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The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was keen on calling them to Allah
The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would covet the Islam of the elders of the people, in hope that those beneath them would also accept Islam, and that is why he would give them special attention.
An example of that is when he was busy with Al-Waleed ibn Al-Mugheerah (calling him to Islam), who was one of the chiefs of Quraysh, hoping that he would accept Islam. The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was busy with Al-Waleed when Ibn Umm Maktoom (one of the Companions who was blind) approached, and the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ignored Ibn Umm Maktoom and instead proceeded to Al-Waleed.
Aa’ishah said
` “Allah revealed (what means): «He [i.e. the Prophet] frowned and turned away.» with regards to Ibn Umm Maktoom, the blind one, who went to the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and was saying: ‘O Messenger of Allah, guide me,’ when the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was present with some chiefs of the Quraysh. This caused the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to turn away from him, and instead give his attention to the other man. Ibn Umm Maktoom said to him, ‘Do you see anything wrong with what I am saying?’ and the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would respond: ‘No.’ So it was revealed about this.’
Another instance which shows his keenness on guiding people, especially the elders and chiefs among them, is when the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said
“O Allah, give Islam glory with either of these two men that you love more; Abu Jahl, or `Umar ibn Al-Khattaab.” `Abdullaah ibn `Umar (a Companion and the son of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab) said: “The more beloved to Allah out of those two was `Umar.”
Aa’ishah reported that the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said
` “O Allah, give glory to Islam through `Umar ibn Al-Khattaab specifically.”
Al-Albaani (a scholar) said
“There is no contradiction (between the two narrations), because it might be that the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said the first one in the beginning of Islam, but when he saw Abu Jahl’sobstinacy and insistence on opposing him, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, he supplicated for `Umar specifically. The outcome was that Allah answered his call andgranted Islam glory through him, as is well-known from his biography and this is something that Ibn Mas`ood (a Companion) explicitly mentioned when he said: ‘We have been given glory ever since `Umar accepted Islam.’”
His trip, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, to Taa’if:
When the Quraysh increased their persecution of the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, after the death of his uncle (Abu Taalib), he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, went to Taa’if in the hope that they would support and help him against his people, and safeguard him so that he could convey the message of his Lord.
The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, called them to Allah, but did not find anyone to shelter him or help him. Instead, they wronged him severely and harmed him more than his own people did. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, remained there for ten days, and spoke to every single one of the chiefs and noblemen there.
The reason he, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, did so is that when the elders and chiefs accept Islam, that also allows those who follow them and their subordinates to accept it as well.
