About ten years ago, a distant cousin of mine - Mr.
Mohamed Mehtar Farooki gave me a typed
quotation by the French historian, Lamartine. The
quotation [A detailed exposition of the quotation
will be found on page 38] purported to prove that
Muhammad (pbuh), the Prophet of Islam, was the
greatest man that ever lived. Mr. Mehtar was in the
habit of passing information on to me, believing
that I might put the same to some good use at the
proper time and place. Before this he had
presented me with "The Call of the Minaret," an
expensive book written by (Bishop Kenneth
Cragg). By analysing this book I discovered the
masterful deceit of the Christian Orientalists.
Lamartine's tribute to our prophet inspired me and
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I had a great desire to share his thoughts about our
Nabi with my Muslim brethren. The opportunity
to do so was not long in coming.
I received a phone call from the Muslim
community in Dannhauser, a small town in
Northern Natal, who were organising a birthday
celebration of the Holy Prophet. They invited me
to give a lecture on that auspicious occasion. So I
deemed it an honour and a privilege, I readily
agreed. When they inquired, in view of their
advertising needs, as to the subject of my lecture, I
suggested on the inspiration from Lamartine,
"Muhammad (pbuh) the Greatest."