In recent years Michael H. Hart ranked the noble Prophet Muhammad at No. 1 in his list of the 100 most influential persons of the world who changed the course of history. He writes in his book, The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History. Michael Hart explains the reasons for selecting Prophet Muhammad:
“My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels.
Of humble origins, Muhammad founded and promulgated one of the world’s great religions, and became an immensely effective political leader.
Today, thirteen centuries after his death, his influence is still powerful and pervasive”
Prophet Muhammad- Most Astonishing Man Ever
Michael Hart claims that accomplishments of Muhammad have no parallel in human history:
“….The Bedouin tribesmen of Arabia had a reputation as fierce warriors. But their number was small; and plagued by disunity and internecine warfare, they had been no match for the larger armies of the kingdoms in the settled agricultural areas to the north.
However, unified by Muhammad for the first time in history, and inspired by their fervent belief in the one true God, these small Arab armies now embarked upon one of the most astonishing series of conquests in human history”
Unprecedented Achievements of Prophet Muhammad
“….In fact, as the driving force behind the Arab conquests, he may well rank as the most influential political leader of all time…
Nothing similar had occurred before Muhammad, and there is no reason to believe that the conquests would have been achieved without him”
“….We see then, that the Arab conquests of the seventh century have continued to play an important role in human history, down to the present day.
It is this unparalleled combination of secular and religious influence which I feel entitles Muhammad to be considered the most influential single figure in human history.”