Why the first year of the Muslim calendar: not when Muhammad was born or became a prophet, but when he became?

Question

a prophet, but when he became a warlord

Answer 1

why don't u ask some one who teaches the religion.

Answer 2

I am a muslim actually. And this is the simplest answer. Because even when he was born or became a prophet, we weren't actually worshipping him. We worship God. So when he became a warlord, he spread Islam. When he spread Islam that was the message from God that he recieved. Thus creating the first year of the Muslim calender.

Answer 3

Muhammad (pbuh) was never a warlord. The only battle he ever participated in was the conquest of Mecca, where he battled pagans that had idols on the kaaba. ISLAM WASN'T SPREAD BY THE SWORD, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE ATTACKED. And that's what the first muslims did.

Answer 4

Because Islam is a fascist and evil political idealogy....not a religion.



Also, the previous answer giver is essentially lying. The calender does not begin when he immigrates but when he starts slaughtering people. The Hijri was not a peaceful move to a new place. It was an invasion. One does not normally "immigrate" by slaughtering the people who are already there. That is what Muhammad did.



The poster knows this. He is practicing deception in promotion of Jihad. I'm sure this strategy was used by Muhammad during the Hijri. He pretended to befriend his victims and assured them that Islam was a religion of peace. Then he murdered them.



Same thing today. Muslims have not changed one bit in either their character or their tactics.



Also, further posters saying Muhammad wasn't a warlord are equally lying. Muhammad spent most of his life murdering people. This is well documented in all Islamic writings. The punishment for saying different is death. Not allowed to "interpret" Islam nor are you allowed to distort the history of the prophet. Better watch that guys.

Answer 5

Year One.

Answer 6

NOT TRUE



the 1st year was when he immigrated from Mecca to Medina



it`s called HIJRI CALENDAR



get an Arabic dictionary you will find out that HIJRI= Immigration





BONEHEAD!!!!!!!!!!



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_calendar

Answer 7

WRONG AGAIN!



It was the Hijra, when he fled from enemies like you and your presidents and prime ministers who are thieves and murderers.

Answer 8

neither when he (PBUH) was fighting those who where fighting him and preaching of islam but when he (PBUH) migrated from mekka to al-madina because it was begining of construction of islamic community

Answer 9

Have you read this book ?

What is your opinion, from the list below, provided by Spencer in his book?



The Truth About Muhammad

by Robert Spencer



Meet the real Muhammad:





Muhammad's bizarre reaction to his first "revelation": "I will go to the top of the mountain and throw myself down that I may kill myself"



The heretical Christian who convinced Muhammad he was a prophet – and may have taught him his erroneous views of Christianity



Islamic borrowings from Judaism, Christianity, and Zoroastrianism – and Muhammad's enraged replies to charges that he borrowed material rather than received actual divine revelations



The "revelation" that allowed Muhammad to marry his beautiful daughter-in-law



The strange incident in Muhammad's life that makes it virtually impossible to prove rape in Islamic countries today



The real "Satanic Verses" incident (not the Salman Rushdie version): how Muhammad's attempt to win over his opponents ended with his saying he had been inspired not by God, but by Satan



How the Qur'an's teaching on warfare against unbelievers developed – with constant war to establish the hegemony of Islamic law as the last stage



The first year of the Muslim calendar: not when Muhammad was born or became a prophet, but when he became a warlord



How Muhammad used the graphic lure of Islamic Paradise to urge his warriors to fight furiously to extend his rule



"Kill every Jew who comes into your power": why Muhammad became so angry with both Jews and Christians – with disastrous consequences that are still playing out in the world today



The momentous command by Muhammad that led to good being identified with anything that benefited the Muslims, and evil with anything that harmed them --without reference to any larger moral standard



Muhammad's child bride – and the terrible consequences his marriage to a nine-year-old still has in the Islamic world



"This is the caravan of the Quraysh possessing wealth. It is likely that Allah may give it to you as booty": how Muhammad gave divine sanction to the Muslims' bloody raids



"War is deceit": the permission Muhammad gave his followers to lie in order to gain an advantage over their enemies



How Muhammad broke the principal treaty he entered into, again setting a pattern for Muslim states thereafter



Muhammad's commands to his followers to wage perpetual war against non-Muslims, including Jews and Christians



Muhammad on women's rights: women "are prisoners with you having no control of their persons"



"If justice is not to be found with me then where will you find it?" Why Muhammad still stands for Muslims as the supreme model for human behavior



"I will expel the Jews and Christians from the Arabian Peninsula, and will not leave any but Muslims" – and other statements by Muhammad that contemporary jihadists take very seriously



Islamic tolerance? The onerous tax burden and other discriminatory regulations mandated for non-Muslims under Islamic law



How Muhammad ordered the killing of apostates from Islam



The massacre of a Jewish tribe by Muhammad that was invoked by modern-day jihadists at the beginning of Israel's July 2006 operations against Hizballah in Lebanon



"Embrace Islam, and your lives and property will be safe": Muhammad's threatening letters to the rulers of the lands around Arabia



Muhammad's frequent avowals that the Muslims would overcome the empires bordering on Arabia and one day stand as masters of the world



"I have been made victorious with terror" – and other statements of Muhammad on his deathbed



Six steps that American leaders can and must take in order to protect our nation from Islamic jihad terrorism



ROBERT SPENCER





ROBERT SPENCER, the director of Jihad Watch, a project of the David Horowitz Freedom Center. Spencer is a writer and researcher who has written six books, eight monographs, and well over a hundred articles about jihad and Islamic terrorism. His latest book is the New York Times bestseller The Truth About Muhammad (Regnery). He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) (Regnery), as well as Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About the World's Fastest Growing Faith (Encounter) and Onward Muslim Soldiers: How Jihad Still Threatens America and the West (Regnery). He is coauthor, with Daniel Ali, of Inside Islam: A Guide for Catholics (Ascension), and editor of the essay collection The Myth of Islamic Tolerance: How Islamic Law Treats Non-Muslims (Prometheus).



Spencer (MA, Religious Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) has been studying Islamic theology, law, and history in depth since 1980. He is an Adjunct Fellow with the Free Congress Foundation, and his monographs on Islam are available from the Foundation: An Introduction to the Qur'an; Women and Islam; An Islamic Primer; Islam and the West; The Islamic Disinformation Lobby; Islam vs. Christianity; and Jihad in Context.



His articles on Islam and other topics have appeared in the New York Post, the Washington Times, the Dallas Morning News, Canada's National Post, Middle East Quarterly, FrontPage Magazine.com, WorldNet Daily, Insight in the News, Human Events, National Review Online, and many other journals. He has consulted with United States Central Command on Islam and jihad, and has discussed jihad, Islam, and terrorism at a workshop sponsored by the U.S. State Department and the German Foreign Ministry, as well as on the BBC, CNN, FoxNews, MSNBC, PBS, C-Span, and Croatia National Televison (HTV), as well as on numerous radio programs including Michael Savage's Savage Nation, The Alan Colmes Show, The G. Gordon Liddy Show, The Neal Boortz Show, The Michael Medved Show, The Michael Reagan Show, The Rusty Humphries Show, The Larry Elder Show, The Barbara Simpson Show, Vatican Radio, and many others.



FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS



Q: Why should I believe what you say about Islam?

RS: Because I draw no conclusions of myself, and I do not ask anyone to take anything on my word. Pick up any of my books, and you will see that they are made up largely of quotations from Islamic jihadists and the traditional Islamic sources to which they appeal to justify violence and terrorism. I am only shedding light on what these sources say.



It is amusing to me that some people like to focus on my credentials, when I have never made a secret of the fact that most of what I know about Islam comes from personal study. It is easier for them to talk about degrees than to find any inaccuracy in my work. Yet I present the work not on the basis of my credentials, but on the basis of the evidence I bring forth; evaluate it for yourself. One example: after I spoke at the University of North Carolina, Professor Carl Ernst of the university wrote a piece about me warning that my books were non-scholarly and were published by presses that he believed reflected a political agenda of which he did not approve. That kind of approach may impress some people, but Carl Ernst did not (and cannot) bring forth even a single example of a supposed inaccuracy in my work. I would, of course, be happy to debate Carl Ernst or any other scholar of Islam about Islam and jihad; this is a standing invitation. Also, as this site has shown, I am always open to new information.



Q: Why have you studied Islam for so long?

RS: It has been an enduring fascination. Since childhood I have had an interest in the Muslim world, from which my family comes. When I was very young my grandparents would tell me stories about their life there, and I always heard them with great interest. When I met Muslim students as a college undergraduate I began reading and studying the Qur'an in earnest. That led to in-depth forays into tafsir (interpretations of the Qur'an), hadith (traditions of the Prophet Muhammad), and much more about Islamic theology and law. While working on my master's thesis, which dealt not with Islam but (in part) with some early Christian heretical groups, I began to study early Islamic history, since some of these groups ended up in Arabia and may have influenced Muhammad. In the intervening years I continued these studies of Islamic theology, history, and law out of personal interest.



This led to my consulting privately with some individuals and groups about Islam, but I had never intended to do such work publicly. However, after 9/11 I was asked to write Islam Unveiled in order to correct some of the misapprehensions about Islam that were widespread at that time.



Q: I've read that you are secretly a Catholic and have a religious agenda.

RS: Yes, I have been so intent on keeping this a secret that I co-wrote a book called Inside Islam: A Guide for Catholics. Here again, people like to imagine that a Christian cannot write accurately about Islam, but they cannot point to any inaccuracy in my work. Nor is there any religious agenda here. I envision Jihad Watch as an opportunity for all the actual and potential victims of jihad violence and oppression -- Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, secular Muslims, atheists, whatever -- to join together to defend universal human rights. There are many things about which we all disagree, but at this point we need to unite simply in order to survive. We can sort out our disagreements later.



At this point the people most active, in various ways, in the work of Jihad Watch are a Catholic, a Jew, and an atheist. If we weren't so busy trying to awaken the Western world to the threat of violent jihad, we could walk into a bar and...(fill in your own punchline).



Q: I've read that you are a member of Opus Dei.

RS: Uh, sorry, no.



Q: I've read that you are actually Jewish.

RS: Again, no. Jihadists commonly label all their opponents as Jews. They don't seem to realize that they have offended more groups than just one. I am honored to be able to stand with Jews and others in defense of human rights against the totalitarian, supremacist jihad ideology.



Q: I've read that you are actually a Maoist.

RS: Strike three. Here are some more responses to critics.



Q: Why do so many people convert to Islam?

RS: There are many attractive elements of the religion. I think that its adamantine certainties appeal to many people who are disgusted with the current relativism and amorality of the Western world. Also there are many rich and grand aspects of Islamic history and culture which also make the religion attractive today. The global jihad against the West today also helps Islam gather converts in the West from among groups that feel themselves to be oppressed or marginalized. Conversions have been stimulated by successful, if often fanciful, Muslim efforts to present Islam as a religion free of the sins of the West -- particularly racial discrimination.



Q: Do you hate Muslims?

RS: Of course not. Islam is not a monolith, and never have I said or written anything that characterizes all Muslims as terrorist or given to violence. I am only calling attention to the roots and goals of jihad violence. Any Muslim who renounces violent jihad and dhimmitude is welcome to join in our anti-jihadist efforts. Any hate in my books comes from Muslim sources I quote, not from me. Cries of "hatred" and "bigotry" are effectively used by American Muslim advocacy groups to try to stifle the debate about the terrorist threat. But there is no substance to them.



It is not an act of hatred against Muslims to point out the depredations of jihad ideology. It is a peculiar species of displacement and projection to accuse someone who exposes the hatred of one group of hatred himself: I believe in the equality of rights and dignity of all people, and that is why I oppose the global jihad. And I think that those who make the charge know better in any case: they use the charge as a tool to frighten the credulous and politically correct away from the truth.



Am I "anti-Muslim"? Some time ago here at Jihad Watch I had an exchange with an English convert to Islam. I said: "I would like nothing better than a flowering, a renaissance, in the Muslim world, including full equality of rights for women and non-Muslims in Islamic societies: freedom of conscience, equality in laws regarding legal testimony, equal employment opportunities, etc." Is all that "anti-Muslim"? My correspondent thought so. He responded: "So, you would like to see us ditch much of our religion and, thereby, become non-Muslims."



In other words, he saw a call for equality of rights for women and non-Muslims in Islamic societies, including freedom of conscience, equality in laws regarding legal testimony, and equal employment opportunities, as a challenge to his religion. To the extent that they are, these facts have to be confronted by both Muslims and non-Muslims. But I make no apologies: it is not "anti-Muslim" to wish freedom of conscience and equality of rights on the Islamic world -- quite the contrary.



Q: Do you think all Muslims are terrorists?

RS: See above.



Q: Are you trying to incite anti-Muslim hatred?

RS: Certainly not. I am trying to point out the depth and extent of the hatred that is directed against the United States, because I believe that the efforts to downplay its depth and extent leave us less equipped to defend ourselves. As I said above, the focus here is on jihad; any Muslim who renounces the ideologies of jihad and dhimmitude is most welcome to join forces with us. Anyone who targets innocent Muslims in the USA is not only evil, but is playing into the hands of the jihadists who are trying to fan the flames of anti-American hatred. Also, one of the reasons why the war on terror is so important is that those who would destroy Western civilization do not believe in the principles of due process and justice that are central elements of the American system.



Q: Are you deliberately ignoring more liberal schools of thought in Islam?

RS: Certainly not. I encourage any Muslim individual or group who is willing to work publicly for the reform of the Islamic doctrines, theological tenets and laws that Islamic jihadists use to justify violence. But this must be done honestly and thoroughly, confronting the texts of the Qur'an, Hadith, and Sira that are used to justify violence against unbelievers, and decisively rejecting Qur'anic literalism. Not all self-proclaimed moderates are truly moderate: many deny that these elements of Islam exist at all — hardly a promising platform for reform. It is important to make proper distinctions and speak honestly about the roots of the terrorist threat.



Q: I have read that you support forced deportation of US citizens who happen to be Muslim, harassment of law-abiding US Muslims (boycotting of their businesses, refusal to renew their cab medallions, refusal of their business permits) and other similar actions.

RS: I absolutely do not support such actions. Any Muslim who accepts the U.S. Constitution and American pluralism should act to defend the U.S. now, when it is under attack in many ways. Any Muslim who does this I count as a friend, and welcome into the U.S. I am not in favor of harassing or expelling loyal Muslims from the U.S.



Q: But I have read that you advocate making the practice of Islam "difficult" in the U.S.

RS: I would like to see the practice of violent jihad made difficult. I would like to see the spread of violence that is justified in the name of Islam made quite difficult in the U.S. and elsewhere. I would like to see efforts to impose the Sharia in the U.S. and elsewhere, however long it may take and even by peaceful means, made difficult. I would like to see the institutionalized oppression of non-Muslims and women made difficult. I am not concerned about the other aspects of Islam.



Q: Can you recommend a good English translation of the Qur'an?

RS: N. J. Dawood's is the most readable in English. However, most versions do not mark the verse numbers precisely. Some non-Muslims don't like it because he uses "God" for Allah, although since Arabic-speaking Christians use "Allah" for the God of the Bible, and have for over a millennium, this is a problem for poseurs and pseudo-scholars but is not really a serious objection to anyone who knows both languages. Also, many Muslims dislike this translation because Dawood was not a Muslim, and doesn't sugarcoat any of the passages. Two translations by Muslims, those by Abdullah Yusuf Ali and Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall, are generally reliable, although both write in a stilted, practically unreadable pseudo-King James Bible English. Of the two, Ali's contains more liberties with the text -- such as adding "(lightly)" to Sura 4:34 after the directive to husbands to beat their disobedient wives. The Arabic doesn't say to beat them lightly, it just says to beat them. Pickthall's is generally accurate.



There are other good translations. For years I have liked Arberry's for its audacious literalism and often poetic English. Compare, for example, 81:15-18:



فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

...in Pickthall and Arberry: Pickthall: "Oh, but I call to witness the planets, the stars which rise and set, and the close of night, and the breath of morning..." Arberry: "No! I swear by the slinkers, the runners, the sinkers, by the night swarming, by the dawn sighing..." Shades of the Symbolists. Arberry gives a hint of how the book sounds in Arabic, in which it is full of beguiling rhymes and rhythms.



Q: What can we do about this threat?

RS: Many things, but what we must do above all is remain true to our principles of freedom and equality of rights and dignity for all. These ideas and related ones are what set us apart from global jihadists. If we discard them in order to fight the jihadists, we risk erasing the distinction between the two camps.



Q: What is Jihad Watch?

RS: Jihad Watch is an attempt to raise awareness about the activities of the global jihadists. We are a 501c3 organization affiliated with the David Horowitz Freedom Center. Our Board of Directors consists of:



* Robert Spencer, President, author of six books on jihad terrorism;



* Hugh Fitzgerald, Vice President, a regular writer at Jihad Watch;



* Ibn Warraq, editor of many books on the Qur'an and early Islam;



* Tashbih Sayyed, editor-in-chief of Muslim World Today; and



* James Jatras, attorney and author of articles on a variety of topics.

Q: Why are you doing this?

RS: Jihad ideology is a threat to the peace and human rights of non-Muslims as well as Muslims worldwide. If it is not confronted and resisted, it will prevail.



JIHAD WATCH IN THE MEDIA



Jihad Watch director Robert Spencer is available to speak to your group or on your program regarding current events and/or other issues relating to jihad and dhimmitude. Jihad Watch contributor Hugh Fitzgerald is also available to speak. Contact them at director[at]jihadwatch.org.



Robert Spencer has discussed jihad and Islam on the following programs:



Television:

The BBC

C-Span Book TV

C-Span, "Washington Journal"

C-Span, "Q & A"

PBS, "Religion and Ethics Newsweekly"

CNN, "Headline News with Glenn Beck"

CNN, "Lou Dobbs Tonight"

PAX-TV, "Faith Under Fire"

FOX News Live

FOX News, "Weekend Live with Tony Snow"

FOX News, "Fox and Friends First"

FOX News, "The Big Story with John Gibson"

FOX News, "DaySide with Linda Vester"

FOX News, "From the Heartland with John Kasich"

CITS, "Michael Coren Live"

CBN-TV, "700 Club"

MSNBC, "Nachman"

Croatia National Television - HTV, "Kontraplan"





Radio:



"Vatican Radio"

"Voice of America"

"The BBC"

"ABC Radio News"

"Fox Across America"

"The Alan Colmes Show"

"The Neal Boortz Show"

"The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly"

"The Michael Savage Show: The Savage Nation"

"The Michael Reagan Show"

"The Michael Medved Show"

"The G. Gordon Liddy Show"

"The Dennis Prager Show"

"The Barbara Simpson Show"

"The Larry Elder Show"

"The Laurie Roth Show"

"NPR, The Tavis Smiley Show"

"The Jerry Doyle Show"

"The Barry Farber Show"

"The Bob Dornan Show"

"The Ken Hamblin Show"

"Daybreak USA"

"The David Brudnoy Show"

"The Rusty Humphries Show"

"Shmuley" with Shmuley Boteach

"The Diner Show"

"Rambling with Gambling" with John Gambling

"Talking Sense" with Rabbi Aryeh Spero

"Point of View" with Marlon Maddox

"The Bob Grant Show"

"The Laura Ingraham Show"

"The Tom Marr Show"

"The Don Feder Show"

"Mancow"

"The Right Balance with Greg Allen;

. . . and hundreds of other programs

Answer 10

We are instructed by the Noble Qura'an to answer back with the word "Peace" when addressed by ignorants, so again: Peace.



#################################

Muhammed A – Z

May Allah Exalt his Mention

By Yusuf Estes, Former Christian Preacher



Muhammad ibn Abdullah ibn Abdul Muttalib

Born 570 C.E. (Christian Era); died 633 C.E.



The following is based on books, manuscripts, texts and actual eyewitness accounts, too numerous to mention herein, preserved in original form throughout the centuries by both Muslims and non-Muslims.



Many people today are discussing Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention. Who was he exactly? What did he teach? Why was he loved so much by some and hated so much by others? Did he live up to his claims? Was he a holy man? Was he a prophet of God? What is the truth about this man?You be the judge.

Here are the facts as narrated by thousands of people, many of whom knew him personally.

*He was born to a noble tribe to the lineage of the leaders of Makkah.

*His name comes from the Arabic root "hamd" and literally means "praised one." People at his time and until this very moment, praise him many times per day, may Allah exalt his mention.

*He never fell into the common practice of his tribesmen to worship statues, idols or man-made "gods."

*He believed that God was truly One God, and as such, He was to be worshipped alone, without any other "gods" beside Him.

*He held the Name of God in the highest of reverence and never took God's Name in vain or for any vain glorious purpose.

*He despised false worship and all of the complexities and degradation to which it leads.

*He adhered to the Commandments of Almighty God, just as prophets of old had done in the past.

*He never committed adultery, and he forbade others from doing it.

*He forbade usury and interest on money lending, as Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, had done centuries before him.

*He never gambled and did not allow it.

*He never drank alcohol or strong drink; even though it was a very normal thing for people of his time and place.

*He did not engage in gossip and used to turn away from hearing anything related to it.

*He fasted for days at a time to be closer to Almighty God and away from the narrowness of worldly attractions.

*He taught that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was the immaculate conception and miracle birth of Mary, and that she was among the best creation of Almighty God.

*He insisted even to the Jews of Medina, that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was the Messiah, the Christ, the one predicted to come in their Torah (Old Testament).

*He said Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, did many miracles by the permission of Almighty God, curing the lepers, restoring sight to the blind and even bringing a dead man back to life.

*He stated clearly that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, was not dead, rather Almighty God had raised him up.

*He foretold that Jesus, may Allah exalt his mention, is going to return again in the Last Days to lead the true believers in a victory over the evil and unrighteous people, and he will destroy the Anti-Christ.

*He commanded the payment of charity to the poor and he was the defender and protector of widows, orphans and the wayfarers.

*He ordered people to unite with their families and honor the ties of kinship and he restored relationships between family members.

*He required his followers to engage only in lawful marriage relationships with women, and forbade sex outside of Almighty God's Ordinance.

*He insisted on giving women their proper rights, dowries, inheritance and property.

*His patience and humble attitude were exemplary and all who knew him had to admit to these virtues.

A. He never lied, never broke a trust never bore false witness, and he was famous with all the tribes in Makkah and was known as: "The Truthful" (Al-Ameen).

B. He never once engaged in sex outside of marriage, nor did he ever approve of it, even though it was very common at the time.

C. His only relationships with women were in legitimate, contractual marriages with proper witnesses according to law.

D. His relationship to Ayesha was only that of marriage. Their relationship is described in every detail by Ayesha herself in the most loving and respectful manner as a match truly made in heaven. Ayesha is considered as one of the highest scholars of Islam and lived out her entire life only having been married to Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention. She never desired any other man, nor did she ever utter a single negative statement against Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention.

E. He forbade any killing until the orders came from Allah. Even then the limits were clearly spelled out and only those engaged in active combat against the Muslims or Islam were to be fought in combat. And even then, only according to very strict rules from Allah.

F. Killing any innocent life was forbidden.

G. There was no genocide of Jews. He offered mutual protection and forgiveness to the Jews even after they broke their covenants with him many times. They were not attacked until it was clearly proven they were traitors during time of war and tried to bring down the prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, and the Muslims at any cost. Retaliation was only to those Jews who had turned traitor and not others.

H. Slaves were common in those days for all nations and tribes. It was Islam that encouraged freeing of the slaves and the great reward from Allah for those who did so. Prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, gave the example of this by freeing slaves and encouraging all of his followers to do the same. Examples include his own servant (who was actually considered like a son to him) Zaid ibn Al Haritha and Bilal the slave who was bought by Abu Bakr only for the purpose of freeing him.

I. While there were many attempts of assassination made on Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, (most famous was the night that Ali took his place in bed while he and Abu Bakr escaped to Madinah), he did not allow his companions to slaughter any of those who had been involved in these attempts. Proof for this is when they entered Makkah triumphantly and his first words were to command his followers not to harm such and such tribes and so and so families. This was one of the most famous of his acts of forgiveness and humbleness.

J. Military combat was forbidden for the first thirteen years of prophethood. The desert Arabs did not need anyone to tell them how to fight or do combat. They were experts in this area and held feuds amongst tribes that lasted for decades. It was not until the proper method of warfare was instituted by Allah in the Quran, with proper rights and limitations according His Commandments, that any retaliation or combat was sanctioned. Orders from Allah made it clear who was to be attacked, how and when and to what extent fighting could take place.

K. Destruction of infrastructures is absolutely forbidden except when it is ordained by Allah in certain instances and then only according to His Commands.

L. Cursing and invoking evil actually came to the prophet, may Allah exalt his mention, from his enemies, while he would be praying for their guidance. Classic example is that of his journey to At-Taif where the leaders would not even hear him out nor offer so much as the normal courtesy called for and instead they set the children of the street against him, throwing rocks and stones at him until his body was bleeding so much, blood filled his sandals. He was offered revenge by the angel Gabriel, if he would give the command, Allah would cause the surrounding mountains to fall down upon them destroying them all. Instead of cursing them or asking for their destruction, he prayed for them to be guided to worship their Lord alone, without any partners.

M. Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, claimed every person who is born is born in a state of ISLAM (submission to God), as a Muslim (MU-Islam means; "one who does ISLAM" i.e.; submits to God's Will and obeys His Commandments). Then as they grow older they begin to distort their faith according to the influence of the prevailing society and their own prejudices.

N. Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, taught his followers to believe in the God of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, Solomon and Jesus, peace be upon them all, and to believe in them as true prophets, messengers and slaves of Almighty Allah. He insisted on ranking all the prophets up at the highest level without any distinction between them.

O. He also taught the Torah (Old Testament), Zaboor (Psalms) and Injeel (Gospel or New Testament) were originally from the very same source as the Quran, from Allah.

P. He prophesied and foretold of events to come and they happened as he had said. He even predicted something from the past that would come true in the future, and it has.

The Quran states pharaoh was drowned in the Red Sea while chasing after Moses and Allah said He would preserve Pharaoh as a sign for the future. Dr. Maurice Bucaille in his book, "Bible, Quran and Science" makes it clear this has happened and the very person of Pharaoh has been discovered in Egypt and is now on display for all to see.

This event took place thousands of years before Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, and it came true in the last few decades, many centuries after his death.

There has been more written about the prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, than any other person on earth. He has been praised very high even by famous non-Muslims for centuries. One of the first examples we quote from is from the Encyclopedia Britannica, as it confirms (regarding Muhammad)”

". . . a mass of detail in the early sources shows that he was an honest and upright man who had gained the respect and loyalty of others who were likewise honest and upright men." (Vol. 12)

Another impressive tribute to Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention is in the very well written work of Michael H. Hart, "The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History." He states that the most influential person in all history was Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, with Jesus second. Examine his actual words:



"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 religious and secular level."

Michael H. Hart, THE 100: A RANKING OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN HISTORY, New York: Hart Publishing Company, Inc., 1978, page. 33.

While we are reviewing statements from famous non-Muslims about Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, consider this:

"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?"

Lamartine, HISTOIRE DE LA TURQUIE, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp. 276-277.

George Bernard Shaw, a famous writer and non-Muslim says:

"He must be called the Savior of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it much needed peace and happiness."

(The Genuine Islam, Singapore, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936)

K.S. Ramakrishna Rao, an Indian (Hindu) professor of Philosophy, in his booklet "Muhammad the Prophet of Islam" calls him the "perfect model for human life." Professor Ramakrishna Rao explains his point by saying:

"The personality of Muhammad, it is most difficult to get into the whole truth of it. Only a glimpse of it I can catch. What a dramatic succession of picturesque scenes. There is Muhammad the Prophet. There is Muhammad the Warrior; Muhammad the Businessman; Muhammad the Statesman; Muhammad the Orator; Muhammad the Reformer; Muhammad the Refuge of Orphans; Muhammad the Protector of Slaves; Muhammad the Emancipator of Women; Muhammad the Judge; Muhammad the Saint. All in all these magnificent roles, in all these departments of human activities, he is alike a hero."

Mahatma Gandhi, speaking on the character of Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, says in 'YOUNG INDIA':

"I wanted to know the best of one who holds today undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind... I became more than convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet, the scrupulous regard for his pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle. When I closed the 2nd volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of the great life."

Thomas Carlyle in his 'Heroes and Hero Worship', was simply amazed as to:

"How one man single handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades."

Diwan Chand Sharma wrote in "The Prophets of the East":

"Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him"

(D.C. Sharma, The Prophets of the East, Calcutta, 1935, pp. 12)

Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, was nothing more or less than a human being, but he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God. He always described himself as, 'A Slave and Messenger of God' and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be.

Speaking on the aspect of equality before God in Islam, the famous poetess of India, Sarojini Naidu says:

"It was the first religion that preached and practiced democracy; for, in the mosque, when the call for prayer is sounded and worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and king kneel side by side and proclaim: 'God Alone is Great'... I have been struck over and over again by this indivisible unity of Islam that makes man instinctively a brother."

(S. Naidu, Ideals of Islam, vide Speeches & Writings, Madras, 1918, p. 169)

In the words of Professor Hurgronje:

"The league of nations founded by the prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity and human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show candle to other nations." He continues, "the fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done towards the realization of the idea of the League of Nations."

Edward Gibbon and Simon Ockley, on the profession of ISLAM, writes in "History of the Saracen Empires":

"I BELIEVE IN ONE GOD, AND MAHOMET, AN APOSTLE OF GOD' is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honor of the Prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtues; and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion."

(History of the Saracen Empires, London, 1870, p. 54)

Wolfgang Goethe, perhaps the greatest European poet ever, wrote about Prophet Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention. He said:

"He is a prophet and not a poet and therefore his Koran is to be seen as Divine Law and not as a book of a human being, made for education or entertainment."

(Noten und Abhandlungen zum Weststlichen Dvan, WA I, 7, 32)

People do not hesitate to raise to divinity and even make 'gods' out of other individuals whose lives and missions have been lost in legend. Historically speaking, none of these legends achieved even a fraction of what Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, accomplished. And all his striving was for the sole purpose of uniting mankind for the worship of One God on the codes of moral excellence. Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, or his followers never at any time claimed that he was a son of God or the God-incarnate or a man with divinity – but he always was and is even today considered as only a Messenger chosen by God.

Today after a lapse of fourteen centuries, the life and teachings of Muhammad, may Allah exalt his mention, have survived without the slightest loss, alteration or interpolation. They offer the same undying hope for treating mankind's many ills, which they did when he was alive. This is not a claim of Muhammad’s, may Allah exalt his mention, followers, but the inescapable conclusion forced upon by a critical and unbiased history.





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