Reaction to the Message of Islam

Seerah as a Movement means of Umar ibn Khattab or Abu Jahl ibn Hisham.’ This prayer was accepted in the former’s case. In the sixth year of the Prophet’s mission, Umar ibn Khattab accepted Islam. Along with him, several other people converted, and the number of Muslims increased to forty. During this period the Muslims had a hideout in Dar Arqam. According to the historian, Ibn Kathir, thirty-nine people used to gather there. But such a small number could not combat the might of the conventional system, which in numbers and resources was far stronger. It was not long before, the oppression of the Muslims started again. The Prophet was subjected to every form of persecution, but all attempts to kill him failed. The tribal system was still protective of the Prophet. No one could dare to take his life, for to do so would have been to declare war on the whole of the Prophet’s tribe. He was not the only Prophet to be defended in this way. The Prophet Shu’ayb’s people also refrained from killing him for the same reason, despite their desire to do so: “They said: ‘O Shu’ayb, we do not understand much of what you say to us. And we see you weak among us. But for your tribe, we would have stoned you. You are not dear to us.’” (Quran, 11:91) The Quraysh once presented a demand to the chief of the Banu Hashim, the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib, that he should expel his nephew from the tribe. Only then would they be able to slay the Prophet. Abu Talib’s honour prevented him from taking this step. When Abu Talib, at the Quraysh’s behest, asked his nephew to stop criticizing their gods, the Prophet became concerned that his uncle was going to hand him over to the Quraysh. But Abu Talib immediately put his nephew’s mind at rest. ‘By God, I will never hand you over to anyone,’ he told him. (Tahzeeb Seerat Ibn Hisham, p. 60) When all else failed, the Quraysh decided, in the seventh year of the Prophet’s mission, to ostracize the Banu Hashim. Abu Talib took his nephew, and the whole of his family, out of Makkah, and they took up their abode in a ravine known as Sheb Abi Talib. Except for a few wild trees, there was nothing in this mountain pass. For three years Abu Talib’s family lived on the leaves and