Page 23 - Non-violence and peace-building

Non-violence and Peace-building in Islam

on Muslims themselves, rather than calling for protests
against those who were opposed to them—the Quraysh
of Makkah.
With regard to the Battle of Uhud, the Quran
(3:152) relates that the Muslims’ weakness owed to
their internal differences and their not obeying their
central command. It tells us that this is what made
them face defeat at the hands of their opponents in this
battle. Similarly, the Quran (9:25) relates with regard
to the Battle of Hunayn that the losses that Muslims
faced was because of their pride. Here, too, the cause
was identified within the Muslims themselves, rather
than without.

In both these cases, it might have been possible to
place the entire blame for whatever happened wholly
on the Quraysh instead and to say bad things about
them. But when, in the Quran God commented on
these events, He placed the entire blame on the Muslims
alone.
This fact stands as an eternal testimony to how
Muslims should think in similar situations: instead of
identifying the conspiracies of others, they should engage
in introspection. Removing their own weaknesses, they
should try to move ahead. This is the way to succeed.

To further clarify this point, it is instructive to reflect
on the following letter sent by Umar ibn Abdul Aziz
(d. 644 C.E.), regarded as the fifth Pious Caliph of the
Muslims, to a subordinate officer, Mansur ibn Ghalib,
whom he had sent on a military campaign against some
opponents. He advised Mansur to remain established in

22