Q. Write a detailed account of Opposition and Persecution faced by early converts (10).

The persecution of the Muslims was a terrible phase in early Islam. There were numerous heart-rending
incidents in which Muslims were tortured and often killed by the Quraysh.
Bilal bin Rabah was the slave of Umayya bin Khalaf. Umayya would hand him over to the street
urchins after tying a rope around his neck. As they would drag him, Bilal would keep repeating “One!
One!” in reference to the Oneness of God. Umayya would also bring Bilal out at noon and throw him
on his Back on the burning sand or stone with a heavy rock on his chest. Then he would say to Bilal,
“Now, by God, you will lie here till You either die or deny Muhammad and worship Lat and Uzza.”
Bilal endured the pain and kept repeating his faith in Allah by calling out “One! One!” Finally, the
torture ended when Abu Bakr saw Bilal as he was passing by. His wealth was now a tool with which to
earn Allah’s pleasure, and he purchased Bilal and freed him.
Amir bin Fuhayrah , was another early believer who endured beatings so merciless that he lost his
senses and did not know what he was saying.
Zinira (may Allah have mercy upon her), was a Roman slave girl who embraced Islam. When the
pagans found out that she had become Muslim, they tortured her until she went blind, and gloated that
the wrath of their gods Lat and Uzza had caused her to go blind. It was Allah Who had blinded her, she
told them; and if He so willed, He could restore her eyesight. The next morning she awoke to find her
vision completely restored. Her tormentors, however, were not convinced of the miracle and claimed
this was nothing more than Muhammad’s sorcery.
Umm Abis (may Allah have mercy upon her), was a slave of Banu Zahra. She suffered at the hands of
her master, Malik Aswad bin Abd Yaghuth, who began to torture her when she accepted Islam. Malik
was a sworn enemy of the Prophet and used to ridicule him relentlessly.
Not all the salves who became Muslim were ransomed. Some succumbed to their injuries, while others
were forced to denounce in Public although they remained believers at heart. Ammar bin Yasir and his
parents belonged to the Banu Makhzoom tribe, of which Abu Jahl was a chief. Led by Abu Jahl,
various people from the tribe would take Ammar and his family to Abtah and leave them in the
scorching sun. The Prophet saw their plight and exhorted them to stand fast in faith, saying, “Patience,
O Family of Yasir, patience. Your destination is Paradise. O Allah! Forgive my family of Yasir.” And
stand fast they did. Yasir, Ammar’s father, bore the torture until his death.
Summayah bint Khayyat (may Allah have mercy upon her) mother of Ammar, was a slave of Abu
Hudhayfah Makhzoomi. This frail old woman died and attained the honour of being the first martyr in
Islam when Abu Jahl struck a lance at her genitals.
As for Ammar, the torture became unbearable for him. The Polytheists would make him wear a coat of
mail and put a heavy red stone on his chest. Overpowered by distress, he uttered whatever the
polytheists bade him say. However, at heart he remained full of faith. Ammar was remorseful at his
bodies betrayal of his heart and soul. With the revelation of the following Verse, however, Ammar and
all the believers were heartened, for Allah assured them that He looked at believing hearts, not at
tongues weakened by torture: “Those who renounce faith in Allah and open their hearts to disbelief –
except for those believers who were forced to recant outwardly – will earn Allah’s wrath and a Great
punishment.” (16: 106)