Abstract
Prophet Muhammad, a messenger, was sent by Allah to teach the people about Islam at a time when Idols were worshipped all across Makkah. Islam called the people to worship Allah alone and to discard the worship of the Idols. At the beginning very less people accepted the message of Islam. Many refused to acknowledge it and feared the message for a number of reasons. The following papers explains some of the reasons why the Pagans of Makkah feared and found Islam threatening to them. It furthers explains why they refused the message of Islam bought to them by Prophet Muhammad. Their fear and constant refusal of Islam made them lose the pleasures of Jannah.
The Prophet Muhammad was sent by Allah to deliver the message of Islam. He preached the message of Islam at a time when the people of Makkah were enjoying an easy life. They found the message of Islam threatening for a number of reasons, and hence refused and resisted the message.
1. Greed
Quraish leaders were well respected and honored in the whole of Arabia as they were the guardians of the Kaaba. Arabs used to travel throughout the year to the city of Makkah for religious and also for trade. The people of Makkah were afraid for the loss of income from the pilgrims who would come for the pilgrimage to Makkah. They relied hugely on the wealth they gathered through these pilgrims’ constant visitation to the Kabah. When Islam was introduced, it called them to worship Allah alone and to abandon the worship of the Idols. They found it threatening and feared that people would accept the message of Islam and hence the constant visitation of pilgrims would stop. That would cut them off financially and they would become poor.
Therefore, they tried to resist the message bought by Prophet in order to secure their financial and economic status.
Allah Says in the Quran: (181. Indeed, Allah has heard the statement of those who say: 'Truly, Allah is poor and we are rich!'' We shall record what they have said and their killing of the Prophets unjustly, and We shall say: 'Taste you the torment of the burning (Fire).'') (182. This is because of that which your hands have sent before you. And certainly, Allah is never unjust to (His) servants.) (Quran- 3:181-182)
2. Pride and Arrogance
The people of Makkah enjoyed the high status of their well known forefathers who were respected throughout the Arabian Region. They wanted to follow their forefathers and hated to become different from them. As Islam was introduced, they feared that the practices and traditions of their forefathers will not remain the same. They did not like to forego their way of life as they learned it from their forefathers. When they were called to Allah's religion, they used to refuse and say the ways and practices that their fathers and forefathers followed were good enough for them.
Allah Says in the Quran: {When it is said to them: 'Follow what Allah has sent down.'' They say: 'Nay! We shall follow what we found our fathers following.'' Even though their fathers did not understand anything nor were they guided .} (Quran 2:170)
{And when it is said to them, “Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,' they say, 'Sufficient for us is that upon which we found our fathers.' Even though their fathers knew nothing, nor were they guided.} (Quran 5:104)
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3. Envy
Some of the leaders were hoping that they become the prophet of that nation instead of Prophet Mohammad.
Many sub-tribes use to compete with each other and did not want for the other sub-tribes to be superior to their own sub-tribe. Prophet belonged to the Banu Hashim, one of the sub-tribes of the Quraysh. Hence, some of their leaders found it threatening that a prophet be chosen from a different sub-tribe, among the Banu Hashim. They felt that someone from among their own tribe should be more deserving of prophet hood than Prophet Muhammad.
Allah says in the Quran: {'And they said, 'Why was this Qur'an not sent down upon a great man from [one of] the two cities?'(Quran- 43:31)
They used to say why was this Qur'an not revealed to someone among them who was great and well-known in their eyes, from the two towns, i.e., Makkah and Al-Ta'if. This was the view of Ibn `Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him. Therefore, envy made them reject the message that was bought by Prophet.
4. Equality
Another issue that bothered them was that Islam taught equality and mercy between the rich and the poor, those of a high social class and those of the low, the strong and the weak, etc. This was another great threat and concern for them because they thought of themselves as high and superior in comparison to other people.
As Islam taught equality, this was also the reason why most of the early converts of Islam in Makkah were the poor people . This in turn made the pagans to refuse Islam as they did not wanted to mix with the poor people.
5. Society break up
The leaders feared the breakdown of the makkan society due to the emergency of the new Islamic faith. They felt it would break down the structure of their society and would cause them to turn against each other. The control of Makkah depended hugely on the unity of the Quraysh which were the largest tribe in Arabia. Disunity would leave them at risk of the possibility of other tribes of Arabia taking Makkah by force.
They once went to Abu Talib to complain about his nephew’s (Prophet Muhammad) teachings and how it is having a negative impact on their society. As noted by Ibn Hisham that one of the deputation, consisting of high level people of Makkah, was sent to Abu Talib requesting him that, “you give us your nephew who has rebelled against the religion you and your forefathers have followed, and has sown the seeds of discord among your people and ridiculed their practices. We would take him and kill him.”
Conclusions
These are some of the reasons that the Pagans of Makkah found Islam threatening in some way or the other, and hence why they refused and resisted the message bought by the most pious and righteous human being, Prophet. They tried to harm him and attack his character, but couldn't as he was already well known in Makkah as one of the most trustworthy people. He was titled by these same pagans before revelation as 'Al-Amin', the trustworthy. However, after revelation descended on him, the pagans were overcome by envy and pride. They felt themselves better and more deserving of Prophet hood than Prophet. This made them reject the message sent to them from Allah.
References
- Opposition of the Quraysh to the message of the Prophet Muhammad – The WritePass Journal. (2014). from https://writepass.com/journal/2017/02/opposition-of-the-quraysh-to-the-message-of-the-prophet-muhammad/
- Ibn Kathir, 2000. The life of the prophet Muhammad :a translation of Al-Sira an-Nabawiyya /
- translated from the Arabic text of Mustafa ‘Abd al-Wahid by Trevor Le Gassick, v. 1
- Why Did the Quraysh Oppose Islam? - The Thinking Muslim. (2019). Retrieved 21 November 2019, from https://thethinkingmuslim.com/2011/07/27/why-did-the-quraysh-oppose-islam/
- Ibn Kathir, Al - Quran Tafsir | Tafsir Ibn Kathir- Surah2.Al-Baqara, Ayaat170To171 Alim. (2019). Retrieved 20 November 2019, from http://www.alim.org/library/quran/AlQuran-tafsir/TIK/2/170
- https://thethinkingmuslim.com/2011/07/27/why-did-the-quraysh-oppose-islam/
- http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=730&Itemid=60
- https://writepass.com/journal/2017/02/opposition-of-the-quraysh-to-the-message-of-the-prophet-muhammad/
- http://www.qtafsir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2083&Itemid=99
- http://www.citethisforme.com/
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