NOBLE ATTRIBUTES OF THE PROPHET

Quran has referred to this characteristic in the following words: “It was thanks to God’s mercy that you were lenient to them. Had you been cruel and hard-hearted, they would surely have deserted you.” (3: 159) It was this magnanimity of the Prophet that gave him the power to capture people’s hearts: the closer one came to him, the more one would be won over by his noble character. What a terrible time it must have been when, as night was falling, the urchins of Taif were chasing the Prophet out of town and pelting him with stones. This was the place where the Hijaz aristocracy used to while away their summer days. The Prophet had made the fifty-mile trip from Makkah to call them to Islam. But the lords of Taif did not listen to his well-meaning words; instead they set the street-urchins on him, who kept on chasing him until night had cast a veil between them and God’s Prophet. His body was covered in wounds. Bleeding from head to foot and utterly exhausted, he took refuge in a vineyard. This was a traumatic experience for any man. The Prophet once told his wife, Aisha, that it was the hardest night of his life. But, at this gravest of moments, the Prophet did not wish his enemies any harm. All he said was: “Lord, guide them, for they know not what they do.” Such was the noble character of the Prophet, and it was this nobleness which finally subdued his opponents and brought the whole of Arabia within the Islamic fold. The force of his sublime spirit was enough to conquer all in its wake. No prejudice, antagonism or contumacy could withstand the charming power of good that was embodied in his person. The Prophet once said: “Honouring ties of relationship does not mean honouring your ties with those who honour their ties with you; it means honouring your ties with those who sever their ties with you.” The well-known case of the accusation of adultery against Aisha, wife of the Prophet and daughter of Abu Bakr, provides apt illustration of this principle. This accusation was absolutely slanderous. It was brought against Aisha when she was accidentally left behind while returning from the expedition to Bani Mustalaq (627-628 CE). She was rescued by a A person who is in need should not be denied financial assistance because of his misconduct. Rather one should pardon him and continue to help him.