Minorities in an Islamic State — Page 13
13 which the loan was to be repaid was approaching fast but there was no money. Bil a l ra was afraid that the creditor would press his demand and make things awkward for him. He conveyed his fears to the Prophet sa and begged leave to go out of Medina for a few days to escape from the clutches of the creditor. Under the law of the time a money-lender could even put the borrower under house arrest. Bil a l ra was afraid that this too might happen. Accordingly, he went to his house and made preparations to go out of the city early in the morning. Early next morning, Bil a l ra received word from the Prophet sa that he need not worry as arrangements for payment had been made. 14 This happened sometime after seventh year of Hijra when Islam was at the heyday of its power. World history is incapable of furnishing a similar example of the protection of rights of an ordinary citizen against the head of a state. Soon after the Fall of Mecca, a deputation of Ban u Thaq i f from Ta ’ if waited on the Holy Prophet sa , who made arrangements for their stay in the Mosque, where tents were pitched for them. Some people approached the Prophet sa and objected to their staying in the mosque on the ground that the guests were idolaters and an impure lot. The Prophet sa replied that the Quranic verse ٌ َنََّّس َّ ا ِّن ََّّا ا ْلْ شْرِكوْن i. e. "The idolaters are impure" refers to a cond i tion of heart and not to