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8/14/2019 WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT MOHAMMED
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WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT MUHAMMAD
W A M Y S e r i e s o n Is l am N o . 4
Dur i ng t he Cr usades , a l l so r t s o f s l ande r s wer e l eve l l ed aga i ns t t he
P r o p h e t M u h a m m a d . W i t h t h e b i r t h o f t h e m o d e r n a g e , w h i c h i sc h a r a c t e r iz e d b y a g r e a t e r d e g r e e o f r e lig io u s t o le r a n c e a n d fr e e d o m
o f t h o u g h t , t h e r e h a s b e e n a c h a n g e in t h e a p p r o a c h o f w e st e r n
a u t h o r s w h o st u d y t h e P r o p h e t ' s life a n d c h a r a c t e r s. A s a m p l in g o f
t h e i r v i ews is g iven be low.
Unf or t una t e l y , t he W es t s t i l l has no t r ea l i zed t he g r ea t e s t a spec t o f
t h e P r o p h e t : h e i s t h e l a s t o f t h e p r o p h e t s s e n t b y G o d t o g u i d e
m a n k in d t o t h e t r u t h . In s p i t e o f it s g r e a t a d v a n c e s i n o t h e r a r e a s o f
l i f e , t he W es t s t i l l has no t made a s i nce r e and ob j ec t i ve a t t empt t o
u n d e r s t a n d th e m e ss a ge b r o u g h t b y t h e P r o p h e t . Alt h o u g h s o m ep e o p l e h a v e s e e n h i m a s a p e r s o n w o r t h y o f h i g h p r a i s e a n d h a v e
p a i d h i m g l o w i n g t r i b u t e s o n t h e l e v e l s o f p e r s o n a l i n t e g r i t y a n d
ach i evemen t , h is cla i m o f be in g t he P r oph e t o f God h as a lm os t a l ways
b een r e jec ted , e i th er expl ic it ly or imp l ic it ly , as f a l se . It i s t im e to
t r ea t t h i s l a s t c l a i m wi t h a sp i r i t o f t r ue ob j ec t i v i t y and open-
m i n d e d n e s s .
J u s t w h o w a s M u h a m m a d ? A c c o r d i n g t o a l l a c c o u n t s , w h i c h a r e
a u t h e n t i c a n d a c c e p t e d b y a l l M u s l i m s c h o l a r s , u p u n t i l t h e a g e o f
f o r t y h e w a s k n o w n t o h i s p e o p l e a s a d e c e n t m a n . H e w a s n o t as t a t e sm a n , a p r e a c h e r , o r a n o r a t o r . H e w a s n e v e r s e e n d i s cu s s in g
p r i nc i p l e s o r t h eo r i e s a s soc ia t ed w i t h m e t ap h ys ic s , e t h i c s, law ,
p olit ics , econ om ics , or soc io logy. He p ossessed a n e xcell en t ch ar ac ter ,
c h a r m in g m a n n e r s , a n d w a s h i gh ly c u l t u r e d . Bu t h is c h a r a c t e r is t ic s
a r e n o t so d e e p ly s t r ik in g a n d s o r a d ic a lly e x t r a o r d in a r y t h a t p e o p l e
w o u l d e x p e c t s o m e t h i n g g r e a t a n d r e v o l u t i o n a r y f r o m h i m i n t h e
f u t u r e .
O n e o f M u h a m m a d ' s c u s t o m s w a s t o r e t ir e t o a n e a r b y c a v e f o r
p r i va t e se s s i ons o f t h i nk i ng and med i t a t i on . Th i s i n i t s e l f was no tu n u s u a l, fo r o t h e r p e o p l e a ls o d i d t h is . Bu t w h e n h e c a m e o u t o f h is
cave a f t e r r ece i v i ng t he f i r s t r eve l a t i on , he was compl e t e l y
t r a n s f o r m e d .
Seve r a l ques t i ons need t o be a sked he r e . I s i t poss i b l e f o r a pe r son
k n o w n a n d r e s p e c t e d f o r h i s h o n e s t y a n d t r u s t w o r t h i n e s s t o
a n n o u n c e s u d d e n l y t h a t h e is t h e Pr o p h e t o f Go d a n d t h e n b e g in t o
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c a ll u p o n h is p e o p le t o a b a n d o n t h e i r o l d l iv e s a n d b e l ie fs fo r n e w
on es? Also , i f h e wer e a fa l se p r op h e t , why d id h e su f fe r t h r ou gh a ll
o f t h e h a r d s h ip s th a t h i s p e o p le im p o s e d u p o n h i m ? An d w h y , w h e n
h is peop le o ffe r ed t o accep t h im as t he i r k in g and t o lay a l l t h e r i ches
o f t h e la n d a t h is fe e t , if o n l y h e w o u l d c e a s e a n d d e s i st , d id h e
r e f u s e t o d o s o ? W h y d id h e c o n t i n u e t o p r e a c h I sla m in t h e f a c e o f a l l k i nds o f i n su l t s , soc i a l boyco t t , and even phys i ca l a s sau l t by h i s
o w n p e o p le ?
Was it n o t on ly God ' s sup p or t , a lon g with h is firm will , t o d i ssem ina te
t h e Is lam ic r eve la t i on an d h is deep -r oo t e d b e l ie f t h a t u l t im a t e l y
Is la m w o u l d e m e r g e a s t h e s o l e u n iv e r s a l r e lig io n , t h a t h e r e f u s e d t o
b e c o we d a n d s wa y e d b y a n y o f th e o p p o s it io n a n d p l o ts la u n c h e d
a g a in s t h i m b y h is e n e m ie s ? Fu r t h e r m o r e , if h e i n t e n d e d t o u s e
Is lam as a r i va l r e l ig ion aga i ns t Jud a i sm an d Ch r i s t ian it y , wh y d id h e
make be l i e f i n Je sus Chr i s t , M oses , and a l l o f t he o t he r p r ophe t s o f God a ba s ic r equ ir em en t o f t h e Is lam ic fa i t h?
I s i t n o t a n i n c o n t r o v e r t i b l e p r o o f o f h i s p r o p h e t h o o d t h a t , d e s p i t e
b e i n g u n le t t e r e d a n d h a v in g le d a v e r y n o r m a l a n d q u ie t life fo r
f o r t y y e a r s , t h a t a l l o f A r a b i a s t o o d i n a w e a n d w o n d e r o f h i s
w o n d e r fu l e lo q u e n c e a n d o r a t o r y wh e n h e b e g a n t o p r e a c h Is la m ? It
was so m a t ch l e s s t h a t l egion s o f Ar ab p oe t s , p r each e r s , an d o r a t o r s o f
t h e h i g h e s t c a l i b e r f a i l e d t o p r o d u c e a c o m p o s i t i o n t h a t c o u l d
com pa r e w i th o r eq ua l it . An d , above a l l, how cou l d h e s t a t e sc ien t i fic
t r u t h s t h a t wo u l d n o t b e k n o w n b y t o t h e r e st o f h u m a n i t y fo rc en t u r i es a n d t h a t h e c o u ld n o t le a r n a b o u t in a n y o t h e r w a y e x ce p t
t h r o u g h d iv in e r e v e la t io n ?
La s t b u t n o t l ea s t , w h y d id h e le a d a n e v e n h a r d e r l ife a f t e r g a in in g
p o w e r a n d a u t h o r it y ? Ju s t p o n d e r t h e w or d s h e u t t er e d w h e n h e w a s
d y i ng : "We , t h e comm u n it y o f t he Pr op h e t s , d o n o t i nh e r i t . All t h a t
we l eave i s fo r cha r i t y"
Co n s id e r w h a t o t h e r s h a v e s a id a b o u t t h i s e xt r a o r d i n a r y m a n :
If g r ea t n e s s o f p u r p o s e , s m a lln e s s o f m e a n s , a n d a st o u n d in g
r e su l t s ar e t h e t h r e e c r it e r ia o f h u m a n g e n iu s , w h o c o u l d d a r e
t o co m p a re an y g re at m an in m o d e m h i st o ry w it h M u h am m ad ?
T h e m o s t fa m o u s m e n c r e at e d a rm s , la w s a n d e m p i re s on l y
T h e y f o u n d e d , if an y t h i n g at all, n o m o r e t h a n m a t e ria l p o w e r s
w h i ch o f t en c ru m b le d aw a y b e f o re t h e ir e y e s T h is m a n m o v e d
n o t on ly arm ies , leg is la t ion , em pires, peop les and d yn ast ie s , bu t
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m ill io n s o f m e n in o n e -t h ir d o f t h e t h e n - in h a b i t e d w o r ld ; a n d
m o r e t h a n t h a t h e m o v e d t h e a lt a rs , t h e g o d s , t h e r e l ig io n s , t h e
ideas , the be l ie f s and sou ls . . . . His forbearance in v ic tory , h i s
a m b i t io n w h ic h w a s e n t ir e ly d e v o t e d t o o n e id e a a n d in n o
m a n n e r st r iv i n g f o r an e m p i r e , h is e n d le s s p r a y e r s , h is m y s t i c
c o n v e r sa tio n s w it h God , h is d e a t h a n d h is t r iu m p h a f t e r d e a t h -a ll t h e s e a t t e st n o t t o a n im p o s t u r e b u t t o a f i rm c o n v ic t io n
w h i ch g av e h im t h e p o w e r t o r e st o r e a d o g m a . T h i s d o g m a w a s
t w o f o l d : t h e u n i t y o f Go d a n d t h e i m m a t e ria li t y o f Go d ; t h e
form er t e l ling wh at God i s, the la t t e r t e l ling wh at God i s n o t ;
t h e o n e o v e r t h r o w in g f als e go d s w i t h t h e s w o r d , t h e o t h e r
s tar t ing an idea wi th the words . Ph i losopher , ora tor , apos t le ,
legis la tor , warr ior , conqueror o f ideas , res torer o f ra t ional
d o g m a s, o f a c u l t w i t h o u t im a ge s ; t h e f o u n d e r o f t w e n t y
terres t r ia l em pires and o f one sp i ri tua l em p ire , tha t i s
Mu h a m m a d . A s re g ar d s al l s t an d a r d s b y w h i c h h u m a ng re a t n e s s m a y b e m e a su r e d , w e m a y w e l l a sk , is t h e r e a n y
m a n g re at e r th a n h e ?
- La m a r t in e
His to ire de la Tu rqu ie , Pans 18 54 , Vol . 11 , p p . 27 6-77 .
It i s n o t t h e p r o p a g at i o n b u t t h e p e r m a n e n c y o f h is r e lig io n
t h a t d e s e rv e s o u r w o n d e r ; t h e s a m e p u r e an d p e r f e ct
im p r e s s io n w h ic h h e e n g r a v e d a t Me c ca an d Ma d i n a i s
p r e s e r v e d , a f t e r t h e r e v o l u t i o n s o f t w e lv e c e n t u r ie s b y t h e Ind ian , the A fr ican and the Turk i sh prose ly tes o f the Koran . . .
T h e M a h o m e t an s h a v e u n if o rm ly w i t h s t o o d t h e t e m p t a t io n o f
r e d u c in g t h e o b je c t o f t h e i r f a it h a n d d e v o t io n t o a l e v e l w i t h
t h e s e n s e s an d i m a gi n a t io n o f m a n . I b e l ie v e i n On e Go d a n d
Ma h o m e t i s t h e A p o s t le o f Go d ' i s t h e s im p l e a n d i n v a r ia b le
p ro fess ion o f Is lam . Th e in te l lec tu a l im age o f th e De i ty h as
n e v e r b e e n d e g r a d e d b y a n y v i s i b l e i d o l ; t h e h o n o r s o f t h e
p r o p h e t h a v e n e v e r t ra n s gr e ss e d t h e m e as u r e o f h u m a n v i rt u e ;
a n d h i s l i v i n g p r e c e p t s h a v e r e s t r a i n e d t h e g r a t i t u d e o f h i s
d i scip les w ith in th e bou n ds o f reason and re lig ion .
- Ed ward Gibb on and S im on Ock lay
His tory o f th e Saracen Em pire , Lon do n 18 70 , p 5 4 .
He was Caesar and Pop e in on e; bu t h e was Pop e w i thou t Pop e ' s
pre tens ions , Caesar w i thou t the l eg ions o f Caesar : w i thou t a
s t an d in g a rm y , w it h o u t a b o d y g u a r d , w it h o u t a p a la ce , w i t h o u t
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a fix e d r e v e n u e . If e v e r an y m a n h a d t h e r ig h t t o s ay t h a t h e
r u l ed b y t h e rig h t d i v in e , it w a s Mo h a m m a d , f o r h e h a d a ll t h e
p o w e r w it h o u t i t s in s t r u m e n t s a n d w i t h o u t i t s s u p p o r t s .
- Bo s w o r t h S m i t h
M o h a m m a d an d M o h a m m ad a n ism , Lo n d o n 1 8 7 4 , p 9 2 .
It is im p oss ib le for any on e wh o s tu d ies th e l if e and charac ter
o f t h e g re a t Pr o p h e t o f A r a b ia , w h o k n o w s h o w h e t a u g h t a n d
h o w h e liv e d , t o f e e l a n y t h in g b u t r e v e re n c e f o r t h a t m ig h t y
Pr o p h e t , o n e o f t h e g r e at m e s se n g e r s o f t h e Su p r e m e . A n d
a lt h o u g h in w h a t I p u t t o y o u I s h a ll sa y m a n y t h i n g s w h ic h
m a y b e f am ilia r t o m a n y , y e t I m y s e l f f e e l w h e n e v e r I r e -r e ad
t h e m , a n e w w ay o f a d m ir at io n , a n e w s e n s e o f r e v e r e n c e f o r
t h a t m ig h t y A r ab i an t e a c h e r .
- A n n i e Be s a n t
T h e L if e an d T e a ch i n g s o f Mu h a m m a d , Ma d r as 1 9 3 2 , p 4
His read iness to u n d ergo p ersecu t ion fo r h i s be l ie f s , th e h igh
m o r al c h a ra ct e r o f th e m e n w h o b e lie v e d in h i m a n d l o o k e d u p
t o h im a s le a d e r , a n d t h e g r ea t n e s s o f h is u l t im a t e
a ch ie v e m e n t all a rg u e h is f u n d a m e n t a l in t e g rit y T o s u p p o s e
M u h a m m a d an im p o s t o r r ais es m o r e p r o b l em s t h a n i t s olv e s .
Moreov er , n on e o f th e grea t f igu res o f h i s tory is so poor ly
a p p r e cia te d i n t h e W e s t as M u h a m m a d .
- W M o n t g om e r y W a t t
Moh am m ad At Mecca , Ox ford , 1953 , p 5 2 .
M u h a m m a d , t h e in s p i r ed m a n w h o f o u n d e d Is la m , w as b o r n
a b o u t A D. 5 7 0 in t o a n A r ab i an t u b e t h a t w o r s h i p p e d id o ls .
Orph aned a t b i rth , h e was always par t icu lar ly so l ic itou s o f th e
p o o r an d n e e d y t h e w id o w a n d t h e o r p h a n , t h e s la v e a n d t h e
d o w n t r o d d e n . A t t w e n t y h e w a s alr e ad y a su c c e s sf u l
bu s in essm an , and soon b ecam e d i rec tor o f cam el caravan s for aw e a lt h y w i d o w . W h e n h e r e ac h e d t w e n t y -f iv e h is e m p l o y e r ,
r e co g n i z in g h i s m e e t , p r o p o s e d m a rr ia ge . Ev e n t h o u g h s h e w a s
f i f t een y ears o lder , h e m arried h er , and as long as she l ived
r em a in e d a d e v o t e d h u s b an d . Lik e a lm o s t e v e r y m a jo r p r o p h e t
b e f o r e h i m , M u h a m m a d f o u g h t s h y o f s er v in g a s t h e
t r an s m it t e r o f Go d ' s w o r d , s e n s in g h i s o w n i n a d e q u a c y Bu t t h e
a n g el c o m m a n d e d Re ad ' . So f ar as w e k n o w , M u h a m m a d w a s
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u n a b le t o r e a d o r w r i t e , b u t h e b e g a n t o d ic t at e t h o s e in s p i re d
w o r d s w h ic h w o u ld s o o n r e v o l u t i o n i z e a la rg e se g m e n t o f t h e
e a rt h : " T h e r e i s o n e Go d ." In a ll t h in g s Mu h a m m a d w a s
p r o f o u n d l y p r ac t ic al. W h e n h is b e l o v e d s o n Ib r a h i m d ie d , a n
e c li p s e o c cu r r e d , a n d r u m o r s o f Go d ' s p e r s o n a l c o n d o le n c e
q u ic k ly a r o se . W h e r eu p o n M u h a m m a d is sa id t o h a v eann oun ced ,' An ec lipse is a ph enom enon o f n a ture . It i s foo li sh
t o at t r ib u t e s u c h t h in g s t o t h e d e at h o r b i rt h o f a h u m a n -
b e in g ." A t Mu h am m ad s o w n d e at h a n a t te m p t w a s m a d e t o
d e i fy h im , b u t t h e m a n w h o w a s to b e c o m e h i s ad m in i st r at iv e
s u c c e s s o r k i l l e d t h e h y s t e r i a w i t h o n e o f t h e n o b l e s t s p e e c h e s
in r e l ig io u s h is t o r y : ' If t h e r e a r e a n y a m o n g y o u w h o
w o r s h i p p e d Mu h a m m a d , h e is d e a d . Bu t i f it i s Go d y o u
worsh ip pe d , He li ves for ever ' .
Jam es A. Mich en e~"Is lam : Th e M isu n d ers tood Religion,"
Read er ' s Digest (Am en can ea .) May 1 95 5 , pp . 68-70 .
My c h o ic e o f Mu h a m m a d t o le a d t h e l is t o f t h e w o r ld ' s m o s t
in f l u e n t i al p e r s on s m a y s u r p r is e s o m e r e a d e r s an d m a y b e
q u e s t io n e d b y o t h e r s, b u t h e w a s t h e o n ly m a n i n h i st o r y w h o
w a s su p r e m e ly s u c c e ss f u l o n b o t h t h e r e lig io u s an d s e cu l a r
level .
Michael H. HartTh e 10 0: A Rank ing o f th e Mos t In f luen t ial Persons in His tory ,
New York: Har t Pub l ish ing Com p any In c . 19 78 , p 3 3 .