Islam 101 - Part 1

Here it is then, as promised: part one of my series of six articles about Islam, and why it is NOT a Religion of Peace (TM). Learn and enjoy:

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THE EXAMPLE OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD

Hearing and reading the comments of Islamic apologists, one would be forgiven for thinking that Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, was a kind and gentle soul, like Gandhi, who abhorred violence and was a champion of democracy and equality of rights for all. This characterisation, however, is mostly fictionalised. Such apologists are unlikely to tell you about the war and bloodshed in Muhammad's life, and how his example is a key inspiration for jihadists today. This article will explore some of the main developments in Muhammad's life which resonate among his followers today.

Why does the life of Muhammad matter? He was, after all, alive 1,400 years ago; why should his words and actions have any relevance today?

In Islam, Muhammad is seen as al-insan al-kamil - "the Perfect Man". The Qur'an calls him uswa hasana: "an excellent example of conduct" (33:21). Anything that he said or did is seen by Muslims to be good, something that they can legitimately admire and emulate. Muhammad's behaviour was typical of a seventh-century Arabian warrior, but because of his status as the ultimate model of human behaviour, this presents a problem in the modern day where Muslims still believe that his example is a flawless one and should be followed. That is why none of the things I'm about to write about are simple matters of forgotten history: Islamic tradition makes no distinction between then and now - what was good in Muhammad's time is just as good now, especially since it was sanctioned by the Perfect Man.

Muhammad began as a relatively benign man who genuinely respected Jews and Christians. He was a member of the pagan Quraysh tribe in Mecca. Then, in 610 AD, he began to claim that he was receiving revelations from Allah, the one true God, who had made him his Prophet - the latest and last in a line which had included Abraham and Jesus. He began preaching, trying to win his tribe over to his new religion. However, many of them rejected and mocked him, and he became increasingly frustrated. After years of this frustration, Muhammad fled with some loyal followers to another town, Medina, where more followers, the first Muslims, joined his cause. From this new position of strength, the Muslims began to launch raids on Quraysh caravans, stealing booty. Such actions served not only as revenge for the Quraysh's rejection of Muhammad, but the money also kept the Muslim movement solvent.

In Medina, Muhammad also came into contact with several Jewish tribes and Christian groups, whom he tried to convince to become Muslims. He told them that he and they worshiped the same God, and that they had corrupted the true teachings of Abraham and Jesus, who were really Muslim Prophets. He called them back to the "true faith" of Islam. They, of course, rejected him also, and more frustration ensued, later followed by violence. Non-believers would come to be known as "the vilest of creatures" (Qur'an 98:6).

The raids on the Quraysh caravans eventually led to greater resistance from the pagans, resulting in the Battle of Badr in 624. The Muslims were victorious despite being overwhelmingly outnumbered. In the aftermath of the battle, one of the Muslim soldiers cut off the head of a Quraysh leader, Abu Jahl, and brought the grisly trophy to Muhammad - he was delighted.

Tensions with the Quraysh continued for many years after, however, and at one point a Jewish tribe, the Banu Qurayza, allied themselves with the Quraysh to oppose Muhammad. After dealing with the Quraysh again, Muhammad reaped his revenge on the Banu Qurayza. He went after them, calling them "You brothers of monkeys" (leading to modern jihadists' likening of the Jews to apes and monkeys) and besieging them. When they were defeated and thoroughly subdued, he had the men of the Banu Qurayza brought to him one by one, where he personally assisted in beheading them. Ibn Ishaq, Muhammad's first biographer, whose works are widely read and respected in the Islamic world even today, puts the number killed in this fashion at "between 600 and 700". Ibn S'ad, another biographer of Muhammad, goes for the same number.

Such incidents as this and the aftermath of the Battle of Badr explain why modern-day jihadists are so into beheading their victims: they are merely following their Prophet's example. After the American Nick Berg was captured and beheaded in Iraq in 2004, the jihad leader Abu Musab al-Zaqarwi said: "The Prophet, the most merciful, ordered his army to strike the necks of some prisoners in the Battle of Badr and to kill them...And he set a good example for us". The Qur'an verse al-Zaqarwi is citing here is 4:74 - "When ye meet the unbelievers in fight, smite at their necks". This is just one of many examples of how jihadists today use Muhammad's specific example to justify their actions.

Another morally problematic event in Muhammad's career was an attack on the Jews of the Khaybar Oasis. Muhammad was reacting to no provocation, and the attack seems to have been committed simply to collect the Jews' booty, and even women. Ibn S'ad says that 93 Jews were killed in the raid. Muhammad had one of the Jewish leaders tortured to extract information about where the treasure was being hidden, and soon after married one of the Jewish women - a widow of one of the men killed in the raid - against her will. Today, "Khaybar, O Khaybar" is still a popular chant, particularly among Palestinian jihadists, who see their ambitions of destroying Israel as inflicting more of the damage that the Khaybar raid inflicted on the Jews.

Muhammad did not just fight wars and battles against his enemies - he had them assassinated, too. After the Battle of Badr, Muhammad was incensed by a Jewish poet, Kab bin al-Ashraf, who, according to Ibn Ishaq, wrote insulting songs about Muslim women. Muhammad had him killed for this, and gave the assassin permission to use deceit to achieve the murder. Other enemies also suffered his wrath, including a Jewish merchant, Ibn Sunaya, and 'Asma bint Marwan, a poet who had mocked the Prophet in rhyme.

In the aftermath of contemporary Muslim terrorist attacks, Islamic spokesmen in the West today often maintain that Islam forbids the killing of innocent non-combatants. However, this is not as certain as they seem to believe, as demonstrated by one incident during the early raids on Quraysh caravans. Muhammad was asked whether the Muslims could mount an attack at a time which would put the Quraysh's women and children in danger. He replied, "They [i.e. the women and children] are of them [i.e. unbelievers]", which seemed to imply that because they were not Muslims, they could legitimately be killed (Bukhari v.4, b.56, no. 3012). I will be explaining the position Islamic law holds on this matter in a few weeks.

The final incident from Muhammad's life which I see as relevant today concerns the Treaty of Hudaybiyya. This was a treaty which was concluded between the Muslims and the Quraysh. The treaty astounded and angered many of Muhammad's followers, for it seemed disadvantageous to the Muslims. It declared that Quraysh who left the tribe to join Muhammad must be returned to the Quraysh, but any Muslim who left to join the Quraysh would not be returned to the Muslims. Despite his followers' surprise and indignation, Muhammad insisted that they had won a great victory.

Two years later, a Quraysh woman joined the Muslims. Her two brothers came to Muhammad and asked that she be returned, in accord with the terms of the Treaty. However, Muhammad had received a revelation from Allah, which told him not to return the woman (Qur'an 60:10). In refusing to send her back to the Quraysh, Muhammad broke the Treaty and tensions resumed.

Since then, Islamic jurists have built upon this to create the principle of Islamic law that peace treaties between Muslims and non-Muslims should only be concluded for a maximum of ten years, and only in order to allow weakened Muslim forces to regain their strength. When Westerners today assert that we can "negotiate" with the terrorists, they do not realise their own naivity - Islam has no interest in indefinite peaceful coexistence; its only concern is its own well-being.

As you can see, the example of Muhammad which jihadists invoke today is not a peaceful, tolerant one. All of the deeds of Muhammad described above are seen as virtues in Islam, and jihadists today, as throughout history, use them to justify acts of violence not just against military targets, but against innocent civilians. Moderate Muslims must be aware of these examples and actively reject them as being admirable or compatible with modern society. Ignorance or denial is not an excuse. Muslims must work hard to reject the idea that Muhammad is the Perfect Man in these and other instances. If they don't, the jihadists will continue to have the theological upper hand, and violence in the name of Muhammad will continue.

Next week: Incitements to violence in the Qur'an and Islamic tradition, and why jihad is such an important part of Islam.