Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 287
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 287 you. You need pay no attention to his nonsense, and may extend him your forbearance. ’ Shortly after, Abdullah, son of Abdullah bin Ubayy, who was a sincere Muslim, came to the Holy Prophet much agitated, and submitted, ‘Messenger of Allah, I have heard tha t you intend to order the execution of my father on account of his arrogance and mischief. If that is your decision, I would submit that you should appoint me as my father’s executioner and I would immediately carry out your direction; but I would urge tha t you should not appoint anyone else to carry out your direction, lest, out of my weakness, I should thereafter bear a grudge against that person, and thus incur the displeasure of God. ’ The Holy Prophet replied to him, ‘Have no fear. So long as your fathe r remains with us, we shall make our companionship pleasant unto him. ’ But the son was so incensed against his father that when the Muslim force approached Medina the son blocked the father’s way and swore that he would not let him proceed any further unle ss he confessed that the Holy Prophet was the most honoured, and he, Abdullah bin Ubayy, the meanest of the people of Medina. The father was thus compelled to confess as his son required and it was only then that the son left him free to proceed. The march started at noon and continued during the rest of the day and throughout the night and during the morning hours of the next day. When camp was made, everyone was so dead tired that they all lay down immediately and slept for several hours. Thus, t hrough the wisdom of the Holy Prophet, the attention of the Muslims was diverted from the unpleasant incident of the previous day and they were safeguarded against the mischief that the disaffected had contrived. Yet, no frustration served to