Some Sunni historians like Ibn Kathir Shami insist that...

Some Sunni historians like Ibn Kathir Shami insist that: "The effect of the Islam of Abu Bakr and Umar was no lesser than the effect of the Islam of Hamzah and the Islam of these two great caliphs became the means of the glory strength and freedom of the Muslims''.[^8] Of course there is no doubt about the fact that every person contributed to the strength and expansion of Islam but in spite of this it can never be said that the effect of the Islam of these two caliphs was at par with the effect of the Islam of Hamzah.

The reason for this conclusion is that Hamzah was the man who on hearing that an elder of Quraysh had abused the Holy Prophet went in quest of the culprit without informing anybody of his intention and took a very hard revenge on him. And none had the courage to oppose him or to fight with him.

On the other hand Ibn Hisham the great biographer of Islam narrates an incident with regard to Abu Bakr which shows that when he joined the circle of the Muslims he did not possess the requisite strength to defend either himself or the Holy Prophet. [^9] The details of the incident are given below: One day the Prophet was passing by a group of Quraysh.

Suddenly those people encircled him and everyone of them began repeating by way of ridicule his words about the idols and the Day of Judgement and said: "Do you say this?" The Prophet replied to them: "Yes. I am the person who says this". As Quraysh saw that there was none to defend the Holy Prophet they decided to kill him. A man therefore came forward and held the ends of his dress. Abu Bakr happened to be there by the side of the Prophet.

With tears in his eyes he stood up to support the Prophet and said: "Is it proper that you should kill a man who believes in monotheism?" Later (for some reasons) those people desisted from maltreating the Prophet and he went his own way whereas Abu Bakr proceeded to his own house with an injured head. Although this incident may be an evidence of the Caliph's sentiments for and interest in the Prophet it is first of all a firm evidence of his weakness and fear.

It shows that at that time he did not possess either strength or an appreciable social status. And as a practical step by Quraysh against the Prophet might have entailed evil consequences they left him alone and directed the severity of their action towards his companion and broke his head.