The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume I — Page 186
Seal of the Prophets - Volume I 186 with Allāh, in opposition of the Messenger, and become the instigators of disorder and corruption. ” 1 Thus, when Abraham as was sent, the distinguished people of his nation took hold of him and cast him into a fire. When Moses as came, he was also made to confront violence and contention from the most powerful of his people. When the Messiah’s as turn came, the scholars of his nation and Pharisees put him to the cross. When Krishan as was sent to India, his nation stood up to annihilate him. Would then the chief of the prophets be exempt of this custom? Rather, his opposition was to be proportionally equivalent to the magnitude of his mission. Since the Holy Prophet sa was raised in an era when darkness was especially prevelant and it was inevitable that upon the advent of light, the armies of darkness would contend their utmost; so it happened as such – in comparison to all the prophets of the past, the Holy Prophet sa was faced with the most opposition. The primary causes as they appear for this opposition are as follows: 1. The people of the Quraish were idolaters of the highest degree. The honour and love of idols had become so impressed in their hearts that to hear even a word against them was unbearable. These wrongdoers had placed hundreds of idols in the Ka‘bah, which was built for the worship of Allāh the Exalted alone. They would turn to these idols for all their needs. When Islām came, its principle foundation was the unity of God, its clear commandment was not to bow one’s head before any human, tree, rock or star, etc. , Rather: “Prostrate thyselves before that Being alone [Allāh], who hath created them. ” 2 Furthermore, the words used to describe the idols of the Quraish in the Holy Qur’ān appeared to the Quraish as very insulting, for they were declared the fuel of hell. For example, it is mentioned: 1 Al-An‘ām (6:124) 2 Ḥā Mīm As-Sajdah (41:38)