When the Quraish noticed powerful people the likes of Ḥaḍrat Ḥamzahra and Ḥaḍrat ‘Umarra entering the fold of Islām they became quite worried. After mutual consultation, at first, they sent ‘Utbah bin Rabī‘ah to the Holy Prophetsa, that in one way or another, he might convince the Prophetsa to stop the propagation of Islām. But when ‘Utbah was unsuccessful in this mission, rather, when the Quraish saw that, quite the contrary, ‘Utbah returned impressed and awe-inspired by the Holy Prophetsa,1 they gathered near the Ka‘bah one day, and deliberated. It was proposed that a few Chieftains collectively speak to the Holy Prophetsa. Therefore, in accordance with this proposal, Walīd bin Mughīrah, ‘Āṣ bin Wā’il, Abū Jahl, Umaiyyah bin Khalaf, ‘Utbah, Shaibah, Abū Sufyān, Aswad bin Muṭṭalib, Naḍr bin Ḥārith and Abul-Bakhtarī, etc., assembled near the Ka‘bah and one man was sent to the Holy Prophetsa with the message that “The Chieftains of your people wish to speak to you. Come to the courtyard of the Ka‘bah and listen to what they have to say.” The Holy Prophetsa would himself remain in search of such opportunities so he set off immediately. After their traditional greetings, the Quraish began their discourse saying:
“O Muḥammad[sa]! Look at how you have created dissention and division amongst your people. Betraying the religion of your forefathers you have slandered the great men of our nation. You have cursed at their honourable gods and labelled their respected men as those who think not. What greater defamation and humiliation can a people face than what you have done and continue to do. But in your case, we are bewildered as to what we should do and what we should not do. If your endeavour is with the purpose that you might gather riches and become wealthy, then we shall give you such wealth as you may be deemed the wealthiest of us all. If you seek power and respect, we are prepared to make you our leader and chieftain. If you desire authority, we are not even reluctant in declaring you as our king. If your uproar and disturbance is due to an illness or you have been possessed, we can arrange for your cure at our own expense. If marrying a beautiful girl shall make you content, we can find you the most beautiful girl in all of Arabia.”
The Holy Prophetsa listened to this address by the chieftains of the Quraish quietly, and when they finished, he said:
“O Party of the Quraish! I do not desire any one of these things, nor have I been possessed or fallen victim to an ailment. I am a messenger from God and have brought the message of God to you. My heart is satiated in sympathy for you. If you take heed and believe, you shall acquire the good of this world and the next. But if you reject it, I shall wait upon the verdict of my Lord with patience and forbearance.”
The Quraish responded:
“O Muḥammad[sa]! Thus, you accept none of our proposals. If it is thy prophethood you wish us to accept, then come and let us decide. You see how barren and dry this country is. Nothing can be seen except dry rocks and stones, and infinite mounds of sand. If you are truly the messenger of God, then pray to your God that he might bring forth streams the like of Syria and Iraq. Wipe out these mountains and replace it with fertile land. Then we shall indeed be convinced of your prophethood.”
The Holy Prophetsa said:
“I am only a messenger from God and my task is merely to show you the paths of truth and falsehood, and expound what is in your benefit and loss. However, I do say that if you accept the voice of Allāh, then at the appointed time, God shall make you the inheritors of the treasures of this world and the next.”
The Quraish said:
“Alright, if not this, then, O that we would see an Angel of God descend with you, or would that you risided in castles, and in your hands were heaps of gold and silver, but none of these things are available to you. As a matter of fact, like us, we see that you walk about in the marketplace in search of provisions. Then by which characteristic shall we accept you as one sent from God.”
The Holy Prophetsa said:
“I am not a claimant in the manner that you desire. But yes, I have said, and I say again that if you believe in me, then according to the custom of Allāh, you shall indeed acquire a portion of the goodness of religion and the world.”
The Quraish sarcastically said:
“If not this, then bring forth the chastisement you warn us about - may a piece of the sky fall upon us, or may an army of God’s angels fall before us under the banner of God. By God, all we see now, is that either we shall remain alive or you.”
Upon saying this, suppressing their anger they were silenced and the Holy Prophetsa left with a grieved heart. When the Holy Prophetsa had left, Abū Jahl furiously said:
“O Party of the Quraish! See how Muḥammad[sa] has rejected all of your proposals? He shall never stop from causing this disorder. I swear by God that, I shall not rest until I annihilate Muḥammad[sa] and then the Banū ‘Abdi Manāf can do away with me as they wish.”
Those who were present from the Banū ‘Abdi Manāf (excluding the Banū Hāshim and Banū Muṭṭalib) proclaimed in unison, “We have no objections. Do with Muḥammad[sa] as you wish.” The next day, Abū Jahl stood to one side in the courtyard of the Ka‘bah with a large rock and began to wait for the Holy Prophetsa. But when the Holy Prophetsa arrived, his heart was overtaken by such awe as he simply stood there like an idol, and was unable to move forward to attack.2
1 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 220, Bābu Qauli ‘Utbah bin Rabī‘ah fī Amri Rasūlillāh, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
* Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
2 * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, pp. 220-223, Bābu Mā Dāra baina Rasūlillāhisa wa baina Ru’usā’i Quraish, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)
* Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, pp. 234-235, Bābu Dhikril-Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā......, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)
* Sharḥul-‘Allāmatiz-Zarqānī ‘alal-Mawāhibil-Ladunniyyah, By Muḥammad bin ‘Abdul-Bāqī Az-Zarqānī, Volume 1, pp. 479-481, Bābu Islāmi Ḥamzahra, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (1996)