Kuch Ishq-e- Muhammad Mein Nahin Shart-e-Musliman! (Love for Muhammad ﷺ Is Not Limited to Being Muslim)
– Dr Syed Wahaj Hashmi
It is a well-established fact that love for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in India has never been confined to Muslims. For centuries, Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, and even English poets have expressed deep reverence for him, making this devotion a shared cultural and spiritual heritage. India has witnessed countless fair-minded non-Muslim writers, scholars, saints, and thinkers – among them Swami Vivekananda, Acharya Vinoba Bhave, Sadhu T.L. Vaswani, and Swami Laxmi Shankar Acharya – alongside hundreds of poets, who have articulated their admiration and gratitude toward Islam and the Prophet ﷺ. Through their words, they celebrated his teachings as a timeless source of guidance, moral inspiration, and universal wisdom for all humanity.
Collections of Na‘t Poetry by Non-Muslim Poets
The devotional genre of Na‘t poetry, traditionally associated with Muslim poets, has a rich history in South Asia. However, a closer study of Urdu, Hindi, Persian, Punjabi, and other literary traditions reveals that non-Muslim poets have also composed Na‘ts in profound admiration of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Some wrote only a few verses, while others dedicated entire anthologies to celebrating his (Prophet’s) life and teachings.
Maharaja Kishan Pershad Shad, one of the prominent poets of Deccan, compiled the anthology Hadiya-e-Shad. Dillu Ram Kausari, a prolific poet devoted exclusively to Na‘t, published Gulshan-e-Naat-e-Kausari, Aab-e-Kausar, Bazm-e-Kausari, Hindu ki Naat, and Basharat-e-Injeel. Sadhu Ram Arzoo Saharanpuri composed many enchanting Na‘ts, including those in Zahoor-e-Qudsi. Professor Jagan Nath Azad, a distinguished Urdu poet, presented his eulogical Na‘ts in Naseem-e-Hijaz.
Other notable works include Nazrana-e-Aqeedat by Gursaran Lal Adeeb, Ashk-e-Khuloos by Kanwar Suraj Narayan Sinha (Adeeb Seetapuri), Seel-e-Aqeedat by Gopi Nath Aman, and Aqeedat Ke Phool by Shiv Bahadur Singh Dilbar. Damodar Thakur Zaki compiled 15 Na‘ts, while Kalidas Gupta Raza’s anthology Ujale is noted for its appeal. Lakshmi Narayan Shrivastav offered Meraj-e-Mohabbat as a poetic tribute, and Lala Amar Chand Qais expressed his devotion in Rasool Darshan across Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, and English. Devi Parshad Gor Mast Barelvi’s Gulhay-e-Aqeedat, Balmukund Arsh Malsyani’s Aahang-e-Hijaz, and Jon Mukhlis Badayuni’s Guldasta-e-Na’t remain exemplary eulogies by non-Muslim poets in Urdu literature.
In Hindi literature, Vidya Nand’s Paighambar-e-Islam presents a 250-page poetic biography of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Similarly, Dr. Sagan Chand Muktesh’s Maha Kavya Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ is an extensive epic comprising nearly 2,500 verses, while Dr. Ram Prasad Mishra’s Muhammad ﷺ Khand Kavya contains around 1,500 verses of devotional poetry. Chanderbhan Khayal, a notable Urdu poet, composed the ballad Laulak, spanning 400 couplets over 100 pages, which has earned him acclaim internationally.
Non-Muslim Poets’ Devotion and Love for Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
A notable example is Chowdhury Dillu Ram, under the pen-name Kausari, composed over forty na‘ts in praise of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. These were published in the 1937 anthology Hindu ki Naat by Khwaja Hasan Nizami. One of his couplets reads:
Kuch ishq e Muhammad mein nahi shart e Musulman! / Hai Kausari Hindu bhi talabgaar e Muhammad!
Kunwar Mahinder Singh Bedi Sehar, a major figure in Urdu letters. His naʿts are innovative and thoughtful. Bedi’s words reflect the universality of devotion to the Prophet ﷺ, transcending religious barriers.
Ishq ho jaye kisi se koi chara to nahin / Sirf Muslim ka Muhammad ﷺ pe ijaara to Nahin
Maharaja Kishan Pershad Shad, has composed numerous naʿts. His collection, Hadiya-e-Shad, comprises 1,331 couplets. A defining feature of Shad’s poetry is his deep devotion and love for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which he himself emphasises:
Kyun na tareef karein log sukhan ki aye Shad! / Dil o jaan se hoon sanaa-khwan-e-Rasool-e-Arabi
(Why wouldn’t people praise my poetry, O Shad! With all my heart and soul, I am a singer of the praises of the Messenger of Arabia, Prophet Muhammad).
Firaq Gorakhpuri (Raghupati Sahay), though not prolific in na‘ts, is highly regarded for his originality and distinctive expression.
Ma‘lum hai kuch tum ko Muhammad ka maqam / Woh ummat-e-Islam mein mahdud nahin
(Understand this: the exalted status of Muhammad ﷺ, is not limited only to the Muslim community).
Sadhu Ram Arzoo Saharanpuri composed numerous Na’ts and other poetry, known for his anthology, Zahoor-e-Qudsi:
Azal hi se Muhammad ﷺ ki sanaa khwan hai zubaan meri, Biyaaz-e-sobh-e-hasti par likhi hai daastaan meri
(Since eternity, my tongue has sung Muhammad’s ﷺ praise, on the blank page of existence, my tale it lays.)
Kamlapat Sahay Mahir Bilgrami, a celebrated Urdu poet, presents blossoms of devotion before the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
Sirf Islam hi ka to nahin tu Payghambar, / Tera ehsan hai har qawm pe, har millat par
(You are not the Prophet of Islam alone; your grace extends to every nation, to every people).
Shish Chander Saxena emphasises that the Prophet’s sacred personality is beloved by all of humanity, and not only Muslims are attached to the cloak of Muhammad ﷺ:
Yeh zaat-e-muqaddas to har insaan ko hai mahboob, / Muslim hi nahin wabasta-e-daaman-e-Muhammad ﷺ
Kya dars-e-masawat diya nau‘-e-bashar ko, Utre ga na sir se kabhi ehsan-e-Muhammad ﷺ
(What lesson of equality you gave to humankind, the favour of Muhammad ﷺ will never leave our mind).
Rohindra Veendar Jain remarks that it is not necessary that only Muslims should be counted among the followers of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ; his admirers extend far beyond the community of Islam:
Aap ke maanne walon mein zaroori to nahin / sirf shaamil hon Musalman Rasool-e-Akram
Krishan Mohan, while acknowledging the greatness of the Prophet ﷺ, states that even Brahmins, moved by his exalted stature, hold him in deep respect.
Kar rahe hain us ki azmat ke sabab, / Brahman bhi ehteram-e-Mustafa
Pyare Lal Ronaq Dehlavi expresses his devotion and love for the Messenger ﷺ, saying that he is an ardent lover of the Prophet ﷺ, before whose exalted presence the whole universe is but a tiny particle:
Aashiq hoon us Janab-e-Risalat Maab ka, / kounain ek zarra hai jis ki janab ka
The above poetry shows that the reverence for the Prophet ﷺ by non-Muslims is endless and profound, spanning centuries and nations.
More Couplets from some other poets:
Anand Pandit Jagan Nath Prasad:
Madh-e-husn-e-Mustafa ﷺ hai ek bahr-e-be-kraan, / Us ke saahil tak koi sheereen-bayaan pahunchaa nahi
(The praise of Mustafa’s ﷺ beauty is an endless sea; no gifted tongue can reach its farthest lea).
Azad Sonipati Radha Kishan:
Usi ke dam se duniya mein uruj-e-adamiyat hai / Muhammad Muṣṭafā ﷺ se mujh ko bhi dil se aqidat hai
Tameez Lakhnavi Ganga Sahai:
Har dam tasawwur-e-shah-bala janab ho, / Lab pe hamesha zikr-e-Risalat Maab ﷺ ho
(May the vision of the Exalted One forever grace my sight, and on my lips remain his (Prophet’s) blessed mention day and night).
Dr. Dharminder Nath:
Saheb-e-dil hain sanaa-khwan-e-Rasul ﷺ / Dil hi kya jo na ho qurban-e-Rasul ﷺ
(True devotees are those whose hearts resound with praise of the Prophet ﷺ, for a heart holds no real value unless it is devoted entirely to him.).
Raz Lailpuri Dhanpat Rai Thapar:
Aashiq nahin hoon husn-e-jahan kharaab ka, / Sheeda hoon dil se main to Risalat Maab ﷺ ka
Aashiq Hoshiarpuri Munshi Ranjha:
Taqat kahan bashar ki likhe shaan-e-Mustafa ﷺ, / Meri hazaar jaan ho qurban-e-Mustafa ﷺ
Aashiq-e-Nabī ﷺ ke ishq meñ zar kī to bāt kyā / Merī hazār jān ho qurbān-e-Muṣṭafā ﷺ
(human strength is insufficient to fully honour the Prophet ﷺ; in his devotion, even a thousand lives would be offered in sacrifice, for in the love of the Prophet ﷺ, material wealth holds no significance).
In the wake of the Kanpur controversy, it is worth remembering the reverence non-Muslims have historically shown towards Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Defending the right to say “I love Prophet Muhammad ﷺ” is not merely about safeguarding Muslim expression; it affirms every Indian’s right to admire humanity’s greatest figures without fear or prejudice. Non-Muslim Na‘t poets expressed deep devotion and eloquence, showing that love for the Prophet ﷺ transcends faith and caste. Across centuries and communities, this love has known no boundaries, reminding us that true devotion unites hearts in admiration, respect, and shared humanity. As Sadhu T.L. Vaswani observed in his book The Prophet of Arabia: “Many of us talk, today, of Hindu-Muslim unity. What may its true basis be? Not political opportunism, but a deep human understanding. The Muslim must appreciate the Hindu Rishis; the Hindu must appreciate the deeper values of Islamic culture and civilization.”
