Sublime Character

never beat a servant, a woman or anyone else. To be sure, he fought for what was righteous. Yet, when he had to choose between two alternatives, he would take the easier course, provided it did not involve sin: no one was more careful to avoid sin than he. Moreover, he never sought revenge—on his behalf—for any wrong done to him personally. Only if divine commandments had been broken would he mete out retribution for the sake of God. This conduct on the part of the Prophet made him respected even in the eyes of his enemies. His followers stood by him through all kinds of hardship and misfortune. He was as loved in times of oppression as in times of victory and supremacy. His immediate followers found him without blemish—just as he appeared from afar. He provided humanity with an inimitable model of exemplary conduct. The principles the Prophet based his life on were in the same mould as his sublime disposition. These principles never wavered. They formed a permanent part of his life. He applied them equally to those who followed his path and those who had harmed or aggrieved him. Even in pre-Islamic times—known as the Age of Ignorance—the office of gatekeeper of the Kaabah had been held in high esteem. From ancient times the task had been allotted to one particular family. In the time of the Prophet Muhammad, a member of that family, ‘Uthman ibn Talhah retained it in his custody. Al-Bukhari, the greatest compiler of traditions of the Prophet, had related how the Prophet, before he emigrated