BY: Yousof Abdullah 
NOURNEWS - In the name of Allah who states “Surely, a messenger has come unto you from among yourselves: grievous to him is that you should fall into trouble: he is ardently desirous of your welfare: and to the believers he is compassionate, merciful. But if they turn away, say, ‘Allah is sufficient for me. There is no God but He. In Him do I put my trust, and He is the Lord of the mighty Throne” Qur’an 9: 128-129
Peace and blessings of Allah be upon His chosen servant, our master Muhammad and his purified progeny.
At this moment, no doubt, so many topical issues have passed as others prevail at local and international levels that I cannot easily reflect to share view with our esteemed readers. However, I hope to put pen on few especially those with global touch. Basically, I will briefly remind us on the lessons of Mauludin Nabiy (S), and most importantly, carry us through the title above. Certainly, a lot was said and written on the personality of this Great Prophet and his purified progeny. It is a common knowledge that Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and his progeny was born in Rabi'ul - Awwal, the third month of Islamic calendar in what many historians referred to as the year of the elephant. Muslims highly revere the month. As such conferences, processions and rallies are organized globally with a view to mobilizing the Ummah on the need to reflect his teachings. Beside the birthday of the great prophet, of blessed memory was his migration to Medina which led to establishment of the first Islamic state under full scale Islamic system in the thirteenth year after his mission, martyrdom of Imam Hasan al-Askary - the eleventh successor of the prophet- on the eighth day in the 260th year after hijra and the death of notorious enemy of Allah and the prophet, Yazid son of Mu'awiyah on the fourteenth in 64th year respectively.
Here in West Africa; Niger, Senegal, Ghana and Nigeria in particular, mauled is a great celebration attended by millions. The scholars perform well in presentation of good advice on the rationale of the mission of the seal of the prophets. On the other hand, the annual Unity week initiated by the father of the Ummah and founder of the Islamic republic of Iran, late Imam Khomeini (may Allah shower His mercy on him) is impressively convened in its usual trend. The programme is also reflected across UK, US, Europe and some African states. Right now, the event is run by the Islamic Movement in in Abuja, some Southern towns and Northern cities. Traditionally, Muslim scholars are invited to deliver talks to the well-attended event. The conference, most importantly, discusses the much-needed unity and worldwide conspiracies to blackmail Islam and shed the blood of its followers. The Ummah is also sensitized on the effort of the enemies to frustrate the objective. For example, George Curzon, the British secretary of state for foreign affairs, 1911-1921 is vividly reported as saying "we must put an end to anything which brings about Islamic unity between the sons of the Muslims. As we have already succeeded in finishing off the caliphate, so we must ensure that there will never arise again unity for the Muslims, whether it be intellectual or cultural unity"
WHY BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE PROPHET?
For quite a number of times, the enemies of humanities and peaceful co-existence have abused the innocent personality of the prophet. Obviously, the abuse is stage managed and a test to the Ummah, that is why the world arrogance always identifies with such blasphemy. Salman and Nikola cases were very clear in this direction. In the recent Charlie Herbdo case, the world has seen how the attributed depiction was printed and made available in millions for sale. This provocation enjoyed huge financial support from 'Le Monde' newspaper among others. The world has also witnessed how the French government in the so-called civilized world outrightly supports the blatant and provocative incessant event. In fact, Emmanuel Macron and his government have not only supported but pleaded to continue the devilish act. What an injustice and madness! No rationale mind can ever accept this. Because, how should you make fun of our prophet in the name of freedom of expression? For the world to live in harmony and perpetual peace, we must respect and protect one another's fundamental human rights. Then, why should our prophet be abused or humiliated? No Muslim can accept this. In fact, from the general Islamic principle, with no exception, we respect all prophets of Allah.
HOW DO MUSLIM REACT TO SUCH IRRATIONAL ACTS?
Muslim scholars should guide the Ummah, particularly the youth on the right response in the event of such disheartening act. A clear and most relevant response is the boycott of their products and services to express our grief as many Muslim organizations stressed. In the past instance, the statistics revealed, the Danish - Swedish Arla, a multinational company lost billions of dollars as a result of Muslims' boycott of its products leading to retrenchment of many of its staff. The Muslim scholars could think of other possible measures to stop this stupidity.
In his message specially directed to the “YOUNG FRENCH PEOPLE”, Imam Khamenei, the leader of Islamic revolution in Iran said: Ask your president why he supports insulting God’s messenger in the name of freedom of expression. Does freedom of expression mean insulting, especially a sacred personage? Isn’t this stupid act and insult to the reason of the people who elected him? The next question to ask is why is it a crime to raise doubts about the holocaust? Why should anyone who writes about such doubts be imprisoned while insulting the Prophet (Pbuh) is allowed?
Before I remark on Macron’s speech and stress significant points for Muslim-Ummah’s consideration at this juncture, I would remind the world about the fairness, veneration and admiration accorded the Great Messenger by unbiased Western Philosophers. Such remarks are not only historical, but very judicious, enlightening and pleasing. Here are samples of such numerous statements obtainable the books of history.
Sir George Bernard Shaw - 'The Genuine Islam, Vol. 1, No. 8, 1936.
"If any religion had the chance of ruling over England, nay Europe within the next hundred years, it could be Islam. I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation of its wonderful vitality. It is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capability to the changing phases of existence which can make itself appeal to everyone. I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of today. The medieval ecclesiastics either through ignorance or bigotry painted Islam in the darkest colors. They were, in fact, trained to hate the man Muhammad and his religion. To them, Muhammad was anti - Christ. I have studied him, the wonderful man, and in my opinion, far from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the savior of humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring the much-needed peace and happiness. But to proceed, it was in the nineteenth century that honest thinkers like Carlyle, Gibbon and Goethe perceived intrinsic worth in the religion of Muhammad - already, even, at the present time many of our people have gone to his faith, and Islamization of Europe may be said to have begun”
Edward Gibbon and Simon Oakley -History of the Saracen Empire,’ London, 1870
"The greatest success of Mohammad’s life was effected by sheer moral force. It is not the propagation but the permanency of his religion that deserves our wonder, the same pure and perfect impression which he engraved at Mecca and Medina is preserved after the revolutions of twelve centuries by the Indian, the African and the Turkish proselytes of the Koran. The Mahomedans have uniformly withstood the temptation of reducing the object of their faith and devotion to a level with the senses and imagination of man. I believe in One God and Mahomed, the Apostle of God’ is the simple and invariable profession of Islam. The intellectual image of the Deity has never been degraded by any visible idol; the honors of the prophet have never transgressed the measure of human virtue, and his living precepts have restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion.”
Reverend Bosworth Smith -Muhammad and Muhammadanism,' London, 1874.
"Head of the State as well as the Church, he was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without the Pope's pretensions, and Caesar without the legions of Caesar, without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a police force, without a fixed revenue. If ever a man ruled by a right divine, it was Muhammad, for he had all the powers without their supports. He cared not for the dressings of power. The simplicity of his private life was in keeping with his public life. In Mohammadanism everything is different here. Instead of the shadowy and the mysterious, we have history. We know of the external history of Muhammad. While for his internal history after his mission had been proclaimed, we have a book absolutely unique in its origin, in its preservation on the substantial authority of which no one has ever been able to cast a serious doubt"
Michael Hart -The 100, A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons In History,' New York, 1978.
"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 secular and religious level. It is probable that the relative influence of Muhammad on Islam has been larger than the combined influence of Jesus Christ and St. Paul on Christianity. It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history".
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