Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
9. The Prophetic Method
~ 191 ~
Makkah. His strength of spirit manifested itself in
different ways as the need arose. Sometimes it took
the form of forgiveness, sometimes supreme
courage, sometimes trust in God. Sometimes his
success was due to farsightedness. Sometimes he
showed how one who disavows self-interest
becomes an invincible force, who gains all by
forsaking everything.
After the Prophet Muhammad, on whom be peace,
had captured Makkah in A.H. 8, some of the
Quraysh fled to the tribes of Hawazin and Thaqif,
and incited them to start a new war against the
Muslims. The tribes responded by mobilizing all
their manpower, and amassed a force of 20,000
men. They met the Muslims on the field of Hunayn.
The archers of Hawazin had concealed themselves
in a ravine and, when they rained their arrows
down on the Muslims, about 11,000 of the 12,000
strong army turned and fled. Yet, despite this initial
setback, the Muslims finally won an extraordinary
victory. The reason for their recovery was the inner
strength of their leader, the Prophet Muhammad
who, at this critical juncture, showed no signs of
panic, but was the epitome of “tranquility”
5
and
