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The Character of Mohammed and Yogic Principles > Page2
He fought as the leader of his army, in both offensive and defensive conflicts, and was once severely wounded. He took and ransomed hostages. He had a group of seven hundred Jews of the Banu Quraiza tribe massacred after they surrendered to him and became his prisoners, when he determined that he could not trust them. He at times approved of his followers performing assassinations to eliminate enemies of the faith (for example Asma, a woman poet of Mecca, who was killed by Omeir, one of Mohammed's followers for criticizing Mohammed). He even burned down the date orchards of his enemies, not even sparing the trees.
This is at least what traditional Islamic records of him relate. Mohammed is credited with introducing Islamic law codes which like most medieval law codes contain much that the modern world regards as unnecessary cruelty, including cutting off of the hands and feet of criminals for certain offenses. Orthodox Muslims today say that Islamic law cannot be changed because to do so would be to alter what the Prophet has said. We do not see in Mohammed the practice of non-violence emphasized in Yoga traditions or found in the life of Christ.
Mohammed forgave all those who embraced Islam and tried hard to promote non-violence among Muslims but his record with non-Muslims was quite different.
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