Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume II — Page 215
215 Holy Prophet sa , is Ikr i mah ra not your relative?” He sa replied, “Yes, he is my relative. ” She asked, “Would you not like for Ikr i mah ra to stay here? When the rulers were not his relatives, he used to live in M ecca , but when you, who are his relative, became ruler, he has run away to Abyssinia. ” The Holy Prophet sa said, “Why has he gone to Abyssinia ?” Ikr i mah’s ra wife replied, “He had heard that you had given orders for his death. O Holy Prophet sa , whe n you have forgiven your other enemies , please forgive Ikr i mah ra as well. ” The Holy Prophet sa said, “I forgive him. If he returns, we will do him no harm. ” Ikr i mah’s ra wife said, “O Holy Prophet, he is a very ego tisti c al person. Perhaps you will expect him to accept Islam after his return. He will not accept Islam. ” The Holy Prophet sa said, “ From myself, I give him permission to stay with his faith. ” That woman was very courageous. She went in search of her husband. Ikr i mah ra was fleeing M ecca towards Abyssinia. As he was sitting on the seashore , ready to leave Arab ia forever, his distracted and worried wife caught up with him and said, “ My uncle’s son (Arab women used to call their husbands their uncle’s sons) , where are you going, leaving s uch a gentle and merciful person?” This place from where ships left for Abyssinia , was seventy miles away from M ecca. Ikr i ma h ra said, “Why have you come running after me? Do you think that the Holy Prophet sa will forgive me after all my opposition against him?” His wife said, “Yes, I have just come from the Holy Prophet sa. He has said that he has forgiven Ikr i mah ra. You may return to M ecca if you like and stay there in peace. You will not be troubled. In fact , I even had him promise that you will be allowed to keep your faith if you like. You will not be forced to accept Islam. ” So Ikr i mah ra returned. His wife took him to meet the Holy Prophet sa and said, “O Holy Prophet sa your nephew has returned. ” Then Ikr i mah ra motioned to her to let him speak. Thus , Ikr i mah ra said to the Holy Prophet sa , “She has told me that you have forgiven me despite all my opposition to you and you will not kill me. Is this true?” The Holy Prophet sa replie d, “Yes your wife has told the truth. ” Then Ikr i mah ra said , “She has also told me that you have allowed me to stay with my religion if I like and I w ill n ot be forced to convert to Islam. ” The Holy Prophet sa said, “Your wife has told the truth. ” On hearing this Ikr i mah ra recited : ا 5 ْﺷ َﻬ ُﺪ ا 5 ْن ﻻ ﱠ ِا ﻟ s َﻪ ِا ﻻ ﱠ gُ َو ا 5 ْﺷ َﻬ ُﺪ ا 5 ن ﱠ ُﻣ َﺤ ﻤ ﱠ ًﺪ ا َﻋ [ْ ُﺪ ُە َو َر ُﺳ ْﻮ ﻟ a ُﻪ