Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 39
39 concerning this from the Muslims, who replied that far from this allegation being true, they held both Jesus and his mother Mary in great honour and believed in Jesus as a righteous prophet of God. Their leader, a cousin of the Prophet, recited relevant verses from the Quran in support of their statement (19: 17 ⎯ 37). The Emperor, deeply affected by the recitation, affirmed the truth of these verses and stated flatly that he believed neither more nor less concerning Jesus than that which had been recited. He dismissed the Qureish and told the Muslims that they could dwell in the land without fear of molestation. About this time, the persecuted and harassed Muslims in Mecca received some support and encouragement by the adherence of Umar to Islam. Umar was a leading Meccan whose courage and prowess were well known. Much troubled by the strife agitating Mecca as a result of the preaching of the new doctrine by Muhammad, he made up his mind to put an end to it all by putting an end to Muhammad. On the way to search out the Prophet, he was stopped by a friend who inquired whither he was bent. Umar explained his design; the friend retorted that he should look nearer home first, inasmuch as his sister and brother-in-law had already embraced Islam. In a rage, Umar stormed into his brother-in-law’s house and by his violent entry interrupted a recitation of the Quran to which his sister and her husband had been listening.