The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 45
II - Commencement of Jihād by the Sword & Fundamental Discussion on Jihād 45 Muslim. ” However, Usāmah ra did not care for this and speared him. After the war, when this account was related to the Holy Prophet sa , he became extremely displeased with Usāmah ra and said, “Why did you kill a man who professed his acceptance of Islām?” “O Messenger of Allāh! He did so out of fear and was not a Muslim at heart,” was the response of Usāmah ra. The Holy Prophet sa said, “Did you cut open his heart to affirm this?” In other words, it is completely plausible that the truth of Islām was revealed to him at that very instance and he became Muslim at heart. For example, it is possible that in his heart, the criteria of judgment he may have set was that if he becomes victorious in this war, then it is evident that the idols that he is fighting for are truthful. If, however, he is defeated, then it would be evident that God is One. In any case, his acceptance of Islām in the very field of battle was not conclusive evidence of the fact that he had become a Muslim due to fear. Therefore, when the possibility existed that his acceptance was sincere, Usāmah ra should have restrained his hand, and this is why the Holy Prophet sa was so displeased with him. Usāmah ra relates that the Holy Prophet sa was so displeased with me that he desired, “O would that I had not become a Muslim prior to this occurrence. If I had become Muslim after this occurrence, I would not have been made to bear this displeasure of the Holy Prophet sa. ” 1 Then, such examples can also be found in history that, if the Holy Prophet sa ever happened to discover himself that an individual had not become Muslim at heart, and his acceptance was merely due to fear or greed, he would not accept his declaration of Islām. As such, there is a narration in Saḥīḥ Muslim that during a war, the Companions imprisoned a disbeliever who was from among the allies of the Banū Thaqīf. When the Holy Prophet sa passed by this prisoner, in the thought that he would be set free, he said, “O Muḥammad sa ! Why am I kept in prison when I accept Islām?” The Holy Prophet sa responded, “If you had come to Islām prior to this, it would have been accepted by Allāh and you would have attained salvation, but not now. ” After this, the Holy Prophet sa had two Muslim prisoners released from the Banū Thaqīf, and returned him to the disbelievers. 2 Therefore, not a single example can be found in history where the Companions made a person Muslim, by threat of the sword. Rather, all the examples which are found indicate the opposite and this is practical evidence that these wars of the Muslims were not for the purpose of converting people to Islām by force. At this instance, if anyone holds the reservation that releasing a 1 Ṣaḥīḥu Muslim, Kitābul-Īmān, Bābu Taḥrīmi Qatlil-Kāfiri Ba‘da An Qāla Lā Ilāha. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 277 2 Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, Kitābul-Jihād, Bābu Ḥukmil-Isrā’i, Al-Faṣlul-Awwal, Ḥadīth No. 3969, Dārul- Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003)