Prophet Muhammad, His Contribution to Human Thought

The achievements of this great man do not end here. I arrive at a full appreciation of his worth one has to view them against the background of the history of the world as a whole. This reveals that this unlettered dweller of the desert of Arabia, who was born in the 'dark ages' some 1400 years ago, is the real pioneer of our modern age. He is not only the leader of those who accept his leadership but also of those who do not, even of those who denounce him - the only difference being that the latter are unaware that he is still imperceptibly influencing their thoughts and their actions and is the governing principle of their lives and the guiding spirit of the modern times. ^[1]

 
John Devenport, a leading scientist, observed: "It must be owned that all the knowledge, whether of physics, astronomy, philosophy or mathematics, which flourished in Europe from the 10th century, was originally derived from the Arabian schools, and the Spanish Saracen may be looked upon as the father of European philosophy." - Quoted by A. Karim in Islam's Contribution to Science and Civilization. Bertrand Russell, the famous British philosopher, wrote: "The supremacy of the East was not only military. Science, philosophy, poetry and the arts all flourished . . . in the Muhammedan world at a time when Europe was sunk in barbarism. Europeans, with unpardonable insularity, call this period 'The Dark Ages': but it was only in Europe that it was dark - indeed only in Christian Europe, for Spain, which was Muhammedan had a brilliant culture." - Pakistan Quarterly, Vol. IV. No. 3. (Emphasis ours).

Robert Briffault, the renowned historian, acknowledges in his book The Making of Humanity: "It is highly probably that but for the Arabs, modern European civilisation would never have assumed that character which has enabled it to transcend all previous phases of evolution. For although there is not a single aspect of human growth in which the decisive influence of Islamic culture is not traceable, nowhere is it so clear and momentous as in the genesis of that power which constitutes the paramount distinctive force of the modern world and the supreme source of its victory - natural sciences and the scientific spirit … What we call science arose in Europe as a result of a new spirit of inquiry: of new methods of investigation, of (he method of experiment, observation, measurement, of the development of mathematics in a form unknown to the Greeks. That spirit and those methods were introduced into the European world by the Arabs."

Stanwood Cobb, founder of the Progressive Education Association, says: "Islam . . . was the virtual creator of the Renaissance in Europe." - Quoted by Robert L. Gullick. Jr.  in Muhammad the educator.]

It was he who turned the course of human thought from superstition- mongering, love for the unnatural and the inexplicable, and monasticism towards a rational approach, love for reality, and a pious, balanced worldly life. It was he who in a world, which regarded only supernatural happenings as miracles and demanded them for the verification of the truth of a religious mission, urged that rational proof should be the criterion of truth. It was he who opened the eyes of those who had been accustomed to look for the signs of God in natural phenomena.

It was he who, in place of groundless speculation, led human beings to the path of rational understanding and sound reasoning on the basis of observation, experiment and research. It was he who clearly defined the limits and functions of sense perception, reason and intuition. It was he who brought about a rapprochement between spiritual and material values. It was he who harmonized Faith and Knowledge and Action, who, in short, evolved true religiosity on the basis of the scientific spirit.

It was he who eradicated idolatry, man-worship and polytheism in all forms so thoroughly and created such a firm faith in the Unity of God that even those religions, which were based entirely on superstition and idolatry, were forced to adopt a monotheistic approach.

It was he who changed the basic concepts of ethics and spirituality. Those who believed that asceticism and self-annihilation alone led to moral and spiritual purity - that purity could only be achieved by running away from life, disregarding all the desires of the flesh and subjecting the body to all types of tortures - he showed the path of spiritual evolution, moral emancipation and attainment of salvation through active participation in the affairs of the world around them.

It was he who brought home to man his true worth; those who acknowledged only a God-incarnate or a son of God as their moral preceptor or spiritual guide were told that human beings with no pretensions to Godhead could become vicegerents of God on earth; those who proclaimed and worshipped powerful personages as their gods were made to understand that their false lords were mere ordinary human beings and nothing more. It was he who stressed the point that no person could claim holiness, authority and over lordship as his birthright and that no one was born with the stigma of untouchability, slavery or serfdom. It was he and his teaching, which inspired thoughts of the unity of mankind, equality of human beings, true democracy and real freedom.

Laws, which he gave, have penetrated deep into the structures of society, and this process continues up to this day. The basic principles of economics, which he taught, have ushered in many a movement in world history and hold out the same promise for the future. The laws of governance, which he formulated, brought about many upheavals in political theories and continue to have influence even today. The fundamental principles of law and justice, which bear the stamp of his genius, have influenced to a remarkable degree the administration of justice in the courts of nations. This unlettered Arab was the first person to formulate a framework of international relations and lay down laws of war and peace. No one previously had even the remotest idea that there could be an ethical code of war and that relations between different nations could be regulated on the basis of common humanity. [2]