Antakiyah was a prosperous city of Syria. The borders of the city were fenced with firm and strong walls and the entire city was surrounded with the five mountains. The population of the city had covered an area of twelve square miles. Sayyiduna ‘Isa sent two of his preachers from his companions (Hawareen) for spreading Islam in this city. Their
names were Sadiq and Masdooq. When they ” reached the city, they met an old shepherd, whose
name was Habib Najaar. After an exchange of greetings of Salam, Habib Najaar asked, ‘Who are you people, where have you come from and why have you come?’ In reply, they both stated, ‘We are preachers sent by Sayyiduna ‘Isa to preach the people of this town, so that they may worship only one God’. In response, Habib Najaar asked, ‘Do you have any evidence of your truthfulness?’ They replied, ‘Yes we do. By the command of Allah , we heal the patients, the born blind and the leprous!’
Habib N ajaar said, ‘One of my sons has been ill for a long time. Will you cure him?’ Both of them replied in affirmation and said, ‘Bring your son to us.’ The preachers stroked their hands on the sick child’s body and immediately, he recovered and stood up! This news spread in the entire city like a wildfire and many patients gathered there and they all were cured of their illnesses.
The king of this city was an idol worshipper named ‘Anteekha’. He became extremely angry and furious when he heard the message of monotheism from the preachers. He arrested both of the preachers, whipped them hundred times each and put them into prison. After this, Sayyiduna ‘Isa sent the chief of his companions, Sayyiduna Sham’ oon to the city of Antakiyah. Somehow, he managed to reach the court of the king, and said to the king, ‘You have whipped and imprisoned two of our men. You should have at least let them complete what they were saying.’ The king summoned these two prisoners. The preachers said to him, ‘We have only come here to tell you to abandon the worship of idols and worship only Allah Who has created you as well as your idols.’
When the king demanded evidence from them, these two men stroked the body of a man who was born blind. This man did not even have eyes in his face, but upon the touch of the preachers, two eye sockets were formed on his forehead. Furthermore, these two blessed preachers made two balls of soil and placed them in the newly formed eye sockets of the blind man. After this, they supplicated and these two balls of soil enlightened by becoming eyes, through which the blind man could now see. A born blind man was blind no more! After this marvellous spectacle, Sayyiduna Sham’ oon said to the king, ‘O king, do your idols possess such power?’ The king replied, ‘No.’ Then Sayyiduna Sham’oon said, ‘Why don’t you then worship the one Who has such powers that He blesses the blind with eyesight!’
Upon hearing this, the king said, ‘Can your Rab resurrect the deceased? If He can, then He should resurrect the son of one of my farmers, who is lying dead for many days. I still have not buried him yet because I am waiting for his father.’ The king led these three people to the body of the deceased boy. When these three people supplicated, then by the command of Allah , the corpse came back to life and proclaimed loudly, ‘I was an idol worshipper and after my death, I was thrown into the valleys of Hell. So I warn you of the Divine torment and call you to accept faith in Allah . I call you to recite the ‘Kalimah’ of Sayyiduna ‘Isa , accept the message of these three preachers and treat them kindly. This is because these three people are the companions and messengers of Sayyiduna ‘Isa -‘
Seeing this spectacle and hearing the speech of the deceased person, everyone was stunned and amazed. Meanwhile, Habib Najaar also came running, and he too made a persuasive speech to convince the king as well as the people of the city to accept the truthfulness of the preachers. Consequently, the king along with his courtiers embraced faith and all became true believers. But a few cursed people, who had lost their sanity and wisdom in the love of idols, did not accept the true faith and instead, they killed Habib Najaar. Torment struck these cursed individuals, and due to severe punishment, they were all destroyed.
(Ia/seer As-Saawi, vol. 5, pp. 1708-1710; part 22, Surah Yaseen, Ayah 13)
The Holy Quran has narrated that event in these words:
And relate to them an example of the people of that city (Antakiyah), when Messengers came to them. When We had sent two (Messengers) towards them and they belied them, so We strengthened them with a third, now they all said, ‘Indeed we have been sent to you.’ They said, ‘You are not but humans like us and the Most Gracious has not sent down anything you are merely liars.’ They responded, ‘Our Lord knows that undoubtedly we have definitely been sent towards you. And our duty is nothing but to clearly convey (the message).’ They (i.e. people of the city) said, ‘We think of you as bad luck. Indeed, if you do not desist, we shall surely stone you. You will surely face a grievous punishment by our hands.’ They responded, ‘Your bad luck is just with you. Are you getting annoyed with being advised? Rather, you are a people who exceed the limits.’ And from the furthermost side of the city (of Antakiyah) came a man running (a Muslim by the name of Habib Najjaar). He said, ‘O my people! Obey the sent ones. Obey those who do not ask any reward, and they are on the straight path.’
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)J (Part 22, Surah Yaseen, Ayah 13-21)
names were Sadiq and Masdooq. When they ” reached the city, they met an old shepherd, whose
name was Habib Najaar. After an exchange of greetings of Salam, Habib Najaar asked, ‘Who are you people, where have you come from and why have you come?’ In reply, they both stated, ‘We are preachers sent by Sayyiduna ‘Isa to preach the people of this town, so that they may worship only one God’. In response, Habib Najaar asked, ‘Do you have any evidence of your truthfulness?’ They replied, ‘Yes we do. By the command of Allah , we heal the patients, the born blind and the leprous!’
Habib N ajaar said, ‘One of my sons has been ill for a long time. Will you cure him?’ Both of them replied in affirmation and said, ‘Bring your son to us.’ The preachers stroked their hands on the sick child’s body and immediately, he recovered and stood up! This news spread in the entire city like a wildfire and many patients gathered there and they all were cured of their illnesses.
The king of this city was an idol worshipper named ‘Anteekha’. He became extremely angry and furious when he heard the message of monotheism from the preachers. He arrested both of the preachers, whipped them hundred times each and put them into prison. After this, Sayyiduna ‘Isa sent the chief of his companions, Sayyiduna Sham’ oon to the city of Antakiyah. Somehow, he managed to reach the court of the king, and said to the king, ‘You have whipped and imprisoned two of our men. You should have at least let them complete what they were saying.’ The king summoned these two prisoners. The preachers said to him, ‘We have only come here to tell you to abandon the worship of idols and worship only Allah Who has created you as well as your idols.’
When the king demanded evidence from them, these two men stroked the body of a man who was born blind. This man did not even have eyes in his face, but upon the touch of the preachers, two eye sockets were formed on his forehead. Furthermore, these two blessed preachers made two balls of soil and placed them in the newly formed eye sockets of the blind man. After this, they supplicated and these two balls of soil enlightened by becoming eyes, through which the blind man could now see. A born blind man was blind no more! After this marvellous spectacle, Sayyiduna Sham’ oon said to the king, ‘O king, do your idols possess such power?’ The king replied, ‘No.’ Then Sayyiduna Sham’oon said, ‘Why don’t you then worship the one Who has such powers that He blesses the blind with eyesight!’
Upon hearing this, the king said, ‘Can your Rab resurrect the deceased? If He can, then He should resurrect the son of one of my farmers, who is lying dead for many days. I still have not buried him yet because I am waiting for his father.’ The king led these three people to the body of the deceased boy. When these three people supplicated, then by the command of Allah , the corpse came back to life and proclaimed loudly, ‘I was an idol worshipper and after my death, I was thrown into the valleys of Hell. So I warn you of the Divine torment and call you to accept faith in Allah . I call you to recite the ‘Kalimah’ of Sayyiduna ‘Isa , accept the message of these three preachers and treat them kindly. This is because these three people are the companions and messengers of Sayyiduna ‘Isa -‘
Seeing this spectacle and hearing the speech of the deceased person, everyone was stunned and amazed. Meanwhile, Habib Najaar also came running, and he too made a persuasive speech to convince the king as well as the people of the city to accept the truthfulness of the preachers. Consequently, the king along with his courtiers embraced faith and all became true believers. But a few cursed people, who had lost their sanity and wisdom in the love of idols, did not accept the true faith and instead, they killed Habib Najaar. Torment struck these cursed individuals, and due to severe punishment, they were all destroyed.
(Ia/seer As-Saawi, vol. 5, pp. 1708-1710; part 22, Surah Yaseen, Ayah 13)
The Holy Quran has narrated that event in these words:
And relate to them an example of the people of that city (Antakiyah), when Messengers came to them. When We had sent two (Messengers) towards them and they belied them, so We strengthened them with a third, now they all said, ‘Indeed we have been sent to you.’ They said, ‘You are not but humans like us and the Most Gracious has not sent down anything you are merely liars.’ They responded, ‘Our Lord knows that undoubtedly we have definitely been sent towards you. And our duty is nothing but to clearly convey (the message).’ They (i.e. people of the city) said, ‘We think of you as bad luck. Indeed, if you do not desist, we shall surely stone you. You will surely face a grievous punishment by our hands.’ They responded, ‘Your bad luck is just with you. Are you getting annoyed with being advised? Rather, you are a people who exceed the limits.’ And from the furthermost side of the city (of Antakiyah) came a man running (a Muslim by the name of Habib Najjaar). He said, ‘O my people! Obey the sent ones. Obey those who do not ask any reward, and they are on the straight path.’
[Kanz-ul-Iman (Translation of Quran)J (Part 22, Surah Yaseen, Ayah 13-21)
Moral:
Observing the hardships, imprisonment, difficulties and threats faced by the three preachers and companions of Sayyiduna ‘Isa Sadiq , Masdooq and Sham’ oon in the path of spreading the true faith, we learn a moral lesson that, the preachers sometimes come across severe afflictions and hardships. However, when a person sticks to this path of goodness by observing patience and contentment, then Allah provides him with the means of success from the unseen. No doubt, Allah is the True Guide and the Modifier of hearts . Allah changes the hearts of deniers in an instant, removes unbelief from their hearts, and blesses them with the light of guidance.
