Life of Muhammad — Page 169
sa 169 The Prophet sa was moved and said, "Habb a r ra , if God has planted in your heart the love of Islam, how can I refuse to forgive you? I forgive everything you have done before this. " One cannot describe in detail the enormities these men had committed against Islam and Muslims. Yet how easily the Prophet sa forgave them! This spirit of forgiveness converted the most stone-hearted adversaries into devotees of the Prophet sa. BATTLE OF H UNAIN The Prophet's sa entry into Mecca was sudden. Tribes in the vicinity of Mecca, especially those in the south, remained unaware of the event until sometime later. On hearing of it, they began to assemble their forces and to prepare for a fight with the Muslims. There were two Arab tribes, the Haw a zin and the Thaq i f, unusually proud of their valiant traditions. They took counsel together and after some deliberation elected Malik ibn ‘ Auf as their leader. They then invited the tribes round about to join them. Among the tribes invited was the Ban u Sa‘d. The Prophet's sa wet-nurse, Hal i ma, belonged to this tribe and the Prophet sa as a child had lived among them. Men of this tribe collected in force and set out towards Mecca taking with them their families and their effects. Asked why they had done so, they replied it was in order that the soldiers might be reminded that, if they turned back and fled, their wives and children would be taken prisoners and their effects looted — so strong was their determination to fight and destroy the Muslims. This force descended in the valley of Rau ta s most suitable base for a battle, with its natural shelters, abundance of fodder and water, and facilities for cavalry movements. When the Prophet sa got to know of this, he sent ‘ Abdull a h bin Ab i H adwad ra to report on the situation. ‘ Abdull a h reported that there were military concentrations in the place and there was determination