Attention, all feathers and beaks gather round.
I, Captain Sohail, have an important public declaration.
Ooh, a declaration.
Is it about treasure?
Worm prices?
A secret map?
A secret duet for flight speed?
It is a truth that must be shared.
Is he going to say something serious?
What's a seagull's favorite kind of math?
I don't know.
What is it?
Sea-ometry.
That's genius.
Like geometric waves.
Oh, I've got one.
What did the date say to the fig at the market?
What?
You're my jam.
That wasn't even a pun.
That was like squishy word salad.
Oh, we're just warming up.
Why don't pirates take a bath before walking the plank?
Why?
Because they just wash up on shore.
Oh, pluck my feathers.
That is too good.
Okay, okay.
What did the hoopoe say when someone tried to take its branch during prayer?
No clue.
Hey, I was just doing two rakah.
That pun needs wudu.
I've got another.
What kind of bird gives the best cutba?
Hmm, what kind?
An imamulet.
That wasn't even funny.
That's extraordinary.
Okay, okay, last one.
What do you call a feather that always tells the truth?
What?
A Sadiq feather.
Oh, Lord.
You, my friend, are a master of the halal hilarity.
As are you, Captain.
You're truly the punniest prophet of punchlines.
And you, Captain, are the sheik of seabird stand-up.
Shall we tour Arabia with our traveling joke show?
By the beaks of butter, yes.
This is the best public announcement I've ever made.
Oh, feathers.
Let's just start this story already.
Mirage Digital presents The Amazing Stories with Zucky the Hoopoe.
Season 2, Episode 14 The City, The Mountain and The Message.
Salaam, my amazing friends.
It's me, Zucky the Hoopoe, your favorite feathered storyteller, and I'm so glad you're here.
Today's story is a big one.
I mean really big.
It's about a mountain, a message, and the moment everything changed.
Let me ask you something.
Have you ever had to say something important?
Even when you were scared?
I once told a crab he was standing on my lunch.
Boldest thing I've ever done.
Was the lunch another crab?
That's not exactly what I meant, Captain Sohail.
I'm talking about speaking up when it matters, even if others might not like it.
You see, after years of sharing Islam in secret and quietly teaching those who believed, the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him was given a new command from Allah to go public to tell everyone in Makkah.
Blimey, that's like trying to give a khutba to a flock of seagulls during snack time.
It took courage, trust, and a whole lot of heart.
And it happened in one of the most famous places in Makkah, Mount Safa.
So, fluff up your feathers, take a deep breath, and get ready.
Because today, the prophet climbs a mountain.
And what he says at the top, well, it echoes all the way to us.
Do you remember the last story, my friends?
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, invited all of his family over for a special dinner, not just for dates and stew, but to tell them something important.
He told them that Allah had chosen him as a messenger, that he was here to guide them to the truth, to worship only one God, to leave behind idols, to care for each other, to prepare for the day of judgment.
And how'd that go, eh?
Not very well, Captain.
Most of his family stayed quiet.
But one man spoke loudly, and not in a kind way.
His name was Abu Lahab.
Do you remember him?
Wait, I do.
Isn't he the Prophet's uncle?
Yes, Nunu.
Abu Lahab was the Prophet's uncle by blood, but not by heart.
Even though he was family, he didn't believe the message.
In fact, he hated it.
Some uncle like a seagull stealing your lunch and yelling at you for it.
When the Prophet invited his family to the truth, Abu Lahab yelled at him, insulted him and told everyone to ignore him.
But why would someone not want to hear about Allah?
That's a great question, Nunu.
You see, change is scary for some people, especially when it means giving up things they love, even if those things are wrong.
What do you think it feels like to be laughed at when you're trying to do the right thing?
The Prophet felt that he had to be patient, brave, and trust that Allah would guide him.
Then one day, Allah sent him a new command.
A very big one.
It's in the Quran.
And warn your nearest relatives.
Warn them?
Like tell them something dangerous is coming?
Exactly, Nunu.
The Prophet was told to warn everyone in Makkah, not just family, to tell them about the hereafter, about heaven and hell, about Allah's mercy and his justice.
Sounds like a mighty big job, like telling every bird in Arabia that nap time's over.
Well said, Captain.
The people of Makkah were definitely asleep.
This time Prophet Muhammad wouldn't just invite people to dinner.
No, he was going to climb up a mountain.
He climbed Mount Safa, a rocky hill near the Kaaba, a place where people made announcements.
Imagine him standing there, his robe blowing in the wind, his voice strong and full of love.
Oh, people of Quraish, come close.
I have something important to say.
Did everyone come?
They did.
All the tribes gathered at the bottom of the hill.
Curious, some were confused, some worried.
If someone stood on a hill in your neighborhood and said, I have something important to tell you.
Would you go listen?
That's what the people did.
They knew Muhammad was honest.
He had never lied.
They used to call him Al-Amin, didn't they?
The trusty bird.
I mean man.
Yes, Al-Amin, the trustworthy.
And now Al-Amin had something to say that would change everything.
But what did he say?
What powerful words did he use to warn them?
There he stood, the Prophet Muhammad, on top of Mount Safa.
Below him the people of Makkah gathered, his family, his neighbors, the leaders of Quraysh.
That's a lot of pressure.
I once froze giving a speech to three owls and a cat.
Was he scared?
You know, i'm not sure the cat was all that scared.
Not the cat, i was asking about the prophet.
That's a good question, nunu.
He was brave and he would do whatever allah told him to do.
But for us, bravery doesn't mean you're never afraid.
It means you still do the right thing, even if your wings are shaking.
The prophet knew this message was more important than his fear.
So he raised his voice and began with something everyone would understand.
They answered, Yes, you are truthful.
We've never known you to lie.
And then the prophet said, Then know this, I am a warner to you before a severe punishment.
Worship Allah alone.
Turn away from idols.
Prepare for the day of judgment.
The people listened, their eyes fixed on the prophet.
They had never heard him speak like this, so direct, so urgent.
And then it happened.
Abu Lahab, the prophet's own uncle, stepped forward from the crowd.
His face twisted in anger and he shouted May your hands perish, Muhammad.
Is this why you called us here?
Just imagine.
The person meant to protect you, the one from your own family, turning on.
You like that right in front of everyone.
That was his uncle.
Why would he be so mean?
Because the truth can make some hearts harder when they don't want to hear it.
It was public.
It was loud.
It was meant to embarrass the prophet and make him look bad.
But the prophet, peace be upon him, didn't shout back.
He didn't argue.
He didn't even flinch.
Like getting feathers plucked by your own flock.
He simply stepped down with dignity.
That must have felt awful.
It did.
But it showed the kind of strength that doesn't push people down.
It lifts the truth up.
What would you do if someone insulted you for speaking the truth?
Not long after that moment, Allah revealed something powerful.
A message from above that would forever answer Abu Lahab's cruelty.
Perish the hands of Abu Lahab and perish he.
Allah Himself defended the Prophet, and not with anger, but with truth that echoed louder than any shout.
The Prophet stepped down from Mount Safa, his heart steady. but heavy.
Around him people looked away.
Some whispered.
Others shook their heads with disappointment.
As he walked through the streets of Makkah, the very people who once smiled at him Now turned their backs.
He had once been their trusted friend, their honest merchant, Al-Amin.
But now?
Now they were mad at him.
Not all of them, but many.
They didn't like what he said.
Not because it was untrue, but because it challenged everything they were used to.
Like flipping over a whole nest and saying, this weighs better.
Exactly, Captain.
A few of the early Muslims walked with him too, quietly.
No words, just presence.
Their silence said, we believe you, we're with you.
Even if no one else did?
Even then.
But all across Makkah, the message spread like wildfire.
By sunset, everyone was talking about it.
Did you hear what Muhammad said?
On the mountain, calling out the idols, warning of punishment.
Some laughed.
Some were scared.
But the leaders of Quraysh, they were angry.
They met that very night.
The chiefs of every major tribe sat together.
Abu Jahal, Utbah, Shaibah, Umayyah, and yes, Abu Lahab too.
I bet he had a lot to say.
He did.
They were furious, not just at the message, but at how public it was.
The mountains of Makkah had echoed with Tawhid.
With the oneness of Allah, their power, their idols, their traditions were being challenged.
That was the first spark of something much bigger a struggle, a mission and a test of faith that would change the world.
So, my friends, what do we learn from this moment on the mountain?
We learned that speaking the truth takes courage, real courage, the kind that doesn't shout or fight, but stand strong even when others laugh or walk away or call you names.
The prophet didn't argue, he didn't hide, he just told the truth and trusted that Allah would take care of the rest.
Have you ever been afraid to tell the truth?
Maybe when you saw something wrong or had to admit a mistake?
It's not always easy, but it's the right thing.
And when you speak with kindness, honesty and trust in Allah, you follow in the footsteps of the greatest messenger who ever lived.
I once told the truth about eating the last pomegranate.
Got squawked at for a week.
But I didn't regret it.
That's a start, Captain.
So, courage doesn't always come with cheers, does it?
No.
Sometimes it comes with silence.
But that silence, it echoes all the way to the angels.
And that, my amazing friends, was the day the prophet stood on a mountain.
And the truth stood with him.
One bird, I mean man, against the winds of a whole city.
That takes more than feathers.
It takes faith.
And now the message of Islam was out in the open.
But that also meant the challenges were just beginning.
You mean people weren't too happy about all this truth-telling?
That's right, Captain.
The next part of the story will take us from whispers to warnings, from private faith to public danger.
Are the Muslims going to be okay?
It won't be easy, Nunu.
But Allah never leaves the side of the believers.
Join us next time when we see what happens as the early Muslims begin to face something new oppression.
Gasp!
Will there be danger?
Will there be drama?
Will someone finally steal my lunch?
Maybe, but one thing's for sure, there will be courage, faith, and heart.
Then by the beak of Bahrain, I'll be there.
Until then, stay truthful, stay brave, and stay courageous.
Hey, why did the feather refuse to tell a lie?
Because it didn't want to ruffle any fitna.
This story was produced by Mirage Digital.
Voices provided by Wayne Holland as Zucky and Curtis Fletcher as Captain Sohail.
Episode written, directed and edited by Syed Kashf and Atef Hussein.
For more content by Mirage Digital, please visit our site at www.mirage.digital.
Content copyright and production copyright 2025 by Mirage Digital.
