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The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) was a symbol of mercy and forgiveness for all his opponents and even fatal enemies. He never cursed anyone nor ever expressed any desire for revenge or retaliation. Throughout his Makkan life, he faced the utmost and worst kind of opposition and inhuman persecution but he would never curse his enemies.
A Makkan woman used to throw garbage and trash on him whenever the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) happened to pass through the street she lived in. One day the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) walked through the same street but no garbage was thrown at him. The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) got curious about the old woman and went upstairs especially to enquire about her well-being.
He came to know that she had fallen ill and the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) began to look after her till she finally recovered. This impressed her so much that she embraced Islam. Then, when he visited Taif in 619 A.D., he tried to invite the people of Taif to Islam but they reacted angrily and began to mock him so much so that he had to leave that town.
The arrogant people of Taif pelted him with stones and injured him and his companion Zaid bin Harith (رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ) to the extent that their bodies began to bleed. On his way back to Makkah, Jibril appeared along with the Angel of Mountains who asked his permission to bury Taif between the two mountains.
The Holy Prophet (ﷺ), however, set another example of extreme mercy by replying: "No, I hope that God will let them beget children who will worship God alone." Yet another demonstration of the Holy Prophet's mercy is to be seen on the eve of his victorious march into Makkah in 8 A.H. (630 A.D).
All his worst and mortal enemies looked at him with fear-stricken faces and with the anxiety of a retaliating and punitive response from the Holy Prophet. They were stunned when the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) declared a general amnesty for them and thus won not only the city but also the hearts of the Makkans.
Another example of the Holy Prophet's generous heart is to be seen after his victory at Hunain (January 630 A.D). The Hawazin Chief Malik bin 'Auf had fled from Taif and the Holy Prophet (ﷺ) sent him a message of amnesty plus a reward of one hundred camels as a gesture of goodwill. This greatly impressed Malik bin Auf and he did not hesitate in embracing Islam.
