A cikin waɗannan babi-babin, mun yi bayani game da buƙatar ɗan Adam mai tsanani ga annabta, da kyawawan sakamakon aikin Muhammad ﷺ dangane da halayensa, saƙonsa, nasarorinsa, da gadonsa, da kuma wasu daga cikin abubuwan da ya yi annabci a kansu, mu'ujizozin da ya yi, da Alƙur'ani wanda ya girgiza duniya da shi. Yanzu nauyi ya rataya a wuyan mai karatu ya tashi ya cika manufarsa ta ƙarshe ta sanin Ubangijin dukkan halittu da bauta masa. Don haka, jagoranci da misali mai haske na annabin Allah na ƙarshe, Muhammad ﷺ, shi kaɗai ne zai haskaka hanya.

In these chapters, we have covered humanity’s pressing need for prophethood, the extraordinary fruits of Muhammad’s صلى الله عليه وسلم ministry in terms of his character, message, accomplishments, and legacy, and sampled a share of the events he foretold, the miracles he performed, and the Qur’an with which he shook the world. The onus now falls on the reader to rise and meet their ultimate purpose in knowing and worshipping the Lord of all the Worlds. For that end, only the leadership and luminous example of God’s final prophet, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, will light the way.

Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb ya kasance maƙiyin Annabi Muhammad ﷺ a bayyane kusan dukan lokacin aikinsa. Ya jagoranci yaƙe-yaƙe fiye da kowa a kansa, kuma a tsakanin yaƙe-yaƙen yakan taimaka wajen shirya tashe-tashen hankula a birnin Annabi ﷺ, Madina, da kuma yunkurin kashe shi a ɓoye. Sai dai watanni goma sha takwas kafin mutuwar Annabi ﷺ ne Abū Sufyān da kansa ya yanke shawarar karɓar Musulunci. Sai dai abin da nake so in taƙaita a nan, in bar wa masu karatu, shi ne jerin abubuwan da suka faru a ranar da ya musulunta, domin suna nuna ƙarfi irin gogewar da mutane da yawa ke fuskanta idan suka fuskanci hujjojin annabta.

Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb was an open enemy to the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم for nearly his entire ministry. He launched more battle campaigns against him than anyone, and during the intervals between battles, he would help orchestrate uprisings in the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم city of Madinah, and covert assassination attempts against him. It was only eighteen months before the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم death that Abū Sufyān himself decided to accept Islam. However, it is the sequence of events on the day of his conversion that I wish to summarize here and leave my readers with, as they powerfully capture an experience many people have when engaging the proofs of prophethood.

Bayan da kabilar Quraishawa ta karya yarjejeniyar zaman lafiya da ta yi da Muhammad ﷺ ta hanyar kai hari kan wani daga cikin abokan kawancensa, sai Annabi ﷺ ya yi tafiya zuwa Makka tare da rundunarsa domin ya kawo karshen zaluncinsu.

After the tribe of Quraysh reneged on its peace treaty with Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم by attacking one of his allies, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم marched to Mecca with his army to put an end to their oppression.

Lokacin da suka isa kusa da birnin Makka, Abū Sufyān ya tabbata cewa garinsu ba zai iya kare kansa daga wannan rundunar da ke zuwa ba, musamman bayan an kama shi a bazata haka. Cikin wani yunkuri na neman tsira, al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib, kawun Annabi ﷺ wanda kuma aboki ne na tsawon rai ga Abū Sufyān, ya shigar da shi cikin sansanonin Musulmi. Da suka shiga tantin Annabi ﷺ, sai ga manyan Sahabbansa suma sun shiga, suna neman a kashe wannan mutum wanda ya azabtar da mutane da yawa daga cikinsu, ya kashe ’yan uwansu, kuma a kowane ma'auni mai laifin yaki ne. Amma cikin wani lokaci na matuƙar jinƙai, Annabi ﷺ ya yafe masa, ya ce: “Shin har yanzu ba za ka shaida cewa babu abin bautawa da cancanta sai Allah ba?” Abū Sufyān ya amsa: “Yanzu na tabbata cewa idan akwai wani abin bautawa, da tuni ya cece ni.” Annabi ﷺ ya ci gaba da cewa: “Shin ba za ka shaida cewa ni Manzon Allah ne ba?” Abū Sufyān ya ce: “Game da wannan kuwa, akwai wani shakka a cikina.” Duk da haka, da ya fahimci cewa wannan kaɗai ne zai iya ceto mai laifi kamar shi, sai ya furta kalmar shahada ya zama Musulmi:

When they reached the outskirts of Mecca, Abū Sufyān became certain that his hometown would not be able to repel this incoming force, especially after being caught off guard by them like this. In a desperate attempt, Abū Sufyān was slipped into the Muslim camps by al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib , the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم uncle who happened to be Abū Sufyān’s lifelong friend. Just as they entered the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم tent, so did his senior Companions, the latter demanding the execution of this man who had tortured many of them, killed their family members, and was a war criminal by every measure. But in a moment of supreme clemency, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم forgave him and said, “Will you still not testify that nothing is worthy of worship except Allah?” Abū Sufyān responded, “I am certain now that if there were any other god, he would have saved me already.” The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم continued, “Will you not testify that I am the Messenger of Allah?” Abū Sufyān said, “As for that part, there is still some doubt inside me regarding it.” However, upon realizing that only this could redeem a criminal as notorious as himself, he professed the testimony of faith to become Muslim:

Ina shaida cewa babu abin bautawa da gaskiya sai Allah, kuma ina shaida cewa Muhammadu Manzon Allah ne ﷺ.475

I testify that nothing is worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.475

Annabi Muhammad ﷺ ya san cewa Abū Sufyān mutum ne mai babban matsayi a cikin mutanensa (Banū Umayyah), kuma wannan shi ne babban dalilin da ya sa ya yi jinkirin amincewa da ikon Muhammad ﷺ, domin shi ya fito daga kabilar abokiyar hamayya, Banū Hāshim. Don taimakawa Abū Sufyān ya shawo kan jinkirinsa da kuma ƙarfafa jajircewarsa ga imani, Annabi ﷺ ya ba shi izinin komawa gida, kuma ya bayyana cewa duk wanda ya shiga gidan Abū Sufyān daga cikin mutanen Makka zai samu tsaro.

The Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم recognized that Abū Sufyān was a man of great prestige among his people (Banū Umayyah), and that this was the main reason he hesitated to concede to Muhammad’s authority, as he صلى الله عليه وسلم hailed from the rival tribe of Banū Hāshim. To help Abū Sufyān overcome his hesitation and solidify his commitment to faith, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم allowed him to return home and declared that any Meccan who entered Abū Sufyān’s estate would be safe.

Daga nan, sai ya ƙara da wata shawara mai hikima, inda ya umurci kawunsa da ya sa Abū Sufyān ya tsaya a bakin kwari a lokacin wayewar gari, domin ya ga girman rundunar Musulmi yayin da suke wucewa. Washegari, Abū Sufyān ya cika da mamaki. Duk lokacin da wata babbar taro sanye da sulke ta wuce, sai ya rika tambayar al-‘Abbās cikin damuwa, su wane ne, al-‘Abbās kuma yana sanar da shi sunan kowace ƙungiya: “Wannan Ghifār ne… Wannan Juhaynah ne… Wannan Sulaym ne… Wannan Mazīnah ne… Waɗannan Muhājirīn da Anṣār ne.” Abū Sufyān ya rasa magana, kuma abin da zai iya faɗa a kowane lokaci shi ne, “Me zan yi da yaƙar irin wannan kabila? Babu wanda zai iya yin karawa da irin waɗannan mutane.” Sai ya ce wa al-‘Abbās cikin mamaki, “Mulkin ɗan ɗan’uwanka ya zama babba sosai.” Ya fahimci a lokacin cewa ba mutane ɗaiɗai ne ke musulunta ba, illa dukan kabilu da yankuna. Ya san cewa wasu daga cikin waɗannan kabilu za su iya kawar da Quraish gaba ɗaya da ƙarfinsu kaɗai, kuma yanzu, ta wata hanya, Muhammad ﷺ ya haɗa zukatansu a karon farko a tarihi. Kamar yadda yake roƙon abokinsa ya gane abin da ke bayyane, al-‘Abbās ya mayar da martani, “Abū Sufyān! Wannan ba mulki ba ne; annabci ne.” A wannan karon shaidar ta fito daga zurfin zuciyarsa; Abū Sufyān ya ce, “Eh, lallai haka ne.”476

Then, he صلى الله عليه وسلم coupled that gesture with another wise directive, instructing his uncle to have Abū Sufyān stand at the mouth of the valley at daybreak, to behold the magnitude of the Muslim forces as they marched. The next morning, Abū Sufyān was awestruck. Each time a massive crowd in armor would pass by, he would anxiously ask al-‘Abbās who they were, and al-‘Abbās would inform him of each group’s name: “This is Ghifār… This is Juhaynah… This is Sulaym… This is Mazīnah… These are the Muhājirīn and the Anṣār.” Abū Sufyān was beyond words, and all he could muster in response each time was, “What business do I have fighting such a tribe? Nobody can ever contend with such people.” He then said to al-‘Abbās in bewilderment, “Your nephew’s kingdom has truly become a great one.” He realized then that it was no longer individuals that were becoming Muslim, but rather whole tribes and regions. He knew that some of these tribes could singlehandedly cause the extinction of Quraysh, and now—somehow—Muhammad had united their hearts for the first time in history. As if begging his comrade to recognize the obvious, al-‘Abbās retorted, “Abū Sufyān! This is no kingdom; it is prophethood.” This time the testimony must have come from his depths; Abū Sufyān said, “Yes, it must be.”476

Abin da ke sa zuciyata ta motsa fiye da komai shi ne labarin tafiyar imani da yake bayyanawa, ko da yake kyawun rahamar Annabi صلى الله عليه وسلم mara misaltuwa ga manyan abokan hamayyarsa, da nasarorin da ba su misaltuwa a takaitaccen rayuwarsa mai albarka, suna da girma. Ba kowa ne ya shaida cikakken zakin imani a zuciyarsa ba cikin wadanda suka furta gaskiyar Musulunci, kuma ba kowa ne ya samu nasarar shawo kan kalubalen zamantakewa da na zuciya wajen karbarsa ba, duk da cewa hankalinsa ya gamsu da Musulunci. Annabi صلى الله عليه وسلم yana addu'ar neman shiriya ga Allah, yana cewa: "...kuma ka shiryar da ni, ka sanya shiriya ta zama mai sauki a gare ni." Wannan addu'a ce mai zurfi, domin dukkanmu a boye muna guje wa karbar wasu gaskiyoyi saboda tsoron tsadarsu. Don haka zuciyarmu ce a bude ga gaskiya, ba hankalinmu kadai ba, ke ba da damar nuna adalci da tsabtar tunani.

Beautiful is the matchless mercy of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم with his greatest opponents, and the unique achievements of his brief blessed lifetime, but perhaps the story it tells about the journey of faith is what tugs at my heartstrings above all. Not everyone who has professed the truth of Islam has experienced the full sweetness of faith in their heart, and not everyone who is intellectually convinced about Islam has been able to conquer the social and emotional challenges to accepting it. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would beseech Allah, “…and guide me, and allow guidance to be easy for me.”477 This is a profound prayer, for we all subconsciously avoid accepting certain truths due to fear of their cost. It is therefore our heart being open to truth, not just our mind, that allows for objectivity and clarity of thought.

Saboda haka, Allah ya ce: "Duk wanda Allah ya nufa ya shiryar da shi, sai ya buɗe zuciyarsa domin karɓar Musulunci."478

Hence, Allah says, “So whoever Allah wishes to guide, He expands their heart to welcome Islam.”478

Abū Sufyān ya san sosai game da amincin Annabi ﷺ, ya shaida manyan mu'ujizai da yawa, an gafarta masa, sannan aka girmama shi, duk da haka sai a lokacin da Allah ya yi masa wahayi da wannan kalma mai sauƙi—"wannan annabci ne"—imani ya shiga cikin kariyar duniyarsa, ya kuma zauna a zuciyarsa a ƙarshe.

Abū Sufyān  knew full well of the Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم integrity, witnessed many great miracles, was forgiven, then honored, and yet it was only when Allah inspired him with this simple statement—“this is prophethood”— that faith penetrated his worldly defenses and finally settled in his heart.

Ina roƙon Allah ya ba mu ikhlasi wanda zai sa yaƙini ya zauna a zukatanmu, ya gafarta wa marubucin nan duk abin da ba shi da kyau a cikin wannan aiki na maganganu ko niyya, ya aika da mafi kyawun salati, aminci da albarka a kan annabinsa na ƙarshe, Muhammad ﷺ. Kuma godiya ta tabbata ga Allah, Ubangijin talikai.

I ask Allah to grant us the sincerity that allows for conviction to settle in our hearts, to forgive this writer for all that may be inappropriate in this work of statements or intentions, and to send His finest salutations, peace, and blessings upon His final prophet, Muhammad. And all praise is for Allah, Lord of the Worlds.