Source/Credit: Examiner.com

By Shahina Bashir

In 1978, Michael Hart published his book titled “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History.” In this book, Hart rankedProphet Muhammad as the number one most influential person in history. He wrote:

“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and maybe questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels. 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.”

Mahatma Gandhi said, “I became more than 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 his own mission.”

Despite of such positive depiction of one of the most influential persons in history, Prophet Muhammad has been maligned and his character has been attacked by many. Though many historians have written volumes of biographies on the Prophet of Islam, yet it seems that the non-Muslims (and some Muslims) cannot seem to fathom who he really was. It is worthwhile mentioning here that the actions of a fraction of Muslims around the world who are bent on creating disorder in the land do not help the image of Islam or its Prophet.

Read more:

http://www.examiner.com/article/muhammad-the-messenger-of-peace