Why top of the 100 is our beloved Prophet Muhammad S.A.W.W? I was surprised and excited to find my beloved Prophet Muhammad S.A.W leading the 100 top men in the world. One can argue that not all of those hundred was very positive and the list speaks of those the 100 people in terms of Influence and being influential not only heroic. But it is very pleasant that the list starts with not only the influential but most heroic and charming personality ever on the planet.
TWO REASONS FOR RANKING FIRST:
Let’s explore the reason given by a non-Muslim to rank top of the 100 our beloved Prophet Muhammad SAWW. Michael Hart why he could not put someone else at the top of all mankind in being influential. In his own words:
“Since there are roughly twice [the latest estimate is that there are more than one thousand million Muslims in the world and one thousand two hundred million Christians]. Like many Christians in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked top of the 100 and higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision.
FIRST REASON TO BE TOP OF THE 100:
“Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (in so far as these differed from Judaism). St. Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament.
Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles.
In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith and in establishing the religious practices of Islam”. That’s why Muhammad SAWW is top of the 100 personalities on this planet.
SECOND REASON TO BE BE TOP OF THE 100:
According to M. Hart not only is the Prophet of God who brought the Quran but also Muhammad S.A.W was the religious and the political leader who lead the army that conquered many territories accompanied by conquering hearts.
According to him, “Of many important historical events, one might say that they were inevitable and would have occurred even without the particular political leader who guided them. For example, the South American colonies would probably have won their independence from Spain even if Simon Bolivar had never lived. But this cannot be said of the Arab conquests.
Nothing similar had occurred before the top of the 100 personalities, Prophet Muhammad. And there is no reason to believe that the conquests would have been achieved without him. The only comparable conquests in human history are those of the Mongols in the thirteenth century, which were primarily due to the influence of Genghis Khan. These conquests, however, though more extensive than those of the Arabs, did not prove permanent. Today the only areas occupied by the Mongols are those that they held prior to the time of Genghis Khan.
Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history:
It is far different from the conquests of the Arabs. From Iraq to Morocco, there extends a whole chain of Arab nations united not merely by their faith in Islam. But also by their Arabic language, history, and culture. The centrality of the Quran in the Muslim religion and the fact that it is written in Arabic have probably prevented the Arab language from breaking up into mutually unintelligible dialects, which might otherwise have occurred in the intervening thirteen centuries.
Differences and divisions between these Arab states exist, of course, and they are considerable. But the partial disunity should not blind us to the important elements of unity that have continued to exist. For instance, neither Iran nor Indonesia, both are oil-producing states and both Islamic in religion. They joined in the oil embargo of the winter of 1973 74. It is no coincidence that all of the Arab states, and only the Arab states, participated in the embargo.
We see, then, that the Arab conquests of the seventh century have continued to play an important role in human history, down to the present day. 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.”
Friends, let’s love our Prophet S.A.W more and obey Him more. If non-Muslims can love Him and respect Him, He deserves this Love and Respect from us more than any other Ummah!!!
Did We not expand for you, [O Muhammad], your breast?
And We removed from you your burden
Which had weighed upon your back
And raised high for you your repute
For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease
Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease
So when you have finished [your duties], then stand up [for worship]
And to your Lord direct [your] longing.
Surah Ash-Sharh
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