Islam Rediscovered
11. Non-Violence and Islam
~ 164 ~
According to Imam Malik, later generations of this
ummah
(Muslim community) will be able to settle
matters at issue in the same way that earlier
generations had done, i.e. non-violent methods.
Similarly, Muslims of modern times must likewise
resort only to non-violent methods. Just as no gain
could accrue from violent methods earlier, no gain
can accrue from violent methods today.
The state of affairs of Muslims in modern times
resembles that which prevailed at the time of
Hudaybiyya. Today once again—only on a far
larger scale—this
hamiyat al-jahiliya
, prejudices
prevailing in pre-Islamic Arabia (48:28) is being
displayed by the other party. In the first phase of
Islam its solution lay in Muslims sedulously
avoiding an equivalent display of prejudice, and in
holding firmly
kalima at-taqwa
(the word of piety)
they became entitled to the succour of God and
were granted a clear victory (48:26).
At the time of the Hudaybiyya peace treaty, the
Quraysh, who had secured the leadership of Arabia,
were bent on waging war. The Kabah was in their
possession. They had
expelled the Prophet and his
