THE TRUE REPRESENTATIVE OF ALLAH

In the name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful

THE TRUE REPRESENTATIVE

OF ALLAH

When Allah announced to the angels that He will be sending a representative on the earth, they did not know what His plan was. They taught that Adam would not be able to shoulder such a sacred responsibility, due to human weaknesses. They said:

Will You place therein one who will make mischief and shed blood? (2:30)

The angels did not know that from Adam's progeny there was to come one who was to reflect the Light of the Lord so perfectly, that he would be called the full moon. And as we know that the light of the full moon is reflected light from the sun.

Because Prophet Muhammad (pboh) was to come from the progeny of Adam, Allah forgave Adam the sin he committed out of forgetfulness. In a Tradition it is recorded that Allah said:

Adam, I have pardoned you and your wife for Muhammad's sake.

No creature has the capacity to comprehend the extent of knowledge and wisdom of the Lord. He made this known to the Angels when they became confused and amazed that the representative of the Lord on the earth was to be a creature called man who is made from clay. So Allah said to them:

Verily, I know that which you do not know. (2:30)

What the angels did not know was that Allah was making man a unique and special creature; as He was putting in man a special creation of light with the capacity to penetrate the cells of the physical body and making it possible for man to reflect the Light of the Lord here on the earth.

Every divinely appointed Messenger was given knowledge of the one who was to be the best representative of the Lord on the earth long before they were sent down to their respective people. Allah took a covenant from them that they believe in his coming and that they will help his mission. This incident is recorded in the Holy Qur'an in the following verse:

Behold, Allah took a Covenant of the Prophets, saying: I gave you a Book and Wisdom, then comes to you a Messenger confirming what is with you. Do you believe in him and render him help? Allah said: Do you agree and take this My Covenant as binding on you? They said: We agree. He said: then bear witness; and I am with you among the witnesses. (3:81)

The question that may come to one's mind is: What makes Prophet Muhammad (pboh) special?

In order to understand the status of his personality in the entire universe, one must know three important things about him. These are:

1.      Allah says about Himself that He loves purity. Because of this He says:

Allah loves those who make themselves pure. (9:108)

Wrongdoing is a form of impurity. As a result, Allah does not love any form of it. Wrongdoers are removed from near to the Lord, e.g. Satan was expelled from the Garden.

Also shirk is a form of impurity. Allah says that the mushriqs are impure. As a result they are prohibited from entering Makkah. Even believers are required to purify themselves when they are to read the Words of Allah.

Prophet Muhammad (pboh) never committed any wrong. He allowed himself to be guided by the Lord in every matter. Allah says about him:

He (Prophet Muhammad) never said or did anything on the basis of his lust or desire. (53:3)

Because he was pure and clean morally and spiritually he was invited to meet with the Lord in the night of the Miraj. There was no impure barrier between him and his Lord.

As he is our model, we need to make every effort to cleanse ourselves by seeking repentance and doing good. That is the Straight Way.

1.     The soul of the Prophet (pboh) was very bright and shining. This was because of his righteousness. Allah says about the righteous the following:

Those who believe and do not clothe their belief with wrongdoing.(6:82)

Because of the brightness of his body and soul, he is given the title in the Holy Qur'an as the "lamp that gives light". Allah says:

As the one who invites to Allah by His leave; and as a Lamp spreading light. (33:46)

He was called the full moon by the people of Madinah when he was entering the City, and he did not object to being called by that name.

Because he was the only human being that is the beloved of Allah, if we should follow him Allah will love us. Allah says:

Say (O Muhammad), if you want to love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you. (3:31)

Allah tells us that He has conferred a great favor on the believers by sending to them a Messenger who is Prophet Muhammad (pboh). He says:

Allah has conferred a great favor on the believers by sending to them a Messenger from among themselves. (3:164)

1. Prophet Muhammad (pboh) has been the best representative of Allah on the earth. He practiced all the Sunnah of Allah. Man as the Lord's representative is also required to.  Allah says:

The practice (Sunnah) of Allah which He did in the past (remains constant). No change will you find in the practice of Allah (48:23)

Because the Prophet (pboh) did everything on the basis of Divine Guidance, Allah says that His (Allah's) hands are on the hands of the Prophet's hands. The Qur'an tells us about this as follows:

It is not you who slew them; it was Allah . When you threw (a handful of dust)it was not your act but Allah's; in order that He might confer on the Believers a gracious benefit from Himself; for Allah is He Who hears and knows all things. (8:17)

Allah gave to the human beings the capacity to represent Him in the physical world by cultivating and culturing His Divine Attributes in their lives, and by keeping their souls free from all forms of stains, so that it can be like a clean mirror reflecting the Lord’s Light as the Prophet (pboh) did.