Life and Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad
2. The Life of the Prophet Muhammad
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we will, for we trust you. We know you always tell the truth.” Then
the Prophet said:
“God has commanded me to warn you, my kinsmen,
that you should worship none but the one and only
God. If you fail to do so, you will invite God’s wrath.
And I will not be able to do anything to help you, even
though you are my kinsmen.”
Abu Lahab, the Prophet’s uncle, became very angry and said:
“Woe to you on this day! Did you assemble us for
this?”
Some remarked that he had gone mad. Soon they all dispersed
without caring to give any thought to the words of the Prophet.
There was one main reason for the Quraysh to oppose the
Prophet, and to keep him from spreading his message. Makkah was
a centre of pilgrimage because of the Kabah, which housed 360
idols of the neighbouring tribes and nations. Since Islam believed
in only one God, the Quraysh feared that once the concept of one
God became popular, the tribes would stop visiting the Kabah to
pay homage to the idols. This would deprive them of the respect
they commanded as guardians of the Kabah. Besides, the
prosperity of Makkah depended mainly on these idols. People in
great numbers from the neighbouring tribes used to visit Makkah
all the year round to make offerings to the idols. This brought
prosperity to Makkah, for trade flourished side by side with the
pilgrimage. Makkah being a desert, no agriculture or economic
resources existed there. The Kabah was their only asset. But, all
