Islam Rediscovered
22. The Role of Non-Muslims in Islamic Development
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Urayqit. He was a non-Muslim and died as a non-
Muslim in Makkah.
After the migration of the Prophet, a series of armed
conflicts broke out between the Prophet and his
opponents. One of the military campaigns of his
opponents, known in Islamic history as Ghazwa al-
Ahzab, was so devastating that even the Qur’an
refers to it as one of the most terrifying moments in
Islamic history. At the time, the Muslims had
become quite helpless against their opponents. The
only thing that eased this most difficult of situations
was the role a Madinite played—that of a
middleman.
This man came to the Prophet in the night when
Madinah was surrounded by enemy forces. He said,
“I have become a Muslim in my heart, but I have
not made it public yet. So the mushriks and the
Jews both have trust in me.” Realizing that this man
was in a position to play a peace-making role
between the two parties, since he was trusted by
both, the Prophet said, “You are the only one in this
position among us.”
