Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
7. The Revolution of the Prophet
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Wahshi and Hind were both among the seventeen
whom the Prophet condemned to death. But when
they appealed to him for clemency, he forgave them
both. It was God’s will that His Prophet should be
lenient and forgiving towards his enemies, for this
policy harmonized with God’s scheme for the
furtherance of the Islamic cause.
This principle is based on a profound insight into
the nature of human society. Human society is a
composite body of live, sensitive individuals, in
whom an urge for vengeance is kindled when one
of their number is harmed. Human beings are not
like pieces of stone, which show no reaction when
another stone is broken. To suppress one individual
is to invite rebellion from those associated with him,
which means that the time, which could be
profitably spent on building up society, is frittered
away in containing discontent. By forgiving all his
past enemies after the conquest of Makkah, the
Prophet ensured that at no future date would
insurrection rear its head. In fact, most of those he
forgave accepted Islam and became a source of
strength to it, one instance being that of ‘Ikrimah,
the son of Abu Jahl, formerly an implacable
