An Example of Noble Character

MERCY TO THE WORLDS especially on seemingly one-sided terms—would never have followed. When Uthman was sent to Makkah, he went as the Prophet’s official envoy. According to international norms, killing an envoy is an act of war. So when the Muslims heard the rumour of his death, they naturally believed the Quraysh had rejected all peaceful options and chosen war. At that moment, the situation appeared to have changed. Initially, the Prophet’s choice had been between war and peace—and he chose peace. But when Uthman was believed to have been killed, the choice seemed to shift between retreat and war. The Quraysh appeared ready to fight, making war seem inevitable. In response, the Prophet took a pledge of non-retreat and defensive readiness. But when the news of Uthman’s death turned out to be false, the Prophet once again returned to his original position—and opted for peace, even if it meant accepting unfavourable terms. The message of Bay’at al-Ridwan is this: when your choice is between retreat and resistance, choose resistance. But when your choice is between war and peace, choose peace—even if it means accepting the conditions of the other side. Moreover, even the pledge to resist rather than retreat was conditional, not absolute. At Hudaybiyyah (6 AH), the Prophet chose resistance over retreat. But earlier, in Makkah (1 AH), when faced with a similar situation, he chose to migrate.