An Example of Noble Character

MERCY TO THE WORLDS who had long been drawn to its truth now found both the courage and the freedom to live by its teachings. Armed struggle involves the sacrifice of life and blood in defence of the faith. Hudaybiyyah, by contrast, is the sacrifice of honour and pride to pave the way for God’s message to reach His creation. This stark contrast alone proves that the latter sacrifice exceeds the former in significance; the second is greater than the first. Abu Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet of Islam said, “I long to see our brothers.” The companions asked, “Are we not your brothers, O Messenger of God?” He replied, “You are my companions. Our brothers are those who have not yet come.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 249) Abu Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah said to the Prophet of Islam, “O Messenger of God, is there anyone in the community better than us? We believed in you and did jihad alongside you.” The Prophet replied, “Yes—people who will come after you, who will believe in me without having seen me.” (AlMu’jam al-Kabir by al-Tabarani, Hadith No. 3538) The phrase “without having seen me” in this hadith cannot be understood in a purely literal sense. For a Prophet who would later become the most prominent figure in history— whose greatness would be universally recognized— believing in him alone would not constitute a unique distinction. Therefore, this statement must be understood in a deeper and more meaningful way. This means that the will of the Prophet—which the companions of the early period understood directly by