The Prophet and the People Who Opposed him

Bleeding from head to toe, battered and exhausted, he was faced with a choice. Should he or shouldn't he seek to destroy the people who had just humiliated him by having their children chase him out of town while throwing stones at him? And this for the crime of sharing his message and seeking help for his people.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was in Taif, a lush town of green palm trees, fruits and vegetables, about 50 miles southeast of his arid hometown Makkah. He was hoping that perhaps the people of this town would be receptive to his message, which had been rejected by most of the Makkans for over a decade.

But the people of Taif proved just as cruel and intolerant. Not only did they scorn his message of God's Oneness, they turned their youth against the Prophet. In the face of this misery, the Angel Gabriel was sent and presented him with an option: have the whole town be destroyed, by Allah's will, for such arrogance and hatefulness.

He could have done it. He could have asked that those children who pelted him with stones be finished off along with their intolerant parents. But he didn't.

No, the Prophet Muhammad told the Angel. Don't destroy the people of Taif. Instead of cursing the children of this town, he prayed for its salvation.

That is just one example of how this man, who Allah describes as a "mercy to mankind" (Quran 21:107) dealt with those who opposed him. It's just one of many examples in the life of a person who faced constant death threats, attempts on his life, abuse and humiliation at the hands of those threatened by his simple but profound message: there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger.

But the people of Taif were not the only ones who tasted of this mercy. He would pray for his enemies all the time. Two of his bitterest enemies, Abu Jahl and Omar were also the objects of his prayers.

The Prophet made similar Duas (supplications) for his people on a regular basis: "O Allah! Guide my people, for they know not," he would pray, as he and his followers were beaten, humiliated, scorned and mocked.

On another occasion, some Companions came to the Prophet and said: "O Messenger of Allah! The tribe of Daus have committed disbelief and disobeyed (your commands). Supplicate Allah against them!" Contrary to the people's expectations, the Prophet said: "O Allah! Guide Daus and let them come to us." (Bukhari).

These are just a few glimpses of how the Prophet dealt with those who opposed him. These were people who didn't just fight his message on an intellectual level. These were individuals bent on destroying him, his family, his followers and Islam itself.

Contrast this today to some of the ignorant believers today who are found cursing others to Hell and destruction in this world. We don't know which individual is going where. We don't even know about ourselves. So let's keep making Dua that we stay on the right path and God guides others to it as well. We must not play God by assuming we know where others will end up.

When God tells us in the Quran about the behavior which leads to good reward and the character which takes people to the Hellfire, He is saying this so that people adopt the right behavior and avoid Hellfire by abandoning what He forbade for our own good. However, those verses are not meant to be a litmus test for us to determine where others will end up. That knowledge is only with Allah, the Lord of the universe.

Our Prophet was a mercy to all human beings, regardless of their religious background. We, as his followers, must live and spread this message today at a time when hatefulness and ugliness towards each other has become the norm.

We must also remember that most Muslims, especially those living in North America, do not face the kind of opposition to Islam that the Prophet and his Companions faced in their day. Then shouldn't it be easier for us to deal in the Prophetic manner with those who oppose us, usually out of ignorance?