The Prophet’sﷺ Trip to Taif
The Prophetﷺ went to Taif hoping, unlike the Quraysh, they’d welcome his message. But their leaders mocked him and treated him discourteously. Worse, upon leaving Taif, they set a gang of children upon the Prophetﷺ, pelting stones at his feet till they bled. Exhausted and depressed, heﷺ took refuge in a garden and prayed; his helplessness and pitiable condition sprung to his lips seeking Allah’s aid.
The Owners of the garden having witnessed the attacks took pity. They called their servant, Addas and ordered him to take some grapes to the Prophetﷺ. Addas did so inviting the Prophetﷺ, to eat. As the Prophetﷺ placed his hand upon it, he said, “In the name of God,” then he ate. Addas looked at his face and said; “By God people of this land do not say these words.” The Prophetﷺ asked him, “Where are you from Addas and what is your religion?
He replied; “I am a Christian from Nineveh.”
The Prophetﷺ then asked “You mean from the village of that pious man Jonah, son of Amittai?”
Amazed, Addas asked “How do you know Jonah, son of Amittai?”
The Prophetﷺ replied; “That man was my brother; he was a Prophet and I am a Prophet.”
Addas bent low over the Messenger of Godﷺ, kissing his head, hands and feet. [Seerah Ibn Kathir]
Allah sent Prophet Jonah to his people. They too rejected his call to the point Jonah left them. It must have been a profound meeting with Addas for the Prophetﷺ. Despite people once having rejected Prophet Jonah, yet here he was hundreds of years later, speaking to a believer in Jonah who came from Jonah’s city. So it’s no surprise that later as angel Jibril and the angel of the Mountains came offering to punish Taif, in keeping with his good nature the Prophetﷺ chose to leave them be hoping their descendants would become believers.
Nothing good ever comes through anger, revenge or haste but rather situations or people can change if we hold out with hope patience and optimistic outlook in life which can often be hard in a fast paced world we live in where we often expect things to happen instantaneously. Good things do come to those who wait. For the Prophetﷺ the door closed on Taif but the door to Madina would soon throw wide open.🌙
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