The Message

As per human nature, emigration from homeland to another country is to be considered one of the most difficult moments especially if one has to do so after being exposed and subjected to persecution and harm from his own people. Emigration in such a case is considered to be a huge psychological and physical burden to the emigrant himself as he has to abandon and leave his homeland and his memories behind his back towards the unknown.

There are various reasons make  people emigrate to another place, some of which  are looking for jobs, making money, or living a better life, but the case is completely different when we talk about Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) emigration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina as it was one of the greatest events that changed the history of mankind as a whole.

It was an emigration that conveys deep meanings in sentiment and belief; it separates between truth and falsehood. It is an emigration to God, an emigration from polytheism and atheism to Islam. For all those meanings and others of course, Muslims have adopted their calendar (Hijri Year) to start from the year of the Prophet's emigration from Mecca to Medina. The meaning and the significance of "Hijra" is embodied in the Islamic calendar. Since its inception, the Islamic calendar represents a history of perpetual struggle between truth and falsehood, faith and blasphemy, freedom and oppression, light and darkness, and between peace and war. Because the first reason of victory is being psychologically strong so that was greatly demonstrated by the Prophet‘s (PBUH) answer when Abu Bakr (his companion in this journey said, “O Messenger of God, Were one of them to look down towards his feet, he would see us!” The Prophet replied, “What do you think of two people with whom God is the Third?

"Do not be sad, for indeed God (Allah) is with us.”

 Why Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, has borne these difficulties?

The answer will be from one of the European scholars Dr. Marcus Dods in his work, "Mohammad, Buddha and Christ" writes:  "Isn’t Muhammad a Prophet in a way or another?" then he replied: "Certainly he had two of the most important characteristics of the prophetic order. He saw truth about God which his fellowmen did not see, and he had an irresistible inward impulse to publicize this truth. Mohammad may stand in comparison with the most courageous and heroic prophets of Israel. For the sake of the truth he risked his life, he suffered daily persecution for years, and eventually banishment, the loss of property, of the goodwill of his fellow citizens, and of the confidence of his friends; he suffered, in short, as much as any man can suffer short of death, which he only escaped by flight, and yet he unflinchingly proclaimed his message. No bribe, threat or inducement, could silence him"

Other men have been monotheists in the midst of idolaters, but no other man has founded a strong and enduring monotheistic religion. The distinction in his case was his resolution that other men should believe. If we ask what made Muhammad was convincing others with monotheism while other men had been satisfied to cherish a solitary faith. "We must answer that it was nothing else than the depth and force of his own conviction of the truth of his belief."

Yes, Muhammad ,the Messenger of Allah ,peace be upon him, had endured and suffered a great deal but with his perseverance, persistence and patience he pursued every way and every mean to convey his message to the people, and at the same time his opponents had tried every way and mean to force him to abandon and leave his call but he insisted strongly and assertively to move on despite all temptations, death threats and assassination, and said to his uncle Abu Talib (His former guardian)  his famous words : "O my uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left in return for my giving up this cause, I would not give it up until God (Allah) makes Truth victorious, or I die in His service." Abu Talib answered with a sigh: ‘O my brother’s son, I will not forsake you ".

And in the Battle of Uhod when his  face  was cut, and one of his teeth was broken, and the protective dress of his head was broken, he was asked by his companions “Why don’t you invocate God to punish them?"

He replied, “I wasn’t sent as an execrator, but I was conveyed as a messenger and mercy. O My God forgives my people as they don’t know”.

The French Orientelist Emil Derminghem once said "It is a fact that the Prophet did not know neither rest nor sleep after the divine revelation to him in the cave of Heraa. He spent a life that was greatly admired by any one. It is also a fact that twenty years were enough for the preparation of what turned the world upside down, it was a seed that has grown in the waste and barren Hijaz sands ; and Soon, this seed will revive  the Arab world  and extend its branches to India and the Atlantic Ocean. We do not have a proof that Muhammad had a foresight when he described, from Mount Arafat, the future of his nation, and the spread of his religion. By his insight and sagacity he felt that the Arabs that he has united will go out of their peninsula to open (i.e spread Islam in) Persia, Levant, Africa and Spain. "

 The world has witnessed a lot of great people, but all of them showed greatness in one or two aspects of life such as religious beliefs or military leadership. However, their teachings were obliterated over time and by the changing nature of life in such a way that affects our judgment on the extent of the success or failure of these teachings, making it impossible for people to revive or bring to life the teachings of those great people.

 But that does not apply in any way to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as he has completed and accomplished so much in such diverse fields in terms of behavioral and intellectual aspects in such an effulgence that was unparallel in the human history. Every detail of his private life and public utterances and sayings were accurately documented faithfully and honestly preserved to this day. The attribution and ascription of his sayings (Hadiths) was not only achieved and fulfilled by his faithful companions and followers but also by his critics and prejudiced ones.

 A religious teacher, a social reformer, an ideal moral leader, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband and loving father all gathered in one person, Mohammad, the Messenger of Allah. Throughout history, and in various walks of life, no one beats him in any of those qualities combined.  Also no one could be equal to him; he was with his open-handed, generous and selfless personality who has reached to this level of ethical and moral perfection.

Muhammad (peace be upon him), was not but a human being, a man with a noble mission to unite humanity to worship the Only and the One God and help humanity to recognize the right path of life in obedience to God. All his actions were confirming what he was always describing himself as "The Slave of Allah and His messenger."

 One of the most remarkable comments was said by the Orientalist Lane Poole: "Muhammad was characterized by much of the good qualities such as kindness, courage and good manners to such a degree that no one can judge him without being affected by these qualities and without this judgment being originating by the non- tendency or inclination. Undoubtedly Mohammad (PBUH) has endured hostility from his family and his clan for years, his determination not diminished, nor his power weakened. His nobility has reached an outstanding level that in his life he was not the first to withdraw his hand when shaking hands with other, even if it was a kid, and he did not, at any time, pass by a group of men or children without saluting them with peace, and with his sweet smile on his lips, and the tone was beautiful enough alone to harness and attract the hearts of others strongly to him".

Lamartine the French poet says: ''The remarkable incident in my whole life, is that I have studied the life of prophet Muhammad, and I realized its greatness and eternity, who dare to compare any man from history with prophet Muhammad?! Who is greater than him, looking to all criterions measuring man's greatness?!! His behavior in the time of glory, his ambitions to spread the massage, his long lasting prayers, and his celestial interlocution all are evidence to a perfect faith that helped him to establish the basics of his message. The messenger , the preacher, the legislator, the conqueror ,the corrector of the believes, the one who established worshipping which did not depend on images ,is Muhammad .He has destroyed all believes that adopting mediator between the creator and his creation"

The greatness of the Prophet (peace be upon him) lies in the fact that he was a holder of an enlightening divine message, its title "THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH"", a message that aims to reform the humanity in general, and liberate it from the worship of idols and the devil and  then transfer it to the enlightened civilization. Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, was an educational teacher; his speech did not address a dictatorship, but rather was a speech to educate people. He was not characterized by the nature of a ruler as much as by the nature of a true teacher.

The English philosopher George Bernard Shaw says: "History has no man, except Mohammed, who is ,a massage carrier, a nation establisher , a founder of a country…all these three things done by Mohammed , was a united unity , and religion was the power that maintain its unity over history"

Michael H. Hart in his recently published book (The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History) says:" Muhammad was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels"

And let me conclude this article with the letter sent by Muhammad the messenger of Allah to call people to Islam:

This letter was from Muhammad the slave of God and His Messenger to Muqawqis, Vicegerent of Egypt

"In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Peace be upon him who follows the right path. I am writing this invitation to call you to Islam. If you accept Islam, you will be safe - and God, the Sublime, shall reward you doubly. But if you refuse to do so, responsibility for the transgression of the entire nation shall be yours.  : “O People of the Scriptures?  Come to a word common to you and us that we worship none but Allah and that we associate nothing in worship with Him, and that none of us shall take others as Lords beside Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims" [Quran 3:64]

According to the narration of the story:  When Muqawqis had read the letter, he asked the letter the man who delivered the message (Haatib bin Abi Balta'ah): What has prevented your companion if he was a prophet to invoke his God to bring suffering on those who expelled him from his own town? Haatib answered: What has prevented Jesus to call God to punish those who conspired to kill him, so God brings on them whatever they deserve? Muqawqis said: You are a wise man and sent by a wise man."

Prophet Mohammad's Letter to the Negus, king of Abyssinia. (Ethiopia)

In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
From Muhammad Prophet of Allah to Negus King of Abyssinia.
I praise Allah, except Whom there is none to be worshipped, who is the Ruler of the world. He is innocent and pure free from all blemishes, defects, flaws, or shortcomings). He gives refuge and sustains all.
I do admit that Isa (Jesus) (A.S.) son of Mariam (Mary), was the soul from Allah and His word (Order), he was infused to Mariam, who was clean and proof against evil. And Isa(A.S.) was born of Mariam. Allah created him from His soul and breath in the same manner as He created Adam(A.S.) with His own hand. I invite you towards Allah the One who has no associate. Believe in Him and join me in obedience to Him. Peace be on him, who followed the right path.

Finally, let's make history the decisive criterion to differentiate between Mohammad and his opponents who hated and insulted him, because its judgment is stronger to be applied and lived up to than the judgment of his opponents and friends, of the polytheists and the monotheists,  and of the believers and the infidels, Because it is the rule and Judgment of Allah.

By Faisal Mahmoud

References:

What Poets and Novelists Say about Prophet Muhammad ,By Bashir Abul Qaraya -PhD. Political Science Researcher & Director of Research and Studies, www.thefullstory.info/download.php?id=20

·         The genius of Muhammad; a book by  Abbas Mahmoud El Akkad

·         I won Muhammad and did not lose Jesus; a book by Dr. Abdel Mu'ti Al Dalati  

·         Our great people in history, a book  Dr. Mustafa Sibai'

·         Life of Muhammad, a book by the French Orientalist Emile Derminghem translated by the Palestinian Professor Muhammad Adel Zuaiter

·         Do you know who is "Muhammad" peace be upon him? Yusuf Estes, www.rasoulallah.net

·         http://ar.wikipedia.org