Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
10. The Prophet in Makkah
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what had happened, “I said whatever you would
have wanted me to say,” replied ‘Utbah. They asked
whether Muhammad had given any answer. ‘Utbah
said that he had, but that the proofs he offered were
incomprehensible. All that he had gathered was
that he was warning them of a thunderbolt like that
which had overtaken Thamud and Ad. “What has
become of you?” the Quraysh asked. “How is it that
a person speaks to you in Arabic, and you do not
understand what he says?” “Really, I didn’t
understand anything,” ‘Utbah insisted. “All I
gathered was that he mentioned a thunderbolt.”
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Some people were only familiar with religion in a
particular, conventional form. To them, the message
of Islam just appeared to be an indictment of their
elders. Damad once came to Makkah to perform
‘Umrah. He had occasion to sit in a gathering along
with Abu Jahl, ‘Utbah ibn Rabi’ah and Umayyah
ibn Khalf “He (Muhammad) has caused a split in
our community,” Abu Jahl declared. “He thinks we
are all fools, and considers our ancestors woefully
astray. He insults our idols.” “He is insane, without
doubt,” Umayyah added.
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