Avoid Confrontation

first of all to purify the Kaaba of these idols. But this kind of beginning would have been bound to create serious problems. It would inevitably have resulted in a confrontation between the Prophet and the idol worshippers. So the Prophet resorted to a very practical method. He decided to ignore the presence of the idols in the Kaaba and just go to the audience and address them and convey to them the message of the Quran. The Prophet’s formula on this occasion was—accept the status quo and avail of the opportunities that the presence of the audience afforded him. This policy can be described as non-confrontational. It proved so successful that the Prophet was able to continue his mission for a further thirteen years without any confrontation. This policy is expressed in the Quran in these words: ‘purify your garments.’ In other words, purify the hearts of the people and leave the problem of idols until there is a change in the situation. Accept the status quo in controversial matters and divert your activities to the non-confrontational field. Our world is a world of conflict and differences. In such a world, there is a very important question: from where to begin? The answer, in the light of the above example, is to accept the status quo in controversial matters and divert your activities to the non-confrontational field. The confrontational approach involves a very serious loss, that is, a waste of time and energy, while the non-confrontational method makes it possible to devote all your time and energy towards achieving your goal.