Conquest of Makkah and Forbearance of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللّٰہ تعالٰی علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

The Revered and Renowned Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has stated:

إِنَّ الرِّفْقَ لَا يَكُونُ فِی شَیْءٍ إِلَّا زَانَهُ، وَلَا يُنْزَعُ مِنْ شَیْءٍ إِلَّا شَانَهُ

The thing, which has tenderness in it, gets adorned and the thing, which [tenderness] is brought out from, gets faulty.

(Sahih Muslim, pp. 1073, Hadees 2594)

A study into the life history of the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم shows that tenderness was a part of the blessed attitude of the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, as is clearly proved by his attitude towards disbelievers on the occasion of the conquest of Makkah. The Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم left for Makkah from Madinah on 10^th Ramadan-ul-Mubarak 8 Hijri with an army of more or less ten thousand soldiers. The Islamic army set up the camp after reaching ‘Marr-uz-Zahran’ [مرُّ الظَّھْرانِ], which was situated at the distance of one Manzil^[1] from Makkah. The Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم commanded the army that every Mujahid was to light up his own stove separately. On the other hand, Abu Sufyan (who had not yet become Muslim) reached ‘Marr-uz-Zahran’ [مرُّ الظَّھْرانِ] along with some of his companions and saw that fire had been lit up to many miles. There he came across Sayyiduna ‘Abbas رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ who took Abu Sufyan to the court of the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. It was as if the following message was being given to Abu Sufyan from the merciful court of the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ‘Don’t be scared. This is not the court of ordinary emperors of the world but rather it is the court of the Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم who is mercy for all the worlds’. Abu Sufyan and his companions recited the Kalimah, becoming Muslim.

Try to realize how great forbearance and benevolence the Beloved and Blessed Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has! As soon as he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم set foot on the land of Makkah, he issued the following order, which showed the vastness of the ocean of his mercy, “Refuge is for the person who lays down his weapon; refuge is for the person who shuts his door; refuge is for the person who enters the Holy Ka’bah”. At that time, he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was riding his she-camel ‘Qaswa’ with a black-coloured blessed ‘Imamah [turban] on his blessed head. Around him were armed troops under his command. Despite majesty and awe, the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم showed great humbleness, reciting Surah Al-Fath with his blessed head bowed. (Zurqaani ‘alal Mawahib, vol. 3, pp. 432, 436; Seerat-e-Mustafa, pp. 433)

Dear Islamic brothers! Vanity and arrogance are from Satan. The person indulging in them remains deprived of the Divine help. Today, if anyone gains any status in society, he starts bragging due to his ignoble [i.e. bad] attitude. His words and actions indicate that he is a braggart. There is no feeling of forgiveness in his heart any longer. In fact, on such an occasion when anyone gains some status, he should be humble because the attainment of a good position in society is Divine benevolence which requires him to show gratitude to Allah Almighty. Anyway, the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, accompanied by his blessed companions رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُم, entered the Divine Haram, purified the Holy Ka’bah from the evil of idols and offered Salah. Afterwards, he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم came out. Apart from Muslims, there was also a crowd of thousands of disbelievers and polytheists. The Greatest and Noblest Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had a look at the crowd of thousands. He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم saw that the chiefs of the Quraysh were standing with their heads bowed, shivering and trembling with fear and terror.

Painting a picture of this situation, Shaykh-ul-Hadees ‘Allamah ‘Abdul Mustafa A’zami رَحْمَةُ اللّٰەِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: Among those cruel people were also those who had spread thorns on the path of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Those who had sprayed the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم with stones were also present. Among them were also those cruel people who had attempted to martyr the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم many times and those merciless and brutal oppressors were also present there who had damaged his blessed tooth. Among them were also the embodiment of cruelty who had attacked the beloved daughter of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Sayyidatuna Zaynab رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهَا with a lance, causing her to fall down from her camel. They were also thirsty for the blood of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Those were also present in this crowd who had martyred the beloved uncle of the Holy Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, Sayyiduna Hamzah رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, chopped off his nose and ears, gouged his eyes out and chewed his liver.

But today they were shivering with fear; surrounded by an army of ten to twelve thousand Muhajireen and Ansaar. In the midst of this atmosphere, the merciful gaze of the Holy Rasool
صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم suddenly turned towards these oppressors. He صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم asked them a question which made them tremble with fear: ‘O Quraysh! How am I going to treat you today, what do you think?’ They all humbly said in a tone demonstrating hope, ‘نَظُنُّ خَیْرًا’ we expect you to treat us in a good way. You are a merciful Nabi and Allah Almighty has blessed you with power. The mercy of all the worlds, the Beloved Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: Today, I am going to say to you what my brother, Yusuf عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام, had said to his brothers, i.e. ‘You will not be questioned by me today. May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ forgive all of your sins and He عَزَّوَجَلَّ is the most Merciful’. Go. I have freed all of you. (Seerat-e-Mustafa, pp. 438 to 440; Madarij-un-Nubuwwah, vol. 2, pp. 489, 490)

The Greatest and Noblest Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم set such a superb example of forgiveness that human history cannot show any other such example. Noticing this great mercy, huge groups of disbelievers began to swear allegiance to Islam through the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Previously, they used to draw swords on Muslims, opposing Islam but they were now promoting and propagating the dignity of Islam. The Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم showed forbearance and tolerance towards his deadly enemies, setting a great example. This very attitude of his turned out to be a means of the guidance of disbelievers. Not a single aspect of the blessed life history of the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم is devoid of human perfection. There are several factors that build a society; forbearance and tolerance are among the key factors. Before embracing Islam, Ikramah Bin Abu Jahl along with his wife came to the court of the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. The Greatest Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had already said to his companions رَضِیَ اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهُم, ‘Ikramah will come to you soon. Do not condemn his father because condemning a dead person hurts the feelings of his living relatives.’ (Subul-ul-Huda war-Rishad, vol. 5, pp. 253) Therefore, upon his arrival, the Holy Nabi صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said while welcoming him with open arms ‘مَرْحَبًا بِّالرَّاکِبِ الْمُھَاجِر’ i.e. (welcome to a migrating rider). (Subul-ul-Huda war-Rishad, vol. 9, pp. 388) Afterwards, ‘Ikramah stood in front of him and had the privilege of embracing Islam while saying ‘اشهد ان لا اله الا اللّٰە وحده لا شريك له و انك عبد اللّٰە و رسوله’. At that time, he also respectfully and remorsefully said, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّى اللّٰەُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم! Without doubt, you are the most benevolent and loyal.’ (Subul-ul-Huda war-Rishad, vol. 5, pp. 253; Tareekh-ul-Khumays fi Ahwaal Unfis-in-Nafees, vol. 2, pp. 92)

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ also bless us with treating others with tenderness, forgiveness and tolerance!

اٰمِيۡن   بِجَاهِ   النَّبِيِّ  الۡاَمِيۡن   صَلَّى  اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى  عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم