Page 50 - MY GREAT LOVE FOR JESUS LED ME TO TROUTH

you, for He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.'" (Qur'an 12/92) Then he said to
them, "Go, for you are free." (As-Sunan Al-Kubraa, 18648)
Abu Sufyaan, a notable Quraysh leader and an avowed enemy of the Prophet who left
no stone unturned to fight against Islam and the Muslims. However, when the Prophet
victoriously entered Makkah after a long absence, he did not avenge himself on him. After
the latter willingly embraced Islam, the Prophet granted him some special privilege to
retain his prestige among his people. He said, "Whoever enters Abu Sufyaan's house will
be safe, whoever enters his own house and shuts the door will be safe, and whoever
enters the sacred area around the Ka'bah will be safe." (Al-Bukhaaree, 4577)
He also pardoned 'Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl, one of the prominent Quraysh leaders who had
shown a great deal of hostility to him, and even granted him security. When 'Ikrimah
approached Makkah, the Prophet said to his Companions, "Ikrimah ibn Abu Jahl will come
to you a believer and an immigrant, so do not curse his father. Cursing the dead hurts
the living and does not reach the dead." (Al-Muwatta', 601) The Prophet welcomed him
warmly. (Al-Haakim, vol. 3, p. 269)
The Prophet also granted amnesty to 'Umayr ibn Wahb who had attempted to murder
him with the support of Safwaan ibn Umayyah after the Prophet informed him of the
murder plot they had hatched.[7] He even pardoned Safwaan ibn Umayyah himself. (Al-
Muwatta', 1132) and gave him a large gift of 300 camels in three successive instalments
(Muslim, 5975) even when he was still a non-Muslim. Seeing how generous the Prophet
was despite the ascetic life he led, Safwaan cheerfully embraced Islam and said, "Kings
do not make such gifts willingly. No one can give so generously except a prophet. I bear
witness that there is no deity other than Allah, and that you are Allah's Messenger." (Kanz
Al-'Ummaal, 30170)
Not only did he grant amnesty to Suhayl ibn 'Amr, one of his avowed enemies who had
used his poetic skill to defame him in pubic and lampoon him, but he also asked his
companions to be kind to him and not hurt his feelings in any way. He said to them, "Let
whoever meets Suhayl ibn 'Amr not glare at him. Let Suhayl go out freely." (Ibn 'Abd Al-
Barr, Al-Istee'aab, vol. 3, p. 57) He further said, "By Allah, he is a wise, noble man — the
like of whom cannot ignore Islam." (Usd Al-Ghaabah, vol. 2, p. 346) He also granted
amnesty to Fudhaalah ibn 'Umayr, one of the chieftains of Quraysh who attempted to
assassinate him while the Prophet was circumambulating the Ka'bah in Makkah. (Ibn
Katheer, Al-Bidaayah Wan-Nihaayah, 4/342)