The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 1) — Page ccxliv
GENERAL INTRODUCTION had become under the discipline of Islam. He saw all the Muslim campers turned out for their morning prayers. Some went to and fro in quest of water for ablutions, others to supervise the lining up of worshippers for the service. Abu Sufyān could not understand this activity early in the morning. He was frightened. Was a new plan afoot to overawe him? "What can they all be doing?" he asked in sheer consternation. "Nothing to be afraid of," replied 'Abbās. "They are only preparing for the morning prayers. " Abu Sufyān then saw thousands of Muslims lined up behind the Prophet, making the prescribed movements and devotions at the bidding of the Prophet half prostrations, full prostrations, standing up again, and so on. 'Abbas was on guard duty, so he was free to engage Abu Sufyān in conversation. "What could they be doing now?" asked Abū Sufyān. "Everything the Prophet does, is done by the rest. " "What are you thinking about? It is only the Muslim prayer, Abu Sufyān. Muslims would do anything at the bidding of the Prophet-give up food and drink for instance. " "True," said Abū Sufyān, "I have seen great courts. I have seen the court of the Chosroes and the court of the Kaiser, but I have never seen any people as devoted to their leader as Muslims are to their Prophet" (Ḥalbiyyah, Vol. 2, p. 90). Filled with fear and guilt, Abū Sufyān went on to ask ‘Abbās if he would not request the Prophet to forgive his own people—meaning the Meccans. The morning prayers over, 'Abbās led Abū Sufyān to the Prophet. Said the Prophet to Abu Sufyan, "Has it not yet dawned upon you that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah?" "My father and my mother be a sacrifice to you. You have ever been kind, gentle and considerate to your kith and kin. I am certain now that if there were anyone else worthy of worship, we might have had some help against you from him. " "Has it not also dawned upon you that I am a Messenger of Allah?" "My father and my mother be a sacrifice to you, on this I still have some doubts. " While Abu Sufyān hesitated to acknowledge the Prophet as Messenger of God, two of his companions who had marched out of Mecca with him to do reconnoitring duty for the Meccans, became Muslims. One of them was Hakim bin Ḥizām. A little later, Abū Sufyān also joined, but his inner conversion seems to have been deferred until after the conquest of Mecca. Ḥakīm bin Ḥizām asked the Prophet if the Muslims would destroy their own kith and kin. ccxviii