Rasulullahﷺ
Rasulullahﷺ
رضي الله عنه
سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى
رضياللهعنه
Allahﷻ
Rasulullahﷺ
Rasulullahﷺ
Rasulullahﷺ
رضي الله عنه
سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى
رضياللهعنه
Allahﷻ
Rasulullahﷺ
Rasulullahﷺ
Allahﷻ
رضي الله عنه
Rasulullahﷺ
رضي الله عنهRasulullah
Allahﷻ
رضي الله عنه
Rasulullahﷺ
رضي الله عنهRasulullah
Emissaries To Kings And Emperors
Ever since he started to receive his message, Rasulullahﷺ emphasized the universal nature of the Islamic faith. Rasulullahﷺ always stated to his people that his message was “to all mankind.” At no stage of his life is any special importance given to the Arabs as a nation or a race, despite the fact that Rasulullahﷺ grew up in a tribal society where narrow pride in one’s lineage or tribal ancestry was common to all people. At no time did Rasulullahﷺ think of himself as an Arab reformer whose task was to put his nation on the right footing.
Rasulullahﷺ always emphasized that the message he conveyed to people was meant for everyone and for all ages. If the message of Islam had not gone in its early years beyond the borders of Arabia, it was because Islam was still fighting to consolidate its base in Madinah and to win supremacy in Arabia. It was not likely that Rasulullahﷺ should expand his call beyond Arabia when his position in it was not yet secure.
In the early months of the seventh year of Rasulullahﷺ’s settlement in Madinah, the Arabian scene changed radically. First, there was the peace treaty of Al-Hudaybiyah, which was signed in the last month of the preceding year and which, in effect, neutralized the Quraysh, the major Arabian power opposing Islam. Then Khaybar fell to the Muslims, thus ending the Jewish threat to the new call of Islam. Practical head of state that he was, Rasulullahﷺ moved quickly to widen the horizon before his followers.
Rasulullahﷺ picked up a number of his companions who combined charming personalities with intelligence and the ability to handle difficult situations, and he sent them as envoys who carried his messages to the rulers of neighboring countries, some of which were the superpowers of the day: Byzantium and Persia. It is important to follow the fortunes of those ambassadors in order to gauge the likely response to Islam worldwide.
To find out which of them was successful in his mission also gives us an insight into how Islam molds the personality of a Muslim. We will begin with the one who received the best response.
Amr ibn Umayyah Al-Damri رضي الله عنه was Rasulullahﷺ’s envoy to Abyssinia (now Ethiopia) carrying a letter from Rasulullahﷺ to its king, known by his title Negus. Abyssinia is in East Africa, overlooking the southwestern end of the Red Sea. It is very difficult to give any correct idea of what sort of borders it had at the time. Most probably, it included what forms present-day Eritrea with other parts of Ethiopia.
Abyssinia was a fully independent country, and its capital was Axum. Its relations with the Byzantine Empire were cordial since both were Christian countries. In the middle of the third century Byzantine Emperor Justinian appointed a man called Julian as an ambassador of Byzantium at the court of Abyssinia.
Amr’s trip to Abyssinia was not his first, nor was the letter he carried Rasulullahﷺ’s first letter to the Negus, who extended his hospitality and protection to the Muslims who sought refuge in his kingdom and had been living there for about 13 years.
There is some confusion in history books about the identity of the Negus to whom Rasulullahﷺ sent his letter with Amr ibn Umayyah Al-Damri رضي الله عنه. Many of them tend to think that he was the same king who ruled throughout this period. This is quite possible since he was a young man when he succeeded to the throne of Abyssinia, but there is a possibility that the Negus now addressed by Amr ibn Umayyah Al-Damri رضي الله عنه was a different one. Amr ibn Umayyah Al-Damri رضي الله عنه had sent earlier to Negus requesting him to extend kind treatment to his followers, which he did. Now Rasulullahﷺ called on Negus, as well as other kings and emperors of the world, to accept God’s message. This took place prior to the conquest of Makkah. Rasulullahﷺ’s letter to the Negus ran as follows:
“In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent. From Muhammad, God’s messenger, to the Negus, the king of Abyssinia. Peace be with you. I praise God, the only God, the King, the Praised One, the Peace, the One who controls everything. I bear witness that Jesus, son of Mary, was God’s spirit and His word given to Mary, the virgin, the chaste. She thus conceived Jesus, whom God created of His own spirit, as He created Adam with His own hand. I call on you to believe in God alone, and to associate no other deity with Him, and to continue to obey Him, and to follow me, and to believe in what has been revealed to me. I am God’s Messenger and I call on you and on your subjects and soldiers to believe in God, the Almighty, I have thus conveyed my message and given good counsel. It is better for you to accept my good counsel. Peace be to those who follow the right guidance.”
Amr ibn Umayyah Al-Damri رضي الله عنه, Rasulullahﷺ’s emissary, also talked to the Negus and he is reported to have said to him:
“You are as kind to us as one of us, and we trust you as if we belong to your people. You have met all our good expectations and we feared nothing from you whatsoever. However, we find in your own words what supports our case. The Bible is our ultimate witness and fair arbiter. There can be no clearer evidence or stronger argument. If you do not submit to its word, then your attitude toward Rasulullahﷺ is akin to the attitude of the Jews toward Jesus, son of Mary. Rasulullahﷺ has sent his envoys to all people, but he has far greater hopes in you than in them. Rasulullahﷺ has trusted you with what he has not been able to trust them with, for your history of good deeds. Moreover, a fine reward awaits you.”
The Negus replied in these words:
“I swear by God, he is the Prophet awaited by the people of past revelations. Moses has given news of the impending appearance of the prophet who rides a donkey in the same way as Jesus has given news of the impending arrival of a prophet who rides a camel.”
Thus, the Negus declared his acceptance of the message of Muhammad and his belief in Islam. He also wrote to Rasulullahﷺ:
“In the name of God, the Merciful, the Beneficent. To Muhammad, God’s Messenger, from Negus. Peace from God is to you, Prophet, along with God’s mercy and blessings. I have received your letter, Messenger of God, and noted what you have said about Jesus. By the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth, Jesus, son of Mary, is nothing more than what you have stated. I know the truth of what you have said to me, and I have extended hospitality to your cousin and his companions. I bear witness that you are God’s Messenger who tells the truth. I pledge my allegiance to you, and I have pledged this allegiance to your cousin and have become a Muslim. I submit myself to God, the Lord of all the Universe.”
This was the most favorable response Rasulullahﷺ received to all his messages and letters to the kings and emperors of other countries. It meant that Islam acquired a solid base on the other side of the Red Sea, stretching well into Africa.
Negus continued in power until his death two years later. When he died, in the ninth year of the Islamic calendar, Rasulullahﷺ announced his death to the Muslims and offered prayers for the deceased in absentia for his soul.
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The contemporary international system could best be described as a system made of composite elements whose structure is shaped by an array of complex realities. These realities (factors) which include instrumental actors that participate in international politics such as; States, international organizations, NGOs, sub-national entities, as well as individuals, are fundamental in determining how the world functions today.
For much of the last four centuries since the Enlightenment period in Europe, two theories of the international system and their surrogates dominate the political landscape; realism and neo-realism on the one hand, and liberalism and neo-liberalism on the other. These theories envisioned a bipolar and a unipolar world respectively with little or no regard for multilateralism resulting in a crass and chaotic international system.
Thus the discourse within the contemporary international system has never been murkier and opaque requiring a vibrant intellectual yet institutionalized way of thinking to provide a roadmap toward a more balanced and effective international system. In a systematic fashion, this paper adopts Rasulullahﷺ’s strategy relative to diplomacy and statecraft as a framework to articulate an integrated contemporary international system. The implications of this integrated framework, the paper argues, will engender a more robust and effective system based on multilateralism and interdependence where force will have no stake in international relations.
BACKGROUND
There is no gain in ascertaining the fact that man is a social animal. Ever since his creation, man has always felt the need to socialize and cooperate for the common good. Human societies, though, complex in their structure and composition, are meant to coexist harmoniously. The creation of man to take on diverse forms was deliberate and made for a purpose :
Ayat 13/49
Mutual acquaintance and fraternity are the purposes of this divine scheme. Diversity encompasses all realms of human nature.
Ayat 22/30
Plurality in language, race, nationality, and ethnicity was alluded to in these verses. And this (plurality) includes not only race and nationality but worldview also.
Ayat 48/5
The nation of Islam; from the generation of Adam عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ to the time of Muhammad (Rasulullahﷺ), was built on a firm monotheistic foundation. However, despite their monotheistic heritage, these generations were not monolithic. For there was a great deal of diversity in values and worldviews amongst the nations of Islam. It is this diversity that gives the Muslim civilization its unique identity. One which sets it apart from other civilizations: whether Eastern or Western. Diplomacy, a term that literally describes the art of dealing with people in a sensible and tactful way, is an artery in the overall manner of a prophet’s engagement
Ayat 159/3
The Shura (consultation), akin to multilateralism, is an important institution in Islamic political thought. Through this, Rasulullahﷺ unified erstwhile hostile communities to constitute a common front. Rasulullahﷺ brought his diplomatic skills to bear whenever he is confronted with issues as attested to in the above verse. This says if he were stone-hearted and authoritarian, he wouldn’t have attracted significant followership.
Thus our goal in this paper is to highlight the diplomatic acumen of Muhammad (Rasulullahﷺ) and show its relevance to the contemporary period. The paper is divided into segments: Part one highlights Rasulullahﷺ’s diplomatic skills as a youth before prophethood. And part two covers his statecraft and diplomatic strategies before and after the hijra. Nonetheless, throughout the discourse, the paper tries to show the relevance of his legacies relative to diplomacy and statecraft to the Muslims in particular and the contemporary international system in general
PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S DIPLOMATIC ACUMEN BEFORE PROPHETHOOD.
For the Muslim, Rasulullahﷺ’s conduct is God-breathed and is relevant for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.
1. This fact was corroborated by the prophet’s life history. The polemical history itself couldn’t help but vouch for his excellent moral rectitude. While growing up as a young man, Muhammad (Rasulullahﷺ) exhibited an uncommon moral standing that defies all of Muhammad’s (Rasulullahﷺ) Diplomacy:
2. A Beacon for Contemporary International System 10 expectations of a young man growing up in a hostile environment of Arabia during the late sixth and early seventh century C.E. He was twenty during the times of the sacrilegious wars which led to a considerable loss of life and property between the warring factions: Quraish along with Banu Kinanah on the one hand, and the Qais ‘Ailan tribe on the other.
3. Customarily, the youth of his age makes the frontlines, but he never took part in those bloody clashes. Rasulullahﷺ attested to having seen God’s hands in molding his character;
"I have never tried to do anything the people of ignorance did except for two times. Every time Allahﷻ intervened and checked me from doing so and I never did that again".
Thus, throughout his youth, he portrayed exemplary social attributes. Rasulullahﷺ was an exemplary man of weighty mind and faultless insight. Rasulullahﷺ was favored with intelligence, originality of thought, and accurate choice of the means leading to accurate goals.
4. Rasulullahﷺ early life provides a guide toward the ethics of diplomacy. Rasulullahﷺ was known for openmindedness which made him shun prejudice. Rasulullahﷺ was also distinguished among his people for altruism, multilateralism, and sincerity. “[Thus] his fellow citizens, by consent, gave him the title; Al-Ameen.”
These qualities point to the prophet’s diplomatic acumen which enabled him to take “an active part in useful constructive dealings.”
Today, these attributes constitute the skills necessary for career diplomats. A diplomat must have an open and serious spirit, low ego and humor, and the ability to remain calm under pressure and must also be discreet and patient, neither too timid nor too excitable.
5. The Islamic Culture Vol 45 from January to June 2021 11 3.0 Rebuilding Al-Ka’abah and the Arbitration between the Disputing Clans Rasulullahﷺ unsurpassed diplomatic prowess made him assume a leading role as an arbiter during the crisis of rebuilding the Ka’bah. He was thirty-five.
6. And his heroism averted what could have resulted in yet another circle of violence among the various clans claiming the exclusive honor of placing the stone (Al-Hajar Al-Aswad) in its rightful position.
7. Upon assuming the decisive role of arbiter freely chosen by the disputing clans to arbitrate on the matter, Rasulullahﷺ demonstrated his passion toward non-zero sum politics and what he stands for justice, equity, fair play, and a nonzero-sum attitude to dealing with contentious issues. Rasulullahﷺ simply asked the representative of each contesting side to lift an edge of the mantle on which the stone was placed. Whereupon, the stone was collectively laid in its proper position.
Within a few minutes, he provided the solution to a problem that lasted four or five days; “[with] daggers [almost] drawn and great bloodshed seemed imminent Relevance This arbitration holds significance in Islamic ethics relative to conflict resolution. In it (the arbitration), one could decipher some key drivers of a balanced arbitrational process. This includes: one, in choosing an arbiter, parties in conflict must recognize the legitimacy of the arbitrator, otherwise, his decision will not be binding since a party in the conflict may not see the legitimacy of the entire process or its outcome.
The relevance of this mechanism features prominently in the contemporary Alternative Dispute Settlement Mechanism. Where interest groups identify a neutral entity to settle their disputes. As obtained in legal premises such as English law, the decision of the arbitrator is binding on all parties in the dispute. In the case of the crisis of rebuilding the Kaábah, the various clans agreed on the prophet’s choice as an arbitrator.
And his unbiased nature led him into making a rational decision accepted by all. Modern arbitrational diplomacy as an organized process introduced various international organizations which take a leading Muhammad’s (Rasulullahﷺ) Diplomacy: A Beacon for Contemporary International System 12 role in dispute resolution of a national, regional, and international character. Despite this development, neutrality, and impartiality take center stage in modern arbitrational diplomacy within the contemporary international system.
IAEA, and UNODA, among other UN agencies, were accused by the weak member states of the UN of bias. Where some state parties to the NPT for example, accused the regulatory agencies of bias in favor of the strong countries on a number of contentions. Hence, Rasulullahﷺ’s neutrality as an arbitrator offers a glimmer of hope to these regulatory bodies and institutions whose functions are greatly shaped by the influential UN Security Council’s
8. Permanent members the foreign policies of whom are divided along Realists’ and Liberalists’ philosophies which give little or no regard to multilateralism. The zero-sum game politics inherent in the two major theories of international relations is chiefly responsible for the drawbacks of the international system.
Hif al-fudul This groundbreaking diplomatic affair was called Hilf al-fudul because of its uncommon virtue. It was a 7th-century alliance entered into by various personalities in Makkah. Rasulullahﷺ was approaching 40 at the time and was on the verge of being commissioned into prophethood.
9 The alliance was necessitated by the stark injustices which visiting merchants faced in Makkah. At the height of these dark periods, came a Yemeni merchant by the name of Zabid who delivered goods to a famous member of the Salim clan.
The latter refused to pay the agreed price of the merchandise. Rasulullahﷺ played a leading role in the constitution of the alliance which was formed at the house of Abdallah bn Jad’an where representatives and chiefs of various tribes pledged to: i. Respect the principles of justice. ii. And collectively intervene in conflicts to establish justice. Hilf al-fudul is often translated as the League of the Virtuous. It raised moral standards above all ethnic and tribal affinities.
10. The prophet was reported to have praised The Islamic Culture Vol 45 from January to June 2021 with 13 outcomes and pledged to uphold its principles at all times. Even after his commissioning as a prophet, Rasulullahﷺ continued to make reference to Hilf al-fudul and observed its principles despite its historical character being a pre-Islamic (jahiliyyah) pact.
11. Relevance Hilf al-fudul is symbolic in Islamic ethics as it shows the character of the Islamic value system in relation to social justice and the protection of human rights. Irrespective of political signification, justice, and fair play take center stage in all diplomatic or political decisions. To the Islamic value system, justice is transmural as it knows no bounds. Rasulullahﷺ never made attempt to replace it (hilf) despite its Jahiliyya character. Rasulullahﷺ always stood for justice and was also ready to defend the weak and the vulnerable.
12. Unlike the realists’ and the liberalists’ philosophies which envision a bipolar and a unipolar International system respectively, Rasulullahﷺ seeks the establishment of alliances to cooperate for the defense of justice and the entrenchment of interdependence and a shared destiny. Thus, interest group politics was an important diplomatic instrument for Rasulullahﷺ. One important feature of the prophetic guidance on interest group politics is his concern for society’s collective needs; justice.
Burdett and Cigler aptly capture the relevance of this prophetic guidance on interest group politics: More than ever, however, we remain convinced that our original emphasis on interest group representation and the overall responsiveness of the political system – is still valid. The government continues to respond to groups that clearly communicate their interests and have the funding to convey their message effectively. Still, representation is not simply a matter of responding to specific interests or citizens. Government must also respond to society’s collective needs…
13. Muhammad’s Diplomacy: A Beacon for Contemporary International System
14. It is on grounds of queries such as Burdett and Cigler’s’ that interest group politics loses its significance in today’s International System. Where collective interest in justice is not given the desired attention. In defense of collective justice, according to Islamic abstraction, struggles know no bounds and national sovereignty loses its efficacy, particularly, when the stakes are high. In the contemporary world, however, the choices of many sovereign states have the potential of plunging the world into dangerous paths with serious consequences. Broadly, Hilf al-fudul encompasses the four major principles of social justice; equity, access, participation, and rights. Even before prophethood, Rasulullahﷺ was an embodiment of everything that is virtuous.
PROPHET MUHAMMAD’S DIPLOMACY AFTER PROPHETHOOD
Rasulullahﷺwas on a high moral pedestal even before his commissioning into prophethood. The preceding pages of this paper highlighted some of his accomplishments during that period. What do you expect now that he is heavenly guided? His most excellent and unsurpassed ethical standards will forever remain relevant for teaching rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness as we will demonstrate in this segment. Part Two highlights his accomplishments in Makkah and Madinah.
MUHAMMAD’s PACIFIST DIPLOMACY AT MAKKAH:
Rasulullahﷺ, A 13-year legacy at Makkah could best be described as pacifist sui generis. Rasulullahﷺ actions resonate with an uncommon pacifist diplomacy that is seldom seen in the history of human civilization; ٤
ayat 4/68
Thou art on a high moral pedestal is the heavenly attestation to his moral standing. Those who believed in his cause at its nascent stage faced brutal persecution at the hands of pagan Quraysh
ayat 8/85
Their only fault was that they believed in Allahﷻ. Many were killed, maimed, and dehumanized. Yet he urged his followers to show restraint “O family of Yasir! Be patient you will certainly find your place in paradise.”
This was his response to Ammar, Yasir (Ammar’s father), and his mother when they were tortured for accepting Islam.
6.1 Relevance Pacifism, a philosophy that is founded on opposition to war, militarism, and violence, is an important approach in international relations. A related term for it is Ahimsa (to do no harm) which is an essential religious teaching in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. When such and other related philosophies are mentioned today, some tend to place Islam at a distance from these concepts. But when we look at Rasulullahﷺ’s disposition at Makkah, we will come to terms with the fact that pacifism is not alien to Islamic culture.
As it was the first strategy demonstrated by Rasulullahﷺ as exemplified in his diplomacy and statecraft. If only Muslims will revive this important culture of non-violence even in the face of persecution, the image of Islam would have been redeemed. Thanks to the efforts of some contemporary Muslim thinkers, the notion of peace through peace is gaining momentum within Muslim intellectual circles.
Hizmet is one of the Muslim organizations that are adding their voices to this important discourse. When systematized, the Islamic culture of non-violence will no doubt complement the contemporary International System which hangs in the balance; between the realists’ unlimited self-defense strategy and the liberalists’ halfhearted limited self-defense strategy.
7.0 Muhammad’s First International Diplomatic Career. Rasulullahﷺ began his first inter-continental diplomatic career at Makkah before founding the Islamic state. In the fifth year of the Hijrah, when persecution of a vulnerable group of Muslims becomes severe, he ordered a group of his companions comprising twelve men and four women to migrate to Abyssinia. Negus, ruler of the Achsumite kingdom of Habash accommodated them and refused to repatriate them amidst pressure from the Makkans.
The pleasant diplomatic exchanges between the prophet and Negus led to the migration of a second group which is almost eight times larger than the first. The prophet loved Najjashi. And when the latter died, he was divinely informed that he offered Salat al-Janazah for him in absentia. He was said to have accepted the Islamic faith secretly, though.
8.0 Muhammad’s Olive Branch Diplomacy In the 10th year of his prophethood, Rasulullahﷺ extended his invitation to tribes within the Arabian region calling them to Islam. In the 11th year, his olive branch diplomacy yielded fruit. The first Aqabah pledge was made. Where twelve men from Madinah embraced Islam. Hence, the prophet sent his envoy to Madinah; Musáb bn Umair Al-Abdari رضي الله عنه who doubled as a Muslim Ambassador and spiritual guide to the people of Madinah. This paves the way for the promulgation of the second Aqabah pledge which was sealed in the 11th year of his prophethood. Over 70 converts from the Ansar came to Makkah to pledge their allegiance to Rasulullahﷺ. The articles of the pledge were given as follows:
i. To listen and obey the prophet in difficulty and ease.
ii. To spend in the cause of Allah in plenty and scarcity.
iii. To enjoin good and forbid evil.
iv. In service to Allah, they will fear the censure of none.
v. To aid the prophet when he eventually migrated to Madinah and afford him all protection.16 The Madinans on the other hand gave their own condition on the need for Rasulullahﷺ to respect their alliance with the Jews when he assumes a leadership role in Madinah. Rasulullahﷺ was said to have smiled and responded: “…. your blood will be my blood in life and death. I will be with you and you with me. I will fight whom you fight and I will make peace with those with whom you make peace”.
8.1 Relevance The second Aqabah pledge sets the pace within the realm of collective security- a concept in the contemporary International System that implies a security arrangement, in which each party accepts that the security of one is the concern of all (parties to the arrangement), and as such, commits to a collective response to threats to, and branches to peace. The current wave of security challenges sweeping across the Muslim world requires urgent attention from the Muslim bloc; the OIC. In light of the second Aqabah legacy, countries within the OIC must begin to see the security challenges of others as theirs too. Thus, OIC needs to re-strategize and embrace the collective security approach to dealing with insurgencies and terror-related activities in some of its member states.
9.0 Muhammad’s Constitutional Diplomacy Soon after assumption of the tripartite role as; spiritual guide, Head of state, and commander-in-chief at the instance of his migration to Madinah, Rasulullahﷺ promulgated the Madinan charter (Mithaq al-Madinah). A charter that will continue to be remembered due to its historic significance. It is often, and of course, rightly touted as the first Magna Carta of the world. It was the first known written constitution in human history
Comprising 57 articles, the charter clearly spells out the rights, duties, and privileges of the state to its citizens and vice-versa, as well as the rights and obligations of citizens one to another. It also referenced some state institutions and their functions; the judicature, and the Shura, among others.
Article 30 determines the status of the signatories; “And certainly the Jews of Banu Auf shall be considered a community (Ummah) along with the believers (Muslims). The article went a step further to guarantee the religious freedom of each party; “the Jews shall have their religion, this also applies to their freedom”.
Article 39 on the other hand, establishes the institution of Shura to ensure participation and inclusiveness in governance, “They (parties to the pact), must seek mutual consultation and advice”. The promulgation of the charter ushered in a Pax-Islamica which flourished in a primitive tribal corridor of Arabia. The precedence of Mithaq al-Madinah over the English Magna Carta (often, and of course, wrongly touted as the first bill of rights) stems from the fact that the former was conceived over a millennium before the conception of the latter.
9.1 Relevance The Mithaq has the potential of addressing the most challenging problems of modern times, particularly, the still-developing concept of multi-culturalism. Because the Mithaq brings together; the Muslims, Jews, and Christians of the autonomous Najran region – a confederacy sui generis. Each distinct group has relative autonomy such that it could function effectively without any bureaucratic hindrance.
Today, many Muslim States contend with challenges owing to identity politics emanating from agitations for self-determination: Kurds in Syria, Turkey, Iraq, and Iran, among others. The relevance of the Mithaq as it relates to the principles of autonomy and self-determination to contemporary Muslims cannot be over-emphasized. Granting autonomy to agitators such as the Kurds will help douse the tension of their cessationist tendencies in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. And will also bring to an end decades-long conflict that still rages in the region.
10.0 Muhammad’s Military Diplomacy The second year of the Hijra witnessed a shift in military strategy. Away from the pacifist norm, the Qurán urged the Muslims to adopt the limited self-defense approach The verse sanctions the new approach while at the same time determining its contours. It categorically states that wars must be prosecuted for self-defense. Thus the prophet’s military diplomacy revolves around defensive strategy. During Badr (the first armed conflict between the Muslims and the enemy), the Muslims stepped out to defend themselves from enemy occupation.
During Uhud, the Muslims went out to stop an enemy that is barely six kilometers from the heart of Madinah. During the battle of Ahzab, the Muslims had to contend with an enemy at their doorstep. The Muslims were never on the offensive side. Similarly, at Badr, the Muslims captured seventy prisoners. All were well-treated and released in varying conditions.
At Uhud, the Muslims extended the gesture of coup de grace to the enemy by burying their slain soldiers.
10.1 Relevance The relevance of the prophet’s military diplomacy to modern times could be seen in the commonalities between the Islamic law of war and the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) on a number of legal matters; prohibition on the use of certain weapons, status, and treatment of prisoners of war, sparing of surrendering soldiers and non-combatants from attack, the law of proportionality in military engagements, etc.
In theatres of armed conflicts around the Muslim world: the Lake Chad basin, Somalia, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, and Iraq, both the state and non-state actors in the conflicts are far from the Islamic humanitarian norms as exemplified in the prophet’s military diplomacy. The civilian population and the environment are not immune from wanton attacks as witnessed daily.
11.0 His Statecraft Relative the Promulgation of Treaties and Forging Alliances The treaty of Hudaibiyyah is adjudged to be the first inter-state treaty to have been promulgated by the prophet (SAW). Ratified on March 628 C.E. (corresponding to DhulQidah 6 A.H), the treaty signified a peace pact between Makkah (the pagan enclave) and Madinah (the Muslim enclave).
11.1 Sulh Al-Hudaibiyyah: A Beacon for Modern International Treaties The treaty was a landmark event that took place at the dawn of Islamic history. It was a ten-year pact aimed at decreasing tensions between the two hostile neighboring states; Makkah and Madinah. Sulh al-hudaibiyyah was a relatively short pact with a limited number of articles numbering only four. But it soon became a pivotal treaty with a far-reaching implication whose texture continued to shape and influence international relations until this moment.
The terms of the pact are; i. There was to be a truce between the Muslims and the Quraysh for a period of ten years. ii. If any tribe wishes to enter into an alliance with the Muslims it could do so and whoever wishes to enter into a covenant with the Quraysh was likewise free to do so. iii. If anyone from the Quraysh came to the Muslims without prior permission from his guardian, he was to be returned to the Quraysh. On the other hand, if a Muslim seeks refuge with the Quraysh, he was not to be delivered to the Muslims
iv. The Muslims were to shelve their ambition of performing the pilgrimage to Makkah that year. However, they were to perform the Hajj the following year and could stay in Makkah for three days.
18 The companions felt deeply humiliated by the terms of the treaty. Saiyidina Umar Ibn Al Khattab رضي الله عنه was particularly bitter about it, and he attempted to dissuade Rasulullahﷺ from signing it but Rasulullahﷺ unilaterally signed the agreement. Thus his mission at Hudaibiyyah could best be described as a mission of peace. Hudibiyyah has also opened a new chapter in Islamic Diplomacy with a shift toward region-wide diplomacy.
Having concluded a treaty with the Makkans and having earned their commitment to regional security also, Rasulullahﷺ focused his attention on overseas diplomacy. Where at the tail end of the year 6 A.H, he sent delegations with correspondences to Emperors around the world: Negus (Abyssinia), Muqawqis (Egypt), Chosroes (Persia), Heraclius (Roman Byzantines), among others. This was in an attempt to ensure regional cooperation and interdependence in a volatile clime.
11.1.1 Lessons from Events at Hudaibiyyah References were made to certain events and happenings at Hudaibiyyah which hold immense moral significance. At this juncture, we will highlight some of these events and show the benefits and moralities to be derived from them;
a) Four successive emissaries all from the Quraysh have attempted to strike a deal between the parties, though, to no avail. Some were said to have exhibited ridiculous bias.
Worthy of note was Urwah bn Mas’ud Al-thaqafi’s bizarre disposition and disrespectful attitude toward the Rasulullahﷺ. He grabbed the prophet’s beard and made unpleasant comments about him. The prophet always urged the Muslims to exercise restraint amid difficult situations. Urwah wasn’t harmed for his disgusting attitude which is unbecoming of an emissary;
b) When Saiyidina Uthman Ibn Affan رضي الله عنه was sent as a Muslim emissary to Abu Sufyan (leader of the Quraysh), there were rumors about his killing by the Quraysh. Here still, Rasulullahﷺ urged for calm. Rasulullahﷺ did not act on rumor. Rasulullahﷺ neither hastened to attack them nor made any effort toward vengeance;
c) When Suhail bn Amr came as the representative of the Quraysh for the truce, he came with a predetermined script carrying the four conditions of the peace treaty which later became the articles of the pact;
d) At the instance of the signing of the treaty, Abu Jandal (Suhail’s son) surfaced at Hudaibiyyah to join the Muslims. Where Suhail insisted that his son must be delivered to him. And Rasulullahﷺ pacified Abu Jandalرضي الله عنه to return; saying we have signed the treaty and we must honor its outcome;
e) The treaty was not favorable to the Muslims, but for the sake of peace, Rasulullahﷺ was ready to ratify it.
11.1.2 Relevance The prophetic example at Hudaibiyyah was a jus ad bellum per excellence i.e. conflict resolution through dialogue before it degenerates into armed conflict. The overriding principles of Hudaibiyyah are at par with the general objectives of the United Nations charter as enshrined in article (1):
To maintain international peace and security, and to that end to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace and to bring about by peaceful means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace. Thus, the points of convergence between Article (1) of the UN charter and the spirit of Hudaibiyyah may be subsumed in the following:
1. Maintenance of peace and security through collective measures by bringing on board all affected parties – Makkans and their allies and Madinans along with their allies to the negotiating table.
2. Removal of threats to peace and the suppression of aggression through formal ratification of the agreement which aims at freezing all hostilities for ten years.
3. Peaceful settlement of disputes without recourse to violence and or forceful suppression of an adversary which could only result in an uneasy calm.
12.0 His Altruistic Diplomacy Muhammad (Rasulullahﷺ ) was an altruist par excellence. Altruism plays a central role in his diplomatic efforts. When the Makkans and Banu Bakr breached the Hudaibiyyah treaty by attacking Banu Khuzaáh, the prophet moved to occupy Makkah through peaceful non-violent means.
When Rasulullahﷺ triumphantly entered Makkah in the 8th year after Hijrah, he asked his companions, thousands of them, not to attack anyone. And declared that the Makkans are safe. This triumphant Rasulullahﷺ chose to settle at haram when he learned that his house was sold after Rasulullahﷺ migrated to Madinah. Similarly, when he was on his sick bed (certain that he was departing unto his lord) he made a passionate altruistic plea to his companions and the Ummah, in general, to treat fairly the women folk and the less privileged.
13.0 Conclusion اليت
يِم ات يِ ِن: المرأةِ األرمل ِة، والصب قوا هللاَ في ال ض ِعيفَ ْي ... 1
Were his dying words. Altruism, particularly, to the women and the less privileged was his last wish. Rasulullahﷺ’s political and diplomatic affairs are indeed relevant for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. And should at all times serve as a beacon (signal) to notify Muslims and humanity in general about their moral failings.
Muhammad’s (Rasulullahﷺ ) diplomatic ideals should be seen as the template to guide the systematization of Islamic diplomacy. Given the failings of liberalists’ halfhearted states’ cooperation and interdependence in international relations as well as the realists’ power politics, climes are beginning to offer alternatives to these schools of thought within international relations theory.
Where China developed its Periphery Diplomacy Concept through which it articulates its larger foreign policy portfolio. The Chinese One Belt, One Road (OBOR) strategy launched in 2013 is seen as a catalyst for the actualization of its dream of fostering a community of shared future for mankind in line with its Periphery Diplomacy.
Hence, Muslim intellectuals should engage the discourse with the view to projecting the prophet’s diplomatic prowess to engender an Integrated Contemporary International System. This is necessary for the realization of greater interdependence and shared human destiny
References
1. Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, The sealed nectar, (Riyadh: Darussalam, 2004), 65
2. Ibid., 64
3. Ibid.,
4. Ibid.,
5. www.coursera.org/lecture/global-diplomacy
6. Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, The sealed nectar,
63 7. Ibid.,
64 8. Ibid.,
9. Muhammad Al-Khudribik, Nur Al-yaqeen, (Lebanon: Dar Al-kitab Al ilmiyyah, 2006), 9
10. Ibid.,
11. https//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilf_fudul
12. Muhmmad Khudribik, Nur Al-yaqeen, 9
13. Allan J. Cigler and Burdett A. Loomis, Interest group Politics, 7th Ed, (Washington: Q press, 2007), 1-2
14. Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri, The sealed nectar, 84
15. Ibid., 97 16. Ibid., 144 17. Ibid., 145 18. Muhmmad Khudribik, Nur Al-yaqeen, 114
DIPLOMACY AND STATESMANSHIP OF
HOLY PROPHET MUHAMMAD (
The Ḥarb al-fijār, the sacrilegious war, took place during the reign of al-Nuʿmān III (580-602 CE) who irrigated Quraysh, the controller of ...
