The Life and Teachings of Muhammad

Adyar Pamphlets The Life and Teachings of Muhammad No. 162
redemption of captives; who is constant at prayer, and giveth alms; and of those who perform their
covenant when they have covenanted, and who behave themselves patiently in adversity, and hardships,
and in times of violence; [Page 33] these are they who are true, and these are they who fear God." [Al
Quran, Chapter 2 ] "Wrong not your brother, defend the weak from the injury. All things shall perish; God
alone will survive". This simple, clear, definite declaration relating all actions to the source is the fabric of
a simple and noble morality.
Charity is more fully enjoined in AI Quran than in any of the other Scriptures:
"Be not niggardly, but give in charity for the religion; for he who is niggardly, is niggardly to his own soul.
God wants nothing; but thy own soul wants. God is high above all needs, but you profit". "Charity
enlarges the mind and expands the sympathies." And how beautiful is the following from a sermon on
charity preached by the Prophet! " Every good act is charity. Your smiling in your brother's face is charity.
An exhortation addressed to your fellow-men to do virtuous deeds is equal to alms-giving. Putting a
wanderer in the right path is charity; assisting the blind is charity; removing stones and thorns and other
obstructions from the road is charity; giving water to the thirsty is charity". [The Spirit of Islam, by Syed
Ameer Ali, M.A.. C.I.E. p.135]
In Islam the duty of alms-giving is a definite duty. One-fifth of the spoils taken in battle should be given to
God, to the Prophet and his kindred and to strangers and orphans. Every Muslim is enjoined to give a
definite portion of his property [Page 34] and earning in charity, and the result is that the idea of
brotherhood is fully inculcated. People understand that the poor and the miserable have great claims on
the wealthy. The idea of charity also serves to strengthen the bonds of religion.
Islam warned against keeping the letter and neglecting the spirit. “It is not righteousness merely to pray,
but it is righteousness to be charitable, to be generous and religious. Mere prayers are not sufficient”.
This is the refrain of Islam's moral commands.
Muhammadan Philosophy. It is as great as it is noble, as spiritual as that of any other religion in the
world. Now here in modern Islam there is much to miss; but what Islam was in the days of the might of its
thought, no words can be too strong to express. “Acquire knowledge", the Prophet says in one of his
sermons, “because he who acquires it in the way of the Lord performs an act of piety; who speaks of it
praises the Lord; who seeks it adores God; who dispenses instruction in it, bestows alms; and who
imparts it to its fitting objects, performs an act of devotion to God. Knowledge enables its possessor to
distinguish what is forbidden from what is not; it lights the way to Heaven; it is our friend in the desert; our
society in solitude, our companion when bereft of friends; it guides us to happiness; it sustains us in
misery; it is our ornament in the company of friends; it serves as an [Page 35] armour against our
enemies. With knowledge, the servant of God rises to the height of goodness and to a noble position,
associates with sovereigns in this world, and attains to the perfection of happiness in the next". [The
Spirit of Islam, pp. 431, 532 ] Again: "The ink of the scholar is more valuable than the blood of the
martyr". [ lbid., p. 537] The result of this preaching was an outburst of learning which led to the
foundation of a great philosophy and of a great University. Muhammadan philosophers flourished in large
numbers in Spain in the 8th, 9th and l0th centuries. Their philosophy is identical with Advaita Vedanta.
Their works are in Arabic or in Monkish Latin, and are not known. There can be no nobler work for
Muhammadan States than the discovery and translation of such works and the consequent spread and
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