Persecution of Muslims by the Meccans
- This is a sub-article to Muhammad before Medina and Persecution of Muslims
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In the early days of Islam at Mecca, the new Muslims were often subjected to abuse and persecution.
Contents |
Overview
Some were killed, such as Sumayyah bint Khabbab, the seventh convert to Islam, who was tortured first by Abu Jahl. Muhammad was protected somewhat by the influence of his family, but even he was subjected to such abuse; while he was praying near the Kaaba, Abu Lahab threw the entrails of a sacrificed camel over him, and Abu Lahab's wife Umm Jamil would regularly dump filth outside his door. The master of the slave Bilal ibn Rabah (who would become the first muezzin) would take him out into the desert in the heat of midday and place a heavy rock on his chest, demanding that he forswear his religion and pray to the polytheists' gods and goddesses, until Abu Bakr bought him and freed him.
History
613 - 614
The physical assaults reportedly began in 613.[1] In 614, a group of Muslims were on their way to the hills of Mecca to hold a meeting with Muhammad, when a group of polytheists observed their gathering and began to abuse and fight them. Sa'ad beat a polytheist and shed his blood, reportedly the first instance of bloodshed in the history of Islam.
7 BH (614–615 CE)
In seventh Islamic month (Rajab) of 7 BH (614–615 CE) twelve male and twelve female Sahaba, the Muslims who originally converted in Mecca, migrated to Aksum seeking refuge from persecution.
6 BH (615–616 CE)
Following the return from the First migration to Abyssinia, the Muslims continued to suffer Persecution by the Meccans.[1] This time, in 6 BH (616 CE) almost one hundred Muslims made a second migration back to Abyssinia where they stayed protected. After the Muslims in Arabia had migrated to Medina in AH 7 (628/629) and attained security, the Muslims in Abyssinia migrated back to Arabia and reunited with them in Medina [1] after six years absence.
5 BH (616–617 CE)
The Meccan boycott of the Hashemites by the Quraish was proclaimed in 617.
3 BH (618–619 CE)
2 BH (619–620 CE)
In 620, after the Year of Sorrow when his main source of support, Abu Talib had died did the persecution increased exponentially, so he tried to seek support from the neighboring city of Tai'f.
AH 1 (622/623)
This persecution ultimately provoked the Migration to Medina.
List of Specific Recorded Instances
Slaves who were Muslims
Male
- Yasir ibn Amir – tortured and killed.[2]
- Bilal ibn Ribah – lied on burning sand, had a very heavy stone put on his chest with somebody jumping on it.
- Khabbab ibn al-Aratt – lied on burning sand, had hot metal put on his head,
- Abu Fakih – tied and dragged on burning sand, had a very heavy stone put on his chest [3]
- Abu Fuhayra
- Ammar ibn Yasir – tortured.[2]
Female
- Sumayyah bint Khabbab – killed by spear.
- Al-Nahdiah – tortured [2]
- Umm Ubays – tortured [2]
- Lubaynah– extensively beaten [2]
- Zinnira – beaten until she lost her eyesight temporarily.[3]
Free Muslims
- Muhammad – entrails of animals thrown at him while praying, people trying to strangle him, subjected to boycott, assassination attempt.
- Umm Kulthum bint Muhammad – was divorced on orders of Abu Lahab [1]
- Ruqayyah bint Muhammad – was divorced on orders of Abu Lahab [1]
- Sa'd ibn Ubadah – tortured [1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f The Sealed Nectar The Second ‘Aqabah Pledge on sunnipath.com
- ^ a b c d e Millennium_Biography
- ^ a b witness-pioneer.org