The most influential person in history
You may be surprised to know that the most influential person in history was...
Muhammad (sallalahu alaihi wasallam);
But don't take my word for it...
"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. New York: Hart Publishing Company, Inc., 1978, p. 33.
"Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than he?"
Lamartine, Histoire de la Turquie, Paris, 1854, Vol. II, pp. 276-277.
Prophet Muhammad (sallalahu alahi wasallam) was born in Makkah, present-day Saudi Arabia around 570 C.E. He is the model for humanity of all walks of life to follow until the Last Hour. God sent him as a mercy for the worlds.
Muhammad (sallalahu alaihi wasallam) was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numberless social and political reforms, established a dynamic and powerful society to practice and represent his teachings, and he revolutionized the worlds of human thought and human action for all time. All this, he accomplished in the unbelievably short span of 23 years.
Muhammad (sallalahu alahi wa sallam) was born in Arabia in 570 CE, and when he died at the age of 63, the whole of the Arabian Peninsula had changes from paganism and idol worship to the worship of One God; from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and peace; from drunkenness and sin to sobriety and piety; from lawlessness and anarchy to justice and disciplined living; from utter moral bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence. Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since.
The Encyclopedia Britannica calls him "the most successful of all religious personalities of the world."
Bernard Shaw said, "if Muhammad were alive today, he would succeed in solving all those problems which threaten to destroy human civilization in our times."
Thomas Carlysle was amazed as to how one man, single-handedly, could weld warring tribes and wandering Bedouins into a most powerful and civilized nation in less than two decades. Napoleon and Gandhi never tired of dreaming of a society along the lines established by this man in Arabia fourteen centuries ago.
Indeed no other human being ever accomplished so much, in such diverse fields of human thought and behavior, in so limited a space of time, as did Muhammad (sallalahu alahi wa sallam). He was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, a political thinker, a military genius, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father — all in one.
Muhammad (sallalahu alaihi wasallam), like the prophets and messengers before him also performed many miracles. However, his greatest miracle came in the form of the Quran, the everlasting revelation from the Almighty Creator, Allah:
" O people of the scripture (Jews and Christians)! Now has come to you Our messenger (Muhammad) explaining to you much of that which you used to hide from the scripture and pass over. Indeed, there has come to you from Allah a (guiding) light and a clear Book (the Quran). Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His will unto light, and guides them to the straight path." (Quran 5:15-16). |
