Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 63
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 63 ripe age in easy circumstances. Yet, in pursuance of the measure resolved upon by Quraish, his uncle, Hakam bin Abil Aas, tied him up with ropes and administered a severe beating to him, which he bore with equanimity, without the least protest. Zubair bin Awam belonged to Banu Asad and was a man of courage and determination. His uncle would roll him up inside a length of matting and would torture him with smoke in his efforts to persuade him to renounce Islam. He endured the torture cheerfully an d continued to affirm that having recognized the truth, he would not denounce it. Saeed bin Zaid, brother - in - law of Umar, was of Banu Adi and was respected in his circle. When Umar learnt that he had embraced Islam, he attacked him violently, and, in the process, caused injury to his own sister, which drew blood. Abdullah bin Masood belonged to Hudhail. He was beaten up severely in the courtyard of the Ka’aba. Abu Dhar Ghaffari was beaten up mercilessly and might have been killed if Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib had not intervened and rescued him from his assailants by reminding them that their victim was of Banu Ghaffar, who were settled along the Syrian trade route , and could block their trade caravans proceeding north. These were instances of persons who were members of powerful tribes and to whom a certain degree of consideration was due. But the weak and those held in bondage were persecuted brutally and savagely. We have mentioned the case of Bilal bin Rabah, who was owned by Umayya bin Khalf and endured severe torture at his hands because he would not desert the Holy