Excrepted from the book: The Messenger of God: Muhammad by Fethullah Gulen 1

 “It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger of their own, to recite to them His signs, to purify them, and to instruct them in Scripture and Wisdom, although they had been, before, in manifest error.” (62:2) ◦ God is mentioned in the third person… ◦ Unlettered… ◦ Among… ◦ To recite to them His signs and to purify them… ◦ Although they had been, before, in manifest error… 2

 Appeals to human heart and mind  His call encompasses economics, finance, administration, education, justice, and law.  Even before his death, his call was accepted from Iran to Egypt, Yemen to Caucasia  Different cultures rushed to Islam: Persians, Turanians, Chinese, Indians, Romans, Abyssinians, Arabs, Europeans…  Gambling, Alcohol, Adultery, Wars, Indecency 3

 Isaac Taylor, Robert Briffault, John Davenport, M. Pickhtall, P. Bayle, Lamartine  Abu Bakr, Umad, Uthman, Ali, Kahlid, Abu Hanifa, Bayazid Bistami, Muhyiddin Arabi  “Each Prophet before me built some part of this marvelous building, but there was a gap that needed to be closed. Every person passing by would say: ‘I wonder when this building will be completed’ The one who completes it is me. After me, there is no longer any defect in the structure.” (Bukhari) 4

 Teaching through action and then translating the action into words…  As a result, whatever he preached was accepted immediately…  He brought up his Companions so perfectly that almost none of them became heretics.  None of his progeny has ever become a heretic, which is a distinction unique to him. If there have been a few exceptions unknown to us and history, they do not negate the rule. 5

 First: “Surely the self command evil, unless my Master has mercy.” (12:53)  Second: Universality…  Third: Ability to change its students… ◦ Tariq ibn Ziyad, former Berber slave  “Be careful Tariq. Yesterday you were a slave…” ◦ Hansa, one of the finest poetesses  “While we have the Qur’an, I cannot write poems.” ◦ Umar, second caliph..  “If a sheep falls from a bridge even on the river Euphrates and dies, God will call me to account…” 6

 It is a mistake to reduce Islam to an ideology  “Say: Work; and God will surely see your work, and the Messenger and the believers.” (9:105)  Essentials of a happy social and economical life: “When you are involve in speculative transactions, occupied only with animal-breeding, content with agriculture, and abandon striving in the way of God to preach His religion, God will subject you to such a humiliation. He will not remove it until you return to your religion.” (Hadith-Abu Dawud) 7

 “Say: Are they equal- those who know and those who don’t know?” (39:9)  “A powerful believer is better and more lovable to God than weak one.” (Hadith)  A girl came to the Messenger and complained…  “Your Master has decreed that you shall not worship any but Him, and to be good to parents.” (17:34) 8

 The Messenger also forbade fornication. However, we do find one incident of fornication during his life time… ◦ By God this woman repented…  A community beyond the imagination of Thomas Moore and Plato… ◦ Ebu Hurayra and Abu Talha… 9