A Few Historical Examples

of Makkah, and even then, only after thirteen years of the Prophet’s “completion of proof” (itmam al-hujjah). With the exception of the deniers of Makkah, no one else was addressed in such a specific manner. When the Prophet of Islam  began his mission in Makkah, he did not address people in the early phase by saying, “Ya ayyuhal-kuffar” (O deniers). Instead, the Quran revealed this verse: “O man! What is it that lures you away from your bountiful Sustainer.”(82:6) After the migration, a sentence in the Charter of Madinah stated: “For the Jews their religion, and for the Muslims their religion.” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, Vol. 1, p. 503) It did not say: “For the deniers (kuffar) their religion.” After the conquest of Makkah, when delegations of polytheist Arab tribes came to the Messenger of God  in Madinah for discussion, the manner of address remained the same. For example, when the people of Yemen arrived, he said: “The people of Yemen have come to you.” (Maghazi al-Waqidi, Vol. 2, p. 586), not “The kuffar of Yemen have come to you.”” Similarly, the letters of invitation sent to rulers followed this pattern. The letter to the Roman Emperor began: “From Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah to Heraclius, the Great of Rome” (Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah by Ibn Kathir, Vol. 6, p. 473). He did not write: “To Heraclius, the kafir of Rome.” After the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Prophet 