—at the hands of the idolaters, we came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, “Will you not pray to Allah for us? Will you not seek Allah’s help on our behalf?” He replied, “Those before you were seized: a pit would be dug for a man, then a saw would be placed upon his head and he would be split in two, yet that would not turn him away from his religion. Or iron combs would be dragged across the flesh beneath his skin, down to bone and sinew, yet that would not turn him away from his religion. By Allah, He will certainly bring this matter to completion until a rider may travel from Sanaʿa to Hadramawt fearing none but Allah—but you are being hasty.”

Mention may also be made of what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) suffered from his people—their abuse, mockery, and incitement—while he remained patient, seeking his reward from Allah, publicly fulfilling Allah’s command to convey His message, fearing no reproach for His sake. He confronted his people with what they hated: exposing the faults of their religion and their idols, declaring their forefathers misguided, discrediting their judgments, openly showing his hostility to their practices, and fighting them. The accounts of these matters reach the level of certainty.