Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
9. The Prophetic Method
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competing for one job. If one of the contestants
clearly excels the others in ability, then not even
prejudice can deny him his rightful place.
When the Muslims were economically isolated in
Makkah in the time of the Prophet, some of them
emigrated to Abyssinia, thus consolidating their
own position. The people of Makkah had made it
impossible for the Prophet’s followers to carry on
with their trading. What the Muslims did was to
move to a neighbouring country and pursue their
livelihood there. So hardworking and honest were
they in their dealings that Najashi, the king of
Abyssinia, proclaimed that anyone who wronged a
Muslim would have to pay the wronged party 8
dirhams compensation. This was just one of the
ways in which God helped the Muslims re-establish
themselves, considering their patience in the face of
persecution by others.
Patience may appear to be a negative virtue, but, as
far as its results are concerned, it is a highly positive
one. Once we have realized the value of
sabr,
we do
not take immediate retaliatory measures against our
oppressors; rather we look further into the future
