Learning from Early Muslims: From Suffering Persecution with Patience in Makkah to Peaceful Coexistence with Other Religious Communities in Abyssinia and Madina
By Ghulam Ghaus
Siddiqi, New Age Islam
3 October
2020
Early
Muslims suffered a miserable life in Makkah. Living in a hostile society, they
repeatedly faced heartless torture and oppression. Every day they would come in
the presence of the holy Prophet (peace be upon him) in a state where either
someone’s head was broken, or hand was badly damaged. For instance, Hazrat
Bilal was rolled on glowing embers. Yasir and his wife Sumayyah were wounded
with spears. Not to speak of the poor and the helpless, even the blue-blooded
could not go unmolested. For instance, Hazrat Osman’s uncle would tightly wrap
him in a fresh animal skin, and throw him in the scorching sun. The searing
sun, profuse sweat and foul smell of the skin would choke his breath and be
unbearably excruciating and painful. The religious persecution continued for
about 13 to 14 years in Makkah. Muslims were weak and so they were called upon
to endure all hardships and acts of violence with patience and forgiveness
through the following verses;
“Repel evil with the best deeds; We well know
the matters that they fabricate”. (23:96)
“So forgive them and
excuse them; indeed Allah loves the virtuous”. (5:13)
“And be patient over
what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance” (73:10).
When the
aggression and ruthlessness of the pagan Arabs grew further, many Muslims had
to migrate to Abyssinia, a non-Muslim nation. Here Muslims were given the
opportunity to freely practice their religion and enjoy protection under the
rule of Abyssinian Negus, a Christian King. This was the first place where
Muslims as a minority were given the right to freedom of religion and security.
The Muslims enjoyed these rights despite the repeated efforts of the Makkan
enemies of Islam to change the Negus from his tolerant behaviour towards
Muslims. This proved a great model of peaceful coexistence where different
religious communities lived together in religious freedom without facing any
insecurity.
These
Muslims, the Sahaba, fulfilled their responsibility as Abyssinian citizens as
they were enjoying the protection of their religious rights. These early
Muslims on their part set a great example for peaceful coexistence with
non-Muslims. This example is contrary to the principles adopted by the radicals
and extremists of our time, who take refuge in non-Muslim states and enjoy all
rights of citizenship they seek, and yet they repeatedly speak ill of the
majority or original citizens. This is how they incite negative feelings of
bigotry and hatred against Muslims and Islam. These radicals abuse them, show
their supremacist and bigoted attitudes towards them for not being Muslim. This
is an attitude unacceptable to Islam and its teachings of morals and ethics.
Having
migrated to Madina and taken into consideration the variety of the Medinan community consisting of Muslims,
Jews, Pagans and Hypocrites (Munafiqeen),
the Prophet (peace be upon him) formed the Constitution of Madina (aka
Meethaq-e-Madina). This Constitution had four major characteristics; 1) peace
and security for all, 2) religious freedom for all communities, 3) rights of
public participation in the fields of economy, military and politics, and 4) an
affirmation of individual responsibility. It is wrong to say that when the
number of Muslims in Madina increased, there was no diversity in that period. A
number of texts demonstrate the fact that the Jews and hypocrites who remained
as peaceful citizens continued to enjoy the same basic rights on the principles
of justice and fairness.
It is
important that we in the modern times learn from early Muslims including the
Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Sahaba from the phase of upholding patience
in Makkah towards committing to peaceful coexistence with other religious
communities in Abyssinia and Madina.
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A regular Columnist with NewAgeIslam.com,
Ghulam Ghaus Siddiqi Dehlvi is an Alim and Fazil (Classical Islamic scholar)
with a Sufi background and English-Arabic-Urdu Translator.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/learning-early-muslims-suffering-persecution/d/123033
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