Islam Rediscovered
21. Islam in History
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were torturing. And they had nothing against
them, save that they believed in God, the
Mighty, the Praiseworthy. (85:4-8)
The human condition of those days is similarly
depicted in a Makkan tradition narrated by
Khabbab ibn al Arat: We complained to the Prophet
at a time when he was resting in the shade of the
Kabah wall. We said to him: “Don’t you pray for us
to God?” The Prophet replied: “Those who went
before you faced such unbearable trials (due to their
faith in a religion other than that of the state). One
of them would be brought for trial, a pit would be
dug for him, then he would be buried in it in a
standing posture, with his head above the edge of
the pit. Then a saw would be passed through his
head until it split into two parts. Yet even such
severe trials did not cause him to waver from his
faith. People were scraped with iron combs until all
their skin came off and the bones of their bodies
were exposed. Yet these acts of persecution did not
deter them from adhering to their faith. Certainly
God’s will shall prevail (that is, the age of religious
freedom will certainly come) when a traveller will
journey from Sana’a to Hadhramawt, (that is, from
