Muhammad a Prophet For all Humanity
7. The Revolution of the Prophet
~ 169 ~
the Quraysh’s demands in return for a ten-year
truce. The terms of the treaty were so one-sided that
many Muslims considered it a humiliation; but, in
reality, it paved the way for what the Qur’an called
a “clear victory.”
24
This treaty put an end to the
atmosphere of confrontation, which had developed
between Muslims and non-Muslims. Muslims could
now freely communicate the teachings of their faith
to non-Muslims, who in turn were free to accept
them. No worldly rivalry or prejudice now stood in
the way of dissemination of the faith. After this
treaty, and the conciliatory effect it had on non-
Muslims, the message of Islam spread rapidly
throughout Arabia. In just two years, the number of
Muslims increased tenfold. There had seemed no
way that Makkah could ever be conquered by force
of arms, yet it succumbed two years later to the
force of Islamic teachings.
One important aspect of the Prophet’s method was
compassion towards his foes, even when they were
wholly at his mercy. The reason for this was that
he did not look upon anyone as an enemy; he saw
all men and women as potential recipients of
Islamic teachings, and was keen to give them every
