Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar). Excellent Biography of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ Episode 49

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*Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum (The Sealed Nectar).*

Excellent Biography of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

Episode 49

*QURAISH'S REPRESENTATIVE NEGOTIATES WITH THE MESSENGER OF ALLAH*

Shortly after the conversion of these two powerful heroes, Hamzah bin 'Abdul-Muttalib and 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (May Allah be pleased with him), the clouds of tyranny and oppression started to clear away and the 

polytheists realized that it was no use meting out torture to the Muslims. They consequently began to direct their campaign to a different course. The authentic records of the biography of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) show that it had occurred to the Makkan leaders to credit Muhammad (Peace be upon him) with ambition. They, therefore, time and again plied him with temptation. One day some of the important men of Makkah gathered in the enclosure of Al-Ka'bah, and 'Utbah bin Rabi'a, 

a chief among them, offered to approach the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and contract a bargain with him whereby they give him whatever worldly wealth he asks for, on condition that he keep silent and no longer proclaim his new faith. The people of Quraish endorsed his proposal and requested him to undertake that task. 'Utbah came closer to Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and 

addressed him in the following words: 

We have seen no other man of Arabia, who has brought so great a calamity to a nation, as you have 

done. You have outraged our gods and religion and taxed our forefathers and wise men with impiety 

and error and created strife amongst us. You have left no stone unturned to estrange the relations 

with us. If you are doing all this with a view to getting wealth, we will join together to give you 

greater riches than any Quraishite has possessed. If ambition moves you, we will make you our 

chief. If you desire kingship we will readily offer you that. If you are under the power of an evil spirit 

which seems to haunt and dominate you so that you cannot shake off its yoke, then we shall call in 

skilful physicians to cure you. 

"Have you said all?" asked Muhammad (Peace be upon him); and then hearing that all had been 

said, he spoke forth, and said: 

"In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. Hâ-Mîm. [These letters are 

one of the miracles of the Qur'ân, and none but Allâh (Alone) knows their meanings]. A 

revelation from Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. A Book whereof the verses are explained in detail; — a Qur'ân in Arabic for people who know. Giving glad tidings [of 

Paradise to the one who believes in the Oneness of Allâh (i.e. Islamic Monotheism) and fears 

Allâh much (abstains from all kinds of sins and evil deeds.) and loves Allâh much 

(performing all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)], and warning (of punishment in 

the Hell-fire to the one who disbelieves in the Oneness of Allâh), but most of them turn 

away, so they listen not. And they say: Our hearts are under coverings (screened) from that 

to which you invite us …" [41: 1-5]

The Messenger of Allâh (Peace be upon him) went on reciting the Chapter while 'Utbah sitting and 

listening attentively with his hand behind his back to support him. When the Messenger reached the 

verse that required prostration, he immediately prostrated himself. After that, he turned to 'Utbah 

saying: "Well Abu Al-Waleed! You have heard my reply, you are now free to do whatever you 

please." 'Utbah then retired to his company to apprise them of the Prophet's attitude. When his 

compatriots saw him, they swore that he had returned to them with a countenance unlike the one 

he had before meeting the Prophet (Peace be upon him) . He immediately communicated to them 

the details of the talk he gave a nd the reply he received, and appended saying: "I have never heard 

words similar to those ones he recited. They definitely relate neither to poetry nor to witchcraft nor 

do they derive from soothsaying. O people of Quraish! I request you to heed my advice and grant 

the man full freedom to pursue his goals, in which case you could safely detach yourselves from 

him. I swear that his words bear a supreme Message. Should the other Arabs rid you of him, they 

will then spare you the trouble, on the other hand if he accedes to power over the Arabs, then you 

will bask in his kingship and share him his might." These words of course fell on deaf ears, and did not appeal to the infidels, who jeered at 'Utbah and claimed that the Prophet (Peace be upon him) 

had bewitched him. 

In another version of the same event, it is related that 'Utbah went on attentively listening to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) until the latter began to recite Allâh's Words: 

"But if they turn away, they say [O Muhammad (Peace be upon him) ]: "I have warned you 

of a Sa'iqa (a destructive awful cry, torment, hit, a thunder-bolt) like the Sa'iqa which overtook 'Ad and Thamûd (people)." [41:13]

Here 'Utbah stood up panicked and stunned putting his hand on the Prophet's mouth beseeching him: "I beg you in the Name of Allâh and uterine ties to stop lest the calamity should befall the people of Quraish." He then hurriedly returned to his compatriots and informed them of what he had heard.