Prophet Muhammad (S) and Religious Pluralism
Those Muslim intellectuals who preach about religious pluralism in IslÄm seem to be oblivious of some historical facts of IslÄmic history and the Prophet’s life. If Judaism and Christianity are concurrently valid paths of submission to God, then why did the Prophet Muhammad (S) work so hard to convey his message even to the Jews and the Christians? If they were already on the Right Path (Åœirat MustaqÄ«m), then why did the Prophet (S) feel it important to invite them to IslÄm?
After the peace treaty of Hudaybiyya in 6 A.H., the Prophet of IslÄm (S) sent emissaries to various rulers and tribes around and beyond the Arabian Peninsula with a distinct purpose of inviting them to IslÄm. According to historians, around 25 letters were sent by the Prophet (S) to various rulers and tribes.[15]
Among those who were sent to the Christian rulers and tribes, we see the following names: Dihyah al-KalbÄ« sent to Heraclius, the Emperor of Byzantine; `Amr bin Umayyah ZamrÄ« to the Negus, the King of Abyssinia; HÄÅ¥ib bin AbÄ« BaltÄ‘a sent to the Muqawqis, the King of Egypt; and the tribes of Ghassan and ĤanÄ«fah (in northern Arabia). Three letters are important and relevant to our discussion.
In his letter to Heraclius, the Byzantine Emperor, the Prophet Muhammad (S) wrote:
“… Peace be upon him who follows the guidance.
I invite you to accept IslÄm. Accept IslÄm and you will prosper and AllÄh will give you double rewards. But if you refuse, then the sin of your people also will fall upon your shoulders.
O’ People of the Scripture, come to the word common between us and you that we shall not worship anything but AllÄh, and that we shall not associate anything with Him, nor shall some of us take others for lords besides AllÄh. But if you turn back, then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.”
In the letter to the Negus, the King of Abyssinia, the Prophet Muhammad (S) wrote:
“… Peace be upon him who follows the guidance.
Praise be to AllÄh besides whom there is no other god, the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Preserver of Peace, the Keeper of the Faithful, the Guardian.
I bear witness that Jesus, son of Mary, is indeed a spirit of God and His word, which He conveyed unto the chaste Mary. He created Jesus through His word just as He created Ādam with His hands.
And now I call you to AllÄh who is One and has no partner, and to friendship in His obedience. Follow me and believe in what has been revealed to me, for I am the Messenger of AllÄh. I invite you and your people to AllÄh, the Mighty, the Glorious.
I have conveyed the message, and it is up to you to accept it.
Once again, peace be upon him who follows the path of guidance.”
In the letter sent to the Muqawqis, the King of Egypt and a Coptic Christian, the Prophet Muhammad (S) wrote:
“…Peace be upon him who follows the guidance.
I invite you to accept the message of IslÄm. Accept it and you shall prosper. But if you turn away, then upon you shall also fall the sin of the Copts.
O’ People of the Scripture, come to a word common between us and you that we shall worship none but AllÄh and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him and that none of us shall regard anyone as lord besides God.
And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.”[16]
Even the arrival of the delegation from Christian Najranis and how the Prophet (S) invited them to IslÄm and, finally, the mubÄhala with them is in the same spirit of inviting the Ahlul KitÄb to IslÄm.
All these letters and the meeting with Najranis prove beyond any doubt that if the Ahlul KitÄb (the People of the Scripture) were on ÅœirÄt mustaqÄ«m - on the right path that leads to salvation - then the Prophet (S) would not have invited them to IslÄm.