cruel torture.

The Triple Filter Test
During the golden Abbasid period, one of the scholars in Baghdad, the capital of Muslim caliphate at that time, was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.
One day an acquaintance met the great scholar and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"
"Hold on a minute," the scholar replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?"
"That's right," the scholar continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say.
That's why I call it the triple filter test.
The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"
"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and.."
"All right," said the scholar. "So you don't really know if it's true or not.

Ismail (Ishmael) - Mecca is Settled - by Ibn Abbas

Ibn Abbas continued narrating: "Ishmael's mother started drinking from the water, and her milk increased for her child. Afterwards some people of the tribe of Jurhum saw some birds while passing through the bottom of the valley and that astonished them. They said: 'Birds can only be found at a place where there is water." They sent a messenger, who searched the place and found the water, and returned to inform them about it. Then they all went to her and said: "0 Ishmael's mother! Will you allow us to be with you (or dwell with you)?" (And thus they stayed there.)

Hud (Hud) - Description of the People of Ad

The people of Ad lived many years in the windswept hills of an area between Yemen and Oman. They were physically well-built and renowned for their craftsmanship especially in the construction of tall buildings with lofty towers. They were outstanding among all the nations in power and wealth, which, unfortunately, made them arrogant and boastful. Their political power was held in the hand of unjust rulers, against whom no one dared to raise a voice.
They were not ignorant of the existence of Allah, nor did they refuse to worship Him. What they did refuse was to worship Allah alone. They worshiped other gods, also, including idols. This is one sin Allah does not forgive.

Salih (Salih) - Salih's People Demand a Miracle

They merely wanted to worship the same gods as their fathers had, with no reason, no proof, no thought. The proof of Salih's message was evident, but despite this it was obvious that most of his people did not believe him. They doubted his words, thinking he was charmed, and they saw that he would not stop preaching. Fearing that his followers would increase, they tried to put him off by assigning him an important task: to prove that he was a messenger of Allah by performing a miracle. Let a unique she-camel issue from the mountains.
Allah granted Salih this miracle and a huge, unique shecamel appeared from the direction of the mountain. The Qur'anic commentators said that the people of Thamud gathered on a certain day at their meeting place, and the prophet Salih came and addressed them to believe in Allah, reminding them of the favors Allah had granted them.

Intelligent Prisoner

Ḥaarith ibn ‛Abbaad, one of the rulers of Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain), was looking to capture ‛Adi ibn Abi Rabi‛ah in order to exact revenge from him. His problem, and that of many of his guards, was that they didn't know what Ibn Abi Rabi‛ah looked like. A prisoner said to one of the guards, "Will you free me if I show you to him?" He (the guard) said, "Yes, I promise to do so." After an oath from him, he said, "I am ‛Adi ibn Abi Rabi‛ah." And, remembering his promise and oath, the guard felt compelled to free him

Yunus (Jonah) - Summary of Jonah's Story

Almighty Allah recounted: And, verily, Jonah was one of the Messengers. When he ran to the laden ship, he (agreed to) cast lots, and he was among the losers, - Then a (big) fish swallowed him and he had done an act worthy of blame. Had he not been of them who glorify Allah, he would have indeed remained inside its belly (the fish) till the Day of Resurrection. But We cast him forth on the naked shore while he was sick, and We caused a plant of gourd to grow over him. And We sent him to a hundred thousand (people) or even more. And they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while. Surah 37: 139-148

Prophet Salih (a)
The people of Thamud
lived in a valley
called al-Hajr
in the north of Arabia.
It was a good land
so everything grew very easily.
Cattle and sheep grazed
on the land.
Everyone
had plenty of everything.
When people have a lot
they sometimes forget
who provides everything,
they sometimes forget Allah.
When this happens
Allah sends a messenger
or a prophet
to try to help the people.
To the people of Thamud,
Allah sent Salih.
Salih told the people
to remember Allah
but a lot of people just
laughed
at him and would
not listen.
He did not give up.
He still tried to persuade
them to worship Allah
and soon people
began to listen.
They realised Salih was right.
The leaders of Thamud
were upset by this.
They did not want people
to listen to Salih.
They did not believe Salih
was sent by Allah.
They wanted him to prove it,
they wanted a sign.
They told Salih
to bring them a camel
but it had
to be a
special camel.

The story of the rose sent to the caliph Harun Rashid
There is a story that Charlemagne sent a most perfect rose as a gift to the caliph Harun Rashid.
He gave it to his gardener and told him to plant it with great care and as soon as the first rose came from it to bring it to him. The gardener carefully planted the rose in a beautiful part of the garden.
The next day a crow came and ate the rose. Trembling, the gardener told the news to Harun Rashid. He told the gardener not to worry for the punishment of the crow will be the same as that of the rose.
A few days later a snake came upon the crow and killed him. The gardener told the news to the caliph who again told him that the fate of the snake will be the same as the crow.
The next day the gardener was working in the garden when he spotted the snake. He picked up an axe and killed the snake. The caliph told him that his fate would be the same.

Hud (Hud) - Commentary - Hud's Appeal to His People

Hud condemned idol worship and admonished his people: "My people, what is the benefit of these stones that you carve with your own hands and worship? In reality it is an insult to the intellect. There is only One Deity worthy of worship and that is Allah. Worship of Him, and Him alone, is compulsory on you.
"He created you, He provides for you and He is the One Who will cause you to die. He gave you wonderful physiques and blessed you in many ways. So believe in Him and do not be blind to His favors, or the same fate that destroyed Noah's people will overtake you."
With such reasoning Hud hoped to instill faith in them, but they refused to accept his message. His people asked him: "Do you desire to be our master with your call? What payment do you want?"

Ismail (Ishmael) - Mecca is Settled - Told by Prophet Muhammad

The Prophet continued: 'Then she drank (water) and suckled her child. The angel said to her: 'Don't be afraid of being neglected, for this is the House of Allah which will be built by this boy and his father, and Allah never neglects His people.' The House (i.e. Kaba) at that time was on a high place resembling a hillock, and when torrents came, they flowed to its right and left.

Hud (Hud) - Description of Hud

Allah wanted to guide and discipline these people, so He sent A prophet from among them. This prophet was Hud , a noble man who handled his task with great resoluteness and tolerance.
Ibn Jarir reported that he was Hud Ibn Shalikh, Ibn Arfakhshand, Ibn Sam, Ibn Noah . He also reported that Prophet Hud was from a tribe called Ad Ibn Uus Ibn Sam Ibn Noah, who were Arabs living in Al-Ahqaf in Yemen between Oman and Hadramaut, on a land called Ashar stretching out into the sea. The name of their valley was Mughiith.
Some traditions claimed that Hud was the first person who spoke Arabic, while others claimed that Noah was the first. It was also said that Adam was the first.

Eight Things to Learn
One time a scholar asked one of his students, "You have spent a long time with me, what have you learned?"
He said I learned eight things:
First, I looked to the creation. Everyone has a loved one. When he goes to the grave, he leaves his loved one. Therefore, I made my loved one my good deeds; that way, they will be with me in the grave.
Second, I looked to the verse, "But as for him who feared to stand before his Lord and restrained his soul from lust," therefore, I struggled against my desires so I could stay obeying Allah.
Third, I saw that if anyone has something with him that is worth something, he will protect it. Then I thought about the verse,"That which you have is wasted away; and that which is with Allah remains," therefore, everything worth something with me I devoted to Him so it would be with Him for me.

Ismail (Ishmael) - Ishmael's Wives

The Prophet continued: "After Ishmael's mother had died, Abraham came after Ishmael's marriage in order to see his family that he had left before, but he did not find Ishmael there. When he asked Ishmael's wife about him, she replied: 'He has gone in search of our livelihood.' Then he asked her about their way of living and their condition, and she replied: 'We are living in misery; we are living in hardship and destitution,' complaining to him. He said, 'When your husband returns, convey my salutation to him and tell him to change the threshold of the gate (of his house).'