Spirit of Islam, Jan-Feb 2022

I N the early period of Islam, there are many events that showcase the exemplary character of the Muslims. Of these, I find a few moments in Islamic history very rare. The words that were said in these moments cannot be said again in history. The first such moment is about the Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet had migrated in secret from Makkah to Madinah. He was hiding in the Cave of Thawr with his Companion Abu Bakr. Meanwhile the Quraysh search party scoured the area south of Makkah where the Prophet and Abu Bakr where hiding. They came upon the mouth of the cave, and had they looked down while standing at the edge of the cave, they would have surely found the men they were hunting. With the Quraysh so close to discovering their hiding place, Abu Bakr became very tense about the Prophet’s safety. The Prophet reassured him, “How can you be apprehensive about the two with whom is a third, the third being God Himself?” This is not some plain statement. These words express the Prophet’s utmost trust in the help of God. The second moment is about the death of the Prophet Muhammad. The people at large were greatly perturbed. It was at this time Abu Bakr came riding his horse from his dwelling place. He got down from it, entered the Mosque and did not speak with anybody and went directly to the Prophet, who was covered with a marked blanket. Abu Bakr uncovered his face. He knelt down and kissed him and then started weeping and said, “My father and my mother be sacrificed for you, O God’s Prophet! God will not combine two deaths on you. You have died the death which was written for you.” Then he went out and said, “Whoever worshipped Muhammad, then Muhammad is dead, but whoever worshipped God, then God is Alive and shall never die.” These words show the quality of differentiation that a believer shows between God and His servants. WHEN WORDS BECOME THE TRUTH PERSONAL EXPERIENCES