General Invitation

Quraysh Approdched Abu Talib For the Third Time

The ever-increasing expansion of Islam disturbed Quraysh very much and they were keen to find out a solution to this problem. They assembled once again and were of the view that Abu Talib's support to Muhammad was possibly due to the fact that he had adopted him as his son and if that were so it was possible that they might take the most handsome young man to him and ask him to adopt him as his son. They therefore took with them 'Ammarah bin Walid bin Mughayrah who was the most handsome of the Makkan young men and approaching Abu Talib for the third time began complaining and threatening in these words: "O Abu Talib! Walid's son is a young man who is a poet and is also handsome and intelligent. We are prepared to hand him over to you so that you may adopt him as your son and cease supporting your nephew". On hearing this Abu Talib was cut to the quick and shouted upon them with a burning face and said: "You are doing a great injustice to me. You wish that I should nurture your son and surrender my dearest child to you so that you may kill him. I swear by Allah that it will not be so". Mut'am son of Adi then stood up and said: "The offer made by Quraysh is quite fair but you are not going to accept it". Abu Talib replied: "You have not been just and I am sure that you want to humiliate me and to instigate Quraysh to fight against me. However you are free to do what you can".

QURAYSH TRY TO ALLURE THE HOLY PROPHET

Quraysh became sure that it was not at all possible to make Abu Talib agree to their suggestion and although he did not declare openly to be a follower of Islam he had a great faith in his nephew and dearly loved him. They therefore decided to refrain from entering into any discussion with him. They however thought of another plan and it was that they should allure Muhammad by offering him status wealth gifts and beautiful women so that he might abandon his call. They therefore went to the house of Abu Talib in the form of a group at a time when his nephew was also sitting with him. The spokesman of the group opening the talk said: "O Abu Talib! Muhammad has scattered our united ranks and has created dissension amongst us. He has laughed our intellect down and has ridiculed us and our idols. If he has been prompted to do so on account of his poverty and indigence we are prepared to place enormous wealth at his disposal. If he wants status we are ready to accept him as our ruler and will listen to him. And in case he is invalid and needs medical treatment we will bring an expert physician to attend upon him............."

Abu Talib turned his face to the Prophet and said: "The elders of your tribe have come and request that you should refrain from criticizing the idols so that they too may leave you alone". The Holy Prophet replied to his uncle thus: "I don't desire anything from them. As against these four offers they should accept one word from me so that under its auspices they may rule the Arabs and make non-Arabs their camp followers". At this stage Abu Jahl stood up and said: "We are prepared to hear you ten times". The Prophet replied: "My only word is that you should admit Oneness of the Lord". The unexpected words of the Holy Prophet were like cold water thrown on a hot kettle. They were so much engulfed in amazement coupled with disappointment and despair that they said involuntarily all at once: "Should we forsake 360 gods and worship only one Allah?"

Quraysh left the house while their faces and eyes were burning with anger and they were thinking about the means for achieving their object. In the following verses of the Holy Qur'an this very incident has been related: [^5]

It seems strange to the pagans that a man from their own people should come to them as a Prophet. The unbelievers have said he is only a lying magician . They say Has he condemned all other gods but One? This is certainly strange . A group of the pagans walked out of a meeting with the Prophet and told others Let us walk away. Be steadfast in the worship of your gods. This man wants to dominate you. We have heard nothing like this in the latest religion. This is only his own false invention. (Surah Sa'd, 38:4-7)