By: Dr. Noor Ahmed Noor❖ A Personal Incident
This is an old account from my time at Liaquat Medical College, Jamshoro. The students organized a Seerat-un-Nabi ﷺ Conference and invited all faculty members. I attended the gathering alongside Dr. Inayatullah Jokhiyo, an orthopedic specialist. In the session, a lecturer of Islamic Studies delivered a comprehensive address on the private life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, highlighting the wisdom behind each of his marriages and the benefits the Ummah gained from them. His words left a deep impression on the audience.❖ A Surprising Confession
After the conference, as we traveled from Jamshoro to Hyderabad, Dr. Inayatullah Jokhiyo made a stunning statement:“Tonight, I have become a Muslim once again.”
When I asked why, he recounted an event from eight years ago during his travel to England for his FRCS.
An air hostess had asked about his religion, to which he replied that he was a Muslim and that the name of their Prophet is Muhammad ﷺ. She then remarked, “Do you know your Prophet had eleven marriages?” His lack of knowledge led him to confess ignorance. She continued with more comments that planted doubts and resentment in his heart toward the Prophet ﷺ.
By the time he reached London, he had emotionally drifted away from Islam. During his stay, he even abandoned Eid prayers.
However, the lecture he heard that night cleared his doubts and revived his faith.
❖ A Matter for Deep Reflection
This incident offers a powerful lesson: Ignorance of our religion can lead to grave misguidance.We spend years in educational institutions, read hundreds of books and novels, yet remain unaware of the complete life of the Prophet ﷺ. In today's era, the rise of social media has further decreased the habit of reading. A significant portion of our youth are active on platforms like Facebook and others, but many of them are completely unaware of the primary sources of Islam—Qur'an, Hadith, and the Seerah.
At the same time, misleading content is spreading rapidly on these platforms. Atheists and critics are effectively propagating their views and doubts. One of the main reasons for their success is the lack of Islamic knowledge among Muslims. Our connection with Allah and His Messenger ﷺ is often emotional, but emotions alone are insufficient when intellectual arguments are required.
❖ The Need for a Solution
✔ We must dedicate time to studying the Qur’an, Hadith, and Seerah, and foster an environment of learning within our homes.✔ Keep authentic books on the Seerah of the Prophet ﷺ in our households and encourage our children to read them.
✔ There are two essential means to protect ourselves from religious misguidance:
① Maintaining a consistent relationship with qualified scholars, and
② Studying reliable Islamic books ourselves.
This is the only path that will preserve our faith and protect us from the misconceptions spreading about our religion.
