Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
13. Victory and after
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This shows that no one is able to forgive a
wrongdoer when punishment has been prescribed
by God. How was it, then, that the Prophet forgave
people with such magnanimity after the Conquest
of Makkah? The reason was that there is a
difference between war crimes and crimes
committed under normal conditions. People cannot
be accorded remission of punishment for the latter
form of crime. Crimes committed during wartime,
on the other hand, can be forgiven when the
perpetrators renounce their antagonism and seek
clemency. Crimes committed under normal
conditions are nullified when the punishment God
has laid down is meted out, while war crimes are
neutralized through surrender and an appeal for
mercy. The enemies of Islam in Arabia had
committed the most heinous crimes against the
Muslims. Even so, the Qur’an announced that if
they repented, what had gone before would be
forgiven.
4
Furthermore, if the enemy sues for peace,
peace should be made, even if there is a danger of
the peace terms being broken.
If they incline to peace, make peace with
them, and put your trust in God. Surely He is
