Mohammad - The greatest!

[Ibro2g]

?
? ? ? ? ? In the name of Allah, the most gracious, most merciful.

And have we not raised high the esteem (in which) thou (O mohammad art held)?
[/color] ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?-Holy Qur'an 94:4


And most certainly, thou (O Mohammad) art of most sublime and exalted charcter.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? -Holy Qur'an 68:4

? ? ? Fellow brothers and sisters, I have come here not just to prove to you, but to let you decide...The greatest man that ever lived. If I put down some things that are being put down about our dear prophet, you would hiss and call it exagguration. So I'll leave us with what out neighbour non-muslims have put down about him. And if this doesn't touch you....serch your faith.
Over a dacade ago, a book was published in America titled "The 100" or the top 100 or the greatest 100 in history. It was writen by a man named Micheal H. Hart who is described as a mathematictian, historian and astronomer. He wrote his novel to seek for the greatest men in history, the greatest 100 men that ever lived. In his book, the hundred include Asoka, Aristotle, Buddha, confucius, Hitler Plato and Zoroaster etc. He gave in his book the top 100 according to
their excellency from no:1 to :100. We are not asked to agree with him, but we can't help but admire his reserch and honesty.
? ? ? ?The most amazing thing is that Micheal Hart put in our novel prophet as no:1...Amazing. He put Jesus Christ 3rd and Moses 40th. This Shocked alot of people...I mean the world. He gave his reasons for the placements of his candidates, and he said:
"Since there are roughly twice as many muslims as there are christians* in the world, it may initially seem strange that Mohammad is ranked higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision.
First, Mohammed played a more higher role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was responsible for the ethical and moral precepts of christianity (Insofar as these differed from judaism). St. Paul was the main developer of christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the new testament. Mohammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles.
In Addition, he played the key role in proslytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practises of Islam".
-Micheal H. Hart, in his book "the 100". Pages 38/39
*As at then, 2 billion christians to a billion muslims

He further added:
"My choice of Mohammad to lead the list of the worlds most influencial persons may suprise some leaders and may be questioned by others. But he was the only person who was supremely succesful on both the religious and secular level."
Micheal Hart- The 100, page 33.
Most certainly, we have in this messanger of Allah an excellent pattern (of behaviour).
? ? ? Holy Qur'an 33:21
Mr. Hart has knowingly or unknowingly confirmed God's own testimony.
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TIME MAGAZINE, JULY 15, 1974
WHO ARE HISTORY'S GREAT LEADERS?
The world popular Time carried the above cover. In it where numerous articles on who is a great leader and who qualifies to be. Time asked a variety of military men, historians writers and others for their selection. Each gave according to his
knoledge, prejudice and his own "light". Some mentioned Hitler, others mentioned, Gandhi, Buddha, Lincoln and others alike. ?Here are what somewhere saying:...
William McNeill, a Historian of the University of Chicago...
"If you measure leadership by impact, then you will have to name Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Confucious, the great prophets of the world...."
James Gavin, Rtd Liutanent General of the U.S Army.
"Among leaders who have made the greatest impact through ages, I would consider Mohammed, Jesus Christ and maybe Lenin. Possibly Mao. As for a leader whom we could use now, I would choose J.F Kennedy."
Jules Masserman, U.S. Psychoanalyst.
"Leaders must fulfill thre functions:-
1. Provide for the well being of the led
2. Provide a social organisation in which the people feel relatively secure, and
3. Provide them with one set of beliefs."
With the above criteria he serches history and analyses - Hitler, pasteur, Moses and a whole lot, and concludes...
"People like Pasteur and Salk are leaders in the first sence. People like Gandhi and Confucious, on one hand, and Alexander, Ceaser and Hitler on the other, are leaders in the second and perhaps the third sence. Jesus and Buddha belong
to the third category alone.Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Mohammed, who combined all the three functions. To a lesser degree, Moses did the same.
And have we not raised high the esteem (in which) thou (O Mohammad art held).

Marvellous, absolute marvel. I so Much admire massermans words.
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Now, Listen to proffesor Rao Qoating and Concluding Hitler. He qoates from

hitler:
"A great Theodist is seldom a great leader. An agitation is far more likely to posses thses qualities. He will always be a better leader for leadership mens the ability to move masses of men. The talent to produce ideas has nothing in common with the capacity for leadership......The union of the theorist, organiser and leader in one man is the rearest phenomenom on this earth; therein consist greatness."
(prof Rao Concludes)"In the persom of the prophet od Islam, the world has seen the rearest phenomenon on earth, walking in flesh and blood."


Prof. Rao is just an admirer of the prophet, let me mention another few...

"Mohammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him".
a hindu Scholar - Chand Sharma, in his "the prophets of the east", calcutta 1935 page 122.
Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D 569, was born at Makkah, in Arabia, the man who of all men exersised the greatest influence upon the human race....Mohammed."
John William, M.D, LLD, in his"A history of the Intellectual development of Europe" London 1875.
"I doubt whether any man whose external conditions changed so much ever changed himself less to meet them."
R.V.C. Bodley in "The messanger" London 1946 p9.
"I have studied him-the wonderful man- and in my opinion far from being an anti-christ, he must be called the saviour of humanity."
George Bernard Shaw-in "the genuine islam" vol1 no:81936.
By a fortune absolutely unique in history, Mohammad is a threefold founder of a nation, of an empire and of a religion."
Bosworth Smith R. in "Mohammad and Mohammadanism"1946
"Mohammad was the most succesful of all religious personalities".
Encyclopedia Brittanica 11th edition.[/color]


And most certainly, thou (O Mohammad) art of most sublime and exalted charcter.
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? -Holy Qur'an 68:4

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I dont want to make this soooo long. I will rest here, and by the time I return Insha Allah, I will continue with his characters and attitude as described by our neighbours right here. I hope to return soon. Ma'assalam.

[Ibro2g]

Now all that we have seen is about Mohammad's influence, thses are the little I know. But through the dawn of history, generations by generations, people have come to either admire him or chritisize him. I shall put down some of the things I can find on his attitudes and characters that are being put down by our neighbour non-muslims, that oppose Mohammad's critics. If I were to put down the muslims defence it will sound outrageous. So I would like to start with the words of Thomas Carlyle.
"The lies, which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man, are disgraceful to ourselves only"
? ? Thomas Carlyle.
In the first pages of his book "Heroe and Heroe-worshiping", he stated...
"As there is no danger in our any of us becoming Mahometans*, I mean to say all the good of him as I justly can."
? ? Thomas Carlyle.
*Mahometan is derived from the name Mahomet, Mahometans means muslims-folowers of Mahomet. "Mahomet" Its a pity that scholars of christianity of the highest eminence still mis-spell the name of the Holy prophet even at the 21st century.

In an era of hatred and spite towards everything Islamic, there was Carlyle unfolding many glowing ttruth about his hero- Mohammed meaning the praiseworthy, the very name means the praised one. The people questioned his sincerity, and Thomas puts down in his book.
HIS SINCERITY
The greatest 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 sincerere, far from that; Perhaps does not ask himself if he is so:
I would say on himself: He cannot help being sincere!"
? ? ? ?Heroes and Hero-worship, p59
"A silent great soul; He was one of those who cannot but be 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 somethinf of divine. The words of such a man is a voice direct from natures own heart. Men do and must listen to that as to nothing else;...all else is wind in comparison."
? ? ?Heroes and hero-worship.p.71
WHO DARES QUESTION HIS SINCERITY?. Non...remember it was for his sincerity since at a grooming age the people of Makkah called him Al-amin, the faithful.
And most certainly, thou (O Mohammad) art of sublime and exalted character.
? ? ?Holy Qur'an 68:4
Indeed! God is great!. Mr.Thomas wrote too lenghty of pages about the prophets fidelity...about his wifves khadijah and Ayeesha. Then he went on further to defend him on the charges on falsehood.
CHARGE OF FALSITY
A false man found a religion? why, a false man cannot even build a brick house! If he does not know and follow trully the properties of mortar, burnt clay and whatelse he works in, it is no house that he makes, but a rubbish heap. It will not stand for 12 centuries (now 14) to ludge 180 million people
(now 2 billion); It will fall straight away...speciosites are specious...it is like a forged bank note: they get it passed of their worthless hands:Others not they, have to smart for it. Nature bursts up in fire flames, french revolutions and such like, prolaiming with the terrible veracity that forged notes are forged."

Heroes and hero-worship p.58
"Ambition? what could all Arabia do for this man?; with the crown of greek herculius, of persian chosroes, and all the crowns in earth; -What could they all do for him? It was not of the heaven above and the hell beneath. All crowns are
sovereignities whatsoever, where would they in a few years be? To be shiek 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 all together, this imposter hypothesis, as not credible; not very tollerable even, worthy chiefly of dismisal by us."
? ? Heroes and hero-worship, p.72/3
Charge of the Sword
The greatest sin the non believers believe Mohammad has comitted was the charge of the sword. They claim...he pread Islam only by the sword. Again, I leave the defence with our neighbours:
"In the state of nature, everyone has his right to defend his person and possesions, and extend his hostilities to a reasonable amount of satisfaction and retaliation."
? ?says Gibbon, in his rise and fall of the Roman empire.
"History makes it clear However, that the legend of fanatical muslims sweeping through the wrold and forcing Islam at the point of the sword at conquered races is one of the fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated.
De lacy O'leary in "Islam at the crossroads", London 1923 p.8
This has proven beyond any doubts that Islam spread by the sword, Muhammad had the right to defend himself and the Muslim comunity and he did just that. Islam is still spreading in the world today...more than any other faith, yet there is no sword...or is there?
"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 mans head alone, there it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes in 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 a whole, the thing will propagate itself, 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.
Let there be no compulsion in religion: For trust stands out distinct from error:
This is proof, the muslim conquerers understood from this command that they can't force anyone into religion. This is explained further by yusuf Ali:
1. Religion and faith depends on will and faith, and these will be meaningless if induced by force. Force can conquer but can not convert.
2. Truth and error has been so clearly shown up by the mercy of the Lord that there should be no doubts in the mind of a person of goodwill as to the fundamentals of faith.
3. Gods protection is continious and his plan is always to lead us from the depths of darkness into the clearest light.
"The sword of the intellect" says carlyle. By his noble being and sincerity, the prophet has inspired billions, today Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world (over 200%) even ahead of christianity (46%) and Judaism(4% decrease) that where there before it. True, this man is intellectual.
It is he who has sent his messanger with guidance. And the religion of truth, That he may make it prevail over all religions, and ebough is God for a witness.
? ? ? ? ? ? Holy Qur'an 48:28.
Islam may be a new faith(to christianity and Judaism), but it came with new laws in which every faith wish it came with. And many are shifting to adopt these laws gradually. Islam was the first faith to introduce or imply:
"The brotherhood of man,
The abolition of the caste system and untouchability,
The right of women to inherit,
Opening the place of worship for all,
Prohibition of all intoxicants,
The true concept of the unity of God
etc etc to mention but a few"

Verdict of non-muslim orientals
The creed of Mohammad is free from the suspicions of ambiguity and the Koran

is a glorious testimony to the unity of God.
? ?Gibbon, in his "Rise and fall of the Roman empire."
The more I study the more I dicover that the strength of Islam does not lie in the sword...
? ? ? ? Mahatma Gandhi-Father of modern India, in his "young India".


They(Mohammads critics) see fire instead of light, ugliness instead of good. They distort and present every good wuality as a great vice. It reflects their own depravity...
... The critics are blind, they cannot see that the only `sword` Mohammad wielded was the sword of mercy, compassion, friendship and forgiveness- the sword that conquers enemies and purify their hearts. His sword was sharper than the sword of steel.
? ?Pandit Gyanandra Dev Sharma Shastri- at a meeting in Gorakhpur (india).

1928.
The past defenses I gave you were all western pesople, thses are some eastern non-muslims who also defend the noble prophet. Rudyard Kipling said "east is east and west is west, never the twain shall meet." But he was wrong at one place, at the defence of Mohammad: All who are not blinded by prejudice will converge.
And have we not raised high the esteem (in which) thou (O Mohammad art held).
? ? Qur'an 94:4.
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With continuation of Mohammad the greatest, after Thomas Carlyle made his lecture on his hero prophet: A decade and a half later, a frenchman by the name Lamartine wrote the history of the Turks, Incidentally the Turks being muslims he touched its origin, and like Masserman of Time, he gave out three other objective standards for conferring Greatness. He Said:
" If greatness of purpose and smallness of means and astounding results are the three criteria ?of human genius. Who could dare compare any man in modern history with Mohammad?(Lamartine ends his lenghty segment of literary masterpiece with the words:)...Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, worrior, conquerer of ideas, restorer of rational beliefs, of a cult without images: The founder of twenty terrestial empires and of one spritual empire, That is Mohammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be ?measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?
We may well add..."No, there is no man greater than he, Mohammad is the greatest man that ever lived."
And have we not raised high the esteem (in which) thou (O Mohammad art held).
? ? Qur'an 94:4.
Most certainly thou hast, my Lord!
This is my answer, I have prooved myself for myself. Allah is the greatest. Let us observe the three criteria again...
1. The greatness of purpose
History of the time will tell you it was the darkest period in the history of mankind when he was sent to declare his mission. His mission: To deliver mankind from falsehood, superstition, selfishness, greed, polythesism, wrong and oppression...to the belief and submission to the will of one God, Allah.

And we send thee not but as a mercy unto (all) the worlds.
? ?Holy Qur'an 21:107.
it was further explained by yusuf Ali:
"There is no question now of race or nation, of a chosen people, or a 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 colored; Aryan, Semitic, Mongolian, African; American, Australian or Polynesian. To all men and creatures who have any spritual responsibility, the principles universally apply." He Mohammad came for them all. This is the greatest purpose any man has ever witnessed.
2. Smallness of means
Mohammad is a poor orphan with nothing to offer anyone. He was not born with a silver spoon, his parents all passed out before his teens, that includes his uncle, he never went to school, he was only left with sheeps to be a shepard and
make a living. But truem his fortune towards the end of his earthly sojourn. Let me also let a christian missionary to answer that:
"He was Ceaser and Pope in one, but he was Pope without the Pope's pretentions, and Ceaser without the legions of Ceaser: Without a standing Army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue:If ever anyman had the right to say he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammad, for he has all the powers without its instruments and without its supports".
? ? ?Rev. Bosworth Smith in "Mohammad and Mohammadanism",

London 1874, p.92.
3. Outstanding Results
In the words of Thomas Carlyle:"One man against all men" to the 124, 000 believers that were at the farewell pligrimage alone(Mohammads last Hajj) How many are left behind of women, men, children, believers all?.
When Mohammad passed out, Some people were shocked and
devastated...including Hazrat Omar. But Hazrat Abu Bakhar stpped out and said"Mohammad (pbuh) has indeed passed away. Those That worshipped Mohammad, let them know that Mohammad is dead, but those that worship Allah, let them know that Allah lives forever

" That brought Omar back to his sences...That was what the Prophet left behind, and now after 14 centuries, there are over a billion muslims and it is the fastest growing religion in the world. True, Christianity has more
belivers than Islam, even though it has been existing before Islam for 600 years.
But let us look at the picture in its true perspective:
"There are more professing christians in the world than professing muslims, But there are more practising muslims than there are practising christians.
? ? ? ? ?Rev. V.C Bodley, in "The messanger: The Life of Mohammad." U.S.A

1969.
Its such an outstanding result.
? ? ? Taking into account his own three objective standards...
1. Greatness of purpose
2. Smallness of means, and
3. Outstanding results.
does anyone dare compare with Mohammad...The philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, worrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational beliefs, of a cult without images, the founder of 20 terrestial empires and one spritual empire. As
regards to ALL standards by which human GREATNESS may be measured, we may ask,"Is there any man greater than he?"No! Mohammad was The greatest man that ever lived.
And have we not raised high the esteem (in which) thou (O Mohammad art held).
? ? Qur'an 94:4.
Most certainly thou hast, my Lord!

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One of the wonderful things I see today that shows the greatness of Mohammad is Arabia. The Arabs were steeped in babarism and Ignorance. They married their stepmothers and buried their daughters alive, drunkenness, adultery, idolatory, and gambling where the orders of the day. Described by Gibbon, in his decline and fall of the Roman empire as "The human brute, almost without sence, is poorly distinquished from the rest of the animal creation". There was hardly anything that could distinguish the arans from animals. The persians by-passed them, the Romans by-passed them, the Jews (their brethren) neglected them, the portuguish by-passed them. There was trade between Asia and Europe through Arabia, but Arabia was never actually involved. Just how wild, how dark, how dead was this Arabia?. But from that
Arabia, the prophet transformed it into light of the world, Tak a look at Arabia today, its beauty and blessings. I qoate from Thomas Carlysle "

Into torch-bearers of light and learning. To the Arab Nation, it was a birth from darkness into light. Arabia first became alive by the means of it. A poor shepherd people, roaming unnoticed in its deserts since the creation of the world. See the unnoticed become worlds notible, the small has grown world-great. Within one century afterwards, Arabia was at Granada on one hand and at Delhi on the other. Glancing in valour and splendour, and the light of genius, Arabia shines over a great section of the world...

" See how he has transformed Arabia to what it is today.No one else individually or even as a group has ever made such or similar contribution to such developement and growth of any part of the world, ever!.
Indeed! Mohammad is the greatest man that ever lived.

And most certainly, Thou (O Mohammad) art of most sublime and exalted character.
? ? ? ? Holy Qur'an 68:4

Most certainly you have in the messanger of Allah, an excellent pattern (of behaviour).
? ? ? ? Holy Qur'an 33:21.

As regards to ALL standards by which human GREATNESS may be measured, we may ask,"Is there any man greater than he?"No! Mohammad was The greatest man that ever lived.
And have we not raised high the esteem (in which) thou (O Mohammad art held).
? ? Qur'an 94:4.
Most certainly thou hast, my Lord!

[Blaqueen]

...Alahamdulillah... May Allah give u the fulll reward for posting this looooooooooong loooooooooong elongated looooooooong post..... masha Allah!

[Muhammad]

Salam
Indeed Muhammad (SAW) was the most noble of character amongst people. neither has there been and never will there be a person whose humility could compare to his. It is also part of humility that he  sees himself as equal among his followers.
There is a well known Hadith where the prophet instructed his followers to place him at par with all other rasools,
Finally, may Allah bless his family and his entire ummah......................................... AMIN

[Blaqueen]

i was about to say the same things.... all the prophets are EQUAL

[ummita]

Wow Ibro that was long.......but iz all gud. Allah ya saka de Alheri...........Jazakallah. More blessins brova. I hav picked alot

[Ibro2g]

Yah I know, all prophets are equal....
....what sems to touch me here is the tetimonies of non muslims on muhammed. And many inteelects of that time and now and non muslims...conclude and testify that muhammad is a great man ,perhaps the greatest that ever lived. That is something!

umiitah, amin...for us all.

[awwal]

No, the prophets are not equal. Some are above others in terms of daraja and matsayi.

But kada in yi sauri, what did u mean by all prophets are equal....

[Sas]

Salamu Alaikum

This is a very good article indeed. Well Done Ibro. There is no boubt about the fact that Muhammad (PBUH) is the greatest and most influencial person in the history of the world. Just say the name "Muhammad" in your mind, don't you feel happy for the second? He is truly the MOST and that is that. The book the 100 most influencials also put another Muslim that you forgot to mention Ibro. Umar was the number fifty and he also deserve a placxe among the most influencials after the "rasuwa" of the prophet (PBUH). Surprisingly and understandably the put Isaac Newton as the number 2 on the list. We all know that Newton is the so-called greatest scientist that ever lived. I bilieve not. The greatest scientist was also Muhammad(PBUH). Most of the discoveries that we make as scientist today had been explained or at least talked about in the Quran and by the prophet. The stars the cells the atoms and most things were told to his companians by him. I think he is the greatest in everything.
To clearify something, The God said that men are equal except those whose Iman is higher than others. Undoubtedly, Mohammad's Iman is above any other creation in the world so he is definitely above them and this goes to all the other prophets and men. Your Iman defines your status. Saying that all prophets are equal in any sense is wrong I think.

Once again Good job Ibro keep it up. Infact the best topic in this forum.

Jazakallah Khairan