Civilisation at the Cross Roads — Page 13
Holy Prophet of Islam (on whom be the peace and blrssings of God), the Muslims were bitterly and brutally persecuted in Mecca. In the end this little band was forced to quit Mecca, one by one, and found ·a refuge in Medina, where the Prophet also joined them. There, too, they were not left in peace. The Mcccans organised expedition after expedition against the Muslims to destroy them and their faith. The Muslims were anxious to be permitt- ~d to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca a11d to worship there· in the Sacred Mosque, but t;he Meccans would not hear of it, nor would they abate their aggressive policies and actions. FinHlly, Mecca feU. The Muslims entered it with dignity, exacting no retribution and imposing no penalties for the wrongs and injustices that they had. suffered during twenty years. The Quran laid down : "Let not the hostility of a people, that they hindered you from the Sacred Mosque, incite you to transgress. Co-operate with one ·another in righteousness and piety; do not assist one another in sin and transgression. Fear God; surely God is severe in punishment. " (V: 8) On the other hand, Islam does not teach submission to evil for that would amount to supporting and fostering it. Islam conceives of a truly beneficent society as composed of persons who seek to maintain a just balance between the values pertaining to this life and the next, constantly fosteri11g good and restraining wrong and evil. The following mny furnish some idea of the attitudes that Islam inculcates : ' "Whatever is bestowed upon you is but the temporary provision of this life; that which is with God is belier and more lasting for those ·who ·believe and put their trust in their Lord; those who eschew the grievous sins, as well as iudeccnC'ics, and when they are wroth, they forgive; those. whp l1earken to their Lord and observe prayer and whose affairs are determined by mutual consultatio11 and who spe!:lcl constantly out of that which We haye bestowed upon tht·m; those who, wheh an injury is inflicted upon them, defel\tl. themselves. The recompense of an injury is a