9. At-Tawba

The opportunity that people have been given to live and settle in the present world, is not on the basis of any right but is only for the purpose of trial. As long as God wishes, He keeps a man on the earth and when, in His wisdom, He judges, the period of his test to be over, He causes death to overtake him and he is carried away from here.

The opportunity that people have been given to live and settle in the present world, is not on the basis of any right but is only for the purpose of trial. As long as God wishes, He keeps a man on the earth and when, in His wisdom, He judges, the period of his test to be over, He causes death to overtake him and he is carried away from here.

The Prophet testified to the Truth to the fullest extent to his hearers. After the completion of his divine task, those who still did not embrace the Faith, lost their right to live on God’s earth. They had been kept here for the purpose of trial; on completion of the process of preaching and argumentation, the trial was over. Thereafter, why should they have had any lenience shown to them? This is why, after the completion of the work of the prophets, some sort of destructive calamity befell the unbelievers and they were annihilated. This is exactly what happened to the addressees of the Prophet Muhammad. But, it was not any calamity from the sky which descended upon them. The above-mentioned principle of God was implemented, in this case within the framework of a cause and effect system. First of all, by means of the superior Quranic style of expression and the superior character of the Prophet, the call to the Truth was conveyed to them. Then by giving domination to the monotheists over the Makkan polytheists, the process of argument was completed in their case. When all this was done and still they persisted in rejecting the Truth, they were accused of continuous breach of trust and violation of their pledge and an ultimatum was issued to them that they should reform themselves in four months time; otherwise they would be annihilated. All this was settled on the principles of God-fearing (taqwa) and not on the principle of national politics. The polytheists were silenced at the level of arguments; then they would be warned in advance that they would be given a number of months’ respite to reconsider the matter; the door was kept open for them till the last moment, so that those who repented might join those blessed by God; the case of some tribes who had not violated their agreement was kept separate from the case of those who had.

The Prophet testified to the Truth to the fullest extent to his hearers. After the completion of his divine task, those who still did not embrace the Faith, lost their right to live on God’s earth. They had been kept here for the purpose of trial; on completion of the process of preaching and argumentation, the trial was over. Thereafter, why should they have had any lenience shown to them? This is why, after the completion of the work of the prophets, some sort of destructive calamity befell the unbelievers and they were annihilated. This is exactly what happened to the addressees of the Prophet Muhammad. But, it was not any calamity from the sky which descended upon them. The above-mentioned principle of God was implemented, in this case within the framework of a cause and effect system. First of all, by means of the superior Quranic style of expression and the superior character of the Prophet, the call to the Truth was conveyed to them. Then by giving domination to the monotheists over the Makkan polytheists, the process of argument was completed in their case. When all this was done and still they persisted in rejecting the Truth, they were accused of continuous breach of trust and violation of their pledge and an ultimatum was issued to them that they should reform themselves in four months time; otherwise they would be annihilated. All this was settled on the principles of God-fearing (taqwa) and not on the principle of national politics. The polytheists were silenced at the level of arguments; then they would be warned in advance that they would be given a number of months’ respite to reconsider the matter; the door was kept open for them till the last moment, so that those who repented might join those blessed by God; the case of some tribes who had not violated their agreement was kept separate from the case of those who had.

The command to do battle given here after the lapse of four months of respite was not about an ordinary fight. This was God’s retribution imposed on those who denied the truth due to their rejection of the Prophet. By rejecting God’s prophet even after the completion of the process of arguments, they had made themselves liable to be left with no option but to accept the faith or fight. This was a special principle of God which related to the addressees of the Prophet and not to the general people. However, even after the completion of the process of preaching, this order was not made applicable immediately; even at the last stage they were given four months’ respite. Revenge does not know pardon. One with a revengeful mentality is satisfied only when he sees his opponent disgraced and destroyed. But the action taken against the polytheists of Arabia was not in any way connected with any type of revenge; it was based on an absolutely realistic principle. That is the reason why, in spite of the order being so severe, it was always open to them to embrace the Islamic religion and save themselves from punishment and acquire a respectable position in the Islamic brotherhood. For anybody’s repentance to be acceptable, only two practical conditions were enough—prayer (salat) and religious alms-giving (zakat). In times of conflict, if any individual from amongst the enemies says that he wants to understand Islam, Muslims have been ordered to give him protection, to give him an opportunity to be in their atmosphere and to try to see that the message of Islam is implanted in his heart. Even then, if he does not accept Islam, he should be led back to his place of residence under their protection. In wartime, it is usually unwise to give such a concession to the enemy, because it is quite possible that an enemy spy, taking advantage of this concession, may enter the Muslim camp and try to find out its strategic secrets. But, Islam holds that, the question of preaching in order to invite people towards the right path is so important that, in spite of this risk, its door should never be closed. If a man indulges in transgression unknowingly or out of ignorance, he will be treated with all possible lenience until his unawareness or ignorance is rectified.

When the Muslims attained a strong position, the Quraysh entered into treaties with them. However, the Quraysh were not happy with these agreements. They thought that their execution of these treaties with their ‘enemy’ was very much to their detriment. That is why they were always on the look-out for opportunities to violate their agreements and cause harm to Muslims or at least defame them. Obviously, when there is a clear breach of a treaty by one party, the carrying out of the agreement by the other party is no longer obligatory. This was the thinking of the Quraysh who felt that, with the rise of the Muslims, their leadership was at stake. However, there were other tribes (Banu Kinana, Banu Khuza’a, Banu Dhamra) who, unhampered by this psychological complication, had executed agreements with the Muslims and fulfilled them. When a period of respite of four months was announced, about nine months remained until the expiry of the periods of these agreements. The order was that these agreements be honoured till the last date, because that was the requirement of God-fearing. But after the expiry of this period, no such agreement was entered into with anybody and there were only two alternatives before the polytheists—either to embrace Islam or be ready for war.

When the Muslims attained a strong position, the Quraysh entered into treaties with them. However, the Quraysh were not happy with these agreements. They thought that their execution of these treaties with their ‘enemy’ was very much to their detriment. That is why they were always on the look-out for opportunities to violate their agreements and cause harm to Muslims or at least defame them. Obviously, when there is a clear breach of a treaty by one party, the carrying out of the agreement by the other party is no longer obligatory. This was the thinking of the Quraysh who felt that, with the rise of the Muslims, their leadership was at stake. However, there were other tribes (Banu Kinana, Banu Khuza’a, Banu Dhamra) who, unhampered by this psychological complication, had executed agreements with the Muslims and fulfilled them. When a period of respite of four months was announced, about nine months remained until the expiry of the periods of these agreements. The order was that these agreements be honoured till the last date, because that was the requirement of God-fearing. But after the expiry of this period, no such agreement was entered into with anybody and there were only two alternatives before the polytheists—either to embrace Islam or be ready for war.

When the Muslims attained a strong position, the Quraysh entered into treaties with them. However, the Quraysh were not happy with these agreements. They thought that their execution of these treaties with their ‘enemy’ was very much to their detriment. That is why they were always on the look-out for opportunities to violate their agreements and cause harm to Muslims or at least defame them. Obviously, when there is a clear breach of a treaty by one party, the carrying out of the agreement by the other party is no longer obligatory. This was the thinking of the Quraysh who felt that, with the rise of the Muslims, their leadership was at stake. However, there were other tribes (Banu Kinana, Banu Khuza’a, Banu Dhamra) who, unhampered by this psychological complication, had executed agreements with the Muslims and fulfilled them. When a period of respite of four months was announced, about nine months remained until the expiry of the periods of these agreements. The order was that these agreements be honoured till the last date, because that was the requirement of God-fearing. But after the expiry of this period, no such agreement was entered into with anybody and there were only two alternatives before the polytheists—either to embrace Islam or be ready for war.

The basis of social life rests on two things: kinship or mutual commitments or agreements. Man honours such rights as are based on blood relationships and the rights of those with whom he has agreements, in terms of his commitments to them. But when a man is overcome by the temptation of worldly interest, and its considerations, he forgets both these duties. For the sake of his petty interests, he forgets the rights of blood relations as well as rights flowing from agreements. Such people are transgressors; they are guilty in the eyes of God. Even if they escape the consequences in the world, they will not be able to save themselves from seizure by God in the Hereafter, unless they repent and desist from arrogance. However wicked an individual may have been in the past, he becomes a respectable member of the Islamic brotherhood if he makes amends and reforms himself. Thereafter, there remains no difference between him and other Muslims.