Section
As for the second question—your remark, “Granted that they chose unbelief for that reason, why, then, did those who held no office and had no livelihood to protect not follow the truth, whether willingly or under compulsion?”—its answer has several parts.

First: We have already shown that most of the people you named did, in fact, believe in the Messenger and affirm him by choice, not under duress, and that the greater part of them were persons of intellect, mature judgment, and learning (1), whose numbers only God can reckon. It was through the conversion of these various communities that the realm of Islam spread east and west: they entered God’s religion in multitudes, until the unbelievers (2) who remained among them were left humbled and subdued.

We have also explained that those Jews, Christians, Magians, and Sabians who embraced Islam outnumbered those who did not; only a very small remnant refused. During the lifetime of the Messenger of God ﷺ many of the kings and leaders of those peoples (3) themselves entered Islam.

Take, for example, the Christian king who ruled Abyssinia in the Prophet’s time: once it became clear to him that Muhammad was indeed God’s Messenger, he believed in him, accepted his religion, gave refuge to his Companions, and protected them from their enemies.