Various strategies against Islam

Diversions

Not content with slandering and humiliating the Prophet , the pagans also attempted to keep others from hearing the Prophet’s message. Whenever he tried to preach to a group of people, the pagans would disperse the crowd before he had a chance to convey his message. The first opportunity to preach in public came in Ramadan of the fifth year of the Prophet’s mission. It was then that he recited Surah Al-Najm before a large gathering.

Whenever the Prophet recited the Qur’an (which was usually during the latter part of the night in voluntary prayer), the polytheists would make profane remarks about the Qur’an, the One Who had revealed it and the one who brought it to the people. Hence, Allah ordered the Prophet to lower his voice when reciting: “Recite your prayers neither in a very loud voice nor silently: follow a middle course.” (17: 10)

To divert people’s attention away from the Qur’an, Nadir bin Harith went to Hira and Syria and came back with the legends of Dara (Darius), Sikandar, (Alexander) and Isfandyar (a Persian king). Whenever he learned that the Prophet was addressing an assembly, he would rush there and begin narrating these tales. He would then ask listeners how the orations of Muhammad could possibly be superior to his.

Allah, then revealed the following verse: “There are, among men, those who ignorantly purchase meaningless tales to mislead men from the path of Allah, and they take the Words of Allah as a mockery. They will certainly endure a humiliating punishment.”(31:6)