Page 171 - Age of Peace Goodword.indd

The Age of Peace

the battlefield in a makeshift camp. He was seen drawing some
lines on the sand. Major Akbar Khan, a writer, making the
assumption that his actions must relate to the battle, observed,

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‘The leader of Islam was making his next war plan.’
This judgment was based only on conjecture, without taking
into account the facts. But when we look at other traditions,
it becomes clear that what the Prophet was doing at that time
was making a plan to establish future peace. 2

This tradition tells us about the thinking of the Prophet. His
mind was not political, but only prophetic. His concern was
not to establish his rule in the world but to convey to people
a non-political message.

We know this from another Hadith, in which it is said that
the Prophet was once sitting among his companions, when the
angel Gabriel appeared. At that time an angel descended from
the skies. Gabriel told the Prophet:
‘“O Muhammad this angel has come down to earth for
the first time since it was created.” The angel said to
the Prophet: “O Muhammad, God has sent me to you.
He has asked me to question you: what do you want
to become—a king-prophet or a messenger-prophet?”
Gabriel said to the Prophet: “Adopt the way of modesty
for the sake of your Lord, O Muhammad.” The Prophet
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answered: “Messenger-prophet.”’
This tradition tells us about the thinking of the Prophet. His
mind was not political, but only prophetic. His concern was
not to establish his rule in the world but to convey to people a
non-political message.
Similarly, there is a prayer of the Prophet which says:
‘O God, You are peace. Peace comes from You and peace

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