TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE We often talk of peace in the context of war. But this is a very narrow and restricted notion of peace. Peace is deeply linked with the entirety of human life. Peace is a complete ideology in itself. Peace is the only religion for both—man and the universe. It is the master-key that opens the doors to every success. Peace creates a favourable atmosphere for success in every endeavour. Without peace, no positive action—small or big—is possible. THE PEACE TREATY OF HUDAIBIYA I N the sixth year of the Hijrah, or AD 628, the Prophet, acting on the word of God, set out on a pilgrimage to Makkah along with 1400 Companions. But the Quraysh stopped them at a place called Hudaibiya, some eleven kilometres from Makkah. Here the Prophet signed a peace treaty with the Quraysh, which was called by the Quran “a clear victory.” The Treaty provided for ten years of peace between the Quraysh and the Muslims. There was to be no war or treachery between them. The Treaty was concluded with the agreement that the Muslims would not make the pilgrimage that year, but that the following year the Prophet Muhammad and his followers would be free to go to Makkah and stay there for three days. The terms of the Hudaibiya Peace Treaty were as follows: • that the Muslims would return to Madinah that year without performing the Umrah (minor pilgrimage); • that the pagans would, however, allow them to do so the next year, provided their stay in Makkah did not exceed three days; • that the Muslims would not bring any arms with them; • that no Muslim residing in Makkah would migrate to Madinah, but if any migrant in Madinah wished to return to Makkah, he would not be prevented; • that pagans visiting Madinah would be permitted to return to