The Companions of the Prophet

bound to fight in Badr, 80 miles from Madinah. But Ansar did not use this as an excuse. On the contrary, it redounds to their credit that they went far and beyond the strict terms of their agreement and, along with the Prophet, offered their life’s blood on the field of Badr. Avoiding Controversy and Concentrating on One’s Basic Goal The historian Tabarani tells us on the authority of Masar ibn Makhramah, of how, on one occasion, the Prophet addressed the Companions with these words: “God has sent me as a mercy for all, so pass on what you have heard from me. God will make manifest His mercy. And do not quarrel with one another, as the disciples quarrelled over Jesus, the son of Mary. He called on them to perform the same mission I am entrusting to you now. But those who lived far away did not like the idea and asked not to go, and Jesus remonstrated with his Lord over this matter.” “We will pass on your message,” the Companions assured him in response. “Send us wherever you please.” Internal friction is the most significant thorn in the side of a community, preventing its members from pursuing a constructive course of action. The Companions did not let themselves sink into the quagmire of petty controversies. Fear of God had imbued them with a profound sense of responsibility. They concentrated on discharging these responsibilities and had no time for quarrels, which would