TOWARDS GLOBAL PEACE

success. The Prophet of Islam was truly the Prophet of wisdom. Being a Prophet and a man of wisdom, his practical model became worthy of emulation. The following is a selection of some of the words as well as deeds of the Prophet that are the hallmarks of wise thinking. The wisdom behind these words and deeds will bear tremendous success to those who inculcate it in their thoughts and actions. Rethinking Your Strategies The Prophet started his mission in ancient Makkah. The people of Makkah opposed his message. They even gave him an ultimatum to leave Makkah or stay there to be killed by them. Under these circumstances, he left Makkah, and quietly came to Madinah and settled there. Shortly before the migration, he said to his Companions: I have been ordered to migrate to a town which will swallow (conquer) other towns and is called Yathrib and that is Madinah. (Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith No. 1871) According to common practice, a person does not leave his native country easily, he engages in every effort to keep staying there. But the Prophet accepted this decision of the chiefs of ancient Makkah, and quietly settled in Madinah. In terms of results, this decision was a very wise act. The wisdom behind this act can be described thus: If the first plan does not work, then quietly make a second plan of action by adopting a low-profile method. The Prophet adopted this wisdom and came to Madinah peacefully. He planned his mission all over anew. This method was so successful that within just ten years, first Makkah and then the whole of Arabia came under the fold of Islam. In antagonistic situations, people usually think with a confrontational mind and adopt a confrontational approach. But the Prophet took the method of replanning instead of confrontation, and history bears witness that his strategy was completely successful. Positive Thinking in All Circumstances The Prophet started his mission at Makkah in AD 610. At that time, tribal culture was prevalent in Makkah. The people there treated him badly in every way possible. This persecution went on when thirteen years later, he was forced to leave his homeland. He left Makkah and settled with his Companions in Madinah, about 500 kilometres from Makkah. It was a case of exile in the strongest sense. It is common observation that people in exile engage in a continuous barrage about