PROPAGANDA TO KILL PROPHET MUHAMMAD (PBUH)

WHY HE WOULD PUT HIMSELF IN HARMS WAY

1st
Now that all the schemes and conspiracies of Quraish had failed, they resorted to their old
practices of persecution and inflicting tortures on the Muslims in a more serious and brutal
manner than ever before. They also began to nurse the idea of killing the Prophet (pbuh).

Utaibah once approached the Prophet (pbuh) and most defiantly and brazenly shouted at
him, "I disbelieve in: "By the star when it goes down." [53:1] and in "Then he (Gabriel)
approached and came closer." [53:8]. He then started to deal highhandedly with
Muhammad (pbuh) and laid violent hand on him, tore his shirt and spat into his face but
his saliva missed the Holy face of the Prophet (pbuh) . Thereupon, the Prophet (pbuh)
invoked Allah’s wrath on Utaibah and supplicated: "O Allah! Set one of Your dogs on him."
Allah (swt) responded positively to Muhammad’s supplication, and it happened in the
following manner:

Once Utaibah with some of his compatriots from Quraish set out for Syria and took
accommodation in Az-Zarqa. There a lion approached the group to the great fear of Utbah,
who at once recalled Muhammad’s words in supplication, and said: "Woe to my brother!
This lion will surely devour me just as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) (pbuh) supplicated. He
has really killed me in Syria while he is in Makkah." The lion did really rush like lightning,
snatched Utbah from amongst his people and crushed his head. [Tafheem- ul-Qur'an
6/522; Quoted from Al- Isti'ab, Al- Isaba, Dala'il An- Nubuwwah, etc]

It is also reported that a wretched idolater from Quraish, named Uqbah once trod on the
Prophet’s neck while he was prostrating himself in prayer until his eyes protruded.
[Mukhtasar Seerat Ar-Rasool p.113]

More details reported by Ibn Ishaq testify to the tyrants’ deeply-established intentions of
killing the Prophet (pbuh). Abu Jahl, the archenemy of Islam, once addressed some of his
accomplices: "O people of Quraish! It seems that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is determined
to go on finding fault with our religion, degrading our forefathers, discrediting our way of
life and abusing our gods. I bear witness to our god that I will carry a too heavy rock and
drop it on Muhammad’s head while he is in prostration to rid you of him, once and for all. I
am not afraid of whatever his sept, Banu Abd Munaf, might do." The terrible unfortunate
audience endorsed his plan and encouraged him to translate it into a decisive deed. In the
morning of the following day, Abu Jahl laid waiting for the arrival of the Messenger of Allah
(swt) (pbuh) to offer prayer. The people of Quraish were in their assembly rooms waiting
for news. When the Prophet (pbuh) prostrated himself, Abu Jahl proceeded carrying the big
rock to fulfill his wicked intention. No sooner had he approached closer to the Prophet
(pbuh) than he withdraw pale-faced, shuddering with his hands strained the rock falling
off. Thereupon, the people watching hurried forward asking him what the matter was. He
replied: "When I approached, a male camel unusual in figure with fearful canines
intercepted and almost devoured me." Ibn Ishaq reported that the Prophet (pbuh), in the
context of his comment on the incident, said "It was Gabriel (AS), if Abu Jahl had
approached closer, he would have killed him.[Ibn Hisham 1/298]"

Even so the tyrants of Quraish would not be admonished; contrariwise, the idea of killing
the Prophet (pbuh) was still being nourished in their iniquitous hearts. On the authority of
Abdullah bin Amr, some people of Quraish were in a place called Al- Hijr complaining that
they had been too patient with the Prophet (pbuh), who suddenly appeared and began his
usual circumambulation. They started to wink at him and utter sarcastic remarks but he
remained silent for two times, then on the third, he stopped and addressed the infidels
saying: "O people of Quraish! Hearken, I swear by Allah (swt) in Whose Hand is my soul,
that you will one day be slaughtered to pieces." As soon as the Prophet (pbuh) uttered his
word of slaughter, they all stood aghast and switched off to a new style of language
smacking of fear and even horror trying to soothe his anger and comfort him saying: "You
can leave Abul Qasim, for you have never been foolish." [Ibn Hisham 1/289]

Urwa narrated: I asked Abdullah bin Amr to tell me of the worst thing that the pagans did
to the Prophet (pbuh). He said: "While the Prophet (pbuh) was praying in Ka‘bah, Uqbah
came and put his garment around the Prophet’s neck and throttled him violently. Abu Bakr
came and caught him by his shoulder and pushed him away from the Prophet (pbuh) and
said: "Do you want to kill a man just because he says, My Lord is Allah?" [Bukhari 1/544]

2nd
The polytheists were paralyzed by the carefully planned and speedy movement of
Muhammad’s followers towards their new abode in Medina. They were caught in
unprecedented anxiety and got deeply worried over their whole pagan and economic entity.
They already experienced Muhammad (pbuh) as an influential leader; and his followers as
determined, decent and always ready to sacrifice all they had for the sake of the
Messenger of Allah (pbuh). Al-Aws and Al-Khazraj tribes, the would-behosts of the Makkan
Muslims, were also known in Arabia for their might and power in war, and judicious and
sensible approach in peace. They were also averse to rancor and prejudice for they
themselves had had bitter days of inter- tribal warfare. Medina, itself, the prospective
headquarters of the ever-growing Islamic Call, enjoyed the most serious strategic position.
It commanded the commercial routes leading to Makkah whose people used to deal in
about a quarter of a million gold dinar-worth commodities every year. Security of the
caravan routes was crucial for the perpetuity of prosperous economic life. All those factors
borne in mind, the polytheists felt they were in the grip of a serious threat. They,
therefore, began to seek the most effective method that could avert this imminent danger.

They convened a meeting on Thursday, 26th Safar, the year fourteen of Prophet Hood /
12th September 622 A.D [For details see Rahmat- al-lil'alameen 1/95-102], two and a half
months after the Great ‘Aqabah Pledge. On that day, "the Parliament of Makkah" held the
most serious meeting ever, with one item on the agenda: How to take effective measures
with a view to stopping that tidal wave. Delegates representing all the Quraishite tribes
attended the meeting.

On their way to An-Nadwah House, Iblis (Satan) in the guise of a venerable elderly man
standing at the door interrupted their talk and introduced himself as a man from Najd
curious enough to attend the meeting, listen to the debate and wish them success to reach
a sound opinion. He was readily admitted in. There was a lengthy debate and several
proposals were put forward. Expulsion from Makkah was proposed and debated in turn but
finally turned down on grounds that his sweet and heart-touching words could entice the
other Arabs to attack them in their own city. Imprisonment for life was also debated but
also refused for fear that his followers might increase in number, overpower them and
release him by force.

At this point, the arch-criminal of Makkah, Abu Jahl bin Hisham suggested that they
assassinate him. But assassination by one man would have exposed him and his family to
the vengeance of blood. The difficulty was at last solved by Abu Jahl himself, who
suggested that a band of young men, one from each tribe, should strike Muhammad
simultaneously with their swords so that the blood-money would be spread over them all
and therefore could not be exacted, and his people would seek a mind-based recourse for
settlement. The sinful proposal was unanimously accepted, and the representatives broke
up the meeting and went back home with full determination for immediate implementation.
[Ibn Hisham 1/480-482]

3rd
The impact of defeat at Badr was so great that the Makkans began to burn with indignation
and resentment over their horrible losses. To resolve this situation two polytheists
volunteered to quench their thirst and muffle the source of that humiliation i.e. the Prophet
(pbuh). Umair bin Wahab Al-Jumahi, a terrible polytheist, and an archenemy Safwan bin
Omaiyah sat together privately lamenting their loss and remembering their dead and
captives. Umair expressed a fervent desire to kill the Prophet (pbuh) and release his
captured son in Madinah, if it was not for the yoke of debts he was under and the large
family he had to support. Safwan, also had his good reasons to see the Prophet (pbuh)
killed, so he offered to discharge Umair’s debts and support his family if he went on with
his plan. Umair agreed and asked Safwan to be reticent on the whole scheme. He left for
Medina, having with him a sword to which he applied some kind of lethal poison. Umar bin
Al-Khattab (ra) saw him at the door of the Mosque and understood that he had come with
evil intentions. He immediately went into the Mosque and informed the Prophet (pbuh).

He was let in looped by the sling of his sword and in greeting he said "good morning", to
which the Prophet (pbuh) replied that Allah had been Gracious and taught them the
greeting of the dwellers of the Paradise: "peace be upon you!" To a question raised by the
Prophet (pbuh), about his object, Umair said that he had come to see that his captured son
was well treated. As for the sword, which the Prophet (pbuh) asked him about; he cursed it
and said that it gained them nothing. On exhorting him to tell his real goal, he remained
obdurate and did not divulge the secret meeting with Safwan. Here the Prophet (pbuh) got
impatient and he himself revealed to Umair his secret mission. ‘Umair was taken by
surprise, and incredible astonishment seized him, and immediately bore witness to the
Messenger ship of Muhammad (pbuh). He then began to entertain Allah’s praise for having
been guided to the ‘Straight Path’. The Prophet (pbuh) was pleased and asked his
Companions to teach Umair the principles of Islam, recite to him the Noble Qur’ân and
release his son from captivity.

Safwan, meanwhile, was still entertaining false illusions as to the approaching redemption
of honour, and burying the memory of Badr into oblivion. He was impatiently awaiting
Umair’s news but to his great surprise, he was told that the man had embraced Islam and
changed into a devoted believer. Umair later came back to Makkah where he started to call
people unto Islam and he did actually manage to convert a lot of Makkans into Islam.[Ibn
Hisham 1/661-663]

4th
The Most Awkward Hour in the Messenger’s Life
(During the battle of Uhud), after the fall of Ibn Sakan, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)
remained alone with only those two Quraishites. In a version by Abu Uthman — authorized
in As-Sahihain— he said: "At that time, there were none with the Prophet (pbuh) except
Talha bin ‘Ubaidullâh and Sa‘d bin Abi Waqqas. [Sahih Al-Bukhari 1/527, 2/581]

That was the most awkward and dangerous hour for the Prophet (pbuh), but it was a
golden opportunity for the idolaters who promptly took advantage of it. They concentrated
their attack on the Prophet (pbuh) and looked forward to killing him…