Utba ibn Rabiaa is sent to Mohamed
Quraysh did not know what to do about Mohamed and his followers. They were increasing in strength and number every day and they were willing to bear persecution and injury for the sake of their religion. They did not object to Mohamed as an individual, on the contrary, they trusted him beyond all others and when traveling they would leave their valuables and precious things with none but him. What they objected to were the new principles and concepts that he had introduced. In the narrowness of their perception, they thought he would stop if they gave him whatever it was that he wanted. They did not realize that spreading the words of the Most High to save the whole of mankind from the evil and base life it led was to him a far more precious thing than the world and all it contained.

They sent one of the greatest and oldest among them, “Utba ibn Rabia” to negotiate with him. He said,

“Nephew, you are one of us, you have the highest rank and lineage among us, but you have brought your people something very grave that has split their ranks, so listen to me: I shall make three offers to you, perhaps one of them will be acceptable to you. If the aim behind your call is money, we can collect for you all the money you ask so that you become the richest among us. If it is honor, we are ready to make you ruler over us, nothing shall be done without your command. If it is kingship that you want, we are ready to make you king over us. If that which comes to you is a phantom that you have no power to ward off, we are ready to call doctors to your aid until you are cured.”

When he finished Mohamed said nothing, but read him the chapter from the Koran called Surat AI-Sajda. The man sat awed by the beauty of the words, the truth and majesty of the content. Before him was a man who was not mad and who desired neither money nor influence nor honor. This was a call to justice, charity, kindness, and the eternal truth that Allah is One. He sat and listened in reverence, feeling the intensity of what was before him. He said nothing more to Mohamed but went back to Quraysh and counseled them to leave Mohamed alone. In the diplomatic language of the Arabs, he said,

“Leave Mohamed to the rest of the Arabs. If they overcome him, you will be relieved of him. If he overcomes them by his strange words, then all the honor will go to you for you are his people.”

Quraysh did not like Utbas counsel, nor the state of mind he returned in, but all they could do was to keep persecuting the unprotected Muslims. They tortured, they molested, and they killed, making life a misery for them. Whenever they heard that someone had entered into Islam, they went to him and said,

“We shall destroy your hopes and blacken your honor.”

If he was a merchant, they said to him,

“We shall stagnate your trade and destroy your capital.”

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