Here is an example of the tortures inflicted by Quraysh...

Here is an example of the tortures inflicted by Quraysh: One day Abu Jahl saw the Prophet in Safa and abused and grieved him. The Prophet did not speak to him at all and went away to his house. Abu Jahl also went to join Quraysh who had assembled by the side of the Ka'bah. Hamzah who was the uncle and foster-brother of the Prophet also returned on that day from hunting and was carrying his bow on his shoulder.

It was customary with him that after returning to Makkah and before seeing his children and relatives he went to the Ka'bah and performed 'tawaf' (circumambulation) and then went over to the different groups of Quraysh who gathered round the Ka'bah and exchanged greetings with them. On that day after performing these ceremonies he went to his house.

By chance a slave-girl of Abdullah Jad'an who had witnessed the aforesaid incident came forward and said "O Abu 'Ammarah (the patronymic of Hamzah) I wish that you had been here a few minutes earlier and had seen the incident which I have seen! Then you would have learnt how Abu Jahl has abused and persecuted your nephew". The words of the slave-girl made a strange impression on Hamzah and he decided to avenge his nephew's insult upon Abu Jahl before doing anything else.

He therefore returned and saw Abu Jahl sitting amongst a group of Quraysh. Without speaking to anyone he raised his hunting bow and struck it on the head of Abu Jahl and his skull was injured. Then he said to him: "You abuse him (the Prophet) and I have embraced his religion and am treading the same path which he treads. If you possess any strength come on and fight with me". A group of persons belonging to the family of Makhzum then stood up to support Abu Jahl.

However as he was a clever and diplomatic person he avoided every sort of quarrel and defence and said "I misbehaved with Muhammad and Hamzah is entitled to feel uneasy about it". [^6] This admitted historical fact shows that Hamzah who later became one of the greatest commanders of Islam was a highly influential and brave personality. He did all he could to protect and defend the Holy Prophet and strengthen the group of Muslims.

As Ibn Athir says [^7] Quraysh considered the Islam of Hamzah to be one of the greatest factors for the advancement and strength of the Muslims and they therefore resorted to other plans which will be mentioned later.