Approaching the West — Page 128
A pproaching the West—128 It is also a matter recorded in history that the Prophet of Isl ā m, Mu ḥ ammad (may peace and blessings of God be on him) was the most successful man both in the realms of religion as well as in temporal affairs. He has been acknowledged as the most influential man in history. His main task was, on the one hand, to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, to establish firm faith in the existence of ONE GOD—and to establish perpetual worship of the Most-Loving and Most Merciful God; and, on the other hand, his mission was to establish a just and benevolent social order. Despite tremendous personal pain and anguish that he was made to suffer through his life on this earth, he achieved an unparalleled success in both the domains After receiving an answer to his heart-rendering prayers concerning the moral depreciation, social injustice, lawlessness and mutual fights in the fragmented nation of his fellow countrymen in Arabia, when he started his mission as the Prophet of God to remove all social, moral and spiritual ills around him, he suffered the most bitter persecution and oppression at the hands of his own people— those very people that he wanted to help and guide. He was scorned and derided, abused and tormented. Trash was thrown in his way, and filth was laid on his head. The vagabonds beat him up most severely; throwing stones and rocks, making him bleed almost to death. Some of his followers were brutally murdered. Some of his dear ones were split apart alive by tying their legs to two strong camels and making them run into opposite directions. Some of the women, who believed in him, were butchered shamelessly by his enemies.