Read Online Islam and Terrorism by Mark A Gabriel - Free Book Online

give you the history of jihad as it was developed and defined in Muhammad’s life. Remember, for about twenty-two years Muhammad received Quranic verses from the angel Gabriel. The philosophy of jihad was developed progressively, just as Muhammad’s political position was developed progressively. As Muhammad’s position in society grew stronger, the revelations about jihad became broader and grander.
M UHAMMAD ’ S P ROBLEMS IN M ECCA
    One must ask, “Why did Muhammad leave Mecca?” Muhammad spent ten to twelve years in Mecca persuading people to follow Islam without killing them or demanding any taxes from them. His message was one of repentance, patience, and forgiveness. However, there wasgreat tension between him and the tribe he came from. This was the biggest tribe of the area—Quraysh. Many people were abandoning idol worship and following Islam, which the tribal leaders did not like.
    At first they tried to make a deal with Muhammad. “We’ll make you a king,” the tribal leaders told him, “but don’t talk about Islam anymore. Or if you want to be wealthy, we’ll give you money and make you the wealthiest man in Arabia.”
    Muhammad happened to be standing next to his uncle when they said this, and he replied, “Oh, my uncle, if they bring the sun and put it in my right hand and bring the moon and put it in my left hand, I will not give up my revelation.”
    Muhammad negotiated with the leaders from AD 620 to 622, but they never reached an agreement. 1
    The tribe of Quraysh began to persecute him. They threw dirt on his head while he was praying, and they spit on him. They tried to kill him several times. One time they had a lady invite him for a meal and put poison in the lamb she served him. The Quran makes reference to Muhammad’s problems at this time:
And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you (O Muhammad) to imprison you, or to kill you, or to get you out (from your home, i.e., Makkah); they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the Best of those who plot.
    —S URAH 8:30, T HE N OBLE Q URAN
    Muhammad did not leave Mecca without thinking, however. He had a plan for what he would do after he left.
F IRST R EVELATION OF J IHAD : R EPAY T HOSE W HO M ISTREAT Y OU
    Muhammad spent his first year in Medina building up his military strength. The goal of his first jihad, or holy war, was to take revenge on Quraysh, the tribe that had persecuted him. This attitude is no surprise because Muhammad was still influenced by the Arab mentality I described earlier. (“If you cause me one trouble, I will cause you two troubles.”)
    The Quraysh tribe created wealth through trade. Each year they took one trip to Yemen and one trip to Syria. They took a large caravan of things to sell at their destination, and brought home another load of things to sell at home. They carried a lot of money and valuables.
    Muhammad planned to ambush one of the caravans returning to Mecca. He and his army laid wait for them in the Valley of Badr. However, the caravan leader heard about the trap and successfully went home by a different road.
    The tribal leaders were very happy the caravan got home, but they were very angry with Muhammad. They decided to teach him a lesson to let everyone in Arabia see that no one played games with the Quraysh tribe. Mecca sent their army to fight Muhammad at Badr. To their shock, Muhammad won a great victory and killed most of the enemy army.
    Everyone in Arabia heard about the battle—and they recognized that Muhammad was now the most powerful man in Arabia because he had defeated the most powerful tribe.
T HE S ECOND R EVELATION OF J IHAD : C ONQUER Y OUR R EGION
    After this victory Muhammad said the angel Gabriel brought him a new message: he must fight every tribe in Arabiaand make them all submit to Islam. Muhammad declared, “There will not be two religions in Arabia. Arabia will submit only to Islam.” 2 As a result, Muhammad no longer focused mainly on