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Open propagation of Islam 
The first years of the Prophet’s mission had focused on 
bringing the message of Islam to individuals, a discerning few 
among the Quraysh and other tribes had embraced Islam, but 
their numbers were hardly overwhelming. Now Allah ordered his 
Messenger to warn his kinsmen about idolatry. He was also 
asked to keep in his fold those who believed in the Message and 
to renounce ties with those who rejected his mission. 
After receiving this order, the Prophet assembled his 
nearest kindred, the tribe of Banu Hashim, including a few people 
from Banu Muttalib. Addressing the gathering, he first praised 

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and glorified Allah and bore witness to His Oneness. Then he 
told them: 
“I am the Messenger of Allah, and have been sent to you in 
particular, and to all mankind in general. I swear by Allah that you 
will die in the same way you sleep at night, and that you will be 
resurrected similar to how you rise from sleep in the morning. 
Following this, your account will be taken from you and then 
your good will be paid with good, and bad with bad.” 
The Prophet’s audience let him have his say. His uncle Abu 
Lahab was alone in saying, “Stop him before all Arabia unties 
against him. If you hand him over to them then, you will be put 
to disgrace. And if you try to save him, you will be killed.” 
The Prophet’s other uncle, Abu Talib, said, “I swear by Allah 
that we will protect him as long as we live.” Abu Talib then told 
his nephew, “You try to fulfil what you have been ordered to do. 
By Allah, I shall always defend you, even though I prefer not to 
abandon the religion of Abdul Muttalib.” 
A warning from atop Mount Safa 
During the same period Allah told the Prophet : “Announce 
openly what you are commanded, and withdraw from the 
idolaters.” In compliance with Allah’s order, he ascended the 
heights of Mount Safa, a small rocky hill near the Ka’bah, and 
cried out from the highest point: “Ya Sabahah!”
The cry “Ya Sabahah” was normally used to warn citizens of 
impending doom, surprise attacks or other great calamities. Once 
he had altered his fellow Makkans that something terrible was 
upon them, the Prophet then called every family and every 
household by name: “O sons of Fiher! O sons of Adiy! O sons of 
Abdu Munaf! O sons of Abdul Muttalib! O sons of….: 
The people heard their names being called, and they rushed 
to Mount Safa. Those who were unable to go themselves, sent 
someone on their behalf to see what had happened. When they 

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were all assembled, the Prophet said: “If I told you that the 
horsemen were advancing to attack you from the valley or the 
other side of this hill, would you believe me?” 
“Yes,” they replied, bewildered at his question. “We have 
always found you honest.” Then he said to them: “I am here to 
warn you before a severe chastisement reaches you. I see the 
enemy charging toward you, and I want to protect you from his 
sword, but I fear he will strike you before I can give you warning. 
This is why I have cried out to you from atop this hill.” 
After this vivid analogy the Prophet asked them to save 
themselves by declaring that Allah was one, and that he, 
Muhammad, was His Messenger: La ilaaha illallah, Muhammad 
Rasoolullah. He also explained to them that this testimony 
(Shahadah) was the only source of salvation in this world and the 
Hereafter. He tried to make them understand that if they clung to 
polytheism and rejected the message he had brought to them, 
they would face Allah’s punishment, and that he (the Prophet) 
would not be able to save them despite his status as Allah’s 
Messenger. 
Addressing all segments of Makkan society, he further said: 
“O people of Quraysh, ransom yourselves from Allah and save 
yourselves from the Fire of Hell, for I am not the master of your 
gain and loss, nor can I be of any help in saving you from Allah. 
O Banu Ka’bin Lu’ayy, save yourselves from Hell, for I am not 
the master of your gain and loss. 
“O Banu Qusayy! Save yourselves from Hell. O Banu Abdu 
Munaf! Save yourselves from Hell, for I am not the master of 
your gain and loss. O Banu Hashim! Save yourselves from Hell. O 
Banu Abdul Muttalib! Save yourselves from Hell, for I am not the 
master of your gain and loss, and cannot save you from Allah. 
Take from my property as much as you desire, but I have no 
power to save you from Allah. 

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“O Abbas bin Abdul Muttalib! I can be of no help to you in 
saving you from Allah. O Aunt of the Messenger, Safiyah bint 
Abdul Muttalib! I can be of no help to you in saving you from 
Allah. O Fatimah, daughter of the Messenger! Ask for whatever 
you want from my property, but save yourself from Hell. I cannot 
be of any help to you, and I will fulfil my obligations 
accordingly.” 
After listening to this warning from the Prophet , the 
assembly dispersed. There is no record of their immediate 
support or opposition. However, Abu Lahab is reported to have 
said, enraged, “May you be cursed! Is it for this you have brought 
us here?” 
Generally, the Prophet’s audience seems to have been 
somewhat amazed at the Prophet’s outpourings and could not 
decide just then as to what they should do. Once they returned to 
their homes, however, their arrogance reasserted itself, and they 
disdained the Prophet’s warning and exhortation. Thus when the 
Prophet passed by their elders, they would jeer, “Is this the one 
who has been appointed a Messenger by Allah? Is this the boy of 
Abu Kabshah who is addressed from the sky?” 
Abu Kabshah was an ancestor of the Prophet on his 
mother’s side. He had abandoned the paganism of the Quraysh 
and embraced Christianity. Hence, when the Prophet began 
proclaiming the monotheistic message of Islam, the Quraysh were 
quick to link him with another so-called renegade of their society. 
Despite the taunts of his tribesmen and their increasing 
hostility, the Prophet remained firm in his mission and began 
to invite people to Islam. He would recite verses from the Book 
of Allah, giving his people the same message that previous 
prophets had given to their people. He would say, “O my people! 
Worship Allah without any partners or intermediaries, for none is 
your god except Allah.” 

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He also began to pray to Allah in public, offering prayers in 
the courtyard surrounding the Ka’bah. The Prophet’s preaching 
gradually gained ground. As more people, one by one, came to 
Islam, a gap started widening between the believers and non-
believers even in the same house. Of course, this only increased 
the resentment and hostility of the Quraysh who found it 
unforgivable that the new Muslims would chose Islam over 
family, tribe, and culture – ties they deemed sacrosanct.