Why did the people of Mecca initially resist Muhammad's teachings?

Answer 1

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.

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.

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.

Answer 2

He was bringing change to their religious beliefs.

The Meccans worshipped idols. Idols were good enough for their fathers, good enough for their grandfathers, and good enough for their great-grandfathers, so they worshipped them too. When Muhammad brought a message of worshipping one God, many Meccans felt their way of life was threatened. They had always depended on their idols for rain, luck, etc.

Some Meccans agreed with Muhammad and converted. They couldn't believe that man-made idols were worthy of worship.

Muhammad and his followers were heavily persecuted. To keep the Muslims safe, Muhammad sent them to a respected Christian king in Abyssinia, Negus al-Asham. Negus, after hearing both sides, declared all Muslims in Abyssinia to be safe. Eventually, God sent Muhammad the message to leave Mecca and go to Medina.

Muhammad's pilgrimage to Medina begins the Hijri calendar that Muslims follow. Muhammad and his followers fled to Medina, but were soon pursued by the Meccans.

Many wars followed. Hundreds, then thousands converted to Islam. Muhammad sent his message to empires all over: Byzantine, Persia, Egypt, China. Eventually, the Meccans converted to Islam and/or gave up their wars.

This is a brief history of Islam. If you want to learn more, there are many books and/or websites available. Be careful; some sources lean one way or the other and will try to convince you of something instead of giving you facts.

Answer 3

Mohammed (570 - 632AD) was born in Mecca and at the age of forty, he retired to the desert to "discover himself" through meditation and thought. Within a few years of existence there he experienced his first divine relevation and emerged preaching to the people of Mecca of a deity who wanted "complete surrender" to him as the "One True God". Furthermore he announced that God had appointed him not only as a messanger, but as a prophet, similar to the patriarchs Abraham and Moses, Noah, and Jesus (regarded as a great prophet of Islam). The people of Mecca were quite unimpressed with Mohammed's claims as they were a polytheistic society who believed in the gods of the air and wind. They also worshipped the celestial bodies eg. the sun and moon. They became so hostile towards him, he feared violence and fled to the city of Medina.

Answer 4

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 5

before Islam people there has 360 deities as God and people from all cities of Arabia came to mecca for praying deities and it had high income for leaders of mecca.

when Muhammad (PBUH) said there is no God but Allah it meant that deities have no value and this made leaders of mecca angry and they felt danger for their power and income.

This may be added. People of Mecca were idol worshippers. They wer plunged into the darknss of ignorance. They were drunkards, gamblers, cheaters and superstitious. They buried their daughters alive and had no respect for women. They exploited the poor and the weak. They followed no rule. Their motto was, "Might is right."

When the last Prophet of Islam Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) preached the message of Almighty Allah inviting the Meccans to worship only One Almighty Allah, to be honest, truthful, fair, and straightforward in their dealings, they turned against him. They were not ready to change their traditions, culture and the power over the poor and the slaves. They felt a threat.

Answer 6

Many of Mecca inhabitants disliked prophet Muhammad at the start of his mission because of the following main issues that the prophet and Islam religion call for:

• limiting racism, which was widely spread, through equating by all people (the poor and the rich; the Arab and non Arab; Males and Females; etc..) and teaching that one is better than another only with good deeds and piety.
• limiting slavery, which was also widely spread, through encouraging freeing them as one of the good deeds to get God forgiveness and rewarding.
• forbidding worshiping the idols as partners to God(Allah) and consequently the trade of Idols was threatened.
  

Answer 7

The attitude of those who were against prophet Muhammad at the beginning of his mission was because of the following:

• They were worrying to lose their leadership and authority over their followers
• They were worrying to lose the slaves under their control
• They were not ready to abandon worshiping the idols that they were used to worship through many older generations.

Answer 8

beacause Islam only believed in one God where as the Quarish tribe was a polythestic religion.

Answer 9

They feared that Mecca would lose its position as a pilgrimage center

~Amorae ♥