FUTURE VISION

After the victory of Makkah came the Year of Delegations, when Arabian tribes thronged to Madinah to embrace Islam—among them, the tribe of Thaqif from Taif. It set a strong precedent for entering the fold of Islam. They said, however, that although they wanted to accept Islam, they would neither pay zakat nor perform jihad.

It was a serious matter. The Muslims were not willing to accept conditions of this kind. Rising above the present, the Prophet of Islam looked at the future. His deep insight showed that once those people became a part of Muslim society after having embraced Islam, they would surely accept everything on their own, as required by Islam. Therefore, the Prophet accepted their conditions and allowed them to enter his fold. To remove the doubts of his companions, the Prophet said:

Once they accept Islam, they will pay zakat and perform jihad as well. (Sunan Abu Dawood, Hadith No. 3025)

This example set by the Prophet is illustrative of his great wisdom. This was seeing into the future. Humans are not made of stones. They are open to influence. Man is a creature who keeps changing. His future is different from his present. This reality must always be kept in view while dealing with him. Insisting on instant change produces haughtiness. Whereas, if an attitude of broad-mindedness is adopted, the potential follower will of his own become in future what we wanted to see him turn into in the present.