'"
deliberately easy to follow and endeavors to convey Islam's spiritual and
universal teachings. The Messenger's historical experience is clearly the
privileged way to grasp the eternal principles shared by more than a bil-
lion Muslims throughout the world. This book is thus a living introduc-
tion to I slam.
The Messenger taught his Companions to love God, and the Quran
taught them in return: "S ayL 0 MessengerJ: <If you lo\'c God, follow me:
God williove you."'s They strove [Q follow his example, driven by a love
for him that itself was animated by the imensity of their love for God.
This love was such that when Umar ibn al-Khauab heard of the Prophet's
death, he threatened to kill whoever dared claim that the Prophet was
dead: he had only been raised to heaven and would assuredly come back.
Another of Muhammad's Companions, Abu Bakr, asked Umar to be
quiet, and declared: "0 you people, let those who worshiped Muhammad
know that Muhammad is now dead! As for those who worshiped God, let
them know that God is alive and does not die.,, 6 Then he recited the fol~
lowing verse: " Muhammad is no mo re than a messenger; many were the
messengers who passed away before him. If he died or was killed, will you
then turn back? If any did turn back, not the least harm will he do to God.
But God will reward th e thankful.,,7 T hose words forcefully recall the fini-
tude of the f.-1cssenger's life but in no way reduce the infinite love and
deep respect Muslims ha\'c continued to show the Last Prophet through
the ages.
This love finds expression in the permanent remembrance of his life
in their hearts and memories, constantly offering prayers for the Mes-
senger, and in the human and moral requirement to follow his example in
daily life. The present biography endeavors to fulfill this requirement with
love and knowledge. The Prophet's life is an invitation to a spirituality that
avoids no question and teaches us-in the course of events, trials, hard-
ships, and our <.Juest-that the true answers to existential questions are
more often those given by the heart than by the intelligence. D eeply, sim-
ply: he who cannot love cannot understand.