在这些章节中，我们探讨了人类对先知使命的迫切需要，穆罕默德ﷺ传道事业所结出的非凡硕果——体现在他的品德、讯息、成就与遗产之中，同时也列举了他所预言的一些事件、所行的神迹，以及那部震撼世界的《古兰经》。如今，责任落在读者身上：起而行动，去履行认识并崇拜万世之主的终极使命。为此目的，唯有真主最后的使者穆罕默德ﷺ的领导和光辉典范，才能照亮前行的道路。

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 almost throughout the whole of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ's mission was his open enemy. He launched more military campaigns against him than anyone else, and in the intervals between battles he would help orchestrate uprisings in the Prophet ﷺ's city of Madinah, as well as covert assassination attempts against him. It was only eighteen months before the Prophet ﷺ's death that Abū Sufyān himself decided to accept Islam. However, what I wish to summarize here, and leave with my readers, is the sequence of events on the day of his conversion, as they powerfully capture an experience that many people have when engaging with the proofs of prophethood.

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.

在古莱什部落背弃与穆罕默德ﷺ的和约、攻击了他的一位盟友之后，先知ﷺ率军进军麦加，以终结他们的压迫。

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.

当他们抵达麦加郊外时,艾布·苏福扬确信,他的家乡无法抵御这支来袭的军队,尤其是在他如此措手不及地被他们包围之后。在一次绝望的尝试中,艾布·苏福扬被麦地那的穆斯林营地中的阿拔斯·本·阿卜杜勒-穆塔利ब(al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muṭṭalib)偷偷带了进去。阿拔斯是先知ﷺ的叔叔,恰好也是艾布·苏福扬终生的挚友。 他们刚走进先知ﷺ的帐篷,他的资深圣门弟子们也随之而入,他们要求处决这个人。此人曾拷打过许多圣门弟子,杀害了他们的家人,按照任何标准都是一名战犯。然而,先知ﷺ在极度宽厚的一刻赦免了他,并说:“难道你还不肯作证,除真主外别无应受崇拜者吗?”艾布·苏福扬答道:“我现在确信,如果还有别的神,他早就已经救过我了。”先知ﷺ继续说道:“难道你不肯作证,我是真主的使者吗?”艾布·苏福扬说:“至于这一点,我心中仍有些疑虑。”然而,他意识到,只有这样做才能救赎像他这样臭名昭著的罪人,于是他念诵了信仰的见证词,成为了穆斯林:

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:

我作证，除安拉外别无应受崇拜的主，我作证穆罕默德是安拉的使者ﷺ。475

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

先知穆罕默德ﷺ认识到，阿布·苏福延在他的族人（倭马亚部族）中享有极高的声望，而他之所以犹豫不决，不愿承认穆罕默德的权威，主要原因正在于此，因为穆罕默德ﷺ出身于对立的哈希姆部族。为了帮助阿布·苏福延消除犹豫、坚定信仰，先知ﷺ允许他返回家中，并宣布任何麦加人只要进入阿布·苏福延的宅院，便可获得安全。

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.

然后,他صلى الله عليه وسلم在这一举动之外,又给出了另一条明智的指示:让他的叔叔命令艾布·苏富扬在黎明时分站在山谷口,亲眼看看穆斯林大军行进时的声势。次日清晨,艾布·苏富扬惊叹不已。每当一支身披铠甲的庞大队伍经过时,他都会焦急地问阿拔斯这些是什么人,阿拔斯便告诉他每一支队伍的名称:"这是Ghifār……这是Juhaynah……这是Sulaym……这是Mazīnah……这些是Muhājirīn和Anṣār。"艾布·苏富扬已经说不出话来,每次能做出的回应只有一句:"我哪有能力与这样的部族作战?没有人能够与这样的人抗衡。"随后他困惑地对阿拔斯说:"你侄子的王国真是变得强大了。"他这时意识到,皈依伊斯兰的已不再是个别的人,而是整个部族和地区。他知道其中有些部族单凭自己就足以导致古莱什人灭绝,而如今,穆罕默德竟然在历史上第一次把他们的心凝聚在了一起。阿拔斯仿佛在恳求这位同伴认清显而易见的事实,反驳道:"艾布·苏富扬!这不是王国,这是先知的使命。"这一次,这份见证必定发自他的内心深处,艾布·苏富扬说:"是的,一定是这样。"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

多么美好啊，先知穆罕默德ﷺ对其最强大的反对者所展现的无与伦比的慈悲，以及他短暂而蒙福的一生所取得的独特成就；然而，最令我动容的，或许是它所讲述的信仰之旅。并非每一个宣誓信奉伊斯兰真理的人都在心中体验到了信仰的全部甘甜，也并非每一个在理智上确信伊斯兰的人都能够克服接纳它时所面临的社会与情感上的挑战。先知ﷺ常常向真主祈求说：“……求你引导我，并使引导对我而言变得容易。”477这是一段深刻的祈祷，因为我们每个人都会在潜意识中回避接受某些真理，只因惧怕其所要付出的代价。因此，使我们获得客观与清晰思维的，不仅是头脑，更是向真理敞开的心灵。

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.

因此,安拉说:“所以,安拉欲引导谁,就使谁的胸怀为伊斯兰而敞开。”478

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

Abū Sufyān 深知先知的正直，目睹了许多伟大的神迹，他被宽恕，随后又受到尊崇，然而，直到真主启示他这句简单的话——“这就是先知之位”——信仰才穿透了他世俗的防线，最终在他心中安定下来。

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.

我祈求真主赐予我们诚心，使确信在我们心中安定下来；宽恕本文作者在这部作品的言辞或意图中可能出现的一切不当之处；愿祂将最圆满的祝福、平安与吉庆降临于祂最后的先知穆罕默德ﷺ。一切赞颂，全归真主，众世界的主。

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.