Pain That Lingers

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Do we follow the command of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace? If you don't or don't like what the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, brought, keep it to yourself. Don't say it out loud or argue about it. Perhaps one day Allah might change your heart and you see the truth and wish you had not done what you did and had not said what you said.

For 21 years, Suhail ibn 'Amr, one of the Makkan leaders, fought and insulted the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. He was a master of the Makkans and an eloquent speaker.

During the Battle of Badr, Suhail was taken as prisoner of war. Omar, Allah be pleased with him, said to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, "O Messenger of Allah, let me extract the teeth of Suhail ibn 'Amr so no speaker stands against you from today." The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, did not allow that and said, "Perhaps Suhail will take a stand tomorrow which will make you happy."

Suhail was the one who negotiated a peace treaty with the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, at Hudaybiyah, outside of Makkah, when the Muslims were prevented from entering Makkah to perform umrah.

When Suhail came, the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Now the matter has become easy."

Suhail said to the Prophet "Please conclude a peace treaty with us."

So the Prophet called Ali, Allah be pleased with him, and said to him, "Write: By the Name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful."

Suhail said, "As for 'Beneficent,' by Allah, I do not know what it means. So write: By Your Name O Allah, as you used to write previously."

The Muslims said, "By Allah, we will not write except: By the Name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful."

The Prophet said, "Write: By Your Name O Allah."

Then he dictated, "This is the peace treaty which Muhammad, Allah's Apostle has concluded."

Suhail said, "By Allah, if we knew that you are Allah's Apostle we would not prevent you from visiting the Ka`ba, and would not fight with you. So, write: "Muhammad bin `Abdullah."

The Prophet said, "By Allah! I am Apostle of Allah even if you people do not believe me. Write: Muhammad bin `Abdullah."

The truce of Hudaybiyah was broken by the Quraysh when they sided with the tribe of Banu Bakr (with whom they had a pact to help one another), they attacked the tribe of Khuza'a who were the allies of the Muslims. The treaty was no longer effective. Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, the leader of Quraysh, realized this and did his best to revive the treaty, but the Muslims had already realized that the kuffar were not to be trusted, and the treaty was never revived. This was a victory for the Muslims.

The Muslim army triumphantly entered Makkah without any bloodshed and the kuffar surrendered without an attempt to resist. The city of Makkah was now at the mercy of Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and the Muslims. Everybody was present in the courtyard of the Haram (sanctuary of the Ka'ba). The enemies of Islam and Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, were helpless. Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked them: 'What do you expect at my hands?'. The voices of their hearts rang out: 'Kindness and pity, gracious brother, gracious nephew'. They were not disappointed. Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, used the noble words of Prophet Yusuf alayhissalaam wen he addressed his brothers: 'Have no fear this day, May Allah forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy'.

Hinda, the wife of Abu Sufyan ibn Harb, who had mutilated the body of Hamza, Allah be pleased with him (the beloved uncle of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace) came in the presence of Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, covered in a veil. The most bitter enemy was touched with general amnesty (general pardon) of Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and accepted Islam. Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, purified the sacred House of Allah (Ka'ba) removing all its 360 idols and stones, reciting "Truth has come and Falsehood vanished and no more shall falsehood return" The sanctuary of the Ka'ba contained such idols as Hubal, Latt and Manaat. They saw their downfall for they were nothing but pieces of stones. Now every nook and corner of Makkah witnessed and resounded with the call of Tauheed. Rasulullah, Allah bless him and grant him peace, also proclaimed that: 'Allah has forbidden the sale of intoxicants and usury (Interest) is declared as Haraam (unlawful)'.

At the same moment, this event which was filled with nobility and glory, stimulated the feelings of Suhail ibn 'Amr, Allah be pleased with him, and he surrendered to Allah and accepted Islam.

When the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, passed away, there were many Muslims who left Islam. Seeing this was about to happen to the Makkans, Suhail stood up and told the people, "Whoever worships Muhammad, know that Muhammad is dead, whoever worships Allah, Allah is living and never dies." This was exactly the same words that Allah put in the tongue of Abu Bakr, Allah be pleased with him, to the Muslims in Madinah. Suhail also said, "O people of Makkah, don't be the last people to become Muslims and don't be the first people to leave Islam." With these words, no Makkans left Islam. Imagine if the Makkans had left Islam at this time.

Omar, Allah be pleased with him, used to cry when he remembered Suhail's words to the Makkans and what the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said to him when he wanted to pull Suhail's teeth for his evil speeches against the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, "Perhaps Suhail will take a stand tomorrow which will make you happy." Imagine if Omar were to pull Suhail's teeth 13 years before.

Suhail was a great mujahid fighting the Romans and Persians. He was always made du'a for Allah to make him a martyr and Allah granted his du'a. He was martyred in one of the battles. Before he died, he said the thing that caused a pain in his heart was what he had said to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, during the treaty of Hudaybiyah (above).

May Allah increase our love for the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam