When the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم) first claimed prophethood, Abu Dhar sent his brother to Mecca to investigate and see information he could turn up. His brother investigated and returned. He said (to the meaning of): “A person claims prophethood. The people call him a liar.” Abu Dhar said (to the meaning of): “that’s not enough information, I will go myself and find out more.” (Bear in mind this is a time and place where whole tribes convert or fight Islam whole-scale based on their leaders.) Abu Dhar (radiallahu ‘an) returned to Mecca. Back then, the ka’bah was a holy site. He figured the Prophet, whoever he was, would eventually end up there. So he lurked around, looking at people. But he didn’t know what the Prophet looked like, and he didn’t ask.
He lurked, and he lurked. And finally, he “felt a weakness towards the people”, and decided to ask the smallest person there–so he wouldn’t get beat up or anything. So he walks up to this small person and says, “Who is this person who claims to be a prophet?” and the guy shouted “asabi, asabi” (indicating that Abu Dhar was a supporter of the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)). So the people jumped him, and he lost conciousness.
When he awoke, he felt “like a red idol”–in the ka’bah, pools of blood around him, and his person covered with blood. That’s how intensely the people hated the Prophet (صلي الله عليه وسلم)–here was a man who didn’t even support him, and they beat him into unconciousness. Subhanallah.
Ibrahim Hindy. “People of the Ditch.” UTM MSA. University of Toronto At Mississauga, Mississauga.