The Promised Messiah and Mahdi — Page 121
THE PROMISED MESSIAH AND MAHDI serve every human being. This is the essence of our religion. We can live in peace with snakes and wolves of the jungle but we cannot live in peace with those persons who abuse and disrespect our Holy. Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) and charge him with all sorts of calumnies. Islam is that holy and peaceful religion which has not attacked any founder of any religion and the Holy Quran is that great book which has laid foundations for international peace by accepting. Prophets of all nations. This honour and distinction belongs to the. Holy Quran alone. 6. At the time of advent of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), Arabs were living like savages. They indulged in idolatry and all sorts of sins and disorders which one can imagine. In a short time the Holy Prophet brought about such an amazing reformation that instead of savages they became humans, then became civilized and finally they became godly persons. The Holy. Prophet's followers suffered imaginable persecution from disbelievers and yet they did not give up Islam or the Holy Prophet. Some ignorant people charge Islam with Jihad and say that people were converted to. Islam by the sword. This is most unjust and contrary to the truth. The. Holy Prophet was not a king of Arabia that people might seek protection under his flag due to fear of his power. He was a prophet who had lived for forty years among Meccans before he received revelation from God and was given his status as a great universal prophet. For thirteen long years he and his followers suffered. persecution in Mecca and yet Islam kept on spreading. Which sword. did the Holy prophet and Muslims have at that time? Finally the elders of Mecca planned to kill him and he was forced to migrate to. Medina, where he was accepted widely and his Islamic community grew stronger. But his enemies did not leave him alone. They decided. to annihilate this early Islam by a series of invasions against Medina. . It was only then that God gave permission to Muslims to fight back in defence. Those who had used the sword to kill innocent Muslims were to be killed by sword if they did not desist and denied religious freedom. Muslims were also commanded not to indulge in any aggression. The Holy Quran declared that there is to be no 121