NON-VIOLENT MILITARY ETHICS OF MUHAMMAD (S.) : A CRITICAL STUDY

Abstract

Muhammad (S.) is the last Prophet of Almighty Allah in the chain of Prophethood. There will be no prophet after him. He is the seal of Prophethood as the holy Qur’an declared in the Verse: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things.” (Al-Quran, 33:40) Adam (A.S.) was the first Prophet in the series. Almighty Allah took Covenant from all Prophets that they all would believe and render help to a Messenger who would come after them. It was said about Muhammad (S.): “Behold! Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets, saying: ‘I give you a Book and Wisdom; then comes to a Messenger, confirming what is with you; do ye believe in him and render him help.’ Allah said: ‘Do you agree, and take this my Covenant as binding on you?’ They said: ‘We agree.’ He said: ‘Then bear witness and I am with you among the witness.’” (Al-Quran, 3:81) Similar Verses are in: 33:7-8. Thus, Muhammad’s (S.) Prophethood was known by all previous honourable Prophets (A.S.) and with the Allah’s Covenant they all were sworn in ‘confirming’ their ‘help’ in Messengership of Muhammad (S.). So Muhammad (S.) is the Messenger of all Messengers whose position, rank, state of quality and respect is easily conceivable by all. All Prophets were sent by Allah with the Truth to preach and their religion was also same. All were called Muslims and their followers were also called Muslims. Allah says in the Quran: “The same religion has He established for you as that which He enjoined on Noah – the which We have sent by inspiration to thee – and that which We enjoined on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus: Namely, that ye should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions therein: to those who iv worship other things than Allah, hard is the (way) to which thou callest them. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him). (Al-Quran, 42:13) No Muslim differentiates the Prophets and can never afford to divide among them. Allah also guides: “Say: ‘We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us and what was revealed to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and in (the Books) given to Moses, Jesus, and the prophets, from their Lord: we make no distinction between one and another among them, and to Allah do we bow our will (in Islam).’” (Al-Quran, 3:84) All Prophets’ first priority was Islamic Monotheism i.e. The Oneness of Allah (‘Tawhid’). Allah, thus, warns: “One day shall We gather them all together: We shall say to those who ascribed partners (to Us): ‘Where are the partners whom ye (invented and) talked about!’ There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: ‘By Allah our Lord, we were not those who joined gods with Allah.’” (Al-Quran, 6:22-23) and also says: “No partner hath He: This am I commanded, and I am the first of those who bow to His Will.” (Al-Quran, 6:163) Similar and more precisely says about same in the Verses: 2:163; 2:255; 3:18; 3:2 etc. To Almighty Allah true religion is only One i.e. Islam: “The Religion before Allah is Islam (Submission to His Will): Nor did the People of the Book dissent therefrom except through envy of each other, after knowledge had come to them. But if any deny the Signs of Allah, Allah is swift in calling to account.” (Al-Quran, 3:19) But all prophets were mocked (Al-Quran, 6:10; 13:32; 15:11; 21:41), they had enemies (Al-Quran, 6:112; 25:31), persecuted and threatened (Al-Quran, 14:13) and even slain (Al-Quran, 3:138). The Quran is the proof: “Say: ‘There came to you messengers before me, with clear Signs and even with what ye ask for: why then did ye slay them, if ye speak the truth?’” (Al-Quran, 3:183) No Prophet said anything else other than what Allah directed, preached the Truth and warned the people for their own benefit. The prophets neither gained anything worldly benefit nor v did they possess any envy for people’s worldly benefits. They only performed their duties set by Allah to guide people to live in peace and to save them from eternal Hellfire. In return the people rebuked all prophets with ascribing falsehood on them, created unrest and made disunity that led to the conflict. Even after these those people have created unrest and conflicted more once they were advised not to propagate the falsehood. On the contrary, being in wrong side they used to accuse the prophets and their followers by saying: “When it is said to them: ‘Make not mischief on earth,’ they say: ‘Why, we only want to make peace!’ Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief, but they realise (it) not.” (Al-Quran, 2:11-12) In the similar way, Muhammad (S.), physically, mentally and psychologically, was mocked, persecuted, assembled at night around his house to kill and finally ousted from his own city. Not only that, they, after migration, did not set him free but continued and pursued him to kill and to vanish the Truth that he had been preaching. But none can extinguish Allah’s Light by their power. Allah says: “Fain would they extinguish Allah’s light with their mouths, but Allah will not allow but that His light should be perfected, even though the Unbelievers may detest (it).” (Al-Quran, 9:32) Under such circumstances, Allah permitted Muhammad (S.) to stand for self-defence to protect him, his followers and to save the Truth i.e. the One Religion Islam from disappearing from the earth. “To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are wronged; – and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid; – (they are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right, – (for no cause) except that they say, ‘our Lord is Allah’. Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measures. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause); – for vi verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).” (Al-Quran, 22:39-40) Muhammad (S.) had to fight back the war that was imposed by the Pagans led by the Quraish. He had to conduct a warfare for long 10 years in his Madinite period that was based on fully self-defence and he followed a set of ethical code that was revealed from Allah. Allah revealed: “Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not transgressors. And slay them wherever ye catch them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out; for tumult and oppression are worse than slaughter; but fight them not at the Sacred Mosque, unless they (first) fight you there; but if they fight you, slay them. Such is the reward of those who suppress faith. And if they cease, Allah is Oft-forgiving, most Merciful. And fight them on until there is no more Tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah; but if they cease, let there be no hostility except to those who practice oppression. The prohibited month for the prohibited month, – and so far all things prohibited, – there is the law of equality. If then any one transgresses the prohibition against you, transgress ye likewise against him. But fear Allah, and know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves.” (Al-Quran, 2:190-194) The Quran is the ethical Book that was followed by Muhammad (S.) in his whole life for everything and the warfare was not also excluded that. His life was based on only the Quran and he did not talk of his own rather said in accordance of the divine instructions. Allah certifies: “Your Companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say (aught) of (his own) Desire. It is no less than inspiration sent down to him.” (Al-Quran, 53:2-4) His character was an exalted standard of character: “Thou are not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed. Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing: And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.” (Al-Quran, vii 68:2-4) As such a life that was led and passed fully on enlightened Book i.e. the Qur’an could never be capricious, arbitrary, despotic, unreliable and unethical. He stayed with his society in Makkah for long 40 years without any dispute rather he was nicknamed ‘Al-Amin’ (Truthful) and ‘As-Sadiq’ (Trustworthy) and never was confronted for any reason whatsoever. But the moment he was commissioned as Prophethood then the rivalry against him erupted and his own tribe treated him enemy. The enmity reached its peak once Muhammad (S.) advised them to leave all kind of polytheism and invited to only ‘One True God’ through One True Universal Religion i.e. Islam. It was not for his own benefit but for the benefit of the people. But the Pagans considered him their arch-rival, started pursuing, conspiring and attempted to kill him. Muhammad (S.) replied their enmity through his patience, piety, and highest standard of conduct and behaviour. None of his enemy could claim that he lied, and attacked someone first. He received his prizes of honesty and good conduct duly after 23 years of his Prophethood. He was re-established with more respect and highest stature of honour by Almighty Allah in his own city at Makkah where he was ousted from. He conquered Makkah on 630 C.E. against his mighty enemy after a long 10 years of warfare but without bloodshed. Not only that, he and his followers who suffered whatnot did not take any kind of revenge after they conquered it. Muhammad (S.) pardoned every ring leaders of Makkah and all his enemies. None was made captives and no property of enemy was grabbed at the wake of a huge victory by the Muslims. Thus, the hypothesis titled as “Non-violent Military Ethics of Muhammad (S.) : A Critical Study” was found truly non-violent in reality during the research by this researcher. Muhammad (S.) came with the ‘Truth’ as all previous Prophets (A.S.) had come. The ‘Truth’ can never be violent and nothing else other than the ‘Truth’ could be more ethical. By viii opposing the ‘Truth’ none could exist in the earth forever or even for a long time. Likewise, Muhammad (S.) became victorious with the ‘Truth’ by Almighty Allah’s Help. Allah says: “And say: ‘Truth has (now) arrived, and Falsehood perished: for Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish’.” (Al-Qur’an, 17:81)