Islamic History
Hostilities and Malice of the Polytheists Towards Our Prophet
1) Übeyy b. Halef and Ukbe b. Ebi Muayt were close friends. Sometimes, Ukbe b. Ebi Muayt would go to our Prophet (PBUH) and listen to his conversations. When this was reported to Übeyy b. Halef, he said to Ukbe: “I heard that you sit with Muhammed and listen to what is being said! If you sit with him again and listen to his words, I will spit in his face; may my face be forbidden to yours if I do not speak to you again!” And he took a heavy oath. Upon this, Ukbe b. Ebi Muayt went to our Prophet (PBUH) and did what Übeyy b. Halef had asked.67 Ukbe b.
Ebi Muayt’s spit and saliva that day left marks on our Prophet (PBUH)’s delicate cheeks, and those traces never disappeared until his death.68 The Almighty Allah revealed the following verses regarding this matter: “On that Day (the Day of Judgment), every wrongdoer will bite at his hands, saying: ‘Oh, I wish I had taken a path with the Messenger. Oh, woe is me! I wish I had not taken so-and-so as a friend. He led me astray from the Reminder after it had come to me.’ Satan fails (to fulfill) man when he calls him to disbelief.”69 2) According to Hz. Osman, who was weeping as he narrated; one day our Prophet (PBUH) was circumambulating the Kaaba. At that time, Ukbe b. Ebi Muayt, Abu Jahl Amr b. Hisham and Umaiya b. Halef were sitting in the Hijr area of the Kaaba. As our Prophet (PBUH) passed by them, they said some unpleasant words to him. Our Prophet (PBUH)’s displeasure was evident on his face. Hz. Osman went to our Prophet (PBUH). Our Prophet (PBUH), along with Hz. Abu Bakr, took him between them. Our Prophet (PBUH) put his finger between his fingers. They completed all the circumambulations like this, holding hands.
Our Prophet (PBUH) said: “By Allah, as long as you have even a drop of water to wet a thread with, and as long as I forbid you from worshipping the idols your ancestors worshipped, we will not make peace with you!” Our Prophet (PBUH) also said: “So be it!” After completing the third round of circumambulation in this manner, when they reached the fourth round, Abu Jahl jumped up and tried to grab our Prophet (PBUH)’s collar. As he attempted this, he was pushed and fell on his backside. Hz. Abu Bakr pushed Umaiya b. Halef away, and our Prophet (PBUH) pushed Ukbe b. Ebi Muayt.
When they dispersed from our Prophet (PBUH)’s head, our Prophet (PBUH), standing up, said to them: “By Allah, until you face imminent punishment, you will not desist from this! You are an evil community for your Prophet!” Then he returned home. Hz. Abu Bakr and Hz. Osman followed him all the way to his house. Our Prophet (PBUH), standing at his door, turned to them and said: “Rejoice, for Allah will surely make His religion prevail and exalt it. He will help His Messenger. Those you see will be the ones whom Allah will cause you to kill with your own hands in a short time!” Hz.
Osman said: “By Allah, I saw them being killed by Allah with our own hands!”70 3) One day, after some polytheists beat our Prophet (PBUH) and covered him in blood, he sat dejectedly. Jibril (AS) came and asked: “What happened to you?” Our Prophet (PBUH) said: “These polytheists did this to me.” Jibril (AS) asked: “Do you want me to show you a miracle?” Our Prophet (PBUH) said: “Yes, show it!” Jibril (AS), looking at a tree behind the valley, said: “Call that tree!”
Our Prophet (PBUH) called it, and the tree came walking until it stood in front of our Prophet (PBUH). Jibril (AS) said: “Tell it to go back.” Our Prophet (PBUH) told it to go back, and the tree returned to its original place. Our Prophet (PBUH) said: “Enough!”71 4) Abu Jahl from the Banu Makhzum clan, Walid b. Mugira, and a third companion planned to kill our Prophet (PBUH).72 They swore an oath to crush his head with a stone:73 “If I see Muhammed, I will do so and so.”74 One day, while our Prophet (PBUH) was praying in the Kaaba, they said to Abu Jahl: “Here is Muhammed!” He asked: “Where is he?” but could not see our Prophet (PBUH).75 Our Prophet (PBUH) was praying in the Kaaba and reciting the Quran. The Banu Makhzum heard his recitation,76 and Abu Jahl’s hand was empty.77 They sent Walid b. Mugira to kill our Prophet (PBUH). Walid advanced until he reached where our Prophet (PBUH) was praying. He could hear our Prophet (PBUH)’s recitation but could not see him! He returned to his companions and told them:78 “By Allah, I heard his voice but could not see him!” Upon this, the third one among them said: “By Allah, I will go and crush his head!” He took a stone and went. He returned, staggering, and fell unconscious. They asked him: “What happened to you?!
He said: “I have a great vision. I saw a man. As I approached him, I encountered a huge elephant with flapping ears! I had never seen an elephant with bigger ears than this one! It was standing between me and Muhammed! By Lat and Uzza, if I had come any closer, it would have trampled me!”79 Upon this, the Banu Makhzum advanced together until they reached where our Prophet (PBUH) was praying and reciting. As they approached the sound, it started coming from behind them! They turned back, trying to follow the sound, but it came from behind them again!
They returned, unable to find a way to reach our Prophet (PBUH)!80 “Indeed, We have placed before them a barrier and behind them a barrier and covered them, so they do not see.”81 It is narrated that this verse82 was revealed regarding Abu Jahl and his companions’ attempt to assassinate our Prophet (PBUH).83