During the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) lifetime the Muslim community had to fight many battles, because there were several sources of danger and many opponents who were keen to suppress the rising voice of the Islamic message. The Prophet made sure that in none of these battles the Muslims would exceed the limits of what is lawful in Islam. The important point to remember is that Islam is a message of guidance for all mankind, which does not aim to achieve supremacy for any nation, community, or ethnic or religious group. All that it is concerned with is that people should be able to exercise their right to receive divine guidance and to decide whether to accept it or not. Free choice on the basis of informed conviction is an inalienable right of every human being. When the Muslim community had to fight these battles, the Prophet was keen to explain to his soldiers and their commanders that their task was only to fight when there is no other way to deal with enemies.

Never during the Prophet’s time did the Muslim community plan to attack any group or to take them unawares. Only when the Prophet received intelligence that a particular tribe or grouping were planning to attack the Muslims did he take countermeasures to ensure that the danger they represented is forestalled. But even when he took such measures, he would not launch an attack without alerting the enemy and calling on them to accept Islam and live in peace with the Muslim state.

Evidence for this is plentiful. However, we will concentrate today on a particular situation involving one of the main army commanders during the Prophet’s lifetime: Ali, his cousin and son-in-law. Let us consider first this report by Anas ibn Malik: “The Prophet sent Ali ibn Abi Talib to fight a certain people. He then dispatched someone after him. He told the man: ‘Do not call out to him (i.e. to Ali) from his rear, and tell him not to fight them before he has called on them (to accept Islam).’” (Related by Al-Tabarani).

Another version of this incident related by Ibn Rahaweih mentions that the Prophet told a man to “catch up with Ali, but do not call out to him from the rear... Tell him not to fight any people until he has invited them to Islam.”

A more authentic Hadith mentions that the Prophet ordered Ali to march toward the enemy during the Battle of Khaybar, giving them the following instructions: “March at a comfortable pace until you reach them. Then call on them to accept Islam and tell them what their obligations toward God would be if they accept it. By God, should He make you the means of only one person accepting God’s guidance would be far better for you than all the riches of this world.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and others.)

This is then the right approach and the only one that Islam accepts. The issues must be clear before engaging in any fight. The enemy must be made aware of Islam and what it calls for before the Muslims could fight them. Because Islam embodies divine guidance for all the worlds, and because its message is addressed to all mankind, it is imperative that Muslims should make it known to people. Unfortunately many Muslims today give a terribly distorted image of Islam, particularly those who think that it is lawful to indiscriminately kill non-Muslims. Such people are grossly mistaken, and leaders whose understanding of Islam is clearly suspect often mislead them. Here we see the Prophet instructing the army commander he has appointed to make the gist of the message of Islam known to the enemy before engaging them in open warfare. How could anyone justify attacks on non-Muslim civilians who most probably have a very blurred view of Islam and what it advocates?

What the Prophet said to Ali in these reports was not a special case. It was an Islamic rule that he maintained. Farwah ibn Musayk Al-Ghutayfi was a companion of the Prophet from a major Arabian tribe descending from Saba’. He reports: “I went to the Prophet and said: ‘Messenger of God! Can I fight with those of my people who have accepted Islam those others who have turned away?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ But then I thought the matter over and said to him: ‘Messenger of God! No, I cannot. They are the people of Saba’ and they are well equipped and too powerful.’ The Prophet gave me his instructions and permitted me to fight against Saba’. When I left him, and God revealed in the Qur’an what He has concerning the Saba’ people, the Prophet inquired: ‘What has Al-Ghutayfi been doing?’ He sent someone to my home, but he found that I have already set out on my way. He sent after me instructing me to return. When I arrived, I found him sitting with a number of his companions. He said to me: ‘Call on your people to accept Islam. Whoever gives you a positive response, accept it from him. But those who refuse, leave them until I receive something concerning them.’ One person in the group asked the Prophet: ‘Messenger of God? What is Saba’? Is it the name of a land, or a woman?’ The Prophet said: ‘It is not a name of any land or woman. It is the name of a man who fathered ten Arab tribes. Six of them settled in Yemen, while the other four settled in Syria. The ones in Syria were Lakhm, Judham, Ghassan and Amilah, while the others who settled in Yemen were Al-Azd, Kindah, Himyar, Al-Sh’aris, Al-Anmar and Madhhij.’ He further asked: ‘Which ones are the Al-Anmar?’ The Prophet said: ‘Those are the ones whose branches include Khath’am and Bajeelah.’” (Related by Ahmad, Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidhi).

On several occasions the Prophet gave some of his companions permission to do things in a certain way, but later he called them back to change his instructions. This means that the Prophet’s initial permission was his own decision, but the change signifies that he subsequently received some revelation requiring the amendment. Thus, the change gives the proper order. In this case, the Prophet first permitted the man to group those of his people who were Muslims and line them up against those of his tribe who rejected Islam. The man was in two minds because he feared that the opposition was too strong, but the permission was given. Nevertheless, after he had already set on his way, the Prophet sent after him and gave him fresh instructions. These required him to continue his activity in advocating Islam, but stopped him from fighting the unbelievers among his people. This is the proper Islamic position. Islam does not like that internal conflict should erupt among any people. If some of them reject Islam, we should let them be, and continue to explain to them what Islam stands for. In time, they may, God willing, see the true nature of this divine message and determine their attitude to it on the basis of true information.