The vast majority of Muslims respect and many carry the name of Muhammed because of the true image he represents.
After Chapel Hill, The Conversation That American Muslims Need To Have (With Americans)
Mohammed Zaher Sahloul February 13 at 6:11 PM
Dr. Mohammed Zaher Sahloul, M.D, is the past president of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-conversation-muslims-need-to-have/2015/02/13/3453dcb2-b2e6-11e4-827f-93f454140e2b_story.html?hpid=z3
"Muhammad is the most beloved name among Muslims. I carry his name and so do my two sons. In Arabic culture, people are expected to reflect the attributes of the names they carry. The boxer Cassius Clay chose the name Muhammad when he became Muslim, and so did Elijah Muhammad, the founder of the Nation of Islam. The civil rights leader Malcolm X went on a spiritual journey, tracing the steps of the prophet Muhammad in the holy city of Mecca, that he said transformed his life and removed hatred and racism from his heart.
The image of Muhammad in the minds of Muslims is of a pious, simple man who understood people’s limitations. He was gentle, humble, loving, witty and accommodating. He asked his followers to respect every life — even the lives of animals and plants. He said that the life of one person is more sacred than the holiest place on earth. He forgave his enemies, even those who killed and desecrated the dead body of his uncle. He savored the company of slaves and the disenfranchised. He denounced racism and championed social justice. He told men to honor women and not to hurt them."
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"More Americans need to get to know their Muslim neighbors and to see their contributions to our civic life. In Chicago, where I live, there are Muslims in all walks of life, making a particularly large contribution to my own profession, medicine. The Willis and the John Hancock towers were designed by a Muslim architect.
Organizations such as the Inner-City Muslim Action Network are at the forefront of social entrepreneurship, working to combat violence and provide opportunities for inner-city youth. Thousands of Muslim-owned businesses and restaurants are the opposite of supposed “no-go zones” — they are welcoming zones to all that add global favor to the city of big shoulders. This is the reality in cities and towns across America."
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