- Beginning of Open Da’wa
- Quraish’s first response to Da’wa
- Waleed bin Mugeera’s accusation
- Quraish’s way of blocking Islam
Open Call
After three years of the Prophethood, Allah sent down the verse
وَأَنذِرْ عَشِيرَتَكَ الْأَقْرَبِين [1]
“And warn your nearest tribe”
In this verse, Allah ordered the prophet to begin the assigned task by calling his own family towards Islam. Obeying Allah’s order, he assembled his family and tribe and addressed them. He made an eloquent speech:
إِنَّ الرَّائِدَ لا يَكْذِبُ أَهْلَهُ . وَاللَّهِ لَوْ كَذَبْتُ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا مَا كَذَبْتُكُمْ ، وَلَوْ غَرَرْتُ النَّاسَ مَا غَرَرْتُكُمْ ، وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لا إِلَهَ إِلا هُوَ ، إِنِّي لَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ خَاصَّةً وَإِلَى النَّاسِ كَافَّةً ، وَاللَّهِ لَتَمُوتُنَّ كَمَا تَنَامُونَ ، وَلَتُبْعَثُنَّ كَمَا تَسْتَيْقِظُونَ ، وَلَتُحَاسَبُنَّ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ ، وَلَتُجْزَوُنَّ بِالإِحْسَانِ إِحْسَانًا وَبِالسُّوءِ سُوءًا . وَإِنَّهَا لَلْجَنَّةُ أَبَدًا . وَالنَّارُ أَبَد[2]
A guide can never lie to his people. I swear by Allah, there is no god but He, that I have been sent as a Messenger to you in particular and to all the people in general. I swear by Allah you will die just as you sleep, you will be resurrected just as you wake up. You will be called to account for your deeds. It is then either Hell forever or the Garden (Paradise) forever.”
His tribe Quraish heard to his speech but there were no major replies from them except from his two uncles. His one uncle Abu Lahab asked Quraish to stop Muhammad ﷺ form preaching new religion while another uncle Abu Talib offered every help and protection to him.
After a while, the following verse revealed:
فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِين [3]
Therefore proclaim openly that which you are commanded, and turn away from Al-Mushrikun (polytheists).” [15:94]
[1] Quran Chapter Al-Shura 26/214
[2]Al-Baladhuri, Ansab Al Ashraf Hadith no. 50
[3] Quran chapter Al Hijr 15/94