The Litmus Test of the Revelation (From The Book “What Happened To Islam?”)

By Muhammad Yunus, New Age Islam 13 August 2025 While the integration of Mecca in 630 AD was by far the greatest breakthrough (fatah) of the Revelation, some of its most severe challenges still lay ahead—challenges that could have tipped its course toward either enduring success or sudden collapse. The conquest of Mecca could not instantly transform its entire population from hostile pagans into devout and committed Muslims. For two decades, the Meccan leadership had regarded Muhammad as their archenemy, doing everything possible to destroy him. They could not be expected to reconcile with him overnight, even if they outwardly cooperated under the force of changing circumstances. Moreover, the sudden integration disrupted long-standing norms, social orders, and inter-tribal political equations. This Created A Highly Diverse And Potentially Unstable Political Domain Under Islam: • Pagan tribes of Mecca and Medina (many of whom did not convert, as there was no compulsion in religion) • The Muslims of Medina—comprising the Emigrants (Muhajirun) who had fled from Mecca eight years earlier (622 AD), and the Helpers (Ansar), the Medinite converts who sheltered them—still carrying vestiges of pre-Islamic tribal loyalties and political rivalries, yet united under the Prophet in a single Umma (inclusive community). It was like a vast mansion built from bricks, slabs, arches, and domes of different shapes and sizes, held together by fresh mortar that needed time to cure. Beyond This Internal Volatility, Islam Faced Formidable External And Covert Foes: • Desert Arabs from surrounding regions who opposed the Prophet, determined to defend their ancestral gods and ways. • Hypocrites of Medina (Munafiqun), who plotted against the Prophet and sought to expel him and his followers, resenting the political ascendancy of the rootless Emigrants. • The Christian Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire), conceivably threatened by the rise of a newly unified Arab power—fearless tribal warriors now armed with religious zeal and readiness for martyrdom. In the divine scheme, the Prophet had only two years left. Unless the hostile pagans and hypocrites were reconciled and the Byzantine threat neutralized, Islam risked extinction soon after his death. In metaphorical terms, Islam in these years was like a ship sailing into a gathering storm, one that could easily break it apart in the turbulent wake of the Prophet’s passing—a fate that would have seemed almost inevitable to a historian of the era. How Did Islam Survive These Existential Challenges In Its Concluding Years (631–632 AD)? 1. Integration Of The Hypocrites — History facilitated this through unforeseen events. Most crucially, their leader, Abdullah ibn Ubayy, died around 631 AD, delivering a decisive blow to their movement. 2. The Tabuk Expedition (631 AD) — Despite warnings and misgivings, the Prophet marched north toward Byzantine territory. He returned to Medina unchallenged—having faced no military engagement with the mightiest empire of the age. This remarkable outcome greatly enhanced his political standing, military prestige, and spiritual authority throughout Arabia. 3. The Farewell Pilgrimage (632 AD) — The largest gathering for the Hajj in Arab history, unparalleled in spiritual fervour, brought together Emigrants, Helpers, newly converted tribes, and former opponents. This monumental event fused them into a single, more cohesive community, ready to carry the Prophet’s mission forward after his passing. ----- Muhammad Yunus, a Chemical Engineering graduate from Indian Institute of Technology, and a retired corporate executive has been engaged in an in-depth study of the Qur’an since early 90’s, focusing on its core message. He has co-authored the referred exegetic work, which received the approval of al-Azhar al-Sharif, Cairo in 2002, and following restructuring and refinement was endorsed and authenticated by Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl of UCLA, and published by Amana Publications, Maryland, USA, 2009. URl: https://www.newageislam.com/books-documents/litmus-test-revelation-book-what-happened/d/136486 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism