Meanwhile, the Koraysh chieftains continued in varying degrees in their relentless hostility toward the Muslims. If a convert happened to be among the hierarchy of a tribe, Abu Jahl would reprimand him then ridicule the convert before his fellow tribesmen so that he lost their respect. Traders also suffered. When Abu Jahl discovered a trader had converted he gave orders that no one should deal with him anymore.

As a result, the convert trader was unable to sell his wares and his circumstances were soon reduced to that of an impoverished person. The freemen who suffered most were poor converts, who, in the eyes of Abu Jahl, were the least important on the social scale. When one of them converted he would beat them without mercy and urge others to follow his example. As for convert slaves belonging to the unbelieving Koraysh, they received the worst and harshest punishment, for their standing was by far the weakest.

Punishment such as brutal beatings followed by depravation of food and water were common, but perhaps the most severe punishment was that of being pinned down upon the scorching hot sands of Mecca and leaving the slave to endure the blistering heat of the sun without the relief of even a sip of water. Some of the physically weaker converts were unable to endure their prolonged punishment and forced to recant. However, their recantations were not from their heart, but just noises made by their tongues. Those who remained undetected would offer their prayers in secret, but there were many who did not have the privilege of privacy and their grief at not being able to offer their prayers was considerable.

Bilal, the Son of Ribah

Amongst those that suffered the torture of the burning sands was Bilal, Hamamma and Ribah's son, who had never known what it was like to be a freeman as they had been born into slavery. Bilal was a slave of African descent and owned by the children of Jumah. When news of Bilal's conversion came to the attention of the children of Jumah, Ummaya, Khalaf's son, subjected him to the most severe kinds of punishment.

The harshest torture Ummaya devised was to take him out into the desert during the hottest part of the day, throw him down upon his back so that it lay flat upon the already scorching sand, then place heavy rocks on top of Bilal's chest that prevented him from moving. With a voice full of hatred he would yell at him, "You will stay here until you either die or renounce Muhammad and worship Al-Lat and Al Uzza!" The strength of Bilal's faith was truly great, he never gave into the demands of Ummaya, and as he suffered in the unbearable heat, his weak, parched, strained voice would be heard faintly saying, "One, One!"

Abu Bakr Frees Bilal

Abu Bakr had already bought and freed six believing slaves when one day he came across Bilal whilst he was being tortured yet again. Shocked, and greatly distressed at seeing him in such an appalling condition, he went straight to Ummaya demanding, "Have you no fear of Allah that you treat this poor man in such a way -- how long do you intend continuing like this!" With a sneer, Ummaya replied, "It is you who have corrupted him -- save him from it!" Without hesitation Abu Bakr made him an offer. Bilal was no longer of any use to Ummaya, so the offer was accepted and Abu Bakr took Bilal home with him where he was cared for, nursed back to health and given his freedom.

The Family of Yasir

Yasir had migrated to Mecca from Yemen, and there he met and married a slave-girl by the name of Sumayya. From their union was born a son whom they named Ammar. Ammar had been among the early converts to Islam and succeeded to bring his parents into its fold. All three were subjected to the same kind of torture as Bilal, but Yasir and Sumayya were to become martyrs. Sumayya's martyrdom finally came when Abu Jahl brutally thrust his lance into her and killed her.

Khabbab, the Slave of Umm Ammar

Khabbab was the slave of Umm Ammar and when he converted the Koraysh took to subjecting him to many forms of torture. On one such occasion they lit a fire, then spread its burning coals over the ground and forced him to lie down upon his back. To add to this, one of his torturers placed his foot firmly upon Khabbab's chest so that he could not move until the coals had burned themselves to ashes, however, Khabbab survived. In the years that followed Khabbab spoke to Omar about his torture and showed him his dreadfully scared back which was now white and pitted like that of a leper.

Lubaina and Zinnira, Nadia and Umm Umais

Lubaina was the slave of Omar. Before Omar's conversion his harsh treatment of his convert slaves was well known. Omar was extremely strong, and when he discovered that Lubaina had converted he beat her until he was exhausted and then said, "I have not stopped out of pity, but because I am tired!" Lubaina held on strongly to her belief and said after her severe beating, "If this does not persuade you, Allah shall revenge me!"

Zinnira was yet another slave owned by Omar. One day when Abu Jahl was visiting Omar he took it upon himself to beat her. Zinnira was beaten so harshly that she lost her eyesight. Nadia and Umm Umais were yet two more slaves who were among those tortured but refused to recant. When it came to freeing believing slaves, Abu Bakr did not think twice to pay the handsome sum demanded by their torturers to secure their release and the ladies just mentioned were among those blessed by his compassionate generosity.

The Request of Some of the Companions

Khabbab, Al Aratt's son, and some of the companions went to visit Prophet Muhammad (sa), to complain against their increased persecution and ask him to supplicate for victory over their aggressors. The Prophet (sa) listened with heartfelt sympathy and them with the story of a man, who, centuries before, had been taken captive by his enemy and told to renounce his belief. The man refused to give up his belief and so he was flung into a pit and left there.

Later, after his captors thought his spirit would have weakened, he was dragged up out of the pit and told to recant, but still the man refused whereupon his flesh was torn from his bones by rakes, but he would not give up his belief. Finally, a saw was sent for and placed on top of his head and he was martyred as he was sawn in half. There was absolutely nothing that would tear him away from his faith. The Prophet (sa) consoled his companions saying, "Allah will surely bring this matter to an end, when a rider will be able to leave Sanna for Hadramet fearing nothing except Allah and the danger of a wolf attacking his sheep."