How the Prophet brought about positive change

SIXTH century Arabia witnessed world’s perhaps the greatest and most profound change in history that happened but peacefully. Nevertheless, it was truly decisive. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) changed the people’s beliefs, their behavior, their customs, and their social norms, and he did so by convincing them with kindness and gentle persuasion. He did not force people to agree with him. He did not resort to a show of strength except when absolutely necessary to protect his people.
For the first 13 years of his mission, he lived in Makkah in a state of abject weakness, persecuted by his countrymen. After he emigrated to Madinah, his focus was on building and safeguarding his community. If we consider the landmark events of the Madinite era, we find that the battle of Badr was not pre-planned; the battle of Uhud was purely defensive as was the Battle of the Confederate tribes. The peace treaty of Hudaibiyah that the Prophet entered into with the Makkans was seen by many of the Muslims to be a humiliation for Islam, but the Prophet knew better.
Yet, when the Muslims finally entered Makkah in victory, it was a peaceful conquest. They took the city without fighting or bloodshed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stood among the Makkans, who feared reprisals for the years of persecution they had meted out to the Muslims, and said: “You may go as you please, for you are free.” It was perhaps world’s first amnesty.
He restored to the weak and oppressed their rights, manumitted slaves, elevated the status of the people, and did away with oppressive practices against women. He likewise did away with the exploitative practices, pomp and influence of the city’s despots with the minimum of hardship for all parties concerned.
It is impressive how the Prophet (peace be upon him) rid Arabian society of the many deep-rooted and pernicious customs that they were pursuing during the times of ignorance.
He was able to bring about a new mindset, freed from the rote, blind following of ancestral traditions. He made the people aware of the falsehood of their former customs, so this awareness could protect them from lapsing back into such modes of thought.
This way, the Prophet brought them out of the darkness of superstition, fortune-telling and divination. He dispelled their wantonness and sexual exploitation.
He did away with their tribal boasting and rivalries. He rid their hearts of racism. When his own companion Abu Dharr betrayed racist tendencies, he did not hesitate to tell him: “You are indeed a man possessed of some habits from the times of ignorance.”
He never compromised on polytheism. He opposed it absolutely, regardless of the sacrifices and hardships this meant for him. He strove to dismantle polytheism in the minds and hearts of the people and bring them to monotheism. Nevertheless, when he went to Makkah after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah to perform the Umrah, there were 360 idols around the Kaaba. He did not destroy the idols or interfere with them in any way. What would have been the point? It was easy for people to recreate their idols as long as they believed in them. The only possible way was to dismantle them from people’s hearts and minds first.
Only after he entered Makkah as their leader, after the people entered into Islam in droves, did he remove the idols from the Kaaba, restoring it as a place of worship for Allah alone. At this time, a great majority of the people had been convinced of the falsehood of idol worship. Indeed, one of the Makkah leaders commented: “Had they been of any worth, they would not have forsaken us.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) was an example of patience in how he coexisted with the pagans in Makkah, and in the fortitude he showed by responding gently and with an open heart to them, in spite of to their abuses and hostility toward him and towards the men and women who chose to follow him.
Then, after the emigration to Madinah, he lived alongside the Jews and the pagans from the local tribes, not to mention the hypocrites who concealed their animosity toward Islam and the Muslims who were weak in faith.
These people were still in Madinah at the time of the Prophet’s death. Qur’an’s Al-Hujurat chapter, which addresses those who were being ill-mannered toward the Prophet and using spiteful names, was revealed in the 9th year after the emigration.
One of its final verses reads: “The Bedouins say: ‘We have believed.’ Say (to them): ‘You have not (yet) believed; but say (instead), ‘We have submitted,’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Qur’an, 49:14)
At the time of the Prophet’s death, his shield was being held by a Jewish man as collateral for a debt he owed him. The Prophet had borrowed the money to provide food for his family. The Prophet needed the money at the time, and the purchase of the shield was in the Jewish man’s interest. This is the basis of coexistence, to realize that your own welfare and that of other people can be realized together.
This way, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a practical lesson for future generations. Madinah, the first capital of Islam, had this diversity within. In this way, the people could learn how to call others to Islam and how to conduct themselves in a society where they live with people of other faiths as fellow citizens.
During the many eras of Islamic rule in history, the rights of the various religious communities and denominations were upheld and protected within the context of a strong social fabric. They were not forced to change their religion or their denominational affiliation. The Muslims continued to engage them in polite debate and discussion.
This social fabric can be torn apart by conflicts spurred on by political interests who instigate the ignorant people and play on their prejudices. When this happens, when neighbor turns against neighbor, people abandon our Prophet’s teachings, which stress neighborly rights even with those you disagree with.
At times of conflict, people behave irrationally and suspiciously. Sensible people know that this state of affairs is temporary and can — must — be surmounted. People can settle back into living together in peace and cooperation for their mutual wellbeing.

n Courtesy of en.islamtoday.net