The Evidence that Muhammad (ﷺ) is a Prophet of God - (part 1) - Dr. Laurence Brown

we are life away of life a way of life away of me is her is a way of life a complete way do you know what is some says it says that life's the grades readings and peace this is dr. Lawrence Brown we now enter the phase where we will discuss the prophethood of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the old testament the old testament foretold the coming of three prophets we understand the first two of those to be John the Baptist and Jesus Christ leaving one unfulfilled prophecy at the same time when we read the New Testament we find Jesus Christ foretelling one final prophet to follow at the conclusion of his ministry and so again the evidence for the foretelling of the final prophet is not an Islamic evidence it's not just an Islamic evidence it is also to be found in scriptures of the old and the New Testaments so to begin with I will give an introduction to muhammad salallahu alaihe wa sallam we will move on to two more episodes where we will discuss the evidences for his prophethood for this is the crux of the matter can we validate the man Muhammad peace be upon him as a prophet or not that will depend upon the evidence so to begin with Muhammad ibn Abdullah was born to the powerful tribe of the Quraysh in Mecca in or around the year 570 CE II his father died before he was born his mother died when he was six years old and he was raised by a Bedouin family who taught him caravan trading and sheep herding he was known for certain qualities even from childhood he was known for ethics and honesty gentleness fairness a very sober nature he was known for having a deep contemplative spirituality which they deepened and became more obvious as he matured by the age of 40 he had secured a very comfortable life for himself he was married to Khadijah a well known and wealthy businesswoman he had become himself wealthy successful in society a member of the powerful tribes in the Quraish he had children wealth high social standing yet it was at this point that he started receiving revelation and despite the wealth the high social standing the good position in which he lived he basically went on to compromise everything that he had in a worldly sense to bear the message of Revelation he passed from this life in 632 CE II now it would be easy for me to project my opinion of the man Muhammad peace be upon him but what I would like to do over the next few minutes is read the opinions of others historians religious analysts orientalists and give you a flavor for their appreciation of Muhammad peace be upon him as I read these understand that these are not the opinions of Muslims these are the opinions of non-muslims in most cases in those cases where it is the opinion of a Muslim I will identify it but let us begin with Alexander Ross no friend of the Islamic religion Alexander Ross was a declared anti Islamic man and yet nonetheless this is what he had to say quote in speaking of Muhammad quote he did not pretend to deliver any new religion to them but to revive the old one which God gave first to Adam and when lost in the corruption of the old world restored it again by revelation to Abraham who taught it his son Ishmael their ancestor and then he when he settled first in Arabia instructed men in the same but their posterity degenerating into idolatry God sent him now to destroy it and restore the religion of Ishmael he allowed both of the old and new Testament and that Moses and Christ were prophets sent from God keep in mind that this is what we discussed in much of the previous series of these episodes quote he allowed both of the old and new Testament and that Moses and Christ were prophets sent from God but that the Jews and Christians had corrupted these holy writings and that he was sent to purge them from those corruptions and to restore the law of God to that purity in which it was first delivered and is this not what we have already discussed the fact that Islam understands the previous prophets as just that min as prophets including Abraham Moses and Jesus Christ but that at the same time Islam understands the Word of God to be represented in the Old and New Testaments but that there is corruption to the old and new testaments as well hence the need for a final clarifying revelation conveyed by the final predicted prophet has encountered in the Old and New Testaments now a somewhat longer description but very worthwhile simply because in reading this I feel myself I could not say it any better this was written over 200 years ago by Stanley Lane Poole in a time when it was dangerous not just difficult but actually dangerous for a man to express a positive opinion of Islam in England to express a positive opinion of Islam 200 years ago was to put your life on the line and yet this is what Stanley Lane Poole wrote quote Muhammad was of middle height rather thin but broad of shoulders wide of chest strong of bone and muscle his head was massive strongly developed dark hair slightly curled flowed in a dense mass almost to his shoulders even in advanced age it was sprinkled with only about twenty gray hairs produced by the agnese of his revelations his face was oval shaped slightly talkative color fine long arched eyebrows were divided by a vein which throbbed visibly in moments of passion great black Restless eyes shone out from under long heavy eyelashes his nose was large slightly aquiline his teeth upon which he bestowed great care were well set dazzling white a full beard framed his manly face his skin was clear and soft his complexion red and white his hands were as silk and satin even as those of a woman his step was quick and elastic he had firm as that of one who steps from a high to a low place in turning his face he would also turn his whole body his whole gait and presence was dignified and imposing his countenance was mild and pence his laugh was rarely more than a smile Stanley Lane Poole goes from a description of muhammad salallahu alaihe salam to his habits quote in his habits he was extremely simple though he bestowed great care on his person his eating and drinking his dress and his furniture retained even when he had reached the fullness of power there almost primitive nature the only luxuries he indulged in were besides arms which he highly prized a pair of yellow boots a present from the nagas of Abyssinia perfumes however he loved passionately being most sensitive to smells strong drink he abhorred he was gifted with mighty powers of imagination elevation of mind delicacy and refinement of feeling he is more modest than a virgin behind her curtain it was said of him he was most indulgent to his inferiors and would never allow his awkward little page to be scolded whatever he did ten years said an ass his servant was I about the Prophet and he never said as much as earth to me he was very affectionate towards his family one of his boys died on his breast in the smoky house of the nurse a blacksmith's wife he was very fond of children he would stop them in the streets and Pat their heads he never struck anyone in his life the worst expression he ever made use of in conversation was what has come to him may his forehead be darkened with mud when asked to curse someone he replied I have not been sent to curse but to be a mercy to mankind he visited the sick followed any funeral bier he met accepted the invitation of a slave to dinner mended his own clothes milked the goats and waited upon himself related summarily another tradition he goes on he never first withheld his hand out of another man's palm and turned not before the other had turned he was the most faithful protector of those he protected the sweetest and most agreeable in conversation those who saw him were immediately suddenly filled with reverence those who came near him loved him those who described him would say I have never seen his like either before or after he was of great taciturnity but when he spoke it was with emphasis and deliberation and no one could ever forget what he said after that beautiful description it's time to take a quick break please stay with us we'll be right back is a way of life a complete welcome back this is dr. Lawrence Brown and we are continuing this episode painting a word profile of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him I will continue with another opinion not from one of his friends but from one of his enemies George sale one of the early translators of the Holy Quran hated Islam and hated the man Muhammad and yet this is what he had to say about him quote for however criminal Muhammad may have been in imposing a false religion on mankind now is there any doubt that this man hates Muhammad and Islam we learn the vehemence of his hatred from his words and yet see how he continues the praises to his real virtues ought not to be denied him nor can I do otherwise then applaud the candor of the pious and learned span Hemis who though he owned him to have been a wicked impostor now these are his enemies the worst of his enemies and yet they say yet acknowledged him to have been richly furnished with natural endowments beautiful in his person of a subtle wit agreeable behavior showing liberality to the poor courtesy to everyone fortitude against his enemies and above all a high reverence for the name of God severe against the perjured adulterers murderers Flanders covetous false witnesses at a great preacher of patience charity mercy beneficence gratitude honoring of parents and superiors and a frequent celebrator of the divine praises and death are the words of his enemy so we see in this a bru picture of muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in that if your enemies speak well of you how can there be any bad to you in a hadith in which ali IBN ABI talib the cousin of the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gave a description that is well respected quote he was not vulgar nor did he condone vulgarity and he was not one to shout in the marketplace he did not reward evil with evil rather he would forgive and overlook he never in his life struck anything with his hand except when he was fighting in the name of Allah he never struck a servant nor a woman and I never saw him take revenge for an injustice dealt him except if the prohibitions of Allah were transgressed for if the prohibitions of Allah were transgressed he was among the strongest of them in anger he was never given a choice between two matters but he chose the simplest of the two if he entered into his home he was a man like any other cleaning his own garment milking his own goat and serving himself he was continually smiling gentle in manners soft in nature he was not severe hard-hearted loud abusive or miserly he would disregard that which he disliked and no one ever despaired of him he never responded to disparagement or evil words he forbade himself three things argument arrogance and that which did not concern him and he relieved the people of three he would not degrade any among them or abuse them he would not search after honor or private matters and he would not speak except in matters which he hoped to be rewarded for when he spoke his attendees would lower their heads as if birds had lighted upon them once he finished they would speak they would not buy with one another in his presence to speak but when one would talk in his presence the rest would listen until he finished speech in his presence was that of the first among them he would laugh with them and wonder with them he had patience with the strangers when they were gruff in speech and requests to a degree that his companions would fetch them to him he would say if you see someone in need fetch him to me he would not accept praise except from those who were balanced and not excessive he would not interject into someone's speech unless they transgressed in which case he would either rebuke them or else leave in another hadith related by bukhari and muslim quote he was the most generous of heart truthful of tongue softest in disposition and noble in relationship the English archaeologist and scholar DG Hogarth wrote as follows serious or trivial serious or trivial his daily behavior has instituted a Canon which millions observe at this day with conscious mimicry no one regarded by any section of the human race as perfect man has been imitated so minutely the conduct of the founder of Christianity has not so governed the ordinary life of his followers moreover no founder of a religion has been left on so solitary and eminence as the Muslim apostle and this is exactly in accordance with what we described earlier in one of my talks in which I described how we find the example of Jesus peace be upon him his example better exemplified in the appearance the manners the practices of worship and the Creed among the practices of the Muslims than among the practices of those who consider themselves Christian and yet in both cases it is the example of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that is most closely exemplified most closely emulated among his followers his character was well documented by Washington Irving quote he was sober and obstinacy in his diet and a rigorous observer of fasts he indulged in no magnificence of apparel the ostentation of a petty mind neither was his simplicity in dress effected but the result of a real disregard to distinction from so trivial a source his military triumphs awakened no pride no vain glory as they would have done had they been affected for selfish purposes in the time of his greatest power he maintained the same simplicity of manners and appearance as in the days of his adversity so far from affecting regal state he was displeased if upon entering a room any unusual testimony of respect were shown him if he aimed at universal Dominion it was the Dominion of the faith as to the temporal rule which grew up in his hands as he used it without ostentation so he took no step to perpetuate it in his family the riches which poured in upon him from tribute and the spoils of war were expended in promoting the victories of the faith and in relieving the poor among its voter ease in so much that his Treasury was often drained of its last coin what is he saying he is saying all the wealth that came from the position of his office he distributed to the poor and needy and others would benefit omar even a lahar eath declares that mohammed at his death did not leave a golden dinar nor a silver durham a slave nor a slave girl nor anything but his grey mule his arms and the ground which he bestowed upon his wives his children and the poor Allah says the arabian writer offered him the keys of all the treasures of the earth but he refused to accept them and so we find in this the example of a very human messenger described both by his friends companions and allies but also by his enemies the point being that his attributes were undeniable for now I will close this segment with description from hind' quote The Messenger of Allah was of consecutive sorrows continuous thought never finding rest long in silence he did not speak without cause he spoke with his full mouth in other words was not arrogant and spoke concisely his speech was just with neither excess nor deficiency he was not pompous nor denigrating he exalted all blessings no matter how small and never belittled a single one and with that I would like to conclude this section and we will plan to continue in sha allah with the discussion of the evidences for the prophethood of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam until next time this is dr. Lawrence Brown leading new peace and looking forward to the next episode do you know what is yes

Channel: Digital Mimbar

Views: 92,177

Rating: 4.8507223 out of 5

Keywords: Agnostics, Christians, Muslims, Jews, budhists, hindu

Id: xiCeUWCEi0Q

Length: 22min 15sec (1335 seconds)

Published: Mon Oct 08 2012