Page 49 - MY GREAT LOVE FOR JESUS LED ME TO TROUTH

with grief for them…" He even forgave those who intentionally attempted to kill him
and do him harm to him even though he could have inflicted a severe punishment on
them had he wanted to. It happened once that Ghawrath ibn Al-Haarith attempted to
assassinate him in his sleep; however, when the Prophet woke up and got the better of
him he simply forgave him and let him go even after he introduced him to Islam and he
refused to accept it. (Ahmad, 14635) When 'Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the chief of hypocrites
in Madeenah, who had long hurt the Prophet, died, the Prophet wanted to ask for
forgiveness for him more than seventy times and even prayed for him until Allah revealed
a verse (9/84) which mildly reproached him for doing so.
Muhammad's enemies went as far as subjecting him and members of his clan and
supporters to an economic and social boycott, and they remained in this state of near
starvation and severe deprivation for two or three years until they became feeble and
overstrained. When the Prophet became more powerful following his migration to
Madeenah, his Companions apprehended Thumaamah ibn Uthaal, a chieftain of the Banu
Haneefah who was among the most powerful Arab rulers before the advent of Islam.
Thumaamah, was on his way to Madeenah bent on killing the Prophet. The Prophet's
kindness to him convinced him and his fellow prisoners to embrace Islam, and, to return
the favor, Thumaamah set out to punish the Quraysh by imposing an economic boycott
on them even if that meant this would affect his highly profitable business relationship
with the Quraysh. He ordered his people to withhold supplies from the Quraysh and
vowed that he would not lift it until the Prophet gave permission to do so. The boycott
gradually began to have effect, raising prices and causing many to go hungry. The
pleaded with Muhammad to instruct Thumaamah to lift the boycott. Despite the great
harm the Quraysh had inflicted on Muhammad and his followers for so many years, and
despite the fact that this was an opportunity for him to avenge himself on them and force
them to embrace Islam, he chose to forgive them and ordered that the boycott be
lifted.[6]
Also, when he victoriously returned to Makkah, his hometown from which the Makkan
pagans had unjustly expelled him and his followers, the pagans were sure that he would
exact his vengeance on them. None of that happened. He stood at the door of the Ka'bah
and said to them, "How do you think I should act toward you?" "With kindness, gracious
and mercy, brother," they replied. "Be it so, declared the Prophet. "I say to you as Prophet
Joseph said to his brothers, 'There is no blame on you today; may Allah forgive