In recent times, a book has been published in America titled “The 100,” or the Top One Hundred, or the Greatest Hundred in History. Michael H. Hart who is known as a historian, mathematician and astronomer has written this novel book.
He has searched history, seeking for men who had the greatest influence on mankind. In this book he gives us the hundred most influential men, including Asoka, Aristotle, Buddha, Confucius, Hitler, Plato, and Zoroaster.
He does not give us a mere chart of the topmost “one hundred” from the point of view of their influence on people, but he evaluates the degree of their influence and rates them in order of their excellence from No. 1, through to No. 100.
He gives us his reasons for the placing of his candidates. We are not asked to agree with him, but we cannot help admire the man’s research and honesty.
The most amazing thing about his selection is that he has put Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) at the No. 1 position in his list of “100” most influential people in history of mankind, thus confirming, unknowingly, God’s Own testimony in His Final Revelation (Quran) to the World:
Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad SAW) you have a good example to follow [Quran 33:21]
Hart placing the Prophet of Islam as No. 1, has naturally pleased the Muslims. But his choice has shocked the Non-Muslims, more specially the Jews and the Christians, who consider this as an affront. What? Jesus at No. 3 and Moses at No. 40! This is for them very difficult to digest.
Muhammad is Greater than Jesus and Moses
But what Michael Hart says? Let’s hear his argument –
“Since there are roughly twice as many Christians in the world, it may initially seem strange that Muhammad has been ranked higher than Jesus.
There are two principal reasons for that decision.
First, Muhammad played a far more important role in the development of Islam than Jesus did in the development of Christianity.
Although Jesus was responsible for the main ethical and moral precepts of Christianity (insofar as these differed from Judaism), St. Paul was the main developer of Christian theology, its principal proselytizer, and the author of a large portion of the New Testament.
Muhammad, however, was responsible for both the theology of Islam and its main ethical and moral principles.
In addition, he played the key role in proselytizing the new faith, and in establishing the religious practices of Islam.”
Recommended Readings: