Huzaifa Tanzeel

Very few people here seem to understand what influential means… It doesn’t mean the person with the best morals, or the most respected person, or the most widely known person, or the nicest person, or the holiest person. The most influential person would be the person who influenced history—and the world—the most. While Jesus was a very influential person from his teachings, his endeavors and achievements were strictly religious. Moreover, a lot of the spreading of his teachings occurred after he left this world; During his life, his disciples—a handful of people—were the only ones who learned from him. Yes, he was an honorable person. Yes, he is highly respected by many around the globe. But that DOES NOT make him the most INFLUENTIAL person in history. Michael Hart had explained before that his selection of Muhammad ﷺ was due to the fact that He ﷺ was very successful in both the religious and secular realms. Establishing what was to become the second largest religion in the world (Not to undermine the popularity of Christianity), as well as many of the most powerful empires in history, planting the seeds for both of these in the duration of only 23 years. It is for this reason that Michael Hart chose Muhammad ﷺ as the most influential person in history. Many scientists are also included on the list, as many of them brought ideas that revolutionized science, such as Albert Einstein and his Theory of Relativity or Isaac Newton and his discovery of gravity. Hart did not choose Muhammad ﷺ for his teachings, character, or his being a prophet. And no, it was not to “appease the angry Muslim hordes.” I doubt any muslim would mind if a westerner wrote without Muhammad ﷺ at the top, as Michael Hart is not the first to write a book like this, and it shouldn’t be expected for a Christian to put Muhammad ﷺ at such a high status anyway. Michael Hart just tried to include individuals from all backgrounds to be as unbiased as possible. He has done an incredible amount of research to have written this book. As for any Muslim I want to tell you that we should not depend on others’ impressions of Islam, if we know in our heart what is true. Especially since this is an evaluation of influence, it does not have anything to do with Muhammad ﷺ’s character. If any of you want to come here to vent your anger at Muslims, go to Reddit or X or something, this is not the place for that. That being said, this is a great book, and I believe that every person should know the names and descriptions of every person in this book (not just the top 10). In fact, if the school system is ever subject to change, I would be glad if they standardized this book in their curriculum.