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Muslims had
migrated to Abyssinia because of the torture and persecution by Quraish, but
always anxiously waited for some news from their homeland. Those stand-bearers
of Unity and justice of God (though an insignificant minority in comparison to
the swarms of idolaters who were bent upon maintaining statuesque in religion
and social system) were confident that everyday their supporters were
increasing and the rank of their adversaries was decreasing. They even hoped
that soon the curtain of ignorance would be removed from the eyes of the
non-believers and the whole tribe of Quraish would
embrace Islam, casting away their idols.By chance a
rumor took wings in their locality in Abyssinia that the whole Quraish had been converted to Islam. Though the news was
not confirmed, but the refugee's deep faith in their religion, and their strong
expectation and hope in the ultimate victory of Islam led a group of them to
return to Mecca without waiting for
the confirmation of the news from reliable sources. One of them was Othman bin Madh'un, the well-known companion of the Prophet who was
extra-ordinarily attached to the Holy Prophet, and was greatly respected by all
Muslims. When he reached near Mecca, he realized that the
news was not correct; on the contrary, Quraish had
intensified the torture and oppression of the Muslims. He was in a bad fix: He
could not return to Abyssinia, as it was far off; and if he entered Mecca, he would immediately
become a target of the Quraish's torture. At last, an
idea came into his mind. He thought of taking advantage of an Arabian custom by
placing himself under the protection of one of the influential men of Quraish.According to
the Arab custom if a person would request an Arab for protection, he usually
would grant his request and would protect him even at the cost of his own life.
For an Arab, it was a shame if someone asked him for protection and he did not
grant that request even though he might be his enemy. So Othman entered Mecca at mid-night and went
straight to the house of Waleed son of Mughira Makhzumi, a distinguished
wealthy and influential Quraishite. He asked for his
protection, which was readily granted.Next day, Waleed brought him to the Mosque and made a formal
announcement before the elders of the tribe that from that moment Othman was
under his protection, anyone doing anything against him would be considered
going against Waleed personally. As Waleed was highly respected by Ouraish,
nobody dared to trouble Othman any more. He was now a protected person. He
moved freely as one of the Quraish attending their
sittings.But at the
same time, the persecution of other Muslims continued unabated. It was hard on
Othman, who was not happy at being safe while his fellow Muslims continued to suffer.
One day he thought to himself that it was not just on his part to be safe under
the protection of a pagan whereas his brethren were being persecuted. He came
to Waleed and said:"I am
sincerely thankful to you. You gave me protection and saved me; but from today
I want to go out from your protection, and join my friends. Let, whatever
happens to them, happen to me."Nephew,
perhaps you are not happy with me, or perhaps, my protection could not keep you
safe.""Why, I
am not unhappy at all. But I don't want to live any longer under protection of
anyone except God.""Since
you have so decided, I would like you to come to the Mosque announce your going out from my protection, as I took you the first
day there and announced your protection.""Very well, no objection to it."They came to
the Mosque. When the elders had gathered, Waleed
said: "Everybody should know that Othman has come here to announce his
exit from my protection."Othman said:
"He is right. I have come here with that very intention, and also to
inform you that so long as I was under his protection, he protected me very
well and I had no reason to complain. The reason for my going out from his
protection is only that I don't like to live under the protection of anyone
except God."This is how
the protective period came to end, and he lost his immunity from persecution.
But he was still moving freely among Quraish as
before.One day, Labeed bin Rabia, the well-known
poet of Arabia came to Mecca to recite his Qasida (poem) which he had recently composed, and which is
now considered as a masterpiece and classics of the pre-Islamic period of
Arabic literature.The Qasida begins with the following line:Know (that Everything is null and void except God; nothing except Allah
is Truth). The Prophet had said about this line, "It is the truest poem
has ever composed."Anyhow, Labeed came, Quraish gathered to
hear such a great poet. There was a pin-drop silence to hear a reputedly best
work of Labeed. He started recitation with manifest
pride:(Know that everything is null and void except God).Before he
could recite the second line, Othman sitting in a corner said loudly:
"Excellent, you have spoken the truth. It is the fact; everything except
God is false." Labeed recited the second line:(And, without doubt all riches come to an end).Othman cried,
"But this is wrong. Not all riches are to come to an end. This is true
only for the material riches of this world. The riches of the life hereafter
are immortal and eternal."The people
were surprised. No body had expected that a man who only a short while ago was
under the protection of another person and who now had neither security of his
life nor power of any wealth would dare criticizing a poet of Labeed's stature in the gathering of chiefs and elders of
the Quraish.They requested
Labeed to repeat the lines; the poet repeated the
first line and again Othman said: "True, correct." But when Labeed repeated the second line, Othman again said:
"Wrong. It is not true; the riches of that world are not perishable."This time Labeed himself felt most annoyed. He cried: "O people of
Quraish! By God, your gatherings were not like this
before. There were not such rude and discourteous persons among you. How is it
that now among you I find such persons?"A man from the
audience with the intention of pacifying him and making him to continue his
recitation, said affably: "Please, don't be angry the talk of this man. He
is crazy. And he is not alone. There is a group of some more crazy persons in
this city. And they have the same belief as this fool. They have gone out from
our religion and have chosen a new religion of their own."Othman replied
to that man forcefully. The man lost his temper; moved from his seat and
slapped at the face of Othman, putting his full strength behind that slap.
Othman got a black eye.Somebody said
to Othman:"Othman! You did not appreciate the value of the
protection of Waleed. Had you still
been under his protection, your eye would not have become black.""The
protection of God is safer and more dignified than the protection of any other
person. So as far as my eye is concerned, the other eye also longs to attain
the same honor in the way of Allah."Waleed came forward and said:"Othman,
I am ready to take you again under my protection.""But I
have decided not to accept anyone's protection except that of God."
