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

In actuality, there was nothing preventing the man from Tanukh from embracing the truth, except his zeal for his people's religion! Al-Tanukhi said quite frankly, "I am a messenger from a people, on the religion of my people. I would not leave my religion until I return to my people." When the Prophet noticed his zeal, he did not become angry and cause problems for him. He only laughed and said, "You cannot guide those whom you love. Only Allah guides those who He wills, and He is surely most aware of the guided ones." The Prophet then said very calmly, "O brother of Tanukh! I wrote a letter to Caesar, but he tore it up, and Allah is going to tear him up and his kingdom. I wrote a letter to the Negus, and he burnt it, and Allah is going to burn his kingdom. I also wrote a letter to the man you are coming from, and he held on to it. The people will continue to find him troublesome for so long as there is good in life." Al-Tanukhi remembered Heraclius's request and said to himself, "This is one of the three things he asked me to take note of." He feared that he may forget, so he took an arrow from his quiver and made a note of it on the side of his sword. The Prophet then gave the letter to a man sitting on his left. Al-Tanukhi said, "Who amongst you writes and reads let35 The other opinion ters?" Some people said, "Mu'awiyyah." Mu'awiyyah began to read to find that Heraclius had written to the Prophet , "You call me to Paradise as wide as the heavens and the earth, which has been prepared for the pious ones. Where then is the hellfire?" The Prophet said, "SubhanAllah! Where is the night when the morning has come?" Al-Tanukhi realised that this was the second thing Heraclius asked to take note of. He took an arrow from his quiver and made a note of it on his sword. When Mu'awiyyah had finished reading the letter,the Prophet turned to al-Tanukhi, the man who did not take the Prophet's advice by not embracing Islam, and said to him with all kindness, "You have rights, for you are a messenger. If you see anything you would like to take as a gift, we would grant it to you. But we happen to be travellers sitting on sand!" Meaning, I wish I could give you a gift, but as you see, we are travelling and sitting on sand! 'Uthman – may Allah be pleased with him – said, "I will give him something, O Messenger of Allah!" 'Uthman got up and unpacked the side of his saddle and returned with a robe and a garment and placed it in al-Tanukhi's lap. Then the noble Prophet said, "Which one of you would like to take this man?" meaning, which one of you would like to host him. "I will," a young man from the Ansaar replied. The Ansaari got up to leave and al-Tanukhi followed him, The other opinion whilst he was still thinking of the third thing Heraclius asked him to notice, i.e. the seal of Prophethood between the shoulders of the Prophet . Al-Tanukhi had only walked a few steps that suddenly he heard the Prophet call out to him, "Come here, O brother of Tanukh!" Al-Tanukhi turned around and rushed back to the Prophet until he was standing in front of him. The Prophet then untied the knot and dropped his garment from his back to reveal his back to al-Tanukhi and said, "Here you go! Take note of what you were ordered to take note of." Al-Tanukhi said, "I looked at his back and noticed a seal between his shoulders, which looked quite large." (Musnad Ahmad. Ibn Kathir commented that the chain of this narration is not bad.) A thought… The objective is to make the people realise their faults. It is not necessary that they should correct themselves in your presence, so do not be frustrated. The other opinion (36) Respond to mistreatment with kindness Most commonly when you deal with people, they treat you how they want to treat you, and not how you want to be treated. Not everyone you meet with cheerfulness is cheerful to you in return. Some of them may even become angry, think badly of you and ask, "What are you laughing at?" Not everyone you present a gift returns your favour. You may give gifts to some people only to find them backbiting you in various gatherings, and accusing you of being foolish and wasting money! Not everyone you are kind to in speech or praise generously or use kind words with responds to you in kind. Allah has divided up manners for people, just as He has divided up their sustenance. The divine way to deal with the people dictates: "The good deed and the evil deed are not alike.