Invitation to Islam Prior to Jihad: Difference between revisions

The practice of inviting non-Muslim nations to join [[Islam]] or pay the [[Jizyah]] prior to engaging in [[Jihad]] was first initiated by Prophet [[Muhammad]]. It was followed by the Rightly-Guided [[Caliph]]s and leaders of Islamic empires, codified within the Islamic [[Shariah|Shari'ah]]<ref>Ahmad Ibn Lulu Ibn Al-Naqib, translated by Noah Ha Mim Keller - [http://www.amazon.com/Reliance-Traveller-Classic-Islamic-Al-Salik/dp/0915957728 Reliance of the Traveller: The Classic Manual of Islamic Sacred Law Umdat Al-Salik (o9.0-8)] - Published by Amana Corporation; Revised edition (July 1, 1997), ISBN-13: 978-0915957729</ref> and is continued today by various Islamic leaders and [[Terrorism|terrorist]] organizations.

[[File:Muhammad-Letter-To-Heraclius.jpg|thumb|right|270px|Letter sent by Prophet [[Muhammad]] to Heraclius, emperor of Byzantium.<ref>Khan, Dr. Majid Ali (1998). Muhammad The Final Messenger. Islamic Book Service, New Delhi, 110002 (India). ISBN 81-85738-25-4</ref>]]

This is the letter that led to the murder of an Arab merchant and the revelation of {{Quran|2|217}}.

{{Quote||Go forward to Nakhla, in the name of the Lord, and with His blessing!  Yet force not any of thy followers against his inclination!  Proceed with those that accompany you willingly.  And when thou hast arrived at the valley of Nakhla, there lie in wait for the caravans of the Coreish.<ref>Muir, Sir William. (1878). [http://books.google.com/books?id=-jxbAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''The life of Mahomet'']. (p. 217). London: Smith, Elder & Co.</ref>}}

After hearing rumors that the Romans had gathered at the border of the Byzantine Empire and northern Arabia, Muhammad led his army to engage them in battle.  However, upon reaching Tabuk the rumors proved themselves to be false.  With nothing to do, he sent a detachment to the Christians and Jews east of Tabuk with a letter.

{{Quote||''To John ibn Rubah and the Chiefs of Aylah''.  Peace be on you!  I praise God for you, beside whom there is no Lord.  I will not fight against you until I have written thus unto you.  Believe, or else pay tribute.  And be obedient unto the Lord and his Prophet, and unto the messengers of his Prophet.  Honour them and clothe them with excellent vestments, not with inferior raiment.  Specially clothe Zeid with excellent garments.  As long as my messengers are pleased, so likewise am I.  Ye know the tribute.  If ye desire to have security by sea and by land, obey the Lord and his Apostle, and he will defend you from every demand, whether by Arab or foreigner, saving the demand of the Lord and his Apostle.  But if ye oppose and displease them, I will not accept from you a single thing, until I have fought against you and taken captive your little ones and slain the elder; for I am the Apostle of the Lord in truth.  Believe in the Lord and in his Prophets.  And believe in the Messiah son of Mary; verily he is the Word of God: I believe in him that he was a messenger of God.  Come then, before trouble reach you.  I commend my messengers to you.  Give to Harmala three measures of barley; and indeed Harmala hath interceded for you.  As for me, if it were not for the Lord and for this (intercession of Harmala), I would not have sent any message at all unto you, until ye had seen the army.  But now, if ye obey my messengers, God will be your protector, and Mahomet, and whosoever belongeth unto him.  Now my messengers are Sharahbil, &c.  Unto you is the guarantee of God and of Mahomet his Apostle, and peace be unto you if ye submit.  And convey the people of Macna back to their land.<ref>Muir, Sir William. (1878). [http://books.google.com/books?id=-jxbAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_navlinks_s#v=onepage&q=&f=false ''The life of Mahomet'']. (p. 456). London: Smith, Elder & Co</ref>}}

{{Quote||In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful (This letter is) from Muhammad, the slave of Allah, and His Apostle, to Heraculius, the Ruler of the Byzantine. Peace be upon the followers of guidance. Now then, I invite you to Islam (i.e. surrender to Allah), embrace Islam and you will be safe; embrace Islam and Allah will bestow on you a double reward. But if you reject this invitation of Islam, you shall be responsible for misguiding the peasants (i.e. your nation).<BR><BR>O people of the Scriptures! Come to a word common to you and us and you, that we worship. None but Allah, and that we associate nothing in worship with Him; and that none of us shall take others as Lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are (they who have surrendered (unto Him)..(3.64)<ref>M. Muhsin Khan (Translator) - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.cmje.org/religious-texts/hadith/bukhari/052-sbt.php#004.052.191|2=2011-10-30}} Sahih Bukhari Volume 4, Book 52, Fighting for the Cause of Allah (Jihaad), Number 191] - USC-MSA, [[Compendium of Muslim Texts]]</ref>}}

{{Quote||This letter is sent from Muhammad, the Prophet to Negus Al-Ashama, the king of Abyssinia (Ethiopia). Peace be upon him who follows true guidance and believes in Allâh and His Messenger. I bear witness that there is no god but Allâh Alone with no associate, He has taken neither a wife nor a son, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. I call you unto the fold of Islam; if you embrace Islam, you will find safety,

Should you reject this invitation, then you will be held responsible for all the evils of the Christians of your people.<ref name="The sealed nectar">{{citation|title=The sealed nectar: biography of the Noble Prophet|url=http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=r_80rJHIaOMC&pg=PA412&dq=The+letters+of+the+Prophet+Muhammad+to+the+kings+beyond+arabia&hl=en&ei=CsrTTuLOH9Co8AOOsoHiDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CDkQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=The%20letters%20of%20the%20Prophet%20Muhammad%20to%20the%20kings%20beyond%20arabia&f=false | first=Saifur Rahman Al|last=Mubarakpuri|year=2005|publisher=Darussalam Publications|isbn=9960899551}}, pp. 412-426</ref>}}

{{Quote||In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

"Say (O Muhammad : ‘O people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allâh, and that we associate no partners with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allâh.’ Then, if they turn away, say: ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’ " [Al-Qur'an 3:64]<ref name="The sealed nectar"></ref>}}

{{Quote||In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Peace be upon him who follows true guidance, believes in Allâh and His Messenger and testifies that there is no god but Allâh Alone with no associate, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger. I invite you to accept the religion of Allâh. I am the Messenger of Allâh sent to all people in order that I may infuse fear of Allâh in every living person, and that the charge may be proved against those who reject the Truth. Accept Islam as your religion so that you may live in security, otherwise, you will be responsible for all the sins of the Magians.<ref name="The sealed nectar"></ref>}}

{{Quote||In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Peace be upon him who follows true guidance. Be informed that my religion shall prevail everywhere. You should accept Islam, and whatever under your command shall remain yours.<ref name="The sealed nectar"></ref>}}

{{Quote||In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Peace be upon him who follows true guidance, believes in it and regards it as true. I invite you to believe in Allâh Alone with no associate, thenceafter your kingdom will remain yours.<ref name="The sealed nectar"></ref>}}

{{Quote||In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful.

Peace be upon him who follows true guidance; thereafter I invite both of you to the Call of Islam. Embrace Islam. Allâh has sent me as a Prophet to all His creatures in order that I may instil fear of Allâh in the hearts of His disobedient creatures so that there may be left no excuse for those who deny Allâh. If you two accept Islam, you will remain in command of your country; but if you refuse my Call, you’ve got to remember that all your possessions are perishable. My horsemen will appropriate your land, and my Prophethood will assume preponderance over your kingship.<ref name="The sealed nectar"></ref>}}

636 AD, at the Battle of Qadisiyya, the commander of the Muslim forces, Khalid ibn Al-Walid, sent an emissary with a message from Caliph Abu Bakr to the Persian commander, Khosru.

{{Quote||Submit to Islam and be safe. Or agree to the payment of the Jizya, and you and your people will be under our protection, else you will have only yourself to blame for the consequences, for I bring the men who desire death as ardently as you desire life.<ref>[http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Khalid_ibn_al-Walid Tabari and History of the World], Volume IV Book XII. The Mohammedan Ascendency, page 463, by John Clark Ridpath, LL.D. 1910.</ref>}}

Copy of communications between ''Sassanian Yazdgird'' III (632 AD - 651 AD) and ''Umar Ibn Al Khatab Khalifat Al Muslemin'', after the battle of Ghadesiyeh. The original copy of this letter from Yazdgird III is kept in the British museum of London. The date in which this letter has been written is after the battle of Ghadesiyeh.

''Yazdgird III Sassanid''<ref name="Iran Heritage">[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.iran-heritage.org/interestgroups/islam-article4.htm|2=2011-10-29}} Yazgird III and Omar Al Muslemin letters] - Iran Heritage, accessed October 29, 2011</ref>}}

{{Quote||Summon the people to God; those who respond to your call, accept it from them, but those who refuse must pay the poll tax out of humiliation and lowliness. If they refuse this, it is the sword without leniency. Fear God with regard to what you have been entrusted.<ref>Al-Tabari, ''The History of al-Tabari (Ta'rikh al rusul wa'l-muluk)'', vol. 12: ''The Battle of Qadissiyah and the Conquest of Syria and Palestine,'' trans. Yohanan Friedman (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1992), p. 167.</ref>}}

Tariq ibn Ziyad was a Muslim conqueror of the Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain).

"Remember that I place myself in the front of this glorious charge which I exhort you to make. At the moment when the two armies meet hand to hand, you will see me, never doubt it, seeking out this Roderick, tyrant of his people, challenging him to combat, if God is willing. If I perish after this, I will have had at least the satisfaction of delivering you, and you will easily find among you an experienced hero, to whom you can confidently give the task of directing you. But should I fall before I reach to Roderick, redouble your ardor, force yourselves to the attack and achieve the conquest of this country, in depriving him of life. With him dead, his soldiers will no longer defy you."<ref>[{{Reference archive|1=http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/711Tarik1.html|2=2011-10-29}} Medieval Sourcebook: Al Maggari: Tarik's Address to His Soldiers, 711 CE, from The Breath of Perfumes] - Fordham University, accessed October 29, 2011</ref><ref>Charles F. Horne, ed., ''The Sacred Books and Early Literature of the Eas''t, (New York: Parke, Austin, & Lipscomb, 1917), Vol. VI: ''Medieval Arabia'', pp. 241-242.</ref>}}

{{Quote||I am shocked at the weakness of your policy. People will think that you are trying to bring about peace! You should inspire fear. (...) You must use all your strength, for they will put up a furious resistance for the sake of their wealth and families. Ride against them… With the help of God, we hope to make them all food for our sharp swords, take away their wealth and their families, and obtain large booty. Do not show weakness, and remember that God makes the end of the pious happy.

</ref>}}

A Letter written in the 1660s in response to a letter from ''Sultan Mohammed IV'' of the Turkish Empire demanding the Cossacks of Ukraine to voluntarily accept Turkish rule.

''Koshoviy Otaman Ivan Sirko''  

''and all the Zaparozhian Cossack Brotherhood''<ref>Andrew Gregorovich - [{{Reference archive|1=http://www.infoukes.com/history/cossack_letter/|2=2011-10-29}} The Cossack Letter "The Most Defiant Letter!"] - InfoUkes Inc, accessed October 29, 2011</ref>}}

==See Also==