Trirh and TrMJOn^133
Exce llence and Singularity
The Prophet held one of his Companions, called Abu Lubabah, in great
esteem, so much so that he had left him in charge of Medina when he had
left for the first Badr expedition. Some time later, a young orphan came
to Muhammad to complain that Abu Lubabah had taken from him a palm
tree that had long been his. T he Prophet summoned Abu Lubabah and
asked him to explain. I nvestigations showed that the palm tree did belong
to Abu Lubabah, and the Prophet judged in the latter's favor, g reatly dis-
appointing the young orphan, who thereby lost his most precious belong-
ing. Muhammad p rivately asked Abu L ubabah, justice having now been
rendered, to give the tree to the young orphan, for whom it was so impor-
tant. Ab u Lubabah adamantly refused: he had gone to such lengths to
assert his right of ov,rnership th at to concede to this request was incon-
ceivable. T his obsession veiled his heart and compassion. Revelation was
to recall, on both the individual and collective levels, the singular nature
of the spiritual elevation that makes it possible to reach beyond the con-
sciousness of justice, that demands right, to the excellence of the heart,
that offers forgiveness at gives people more than their due: "God com-
mands justice and excellence.''''
It was not a question of giving up one's right (and Abu Lubabah h ad
been justified in requiring it to be acknowledged); rathet, it involved learn-
ing to sometimes reach beyond, fat the sake of those reasons of the heart
that teach the mind to forgive, to let go, and to give from oneself and from
one's belongings, moved by shated humanity or love. The P rophet was sad-
dened by the reaction of his Companion, whom he held in great es teem:
he realized that Abu Lubabah's almost blind attachment to one of Islam's
recommendations, justice, prevented him from reaching the superior level
of justness of the heart: excellence, generosity, giving. Eventually, anothet
Companion, T habit ibn Dahdanah, who had witnessed the scene, offered
Abu Lubabah an entire orchard in exchange for that single palm tree, which
he then gave away to the young orphan. Muhammad rejoiced at that out-
come and did not resent Abu Lubabah's attimde. He later entrusted him
with other missions, such as conveying: to the Banu Qurayzah the terms of
their surrender. Abu L ubabah carried out his mission but could not resist
speaking too much; ashamed of his behavior, he eventually tied himself to
a tree for six days, hoping that God and.His Prophet would forgive him his