❖ Compilation: Ḥāfiẓ Muḥammad Anwar Zāhid ḥafiẓahullāh
✦ Narration of the Incident
Ibn Isḥāq narrated that a man from Banū Aslam, who was well-known for his strong memory, told him:Near Mount Ṣafā, Abū Jahl passed by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and caused him distress, hurled harsh words at him, disparaged his religion, and mocked his affairs in a manner that was displeasing to him. However, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said nothing in response.
A slave woman belonging to ʿAbdullāh ibn Judʿān ibn ʿAmr ibn Kaʿb ibn Taym ibn Murrah was inside her house nearby and heard everything.
Later, the Prophet ﷺ returned from there, heading toward the gathering place of Quraysh near the Kaʿbah, and sat with them.
Not long afterward, Ḥamzah ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib (RA) arrived from hunting with a bow slung around his neck. He used to hunt using arrows and hounds and would often go out for this purpose. Whenever he returned from hunting, he would not go to his home until he had first performed Ṭawāf of the Kaʿbah. After that, he would sit with the Quraysh and greet them, never passing by without speaking to them.
Ḥamzah was a man of honor among the Quraysh, known for his courage and stern nature.
As he passed by the slave woman—while the Prophet ﷺ had already returned home—she said to him:
"O Abū ʿUmārah! If only you had seen the calamity that befell your nephew Muḥammad ﷺ from Abū al-Ḥakam ibn Hishām (Abū Jahl). He found him sitting here and abused him with harsh insults and said the worst of things, then walked away. And Muḥammad ﷺ said nothing in return."
This enraged Ḥamzah, as Allah intended to honor His Messenger ﷺ. So, Ḥamzah set off in anger, not stopping for anyone, seeking out Abū Jahl with resolve. Upon entering the Masjid, he found Abū Jahl sitting among the people.
Ḥamzah went straight to him, lifted his bow, and struck him, severely wounding his head. Then he said:
"Do you insult him? I too follow his religion. I say what he says. Now do what you can!"
The Banū Makhzūm rose to support Abū Jahl, but Abū Jahl said:
"Let Abū ʿUmārah be! By Allah, I did hurl terrible insults at his nephew."
Thus, Ḥamzah (RA) formally accepted Islam and openly supported the Prophet ﷺ with his words as well.
✦ Ḥadīth Authentication:
➤ Chain of Narration: Weak (ضعیف)This narration has been cited in the following sources:
- Al-Mustadrak ʿala al-Ṣaḥīḥayn of al-Ḥākim (3/193), Ḥadīth no. 4878
- Mukhtaṣar al-Mustadrak (4/1740)
- Al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr of al-Ṭabarānī (3/153–154)
- Sīrah al-Nabawiyyah of Ibn Hishām with al-Rawḍ al-Anf (2/44)
- Al-Kāmil (1/601)
- Al-Muntaẓam by Ibn al-Jawzī (2/384)
- Tārīkh al-Ṭabarī (1/549)
However, the narration is considered unauthentic and unreliable in all of its chains and is not valid as evidence.
⚠ Caution: Though this story is popularly narrated, its weak chains render it unauthentic. It should not be used as a basis for establishing facts about the Prophet’s life or the early history of Islam.
