It is high level of magnanimity to forgive bad action or behaviour of anybody despite having capability and authority to reciprocate in the same manner. Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless and grant him peace, had this quality in the highest possible degree. This he did time and again although he had to bear trials and tribulations in the hands of the perpetrators of verbal abuses and physical torments. He pardoned the wrongdoers. This is what Allah asked him to do and appreciated his behaviour. “Make allowances for people (show forgiveness), enjoin what is good and turn away from the ignorant.” (Al Qur’an 7:199)
Allah further revealed:
“Be patient over what befalls you.” (The Qur’an 31:17)
“They should rather pardon and overlook.” (The Qur’an 24:22)
“And whoever is patient and forgives – indeed, that is the most resolute course to follow.” (The Qur’an 42:43)
Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless and grant him peace, remained steadfast in all situations, greater the infliction and pain greater was his forbearance. Aisha, mother of the believers, may Allah be pleased with her, informed about the Prophet, “When he was given a choice between two matters, he chose easier of the two as long as it was not a wrong action. If it was a wrong action, he was the furthest of people from it. He did not take revenge for himself unless the honour of Allah was violated. Then he would take revenge for the sake of Allah.”
She further reported, “He never struck anyone with his hand except when in the battle in the way of Allah. He never hit a servant or woman.”
On the day of Battle of Uhud, the teeth of the Prophet were broken and his face was cut. This was very disturbing for his companions and they asked him to curse the unbelievers who caused this pain. The Prophet replied, “I was not sent to curse, but as a mercy. O Allah, guide my people for they do not know.”
One can imagine this situation that a man with bloodied face and broken teeth refused to curse his tormentors. Instead, he prayed to Allah for their guidance, making the plea that they did this because of ignorance. In other words, he appealed to Allah that the people who inflicted severe pain to him were worth pardoning because they did so because of lack of knowledge.
Once, a man talked to the Prophet in an unruly manner, saying “act fairly.” This enraged the companions and one of them wanted to punish the person for this behaviour. The Prophet remained calm, restrained his infuriated companion, and replied to the misbehaving person, “Who will be fair if I am not fair? I would fail and be lost if I did not act fairly.”
Ghawrath, son of Harith, who wanted to kill the Prophet once found him sitting alone under a tree. He came over to him with an unsheathed sword and said, “Who will protect you from me.” The Prophet replied calmly, “Allah.” This confident and unexpected reply made the attacker tremble and the sword fell from his hand which the Prophet grabbed and asked the same question, “Who will save you from me.” The Prophet pardoned him and let him go. He went to his tribesmen and reported that he met that day the best of persons.
He pardoned the Jew woman who had poisoned him after she confessed to the crime. He did not punish Labib, son of Azam, who tried to harm through magic despite getting all the details and proof of the crime perpetrated. He did not punish Abdullah, son of Ubayy, and his hypocrite colleagues in spite of their serious detrimental actions. When it was suggested that these unworthy people deserve to be punished, rather killed, his reply was, “No, let it not be said that Muhammad kills his companions.”
Once, a bedouin pulled the cloak which the Prophet was wearing so tightly that it left a mark on his neck and demanded recklessly that his two camels should be laden with the wealth that Allah gave to the Prophet as that was neither his (Prophet’s) personal nor of his father’s wealth. The Prophet replied that the wealth belonged to Allah and he himself was His slave. Then he got one of his camels loaded with barley and the other camel with dates.
A man who intended to kill the Prophet was overpowered and brought to him. The Prophet said to the man that he need not fear as he would not have been given the power to do what he intended. He was let go.
Zayd, son of Sana, came to the Prophet, demanding his debt to be paid. It was reported that he had come before the due date of payment. His behaviour was very bad. He talked in a harsh manner, saying that the Prophet was delaying the payment as was the habit of his forefathers, family of Abdul Muttalib, grandfather of the prophet. This infuriated Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, and he chased the person and retorted harshly. The Prophet asked Umar to behave differently. He said that his attitude towards both Zayd and him should have been otherwise. He should have advised the Prophet to pay off the debt properly and requested Zayd to demand the payment of the debt properly. He commanded Umar to settle the demand of Zayd and pay twenty units extra on account of frightening him. Zayd was not a Muslim before this event, and accepted Islam after this. He was a Jewish scholar and had read about the signs of the Prophet in his books. However, he wanted to test two of such signs himself, that of forbearance overcoming quick temperedness and increase in the forbearance even in the event of bad and ignorant behaviour from others. He was successful in his tests and accepted the Prophet as the Messenger of Allah.
Recorded history of the life of the Prophet is replete with the cases of forbearance, endurance and pardoning the enemies. The case of pardoning the leaders and other inhabitants of Makkah after the city was conquered is noteworthy. The men of the city who had tormented him and his companions both verbally and physically for a long period and had not left any stone unturned in their animosity were standing before the Prophet in a miserable condition as they were at the possible receiving end of any harsh punishment which they deserved. He asked them what behaviour they expected from him. They appealed saying that they hope for a good conduct as he was “a generous brother and a generous nephew.” The Prophet declared them free, quoting what Prophet Yusuf, may Allah grant peace to him peace, said to his brothers, “No blame will there be upon you today.” (The Qur’an 12:92)
Anas, son of Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that eight men from the tribe Tan’im came to Madinah with the intention of killing the Prophet during dawn prayer but were arrested by the companions. The prophet set them free.
Abu Sufyan was an arch enemy who had led several battles, organising warriors from different places far and wide of Arab against the believers in Madinah. The list of his crimes was long. He was brought to the Prophet prior to the Conquest of Makkah in a hapless situation when he had all his power and position and the Prophet could have dealt with in any manner he wished. Instead, the Prophet pardoned him and behaved gently. Addressing Abu Sufyan, the Prophet said, “Is it not the time you knew that there is no god but Allah.” Abu Sufyan felt the goodness and said, “How forbearing and generous you are in maintaining the ties of kinship.”
The fact is that Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless and grant him peace, was very slow to be angry and was very fast in getting pleased.