One incident that highlights the Prophet's modesty occurred...

One incident that highlights the Prophet's modesty occurred at the actual signing of this treaty: He was mentioned in the document as "Muhammad, the Messenger of God", a fact that the leaders of Makkah took offence to, saying that if they had recognized the Prophet as the Messenger of God, there would have been no need for the treaty at all. Tempers flared in the Muslim camp, this was too much of an insult.

So to me, this man epitomizes within himself unimaginable humility, yet he is one of the greatest leaders in history. He preached the word of God and continued to conquer the hearts and souls of millions. But even today he is remembered, by the same title he insisted be used when he was alive, simply as 'Abd Allah (Arabic for the Slave of God). To end, it is apt to quote Mahatma Gandhi, another simple man and the father of the Indian nation.

What he said captures the essence of the Prophet's character and his dedication to both his ideals and his people. It captures the love of not just the 1.8 billion Muslims but also the respect thatcountlessacademics, philosophers, and thinkers have for the man called Muhammad. Gandhi had this to say: I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind...

I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life. It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self- effacement of the Prophet the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle.

The Prophet, however, reacted calmly and wisely, and asked for the part "Messenger of God" to be removed and had his father's name written instead (a common way of referring to people at the time). He was simply "Muhammad son of Abdullah" Gentleness Sets the True Leader Apart On another occasion, a man new to the Muslim gathering came to visit the Prophet.

The man was filled with awe that made him nervous and anxious; this was natural for the man as his belief told him he was visiting the Prophet of God and the leader of the powerful Muslim nation. When the Prophet realized the man's uneasiness, he comforted him saying, "Brother, don't be afraid; relax and be at ease. I am not a great monarch or king.