Navigating Religious Tensions: An Analytical Study of the Hadith "Expel the Polytheists from the Arabian Peninsula" and its Role in Preventing Conflict

Islam’s stance on dealing with non-Muslims is one of the foundational topics in Islamic thought. Among the key principles of a Muslim’s interaction with others are: recognizing the existence of the other, freedom of religion, the lack of any authority to coerce someone into Islam, and kindness and justice should govern interactions with non-Muslims in general. Moreover, Islam explicitly permits marriage between a Muslim and a person of the People of the Book. Despite the clarity of these Islamic values and principles that promote peaceful coexistence and peacebuilding, some texts and reports fall under the category of "problematic hadith," (Arabic: الحديث المشكل, hadith al-mushkil), such as the hadith: "Expel the polytheists from the Arabian Peninsula." A group of Muslims has adhered to the literal interpretation of this hadith and similar problematic texts, leading them to conclusions that undermine the principles of Muslim-non-Muslim relations. This has resulted in extremism, the creation of conflicts, and the rejection of efforts toward peacebuilding and fostering a culture of pluralism and peaceful coexistence. This research aims to study a problematic hadith related to Islam's position on the "other," which on the surface may suggest that Muslims should only deal with non-Muslims through war and violence. It also aims to explore the views of scholars in explaining the hadith. The research will employ both inductive and analytical methodologies, tracing the narrations of the hadith from the six major books of hadith, analyzing them, and contextualizing them within Islam’s stance on the "other." The key findings of the research include that the hadith is not precise, absolutely clear, and lucid, and not Muhkam (established meaning) in its meaning. Nevertheless, scholars have offered varied interpretations. Adopting the views of some scholars in this matter undermines fundamental, universally agreed-upon principles. Furthermore, in the era of globalization, with the world more interconnected, and with the widespread acceptance of principles of cultural diversity, pluralism, acceptance of the "other," and freedom of religion, it is more prudent to follow the majority of scholars who negate the apparent meaning of this problematic hadith. Instead, the guiding principle should be kindness and justice in dealing with others, as long as they do not attack or fight us.