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Brutalities of Quraish:
The Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) continued to preach the message of God as vigorously as before. The Quraish were now desperate and they started physical torture of those who had embraced the new religion. These were stretched on burning sands, cauterized with red hot iron and imprisoned with chains on their feet. Some of them died of the effects of torture, but none would renounce his religion.
They became annoyed and agitated, and stirred up against Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) calling him a liar, a sorcerer, a segregator and a poet; they insulted and abused him and started harassing him in every respect.
In despair, the Prophet Muhammad advised his companions to quit their native town and take refuge abroad, in Abyssinia, "where governs a just ruler, in whose realm nobody is oppressed". Dozens of Muslims profited by his advice, though not all. These secret flights led to further persecution of those who remained behind. They had also sent a delegation to the Christian ruler Negus of Abyssinia. The Quraish delegation tried to convince him to refuse the grant of refuge and hand over the Muslims to them. The King Negus disliked to forsake those who had sought his shelter and refused their pledge by saying, "No, by God, I will not surrender them".
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