On Mount As-Safa

after the messenger of allâh [pbuh] became sure of abu talib’s commitment to his protection while he called the people unto allâh, he stood up on mount as-safa one day and called out loudly: "o sabahah! [this is an arabic expression used when one appeals for help or draws the attention of others to some dangers] " septs of quraish came to him. he called them to testify to the oneness of allâh and believe in his messengership and the day of resurrection. al-bukhari reported part of this story on the authority of ibn ‘abbas [r]. he said: "when the following verses were revealed:

"and warn your tribe (o muhammad [pbuh]) of near kindred." [al-qur'an 26:214]

the messenger of allâh [pbuh] ascended mount as-safa and started to call: "o bani fahr! o bani ‘adi (two septs of quraish)." many people gathered and those who couldn’t, sent somebody to report to them. abu lahab was also present. the prophet [pbuh] said: "you see, if i were to tell you that there were some horsemen in the valley planning to raid you, will you believe me?" they said: "yes, we have never experienced any lie from you." he said: "i am a warner to you before a severe torment." abu lahab promptly replied: "perish you all the day! have you summoned us for such a thing?" the verses were immediately revealed on that occasion [bukhari 2/702; muslim 1/114]:

"perish the two hands of abi lahab..." [al-qur'an 111:1].

muslim reported another part of this story on the authority of abu hurairah [r] — he said: "when the following verses were revealed:

"and warn your tribe (o muhammad [pbuh]) of near kindred." [26:214]

the messenger of allâh [pbuh] called all the people of quraish; so they gathered and he gave them a general warning. then he made a particular reference to certain tribes, and said: "o quraish, rescue yourselves from the fire; o people of bani ka‘b, rescue yourselves from fire; o fatimah, daughter of muhammad [pbuh] , rescue yourself from the fire, for i have no power to protect you from allâh in anything except that i would sustain relationship with you." [muslim 1/114; bukhari 1/385,2/702]

it was verily a loud suggestive call stating unequivocally to the closest people that belief in his message constituted the corner-stone of any future relation between him and them, and that the blood-relation on which the whole arabian life was based, had ceased to exist in the light of that divine ultimatum.