(to whom who wants to know)..and there still be more!!$$ prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, was in Taif, a lush town of green palm trees, fruits and vegetables, about 50 miles southeast of his arid hometown Makkah. He was hoping that perhaps the people of this town would be receptive to his message, which had been rejected by most of the Makkans for over a decade. But the people of Taif proved just as cruel and intolerant. Not only did they scorn his message of Gods Oneness, they turned their youth against the Prophet. In the face of this misery, an angel was sent and presented him with an option: have the whole town be destroyed, by Gods will, for such arrogance and hatefulness. He could have done it. He could have asked that this valley of cruel people be crushed. But he didnt. No, he told the Angel. Dont destroy the people of Taif. Instead he prayed for their salvation. That is just one example of how this man, who God describes as a mercy to mankind (Quran 21:107) dealt with those who opposed him. Its just one of many examples in the life of a person who faced constant death threats, attempts on his life, abuse and humiliation at the hands of those threatened by his simple but profound message: there is no god but God and Muhammad is His Messenger. Peace and blessings be upon him. But the people of Taif were not the only ones who tasted of this mercy. He would pray for his enemies all the time. Two of his bitterest enemies, Abu Jahl and Omar ibn al-Khattab were also the objects of his prayers. The Prophet made similar Duas (supplications) for his people on a regular basis: O God! Guide my people, for they know not, he would pray, as he and his followers were tortured, humiliated, scorned and mocked. On another occasion, some Companions came to the Prophet and said: O Messenger of God! The tribe of Daus have committed disbelief and disobeyed (your commands). Supplicate God against them! Contrary to the people’s expectations, the Prophet said: O Allah! Guide Daus and let them come to us. (Bukhari). These are just a few glimpses of how the Prophet dealt with those who opposed him. These were people who didnt just fight his message on an intellectual level. These were individuals bent on destroying him, his family, his followers and Islam itself. Mercy after Victory Skeptics may argue that it is easy to be merciful and forgiving when one is in a position of weakness. But in a position of power or when the opportunity presents itself, humans are known for abusing their authority and punishing their enemies brutally. Here, too, the Prophet demonstrated exemplary behavior. The most well-known example of this is during the peaceful takeover of Mecca by the Muslims. At a time when he could have easily destroyed his worst enemies, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, showed remarkable restraint. This is even more significant given the culture of vicious tribal rivalry and guilt by association practiced at the time.
Posted on: Thu, 15 Jan 2015 10:20:13 +0000
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