TRUE JIHAD

The Hudaybiya Peace Treaty The Hudaybiya peace treaty is another good example. The Prophet and his companions wanted to perform the minor pilgrimage (umrah) in Makkah, but when they reached Hudaybiya, nine miles from Makkah, they were stopped by the leaders of the Quraysh who refused to allow them to enter Makkah. This could easily have taken a military turn. If the Prophet wanted to advance as planned towards Makkah, an encounter would have taken place. The Prophet, however, ended his journey at Hudaybiya and signed a peace treaty, accepting all the conditions laid down by his opponents. He then came back to Medina without having performed the umrah. This was another clear Prophetic example of adopting a peaceful method as opposed to a violent method. The Conquest Of Makkah The conquest of Makkah provides an equally telling example. On this occasion, the Prophet was accompanied by 10,000 devoted followers. They could easily have fought, and won, a battle against the Quraysh. Yet the Prophet Muhammad decided to subdue his enemies with a demonstration rather than a battle. He made preparations for a journey to Makkah in secret, and with his companions, quietly entered Makkah. Their entry was so sudden that the Quraysh could not make any preparations for war and Makkah was conquered without any carnage. This incident provides a fine example of adopting a peaceful method instead of a violent method. These examples show that not only in normal situations, but even in emergencies, the Prophet adhered to the principle of peace. All his successes are practical examples of this peaceful method. Now, a peaceful course of action is not just one of the possibilities: it is the only feasible and result-oriented option. As mentioned above, the position of peace in Islam is sacrosanct, while war is allowed only in exceptional cases when it cannot be avoided. Let us look at the state of affairs prevailing today. This modern age is totally different from preceding centuries. In ancient times violence was the norm, so that maintaining the peace was extremely difficult. But now the situation has totally changed. Today, we have reached the stage where any kind of violence is undesirable and unacceptable. A peaceful strategy is the only viable solution to all problems.