The truth about Prophet Muhammad
We are Muslims, and we are extremely proud of it.
By: Ekram Haque, Al-Jumuah, vol. 18
Loving him is following him
Muslims all over the world are deeply hurt by the recent caricatures of our
beloved Prophet Muhammad , in Danish and several other publications.
Every now and then, some Western media outlets provoke Muslims by insulting
the Prophet . The baiting often succeeds in eliciting Muslims' outrage and
sporadic violence.
The latest incident started with a Danish newspaper's caricature portraying
the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist. To add insult to injury, Norwegian,
French, German, Dutch and a few other newspapers reprinted the defamatory
cartoons to "defend"-they claimed-the freedom of expression.
The real issue is not the freedom of expression. Free speech is not and was
never meant to be absolute. There are laws in the West that ban certain
kinds of speech, including those that incite anti-Semitism, racism and
violence. Moreover, some countries have laws against blasphemy and
defamation. To Muslims, banning blasphemy against Allaah and the Prophet
Muhammad has a higher priority.
For the European newspapers to reprint the offensive cartoons to show
solidarity with their Danish counterpart seems akin to the plot the leaders
of Quraysh had hatched to assassinate Prophet Muhammad .
The Quraysh masterminds had figured that including representatives from
major tribes of Makkah in the heinous plot would make it impossible for the
Prophet's clan, Banu Haashim, to avenge. But Allaah willed that the Prophet
, would migrate to Madeenah unscathed while the plotters laid siege to his
house.
The West often underestimates the Muslims' reverence for their beloved
Prophet, sallallallahu alayhi wa sallam and is, therefore, staltred by the
fierce Islamic reaction to an insult against him. Few in the West know that
for Muslims, loving their Prophet more than themselves is a matter of faith,
not choice.
Further, the depiction of the Prophet Muhammad , as a terrorist is a
falsification of history. He was considered "Al-Ameen," the trustworthy, by
his people even before he received the Prophethood.
Once, when asked by some of his followers to invoke Allaah's wrath on the
enemies, he refused saying he had been sent as a mercy unto mankind.
Objective Western intellectuals have acknowledged the superior character of
Prophet Muhammad . In his "The 100, a Ranking of the Most Influential
Persons in History," Michael H. Hart ranked Prophet Muhammad, sallallallahu
alayhi wa sallam No. 1 because "He was the only man in history who was
supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels."
Alphonse de Lamartine, a renowned 19th Century French writer, had this to
say about the Prophet Muhammad : "As regards all standards by which human
greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than
him?"
Unfortunately, some Muslims forget that loving their Prophet, sallallallahu
alayhi wa sallam means following him. Burning Danish embassies, as they did
in Damascus and Beirut, to avenge the insult to the Prophet Muhammad is a
complete disservice to him. Our violent reaction only plays into the hands
of those who wish to reinforce the negative stereotypes about Muslims.
Do Muslims need reminding that Prophet Muhammad , forgave the people of
Taa'if who had rejected his message of monotheism and pelted him with
stones, bloodying him? Islamic tradition has it that when Jibreel (Archangel
Gabriel) sought his permission to punish the perpetrators, the Prophet ,
instead prayed that some day the inhabitants of Taa'if would leave their
idols and worship Allaah alone. Within a few years they did.
Prophet Muhammad's, sallallallahu alayhi wa sallam servant once noted his
forgiving disposition, said, "I served the Prophet , for ten years, and he
never said 'uf' (a word indicating impatience or discontent) to me and never
blamed me by saying, `Why did you do so or why didn't you do so?"'
[Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]
Prophet Muhammad's, sallallallahu alayhi wa sallam archenemies hated his
Message and hurled malicious insults at him, to which he responded with
forbearance. Years later when he, sallallallahu alayhi wa sallam returned as
victor to Makkah, his city of birth which he was forced to leave, he asked
its awed citizens, "What do you think I'm going to do to you." They said,
"You are a noble brother, son of a noble brother; we expect only good from
you." The Prophet , responded with a general amnesty.
Let Muslims not forget that the Prophet , encouraged freedom of expression.
In the Battle of Badr, he changed the battlefield against his own opinion
due to the passionate advice of some young soldiers.
Part of the West's success today is the freedom of expression, of thought,
of religion-that draws Muslims to it from their oppressed societies. For
that, Muslims should be thankful to the West. After all, freedom is an
Islamic value that the West has embraced while Muslim societies have
forsaken.
Defending Prophet Muhammad requires allowing freedom and practicing
compassion and forgiveness, like he did. In his lifetime he , bore insults
with magnanimity and devoted his time to spreading the Message of Allaah. In
fact, he never avenged anyone for a personal offence. Can we really respect
him by violent retaliation?
Muslims should turn this extremely painful incident into something positive,
by teaching the world what the Prophet , means to us and what his life was
like.
As for the West, there really is a need to reexamine the notion of free
speech. Without safeguards, the exercise of this freedom can be lethal, as
we have seen.
One may ask, is it morally defensible to provoke violence, cause death, and
create a civilizational conflict for one cartoonist's freedom of expression?
The West already has laws to protect religious freedom, which Muslims and
other peoples of faith admire. What it now needs to do is protect this
freedom from being trampled by unbridled free speech. No one should have to
insult Prophet Muhammad, Jesus, or Moses, may Allaah exalt their mention to
speak freely.
We can turn these negative, malicious cartoons into something positive by
learning about the Prophet , by following him, and educating others about
his teachings.
Allaah described the Prophet in the verse (which means): "And verily, you
(O Muhammad) are on an exalted standard of character." [Quran 68:4]
And (what means): "Indeed in the Messenger of Allaah there is a good example
to follow for him who hopes in (the meeting with) Allaah and the Last Day
and remembers Allaah much." [Quran 33:21]
By a divine decision, the status of Muhammad , was raised forever, as in the
verse (which means): "And (has Allaah not) raised high your fame?" [Quran
94:4]
Muslims were commanded to lower their voices low in the presence of the
Prophet , out of respect, as in the verse (which means): "O you who believe,
raise not your voices above the voice of the Prophet, nor speak aloud to him
as you speak aloud to one another lest your deeds be rendered fruitless
while you perceive not. Verily, those who lower their voices in the presence
of Allaah's Messenger, they are the ones whose hearts Allaah has tested for
piety. For them there is forgiveness and a great reward." [Quran 49:2-3]
While other prophets were sent to their own people, Muhammad was appointed
as the Messenger to all mankind. And such he was asked to declare (what
means): "Say (O Muhammad): `O mankind, verily I am sent to you all as the
Messenger of Allaah - to Whom belongs the Dominion of the heavens and the
earth."' [Quran 7:158]
On the Day of Judgment he will be the only Messenger to intercede with
Allaah to seek forgiveness for the wrongdoers.
As blasphemous as the drawings are, we believe that behind all events there
is Allaah's pre-decree and wisdom that mortal beings fully understand only
in hindsight. In the end, this deeply hurtful incident would be seen as
benefiting the image of the Prophet .
A case in point is the verse (which means): "Verily, We have given you (O
Muhammad) a manifest victory." [Quran 48:1 ] When this verse was revealed,
even some of the most exemplary Muslims could not understand how being
prevented from performing pilgrimage by the enemies could be a manifest
victory. Prophet Muhammad , had just signed a treaty with non-Muslims of
Makkah that imposed unfair restrictions on Muslims.
The Prophet , swore by Allaah that no matter how restrictive this treaty
seemed, it was a clear victory for Muslims. Within a few years, the victory
became abundantly clear when Muslims marched into Makkah, not just as
pilgrims but as victors.
Our love for the Prophet Muhammad , cannot be expressed except by following
him. If we did that, we will see how Allaah can change this painful incident
into a great opportunity for the Islamic cause.
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