APPENDIX
26:
MUSLIM ESSAY PROVING JOHN GUNTHER'S CLAIM--
THAT
MOST WESTERN CONVERTS
TO ISLAM ARE SODOMITES
The writer below has
mastered the English language. Though he is a Muslim, and we cannot agree
with one shred of his theology, we admire his abilities humanly.
21 June, 1995
Waqf
Ikhlas, Istanbul, 1995. Permission
to reprint & distribute is granted only if this heading included, and the
text is not modified in any way, shape or form to alter the intended meaning.
WAQF
IKHLAS Ihlas
Holding A.S., Cagaloglu-ISTANBUL, Tel: (90.212) 513 99 00
SELECTIONS FROM
THE EXPLANATIONS MADE BY CELEBRITIES WHO WERE FORMERLY NON-MUSLIMS AND WHOSE ADMIRATION
FOR ISLAM EVENTUALLY LED THEM TO BELIEVING IN Allahu TA'ALA
The following chapter contains
a few paraphrased selections from the statements made by some of the many non-Muslim
celebrities who believed in Allahu ta'ala and admired Islam; these statements
reflect their views of Islam. So many are the people who share the same opinions
that we have had to pick out only the famous ones. Among our selections are great
commanders, statesmen and scientists whom you all know very well. Now let us read
with attention to what they said:
NAPOLEON
(BONAPARTE): Napoleon
I (1769-1821 [1237 A.H.]), who went into history as a military genius and statesman,
when he entered Egypt in 1212 [C.E. 1798], admired Islam's greatness and genuineness,
and even considered whether he should become a Muslim. The following excerpt was
paraphrased from Cherfils's book (Bonapart et Islam): "Napoleon
said: The
existence and unity of Allahu ta'ala, which Musa 'alaihis-salam', had announced
to his own people and Isa 'alaihis-salam' to his own ummat, was announced by Muhammad
'alaihis-salam' to the entire world. Arabia had become totally a country of idolaters.
Six centuries after Isa 'alaihis-salam', Muhammad 'alaihis-salam' initiated the
Arabs into an awareness of Allahu ta'ala, whose existence prophets previous to
him, such as Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail, Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus) alaihim-us-salam',
had announced. Peace in the east had been disturbed by the Arians, [i.e. Christians
who followed Arius], who had somehow developed a degree of friendship with the
Arabs, and by heretics, who had defiled the true religion of Isa 'alaihis-salam'
and were striving to spread in the name of religion a totally unintelligible credo
which is based on trinity, i.e. God, Son of God, and the Holy Ghost. Muhammad
'alaihis-salam' guided the Arabs to the right way, taught them that Allahu ta'ala
is one, that He does not have a father or a son, and that worshiping several gods
is an absurd custom which is the continuation of idolatry."
At another place in his
book he quotes Napoleon as having said, "I hope that in the near future I will
have the chance to gather together the wise and cultured people of the world and
establish a government that I will operate [in accordance with the principles
written in Qur'an al-karim.]"
Prof.
(THOMAS) CARLYLE: Thomas
Carlyle of Scotland (1210 [C.E. 1795]-1298 [C.E. 1881]), one of the greatest men
of knowledge known world over, entered the university when he was only fourteen
years old, studied jurisprudence, literature and history, learned German and oriental
languages, exchanged letters with, and even visited, the well-known German writer
(Johann Wolf-gang von) Goethe (1749-1832), was awarded by the King of Prussia
with the medal of honor called 'powr le merite', and was elected president by
the University of Edinburgh. Among Carlyle's works are Sartur Resartus, The French
Revolution, On Heroes, Hero Worship And the Heroic in History, Past and Present,
Latter-Day Pamphlets, The Life of Friedrich Schiller, and Critical and Miscellaneous
Essays. The
following passage was selected from one of his works: "The
Arabs, Muhammad 'alaihis-salam', and his age: Before the advent of Muhammad 'alaihis-salam',
(the Arabs were in such a state that) if a big piece of fire spurted out at the
place where the Arabs lived, it would have disappeared on the dry sand without
leaving any traces behind itself. But after the advent of Muhammad 'alaihis-salam'
that desert of dry sand turned into, as it were, a barrel of gunpowder. From Delhi
to Granada, everywhere became rapidly rising flames. This great person was, so
to speak, lightning, and all the people around him became explosives catching
fire from him." From
his conference: "As
you read the Qur'an al-karim, you will presently realize that it is not an ordinary
tome of literature. The Qur'an al-karim is a work of art that springs from a heart
and instantly penetrates all the other hearts. All the other works of art are
quite dull when compared with this tremendous masterpiece. The most striking characteristic
of the Qur'an al-karim is that it is a truthful and excellent guide. To me, this
is the greatest merit of Qur'an al-karim. And it is this merit that begets other
merits." From
his memoirs of a trip: "In
Germany I told my friend Goethe about the facts I had gathered concerning Islam
and added my personal reflections on the subject. After listening to me with attention,
he said, 'If that is Islam, we are all Muslims.' "
MAHATMA GANDHI (Mohandas
Karam-chand): Gandhi
(1285 [C.E. 1869]-1367 [C.E. 1948]) descends from a West Indian Christian family.
His father was the chief ecclesiastic of the city of Porbtandar, and he was very
rich. Gandhi was born in the city of Porbtandar. He went to Britain for his high
school education. After completing his education he went back to India. In 1893
he was sent to South Africa by an Indian firm. Upon seeing the heavy conditions
under which the Indians working there were and the utterly inhumane treatment
they were being subjected to, he decided to put up a struggle for the betterment
of their political rights. He dedicated himself to the Indian people. As he was
conducting a vigorous campaign against the South African government for the protection
of the Indians' rights, he was arrested and imprisoned. Yet he was too undaunted
to give up struggle. He stayed in Africa till 1914. Then, quitting his perfectly
lucrative job there, he returned to India to carry on his struggle. He waged a
struggle in cooperation with the Indian Muslims Unity, which Muslims had established
in 1906 for the liberation of India. All his personal property and his father's
property he spent for the promotion of this cause. When
he heard that the British were going to launch a second operation of violence
and cruelty similar to the one they had perpetrated in the state of Pencap in
1274 [A.D. 1858], he cooperated with the Muslims, induced his friends to withdraw
from the civil service, and waged a silent protest and a passive resistance. By
wrapping a white piece of cloth around his naked body and contenting himself with
the milk of a goat which he continuously kept with him, he carried over his passive
resistance. The first reaction on the part of the British was to laugh at him.
It did not take them long, however, to see with astonishment and dismay that this
man, who believed his own ideals with all his heart and who was ready to sacrifice
all his existence with alacrity for the sake of his country, was with the entire
India in tow and resounding with his speechless struggle. Imprisoning him proved
to no avail. Gandhi's efforts resulted in India's attaining its independence.
The Hindus gave him the name 'Mahatma', which lexically means 'blessed'.
Gandhi studied the Islamic
religion and Qur'an al-karim with meticulous attention and finally found himself
a sincere admirer of Islam. The following is his observation concerning this subject:
"Muslims
have never indulged themselves in bigotry even in times of greatest grandeur and
victory. Islam enjoins an admiration for the Creator of the World and His works.
As the West was in a dreadful darkness, the dazzling star of Islam shining in
the East brought light, peace and relief to the suffering world. The Islamic religion
is not a mendacious religion. When the Hindus study this religion with due respect,
they, too, will feel the same sympathy as I do for Islam. I have read the books
telling about the life-style of the Prophet of Islam and of those who were close
to him. These books generated profound interest in me, so much so that when I
finished reading them I regretted there being no more of them. I have arrived
at the conclusion that Islam's spreading rapidly was not by the sword. On the
contrary, it was primarily owing to its simplicity, logicality, its Prophet's
great modesty, his trueness to his promises and his unlimited faithfulness towards
every Muslim that many people willingly accepted Islam. "Islam
has abrogated monastic life. In Islam there is no one to intervene between Allahu
ta'ala and His born slave. Islam is a religion that commands social justice from
the outset. There is not an institution between the Creator and the created. Anyone
who reads Qur'an al-karim, [i.e. its explanations and books written by Islamic
scholars], will learn the commandments of Allahu ta'ala and will obey Him. There
is no obstruction between Allahu ta'ala and him in this respect. Whereas many
ineluctable changes were made in Christianity on account of its shortcomings,
Islam has not undergone any alterations, and it preserves its pristine purity.
Christianity lacks democratic spirit. The need to equip that religion with a democratic
aspect has necessitated an increase in the Christians' national zeal and the concomitant
reforms."
Prof.
ERNEST RENAN: Now
let us make mention of a French man of ideas: Ernest Renan was born in 1239 [C.E.
1923] in the Treguier city of France. His father was a captain. He was five years
old when he lost his father. He was raised by his mother and by his elder sister.
Because his mother wanted him to be a man of religion, he was sent to the church
college in his hometown. Here he was given an efficient religious education. His
strong interest in the oriental languages won him a full command of the Arabic,
Hebrew and Syrian languages. Later he entered the university, where he studied
philosophy. As he made progress in educational areas and carried on very minute
comparative studies on the German philosophy and the oriental literature, he observed
some flaws in Christianity. By the time he was graduated from the university in
1848, at the age of twenty-five, he was entirely defiant towards the Christian
religion, and he compiled his thoughts in his book titled 'The Future of Knowledge'.
Yet, because the book was of a rebellious nature, no printhouse dared to print
it, and it was only forty years later, in 1890, that the book was printed.
Renan's primary
objection was against the belief that Isa 'alaihis-salam' was the 'Son of God'.
When he was appointed as a professor of philosophy in the university of Versailles,
he began to gradually explain his thoughts on this subject. However, it was not
till after he was appointed as a professor of the Hebrew language for the university
of College de France that he voiced his most vigorous protest. By the time he
finished his first class he had had the courage to say, "Isa 'alaihis-salam' was
a respectable human being superior to the other human beings. Yet he was never
the son of Allahu ta'ala." This statement had the effect of a bomb. All the Catholics,
and especially the Pope, rose up. The Pope officially excommunicated Renan before
the entire world. The French government had to dismiss him from office. Yet the
world was already resounding with Renan's statements. Great numbers of people
sided with him. He wrote books, such as 'Essays on the History of Religions',
'Studies on Criticism and Morals', 'Discourses on Philosophy' and 'Life of Jesus',
and his books sold like hot cakes. Upon this the French Academy accepted him as
a member (in 1878). Also, the French government invited him back to office and
appointed him as the director of college de France. Renan
observed Isa 'alaihis-salam' as a human being in his work 'Life of Jesus'. According
to Renan, "Isa 'alaihis-salam' is a human being like us. His mother Meryem (Mary)
was betrothed to a carpenter named Yusuf (Joseph). Isa 'alaihis-salam' was a superior
human being, so much so that, the statements that he made when he was only a small
child were a source of astonishment for many a scholar. Allahu ta'ala deemed him
as worthy of prophethood and gave him this duty. Isa 'alaihis-salam' never said
that he was the 'Son of God'. This is a slander fabricated by priests."
The contention between Catholic
priests and Renan continued for a long time. While the Catholics accused him of
blasphemy, he in his turn indicted them for their mendacity and hypocrisy. Renan
was saying, "The real Nazarani religion is based on the belief that Allahu ta'ala
is one and that Isa 'alaihis-salam' is only a human being and a prophet." Before
Renan had died, he had prepared a written will enjoining from a religious ceremony
in the church and prohibiting priests from attending his funeral procession. So,
when he died in 1892, a crowded congregation containing only friends who loved
him and people who admired him attended his funeral procession.
LAMARTINE (Alphonso
Marie Louis de): One
of France's universally known poets and statesmen, Lamartine (1204 [C.E. 1790]-1285
[C.E. 1869]) made official journeys through Europe and America, which gave him
the opportunity to have been to Turkey, in the time of Sultan Abd-ul-majid Khan.
He was admitted in an utterly friendly manner by the Padishah (Ottoman Emperor),
and was also presented with a farm within the state of Aydin, (which is in the
western part of Turkey). See what he says about Muhammad 'alaihis-salam' in his
book Histoire de Turquie (History of Turkey): "Was
Muhammad 'sall-Allahu ta'ala alaihi wa sallam' a false prophet? We cannot think
so after studying his works and history. For false prophethood means hypocrisy.
As falsehood does not have the power of trueness, likewise hypocrisy does not
have convincing capacity. "In
mechanics the range of something thrown depends on the power of the thrust. By
the same token, the power of a certain source of spiritual inspiration is assessed
with the work it accomplishes. A religion, (i.e. Islam), which has carried so
heavy a burden, which has spread to such distances, and which has maintained its
full power for such a long time, cannot be a lie. It has to be genuine and convincing.
Muhammad's 'alaihis-salam' life; his efforts; his courage in attacking and destroying
the superstitions and idols in his country; his bravery and valor in standing
against the fury of a fire-worshiping nation; his thirteen year endurance to the
various attacks, insults and persecutions inflicted on him in Mecca, among his
own citizens; his migration to Medina; his incessant encouragements, preaches
and admonitions; the holy wars he fought against overwhelmingly superior enemy
forces; his spirit for victory; the superhuman confidence he felt at times of
greatest afflictions; the patience and trust he displayed even in victory; the
determination he showed in convincing others; his endless devotion in worships;
his sacred communings with Allahu ta'ala; his death, and the continuation of his
fame, honor and victories after his death; all these factual events (and many
others untold) indicate that he was by no means a liar, but, on the contrary,
an owner of great belief 'sall-Allahu ta'ala alaihi wa sallam'.
"It was this belief and
this trust in his Creator that made him put forward a two-staged credo: The first
stage consisted of the belief that 'there is one eternal being, who is Allah;'
and the second stage inculcated that 'idols are not gods.' In the first stage
he informed the Arabs about the existence of Allahu ta'ala, who is one and whom
they had not known until that time; and in the second stage he shook from their
hands the idols which they had looked on as gods until that time. In short, at
a single stroke with the sword he broke the false gods and idols and replaced
them with the belief in 'One Allah'. "This
is Muhammad 'alaihis-salam', the philosopher, the orator, the Prophet, the law-giver,
the warrior, the enchanter of human thoughts, the maker of new principles of belief,
the great man who established twenty gigantic world empires and one great Islamic
empire and civilization 'sall-Allahu ta'ala alaihi wa sallam'.
"Let all the criteria used
by humanity for the judgement and evaluation of greatness be applied. Will anyone
be found superior to him? Impossible." 'sall-Allahu ta'ala alaihi wa sallam'.
I
wish to free myself from fancies and whims; My
eccentric nafs will not leave me alone. I
wish to free what is good from the bad; My
eccentric nafs [1] will not leave me alone. I
wish to discipline my essence; I
wish to know what's good for me, 'n what's bad; I
wish to come to my senses; My
eccentric nafs will not leave me alone.
FOOTNOTES
1. Nafs is a malignant force
in human nature. It is recalcitrant, stupid, and evil. It always urges man to
behave against the commandments of Allahu ta'ala. It is the only creature whose
all wishes are against itself.
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