and the offender has repented of it; this is a situation calling for patience and forbearance. The perfect example in this regard is our Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, as reported in the two Sahīh collections from ‘Ā’ishah, who said:

“The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, never struck a servant of his, a woman, an animal, or anything at all with his hand, except when fighting in Allah’s cause. Nor did he ever take revenge for a wrong done to him personally, unless Allah’s sacred limits were violated. When Allah’s sacred limits were violated, nothing could withstand his anger until he exacted retribution for Allah’s sake.”

His sublime character thus included never taking revenge for personal wrongs, while, when Allah’s sacred limits were violated, nothing could withstand his anger until he exacted retribution for Allah’s sake. It is well known that harming the Messenger is among the gravest prohibitions, for whoever harms him has harmed Allah. By the unanimous agreement of the Muslim community, anyone who reviles him must be put to death—whether this is held to be because such conduct constitutes apostasy, or because it constitutes aggravated apostasy that makes the execution of the offender a prescribed legal penalty.

Numerous reports describe the Prophet’s forbearance and his pardoning of those who harmed him. As Allah Most High says:

“Many of the People of the Scripture wish they could turn you back to disbelief after you have believed, out of envy within themselves, after the truth has become clear to them. So pardon and overlook until Allah brings His command.”

When someone who enjoins what is right and forbids what is wrong is harmed, and that harm transgresses Allah’s limits and involves a right belonging to Allah, everyone is obliged to forbid it, and its perpetrator deserves punishment. However, because a human right is also involved, the injured person may pardon the offender, just as he may pardon someone guilty of sexual slander, a killer, or another offender. His pardoning the offender does not