Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
10. The Prophet in Makkah
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have been to declare war on the whole of the
Prophet’s tribe. He was not the only prophet to be
defended in this way. The Prophet Shu’ayb’s people
also refrained from killing him for the same reason,
despite their desire to do so:
They said: “O Shu’ayb, we do not understand
much of what you say to us. And we see you
weak among us. But for your tribe, we would
have stoned you. You are not dear to us.”
38
The Quraysh once presented a demand to the chief
of the Banu Hashim, the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib,
that he should expel his nephew from the tribe.
Only then would they be able to slay the Prophet.
Abu Talib’s honour prevented him from taking this
step. When Abu Talib, at the Quraysh’s behest,
asked his nephew to stop criticizing their gods, the
Prophet became concerned that his uncle was going
to hand him over to the Quraysh. But Abu Talib
immediately put his nephew’s mind at rest. “By
God, I will never hand you over to anyone,” he told
him.
39
When all else failed, the Quraysh decided, in the
seventh year of the Prophet’s mission, to ostracize
