Muhammad Hussam Uddin Al-Khateeb Language: English | Format: PDF | Pages: 211 | Size: 2 MB
A Christian clergyman called Father
Nicholas has been living next to me for a good few years now. When he
first moved in I hastened to welcome him. I offered the initial helping
hand necessary for him to sort things out and settle in nicely in his
new flat. It was only a small gesture of friendship and camaraderie,
perfectly in line with my commitment to my Islamic teachings, which make
it imperative for all Muslims to maintain good neighbourly relations,
regardless of the race, colour or creed of their neighbours. After all,
it was the Godsend Prophet (pbuh) himself who said: “Gabriel kept urging
me to be kind to my neighbours till I thought he would give them the
right of inheritance.”(1)
Months and years passed and Father
Nicholas and I somehow seemed to have developed a kind of intimacy
founded on a venerable ‘Quranic verse: “Indeed… you will find that the
closest and most loving to the believers (Muslims) are those who say ‘We
are Christians.'”(2) We exchanged
visits regularly on special Muslim and Christian feasts and festivities,
often spending the time talking about our two religions. We stayed
clear of the usual chatter and flattering, small talk. He told me about
his faith as he understood and practiced it and I told him about mine,
often to the mutual benefit of both.
Things went on like this till 12/ 09/
2006, I still remember the exact date, when the newly appointed Pope of
the Vatican, Benedictus XVI, made his well known remarks which offended
Muslims and insulted the Islamic Prophet. The new Pontiff quoted at
length some moronic medieval texts, written at a time when religious
wars were still raging between Christians and Muslims, partly due to
such claims that “Islam was spread by the sword” and that “the Prophet
of Islam brought nothing new but the sword.” The same hackneyed charges
really, propagated by the same people and the same mentality that
engendered crusades and crusaders in the first place. It is the same
frame of mind still intent on raking old fires and fomenting further
religious wars and culture clashes.(3)
The media hype began in earnest immediately after, reporting the Pope’s provocative remarks and the various reactions to them.
I bumped into my neighbour Father
Nicholas a couple of days later, on 20/09/2006 to be specific, right at
the front door of our building. As usual, we said hello, shook hands,
inquired about each other’s health and how things are going. Only this
time he added:
– When does your month of fasting begin this year?
– In three or four days, I said, depending on when exactly the crescent moon of Ramadan becomes visible.
– I’ll come and visit you on the first day of Ramadan to congratulate you on the start of your fasting feast.
– Most welcome.
– What do you usually do in a typical Ramadan evening, he asked? I wouldn’t like to come at an inconvenient time.
– Well, I usually wait for the Mu’azen to call for the Maghreb prayer
thereby announcing the end of fasting for that day. I have a couple of
dates or a drink of water, pray the Maghreb then have my main meal.
After that I pray the Isha and the Taraweh in the mosque, where I
perform all my prayers. At around nine p.m., winter timing, I stay in to
have some rest.
– We’ll meet at nine, then, the first day of Ramadan, if that’s ok with you, he said.
– God willing.
– Oh, and I’ll bring a friend along, if you don’t mind, he added. You don’t know him. He’d like to meet you and speak with you.
– Most welcome, you and your friend. We said goodbye to one another. I
pushed on to where I was heading and he climbed up the steps to his
flat.
_____________________________
(1) Sahih Al-Bukhari, electronic copy, Hadeeth no. 5568-5569; Al-Albani, Al-Silsilah Al- Sahihah, electronic copy, Hadeeth no. 356. (2) Al-Ma’idah: 82. (3) The English Zionist orientalist
Bernard Lewis says: “To the European observer in particular, one
noteworthy aspect of the Islamic society was its tolerance compared to
other societies at the time. For, contrary to their western
contemporaries, rarely did the medieval Muslim rulers feel the need to
impose their faith by force on all their subjects.” (B. Lewis, The Arabs
in History, Oxford: OUP, 2001, translated into Arabic by N. Fares,
Beirut: Dar Al-‘Ilm Lil-Malayeen, 1945, p. 45.)
Similarly, in his Islam at a Crossroad,
the orientalist De Lacy O’Leary says: “History makes it clear… that the
legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam
at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most
fantastically absurd myths that historians have ever repeated.” (London:
1923, p. 8.)
In her History of the Islamic
Legislature, the Polish orientalist Bourghinia Jianah also says: “Both
history and commonsense give lie to the claim that Islam spread by the
sword.” (B. Jiannah, The History of Islamic Legislature, translated into
Arabic as Tareekh Al-Tashree’ Al-Islami, Beirut: Dar Al-Afa’ak
Al-Jadeedah, 1980, p. 17.)
From a different perspective, the
orientalist Thomas Carlyle points rather to Christians using the sword
to spread Christianity. In his Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in
History, Carlyle says: “Charlemagne’s conversion of the Saxons was not
by preaching.” (Gutenberg Project Online, 17. 04. 2008, p. 296.)
–
Table of Contents:
A Note on the Translation
In the Name of God the Compassionate and Most
Merciful Whose Guidance and Help I Ever Seek and Invoke
Preface
Introduction
1. Refuting the Charge of the Sword
2. Western Scholars and the Study of Muhammad’s Character (pbuh)
3. The Effects of Heredity and the Environment on the Greatness of the Prophet
4. The Secret of Muhammad’s Greatness (pbuh)
5. Are Muhammad (pbuh) and Jesus (pbuh) Enemies?
6. Could the Prophet be Considered a Prophet before his Divine Call?
Chapter Two:
1. Muhammad and Zaid bin Harithah
2. Muhammad and Rebuilding the Ka’ba by ‘Quraish
3. Enemies Vouch for Muhammad
4. Friends Vouch for Muhammad
Chapter Three:
Introducing Muhammad (pbuh)
1. His Attributes (pbuh)
2. His Complexions (pbuh)
3. His Dress (pbuh)
4. The Environment He (pbuh) Inhabited
Chapter Four:
Aspects of Mercy for Human Beings in the Character of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) After the Divine Call
-The School of Mercy
-The Road to Mercy in Muhammad’s School
-The Source of Mercy in the School of Muhammad (pbuh)
-General Mercy
-The Society of Mercy
-Kinds of Mercy in the School of Muhammad (pbuh)
1. His Mercy in Dealing with People
2. His Mercy in Acts of Worship
3. His Mercy with the Elderly
4. His Mercy with Fathers and Mothers
5. His Mercy with Children
6. His Mercy with Kith and Kin
7. His Mercy with Friends
8. His Mercy with Neighbours
9. His Mercy with Slaves and Servants
10. His Mercy with Orphans
11. His Mercy with the Weak, the Poor, the Sick, the Needy and the Calamity Stricken
12. His Mercy in the Face of Death
13. His Mercy with Women
14. His Mercy in Administering Punishments
15. His Mercy with People of Other Faiths
16. His Mercy with his Enemies
17. His Mercy with the Human Mind
18. His Mercy with Animals
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