Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
13. Victory and after
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they replied, “for you are our noble brother,
and the son of our noble brother.” Then the
Prophet said: “I say to you as Joseph said to
his brothers: Let no reproach be upon you this
day. Go, you are free.”
2
At the very outset, then, the Prophet put vengeance
aside, thus eliminating all possibility of adverse
reaction on the part of his new subjects. A nation
defeated on the field of battle usually resorts to
clandestine resistance. By granting a general amnesty
the Prophet nipped resistance in the bud. Forces,
which might have sought to destroy the fortress of
Islam, were thus engaged in the building of it.
When the Prophet entered Makkah after the
conquest of the city, he gave his commanders
orders not to do battle with anyone unless they
themselves were attacked. He forgave all those who
had committed outrages against him. Only a few,
who were to be killed “even if they took refuge
beneath the curtain of the Ka’bah,” were sentenced
to death. Ibn Hisham, and other biographers of the
Prophet, have mentioned them individually. Here
are their names, and the nature of their cases:
