What Non-Muslims

say About Islam, The

Quraan and
Muhammad(Peace Be
Upon im!
"Philosopher, orator, apostle, legislator, warrior, conqueror of ideas, restorer of rational dogmas, of
a cult without images; the founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is
Muhammad. As regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well
ask, is there any man greater than he?"
amartine, !"#$%"&' (' A $)&*)"', Paris, +,-., /ol. "", pp. 0123011.
""t is not the propagation but the permanency of his religion that deser4es our wonder, the same
pure and perfect impression which he engra4ed at Mecca and Medina is preser4ed, after the
re4olutions of twel4e centuries by the "ndian, the African and the $urkish proselytes of the 5oran. .
. $he Mahometans ha4e uniformly withstood the temptation of reducing the ob6ect of their faith an
de4otion to a le4el with the senses and imagination of man. 7" belie4e in %ne 8od and Mahomet the
Apostle of 8od7 is the simple and in4ariable profession of "slam. $he intellectual image of the (eity
has ne4er been degraded by any 4isible idol; the honours of the prophet ha4e ne4er transgressed the
measure of human 4irtue, and his li4ing precepts ha4e restrained the gratitude of his disciples within
the bounds of reason and religion."
'dward 8ibbon and #imon %cklay, !"#$%&9 %: $!' #A&A;'< 'MP"&', ondon, +,1=, p.
-..
"!e was ;aesar and Pope in one; but he was Pope without Pope7s pretensions, ;aesar without the
legions of ;aesar> without a standing army, without a bodyguard, without a palace, without a fi?ed
re4enue; if e4er any man had the right to say that he ruled by the right di4ine, it was Mohammed,
for he had all the power without its instruments and without its supports."
@osworth #mith, M%!AMMA( A<( M%!AMMA(A<"#M, ondon, +,1., p. A0.
""t is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who
knows how he taught and how he li4ed, to feel anything but re4erence for that mighty Prophet, one
of the great messengers of the #upreme. And although in what " put to you " shall say many things
which may be familiar to many, yet " myself feel whene4er " re3read them, a new way of
admiration, a new sense of re4erence for that mighty Arabian teacher."
Annie @esant, $!' ":' A<( $'A;!"<8# %: M)!AMMA(, Madras,+AB0, p. ..
"!is readiness to undergo persecutions for his beliefs, the high moral character of the men who
belie4ed in him and looked up to him as leader, and the greatness of his ultimate achie4ement 3 all
argue his fundamental integrity. $o suppose Muhammad an impostor raises more problems than it
sol4es. Moreo4er, none of the great figures of history is so poorly appreciated in the Cest as
Muhammad."
C. Montgomery Catt, M%!AMMA( A$ M';;A, %?ford, +A-B, p. -0.
"Muhammad, the inspired man who founded "slam, was born about A.(. -1= into an Arabian tribe
that worshipped idols. %rphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the poor and
needy, the widow and the orphan, the sla4e and the downtrodden. At twenty, he was already a
successful businessman, and soon became director of camel cara4ans for a wealthy widow. Chen
he reached twenty3fi4e, his employer, recogniDing his merit, proposed marriage. '4en though she
was fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she li4ed, remained a de4oted husband.
"ike almost e4ery ma6or prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy of ser4ing as the transmitter
of 8od7s word, sensing his own inadequacy. @ut the angel commanded "&ead." #o far as we know,
Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired words which would
soon re4olutioniDe a large segment of the earth> "$here is one 8od."
""n all things Muhammad was profoundly practical. Chen his belo4ed son "brahim died, an eclipse
occurred, and rumours of 8od7s personal condolence quickly arose. Chereupon Muhammad is said
to ha4e announced, "An eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. "t is foolish to attribute such things to
the death or birth of a human being." "At Muhammad7s own death an attempt was made to deify
him, but the man who was to become his administrati4e successor killed the hysteria with one of the
noblest speeches in religious history> ""f there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he
is dead. @ut if it is 8od you worshipped, !e li4es fore4er."
Eames A. Michener, ""#AM> $!' M"#)<('&#$%%( &'"8"%<," in &'A('&7# ("8'#$
FAmerican editionG, May +A--, pp. 2,31=.
"My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world7s most influential persons may surprise some
readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely
successful on both the religious and secular le4el."
Michael !. !art, $!' +==> A &A<5"<8 %: $!' M%#$ "<:)'<$"A P'&#%<# "<
!"#$%&9, <ew 9ork> !art Publishing ;ompany, "nc., +A1,, p. BB.
""slam is the fastest3growing religion in America, a guide and pillar of stability for many of our
people..." !"A&9 &%(MA< ;"<$%<, os Angeles $imes, May B+, +AA2, p.B
Already more than a billion3people strong, "slam is the worldHs fastest3growing religion.
A@;<'C#, Abcnews.com
""slam is the fastest3growing religion in the country." <'C#(A9, March 1, +A,A, p..
""slam is the fastest3growing religion in the )nited #tates..." <'C 9%&5 $"M'#, :eb 0+, +A,A,
p.+
Moslems are the world7s fastest3growing group..." )#A $%(A9, $he population referance bureau,
:eb. +1, +A,A, p..A
"Muhammed is the most successful of all Prophets and religious personalities. " 'ncyclopedia
@ritannica
"$here are more Muslims in <orth America then Eews <ow." (an &athers, A@;<'C#
""slam is the fastest growing religion in <orth America." $"M'# MA8AI"<'
""slam continues to grow in America, and no one can doubt thatJ" ;<<, (ecember +-, +AA-
"$he religion of "slam is growing faster than any other religion in the world." M"5' CAA;',
2= M"<)$'#
":i4e to 2 million strong, Muslims in America already outnumber Presbyterians, 'piscopalians, and
Mormons, and they are more numerous than *uakers, )nitarians, #e4enth3day Ad4entists,
Mennonites, Eeho4ah7s Citnesses, and ;hristian #cientists, combined. Many demographers say
"slam has o4ertaken Eudaism as the country7s second3most commonly practiced religion; others say
it is in the passing lane." E%!A< @A<5, )#<'C# F1K0=KA,G
""n fact, religion e?perts say "slam is the second3largest religion in the )nited #tates... "slam has -
million to 2 million members, followed by Eudaism, with appro?imately ..- million..... And "slam is
belie4ed to be fastest3growing religion in the country, with half its e?pansion coming from new
immigrants and the other half from con4ersions." @y '#A ;. A&<'$$ 5night3&idder <ews
#er4ice
"@ut "slam has a still further ser4ice to render to the cause of humanity. "t stands after all nearer to
the real 'ast than 'urope does, and it possesses a magnificent tradition of inter3racial understanding
and cooperation. <o other society has such a record of success uniting in an equality of status, of
opportunity, and of endea4ours so many and so 4arious races of mankind . . . "slam has still the
power to reconcile apparently irreconcilable elements of race and tradition. "f e4er the opposition
of the great societies of 'ast and Cest is to be replaced by cooperation, the mediation of "slam is an
indispensable condition. "n its hands lies 4ery largely the solution of the problem with which
'urope is faced in its relation with 'ast. "f they unite, the hope of a peaceful issue is immeasurably
enhanced. @ut if 'urope, by re6ecting the cooperation of "slam, throws it into the arms of its ri4als,
the issue can only be disastrous for both." 33!.A.&. 8ibb, C!"$!'& "#AM, ondon, +AB0, p.
B1A.
""t F"slamG replaced monkishness by manliness. "t gi4es hope to the sla4e, brotherhood to mankind,
and recognition of the fundamental facts of human nature." 33;anon $aylor, Paper read before the
;hurch ;ongress at Cal4erhamton, %ct. 1, +,,1; *uoted by Arnoud in $!' P&'A;!"<8 %:
"#AM, pp. 1+310.
$he founder of twenty terrestrial empires and of one spiritual empire, that is Muhammed. As
regards all standards by which human greatness may be measured, we may well ask, is there any
man greater than he? " amartine, !istorie de la $urquie, Paris +,-., /ol. ++ pp. 01230101
""f a man like Muhammed were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed
in sol4ing its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness." 8eorge @ernard
#haw
"!ow, for instance, can any other appeal stand against that of the Moslem who, in approaching the
pagan, says to him, howe4er obscure or degraded he may be 7'mbrace the faith, and you are at once
equal and a brother.7 "slam knows no color line." F#. #. eeder, /'"'( M9#$'&"'# %: '89P$G
Professor 9ushudi 5usan> (irector of the $okyo %bser4atory,
" can say, " am 4ery mush impressed by finding true astronomical facts in the *urHaan.
Professor Alfred 5roner who is one of the worldHs most famous geologists
"$hinking about many of these questions and thinking where Muhammad came from, he was after
all a bedouin. " think it is almost impossible that he could ha4e known about things like the
common origin of the uni4erse, because scientists ha4e only found out within the last few years
with 4ery complicated and ad4anced technological methods that this is the case.
Eoe eigh #impson, Professor of %bstetrics and 8ynecology at the <orth Cestern )ni4ersity in
;hicago in the )nited #tates of America. Professor #impson said> "t follows, " think, that not only
is there no conflict between genetics and religion, but in fact religion can guide science by adding
re4elation to some traditional scientific approaches. $hat there e?ists statements in the *urHaan
shown by science to be 4alid, which supports knowledge in the *urHaan ha4ing been deri4ed from
Allah.
Professor Armstrong, #cientist works at <A#A, " am impressed that how remarkably some of the
ancient writings seem to correspond to modern and recent Astronomy. $here may well ha4e to be
something beyond what we understand as ordinary human e?perience to account for the writings
that we ha4e seen.
Professor (or6a &ao, "t is difficult to imagine that this type of knowledge was e?isting at that time,
around +.== years back. May be some of the things they ha4e simple idea about, but do describe
those things in great detail is 4ery difficult. #o, this is definitely not a simple human knowledge.
"<o other society has such a record of success in uniting in an equality of status, of opportunity and
endea4our so many and so 4aried races of mankind. $he great Muslim communities of Africa, "ndia
and "ndonesia, perhaps also the small community in Eapan, show that "slam has still the power to
reconcile apparently irreconcilable elements of race and tradition. "f e4er the opposition of the great
societies of the 'ast and west is to be replaced by cooperation, the mediation of "slam is an
indispensable condition." F!.A.&. 8ibb, C!"$!'& "#AM, p. B1AG
$he nation7s claim to be a ;hristian country is about to meet its first challenge> the number of
practising Muslims is set to o4ertake Anglican ;hristians.... $here has also been a number of high3
profile con4ersions to "slam from ;hristianity. $hese include Mike $yson, the former world
champion bo?er; ;hris 'ubank, the @ritish middleweight bo?ing champion, who has changed his
name to !amdan; and ;at #te4ens, the pop musician, who calls himself 9ousef "slam.... Prince
;harles courted contro4ersy earlier this year when he reaffirmed his claim that when he succeeds
the throne, he does not wish to be the defender of only the ;hristian faith. &a6ee4 #yal and
;hristopher Morgan #unday $imes Fondon, ).5.G
"" ha4e studied him 3 the wonderful man 3 and in my opinion far from being an anti3;hrist he must
be called the sa4iour of humanity. " 8eorge @ernard #haw in "$he 8enuine "slam"
"Muhammad, the inspired man who founded "slam, was born about A.(. -1= into an Arabian tribe
that worshipped idols. %rphaned at birth, he was always particularly solicitous of the poor and
needy, the widow and the orphan, the sla4e and the downtrodden. At twenty, he was already a
successful businessman, and soon became director of camel cara4ans for a wealthy widow. Chen
he reached twenty3fi4e, his employer, recogniDing his merit, proposed marriage. '4en though she
was fifteen years older, he married her, and as long as she li4ed, remained a de4oted husband. "ike
almost e4ery ma6or prophet before him, Muhammad fought shy of ser4ing as the transmitter of
8od7s word, sensing his own inadequacy. @ut the angel commanded 7&ead.7 #o far as we know,
Muhammad was unable to read or write, but he began to dictate those inspired words which would
soon re4olutioniDe a large segment of the earth> 7$here is one 8od.7 ""n all things Muhammad was
profoundly practical. Chen his belo4ed son "brahim died, an eclipse occurred, and rumours of
8od7s personal condolence quickly arose. Chereupon Muhammad is said to ha4e announced, 7An
eclipse is a phenomenon of nature. "t is foolish to attribute such things to the death or birth of a
human being. "At Muhammad7s own death an attempt was made to deify him, but the man who
was to become his administrati4e successor killed the hysteria with one of the noblest speeches in
religious history> 7"f there are any among you who worshipped Muhammad, he is dead. @ut if it is
8od you worshipped, !e li4es fore4er." 33Eames A. Michener, ""slam> $he Misunderstood
&eligion," in &'A('&7# ("8'#$ FAmerican editionG, May +A--, pp. 2,31=.
""n little more than a year he was actually the spiritual, nominal and temporal rule of Medina, with
his hands on the le4er that was to shake the world." Eohn Austin, "Muhammad the Prophet of
Allah," in $.P. 7s and ;assel7s Ceekly for 0.th #eptember +A01.
":our years after the death of Eustinian, A.(. -2A, was born at Mecca, in Arabia the man who, of all
men e?ercised the greatest influence upon the human race . . . Mohammed . . . " Eohn Cilliam
(raper, M.(., ..(., A !istory of the "ntellectual (e4elopment of 'urope, ondon +,1-, /ol.+,
pp.B0A3BB=
"Muhammad was the soul of kindness, and his influence was felt and ne4er forgotten by those
around him." (iwan ;hand #harma, $he Prophets of the 'ast, ;alcutta +AB-, p. l 00.
"People like Pasteur and #alk are leaders in the first sense. People like 8andhi and ;onfucius, on
one hand, and Ale?ander, ;aesar and !itler on the other, are leaders in the second and perhaps the
third sense. Eesus and @uddha belong in the third category alone. Perhaps the greatest leader of all
times was Mohammed, who combined all three functions. $o a lesser degree, Moses did the same."
Professor Eules Masserman
"$he e?tinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achie4ements
of "slam and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of
this "slamic 4irtue..." FA.E. $oynbee, ;"/""IA$"%< %< $&"A, <ew 9ork, p. 0=-G
"#ense of 6ustice is one of the most wonderful ideals of "slam, because as " read in the *ur7an " find
those dynamic principles of life, not mystic but practical ethics for the daily conduct of life suited to
the whole world." 33ectures on "$he "deals of "slam;" see #P'';!'# A<( C&"$"<8# %:
#A&%E"<" <A"(), Madras, +A+,, p. +21.
"!istory makes it clear howe4er, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world
and forcing "slam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically
absurd myths that historians ha4e e4er repeated." 33(e acy %7eary, "#AM A$ $!'
;&%##&%A(#, ondon, +A0B, p. ,.
"$he Muslim community is much more aware of its religion and the use that religion plays within
its community." (r Peter @rierley, e?ecuti4e director of the ;hristian &esearch Association, a
ondon3based charity
"" ha4e always held the religion of Muhammad in high estimation because of its wonderful 4itality.
"t is the only religion which appears to me to possess that assimilating capacity to the changing
phase of e?istence which can make itself appeal to e4ery age. " ha4e studied him 3 the wonderful
man and in my opinion for from being an anti3;hrist, he must be called the #a4iour of !umanity. "
belie4e that if a man like him were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would
succeed in sol4ing its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness> "
ha4e prophesied about the faith of Muhammad that it would be acceptable to the 'urope of
tomorrow as it is beginning to be acceptable to the 'urope of today." 338.@. #haw, $!'
8'<)"<' "#AM, /ol. +, <o. ,+AB2.
"A growing number of Muslims in America, more than .= percent are African3American," ;harles
@ierbauer, from the #enior Cashington ;orrespondent
"$he e?tinction of race consciousness as between Muslims is one of the outstanding achie4ements
of "slam, and in the contemporary world there is, as it happens, a crying need for the propagation of
this "slamic 4irtue." 33A.E. $oynbee, ;"/""IA$"%< %< $&"A, <ew 9ork, +A.,, p. 0=-.
"$he rise of "slam is perhaps the most amaDing e4ent in human history. #pringing from a land and a
people like pre4iously negligible, "slam spread within a century o4er half the earth, shattering great
empires, o4erthrowing long established religions, remoulding the souls of races, and building up a
whole new world 3 world of "slam.
"" am not a Muslim in the usual sense, though " hope " am a "Muslim" as "one surrendered to 8od,"
but " belie4e that embedded in the *uran and other e?pressions of the "slamic 4ision are 4ast stores
of di4ine truth from which " and other occidentals ha4e still much to learn, and 7"slam is certainly a
strong contender for the supplying of the basic framework of the one religion of the future.7" 33C.
Montgomery Catt, "#AM A<( ;!&"#$"A<"$9 $%(A9, ondon, +A,B, p. i?.
7" belie4e in %ne 8od and Mohammed the Apostle of 8od,7 is the simple and in4ariable profession
of "slam. $he intellectual image of the (eity has ne4er been degraded by any 4isible idol; the
honours of the prophet ha4e ne4er transgressed the measure of human 4irtue, and his li4ing precepts
ha4e restrained the gratitude of his disciples within the bounds of reason and religion." 33'dward
8ibbon and #imon %cklay, !"#$%&9 %: $!' #A&A;'< 'MP"&', ondon, +,1=, p. -..
"$he doctrine of brotherhood of "slam e?tends to all human beings, no matter what color, race or
creed. "slam is the only religion which has been able to realiDe this doctrine in practice. Muslims
where4er on the world they are will recogniDe each other as brothers." Mr. &. . Mellema, !olland,
Anthropologist, Criter and #cholar.
""t is impossible for anyone who studies the life and character of the great Prophet of Arabia, who
knows how he taught and how he li4ed, to feel anything but re4erence for that mighty Prophet, one
of the great messengers of the #upreme. And although in what " put to you " shall say many things
which may be familiar to many, yet " myself feel whene4er " re3read them, a new way of
admiration, a new sense of re4erence for that mighty Arabian teacher." 33Annie @esant, $!' ":'
A<( $'A;!"<8# %: M)!AMMA(, Madras, +AB0, p. ..
"$he uni4ersal brotherhood of "slam, regardless of race, politics, color or country, has been brought
home to me most keenly many times in my life 33 and this is another feature which drew me
towards the :aith." ;ol. (onald #. &ockwell, ).#.A. Poet, ;ritic and Author.
"Medie4al "slam was technologically ad4anced and open to inno4ation. "t achie4ed far higher
literacy rates than in contemporary 'urope;it assimilated the legacy of classical 8reek ci4iliDation
to such a degree that many classical books are now known to us only through Arabic copies. "t
in4ented windmills ,trigonometry, lateen sails and made ma6or ad4ances in metallurgy, mechanical
and chemical engineering and irrigation methods. "n the middle3ages the flow of technology was
o4erwhelmingly from "slam to 'urope rather from 'urope to "slam. %nly after the +-==7s did the net
direction of flow begin to re4erse." Fpg 0-BG Eared (iamond a world renowned );A sociologist,
and physiologist won the PulitDer PriDe for his book> "8uns, 8erms, and #teel."
$homas ;arlyle in 7!eroes and !ero Corship and the !eroic in !istory,7 +,.=
"$he lies FCestern slanderG which well3meaning Deal has heaped round this man FMuhammadG are
disgraceful to oursel4es only."
"A silent great soul, one of that who cannot but be earnest. !e was to kindle the world, the worldHs
Maker had ordered so."
A. #. $ritton in 7"slam,7 +A-+
$he picture of the Muslim soldier ad4ancing with a sword in one hand and the *ur7an in the other is
quite false.
(e acy %7eary in 7"slam at the ;rossroads,7 ondon, +A0B.
!istory makes it clear, howe4er, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world
and forcing "slam at the point of sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd
myths that historians ha4e e4er repeated.
8ibbon in 7$he (ecline and :all of the &oman 'mpire7 +,0B