He would have had a permanent place in history even as a social reformer by the sheer virtue of lifting nomadic Arab tribes steeped in the depths of superstition including infanticide, tyrannical practices of slavery, undermining of women and hedonic pleasure-seeking to the heights of an orderly society. It was a feat to have led them from darkness to light.

Yet he was more than that -- the Prophet of Islam basing his teachings on the revealed book of Quran imparting the message of 'Touhid', the oneness of the Almighty with Muhammad(sm) as His last Messenger. The speed with which the message spread far and wide in his own life time is a permanent tribute to vast moral influence he wielded around him.

His sterling qualities included upholding truth, justice, equity and fair play against stunning odds in societal and community relationships. Personally, he never preached what he did not practise, a rare quality by today's standards.

It is a pity that the values of universal brotherhood, peace and tolerance that the Prophet so vigorously championed are now being misinterpreted by a minuscule minority of religious extremists, albeit with ulterior motives. The Prophet would never have approved violence and senseless blood letting that have become the credo of extremism. Our people are very religious, but traditionally they have never tired of opposing exploitation of religion for political purposes whenever it was attempted. At the other extreme of the fanatical scale, we see the profiling of Islam by those who miss out on its core messages which are peace and communal harmony.

The teachings of Muhammad (pbuh) can be pressed into service in overcoming communal, sectarian and all other types of conflicts that divide the world today threatening to push it on to the brink of disaster.