Many\npeople have studied the life and character of the Prophet of Islam and have\nexpressed remarkable viewpoints about his unique character. This is a\ncollection of short quotations from several notables, including academics,\nwriters, and scholars. Considering the fact that these words reflect the views\nof some non-Muslim personalities, they might require to be paid more attention.\nMoreover some of these quotations touch on some aspects of the character of the\nProphet which might not be well noticed by the Muslims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Michael\nH. Hart<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(1932- 2007) Professor of astronomy, physics and the\nhistory of science<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His\n?The 100? is a ranking of the 100 people who, in his opinion, most influenced\nhuman history. It is remarkable that he has chosen the Prophet of Islam as the\nfirst influential Man in the history. He says in this regard,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
q “My choice of Muhammad to lead the\nlist of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may\nbe questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely\nsuccessful on both the religious and secular level.” (1)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reverend\nBosworth Smith<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(1794-1884) Late Fellow of Trinity College, Oxford<\/p>\n\n\n\n
q “? he was Caesar and Pope in one;\nbut he was Pope without the Pope’s pretensions, and Caesar without the legions\nof Caesar. Without a standing army,\nwithout a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue, if ever any man\nhad the right to say that he ruled by a right Divine, it was Mohammed; for he\nhad all the power without its instruments and without its supports.” (2)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Washington\nIrving<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(1783-1859) Well-known as the ?first American man of\nletters”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
q ?He was sober and abstemious in his\ndiet, and a rigorous observer of fasts. He indulged in no magnificence of\napparel, the ostentation of a petty mind; neither was his simplicity in dress\naffected, but the result of a real disregard to distinction from so trivial a\nsource …<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In\nhis private dealings he was just. He treated friends and strangers, the rich\nand poor, the powerful and the weak, with equity, and was beloved by the common\npeople for the affability with which he received them, and listened to their\ncomplaints…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His\nmilitary triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory, as they would have done had\nthey been effected for selfish purposes. In the time of his greatest power he\nmaintained the same simplicity of manners and appearance as in the days of his\nadversity. So far from affecting regal state, he was displeased if, on entering\na room, any unusual testimonial of respect were shown to him.” (3)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
David\nGeorge Hogarth<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(1862-1927) English archaeologist, author, and keeper of\nthe Ashmolean Museum, Oxford<\/p>\n\n\n\n
q ?Serious or trivial, his daily behaviour\nhas instituted a canon which millions observe this day with conscious\nmimicry. No one regarded by any section\nof the human race as Perfect Man has been imitated so minutely.? (4)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
William\nMontgomery Watt<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(1909-2006) Professor (Emeritus) of Arabic and Islamic\nStudies at the University of Edinburgh, and one of the key historians of Islam\nin the West.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
q ?There was nothing inevitable or\nautomatic about the spread of the Arabs and the growth of the Islamic\ncommunity. Without a remarkable combination of qualities in Muhammad it is\nimprobable that the expansion would have taken place, ? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nmore one reflects on the history of Muhammad and of early Islam, the more one\nis amazed at the vastness of his achievement.? (5)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
q “His readiness to undergo persecutions \nfor his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him\nand looked up to him as leader, and the \ngreatness of his \nultimate achievement – all argue his fundamental integrity. To suppose\nMuhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the\ngreat figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as\nMuhammad.” (6)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here\nremains a question: Is the man who lived many centuries ago and whose\ncharacters and qualities are not hidden from the eyes of contemporary scholars,\nwell introduced and properly recognized today?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Roshd website offers its condolences upon the 28th of Safar, the\nanniversary of the demise of the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad Mustafa\n(PBUH&HP), and the martyrdom of his grandson Imam Hassan al-Mujtaba (PBUH)\nto all followers of divine religions and especially Muslims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Footnotes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Michael H. Hart, ?The 100: A Ranking of The\nMost Influential Persons In History?, New York, 1978, p. 33<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. Reverend Bosworth Smith, ?Mohammed and\nMohammedanism?, London, 1874, p. 235<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. William Montgomery Watt, ?Life of Mahomet,\nLondon?, 1889, pp. 192-3, 199<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. David George Hogarth, ?Arabia?, Oxford,\n1922, p. 52<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. William Montgomery Watt, ?Muhammad Prophet\nand Statesman? (1960), Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp 236 and 237<\/p>\n\n\n\n
6. William Montgomery Watt, ?Mohammad At\nMecca?, Oxford, 1953, p. 52\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Many people have studied the life and character of the Prophet of Islam and have expressed remarkable viewpoints about his unique character. This is a collection of short quotations from several notables, including academics, writers, and scholars. Considering the fact that these words reflect the views of some non-Muslim personalities, they might require to be […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28248,28383],"tags":[63191],"class_list":["post-3952","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-occasional-letters","category-en-the-great-prophet-of-islam-pbuhhp","tag-the-holy-prophet-pbuh-from-the-language-of-world-celebrities"],"yoast_head":"\n