Episode 9: Quraish in a fix
As
the enmity of persecutors increased, so did the number of the Prophet’s
followers. The Quraysh were baffled about how they were going to stop the people
from taking the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him and his teachings
seriously. Makkah was a commercial center frequented by tribes people from far
and near and during the Hajj, or when it is about to draw near, a plethora of
them were to come again. The people coming to Makkah had somehow to be kept at a
distance from the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him, lest they should hear
his sermons and digest his words, or that they may contemplate or reflect and
meditate upon them. They went to Walid Ibn Al‐Mughira, who was
old and a man of standing, to seek his advice. He said, “O people of Quraysh,
the time of Hajj has come around when delegations of the Arabs will come here.
They have all heard about this man, so agree upon a common ground hence you do
not contradict one another and each one of you says the same thing.” Different
suggestions were put forward but Walid was not satisfied. At last, he was asked
to suggest some way out. Thereupon he said, “The most convincing thing in my
opinion would be that all of you present him as a sorcerer. You should say that
he has brought a message through which he creates a rift between fathers and
sons, or where brothers fall out from brothers, as well as husbands part ways
with their wives and that families break up under his influence.”
The Quraysh came back to the shenanigan suggested by Walid.
They sat when the time of Hajj commenced, warning everyone to keep clear of
Muhammed, repeating what they had already agreed upon each other. (Ibn Hisham,
Vol. I, p. 270).
CRUELTY OF THE QURAYSH
The persecutors of the Prophet peace be and blessings upon
him were consumed by a rancor disregard for every consideration of
humanitarianism and kinship; their torture was embittered by the refinements of
cruelty and their misbehavior and rudeness was helpless and ineffective enough
to pollute the sacred asylum held as the holiest sanctum by the Arabs. One day
while the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him was praying at the Kaʹbah, a
company of the Quraysh occupied their places in the sanctuary. ‘Utba Ibn Abu
Mu’ayt brought the fetus of a camel from somewhere and when the Prophet peace be
and blessings upon him prostrated in prayer, he laid it on his back and
shoulders. The Messenger of God peace be and blessings upon him remained in
prostration until his daughter Fatima (May Allah be pleased with her) came
running and threw it off him. She called down evil upon the one who had done it
and the Prophet peace be and blessings upon him also joined her in the
condemnation. (Al‐Bukhaari)
Please wait...