WILLINGNESS TO CHANGE — Change Brings Opportunity

This decision on one hand will guarantee redemption where one’s endeavours will continue unhindered; and, on the other, holds the potential that one can find a greater field of work with more opportunities than before. The Hijrath of the Prophet of Islam was a decision that held the promise of expansion and development. The Hadith also indicates this potential in the words: ‘I have been instructed to migrate to a place which will consume other places’ (Bukhari). Here, ‘consuming other places’ is used in the sense of expansion. The incident that the people of Makkah viewed as one where the Prophet escaped from his place was transformed by the Prophet into one that would unleash an expansion of his mission on an astounding scale. Changing the Field of Activity Another Sunnath of the Prophet is Islam could be termed as ‘Changing the Field of Activity’. Although the Prophet of Islam had migrated from Makkah to Madinah, the leaders of the Quraysh in Makkah were still not reticent. They continued their aggression against the Prophet resulting in several battles between the two sides but these battles were inconclusive and there was nothing resolved. After this the Prophet of Islam negotiated a treaty with the people of Makkah that is known as the Treaty of Hudaibiya. This was essentially a ten-year peace treaty between the two sides. Through this treaty, the Prophet of Islam had changed the field of conflict. Until now, the field of confrontation between the two sides was the battlefield where both the sides faced huge losses in spite of the promise of victory. After this peace treaty, the field of confrontation between the two sides was replaced by the ideological field. Discussions and ideological exchanges began between the two sides. As a result of these peaceful exchanges, the ideology of Islam emerged as a natural outcome. Impressed by the message of the Prophet of Islam, people flocked towards him in large numbers and soon the number of the Prophet’s companions swelled to about 125,000. According to the above examples, the true Islamic approach is: If the achievement of objectives by one method or mode is ineffective then it should be changed. Another more conducive mode should be formulated and efforts renewed towards the attainment of the goals. o