Prophet Muhammad: Religiously resilient, Inclusive, Contributive, Adaptive and Progressive (Part2)

To Be Inclusive

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came to humankind with a message of faith, ethics, and hope, in which the One reminds all people of His presence, His requirements, and the final Day of Return and Encounter.

Though the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) came with this message, throughout his life he kept listening to women, children, men, slaves, rich, and poor, as well as outcasts. He listened to, welcomed, and comforted them. (pg 214)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had always retained very strong ties with the members of different clans and with this kind who had not accepted Islam.

It was a similar attitude of trust that had made it possible for Muslim to migrate to Abyssinia, under protection of a king whom the Prophet trusted even though he was not a Muslim.

This attitude is to be found throughout the Prophet’s life: he established his relationships in the name of trust and the respect of principles, and not exclusively on the basis of similar religious affiliation. His Companions had understood this as well, and they did not hesitate to develop solid ties with non-Muslims in the name of kinship or friendship, on the basis of mutual respect and trust, even in perilous situations. (pgs. 76-77)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) kept distinguishing between situations and the people involved in them, and he showed the utmost respect toward individuals and their beliefs.

For many years, a young Jew was his companion and followed him everywhere, for he loved the Prophet’s company. The Prophet never asked him to abandon his faith. Eventually the boy fell seriously ill, and on his deathbed he asked his father to allow him to embrace Islam, but during all his time by the Prophet’s side he had remained what he was and enjoyed the Prophet’s love and regard. (pg 90)

To Be Contributive

A number of new converts to Islam who had no home and often nothing to eat had settled around the mosque, near the Prophet’s dwelling. The Prophet was most concerned by their situation and showed them continuous solidarity. He would listen to them, answer their questions, and look after their needs.

The faithful felt that he saw, respected, understood, and loved them.

Indeed, he did love them, and he told them so. Moreover, he advised them to remember to tell one another of their mutual love: “When someone loves their brother [or sister] let them tell them that they love them.” He once took young Muadh ibn Jabal by the hand and whispered: “O Muadh, by God, I love you. And I advise you, O Muadh, never to forget to say, after each ritual prayer: “O God, help me remember You, thank You, and perfect my worship of You.” (pg 114)

The Prophet granted his forgiveness to all the women and men who came to him or to a Companion. Wahshi ibn Harb, who had killed Hamzah, was also forgiven.

When Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl came to the Prophet, the latter warned his Companions: “Ikrimah, Abu Jahl’s son, is coming to you as a believer. Do not insult his father, for insulting the dead hurts the living without reaching the dead.” He thus reminded them not only to forgive but also to always remember that nobody can be held responsible for someone else’s mistakes, not even their father’s. (pg 178)

The Prophet himself was a model of equity toward those who did not share his faith. Through all the years of his mission, he had continued to receive important deposits from non-Muslims traders who went on dealing with him and wholly trusted him.

On the eve of his departure for Medina, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked Ali to give back one by one to their respective owners the deposits he still held; he scrupulously applied the principles of honesty and justice that Islam had taught him, whomever he dealt with, be they Muslims or non-Muslims. (pg 77)

To Be Adaptive

The Prophet’s first words on arriving at Quba informed the Muslims of their basic responsibilities: “Spread peace [salam], feed the hungry, honor kinship ties, pray while people sleep, you shall enter paradise in peace [bisalam].” The two references to peace, at the beginning and at the end of his address, point to how the Prophet wished his Companions to understand their settlement in their new city.

Caring for the poor and honoring kinship ties appear as reminders of the ethical basis of the Muslim presence, which each believer must pledge to permanently respect. (pgs. 87-88)

To Be Progressive

Absolutely everything in his life was an instrument of renewal and transformation, from the slightest detail to the greatest events. (pg 214) Throughout his mission the Prophet sought his Companions’ advice, encouraging them to express their opinions and paying them careful attention. He would often ask questions on various subjects and give the answers only after his Companions had thought by themselves and expressed different conjectures.

For example, he once said: “A strong man is not a man who overcomes his enemy!” The Companions mulled this over among themselves, then asked him: “Then who is a strong man?” The Prophet surprised his audience and led them to a deeper understanding of the question with his answer: “A strong man is a man who controls himself when he is angry!” (pg 102)

Both by asking questions and by formulating paradoxical or seemingly contradictory statements, the Prophet stimulated his Companions’ critical sense and their ability to go beyond mere blind obedience or mechanical, mind-destroying imitation. This method developed the intellectual capacities necessary for consultations to be effective. (pg 103)

He had listened to women in his society, who often experienced denial of their rights, exclusion, and ill-treatment. Revelation recalls this listening and this accessibility: “God has indeed heard the statement of the woman who pleads with you concerning her husband and carries her complaint to God. And God hears the argument between both of you. For God hears and sees [all things].” Similarly, he listened to a woman who wanted to divorce her husband because she did not like him anymore; he heard her, looked into the matter, and separated them. He also received another woman who complained that her father had married her off without asking for her opinion; he was ready to separate her and husband, but she informed him that she was actually satisfied with her father’s choice but wanted to make it known “to fathers” that “this was not their decision” and that they could not act in such a way without seeking their daughter’s consent. (pg 213)

(With slight changes)