Koranlore
Chapter 4 Was Muhammad a violent or a peaceful person?
In February 2006 Ahmed Bedier, the director of Council on American-Islamic Relations in Tampa, took issue with the drawings of the Prophet Muhammad that depicted him as a saber-wielding warrior. He stated: "Muhammad was never a violent person." He referred to the drawings as "depicting the historical figure, the founder of the faith, as a terrorist" ( Orlando Sentinel, 2/16/2006, "Islamic group raises profile, to open office" by Victor Manuel Ramos, Sentinel Staff Writer).
Well, if history can be taken as presenting the facts, biographers of Muhammad and historians of Islam and the Arab world have described Muhammad
first as a man of peace who turned to violence only when Jewish tribes and other Arab tribes rejected his attempts to persuade them to accept Islam and to become Muslims. As Muhammad became more powerful, he engaged in armed conflict with his own tribe, the Quraysh, who had become wealthy as traders, and who rejected him and his One God of Islam as well, as writes Albert Hourani, author of A History of the Arab Peoples (pp. 17-18).Also the history of Muhammad's battles with those who resisted conversion to Islam is well recounted by Alan Jones who wrote the Introduction to J.M.Rodwell's translation of
The Koran (pp.xiii-xviii). Muhammad's basic condition for negotiation with resistant tribes was that they should become Muslims (p. xvii).Author, Robert Spencer, cites in his new book,
The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades), Muhammad's penchant to violent language when others, e.g. his uncle Abu Lahab, rejected his message, a fact preserved in the Koran (Sura 111:1-5):"May Abu Lahab's hands perish, and he himself; he shall not make use of his wealth and gains. He shall be burned by the fiery flame of Hell, also fire wood shall cover his wife with a rope of palm fiber around her neck."
Spencer enumerates
the occasions on which Muhammad's violent words turned to violent deeds: In 622 Muhammad personally led many of the raids by a band of tribal warriors who had accepted his teaching (op.cit.,p.5). (Spencer documents his sources in Notes, pp.235-256.)In the Battle of Badr, Muhammad directed his 300 followers to attack a large Quraysh caravan (a force of a thousand strong), laden with money and goods, coming from Syria. Meeting his match, Muhammad called out to Allah in anxiety for help to the effect that if defeated He (Allah) would be worshipped no more. Accounts vary on Muhammad's actual participation in the fighting, but
one of his followers later recalled a curse Muhammad had pronounced on the leaders of the Quraysh. All these leaders were captured or killed, including one Uqba who pleaded for his life, so as to look after his children. He was ordered killed! (Spencer, op.cit., p.8.) Hardly an honorable thing for Muhammad, the prophet of peace, to do!This editor's personal reading of the text of Guillaume's The Life of Muhammad has produced a summary of Muhammad's war on his neighbors' caravans; the apostle fought in nine engagements: Badr; Uhud; al-Khandaq; Qurayza; al-Mustaliq; Khaybar; the occupation (of Mecca); Hunayn; al-Ta'if (* marked with an asterisk* below).(A. Guillaume, op.cit, pp. 659f.) [Note on abbreviations used in Guillaume's work: b.= son of; B.= sons of (or tribe of); d.= daughter of.]
He took part personally in 26 raids ( 27 if one counts the pilgrimage, as I.I. did): (ibid. p.660.)
(Note: Following passages in
red denote examples of the apostle's penchant for violent behavior, i.e. execution of enemies.)The first raid on Waddan
which is the raid of al-Abwa. The B. Damra there made peace with Muhammad. (ibid.,p. 281)The raid on Buwat.
He returned to Medina without fighting. (ibid.,p.285)The raid on al-'Ushayra
. He made a treaty of friendship there (ibid.,285)The raid of Sa'd b. Abu Waqqas.
The apostle sent Sa'd with eight men from the emigrants. He went as far as al-Kharrar in the Hijaz..,,Then he returned without fighting. (ibid.,p.286)*The raid on Safawan, which is the first raid of Badr. . Kurz b. Jabir al-Fihri raided the pasturing camels of Medina.. The apostle heard that Abu Sufyan b. Harb was coming from Syria with a large caravan of Quraysh, containing their money and merchandise The apostle said," Go out to attack it, perhaps God will give it as a prey." (ibid.,p.289)
After the battle of Badr, the apostle ordered that Abu Jahl should be looked for among the slain (and not allowed to escape).
He was found and killed by Mu'adh... (ibid.,p.304)The apostle
ordered the dead Quraysh to be thrown into the pit. Utba was dragged to it. (ibid.,p.307)The apostle returned to Medina with the unbelieving prisoners, among them were 'Uqba b. Abu Mu'ayt and al-Nadr b. al-Harith. The apostle carried with him the booty taken from the polytheists.
When the apostle ordered Ugba to be killed, Uqba said, "But who will look after my children, O Muhammad?" "Muhammad replied, 'Hell!' and Asim ...killed him.. (ibid., p.308)The raid on B. Sulaym in al-Kudr
. No fighting. (ibid., p.360)Abu Sufyan raided al-Sawiq in Dhu'l-Hijja
Muhammad went in pursuit but Abu Sufayn eluded him. (ibid., pp.361f.)The raid of Dhu Amarr
. He stayed in Najd a month and returned to Medina without fighting. (p.362)The raid of al-Furu of Bahran
.He stayed two months and returned to Medina without fighting. (p.362)The raid of Zayd .B. Haritha to al-Qarada. Story of the foray of Zayd who captured the caravan of Quraysh, in which was Abu Sufyan, carrying a great deal of silver which formed the larger part of their merchandise. The men got away. (ibid., p.364)
*The Battle of Uhud. (ibid., p.370-391.) The Quraysh lamented those killed at Badr. They spoke to Abu Sufyan about helping them fight Muhammad. When Muhammad learned of this he was advised and dissuaded from leaving Medina with his smaller force to fight the Quraysh. But due to an omen of a sword unsheathed by a moving horse, he decided to do battle. Muhammad wore two coats of mail and went into battle. But the Muslims were forced to flee and the enemy slew many of them. Muhammad was struck with a stone, fell on his side, suffered a broken tooth, his face was bloodied and his lip was injured. As he wiped away the blood on his face, he asked how a people could prosper who have stained their prophet's face with blood while he summoned them to their Lord. Later when offered water to drink, he refused it and used it to cleanse his bloodied face saying, "The wrath of God is fierce against him who bloodied the face of His prophet." (ibid., p. 382)
Note the gesture of Muhammad after the killing of his uncle Hamza in battle by Jubayr, a slave who became a Muslim, and so was pardoned for his deed but was asked by Muhammad never to show his face again! (ibid., pp.375f.)
The raid of Dhatu'l-Riqa
. Two forces approached but no fighting occurred for each feared the other. (ibid., pp.445ff.)The raid on Dumata'l-Jandal
,A.H.5 by Muhammad. He returned without fighting. (p.449)*Al-Khandaq. The Battle of the Ditch.
A number of Jews formed a party against Muhammad. (ibid., pp.450-460)The raid on Qurayza
. (ibid., p.461-469) The apostle besieged them for 25 nights until they were sore pressed and God cast terror into their hearts. (ibid., p.461)They sent to Muhammad to send them Abu Lubaba to mediate. Abu Lubaba tied himself to a pillar of the mosque and was freed by Muhammad after Abu said the Jews should submit to Muhammad's judgment re surrender. (ibid.,pp.462-3)
In the morning the captives submitted to Muhammad's judgment. Asked by Sa'd, "Do you covenant by Allah that you accept the judgment I pronounce on them?" (Their answer was yes.) He asked it was incumbent on the one who was there (meaning the apostle)?" and the apostle answered yes. Sa'd said that his judgment was that the men be killed, their property divided, and the women and children taken as captives. Muhammad told Sa'd that he had given the judgment of Allah above the seven heavens."
Then they surrendered and were confined. The apostle went out to the market of Medina and dug trenches. Then he sent for the men and beheaded them in those trenches. Among them were Huyayy b. Akhtab and Ka'b b. Asad, their chief. 600 or 700, perhaps 800 or 900 men were killed.
(p.463f.)The Attack on B. Lihyan
Muhammad went out against B. Lihyan to avenge his men killed at al-Raji, Khubayb b. 'Adiy and his companions (ibid., p.485)The Attack on Dhu Qarad
by cavalry of Ghatafan raided Muhammad's milch-camels on al-Ghaba. HIs men recovered some of the Milch-camels. (ibid., p.486ff.)*The raid on B. al-Mustaliq
who were gathering against him. Muhammad went out to meet them. (ibid., pp.490ff.)The Affair of al-Hudaybiya, A.H. 6. Muhammad went on a little pilgrimage in Dhu'l-Qa'da with no intention of making war. After some contention with Quraysh he reached agreement for an armistice.(Ibid., pp. 499-507.)
*The expedition to Khaybar. Muhammad marched against Khaybar. He seized property piece by piece and the forts one by one. Kinana, the custodian of the treasure was brought to Muhammad who asked about the treasure. He denied he knew where it was. Muhammad threatened to kill him if he found that he had it. Some treasure was found. Kinana refused to produce the rest of it. Muhammad gave orders to al-Zubayr b. al-'Awwan to torture Kinana until he extracted what he had. So he kindled a fire with flint and steel on his chest until he was nearly dead. Then Muhammad delivered Kinana to Muhammad b. Maslama who struck off his head, in revenge for his brother Mahmud. (ibid., pp.510-515.)
Muhammad settled with people by letting them stay and farm the land for half the produce grown. (ibid., pp.515f.)
Muhammad went to Wadi'l-Qura and besieged the people for some nights
, then returned to Medina.(ibid.,p.516)When Muhammad returned from Khaybar to Medina, he stayed there from first Rabi until Shawwal,
sending out raiding parties and expeditions. (ibid., p.530)The raid on Mu'ta in A.H. 8 Muhammad remained in Medina for rest of Dhu'l-Hijja, while polytheists supervised the pilgrimage. In Jumada'l-Ula Muhammad sent to Syria his force which met with disaster in Mu'ta. (ibid., p.531)
Muhammad sent his expedition with three in successive command, Zayd b. Haritha, Jafar b. Abu Talib, and Abdullah b. Rahawa, and 3000 men. They went as far as Ma'an in Syria, where they heard that Heraclius had come down to Ma'ab in the Balqa' with 100,000 Greeks joined by 100,000 men from Lakhm, Judham, al-Qayn, Bahra' abd Bali commanded by a man of Bali of Irasha called Malik b. Zafila. (ibid., p.532)
*The occupation of Mecca (ibid., pp. 540-561)
*The Battle of Hunayn, A.H. 8
After spies who were sent came back with their joints dislocated. Muhammad sent Abdullah b. Abu Hadrad al-Aslam to mingle among Malik's force and learn all he could. Muhammad marched with 2,000 Meccans, and 10,000 of his companions, 12,000 in all. The polytheists were routed and made for al-Ta'if. (ibid., pp.567-574.)*Al-Ta'if?
Muhammad went to al-Ta'if. Muhammad pitched camp near al-Ta'if. When some of his companions were killed by arrows reaching them, he besieged (the place) some 20 days. (ibid., p.587ff.)The raid of Tabuk.(p.602-4) Muhammad ordered his companions to prepare to raid the Byzantines at a time when men were hard pressed, with the oppressive heat and drought and they wanted to stay in the shade and enjoy ripened fruit. They prepared to go reluctantly. When Muhammad reached Tabuk the governor of Ayla came and made a treaty with him and paid him the poll tax. (ibid., pp. 602-607)
Rodwell makes reference to a punishment said by early traditionists to have been administered by Muhammad against a woman who was guilty of theft said to have occurred en route to Mecca
. (Cf. Note 19, pp. 442f, Rodwell, The Koran.) The manner of punishment (cutting off the hands of the thief) is described in The Koran, Sura 5;42 (paraphrased):Regarding the thief, whether man or woman, cut off their hands as a penalty for their act of thievery. This is a penalty by way of warning from God himself. And God is Mighty, Wise.
The question must be posed: Would a God who is "mighty and wise" actually levy such a penalty on one of his creatures who committed a theft? Would a God endowed with wisdom be so cruel as to make it very difficult for a repentant thief to make restitution for their crime and be saved as a believer? Or was this a penalty imposed by Muhammad as a means of control of his followers? If the latter is true, it raises the issue of who actually conceived the verses of the Koran, God or Muhammad? More on this question will be taken up in Chapter 7, Allah, God of Islam.
So, dear reader, how would you answer the title question of this chapter: "Was Muhammad a violent or a peaceful person?" The evidence provided here from The Life of Muhammad leaves one answer. One might excuse Muhammad for his often violent behavior on the time in which he lived, when Arab would pillage and kill a rival Arab for possession of whatever goods were available, when raiding parties were the norm to eke out a living in a forbidding environment of hot desert with few oases and wells to gain relief from the unbearable heat of the day.
However the fact remains that the Arab apostle of God could be a violent person who justified his actions through his God who "sent down" orders and decisions that in reality appear to have been his own.
Chapter 5 will focus on Paradise as envisioned by Muhammad.