Hardships of the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬

 Born an orphan
 Lost his mother also at a tender age of six
 Lost his grandfather when he was eight years , two months and 10 days old.
o The death of the parents and grandfather of Rasulullah ‫ ﷺ‬when
he was young made him sensitive to the hardships of others and helped him
to know humility and not become arrogant.
 Had to rear goats to eke out a living.
o The choice of the occupation was significant. Later, after becoming a
prophet, Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬remarked: “There has been no prophet
who has not tended sheep.”
o Being a shepherd helps build qualities like patience, humbleness,
responsibility, bravery, mercy, compassion and the ability to deal with
hardships.
 Had to bury all his sons by his own hands.
o All the sons passed away during their childhood and did not live to see their
father become a prophet.
o The death of the sons of Rasulullah ‫ ﷺ‬was a trial but lets us
know that leadership in religion is not inherited.
 Lost all his daughters in his lifetime except that of Fathima (radhiyallahu anha).
o His daughter Ruqayya was buried even before his return from the battle of
Badr.
 When the first revelation came, angel Jibreel took hold of him and pressed him until
he could not endure it any longer.
o The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬was terrified and his heart was pounding hard
until he was comforted by his wife Khadeeja radiyallahu anha.
o When he was taken to his wife’s cousin Waraqa, he was forewarned about his
expulsion.
 The beginning of the open call to Islam at Mount Safaa was met with opposition from
none other than his own uncle , Abu Lahab.
o The elders of Quraysh would jeer at him and taunt him
o He was subjected to ridicule, contempt and mockery, only because he was
calling people to the worship of Allah.
o The pagan Arabs used to vilify him : “This is a poet, a madman, a
soothsayer…. Satan comes to him and teaches him….He is a sorcerer, a liar.”
o The unjust ridicule and condemnation deeply hurt the Prophet
‫ﷺ‬, as Allah says:
o “We know that your breast is distressed by what they say”. (15:97).
o Allah then revealed verses of inspiration and comfort to help the Prophet
‫ ﷺ‬remain steadfast.
 His Persecution only increased when neither threats and bargains proved unfruitful.
o He was mistreated by his own neighbours like Abu Jahl, Uqbah ibn Abi
Mu’ayt, Hakam bin Abi Al-As Umayya and all that he ‫ ﷺ‬would
say was : What kind of neighbourhood is this?
 o When the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬bowed down in prayer, someone would
throw the fetus of camel on his back and yet others would throw similar filth
at his door.
o Whenever Umayya bin Khalaf would see him ‫ﷺ‬, he would taunt
him before the people of Makkah.
o Uqba bin Abi Mu’ayt would spit on his face and Abu Lahab ordered both his
sons to divorce their wives, who were the daughters of Prophet
‫ﷺ‬.
o One of the sons of Abu Lahab, Atiba, became a constant source of irritation
for the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬and once, he even spat on the face of the
Prophet ‫ﷺ‬.
o Umm Jameel, was no less in her enemity and used to scatter prickly bits of
wood over the path that the Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬would pass.
 When his companions had to migrate Abyssinia, his persecution only worsened.
o Uqba bin Abi Mu’ayt once saw the Prophet ‫ﷺ‬praying and
waited for him to place his head on the ground. He then placed his foot on the
Prophet’s neck and pressed down with all his weight until the eyes of the
Prophet bulged.
 Once when he was surrounded by a mob on all sides, and Uqba bin Abi Ma’ayt
caught hold of a cloth hanging from around his neck and began choking the Prophet
‫ ﷺ‬until Abu bakr radiyallahu anhu had to rescue him.
 He ‫ ﷺ‬and his companions were subjected to social boycott.
 The uncle and wife, the two closest comforters and supports of Rasulullah
‫ﷺ‬, passed away in the same year.
o It was a dou
o ble blow to Rasulullah ‫ﷺ‬, sorrow after sorrow.
o Even small acts of unkindness stung him more than ever as he grieved over
his bereavement.
 His journey to Taaif was met with disappointment.
o The Prophet ‫ ﷺ‬considered the day of Taaif as the worst day of
his life.
o Rasulullah ‫ ﷺ‬did not seek revenge against the people of Taaif.
Instead he wanted Allah to guide them to Islam.
 Was forced to leave his homeland, his house and his family.
o Pain of migration is difficult to fathom for most of us.
 Had to face the war waged by his enemies
 His uncle Hamza was brutally assasinated in a gruesome manner, in the battle
of Uhud.
 His beloved, pure and chaste wife was character assassinated.
 He was even poisoned after the conquest of Khaybar.
 Had to endure the pain of death.
 Bedouins acted ignorantly with him ‫ﷺ‬
 Jews plotted against him ‫ﷺ‬
 Had been physically assaulted.