Muhammad:Prophet of War
Allah knows best as to their faith: if ye ascerta in that they are believ ers,
then send them not back to the unbelievers" (Qur'an 60:10).
In refusing to send Umm Kulthum back to the Quraysh, Muhammad
broke the treaty. Although Muslim apologists have claimed throughout
history that the Quraysh, broke it first, this incident came before any treaty
viol ation s by the Qura ysh. Furt hermore, brea king the treat y reinf orce d
the prin ciple that noth ing was good exce pt what was adva ntag eous to
Islam, and nothing evil except what hindered it. Once the treaty was for-
mally discarded, Islamic jurists enunciated the principle that, in general,
truces were to he concluded for no longer than ten years and only entered
into for the purpose of allowing weakened Muslim forces to gain strength.
Su bs eq uen t eve nt s wo uld il lu st ra te th e dar k imp li cat io ns of th is
principle.