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Muhammad as Seen by Prominent Western Thinkers
It is unfortunate that the
Christian West instead of sincerely trying to understand the phenomenal success
of Islam has considered it a rival religion. During the centuries of the
crusades, this trend gained much force and impetus and a huge amount of
literature was produced to tarnish the image of Islam. Truth needs no advocates to plead on its behalf. But the prolonged malicious
propaganda against Islam has created great confusion even in the minds of some
free and objective thinkers. But Islam has begun to unfold its genuineness to
the modern scholars whose bold and objective observation on Islam belie all the charges leveled against it by the so-called
unbiased orientalists. The following are some observations on the Prophet of Islam, by well
acknowledged non-muslim Western scholars and thinkers
of modern times which we hope would contribute to initiating an objective
evaluation of the Islamic faith: "If greatness of purpose, smallness of menas,
and astounding results are the three criteria of human genius, who could dare
to compare any great man in modern history with Muhammad? The most famous men
created arms, laws and empires only. They founded, if anything at all, no more
than material powers which often crumbled before their eyes. This man moved not
only armies, legislations, empires, peoples and dynasties, but millions of men
in one-third of the then inhabited world; and more than that, he moved the
altars, the gods, the religions, the ideas, the beliefs and souls... his
forbearance in victory, his ambition, which was entirely devoted to one idea
and in no manner striving for an empire; his endless prayers, his mystic
conversations with God, his death and his triumph after death; all these attest
not to an imposture but to a firm conviction which gave him the power to
restore a dogma. This dogma was twofold, the unity of God and the immateriality
of God; the former telling what God is, the latter what God is not,
Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer
of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial
empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all standards
by which human greatness may be measured, we may ask, is there any man greater
than he?" Lamartine
"Historia de la turquie",
Paris 1854.
Vol. II. pp.276-7 "He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's
pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing army,
without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue; if ever any man
had the right to say that he ruled by the divine right, it was Mohammad, for he
had all the power without its instruments and without its supports." Basworth Smith "Mohammad and Mohammadanism".
London 1874, p. 92 "My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world's most influential
persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was
the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and
secular level." Michael H. Hart "The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Person in
History", New
York: Hare
Publishing Company, Inc., 1987. p. 33. "Mohammed was distinguished by the beauty of his person, an outward gift
which is seldom despised, except by those to whom if has been refused. Before
he spoke, the orator engaged on his side the affections whether of a public or
a private audience. They applauded his commanding presence, his majestic
aspect, his piercing eye, his gracious smile, his flowing beard, his
countenance which painted every sensation of his soul, and the gestures that
enforced each expression of the tongue. In the familiar offices of life, he
scrupulously adhered to the grave and ceremonious politeness of his country;
his respectful attention to the rich and powerful was dignified by his
condescension and affability to the poorest citizen of Mecca;... 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 "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire." "His simple eloquence, rendered impressive by the expression of a countenance
wherein awfulness of majesty was tempered by an amiable sweetness, excited
emotions of veneration and love; and he was gifted with that authoritative air
of genius which alike influences the learned and commands the illiterate. As a
friend and a parent, he exhibited the softest feelings of our nature...With all
that simplicity which is so natural to a great mind, he performed the humbler
offices whose homeliness it would be idle to conce al
with pompous diction; even while Lord of Arabia, he mended his own shoes and
coarse woolen garments, milked the ewes, swept the hearth, and kindled the
fire, Dates and water were his usual fare, and milk and honey his luxuries.
When he traveled he divided his morsel with his servant." John Davenport "An Apology for Mohammed and the Koran." London 1869
