Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Dear Brother,

I heared that when Mohammad(PBUH) first time want to deliver the message of allah to the people he go to the top of the hill and nawuzubilla removed his cloths and take the cloths in his hands and raised the hands so that peoples there will see him and gathered there(he did this because this was the way of that time if somebody is having a big news and he want to deliver to other they are doing like the way Mohammad(PBUH did). So please let me clearify whether it is true that Muhammad(PBUH) did this?????(Nawuzubillah- Allah hamari magfirat kare-Ameen).

Allah Hafiz.

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

How did prophet(saws) first deliver the message

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

In the obvious absence of newspapers, or live radio or television, during those times in Makkah, if one had breaking news or important information to share amongst the various tribes, it was customary to climb a hillock or a mountain and call and assemble the people so that one may declare the news.

Historians record that almost three years after the first Aayahs of the Quran were revealed, Allah Subhanah Commanded the Prophet to announce and declare the Message unto his people at large.

Bukhari related that Hadrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (r.a.) narrated that one day the Prophet (saws) climbed the summit of mount Safa in the proximity of the Kaba and called out ‘Wa Sabaha! Wa Sabaha!” Hearing this calamity call, the people in the proximity began to converge at the foot of the mount. As the assembly increased the Messenger of Allah (saws) raised his voice and said: “O sons of Abdul-Muttalib! O the clan of Abde-Manaf! O tribe of Banu-Fihr! O tribe of Banu-Adi! (etc. addressing the names of the various tribes of Makkah.) If I were to tell you that behind this Mount a large contingent is concealed poised to attack you, would you believe me?”

The people gathered said almost unanimously: “Yes! (we would believe you) for we have never found you telling anything except the truth.”

The Prophet (saws) then said: “Then listen to me! I warn you of a terrible calamity that awaits you. I know of no Arab who has come to his people with a nobler Message than I. I have brought you the best of this world and the next. My Lord has Commanded me to invite you to the Truth (of Al-Islam). Then who amongst you will support me in this endeavor?”

The call of the Prophet (saws) infuriated the assembled Quraysh, and amongst the first to speak was Abu Lahab, the uncle of the Prophet (saws) who declared: “May you perish!!! Is that what you assembled us for?”

Thus to answer your specific question, it is indeed true that as was customary the Noble Messenger of Allah (saws) did indeed climb a mount to announce His Noble Message, but there is absolutely no truth in the statement that he (Naoodobillah) removed his clothes while doing so!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan