Part 4 - Adapted into English from Shaykh Dr. Othman Al-Khamees's Arabic Seerah lecture preserving the original meaning while presenting the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
During one attack, the people of Quraysh abandoned their assault on the Prophet (peace be upon him) and instead turned their violence against Abu Bakr. They beat him so severely that he collapsed unconscious. Believing him to be dead, his family carried him home. When he finally regained consciousness, those around him tried to give him food and medicine. His first words were not about his own injuries.
Instead, he asked: "What has happened to the Messenger of Allah?" They assured him that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was safe, but Abu Bakr refused to eat or drink until he saw him with his own eyes.
Supported by two women because he could scarcely walk, he made his way to the Prophet. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) saw Abu Bakr's condition, he was deeply moved. Abu Bakr, however, cared only that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had not been harmed. This is one of the clearest examples of sincere love for the Prophet. Abu Bakr's greatest concern, even while gravely injured, was the safety of Allah's Messenger rather than his own life.
Why such extraordinary suffering occurred?
The answer was simple. The believers worshipped Allah alone. They called people to worship the One who alone deserves worship. For that reason they were insulted, tortured, deprived of their wealth, separated from their families, and even killed. Yet none of these trials caused them to abandon Islam. Instead, every hardship strengthened their conviction that the truth was worth any sacrifice.
The lives of these early believers remain among the greatest examples of patience (sabr), steadfastness, and complete reliance upon Allah (tawakkul). Their sacrifices became the foundation upon which the Muslim community was built.
After describing the escalating persecution of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his Companions (Sahabah), did the leaders of Quraysh genuinely believe that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a liar, a sorcerer, a fortune-teller, or insane?
The answer is clear. No. They knew he was truthful. Their rejection did not arise from ignorance but from pride, rivalry, and a refusal to submit to the truth.
To illustrate this reality, let's narrate a remarkable conversation between al-Akhnas ibn Shariq and Abu Jahl.
At that time, al-Akhnas had not yet embraced Islam. One day he approached Abu Jahl privately and made sure that no one else was present.
He then said:
"I want to ask you something, but answer me honestly." Abu Jahl agreed. Al-Akhnas asked the question directly: "Is Muhammad truthful, or is he lying?" This was not a public debate. There was no audience to impress and no reputation to defend. It was simply one man asking another to speak honestly.
After a moment of silence, Abu Jahl answered with complete honesty: "By Allah, Muhammad is truthful. Muhammad has never lied."
This was not the testimony of a believer. It came from the chief opponent of Islam and one of the leading figures of Quraysh. The very man who publicly accused the Prophet (peace be upon him) of falsehood privately admitted that he had never known him to tell a lie.
If Abu Jahl believed that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was truthful, why did he refuse to follow him? He answered the question himself. He explained that the clan of Banu Abd Manaf already possessed the honor of providing food for pilgrims, supplying them with water, and holding the custodianship of the Ka'bah.
Now they also claimed prophet-hood. "What would remain for the rest of Quraysh?" Abu Jahl complained that his own clan had competed with Banu Abd Manaf for generations. Whenever one clan showed generosity, the other responded with generosity. Whenever one assumed an honorable responsibility, the other sought to match it.
But prophet-hood was different. It could not be earned through competition. If Banu Abd Manaf now possessed prophethood as well, Abu Jahl believed his own clan would never equal them.
So he concluded: "We will never believe him." Abu Jahl did not reject the Prophet (peace be upon him) because he doubted his honesty. He rejected him because accepting the truth would require surrendering his pride.
Arrogance is among the greatest barriers preventing people from accepting guidance. Abu Jahl knew the truth. He admitted the truth. Yet knowledge alone did not benefit him because pride stood between him and faith.
This has always been one of the greatest spiritual dangers. A person may recognize what is right yet refuse to accept it because doing so would require humility, admitting error, or abandoning worldly status. The problem, therefore, was never a lack of evidence. It was a refusal to submit to evidence already recognized.
Every believer should ask Allah to guide them continually to the truth and to grant them the humility to accept it whenever it becomes clear. Knowledge without humility can become a source of destruction.
The leaders of Quraysh heard the Quran, witnessed the character of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and even admitted his truthfulness among themselves. Yet arrogance prevented them from following him.
The early years of the Prophet's mission reveal two very different responses to the truth.
Some people, despite poverty, persecution, and suffering, accepted faith as soon as they recognized it.
Others, despite their influence, intelligence, and certainty, rejected it because they could not overcome their own pride. The difference between the two was not evidence. It was the willingness to submit to Allah.
I pray that Allah continually guides us to what is right, protects us from arrogance, and grants us the humility to accept the truth wherever it appears.
