Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 67
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 67 became difficult for him to breathe. Abu Bakr, being apprised of this, came up running and rescued him, exclaiming: ‘Would you kill a person for saying “Allah is my Lord”?’ On another occasion, when the Holy Prophet affirmed the Unity of God in the courtyard of the Ka’aba, some Quraish collected around him in a threatening attitude. His stepson, Harith bin Abi Hallah, came up running, seeking to guard him against any mischief that might be intended by Quraish. Someone from among Quraish drew his sword and killed Harith on the spot. In the confusion that ensued, it could not be determined who the assassin was. The Muslims in Mecca were at this time facing great difficulties. The Holy Prophet did not mind being molested himself, but was anxious about the persecution to which the Muslims, particularly the weaker ones among them, were being subjected. He was well a ware that this was a stage through which all those who adhered to the truth had to pass, and that such persecution served as a means of training them in the virtues of endurance and steadfastness. He told them that this had been the eternal way of God and it was the believers who triumphed in the end. On one occasion when he was sitting near the Ka’aba, Khabbab bin Arat and some other Muslims came to him and inquired: ‘Messenger of Allah, seeing how the Muslims are persecuted by Quraish, why do you not call down the wrath of God upon Quraish?’ Hearing this, the Holy Prophet was much agitated and admonished them: ‘There were people before you who endured much greater hardships for the sake of their faith than those you have to endure. There were those whose f lesh was