An Islamic Treasury of Virtues
2. What is Faith?
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RISING ABOVE LOVE AND HATE
When the Prophet emigrated from Makkah to
Madinah, the keys of the House of God in Makkah
were in the custody of one Uthman ibn Abu Talhah,
they having remained in the keeping of his family
for several generations. One day, the Prophet asked
Uthman for the keys, but the latter refused to hand
them over, and spoke rudely to him. The Prophet
heard him out but all he said finally was: “Uthman,
perhaps you will live to see the day when I shall
have these keys in my hands. I shall then be in a
position to give them unto whom I will.” “It will be
a day of disgrace and woe for the Quraysh when
the keys of the Ka’bah are in the hands of one such
as you” replied Uthman.
After the conquest of Makkah, God’s Messenger
reigned supreme there, and asked for the keys of
the Ka’bah to be handed over to him. When the
keys were actually in his hands, his own cousin and
son-in-law, Ali ibn Abu Talib, arose and asked for
them to be given to him. The Prophet, however, did
not respond, Instead, he summoned Uthman ibn
Talhah, when he stood before him, the Prophet
