Prophet Muhammad: A Mercy to Humanity – I

Prophet Muhammad: A Mercy to Humanity – I

Allah The Almighty Says in the Noble Quran (what means): {We have sent you as a mercy for all the worlds.} [Quran, 21:107] This refers to none other than Prophet Muhammad,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), whose character was excellent, conduct exemplary, and whose treatment of others the epitome of good manners and civility. Moreover, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), was not sent as a mercy to just the Muslim nation, but to humanity as a whole.

The Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), never took revenge on anyone for personal reasons and always forgave even his bitterest enemies. His wife, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said that the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), never took revenge on his own behalf on anyone. She, may Allah be pleased with her, also said that he,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), never returned evil for evil, but would forgive and pardon those who harmed or wronged him.
In many instances during his lifetime, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), showed great leniency and mercifulness when dealing with the very people who abused, opposed and mistreated him consistently. One example of this is the story of how, in the early days of the Prophetic mission, he went to the mountainous town of Taa'if near Makkah to call its inhabitants to Islam. The leaders of Taa'if proved to be extremely discourteous, insolent and arrogant. Not only that, they even went so far as to stir up the people of the town and pit them against the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ). Youths followed the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), shouting, hurling abuse, and throwing stones at him. From either side of his path, they threw stones at him until his feet were injured and the blood flowed freely from his wounds.
This harsh and inhumane treatment affected the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), so deeply that he, in a state of depression and helplessness, started praying fervently to Allah The Almighty, seeking His aid and reassurance:
"O Allah, to You I complain of my weakness, lack of resources and humiliation before these people. You are the Most Merciful, the Lord of the weak and my Master. To whom will You consign me? To one estranged, bearing ill will, or an enemy given power over me? If You do not assign me any worth, I care not, for Your favor is abundant upon me. I seek refuge in the light of Your countenance by which all darkness is dispelled and every affair of this world and the next is set right, lest Your anger should descend upon me or Your displeasure light upon me. I need only Your pleasure and satisfaction, for only You enable me to do good and evade the evil. There is no power and no might but with You.”
Allah The Almighty then sent an angel seeking the permission of the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), to join together the two mountains on either sides of the town of Taa'if and crush its inhabitants. Out of his great mercy, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), replied: “No! For I hope that Allah will bring forth from their loins people who will worship Allah alone, associating nothing with Him.” [Muslim]
Another example of his great mercy and forgiveness was his graciousness towards ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool, the leader of the Hypocrites in Madeenah. ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy had devoted his life to fight Islam and the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), though he cleverly disguised his hostility. On the day of the battle of Uhud, he withdrew his band of three hundred supporters, almost breaking the backbone of the Muslim army in one stroke. In another one of his schemes to discredit the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), and Islam, he tried to humiliate the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), by inciting his allies to falsely accuse the Prophet’s wife, ‘Aa’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, of adultery. Allah The Almighty Himself cleared her of these accusations in Chapter Al-Ahzaab.
Yet, although he knew of all the injuries this great enemy of Islam had attempted to inflict on him, and the mud that Ibn Salool had tried to fling on him, the Prophet,  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allah exalt his mention ), still offered the funeral prayer for ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy and prayed for his forgiveness. The following verse was then revealed (which means): {And never (O Muhammad) pray for one of them who dies, nor stand by his grave. Lo! They disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger, and they died while they were evildoers.} [Quran, 9:84]

Prophet Muhammad: A Mercy to Humanity - II

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