The Religion Of Islam vol.1
XI
The Social Changes
Brought about by the Prophet
Dealing with the social changes brought about by the Prophet, Dr. Noldeke [1] states: “One fact among others by which we can estimate the striking impression the Prophet produced upon the Arabs, is that as each tribe submitted, or adopted his religion, it renounced the right of retaliation for the bloodshed in the struggle. Under other circumstances, this renunciation of blood revenge, or of wergild at least, would have seemed to the Arab the lowest depth of humiliation. This was, indeed so striking a feature of the new brotherhood that it could not fail to make a silent but deep impression upon the unbelieving multitude who now began to feel the power of the new religion.
“To those who seek miracles, this glorious result, achieved in less than a decade, constitutes a real and splendid miracle of Islam, which alone gives it the title, to be ranked as a great religion and a wonderful civilising agency. In an exquisitely beautiful passage, full of grace and wisdom, the Holy Koran draws a contrast between the life and manners of the Arabs in the shade of Islam and those in pre-Islamic times; and urges upon the true believers a true union of hearts, and dwells on the real purpose of the advent of the new religion. Here is a translation of the verses: ‘O ye believers, fear God as He deserveth to be feared; and die not but as true Moslems. And hold ye fast by the cord of God, all of you, and do not scatter yourselves, and remember God’s goodness towards you, how that when you were enemies. He united your hearts, and through His grace, ye became brethren, and when ye were on the brink of the pit of fire, He drew you back from it; thus clearly God showeth His signs, that ye may be guided. And let there be among you a people who invite to the good, and enjoin the right, and forbid the wrong: and these are they who shall succeed. And be ye not like those who have broken into divisions and fallen into variance, after the clear proofs have come to them; and for those there waits a terrible chastisement”