Those who call for reform in any community often meet opposition. Such opposition could be very strong, if the advocated reform is radical, aiming to implement new concepts concerning society and its internal or external relations. No reform can be as far reaching as a new religion, and no religion advocates more radical changes than Islam, because it is God’s final message to mankind that seeks to make faith the foundation upon which human life and civilization are built. Therefore, it was only natural that the Prophet (peace be upon him) who delivered the message of Islam was met with strong opposition by his own people, the Quraysh in Makkah, and by others in and outside Arabia. In fact opposition to Islam continues, particularly when a nation or community attempts to restore Islam to its natural position of providing guidance in all spheres of life. This remains the case in any Muslim community that has adopted some alien methods and practices. Such communities produce opponents to Islam who go to every length to suppress its call. Hence, it is always important to study the Prophet’s guidance with regard to his response to opposition to his call.
The most determined and fierce of the Prophet’s opponents was Abu Jahl, who indeed went as far as trying to humiliate the Prophet in public, and even to plot his assassination. But God was certain to protect the Prophet against any attempt on his life so that he would be able to fulfill his task of delivering God’s message and provide guidance on its implementation. The nature of Arabian society at the time was such that an individual could always rely on support by his clan or tribe that would protect him against others. The tribal affiliation was such that an individual would lay down his life for his tribe, and the tribe would rise as a unit to protect its individual members.
The Prophet received support from his uncle Abu Talib, the chief of the Hashimite clan, who extended full protection to him. While Abu Talib lived, no one could harm the Prophet physically, but after Abu Talib’s death, some of the worst opponents of Islam tried hard to abuse the Prophet.
A report by Al-Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, mentions that he was in the Sacred Mosque when Abu Jahl boasted: “I owe it to God that if I see Muhammad prostrating himself in his worship, I will step over him putting my foot over his neck.” Al-Abbas says: “I left the Mosque in order to warn God’s Messenger. I saw him in his home and I told him what Abu Jahl said. He came out clearly angry and went to the Mosque. He seemed in such a hurry to enter at the door that he almost hit the wall. I thought, ‘the day augurs badly.’ I followed him inside the Mosque and he read the surah, which starts with the verses that mean: ‘Read in the name of your Lord who created man from a clinging cell mass.’ (96: 1-2) When he reached the verses referring to Abu Jahl, ‘Man becomes grossly overweening, once he thinks himself self-sufficient,’ a man said to Abu Jahl, ‘Here is Muhammad.’ He said: ‘Do you not see what I see. By God, the whole horizon seems to be blocked before me.’”
We note in this report that the Quraysh took a more hostile attitude toward the Prophet after the death of his uncle. Abu Jahl’s threat aimed to humiliate the Prophet in public, but God would not let him do that. When the Prophet was absorbed in his worship and people called on Abu Jahl to carry out his threat, he could not do it. He could not see what was in front of him.
We also note the Prophet’s reaction. He was very angry when he learned of Abu Jahl’s threat. This is a natural human reaction, and here we see the Prophet experiencing the same feeling as any man would feel on hearing of some influential and powerful person threatening to humiliate him in public. But the Prophet was certain of God’s support. Hence, he went directly to the Mosque to pray, which was in effect an invitation to Abu Jahl to carry out his threat. However, his anger did not lead him to lose self-control. He simply went to the Mosque in a gesture of defiance, as if he was saying to Abu Jahl: ‘I am here. Come and do your best if you dare.’ Needless to say, Abu Jahl could not harm the Prophet because God took care of him.
Other relatives of the Prophet were also ready to defend him. Indeed all his companions were ready to lay their lives for him. However, in Makkah the situation was very difficult. The idolaters were masters of the city, able to persecute Muslims and cause them much harm. There were always flashes of tension and incidents threatening wider trouble. The Prophet himself was not immune to such harassment. Some of his relatives and companions were always ready to defend him. One such incident was when Abu Jahl and a group of unbelievers deliberately insulted the Prophet and spoke ill of him. A cousin of his, Tulayb ibn Umayr, was quick to his support, defending him as best as he could. Tulayb’s mother was Arwa bint Abd Al-Muttalib, the Prophet’s paternal aunt. She was proud of what her son did on that day, stressing that: “Tulayb’s best day was the day on which he supported his cousin.”
In order to understand the nature of the tribal society of Arabia we may mention here that Abu Lahab, the Prophet’s uncle who opposed him to the end of his life, was quick to lend support to Tulayb, viewing his action in support of his cousin Muhammad, as proper. However, Abu Lahab was nevertheless opposed to the Prophet. Therefore, the unbelievers tried to weaken his support to Tulayb by saying to him that Arwa, his sister and Tulayb’s mother, abandoned her faith and accepted Islam. So he went to remonstrate with her. She took a strong attitude and told him that it was his duty to defend his nephew, Muhammad: “Give him all the support you can. Should he attain victory, you will still have the choice to follow him if you wish. Otherwise, people will recognize your action and no blame will be attached to you.” He said to her: “Can we stand up to all the Arab tribes? He has invented a new faith.”
Abu Lahab’s reply summed up his reasoning. He did not doubt that Arabian traditions and tribal values required him to support the Prophet and defend him against all those who tried to harm him. However, he felt that to do so would put his own clan, the Hashimites, under too much pressure as they were no match to the rest of Arabia. Therefore, and to keep his clan safe, he had to oppose the Prophet. Such reasoning had no value from the Islamic point of view that makes faith the supreme tie in human relations.
