![](\"http:\/\/localhost\/rs\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2012\/11\/friends-fingers%20copy.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the sixth year after the hijrah (the migration to Medina), the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, decided to expand the scope of his mission.\u00a0 He sent eight letters to rulers in the Arabian Peninsula and surrounding areas inviting them to Islam.\u00a0 One of these rulers was Thumamah ibn Uthal. <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Thumamah ibn Uthal al-Haneefi was one of the most powerful Arab rulers in the pre-Islamic era.\u00a0 This is not surprising since he was a chieftain of the Banu Hanifah and one of the rulers of al-Yamamah whose word no one dared to challenge or disobey.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n When Thumamah received the Prophet\u2019s letter, he was consumed by anger and rejected it.\u00a0 He refused to listen to the invitation of Truth and goodness.\u00a0 More than that, he felt a strong desire to go and kill the Prophet and bury his mission with him.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Thumamah waited and waited for a convenient time to carry out his design against the Prophet until eventually forgetfulness caused him to lose interest.\u00a0 One of his uncles, however, reminded him of his plan, praising what he intended to do.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n In the pursuit of his evil design against the Prophet, Thumamah met and killed a group of the Prophet\u2019s companions.\u00a0 The Prophet thereupon declared him a wanted man who could lawfully be killed on sight.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Not long afterwards, Thumamah decided to perform umrah (the lesser pilgrimage).\u00a0 He wanted to perform Tawaf (circumambulation) around the Kaabah and sacrifice to the idols there (The people of Mecca, before becoming Muslims, placed hundreds of idols in the Kaaba).\u00a0 So he left al-Yamamah for Mecca.\u00a0 As he was passing near Medina, an incident took place which he had not anticipated.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Groups of Muslims were patrolling the districts of Medina and outlying areas on the lookout for any strangers or anyone intent on causing trouble.\u00a0 One of these groups came upon Thumamah and apprehended him, but they did not know who he was.\u00a0 They took him to Medina and tied him to one of the columns in the mosque.\u00a0 They waited for the Prophet himself to question the man and decide what should be done with him.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Just as he was about to enter the mosque, the Prophet saw Thumamah, so he asked his companions,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDo you know whom you have taken?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cNo, messenger of God,\u201d they replied.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is Thumamah ibn Uthal al-Haneefi,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cYou have done well in capturing him.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Prophet then returned home to his family and said,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cGet what food you can and send it to Thumamah ibn Uthal.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n He then ordered his camel to be milked in order to provide him with milk.\u00a0 All this was done before he met Thumamah or had spoken to him.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Prophet then approached Thumamah hoping to encourage him to become a Muslim.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you have to say for yourself?\u201d \u00a0he asked.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you want to kill in reprisal,\u201d Thumamah replied, \u201cyou can have someone of noble blood to kill.\u00a0 If, out of your bounty, you want to forgive, I shall be grateful.\u00a0 If you want money as ransom, I shall give you whatever amount you ask.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The Prophet then left him for two days, but still personally sent him food and drink and milk from his camel.\u00a0 The Prophet then went back to him and asked,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you have to say for yourself?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Thumamah repeated what he had said a couple of days beforehand.\u00a0 The Prophet then left and came back to him the following day.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat do you have to say for yourself?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n He asked again, and Thumamah repeated what he had said the previous day once more.\u00a0 Then the Prophet turned to his companions and said,<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSet him free.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Thumamah left the mosque of the Prophet and rode out on the trail to Mecca until he came to a palm grove on the outskirts of Medina near al-Baqee (a place of luxuriant vegetation which later became a cemetery for many of the Prophet\u2019s companions).\u00a0 He watered his camel and took a complete bath there.\u00a0 Then he made his way back to the Prophet\u2019s mosque.\u00a0 There, he stood before a congregation of Muslims and said:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cI bear witness that there is no true god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and His messenger.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n He then went to the Prophet and said:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cO Muhammad, by God, there was never on this earth a face more detestable than yours.\u00a0 Now, yours is the dearest face of all to me.\u00a0 I have killed some of your men,\u201d he continued, \u201cI am at your mercy.\u00a0 What will you have done to me?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThere is now no blame on you, Thumamah,\u201d replied the Prophet.\u00a0 \u201cBecoming a Muslim obliterates past actions and marks a new beginning.\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Ref. www.islamreligion.com \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 In the sixth year after the hijrah (the migration to Medina), the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, decided to expand… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":1336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-prophet-mohammad"],"yoast_head":"\n
<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"