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?
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.
Anyone who wants to join these idiots, let him do so.
I guarantee to make him wish to die,
but he won't die until he had died many times.
Muhammad warns us against hell in the life to come.
Hell is here and now.
It is present, not postponed;
sustained, uninterrupted.
It is not a story to be told;
it is a fact you can see.
Seeing is the best way to believe. Look at them.
These are the kings of Persia and Byzantium, as Muhammad promises them.
Your majesties, my whole life is at your disposal.
I am your most obedient servant.
May I turn the flies away from you with a fan of ostrich feather, Sire?
Shall I bring you the best wine,
as clear as the rays of light, to dispel all worries?
You only have to command your humble servant.
And you, your majesty.
Shall I call for you some maids
to play music...
and dance to the sound of the tambourine?
Would you like them to sing Al-Munakhkhil's poem in which he says:
I pushed her and she moved as though being pushed,
like sand grouse walking to the stream.
I love her and she loves me; and my camel loves her she-camel.
I never saw kings like these.
They abandoned all luxuries
although the treasures of the earth have been placed at their fingertips.
Or perhaps I do not know how to serve kings well.
They thus abandoned me.
How miserable Abu Al-Hakam is!
You have seen all this.
Let everyone with eyes and ears take heed.
Do not come back to me as kings; just like these.
Makkah has no room for more kings.
Bilal!
Patience and perseverance! Until God has willed to lift your ordeal.
Haven't I warned you?
- Haven't I warned you? - This is enough, Umar.
By God, I am only stopping because I am bored.
Take them and detain them where I told you.
Put chains in their legs.
Give them little food and drink only to ensure they stay alive.
You are here and do not come to help me?
You have done more than enough, my brother, Umar.
It won't be enough until I have ensured that all the Adiy people toe the line.
- By the stick? - Only for the disobedient.
You are not Umar whom I know.
And who is Umar whom you know?
It is Umar who once said to me about camels
that he managed them as a community and took care of them as individuals,
just like one's own children.
It is also Umar who said to me that anyone
who thinks that he wins a war by losing his moral values is a wretched failure.
It is Umar of whom I said that he is firm enough to make a strong oppressor fear him,
and kind enough to make the weak and vulnerable seek his help.
And you forget Umar who loves his people and hates to see them disunited
and targeted by other people.
If he appears cruel, his cruelty is only to deter and to set things right.
A firm leader may treat the kind-hearted with cruelty.
A punishment may lead to a betterment;
a retaliation may stop injustice;
and a death my give life to some people.
Had it not been for people fearing others, the world would have been ruined
and people would fight each other to the finish.
There is now strength nor power save in God!
His words are right,
if only they were rightly applied.
Won't you hurry before it gets too hot?
- Where is that slave? - Bilal
I gave him orders last night to get ready to go out with us to carry our things
and to collect what we shoot.
Peace be upon you.
My Lord! Great indeed are Your blessings. Do not group me with the wrongdoers.
Save me from what unbelievers do.
My Lord, I am weak, so give me strength.
Make my need to You only, not to any of Your creatures.
You are the shelter sought by every weak person.
I turn to You for help, and place my trust in You.
I seek Your protection for every stubborn tyrant.
I believe in God, my Lord; in Islam, my religion;
and in Muhammad as God's Prophet and messenger.
You, black crow!
You have believed in Muhammad, giving no heed to my orders.
I don't await permission to believe in God, my Lord.
Since when do slaves have lords other than those of their masters?
Pray your lord, then, to spare you a torment I am about to inflict on you,
the like of which has never been witnessed by Arabs.
If my Lord tests me with torment you will inflict on me,
so that I can prove my genuine belief, I'll persevere in a way unwitnessed by Arabs.
Trivial is the torment you will inflict on me
compared to the torment God may inflict on you.
And you can answer me, son of black woman!
My slave has deserted our faith.
Whoever wants to see him tortured should follow us out of Makkah.
Bilal has become a Muslim, but Umayyah Ibn Khalaf remains an unbeliever.
The torment in the life to come is much harder.
Take him. Come on.
Bilal, who is your Lord now?
God is my Lord, Muhammad is my Prophet and Islam is my religion.
Take this, then, until you disbelieve in these. Take this.
Take this.
You shall remain thus until you die, or else you disbelieve in Muhammad
and worship Al-Lat and Al-Uzza.
He is One... He is One.
Muhammad is now with his family, as his clan protects him,
while you are enduring this suffering.
Why should you take it when you can stop it ?
If you wish I will stop this torture.
You only have to curse Muhammad and I will stop immediately.
He is One... He is One.
Leave her alone! Stop it!
Has your slave given in, Abu Ali?
I have been told that you declared that you won't leave him
until he has given in and cursed Muhammad.
Tomorrow! Tomorrow!
What about you?
Have you got tired of beating up the deserters, and you prefer to rest?
Don't you know that your allies, Yassir Al-Ansi, his wife Sumayyah
and their son Ammar follow Muhammad?
Such a damned slave. How I suffered from him today!
Who of you suffered more, father?
It is as if I am not hitting human flesh. Or is that peculiar to slaves?
Is their skin thicker than ours?
He has always been weak. He would be beaten by Jubair Ibn Mut'im's slave
within a few minutes. What possessed him today?
By Al-Lat, it must be Muhammad's magic.
He must have cast on him a spell that makes him not feel the pain.
I wish you didn't declare your intention before the people.
Now they will be watching to find out who will persevere longer.
If he refuses to give in and you cannot force him, it will be a stigma.
People will say that the slave has won.
He will become an example for other slaves to follow. Thus, he will have spoilt them.
You heard that wicked man, Abu Al-Hakam.
I won't fail. I won't fail. He must give in, or he will die.
So this is what you were often about to confide in me but then held back.
I had my suspicion,
but then thought:
what has a slave like us got to do with what Arabs are quarrelling about?
Wahshi, you are still thinking with your skin, not with your mind.
Yes, indeed. My skin which is like yours, except for its cuts.
You could have spared yourself all this.
If my skin is like yours, our hearts are different.
You are fool and mad!
Wahshi, why are you doing this for me?
Why do you care for me when we are in disagreement?
Your master wouldn't be pleased to see you with me now.
Perhaps I am crazy like you.
Isn't slavery bad enough for you? You go and increase your ordeal by this.
How miserable you are!
The one who is truly miserable is Umayyah Ibn Khalaf and you.
I and Umayyah Ibn Khalaf? You group us together! I should be pleased.
You are together in falsehood,
while I follow the truth together with Abu Bakr, Abd Al-Rahman Ibn Awf,
Uthman Ibn Affan and Ali Ibn Abi Talib.
You really mean this? You and these are at the same level.
It is truly as I said: you are fool. These people have indeed embraced Islam.
Have you seen any of them being tortured like you are?
And you want me to follow your religion, so that I suffer like you are suffering?
You can withstand it better than me, because you are stronger.
This is what puzzled me today.
How could you withstand all this torture,
when you never showed such resilience before.
It is Islam, Wahshi. It is faith. Don't you understand?
I only understand that you are a slave like me.
But you are being tortured and I am not.
No! By Him who sent Muhammad with the message of the truth,
I felt myself today freer than Umayyah Ibn Khalaf.
Are Al-Lat and Al-Uzza better or Muhammad's God?
He is One. He is One.
Nay, Al-Lat and Al-Uzza are better.
He is One. He is One.
Disbelieve in Muhammad to spare yourself all this suffering.
He is One. He is One.
Damn you, you evil crow.
Our kinsmen and supporters...
their good benefit us, and their evil works against us.
We gave you shelter and aid. We fed you,
and also, we helped you getting married.
And now you abandon our religion and follow Muhammad?
Is this how you repay us, you ungrateful?
Either you come back to our religion, or we will kill you.
Choose.
Even you, you dirty and filthy black woman!
You used to carry dough for us without looking to our faces.
By God, I will disgrace you
May God disgrace you, enemy of God.
Let her be and kill me instead if you want.
This would be easier for you.
But I won't kill you before you see what I will do to her.
Or you can all curse Muhammad.
May you be curse, enemy of God.
You have nothing but immorality, lack of gallantry.
You forget to mention my wrath.
Be strong, mother.
How do you find yourself now?
Is hell with which Muhammad threatens us hotter...
or this sand and this rock?
He is One. He is One.
Mention Al-Lat and Al-Uzza. Just mention them. I don't want more.
He is One. He is One.
You don't have to curse Muhammad.
Just mention Al-Lat and Al-Uzza like you mention your God.
Just one word to let these people hear it.
He is One. He is One.
Just one word: Al-Lat and Al-Uzza.
I can't.
Al-Lat and Al-Uzza. It is not hard.
What is really hard is this rock.
My tongue won't utter it.
Listen, Bilal. Everyone of your companions
who had to endure torture like you has given in to relieve themselves.
Checked by: Ahmad Fawzy Proofread by: Doaa Ahmed