Hazrat Inayat Khan told the following story about the life of the Prophet Mohammad, and it illustrates the power that can come from unshakeable belief and commitment.

In one of the great wars that the Prophet Mohammad had to fight, the whole army was defeated, and there only remained ten or fifteen friends by the side of the Prophet. All the others ran away or were dead or wounded.

Then the Prophet turned to his people and saw that they were all downhearted and despairing. So he said, “Look, before us there is an army and here we are fifteen men. You do not see any hope; now you must retreat. But I, I will stand here whether I am to come back victorious or lose my life here on the battlefield. Now go. Many have already left, so you go also.”

They said “No, Prophet, if your life is to be ended here on the battlefield, our lives will be taken first. What are our lives, after all! We shall give our lives together with you, Prophet. We are not afraid of this enemy.”

And then the Prophet threw away the sword he had in his hand and bowed down and took a few pebbles from the earth and threw them at the army. And the army began to run, and ran for miles and miles. They did not know what was behind them. It was only a few pebbles; but what they saw were great missiles, and they ran.