Islam and Peace
The Importance of Studying the Life of the Prophet Muhammad and its
Application to Our Lives
~ 97 ~
This shows that the Islamic Shariah was built up on
the principle of gradualism. People’s hearts had
first of all to be touched, then their willingness to
conform had to become apparent, and only then
were the pronouncements of the shariah to be put
into practice. Implementing the shariah does not
mean using the whip or the gun. No good would
ever come of such an imposition particularly on an
unprepared society and would certainly not be in
keeping with the methods favoured by the Prophet.
No success can ever, in fact, be achieved by flouting
his words of wisdom.
PRAGMATISM INSTEAD OF IDEALISM
In the Prophet’s view, idealism was something to be
striven for with reference to one’s own thoughts
and conduct, but he nevertheless felt that in one’s
dealings with others one had to resort, to
pragmatism. This was an important principle
evolved by the Prophet, and his entire life serves as
an illustration of it.
There was a notable instance of his using this
approach when the Peace Treaty between the
