An Outline of Early Islamic History — Page 14
14 C hapter 4 Muslims Advised Patience When the Hajj was drawing near, the Quresh had a new fear, the fear that the tribes coming to Mecca from outside would learn of the Prophet. They would want to know about him and his new religion. After a long debate among themselves, the Quresh decided to tell them that Muhammad was a sorcerer. Every child of Mecca was taught to repeat this lie. At the same time, the Quresh set ruffians upon the Prophet, to hurl abuse at him and say dirty things to his face. At times they would stone his house. Once the Pr ophet was praying in the Holy Kaaba, when Utba bin Abi Moit took off his mantle and tried to garrote the Prophet. Abu Bakr intervened. He said to Quresh, “Would you kill a man because he says Allah is the only God?” At another time, when the Quresh got around the Prophet in the Holy Kaaba with the intent to do him bodily harm, Harith bin Abi Halla came to his help. Harith was killed instantly. In short, Muslims were shown no mercy. The Quresh were after their blood. This was too much for the believers. Once Abdur Rahman bin Auf and a few others requested the Prophet