Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
10. The Prophet in Makkah
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Islam. But the Prophet said to him: “No, Abu Bakr,
we are too few.” The same thing happened in the
sixth year of the Prophet’s mission, when ‘Umar
accepted Islam. He protested to the Prophet: “Why
should we keep our Islam a secret, when we are
right. And why should others be allowed to
publicize their faith, when they are in the wrong?”
The Prophet gave ‘Umar the same reply that he had
given Abu Bakr several years earlier: “We are too
few, ‘Umar.” As long as the Prophet remained in
Mecca, he continued this cautious posture. Until
after the emigration, with the consolidation of
Muslim ranks, when the armed Quraysh advanced
on Madinah to extirpate the Islam and Muslims
then permission was given to Muslims to counter
the Quraysh. The first battle fought between the
Muslims and their antagonists was the Battle of
Badr. “Whoever is successful on this day,” the
Prophet said as the battle began, “will be successful
in times to come.” The meaning of the Prophet’s
remark was that the time for Muslims to take
positive initiatives was only when they were in a
position to fashion a new future for Islam. If their
actions were not likely to produce such results, it
was better for them to be patient.
