The U’lâma of biographies—may Allah have mercy on them—have related that when the Qoraish heard his holy prophetic lordship reproving and cursing their vain idols, they sent a deputation to Abu Tâleb with the following address: ‘Thou art a chieftain and a prince among the Qoraish. Mete out justice to us against thy brother’s son Muhammad. Prohibit him from reviling our gods, and we shall also leave him to his own God.’ Hereon Abu Tâleb called the noble one of the family Lowa Bin Ghâlab [i.e., Muhammad], and said to him: ‘All thy people ask for justice and restraining thee from maligning their gods, on condition that they will likewise abandon thee to thy God!’ The prophet replied: ‘I am inviting them to something better than that, and on account of which the Arabs will obey them, and will also become the masters of Persia.’ Abu Jahl asked: ‘What is it, that we may do it ten times over?’ That prince exclaimed: ‘Say, “There is no god but Allah!”’ The people asked: ‘Requirest thou from us anything else besides this?’ He replied: ‘If the sun were to be taken down from heaven, and placed into my hands, I would not say anything else.’ Hearing these words, the Qoraish became angry, rose, and said: ‘We curse thee and thy God, and shall never abandon our gods.’
Muhammad Bin Esahâq says that when the Qoraish had learnt that Abu Tâleb was guarding and protecting his lordship the apostle, they invented the stratagem of taking O’mmârah Bin Wolid Bin Moghairah—who was distinguished above all other Arab youths by his handsome stature, pleasant face, beautiful aspect and agreeable conversation —to Abu Tâleb, and said: ‘This youth is the best and handsomest of the Qoraish boys; adopt him to be thy son, and surrender Muhammad to us, that we may kill him, because in his religion he opposes thee and thy ancestors. He has caused dissensions in our tribe; he is insulting us and considers our men to be fools. We offer thee one man for another.’ But he replied: ‘It is an evil suggestion you make to me to surrender my son to you to be killed, and to adopt a stranger. No intelligent man would ever follow such advice.’ Hereon Moa’zem Bin A’da said: ‘By Allah! the people have acted justly, that no evil may befall thee.’ Abu Tâleb replied: ‘There is no justice in thee, who endeavourest to procure an opportunity for the people to injure me as they like.’ When the idolaters perceived that on account of Abu Tâleb’s protection they could not get hold of the apostle—u. w. b.—they laid the foundations of enmity by insulting him more and more, as well as his companions; but the Lord—whose name be glorified— kept and protected His prophet by His eternal favour from the evil designs of the idolaters. Abu Tâleb on his part watched over and protected his lordship the refuge of the apostolate—u. w. b.—most carefully. But when the apostle of men and demons saw that the idolaters persecuted his companions to the utmost, he advised them to emigrate.