Omar

People of Quraysh!

People of Quraysh, until when will you remain patient with Muhammad,

when you see his followers increase, rather than decrease?

The pilgrimage season was hardly over when he became known to all Arabian tribes.

You thought that debate and remonstration will spare you taking action.

Isn't it time that we should show him and his companions the iron fist,

so that we lay this problem to rest,

even if this means fighting the Hashimite clan?

Yes, indeed, it is time.

You always start by agreeing with me only to end up disagreeing with what I say.

We know your views.

I agree with some of what you have said and disagree with other parts.

As for its being time for a tough stance, I agree.

I will be the first to use the stick and the whip, but...

But! How I dread your buts.

But we do not fight the Hashimite clan, starting a war between the Quraysh tribes.

The conflict is between Muhammad and his followers from all these tribes

It is more appropriate that every tribe takes care of the Muslims among them,

punishes, imprisons or otherwise harms them

until they revert back to our camp.

In this way, none of you will look at his fellow and say,

''this person harmed my brother or my cousin'',

and will then feel the urge to retaliate, even though he dislikes Muhammad's religion.

Start with your own homes. If you do, then you achieve what you want.

This is acceptable. You are fair today, Umar.

You are certainly fair.

Yet, have you thought that he might be after some personal gain.

Could he be using this question of religion so that he gets money, kingship,

luxury, women, etc?

How about if I meet him and make him some offers.

If he accepts any of them, we will give him that and he would stop what he is doing.

Yes, Abu Al-Waleed! Go and speak to him.

And if he does not accept? - Do, then, as you like.

My father went to speak to God's messenger?

Yes, indeed, father. I hastened to tell you.

Muhammad,

Who is better: you or Abd Al-Muttalib?

If you say that they were better,

they worshipped the gods you have reviled.

If you say that you are better, then speak up and let us hear you.

By God, we have never known anyone who brought his people a worse problem:

you have divided our community, brought us chaos, and denounced our religion.

We are now expecting a cry like that of a pregnant woman,

and we will be fighting each other with swords until we all perish.

Tell us, man: if it is poverty you are complaining of,

we will raise money for you to make you the richest man in Quraysh.

If you are after a kingship, we will make you our king,

and if you want women, choose whomever you want from Quraysh.

We will give you ten women in marriage.

I swear that Abu Al-Waleed has come back with a face totally different from that

he had when he went. - I swear to that too.

How did it go, Abu Al-Waleed?

What I say to you is that I heard something unlike anything I ever heard.

By God, it is unlike what poets, soothsayers or sorcerers say.

People of Quraysh, obey me and put the blame on me,

but leave this man and his message alone. Let him be.

What he says will most certainly bring about great changes.

If the Arabs kill him, then they would have done the job for you.

If he triumphs over them,

his kingdom and glory will be yours,

and you will be the happiest of people for having him.

Aby Al-Waleed, he has certainly cast his magic spell on you by his sweet words.

This is my view. You can do what you like. - My father has given you sound advice.

If you insist on disbelieving in Muhammad and his message,

the least you could do is to listen to my father's advice.

Disbelieve? Who has disbelieved in the other's religion?

Are you really concerned about your father's view and your father's religion?

Why don't you sit with us and join us in devising a plan to deal with our enemy.

I hear that you are a man of wisdom...

And here is Salim with you.

We certainly need Salim's wise opinion.

He may be able to find us a way out of our predicament.

Muhammad has presented us with a very difficult problem.

Come on, Salim, and tell us what to do with Muhammad and his followers?

Shall we starve them? Keep them thirsty? Strike them with an iron fist?

Or shall we expose them in every place? - Stop it, Abu Al-Hakam.

Why don't you say Abu Jahl, as Muhammad teaches you.

What are you saying, Abu Al-Hakam?

Don't you know that Abu Hudhaifah has become a Muslim,

and so did his bosom friend Salim Ibn... I don't know.

You certainly know, Abu... You know that he has become my son.

I know that you have adopted him as a son, but as for his biological father...

by Al-Lat I have no knowledge. I am as ignorant of the fact as he is.

God's messenger is right to give you the nickname Abu Jahl (The ignorant).

You are certainly ignorant of the truth and you advocate ignorance.

Have you heard, people of Quraysh?

If you have no respect for us,

then at least you should respect your old man, Abu Al-Waleed.

He certainly did not need the disgrace you have brought on him.

I said stop it, Abu Al-Hakam, or else you will hear from me what will displease you.

Is there anything more wicked than what you did

when you abandoned your forefathers' religion.

We will cast you as weak of mind, and show you as an imbecile,

both you and your offspring. - May God disgrace you, you enemy of God,

you filthy, vulgar wicked man.

It's you who is a stupid, undutiful deserter. - That's enough, Abu Al-Hakam.

Have you forgotten that he is my son?

Did he remember that you are his father and spared you this?

By God, you have known for some time that he has believed in Muhammad,

and you concealed the fact.

If you are unable to stop him, we will spare you that.

If anyone tries to touch him, I will rub his nose in the dust.

And Salim? He is not your son. Will you give him up to us?

When anyone becomes a son of my son, I will be his grandfather.

People of Quraysh, do you hear?

Abu Al-Waleed will not give us anything of his son, and his grandson.

This one is pleased to find a blemish in one of the Abd Shams families,

to use it against them.

Wouldn't it be more appropriate for you to deal with your brother

Salamah Ibn Hisham and your half brother Ayyash Ibn Abi Rabeeah? Both are Muslims.

Why do you hide from these people what you try to disgrace me for suppressing?

Set your own house in order first before you look into other people's houses.

What is this? Take your hands off me, may they be cut off.

Abu Al-Hakam, have you told them to do this?

It is time to state the truth.

Have you deserted our religion?

Have you deserted our religion?

Yes, we are Muslims. God be praised.

Thus do we do with our fools who have deserted our religion & followed Muhammad,

even though they may be our brothers and children.

They must come back to us or they will be left to rot.

Come, let's go.

Come on.

Help me against these two idiots.

I am urging people to stand firm against Muhammad and his followers

while two men of my own household join them.

By Al-Lat, I will start with you two.

Now the clans of Hashim and Abd Manaf have no argument against us.

Your two cronies, my nephew!

If you don't want them to suffer humiliation, hunger and thirst,

speak to them and show us your power of persuasion.

Are you pleased with this, Umar? - You brought it on yourselves.

By God, I never felt worse than I do now.

But how can this be helped unless you revert to us?

We will never do.

You remember that day when we were out in the open

and you talked about Muhammad,

claiming that you heard it from his companions.

You spoke about the Persian and the Byzantine Empires

and said that Islam would reach the furthest points in the East and the West.

And since Muhammad makes distinction on the basis of truth and falsehood,

he groups people together under his religion.

That day I suspected you,

but then I dispelled my doubts.

I thought that as Abu Al-Hakam is your brother,

Al-Waleed Ibn Al-Mugheerah is your uncle

and I am your intimate friend, you would not do it.

I hope you will stay my intimate friend in Islam,

as we were under jahiliyyah, the wretched state of ignorance. And you certainly will.

How can I remain your intimate friend when you have followed Muhammad's faith

while I am one of its stern opponents?

You say that it distinguishes between right and wrong.

You believe you are right and I am wrong. How can we meet after that?

Listen, Umar. By God, you are more sensible than I am,

and you are a better person, true of expression,

honest and you have a good nature.

Your inside is the same as your outward appearance.

You combine all traits of good morality.

I heard the Prophet (peace be upon him) saying,

''I have come to perfect good morality''. I also heard him saying:

''People are of different material, just like gold and silver.

The best among you before Islam will be the best in Islam, if they learn Islam well.''

I know your material: it is pure gold.

I hope that your mind, heart and morality will only lead you to what is good.

When you understand Islam well, you will be in the lead, just like you are now.

No. You will be better and higher. We will follow you

and we all follow God's messenger, (peace be upon him).

You speak just like my brother Zaid.

Whenever he wants something from me, he starts flattering me as you have just done.

I am not taken in by flattery.

If you think that I will help you out of this difficulty, then you better give up.

By God, I won't do until you revert to us.

I shall do with the like of you from Adiy as the Makhzooms are doing to you.

People of Adiy, come over to me.

Come over.

Listen to me, people of Adiy.

It is time for strong action.

Things have gone too far

and we can no longer tolerate those of us who have deserted our faith.

Our elders have firmly agreed that each clan shall deal

with those of its numbers who have embraced Muhammad's religion.

I am to watch over you.

Should I know that anyone has deserted our religion and broke our ranks,

I shall inflict on them severe torture

and make of them an example to others.

I will not differentiate between a brother, a cousin,

a sister or the rest of the Adiy men,

women, servants or slaves.

Muhammad treats his companions as equals,

placing the high and the low on the same footing,

claiming that they all follow the truth.

Likewise, I will treat equally anyone of you who deserts our religion.

I will group them all on the same level of torture.

It is a torture they have brought on themselves.

I am giving this warning to all of you. You can now disperse.

Do you have eyes to see with? Look at them...

Do you have ears to hear with? Listen then.

By Al-Lat, this is only a beginning and there is more.

It is like the opening of a poem by a few love lines.

We have not yet reached our aim.