Dear Islamic brothers! Each of us wants to attain the goodness of this world and the Hereafter, for this we have to follow and obey our Beloved and Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم in every matter of ours, because the blessed sayings, blessed acts, blessed etiquettes, blessed habits and all the blessed qualities and virtues of the Prophet of Rahmah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم are the sources of salvation. Today, we will listen to the Hilm (forbearance), one of the pure qualities, of the Noblest Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. What is forbearance? What is its definition and importance? Let us first listen to a faith-refreshing parable about the Hilm of Beloved Mustafa صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

4 Incident of a Bedouin

Umm-ul-Mu`mineen, Sayyidatuna ‘Aaishah Siddiqah رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا has narrated: The Holiest Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم bought a camel in exchange for a Wasq (540 pounds of dates). When he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم arrived at his blessed home for the dates, they were not found. He صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم returned to that Bedouin and said, ‘Abdullah! We bought a camel in exchange for a Wasq, but despite searching a lot, the Wasq of dates could not be found.’ Having heard this, the Bedouin started crying loudly, ‘Alas! I have been deceived! Alas, I have been deceived!’ When the blessed companions رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُم heard this they rushed to reprimand the Bedouin and said to him, ‘You speak such things about the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!’ The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Leave him, because the person who has a rightful claim has the right to speak.’ The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said this twice or thrice, but despite the Bedouin being made to understand, he still did not understand, then the Prophet of Rahmah صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم ordered a blessed companion to go to Khaulah Bint-e-Hakeem and say, ‘If you have a Wasq of dates, give us! اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, we will return it to you.’

That companion went to Khaulah Bint-e-Hakeem رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا and told her, ‘The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم has said: If you have a Wasq of dates, give us, اِنْ شَــآءَالـلّٰـه عَزَّوَجَلَّ, it will be returned to you.’ She رَضِیَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَنْهَا said that she did have some and asked him to send someone to fetch them.’ The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Take this Bedouin and give him the dates which are his due!’