Ali bin Ibrahim, Shaykh Tusi, Shaykh Tabarsi, Ibn Shahr Ashob etc. have narrated through reliable chains about the migration of the Messenger of Allah (S) that when the Quraish infidels saw that the cause of the Prophet gained ground daily, and that all their plots to overthrow it availed nothing, and when they were informed of the Prophet’s league with the Ansaris, they assembled at Darul Nadwa to deliberate what was to be done.
They had an old custom of assembling at this place for consultation whenever any calamity befell them, and no one under forty years of age was admitted into the council of Darul Nadwa. Here forty of the old Quraish chiefs now met, and Satan, the accursed in the form of an old man, attempted to enter. The door keeper stopped him, and demanded who he was. He replied that he was an old man of Najd tribe, and added, “You have need of my experience; on hearing that you were assembling to overthrow this man, I came to give my advice on the subject.”
The door-keeper told him to enter. Ayyashi etc. have narrated through authentic chains of narrators from Imam Ja’far Sadiq (a.s.) that Quraish summoned a man from each tribe and they moved to Darul Nadwa so that they may think of some solution against the Messenger of Allah (S). When they reached there they found an old man standing there and he requested them to allow him to join them. People asked: “Who are you?”
He replied: “I am an old man of Mudhir tribe. I have a very good suggestion on the topic of your discussion.” They admitted him also. It is narrated in reliable traditions that Satan four times assumed a human shape, and one was this occasion of Darul Nadwa consultation. Thus they gathered at Darul Nadwa and began to deliberate. Abu Jahl introduced the business saying, “O Quraish, among all the Arab tribes there are no one nobler than ourselves.
We are the people of the house of God, and twice a year, men come to us on pilgrimage from the utmost bounds of the earth, and they all honor us. We are in the house, and no one can molest or injure us. Such has always been our state, till Muhammad bin Abdullah took birth and grew up among us. We called him Amin, for His probity, calmness and truth, but when he arrived at maturity, and was in great esteem among us, he proclaimed himself the Messenger of Allah, and claims that he was a Prophet and he receives communications from heaven.
Next he imputed to us stupidity, reviled and degraded our gods, corrupted our youths, and sowed division among our people. He declares that our departed ancestors are in Hell and all this is very troublesome to us. In reference to him I have a suggestion.” “What is it?” inquired the council. Abu Jahl continued, “Let us send a man to kill him secretly, and if the Bani Hashim demand the price of blood, we will pay the ransom tenfold.”
“This is a miserable plan,” said Satan. “Why?” they inquired. “Because,” he resumed, “whoever slays Muhammad will certainly be put to death, and who of you will consent to be killed on this account? When Muhammad is slain, the Bani Hashim and their patrons of the tribe of Khuzah, will retaliate and never consent that the slayer of Muhammad should walk the earth. From this cause, in the sacred place there will be fighting among you till you all kill one another.”
Aas bin Wail, Umayyah bin Khalaf and Ubayy bin Khalaf proposed to build a prison in such a manner that no one could approach the Prophet, who should be shut up in it, and food thrown in to him through an aperture till he died like Zuhair, Nabaqa and Imrul Qays. “This plan,” said Satan, “is worse than the other, for the Bani Hashim will never consent to such a thing, at the season of pilgrimage they will appeal to the assembled Arab tribes, and procure his release.
Have you another plan?” concluded Satan. Atba, Shaibah and Abu Sufyan answered, “We will expel him from our country and attend to the worship of our own gods in peace.” Another tradition says that they proposed to bind the Prophet on a furious camel, and enrage the animal by piercing him with spears, that he might rush away and tear his rider to pieces among the mountains. “This project is worse than either of the others,” said Satan.
“If Muhammad leaves your country alive, as he is more beautiful and eloquent than any other man, by the sweetness of his tongue, and the plausibility of his address, he will deceive all the Arab tribes, and bringing against you such armies of horse and foot as you cannot withstand, will annihilate you.” Being now at their wit’s end, they said to Satan, “O Shaykh, what is your advice in this matter?”
“My scheme,” said he, “is that from every tribe agreeing in your object, you select one or more persons, and bring over one man of the Bani Hashim to join you, and let the whole company thus appointed to take their weapons and all at once put him to death, that his blood may be so widely diffused that the Bani Hashim will be utterly unable to demand penalty for it, because they cannot oppose all the tribes.
Should they require the price of blood, then pay them the ransom three-fold.” “We will give ten ransoms,” replied the council; adding the Shaykh of Najd has proposed the right plan. Shaykh Tusi says Abu Jahl offered this scheme, and that it was approved by Satan; whichever way it was, this plan was agreed on, and the council broke up. Of the Bani Hashim, Abu Lahab was brought into this plot. The Almighty Allah then revealed this verse, warning the Prophet:
وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ ۚ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ
“And when those who disbelieved devised plans against you that they might confine you or slay you or drive you away; and they devised plans and Allah too had arranged a plan; and Allah is the best of planners.”74