CI-IAPTF.R SIXResistance, Humility,
and E xile
The clan chiefs kept mocking !vluhammad and encouraging others to crit-
icize and humilialt: him. T he man who claimed to bc a p ro phet was asked
fo r miracles and tangible evid ence. People questioned God's choice in
electing a man who held no particular power, who wen t about in market-
places witha m any sign setting him apart from o th er men. They mocked
the man and his claims as mueh as the message.
Nevertheless, as we have seen, the Prophet Hood his ground. \'\'hen
o ne of the Q uraysh leaders. Utbah ibn Rabiah, came to see him to offer
him m o ney and power, th e Pro phet's response was fir st of alilO quote the
Quran at length:
In the name of G od, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Ha, 1111111. t\ Revelation
from th(' Most Gracious, !\lOSt Merciful. A Book, of which th(' messages
are clearly explained; a Quran in Arabic. fo r people with inner knowledge.
giving good news and admonition: ret most of them turn a\\'ay, and so they
cio not hear. Th('y say: "Our hearts are under veils, [concealed] from that
m which you invite us, and in our ea rs is a deafness, and between us and
you is a screen: so do [what you will]; as for u~, we shall do Iwhat we will]."
Say JO Prophet]: "1 am but a man like you: it is revealed to me by inspira-
tion, that your God is One God. So take the stra.ght path unto Him and
ask for His forgiveness. And \1.'Oe to thos~ who associate other gods with
Him, those who do not pay the purifring social ux Itaka4 and who even
deny the h~Teaftcr! FOT those who beJ.Jeve and \1.urk deeds of nghteousness