Crisis Management STRATEGY in Islam: A Case Study of Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) APPROACHES in the Hudaibiya

Abstract

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is one of the most successful leaders in human history. The biography and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have been studied by many scholars. These studies have helped in deriving numerous guiding principles for contemporary socio-political issues. In the sixth year of Hijra (AD 628), Prophet (PBUH) decided to visit Makka for a lesser pilgrimage Umra. Prophet left Madina along with his companions in preparations to perform Umra, with no intention of starting a war. However, the inhabitants of Makka, the Quraysh were not happy with Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) decision to visit the sacred place. They made preparations to obstruct the peaceful pilgrims. Because of this, the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions had to camp at Hudaibiya and subsequently choose a different path. The event and the outcome of Hudaibiya are discussed by many researchers. Their studies are primarily focused on the Prophet’s (PBUH) strategic decision-making ability, diplomacy, eagerness for peace, conflict resolution, and steadfastness in his mission. Though Hudaibiya event is a classic example of a crisis, no significant studies were done to discuss the crisis management strategy employed by the Prophet (PBUH) at Hudaibiya. The researcher intends to explore Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) crisis management strategy at Hudaibiya. The historical research methodology and content analysis technique were used to analyse the Hudaibiya event, in the light of SCCT. The research revealed that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) managed the crisis at Hudaibiya in a way that was compatible with modern crisis management theories. The finding of this research would enhance the understanding of crisis management in Islam among contemporary scholars and researchers.