Shabeer Ahmad Lone
In a world fragmented by rising intolerance, moral disorientation, and collective forgetting, the prophetic path in Islam offers a compelling alternative-a luminous ethic anchored in mercy (raḥma), justice (ʿadl), and the sanctity of human dignity (karāmah). To “live Islam beautifully” is not to merely observe rituals, but to cultivate an inner and outer comportment that embodies the spiritual elegance (iḥsān) of the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh], whose entire life was a testament to the harmonization of transcendence and compassion. The Qur’an affirms this central vocation: “We have not sent you except as a mercy to all the worlds” (Q.21:107), establishing prophetic mercy not as a personal trait, but a cosmic mission. The Prophet [pbuh] lived this verse through profound gestures of inclusion-such as the Charter of Medina, which institutionalized pluralism by granting legal and religious autonomy to Jews and other communities under one civic framework¹. This act of governance, far from being politically expedient, was a moral innovation and an early constitutional model that dignified religious difference². Equally profound was his decision to forgive his oppressors during the conquest of Mecca, declaring: “No blame upon you today. Go, for you are free,” echoing the words of Prophet Joseph (Q.12:92)³. In these actions, we see not just political statesmanship, but the embodiment of divine mercy made manifest in social life. Living Islam beautifully is thus not a rhetorical metaphor, but a deep existential orientation toward the prophetic imperative-to transform one’s interiority in order to illuminate society. The Prophets did not come to establish power for its own sake, but to restore spiritual balance, interpersonal justice, and sacred dignity in human affairs. In remembering and reinvigorating this tradition, we begin to recover not only the lost art of coexistence but the possibility of spiritual civilization rooted in empathy, wisdom, and truth.
The Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] embodied this vision in the most radical and inclusive terms. The Charter of Medina-recognized by legal historians as the world’s first pluralistic constitution-offered full civic recognition to Jews, polytheists, and others within the emerging Muslim polity. It declared, “To the Jews their religion and to the Muslims theirs,” and institutionalized the rights of every tribe and confession under one social compact. This was not merely political pragmatism; it was spiritual foresight and legal creativity anchored in the Qur’anic ethic of coexistence. In stark contrast to the coercive frameworks of later empires and modern nation-states, the Prophet’s model was built upon free conscience, shared justice, and mutual protection. Such a vision, as scholars like Muhammad Hamidullah and Montgomery Watt argue, was not only unprecedented for its time but remains an enduring model for religious pluralism today.
The Prophet’s tolerance was not limited to formal covenants; it was embodied in everyday gestures, strategic decisions, and acts of transformative forgiveness. When the Prophet returned to Mecca after years of persecution, exile, and war, he entered not as a conqueror but as a reconciler. He forgave his former enemies-some of whom had plotted to assassinate him-and declared a general amnesty, saying, “No blame upon you today. Go, for you are free.” This echoes the words of Prophet Joseph (Yūsuf) when he forgave his brothers, reinforcing the prophetic continuity of mercy. Such radical forgiveness is not merely political strategy; it is a spiritual act that defies vengeance and embodies divine grace. These events are not relics of prophetic charisma; they are ethical archetypes that continue to inspire Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
In the prophetic tradition, beauty (iḥsān) is not superficial but existential. It is the act of worshiping God as though one sees Him and conducting oneself in the world with profound moral elegance. The hadith of Gabriel defines iḥsān as the highest station in faith, and its outward manifestation lies in how we treat the other-especially those different from us. Thus, to “live Islam beautifully” is to align one’s worship with justice, one’s prayer with peacemaking, one’s remembrance with service. The Prophet [pbuh]was described by his wife ʿĀʾishah as “a walking Qur’an,” signifying that his conduct was a seamless enactment of divine revelation. He did not reduce Islam to rigid legalism, nor did he allow unreflective zeal to dominate the ethical compass of the community. His balance between fidelity to the divine and generosity to the human is unparalleled in religious history.
This ethic was not unique to Islam but part of the broader prophetic legacy. Moses, Jesus, and other prophets-peace be upon them all-modeled a similar moral courage rooted in compassion and truth. Moses confronted Pharaoh not merely as a political rebel but as a moral witness. Jesus preached mercy, nonviolence, and love for the marginalized-values that the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh]affirmed and extended within an Abrahamic continuity. Islam, in this sense, is not an isolated system but a cumulative culmination of prophetic wisdom. Its vision of tolerance is not a borrowed liberal construct, but a native feature of its theological anthropology and sacred cosmology.
Contemporary Muslim scholars such as Tariq Ramadan, Ebrahim Moosa, and Asma Afsaruddin have revisited the prophetic model to address modern challenges of extremism, secularism, and ethical dislocation. They argue that Islamic reform, if rooted in prophetic ethics rather than reactionary politics or imported paradigms, can revive the soul of the tradition without diluting its principles. Their works illuminate how prophetic values such as shūrā (consultation), taʿāruf (mutual recognition), and maṣlaḥa (public good) can guide modern Muslim societies toward justice without sacrificing authenticity.⁴ Their research also reveals the dangers of reducing Islam to either political ideology or pietistic insularity—both of which marginalize its universal ethic of coexistence.
In global contexts-from Indonesian pesantren to Moroccan constitutional reforms-the prophetic model is being reclaimed not only in discourse but in policy and education. Indonesia’s Wasatiyyah Islam movement emphasizes moderation and interfaith dialogue, drawing directly from Qur’anic and prophetic precedents. Morocco’s training of imams and inclusion of Jews in cultural heritage policies is rooted in the Prophet’s inclusive governance. Empirical data from UNESCO, the UNDP, and Pew Research Center affirm that countries and institutions that consciously integrate prophetic ethics of mercy and tolerance into education, governance, and civil society report higher levels of social cohesion and resilience against radicalization.⁵ ⁶ This suggests that prophetic ethics are not simply idealistic but practical, scalable, and enduringly relevant.
However, the legacy of prophetic tolerance has often been clouded-both by those who distort Islam from within and those who misrepresent it from outside. Extremist ideologies, whether under the guise of religion or power, have sought to weaponize faith against its very spirit. Likewise, Orientalist depictions-however academically polished-have often cast Islam as intrinsically intolerant, legalistic, or backward, ignoring its rich spiritual and ethical traditions. Scholars like Edward Said and Wael Hallaq have shown how these narratives are not innocent academic errors but deeply political constructs, reflecting colonial anxieties and civilizational biases. Overcoming these distortions requires not only scholarly correction but a moral reorientation: to allow the prophetic voice, once again, to speak from within the tradition rather than through imposed frameworks.
To live Islam beautifully today is to rise above the distortions that reduce the faith to polemics, identity slogans, or sterile legalism, and to return instead to the prophetic core where ethics, aesthetics, and spirituality converge. The Prophet Muhammad [pbuh]taught that “the best among you are those with the best character,” reaffirming that the highest expression of faith is moral excellence, especially in our treatment of others. This prophetic model is not bound to a bygone era; it remains a living template for navigating the complexities of modern plural societies. Whether in the form of interfaith covenants, educational reform, or spiritual pedagogy, the ethics of the Prophets continue to inspire transformative frameworks for coexistence across the Muslim world-from Indonesia’s Wasatiyyah Islam initiatives to Morocco’s pluralistic cultural policies. Yet this revival is not merely institutional. It begins with the heart-reorienting the self to mirror the prophetic balance of humility and courage, forgiveness and firmness, presence and transcendence. Amid a global resurgence of religious chauvinism and secular alienation, Islam’s call to mercy offers not just a defense against misrepresentation, but a gift to humanity. The prophetic legacy reminds us that tolerance is not a concession to the other, but a recognition of the divine signature within the other. The Qur’anic declaration-“Had God willed, He could have made you one community, but He made you different so that you may come to know one another” (Q.49:13)—summons us toward a cosmopolitan spirituality that dignifies every conscience and honors sacred difference. To embody this path is to make Islam not merely visible but beautiful-where the soul radiates mercy, the heart anchors in justice, and society flourishes through the ethics of mutual recognition. This is not idealism detached from reality; it is the prophetic inheritance that dares to reconcile heaven and earth, spirit and law, self and other, in the name of Divine Mercy. In choosing to live Islam beautifully, we reclaim not only prophetic memory but prophetic possibility-the promise of a world redeemed by truth and reconciled through love.
Author can be mailed at shabirahmed.lone@gmail.com
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