Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
6. The Path of the Prophet
~ 118 ~
This shows how the Prophet was careful to
introduce reforms gradually. Even when he
wielded power, he did not attempt to hurry Islamic
legislation; he allowed matters to take their natural
course, proceeding stage by stage until the desired
conclusion was reached; he would hold himself
back from introducing the desired measures, but he
would not seek to hold the polytheists back from
their activities until the time came when they
themselves were ready to refrain from them.
There are many sides of the Prophet which have not
generally been acknowledged as being important:
for one thing, his realistic and gradual approach to
everything he did has never been hailed as being of
special significance. For instance, the Prophet lived
in Makkah for thirteen years after the
commencement of his prophetic mission, but not
once during this time did he remonstrate against
the continual desecration of the Kab’ah. Even after
conquering the city, he was in no hurry to abolish
vain and frivolous customs. He waited for two
years, despite the fact that he had the power to take
immediate action. Only in the third year did he
introduce the reforms that he had in mind.
