In fact it is a very difficult mission to talk about him, because his life is full of events, situations, stories, and also his sayings, and I was perplexed where to begin from, can we begin from his birth in Mecca?, or his growing up with his grandfather then with his uncle?, or when Allah chose him to be his Messenger? or his suffering with his people or his immigration from Mecca to Medina (a country in Saudi Arabia) or…….or……or…..etc., a lot of things which we can begin from. Until I read very important things which deserved to be our first talking about Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam.
"What do the western writers say about Prophet Muhammad?"
Of course that was after his death with a long time, and after they read his autobiography carefully and give their opinion honestly.
Let's begin by the words of the very famous Irish writer and novelist "George Bernard Shaw" he says:
"He (Muhammad) 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).
Another impressive tribute to Prophet Muhammad is by "Michael Hart" in his well written book "The 100: A ranking of The Most Influential Person in the History". In this book Hart chose Prophet Muhammad to be the Most Influential Person in All History and comments in the beginning of the book:
"My choice to 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 in both religious and secular level"
(The 100: A Ranking of The Most Influential Persons In History, New York, Hart publishing company in 1987.p.33)
Also there is a very important view for Prophet Muhammad which was given by the French Poet "La Martine "who says:
"Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, Restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness can be measured, we may all ask, is there any man greater than he?"
[Lamartin, Histoir De La Turquie, Paris, 1854, vol.11, p.276-277]
It won't astonish you, if we say that according to Muslims' Holy Book (The Qur'an) Prophet Muhammad is the most excellent example for all of humanity, but i am sure that you will be very astonished if you know that even the non-Muslim historians recognize him to be one of the most successful personalities in history. let us read what "the Reverend R.Bosworth-smith" writes in "Mohammed & Mohammedanism" in 1946:
"Head of the state as well as the church, he was Caesar and pope in one; but, he was pope without the pope's claims, and 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 Mohammad, for he had all the power without instruments and without its support. He cared not for dressing of power. The simplicity of his private life was in keeping with his public life".
Also while I am looking for those who give their opinions in Prophet Muhammed I find that a man with a worldly fame spoke about the character of Prophet Muhammad, "Mahatma Gandi", the great striver 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 become 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"
"K.S Ramakrishna Rao", an Indian (Hindu) professor of Philosophy, in his booklet "Muhammad the Prophet Of Islam" says that Prophet Muhammad is "the perfect model for human life". Why?
Ramakishna answers:
"The personality of Muhammad, it is the most difficult to get into 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 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."
He is like a hero. This is the best conclusion to these valuable opinions of those honest writers, which give general characteristics to the personality of Prophet Muhammad and make us ready to know in details about certain point in His life which, as we mentioned, is full of stories, situations, sayings, and deeds.
By Asmaa Mahmoud