Islam and Peace
Western Civilization and Islam
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WESTERN CIVILIZATION AND ISLAM
According to Sahih al-Bukhari the Prophet of Islam
(may peace be upon him) once observed: God will
strengthen this religion through the wicked as well
as the good. This hadith is of great significance so
far as the art of thinking is concerned. It points to
the error of dichotomous thinking, the tendency to
see everything in terms of black and white. It
implies that while people may fall into one of two
categories – the good or the bad. They may also fall
into a third category, i.e. that of potential supporters
of Islam. That is, an individual may fall into the
category of the bad, yet still possess a third quality,
i.e., that of enjoying a position to support the
believers, in one way or another.
The outcome of the treaty of Hudaybiyya provides
a practical example of the success of broader
thinking in the early history of Islam. Apparently
the Prophet’s opponents were not pro-Islam.
Therefore, the Muslims in general, because of the
limitations in their thinking, mistakenly categorised
them as enemies of Islam. But thanks to his divine
wisdom, the Prophet did not fall into the error of
