The Persecution against The Messenger of Allah (swt, The most glorified, the most high)

Muhammad (saaw, Peace be upon him)

The prophet Muhammad (saaw) and his followers were severely persecuted, especially when the disbelievers knew that Muhammad (saaw) was firm to pursue his Call, and anyone could not obstruct his way. They laughed at him and his followers; they insulted, and threw stones on them. ‘Abu-Lahab’ also forced his sons to divorce the prophet daughters: ‘Roqaiyah and ‘Um-Kualthom’. They used to call him a liar, a sorcerer, and the one possessed by Jinn as well as an insane.

         Allah (swt) said:

“And they (Arab pagans) wonder that a warner (Prophet Muhammad (saaw)) has come to them from among themselves! And the disbelieves say: “This prophet is a sorcerer; a liar” (38: 4)

The disbelievers did not accept how Muhammad (saaw) could utter those eloquent words of the Quran that were descending on him (saaw), because he was an illiterate. They did not accept that those words are from Allah (swt) revealed to him (saaw) through the angel ‘Gabriel’ (PBUH).

1.            The first emigration in Islam:

During that period of persecution; the prophet (saaw) knew that there was a fair ruler in ‘Abyssinia’ (Ethiopia) called ‘Ashamah Negus’, who did not allow injustice in his realm, he was fair and just king. The prophet (saaw) asked his followers to emigrate to ‘Abyssinia’ to seek his protection. This emigration was the first emigration in Islam.

In the fifth year of the prophethood; a group of Muslims including twelve men and four women among them were’ Uthman Bin Afan’ and his wife ‘Roqaiyah’ (the daughter of the prophet (saaw)) emigrated during the night to ‘Abyssinia’ where they were well welcomed. When the disbelievers knew about their emigration, they pursued them but they failed in reaching them.

Afterwards, Quraish sent two men called ‘Amer Bin Al-‘as’ and ‘Abdu-Allah Bin Abi Rabia’ to ‘Abyssinia’ to incur the anger of the king on the Muslims. To reach his satisfaction they offered to him many presents and seduced some of his bishops. They tried to give wrong image of the Muslims and their new religion. The envoys professed that the Muslims deviated from the religion of their forefathers, and Muhammad (saaw) taught them a religion which is unlike the religion of the king. They also claimed that the Muslims believe in ‘Jesus Christ’ as a prophet but not a god. But when the king called the Muslims, they explained to him how they were humiliated and underestimated before Islam. And when Muhammad (saaw) came, he brought to all humanity respect and honour, chastity and dignity to males as well as females. Regarding ‘Jesus Christ’ they clarified to him what Muhammad (saaw) taught them about him (PBUH) as a prophet and not a god. Finally, the king emphasized that he agreed with what the Muslims said, and Muhammad (saaw) is indeed a messenger of Allah (swt) whom the bible had spoken about, then he gave to the Muslims total protection to live in his kingdom.

2.            The conversion of the strong knights of Quraysh:

The persecution against the messenger Muhammad (saaw) lasted for long period, until it came a day when Islam was honoured and strengthened by the two knights of Quraysh, namely, ‘Hamzah bin Abd-Al-Mutalib’ and ‘Umar Bin Al-Khatab’.

When the prophet was sitting in Makkah he was humiliated and hit by ‘Abi-Lahab’, Muhammad (saaw) did not hit him back.  When ‘Hamzah’ was coming back from hinting, a female from his tribe encountered him, and told him that his cousin Muhammad (saaw) was hit by ‘Abi-Lahab’. Then he run towards Muhammad (saaw) and shouted:

“How could you hit Muhammad (saaw) and I am in his religion”

 Even-though he was not then. He went to ‘Abi-Lahab’ and all the Quraysh leaders to confess to them that he became a Muslim and one of the followers of Muhammad (saaw) and his protector. And anyone would try to touch Muhammad (saaw); he would have affaire with him (Hamzah) first.

After the conversion of ‘Hamzah bin abd Al-Mutalib’, Islam witnessed the conversion of ‘Umar Bin Al-Khatab’ who decided to kill Muhammad (saaw). Muhammad (saaw) who had invocated Allah (swt) and said:

‘’ O Allah; strengthen Islam through either men you love more: ‘Umar bin Al-Khatab’ or ‘Abu Jahl bin Hisham’

When Umar was in his way to kill Muhammad (saaw), he knew that her sister ‘Fatima’ and his brother in law ‘Khabab bin Arrat’ had converted to Islam; then he went back to their house. While he was knocking the door, he heard his brother in law reciting the Quran, when he got in he asked them about what he had heard; then anyone could answer; as a result he hit his brother in law and then her sister, afterwards he asked her to give him the Quran. When he had it, he started reading the first verses of Chapter ‘Taha’ until he reached:

‘Verily I am Allah La ilaha Illa Ana (none has the right to be worshipped save I),

So worship Me and perform prayers perfectly, for My Remembrance”. (20: 14)

‘Umar’ was surprised by the verses and how the Quran is so eloquent, he knew that this Quran could not be the words of Muhammad (saaw) but the words of Allah (swt).

Then, ‘Umar’ went to Muhammad (saaw) and he uttered the ‘Shahada’. The Muslims felt great happiness and pride with the conversion of ‘Umar’, and they started ‘Takbir’ ‘’ Allah the greater ‘’. Meanwhile ‘Umar Bin Al-Khatab’ went out and shouted to all Quraysh that he became a Muslim, and anyone could hurt Muhammad (saaw); he would face ‘Umar’ first.

Since the conversion of those two leaders of the Muslim army, Islam regained its dignity and respect among the Arab tribes especially ‘Quraysh tribe’. Furthermore, the Muslims started praying and practicing their Islamic rituals in Makkah without fear of any one. They got back their force through ‘Hamzah bin abd-Al-Mutalib’ and ‘Umar bin Al-Khatab’.

By: Youssef KHANNOU

References:

‘’The sealed nectar‘’, Saifur Rahman al-Mubarakpuri, ‘Dar-us-Salam’, 1994.

“Sirat Ibn Hisham”, ‘Ibn- Hisham’, ‘Dar Ibn Al-Haytham’, 2006.