Severe Trials

One day, the Noble Prophet ﷺ was offering prayer in the Kaaba when Abu Jahl came to him and said:

“Did I not forbid you from doing this? Do you not know that I have the largest group of supporters?”

Upon this, verses 17 and 18 of Surah Al-‘Alaq were revealed:

Translation: “Then let him call his people and supporters. If he does so, We too will call the guards of Hell.”

“If Abu Jahl had called his people, the angels of Allah Almighty’s punishment would have seized and destroyed him.”

One day, Abu Jahl came before the Noble Prophet ﷺ and addressed him:

“You know that I am the protector of the people of Bat’ha, and I am one of the most honorable men here.”

At that time, Allah Almighty revealed verse 49 of Surah Ad-Dukhan:

Translation: “Taste! Indeed, you are the mighty and honorable one.”

The angel of Hell will say these words to Abu Jahl while rebuking him as he is cast into Hell.

Abu Lahab was also at the forefront of causing suffering to the Noble Prophet ﷺ. He used to create obstacles in the Prophet’s ﷺ preaching and would insult and abuse him.

His wife, Umm Jamil, also joined him in this. She would cut thorny branches from the forest and spread them in the path of the Noble Prophet ﷺ.

Because of this, Allah Almighty revealed Surah Al-Lahab. In it, punishment was also announced for Abu Lahab’s wife.

She became extremely angry. Holding a stone in her hand, she went toward the Prophet ﷺ.

At that time, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه was with the Prophet ﷺ. When he saw Abu Lahab’s wife approaching, he said:

“O Messenger of Allah! This woman has a very abusive tongue. If you remain here, her foul speech will cause you distress.”

Hearing this, the Noble Prophet ﷺ said:

“Abu Bakr, do not worry. She will not be able to see me.”

Meanwhile, Umm Jamil came close. She could see only Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه there.

As soon as she arrived, she said:

“Abu Bakr! Your companion has humiliated me. Where is your companion who recites poetry?”

Abu Bakr said:

“Can you see anyone with me?”

She replied:

“Why? What is the matter? I cannot see anyone with you.”

He asked:

“What do you want to do to him?”

She replied:

“I want to strike him in the face with this stone. He has said offensive poetry about me.”

She thought that the verses of Surah Al-Lahab were poetry.

Upon this, Abu Bakr said:

“No! By Allah, he is not a poet. He does not even know how to compose poetry, nor has he humiliated you.”

Hearing this, she turned back and left.

Later, Abu Bakr as-Siddiq رضي الله عنه asked the Prophet ﷺ:

“O Messenger of Allah! Why was she unable to see you?”

The Prophet ﷺ replied:

“An angel had concealed me within his wings.”

According to another narration, he ﷺ said:

“A barrier had been placed between me and her.”

Abu Lahab had a son named ‘Utbah and another son named ‘Utaybah.

Before the declaration of Prophethood, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had married his two daughters, Hazrat Ruqayyah and Hazrat Umm Kulthum رضي الله عنهما, to these two sons of Abu Lahab.

It was only a marriage contract; they had not yet been sent to their husbands’ homes.

When Islam began and Surah Al-Lahab was revealed, Abu Lahab became angry and said to his sons:

“If you do not divorce the daughters of Muhammad, I will not look at your faces.”

Therefore, both of them divorced them.

(If we look at the matter carefully, there was wisdom in this for the daughters of the Prophet ﷺ. It was as though Allah Almighty wanted these pure daughters not to go to the homes of ‘Utbah and ‘Utaybah.)

This relationship was ended because of hostility toward Islam. In other words, because both women were the daughters of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, this step was taken.

On this occasion, ‘Utaybah came into the presence of the Noble Prophet ﷺ and spoke disrespectfully about him.

The Prophet ﷺ was already grieved because of what had happened to his daughters. In these circumstances, he ﷺ supplicated against him:

“O Allah! Appoint one of Your dogs against him.”

Hearing this supplication, ‘Utaybah returned and told his father Abu Lahab the whole incident.

After this, the father and son set out with a caravan toward Syria.

On the way, they stopped at a place. Nearby was the place of worship of a monk.

The monk came to them and told them:

“Wild beasts live in this area.”

Hearing this, Abu Lahab became frightened and remembered the supplication of the Noble Prophet ﷺ.

He said to the members of the caravan:

“You are aware of my position, and you also know what rights I have over you.”

They all replied together:

“Indeed, we know.”

Abu Lahab then said:

“Then help us. I have become frightened because of Muhammad’s supplication.

Therefore, place your belongings toward that place of worship, put my son’s bed on them, and place your own beds around him.”

They did exactly that.

Not only this, they also placed their camels around themselves.

In this way, ‘Utaybah was positioned right in the middle of them all.

They then began guarding him.

Despite all these precautions, the prediction of the Noble Prophet ﷺ came true.

Around midnight, a lion came there and began sniffing the sleeping people.

It continued moving forward, sniffing them one by one, until it made a long leap and reached ‘Utaybah.

Then it attacked him and killed him.

Another incident of causing suffering occurred as follows:

One day, the Prophet ﷺ was offering prayer in the Masjid al-Haram.

Some animals had been slaughtered nearby. Those people used to sacrifice animals in the names of their idols.

The stomach contents of one of the slaughtered animals were still lying there.

At this, Abu Jahl said:

“Is there anyone who can place this on Muhammad?”

According to another narration, someone said:

“Are you not seeing this scene? Who among you will go to the place where such-and-such tribe has slaughtered animals, where their dung, blood, and animal remains are lying?

Let someone go there, bring back the filth, and wait for Muhammad to go into prostration.

Then, as soon as he goes into prostration, that person should place the filth between his shoulders.”

Then one of the polytheists stood up.

His name was ‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt.

He was the most wretched among his people.

He went and brought the animal remains. When the Prophet ﷺ went into prostration, he placed them upon him.

Upon this, the polytheists began laughing loudly.

They became overwhelmed with laughter and began falling against one another.

Someone informed Hazrat Fatimah az-Zahra رضي الله عنها of what had happened.

She came to the Haram while crying.

The Noble Prophet ﷺ was still in prostration, and the animal remains were upon his shoulders.

Sayyidah Fatimah رضي الله عنها removed them from the Prophet ﷺ.

After that, he ﷺ raised his head from prostration and stood in prayer.

When he ﷺ completed the prayer, he supplicated against those people:

“O Allah, punish the Quraysh.

O Allah, punish the Quraysh.

O Allah, punish the Quraysh.”

The Quraysh, who had been laughing uncontrollably, became completely silent as soon as they heard this supplication.

They became terrified because of it.

After that, he ﷺ also supplicated against them by name:

“O Allah, punish ‘Amr bin Hisham”—meaning Abu Jahl—“‘Uqbah bin Abi Mu‘ayt, and Umayyah bin Khalaf.”

Hazrat Abdullah bin Mas‘ud رضي الله عنه says:

“By Allah, I saw all those Quraysh whom the Prophet ﷺ had named lying defeated at the Battle of Badr, and afterward their bodies were thrown into a pit.”

A similar incident has been narrated by Hazrat ‘Uthman Ghani رضي الله عنه.

He said:

“One day, the Noble Prophet ﷺ was performing Tawaf, and at that time his hand was in the hand of Hazrat Abu Bakr رضي الله عنه.

Three men were sitting near the Black Stone.

When the Prophet ﷺ passed by the Black Stone and came near them, those three men made several insulting remarks about his blessed person.

Hearing these remarks caused the Prophet ﷺ pain, and the signs of distress appeared on his blessed face.

During the second round, Abu Jahl said:

‘You prevent us from worshipping the gods whom our forefathers used to worship, but we cannot make peace with you.’

In response, the Prophet ﷺ said:

‘My situation is the same.’

Then he ﷺ moved forward.

During the third round, they said similar things again.

Then, during the fourth round, all three of them suddenly rushed toward the Prophet ﷺ.”