Islam and Human Rights — Page 93
Article 4 93 Prophet. “Knowest not that Allah has more authority over thee than thou hast over this creature of His?” The man had not been aware that the Prophet was anywhere near, but hast ened to respond: “Messenger of Allah, I set him free. ” “Thou dost well,” rejoined the Prophet,. . else thou wouldst have put thyself within reach of the Fire” 47 The testimony of such prisoners themselves is available that, on occasion, their captors went hungry so that the prisoners might be fed, or that the former walked so that the latter might ride. 48 When, during the time of ‘Umar, the second Khalifah, Jerusalem offered to surrended on condition that the Khali fah should come in person to settle the terms and to take over the city, ‘Umar proceeded on the journey from Medina to Jerusalem, accompanied by one such prisoner and taking only one camel, which also carried their meagre food sup plies. ‘Umar arranged that out of consideration for the animal they should ride it stage by stage by turns. For the last stage it was the tum of the prisoner to ride. He offered to forego his tum, but ‘U 47 Ibid. 48 Sirat Ibn Hisham II, p. 234; Sir William Muir, Life of Muhammad, p. 242.