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NOTEWORTHY QUOTATIONS ABOUT
ISLAM
& THE PROPHET
OF ISLAM
BY THE NON-MUSLIMS
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ISLAM
"Moslems are the world's fastest-growing group..."
USA TODAY, The population referance bureau, Feb. 17, 1989, p.4A
"Already more than a billion-people strong, Islam is the world’s fastest-growing religion." ABCNEWS, Abcnews.com
"The religion of Islam is growing faster than any other religion in the world." Mike Wallace, 60 MINUTES
"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the United States..."
NEW YORK TIMES, Feb 21, 1989, p.1
"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the country."
NEWSDAY, March 7, 1989, p.4
"There are more Muslims in North America then Jews Now."
Dan Rathers, ABCNEWS
"Islam is the fastest growing religion in North America."
TIMES MAGAZINE
"Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our people..."
Hillary Rodman Clinton, LOS ANGELES TIMES, May 31, 1996, p.3
"Islam continues to grow in America, and no one can doubt that!" CNN, December 15, 1995
"Five to six million strong, Muslims in America already outnumber Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Mormons, and they are more numerous than Quakers, Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Christian Scientists, combined. Many demographers say Islam has overtaken Judaism as the
country's second-most commonly practiced religion; others say it is in the passing lane." Johan Blank, USNEWS (7/20/98)
"In fact, religion experts say Islam is the second-largest religion in the United States... Islam has 5 million to 6 million members, followed by
Judaism, with approximately 4.5 million..... And Islam is believed to be fastest-growing religion in the country, with half its expansion coming from new immigrants and the other half from conversions."
Elsa C. Arnett, KNIGHT-RIDDER News Service
"But Islam has a still further service to render to the cause of humanity. It stands after all nearer to the real East than Europe does, and it possesses a magnificent tradition of inter-racial understanding
and cooperation. No other society has such a record of success uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity, and of endeavours so many and so various races of mankind . . . Islam has still the power to reconcile apparently irreconcilable elements of race and tradition. If ever the opposition of the great societies of East and West is to be replaced by
cooperation, the mediation of Islam is an indispensable condition. In its hands lies very largely the solution of the problem with which Europe
is faced in its relation with East. If they unite, the hope of a peaceful issue is immeasurably enhanced. But if Europe, by rejecting the cooperation of Islam, throws it into the arms of its rivals, the issue can only be disastrous for both."
H. A. R. Gibb, WHITHER ISLAM, London, 1932, p. 379.
"It (Islam) replaced monkishness by manliness. It gives hope to the slave, brotherhood to mankind, and recognition of the fundamental facts of human nature."
Canon Taylor, Paper read before the Church Congress at Walverhamton, Oct. 7, 1887; Quoted by Arnoud in THE PREACHING OF ISLAM, pp. 71-72.
"How, for instance, can any other appeal stand against that of the Moslem who, in approaching the pagan, says to him, however obscure or degraded he may be 'Embrace the faith, and you are at once equal and a brother.' Islam knows no color line."
S. S. Leeder, VEILED MYSTERIES OF EGYPT
"Sense of justice is one of the most wonderful ideals of Islam, because as I read in the Qur'an I find those dynamic principles of life, not mystic but practical ethics for the daily conduct of life suited to the whole world." Lectures on "The Ideals of Islam;" SPEECHES AND WRITINGS OF SAROJINI NAIDU, Madras, 1918, p. 167.
"History makes it clear however, 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." De Lacy O'Leary, ISLAM AT THE CROSSROADS, London, 1923, p. 8.
"The extinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achievements of Islam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of this Islamic virtue." A. J. Toynbee, CIVILIZATION ON TRIAL, New York,
1948, p. 205.
"I am not a Muslim in the usual sense, though I hope I am a "Muslim" as "one surrendered to God," but I believe that embedded in the Quran and other expressions of the Islamic vision are vast stores of divine truth from which I and other occidentals have still much to learn, and 'Islam is certainly a strong contender for the supplying of the basic framework of the one religion of the future.'"
W. Montgomery Watt, ISLAM AND CHRISTIANITY TODAY, London, 1983, p.ix.
'I believe in One God and Mohammed 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 honours 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." Edward Gibbon and Simon Ocklay,
HISTORY OF THE SARACEN EMPIRE, London, 1870, p. 54.
"The doctrine of brotherhood of Islam extends to all human beings, no matter what color, race or creed. Islam is the only religion which has been able to realize this doctrine in practice. Muslims wherever on
the world they are will recognize each other as brothers."
R. L. Mellema, Holland, Anthropologist, Writer and Scholar.
"Medieval Islam was technologically advanced and open to innovation. It achieved far higher literacy rates than in contemporary Europe;it assimilated the legacy of classical Greek civilization to such a degree that many classical books are now known to us only through Arabic copies. It invented windmills ,trigonometry, lateen sails and made major advances in metallurgy, mechanical and chemical engineering and irrigation methods. In the middle-ages the flow of technology was
overwhelmingly from Islam to Europe rather from Europe to Islam. Only after the 1500's did the net direction of flow begin to reverse." Jared Diamond, UCLA sociologist, and physiologist who won the Pulitzer Prize for his book: "Guns, Germs, and Steel."
THE PROPHET OF ISLAM
"Muhammed is the most successful of all Prophets and religious personalities." Encyclopedia Britannica
"The founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammed. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any man greater than
he?"Lamartine, Historie de la Turquie, Paris 1854, Vol. 11 pp. 276-277
"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 capacity to the changing phase of
existence which can make itself appeal to every age. I have studied him - the wonderful man and in my opinion for from being an anti-Christ, he must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness: I have prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the Europe of tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the Europe of today."
George Bernard Shaw, THE GENUINE ISLAM.
"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.
"In little more than a year he was actually the spiritual, nominal and temporal rule of Medina, with his hands on the lever that was to shake the world." John Austin, MUHAMMAD THE PROPHET OF
ALLAH in T.P.'s and Cassel's Weekly for 24th September 1927.
"Four years after the death of Justinian, A.D. 569, was born at Mecca, in Arabia the man who, of all men exercised the greatest influence upon the human race... Mohammed"
John William Draper, M.D., L.L.D., A History of the Intellectual Development of Europe, London 1875, Vol.1, pp.329-330
"Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and never forgotten by those around him." Diwan Chand Sharma, The Prophets of the East, Calcutta 1935, p. l 22.
"People like Pasteur and Salk are leaders in the first sense. People like Gandhi and Confucius, on one hand, and Alexander, Caesar and Hitler on the other, are leaders in the second and perhaps the third sense.
Jesus and Buddha belong in the third category alone. Perhaps the greatest leader of all times was Mohammed, who combined all three functions. To a lesser degree, Moses did the same."
Professor Jules Masserman
"He was Caesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope's pretensions, Caesar without the legions of Caesar: without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fixed revenue;
if ever any man had the right to say that he ruled by the right divine, it was Mohammed, for he had all the power without its instruments and without its supports." Bosworth Smith, MOHAMMAD AND
MOHAMMADANISM, London, 1874, p. 92.
"It is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who knows how he taught and how he lived, to feel anything but reverence for that mighty Prophet, one of the great
messengers of the Supreme. And although in what I put to you I shall say many things which may be familiar to many, yet I myself feel whenever I re-read them, a new way of admiration, a new sense of reverence for that mighty Arabian teacher." Annie Besant, THE
LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF MUHAMMAD, Madras, 1932, p. 4.
SOME MORE QUOTATIONS:
I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind.... I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his
fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted
every obstacle. When I closed the second volume (of the Prophet's biography), I was sorry there was not more for me to read of that great life.
Mahatma Gandhi, statement published in 'Young India,'1924:
He was the most faithful protector of those he protected, the sweetest and most agreeable in conversation. Those who saw him were suddenly filled with reverence; those who came near him loved him; they who described him would say, "I have never seen his like either before or after." He was of great taciturnity, but when he spoke it was with emphasis and deliberation, and no one could forget what he said...
Lane-Poole in 'Speeches and Table Talk of the Prophet Muhammad':
His military triumphs awakened no pride nor vain glory as they would have done had they been effected by selfish purposes. In the time of his greatest power he maintained the same simplicity of manner and appearance as in the days of his adversity. So far from affecting regal state, he was displeased if, on entering a room, any unusual testimonial of respect was shown to him.
Washington Irving in 'Life of Muhammad,' New York, 1920:
“Like almost every major prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy of serving as the transmitter of God’s word sensing his own inadequacy. But the Angel commanded ‘Read’. So far as we know, Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired words which would soon revolutionize a large segment of the earth: "There is one God"."
“In all things Muhammad was profoundly practical. When his beloved son Ibrahim died, an eclipse occurred and rumors of God 's personal condolence quickly arose. Whereupon Muhammad is said to have announced, ‘An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. It is foolish to attribute such things to the death or birth of a human being'."
“At Muhammad's own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who was to become his administrative successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in religious history: ‘If there are any among you who worshiped Muhammad, he is dead. But if it is God you Worshiped, He lives for ever'.”
James Michener in ‘Islam: The Misunderstood Religion,’ Reader’s Digest, May 1955, pp. 68-70:
Incidentally these well-established facts dispose of the idea so widely
fostered in Christian writings that the Muslims, wherever they went, forced people to accept Islam at the point of the sword.
Lawrence E. Browne in ‘The Prospects of Islam,’ 1944:
"During all the first part of the Middle Ages, no other people made as
important a contribution to human progress as did the Arabs, if we take this term to mean all those whose mother-tongue was Arabic, and not merely those living in the Arabian peninsula. For centuries, Arabic was the language of learning, culture and intellectual progress for the whole of the civilized world with the exception of the Far East. From the IXth to the XIIth century there were more philosophical, medical, historical, religiuos, astronomical and geographical works written in Arabic than in any other human tongue."
Phillip Hitti in 'Short History of the Arabs:
"Despite the growth of antagonism, Moslem (Muslim) rulers seldom made their Christian subjects suffer for the Crusades. When the Saracens finally resumed the full control of Palestine the Christians were given their former status as dhimmis. The Coptic Church, too had little cause for complaint under Saladin's (Salahuddin) strong government, and during the time of the earlier Mameluke sultans who succeeded him the Copts experienced more enlightened justice than they had hitherto known. The only effect of the Crusaders upon Egyptian Christians was to keep them for a while from
pilgrimage to Jerusalem, for as long as the Frank were in charge heretics were forbidden access to the shrines. Not until the Moslem victories could they enjoy their rights as Christians."
James Addison in 'The Christian Approach to the Moslem,' p. 35:
A great many Muhadditheen and Hanafi, Shafi’ee, Maaliki and Hanbali Ulamaa are in unison with regards to Imaam Sahib’s strengths and virtues. Thousands of literary works have been compiled by Imaam Abu Hanifah (R. A.). Amongst the Imaams ‘Imaam-e-Aazam’ (Greatest of the Imaams ) was the address of Imaam Abu Hanifah (RA.) alone. A great group of Ulamaa and Muhadditheen remained the followers of Imaam Abu Hanifah (RA.), and more than half of the Ummah of Prophet Muhammed Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam are, till this day, followers also.
He was born in the era of the Companions may Allah be pleased with them. Abstinent, God fearing, generous, knowledgeable and virtuous are all attributes collectively found of Imaam Abu Hanifah (R.A.).
His origination is in Kufa, which at the time, was the greatest centre of ahaadith. As, in Kufa thousands of Companions may Allah be pleased with them of Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam had resided there; more than one thousand jurists were born in Kufa of which one hundred and fifty were Companions of the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. Kufa, was where the ranked Hadhrat Abdullah Ibn Mas’ud may Allah be pleased with him and Hadhrat Abu Hurairamay Allah be pleased with him had previously resided.
Imaam Sahib’s upbringing and education was achieved in such a reputed educational centre, and he reaped much advantage from the Ulamaa of Haramain.
LINEAGE :Nu’maan ibn Thabit Ibn Zuta Ibn Maah\ lbn Marzubaan. (Difference of opinion lies only in choice of wording not name.)
YEAR & PLACE of BIRTH:80 A.H. Kufa, Iraq.
RENOWNED ADDRESS : Imaam-e-Aazam \ Abu Hanifah (R. A.).
SPECIAL ATTRIBUTE: It has been unanimously agreed that Imaam Abu Hanifah (RA.) was a Taabi‘ee. There are various differing quotes concerning the number of Companions seen by Imaam Sahib. Sahib-e-Ikmaal narrates a total of 26, whilst Hafiz Ibn Hajr quotes 8. The most opposed view is that of Hafiz Almizzi whom has stated 72 Companions (R. A.).
ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE:Primary, basic Islamic teachings were acquired as a child, which were short lived due to Imaam Abu Hanifah’ s father’s death. Subsequently, he supported the family business.
MEANS OF LIVELIHOOD: Silk Merchant.
ADVANCEMENT OF KNOWLEDGE: At the age of 22 years much spare time was spent in debating. In this period of time Imaam Sha’bee (R. A.) advised Imaam Abu Hanifah ( R.A.) to associate himself with a scholar.
Being unable to answer a query regarding the correct Sunnah procedure of divorce, Imaam Abu Hanifah began to join the gatherings of lmam Hammad (R. A), (student of Hadhrat Anas (RA.) ), disposing of his works as a debator. For the next ten consecutive years he remained the student of Imaam Hammad (R.A.). After two years, for a period of two months Imaam Hammad took a sudden leave to Basra ( due to his relative’s death) leaving Imaam Abu Hanifah (R. A.) to continue his works in Kufa. Imaam Abu Hanifah (R. A.) remained Imaam Hammad’s student for a further 8 years.
MOST EMINENT TEACHER OF JURISPRUDENCE:
Imaam Hammad (R A)
MOST EMINENT TEACHER OF AHAADEETH:
Imaam Aamir Sha’bi (R. A.).
NO. 0F AHAADEETH ACQUIRED:
4,000 Ahaadeeth in which 2,000 Ahaadeeth from Imaam Hammad ( RA.)alone.
3 PROMINENT PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH IMAAM ABU HANIFAH ACCEPTED AHAADEETH:
1).Since the initial day of hearing the hadith it is remembered in its correct form to the very time of narration.
2). The hadith must have been projected by the Holy Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and narrated onwards via wholly reliable persons.
3). Any Ahaadeeth which contradicted the Qur’an or other famous Ahaadeeth were unacceptable.
A SMALL GLIMPSE OF IMAAM ABU HANIFA’S (R.A.) TEACHERS: Aamir Ibn Shurahbeel, Sha’abi Kufi, Alqama Ibn Marthad, Ziyaad Ibn Ilaqa, Adi Ibn Thabit, Qataada Basri, Muhammed Ibn Munkadir Madni, Simaak Ibn Harb, Qays Ibn Muslim Kufi, Mansoor Ibn Umar etc. etc.
A SMALL GLIMPSE OF IMAAM ABU HANIFA’S (R.A.) STUDENTS: Qazi Abu Yusuf, Muhammad Ibn Hasan, Zufar Ibn Huzayl, Hammad Ibn Abu Hanifah, Abu Ismat Mugheera Ibn Miqsam,Yunus Ibn Is‘haaq, Abu Bakr Ibn Ayyaash, Abdullah Ibn Mubarak, Ali Ibn Aasim, Ja’ far Ibn Awn, Ubaydullah Ibn Musa etc. etc.
IMAAM ABU HANIFAH’S (R.A.) LITERARY WORKS: ‘Kitaab-ul-Aathar’ - compiled from a total of 70,000 Ahaadeeth, ‘Aalim-wal-muta ‘allim’, ‘Fiqhe Akbar’, ‘Jaami’ul Masaneed’, ‘Kitaabul Rad alal Qaadiriyah’ etc. etc.
IMAAM ABU HANIFAH’S CHARACTERISTICS:
a). Impartiality: Imaam Abu Hanifah (R. A.) has never accepted a favour from anyone and so was never indebted to anyone.
b). Humanitarian ways& generosity: On seeing Imaam Abu Hanifah (R. A.) a passer by avoided him and took a different path. When Imaam Abu Hanifah (R.A.) questioned as to why he did so, he replied that he was ashamed of himself as he was Imaam Abu Hanifah’s debtor of 10 000 Dirhams. The man’s humbleness over took Imaam Abu Hanifah (R.A.) and so he forgave the repayment of the debt.
c). Kind heartedness: Once, whilst sitting in a Masjid Imaam Sahib learnt of someone who had fallen from a roof. Immediately, Imaam Sahib departed from the gathering, barefooted, and ran to the place of accident. Until the injured recovered, Imaam Sahib paid daily visits to nurse him.
d). Disposition : Imaam Sahib would never speak unless it was necessary to do so. Someone mentioned before Sufyan Thawri (R.A.) that he had never heard Imaam Sahib back biting. Sufyan (R.A.) replied, "Abu Hanifah (R.A.) is not such a fool that he will destroy his own good deeds."
e). Abstinence & God Fearing Ways:
i). Sharik has stated, "I have never once observed Imaam Abu Hanifah reposing within the nights hours."
ii). Abu Nu’aym states, "Even before observing salaah Imaam Hanifah (R. A.) would weep and supplicate before Allah."
iii). There is no such Surah within the Qur’an which I have not recited during Nafl prayers." - Abu Hanifah (R. A.)
iv). Kharija lbn Mus’ab has stated that 4 religious leaders have completed the recitation of the entire Qur’an in one rakaah of salaah alone. Uthmaan Ibn Affaan (RA.), Tameen Daari (RA.), Sa’eed Ibn Jubair (R. A.) and Imaam Abu Hanifah (R. A.).
v). There was once acknowledgment of a stolen sheep. Imaam Abu Hanifah inquired and researched as to how long a sheep lives. After finding out, he never ate sheep for 7 years, fearing that the meat may be from the stolen sheep.
vi). For 40 consecutive years Imaam Sahib observed a nocturnal practice of performing Fajr salaah with the ablution of Esha.
NO. 0F QUR’AN’S COMPLETED IN RAMADHAAN : 60
NO. OF PILGRIMAGES OBSERVED IN LIFETIME : 55
TRIALS & TRIBULATIONS:
Trial No.1: During the reign of Ibn Hubaira Imaam Abu Hanifah ( R.A.) rejected his request of the post of Chief Justice. (As Imaam Sahib did not want to collaborate with the corrupt).
Consequence of Rejection : Tormented by passing through the city mounted upon a horse, whereby he was whipped 10 times a day for eleven consecutive days.
Trial No.2: During the reign of Abu Jaafar Mansoor again the above request was pledged, yet again rejected.
Consequence of Rejection No.2: Imprisoned and violently beaten.
Prolongation of Trial: Khalifa Abu Ja’far Mansoor again urged that Imaam Sahib should reconsider. Finally, Imaam Sahib swore by Allah that he would not accept.
Consequence: Imaam Sahib was lashed, shirtless 30 times, drawing blood that seeped to his heels. He was again imprisoned, with restricted rations for 15 days, after which he was forcefully made to drink a poison that led to his martyrdom.
STATE OF DEATH:In the state of prostration.
AGE & DATE OF DEATH: 70 years of age : 150 A.H. in the month of Rajab. (others have stated Sha’baan and Shawwaal also).
BURIAL: Six Janaazah salaah were conducted in order to cater for more than
50,000 people whom had collected. His son, and only child; Hammad, lead the last Janazah salaah.
[ IMAAM ABU HANIFAH (R.A.) ] [ IMAAM MAALIK (R.A.) ]
[ IMAAM SHAFI’EE (R.A.)] [IMAAM AHMAD (R.A.) ]
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