Building on the insightful comment from the guest, Imran Khan, about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ showing immense mercy to even his bitterest enemies, the stories of those who once opposed him but later accepted Islam are truly inspiring. The conquest of Makkah is one of history's most extraordinary examples of forgiveness and transformation. The Prophet ﷺ, who was forced to leave his beloved city of Makkah along with his companions, returned triumphant after the Makkans breached the peace treaty by attacking the Banu Khuza'ah. Despite having the power to retaliate, the Prophet ﷺ displayed unparalleled humility by entering the city with his head bowed so low that his beard touched the saddle of his camel (Ibn Ishaq). According to Imam Bukhari, he recited Quranic verses in a trembling voice, overwhelmed with gratitude and humility. When someone declared, "Today is the day of bloodshed," the Prophet ﷺ rejected it and proclaimed, "Today is the day of mercy" (Ibn Sa'ad). His announcement of amnesty and forgiveness transformed the hearts of many. When the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah, a lot of people, inspired by his mercy and compassion, didn’t hesitate to approach him. He asked the Quraysh: “O men of Quraysh! What do you expect me to do to you?” They replied, “We hope for the best, after all, you’ve been a gracious brother to us and the son of a gracious brother.” The Prophet ﷺ then said: “You may leave; you’re free” (Ibn Sa'ad). One striking example of his mercy is Hind bint Utba, who had celebrated the martyrdom of Hamza (RA) and desecrated his body. Despite her grievous actions, she approached the Prophet ﷺ during the conquest and embraced Islam. The Prophet ﷺ forgave her without hesitation. He recognized her but did not say anything. Overwhelmed by his magnanimity and stature, she admitted, “O Allah’s Messenger, no tent was more deserted in my eyes than yours; but today no tent is more lovely in my eyes than yours.” Similarly, Wahshi ibn Harb, the man who killed Hamza (RA), sought forgiveness and was pardoned after declaring his faith, even though his actions deeply grieved the Prophet ﷺ. Another example is Habar ibn al-Aswad, who caused great harm to the Prophet’s daughter, Zaynab (RA), leading to her miscarriage. Despite his cruelty, when Habar accepted Islam, the Prophet ﷺ forgave him, demonstrating the depth of his compassion. The Prophet ﷺ’s actions during the conquest of Makkah exemplify the Quranic principles of mercy and forgiveness, fulfilling the verse: “Good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with what is better, and you will see that the one with whom you had enmity will become as a close friend” (Fussilat: 34). His conduct continues to inspire and serve as a timeless example of humility, justice, and forgiveness. References: • Conquest of Makkah: An Unbelievable Example of Forgiveness in History - LinkedIn • Outstanding Forgiveness of the Prophet - Islam Online
Ahh, Imran Khan’s words resonate deeply: “Today, the biggest thing lacking is tolerance and acceptance; we can take things responsibly.” How true, and how tragic it is to witness the erosion of these values in a time when humanity desperately needs them most. ALLAH, the Lord of all worlds, is Rabb-ul-Aalameen, the God of every being in existence, Muslim, non-Muslim, human, and creature alike. Similarly, our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the most exemplary human being, was sent as Rahmat-ul-Aalameen, a mercy to all of creation. His life teaches us that justice, compassion, and coexistence are not just ideals, they are responsibilities. In light of the host's reflection on 'Flag on our shared humanity' and the guest's powerful question, 'What is the purpose? How are you going to treat others when you are in power?' the Prophet ﷺ profoundly reminded us: "Beware! Whoever wrongs a Mu'ahid (a non-Muslim under Muslim protection), diminishes his rights, burdens him beyond his capacity, or takes anything from him without his consent, I will be his prosecutor on the Day of Judgment."(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 3052) How profound is this warning, emphasizing that justice transcends faith and that each soul deserves dignity and fairness. The Prophet ﷺ also declared: "Their blood (non-Muslims under Muslim rule) is like our blood, and their property is like our property."(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 2751)
The host, Thaah, raised an insightful point about how Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not only received divine guidance but also positively influenced those around him, despite the negativity of his environment. This idea is beautifully reflected in the story of Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA). Initially, a fierce opponent of Islam, Umar (RA) even planned to assassinate the Prophet ﷺ. On his way, he learned that his sister and brother-in-law had embraced Islam. In a fit of anger, he stormed into their home and struck them. However, after calming down, he asked to hear what they were reciting. Upon reading the Quranic verses, Umar (RA) was deeply moved and realized his error. He immediately decided to accept Islam. The same Umar (RA) who had opposed the Prophet ﷺ became a devoted follower, boldly encouraging Muslims to pray openly and strengthening the growing Muslim community.
It is truly remarkable that the first revelation to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the command to 'read' (Iqra), especially considering that He ﷺ was a shepherd who could neither read nor write. This miracle is the divine nature of the Quran, revealed through him despite his lack of formal education. As Allah says in Surah Al-Alaq (96:1-5): 'Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot. Recite, and your Lord is the most generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not.' (Surah Al-Alaq 96:1-5)
Building on the insightful comment from the guest, Imran Khan, about the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ showing immense mercy to even his bitterest enemies, the stories of those who once opposed him but later accepted Islam are truly inspiring.
The conquest of Makkah is one of history's most extraordinary examples of forgiveness and transformation. The Prophet ﷺ, who was forced to leave his beloved city of Makkah along with his companions, returned triumphant after the Makkans breached the peace treaty by attacking the Banu Khuza'ah. Despite having the power to retaliate, the Prophet ﷺ displayed unparalleled humility by entering the city with his head bowed so low that his beard touched the saddle of his camel (Ibn Ishaq). According to Imam Bukhari, he recited Quranic verses in a trembling voice, overwhelmed with gratitude and humility.
When someone declared, "Today is the day of bloodshed," the Prophet ﷺ rejected it and proclaimed, "Today is the day of mercy" (Ibn Sa'ad). His announcement of amnesty and forgiveness transformed the hearts of many. When the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah, a lot of people, inspired by his mercy and compassion, didn’t hesitate to approach him. He asked the Quraysh: “O men of Quraysh! What do you expect me to do to you?” They replied, “We hope for the best, after all, you’ve been a gracious brother to us and the son of a gracious brother.” The Prophet ﷺ then said: “You may leave; you’re free” (Ibn Sa'ad).
One striking example of his mercy is Hind bint Utba, who had celebrated the martyrdom of Hamza (RA) and desecrated his body. Despite her grievous actions, she approached the Prophet ﷺ during the conquest and embraced Islam. The Prophet ﷺ forgave her without hesitation. He recognized her but did not say anything. Overwhelmed by his magnanimity and stature, she admitted, “O Allah’s Messenger, no tent was more deserted in my eyes than yours; but today no tent is more lovely in my eyes than yours.”
Similarly, Wahshi ibn Harb, the man who killed Hamza (RA), sought forgiveness and was pardoned after declaring his faith, even though his actions deeply grieved the Prophet ﷺ.
Another example is Habar ibn al-Aswad, who caused great harm to the Prophet’s daughter, Zaynab (RA), leading to her miscarriage. Despite his cruelty, when Habar accepted Islam, the Prophet ﷺ forgave him, demonstrating the depth of his compassion.
The Prophet ﷺ’s actions during the conquest of Makkah exemplify the Quranic principles of mercy and forgiveness, fulfilling the verse: “Good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with what is better, and you will see that the one with whom you had enmity will become as a close friend” (Fussilat: 34). His conduct continues to inspire and serve as a timeless example of humility, justice, and forgiveness.
References:
• Conquest of Makkah: An Unbelievable Example of Forgiveness in History - LinkedIn
• Outstanding Forgiveness of the Prophet - Islam Online
Ahh, Imran Khan’s words resonate deeply: “Today, the biggest thing lacking is tolerance and acceptance; we can take things responsibly.” How true, and how tragic it is to witness the erosion of these values in a time when humanity desperately needs them most.
ALLAH, the Lord of all worlds, is Rabb-ul-Aalameen, the God of every being in existence, Muslim, non-Muslim, human, and creature alike. Similarly, our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the most exemplary human being, was sent as Rahmat-ul-Aalameen, a mercy to all of creation. His life teaches us that justice, compassion, and coexistence are not just ideals, they are responsibilities.
In light of the host's reflection on 'Flag on our shared humanity' and the guest's powerful question, 'What is the purpose? How are you going to treat others when you are in power?' the Prophet ﷺ profoundly reminded us:
"Beware! Whoever wrongs a Mu'ahid (a non-Muslim under Muslim protection), diminishes his rights, burdens him beyond his capacity, or takes anything from him without his consent, I will be his prosecutor on the Day of Judgment."(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 3052)
How profound is this warning, emphasizing that justice transcends faith and that each soul deserves dignity and fairness. The Prophet ﷺ also declared:
"Their blood (non-Muslims under Muslim rule) is like our blood, and their property is like our property."(Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith 2751)
The host, Thaah, raised an insightful point about how Prophet Muhammad ﷺ not only received divine guidance but also positively influenced those around him, despite the negativity of his environment. This idea is beautifully reflected in the story of Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA). Initially, a fierce opponent of Islam, Umar (RA) even planned to assassinate the Prophet ﷺ. On his way, he learned that his sister and brother-in-law had embraced Islam. In a fit of anger, he stormed into their home and struck them. However, after calming down, he asked to hear what they were reciting.
Upon reading the Quranic verses, Umar (RA) was deeply moved and realized his error. He immediately decided to accept Islam. The same Umar (RA) who had opposed the Prophet ﷺ became a devoted follower, boldly encouraging Muslims to pray openly and strengthening the growing Muslim community.
It is truly remarkable that the first revelation to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the command to 'read' (Iqra), especially considering that He ﷺ was a shepherd who could neither read nor write. This miracle is the divine nature of the Quran, revealed through him despite his lack of formal education. As Allah says in Surah Al-Alaq (96:1-5):
'Recite in the name of your Lord who created. Created man from a clot. Recite, and your Lord is the most generous. Who taught by the pen. Taught man that which he knew not.' (Surah Al-Alaq 96:1-5)