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One against All
This struggle of one against all proceeded, in which the Prophet started to publicly worship Allah, the Most Exalted, before the eyes of Quraish at the Ka‘bah, in broad daylight, without regard for the Mushrikin and their persecution.
The stone-worshipers thought themselves invincible and, with hearts turned into the stones they worshiped, they brazenly carried out their persecution and attempts on his life before all eyes.
Ibn ‘Abbas narrated that the Prophet (pbuh) was praying when Abu Jahl came and said, “Have I not forbidden you this (praying)! Have I not forbidden you this! Have I not forbidden you this!”
Upon finishing Salah, the Prophet (pbuh) rebuked Abu Jahl, who replied, “You know that there is not a council (people and tribe) in it (in this valley) greater than mine.”
Allah Almighty consequently revealed:
Then let him call upon his council (of helpers). We (Allah) will call out the guards of Hell
( Al-‘Alaq 96: 17-18)
Abu Jahl defiantly replied,
Indeed, if I see Muhammad praying at the Ka‘bah, I will tread on his neck.” It reached the Prophet (pbuh) who said, “If he does it, the angels will seize him
( Sahih Al-Bukhary)
Despite this, Abu Jahl did not desist. Abu Hurairah narrated that Abu Jahl asked, “Does Muhammad still soil his face with dust (i.e. prostrate himself) in your presence?” He was answered, “Yes.” He said, “I swear by Al-Lat and Al-‘Uzza (two idols), if I see him do this, I will trample on his neck or I will rub his face in the dust.”
He approached the Messenger of Allah Almighty while he was praying and thought of trampling on his neck, but the people were surprised to see him only turning on his heels and parrying (something) with his hands. It was said to him, “What is wrong with you?” He said, “There is between him and me a ditch of fire, terror, and wings.”
The Messenger of Allah Almighty said,
If he had come near me, the angels would have snatched him limb by limb
( Sahih Muslim)
Qur’anic verses in connection with this incident were revealed:
Nay! Verily, man does transgress, because he considers himself self-sufficient. Surely, to your Lord is the return. Have you seen him who forbids a servant when he prays? Have you seen if he is upon guidance or enjoins righteousness? Have you seen if he denies and turns away? Knows he not that Allah sees? Nay! If he ceases not, We (Allah) will drag him by the forelock. A lying, sinful forelock. Let him call upon his council (of helpers). We will call out the guards of Hell. Nay! Do not obey him. Fall prostrate and draw near (to Allah)
(Al-‘Alaq 96: 6-19)
Another trial is reported by ‘Abdullah bin Mas‘ud, who said:
The Messenger of Allah Almighty was standing in prayer near the Ka‘bah. A group of Quraish was sitting there in a gathering, one of whom said, ‘Do you not see this show-off? Who among you will go and bring the dung, blood, and entrails of the slaughtered camels of the family of so-and-so, and then wait until he prostrates and put that in between his shoulders?’ The most wretched among them (‘Uqbah bin Abu Mu‘ait) went (and brought them), and when the Messenger of Allah Almighty prostrated himself, he placed them (on his back) between his shoulders. The Prophet (pbuh) remained in prostration while they laughed until they fell over one another, laughing. Someone hurried to Fatimah, who was still a little girl, and she came running. The Prophet (pbuh) remained in prostration until she threw it away from him. Then she turned to them and cursed them.
(Sahih Al-Bukhary)
‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr bin Al-‘As was asked about the worst thing he saw the idolaters inflict on the Prophet (pbuh), and he said:
While the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was praying in the yard of the Ka‘bah, ‘Uqbah bin Abu Mu‘ait came and seized the Messenger of Allah Almighty by the shoulder, twisted his garment around his neck, and severely throttled him with it. Forthwith Abu Bakr came, seized ‘Uqbah’s shoulders, and threw him away from the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and said, ‘Would you kill a man because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah,’ and has come to you with clear Signs from your Lord?
(Sahih Al-Bukhary)
GOD has always existed and will always exist. He is not bound by time, space, or the laws of nature, since He cannot be subject to what He created. Rather, He is beyond them, just as a craftsman is beyond the dimensions of his own creation.
GOD is incomparable to any of His creations. The Qur’an clearly says,
There is nothing like Him
(42: 11)
Having a wife, child, partner, or equal is applicable and appropriate only to creatures. God does not incarnate at all and should never be depicted. He sends messengers or prophets with the divine message.
GOD alone gives life, causes death, and has power over all things; only God should be worshipped (directly, without any intermediary).
ALLAH is the all-comprehensive name of the One, True, Universal God and can never be used to designate any other being. It is absolutely unique to the Creator of existence. In Arabic, it means ‘the One exclusively worthy of deification and worship. The most concise yet adequate definition of God in Islam is given in the Chapter of Ikhlas 112: 1-4:
“Say: He is Allah, the One God, the Self-Sufficient Master. He does not beget nor is He begotten, and nothing is equal or comparable to Him.”
