Understanding Islam — Page 14
IS ISLAM A VIOLENT RELIGION? 14 Muslims, on the other hand, will not unilaterally or aggressively attack the non-Muslims for any reason, as long as the non-Muslims remain peaceful. While another lexical meaning of the word Aslim is submit, it is wrongly thought that this expression means political submission. The entire mission of Prophet Muhammad sa was spiritual. His entire life bears testimony to the fact that whenever he used the word “submission,” it was to the will of Allah in spiritual terms. He never once imposed the idea of forced submission upon anyone. This is clear from the various letters he sent inviting the kings of major empires around Arabia to Islam, wherein he used this term. The majority did not accept Islam in the beginning, yet he did not set out to coerce them into believing, nor did he demonstrate any hostility toward them. Islam teaches that every Prophet was sent by the same God, and each one of them felt pain at the immoral plight of his people. Each one desperately sought to save the people, to whom they were sent, from the inevitable fallout of their misguided ways. Prophet Muhammad sa sent these letters of invitation to Islam, inviting the unenlightened