staunch and mighty heroes of Makkah, i.e. Hamzah bin A ' bdul -Muttalib and U ' mar bin Al -Khattab (May
Allah be pleased with him).
U ' taibah bin Abi Lahab once approached the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and most defiantly an d  brazenly shouted at him, "I disbelieve in: "By the star when it goes down." 53:1 and in "Then he
(Gabriel) approached and came closer." 53:8 In other words: "I do not believe in any of the Qur'ân."
He then started to deal highhandedly with Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and laid violent hand on  him, tore his shirt and spat into his face but his saliva missed the Holy face of the Prophet (Peace be  upon him). Thereupon, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) invoked Allâhs  ' wrath on U ' taibah and  supplicated:
"O Allâh! Set one of Your dogs on him."
Allâh responded positively to Muhammads  ' supplication, and it happened in the following manner:
Once
U ' taibah with some of his compatriots from Quraish set out for Syria and took accommodation in Az -
Zarqa'. There a lion approached the group to the great fear of U ' tbah, who at once recalled
Muhammads  ' words in supplication, and said: "Woe to my brother! This lion will surely devour me just  as Muhammad (Peace be upon him) supplicated. He has really killed me in Syria while he is in
Makkah."
The lion did really rush like lightning, snatched U ' tbah from amongst his people and crushed his head.
It is also reported that a wretched idolater from Quraish, named U ' qbah bin A ' bi Muai ' t once trod on  the
Prophets  ' neck while he was prostrating himself in prayer until his eyes protruded.
More details reported by Ibn Ishaq testify to the tyrants' deeply -established intentions of killing the
Prophet (Peace be upon him). Abu Jahl, the archenemy of Islam, once addressed some of his  accomplices: "O people of Quraish! It seems that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is determined to  go  on finding fault with our religion, degrading our forefathers, discrediting our way of life and abusing  our  gods. I bear witness to our god that I will carry a too heavy rock and drop it on Muhammads  ' head  while he is in prostration to rid you of him, once and for all. I am not afraid of whatever his sept, Banu
A ' bd Munaf, might do." The terrible unfortunate audience endorsed his plan and encouraged him to  translate it into a decisive deed.
In the morning of the following day, Abu Jahl lay waiting for the arrival of the Messenger of Allâh
(Peace be upon him) to offer prayer. The people of Quraish were in their assembly rooms waiting for  news. When the Prophet (Peace be upon him) prostrated himself, Abu Jahl proceeded carrying the big  rock to fulfill his wicked intention. No sooner had he approached closer to the Prophet (Peace be upon  him) than he withdraw pale-faced, shuddering with his hands strained the rock falling off. Thereupon,  the people watching hurried forward asking him what the matter was. He replied: "When I  approached,  a male-camel unusual in figure with fearful canines intercepted and almost devoured me." Ibn Ishaq  reported that the Prophet (Peace be upon him), in the context of his comment on the incident, said "It  was Gabriel (Peace be upon him) , if Abu Jahl had approached closer, he would have killed him. " Even  so the tyrants of Quraish would not be admonished, contrariwise, the idea of killing the Prophet (Peace  be upon him) was still being nourished in their iniquitous hearts. On the authority of A ' bdullah bin
A ' mr  bin Al-A ' s, some people of Quraish were in a place called Al -Hijr complaining that they had been too  patient with the Prophet (Peace be upon him), who suddenly appeared and began his usual  circumambulation. They started to wink at him and utter sarcastic remarks but he remained silent for  two times, then on the third, he stopped and addressed the infidels saying:
"O people of Quraish! Hearken, I swear by Allâh in Whose Hand is my soul, that you will one day  be slaughtered to pieces." As soon as the Prophet (Peace be upon him) uttered his word of  slaughter, they all stood aghast and switched off to a new style of language smacking of fear and  even horror trying to soothe his anger and comfort him saying: "You can leave Abul Qasim, for  you have never been foolish."
U ' rwa bin Az -Zubair narrated: I asked Abdullah bin A ' mr bin Al -A ' s to tell me of the worst thin g that  the  pagans did to the Prophet (Peace be upon him). He said: "While the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was  praying in Al-Hijr of Al-Ka'bah, U ' qbah bin Al -Muai ' t came and put his garment around the Prophets '  neck and throttled him violently. Abu Bakr came and caught him by his shoulder and pushed him  away