Thomas Carlyle,

“Withal I like Mahomet for his total freedom from cant. He is a rough (rugged) self-helping son of the wilderness (who had an opinion of his own); does not pretend to be what he is not. There is no ostentatious pride in him; but neither does he go much upon humility: he is there as he can be, in (his patched) cloak and shoes of his own clouting; speaks plainly to all manner of Persian Kings, Greek Emperors, (telling them) what it is they are bound (and ordered) to do (to have good in this life and the next); knows well enough, about himself, the respect due unto thee.”

“There is no god but the One God, alone with no partner. He is the Truth, and everything else is falsehood. He created and blessed us. Islam is to submit ourselves to God, to yield and totally surrender to Him and to put our trust in Him. Power, all power, lies in following His Wisdom, and to be satisfied with what He has ordained, whatever it may be in this world and in the Hereafter. Whatever God causes to happen to us, even if it was a violent death, we must receive it with a delighted face and a satisfied soul, and know that it is good and that there is no good in anything except in what happened. It is absurd that man makes his tiny brain a balance of the world and its conditions. Rather, he has to believe that the universe has a fair law that controls it, though absent from his perception, and that goodness is the basis of the universe, and righteousness is the essence of existence... He should know that and believe and follow it in calmness and piety.”

“Fanatics and atheists claim that Muhammad was after nothing but personal fame, luxury and power. By God! The heart of this poor, hard-toiling man who had radiant eyes and a great spirit was so full of mercy, goodness, tenderness and wisdom. His ideas were so far from worldly greed and his intentions were so far from seeking any power or fame. This is a pure soul and a man of such character cannot help but be seriously sincere!”