Last year when we were presenting the first volume of the book “An Excellent Exemplar” we said that “a sea cannot be crossed by swimming.”
The person who was presented as “the best paradigm” by the Lord cannot be finished by reading, either. Read, read, read …
This is the true conduct …
The esteemed personality of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) reflected in his entire life …
The first volume included his exemplary life “in servitude, in morals, and in manners,” now in the second volume the Prophet’s “way of conveying his message, his discipline, and his dealings with others” are be thoroughly examined and analyzed.
Servitude is a matter related to a person’s inner world in particular… An attempt to understand the deep and special relationship between the Creator of the universe and His chosen Messenger to humanity … Last year three young and distinguished scholars tried to achieve this goal. In addition to servitude, the morals and manners of this honorable Prophet were presented. Three young scholars pointed out the virtues, perfection, and excellence of his distinguished life so that they can be guiding lights in our lives…
This year we will learn about our Prophet (pbuh) through his social life and organize our lives by the standarts obtained from his life.
Being the best in conveying the message of Islam …
In this era of modern communications, place the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) on your horizon and study him … Listen to his incessant call from the time when he (pbuh) asked his wife Khadijah (r. anha) “who is going to believe me?” until the time when he asked his Companion in his farewell sermon “have I conveyed the message? Dear Lord! Be my Witness.” Pay attention to his most esteemed call, which did not cease even under the most difficult circumstances and severest deprivation. Listen to and then look at yourself ! Look at your efforts, your attempts, your speech, your love, your heart, your ambitions… You have an excellent paradigm before you who said that “It is better for you to help someone to convert to Islam than anything in this world.” In how many people have you helped to light the spark of the straight path? How many people’s pain of disbelief have you felt in your heart? You have a Prophet who said “O People! Say there is no god but Allah and save yourselves” even when his uncle was chasing him and calling to people “Do not believe him, he lost his mind.” Into how many people’s ears have you whispered “Say there is no god but Allah and save yourself”? If the Prophet (pbuh) is presented to you as the Excellent Exemplar by your Lord and if he is your paradigm, then you should struggle to meet with him, identify yourself with him, and benefit from him…
That is not all…
There is discipline in the line… You will evaluate your personality according to the measures given by your honorable leader who said “My Lord has disciplined me and how excellently He has disciplined me.” You will look into his method of training people and mold the future generations in accordance with it.
And interacting with others… The essential principles of social life… Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) brought a new society out of a society which is called “ignorant” for they had forgotten merits of being a human. And this new society is called a “Muslim society.” A society of peace, trust, security… A society of mercy… Islam has become more than abstract ideals and it moved from individuals to a tangible society. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) realized this in his own life… Then he took the people and molded them in a society. He built a society centered upon love and cooperation. Do contemporary Muslims have any concern about building a new society? Do they see that the stains from the age of ignorance have been smeared upon their time and do they feel the pain of how to get rid of such stains? They will look at the Prophet (pbuh)… Then they will find out how they will change their society and the principles of a healthy society among the traditions of the Prophet (pbuh)… And finally they will hold his hand and walk towards that society…
“An excellent exemplar 2” consists of such richness and vitality.
By presenting the second volume of “An excellent exemplar” Altinoluk magazine takes a step in the completion of a believer’s library.
What we would like to say is that we need to read about the Messenger of Allah (pbuh)… We need to read about him constantly, because he (pbuh) is the living Qur’an. Let’s read the Qur’an, let’s read about him…
Let’s attend this year, too, this school where Prophet’s esteemed personality is taught. And let’s dedicate ourselves to reading the books talking about “the best man.”
We offer our heartfelt thanks to the three scholars, i.e. Prof. Ömer Çelik, Assist. Prof. Mustafa Öztürk and Dr. Murat Kaya, who brought fair winds from that sacred climate for the last two years.
When we are leaving you with this wonderful book, we repeat our prayer that we made last year: “May our Lord honor us with the Companionship of the Messenger of Allah.”
Amin!
ALTINOLUK