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PREFACE
We
would like to introduce the reader
to the exemplary life of the blessed
Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace
and blessings, and his
distinguished, exalted personality.
The ‘water of life’ for the
salvation of humankind should be
made known to everyone.
The
Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace
and blessings, is the pride of
humankind. For the past fourteen
centuries, many thinkers,
philosophers, scientists and
scholars, each a radiant star in our
intellectual world, have stood
behind him in respect and admiration
and taken pride in membership of his
community.
It
is enough to appreciate and
understand his greatness that even
after so many attacks, we still hear
the words I bear witness that
Muhammad is the Messenger of God
from minarets five times a day.
While his name is being proclaimed
from minarets we rejoice, as do the
dead and other spiritual beings. It
is enough to establish his greatness
that, in spite of the concerted
efforts to corrupt our younger
generation and lead them astray, the
young in this century, although it
is impossible for them to perceive
the full reality of Muhammad, upon
him be peace and blessings, hasten
to him as moths hasten to light.
Time
has not been able to make us forget
the truth about him. He is so fresh
in my mind that if I mention his
holy name, it is as if I am about to
meet him a few steps later. Once,
while on pilgrimage to his radiant
city, Madina, I felt that he was
about to appear and welcome us. As
time progresses, some thoughts
become obsolete, but Muhammad, upon
him be peace, remains as fresh as a
rosebud in the hearts of the
Muslims. It is for this reason that
as soon as his name is mentioned
from the minaret, we immediately
abandon our work and hasten to
mosque in acceptance of his
invitation.
If
we had been allowed to describe him
as others have been described, if we
had used the social and educational
institutions, then, most probably,
all the youth of today would be
following his way. Despite our
shortcomings, many pick up their ‘glasses’
and run to fill them from this ‘pure
spring’. In every part of the
world, including the United States,
England, France and Germany, an
Islamic revival is being observed.
The Muslims are sowing these lands
with the seeds of a happy future.
Islam in every corner of the world
is healthy and is flourishing as it
had done in the Time of Happiness,
i.e. the time of Muhammad himself.
The same is true of the
predominantly Muslim lands. Muslims,
who were unconsciously devoted to
Islam without deep perception or
research, have given way to a new
generation who are consciously
following Muhammad, upon him be
peace, in the light of science and
advances in knowledge. Those who
were previously exploiting schools
and universities on behalf of
unbelief are now running to him.
World famous men including Maurice
Bucaille and Roger Garaudy, have
seen the falsehood of their systems
and are hastening to the school of
Prophet Muhammad, upon him be peace,
which is faultless.
I
wonder whether we have fully
recognized the most beloved of
hearts. Even I, who have been
performing five daily prayers since
the age of five and striving to be a
slave at his door, wonder if I am
able to recognize him. Have we been
able to enthuse love into the hearts
of the men of this century by
describing the ultimate source of
all love and enthusiasm?
If
only mankind had known Muhammad,
they would have fallen in love with
him as Majnun fell in love with
Layla. Whenever his name is
mentioned, they would tremble with
joy in anticipation of entering the
ethos which surrounds him and
following his way wholeheartedly.
A
person can love only one he/she
knows and only to the extent of
his/her knowledge
Man
can love only one he knows and only
to the extent of his knowledge. Our
enemies have tried their utmost to
make us forget and ensure that his
holy name should not be mentioned
anywhere. Since he is supported by
God, all these obstacles have been
torn down and the younger generation
are submitting themselves to him as
joyfully as one dying of thirst in
the burning desert does when he
finds water. His mighty tenderness
and compassion will embrace every
‘thirsty’ person who comes to
him.
You
must have noticed that when you come
to the Friday prayers, the
congregation consists mainly of
young people. Have you ever asked
why, despite the misguidance and
rebellion prevalent in most parts of
the world, young people come to
mosques and sit despite cold and
other difficulties? There is only
one attraction - Muhammad, upon him
be peace and blessings. Whether we
can grasp it or not, souls and
hearts rush to him as moths to a
candle. Even those ‘winter flies’
who have not been so fortunate will
soon be turning to him. The whole
world will soon be following him.
Scientists and great thinkers will
be studying him. Those who are
currently enemies will soon be bosom
friends and will take refuge in his
warm welcome. In his time, even his
enemies admired him.
He
once related a dream that he had
had. He, upon him be peace, said:
They weighed me against ten people
of my community and I outweighed
them. Then they weighed me against a
hundred and then a thousand
respectively and I outweighed them
all.1
He also related: I was weighed
against the whole of my community
and I outweighed them.2 He outweighs
all the men of intellect, the men of
piety and spirituality and the men
of faith and knowledge. This is
because all other beings were
created because of him. It is
reported that God said to him: But
for you, I would not have created
the spheres.3
Muhammad
provided creation with meaning and
gave
the answers to vital questions of
humanity
The
universe is a book. If Muhammad,
upon him be peace, had not been
created, this book would not have
been understood. To create a book
that could not be understood would
have been an effort in vain. God
Almighty is beyond exerting Himself
in vain. Therefore, He created
Muhammad so that he may describe the
meaning of creation. God was to be a
teacher to him to whom the earth and
the firmaments were subjected. The
seeker of truth asks himself ‘Who
am I and where am I?’ ‘For what
purpose have I been created?’ ‘What
is the destination of my journey?‘
‘Who is my guide through this
journey?’
Muhammad
is the one who provided creation
with meaning and gave man the
answers to such questions. If he had
been fully recognized, he would have
been truly loved. Although we only
know him a little, we still love
him.
Let
me narrate to you an incident that
occurred during a visit to Muhammad‘s
holy city. The atmosphere was
overpowering. Something occurred to
me. Every morning, I pray to God
saying seven times, O my God, save
me from Hellfire and make me enter
Paradise among the company of the
godly people. There can be no
believer who does not wish to enter
Paradise. However, in this
environment I asked myself: ‘If
they were to invite you to Paradise
through any of its seven gates,
which would you prefer - entering
into the rawdah, the area in the
mosque next to the Prophet‘s tomb,
or entering Paradise?’ Believe me,
I swear by God that I said to
myself: ‘This place is more
appealing to me. I have had the
chance to rub my face against the
soil of my master, at whose door I
prefer to be a slave chained, than
anything else in the world. I do not
want to miss this chance.’
I
believe this is the desire of every
believer. When I was blessed with
this great opportunity, I was with a
member of the Turkish Parliament, Mr.
Arif Hikmet. He told me that he had
promised himself that he would roll
in the soil like a donkey when he
stepped across the border and
entered the land of Madina. This
great man kept his promise. When I
remember this incident, I can’t
prevent my eyes watering.
Since
the Prophet Muhammad, upon him be
peace and blessings, came with a
Sacred Law that will never be
abrogated and a Message which
embraces all men and jinn, and since
he has hundreds of miracles
excelling those of all other
Prophets, he is the head of all the
Prophets and therefore has the core
of the miracles of all of them, as
well as their unanimous
confirmation. That is, the agreement
of all the other Prophets on the
same faith and the testimony of
their miracles provide a support for
Muhammad’s honesty and
truthfulness. He is, at the same
time, the master and leader of all
saints and men of purity and
profound knowledge, who have
attained perfection through his
teaching and guidance and through
the light of his Sacred Law. Thus,
he has also the core of their
wonders, their unanimous affirmation
and the strength of all their
verified conclusions. Since the way
they have followed to reach the
truth was the one opened and left
open by him, all the wonders they
have worked, all the conclusions
they have established through
meticulous research and intuition,
and their consensus on the same
faith, constitute another support
for his Prophethood, for his
truthfulness. It is because of this
that the coming of Muhammad, the
perfect Prophet, upon him be peace
and blessings, was promised by all
the Prophets before him. God made a
covenant with them that they would
believe in him and support him.
And
when God took a covenant with
the Prophets: That I have given
you of Book and Wisdom; then
there shall come to you a
Messenger confirming what is
with you - you shall believe in
him and you shall help him. He
said: ‘Will you affirm this,
and take My load on you in this
matter?’ They answered: ‘We
affirm it.’ He said: ‘Bear
witness so, and I shall be with
you among the witnesses.’ (Al
‘Imran, 3.81)
All
the Prophets led their lives in
perfect loyalty to their promise.
When the Prophet Muhammad, upon him
be peace, was about to make his mi‘raj,
Ascension, he led the prayers before
the souls of all the other Prophets.4 All of them, including
Abraham, Moses, Noah and Jesus,
displayed their desire to become his
muezzin, caller to prayer.
Jesus
repeatedly gave his disciples the
glad tidings of the coming of
Muhammad. According to the Gospel of
John (14. 16, 26, 30; 16.7), he
said: ‘It is better for you that I
go away, because if I do not go, the
helper will not come. I have much
more to tell you, but for now it
would be too much for you to bear.
When, however, the spirit of the
Truth, the lord of the world, who
reveals the truth about God comes,
he will lead you to the truth‘.
Muhammad
is the unique, universal man
representing the whole of creation
I
wonder if we realize how unique he
was as the head of family. Do we
know how he brought up his children
or grandchildren, each of whom would
have been a great leader if he had
come in succeeding centuries? He
dealt with his wives so successfully
that there was no disagreement
between them. He was beyond all
comparison as father, husband or
simply as a human being.
He
had such sublime virtues in his
blessed being, such exalted
qualities in his messengership and
such precious merits in the religion
and Sacred Law that he preached,
that even his most fanatical enemies
could not help but admit them. Since
this being combines in his
personality, function and religion
the most praiseworthy virtues, he is
certainly the embodiment, the master
and the representative of all the
perfections and the high, laudable
virtues found in the whole creation.
He
was so perfect a commander that he
challenged the whole world with only
a handful of men. He repelled all
who opposed his teachings. He
experienced no defeat at all. He did
that without being taught by any
mortal or attending any military
academy.
He
was so informed about science that
he told his followers about almost
all the major events which would
occur until the Last Day. It was as
if he were watching a television
screen or reading from an unseen
tablet.5 Where the realm of science
has just reached is where the realm
of Muhammad begins.
Some
time ago, a friend brought me a
video cassette in which a Canadian
pediatrician, Keith Moore, who had
realized how the Quran describes
the development of the human embryo
in the mother‘s womb, declared his
conversion to Islam pronouncing, I
bear witness that there is no deity
but God, and I also bear witness
that Muhammad is His Messenger. On
the same tape a Japanese
psychologist, who had discovered
that Islam clears many of the
problems that have baffled modern
scientists, was trying to get his
tongue around the Arabic words to
make the same declaration.
Who
taught all these scientific facts to
Muhammad? Certainly, he did not
speak on his own, but whatever he
spoke was a Revelation revealed to
him. He was taught by the One who
knows everything, the One who is
All-Knowing and All-Aware, so that,
as science advances, humankind will
come to discover a new aspect of his
personality and will be filled with
regret at not knowing him before
that.
His
Companions knew him and accordingly
loved him very much. Their love for
him was greater than their love for
themselves. They were prepared to
sacrifice their lives to protect
him.
He
dispatched a group of teachers to
the tribe of Hudayl at their
request. The Hudayli unbelievers
betrayed their teachers and killed
most of them. Zayd ibn Dasina and
Hubayb were handed to the Quraysh,
then enemies of the Muslims. They
were about to be executed when,
while on the gallows, Hubayb was
asked: ‘Do you wish that Muhammad
were in your place so that you could
be with your family in Madina?‘
Hubayb was startled. ‘I would
rather be cut into pieces than wish
Muhammad, upon him be peace and
blessings, were in my place. I do
not wish for even a thorn to hurt
his blessed foot in exchange for my
being returned to my family.‘ Then
Hubayb prayed that God would convey
his wish of peace and greetings to
His Messenger, and inform him that
he had remained loyal to him until
he died. Meanwhile, the Prophet,
upon him be peace and blessings,
informed his Companions of Hubayb‘s
martyrdom and returned his
greetings.6
Sumayra,
from the tribe of Dinar, hurried to
the battlefield when the news
reached her that the Muslims
experienced a reverse in Uhud. They
showed her the dead body of her
father, but she ignored it. They
showed the dead bodies of her
husband and sons but she did not
look at them. She just kept asking
what had happened to the Prophet.
Eventually somebody guided her to
the Prophet. She threw herself to
the ground a few metres away from
his feet and said: ‘All
misfortunes mean next to nothing to
me, provided that you are alive, O
Messenger of God!’7
He
was so loved that his Companions
would have given their lives if it
meant that he could live forever.
But, of course, he was mortal like
other created beings. The appointed
hour drew near and he had to say
farewell to his friends with whom he
had been for twenty-three years. Mu‘adh
ibn Jabal had been shuttling between
Madina and the Yemen carrying the
Prophet‘s Message. On the day he
was about to leave, the Messenger of
God said to him: O Muadh, leave now
for the Yemen, but when you come
back, you will probably visit my
mosque and my tomb. These words were
enough to bring Mu‘adh to the
point of emotional collapse.8
The
problems of the twentieth century
will be solved by following the way
of Muhammad, upon him be peace. This
has been acknowledged by unbiased
Western and Eastern intellectuals.
As Bernard Shaw admitted earlier
this century, mankind, in order to
solve their accumulated problems,
need nothing more than the Prophet
Muhammad, who solved the most
complicated problems as easily as
one drinks coffee.
Humankind
is waiting for the return of the
Muhammadan spirit. They are waiting
for the Message of Muhammad, upon
him be peace and blessings. When
they turn to him to solve their
problems, they will be saved from
being exploited, freed from all
kinds of miseries, and they will
attain true peace and happiness.
This second revival has already
begun despite the aversion of
unbelievers.
They
desire to extinguish the light
of God with their mouths; but
God will perfect His light, even
though unbelievers are averse.
It is He Who has sent His
Messenger with the guidance and
the religion of truth, that He
may uplift it above every
religion, even though the
polytheists are averse. (al-Saff,
61:8-9)
God
will uplift His religion, and people
will run to the Prophet Muhammad,
upon him be peace and blessings, and
in him will find peace and
happiness. Humankind will learn to
live in security through him and it
will be as if they had entered
Paradise while still in this world.
This will take place despite the
unbelievers and wrongdoers of
Europe, the hypocrites of Asia and
those living heedless of him. The
lord of the Prophets, whose name we
proclaim from our minarets five
times a day to the whole world, will
sooner or later be entrusted in the
hearts of humankind. And, since the
Prophet Muhammad was a man of peace,
mankind will attain happiness
through the Message that he brought.
1.
Qadi Iyad, Shifa’ al-Sharif,
1.173.
2.
Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad, 2.76.
3.
al-Ajluni, Kashf al-Khafa’,
2.232.
4.
I. Jarir al-Tabari, Jami‘ al-Bayan
an Ta’wil Ay al-Qur’an; I.
Kathir, al-Bidaya wa l-Nihaya,
3.139.
5.
Muslim, Fitan, 22-5; I. Hanbal,
1.4.
6.
I. Kathir, al-Bidaya, 4.76.
7.
I. Kathir, ibid., 4.54; Nur
al-Din Ali ibn A. Bakr al-Haythami,
Majma‘ al-Zawa’id, 6.115.
8.
I. Hanbal, 5.235.
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