Question: In various parts of the Qur’an, we see commands directed at Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding patience, forgiveness, ignoring the ignorant, and not paying attention to offensive words. What did such verses mean for the Prophet, and what do these commands mean for us?

Answer: Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) was endowed with exceptional qualities in every respect. He was extremely sensitive and attentive to the events around him. He possessed an extraordinary natural refinement and elegance. He epitomized traits such as honor, dignity, and respect to the highest degree, which we often refer to today as “honor”. Therefore, any discomfort he felt from inappropriate and unbecoming words and actions must be understood in light of his sensitive nature. Just as attributing sins to Gabriel would deeply hurt the Archangel, insults and slanders directed at the Prophet, the Pride of Humanity (peace be upon him), caused him immense distress. The crude and inappropriate words of the polytheists and hypocrites deeply wounded his rare and delicate nature.

Moreover, the disbelievers were not only targeting the personality or prophethood of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him); they were also rejecting other tenets of faith and opposing the message he brought. They desecrated the sanctities of religion, spoke disrespectfully about the Divine, and worshiped various idols like Lat, Manat, Uzza, Isaf, and Naile alongside Allah. If such disrespect towards Allah did not sadden the Messenger, who would it sadden? Additionally, by their actions, the people of ignorance were ruining their afterlives, heading towards eternal ruin.

Considering all this, it is not hard to imagine how much distress this would cause a noble Prophet who had ascended to the Mi’raj, witnessed the breathtaking beauties of Paradise, observed the terrifying scenes of the afterlife, and was honored with the vision of the Divine. Imagine people heading towards an unknown future, being swept away by their desires like being caught in a flood, so immersed in the sea of rebellion that they cannot reach the shore of safety. Would such a noble soul not feel sorrow and worry in the face of all this?

Therefore, this issue is not merely about the Prophet’s personal honor being harmed. He was witnessing people losing their afterlives and being dragged towards a terrible fate. However, he had come with the mission of introducing all humanity to their Lord, showing them the paths to Paradise, and saving them from eternal misery. In all this, his probable thought was: How could people be deprived of all these beauties and various spiritual blessings? How could they walk towards the torment of Hell?

On the other hand, it was not only the Prophet who was subjected to the torment and oppression of the polytheists. His Companions also endured various tortures, with hammers coming down on their heads. Bilal was laid on the scorching sands with heavy stones placed on his chest. Yasir and Sumayyah were martyred with spears. Others were crucified, imprisoned, tortured, and subjected to boycotts. Like the tyrants of today, the oppressors of that era tormented believers regardless of gender.

The Prophet felt all these pains and sufferings of his Companions in his heart. How could he not, when Allah, in His sublime book, used His own names of “Rauf”[1] and “Rahim”[2] for the Prophet? He was extremely compassionate, merciful, and possessed a delicate spirit. He embraced everyone. His heart burned in the face of negative scenes. He had such an expansive conscience that wherever the fire fell, it burned him first. You cannot imagine how such a vast soul, a sensitive conscience, and a heart full of compassion and mercy would grieve in the face of all this.

If we consider the matter not from our narrow perspective but from the spirit and horizon of Prophet’s teachings and morality, we better understand the significance of the verse,  فَلَا يَحْزُنْكَ قَوْلُهُمْ  “So let not their speech grieve you”[3]. In Surah Yunus, Allah continues,  اِنَّ الْعِزَّةَ لِلّٰهِ جَمِيعاً  “Indeed, all honor belongs to Allah.”[4] Therefore, let them say unbecoming things about the Divine Essence and make false attributions about Him according to their own understanding. Ultimate victory, superiority, power, and strength belong to Allah. The words of the disbelievers cannot diminish His names, attributes, actions, His Essence, or His Divinity in the slightest.

The Prophet (peace be upon him), whose heart was grieved by the disrespectful and rude behavior of the disbelievers, was consoled and guided by this verse. Other verses also directed him on how to act in such situations. For instance, in one of the earliest revealed surahs, Al-Muzzammil, it is said, وَاصْبِرْ عَلٰى مَا يَقُولُونَ وَاهْجُرْهُمْ هَجْراً جَمِيلاً  “And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance”[5]. These verses were extremely important for the Prophet, especially during the Meccan period when he had to endure various tortures and persecutions from the polytheists. They also served as guidance for all future spiritual mentors and guides on how to act when faced with similar situations.

“Sabir” in Arabic is the name of a plant with a bitter taste but many benefits. Just as the herb called sabir (patience in English) has a bitter taste initially but sweet benefits in the end, the quality or virtue of patience may start painfully but result in sweetness. Patience can be compared to planting seeds in the soil. If one wants to reap the harvest, they must first prepare the soil, plow it, fertilize it, water it, and tend to the plants. If they endure all these hardships, the seeds will sprout, grow, and bear fruit. Similarly, if we desire roses to bloom and nightingales to sing where we set foot, we must endure the difficulties we encounter. As a wise saying goes, “He who is patient achieves success and victory.” If we can gracefully handle the provocations, attacks, and insults of some ignorant people, we will ultimately be the ones who succeed.

Just as the tongues of the polytheists, hypocrites, and tyrants of the Age of Happiness[6]  uttered words that saddened the believers, starting with Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), today’s disbelievers and hypocrites will repeat similar insults and slanders. The duty of those who follow the path of the Prophet is to take Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) as an example in the face of all these challenges, to endure patiently, and to definitely not respond in kind. They should heed the verse of the Qur’an, avoid getting involved in such negativity, and refrain from depicting falsehood that might confuse pure minds.

The following verse from Surah Al-A’raf points to the same principle:  خُذِ الْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ وَاَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْجَاهِلِينَ “Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorant.”[7]

Here, the phrase, خُذِ الْعَفْوَ , “show forgiveness” first commands us to forgive people and adhere firmly to forgiveness. Then,  وَأْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ  “enjoin what is good” is stated. The terms “custom” (urf) and “good” (ma’ruf), derived from the same root, express both the commands of religion and the customs, habits, and traditions that have been refined through the principles of religion and are seen as good by people. Therefore, this verse calls for addressing people in a manner consistent with the principles of religion and reason, using a style that no one would find objectionable and that common sense would approve of.

Following this, the command to disregard the ignorant is given. If one constantly turns towards them, listens to their words, and engages with them, they will become disturbed by their harassment and torment, causing them to lose focus on their essential duties. This distraction can lead to a disruption in the services being performed.

Acting in congruence with these teachings, scholar Bediuzzaman is a notable example from our recent past. The reason why Bediuzzaman avoided newspapers and did not pay attention to the media for many years is precisely this. The media of those days, much like today’s sensationalist media, constantly spread false news, slander, and lies.  If Bediuzzaman had occupied himself with these matters, he would not have been able to dive deep into the Qur’an and extract pearls and corals from it. That is, he would not have been able to deeply study the Qur’an and uncover its profound insights and wisdom. If you let your heart and mind be occupied with gossip, trivial talk, and base words of others, you will have misused your energy and resources and neglected the tasks you should concentrate on.

Another verse states, ذَرْهُمْ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ يَلْعَبُونَ  “So leave them to engage in their idle talk and play until they meet their Day which they are promised.”[8] If some people continually lie, slander, and resort to insults to spread the filth of their minds and souls to others, the duty of a believer is to leave them in their quagmire and let them be.

Given the focus on patience, endurance, and the appropriate responses to oppression and slander, emphasizing the believer’s patience, resilience, and correct stance in the face of oppression, these verses, although seemingly directed at Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him), actually offer significant life and conduct lessons to all believers through him.◄

[1] Al-Ra’uf, or commonly “Ar-Ra’uf”, meaning “the Kind, the Pitying” or “Most Kind, the Ever-Compassionate”.

[2] Ar-Rahim, meaning The Most Merciful.

[3] Surah YaSin 36:76; Surah Yunus 10:65.

[4] Surah Yunus 10:65.

[5] Surah al-Muzzammil, 73:10.

[6] Asr-ı Saʻādat (Asr al-Sadat).

[7]  Surah al-A’raf, 7:199.

[8]  Surah al-An’am, 6:91.