The Prophet (peace be upon him) was always fully aware that nothing could be more important than delivering his message and making it known to people. He wanted all people to realize that God has addressed His final message to every one of us. None is left out. Hence making it known to people and explaining its demands and requirements was his first preoccupation. Not only so, but he was keen to impress on his companions that this task should be the first to address in all situations. Even when war is imminent, calling on people to believe in God as the only Lord in the universe was a task never to be overlooked. We have seen that the Prophet would sit with anyone, explaining his message for as long as that person was prepared to listen. It did not matter whether he addressed a single person or a large group; he showed the same concern for all. He dearly loved that they should recognize God’s guidance and believe in Him.
Indeed the Prophet often spelled this out, stating that for people to believe was dearer to him than any gain he could make. Abd Al-Rahman ibn A’idh, a companion of the Prophet, reports: “When God’s Messenger sent an expedition he would say to them: ‘Speak to people in a friendly way. Do not attack them before calling on them to believe. There is not a single household, Bedouin or urban, but I would love you to bring me its people as Muslims far more dearly than that you should bring their women and children (as prisoners) after you have killed their men.’” (Related by Al-Tirmidhi and Al-Baghawi)
This Hadith lays down the priorities as felt by the Prophet. It shows what Muslims should always prefer. In any war situation, the enemy is to be addressed with the message of Islam. If they accept it, all conflict with them will end. It is far more preferable that they should learn the message of Islam, and decide to accept it without any coercion than a battle should be allowed to develop, even when it was certain to end in victory for Muslims, leading to the killing of the warriors and imprisonment of their women and children. The Prophet makes it clear that this applies to all, including desert people who represented no real threat.
But how were the Muslims to invite their enemies to embrace Islam at the time when war could break out between them? Would those enemies listen to such a call? Would they not dismiss what the Muslims say as mere trickery? Historical facts suggest that this was not the case. The Muslims gained wide reputation for maintaining a high standard of ethics in war. The Prophet made sure to instill this in them so that it would become a distinctive mark in their way of fighting. He always gave clear instructions to his commanders making clear that they were to observe Islamic values even when they dealt with an enemy. Buraydah, a companion of the Prophet, reports: “When God’s Messenger appointed a commander of an expedition and sent out some force, he would instruct that commander to remain always conscious of God, even in the most private matters, and he would urge him to take care of his soldiers. He would then say to him: ‘When you come face to face with an enemy force from among the unbelievers, offer them one of three options. Whichever one they choose, take it and stay your hand. Call on them first to accept Islam. If they agree, then you have no further conflict with them. Just ask them to leave their land and join the Muhajireen (i.e. the Muslims who migrated from Makkah to Madinah). Tell them that if they do so, then they will have the same privileges and duties as the Muhajireen. If they refuse to move and prefer to stay in their own land, then tell them that they would have the same status as Bedouin Muslims: They will have to abide by God’s rules that are applicable to all believers, but will have no share in any gain or booty we have unless they fight with the Muslims. If they refuse, then offer them the option of paying tribute. Should they accept this option, you also accept it and do not fight them. But if they refuse, then seek God’s help and fight them. If you lay siege to a fort and then its people ask you to apply God’s ruling to them, do not accept that, because you cannot tell what God will rule in their case. Offer them to accept your rule, and then make your ruling as you wish.’” (Related by Muslim, Abu Dawood, Al-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah)
It is clear that this Hadith dates back to the period prior to the surrender of Makkah to Islam, because after its surrender, the immigration to join the Muslim community in Madinah did not apply. Here the Hadith requires new Muslims to join the community in Madinah. Nevertheless, the general principles outlined here applied later. Thus, any enemy force would be offered the chance to accept Islam after learning what its message entailed. If they did and joined the Muslim community they would have the same status as the earliest of believers. But was that a sort of coercion intended to force people to accept Islam? Certainly not, because any enemy of the Muslim state could win peace, without having to change their religion, if they would only pay the standard tribute, which was a head tax that gave them a special status with well-defined privileges. Moreover, it ensured that the Muslims would protect them against any external threat.
It was only if an enemy force refused the first two options which ensured that no hostilities could break out that fighting becomes inevitable. This is the result of the enemy being determined to have a showdown. Otherwise it would have accepted one of the two options that spared their lives and protected them against any outside force. Many communities accepted that from the Muslims and never regretted their decision. Muslims have rules, put in place by God and His Messenger, which they apply in all situations. These are meant to give a good impression of Islam so that people would come to look at it in an objective way. Once they do that, they will realize that it aims at achieving the best for all people, and ensuring their happiness. It is up to them then to decide whether to accept it as a faith. Needless to say, if they do their choice will continue to yield good results for them for the rest of their lives.
This is confirmed in several Hadiths, most of which speak of what the Prophet said to Ali ibn Abi Talib when he sent him as expedition commander. One of these Hadiths speaks of what the Prophet said to Ali at the Battle of Khaybar: “March forth at ease until you reach their vicinity. Then call on them to accept Islam and explain to them their duties to God should they accept it. By God, should you be the means by which one person accepts divine guidance is far better for you than all that the world contains.” (Related by Al-Bukhari)