After the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) announced his prophethood, it was primarily the young and the weak who embraced the faith, while the chieftains of Quraysh rejected his message. As the message of Islam spread, these chieftains feared that the new religion would take away their power. Initially, they attempted to dissuade the Muslims through verbal persuasion. When this failed, they resorted to severe oppression and cruelty against the believers.
The male and female slaves, who had no guardians, bore the brunt of this oppression. Notably, individuals like Bilal, Yasir, Suhaib, Khabbab, Ammar, and Sumaya (may Allah be pleased with them all) were among the most persecuted. They endured severe beatings, were dragged through the streets, imprisoned without food or water, burnt with hot iron, and forced to lie naked on the scorching desert ground with burning stones placed upon them. Despite this relentless torture, they remained steadfast in their faith
When we write or read such accounts, we often do so from the comfort of a cool room, wrapped in a warm blanket, resting on a soft bed. We skim through these stories, detached from the harsh realities they depict. We fail to realize that Allah Almighty has spared us from such trials, thanks to the immense sacrifices of His last Prophet and his companions. If we truly realize this, our hearts would fill with gratitude towards our Lord and start sending blessings to the Prophet of Mercy (peace be upon him) and his noble companions.
But we sleep in soft beds and warm blankets, forgetting to rise for the Fajr prayer. We eat our fill and skip prayers. We do not remember God+ in our business or entertainment. Our practice of Islam has been reduced to intellectual indulgence, lip service, and spiritual entertainment. If only we realize how the immense sacrifices of those before us have made it easy for us to practice our faith today. While our predecessors endured oppression in the scorching desert, we have the comfort of practicing religion on soft mattresses without such trials
Translated by Ali Zafar