Foreword to the English Edition
The book, Hayat Muhammad, by
Dr. Muhammad Husayn Haykal is well known to the Arabic reader. It is a biography
of the Holy Prophet, salla, Allahu `alayhi wa sallam, written
in light of all the rules and requirements of modern, exacting scholarship. As
its author has said, it is a renewed effort to establish the historical truth of
the details of the Prophet's life in accordance with these rules, as well as to
refute, by the same means, the false allegations against Islam and its Apostle.
It has derived its materials from genuine sources and treated them with a mind
unshackled by parti pris
or superstition, by ignorance or false hopes. We trust that it will be followed
by the research works of many other scholars; for the English readers stand in
great need for books to enlighten them in the nature and history of Islam.
Fortunately, Islamic sanity has persistently resisted all
attempts at deifying the Prophet's person. Despite the fact that no human being
has ever commanded as much respect and none has ever been object of so much
affection by his followers, Muslims have rejected every suggestion imputing to
the Prophet superhuman power or characteristics. By itself, and when compared
with the conceptions of the careers of charismatic founders and leaders of other
religions in history, the Muslims' insistence on Muhammad's humanity remains a
miracle, a genuine triumph of the Muslim's historical sense. This book is a
tribute to the Muslim's critical attitude in religious matters.
This is the fact which makes the quest of the historical
Muhammad not only possible, but certain of achieving its objectives. It
underlies this book and blesses its findings, as it invites further research and
offers greater promise. Biography was never a critical science (it may even be
contended that it ever existed!) before the Muslims began to sift the oral and
written traditions concerning the Prophet. They undertook this task with a mind
unwaveringly committed to Muhammad's humanity, absolutely convinced of his
fulfillment of his mission under the full light of history.
It was these Muslim endeavors that produced the science of
textual criticism. Firstly, the language, style, form, redaction and vocabulary
of every reported tradition was subjected to the most complete analysis.
Secondly, the ideational content of every tradition was subjected to critical
tests of internal and external coherence (i.e., with itself, with the Holy
Qur'an, with other traditions, with other established historical data). That
content was further tested for historical relevance and relationality, and for
reasonableness or systematic correspondence with reality. Finally, every isnad
(or chain of reporters) was subjected to the most
exacting tests of historicity and verification, giving birth to 'llm al Rijal,
or the critical establishment of the minutest details of the personal lives of
thousands of Muhammad's companions and contemporaries. This was Islamic
"Criticism"-a whole millennium ago! It was objective and scientific
textual research such as the world has never seen nor probably ever will,
despite the tremendous advances the science of criticism has made in modern
times. This academic sophistication has made of Islam the scholarly, modernist;
critical religion long before the priesthood, not to speak of the laity, of
other religions achieved the minimum standards of literacy. Unfortunately for
humanity as a whole, this critical and scientific spirit was lost to the Muslims
with their decline.
How refreshing it is to see in this book evidence of
awakening and reactivation of this spirit which Islam, the foremost champion of
natural religion, of reasonableness in religion, has nurtured through the
centuries! Great as the achievements of our ancestors are, it is our duty to
make ourselves worthy of them. Benefit from their achievement, we certainly
must. Indeed, inspired by their example, we ought to move and aspire to match
and surpass them. Muhammad Husayn Haykal's Hayat Muhammad is a fair step
in that direction.
This book has another value. For centuries, the English
reader has been presented with prejudiced literature about Islam and the
Prophet. Such polemics has prevented the non-Muslim from appreciating the
genuine light of revelation, the beneficial contribution Islam can make to the
solution of humanity's spiritual and social ills in modern times. It is
certainly high time for the voice of Islam to be raised against the forces of
atheism and materialism which have blinded modern man and dissipated his effort
at finding the truth. Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, does not wish man to be
lost in skepticism, to be corrupted by injustice, alienation and ethnocentrism.
On the contrary, He wishes him to realize universal brotherhood through justice,
truth, dignity and mercy; to restore to him his lost poise and equilibrium; to
guide him towards peace, well-being and happiness. It is He Who said in His Holy
Book
"O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of male
and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know and cooperate
with one another" (Al-Qur'an 49 :13)
"O mankind! Reverence your Guardian Lord, Who created
you from a single person; Who created the first person's mate of like nature;
Who created from them twain all men and women on earth" (Al-Qur'an
4:1).
“The believers are but a single brotherhood”
(Al-Qur'an 49:9)
“God commands justice, the doing of the good, and
liberality to kith and kin. He forbids all shameful deeds, injustice and
rebellion. Thus does he instruct you, that you may receive admonition” (Al-Qur'an
16:90)
The Prophet of Islam (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam)
has said:
“All Muslims are equal like the teeth of a comb.”
“In relation to one another, the Muslims are like a
building: every unit reinforces and is reinforced by all others.”
These values of Islam are indeed the only ones capable of
saving humanity from its certain collapse. The life of the Prophet is the guide
and key. His conduct is the example for everyone to follow at all times and
places.
It is of the essence of rational religion, as it is of the
truth, to convince and to persuade its audience by mere presentation. But
presentation must be honest and critical, thorough and substantiated, as well as
alive and appealing. It is by Allah’s grace that Professor Isma’il Raji al
Faruqi completed translation of this volume. He is a Muslim scholar of great
renown, gifted with deep Islamic knowledge and commitment.
Recognition is equally due to the World Assembly of Muslim
Youth and to the Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada for
their part in bringing this project to fulfillment. We pray that Allah may
continue to guide them, as well as all other organizations and Islamic academic
establishments dedicated to Islam, and assist them in their work for the
salvation of mankind.
Allah alone is our help! He alone is Witness of our
commitment and Judge of our deed!
Riyad, Dhu al Hijjah 1395
Hasan ibn`Abdullah Al al Shaykh
President, World
Assembly of Muslim Youth
Minister of Higher Education Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia
