Muhammad's uncle

Muhammad was an orphan and was under the protection of his uncle, Abu Talib, in the tribal system. When Muhammad's preaching increasingly threatened the economy of Mecca, which relied on trades and tourists attracted to the traditional gods worshiped at Mecca but dismissed in Muhammad's islamic message, the Meccans went to Abu Talib and asked him to turn Muhammad over to them. Abu Talib, who was not a muslim and knew that Muhammad would be killed if turned over, asked his nephew to stop spreading his message. Muhammad told his uncle that

If they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand, I would not stop preaching until this message is conveyed or I die conveying it.

At that point he began to weep. Abu Talib looked at him and realized the depth of the conviction of this man, and said, Say whatever you want. You have my protection.