The Prophet (peace be upon him) was always ready to address his message to all people. He never allowed the position of any person to deter him from attempting to make Islam known to him and inviting him to accept it. All people have the same nature that is receptive to the call of faith. When they listen to it with an open mind, they are bound to respond positively to it. It is only when they let their immediate interests and concerns interfere that they might take a negative attitude. Otherwise, it is ingrained in human nature that it should believe in its Creator, the Supreme Being who created the universe and conducts its affairs.
The Prophet never hesitated to address with his message anyone who would listen. People who had their high positions might give a response that is less than positive, but that would not deter the Prophet. Anas reports: “The Prophet sent one of his companions to a man of high position to put to him the message of Islam and invite him to believe in God Almighty. The man said to the Prophet’s emissary: ‘What is this Lord of yours in whom you want me to believe? Is He made of iron, copper, silver or gold?’ The emissary went back to the Prophet and reported to him. He sent him again to the man, and the man repeated the same question. This occurred a third time and the emissary came back to the Prophet to report on the man’s arrogance. The Prophet said to him: ‘God Almighty has sent a thunderbolt which hit your man and burned him.’ Soon afterward a Qur’anic verse was revealed stating: ‘The thunder extols His limitless glory and praises Him, and so do the angels, in awe of Him. He hurls the thunderbolts to smite with them whom He wills. Yet they stubbornly argue about God. His might is both stern and wise.’” (13: 13)
Another version of this incident mentions that when the companion went back to the Prophet to report on his second mission, he said: ‘Messenger of God! This man is too intransigent.’ Nevertheless the Prophet sent him the third time. “He repeated his address to him. As the man was speaking to him God sent a cloud over his head. It then thundered and a thunderbolt fell of it which took away the bone of his skull.” (Related by Al-Tabarani and Al-Bazzar).
While the focus of our attention here is the fact that the Prophet did everything he could to make the message of Islam known to all and sundry, we should not lose sight of the fact that God speeded the punishment of this arrogant man when he repeatedly talked about God in a derogatory way, asking from what He was made of.
Another case of Islamic advocacy during the Prophet’s lifetime was that of Abd Al-Rahman ibn Awf, one of the main figures among the Prophet’s companions. Indeed he was one of the ten companions of the Prophet who were specifically given the happiest news of all, which is admission into heaven. Of course all the Prophet’s companions have been given this news in more than one verse of the Qur’an, but the Prophet singled out these ten on a particular occasion. This gives them a special distinction.
The Prophet called in Abd Al-Rahman ibn Awf and said to him: “Get ready, as I want to send you on a mission.” This was in the month of Shaaban in year 6 of the Islamic calendar. He sent him at the head of a force of 700 of his companions on an expedition to Doomat Al-Jandal, where the Kalb tribe lived. Doomat Al-Jandal was some 450 km to the north of Madinah, on the route to Syria. As they were about to leave, the Prophet gave them clear instructions, saying: “Fight all together in God’s cause against those who deny Him. Do not commit any injustice, or treachery, and do not disfigure any dead person. Do not kill a child. This is God’s order to you and the practice of His Prophet as he sets you the example to follow.” The Prophet then gave Abd Al-Rahman the banner and he set on his mission.
When Abd Al-Rahman was in Doomat Al-Jandal with his men, he called on its people to accept Islam, continuing this for three days. On the third day, Al-Asbagh ibn Amr Al-Kalbi declared his acceptance of Islam. He was the chief of the tribe and he was a Christian. Abd Al-Rahman wrote to the Prophet, informing him of this and requesting his instructions. He sent his letter with a man from Juhaynah called Rafi’ ibn Makeeth. The Prophet replied telling Abd Al-Rahman to marry Al-Asbagh’s daughter, Tumadir. He did and she gave him a son known as Abu Salamah.
In the last few years of his life, the Prophet sent many missions to different tribes and areas. By that time, Madinah was secure and opponents of Islam were largely weakened. There was no danger threatening the Muslim state, particularly after the signing of the Al-Hudaybiyah peace treaty with the Quraysh. Hence, the Prophet dispatched his companions to address people and tell them about Islam, making it clear to them that it was God’s final message and that they were required to follow it.
One of the missions the Prophet sent was led by Amr ibn Al-Aas, who only accepted Islam in year 7 or early in year 8. His destination was the tribe of Baliyy, because Amr’s mother belonged to that tribe which lived in north Arabia. The Prophet felt that they would be more responsive to Amr, considering his maternal relationship with them. As Amr arrived at a place well known as Al-Salasil, near the quarters of the Judham tribe, he feared that the group with him was too small and he entertained some forebodings. Therefore, he sent to the Prophet requesting support. The Prophet sent him Abu Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarrah at the head of a force that included some of the very early and most distinguished Muslims, including Abu Bakr and Umar. The Prophet told Abu Ubaydah not to allow disagreement between him and Amr. Therefore, when Abu Ubaydah joined up with Amr, the latter insisted that he was the commander, as Abu Ubaydah was sent as support. Abu Ubaydah suggested that each would command the unit sent with him, but Amr refused. Therefore, Abu Ubaydah agreed to be under Amr’s command.
This is just an example of how the Prophet’s companions, particularly the early ones, used to carry out his orders to the letter. By any standard, Abu Ubaydah should have been the commander, and it would have been honorable for Amr to be under him, particularly considering that his group included some of the most distinguished of the Prophet’s companions. But since the Prophet told him not to disagree with Amr, he accepted his command.