Moral Principles as the Basis of Islamic Culture — Page 9
prophets including the Holy Prophet of Islam the (,luran states: "0 Prophets "you Me not to use. 'YOl/lf authorit. Y or infl1'ence over your people to 11&1111ire benefits for yo11rsel11es. You are to use for yow own pe;-10111 nm1 tlMt which the law permits and must act appropriately in attorJ- ""'e with law on all occasions. " (Oi. XXHI, v. n). The Holy Prophet was, throughout his life, acutely conscious of this obligation. Shortly before his death he addressed his companions explaining that being only a man and one of them, he might have unconsciously trespassed against or wronged other people. He ~gged any person who considered himself i~jured or wronged by him to aslc for redress or compensation so that ·before his death the Prophet might ·be free of all obligations toward his fellow beings and should not run the ,risk of being called to account by God for any of his acts that may have am~unted to a wrong or a trespass against any of them. One of those present said, "On the occasion of the battle of Badr, 6 Prophet, when you were lining us up }'Ou crossed from one line to the other in a hurry and. your elbow struck against· my back. " The Proph- et, who was. at _the time lying prostrate with high' fever, replied, ''Theo strike me with your elbow lest I should be called to account by God for the· hurt that I caused you. " The man answered, "When I was struck my back was bare but you are wearing a shirt. " The Prophet then asked that his shirt may be raised from his back so that the man should be able to strike him on his bare back. His other companions who were present were gre-. ltly incensed against what they regarded as the impertinence and importunity of the complainant but had nQ choice save to obey. So his shirt was raised and his back was uncovered. The man who had made the complaint came forward with streaming eyes and kissed the Prophet's back. The Prophet was sur· prised and enquired why the man had so acted. He explained, "O Apostle of Allah,' I had indeed been accidentally struck by y0u as I have stated; When you indicated that your end was near and offered· · to compensate or make restitution to any who might have been wronged by you I recalled the incident and the thought came to me that I might make it an excuse for kissing your back for we shall soon be parted from you. " This incident illustrates to wh \:Xtcnt Islam has subjected