Relationship of The Prophet With Non-Muslims (MS), M.Arsalan Sajid
Relationship of The Prophet With Non-Muslims (MS), M.Arsalan Sajid
Relationship of The Prophet With Non-Muslims (MS), M.Arsalan Sajid
Good answers will be able to provide a detailed and concise narrative of events that
occurred between the Prophet ﷺand the Quraysh.
Candidates should talk about the Prophet’s ﷺstatus in the community prior to him
becoming a prophet.
He was known as ‘Al-Amin’ or the trustworthy.
Candidates should mention, using examples, that prior to his prophethood, the
Quraysh used to consult him in important matters, trust him with their goods, and
look to him for advice.
For example, they could mention that when the Prophet ﷺwas younger, he was
chosen by the Quraysh to settle the dispute of who should replace the sacred black
stone to its position at the Ka’ba.
Answers should also mention that after revelation, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺwas
rejected when he invited the Quraysh to Islam, especially by his uncle Abu Lahab.
They still trusted him but did not want to believe in his message.
He was taunted, mocked and openly humiliated by different members of the
Quraysh.
The best answers will include details of events before the period of revelation and
after revelation.
Candidates should not mention only one or two events, such as the boycott, but give
a wider narrative of events before and after prophethood.
Details about the events themselves should be credited. Answers should write about the
Prophet’s ﷺstatus in the community prior to Islam and after. A comparative approach
will likely score higher.
❖ The Prophet ﷺwas mistreated by the Makkans after preaching the message of
Islam. Write an account of the difficulties he faced. [10] (Oct/Nov 2020 12)
❖ The Prophet Muhammad ﷺbrought the message of Islam to Makkah. Describe
the ways the main clans treated him after hearing his message.
(Oct/Nov 2018 11)
Candidates should write a detailed account of the difficulties faced by the Prophet ﷺ
himself.
Candidates could give a brief description of the Prophet ﷺbeginning to preach
openly after years of secret worship, inviting his kinsmen of Banu Hashim to
Islam but getting a cold response from them to his call.
When Prophet ﷺbeginning to preach openly after years of secret worship and
announced his faith to the Quraysh on mount Safa, they rejected his call to Islam,
and subsequently went on to mock and torture the Prophet ﷺ.
Abu Lahab, in particular, spoke harshly and subsequently went on to mock and
torture the Prophet ﷺ. He was called a mad man, or possessed by jinn [15.6,
68.51];
Abu Lahab forced his two sons to divorce the Prophet’s daughters Ruqayya and
Umm Kulthum.
They laughed and mocked him after his son’s death, calling him ‘abtar’, cut off
and when there was a break in revelations.
Gradually as Islam started spreading, leaders of different tribes such as Banu
Makhzum escalated the persecution against Prophet.
Abu Jahal was the most prominent Makkan who committed many atrocities
against the Prophet ﷺon several occasions including physically attacking and
inciting others to do the same.
Abu Jahl had the fetus of a she-camel placed on the Prophet’s ﷺback while he
was praying at the Ka’ba, which was removed by Fatima.
Rubbish and thorny bushes were thrown at him/in his path. His followers were
also persecuted which hurt the Prophet too.
The Prophet ﷺ, his followers and clans were boycotted and were not allowed
business dealings or social contact with the Makkans; they stayed in Shib-e-Abi
Talib for three years, where they had little food or water.
Some candidates might also refer to the pressure put on Abu Talib to withdraw
support of the Prophet ﷺand the bribery offer made by the Quraysh and when all
failed, planned to assassinate the Prophet ﷺwhich eventually led to his migration.
❖ Write about the way in which the Prophet interacted with non-Muslims after
his move to Madina. [10] (Oct/Nov2016 11)
❖ Write about the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺinteraction with non-Muslims in
Madina. (May/June 2013 41)
Candidates should only write about the Prophet’s ﷺinteraction with non-Muslims
once he had migrated to Madina, and not write about events before this time.
Candidates could write about how the Prophet ﷺmade a Constitution for the
citizens of Madina, including non-Muslims, about their rights and responsibilities as
part of the community.
The non-Muslims had the following rights:
i. Equal political and cultural rights,
ii. Autonomy and freedom of religion;
iii. They would fight with the Muslims against the enemy of the community and
have the same responsibilities in war as others.
The Prophet ﷺwas always fair in his dealings with the non-Muslims, e.g., when a
Muslim and non-Muslim were having a dispute, the Prophet ﷺsided with the non-
Muslim as it was the just thing to do.
Candidates could also talk about the various Jewish tribes, and how their
relationships developed with the Prophet ﷺover time, as well as his relationship
with the hypocrites in Madina.
The Prophet ﷺengaged in commercial dealings with them and gave and received
help from them.
He sometimes borrowed money from Jews and also arranged for loans from them
for some of his companions: one day a Jew caught hold of the cloth the Prophet ﷺ
was wearing and demanded that he repay the loan he had taken from him. ‘Umar,
got angry with the Jew and scolded him. The Prophet ﷺthen ordered that the loan
be repaid to the Jew, and because ‘Umar had scolded him the Prophet ﷺinsisted that
he be given more money than what he had actually been owed.
Not everyone was happy with the Prophet’s ﷺleadership of Madina and individuals
from among the non-Muslim clans plotted to take the Prophet’s ﷺlife.
Two of the tribes – the Banu Nadir and the Banu Qaynuqa - were eventually exiled
for breaking the treaty and for the consequent danger they posed to the new Muslim
community.
They could talk about the moral significance of the Prophet’s ﷺactions and this should
be used to highlight Muslim conduct. A clear parallel should be drawn between the
Prophet’s ﷺexample and related situations, and specific examples given.
Non-Muslims were respected by the Prophet ﷺand invited to Islam.
If they did not accept it, they were left to live their lives freely under their own faith.
Muslims now can learn from this by inviting non-Muslims to Islam by teaching
them about the essentials of faith.
If they do not want to accept Islam then they should not be harassed or hurt, but
rather respected and looked after.
Muslims who kill people from other faiths because they do not believe in Islam, are
going against the example of the Prophet ﷺ.
Muslims should also enter into agreements with non-Muslims to ensure both sides
live amicably and do not have their freedoms taken away by the other side.
This allows both parties to know where they stand and do not have to live in fear.
Candidates can offer their own examples, and valid answers should be credited.