﷽
*AR-RAHĪQ AL-MAKHTOUM (The Pure Nectar). A Treaties On Prophet Muhammad's Biography.*
*Part 41*
*ATTACKS ON THE PROPHET (Blessings and Peace be upon him)*
Quraish violated the respectability and holiness of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) whom they were holding in high regard in the beginning of the calling. Thanks to their arrogance and conceit, it was so hard for them to have patience for a long time. They used all forms of persecution, aggression and defamation against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). At the forefront of those who attacked and derided the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) was Abu Jahl who was one of the prominent figures of the clan of Hāshim. He was rudely fearless and defiant. He was a mortal enemy to Islam and Muslims because he adopted a hostile line against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) since the beginning of the calling of Islam. He was the first one to attack the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) before Quraish themselves thought of that. We talked previously about what he did with the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) at the meeting place of Banu Hāshim and the mountain of As-Saffa. Here are some examples of his aggression against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him):
1. Before the Prophet's mission, Abu Lahab married his two sons 'Utba and 'Atiba to Ruqayya and Umm Kulthum, the Prophet's two daughters. As soon as the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) received the divine message, Abu Lahab forced his two sons to divorce their wives.
2. When 'Abdullāh, the second child of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) died, Abu Lahab rejoiced at the news and went to his fellow polytheists to inform them that Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him) became sonless.
3. We also pointed out previously that Abu Lahab was pursuing the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) during the season of pilgrimage and in markets to discredit him and coax other listeners into disbelieving him too. Tarīq Ibn 'Abdullāh Al-Muhāriby reported that Abu Lahab did not restrict himself to belying the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), but he also was in the habit of hurling stones at the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) till his heels bled. Abu Lahab used to do all that though he was one of the Prophet's uncles and his next-door neighbour.
As for the wife of Abu Lahab (Umm Gamil Arwa bint Harb Ibn Umayya), she was not less antagonistic and hostile to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) than her husband. It was reported that she used to collect thorns and put them in the Prophet's way and at his house's door at night. She was sharp-tongued as she slandered and maligned him a lot. Add to that she was always stirring up trouble against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and causing ruthless attacks on him. So the Qur-ān called her 'the collector of firewood.'
After she heard of the Qur-ānic verses that talked about her and her husband, she went to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while he was sitting at the Ka'abah with Abu Bakr As-Siddīq, holding a stone in her hand. As she stood near them, Allāh got her not to see the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) though she saw Abu Bakr. She said: "Abu Bakr, where is your companion? I heard that he lampooned me. If I found him, I would throw this stone at his mouth. I am a poetess and I can criticise in like." Then she said: "We disobeyed a dispraised man, rejected his message and detested his religion." After she left, Abu Bakr asked the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him): "O Allāh's Messenger! Do you think that she saw you?" The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said: "She did not see me as Allāh prevented her from seeing me."
Abu Bakr Al-Bazzār narrated the same story with the addition: "When she stood near Abu Bakr, she said: "Abu Bakr, your companion satirised us." Abu Bakr said: "No, by the Lord of the Ka'abah. He never writes poetry or speaks it." She said: "Then you are truthful."
Ibn Is'hāq said: "The people who were offending and attacking the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) at his dwelling were Abu Lahab, Al-Hakam Ibn Abul-'Ass Ibn Umayya, 'Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ait, 'Adeyy Ibn Hamraa Ath-Thaqafy and Ibnul-Asdā Al-Hazly. They were neighbours to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). None of them embraced Islam but Al-Hakam Ibn Abul-'Ass. They used to put the placenta of a ewe on his back while praying or in his earthenware pot. To shun their harassments, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) made a curtain to hide behind when praying. But they kept offending the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) who used to remove the dirty things they put at his house by a stick and stand at the door of any of them saying: "O children of 'Abd Manāf, what kind of neighbourhood is this?" He could do nothing but throw the filthy things aside. 'Uqba Ibn Mu'ait transgressed all bounds in attacking and harming the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). Al-Bukhāry narrated on the authority of 'Abdullāh Ibn Mas'ūd that the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) was praying at the Sacred House while while Abu Jahl and his Companions were sitting. Upon this they said to one another: "Which one of you can fetch the entrails of a butchered camel of a certain people and place them on the back of Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while he is prostrating?" They sent the most wretched one of the people, 'Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ait, who fetched them and stopped for a while. As soon as the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) had prostrated himself, he put them on his back between his two shoulders. I ('Abdullāh Ibn Mas'ūd) stood watching everything but I had no way to stop them. He said: "They kept laughing and swaying towards one another out of joy and delight while the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) was in prostration." He did not raise his head till Fātimah came and removed them from his back. He raised his head and said three times: "O Allāh! Take revenge on Quraish." This brought evil upon them as invocation was believed to be answerable in this country. Then the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) mentioned some of them by name saying: "O Allāh! Punish Abu Jahl, 'Utba Ibn Rabī'ah, Shaiba Ibn Rabī'ah, Al-Walīd Ibn 'Utba, Umayya Ibn Khalaff and 'Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ait." The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) [Ibn Mas'ūd] mentioned the fourth one in this list but I did not remember his name. By the One who controls my soul I saw the men whom the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) mentioned killed at Al-Qalib, in the Battle of Badr.
Whenever Umayya Ibn Khalaff saw the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), he began to slander and backbite him. In this regard Allāh says:
Surah Al-Humaza, Verse 1-9:
وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ
Woe to every slanderer and backbiter.
الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ
Who has gathered wealth and counted it,
يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ
He thinks that his wealth will make him last forever!
كَلَّا لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ
Nay! Verily, he will be thrown into the crushing Fire.
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ
And what will make you know what the crushing Fire is?
نَارُ اللَّهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ
The fire of Allah, kindled,
الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ
Which leaps up over the hearts,
إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌ
Verily, it shall be closed in on them,
فِي عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةٍ
In pillars stretched forth (i.e. they will be punished in the Fire with pillars, etc.).
Ibn Hishām said: "Al-Humazah (calumniators or scorners) means those who calumniate and defame others publicly while Lumazah (mockers or backbiters) means people who backbite and criticise others secretly.
Ubayy Ibn Khalaff and 'Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ait were two close friends. Once 'Uqba sat near the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and listened to him. When Ubayy knew of that, he blamed him gently for doing so and asked him to spit on the Prophet's face (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and he did. As for Ubayy, he crushed some decayed bones and blew them into the Prophet's face. Also Al-Akhnas Ibn Shariq Ath-Thaqafy was among those who were harassing and persecuting the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). The Glorious Qur-ān describes him by nine characteristics that refer to his bad behaviour and wicked personality in the verses reading:
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 10-13:
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ
And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless,
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ
A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful,
عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth),
Abu Jahl was sometimes listening to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while reciting the Qur-ān. But he was leaving and going away without believing, submission, or inclination to treat the Prophet gently or fear people's criticisms. All that he did was to offend and harm the Prophet, prevent people from the religion of Allāh and then go away boastful of his misdeeds as if they had been grand exploits. Allāh says in the Glorious Qur-ān about him:
Surah Al-Qiyama, Verse 31:
فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّىٰ
So he (the disbeliever) neither believed (in this Qur-ān, in the Message of Muhammad [Blessings and Peace be upon him]) nor prayed!
What was more terrible was that he used to prevent the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) from performing prayer from the first time when he saw him doing so in the Meccan Sanctuary. One day Abu Jahl passed the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while he was praying at the Abode of Abraham. He said to him threatening: "Muhammad, didn't I warn you not to pray here before?" The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) reproached him and replied to him roughly. Abu Jahl retorted: "What do you threaten me with? I am the strongest one in this valley." In this regard, Allāh revealed the verses that read:
Surah Al-Alaq, Verse 17-18:
فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ
Then, let him call upon his council (of helpers),
سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ
We will call the guards of Hell (to deal with him)!
It is reported in another version that the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) seized him by the neck and shook him saying:
Surah Al-Qiyama, Verse 34:
أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَىٰ
Woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you!
ثُمَّ أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَىٰ
Again, woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you!
Thereupon Abu Jahl said: "Do you threaten me, Muhammad? Neither you nor your God can do me any harm. I am the most honourable and strongest one in Mecca." Despite this heavenly threat aimed at him, Abu Jahl never awakened from his stupidity and imbecility. He intensified his attacks and offence against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). Imām Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that Abu Jahl said: "Muhammad covers his face with dust before you? It was said: "Yes." He then said: "By Al-Lāt and Al-'Uzzā, I will tread on his neck and soil his face with dust if I see him doing so." So he went to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while he was praying to tread on his neck as he said. And suddenly he retreated crawling with sheer fright. His friends asked him: "What's wrong with you, Abul-Hakam?" He said: "A trench filled with fire and dangerous huge creatures with wings stood between me and him." On this, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said (to us): "If he approached me more closely, angels will snatch his body organ by organ."
This is a pared-down form of oppression, persecution and attacks from which the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and Muslims suffered at the hands of the oppressive polytheists who claimed to be the people of Allāh and the inhabitants of the Meccan Sanctuary.
These deteriorating and dreadful conditions required a strict and serious attitude adopted by the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) to rescue Muslims and alleviate their agonies as much as he possibly could. Therefore, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) took two wise steps that had good effects on the progress of the calling and the achievement of his goals:
1. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) chose the House of Al-Arqam Ibn Abul-Arqam Al-Makhzūmy as a centre for the calling and preaching.
2. He commanded Muslims to immigrate to Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia).
THE HOUSE OF AL-ARQAM
This house located near the mountain of As-Safa and was hidden from the sight of the wrongful polytheists and their assemblies. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) chose it for certain reasons: to meet Muslims secretly therein; to recite the Qur-ān to them; to preach them and teach them their acts of worship and religious rituals; Muslims could receive what Allāh revealed to His Prophet in security and Peace; the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) received new Muslims who professed their conversation to Islam before him. Undoubtedly, if the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) met Muslims openly, polytheists would try very severely and toughly to prevent him from preaching them. Moreover, this might lead to bloody fight and direct clashes between the two parties. But this occurred as well. Ibn Is'hāq mentioned that the Prophet's followers were meeting at the mountain passes and wadis to perform prayer secretly. When a group of polytheists saw them, they abused and fought them. Once Sa'ad Ibn Abu Waqqās struck a man of them and caused his blood to flow.
It is known that if clashes recurred and took long, they would lead to the destruction and elimination of Muslims. So it was wise to depend upon the principle of secrecy and concealment. Although the majority of Muslims used to conceal their conversion to Islam and perform their religious rituals secretly, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) proclaimed his calling and offered his acts of worship before polytheists. But he was meeting Muslims secretly for their benefit and it was in the best interest of Islam too.
*{To be continued In-sha-Allāh (If Allāh Wills)...}*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur'an 51:55)
*AR-RAHĪQ AL-MAKHTOUM (The Pure Nectar). A Treaties On Prophet Muhammad's Biography.*
*Part 41*
*ATTACKS ON THE PROPHET (Blessings and Peace be upon him)*
Quraish violated the respectability and holiness of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) whom they were holding in high regard in the beginning of the calling. Thanks to their arrogance and conceit, it was so hard for them to have patience for a long time. They used all forms of persecution, aggression and defamation against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). At the forefront of those who attacked and derided the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) was Abu Jahl who was one of the prominent figures of the clan of Hāshim. He was rudely fearless and defiant. He was a mortal enemy to Islam and Muslims because he adopted a hostile line against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) since the beginning of the calling of Islam. He was the first one to attack the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) before Quraish themselves thought of that. We talked previously about what he did with the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) at the meeting place of Banu Hāshim and the mountain of As-Saffa. Here are some examples of his aggression against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him):
1. Before the Prophet's mission, Abu Lahab married his two sons 'Utba and 'Atiba to Ruqayya and Umm Kulthum, the Prophet's two daughters. As soon as the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) received the divine message, Abu Lahab forced his two sons to divorce their wives.
2. When 'Abdullāh, the second child of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) died, Abu Lahab rejoiced at the news and went to his fellow polytheists to inform them that Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him) became sonless.
3. We also pointed out previously that Abu Lahab was pursuing the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) during the season of pilgrimage and in markets to discredit him and coax other listeners into disbelieving him too. Tarīq Ibn 'Abdullāh Al-Muhāriby reported that Abu Lahab did not restrict himself to belying the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), but he also was in the habit of hurling stones at the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) till his heels bled. Abu Lahab used to do all that though he was one of the Prophet's uncles and his next-door neighbour.
As for the wife of Abu Lahab (Umm Gamil Arwa bint Harb Ibn Umayya), she was not less antagonistic and hostile to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) than her husband. It was reported that she used to collect thorns and put them in the Prophet's way and at his house's door at night. She was sharp-tongued as she slandered and maligned him a lot. Add to that she was always stirring up trouble against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and causing ruthless attacks on him. So the Qur-ān called her 'the collector of firewood.'
After she heard of the Qur-ānic verses that talked about her and her husband, she went to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while he was sitting at the Ka'abah with Abu Bakr As-Siddīq, holding a stone in her hand. As she stood near them, Allāh got her not to see the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) though she saw Abu Bakr. She said: "Abu Bakr, where is your companion? I heard that he lampooned me. If I found him, I would throw this stone at his mouth. I am a poetess and I can criticise in like." Then she said: "We disobeyed a dispraised man, rejected his message and detested his religion." After she left, Abu Bakr asked the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him): "O Allāh's Messenger! Do you think that she saw you?" The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said: "She did not see me as Allāh prevented her from seeing me."
Abu Bakr Al-Bazzār narrated the same story with the addition: "When she stood near Abu Bakr, she said: "Abu Bakr, your companion satirised us." Abu Bakr said: "No, by the Lord of the Ka'abah. He never writes poetry or speaks it." She said: "Then you are truthful."
Ibn Is'hāq said: "The people who were offending and attacking the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) at his dwelling were Abu Lahab, Al-Hakam Ibn Abul-'Ass Ibn Umayya, 'Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ait, 'Adeyy Ibn Hamraa Ath-Thaqafy and Ibnul-Asdā Al-Hazly. They were neighbours to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). None of them embraced Islam but Al-Hakam Ibn Abul-'Ass. They used to put the placenta of a ewe on his back while praying or in his earthenware pot. To shun their harassments, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) made a curtain to hide behind when praying. But they kept offending the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) who used to remove the dirty things they put at his house by a stick and stand at the door of any of them saying: "O children of 'Abd Manāf, what kind of neighbourhood is this?" He could do nothing but throw the filthy things aside. 'Uqba Ibn Mu'ait transgressed all bounds in attacking and harming the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). Al-Bukhāry narrated on the authority of 'Abdullāh Ibn Mas'ūd that the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) was praying at the Sacred House while while Abu Jahl and his Companions were sitting. Upon this they said to one another: "Which one of you can fetch the entrails of a butchered camel of a certain people and place them on the back of Prophet Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while he is prostrating?" They sent the most wretched one of the people, 'Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ait, who fetched them and stopped for a while. As soon as the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) had prostrated himself, he put them on his back between his two shoulders. I ('Abdullāh Ibn Mas'ūd) stood watching everything but I had no way to stop them. He said: "They kept laughing and swaying towards one another out of joy and delight while the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) was in prostration." He did not raise his head till Fātimah came and removed them from his back. He raised his head and said three times: "O Allāh! Take revenge on Quraish." This brought evil upon them as invocation was believed to be answerable in this country. Then the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) mentioned some of them by name saying: "O Allāh! Punish Abu Jahl, 'Utba Ibn Rabī'ah, Shaiba Ibn Rabī'ah, Al-Walīd Ibn 'Utba, Umayya Ibn Khalaff and 'Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ait." The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) [Ibn Mas'ūd] mentioned the fourth one in this list but I did not remember his name. By the One who controls my soul I saw the men whom the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) mentioned killed at Al-Qalib, in the Battle of Badr.
Whenever Umayya Ibn Khalaff saw the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), he began to slander and backbite him. In this regard Allāh says:
Surah Al-Humaza, Verse 1-9:
وَيْلٌ لِّكُلِّ هُمَزَةٍ لُّمَزَةٍ
Woe to every slanderer and backbiter.
الَّذِي جَمَعَ مَالًا وَعَدَّدَهُ
Who has gathered wealth and counted it,
يَحْسَبُ أَنَّ مَالَهُ أَخْلَدَهُ
He thinks that his wealth will make him last forever!
كَلَّا لَيُنبَذَنَّ فِي الْحُطَمَةِ
Nay! Verily, he will be thrown into the crushing Fire.
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحُطَمَةُ
And what will make you know what the crushing Fire is?
نَارُ اللَّهِ الْمُوقَدَةُ
The fire of Allah, kindled,
الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلَى الْأَفْئِدَةِ
Which leaps up over the hearts,
إِنَّهَا عَلَيْهِم مُّؤْصَدَةٌ
Verily, it shall be closed in on them,
فِي عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَةٍ
In pillars stretched forth (i.e. they will be punished in the Fire with pillars, etc.).
Ibn Hishām said: "Al-Humazah (calumniators or scorners) means those who calumniate and defame others publicly while Lumazah (mockers or backbiters) means people who backbite and criticise others secretly.
Ubayy Ibn Khalaff and 'Uqba Ibn Abu Mu'ait were two close friends. Once 'Uqba sat near the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and listened to him. When Ubayy knew of that, he blamed him gently for doing so and asked him to spit on the Prophet's face (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and he did. As for Ubayy, he crushed some decayed bones and blew them into the Prophet's face. Also Al-Akhnas Ibn Shariq Ath-Thaqafy was among those who were harassing and persecuting the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). The Glorious Qur-ān describes him by nine characteristics that refer to his bad behaviour and wicked personality in the verses reading:
Surah Al-Qalam, Verse 10-13:
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ
And obey not everyone who swears much, and is considered worthless,
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ
A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
Hinderer of the good, transgressor, sinful,
عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth),
Abu Jahl was sometimes listening to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while reciting the Qur-ān. But he was leaving and going away without believing, submission, or inclination to treat the Prophet gently or fear people's criticisms. All that he did was to offend and harm the Prophet, prevent people from the religion of Allāh and then go away boastful of his misdeeds as if they had been grand exploits. Allāh says in the Glorious Qur-ān about him:
Surah Al-Qiyama, Verse 31:
فَلَا صَدَّقَ وَلَا صَلَّىٰ
So he (the disbeliever) neither believed (in this Qur-ān, in the Message of Muhammad [Blessings and Peace be upon him]) nor prayed!
What was more terrible was that he used to prevent the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) from performing prayer from the first time when he saw him doing so in the Meccan Sanctuary. One day Abu Jahl passed the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while he was praying at the Abode of Abraham. He said to him threatening: "Muhammad, didn't I warn you not to pray here before?" The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) reproached him and replied to him roughly. Abu Jahl retorted: "What do you threaten me with? I am the strongest one in this valley." In this regard, Allāh revealed the verses that read:
Surah Al-Alaq, Verse 17-18:
فَلْيَدْعُ نَادِيَهُ
Then, let him call upon his council (of helpers),
سَنَدْعُ الزَّبَانِيَةَ
We will call the guards of Hell (to deal with him)!
It is reported in another version that the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) seized him by the neck and shook him saying:
Surah Al-Qiyama, Verse 34:
أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَىٰ
Woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you!
ثُمَّ أَوْلَىٰ لَكَ فَأَوْلَىٰ
Again, woe to you [O man (disbeliever)]! And then (again) woe to you!
Thereupon Abu Jahl said: "Do you threaten me, Muhammad? Neither you nor your God can do me any harm. I am the most honourable and strongest one in Mecca." Despite this heavenly threat aimed at him, Abu Jahl never awakened from his stupidity and imbecility. He intensified his attacks and offence against the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him). Imām Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that Abu Jahl said: "Muhammad covers his face with dust before you? It was said: "Yes." He then said: "By Al-Lāt and Al-'Uzzā, I will tread on his neck and soil his face with dust if I see him doing so." So he went to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) while he was praying to tread on his neck as he said. And suddenly he retreated crawling with sheer fright. His friends asked him: "What's wrong with you, Abul-Hakam?" He said: "A trench filled with fire and dangerous huge creatures with wings stood between me and him." On this, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) said (to us): "If he approached me more closely, angels will snatch his body organ by organ."
This is a pared-down form of oppression, persecution and attacks from which the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) and Muslims suffered at the hands of the oppressive polytheists who claimed to be the people of Allāh and the inhabitants of the Meccan Sanctuary.
These deteriorating and dreadful conditions required a strict and serious attitude adopted by the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) to rescue Muslims and alleviate their agonies as much as he possibly could. Therefore, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) took two wise steps that had good effects on the progress of the calling and the achievement of his goals:
1. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) chose the House of Al-Arqam Ibn Abul-Arqam Al-Makhzūmy as a centre for the calling and preaching.
2. He commanded Muslims to immigrate to Abyssinia (present-day Ethiopia).
THE HOUSE OF AL-ARQAM
This house located near the mountain of As-Safa and was hidden from the sight of the wrongful polytheists and their assemblies. The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) chose it for certain reasons: to meet Muslims secretly therein; to recite the Qur-ān to them; to preach them and teach them their acts of worship and religious rituals; Muslims could receive what Allāh revealed to His Prophet in security and Peace; the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) received new Muslims who professed their conversation to Islam before him. Undoubtedly, if the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) met Muslims openly, polytheists would try very severely and toughly to prevent him from preaching them. Moreover, this might lead to bloody fight and direct clashes between the two parties. But this occurred as well. Ibn Is'hāq mentioned that the Prophet's followers were meeting at the mountain passes and wadis to perform prayer secretly. When a group of polytheists saw them, they abused and fought them. Once Sa'ad Ibn Abu Waqqās struck a man of them and caused his blood to flow.
It is known that if clashes recurred and took long, they would lead to the destruction and elimination of Muslims. So it was wise to depend upon the principle of secrecy and concealment. Although the majority of Muslims used to conceal their conversion to Islam and perform their religious rituals secretly, the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him) proclaimed his calling and offered his acts of worship before polytheists. But he was meeting Muslims secretly for their benefit and it was in the best interest of Islam too.
*{To be continued In-sha-Allāh (If Allāh Wills)...}*
*"And keep reminding, because reminding benefits the believers."* (Qur'an 51:55)
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