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ARTICLES Life Of the Prophet PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL LEADERSHIP by Allahyarham Tan Sri Dato’ S.O.K. Ubaidulla
ARTICLES Life Of the Prophet PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL LEADERSHIP by Allahyarham Tan Sri Dato’ S.O.K. Ubaidulla
| PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL LEADERSHIP by Allahyarham Tan Sri Dato’ S.O.K. Ubaidulla |
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PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S SPIRITUAL AND TEMPORAL LEADERSHIP
After the conclusion of the Second Islamic Summit in Lahore, Radio Malaysia quoted a French newspaper as saying that only Islam could unite so many countries in a Conference and makethem agree on so many resolutions unanimously. This religious unity of diverse nations in modern times is due to the very make-up of Islam.
ISLAM IS MORE THAN A SYSTEM OF THEOLOGY Dr. Gibb, a celebrated author in history portrays Islam as a complete way of life and not a mere religion. “Islam is indeed much more than a system of theology; it is a complete civilization”. He said: “If we were to seek for parallel terms, we should use Christiendom rather than Christianity, China rather than Confucianism. It includes a whole complex of cultures which have grown up around the religious core, or have in most cases been linked to it with some modification, a complex with distinctive features in political, social and economic structure, in its conception of law, in ethical outlook, intellectual tendencies, habits of thought and action. “Further, it includes a vast number of peoples differing in race, language, character and inherited aptitudes, yet bound together not only by the link of a common creed but even more strongly by their participation in a common culture, their obedience to a common law and their adoption of a common tradition”.
COMMONWEALTH OF MUSLIM NATIONS
Dr. Gibb’s description of the religion characterises it as being able to build up a Commonwealth of Muslim Nations on a firmer basis than that of political conventions. It is this sure knowledge and conviction that inspired Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, our former Prime Minister, to advocate the idea of a Commonwealth of Muslim Nations more than three decades ago. Then our second Prime Minister, Tun Abdul Razak, with the same vision and foresight vigorously pursued the same idea. The ingredients for a Commonwealth are in Islam. Uniting to achieve this objective is in the hands of its followers. It is easier for one to admire the spiritual radiance of Jesus or Lord Buddha but it is difficult for a non-Muslim to understand the spiritual nature of the Prophet Muhammad. The reason is that the spiritual nature of the Prophet is veiled in a human one, engrossed in the vicissitudes of social, economic and political activities. The Prophet’s spiritual function is hidden in his duties as the guide of men and leader of a community. MECCANS DENY ENTRY TO PILGRIMS In February 628, Prophet Muhammad who was driven out of Mecca, his place of birth, six years earlier, camped near a small village north of Mecca named Hudaybiya. He had come with a large number of followers to perform UMRA or the little pilgrimage in Mecca. This was freely enjoyed by all the Arabs since the days of Abraham. But the Arabs of Mecca, contrary to age-old traditions, suddenly denied the right of entry to the Prophet and his followers from Medina. The Prophet sent word to the Meccans assuring them that he had come on a pilgrimage and he had no designs of war. Further, he proposed a treaty for a fixed period. The Prophet sent an emissary whose camel was killed by the Meccans. MECCANS SEND FORCE TO ATTACK The insult was followed by injury when the Meccans sent out a force to attack the Muslims. Their soldiers were captured by Muslims and a battle was averted. Though the Meccans emissary was provocative, insulting and erratic, the Prophet kept the talks going. The Arabs of Mecca were clearly guilty of breach of faith by their various deeds. They also rejected the offer of peace. But Prophet Muhammad was calm in the face of extreme provocation and instead of succumbing to the traditional Arab-revenge, he set free all prisoners captured by his men as a peace-loving gesture. MUSLIMS ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE AFTER INSULTS Notwithstanding the treatment meted our earlier to his envoy the Prophet sent one of his closest associates to resume peace talks. The Meccans detained the envoy. It was rumoured that he was killed.
Any further gesture would be mistaken for weakness. No sooner had the Muslims announced their accepting the challenge the Meccans resumed negotiations knowing too well of their own depleted men and the high morals and spiritual force of the Muslims. The Prophet with his exemplary patience handled the crisis. He rose to incredible heights of diplomacy in handling an explosive and fragile situation. After protacted sessions the Treaty of Hudaybiya was put into writing. HUMILATING TREATY OF HUDAYBIYA The Treaty of Hudaybiya stipulated that the Muslims should return to Medina without performing the pilgrimage. They should come the next year for pilgrimage, but should return home within three days in Mecca and should come unarmed. Any male from Mecca who sought refuge with the Prophet was to be extradited. On the other hand, a Muslim was not to be sent back to Medina. PROPHET ACCEPTS BAD TREATY TO AVERT WAR The Meccans’ envoy Suhayi had not left Hudaybiya yet. His own son Abu Jandal, who embraced Islam after suffering torture as a prisoner, escaped to the Muslim camp in chains. He fell at the feet of the Prophet and cried for asylum. He showed his body with raw injuries inflicted by the enemies of Islam, and begged the Muslims not to turn him to the jaws of death. The deeply frustrated Muslim camp overflowed with sympathy for their brother in faith, Abu Jandal. Umar, later to become one of the four Caliphs of Islam, entreated the Prophet on behalf of the Muslims to protect Abu Jandal. But Prophet Muhammad with a voice shaking with emotion counselled patience to Abu Jandal, and asked him to return with his captor, his own father. PROPHET HONOURS THE AGREEMENT AGAINST ALL PLEAS When Abu Jandal broke down and remonstrated at the top of his voice, the Apostle said, “O Abu Jandal: don’t be distressed. God will shortly open a way for you and those of you who are helpless. We have made peace with them and we and they have invoked God in our agreement and we cannot deal falsely with them. It was even then clear that the religion of Islam that the Prophet preached and practised was also a social and political order through which international unity could be achieved. The Islamic Summits of Rabat and Lahore offered a sound basis for optimism.
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