He is a human being:
When we think about honoring a human
being like the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pboh), we need to always keep in mind the
important fact that he is a creature and not the Creator. In this connection,
Allah made it known to the whole of mankind that the Prophet (pboh) came into
this world just like any other human being; and is also entirely dependent on
the Lord for his status, position and even survival. Allah tells us about this
in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an:
Say: I am but a human being just like
you; but inspiration has come to me; that your Lord is one God. (18:110)
Unlike other human beings, Allah has
made it known to everyone that the Prophet (pboh) is special. He says as
follows:
And you (O Prophet) are on an exalted
status of character. (68:4)
And you (O Prophet) are held in a
very high esteem. (94:4)
Your Companion (i.e. Prophet
Muhammad) is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he say anything of his
own desire. (53:2-3)
The difference in status in the sight of Allah
between the Prophet (pboh) and the other Messengers and believers, is like the
difference in beauty and value between diamond and charcoal. While both
originated from the earth, one is beautiful and priceless, and while the other
has its purpose it does not present itself to the people as beautiful as the
diamond.
He is the first believer:
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah made it
known that the Holy Prophet (pboh) is the first Muslim. Some people believe
that this is so because he is the one who received the Holy Qur’an, and it was
with him that Islam was perfected. As a result they interpret the verses of
Chapter (6:162-3) to mean that because he gave, through divine guidance, the
Religion to the people, and he upheld it completely himself, he is the first to
believe. The verses are:
Verily, my worship and my sacrifice;
my living and my dying are for Allah; Lord of the Worlds. He has no partner.
This I am commanded and I am the first to submit to His Will. (I am the first
Muslim). (6:162-3)
If we should look at other verses of
the Qur’an regarding the way all the creatures relate to the Lord and Creator
of them all, we find the following:
All living creatures in the skies and
the earth (they all) prostrate (submit) themselves to Allah with goodwill.
(13:15)
And to Allah do all creatures that
are in the skies and the earth submit; whether moving creatures or the angels;
for, none are arrogant before the Lord. They all serve their Lord high above
them; and they do what they are commanded. (16:49-50).
Thunder repeats His praises. (13:13)
If all the creatures in the skies and
the earth submit to Allah, it means that they are all Muslims. And because the
soul of the Prophet (pboh) is the first thing that Allah created, and he, upon
creation declared: There is no god but Allah; then he is the first
Muslim.
The Personality of the Prophet (pboh)
has two levels or aspects. They are Mundane and Cosmic.
His mundane status:
The mundane aspect of his personality
is easier to comprehend. Allah wanted to give to the world a code of life to be
followed in order that each person can return to Him successfully. This code
outlines what is the Path to be followed and the rules and regulations required
to travel along it.
Messengers were sent to each tribe
and nation to teach the people and to make their pitfalls known to them. Also
they were told of the consequences for deviating. Allah says:
Every people had a guide. (13:7)
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) was the last
of the divinely appointed Messengers sent to mankind. His role and function was
unique as well as universal. Allah tells us about his universal mission in the
following verses.
And you (O Prophet) stand on an
exalted standard of character. (68:4)
When we look into the Prophet’s life,
we find that he established practically all the qualities that will make life
meaningful and purposeful. It will also develop and cement all that is required
to make the human race live like one big family. In short he established
universal Islamic brotherhood. Allah says:
And hold fast, all together, to the
Rope which Allah has stretched out for you and be not divided amongst
yourselves. And remember, with gratitude Allah’s favor on you; for you were
enemies and He joined your hearts in love. (3:103)
The Prophet (pboh) was able to create
this type of lifestyle based on love, sacrifice, goodwill towards all and ill
towards none, self denial, forgiving, merciful, and all the other qualities for
which he was well known.
Another reason why the Prophet (pboh)
was accepted by all the tribes and nation all over the world and at all times
was because he was a role model for all. Allah says:
And We have not sent you (O Muhammad) save as a universal model for mankind.
(34:28)
Allah also says that his lifestyle is
the best that can be found. This is recorded in the Qur’an as follows:
You have indeed, in the Messenger a
beautiful pattern (of conduct) for any whose hope is in Allah, and the Last
Day. And (for him) who engages much in the remembrance of Allah. (33:21).
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) taught his
followers not to give any importance to worldly lusts and desires. Allah made
it known that such qualities and habits will not benefit a person in the
Hereafter. He says:
And as for him who had entertained
the fear of standing before his Lord; and had restrained his nafs from lower
desires. His abode will be the Garden. (79:40-1)
His cosmic status:
Beside the life of the Holy Prophet (pboh)
that is known to us, he has other functions; such functions which mankind could
at no time able to comprehend. He clearly indicated this to his followers by
telling them as follows:
There is a relation between me and my
Lord, which no angels; even the highest of them; nor the prophets can
understand.
Some examples to highlight this point
can be found in the following: - When Allah allowed a little of His Light (tajalliaat) to descend on the mountain at Moses’s request, the mountain blew up and Moses became unconscious. Referring to this incident the Qur’an records the following:
When his Lord manifested
His Glory on the Mount, He made it as dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon.
(7:143)
- The Prophet (pboh) was able to ascend beyond all created things and stood close in the presence of the Lord, then Allah revealed what He wanted to reveal to the Prophet (pboh), and nothing happened to him. Allah tells us about this as follows:
The he approached and came
closer. And was at a distance of but two bow lengths or even nearer. So did
(Allah) convey the inspiration to His Servant, what He meant to convey. The
(Prophet’s) mind and heart in no way falsified that which he saw. (53:8-11)
- Because the vibrations contained in the words of the Holy Qur’an are very powerful, nothing in the universe was able to receive them; not even the mountains. Perhaps this was the reason why this Book was locked in the divine vault called Lauhi Mahfuz until it was released and impressed on the heart of the Prophet (pboh). Allah tells us about this as follows:
And lo, it is a revelation
of the Lord of the Worlds; which the True Spirit had brought down; upon your
heart, that you may be one of the warners; in plain Arabic speech. (26:192-95)
- The Prophet (pboh) was able to penetrate the electro-magnetic barriers in the night of Miraj with his total personality, without the aid of any special equipment.
- He was able to split the moon from the earth, just with a sign from his finger.
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is so close
to Allah that he is called by many loving names in the Holy Qur’an. Some of
them are within our range of comprehension, e.g. Nabi, Muzammil and
Mudassir. Others we are unable to really understand. Some of them are Yaseen
and Taahaa. This shows that his personality is beyond our range of
comprehension.
His special qualities:
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported
to have said: I have been given five things which no other messenger has
been given. They are:
·
Allah made me victorious by awe over the enemy
·
The earth has been made a place of worship for me and a form
of purification.
·
Booty has been made lawful for me
·
I have been sent to the whole of mankind.
·
I have been given right to intercession.
The Prophet’s name is mentioned with
that of the Lord, in the declaration of Faith. When Allah created the soul of
the Prophet (pboh), it immediately declared Laailaaha illallah (There is
no god but Allah). Allah responded by saying: Muhammadur Rasoolullah
(Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah).
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is reported
to have said: I was a Messenger when Adam was between water and earth.
The Prophet (pboh) is the Mercy to
the worlds. Allah says:
And
We have not sent you but as a Mercy to the worlds. (21:107)
To
take allegiance to the Prophet (pboh) is to take allegiance to Allah. This
Allah says to mankind in the following words:
He who swears allegiance to you,
swears allegiance only to Allah. (48:10)
If a person should sincerely show
love to the Prophet (pboh) Allah will love that person. Allah says
Say to them (O Muhammad) if you love
Allah, follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. (3:31)
Allah mentions in the Qur’an that the
actions of the Prophet (pboh) were done under inspiration from the Lord. For
example, Allah says, concerning the occasion when the Prophet (pboh) took some
sand and threw it over the faces of the people in Badr, and it caused them to
become blind. Allah says:
When you threw, it was not you, but
Allah, who threw. (8:17)
The Prophet (pboh) had no shadow.
This was because the light of his personality was brighter than the light of
the sun; as a result he did not cast a shadow while he was in the sun’s light.
Allah mentions about this in the following verse of the Holy Qur’an:
There has come to you from Allah a
Light and a plain Book. (5:15)
We need to keep in mind all the time
that the light that comes from Allah cannot be found anywhere in the universe;
as He says:
neither of the east or of
the west. (24:35)
Allah and His Angels are constantly
sending Salaat on him. This will be discussed in a separate Chapter of this
presentation.
Muslims are required to love him more
than anything else. He told Omar, after Omar declared that he loved the Prophet
(pboh) even more than his own self. The Prophet (pboh) then said to Omar: You
have now become a perfect believer.
Allah told Adam and Eve while they were
begging for forgiveness: Adam, I have pardoned you and your wife for
Muhammad’s sake.
Muslims are commanded to send Salaat
and Salaams on him.
Prophet Muhammad (pboh) is called the
Imaamul Ambiya, as he led all of them in Salaat on the night when he was to
ascend to the presence of Allah.
So important and elevated was the status of the Messenger of Allah that all the previous Messengers predicted his coming.
