A Glimpse of the Mercy of the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) related the story of a man from Banu Hanifah named Thumamah Ibn Uthal who was taken prisoner by the Muslims.

After the Muslims captured him, this leader of Yamamah was tied up to a column in the mosque. The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would come out to him and say, "What is with you, O Thumamah?" He would reply, "O Muhammad, I have much with me that is good, and if you kill me then you are killing one that has many relatives. If you show favour to me, then you are showing favour to one that is thankful. If you wish for wealth, then ask and you shall be given wealth." The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) left him and then returned the next day to ask again, "What is with you, O Thumamah?" He replied, "It is as I have told you." The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) left him only to return the following day to ask again, "What is with you, O Thumamah?" He said, "With me is what I have said to you. If you show kindness, then you are showing kindness to one who is grateful. If you kill, you are killing one who has a large clan. And if it is wealth you desire, I can provide you with wealth." The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to his Companions, "Free Thumamah."

Thumamah then went to a date-palm tree near the mosque, washed himself, entered the mosque and declared: "I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Messenger and slave." He said, "O Muhammad, by Allah, there was no face that was more hated to me than your face and now it has become the most beloved face to me. By Allah, there was no religion that was more hated to me than your religion and now it is the most beloved to me. By Allah, there was no land that was more hated to me than your land and now your land has become the most beloved to me...I wish to perform ‛Umrah" The Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), upon hearing this wish, gave him glad tidings and told him to act upon his noble intentions. When he went to Makkah, someone said to him, "Indeed you have apostatised." He (Thumamah) replied, "No. indeed I have accepted Islam with the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and by Allah, you will not receive even a grain of wheat from Yamamah, unless the Prophet (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) allows it."