Lesson 91 Muslims Suffering Harms

1. Lesson 91Muslims Suffering Harms

2. [21] Quraysh harms the Prophet, peace be upon him

3. When Quraysh realized that they were not able to avert Abu-Tâlib and the others from supporting the Prophet (SAWS) and protecting him,

4. that the Prophet’s message was spreading widely, and that the number of believers was increasing, they resorted to harming him.

5. They resorted to foolish ridicule of the Prophet (SAWS) and to hurt him, especially when he prayed at the Ka`bah.

6. Abu-Jahl attempted to crush the Prophet’s head, peace be upon him, while he was prostrating, but Allah (SWT) protected him.

7. When Abu-Jahl approached the Prophet, he felt he had lost control of his body and the rock fell from his hands.

8. Frightened, he went back to his people, his face pale, saying that he saw a dreadful camel, that he never saw anything like it before, and that it was about to eat him.

9. Abu-Jahl persuaded `Uqbah ibn Abu-Mu`ayt to throw camel waste on the back of the Prophet, peace be upon him, while he prostrated.

10. None of the Muslims were able to remove it until the Prophet’s daughter Fâtimah (may Allah be pleased with her) came and removed it.

11. The immoral Abu-Jahl prohibited the Prophet (SAWS), from praying at the Ka`bah.

12. One time when he saw the Prophet praying there, he asked him, “Didn’t I forbid you from this?” the Prophet answered him in a very strong way and threatened him.

13. Abu-Jahl then replied, “How could you threaten me when I have the most people around me?” Abu-Jahl meant that people gather around him in large numbers because of his great status.

14. Allah then revealed these verses that can be translated as: “Not at all! Indeed, in case he does not refrain, We will indeed drag him by the forelock, a lying, sinful forelock.

15. So let him call upon his assembly! We will call upon the guards of Hell. Not at all! Do not obey him; and prostrate yourself, and draw near (to Allah).” (TMQ, Al-`Alaq: 15-19).

16. Another time, while the Prophet (SAWS) was praying at the Ka`bah, the evil `Uqbah ibn Abu-Mu`ayt wrapped his cloak around the Prophet’s neck and tried to strangle him.

17. Abu-Bakr came and pushed him away saying, “Would you kill a man because he says: My Lord is Allah, and he has come to you with clear signs (proofs) from your Lord?”

18. Once, a man came to the gathering of Quraysh complaining that Abu-Jahl was delayed in paying back his debt. The people told him, “Muhammad can help you.”

19. Their intention was to ruin things more between the Prophet (SAWS) and Abu-Jahl. The man went to the Prophet (SAWS), and asked him to help him recover his debt from Abu-Jahl.

20. The Prophet (SAWS) accompanied the man to Abu-Jahl’s house and he knocked the door.

21. Abu-Jahl asked, “Who is it?” The Prophet answered: “Muhammad.” Abu-Jahl opened the door frightened, his face turning pale.

22. The Prophet then said. “Give this man his rightful due.” Abu-Jahl said, “You will not leave until you get it.”

23. And at once he gave the money back to him. The people of Quraysh were surprised from the outcome of the incident, which was not what they expected.

24. They witnessed their friend being defeated. Abu-Jahl told them, “I swear by Allah, when they knocked on my door I heard a voice that terrified me, then I saw a monstrous camel like I had never seen before in my life.”

25. Abu-Lahab was the Prophet’s uncle, but he was even more cruel to him than people who were not his relatives.

26. In addition, Abu-Lahab was the Prophet’s neighbor. He and his wife used to throw filth in front of his door.

27. The following were people who hurt the Prophet (SAWS): Al-`Âs ibn Wâl As-Sahmy, who was the father of `Amr ibn ul-`Âs, Al-Aswad ibn `Abd Yaghûoth Az-Zahry, who was from Banu Zuhrah—the maternal uncles of the Prophet (SAWS),

28. Al-Aswad ibn ul-Muttalib Al-Asady, who was the cousin of Khadîjah, the Prophet’s wife, Al-Walîd ibn ul-Mughîrah, who was the uncle of Abu-Jahl, and An-Nadr ibn ul-Hârith Al-`Abdary.

29. None of those people accepted Islam. Allah made them all perish as unbelievers. Some were killed in the battle of Badr and others succumbed to deadly diseases.

30. Allah is All-Mighty, Possessor of Retribution.

31. At this time, Hamzah ibn `Abdul-Muttalib, the uncle of the Prophet (SAWS), accepted Islam after a woman slave teased him about the way Abu-Jahl hurt his nephew.

32. He felt so angry and went to that corrupted man saying: “How could you insult Muhammad when I am following his religion?”

33. Then Allah guided Hamzah to the light of Islam, and he was one of the strongest Muslims against the enemies of Islam; that is why he was called “The Lion of Allah”.

34. [22] What Quraysh offered the Prophet (SAWS) to renounce calling to Allah.

35. When the unbelievers in Quraysh realized that harming the Muslims was not an effective method to stop the spread of Islam, they had a meeting to discuss what they should do to make the Prophet (SAWS) renounce his mission.

36. They agreed to send one of the most honored men of Quraysh, `Utbah ibn - Rabî`ah Al-`Abshamy, to present to the Prophet (SAWS) some offers so he would stop calling to Allah. So he went to the Prophet (SAWS) when he was praying at the mosque.

37. He told him, “My nephew, you are from the best of our ancestry, and you brought to your people a grave matter that separated them.

38. You scorned their intellect and denounced their gods, their religion and their forefathers. If your goal from this is wealth, we will collect money from all of us and make you the richest among us.

39. And if you seek honor, we will make you our leader and we will not make any decision without you.

40. If you want to be a king, we will make you our king. And if you have been inflicted with jinn, we will seek treatment for you and spend all our money until you recover.”

41. When `Utbah presented all his offers, the Prophet (SAWS) read to him Surat Fussilat until he reached the verse that can be translated as,

42. “Yet in case they veer away, then say, 'I warn you of a (stunning) thunderbolt like to the (stunning) thunderbolt of 'Ad and Thamûd.'” (TMQ, Fussilat:13)

43. At that point, `Utbah covered the Prophet’s mouth, begging him to stop.

44. When `Utbah went back to his people, he said, “O People of Quraysh, I have heard words that I have never heard the like of before.

45. I swear they are not poetry, soothsayer's speech, nor magic. So obey me and stay away from the man. I swear that his words will be of prominence.

46. So if the (other) Arabs hurt him, then you will get rid of him without effort. And if they believe him, you will share in the glory with him.” They said “Muhammad has bewitched you!”

47. When these offers did not work, Quraysh used other means. They suggested that the Prophet (SAWS) to join them in their worship and they would participate with him in his worship.

48. Allah (SWT) revealed to him Sûrat al-Kâfirûn (The Disbelievers).

49. When they were disappointed from this effort too, they asked the Prophet to eliminate from the Holy Qur'an what words enraged them, like insulting their idols and the threats of severe punishment.

50. Then Allah (SWT) revealed to him what can be translated as, “Say, 'In no way (can) I exchange it of my own accord. Decidedly I closely follow (nothing) except what is revealed to me.'” (TMQ, Yunus: 15)