A DfflIHI, Pt<Ut
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privilcged moment of spiritual edification "vith, moreover, an exceptional
lesson about the value of intelligence and perspicacity. Listening, the abil-
ity to shift one's point of view, sensitivity to the other's dignity, and fore-
sight were some of the qualities showco by the P ro phet, contrib uting to
fashion his ro le as a model.
He was an example too in ano th er dimension of his life: wh en his
Companions refused to sacrifice the camels, he went back to his wife Urn
Salam ah, who listened to him and comio rtcd him. Shc showed him h er
trust and suggested the solution to his problem. That dialogue, that un-
derstanding and listening, expresses the \'cry essence of the Prophet's atti-
tude toward his wives. As with Khadijah so many years before, he n ever
hesitated to take the time to confid e in th e women around him, to con-
sult them, talk with them, and adopt their opinions. At a tim e when the
future of the whole community was playing out through visions, pledges
of allegiance, and peace covenantS, he returned to his wife's side and, like
a simple human being, told her of his need for love, trust, and advice-
an example for all human beings.Respecting Covenants
The j\·h.:slim s h ad returned to Medina and d aily life had resumed its
course, in a far less tense aunospherc than before. T he truce allowed them
to lower their guard ag ainst the outside and give mo re attention to the
community'S internal affairs. The number o f converts kept growing, and
their integration and Islamic education had to be const:mtly planned and
organized. Powerful figures in the Peninsula were to join the anonymous
hundreds who accepted Islam in l\-Iedina or came to se ttle in me city. For
instance, Aishah's brother Abd aI-K aba emigrated after the d eath o f his
mother, Urn Ruman, which d eeply affected her husband, Abu Bakr. The
P rophet chan ged Abd al-Kaha's name to Abd ar-Rahman: his practice was
to modify a name when the original one couJd have an unpleasant mea:l-
ing or refer to an attitude l slam considered unlawful. T hus, the n ame Abd
aI-Kaba (worshiper of the Kaha) had a meaning opposed to Islam's p rin-
ciple or worshiping God alone. In othe r :lituacions, the Muslim s could
decide 'Whether to keep their original name, which th e vaSt majority chose
to do. Never did the first Muslims imagine there could be such a thing as