THE PRINCE OF PEACE
Mohammad Yaqub Khan
Editor The Light
How much the greatest event the Holy Prophet’s birth is that ever happened in the world. History bears an unimpeachable testimony to the fact that corruption of all kinds prevailed upon earth when the Holy Prophet ﷺ made his appearance on the stage. Europe was grovelling in the filth of barbarism and committed inhuman atrocities in the name of religion. Whoredom and winebibbing were the two most appalling of their vices. Asia no doubt had been the home of light and learning; but at the time of which we are speaking, it was also steeped in gross immorality and irreligion. Mortal men with all their faults and failings, had been raised to the dignity of Godhead, and prayers were offered to them. But the worst of all was that they had steeped so low that they looked upon and considered vice as virtue and ascribed highly immoral deeds to their saints and gods. Arabia, of all the countries of the world, was in the worst possible state that could be imagined. The Holy Quran, in one vigorous sentence, has set forth and pictured this sad state of affairs, saying:
ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِى ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُوا۟ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ
Ar-Rum (The Romans) 30:41
Corruption had appeared in the land and the sea on account of that which men’s hands have wrought
Now if it is a Law of Nature that hot and sultry weather draws rain from heaven and the dark night is invariably followed by a delightful dawn; if prophets came at a time when nations sank in irreligion and immorality, then the 7th century of the Christian era was of a truth, the most opportune time for the coming of the World Prophet, the Spirit of Truth the Paraclete foretold by Jews. The whole world was crying for a mighty man who could set matters right and bring about a worldwide reformation. This Great Soul, the Saviour of the World, arose from the sands of Arabia on the 12th of Rabi-ul-Awwal (April 571 A.D). His blessed name was Muhammad, peace and the blessings of God be upon him. He said, proclaiming his mission to the world:
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ
وَرَسُولِهِ ٱلنَّبِىِّ ٱلْأُمِّىِّ ٱلَّذِى يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَـٰتِهِۦ وَٱتَّبِعُوهُ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ
Al-A’raf (The Heights) 7:158
Ye all the nations of the world, verily I am the Apostle of God to you all. I have been sent for the complete reformation of man
Ever since the dawn of human life, this earth has been visited by prophets and spiritual teachers from One High. The Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was the last of them, and no prophet shall appear after him. There are many points which mark out and distinguish his dispensation. For example:
1. His Amazing Success
The astounding success which the Holy Prophet ﷺ achieved in his mission has been admitted and acknowledged even by his opponents. It is written about him in Encyclopaedia Britannica:
Of all the religious personalities of the world, Muhammad was the most successful
An impartial European scholar, Alfred Martin writes in his book, The Great Religious Teachers of the East:
To his (Muhammad’s) everlasting credit it must be said that in lifting to a higher plane of life the communities of his day and place, he achieved that which neither the Judaism nor the Christianity of Medieval Arabia could accomplish. Nay more, in the fulfilment of that civilizing work Muhammad rendered invaluable service, not only to Arabia but also to the entire world.
Judaism and Christianity had, for many centuries, done their level best to reclaim and reform the Arabs, but had miserably failed. But Muhammad, the Mighty Muhammad brought about their reformation within a short space of twenty years only; and the regeneration of those fallen people was so perfect and complete that it was said of the Prophet that he created a new earth and a new heaven. The semi-savages of the desert became God-inspired and attained to the pinnacle of spiritual glory. They carried the Message of Truth to the farthest corners of the world and wrought a vigorous revolution in the domain of religion.
2.Universal Brotherhood:
People of different denominations, on account of their pride and prejudice, had arrogated to themselves different positions. The followers of Arya Dharma called themselves Ishwarputras (the sons of God), and all the other nations inhabiting this great globe were mleech and unclean. The Supreme God, according to them, had been pleased to reveal His will unto the four Rishis who lived in the holy land of Aryavarta, and all the other countries of the vast world have been left to wallow in ignorance and illiteracy. The people of Iran claimed that it fell to their lot only to behold the Light Divine of Yazdan, and that others had not been blessed with it. The Jews and the Christians likewise called themselves the Chosen Children of God and precluded all others from this privilege. They could not even think of the coming of a Divine Messenger among the non-Israelite nations whom they condemned as the caput mortuum, the rejected residuum. Thus, each nation while claiming Divine origin for itself, had denied the same to others. This spirit of exclusiveness fostered in them feelings of conceit and contempt for others. But blessed be the name of Muhammad ﷺ who lifted man above all considerations of colour and clime and restored moral equipoise among the nations. He taught that all the peoples of the world are but a single nation. He prayed to the Most High God, saying:
My Lord, Thou art our Sustainer, as well as the Sustainer of the whole world. I stand to witness that all Thy people are brothers among themselves.
Addressing humanity at large, the Prophet ﷺ said in clear distinct terms:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَـٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ
Al-Hujurat 49:13 (The Rooms)
Ye people, Verily you have been created of a male and a female and have been divided into tribes and families that you may know each other. Truly, the most worthy of honour in the sight of God is he who is the most virtuous. Verily God is Knowing, Aware (49:13)
3.World-wide Peace:
But the greatest distinction which the Holy Prophet ﷺ enjoys over all others lies in the fact that he has laid down the basis of a universal peace and harmony. To bring about peace and mutual goodwill between different individuals, between various tribes and families, is doubtlessly a tough task, but tougher still is to establish peace between contending religions of the world. The Jews reposing their faith in Moses only, had denounced all the other prophets with impunity. The Christians believing merely in Jesus, as the Son of God, had condemned all the other Righteous Apostles of the world as thieves and robbers. The Hindus had looked down upon the nations of the world as untouchables and unclean. Then came the healing message of the Holy Prophet ﷺ proclaiming: Not a people there had been on this earth, but a prophet appeared among them. If India had its Vedic Rishis, with Ram Chandra, Krishna and Buddha to follow them, China found its God-inspired Teacher in the holy person of Confucius, and if Zoroaster had been sent to enkindle the spiritual fire in Iran, Moses and Jesus had been raised for the guidance of Israel. Says the Holy
إِنَّآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَيْكَ كَمَآ أَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰ نُوحٍ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ وَأَوْحَيْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَعِيسَىٰ وَأَيُّوبَ وَيُونُسَ
وَهَـٰرُونَ وَسُلَيْمَـٰنَ وَءَاتَيْنَا دَاوُۥدَ زَبُورًا
An-Nisa (The Women) 4:163
Surely, We have revealed to thee as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him, and We revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and We gave to David a scripture. And We sent messengers We have mentioned to thee before and messengers We have not mentioned to thee.
When we have accepted all the prophets and religious personalities of the world and reposed our faith into them, we have laid down the firm foundation of a peace which no human effort can set at naught and shake. Muhammad (peace and the blessings of God be upon him) is, as a matter of fact, the Prince of Peace, and he has been, in the Holy Quran, very aptly called The Mercy unto the Nations of the world. The peaceless world of today shall not find any peace and tranquillity unless they bow their heads before the Holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and accept him for their guide.
(The Light – August 1, 1963)
