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Michael Hart, the author of The 100, A Ranking of the Most Influential
Persons in History says:
“My
choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons
may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the
only man in history who was supremely successful on both the secular and
religious level.....It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad
on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St.
Paul on Christianity.....It is this unparalleled combination of secular and
religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most
influential single figure in human history.”
The
Encyclopedia Britannica describes him as "the most successful of all
religious personalities of the world."
Alphonse de La Martaine the author of Historie de la Turquie, has
written:
"If
greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astonishing results are the
three criteria of a human genius, who could dare compare any great man in
history with Muhammad? Philosopher, Orator, Apostle, Legislator, Conqueror
of Ideas, Restorer of rational beliefs.... The founder of twenty terrestrial
empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all
standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is
there any man greater than he?"
What was the achievement of the Prophet that prompted so high a praise from
such eminent writers?
How the Revelation Led to a Revolution.
Guided by Divine Revelation, Muhammad (peace be upon him) began the
preaching of Islam in his fortieth year. At that time, the Arabs were in the
depths of ignorance and superstition; a barbarous set of mutually contending
idolatrous tribes, who even buried their baby girls alive. But when the
Prophet completed his mission in his 63rd year, they had become transformed
into a unified nation of cultured people who were ready to make many a
sacrifice to help a needy brother. This wonderful transformation of a whole
nation would have been impossible if Muhammad (peace be upon him) had not
been moved by God. He taught the people the most elementary things of life
such as how to wash oneself, as well as the most important affairs of human
society, such as how a country should be governed.
Above all, he taught the arrogant chieftains of Arabia how to fall down in
submission and abject surrender before the Almighty Allah, the One and the
Only Creator and Sustainer of the whole universe. One can imagine how the
obligatory prayer of a Muslim FIVE TIMES A DAY, can discipline a person’s
life and change one’s attitude to this material world. Unlike other
religions, Islam teaches a comprehensive view of life. The Prophet taught
his Companions that both a person’s public life and private life should be
led in complete obedience to God.
What is so striking about the Prophet’s life is that he did not merely
preach wonderful principles of life for others, but he himself practiced all
that he preached. His life was a model for every one to follow, and so his
close companions faithfully recorded and transmitted his life in such a
wealth of detail that it runs into dozens of volumes. One can compare
this with the very meager accounts of the life of Jesus, for instance, given
in the Gospels, from which the actual teachings of Jesus can be taken out
and printed in just three newspaper columns if you omit repetition.
A Shining Example
As
made clear in the foregoing section, the Prophet himself built the whole
edifice of Islam on the basis of the revelation from God. After the
Prophet’s time, whenever there was a doubt or a question about the Islamic
ruling on a matter, his Companions who outlived him or those who came after
them constantly referred to the Qur’an (the Word of God) and the record of
the example of the Prophet, known collectively as the Sunnah. Even today
this is the practice followed by all the scholars of Islam. If a new
situation not visualized in the Prophet’s time arises, the ruling given by
acknowledged scholars should be on those two bases. So, the individual and
collective life of the Muslim society should be lived in accordance with the
principles laid down in the same sources, namely the Qur’an and the Sunnah,
because what we get there is in fact, Divine Guidance.
A Commander Who Swept the Floor and Milked the Ewes
Much has been written on the Prophet’s great qualities as evinced by the
first hand narrations of his Companions. He was a shining example to his
people. As the great historian, Edward Gibbon says: “The Apostle of God
submitted to the menial offices of the family: he kindled the fire; swept
the floor; milked the ewes; and mended with his own hands his shoes and
garments. Disdaining the penance and merit of a hermit, he observed without
effort of vanity, the abstemious diet of an Arab”.
He
was very kind and considerate to the poorest and the lowest. In his private
dealings he was just and particularly careful to respect the feelings of
others. He treated friends and strangers, the rich and the poor, the
powerful and the weak with equity, and was loved by the common people. He
was the most faithful in protecting those under his tutelage; he was
courteous and sweet in conversation. Those who saw him were immediately
filled with reverence; those who came near him loved him. He was accessible
to all and at all times. He visited the sick and was full of sympathy for
all. Unlimited was his benevolence and generosity as also was his anxious
care for the welfare of the community.
Enemies of Islam
In
spite of all this, there have been enemies of Islam, who gave terrible
caricatures of the Prophet. But the first point to be noted here is that all
those attempts to denigrate the character of Muhammad (peace be upon him)
were not by his contemporaries, but by those who came later. Anyone who has
studied the Prophet’s life can see that the charges against him were not
based on facts, but deliberately concocted to malign the Prophet, with a
view to counteracting his immense influence on the world. They thought that
this was the most effective way to stem the tide of Islam against their own
corrupt or floundering ideologies.
We
know that battles also are a part of our life in this world. Against
oppression or the violation of basic human rights or for achieving lasting
peace, we are often forced to fight. In such circumstances, when fighting
becomes the last option, Islam allows fighting. The Prophet showed humankind
the way, and he taught that oppression is worse than fighting. For the first
thirteen years of his prophetic life he was in Makkah. There, he and his
Companions were subjected to the most inhuman persecution. But he endured
all and asked those who wanted to fight to be patient and forbearing. But
they were boycotted and driven out of their homes, and they had to emigrate
to Madinah where they were received honorably. In Madinah, the Prophet could
preach Islam peacefully. But the enemies of Islam could not tolerate this;
so they gathered their forces to destroy the Prophet and Islam. This led to
the Battle of Badr. When the powerful army of Makkah came, the Prophet did
not opt to flee to a more distant city. He stood his ground, and under
Divine command he and his Companions fought to protect their freedom of
belief and practice, and of preaching Islam, the religion of God. This
battle was a real fight for survival and it determined the course of history.
We
know that it is because we have, in different parts of the world, groups of
people who are ready to fight for justice and truth, that justice and truth
prevail. Indeed it is one of the paradoxes of our earthly life, that often
we have to fight for peace.
Be True to Yourself, and to God
The
Prophet taught his followers always to be truthful and sincere. One of the
worst sins of humankind is hypocrisy. We have to have freedom to speak out
what we believe to be true. God created all of us free, and dictators or
oppressors take away this freedom and cause immense misery to people. The
Prophet taught his people to be committed to the cause of freedom, truth and
justice. A large number of the problems of the present day world arise from
racism, caste system and ethnic rivalry. The Prophet said: “All are the
children of Adam, and Adam was from the earth”. He decried anyone who
claimed superiority on the basis of the color of skin, tribal pride and
other man-made barriers. What the Prophet achieved in Arabia was the
establishment of a society based on One God, One Humanity and One Religion,
which superseded all narrow considerations of clan or color. The Quraysh
leader Abu Sufyan, the rich trader Abu Bakr, the Persian immigrant Salman-al
Farisi and the African slave Bilal all became brothers in a family of the
Ummah, the Muslim community. This transmutation of the ignorant,
race-conscious, cantankerous Arab tribes into the civilized citizens of a
new Islamic State was less imaginable to anyone than the alchemy of turning
base metal into gold.
Prof. Philip K. Hitti writes in “The History of the Arabs”:
“Within a brief span of mortal life, Muhammad called forth of unpromising
material, a nation, never welded before……and laid the basis of an empire
that was soon to embrace within its far-flung boundaries the fairest
provinces of the then civilized world.”
It
was George Bernard Shaw who wrote:
“I
have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its
wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess
that assimilating capacity to the changing phase of existence which can make
itself appeal to every age.”
If
so, isn’t it only reasonable for us to study what Muhammad taught, and
follow his teachings?
SAYINGS OF THE PROPHET:
·
He who
does not thank God does not thank people.
·
Help the
oppressed (sorrowful) people and guide those who have lost their way.
·
God has
revealed to me that you must be humble so that no one oppresses another and
boasts over another.
·
The
Compassionate One has mercy on those who are merciful. If you show mercy to
those who are on the earth, He Who is in the heaven will show mercy to you.
·
Part of
being a good Muslim is his leaving alone that which does not concern him.
·
None of
you becomes a believer until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for
himself.
·
Let him
who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent; and
let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbor;
and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest.
·
A man
asked the Prophet:
"Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan,
treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat as forbidden that which is
forbidden, and do nothing further, I shall enter Paradise ?"
He said: "Yes."
·
The
Prophet Muhammad said to Wabisa bin Mabad: "You have come to ask about
righteousness?" He said:" Yes." Then the Prophet said: "Consult your heart.
Righteousness is that about which the soul feels tranquil and the heart
feels tranquil, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in the soul and causes
disturbance in the breast even though people again and again have given you
their legal opinion [in its favor]."
·
Whoever
sees an evil action-- let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able
to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with
his heart; and that is the weakest of faith."
·
Be in
the world as though you were a stranger or a wayfarer.
·
(Explaining
the above hadith, the Umar Ibn Abdullah used to say: "At the evening do not
expect to live till the morning, and at the morning do not expect to live
till the evening. Take from your health for your illness and from your life
for your death.")
·
A person
came to the Prophet and said: “Who among the people is most deserving of
good treatment from me?
The Prophet said:
“Your mother”. He again asked: “Then who is the next one? The Prophet said:
“Again it is your mother” (who deserves the best treatment from you). He
asked again: “Then who is the next one?” The Holy Prophet said : “Again, it
is your mother”. He asked again: “Then who?” Thereupon the Prophet said:
“Then it is your father.”
·
Verily
Allah does not look to your faces and your wealth but He looks to your heart
and to your deeds.
·
Beware.
Every one of you is a shepherd and every one is answerable with regard to
his flock. The Khalifa (the ruler) is a shepherd over the people and shall
be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs). A
man is a guardian over the members of his family and shall be questioned
about them (as to how he looked after their physical and moral wellbeing). A
woman is a guardian over the household of her husband and his children and
shall be questioned about them (as to how she managed the household and
brought up the children). A servant is a guardian over the property of his
master and shall be questioned about it (as to how he safeguarded his
trust). Beware, every one of you is a guardian and every one of you shall be
questioned with regard to his trust.
·
It is
obligatory upon a Muslim that he should listen to the ruler appointed over
him and obey him whether he likes it or not, except when he is ordered to do
a sinful thing. If he is ordered to do a sinful act, a Muslim should neither
listen to him nor should he obey his orders.
·
Whoever
likes to be granted more wealth and his lease of life to be prolonged, and
then he should keep good relations with his relatives.
·
A person
said to the Prophet: "O Allah's Apostle! What do you think about my good
deeds which I used to do during the period of ignorance (before embracing
Islam), like keeping good relations with my relatives, freeing slaves and
giving alms etc; shall I receive the reward for that?" Allah's Apostle said,
"You have embraced Islam with all those good deeds which you did.”
·
The one
who looks after and works for a widow and for a poor person is like a
warrior fighting for Allah's Cause.
·
The
Prophet said, "By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a
believer! By Allah, he is not a believer!" It was asked: "Who is that, O
Allah's Apostle?" He answered: "That person whose neighbor does not feel
safe from his evil.”
·
The best
among you are those who have the best manners and character.
·
The
worst people in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection will be the
two-faced people who appear to some people with one face and to other people
with another face.
·
The
signs of a hypocrite are three: Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie; and
whenever he promises, he breaks his promise; and whenever he is entrusted,
he betrays (proves to be dishonest).
·
A man
came to the Prophet and said, "I keep away from the morning prayer only
because such and such a person prolongs the prayer when he leads us in it.
The narrator added: I had never seen Allah's Apostle more furious in giving
advice than he was on that day. He said, "O people! There are some among you
who make others dislike good deeds and cause the others to have aversion (to
congregational prayers). Beware! Whoever among you leads the people in
prayer should not prolong it, because among them there are the sick, the
old, and the needy."
·
The
strong is not the one who overcomes the people by his strength, but the
strong is the one who controls himself while in anger.
·
When
Allah's Apostle sent Mu'adh bin Jabal to Yemen, he said to him: "Facilitate
things for the people (treat the people in the most agreeable way); do not
make things difficult for them; give them glad tidings; and let them not
have aversion (i.e. to make the people hate good deeds). You should both
work in cooperation and mutual understanding, obey each other."
·
A
Bedouin urinated in the mosque, and the people rushed to hit him. Allah's
Apostle ordered them to leave him and pour a bucket (full) of water over the
place where he had passed urine. The Prophet then said, " You have been sent
to make things easy (for the people) and you have not been sent to make
things difficult for them."
·
Whoever
believes in Allah and the Last Day should not hurt his neighbor, whoever
believes in Allah and the Last Day should serve his guest generously, and
whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, should say what is good or keep
quiet.
·
Allah
will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind.
·
If
anyone tells you that Muhammad has seen his Lord, he is a liar, for Allah
says: 'No vision can grasp Him.' (Holy Qur’an 6: 103) And if anyone tells
you that Muhammad has seen the Unseen, he is a liar, for Allah says: "None
has the knowledge of the Unseen but Allah.”
·
Allah's
Apostle used to say at the time of difficulty, "None has the right to be
worshipped but Allah, the Majestic, the Most Forbearing. None has the right
to be worshipped but Allah, the Lord of the Tremendous Throne. None has the
right to be worshipped but Allah, the Lord of the Heavens and the Lord of
the Honorable Throne.
·
The
Prophet mentioned the following (as Allah's Saying): "If My slave comes
nearer to Me for a span, I go nearer to him for a cubit; and if he comes
nearer to Me for a cubit; I go nearer to him for the span of outstretched
arms.
