Life-of-Muhammad

156Life of Muhammad saworthy of worship, we might have had some help againstyou from him.""Has it not also dawned upon you that I am aMessenger of Allah sa ?""My father and my mother be a sacrifice to you, onthis I still have some doubts."While Abu Sufyan ra hesitated to acknowledge theProphet sa as Messenger of God, two of his companionswho had marched out of Mecca with him to doreconnoitring duty for the Meccans, became Muslims.One of them was Hakim bin Hizam ra . A little later, AbuSufyan ra also joined, but his inner conversion seems tohave been deferred until after the conquest of Mecca.Hakim bin Hizam ra asked the Prophet sa if the Muslimswould destroy their own kith and kin."These people," said the Prophet sa , "have been verycruel. They have committed excesses and provedthemselves of bad faith. They have gone back on thepeace they signed at Hudaibiya and attacked theKhuza‘a savagely. They have made war in a place whichhad been made inviolate by God.""It is quite true, O Prophet sa of God, our people havedone exactly as you say, but instead of marching uponMecca you should have attacked the Hawazin,"suggested Hakim ra ."The Hawazin also have been cruel and savage. Ihope God will enable me to realize all the three ends: theconquest of Mecca, the ascendancy of Islam and thedefeat of the Hawazin."Abu Sufyan ra , who had been listening, now asked theProphet sa : "If the Meccans draw not the sword, will theyhave peace?""Yes," replied the Prophet sa , "everyone who staysindoors will have peace.""But O Prophet sa ," intervened ‘Abbas ra , "Abu Sufyan rais much concerned about himself. He wishes to know ifhis rank and position among the Meccans will berespected."