An Islamic Treasury of Virtues
15. Divine Succour
~ 295 ~
“I cannot think of a people who are scantier in
number, or more ill fated or disunited than you are.
Even our villagers would be a match for you if I
handed you over to them.” Mughira ibn Shuabah
replied on behalf of the Muslims: “What you say is
true. We used to live in a wretched state having no
home but the face of the earth. The clothes we wore
were fashioned from goat and camel hair. Our
religion led us to hate and kill one another. We even
used to bury our daughters alive for fear that they
might eat away our stocks of food. But then God
sent to us one who was well known to us, and who
was, indeed, the best of us all. He invited us to
follow him, but, at first, only one of us-Abu Bakr-
went with him. As for the rest of us we denied him.
But, as everything he said came to pass, faith
entered our hearts and we followed him. Through
His Prophet, God has promised us that
whomsoever of our number is slain shall enter
heaven, while those who survive shall be granted
succour in the face of the enemy.” Incensed,
Yazdagird gave orders for a basket full of earth to
be perched on the head of the noblest of the
Muslims and for them all to be chased away beyond
the land of Madain. The Muslim so singled out for
