In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.
A Summary of the Prophetic biography (Seerah).
The Quraysh's persecution of those who embraced Islam.
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, continued to call people to Allah the Exalted, night and day.
Both privately and publicly.
Nothing could distract him from this.
No one could turn him back from it.
No one could hinder him from it.
He would follow people in their social gatherings, assemblies, and forums.
And during the pilgrimage seasons and stations of Hajj.
He would call everyone he met, whether free or enslaved, weak or strong, rich or poor.
All of creation was equal in his sight regarding this call.
Yet, the powerful and harsh among the polytheists of Quraysh turned against him and those who followed him from among the common, weak people.
They subjected them to both verbal and physical abuse.
Ibn Ishaq said:
Then, they turned against those who had embraced Islam and followed the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, from among his Companions.
Every tribe rose up against the believers within their own ranks.
They began to imprison them and torture them with beatings, hunger, and thirst.
And by exposing them to the scorching heat of the Meccan desert when the sun was at its peak.
They sought to tempt those among them who were weak away from their religion.
Some were indeed swayed by the intensity of the trials they faced.
Others remained steadfast, and Allah protected them from the polytheists.
Imam Ibn al-Qayyim said:
Allah protected His Messenger, peace be upon him, through his uncle Abu Talib.
Because he was a noble and highly respected figure among the Quraysh.
And was obeyed by the people of Mecca.
They did not dare to openly confront him with any harm.
It was among the wisdom of the Wisest of Judges that he remained upon the religion of his people.
Due to the benefits that become apparent to those who contemplate them.
As for his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them:
Whoever had a clan to protect him was shielded by his kin.
But the rest were subjected to harm and torture.
Imam Ahmad and Ibn Majah narrated with a hasan (sound) chain of transmission:
On the authority of Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
The first to openly declare their Islam were seven people:
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
Abu Bakr, Ammar, and his mother Sumayyah.
Suhayb, Bilal, and al-Miqdad.
As for the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
Allah protected him through his uncle Abu Talib.
As for Abu Bakr, Allah protected him through his people.
As for the others, the polytheists seized them.
They dressed them in iron armor and scorched them in the sun.
Every one of them yielded to what the polytheists wanted,
Except for Bilal, for he considered his own life insignificant for the sake of Allah.
And he was considered insignificant by his people, so they took him and handed him over to the children.
They began to drag him through the mountain passes of Mecca.
While he kept saying, "One, One!" (referring to Allah).
Imam al-Bukhari narrated in his Sahih:
On the authority of Sa'id Ibn Zayd, may Allah be pleased with him, who said:
By Allah, I have seen myself being bound by Umar for the sake of Islam,
Before Umar himself embraced Islam.
Imam al-Tirmidhi narrated in his Jami' with a sahih (authentic) chain:
On the authority of Harithah Ibn Mudhrib, who said:
I visited Khabbab, may Allah be pleased with him,
And he had been cauterized on his stomach.
He said, "I do not know anyone among the Companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him,
Who faced as much trial as I did.
There was a time when I did not even possess a single dirham during the era of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him."
Al-Hakim narrated in al-Mustadrak,
With a hasan chain through its various paths and supporting narrations,
On the authority of Abu Ubaydah Ibn Muhammad Ibn Ammar Ibn Yasir,
From his father, who said:
The polytheists seized Ammar Ibn Yasir.
They did not let him go until he insulted the Prophet, peace be upon him,
And spoke well of their idols.
Then they released him.
When he came to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him,
He asked, "What is behind you?" (What happened?)
He replied, "Evil, O Messenger of Allah.
They did not let me go until I insulted you,
And spoke well of their idols."
He asked, "How do you find your heart?"
He replied, "Tranquil with faith."
The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said,
"If they return, then you return (to what you said)."
And regarding Ammar Ibn Yasir, may Allah be pleased with him, the following verse was revealed:
“Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106)
"Except for one who is forced [to renounce his faith]
While his heart is tranquil with faith."
“Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106)
“Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106)
"And for them is a great punishment."
Al-Hafiz said in al-Fath:
It is well-known that the aforementioned verse
Was revealed concerning Ammar Ibn Yasir, may Allah be pleased with him.
Al-Hafiz Ibn Rajab said:
As for being coerced into speech,
The scholars are in agreement regarding its validity (in such a state).
And that whoever is forced to utter a forbidden statement,
Under recognized coercion,
It is permissible for him to ransom his life with it.
And there is no sin upon him.
This is indicated by the words of Allah the Exalted:
“Whoso disbelieveth in Allah after his belief - save him who is forced thereto and whose heart is still content with the Faith - but whoso findeth ease in disbelief: On them is wrath from Allah. Theirs will be an awful doom.” (16:106)
And the Prophet, peace be upon him, said
To Ammar, may Allah be pleased with him:
"If they return, then you return."
The polytheists had tortured him
Until he agreed with them on what they wanted of disbelief.
So he did so.
A Summary of the Prophetic biography (Seerah).
Authored by Sheikh Musa bin Rashid al-Azimi.
Presented by the Mawaddah Association.
In the Kingdom of Bahrain.
By some of them:
The longing for you has no bounds.
May Allah send blessings upon you as long as the call to prayer is raised.
And as long as you move with the remnants of the righteous.