Muhammad (Peace And Blessings Of Allah Be Upon Him): The Preacher Of Peace (I)
16 June 2014
By Umar Jibrilu Gwandu
The principle and practice of ensuring a peaceful and
non-violent society is the crux of the Islamic
teachings. Documented literature of Islamic history is
full of the stories of torture and persecution meted
out to the early Muslims. The most pronounced included
the histories of Ammar, Bilal, Sumayyah,Yasir (RA) who
were subjected to harsh punishment for accepting to be
Muslim.
The Muslims were scorned and ridiculed by the
non-Muslims in many unprintable terms.
The Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) did not ask his followers
to do any harm to the non-Muslims. Otherwise, he was
instructed to "bear with patience what they utter, and
part from them with a fair leave-taking" (Qur'an
73:10).
Muhammad (S.A.W) was sent as "mercy to the world" (Qur'an
21:107) but being initially rejected by his people was
asked to leave his own home town.
The first batch of his peace-loving companions
migrated to Abyssinia in Ethiopia and later to Medina.
Perhaps, if he were not a preacher of peace, it would
have been a different story.
One clear point that further buttresses the fact that
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) was the messenger of peace
was the agreement, pact and treaties he entered into
with the non-believers. When he wanted to come back to
his own home town, six years after his migrating to
Medina, the unbelievers did not agree that he and his
followers should stay there for more than three days.
The treaty of Hudaibiyyah was, therefore, signed in by
the two parties.
Some of the clauses of the treaties do not stop at
demanding the Muslims to go back and come to Mecca
next year, but also said that Muhammad (S.A.W) should
allow any of his followers who wanted to return to
Quraish to do so; while any of the Quraish who goes
over to Muhammad (S.A.W) without the permission of
his/her guardian should be sent back to the Quraish.
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) demonstrated his tolerance
and the love for peace which included deleting the
clause that says he was a messenger of Allah at the
preamble of the text of treaty and got it changed to
Muhammad the son of Abdullah as demanded by the
non-Muslims.
Preaches tolerance and understanding in diversity
Although, the religion of Islam was meant to be the
dominating civilization that overpowers all other
faiths (Qur'an 9:33, 48:28 and 61:9), Prophet Muhammad
was not sent to compel people to his faith. "It is He
Who has created you; and of you are some that are
Unbelievers, and some that are Believers: and Allah
sees well all that ye do" (Qur'an 64:2).
It is on this basis that the Prophet Muhammad (S. A.
W) was told, "therefore do thou give admonition, for
thou art one to admonish. 22. Thou art not at all a
warder over them" (Qur'an 88:21-22). After all "There
is no compulsion in religion. The right direction is
henceforth distinct from error" (Qur'an 2:256). Say: O
People of the Scripture! Come to an agreement between
us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and
that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that
none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah.
And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we
are they who have surrendered [unto Him]" (Qur'an
3:64).
Condemns killings and bloodshed
The message of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) condemns in
unequivocal terms the killing of lives. As seen above,
Jihad does not mean killing and wanton destruction of
lives and property. The Glorious Qur'an warns that
"whoever kills a person, unless it be for manslaughter
or for mischief in the land, it is as though he had
killed all men. And whoever saves a life, it is as
though he had save the lives of all men" (Qur'an
5:32).
"Whoever kills a believer intentionally, his
punishment is hell, abiding therein; and Allah is
wroth with him and He has cursed him and prepared for
him a grievious chastisement" (Qur'an 4:93)
"And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah,
and make not your own hands contribute to (your)
destruction; but do good; for Allah loves those who do
good.-(Qur'an 2:195)
"Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah
hath been to you Most Merciful!-(Qur'an 4:29)
Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) made it categorically clear
that, "Whoever kills himself with something will be
tormented by it in the Hellfire." (Bukhari)
Abhors vulgar language
In a bid to guard against instigation of conflict, the
message of the Prophet (S.A.W) was against insulting
the non-Muslims. The Qur'an makes it emphatically
clear that "revile not ye those whom they call upon
besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in
their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each
people its own doings.
"In the end will they return to their Lord, and We
shall then tell them the truth of all that they did."
(Qur'an 6:108).
The message of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) abhors the
followers to carryout reprisal even on insult done to
them by non-Muslims. He rather recommended them to be
patient. "Certainly you will Hear much that will
grieve you, from those who received the Book before
you and from those who worship many gods. But if ye
persevere patiently, and guard against evil,-then that
will be a determining factor in all affairs." (Qur'an
3:186).
In a hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (R.A), Prophet
Muhammad (S.A.W) ordered the fasting faithful "if
somebody fights with him or abuses him, he should tell
him twice, ‘I am fasting" [al-Bukhari]. The principle
is applicable even during non-fasting periods. Ibn
Mas'ud reported that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace, said, "Insulting a
Muslim is going off the path (fusuq) and killing him
is disbelief." [Agreed upon] "Allah loveth not the
utterance of harsh speech" (Qur'an 4:148).
Gwandu can be reached via: umarungwandu@gmail.com
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