(49) Be a mountain
During the early days of my career in Da‘wah, I was called to give a lecture in a certain city. One of those responsible for Da‘wah in that city came to collect me. I got into his car which was pretty old. I spoke with him and he told me that he had just got married. He then complained to me about the extravagance in dowry in their city, so much so that he was not able to buy a new car, or at least a car in a better condition than the one he had. I prayed that Allah help him in his situation.
I then entered a mosque and delivered a lecture. Towards the end, when questions were being read out to me, there came a question about extravagance in dowry. I was very pleased and said, “Here’s a question I like!”
I then began to speak about extravagance in dowry and its evil effects on young men and women. I mentioned that the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him did not marry off his daughters for more than five hundred dirhams. I then raised my voice and said, “Meaning, your daughters, O such-and-such tribe are you more precious than the daughters of the Prophet Peace be upon him?”
Upon hearing this, an old man shouted out from a corner, “Why are you speaking about our daughters?”
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Another rose up and said, “He is speaking badly about our daughters!” Another stood up and said, “Oh! Is he speaking about our daughters?” I was in a situation that no one would like to be in. I was still in the very early stages of Da‘wah, having recently graduated from university. I remained silent and did not move my lips.
I smiled as the first one spoke. When the second spoke, I looked at him and also smiled, and the same went for the third.
Some of the youths at the far end of the mosque were laughing.
Some of them stood up to see what was happening, as if they were saying to me, “The Shaykh’s donkey is stuck behind the barrier!”,
an idiom used for a man who falls into a problem and finds it difficult to get out of it.
When they saw that I remained calm, they calmed down themselves. Then one of them stood up and said, “People! Allow the Shaykh to explain what he meant!” The people became silent, and I thanked the man for what he did. I then apologized and praised them, as well as their daughters, and explained what I had meant.
When you deal with people, in reality you are creating your own personality. You are the one drawing the image that they have of you in their minds. Based on this impression, they decide how to deal with you, and whether to respect you or not. Make sure that the tree is firmly grounded and is not uprooted by the winds, no matter how strong they may be. Just an hour of patience will result in victory. The more intelligent you become, the less ignorant you are. The more your worth increases, the less angry you become. Just like the seas that are not moved by anything. Be like a mountain and no wind will ever shake you!
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In fact, if ever a person aggravates you in a gathering, or a house, or a satellite TV channel, or a lecture, and you remain calm and not get angry or excited, the people will incline towards you and turn against him.
Abu Sufyan bin Harb was coming back to Makkah with a caravan carrying merchandise from Syria. The Muslims found out and marched forth to fight him.Abu Sufyan fled with his caravan and sent a message to Quraysh informing them thereof. Quraysh emerged with a huge army and there took place the battle of
Badr between the Muslims and the Quraysh where the Muslims were victorious. Seventy men from the disbelievers were killed and seventy of them were taken captives. The rest of the Quraysh army returned injured and hungry.
Abu Sufyan then returned to Makkah only to witness the defeated Qurayshi army.
The people of Makkah had suffered a great calamity. Thereupon ‘Abdullah bin Abi Rabi’ah, ‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl and Safwan bin Umayyah along with some other men of Quraysh who had lost their fathers, sons and brothers at Badr, went to Abu Sufyan and anyone who had a share in his caravan’s merchandise, or those with wealth, and said to them, “O Quraysh! Indeed Muhammad has greatly harmed you and killed the best of you. Aid us with your wealth in our war against him so we may avenge our killed ones.”
They agreed and Allah revealed, concerning them, “Those who disbelieve spend their wealth to divert people away from the path of Allah. They will surely spend it, which will then become an agony for them, after which they will be defeated. Those who disbelieved will be resurrected for Hell.”
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Thus, the Quraysh marched forth, along with the loyal tribes such as Banu Kinanah and the people of Tihamah with all their weaponry, free men and slaves. They brought their women with them, lest the men ran away from the battle. Abu Sufyan went with his wife Hind bint ‘Utbah. ‘Ikrimah bin Abi Jahl went with his wife Umm Hakim bint al-Harith, and al-Harith went with his wife Fatimah bint al-Walid bin al-Mughirah. The disbelieving army came and stopped at the edges of the valley facing Madinah.
When the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him heard of this he consulted his Companions and asked, “What do you think? Shall we stay in Madinah and fight them if they enter the city?”
Those of the Muslims who had not participated in Badr said to him, “O Messenger of Allah! We’ll go out to them and fight them at Uhud.” They wished to attain the status that was attained by the people of Badr.
They remained with the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him until he entered his home, wore his battle gear and came out to the people.
When they saw him dressed up in battle gear, they began to regret their suggestion and felt that perhaps they had forced the Prophet Peace be upon him into going out of Madinah to fight. They said, “O Messenger of Allah, stay in Madinah if you wish. It is your decision, after all.”
The Prophet Peace be upon him said to them, “It is not befitting for a Prophet to take off his battle gear after wearing it, until Allah has decided between him and his enemies.”
When Abu Sufyan arrived at the foot of Mount Uhud, those Muslims who had not participated in Badr rejoiced upon seeing the enemy. They said, “Allah has brought near to us our wish- es!”
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The Prophet Peace be upon him then said to his Companions, “Who can lead us to where the enemy is through a short passage that does not pass by them?”
A man from Banu Harithah bin al-Harith, known as Abu Khaythamah said, “I will, O Messenger of Allah!” He took the Muslims through Banu Harithah’s land, properties and farms until he passed by the fields of a man called Marba’ bin Qaydhi. He was a blind hypocrite. When he realised that the Messenger of Allah Peace be upon him along with the Muslims are passing by he began to throw dust in their faces, saying, “If you are the Messenger of Allah, then I do not allow you to enter my fields!”
The wretched man then took a handful of sand and said, “By Allah, if I knew for sure that I wouldn’t strike anyone else but you with this, I would have thrown it in your face!”
When the Companions heard this, they rushed to attack him to teach him a lesson, but the Prophet Peace be upon him said, “Do not kill him.
He is blind − blind in the heart and in the eyes.”
Thus, the Prophet Peace be upon him moved on and did not look back at the hypocrite because the Prophet Peace be upon him was sedate, wise and intelligent, such that he would not look back at foolish people, nor get aggravated by the worthless.

Conviction…
The wind never moves a mountain, but it plays with sand, shaping it as it wishes.
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