Strong
Men

As followers grew in number,

the leaders of the Quraysh tribes decided to get tough on

those who were now followers of Muhammad

in this new religion overthrowing the old gods.

And in a land with no policemen and no law,

the only defense anyone had

was the strength of those who protected them,

usually their own family or clan.

Now Muhammad was under the protection of his uncle Abu Talib,

but that would give very little protection

against the strongmen and toughguys of all the other Qurayshi clans.

What the muslims needed was

some strongmen of their own.

And these God provided

as and when they were needed.

From the beginning it was clear

that the Message could speak directly to the strongest of hearts,

as when Jundab, son of Juhadah, the Ghifari,

known as Abu Dharr,

was to discover.

And he took the Message back to his tribe,

to show that even the lives of bandits and highwaymen

could be transformed into a new and better life.

And Hamza, the Messenger's childhood friend,

a giant of a man

known for his fighting skills,

whose protection when it came

must have seemed like receiving the protection of a small army.

And Hamza knew that following Muhammad

would make him some serious enemies amongst the Quraysh,

but he followed his heart

and was happy to give up his life defending the Messenger.

And then Umar,

violent of temper,

a brutal abuser of new muslims,

storming down the street vowing to kill Muhammad,

and it took no more than a few words of the Message

to turn his heart to the One God,

and put him at the service of God's Messenger.

Strong men could have their hearts moved until they wept,

just from listening to the words of the Message.

In a land where language was king,

and poetry the jewel in its crown,

the words being spoken by the Messenger

sounded like the most beautiful,

deep and meaningful,

poetical language

they had ever heard.

Yet the Message was mostly

simple to understand,

One God,

and only One God,

no other.

From Robber to Follower

The Man Mountain

Transformed by the Message