After the enemy coalition gave up and retreated from Medina, the Muslims had to deal with the Banu Qurayzah's treachery during the seige. This lecture covers: - Events during the three weeks the Muslims beseiged Bani Qurayzah - Options Bani Qurayzah considered in response - Their attemps to find allies to support them during their surrender, who would be lenient despite their deadly betrayal Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=590. Subscribe at...

Multiple factors came together to demoralize the Qurayshi coalition and got them to retreat, ending the battle: - Imam Ali's victory over Amr ibn al-Wadd - Shortage of food and fodder. They had prepared for quick battle, not a month-long seige - A violent storm that trashed the Qurayshi camp - Distrust sown between the kuffar and the jews by a secret convert - Some Arabs deciding they'd rather be ruled by Arab than by Jews, even of those Arabs are Muslims Lecture notes available at...

The Qurayshi army arrive in Medina and are stumped by the trench, and persuade the Jewish tribe of Banu Quraydha in Medina and convince them to betray their oath of neutrality The Muslims stand vigilant day and night to defend the trench, even missing their obligatory prayers. Surah 33, Al Ahzaab captures the tension, covering the hypocrites who exposed themselves when they saw the pagan army, and the believers who saw the army as confirmation of what Prophet Muhammad had said to them. Amr...

Prophet Muhammad led by example, digging the trench harder than anyone else. When Fatima cooked some bread and brought it to him, she learned that it was the first thing the prophet had eaten in three days. During the digging, Imam Ali also dug relentlessly and the Prophet praised him saying "May my father be ransomed for the one who digs", highlights Imam Ali's high position in his the eyes. Prophet Muhammad never said this about any other companion. When some companions uncovered a large...

All the Muslim's enemies band together in a final attempt to defeat them. In the year 5 AH, the two banished Jewish tribes ally with the Meccans to mobilizing the masses for the ultimate battle against the Muslims, in what would later be known as the Battle of the Azhab, aka Battle of Khandaq. The Quraysh had been humbled by their constant failure to wipe out the Muslims, and now that Muslims were blocking their trade routs the Quraysh were feeling the pain in their wallets. Abu Sufyan,...

Sheikh Azhar Nasser explores additional Sunni counter arguments to the Shia claim that the Verse of Purification (Quran 33:33) The discussion covers: - Claims that the wives were already purified - Claims that the actions of the wives had no impact on the prophetic household - Claims that the Quran uses "ahl" to refer to wives in other places - Questions about how the 12 imams were included in the verse of purity Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=567. Subscribe at...

Sheikh Azhar Nasser explores Sunni counter arguments to the Shia claim that the Verse of Purification (Quran 33:33) The discussion covers: - Claims that the context of the verse being different - Claims that the verses include all of Bani Hashim - Claims that the verse doesn't prove infallibility The Q&A also answers: - Why the Imams sometimes gave their children the same names as prominent Sunni's like Aisha and Uthman Ans: The names didn't necessarily imply endorsement back then,...

Continuing the identification of who is meant by the holy Ahl al-Bayt, Sheikh Azhar Nasser uses hadiths from Sunni sources that are accepted by both Shias and Sunnis to compare Shia and Sunni viewpoints. Hadith include: - (Jame-ut-Tirmidi) Hadith al Kisa - the hadith of the cloak - (Sahih Muslim) Zahid ibn Akram's explanation of why the wives are not part of the Ahlul Bayt - (Al Mustadrak ala al-Sahihayn) The prophet going to Fatima's door every day for months after it was revealed,...

Who does the Quran refer to when it says Ahlul Bayt? Sheikh Azhar Nasser compares Sunni and Shia viewpoints based on hadit from Sunni sources. The three main perspectives are: - It includes the Prophet's wives, Bani Hashim, and the Holy Five (Ali, Fatima, Hassan, Hussain, and Prophet Muhammad) - It includes just Bani Hashim and the Holy Five - It includes just the Holy Five (shia perspective) Sheikh Azhar discusses arguments for and against the verse of Purity (Quran 33:33) applying the...

Continuing the comparison of Shia and Sunni views on Aisha bint Abu Bakr, Sheikh Azhar compares Shia and Sunni perspectives on hadiths that cause each sect to have their varying opinions on Aisha. Hadiths covered include: - (Bukhari/Sahih Muslim) Prophet Muhammad apparently pointing to Aisha's house and saying "fitna is from here" - (Bukhari) Prophet Muhammad saying Aisha is like "the female companion of Yusuf", i.e. Zulayqha - (Bukhari/Muslim) Various hadith given by Aisha that include...

Comparing the Shia and Sunni views on Aisha, the daughter of Abu Bakr and third wife of Prophet Muhammad. Sheikh Azhar also explains why the two sects may have such divergent views of her. The lecture dives into: - Why Shia's believe Aisha was in her late teens when she married Prophet Muhammad (vs the Sunni narrative of being 9 years old) - How Aisha gained an prominence above other wives of Propeht Muhammad - Quranic verses establishing that the wives of Prophet Muhammad could choose to do...

At the end of the battle of Badr, Abu Sufyan had challenged the Muslims to a rematch a year later. This rematch was known as the Second Battle of Badr, and after seeing how much stronger the Muslims had gotten the Meccans were demoralized and decided to march back to Mecca. And so no battle never actually took place. Around this time period many of the Prophet's multiple marriages took place. Reasons for those marriages included: - Protecting vulnerable Muslim women - Establishing peaceful...

This lecture covers: - The gradual prohibition of Alcohol - Passing of Fatima bint Asad (Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib's mother) - Birth of Imam Husayn - Prophet Muhammad's Marriage to Umm Salamah Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=528. Subscribe at http://www.why-quran.org/subscribe to watch the lectures live and participate in the Q&A at the end of each class. Video recording of this lecture + Q&A available on YouTube at...

Prophet Muhammad approached the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadhir to help the Muslims make peace between themselves and another Jewish tribe, only to discover at the last minute that Banu Nadhir was planning to assassinate him. Why? The Banu Nadir couldn't accept a gentile as the final messenger of God. They considered it degrading to be subservient to a non-Jew. Faced with this treachery, Prophet Muhammad commanded them to take their belongings and leave Medina in ten days. The Banu Nadhir...

After the Battle of Uhud: - Quraysh mutilate the bodies of Muslims - Prophet Muhammad sends a reconnissance mission to see if the Quraysh will invade Medina or return to Mecca - Various verses of the Quran are revealed to console the Muslims and instruct them on how to recover from the losses - The Meccans decide to come back to finish off the Muslims, but their army is scared away - Nomadic tribes, emboldened by the Muslim's defeat at Uhud, try to raid the Muslims Key lessons from the...

As the Quraysh fled, the archers watching the army's back rushed to gather the spoils of war. The enemy noticed this and launched a cavalry counter attack from the unprotected rear, changing the tide of the war. Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=497. Subscribe at http://www.why-quran.org/subscribe to watch the lectures live and participate in the Q&A at the end of each class. Video recording of this lecture + Q&A available on YouTube at...

With archers defending their backs, Ali ibn Abi Talib starts the skirmish with one on one battles, defeating nine opponents in a row. Quickly, the Qurayshi army becomes demoralized and starts fleeing. Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=493. Subscribe at http://www.why-quran.org/subscribe to watch the lectures live and participate in the Q&A at the end of each class. Video recording of this lecture + Q&A available on YouTube at...

- The Muslims marched towards the invaders with an army of 1000 men. - Munafiqs revealed: Abdullah ibn Ubayy deserted the army and left with 300 of the men, the munafiqs. - Battle tactics used by Prophet Muhammad - Fortications abandoned: The prophet gave the archerers unambiguous instructions to maintain a defensive position, yet they were ignored to try and obtain some spoils of war, giving the enemy a critical advantage In many ways, this event was a precursor to Imam Ali's succession...

Both sides prepare for the Battle of Uhud soon after Imam Hasan's birth: - The battle was instigated by the Meccan's desire for revenge, the insult they felt from Islam, and the economic strain they had landed under - Abu Sufyan's attempts at raising an army - Hind's support of the army - Prophet Muhammad's investigation when an undercover Muslim informs him of Abu Sufyan's army - How Prophet Muhammad held his war council and respected his follower's wishes Practical lessons: - Importance of...

The events that occurred after the Battle of Badr, which led to the Battle of Uhud: - The Expedition of Qarqarat Al-Kudr, where nomadic tribes started hostilities against the Muslims - The Expedition of Sawiq, where Abu Sufyan led an assault against Medina - The Qaradah Raid, where the Muslims raided a Meccan caravan - The death of Uthman ibn Madh'un, one of the highest companions - The death of Ruqayyah - The assassination of Ka'b ibn Ashraf, a member of the Jewish tribe of Banu Nadhir, for...

While most Muslima and Jewish tribes in Medina were agriculture based, the Jewish tribe of Banu Qaynuqa consisted mainly of craftsmen and blacksmiths, making them highly militarized. The tax-free marketplace, along with the Muslim's conflict with the Meccans (one of Banu Qaynuqa's main customer base) threatened Banu Qaynuqa's financial interests. This led to Banu Qaynuqa violating the peace treaty they had agreed to in the Medinan Charter and secretly start colluding with the Meccans to...

How and why the qiblah was changed from Jersalem to the Kaaba: - The Jewish tribes had been mocking Muslims for worshipping towards Jerusalem - Quranic verses in Surah Baqarah explain why the Qiblah was changed - Quran's criticism of the people who had enmity in their hearts against Muslims. Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=470. Subscribe at http://www.why-quran.org/subscribe to watch the lectures live and participate in the Q&A at the end of each class. Video...

The immediate aftermath of the Battle of Badr, including: - How the prisoners of war were treated after the battle - Revelation of Surat al-Anfal, which included verses on warfare - How the spoils were divided Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=466. Subscribe at http://www.why-quran.org/subscribe to watch the lectures live and participate in the Q&A at the end of each class. Video recording of this lecture + Q&A available on YouTube at...

Warfare during Battle of Badr and the Muslim's victory: - The story of Umayr ibn Al-Humam, who longed for a martyrdom - The two youth who killed Abu Jahl, and how they attacked him - Abu Jahl's arrogance even with his dying breaths - Umayyah ibn Khalaf's attempt to seek refuge once defeat was imminent - Lessons taught after the battle Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=462. Subscribe at http://www.why-quran.org/subscribe to watch the lectures live and participate in the...

The Battle of Badr begins: - Prophet Muhammad tried to avoid hostilities, and some of the Quraysh wanted to avoid fighting as well. But Abu Jahl instigated the conflict forwards. - Fighting began with three one on one skirmishes - The miracle of the prophet throwing pebbles towards the Quraysh and blinding them Lecture notes available at http://www.why-quran.org/?p=458. Subscribe at http://www.why-quran.org/subscribe to watch the lectures live and participate in the Q&A at the end of...