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What they say about Islam
By WAMY
The Islam that was revealed to Muhammad (PBUH), is the continuation and culmination of all the preceding revealed religions and hence it is for all times and all peoples. This status of Islam is sustained by glaring facts. First, there is no other revealed book extant in the same form and content as it was revealed. Secondly, no other revealed religion has any convincing claim to provide guidance in all walks of human life for all times. But Islam addresses humanity at large and offers basic guidance regarding all human problems. Moreover, it has withstood the test of fourteen hundred years and has all the potentialities of establishing an ideal society as it did under the leadership of the last Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
It was a miracle that Prophet Muhammad could win even his toughest enemies to the fold of Islam without adequate material resources. Worshippers of idols, blind followers of the ways of forefathers, promoters of tribal feuds, abusers of human dignity and blood, became the most disciplined nation under the guidance of Islam and its Prophet. Islam opened before them vistas of spiritual heights and human dignity by declaring righteousness as the sole criterion on merit and honour. Islam shaped their social, cultural, moral and commercial life with basic laws and principles which are most in conformity with human nature and hence applicable in all times as human nature does not change.
It is so unfortunate that the
Christian West instead of sincerely trying to understand the phenomenal success
of Islam during its earlier time, considered it as a rival religion. During the
centuries of the Crusades this trend gained much force and impetus and huge
literature was produced to tarnish the image of Islam. But Islam has begun to
unfold its genuineness to the modern scholars whose bold and objective
observations on Islam belie all the charges levelled against it by the so-called
unbiased orientalists. Here we furnish some observations on Islam by great and
acknowledged non-Muslim scholars of modern time. Truth needs no advocate to
plead on its behalf. But the prolonged malicious propaganda against Islam has
created great confusion even in the minds of free and
objective
thinkers.
We hope that the following observations
would contribute to initiating an objectived evaluation of
Islam.
It (Islam) replaced monkishness
by manliness. It gives hope to the slave, brotherhood to mankind, and
recognition of the fundamental facts of human nature.
Cannon
Taylor.
Paper read before the Chursh Congress at Walverhamton, Oct. 7,
1887,
Quoted by Arnond in the Preaching of Islam, p.p.
71-72.
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.
Serojini
Naidu,
Lectures on "The Ideal of Islam" see
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.
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 in 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.
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 far 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.
G. B. Shaw, The Genuine Islam,
Vol.
1, No. 81936.
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.
The rise of Islam is perhaps
the most amazing event in human history. Springing from a land and a people like
previously negligible, Islam spread within a century over half the earth,
shattering great empires, overthrowing long-established religions, remoulding
the souls of races, and building up a whole new world - world of Islam. The
closer we examine this development the more extraordinary does it appear.
The other great religions won their way slowly, by painful struggle and finally
triumphed with the aid of powerful monarchs converted to the new faith.
Christianity had its Constantine, Budhism its Asoka, and Zoroastrianism its
Cyrus, each lending to his chosen cult the mighty force of secular authority,
Not so Islam. Arising in a desert land sparsely inhabited by a nomad race
previously undistinguished in human annals. Islam sallied forth on its great
adventure with the slenderest human backing and against the heaviest material
odds. Yet Islam triumphed with seemingly miraculous ease, and a couple of
generations saw the Fiery Crescent borne victorious from the Pyrenees to the
Himalayas and from the desert of Central Asia to the deserts of Central
Africa.
A. M. L. Stoddard, quoted in Islam - The Region of All
Prophets,
Begum Bawani Waqf, Karachi, Pakistan p. 56
Islam is a religion that is
essentially rationalistic in the widest sense of this term considered
etymologically and historically. The definition of rationalism as a system
that bases religious belief on principles furnished by the reason applies to it
exactly.. It cannot be denied that many doctrines and systems of theology and
also many superstitions, from the worship of saints to the use of rosaries and
amulets, have become grafted on the main trunk of Muslim creed. But
inspite of the rich development, in every sense of the term, of the teachings of
the Prophet, the Quran has invariably kept its place as the fundamental starting
point, and the dogma of unity of God has always been proclaimed therein with a
grandeur, a majesty, an invariable purity and with a note of sure conviction,
which it is hard to find surpassed outside the pale of Islam. This
fidelity to the fundamental dogma of the religion, the elemental simplicity of
the formula in which it is enunciated, the proof that it gains from the fervid
conviction of the missionaries who propagate it, are so many causes to explain
the success of Muhammadan missionary efforts. A creed so precise, so
stripped of all theological complexities and consequently so accessible to the
ordinary understanding might be expected to possess and does indeed possess a
marvellous power of winning its way into the consciences of
men.
Edward Montet,
"La Progpagande hretienne et ses
Adversaries Musulmans" Paris 1890.
quoted by T.W. Arnold in the Preaching of
Islam London 1913,
pp. 413-414
I am not a Muslim in the usual
sense, though I hope I am a "Muslim" as "one surrendered to God", I but 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
References
T. B. Irving, et al. : The Quran : Basic
Teachings
Hamuda Abdulati : Islam in Focus
M. Qutb : Islam : The
Misunderstood Religion
Maudoodi : Towards Understanding
Islam
Maurice Bucaille : The Bible, The Quran and Science
Suname
Haneef : What Everyone Should Know About Islam and the
Muslims.
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