Islam’s Message vs Makkan Tribal Politics

The Arab world was a tribal world where tribal customs and affiliations held sway. Most behavior was governed by tribal conflicts and competition between tribes for dominance and leadership.

When Allah chose His Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to carry His Message, he was one of the most distinguished and noble men in his society. His father came from the house of `Abd al-Manaf and his mother from the noble house of Zuhrah. He was from the most noble lineages of the most noble clan – Banu Hashim – of the tribe of Quraysh. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was also known for his noble manners and exemplary character. He remained aloof from the shortcomings of character that the Arabs used to boast about in that time of ignorance. He was free of any reproachable behavior, since Allah protected him from the time he was born and kept him away from any dubious behavior and from anything that could harm his reputation.

All the same, he never held a leadership position in any tribe. There were many reasons for this. Some of these reasons related to his environment and his age. From another angle, there was also the divine intervention that protected the Message from being mixed up with any worldly motivations that the insincere always yield to and that people of integrity always shy away from. One of the objections levied against him by the idolaters was that they questioned the reason why Allah would choose Muhammad (peace be upon him) for His Message. They did not take note of his virtues and personal qualities and failed to see how he was any better than they were. Quite the contrary, they suggested many people who they claimed were more suited to carry the Message, people of prominence who held power in their tribes.

“They said: ‘Why was the Quran not sent down to a man of prominence in either of the two chief cities’.” [Surah al-Zukhruf: 31]

They did not necessarily mean any person in particular from the cities of Makkah and Ta’if, though some narrations suggest certain individuals. Among the people of Makkah mentioned were: al-Walid b. al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi and `Utbah b. Rabi`ah. Al-Walid was known as “the Rayhanah of Quraysh” rayhan being a plant valued for its exquisite fragrance. Among the people of al-Ta’if, there was the possibility of Habib b. `Amr al-Thaqafi, Ibn `Abd Yalil, `Urwah b. Mas`ud, or Kinanah b. `Abd.

Although they did not necessarily intend any specific person by their statement, they clearly meant that the Message should have been revealed to a prominent person from Makkah or al-Ta’if, a person of nobility, leadership, or tribal chieftaincy, like those people mentioned above.

What presumption must have possessed them to think they could involve themselves in the divine choice of selecting a prophet? They actually went so far as to demand that each one of them be afforded the status of the Messenger and be visited by an angel and receive revelation, so that no one of them would have to follow another.

Allah says,

“When a sign comes to them, they say: ‘We shall not believe until we receive something like what was given to Allah’s Messengers.’ Allah knows best where to place His Message. Soon will the wicked be overtaken by humiliation and a severe punishment from Allah for all their plots.” [Surah al-An`am: 124]

They exalted in themselves and refused to follow another human being like them, even if he be a prophet supported by revelation from Heaven. They demanded that angels descend upon them or that they gaze upon Allah with their own eyes. For this, their fate was to meet a disgraceful punishment both in this world and in the Hereafter and enter the Hellfire in humiliation.

Allah says;

“Soon will the wicked be overtaken by humiliation before Allah.” [Surah al-An`am: 124]

In another verse, Allah says;

“Those who do not hope to meet with Us say: ‘Why are not angels sent down to us, or why do we not see our Lord’ Verily they are conceited about themselves and mighty is their insolence.” [Surah al-Furqan: 21]

These arrogant people refuse from the start to obey a man like themselves. It was the same for other proud and haughty nations who rejected the truth saying: “If you obey a man like yourselves, you will certainly be lost.” [Surah al-Mu’minun: 34]

They argued that if this Messenger had to come from the human race, then why could he not come from the highest ranking members of society,  the leaders and the chiefs of the tribes who, as far as they were concerned, were more suitable to be followed? This was nothing more than an excuse used to justify the actions of those who denied the truth that the Messenger came with and turned away from it.

This is why you find that those who rejected the Message who came from the same clan as Allah’s Messenger used to argue that Allah’s Messenger was not a chief and had no authority or position of prominence among them. Those who came from other clans in the tribe rejected his call in order to protect their own clan’s power and prestige in their competition with the other clans. Those who came from other tribes rejected him to preserve the status of their tribe and out of disdain for following a member of another tribe.

Al-Mughîrah b. Shu`bah relates:

The first day I met Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), I was walking with Abu Jahl b. Hisham in some of the alleyways of Makkah. We met with Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and he said to Abu Jahl: “Come forward to Allah and his Messenger. I call you to Allah.”

Abu Jahl replied: “O Muhammad, will you stop blaspheming our gods? Do you want nothing but for us to bear witness to the fact that you conveyed the message? For, by Allah, even if I knew that what you say is the truth, I would not follow you.”

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) departed and Abu Jahl turned to me and said: “By Allah, I know that what he says is true, but the tribe of Banu Qusayy says that they have custodianship over the gates and we agree. They say that they have the council and we agree. They say that they carry the banner and we agree. They say that they provide water for the pilgrims and we say that we agree. They feed the people and we feed the people. Then, while we are neck to neck, they come and say that they have a prophet among them. What can we say to this? No, I will never accept it!” [Ibn Ishaq, al-Maghazi (p. 210). Al-Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwah (2/207)]

From this confession, the matter becomes perfectly clear. The issue with Abu Jahl and his ilk was the tribal struggles for leadership and prestige. Banu Qusayy monopolized the custodianship of the gates, the distribution of water, and the council. It was not possible to let them to have the exclusive claim of a prophet among them, because if this were to happen, the whole tribe of Quraysh – and all other Arabs as well – would yield to that clan’s authority.

A similar story is that of Abu Jahl and Abu Sufyan and al-Akhnas b. Shurayq when they listened to the Quran night after night.

One morning, al-Akhnas went to Abu Jahl and said: “O Abû al-Hakam, what is your opinion about what I heard from Muhammad?”

Abu Jahl replied: “What did you hear? We compete with Banu `Abd Manâf in nobility. They provide food and we provide food. They carry the burdens and we carry them, they give and we give… until we are neck in neck like two racehorses, then they say: ‘We have a prophet among us who receives revelation from Heaven’ When will we be able to say the same thing? By Allah, we should never listen to him and never believe him.”  [Sîrah Ibn Hisham (1/337). Ibn Ishaq, al-Siyar wa al-Maghazi (189). Al-Bayhaqi, Dala’il al-Nubuwwah (2/206)]

It was very difficult for Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) to carry out his duty in the midst of such a tribal environment that centered exclusively around the clan and was plagued by bitter tribal competition. Hs closest relatives failed to follow him because he was not one of his clan’s chiefs. Others refused to follow him because he did not come from their clan or tribe.

Ibn `Abbas relates that when verse 214 of Surah al-Shu`ara’ was revealed (“And admonish your nearest kin.”), the Prophet (peace be upon him) climbed Mount Safa and called out the names of the clans of Quraysh: “O Banu Fahr, O Banu `Udayy… until they all assembled. Those who could not go out themselves sent out messengers to find out what was going on. Abu Lahab and the tribe of Quraysh came out. Then he said: “What would you think if I were to inform you that a great army was gathered in the valley that wants to attack you? Would you believe me?”

They replied: “Yes we would, because we have never known anything but honesty from you.”

He said: “Then I warn you of a great punishment that awaits you.”

Abu Lahab spoke up and said: “May you perish for the rest of the day! You brought us out here for this?” Thereafter, Allah revealed the verse: “Perish the hands of Abu Lahab! May he perish. His wealth and all of his gains will not suffice him.” [Sahih al-Bukhari (4/161) and Sahih Muslim (1/193)]

From the moment the Prophet (peace be upon him) made that announcement, Makkah became divided into two camps. There is the camp of disbelief and paganism that includes both Arabs and non-Arabs, rulers and subjects, close relatives of the Prophet and those unrelated to him. Then there was the camp of faith that at first comprised of Muhammad b. `Abd Allah (peace be upon him) and one other free man, one slave, one boy, and one woman. These were the people who sacrificed for the religion everything that was dear and precious to them.