Talks Between Abu Talib and the Quraysh
After much deliberation on how to deal with the situation, a group of Quraysh nobles approached Abu Talib and said,
“Your nephew speaks against our gods, mocks our religion, calls us ignorant, and denounces our forefathers as misguided. Either restrain him or disown him so that we may deal with him ourselves.”
Abu Talib responded to them with calm words and allowed them to leave without conflict. However, Muhammed ﷺ continued to proclaim the message of Islam, inviting people to worship Allah alone.
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The Quraysh Challenge Abu Talib
When the Quraysh realized that Abu Talib would not stop his nephew, they gathered once again to take a more aggressive stance. They said to him sternly,
“O Abu Talib! You are old and respected among us. We asked you to stop your nephew, but you did nothing. We cannot bear this any longer — our gods are insulted, our forefathers are cursed, and our religion is ridiculed. Either you silence him, or we will fight both of you until one side perishes.”
Their words deeply troubled Abu Talib. Concerned for his nephew’s safety and his own position among the tribes, he sent for Muhammed ﷺ and said,
“My dear nephew, have mercy on me and yourself. Do not burden me with more than I can bear.”
Hearing this, Muhammed ﷺ replied firmly,
“O my uncle! I swear by Allah, if they were to place the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left, and ask me to abandon this mission, I would not turn away from it until Allah makes it victorious or I perish in its cause.”
Seeing his nephew’s unwavering resolve, Abu Talib said with conviction,
“Go, my nephew! Say whatever you wish. By Allah, I will never abandon you, no matter what happens.”
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The Quraysh Make a Strange Proposal
When the Quraysh saw that neither threats nor persuasion worked, and that Abu Talib was determined to protect Muhammed ﷺ, they devised a peculiar plan. They brought a young man, Ammarah bin Waleed, known for his good looks, and said to Abu Talib:
“O Abu Talib! Take this youth as your own son. Care for him and give him your support. In exchange, give us your nephew — the man who opposes our religion and divides our people. We will then put him to death. It is, after all, one man for another.”
Abu Talib replied sarcastically,
“By Allah, what a terrible exchange! You give me your son to feed and raise, and you ask for my son so that you may kill him? By Allah, that will never happen.”
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Persecution of the Prophet Muhammed ﷺ
When their negotiations failed, the Quraysh turned to open persecution. While they intensified their torture of the weak believers, only those of high rank dared to directly harass Muhammed ﷺ because of his noble status and family protection.
His neighbors — Abu Lahab, Hakam bin Abi Al-As, Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt, Aidy bin Hamra, and Ibn Al-Asda Hadhab — often threw filth at his door. Once, while Muhammed ﷺ was in prostration, someone placed the entrails of a camel on his back. He continued his prayer calmly, and afterward removed the filth with a stick, saying,
“O Banu Abdu Manaf! What kind of neighborhood is this?”
Umayya bin Khalaf mocked him publicly, while Ubayy bin Khalaf, Umayya’s brother, once crumbled a decayed bone and threw it at the face of Muhammed ﷺ, saying, “Do you claim that Allah will revive this after it has turned to dust?” He also boasted, “I am preparing my horse, Ud, to kill you!”
Muhammed ﷺ replied,
“No, it is I who will kill you.”
And indeed, his words came true years later at the Battle of Uhud, when Ubayy bin Khalaf was slain by the Prophet ﷺ himself.
On another occasion, Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt was pressured by his friend Ubayy to prove his loyalty to the tribe by spitting in the face of Muhammed ﷺ—a vile act that he committed out of cowardice.
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The Enmity of Abu Lahab and His Family
Among the Prophet’s fiercest enemies was his own uncle, Abu Lahab. Although he had once celebrated the birth of his nephew, he turned against him the moment Muhammed ﷺ began calling people to Islam on Mount Safa.
Abu Lahab’s sons, Utbah and Utaibah, had been married to the Prophet’s daughters, Ruqayyah and Umm Kulthoom (may Allah be pleased with them). At their father’s command — and urged by their mother, Umm Jameel bint Harb — both men divorced their wives.
Umm Jameel herself actively harassed Muhammed ﷺ, scattering thorny twigs on his path to harm him. When the short chapter Surah Al-Masad (Abu Lahab) was revealed condemning her and her husband, she furiously sought Muhammed ﷺ with a rock in her hand.
Finding Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) sitting near the Ka‘bah with the Prophet ﷺ, she said,
“Where is your companion? I hear he mocks me! If I see him, I will smash this stone upon him!”
She then recited mocking verses before leaving. Abu Bakr, astonished, asked, “O Messenger of Allah, did she not see you sitting here?” The Prophet ﷺ replied,
“No, Allah veiled her sight from me.”
The Quraysh also began mocking the Prophet ﷺ by twisting his name. Instead of calling him Muhammad — “the Praised One” — they called him Mudhammam — “the Blamed One.” But Allah protected His Messenger’s honor, as the Prophet ﷺ told his Companions,
“Do you not see how they insult Mudhammam, while I am Muhammad?”
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Abu Jahl – The Arrogant Opponent
Abu Jahl, whose real name was Amr ibn Hisham, was originally nicknamed Abu Hakam (the Father of Wisdom). But due to his arrogance and hostility, the believers called him Abu Jahl (the Father of Ignorance).
He harassed Muhammed ﷺ repeatedly, even trying to stop him from praying near the Ka‘bah. Once, when he threatened the Prophet ﷺ during prayer, the Prophet seized his cloak and recited:
“Woe to you! Woe to you! Again, woe to you! Woe to you!” (Surah Al-Qiyamah, 75:34–35)
Abu Jahl retorted arrogantly, “Do you threaten me, O Muhammad? Neither you nor your Lord can harm me. I am the strongest man in this valley.”
Later, he vowed, “If I see Muhammad put his face to the ground in prayer, I will trample his neck.” When he attempted to do so, witnesses saw him suddenly stop and retreat, waving his arms in panic. When asked what happened, he said, “A trench of fire and dreadful beings stood between me and him.”
The Prophet ﷺ then told his Companions,
“Had he come near me, the angels would have torn him apart limb by limb.”
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Uqbah’s Crime and Allah’s Retribution
Another wretched enemy, Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt, once placed the entrails of a slaughtered camel on the back of Muhammed ﷺ while he was in prostration. The Prophet ﷺ remained in sujood until his daughter Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) arrived and removed the filth. He then raised his head and supplicated:
“O Allah! Seize the Quraysh!”
The Prophet ﷺ named his persecutors one by one — and during the Battle of Badr, every single one of them perished exactly as he had prayed.
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Divine Retribution Against the Mockers
Among those who used to ridicule Muhammed ﷺ were:
• Waleed bin Mughirah
• Aswad bin Abd Yaghuth
• Aswad bin Abdul Muttalib
• Harith bin Qays
• As bin Wa’il
Each met a humiliating end. Waleed died from an infected wound caused by a mere scratch. Aswad bin Abd Yaghuth was struck by Jibreel (peace be upon him) and died from painful boils or swelling. Aswad bin Abdul Muttalib was blinded and lost his son after the Prophet ﷺ prayed against him. Harith bin Qays died as his stomach burst and fluid poured from his nose.
Despite all this, Muhammed ﷺ never took revenge. He endured with patience and dignity, trusting Allah’s promise that He Himself would deal with His enemies.
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Dar al-Arqam – The Secret Centre
To protect the believers, Muhammed ﷺ took two wise steps. The first was establishing Dar al-Arqam, the house of Arqam bin Abi Arqam, as a secret center for prayer, learning, and instruction. Located near Mount Safa, it allowed Muslims to gather discreetly, memorize the Qur’an, and strengthen their faith away from persecution.
Meanwhile, Muhammed ﷺ continued to pray openly at the Ka‘bah and call people to Islam, enduring insults and hardships with steadfast faith. By his tireless efforts, the message of Islam reached every heart — leaving no soul on the Day of Judgment able to claim that no messenger had come to guide them to the Straight Path.