Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Muhammad</strong> sa 157<br />
"Very good," said the Prophet sa : "Whoever take<br />
shelter in the house <strong>of</strong> Abu Sufyan ra will have peace.<br />
Whoever enters the Sacred Mosque will-have peace.<br />
Those who lay down their arms will have peace. Those<br />
who close their doors and stay in will have peace. Those<br />
who stay in the house <strong>of</strong> Hakim bin Hizam ra will have<br />
peace."<br />
Saying this, he called Abu Ruwaiha ra and handed<br />
over to him the standard <strong>of</strong> Islam. Abu Ruwaiha ra had<br />
entered into a pact <strong>of</strong> brotherhood with Bilal ra , the negro<br />
slave. Handing over the standard, the Prophet sa said,<br />
"Whoever stands under this standard will have peace."<br />
At the same time, he ordered Bilal ra to march in front <strong>of</strong><br />
Abu Ruwaiha ra and announce to all concerned that<br />
there was peace under the standard held by Abu<br />
Ruwaiha ra .<br />
THE PROPHET sa ENTERS MECCA<br />
The arrangement was full <strong>of</strong> wisdom. When Muslims<br />
were persecuted in Mecca, Bilal ra , one <strong>of</strong> their targets,<br />
was dragged about the streets by ropes tied to his legs.<br />
Mecca gave no peace to Bilal ra , but only physical pain,<br />
humiliation and disgrace. How revengeful Bilal ra must<br />
have felt on this day <strong>of</strong> his deliverance. To let him<br />
avenge the savage cruelties suffered by him in Mecca<br />
was necessary, but it had to be within the limits laid<br />
down by Islam. Accordingly, the Prophet sa did not let<br />
Bilal ra draw the sword and smite the necks <strong>of</strong> his former<br />
persecutors. That would have been un-Islamic. Instead,<br />
the Prophet sa handed to Bilal's ra brother the standard <strong>of</strong><br />
Islam, and charged Bilal ra with the duty <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fering peace<br />
to all his former persecutors under the standard borne<br />
by his brother. There was beauty and appeal in this<br />
revenge. We have to picture Bilal ra marching in front <strong>of</strong><br />
his brother and inviting his enemies to peace. His<br />
passion for revenge could not have lasted. It must have
Change language