A few, who are unaware of the reality below the surface of
events, who cannot feel the pulse of the world under their fingers, who do not
know what a massive dose of truth must be administered to heal this chronic old
disease of falsehood, believe that the Faith can only be spread by the sword,
and bolster their opinion with the Tradition, “I am a Prophet by the sword.”
If, however, they would carefully examine this question, they would see that in
this day and age the sword is not a suitable means for promulgating the Faith,
for it would only fill peoples’ hearts with revulsion and terror. According to
the Divine Law of Muhammad, it is not permissible to compel the People of the
Book to acknowledge and accept the Faith. While it is a sacred obligation
devolving on every conscientious believer in the unity of God to guide mankind
to the truth, the Traditions “I am a Prophet by the sword” and “I am commanded
to threaten the lives of the people until they say, ‘There is none other God
but God’” referred to the idolaters of the Days of Ignorance, who in their
blindness and bestiality had sunk below the level of human beings. A faith born
of sword thrusts could hardly be relied upon, and would for any trifling cause revert
to error and unbelief. After the ascension of Muhammad, and His passing to “the
seat of truth, in the presence of the potent King,” [Qur’án 54:55] the tribes
around Medina apostatized from their Faith, turning back to the idolatry of
pagan times.
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘The Secret of Divine Civilization’)
(‘Abdu’l-Baha, ‘The Secret of Divine Civilization’)
