Prophet Muhammad’s Patterns of Peaceful Communication
By: Ali Zohery
The Prophet Muhammad was assigned the Mission of peace in the world by Allah. The fundamental purpose was to attain peace with the lord, peace with the universe and peace with the people. The Quran, in very plain words, announces the arrival of the prophet of peace in these words: “ O People of the book! Our Messenger has come to you, Light has come to you from Allah and a book which guides to the truth, whereby Allah leads to ways of peace those who seek His pleasure.” ( 5:17-18) These verse stress that the Prophet was sent to guide the people to the way of peace. The west misunderstood Islam and stereotyping it with violence and terrorism.
What does it mean to be a Muslim? Islam literally means submission, and, in Arabic, the root word for Islam (SLM) is peace. To be Muslim, then, is the struggle to peacefully submit to reality, and this implies a perfectly balanced sense of self. Self that is founded on the knowledge of its place in Creation, and that exists in perfect empathy with the rest of Creation.)from an article in Islam online: The Conquering Force of Islam,By Ramzi Kysia, 11/12/2001)
Peace is the most common word on a Muslim's tongue. Whenever two people meet, they exchange greetings, wishing each other peace: "Peace be upon you." But peace cannot prevail except through justice. Since the concept of justice may differ from one man to another, or from one society to another, Muslims believe that real justice is that which is specified by Allah (God).
Research Questions
History proves that religion has been one of the main causes of resentment and enmity among humans. Millions of people lost their lives fighting against each other only in the name of religion. In view of this how can we say that the religion of Islam is a source of peace? How wars could be used for the specific purpose of securing peace and justice?
Methodology:
Textual analysis is a method used by researchers to “describe and interpret the characteristics of a recorded or visual message” (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994, p.225). Textual analysis describes the content, structure, and functions of messages contained in texts. The purpose is to ascertain the meaning intended by the producer of a text (Hirsch, 1967); other scholars focus on how consumers perceive and interpret text, regardless of the meaning intended by the producer.
Textual analysis can be used to answer the two major questions posed in communication research: “What is the nature of communication?” And “How is communication related to other variables?
Within textual analysis is embodied rhetorical criticism that owes its working definition to Aristotle’s work on “the available means of persuasion” Rhetorical criticism itself is defined as “a systematic method for describing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating the persuasive force of messages embedded within texts” (Denzin & Lincoln, 1994, p.229)
Textual Boundaries:
Where does A text begin and end? If a text has a determinate state, then it would necessarily follow that we should be able to localize the text. But where? The language of the text suggest that we end the text where language ends. (Joseph Grigely, Textualterity, Art, Theory, and Textual Criticism, P. 130) The language that the prophet used set unlimited boundaries to the text. The message of the prophet was not intended for his local people. It was for all people every where and for all generations to come.
Textual Event
Joseph Grigely argues that text might be prepared for a specific event and he raises the issue of the notion of iterability (iterare, to repeat; iterum, again). Repeatability is a universal quality in textual studies, where efforts are made to produce or reproduce a particular text. (Joseph Grigely, Textualterity, Art, Theory, and Textual Criticism, P. 93)
Significance of the Study
The religion of Islam is misunderstood in the western world. The Muslims images in the west are stereotyped with violent, terrorism and backwardness. Understanding the Religion of Islam would correct the wrong ideas and introduce the religion of Islam with its valuable values and principles to the non-Muslims. The values of Islam, if applied, would be a public and private policy. A way of life, every one would enjoy and live in peace with each others regardless their different backgrounds, colors or ethnicity’s.
Theoretical Framework
The Narrative Paradigm Theory
We are a species of storytellers. And it should be no surprise—humans have been on Earth far longer than written language. Long before recorded history, the only means our ancestors had to preserve their history is through stories told and retold through countless generations. Today we call these folk tales, old wives tales, fairy tales. Although the Bible is a book of stories, its really a book of rules and human values cleverly disguised to be infinitely applicable.
Donald Foster’s favorite Bible story is Mel Brooks playing Moses. He proclaims, "I bring you the Word of God! I bring you these stone tablets containing the Fifteen.... [sound of falling, smashing, crumbling rock] "...containing the Ten Commandments!" A story, even in jest, is a marvelous way to convey a message and have it stick.
The prophet Muhammad used the narrative methods to highlight a specific value or to give an example of what he was talking about. Al- Bara bin Azib narrated that when Prophet Muhammad concluded a peace treaty with the people of Hudaibiya, Ali bin Abu Talib wrote the document and he mentioned in it, “Muhammad, Allah’s Apostle.” The pagans said, “Don’t write: ‘Muhammad, Allah’s Apostle’ for if you were an apostle we would not fight with you.” Allah’s Apostle asked Ali to rub it out, but Ali said, “I will not be the person to rub it out.” Allah’s Apostle rubbed it out and made peace with them on the condition that the prophet and his companions would enter Mecca and stay there for three days, and that they would enter with their weapons in cases.
Authors West & Turner, citing Walter Fisher and the Narrative Paradigm, assert that a narrative method is a better rhetorical tool than a rational approach. In addition to Fisher's list describing the narrative paradigm, Donald Foster adds:
| Humans imagine themselves in the story. |
| A story creates images, which as we know, are compelling. |
| People are more likely to trust a story as a factual recounting of an event. |
On the other hand, an appeal to logic (the prime tool in a rational paradigm) engages the listener's mind in analytical thinking. By its very nature, analytical thinking demands a contrary hypothesis—even if unconscious—so begins with a negative perspective.
An important aspect is that the listener must find a meaning in the narrative—I believe, the listener must feel part of the story. He must identify with the players, with the message, or with the circumstances. During any communication, of any type, the narration must "pull in" the listener.
Another key feature is narrative rationality—in essence, the "believability" of the message. It must be factual, truthful, and correspond to elements of knowledge and belief the listener already holds as truth. Anything else generates cognitive dissonance. The Muslim audiences believe the prophet in all his narrations of any story. The narration method is a mean to deliver a specific rule or instruction. When the prophet tells a story related to his instruction that will make it easy to remember and to apply when it is needed. For the non-Muslim audiences, the narrative method, that the prophet used, would be a way to convince them with idea that the prophet was conveying.
Coherence in a narrative is the property of "feeling right". The story matches and fits with the listener's expectations, values, and experiences. The narrative must fit the listener's "mental model". Another characteristic, fidelity, is "ringing true".
Allah in the Quran commands people to return the evil that is done to them by others to not only with good, but with best!.
Verse 13:22 "Those who patiently persevere, seeking the countenance of their Lord; establish regular prayers; spend out of (the gifts) We have bestowed for their sustenance, secretly and openly; and turn off evil with good: for such there is the final attainment of the (Eternal) Home."
Verse 23:96 "Repel evil with that which is best: We are Well-acquainted with the things they say."
Verse 41:34 "Nor can goodness and evil be equal. Repel (evil) with that is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate!."
Verse 28:54 "Twice will they be given their reward, for that they have persevered, that they avert evil with good, and that they spend (in charity) out of what We have given them."
Verse 42:40 "The recompense for an injury is an injury equal thereto (in degree): but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah: for (Allah) Loveth not those who do wrong."
Whether people speak evil of you, in your presence or behind your back, or they do evil to you in either of those ways, all is known to Allah Almighty. It is not for you to punish. Your best course is not to do evil in your turn, but to do what will best repel the evil. Two evils do not make a good.
You do not return good for evil, for there is no equality or comparison between the two. You repel or destroy evil with something which is far better, just as an antidote is better than poison. You foil hatred with love. You repel ignorance with knowledge, folly and wickedness with the friendly message of Revelation. The man who was in bondage of sin, you not only liberate from sin, but make him your greatest friend and helper in the cause of Allah Almighty!. Your credit for returning evil with good and paying for charity is double. Also if you forgive and return the evil with good, then Allah Almighty will love you and reward you.
"It is part of the
Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them. Wert thou severe or
harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee: so pass over (their
faults), and ask for (Allah's) forgiveness for them; and consult them in
affairs (of moment). Then, when thou hast taken a decision, put thy trust in
Allah. For Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him). (The Quran, 3:159)"
"Those who spend (freely), whether in prosperity, or in adversity; who restrain
anger, and pardon (all) men; for Allah loves those who do good. (The
Quran,
3:134)"
"Hold to forgiveness; command what is right; but turn away from the ignorant.
(The Quran, 7:199)"
"Allah loveth not that evil should be noised a broad in public speech, except
where injustice hath been done; for Allah is He Who heareth and knoweth all
things. (The Quran, 4:148)"
"Say to My servants that they should (only) say those things that are best: for
Satan doth sow dissensions among them: for Satan is to man an avowed enemy.
(The Quran, 17:53)"
"Who avoid vain talk; (The Quran, 23:3)"
"And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: 'To us our
deeds, and to you yours; peace be to you: we seek not the ignorant.' (The
Quran, 28:55)"
"...if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people...(The Quran, 5:32)" In this Noble Verse we clearly see that Allah Almighty honors all the innocent souls that He created. Killing any innocent soul is so hated by Allah Almighty that He considers it as a crime against all of Mankind.
"Those who invoke not, with God, any other god, nor slay such life as God has made sacred except for just cause, nor commit fornication; - and any that does this (not only) meets punishment. (The Quran, 25:68)" In this Noble Verse we clearly see that Allah Almighty considers the innocent soul "sacred". He will punish those who kill the innocent souls (by throwing them in hell).
Negative impressions of Islam are most often based on a lack of accurate and objective information. As God states in the Quran, Islam's revealed text: 'O mankind! We created you from a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know and honor each other (not that you should despise one another). Indeed the most honorable of you in the sight of God is the most righteous.' (49:13)"The Quran also states: 'Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious: for thy Lord knoweth best who have strayed from His Path and who receive guidance.' (16:125)
5:16 “Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a path that is straight”
8:61 “But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace, and trust in Allah. for He is One that heareth and knoweth (all things).”
25:63 “And the servants of ((Allah)) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!";
28:55 “And when they hear vain talk, they turn away therefrom and say: "To us our deeds, and to you yours; peace be to you: we seek not the ignorant."
49:9 “If two parties among the Believers fall into a quarrel, make ye peace between them: but if one of them transgresses beyond bounds against the other then fight ye (all) against the one that transgresses until it complies with the command of Allah; but if it complies then make peace between them with justice and be fair: for Allah loves those who are fair (and just).” ( The above Quran Verses were translated by Yousef Ali. The Internet search engines were used to gather verses related the peace keyword)
In the last farewell, the Prophet made it clear that:
"All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a White has no superiority over a Black nor a Black has any superiority over a White except by piety and good action. Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly."
The message of the Prophet that he delivered included a very important concept, i.e., equality of mankind. People are equal in the sight of Allah and in front of the law. They were born from Adam and Eve. Both of these parents, and all of us are made of dust – no one is better than the other.
The concept of equality is based on justice: All are equal and no one can claim that he is more pious or even more righteous than the other except through piety and righteousness. (Sakr,1998, p. 19)
Um Kulthum heard Prophet Muhammad saying, “He who makes peace between the people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar.”
George Bernard Shaw
said about The Prophet Muhammad: "He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I
believe that if a man like him (Prophet Muhammad) were to assume the
dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a
way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness."
(The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol.
1, No. 8, 1936)
A man came to the Prophet one day and said, "I
want to perform Jihad [struggle]." Mohammad asked, "are your parents
alive?," and when the man said they were, he told him, "perform Jihad by
taking care of them" (al-Bukhari).
In the West, there is a misconception that Islam was forced on people and
spread by war. In fact, Islam was spread largely through trade, and its
converts were often from among the poor, and those who suffered from unjust
oppression within their societies. Like Jesus, Mohammad taught that the poor
would enter heaven before the rich, and that all people are equal before God,
except in piety. The Prophet Mohammad did fight when the family of Islam was
threatened, and popular tradition holds that inscribed on his sword were the
words, "Forgive him who wrongs you; join him who cuts you off; do good to him
who does evil to you; and speak the truth even if it be against yourself."
The word for war in Arabic is harb. To fight is unhf, and to kill
is qateel. Jihad means none of these. Jihad is to
struggle, to strive, and to overcome. In Islam, there are two forms of Jihad:
greater and lesser. Greater Jihad is the struggle within ourselves to
destroy our egos, to become less selfish and submit our wills to the greater
Will of God. Lesser Jihad is the struggle against worldly oppression,
and it must be understood in this context. It is our failure to live in
submission to God that leads to our personal pains and failures in life, and it
is through those shortcomings that we can come to commit injustice against
others. As people of faith, it is our duty to help both the oppressed and the
oppressors. We help the oppressed by lifting their oppression, and we help the
oppressors by preventing them from doing harm to their brothers and sisters in
the world.
There is no such thing as the concept of a holy or a just war in Islam. All
wars result either in or from injustice - or both. Muslims are permitted to
fight only against injustice and in self-defense. When Muslims fight, they are
severely restricted in how they can fight. The ends do not justify the means.
Two of the most repeated phrases in the Qur'an are that God loves those who act
equitably, justly and mercifully, and that God does not love those who exceed
limits. In war, Muslims must not kill non-combatants, children, the elderly, or
the infirm. Nor are Muslims allowed to use torture, or to destroy crops,
animals, or people's homes in war. And if in the course of war the enemy
honestly sues for peace, then, regardless of who has advantage, peace must be
granted. Indeed, the Prophet Mohammad taught that a perfect Muslim is one from
whose tongue and hands mankind is at all times safe (al-Bukhari and Muslim). .)from
an article in Islam online: The Conquering Force of Islam,By Ramzi Kysia,
11/12/2001)
Qaradawi stated that "Islam, the religion of
tolerance, holds the human soul in high esteem, and considers the attack
against innocent human beings a grave sin, this is backed by the Qur'anic verse
which reads:
” Who so ever kills a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in
the earth, it shall be as if he has killed all mankind, and who so ever saves
the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind,"
(Al-Ma'dah:32).
"The Prophet is reported to have said, 'A believer remains within the scope of
his religion as long as he doesn't kill another person illegally',".
Haphazard killing where the rough is taken with the smooth and where innocents
are killed along with wrongdoers is totally forbidden in Islam. No one, as far
as Islam is concerned, is held responsible for another's actions. Upon seeing a
woman killed in the battlefield, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him,
denied the act and said: "That woman shouldn't have been killed anyway!".
Even in times of war, Muslims are not allowed to kill anybody save the one who
is indulged in face-to-face confrontation with them. They are not allowed to
kill women, old persons, children, or even a monk in his religious seclusion.
Qaradawi then asserted that is why killing hundreds of helpless civilians who
have nothing to do with the decision-making process and are striving hard to
earn their daily bread, such as the victims of the latest explosions in
America, is a heinous crime in Islam. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, is reported to have stated that a woman was qualified to enter Hell
because of the cat she locked up to death.
"If such is the ruling applied in protecting animals, no doubt, aggression
against human beings, a fortiori, deserves greater protection, for human beings
are honored by Allah Almighty and are His vicegerents on earth," he added.
"I categorically go against a committed Muslim's embarking on such attacks.
Islam never allows a Muslim to kill the innocent and the helpless. (Yusuf al-Qaradawi
-Islam Online- News Section – Nov. 05, 2001)
The two main sources of the religion of Islam: The Quran and the traditions (Sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad) clearly are against killing innocent people.
A man asked the prophet: “which act in Islam is
the best?” The prophet replied, “to give food, and to salute everyone, whether
you know them or not.” In another tradition, the prophet said: “You will not
enter paradise until you believe, you will by no means believe until you love
one another. Shall I inform you of something which, if you do, you will love
one another? Give currency to salutation amongst you”
Conclusion – Recommendation
The narrative methods that the prophet used to deliver his message through his sayings made his ideas clear and convincing. His narrative fidelity and truthfulness was not questioned from his followers or enemies. Even before his prophethood, he was known by “the trusted and the honest one”. Textual analysis of his sayings would clarify his message to be correctly understood. Hundreds of books are written for that purpose in most languages of the world.
The Prophet taught exactly what the ancient Prophets had been teaching. The high and noble aim of preaching such a universal religion is to unite the nations of the world, establish peace, and eradicate all causes of conflict. Today the world is out of joint. People all over the world are searching for peace.
The light of scientific knowledge is spreading. But it has signally failed to dispel clouds of hatred and hostility which have spread darkness. Every now and then, plans for world peace are put forward. But they prove all too superficial.
The most effective panacea for world peace was proclaimed by the Prophet Muhammad. He forcefully exhorted the people that they should cherish reverence for the Prophets of all nations, and live up t b7
o their revealed teachings.
This panacea was tried with unparalleled success in Arabia, where the warring tribes were cemented into brotherhood. This panacea can be tried even today. It will surely lay the foundations of real and enduring union and peace.
Belief in the Unity of God alone can bring about unity among nations. As this teaching is universal in character, the Prophet who gave it to the world, was rightly entitled "Mercy for all people.”
Just as one universal religion is an effective means of uniting the nations, it is also a guarantee for establishing international peace and justice.
The Prophet laid the foundation and the guidelines for establishing peace and justice among the nations. If any teachings can put an end to conflicts and strengthen the bonds of human brotherhood in these times of crisis, it is the Prophet's teachings. (www.islamia.com The Prophet Muhammad on International Peace and Justice by Maulana Sadr-ud-Din Sahib)
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