Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. What did he have to face?
When the prophetic mission of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) began, he first began to talk to his nearest and dearest about the One God, about the Knowledge that Jabrail gave him. Then he began to tell his relatives and friends about Islam.
The Messenger of Allah called on people who had worshiped idols all their lives to abandon them and begin to worship the One Allah. He talked about equality to those who determined the position of others in accordance with the nobility of origin and position in society. Many people were angry, and many could not accept that it was not them, but rather Muhammad (peace be upon him) who was given the greatest mercy to be a Prophet. Therefore, many began to accuse him of all sins and openly confront him. Only people who were open in their hearts, those who felt the Truth in the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him) began to accept Islam.
About people’s desire for magic
One day, the most revered people of all Quraysh families gathered to speak to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). They told him that nobody from the Arabs brought so much harm to their people as he did, because he scolded their ancestors, condemned their religion, insulted their gods, and destroyed their community. And then they said that if he does it to gain wealth, then they will get wealth for him and he will become the richest among them. If he wants to win honor, they will make him master. If he seeks power, they will make him king. If he is possessed by the spirit, they will find a healer who would cure him.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), after listening to his fellow tribesmen, replied that he was sent to them by Allah Himself in order not to be a king or to have wealth and a position of honor among people. His mission was to bring to people the Primordial Knowledge about the straight path, which could help them to attain happiness in both worlds.
Then these people turned to Muhammad (peace be upon him) and said that they would believe him and follow him if he asked his Lord to move the mountains apart, level their lands and reveal rivers in them. They asked the Lord of Muhammad (peace be upon him) to resurrect their dead fathers so that they would confirm the veracity of his words. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) replied to them that he had been sent by Allah Himself to convey His will to the people.
Then they told him that he is just like them, and that he got his sustenance in the same way as they did. Then they told him that they would only believe in and follow him if the Lord of Muhammad (peace be upon him) grants him gardens, palaces, and untold treasures. Again, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was firm in his response and refused to perform magic or request miracles from Allah.
Then his fellow tribesmen said that they would never believe him and would fight him. And one of his cousins said that even if Muhammad (peace be upon him) put a ladder up to heaven, ascended to it, and then descended with angels who will testify that he is the Prophet, even then he will not believe him.
Like all previous prophets, the Last Prophet (peace be upon him) faced people's reluctance to accept the Truth, their desire for magic and for material wealth.
Today, many people wonder - why the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not show miracles? The answer to this question is simple. The Prophet (peace be upon him) knew that the manifestation of miracles never leads people to sincere faith. There have been many instances in history when people began to deify those messengers of the One Allah who performed miracles by the will of God. Also in the past, when people demanded miracles from messengers and prophets and Allah gave them what they asked for, many still did not become believers. And thirdly, if people would explore the world around them, they would discover hundreds of signs of the power and wisdom of the Great Allah, and for believers this is a greater sign than breaking the laws of nature. When Allah wills to keep people safe, He does not give them miracles and magic.
What the Last Prophet ﷺ faced
Unfortunately, this was only the beginning of the difficulties and trials that befell the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was constantly haunted by insults, accusations of lying, witchcraft and madness. They laughed at him and pelted him with stones. When he prayed near the Kaaba, the entrails of a sheep were thrown on his back. They also threw the entrails of a sheep into the cauldron in which he cooked his meal.
Some of the polytheists went so far as to torment those of their tribesmen who believed in Allah and followed the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
According to historical evidence, the most cruel persecutors of the first Muslims were Abu Jahl and Umar ibn Al-Khattab. One of the slave girls named Amra, Umar ibn Al-Khattab, was often beaten so long that he got tired of it himself. Abu Jahl tortured and tormented Sumayya, one of the first women to convert to Islam. He wanted to force her to renounce Islam, but her steadfastness and persistence so infuriated him that he thrust a spear into her heart in a rage, from which she died. Her husband Yasser also fell victim to Qurayshite torture and was killed. And there were many such examples.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was very worried about his followers, trying to help and protect them from torment in every possible way. Although he himself was constantly under the threat of physical violence, even despite the fact that he was under the protection of his uncle Abu Talib. Abu Talib was the head of the family, and the enemies of Islam had to reckon with that. But nevertheless, there were many cases when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was tried to kill.
After the strengthening and adoption of Islam by most of the Arabian Peninsula, there were people who, envying the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) declared themselves prophets. One of them was Musaylima, who began to address people through rhyming prose. Many people were seduced by his speeches as he allowed adultery and drinking wine. The second such false prophet was Al-Aswad Al-Ansee. He too, like Musaylima, claimed prophecy and power. With the help of his supporters he even succeeded in capturing the city of Sana'a in Yemen. Both the first and second false prophets died in fierce battles.
Thus, attempts to distort the Knowledge passed down by Allah the Almighty through his Prophet (peace be upon him) were made during his lifetime. And, unfortunately, they continued after his death.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) never once strayed from the path he had chosen, despite the many difficulties he faced. He set a personal example of steadfastness and faithfulness on the path to Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prayed tirelessly and asked Allah continually until the end of his life to enter the Highest Society, the Society of Allah. Despite the fact that he was already a Prophet, the most worthy of the worthy, he asked Allah's forgiveness for the rest of his life. His love for Allah, which began in his childhood through his search for the Truth, only grew stronger and stronger over the years.
It is respected and admired how Mohammad (peace be upon him) with incredible resilience accepted all the attacks and opposition from people, even from those closest to him, from his own relatives. How much slander was directed at him, how many attempts were made to distort the Knowledge that Allah passed on through him!
We are inspired by courage and firmness in his desire to convey the Truth, despite everything, and to give everyone a chance for salvation. It comes to an understanding why the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is called the most Worthy of human beings. Because it was his great love and devotion to Allah, Love and mercy for people that made him the greatest of people.
In the hadiths, we found many descriptions of the personality of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). What was he like? How did he build relationships with people? Read about it in the upcoming article the Qualities of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
