After Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) began to openly proclaim tauheed and invite to Islam, most of the people of Makkah Mukarramah became his enemies. However, there were some people who had reached the limits in their hostility and enmity for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).

Some of these people were:

Abu Jahal bin Hishaam, Abu Lahab bin ‘Abdil Muttalib, Aswad bin ‘Abd-e-Yaghooth, Haarith bin Qays, Waleed bin Mugheerah, Umayyah bin Khalaf and Ubayy bin Khalaf (the sons of Khalaf), Abu Qays bin Faakihah, ‘Aas bin Waa’il, Nadhr bin Haarith, Munabbih bin Hajjaaj, Zuhair bin Abi Umayyah, Saa’ib bin Saifi, Aswad bin ‘Abdil Asad, ‘Aas bin Sa‘eed, ‘Aas bin Haashim, ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ait, Ibnul Asdaa Hakam bin ‘Aas and ‘Adiyy bin Hamraa’.

Most of these people were the neighbours of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and men of high standing in society. They remained diligent and zealous in their hostility against Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and night and day, they made this their main mission. Abu Jahal, Abu Lahab and ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ait were at the forefront from all these enemies.

(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/209-210)