After the conquest of Mecca, there remained two major tribes that needed to have the barriers between them and the message of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, removed. These were the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif. The Battle of Hunayn was the battle that removed the obstacles before Hawazin. After Hunayn, Thaqif was besieged, but victory was not granted against the people of Taif, who lived behind strong fortifications. Following the siege of Thaqif, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, arrived at the location of Ji’rana, where he met with Malik bin Awf, the leader of Hawazin. He returned Malik’s captured relatives and possessions to him, and also gifted him a hundred camels. Deeply moved by the treatment he received, Malik said, “O Messenger of Allah! I will take care of Thaqif for you. I will raid their grazing animals until they come to you as Muslims!”
After returning to his homeland, Malik bin Awf began launching raids against Thaqif. The people of Thaqif could no longer take their herds outside their fortified walls. Finally, the capture of a herd of a thousand sheep by Malik forced Thaqif to make a decision. Realizing they could no longer resist, they decided to negotiate with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. They sent a delegation of more than ten people, including six leaders, to Medina. However, none of the delegates felt at ease going to Medina. Their most prominent figure, Urwah bin Mas’ud, had chosen Islam but had been betrayed by his tribe, who stoned him to death. The delegates feared that if they returned as Muslims, they would meet the same fate.
The Thaqif delegation arrived in Medina during Ramadan in the 9th year after the Hijra. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had just returned from Tabuk. On the outskirts of Medina, they met Mughirah bin Shu’bah, a man from their own tribe who was grazing the Prophet’s camels. They told Mughirah the purpose of their visit and asked him to intercede on their behalf. Delighted by the news, Mughirah rushed to the mosque. At the entrance, he met Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said he wanted to deliver the joyful news himself. Abu Bakr entered the Prophet’s presence and informed him that Thaqif had come to embrace Islam. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was very pleased with the news. Meanwhile, Mughirah entered and explained the situation. The Prophet said, “I will grant them every written request they ask for, which I have not given to anyone else. Give them the good news!”
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had three tents set up for the Thaqif delegates near the mosque. Although Mughirah wanted to host them in his own home, the Prophet preferred that they stay at the mosque to soften their hearts. The Thaqif delegates observed the salat (prayers), listened to the Quran recited during the night prayers, and witnessed the interactions between the Prophet and his companions. Days passed in this manner. The Prophet would visit them from time to time and invite them to Islam. Finally, the Thaqif delegates decided to accept Islam on five conditions: they would not accept a leader from outside their tribe, they would be exempt from salat, jihad, and zakat (charity), and they would not destroy their idol named “Rabba” themselves, but would not object if someone else destroyed it.
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, agreed to appoint a leader from among them and accepted their condition regarding the idol. He did not object to their exemption from charity and jihad. However, he was very firm on the issue of salat. He said, “There is no good in a religion that does not include salat,” and emphatically commanded that the Thaqif must pray under all circumstances. Satisfied that most of their conditions were accepted, the Thaqif delegates returned to their land. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said after them, “After becoming Muslims and perform their salat, they will also give charity and participate in jihad.” Today, since we do not know of a religion without charity and jihad, we must pay close attention to the results of the Prophet’s insistence on the condition of prayer.
No matter how one defines Islam, salat is central. A place where it is not established, and a life not regulated by it, has no good. The most valuable act of a Muslim is salat performed on time. Salat is an inseparable part of Muslim identity. Wherever it is established, the call to salat is made, and people leave their work to go to the mosque for prayer, Islam is alive. The development of Islam in a place is not measured by the spread of mosques but by the gathering of people for salat. Salat gathers bodies and brings hearts together. The rows formed in congregation turn into hearts beating together. The number and closeness of the rows are indicators of the quality of Islamic brotherhood. To step forward in the row is to step forward in living Islam. Those who lag behind are left behind.
Salat is also the most important condition for the transfer of our personality and character to future generations. Children should first remember their parents by their salat. In this sense, prayer is an admonition, a proposal, and a proclamation. Performing salat is to explain prayer to our children. To establish salat is to propose prayer. To live between two salats as if in salat is to make salat attractive. To prioritize salat in all circumstances is to increase its appeal. To stop life for salat as soon as the call to salat is made is to integrate salat into life. Salat is the most visible and striking example of proclamation through action, not words. Those who want to instill salat in their generations must make salat their number one priority in life.
Salat is the distinction of being a Muslim. A Muslim finds life through salat, builds life with salat; finds their style, attitude, path, and even their friends and enemies through salat. We are the children of a lifestyle shaped by our prayer. We exist as much as our salat. We exist through our salat. Our name is clear; we are those who perform salat. Our children and family recognize us as such and know that the condition for being one of us is salat. Our family and household should be known by salat. Salat is the means of the perfection of the blessing of Islam upon us and our family.