Since Muslims follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad and the fact that Muhammad fought a number of battles in his lifetime, was the Prophet Muhammad an extremist? Could it be that people who are committing acts of terror in the name of Islam are simply following their Prophet?

Misconceptions about Islam today might give that impression, but despite the misinterpretations of some militant Muslim groups, Muhammad himself was a religious and political moderate. Struggling to stay alive after thirteen years of oppression in Mecca, a fledging Muslim community was established in the new city of Medina. Their former oppressors and many tribes wanted to exterminate Muslims. Naturally, Muhammad being the Prophet and the leader of Muslims stouchly defended against agression in order the ensure the very survival of his followers and Islam. In this struggle for survival Muhammad initiated no wars although he sometimes acted in pre-emptive self-defence based on evidence that a party was getting ready to attack. In all, his time spent in battle does not add up to one and a half-days out of his twenty-three year mission.

More often than not he tried to resolve conflict through diplomacy and signed many treaties with tribes and other neighbouring states. He honored all treaties. To ensure peace he sometimes even signed disadvantagous treaties (such as the treaty of Hudaybiyah) much to the surprise and dissension of his followers.

Prophet Muhammad guaranteed minority rights in a document which served as the first constitution in human history that defined citizenship rights irrespective of the religious convictions of the citizens belonging to the state. Jews, for example, were allowed to practice their faith freely and even have their own laws. They were exempted from the application of Islamic law and military service.

Prophet Muhammad called his followers to respect the rights of women. He championed a deliberate education campaign. He continuously warned Muslims that nations were destroyed when people went to extremes. He even forbade people from excessive praying and fasting, pointing out that life should include family and recreation. As a testament to the tolerance he preached, Islamic history has had no forced conversions, Holocausts, Inquisitions, bloody Crusades or other large scale tragedies blemishing its record.^[27]

[27] Y.Emerick (2002), 'Muhammad', Marie Butler-Knight, p 130.