From Muhammad, the Messenger of God, to the Negus Ashama, the King of Abyssinia:
“You are at peace with us! Now, I praise the Creator before you: God, the Sovereign and Almighty, who is free from all flaws, imperfections, and corruption. He is the One who protects everyone from harm under His care, and He has dominance and power over all beings, and everything is under His control. I bear witness that Jesus, son of Mary, is the Spirit of God and His Word, whom God sent as a message to the pure Mary, and she became pregnant with Him…
Now, I call upon you to worship the One God and obey His commands, and I invite you to follow me, as His messenger, and believe in what has been revealed to me…”
(Excerpt from the letter of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to the Negus, the Christian King of Abyssinia)[1]
Perhaps one of the most remarkable characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), which reveals his spiritual brilliance even more in the dark and violent atmosphere of the pre-Islamic era, is his emphasis on inviting people to Islam through dialogue and cultural interactions. He worked to create a peaceful and friendly environment based on logic and reasoning. From this perspective, it is possible to understand the divine nature of his mission, as history recalls many individuals who embraced Islam through this approach.
The Prophet’s conduct in this regard provides a very clear picture. For instance, in his religious debate with the Jewish community, after they were defeated and asked for time to think, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I grant you a period of reflection, but reduce your partisanship and increase fairness so that God may guide you.”[2]
Additionally, in the letters he sent to the Jewish and Christian tribes, the Prophet (peace be upon him), while mentioning Moses and Jesus (peace be upon them) as divine messengers, presents himself as a prophet whose name was mentioned in the Torah and the Gospel. He then invites the people of the Book, referring to verse 64 of Surah Al-Imran, to come together on a common ground, that we worship none but God and do not associate anything or anyone with Him…[3]
The life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) is filled with evidence showing his deep concern for human development and his compassion for people.
As an example, during the peaceful conquest of Mecca, the Prophet (peace be upon him) granted amnesty to all the idolaters and leaders of the Quraysh who had waged multiple wars against Islam. However, he excluded a few individuals who had committed very heinous crimes from this general pardon. Safwan bin Umayyah was one of these individuals. He was one of the instigators of the numerous wars against Islam, and for this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered his arrest.
When Safwan learned about this decree, he fled to Jeddah in fear of punishment. His cousin, Amr bin Wahb, came to intercede for him and asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) to pardon him. Eventually, the Prophet (peace be upon him) pardoned Safwan.
When Safwan received the news of his pardon, he initially couldn’t believe it and asked for a sign from the Prophet to ensure that he had truly been forgiven. The Prophet (peace be upon him) sent him his turban or cloak as a sign so he could be sure and return to him with peace of mind.
When Safwan arrived before the Prophet (peace be upon him) and saw him, he said: “Give me two months to investigate the religion of Islam.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “I give you four months to investigate Islam and embrace it.”
Later, Safwan bin Umayyah said: “No one can possess such noble character and magnanimity except the Prophet of God. I bear witness that there is no god but the One God, and Muhammad is His messenger.” And thus, he embraced Islam.[4]
Indeed, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), with such noble qualities, declared to the world that he had not come to rule over people through power and destruction but to rule over hearts, guide, and elevate humanity. [5]
(Adapted from the book Muhammad (peace be upon him) – The Secret of Creation by Sayyid Javad Hashemi, with modifications and summary)
Footnotes:
[1] History of Tabari, p. 1569 – Al-Sira al-Halabiya, Vol. 3, p. 344. The text of this letter also appears with slight variations in the following sources: Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 18, p. 418 and Vol. 20, p. 391 – Qasas al-Anbiya by Rawandi, p. 324.
[2] (Surah Al-Imran, verse 64).
[3] Ihtijaj al-Tabarsi, Vol. 1, p. 23 (In this debate, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) discusses with five sects: Jews, Christians, materialists, dualists, and Arab polytheists, and responds to the objections of each).
[4] Al-Maghazi, Vol. 2, p. 853 – Sira of Ibn Hisham, Vol. 4, p. 60. This story is also found in Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, translated by Ali Akbar Ghafari, Vol. 4, p. 414.
[5] Naturally, the lofty logic of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in terms of dialogue and cultural interaction with non-Muslims has been so effective that the other side also adhered to these principles; otherwise, as history confirms, Islam has maintained its strength and defended its existence against aggressors and violators.