The Day He Took His Nephew's Side

The biographers tell that Abu Jahl came upon the Prophet ﷺ near al-Safa and insulted him harshly, and the Prophet ﷺ did not answer. A freedwoman who had seen it told Hamzah as he returned from hunting, his bow over his shoulder.

Hamzah went straight to the gathering of Quraysh, found Abu Jahl and struck him with his bow, and said: will you insult him when I follow his religion and say what he says? Men of Abu Jahl's clan rose to defend him, but Abu Jahl held them back, admitting he had insulted Muhammad badly.

What began as a burst of a proud man's anger became a lasting faith. Quraysh knew that the Prophet ﷺ now had a powerful protector, and they eased some of their attacks. His Islam strengthened the believers at a time when they were few and weak.