Towards the end

Towards the end of his earthly sojourn, when he could look back to a hectic and dangerous past, now crowned with success; he now feels that he could sit back and enjoy the fruits of his toil; he dreams of a life free from turmoil and full of satisfaction and relaxation. Not for him! There is no time to rest or relax. There is work still to be done. God Almighty reminds him - - 

WE HAVE NOT SENT THEE (O MUHAMMAD) BUT TO THE WHOLE OF MANKIND.

AS A GIVER OF GLAD TIDINGS AND AS A WARNER, BUT MOST OF MANKIND STILL DO NOT KNOW. 

Holy Quran 34:28 

[This is your last chance to memorize the text and the translation of this verse. If you are lackadaisical, we can only mourn your loss.]

How was he to respond to this new challenge in his ripening old age? There were no electronic gadgets of modern communication methods at his disposal; there were no telex and fax machines which he could exploit. What could he do? Being an ummi (unlettered), he called the scribes and dictated five letters, one each to 

• the Emperor at Constantinople, 
• the King of Egypt, 
• the Negus of Abyssinia, 
• the King of Yemen and 
• to the Emperor in Persia. 

He called forth five Sahaaba (his holy companions) with five Arab steeds and set them out in five different directions inviting the nations of the world to the universal religion of God.

I had the good fortune of seeing one of those holy epistles in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul (old Constantinople) Turkey. That letter is collecting dust! Materially the Turks have preserved the parchment. But the Message is collecting dust, as I have said.

The letter begins, "From Muhammad the Messenger of God, to Heraclius the Emperor at Constantinople: Accept Islam and be benefited." followed by this exhortation from the Book of God - - SAY: "O PEOPLE OF THE BOOK! ["People of the Book," stands for the Jews and the Christians. You will never have it so good for learning Allah's Kalaam. Don't ignore this opportunity. Memorize the verses as they occur.]

COME TO COMMON TERMS AS BETWEEN US AND YOU:

THAT WE WORSHIP NONE BUT GOD;

THAT WE ASSOCIATE NO PARTNERS WITH HIM;

THAT WE ERECT NOT, FROM AMONG OURSELVES, 
LORDS AND PATRONS OTHER THAN GOD."

IF THEN THEY TURN BACK, SAY YE: 
"BEAR WITNESS THAT WE (AT LEAST) ARE MUSLIMS" (BOWING TO GOD'S WILL) 

Holy Quran 3:64

After the above Quranic insertion in the letter, it is concluded with felicitation in the Prophet's own words, ending with a seal on which is inscribed - "There is no other object of worship but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger."

The letter in Turkey arouses our curiosity; and interest with regards to its preservation, but the preservation itself is lost upon the sightseer. The same Quranic Message is in almost every Muslim home; being read and re-read a thousand times over without the reader being moved to deliver its Message to the addressees!

Glance once more at the above verse. It is addressed to the "ahle-Kitaab," - the People of the Book, the Jews and the Christians. But, for over a thousand years we have utterly ignored that great directive at our own peril. We are sitting on that Message like a cobra on a pile of wealth, keeping the rightful heirs at bay. This utter neglect will continue to inflict untold suffering to the Ummah for generations to come.

Source

To Be Continued....