The Moral Vision
Big-Heartedness
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becomes when it is spilled by a worthless ruler like
you.”
A patriarch of the Caesar’s court became incensed
on hearing the Qurayshi’s words. He came up and
hit the Muslim captive on both sides of the face. The
Qurayshi’s hands being tied, he could offer no
resistance. What he did was cry out in a loud voice:
“Mu’awiya, where are you now? Are you not going
to take revenge on these dastardly people who have
stricken a man of noble birth—one of your own
household?” Then he looked towards the patriarch.
“I swear by God that there will come a day when
you will realize who I am.”
Mu’awiya was greatly aggrieved when news of this
incident reached Damascus. He resolved to do
something to make amends for what had happened.
First of all, he arranged an exchange of prisoners
with the Byzantine emperor. So great was his
determination to secure the release of his men that
he agreed to free a greater number of Roman
soldiers in exchange for them.
Once the captives had returned home, Mu’awiya
surreptitiously hatched a plot. He obtained the
