An Islamic Treasury of Virtues
11. Islamic Values
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PEACE AT ANY PRICE
When the treaty of Hudaybiyah was being drawn
up, the Prophet told Ali, to whom he was dictating
the terms of the treaty, to write: “In the Name of
God, the Beneficent, the Merciful.” The
representative of the Quraysh, Suhayl ibn Amr said
that he had no idea what the word “Rahman” – the
Beneficent-meant. “Write, ‘In Your Name, O God’
as we are accustomed to.” The Muslims were loath
to accede to Suhayl’s demand, but the Prophet
commanded Ali to write as Suhayl wished, then
continued to dictate the terms of the treaty to him.
“This is the accord entered into by Muhammad, the
Messenger of God.” Again Suhayl objected. “If we
had considered you to be the Messenger of God, we
would not have barred you from the House of God,
neither would we have fought against you; write
instead ‘Muhammad, son of Abdullah’.” Ali had
already written ‘The Messenger of God.’ The
Prophet told him to strike out these words, but he
said he could not. So the Prophet himself struck
them out, then he told Ali to write in their place,
‘the son of Abdullah,’ which he did. The Prophet
continued: “The Quraysh will not prevent us from
