The Quraysh Warn the Pilgrims

As the number of Muslims grew, the Quraysh became increasingly anxious. With the season of Hajj approaching and pilgrims from across the Arabian Peninsula expected to arrive in Makkah, the Quraysh feared that Muhammed ﷺ and his followers would influence these visitors. They also worried about losing their prestige if a new faith were to spread in the very center of their idol worship.

A delegation of Quraysh met with Waleed bin Mugheera, one of their elders and a man of influence. Waleed said,
“O people of Quraysh! The time of Hajj is near. People from all corners will soon gather here, and they have all heard about Muhammed ﷺ. Agree upon what you will say about him so you do not contradict one another.”

The people replied, “You decide and we will follow your lead.”
But Waleed insisted, “No, you speak first and I will listen.”
They began to suggest ideas:
• “We will say he is a soothsayer.”
“He is not a soothsayer,” Waleed objected. “He neither speaks nor chants like them.”
• “Then we will say he is mad.”
“He is not mad,” Waleed replied. “We know the signs of madness. His behavior is calm and his speech is coherent.”
• “We will call him a poet.”
“He is not a poet,” Waleed said. “We know the different forms of poetry, and his words do not match any of them.”
• “Then he is a sorcerer,” another suggested.
“He does not practice sorcery,” Waleed said. “We have seen sorcerers and their tricks; he does neither exorcisms nor knot-tying.”
The people asked, “Then what should we say?”

After thinking for a moment, Waleed said,
“By God, his words are sweet, fresh, and captivating. They have strong roots and fruitful branches. Whatever you claim about him will be rejected by the people. But the most convincing thing you can say is that he is a sorcerer — that his words divide father from son, brother from brother, and husband from wife. Under his influence, families break apart.”

The Quraysh agreed on this plan and formed groups to spread this propaganda. They stationed themselves along the roads leading to Makkah, warning every pilgrim about Muhammed ﷺ. As a result, almost everyone formed an opinion about him before even seeing or hearing him.

When Hajj began, Muhammed ﷺ would approach the pilgrims at their gatherings and visit them in their camps, inviting them to Islam. He would say:
“O people! Say La ilaha illallah (There is no god but Allah) and you will succeed.”
But Abu Lahab would follow closely behind Muhammed ﷺ, discrediting him. By the end of Hajj, all of Arabia had heard of Muhammed ﷺ and his message — either through his own invitation or through the efforts of his opponents.
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The Quraysh Devise Strategies Against Islam

When the pilgrims returned home, they had to confront the new reality of Islam. For many Arabs who had lived in idolatry for generations, Islam seemed like a new and threatening religion, rather than a return to the pure monotheism of their forefathers Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isma’eel. The Quraysh and other pagans devised plans to stop its spread, using ridicule, slander, debate, and even open harassment of Muhammed ﷺ and his followers.
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Ridicule, Contempt, and Mockery

The disbelievers tried to humiliate Muhammed ﷺ by spreading false accusations. They said:
“He is a poet, a madman, a soothsayer … a sorcerer taught by Satan … a liar.”
When they saw him, they would glare and mock:
“This is the man who insults our gods!”
They also taunted the Muslims:
“Look at these people! These are the ones who think they will rule the earth?”
They would scoff at the weak and poor who had embraced Islam, mocking the idea that Allah had chosen them as the followers of His Messenger.
This mockery deeply grieved Muhammed ﷺ. Allah comforted him with the verse:
“We know that your heart is distressed by what they say. So glorify the praises of your Lord, and be among those who prostrate.” (Qur’an 15:97-98)
Allah reassured Muhammed ﷺ that He would deal with the wrongdoers and that they would soon face the consequences of their actions. Muhammed ﷺ reminded his companions:
“The messengers before me were also ridiculed, but those who mocked them were soon overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.”
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Diversions and Distractions

The Quraysh also attempted to prevent others from listening to Muhammed ﷺ. Whenever he tried to speak to a group, they would scatter the gathering before he could deliver his message.
In the fifth year of Muhammed’s ﷺ mission, during Ramadan, he recited Surah An-Najm publicly for the first time to a large crowd. This only made the Quraysh more determined to distract people from listening to him.
Whenever Muhammed ﷺ recited the Qur’an at night in prayer, the disbelievers mocked both the message and the Messenger. Allah then instructed Muhammed ﷺ:
“Do not recite your prayers too loudly nor too softly, but follow a middle course.” (Qur’an 17:110)
One of the staunch opponents, Nadr bin Harith, traveled to Hira and Syria, returning with tales of ancient kings like Darius, Alexander, and Isfandiyar. Whenever Muhammed ﷺ addressed an audience, Nadr would quickly gather a crowd and begin telling these stories, asking them if Muhammed’s ﷺ words could possibly be better than his.
Allah revealed in response:
“Among mankind are those who purchase idle tales to mislead others from the path of Allah without knowledge, and they take it as mockery. For them is a humiliating punishment.” (Qur’an 31:6)