By studying the life of the Prophet we can derive those important principles which were followed by the Prophet. In short, the Prophet of Islam was a positive thinker in the full sense of the word. All his activities were result-oriented. He completely refrained from all such steps as may prove counter-productive.
1. First Principle: To begin from the possible
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This principle is well explained in a saying of Aishah. She said: "Whenever
the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always opted for the
easier choice." (Al-Bukhari) To choose the easiest option means to
begin from the possible, and one who begins from the possible will surely
reach his goal.
2. Second Principle: To see advantage in disadvantage
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In the early days of Mecca, there were many problems and difficulties.
At that time, a guiding verse in the Qur’an was revealed. It said: "With
every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease." (94:5-6).
This means that if there are some problems, there are also opportunities
at the same time. And the way to success is to ignore the problems and
avail the opportunities.
3. Third Principle: To change the place of action
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This principle is derived from the Hijrah. Hijrah was not just a migration
from Mecca to Medina. It was to find a more suitable place for Islamic
work, as history proved later on.
4. Fourth Principle: To make a friend out of an enemy
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The prophet of Islam was repeatedly subjected to practices of antagonism
by the unbelievers. At that time the Qur’an enjoined upon him the return
of good for evil. And then, as the Qur’an added, "You will see your direst
enemy has become your closest friend" (41:34).
It means that a good deed in return of a bad deed has a conquering effect over your enemies. And the life of the Prophet is a historical proof of this principle.
5. Fifth Principle: To turn minus into plus
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After the Battle of Badr, about 70 of the unbelievers were taken as
the prisoners of war. They were educated people. The Prophet announced
that if any one of them would teach ten Muslim children how to read and
write he would be freed. This was the first school in the history of Islam
in which all of the students were Muslims, and all of the teachers were
from the enemy rank. Here I shall quote a British orientalist who remarked
about the Prophet
of Islam: He faced adversity with the determination to wring success
out of failure.
6. Sixth Principle:
The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence
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When Mecca was conquered, all of the Prophet’s direst opponents were
brought before him. They were war criminals, in every sense of the word.
But the Prophet did not order to kill them. He simply said: "Go, you are
free." The result of this kind behavior was miraculous. They immediately
accepted Islam.
7. Seventh Principle: Not to be a dichotomous thinker
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In the famous Ghazwa of Muta, Khalid bin Walid decided to withdraw
Muslim forces from the battlefield because he discovered that the enemy
was unproportionately outnumbered. When they reached Medina, some of the
Muslims received them by the word "O Furrar (O deserters!)" The Prophet
said "No. They are Kurrar (men of advancement)."
Those Medinan people were thinking dichotomously, either fighting or retreating. The Prophet said no. There is also a third option, and that is to avoid war and find a time to strengthen yourself. Now history tells us that the Muslims, after three years of preparation, advanced again towards the Roman border and this time they won a resounding victory.
8. Eighth Principle:
To bring the battle in one’s own favorable field
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This principle is derived from the Ghazwa of Hudaibiyya. At that time,
the unbelievers were determined to engage Muslims in fighting, because
obviously they were in an advantageous position. But the Prophet, by accepting
their conditions unilaterally, entered into a pact. It was a ten-year peace
treaty. Until then, the meeting ground between Muslims and non-Muslims
had been on the battlefield. Now the area of conflict became that of ideological
debate. Within two years, Islam emerged as victorious because of the simple
reason of its ideological superiority.
9. Ninth Principle: Gradualism instead of radicalism
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This principle is well-established by a hadith of Al-Bukhari. Aishah
says that the first verses of the Qur’an were related mostly to heaven
and hell. And then after a long time when the people’s hearts had softened,
the specific commands to desist from adultery and drinking were revealed
in the Qur’an. This is a clear proof that for social changes, Islam advocates
the evolutionary method, rather than the revolutionary method.
10. Tenth Principle: To be pragmatic in controversial matters
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During the writing of Hudaibiyyah treaty, the Prophet dictated these
words: "This is from Muhammad, the Messenger of God." The Qurayshi delegate
raised objections over these words. The Prophet promptly changed the word
and ordered to write simply Muhammad, son of Abdullah.
These were the principles through which the Prophet of Islam gained that success which has been recognized by historians as the supreme success.
In the end, I would like to repeat those ten principles of success:
1. To begin from the possible
2. To see advantage in disadvantage
3. To change the place of action
4. To make a friend out of an enemy
5. To turn minus into plus
6. The power of peace is stronger than
the power of violence
7. Not to be a dichotomous thinker
8. To bring the battle in one’s own favorable
field
9. Gradualism instead of radicalism
10. To be pragmatic in controversial matters