On the Prophet’s Birth Anniversary, the Grand Imam highlights the mercy shown by the Prophet of Humanity (PBUH) in times of both peace and war.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam: The loss of mercy and compassion is the gravest challenge facing humanity in the modern era.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam: The ethics of warfare in Islam reflect the greatness of the figure we honor today—cherished in both our hearts and minds.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam: Islam pioneered the establishment of humanitarian rules for warfare and the protection of the rights of the vulnerable.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam contrasts the just nature of the wars led by the Prophet (PBUH) with the brutality of warfare in the present day.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam: Islam does not view war as an end in itself; rather, it sanctions it solely to repel aggression.

Al-Azhar Grand Imam: In Islamic law, as well as in other religious traditions and the dictates of the human conscience, war is regarded as a necessity to be avoided whenever possible.

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, extended his congratulations to President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the great Egyptian people on the anniversary of the birth of the best, most merciful, and noblest of mankind—Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and upon his fellow Prophets and Messengers. His Eminence also conveyed his congratulations on this occasion to the Arab and Islamic nations—including kings, presidents, rulers, and peoples—as well as to everyone who loves this great Prophet (PBUH) and appreciates his divine message and its pivotal role in building human civilization upon the principles of justice, freedom, and equality among people.

In his address today, Wednesday, at the celebration of the Prophet’s Birthday in the New Capital—attended by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi—His Eminence stated that nearly fifteen centuries have passed since the birth of the Messenger (PBUH). Yet, our contemporary world—East and West—still seeks his light of his message, which once shone upon existence, illuminating it after a long, pitch-black night—a time when the sun of human civilization seemed to be setting, never to rise again. The world was then in dire need of a new culture and a different system to put an end to the culture of tyranny and to replace systems rooted in brute force, despotism, blood ties, and tribal or clan logic. It was Allah’s will that this alternative culture should emerge from the Arabian Peninsula, finding in the principle of Divine Oneness and the language of Prophetic revelation a foundation for the unity of the entire world.

His Eminence explained that this Muhammadan light emerged at a time when the entire world was divided between two warring civilizations—each hostile to the other: the civilization of Persia in the East and that of the Romans in the West. Their relationship was governed by Roman laws and ethnic tenets dictating that “your neighbor is your enemy—either you subdue him or he subdues you; you strike first whenever you can, or he strikes first whenever he can.” This doctrine was particularly intense in how both powers treated Muslim lands. He added that, while discussing the stance of the nascent Islamic state toward these two great powers might exceed the scope of this address, the historical record of the Middle Ages—detailing how both powers were defeated by the emerging state within a span of just a few years, suffices to illustrate the matter.

The Grand Imam added: History repeats itself—and how closely our contemporary world resembles the world as it was when this noble Prophet (PBUH) was sent. Indeed, how desperate is today’s world for the guidance of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to rescue it from the mire of psychological and social ailments and moral vices in which it is submerged; to save it from the policies of oppression, injustice, and brutality against the poor and weak; and to deliver it from the resulting economic crises, political upheavals, tensions, conflicts, and the various miseries and hardships of life. He pointed out that the gravest threat facing humanity today—a danger lying in wait—is the loss of the value of mercy and compassion among people. This is a virtue with which Allah Almighty is characterized, one for which He praised His prophets (PBUT), and which He perfected in the seal Prophet (PBUH), counting it among his most distinctive traits. It is the very virtue for which Allah Almighty praised the Messenger’s character in the Holy Quran, describing it as a “great character” in the words: “And you are truly of outstanding character” (Quran, 68:4). Scholars have long contemplated this verse, deriving profound lessons regarding the uniqueness of this Prophet (PBUH) and his possession of noble qualities unparalleled among the rest of humanity.

His Eminence explained that the first insight scholars gleaned from the revelation of this verse is that the magnificence of the Prophet’s character is vast and absolute, knowing neither limits nor constraints; his character itself is similarly boundless and unrestricted, for the vastness of an attribute inevitably implies the vastness of the subject possessing it. His wife, Aisha—Mother of the Believers and the person who knew him best—described his character when asked about it, saying: “His character was the Quran.” In another narration, it is stated: “His character was the Quran; he was pleased by what pleased it and displeased by what displeased it.” This signifies that he embodied every praiseworthy quality mentioned in the Holy Quran and was free from every blameworthy trait against which the Quran warns. Furthermore, the attributes of his magnificent character mirror the Quran’s meanings in their breadth and comprehensiveness—this is the essence of “utmost vastness.” Thus, his character encompassed the virtues of all mankind—indeed, of all categories of creation. Based on the magnitude of this greatness, scholars affirm that Allah Almighty sent Muhammad (PBUH) to Arabs and non-Arabs, to humans and jinn, and to all nations. He further noted that some scholars went even further, positing that the Prophet (PBUH) was sent to the angels and the rest of creation as well, citing the Almighty’s words: “We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds” (Quran, 21:107).

His Eminence emphasized that the suffering humanity endures today—marked by a relentless cycle of war, bloodshed, and carnage; the destruction of homes and hospitals upon children, women, and the sick; and the breaking of promises and covenants—offers a profound lesson and a stark point of contrast. He noted the impossibility of comparing the atrocities of 21st century warfare with the just wars led by the revered figure whose memory we honor today—and subsequently by his successors and followers. Such a comparison—beyond defying brief summary—juxtaposes two absolute opposites that share no common ground whatsoever.

The Grand Imam pointed out that the first thing that scholars are keen to clarify when talking about the ethics of war in Islam is that the motive for fighting in Islam is not to force people to embrace this religion, nor to force them to follow a certain social or economic doctrine, but rather the motive for fighting is repelling aggression. Allah Almighty says, “Fight in the cause of Allah only against those who wage war against you, but do not exceed the limits. Allah does not like transgressors” (Quran, 2:190), and the Almighty says, “So, if anyone attacks you, retaliate in the same manner. But be mindful of Allah and know that Allah is with those mindful of Him” (Quran, 2:194). He also says, “Let there be no compulsion in religion, for the truth stands out clearly from falsehood” (2:256). His Eminence indicated that it happened that a person wanted to force his son to convert to Islam, but the Prophet (PBUH) forbade him and prevented him from doing so, and a non-Muslim woman came to Caliph Omar bin Al-Khattab - may Allah be pleased with him - asking him about a need she had, so he invited her to Islam. She refused, so he quickly paid attention to the verse that forbids coercion into religion and feared that he would be one of those who deviate from it. Therefore, he turned to Allah Almighty in apology, saying, “O Allah, I have guided and not forced her.”

His Eminence the Grand Imam further noted that if the motive for combat is limited to repelling aggression, then war—according to Islamic Sharia, the laws of other religions, and even the dictates of the human conscience—falls into the category of necessities to be avoided whenever possible. In this vein, the Prophet (PBUH) said: “Do not wish to meet the enemy; rather, ask Allah for well-being.” If Muslims resolve to go to war, they are religiously obligated not to initiate hostilities against the enemy without first offering them a choice among three options: embracing Islam, entering into a peace treaty, or engaging in combat—the latter being a forced choice from which there is no escape. This is precisely what the Prophet (PBUH) instructed Mu'adh ibn Jabal—who was a commander in one of the battles—in a directive unparalleled in history regarding fairness, justice, and the observance of the rights of others, even when those others are enemy combatants.

His Eminence added that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said to Mu‘adh, “Do not fight them until you have invited them [to Islam]; if they refuse, do not fight them until they initiate hostilities against you; if they initiate hostilities, do not kill them until they have killed one of your own; then show them that slain person and ask them: ‘Is there a better way than this?’ For if Allah guides a single man through you, it is better for you than all upon which the sun rises and sets.” The Maliki and Hanafi schools of thought hold that it is obligatory to wait for three days after inviting the opposing party to Islam—refraining from initiating confrontation before the fourth day—in the hope that they might accept Islam or incline toward a peace treaty or reconciliation. The basis for this is the hadith narrated by Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) never fought a people without first inviting them to Islam.” His Eminence noted that one cannot help but view the jurisprudence of this Sharia with profound reverence and admiration, particularly regarding its ruling that forbids initiating combat against those who have not yet received the call to Islam—a call that elucidates the virtues of the faith and the guarantees it offers regarding justice, equality, and a good life, encompassing creed, law, and ethics. In other words, it prohibits launching a surprise attack or catching the adversary off guard before they have been warned and sufficiently invited to Islam—or invited to enter a peace treaty.

He explained that once combat begins, there are definitive texts requiring Muslim army commanders to respect the rights of the vulnerable—those from whom aggression or the bearing of arms is inconceivable. Consequently, harming or killing women is strictly prohibited, as is killing children, regardless of the enemy’s brutality in fighting Muslims. It is also forbidden to kill the elderly, monks, or those seeking refuge in churches, temples, and houses of worship, as well as the wounded, the sick, and the chronically ill. Furthermore, killing the insane, the blind, and farmers is prohibited, as is the killing of livestock and animals—except when slaughtered for consumption, in which case it is permissible for the sake of utility, provided it is limited to the extent of actual need. Ibn Hazm goes even further, stating, “It is not lawful to slaughter any of their animals whatsoever, neither camels, cattle, sheep, horses, nor pigs.”

His Eminence further noted that Imam Al-Shafi‘i went even further than Ibn Hazm in emphasizing the Islamic Sharia’s insistence on the sanctity of life and the prohibition against bloodshed. He established that if a Muslim army were to launch a surprise attack on the enemy—striking before inviting them to Islam—and kill some of them, the legal ruling dictates that those responsible for the killings within the Muslim army are liable to pay blood money (diyah) for the deceased. Similarly, the mutilation of enemy corpses is strictly forbidden, based on the Prophet’s prohibition and his warning against this heinous crime in the words: “Beware of mutilation.” Scholars affirm this prohibition even if the enemy has mutilated the bodies of Muslim martyrs. His Eminence emphasized that the points raised here do not encompass the entirety of the jurisprudence of war in Islamic Sharia; there are numerous rulings governing the conduct of Jihad—struggle in the cause of Allah—before, during, and after combat. These include, in particular, the jurisprudence regarding treaties, safety conduct, peace agreements, the treatment of captives, and other matters abundant in Islamic legislation—all grounded in the values of mercy, justice, and benevolence, and applied to every aspect of these rulings, whether major or minor, general or specific.

The Grand Imam concluded his address by noting that contrasting the wars of the past with those of the present is not merely a comparison between the wars of Islam and the conflicts of 21st century civilization; rather, it reflects the world’s urgent need today for a savior—or, if you will, a lifeline—to rescue it from sinking further into an abyss of darkness. This lifeline lies in recalling to the minds the biography of the Prophet (PBUH) on the anniversary of his birth and drawing light from the human values he brought—values he imparted to his own nation and, by extension, to all nations—encapsulated in his profound and comprehensive words: “I am leaving you upon a (path of) brightness whose night is like its day. No one will deviate from it except one who is doomed.”