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

2

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."