The Conversion of Hamzah bin ‘Abdul-Muttalib

in a gloomy atmosphere infested with dark clouds of iniquity and tyranny, there shone on the horizon a promising light for the oppressed, i.e. the conversion of hamzah bin ‘abdul-muttalib in dhul hijjah, the sixth year of prophethood. it is recorded that the prophet [pbuh] was one day seated on the hillock of safa when abu jahl happened to pass by and accused the religion preached by him. muhammad [pbuh] , however, kept silent and did not utter a single word. abu jahl went on unchecked, took a stone and cracked the prophet’s head which began to bleed. the aggressor then went to join the quraishites in their assembly place. it so happened that shortly after that, hamzah, while returning from a hunting expedition, passed by the same way, his bow hanging by his shoulder. a slave-girl belonging to ‘abdullah bin jada‘an, who had noted the impertinence of abu jahl, told him the whole story of the attack on the prophet [pbuh] . on hearing that, hamzah was deeply offended and hurried to al-ka‘bah and there, in the courtyard of the holy sanctuary, found abu jahl sitting with a company of quraishites. hamzah rushed upon him and struck his bow upon his head violently and said: "ah! you have been abusing muhammad [pbuh] ; i too follow his religion and profess what he preaches." the men of bani makhzum came to his help, and men of bani hashim wanted to render help, but abu jahl sent them away saying: "let abu ‘ummarah alone, by allâh i did revile his nephew shamelessly.[ibn hisham 1/291; rahmat-ul-lil'alameen 1/68; mukhtasar seerat ar-rasool p.66]" in fact, hamzah’s conversion derived initially from the pride of a man who would not accept the notion of others humiliating his relative. later on, however, allâh purified his nature and he managed to grasp the most trustworthy hand-hold (faith in allâh). he proved to be a source of great strength to the islamic faith and its followers. [mushtasar seerat ar-rasool p.101]