In Western discourse, the life and character of Muhammad are often shaped by widespread misconceptions that cast Him in a negative light. Among the most consequential of these are claims that He propagated Islam through violence, particularly by means of military conquest and coerced conversion.
The Bahá’í Writings have much to say about Prophet Muhammad as a virtuous leader, an effective peacemaker, and a reluctant warrior. This presentation will examine Bahá’í, traditional Muslim, and modern scholarly sources on Muhammad’s deeds as a peacemaker between the warring tribes and religions of Arabia. We will review each of the wars of Muhammad, such as the Battle of the Trench and the Conquest of Mecca, in light of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s statement that they were defensive actions, necessary for the survival of the nascent Muslim community.
Of particular interest is an analysis of the historical record regarding an incident often called the Massacre of the Banu Qurayza. Reports claim that up to 900 members of a Jewish tribe from Medina were publicly slaughtered for treason, after the Battle of the Trench, with Muhammad’s approval. As a child, Baháʼu’lláh read about this incident and it upset Him greatly. In the Tablet of the Banu Qurayza, He writes that the story of hostilities between the Jews and Muslims played a central role in His desire to advocate peace between religions. In addition to exploring the significance of this incident on the development of Bahá’í beliefs about peace and unity, we will look at a variety of historical views about the “massacre.”
Shoghi Effendi viewed the establishment of the truth of Islam in the West as a Bahá’í mission, a necessary component of advocating the Oneness of Religion. The Guardian placed special emphasis on correcting commonly held misrepresentations of Muhammad and His Cause. This proposed presentation may be seen as a step toward fulfilling that mandate.
Ted Brownstein is a Jewish-Baha’i living in Lake Worth, Florida with his wife, Chris. He holds a Master’s Degree in Biblical Hebrew from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He teaches various seminars and courses on Christian, Muslim and Bahá’í topics at Magdalene Carney Bahá’í Institute and has developed and taught classes for the Wilmette Institute on Judaism, Christianity, and the Bible. He was the co-founder of Lake Worth Interfaith Network in 2005 and currently serves on its Board of Directors and as Treasurer. He has served as an Ambassador for the Parliament of the World’s Religions, 2015 – 2021. He is the author of four books.
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