Away
From Extreme Views: The Deep Love Muslims Feel Towards
Muhammad, God’s Last Messenger
Islamic Perspectives - Muslim JournalsArab News
& Information - By Adil Salah
Perhaps no historical character has been subjected to
vile criticism, false accusations and fabricated
assertions by his opponents than Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him).
Yet no one has been the recipient of more profound and
genuine love and respect than him. Both love and
hostility linger on, and are nurtured despite the fact
that fourteen centuries have passed since Muhammad had
departed this world. Neither feeling would have
lingered had Muhammad been an ordinary person, or had
his contribution to human life been of temporary
nature.
Today we see both feelings surfacing in different ways
and shapes, in areas of our world that are wide apart,
and among people of different races, cultures, beliefs
and life perspectives. Books like Salman Rushdie’s
Satanic Verses, the Danish cartoons, as well as videos
and websites dedicated to attack Islam and its Prophet
are manifestations of the hostile trend. The large
demonstrations that swept the Muslim world against
such productions symbolize the deep seated love
Muslims feel towards Muhammad, God’s last messenger.
Yet both types of manifestation are extreme, held by
small sections of Muslims and non-Muslims. Before the
beginning of the 21st century, the great majority of
non-Muslims did not take much interest in Islam or its
Prophet, despite sustained efforts, over the last
third of the 20th century, to distort the image of
Islam and to associate it with terrorism. On the other
hand, most Muslims today follow the traditional way in
their approach to their faith and to the man who
delivered its divine message.
Extreme tendencies are hardly appropriate in any
generation, let alone in our modern world with its
easy and varied ways of communication. By nature, they
remain confined within certain areas and among small
communities. However, they sometimes acquire a
self-energizing force that gives them speedily
increasing momentum, and they can stage sweeping
revolutions. The end result is almost always a
negative one.
When we study the history of Islam and the life of
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), we clearly see
that his approach was a very moderate one, seeking to
win hearts and influence minds and ways of thinking.
He never promised anyone any type of material gain. He
never sought to achieve supremacy for any class, race,
tribe or community. Even the least privileged
individual was, to him, a person who had every right
to learn of God’s message and to make a choice whether
to accept or reject it.
Muhammad’s community is described in the Quran as ‘the
middle community’, to stress its central role in the
life of humanity and its moderate approach. Yet Islam
is uncompromising in establishing the truth and
defending it. It accepts no injustice, no matter who
is the perpetrator. It tells its followers that they
must always maintain justice, even with their enemies:
“Believers, be steadfast in your devotion to God,
bearing witness to the truth in all equity. Never
allow your hatred of any people to lead you away from
justice. Be just, this is closer to righteousness.”
(5: 8)
Steering away from all types of extremity, we will be
publishing a series of articles that highlight the
true character of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon
him). We hope that this will help our non-Muslim
readers to understand our view of him. It will also
help Muslims to formulate a better understanding of
God’s last messenger and why they should follow his
guidance in all aspects of life.
©
EsinIslam.Com
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