The Prophet Muhammad A simple Guide to his Life
The Power of Peace
~ 238 ~
we reflect on this verse, we find the starting point of
Islamic action. It is to start from where there is no
fear of violent reaction, from the point where it is
possible to continue one’s movement along peaceful
lines.
At the time when the command of
iqra
was revealed
in the Qur’an, several options existed in Makkah
regarding the starting point for the Islamic
movement. One option was to begin by launching a
movement to clear the Kabah of the 360 idols, which
had been placed in it. This option would certainly
have provoked a violent reaction on the part of the
Quraysh. Another option was to find a seat in
Dar
Al Nadwah
(Makkah’s parliament). The third option
was to launch a movement to free Muslims from the
domination of the Roman and Sassanid empires.
This starting point again would have provoked a
violent reaction on the part of these forces.
Leaving aside all these courses of action, the option
followed was that of studying the Qur’an, about
which it was certain that it could be continued
peacefully, and that it would not provoke any
violent reaction.
