Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity 10. The Prophet in Makkah
Banu Qusayy say that they are the gate keepers of the Ka’bah, and I agree with them. They say that it is their job to bear water for pilgrims, and again I agree. They claim a place in the Dar al-Nadwah, and I agree that they have every right to it. They say that it is their responsibility to carry the standard in battle, and again I agree. Now they say that there is a Prophet among them. This I cannot accept.”32 For some people it was the threat of financial loss, which prevented them from accepting the message of Islam. The House of God at Makkah had been turned into a house of idol worship before the coming of the Prophet. People of every religion had placed their idols there. There were even statues of Jesus and Mary within the walls of the Ka’bah, which had thus become a place of pilgrimage for people of all denominations. This was why four months had been made sacred--so that people would be free to visit the Ka’bah during that time, without fear of being harmed or attacked on the way. During the four months that people used to flock to Makkah, Makkan traders did exceptionally good business. Were the idols to be removed from the Ka’bah, people would stop visiting the city, and ~ 264 ~