Page 198 - Seekers Guide Book

Peace: The Summum Bonum
condition should be that one does not resort to violence
of any kind.

We find many instances in the life of the Prophet of
Islam where he did not punish people for acts which
insulted or humiliated him. Once a person approached
the Prophet and addressed him as Mudhammam, which
means the condemned one, while the Prophet’s real name
was Muhammad (the praiseworthy one). According to a
tradition narrated by Abu Huraira, at this incident the
Prophet said:

Does not it astonish you how God protects
me from the Quraysh’s abusing and cursing?
They abuse Mudhammam (the condemned
one) and curse Mudhammam, while I am
Muhammad. (Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith no.
3533)

The Prophet took no action against the person who called
him by the derogatory name of Mudhammam, similarly
there are verses in the Quran about gatherings where the
Makkan people used to abuse the Prophet of Islam. For
example:

They say, ‘He is certainly mad.’ (Quran
68:51)

They say, ‘You to whom the Reminder [the
Quran] has been sent down, you are surely
possessed.’ (Quran 15:6)

The Prophet did not react to such comments and also
refrained others also from reacting. Islam provides for
complete freedom of expression. This is the spirit that

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