There is also freedom in misguidance and unbelief, which gratifies man’s vegetable and animal powers,  which  are  blind  to  consequences  and  obsessed  by present  pleasure,  and induces such subtle faculties as the heart and reason to give up their humane and far- sighted duties.

However, the sacred way of foremost the Noble Messenger  (Upon whom  be blessings  and peace), the Beloved of the Sustainer of All the Worlds, and of the people of prophethood and the people of guidance, both pertains to existence, and is firmly established,  and is constructive, and is based on the important principles of action, moderation, prudence  and foresight, worship, and smashing the domination and  independence  of  the  evil-commanding  soul.13   It  is  because  of  this  that  the dissemblers  of  the  Prophet’s  (UWBP)  time  in  Medina  closed  their  eyes  to  that refulgent sun like bats, and surrendering themselves to a satanic force of repulsion in the face of that huge attraction, remained in misguidance.

I f  i t  i s  s a i d : The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was the Beloved of the Sustainer of All the Worlds;14  and he held truth in his hand and  spoke the  truth with  his  tongue;15  and  among the soldiers of his army were angels;16  and he watered a whole army with one handful of water;17  and provided a feast for a thousand men with four handfuls of wheat and the meat of one kid;18  and caused the unbelievers’ army to flee by throwing a handful of dust at them, which entered  all  their eyes;19  so how was that dominical commander who performed a thousand miracles similar to these, defeated at the end of Uhud20 and at the beginning of Hunayn?21

T h e   A n s w e r : God’s Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was sent to mankind as an exemplary guide and leader so that men might learn from him the rules of social and personal life, become accustomed to obeying the laws of the All-Wise One of Perfection, and act in conformity with the principles of His wisdom. If the Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) had always relied on wonders  and miracles, he could not have been absolute guide and leader.

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13 See, al-Bayhaqi, al-Zuhd, 157; al-Ghazzali, Ihya ‘Ulum al-Din, iii, 4; al-Daylami, al-Musnad, iii, 408; Ibn Rajab, Jami‘ al-‘lum wa’l-Hikam, i, 196; al-Munawi, Fayd al-Qadir, v, 538; al-‘Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa’, i, 160; ii, 222.

14 See, Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 1; al-Daylami, Muqadddima, 8.

15 See, Qur’an, 17:105.

16 See, Qur’an, 3:123-5. Also, Bukhari, Maghazi, 11.

17 See, Bukhari, Wudu’, 32; Manaqib, 25; Maghazi, 35; Muslim, ‘Imara, 72, 73; Fada’il, 5-6;

Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 6; Nasa’i, Tahara, 61; Musnad, iii, 329.

18 See, Bukhari, Hiba, 28; At‘ima, 6; Maghazi, 29; Manaqib, 25; Muslim, Ashriba, 141-2, 175;

Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 6; Ibn Maja, At‘ima, 47; Muwatta’, Sifat al-Nabi, 19; Musnad, i, 197-8.

19 See, Muslim, Jihad, 81; Darimi, Siyar, 16; Musnad, i, 103, 368; v, 286, 310.

20 See, Bukhari, Jihad, 65; Bad’u’l-Khalq, 11; Manaqib al-Ansar, 22; Maghazi, 18; Ayman, 15; Diyat, 16; Abu Da’ud, Jihad, 106; Musnad, iv, 293-4.

21 See, Bukhari, Maghazi, 54; Jihad, 52, 61, 97, 167; Muslim, Jihad, 79; Tirmidhi, Jihad, 15.