Through Force or Faith? — Page 16
?— A Reply to Pope Benedict XVI 16 This was the conduct of the Muslims. It was only after they achieved victory and the Muslims returned that tax collection was resumed. So I submit once again, is this what you call coercion? Those who accuse the pure personage of the Holy Prophet s as would see how much he cared for non-Muslims if they were only to look at and study history with fairness. He would invite to Islam, but with love and compassion, for it was to the benefit for the soul of that person. In one narration, it is mentioned that the Holy Prophet s as and his companions, even in the period of their dominion and rule, took great care of the feelings of non-Muslims. Once, a young Jewish man fell ill in Madinah. When the Holy Prophet s as learnt about it, he went to enquire about him. Finding his condition criti- cal, he s as preached Islam to him. He was moved by his s as preaching, but since his father, who was alive, was standing nearby, he began looking towards his father with a question on his face. The father told his son that if he wanted to accept it, he could do so. The boy read out the creed and became a Muslim. Upon this, the Holy Prophet s as was much pleased and said, ‘Thanks be to Allah that one soul was saved from the fire of Hell’. ( S a hih Bukhārī, Kitābul- Janā’iz, Chapter: When a boy accepts Islam and then dies) Now, after relating Quranic teachings and the few examples of the practice of the Holy Prophet s as , the truth about ‘coercion’ in regards to the allegation that Islam spread due to the power of the sword becomes quite clear. It has become quite evident about how Islam spread; as does what I had said in the beginning about the treatment that was meted out in Spain expose their true colours as well.