In the name of the gracious and\nmerciful God<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From: Muhammad, the Messenger of God<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To: Najashi al-As\u2019ham, the Emperor of\nHabashah (Ethiopia)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You are in peace with us! Now, I will\nglorify the Lord for you: The owner and powerful Lord, Who is pure from any\ndeficiencies or faults; the Lord Who saves everyone from dangers with His\nfavor; the One Who rules all the creatures and overpowers them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I testify that Jesus, son of Mary, is\nthe Lord\u2019s spirit and word, whom He placed in the womb of the purified Mary,\nand she conceived him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, I call you to the only Lord, to\nHis obedience, to obey me as His messenger, and to believe in what has revealed\nto me\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(A portion of\nthe letter of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) to Najashi, the Emperor of\nHabashah (1))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps one of the major\ncharacteristics of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), which disclosed the\nspiritual light of his personality in the dark period of the ignorance era, was\ndevotion to call people to Islam through dialogue and cultural interactions in\na calm and friendly environment, while basing it on logic and reasoning. In\nfact, this might prove that he was on a divine mission, as numerous people have\naccepted the call to Islam by this means throughout the history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tradition of the Prophet\n(PBUH&HP) depicts a clear overview of this issue. In his debate with the\nJews, when the Jews were defeated and asked for an extension to reflect, he\nresponded by saying, \u201dI will give you an opportunity; but you have to reduce your\nprejudice and expand your justice, so that Allah may guide you (2)\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Moreover, in the letters he sent to\nthe Jews and the Christians, while referring to Moses, son of Imram, and Jesus,\nson of Mary, as Allah\u2019s messengers, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) introduced\nhimself as a messenger of Allah whose name had been mentioned in the Torah and\nthe Gospel; and called them to Islam by reciting the 64th verse of the third\nChapter of the Holy Quran, \u201dCome to common terms as between us and you: That we\nworship none but Allah; that we associate no partners with Him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The tradition of Prophet Muhammad\n(PBUH&HP) is filled with evidences of his constructive and compassionate\ncharacter in dealing with the people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As an example when the Muslims took\nover Mecca without any battles, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) issued an\nunexpected general pardoning for the masters of polytheists and pagans of\nMecca; however, he excepted a couple of them due to their severe acts. Safwan\nibn Umayyah was among the unpardoned ones. Since he had initiated several wars\nagainst the Muslims, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) ordered his arrest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Safwan was informed of this\norder, he escaped to Jeddah. Umair ibn Wahab, a cousin of Safwan, interceded\nfor him and asked Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) to pardon him, and eventually\nthe Prophet (PBUH&HP) did so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When the news reached Safwan, he did\nnot believe in it, and asked for a sign from the Prophet (PBUH&HP) to\nbecome certain. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) sent him his turban or shirt as\na sign, so that he would be assured about his forgiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Safwan went back to the Prophet\n(PBUH&HP) and met with him, he said, \u201dGive me two months so that I would do\na research about Islam\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) replied to him, \u201dI will give you four months to investigate Islam and to become a Muslim!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Later, Safwan used to say, \u201dA person\nwith such a good morale and magnanimity cannot be anything but a Prophet. I\ntestify that there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger\u201d, and he\nbecame a Muslim (3).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indeed, with such a great behavior,\nthe great Prophet of Islam has announced to all the people for ever that \u201cMy\nmission is not to rule over the people or to destroy them; rather I am\nappointed to rule over their hearts, educate them, and elevate their rank\u201d.(4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The above is a\nselection taken from \u201cMuhammad (PBUH&HP), the Mystery of Creation\u201d, by\nSayyid Jawad Hashimi (with some changes))<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd Website congratulates all\nMuslims upon 17th of Rabi al-Awwal, the birthday anniversary of the caller to\nfaith and the seal of the Prophets, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP), and his\npurified grandson, Imam Ja\u2019far al-Sadiq (PBUH).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
: Footnotes<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1Tarikh Tabari, p. 1569; Al-Sirah al-Halabyiah, vol. 3, p. 344- the text is narrated with some differences in the following references: Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 18, p. 418 and vol. 20, p. 391; Qasas al-Anbyia by Rawandi, p. 324<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2Ihtijaj, vol. 1, p. 23; (In this debate, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) challenged groups of Arab Jews, Christians, Existentialists, Polytheists, and Pagans, and responded to the questions of all five groups)\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3Al-Maghaazi, vol. 2, p. 853; Sirah Ibn Hisham, vol. 4, p. 60- This incident is also narrated in Man La Yahduruhu al-Faqih, by Shaykh Saduq, translated by Ali AKbar Ghaffari, vol. 4, p. 414<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. 4Normally the fine reasoning of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) in his moderate debates and cultural interactions with the non-Muslims has been useful in cases which the other side keeps within the boundaries of such kinds of dialogues. Nevertheless the history witnesses that Islam has defended its dignity and existence in standing against the attackers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n