C~ming }lome^167
(since he had been mo cked), had reverted to tribal practices, which his
understanding of I slam ought to have reformed. Whatever his interpreta~
tion of the intentions behind his enemy's profession of faith, nothing
could justify his actions or his attitude. Usamah promised himself he
would never again be carried away in this manner and he would hence-
forth act with discernment and respect. It is to him, as we shall see, that
three years later- when he was about to leave this world-the Prophet
was to entrust the recommendations and teachings that constitute Islamic
war ethics.
\'(!hat heans contain lies beyond the limits of men's knowledge, and the
Prophet himself was an examplc of prudence and humility when it came
to judging individuals whose sincerity or intentions were doubtful. He was
well aware of the presence of many hypocrites around him, but be took
no particular action about them. 1-le remained cautious, sometimes wary,
but he avoided any final judgment. The most edifying example was that
of Abdullah ibn Uba)'y, who had lied several times, then had deserted JUSt
before the battlc of Uhud, and continued to maintain relations with ene-
mies of the Muslim community. T he Prophet took no retaliatory measures
against him and his friends, except leaving him out of delicate situations
or expeditions. H e even led the funeral prayer when ibn Ubay)' died short-
ly after returning from the Tabuk expedition, in spite of Umar's strong
disapproval. Furthermore, Revelation enjoined him not to pray for noto~
rious hypocrites: ''Never pray for any of them who die, nor stand at their
grave; for they rejected God and His Messenger, and died in a state of
perverse rebellion."j
T his verse, seemingly firm and clear-cut as to the attitude one is expect-
ed to show hypocrites when they die, conversely conveys a very demand-
ing message as to the way one should deal with them in daily life and until
the last moments of their lives. Nothing warrants passing a final judgment
on their hypocrisy while they are still alive, and the only suitable behavior
is th at exemplified by the Prophet, who never allowed himself to utter a
judgment about a hypocrite while that individual was still alive, since to
the very end everything remained possible as far as conversion and sincer-
ity o f heart were concerned. God only enjoined him not to pray for them
after they died, when the situation could no longer be reversed and it had
become clear that they had lived and died in hypocrisy, treason, and !ies.^4