The poetic praise said about the Prophet of Islam is an ancient and one of the most prominent purposes of religious poetry, from the days of the beginning of His Prophethood to all the periods that followed, all the way to our modern era.
The praises of the Prophet is not an exclusive to Muslim poets. Rather, Arab Christian poets excelled in what they said praising the Prophet of Islam, from poems that became from the eyes of Arab poetry, such as the poet George Sidah, Michael Khairallah, Khalil Mutran, Elias Consul, and many others.
The Lebanese immigrant poet Rashid Salim al-Khoury (1887-1984) was one of the most important pioneers who wrote the most beautiful poems on the Prophet.
There is no evidence for the extent of the spiritual mix that the Khoury experienced, between his Christian religion and his influence on Islam and His Prophet, more than what he recommended, after his departure, that a priest and an old man shall lead his funeral and pray for him.
Indeed, the village poet, whose title is the most famous Khoury, recommended details on his grave that show the Islamic religion, as well as Christianity, stressing the presence of a crescent moon in his tomb, as well as the reading of Al-Fatihah on his grave, as well.
Al-Khoury’s attachment to the Prophet of Islam reached the point where he said: “Any writer who is passionate about wisdom does not fall prostrate to the noble hadith and the miracle of the Qur’an!”
Indeed, he said in his speech in commemoration of the Prophet Muhammad’s emigration:
“Oh Muhammad, oh truly prophet of God, oh glory of the Arabs, oh glory of humanity, your religion is the religion of instinct.”
Due to his love for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, and his message, one he said: “I am certain that humanity, after giving up all its philosophies and despairing of all its doctrines and theories, will see that there is no way out for it from its predicaments, no rest for its soul, and no righteousness for its affairs except by embracing it in the bosom of Islam.”
And due to his attachment and love for Muhammad reached, that some accused him of leaving Christianity and entering Islam. However, the Khoury, whose title is “The Saint of Arabism,” was proud of both the Prophets, Jesus, peace be upon him, and Muhammad.
And the Khoury did not leave an occasion except to overlook the name of the Prophet of Islam, with a poetic praise that became one of the eyes of Arab poetry, and he was proud that Muhammad, peace be upon him, the prophet of guidance came from the East, and became the source of the pride of the poet of eastern origin. He emigrated to Brazil and lived there but his soul was entirely attached to the East to the the Prophet and he died with his love for the Prophet.
And he said:
Guidance has come from our east and the west is floundering in the darkness.
At the Eid al-Fitr party in 1933, he glorifies the Prophet of Islam saying:
I honor this holiday as a poet who is lost in the verses of the great Prophet…
Until he says, as a sign of the extent of the spiritual mixture that Al-Khoury expressed in his poetry, between his religiosity in Christianity, and his glorification of the Prophet of Islam:
To the knowledge of the weaving of Jesus and Ahmad (Prophet Mohammed) and “Aamnah” (Mother of the Prophet Mohammed) in his shadow, she is the sister of “Maryam”.
The story of Al-Khoury’s attachment to the Prophet Muhammad has intertwined roots. On the one hand, it means for “Al-Mashreqi” (eastern) to confirm that the Prophet of Islam – in addition to being sent to all people according to what was mentioned in the Holy Qur’an – He is a symbol of Arabs and Arabism, in whatever land it was, especially at a time when nationalism was passing. Arabic, in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, where the Khoury’s share of them was 100 years minus 36 months – he lived it in toil, work and creativity of poetry- he did not forget an occasion except that he turned to the Prophet Muhammad with praise, glorification, until his beautiful poetry and prose became, especially Glorify the Prophet, he knew him, and will remain.
of the intense passion of the Khoury’s soul about the Prophet Muhammad, he considered the day of his birth, a day for all humanity, with its various religions, colors and sects. In one of the most beautiful Arabic poems, and one of the masterpieces of poetry in praise of the Prophet, Al-Khoury says, speaking about the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet of Islam:
The festival of the worlds is the festival of the Prophet’s birthday
His birth impacted the two easts and the Wests.
The Birth of the Prophet Ibn Abdullah, reminds that the sin of guidance rose from the revelation of His Qur’an where it spared light and guidance.
The poet, with the spirit of national and human faith, without racist tendencies, was stressing on the necessity of a close relationship between Christians and Muslims, he says:
My people, this is a Christian who reminds you
that east only , with our brotherly love, can stand up
And kindly request I have: if you Rembert the Prophet,
Convey the greeting of the Villager Poet (himself)…more:alarabiya