Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News-2013-05-23

Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was the greatest human to have ever graced this universe and sent as a mercy unto mankind. With his finger he split the moon and yet with his message he united the hardest of hearts and most ignorant of nations.

The message traversed to all corners of the world with not a country that doesn’t bare an iota of this beautiful faith that we have been blessed with. One of the country’s that embraced this beautiful message was china.

Hong-Wu (also known by his given name Zh? Yuánzh?ng) was the Emperor of China between 1368 – 1398 CE. He was the first Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, leading an Army that conquered the country and defeated away the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty.

Despite being a non-Muslim, Hong-Wu ordered the construction of several masjids in Nanjing, Yunnan, Guangdong and Fujian. He rebuilt the Jinjue Masjid in Nanjing and large numbers of Hui (Muslim Chinese) people moved to the city during his rule.

The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China for 276 years (1368–1644) following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, described by some as "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic Han Chinese.

Emperor Hong-Wu wrote a 100 word eulogy praising Islam, Allah and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) which he had placed in the masjids which he ordered to be built.

The eulogy is in the form of a poem, each verse containing 4 words (characters) and 4 syllables.

In the translation below the translator has strayed away from trying to keep the 4 word per verse translation in favour of a more literal translation which conveys the full meaning in flowing English.