Muhammad: Seal of the Prophets — Page 446
MUHAMMAD : SEAL OF THE PROPHETS 446 savage and barbarous practices. He commanded in battle, but scrupulously refrained from personally shedding blood. His strategy was faultless and was always designed to reduce loss of life and human suffering to the minimum. During eight years of fighting, punctuated with pitched battles and numerous pre - emptive expeditions, the total loss of life suffered by his enemies was 759, and that suffered by his own people was 259. Binding obligations and demands of justice imposed upon him the duty of avenging wro ng and punishing evil in a harsh world, but his judgments were always tempered with mercy. He did not fail to exercise sternness when the occasion demanded it, for any such lack would have been a failure in the discharge of his obligations. He would not to lerate treason or treachery, but was never vindictive. He was most forgiving and forbearing in respect of personal wrongs suffered by him. The following description of his person and character is taken from Sir William Muir ( Life of Muhammad, pp. 510 - 13): His form, though little above mean height, was stately and commanding. The depth of feeling in his dark black eyes, and the winning expression of a face otherwise attractive, gained the confidence and love of strangers, even at first sight. His features of ten unbended into a smile full of grace and condescension. He was, says an admiring follower, the handsomest and bravest, the brightest - faced and most generous of men. It was as though the sunlight beamed in his countenance. His gait has been likened to th at of one descending a hill rapidly. When he made haste, it was with difficulty that one kept