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boasting or arrogance crossed his way even at a great distance. When he saw people approaching him
troubled and disturbed out of awe and reverence, he said to them, "Be easy, my mother used to eat dried
meat in Makkah."
When all the enemies of his faith put down their weapons and bowed their heads waiting for him to
pass judgment and while 10,000 swords of the Muslims were glittering on the Day of Conquest over the
hills of Makkah, he merely said to his enemies, "Disperse, you are free!"
Even at the height of the victory for which he devoted his life, he deprived himself of it. He walked
in the victory procession on the Day of the Conquest bowing his head down until people could not see
his face and repeated hymns of thanks to Allah in low tones, wet with tears, humbly raising his words to
Allah until he reached the Ka'bah. He then confronted the idols and did what he did to them and said,
"Truth has come and falsehood has vanished, indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish" (17: 81).
Is there any more doubt about his message? He was a man who dedicated his whole life to a call in
which he had no personal gain of wealth, position, sovereignty, or power. Biographical immortality was
not even considered by him because he believed solely in the immorality of the second life when one is in
the hands of Allah.
He was a man who spent his life from childhood till the age of forty in purity and contemplation.
Then he spent the rest of it in worship, guidance, jihaad and struggle, and when the world was brightened
to him he rejected all its false glory and adhered to his way, his worship, and his message. How could
such a man be a liar? Why should be tell lies? Surely, such a man and such a messenger was above that!
We have mentioned that logic and reason were - and still are- the best proof of the truth of
Muhammad (PBUH) when he said, "I am Allah's Messenger." It does not appeal to good logic or to
sound reason that a man who lived such a good life lies about Allah. Early believers who hastened to
believe in his message, and whom we are honored to know something about through the pages of this
book, had such a relation with him after their guidance from Allah, which is the best evidence of logic
and reason.
We see Muhammad (PBUH) before his message, and we see him after his message. We see him in
his cradle, and we see him shrouded by death. But, have we seen any contradiction or inconsistency in all
his life? Never!
Let us now approach the first years of his message. Those were years one rarely finds an equal to in
the annals of history for the constancy, truth, and eminence. Those were the years which revealed, more
than any others, all the facets of the teacher and guide of all humanity. Those were years that opened the
living book of his life and heroism and, more than any other years, represented the cradle of his miracles.
Throughout those years, the Messenger of Allah was alone. He left all he possessed of comfort,
security, and settled life. He approached the people with what they were not familiar, or rather with what
they detested. He approached them and directed his words to their reasons, and it is a difficult task for a
person who directs his speech to the minds of people instead of their feelings. The Messenger of Allah,
Muhammad (PBUH) did not only do that, since the consequence of addressing the mind might be
bearable if you are standing within the circle of common conventions and common aspirations. But when
you call them towards a distant future which you perceive but they do not, which you live in and they are
not aware of, it is a difficult task. Indeed, when you address their minds and rise to destroy the essence of
their lives from the base, though you do that in a sincere, honest way and not urged by a certain purpose
or glory, it is a risk which cannot be taken except by the leaders of the righteous people and messengers.
The Messenger (PBUH) was the hero and great master of that situation. The form of worship at that
time was worshiping idols, whose rites were observed as a religion. The Messenger (PBUH) did not turn
to any maneuvers or intrigues. The unpaved road and the heavy burden would have been good excuses if
he had used his brilliant mind to prepare them for the word "monotheism" instead of surprising them
with it. He was able and it was his right to prepare to isolate the community from its idol-gods which had