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The Country of Arabia Depravity of the Christians For the first two hundred years after the birth of Isa (Jesus)~\, there was no trace of a monk among the Christians. But during the sixth century, the number of monks rose to such an extent in Syria, Greece and Rome that anybody desirous of being held in high esteem became a monk. Gradually this custom prevailed among the womenfolk with the result that monasteries became centers of all kinds of shameful acts. Some monks lived in deserts. Respect of women and parents had no place in their lives. Theft, adultery and cheating were most common. Begging was not a matter of shame which was in fact the logical result of being a monk. The concept of the oneness of God and divine worship was virtually Jost. Certificates of deliverance could be had from the monks and religious guides by pleasing them through services. The rich considered it their legal right to have the poor serve them. Kings and commanders treated their subjects like animals and took control of the efforts of their labor and left them very little to live on. Egypt To assess the ancient pos1t10n of Egypt and its social greatness, the mammoth construction of the Sphinx, the Egyptian pyramids and objects and articles recovered from the many excavations in recent times have a lot to tell about the glory and grandeur of ancient Egyptian society. Since Egypt is an agricultural country, it became the target of successive foreign attacks when it had grown weak. Persians, Greeks and Romans invaded it time and again and kept it under their control for long periods. It is a matter of conjecture that the society and civilization of the invaders favorably influenced the Egyptians. Christianity was followed by a large section of the Egyptians during the reign of Romans. But, before the advent of Islam in Egypt, it was a country immersed in darkness and depravity. Christianity in Egypt was in no better position than pure idolatry. All the defects that had been part of Egyptian idolatry could be found among the Christians. The Romans and the Greeks who were known as ruling nations The History of Islam treated their subjects more disgracefully than even their animals. The defects found among the Greeks and the Romans took their worst forms among the Egyptians. Slavery was rife in the most wretched form. Alluring principles and rules were instituted for committing adultery and pillage. Human killings served as a source of entertainment. Women were encouraged to commit suicide. In short, the darkness prevailing in Egypt was not less than that of anywhere else. Egypt was replete with all the forms of degradation that could be thought of. India Great Maharajahs like Asoka, Chandra Gupta and Vikarmajeet had already passed away. Indians were particularly proud of their astronomy, mathematics and philosophy. They also retained the tales of founders of religions like Krishn, Ramchandra and Gautama, and the epics of Mahabharata and Ramayana. But the era we are referring to here is one when Buddhism was declining and making a way for Brahmanism. No province of the country had a magnificent leader. Idolatry was rampant in the entire country. Idol worship was considered as the only means of deliverance both in Buddhism and Brahmanism. In most cases, idols of Brahmans and Buddhas were kept side by side in the same temple and were worshipped with great fervor. A Chinese traveler writes that no household was free from idols. The immodest and impure ways of Barn-Marga had achieved popularity all over the country. They had also instituted, like the Egyptians, rules and principles for committing adultery, which were essentially made a part of their religious rites. The Rajahs of Sindh set the example of marrying their own sisters. When Rajahs and rulers had reduced themselves to such human degradation, it is not surprising that their subjects followed them in meanness of character. Some books written in that period that are now available as part of the Hindu scriptures and religious books, bring to light the utter degradation of their style of living. Worship of stars, planets, mountains, rivers, trees, animals, snakes, stones and human genitals was rife in India. One can easily infer from this the depth of terrible darkness prevailing in India at that time.

The Country of Arabia China The countries mentioned above lie around Arabia and these alone are taken as civilized. Only China may be added to this list. China was worse than all the others. The mixture of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism had made a mess of the cultural and moral condition of China. However, peace returned to China only when a band of Muslims settled in China and impressed their neighbors with their high moral examples. Human populations existed in Turkistan, Russia, and Europe too but either they were unknown to the rest of the world or they could hardly be called humans and they possessed no enviable qualities. Conclusion From the states and conditions observed above, it can be easily understood that, before or at the time of Muhammad ti being commissioned as Prophet, the entire world had steeped in darkness. A state of ignorance had overtaken the entire inhabited part of the earth in a manner that not even a twinkling light of hope and guidance was visible. Never before had such a state came to pass when civilization, society, morality, knowledge, wisdom, and knowledge of Allah had perished everywhere at the same time. The whole inhabited earth had been sent the guidance of Allah the Almighty, which kept coming to every country, and the sight of light and darkness continued appearing alternately like days and nights until night spread over the whole world. The time was right for the Prophet of Truth to be sent to all the countries of the world. Allah the Almighty put to an end the teachings brought by the former Prophets. He brought to the surface the dire need for a new guide and leader for every part of the world. Thus the sad plight of the mankind was thirsting for a new guide. Allah the Almighty chose Arabia to be the place of Prophethood and the birthplace of His Perfect Messenger and Guide. Thus the sun of Prophethood rose from Makkah to dispel darkness from the inhabited parts of the earth and illuminated the whole world with its bright rays.

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The Country of Arabia This book is inspired by this same rising sun. But, before coming to this point, the answer to the question why Arabia was chosen for the Prophethood of Muhammad ~ demands answers. Why was he not sent to any other country? The Choice of Arabia The most reasonable and definite answer to this question is that the last Prophet had, after all, to be born in any one particular country and so the question arises in every case. So, the question becomes meaningless. Another answer to the question is that all the well-known countries had at one time attained progress and development and achieved distinction in the sphere of civilization, society, ethics and science. Moreover, every country had tasted victory and defeat in due course. No language of any other country of the world had achieved such perfection as Arabic, which had surpassed other languages in the power of expression. If the Prophet ~ had been sent to any country other than Arabia, the message of the last Prophet ~ would have encountered complications due to the past and the previous history of victories and defeats and possession of or possession by the chosen country. There was also the risk of his message losing its power and grace and a part thereof might have been attributed to ancient traditions of the chosen country. The magnificent task of redressing civilization, character and spiritual values could not have been accomplished and all his endeavors would be lost in the ancient customs and tr2ditions of the country concerned. Moreover, any complete book of guidance is in need of a language superior to all others in power of expression, and no language was more appropriate than Arabic to bear the heavy spiritual and intellectual burden of Revelation. So, by any logic and reason, the last Prophet~ must have honored Arabia as his birth place. The people of Arabia neither became subject of any foreign power nor captured and ruled over any other country. Thus, to the Arabs, every The History of Islam nation or every country was alike. When they came out with Islam, all the civilized countries and nations from Spain on the eastern coast of Atlantic Ocean to China on the western coast of Chinese Sea, the entire human population was equally strange to them. Thus, Allah the Almighty sent his religion through a nation for whom the whole world was equally strange. Since the Arabian character, civilization and society were far from progress and development, it was obvious that it was this universal religion that made them highly civilized, morally disciplined, and a graceful nation, and the teachers and leaders of the world. The spiritual power of the Prophet~ was so tremendous that every nation in every period during his time and after him benefited from him. Moreover, the Quran is the culmination of all the teachings imparted by all the Prophets and guides. The above last few sentences may be considered strange to the concrete principles of history writing. Since, this book of history is solely meant for Muslim readership and I, too, am a Muslim by the Grace of Allah the Almighty, I cannot take back these words, which have naturally come from my pen. Whether I am expelled from the assembly of the historians or not, I shall feel happy if I am left to join the company of the Muslim Ummah.