in fact we know historically that there
have been instances where some of those
Christian groups there were several who
came to see him actually accepted Islam
and the Quran seemed to refer to that
because when they accepted Islam they
were rebuked by the meccan idolatrous
people and the Quran report them as
saying peace be with you you know for us
our Deeds to you your Deeds we seek no
argument with those who are ignorant the
Quran actually make reference so they
were cases of very positive interaction
aside from what happened of course in in
Mecca in terms of their relationship
with
abisinia but then there was also the
negative and it has to be dealt
with there were cases when the prophet
Muhammad PE sent memorizers of the Quran
in order to teach the Quran to certain
tribes they were killed there were case
of a Christian King rites you know
assassin ites were the tribe of Arabs in
the Norther part of Arabia because of
their proximity to Byzantium they became
Christian and one of their kings the
prophet sent an emissary to him he kills
him there was another case and we know
of course in international law today to
deliberately kill an ambassador of
another country is an act of what it's
an act of War it's not just against one
particular person but it went beyond
that to Gathering to the Gathering of a
huge Army a huge Army from the byzantian
Empire of course who could not whose
rulers and Emperors could not stand the
religion that says
Everybody's Free in the sight of God all
of us are slaves of God God is the only
Master calling for equality like some of
them used to say even this religion is
going to turn our slaves against
us and the prophet did March actually to
the place which is called tabuk tabuk
now is a city in the northern part part
of Saudi Arabia but fortunately the uh
the bantian Army dispersed and there was
no
battle so there were cases also where
battle took place and later on when
aggression again was repeated or was
prepared for it was aborted also by
action against aggression and there's no
bones about it the Quran is quite clear
that you have only two reasons to go to
the battlefield and some of you might
have heard the um the BBC Asia radio
there was an interview with
abdah and myself it was made clear there
that um so long as people are living and
coexisting in peace you have no right to
fight against them the two reasons for
fighting in the battlefield or Jihad the
combative type of jihad which is one of
many is either aggression or oppression
the Quran is quite clear in chapter 2:
190 through 194 it begins by saying
fight in the the way of God those who
fight against you but commit no excesses
or aggression for God doesn't love the
aggressor or Those who commit excess it
can be translated both ways second
reason is found couple of verses after
fight until there is no more oppression
and religion belongs to God that means
there will be freedom of religion for
Muslim and others as
well these are the only reasons and when
there were cases and there were cases of
Oppression and aggression that justified
again fighting against them to protect
peace and to protect Freedom as well the
third encounter we talked about Jews
Christians encounter with
Arabs you know the tribal Society in
Arabia one has to understand that it was
a very violent World in which Islam was
born if you read the book by Karen
Armstrong about the life of the prophet
she had an in very interesting statement
which she said she says that Islam was
born in a very violent world you know
all this rivalry between the byzantian
and the Persian and all of these and you
didn't have Kofi Anan or United Nation
if they were good enough for stopping
conflict even there was nothing like
that so to survive you've got to deal
with the situation as it
arises but the prophet tried again to
avoid Bloodshed how did he do that he
used to send Expedition to the tribes
surrounding Medina why because there is
a great fear that they might come under
pressure and intimidation even from the
dominant mecan tribe of quray to join
forces with them against
Muslims and some cases some of those
people said look Muhammad peace be upon
him we give you our word we're not going
to fight against you we're not going to
help anyone fighting against you in
other words Mutual you know peaceful
relationship with you the prophet never
said no but you have to come under our
control or Rule and this is known
actually as a term technical
term
say means having a peaceful agreement
leave them alone but will not touch you
the motto of the Prophet peace be upon
him in his reach out to these tribes is
very interesting as you compare it with
Mr Bush's
statement he said basically I mean his
approach can be summed up if you're not
with us don't hurt us not an arrogant
tyrannical undemocratic statement if
you're not with us You're With the
Enemy that's undemocratic it doesn't
give me a chance to say I am against the
enemy and against your rash policy and
deception can't you take that
position no you're not entit tile with
us or With the Enemy and the enemy are
terrorists so you're a terrorist and
terrorist can be killed
anywhere if you're not with us don't
hurt us see the fairness and we're
talking 1400 years before the
Civilized uh time that we are living in
today but then there were aggression
also in the case of Arabs like Jews and
Christian this was the positive there
was the negative also and it has to be
dealt with for Muslim to survive or else
Islam would have been as the Arab say
would have disappeared totally from the
face of the
Earth an assault after assault was made
against Muslims by the meccan Arabs and
their
allies the prophet was giving the
permission for the first time not in
meca in Medina and later in
Medina to fight to fight back to
preserve their existence and defend
their survival which is a basic human
right for
anyone no wonder as the commentators of
the Quran indicate that the first verse
that was revealed in the Quran that ever
gave permission for Muslim to fight back
is inah that chapter 22 in the Quran
which says permission has been given to
the
Believers those who have been oppressed
that indeed wrong has been done to them
that Allah is able to give them Victory
the first ever that give permission and
by the way some interesting remark one
time I was discussing with a Christian
friend of mine and he said look your
Prophet engaged in a
battlefield yet Prophet Jesus or Jesus
never lifted a finger even and
maintained his peace throughout his
mission I asked him how long
was the mission of Jesus he said most
Scholars say 3 years he said indeed we
love Jesus we believe in him and he
should get credit for withholding his
hands and asking his followers to
withhold their hands for a complete
three years under
persecution but don't you also give
credit to Prophet Muhammad peace be upon
him that he withheld his hand for 13
years not 3 years 13 years in Mecca
before even permission came to fight
back in
Medina and the situation was different
from the time of Jesus to the time of
prophet Muhammad again you cannot
compare the two situations historically
and put them in the same uh bag here I'd
like to indicate one
thing a particular
incident that was very important
in terms of the shaping of the Muslim
etiquette in the battlefield that
unfortunately many including some
Muslims no apology the Quran says you
have to say the truth even if it's
against yourself or your close
kins many Muslims even have grossly
misinterpreted that reference in the
Quran how many times have you heard in
pical literature and assaults on Islam
all in all
media that the Quran teaches hatred and
violence it sanctions it it even
commands its followers because they say
the Quran say go and kill the unbeliever
wherever you find him is there anyone
here who hasn't heard that yet I'm sure
you've heard it Islam say go and kill
the unbelievers wherever you find them
first of all first
mistake or
Distortion it doesn't say
unbelievers those who know Arabic it
says Al mus ke