A talk given by Yusuf
Islam in Abu Dhabi, UAE on the 21st of April 2005.
The Gift of Islam’s Peace & Light;
celebrating the Last of God’s Messengers
Al Hamd; wa salawat - I thank those involved for
the invitation to be at this blessed occasion.
In a World where people are surrounded by darkness,
ignorance and fear, it is a sign of hope to be celebrating
Islam’s message of peace and light, and the
last great Messenger, born and chosen to deliver
them to all mankind.
The main reason we are able to enjoy this gift is
through the life and example of one man - the last
of the Prophets - sent to guide humanity to the
path of Paradise; a Mercy to all the Worlds, Muhammad,
salla Allahu alayhi was sallam.
My view of Islam and Muhammad (saaws) before reading
the Qur’an
I was like many people in the West; blessed with
immense material advancements, superb technology
and highly evolved political systems, but brought
up almost in a state of embarrassing poverty regarding
knowledge and information about Islam. Images of
Muslims as racial aliens, with strange religious
customs, genies, magic carpets, moons and stars,
war and bloodshed, the crusades, dominated my view
- there was hardly anything presented to me which
could be said to represent the Islam, until I actually
discovered it when given an English translation
of the Qur’an, back in 1976.
Unifying Script of Humanity Under One God
The very first lesson that I learnt from the Qur’an,
was the message of unity and peace. This was not
that dark, foreign religion which I had expected.
First it was talking about belief in One God Lording
over all people, creatures and events in this matchless
Universe - talking about us as Adamic in nature;
children of humanity from the same Parents, Adam
and Eve, belonging to one family.
The verses talked about other Prophets as brothers
preaching the same unifying script of mankind, showing
every man and woman the way to Paradise. I saw the
names of Jesus, of Moses, of Abraham, of Jacob,
of Noah and of course, crucially, the name of this
last messenger, the last Messenger of God, Muhammad
(peace be upon them).
There was no division I could see between the essential
teaching of all Prophets and wise men of religion.
The Qur’an pointed to a universal statement
that defined true faith and religion - it said:
It is not righteousness that ye turn
your faces toward East or West; but it is righteousness
to believe in God and the Last Day and the Angels
and the Book and the Messengers; to spend of your
substance out of love for Him for your kin for orphans
for the needy for the wayfarer for those who ask,
and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in
prayer and practice regular charity; to fulfill
the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm
and patient in pain and adversity and throughout
all periods of crises. Such are the people of truth
the God-conscious. (Quran
177:2)
I discovered the word Islam meant entering into
‘peace’ with God and with all of His
creation.
Because there was no sign of racialism or separation
between the Prophets, I knew that this book was
truly a Revelation from the One God. From that moment
I realised that there was nothing left for me to
do but to be a Muslim - and that was what I did
twenty eight years ago.
After accepting Islam, my discovery of the Sunnah,
the life-example of the Prophet
One of the most amazing things after embracing Islam
was to discover the unique life and story of the
blessed Prophet (saaws) in explaining and showing
the practical example of the words and teachings
of the Glorious Qur’an, the Sunnah.
In human history, there are thousands of men who
have influenced the course of humanity; all have
left their mark on the pages of time. Kings, warriors,
philosophers, writers, poets…but how many
passed without leaving any permanent record and
image of their personality or example; how many
have left us with such a perfect documentation of
their sayings and conduct, which continues to contribute
to the present and future well being of Mankind?
This is why today, in Madinah, in Arabian peninsular
where we are situated right now, we find an endless
stream of humanity visiting and giving the salutations
of peace and invoking God’s blessings on the
messenger of Mercy, Muhammad al Mustafa, salla Allahu
alayhi wa sallam.
From how he combed his hair to the way he walked,
from details of his intimate moments with his family
to the Prophet’s pronouncements and utterances
related to the discourse between religions and nations,
every moment of his Prophetic life and teachings
have been scrupulously saved, committed to writing,
and followed. The greatest legacy is that which
benefits the widest number of people for the longest
period without limit to value. No one but the Prophet
Muhammad was given that role as the seal of God’s
message? The Qur’an confirms:
You have indeed, in the messenger of
Allah, a beautiful pattern of (conduct) for anyone
whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and who
engages much in the remembrance of Allah.
(Quran 21:33)
One of the most important of his life and mission
was the calling of humanity, to the unity of purpose
of the universe. The fact that the Prophet cared
for every human being and tried his best to ensure
their security in the hereafter, must be the most
telling of his compassionate and merciful characteristics.
"Once Allah's Apostle said, "There
is none who witnesses sincerely that there is no
God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger, except
that Allah, will save him from the Hell-fire."
His companion, Mu'adh said, "O Messenger of
God! Should I not inform the people about it so
that they may have good news?" He replied,
hesitatingly, "(Maybe) When the people hear
about it, they may only depend on it." Bukhari
(1:130).
While Islam is projected today as inimical and hostile
to Christianity, Judaism and other Religions, the
truth is that the Prophet was the great educator,
teaching people the meaning and explanation of their
own Religion, correcting and assisting them in following
the right path, as taught by previous Prophets and
messengers.
Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to a word common
between you and us that we shall not worship other
than God or take as Lords other than Him. (Quran)
Love and Mercy
I end with a conclusion, that the Prophet, peace
be upon him, taught for those who want to learn
Islam, and benefit from the Mercy which the Prophet
distributed to all people, he said, “You will
not enter heaven until you believe; and you will
not believe until you love one another. Should I
not guide you to a thing that if you do it will
increase love amongst you? Spread ‘As salam’
” *
Peace be with you
* “You shall
not enter paradise so long as you do not affirm
belief; and you will not believe as long as you
do not love one another. Should I not direct you
to a thing which, if you do, will foster love amongst
you: give currency to as-salamu alaykum.”
A saying for the Prophet
Muhammed (pbuh). Related by Abu Hurairah in Sahih
Muslim
