The writer, Abdulhussein Tejani (Dubai, UAE) is a Change Architect in Leadership and HR and has been involved in many capacities in the community and through pro bono work with youths.
This article forms part of the series ‘ Muhammad – A Beacon of Hope, a Shining Star’ – an initiative to recall and appreciate the messages and lessons behind the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, its relevance, and connection to life today, for both Shi’a Muslims and the rest of the global population.
If ever the world needs a savior, it is now.
We live in a world divided on ethnicity, religion, man made borders that have been usurped, individualism and corporate cultural imperialism.
Unfortunately, the perception of a large number of people of Prophet Muhammad outside the Islamic realms is fairly sedate if not antagonistic. The world has lost its sense of history as we all know history is written with a view to adulate the supposed victors and in quite a few instances, by those who have been rewarded for fabricating,
It is because of this negative connotation, that the personality that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was does not receive its due. Off late there are quite a few articles and albeit delayed recognition of his achievements at a time when the Arabian Peninsula was besotted with practices that would look well out of place in the world today.
Thus, it was quite revolutionary for Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to have started a divine religion that eradicated not only these practices but brought to the world an awakening that led to one of the most outstanding contributions of the Islamic world in the field of Science, Mathematics, Philosophy etc.
The treatise that he crafted after taking over the Arabian region is testament to the beauty of Islamic values wherein people were not forcibly converted and those captured in battle were given a chance to redeem themselves and if lettered and taught others to read and write.
However, the world at large today is a plethora of wrongs being done and whitewashed for it to be acceptable. The voices of reason of those who dare speak out are drowned if not silenced forcibly.
One of the most disconcerting views is that he is portrayed to be against Christianity! Moreover, it then fishtails into an Islam versus Christianity! Obviously, those ignorant ones have failed to understand history and the evolution of religions. It is quite obvious that it is lucrative for a select few to have this misconception continue to exist; from a commercial perspective, a power perspective as well as social perspective.
How does Prophet Muhammad play a role in righting the wrongs?
His teachings are universal as they transcend time. Some of the key principles he espoused (Tolerance, Humility, Justice etc.) are key to righting the wrongs we see around us today. If people were to study the teachings of the Abrahamic religions, they will realize that there is more in common than there are differences. Yet what is highlighted are the differences.
In a world that has been ravaged by a virus, the divide between the haves and have nots were quite apparent. Borders were closed with a view to keeping those infected out and yet the defenses were breached. The ludicrousness of borders was left exposed in a world that is territorial. Yet nature always wins these battles. When will the awaking occur, if ever? Is this a sign of mankind destroying itself into oblivion? We are busy wondering about the end of the world with an alien invasion or a mega meteor putting an end to life on earth!
External forces whilst a remote possibility, chances are we will destroy ourselves before then, all because we have chosen to ignore the teachings of Prophets like Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. The time to heed their teachings is now.
“Happy is the man who avoids hardship, but how fine is the man who is afflicted and shows endurance.” – Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
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