A Special Study of the Appreciation and Literary Trends from the Study of the Sīrat-al-Nabī (ﷺ) by Orientalists

مستشرقین کے مطالعہ سیرت النبی ﷺ سے تعریفی و ادبی رجحانات کا خصوصی مطالعہ

Abstract

This article examines the perspectives of non-Muslims on the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. It argues that while some biased non-Muslim authors have spread misinformation to undermine Islam, many others have recognized and praised the Prophet's character. The article highlights how even his enemies and contemporaries, such as Abu Sufyan (before his conversion) and leaders like Heraclius and Urwah ibn Mas'ud, acknowledged his truthfulness, trustworthiness, and profound influence. The text presents the laudatory views of several prominent non-Muslims from different eras and backgrounds. It cites figures like Thomas Carlyle, Leo Tolstoy, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Mahatma Gandhi, who admired the Prophet’s leadership, moral virtues, and transformative impact on society. The article also discusses how the Prophet's teachings on social equality and justice impressed many, including scholars like Arnold J. Toynbee and R. K. Rao. Furthermore, the article identifies three specific trends in non-Muslim writings about the Prophet: a commendatory trend, an academic/scholarly trend, and a literary/poetic trend. It explains that the scholarly trend, which emerged in the 17th and 18th centuries, focused on translating and studying early Islamic texts, leading to a more objective understanding of the Prophet's life. The literary trend, particularly prevalent among some Hindu and Sikh authors, expresses reverence and admiration through prose and poetry. The article concludes that these diverse positive portrayals from non-Muslims testify to the Prophet Muhammad’s universal and exemplary character.