Those of his neighbors who mistreated the Prophet in his house were
Abu Lahab, al-Hakam ibn Abu al-As, Uqba ibn Abu Muayt, Adiy ibn Hamra
al-Thafqafi and Ibnul Asda al Hudhali. Not one of them became a Muslim
except al-Hakam.
I have been told that one of them used to throw a sheep's uterus at
him while he was praying; and one of them used to throw into his
cooking-pot when it had been placed ready for him. Thus the apostle
was forced to retire to a wall when he would pray.
Umar ibn Abdullah ibn Urwa told me on the authority of his father that
when they threw this objectionable thing at him the apostle took it
out on a stick, and standing at the door of his house, he would say,
`O Banu Abdu Manaf, what sort of protection is this?' Then he would
throw it into the street.
Khadija and Abu Talib died in the same year, and with Khadija's death
troubles followed fast on each other's heels, for she had been a
faithful support to him in Islam, and he used to tell her of his
troubles. With the death of Abu Talib he lost a strength and stay in
his personal life and a defense and protection against his tribe. Abu
Talib died some three years before he migrated to Medina, and it was
then that the Quraysh began to treat him in an offensive way which
they would not have dared to follow in his uncle's lifetime.
A young lout actually threw dust on his head. Hisham on the authority
of his father Urwa told me that when this happened, the apostle went
into his house with the dust still on his head and one of his
daughters got up to wash it away, weeping as she did. `Don't weep, my
little girl' he said, `for God will protect your father'. Meanwhile he
was saying, `The Quraysh never treated me like this when Abu Talib was
alive'.
When Abu Talib fell ill and the Quraysh learned of his grave condition
they reminded one another that now Hamza and Umar had accepted Islam
and Muhammad's reputation was known among all of the Quraysh clans,
they had better go to Abu Talib and come to some compromise lest they
be robbed of their authority altogether.
Al-Abbas ibn Abdullah from one of his family from Ibn Abbas told me
that Utba and Shayba, sons of Rabia, and Abu Jahl and Umayya ibn
Khalaf and Abu Sufyan with sundry other notables went to Abu Talib and
said: `You know your rank with us and not that you are at the point of
death we are deeply concerned on your account. You know the trouble
exists between us and your nephew, so call him and let us make an
agreement that he will eave us alone and we will leave him alone, let
him have his religion and we will have ours'.
When he came Abu Talib said, `Nephew (i.e. Muhamamd), these notables
have come to you that they may give you something and to take
something from you'. He answered, `Yes, you may give me one word by
which you can rule the Arabs and subject the Persians to you'. To this
Abu Jahl said, `I can give you 10 words'. So Muhammad said, `You must
say there is no god but Allah and you must repudiate what you worship
besides him'. They (Abu Jahl and others) clapped their hands and said,
`Do you want to make all the gods into one God, Muhammad? That would
be an extraordinary thing'. They then said to each other, `This fellow
is not going to give you anything you want, so go and continue with
the religion of your fathers until God judge between us'. So they left.
Abu Talib said, `Nephew, I don't think that you asked them for
anything extraordinary'. On hearing this the apostle had hopes that he
would accept Islam, and he said at once, `You say it uncle, and then I
shall be able to intercede for you on the day of judgment'. Seeing the
apostle's eagerness he replied, `Were it not that I fear that you and
your father's sons would be abused after my death and that Quraysh
would think that I have only said t in fear of death, I would say it.
I should only say it to give you pleasure'.
As his death was near, al-Abbas looked at him as he was moving his
lips and put his ear close to him and said, `Nephew, by God, my
brother (i.e. Abu Talib) has spoken the word you gave him to say (i.e.
said there is only 1 God). The apostle replied, `I did not hear it'.
God revealed concerning the people who came to him with their proposals:
"Saad. Nay, those who disbelieve are in false pride and opposition.
How many a generations We have destroyed before them, and they cried
out when there was no longer time for escape! And they (Arab pagans)
wonder that a warner (Prophet Muhammad) has come to them from among
themselves! And the disbelievers say: "This (Prophet Muhammad) is a
sorcerer, a liar. Has he made the âliha (gods) (all) into One Ilâh
(God - Allâh). Verily, this is a curious thing! We have not heard (the
like) of this among the people of these later days. This is nothing
but an invention!
[Quran 38: verses 1-7]
[Ref: Ibn Ishaq, The Life of Muhammad, pp 191-2]
May Allah Almighty have mercy and guide us all, ameen.
fi amanillah, assalam alaikum, f
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment