In The Eyes of The Non Muslims
It is a difficult task to describe the versatility of character of Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, and it would indeed require volumes to justice to him, to his sincerity, generosity, frugality, broad-mindedness. Firmness and tenacity of purpose, his steadfastness, and calmness in adversity, his meekness in prosperity, his humility in greatness, his modesty in character, his anxious care, for animals, his passionate fondness and love for children, his bravery and fortitude, his magnanimity of spirit, his unbending sense of justice and above all his noble mission to save humanity from destruction.
In the face of those who do not understand him and still pour forth torrents of abuse on the prophet and shamefully scandalise him, what better homage to Prophet Muhammad cam we pay than quote the testimony of great Western historians, thinkers and scholars who expressed their views on the greatest of benefactors of humanity.
Thomas Carlyle says in his famous book "The Heroes", about The prophet Muhammad .
George Bernard Shaw says .
Johnson in "Oriental Religions" says .
" Muhammad is no longer an imposter, but a great reformer. He is no longer a neurotic patient suffering from epilepsy, but a man of tremendous character and unbending will. He is no longer a self-seeking despot, ministering to his own selfish ends but a beneficent ruler shedding light and love around him. He is no longer an opportunist, but a prophet with a fixed purpose, a man of strong will, undeviating in his consistency
Muhammad was the man of truth and fidelity, true in what he did, in what he spoke, in what he thought; always meant something , a man rather taciturn in speach, silent when there was nothing to be said , but pertinent , wise, sincere, when he did speak, always throwing light on the matter .. .
A poor shepherd people roaming unnoticed in the deserts since the creation of the world; a hero prophet was sent down to them with a word they could believe; see the unnoticed became world noticeable, within one century afterwards Arabia is at Granada on this end; at Delhi on that; glancing with valour and splendor and the light of genius, Arabia shines through long ages over a great section of the world .
George Bernard Shaw said :
I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because 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 saviour of humanity. I believe that if a man life him were to assume dicatatorship ot the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it 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 Islanistan of Europe may be said to have begun.
Johnson also said :
"Muhammad's thoroughly democratic conception of the divine government, the universality of his religious ideal, his simple humanity , all affiliate him with the modern world."
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