The Sanctity of the Prophet ﷺ and the Historical Background of Western Conspiracies
The issue of the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not merely a matter of defending an individual, but a defense of an entire ideology, a core belief, and the very identity of the Muslim Ummah. At certain times, this issue even surpasses the importance of Tawḥīd (the oneness of Allah) in its urgency and emotional weight.
All Islamic teachings have reached us through the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. If his noble personality is rendered questionable, then the entire religious structure collapses. The disbelievers have always understood this reality, which is why instead of attacking his message, they aimed to undermine his personality.
Allah ﷻ ensured that before the Prophet ﷺ was appointed, his truthfulness and moral integrity were universally acknowledged within Arab society. The people of Arabia honored him with the titles of “al-Ṣādiq” (the truthful) and “al-Amīn” (the trustworthy). When he began preaching Islam, the disbelievers avoided ideological debate, and instead attacked his character:
◈ They called him a soothsayer, poet, or madman.
◈ They accused him of inciting rebellion or aspiring for worldly kingship.
◈ After the migration to Madinah, allegations were made against his family to cast doubts on his honesty and trust.
◈ Through poetry and literature, attempts were made to dishonor his status.
◈ The Jews and Christians leveled various accusations, including criticism of polygamy, his marriage to ʿĀʾishah (RA), and the expulsion of Jewish tribes from Madinah.
Later, Orientalists revived a new wave of objections against the Prophet ﷺ. Sometimes these criticisms emerged under the influence of the Church, and at other times they were propagated by Jewish thinkers. Today, the Western world is repeating the same old objections, but in new formats:
◈ Dante Alighieri, in his Divine Comedy, insulted the Prophet ﷺ.
◈ Magazines like Charlie Hebdo conduct blasphemous campaigns under the guise of “freedom of speech.”
What is more alarming than Western hostility toward Islam is the presence of internal defeatist elements who attempt to justify Western objections. These groups, influenced by colonialist ideologies, began saying:
◈ “We have failed to present religion in the correct manner.”
◈ “Our arguments are weak and ineffective in the modern era.”
◈ “We are intellectually backward; the West won't listen to us.”
◈ “Classical arguments have become outdated.”
This mindset divides into two major schools of thought:
➊ The first school advocates reforming religion to make it acceptable to the West. Proponents of this view include Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Dr. Fazlur Rahman, Waheeduddin Khan, and Javed Ahmad Ghamidi.
➋ The second school believes that the proofs of Islam should be rephrased using the language of modern philosophy, logic, and science, discarding the classical legal and theological frameworks.
The notion that religion can be modified to suit modern standards has already been tested. Western Christianity has altered its teachings numerous times, yet it failed to protect itself from Western blasphemy and mockery.
For example, the Bible strictly prohibited homosexuality:
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22)
“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” (Leviticus 20:13)
Yet today, the Pope himself has declared:
“Pope Francis has said that he thinks same-sex couples should be allowed to have ‘civil unions’.”
Despite such concessions, the West has not honored the Church, but continues to treat it with the same disrespect as it does with other religions.
The truth is, the West harbors hostility not toward Islam alone, but toward religion itself. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not their only target—they have mocked ʿĪsā (Jesus) عليه السلام countless times as well.
Those who advocate for a “modernized Islam” are either ignorant of reality, or deceiving themselves and the Ummah. The solution to Western objections is not the distortion of Islamic teachings, but to respond with strength, conviction, and sound argumentation grounded in the core tenets of Islam.
❖ The Issue of the Sanctity of the Prophet ﷺ
The issue of the sanctity of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not merely a matter of defending an individual, but a defense of an entire ideology, a core belief, and the very identity of the Muslim Ummah. At certain times, this issue even surpasses the importance of Tawḥīd (the oneness of Allah) in its urgency and emotional weight.
❖ The Noble Personality of the Prophet ﷺ and the Truth of Islam
All Islamic teachings have reached us through the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. If his noble personality is rendered questionable, then the entire religious structure collapses. The disbelievers have always understood this reality, which is why instead of attacking his message, they aimed to undermine his personality.
Allah ﷻ ensured that before the Prophet ﷺ was appointed, his truthfulness and moral integrity were universally acknowledged within Arab society. The people of Arabia honored him with the titles of “al-Ṣādiq” (the truthful) and “al-Amīn” (the trustworthy). When he began preaching Islam, the disbelievers avoided ideological debate, and instead attacked his character:
◈ They called him a soothsayer, poet, or madman.
◈ They accused him of inciting rebellion or aspiring for worldly kingship.
◈ After the migration to Madinah, allegations were made against his family to cast doubts on his honesty and trust.
◈ Through poetry and literature, attempts were made to dishonor his status.
◈ The Jews and Christians leveled various accusations, including criticism of polygamy, his marriage to ʿĀʾishah (RA), and the expulsion of Jewish tribes from Madinah.
❖ Orientalist Thought and Western Conspiracies
Later, Orientalists revived a new wave of objections against the Prophet ﷺ. Sometimes these criticisms emerged under the influence of the Church, and at other times they were propagated by Jewish thinkers. Today, the Western world is repeating the same old objections, but in new formats:
◈ Dante Alighieri, in his Divine Comedy, insulted the Prophet ﷺ.
◈ Magazines like Charlie Hebdo conduct blasphemous campaigns under the guise of “freedom of speech.”
❖ The Defeatist Mentality Within the Muslim World
What is more alarming than Western hostility toward Islam is the presence of internal defeatist elements who attempt to justify Western objections. These groups, influenced by colonialist ideologies, began saying:
◈ “We have failed to present religion in the correct manner.”
◈ “Our arguments are weak and ineffective in the modern era.”
◈ “We are intellectually backward; the West won't listen to us.”
◈ “Classical arguments have become outdated.”
This mindset divides into two major schools of thought:
➊ The first school advocates reforming religion to make it acceptable to the West. Proponents of this view include Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, Dr. Fazlur Rahman, Waheeduddin Khan, and Javed Ahmad Ghamidi.
➋ The second school believes that the proofs of Islam should be rephrased using the language of modern philosophy, logic, and science, discarding the classical legal and theological frameworks.
❖ The Example and Reality of Christianity
The notion that religion can be modified to suit modern standards has already been tested. Western Christianity has altered its teachings numerous times, yet it failed to protect itself from Western blasphemy and mockery.
For example, the Bible strictly prohibited homosexuality:
“You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination.” (Leviticus 18:22)
“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” (Leviticus 20:13)
Yet today, the Pope himself has declared:
“Pope Francis has said that he thinks same-sex couples should be allowed to have ‘civil unions’.”
Despite such concessions, the West has not honored the Church, but continues to treat it with the same disrespect as it does with other religions.
❖ Conclusion: The West is Hostile to All Religion, Not Just Islam
The truth is, the West harbors hostility not toward Islam alone, but toward religion itself. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is not their only target—they have mocked ʿĪsā (Jesus) عليه السلام countless times as well.
Those who advocate for a “modernized Islam” are either ignorant of reality, or deceiving themselves and the Ummah. The solution to Western objections is not the distortion of Islamic teachings, but to respond with strength, conviction, and sound argumentation grounded in the core tenets of Islam.
