5. Would you like to meet him outside the institution? (cont.)

How can I leave my faith Hold the stick from the middle for Christianity, or Judaism, and live amongst non-Arabs?” Whilst Khalid was contemplating what to do, as the days and months passed him by until a whole year had elapsed, there came the opportunity for the Muslims to perform ‘Umrah. Thus, they headed for Makkah. The Prophet  entered Makkah, but Khalid was not able to bear seeing the Muslims in a state of Ihram. He left Makkah and disappeared for four days − the days the Prophet  spent in Makkah. The Prophet  performed his ‘Umrah and began to gaze at the pathways and houses of Makkah, to recollect memories. He remembered the brave man, Khalid bin al-Walid, so he turned to al-Walid bin al-Walid, who was Khalid’s brother. Al-Walid was a Muslim who came with the Prophet  to perform ‘Umrah. The Prophet  decided to send an indirect message to Khalid, encouraging him to enter into Islam. The Prophet  said to al-Walid, “Where is Khalid?” Al-Walid was surprised by the question. He replied, “Allah will bring him, O Messenger of Allah.” The Prophet  then said, “Someone like him cannot be ignorant of Islam! If he were to have reserved his ability to inflict damage and harshness for the cause of the Muslims, it would have been better for him.” He then said, “If he were to come to us, we would certainly have honoured him, and preferred him over others.” Al-Walid became happy and began to search for Khalid in Makkah, but couldn’t find him.When they finally decided to return to Madinah, he wrote a letter for his brother, saying: Hold the stick from the middle “In the name of Allah, the most Gracious the most Merciful. To proceed” I have not seen anything as amazing as your aversion from Islam, knowing your intellectual capacity! Can anyone be ignorant of something like Islam? The Messenger of Allah  asked me about you and said, ‘Where is Khalid?’ I said to him, ‘Allah will surely bring him.’ The Prophet  then said, ‘Someone like him cannot be ignorant of Islam! If he were to have reserved his ability to inflict damage and harshness for the cause of the Muslims, it would have been better for him. If he were to have come to us, we would certainly have honoured him, and preferred him over others.’ Catch up, dear brother, with all the good opportunities you have missed out on.” Khalid said, “When the letter reached me, I decided to go. It increased my interest in Islam. I was pleased that the Messenger of Allah  had asked about me. I saw in a dream that I was in a restricted and barren land, which I then left for a green and vast land. I said to myself, “This has to be a true dream.” When I finally prepared to go to the Messenger of Allah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, I thought to myself, ‘Who can I accompany and go to the Messenger of Allah – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him?” I then met Safwan bin Umayyah and said to him, “O Ibn Wahb, don’t you realise what we are in? We are like molar teeth crushing against each other. Hold the stick from the middle On the other hand, Muhammad seems to have overpowered the Arabs and the non-Arabs. If we were to join Muhammad and follow him, then surely, his honour would be our honour?” However, Safwan strongly disagreed and said, “If there was none left but me, I would never follow him!” We then departed. I said to myself, “This man has been hurt. His brother and father were killed at the battle of Badr.” I then met ‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl and said to him what I had said to Safwan bin Umayyah, but he also said to me in response what Safwan bin Umayyah had said to me. I then said to myself, “I will discreetly go to Muhammad without mentioning it to anyone.” Thus, I went to my house, took my ride and set off, until I met ‘Uthman bin Talhah. I said to myself, “He is a friend of mine. What if I tell him my plans?” I then thought about the killing of his relatives in our wars against the Muslims, so I didn’t want to remind him of that. I then thought to myself, “It doesn’t matter if I inform him, since I am leaving right now!” So I mentioned to him what I thought had become of Quraysh. I said, “We are like a fox hiding in its burrow. If only a portion of water was poured into the burrow, it would come out.” He hastily responded to me and decided to come with me to Madinah. I said to him, “I actually decided to leave today for Madinah. Hold the stick from the middle This is my ride, already prepared for me.” We then promised to meet up at a place called Ya’juj.