Debunking Christian Prince: Muhammad Ordered to Fight All of Mankind

The claims made by Christian Prince regarding Prophet Muhammad’s actions and the interpretation of the hadith he quotes are deeply flawed and misleading. Let’s break down the issue and provide a comprehensive response, showing the correct context and Islamic perspective.

Christian Prince’s Argument

Christian Prince argues that the hadith mentioned (from Sahih Muslim) indicates that Prophet Muhammad ordered the killing, raping, and taking of property from all non-Muslims who refuse to accept Islam. He claims that the hadith commands Muslims to fight all of mankind until they embrace Islam, and implies this justifies violence and wrongdoing against non-believers.

His key points:

1. Fighting all of mankind: He asserts that the hadith teaches Muslims to kill anyone who does not accept Islam.
2. Rape and taking property: He uses inflammatory language, claiming the hadith allows Muslims to take the property, wives, and children of non-believers by force.

The Hadith in Question

The hadith Christian Prince refers to is the one we previously discussed, which can be found in Sahih Muslim (Book of Iman, Hadith 22):

“I have been ordered to fight the people until they say: ‘None has the right to be worshiped but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’ If they do that, their blood and their property are protected from me, except by right of Islam, and their reckoning will be with Allah.”

The full context of the hadith indicates that this command was given in a particular historical context, specifically during the early years of Islam when the Muslim community was engaged in defensive struggles against aggression from the Quraysh (the tribe that opposed the Prophet). The goal was not to fight people simply for their beliefs, but rather to establish peace through the spread of Islam and to protect the nascent Muslim community.

Debunking Christian Prince’s Claims

Let’s address each of Christian Prince’s assertions one by one.

1. “Fight all of mankind”

Christian Prince claims the hadith calls for fighting all of mankind unless they accept Islam. However, this is a misinterpretation of the hadith.

The hadith does not say to fight all of mankind indefinitely. It specifies that fighting is necessary until people believe in the oneness of Allah and acknowledge Muhammad as His messenger. The context is crucial: it refers to the early period of Islam when the Muslims were under attack and fighting to defend themselves. The directive to fight was not a general command for all Muslims for all time.

Furthermore, the Qur’an explicitly states in many verses that there is no compulsion in religion. For example:

• Surah Al-Baqara 2:256:
  “There shall be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood.”

This verse, along with others, clearly refutes the claim that Islam forces people to accept its teachings by violence. In fact, the Qur’an promotes peaceful dawah (invitation to Islam) and dialogue rather than violent conversion.

2. “Rape, taking property, and taking children”

Christian Prince’s use of extreme language, such as “rape your wife, take your property,” is designed to provoke emotions and mislead viewers. The hadith does not authorize any of these actions.

Islamic teachings and the Qur’an categorically prohibit rape and the unjust taking of property. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasized kindness and justice, even in the context of warfare. For instance:

• Sahih Muslim: “Do not kill women, children, or non-combatants.”
• Sahih Bukhari 3015: “Do not kill women or children or the aged, or those who are ill, or those who are not engaged in the battle.”

There are also clear rulings that property and rights of non-Muslims must be respected, especially after they agree to live under Muslim rule through dhimmi (protected status for non-Muslims).

In terms of marriage, there is no permission for taking anyone’s wife by force. The Qur’an specifically forbids any kind of sexual violence:

• Surah An-Nisa 4:24: “And [also prohibited are] women already married, except those whom your right hands possess. [This is] the decree of Allah upon you. And lawful for you are [all others] beyond these, so long as you seek [them] in marriage with gifts from your property, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking secret lovers.”

In this verse, the concept of right hands possess refers to prisoners of war, and even then, the Prophet Muhammad’s conduct was governed by strict rules of kindness and respect for human dignity. Slavery and taking people by force were gradually phased out in the Islamic world through reforms, and the emphasis shifted toward justice, protection of rights, and fair treatment.

3. Historical Context of the Hadith

The command to fight was contextual and related to specific conditions of early Islam. Muslims were often under attack and fighting to protect themselves from aggressors. The Prophet Muhammad’s commands to fight were not for the aggressive conquest of people who peacefully followed their own religions.

This hadith should be understood in light of defensive warfare during a time when the early Muslim community was under threat. The command to fight was not a blanket authorization for violence against all non-Muslims, but rather a defense mechanism during a time of hostility.

Qur’anic Evidence Against Forced Conversion

Numerous verses in the Qur’an confirm that there is no coercion in religion. Some key verses are:

• Surah Yunus 10:99:
  “Had your Lord willed, all who are on earth would have believed. Will you then compel mankind, against their will, to believe?”

• Surah Al-Baqara 2:256:
  “There is no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood.”

• Surah Al-Kafirun 109:6:
  “For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.”

These verses show that Islam acknowledges people’s right to choose their faith freely, and coercion is strictly forbidden.

Scholarly Views

Many scholars emphasize the principle of peaceful coexistence and freedom of religion in Islam. For instance:

• Imam Al-Ghazali, one of the greatest scholars of Islam, stated that Islam allows for peaceful invitation to the faith and prohibits violence against non-believers who do not fight against Muslims.
• Ibn Qudamah in his famous work “Al-Mughni” clarifies that the command to fight is not to be understood as an unlimited call for aggression, but as part of a defensive strategy during times of war, especially when Muslims were under attack.

Conclusion

Christian Prince’s claims are based on a misrepresentation of the hadith and Islamic teachings. The hadith in question does not command Muslims to fight all of mankind indiscriminately or to engage in unethical actions like rape and taking property. Instead, it refers to a specific historical context where the Muslim community was defending itself from persecution and aggression.

The Qur’an and other hadiths emphasize peace, no compulsion in religion, and the protection of human rights. Scholars throughout Islamic history have agreed that forced conversion, violence, and injustice are prohibited in Islam, and the emphasis is on peaceful invitation to the faith.

Thus, Christian Prince’s argument is not only misleading but also contradicts the clear teachings of the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the consensus of Islamic scholars.