as-Sadiq

When Allah (swt) asked the Prophet Muhammad (saws) to invite all the Makkan people to Islam, he climbed upon the hill of Safa and shouted “Ya Sabahan,” which was known as a warning cry to the villagers. The people knew this cry meant there must be a grave danger awaiting them, and so they all gathered upon the hill to ask the Prophet (saws) what was wrong. Before he told them of the message from Allah (swt), the Prophet (saws) said to the villagers, “Before I tell you anything, I want to know what you think of me.”

All of the people replied, “You are as-Sadiq, the truthful; you are al-Amin, the trustworthy.”

“Then will you believe what I tell you?” the Prophet (saws) asked the crowd.

“We will,” the crowd shouted back. “We have known you since your childhood. You have always spoken the truth. You have never told any lies.”

Muhammad (saws) then said, “Would you believe me if I told you that there was an army of enemies behind this mountain ready to attack Makkah?”

The people said, “Of course we would believe you. Why should we not believe a man who has always been truthful?”

Muhammad (saws) then said, “O people, I warn you of a danger that is greater than the attack of any army of enemies. I warn you of the danger that is facing every human being. After this life, there is another life. That is the life of the Hereafter. On the Day of Judgement we shall be presented before Allah. Allah is One, and no one is like Him. He shall judge us. He will reward those who have done good deeds, and He will punish those who have done evil deeds.”

“How strange,” a Makkan said, “Life after death? I have never heard of such a thing.”

There were some Quraysh (a tribe) chiefs who were very proud of their positions and believed no one could judge them. They thought they were above all judgement, but they judged everyone such as the slaves, orphans, widows, and the poor. They believed everyone was dependent upon them, and that they were not dependent on anyone. They were enraged, for the idea that there was one Supreme God who created and supported them, who would judge their deeds, was very hard for them to accept.

No one listened to the Prophet Muhammad (saws) that day. One by one the Makkans left. One man, Abu Jahl, told Muhammad (saws) sorely, “We have important business to finish. You called us here and wasted our time.”

from “Stories of the Sirah: The Big Feast and Other Stories” by Abid’ullah Ghazi & Tasneema K. Ghazi

In no way will I ever try to claim that I am as perfect as the Prophet (saws), for he was the most perfect human being to walk on this Earth. However, I chose the name as-Sadiq to represent one of the many characteristics of the Prophet (saws) that we all should strive to emulate. Even when there were many who did not believe him, the Prophet (saws) never strayed from the truth. Never did he alter himself or his beliefs solely to please those who opposed him, and this steadfastness is a quality we should embody within ourselves. There will be times when the majority of people disagree with us & call us liars, but calling one a liar does not change the truth. If we hold true to our beliefs & do as the Prophet (saws) did, if we work to please Allah (swt) and not merely for the sake of others’ approval, that is when we will gain the most from our efforts. Insha’Allah I intend to try my best to provide readers with the most truthful of information that I can, however I ask you to forgive any shortcomings that I may have in doing so.