90JewIsh tribes deteriorated greatJr. Nevertheless, those developments by no
means affccte<1 the principles underl}~ng the relationship between J\'Iuslims
and Jews: mutual recognition and respect, as well as justice before the law
o r in the settlement of disputes be tween individuals and/or g roups.
For instance, a few rear.; later, :H a time when the J\'Iuslims \'crc in
latent conflict with a J ewish tribe whom the)' suspeCted of do uble dealing
and treason, a t-,'Iuslim thought he might escape responsibility for a theft
he had perpetrated by laring the blame on a )c\,: An eight-verse Revela-
tion deno unced the se rious treacher y commiu cd by the J\'luslim culprit
and rC"caled the jew's innocence.^21 The Muslim's culpability is explicit:
" But if anyone earns a fault or a sin and throws it OntO one who is inno-
cent, he burdens himself with a false charge and a flagrant sin."22
\'('h:ltcver conflict rna)' occur with other groups, the inalien able princi-
ples of respect and justice remained and tra nscend ed h is torical realities,
requiring that the Muslim conscience no t yield to b!.inding passions and
hatred. The Quean states that an)' hatred that may incident:ally arise from a
war cannot obviate the principles to which believers must remain faithful:
o you who believe! Smnd out firmly for God, as witnesses to fair dealing,
and tet not the hatred o f others ( 0 rou make you depart from jusuce. Be
just: that is next to piC'lY"; and fear God [be intimately conscious of God].
Fo r God is welt ac(]u:llnted with alt that you do. 23
Muhamm ad kep t distinguishing between s ituatio ns a nd the people
iO\'ulved in them, and he showed the uunost respect toward individuals
and their beliefs. For many years, a roungJew was his companion and fol-
lowed h im eYer}'whcre, fo r he lm'ed the Prophet'S compa ny. The Prophet
neve r asked him to abandon his faith. Eventually the boy fell seriously ill,
and on hi s deathbed he as ked his father to allow him to e mbl1lce Islam,
but during all hi s time by the Prophet'S s ide he had remained wha t be was
and enjoyed the Prophet's love and regard.
I...:u e r on, as the Prophet was w ith a group of ~'Iuslims, a funel1l1 pro-
cession passed by, and th~ Prophet stood up lO show h is respect fo r the
dec~ased. Surprised, the Musum s informed him that this was a J ew's
funeral. The Prophe t answered with clarity and dignity: ''\"XIas this not a
human soul?" The teaching was to remam the same in spite of d ifficul-
ties, t reason, and wars: no ooe was compelled to convert, diffcrences were
respected , and all were to be t reated eq ually. T his IS Re velatio n's key mes-