Although the majority of Jews in Medina refused to accept Prophet Muhammad (sa) as a prophet, they knew it was in their best interest to ally themselves to him as he had become the most influential person in Medina so they went to him, without coercion, and a written contract was drawn up to which both parties pledged they would abide. The contract afforded fair benefits to both Muslim and Jew.

Amongst the contractual articles was that if a Muslim or Jew were harmed then the harmed party would receive the support of both Muslims and Jews alike. It was also agreed that in the event of war they would fight as one party against the pagans, and that the expense would be shared equally. It was also agreed that neither Muslim nor Jew would enter into a separate peace treaty behind the back of the other. The Jews acknowledged the Prophet (sa) to be both fair and diplomatic, so they willingly agreed that if a dispute should arise between a Muslim and a Jew, the matter would be decided by him.

One day, a Muslim thinking he would have the support of his fellow Muslims, took advantage of a Jew. The issue was taken to the Prophet (sa) and the Jew received his rights. On the surface things appeared to be in harmony, but the underlying resentment of the Jews lay dormant for the time being. There were also members of the Arab tribes of Aws and Khazraj who said, when they were invited to believe, they believed.

However they did not, to them it was simply a matter of politics, some doubted the Message whilst others were hypocrites. It was during this era that Allah sent down the second chapter of the Koran, the Cow chapter, in which the likeness of those who believe and those who disbelieve is clarified. In the latter verses the Prophet (sa) and the believers were made aware that things were not always as they seemed:

"That is the (Holy) Book where there is no doubt. It is a guidance for the cautious (of evil and Hell). Who believe in the unseen and establish the (daily) prayer; who spend out of what We have provided them. Who believe in that which has been sent down to you (Prophet Muhammad) and what has been sent down before you (to Prophets Jesus and Moses), and firmly believe in the Everlasting Life. These are guided by their Lord; these surely are the prosperous.

Those who disbelieve, whether you forewarn them or not, they will not believe. Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and ears; their sight is dimmed and for them is a great punishment. There are some people who say: 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day,' yet they are not believers. They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none except themselves, though they do not sense it.

There is a sickness in their hearts which Allah has increased. For them there is a painful punishment because they lie. When it is said to them, 'Do not corrupt in the land,' they reply, 'We are only reformers.' But it is they who are the evildoers, though they do not sense it.

When it is said to them: 'Believe as (other) people believe,' they reply, 'Are we to believe as fools believe?' It is they who are the fools, if only they knew! When they meet those who believe they say, 'We, too believe.' But when they are alone with their devils, they say to them: 'We follow none but you, we were only mocking.' Allah will mock at them and prolong them in sin, blundering blindly." Koran 2:2-15

Later on in the same chapter, Allah informed the Prophet (sa) and his followers of the jealously the Jews harbored towards them:

Many of the People of the Book wish they might turn you back as unbelievers, after you have believed, in envy of their souls, after the truth has been clarified to them. So pardon and forgive until Allah brings His command. Allah is Powerful over everything." (Koran 2:109)

Provocation

There were among those who did not believe people who would seize any opportunity that came their way to cast doubt upon the prophethood of Muhammad (sa). On one such occasion a camel belonging to the Prophet (sa) happened to stray whereupon an unbeliever seized the opportunity to jeer saying, "Muhammad claims that news comes to him from the heavens, yet he does not know where his camel is!"

When the matter was reported to the Prophet (sa) he was not angered and replied, "I only know what Allah permits me to know. Now He has made it known to me that her halter has become tangled in the branches of a tree in a valley which I will describe." Then the Prophet (sa) described the valley whereupon some of his companions recognized the valley in which she was and went to retrieve the camel. When they reached the valley they found the camel's halter had indeed become tangled in the branches of a tree and brought it back to the Prophet (sa).

The Troublemaker

Among the Jewish tribe of Kaynuka was an elderly man known for his ability to stir up trouble. Before the advent of Islam and the Prophet's arrival in Medina, the tribes of Aws and Khazraj had been continually at each other’s throat and consequently many conflicts were fought. The Jew felt uneasy about the newly established bond between the tribes and wished to see an end to it. With this object in mind he connived a plan to break up this newly established peace.

In recent years, there had been a conflict between the two tribes. In an effort to reinforce their numbers the tribe of Aws had sent a delegation to Mecca to enlist the support of the Koraysh. However, the Aws were not successful as the Koraysh deemed it more prudent to remain neutral in the matter and not long after the conflict at Bu'ath had ensued. Both sides had written impassioned poetry in tribute of their warriors expounding the merits and virtues of their tribe over the other.

The Jew knew of a young man with a very fine, provocative voice who knew both these tribal poems and persuaded him to go and sit amongst the newly established friends and recite the poems to them. The result was exactly as the Jew planned, soon old passions were re-ignited, wounds reopened, memories revived and a call to arms ensued. As the tribes of Aws and Khazraj made their way to the lava mounds outside Quba to fight the matter out, news of the impending breach in the peace reached the Prophet (sa).

Together with the Muhajirs they made haste to the lava mounds; the conflict was about to erupt when the Prophet (sa) reached them and called to them passionately saying, "O Muslims!" he continued: "Allah, Allah -- would you do as you did in the Days of Ignorance even though I am with you? Allah has guided you to Islam, and honored you with it and rid you of your pagan ways saving you from disbelief, and has united your hearts!"

Immediately, the two sides realized they had been easy victims of pride so they laid down their arms and the Jew's scheme came to naught. This fine example of the immediate response to the remembrance of Allah, obedience to His Prophet (sa), and the unifying brotherhood of Islam in extenuating circumstances is one that in many cases, in this day and age, been unfortunately forgotten or overlooked, and the Words of Allah neglected or even disregarded. He says:

“Believers are indeed brothers, therefore make things right among your two brothers and fear Allah, so you will be subject to mercy.” (Koran 49:10)

The Prophet (sa) warned: “When two Muslims oppose each other with swords, both the killer and the murdered will be in Hell.” A companion asked, “O Messenger of Allah (sa) surely, it is only the killer. What about the one who has been killed?” The Prophet (sa) answered, “The other was also eager to kill his companion.”

The Death of Two Companions and Two Adversaries and the First Born in Medina

During the first year after the Prophet's migration, Kulthum, Hidm's son, and Asad, Zurarah's son passed away. Both of the companions had been very close to the Prophet (sa). It was in Kulthum's house that the Prophet (sa) had stayed during part of his time in Quba, Kulthum had been especially kind to the migrants and given many of them a home. Asad, Zurarah's son had been among the first men of Yathrib to pledge his allegiance at Aqabah and it was in his house that Mus'ab, Umair's son, the envoy of the Prophet (sa) stayed in the very early days of Islam in Medina. Later, Asad had become the Imam of his tribe, the tribe of Najjar.

There were those in Medina who chose to take these deaths as an argument against the prophethood, contending that if Prophet Muhammad (sa) had been a prophet, then these deaths would not have occurred. When the Prophet (sa) heard what was being said he was not angered but commented, "I have no power with Allah either for myself or for my companions."

It was also during this first year that the infamous enemies of Islam, Waleed, Mughirah's son, father of Khalid and As, the son of Wa'il Sahmi, the father of Amr, who was later to become the famous Opener of Egypt died. Asma, the eldest daughter of Abu Bakr and her husband Zubair were blessed with a son whom they named Abdullah. Up until that time no child had been born to a Muslim family in Medina.

The Chief Rabbi of the Tribe of Kaynuka

Ben Shalom was the Chief Rabbi of the tribe of Kaynuka and also the most knowledgeable Jew in Medina. He had already learned of the Prophet's teachings from traders returning from Mecca and was in no doubt that he was the one prophesied in the scriptures, for his message, description and circumstances exactly matched those he had learned by heart, however, he decided to conceal his conviction until he had a chance to meet him.

The time of year had come when the palm trees needed tending in his aunt's garden so he climbed to the top of one of them and set about his work. As he busied himself, a man from the children of Amr, the son of Auf, came bearing the news that the man the Arabs called the Prophet (sa) had reached Quba and was staying there. Much to the surprise of his aunt Khalida, who was sitting below the tree, Ben Shalom was so excited that he exclaimed, "Allah is Great!" and climbed down the tree. His aunt was surprised by his exuberant outburst and said, "Indeed, you could not have made so much fuss if you had heard that Moses, the son of Imran had come!" Ben Shalom replied, "My aunt, he is the brother of Moses and upholds his religion, he has been sent with the same mission!"

His aunt inquired if he really thought that this man could be the long expected Prophet, whereupon he told her that he had absolutely no doubt whatsoever that he was for all the signs had been fulfilled in him. Without further hesitation, Ben Shalom went to Quba to meet the Prophet (sa) and embraced Islam taking the name Abdullah -- worshiper of Allah. Upon his return to Medina he spoke to his family and encouraged them to embrace Islam. However, he concealed his conversion from his fellow Jews for a while longer as he anticipated an adverse reaction.

Abdullah had always been an exemplary figure to his community and knew both their strengths and weaknesses. He had, on many occasions, spoken of the prophecy and told his congregation that his time was near at hand, however, he knew it would be hard for all but the humble to accept the fact that the prophethood had been taken away from the Jews but hoped that through his example they would trust him and accept Prophet Muhammad (sa). He also recognized the fact that once his conversion became known he would most likely be denounced by his former colleagues, who, as a result, would no longer utter a good word about him.

So, when the Prophet (sa) reached Medina, he visited him and requested him to call the other rabbis and leaders of his tribe together and ask them for their opinion of him, not as a matter for self-esteem but as a matter of exposition. The invitations were delivered and the rabbis and tribal leaders accepted. When the time arrived, Abdullah Ben Shalom concealed himself in the Prophet's house and awaited their arrival. Upon their arrival the Prophet (sa) welcomed them in his usual hospitable customary way and gave them food and drink, then, during the course of the conversation asked their opinion of Ben Shalom.

Without hesitation they spoke highly of him telling the Prophet (sa) that he was their chief rabbi, in fact he was the son of their former chief rabbi and without doubt the most knowledgeable among them. Upon hearing their witnessing, Abdullah Ben Shalom stepped forward and said, "O Jews, fear Allah and accept what He has sent you, indeed you know that this man is the Messenger of Allah (sa)."

Then, before his peers he declared his acceptance of Islam. Immediately the rabbis and leaders no longer had a good word to say about him, rather they began to rebuke and spurn him, which was a complete reversal of their attestation just a few moments before.

Later Abdullah was heard to say, "I recognized him as soon as I saw him, in the same way that I know my son, rather, my knowledge of him is even greater." Allah endorses the fact that the rabbis were able to recognize Prophet Muhammad (sa) from his description in their Holy Books by saying:

"Those to whom We have given the Book, know him (Prophet Muhammad) as they know their own sons. But a party of them conceal the truth while they know." (Koran 2:146)

Rabbi Zayd

Another rabbi embraced Islam, his name was Zayd, Sa'nah's son. However, he did not embrace Islam immediately as he was not as knowledgeable as Abdullah. Later he explained the reason for his delay saying, "In the Prophet's face there were characteristics. I recognized all of the signs except two because I had not as yet had the opportunity to observe them. They are that his kindness is swift when facing the ignorance of others, and the second is that the more foolishness directed towards him only increases his kindness."