Life-of-Muhammad

166Life of Muhammad saannouncing his decision to forgive and forget, misgivingsarose in the minds of the Ansar, the Medinite Muslims.Some of them were upset over the scenes of homecomingand of reconciliation which they witnessed onthe return of Meccan Muslims to Mecca. Was theProphet sa parting company with them, his friends inadversity who provided the first home to Islam? Was theProphet sa going to settle down at Mecca, the town fromwhich he had to flee for his life? Such fears did not seemtoo remote now that Mecca had been conquered and hisown tribe had joined Islam. The Prophet sa might want tosettle down in it. God informed the Prophet sa of thesemisgivings of the Ansar. He raised his head, looked atthe Ansar and said "You seem to think Muhammad sa isperturbed by the love of his town, and by the ties whichbind him to his tribe." "It is true," said the Ansar., "wedid think of this.""Do you know," said the Prophet sa , "Who I am? I am aServant of God and His Messenger. How can I give youup? You stood by me, and sacrificed your lives when theFaith of God had no earthly help. How can I give you upand settle elsewhere? No, Ansar., this is impossible. Ileft Mecca for the sake of God and I cannot return to it. Iwill live and die with you."The Ansar were moved by this singular expression oflove and loyalty. They regretted their distrust of God andHis Prophet sa , wept and asked to be forgiven. Theyexplained that they would not have any peace if theProphet sa left their town and went elsewhere. TheProphet sa replied that their fear was understandable andthat, after their explanation, God and His Prophet sa weresatisfied about their innocence and acknowledge theirsincerity and loyalty.How must the Meccans have felt at this time? Truethey did not shed the tears of devotion but their heartsmust have been full of regret and remorse. For, had theynot cast away with their own hands the gem which hadbeen found in their own town? They had all the more