Payg'ambar ﷺ shunday inson ediki, uning halolligi atrofdagilarga yaxshi ma'lum edi. Darhaqiqat, qavmi uni rasmiy ravishda al-Amīn (Ishonchli) deb atagan edi. Ular uni ta'qib qilib, xabarini rad etganlarida ham, o'zlarining eng qimmatli mol-mulklarini unga ishonib topshirar edilar. Oisha roziyallohu anho aytdi: "U ﷺ Alī roziyallohu anhuga Makkada qolib, Allahning Elchisi ﷺ odamlarga omonat qilib saqlagan barcha mol-mulkni qaytarishni buyurdi. Makkada (hatto dushmanlari orasida ham) hech kimning qimmatli narsalari yo'q edi, ularni ﷺ Allahning Elchisi huzurida saqlamagan bo'lsa, chunki uning haqida ma'lum bo'lgan halollik va ishonchlilik tufayli. Alī roziyallohu anhu uch kecha-kunduz to'xtab qoldi, odamlar Allahning Elchisi ﷺ ga omonat qilib topshirgan barcha narsalarni yetkazish uchun, so'ngra bu vazifani tugatgach, ﷺ uni yetib oldi."52

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was a person whose honesty was common knowledge to those around him. In fact, his clansmen had officially titled him al-Amīn (the Trustworthy).51 Even when they persecuted him and rejected his message, they still trusted him with their most precious possessions. ‘Āishah  said, “He صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed ‘Alī  to stay behind in Mecca, to return all the property the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم had held in trust for people. There was nobody in Mecca (even his enemies) who had valuables that he feared for except that he kept them with the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, due to the honesty and trustworthiness that was known [to all] about him. ‘Alī  stayed back for three days and three nights to deliver everything entrusted by the people to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم, and then caught up with him صلى الله عليه وسلم after completing that task.”52

Uning halolligi shu darajada ravshan ediki, uni turli davrlarda, turli kelib chiqishi va turli dinlarga mansub odamlar ham tan oladi. Uning hayotini o'qib, adolatli bir kishi boshqacha xulosaga kelishini tasavvur qilish haqiqatan ham qiyin. Shotlandiyalik faylasuf va tarixchi Tomas Karlayl (vafoti 1881 yil) Islomga nisbatan ba'zi shubhalarga ega bo'lsa-da, Oxirgi Payg'ambarning ﷺ samimiyligiga bo'lgan qiziqishi ba'zan shubha bilan ishonch o'rtasida tebranib turardi.

His honesty was so evident that even people from different eras, backgrounds, and religions recognize it. It is indeed difficult to imagine a fair person reading his life and arriving at a different conclusion. Although the Scottish philosopher and historian Thomas Carlyle (d. 1881) had his reservations about Islam, his fascination with the Final Prophet’s صلى الله عليه وسلم sincerity at times seemed to veer between skepticism and apparent conviction.

Bu, uning butun hayoti davomida olib borgan oddiy, tinch va kundalik hayot tarzi sababli ham "soxta payg'ambar" nazariyasiga keskin zid keladi: u yoshligining g'ayratli davrlarini shunchaki, hech qanday istisnosiz, o'ta tinch va odatiy tarzda o'tkazgan. U qirq yoshga to'lguncha osmondan kelgan biror vazifa haqida gapirmagan. Uning barcha g'ayritabiiy ishlari, haqiqiy yoki taxmin qilinganlari, yaxshi xotin Xadija vafot etgan ellik yoshidan keyin boshlangan. Uning barcha "ambitsiyasi", ko'rinishidan, shu paytgacha halol hayot kechirishdan iborat bo'lgan; uning "shuhrati", uni biladigan qo'shnilarining oddiy yaxshi fikri, shu paytgacha yetarli bo'lgan. Qari bo'lib, tinchlik bu dunyoda unga berilishi mumkin bo'lgan eng asosiy narsaga aylanmaguncha, u "ambitsiya yo'li"ni boshlamagan; o'tgan xulqi va butun hayotini inkor etib, [boshqalar tomonidan] o'zini hech narsaga arzimaydigan bema'ni firibgar sifatida ko'rsatgan, endi esa bahramand bo'la olmaydigan narsaga erishish uchun! Men o'zim esa o'sha [soxta payg'ambar nazariyasi]ga hech qanday ishonchim yo'q.53

For instance, It goes greatly against the impostor-theory, the fact that he lived in this entirely unexceptionable, entirely quiet and commonplace way, till the heat of his years was done. He was forty before he talked of any mission from Heaven. All his irregularities, real and supposed, date from after his fiftieth year, when the good Kadijah died. All his ‘ambition,’ seemingly, had been, hitherto, to live an honest life; his ‘fame,’ the mere good-opinion of neighbours that knew him, had been sufficient hitherto. Not till he was already getting old… and peace growing to be the chief thing this world could give him, did he start on the ‘career of ambition;’ and, belying all his past character and existence, set up [by others] as a wretched empty charlatan to acquire what he could now no longer enjoy! For my share, I have no faith whatever in that [impostor-theory].53

Shu kitobda Karlyl aytadi: “Yolg‘onlar (G‘arbiy tuhmat)

In the same book, Carlyle says, “The lies (Western slander)

bu odamga (Muhammadga) yaxshi niyatli g‘ayrat qanday qilib to‘plagan... Note on the wording: the original sentence is a phrase from a critical text, and the translation above keeps it as close to the original as possible. Here is a more natural version: bu odam (Muhammad ﷺ) atrofida yaxshi niyatli g‘ayrat qanday qilib shunday ko‘p afsonalarni to‘plagan

which well-meaning zeal has heaped round this man (Muhammad)

"...faqat o'zimizga sharmandalik keltiradi."54

are disgraceful to ourselves only.”54

Islomiy tarixda Karleyl (Carlyle) bu nazariyani ilgari surishidan ancha oldin ham shunday odamlar bo'lganki, ular "soxtakor" degan gumonni asossiz tuhmat deb rad etganlar. Payg'ambar Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم Vizantiya imperatori Heraklius (vaf. 641) bilan yozishganida va uni Islomni qabul qilishga chaqirganida, Heraklius darhol bu odamning payg'ambarlik da'volarini tasdiqlay oladigan kimnidir topish uchun bir otryadni yubordi. O'sha paytdagi Muhammadning asosiy dushmani Abu Sufyon ibn Harb ham hibsga olinib, Vizantiya amaldorlari huzurida so'roq qilinganlar orasida bo'ldi. Harbiy qo'mondon va yahudiy-xristian muqaddas kitoblarini yaxshi biladigan Heraklius Abu Sufyonga bir qator muhim savollar berdi va so'ng uning javoblarini qabilasining boshqa a'zolari bilan solishtirib ko'rdi. Tekshiruvni yakunlagach, Heraklius Abu Sufyonga, jumladan, quyidagilarni aytdi: "Men sendan uning [payg'ambarlik haqida] shunday deyishidan oldin hech qachon yolg'onchilikda ayblaganmisan, deb so'radim. Sen yo'q deding va men bilaman, u boshqalar haqida yolg'on gapirishdan tiyilmagan bo'lsa, Alloh haqida yolg'on gapirmaydi... Men sendan uning biror kishiga xiyonat qilganmi, deb so'radim. Sen yo'q deding va payg'ambarlar xiyonat qilmaydilar... Agar aytayotganing rost bo'lsa, u mana shu ikki oyog'im turgan joyni egallaydi. Men muqaddas kitoblardan bilardimki, u yaqinda paydo bo'ladi, ammo uning sizlardan chiqishini hech o'ylamagan edim. Agar uning huzuriga xavfsiz yetib bora olishimni bilganimda, albatta uni ko'rishga intilgan bo'lardim. Agar uning huzurida bo'lganimda, uning oyoqlarini o'zim yuvgan bo'lardim."55

Historical figures who dismissed the imposter theory as preposterous slander existed well before Carlyle. When Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم first corresponded with Heraclius (d. 641), the Byzantine emperor, calling him to embrace Islam, Heraclius immediately dispatched a brigade to find anyone who could verify this man’s claims to prophethood. The leading adversary of Muhammad at that time, Abū Sufyān ibn Ḥarb, was among those apprehended and interrogated in the presence of the Byzantine dignitaries. Heraclius—a military commander versed in Judeo-Christian scriptures—asked Abū Sufyān a series of key questions, and then cross-checked his answers with his fellow clansmen. Upon completing his investigation, the following is some of what Heraclius said to Abū Sufyān, I asked you whether you ever accused him of lying before he stated what he stated [about prophethood]. You replied in the negative, and I know that he would not refrain from lying about others and then lie about God… And I asked you whether he ever betrayed [anyone]. You replied in the negative, and likewise the messengers never betray… If what you are saying is true, he will conquer the place of these two feet of mine. And I knew [from scripture] that he would soon emerge, but I never assumed that he would be from among you. And if I knew that I could reach him [safely], I would have been bent on meeting him. And if I were in his presence, I would personally wash his feet.55

Tarix davomida ko'plab firibgarlar payg'ambarlik da'vo qilgan, ammo ularning soxtaligi vaqt o'tishi bilan doim ochilgan: ular yo ruhiy kasal odamlar, yo axloqsiz manfaatparastlar bo'lib chiqqan. Birinchi toifadagi kishilar jahon sahnasida hech qachon biror ta'sir ko'rsatmagan, ming-minglab olimlar, tarixchilar, faylasuflar va boshqa donishmand erkak va ayollarning hurmatini qozonadigan to'liq e'tiqodlar va qonunlar tizimini yaratish esa bundan ham uzoqda. Ikkinchi toifadagi kishilar esa vaqt o'tishi bilan xudbin va manipulyator ekani fosh bo'ladi; yaqin tarixdagi mashhur Joseph Smith (vafoti 1844) buning timsoli sifatida keltiriladi. Bu toifaga xos bo'lgan bunday xususiyatlar ulardan ajralmasdir va shunday bo'lishi kutilishi kerak, chunki do'stlaringiz haqida yolg'on gapirish begona odam haqida yolg'on gapirishdan yomonroq, ota-onangiz haqida yolg'on gapirish do'stlaringiz haqida yolg'on gapirishdan yomonroq bo'lgani kabi, Xudo haqida yolg'on gapirishdan ham yomonroq narsa yo'q. Shunday ekan, dunyoga Muhammad ﷺ ko'rsatgan benazir ta'sirga ega (3-bobga qarang) bo'lgan, shuningdek, hayoti va shaxsiy turmushi mayda-chuydasigacha hujjatlashtirilgan, lekin o'zining beg'ubor halolligi bilan ham tanilgan bir insonning Xudoning payg'ambari ekanligi haqidagi da'vosi e'tiborsiz qoldirilmasligi kerak.

In the history of humanity, many imposters have claimed prophethood, but it was always a matter of time before they were discovered to either be psychologically disturbed individuals or unethical opportunists. The first category has never had any influence on the world stage, let alone produced a complete system of beliefs and laws that would earn the respect of thousands of sages, historians, philosophers, and other men and women of wisdom. The second category is eventually exposed with the passage of time as sinister and manipulative, with the notorious Joseph Smith (d. 1844) being an iconic example of this in recent history. These are endemic qualities that permeate this second category, and should be expected to, because just as lying about your friends is worse than lying about a random person, and just as lying about your parents is worse than lying about your friends, there is nothing uglier than a person lying about God. So, when a man who had the unique impact on the world that Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم did (see Chapter 3) was also known for his impeccable honesty, despite his public and private life being documented with granular detail, then his claim of being God’s prophet should not be disregarded.

Yana bir dalil, uning halolligi va o‘zini ulug‘lashga yo‘l qo‘ymaslik borasidagi qat’iy turishi edi. Jobir ibn Abdulloh rivoyat qiladi: Allohning Elchisi ﷺ o‘g‘li Ibrohim vafot etgan kuni quyosh tutilishi bo‘ldi. Odamlar bu tutilish bolaning o‘limi tufayli sodir bo‘lgan deb gapira boshlaganda, Allohning Elchisi ﷺ darhol o‘rnidan turib dedi: “Quyosh ham, oy ham birovning o‘limi yoki tug‘ilishi sababli tutilmaydi. Aksincha, ular Allohning ikki belgisidir, U ular orqali bandalariga qo‘rquv soladi. Qachon tutilishni ko‘rsangiz, namoz o‘qing va Allohga duo qiling.”56 Agar Payg‘ambar ﷺ soxta, o‘zini ko‘rsatishga berilgan kishi bo‘lganida, bu juda qulay imkoniyat bo‘lardi, ya’ni bunday mos kelgan voqeani o‘z obro‘sini oshirish uchun ishlatish mumkin edi. Ushbu ikki hodisaning bir vaqtga to‘g‘ri kelishi har qanday shaxsiy maqsad uchun katta imkoniyat edi, ammo Payg‘ambar ﷺ boshqalarga bu voqeani osmonning Ibrohim uchun qayg‘urishi deb talqin qilishga yo‘l qo‘ymadi. Og‘ir yo‘qotishdan ranjigan bo‘lsalarda, u zot ﷺ yana minbarga chiqdi, bu noto‘g‘ri talqinni rad etdi va tutilishlar faqat Alloh yaratgan koinotda belgilagan kosmik tartibga bo‘ysinishini bayon qildi.

Another powerful testament to his integrity was his adamant refusal to allow anyone to aggrandize him. Jābir ibn ‘Abdillāh  narrates that there was a solar eclipse on the day that Ibrāhīm, the son of Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, had died. When the people began to say that the eclipse was due to the death of this young child, Allah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم rose at once and said, “The sun and the moon are not eclipsed because of the death or birth of anyone. Rather, they are two of God’s signs, by which He instills fear in His slaves. When you see an eclipse, pray and invoke God.”56 Had the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم been a narcissistic imposter, this would have been the perfect opportunity to capitalize on such a convenient credibility booster. These coinciding events represented an immense opportunity for any personal agenda, and yet the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم would not allow others to interpret this as the skies being saddened for Ibrāhīm. Though hurting from the tragic loss, he صلى الله عليه وسلم still ascended the pulpit, dismissed the false interpretation, and established that eclipses follow nothing but the cosmic order set by God in the created universe.

Boshqa bir holatda, Hudhayfa ibn al-Yamon Badr jangidan oldin Payg'ambar ﷺ huzuriga axloqiy ikkilanish bilan keldi.

On another occasion, Ḥudhayfah b. al-Yamān  came to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم prior to the Battle of Badr with an ethical dilemma.

Quraysh mushriklari Ḥudhayfah va uning otasini ozod qilgan edi, ammo shart bilan: u Muhammad saflariga qo‘shilmasligi va u bilan birga Quraysh bilan urushmasligi kerak edi. Musulmon lashkari ahvoli og‘ir bo‘lib, o‘zidan uch baravar katta harbiy kuch bilan to‘qnashmoqchi bo‘lsa ham, Payg‘ambar ﷺ shunday dedi: “Unda yo‘lingizda davom eting. Biz ular bilan qilgan ahdimizga vafo qilamiz va ulарга qarshi Allohdan yordam so‘raymiz.”57 Uning ﷺ payg‘ambarlik axloqi, juda zaif ahvolda bo‘lsa ham, halollik va to‘g‘rilik tamoyillaridan voz kechishiga yo‘l qo‘ymas edi.

The pagans of Quraysh had just released Ḥudhayfah and his father on the condition that he would not join Muhammad’s ranks and fight Quraysh alongside him. Despite the Muslim army being disadvantaged and about to face a military force three times its size, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم still said, “Then proceed on [to Madinah]. We will keep our promise to them, and we will seek aid from Allah against them.”57 His prophetic morals did not allow him صلى الله عليه وسلم, even in an extremely vulnerable position, to compromise the principles of honesty and uprightness.