Chapter 2
FROM THE HISTORICAL PAST
It is not difficult to reproduce a further dozen or more eulogies by the admirers and critics of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Despite all their objectivity, jaundiced minds can always conjure up some aspersions. Let me take my readers deep down in past history
It was Friday the 8th of May, 1840, that is about a hundred and fifty years ago, at a time when it was a sacrilege to say anything good about Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the Christian West was rained to hate the man Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his religion, the same way as dogs were at one stage trained in my country to hate all black people. At that time in history, Thomas Carlyle, one of the greatest thinkers of the past century delivered a series of lectures under the theme - "Heroes and Hero-worship."
DEVELOPED SICKNESS
Carlyle exposed this blind prejudice of his people at the beginning of his talk. He made reference to one of the literary giants a Dutch scholar and statesman, by the name of Hugo Grotius, [From page 57 of the book - "On Heroes Hero-worship and the Heroic in History" by Thomas Carlyle, London 1959.] who had written a bitter and abusive invective against the prophet of Islam. He had falsely charged that the Holy Prophet had trained pigeons to pick out peas from his ears, so that he could by this trick bluff his people that the Holy Ghost in the shape of a dove was revealing God's Revelation to him, which he then had them recorded in his Bible the Qur’ân. Perhaps Grotius was inspired into this fairy-tale from his reading of his own Holy Scriptures: 'Then, Jesus, when he had been baptized (by John the Baptist in the Jordan River), came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God Descending Like A Dove and alighting upon him. (Emphasis added) Matthew 3:16
WHERE'S THE AUTHORITY
Pococke, another respected intellectual of the time, like "doubting Thomas" (John 20:25), wanted proof about Muhammad (peace be upon him), the pigeons, and the peas? Grotius answered "THAT THERE WAS NO PROOF!" He just felt like inventing this story for his audience. To him and his audience the "pigeons and peas" theory was more plausible than that of the Archangel dictating to Muhammad (peace be upon him). These falsities wringed the heart of Carlyle. He cried: "THE LIES, WHICH WELL-MEANING ZEAL HAS HEAPED ROUND THIS MAN, ARE DISGRACEFUL TO OURSELVES ONLY." Thomas Carlyle
THE HERO PROPHET
Carlyle was a man of genius and God gifted him with the art of articulation. In his own way, he wanted to put the records straight. He planned to deliver a lecture and he chose a very provocative topic "The hero as Prophet." and he chose this hero-prophet to be the most maligned man of his time, "MUHAMMAD (PBUH)!" Not Moses, David, Solomon, or Jesus but Muhammad! To placate his overwhelming Anglican (belonging to the Church of England) fellow countrymen, he apologised - "AS THERE IS NO DANGER OF OUR BECOMING, ANY OF US, MAHOMETANS, I MEAN TO SAY ALL THE GOOD OF HIM I JUSTLY CAN."
In other words he, as well as his elite audience were free from the fear of converting to Islam, and could take a chance in paying some compliments to Muhammad (peace be upon him). If he had any fears regarding the strength of their faith, he would not have taken that chance. In an era of hatred and spite towards evernhing Islamic and to an audience full of scepticism and cynicism, Carlyle unfolded many a glowing truth about his hero - Muhammad (peace be upon him). To the praise-worthy," indeed be praise. For that is what the very name Muhammad means - the Praised One - the Praiseworthy. There are times when Carlyle uses words and expressions, which might not be too pleasing to the believing Muslim, but one has to forgive him as he was walking a cultural tightrope, and he succeeded eminently. He Paid our hero many ardent and enthusiastic tribute, and defended him from the false charges and calumnies of his enemies, exactly as the Prophet had done in the case of Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother.
HIS SINCERITY
l a. "THE GREAT MAN'S SINCERITY IS OF THE KIND HE CANNOT SPEAK OF: NAY, I SUPPOSE, HE IS CONSCIOUS RATHER OF INSINCERITY; FOR WHAT MAN CAN WALK ACCURATELY BY THE LAW OF TRUTH FOR ONE DAY? NO, THE GREAT MAN DOES NOT BOAST HIMSELF SINCERE, FAR FROM THAT; PERHAPS DOES NOT ASK HIMSELF IF HE IS SO: I WOULD SAY RATHER, HIS SINCERITY DOES NOT DEPEND ON HIMSELF: HE CANNOT HELP BEING SINCERE!" Heros and Hero-Worship, p.59
b. "A SILENT GREAT SOUL, HE WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO CANNOT BUT BE IN EARNEST, WHOM NATURE HERSELF HAS APPOINTED TO BE SINCERE. WHILE OTHERS WALK IN FORMULAS AND HEARSAYS, CONTENTED ENOUGH TO DWELL THERE, THIS MAN COULD NOT SCREEN HIMSELF IN FORMULAS; HE WAS ALONE WITH HIS OWN SOUL AND THE REALITY OF THINGS . . . SUCH SINCERITY, AS WE NAMED IT, HAS IN VERY TRUTH SOMETHING OF DIVINE. THE WORD OF SUCH A MAN IS A VOICE DIRECT FROM NATURE'S OWN HEART. MEN DO AND MUST LISTEN TO THAT AS TO NOTHING ELSE, - - - ALL ELSE IS WIND IN COMPARISON." Heros and Hero-Worship, p.71
In his lengthy speech, Carlyle did not have the opportunity to inform his audience about the sources of his inferences. I may furnish just one incident from the life of the Prophet. An incidence which reflects the highest degree of his sincerity in recording a Revelation in the Holy Qur’ân even if it seems to reprove him for some natural and human zeal.
ADMONITION AS REVEALED
It was in the early days of his mission in Makkah. Muhammad (peace be upon him) was deeply engrossed in trying to wean the leaders of the pagan Quraish to his teachings. Apparently one of them was giving him an attentive hearing when a poor blind man by the name Of Abdullah lbn Umm-1- Maktum tried to barge in into the discussion and wanting to draw attention to himself. The blessed Prophet said nothing, but a thought went through his mind (why don't you have a little patience, can't you see (sense) that because of your impatience I might lose these customers). I believe that lesser men, sinners and saints, will not be questioned for such lapses, but not so for Muhammad (peace be upon him). Did not God choose him and honour him with that lofty status as recorded? And Most Certainly Thou (O Muhammad) Are of Most sublime And Exalted Character.
(Holy Qur’ân 68:4)
HE FROWNED
Whilst in the midst of the conversation with his pagan fellow tribesmen, God Almighty sends Gabriel, the Angel of Revelation, with this admonition:
(THE PROPHET) FROWNED AND TURNED AWAY, BECAUSE THERE CAME TO HIM HE BLIND MAN (INTERRUPTING). BUT WHAT COULD TELL THEE THAT PERCHANCE HE MIGHT GROW (IN SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING)? OR THAT HE MIGHT RECEIVE ADMONITION, AND THE TEACHING MIGHT PRORT HIM? Holy Qur’ân 80:1-4
The holy Prophet (peace be upon him) had naturally disliked the interruption. Perhaps the poor man's feelings were hurt. But he whose gentle heart ever sympathised with the poor and the afflicted, got new Light (Revelation) from his Lord, and without the least hesitation, he immediately published it for all eternity! Subsequently, every time he met this blind man, he received him graciously and thanked him that on his account the Lord had remembered him. During Muhammad's (peace be upon him) absences from Madinah, the blind man was made the Governor of the City twice. Such was the sincerity and gratitude of Carlyle's Hero Prophet.
HIS FIDELITY
2. "IT IS A BOUNDLESS FAVOUR. HE NEVER FORGOT THIS GOOD KADIJAH. LONG AFTERWARDS, AYESHA HIS YOUNG FAVOURITE WIFE, A WOMAN WHO INDEED DISTINGUISHED HERSELF AMONG THE MOSLEMS, BY ALL MANNER OF QUALITIES, THROUGH HER WHOLE LONG LIFE; THIS YOUNG BRILLIANT AYESHA WAS, ONE DAY, QUESTIONING HIM.'NOW AM NOT I BETTER THAN KADIJAH? SHE WAS A WIDOW; OLD, AND HAD LOST HER LOOKS: YOU LOVE ME BETTER THAN YOU DID HER?' 'NO, BY ALLAH!' ANSWERED MAHOMET: 'NO, BY ALLAH! SHE BELIEVED IN ME WHEN NONE ELSE WOULD BELIEVE. IN THE WHOLE WORLD I HAD BUT ONE FRIEND, AND SHE WAS THAT!... Heros and Hero-Worship, p. 76 It would have been easier to repel the temptation of the devil than to succumb to the ego of a young, loving, brilliant and beautiful wife like lady Ayesha Siddique. Why not let her hear the soft soothing balm of flattery-, it will not harm anyone. Even the soul of Bibi Khadijah, the mother of the Faithful, would look light-heartedly at the ruse. There is no shamming, no innocent "white lies" with Muhammad (peace be upon him). Traits of this kind show us the genuine man, brother of us all, brought visible through fourteen centuries, - - - the veritable son of our common mother.
'AL AMEEN. THE FAITHFUL'
3 a. "A MAN OF TRUTH AND FIDELITY; TRUE IN WHAT HE DID, IN WHAT HE SPAKE AND THOUGHT. THEY NOTED THAT HE ALWAYS MEANT SOMETHING. A MAN RATHER TACITURN IN SPEECH; SILENT WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING TO BE SAID; BUT PERTINENT WISE, SINCERE, WHEN HE DID SPEAK; ALWAYS THROWING LIGHT ON THE MATTER. THIS IS THE ONLY SORT OF SPEECH WORTH SPEAKING!" Heros and Hero-Worship, p. 69
b. "MAHOMET NATURALLY GAVE OFFENCE TO THE KOREISH, KEEPERS OF THE KAABAH, SUPERINTENDENTS OF THE IDOLS. ONE OR TWO MEN OF INFLUENCE HAD JOINED HIM:
1. “THE THING SPREAD SLOWLY, BUT IT WAS SPREADING, NATURALLY HE GAVE OFFENCE TO EVERYBODY."[The Jews hated the Prophet: the Christians hated the Prophet: the mushriks (the Polytheists) hated the Prophet, and the Munafiqeen (the hypocrites) hated the Prophet. It is the nature of Falsehood to hate the Truth. Light dismisses Darkness, but darkness does not take kindly to light. ] Heros and Hero-Worship, p. 77 c.
"NOT A MEALYMOUTHED MAN! A CANDID FEROCITY, IF THE CASE CALLS FOR IT, IS IN HIM; HE DOES NOT MINCE MATRERS! THE WAR OF TABUC IS A THING HE OFTEN SPEAKS OF: HIS MEN REFUSED, MANY OF THEM, TO MARCH ON THAT OCCASION; PLEADED THE HEAT OF THE WEATHER, THE HARVEST, AND SO FORTH; HE CAN NEVER FORGET THAT. YOUR HARVEST? IT LASTS FOR A DAY. WHAT WILL BECOME OF YOUR HARVEST THROUGH ALL ETERNITY? HOT WEATHER? YES, IT WAS HOT; 'BUT HELL WILL BE HOTER!' SOMETIMES A ROUGH SARCASM TURNS UP: HE SAYS TO THE UNBELIEVERS, YE SHALL NOT HAVE SHORT WEIGHT!" Heros and Hero-Worship, p. 95/6.
Remember, Thomas Carlyle uttered these words, and many more to a shocked and bewildered Christian audience in England, a hundred and fifty years ago. History did not record for us the lively arguments and debates which his lecture must naturally have caused. He kept to his promise: "I mean to say all the good of him (his Hero Prophet) I justly can'" and he went on in his talk to I defend Muhammad (peace be upon him) against the false charges, slander and calumnies of his enemies:
CHARGE OF FALSITY
4a. "A FALSE MAN FOUND A RELIGION? WHY, A FALSE MAN CANNOT BUILD A BRICK HOUSE! IF HE DOES NOT KNOW AND FOLLOW TRULY THE PROPERTIES OF MORTAR, BURNT CLAY AND WHAT ELSE HE WORKS IN, IT IS NO HOUSE THAT HE MAKES, BUT A RUBBISH HEAP. IT WILL NOT STAND FOR TWELVE CENTURIES, [Now, fourteen centuries] TO LODGE A HUNDRED-AND EIGHTY MILLIONS; [A thousand million today.] IT WILL FALL STRAIGHT AWAY. SPECIOSITIES ARE SPECIOUS [Specious: Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually false.]. . . IT IS LIKE A FORGED BANK NOTE; THEY GET IT PASSED OUT OF THEIR WORTHLESS HANDS: OTHERS, NOT THEY, HAVE TO SMART FOR IT. NATURE BURSTS-UP IN FIRE-FLAMES, FRENCH REVOLUTIONS AND SUCH-LIKE, PROCLAIMING WITH THE TERRIBLE VERACITY THAT FORGED NOTES ARE FORGED." Heros and Hero-Worship), p.58
b. "IT GOES GREATLY AGAINST THE IMPOSTER THEORY, THE FACT THAT HE LIVED IN THIS ENTIRELY UNEXCEPTIONABLE, ENTIRELY QUIET AND COMMON PLACE WAY, TILL THE HEAT OF HIS YEARS WAS DONE. HE WAS FORTY BEFORE HE TALKED OF ANY MISSION FROM HEAVEN. . ALL HIS 'AMBITION,' SEEMINGLY, HAD BEEN, HITHERTO, TO LIVE AN HONEST LIFE; HIS 'FAME,' THE MERE GOOD OPINION OF NEIGHBOURS THAT KNEW HIM..." Heros and Hero-Worship, p. 70
"AMBITION? WHAT COULD ALL ARABIA DO FOR THIS MAN; WITH THE CROWN OF GREEK HERACLIUS, OF PERSIAN CHOSROES, AND ALL THE CROWNS IN EARTH; - WHAT COULD THEY ALL DO FOR HIM? IT WAS NOT OF THE HEAVEN ABOVE AND OF THE HELL BENEATH. ALL CROWNS AND SOVEREIGNTIES WHAT- SOEVER, WHERE WOULD THEY IN A FEW BRIEF YEARS BE? TO BE SHEIKH OF MAKKAH OR ARABIA, AND HAVE A BIT OF GILT WOOD PUT INTO YOUR HAND, - - - WILL THAT BE ONES SALVATION? I DECIDEDLY THINK, NOT, WE WILL LEAVE IT ALTOGETHER, THIS IMPOSTER HYPOTHESIS, AS NOT CREDIT- ABLE: NOT VERY TOLERABLE EVEN, WORTHY CHIEFLY OF DISMISSAL BY US." Heros and Hero-Worship, p. 72/3
CHARGE OF SINNING
5. "FAULTS? THE GREATEST OF FAULTS, I SHOULD SAY, IS TO BE CONSCIOUS OF NONE. READERS OF THE BIBLE ABOVE ALL, ONE WOULD THINK, MIGHT KNOW BETTER. WHO IS CALLED THERE 'THE MAN ACCORDING TO GOD'S OWN HEART'? DAVID, THE HEBREW KING HAD FALLEN INTO SINS ENOUGH; BLACKEST CRIMES; THERE WAS NO WANT OF SINS. [This is the Jewish and Christian concept of God's prophets. They charge their prophets with incest, adultery and even murder. They impure horrendous crimes to them on the authority of the Holy Bible.] AND THEREUPON THE UNBELIEVERS SNEER AND ASK, IS THIS YOUR MAN ACCORDING TO GOD'S HEART? THE SNEER, I MUST SAY, SEEMS TO ME BUT A SHALLOW ONE. WHAT ARE FAULTS, WHAT ARE THE OUTWARD DETAILS OF A LIFE; IF THE INNER SECRET OF IT, THE REMORSE, TEMPTATIONS, TRUE, OFTEN-BAFFLED, NEVER ENDED STRUGGLE OF IT BE FORGOTTEN? 'IT IS NOT IN MAN THAT WALKETH TO DIRECT HIS STEPS.' OF ALL ACTS, IS NOT, FOR A MAN, REPENTANCE THE MOST DIVINE? THE DEADLIEST SIN, I SAY, WERE THE SAME SUPERCILIOUS CONSCIOUSNESS OF NO SIN; THAT IS DEATH; THE HEART SO CONSCIOUS IS DIVORCED FROM SINCERITY, HUMILITY, AND FACT; IS DEAD: IT IS 'PURE' AS DEAD DRY SAND IS PURE." Heros and Hero-Worship. p. 61
CHARGE OF "THE SWORD"
The greatest crime, the greatest "sin" of Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the eyes of the Christian West is that he did not allow himself to be slaughtered, to be "crucified" by his enemies. He ably defended himself, his family and his followers; and finally vanquished his enemies. Muhammad's (peace be upon him) success is the Christians' gall of disappointment: he did not believe in any vicarious sacrifice for the sins of others. He believed and behaved naturally. IN THE STATE OF NATURE, EVERY ONE HAS A RIGHT TO DEFEND HIS PERSON AND POSSESSIONS, AND EXTEND HIS HOSTILITIES TO A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF SATISFACTION AND RETALIATION," says Gibbon, the master historian in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." His struggle and victory over the forces of unbelief and evil made the editors of the Encyclopedia Britannica to exclaim, Muhammad (peace be upon him} to be - - - "THE MOST SUCCESSFUL OF ALL RELIGIOUS PERSONALITIES." How can the enemies of Islam account for Muhammad's phenomenal achievements except to decry that he spread his religion at the point of the sword? He forced Islam down peoples' throats!?
6a. "HISTORY MAKES IT CLEAR HOWEVER, THAT THE LEGEND OF FANATICAL MUSLIMS SWEEP- ING THROUGH THE WORLD AND FORCING ISLAM AT THE POINT OF THE SWORD UPON CONQUERED RACES IS ONE OF THE MOST FANTASTICALLY ABSURD MYTHS THAT HISTORIANS HAVE EVER REPEATED." De Lacy O'Leary in "Islam at the Crossroads'' London, 1923, p.8 You do not have to be a historian like O'Leary to know that the Muslims ruled Spain for 736 years. The longest the Christians ever ruled over Muslims was 500 years in Mozambique, a territory captured from an Arab governor by the name of Musa-bin-baique, a name they could not properly pronounce, hence the name Mozambique. Even today, after five centuries of Christian overlordship the country is still 60 percent Muslim.
However, after eight centuries in Spain the Muslims were totally eliminated from that country so that not even one man was left to give the Azan {the Muslim call to prayer}. If the Muslims had used force, military or economic there would not have been any Christian left in Spain to have kicked the Muslims out. One can blame the Muslims for exploitation if you like but one cannot charge them with using the sword to convert Spaniards to the Islamic religion. Today, Islam is still spreading all over the world and Muslims have NO sword!! The Muslims were also the masters of India for a thousand years, but eventually when the sub-continent received independence in 1947, the Hindus obtained three quarters of the country and the Muslims the balance of the one-quarter. Why? Because the Muslims did not force Islam down the Hindus' throats! In Spain and in India, the Muslims were no paragons of virtue, yet they obeyed the Qur'anic injunction to the letter "LET THERE BE NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION: FOR TRUTH STANDS OUT DISTINCT FROM ERROR. (Holy Quran 2:256)
The Muslim conquerors understood from this command that "compulsion" was incompatible with true religion: because
(a) Religion depends on faith and will, and these would be meaningless if induced by force. Force can conquer but cannot convert.
(b) Truth and Error have been so clearly shown up by the Mercy of God that there should be no doubt in the minds of any person of goodwill as to the fundamentals of faith.
(c) God's protection is continuous and His Plan is always to lead us from the depths of darkness into the clearest light. [(a), (b} and (c) are Yusuf Ali's comments on verse 256. Obtain his translation with over 6000 explanatory footnotes from the IPCI.] Except for some eccentrics here and there, the Muslims as a whole adhered to the commandment of God in the lands over which they held sway. But what can the enemy say about countries where no single Muslim soldier had set foot?
(i) INDONESIA: It is a fact that over a hundred million Indonesians are Muslim, yet no conquering Muslim army ever landed on any of its over two thousand islands.
(ii} MALAYSIA: The overwhelming number of its people in this country are Muslims yet no Muslim soldier had landed there either.
(iii} AFRICA: The majority of the people on the East coast of Africa as far down as Mozambique, as well as the bulk of the inhabitants on the West coast of the continent are Muslims, but history does not record any invading hoards of Muslims from anywhere. What sword? Where was the sword? The Muslim trader did the job. His good conduct and moral rectitude achieved the miracle of conversion. "All what you say seems incontrovertible, Mr. Deedat," says the Christian controversialist, "but we are talking about Islam at its very beginning, the way in which your prophet converted the pagans to his faith! How did he do it if not with the sword?"
ONE AGAINST ALL?
We can do no better than to allow Thomas Carlyle himself to defend his Hero Prophet against this false charge; - - -
7. "THE SWORD INDEED: BUT WHERE WILL YOU GET YOUR SWORD! EVERY NEW OPINION, AT ITS STARTING, IS PRECISELY IN A MINORITY OF ONE. IN ONE MAN'S HEAD ALONE, THERE IT DWELLS AS YET. ONE MAN ALONE OF THE WHOLE WORLD BELIEVES IT; THERE IS ONE MAN AGAINST ALL MEN. THAT HE TAKE A SWORD, AND TRY TO PROPAGATE WITH THAT, WILL DO LITTLE FOR HIM. YOU MUST FIRST GET YOUR SWORD! ON THE WHOLE, A THING WILL PROPAGATE ITSELF AS IT CAN. WE DO NOT FIND, OF THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION EITHER, THAT IT ALWAYS DISDAINED THE SWORD, WHEN ONCE IT HAD GOT ONE. CHARLEMAGNE'S CONVERSION OF THE SAXONS WAS NOT BY PREACHING." Heroes and Hero-Worship. p. 80
At the age of forty when Muhammad {peace be upon him} declared his mission from heaven, there was no political party, or royalty, and certainly no family or tribe to back him up. His people - the Arabs, immersed in idol-worship and fetishism were not by any means a docile people, they were no easy meat. They were a very volatile people. given to internecine and fratricidal wars: subject to "all kinds of fierce sincerities - " {Carlyle}. One man, single-handed, to wean such a people required nothing short of a miracle. A miracle did happen. God alone could have made Islam and Muhammad {pbuh} to triumph through with flimsy, gossamer support. God fulfilling His promise: And have We not raised high the esteem in which thou O Muhammad are held? (Holy Quran 94:4)
Chapter 3
FASTEST GROWING RELIGION TODAY
THE SWORD OF THE INTELECT
The enemy, the sceptic, the missionary and their passive camp followers will not stop bleating that "lslam was spread at the point of the sword!" but they will not venture to answer our question -- "WHO BRIBED CARLYLE!?" In 1840 when Carlyle defended Muhammad (peace be upon him) and refuted the allegation about the sword, there was nobody around to bribe. The whole Muslim world was in the gutters. The countries of Islam were all under subjugation by the Christians, except for a few like Persia, Afghanistan and Turkey who were only nominally independent. There were no riches to flaunt and no petro-dollars to bribe with!
That was yesterday and many yesterdays ago, but what about today, in modern times? It is claimed that "Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world." The overall increase of all the sects and denominations of Christianity was a staggering 138 per cent with the incredible increase of Islam by 235 per cent in the same period of time of half-a-century. It is further affirmed that in Britain and the United States of America, Islam is the fastest growing faith. It is said that in Britain "There are more Muslims than Methodists in the country." You have a right to ask, "What sword?" The answer is, "THE SWORD INDEED!" {Thomas Carlyle}1 It is the sword of intellect? It is the fulfillment of yet another prophecy; IT IS HE (God Almighty) WHO HAS SENT HIS MESSENGER (Muhammad) WITH GUIDANCE AND THE RELIGION OF TRUTH (Islam) THAT HE MAY MAKE IT PREVAIL OVER ALL RELIGIONS, AND ENOUGH IS GOD FOR A WITNESS.
(Holy Qur'an 48:28)
The destiny of Islam is spelt out here in the clearest terms. Islam is to master, overcome and supersede every other faith - That He (God Almighty) make it (Islam) prevail over all religions … In Arabic the word is Deen [Usually translated as Religion, which literally Islam is not.] (Literally meaning "Way of Life",), to supersede all, whether it be Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianism, [In the time of Thomas Carlyle this was the team applied to Christianity.] Judaism, Communism or any other "ism." This is the destiny of Allah's Deen. The same Qur'anic Verse is repeated in chapter 61 verse 9 which ends with this slight variation - (Never mind) Though the unbelievers might be averse to it (Islam).
TRIUMPH OF ISLAM
Islam will prevail. It is the promise of God, and His Promise is true. But how? With the sword? Not even if we had the laser gun! Could we use it? The Holy Qur'an forbids us to use force as a means of converting! Yet the verse prophesies that Islam would be the most dominant of religions. The triumphs of its doctrines have already started and are gaining hold over the religious ideology and doctrines of the various schools of thought in the world. Though not in the name of Islam, but in the name of reformation and amendments, the doctrines of Islam are being fastly grafted into the various religious orders. Many things which are exclusively Islamic and which were formerly unknown, or which were being opposed before with tooth and nail by the other creeds, are now part of their believes. The Brotherhood of man The abolition of the Caste system and untouchability The right of women to inherit Opening the places of worship to all. Prohibition of all intoxicants The true concept of the Unity of God etc. etc.
Just one word on the last subject above, before we proceed further. Ask any theist, polytheist, [. Polytheist: One who believes in many gods] pantheist, [Pantheist: The one who believes that everything is god. Of course the "trinitarian,'' you already know] or trinitarian: how many Gods he believes in? He will shudder to say anything other than ONE! This is the EFFECT of the strict monotheism of Islam.
THE CREED OF MUHAMMAD IS FREE FROM THE SUSPICIONS OF AMBIGUITY AND THE KORAN IS A GLORIOUS TESTIMONY TO THE UNITY OF GOD.
Gibbon in his "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.''
VERDICT OF NON-MUSLIM ORIENTALS
Almost all the defenders of Muhammad (peace be upon him) who spoke out against the false theory that he spread his religion at the point of the sword, were Westerners. Let us now hear what some non-Muslim Easterners have to say on the subject:
8a. THE MORE I STUDY THE MORE I DISCOVER THAT THE STRENGTH OF ISLAM DOES NOT LIE IN THE SWORD.
Mahatma Gandhi - the father of modern India, in "Young India."
b. THEY {Muhammad's critics} SEE FIRE INSTEAD OF LIGHT, UGLINESS INSTEAD OF GOOD. THEY DISTORT AND PRESENT EVERY GOOD QUALITY AS A GREAT VICE. IT REFLECTS THEIR OWN DEPRAVITY... THE CRITICS ARE BLIND. THEY CANNOT SEE THAT THE ONLY ‘SWORD' MUHAMMAD WIELDED WAS THE SWORD OF MERCY, COMPASSION, FRIENDSHIP AND FORGIVENESS - THE SWORD THAT CONQUERS ENEMIES AND PURIFIES THEIR HEARTS. HIS SWORD WAS SHARPER THAN THE SWORD OF STEEL.
Pandit Gyanandra Dev Sharma Shastri, at a meeting in Gorakhpur lndia). 1928
c. HE PREFERRED MIGRATION TO FIGHTING HIS OWN PEOPLE, BUT WHEN OPPRESSION WENT BEYOND THE PALE OF TOLERANCE HE TOOK UP HIS SWORD IN SELF-DEFENCE. THOSE WHO BELIEVE RELIGION CAN BE SPREAD BY FORCE ARE FOOLS WHO NEITHER KNOW THE WAYS OF RELIGION NOR THE WAYS OF THE WORLD. THEY ARE PROUD OF THIS BELIEF BECAUSE THEY ARE A LONG, LONG WAY AWAY FROM THE TRUTH.
A Sikh journalist in "Nawan Hindustan," Delhi, 17 November 1947.
It was Rudyard Kipling who said, "East is East and West is West, never the twain shall meet!" He was wrong! In the defence of Muhammad {peace be upon him}, all, who are not blinded by prejudice will converge.
THREE OTHER STANDARDS
Fourteen years after Thomas Carlyle had delivered his lecture on his Hero Prophet, a Frenchman by the name of Lamartine wrote the history of the Turks. Incidentally, the Turks being Muslims, Lamartine touched on some aspects of Islam and its founder. Like our Jules Wasserman (see page 10) of current times, who had conceived three objective standards for discovering greatness of leadership; Lamartine had over 2 century ago thought of three other objective standards for conferring GREATNESS. We must give credit to the Westemer for this type of insight. Lamartine opines:
9. IF GREATNESS OF PURPOSE, SMALLNESS OF MEANS AND ASTOUNDING RESULTS [The full quotation from Lamartine's book will be found in appendix''B" page 61.] ARE THE THREE CRITERIA OF HUMAN GENIUS, WHO COULD DARE TO COMPARE ANY GREAT MAN IN MODERN HISTORY WITH MUHUMMED? {Lamartine ends his lengthy segment of literary masterpiece with the words): . . . PHILOSOPHER, ORATOR, APOSTLE, LEGISLATOR, WARRIOR, CONQUEROR OF IDEAS, RESTORER OF RATIONAL BELIEFS, OF A CULT WITHOUT IMAGES: THE FOUNDER OF TWENTY TERRESTRIAL EMPIRES AND OF ONE SPIRITUAL EMPIRE, THAT IS MUHUMMED. AS REGARDS ALL STANDARDS BY WHICH HUMAN GREATNESS MAY BE MEASURED, WE MAY WELL ASK, IS THERE ANY MAN GREATER THEN HE? Lamartine, "Historie de la Turquie," Paris 1854
The answer to his question, "Is there any man greater than he?" is reposed in the question itself. By implication he is saying . . . "there is no man greater than Muhammad. Muhammad is the greatest man that ever lived!" And have We not raised high the esteem (in which) thou (O Muhammad are held)?
MOST CERTAINLY THOU HAST, O MY LORD! (Holy Quran 94:4)
Before we absolve Lamartine of any favouritism, partiality, or of the charge of being bribed, we will scrutinize his three standards, and whether they can be justified in the case of Muhammad (peace be upon him).
1. GREATNESS OF PURPOSE
History of the time will tell you that it was the darkest period in the history of mankind when Muhammad {peace be upon him} was commanded to declare his mission. The need was for the raising of prophets in every corner of the world, or the sending of one Master Messenger for the whole of mankind, to deliver them from falsehood, superstition, selfishness, polytheism, wrong and oppression. It was to be the reclamation of the whole of humanity. And God Almighty in His wisdom chose His prophet from the backwaters of Arabia as His universal Messenger. Thus He records in His Noble Book
AND WE SENT THEE NOT {O Muhammad}, BUT AS A MERCY UNTO {all} THE WORLDS. (Holy Quran 21:107)
"There is no question now of race or nation, of a "chosen people" or the "seed of Abraham," or the "seed of David": or of Hindu Arya varta; of Jew or Gentile. Arab or 'Ajam {Persian), Turk or Tajik, European or Asiatic, White or Coloured; Aryan, Semitic, Mongolian, or African: or American, Australian, or Polynesian. To all men and creatures who have any spiritual responsibility, the principles universally apply." Abdullah Yusuf Ali [Get your copy now of Yusuf Ali's English translation and cornrnentary, with over 6000 annotations. Obtain a copy for your non-Muslim friend, also.]
JESUS {PBUH) DlSCRIMINATES
Muhammad's (peace be upon him) immediate predecessor advised his disciples, "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs" (meaning non-Jews}, "Neither cast ye your pearls before swine" (meaning non-Jews, Matthew 7:6). The Gospel writers are unanimous in recording that Christ lived by the precepts which he preached. In his lifetime he did not preach to a single non-Jew. In fact he spurned a gentile woman who sought his spiritual blessings {"the woman was a Greek'' Mark 7:26). Then during the "Passover" season in Jerusalem when the master with his disciples had congregated for the occasion, certain Greeks hearing of his reputation sought an audience with him for spiritual enlightenment, but Jesus {peace be upon him} gave them the "cold shoulder'' [Means a deliberately unkind or unfriendly treatment; a slight; a snub.] as narrated by St.
John:
And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:
The same came therefore to Philip . . . and desired him saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
John 12:20-22
SELF GLORIFICATION
The verses that follow do not even record the courtesy of "Yea,yea;" or "Nay, nay;" (Yes, yes or no, no of Matthew 5:37). They continue with his own praise
And Jesus answered them (Andrew and Philip), saying, The hour is come, that the son of man (referring to himself} should be glorified. John 12:23
HIGHEST STANDARDS
Muhammad (peace be upon him) could never afford any such latitudes. Remember, how the Almighty reminded him of the highest etiquette required from him. Even the thought of being ruffled by the untimely intrusion of a blind man, was not accepted from him {see page 22 "He frowned']. As a universal Messenger, God set for him the most lofty standards: And Most Certainly, Thou (O Muhammad) Are of most sublime And Exalted Character. (Holy Quran 68:4)
And his diocese, his field of mission? The whole of mankind!
And We sent thee not (O Muhammad), but as a mercy unto (all) the worlds. (Holy Quran 21:107)
UNIVERSAL MESSENGER
These are not mere platitudes; beautiful sentiments bereft of action. Muhammad (peace be upon him) practiced what he preached. Among his first Sahabas (companions) and converts, beside the Arabs can be counted Bilal the Abyssinian, Salman the Persian and Abdullah Bin-Salaam the Jew. The sceptics may say that his outreach was simply incidental but what can they say about the historical fact that before his demise, he sent out five epistles, one to each of the five surrounding countries, inviting them to accept the religion of Islam.
The Emperor of Persia
The King of Egypt
The Negus of Abyssinia
The Emperor Hiraclius at Constantinople, and
The King of Yemen
Thus he set the example for the fulfilment of his impelling mission, his "greatness of purpose," the reclamation of the whole of humanity into the Master's fold. Is there another example of such universality in another religion? Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not out to set or to break any records, he was simply carrying out the trust that was reposed in him by the Lord of Creation!
