The persecution

Those without clan protection took the worst of it. Bilāl رضي الله عنه ibn Rabāḥ was laid on the burning gravel of Makkah with a rock on his chest and said only 'Aḥad, Aḥad' — until Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه bought and freed him. Khabbāb رضي الله عنه ibn al-Aratt رضي الله عنه came to the Prophet ﷺ as he lay in the shade of the Kaʿbah and asked him to pray for relief; he ﷺ answered that men before them were sawn in two and combed with iron and did not turn back, 'but you are hasty.'

• Persecution fell hardest on the poor and enslaved — the message's first cost was paid by them.
• The reply to 'why doesn't Allah help us' was a longer view of history, not an instant rescue.

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3612; Ibn Hishām, al-Sīrah

Bilāl رضي الله عنه ibn Rabāḥ was an Abyssinian slave of Umayyah ibn Khalaf. Umayyah would take him out at the hottest part of the day, lay him on the burning sand and put a rock on his chest, telling him to deny Muḥammad ﷺ and worship al-Lāt and al-ʿUzzā. Bilāl رضي الله عنه would answer, 'Aḥad, Aḥad' — One, One. Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه passed by, bought him and freed him, as he freed six others including ʿĀmir ibn Fuhayrah and a slave-girl of Banū Muʾammil whom ʿUmar رضي الله عنه used to beat before Islam.

• The people tortured first were those with no clan to avenge them — slaves, women and the poor.
• Abū Bakr رضي الله عنه spent his wealth on people who could give him nothing back.

Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3754; Ibn Hishām; ar-Raḥīq al-Makhtūm, al-Mubārakpūrī

The family of Yāsir — Yāsir, his wife Sumayyah رضي الله عنها and their son ʿAmmār رضي الله عنه — were taken out to the desert in the heat of the day and tortured. The Prophet ﷺ would pass by them and say, 'Patience, family of Yāsir; your appointed place is the Garden.' Sumayyah رضي الله عنها was killed by Abū Jahl, the first person to die for Islam. ʿAmmār رضي الله عنه, under extremity, uttered words of disbelief and came weeping; the Qur'an excused one compelled while his heart is at rest with faith.

• 16:106 — Except one compelled while his heart is content with faith.

• The first blood shed for this dīn was an elderly enslaved woman's — the Ummah's honour roll starts there.
• Compulsion is a recognised excuse in the Qur'an; faith is judged at the heart, not extracted under torture.

Ibn Hishām, al-Sīrah; Ibn Kathīr on 16:106