STEADFASTNESS AND FORTITUDE OF THE HOLY PROPHET As a result...

STEADFASTNESS AND FORTITUDE OF THE HOLY PROPHET As a result of the special contacts of the Prophet before the 'general invitation' and his indefatigable efforts thereafter a selected and faithful team came into existence against the forces of infidelity and idolatry.

The Muslims who had embraced Islam secretly before the 'general invitation' developed complete acquaintance with those who responded to the Prophet's call thereafter and the bells of danger rang in all the assemblies of infidelity and polytheism.

No doubt it was quite easy for the strong and well-equipped Quraysh to crush a newly-born movement but the reason for their being afraid was that the members of the movement did not belong to only one family but persons belonging to various families had also embraced Islam. Hence it was not easy for Quraysh to take a decisive action. After mutual consultations the chiefs of Quraysh decided to remove the very foundation of this faith and the founder of the new religion by different means.

They proposed to achieve this purpose by approaching him sometimes with allurements and at other times by extending to him various promises and occasionally by using threats and torture. For ten years Quraysh behaved in this manner and eventually they decided to kill the Holy Prophet. In order to save him therefore Allah ordered him to quit Makkah. During the aforesaid period the chief of the family of Bani Hashim was Abu Talib.

He was a man who possessed a noble nature and a magnanimous spirit and his house was an asylum for the needy and the orphans. Besides being the chief of Makkah and possessing some offices with regard to the Holy Ka'bah he enjoyed a very high position in the Arab society and as he had been the guardian of the Prophet after the demise of Abdul Muttalib the other chiefs of Quraysh approached him in the form of a group [^2] and addressed him thus: "O Abu Talib!

Your nephew abuses our gods speaks ill of our religion laughs at our thoughts and beliefs and considers our forefathers misguided. Ask him to keep aloof from us or surrender him to us and refrain from supporting him".[^3] The elder of Quraysh and the head of the family of Bani Hashim replied to them in a tactful manner and in a soft tone and consequently they abandoned their activities.