تويت
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Read in the name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot. Read, and your Lord is the Most Generous, who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know. (Al-Alaq: 1-5)
This verse was revealed on the 27th of Rajab, a day that Muslims celebrate as the Mab'ath an-Nabawi (the Prophet's mission), marking the beginning of a life of goodness and happiness for humanity on Earth.
Thus, the Prophet was sent with the message, and a new phase of his noble life began. He was no longer just the kind person who did good, fulfilled trusts, spoke the truth, and supported his relatives. He became the bearer of glad tidings and a warner, shouldering the responsibility of guiding humanity to all that is good and protecting them from all that is evil.
The mission also marked a new beginning for the Arabian Peninsula and the entire world. The world would no longer be dominated by injustice, darkness, evil, and tyranny. Instead, the doors of goodness would open, leading to the supremacy of justice, light, and virtue.
When the Prophet returned to Mecca, he told Khadijah what had happened, narrating the story to her. She believed in him. He also shared it with his young cousin Ali, whom the Prophet had taken care of and raised, and Ali believed as well. Then, the Prophet (PBUH) publicly declared his message when the following verse was revealed: O you who are wrapped up, arise and warn, and your Lord glorify (Al-Muddaththir: 1-3).
The Prophet began by warning his close kin with another verse: And warn your nearest kindred (Ash-Shu'ara: 214).
So, the Prophet (PBUH) went to the hill of Safa and called out: "O people of the morning!"
The Quraysh gathered around him and asked: "What is it, O Muhammad?"
He replied: "If I told you that an army was about to attack you in the morning or evening, would you believe me?"
They said: "Yes."
He then said: "I am a warner to you before a severe punishment."
Abu Lahab, one of the Prophet’s uncles, stood up and said: "May you perish, is this why you gathered us?"
The Prophet spoke again, saying: "O people, if I were a liar, I would not lie to you. I swear by Him who has no god but He, I am Allah’s Messenger to you in particular, and to all people in general. You will die as you sleep, you will be resurrected as you wake up, and you will be judged according to your deeds. You will be rewarded with goodness for goodness and evil for evil. The paradise is eternal, and the hellfire is eternal. You are the first to be warned."
But the response from the people was like that of Abu Lahab—they turned away from him, mocked him, and ridiculed his call. Yet, the Prophet continued his mission with patience and perseverance, and the news of his message spread in Mecca and beyond. His message reached those pure, righteous souls seeking truth and goodness, and they believed in it and followed him. However, most of his followers were from the poor, who had no wealth or power to protect them.
The leaders of the Quraysh, the aristocrats, the exploiters, the usurers, and those whose interests were tied to idols and superstitions, along with those with hardened minds and stubborn hearts, saw this message as a threat. They considered it evil and opposed it with all their might. Thus, they did not only refuse to accept the message, but they adopted an openly hostile stance. Anyone who embraced Islam faced oppression, and they tried to turn people back to their old false beliefs. Many sincere individuals were tortured, and some were killed as martyrs for their faith, such as Ammar, whose family was tortured, and Sumayyah, his mother, who was killed in the process.
The Prophet (PBUH) himself was not spared from suffering and harm. Whenever he heard that someone had been persecuted for his cause, he would feel immense sorrow and sometimes shed tears. Moreover, the Quraysh specifically targeted the Prophet: Abu Lahab would throw stones at him, his wife would scatter thorns in his path, and Abu Jahl would try to anger him by throwing dirt on him while he prayed or placing filth in his food. One of the disbelievers even struck his noble head with a bow, causing blood to flow over his blessed face.
Mockery, derision, and insults were constantly hurled at him by the disbelievers, yet the Prophet (PBUH) responded to all of this with wise patience, the forbearance of a leader, and the restraint of a Prophet. Whenever a group of disbelievers came to him, he welcomed them with kindness and invited them to the faith in the best manner. If they accepted his invitation, it was well and good; if not, he would challenge them, asking them to produce something similar to the Qur'an. And he would recite: Say: "If all mankind and jinn gathered to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like of it, even though they were each other's assistants" (Al-Isra: 88).
Though they would often ridicule him, he continued to advise them and prayed for their guidance without anger or resentment.
At times, the Prophet would travel to different tribes and gatherings, inviting people to their Lord. However, the disbelievers of Quraysh tried to hinder his efforts in two ways:
First, they warned people not to listen to his message, calling him a magician, a madman, or a liar. Some even put cotton in their ears to block out his words.
Second, a man would follow the Prophet and loudly declare that he was a liar, preventing people from hearing his message.
When the Quraysh realized that these efforts could not stop the spread of the message, they resorted to another approach. They came to the Prophet and offered him wealth, honor, or healing, saying: "O Muhammad, you have insulted our gods, ridiculed our customs, and divided our community. If you want wealth, we will give it to you; if you seek honor, we will make you the most respected among us; or if you are ill, we will cure you."
The Prophet (PBUH) replied: "None of this has been the reason for my mission. Allah has sent me to you as a Messenger, and He has revealed a Book to me. If you accept what I bring, it will be your fortune in this world and the next. If you reject it, I will remain patient until Allah decides between us."