This can’t be happening. A door closes. Then another. And yet, another.

A series of expectations, anticipated with great optimism, just don’t come to fruition. It doesn’t only happen to you- it has happened to the Prophet Muhammad, as well.

The Arabs unanimously recognized the Prophet Muhammad to be a stellar model for society; one who never lied, who was trustworthy, honorable and empathetic.

The Messenger of Allah had specific expectations in regards to the “two cities”- Makkah and Taif. That they would accept and believe in his call to “worship only one God”. However, most of the pagan Arabs had a completely different reaction. They fought against it tooth and nail. They tortured and boycotted those who believed in the Prophet and attempted to assassinate him multiple times.

During these difficult times, Khadijah, the wife of the Prophet, provided him with much solace and emotional support. However, a decade into the call for monotheism, the woman who covered him and wrapped him after his first experiences with the unseen, who was always there by his side, passed away.

His uncle, Abu Talib, who provided tribal support and protection against those who sought to kill him, passed away three days later.

Allah commanded the Prophet to raise the banner of monotheism in Makkah. So he did. Yet, Makkah seemed to be a place that was getting more dangerous by the day with lesser support.

Not becoming weary, the Prophet Muhammad turned to Taif hoping that its inhabitants would answer the invitation to monotheism. If they did, this would allow him to move to a safer place as well. It turned out that they were not fond of his call at all. Instead, they decided to let the youth hurl stones at him until he bled before exiting the walls of the city. Aisha asked the Prophet one day:

“Was there a day more severe than the day of Uhud (a battle in which the Prophet was injured)?”

He responded to her by mentioning the day at Taif.

Overwhelmed, exhausted, injured, and having seen another door closed, the Prophet returned to Makkah. On the way, he stopped to rest in the shade of a privately owned garden.

The owner of the garden saw the Prophet Muhammad’s condition and instructed his servant, Addas, to bring a plate of grapes to him. The Prophet began to eat and said:

“Bismillah (In the name of Allah)”.

Startled, Addas said:

“By Allah, the people of this city do not say such a phrase!”

The Prophet questioned:

“And from which city are you from, O Addas? And what is your religion?”

Addas replied:

“I am a Christian and I am from the people of Nineveh.”

The Prophet added:

“From the city of the righteous man Jonah, son of Matta.”

Addas inquired:

“How do you know Jonah, son of Matta?”

The Prophet answered:

“That is my brother. He was a Prophet and I am a Prophet.”

The Prophet Jonah was sent by Allah to invite his people to monotheism. They rejected his call to the point that the Prophet Jonah left his people.

The Prophet’s conversation with Addas is a profound one. Allah showed the Prophet Muhammad that despite the people’s rejection of the Prophet Jonah, hundreds of years later, there he was, speaking to a believer in Jonah who came from Jonah’s city.

How can one ever give up hope? How can one not trust in Allah? The message is – eventually they will believe in you O Prophet, as the people of Jonah later believed in him.

Eventually, if we – as believers – continue to trust in Allah and have hope, He will bring about positive outcomes.

In his own words, the Prophet Muhammad described his departure from Taif:

“I departed, overwhelmed with excessive sorrow, and I could not relax until I found myself at a tree where I lifted my head towards the sky to see a cloud shading me. I looked up and saw Gabriel in it. He called me saying: Allah has heard your people’s saying to you and how they have replied, and Allah has sent the Angel of the Mountains to you that you may order him to do whatever you wish to these people. The Angel of the Mountains greeted me and he said: O Muhammad, order what you wish, and if you like, I will let the mountains fall on them.” The Prophet said, “No, rather I hope that Allah will bring from their descendants people who will worship Allah alone without associating partners with him.” (Al-Bukhari)

Conviction shone from the words of the Prophet Muhammad.

The Makkan and Taif rejection did not make the Prophet Muhammad waver in the least bit from his prophethood, trust in Allah, or hope in Him. Additionally, he did not allow the harsh treatment of the pagan Arabs to change his character by making him revengeful. Instead, he hoped that the city would change one day. And it has.

{And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him. Indeed, Allah will accomplish His purpose.} (Quran 65:3)

{So whoever would hope for the meeting with his Lord – let him do righteous work and not associate in the worship of his Lord anyone.} (Quran 18:110)