Da’wah Without Violence

The Prophet Muhammad Saw is the most important figure in human history. No name is uttered more often than his. The name of Muhammad is pronounced more than ten times per day in prayer by millions of Muslims throughout the world and this ritual will continue until the world itself ends. It is truly astonishing that this human child, born fatherless and later orphaned, is cemented so profoundly in the souls of so many people, yearned for so deeply, even centuries after his death. How was he able to single-handedly conquer and attract the sympathies so many people, even those that were at first his enemies? How did the noble prophet achieve such success in spreading his teachings and ideas, even though they challenged the deeply-rooted tradition and culture of his society?

The history of the life of Muhammad records that one of the ways the great Prophet of Islam conveyed his religious mission and major humanist ideas was through his personal attitude of non-violence. Muhammad SAW stood on the stage of social history, a stage stained with violence and disorder, presenting himself as a figure of gentleness and love. This, indeed, was God’s message to him. God said: It was by the mercy of Allah that thou wast lenient with them (O Muhammad), for if thou hadst been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about thee. (Q.S. Ali Imran, 3 : 159, Pickthall Translation).

When Muhammad was attacked, hurt, wounded or treated badly or with violence by his peers, he would not respond. We can see this in the story of his experience in Thaif, a city north of Mecca, when the Prophet was chased by a number of young people who were trying to kill him. They pelted him with stones and camel dung. The Prophet had no one to defend him. He was wounded and bleeding. Physically, he was powerless. The prophet knew that there was no person whom he could ask for help. However, in his heart Muhammad still believed Allah would surely come to his aid and he asked Allah to help him. And his prayer shook Arasy where the angels were gathered. Jibril led a party of Angels to find the Prophet and offer assistance: “Beloved Prophet, if you ask us to uproot the mountains and cast them down upon the ill-bred citizens of Thaif, we will do it.”
The Prophet Muhammad SAW politely replied: “Even if they don’t want to have faith in and be faithful to God, I still hope that their children or grandchildren might one day pray to the Almighty God. Let them be, because they do not know. 'Allahumma Ihdi Qawmi fa innahum la Ya'lamun' (Beloved God give them a sign, because they do not know).”

The Prophet Muhammad SAW was convinced that truth would never be destroyed and could never be defeated. Truth would surely triumph. He also knew that people who are the enemies of truth are people who do not yet understand, and must be given direction and education. Thus was the wisdom of this great prophet.
The belief in the coming of truth and the destruction of iniquity was then proved. God said to Muhammad: And say: Truth hath come and falsehood hath vanished away. Lo! falsehood is ever bound to vanish.. (QS. Al Isra, 17:81, Pickthall Translation).

It is Forbidden to Mock Gods

No matter what the situation, the Prophet Muhammad SAW remained kind-hearted, polite and full of love. At the direction of God, the Prophet Muhammad SAW forbid his followers from insulting gods other that their own. Da’wah (religious prostheletising) that mocked or insulted gods worshipped by others would only result in a hatred of the almighty God (Allah SWT). And this would create enormous social conflict in the name of religious belief. Al-Qur’an says: Revile not those unto whom they pray beside Allah lest they wrongfully revile Allah through ignorance. Thus unto every nation have We made their deed seem fair. Then unto their Lord is their return, and He will tell them what they used to do (QS. al An'am, 6: 108, Pickthall Translation).

This attitude or view of his was not only valid in situations in which he was in a weak position or when the number of his followers was still small but also when he was very powerful and the number of his followers was increasingly large. When he became the leader of Medina, he called upon many citizens who were Christian, Jewish or followed other religions. This diverse, multicoloured religious life was a reality that could not be denied by him. Muhammad was a person who understood very well, better than anyone, the reality of this plurality. In such a context he taught principles of living together. These principles were then instilled into the Medina Charter that contained a social contract between the members of this plural society. The following clauses emphasise how principles of pluralism were built into the charter:

(1) This is a document from Muhammad the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), governing relations between the Believers i.e. Muslims of Quraysh and Yathrib and those who followed them and worked hard with them. They form one nation - Ummah.
(16) Those Jews who follow the Believers will be helped and will be treated with equality. (Social, legal and economic equality is promised to all loyal citizens of the State).
(17) No Jew will be wronged for being a Jew.
(18) The enemies of the Jews who follow us will not be helped.
(30) The Jews of Bani Awf will be treated as one community with the Believers. The Jews have their religion. This will also apply to their freedmen. The exception will be those who act unjustly and sinfully. By so doing they wrong themselves and their families.
(34) Those in alliance with the Jews will be given the same treatment as the Jews.
(37) The Jews must bear their own expenses (in War) and the Muslims bear their expenses.
(38) If anyone attacks anyone who is a party to this Pact the other must come to his help.
(39) They (parties to this Pact) must seek mutual advice and consultation.
(49) The parties to this Pact are bound to help each other in the event of an attack on Yathrib.
(52) The Jews of al-Aws, including their freedmen, have the same standing, as other parties to the Pact, as long as they are loyal to the Pact. Loyalty is a protection against treachery.

Source: http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/documentview.cfm?ID=12

In other words, the charter guaranteed Muslims, Jews and other loyal citizens of Medina freedom to practice their respective religions. They were guaranteed freedom of worship. No one was permitted to interfere with the religion of others. Jews that were signatories to the Charter were guaranteed the right to assistance and protection as long as they did not carry out acts of tyranny. If there such crimes were carried out, it would hurt not only them but also their families. All forms of oppression were forbidden. Muslims, Jews and other loyal citizens had the same obligations to defend the state from enemy attacks.

It is therefore evident that the unity of society was a principle of the Prophet. The community of Medina was built on the cooperation of its citizens with their various religious beliefs. The citizens of Medina, under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad SAW were not permitted to commit acts of violence against anyone unless they were engaged in acts of oppression. The Prophet never started a war or attacked without provocation. When war occurred, it was forced upon the Prophet as a means of defending himself from outside attacks. Indeed, al-Qur’an urges Muslims to treat their enemies justly: “Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers” (QS al-Mumtahanah 60:8, Pickthall Translation).

Non-Muslim citizens were never forced to enter Islam. "There is no compulsion (or coercion) in the religion (Islam)" according to al-Qur'an (QS al-Baqarah 2:256, Pickthall Translation). In fact, the Prophet permitted them to follow their beliefs and worship according to those beliefs. And the Prophet also forgave people who had previously been his enemy or had hurt him when he was in Mecca. When the Prophet entered Mecca with 100, 000 of his followers, he declared a comprehensive amnesty: “La tastriba 'alaikum al yaum”, (there will be no revenge on this day). The Prophet also declared: “idzhabu fa antum thulaqa” (go home, you are free). The Prophet always tried to persuade people using wise (hikmah) methods, good advice and through discussion. On another occasion the Prophet SAW said:“Yassiru wa la tu'assiru, basysyiru wa la tunaffiru” (make things easier not more difficult, make people happy not scared). Such was the true greatness of the Prophet of Muslims. But can the umma now continue, today and into the future, to follow his example?

(This article was first published in Warkah al-Basyar Vol. IV ed. 08 - 2008)

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