An Example of Noble Character

seeing and hearing him—must now be discovered by the Prophet’s later “brothers” without having seen or heard him, through personal reflection and understanding. This matter can be clearly illustrated with an example. The companions of the Prophet faced religious persecution and were compelled to fight in battles like Badr and Uhud in self-defense. These were situations that demanded the sacrifice of life. The companions of the Prophet, without hesitation, offered that sacrifice. Those very same companions were later faced with another trial, known in prophetic biography as the Expedition of Hudaybiyyah. This too was a test of sacrifice—but of a different kind. In this second test, all the companions— except Abu Bakr—fell into confusion. The same people who had shown firm belief in the earlier battles now experienced deep hesitation. It was only through the Prophet’s personal insistence that they finally accepted it. Today, this same history has returned for Muslims. Across the world, some souls genuinely seek to find God. Their nature is restless in its search for God’s religion. However, in the present age, Muslims—acting in the name of God and His religion—have created an atmosphere of conflict and confrontation across the world. This climate of hostility has destroyed the peaceful environment in which such sincere individuals could approach God’s religion with an open mind and embrace it. Now, once again, Muslims must offer the same kind of sacrifice that the companions of the Prophet made at the