FORGIVENESS: A PROPHETIC EXAMPLE
The
compelling conditions of our time offer human society two paths to
choose from. We will either continue past enmities and stereotypes, or
we will learn how to live in peaceful coexistence. It is a world of
global connectedness, and in order to make peace sustainable, we need to
develop new paradigms of peaceful engagement. The example of the
Prophet Muhammad (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) presents us
with many such paradigms that we can adapt to our current circumstances.
Like all of his predecessors did before him, the Prophet showed utmost
mercy and forgiveness to everyone, so much so that even his staunch
enemies sought refuge under his wings of compassion.
After he began to call his people to belief, the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) had
to face all kinds of torment during his peaceful mission for thirteen
years in Mecca. After numerous grievous incidents, he had to leave his
town and reluctantly immigrated to Medina. From most people’s point of
view, the Meccans were absolutely to be declared as “the enemy”-or “the
other.” However, the Prophet did not behave inimical to anyone.
He
always treated people humanely, no matter what lethal traps they set
for him. He never failed to extend his tender hand with a candid
clemency and compassion. Even during many inexorable combats, he always
prayed to his Lord, chiefly for those who smashed his helmet off, broke
his tooth, and left his face covered with blood in battles like Badr and
Uhud. Not only did he hinder his followers from bearing any
antagonistic attitude against their merciless foes, he also blocked
maledictions and imprecations to any adversary, even those who, for
instance on the day of Uhud, had ripped the bodies of nearly 70 beloved
ones into pieces beyond recognition with an incredible brutality.
Although
his opponents were bloodthirsty and yearning for war, his sword was
never besmeared by red hot blood; he never killed anyone. He did not
represent anything other than loving compassion in the world.
He (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)never
broke off his previous social connections. He did not approach anyone
with a bias. He always held the door open in order to mildly flatter
their vanities. He never hurt anyone’s pride deliberately. While his
sworn enemies took the gloves off for any opportunity to assassinate
him, he treated everyone amicably by taking into consideration the
potential positions they would likely to hold in the near future.
Because he knew that every individual had a respectable essence, he
thought the most appropriate action was to awaken this divine kernel. He
took action in this direction, though horrid provocations did not
cease, and he did that with a worthy perseverance.
Glad tidings
The Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) dealt
with every one of his opponents with utmost care, and he took very
strategic measures not to destroy them but to conquer their hearts.
Giving the glad tidings of a coming peace, the following verse was revealed right after the Battle of the Trench:
(When
you obey God in His commands and prohibitions,) it may be that God will
bring about love and friendship between you and those of them with whom
you are in enmity. God is All-Powerful, and God is All-Forgiving,
All-Compassionate.(60:7)
Peace
was so close, just at their threshold. Having received this good news,
the Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)initiated immediate
action by demanding to marry the daughter of Abu Sufyan, who was then
the political leader of the Meccans. Establishing bonds of kinship with
him would be a plausible step in order to eradicate hostility. Umm
Habiba, Abu Sufyan’s daughter, was among the group of Muslims who had
fled the Meccan torture and sought refuge in Ethiopia. However, her
husband died there, and she was left alone with her child without any
protection.
By
marrying her, the Prophet would not only save this devoted Muslim woman
from despair and honor her, but would also form a connection with Abu
Sufyan that would not be possible by any other way. This marriage was
realized soon, and afterwards everything changed dramatically
Abu
Sufyan, who was one of the staunch enemies of the Prophet until that
day, could easily enter the Prophet’s home to visit Umm Habiba, his
daughter. Now, Abu Sufyan could learn more about Islam through his
daughter Umm Habiba. He began to realize soon that Muslims were not as
he had believed. In a short period of time, the difference in Abu
Sufyan’s attitude became more and more obvious. He turned out to be more
moderate, more cautious, and more candid in reciprocal dialogue
attempts.
Prominent
figures of Mecca, Khalid ibn al-Walid, Safwan ibn-i Umayya, Suhayl ibn
Amr and Ikrima ibn al-Jahl were exerting pressure on Abu Sufyan to take
drastic actions against believers. Despite all of their intolerable
pressure, Abu Sufyan resisted their aggressiveness, having realized that
they were the ones who were unfair, not those on the Prophet’s side.
Making peace
Even
in the most critical conditions he did not give up. Despite all the
provocations of evil-doers and his (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon
him) own fellow tribesmen’s objections, he made agreements with his
crucial adversaries and fulfilled peaceful commitments with them.
The
radical change of Abu Sufyan was an explicit hope for others. The
Prophet tried his best to take advantage of every single opportunity to
get in touch with any of them.
After
his (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) immigration to Medina,
the economic and social conditions of Mecca had gradually deteriorated.
The Meccans were suffering from drought, famine, hunger, and misery. For
sure, he could not have remained indifferent to this heart-rending
situation. He sent them food and other needed aid; he literally
inundated them with an immense benevolent contribution on the back of
hundreds of camels. But, unfortunately the Meccans rejected all of it.
Then he sent all the aid directly to Abu Sufyan. Afterwards Abu Sufyan
distributed everything to the poor and needy Meccans.
The
Prophet (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) those days gave
weight to free commerce and trading with other communities, particularly
with Meccans. He knew that business trading was an excellent
opportunity to get in touch with others. Thus they could have found so
many new ways to maintain peaceful relations.
Regrettably,
all the peaceful attempts made by God’s Holy Messenger (Allah’s
blessings and peace be upon him) were either repelled or responded to
with brutal violence by the Meccans. They once attacked a Muslim tribe
in the pitch dark of midnight and slaughtered 23 civilians in a village
near Medina. By committing this crime, the Meccans also violated the
Hudaybiya peace treaty.
Following this brutal attack, the Messenger of God (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) sent
envoys to Mecca, offering them various options to solve the problem
peacefully, rather than an immediate retaliation: he asked them to pay
the blood money and cut their relations with other warring tribes that
participated in this crime. Failing to obey these conditions would mean
the Hudaybiya treaty was violated as well as a declaration of war. But
the Meccans refused every amicable offer. The only option left for the
Prophet was to march to Mecca.
Realizing
that they would not be able to resist, some of the eminent Meccans fled
in confusion to distant towns of the Arab Sahara. God’s Messenger sent
someone in pursuit of every missing Meccan. Umm Haqim, Ikrima’s wife,
who had fled all the way to Yemen, went after him. She dared all dangers
on the way to find her husband, another relentless enemy of the Prophet
and the son of Abu Jahl, and to introduce him to the Prophet’s mercy.
Umayr
ibn Wahb, once a hitman hired by Safwan ibn Umayya to kill the Prophet,
went after Safwan twice, reaching him in Jeddah en route to Ethiopia,
and convinced to him to return to Mecca. Suhayl ibn Amr was brought back
by Abdullah, his own son whom he tortured for years. He wrote letter
after letter to Wahshi, who had murdered Hamza, the Prophet’s uncle, and
invited Hind, who had hired Wahshi for this murder, to come in peace
and that she was forgiven. The Prophet called them back home promising
to forgive all their past assaults and guaranteed their protection.
Mecca became a land of peace and serenity, thanks to his efforts and
merciful invitation.
The Prophet’s (Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him)immense
forgiveness is an example for us today as to how we should engage with
past atrocities. It is a message of self-reformation that teaches us
that we can subdue feelings of revenge and hatred and build a society in
compassion and love.
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