Page 135 - Self-Sacrifice in the Qur'an's Moral Teachings

Harun Yahya - Adnan Oktar

But all of their efforts were in vain. This made the Meccan unbe-
lievers and tribal leaders very uneasy. Despite this opposition, how-
ever, the number of Muslims grew daily and the neighboring tribes
began to accept Islam. The conversion of such people as Umar (ra) and
Hamza (ra) and the subsequent strengthening of Islam greatly worried
them. Seeing that they could not deter conversions by torture and vio-
lence, and that they could not prevent Islam's spread, they and their al-
lies tried to suppress Muslims and their allies through a complete trade
and social boycott.
They attached this decision to the wall of the Ka'bah, and soon all
Makkans complied. As a result, Muslims moved away to live together.
The unbelievers would not allow any food to reach them and allowed
them to come to the market to buy food only during the pilgrimage
season. Even then, standing on the corners, the Makkans would do all
they could to make their purchases difficult. Sometimes they threat-
ened the merchants, bought up all of their stock, or met caravans bring-
ing food to Mecca before they arrived and did their best to turn them

against the Muslims.
As a result, the Muslims suffered terrible hunger and famine. His
uncle Abu Talib and his wife Khadija (ra) sold of all their possessions
to meet the Muslims' needs. Despite three years of anxiety, hunger, and
famine, the unbelievers could not prevent the spread of Islam. Under
these harsh conditions and with great self-sacrifice, the Prophet (saas)
perfectly carried out his duty of spreading the message.
Three years later, the leaders of the Quraysh ended the boycott
but not their efforts against the Muslims. Abu Talib was one of the in-
fluential figures in Mecca and, although he did not become a Muslim,
both he and Khadija (ra) supported the Prophet Muhammad (saas)
from the beginning. When they died, the Quraysh gained courage and

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