Countering Islamic Propaganda: Were the Quraish Forgiven at Medina?

TheReligionofPeace

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Persecution at Medina?

Did Muhammad Need
to Forgive the
Quraish at Medina?

From Discover the Truth:

This report give us ample proof that the Muslims in Medina were living peacefully with everyone, when they got there. On the other hand, the Muslims were subjected to continued aggression, threats and war declaration from the Quraysh, hence they had no choice but to defend their community from the hostile Meccans.
(January 22, 2016)

What the Apologists Want You to Believe

DTT claims that Muhammad forgave the Quraish for their hostilities after the flight to Mecca, but that their aggression continued to persist. The inference is that the subsequent attacks on the Quraish were a justified measure of last resort by Muhammad.

What They Offer as Proof

A fragment of a verse from Sahih Bukhari includes the following text:

For the Prophet and his companions used to forgive the pagans and the people of Scripture as Allah had ordered them, and they used to put up with their mischief with patience...
So the Prophet used to stick to the principle of forgiveness for them as long as Allah ordered him to do so till Allah permitted fighting them.

What They Leave Out and Why They are Wrong

The verse from the hadith pertains to an episode which has nothing to do with the Quraish; it concerns a third party. There are four sahih hadith verses from Bukhari that narrate the text almost verbatim (70:567, 74:271, 73:226, 60:89). Of the four, only one includes the fragment about mischief and forgiveness. It seems to have been added as an afterthought by a later narrator.

The 'mischief' referred to in the statement is conspicuously undefined. However no one disputes that some Muslims were mistreated at Mecca (before the hijra) and that Muhammad himself was mocked at a time when he did not have the power to retaliate.

The sleight of hand here is that DTT claims the 'mischief' occurred after the hijra, when the Muslims were in Medina. Yet, there is absolutely nothing in the verse to support this. The fragment is an aside that refers to a time in the past (ie. the persecution at Mecca).

In fact, the verse itself proves that the 'mischief' and 'forgiveness' spoken of did occur at Mecca because it says that it stopped once "Allah permitted fighting." This permission was declared at the "second Aqaba" which occurred just before the hijra (Ibn Ishaq/Hisham 314, Ibn Kathir v.2, p.144).

The forgiving nature of Muhammad's clan is questionable, given that there is no proof the Quraish did anything after the hijra to merit their subsequent massacre and mutilation. Even apologists like DTT rationalize the murders by referring back to crimes committed before the hijra, thus making it highly doubtful that these were really "forgiven". (Incidentally, none of these crimes involved killing Muslims).

So, DTT is being dishonest in claiming that this is proof of Quraish persecution and Muslim forgiveness at Medina.

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Persecution at Medina?

Did Muhammad Need to Forgive the Quraish at Medina?

From Discover the Truth:

What the Apologists Want You to Believe

What They Offer as Proof

What They Leave Out and Why They are Wrong

Further Reading

Jihad Report
Nov 09, 2024 -
Nov 15, 2024

Jihad Report
October, 2024

Did Muhammad Need
to Forgive the
Quraish at Medina?