PROPHET OF PEACE, OR OF VIOLENCE — An Objective Analysis

rather it was by winning the people over with love and compassion and giving them life. The Quran says: Believers, obey God and His Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. (THE QURAN 8: 24) It is obvious from an understanding of the Quran that the mission of the Prophet was different from that of emperors and kings. A king’s purpose is to conquer and rule over people. Hence, the way of a king is one of conquests and wars. Without subduing people by force, a king will be unable to achieve his goal. On the other hand, the mission of a Prophet is not to rule over people, but to change their minds and hearts towards spirituality; to teach them God-oriented living making them divine personalities so that they can be successful in this world and the hereafter; to make them peaceful personalities so that God will give them a place in His eternal ‘Home of Peace’. From the above analysis it should be obvious that the Prophet Muhammad was a prophet of peace, and not a prophet of violence. The approach to the biography of the Prophet by both Muslim and non-Muslim biographers is not correct. o Jihad in Islam A movement cannot be a jihad just because its leaders describe it as such. An action can be termed a ‘jihad’ only when it fulfils the conditions set by Islam. Any action which is carried out without fulfilling these conditions will not be a jihad, but a fasad, which will amount to spreading corruption across the world. Those who engage in such a ‘jihad’ will not deserve any reward. They should expect only divine punishment.