‘GREATER PUNISHMENT’

‘GREATER PUNISHMENT’ By reflecting on their life examples, let us contemplate the wisdom behind this transformation. 1. Ka’b bin Zuhair eventually arrived in Madinah due to the insistence of his brother Bujair bin Zuhair. Upon seeing him, one of the Ansar (helpers) confronted Ka’b and requested Prophet Muhammad’s permission to kill “that enemy of God.” However, the Prophet did not allow it and instead prayed for Ka’b. As a result of this kind gesture, Ka’b bin Zuhair embraced Islam. Before he accepted Islam, he was among the leading poets who composed abusive poems against the Prophet. However, after entering the fold of Islam, he became a great admirer of the faith and began writing poetic praises about the Prophet. One notable composition is the encomium (naat) of Baanat Su’ad, which holds a prominent place among poems in praise of the Prophet. Ibn Hisham includes 59 lines of this encomium in his book, wherein Ka’b writes that “the Messenger of God is a luminous star that serves as a source of light” (Ibn Hisham, Al-Sirah, Part 2, pp. 503-513). This example demonstrates how an individual who previously blasphemed the Prophet was transformed by witnessing the non-reactive behaviour of the Prophet and the Muslims, leading him to surrender, believe in the message, and acknowledge the Prophet of Islam as a source of guidance and enlightenment. Undoubtedly, this approach proves to be far more effective than resorting to violence against the blasphemer. It exemplifies recognizing the truth about the Prophet by an erstwhile enemy, showcasing that responding