Life-of-Muhammad

Life of Muhammad sa 159"Who can they be?" he asked."They are the Ansar ra and the Muhajirin surroundingthe Prophet sa ," replied ‘Abbas ra ."No power on earth could resist this army," said AbuSufyan ra , and then, addressing ‘Abbas more specifically,"‘Abbas ra , your nephew has become the most powerfulking in the world.""You are still far from the truth, Abu Sufyan ra . He isno king; he is a Prophet sa , a Messenger of God," replied‘Abbas ra ."Yes, yes, let it be as you say, a Prophet sa , not aking," added Abu Sufyan ra .As the Muslim army marched past Abu Sufyan ra , thecommander of the Ansar, Sa‘d bin ‘Ubada ra happened toeye Abu Sufyan ra and could not resist saying that Godthat day had made it lawful for them to enter Mecca byforce and that the Quraish would be humiliated.As the Prophet sa was passing, Abu Sufyan ra raisedhis voice and addressing the Prophet sa said, "Have youallowed the massacre of your own kith and kin? I heardthe commander of the Ansar, Sa‘d ra and his companionssay so. They said it was a day of slaughter. Thesacredness of Mecca will not avert bloodshed and theQuraish will be humiliated. Prophet sa of God, you arethe best, the most forgiving, the most considerate ofmen. Will you not forgive and forget whatever was doneby your own people?"Abu Sufyan's ra appeal went home. Those veryMuslims who used to be insulted and beaten in thestreets of Mecca, who had been dispossessed and drivenout of their homes, began to entertain feelings of mercyfor their old persecutors. "Prophet sa of God," they said,"the accounts which the Ansar have heard of theexcesses and cruelties committed by Meccans againstus, may lead them to seek revenge. We know not whatthey may do."The Prophet sa understood this. Turning to AbuSufyan ra , he said, "What Sa‘d ra has said is quite wrong.