DIPLOMACY IN ISLAM

DIPLOMACY IN ISLAM Today’s Islamic world encompasses more than 50 countries in the world. Geographically, Islamic world claims 16 percent of the world’s land mass. There are over one billion Muslim populations in the world today which comprises 23 percent of the world population. Therefore, here is power bloc which cannot be ignored in geo-politics, but Muslim countries are incidentally divided over petty issues. Muslim countries are not united in a bloc because of sectarian divide. Although Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) was established to safeguard and protect the interests of Muslim world in a spirit of promoting international peace and harmony, in practice there is no unity among Muslim Countries. Recently this organization has changed its name. It is now known as the Organization of Islamic cooperation (OIC). In the United Nations OIC also represents to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim. Islam remains a force despite division among the Muslim countries, to be reckoned with on the world’s geopolitical and diplomatic fronts. Many religious leaders and political pundits in many countries, time and again, spoke about Islam. Of late, Prince Charles came out with truth about Islam at a lecture at the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies on 27 October, 1993. One is tempted to quote from his lecture: “Islam is part of our past and our present, in all fields of human endeavour. It has helped to create modern Europe. It is a part of our own inheritance, not a thing apart. More than this, Islam can teach us today a way of understanding and living in the world.” Diplomacy in Islam did not flourish in a day or two but it took a definite shape over the years since the days of Prophet Muhammad(SM). This fact has completely been ignored by the writers on diplomacy. The emergence of Islam was neither a marginal event, as some Christian historiographers would have depicted it nor one important happening, but it represented a turning point in the struggle between spiritual belief and materialistic philosophy. As a religion, Islam brings in the concept of equality of man. As a matter of fact, Islam is a complete code of life encompassing all spheres of human activities—social, economic, legal, cultural and political. Islam is for all mankind irrespective of caste, creed and colour. It’s Islam that provides the idea of a universal state based on the equality of man. In the early days of Islam, diplomacy was referred to as an auxiliary to or a substitute for war. For example, messages were delivered by an emissary to the Emperor or King to accept Islam before war broke out. Emissary was sent to exchange prisoners of war at the end of war. During Abbasid period exchange of gifts or negotiation of treaties were carried out. Emissary was dispatched by Prophet Muhammad(SM) to preach tenets of Islam or for political purpose. Such emissaries were received by the Emperor or King of Byzantine, Egypt, Persia and Ethiopia. According to historians, the Emperor of Ethiopia and King AL-Muqaway of Egypt accepted the invitation to accept Islam while Emperor of Byzantine refused to embrace Islam. The Persian King, however, tore up the letter. When this news carried back by the envoy to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), he remarked that his kingdom would be torn. The diplomatic exchange was essentially religious in nature. The emissary was selected from amongst the confidants, who were known as knowledgeable about religion, adroit, physically strong and good looking as well. During old days emissary was looked upon as spy. As such, envoy was instructed to refrain from drinking and to keep away from woman in particular. A negotiation skill constitutes as an important factor in diplomacy and nations must rely upon the quality of their diplomacy to act as a catalyst for different factors that constitute their power. Prophet Muhammad (SM) initially began preaching Islam in Mecca, but he was opposed by the Quaraysh tribe. Twice he organized meetings of the elites of the Quaraysh in Mecca to pass the message of Allah revealed to him but he was jeered at. Finally he went to the masses to address them but when he spoke against their many Gods they became furious and considered him as their enemy. His uncle Abu Talib was also against him. However, Abu Talib protected him from the wrath of the Quraysh. A deputation of the Quraysh went to Abu Talib to register protest against Prophet Muhammad SM and Abu Talib averted the crisis by his conciliatory note. But relations between Prophet Muhammad and the Quraysh continued to deteriorate. A complaint was lodged with Abu Talib again and he was told to put a stop to the activities of his nephew. “Until we are rid of him we will fight both of you till one side is perished,” said a delegation of the Quraysh. Abu Talib called his nephew and admonished him by saying, “Spare me and you. Do not put on me a burden greater than I can bear.”