Editorial
Eid-e-Miladunnabi
An occasion of great significance
EID-e-Miladunnabi, observed on the 12th day of the Hijri month of Rabiul Awal throughout the Muslim world, marks the birth of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) and he embraced death on the same day 63 years later, leaving behind his universal message of peace and tolerance for not only the Muslims but also mankind as a whole.
The Prophet of Islam, the religion that he preached to bring about a just social order, has rightly been termed even by followers of other religions as the greatest leader and the truest man that humanity has ever produced. He was born at a time when the Arab society was plagued by all kinds of social ills. Islam did come as a divine blessing and enabled its genuine followers to attain a unique level of perfection as human beings. The Prophet (Pbuh) led them from the front as the new religion undertook its arduous journey to establish itself in the face of all kinds of hostilities. The truth triumphed in the end as the enemies of the Prophet (Pbuh) and his religion crumbled before the unflinching faith of the Muslims.
The teachings of the Prophet (Pbuh) would have transformed the entire human race had the teachings been followed in the right spirit. The point will be made clear by GB Shaw's observation that the world would have been a much better place to live in today if it were administered by a leader like the Prophet of Islam.
However, fair-play, brotherhood and tolerance that were central to all that the Prophet (Pbuh) did and preached during his lifetime appear to be missing in what is being done today by some self-styled saviours of Islam. Their highly aggressive postures and militant activities, based on the erroneous notion that Islam prescribes an obscurantist lifestyle having nothing to do with mundane affairs, has blurred the image of the great religion. Nothing can be furthest from truth since the Prophet (Pbuh) himself laid great emphasis on acquisition of knowledge and peaceful conduct of human affairs. The Prophet taught us to live in peace and be respectful of the rights of others.
Mankind owes a lot to the Prophet of Islam for lifting us from the abysmal ignorance and darkness prevailing in the Arab society before his emergence as a liberator. Peace be upon the man who gave us the guidelines for attaining both worldly success and spiritual refinement.
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