{"id":3316,"date":"2021-11-18T10:00:49","date_gmt":"2021-11-18T08:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/?p=3316"},"modified":"2021-11-18T10:00:49","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T08:00:49","slug":"peacebuilding-a-collection-of-stories-and-anecdotes-from-theprophet-muhammads-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/?p=3316","title":{"rendered":"Peacebuilding .. A Collection of Stories and Anecdotes from theProphet Muhammad\u2019s Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\nSeptember 15, 2012<\/strong>
\nQamar-ul Huda, Ph.D.<\/strong>
\nUnited States Institute of Peace<\/strong>
\nReligion & Peacemaking Center<\/strong>
\n\u201cPeacebuilding: A Collection of Stories and Anecdotes from the<\/strong>
\nProphet Muhammad\u2019s Life\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

1. Determining the notions violence, conflict sensitivity, and apply the \u201cdo not
\nharm\u00bb principle.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Violence prevention and non-violence<\/strong>
\n\u2022 Prophet Muhammad (s) said, “Never aspire for confronting your enemies (in a fight). Pray to
\nGod to be among those who seek living peacefully with others. But if ever you confront them (in
\na fight) be patient and know that Heaven is as close to you as the shades of the swords.”
\n[Narrated by Al Bukhari, Muslim and Abu Dawoud- authorities on Sunna & hadith]
\n\u2022 In the legal text of the Medina Charter, which is described as the first constitution of the City of
\nMedina’s government which was founded by the Prophet in the first year of the Migration, he
\nlaid down this principle: “Pious believers will oppose any aggressor or anyone who
\nintentionally plans an unjust action or crime or a violation of rights or anyone who has
\nintention to create conflict among the believers. Even if this person is one of their children, all
\ntheir hands will be raised against him.”
\nProphet Muhammad Demonstrated Patience and Tolerance to Negative Reactions:
\n\u2022 During the first thirteen years of Prophet Muhammad\u2019s prophetic mission in Mecca (610-622
\nAD), Mecca\u2019s wealthy elite vehemently opposed the his monotheistic message and unleashed a
\nheavy toll of physical and economic persecution upon Islam\u2019s weakest followers. Nevertheless,
\nProphet Muhammad unconditionally forbade retaliation and enjoined a complete and patient
\ncommitment to nonviolence. When persecution became intolerable, he and the early Muslims
\nmigrated to Medina, where he established a sovereign state in 622 AD.
\n\u2022 When the Prophet Muhammad finally returned to the city of Mecca with victory, he came in
\nwith a powerful army of 10,000 strong. If he wanted, he could have taken revenge and
\nmassacred the Makkans fro their plotting and treachery. Instead he came to them and said, \u201cI
\nsay as my brother Joseph said: \u2018No blame will there be upon you today. Allah will forgive you,
\n{00135022 v1} 2
\nand He is the most Merciful of the merciful.\u2019\u201d Then the Prophet told the people of Makkah, \u201cGo
\nback to your homes for you are all free.\u201d
\n\u2022 Prophet Muhammad’s wife Aisha asked him if he had ever lived through a more difficult day
\nthan that of the Battle of Uhud. He answered as follows: “Yes, I have experienced much
\noppression from your tribe. The worst of this was what they did to me on the day of Akabe (in
\nTaif). I wanted to seek shelter with Ibn Abdulyalil in Taif, but he refused (to help me). He
\nturned me away and I was walking away in deep sorrow. By the time I had arrived at
\nKarnussealib I still had not recovered. When I lifted my head there I saw a cloud shadowing
\nme. When I looked closely I saw Angel Gabriel in the cloud. Gabriel called to me: “Allah has
\nheard what you said to the tribe and how they have refused you. He has sent you the Angel of
\nthe Mountain.’ Then the Angel of the Mountain called to me and greeted me. Then he said \u2018O
\nMuhammad! Allah heard what the tribe has done. I am the Angel of the Mountain. What do
\nyou want me to do? If you wish I can bring these two mountains down on their heads.’ Then I
\nsaid \u2018No, I only wish from Allah that they will worship Allah and not see anything as partners
\nto Him.'” (27)<\/p>\n


\nPatience is better than Retaliation<\/strong>
\n“And if you take your turn, then retaliate with the like of that with which you were afflicted; but if you
\nare patient, it will certainly be best for those who are patient.” (Qur’an, 16:126) Whereupon
\nMuhammad (saw) said: “I shall exhibit patience over this calamity.”
\n\u2022 \u201cAn Abyssinian slave, who killed Hamza, Muhammad\u2019s uncle, in the battle of Uhud, and after
\nthe victory of Makkah embraced Islam and came to him, was forgiven. The wife of Abu Sufyan
\nhad cut the chest of Hamza and torn his liver and heart into pieces in the battle of Uhud, She
\nquietly came to the Prophet and accepted Islam, He recognised her but did not say anything,
\nShe was so impressed by his character and stature that she said, \u201cO God\u2019s Messenger, no tent
\nwas more deserted in my eyes than yours; but today no tent is more lovely in my eyes than
\nyours\u201d
\n\u2022 In the battle of Uhud when the polytheists cracked the Prophet\u2019s jaw and split open his blessed
\nface, the companions asked him to call upon Allah to damn them. He responded, \u201cI was not sent
\nto damn people, but as a mercy unto them.\u201d1 According to another narration he then
\nsupplicated, \u201cO God, guide my people for they know not what they do.\u201d
\n\u2022 The story of a woman who threw garbage on Prophet Muhammad explains the Prophet’s
\npatience and tolerance:
\nOne old woman made a habit of throwing rubbish on the Prophet Muhammad whenever he
\npassed from her house on the way to the Mosque. Even when the old woman threw rubbish on
\nhim, he would pass silently without showing any anger or annoyance. This was a regular, daily
\n{00135022 v1} 3
\nevent. One day when the Holy Prophet was passing by the old woman was not there to throw
\nthe rubbish.
\nHe stopped and asked the neighbor about her well-being. The neighbor informed the Prophet
\nthat the old woman was sick in bed. The Prophet politely asked permission to visit the old
\nwoman. When allowed he entered the house, the old woman thought that he had come there
\nto take his revenge when she was unable to defend herself because of sickness. But the Prophet
\nassured her that he had come to her, not to take any revenge, but to see her and to look after
\nher needs, as it was the command of Almighty Allah that if any one is sick, a Muslim should visit
\nhim and should help him if his help is needed.
\nThe Prophet said: \u2018Whoever suffers an injury done to him and forgives (the person responsible), Allah
\nwill raise his status to a higher degree and remove one of his sins.\u2019
\n(Al-Tirmidhi)
\n\u2022 Anas , a close Companion of Prophet Muhammad reported, “A Jewish woman brought a
\npoisoned lamb to the Prophet and he ate of it. When the woman was brought to him, people
\nsuggested, ‘Shall we kill her?’ The Prophet said, ‘No.’ I have recognized the effects of that
\npoisoning in the Prophet’s throat ever since.” (Al-Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Ahmad, and
\nothers).
\nIn the light of the foregoing, the Prophet’s tendency to forgive that woman, which was manifested in his
\nimmediate reaction to the suggestion of his Companions that they should kill her, is highly significant.
\nHe always forgave even the most hardened of his enemies.
\n\u2022 Habir ibn al-Aswad was another vicious enemy of Muhammad and of Islam, He had inflicted a
\ngrievous injury to Zainab, daughter of the Holy Prophet, She was pregnant and was emigrating
\nto Medinah, The polytheists of Makkah obstructed her and Habbar bin al-Aswad intentionally
\nthrew her down from the camel, She was badly hurt and had a miscarriage, He had committed
\nmany other crimes as well, He wanted to run away to Persia but then he came to Muhammad,
\nwho forgave him.
\n2. Conflict gender analysis
\nThe Prophet considered how women and other vulnerable groups in society were affected by conflict:
\n\u2022 The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once saw the corpse of a woman who had been
\nkilled in a military action, and he disapproved of it and forbade the killing of women and
\nchildren.
\nAbu Bakr as-Siddiq, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad and his successor as head of the
\nMuslim community, advised one of his military commanders: “Do not kill women or children or
\nan aged, infirm person. Do not cut down fruit-bearing trees. Do not destroy an inhabited
\nplace.” [Al-Muwatta]
\n\u2022 Women should be equally included and participate in peacebuilding efforts:
\n{00135022 v1} 4
\n3. Instruments of conflict analysis
\nProphet Muhammad always gathered the facts from all sides to understand the conflict:
\nDuring Muhammad’s time a cottage was built on a piece of land belonging to two brothers. The heirs
\ndisputed regarding which brother the cottage belonged to. They went to the Prophet to resolve the
\nissue. He assigned Huzayfa b. Yemin to handle the case. Huzayfa went to the cottage for discovery and
\ninvestigation, took statements from various people, applied to witnesses and presented his decision to
\nthe Prophet for his approval. He considered the decision and approved it. In the institution of justice
\nestablished by the Prophet, the judge makes a decision according to evidence; thus, a wrong cannot be
\nmade right with his decision. For this reason, false witnessing and the presentation of unfounded
\nevidence were emphatically forbidden. Gains made by deceiving a judge and getting a positive decision
\nalthough it is not one’s right is referred to as “A piece of fire” by the Prophet. (10)
\nThe Prophet Muhammad was always neutral when trying to understand and resolve conflicts:
\nHe decided the cases even of his enemies with strict justice and fairness. His enemies brought their suits
\nto him without any fear or hesitation for they knew that they would get justice only from him. The Holy
\nProphet did not distinguish between a friend and foe in matters of justice: \u201cO You who believe! Stand
\nout firmly for God as witnesses to justice, and let not the enmity of others incite you to act contrary to
\njustice. Be always just, that is next to\u2019 piety. Be mindful of your duty to God.\u201d It is surely an act of merit
\nto do justice among friends and in a favorable or neutral atmosphere, but real greatness lies in doing
\njustice to people who are one\u2019s open enemies. The Holy Prophet, as head of the Muslim state of
\nMedinah, always treated his enemies, including Jews and unbelievers, with justice and equity.
\nThe Commentators explain this passage with reference to the case of Ta\u2019ima ibn Ubairaq, who was
\nnominally a Muslim but really a Hypocrite, and given to all sorts of wicked deeds. He was suspected of
\nhaving stolen a set of armor, and when the trial was hot, he planted the stolen property into the house
\nof a Jew, where it was found. The Jew denied the charge and accused Taima, but the sympathies of the
\nMuslim community were with Tai\u2019ma on account of his nominal profession of Islam. The case was
\nbrought to the Prophet, who acquitted the Jew according to the strict principle of justice, as \u201cguided by
\nAllah.\u201d Attempts were made to prejudice him and deceive him into using his authority to favor Ta\u2019ima.
\nWhen Ta\u2019ima realized that his punishment was imminent he fled and turned apostate.
\n4. Skills of effective communication
\nProphet Muhammad (pbuh) was someone who understood the importance of communicating with
\npeople; he did not converse or embrace only believers. Rather he saw all people, irrespective of religion,
\nlanguage, race, sex, social status or role as possessing value and thus he established good
\ncommunication with all of them. Prophet Muhammad brought the divine message into a form that
\npeople could perceive, hear and feel, about which they could read, talk and write; he set examples that
\ncould be brought to life and practiced. As a prophet, Muhammad’s mission and goal was to establish a
\ngood dialogue with people and to communicate; to do this he not only used the various means of
\ncommunication that belonged to his era, he also took into account the psychological peculiarities of the
\nindividual and society in order to present the message in the best and most effective way.
\n{00135022 v1} 5
\nProphet Muhammad\u2019s Communication was Sensitive to the Characteristics of the Individual:
\nProphet Muhammad was careful about individual differences when conversing with people. For
\nexample, he had a conversation with a Bedouin, whose wife had given birth to a black child; the Bedouin
\ndenied that the child was his. “My wife gave birth to a black child. I want to reject this child” the Bedouin
\nsaid. Prophet Muhammad asked: “Do you have camels?” “Yes” “What color are those camels?” “Red”
\n“Are there any white, black or grey camels among these?” “Yes, of course. There are grey camels among
\nthem.” “Well, where do you think these grey camels came from?” “O Prophet, that is in their blood; they
\ntake after the ancestors.” “Perhaps this boy has taken after someone in his ancestry (he resembles
\nthem).” The Prophet did not merely say, relying on his authority as prophet: “No, I tell you as the
\nProphet of Allah that this is your child.” Rather he spoke in a way that the Bedouin could understand,
\ntaking care to use an example that related to the Bedouin’s life, and thus, by benefiting from the
\nexperiences of the addressee he was able to solve a problem in a convincing manner by having the
\nBedouin come up with the solution himself.
\nProphet Muhammad Took into Account the Characteristics of the Society:
\nProphet Muhammad was able to understand the social psychology, as well as the individual
\ncharacteristics of the people who made up the society, and thus used different methods of
\ncommunication. For example, he acted according to the conditions of the region he was in when eating,
\ndrinking or dressing. Again, when speaking or delivering a speech, he constantly observed the abilities of the addresses who listened to him, and the examples he used were chosen from a world in which the
\naddresses lived and which they understood well. From animals, the most common examples he would
\nuse would be camels and from plants he would use the date. Some of the people around him were from
\nthe city while others were Bedouins (living in the desert). For this reason, Prophet Muhammad, while
\nforwarding a message that was to cover all ages and all people, acted wisely in the difficult task of
\nestablishing communication with the first addresses; he chose methods that were in accordance with
\ntheir concepts and thoughts, their perceptions and abilities.<\/p>\n

Patience and Good Conduct in Communication<\/strong>
\nThe Prophet showed endless patience while conveying the message of Islam to the non-Muslims. He
\nnever tired of speaking to people and sharing with them the monotheistic belief which is the essence of
\nthe religion. He was always sincere in his relationships and he abstained from useless polemics or
\nquarrels. As is stated in the Holy Qur’an, the Prophet always treated people well; he used kind words
\nand avoided rude and aggressive behavior. As a matter of fact, despite the rude behavior of some of the
\ncommunities he encountered while spreading the religion, the Prophet curbed his anger and asked Allah
\nfor salvation for them. For instance, when Prophet Muhammad went to Ta’if with Zayd ibn Haritha in
\nsearch of a freer environment in which to convey the message of Islam due to the increasing pressure in
\nMecca, the leading figures in Ta’if treated him rudely and ordered the people to stone him and drive him
\nout of the city. In response to this sad experience, Prophet Muhammad prayed that the people of Ta’if
\nwould be granted deliverance.
\n{00135022 v1} 6
\n5. Negotiations
\nHow Prophet Muhammad negotiated treaties:<\/strong>
\nThe Prophet (pbuh) always honored the treaties signed in the Age of Ignorance to assure peace and
\nconcord. He stated that Islam would reinforce those treaties and asserted that he could join treaties
\nregarding this issue. As a matter of fact, Prophet Muhammad signed treaties with the neighboring tribes
\nin accordance with the context of the \u201cIf enemies incline to peace, incline you also to it, and trust in
\nAllah\u201d verse.
\nThe treaties made by Prophet Muhammad were signed at the tribe to which the agreement was to be
\ncontracted or in Medina before the delegate of the other party. Before the agreements were written,
\nthe conditions were mutually debated, and as the parties reached an agreement over the articles of the
\ntreaty, the issuing phase was put into effect. If a written proposition was brought, the articles were
\nexamined, and the sections that needed to be modified were edited after the parties approved them.
\nThe Prophet would dictate the text of the treaty to his clerks given that he knew not how to read or
\nwrite. Generally Ali performed this duty. The treaty would be prepared in two copies: one copy for
\nProphet Muhammad and one copy for the other party. During the debate and writing of the treaty, the
\nwitnesses of the parties would attend and their names were also written at the end of the treaty. As a
\nmatter of fact, on the Hudaybiyah treaty, the witnesses from the Muslims were Abu Bakr, Abdurrahman
\nbin Avf and others, and the witnesses of the mushriks were Mikraz bin Hafs and others. Furthermore,
\nthe treaty would be embossed with the seal of the head of the parties.
\nTo ensure adherence to the treaties, the Prophet used expressions like \u201cuntil there still remains a drop
\nin the sea enough to wet a feather\u201d or \u201cas long as Mount Uhud exist\u201d.
\nTreaties for Peacemaking<\/strong>
\nEstablishing security and unity in Medina and getting acceptance of his sovereignty, Prophet
\nMuhammad began political relations with tribes outside of Medina. He made agreements with
\nsurrounding tribes via detachments of troops or delegations he sent to them. In the second year of the
\nmigration he made agreements with several tribes between Medina and Mecca. Similar expressions are
\nused in all these agreements: they guarantee that the parties will not attack each other, and that they
\nwill remain neutral or when one of the parties is attacked, they will help each other.
\nThe Medina Charter
\nAn example is the Medina Charter, which was established by the Prophet Muhammad in Medina soon
\nafter the early Muslims\u2019 migration from Mecca to Medina. The Charter was negotiated between the
\nMuslims, led by the Prophet, and the Jewish communities and non-Muslim Arab tribes who already
\nresided in Medina; the purpose of the pact was to maintain peace and security by protecting the life and
\nproperty of all inhabitants and by guarding against injustice and aggression regardless of tribal or
\nreligious affiliations. The Charter is notable in that it does not declare the state religion to be Islam; it
\n{00135022 v1} 7
\nprotects freedom for the whole community, regardless of religious or tribal identity. \u201cBut if the enemy
\ninclines toward peace, you also incline towards peace, and trust in God: for he is the one that hears and
\nknows\u201d (8:61).
\nCo-existence is one of the finest examples of the Medina pact. A pact signed between Muhammad as
\nthe administrator of the City State of Medina and the Jews, Muslims, Christians and other tribes as the
\ncommunities (Ummah) subscribing to the pact. The pact guaranteed the right to assemble, right to free
\nspeech and freedom to practice their faith.
\nPeace Treaty of Hudaibiyah with the Quraishis
\nThe Prophet set out for Mecca with his ashab (companions) of 1,400-1,500 people and 70 sacrificial
\nanimals in the lunar month Dhu al-Qa’dah in the sixth year of Hijrah. His purpose was to remove the
\nhostility between them and the Quraishis, forget events of the past and maintain good relations and
\nperform umrah pilgramage. However, when Prophet Muhammad came within the reach of Mecca, they
\ncame across Busr bin Sufyan. When they learned from him that the people of Mecca were planning to
\ntreat the Muslims with hostility, Prophet Muhammad took his followers to Hudaibiyah. Because of the
\nfact that the Prophet had the intention to make peace with them when he approached Mecca, he did
\nnot retaliate against the Quraishis for preventing the Muslims access to Mecca. His sole purpose was to
\nmake a treaty and leave if not perform umrah pilgramage. He tried to achieve this by diplomatic means.
\nAs result of the bilateral diplomatic relations, the Quraishis sent Suhayl bin Amr to make a treaty.
\nAfter having debated and signed this treaty, the Prophet had accepted it under very difficult conditions
\nand terms. This was because they were not going to be able to visit Kaaba, the restitution of those
\ntaking refuge in Mecca was not going to be possible despite the restitution of those taking refuge in
\nMedina, and not a single person from Mecca was going to be allowed to enter Medina. As it can be
\nunderstood, all the articles of the treaty were to the disadvantage of Muslims. At the signing of the
\ntreaty, some of the most prominent Muslim leaders began to question the Prophet\u2019s motivation, even
\nhis claim to divine inspiration. Muhammad\u2019s diplomacy was seen as selling out his followers, who had
\nsacrificed everything in support of the Prophet\u2019s vision.
\nHowever, despite all these negativities, the Prophet signed a ten-year truce with his greatest enemy, the
\nQuraish. This treaty consequently left the Muslims feeling hopeless. Yet, after revelations were received
\nand some incidents occurred, it was understood that this was in fact a victory for the Muslims.
\n\u2022 Zuhri explains clearly why the Hudaybiyah peace was a conquest: \u201cThere could be no greater
\nconquest than this in Islam. Previously people (pagans and believers) would fight when they
\ncame face to face. When peace was signed, war was left aside and people were sure of each
\nother. When they met face to face, they talked and debated. Some became Muslim when Islam
\nwas explained to them. Within two years after this peace, the number of new Muslims was
\ngreater than the previous number of Muslims.\u201d
\n{00135022 v1} 8
\n6. Mediation
\nSkills in Mediation<\/strong>
\nProphet Muhammad was always an unbiased arbitrator and leader who acted justly to defend the
\nmiddle ground. His ability to arbitrate was recognized not only by the Muslims, but also by the nonMuslims. Probably for this reason, the non-Muslims asked him to arbitrate in the conflicts that occurred
\nwith the Muslims from time to time and in the problems they had amongst themselves. For some of the
\nlegal problems that occurred among the Jews, the Prophet ruled according to Jewish law. His
\ncommitment to justice and his reliable character were well-known long before he became a prophet.
\nFor example, he arbitrated in a disagreement among the Quraishis in Mecca regarding who should
\nreplace the al-Hajar al-Aswad (the Black Stone, considered holy even before the advent of Islam, as it is
\nsaid to have descended from heaven) in the walls of the Ka’ba after renovations had been completed on
\nthe building. By finding a way for the tribes to cooperate equally in the task, he prevented a tense
\nsituation from escalating into war.
\nProphet Muhammad Used Sympathy to Affect the Person Being Addressed:
\nAllah introduced His Prophet as “Let it be sworn that such a prophet has come among you that any
\ntroubles you have will be troublesome for him; he is fond of you, he is tender, merciful to the believers.”
\n(10) The expression in the Qur’an: “Now hath come unto you an Apostle from amongst Yourselves” (11)
\nfocuses on the empathetic attitude of the Prophet. In a hadith the Prophet wanted to try to have the
\nbelievers understand one another and to understand what each other were feeling: “….when a servant
\ndoes not want for his neighbor or brother what he wants for himself then he does not fully believe.” (12)
\nThe Ka\u2019ba Arbitration
\nThe Prophet Muhammad\u2019s arbitration between the major clans of the Quraysh tribe when the
\nsacred black corner stone, called Aswad, fell off the wall of the Kaaba carries great importance.
\nHe was trusted by all the tribes, even those at odds with each other, they could count on him to
\nalways be truthful. No clan chief wanted to relinquish this great honor of reinserting the Black
\nStone to any other. There were even those who suggested fighting for the right. The infighting
\namong the tribes began as to who would be privileged to place the stone back in its place, as
\nthe conflict grew, they called upon Muhammad (the truthful and just) to find the solution.
\nMuhammad was inherently a peace maker, and strove for peace among the communities. The
\nfuture Prophet of Islam spread his mantle on a piece of cloth on the ground and, placing the
\nBlack Stone on it, invited the chiefs of the four major clans entrusted with repairing the Ka’ba to
\neach take one corner of the cloth. When they raised the Black Stone to the spot where it was to
\nbe inserted, the Prophet took it and inserted it firmly in its position. As a result, potential clan
\nwar among the Quraysh was prevented. Muhammad wanted us to understand that Fairness
\nand Justice sustains peace longer than any other thing.
\n{00135022 v1} 9
\n7. Possible actions on intervention in the conflict
\nAn example for promoting inter-ethnic harmony:
\nProphet Muhammad always promoted tolerance and inter-communal harmony
\n\u2022 The framework of the Medina agreement with the non-Muslims shortly after the arrival in
\nMedina is the perfect example that shows that Prophet Muhammad was searching for good
\nrelationships with these different grou[s and it makes clear his intentions. In this agreement not
\nonly was there freedom of religion and conscience, but it was also based on the fundamentals of
\ngood reciprocal relations. In the treaties that were drawn up one can see the special care given
\nto the rights of life, property and religion. Despite the hostile attitude demonstrated against the
\nMuslims, including assassination attempts against Prophet Muhammad, until the situation
\nbecame clearly one of war there were no armed struggles on the part of the Muslims. Before
\nbattle, during the battle and afterwards there was no hostile attitude displayed against holy
\nobjects. After the battles the Muslims behaved justly and they were reminded that it was
\nforbidden to abuse any property of those with whom they had agreements.
\n\u2022 In daily life, Prophet Muhammad continued to have socio-economic relations with the nonMuslims; from time to time he gave and took loans from non-Muslims. There is a very
\ninteresting account of how the Prophet pawned his armor to a non-Muslim in return for a sum
\nof money. According to Aisha, the Prophet passed away while his armor was still in the
\npossession of a Jew (Bukhari, Jihad 89, Maghazi 86; Muslim, Musaqat 124-126). Also, within the
\nscope of the good relationships he had established with other people, the Prophet always
\naccepted invitations from non-Muslims and listened to them. In fact, once he accepted an
\ninvitation from a Jewish man who then tried to assassinate him.
\n\u2022 The Prophet would sometimes discuss the problems the Jews were encountering and visit them
\nin the Beytu’l Midras where the Torah was being read. (48) He stood up when a Jewish funeral
\npassed in front of him, and he recommended that the other Muslims do the same. (49) He made
\na Jewish boy happy by frequently visiting the boy when he was ill. (50) Prophet Muhammad
\nexpressed the priority given to close neighbors, saying “Even if your neighbor is a Jew, they have
\nprior rights.” (51) Prophet Muhammad entered into trade relations with the Jews. In fact,
\nProphet Muhammad purchased some provisions a Jewish trader, and left his armor as collateral.
\n(52) When Prophet Muhammad died it is reported that his armor was in the possession of a Jew
\nin lieu of payment. (53) Some of the Companions entered into debt trading with Jews and
\nrequested help Prophet Muhammad on this matter. (54)
\nConstructiveness and respect of diversity
\n\u2022 The Prophet was always constructive in his relationships with people, whether they were
\nbelievers or not. In particular, he maintained good relations, particularly in the Medinan period,
\nwith the Jewish tribes and the Arab polytheists with whom he lived as long as they did not show
\nhostility towards the Muslims and did not violate any mutual treaties. Prophet Muhammad saw
\nno harm in different communities living together, with each community contributing something
\nuseful to society. For instance, Muslims and non-Muslims were able to live together in peace in
\nMedina under the agreement known as \u201cThe Medina Document\u201d, which was signed by the
\n{00135022 v1} 10
\ndifferent groups living there in the early Medinan period. The different communities undertook
\ncommon responsibilities to form a society; this situation could continue as long as the provisions
\nof the agreement were not violated. The Prophet even worked with Arab polytheists who had
\nbeen prisoners of war. For instance, after the Battle of Badr, the Muslims benefited from the
\nability to read and write that some of the idolaters and prisoners had: in return for their release,
\nthey taught the Muslims how to read and write.
\n***END***<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

September 15, 2012 Qamar-ul Huda, Ph.D. United States Institute of Peace Religion & Peacemaking Center \u201cPeacebuilding: A Collection of Stories and Anecdotes from the Prophet Muhammad\u2019s Life\u201d   1. Determining the notions violence, conflict...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1090,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,4],"tags":[292,324],"class_list":["post-3316","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-topics","category-about-islam","tag-mohammad","tag-prophet-mohammed"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3316","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3316"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3316\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3317,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3316\/revisions\/3317"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1090"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3316"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3316"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/investigate-islam.com\/web\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3316"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}