Murder in the Name of Allah — Page 37
A Rebuttal of Maududian Philosophy. I will plead with other men on your behalf. ' When other Muslims heard about this they said: 'What belongs to us, belongs to the Holy Prophetsa", and they immediately presented their captives to him. Thus all 6000 prisoners were freed. The sword played no part in their conversion. The. Holy Propheta gave his foster-sister camels, sheep and goats as presents. . Harith, the brother of the Holy Prophet's foster-father, insisted that the whole tribe of Hawazin be considered his foster-kinsmen. Their leader,. Malik, who had escaped to Taif, was recalled and given 100 camels. The. Holy Prophets also put him in command of the already increasing. Muslim community in Hawazin. Many others also received gifts. . Similarly, sixty-two prisoners were brought to Medina from the expedition of Uyaynah b. Hisn. They asked for mercy and were released. . In the expedition to Fuls, a centre of idol worship, Adi, the leader of the opposing tribe, Tayy, escaped but one of his sisters was captured. . When she was brought to Medina she threw herself at the Prophet's feet and begged for mercy. She said: 'My father freed the prisoners, provided hospitality for guests, fed the hungry and gave comfort to those in distress. He never turned away anyone who came to his door seeking help. I am the daughter of Hatim. '. The Holy Prophetsa spoke kindly to her and ordered her release, saying: 'Her father loved noble ways, and Allah likewise loves them. ". The Prophet gave her a camel and fine garments. Since she did not want to be released alone, all other captives taken with her were also freed. All this was done because she was the daughter of a great poet, whose hospitality and generosity made Arabs proud. When Adi heard of his sister's treatment he entered Islam and the Holy Prophets confirmed his chieftancy of Tayy. . Surveying the orientalists' conflicting opinions about the Prophet's personality, Maxime Rodinson has observed: 'Everyone has shaped him after their own passions, ideas or fantasies. "46 This observation applies more to Maulana Maududi, a Muslim, than it does to non-Muslim orientalists. His passion for political authority was fed on his childhood impressions of fading Hyderabadi glory and strengthened by the political struggle of his younger days, when he first admired Gandhiji and then opposed Hindu communalism. This so dominated his thinking that in his account he converted the life of the Holy Prophetsa - a blessing for all mankind into that of a warrior. . . a warrior putting the world to rights with the blade of a sword. 37