Faith is a Discovery

The early history of Islam is a clear proof of this fact. Before the peace agreement of Hudaybiyyah was signed, Islam seemed to be trapped in a blind alley. But after the Hudaybiyyah Agreement, the Prophet of Islam and his companions endeavoured to avail of all those opportunities that had been opened up to them and, within two years, Islam had spread all over the Arabian peninsula.

This principle covers all human life—family life, social life, as well as international life; everywhere you can see the miracle of this master formula. The whole of history testifies to the fact that no one has ever been able to achieve any meaningful target through political victory. On the contrary, all great achievements have been the result of peaceful activities.

Political rule has so many negative points. It leads to reaction, jealousy, enmity, even fighting and ultimately war. Political rule means one’s domination over others, so every political regime, every political rule results in permanent rivalry, sometimes in the heart and sometime on the battlefield.

Political rule is good only for rulers and it is bad for all those who are ruled. In contrast, peace has no such negative aspect. Peace creates normalcy; peace promotes healthy activities, peace results in the culture of friendship. In an atmosphere of peace, all the members of a society feel that they are living in state of equality. All men and women are equal members of a large family.

People living under political rule feel that they are under someone or under some group. They are like subjects. But those who live in a peaceful atmosphere feel, consciously or unconsciously, that they are living under the universal laws of nature. No one is superior and no one is inferior. Everyone’s dignity is acknowledged and maintained.

According to this verse, these people accepted the Prophet’s faith. But their acceptance was not of a simple kind: it was the outcome of marefat, that is, realization of the truth.