Opinions about Muhammad -pbuh- | Michael H. Hart

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL:
Normally, it is quite natural for anyone to love, praise, idolize or hero-worship ones leader, be it a guru, saint or prophet: and very often we do. However, if I were to reproduce here what great Muslims have said or written about our illustrious prophet, it could be played down as exaggeration, fancy or idolization by the sceptics and the opponents of Islam. Therefore, allow me to quote unbiased historians, friendly critics and even avowed enemies of that mighty Messenger of God – Muhummed -peace be upon him-.

In recent times, a book has been published in America titled “The 100,” or the Top One Hundred, or the Greatest Hundred in History. A certain Michael H. Hart, described as a historian, mathematician and astronomer has written this novel book. He has searched history, seeking for men who had the greatest influence on mankind. In this book he gives us The hundred most influential men, including Asoka, Aristotle, Buddha, Confucius, Hitler, Plato, and Zoroaster. He does not give us a mere chart of the topmost “one hundred” from the point of view of their influence on people, but he evaluates the degree of their influence and rates them in order of their excellence from No. 1, through to No. 100. He gives us his reasons for the placing of his candidates. We are not asked to agree with him, but we cannot help admire the man’s research and honesty.

The most amazing thing about his selection is that he has put the Holy Prophet Muhummed -peace be upon him- as No. 1, the first of his “100!”

JESUS -peace be upon him- No. 3!
Hart placing the Prophet of Islam as No. 1, has naturally pleased the Muslims. But his choice has shocked the Non-Muslims, more specially the Jews and the Christians, who consider this as an afront. What? Jesus -peace be upon him- No. 3 and Moses -peace be upon him- No. 40! This is for them very difficult to stomach,
but what says Hart? Let us hear his arguments –

“Since there are roughly twice as many Christians in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus. There are two principal reasons for that decision.
First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity. Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and Moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St. paul was the main developper of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New testament.
Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the Theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles.
In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam.”
Michael H. Hart in his book – “THE 100” pages 38/39

According to Hart, the honour for founding Christianity is to be shared between Jesus -peace be upon him- and St. Paul. The latter he believes to be the real founder of Christianity.

WHY PROVOKE YOUR CUSTOMER?
This placing of Christ in the number three spot by Michael H. Hart poses a very serious question for us. Why would an American publish a book of 572 pages in America and selling in America for $15 each, go out of his way to provoke his potential readers? Who will buy his books? Surely, not the Pakistanis and the Bangladeshis, neither the Arabs nor the Turks! Except for a few copies here and there, the overwhelming number of his customers will be from the 250 million Christians and the 6 million Jews of America. Then why did he provoke his customers? Did he not hear the dictum – “the customer is always right!” Of course he did. Then why his daring choice. But before I close this episode of Hart, I will allow him to make his one last apology for his ‘temerity.’

“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular level.”
Michael H. Hart – “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History”, 1978, p.33.