The Revolution of the Prophet

THE REVOLUTION OF THE PROPHET not appeal—were executed. In the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet’s uncle, Hamzah, was slain by Wahshi ibn Barb, after which Hind bint ‘Utbah mutilated Hamzah’s corpse. When the Prophet learnt of this, he said, in the heat of the movement, “If God makes me triumph over them, then I will mutilate three of them.”68 Wahshi and Hind were among the seventeen the Prophet condemned to death. But when they appealed to him for clemency, he forgave them both. This is because it was God’s will that His Prophet is lenient and forgiving towards his enemies, for this policy harmonized with God’s scheme to further the Islamic cause. This principle is based on a profound insight into the nature of human society. Human society is a composite body of live, sensitive individuals in whom an urge for vengeance is kindled when one of their numbers is harmed. Human beings are unlike pieces of stone, which show no reaction when another stone is broken. To suppress one individual is to invite rebellion from those associated with him, which means that the time, which could be profitably spent on building up society, is frittered away in containing discontent. By forgiving all his past enemies after the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet ensured that at no future date would insurrection rear its head. Most of those he forgave accepted Islam and became a source of strength to it, one instance being that of ‘Ikrimah, the son of Abu Jahl, formerly an implacable adversary of the Prophet and his followers.