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partners cannot help those who pray to them, nor can they even 
help themselves!” (7: 191-192) 
The polytheists who lived during the time of the Prophet 
Muhammad agreed with him that Allah created everything and 
that the gods they worshiped created nothing. How it then, Allah 
asks them in the Qur’an, that they worshipped something that 
had been created instead of worshipping the Creator who created 
everything? 
The polytheists answered this by claiming that their ancestors 
had all prayed to other gods besides Allah. These ancestors and 
the Prophet Muhammad’s ancestors were among them, who had 
believed in the power of such gods. In addition, was it not true, 
they asked, that their ancestors were known for their wisdom and 
intelligence? How then, could one question their religion? 
Allah answers their argument in the Qur’an by challenging 
their ancestors’ wisdom in matters of religion. He characterises 

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them as misguided and incapable of understanding, as seen in the 
following verses: “They found their fathers on the wrong path, so 
they hastily followed their footsteps.” (37: 69-70)
Besides insisting on the wisdom of their polytheistic 
forefathers, the polytheists acccused the Prophet and the 
Muslims of disrespect to their gods and threatened them with the 
wrath of these false dieties. 
“We say that some of our gods have inflicted you with 
madness!” (11. 54) 
In answer to these weak threats, Allah reminds the idolators 
of the absolute powerlessness of their gods. Motionless, mute and 
defenseless, how could these effigies harm the Muslims or destroy 
them? 
“Have they feet to walk with? Hands to grasp with? Eyes to 
see with? Ears to hear with? Say: Call upon those you claim to be 
Allah’s partners and then plot against Me, and give me no 
respite!” (7: 195) 
Allah sets forth a parable, saying: “O people! A parable will 
be set before you, so listen to it carefully. Those whom you call 
upon and pray to besides Allah cannot create even a fly, even if 
they all gathered for this purpose. And if a fly should snatch 
anything from them, they would not be able to recover what the 
fly had taken from them. How feeble is the petitioner! How 
feeble the petitioned!” (22: 73) 
Some of the Muslims, tired of the insults of their faith, 
derided the helplessness of the pagan gods, as in this taunt about 
an idol that could not defend itself against animal excrement: “A 
god that lets foxes urinate over its head is certainly weak and 
base.” 
Incensed, the polytheists heaped abuse on the Muslims as 
well as their Lord. The degeneration of a profound spiritual 
conflict into purile name-calling was stopped when Allah forbade 

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the Muslims to indulge in petty slurs, saying: “Do not insult those 
who worship false gods lest they ignorantly insult Allah in 
return.” (6: 108) 
As we have seen, every argument forwarded by the 
polytheists was refuted by Allah himself, while His Prophet 
besides insisting on the wisdom of their polytheistic forefathers, 
the polytheists acccused the Prophet went about preaching his 
message undeterred by their ridicule and abuse. 
Realising the futility of verbal debates and disputes, the 
polytheists considered using force against Islam to deter people 
from the path of Allah. The notables and chieftians of each tribe 
began to ill-treat the Muslims among them, and a delegation of 
theirs approached Abu Talib. They demanded that he stop the 
Prophet from preaching. 
Persecution had begun in earnest, and several Muslim lives 
would be lost to the wrath of the Quraysh. Torture, exile and 
poverty were what the Quraysh promised, while Paradise and 
Allah’s Grace were the rewards promised by Allah and His 
Prophet . Was it surprising that despite physical limitations, the 
early Muslims chose to trade their earthly lots for the Hereafter?