Freedom to be patient, or to protest
Freedom of expression is not a Western Ideal only. In fact, in the early years of Islam’s growth in the Arab Peninsula which was first brought there by Abraham (Ibrahim, alaihi salaam), Muslims often exercised freedom of speech and if they were prevented, then they exercised patience.
It was when Omar Al Khattab, a feared and respected man, the second Khalifah of Islam in the years following the Prophet’s death, famously accepted Islam and vowed to protect the Prophet, Muhammad, and the adherents to the new faith that freedom of religion began to take root there. He was the famous pillar of free speech in those early days.
In some narrations, his sister Fatimah and her husband bravely told Omar before his conversion that they would never recant or stop reciting the ‘shahadah’; they would remain Muslims even if attacked. He abused them both, hitting his sister and beating her husband. Later, feeling remorseful he read the pages, which they were hiding in their home, and went to the Prophet and accepted Islam.
Sometimes freedom’s ideal had its price, as when Bilal, a slave, dragged by the back of a horse kept shouting “wahdahu, wahdahu” (“He is One”) as he was being tortured.
The early converts used to often pray in secrecy, avoiding such tortures and persecutions, but completing their voluntary worship (in the first instance, Islam didn’t demand a five times daily prayer schedule, which was only declared after the Prophet’s ascension into heaven, where he greeted the previous Prophets of God, among other signs). They used to pray twice daily in congregation only, and in secrecy in the mountains, as well as holding secret inspirational meetings and ‘strategy’ talks.
The Prophet Muhammad preached secretly for three years, and then began to speak out openly, declaring the new faith. For that he was ridiculed and attacked by the various non-Muslim Arab tribes. Interestingly, there were men such as Salman, a Persian, who despite being openly a believer in One True God, arrived in Mecca to greet the Prophet and accept Islam at his hands, was never tortured for either his conversion to Christianity from the Magian religion of fire worship, or his subsequent renunciation of that faith in his search for the ultimate truth.
In many Muslim majority countries today, there remain communities of diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds, which have enjoyed freedom of religion for centuries; the Jews in those countries are an example.
It was the stubbornly ignorant Arab tribes, some of which wholly converted to Islam later on, who meted out the worst punishment to Prophet Muhammad and his followers. Eventually, as the number of Muslims reached unimagined greatness, the warring tribes had to admit defeat, and many converted on the day of Fateh (the victory for Islam over the non-believers; entering Mecca for the first time) even, without any forced conversions. It was the most peaceful of days for years in the peninsula.
Eventually, the nascent state formed laws, and a government with elected head (the first Khalifah Abu Bakr was elected by general consensus). Workers were dispatched to perform various duties in the name of the Khalifah and the state. Emirs were appointed, who had virtual control of their area of influence, their own decentralized governments with the Khalifah as supreme ruler, always appointed by several respected heads of the presiding Muslim government. In the first Islamic State in the region, it remained thus for over one hundred-fifty years. (revised)
In respect of this, a famous saying of the Prophet, “four sincere Muslims will not make a mistake” (find real quotation). This is often referenced in the historical practice of choosing the Khalifah, during the first century of Islam. (revising)
Part Two - Patience in Adversity
Muslims were not given access to the Holy Sanctuary, and the need for reconciliation with the pagans, were two points of peace with the non-Muslim pagans, at the time of the Treaty of al-Hudaibiya. It was distressing so much, that Umar, “unable to hold himself for the distress was taking full grasp of his heart” (p. 409, The Sealed Nectar)
Umar questioned the Prophet, SAWS, who replied calmly, “Why not?” When Umar spoke again, each time the Prophet, SAWS, answered and he did not become angry. (p.409, The Sealed Nectar)
Umar said, “Then we should not suffer any humiliation in the matter of Faith”, to which the Prophet replied, “I am the true Messenger of Allah. I never disobey Him. He shall help me.” (Ibid)
In this regard, an interesting verse, especially because it predicts the conquest of Makkah, (which was a source of laughter to the pagans when it was revealed), reads,
“Verily, We have given you (O Muhammad) a manifest victory.”Qur’an] 48:1]
A short few years later, the city was conquered in a bloodless victory, as predicted. The victory was “manifest”, especially because it was bloodless and the Meccans immediately embraced Islam, except a small number of pagans who lagged behind and some hypocrites, mainly among the Jews. Abu Jahl, an uncle of the Prophet, SAWS, one of the ardent enemies of Islam was killed in one of the famous battles before this, by two youth.
