Prophet, the Founder of Islam?

It is a notorious misunderstanding regarding the Prophet (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him). Some polemists deliberately strive to give it a wide circulation. It has made such a bad impact upon the society that even the textbook makers simply subscribe to this view, and school children from their early child hood learn the forgery by heart. Even the writers who supported Islam under the light of disinterested historical information, consciously or otherwise spell the fable. Bishop Boyd Carpenter writers: ‘Muhammad is by many, seen only through the fog which dread and ignorance have spread around him. To theme he is an object of horror against which anything evil might be said…But now the mists of prejudice have cleared away, we can afford to see the founder of Islam in  fairer light’(Bishop Boyd Carpenter, The Permanent element in religion. P.30)    The same is repeated by Michener also: ‘Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born about A.D.570 into an Arabian tribe that worshiped idols’ (James A Michener, Islam the misunderstood Religion- Reader’s digest, 1965)    Some are of the opinion that, there is no glaring difference between Islam and Christianity, except that Muhammad invented Islam, when he failed to get ascendancy over Christianity. The French encyclopedia Larousse stated: ‘Muhammad remained in his moral corruption and debauchery a camel thief, a cardinal who failed to reach the throne of the papacy and win it for himself. He therefore invented a new religion with which to avenge himself against his colleagues’ (Muḥammad Ḥusayn Haykal, The life of Muhammad. P. xxxiii)    The very name of Islam hardly hits to the heart of this Slander. Quite contrary to the names of other religions, the word Islam is devoid of any personal or topographic indications. Christianity is derived from Christ, Buddism from Sri Buddha, Jainism from Jinan, Hinduism from river Sindu, or from Hind, Confucianism from Confucius, and so on. But nobody can excavate any such names from the word ‘Islam’ Western writers are envious of this name. So they have been trying to give publicity to the term ‘Mohammadanism’ instead of Islam. Some writers have given titles to their Scandalous works on Islam as Mohammadanism. For e.g. Gibb gave title to his work on Islam as Mohammadanism–Historical survey, and smith, Muhammad and Muhammanism while Hurgronge, Leither, and Margoliouth restricted absolutely in ‘Muhammadanism’ Maurice Buccaille cautions the Muslim world to be careful against the treacherous usage. He writes: ‘the use of such terms as Muhammadan religion and Muhammadans has been instrumental-even to the present day-in maintaining the false notion that beliefs were involved that were spread by the work of a man among which God (in Christina sense) had no place.’((Maurice Bucaille, The Bible, The Qur’an  and Science P. ii).    The History of Islam does not come to a close with Prophet Muhammad but it is as old as the origin of man. It is not made by a pope or a saint but presented by almighty Allah to the mankind. God created Adam and has furnished in this world what all the things he needed. As the bylaw of straight forward life almighty gave some code of ethics. The code includes both material and spiritual guidelines, the totality of which is known as Islam.    Human beings permeated into the various part of the world. God sent Prophets in different ages and in different places whenever the light of Islam was on the verge of fading. They taught the society and civilized it thus rejuvenating the religion. More than one hundred and twenty four thousands of Prophets were sent, among whom are Ibrahim. Moosa, Nooh, Christ and Muhammad (Blessing of Allah upon them). Both Christ and Muhammad (PBH) are the Messengers of the God and not gods to be worshipped as misunderstood by many. They do not legislate laws. Nor do they amend them. They are human beings of flesh and blood. Those who made Christ god and negated the Prophethood of Muhammad (PBH), tried to make him founder of a new religion. That is what happened in History.    Polemists can be said to have won in their malicious effort of publicizing the allegation. They misinterpret history to mislead the world. They are not even hesitant to compare Prophet with Alexander and Napoleon. Deliberately or otherwise, even the poetic images opted by Sarojini Naidu was slipped to sword while she distributed flowers of worship to Hindus, song of faith for Christians, she granted the sword of love for Musalman.( Sarojini Naidu, Awake ! The Golden Treasury of Indo- Anglian Poetry, P.151).    In order to disgrace the enemy, the paid writers are breaking all limits of courtesy. Margoliouth writes ‘the fact of primary importance in the rise of Islam is that the movement became considerable only when its originator was able to draw the sword and handle it successfully…. ‘Muhammad’ organizes assassinations and wholesale massacres. His career as a tyrant of Madina, is that of a robber chief, whose political economy consists in securing and dividing plunder, the distribution of the latter at times carried out on principles which fail to satisfy his follower’s ideas of justice’ (Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics).    Bauben remarks: Fra fidenzio believed that Muhammad used oppressive methods to achieve his aims and surrounded himself with evil men, thieves, plunderers, fugitives, murderers, and such like ready to kill, plunder and liquidate every community that refused to follow him’(Daniel, Islam and the West P: 92).    Actually the allegations are baseless. Those who are still skeptical, have to study the genuine history of Islam, without being partial. Disinterested historians have disclosed the fact as it is. Sir Thomas Arnold has prepared a prolonged thesis criticizing the vile argument. Butter convinced, Mahatma Gandhi states: ‘I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today undisputed sway over the hearts of the millions of mankind. I become more than ever convinced that it was not the sword won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life’(Young India, Quoted in ‘The light’, Lahore 16th September 1923).    De Lacy O ‘Leary states: ‘History makes it clear, however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims Sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated (De Lacy O Leary, Islam at the crossroads. P: 8, London, 1923).    Lawrence-E-Brown writes: ‘Incidentally these well established facts dispose of the idea so widely fostered in Christian writings that Muslims, where-ever they went, forced people to accept Islam at the point of sword’(Lawrence E Browne, The Prophets of Islam. P: 14, London, 1944).       Iconoclasm of Prophet    It is believed that, Prophet Muhammad captured Ka-ba and broke all the idols therein. Muslims are presented to be iconoclasts. Actually, the allegation does not have any touch with truth. It is true that, Islam does not support idolatry. Further it strictly prohibits worshiping anything but Allah almighty.    By worshiping, we are thanking the one who created us, protects us and will reward us. He gave all the resource, say, food, drink, cloths, air….for us. It is sure that the stone idol which we create is not our creator, logically. So, to prostrate before such a dumb, deaf, blind and motionless stone would be sheer ungratefulness towards the real creator. The same is the case with embodying him in such substances, which are not sufficient enough. This can be understood easily attributing to man. Suppose we are erecting a small image of bug or rat or dog in memory of our prime minister, our president or our father. Suppose, our children make a figure of swine in order to remember us? God is beyond the catch of all imagination and so attempts to confine him in our fictional figures are but sheer ungratefulness.    Prophet (BPH) awakened the people about the meaninglessness of the idolatry first. In the Holy Qur’an there are instance of Prophet Ibrahim who liberated a community from the evil clutches of idols. Those who thought deep started worshiping the one god leaving countless deities. Abu Darr Al Ghifari (May Allah Please with him) was on the way to visit the Prophet. When he returned from urinating he happened to see a vagabond dog urinating in the mouth of god which he had put in a safety place. That moment his brain became filled with straight thoughts. At last he embraced Islam in the presence of Prophet. This was what happened in history. Prophet Muhammad had crushed the idols, which were built in the hearts of the people, and not those, which were made up of clay and stone. Prophet lived in holy Makkah thirteen years even after his Prophet hood. Still he never ordered to break them. Qur’an Prohibits even to ridicule the idols of non-Muslims: ‘revile not ye those whom they call upon beside Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance’ (6:108).    Truly, there was no need of breaking idols as far as Prophet Muhammad was concerned, for the idolaters themselves statrted breaking them. During Prophet’s time there was more than 300 idols in Ka-aba with Fathah Makkah (the victory of holy Makkah) they themselves demolished them. For instance, ‘Manatha’ a senior god was crushed by its own previous worshipper Sa’d bin zaid Al AShhaly, “Ussa” another presiding deity but Khalid Bin Walid who dared to kill Prophet many a time, and Suva by Amr Bin Asw who was also previously an idol worshipper. When a restaurant is turned to be a textiles shop, the ovens, plates and glasses are removed, since they are no more useful. Similarly when all the idolaters changed to be monotheists, the useless instruments were taken away. Uncontrolled antipathy against prophet seems to have absorbed all the shamefulness from the polemist as much to charge idolatry upon him even when the whole history becomes loquacious of war between him and idolatry.    Belief in charms, naming the children with the names of idol touches, kissing the black stone assuming it to be an idol….are all imposed upon Prophet. Margoliouth writes: ‘of the superstitious of the Arabs, which differ slightly, if at all from those of other races. He would seem to have imbibed a fair share’ (David SamuelMargoliouth, Muhammad and the Rise of Islam 1995, P. 61). He is not hesitant to remark Muhammad and Khadija ‘Performed some domestic rite in honor of one of the goddesses each night before retiring’(Ibid 70).    They are bold enough to present a Muhammad who slaughters sheep for dedicating to goddesses. Bauban writes; ‘quoting from T Wellhausen’s Reste Arabischen Heidentuns (Berlin:1897), Margoliouth asserts that Muhammad’… confessed to having at one time sacrificed a gray sheep to Al-Uzza and probably did so more than once, since after his mission, he used to slaughter sheep for sacrifice with his own hands’(Jabal Muhammad Bauben, Image of Prophet in the west, P. 69).    Peter the venerable is thankful for having confessed that Muhammad changed the Arabs, ‘away from idolatry’ but he fills up the sentence ‘yet not to one God, but.. to the error of his own heresies’ (Daniel, Islam and the west, P. 421).    Both Montgomery Watt and Samual Margoliouth cast doubts on the monotheistic conviction of Prophet Muhammad! Watt writes: “firstly at one time Muhammad must have publicly recited the satanic verses as part of the Qur’an; it is unthinkable that the story could have been invented later by Muslims or toasted upon them by non-Muslims. Secondly, of some later time Muhammad announced that these verses were not really part of the Qur’an and should be replaced by others of vastly different import. The earliest versions do not specify how long afterwards this happened. The probability is that it was weeks or even months’ (William Montgomery Watt, Muhammad at Mecca, Geford, 1953, P. 103).    Discarding all scholarly gentleness, he piles assumption one after another. Disparaging the monotheism of Prophet he continues: ‘the truth rather is that his monotheism was originally, like that of his more enlightened contemporaries somewhat vague, and in particular was not so strict that the recognition of the inferior divine beings was felt to be incompatible with it”(Ibid P. 104).    This allegation of idolatry seems to have exceeded all the extremes. Prophet’s life was completely devoted to preach against this foul action. He suffered innumerable tortures in his life exclusively for having criticized idolatry. He never worshipped an idol even before his prophet hood, where as all the Arabs were prostrating to Man gods created by man. One who goes through the holy Qur’an can have an excellent reading against idolatry. But blindness temptates the polemists to allege that also against the holy Prophet. Whoever studied history, can realize that it was Prophet Muhammad who proclaimed monotheism, and discouraged the idolatry.    Napoleon remarks: “Arabia was idolatrous when, six centuries after Jesus, Muhammad introduced the worship of God of Abraham, of Ismael, of Moses, and of Jesus. The Ayrians(1)  and some other sects had distributed the tranquility of the east by agitating the question of nature of the father, the sun, and the Holy Ghost. Muhammad declared that there was none but one who had no father, no son and that the trinity imported the idea of idolatry..”(Napoleon Bonaparte, ‘Bonaparte at Islam’)    (1) Ayrians : A race of completely blonde-haired, blue-eyed people. Adolf Hitler believed that the Ayrians were "the perfect race"(urban dictionary).

Allegations: beginning and development

Muhammad (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him) was born and brought up as an orphan. He led an unpolluted life under the protection of his grandfather Abdul Muthalib, as his mother died when he was six years of old and father two months before his birth. Two years later, grandfather also died, leaving him in the hands of uncle, Abu Thalib. Even though, the then Arabia was the hatchery of all malicious practices, he kept himself away from them all as a divine destiny. Never disturbed anybody, inflicted pain to any living thing and never told a lie even for as a joke. Up to the age of 40, he was wholeheartedly acceptable to everybody. They used to call him- Al- Ameen, the honest!

    But, the scenario changed utterly with the boon of Prophethood. He started his mission of preaching monotheism, strictly criticizing social evils, like drinking, prostitution, pick pocketing, class-wars, exploitation etc…The Arabs came to listen to a new voice of liberation, a fresh air of purity, a novel slogan of amity and harmony. Thus, they formed a new movement well prepared to demolish the cancerous institutions growing in heart of society.

    The nightmarish advent of the movement provoked the pomposities of ‘living idiols’ like abu Lahab, Abu Jahal, Abu Sufyan, Ut’aba, Shaibath etc. They keenly paid their attention to the ideals of Muhammad. They were convinced that, what he said was true, but the advance of an orphan shepherd as leader was beyond the limits of tolerance. Thus ‘Al-Ameen’ was gradually re-named as a magician, a wandering poet, a lunatic etc...

    Prophet’s ideal movement wasn’t confined to holy Makkah. Within a century it spread all over Sassanian and Byzantine empires (a). Subsequently lands from Iran and Iraq(b) to Bukhara(c) in the east, Syria(d), Palestine(e) and Egypt in the west and the entire North Africa(f) wholeheartedly welcomed Islam. By AD 711 it extended to Iberian Peninsula (g) across the straits of Gibraltar (h). With the awakening of Turks (i) and Mugals (j), Islam was accepted by people in almost all continents in the world.

    The rapid growth of Islam provoked the Christendom a great much. As usual, being unable to put up with a new hegemony, they thought of preventive measures. Various lines of action were suggested from different centers. Suppressive measures were prominent among them. It culminated in the crusades, In spite of having the Dictum in New Testament: “They that take the sword shall perish with the sword” the Christian world unanimously contributed weapons and militia for crusades. The followers of Christ who preached love and peace brutally killed thousands of innocents. Christians like jean Germian insisted on resuming crusades once it was stopped.
Another tactic was to divide and rule. They successfully practiced this theory in Muslim Spain. They Planned and executed internal conflicts among Muslim, thus shattering an Islamic republic.

    The third one was to forge scandals to blemish prophet and to insult Islam. Special councils were formed to serve the purpose. An English philosopher Roger Bacon suggested war as a hopeless medium to defeat Islam so that he preferred philosophic arguments against Islam. Thus the council of Vienna came into existence in 1312 which established research centers in European cities.
W. Montgomery Watt remarks; ‘In deadly fear Christendom had to bolster confidents by placing the enemy in the most unfavorable light’ (W. Montgomery Watt, What is Islam, 1968 ppl- 2). Thus to annihilate the enemy showering the bombs of scandals and libels became the best option.

    Dr. Maurice Bucaille depicts the Christian attitude: “The totally erroneous statements made about Islam the west are sometimes the results of ignorance and sometimes of systematic degeneration. The most serious of all the untruths told about it are, however, those dealing with facts’ for which mistaken options are excusable; the presentation of facts running contrary to the reality is not. It is disturbing to read Balatant untruths-in eminently respectable works written by authors who a priori are highly qualifie”(Maurice Bucaille, The Bible, The Qur’an  and Science Pp 110-1).

    Likewise, the polemic writers are also cocksure of the fact that, Prophet Muhammad is God’s messenger, and the Holy Qur’an is divinely invoked. Still, the prejudices, and the elitism do not allow them to acknowledge the truth. Sometimes, it is revealed from the words of those writers. S.W. Koelle was of the opinion that ‘the religion of Christ presents the stand and by which all other religions have to be Judged’ (E. Royster Pike, Muhammad- Prophet and religion of Islam, 1968. P. 54).

    In the medieval era, they came to the conclusion that to forge any lie in order to tarnish image of Muhammad was persuasive, Daniel denotes:…. ‘The most probable explanation of what happened must be that Christians though that whatever tended to harm the enemies of truth was likely itself to be true.’ (Daniel, Islam and the west, P.8). ‘Guibert of Nogent, justified the character assassination of Prophet. ‘It is safe to speak evil of the one whose malignity exceeds whatever ill can be spoken of’(R. W. Southern, Western Views of Islam in the Middle Age, 1962, P. 31)

    The obnoxious state of mind was widespread among the writers, Southern continues! In variety of forms,….This rule inspired a great deal of writing in the first half of the twelfth century’ (Ibid, Pp. 31- 2).

    The opinionated writers were so blind against Islam and Prophet that they didn’t take realities, truths, scriptures or natural law into fidelity. Bauben writes: ‘The main arguments against Muhammad and Islam in medieval times were based on the Christian scripture and therefore nothing outside the scripture would be true. Whatever the Qur’an said differently from the Bible, was regarded as independent entities but as merely reinforcing or violating Christian ones? The absolute authority of the church and the scripture was such that reason or natural law was not a valid tool for examining any material especially that concerning Muhammad’ (Jabal Muhammad Bauben, Image of Prophet in the west. P.8).

    Those who cannot play a good role at the warfronts found pleasure in insulting Islam and blaspheming the prophet thus inducing death in order to become martyrs! A distinguished movement, named ‘The Spanish Martyrs movement’ was formed for this purpose. T.W. Arnold describes the Martyrs as ‘a fanatical party which set itself openly and unprovokedly to insult the religion of Muslim and blaspheme their Prophet Muhammad with the deliberate intention of incurring death by such misguided assertion of their Christian biography’ (T. W. Arnold, The preaching of Islam, 1913, p. 141).

    The western historians also danced according to the tunes of Church authorities who propagated their vile propaganda in order to instigate Christian hatred against Prophet. Robert, Baldric, Guibert of Nogent, S.W.Koelle, Waltherius, Alexander Due Pont, Sigebart of Gemboux, Ricoldo Da Mnoute Crose, Sand Pandro did their best to fabricate first-rate lies. Between 1450 and 1460 Islam was ‘defended’ by John of Segovia, Nicholas of Cusa, Jean Germian and Aeneas Silvius.
The process of producing slanders is still going on, in all its splendour. Salman Rushdi, Thasleema Nasrin, Samual Hundington, Washington Irving, Fukyama are doing their best services against lalam. In Kerala Anand undergoes hardships as much as possible, to be called an anti-Islamic theorist.

    (a) The Sassanian Empire is the name used for the fourth Iranian dynasty and the second Persian Empire (224 - 651 CE). The Sassanian dynasty was founded by Ardashir I after defeating the last Arsacid king of kings, Artabanus IV and ended when the last Sassanian the King of Kings (Shahanshah), Yazdegerd III (632–651), lost a 14-year struggle to drive out the Arab invaders from his Empire (By Dr. Gianpaolo Savoia-Vizzini).

    (a) The Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire was the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople, and ruled by Emperors. It was called the Roman Empire, and also as Romania, by its inhabitants and its neighbors. As the distinction between "Roman Empire" and "Byzantine Empire" is purely a modern convention, it is not possible to assign a date of separation, but an important point is the Emperor Constantine I's transfer in 324 of the capital from Nicomedia (in Anatolia) to Byzantium on the Bosphorus, which became Constantinople (alternatively "New Rome) (Wikipedia).

    (b) Iran: officially the Islamic Republic of Iran is a country in Western Asia. The name Iran has been in use natively since the antiquity and came into international use from 1935, before which the country was known internationally as Persia. Both "Persia" and "Iran" are used interchangeably in cultural context; however, Iran is the name used officially in political context. The name Iran is a cognate of Aryan, and means "Land of the Aryans"

    (b) Iraq: officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert.
Iraq is bordered by Jordan to the west, Syria to the northwest, Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, and Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to the south. Iraq has a narrow section of coastline measuring 58 km (35 miles) on the northern Persian Gulf. The capital city, Baghdad is in the center-east of the country.
Two major rivers, the Tigris and Euphrates, run through the centre of Iraq, flowing from northwest to southeast. These provide Iraq with agriculturally capable land and contrast with the steppe and desert landscape that covers most of Western Asia.

    (c) Bukhara : is the capital of the Bukhara Province  of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 237,900 (1999 census estimate). The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia and the city itself has existed for half that time. Located on the Silk Road, the city has long been a center of trade, scholarship, culture, and religion. The historic center of Bukhara, which contains numerous mosques and Madrasas, has been listed by UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites.

    (d) Syria: officially the Syrian Arab Republic is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest.

    (e) Palestine is a conventional name used, among others, to describe a geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands.

    (f) North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Northern Africa includes the following seven countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan, Tunisia, and Western Sahara

    (g) The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe and includes modern-day states Portugal, Spain, Andorra and Gibraltar and a very small area of France. It is the westernmost of the three major southern European peninsulas—the Iberian, Italian, and Balkan peninsulas. It is bordered on the southeast and east by the Mediterranean Sea and on the north, west and southwest by the Atlantic Ocean. The Pyrenees form the northeast edge of the peninsula, separating it from the rest of Europe. In the south, it approaches the northern coast of Africa. It is the second-largest peninsula in Europe, with an area of 582,860 square kilometers (225,040 sq mi).

    (h) Gibraltar is a self-governing British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula and Europe at the entrance of the Mediterranean overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. The territory covers 6.843 square kilometers (2.642 sq mi) and shares a land border with Spain to the north. Gibraltar has historically been an important base for the British Armed Forces and is the site of a Royal Navy base.

    (i) Turkey, known officially as the Republic of Turkey is a Eurasian country that stretches across the Anatolian peninsula in Western Asia and Thrace (Rumelia) in the Balkan region of southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Azerbaijan (the exclave of (Nakhchivan) and Iran to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea and Cyprus are to the south; the Aegean Sea to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north.

    (j) Mughals : Muslim dynasty that ruled most of northern India from the early 16th to the mid-18th century. The Mughal dynasty was notable for about two centuries of effective rule over much of India, for the ability of its rulers, who through seven generations maintained a record of unusual talent, and for its administrative organization. A further distinction was the attempt of the Mughals, who were Muslims, to integrate Hindus and Muslims into a united Indian state. The dynasty was founded by a Chagatai Turkic prince named Babur (reigned 1526–30), who was descended from the Turkic (Britannica Online Encyclopedia).

Prophet and other World- Renowned Leaders

 Let us have a close discussion about the leaders, taking from the various strata of the society in comparison with prophet focusing on the two criteria, abiding popularity and comprehensive history. Since prophet Muhammad(Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him) represents religion, the first preference can be given to religious leaders. Jesus Christ, Sri Krishna, Sri budha, Gru Nanak, Sri Narayana Guru, Swami Vivekanandan are some instances. As for philosophers, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Bertrand Russel, Jean Paul satre, Soran Keikkegard are good examples. To represent revolutionists there are numberless figures: Voltaire, Montesque, Rousseau, Karl Marx, Engels, Lenin, Nepolian, Ayathulla Qumaini etc.. The field of literature is exuberant with typical figures: Homer, vigil, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Milton, Spencer, Tolstoy, Dostoyovsky, Wordsworth, Joan Keats, Kafka, Camus, Bucket, Eliot, Grass, Kundera, Derrida and so on. Abraham Lincoln, Nelson Mandela, Yasar Arafath, Mahatma Gandhi, Fidel Castro, Sheikh Zayd, are the best saviors of the humanity while Hitler, Mussolini, W. bush, Sharon are the cruelest enemies of mankind. Newton, Einstein, Pascal, Farade, Edison, Hoking are good scientist whereas Sigmun Frued, Skinner, Ivan Pavlov are famous psychologists. As far as painting is concerned Pablo Picaso, Micheal Angelo, Raja Ravivarma, Leornado Davichi and M.F.Hussain are top figures.

    Among the names, some are ancient, and some are modern. So, each can argue for his own hero, which will help a friendly discussion. Jesus Christ lived before 2000 years. Christians, the followers of Christ form the majority of the world population. Still the name of Christ is not as repeatedly announced in the world as that of Muhammad. From the Churches all over the world, we do not hear the name ten times a day; instead it is confined to the ceremonial speeches or discussions. But we already understood that, the name prophet Muhammad has been announced in the world for the last fourteen centuries, without lapsing even a second. Is somebody is travelling around the earth as a planet, he can keep on hearing the echoing sound of “Muhammad”……. “Muhammad”… “Muhammad”… endlessly. Can a person hear the name of Christ so or at least once during one rotation? Suppose you are standing in a place full of Christians. Can you hear the name of Christ once even if you stand there twenty four hours?

    If this is the case with the great Jesus Christ, please, impartially compare Sri Kirshna, Sidhartha, Sri Guru and others. Can one argue that they have also got world wide popularity as that of Muhammad without prick of Conscience? Think twice, thrice, and decide! If this is the case with religious authorities what should be the condition of poets, scientist, reformers and philosophers? Who spells the name of Jeoffery Chaucer? Who remembers Virgil? Who announces the name of Newton repeatedly? Who wants Faraday today?

    As for the history, controversy reigns Christ, especially regarding his end. Is the prefect biography that covers all aspects if Christ ranging from physical appearance to private habits available today, as is with prophet Muhammad (PBH)? Is there any authenticity to the photos and idols that are erected in churches and displayed in public places except that it is a mere imagination of an artist? Can one prove that the sayings, which are attributed to Christ, are really his own, presenting the name series of reporters one by one, along with their biographies as well, as is possible with Prophet Muhammad. Can any person in the world count the names of twenty forefathers of Jesus Christ just as a child studying in lower classes of an Islamic Institution can do with that of Muhammad (PBH)? Can any Christian describe his linage ending at last in Jesus Christ as a ‘sayyid’ born in Prophet’s progeny simply does? How would Christendom prove authentically when Bertrand Russell remarks “historically it is quite doubtful whether Christ ever existed at all?

    If this is the case of Jesus Christ as regards history, what proofs can be submitted for the existence of Sri Krishna, Rama and Sita who are living in Ramayana and Mahabharatha especially, when some Vedic scholars remarked that they are only imaginative figures. The ideals of Sidharta, Sri Guru, Vivekananda, and Guru Nanak may be recorded. But can one see the uppermost clarity and outstanding soundness like that of Muhammad (PBH)?

    If this is the case as regards religion, for which man dares to become martyr himself, how would be literature and art? Science and psychology? Take the best example of Shakespeare. He is supposed and to have lived before 400 years. Still his biography is surrounded by Chaos. The debate as to whether the play renowned in his name are really written by him, or by Francis Bacon or by Queen Elizabeth or somebody else, has not, so far, reached to a final conclusion! But the biography of Muhammad who lived 1400 years back is still crystal clear. Philip Hitti, who accused Prophet having invaded dynasties for economic ends, remarks ‘Muhammad was born in the full light of history (Philip K Hitti, History of Arabs, London 1978). For the time being, leave the historic figures. Let us discuss regarding the statement of living characters. We read the statement of George Bush, Tony Blare and Kofi Annan. But we get it after having been ploughed putting them in to the mixer of self motives. Various newspapers and channels present them according to their own whims and fancies after being digested by news agencies. But one can more assure the words of Prophet to be his own in spite of being 1400 years old, than an event taking places to day.
  

Comprehensive History of the Prophets

 One of the factors that holds Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him) matchless is his unique biography. There are world-renowned biographies of various leaders and writers. Some of them have had tempestuous impacts upon the public. But, the biography of prophet surpasses all other biographies in the world in its perfection and well documentation.

     This is not as easy to understand as the first. So it has to be discussed in a little detail. Before examining the nature of prophet’s history we must go through that of the others. Generally the biography of an elite person is written by himself or by a second writer. Most of the biographies consist of the important details of the person regarding his birth, parentage, education and so on. The rest of the book would be entirely devoted to describe his experiences and ideals in an emotional language. This is because, there is not much significance to record each and every minutest details of his day to day life, so far as the reading public is concerned. If it is done so, it would create but sheer boredom to readers.

     The life and teaching of prophet Muhammad (PBH) cannot be compressed in a book like this. Nor hundreds of this kind will serve the purpose. Books on prophet are not only written by Muslim authors but by Orientalists, Zionists, Christians and polemic writers as well. Writing biographies is quite common these days. But we should keep in our mind that, prophet lived 1400 years back. Still, the entire events of his life have been more authentically and microscopically recorded than those of a living figure today!

     As hinted before each and every minutest details of prophet’s life are recorded in history. His words, deeds, views, silence, in day and at night, in public and in private, at home and outside, in country and abroad, in war and in peace, in mirth and misery, in health and illness, with wives and companions, with sons and daughters, with children and grown ups, with friends and enemies, with kings and ambassadors, with beggars and monarchs, with birds and animals, and so on. His followers as well as his opponents observed every aspect of his life and described to the coming generation. The style of his walking, his brushing, his eating, his smiling, his talking, his bathing, his sleeping, his dressing, his cleaning, and what not. They narrated his speeches, his writing, his messengers, his writers, his servants and assistants, his journeys, his expedition, his vehicles and apartments, his household, his instruments, even his food items, his curry items, his lamps, his mats, his rings, his foot wears, his tooth brushes, his combs, his mirrors, his perfumes, his turbans, and what not. His physical features are described so specifically and elaborately that there remains no aspect to be high lighted, such as his face, his eyes, his nose, his teeth, his lips, his eyebrows, his hairs, his shoulders, his palms, his legs, his feet, his chest, his breast, his beard, his moustache, his stomach, and his complexion. Even they sharply counted the gray hairs from the rest! When he is in the crowd they reported everything they observed and when he is with his family, the wives and children did the same. He had nothing to conceal from the mass because everything of his life was a model to the world, just as the Holy Qur’an said, ‘O Mankind you have in the messenger of God, a perfect role model’(Qur’an 33:21).

     We should bear in mind the fact that, these details are not written by a particular historian lived recently using his abundant imagination. But, all those things have been directly observed by the Companions (Sahabas) of the Prophet (PBH). They reported them all to the subsequent generation (Thabien) and they to the next (thabiu thabieen) and so forth. After one or two centuries the scholars not only studies the text of prophet transmitted orally by the proceeding generation but they devoted their life in studying the life of those reporters as well. From then onwards, the new practice of close and critical study of the reporters become vigilant. Thus a new science called Criticism and justification of Hadîth reporters was formed. Thus the complete history of the reporters from prophet to that age was clearly collected and recorded.

     They accepted the honest and rejected not only dishonest but even the slightest dubious ones. Some of them are so conscious in this regard that, if the reporter was suspected to have told a lie in life, they would not accept his report at all. Numerous works and in a number of volumes have been written on this ‘name of reporters’ (Asmau Rijal’) not only did they memorize the text of prophet but they thoroughly learnt by heart the name series of reporters, their birth, death, education, teachers, students’, journey and their complete history also.

     Scholars devoted their lives in specializing the particular accepts of prophet’s life. Special works on the holy foot wares of Prophet, on parents of Prophet, on grandfather of prophet, on uncle of prophet, on wives of prophet, on daughters of prophet and on followers of prophet are composed separately not because they have any other personal grandeur but merely they are concerned with prophet. Now let us turn to the challenge. Who can suggest another name except Prophet Muhammad whose history has been kept, recorded, protected more authentically than this? D.G Hogarth assures having no other instance.

     “Serious of trivial, his (Muhammad) daily behavior has instituted the canon which millions observe at this day with conscious memory. No one regard it by any section human right as this perfect man has been imitated so minutely. The conduct of the founder of Christianity has not so governed the ordinary life of his followers. Moreover no founder of religion has been left so solitary an eminence as the Muslim Apostle (D.G Hogarth, A History of Arabia, P.52 Oxford, 1922).

     As has been indicated earlier, this part has to be studied more carefully, because some polemic writers have fabricated Hadîth, in order to tarnish the glowing image of  Prophet. This has caused confusion regarding the credibility of prophet’s biography. Some western writers have highlighted this aspect in order to serve their defaming purposes. Among them are Sir William Muir, Sprenger, Grimme, Weil, Goldziher and Schaoht. Muir writes; ‘the biographer of Muhammad continuously runs the risk of substituting for the realities of history some puerile fancy or extravagant invention. In striving to avoid this danger he is exposed to the opposite peril of rejecting as pious fabrication what may in reality be important historical fact’(William Muir, The Life of Muhammad from original sources, 1858-61, p.xii). Muir assumes the possibility of falsity in prophet’s biography, so that he advises the European leader to be careful, for the ‘floodgates of speculation, error, exaggeration and pure fiction over flung open’(Ibid). Muir only knew about the possibility of fancy and falsity and he is purely ignorant of the science of Hadîth criticism. Leopold Weiss, who embraced Islam after having thoroughly studied it, clarifies the issue; ‘The fact that there were numberless spurious Hadîth did not in the least escape the attention of the Muhaddiths (The scholar who knows the text of Hadiths and the chain of narrations in detail), as European critics naively seem to suppose. On the contrary, the critical science of Hadîth was initiated by the necessity of discerning between authentic and spurious.... The existence, therefore, of false Hadiths does not prove anything against the system of Hadîth as a whole no more than a fanciful tale from the Arabian nights could be regarded as an argument against the authenticity of any historical report of corresponding period’(Muhammad Asad, Islam on the cross roads 1975, pp 127- 8).
It is clear that abortive efforts to put confusions regarding Hadîth would be fruitless. Hadîth critics have keenly differentiated the original from the hands of manipulators.
   

The Peerless Personality

   “Muhammad was distinguished by the beauty of his person, an outward gift which is seldom despised, except by those to whom it has been refused.. His memory was capacious and retentive, his wit easy and social, his imagination sublime, his Judgment  clear, rapid and decisive. He possessed the courage both of thought and action… bears the stamp of an original and superior genius”- Edward Gibbon.

     Different persons, who are representing the divergent aspects of life, attract men. Religion, art, literature, philosophy, politics are some of the major affairs to which people show their special interests. As such, they admire the leading figures, who are exhibiting the exceptional expressions in the corresponding fields. Therefore, some are wearing the anklets with the photos of their reverent human-gods while some others wear the shirts with the photos of their favorite sports starts or film heroes printed on them. Up to this end, it is inferred that, nobody may contradict. Now let us move on to such grave matters about which arguments and counter-arguments are likely to arise.

     Really, this is a fact; the fact is in the form of an argument. When there is a chance to be counter- crossed, it becomes a challenge. It should be discussed in medium temper, being unconditionally free from all prejudices. Quite simply, the fact reads thus; Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings of Allah be upon him) is the greatest of all the leaders in the world!

     At a first glance, somebody may tent to think this to be a fanatic statement. But truth should not be concealed; simply because, it will cause distance to the listeners. Nobody is happy to hear the tragic news that a landslide is expected to be in the location where one is living. But, since it is unhappy we should not make it so appreciative as to mislead him. To do so means to cheat. If things are spoken as they are, it will help to provoke thought, to take precautionary steps, and to make a sound enquiry thus finding the truth. Things are thus, we are compelled to check and test the truthfulness of the above statement. Let us examine it taking two criteria in to consideration. They are (a) Abiding popularity (b) Comprehensive History (for details please go through the article ‘Comprehensive History of the Prophet’).

     The abiding popularity of the Prophet is much notable one. Men are, generally, curious to know what is happening in the surroundings. If one happens to hear a strange noise of a bomb blast, he turns impatient until he is convinced what has taken place. The reason why people are eagerly listening to news is nothing but this. Since things are thus, nobody can abstain from seeking why the name ‘Muhammad” is frequently announced from every nook and corner of the world.

     ‘The Adhan’, i.e. the announcement for the obligatory prayer, is made five times from every Masjid. The name Muhammad (Pease and Blessing of Allah be upon him) is articulated two times in every Adhan’. There are more than fifty Muslim countries in the world. In those countries, there are thousands of Masjids. Besides. Muslims and their Masjids exist in almost all the countries. Now, it is doubtful, as to whether there is any country where Islam has not entered yet. It follows that the name of Muhammad (PBH) is announced from every part of the world, regardless of governmental system, despite he being a man lived thousand years back.

     Moreover, the mystery of the time schedule of these Five ‘Adhan’ has also to be noted. The time fixation is based on the rotation of the earth. Since the earth is round, there would be morning, noon, after noon, evening and night at any time but places being different. It means that there is Subh, Dhuhr, As’r, Magh’rib and Isha at any time and every time, with the exception that location would be changed one after another in quick succession. From this, one can conclude that the name of Muhammad (PBH) is announced in this world 24 hours and more than ten thousand times each minute. This announcement is not started before one or two years or decades, but this has been the practice for the last 1400 years, without any least break!

     Moreover, special Programs for commemorating the birthday of the prophet is held throughout the world annually. During the Hajj season, Millions of Muslims gather around the Holy tomb of Prophet Muhammad (PBH). Above all, Functions for the appraisal of prophet namely ‘Maulid’ is also convened in Muslim houses and Masjids intermittently. Rhymes of appraisal flow from the loving and flowery hearts of  his Followers while from the hearts harder than dry deserts do not!

     Moreover, Muslim population is increasing day by day. Islam is spreading rapidly throughout the world. New Masjids and institutions have been founded in every part of the world, even if the missionary works are feverish comparing to that of Christianity. The totality of all these leads us to assure that, the name of Muhammad is being reminded, spelled, and loudly announced by a massive society, endlessly throughout the world.

     The fact that the sun rises in the east needs not to be proved presenting authentic evidence. Likewise, the above – referred facts are as clear as the daylight. Anybody who approaches things straight can make out them as they are. In case, one is enriched with a counter argument that crosses the statement, let him search and suggest another name, instead of Prophet Muhammad (PBH) that has got these much popularity and worldwide circulation throughout centuries. If one is able to do so he is said to have accepted the challenge.  
   

Ironical tale of periodicals

The modernists who circulate that celebrating the birth day of the Prophet is un-Islamic and who claim that to recite ‘Yaseen’ on the name of the prophet may cause to become pagan, through their orations, articles and notices, don’t know their forefathers were those who propagated once that to celebrate the birth day the prophet (PBH) is the obligation of the Muslims, and they organized programmes to recite Mawlid and distributed food as part of it. To prove this we can go though the extracts of a few old periodicals of them:    The first part of the speech of Abdul Latheef Madani, the General Secretary of Nadvathul Mujahid,broadcasted through radio-station  made on 1951 Dec. 12 (Rabeeul Awal 12) which was published in Almanar is given bellow.  “Today the world are celebrating the birthday of an extraordinary child born before fourteen century to whom all the people of the world looked with wonder” (Almanar Book:2, No 19-20, January 1952).  Then it is clear that even the secretary of Nadwathul Mujahideen, looking the day and date celebrated and agreed that the world together celebrated the prophet’s birthday.  Those who clime that the celebration is confined only in Kerala, should see what their prominent leader E.K. Maulavi writes in Al-Irshad:  “From the beginning of Rabi al-Awwal the system of celebration of the prophet’s birthday is one that is celebrated from East to West.  Nobody can say that in any country where Muslims live doesn’t have this celebration” (Al Irshad1343, Rabeeul Awal).  Just read what E.K. Maulavi wrote in Al Murshid too.    “We should inform the world what are the boons that the prophet (PBH) done to the world. That is what our duty.  But up to some years there was not any means to know and to teach nobleness of the great soul in Malayalam.  Though there was the system of observing maulid well among ourselves, having that in Arabic language considerable results are not found.  But recently, in certain places maulid has been recited telling its meaning.  In most parts, through public meeting orations are being conducted on the nobility of the prophet (PBH).  All these are more or less happiest gestures” (Al Murshid. Book 1, No.5).    But nowadays maulavis may not have seen the old periodicals like Al Irshad, Al Murshid etc….  If they had, they shouldn’t write in the Shabab issued recently as follows: “…………..being unintelligible if recited in Arabic no Mujahid had ever said to recite maulid in Malayalam, and never say so.  Writing unrealities, to create ambiguity is not suited to those who clime erudition” (Shabab 1994 August 26 Friday, book 18, No. 1).   What would the comrades say to it? May be, E.K.Maulavi is not a Mujahid, but Vahabi?        The Mawlid of Aikya Sangam       We inform very gladly that the Mawlid which has been conducted for two years under united front has been held this time elegantly on Rabi al-Awwal 12. The great men made speeches in Malayalam on the birth, the childhood, the propagation, the superior quality of character and such important parts of the history of the prophet on the day of the students’ conference held at Eriyad Lower Secondary School and in the great meeting.  Not to feel aversion to those who think that Mawlid is valid unless reading many Arabic words without knowing their meaning, spent a lot of time to read Mawlid in Arabic too.  A feast was given to those who participated and not participated in the meeting (Al Irshad 1343, Rabeeul Awal).    Some extremists who say Mawlid is ‘shirk’ ought to be there at that time too.  That was because some not participated.  But we see in the report that they too took part in the feast.  Eating is beyond ‘shirk’. Next see the lines from Al Murshid, the official publication of Kerala Jam’iyyathul Ulama.  “…………those who got chance to take part in the maulid programme are lucky people.  The place prepared for Mawlid is a place where the above said matters are bestowed.  These matters available place is indeed a sacred gathering.   In this gathering, lots of scholars who are pious and who know the acceptability of Islamic principles must be participated.  Islamic glory should be germinated in Muslims” (Al Murshid book 4 No.1).        See what K.M. Maulavi said: “…….by propagating the prophet’s mission, we all should praise Allah for creating the prophet (PBH) and bestowed the world with his mercy in this month.  For that; organizing Mawlid meeting in all nations, gathering people from all religion we should avail prophet’s idealism to them all.  With the execution of this obligation we should collect funds of propagation for this purpose in the day and in the month of Ramadan from all nations” (Al Murshid book 1 No.5). Obligation means ‘farl’.  From this it is clear that the old leaders of the modernists were those who told to celebrate the prophet’s birthday was an obligation.      And some complaints are on celebrating the birthday taking the month into account. To this complaint see how E.K.Maulavi answers: “………it is because the birth of the Shafeeuna prophet(s) who torched the ways of all goodness for mankind for corporal and non-corporal worlds and blessed the earth with his magnificent touch became in a Rabeeul Awel like this”(Al Murshid 3/9).  (Isn’t the meaning of the word ‘shafeeuna’ in the above lines written by E.K. Maulavi, one who recommends for us?   But today’s leaders are those who claim such terminology also to be shirk!).        See Al Murshid again: “…………Rabi al-Awwal is a month in which such a noble religion’s and propagation’s leader, efficient ruler, sympathetic and kind-hearted earl, superior practicing noble teacher, carrier of the message of God, was born.  That is why the entire Muslim world altogether celebrates that day.  Of course, the whole world should celebrate the day.  This celebration makes avail many good things.  The love to the prophet firms in the heart of the people; get chances to remember the good deeds and character of him; give occasions to narrate them to the people; get a chance to propagate Islam and this becomes a cause to develop unity, organization and love among Muslims.  “…….those who make the prophet an ideal, who study the prophet, and who follow them fear Allah and the Last Day and think of Allah excessively.  Such people come to Meelad meetings and work according to what they studied from the meeting.  On that day, in the meeting, that the whole world observed the life of the prophet very clearly, impart to the audience and would narrate the character of him.  The speeches to follow him would be conducted.  The love to the prophet would rise up.  The Companions of Prophet, who were meticulous in religious observances, should be remembered. Prompt to say Swalath (praise of the prophet) by those who are gathered there.  Instructions that are conducive to acquire Allah’s love will be given” (Al Murshid 4. No1).       Listen to what Almanar says again: “Friends! In this Rabi al-Awwal 12, the birth day of the prophet who is a blessing to the world from East to West Muslims are exciting with pleasure and sing eulogium on that noble soul reminding the noble history of his life.  There is nothing wonderful in the expression of strength and nobility in birthday of the man, whom they love more than their life and he is the torch-bearer of the world. And that is so usual too” (Almanar book: 1, No: 17). But the claim of the modernists is that even if recite ‘Yaseen’ on the name of the Prophet, he will become pagan (kafir).  See what Umer Maulavi, the top leader of Mujahid writes in Salsabeel: “Reciting ‘yaseen’ upon the prophet is meant to get the prophet’s harmony and pleasantness to us through the recitation. Anybody knows that a man might be a kafir, if he worshiped other than Allah to get the harmony or pleasantness of anybody. By the words ‘other than Allah’ signifies whosoever it maybe without any difference” (Salsabeel Book3, No:3, Page20).       These groups have no hesitation to label as shirk and kufr of those sacred deeds which the entire Muslim world does without a bit of accusation.  But, when the King Faisal was killed, ‘fathiha’ was recited for him and this was reported in the newspaper of Rabithathul Aalamil Islamiyya. Nobody (including Umer Maulavi who received salary from Saudi Govt.) did not respond to it. The report can be translated as follows: The heads and leaders of the Islamic world stood silent for some times in the meeting.  Meanwhile for the tranquility of the soul of great king and martyr Faisal, they recited surath fathiha. The old leaders of them had not such an opinion. Look what K.M.Maulavi writes in Al Murshid. (Anyhow, their opinions are changing forty times per mile).       “to recite dikr on the name of Sheik Muhiyidhin Abdul Qadir Jeelani means to intent to give the reward of it to Sheik Jeelani while reciting the dikr (Al Murshid, book 2, No:2 page 471).       Their periodicals and speeches have great roles in belittling the prophet and in circulating the prophet is an ordinary and a sinful man.  Umer Maulavi wrote that even the prophet had made faults in the matter of obeisance to Allah”(Salsabeel book: 4, No: 8, August 1971).  Maudoodi point out that ‘not to mistake to be God, Allah might have deliberately prompted the prophet to do sins’. “In certain times Allah may rise deliberately his protection from his messenger to make them do one or two sins, in order not to make them think as creator and understand they too are human beings” (Thafhimath vol:2, page 43). This kind of writings and orations became encouragements to the enemies of Islam and brought in the circumstances to publish cartoons to insult the prophet (PBH). Therefore, not to trap in their snare, lovers of the prophet should be more meticulous.  May Allah the Almighty enter us into His Paradise with our beloved prophet Muhammad Mustafa Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam.  Aameen.

Celebration is allowed but not in Rabeeul Awal 12!!

No problem with Mawlid; no matter with the celebration; throng and fervor with campaign.  But at Rabeeul Awal 12, these are not allowed.  Where are these ‘Don’t-Parties’ now? The Hadîth which talks about fast on Monday proves that the holy birthday has importance in Islam.  As the importance of Monday the prophet has said two things­: (1), ‘my birthday’ (2), presented ‘vahyi’.      Now it is sure that the Monday has got importance.  How can it be refused?  It is the importance of the Monday itself that got eligibility to be celebrated.  The expression of this eligibility is called celebration. In short, this hadith is an evidence to give importance to birthday and to celebrate that day.  All agree that the birth was at the dawn.  And all agree that the fast was on the regard of this too.  As the importance of Monday the prophet said that his birth was on that day.  Not to dawn of Monday, nor to the Monday in which birth had taken place but to the whole Mondays up to the last day. In case the importance is given to the Mondays that include the birth-happened dawn, it will be applicable to the whole Rabeeul Awwals that include Monday. Not only it is applicable to the Rabeeul Awal in which birth-happened but to the whole Rabi al-Awwal up to the doomsday.

    Even while we practice the matters that Islam ordered as Sunnah or permissible certain social rules and norms will come to being.  As far as it will not contradict with Islam we may have to obey them.  For instance, in Islam marriage is Sunnah in general.  It may be on any day. Taking our convenience we predetermine a day. Likewise, the prophet-birth-celebration and Mawlid are being established basically, like anything else they may also be conducted conveniently in regular order as common. Marriage is going to be held on June 2010.  It is a Sunnah.  Therefore the marriage which is decided to conduct on 2010 June 6th is also a Sunnah.  Can we say this marriage is not Sunnah, saying that the prophet did not married or indented to marry or did not give silent permission to that day?

    We got freedom at the sunset of Thursday in August 14 that is at the midnight of 15th of the month in 1947. Then the attainment of freedom is said to be at midnight; we can say it was on Thursday or may be said to be on 15th or in August.  All these are true.  But we don’t celebrate independence at the midnight on the name of the attainment of freedom being at midnight.  So also all Thursdays or all 15s are not being celebrated. We do celebrate our independence day on August 15th, the memorable day included, being year the biggest arrangement of time and it being an impracticable or unwise to celebrate in all occasions.  In certain cases some changes might be made in the time and the day.  Meelad celebration is also not different from it.  Is there any evidence in the Holy Qur’an or in the Hadîth against the celebrating Meelad on Rabi al-Awwal 12, if confirmed the expression of happiness in the name of attainment of the blessing? 

To celebrate Holy days

    To celebrate the holy days is common among all kinds of people irrespective of their cast or religion.  Nations celebrate their independence days.  Parties observe their leaders days.  Govt. gives holy days for institutions and offices on the memory of multifaceted personalities; conducts nation wide processions; organizes cultural works.  But are these celebrations legitimate in the view of Islam? Have these things been encouraged in Islam?  

    Allah the Almighty says: “O! Mankind, there hath come unto you an exhortation from your lord, a balm for that which is the breasts, a guidance and a mercy for believers.  Say, in the bounty of Allah and in His mercy: therein let them rejoice” (Yunus).  Through this verse Allah instructs us to express happiness with His blessing.  If not blessing, what else the birth of the prophet and the great souls, the presentation of the Holy Qur’an etc, can be?  Can a Muslim say that the prophet of whom the Qur’an says: “we sent thee not save as a mercy for the people” is not blessing?  Likewise Allah gave us great scholars and saints in order to complete His all time mission. They are indeed the blessing got to the world.  Hence their birth days deserve special characteristics.  Therefore in the basis of the above verse, we are obliged to celebrate the holy days of the great souls including them.  If so, though celebration can be had at any time and to see each one with the inclusion of their fragrance and warm; to see differentiated from others, the actual time and day are to take into consideration.  Those who tent to think can understand it.  There are evidences for it in Islam. 

    Esa, son of Mariyam, said: O Allah, lord of us! Send down for us a table spread with food from heaven, that it may be a feast for us, for the first of us and for the last of us” (Ma’ida).  In regard of the prayer, when Allah granted a table spread, Esa (Peace of Allah be upon him) and his followers celebrated that.  That was Sunday.  Even today Sunday is a special day for Christians.  And so, we can see in the Holy Qur’an that Esa (Peace of Allah be upon him) interested to celebrate the holy day and that celebration can be understood from the history. 

A moment!

    Are the rules and directions of Esa (Peace of Allah be upon him) applicable to us?  This is an invalid question.  All rituals and observances that do not contradict with our peculiar rules and brought in by the earlier prophets are applicable to us, Qur’an says:  “Allah made them all into the right path.  So follow their path.”  It is because we followed their path the act of circumcision which the prophet Ibrahim (Peace of Allah be upon him) brought into force became applicable to us.  If so, not only the followers of Esa (Peace of Allah be upon him) celebrated the holy days but Allah directed also to, we can deduct this from the above verse from Yunus and others. 

    Again, we can go through the Hadîth.  Imam Bukhari (May Allah Mercy upon him) quotes from Umer bin Kathab (May Allah please with him) that a Jew asked Umer (May Allah please with him) “O! Ameer al Mu’mineen, in your scripture (Qur’an) a verse which you recite is presented to our society, we would celebrate that day.”  Umer (May Allah Please with him) asked which verse that was.  The Jew responded that was the verse beginning with “al yauma…” (ma’ida 3).  Umer (May Allah Please with him) said: indeed that day and the place are specially marked. The presentation of this verse was on Friday when the Prophet (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him) was at Arafa.  The Question of the Jew was: “why not you celebrate the completion of the Islam even if that was great blessing?” and he added: “if it were us, we would make it a day of celebration.”  Umer (May Allah Please with him) responded that the day was the day of Arafa and Friday. Both are indeed our days of celebrations. Imam bn Hajar Askalani (May Allah Mercy upon him) writes “as per this report Umer (May Allah Please with him) had stopped the indication” (Fathul Bari 1:214). 

    The day of Arafa and Friday is also the days for celebration. Then, the indication of Umer (May Allah Please with him) was that we are celebrating the day on which the verse was presented. This is very clear from the other reports of Hadith.  Imam bin Hajar Askalani writes: “In short, in some reports both days are seen as Sunnah. All praises are to Allah”. 

    Imam Nawawi (May Allah Mercy with him) writes: “Umer (May Allah please with him) indented with this remark that we made this day a celebration in two ways.  Because, each Arafa day and Jumua day (Friday) are celebrations for Muslims” (Sharahu Muslim 18:153).
See another report.  It is reported from ibn Abbas (May Allah please with him), “when I recited the verse “today I have your religion completed ……”. A Jew adjacent to me said as follows: “if the verse was presented to us we would turn this day a celebration.”  I said the presentation of this day itself includes in two ways in the day of celebration – Arafa Day and Friday, (Thurmuthi). To sum up, what Ibn Abbas said is that we celebrate the presentation of the above said verse weekly and annually- Arafa day as annual and Friday as weekly. Even a verse gets prominence to such celebration why not the birthday of prophet who taught the Qur’an completely to the world get eligibility to be celebrated?

    Holy days can be celebrated in many ways.  To recite Mawlid, to distribute alms-giving, to distribute sweets to children are ideals of the Companions of the prophet (PBH). Rejoicing the embracement of Umer (May Allah please with him), the prophet and his companions conducted a procession from the house of Arqam to the holy Ka’ba with Umer (May Allah please with him).  From the above description it is clear that there are many celebrations in Islam other than these two. At the same time, some try to mistake the commoners by misinterpreting one Hadîth that there are only two celebration in Islam namely Eid.

    The above Hadîth never indicates that Muslims are allowed to celebrate only two Eids and no other celebrations are allowed. But Allah has replaced the two days called ‘Nairooz’ and ‘Mahrajan’ with the two Eid days. These two days are not our holy days. (‘Nairooz’ and ‘Mahrajan’ was the days of celebration for the people of Madeena who lived in the Dark Age) This is the meaning the prophet implied here.  By this Hadîth we will never get the meaning that there are only two Eid celebrations for you. To have celebrations for Muslims other than these two, never contradict this Hadîth.  Anyone who has got a little knowledge in Arabic language can understand this meaning.  We saw that the day of Arafa and Friday are celebrations of Muslims in light of the Holy Qur’an and the Hadîth.

Mawlid and Celebration of Mawlid

Mawlid is an Arabic term. In linguistics it signifies ‘birth time’, ‘birth day’ etc…To commemorate the great souls who acquired blessing and nearness of Allah Almighty with love and admiration and to perform encomium on the eventuality and moral prosperity of their lives in the form of prose, poem or in the both forms is called ‘Mawlid’. Mawlid and the celebration of Mawlid are not same.  To express happiness in the birth of the pious person is the birth day celebration. There are evidences for both in the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Surly, we can celebrate it since it is accepted by the whole Muslims in the world, with all the fervor and enthusiasm; let the modernists accept it or not.

Evidences 
                                        The urge of Allah Almighty to recollect the great souls and inform the world with songs of encomium can be seen at different places in the Qur’an. “Recollect Israel in the Qur’an”; “recall Idrees through Qur’an”; “remember our servant Davood”, “reminisce Mariyam through Qur’an”, after such verses, Allah delineates the sacred life histories and eulogize them meritoriously.  From the dream of the prophet Yoosuf even to the prayer of him: O! Allah, let me die being Muslim and may include me in the company of righteous men are recorded in the Qur’an. Verses of eulogia about the Holy Prophet are there in Qur’an in abundance. Unprejudiced investigation of Qur’an may help to find the eulogia on many a great soul. 

We cannot think that anyone would tell this veneration is a sin. The Prophet (Peace and Blessing be upon him) said, “He who does not respect those who are older than him is not among us”. If so, how befitting it is to honor the great souls in whom religious knowledge and chastity are assembled and who was stainless of sin, even hadn’t done a ‘karahath’ (undesirable action) in life knowingly! The decree of Allah to holy angels to prostrate respecting Adam (Peace be upon him) and seeking response from ‘Iblees’ (the leader of the Satan) for not obeying his order made him a character of eternal curse and toppled him down from his position teach us to respect great souls. Allah says through Qur’an that to respect the signs of Allah is the evidence for having ‘thaqwa’ (fear of Allah) in the heart.  Prophets, saints, righteous men are indeed the signs of Allah. Don’t rise your voice than that of you prophet’s, nor speak with him in a loud voice. Your good deeds would become fruitless unknowingly.  From this verse we can understand how far to respect our prophet.

In short, to commemorate, to honor, to praise the great souls and to wish their love and by which acquire Allah’s love are the intentions of ‘Mawlid’.  There is no evidence to say these things are un-Islamic. 

“Indeed, Allah and his angels utter ‘swalath’ in the name of the prophet; believers! utter swalath for the sake of the prophet.  In the interpretation of this verse of Qur’an, Imam Bukhari brings in the report of Abul ‘Aalia (Allah please with him).  The meaning of the verse that Allah utters swalath for the sake of the prophet is that Allah quotes the nobility of the prophet before them” (Bukhari).  Allah orders believers to do so.  Imam Baidavi (May Allah Mercy upon him) interprets ‘Allah and his angels are more interested in describing the nobility and in narrating the greatness of the prophet’.  So, it is clear that we are obliged to describe the nobility and present the greatness of the prophet to the world.

The Mawlid and its evidence can be understood from the above noted lines. But, here we have to understand one thing. If we provide evidences for Mawlid, the antagonists would ask where the evidence for celebration, and if provide evidences for celebration, they would ask where the evidence for Mawlid.  Such are the pretty tactics of them to baffle the commoners. 

We don’t have the least doubt in those who lean ladder to the harmful cartoonist of Denmark and to such others, and who had been writing and preaching that ‘the prophet is only an ordinary man and I and Muhammad of holy Makkah are alike’.

See some instances: “if the prophets could die, if the corps could burry then it does not seem to have any peculiar quality for the corpses not mingling with soil.  The corpses are buried not to cause difficulty by the exposure of decayed body to the living beings on the earth, i.e., the meaning of burial is to arrange room for corpses to decay not causing difficulty to the living beings.  If the body of the prophet does not decay what is the idea behind the burial of them. Won't it be wise to keep it on outside? (Prabodanam Malayalam weekly Published by Jama’athe Islami of kerala, January 1987).

“The prophet Muhammad (PBH) was born as the son of a man called Abdullah and a woman called Amina. He was born, grown and lived only as the ordinary man.  He was appointed as the prophet like other prophets. When reached Allah’s calling, he departed from here as a departure of an ordinary man.  These all are the uncontroversial historical facts” (Prabodanam weekly , December 1981).
Although they belonged to Islam, is this the privilege of them to belittle the prophet of Islam in any way?  Is it when the prophet-abuse is reported only from Denmark or Europe becomes a crime? The prophet-abuse by Jeeland post magazine is greater than that of the Jamath e Islami?
To say the holy body of the prophet would decay and deform; to say it would cause difficulty out of foul smell to the living beings if not buried; to question the reason behind the burial in the state of not decaying are all the prophet-abuse and never deserves excuse. 

The prophet(PBH) said that the physical body of the prophets are prohibited to the earth and they don’t decay into the earth, (Aboo Davod). That the prophet Moosa (Peace be upon him) was seen taking his prayer from his own rest place has come in the Hadîth. It is also reported that the Prophet (PBH) had lead the prayer from the sky to the prophets who have passed away. Are all these done with decayed bodies? Those who say or write they were the forces behind anything and everything should respond to it.  Some times silence is not a rhetoric but disgust.  They defied the sayings of the prophet too.  

We can thank Allah for their preparedness to conduct campaign on ‘Know the Prophet’.  We can rejoice in praising our beloved prophet from all corners by all. Be ready to live imprinting the prophet’s foot steps in life. We should show extreme care to make aware the importance of his pattern of life to all.

The Mawlid: A Time to Celebrate

Every year, when the month of Rabi al-Awwal comes around once again, bringing in its train the night of the twelfth, it seems to us as if the whole world is perfumed by the memory of the birth of the Final Messenger, may Allah's blessings and peace be upon him. Countless millions of Muslims in every corner of the earth fix their thoughts on his birth, by re-reading his biography and learning from his unique values and qualities. For he was the Unlettered Prophet, in whose human essence were combined and perfected every noble and generous trait of character: the best of all role-models, of whom Allah Himself has said: "Truly, yours is a tremendous character". Without the slightest doubt, the best way of commemorating this most noble of all birthdays is in reciting the story of his life, to adults and to children, in order to accustom them to the love of Allah's great Messenger.

My own mother, may Allah show her soul mercy, used to put us in the habit of sitting down and reading the sira books. Even though she herself could neither read nor write, she knew much of the sira by heart, and would constantly encourage her family and neighbors to become intimately familiar with the beautiful life-story of the Prophet.

No-one could deny that gathering to listen to the career of the Master of the Messengers is one of the most desirable of all activities. It can yield a whole range of blessings and benefits, as long as it takes place in a proper Islamic atmosphere without any reprehensible innovations or distortions. Needless to say, the life of the Prophet, upon him be blessings and peace, can and should be commemorated at any time of the year. Nonetheless, when he is remembered in Rabi al-Awwal, people's attachment to him grows even stronger, for the simple reason that it was in this month that he was born. At this special time, when the impulse to gather for this purpose is at its strongest, one feels an overwhelming sense of connection between our time and his, as the present reminds us of the past, and helps us to bring to mind and relate to events which took place many centuries ago.

The love of the Prophet, and the joy which his birth and career have brought to us, bring every imaginable kind of good thing to a true Muslim. Even an unbeliever can benefit from his birth. The idolater Abu Lahab, one of the greatest enemies of Islam, was pleased when one Monday he heard the news that Muhammad was born: and he freed his slave-girl Thuwaiba who had brought him the news. We are told that because of this deed his punishment in the grave is reduced every Monday. This Hadîth, which is narrated by Imam Bukhari, inspired Imam Shams al-Din al-Dimashqi to write:
If an unbeliever, condemned by the Qur’an to eternal pain,
Can be relieved every Monday through his joy at Ahmad,
Then what must a true servant of God hope to gain,
When with the truth of Tawhid he felt joy at Ahmad?

The Prophet (Pease and Blessing of Allah be upon him) himself used to commemorate his birthday, thanking his Lord for His great kindness to him. He would express this commemoration by fasting, as we are told in a Hadîth narrated by Imam Muslim. The methods by which his birthday may be celebrated vary widely, but the objective is the same: whether in fasting, giving food to the poor, gathering for the remembrance (dhikr) of Allah or calling down blessings upon His Messenger, and listening to the story of his virtues and mighty achievements.

Allah has commanded us Muslims to rejoice at the things by which His grace and mercy comes to us. In the Holy Qur’an we read: 'Say, by Allah's grace and mercy; and let them be made joyful by this!' (Yunus, 58.) And we have never received any mercy greater than the Prophet himself: 'We sent you only as a mercy to the worlds.' (Anbiya, 107.)

The Blessed Prophet was keenly aware of the connection of the flow of time with the great religious events of the past. Whenever the time of year recalled such an event, he would seize the opportunity to commemorate it, and call to mind its significance.
There are many examples of this. For instance, when he first arrived at Madina, he found the Jews fasting on the Day of Ashoura. When he enquired about this practice, he was told, 'They fast on this day because Allah rescued their prophet on this day, and drowned their enemy, so that they fast it in gratitude to Allah for this blessing.' And the Prophet remarked: 'We have even more right to Moses than have they!', and ordered that the Muslims should fast on that day as well.

For all these reasons, every year during the month of the Mawlid I devote my time to the great books of the Sira, spending some time enjoying their shade and cool breezes. I recall to my mind the episodes and events of his unique career from the time when the light of Muhammad first shone upon the world: the Arbitration at the Ka'ba, the Beginning of Revelation, the trials and sufferings endured while calling men to Allah, the Hijra, the great and heroic battles against paganism and misguidance, the creation of the Islamic State, the Farewell Pilgrimage, and finally, the moment when revelation to earth came to its conclusive end with the demise of the Blessed Prophet and his passing-on to the Highest Companion in Heaven.

During this month, I spend as much time as I can in this blessed company. This is despite the fact that these astonishing and moving events remain in my thoughts and reflections during the entire year, forming a constant guide, reference and inspiration, as I remember the actions and deeds of him whose every action and deed had the purpose of educating the human race.

Yesterday, my wife came to me while I was engrossed in my reading. She looked at the book before me, and saw that it was about the Mawlid, open at the page where the greatest of all sira writers Ibn Ishaq says: 'Allah's Messenger, may He bless and keep him, was born on Monday, during the twelfth night of Rabi al-Awwal, in the Year of the Elephant.'
She asked me this interesting question: 'Why was he born during that month, rather than during Ramadan, the month when the Qur’an was revealed, or in one of the Sacred Months, which Allah rendered sacred on the day He created the heavens and the earth? Or even in Sha'ban, the month which contains the blessed Night of Mid-Sha'ban?'

She stopped, and looked at me for an answer. I looked again at the book, and searched for a clue, but without success. So I asked her to give me a little time to allow me to read and do some thinking.

I fell silent and began asking myself: Why did the Almighty Creator decree that this noble Prophet should come into the world on Monday the twelfth of Rabi al-Awwal? Why this date in particular? There must be some exquisite wisdom in this choice: but where and what?
I pulled out the great works of Sira, and turned their pages. I read the words of the scholars and historians of Islam, trying to unearth the secret of this divine decision. After hours of reading and contemplation, the books gave me four subtle indications which together point to the answer.

Firstly, in a hadith we read that Allah created the tree on Monday. This can be taken to mean that the creation of sustenance, fruits and all the good things of the earth upon which the children of Adam depend for their life, and which give them medicines to heal them, and whose very sight brings them rest and joy: all this was decreed to come into existence on this day.
The Prophet, upon him be peace, also came into the world on this day, as a cause of rapture and joy. He is associated with it in other ways also: according to Ibn Abbas, 'Allah's Messenger was born on a Monday, became a Prophet on a Monday, and raised up the Black Stone on a Monday.'

Secondly, we should recall that the Arabic name of the month of his birth signifies the season of spring: the time of rebirth and renewal. Shaykh Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Siqilli writes: 'Every human being is associated in some way with his name and circumstances in time. When we look at the season of spring, we see that it is the time when the Blessed Lord splits open the earth to reveal His bounty within, without which His servants could not subsist. Seeds split open and produce countless kinds of plant, which make all who see them rejoice. Though silent, they mutely proclaim the news of the imminent and delightful ripening of their fruit. Now, the Birthday of the Prophet, may Allah bless him, resembles this closely. His birth in the month of this name gives good tidings of the greatest forms of sustenance and protection for the believers. It proclaims Allah's mercy, the greatest of which is His granting guidance, through His messenger, to the Straight Path.'

Thirdly, Sheikh Muhammad Yusuf al-Salihi writes: 'Can you not see that the season of spring is both the most beautiful and moderate of seasons, free of both bitter cold or stifling heat, or exaggerated length in its days or nights? It is the time of year when people feel most refreshed and whole, so that they can enjoy the pleasure of prayer at night, and of fasting during the day. All of this symbolizes and resembles the moderation and healthfulness of the Sunnah and the Law which the Prophet brought.'

Fourthly, it would seem to be the case that the Wise God sometimes wishes to ennoble times through events, not events through times. A time otherwise left vacant can thereby be filled with a special quality from which people can derive benefit.

Obviously, if the Blessed Prophet had been born in Ramadan, or one of the Sacred Months, or in the holy month of Sha'ban, some people might think that it was he himself who was being ennobled by these times because of their great merit. But it was Allah's wise decree that he be born in Rabi al-Awwal in order to ennoble that month, and to display Allah's care and good providence for His Prophet. As an Arab poet has written:

Allah gave good news of you to the heavens, and they were adorned,
The soil of the earth turned to musk when it heard of you.
A day whose dawn is part of history,
And whose evening is made luminous by Muhammad!

To sum up what I have been trying to say: celebrations of the Mawlid are nothing other than a revival of the memory of the Chosen One. When this is done in the context of an Islamically-learned circle of knowledge and remembrance, in which the manners of our Islamic religion are observed, it is something which the great scholars approve of strongly. It provides a superb opportunity to link us to the Sira, to his miracles and beautiful character, and to the magnification of the Prophet whom Allah has commanded us to follow and emulate in all things.

Only by knowing his virtues and good qualities can we have perfect faith in him?
Only by listening to his life-story will we acquire a true and deep love for him?
As Allah Himself has stated: 'We tell you the stories of the Messengers, in order to make firm your heart.'
O Allah, make firm our hearts in Islam! Make our faith true and deep, and bestow upon us real love for Your Prophet! (Dr. Muhammad Abduh Yamani)

Meelad Celebration: the view points of Scholars

Imam Ibn Hajer Al -Asqalani (May Allah Mercy upon him) illustrates: “once a man asked the Prophet (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon him) about the fasting on Monday. Giving answer to him, the Messenger (PBH) indicated to the virtue of this holy month Rabi al-Awwal the third month of Hijri calendar. The Messenger says: “It is the day (Monday) on which I was born”. Then, the virtue of this day consists of the virtue of the month on which his birth took place. Hence, we are ought to respect this month as it deserves. As the Almighty specified this month, we should give more prominence to it more than to others (Al Madkhal 2/3).

           1                             To sum up what I have been trying to say: celebrations of the Mawlid are nothing other than a revival of the memory of the Chosen One. When this is done in the context of an Islamically-learned circle of knowledge and remembrance, in which the manners of our Islamic religion are observed, it is something which the great scholars approve of strongly. It provides a superb opportunity to link us to the Sira, to his miracles and beautiful character, and to the magnification of the Prophet whom Allah has commanded us to follow and emulate in all things.

           2                             Ibn Hajer Al- Asqalani (May Allah Mercy upon him) says : The deeds performing in the days of Rabeeul- Awwal should be compressed in Quranic recitation pro-voking the sense of gratitude towards the Almighty, giving food, providing char-ity, Prophetic eulogium, spiritual preachings that invoke the minds of believers and so on. It is not prohibited to do the allowed rituals and to show our pleasure in the days of Rabeeul Awwal, but the prohibited and hateful doings should be done away with’’

           3                             Quoting from Imam Suyuthi (R) Ismail Al Hiqi(R) Says: “It is desirable to us ex-pressing our gratitude in the birthday of Prophet (PBH) (Thafseer Ruhul Bayan 9/56).

           4                             Ismail Al Hiqi (R) also narrates from Ibn Hajer Al- Haithami(R) that the scholars are unanimous in consenting that all good rituals are preferable one. Celebrat-ing the birthday of Prophet (PBH) and arranging people for this purpose are among such good rituals’’ (Thafseer Ruhul Bayan 9/56).

           5                            Imam Abu Shama (R), the Usthad(teacher) of Imam Nawawi(R) says: “ It is the preferable custom that to do virtue deeds, charity and show cheerfulness. Be-cause, this process supports the helping of downtrodden, above all, the mind of person who did these things is being filled with the affection and veneration to-wards the Messenger (PBH). Moreover, such doings become a signboard to show our gratitude towards the Almighty in the birth day of Prophet who was sent down here as a blessing to entire world’’ (Al – Baith 23).

           6                             Imam Shybani (R) explains: “The day, on which the Prophet (PBH) was born, is more deserved to be celebrated”(Hadaiqul Anwar(1/19).

           7                             Imam Suyuthi (R) have cleared the doubt that Rabi al-Awwal is also a cause for sadness as our beloved Messenger (PBH) passed to the entire mercy of Almighty on this same moth. “Verily, the birth of our beloved Prophet (PBH) is a most blessed event and his holy demise is a great loss to whole beings. But the Is-lamic law taught us only to show thankfulness to the blessings and to be patient during our sorrows (Al Havi lil Fathawa 1/256).