While on the subject of Prophet (s.a.w.), I recieved a mail which is relevant to the current topic of discussion :-
This article is directed to those who are interested in upholding the values of the Quran , who have reverence for Muhammed ( S.A.W.) the messenger of Allah . The last prophet for all mankind , and to those who study Islamic history , who are interested in knowing some facts about the person about whom the Jewish author observes " one of the greatest men in history " " a hero among the top Hundred personalities in world history .
This particular term " Ummi " to mean unlettered , uneducated appeared most unkind , uncultured and unethical when applied to one of the greatest personalities the world has ever seen or recorded in history
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I have struggled with the explanation offered by Stalwart Ulema about the person whom they profess to adore and worship. For generations this explanation seems to have been in use without realizing the import of the meaning .
In many of my talks on earlier occasions i had also made similar mistakes in reference to the personality of Muhammed (saw) i found in my research , the ancient name of Mecca was bekka or " Umal Khaira " as Medina was named " yatrib .
Naturally the person born or living in a particular place is commonly associated with the place of living . people living in Delhi are commonly called " delhvi "people born and living in Lucknow are called Lucknowi . Like wise , I up held , the people belonging to Mecca were being called Ummi with reference to Umal khaira the old name
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I now feel , that I should stand up to correct this misnomer. For a ling time , the Muslims have been unconsciously disrespecting the very personality they profess to adore and respect , because of a huge misunderstanding created by the scholars of Islam influenced by the Persians , the Jews and the christian writers of Islam . Unfortunately , this was repeated over and over again in the speeches given by the Ulema at the Milad ceremony . They called the holy messenger of Allah , the greatest personality in history as " unlettered , uneducated "
A Milad ceremony takes place to profess love and respect for the messenger of God , yet reference are made to disrespect his personality . The factual gist of the teachings as " a way of life " societal reformation has long been forgotten by the Muslim people including the scholars .
The ancient Jews and the latter christian used this term " Ummi " to refer to those race of people who have been ignorant of the message of god . that means to those whom God had not chosen to sent his messenger to enlighten them .
The Jews and Christian of Medina used this term for the Quraish of mecca as the race of people , who were not chosen by God to who no messenger was sent before the last messenger Muhammed ( SAW ) . Until the birth and declaration of prophet-hood by Muhammed (pbuh) . This was the way and style of expression for the Arabs of Arabia , who according to the Jews and christian people were not the chosen ones of God . Hence that race who was considered ignorant of the message of God were termed " ummi " hence all the Arabs in Arabia were called UMMi according to the religious term of the Jews and Christians .
Now for the Muslims the world over to use the term not blessed with the message nor chosen to receive the messenger-ship from God is utter blasphemy against the last messenger of Allah .
According to the reading of the Quran " The last prophet and his companions and those around him were GENTILE race , which means they had no knowledge of God's scripture . In other words the Muslim religionists still deny that Muhammed was not chosen by God to receive the message of God .
This is how the Arabs and the Quraish had accused Muhammed ( saw) of writing tales of the past ( earlier generations and prophets ) when he dictated the Quran to be written and declared to the non believing pagan Arabs .
The term Ummi is not unlettered nor ignorant but a pre- islamic term for the one who was ignorant of the scripture of God .When the Muslims and the world over recognize Muhammed as the last messenger of God it would be derogatory to claim that Muhammed (pbuh) to have remained ignorant of the scripture . Quran is the scripture given to the last messenger of God .
The term " ummi " to mean unlettered , uneducated is an Arab corruption by those who were opposed to the way of life taught by the messenger of God
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This term Ummi is an ancient term used by the early Jews and then later by the Christians ( who converted the teachings of Jesus into a religion called christianity )
ghiasuddin akbar <
ghias_aj@yahoo.com