Through Force or Faith? — Page 128
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 128 estates were plundered in an attempt to cripple them financially. ( Ibn Hishām, vol. 2, Chapter on the Persecution of Muslims by Quraish) They were persecuted socially as well to the extent that the Meccans agreed to boycott the Holy Prophet Muhammad s as and his followers. To this end, all the chiefs of Makkah jointly drew up an accord in which complete boycott of Muslims was pledged and the accord was put up for display in the Ka‘ba. As a result, the Holy Prophet Muhammad s as and all his companions were incar- cerated in a valley near Makkah called Shi‘b Abī T ā lib. There, even if any tender hearted Meccan wanted to help him, he would be stopped. Once H akīm bin H iz ā m, the nephew of Khadija ra , was taking some food supplies for them. Abū Jahl saw it and blocked his way. Another kind hearted person, Abū’l-Bakhtri happened to pass by. When he learnt about the dispute, he tried to expostulate with Abū Jahl but when he would not yield, he dealt with him sternly to allow the passage of some nourishment to the innocent Muslims. ( Ibn Hishām, vol. 2, Chapter on the Conspiracy of the Quraish with the Messenger) Some of the Muslims were brutally murdered. Some of their women were dishonoured. Ultimately many Muslims gave up because of these atrocities and left Makkah for Abyssinia. ( Ibn Hishām, vol. 2, Chapter on the Account of the First Migration to Abyssinia) But the Quraish were not content even with this for they sent a delegation to Negus, King of Abyssinia, in an attempt to find some way to make these emigrants return to Makkah where the