| Muhammad ibn
Habib, great historian, has regarded Abu Sufyan as one
of the eight Quraysh atheists.(23) According to Ibn
Hisham during the life of the Prophet, Ab3a Sufyan was
one of the leaders of the groups opposed to the Prophet,
and he spared no effort to destroy him.(24) He is also
one of those who seeked to attach himself to Abu Thlib,
the great defender of Islam, seeking. to prevent him
from supporting the Prophet.(25) Moreover, there were
some who got together in Dar an-Nudwah the meeting center
of the Quraysh tribe, to discuss the elimination of
the Prophet, and ended by concluding in agreement of
collaboration to carry out this great crime.(26)
Gradually the Quraysh and their chiefs such as Abu Jahl,
Abu Sufyan Abu Lahab and others put such a pressure
on the Muslims in Mecca that life became intolerable
for them, and thus the decree was issued by the Prophet
for emigration to Medina. So the hard-pressed and suffering
Muslims departed from their city and land and cut off
their ties with their home, property and relations,
and proceeded towards Medina by the order of God in
order to be delivered from the oppressors. Emigration
was continued until with the exception of the Prophet
and a few others, no Muslims remained in Mecca. In the
last few years of their stay, suppression was so tense
and hostile that the Prophet abstained from public propagation
in Mecca and confined his activity to inviting desert
dwellers and pilgrims towards God during the pilgrimage
ceremonies only. As during these ceremonies fighting
and dispute were forbidden, and since, owing to the
Quraysh's social prestige, they could not molest the
Prophet, they tried to render his propagation ineffective.
Thus Abu Lahab would walk a few steps behind him and
prevent the people from having contact with the Prophet
or listen to his words. He kept on abusing and accusing
him in order to check his mission. At last, revelation
descended ordering the emigration, thus delivering the
Prophet from the clutches of the Quraysh. He left Mecca,
to be followed soon by Imam 'Ali and only a few of the
Muslims remained in captivity and prison in that city.
Now Abu Sufyan resorted to a fresh crime by meanly usurping
the houses vacated by the Muslims and putting them up
for sale.
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