Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
10. The Prophet in Makkah
~ 270 ~
mission. The town of Makkah was as devoid of
supporters who would help the Prophet as it was of
shade-giving trees. Only four people managed to
remain close to him-’Ali, Zayd, Abu Bakr and
Khadijah—five if one includes the first person who
was born a Muslim, ‘A’ishah the daughter of Abu
Bakr.
So the situation remained for three full years. When
the Prophet left his house, he was greeted with
derisive jeers in the street, as if he were a madman.
One day—on the instigation of Abu Jahl—a group
of people were abusing the Prophet. A passer-by
was unable to put up with the sight of a person
from a noble Quraysh family being treated in this
manner. He went straight to the Prophet’s uncle,
Hamzah. “Have you lost all sense of honour?” he
said. “You are sitting back while people are
disgracing your nephew.” This was enough to
ignite Hamzah’s sense of Arab pride. He had an
iron bow, which he took with him and went to see
Abu Jahl. Striking the Prophet’s oppressor, he said:
“I have adopted Muhammad’s religion as my own.
If you have it in you, do something about it.”
37
