format_quote Originally Posted by
Boaz
Sure they may have said they worshiped the Meccan gods but it seemed they were only scared of losing their income.
That's so not true.
Go Read some good books on the life of prophet Muhammad (SAW) such as this
http://www.amazon.com/Ar-Raheeq-Al-M.../dp/1591440718
and you will know that the Quraish were so protective of their gods and their tradition.
Prophet Muhammad saw was known among everyone (even his fiercest enemies) as al amin (trustworthy) as he
never spoke a single lie in his entire life, even in jest. Hence the quraysh leaders knew he was speaking the truth when he was telling them about the message from God. They couldn't accuse him of making a lie, and the best they resorted to was making a claim that he was crazy or he was possessed.
And if the message of Islam was true, the quraysh knew that sooner or later Islam was going to undermine their leaderships and their positions in the society as it was inevitable that people would accept truth. In a very short time, Islam transformed a society in a way that never happened before or since in the history of mankind. And hence they needed to stop Muhammad SAW from spreading his message, first by intimidating him, and then by numerous attempts to kill him, and then by offering all of their wealth and future wealth to Muhammad SAW and making him their king if he (saw) only stop what he was doing.
I am giving you an example:
If you give money to the pope in exchange of him stop worshiping Jesus, Mary (pbut) and the saints, and to start worshiping the one true god, would he accept your money?
Another example which may be closer to home:
The european jews were known for not being too adverse to economic and financial gains; in early 1900 they were offered much bigger land in south america so they can repatriate
for free, and yet they refused. They'd prefer to go to Palestine, evict the land owners, killed, marginalised and decimated the natives, so they can rebuild their temple in jerusalem because of their belief and tradition.