The Exemplar

Guardianship

Dr Craig Considine

Dr. Craig Considine is a professor at Rice University in the United States and specialises in interfaith dialogue. He is the author of ‘The Humanity of Muhammad - A Christian View’.

The Quran (Qurʾān) places great emphasis on mercy and compassion and describes Prophet Muhammadﷺ as a “mercy to the worlds”. True to his role, the Prophetﷺ acted with deep compassion and care towards others, and instructed his people to support the most vulnerable in society and make it their common goal to create safe spaces for all.

Honoring the People of the Book

Ever mindful of fostering harmony and understanding as instructed by God (Allāh) in the Quran, the Prophetﷺ looked to the major religious communities with an attitude of dignity and respect.

Among the people honored in the Quran are the “aḥl-ul kitāb” or “People of the Book”, referring to the succession of monotheistic believers. Islam essentially was a continuation of the previous religious traditions of Judaism and Christianity, and the Prophetﷺ reminded his people about this shared connection and heritage.

Cultivating a relationship of trust and cohesion, the Prophetﷺ sought to encourage good relations and a sense of duty towards the People of the Book by echoing the Quranic concept that outlined how the Muslims were part of a larger family of monotheists, who all believe in the prophets Abraham (Ibrāhīm), Moses (Mūsa) and Jesus (’Īsa). He also reminded his community how the monotheistic scriptures confirmed that they were all descended from the same parents, Adam (Ādam) and Eve (Ḥawwāʾ).

Even on his deathbed, the Prophetﷺ mentioned the People of the Book, saying “I place in your trust the People of the Book, the Christians and the Jews.” By speaking such words and through his noble actions towards different faith communities, the Prophetﷺ passed on the baton of responsibility and safeguarding to the Muslims, establishing a foundation of harmony, respect and coexistence.

The Prophetﷺ gave his pledge to protect the Jewish farmers at the Fadak oasis from the threat of raiders.

Protecting Jews at the Fadak oasis

Through this pledge, the Prophetﷺ declared that the Jews were protected and valued members of his new state of Medina.

Prophet Muhammadﷺ was a man who had faced great difficulties that saw him endure grief, persecution, exile and vulnerability – life experiences that taught him even greater empathy with the marginalized. He knew what it was like to live in fear and what it felt like to lose your own home and safety.

The safeguarding of every life was paramount to the Prophetﷺ, and he encouraged his people to live the ideal of a true Muslim, saying, “The Muslim is the one from whose tongue and hand the people are safe, and the believer is the one from whom the people’s lives and wealth are safe.”

Putting words to action, the Prophetﷺ showed how he was ready to defend anyone in his wider community who was under attack, and this was true in his protection of other faith communities. There is one particular story of the northern Arabian oasis of Fadak which was inhabited by Jewish tribes. These tribes had to deal with raids into their community carried out by Bedouins. The Prophetﷺ assured the Jewish tribes of Fadak that he was ready and able to send his forces to defend this vulnerable community.

Through this pledge, the Prophetﷺ declared that the Jews were protected and valued members of his new state of Medina (Madīnah), where the Muslims had settled after fleeing the tyranny in their previous home in Mecca (Makkah). He indicated that Jewish lives and livelihood were in his care and under his protection, giving a powerful example to the Muslims of their responsibility towards everyone, regardless of faith and background.

The farewell sermon

He encouraged them to dispel restrictive notions of hierarchy and power, and foster in its place a model of equality, justice and peace.

Towards the end of his life in 632, Prophet Muhammadﷺ gave a landmark speech that impacted his people and generations to come.

The Prophet’sﷺ final teachings in the farewell sermon capture the essence of his teachings – a vision that was a product of his divine mission from God. He wanted to leave the Muslims with an ethical blueprint for life as exemplified in his own life and endeavors. He encouraged them to dispel restrictive notions of hierarchy and power, and foster in its place a model of equality, justice and peace.

He stated that an Arab has no superiority over non-Arab, a white person has no superiority over a non-white person, and a black person has no superiority over a non-black person, except in piety and good action.

The Prophetﷺ urged people to place their humanity before any ethnic, racial, religious or gendered categories. He wanted people to coexist, act with fairness and protect one another. The farewell sermon summed up the Prophet’sﷺ life mission, and left a legacy for people to carry forward after his last breath.

Women and men as protectors

He led by example, consulting a protector and ally close to him – his own wife Umm Salama – over the Treaty of Hudaybiyya.

One of the most significant changes that Prophet Muhammadﷺ accomplished was reversing the roles of women in a society that regarded them as second class. He did this both with his powerful words and in his deeds.

Echoing the Quranic message of equality between all of humanity, the Prophetﷺ described women as the “twin halves of men”, encouraging a sense of partnership and equity. Holding up the Quran’s reality that stated, “the believing men and believing women are protectors of one another”, the Prophetﷺ encouraged an attitude of guardianship among his entire community.

He led by example, consulting a protector and ally close to him – his own wife Umm Salama – over the Treaty of Hudaybiyya (Ḥudaybiyyah), a peace treaty that would ensure protection for the community. Through his acts, the Prophetﷺ signaled to everyone that women, like men, are to be turned to for consultation, notably here on political matters, which were crucial for the welfare of all. In a society that had previously devalued women, this was a significant progression for the people, psychologically, socially and politically.

Through his inspiring endeavors, the Prophetﷺ shifted attitudes and redefined behavior so that the entire community, men and women, could move forward and thrive together.

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