Proposal of Compromise by the Quraish — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 1
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Proposal of Compromise by the Quraish.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: VII-Days of Struggle
Pages: Book pp. 228–229 (PDF pp. 252–253)
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Historical Account
As mentioned above, during these days, the Quraish were greatly distressed and everyone was contemplating how to combat the religion brought by the Holy Prophetsa. In this tension, one day among the chieftains of the Quraish, Walīd bin Mughīrah, ‘Āṣ bin Wā’il, Umaiyyah bin Khalaf, etc., after consulting one another went to the Holy Prophetsa and said, “O Muḥammad[sa],
this disaccord is beginning to grow excessively and our national unity is falling apart. Can there be no design for a mutual compromise?” The Holy Prophetsa inquired, “How so?” They responded:
“We can make our worship mutual. In other words, along with your God, you worship our idols as well. And in the worship of our idols, we shall include your God as well. In this way, through a compromise, the party who is upon virtue and truth shall also benefit the other as an additional advantage.”
The Holy Prophetsa smiled and said, “Think closely, how is this possible? How can I worship your idols with my belief in God and how can you worship my God whilst remaining Idolaters? Both these things are at such odds and contradictory to one another that they can never be brought together at one place.” Therefore, during those days, verses of the Holy Qur’ān were revealed that:
[Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī, By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Al-Jarīr Ṭabarī, Volume 2, p. 237, Bābu Dhikril- Khabri ‘ammā kāna min Amri Nabiyyillāhisa ‘inda Ibtidā’illāhi Ta‘ālā……, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002)]
Meaning, “O ye party of disbelievers! I do not find worthy of worship the idols which you worship. Nor can you worship my God, whilst worshipping your idols. It is impossible that I worship your idols, just as it is impossible for you to worship my God, who is One and without partner, whilst worshipping your idols. My religion is one thing while your religion is quite the other, and both of these cannot be merged together.”
([Al-Kāfirūn (109:2-7) * As-Sīratun-Nabawiyyah, By Abū Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Malik bin Hishām, p. 264, Bābu Dhikri mā Laqiya Rasulullāhi min Qaumihī minal-Adhā, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2001)])
By this response, the Quraish understood that their vain fortress is baseless.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 1)
Section: VII-Days of Struggle | Navigation: « Previous: [Allegation of Acquiring Education from a Christian Slave] | Next: [Alliance of the Quraish and their Boycott of the Muslims] »