Question: It is narrated that at the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (sws) forgave all his enemies. Is not this contrary to your view that the rejecters of the Messengers of God are destined to humiliation?
    Answer: The humiliation of the Prophet Muhammad’s rejecters took place in two phases. Once it was evident through divine bidding that his opponents had rejected Muhammad (sws) in spite of the fact that they were convinced that he was a true Messenger of God, in the first phase, only open and avowed enemies were slain and the rest were spared. It was in the next and final phase when every rejecter was humiliated. While the polytheists were put to death the People of the Book were allowed to live if they wanted to stay on their faith by remaining subservient to the Islamic state.¹
    The conquest of Makkah belongs to the first phase. Consequently, at that time also while general amnesty was granted, some people who were guilty of aggression were hunted down and put to death.