The last and the greatest

It is almost universally acknowledged that religion in some form or other has always played a vital role in every society. Muhammad's (pbuh) contribution to mankind is to make religion a permanent force of vitality by giving it a natural and scientific basis and by differentiating between the real precepts of religion and the elements of superstition that had crept into various religions. (In fact, one of the titles the Holy Qur'an claims for itself is Furqan, i.e. the Differentiator). The last and greatest Prophet had the foresightedness to emphasise and stress the universal concepts of world's natural religion such as the Unity of God, the unity of human race, belief in the revealed scriptures of the world, the emphatic assertion that every country and nation had a Prophet, and that all religious personalities of the world should be venerated and respected. In this age of internationalism a true and intelligent follower of Muhammad (pbuh) feels much consolation when he finds that the words of the Holy Qur'an guide him towards the fact that "mankind is one family."

In the early days of his mission Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had the unstinted support of his economically independent wife. In the fearful opposition of the Qureish extending over his thirteen years of preaching in Makkah, he enjoyed the loving protection of his unbelieving uncle, with his whole clan. His small but devoted band of followers suffered all sorts of inhuman persecution rather than recant, and would even migrate to distant and unknown lands rather than make any compromise with their enemies. When on the death of his wife and uncle he was forced to leave Makkah for Medina, a strong band of admirers who would sacrifice their all was already there to welcome him in their midst. Opposition had to be there because of the radical reforms which his religion proposed. But neither was faithful support nor ungrudging sacrifice wanting from those who accepted him as the Apostle of God. And as soon as the mist of misunderstanding that invariably surrounds the personality of all true reformers lifted at the end of a few wars of defence which the holy Prophet had to wage, the total admiration of the nation came flowing to him like a river in flood.

So much so that when, towards the very end of his life, he went on a pilgrimage to Makkah, he found himself in the midst of a vast concourse of ardent monotheists like himself, numbering 1,24,000, paying a similar visit to this most ancient House of God.

The historic Farewell Address delivered on this occasion, for its brevity and eloquence, meaningful and profound grasp of the realities of life, surpasses all other sermons. At the end of the sermon he asked his God, Who had appointed him for this task, "O Lord, have I conveyed Your Message?" We know not what reply he received from his Lord, but the human beings that were listening to him with reverence and emotion replied in one voice, "By God, surely you have." Thus the Prophet of Islam was first established in honour and prestige by his own country and people before his Faith sallied forth in the world and brought into his fold millions of men and women who would equally sacrifice their all for him and his religion. It is a unique feature of his mission and as such constitutes a miracle that supports his claim to prophethood.

Rev. Bosworth-Smith, a devout Christian, very rightly admits unhesitatingly, "Head of the State as well as of the Church, he was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without the Pope's pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar. Without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue, if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by a right divine, it was Mohammed! .... He never claimed the power of working miracles. Whatever he said he could do, his disciples would straightway have seen him do..... What more crowning proof of his sincerity is needed? Mohammed to the end of his life claimed for himself that title only with which he had begun, and which the highest philosophy and the truest Christianity will one day, I venture believe, agree in yielding to him, that of a Prophet, a very Prophet of God." (Mohammed and Mohammedanism, London, 1874, p. 340).

It is really difficult to attempt a summary estimate of his historic achievements and amazing qualities of head and heart. The Herculean task would indeed be nothing short of churning a fathomless ocean. Memorable was his versatility, his many-sidedness.

Reformer, 'king', statesman, jurist, commander, arbitrator, adviser, patron of art and science, champion of women's rights, friend and guardian of the orphans, liberator of the slaves, protector of the non-Muslims, Muhammad (pbuh) was masterfully at home in many diverse fields. In the inimitable words of Alfred de Lamartine, "If greatness of purpose, smallness of means, and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare to compare any great man in history with Muhammad?.......

..... Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images, 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?" (Histoire dela Turquie, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp. 276-77).

Stanley Lane-Poole, who hails Muhammad (pbuh) as "the most excellent of the creations of God," provides us with a beautiful graphic description of the tender virtues of the towering personage: "He was gifted with mighty powers of imagination, elevation of mind, delicacy and refinement of feeling. 'He is more modest than a virgin behind her curtain,' it is said of him. He was most indulgent to his inferiors, and would never allow his awkward little page to be scolded for whatever he did. 'Ten years,' said Anas, his servant, 'was I with the Prophet and he never said as much as 'uff' to me.' He was very fond of children; he would stop them in the streets and pat their little heads. He never struck any one in his life. The worst expression he ever made use of in his conversation was: 'What has come to him? May his forehead be darkened with mud.' When asked to curse someone he replied, 'I have not been sent to curse, but to be a mercy to mankind.' He visited the sick, followed any bier he met, accepted the invitation of a slave to dinner, mended his own clothes, milked the goats, and waited upon himself......

The frank friendship, the noble generosity, the dauntless courage and hope of the man -- all tend to melt criticism into admiration." (Speeches and Table-talks of the Prophet Muhammad, Edinburg, 1882).

But it is the 'secular' attitude of the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) which has perhaps enabled him to exert the greatest influence on the course of history. A man with the most unflinching faith in Allah and the Holy Qur'an, Muhammad (pbuh) always regarded Islam as the most perfect religion -- the one and only Deen approved by his Creator and Lord. No threat or lure could deviate him from the Straight Path towards the One and Only God. But although he refused to compromise with any other faith, he never nurtured or encouraged any hatred for the followers of other faiths. He was kind and merciful not only to the Christians, Jews, and Sabeans, but to the pagans as well, always upholding the Qur'anic maxim that "there is no compulsion in religion." This attitude towards pluralism enabled him to permit sixty Christian delegates from Najran to offer their prayers right inside the Masjid-e-Nabobi in Medinah when the holy Prophet himself was leading the Magrib prayers. His first secretary in Medina was also a Jew. No wonder, the renowned astronomer and historian, Michael Hart, declared very boldly: "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential persons may surprise some persons and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels..... It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in history." (Michael H Hart, The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, New York, pp. 39-40).

John William Draper, the famous historian, also acknowledges unhesitatingly: "Four years after the death of Justinian, in AD 569, was born at Mecca, in Arabia, the man (Muhammad) who, of all men, has exercised the greatest influence upon the human race." (A History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, Vol I, London, 1875, p.329).

The Encyclopedia Britannica also testifies in unequivocal terms: "Muhammad is the most successful of all prophets and religious personalities." (Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition, Article entitled Koran).

Syed Ashraf Ali is former DG of Islamic Foundation, Bangladesh.