The Prophetic Method

THE PROPHETIC METHOD to participate in jihad; they also said that they would not pray or recognize any ruler who was not from their tribe. The Prophet accepted all their conditions but clarified that there was no good in a religion which did not include bowing down to God. The Companions were amazed that the Prophet should accept their Islam, along with all these reservations. But the Prophet was looking further into the future and put their minds at rest with these words: Once they have submitted to God, they will, after a while, give alms and strive in the path of God.76 Imam Ahmad had related, on the authority of Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet used to grant any request that people made before they accepted Islam. For example, one person who came to the Prophet was given a herd of goats so large that they stretched from one mountain to another. He then returned to his people and urged them to accept Islam, “for Muhammad gives in such abundance that one need never go wanting again.” But, as Ibn Kathir has pointed out, even if a person came to the Prophet seeking only the world before a day had passed, he would transform: the Prophet’s Faith would become dearer to him than all the world has to offer. Once the Thaqif and the Hawazin had been settled, another more severe problem reared. The Muslims had accumulated a massive stock of booty in the victory over the Hawazin. The Prophet distributed these spoils among the new Makkan converts with incredible generosity. However, some of the Ansar—who had helped the Prophet