Muhammad The Great Exemplar — Page x
Foreword The Prophet Muhammad sa is the central figure of Islam. Described variously in the Holy Qur’an as a mercy for mankind , the best example and the Seal of the Prophets , the facts of his life have been seared into the conscience of all Muslims who for centuries have drawn inspiration from them. In the Islamic perspective, he represents the very best of humanity, prophethood and revelation. Every aspect of his being ascends to the highest level of excellence. Without him, faith and existence remain incomplete. In this short series of essays, Hazrat Mirza Bashir-ud- Din Mahmud Ahmad ra contemplates the life of the Holy Prophet sa through his humanity, his role as a prophet, as a recipient of revelation and through the eyes of his enemies. This is not a conventional biographical study. Instead, the reader is asked to reflect on the deeper meanings and resonances of the Prophet’s sa life. He was in every sense a regular man, rooted in and subject to the natural laws of