The Greatest Man in History
When we speak of the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him), we are not talking about a great figure who passed through history and whose influence ended, but rather about a man who changed the course of history, built a nation, and created a civilization. His message remains present in the lives of millions around the world, more than fourteen centuries later.
Notably, this greatness has not been discussed by Muslims alone.
The American writer and researcher Michael Hart published his famous book, "The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History," in which he selected one hundred figures whom he considered the most influential in the course of human history.
His first choice was Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He placed the Prophet ahead of other great names in human history, such as Isaac Newton, Jesus (peace be upon him), Buddha, Confucius, and others. He justified his choice by stating that Muhammad was the figure who achieved exceptional success on both religious and secular levels, and that his impact on history was profound and enduring.
This is where the greatness of the prophetic experience lies.
Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not begin his life as a military commander, a ruler of a state, or a person of wealth and power. He started as a single man carrying a message, facing rejection, harm, and siege. Then, through faith, patience, and wisdom, he managed to transform a society exhausted by tribalism and conflicts into a nation bearing a message, values, and a civilization.
He was a prophet, an educator, a leader, a husband, a father, a friend, and a neighbor.
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He led a state yet lived humbly; he triumphed and then pardoned; he possessed power yet made mercy its defining feature. When he entered Mecca victorious after years of persecution and expulsion, he did not make victory an occasion for revenge, but rather a new page of forgiveness and tolerance.
This is why the impact of Muhammad (peace be upon him) remains alive.
The world may leave behind a theory, a leader a state, a thinker a book, and a reformer an idea, but Muhammad left behind a nation, a message, a way of life, and values and a civilization whose influence has extended through the centuries.
As for us, Muslims, the status of Muhammad is greater than any human ranking; for Allah, the Exalted, said: "And indeed, you are of a great moral character," and He, the Glorified, said: "And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds."
Our need today is not merely to speak about the greatness of the Messenger (peace be upon him), but to revive his ethics and values in our lives: his truthfulness in an age of rumors, his trustworthiness in an age of interests, his mercy in an age of conflicts, his justice in times of disagreement, and his forgiveness when he has the power to retaliate.
The most beautiful way to honor Muhammad is for people to see something of Muhammad’s ethics in our own ethics.
Michael Hart searched the pages of history for the most influential human being and placed Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the first rank.
And we say this with faith, love, and emulation: Muhammad… the Messenger of Mercy, the teacher of humanity, and the greatest man history has ever known.
O Allah, send prayers, peace, and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and companions, all together.
