Chapter 15 : Why Did The Quraysh Resist Islam Flashcards
Regarding the resistance from Quraysh
History Repeats Itself
- The Quran has several verses which mentions that history is going to repeat itself during the Prophethood of Prophet Muhammad
” But if they reject you, so indeed were rejected before you messengers who came with clear evidences and scriptures and the illuminating Book. “
- Al Quran [ 3 : 184 ]
” The people of Nuh, Ad and Pharaoh - The lord of spikes, firmly planted, of the tent poled [ dhu al - awtad ] - spurned [ Faith, The Messengers ] before them, And Thamud and the people of Lut and the dwellers of the wood [ ashab al - aykah ] : These were the factions. They all denied the messengers and earned retribution. “
- Al Quran [ 38 : 12 - 14 ]
- These verses indicates that throughout history going back to the time of Ibrahim, Nuh, Musa, etc, all these Prophets and Messengers who invited the people towards Monotheism were rejected and ridiculed
- The Quran is very clear in establishing that The Prophet Muhammad will also inevitably endure the same rejection that his predecessors endured
Why did Quraysh resist Islam
- The leaders of Quraysh fiercely opposed Islam for various reasons :-
1) They felt that they could not accept one single God and abandon their many gods
” Does he make all the gods into a single god ? This is a mind boggling thing [ la - shay’un ujab ] ! “
- Al Quran [ 38 : 5 ]
- Despite their connection to Abraham’s Religion, his Monotheism had been adulterated by idol worshipping to such an extent that they felt Muhammad was preaching a new and unprecedented message
2) They felt that they could not accept a newly founded religion and abandon one that had endured for so long
- In their mind, Islam is a new phenomenon while their own Polytheistic Practices are ancient and thus they decided that they will not exchange that which is ancient and well established with something that is new and novel
- This is why the Quran emphasizes Islam’s connection with Past Prophets and with Abraham in particular :-
” Most surely the nearest of people to Abraham are those who followed him and this Prophet [ Prophet Muhammad ] and those who believe, and Allah is the Guardian of the believers. “
- Al Quran [ 3 : 68 ]
- The idea behind this is that Allah does not want us to think that Islam is new, Islam has been there during the time of Adam, Ibrahim etc which is further emphasized in the Quran
- In essence, the Quran is telling us that Prophet Muhammad is reviving the Abrahamic Way and is not introducing a new religion [ It is a revival of the ancient teachings of Prophet Abraham ]
3) They did not want to abandon the culture of their forefathers
” They say ‘ Had the All Beneficient wished, we would not have worshipped them. ‘ They do not have any knowledge of that, and they do nothing but surmise. Did We give them a Book before this, so that they are holding fast to it ? Rather they say ‘ We found our fathers following a creed and we are indeed guided in their footsteps. ‘ And so it has been that We did not send any warner to a town before you, without its affluent ones saying ‘ We found our fathers following a creed and we are indeed following in their footsteps. ‘ He would say ‘ What ! Even if I bring you a better guidance that what you found your fathers following ?! ‘ They would say ‘ We indeed disbelieve in what you are sent with. ‘ “
- Al Quran [ 43 : 20 - 24 ]
4) They feared losing their position of power among the Arabs
- By challenging the status quo, The Prophet was undermining their superiority over other tribes
- Quraysh saw themselves as the elites but The Prophet is challenging their social hierarchy
- The Prophet has said that “ The best among you in the eyes of God are the most pious “ [ Even an Ethiopian Slave may be better than The Quraysh if they are God Fearing ]
5) Other clans felt jealous of the Clan of Hashim
” I know what Muhammad says is true. However, the children of Qusayy said ‘ We want to be in charge of draping the Kaabah. ‘ and we conceded. They said ‘ We want the governing council to be among us. ‘ and we conceded. They said ‘ The banners should be in our hands. ‘ and we conceded. Then they gave us the duty of feeding the pilgrims and we became equal. But now they say ‘ The Prophet is from us ‘. No, by God ! We shall not accept this. “
- A conversation between Abu Jahl [ Amr Ibn Hisham ] and Al Walid Ibn Al Mughira [ Father of Khalid Ibn Al Walid ]
- Another verse in the Quran links to this jealousy that exists between the Quraysh and The Prophet
” And they said ‘ Why was not this Quran sent down to some great man from the two cities [ Makkah and Taif ] ‘ ? Is it they who dispense the mercy of your Lord ? It is We who have dispensed among them their livelihood in the present life and raised some of them above others in rank, so that some may take others into service, and your Lord’s mercy is better than what they amass. “
- Al Quran [ 43 : 31 - 32 ]
- According to scholars, the 2 men were :-
i) Al Walid Ibn Al Mughirah from Makkah
ii) Abu Mas’ud Urwa Ibn Mas’ud Al Thaqafi from Taif
6) They felt that the security of Makkah would be compromised
” And they say ‘ If we follow the guidance with you, we shall be carried off from our land. ‘ What ! Have we not settled them in a safe, sacred territory to which fruits aplenty are drawn ? Sustenance from Us, but most of them do not know. “
- Al Quran [ 28 : 57 ]
” Have they not seen that We have appointed a safe sanctuary, while the people are despoiled all around them ? Would they then believe in falsehood and be ungrateful toward the blessing of Allah ? “
- Al Quran [ 29 : 67 ]
7) They did not feel that The Prophet Muhammad fit the mold of a Prophet
” And they say ‘ What is the matter with this Messenger that he eats food and goes about in the markets, why has not an angel been sent down to him, so that he should have been a warner with him ? Or [ Why is not ] a treasure sent down to him, or he is made to have a garden from which he should eat ? ‘ And the unjust say ‘ You do not follow any but a man bewitched. ‘ “
- Al Quran [ 25 : 7 - 8 ]
- The following is the Quran’s response to the objection that The Prophet does not fit the mold of A Prophet :-
” And We have not sent before you any messengers but they most surely ate food and went about in markets, and We have made some of you a trial for others, will you bear patiently ? And your Lord is ever Seeing. “
- Al Quran [ 25 : 20 ]
- The Verse above is effectively saying that This Messenger if not the first Messenger that has been sent to the people
- Rather, God sent a large number of Messengers before him and they were all characterized by every ordinary human quality and practice that is common among the people
- They all used to eat food and go to the markets
8) They wanted flashy miracles
” And those who have no kowledge say ‘ Why does not Allah speak to us or a sign come to us ? ‘ Even thus said those before them, the like of what they say, their hearts are all alike. Indeed We have made the signs clear for a people who are sure. Surely, We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of good news and as a warner, and you shall not be questioned as to the companions of the flaming fire. “
- Al Quran [ 2 : 118 - 119 ]
9) They felt their fate was sealed and that they had no choice but to be pagan
” They say ‘ Had the All Beneficent wished, we would not have worshipped them. ‘ They do not have any knowledge of that and they do nothing but surmise. “
- Al Quran [ 43 : 20 ]
- This is one of those foolish arguments that the Quran relates from them
- We can read it as justifying the worship of idols as follows
” Had God Willed, we would not have worshipped associates with Him. We would have necessarily not worshipped them because we could not go against the will of God. But we worshipped them, so this means He did not will for us not to worship them, which is tantamount to saying that He allowed us to do it. This means that He has no problem with us worshipping associates, including the Angels “
10) They were arrogant
” When it was said to them ‘ There is no God but Allah, ‘ they waxed arrogantly. “
- Al Quran [ 37 : 35 ]
