51- THE PROPHET FORGIVES HIS ENEMIES
All rites and duties over, the Prophetsa addressed the Meccans and said: “You have seen how true the promises of God have proved. Now tell me what punishment you should have for the cruelties and enormities you committed against those whose only fault was that they invited you to the worship of the One and Only God.”
To this the Meccans replied, “We expect you to treat us as Josephas treated his erring brothers.”
By significant coincidence, the Meccans used in their plea for forgiveness the very words which God had used in the Surah Yusuf, revealed ten years before the conquest of Mecca. In this the Prophetsa was told that he would treat his Meccan persecutors as Josephas had treated his brothers. By asking for the treatment which Josephas had meted out to his brothers, the Meccans admitted that the Prophetsa of Islam was the like of Josephas and as Josephas was granted victory over his brothers the Prophetsa had been granted victory over the Meccans. Hearing the Meccans’ plea, the Prophetsa declared at once: “By God, you will have no punishment today and no reproof” (Hisham).
While the Prophetsa was engaged in expressing his gratitude to God and in carrying out other devotions at the Ka‘ba, and while he was addressing the Meccans announcing his decision to forgive and forget, misgivings arose in the minds of the Ansar, the Medinite Muslims. Some of them were upset over the scenes of homecoming and of reconciliation which they witnessed on the return of Meccan Muslims to Mecca. Was the Prophetsa parting company with them, his friends in adversity who provided the first home to Islam? Was the Prophetsa going to settle down at Mecca, the town from which he had to flee for his life? Such fears did not seem too remote now that Mecca had been conquered and his own tribe had joined Islam. The Prophetsa might want to settle down in it. God informed the Prophetsa of these misgivings of the Ansar. He raised his head, looked at the Ansar and said “You seem to think Muhammadsa is perturbed by the love of his town, and by the ties which bind him to his tribe.” “It is true,” said the Ansar., “we did think of this.”
“Do you know,” said the Prophetsa, “Who I am? I am a Servant of God and His Messenger. How can I give you up? You stood by me, and sacrificed your lives when the Faith of God had no earthly help. How can I give you up and settle elsewhere? No, Ansar., this is impossible. I left Mecca for the sake of God and I cannot return to it. I will live and die with you.”
The Ansar were moved by this singular expression of love and loyalty. They regretted their distrust of God and His Prophetsa, wept and asked to be forgiven. They explained that they would not have any peace if the Prophetsa left their town and went elsewhere. The Prophetsa replied that their fear was understandable and that, after their explanation, God and His Prophetsa were satisfied about their innocence and acknowledge their sincerity and loyalty.
How must the Meccans have felt at this time? True they did not shed the tears of devotion but their hearts must have been full of regret and remorse. For, had they not cast away with their own hands the gem which had been found in their own town? They had all the more reason to regret this because the Prophetsa, having come back to Mecca, had decided to leave it again for Medina.
(Source: LIFE OF MUHAMMAD (pbuh))
BY HADRAT MIRZA BASHIRUDDIN MAHMUD AHMAD
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