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THE DONALD TRUMP PHENOMENON
                          Muslims must Respond Positively

                ONALD TRUMP was elected the 45  President of the United
                                                   th
                States  on  November  8,  2016.  During  the  election  campaign
         Das well as after entering the White House, he issued certain
         harsh statements about Muslim immigrants residing in America. This
         triggered  criticism  against  Mr.Trump,  not  only  by  American  Muslims
         but  also  from  Muslims  all  over  the  world.  According  to  them,  this
         development was clearly anti-Muslim and perhaps no Muslim has given
         a positive response in the matter.
         Muslims believe that the Prophet of Islam is a complete model for them.
         This  complete  model,  however,  is  not  in  terms  of  superiority  of  the
         Prophet, but rather in terms of his offering a guiding example in every
         matter.  Whenever  Muslims  face  a  situation,  it  is  their  responsibility
         to  search  for  a  corresponding  example  from  the  life  of  the  Prophet
         and then act upon it. If the Prophet is a complete model, then his life
         must  provide  a  model  for  Muslims  in  every
         circumstance  they  face.  There  is  indeed
         a  model  present  in  the  Prophet’s  life  with   Whenever Muslims
         regard to the current situation as well.       face a situation, it is

         The  Prophet  of  Islam  was  born  in  Makkah,   their responsibility
         where he initiated his mission in 610 CE. After   to search for a
         a period of thirteen years, he and his Muslim     corresponding
         followers left Makkah for another town called   example from the life
         Madinah.  In  this  way,  the  Prophet  and  the   of the Prophet and
         Companions of the Prophet settled in Madinah     then act upon it.
         as immigrant Muslims. Here they often had to
         face certain unpleasant situations from some
         residents of Madinah. For example, a tribal leader of Madinah, Abdullah
         ibn Ubayy, became a staunch opponent of the Prophet. Although he
         had pledged allegiance to the Prophet, Ibn Ubayy abhorred to see that
         immigrants from outside had taken a prominent place in his city.
         Ibn Ubayy would often pass humiliating remarks at the Prophet and
         the Muslims who had come from Makkah. For example, once he made
         a  statement  which  has  been  recorded  in  the  Quran  in  these  words:
         “Indeed,  when  we  return  to  Madinah,  [we]  the  ones  most  worthy  of
         honour,  will  surely  drive  out  from  there  the  contemptible  ones!”
         (63: 8). The Quran or the Prophet showed no reaction at these demeaning
         words.  On  the  contrary  when  Ibn  Ubayy  said  this,  the  Quran  simply



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