The Sunday Mail
Umari Stambuli – Holy Qur’aan Speaks
This is the second in a series of articles which highlight quotations from some of the prominent non-Muslim authors and scholars of recent time (nineteenth and twentieth century), in order to provoke thought and to encourage further reading.
Montgomery’s comments (1953AD)
“His readiness to undergo persecutions for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who believed in him and looked up to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achievement – all argue his fundamental integrity.
“To suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it solves. Moreover, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the West as Muhammad.”
W. Montgomery, Mohammad at Mecca, p.52, Oxford, 1953
Michener’s highlight about Muhammed (peace be upon him), in 1955 AD
“Muhammad, the inspired man who founded Islam, was born about A.D. 570 into an Arabian tribe that worshipped idols.
“Orphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the poor and needy, the widow and the orphan, the slave and the downtrodden. At twenty he was already a successful businessman, and soon became director of camel caravans for a wealthy widow. When he reached twenty-five his employer, recognising his merit, proposed marriage.
“Even though she was fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she lived he remained a devoted husband like almost every major prophet before him. Muhammad fought shy or serving as the transmitter of God’s word, sensing his own inadequacy. But the angel commanded ‘Read’.
So far as we know Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired words which would soon revolutionise a large segment of the earth: “There is one God”.
In all things Muhammad was profoundly practical.
“When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an eclipse occurred, and rumours of God’s personal condolence quickly arose.
Whereupon Muhammad is said to have announced, ‘An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature.It is foolish to attribute such things to the death or birth of a human being.”
At Muhammad’s own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: ‘If there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you worshipped, He lives forever.”
James A. Michener, Islam: The Misunderstood Religion,
In the Reader’s Digest (American Edition), p68-70
May, 1955
Muhammed (peace be upon him) is top of M. Hart’s list – 1978 AD
“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 Persons in History, p.33
New York: Hart Publishing Company, Inc. 1978.
◆ For further information on Islam or a free copy of the Holy Qur’aan, please contact:
Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe, Council of Islamic Scholars
Publications Department
P.O. Box W93, Waterfalls, Harare
Tel: 04-614078 / 614004, Fax : 04-614003
e-mail: [email protected]
