Life-of-Muhammad

Life of Muhammad sa 23has this fashion begun?" To appease Labid, a man fromamong the audience rose and said, "Go on and take nonotice of this fool". ‘Uthman ra XE "Persecution to theMuslims:‘Uthman bin Maz‘un ra insisted that he hadsaid nothing foolish. This exasperated the Quraishite,who sprang upon ‘Uthman ra and gave him a sharp blow,knocking out an eye. Walid was present at the scene. Hewas a close friend of ‘Uthman's ra father. He could notendure such treatment of his deceased friend's son. But‘Uthman ra was no longer under his formal protectionand Arab custom now forbade him to take sides. So hecould do nothing. Half in anger, half in anguish heturned to ‘Uthman ra , and said, "Son of my friend, youwould have saved your eye, had you not renounced myprotection. You have to thank yourself for it."‘Uthman ra replied,"I have longed for this. I lament not over the loss of oneeye, because the other waits for the same fate. Remember,while the Prophet sa suffers, we want no peace" (Halbiyya,Vol. 1, P. 348).‘UMAR ra ACCEPTS ISLAMAbout this time, another very important event tookplace. ‘Umar ra , who later became the Second Khalifah ofIslam, was still one of the fiercest and the most fearedenemies of Islam. He felt that no effective step had yetbeen taken against the new Movement and decided toput an end to the Prophet's sa life. He took his sword andset out. A friend was puzzled to see him going and askedwhere he was going and with what intent. "To killMuhammad sa ," said ‘Umar ra ."But would you be safe from his tribe after this? Anddo you really know how things are going? Do you knowthat your sister and her husband have joined Islam?"It came like a bolt from the blue and greatly upset‘Umar ra . He decided to go and have done with his sisterand her husband first. As he reached their house he