Misunderstanding, why?

It was time for the Third Lecture, and the audience started coming in numbers exceeding those that attended previously. When Dr. Adam walked into the hall, the audience welcomed her and she reciprocated their greeting. She began as follows:

“We can briefly sum up the reasons why non-Muslims have adopted a negative attitude towards the Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, particularly in the Western world.” After a brief silence, she asked whether this was not what the majority of the audience wanted, and whether it was not the subject they expected her to talk about in her third lecture. In the mean time she kept smiling at the audience and encouraged them to express their opinions.

A group of the audience answered in the affirmative, adding that that was what they had agreed on and expected and thanked her for her speedy response.

Dr. Adam began by saying that she did not deny that that matter was connected with the subject at hand, though she did not wish to elaborate on it for the time being, as she might have to revert to it in future lectures, in the process of exposition and analysis of some of the attitudes of the Prophet, pbuh,.

The first thing that drew her attention in this matter was an opinion expressed by the English historian and writer R.F. Bodley, who was to her a virtual key, as he stated that it was unfortunate that the Prophet of Mercy came after the advent of Christ.[1] The common belief was that any prophet who comes after Christ is phony and the religion he propounds is not true, and will be at the expense of other former religions. This was frankly expressed by a Western thinker: “Muhammad was capable of establishing a political and religious empire, at the expense of Moses and Christ.[2]

This illusion is built on previous illusions, the first being their assumption that the message of the Prophet of Mercy,pbuh, is contrary to that of Christ, which is not true. The second is their ignorance that Christ, pbuh, has announced the good tidings of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, and urged his followers to believe in him. All the Gospels included references to the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, and the good tidings of his advent which was close at hand. This may be verified by referring to the Gospel of Mathews  (24 – 44, The Gosel of John (6:27), and many other references.[3]

This good tiding is expressly mentioned in the Holy Qur’an: “And remember, Jesus, son of Mary who said, ‘O children of Israel! I am the Messenger of Allah (sent) to you, confirming the Torah and giving glad tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad.’” As-Saff, 6).

On the other hand, the Holy Qur’an spoke very highly of Christ, praised him, exalted him and venerated him. The different views held by those who imagine the existence of a difference between Christ, pbuh, and the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh,, exists only in the minds who have no appreciation of the facts, or those who were prejudiced against the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh.

On this occasion, Dr, Adam said “I wish the followers of Christ would consult what the Prophet of Mercy says about Christ, through the verses of the Qur’an and the Prophet’s traditions, and to treat him in the way he treated Christ, which, I think is only fair, and to treat Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, in the way Muslims treat Christ , pbuh,. This, my dear audience is a fair and just invitation.”

One wonders whether the followers of Christ are aware that Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, has strongly condemned the Jews who were his neighbors in Median on account of the abominations they ascribed to Christ’s mother, at a time when there was no relations or neighborliness  between him and the followers of Christ. The Qur’an has recorded this condemnation of the Jews, when it mentioned some of their sins, which included what Allah Almighty said of them: “That they rejected Faith and that they uttered against Mary a grave false charge (Al-Nisaa, 156).

The second thing that has led to this misunderstanding is that non-Muslims have looked at the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, in light of descriptions that stuck in their minds concerning their great figures, which descriptions came to be considered as virtual criteria.

Thus the followers of Christ saw nothing in Christ except his tolerance and forgiveness, so much so that they considered that his greatness lies in his loss.[4] But Dr. Adam said, “I reject the statement that a prophet loses before his people. The same thing applies to the followers of Buddha; it  had stuck in their minds that his qualities were those of a great saint, the most conspicuous being his asceticism and his abandoning of the present life and its pleasures.”

Those have thought that the one who would come after Christ would necessarily be his opposite, particularly if his conduct seemed to suggest lack of mercy and tolerance, in their opinion. Thus they were under the impression that he would be domineering, thirsty for revenge, lacking mercy or tolerance. Thus, some of them, unknowingly and without reflection, described the Prophet of Merci, pbuh, as having such attributes,. The same applies to the followers of Buddha and others.”

Dr. Adam went on to say, “I say in all clarity and frankness that if greatness is synonymous with the monasticism of priests, their tolerance towards their adversaries, their forgiveness of the wrong doers and neglecting their reformation; if greatness means the asceticism of Buddha, who abandoned his wife and  his home  and wandered in the forests; and if greatness means the torturing of oneself by the Hindu priests, in refraining from eating and sleeping for several days ـــ if such things are the exponents of greatness, then the Prophet of Mercy would not be considered great, because he lacks such qualities, because, in such case, he would not be a reformer who guides people to virtues and distances them from vices. He would rather be great and remote from their conditions, good only in himself, and merely earning their admiration or surprise. This being the case, they are undoubtedly justified; but in such case, the reformer would lose his role and his function would cease to exist. This is clearly apparent in the life of Buddha, who abandoned life and died in seclusion. This is also the case with Zoroaster, who secluded himself from people in a mountain until he died.[5] 

This behavior does not please the Prophet, pbuh,: neither does it please his followers, because this would overburden them and would create an insurmountable barrier between the conduct of their Prophet and their own conduct. The greatness of the Prophet of Mercy lies in his realism and simplicity. Ignorance of these facts, and the abnormal criteria by which greatness is judged, may perhaps explain why non-Muslims have a problem with the Prophet of Mercy.

The third factor, with which I shall conclude my lecture, has to do with old legacies and backgrounds. I leave it to Dr. Alexi Joravisky, for whom I have great respect, to expound this matter from his own point of view, which maintains that, in the Middle Ages, Europe’s literature on Muslims was mostly recorded by Christian clergy, who based their views on extremely divergent sources, such as the folkloric stories of heroes, pilgrims and saints, as well as the defensive polemic - theological works of Eastern Christians, the testimonies of some Muslims and the translations of their thinkers and scholars.

In most cases information was taken out of context and presented to the European reader. In this manner, facts were deliberately distorted in some cases and unintentionally at other times, in the zealous and hasty quest for “the Problem of Islam” that had dominated religious - ideological subjects in the Middle Ages.[6]

Montgomery Watt agrees with this analysis and said that in the Middle Ages there had existed in the consciousness of the Europeans the features of the following picture of Islam: It is a creed invented by Muhammad. This picture is full of lies and deliberate distortion of facts. Thus it is termed as the religion of predestination and moral degeneration, the abuse of carnal pleasures and lust. It is the religion of violence and cruelty. He went on to say that Islam was portrayed as an ugly and evil type that is totally different and contradictory with the ideal type of Christianity, which is the true religion that is characterized by strict ethics and the spirit of peace, and that it is a creed that is propagated peacefully and not by the force of arms.[7]

In light of this analysis, we can easily understand what Professor Southert has said when he talkerd on the general tendency that prevailed in the scientific environment of the West, when he says, “The only thing we should not expect to find, during those ages, is the academic liberal spirit, or the human research that characterized many endeavors of research that related to Islam in the past hundred years.[8]

Together, these factors have contributed to the misunderstanding of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh,. No doubt there are others, of various force and effect. I think the clearest and most effective was the third, which was clearly expounded by two eminent orientalists, who have studied the life story of the Prophet, pbuh.

In any case, I do not wish to dwell too long on this matter, which I have tackled only because I was asked about it, because my approach is based on the exposition of the truth, to the best of my ability, and to put it before those whose love and respect I reciprocate, which is a great satisfaction and pleasure to me.

While I recognize that there is a conflict between various reports of information, which is the result of the conflict between cultures, which they regrettably term as the conflict of civilizations, yet I firmly believe that it is the true information that survives, because it embodies the factors of its strength and survival.

I have realized, through discussions with some colleagues, that true information imposes itself and forces respect  to it; indeed it confers respect in the academic circles on those who are interested in it and respect it.

If anyone tries to belittle information, the truth of which has been transmitted from one generation to another, they would be belittling themselves in fact. This is one of several reasons that made eminent professors concede the truth of information that they do not like, but allowed themselves to elaborate on their interpretation, to their liking, and, at times, to force impossible meanings upon them. But this, in any case, is another matter.”

As Dr. Adam was preparing to resume her lecture, she looked happy, buoyant, and full of energy, as though that lecture was her first. This impression was corroborated when she said, “The previous lectures may be considered mere introductions to what is forthcoming, as we shall concentrate on the attribute of mercy and its manifestations in the life of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh.”

“It would be proper, dear audience, to shed some light on the life of Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, before embarking on these lectures. He is Muhammad, son of Abdullah, son of Abdul Muttaleb, son of Hashem, whose lineage goes back to God’s Prophet Isma’il, who lived in Mecca and was the son of God’s Prophet, Abraham.

Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, is a member of the most famous and honorable Arab tribe of his time. It is the tribe of Bani (children of ) Hashem of Quraish. His mother is Aminah, daughter of Wahab, of Bani Zuhrah, a well known Arab tribe.

Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, was born in 570 G., as established by the majority of the authoritative historical sources, though some scholars believe that it was 571 G. I do not consider this a difference, because he was born towards the end of 570.

Holy Mecca was his birth place. It is an ancient city in the Arabian Peninsula, in Asia. I have found, in the results of pieces of research and studies based on satellite pictures and space ships, that Mecca is the centre of the circle, in relation to Earth. Such studies are accessible to those who are interested in ascertaining this amazing fact.

His father died while he was still in the womb of his mother. Thus he was born an orphan, and was the only son to his mother, who took care of him till her death, when he was six years old. Thereafter, he was supported and cared for by his grandfather Abdul Muttaleb. When Muhammad, pbuh, was eight years old, his grandfather died and his uncle Abu Taleb, joined him to his children and cared for him as though he was one of his own children.

As a youth, Muhammad, bpuh, began to work to support himself. Thus, he tended sheep for the people of Mecca and later on he engaged in trade, traveling beyond the Arab Peninsula. ُEver since he was young he was known, among his people, , as truthful and trustworthy.

He then managed the trade of an honorable lady of Quraish, Khadijah bint Khwailed, and he was destined to marry her. She was forty and he was twenty five years old at the time.

She gave birth to four daughters and two sons, lived to be sixty five and was the only wife he had in her life time.

All his sons and daughters died during his life, except one, Fatimah, who died six months after his death.

When Muhammad, pbuh, was forty, God’s revelation of Islam was descended upon him and he began preaching Islam to people for thirteen years in Mecca and then moved to Medina, about 500 kms from Mecca after the majority of Medina’s population adopted Islam and were historically known as the Ansaar (The Helpers).

The Prophet, pbuh, kept preaching Islam for twenty three years and established an Islamic State in the Arab Peninsula.

He died when he was sixty three years old and was buried in Medina in 633 G.

Throughout all his life, he lived simply in matters of food, drink, and clothes. Sometimes, he and his family would not find anything to eat for days. He was modest and close to people, whom he loved and who reciprocated his love.[9]

At the time, the life of humanity was deplorable as unanimously reported by books on the history of nations and peoples. Virtues were non-existent and many forms of vices, such as the killing of daughters and illicit marriages were rampant; the strong dominated the weak, wrong doing and aggression prevailed; wars broke out for the most trivial of reasons. Such ugly conditions spared no environment at the time.

While we cannot go into details of all the features of this corruption and degeneration, for lack of space and space, and lest we should be distracted from our original subject, we nevertheless cannot totally disregard these facts, because they help us understand a great many issues. Hence, an understanding of the present sometimes requires that we invoke the past. This being the case, allow me to exemplify by considering one aspect which I believe would give a clear picture of that condition. This is the status of women at that time, which I propose to deal with very briefly[10], but allow myself to be biased to my gender, in this respect.

Arab women in the Arab Peninsula – the environment in which the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, has lived – has suffered from the ugliest forms of wrong doing, as sometimes young females were buried alive in the sand.

The Holy Qur’an has recorded this abominable practice in the following verse: “When the female (infant), buried alive, is questioned for what crime she was killed” (Al-Takwir, 8-9). The woman was considered part of the furnishings of a house; when her husband died, his relatives would inherit her, as though she was a piece of furniture.

The woman fared no better in the environments neighboring that of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh,. Thus the Romans, to the West of the Arab Peninsula, allowed fathers to kill their wives in what was known to them as the marriage of sovereignty[11], and fathers were allowed to abandon their newly born baby girls, even if this meant leaving them on the road until they died. This is not surprising, for Roman society was known for its culture of brutality and pugnacity, while mercy did not have the least value.

As to Persian society, to the east of the Arab Peninsula, suffice it to say that the principles of Mazdocism were prevalent and advocated profligacy and illicit marriage between close relatives, making it lawful for a brother to marry his sister. Further east, in India, we find that the woman was burned alive, after the death of her husband, as there was no meaning for her survival after him. On the other hand, the woman was despised in Greek society, so much so that one of their philosophers said, “A woman’s name must be imprisoned at home just as her body should be imprisoned.”       

Dr. Adam said that she did not wish to dwell on this matter, which does not appeal to all present. She merely gave certain hints that confirm that those societies were deprived of the manifestations of mercy and humanity. In them there prevailed injustice and cruelty.

William Mure has summed up the condition of those times as follows; “Reform was unthinkable at the advent of thr Prophet Muhammad. We know of no success and reform as that he left upon his death.”[12]

However, if there were at all some instances of mercy and tolerance, dispersed here and there, which we do not deny, they, nevertheless, remain isolated cases that are almost indiscernible and had no effect on society, as against the pictures of injustice, domination and hostility that prevailed at the time on a large scale. 

God has sent the Prophet of Mercy in these environments and to those peoples, as a mercy to them, and sent down to them a religion that is the very embodiment of mercy. This encourages us to say that the beginning was there. It is the one thousand mile trip, whose first step was there. It is the voyage of humanity to the world of mercy and compassion. In fact this is not a sentimental talk that springs from void. It is rather the fruit of research and analysis, and judgment rests with the listener, whom I respect and trust.

The Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, has, from the dawn of his call, started spreading mercy among people, although  the first environment in which he lived – Mecca – preaching for thirteen years, was hostile to him all the way through with all its might, where there was no place for mercy, except certain isolated manifestations prompted by Arabian values, whose manifestations had not vanished despite the prevalence of cultures that were contrary to those values that had become odd and bizarre. In his mission, he had no helpers with the exception of persecuted individuals, who were increasing every day, despite the injustice and persecution they were exposed to.

The manifestations of the mercy of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, started with both his followers and enemies, from the first day of his preaching. This fact has attracted the attention of those involved in the study of his life. This was manifested by his commitment and that of his followers not to retaliate in the face of the abuse of their enemies, such attitudes having been in implementation of God’s instructions: “Hast thou not turned thy thought to those who were told to hold back their hands (from fight) but establish regular prayers…(Al-Nisaa’,77); and in another verse: “But turn away from them and say ‘Peace / But soon shall they know.” (Al-Zukhrof, 89); and yet in another verse, God has ordered the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, and his followers to forgive: “But forgive and overlook”   (Al-Baqarah, 109).

Ever since the first days, mercy was present and manifest in this approach, so that people would be aware that the decisive word is for principles, and that conflict is only a conflict of beliefs, and that survival is for the fittest, without any exterior influence in terms of force or other effects, and the Prophet, pbuh, is determined to follow this path, though he knew that his adversaries would not accept it. Moreover, the Prophet has seen all that represents good and tolerance in this path, which is based on forgiveness, patience and tolerance. This is because those who believe in him and those who reject him belong to one community, being united by family and family links, and may live in one and the same house.

It was out of the Prophet’s mercy for them that he forbade his followers to fight them and retaliate, so that brother would not kill brother, friend would not kill friend and neighbor would not kill neighbor, as far as that was possible.

This unique and exceptional attitude in this environment continued several years, as people in these environments used to settle their problems, even the trivial ones, by fighting. In fact, the enemies of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, have entertained such intentions and said so quite openly: “It is as it were that you desire that difference should escalate between us to the point of brandishing swords on one another until we destroy ourselves.”[13] And no one would survive. But they did not know that the Prophet had other ideas and an unfamiliar approach, which he would brandish in their faces, rather than brandishing swords.

The Prophet made this clear when his followers asked him to be allowed to defend themselves in the face of the injuries they were exposed to. Thus they would say, “O Prophet of God, we were mighty and revered when we set up gods with God, but when we attained belief we became humiliated.” But the Prophet said, “I am ordered to forgive. Do not fight these folks.”

Thus, whether they like it or not, they are now before a new approach that confronts differences – albeit unilaterally – with mercy, tolerance and forgiveness.

In this attitude the Prophet, pbuh, has signaled to humanity, past and present, that mercy would create the proper atmosphere for dialogue and understanding among people, despite their differences in terms of views and races.

Hatred blinds people; the voice of might renders people deaf, and the consequence is the prevalence of the law of the jungle.

The attribute of mercy in the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, was not reflected only in a personal behavior, without considering those who were around him, as is the case in some great figures. Such figures made virtuous manners personal attributes that distinguished them from their fellow human beings, who continued as they had been previously, such as the asceticism of Buddha, for example, so that it might be surmised they are the manners of the elite and have nothing to do with the ordinary people, who are not required to acquire such manners.

The Prophet, pbuh, has acquired these manners, and then ordered people to follow suit and emulate his words and deeds, so much so that it may be said that without hesitation the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, has through his behavior, created an environment in which the attribute of mercy grows up and the culture of people being merciful towards one another gradually spreads among people and becomes a social trait, after it had been an individual, weak and secluded character – characterizing a few of them. Is it not a fact that the conduct of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, is to be considered a message to reformers and to the wise, within human communities at all times and in al places. Such conduct involves the need for those people to propagate the virtues that characterize them and for exerting efforts for persuading people to adopt them, not to be satisfied with possessing such virtues alone and leaving people as they are.

The Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, has exerted all sorts of efforts in order to firmly establish these virtues among men, despite the harm and hardship he and his followers had been exposed to, at the hands of enemies with cruel and unyielding disposition, who objected to his person. The Holy Qur’an has recorded such objection and exposed their cruelty and the evil  they harbored inside them: “Why is not this Qut’an sent to some leading ma of the two (chief) cities?” (Al-Zukhrof, 31. They objected to the principles of his call and objected to his followers.

His enemies put dirt on his head, while he was prostrating, so that he could remove it. It was his daughter who came and removed it. Once he was beaten and spat on and perpetually exposed to ridicule.[14]

Such enemies of the Prophet have also ridiculed the principles he was advocating ــ his call for the worship of one God. This is recorded in the Holy Qur’an: “Has he made gods (all) into one God? Truly this is a strange thing.” (Sad, 5).

They also exposed his followers to the ugliest forms of torture and killed Sumayyah bint Khabat, after torturing her.[15] At this point Dr. Adam paused and looked at the audience, smiling, and showing signs of emotions and said, “I am pleased to side, this time in this lecture, with my gender, to tell you that a woman was the first to sacrifice herself for the sake of the teachings of the Religion of Mercy. Then her husband, Yasser, died under various forms of torture which continued for long periods of time.”

She went on to say, “Before I proceed with the exposition of these events I would like to point to an important matter of methodology, which, in brief, relates to the fact that when I narrate these events and stories, I aim to leave it to you to deduce, yourselves, the lessons that reflect the way mercy was propagated among people.

There is one other matter that is just as important, namely, that the nature of these cultural lectures requires the mentioning of these true and well established stories, as people’s minds appreciate hearing them, particularly in view of the fact that we have looked for similar ones in the lives of great figures who preceded the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh,, but did not find any of them.

I conclude with a third matter, and apologize for this digression. When I was a young student, I used to love to hear such stories from the lecturer because, in my view, they make the point more easily and rapidly, and I assume that your are, just like me.” A member of the audience said something that indicates concurrence with what she said.

I must not omit to mention also a picture of torture to which a woman was exposed at the hands of the Meccans. This woman is Um Salamah, who later on became a wife of the Prophet, pbuh, after the death of her husband. I will let her tell her story herself. ‘When Abu Salamah – meaning her husband – decided to migrate to Medina, he mounted me and my son on a camel and headed to Medina. Some members of my family, the Banu Mughirah, intercepted us and would not let him take me, their daughter. When my husband’s folks, Banu Assad, saw what my people had done, they swore they would not leave their son with them if they were to take her by force.

So they started, each side pulling my son in their direction, until they wrenched his arm and my husband’s folks took him. I was taken by my people, who separated me from my husband and my young son after having dislocated his arm. I used subsequently to go out to the outskirts of Mecca and weep all day, for a year or so.”[16]

I do not wish to comment on this story. It is enough that it is a tragic picture that is self-evident.

The response of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, was to advocate tolerance and mutual mercy, which is hard to achieve. But the Qur’an, which was being revealed at this time in Mecca, had a role in spreading the culture of mercy. It urged people to observe patience. It narrated to the Muslims the stories of the believing predecessors from former nations, by way of consolation.

What is also worth noting is that the Holy Qur’an has never called for the severance of family ties, as between those who adopted Islam and those who did not, and neither did it permit Muslims to ostracize them or to refrain from being benevolent and gracious to those who were fighting against the Prophet, pbuh, and his followers.

There is some query on my mind, which I would like to put before you, and which I, truly, did not find anyone who mentioned it. Do you not notice a clear similarity between the Message of Christ , pbuh, and the Message of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, in Mecca, both having preached forgiveness and forbearance?

I may be going too far if I say that the phenomenon of tolerance and forgiveness was more pronounced in the Message of Prophet Muhammad, pbuh, than in the Message of Christ, as there was a clear enmity between the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, and his opponents, and despite the constant request of his followers to be allowed to fight their enemies, which request was met with insistence on adherence to such manners and imposing them on his followers. He kept insisting on adherence to mercy, despite the many provocations that emanated from his enemies in Mecca, and despite the torturing his followers had been exposed to.

This is a message to those who have misunderstood the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, and were under the illusion that his Message was the opposite of that of Christ. I am struck by a statement by the eminent English writer Bernard Shaw, who has understood this fact and said, “I have studied Muhammad as an astounding man and found that he was remote from being contrary to Christ.”[17]

Things continued in this manner, the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, confronting his enemies with forgiveness and mercy, while they were confronting him and his followers with cruelty. Such cruelty assumed severe proportions, seven years after his mission, when his enemies in Mecca decided to besiege the Prophet and his followers, and all those who sided with them from amongst his relatives, in a dale known as the Gorge of Abu Taleb, with a view to isolating them from the outside world, and to boycott then economically and socially.

They succeeded in that and the isolation and siege continued for three years, which were severe and dreadful to the Prophet and those who were with him.[18] But the Prophet did not change his conduct. Thereafter, the fruits of mercy, whose seeds he had implanted in that environment, and took real care of them, with his words and deeds, began to blossom.

Thus mercy began to stir in the hearts of a number of those opposing him and they decided to end the siege and cancel the isolation.

The Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, and his followers emerged victorious when many people in and outside Mecca sympathized with them on account of their suffering and his enemies felt embarrassed and lost, as their cruelty was defeated in the face of the mercy of the Prophet, pbuh, and his peaceful attitude. Thus their cruelty has misfired.

Dear audience,

I an afraid I have dwelt too long on the subject in this lecture. Allow me to conclude by saying that the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, has created an environment wherein mercy has flourished to become a culture that spread to encompass the people. He has succeeded in making mercy a means to protect his companions and used it as a weapon that enabled him to defeat his enemies on several occasions, as you have seen, which was a conduct unknown to people before.

Meanwhile, a member of the audience stood up and thanked her for her perseverance and asked if he could ask her a question, which permission was granted forthwith. He said, “There is no doubt that we are considering a great personality, that excels in the establishment of patience and the spreading of mercy in an environment that rejected it. But what if one who has listened to this lecture would say that what we have seen in the conduct of the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, was neither mercy nor tolerance, but was a form of surrender and acceptance of reality, because he had no choice except to adopt that attitude, in view of the paucity of his followers and his weak potentials. Hence, he had no alternative but to face injury with patience and to avoid, by all means, clashing in Mecca with his opponents, who outnumbered him and his followers and were more powerful than them.”

Some of the audience looked towards the speaker, as though in confirmation of what he said, and waited to hear the opinion of Dr. Adam, who welcomed the intervention of the speaker, and asked the audience if they had heard what the speaker had said, and some of them replied in the affirmative.

She said, “I believe today’s lecture gave some answers to this question. But in order to arrive at an answer one has to read between the lines and requires an analysis of the events we have discussed and those that are forthcoming after the conditions of the Prophet would change from weakness to strength. In this connection, I have just remembered an opinion adopted by many Muslim scholars, to the effect that the Prophet, pbuh, had never been weak or powerless before his opponents. This is evidenced by the fact that had he so wished, they would all have perished in one moment.

The narrators of the Prophet’s traditions have reported a tradition which they unanimously considered to be authentic. It stated that God had sent an angel to the Prophet of Mercy, pbuh, after his people’s belying him had escalated, proposing to him to destroy all of them. But the Prophet, pbuh, strongly refused that.[19] If the change of attitude had depended on power, the attitude of the Prophet, pbuh, would have changed immediately after God had supplied him with that extraordinary power.

However, this does not negate the weakness of the Muslims at the time, as people would think. Therefore, I propose that we split this task: you search in the events we have discussed; these may provide some answers to that legitimate query, and I, for my part, would provide answers to this question in light of further readings, with a view to answering it, in the next lecture.

I shall give you the opportunity to express your points of view in the next lecture. Thank you and good bye