Introduction.....................................................................viii

‘His Character Was the Qur’an’.................................................x

A Blessing in Disguise............................................................. xi

A Difficult Decade in Makkah............................................ 1

1. Let the Angels Respond.....................................................7

2. They are Misguided in Their Insults................................ 9

3. Praying for Guidance and Recognizing Their Potential....10

4. Sparing Them Divine Punishment..................................11

5. Showing Mercy On the Worst Day of His Life............... 12

6. More Hope in a Tribe Than Its Own Chief.....................14

7. Maintaining the Trust of His Persecutors........................15

8. Integrity in a Desperate Situation....................................16

The Legacy Continues in Madinah.................................... 17

9. Refusal to Resort to Name Calling..................................21

10. God Loves Gentleness..................................................... 22

11. Abuse Only Increased Him in Grace.............................. 23

12. The Quraysh’s Scout........................................................25

13. Maintain Your Promise................................................... 26

14. I Will Not Mutilate Him, Lest Allah Mutilate Me..........27

15. Merciful Instincts............................................................ 28

16. Feeding the Captives....................................................... 29

17. Clothing the Captives..................................................... 30

18. Lenience With the Ransom..............................................31

19. Increased Opportunities for Freedom..............................32

20. Introducing Prisoner Exchange........................................35

v

21. Keeping Captive Families Together................................. 34

22. No Favour Forgotten........................................................35

23. Averting War With Banū Qaynuqāʿ.................................36

24. They Just Don’t Know Any Better...................................37

25. Forgiving Treason.............................................................39

26. God Informed Him of an Assassination Attempt........... 40

27. Forgiving a Sorcerer..........................................................41

28. A Blessed Woman............................................................ 42

29. An Attempted Coup....................................................... 43

30. ‘ Let Them Cool Off ’....................................................... 44

31. ‘ Ignore Their Insults’........................................................45

32. ‘ Do You Not Love that Allah Should Forgive You?’.........47

33. Raided in Ḥudaybiyyah Valley........................................ 48

34. Hosting the Insulting Ambassador................................. 49

35. Eager for Peace................................................................. 50

36. ‘ These Are Your Rights’....................................................51

37. The Mother of His Companion.......................................52

38. ‘ Who Will Protect You From Me?’................................... 54

39. A Powerful Prisoner.........................................................56

40. Sparing the Quraysh Again............................................. 58

41. ‘ Did You Check His Heart?’.............................................59

42. The Sword of Allah..........................................................61

43. Islam Does Away With the Past....................................... 62

44. Allah Loves Those Who Act Justly................................. 64

Marching to Makkah: A Conquest Like No Other........... 65

45. Abū Jahl’s Partner............................................................67

46. ‘ Whoever Enters the Home of Abū Sufyān’.................... 68

47. ‘ Today is the Day of Mercy’............................................. 70

48. Access Granted................................................................ 73

vi

49. A Changed Man...............................................................74

50. A Proud Heart Humbled.................................................75

51. The One Who Mutilated His Uncle.................................76

52. The Assassin.................................................................... 78

53. A Promise of Security.......................................................79

54. Curing the Heart of a Racist............................................81

55. The Touch of Compassion.............................................. 82

56. His Daughter’s Persecutor................................................83

57. The Son of Abū Lahab.................................................... 84

58. The Son of Abū Jahl.........................................................85

59. A Change of Tune............................................................86

A Flawless Finish................................................................ 87

60. A Broken Chief.................................................................89

61. The Man from Yā-Sīn.......................................................91

62. Hypocrites at Tabūk........................................................ 92

63. Ibn Salūl’s Death............................................................. 93

64. The Man Who Had Him Stoned in Ṭā’if........................95

65. A Christian Chief.............................................................96

66. The Woman Who Poisoned Him 97 ................................صلى الله عليه وسلم

67. Musaylamah’s Delegates.................................................. 98

Incorruptible......................................................................99

68. The Father of Extremism................................................103

69. Help Him With His Debts.............................................104

70. The Bedouin Who Suffocated Him...............................105

A Mercy Misunderstood.................................................. 107