Why were merchants in mecca at first opposed to Muhammad's teachings?

Answer 1

Answer 1

Keyword is "Merchants." They were in the business of selling carvings, sculptures etc that people bought and worshipped as "Gods." Very lucrative business for the merchants, esp. as the Center brought tourists from far away drawn by the Propaganda that the Meccans had discovered many powerful "gods." The tourists needed accommodation, food, entertainment and all that goes with Tourism-controlled by the merchants, of course.

When the prophet Muhammad's teachings about Islam reached the Meccan Merchants, it was first and foremost an economic issue-loss of money. Since Islam was about Monotheism, and stressed that the One God could not be seen nor reproduced as a statue, there and then the merchants knew they had to take steps to preserve their economy, as it were. Has not history showed the consequences of the love of money and also the yearning for understanding of the concept of "a Higher Power" which sadly is also warped and blatantly used as a cover for crimes against humanity?

Answer 2

Merchants in Mecca objected to Mohammed on several grounds.

Preserving Religious Plurality: Meccan Merchants opposed Mohammed because the religious plurality permitted in Mecca was critical for maintaining Mecca's important position along the Arabian trade routes. It was on account of the fact that Mecca was holy site for all Arabian faiths that spared it from internal conflict and allowed the flourishing of commerce in the city. Mohammed made clear that he intended to purge the idols from the Kaaba which would cause mass uproar and ended Mecca's position as a holy site for all Arabians.

Of course, what these merchants did not take into account is that nearly all Arabians would convert to Islam after the fall of Mecca.

Attacks on Meccan Commerce: During Mohammed's Medinan Period, Mohammed organized and executed numerous raids on caravans heading to and leaving from Mecca, causing disruption to Arabian trade routes. Since this directly affected the Meccan Merchants' bottom line, this raised enmity.

Polytheism: Many Meccan Merchants ascribed to various Arabian henotheistic religions and knew that Mohammed would demand that they abandon all gods but Allah. They did not wish to be forced to change their religion.

Answer 2

Merchants in Mecca were angry concerning Mohammed and his message on several grounds.

Preserving Religious Plurality: Meccan Merchants opposed Mohammed because the religious plurality permitted in Mecca was critical for maintaining Mecca's important position along the Arabian trade routes. It was on account of the fact that Mecca was holy site for all Arabian faiths that spared it from internal conflict and allowed the flourishing of commerce in the city. Mohammed made clear that he intended to purge the idols from the Kaaba which would cause mass uproar and ended Mecca's position as a holy site for all Arabians.

Of course, what these merchants did not take into account is that nearly all Arabians would convert to Islam after the fall of Mecca.

Attacks on Meccan Commerce: During Mohammed's Medinan Period, Mohammed organized and executed numerous raids on caravans heading to and leaving from Mecca, causing disruption to Arabian trade routes. Since this directly affected the Meccan Merchants' bottom line, this raised enmity.

Polytheism: Many Meccan Merchants ascribed to various Arabian henotheistic religions and knew that Mohammed would demand that they abandon all gods but Allah. They did not wish to be forced to change their religion.

Answer 3

A:

At first the most powerful men in Mecca ignored the Muslims, but by 616 they had become angry with Muhammad who, they said, reviled the faith of their fathers, was obviously a charlatan and only pretended to be a prophet. They were also incensed at the Quran's description of the Last Judgement and feared that Muhammad was plotting to take over the leadership of Mecca.

Answer 2

There were several reasons that Meccan merchants opposed Mohammed and his faith.

Preserving Religious Pluralism: The religious plurality permitted in Mecca was critical for maintaining Mecca's important position along the Arabian trade routes. It was on account of the fact that Mecca was holy site for all Arabian faiths that spared it from internal conflict and allowed the flourishing of commerce in the city. Mohammed made clear that he intended to purge the idols from the Kaaba which would cause mass uproar and end Mecca's position as a holy site for all Arabians. Of course, this does not take into account is that nearly all Arabians would convert to Islam after the fall of Mecca.

Politics: The Chief Leaders of the Qoreish Tribe were the most powerful men in all of Arabia. Should Mecca fall to the Muslims, they would certainly lose substantial power. Since Muslims believed that these leaders were corrupt, they likely stood to face criminal acts if they were subject to Mohammed's authority. The merchants often had good dealings with the Qoreish and did not wish to disrupt the status quo.

Raids on Merchants: During Mohammed's Medinan Period, Mohammed organized and executed numerous raids on caravans heading to and leaving from Mecca, causing disruption to Arabian trade routes. Violently attacking peaceful convoys does not speak well of your faith/group.

Polytheism: Mohammed demanded that all polytheists abandon their gods for the singular Allah. Polytheists were incensed that they should have to conform to Mohammed's standards. Some of those polytheists were merchants.

Incongruities with Other Monotheisms: Many Jews and Christians saw the revelations of the Qur'an to be bits and pieces from their traditional scriptures and religious commentaries. They felt like Mohammed was repackaging their traditions and doing so incorrectly as a result, they saw no reason to convert to Islam. Some of those Jews and Christians were merchants.

Massacres of Opponents: Mohammed massacred tribes (most often Jewish tribes, but polytheist tribes as well) that did not align themselves with him in war. Regardless of whether this was permissible, which most historians say was a valid 7th century tactic, it did not engender warm feelings between the massacred or their sympathizers and Mohammed.

Answer 4

traders of mecca were who bothered and sanctioned and forced him to leave mecca and Immigrate to Medina and always tried to Kill Muslims so they had conflict with each other.

also when Muslims Immigrated secretly to Medina without their own properties they leaved their homes and properties in mecca. and mecca leaders and traders seized the homes and properties of Muslims. and thus the problems with trading caravans of mecca was a responce to such behaviors of mecca leaders.

Answer 5

The truth is that most of them did not like Mohammed's teachings. That is why the early Muslims were persecuted.

Of those who did become Muslims, the majority were members of his own clan, the Hashimites. The reasons why they were particularly pleased to have a prophet in their own family were historic. The Hashimites had once controlled the Kaaba (Square Temple), hence had more political, economic and spiritual power than any other family in Mecca. They had more recently lost power to the clans of Makhzum and Umayya. They hoped that by producing a prophet, they could restore their fortunes and once again control the Kaaba.

Mohammed also gained small followings from two other groups. First, he appealed to some rebellious teenagers who were looking for an excuse to be different from their parents. Some, but by no means all, enjoyed the violent aspects of Islam.

Second, he attracted the Ebionites, members of a pseudo-Jewish sect to which Khadija belonged. The Ebionites were monotheists who believed that Jesus had been a prophet (but nothing more than a prophet) and there was no reason why there should not be more prophets in the future. So the teachings of Mohammed fitted in with what they expected.

However, most of the non-Hashimite converts to Islam were not merchants but slaves. They were probably attracted to the promise of Paradise hereafter.

Answer 6

The Meccan leaders enjoyed unchallenged power in Mecca. The message of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) was based on the quality of all human beings. Thus the non-believers felt it a challenge for their monoply.

Answer 7

Abu Sufyan and the Meccans did not oppose Muhammad arbitrarily. They had specific grievances, which included:

Preserving Religious Plurality: Abu Sufyan opposed Mohammed because the religious plurality permitted in Mecca was critical for maintaining Mecca's important position along the Arabian trade routes. It was on account of the fact that Mecca was holy site for all Arabian faiths that spared it from internal conflict and allowed the flourishing of commerce in the city. Mohammed made clear that he intended to purge the idols from the Kaaba which would cause mass uproar and ended Mecca's position as a holy site for all Arabians.

Of course, what Abu Sufyan did not take into account is that nearly all Arabians would convert to Islam after the fall of Mecca.

Keeping His Own Power: Abu Sufyan was one of the Chief Leaders of the Qoreish Tribe and one of the most powerful men in all of Arabia. Should Mecca fall to the Muslims, he would certainly lose substantial power. Many Muslims hold that he was corrupt as well, meaning that he stood to face criminal acts if he were subject to Mohammed's authority.

Protecting Commerce: During Mohammed's Medinan Period, Mohammed organized and executed numerous raids on caravans heading to and leaving from Mecca, causing disruption to Arabian trade routes. Since Abu Sufyan was in an important position in Mecca, this was something he would be expected to ameliorate.

Polytheism: It was likely that Abu Sufyan was fighting in defense of Arabian henotheist religion to which he ascribed against Mohammed who would demand that he abandon all gods but Allah.

Answer 8

They feared that neglect of their idols would disrupt the pilgrim trade. They also did not want a human as a leader of a religion, they believed i PRIORLAKE HIGHSCHCOOL.

Answer 9

They were concerned about their personal prestige, power, and benefit