Seeratul Mustafaa (309)
Ubayy bin Khalaf followed in the footsteps of his brother, Umayyah bin Khalaf, in his hostility towards Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
On one occasion, he picked up a decomposed bone and brought it before Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). He then crushed it in his hands, scattered its fragments into the wind and mockingly asked, “Will Allah be able to resurrect this?” Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) replied, “Yes! Allah Ta‘ala will resurrect this bone as well as your bones after they decompose, and He will then hurl you into the fire of Jahannum.”
The Arch Enemies of Islam – Umayyah bin Khalaf Jumahi
Written by user2Umayyah would openly and publicly revile Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). When he would pass by Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he would mockingly wink his eyes. Due to this behaviour of his, the following surah was revealed:
وَیۡلٌ لِّکُلِّ ہُمَزَۃٍ لُّمَزَۃِۣ ۙ﴿۱﴾ الَّذِیۡ جَمَعَ مَالًا وَّ عَدَّدَہٗ ۙ﴿۲﴾ یَحۡسَبُ اَنَّ مَالَہٗۤ اَخۡلَدَہٗ ۚ﴿۳﴾ کَلَّا لَیُنۡۢبَذَنَّ فِی الۡحُطَمَۃِ ۫﴿ۖ۴﴾ وَ مَاۤ اَدۡرٰىکَ مَا الۡحُطَمَۃُ ؕ﴿۵﴾ نَارُ اللّٰہِ الۡمُوۡقَدَۃُ ۙ﴿۶﴾ الَّتِیۡ تَطَّلِعُ عَلَی الۡاَفۡـِٕدَۃِ ؕ﴿۷﴾ اِنَّہَا عَلَیۡہِمۡ مُّؤۡصَدَۃٌ ۙ﴿۸﴾ فِیۡ عَمَدٍ مُّمَدَّدَۃٍ ٪﴿۹﴾
Woe unto every backbiter and person who taunts! He who accumulates wealth and repeatedly counts it. Does he think that his wealth will bring him eternity? Never! Verily, he will be hurled into the crushing fire! And do you know what is the crushing fire? It is the kindled fire of Allah Ta‘ala which will leap over the hearts. Indeed, the fire will be sealed over them in extended pillars. (Surah Humazah)
Umayyah bin Khalaf was slain in the Battle of Badr, wither at the hands of Hazrat Khubaib (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) or Hazrat Bilaal (radhiyallahu ‘anhu).
(Extracted from Deeratul Mustafa 1/214-215)
Abu Lahab had three sons; ‘Utbah, Mu‘attib and ‘Utaibah. The first two embraced Islam at the conquest of Makkah Mukarramah.
As for ‘Utaibah, who had divorced the daughter of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) at the command of his father and was also rude and disrespectful to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), he died on account of the curse of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
Seven days after the Battle of Badr, a septic boil appeared on Abu Lahab’s body and began spreading, and this became the cause of his death.
Out of the fear that the infection should not spread to them, his family members refused to even touch his corpse. In this manner, his corpse remained where it was for three days decomposing.
Whenever the Quraish would refer to Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) as Muzammam (the despised one) and speak ill of him, then Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) would say, “O people! Do you not find it strange how Allah Ta‘ala has averted their insults from me? They insult me by referring to me as Muzammam, whereas I am actually Muhammed (the praised one).”
The wife of Abu Lahab, Ummu Jameel bintu Harb, the sister of Hazrat Abu Sufyaan bin Harb (radhiyallahu ‘anhu), also harboured intense enmity and hostility for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). During the night, she would scatter thorns on the path of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
When Ummu Jameel learnt that a surah of the Qur’aan Majeed was revealed regarding her and her husband, she picked up a stone and rushed to strike Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). At that moment, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was with Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) in Musjid-ul-Haraam.
Abu Lahab was his title. His name was ‘Abdul ‘Uzza bin ‘Abdil Muttalib. He was the uncle of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) (the brother of Rasulullah’s (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) father).
In the very beginning, when Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) assembled the Quraish to preach the message of Islam to them, Abu Lahab was the first person to reject him saying:
تبا لك سائر اليوم ألهذا جمعتنا
May Allah destroy you! Did you assemble us here for this?
It was after this incident that Surah Lahab was revealed.
Since Abu Lahab was extremely wealthy, whenever he was warned about the punishment of Allah Ta‘ala, he would say, “If my nephew is true in his message, I will save myself from the punishment of the Day of Qiyaamah by paying money and giving my children in ransom.” The verse “Neither his wealth nor his earnings will avail him from the punishment” is referring to this statement of Abu Lahab.
(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/212)
Abu Jahal was the Fir‘aun of the ummah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). He left no stone unturned in expressing his enmity and hostility for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
Several incidents demonstrating his hatred for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) have already been mentioned, and further such incidents will be mentioned in future as well. From the final words he uttered, as he was dying (the details of which will be discussed under the chapter dealing with the battle of Badr insha Allah), one will gain a clear gauge of the extent of his animosity for Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
It is the system of Allah Ta‘ala that when he creates something, he also creates its opposite. Allah Ta‘ala states:
وَ مِنۡ کُلِّ شَیۡءٍ خَلَقۡنَا زَوۡجَیۡنِ لَعَلَّکُمۡ تَذَکَّرُوۡنَ ﴿۴۹﴾
And from everything We have created pairs so that you may comprehend (the perfection of the Creator). (Surah Zaariyaat v. 49)
Hence, just as there is a Musa for every Fir‘aun, there must be a Fir‘aun for every Musa. Nevertheless, since things may be understood and recognized by viewing their opposites, we will next present a brief outline of each of the arch-enemies of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam).
(Extracted from Seeratul Mustafa 1/210-211)
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)
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The Islam of Hazrat Dimaad bin Tha’labah (radhiyallahu ‘anhu)
Written by user2Hazrat Dimaad bin Tha’labah Azdi (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was a close friend of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) from the pre-Islamic era of ignorance. He would recite different invocations and blow on people as a form of treatment.
When he came to Makkah Mukarramah after Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was bestowed with prophethood, he saw a group of boys following Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam). Some were calling him a sorcerer and fortune teller while others called him insane and a madman. Hazrat Dimaad (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) appeared before Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) and said, “I know how to treat insanity. Give me permission to treat you, and perhaps Allah Ta‘ala will cure you at my hands.”
The Disbelievers Persecuting Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) – Part Seven
Written by user2Hazrat ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ood (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) narrates:
On one occasion, Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was performing salaah in the Haram while Abu Jahl and his friends were also present. Abu Jahl addressed his friends and asked, “Is there no one among you who will go and fetch the intestines of such-and-such camel and place it on Muhammed’s back as he goes into sajdah?”
The most wretched of them all, at that time, was ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ait. He rose, fetched the intestines and dumped it on the back of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) while he was in sajdah.
The Disbelievers Persecuting Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) – Part Six
Written by user2Hazrat ‘Uthmaan bin ‘Affaan (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) reports:
I once saw Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) performing tawaaf of the Ka‘bah while ‘Uqbah bin Abu Mu‘ait, Abu Jahal and Umayyah bin Khalaf were sitting in the hateem area.
As Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) passed by, they uttered obscene words to him. The second time Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) passed by, they again uttered obscene words to him. When Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) passed by for the third time and they uttered these obscene words again, the blessed countenance of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) changed. He stopped and said to them, “By Allah! You will continue in this manner until the punishment of Allah Ta‘ala swiftly befalls you.”
The Disbelievers Persecuting Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) – Part Five
Written by user2On one occasion, while Hazrat ‘Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) was delivering a khutbah to the people, he asked them, “Tell me, who is the most brave and courageous person?” The people replied, “You are the most brave and courageous.”
Hazrat ‘Ali (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) responded, “My condition is such that anyone who challenged me, I was able to combat him. However, I feel that the most brave and courageous person was Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). The reason for this is that I once saw the Quraish beating Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) while saying:
أنت الذي جعلت الآلهة إلها واحدا
So you are the one who has united all the gods into a single deity!
“While they were beating him, none of us had the courage to go close and defend him from the enemy. Coincidentally, Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) arrived, plunged into the mob, punching one person and delivering a blow to another. Just as the man with imaan had addressed Fir‘aun and Haamaan saying, ‘Are you killing a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah’?’, Hazrat Abu Bakr (radhiyallahu ‘anhu) said to the disbelievers at that time, ‘Woe unto you! Do you wish to kill a man simply because he says, ‘Allah is my Lord’?’”