In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Introduction

 وَإِن مِن أُمَّةٍ إِلّا خَلا فيها نَذيرٌ

“There was no nation among whom a warner had not come.”

—(Surah al-Fatihah: 24)

وَلَقَد بَعَثنا فى كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسولًا أَنِ اعبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجتَنِبُوا الطّٰغوتَ

“And We sent a messenger among every nation, calling them: Worship Allah and keep away from false deities.”

—(Surah al-Nahl: 36)

هٰذا نَذيرٌ مِنَ النُّذُرِ الأولىٰ

“This is one of the warners of earlier times.”

—(Surah al-Najm: 56)

إِنَّكَ لَمِنَ المُرسَلينَ

“(O Muhammad,) you are certainly one of the messengers.” —(Surah Ya-Sin)

قُل ما كُنتُ بِدعًا مِنَ الرُّسُلِ

“(O Muhammad,) say: I am not an unprecedented messenger.”

—(Surah al-Ahqaf: 9)

وَما مُحَمَّدٌ إِلّا رَسولٌ قَد خَلَت مِن قَبلِهِ الرُّسُلُ

“Muhammad is only a messenger; many messengers passed away before him.” —(Surah Al Imran: 144

قولوا ءامَنّا بِاللَّهِ وَما أُنزِلَ إِلَينا وَما أُنزِلَ إِلىٰ إِبرٰهۦمَ وَإِسمٰعيلَ وَإِسحٰقَ وَيَعقوبَ وَالأَسباطِ وَما أوتِىَ موسىٰ وَعيسىٰ وَما أوتِىَ النَّبِيّونَ مِن رَبِّهِم لا نُفَرِّقُ بَينَ أَحَدٍ مِنهُم وَنَحنُ لَهُ مُسلِمونَ

فَإِن ءامَنوا بِمِثلِ ما ءامَنتُم بِهِ فَقَدِ اهتَدَوا ۖ o

“Say: We believe in Allah, and in what has been revealed to us, and in what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and their descendants, and in what was given to Moses, Jesus, and the other prophets by their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we submit to Allah. So if they believe in the same as you believe, then they are rightly guided.”

—(Surah al-Baqarah: 136–137).

لَقَد مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَى المُؤمِنينَ إِذ بَعَثَ فيهِم رَسولًا مِن أَنفُسِهِم يَتلوا عَلَيهِم ءايٰتِهِ وَيُزَكّيهِم وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الكِتٰبَ وَالحِكمَةَ وَإِن كانوا مِن قَبلُ لَفى ضَلٰلٍ مُبينٍ

“Indeed, Allah has bestowed a great favor upon the believers by raising among them a messenger from their own people who recites His revelations to them, purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom. Otherwise, they had surely been in manifest error.” —(Surah Al Imran: 164).

 اليَومَ يَئِسَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا مِن دينِكُم فَلا تَخشَوهُم وَاخشَونِ ۚ اليَومَ أَكمَلتُ لَكُم دينَكُم وَأَتمَمتُ عَلَيكُم نِعمَتى وَرَضيتُ لَكُمُ الإِسلٰمَ دينًا ۚ

“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My blessing upon you, and chosen Islam as your way of life.” —(Surah al-Ma’idah: 3)

تَاللَّهِ لَقَد أَرسَلنا إِلىٰ أُمَمٍ مِن قَبلِكَ فَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيطٰنُ أَعمٰلَهُم فَهُوَ وَلِيُّهُمُ اليَومَ وَلَهُم عَذابٌ أَليمٌ

وَما أَنزَلنا عَلَيكَ الكِتٰبَ إِلّا لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِى اختَلَفوا فيهِ ۙ وَهُدًى وَرَحمَةً لِقَومٍ يُؤمِنونَ

“By God, O Muhammad, We sent guidance to various nations before you. But Satan then made their evil deeds seem pleasing to them. Today he has become their patron, and they have incurred a painful punishment. We have revealed this Book to you only so that you may make clear to them the truth over which they differed. And We have revealed it also so that it may be guidance and mercy for those who accept its authority.”

—(Surah al-Nahl: 63–64)

يٰأَهلَ الكِتٰبِ قَد جاءَكُم رَسولُنا يُبَيِّنُ لَكُم كَثيرًا مِمّا كُنتُم تُخفونَ مِنَ الكِتٰبِ وَيَعفوا عَن كَثيرٍ ۚ قَد جاءَكُم مِنَ اللَّهِ نورٌ وَكِتٰبٌ مُبينٌ

يَهدى بِهِ اللَّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضوٰنَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلٰمِ وَيُخرِجُهُم مِنَ الظُّلُمٰتِ إِلَى النّورِ بِإِذنِهِ وَيَهديهِم إِلىٰ صِرٰطٍ مُستَقيمٍ

“O People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, making clear to you much of what you used to conceal from the Book and overlooking much. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book, through which Allah shows the paths of peace to those who follow His pleasure; by His will He brings them out of darkness into light and guides them to a straight path.” —(Surah al-Ma’idah: 15–16).

يٰأَيُّهَا النَّبِىُّ إِنّا أَرسَلنٰكَ شٰهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذيرًا

وَداعِيًا إِلَى اللَّهِ بِإِذنِهِ وَسِراجًا مُنيرًا

“O Prophet! We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good news, a warner, one who calls to Allah by His command, and an illuminating lamp.” —(Surah al-Ahzab: 45–46).

يَأمُرُهُم بِالمَعروفِ وَيَنهىٰهُم عَنِ المُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيهِمُ الخَبٰئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنهُم إِصرَهُم وَالأَغلٰلَ الَّتى كانَت عَلَيهِم ۚ فَالَّذينَ ءامَنوا بِهِ وَعَزَّروهُ وَنَصَروهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النّورَ الَّذى أُنزِلَ مَعَهُ ۙ أُولٰئِكَ هُمُ المُفلِحونَ

“He commands them to do good, forbids them from sin, makes lawful for them pure things and forbids them impure things. He relieves them of their burdens and the shackles that had weighed them down. So those who believe in him, honor him, support him, and follow the light sent down with him—they are the successful.” —(Surah al-A’raf: 157).

إِنّا أَنزَلنا إِلَيكَ الكِتٰبَ بِالحَقِّ لِتَحكُمَ بَينَ النّاسِ بِما أَرىٰكَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلا تَكُن لِلخائِنينَ خَصيمًا

“O Muhammad! We have revealed this Book to you with the truth so that you may judge between people according to what Allah has shown you, and do not become an advocate for the treacherous.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 105).

هُوَ الَّذى أَرسَلَ رَسولَهُ بِالهُدىٰ وَدينِ الحَقِّ لِيُظهِرَهُ عَلَى الدّينِ كُلِّهِ ۚ

“Allah is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so that He may make this true way of life prevail over all ways of life.” —(Surah al-Fath: 28).

قُل يٰأَيُّهَا النّاسُ إِنّى رَسولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيكُم جَميعًا الَّذى لَهُ مُلكُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالأَرضِ ۖ لا إِلٰهَ إِلّا هُوَ يُحيۦ وَيُميتُ ۖ فَـٔامِنوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسولِهِ النَّبِىِّ الأُمِّىِّ الَّذى يُؤمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَكَلِمٰتِهِ وَاتَّبِعوهُ لَعَلَّكُم تَهتَدونَ

“O Muhammad! Say: O humanity! I am Allah’s Messenger to all of you—Allah, to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. There is no god but Him; He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His unlettered Messenger, who believes in Allah and His revelations, and follow him so that you may be rightly guided.

وَأوحِىَ إِلَىَّ هٰذَا القُرءانُ لِأُنذِرَكُم بِهِ وَمَن بَلَغَ ۚ

“And say: This Qur’an has been revealed to me so that through it I may warn you and whoever it reaches.”

ما كانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبا أَحَدٍ مِن رِجالِكُم وَلٰكِن رَسولَ اللَّهِ وَخاتَمَ النَّبِيّۦنَ ۗ

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is Allah’s Messenger and the Seal of the Prophets.” —(Surah al-Ahzab: 40).

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Preface

Infinite thanks are due to Allah that the great task undertaken has largely been completed, and it is hoped that, with His help, the remaining portion will also be completed.

If, setting aside my organizational relationship with Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Mawdudi, one sincerely considers his religious service, the feeling arises—without any blind reverence—that in this age no example can be found, even on the distant horizons of time, of anyone who has presented the fundamental truth of Islam and the various aspects of its comprehensive way of life with such powerful arguments, in such a fresh style of expression, and in such detail. The fact is that his contribution has transformed the lives of countless people. And this great work has become a vast capital for the Maulana in the Hereafter.

Since becoming acquainted with the Maulana, I have maintained a cordial relationship with him to this day. My earnest desire is that various styles of presentation be adopted to disseminate and expand the Maulana’s wisdom and thought. At the same time, I have risen above any mentality that would use the Maulana’s personality, reputation, and completed works to serve my personal interests.

This was ten or twelve years ago. A few close friends and I were sitting and conversing in Maulana Mawdudi Sahib’s room. In the course of the conversation, I said that, if the Maulana approved, a biography could be compiled from his articles and other writings. My friend requested that he be entrusted with this task. I agreed. But after several years had passed and my friend still had not found the opportunity to undertake it, I raised the matter with the Maulana again after obtaining his permission. Besides this proposed work, the Maulana also gave some general good advice about working on other subjects.

Eventually, after beginning the work, it seemed to me that compiling a book by collecting the original passages from the Maulana’s entire literary corpus was far more difficult and laborious than writing a research work of my own. For, besides studying the six volumes of Tafhim al-Qur’an, I had to study his numerous other works, identify the necessary and useful original passages according to the subject, make copies of them, and finally arrange them into different chapters and sections under various headings. These tasks were so arduous that I repeatedly lost courage and felt that implementing this vast plan was beyond my capacity.

Fortunately, I received the help and cooperation of various friends in this work. In particular, Maulana Abdul Wakil Alivi, M.A., worked with me for nearly a year and a half in such a way that it would be no exaggeration to say that his contribution to this work was the greatest.

After the work was completed through a year and a half to two years of quiet, tireless effort, it was presented to the Maulana. He too was amazed that he had accumulated so much material about the personality and life of the Prophet Mustafa (peace be upon him) in his articles. The Maulana also expressed satisfaction on seeing that, in the hands of people as humble as us, the preliminary compilation of nearly three volumes had been completed. The first volume discusses fundamental matters, the status of prophethood, the system of revelation, the coming of the Noble Prophet, the circumstances and environment of the pre-prophetic age, the people to whom the call was presented, and the condition of various other groups. The second volume discusses events from the birth of the Prophet Mustafa (peace be upon him) until his migration to Madinah. The third volume discusses the climactic moments of the Noble Prophet’s life of struggle in Madinah. The fourth volume remains to be compiled. It will contain the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) reform activities, education and training, and an account of the changes initiated in various spheres of life. May Allah grant us the ability to complete this volume as well.

The book has been compiled in such a way that the Maulana’s articles and various original passages have been systematically arranged under different headings, and the structure of the subject matter has been strengthened, so that the necessary points of knowledge appear successively. There are a few places where the two compilers had to insert some material of their own or from another book, and the source has also been mentioned. There are two kinds of notes: one incorporated into the author’s original article, and the other added by the two compilers. These two kinds of notes have been written separately. The quotations from the author’s articles included in the various chapters and sections have been listed together at the end of the book.

It is gratifying that Maulana Sayyid Abul A’la Mawdudi, despite his illness and busy schedule, read our compilation from beginning to end, made corrections in places, and marked some of his original passages for inclusion. Nevertheless, if any error or shortcoming remains anywhere in the compilation of this book, we ourselves will be responsible for it.

Whatever we have done, and however we have done it, we now pray that Allah accept it and that the readers receive rays of guidance from it. We also request the readers that, if they notice any error or shortcoming or feel that anything needs correction, they kindly inform us. Insha’Allah, in the next edition we will give priority to their suggestions and advice and will try to improve the book further.

—Naeem Siddiqui

A Word from the Two Compilers

Regarding the first volume, it should be noted that, under the title of its worldly subject matter, it has brought together the respected Maulana’s articles, speeches, and necessary quotations that, on the one hand, shed light on the status of prophethood, the system of revelation, the concept of religion, and other related subjects, and, on the other hand, illuminate the historical, religious, and political environment of the period of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) advent and of earlier civilizations. Although these discussions do not directly present events related to the Noble Prophet’s biography, they will nevertheless assist in understanding the personality of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), his status, and his comprehensive struggle. For this reason, we considered it necessary that readers become familiar with these guiding discussions before studying his life.—The two compilers.

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Islam is, in reality, the name of a movement that seeks to build the entire edifice of human life upon the belief in the sovereignty of the One Allah. This movement has continued since the earliest times upon the same foundation and according to the same method. It has been led by those whom Allah has designated as prophets and messengers. If we are to lead this movement, we must necessarily follow the methods of those leaders, for there is no other method, nor can there be one, for this particular kind of movement. When we try to trace the footsteps of the noble prophets in this regard, we face enormous difficulty. We cannot learn much about the activities of the prophets who lived in ancient times. The Qur’an contains some brief indications, but an entire plan cannot be reconstructed from them. In the New Testament of the Bible, some unreliable sayings attributed to Jesus are found that shed some light on one aspect: how the Islamic movement can be conducted at its earliest stage and what problems it must face. But Jesus did not have to face the later stages, and no indication of them is found in his account. On this matter, we receive clear and complete guidance from only one source: the life of the Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him). Our turning to him is not due merely to our reverence for him; rather, we are compelled to turn to him in order to gain knowledge of the ups and downs of this path. Among all the leaders of the Islamic movement, only the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the leader whose life provides us with a complete and highly reliable account of every stage and aspect—from the movement’s initial call through the establishment of an Islamic state, and thereafter the state’s structure, constitution, domestic and foreign policies, and principles and methods of governance.

The Author’s Introduction

In every age, people have received the blessing of Islam through only two means. One: the Word of Allah. Two: Allah did not send the prophets merely as means of conveying His message and teaching and explaining it. He also instructed them to provide practical leadership and guidance, so that they could reform people and society in order to fulfill the true purpose of Allah’s message and demonstrate the reconstruction of a righteous and sound society by correcting a corrupt social order.

These two matters have always been so inseparably connected that, when one is separated from the other, people have neither been able to gain correct knowledge of religion nor receive guidance. If Allah’s Book is separated from the Prophet, it becomes a boat without a helmsman. No matter how much an inexperienced traveler wanders with it across the sea of life, he can never reach his destination. Again, if the Prophet is separated from Allah’s Book, then instead of finding the path to God, people can never escape the danger of making a non-god into God. Earlier nations suffered both consequences. The Hindus erased the biographies of their religious founders and contented themselves with their scriptures. The result was that they also lost their scriptures. The Christians disregarded the Book and clung to the Prophet’s mantle and personality. Consequently, they made Allah’s prophet the son of Allah, indeed Allah Himself.

As in the past, even in this modern age people must rely on the same two means that have continued throughout the ages in order to receive the blessing of Islam. First, the Word of Allah, which can be found only in the form of the Noble Qur’an. Second, the Prophet’s example, which is now preserved only in the biography of the Arab Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). If one is to gain correct knowledge of Islam today as in the past, the only way is to understand the Qur’an through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and to understand the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) through the Qur’an. Whoever has understood these two with the help of each other has understood Islam. Otherwise, one remains deprived of understanding the religion and consequently remains deprived of guidance.

Since the purpose, objective, and special mission of both the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are the same, everything depends on how deeply that purpose and objective are understood. If this is ignored, the Qur’an will appear to be nothing more than a collection of words and sentences, and the Prophet’s biography nothing more than a compilation of events. One may acquire accurate and detailed knowledge of the Prophet’s personality and the present age by pursuing historical facts and information to the utmost, but one will not perceive the life-force of the faith. This perception is connected not merely with the Qur’an’s bare statements and chronology of events, but with the purpose and objective for which the Qur’an was revealed and for which the Prophet appeared to bear its banner. The clearer and more accurate one’s understanding of this purpose and objective, the more accurate one’s understanding of the Qur’an and the Prophet’s life will be. And if one’s understanding of the purpose and objective is erroneous, one’s understanding of the Qur’an and the Prophet is bound to be erroneous.

It is absolutely true that the Qur’an and the Prophet’s life are like vast oceans. If someone wishes to gain all their meaning, essence, blessings, and grace, he can never do so. The most one can try to do is acquire as much knowledge from them as possible according to one’s ability, and, in their light, perceive as much of the life-force of the faith as one can.

I am grateful for Allah Almighty’s infinite mercy that He granted me the opportunity to complete Tafhim al-Qur’an so that I could employ whatever effort and ability I possessed to help people understand the Holy Qur’an. Thereafter, I had a deep desire to take up the pen on the life of the Holy Prophet. But thirty years of my life had passed in completing the first task. After that I no longer had the strength to undertake the second. The pain of being unable to do so was always troubling my heart. At that time, Mr. Naeem Siddiqi and Mr. Abdul Wakil Alvi presented before me this compilation on the Sirah, prepared from my various books and articles. I was astonished to discover that my writings contained so much material on this vast subject. I immediately offered them spontaneous and heartfelt congratulations for their tireless labor and prayed for their welfare. They had meticulously reviewed these materials scattered in various places and compiled them appropriately. Although this collection of material is not sufficient for producing a definitive book on the Sirah, nevertheless, the subjects included in this compilation will, God willing, help in understanding the personality of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) and his immense contribution.

There is, of course, no doubt that whatever has been included in this book has already come to the attention of the readers of my books and articles, and people do not particularly enjoy hearing the same things repeated. But the reader of this book will himself feel that the statements scattered in different places and written over the past thirty or forty years in different circumstances and settings are here brought together in the form of a compilation; the same benefit cannot be obtained by studying the scattered articles.

I pray to Allah Almighty that this book may become a means of guiding His servants and of earning my reward in the Hereafter.

-Abul A’la

Lahore

19 Dhu al-Qi‘dah, 1392 AH

25 December, 1972 CE

Some Fundamental Facts about the Continuity of Prophethood

Chapter 1: The Essence of Prophethood

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Allah’s Guidance for Humanity

The Lord of the universe, the Creator, Owner, and Ruler of the entire earth, the heavens, and all creation, created man in this part of His vast kingdom which we know as the earth. He gave him the power to know, think, and understand. He gave him the ability to distinguish between good and evil, and the freedom to examine, choose, and exercise his will. He granted him the right to exercise his own authority. In short, by granting him a kind of autonomy, He installed him on earth as His khalifah, or representative.

When Allah Almighty, Lord of the universe, installed man in this position, He firmly impressed upon his mind that He alone is the Owner, the One entitled to obedience, and the Ruler of man and the entire universe. In His kingdom, man is neither independent nor subject to anyone else; rather, no one besides Him is entitled to receive man’s obedience, servitude, worship, or adoration. It is true that man has been sent into this worldly life with free power, but in reality this is a period of trial for him. He alone will decide, after judging their deeds, who among them has passed the test and who has failed. Man’s correct viewpoint can only be that he accepts Allah as his sole Lord, God, and Ruler; acts in the world according to the law He gives; and lives with the awareness that the world is a testing ground and that success at the time of the Final Judgment is his true objective. In contrast, every viewpoint differing from this will be a victim of error. If people adopt the first viewpoint—which they are free to adopt—they will face disorder and unrest in this world, and after ending their worldly life and entering the Hereafter, they will be cast into the pit of everlasting sorrow, anguish, and misery called Hell.

‘Muslim’ (obedient)

The Lord of the universe instructed man to live in obedience on earth. He also showed the first human beings, Adam (peace be upon him), Eve, and their descendants how they were to act on earth. At the time of his creation, this first human was not immersed in the darkness of ignorance and unenlightenment; rather, Allah began his life on earth in an environment filled with light. He knew the truth. He was given the law by which to live, and his way of life was obedience to Allah—that is, Islam. He taught his children to live on earth as obedient servants of Allah, as Muslims.

Deviation from the Right Path

But in subsequent centuries, people gradually deviated from the correct way of life, the faith, and began to tread the wrong path. Through negligence and heedlessness, they caused this way of life to disappear, and through corrupt attitudes and evil actions they distorted it as well. They made various human, nonhuman, imaginary, and material entities of the earth and heavens partners in Allah’s sovereignty and authority. Mixing various kinds of imaginings, idealism, ideologies, and philosophies into the true knowledge given by Allah, they devised a way of life according to their desires, inclinations, tendencies, and one-sided attitudes, with the result that Allah’s earth became filled with oppression.

Since Allah has granted man limited autonomy, how could He use His creative power to force those who have gone astray back onto the right path? And since He has set a period of time for the various tribes and nations of mankind to work on earth, it would likewise not be right for Him to destroy all people as soon as rebellion appeared. From the very first day of mankind’s creation, while preserving man’s power of autonomy, He also assumed responsibility for guiding mankind during the appointed period. Therefore, in order to fulfill this responsibility imposed upon Himself, He began to employ from among mankind those who believed in Him and obeyed His will and commands. He made them His representatives, sent His word to them, granted them true knowledge, gave them a correct and flawless way of life, and appointed them to call the wayward children of Adam toward the right path.

These prophets appointed by Allah continued to appear among different countries and nations. Their coming continued for thousands of years, and they were innumerable. Their faith was the same: that true and correct outlook and way of life which had been made known to mankind on the very first day. They all followed the same guidance, meaning that they followed the fundamental and eternal principles of character, morality, civilization, and culture established for mankind at the beginning of creation. They all had the same mission. Their mission was to call their tribes and nations toward this faith and guidance, then organize those who accepted the call into an ummah and group that would itself obey Allah’s law, establish obedience to Allah’s law in the world, and strive and struggle to prevent opposition to that law. Each of these prophets fulfilled, in their own

age, the mission entrusted to them in the proper manner. But it was always seen that large numbers of people did not agree to accept their call. And those who accepted it and became part of the Muslim ummah gradually became corrupted themselves. Thus, some of the ummahs among them completely lost Allah’s guidance, while others introduced additions and distortions of their own into Allah’s word and changed its very form.

At last, the Lord of the universe sent Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, to Arabia with the same responsibility with which He had previously sent the earlier prophets. He called both ordinary people and the wayward followers of earlier prophets. His responsibility was to call everyone toward the correct outlook and the true path, convey Allah’s guidance anew to all, and turn those who accepted this path and guidance into an ummah that would, on the one hand, establish its own way of life on the basis of Allah’s guidance and, on the other, strive and struggle to reform the people of the world.

Prophethood and the Primordial Covenant

(Arabic****************** on page 29 of the PDF)

“And [O Prophet (peace be upon him)] remind the people of the time when your Lord brought forth from the loins of the Children of Adam their offspring and made them bear witness against themselves, asking: ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They replied: ‘Yes, indeed, You are our Lord. We bear witness to this.’ This was so that on the Day of Resurrection you could not say: ‘We were unaware of this.’ Or say: ‘Our forefathers committed shirk before us, and we were born after them as their descendants. Will You then seize us for the wrong committed by those who were misguided?’”

—(Surah al-A‘raf: 172–173)

This verse states the purpose for which an acknowledgment was obtained from all the descendants of Adam at the beginning of creation. That purpose is that those who adopt the path of rebellion against Allah will themselves be held fully responsible for this crime. They will have no opportunity to plead ignorance in their defense, nor will they be able to shift responsibility for their error onto their forefathers and thereby free themselves from accountability. In other words, Allah has regarded this primordial oath and covenant at the time of birth as evidence that every human being personally carries within himself the testimony that Allah is the only God, the only Lord and Master. It would therefore be wrong to say that a person can completely absolve himself of responsibility for his error and deviation merely because he was raised in complete ignorance or in a misguided environment.

The question now arises: if this primordial covenant truly took effect, is it preserved in our consciousness and memory? Does any one of us know that, before creation, he was brought before his Allah, asked, ‘Am I not your Lord?’ and replied, ‘Yes’? If the answer is negative, how can the memory of an oath that has vanished from our consciousness be regarded as evidence against us?

The answer may be given that if arrangements had been made to keep the mark of that covenant and oath fresh in human consciousness and memory, sending man into the present testing ground of the world would have become meaningless. Indeed, once the question had been revealed, such a test would have had no meaning. Thus, although its mark has not remained fresh in memory and consciousness, it is certainly preserved in the subconscious mind and in intuition. The same is true of our other feelings and subconscious knowledge. Whatever mankind has achieved to date in civilization, culture, morality, and dealings was latent within man. All that external and internal forces have been able to do together is bring into actual presence what was latent. It is true that no education, training, environmental influence, or inner force can ever produce in man the potential of something that is not already latent within him. Similarly, despite a thousand efforts, these forces cannot completely eradicate any of the things whose potential is latent within man. At most, they can ensure that, despite every kind of distortion, deviation, and straying, that thing will remain hidden within, continue exerting force to manifest itself, and always remain ready to respond to external attraction and appeal. I have already said that the same can be said about all our feelings and subconscious knowledge:

Everything described above exists actively within us, and we obtain certain proof of its existence through whatever actually manifests itself from us.

For all these things to manifest themselves, reminders, education, and training from outside are necessary. Whatever manifests itself from us is, in reality, Allah’s guidance for humanity outside us.

A response to the appeal. And these responses come from the active entities within us.

Inner erroneous tendencies and outer erroneous reactions can suppress, conceal, distort, and nearly eliminate all these things, but cannot abolish them completely. For this reason, correction and change (conversion) are possible through both inner feeling and external effort.

The intuitive knowledge we possess regarding our true status in this universe and our relationship with the Creator of the universe is in exactly the same condition.

Proof of its existence is that in every era of human life, at all times and in every land, its origin and development can be observed among every settlement, lineage, tribe, and individual. No power in the world has ever been able to eliminate it in any age or period.

Whenever it has become effective in our lives in reality, it has been capable of producing beneficial results. This is proof that it conforms to the truth.

For its origin, manifestation, and attainment of practical form, an external appeal has always been necessary. That is why Allah’s prophets, the heavenly scriptures, and all those who call people to the truth have been seen striving to perform this same function. Thus, in the Qur’an they are referred to as muḏakkir (one who reminds), dhikr (remembrance), tadhkirah (reminder), and their work as tadhkir (reminding). This means that the prophets, the heavenly scriptures, and those who call to the truth do not create something new in people; rather, they merely develop and enliven what was already present within them.

The Verdict of Reason and Intellect Regarding Prophethood

In large cities we see hundreds of factories operating with the help of electrical power. Trams and trains are running. At night, thousands of lights suddenly come on; in hot weather, fans turn overhead in every room. Yet we are not at all surprised by these events. Nor do we disagree about the cause behind these things’ brightness and movement. Why is that? Because we see with our own eyes the wires to which these lights are connected. We know where those wires are connected to the power station. We also know that an engineer operates the electrical system, and that electric lights shine with the help of the power produced. Thus, the reason we have no disagreement about the cause and mechanism of electricity when we see its signs is that the entire chain of cause and effect lies within our experience and we have observed it directly. Suppose these lights came on, the fans whirred, trams and trains raced along, and the wheels of factories and machines turned, but the wires supplying electricity to all these things remained invisible; the power station too lay beyond the reach of our experience; and we could not know that the factory was operated by the power of those working at the station. In that case, would our minds be convinced by seeing those signs of electricity? Would we agree about the causes behind those signs? Needless to say, the answer would be negative. Why? Because when the causes behind signs remain hidden and no one can know them, it is entirely natural for wonder and unease to arise in the mind, for the brain and intellect to set out in search of this profound mystery, and for ideas, assumptions, and opinions about it to differ.

Let us make the point a little clearer. Let us accept that what was previously considered merely an assumption actually exists in reality and in practice. That is, truly thousands upon thousands of electric lights are shining, millions upon millions of electric fans are turning, vehicles are moving, and the wheels of factories and machines are revolving, but we have no means of knowing what force is operating within them or where it comes from. People have become overwhelmed with wonder at seeing these signs.

Different Opinions

Many people have exercised their intellects in searching for the cause of these things. Some say that they began shining and moving by themselves. There is no entity beyond their existence that gave them light or motion. Others say that the very nature of the substances from which they are formed creates the state of light and movement within them. Some believe that behind this material world there is a group of gods: one of them lights the lamps, another drives the trams and trains, another turns the fans, and others turn the wheels of factories and machines. Again, a group of people became exhausted from thinking about the matter and eventually began expressing their helplessness, saying: Our intellect is incapable of penetrating the depths of this magic. We know only as much as we can see and feel. We understand nothing beyond that. And whatever we do not understand, we can neither call true nor call false.

These people are engaged in disagreement among themselves. Yet each of them has no means of knowledge in support of his own idea and against the ideas of others except notions, assumptions, and imaginings.

A Distinctive Claim

While this disagreement was continuing, a man came and said, “Set aside all your opinions; I possess a means of knowledge that you do not have. Through that means I have learned that these lamps, fans, clocks, factories, and machines are connected to certain invisible wires, which you cannot perceive. Power is being supplied to these wires from a large power station, manifesting itself in the form of light and motion. There is enormous machinery in this power station. Countless employees and technicians operate it, and they are all under the authority of a great engineer. The engineer established this system through his own knowledge and power. All these operations are proceeding under his command and direction.”

Then another man came. He too began presenting the same statement with the same kind of claim. After that, a third, fourth, and fifth man came. They too continued to say the same thing in the same manner as those before them. Then an unbroken stream of arrivals continued. Their number passed the hundreds and thousands and reached the hundreds of thousands. They all presented the same statement with the same claim. Despite differences of time, place, and circumstances, no difference could be found in their statements or claims. They all said, “We possess a means of knowledge that ordinary people do not have.” They were all branded mad and subjected to various forms of oppression and persecution. Every possible means was used to force them to withdraw their claim, but they all remained steadfast in it, and no power in the world could move them even an inch from their position. Along with this firmness and steadfastness, another notable feature of theirs was that none of them was a liar, thief, embezzler, criminal, tyrant, or one who consumed what was unlawful. Even their opponents and enemies acknowledged this. They were all pure, untainted, and exceptionally virtuous. In their kindness and good conduct toward people, they possessed a distinctive quality unmatched among all humanity. There was no sign of madness in any of them; on the contrary, they possessed lofty moral character and spiritual purity. Far from presenting worldly matters, the world’s greatest scholars, learned men, theoreticians, and experts spend their entire lives trying to fully comprehend its profound mysteries and subtle truths.

In the court of reason and conscience

On one side is a group of various and mutually contradictory deniers, and on the other is a group of solitary claimants. The cases of both groups are brought before the court of reason and conscience. As judge, reason and conscience must first properly understand its own status, then understand the condition of both parties, comparatively examine them, and decide whose statement deserves precedence.

The judge’s own situation is that he has no means of knowing the actual matter. He himself is not aware of the truth. Before him are only the statements and arguments of both parties, their personal circumstances, and external signs and indications. These must be considered from the perspective of an investigator. But he cannot reach any conclusion beyond what is more probable. For it is impossible for him to uncover the actual truth on the basis of all the information and particulars on his table. He may give preference to the statement of one party over the other, but he cannot, with absolute certainty, declare one party’s statement true and the other’s false.

The condition of the deniers

The condition of the deniers is as follows:

First: Their views regarding the truth differ. They have no agreement on even a single matter. Even among the members of a group that follows this doctrine, disagreements often arise.

Second: They themselves acknowledge that they possess no unique means of knowledge. At most, each group claims that its inference regarding prophethood is stronger than the judgment of reason and conscience concerning the inference of others, but they all acknowledge that their own inference is merely an inference.

Third: Their faith, conviction, and certainty in their conjectures do not amount to steadfast belief. There are countless examples of them changing their views. It is often seen that a person who presented an opinion very forcefully up to yesterday now opposes that very opinion himself and presents another. In most cases, their views are seen to change as their age, intellect, knowledge, and experience increase.

Fourth: They have only one argument for declaring the solitary claimants false: that they possess no conclusive proof in support of their claim. They could not show the invisible wires which, they claimed, were connected to the lamps and fans. They could not demonstrate the existence of electricity directly through experiments. They could not show anyone the power station, nor its equipment and machines. They could not even arrange for anyone to meet the engineer. How, then, can their claim be accepted as true?

The condition of the solitary claimants

On the other hand, the condition of the solitary claimants is as follows:

First: They are all founded upon agreement. They are in complete agreement on all the fundamental matters of their claim.

Second: Their united claim is: “We possess a means of knowledge that ordinary people do not possess.”

Third: Not one of them said that they were making this statement on the basis of guesswork, conjecture, or imagination. Rather, they all unanimously said that they had a special relationship with the engineer, that his employees came to them, and that he had taken them on a tour of his factory and shown them everything. Thus, their position is that whatever they say is not based on conjecture or imagination, but on genuine knowledge of the truth and complete conviction.

Fourth: There is no instance of even one of them changing any detail of his account by so much as an inch. Each of them continued to say the same thing from the beginning of his life until his final moment.

Fifth: Their character is exceptionally pure and untainted. There is no trace of falsehood, deceit, guile, or fraud in it. There is no reason to think that those who are truthful and sincere in every matter of life would unite to lie in this one matter alone.

Sixth: It has not been established that they have any personal interest behind making this claim. Most of them suffered the utmost hardship and persecution because of it, faced danger, endured imprisonment, were subjected to physical torture, and were expelled from their countries. Many were even killed. Nor was anyone seen to gain prosperity and abundance. Therefore, they cannot be accused of pursuing any kind of personal interest. Rather, their maintaining their solitary claim in such extreme circumstances proves that their trust and conviction in their own truthfulness were as firm as mountains. Their conviction reached such a level that none of them withdrew his claim even to save his life.

Seventh: There is no evidence that they were mad or had lost their intellect. In all matters of life, they were seen to possess the highest degree of knowledge and sound judgment. Even their opponents acknowledged their intellectual superiority in most cases. How, then, can it be accepted that they became insane specifically in this one matter? The importance of the matter must also be considered. It became a question of life and death for them. For its sake, they confronted and struggled against the people of the entire world for years. It was the foundation of all their knowledge and teaching, which many deniers also acknowledged.

Eighth: They never said that they would arrange for you to meet the engineer or his employees, or that they could show you his secret and invisible factory, or prove their claim through experiments and direct observation. They themselves called this matter the ‘unseen,’ or invisible. Regarding it, they said, “Trust us and accept whatever we tell you.”

The verdict of the court of reason and conscience

After reviewing the circumstances and statements of both parties, the court now delivers its verdict. It says that both parties investigated the causes underlying certain signs and indications and each expressed its own view. At first glance, the views of both parties appear similar. First, neither view is contrary to reason. That is, in light of the laws of reason, it cannot be said of either view that its being correct is impossible. Second, the correctness of neither view can be proved through experiment or direct observation. The verdict of reason and conscience regarding prophethood, as represented by the first party, is as follows.

Neither group can present scientific evidence in support of its doctrine that every person would be compelled to believe. The second party also lacks this ability, nor do they claim to possess it. But after deeper thought and investigation, certain matters become apparent on the basis of which the doctrine of the second party appears preferable to all other doctrines.

First: It seems extraordinary that such a large number of people from different countries and different eras should come forward so unitedly in support of one doctrine. They all continue to make the same claim in one voice: that they possess an extraordinary means of knowledge, through which they have all learned the inner causes underlying external signs and indications. This draws us toward accepting the truth of their claim. In particular, we see that there is not the slightest contradiction in the information they have presented, and their distorted information is not contrary to reason. Nor can something that is absent among some people be regarded as impossible under the laws of reason.

Second: A review of the condition of the external indications gives greater confidence that the doctrine of the second party is correct. Lamps, fans, vehicles, factories, and the like did not become luminous or move by themselves. Had that been so, their becoming luminous and moving would have depended on their own will. But this is not what we observe, nor are their light and motion the necessary result of the materials of which they are made. For even when they are not luminous or moving, those same materials remain present in their structure. Moreover, when there is no light in an individual lamp, the fan also does not run, the tram stops, and the factory wheel does not turn. Thus, the doctrines put forward by the first party to explain the external indications have no connection whatsoever with reason and logic. Here it seems far more correct to say that a certain power is active within these indications, and that its source is in the hands of a knowledgeable and powerful being who uses this power among the various indications according to a definite system.

In response to the skeptics’ statement that this is beyond their understanding and that they can call nothing true or false if it is beyond their understanding, it may be said that this too is not established by the judgment of reason. Whether a listener can understand an event upon hearing of it does not determine whether the event occurred. Numerous reliable and continuous testimonies are sufficient to acknowledge that an event took place. If several reliable people came to us and said, “We saw people in the West riding in iron vehicles and flying through the air, and while sitting in London we heard an American song with our own ears,” we would only consider whether those people were not liars or jesters, whether they had no personal interest in making such a statement, and whether their minds were not deranged. If it were established that they were neither liars, jesters, nor mad, and had no interest connected with the matter, and if we further saw many truthful and intelligent people making the same statement with complete confidence and without any disagreement, then we would certainly accept it. What difference does it make whether or not we understand the matter of an iron vehicle flying through the air, or a song being heard thousands of miles away in another place without any tangible medium?

This is the judgment of reason and conscience in this matter. But the state of faith and conviction, which is called iman, does not arise in this way. It requires feeling. There must be a voice from within the heart that brings an end to falsehood, doubt, and uncertainty and says in unequivocal language: All the people’s conjectures are false. The truth lies only in what truthful people have stated, not on the basis of their own conjectures, but on the basis of knowledge illuminated by conviction and profound inner insight.

The need for and significance of prophethood

Man’s greatest need

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“The responsibility for showing the straight path rests with Allah, while there are also crooked paths.”

While presenting arguments in support of tawhid, mercy, and Allah’s complete rububiyyah, an argument in support of prophethood has also been made here by implication. Its brief essence is as follows:

Multiple paths of thought and action are possible for the people of the world, and they do in fact exist. Needless to say, all of these paths cannot be true at the same time. There is only one truth. Therefore, the only correct way of life can be one founded upon an accurate philosophy of life.

Knowing this accurate ideology and right path is every person’s greatest need. Indeed, it is the fundamental need. All the other things a human being needs as a higher-order creature merely fulfill those needs, but this is a need indispensable to him as a human being. Failure to fulfill it means that his entire life has been wasted.

Now the question to consider is this: Can it be imagined that the God who prepared so many resources and provisions for human beings before bringing them into existence, and who, after bringing them into existence, made such extensive and perfect arrangements to fulfill every need of their biological life, made no arrangement to fulfill this greatest and most fundamental need of human life?

This arrangement has been completed through prophethood. If someone wishes to deny prophethood, he must certainly say what other arrangement Allah has made for the guidance of humanity. No one can escape this question by saying that Allah has given human beings intellect and the power of thought to search for the path. For human intellect and thought have already discovered countless paths. This is clear proof of their failure to find the one simple, correct, and straight path. On the other hand, it is also impossible to say that Allah has made no arrangement whatsoever to guide us. For perhaps no worse opinion of Allah is possible than to think that He made complete arrangements for our sustenance, intellect, and development as living beings, but made no arrangement at all for us to become human beings, instead leaving us in darkness in this regard.

Islamic guidance instead of compulsory guidance

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“Had Allah willed, He would certainly have guided all of you.”

—(Surah al-Nahl: 9)

That is, although it was possible for Allah to discharge this responsibility in such a way that all human beings could have been guided by birth, like other creatures without free will and power, He has instead granted human beings the freedom to adopt any path they wish, right or wrong. To use this freedom, they have been given the means of knowledge, the power of intellect and thought, the strength of will and resolve, and the ability to use countless things within and outside themselves. Alongside this, countless causes have been placed within and around them that may lead them either to guidance or to misguidance. If they had been made followers of the right path by birth, all of this would have been meaningless. Human beings could not then have ascended to the highest heights of progress, which they can attain only through the proper use of freedom. Therefore, for the guidance of humanity, Allah has adopted the method of prophethood and messengership instead of compulsory guidance. In this way, human freedom remains intact, the purpose of their test is fulfilled, and the straight, upright, righteous path is presented to them through rational means.

The need for signs of the right path in material and moral life

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“He has placed guiding landmarks on the earth, and by the stars people find their way.” —(Surah al-Nahl: 16)

That is, Allah did not make the whole earth uniform. Rather, He distinguished every region of the earth with various kinds of distinctive landmarks. As a result, people benefit in many ways and are able to recognize their route and destination. This is one of their various benefits. People can truly appreciate the value of this blessing and gift from Allah only when they happen to enter a desert region where no distinctive landmark of this kind can be seen. As a result, they remain constantly anxious for fear of losing their way. During sea voyages, people can feel the value and worth of this great gift from Allah even more, because there are essentially no marks of a route there. Yet Allah has also established a natural system for guiding people in deserts and at sea. That system is the stars in the sky, with whose help people have been finding their way from ancient times until today.

Here again, while presenting arguments and proofs in support of tawhid, mercy, and prophethood, a subtle indication has also been made toward proof of messengership. When reading this verse, the mind spontaneously turns to the thought: Would the Allah who has made such extensive arrangements to guide people in their material life remain so indifferent to their moral life? Would He not even feel the need to provide the slightest guidance for their moral life? Needless to say, however great the harm of losing one’s way in material life may be, it is many times less than the harm of making such a mistake in moral life. Again, how can one entertain the ill opinion that the Merciful and Almighty Allah, who is so attentive to human welfare that He has made paths for them through mountains, erected landmarks across vast, empty plains, and lit lamps in the sky to save them from losing direction in deserts and at sea, has provided no path for their moral welfare? That He has erected no landmark to make that path clear and lit no light to illuminate it?

The importance of conscious guidance for human beings

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“Moses replied to Pharaoh: ‘Our Lord is He who gave everything its form and then guided it.’” —(Ta-Ha: 50)

That is, He alone has given everything in the world its form, shape, power, capacity, qualities, and characteristics. He created the hand with the form and shape that enable it to perform the work of the world. He also gave the foot a shape suited to its function. He gave human beings, animals, plants, inanimate matter, air, water, light, and the various other kinds of things the forms by which they can properly perform their respective functions on earth.

Moreover, He did not merely give each thing its particular form and leave it at that; along with this, He also provided guidance for its functioning. No thing can be found in the world which, after being created and given its special form, has not been taught through its physical constitution how to perform its function and fulfill the purpose of its creation. He alone taught the ear to hear and the eye to see. He taught the fish to swim, the bird to fly, the tree to produce flowers and fruit, and the earth to yield plants, vegetables, and crops. In short, He is not merely the Creator of every thing in the entire universe; He is also their Teacher and Guide.

Furthermore, within this brief statement, Moses (peace be upon him) also presented, by implication, the argument for prophethood. Pharaoh, of course, refused to accept it. His argument implies that Allah is the Guide of the entire universe and guides every thing according to its condition and needs. The essential demand of His status as the universal Guide is that, for guiding human beings in their conscious life, He would not adopt a method suited to fish and birds. The most suitable method is that a conscious human being should be appointed by Him to guide all humanity. He would appeal to human reason, knowledge, and awareness and show people the straight path.

What Is Prophethood?

Allah Himself has provided whatever people need to live in this world. When a child is born, it is sent into the world with everything it needs. It is given eyes to see, ears to hear, a nose for smelling and breathing, the sense of touch in the skin of its body for feeling, feet for moving about, hands for working, a brain for thinking, and countless other things, all attached in advance to its little body according to its needs. Then, as soon as it sets foot on the earth, it receives so many things necessary for sustaining life that they cannot be counted even by counting. Light, air, heat, water, and soil—all are prepared for it. A stream of milk has already been made to flow in its mother’s breast. Streams of affection and love are also made to flow in the hearts of its mother, father, relatives, and even others; by means of these, it is nurtured and raised. Then, as it grows, it continues to receive, day after day, everything needed to fulfill its needs. The situation appears such that all the forces of the earth and heavens have devoted themselves to its upbringing and service.

All people have been granted the abilities necessary for carrying out work in this world. Physical strength, intelligence and judgment, the power of speech, and many other such abilities exist, in greater or lesser degree, in almost every person. But here Allah has established a beautiful arrangement. He has not granted all abilities equally to all kinds of people. If He had, no one would have needed anyone else, and no one would have cared about anyone else. Therefore, with regard to the collective needs of all people, Allah has created all kinds of abilities among human beings, but in such a way that He has given each person more of one particular ability. Some possess greater strength for physical labor than others. Many people are born with greater aptitude for a particular profession or craft, while others are deprived of it. Many have greater intelligence and knowledge than others. Some are born commanders. Some possess special ability in governance and authority. Some are born with extraordinary eloquence. Others have an exceptional inborn power of writing. Many people have been seen to be highly proficient in mathematics. They solve even the most difficult problems in that field in a manner beyond the imagination of others. One person invents all kinds of astonishing things, and the world is amazed by his inventions. Another is seen to have extraordinary expertise in law. Matters of law that no one could understand after years of thought and reflection, he reaches the depths of at a glance. These abilities are granted by Allah. No person can create such abilities within himself through his own efforts. They cannot even be created through education and practice. In reality, these are inborn abilities; Allah grants them to whomever He wills, according to His subtle wisdom and judgment.

The abilities more greatly needed for human civilization and culture are created in a larger number of people. Those needed less are created in fewer people. Many soldiers are born. Farmers, artisans, weavers, and people qualified for similar work are born in large numbers. But the number of people with theoretical and intellectual abilities, and those qualified for politics and command, is seen to be much smaller. This is because their contributions continue for hundreds of years, and therefore human society does not need many personalities possessing abilities like theirs.

A Need More Important Than the Needs of Human Life

The point to consider is that these needs alone are not sufficient to make the lives of people in this world successful. It is not enough for engineers, mathematicians, scientists, jurists, politicians, economists, and people skilled in various professions to be born among humanity. There is another, greater need. That is, a person must arise among human beings who will show them the path of Allah. The task of other people is only to tell us what things exist in this world for human beings and how they should be used. But there is also a need for someone who will tell people for whom they were created, who provided them with all these provisions in this world, and what the will of that Giver is—according to which, if one lives in this world, one can attain certain and everlasting success. This is humanity’s true and greatest need. Reason is not prepared to accept that the One who has arranged for even our smallest needs to be fulfilled would completely ignore such a great need of ours. That is never possible.

The Status of the Messengers

Just as people skilled in other sciences and arts are born with a special mind, intellect, and disposition, so a prophet is born into the world with a special disposition.

From the poetry of a natural poet, we can understand that he was born with special ability in the field of poetry, because no matter how hard others try, they cannot write poetry like him. Similarly, a natural orator, a born writer, a born inventor, and a born leader can easily be recognized through their actions. Each of them demonstrates in his own work an extraordinary ability that is impossible for others. The prophet is similar. Thoughts arise in his mind that no human being other than him can express. His vision spontaneously penetrates the depths of subtle matters that others cannot reach even after years of research. Whatever he says is accepted by our intellect and attested by our hearts; indeed, it should be so. His statements prove true in the world. Yet we ourselves cannot say such things, even when we wish to. Moreover, his nature is so pure and unsullied that in every matter he adopts a truthful and gentlemanly course. He never says anything false. He does not commit any evil. He always teaches virtue and truthfulness. Whatever he tells others, he demonstrates by practicing it himself. It has never been seen in his life that he says one thing but acts contrary to it. His words and deeds contain no personal interest. He harms himself for the good of others and does not harm others for his own good. His entire life is formed upon ideals of truthfulness, courtesy, purity of mind, elevated thought, and a high level of humanity. Even if one searched him with a telescope, no flaw would be found in him. From all this it can be clearly recognized that this man is a true prophet of Allah.

Obedience to the Prophet

Once a person is known to be a true prophet of Allah, it becomes essential to accept his words, obey him, and live according to his method. After accepting someone as a prophet, refusing to obey him is completely contrary to reason. For accepting him as a prophet means that we have acknowledged that whatever he says, he says on behalf of Allah, and whatever he does, he does according to Allah’s will. Therefore, none of our words or actions against him can ever be right. Once someone is accepted as a prophet, it becomes essential to accept every word of his without hesitation and submit to his commands. Whether the basic significance and benefit of a command are understood by us is irrelevant here. The fact that a statement comes from the Prophet is sufficient proof of its truth and of its containing every kind of knowledge, welfare, and benefit. If the meaning of one of his statements is not understandable to us, this does not mean that there is a defect in it; rather, it means that some defect has appeared in our intellect and power of understanding.

A person who is not an expert in a craft will not be able to understand its most subtle matters. But if he refuses to accept an expert’s words merely because he does not understand them, that is to his own disadvantage. Once an expert is appointed, his work is relied upon completely, and no interference is made in it. Thus, no one can be an expert in every field, nor does everyone have the ability to understand every subject and task in the world. We need only determine whether a person is an expert in his field, and to attain complete certainty about this, we must employ our intellect, knowledge, and every possible precaution. Then, once we know that he is a good expert, we should place complete trust in his work. To interfere in his work and repeatedly say, “First explain this to me, or I am not prepared to accept it,” is not intelligence but sheer foolishness. After entrusting a case to a lawyer, if one kept arguing with him in this way, there is no doubt that he would throw such a client out of his chambers. If one asked a doctor to explain the reason and logic behind every prescription, he would abandon treating the patient concerned. The same applies to religion. We must acquire knowledge of Allah. We want to know the method of living according to Allah’s will. We have no means of learning these things directly. Therefore, it becomes our duty to seek Allah’s true prophet. Without doubt, in seeking a prophet we must show the utmost intelligence, discernment, and caution. For if we accept as a prophet someone who is not actually a prophet, he will lead us astray. But after careful examination and review give us conviction that a person is Allah’s true prophet, we must place complete trust in him and carry out every one of his commands.

The Need to Believe in the Prophets

When we learn that the path shown by Allah’s prophet from Allah is the only true and straight path, it naturally becomes clear to us that believing in the Prophet, obeying him, and following him are essential for all people; and that whoever abandons the Prophet’s path and tries to devise a path through his own intelligence and knowledge will certainly go astray.

People make a serious mistake in this matter. Many acknowledge the truthfulness of the prophets but do not believe in them or obey them. Such people are not only unbelievers but also fools. Who could be greater fools than those who knowingly follow falsehood?

Some say that we do not need to obey our Prophet. We can discover the true path ourselves with the help of our own intellect. This too is a great mistake. Anyone who has studied geometry knows that there can be only one straight line from one point to another. Any other lines drawn will either be curved or will not reach the second point. The true path, called in Islamic terminology Sirat al-Mustaqim, meaning the straight path, is similar. This path begins with humanity and ends at Allah. According to the geometrical principle mentioned above, there can be only one such path. All paths other than this one will either be curved or will not reach Allah. Now let us reflect a little on the straight path. The Prophet has shown the straight path. There can be no second Sirat al-Mustaqim, or straight path. Whoever seeks a path on his own apart from this sole path will necessarily face one of two situations: he will find no path that reaches Allah, or, if he finds one, it will be a very winding path, not a straight line but a curve. In the first case, his destruction is obvious. In the second, there can be no doubt about his foolishness. Even an inferior animal, when going from one place to another, leaves a winding route and takes the straight path. Yet the case of the intelligent and cleverest of created beings, the human being, is truly astonishing. A righteous servant of Allah is showing him the straight path, while he keeps saying, “No, I will not follow the path you have shown me. I will proceed along the winding paths, continue losing my way, and keep searching for my destination.”

This is such an obvious truth that anyone can understand it at first sight. But if one thinks more deeply, it will become clear that a person who refuses to believe in the Prophet cannot find any path—straight or winding—to Allah. For the person who cannot accept the word of a truthful and sincere man has some defect in his mind that causes him to turn away from truth. He may lack knowledge and understanding; arrogance may have taken root in his heart; or his nature may be so crooked that his mind is not ready to accept the message of goodness and truth. He may be immersed in the blind imitation of his forefathers and therefore unwilling to accept anything contrary to what has long been established as custom. Or he may be a slave to his desires and refuse to accept the Prophet’s teaching because he would then lose the freedom to engage in unlawful and impure acts. If any one of these causes is found in a person, it becomes impossible for him to find the path of Allah. And if none of them is found in him, it is utterly impossible that a sincere, honest, and pure person would refuse to accept the teaching of a true prophet.

The most important point is that the Prophet is sent by Allah, and Allah has also commanded people to believe in him and obey him. Therefore, whoever does not believe in the Prophet rebels against Allah. A person must obey the administrator appointed by the government of which he is a subject. If he refuses to accept that person as administrator, it means that he has rebelled against the government. Accepting the government while refusing to accept its appointed administrator is completely contradictory. The example of Allah and His sent Prophet is similar. Allah is the true King of humanity. It is the duty of every person to accept as prophet the one whom He has sent to guide people and whom He has commanded them to obey, and to abandon obedience to everyone else and obey him alone. Whoever shows disregard toward him is certainly a denier—an unbeliever. In this case, whether he accepts Allah or not is all meaningless.

A Brief History of the Continuity of Prophethood

We shall now discuss how the coming of prophets among humanity began and how, developing progressively, this chain came to an end with the last and greatest of the prophets.

Allah first created one human being. Then from that person He created a pair. Thereafter He set the lineage of that pair in motion. Continuing for hundreds and thousands of years, it spread throughout the world. Everyone born on earth is a descendant of that first pair. The religious and historical accounts of all peoples declare in one voice that the human race began with a single human being. Scientific investigation has not proved that separate human beings were created in different regions of the earth. Rather, most scientists hold the view that one human being was born first, and that all the people found anywhere in the world are descendants of that one person.

In our language, that first human being is called Adam (peace be upon him). This is the origin of the expression “children of Adam,” meaning the human race. Allah made Adam (peace be upon him) the first prophet and instructed him to teach his children the teachings of Islam. That is, he was instructed to tell them: Your Lord and the Lord of the entire world is One Allah. You must worship Him alone. You must bow only before Him. You must seek help from Him. You must live a righteous and just life in this world according to His will. If you live in this way, you will ultimately receive a great reward; but if you turn away from His obedience, you will deserve terrible punishment. Among the children of Adam (peace be upon him), those who were good and righteous continued on the straight path shown by their father, but those who were wicked abandoned it. Gradually, every kind of injustice and evil arose. Some began worshipping the moon, the sun, and the stars. Some became absorbed in worshipping trees, animals, and rivers. Others began to think that the air, water, fire, disease, health, and other forces of nature each had a separate god. Therefore, each of them should be worshipped; then all the gods would be pleased and show us favor. Because of such ignorance, various forms of shirk and idol worship became established, giving rise to different religions. By this time, the descendants of Adam (peace be upon him) had spread throughout the world. Different nations had emerged. Each nation had created a new religion for itself. Their customs and practices were different. As people forgot Allah, they also forgot the laws and commandments that their original father, Adam (peace be upon him), had taught his children. People began to obey their desires. All kinds of evil customs began to spread. Every kind of ignorant idea became widespread. People began to err in distinguishing between good and evil. Many bad things came to be regarded as good, and many good things as bad.

In this connection, the following verse of the Holy Qur’an describes the significance and importance of prophethood:

(Arabic*********************************on PDF page 49)

“At first, all people followed one path. (Then this situation did not continue, and differences arose.) Thereafter Allah sent prophets. They were bearers of glad tidings (for those who adopted the true and straight path) and warners (of the consequences of adopting crooked and erroneous paths). He sent down the True Book with them so that it might decide the disputes that had arisen among people concerning the truth. The reason these disputes arose was not that knowledge had initially been given to them. After receiving clear guidance, they abandoned the truth and took different paths for the sole reason that they wanted to commit injustice and transgression among themselves.—[After ‘At first, all people followed one path,’ the mention of the dispute has been omitted. This is discussed at the end of the verse.]—(Surah al-Baqarah: 213).”

In writing the history of ‘religion’ on the basis of their own ideas and imaginings, ignorant people say that human religious life began in the dark whirlpool of shirk; then, through a continuous process of evolution, this darkness gradually disappeared and the rays of light grew brighter. Thus, in the end, humanity arrived at the concept of Tawhid, or One Allah. The Qur’an presents completely opposite information, saying that, in the full light of the world, the descendants of Adam remained established upon the true and correct path and belonged to one community for a long period. Then people began to devise new paths and invent different methods. They did not do this because they had not been informed of the truth. Rather, the reason was that, despite knowing the truth, many people wanted to obtain more gains and benefits than their lawful rights. They were eager to commit injustice, oppression, and transgression among themselves. To remove these defects, Allah, the Lord of the worlds, began sending prophets. These prophets were not sent so that each of them would establish a new religion in his own name and form a separate community. Rather, their sole purpose was to make this lost path of truth clear once again before humanity and reunite people into one community.

The Work of the Prophets

Every prophet reminded his own people of the lessons they had forgotten. They taught them to worship the One Allah and kept them away from shirk and idol worship. They abolished their ignorant and unenlightened customs and traditions. They taught them how to live according to Allah’s will and, by establishing sound and correct laws, instructed them to follow them. There is no country in Bengal, Pakistan, or India, China, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Africa, Europe, or anywhere else in the world where a prophet did not come from Allah. The religion of all of them was one. In our own language, we call this religion “Islam.” —[People generally hold the mistaken notion that Islam began with Hazrat Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and he is even called the founder of Islam. In reality, this is a very serious misconception. This notion must be completely erased from one’s mind. It should be clearly understood that Islam is the one true and original religion of humanity in every age and every land, and all the prophets who came from Allah anywhere in the world brought the message of this very religion. —(The author)] However, the methods of instruction and the laws governing their way of life differed somewhat. Emphasis was placed on eradicating the ignorance, illiteracy, superstition, and wrongdoing that had spread among each people. Greater attention was given to correcting the erroneous doctrines that had become current. When nations were still at an early stage in civilization, culture, education, and knowledge, they were given simple and straightforward teachings and Shariah. Then, as they gradually advanced, their teachings and Shariah were made increasingly comprehensive. But this difference was confined only to outward form and appearance. Their spirit and essence were one. That is, the creed and belief of all were based on tawhid, while their deeds and conduct rested on truthfulness, righteousness, peace and security, and belief in the punishment and reward of the Hereafter.

How People Treat the Prophets

People treat the prophets in strange ways. At first, they inflict physical suffering on them. They refuse to accept their good counsel. Many are expelled from their homeland, and many are killed. Some spend their entire lives teaching and admonishing, yet succeed in making only five or ten people followers of the true religion. But these beloved servants of Allah continue tirelessly to fulfill their responsibility. Eventually, their teachings begin to exert influence, and many great nations become their followers. Then human deviation assumes a new form. After the prophets die, their communities introduce changes into their teachings. They insert every kind of ideology into the books they brought from Allah. They devise new forms of worship. Some begin worshipping their own prophet. Some regard their prophets as incarnations of Allah—that is, they believe Allah Himself descended in human form. Some call their prophet the son of Allah. Some declare their prophet a partner in Allah’s authority and sovereignty. In this way, the strange and deformed mentality of human beings continues to manifest itself in various forms. People make idols of those who came to smash idols and did smash them, and then worship those idols. The Shariah that these prophets left for their communities is subsequently distorted in various ways. Every kind of ignorant custom, fanciful tale, and false report is mixed into it. What they mixed into it—[The communities of the prophets thus distorted their original religion, namely Islam, and brought forth new religions. Today these exist in the world under various names. For example, the religion taught by Hazrat Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, was in fact Islam, but his followers themselves made Hazrat Isa into God and, mixing many self-invented ideas with his teachings and Shariah, created a new religion, known today throughout the world as Christianity. —(The author)]—became impossible to ascertain. The accounts of the prophets’ lives likewise became so lost amid people’s varying reports that nothing reliable can be found about them.

Nevertheless, all the efforts of the prophets did not fail. Despite every kind of mixture, some truth remained among every people. Awareness of Allah and of the life of the Hereafter spread among every nation to some degree. Certain basic principles of virtue, truthfulness, justice, and morality gained general acceptance throughout the world. The prophets of all nations and tribes prepared their peoples separately in such a way that it became possible to spread the teachings of a universal religion suited to all humanity, regardless of the colors, tribes, or nations of the people of the world.

The Call and Status of the Prophets

A study of the Qur’an shows that prophets came one after another, and all of them gave their peoples the same call:

(Arabic text—on PDF page 52)

“O my people, worship Allah; you have no deity except Him.”

Whether in Babylon or Sodom, in Midian or the region of Hijr, in the Nile Valley or any country in the world, whether among enslaved, free, underdeveloped, or politically and culturally advanced nations from the fortieth to the tenth century before Christ or thereafter, whenever and wherever a prophet came from Allah, he gave people the same call. The call of all of them was: Worship Allah; you have no deity—that is, no true object of worship or god—except Him. Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), peace be upon him, told his people in unequivocal terms that until they acknowledged this fundamental principle, no cooperation of any kind could exist between them and him.

(Arabic text—on PDF page 52)

That is, hostility and hatred will continue between you and us until you believe in the One Allah. And before Hazrat Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, went to Pharaoh and presented the demand (Arabic text)(“Send the Children of Israel with me”), he announced (Arabic text)(“I have been sent from the Lord of the worlds”) and (Arabic text)(“Musa said: Are you prepared for purification and cleansing, and shall I guide you to your Lord so that you may fear Him?”). He called him to this and informed him that he was not the Lord and Master; rather, the One who created everything and taught everyone how to live was the Lord and Master. (Arabic text)(“He is our Lord and Master, who gave every thing its form and then determined its way.”)—[That is, Hazrat Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, and Hazrat Harun (Aaron), peace be upon him, fulfilled the same responsibility as the other prophets, from Hazrat Nuh (Noah), peace be upon him, to the final Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. This responsibility was to inform and make people understand that they must acknowledge Allah, the Lord of the worlds, alone as their Lord and Master; that after this life they will be brought before Allah; and that their success depends on accepting the call of the prophets of their time to tawhid and belief in the Hereafter, and building their way of life on that foundation. —(The author)] The people of Hazrat Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, were living under Roman rule in subjugation. Yet he did not invite the Children of Israel and the various peoples of the surrounding regions to wage a war of liberation against Roman imperialism. Rather, he called the people to (Arabic text)(“Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him; this is the straight path.”). Needless to say, these events described in the Qur’an belong not to some other world but to this earthly world in which we live, and they concern human beings of flesh and blood like us. There is no opportunity here to claim that the countries and peoples to whom the prophets came had no political, economic, or cultural problems and therefore had no need to be drawn toward solving those problems. Yet when every leader of the Islamic movement, in every country and every age, ignored all immediate and local problems, placed one single problem before the people, and devoted all his strength to it, we may conclude that, in their view, this was the root of all problems, and they considered the solution of all other problems of life dependent on solving it.

Addressing the Children of Israel, Hazrat Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, described the purpose of his coming as follows:

(Arabic text—on PDF page 53)

“I have come to make lawful for you some of what had been forbidden to you. I have brought you a sign from your Lord. So fear Allah and obey me. Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. This is the straight path.” —(Surah Aal Imran: 50–51)

From this it is known that, like the call of all the other prophets, the fundamental message of Hazrat Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, also consisted of three things. —[Special attention must be given to the call of Hazrat Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, because before the coming of Hazrat Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, he was the last prophet, and his words, message, and call have been completely distorted. —(The compiler)]

First: Sovereignty is acknowledged as belonging exclusively to Allah. Therefore, worship must be devoted to Him, and the entire system of moral and cultural life must be established on the basis of obedience to Him.

Second: The command of the Prophet, as the representative of the possessor of sovereign power, must be obeyed.

Third: In human life, the boundaries between lawful and unlawful, and between permissible and impermissible, shall be established solely by Allah’s law. The laws established by others in this matter shall be annulled. —[See verse 51 of Surah Aal Imran: (Arabic text in the footnote on page 54)]

In reality, there is not the slightest difference between the calls of Hazrat Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, Hazrat Musa (Moses), peace be upon him, Hazrat Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and the other prophets. Those who regard the missions of the various prophets as different, and distinguish between them in purpose and nature, have made a grave mistake. Whoever comes to the subjects of the Sovereign of all creation bearing his commission has only one purpose in coming: to restrain the subjects from disobedience and from exercising autonomous rule; to forbid them to commit shirk with Him—that is, to make someone a partner with the Sovereign in sovereign authority and to divide one’s obedience and worship between them—and to call them to worship, obey, adore, serve, and follow the commands of the one true Lord.

The Qur’an Majid also describes the purpose of the prophets’ coming in another way:

(Arabic text—on PDF page 54)

“These messengers were sent as bearers of good news and warners, so that after their coming people would have no argument against Allah. —(Surah An-Nisa: 165)

That is, there was only one purpose in sending these messengers. Allah the Exalted wished to bring His proof and argument before humanity to its final conclusion, so that on the Day of Judgment no misguided criminal could say, “We were unaware, and you made no arrangement to inform us of the truth and reality.” For this purpose, Allah sent prophets to different regions of the world and revealed scriptures. These prophets conveyed true knowledge to large numbers of people, and even after departing from the world, they left the heavenly scriptures for humanity. From among these scriptures, in every age at least one book remained in the world to guide people to the true and correct path. Therefore, if anyone remained misguided after that, neither Allah nor His prophets would be accused for it. Rather, the person concerned would be accused, because Allah’s message had reached him but he had not accepted it. Or those people would be accused who knew the true and correct path but, seeing Allah’s servants immersed in misguidance, did not guide them to that path.

Along with being callers to the truth, the prophets and messengers also possess the right to obedience. This is stated clearly in the Qur’an:

(Arabic text—on PDF page 55)

“We sent every messenger for the purpose that he should be obeyed by Allah’s command.” —(Surah An-Nisa: 64)

That is, a messenger does not come from Allah merely so that people may believe in his messengership and then follow anyone else as they please. Rather, the very purpose of a messenger’s coming is that people must abandon all the systems of life in the world and obey the system he brings for living, and must abandon all other commands in the world and implement only the commands he gives from Allah. There is no meaning in accepting a messenger merely as a messenger if a person does not obey him in this way.

Striving and struggling to establish the religion as victorious is also included among the responsibilities of the prophets. The Qur’an Majid states:

(Arabic text—on PDF page 55)

“Allah sent His messenger with guidance and the true religion so that He may make it prevail over every other religion.” —(Surah At-Tawbah: 33)

The original verse uses the word ad-din. In translating it, I have written “all religions.” In Arabic, the word din is used as a synonym for a system or way of life whose founder is accepted as authoritative and worthy of being followed, and whose obedience is rendered. Thus, the purpose of the messenger’s coming described in this verse is that the guidance and true din he has brought from Allah must be made victorious over all other religions, ways, and systems in the world. In other words, a messenger is never sent so that the system of life he brings will become subordinate to another system, be defeated by it, and spend its days languishing under the privileges granted by that system. Rather, he comes as the representative of the King of earth and heaven. He wants the true system of his King to prevail. If another system of life is in force in the world, it must remain under the system of life given by Allah, making do with the few privileges granted to it—like the condition of the life system of dhimmis when they pay jizya.

The Work of the Prophets Is to Remove Corruption

When people abandon obedience to Allah and begin obeying their own nafs or others, and when they disobey Allah’s guidance and direction and construct the framework of their moral, social, and cultural life on the basis of others’ man-made principles, laws, and regulations, real corruption appears in the world, producing countless defects and deviations in the world order. The purpose of the Qur’an is to prevent this corruption and correct these defects and deviations. At the same time, the Qur’an discloses the truth that corruption is not fundamental to the world order; truthfulness, virtue, and righteous conduct are fundamental, while corruption temporarily overwhelms it merely because of human ignorance, lack of knowledge, and excesses. In other words, human life in the world did not begin amid ignorance, barbarism, shirk, rebellion, and moral anarchy, with reform undertaken gradually later to remove them. Rather, human life actually began with truthfulness and righteous conduct, and later evil people began to defile and pollute this pure system through their folly and misdeeds. Allah continued sending prophets in every age to remove this corruption and reform the human system of life anew. In every age the prophets gave people the same call: refrain from creating corruption in the system of the world, which has been established upon truthfulness, virtue, and righteous conduct. —[The Qur’anic view on this matter is completely different from that of the evolutionists. On the basis of an entirely erroneous line of thought, evolutionists developed the theory that human beings emerged from darkness and gradually moved toward light. Their life began with distortion and disintegration, and then gradually became well-formed. In contrast, the Qur’an says that Allah sent human beings into the world in an environment full of light and began their life through a beneficent system. Then, after humans themselves accepted Satan’s leadership, they repeatedly entered darkness and repeatedly distorted this beneficent system. Allah sent His prophets in every age to bring people from this darkness to light and to call them to refrain from creating distortion and corruption.]

Implicit in the claim of prophethood is the fact that the prophet seeks to transform the entire system of human life as a whole. Certainly, the country’s political system is included in this. When a person presents himself as the representative of the Lord of the worlds, it necessarily follows that he claims complete obedience from people for himself. For the representative of the Lord of the worlds never comes to remain a subject and an obedient follower under someone else. Rather, he comes to make everyone obedient and to become their ruler and guardian. In such a case, recognizing the authority and status of a disbeliever’s rule is wholly contrary to the status of his messengership.

The Purpose of Sending Messengers

(Arabic text—on PDF page 56)

“(And I did this so) that when a calamity befalls them because of their own deeds, they may not say: ‘Our Lord, why did You not send a messenger to us? Had You sent a messenger, we would have followed Your signs and been among the believers.’” —(Surah Al-Qasas: 47)

The Qur’an Majid describes this very matter in various places as the reason for sending messengers. However, it would be mistaken to conclude from this Qur’anic description that a messenger should always come in every place for this purpose. As long as the message of a messenger remains preserved in the world without alteration and a means exists for conveying it to ordinary people, there is no need for a new messenger. However, if something needs to be added to the earlier message or a new message needs to be sent, then a new messenger comes in that case. If, in some place, the people lose the capacity to benefit from it, they certainly have grounds to offer the excuse that no arrangement existed for them to learn the difference between truth and falsehood and to be shown the right path; in such circumstances, how could they possibly find the true and correct path? Allah sends a prophet in such circumstances to remove this excuse. Consequently, anyone who adopts the wrong path thereafter can be held responsible for his error.

Messengers from Allah do not come merely so that one must believe in their messengership and may then follow anyone else according to one’s own wishes. Rather, the very purpose of a messenger’s coming is—as stated earlier—that, abandoning all other ways of life, one must adopt exclusively the way of life he brings for living, and that, disregarding all other commands, one must obey exclusively the commands given by the Messenger on behalf of Allah. After accepting the Messenger, if a person does not do this, then accepting the Messenger becomes meaningless.

The Coming of the Messengers before the Time of Judgment

(Arabic****************** PDF page 57)

“We do not send the messengers for any purpose other than to convey glad tidings and to warn; but the condition of the unbelievers is that they try, with the weapons of falsehood, to make the truth appear defeated, and they ridicule My signs and the matters of which they have been warned.” —(Surah al-Kahf: 56)

That is, I send messengers to warn people, before the time of Judgment arrives, about the good consequences of obeying Allah’s commands and the evil consequences of disobeying them.

(Arabic****************** PDF page 58)

“Indeed, the only religion with Allah is Islam. Those who were given the Book had no reason to adopt other ways instead of this religion except that they did so out of mutual transgression after knowledge had come to them.” —(Surah Aal ‘Imran: 19)

This means that whenever and wherever a messenger came from Allah to the world, he brought the message of the religion of Islam; and whenever a Book was revealed in the language of any nation in the world, it taught the very teachings of Islam. The various religions that arose among humanity by distorting this original religion and adding to or subtracting from it arose for no other reason than that people wished to exceed the limits of their lawful rights and obtain further rights, privileges, and interests. For this reason, they altered the beliefs, principles, and laws of the original religion according to their own whims.

The Prophets Bore the Banner of One Religion

(Arabic****************** PDF page 58)

“They divided their religion among themselves, and all of them will return to Me.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 93)

All the prophets who came into the world bore the banner of this religion. The essence of that original religion was that Allah alone is the Lord and Sustainer of humanity, and that only He should be worshipped and served. All the religions that arose later are distorted forms of that original religion. One took one teaching from it, another took a different teaching. One removed one of its elements, another removed another. Then they mixed many things of their own into it. In this way, if it is said that the many prophets divided it into a hundred pieces, that would be a sheer falsehood. The different forms of these religions, and their association with different prophets in different ages and countries, do not prove that this diversity among religions was created by the prophets. They could not teach the worship of any lord other than Allah.

The Thought of the Prophets before Receiving Prophethood

From the Noble Qur’an we learn that, before revelation descended from Allah, the knowledge possessed by the prophets did not differ in any respect from that of ordinary people. Before revelation descended, they had no means of knowledge that was unavailable to others. Thus the Qur’an says, (Arabic*******) “You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was.” (Al-Shura: 52) (Arabic*********) “And Allah found you lost and then guided you.”

The Qur’an also tells us that, before receiving prophethood, the prophets possessed the ordinary means of knowledge and understanding possessed by other people, and through these they passed beyond the stage of believing in the unseen. The arrival of revelation strengthened the knowledge they had acquired through perception. Revelation gave certain and final testimony to the truth of what their hearts had previously been testifying to. It also gave them direct and firsthand knowledge of those truths, enabling them to testify before the world to them with complete conviction. This subject has been mentioned several times in Surah Hud. First, it is said about the Noble Messenger:

(Arabic****************** PDF page 59)

“Can the one who stands upon a clear proof from his Lord, followed by a witness from Him—namely, the Qur’an—and before it the Book of Moses, a guide and mercy, be in doubt about this truth?” —(Surah Hud: 17)

Then this subject is expressed once again in the third section through the words of Noah, peace be upon him:

(Arabic****************** PDF page 59)

“O my people, consider: if I stand upon a clear proof from my Lord, and He has bestowed mercy upon me from Himself—revelation and prophethood—while it has been hidden from your sight, can we force it upon you?” —(Surah Hud: 28)

Again, in the sixth section, Salih, peace be upon him, and in the eighth section, Shu‘ayb, peace be upon him, repeated this same subject. This makes it perfectly clear that revelation repeated the subject. It also becomes clear that, before attaining direct knowledge of the truth through revelation, the prophets correctly used their natural ability for reflection, investigation, and observation—called (Arabic********) in the verse above—to penetrate deeply into the realities of tawhid and the Hereafter. Their success in penetrating the depths of truth was not bestowed by Allah, (Arabic) but was acquired by them, (Arabic***) . Thereafter Allah granted them the knowledge of revelation. This was not acquired; rather, it was bestowed by Allah.

Observation, reflection, and investigation of these natural signs, together with the use of common sense, are entirely different from the guesses, conjectures, and speculation of philosophers. The Noble Qur’an itself has tried to encourage every person to use this faculty. Again and again, the Qur’an says: open your eyes, observe Allah’s natural signs, and try to reach sound conclusions from them.

The Messengers’ Knowledge of the Unseen

The notion that the messengers were granted only as much knowledge of the unseen as Allah intended to convey to humanity is mistaken. This notion contradicts the clear statements of the Qur’an and Hadith. The Noble Qur’an says about Jacob, peace be upon him, that he told his sons: (Arabic*******) “I know from Allah things that you do not know.” —(Surah Yusuf: 11)

It is also known from various Qur’anic verses that, before punishment was sent upon different nations, their prophets were informed of it; yet even when the punishment was approaching, they did not inform their peoples of its details. Noah, peace be upon him, was informed of the punishment so far in advance that he built the Ark in the meantime. But he did not tell his people that the punishment of a flood was coming upon them. The Hadith likewise tells us that the Noble Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was informed of many matters of the unseen that he did not convey to his community. Once, in a sermon, the Noble Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

(Arabic****************** PDF page 60)

“O community of Muhammad, by Allah, if you knew what I know, you would laugh little and weep much.” —(Bukhari: Chapter on Charity during the Eclipse)

On another occasion, the Noble Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, said: (Arabic**********) “I see you behind me exactly as I see you in front of me.” —(Bukhari: Chapter on the Imam’s Turning toward the People)

In short, many other Hadiths and verses show that the messengers were granted far more knowledge of the unseen than the amount of it that reached people through them. Sound reason also supports this. Ordinary people need to know only that part of the unseen that relates to faith and creed. The messengers, however, cannot suffice with knowing only this much of the unseen. They need to know many other things that assist them in fulfilling their responsibility as messengers. For example, deputy heads of state and governors need to know state policies and secret affairs to a certain degree. If these secrets became known to ordinary subjects, they would cause harm instead of benefit. Similarly, there are many hidden secrets in the administration of Allah’s kingdom known only to Allah’s special representatives and His messengers. Ordinary subjects—that is, ordinary people—know not the least of these things. This knowledge of the unseen helps the messengers fulfill their responsibilities, but ordinary people have no need of it and are not capable of bearing it. In brief, it may be said that a prophet’s knowledge is less than Allah’s knowledge and greater than that of ordinary people. But how extensive is this knowledge? How much greater or lesser is it? Certainly, we have no instrument with which to measure it in this way.

Vigilant Oversight of the Prophets

In human society, the prophets hold the most important and sensitive status. An ordinary event in the life of an ordinary person carries no particular significance. But when that same event occurs in the life of a prophet, it becomes law. For this reason, Allah keeps vigilant watch over every event in the lives of the prophets. Consequently, not even their slightest step or smallest action can occur contrary to Allah’s will. If a prophet ever did anything of this kind, it was corrected immediately. The purpose was that Islamic law and its principles should reach people not only through Allah’s Book but also through the prophet’s excellent way of life, and that not even the slightest thing contrary to Allah’s will should become part of it.

Direct Knowledge and Observation

Allah enabled each of the prophets to observe, according to their rank, the system governing the earth and heavens. By removing the veil between the material and unseen worlds, He also gave them firsthand knowledge of hidden realities, concerning which they had been appointed to call ordinary people to believe in the unseen. In this way, their distinct status from philosophers became clearly established. Philosophers speak on the basis of guesswork and conjecture. If they were fully aware of their own condition and status, they would never testify to the truth of any of their opinions. The prophets, by contrast, speak on the basis of direct knowledge and observation. They can testify before people in these words: We know well what we are saying, and we have witnessed it with our own eyes.

Extraordinary Powers —[The extraordinary powers and abilities of the prophets, and their special system of training, have been discussed in detail in the section “Prophethood and Its Laws” in the chapter “The Status of the Noble Messenger as a Person and a Prophet.”]

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“When this caravan set out from Egypt, their father, sitting at home in Canaan, said: I sense the fragrance of Joseph. Do not again say that, having grown old, I have lost my mind.” —(Surah Yusuf: 94)

This gives an indication of the extraordinary powers of the prophets. As soon as the caravan set out from Egypt carrying Joseph’s, peace be upon him, shirt, Jacob, peace be upon him, sensed its scent while sitting hundreds of miles away. But this also shows that this power did not belong to the prophets themselves. Allah had granted them this power. Yet they could use it only when Allah wished and only to the extent He wished. Joseph, peace be upon him, remained in Egypt for years, but Jacob, peace be upon him, never sensed his fragrance. Now, as soon as his shirt began its journey from Egypt, Jacob’s sense of smell suddenly became so strong that he began to perceive its fragrance.

The Human Nature of the Prophets

All the earlier prophets were human—[a subsequent discussion of the human nature and subject matter of the prophets has been added as a section.] They were not some unprecedented creation of Allah. Sending a human being as a messenger is not an unprecedented event in history.

The earlier prophets came for the same work that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is doing now. Their mission and teaching were the same as Muhammad’s. Allah dealt specially with the prophets. Great afflictions befell them. They remained in hardship for years. They suffered personal calamities, and their enemies also afflicted them. But in the end, supplications were made for them and accepted. He removed their hardships, defeated their enemies, and helped them miraculously.

Despite being beloved and pleasing to Allah, and despite receiving great extraordinary powers from Him, they were servants of Allah and human beings. None of them possessed divine power.

The Meaning of the Prophets’ Sinlessness

The prophets too are human. No human being is capable of remaining constantly at the complete standard prescribed for a believer. At times, in delicate emotional circumstances, even the greatest person, such as a prophet, may for the briefest moment succumb to human weakness. But whenever he realizes—or Allah causes him to realize—that he is falling below the desired standard, he repents. He does not hesitate for even a moment to correct his mistake. What greater proof could there be of Noah’s, peace be upon him, moral excellence than this: his young son was drowning before his eyes in the boundless waters; he saw it with his own eyes, and the horror of the sight tore at his heart. But as soon as Allah warned him that considering as his own, merely because he was his biological son, one who had abandoned the truth and clung to falsehood was simply an ignorant emotion, he returned to the prescribed way of thinking.

The sinlessness of a prophet does not mean that the ability and capacity to sin and err have been taken away from him, or that there is no possibility whatsoever of his committing a sin. Rather, it means that although a prophet possesses all human qualities, emotions, feelings, and desires, he is so righteous and God-fearing that he never knowingly resolves to commit a sin. His conscience contains such immense and powerful testimony and evidence of his Lord that the desires of his lower self can never prevail against it. Even if he unknowingly makes a mistake, Allah immediately corrects him through manifest revelation. For his stumbling is not merely the stumbling of one individual; it is the stumbling of an entire community. If he deviates from the true path by even a hair’s breadth, the whole world advances several miles along the path of misguidance.

Some Verses Concerning the Qualities of the Prophets

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“And mention Abraham in the Book. Surely he was a man of truth and a prophet.” —(Surah Maryam: 41)

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“And mention Moses in the Book. He was a chosen man and a messenger-prophet. We called him from the right side of Mount Tur and brought him near in confidential communion.” —(Surah Maryam: 51–52)

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“And mention in this Book Ishmael. He was true to his promise and was a Messenger and a Prophet. He used to enjoin prayer and zakat upon his family, and he was pleasing to his Lord. And mention in this Book Idris. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a Prophet, and We raised him to an elevated station.” —(Surah Maryam: 54–57)

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“These are the Prophets whom Allah favored. They were descendants of Adam, and of those whom We carried with Noah in the Ark, and descendants of Abraham and Israel, and among those whom We guided and chose. When the verses of the Most Merciful were recited to them, they fell down in prostration, weeping.” —(Surah Maryam: 58)

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“And before this We had granted Abraham sound judgment, and We knew him well.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 51)

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“And We delivered him and Lot to the land in which We had placed blessings for all peoples. And We granted him Isaac and Jacob in addition, and made each of them righteous. And We made them leaders who guided by Our command, and We inspired them to do good deeds, establish prayer, and give zakat. And they were worshippers of Us.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 71–71)

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“And We granted Lot judgment and knowledge, and We rescued him from the town whose people committed vile deeds. Indeed, they were a wickedly rebellious people. And We admitted Lot into Our mercy, for he was among the righteous.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 74–75)

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“And We granted Noah the same favor. Remember when, before this, he called upon Us, and We answered his prayer and saved him and his family from the great distress. And We helped him against the people who rejected Our signs as false. They were truly an evil people, so We drowned them all.”

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“And We granted David and Solomon the same favor. Recall when they judged concerning a field into which other people’s goats had entered at night. And We were witnesses to their judgment. Then We enabled Solomon to understand the right judgment, though We had granted both of them sound judgment and knowledge. And We subjected the mountains and the birds to David, glorifying Us along with him. It was We who did this. And for your benefit We taught him the craft of making armor, to protect you from one another’s violence. Will you then be grateful? And We subjected the swift-moving wind to Solomon; it flowed at his command toward the land in which We had placed blessings. And We have knowledge of all things. And We subjected to him many of the devils who dived for him and performed other tasks as well. And We were their guardian.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 78–82)

There is a purpose behind mentioning this particular incident concerning David and Solomon: to make it understood that, despite being Prophets and possessing extraordinary powers and abilities granted by Allah, the Prophets were in fact human beings. They had not even the slightest share of divine power. In this case, David was not assisted through revelation and made a mistake in giving judgment. Solomon was assisted and consequently gave the correct judgment, although both were Prophets. The qualities described in connection with them are also mentioned to show that these were gifts bestowed by Allah, and that such qualities do not place anyone on Allah’s throne.

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“And We granted Job this very gift—the gift of understanding, judgment, and knowledge. Remember when he called upon his Lord, saying, ‘I have been afflicted with illness, and You are the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.’ So We answered his prayer and removed his affliction. And We gave him not only his family but also the like of them, as a special mercy from Us and as a reminder for the worshippers.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 83–84)

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“And We granted the same favor to Ishmael, Idris, and Dhul-Kifl. They were all steadfast, and We admitted them into Our mercy, for they were righteous.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 85–86)

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“And We favored the Man of the Fish. He thought We would not constrain him, but then he called out in the darkness: ‘There is no deity except You. Glory be to You! Indeed, I have been among the wrongdoers.’ So We answered his prayer, rescued him from distress, and thus We rescue the believers.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 87–88)

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“And Zachariah, when he called upon his Lord, saying, ‘My Lord, do not leave me alone, though You are the best of inheritors.’ So We answered his prayer, granted him John, and cured his wife for him. They used to hasten to good deeds, call upon Us with fear and hope, and humble themselves before Us.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 89–90)

The purpose of mentioning the incident of Zachariah is to make clear that all these Prophets were merely servants of Allah and human beings. There was not the slightest trace of divinity in them. They did not possess the power to grant children to others; rather, they themselves begged Allah for children. The purpose of mentioning Jonah is to show that, despite the great stature of an honored Prophet, he was seized as soon as he made a mistake. When he humbled himself before his Lord, extraordinary mercy was shown to him, and he was brought out alive from the belly of the fish. The purpose of mentioning Job is to show that being afflicted by hardship is not unusual for Prophets. When a Prophet is afflicted by calamity and illness, he prays to Allah for relief. They cannot cure others; rather, they ask Allah to cure them. Moreover, these accounts establish the truth that all the Prophets acknowledged monotheism and presented their needs before none but Allah. They also reveal that Allah always helped His Prophets in extraordinary ways. However severely they were tested at first, ultimately their prayers were miraculously answered and fulfilled.

Chapter 2 — Revelation

The Meaning, Forms, and Types of Revelation

Lexical and Technical Meaning

The meaning of wahy is to signal, indicate, cast something into the mind, speak secretly, or send a message. Its technical meaning is ‘a swift indication’ and ‘a secret indication’—that is, an indication made swiftly and in such a manner that no one besides the one who gives it and the one to whom it is given can know of it. In technical usage, the word is applied to guidance cast by Allah into the mind of one of His servants like a flash of lightning.

There can be no question of Allah Himself being present before anyone, or of anyone being present before Him and speaking to Him face to face. He is All-Knowing and Almighty. Whenever He wishes to establish a connection with one of His servants in order to guide human society, no obstacle or difficulty can arise in the path of His will. Through His knowledge, He adopts the path of revelation for this purpose.

Types of Revelation

Although the word ‘revelation’ is now used only for revelation sent to the Prophets, this technical distinction is not found in the Quran. According to the Quran’s description, revelation descends upon the heavens, and the entire system is পরিচালিত accordingly (Arabic**********) Revelation also descends upon the earth, and at its indication it begins to relate its account without delay (Arabic******) Revelation also descends upon the angels, and they act accordingly (Arabic***********) The bees too are taught all their activities through revelation (natural instruction), as stated in verse 68 of Surah al-Nahl. This revelation is not limited to bees. Fish swimming in water, birds flying in the sky, and newborn babies suckling milk—all receive such instruction through Allah’s revelation. The correct method, sound judgment, or right path in thought and action that a person obtains without reflection, research, or investigation is also included in this revelation (Arabic**********) No human being is deprived of this revelation. Its influence can be seen in all the discoveries made in the world, in all the new things and subjects invented for human benefit, and in the great and noble works accomplished by eminent thinkers, statesmen, conquerors, and writers. Indeed, ordinary people encounter numerous experiences of this kind day and night. Often, a thought arises in the mind while one is simply sitting, or a new method or idea occurs, or something is seen in a dream, and subsequent experience proves it to be a correct guide that had been given to the person from the unseen. Among these various forms of revelation, one particular kind descended upon the Prophets and Messengers, and its difference from the other forms is very clear. The person upon whom it descends is fully conscious that it is coming from Allah. He has complete faith that it has descended from Allah. This type of revelation contains beliefs, regulations, laws, and moral and spiritual directives. Its purpose is to guide humankind through the Prophet.

A Misconception

Surah al-Shu‘ara (Arabic*******)describes in its verse the manner in which revelation carrying all the heavenly scriptures reached the Prophets. That is, Allah sent revelation to the Messengers through one of His angels. Some people have misunderstood this verse and interpreted it to mean: ‘Allah sends a Messenger who conveys His message to ordinary people by His command.’ But the Quran’s (Arabic**********) (Then he—that is, the angel—reveals or conveys whatever He wills, by His command) clearly proves their interpretation wrong. Nowhere in the Quran is the Prophets’ conveying the message to ordinary people called ‘revelation,’ nor is there any possibility in Arabic of using the word ‘revelation’ for a person’s public speech. The lexical meaning of revelation itself is a secret and swift indication. Only someone utterly ignorant of Arabic could use this word as a synonym for the Prophets’ preaching.

Some More Remarks on the Various Types of Revelation

One type of revelation may be called instinctive or natural revelation. Through it Allah teaches every created being its function. This revelation descends upon animals and birds more than upon human beings, and perhaps upon plants and inanimate objects even more than upon them. The second type may be called partial revelation. Through it Allah teaches one of His servants some skill relating to the affairs of life. This revelation descends upon ordinary people every day. All the world’s major discoveries occur through it. It assists in major theoretical innovations, and its influence can be seen behind important historical events. We see that, amid the flow of significant events, a particular event suddenly occurs without deliberation and exerts a decisive influence on the course of history. This type of revelation descended upon the mother of Moses. There is another type, distinct from these two, through which Allah informs His servant of the profound realities of the unseen world and guides him regarding the way of life. Its purpose is that he convey this knowledge and guidance to ordinary people and bring them from darkness into light. This revelation descends only upon the Prophets. The Quran makes clear that, whatever this knowledge may be called—irqa, inspiration, unveiling, or revelation in the technical sense—it is not given to anyone other than the Prophets and Messengers. This knowledge is given to the Prophets in such a way that they can have complete confidence that it has come from Allah, is fully protected from the intrusion of devils, and is entirely free from the influence of their own thoughts, imaginings, and desires. Moreover, this knowledge is regarded by the Shariah as conclusive proof. Obedience to it is obligatory for every person, and the Prophets are appointed with the responsibility of calling all people to believe in it. Belief in this revelation is also an indispensable condition for salvation in the Hereafter, while ignoring it leads ultimately to destruction.

If any part of this third type of revelation is granted to someone other than a Prophet, it remains at the level of an ambiguous indication. To understand it fully, it is essential to seek the light of prophetic revelation—that is, to submit it to the Quran and Sunnah, verify whether it is erroneous or sound, and, if sound, determine its meaning. Whoever regards his own inspiration as an independent source of guidance, begins acting upon it without testing it by the standard of prophetic revelation, and calls upon others to follow him, cannot have such conduct recognized as valid by the Shariah. This truth has been stated clearly in various places in the Quran. In particular, the matter has been explained in the final verses of Surah al-Jinn, free from every kind of ambiguity and obscurity:

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“He is the Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone, except to a Messenger whom He chooses. Then He appoints guardians before him and behind him, so that He may know that they have conveyed the messages of their Lord. He encompasses them and keeps count of all things.” —(Surah al-Jinn: 27–28)

With a little reflection, the reason can easily be understood why the finest righteous people and the most accomplished social reformers among Muslims were not granted unveiling and inspiration equal to that of a Prophet, and why they were granted a lower kind of subordinate unveiling and inspiration. The reason the first was not granted is that it marks the boundary distinguishing a Prophet from the ordinary community. This boundary can never be removed. The reason the second was granted is that those who strive to continue the Prophet’s work after him necessarily need profound insight into every matter of the religion and correct guidance from Allah in their struggle to establish the religion. This gift is certainly granted unconsciously to every sincere and sound-thinking servant of the religion. If it is granted to someone consciously, then it is certainly a reward from Allah.

Revelation in Dreams

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“When the boy reached the age of running about with him, Abraham said to him one day, ‘My son, I have seen in a dream that I am slaughtering you. So tell me what you think.’ He replied, ‘My father, do what you have been commanded.’” —(Surah al-Saffat: 102)

These words clearly show that the Prophet’s son did not regard his father’s dream as merely a dream; rather, he regarded it as Allah’s command. If it truly had not been Allah’s command, Allah would certainly have made clear, either explicitly or at least by indication, that Abraham’s son had mistakenly taken it to be Allah’s command. But there is no such indication in the discussion before or after this verse. Thus the belief arose in Islam that the dreams of the Prophets are not ordinary dreams; rather, they are a form of revelation. Needless to say, if the statement on the basis of which such a major principle could enter Allah’s Shariah had been untrue, Allah would certainly have refuted it. Those who acknowledge the Quran as Allah’s word cannot possibly accept that Allah could make such a mistake.

Revelation to the Bees

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“And your Lord inspired the bees: ‘Make your homes in the mountains.’” —(Surah al-Nahl: 68)

The lexical meaning of revelation is a secret and subtle indication. No one besides the one who gives the indication and the one to whom it is given perceives it. In keeping with this meaning, the word is used in the senses of ilqa (casting a thought into the mind) and inspiration (giving secret instruction and guidance). Since the instruction Allah gives His creation is not given in any educational institution, but through such a subtle method that outwardly there appears to be neither one teaching nor another learning, the Quran expresses it through the words revelation, inspiration, and ilqa. Today these three words have acquired three distinct technical meanings. The word revelation is used only for Prophets, inspiration for saints and specially pious people, and ilqa in a comparatively more general sense.

Revelation to the Mother of Moses

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“And recall when We inspired your mother with the inspiration that is given through revelation.” —(Surah Ta-Ha: 38)

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“We inspired the mother of Moses: ‘Nurse him; then, when you fear for his life, cast him into the river.’” —(Surah al-Qasas: 7)

That is, the mother of Moses carried out this act by Allah’s inspiration, and Allah had already reassured her that by adopting this course she would not only save her child’s life, but that He would also return the child to her arms and that her son would later become His Messenger.

The Devils’ Revelation to Their Companions

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“The devils inspire their allies with doubts and suspicions so that they may dispute with you.” —(Surah al-An‘am: 121)

Revelation to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) Was Not an Unprecedented Event

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“O Muhammad! We have sent revelation to you just as We sent it to Noah and the prophets after him. And We sent revelation to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants of Jacob as well.”

—(Surah An-Nisa: 163)

The purpose of saying this is to make everyone understand that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not bring anything new that no one before him had brought. He did not claim that he was the first to present something new before the world; rather, just as all the earlier prophets received guidance from the same source of knowledge, he too received guidance from that very source. And whatever prophets appeared in different regions of the world had always presented the message of truth and justice; he merely repeated that same message of truth and justice.

The Revelation of the Qur’an to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

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“And this Qur’an has been sent down to me through revelation so that I may warn you and everyone to whom it reaches.”

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“When Our clear revelations are recited to them, those who do not expect to meet Us say, ‘Bring us a Qur’an other than this, or alter it.’ O Muhammad! Tell them, ‘It is not for me to alter it on my own. I only follow the revelation that comes to me.’”—(Surah Yunus: 15)

Here it has been made clear to everyone, through the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him: “I am not the author of this Book. Rather, it has come to me through revelation, and I have no authority whatsoever to alter or add anything to it.” It has also been made clear that there is no possibility of compromise in this matter. If it is to be accepted, the entire religion must be accepted exactly as it is; otherwise, it must be rejected.

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“So, O Prophet, do not let it be that you abandon any part of what is being revealed to you, and that your heart becomes distressed by it.”—(Surah Hud: 12)

That is, in Our view, the person who deserves esteem is the one who is righteous and who follows the path of justice, honesty, and good conduct with patience, firmness, and steadfastness. Therefore, the narrow-mindedness, hostility, neglect, mockery, sarcasm, and foolish objections and questions with which you are being confronted must not cause any change in your firmness and steadfastness. You should not hesitate, fear, or feel constrained in proclaiming and inviting people to the truth that has been made clear to you through revelation. You should never allow the thought to arise in your mind: “How can I present such-and-such a matter before the people when they immediately begin hurling taunts as soon as they hear it? And how can I disclose such-and-such a truth to them when they are utterly unprepared to hear it?” Whether anyone accepts it or not, continue to state fearlessly, without any alteration or reduction, whatever you know to be the truth. Whatever happens afterward is entirely in Allah’s hands.

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“O Muhammad! These are accounts of the unseen, which We reveal to you. Before this, neither you nor your people knew them.”—(Surah Hud: 49)

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“Alif-Lam-Ra. These are the verses of the Book that makes its message clear. We have revealed it as a Qur’an in Arabic so that you (the Arabs) may understand it well. O Muhammad! By revealing this Qur’an to you, We relate to you the finest account of facts and information.”—(Surah Yusuf: 1–2)

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“O Muhammad! This account is among the reports of the unseen, which We reveal to you. You were not present when Joseph’s brothers plotted together and made their plans.”—(Surah Yusuf: 102)

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“O Muhammad! Thus We have sent you as a Messenger to a people before whom many other peoples had passed away, so that you may recite to them the message We reveal to you, while they disbelieve in their Most Merciful Lord.”—(Surah Ar-Ra‘d: 30)

Various Modes in Which Revelation Came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

It is stated in the Noble Qur’an:

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“It is not possible for Allah to speak to any human being except through revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger who reveals, by His command, whatever He wills. Surely He is Most High, All-Wise.”—(Ash-Shura: 51)

It is established from the Qur’an and Hadith that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was guided through all three of these methods.

First: From the statement of A’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, quoted in the Hadith, it is known that revelation to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) began through true dreams. (Bukhari and Muslim.) This continuity remained intact in the later period as well; many dreams of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) are mentioned in the Hadith. Through them he was taught, or informed of something. A detailed account of one of his dreams is also found in the Noble Qur’an (Surah Al-Fath: 27). In addition, various Hadith reports mention that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “Such-and-such a matter was cast into my heart,” “I was informed of it,” “I was commanded to do this,” or “I was forbidden from this.” All such matters fall under the first type of revelation. Most of the Hadith Qudsi belong to this category.

Second: The second type of revelation was given to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) during the Mi‘raj. From the accounts in various authentic Hadith of the command given to him to perform the five daily prayers and his repeated appeals and entreaties concerning it, it is clear that at that time there was a conversation between Allah and His servant Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, just as there had been between Allah and Moses (peace be upon him) on Mount Tur.

Third: Regarding the third type of revelation, the Qur’an itself bears witness that it was sent to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, through Gabriel, peace be upon him. This is described in verses 97 of Surah Al-Baqarah and 192–195 of Surah Ash-Shu‘ara.

A Few More Points in This Connection

Revelation came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in various ways. Allamah Ibn Qayyim presents a detailed account of them in his work Zad al-Ma‘ad, as follows:

First: True dreams. This was the initial stage of revelation to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The dreams he saw were as clear as daylight.

Second: An angel would firmly implant a matter in his heart, although he could not see the angel. For example, a Hadith may be cited in which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “The Holy Spirit (Gabriel) cast—or breathed—the message into my heart that no living being will die until it has received its full provision. Therefore, fear Allah and adopt a good method of seeking sustenance. Do not let the delay in receiving sustenance lead you to seek it through disobedience to Allah. For whatever is with Allah—meaning His reward—can be attained only through obedience to Him.”

Third: The angel would take human form, come before him, and speak to him, continuing until he had fully absorbed the angel’s words. On some occasions, the Companions also saw that angel.

Fourth: Before revelation descended, a bell would ring in his ears, accompanied by the angel speaking. This was the most difficult form of revelation. When revelation descended in this manner, sweat would pour from the body of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) even on intensely cold days. If he was riding on a camel, the camel would sit down under the weight of the burden. Once, he was lying with his head on the thigh of Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) when revelation began to descend. Such tremendous pressure was placed on Zayd’s thigh that it nearly broke.

Fifth: He would see the angel in the original form in which Allah had created him. Then whatever Allah commanded, He would reveal to him in the form of revelation.

Sixth: Allah would directly reveal to him. This occurred when he ascended to the heavens during the Mi‘raj. Allah made the prayer obligatory there and spoke other words as well.

Seventh: Allah would speak with him without the mediation of angels, as He had spoken with Moses, peace be upon him. This distinction of Moses (peace be upon him) is proven by the Qur’an. Regarding the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), it is mentioned in the Hadith concerning the Mi‘raj.

Some have also described one further method: “Allah spoke with him without a veil. This is the view of those who believe that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw Allah. However, the earlier and later scholars differed on this question.”—(Zad al-Ma‘ad, vol. 1, pp. 24–25).

Allamah Jalaluddin Suyuti devoted an entire chapter in the first volume of his work Al-Itqan to this subject. A concise summary of his discussion is given below:

“When he became a prophet at the age of forty, Israfil remained engaged in his education and training for the first three years. No part of the Qur’an was revealed through him. Thereafter, Gabriel was assigned to bring revelation. He continued bringing the Qur’an for twenty years. Revelation came in the following ways.

First: A bell would ring in his ears, followed by the sound of the angel. The advantage of this method was that, as soon as the bell rang, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) could withdraw his sight and attention from all directions and focus solely on the angel’s voice. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said that this method was the most difficult for him.

Second: A matter would be firmly implanted in his mind and heart, as he himself stated.

Third: The angel would come in human form and speak with him. The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said that this form of revelation was the easiest and lightest for him.

Fourth: The angel would come to him in a dream and speak with him.

Fifth: Allah would speak directly with him, whether he was asleep or awake.

The Qur’an’s Challenge Regarding Its Being Revelation from Allah

During the forty years of his life before receiving prophethood, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had received no education, training, or association that could have given him a vast store of information whose stream suddenly began to flow from his lips with his claim to prophethood. Now, as one subject after another was discussed in the surahs of the Qur’an, people had never before seen him show interest in, discuss, or express thoughts about such matters. Not even an intimate friend or close relative during those forty years had noticed anything in his conduct or speech that could be regarded as a prelude or foreshadowing of that magnificent call. This clearly proves that the Qur’an was not the product of his own mind; rather, it was given to him from outside.

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“O Muhammad! You were not present at the western side when I gave Moses the commandment of the Law, nor were you a witness to it. Rather, after that I raised many generations and long ages passed over them. You were not among the people of Midian, reciting Our revelations to them, nor were you at the side of Mount Tur when I called out to Moses. But this is a mercy from your Lord, by which this information is being supplied to you, so that you may warn a people to whom no warner came before you, so that they may take heed.”

—(Surah Al-Qasas: 44–46)

These three points were presented as proof of the prophethood of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. At the time these statements were made, the chiefs of Makkah and the ordinary unbelieving society were exerting every effort to prove him to be a non-prophet—or, Allah forbid, a false claimant to prophethood. The Jewish scholars and Christian priests present in various parts of the Hijaz were there to assist them. Most importantly, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had not come from outer space to recite this Qur’an. Rather, he was a resident of Makkah itself. No aspect of his life was hidden from the people of his own city and tribe. That is why not a single person in Makkah, the Hijaz, or the entire Arabian Peninsula dared to make claims of this sort like those of modern Orientalists. Although they were no less capable of lying and inventing claims, how could they tell such an obvious lie in broad daylight when no one was prepared to believe it even for a moment? How could they say, “O Muhammad, you gathered this information from such-and-such Jewish scholar and Christian priest”? For they could not name even one person from the entire country for this purpose. The moment they named anyone in this connection, it would become evident that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had obtained from him a vast library of books on information, science, and literature and was delivering these speeches with the help of the books preserved in that library. For, far from possessing a library, they could not find anywhere near Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, even a scrap of paper on which this information was written. Everyone in Makkah, young and old, knew that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, could neither read nor write. Nor could anyone claim that he had employed several translators who translated books written in Hebrew, Latin, and Syriac for him. Even the most shameless among them

would not have dared to claim that he had held discussions with any Christian priest or Jewish scholar in Syria or Palestine. Had he done so, the Roman government would have made a mountain out of a molehill and immediately launched a campaign of slander, without the slightest hesitation, proclaiming that, Allah forbid, Muhammad had learned everything there and then gone to Makkah pretending to be a prophet. Thus it is clear that in the age when the Qur’an’s challenge brought a message of death to the idolatrous Quraysh, and when the need to prove it false was far greater for them than for today’s Orientalists, not a single person could gather from anywhere any material proving that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, had any second means besides revelation for acquiring that information—and they were unable even to identify such a means.

It should also be remembered that the Qur’an did not issue this challenge in only one place. Rather, after recounting different stories in different places, it stated:

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“This is part of the news of the unseen that We reveal to you. You were not present with them when they cast lots to decide which of them would care for Mary, nor were you present when they disputed.”—(Surah Aal ‘Imran: 44)

After relating the story of Joseph, it was stated:

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“This is part of the news of the unseen that We reveal to you. You were not present with them—meaning Joseph’s brothers—when they agreed upon their decision and plotted their scheme.”

Similarly, after relating the detailed story of Noah, it was stated:

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“This is part of the news of the unseen that We reveal to you. Before this, neither you nor your people knew anything about it.”—(Surah Hud: 49)

By mentioning this matter repeatedly, it has become clear that one of the major proofs presented in the Noble Qur’an that it is Allah’s Book and that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is Allah’s Messenger was this: the detailed accounts of events from hundreds and thousands of years ago were being heard from the mouth of an illiterate man, and he had no means of acquiring this knowledge except revelation. This was one of the important reasons why the contemporaries of the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, began to believe that he was Allah’s true prophet and that revelation descended upon him. Anyone can easily estimate how important it was for the opponents of the Islamic movement in that age to answer this challenge, and how thoroughly they tried to gather evidence against it. It can also easily be inferred that if there had been even the slightest weakness in this challenge, it would not have been difficult for the people of that time to gather evidence to prove it false.

The Comparison of Revelation with Rain

At two places in the Qur’an, there are indications comparing the rain of mercy revealed upon the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) with rain:

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“Allah has sent down water from the sky, and every river and stream flowed according to its capacity to receive it.”—(Surah Ar-Ra‘d: 17)

In this parable, the revelation sent down upon the Messenger of Allah is compared to rain, while the balanced and capable people who believe are compared to rivers and streams that remain filled to the brim with the rain of mercy and continue to flow. On the other hand, the commotion created by the opposing parties against the Islamic movement is compared to foam and debris that continually rise to the surface of the water with the flood’s current and begin a tumultuous dance with a great roar.

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“Do you not see that Allah sends down water from the sky, and by it the earth becomes green and verdant?”—(Surah Al-Hajj: 63)

Here too, an indication of an outward meaning is concealed. The outward meaning is simply a description of Allah’s power. But the subtle indication hidden within it is this: just as, when a drop of the rain Allah sends down falls upon the earth, you suddenly see greenery spreading in every direction across dry, barren land, so too the rain of Allah’s mercy that is falling today in the form of revelation will soon bring before you a similar scene. That is, this dry and infertile desert region of Arabia will soon be transformed into such a flower garden of knowledge, morality, character, and good culture as had no precedent in human history.

The Revelation Sent Down upon the Messenger Is Allah’s Mercy

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“O my people! Consider: if I stand upon clear evidence from my Lord, and He has bestowed special mercy upon me from Himself.”—(Surah Hud: 28)

This very statement was made to be uttered through the mouth of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in the preceding section. That is, first I understood the profound reality of monotheism by observing Allah’s signs in the heavens and the earth. Then Allah showered His mercy—meaning revelation—upon me, and gave me direct knowledge of the truths to which my heart and soul had already been bearing witness. From this it is also known that, before receiving prophethood, every prophet attained faith in the unseen through his own thought, investigation, and reflection. Thereafter, when Allah granted them the rank of prophethood, He granted them direct or visual faith.

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“Salih said: O my people! Consider, if I have clear evidence from my Lord and He has bestowed His mercy upon me.”—(Surah Hud: 63)

The Use of the Word Ruh for the Messenger’s Revelation

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“He sends down this spirit or life-essence, by His command, through the angels, upon whichever of His servants He wills (with this guidance): ‘Tell them, There is no deity for you except Me; so fear Me.’” —(Surah An-Nahl: 2)

The meaning of the Ruh mentioned above is the vital essence of prophethood, being filled with which a prophet acts and speaks. This Revelation and vital essence of prophethood possesses the same importance and status in the moral life as the soul possesses in worldly life. For this reason, the word Ruh (life-essence) has been used in various places in the Qur’an to express this meaning.

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“They ask you about the Ruh. Say, ‘The Ruh comes by the command of my Lord. But you have been given only a little knowledge.’”

—(Surah Bani Isra’il: 85)

It is generally thought that Ruh here means life. That is, people asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) about the significance of the life-force. In reply, it was said that it comes by Allah’s command. But I am entirely unwilling to accept this meaning. For this meaning is possible only after severing this verse from the sequence of the preceding and following discussion and treating it as a separate, isolated sentence. Otherwise, if it is considered within the context being discussed here, taking Ruh as a synonym for life creates much greater difficulty. It produces a serious incoherence in the sentence. In the preceding three verses, the Qur’an has been described as a remedy for disease, and those who deny the Qur’an have been portrayed as wrongdoers, ungrateful people, and deniers of Allah’s favors; while in the verses immediately following, arguments and proofs are presented in support of the Qur’an’s being the Word of Allah. In such a context, how could a sentence stating that life is infused into living beings by Allah’s command suddenly appear in the middle? I am unable to perceive any reasonable explanation for it.

If the preceding and following discussion of the sentence is considered together, it will become clear that Ruh here can mean nothing other than ‘Revelation’ or ‘the angel who bears Revelation.’ In fact, the polytheists’ question was: From where do you bring this Qur’an? In reply Allah said: O Muhammad! They ask you about the Ruh—that is, the source of the Qur’an or the means by which you receive the Qur’an. Tell them: This Ruh comes by the command of my Lord. But you possess so little knowledge that you cannot distinguish between human speech and words revealed through Allah’s Revelation, and you harbor doubts about the Word of Allah, thinking that some human being is composing it.

This interpretation is preferable not only because the relationship of the verse to the surrounding statement requires this interpretation, but also because this subject has been described elsewhere in the Noble Qur’an in almost the same words. It is said in Surah Al-Mu’min:

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“He sends down the Ruh, by His command, upon whichever of His servants He wills, so that he may warn them about the Day of Gathering.” —(Verse 15)

And it is said in Surah Ash-Shura:

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“And thus We have sent a Ruh to you by Our command. You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was.” —(Surah Ash-Shura: 52)

Among the earlier scholars, Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hasan al-Basri (may Allah be pleased with him) transmitted this interpretation. Ibn Jarir attributed this statement to Ibn Abbas through Qatadah. But he wrote something strange: that Ibn Abbas used to narrate this statement secretly. Hasan, the author of the Tafsir Ruh al-Ma‘ani, also quoted Qatadah’s statement: “Ruh refers to Jibril (peace be upon him). The question was: How does he descend, and how is Revelation sent down into the heart of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him?”

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“And thus (O Muhammad!) We have sent a Ruh to you by Our command.” —(Surah Ash-Shura: 52)

Here Ruh means Revelation, or the teaching that was given to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) through Revelation.

Arguments and proofs that the revealed message is from Revelation

The message revealed to Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is fundamentally Allah’s own message. To prove this truth, the Qur’an presents four points as evidence.

First: This Book is filled with immense goodness and blessing. That is, it contains the finest principles for securing human welfare and prosperity. It teaches sound creed and belief. The encouragement to do good deeds and the instruction to adopt elevated moral qualities are integral to it. The rules for living a pure and holy life are among its distinguishing features. On the other hand, this Book is completely free of ignorance, selfishness, narrow-mindedness, oppression, injustice, obscenity, and other evil deeds—which you have heaped into the sacred heavenly books.

Second: This Book presents no guidance separate from the guidance that came previously from Allah. Rather, it confirms the truth of, and supports, whatever was presented in those earlier books.

Third: This Book was revealed for the same purpose for which the heavenly books were revealed by Allah in every age. That purpose was to awaken the heedless and inform them of the consequences of proceeding along the wrong and crooked path.

Fourth: Through its call, this Book did not gather together worldly worshippers and slaves of their desires. Rather, it gathered and organized people whose vision had advanced far beyond the narrow boundaries of worldly life. Under the influence of this Book, a revolution also took place within them, the greatest sign of which was that they became distinguished among humanity for their devotion to Allah. Could a book written by a hypocrite and liar—who composed it himself and dared to commit the most heinous crime of claiming it was authored by Allah—ever possess such qualities and produce such results?

Chapter 3 — The Need for, and Proof of, the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him)

The reason for sending the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) after the earlier prophets

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“And indeed, those who were made heirs to the Book after the earlier people remained in disturbing doubt concerning it.” —(Surah Ash-Shura: 14)

When Allah’s Book reached later generations after the era of each prophet and his close followers had passed, they did not accept it with trust and conviction. Rather, they became deeply entangled in doubt and inner conflict concerning it. There were many reasons for this condition. We can easily understand these causes after studying what happened with the Torah and the Gospel. The earlier generations preserved these two Books in their original languages and forms, but mixed human words with the original Word in the form of explanations, historical accounts, orally transmitted reports, and supplementary matters devised by jurists. They spread their translations so widely that the original disappeared and only the translations remained before the people. Their historical authenticity was also damaged so thoroughly that today no one can say with complete certainty that the Book now in the hands of the people is the same original Book revealed for the inhabitants of the world to Jesus (peace be upon him) or Moses (peace be upon him). Their leaders and scholars, from time to time, initiated discussions about religion, Allah, philosophy, law, the body, the soul, and society, and laid the foundations of ideas whose labyrinth made it extraordinarily difficult for people to choose the straight and simple path of truth from among thousands of complicated paths. On the other hand, Allah’s Book was not present in its original form or in a reliable condition either. Consequently, people could not even turn to any dependable source that might help them distinguish truth from falsehood.

It is worth mentioning in this connection that the call to the true religion first reached the Arabian land through Hud (peace be upon him) and Salih (peace be upon him). This occurred in the prehistoric age. Then came Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Ismail (peace be upon him). They came approximately two and a half thousand years before the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him). After them, and before the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him), the last prophet to come to the Arabian land was Shu‘ayb, peace be upon him.

The Arabs had long been demanding the coming of a prophet

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“They used to swear their strongest oaths that if a warner came to them, they would be more rightly guided than any other nation in the world.”

—(Surah Al-Fatir: 42)

Before the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) received prophethood, the people of Arabia in general, and the Quraysh in particular, used to say this after seeing the corrupted moral condition of the Jews and Christians.

Similarly, it is said in Surah Al-An‘am:

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“After the coming of this Book, you can no longer say, ‘The two groups before us were given the Book, but we had no knowledge of what they read or taught.’ Nor can you now make the excuse, ‘Had a Book been revealed to us, we would have been more rightly guided than they.’” —(Surah Al-An‘am: 156–157)

It is said in Surah As-Saffat:

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“At first they used to say, ‘If only we had the Reminder that the earlier nations received, we would surely have been Allah’s exclusively devoted servants.’” —(Surah As-Saffat: 167–169)

The need to present a clear proof

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“Those among the People of the Book and the polytheists who disbelieved would not desist from their disbelief until a clear proof came to them—that is, a Messenger from Allah who recites purified scriptures.” —(Surah Al-Bayyinah: 1–2)

That is, a clear proof would come to explain to them the error of every form of disbelief and its opposition to truth, and would present the straight and flawless path before them clearly and rationally; without this, they had no other way to emerge from the state of disbelief. This does not mean that, as soon as this clear proof arrived, they would all abandon disbelief. Rather, it means that in its absence, it was utterly impossible for them to escape the effects of that condition. Now, even after its arrival, those among them who remain steadfast in disbelief will themselves be responsible for it. Thereafter they will not be able to complain to Allah that He had made no provision for their guidance. This point has been described in different ways at various places in the Noble Qur’an. For example, it is said in Surah An-Nahl(Arabic******) “It is incumbent upon Allah to show the straight path.” —(Verse 9) It is said in Surah Al-Layl(Arabic*******) “Guidance is My responsibility.” —(Verse 12)

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“(O Prophet,) We have revealed to you as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him. These messengers were assigned the duties of giving glad tidings and warnings, so that after the coming of the messengers, people would have no excuse to present before Allah.” —(Surah An-Nisa: 163–165)

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“O People of the Book! My Messenger has come to you after a long interruption in the succession of messengers, clarifying the truth, so that you may not say, ‘No bearer of glad tidings or warner came to us.’ So look: a bearer of glad tidings and a warner has now come to you.” —(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 19)

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“Those who were given the Book before became divided only after the clear description of the true path had come to them.” —(Surah Al-Bayyinah: 4)

That is, the People of the Book had previously fallen prey to various forms of misguidance and split into numerous groups and factions. Their condition did not arise because Allah had fallen short in any effort to send clear proofs for their guidance. Rather, they adopted this course after guidance had come from Allah. Therefore, they themselves were responsible for their misguidance and deviation, because the truth had been made clear to them. Likewise, since their books are no longer preserved without alteration and do not contain sound teachings, Allah sent one of His messengers as a clear proof and, through him, gave them a pure and unaltered Book containing sound teachings, thereby presenting the truth clearly to them. Therefore, if they still engage in disputes after this, the entire responsibility will rest upon them. They will have no way to hold Allah responsible. This point has been stated in different ways in various places in the Noble Qur’an. For examples, see Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 213 and 253; Aal ‘Imran, verse 19; and Al-Ma’idah, verses 16–18. It will be even easier to understand the matter if you also glance through the notes I added in the explanations of the relevant surahs in Tafhim al-Qur’an.

It was absolutely necessary to send a messenger. For the people of the world, polytheists and People of the Book alike, had become so deeply involved in disbelief that it was utterly impossible for them to emerge from it without the assistance of a prophet. They needed the help of a prophet whose very existence would be clear proof of his messengership. He would present Allah’s Book before the people in its original, unaltered, and flawless form. This Book would be free from the falsehoods mixed into the earlier heavenly books. It would contain only sound, flawless, and genuine true teachings.

Choosing the place for the sending of a prophet

A glance at the map of the world immediately shows that, for the prophethood of the whole world, there was and could be no place on earth more suitable than the Arabian Peninsula. This land lies exactly between the continents of Asia and Africa. Europe too was quite close to it. In particular, during that age most of the civilized peoples of Europe lived in the southern part of that continent. This region was just as close to Arabia as Hindustan was at that time.

A study of the history of that period also shows that, in that age, no nation was more suitable than the Arab nation for this prophethood. Other great nations had become enervated after reaching the height of their power, influence, and prestige. The Arab nation, on the other hand, was brimming with fresh vitality. The advancement of civilization and culture had corrupted the habits and character of other nations. Arabia, however, had still remained untouched by any advanced civilization. As a result, this nation was neither luxurious, comfort-loving, nor base in character. The Arabia of the sixth century of the Christian era was completely free from the evil influence of the contemporary civilized nations. It possessed all the fundamental human virtues that could exist in a nation situated far from the light of civilization. They were brave, fearless, generous, faithful to their promises, independent in thought, and free-spirited. They were not bound by subjection to any other nation. For them, giving their lives to protect their honor was extremely easy. A simple and unpretentious way of life was their distinguishing feature. They had no connection whatsoever with luxury and love of comfort. Undoubtedly, they also possessed many evil qualities, because no prophet had come to their region for two and a half thousand years. —[The eras of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Ismail (peace be upon him) were approximately two and a half thousand years before the time of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. During this long interval, no other prophet was born in Arabia.] Nor had any national leader emerged there who could reform their character and conduct and develop them into a civilized nation. Because they had lived a free and independent life for hundreds of years in the vast, endless desert, ignorance and illiteracy had spread among them. Their ignorance had solidified into such hard stone that smoothing that stone and turning them into human beings was not the work of any ordinary person. Yet, along with this, they certainly possessed the capacity whereby, if an extraordinary person reformed them and they were inspired by his teaching to adopt an elevated way of life, they could overturn the entire world. To spread the teaching of the Universal Prophet throughout the world, a powerful nation so full of vitality and youthful energy was needed.

Even when we turn to the subject of language, the distinctive qualities of Arabic become readily apparent. A study of this language and its literature shows that no other language is more suitable for expressing elevated thoughts simply, describing the most subtle aspects of the knowledge granted by Allah, and making a profound impact on the mind. By the force of its tremendous inner power, it pierces the deepest regions of the heart like an arrow. Its sweetness is incomparable. It seems as though nectar is overflowing. The heart and mind are overwhelmed by waves of melody. A language of this kind was needed for a Book like the Qur’an.

Thus, it can easily be inferred that a great divine purpose lay behind choosing a land like Arabia for the Universal Prophet.

The best leader for an ignorant nation

For hundreds of years, a nation had been sinking into the bottomless abyss of ignorance, foolishness, rebelliousness, and decline. Then, suddenly one day, the infinite grace of Almighty Allah was showered upon it. He caused its greatest and finest leader to be born among them. To raise them from the bottomless abyss of ignorance, He revealed His message to that leader. His purpose was to awaken them from the sleep of heedlessness and, freeing them from the darkness of ignorance and superstition, help them advance along the path of a true, beautiful, and flawless life.

But the ignorant people of the nation and their self-serving tribal chiefs turned fiercely against the leader. They made every possible effort to thwart him. Time continued to pass. Then one day they plotted to kill him. In this situation Almighty Allah says: Because of your foolishness, should I halt My efforts to reform you? Should I end this continuing provision of admonition? Should I let you remain fallen in the bottomless abyss of decline into which you have sunk? Do you think this should be the demand of My mercy? Have you considered what the consequence may be of rejecting Allah’s favor and making every possible effort to cling to falsehood even after the truth has come before you?

Intellectual proof of the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

Close your eyes for a moment and travel once through the world of thought. Look with a full and open gaze at the world of fourteen hundred years ago. What was the condition of the world at that time?

The world fourteen hundred years ago

At that time, the means and facilities for exchanging ideas among the people of the world were extremely limited. The means of establishing relations between countries and nations were very restricted. The range of human knowledge was exceedingly narrow. Human thought was highly immature. Superstition and fear reigned in the human mind. In the impenetrable darkness of ignorance, the line of knowledge was extremely faint. Struggling to push aside the mountain-like waves of the dark ocean, the wave of light was advancing only with great difficulty. In the world of that day, telephones, telegraphs, radios, railways and airplanes did not exist at all. Book publishers and printing presses were not found as they are today. There was no abundance of schools, colleges, madrasas and various educational institutions. Newspapers and periodicals had no widespread circulation then. The range of knowledge of a scholar of that age, in almost every respect, was narrower and his taste and culture were inferior even to those of an ordinary person today. Even a person of that age with exceptionally clear and progressive thought was more old-fashioned in his thinking than a person with old-fashioned ideas today. Matters that everyone knows today could be learned in that age only after years of toil, investigation and research, and with great difficulty. For the information that a small child today learns effortlessly from his surroundings at the very dawn of awareness, people in that age had to travel hundreds of miles. Often, they had to devote their entire lives to acquiring even that small amount of information. Subjects regarded today as superstition and absurd mythological tales were “truth” in that age. Acts called indecent and barbaric today were ordinary practices then. Methods that the human conscience now detests were not merely lawful in the morality of that age; no one could even imagine that any method contrary to them might exist. People’s fascination with the supernatural was so great that unless something was supernatural, extraordinary and contrary to ordinary laws, they were not prepared to acknowledge its truth or superiority. They even regarded themselves as utterly lowly, inferior and insignificant. Consequently, for them, it was inconceivable and beyond imagination that any human being could become a wali of Allah, or that a wali of Allah could be a human being.

The Condition of Arabia

In this dark age, darkness was even more concentrated in one part of the world. Among the countries known as civilized by the standards of that age, Arabia stood apart and alone, isolated from all the others. Around it, some light of knowledge, art, civilization and culture radiated from Iran, Rome and Egypt. But vast seas of desert kept Arabia cut off from them. Arab merchants rode on the backs of camels, the ships of the desert, crossing long distances for months to trade in those countries. They returned after merely exchanging goods. They did not bring back any light of knowledge or civilization. There were no educational institutions in their land. Libraries were unimaginable. Among the people there was no pursuit of knowledge, nor any interest in knowledge or art. Only a handful of people throughout the country knew how to read and write. But even their education was so limited that they were entirely unfamiliar with the knowledge and arts of that age. Undoubtedly, their language was highly developed, and it possessed an extraordinary capacity to express any advanced thought clearly. They also had a refined literary taste. But from what we have learned of their literature, we can infer that the range of their knowledge was extremely limited. In civilization and culture, their position was the lowest. They were deeply immersed in superstition. Their thoughts and dispositions were a naked expression of ignorance and barbarism. Their moral ideas were utterly rotten, the refuse of a garbage heap.

There was no regular government, discipline, law or administration there. Every tribe was independent. The law of the jungle was the only law there. An Arab Bedouin could not understand in any way why a person who did not belong to his tribe should not be killed and his wealth seized.

They possessed only the lowest level of morality, decency and civilization, and their thinking was crude and confused. They were almost entirely unfamiliar with the distinctions between pure and impure, lawful and unlawful, decent and indecent, and so on. Their way of life was deeply corrupt. Their conduct was utterly barbaric and inhuman. Adultery, gambling, drinking wine, highway robbery, murder and plunder were their daily activities. They would undress shamelessly in front of one another. Their women too would perform tawaf of the Kaaba naked. Driven by sheer Jahiliya, and merely so that no one might become their son-in-law, they would bury their infant daughters alive with their own hands. After their fathers’ deaths, they would marry their stepmothers. They knew not even the simplest minor rules and customs of eating, dress and cleanliness.

In matters of religion, they were equal partners in the ignorance and deviation of the contemporary world. Idol worship, jinn and demons, star worship—in short, they were involved in every form of worship prevalent in the contemporary world apart from the worship of the One Allah. They had no correct knowledge of the prophets of ancient times or their teachings. They knew that Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Ismail (peace be upon him) were their forefathers, but they did not know what the religion of that father and son was or whom they worshipped. They had also heard the stories of the peoples of ‘Ad and Thamud. But after reading the accounts given by Arab historians, one will find no trace anywhere of the teachings of Salih (peace be upon him) and Hud (peace be upon him). Through the Jews and Christians, they had also learned the stories of the prophets of the Children of Israel. But to understand what sort of stories these were, one need only examine the Israelite reports quoted in the tafsir works written by Muslim exegetes. From this, it will become clear what kind of people the prophets known to the Arabs and the Children of Israel were. It will also become clear how low their ideas about prophethood were.

A Man Appeared

At that time, a man was born in this land. In childhood, he was deprived of the affection of his mother, father and grandfather. Thus, in such a miserable condition, he did not receive even the education that an Arab child could normally have obtained. When he reached the age of understanding, he went out to tend goats with Bedouin boys. Upon reaching manhood, he entered business. His movements, company and dealings were all with those Arabs whose condition I have just described. There was not the slightest trace of education among them. They did not even know the rudiments of reading and writing. There was not a single educated scholar among them. He had the opportunity to travel outside Arabia a few times, but these journeys were confined entirely to Syria. And even those were simply commercial journeys, like any of the other caravans of that age. Suppose that during such journeys he did observe some signs of knowledge and civilization and meet some learned, talented and civilized people; even then, a person’s life is not formed by such scattered meetings and observations. They cannot exert such a broad influence on anyone that he becomes completely free from and separate from his social environment and reaches a higher world where, after arriving, he appears to have no connection with his environment. In this way, it would not be possible for him to acquire knowledge of such a level as to place an uneducated Bedouin in leadership not merely of one country but of the whole world, and not merely of one age but of all ages. Even if he had acquired some theoretical knowledge from outsiders, there was no way for him to obtain information unknown to anyone in the world at that time, ideas and principles of religion, morality, civilization and culture that had no existence anywhere, or an ideal of human character that existed nowhere in the contemporary world.

His Deeds

We must consider not only the condition and environment of Arabia but of the whole world. Then it will be seen that this man was different from everyone around him in nature, character, habits and conduct from the very beginning—those among whom he was born, spent his childhood, passed from adolescence into manhood laughing and playing, and with whom he mixed and traded day and night. He never told a lie. The entire nation testified to his truthfulness. Not even his bitterest enemy ever accused him of having told a lie. He never spoke harshly to anyone. No one ever heard a curse or indecent word from his lips. He conducted all kinds of dealings with people, yet he was never seen creating bitterness, arguing or quarrelling with anyone. Instead of harshness, sweetness was evident in his speech. And this sweetness was so imbued with sincerity that whoever associated with him became his devoted admirer. He never treated anyone badly. He never deprived anyone of his rights. Even after conducting business for years, he never unlawfully took so much as a penny from anyone. Everyone who dealt with him had complete confidence in his trustworthiness. The entire nation called him ‘al-Amin’—the trustworthy. Even his enemies entrusted their valuable possessions to him without hesitation. He guarded them with complete reliability. Among shameless people, he displayed such modesty that from the time he attained understanding no one ever saw him naked. Among immoral people all around him, he presented the finest example of purity of character. No one ever saw him engaged in any evil act. He never went near wine or gambling. Among indecent people, he displayed the utmost decency. He hated every kind of wrongdoing and indecency, and purity and modesty were clearly stamped upon all his actions. Among the stone-hearted desert dwellers, he was compassion personified. He was seen helping everyone in need and distress. He helped orphans and widows. He showed hospitality to travelers and wayfarers. He never caused anyone pain; rather, he suffered pain himself for the sake of others. Among the barbaric Bedouins, he was utterly peace-loving. He was deeply distressed to see strife and bloodshed among his people. He kept himself away from tribal and intertribal wars and played an active and leading role in bringing peace and reconciliation between disputing tribes. Among idol-worshippers, he possessed an exceptionally balanced nature. He found nothing on earth or in the heavens worthy of worship. He never bowed his head before any created being. He did not accept offerings made to idols. He instinctively hated shirk and the worship of created beings.

In this wholly hostile environment, this man appears endowed with such qualities that it seems as though a bright lamp is radiating light in the midst of pitch-black darkness, or a priceless jewel is glittering among heaps of stones.

Mental and Spiritual Transformation

After living such a pure, chaste and honorable life for nearly forty years, a revolution took place in his life. He became alarmed at the impenetrable darkness thickening all around him. He wanted to emerge from this dreadful sea of ignorance, immorality, wrongdoing, anarchy, disorder, shirk and idol worship. Nothing in this environment seemed compatible with his nature. Separating himself from everyone else, he would sit in solitude on a mountain, far from human habitation, and reflect. Several consecutive days passed in deep tranquility and seclusion. By fasting, he further purified his soul, mind and intellect. Day after day and night after night, he continued to ponder. He sought a light capable of dispelling the deepening darkness around him. He strove to acquire a power capable of breaking apart this world led astray, rebuilding it anew and setting it in order.

The Message of Revolution

Suddenly, a tremendous change appeared in his condition. A light suddenly burst in his mind, of which there had previously been not the slightest trace. A power of which there had earlier been no sign suddenly came from somewhere and filled his entire being. He left the solitude of the cave and emerged. He appeared before his people. He began telling them: “These idols that you worship have no power or influence. Do not worship them. There is no human being, tree, stone, spirit or star that can be worshipped or adored, before which one can bow, or whose obedience one can accept. This moon, sun, earth, these stars, and everything between the earth and the heavens are creations of the One Allah. He created you and everything else. He gives life. The power to give death is solely in His hands. Worship Him alone. Follow His commands. Bow before Him. Theft, robbery, highway robbery, plunder, murder, oppression and persecution—all the things you practice—are sinful acts. Avoid them. Allah does not like them. Speak the truth. Do justice. Do not kill anyone. Do not plunder anyone’s wealth. If you take something, take it justly. If you give something, give it justly. You are all human beings. All people are equal. No one is born with the mark of disgrace stamped upon his forehead. Nor does anyone enter the world wearing a crown of honor and dignity upon his head. Excellence, honor and nobility do not lie in lineage. They lie in obedience to Allah, righteous conduct and purity. Whoever fears Allah is righteous and pure. He is the noblest of human beings. Otherwise, he is nothing. After death, all of you will have to answer before Allah—before the Allah who sees and knows everything. You will be unable to hide anything from Him. On the basis of your deeds, He will determine your outcome. No intercession or bribe will avail before that true Judge. He will not ask anyone’s lineage. There, only faith and righteous deeds will be questioned. Whoever possesses this wealth will enter Paradise. Whoever possesses none of it will be cast into Hell carrying the basket of failure upon his head.” This was the message he brought from the cave.

The Nation’s Reaction

The ignorant nation became his enemy. They began insulting him. They hurled stones at him. For thirteen consecutive years—not merely for a day or two—they subjected him to inhuman persecution. At last, they expelled him from his homeland. They did not stop at making him an exile; even where he sought refuge, they pursued him. They caused him suffering in many ways. They incited all Arabia against him. For a full eight years they continued waging war against him. He endured all these hardships with a smile, but did not deviate by a hair’s breadth from his resolve and mission.

Why did his nation become his enemy? Was there some question of seizing land or territory? Was there a matter of blood revenge? Was he demanding any worldly thing from them? No, it was not so. At the root of all the opposition was this: Why was he teaching the worship of Allah, honesty, truthfulness and righteous conduct? Why was he campaigning against idol worship, shirk and wrongdoing? Why was he attacking the leadership of idol-priests and priests? Why was he warning the people against the illusion of the chiefs’ chieftainship? Why did he want to abolish distinctions of high and low among people? Why did he regard love of tribe and lineage as Jahiliya? His people kept saying: “Everything you are saying is contrary to our national customs and ancestral traditions. Therefore abandon these things, or we will make your life unbearable.”

Why Did He Endure Hardship?

Why did that man endure so much hardship? His people were ready to make him king. They wanted to heap piles of wealth at his feet. But the condition was that he abandon those teachings. He rejected their offer and preferred to be oppressed and persecuted in exchange for his teachings. Why did he accept all this? Did he have any personal interest in his people becoming righteous and obedient to Allah? Was some greater interest of his hidden in this, against which the temptation of leadership, political authority, wealth and comfort was utterly insignificant? Or was there some benefit here for which a man could be prepared to endure the severest physical and mental suffering continuously for a hundred years? Can one imagine a higher ideal of virtue, sacrifice and compassion for humanity than that a man should endure suffering not for his own interest but for the interests and welfare of others? Those for whose welfare he was striving made him homeless and exiled him. Even abroad they pursued him. Despite all this, he did not cease wishing for their welfare.

Can a liar endure such dangers for something baseless? Can a person who begins acting on mere guesswork and conjecture remain so firm and steadfast in his resolve that even when mountains of danger collapse upon him, the whole country and the whole world rise against him, and the world’s largest army falls upon him, he refuses to move even an inch from his determination? This steadfastness and firm resolve testify that he had complete faith in his own truthfulness. Had he harbored the slightest doubt or uncertainty about it, it would not have been possible for him to face danger after danger for twenty-one consecutive years.

This was one aspect of the change in his condition. The other aspect was even more astonishing.

The Other Aspect of the Change in His Condition

Until the age of forty, he was an Arab like any ordinary Arab. At that time, no one knew this merchant as an extraordinary orator. No one had seen him discuss religion, morality, philosophy, law, politics or social policy. No one had ever heard him say a word about Allah, the angels, the heavenly scriptures, earlier prophets and peoples, the Resurrection, life after death, or Paradise and Hell. It is true that he treated people with great kindness, that his conduct was exceptionally decent and gracious, and that he possessed the finest and most advanced moral character of his age. But until he reached forty, nothing unusual could be found in him that would lead people to think he was destined to become something extraordinary. Until then, people knew him only as a quiet, peace-loving, extremely courteous and decent man. But when, after the age of forty, he emerged from a cave, they suddenly saw that his very appearance had changed.

Now he was proclaiming a wondrous message. On hearing it, all the Arabs were overwhelmed. Because of its penetrating effect, even its bitterest enemies were afraid merely to listen to it; they feared that once this message entered their ears, it might become deeply rooted in their hearts. Its eloquence and sweetness of expression were incomparable. In the presence of the great poets, orators and claimants to mastery of linguistics of contemporary Arabia, this message issued a challenge before all the Arabs, repeatedly challenging them: “All of you, produce a sentence like even one of its sentences.” But no one had the courage to meet this challenge. No Arab had ever heard such an incomparable message.

Overnight, he appeared as an incomparable scholar, an extraordinary social reformer and builder of moral character, a remarkable expert in politics and legislator, an eminent judge and an unparalleled military commander. That unlettered desert dweller began speaking of kinds of knowledge and learning that no one had spoken of before and no one could speak of afterward. This unlettered man began speaking with complete confidence about Allah, the unseen world and the Hereafter. From the history of nations, he expounded the lessons of the rise and fall of different peoples; he analyzed the work of ancient reformers, criticized the various religions of the world, and settled disputes among nations. He began teaching character, morality, decency and culture.

He legislated regarding society and culture, the economic system, mutual transactions and international relations. He formulated laws of such a high order that the world’s greatest scholars, learned men and intellectuals became capable of realizing their inner truth only after years—or rather, a lifetime—of research and investigation. And as the world’s testing and examination progressed, their truth continued to appear ever more radiant.

This quiet, peace-loving merchant had never wielded a sword in his life, had never received military training, and had taken part in only one battle in his life, as a silent observer. Yet now he became a heroic soldier. In the fiercest battlefields, his foot never moved even an inch. He became a mighty commander. Within only nine years, he conquered the whole of Arabia. He became a supreme military leader and strategist. Through the military organization he created and the fighting spirit he inspired, the penniless Arabs, suffering from a lack of war equipment, defeated two great powers of the world within only a few years.

Until the age of forty, no one had detected the slightest trace of political inclination in this secluded, peace-loving man. Suddenly, he appeared as a great reformer and statesman. Within twenty-three years, without the aid of railways, telephones, radios or printing presses, he brought the disorderly, warlike, ignorant, anarchic, uncivilized and barbaric tribes scattered across twelve hundred thousand square miles of desert, perpetually engaged in conflict with one another, under one religion, one culture, one law and one state system, far from the touch of modern civilization. He transformed their way of thinking. He changed their character. He filled their indecent way of life with refined decency. He transformed their barbarism and savagery into a polished civic life. He transformed their evil disposition and bad character into righteousness, taqwa and elevated moral character. He changed their anarchy and lawlessness into an orderly way of life marked by the highest obedience to law and the greatest eagerness to follow the leader’s instructions. This nation was so barren that no notable person had been born from its womb for hundreds of years. But from this solitary man there emerged such outstanding personalities that they spread throughout the world to teach its people religion and morality.

Moral Method of Action

He accomplished this work not through oppression, persecution, deception or fraud. Rather, he did it through heart-winning kindness, courtesy and enchanting instruction. Through good treatment, he turned enemies into friends. Through affection and benevolence, he softened hearts. He governed the country through justice and fairness. He never moved even a hair’s breadth from truth and honesty. He never deceived anyone on the battlefield. He did not oppress even his mortal enemies. He never deceived anyone on the battlefield. He did not oppress even his mortal enemies. Those who thirsted for his blood, who had wounded him with stones, forced him to leave his homeland, and turned all Arabia against him—even those who, in the extremity of their hostility and fury, had cut out and chewed the liver of his uncle—he forgave after gaining victory over them. He never took revenge on anyone because of the wrong they had done to him.

Despite all this, his self-restraint was unparalleled. His detachment from worldly interests had reached such a degree that even after becoming king of the entire country, he remained as poor as before. He lived under a thatched roof of grass and leaves. A mat was his bed. He wore coarse clothing. He ate the food of the poor. Often he went without food. He remained engaged in the worship of Allah throughout the night. He helped and served the poor and afflicted. He never hesitated to perform physical labor like a worker. Until the end, not the slightest trace of royal grandeur, the splendor of the wealthy, or the arrogance of the rich could be found in him. He mingled with everyone like an ordinary man. He shared in their troubles, sorrows, and sufferings. He would sit among ordinary people in such a way that it became difficult for an outsider to identify the leader of the nation and head of state in that gathering. Despite being such a great person, he treated the humblest and most insignificant people in such a manner that it seemed they too were just like him. After a lifetime of struggle and striving, he left nothing for himself. He dedicated all his abandoned property as a waqf for the nation. He established no special claim for himself or his children over his followers. Indeed, fearing that in the future his followers might give all the zakat to his children instead of to others, he even deprived his children of the right to receive zakat.

The Founder of the Modern Age

The great works of this great man are without end. To gain a proper understanding of his exalted status, we must now look at world history as a whole. There we shall see that this illiterate man of the Arabian desert, born fourteen hundred years ago in an age of darkness, was in reality the founder of the modern age and the leader of the entire world. He is not merely the leader of those who acknowledge him as their leader; he is also the leader of those who do not. They have no awareness of how the leadership of the very man against whom they campaign is interwoven with their thinking, way of life, principles of action, and the vital essence of their modern age.

It was this man who changed the direction of the world’s thought. He turned people from idealism, superstition, the worship of marvelous objects, and asceticism toward rationalism, realism, and a truly God-fearing religiosity. In a world that claimed to experience miraculous events, he gave rise to the tendency to comprehend intellectual miracles and accept them as the standard of truth. He opened the eyes of those who sought signs of Allah’s power in deviations from the laws of nature, and cultivated in them the habit of seeing Allah’s signs in natural phenomena. He led those given to flights of fancy, instead of speculation, toward rationality, thought, observation, and research. He informed humanity of the boundary that distinguishes reason from feeling. He established a relationship between materialism and spiritualism. He created a relationship between religion and knowledge and action, and between knowledge and action and religion. With the help of religious power, he created scientific power in the world, and with the help of science, true religiosity. He uprooted the foundations of nature-worship and shirk, and established belief in tawhid so firmly through the power of knowledge that polytheists and idolaters were compelled to color their religions with monotheism. He completely transformed the basic concepts of morality and spirituality. Those who regarded asceticism and self-denial as true morality, and who believed that spiritual advancement and salvation in the Hereafter were impossible if one fulfilled the rights of the body and instincts and participated in worldly affairs—he showed them the greatness of morality, spiritual advancement, and the path to salvation in the Hereafter within social culture and worldly working life. It was he who made people aware of their true worth and dignity. Those who were unwilling to accept anyone other than God, an incarnation, or the Son of Allah as a guide and leader—he taught them that people like themselves could become representatives of the heavenly kingdom and Allah’s caliphs on earth. Those who considered every powerful person their god—he made them understand that a human being is nothing but a human being. No person is born with an inherent right to holiness, governing authority, or lordship. No one is born bearing the stigma of impurity, servitude, slavery, or subordination. This teaching gave birth to the unity of humanity, equality, democracy, and freedom of thought in the world.

When we step outside the world of ideas, we see that the practical and effective consequences of this illiterate man’s leadership have been immense and limitless in the sphere of the world’s laws, methods, and systems. Countless principles and methods of morality, civilization, culture, civility, purity, and cleanliness emerged from his teachings and spread throughout the world. The social code he introduced has been widely adopted by the whole world and continues to be adopted. Numerous economic movements have arisen, and continue to arise, on the basis of the economic principles he gave. Through the system of governance he adopted, many revolutions have taken place in the world’s political thought up to the present day, and continue to take place. The fundamental principles of justice and law that he formulated have profoundly influenced the world’s judicial systems and legal thought, and their influence continues to work quietly. In the spheres of war, peace treaties, and international relations, it was he who actually introduced civilized customs and systems. Before him, the world had no knowledge that war could have civilized rules and principles, or that relations and dealings among different nations could be established on the basis of humanity.

The Embodiment of Every Excellence

In the history of humanity, the exalted and sublime personality of this extraordinary man is so clear and radiant that if the greatest figures in history from the beginning until today—those whom people have called heroes—were placed opposite him, they would appear as tiny dwarfs before him. Among the world’s great figures, there is not a single one whose finest qualities have extended beyond one or two spheres of life. Some presented theories but lacked the ability to implement them. Some were skilled in action but weak in thought. The authority of some was confined to political qualities. Some possessed only military distinction. Some focused so deeply on one aspect of social life that all other aspects were completely neglected. Some advanced along the path of morality and spirituality while entirely neglecting economics and politics. Others advanced along the path of economics and politics while keeping morality and spirituality completely out of sight. In short, history shows only one-sided great figures. But this man is the sole exception in this respect. All qualities were united in him. He was himself a philosopher and scholar. He himself put his philosophy into practice in real life. He was a statesman and also a military commander. He was a lawgiver and also a teacher of morality. At the same time, he was a religious and spiritual leader. His vision encompassed every aspect of human life and did not neglect even its smallest matters. From the etiquette of eating and drinking and methods of bodily cleanliness to international relations, he gave rules and instructions concerning every subject. On the basis of his doctrine, he gave birth to a civilization and established a precise balance among the various spheres of life. There was no trace whatsoever of extremism anywhere. Can the name of a second person possessing such comprehensive excellence be found in the pages of history?

Above His Environment

Not one of the world’s greatest figures is entirely free from being, to some extent, a product of his environment. But this man’s condition was different from everyone else’s. His environment exerted not the slightest influence in shaping his personality. It cannot be proved by any argument or evidence that the circumstances and environment of Arabia were historically prepared at that time to give birth to such a person. At most, with considerable strain, one might say that for historical reasons Arabia then needed such a leader. He would end tribal disorder and anarchy, bind the people together in the bonds of nationhood, and pave the way for the economic prosperity of the Arabs by conquering country after country. In other words, he would be a nationalist Arab leader possessing all the characteristics of that age—one who would enrich his nation through oppression, persecution, bloodshed, deception, fraud, and every possible stratagem, and leave behind an empire for his underdeveloped countrymen. Apart from this, no other demand of the history of Arabia in that age can be established. From the perspective of Hegel’s philosophy of history and Marx’s materialist interpretation of history, one might say at most that the circumstances then prevailing in Arabia required, or made possible, the emergence of a person capable of nation-building and empire-building. But how will Hegelian and Marxist philosophy explain what actually happened? In that environment and at that time, a man was born who taught the highest morality and organized and adorned humanity. His vision crossed the boundaries of lineage, tribe, nation, and country and created a moral, spiritual, cultural, and political system for all humanity. He established economic administration, state laws and regulations, and international relations on a moral foundation—not in the world of imagination, but in reality—and demonstrated a balanced blend of spirituality and materialism that remains, as it was then, the highest achievement of knowledge and wisdom. Can such a personality be called a product of the ignorant environment of contemporary Arabia?

The Maker of History

This man was not merely a product of his environment; rather, when we observe his works, we see that he was free from the boundaries and influence of time and place. His vision broke through the constraints of time and circumstance and advanced beyond the boundaries of centuries and millennia. He viewed humanity in the light of every age and environment. At the same time, he gave such moral and practical guidance for human life that it fits properly under every circumstance. He does not belong among those whom history has listed as ancients. His true identity can only be described in this way: he was the greatest leader of his age. He was distinct and different from everyone else. He was such a leader of humanity that his leadership moves dynamically with the onward course of history and appears equally modern in every age, as it was in the age before his.

Those who are broadly called makers of history are in fact products of history. In the entire history of humanity, only this one true maker of history can be found. If we examine closely the condition of those who created revolutions in history, we find that the elements of revolution had already been forming beforehand. These elements determined the direction and course of the revolution according to their own demands. How much of a role did the revolutionary leader play in this? He played the role of an actor who gave practical form to the demands of circumstances and environment, for whom the stage and all the work of the performance had already been prepared and specified. But among the makers of history and revolution, he alone was the exception. The elements and causes of revolution were absent for him. In that situation, he himself devised and prepared the elements and causes of revolution. Where the people lacked the vital force and effective capacity for revolution, he built, through his own efforts, a human force capable of creating revolution. He melted down his powerful personality and poured it into the hearts of thousands, making them like himself. His power and will alone created all the elements of the revolution and determined its form and nature; through the strength of his resolve, he changed the course of circumstances and directed it toward his desired path. Has such a maker of history and revolutionary of this kind ever been found anywhere in the world, in any age?

Perfect Truthfulness

In the dark world of fourteen hundred years ago, in this remote province of a deeply dark country like Arabia, how could such an immense quantity of knowledge, light, power, and noble qualities, together with such a mountain of disciplined strength of such an advanced degree, suddenly arise in an illiterate desert-dwelling shepherd and merchant? It is said that all these were creations of his mind and brain. I would say that if they were creations of his mind and brain, then he should have claimed divinity, not prophethood. Had he truly made such a claim, some people would certainly not have refused to accept a person endowed with every virtue like him as a god. For they had previously made Rama a god, had not hesitated to accept Sri Krishna as Bhagavan, had themselves placed Gautama Buddha on the seat of divinity, had willingly made Jesus, peace be upon him, the son of Allah, and had worshiped fire, water, and air as well. But what he himself said is truly remarkable. He claimed no credit whatsoever for all these qualities of his. He said: I am a human being, a human being like you. Nothing that I possess belongs to me; everything belongs to Allah, and everything has been granted to me by Him. The message I have brought, which all humanity is incapable of producing the like of, is not mine either, nor is it the result of my intellectual ability. Every word of it has come to me from Allah. Therefore, Allah alone is worthy of praise. None of the achievements I have shown, laws I have enacted, or principles of morality I have taught people was created by me. I have no power to present anything from my own personal ability. In every matter I depend upon Allah’s guidance and instruction. Whatever indication comes from that direction, I say and do.

What astonishing truth! What extraordinary trustworthiness and truthfulness! Liars do not hesitate for a moment to enter the finest works of others into the account of their own achievements in order to make themselves great. Yet it is not difficult at all to trace the origin of those works. But this man does not claim as his own even those qualities that, had he claimed credit for them, no one could have proved him a liar. For no one knows any way of tracing their source. What greater proof of truthfulness could there be? A person who received such unparalleled qualities from an entirely hidden source and fearlessly disclosed the identity of his true source—who could be more truthful than he? If we do not call him truthful, then whom shall we call truthful?

The Qur’an’s Argument for the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Several Important Arguments—[The discussion and arguments concerning the Prophethood of Muhammad incorporated in the Qur’an are so extensive and far-reaching that it is impossible to present them fully in a single article. Moreover, if the explanations and analyses that Maulana Maududi made of the Qur’anic arguments were compiled together, they would form a separate book. Considering these aspects, we quote here Maulana’s brief discussion of several particularly important arguments. —(The Compiler)]

It is stated in the Qur’an:

(Arabic ***************** on PDF page 109)

“O Prophet, before this you neither read any book nor wrote with your own hand. Had you done so, the advocates of falsehood could have fallen into doubt. Rather, this consists of clear signs in the hearts of those endowed with knowledge.” —(Surah al-Ankabut: 48–49)

The central basis of the argument stated in this verse is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was illiterate. His fellow countrymen, relatives, family members, and people of his own clan had seen him with their own eyes from birth through youth. They knew very well that throughout his life he had never read a book and had never taken up a pen.

The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Illiteracy Itself Is Proof of His Prophethood

Referring to the factual matter that he was illiterate, Allah said: This clearly proves that the profound and extensive knowledge of the teachings of the ancient heavenly books, the accounts of earlier prophets, the beliefs of various past religions, the histories of primitive nations, and economics and social systems that comes from the mouth of this illiterate Prophet could not have been acquired by him through any means other than revelation. If he had known how to read and write, and people had seen him reading books and conducting research and investigation, the advocates of falsehood might have had some basis for suspecting that this vast store of knowledge had been acquired through study and the pursuit of knowledge rather than through revelation. But the Prophet’s absolute illiteracy left no room whatsoever for such a suspicion. —[Even after such unequivocal Qur’anic statements and flawless argumentation, one cannot but be astonished at the audacity of those who try to prove that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was educated. Yet here the Qur’an clearly establishes the Prophet’s illiteracy as conclusive evidence in support of his prophethood. The reports relied upon to claim that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was educated or later learned to read and write deserve, first of all, to be rejected outright, for no report contrary to the Qur’an can be acceptable. Besides, they are so weak that they cannot be accepted as a basis for argument. One such report is Bukhari’s narration concerning the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. It states that while the treaty was being written, the representative of the unbelievers of Makkah said to the Prophet (peace be upon him): Remove “Messenger of Allah” from “Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah” and write “Muhammad ibn Abdullah” (Muhammad, the son of Abdullah). Ali refused to erase the words “Messenger of Allah.” Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) took the treaty from his hand, erased those words himself, and wrote “Muhammad ibn Abdullah.” This hadith, narrated on the authority of the Companion al-Bara ibn Azib, is quoted in four places in Bukhari and two places in Muslim, and it differs in each place. In one chapter of Bukhari concerning the treaty, one version reads as follows:]

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Erase these words.’ Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I cannot erase them.’ Finally, the Prophet himself erased them with his own hand.”

Second: Another narration in Bukhari reads as follows:

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“Then he said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Erase the words “Messenger of Allah.”’ Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘No, by God, I will never erase your name.’ Then the Prophet took the treaty and wrote on it: ‘This is the treaty concluded by Muhammad, son of Abdullah.’”

Third: Bukhari’s third narration, transmitted from al-Bara ibn Azib, is included in the chapter on jizyah. It states:(Arabic ***************** on PDF page 110)

“The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not know how to write. He said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Erase the words “Messenger of Allah.”’ Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘By Allah, I will never erase them.’ Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘Then show me the place where the words are written.’ He showed the Prophet (peace be upon him) the place. The Prophet then erased the words with his own hand.”

Fourth: Bukhari’s fourth narration is included in the Book of Military Expeditions. It is as follows:

(Arabic ***************** on PDF page 110)

“Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) took the treaty in his hand. Yet he could not write. He wrote: ‘This is the treaty concluded by Muhammad, son of Abdullah.’”

Fifth: Another narration from al-Bara ibn Azib is recorded in Muslim’s Book of Jihad. It states that when Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) refused, the Prophet himself erased the words ‘Messenger of Allah’ with his own hand.

Sixth: Another narration in Sahih Muslim states that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Show me where the words “Messenger of Allah” are.’ Ali showed him the place. The Prophet then erased those words and wrote there, ‘son of Abdullah.’ The variations in the wording of these reports clearly show that the intermediary narrator failed to quote al-Bara ibn Azib’s statement verbatim. He himself must have written the word ‘Abdullah.’ The actual event may have been that when Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) refused to erase the words ‘Messenger of Allah,’ the Prophet asked Ali to identify the place, learned it from him, and erased the words himself; then he had Ali or another scribe write ‘ibn Abdullah.’ Other reports indicate that perhaps Ali and Muhammad ibn Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with them both) were both engaged in writing the treaty. (Fath al-Bari, vol. 5, p. 217.) Thus, if a task that one scribe was unwilling to perform was assigned to another scribe, there would be nothing unusual about it.

On the basis of another narration quoted by Ibn Abi Shaybah and Amr ibn Maymun on the authority of Mujahid, it is claimed that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) knew how to read and write. The narration is as follows:(Arabic ***************** on PDF page 111)

“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) learned to read and write before his death.” But this narration is extremely weak in terms of its chain of transmission. Hafiz Ibn Kathir described this narration as baseless and weak. Second, if the Prophet (peace be upon him) had truly learned to read and write later in life, the matter would have become widely known. Many Companions would have narrated it, and it would also have become known from whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) learned to read and write. But no one narrated this apart from Awn ibn Abdullah. Mujahid learned it from Awn. Awn was not a Companion but a Tabi’i (a member of the generation immediately succeeding the Companions), and he too did not state with certainty from which Companion or Companions he had obtained this information. This too makes the weakness of the narration clear. On the basis of such a weak narration, no statement that contradicts an established fact can be accepted.]

That an illiterate man should produce a book like the Qur’an and, apparently without any kind of prior preparation, display extraordinary genius and maturity is undoubtedly an unusual phenomenon. For the learned and discerning, these are the brightest signs of that illiterate man’s prophethood—[This argument has also been discussed in the article entitled “Muhammadan Prophethood on the Touchstone of the Individual.” There, however, the matter was presented without analyzing the Qur’anic argument.—(Compiler).] Let the biography of any historical figure in the world be examined: the causes underlying the formation of his personality and the development of his genius can be found in his environment. A clear correspondence can be observed between the elements that shaped his personality and his surroundings. But the remarkable qualities found in the personality of Muhammad (peace be upon him) are found nowhere—not in Arab society, nor even in any distant social environment of the countries with which the Arabs had relations. It is against the backdrop of this reality that the aforementioned signs have come together.—[Here the Qur’an is replying to those objectors who demanded miracles as a precondition for accepting the prophethood of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).—(Compiler)] It does not matter if ignorant people find no sign within him. But those who are learned have seen these signs and understood that he possessed this unparalleled genius and could be nothing other than a prophet.

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“They say, ‘Why have no signs been sent down to this man from his Lord?’ Say: ‘The signs are only with Allah, and I am only a clear warner. Is it not enough for them that We have sent down to you the Book, which is recited to them? Indeed, in it is mercy and an admonition for the believers.’”—(Surah al-‘Ankabut: 50–51)

In other words, despite being illiterate, is the revelation to you of a book like the Qur’an not itself a great miracle? Is this not sufficient for believing in your prophethood? Even after this, is there any need for another miracle? Other miracles are of a different kind. They were and will be shown only to those who witnessed them. You can always see this one.

Presenting the pre-prophetic life as evidence

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“I have already spent a lifetime among you.”—(Surah Yunus: 16)

The Quraysh polytheists believed that the Qur’an was a fabrication of Muhammad (peace be upon him), which he was groundlessly trying to pass off as being from Allah. Muhammad (peace be upon him), on the other hand, claimed that it was not a book composed by him but had come to him through revelation from Allah. The above verse presents a powerful argument refuting the polytheists’ notion and supporting the Prophet’s claim. Let the other arguments and evidence be set aside. But the actual life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was before their eyes. Before his prophethood, he had spent the full forty years among them. He was born in their city. Before their eyes he passed through childhood and youth and reached maturity. His movements, residence, food, social dealings, transactions, marriage, and every other social relationship were with them. Nothing in his life was unknown or hidden from them. What evidence could be more conclusive than such intimate knowledge and firsthand observation? Two things in this life of his were especially clear, and every Meccan knew them.

First, throughout the entire forty years before his prophethood, he had received no education or companionship from which any source could be found for the multifaceted knowledge he displayed immediately after claiming prophethood. Before the Qur’an was revealed, he had never been seen pondering, discussing, or expressing opinions on the subjects treated successively in its surahs. Even the call he suddenly began delivering upon reaching forty showed no sign of preparation or planning in his conduct or speech throughout those forty years—something that none of his intimate friends or close relatives had noticed. This clearly proves that the Qur’an was not the product of his mind; rather, it originated elsewhere and was brought into him. The human mind cannot suddenly produce something at an arbitrary stage of life. Whenever it presents something, signs of its prior preparation, development, and growth must appear at earlier stages. That is why some clever people in Mecca realized that saying the Qur’an had originated in the mind of the Prophet (peace be upon him) would be sheer foolishness. They therefore changed their story and began claiming that someone else must be behind the scenes, teaching Muhammad (peace be upon him) these words. But this proved even more absurd than the earlier claim. For, quite apart from Mecca, there was not a single person throughout Arabia possessing such ability—someone they could point to and say that so-and-so had composed, or was capable of composing, these revelations. In reality, a person with such ability cannot remain unknown and unrecognized in any society.

The second brilliant feature of the Prophet’s pre-prophetic life was that not the slightest trace of falsehood, deceit, fraud, cheating, meanness, or baseness could be found in his character. No one in the entire society could say that, during those long forty years of association, he had observed any such fault in the Prophet’s conduct. Rather, everyone who came into contact with him saw him as utterly truthful, just, virtuous, and trustworthy. A famous incident occurred only five years before his prophethood, when the Ka‘bah was being repaired. A dispute broke out among the various clans of Quraysh over who would lift the sacred Black Stone and place it in its proper position. Finally, they agreed that the first person to enter the Sacred Precinct the following morning would be made the arbiter. The next day, Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the first to enter the Sacred Precinct. As soon as they saw him, they cried out excitedly, “This is that just man! We agree. This is Muhammad!” Thus, before he was appointed to the office of prophethood, Allah formally obtained testimony from the entire Quraysh clan in support of his justice. After that, how could anyone imagine that this al-Amin—the Trustworthy—could ever resort to injustice or falsehood? A man who had never resorted to falsehood or deceit in even the smallest matter throughout his life—how could he suddenly begin telling people a few words of his own invention and passing them off as Allah’s words? How could he take refuge in such a monstrous lie and such a terrible deception?

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“And thus We have revealed to you, by Our command, a spirit. You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was.”—(Surah al-Shura: 52)

Indeed, before receiving prophethood, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had never even imagined that he ought to receive a book or that one was about to come to him. He knew nothing at all about the heavenly Scriptures or their contents. Similarly, his faith in Allah was genuine, but he did not know that one must also believe in angels, prophethood, the heavenly Scriptures, and the Hereafter. To the people of Mecca as well, his proclamation of prophethood was entirely sudden and unimaginable. Before that sudden proclamation, no one could testify to having ever heard him say that one ought to believe in Allah’s Book or in this or that matter. It goes without saying that if someone had been preparing in advance to pose as a prophet, he could not have remained so unconcerned about prophethood that those who had mingled with him day and night for forty years would hear not a single word from him about the Book and faith, only for him to begin speaking at length about these matters immediately upon completing forty years.

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“You never expected that the Book would be revealed to you; it was only by your Lord’s mercy. So do not be an assistant to the disbelievers.”—(Surah al-Qasas: 86) This is being cited as evidence of Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood. Let us first consider the case of Moses (peace be upon him). He did not know in the least that he was going to become a prophet and be entrusted with an important responsibility. Far from wishing or aspiring to become a prophet, the possibility had never even crossed his mind. He was suddenly called from the road, made a prophet, and enabled to perform extraordinary deeds that had no resemblance to his previous life. Exactly the same thing happened in Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) life. Until the day before he descended from the Cave of Hira with the proclamation of prophethood, the people of Mecca knew very well what his way of life was like, what work he did, what kind of things he said, what he discussed, and what his activities and inclinations were. It is true that this part of his life was a vivid example of honesty, truthfulness, trustworthiness, and noble character. It was the life of an exceedingly courteous, thoroughly peace-loving and harmless man, steadfast in his promises and agreements, extremely careful to give others their rights and dues, and exceptionally benevolent. These were the chief and extraordinarily important features of his life. Yet there was nothing within him that could lead anyone even to imagine that this saintly and upright man would soon claim prophethood. None of those who maintained close contact with him—his relatives, neighbors, or friends—could say that he had been preparing to become a prophet. Immediately after that earth-shaking moment in the Cave of Hira, he began speaking about matters in a special language, terminology, and vocabulary that no one had heard from him before. He had never stood up to deliver a sermon or lecture. He had never entered the field with a movement or call. Nothing in his activities suggested that he was planning a program to solve the problems of social life or undertake religious or moral reform. Until the day before that revolutionary moment, he was a harmless gentleman who spent cheerful time with his children, cared for guests, helped the poor and distressed, treated relatives well, and worshipped in seclusion from time to time. For such a harmless gentleman suddenly to appear before the people with a world-shaking proclamation, begin an revolutionary call, create an unparalleled literary treasure, and present a novel philosophy of life, method of thought, and new moral and social system distinct from all the prevailing ideas and ways of the world was undoubtedly a highly stirring and extraordinary event. Such a thing can never arise from a person’s own methods, arrangements, voluntary initiative, or effort. Any such effort, initiative, preparation, or arrangement must necessarily pass through stages of historical development. Those stages can never remain hidden from a person’s constant companions and associates. If the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) life had advanced through such stages, hundreds of people in Mecca would have said, “We knew this man would one day make some sensational claim.” But history testifies that, whatever other accusations the Meccans made against the Prophet (peace be upon him), they never raised this one.

Conversely, the hadith describing the beginning of revelation prove that the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself had neither desired nor expected prophethood nor been waiting for it; rather, he suddenly encountered it in a wholly unexpected and unimaginable manner. After his first meeting with Gabriel (peace be upon him) and the beginning of his prophethood through the revelation of the first few verses of Surah al-‘Alaq, the Prophet (peace be upon him) arrived home from the Cave of Hira trembling. He then told his family, “Cover me. Cover me.” After his fear had subsided somewhat, he told his life companion Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) everything and said, “I fear that I may die.” Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) immediately replied, “Never! Allah will never disgrace you. You maintain the ties of kinship, help the helpless and destitute, honor guests, and are always ready to assist in every good cause.” She then took the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Waraqah ibn Nawfal. Waraqah was Khadijah’s cousin and a distinguished scholar and sincere man among the People of the Book. After hearing the full account from the Prophet (peace be upon him), he calmly said, “What do you say? Will they drive me out of here?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “What do you say? Will they drive me out of here?” Waraqah replied, “Yes. Whenever anyone has brought what you have brought, his people have immediately become his enemies.”

When a simple man unexpectedly encounters an extremely extraordinary and unusual event, the emotional reaction that naturally follows is perfectly depicted in this incident. If the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had already intended to become a prophet, if he had thought that a man like him ought to be a prophet, and if he had remained absorbed in secluded meditation, anxiously waiting for an angel to come and bring him a message, then at the incident in the Cave of Hira he would have leapt for joy, descended the mountain elated with happiness and pride, gone straight to the people, and loudly proclaimed his prophethood. But where was that joy, and where was that loud proclamation? Instead, he became overwhelmed, wrapped himself in a blanket, and lay down. When his mind had calmed somewhat, he whispered everything to his wife. He said, “Today, while I was alone in the Cave of Hira, I encountered this calamity. I do not know what will happen to me. My life seems to be in danger.” It needs no explanation how different this was from the reaction expected of someone aspiring to prophethood.

No one can know a husband’s life, character, and thoughts better than his wife. If Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) had known beforehand that her husband aspired to prophethood and was constantly counting the hours until an angel came, she would not have replied in this way. She would have said something else: “Why are you alarmed? You have obtained what you have long desired. Now go and establish your business of spiritual leadership and discipleship. I am preparing to manage whatever offerings and gifts come in.” But in light of the knowledge she had gained of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) life during fifteen years of marriage, she understood in an instant that, whatever might come to such an honest and selfless man, it could not be Satan, nor could Allah be subjecting him to a severe calamity. In fact, what she had seen was entirely true.

Waraqah ibn Nawfal’s position was the same. He was not a stranger to them. He was related to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and was a very close brother-in-law. As a Christian scholar, he knew what prophethood, Scripture, and revelation were, and he had the ability to distinguish the genuine from the artificial and fabricated. Since he was several years older than the Prophet (peace be upon him), he had observed his entire life from childhood. Having heard the account of Hira from his own lips, he too immediately declared, “This visitor must surely be the angel who used to bring revelation to Moses (peace be upon him).” The circumstances here were similar to those of Moses (peace be upon him): a simple man of utterly perfect and spotless character, wholly transparent and open-minded. Far from harboring any desire for prophethood, he had never even imagined receiving it. Suddenly, while fully conscious and alert, he openly encountered this unprecedented event. Therefore Waraqah was able to conclude without any deliberation that there was no deception of desire or trickery of Satan involved. Rather, this honest and truthful man, whom he had known for so long, had accurately seen what he saw while free of personal desire or ambition; he had witnessed the truth itself. Waraqah’s conclusion was as precise and incontrovertible as a mathematical calculation.

Indeed, in the context of his complete honesty, truthfulness, and sheer illiteracy before prophethood, revelation coming to him so suddenly and unexpectedly is such a radiant proof of the truth of his prophethood that no person possessing practical knowledge can deny it. The Qur’an presents it as evidence of prophethood in several places. For example, Allah says in Surah Yunus:

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“O Prophet! Say: Had Allah not willed, I could never have recited this Qur’an to you, nor could I have informed you of it. I had already spent a significant part of my life among you. Will you not understand even this?”—(Verse: 16)

Allah says in Surah al-Shura:

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“O Prophet! You did not know at all what the Book was or what faith meant. But We made this revelation a light, by which We guide whoever We will among Our servants to the right path.”—(Verse: 52)

For a fuller explanation of this subject, see Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 21; al-‘Ankabut, Notes 88–92; and al-Shura, Note 84.

The pure and spotless life of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the astonishing effect of his instruction and training on the character of his Companions, and the elevated subjects discussed in the Qur’an are all brilliant signs. It is extremely difficult for anyone who knows the biographies of the prophets and the teachings of the heavenly Scriptures to harbor doubt.

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“He is a messenger sent by Allah, reciting purified Scriptures containing upright and correct writings.”—(Surah al-Bayyinah: 2–3)

Here the person of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is called a brilliant proof. For his life before and after prophethood, his presentation of a book like the Qur’an despite being illiterate, the extraordinary revolution brought about in believers’ lives through his teaching and companionship, his entirely rational beliefs, his remarkably precise and pure worship, his finest and most immaculate character, and his teaching of the best principles and laws for human life—all these are meant. The complete consistency and harmony between the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) words and deeds, and his continuation of the work of his call with unshakable courage and steadfast devotion in the face of every kind of opposition and obstruction, are incomparable qualities and clear signs that he was Allah’s Messenger.

The Qur’an as a miraculous composition and proof of prophethood

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“Undoubtedly, this Book has been revealed by the Lord of the worlds. Do they say that he has fabricated it? No; rather, it is the truth from your Lord.”—(Surah as-Sajdah: 2–3)

Here it is not merely said that this Book has been revealed by the Lord of the worlds. It is stated with even greater emphasis that it is certainly Allah’s Book. There is not the slightest room for doubt that it is a Book revealed by Allah. If this statement of certainty is read in the actual context of the Qur’an’s revelation and in light of the Qur’an’s own preceding and following discourse, it becomes clear that both a claim and its proof are presented together. This proof was not unknown to the Meccans before whom the claim was made. They knew the entire life of the one who recited this Book, both his life before and after he began reciting it. They could see a clear difference between the language and style of this Book and Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) own language and style. They clearly understood that the speech of one person could not have two such widely different forms. They observed the utterly miraculous literary beauty of this Book and, because they spoke the same language, could see with their own eyes that all the poets and men of letters of Arabia were incapable of producing anything comparable—(in the note) “Then produce one surah like it, if you can.” This challenge made the Qur’an’s miraculous nature even clearer. Unable to answer it, the opponents silently acknowledged that this literature was not humanly composed. Allah has called this miraculous nature of the Qur’an proof of the truth of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) prophethood.—(Compilers)] Nor were they unaware of the enormous difference between the language of Arabia’s poets, writers, orators, and religious leaders and the language of the Qur’an, or of the superior quality of the subjects treated in the Qur’an. They could not find even the slightest trace of the selfishness inherent in the literature and actions of a false claimant in the Qur’an’s literature or in the call of its bearer. They could see with their own eyes what kinds of people from among the nation were being drawn to the call of the Prophet (peace be upon him), who claimed prophethood for himself, his family, clan, or nation, and how great a revolution was taking place in their lives. All this was conclusive evidence supporting the claim of prophethood. Against this background, it was sufficient simply to say that there could be no doubt that this Book had been revealed by the Lord of the worlds.

Prophecies concerning the Universal Prophet in the Torah and the Gospel

An important statement of Jesus (peace be upon him)

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“Remember the words of Jesus, son of Mary. He said: ‘Children of Israel! I have been sent to you as Allah’s Messenger, confirming the Torah that came before me.’”—(Surah as-Saff: 6)

This statement can have three interpretations, and all three are correct. The first interpretation is this: I have not brought a separate and novel religion. I have brought the same religion that Moses (peace be upon him) brought. I have not come to refute the Torah; rather, I have come to support it and affirm its truth. It is the eternal practice of every messenger of Allah to support the preceding messenger and affirm his truth. I too am following that practice. Therefore, you have no reason to hesitate to acknowledge me as a messenger.

The second interpretation is that the prophecy in the Torah concerning my coming as a messenger has been confirmed or fulfilled through my mission. Therefore, instead of opposing me, you should welcome me by saying that the prophet whose coming was foretold by the earlier prophets has arrived.

When the statement under discussion in the Qur’an is read together with what follows it, its third interpretation is this: I affirm as true the prophecy given in the Torah concerning the blessed arrival of Ahmad (peace be upon him), the Messenger of Allah, and I myself am also prophesying his coming. In this light, the glad tidings that Moses (peace be upon him) gave his people concerning the advent of the Universal Prophet are supported and confirmed by this statement of Jesus (peace be upon him).

The clear prophecy of the Torah

In that address to the nation, Moses (peace be upon him) said: “Your Lord will raise up for you, from among your own people—that is, from among your brothers—a prophet like me. You shall listen to him. This coming will take place in accordance with the petition you made to your Lord on the day of the assembly while you were at ‘Horeb.’ You said: Let me not hear the address of my Lord again, nor see that terrible fire, lest I die. The Lord said to me: What they have said is right. I shall raise up for them a prophet from among their brothers; I shall put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak only what I command him to speak. Whoever does not listen to the words that he speaks in My name, I shall call him to account.” —(Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verses 15–19)

This is a clear prophecy of the Torah. It applies to no one but Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). In it, Moses (peace be upon him) informs his nation of this promise of Allah: “I shall raise up for you a prophet from among your brothers.” It is obvious that by a nation’s “brothers” one does not mean a family or tribe within that nation. The brothers of a nation means another nation descended from the same lineage. If the meaning had been that a prophet would arise from among the Children of Israel, it would have said: “I shall raise up for you a prophet from among yourselves.” Therefore, the brothers of the Children of Israel can necessarily mean only the Children of Ishmael, since they are related to the Children of Israel through their descent from Abraham (peace be upon him). Moreover, there is another reason why this prophecy cannot apply to any prophet of the Children of Israel. After Moses (peace be upon him), not one prophet came to the Children of Israel; many prophets came. Their accounts are found throughout the Bible.

Another point in this prophecy deserves attention. The prophet who would come would be a prophet like Moses (peace be upon him). Needless to say, this does not mean similarity in physical appearance or life history, for in these respects no person is like another. Nor does it mean merely similarity in being a prophet, because all the prophets who came after Moses (peace be upon him) shared this similarity. Thus, no particular prophet can claim the distinction of being like Moses (peace be upon him). After excluding these two aspects of similarity, the remaining aspect—which can properly be regarded as a characteristic of the later prophet—is that of bringing a separate Shariah, that is, a separate legal system. The essence of the prophecy is that the prophet who would come would bring a separate legal system like that of Moses (peace be upon him). No one but Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) possesses this characteristic. All the prophets of the Children of Israel who came before him followed the legal system brought by Moses (peace be upon him). None came with a separate legal system.

The validity of this interpretation of the Torah’s statement is established even more clearly by the following statement: “This prophet will come in accordance with the petition you made to your Lord on the day of the assembly while you were at Horeb. You said: Let me not hear the address of my Lord again, nor see that terrible fire, lest I die. The Lord said to me: What they have said is right. I shall raise up for them a prophet from among their brothers. I shall put My words in his mouth. He shall speak only what I command him to speak.” The petition mentioned here, by which Moses (peace be upon him) was given the first laws of the Shariah, means that if a Shariah, or legal system, were given to us in the future, it should not be given in that terrifying condition described both in the Qur’an and the Bible. (See Surah al-Baqarah: verses 55, 56, 63; Surah al-A‘raf: verses 155–171; the Bible, Exodus 19:17–18.) In response, Moses (peace be upon him) informed the Children of Israel that Allah had accepted their petition. He said: “I shall raise up for them a prophet through whose mouth I shall proclaim My words.” That is, when a legal system was given in the future, the terrifying condition that had arisen in the valley of Mount Horeb would not recur. Rather, the prophet entrusted with this responsibility would merely be made to memorize Allah’s revelation and would then recite it to the people. On examining this clear declaration closely, one can say without doubt that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the actual object of this prophecy. After Moses, he alone possessed an independent Shariah. When the Shariah was given at the foot of Mount Horeb, there had been a great gathering of the Children of Israel; but no such assembly took place when the Shariah was given to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Nor did such a condition ever recur when the injunctions of the Shariah were promulgated.

The Gospel’s glad tidings of the prophethood of Muhammad

The glad tidings concerning the prophethood of Muhammad given by Jesus (peace be upon him) are mentioned in the Qur’an as follows:

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“Recall the words of Jesus, son of Mary. He said: O Children of Israel! I have come to you as Allah’s Messenger, confirming the truth of the Torah that came before me, and bringing you the glad tidings of a Messenger who will come after me, whose name will be Ahmad.” —(Surah al-Saff: 6)

This is an important verse of the Qur’an. Those opposed to Islam have engaged in much argument over it. They have also attempted criminally distorted interpretations. For it states that Jesus (peace be upon him) clearly mentioned the name of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and gave glad tidings of his coming. —[In addition, prophecies concerning the coming of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) occur in many places throughout the Bible. Regarding this, the Qur’an says in brief:

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“The People of the Book find him written in the Torah and the Gospel.” —(Surah al-A‘raf: 147)

For example, prophecies concerning Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) can be noted in the following passages of the Torah and the Gospel: Deuteronomy, chapter 18, verses 15–19; Matthew, chapter 21, verses 33–46; John, chapter 1, verses 10–21; John, chapter 14, verses 15–17, 25–30; John, chapter 15, verses 25–26; John, chapter 16, verses 7–15. [77—The authors and compilers.] Therefore, this subject requires somewhat detailed discussion.

First:“Muhammad” and “Ahmad”: In this verse, the name Ahmad is mentioned for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Ahmad has two meanings: the one who praises most, and the most praiseworthy among those who are praised most. It is known from authentic hadith that this too was one of the names of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). In the hadith collections of Muslim and Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi, it is reported from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: (Arabic********) “I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, and I am al-Hashir (the Gatherer).” Multiple hadiths transmitted through Jubayr ibn Mut‘im have been cited in their respective hadith collections by Imam Malik, al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Darimi, al-Tirmidhi, and al-Nasa’i. This name of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was also widespread and known among the Companions. A line from the poetry of Hassan ibn Thabit is as follows:

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“Allah, the angels crowding around His Throne, and the pure have sent blessings upon blessed Ahmad.” History also shows that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was not known only by this name; his name Ahmad was also known to all. In the entire literary heritage of the Arab nation, no one before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is known to have been called Ahmad. After the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), countless people have been named Ahmad and Ghulam Ahmad. The fact that this name has been widely and familiarly known to the entire Ummah from the time of prophethood until today is its greatest proof. If this had not been the name of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), then whose servant do those who name their sons Ghulam Ahmad consider those sons to be?

Second: Jesus the Messiah, Elijah, and “that Prophet”: The Gospel of John bears witness that, at the time of the coming of Jesus (peace be upon him), the Children of Israel were awaiting three persons. They were the Messiah, Elijah (that is, the reappearance of the Prophet Elijah, peace be upon him), and ‘that Prophet.’

“And John [the Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him)] bore witness that when the Jews sent priests to him from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ he confessed and did not deny it. He confessed, ‘I am not the Messiah.’ They asked him, ‘Then who are you? Are you Elijah?’ He said, ‘No.’ ‘Are you that Prophet?’ He answered, ‘No.’ Then they said, ‘Who are you, then?’ He said, ‘I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness: Make straight the way of Allah.’ They asked him, ‘If you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor that Prophet, then why do you claim prophethood?’ —(1:19–25)

These statements make it unmistakably clear that, besides Jesus the Messiah (peace be upon him) and Elijah (peace be upon him), the Children of Israel were awaiting another prophet, and that prophet was not Yahya (peace be upon him). Belief in the coming of that Prophet was so widespread among the Children of Israel that everyone understood whom was meant by simply saying ‘that Prophet.’ It was unnecessary even to add, ‘whose coming has been foretold in the Torah.’ We also learn from this that the coming of the prophet to whom they were alluding was conclusively established. For when Yahya (peace be upon him) was asked these questions, he did not say, ‘No other prophet will come. Which prophet are you asking about?’

Third: The statement of the Gospel of John:Now consider the prophecies narrated consecutively from chapters 14 through 16 of the Gospel of John (Yuhanna or Yahya):

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper to remain with you forever—that is, the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he remains with you and is among you.” —(14:16–17)

“I have spoken these things to you while remaining with you. But the Helper, that is, the glorified Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of everything I have told you.” —(14:25–26)

“After this I will not speak much with you, for the ruler of the world is coming. He has nothing in me.” —(14:30)

“But when that Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father—he will testify on my behalf.” —(15:26)

“But I tell you the truth: it is better for you that I go away, for if I do not go away, that Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.” —(16:7)

“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he—the Spirit of truth—comes, he will guide you into all truth. For he will not speak from himself; he will speak only what he hears and will tell you about what is to come. He will manifest my power, for he will receive from me and tell you. Everything the Father has is mine. That is why I said that he will receive from me and tell you.” —(16:12–15)

Fourth: The significance of the above prophecies:To understand the true meaning of the foregoing statements, it is necessary first to know that Jesus (peace be upon him) and his contemporaries in Palestine spoke Syriac, a regional form of the Aramaic language. Two or two and a half centuries before the birth of Jesus (peace be upon him), during the rule of the Seleucid dynasty, the Hebrew language disappeared from that region and Syriac took its place. It is true that, under the influence of the Seleucids and the Roman emperors who followed them, the Greek language also entered the region. But it was confined to a particular class. Only those who held or sought various positions in the government administration and had consequently become excessively Hellenized used Greek. The ordinary people of Palestine used a particular regional dialect of Syriac. It differed from the Syriac spoken in the Damascus region today. The people of Palestine were so ignorant of Greek that when the Roman commander Titus addressed the people of Jerusalem after capturing the city in 70 CE, his speech had to be translated into Syriac. This shows that whatever Jesus (peace be upon him) said to his disciples, he said in Syriac.

The second point to know is that all four Gospels included in the Bible were written by Greek-speaking people who adopted Christianity after the disappearance of Jesus (peace be upon him). Accounts of the words and deeds of Jesus (peace be upon him) came to their attention from Syriac-speaking Christians, not in written form but as oral reports. They translated these Syriac accounts and recorded them. None of these Gospels was written before 70 CE. In particular, the Gospel of John was probably written a century after Jesus (peace be upon him), in the city of Ephesus in Central Asia. Moreover, no original copy survives of the Greek in which these Gospels were first written. Of the Greek manuscripts collected from various places before the invention of the printing press, not one dates from before the fourth century. Therefore, it is difficult to say how much alteration these Gospels underwent during those three hundred years. Furthermore, the matter has become even more doubtful because of the way Christians have considered it permissible to alter the Gospels according to their own wishes. The author of the article entitled “Bible” in the Encyclopaedia Britannica says:

“Significant deliberate changes were made in the Gospels. For example, in some places substantial passages from another source were incorporated verbatim into the Gospel. …..These changes were made deliberately. Those who were accustomed to believing that they had the right to include in the original text anything they found somewhere that improved the quality of the book or made it more instructive were the ones making such changes. Quite a number of additions were made as early as the second century, but it is not known from where they were collected.”

In this context, it is difficult to say with certainty whether the statements of Jesus (peace be upon him) that we find in the Gospel were quoted exactly as spoken, or whether they underwent any alteration.

The third important matter is that even after Muslim rule was established in Palestine, the language of its Christians remained Syriac for nearly three hundred years. In the ninth Christian century, Arabic replaced Syriac. The information about Christianity obtained by Muslim scholars of the first three centuries through these Syriac-speaking Palestinians is more reliable than the information obtained by those who received it through successive translations from Syriac into Greek and then from Greek into Latin. For the possibility is much greater that the original Syriac words spoken by Jesus (peace be upon him) remained with them unaltered.

Fifth: He will be the leader of the whole world:In light of the incontrovertible facts mentioned above, it should be considered that in the statements quoted from the Gospel of John, Jesus (peace be upon him) is announcing the coming of a prophet after him. He says of him that he will be the leader of the whole world, that ‘he will remain forever,’ that he will show all the ways of truth, and that he himself will testify on behalf of Jesus (peace be upon him). In these statements of John, words such as ‘the glorified Spirit’ and ‘the Spirit of truth’ have been cited, complicating the original message. Nevertheless, when these statements are read carefully, it becomes clear that the one whose coming is foretold is not a spirit but a human being and a particular person. The teaching of this person will be universal, all-encompassing, and lasting until the Day of Resurrection. The Urdu translation uses the word ‘Madadgar’ (helper) for this particular person. Christians insist that the word is Paracletus, but Christian scholars themselves have been confused in determining its meaning. In the original Greek, the word Paraclete has been used in several senses: to call toward a place, to call for help, to frighten or warn, to urge, to inspire, to entreat, to implore, and to pray. The word also has several Hellenic meanings: to console, to calm, and to encourage. None of these meanings fits the passages where the word is used in the Bible. The biblical scholar Origen translated it as Consolator in one place and Deprecator in another, but other biblical commentators rejected both translations. First, these meanings are not grammatically correct in Greek. Second, they do not work in the sentences where the word occurs. Some other translators rendered it Teacher, but this meaning cannot be derived from Greek usage either. Tertullian and Augustine translated it Advocate; others translated it Assistant, Comforter, or Consoler. (See Encyclopaedia of Biblical Literature, the entry ‘Paracletes.’)

Now the interesting point is that Greek has another word, Pariclytos, meaning ‘praised.’ It is an exact equivalent of ‘Muhammad.’ Its striking similarity in pronunciation to Paracletus is noteworthy. Christian scholars who were accustomed to making unrestricted alterations in their religious scriptures according to their own whims may well have altered the spelling slightly when they found this word in John’s prophecy contrary to their beliefs. To investigate this, one could search for an original Greek Gospel written by John and determine which of the two words was actually used—but no such original exists anywhere.

Sixth: Munhamanna:But even if it could be learned which word John actually used in Greek, no conclusion could be reached on this matter, because whatever he wrote was itself nothing more than a translation. As we have already said, the language of Jesus (peace be upon him) was Palestinian Syriac. Therefore, whatever word he used in his prophecy must have been a Syriac word. Fortunately, we have found that original Syriac word in Ibn Hisham’s Sirah. At the same time, we have also learned from Ibn Hisham what its Greek equivalent was. Citing Muhammad ibn Ishaq, Ibn Hisham quotes a complete translation of verses 23 to 27 of chapter 15 and verse 1 of chapter 16 of the Gospel of Yuhanna (John). There, instead of the Greek word ‘Paraclete,’ the Syriac word Sunhamanna is used. Ibn Ishaq or Ibn Hisham then explained it as follows: the Syriac word Munhamanna means Muhammad in Arabic and Paracletus in Greek. —(Ibn Hisham, volume one, p. 248).

It should be noted that, historically, Syriac was the common language of the people of Palestine until the ninth century. This region had been under Islamic rule since the first half of the seventh century. Ibn Ishaq died in 768 CE and Ibn Hisham in 828 CE. In other words, during both their lifetimes the Christians of Palestine spoke Syriac, and neither of them would have had any difficulty communicating with the Christian inhabitants of their own country. Moreover, millions of Greek-speaking Christians lived in the Muslim-occupied territories at that time. Therefore, it was not difficult for them to know which Greek word was synonymous with a given Syriac word. Now, if the Syriac word Munhamanna was used in the translation cited by Ibn Ishaq, and if Ibn Ishaq or Ibn Hisham explained that its Arabic equivalent was Muhammad and its Greek equivalent was Paracletus, then there can be no further doubt that Jesus (peace be upon him) had announced the coming of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) by mentioning his name. At the same time, it also becomes known that the word Pariclytos was actually used in the Greek Gospel of John. Later, Christian scholars changed it to Pariclytos. Later, Christian scholars changed it to Pariclytos.

Seven: The Negus’s Testimony:An even older historical proof is the account of Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning the migration to Abyssinia. When the Negus summoned the Muslim emigrants who had arrived in Abyssinia to his court and heard a detailed account of the teachings and ideals of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) from Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him), the son of Abu Talib, he said:

(Arabic******************************on page 127 of the PDF)

“Blessings upon you and upon the great man from whom you have come. I testify that he is Allah’s Messenger. He is the one about whom we found mention in the Gospel.” This incident has also been related in various hadiths from Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him) and Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her). From this it is known that, even at that early beginning of the seventh century CE, the Negus knew that Jesus (peace be upon him) had foretold the coming of a prophet. It is further known that the future prophet had been given such a clear description in the Gospel that the Negus did not hesitate in the slightest to understand that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was that prophet. However, this account does not tell us whether the Negus learned of this prophecy of Jesus (peace be upon him) through the Gospel of John or whether there was another means of learning it at that time.

Eight: The Gospel of Barnabas:Of the four Gospels that the Christian Church has accepted as reliable and authoritative (the Council Gospels), those four Gospels are not a reliable means of learning even the life account, true teachings, and principles of Jesus (peace be upon him), let alone his prophecies concerning Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Rather, the Gospel of Barnabas—which the Christian Church calls illegal and suspect—is a much more reliable and trustworthy source for this. Christians took many measures to keep this book hidden. It remained lost to the world for hundreds of years. In the sixteenth century, only one copy of its Italian translation was held in Pope Sixtus’s library, and no one was permitted to read it. At the beginning of the eighteenth century, it came into the hands of a man named John Toland. It then passed from one person to another until it reached the Imperial Library of Vienna in 1738. In 1907, an English translation of that copy was printed by the Clarendon Press of Oxford. But as soon as it was printed, the Christian world apparently realized that this book was about to destroy the foundations of the religion introduced in the name of Jesus (peace be upon him). The printed copies were therefore made to disappear through a special stratagem. After that, the Gospel could no longer be published. Another copy, translated into Spanish from the same Italian manuscript, could be found in various places in the eighteenth century. George Sale mentioned that copy in the introduction to his English translation of the Qur’an. But it too was made to disappear somewhere. Today, no trace of it remains. I had the opportunity to see a photostat copy of the English translation published by Oxford and read it thoroughly. My impression is that it is a priceless treasure. Yet Christians have deprived themselves of it solely out of obstinacy and stubbornness.

Whenever this Gospel has been mentioned in Christian books, it has been rejected as false and fabricated, with the claim that perhaps some Muslim composed it and falsely passed it off under the name of Barnabas. But this is an outright lie. The Gospel contains clear prophecies concerning Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in various places(illegible writing on the first line of page 129******************************)This lie has been resorted to. First, anyone who reads this Gospel can clearly understand that the book could never have been written by a Muslim. Second, if it had been written by a Muslim, it would have circulated widely in Muslim society and been frequently mentioned in the books of Muslim scholars. But the actual situation is that, before the publication of George Sale’s English translation(illegible writing near the end of the fourth line of page 129******)of the introduction, Muslims did not even know that such a Gospel had ever existed. The authors Tabari, Yaqubi, Masudi, al-Biruni, Ibn Hamza, Ibn Taymiyyah, and others possessed special expertise among Muslims concerning Christian scriptures. Yet none of their writings contains even the slightest hint of the Gospel of Barnabas in discussions of Christian doctrine. The most reliable catalogues of the books held in the libraries of the Muslim world are Ibn al-Nadim’s Al-Fihrist and Haji Khalifa’s Kashf al-Zunun. Yet neither contains any mention of it. Until the nineteenth century, no Muslim scholar had even uttered the name of the Gospel of Barnabas. The third and greatest proof of its falsity is that the Gospel of Barnabas was included in the list of corrupt and misleading religious books compiled during the reign of Pope Gelasius I, seventy-five years before the birth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and prohibited from being read by an ecclesiastical decree. The question therefore arises: where could Muslims have come from at that time to fabricate this false Gospel?

Nine: What Is the Gospel of Barnabas?Before quoting the prophecies of Jesus (peace be upon him) concerning the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) from the Gospel of Barnabas, it is necessary to give a brief introduction to this Gospel, so that its importance may be appreciated and the reason for the Christians’ intense hostility toward it may be understood.

None of the authors of the four Gospels included in the Bible as legitimate and reliable was a companion of Jesus (peace be upon him). Nor did any Gospel author claim that the book had been compiled from information gathered from the companions of Jesus (peace be upon him). They did not even provide any account of the sources from which they had collected their information. Consequently, it is not known whether those from whom they obtained their information had themselves witnessed the events and heard the words recorded in those writings, or whether the information reached them through some other means. In contrast, the author of the Gospel of Barnabas says: I was one of the twelve eldest companions of Jesus (peace be upon him). I remained with him from beginning to end, and in this book I have recorded what I heard with my own ears and saw with my own eyes. Not only that. In the conclusion of the book he says: At the time of his departure from the world, Jesus (peace be upon him) told me that it was my duty to remove the misunderstandings that had arisen among people concerning him and to inform them of the true facts.

Who was this Barnabas? The Acts of the Apostles in the Bible repeatedly mentions a man of this name, a Jew of Cypriot descent. His contribution to the propagation and expansion of Christianity and to assisting the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) is highly praised. However, it is nowhere stated when he accepted Christianity, and his name does not appear in the list of the twelve senior companions given in three of the Gospels. Therefore, it is impossible to say whether that Barnabas of the Bible was the author of this Gospel or someone else. The lists of the twelve companions given by Matthew and Mark differ from Barnabas’s list in only two names. One of them is Thomas; Barnabas gives his own name instead. The second is Simon the Zealot; Barnabas mentions Judas, son of Jacob, in his place. This second name also appears in Luke’s Gospel. Therefore, it would not be incorrect to suppose that, at some later time, Thomas’s name was inserted merely to remove Barnabas from the list of the twelve companions. This would make it easier to disregard the Gospel of Barnabas. In fact, such alterations in religious scriptures were not considered unlawful by Christian scholars.

If anyone reads this Gospel of Barnabas with an open mind, free from prejudice, and compares it with the commonly accepted four Gospels, he cannot help considering it many times superior to those four Gospels. It gives a much more detailed account of the life of Jesus (peace be upon him). Its style of narration gives the impression that someone was truly watching all the events with his own eyes and was himself involved in them in one way or another. Compared with the disjointed stories of the four Gospels, its historical account is more orderly and coherent. It therefore makes it much easier to understand the sequence of events. The teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him) are also presented in this Gospel much more clearly and movingly than in the other four Gospels. Its discussions of the teaching of Divine Unity, the refutation of polytheism, the attributes of Allah, encouragement toward worship, and noble moral qualities are powerful, well-reasoned, and detailed. Not even one percent of the instructive parables in the context of which Jesus (peace be upon him) presented these discussions is found in the other four Gospels. This Gospel also gives a very detailed account of the wisdom and skill with which Jesus (peace be upon him) taught his disciples the religion of Allah and trained them practically. Anyone with even the slightest knowledge of the language, narrative style, and character of Jesus (peace be upon him) will be compelled, after reading this Gospel, to acknowledge that it is not an invented tale fabricated by someone of a later age; rather, in it Jesus (peace be upon him) presents his true nature much more clearly than in the commonly accepted four Gospels. And the contradictions among his various statements found in the four Gospels are entirely absent from this Gospel.

The life account and teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him) as presented in this Gospel appear precisely like the life and teachings of a true prophet. He presents himself as a prophet. He affirms the truth of all earlier prophets and scriptures and states plainly that there is no path to discovering the truth other than the teachings of the prophets. Whoever ignores the prophets in reality ignores Allah Himself. He preached the same beliefs concerning Divine Unity, prophethood, and the Hereafter as all other prophets. He taught prayer, fasting, and zakat. From Barnabas’s repeated descriptions of his prayers, it is known that, like us in this age, he prayed at the times of Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha, and Tahajjud, and always performed ablution before prayer. Along with the other prophets, he declared David (peace be upon him) and Solomon (peace be upon him) to be prophets. Yet the Jews and Christians have left these two outside the list of prophets. According to this Gospel, he acknowledged Ishmael (peace be upon him) as the Sacrifice—the one who had been prepared to be slaughtered and offered—and compelled a Jewish scholar to acknowledge that the prophet Israel had resorted to deception in vain attempts to establish Isaac (peace be upon him) as the Sacrifice. In reality, Ishmael (peace be upon him) was the Sacrifice. The teachings about the Hereafter, the Day of Resurrection, and Paradise and Hell expressed in this Gospel are close to the teachings of the Qur’an.

Ten: Why Do Christians Oppose the Gospel of Barnabas?The frequent clear prophecies in the Gospel of Barnabas concerning the coming of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) are not the only reason Christians became hostile toward it. For they had rejected the Gospel long before the birth of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). A somewhat detailed discussion is needed to understand the real reason for their dissatisfaction with it.

The earliest followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) regarded him only as a prophet. They followed the legal system—the Shariah—brought by Moses (peace be upon him). In matters of belief, worship, and rules and prohibitions, they did not consider themselves separate from the other Children of Israel. Their only disagreement with the Jews was that, while accepting Jesus (peace be upon him) as a prophet, they also accepted him as the Messiah, a prophet of special distinction. The Jews, however, did not wish to accept him as the Messiah. Later, when Saint Paul joined this group, he began preaching this religion among the Romans, Greeks, and other non-Jews and non-Israelites. For this purpose, he changed the beliefs, rules, prohibitions, and principles of the religion preached by Jesus (peace be upon him), creating an entirely new religion. This man had never accompanied Jesus (peace be upon him). Rather, during his lifetime he had been his staunch opponent, and for several years after his death he remained an enemy of his companions. Even after entering this group and beginning to create a new religion, he did not present any statement of Jesus (peace be upon him) to the people as its foundation. He adopted only his own ideas and imaginings as its basis. His sole purpose in creating this new religion was that there should be a religion that all the non-Jews of the world would broadly accept. He declared that the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) were free from all the rules of Jewish law. He abolished the distinction between lawful and unlawful foods. He repealed circumcision, which non-Jews especially disliked. He even made it a duty of faith to believe that Jesus (peace be upon him) was a deity and the son of Allah, and that by dying on the cross he had atoned for the original sin of all humanity. For polytheists tend toward such ideas. The senior companions of Jesus (peace be upon him) strongly opposed these newly imported notions. But through the door Saint Paul had opened, a vast and powerful stream of non-Jewish Christians entered Christianity. That small group could not possibly stem the tide. Nevertheless, until the end of the third century of the Christian era, the number of people who did not regard Jesus (peace be upon him) as a deity was by no means small. But at the beginning of the fourth century, the Council of Nicaea (352 CE) made Paul’s empire Christian. During the reign of Caesar Theodosius, this doctrine became the official religion of the empire. After that, it was natural that all books contrary to the state religion would be rejected and only books supporting this doctrine would be accepted. In 367 CE, a list of acceptable and authoritative books was first announced in a letter by Athanasius. Then, in 382 CE, a council presided over by Pope Damasus approved this list. Subsequently, in the latter part of the fifth century, Pope Gelasius gave the list final recognition and also announced a list of rejected books. Yet no Christian scholar has ever been able to claim that Jesus (peace be upon him) himself taught any of the beliefs on the basis of which the scriptures were judged acceptable or unacceptable according to the religion preached by Saint Paul. Indeed, even among the accepted scriptures, none of the Gospels contains support for these beliefs in any statement of Jesus (peace be upon him) himself. The Gospel of Barnabas was rejected because it contradicted these official Christian beliefs. At the very beginning of the book, its author describes its purpose as follows: “To refute the mistaken notions of those who, deceived by devils, call Jesus the son of Allah; to correct those who consider circumcision unnecessary and make unlawful food lawful. Saint Paul too is one of the foremost victims of this satanic deception.” Barnabas says that, during the lifetime of Jesus (peace be upon him), when they saw his miracles, some among the polytheistic Roman soldiers first began calling him God and others the son of God. Gradually, this spread like a contagious disease throughout the Children of Israel. Jesus (peace be upon him) became extremely distressed and disturbed by it. He repeatedly and sternly protested this misconception about himself. Instead of going to various places himself, he sent his disciples, and through his prayer miracles like those of Jesus (peace be upon him) himself were performed by the disciples. The purpose was to prevent people from considering the performer of a miracle to be God or the son of God. In this connection, Barnabas quotes the lengthy sermons Jesus (peace be upon him) delivered against that false belief and describes in various places how troubled Jesus (peace be upon him) felt as this confusion and misguidance spread. Barnabas clearly refutes the doctrine preached by Saint Paul concerning the crucifixion and death of Jesus (peace be upon him). In describing what he had seen with his own eyes, he says that when Judas Iscariot, having taken a bribe from the chief Jewish priest, came with soldiers to have Jesus (peace be upon him) arrested, Allah’s command caused four angels to lift him up. At the same time, Judas Iscariot himself was given a form and voice exactly like those of Jesus (peace be upon him). As a result, he himself was crucified instead of Jesus (peace be upon him). Thus, the Gospel of Barnabas shatters the very foundation of the Christianity constructed by Saint Paul and fully supports the Qur’anic account. Yet these statements appeared in the Gospel of Barnabas 115 years before the revelation of the Qur’an, and for that very reason Christian priests rejected it.

Eleven: The Detailed Prophecies of the Gospel of Barnabas:This discussion makes it clear that the Gospel of Barnabas is in fact more trustworthy and reliable than the commonly accepted four Gospels. It accurately represents the teachings, life account, and statements of Jesus (peace be upon him). The rare opportunity Christians had to correct their erroneous beliefs and learn the true teachings of Jesus (peace be upon him) was lost by them solely out of obstinacy and stubbornness. In reality, this is their greatest misfortune. In any case, among the prophecies of Jesus (peace be upon him) concerning the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) recorded by Barnabas, Jesus (peace be upon him) is sometimes seen mentioning the Prophet’s name, sometimes he simply says “the Messenger of Allah,” sometimes he uses the word “Messiah,” and sometimes he calls him “the Praiseworthy” (Admirable). Elsewhere he clearly utters a sentence equivalent to “There is no deity but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” It is not possible for me to quote all these prophecies. Their number is so great, and some of them are so extensively connected with different contexts and with the preceding and following accounts, that collecting them all could produce a very large book. Here I quote only a few as examples:

“The number of prophets sent by Allah was 144,000. They all spoke briefly and obscurely. But after me will come the light of all prophets and righteous souls. He will make clear whatever was obscure in the words of the prophets, for he is Allah’s Messenger.” —(Chapter 17)

“The Pharisees and Levites said: If you are neither the Messiah, Elijah, nor any other prophet, why do you teach a new doctrine and present yourself as greater than the Messiah? Jesus [Jesus (peace be upon him)] replied: The miracles that Allah manifests through me make it clear that I say only what Allah wills. Otherwise, I do not consider myself worthy of being regarded as greater than him [the Messiah], as you say. I am not worthy even to loosen the strap of the shoes or sandals of that Messenger of Allah whom you call the Messiah. He was created before me, yet he will come after me. He will bring the true word, so that there will be no limit to the spread of his religion.” —(Chapter 42).

“I tell you with certainty: Every prophet who has come until now was born only as a sign of Allah’s mercy for one nation. Therefore, the message of each of those prophets did not spread beyond the nation to which he was sent. But when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) comes, Allah will, so to speak, seal him with the seal of His own hand. Thus, through his teachings, he will convey Allah’s mercy to all the nations of the world and show them the path of salvation. He will come with power and authority over those who turn away from God, and he will eradicate idolatry so completely that Satan will become agitated.” [Then, in a lengthy conversation with his disciples, Jesus (peace be upon him) clearly says that he will appear from among the descendants of Ishmael (peace be upon him)]. —(Chapter 43).

“That is why I tell you that this Messenger of Allah is a radiant light, from whom every created thing of Allah will receive joy. For intelligence and admonition, wisdom and strength, fear and love, steadfastness and self-restraint will be the adornment of his character and the source of his inspiration. He will be strengthened by generosity and mercy, justice, fear of God, courtesy, and patience. Allah has given him these qualities threefold compared with the other creatures whom He has endowed with them. It is impossible to express in words how blessed the age of his advent will be. Know with certainty that I have seen him and paid him homage, just as every prophet has seen him and paid him homage. The moment I looked upon his soul, Allah granted him prophethood. When I saw him, my soul was filled with peace. Then I said: O Muhammad, may Allah assist you and make me worthy of tying your shoelace. For even if I attained only this much honor, I would be counted among the great prophets and one of Allah’s righteous souls.” —(Chapter 44)

“Do not grieve or be afraid because I am leaving you. For I did not create you. Rather, God, the Creator of us all—who also created you—will preserve you. And as for me, do you wonder about my purpose? I have come into the world at this time to make the way easy for that Messenger of God who will guide the people of the world to salvation. …..Indiriyas said: ‘O Master, tell us his signs so that we may recognize him.’ Jesus replied: He will not come during your lifetime. He will come some time after you. He will come at a time when, because the Gospel has been corrupted, scarcely thirty believers will remain. At that time Allah will have mercy on the world. He will send His Messenger, over whose head a white cloud will cast its shade, and by this he will be recognized as Allah’s chosen servant. Through him the people of the world will gain true knowledge of Allah. He will confront those who turn away from God with overwhelming strength and eradicate idolatry from the world. I am therefore very happy, because through him the true knowledge of our God will be attained, His glory will be proclaimed, and the people of the world will know that what I said was true and correct. He will take revenge on those who regard me as something greater than a human being. ….He will bring a truth clearer than the truth brought by all other prophets.” —(Chapter 72).

“The covenant with Allah was made in Jerusalem, at Solomon’s Mosque—not elsewhere. But believe me: a day will come when God will shower His mercy upon another city. Then His true worship will be possible everywhere, and through His grace Allah will accept true prayers everywhere. ……I have appeared as a savior-prophet to the children of Israel, but after me the Messiah sent by God will come to all the people of the world. He has created this entire world for him. Then Allah’s worship will prevail throughout the world and His mercy will be showered upon it.” —(Chapter 83).

“(Jesus said to the high priest) By the Ever-Living God, for whom I am prepared to sacrifice my life—I am not the Messiah for whom all the nations of the world are waiting. Allah promised our father Abraham concerning that Messiah, saying, ‘Through your offspring all the nations of the world will receive blessing.’ (Genesis 22:18). But when Allah takes me from the world, Satan will again rebel so fiercely that wicked people will accept me as God and the son of God. Because of this, my words and teachings will be so distorted that it will become difficult for even thirty believers to remain. At that time Allah will have mercy on the world and send that Messenger for whom He created all things in the world. He will come from the south with great power and destroy the idols together with their worshippers. He will wrest from the devils the power with which Satan has overpowered mankind. He will bring Allah’s grace for the salvation of those who believe in him. Blessed are those who follow his word.” —(Chapter 16).

“The high priest asked: Will any prophet come after that Messenger of Allah? Jesus said: No true prophet will come again. But many false prophets will come. I am greatly concerned about this, because, by Allah’s just decree, Satan will set them loose, and they will hide themselves behind my Gospel.” —(Chapter 17).

“The high priest asked: By what name will that Messiah be known, and by what signs will his appearance be recognized? Jesus said: The name of that Messiah is ‘the Praised One.’ For when Allah created his soul, He Himself gave him this name and placed him in a transcendent rank. Allah then said to him: O Muhammad, wait. For on your account I shall create Paradise, the world and many other things, and give them to you. Then whoever wishes you well will prosper, while whoever curses you will be cursed. When I send you into the world, I shall send you as a savior-prophet. Your word will be true. The heavens and the earth will not remain firm, but your religion will remain firm. His holy name is Muhammad.” —(Chapter 97).

Barnabas wrote that Jesus once said to the disciples: One of my disciples, Judas Iscariot, will sell me to my enemies for thirty coins. Then Jesus said:

“I am certain that afterward the man who sells me will himself be killed in my name. For Allah will raise me above the earth and alter the face of that traitor so that everyone will think he is me. Nevertheless, for some time after his disgraceful death I shall be insulted; but when Allah’s holy Messenger Muhammad comes, that disgrace of mine will be removed. Allah will do this because I have proclaimed the truth of that Messiah. He will grant me this reward: people will learn that I am alive and have no connection with that disgraceful death.” —(Chapter 113).

[Jesus said to the disciples:] “I tell you with certainty that if the truth had not been erased from Moses’ Book, Allah would not have given another Book to our father David. And if David’s Book had not been distorted, Allah would not have given me the Gospel. For our God does not change. Therefore He has spoken the same word to everyone. So when Allah’s Messenger comes, he will purify my Book, which has been corrupted by people who turn away from God.” —(Chapter 124).

Two doubts answered’ answers to doubts

These clear and detailed prophecies contain only three matters that, at first sight, create some doubts. First, in these quotations and in many other places in the Gospel of Barnabas, Jesus denied being the Messiah. Second, not only in these quotations but in many other places in the Gospel of Barnabas, the actual Arabic name of the Messenger of Allah, ‘Muhammad,’ is written. Yet it is not the customary practice of prophets to mention the actual name of a future prophet when prophesying about him. Third, the Messenger of Allah is called Messiah here.

The answer to the first doubt is that it is mentioned not only in the Gospel of Barnabas but also in the Gospel of Luke that Jesus forbade the disciples to call him the Messiah. The quotation from Luke (9:20–21) is noteworthy:

“He said to them: But who do you say I am? Peter said: The Messiah of Allah. Then he strictly ordered them not to tell anyone this.”

The reason may have been that the children of Israel expected a Messiah whom they believed would defeat their enemies by the power of the sword. Therefore Jesus said: I am not that Messiah; rather, he will come after me.

The answer to the second doubt is that the Italian translation of the Gospel of Barnabas currently available in the world certainly contains the name Muhammad for the Messenger. But no one knows from which languages this book reached Italian through successive translations. Needless to say, the original Gospel of Barnabas must have been in Syriac, for that was the language of Jesus and his companions. If that original book were found, it would be possible to see what name it used for the Messenger. Since it is unavailable, one may only suppose that Jesus originally used the word ‘Munhamanna.’ The account we previously cited from Ibn Ishaq’s version of the Gospel of John also mentions this word. After Jesus used the word Munhamanna, various translators translated it. Later, seeing that the name of the future prophet mentioned in the prophecy corresponded exactly to the word ‘Muhammad,’ some translator may have written that name. The clear appearance of this name therefore does not justify suspecting that the entire Gospel of Barnabas is a fabricated work by a Muslim.

The answer to the third doubt is that the word ‘Messiah’ is an Israelite term. Its specific use in the Holy Qur’an as the name of Jesus is solely because the Jews did not acknowledge him as the Messiah. Otherwise, it is not a Qur’anic term, nor is it used anywhere in the Qur’an as a synonym for the Israelite term. Thus, if Jesus used the word Messiah for the Messenger of Allah and the Qur’an did not do so, this does not mean that the Gospel of Barnabas has given the Messenger an epithet denied by the Qur’an. In fact, the ancient practice of the Children of Israel was that when an object or person was designated for a religious or spiritual purpose, the object was anointed with oil or oil was applied to the person’s head, thereby consecrating it or him. In Hebrew, this anointing was called ‘mashah,’ and the one who was anointed was called ‘Messiah.’ The necessary objects of a place of worship were anointed in this way and dedicated to it. Priests were also anointed in this manner when appointed to priestly service. When a king or prophet was appointed by Allah to kingship or prophethood, he too was anointed. According to the Bible, more than one Messiah appeared among the Children of Israel. Aaron was a Messiah as a priest. Moses was a Messiah as priest and prophet; Saul as king; David as king and prophet; Melchizedek as king and priest; and Elisha as prophet. Later, however, anointing was no longer obligatory for appointing someone. Being chosen by Allah alone was sufficient to make one a Messiah. For example, the nineteenth chapter of the First Book of Kings states that Allah instructed Elijah to anoint Hazael so that he would be king of Aram, Jehu son of Nimshi so that he would be king of Israel, and Elisha so that he would be prophet in his place. None of them was anointed with oil. The declaration of Allah’s appointment alone constituted the anointing. Thus, according to the Israelites, ‘Messiah’ is essentially synonymous with ‘appointed by Allah.’ It was in this sense that Jesus called the Messenger of Allah the Messiah. (For an explanation of the Israelite significance of the word Messiah, see Cyclopaedia of Biblical Literature, the entry ‘Messiah.’)

Chapter 4—World Leader

World Leader

(The universal inheritance of the whole world)

—[This is a radio address. It was broadcast by All India Radio in 1941, several years before Partition. Its audience was not Muslim alone; Hindus, Sikhs, Christians and Parsees also listened to it.—(The compilers)]

We Muslims call Muhammad the World Leader. In simple language, this means the leader of the world. In Hindi it would be translated as Jagatguru. In English, Leader of the World. At first sight this appears to be a grand title. Yet the deeds of the great man to whom this title was given are truly such that calling him the World Leader is not the least exaggeration. Rather, it is simply a factual truth.

Consider this: the first condition for accepting someone as the leader of the world is that he must have worked not for the welfare of a particular nation, race or class, but for the welfare of all the people of the world. You may respect a patriotic or nationalist leader as much as you wish because he served his own nation, but if you are not one of his countrymen, he cannot possibly be your leader. What connection can an Indian have with a person whose love, goodwill and public welfare activities are confined only to China or Spain, such that he would accept him as a leader? If that person considers his own nation superior to other nations, people of those other nations will necessarily hate him. People of every nation can accept one person as their leader only when he views all people and nations impartially, wishes equal welfare for all, and in seeking their good gives no nation preference over another.

The second condition for becoming the leader of all the people of the world is that the ideals and fundamental principles he provides should guide all the people of the world and contain solutions to all the important problems of human life. The very meaning of leader is guide or director. A leader is needed so that he may show which path will lead to welfare and well-being. Therefore, the one who can show all the people of the world the path to their common welfare is the World Leader.

The third indispensable condition for being the World Leader is that his guidance must not be confined to any particular time or age; rather, it must remain equally useful and valid in all circumstances and all ages, equally accurate and correct, and equally worthy of emulation. A leader whose leadership is useful at one time and unsuitable at another, current in one period and obsolete in another, cannot be called the World Leader. Only the one whose leadership will remain effective as long as the universe endures can be the World Leader.

The fourth and most important condition is that he must not stop at merely presenting an ideal; he must demonstrate that ideal in practical life and build a vibrant, awakened society upon it. One who fulfills his duty merely by presenting ideals may at most be a thinker; he cannot be a leader. To be a leader, it is essential to demonstrate the implementation of the ideal.

Let us now see to what extent these four conditions were fulfilled in the person whom we call the World Leader:

First, consider the first condition. Reading the biography of Muhammad, one can understand at a glance that it is not the biography of a nationalist or patriot, but of a lover of humanity and an advocate of a universal doctrine. In his eyes, all people were equal. He did not concern himself with the interests of any particular lineage, class, nation, race or country. Rich and poor, high and low, white and black, Arab and non-Arab, East and West, Aryan and non-Aryan—he recognized no distinctions among them. He regarded them all as members of a single human race. Throughout his life, no one ever heard a word or sentence from him, nor did he ever perform an act, that could suggest he had a close relationship with the interests of any particular section of humanity rather than all humanity. That is why, during his lifetime, Abyssinians, Iranians, Romans, Egyptians and Israelites, as well as Arabs, became his companions and fellow workers. After his death, people of every race and community in every region of the earth accepted him as their own leader, just as though he belonged to their own people. It is because of his pure humanism that even today people hear, from the lips of a distant Indian—[It should be noted that when this address was broadcast, India had not yet been partitioned.—(The compilers)]—praise for that man born in Arabia more than a thousand years ago.

Let us now consider the second and third conditions together. Muhammad did not waste time discussing the temporary and regional problems of particular nations and countries. Instead, he devoted all his strength to solving humanity’s greatest problem. For once that great problem is solved, all the minor problems of all people are resolved automatically. That great problem is this:

“Human life should be governed and organized according to the very principle by which the universe is actually governed and organized. For human beings are part of the universe; if a part acts against the whole, disaster and disorder inevitably result.”

An easy way to understand this properly is to broaden one’s outlook and try to move beyond the boundaries of place and time. One must survey the entire earth broadly and imagine all the people who have lived in the world from the beginning of creation until today and who will live in it into the infinite future as though they were before one’s eyes. Then one must consider what is and may be the fundamental cause of all the troubles and disasters that befall human life. However deeply this question is considered, and however much analysis and research are undertaken, only one answer will be found.

That answer is:

“Human rebellion and disobedience against the Creator are the root cause of all troubles, disasters, disorder and chaos.”

For after disobeying the Creator, people have two paths open before them. They cannot avoid choosing one or the other. Either they regard themselves as free and irresponsible, do whatever they please, and thereby become oppressors; or they obey powers other than the Creator, resulting in countless forms of disaster, disorder and anarchy in the world. Why do such bad consequences arise in both cases? The simple and clear answer is that since such conduct is contrary to reality, its evil consequences inevitably appear. This universe is in reality God’s kingdom. He is the owner of the earth, the sun, the moon, the air, the water and the light—of everything. Human beings are born subjects and servants in His kingdom. Although part of the system by which this entire kingdom operates, if people act against that system, the destructive consequences of their conduct are inevitable. If someone thinks that there is no authority over him and that he is accountable to no one, this belief is contrary to the actual state of affairs. Thus, when he acts arbitrarily and irresponsibly and decides for himself by what rules his life will be conducted, the result inevitably turns out badly. Similarly, accepting anyone other than the Creator as powerful and authoritative, fearing him or longing to gain something from him, and bowing before his lordship and authority are also contrary to reality. In truth, no one but the Creator possesses this status. Therefore the result is poisonous. Humanity must bow before the true authority established throughout the earth, surrender its ego and individuality before Him, reserve obedience and servitude exclusively for Him, and take the principles and laws of life from the Master of that authority rather than devising them independently or having others devise them.

For human life, Muhammad presented this fundamental reform. It is free from the bonds of East and West and applies wherever people dwell on this free earth. This one reformative proposal can correct all the defective and chaotic activities of their lives. It is also free from the bonds of past and future. It was as pure and effective fifteen hundred years ago as it is today, and it will remain so even ten thousand years from now.

Now there remains the final condition. It is a historical fact that Muhammad did not stop after presenting the outline of a merely ideal system; rather, he established a living society on the basis of that outline. In the brief period of twenty-three years, he inspired millions of people to submit and remain obedient to God’s authority. He freed them from servitude to their own desires and obedience to beings other than God. Then he organized them and founded a new moral, social, economic and political system on the basis of exclusive obedience and servitude to God. In this way, through a practical process, he showed all the people of the world how much better, purer and more just the way of life based on his principles and program is than other ways of living.

This is the magnificent contribution of the Prophet Muhammad. It is because he left this contribution that we accept him as the World Leader, or the leader of the whole world. His contribution was not for any particular nation; it was the shared inheritance of all humanity. No one’s right to it is less or greater than anyone else’s. Anyone may benefit from this inheritance. I cannot understand why anyone should harbor hostility toward it.

The True Contribution of the Master of the World

—[This is a radio address broadcast by Radio Pakistan in 1948, after Partition.]

People throughout the world know that the Prophet Muhammad, the World Prophet, was one of the divinely chosen group that has appeared throughout the ages, since primitive times, to teach humanity the worship and obedience of Allah and virtuous character. The teaching of obedience and servitude to the One Allah and of living a morally pure life, which the prophets and sages of the world have always given, was also the teaching of Muhammad. He presented no novel theory about God, nor did he teach a novel kind of character separate from the moral instruction given by earlier prophets. Since he did not do so, the question naturally arises: what was his true contribution—for which we call him the greatest human being in history? The answer is that before the Prophet Muhammad, people were certainly aware of God’s existence and oneness. But they did not know what relationship this philosophical doctrine had with human character. They knew the noble principles of character, but no one clearly knew how these principles should be applied and implemented in the various spheres of life. Belief in Allah, moral principles and people’s practical lives were three entirely separate things. There was no scientific link, intimate relationship or effective bond between one and the others. Muhammad brought these three things within a single system. By combining them, he built a complete civilization and culture. He did not confine the outline of that civilization and culture to the realm of imagination; rather, he established it in the real world.

Faith as a Force Motivating Action

The Prophet Muhammad said that faith in Allah is not merely the acceptance of a philosophical doctrine; rather, by its very origin, faith naturally demands a particular kind of character. This character should be reflected in a person’s conduct in practical life. Faith is like a seed. Whenever that seed germinates in the human heart, by its own nature it begins to grow a tree of a particular kind of active life. From the trunk of that tree to every branch, twig, leaf and shoot, the life-giving sap released by that seed flows. Just as planting a mango stone in the soil cannot produce a lemon tree, so it is impossible to plant the seed of servitude to Allah in the human heart and have it produce a materialistic life corrupted by lack of character. The character that arises from obedience and servitude to Allah cannot be equal to the character formed by polytheism, atheism or asceticism. The temper and nature of these doctrines concerning human life are entirely different. Each one’s nature demands a different kind of character from the others.

The Character of God-Worship for One’s Entire Life

The character created by obedience to God is not meant only for a special class of saints and dervishes, such that it can be manifested only in a khanqah or a secluded chamber of meditation and ascetic practice; rather, it ought to be applied broadly throughout human life and in every aspect of it. If a businessman is devoted to God, there is no reason why a God-fearing character should not be manifested in his business. If a judge is devoted to God, and a police constable is devoted to God, it cannot be expected that an aversion to God will be manifested by the former in the courtroom and by the latter at the police station or outpost. Similarly, if a nation is God-fearing and God-loving, it is natural that a character of obedience to God should be manifested in its civic life, state affairs, international politics, and in war and peace treaties. Otherwise, that nation’s faith in Allah can have no meaning.

The Teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

The question now is what kind of character God-worship demands, and how this morality can be manifested in people’s practical lives and in their individual and social attitudes. This is such a broad subject that it cannot be expressed in a brief discussion. However, I shall quote a few sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as examples. From these sayings it will be understood how beautifully faith, practice, and moral character have been harmonized in the way of life he gave. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

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“Faith has many branches. Its foundation is not acknowledging anyone other than Allah as a deity. Its lowest branch is removing from the road anything harmful. Modesty is also a branch of faith.”

(Arabic******) “Purity of the body and clothing is half of faith.”

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“A believer is one from whom people have no fear for their lives or property.”

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“He has no faith who has no trustworthiness and fidelity, and he has no religion who does not keep his promise.”

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“When you rejoice in good deeds and feel remorse for evil deeds, then understand that you are a believer.”

(Arabic*********) Patience and generosity are faith.”

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“The best faith is that your enmity and friendship are for the sake of Allah, that Allah’s name remains upon your lips, and that you like for others what you like for yourself, while disliking for others what you dislike for yourself.”

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“Among believers, the most complete in faith is the one whose character is best and who treats his family most kindly.”

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“Whoever believes in Allah and the Hereafter should honor his guest and not harm his neighbor. If he has something to say, he should say something good or remain silent.”

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“A believer is never one who defames and curses, nor one who is obscene or foul-mouthed.”

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“A believer may be anything else, but he cannot be an embezzler and a liar.”

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“By Allah, he is not a believer! By Allah, he is not a believer!! The one whose harm does not leave his neighbor safe.”

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“He is not a believer who eats his fill while his neighbor remains hungry.”

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“Whoever restrains his anger despite having the power to satisfy it, Allah fills his heart with faith and peace.”

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“Whoever performs prayer to be seen commits shirk; whoever fasts to be seen commits shirk; and whoever gives charity to be seen also commits shirk.”

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“Whoever possesses four faults is a complete hypocrite: he betrays a trust, lies when he speaks, breaks his promise when he makes one, and exceeds all bounds when quarrelling.”

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“Giving false testimony is such a great sin that it approaches shirk.”

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“The true mujahid is the one who struggles against his own desires in order to maintain obedience to Allah. The true muhajir is the one who abandons the acts forbidden by Allah.”

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“Do you know who will be the first to find a place under Allah’s shade on the Day of Resurrection? The listeners said, ‘Allah and Allah’s Messenger know best.’ Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘Those who accept the truth when it is presented to them, willingly give a person his due when he claims it, and judge for others as they would wish to be judged for themselves.’”

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“If you guarantee me six things, I will guarantee you Paradise: speak truthfully when you speak, fulfill your promises when you make them, discharge any trust placed with you, keep away from adultery, guard yourself from lustful looks, and refrain from oppression.”

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“A deceiver, a miser, and one who publicizes his charity will not enter Paradise.”

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“Flesh nourished on unlawful food will not enter Paradise. Fire, or Hell, is more fitting for flesh nourished on unlawful food.”

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“Whoever sells a defective item without informing the buyer of its defect incurs Allah’s anger, and the angels continue to curse him.”

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“Even if a person repeatedly comes back to life and is repeatedly martyred in the path of Allah, he will not enter Paradise unless he repays his debt.”

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“Whether man or woman, even if one spends sixty years of life in obedience to Allah, but, when death approaches, makes a bequest that violates someone’s right, Paradise is forbidden to both.”

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“Those who mistreat their subordinates will not enter Paradise.”

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“Do you know what is better than fasting, prayer, and charity? It is settling disputes between people. And damaging mutual relations is such a grave act that it destroys all a person’s good deeds.”

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“The truly destitute person is one who will come on the Day of Resurrection with abundant prayer, fasting, and zakat, but will also have abused someone, slandered someone, usurped someone’s property, shed someone’s blood, or beaten someone. Then God will distribute his good deeds among those wronged. When his debt is still not paid, their sins will be placed upon him, and he will be cast into Hell.”

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“No one will be deprived of deliverance unless he reassures himself by giving a rational justification for an evil deed.”

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“The merchant who withholds goods in order to raise prices is accursed.”

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“Whoever hoards food for forty days in the hope of a price increase has no connection with Allah.”

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“Even if, after hoarding food for forty days, someone gives it away in charity, the sin of hoarding will not be forgiven.

A few of the many sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) have been presented. From them one can understand how the Prophet (peace be upon him) established the relationship of faith with character, and of character with every sphere of life. Every reader of history knows that these sayings of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were not merely words; rather, in the real world he established the cultural and political system of an entire country on their basis. This is that great contribution for which he is the greatest leader of humanity.

Chapter 5 – The Finality of Prophethood

The Significance and Rationale of the Finality of Prophethood

An Accurate Explanation of the Finality of Prophethood

As long as human civilization and culture had not reached a stage at which a prophet’s message could spread widely among all people, and as long as no human community had emerged that could preserve a prophet’s message, teachings, and moral example and spread them throughout all regions of the world, the succession of prophethood continued. Prophets continued to be sent among different countries and nations. But when, on the one hand, human civilization and culture had advanced sufficiently for a prophet’s message to assume a worldwide character, and, on the other hand, a community accepting true guidance had organized itself and acquired the ability to preserve intact Allah’s Book, the life of the Prophet who conveyed the Book, and his complete and effective leadership, then there remained no need to send another prophet to fulfill the responsibilities of prophethood—[Those who, in explaining the Finality of Prophethood, claim that it is unnecessary for human knowledge in fact insult and attack the succession of prophethood. The implication of this explanation is that the Prophet’s guidance is needed only up to a particular stage of knowledge; thereafter, people no longer remain dependent on the Prophet’s leadership.—Author]

The Special Conditions of the Age before the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him)

In the beginning, separate prophets used to come to each nation. Their teachings remained confined to their own nation. This was because, at that time, the various nations of the world were separated from one another. There was not much interaction among them. Each nation seemed confined within the boundaries of its own homeland. Under such circumstances, it was difficult for a universal teaching to spread among all nations. Moreover, the conditions of the various nations were entirely different. Ignorance was widespread. Because of this ignorance, the errors that arose in their beliefs and character took different forms in different places. Therefore, it was necessary for Allah’s prophets to give each nation separate instruction and guidance, gradually eliminate erroneous ideas and spread correct ideas, gradually teach them to abandon جاهلية methods and follow laws of a higher level, and develop them in the same way that children are educated, cared for, and raised. Allah knows how many thousands of years passed in educating the nations in this manner. In any case, as humanity continued to progress, a day finally came when it crossed the limits of childhood and reached the age of maturity. Along with the development of trade and industry, mutual relations were established among the nations. Navigation and overland travel began from China and Japan to the distant lands of Europe and Africa. Alphabets came into use among most nations. Knowledge and science spread, and the exchange of ideas and learning began among the various peoples. Great conquering warriors were born. They established vast empires and brought several countries and nations under a single political system. Thus, the gaps, distances, and divisions that had existed among the earlier descendants of humanity gradually began to diminish. An environment was now created for sending Islam’s single teaching and single Shariah to the entire world. Two and a half thousand years ago, human conditions had advanced to such an extent that people themselves were expecting a single religion suitable for all. Although Buddhism was not a complete religion and contained only a few moral regulations, it nevertheless crossed the boundaries of India and spread on one side as far as China, Mongolia, and Japan, and on the other side as far as Afghanistan and Bukhara. Buddhist missionaries reached many distant lands while preaching this religion. Several hundred years later, Christianity appeared. Although Jesus brought the teachings of Islam, after his departure a crippled and distorted religion was fashioned under the name of Christianity. The Christians spread this religion from Iran to the farthest regions of Europe. These events clearly show that the contemporary world was spontaneously expecting a universal religion. It had prepared itself so thoroughly for this that, even though it had not yet found a complete and faultless religion, it began spreading immature and incomplete religions among humanity.

The Perfection of the Religion and the Seal of Prophethood

At that time, a prophet—namely, Muhammad—was sent to the Arab land for the entire world and all humanity. He was entrusted with the responsibility of spreading throughout the world the complete teachings of Islam and its comprehensive law that had been given to him.

Therefore, there is undoubtedly no other way in the present age to learn Islam’s true and straightforward path except through the teachings of Muhammad and the Holy Qur’an. Muhammad is Allah’s Prophet for all humanity. The chain, or succession, of prophets was brought to an end with him. Allah Most High sent through this final Prophet all the instructions and regulations He intended to give humanity. Now believing in this final Prophet of Allah is essential for every person who seeks the truth and wishes to become an obedient servant of Allah. Following the teachings he gave and adhering to the method he taught are included among their essential duties.

Proof of the Seal of Prophethood

It is not at all difficult for a person who understands the significance of prophethood to realize that a prophet is not born every day, nor is it essential for every nation to have a prophet at all times. The life of a prophet is the life of his teaching and guidance. His teaching and guidance remain alive. The age of the earlier prophets has ended because people distorted the teachings they brought. Not one of the scriptures they brought exists today in its original form. Their followers cannot even claim today that they possess, in its original and unaltered state, the scripture brought by their prophet. They have also forgotten the biographies of their own prophets. Nowhere can accurate and reliable accounts of the life of any one of the earlier prophets be found. It cannot even be stated with certainty in which age or where they were born, or what they did. It cannot be stated with certainty where they lived or what they did. Nor is it known with certainty where they lived, what they taught, or from which words and actions they restrained people. But the age of Muhammad’s prophethood is still continuing, because his teaching and guidance remain alive. The Qur’an he brought exists in an unaltered form, with its original wording. Not a single letter in it has been changed, nor has a single dot or vowel mark been altered. The events of his life and everything he said and did have been preserved exactly. Fourteen hundred years are passing, yet in history these matters remain so clear and vivid that it is as though we see Muhammad with our own eyes. No person’s life in the world has been preserved as extensively as that of the Noble Messenger. We can always learn from the life of the Noble Messenger in every matter of our own lives. This is the greatest proof that no other prophet is needed after the Noble Messenger.

There can be only three reasons for one prophet to come after another.

First: The teaching of the first prophet has disappeared, and it has become necessary to present it again.

Second: The teaching of the first prophet is not complete, and the need for correction and expansion has arisen.

Third: The teaching of the first prophet is confined to a particular nation, and another prophet is needed for other nations. —[A fourth reason could also be proposed: another prophet may be sent to assist an existing prophet. But I have not mentioned this reason, because the Holy Qur’an gives only two examples of it. From those two exceptional examples, it cannot be concluded that Allah has a general rule of sending an assisting prophet. —The Author]

First: The teaching and guidance of Muhammad remain alive. What his religion was, what guidance he brought, what kind of way of life he established, and which methods he tried to eradicate and abolish can be known at any time. The means of knowing these matters have been fully preserved. Therefore, no prophet needs to come to present his teachings and guidance anew from time to time.

Second: Through the Noble Messenger, the world was given the complete teachings of Islam. Nothing now needs to be reduced or added to it, nor does it contain any deficiency or shortcoming requiring a prophet to come and remedy it. Thus, the second reason has also been eliminated.

Third: The Noble Messenger was sent not for any particular nation but as a prophet for all the people of the world. His teaching is sufficient for all humanity. Thus, the third reason has also been eliminated.

That is why the Noble Messenger has been called Khatam al-Nabiyyin, or the Last Prophet. In other words, the succession of prophethood came to an end with him. The world no longer needs another prophet; rather, it needs people who will follow the path of the Noble Messenger themselves and lead others along it, understand his teachings, act upon them, and establish throughout the world the rule of the law with which he came.

The Means of Guidance for All Humanity

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“O Prophet, I have sent you for all humanity as a bearer of good news and a warner, but most people do not know.” —(Surah Saba: 28)

This means that you are not only for the people of this city, this country, or this age; rather, you have been sent for all the people and nations of the world until the Day of Resurrection. Yet your contemporaries do not understand your status and worth. They have no awareness of what a great and exalted person has been sent to them. The Qur’an states in various places that the Noble Prophet was not sent only for his own country and age; rather, he was sent for all humanity until the Day of Resurrection. For example:

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“And this Qur’an has been revealed to me so that through it I may warn you and whoever it reaches.”

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“O Prophet, say: O people, I am Allah’s Messenger to all of you.”

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“We have sent you only as a mercy for all the worlds.”

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“Blessed is He who revealed the Qur’an to His servant so that he may be a warner to all the worlds.” —(Surah al-Furqan: 1)

The Noble Messenger himself also expressed this same point in various ways in various hadiths. For example:

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“I have been sent for everyone, regardless of whether they are white or black.”

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“I have been sent generally for all humanity, whereas every prophet before me was sent only for his own people.” —(Narrated by Abdullah ibn Umar, from Musnad Ahmad.)

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“At first, each prophet was sent to a particular nation, whereas I have been sent to all humanity.” —(From Bukhari and Muslim, narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah.)

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“The relationship between my being sent as a prophet and the Hour is like this”—saying this, the Messenger of Allah raised two fingers of his hand. —(Bukhari and Muslim.)

The meaning of this is that just as there is no third finger between these two fingers, likewise there is no interval of prophethood between me and the Day of Resurrection. The Day of Resurrection will come immediately after me. I will remain established as the Prophet until the Day of Resurrection.

A Bearer of Good News and a Warner for All Humanity

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“We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of good news and a warner. There has never been any nation without a warner among them.” —(Surah Fatir: 24)

The meaning of the first verse is: O Prophet, your only duty is to warn people. If, even after that, someone remains unmoved and continues to sink into the depths of misguidance, you bear no responsibility for him. You were not charged with making the blind see or making the deaf hear.

The statement made in the second verse is mentioned in various places in the Holy Qur’an. Its central message is that no nation has arisen on the stage of the world for whose guidance Allah Most High did not send a prophet. It is stated in verse 7 of Surah al-Ra‘d:(Arabic ******)It is stated in verse 10 of Surah al-Hijr:(Arabic ***********).It is stated in verse 36 of Surah al-Nahl:(Arabic *****).It is stated in verse 208 of Surah al-Shu‘ara’:(Arabic ******* )But to avoid confusion regarding this matter, two points must be clearly understood. First, a prophet is sufficient for the people of every area reached by his call. Therefore, it is not necessary to send separate prophets to every settlement and every tribe. Second, as long as the signs of a prophet’s call and guidance and the traces of his leadership remain preserved in the world, no new prophet is needed. Nor is it necessary to send a separate prophet for every individual member of a nation.

Allah’s Mercy for All Humanity

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“O Muhammad, I have sent you as a mercy for the inhabitants of the earth.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 107)

Another translation of this verse may be: “I have sent you as a mercy for the inhabitants of the earth.” In either case, its true meaning is that the coming of the Noble Messenger was, in reality, Allah’s mercy and grace for humanity. For he came and awakened the slumbering world. He gave it knowledge that clearly distinguishes truth from falsehood. Above all, he made it unmistakably known which path leads to destruction and which path leads to peace and security. The unbelievers of Makkah regarded the prophethood of the Noble Messenger as a cause of danger and hardship for themselves. They said, “This man has created division among our people; he has separated flesh from bone.” In reply, it was said: O foolish people, what you regard as a danger is actually Allah’s mercy and grace for you.

The Messenger for All Humanity

(Arabic ******************************************* PDF page 156)

“O Muhammad, say: O humanity, I have come to you all as the Messenger of Allah, to whom belongs the dominion and authority of the heavens and the earth.” —(Surah al-A‘raf: 158). “For every community there is a messenger.” —(Surah Yunus: 47).

The word ‘ummah’ here has not been used merely as a synonym for nation. Rather, it is used in the sense that after a messenger comes, all the people reached by his call are his ummah. Moreover, it is not necessary for the messenger to remain alive and physically present among them. Even after a messenger’s departure, all the inhabitants of the world will be regarded as his ummah as long as his teaching remains alive and every person has access to the means of knowing what he actually taught. The ruling mentioned in the forthcoming discussion will apply to them. In this context, after the coming of Muhammad, all the people of the world are his ummah, and they will remain his ummah as long as the Qur’an continues to exist in an accurate and unaltered form. Thus, the verse does not say, “For every nation there is a messenger”; rather, it says, “For every ummah there is a messenger.”

Instead of sending a prophet to every settlement, Allah made Muhammad a prophet and sent him for the entire world.

(Arabic ******************************** PDF page 159)

“Had I wished, I could have sent a warner to every settlement.” —(Surah al-Furqan: 51)

That is, this task was not beyond My power. Had I wished, I could have caused prophets to appear everywhere. But instead of doing so, I sent one prophet for the entire world. Just as one sun is sufficient for the whole world, so this single sun of guidance is sufficient for all the people of the world.

In the Holy Qur’an, the Noble Messenger is given the titles of ‘warner,’ ‘informer,’ and ‘warner of the harmful consequences of heedlessness and misguidance.’ Along with this, he is given the title of ‘warner for all the people of the world.’ He is also portrayed as a warner for all the people of the world. From this it is known that the call of the Qur’an and the messengership of Muhammad are not for any particular territory, but for the entire world—not only for his own age, but for all ages to come. This subject is described in various places in the Qur’an.

For example:

(Arabic ******************************** PDF page 159)

“O mankind, I have come to you all as Allah’s Messenger.”

(Arabic******************************** on page 159 of the PDF)

“This Qur’an has been revealed to me so that through it I may warn you and those whom it reaches.” —(Surah al-An‘am: 19)

“We have sent you as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner for all mankind.” —(Surah as-Saba: 28)

The Hadith makes this matter even clearer. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) repeatedly said: (Arabic**********)“I have been sent to everyone, without distinction between the white and the black.” He also said: (Arabic**************)

 “Before me, each prophet was sent specifically to his own people, whereas I have been sent generally to all mankind.” —(Bukhari and Muslim).

He also said: (Arabic**********)“I have been sent for the whole of creation, and with my coming the series of prophets has been brought to an end.”

The last Prophet of Allah

(Arabic******************************** on page 159 of the PDF)

“The time of mankind’s reckoning has drawn near, yet they turn away and remain heedless.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 1)

This means that the Day of Resurrection is near. That is, the day on which man will appear before his Lord and Sustainer and present an account of all his deeds is not far away. The fact that mankind has entered the final chapter of its history is one of the signs of Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood. They are now closer to the closing period than to the beginning of their history. The beginning and middle periods have passed. The final period has now begun. The Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) stated this very point in a Hadith. Raising two of his fingers, he said: (Arabic************)“I have been sent at a time when I and the Day of Resurrection are in exactly the same position as these two fingers of my hand are side by side.” In other words, after me there is only the انتظار of the Day of Resurrection. There is no prophet between it and me. If you wish to attain the right path, attain it through my دعوت. After this, no other guide or warner will come to show the right path.

An important indication concerning the finality of prophethood

(Arabic******************************** on page 159 of the PDF)

“Remember when Allah took a covenant from the prophets: ‘Today I have given you the Book and wisdom. Tomorrow, if another Messenger comes to you confirming the truth of the teaching already preserved with you, you must believe in him and help him.’ Having said this, Allah asked: ‘Do you acknowledge this covenant and are you prepared to undertake the grave responsibility of fulfilling My covenant in this matter?’ They replied: ‘Yes, we acknowledge it.’” —(Surah Aal-e-Imran: 81)

This means that every prophet is bound by this covenant. And the responsibility imposed upon a prophet by this covenant necessarily also falls upon his followers. The covenant imposed upon them is this: when a prophet is sent by Allah to propagate and establish the very religion whose propagation and establishment has been entrusted to you, you must cooperate with him. You may not harbor jealousy or hostility toward him. You may not regard yourselves as monopolists of religion. You may not oppose the truth. Rather, wherever a person is sent by Me to raise the banner of truth, you must gather beneath his banner.

Here one point must certainly be understood: before Muhammad (peace be upon him), every prophet was bound by this covenant. That is why every prophet informed his community about the prophet who would come after him and instructed them to cooperate with him. But nowhere in the Qur’an or Hadith is there even a hint that such a covenant was taken from Muhammad (peace be upon him), or that he informed his community about a prophet who would come after him and instructed them to follow him. —[The matter of prophethood is extremely delicate; it hardly needs explanation. A person’s faith and disbelief, salvation or destruction, depend upon accepting or rejecting a prophet. Yet the Noble Qur’an does not merely refrain from announcing the coming of another prophet after the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him); it calls the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) the last prophet. And instead of calling his community and instructing them to believe in a prophet who would come later, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made it clear in countless Hadiths that no prophet would come after him and that the chain of prophethood had ended with him. The question is: Were Allah and His Messenger hostile to our religion and faith? Is it possible that a prophet would come after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), while Allah and His Messenger both said otherwise, with the result that by refusing to accept him we would be committing disbelief and being cast into the punishment of the Hereafter? Could such a thing possibly be true? —(The author)]

(Arabic******************************** on page 161 of the PDF)

“O children of Adam! Remember that if a Messenger comes to you from among yourselves, reciting My revelations to you, then whoever refrains from disobedience and reforms himself shall have no fear, nor shall he grieve.” —(Surah al-A‘raf: 35)

Everywhere in the Noble Qur’an where the expulsion of Adam (peace be upon him) and Eve (peace be upon her) from Paradise is mentioned, this very point is stated (see, for this purpose, Surah al-Baqarah: 38–39 and Surah Ta-Ha: 123–124). Therefore, this statement here too should be regarded as relating to that same context. In other words, this matter was explained to man unambiguously at the very beginning of human life.

The argument of several verses against those who deny the finality of prophethood

(Arabic******************************** on page 162 of the PDF)

“And remember, O Prophet, the covenant which I took from all the prophets—from you, and from Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, son of Mary—from all of them I took a firm covenant.” —(Surah al-Ahzab: 7)

In this verse Allah reminds the Prophet (peace be upon him) that, like all the prophets, Allah has taken a firm covenant from him as well. He should fulfill this covenant with utmost steadfastness. What covenant is meant by this? If we consider the subject under discussion from the beginning, it becomes clear that it is a covenant under which the prophet himself will obey every command of Allah and make others obey it as well. He will convey Allah’s words to the people exactly as they are and will spare no effort in putting them into practice. This covenant is mentioned at various places in the Noble Qur’an. For example:

(Arabic******************************** on page 162 of the PDF)

“He has ordained for you the same religion which He enjoined upon Noah, and which We have revealed to you, O Muhammad, and which We enjoined upon Abraham, Moses and Jesus, commanding: Establish the religion and do not create divisions therein.” —(Surah ash-Shura: 13)

(Arabic******************************** on page 162 of the PDF)

“And remember, O Muslims, the favor of Allah upon you when He revealed His Book to you, charging you to explain its teachings and not conceal it.” —(Surah Aal-e-Imran: 187)

(Arabic******************************** on page 162 of the PDF)

“And remember when I took a covenant from the Children of Israel: ‘You shall worship none but Allah.’” —(Surah al-Baqarah: 83)

(Arabic******************************** on page 162 of the PDF)

“Was the covenant of the Book not taken from them? Hold firmly to what We have revealed to you and remember the guidance contained in it. Perhaps you will guard yourselves against disobeying Allah.” —(Surah al-A‘raf: 169–171)

(Arabic******************************** on page 162 of the PDF)

“And, O Muslims, remember Allah’s favor upon you and the covenant He took from you when you said: ‘We hear and obey.’” —(Surah al-Ma’idah: 7)

The particular context in which Allah is reminding the Prophet (peace be upon him) of this covenant is that, fearing the reproach of his enemies, he was hesitant to break the custom of the Age of Ignorance concerning relationships by adoption (not blood relationships). The matter concerned marriage to a woman. That is why he repeatedly felt embarrassed. He thought that no matter how sincerely he undertook this act solely for the purpose of social reform, his enemies would continue to say that it had actually been done to satisfy his sensual desires, and that this man had merely disguised himself as a reformer to deceive the people. Therefore Allah says to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): You are My appointed prophet. Like all other prophets, you too have a firm covenant with Me: you will yourself carry out whatever command I give and will instruct others to carry it out as well. So do not care about anyone’s criticism or slander. Do not be ashamed before anyone. Fear no one. Do without hesitation whatever work I wish to have done through you.

A group has taken the covenant mentioned as having been made with the prophets after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and their communities in this sense. According to them, the covenant required that they believe in and cooperate with the prophet who would come later. On the basis of this interpretation, that group claims that the door of prophethood remains open even after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was also bound by a covenant that his community would believe in the prophet who came after him. But the preceding and following statements of the verse unambiguously declare this interpretation false. In the context in which this verse was revealed, there is no scope for saying that a prophet would come after the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) and that his community would have to believe in such prophets. If this meaning were accepted, the verse would become entirely incongruous and unrelated here. Moreover, the words of the verse do not have any clear meaning from which it could be understood what kind of covenant was taken here. Therefore, to learn what kind of covenant is being mentioned here, we must examine the other places in the Noble Qur’an where covenants taken from the prophets are mentioned. If the entire Noble Qur’an mentioned only one covenant, and that concerned prophets who would come later, it would reasonably be possible to think that this was the covenant meant here as well. But everyone who studies the Qur’an attentively knows that this Book mentions many covenants taken from the prophets and their communities. It is appropriate to understand the covenant here as the one related to the preceding and following discussion. It is not at all appropriate to assign here the meaning of a covenant whose discussion has no place here. The adoption of this erroneous meaning makes it clear that some people, instead of receiving guidance from the Qur’an, attempt to give guidance to the Qur’an itself.

(Arabic******************************** on page 164 of the PDF)

“Who, then, is more unjust than one who fabricates a lie and attributes it to Allah, or rejects His true revelations? Surely, the criminals can never succeed.” —(Surah Yunus: 17)

Some foolish people have understood ‘success’ to mean longevity, worldly prosperity or worldly advancement. Thus they wish to derive from this verse the meaning that anyone who remains alive after claiming prophethood, or who makes great progress in the world, or whose الدعوة spreads in the world, should be accepted as a true prophet, because he has achieved success. If he had not been a true prophet, they say, he would have been killed as soon as he made a false claim to prophethood, or would have been left to die of hunger, and his الدعوة could not have spread in the world. But only someone who does not know the Qur’anic technical meaning of the word ‘falah’, or who is unaware of the law prescribed by Allah in the Qur’an concerning the respite He grants to criminals, or who does not understand the sense in which this word has been used in this context, could present such ignorant arguments from the Qur’an.

The first point is that criminals cannot achieve success. In the context of this verse, this statement was not made in such a sense that it would become a criterion for verifying anyone’s claim to prophethood, enabling ordinary people to test claimants to prophethood by that criterion and decide to accept the claim of whoever appeared successful and reject that of whoever appeared unsuccessful. Rather, what is meant here is: “I know with certainty that criminals cannot achieve success. Therefore I myself cannot commit this crime by making a false claim to prophethood. Rather, I can say with certainty regarding you that you are committing the crime of declaring a true prophet false; therefore you cannot achieve success.”

Falah, or success, is not used in the Qur’an even in the limited sense of worldly success. Rather, it means an uninterrupted success resulting in not the slightest trace of loss. It does not matter if, in the early stage of worldly life, there appears to be no aspect of success in a person’s condition. Someone who openly calls people to misguidance may live a life of comfort in the world, rise to the heights of worldly prosperity and advancement, and see his call to misguidance gain immense popularity and spread in every direction. But this is not the success called success in Qur’anic terminology; rather, it is manifest loss and failure. Conversely, a caller to the truth may face severe hardships in the world, become crushed and unconscious under the pressure of trials, calamities, sorrow and suffering, and not a single person may join his group. Yet in Qur’anic language this is not loss and failure; rather, it is true success.

Furthermore, it has been stated most clearly in various places in the Qur’an that Allah does not hasten to seize criminals; rather, He gives them sufficient time and opportunity to reform. If they misuse this time and opportunity and become even more corrupt, Allah grants them further respite, and often showers favors upon them. As a result, they fully expose all the evils concealed within them and, through their own deeds, become deserving of a punishment that is truly appropriate for them because of the evil qualities they possess. Therefore, to regard the lengthening of the rope of a false claimant as proof that he is established upon guidance is a grave error. Allah’s law of granting respite, delaying punishment and providing opportunity applies equally to claimants to false prophethood, just as it does to all criminals. There is no reason to regard the latter as outside the scope of this law. Again, when Allah granted Satan respite until the Day of Resurrection, nowhere was it said: You may be allowed to commit every kind of deception and fraud, but if you set up a false and fraudulent prophet on your own, that deception will under no circumstances be allowed to succeed.

In response to this, someone may perhaps cite verses 44 to 47 of Surah al-Haqqah, where it is said:

(Arabic******************************** on page 165 of the PDF)

That is: ‘If Muhammad had fabricated any words in My name, I would have seized him by the hand and severed his heart.’ But what these verses say is that if a person who has truly been sent as a prophet by Allah fabricates a lie and presents it as Allah’s revelation, he will be seized immediately. To argue from this statement that the certainty that a claimant to prophethood is not being seized proves that he is truthful is nothing but a fundamental fallacy. The exception to Allah’s rule of granting opportunity and respite that is established by this verse applies only to a true prophet. It does not prove that someone who falsely claims prophethood is also included in this exception. Everyone knows that a law enacted for government employees does not apply only to them; under the criminal law, the treatment prescribed for ordinary rogues and criminals will also be applied to them. Moreover, whatever is stated in these verses of Surah al-Haqqah was not stated to provide people with a criterion for verifying a prophet. That is, it was not said that if a hand emerges through the veil of the unseen and suddenly tears out his heart, he should be considered false and fraudulent; otherwise he must be accepted as true. If it were impossible to verify a prophet through his character, conduct and what he presented, and to determine whether he was a true or fraudulent prophet, then perhaps it would be necessary to accept such an absurd criterion.

Claims to prophethood after the last prophet

Question: On page 236 of Tarjuman-ul-Qur’an (January–February), you wrote, “My experience is that Allah Almighty never grants prosperity and establishment to falsehood. I have always followed this principle: I never respond to the words of those whom I find reckless regarding truthfulness and fidelity and devoid of fear of Allah. Allah may take revenge on them…… and, God willing, their true nature will be exposed in this very world.”On page 236 of Tarjuman-ul-Qur’an (January–February), you wrote, “My experience is that Allah Almighty never grants prosperity and establishment to falsehood. I have always followed this principle: I never respond to the words of those whom I find reckless regarding truthfulness and fidelity and devoid of fear of Allah. Allah may take revenge on them…… and, God willing, their true nature will be exposed in this very world.”

I submit that I have read the books of the Ahmadiyya Jamaat and have also remained involved in its activities. In that connection, I put forward the following questions.

First: This is not merely your own experience; rather, Allah has said in the Holy Qur’an, “Allah does not love liars.” And, “Allah’s curse is upon the liars.” Again, concerning liars of such a kind, (Arabic**********) their punishment is immediate seizure and being cast into Hell (Arabic*************) In this situation, if Mirza Ghulam Ahmad was a liar, then why is it that (a) Allah the Exalted has still not seized him; (b) the number of members of the group is increasing, and why is the influence of Mirza Sahib’s mission—which is known among Muslims as misguidance—increasing, so much so that the roots of this group have now become firmly established outside the country as well? (c) Sixty years have passed since the message Mirza Sahib brought; how long are we to wait for Allah’s decision, while they are currently achieving progress and prosperity? (d) Why do the groups and individuals opposing this group not cease their opposition and entrust the matter to Allah? ৱ

Second: On page 242 of Tarjuman-ul-Qur’an, one of your group’s German supporters raised the issue of cooperating with the Ahmadiyya Jamaat in Berlin in the propagation of Islam. If you too consider their work of propagating Islam to be right, then why do you not cooperate with them in Pakistan?

Answer: You are treating the matter of a claimant to prophethood so lightly! This approach is not at all suitable for reaching a decision on such an important matter. What I had written concerned a clearly false accusation. Some self-interested people had brought this accusation against me. You are applying this statement to a person who has actually claimed prophethood. You should know that, in the case of a claimant to prophethood, one of two conditions must necessarily be true. If his claim is true, then whoever does not believe him is a kafir. And if he is a liar, then whoever believes him is a kafir. Do you want to decide such a delicate matter merely on the basis that Allah the Exalted has not yet seized him, his group is flourishing, and “how much longer shall we wait for Allah’s decision?” Does this mean that, in your view, after any person claims prophethood, if his group continues to progress and prosper, and Allah does not seize him within the period of waiting you have proposed, then that alone is sufficient to regard him as a prophet? Is this, in your opinion, the criterion for verifying prophethood? What you have sought to prove from (Arabic**********) is fundamentally mistaken. What this verse says is that Muhammad (peace be upon him), who is in fact Allah’s Prophet, would have his aorta severed if he continued to fabricate something on his own, without Allah’s revelation, and present it in Allah’s name. It is not correct to infer from this that the aorta of someone who is not actually a prophet but presents himself as a prophet by resorting to falsehood would also be severed. Furthermore, in this verse Allah the Exalted did not present the principle that a claimant to prophethood whose aorta is not severed is a true prophet, while one whose aorta is severed is a false prophet, as a criterion for distinguishing between a false and a true prophet. Surely, this method of wrenching and distorting the meaning of a Qur’anic verse is not your own invention; rather, you learned it from Mirza Sahib’s group itself. This itself proves that this group has no fear of Allah in its heart.

The claim of anyone who claims prophethood after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) will not be tested by the criterion you have put forward. Rather, it will be rejected with complete certainty, because the Qur’an and Hadith have made an unequivocal statement on this matter. It has been stated there that no prophet will come after the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him). I am also aware of the arguments that Mirza Sahib and his followers put forward in support of the door of prophethood remaining open, but I wish to inform you that those arguments can influence only an ignorant and poorly informed person. After examining their arguments, a knowledgeable person can become certain only of their foolishness.

The fact that the letter from Germany was published in Tarjuman-ul-Qur’an does not mean that we regard everything in that letter as literally true. Our purpose was, through that letter, to present to the Muslims of our country the fact that the letter from Germany was published in Tarjuman-ul-Qur’an does not mean that we regard everything in that letter as literally true. Our purpose was, through that letter and by helping them, to inspire the Muslims. They have only recently accepted Islam. How could they know how many tribulations are rearing their heads in the Islamic world? They are now our people. Otherwise, through ignorance, they might fall victim to any tribulation.

Question: I have received your answer. Unfortunately, it has not removed my doubts. I had quoted your own words, “Allah Himself will punish the liar,” and asked in their light: why has Allah’s punishment not come upon Mirza Ghulam Ahmad Qadiani, whom all Muslims regard as a liar, and how has Allah been watching His servants being misled for so long?

I have studied, with an investigative eye, twenty-five books written by Mirza Sahib. I have also read several books written against him by Muslim scholars. Of course, I admit that I have not been able to read any book of yours on this subject. However, my overall response to the scholars’ books is as follows:

They distorted Mirza Sahib’s writings, adopted an incorrect meaning, and attributed it to Mirza Sahib.

They do not possess complete knowledge of the subject on which they have written. Later I corresponded with them, but most of them maintained silence. What I generally understood from Mirza Sahib’s books was this: Mirza Sahib himself and his messages are immersed to the brim in love for the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). It was on this basis that I proceeded toward accepting Mirza Sahib’s claim. And now it is an established truth for me that:

First: Mirza Sahib’s claims do not contradict the Qur’an and Hadith.

Second: Mirza Sahib’s prophethood does not diminish the dignity of the Messenger (peace be upon him). Rather, if prophets could arise in city after city through Moses (peace be upon him), then by virtue of Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) dignity there must be people in village after village who will say, “By acting upon the Shariah of Muhammad, we have attained the good fortune of speaking with Allah.” Mirza Sahib himself said:

“This fountain springing forth toward creation

is merely a tiny particle of the ocean of Muhammadan perfection.”

Now you have again permitted me to examine Mirza Sahib’s claim. Would you kindly help me adopt the right path by proving one of Mirza Sahib’s claims false in the light of the Noble Qur’an?

Answer: The previous letter could have removed your doubts if you had genuinely wanted your doubts removed. What I wrote in Tarjuman-ul-Qur’an concerned those people who were falsely accusing me. In that regard, reliance on Allah had been expressed, that He would certainly punish the liars. But you are adopting this as the criterion for testing the claim of a claimant to prophethood. Moreover, you have adopted the criterion in such a way that, if the claimant to prophethood is seen not to receive punishment, he must necessarily be called a true prophet. Whoever receives punishment in this world is a liar and misguided, while whoever does not receive punishment is truthful and rightly guided—is this really a correct criterion for determining whether people are truthful or liars, and rightly guided or misguided?

You have made the strange statement that sixty years have passed since Mirza Sahib claimed prophethood, and how much longer one can wait. You have put forward a strange criterion for verifying the truth of a claim to prophethood. In your view, what kind of punishment should a false claimant receive? Explain the matter in some detail. If you think that a hand will come from the unseen and cut his throat, then I would say that even Musailama the Liar, the false claimant to prophethood during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), was not given this punishment. If you think that a claimant to prophethood who is killed by people is a liar, then what do you say about those prophets whose prophethood Allah the Exalted Himself declared to be true, while also informing us that their own peoples killed them? Surely you have read the following two verses in the Qur’an:

(Arabic*******************************************on PDF page 169)

In light of these verses, I believe you should review your own line of thinking anew. The claim of a prophet cannot be tested by such criteria. Regarding a prophet, what must be examined is this: what is his position in light of the earlier Word of Allah? What has he brought? What is his way of life? To accept as a true prophet someone who does not fully pass this test merely because you do not see him being punished in this world with your physical eyes is a grave mistake.

Unless the claim of a claimant to prophethood has been tested against the touchstone of the first of the three criteria I mentioned above and proved completely genuine, the latter point—that no new prophet can come after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)—is established. In that case, there is no need at all to examine what the prophet who came after the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) brought or what kind of person he was. Although, in my view, Mirza Sahib stands so far removed from the rank of prophethood even in relation to the second and third criteria that, even if the door of prophethood had remained open, no sensible person could have considered him a prophet, after the clear and unambiguous verdict of the Qur’an and Hadith I consider this discussion unnecessary, indeed an extreme insolence toward Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him).

If you ask what arguments there are in the Qur’an and Hadith in support of the fact that the door of prophethood has been completely closed, it is not possible to answer that in a letter. If Allah the Exalted grants me time and opportunity, I shall, God willing, write a detailed article on this subject. Otherwise, this topic will inevitably arise in the commentary on Surah Al-Ahzab, and it can be discussed then.—[This discussion appears just a few pages later in the article entitled “A Research Discussion on the Doctrine of the Finality of Prophethood.”—(Compiler)]

Another Argument of the Qadianis Against the Finality of Prophethood

Question: In Tafhim al-Qur’an, in the explanation of Surah Aal-e-Imran (Arabic*****) verse, in footnote 69, you wrote: “Here one more point should be understood: a covenant was taken from every prophet before Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), and on this basis every prophet informed his ummah about the prophet who would come after him and instructed them to support him. But is there anywhere in the Qur’an and Hadith any mention that a similar covenant was taken from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), or that he gave his ummah tidings of a prophet who would come later and instructed them to believe in him?”

After reading these sentences, the thought arose in my mind that although the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not say this, a covenant is mentioned in Surah Al-Ahzab of the Noble Qur’an in the following words:

(Arabic*******************************)

Here, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is addressed through the word “minka” (“from you”). And the covenant mentioned here is the one referred to in Surah Aal-e-Imran. From the mention of the covenant in the verses cited in both Surah Aal-e-Imran and Surah Al-Ahzab, it is understood that the same covenant that was taken from the other prophets was also taken from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Actually, this question arose in my mind after reading a book by the Ahmadis. There, one of the cited verses from those two surahs was used to explain the other. Along with this, there was an extensive discussion of the word “minka.”

Answer: (Arabic*****************) If the argument that the Qadiani gentlemen present from this verse of Surah Al-Ahzab is presented sincerely, then it is indicative of their ignorance and lack of understanding. But if they do so deliberately, with the aim of deceiving people, then their being misguided becomes clear. From the verse of Surah Aal-e-Imran (Arabic****************) they have taken one proposition. In it, a covenant was taken from the prophets and their ummahs to obey a prophet who would come in the future. They have taken a second proposition from the aforementioned verse of Surah Al-Ahzab. Here, it is also stated that a covenant was taken from the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him), along with the other prophets. Then, by joining the two, they themselves fabricated this third proposition: that a covenant had also been taken from the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) to believe in and assist a prophet who would come in the future. Yet nowhere in the verse that speaks of taking a covenant from a prophet who would come in the future did Allah the Exalted say that this covenant was taken from Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him). And nowhere in the verse that speaks of taking a covenant from Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) was it said that this covenant was connected with obedience to a prophet who would come in the future. The question now is: what justification is there for joining two separate propositions and creating a third proposition that appears nowhere in the Qur’an? There could have been three arguments or bases for this. First: if, after this verse was revealed, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) had gathered the Companions and announced: “O people! Allah has taken a covenant from me that I will believe in and assist the prophet who comes after me. Therefore, because of your obedience to me, you too should make this covenant.” But nowhere in all the books of Hadith do we find even a single Hadith containing this statement. On the contrary, we find countless Hadiths from which it is clearly evident that the chain of prophethood ended with the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and that no prophet would come after him. Can it ever be imagined that such an important covenant was taken from the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), yet he neglected it in this way and instead said things on the basis of which a large part of his ummah remained deprived of believing in a prophet sent by Allah?”

If the Qur’an had mentioned that only one covenant was taken from all the prophets and their ummahs, that could have been the second argument or basis for accepting this proposition. That covenant would have been to believe in the prophet who would come later. If the entire Qur’an had mentioned no covenant other than this, it could have been argued that the same covenant was mentioned in the cited verse of Surah Al-Ahzab. But there is no room here even to make this argument. The Qur’an mentions not one but many covenants. For example, in Ruku 10 of Surah Al-Baqarah, a covenant was taken from the Children of Israel to worship Allah, treat their parents well, and refrain from shedding one another’s blood. In Ruku 19 of Surah Aal-e-Imran, a covenant was taken from all the People of the Book: you shall not conceal the teachings of the Book given to you, but shall spread it publicly. In Ruku 21 of Surah Al-A‘raf, a covenant was taken from the Children of Israel: you shall say nothing about Allah except what is true, hold firmly to the Book given by Allah, and remember its teachings. In the first ruku of Surah Al-Ma’idah, the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him) are reminded of a covenant they made with Allah, namely: “You are pledging to Allah that you will listen and obey.” The question now is: since the covenant mentioned in the relevant verse of Surah Al-Ahzab is not specified, why should, in identifying this covenant, the covenant mentioned in Ruku 9 of Surah Aal-e-Imran in particular be selected from among the many covenants cited, rather than any other? This would certainly require a basis. And no such basis exists anywhere. If someone responds that since in both cases it is stated that covenants were taken from the prophets, one verse has been explained with the help of the other, I would say that none of the other covenants taken from the ummahs of the prophets was taken directly; rather, they were taken through the prophets. Moreover, anyone who studies the Qur’an deeply knows that from every prophet a covenant was taken to hold firmly to the Book of Allah and obey its commandments.

The third argument or basis could have been the context of the discussion before and after the relevant passage in Surah Al-Ahzab. If there had been a clear indication there that “covenant” meant a covenant to believe in prophets who would come later, then accepting this proposition would have been reasonable. But here the matter is completely the opposite. The context of the discussion rather wholly contradicts accepting this meaning. Surah Al-Ahzab begins with these words:

“O Prophet! Fear Allah, do not obey the disbelievers and hypocrites, act according to the revelation sent to you by your Lord, and place your trust in Allah.” Then the instruction is given to eradicate the practice of taking adopted sons that had continued from the age of ignorance, along with all the superstitions and customs associated with it. Then it is stated that among non-blood relationships there is only one relationship that is more honored than a blood relationship. It is the relationship between the prophet and the believers. Because of this relationship, the wives of the Prophet have the status of their mothers in relation to the believers and are forbidden to them as their mothers are. Apart from this, in every other matter, only blood relationship is recognized under Allah’s Book as a basis for prohibition of marriage and entitlement to inheritance. After prescribing this ruling, Allah the Exalted reminds him of the covenant that He has always taken from all the prophets and, accordingly, from the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) as well. Anyone of ordinary good sense can see where, in this context, there was any scope for reminding him of a covenant to believe in a prophet who would come later. At most, there was scope for reminding him of the covenant by which all the prophets were bound to hold firmly to the Book of Allah, remember its commandments, implement them, and proclaim them publicly. Moving a little further, we see Allah the Exalted clearly instructing the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him): you yourself should marry the divorced wife of your adopted son Zayd and thereby eradicate the erroneous notion of the age of ignorance on the basis of which people regarded an adopted son as their biological son. When the disbelievers and hypocrites raised objection after objection against this and engaged in malicious propaganda, Allah the Exalted answered them successively.

First. Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not the father of any man among you; therefore, the divorced wife of that man cannot become forbidden to him.

Second. And if you say that, even though she was lawful for him, what need was there for him to marry her, the answer is that he is the Messenger of Allah. It is his responsibility to take the initiative and eliminate whatever Allah wishes to abolish.

Third. It was even more necessary for him to do this because he was not merely a messenger; rather, he was the final Messenger. If he did not abolish these customs and practices of the age of ignorance, there would be no prophet after him to have them abolished.

When this final statement is read together with the preceding statement, anyone will say with certainty that, within this context, the covenant of which the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was reminded was certainly not a covenant to believe in a prophet who would come later.

Now consider this: these three could have been the only grounds for accepting the meaning stated by the Qadianis from the verse under discussion. Each of these three grounds is unrelated to their argument; indeed, it is contrary to it. Besides, if they have any fourth argument or basis, ask them about it. And obtain from them answers to these three arguments as well. Otherwise, it will justly be considered that, driven by ignorance and foolishness—or after completely removing the fear of Allah from their hearts—they have adopted this meaning of the verse in order to misguide the simple-hearted masses. In any case, I cannot understand this: if Mirza Sahib was a prophet, then the era of his ‘Companions’ has not yet ended, whereas his entire ummah has now become included among the ‘Tabi‘in and Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in.’ Even so, their condition is such that those belonging to his ummah continue openly presenting such false and erroneous arguments from the Book of Allah, yet not a single voice is being raised throughout the entire ummah against this ignorance.

Three Arguments from the Verse on the Finality of Prophethood

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“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets. And Allah has knowledge of all things.” —(Surah al-Ahzab: 40)

The background in Surah al-Ahzab against which the discussion of the Finality of Prophethood occurs is as follows. In Arabia, an adopted son was given the full status of a biological son. He inherited just as a biological son did. Just as mother and father, brothers and sisters lived together in one household, an adopted son likewise lived freely with his adoptive father’s wife and children. Once a person became an adopted son, all the relationships that arose among relatives through blood ties were also established between the adopted son and the adoptive father. Allah wished to abolish this custom. Therefore, He first declared that merely calling someone one’s son does not make him one’s real son (Verse 4). But because the sense of status and the notion of prohibition that had taken root in people’s minds through centuries of custom and practice could not easily be uprooted, it was necessary to break this practice in practice. At this time, the incident involving Hazrat Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) occurred. Hazrat Zayd, the adopted son of the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him), divorced his wife Zaynab. The Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) realized that this was the ideal opportunity to break this pernicious pre-Islamic custom. Until he himself married the divorced wife of his adopted son, the ignorant notion of regarding an adopted son as a real, biological son would not come to an end. But he also knew that the hypocrites of Madinah, the Jewish communities around Madinah, and the unbelieving society of Makkah would create a tremendous uproar against this step. They would leave no opportunity unused to defame him over it and spread propaganda against Islam. Thus, although he felt the need to take practical action, he hesitated. Finally, at Allah’s command, he married Hazrat Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her). As had been anticipated, a storm of objections arose. A flood of condemnation and slander began to flow. Even the hearts of pious Muslims were filled with various doubts and misgivings. In response to these objections, condemnations, slanders, and doubts, these verses—from 37 to 40 of the fifth ruku‘ of Surah al-Ahzab—were revealed.

At the beginning of these verses, Allah says that this marriage took place at My command. The reason is that there is nothing blameworthy in believers marrying the divorced wife of their adopted son. He then says that it is not the way of any prophet to hesitate out of fear of anyone when implementing Allah’s command. Thereafter, He concludes this discussion by presenting the following words:

“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets.” From this sentence it is clearly understood that Allah wishes to present three arguments in reply to the objectors. All the objections and propaganda raised by the opposing side against the Noble Messenger’s (peace be upon him) marriage have been uprooted by this single sentence.

Their first objection was: in their own law, a son’s wife is forbidden to his father; despite this, how could he marry his own son’s wife? In reply, it was said that this marriage was not objectionable. The reason is that the man whose divorced wife was married was not Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) real son, nor was Muhammad (peace be upon him) his real father. Therefore, it was said: “Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not the father of any of your men.” That is, the man whose divorced wife was married was not Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) son at all. Why, then, should marrying his divorced wife be forbidden? You all know that Muhammad (peace be upon him) had no son.

Their second objection was: if an adopted son is not a real son, then marrying his abandoned wife may at most be permissible, but what necessity was there to marry her? In reply, it was said: “But he is the Messenger of Allah.” That is, because he was a Messenger, it became part of his responsibility to make lawful the matter that your customary practice had unnecessarily declared unlawful, by eliminating all notions of blood relationship concerning it and removing every kind of doubt and misgiving about the matter.

Thirdly, there was another reason for its necessity: Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not merely a prophet; rather, he was the last prophet. That is, after him, not to speak of another messenger, no prophet would come. If the reform of any law or social custom could not be accomplished in his time, there was no possibility that a prophet arriving after him would complete this work he had begun. Therefore, it had become absolutely necessary for him to eradicate this important custom of the Age of Ignorance. For if this custom of the Age of Ignorance did not die at his hands now, there would be no possibility of its dying until the Day of Resurrection. No prophet would come after him. There would be no one to complete whatever work he left unfinished.

This was emphasized further by saying: “Allah has knowledge of all things.” That is, Allah knows why it was necessary at this time to eradicate this custom of the Age of Ignorance through Muhammad (peace be upon him); Allah knows what harm would otherwise have resulted. No prophet would now come from Him. Therefore, if He did not eradicate this custom immediately through His last prophet, there would never afterward be such a personality who, by acting against this custom, could cause it to be abolished forever throughout the Muslim community of the entire world. Even if later reformers acted against it, none of their actions would possess such eternal and worldwide influence and authority that people in every country and every age would accept it without hesitation and follow it. Moreover, none of them would possess such a holy personality that the very thought that he had done this—that it was his Sunnah—could eradicate from people’s hearts all the hatred and discomfort arising against it.

Regrettably, in the present age a group has opened the door to a tremendous tribulation by misinterpreting this verse. Therefore, in order to remove the confusions spread by this group through a comprehensive discussion of the issue of the Finality of Prophethood, I shall undertake a detailed discussion of the Finality of Prophethood at a later stage.

A Research-Based Discussion of the Belief in the Finality of Prophethood

In the present age, a group has created a great tribulation concerning a new prophethood. They (Arabic****************************) interpret the term ‘Khataman Nabiyyin’ mentioned in the verse as ‘the seal of the prophets.’ They wish to imply that, after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), many more prophets will come into the world bearing his seal. Or, in other words, no one will become a prophet until he has been sealed by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

But if this verse is judged within the particular setting in which it has been related, no scope whatsoever remains for accepting this meaning of the relevant word. Rather, accepting this meaning eliminates the need for using the word in this context and makes it contrary to the actual purpose of the statement. While answering the objections raised against the marriage of Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) and the various doubts arising from it, would it not be utterly irrelevant and inappropriate suddenly to say in the middle: ‘Muhammad is the seal of the prophets,’ meaning that all prophets who come will bear the seal of Muhammad (peace be upon him)? The sudden appearance of this statement amid the preceding and following narrative would not merely be irrelevant; it would also weaken the argument being presented in reply to the objectors. In this situation, the objectors would have received an excellent opportunity. They could easily have said: You would have done better not to complete this work during your lifetime; there would have been no danger. If abolishing this evil custom was so necessary, then any of the prophets who come after you bearing your seal could abolish it.

The aforementioned group has adopted another distorted meaning of the word. That is, they interpret ‘Khataman Nabiyyin’ as ‘Afzalun Nabiyyin.’ Its meaning, they say, is that the door of prophethood remains open, but prophethood attained perfection in the person of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Yet even in adopting this meaning, there is no escape from the reappearance of the confusion mentioned earlier. It has no connection with the preceding and following discussion. Rather, it conveys a meaning completely opposed to the sequence of events before and after it. The unbelievers and hypocrites could have said: Sir, even if those who came after you were less exalted than you, prophets would still continue to come after you; so you might as well have left this work to them. What necessity was there for you alone to undertake the responsibility of eradicating this evil custom?

The Lexical Meaning of the Term Khataman Nabiyyin

With regard to its relationship with the preceding and following discussion, it may be stated conclusively that here the term Khataman Nabiyyin means the conclusion of the chain. That is, no prophet will come after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). But this is not only its meaning in relation to the surrounding discussion; lexically too, this is its sole correct meaning. According to Arabic dictionaries and common usage, the word ‘khatam’ means to affix a seal, to close, to reach the end, and to complete a task and be relieved of responsibility.

Khatamal amal (Arabic***) means: Faragha minal amal (Arabic*****) that is, he completed the work.

Khatamal ina‘ (Arabic****) means: he closed the mouth of the vessel and sealed it, so that nothing could come out from inside it and nothing from outside could enter it.

Khatamal kitab (Arabic******) means: he closed the letter and affixed a seal to it, so that the letter would be preserved.

Khatama ‘alal kalb (Arabic*******) means: the taste perceived at the very end after drinking a beverage.

Khatimatu kulli shay’in ‘aqibatuhu wa akhiratuhu (Arabic**********) means that the khatimah of every thing is its outcome and end.

Khatamash-shay’a balagha akhirahu (Arabic*********) means that to complete something is to reach its end. This is the meaning understood by Khatm al-Qur’an, and on this basis the final verse of every surah is called a ‘khawatim.’

Khatamul qawmi akhiruhum (Arabic*******) means that the last person of a nation is its khatam. (See: Lisan al-‘Arab, Qamus, and Aqrab al-Mawarid.) —[Here I have mentioned only three dictionaries. But why only these three? If one opens any reliable dictionary of the Arabic language, one will find there the above-mentioned meaning and explanation of the word ‘khatam.’ Yet those who deny the Finality of Prophethood have completely ignored its lexical meaning in order to make a breach in the fortified citadel of Allah’s religion. They wish to say that when someone is called ‘Khatam al-Shu‘ara,’ ‘Khatam al-Fuqaha,’ or ‘Khatam al-Mufassirin,’ it is not understood to mean that after the person given this title no other poet, jurist, or exegete was born. Rather, it means that the perfection of the knowledge or art in question culminated in that person. Yet using such titles to emphasize someone’s excellence never makes the lexical meaning of khatam ‘complete’ or ‘superior,’ nor is its use in the sense of ‘last’ considered incorrect.

Only someone ignorant of grammatical usage could make such a statement. It is not the rule of any language that when a word is sometimes used indirectly in a meaning other than its original meaning, that secondary meaning becomes its original meaning and its use in the actual lexical sense becomes prohibited. When it is said before an Arab, ‘Ja’a khatamul qawm’ (Arabic*****) he will never think that the finest or most perfect member of the tribe has arrived; rather, he will understand that everyone in the tribe has arrived, right up to the last person.

It should also be remembered that it is people who have given certain individuals titles such as Khatam al-Shu‘ara, Khatam al-Fuqaha, Khatam al-Muhaddithin, and so on. And people have no ability to know whether, after the person to whom they give the title Khatam al-Shu‘ara or Khatam al-Fuqaha, another person possessing this quality will be born. Therefore, in human language, there is no alternative but to use such title-bearing words in order to magnify his quality and acknowledge his perfection. But when Allah declares concerning a person that a particular quality has come to an end in him, I see no reason to use it in an indirect sense, as people use such words. If Allah were to call someone Khatam al-Shu‘ara, it would unquestionably mean that it would be impossible for another poet to be born after that person. For Allah knows the unseen and the future, whereas human beings do not know the unseen or the future. How can Allah’s designation of someone as Khatam al-Nabiyyin and people’s giving someone the title Khatam al-Shu‘ara be placed on the same level? —(The Author)

That is why all lexicographers and exegetes unanimously interpreted the term Khatam al-Nabiyyin as ‘Akhir al-Nabiyyin’—that is, the last of the prophets. According to Arabic dictionaries and common usage, ‘khatam’ does not mean the post-office stamp whose imprint is placed on a letter before it is posted; rather, it means the seal affixed to the opening of an envelope so that nothing can come out from inside it and nothing from outside can enter it.

The Sayings of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)

The various explanations of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also support the meaning of the word established by the Qur’an’s preceding and following context and by its lexical aspect. By way of example, I mention here several hadiths:

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The Children of Israel were led by the messengers of Allah. Whenever a prophet died, another prophet succeeded him. But after me there will be no prophet; there will only be caliphs.” —(Bukhari, Chapter on Virtues)

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: My example and the example of the prophets before me is that of a man who built a building and made it beautiful and elegant, but left one corner of it missing a brick. People went around the building, admiring its beauty, and said, ‘Why has a brick not been placed here?’ Thus, I am that brick, and I am that prophet. (That is, after my coming, the building of prophethood has reached completion; there is now no empty space in it that would require another prophet to fill it.)” —(Bukhari, Kitab al-Manaqib, Bab Khatam al-Nabiyyin).

Four hadiths with this same content have been mentioned in Kitab al-Fada’il, under ‘Bab Khatam al-Nabiyyin.’ In the final hadith, the following passage has been added (Arabic********) that is, ‘Then I came and brought the chain of prophets to an end.’

This hadith has been narrated in Tirmidhi Sharif with the same wording in Kitab al-Manaqib, under ‘Bab Fada’il al-Nabi,’ and in Kitab al-Adab, under ‘Bab al-Amthal.’

This hadith is mentioned in Musnad Abu Dawud Tayalisi through the chain of narration of the hadith narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah. Its concluding portion is (Arabic******) that is, the chain of prophets was brought to an end through me.

A hadith of this kind, with slight variation in wording, has been narrated in Musnad Ahmad from Hazrat Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, Hazrat Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri, and Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them).

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: I have been given superiority over the other prophets in six matters: (a) I have been given the ability to express comprehensive meanings in concise speech. (b) I have been aided with might and authority. (c) The spoils of war have been made lawful for me. (d) The earth has been made a mosque for me (that is, in my Shariah, prayer may be performed not only in designated places of worship but anywhere in the world), and the soil has been made a means of purification (that is, purification may be attained not only with water; tayammum with soil may also be performed, thereby completing the functions of ablution and bathing). (e) I have been sent as a Messenger to the entire world, and (f) the chain of prophets has been brought to an end through me.” —(Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah).

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The chain of messengership and prophethood has been brought to an end. Therefore, no messenger or prophet will come after me.” —(Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Ru’ya, Bab Dhahab al-Nubuwwah; Musnad Ahmad, narrated by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him)).

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“The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: I am Muhammad and I am Ahmad. I am the Effacer; through me disbelief will be effaced. I am the Gatherer; after me, people will be gathered on the Plain of Resurrection. (That is, after me only the Resurrection remains.) I am the Last to come—and the last to come is the one after whom no prophet will come.” —(Bukhari and Muslim, Kitab al-Fada’il, chapter on the names of the Prophet; Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Adab, chapter on the names of the Prophet; Muwatta, Kitab Asma’ al-Nabi; Mustadrak al-Hakim, Kitab al-Tarikh, chapter on the names of the Prophet).

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Allah surely sent no prophet who did not warn his community about the Dajjal. (But he did not emerge in their time.) Now I am the last prophet, and you are the last community. The Dajjal will undoubtedly emerge among you now.” —(Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Fitan, chapter on the Dajjal).

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“Abd al-Rahman ibn Jubayr said: I heard Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As say that one day the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came out of his house and joined us. He came as though he were bidding us farewell. He said three times, ‘I am the unlettered prophet Muhammad.’ Then he said, ‘There is no prophet after me.’” —(Musnad Ahmad, narration of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, may Allah be pleased with him).

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: There is no prophethood after me. Only glad tidings remain. He was asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what are the glad tidings?’ He replied, ‘A good dream.’ Or he said, ‘A blessed dream.’ That is, there is now no possibility of revelation descending from Allah. At most, it may be said that if Allah gives someone an indication, it will be given only through a good dream.” —(Musnad Ahmad, narrated by Abu al-Tufayl; al-Nasa’i; Abu Dawud).

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“The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: If there were to be a prophet after me, Umar ibn al-Khattab would have attained that honor.” —(Tirmidhi, Kitab al-Manaqib).

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): Your relationship to me is like the relationship of Aaron to Moses. However, there is no prophet after me.” —(Bukhari and Muslim, Kitab Fada’il al-Sahabah).

Bukhari and Muslim narrated this hadith in connection with their account of the Battle of Tabuk. In Musnad Ahmad, two hadiths with this content have been narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him). The conclusion of one of them is (Arabic********) ‘Remember, there is no prophethood after me.’ Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi, Imam Ahmad, and Muhammad Ishaq have cited a detailed hadith concerning this, from which it is known that, before setting out for the Battle of Tabuk, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) decided to leave Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) behind to protect and administer Madinah Tayyibah. Regarding this, the hypocrites began saying various things about him. He went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, are you leaving me among the children and women?’ The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) consoled him, saying, ‘Your relationship to me is like the relationship of Aaron to Moses.’ In other words, just as Moses (peace be upon him), when he went to Mount Tur, left Aaron (peace be upon him) behind to look after the Children of Israel, so I am leaving you behind to protect Madinah. But at once the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) also feared that this comparison with Aaron might later give rise to some mischief. Therefore, immediately afterward he clarified the matter, saying, ‘But remember that no one will be a prophet after me.’

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“Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: …The matter is that thirty liars will appear among my community. Each of them will claim to be a prophet, although there is no prophet after me.” —(Abu Dawud, Kitab al-Fitan).

Abu Dawud has narrated another hadith with this content from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Kitab al-Malahim. Tirmidhi has also narrated these two hadiths from Thawban and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them). The wording of the second hadith is:

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“That is, as many as thirty deceivers will appear. Each of them will claim to be the Messenger of Allah.”

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“The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Among the Children of Israel who lived before you were many people with whom discourse took place—Allah spoke to them—but they were not prophets. If there is such a person among my community, it will be Umar.” —(Bukhari, Kitab al-Manaqib).

In Muslim, the hadith conveying this meaning uses the word (Arabic****) instead of (Arabic****). But the two words, mukallam and muhaddath, are synonymous: that is, a person with whom Allah the Exalted has spoken, or with whom He speaks from behind a veil. This shows that, apart from prophethood, if anyone in this community could have attained the honor of conversing with Allah, it would have been Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and no one else.

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: There is no prophet after me, and there is no community after my community.” —(Bayhaqi, Kitab al-Ru’ya; Tabarani).

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“The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: I am the last prophet, and my mosque—that is, the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah—is the last mosque.” —[Those who deny the finality of prophethood argue from this hadith that just as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) called his mosque the last mosque, although it is not the last mosque—countless mosques have been built throughout the world after it—similarly, when he said that he was the last prophet, this means that prophets will come after him. Certainly, in terms of superiority, he is the last prophet and his mosque is the last mosque. But in reality, this distorted interpretation itself proves that these people have been deprived of the ability to understand the meaning of the words of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). If all the hadiths on this subject are considered together at the place in Sahih Muslim where this hadith is narrated, it will become clear in what sense the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) called his mosque the last mosque. There Imam Muslim has cited narrations from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and the Mother of the Believers, Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), stating that there are only three mosques in the world that possess superiority over ordinary mosques. Prayer performed there earns a reward a thousand times greater than prayer in other mosques. Therefore, it is permissible to travel only to these three mosques for prayer. Apart from these three, it is not permissible to travel specifically to any one mosque for prayer, excluding all the other mosques in the world. Among these three special mosques, al-Masjid al-Haram is the first. Abraham (peace be upon him) built it. The second is al-Masjid al-Aqsa, which Solomon (peace be upon him) built. The third is the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, built by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The meaning of the Messenger of Allah’s statement is that, since no prophet will come after me, no fourth mosque will ever be built after my mosque in the world in which prayer will earn a greater reward than in other mosques and to which travel for the purpose of prayer will be permissible. —(The author)] (Muslim, Kitab al-Hajj, chapter on the virtue of praying in the mosques of Makkah and Madinah).

Numerous Companions narrated these hadiths from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and many hadith scholars cited them with extremely strong and reliable chains of transmission. After studying them, it becomes clear that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), using different words in different ways and circumstances, made it clear that he was the last prophet. No prophet would come after him. The chain of prophethood had ended with him, and whoever after him claimed to be a messenger or prophet would be a Dajjal and a liar. —[In opposition to all these hadiths of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), those who deny the finality of prophethood cite the following narration attributed to Aisha. It says: (Arabic**************) That is, ‘Say: Surely he is the Seal of the Prophets, but do not say that there is no prophet after him.’ First, however, to present any statement of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) against the clear command of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) is nothing but extreme insolence and disrespect. Moreover, the above statement is not recorded from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her). No renowned compiler of hadith recorded it in his book. The statement cited above is taken from the tafsir work Durre Manthur and the hadith dictionary Takmilah Majma‘ al-Bihar. But no chain of transmission is mentioned for it.

To present the weakest alleged statement of a female Companion in order to reject the numerous clear hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), which the foremost hadith scholars narrated with accurate and reliable chains of transmission, is nothing but extreme insolence.] What stronger, more reliable, and more authoritative explanation of the Qur’an’s expression ‘Seal of the Prophets’ could there be? The statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is the chain of evidence and the decisive proof here. Moreover, when it explains a Qur’anic verse, it becomes an even stronger proof. The question now is: who understood the Qur’an better than the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and who besides him could be entitled to interpret it? Is there anyone whose explanation of the finality of prophethood we would be prepared even to consider, let alone accept?

The Consensus of the Companions

After the Qur’an and Sunnah, the consensus, or agreement, of the noble Companions holds the third place in importance. All reliable historical accounts prove that immediately after the death of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the noble Companions unanimously fought against all those who claimed prophethood and those who accepted their prophethood.

In this connection, the case of Musaylimah the Liar is particularly noteworthy. He did not deny the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him); rather, he claimed that he had been made a partner in the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). In the letter he wrote to him before the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) died, it was stated:

(Arabic***************************************on PDF page 185)

That is, “From Musaylimah, the Messenger of Allah, to Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah. Peace be upon you. You should know that I have been made a partner with you in the matter of prophethood.” —(Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 2, p. 399, printed in Egypt). It also contained the statement, ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.’

Despite accepting the message of Muhammad in such clear terms, he was deemed a disbeliever and outside Islam, and war was waged against him. History also proves that Banu Hanifah believed in him in good faith. Of course, they had fallen into the misconception that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself had made him a partner in his prophethood. Another fact is that someone who had gone to Madinah Tayyibah to learn the Qur’an presented Qur’anic verses to them as verses revealed to Musaylimah. (Ibn Kathir, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 5, p. 51.) Even so, the noble Companions did not acknowledge them as Muslims; they fought against them. There is no scope for saying that the Companions fought them not because they had become apostates, but merely for the crime of rebellion. If rebellious Muslims ever have to be fought, Islamic law does not permit their prisoners of war to be enslaved. Nor, even if protected non-Muslim subjects announce a rebellion, may they be enslaved after being arrested. But during the war against Musaylimah and his followers, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) announced that their women and underage boys would be enslaved. After their capture, it was found that they had indeed been enslaved. Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) acquired one of the female captives from among them. The son born to this captive woman, Muhammad al-Hanafiyyah—[Hanafiyyah means a girl from the Hanifah tribe]—later became a person universally known in Islam. —(al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 6, pp. 316–325).

This makes it perfectly clear that the crime for which the noble Companions fought them was not rebellion; rather, it was the crime of one man claiming prophethood after Muhammad (peace be upon him) and people believing in him. This action was taken immediately after the death of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) led it, and the entire body of the Companions supported him with one accord. What clearer example of the consensus of the Companions could there be?

The Consensus of the Ulama

In Islamic law, after the consensus of the Companions, the strongest proof at the fourth level is the consensus of the scholars of later generations. Judged from this perspective, it can be seen that from the first Islamic century until today, the scholars of every region of the entire Muslim world in every age have always agreed that:

After Muhammad, blessings and peace be upon him, no person can become a prophet, and whoever claims prophethood after him or accepts this false claim is a disbeliever. He has no place within the Islamic community.

I shall present some proofs concerning this:

First: During the time of Imam Abu Hanifah (80–150 AH), a man claimed prophethood.

He said, ‘Give me an opportunity; I shall present the signs of my prophethood.’ Hearing this, the Imam said, ‘Whoever asks him for any sign will also become a disbeliever, because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, (Arabic*******) “There is no prophet after me.”’ (Manaqib Imam A‘zam Abu Hanifah, written by Ibn Ahmad al-Makki, vol. 1, p. 161, published in Hyderabad in 1321 AH).

Second: Allamah Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (224–310 AH), in his famous Qur’anic commentary, (Arabic***********) wrote, in explaining the verse, (Arabic***************) that is, “He has brought prophethood to an end and placed a seal upon it. Therefore, its door will not be opened to anyone until the Resurrection.” —(Tafsir Ibn Jarir, vol. 22, p. 12).

Third: In his work ‘Aqidat al-Salafiyyah, Imam Tahawi (239–321 AH), while describing the creed of the leading scholars of earlier generations—especially Imam Abu Hanifah, Imam Abu Yusuf, and Imam Muhammad—recorded the following belief concerning prophethood: “Muhammad (peace be upon him) is Allah’s beloved servant, His chosen prophet, and His beloved messenger. He is the last prophet, the leader of the God-fearing, the leader of the messengers, and the beloved of the Lord of the worlds. Every claim to prophethood after him is another name for misguidance and self-interest.” —(Sharh al-Tahawiyyah fi al-‘Aqidat al-Salafiyyah, Dar al-Ma‘arif, Egypt, pp. 15, 87, 96, 97, 100, and 102).

Fourth: Allamah Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (384–456 AH) wrote: “Without doubt, the chain of revelation came to an end after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The proof of this is that revelation comes only to a prophet, and the Almighty Allah has said: ‘Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets.’” —(Al-Muhalla, vol. 1, p. 26).

Fifth: Imam Ghazali (450–505 AH) said: —[I have quoted Imam Ghazali’s statement here verbatim in its original language. The reason is that those who deny the finality of prophethood have strongly challenged the accuracy of this quotation. —The author]

(Arabic***********************************************************************************on PDF page 187)

That is, “If this door—the door of refusing to accept consensus as proof—is opened, the consequences will be disastrous. For example, if someone says that the coming of another prophet after our master Muhammad (peace be upon him) is possible, then, in order to establish that it is permissible to hesitate about declaring him a disbeliever, one must undoubtedly resort to consensus. Reason does not decide that it is impermissible. As for the Qur’an and hadith, it will not be difficult for a person holding this belief to invent meanings for the two statements, ‘There is no prophet after me’ and ‘the last prophet.’ He may say that ‘the last prophet’ means the end of the coming of the greatest prophets. And if it is said that the word ‘prophets’ is used in its general sense, it will not be difficult for him to analyze away that general meaning. Regarding the statement, ‘There is no prophet after me,’ he may say, ‘It was not said that there is no messenger after me.’ There is a difference between a messenger and a prophet. The rank of a prophet is higher than that of a messenger. In short, many such nonsensical statements can be made. It is not possible to close the way to various invented meanings through mere verbal analysis. Indeed, in interpreting the outward meaning allegorically, we believe that there is room for possibilities even more remote than this. Nor can we say of those who adopt such meanings that they are denying the Qur’an and hadith. But in response to their argument, we shall say that the entire Muslim community, by unanimous agreement, understood from this statement—‘There is no prophet after me’—and from the condition of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) that its meaning was that after him there would be neither a prophet nor a messenger. Furthermore, the entire Muslim community has unanimously decided that there is no room in this matter for any interpretation, invented meaning, or remote interpretation. Therefore, such a person can be called nothing other than one who denies consensus.” —(Al-Iqtisad fi al-I‘tiqad, al-Matba‘ah al-Abdiyyah, Egypt, p. 114).

Sixth: Muhy al-Sunnah al-Baghawi (d. 510 AH) wrote in his Qur’anic commentary Ma‘alim al-Tanzil: Through the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah Most High brought the chain of prophethood to an end. Therefore, he is the last Prophet …… Ibn Abbas said, “Allah Most High has decreed in this verse that there will be no prophet after Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).”—(Vol. 3, p. 158).

Seventh: Allamah al-Zamakhshari (467–538 AH) wrote in Tafsir al-Kashshaf: “If you say, ‘How can the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) be the last Prophet when Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend in the latter age?’ I will say: The meaning of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) being the last Prophet is that no one will be appointed to the office of prophethood after him. Jesus (peace be upon him) was made a prophet before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). After descending later, he will follow the Shariah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and pray facing his qiblah. In other words, he will be included among the ummah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).”—(Vol. 2, p. 215).

Eighth: Qadi Iyad (d. 544 AH) wrote that anyone who claims prophethood for himself, or considers it possible to attain prophethood through personal effort and to rise to the rank of a prophet through purification— as some philosophers and misguided Sufis believe—or anyone who does not claim prophethood but claims that revelation descends upon him, all such people are unbelievers and are declaring the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) false. For he informed us that he was the last Prophet and that no prophet would come after him. He also informed us from Allah that he had brought prophethood to an end and had been sent for all humanity. The entire Muslim community agrees that the apparent meaning of these words must be accepted and that there is no scope here for adopting any other meaning. Therefore, there is no doubt, in the light of the Qur’an, Hadith and consensus, regarding the unbelief of the groups mentioned above.—(Al-Shifa, Vol. 2, pp. 270–271).

Ninth: Allamah al-Shahrastani (d. 548 AH) wrote in his famous work Al-Milal wa al-Nihal: “Likewise, whoever says that a prophet will come after Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) [other than Jesus (peace be upon him)]—there is no disagreement between two people regarding his being an unbeliever.”—(Vol. 3, p. 249).

Tenth: Imam al-Razi said in his Tafsir al-Kabir, in explaining the verse “Seal of the Prophets”: “The purpose of using the words ‘Seal of the Prophets’ in this statement is that if a prophet is followed by another prophet and he leaves something incomplete concerning admonitions and instructions, the prophet who comes after him can complete it. But the one after whom no prophet will come is especially compassionate toward his ummah and gives them clear guidance. His example is like that of a father who knows that after his death his son will have no other guardian or patron.”—(Vol. 6, p. 581).

Eleventh: Allamah al-Baydawi (d. 685 AH) wrote in his Qur’anic commentary Anwar al-Tanzil: “That is, he is the last Prophet. He brought the chain of prophets to an end, or through him the chain of prophets was sealed. The descent of Jesus (peace be upon him) after him does not undermine the finality of prophethood, because he will descend as a follower of the religion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).”—(Vol. 4, p. 164).

Twelfth: Allamah Hafiz al-Din al-Nasafi (d. 810 AH) wrote in his Qur’anic commentary Madarik al-Tanzil: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Seal of the Prophets. That is, he is the last Prophet. No one will be made a prophet after him. The case of Jesus (peace be upon him) is that he was appointed a prophet before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). When he later descends, he will follow the Shariah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). In other words, he will be among the ummah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).”—(p. 471).

Thirteenth: Allamah Alauddin al-Baghdadi (d. 725 AH) wrote in his Qur’anic commentary Khazin:(Arabic text)That is, Allah brought prophethood to an end with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, there is no prophethood after him, nor does anyone share in his prophethood.(Arabic text)That is, Allah knows that there is no prophet after him.—(pp. 471–472).

Fourteenth: Allamah Ibn Kathir (d. 774 AH) wrote in his famous Qur’anic commentary: “The verse under discussion provides clear proof that there is no prophet after the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). And when there is no prophet after him, there can be no question of a messenger. For messengership is a specific rank, whereas prophethood is more general: every messenger is a prophet, but not every prophet is a messenger. Whoever claims this rank after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will be a liar, impostor, Antichrist, misguided person and misleader of others. No matter how much he creates upheaval by violating the natural order or casts a veil of illusion over people’s eyes through magical marvels, his claim cannot be accepted. … The condition of every claimant to this rank until the Day of Resurrection will be the same.”—(Vol. 3, pp. 493–494).

Fifteenth: Allamah Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti (d. 911 AH) wrote in his Qur’anic commentary Tafsir al-Jalalayn:(Arabic text)That is, Allah knows that there is no prophet after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and after Jesus (peace be upon him) descends, he will act according to the Shariah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).”—(p. 768).

Sixteenth: Allamah Ibn Nujaym (d. 970 AH) wrote in the chapter on apostasy in the Book of Conduct in Al-Ashbah wa al-Nazair, a renowned work on the principles of jurisprudence: “If anyone does not regard the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as the last Prophet, he is not a Muslim. For knowing and acknowledging these matters is among the essential requirements of the religion.”—(p. 179).

Seventeenth: Shaykh Ismail Haqqi (d. 1137 AH) wrote, while explaining the verse in his Qur’anic commentary Ruh al-Bayan: “Asim—[the famous Imam of the science of tajwid—Translator]—read the word ‘khatam’ with a fatha on the letter ta. Its meaning is an instrument of sealing, by means of which a seal is affixed.”

That is, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came at the end of all the prophets, and through him the chain of prophets was sealed. In Persian this is called ‘Mohr-e Paygambarha.’ In other words, through him the door of prophethood was sealed and closed, and the chain of prophets was brought to an end. Other reciters read the ta with a kasra as ‘Khatim al-Nabiyyin.’ Its meaning is that he was the one who sealed; in other words, the one who sealed the prophets. Thus, this word also became synonymous with ‘khatam.’ Therefore, after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the learned people of his ummah will inherit only his representation. With his death, the succession of prophethood also came to an end, and the descent of Jesus (peace be upon him) after him will not make his prophethood defective. For the meaning of ‘Khatim al-Nabiyyin’ is that no one will be made a prophet after him, while Jesus (peace be upon him) was made a prophet before him. Therefore, Jesus will be included among the followers of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), pray facing the qiblah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and be part of his ummah. At that time, no revelation will descend upon Jesus (peace be upon him), nor will he institute any new rulings. Rather, he will be a representative of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). ….. The unanimous position of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‘ah is that there is no prophet after our Prophet. For Allah has said:(Arabic text)That is, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah and the last Prophet. And the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:(Arabic text)“There is no prophet after me.” Therefore, whoever says today that there is a prophet after Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) will be called an unbeliever, because he will be denying the clear declarations of the Qur’an and Hadith. For after clear proofs and evidence, truth has become distinct from falsehood. And the claim of anyone who claims prophethood after Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) will be invalid.—(Vol. 22, p. 188).

Nineteenth: Fatawa-i Alamgiri: At the command of the Mughal emperor Alamgir, the eminent scholars of the Indian subcontinent jointly compiled this book in the twelfth century AH. It states: “If anyone believes that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is not the last Prophet, he is not a Muslim. And if he claims to be the Messenger or prophet of Allah, he will be declared an unbeliever.”—(Vol. 2, p. 263).

Twentieth: Allamah al-Shawkani (d. 1255 AH) wrote in his Qur’anic commentary Fath al-Qadir: “The entire Muslim community has read the word ‘khatim’ with a kasra beneath the ta. Only Asim read it with a fatha. The meaning of the first is that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) brought the succession of all prophets to an end—that is, he came last. The meaning of the second is that he served as a seal for all the prophets; that is, through him the chain of prophets was sealed and closed. As a result, their group was made complete and perfect.”—(Vol. 4, p. 275).

Twenty-first: Allamah al-Alusi (d. 1280 AH) wrote in Ruh al-Ma‘ani: “The word prophet has a more general meaning than messenger. Thus, the Messenger’s being the Seal of the Prophets means that he is also the Seal of the Messengers. He is the last Prophet and the last Messenger; this means that, after the world was endowed with the quality of his prophethood, this quality disappeared forever from among humans and jinn.—(Vol. 22, p. 32). Anyone who claims to receive prophetic revelation after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) will be regarded as an unbeliever. There is no room for disagreement among Muslims on this matter.—(Vol. 22, p. 38). The Qur’an has declared in unequivocal language that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is the last Prophet. The Qur’an has declared in unequivocal language that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is the last Prophet. The Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has explained this clearly, and the entire Muslim community has acted upon it. Therefore, anyone who makes a claim contrary to this will be regarded as an unbeliever.—(Vol. 22, p. 39).

I have cited here the explanations and opinions of the greatest scholars, jurists, Qur’anic exegetes and hadith scholars of the Muslim world, from Hindustan to Morocco and Andalusia, and from Turkey to Yemen. Alongside their names, I have also mentioned their dates of birth and death. From this, anyone can immediately understand that the greatest scholars in the history of Islam, from the first to the thirteenth century AH, are included among them. I could also have cited the opinions of the scholars of the fourteenth century AH, but I deliberately did not quote their views. For someone might say, in response to their opinions and explanations, that they described this meaning of the finality of prophethood out of hostility toward the claimant to prophethood of this age. Therefore, I have quoted the opinions of the scholars of earlier ages. Needless to say, there is no question of any conflict between them and anyone of the present age. These opinions conclusively prove that, from the first century AH until today, the entire Muslim world has unanimously understood the expression ‘Seal of the Prophets’ to mean the last Prophet. Muslims in every age have held the same belief: after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the door of prophethood has been closed forever. Nor has there ever been any disagreement among Muslims that whoever claims to be a messenger or prophet after the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and whoever accepts his claim, will become unbelievers.

In light of this discussion, every sensible person can reach the conclusion that, in opposition to the meaning of the expression ‘Seal of the Prophets’ established by Arabic dictionaries, indicated by the surrounding Qur’anic text, explained by the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), unanimously affirmed by the noble Companions, and unambiguously accepted by the entire Muslim community from the time of the Companions until today, is there any scope or opportunity for accepting another meaning—that is, for opening the door of prophethood for some new claimant? And how can those people also be accepted as Muslims who not only held the mere idea of opening the door of prophethood, but through that door allowed one person to enter the office of prophethood and believed in his prophethood?

Three more points must be considered in this connection.

An Important Question

The first point is that the matter of prophethood is extremely delicate. In the view of the Qur’an, it is part of the fundamental creed of Islam. A person’s faith and unbelief depend on accepting or rejecting it. If someone is a prophet and people do not accept him, they become unbelievers. Conversely, if someone is not a prophet yet people accept him as a prophet, they too become unbelievers. In such a delicate situation, it is inconceivable that there could be any lack of caution on Allah’s part. If no prophet were to come after the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah Himself would have stated this in clear and unequivocal language in the Qur’an, declared it openly through the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would never have departed from this world until he had fully informed the entire ummah that more prophets would come after him and that we would have to accept them. What enmity did Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) have toward our religion and faith, that the door of prophethood would remain open after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and a prophet would enter through it—someone without believing in whom we could not remain Muslims—yet we were not merely left uninformed about this; on the contrary, Allah and His Messenger jointly said such things that for thirteen hundred years the entire ummah believed, and still believes today, that no prophet would come after the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)?

For the sake of argument, let us assume that the door of prophethood remains open and that a prophet has indeed come. In that case, we would reject him without hesitation. The only fear could be being questioned before Allah. But if, on the Day of Resurrection, He demanded an explanation from us concerning this, we would straightforwardly present the aforementioned records before His court. It would then be proved—God forbid—that the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger had themselves cast us into this unbelief. We can confidently say that, after seeing these records, Allah Most High will not punish us for refusing to believe in a new prophet. But if the door of prophethood has truly been closed, there is no possibility of another prophet coming, and despite this a person believes in a claimant to prophethood, then he should consider whether, to escape the sin of this unbelief, he can present any record in Allah’s court through which he may hope to be saved. Before appearing in court, he should analyze here the proofs and evidence collected for his own defense. He should examine his own proofs and evidence alongside those we have presented and judge whether any intelligent person could rely on the defense upon which he is acting and thereby risk suffering the punishment for unbelief.

What, then, is the need for a new prophet?

The second important point is that no person can develop the quality of prophethood within himself by progressing in worship and righteous deeds. Prophethood is not a reward granted to a person in return for some great service. Rather, it is an honor that Allah Most High grants to a particular person when there is a special need. When that need arises, Allah appoints a person to this rank; and when there is no need, Allah does not unnecessarily continue sending prophets one after another. If we try to learn from the Noble Qur’an under what circumstances the sending of a prophet becomes necessary, we find that prophets have been sent only under four types of circumstances:

First: The need arises to send a prophet to a particular nation because no prophet had previously come among them, and the message of a prophet sent to another nation had not reached them either.

Second: The need to send a prophet arises because people have forgotten the teaching of a previous prophet or have distorted it, making it impossible to follow the path shown by that prophet.

Third: The education of the people had not reached completion through a previous prophet, and an additional prophet had become necessary for the completion of the religion.

Fourth: Another prophet had become necessary to assist and support a prophet.

Needless to say, after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), none of the aforementioned reasons exists.

The Qur’an itself says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sent as a guide for the entire world. The cultural history of the world shows that, since he received prophethood, conditions have prevailed throughout the world that have made it possible for his call to reach all nations of the world. Therefore, there is no longer any need to send separate prophets to each nation.

The Qur’an also says—and all the reports of Hadith and Sirah bear witness to this—that the teaching of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has been preserved completely, accurately and without adulteration. No distortion or alteration has occurred in it. Not a single word has been added to or removed from the Qur’an that he brought, and this will not happen until the Day of Resurrection. The guidance he gave through his words and deeds has also reached us in such a way that it is as though we are living in his age. Thus, the second need has also come to an end.

The Noble Qur’an also clearly states that, through the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), Allah’s religion was brought to perfection. Therefore, there is no longer any need for a prophet for the completion of the religion either.

The fourth need now remains. My answer concerning it is that if another prophet had been needed to assist a prophet, he would have been sent together with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) during his lifetime. But everyone knows that no such prophet was sent during the age of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, this reason too has been invalidated.

We now wish to know: what is the fifth reason for another new prophet to come after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? If someone says that the entire ummah has gone astray and therefore another new prophet is needed to reform it, we will ask him: Has any prophet ever come anywhere in the world solely for the purpose of reform, such that a prophet should come today only for this task? The reason a prophet is sent is that revelation is given to him. Revelation is needed either to deliver a new message or to protect a previous message from distortion. After the Qur’an of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) have been preserved, the religion has reached perfection, and every possible need for revelation has come to an end, only the need for a reformer remains for reform—not the need for a prophet.

A New Prophethood Is Not a Messenger of Mercy for the Present Ummah

The third significant point is that as soon as a prophet comes among a nation, the question of faith and unbelief arises among them. Those who accept that prophet will become one ummah, while those who reject him will necessarily become part of another, separate ummah. The disagreement between these two ummahs will not be regarded as a partial or minor disagreement. Rather, it will become such a fundamental disagreement concerning belief in a prophet that one group will never be able to unite with the other unless it abandons its creed and beliefs. In addition, the sources of guidance and law for the two groups will in practice be different. One group will formulate its laws from the revelation and Sunnah of its own prophet, while the second group will directly refuse to accept these two as sources of its law. Therefore, it will never be possible for the two to form a single society together.

After observing these illuminating truths, anyone can clearly understand that the finality of prophethood is a tremendous mercy from Allah Most High for the Muslim nation. By its blessing, the entire Muslim nation has been able to become part of an eternal, worldwide brotherhood. This has protected Muslims from such fundamental disagreements as could have sown the seeds of perpetual separation among them. Therefore, whoever accepts the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as a guide and leader and does not wish to turn toward any source of guidance other than his teachings is included in this brotherhood and can become part of it at any time. Had the door of prophethood not been closed, the Muslim nation would never have found this unity, because after every prophet came, this unity would have been torn apart.

Human reason and conscience also support the view that, after establishing a universal and perfect religion and preserving it from every kind of distortion and alteration, the door of prophethood should be closed. As a result, by collectively following this last Prophet, Muslims throughout the world can remain part of the same ummah forever, and the unnecessary arrival of new prophets cannot repeatedly create division within the ummah. Whether a prophet is a ‘Zilli’ or a ‘Buruz’i’—[a prophet who follows a previous prophet is called a ‘Zilli’ prophet, while a prophet who does not follow a previous prophet is called a ‘Buruz’i’ prophet]—an ‘Ummahwala’ prophet, or a prophet possessing a Shariah and a revealed Book, whoever becomes a prophet in any capacity and is sent by Allah, the inevitable result of his coming will be that those who accept him will form one ummah, while those who do not accept him will be regarded as unbelievers. When a genuine need arises for sending a prophet, this division is inevitable—only then. But when there is no need for his coming, it cannot in any way be expected, in view of Allah’s wisdom and mercy, that He would plunge His servants into conflict between faith and unbelief and deny them the opportunity to belong collectively to one ummah. Therefore, whatever is established by the Qur’an, Sunnah and consensus, human reason also accepts as correct; and the demand of reason is that in the present age the door of prophethood should remain closed.

In the light of Hadith, the ‘Promised Messiah’s significance

Those who call people toward a new prophethood generally tell ignorant Muslims that the Hadith mentions the coming of the ‘Promised Messiah,’ and that the ‘Messiah’ was a prophet. Therefore, his coming does not affect the finality of prophethood in any way. Rather, the finality of prophethood is true, and the coming of the Promised Messiah is also true.

In this connection they further say that Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), is not the ‘Promised Messiah.’ He has died. The one whose coming is foretold in the Hadith is the ‘likeness of the Messiah’—that is, a Messiah resembling Jesus (peace be upon him). And he is such-and-such a person who has recently appeared. Accepting him is not contrary to belief in the finality of prophethood.

To tear away the veil concealing this deception, we are reproducing here, with their sources, the authoritative Hadiths cited on this subject from the reliable books of Hadith. By examining these Hadiths, everyone will be able to understand for himself what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) actually said and how he is being portrayed today.—[It should be noted in passing that the question of whether or not the Promised Messiah will come has no connection with the Qur’an. Its entire basis rests on Hadith. Therefore, if a Messiah is to come, it must be the Messiah whose mention is found in sound and reliable Hadiths. If the Hadiths concerning the Messiah are not accepted, then the question of the Messiah’s coming does not arise at all. The basis of this creed will naturally be Hadith, but to pointlessly find various flaws in the sound and reliable Hadiths that foretell the coming of the Messiah is sheer buffoonery.—(The Author).]

Hadiths concerning the descent of Jesus (peace be upon him)

(Arabic**************************on page 196 of the PDF)

“Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: By Him in Whose hand is my life, surely the son of Mary will descend among you as a just ruler. Then he will break the cross, destroy the swine—[Breaking the cross and destroying the swine means that Christianity will cease to exist as an independent religion. The entire structure of Christianity rests on the belief that Allah caused His only Son [that is, Jesus (peace be upon him)] to be crucified and subjected to an accursed death, and that thereby the sins of all human beings were atoned for. The difference between Christians and the followers of other prophets is that they have accepted only this creed and rejected the whole of God’s law. They have even declared swine lawful, although it was forbidden in the law of every prophet. Therefore, when Jesus (peace be upon him) himself comes and says, ‘I am not the Son of Allah, I was not crucified, and I was not an atonement for anyone’s sins,’ the very foundation of Christian belief will be uprooted. Similarly, when he says, ‘I did not make swine lawful for my followers, nor did I free them from the restrictions of the law,’ the second distinguishing feature of Christianity will be eradicated.]—and bring an end to war (in another narration, the word ‘jizyah’ is mentioned instead of war, meaning that he will abolish jizyah).—[In other words, religious distinctions will then disappear, and humanity will enter the single religion of Islam. Consequently, there will be no need for war, and jizyah will no longer be collected from anyone.—(The Author).] Then wealth will become so abundant that no one will remain willing to accept it, and people will reach such a state that a single prostration before Allah will be considered more valuable than the world and everything in it.”

Another Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) is as follows:

(Arabic******************************on page 197 of the PDF)

That is: “The Hour will not be established until Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), descends.” …Everything stated afterward is fully consistent with the Hadith quoted above.—(Bukhari, Kitab al-Mazalim, Bab Kasr al-Salib; Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Fitan, Bab Fitnat al-Dajjal).

(Arabic******************************on page 197 of the PDF)

“It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: What will your condition be when the son of Mary descends among you, while your imam at that time will be one of yourselves?”—[That is, Jesus (peace be upon him) will not lead the prayer. He will pray behind the imam previously appointed by the Muslims.—(The Author).]

(Arabic******************************on page 197 of the PDF)

“It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Jesus, son of Mary, will descend. He will destroy the swine and efface the cross. Multiple prayers will be performed for him at a single time. He will distribute so much wealth that eventually no one will be found to accept it. He will abolish the land tax. Staying at a place called Rawha—[Rawha is the name of a place twenty-five miles from Madinah]—he will perform Hajj or Umrah from there, or both.”—[It should be noted that the person who, in the present age, has been regarded as the ‘likeness of the Messiah,’ or as resembling the Messiah, never performed Hajj or Umrah in his life.—(The Author).]

[The narrator remained uncertain which of these the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) had said.]

(Arabic*******************************************on page 198 of the PDF)

“Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: [After describing the appearance of the Dajjal, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:] Meanwhile, the Muslims will continue preparing to fight him and will form ranks, and the iqamah for prayer will be completed. At that moment Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will descend and lead the Muslims in prayer. The enemy of Allah, the Dajjal, will begin to melt as soon as he sees him, just as salt melts in water. Even if Jesus (peace be upon him) were to leave him in that condition, he would melt away and die. But Allah Almighty will cause him to be killed at the hands of Jesus (peace be upon him). He will show the Muslims the blade of his spear stained with the Dajjal’s blood.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 198 of the PDF)

“It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no prophet between me and him [that is, Jesus (peace be upon him)], and he will descend. When you see him, recognize him. He will be of medium height, with a complexion between red and white. He will be wearing two yellow garments, though they will not be wet at all. He will fight people for the sake of Islam. He will break the cross into pieces. He will destroy the swine. He will abolish the jizyah tax. During his era, Allah will eliminate every religion in the world except Islam. He (the Messiah) will kill the Dajjal and remain in the world for forty years. Then he will die, and the Muslims will offer the funeral prayer for him.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 198 of the PDF)

“Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: Then Jesus, son of Mary, will descend. The leader of the Muslims will say to him, ‘Come and lead the prayer.’ But he will say, ‘No, you are leaders of one another.’—[That is, your leader should be from among yourselves.] He will say this in view of the honor Allah has granted this community.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 199 of the PDF)

“Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated, concerning Ibn Sayyad: Then Umar ibn al-Khattab requested, ‘O Messenger of Allah, permit me to kill him.’ The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘If this is that person [that is, the Dajjal], then you will not be his killer; rather, Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will kill him. And if he is not that person, you have no right to kill anyone from among those under protection.’”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 199 of the PDF)

“Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Concerning the Dajjal, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: That Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will suddenly appear among the Muslims. The people will stand for prayer. He will be told, ‘O Spirit of Allah, step forward.’ But he will say, ‘No, your imam should step forward. He should lead the prayer.’ Then, after the dawn prayer, the Muslims will set out to confront the Dajjal. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When that liar sees Jesus (peace be upon him), he will begin to melt as salt melts in water. Then he will advance toward the Dajjal and kill him. At that point, trees and stones will cry out, ‘O Spirit of Allah! The Jew is hiding behind me here.’ None of the Dajjal’s followers will remain alive without Jesus (peace be upon him) killing him.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 200 of the PDF)

“Nawwas ibn Sam‘an al-Kilabi (may Allah be pleased with him), quoting the statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) concerning the Dajjal, said: During these activities of the Dajjal, Allah will send the Messiah, son of Mary (peace be upon him). He will descend near the white minaret in the eastern part of Damascus, wearing two yellow garments and placing his hands on the shoulders of two angels. When he lowers his head, it will seem as though water is dripping from it. When he raises his head, it will seem as though drops of water are sparkling like pearls. No unbeliever whose body his breath reaches—and its reach will extend as far as his eyesight—will remain alive. Then the son of Mary will pursue the Dajjal and capture him at the gate of Ludd.—[It may be mentioned here that Ludd (Lydda) is located in Palestine only a few miles from Tel Aviv, the capital of the present state of Israel. The Jews have built a huge airport there.—(The Author).]”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 200 of the PDF)

“It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The Dajjal will emerge among my community and remain for forty—[I do not know whether forty days, forty months, or forty years; this is the statement of the Companion Abdullah ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him).] Then he will send Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him). His appearance will resemble that of Urwah ibn Masud [a certain Companion]. He will pursue the Dajjal and kill him. Then, for seven years, people will remain in such a condition that there will be no enmity even between two people.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 200 of the PDF)

“Hudhayfah ibn Asid al-Ghifari narrated: Once the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) came to our gathering while we were engaged in discussion among ourselves. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked, ‘What are you discussing?’ They replied, ‘We are discussing the subject of the Hour.’ He said, ‘It will certainly not be established until ten signs appear.’ Then he mentioned ten signs: smoke, the Dajjal, the Beast of the Earth, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus, son of Mary, Gog and Magog, and three great landslides—in the east, the west, and the Arabian Peninsula. Finally, a tremendous fire will emerge from Yemen and drive the people toward the plain of Resurrection.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 201 of the PDF)

“It is narrated from Thawban, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Allah has saved two armies from among my community from the Fire of Hell. One of them is those who will attack Hindustan. The second is those who will remain with Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him).”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 201 of the PDF)

“Mujammi‘ ibn Jariyah al-Ansari said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: The son of Mary will kill the Dajjal at the gate of Ludd.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 201 of the PDF)

“Abu Umamah al-Bahili narrated [in a lengthy Hadith concerning the Dajjal]: At precisely the time when the imam of the Muslims steps forward to lead the dawn prayer, Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will descend upon them. The imam will step back to let Jesus (peace be upon him) lead. But Jesus (peace be upon him) will place his hand on his shoulder and say, ‘No, you lead the prayer, for they have stood for you.’ Thus the imam will lead the prayer. After completing the prayer, Jesus (peace be upon him) will say, ‘Open the door.’ The door will then be opened. Outside, the Dajjal will be waiting with seventy thousand armed Jewish soldiers. As soon as his gaze falls upon Jesus (peace be upon him), he will begin to melt as salt melts in water. He will flee. Jesus (peace be upon him) will say, ‘I have a blow for you from which you can in no way escape.’ Then he will pursue and seize him at the eastern gate of Ludd, and Allah Almighty will grant the Jews defeat … and the earth will become filled with Muslims as a vessel becomes filled with water. Everyone will affirm the creed, and no one in the world will be worshipped besides Allah.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 202 of the PDF)

“Uthman ibn Abil-As said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say: …and Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will descend at the time of the dawn prayer. The leader of the Muslims will say to him, ‘O Spirit of Allah! Lead the prayer.’ He will reply, ‘The people of this community are themselves one another’s leaders.’ Then the leader of the Muslims will step forward and lead the prayer. After the prayer, Jesus (peace be upon him) will advance with his army toward the Dajjal. He will kill the Dajjal with his own weapon, and the Dajjal’s followers will be defeated and turn their backs in flight. But they will find nowhere to hide. Even the trees will call out, ‘O believer, a disbeliever is hiding here.’ The stones will also call out, ‘O believer, a disbeliever is hiding here.’”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 203 of the PDF)

“Samurah ibn Jundub narrated in a lengthy Hadith: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then, in the morning, Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will come among the Muslims, and Allah Almighty will defeat the Dajjal and his army. Even walls and tree trunks will call out, ‘O believer, here is a disbeliever hiding behind me; come and kill him.’”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 203 of the PDF)

“Imran ibn Husayn narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: A group from among my community will always remain established upon the truth, and they will prevail over the opposing group. Eventually Allah’s decree will come, and Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will descend.”—(Musnad Ahmad).

(Arabic*******************************************on page 203 of the PDF)

“Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said concerning the Dajjal that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend. He will kill the Dajjal. Then Jesus (peace be upon him) will remain in the world for forty years as a just imam and ruler.”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 203 of the PDF)

“Sufaynah, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), narrated concerning the Dajjal that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend, and Allah Almighty will kill him [the Dajjal] near a border pass called ‘Afiq.’—[Afiq is now called ‘Fiq.’ Afiq is the last city of the present state of Syria on the Syrian-Israeli border. A lake called Tiberias lies a few miles to its west. This is the source of the Jordan River. To its southwest, in the middle of the mountains and in a low-lying area, there is a road. This road descends approximately fifteen hundred feet and reaches the place where the Jordan River emerges through Tiberias. This route is called Aqabat Afiq, the mountainous pass of Afiq.—The Author.]”

(Arabic*******************************************on page 203 of the PDF)

“Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman, narrating concerning the Dajjal, said that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Then, when the Muslims are preparing for prayer, Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will descend before their very eyes. He will lead the Muslims in prayer. Then, after concluding the prayer with salams, he will say to the people, ‘Move away from between me and this enemy of Allah’ …and Allah Almighty will grant the Muslims power over the Dajjal’s forces. The Muslims will continue killing them in large numbers. Eventually even the trees and stones will call out, ‘O servant of Allah, O servant of the Most Merciful, O Muslim, look! There is a Jew here; kill him.’ Thus Allah will destroy them, and the Muslims will attain victory. They will overthrow the cross, destroy the swine, and abolish the jizyah.”

(This Hadith appears in abbreviated form in Muslim, and Hafiz Ibn Hajar considered it authentic in Fath al-Bari, volume 2, page 450.)

These twenty-one hadiths have been cited in the reliable books of hadith, with sound chains of transmission, through fourteen Companions. In addition, countless other hadiths on this subject have been cited in other hadith collections. However, since that would make the discussion lengthy, we have not quoted them here. We have quoted here only those hadiths that are stronger and more reliable in terms of both narration and chain of transmission.

What is proved by these hadiths?

Anyone who reads these hadiths will be able to understand for himself that they contain no mention of any Promised Messiah, a “likeness of the Messiah” or a “manifestation of the Messiah.” Indeed, no person born in the present age of a father and from a mother’s womb can claim that he is the Messiah about whom the Universal Prophet, Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him), prophesied. The unequivocal statements of these hadiths announce the descent of that very Jesus (peace be upon him) who was born two thousand years ago, without a father, in the womb of Hazrat Mary (peace be upon her). In this connection, whether he has died or is alive somewhere is entirely irrelevant. Even if, for the sake of argument, it is accepted that he has died, it can still be said that Allah has the power to restore him to life. [Those who deny Allah’s power to restore the dead to life should contemplate the meaning of verse 259 of Surah al-Baqarah. In this verse Allah says that He kept one of His servants dead for one hundred years and then brought him back to life. —Author] Moreover, Allah can keep one of His servants alive for thousands of years in some place within this vast created universe and then return him to this world at any time He wishes. In view of Allah’s infinite power, this does not seem strange at all. Needless to say, anyone who accepts the hadiths as true must also acknowledge the existence of the one who is to come in the future, for the belief in his coming has no basis anywhere other than the hadiths. Yet this strange phenomenon is observed only here: the belief in the coming of the one who is to come is accepted from the hadiths, but when those very hadiths clearly state that this coming one will not be a “likeness of the Messiah” (a Messiah-like person), but will himself be Jesus ibn Maryam (peace be upon him), that statement is rejected.

The second point that emerges clearly and unequivocally from these hadiths is that Hazrat Jesus ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) will not descend a second time as a prophet. No revelation will be sent down to him. He will bring no new message or law from Allah. Nor will he make any addition to or reduction from the Muhammadan Shariah. He will not be sent into the world for the revival of the religion of Islam. He will not come and invite people to believe in him, nor will he form a separate community consisting of those who believe in him. [The Muslim scholarly community has explained this matter with great clarity. Allama al-Taftazani (722–792 AH) wrote in his Sharh Aqa’id al-Nasafi: (Arabic****************************

It is an established fact that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the last of the prophets. If it is said that the hadiths mention the coming of Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) after him, we will say: yes, the statement that Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) will come is true. However, he will be a follower of Muhammad (peace be upon him), because his Shariah has been abrogated. Therefore, no revelation will be sent down to him, nor will he prescribe any new law; rather, he will act as the representative of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).”

Allama al-Alusi has said the same thing in his Tafsir Ruh al-Ma’ani:

(Arabic***********************************)

“When Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) descends, he will remain established in his prophetic rank and will not be removed from his former position of prophethood. However, he will not follow his former Shariah, because it has been abrogated for him and for all other people. From then on, in all matters of principle and detail, he will follow this Shariah—that is, the Muhammadan Shariah. Thus, just as no revelation will come to him, he will likewise have no authority to issue any ruling. Rather, he will act among this community as the representative (deputy) of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and as one of the rulers of his Muhammadan ummah. (Vol. 22, p. 32.) Imam al-Razi further clarified this point in the following words: (Arabic**********************)

“The era of the prophets ended with Muhammad (peace be upon him). After the advent of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the coming of prophets came to an end. Therefore, it is not at all unreasonable that, upon the descent of Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) in the present age, he will be a follower of Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him).”] He will be sent into the world with only one distinct responsibility: namely, he will completely eradicate the tribulation of the Dajjal. For this reason, he will descend in such a manner that there will be no room for any doubt among Muslims concerning his descent. The Muslims among whom he descends will certainly understand that he is the very person about whom the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prophesied—the Jesus ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) whose descent has occurred at the appointed time, in accordance with the Messenger of Allah’s statement. He will come and join the ranks of the Muslims. He will pray behind the Imam of the Muslims of that time. [Although hadith no. 5 and hadith no. 21 state that, after Jesus (peace be upon him) descends, he will lead the first prayer himself, most of the hadiths—particularly some of the stronger ones (nos. 3, 7, 9, 15 and 16)—indicate that he will refuse to lead the prayer and will give precedence to the contemporary Imam and leader of the Muslims. The hadith scholars and Qur’an commentators have unanimously adopted this view.] He will give precedence to the person who leads the Muslims at that time, so that no one can entertain the suspicion that he has returned to carry out the task of prophethood once again with his former prophetic rank. It can undoubtedly be said that, in the presence of a prophet of Allah, no other person can be the Imam or leader of a group. Thus, his inclusion in the Muslim community merely as an individual will spontaneously declare that he has not come as a prophet. Therefore, there is no question of his coming opening the door of prophethood.

Undoubtedly, his coming may be compared to the arrival of a former head of state during the tenure of a sitting head of state. In such a situation, the former head of state may come and take part in some state responsibility under the current head of state. Even a person of ordinary understanding can easily see that the mere arrival of one former head of state during the tenure of another does not violate the law. The law would certainly be violated in two situations: first, if the former head of state came and attempted once again to discharge the responsibility of head of state; and second, if someone denied even the former head of state’s work. For that would amount to challenging the validity of the actions carried out during his tenure as head of state. Unless one of these two situations occurs, the mere arrival of the former head of state cannot bring about any change in the legal position. The matter of Hazrat Jesus’s (peace be upon him) second coming is similar. If, merely because of his arrival, he were to begin discharging the responsibilities of the Seal of Prophethood, or if someone were to deny his former prophetic status as well, then Allah’s law of prophethood would be violated in this case. The hadiths have completely closed off both these possibilities. On the one hand, the hadiths clearly declare that there is no prophet after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), while on the other hand they announce that Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend again. It is therefore clear that his second coming will not be for the purpose of discharging the responsibilities of prophethood.

Similarly, his coming will not raise a new question of disbelief and faith among the Muslims. Even today, anyone who does not believe in his earlier prophethood becomes a disbeliever. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself also believed in that prophethood. The entire ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has believed in him from the very beginning. Muslims will not believe in a new prophethood; rather, as today, they will at that time believe in the earlier prophethood of Jesus ibn Maryam (peace be upon him). Just as this position is not opposed to the Seal of Prophethood today, it will not be opposed to it then either. The final point known from these hadiths and many other hadiths is that the Dajjal, for whose worldwide tribulation Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) will be sent to eradicate it, will be of Jewish descent. He will present himself as the “Messiah.” No one uninformed about Jewish history and their religious thought and beliefs will be able to appreciate the significance of this matter. After the death of Hazrat Solomon (peace be upon him), when the Children of Israel suffered social and religious decline and political downfall, and this decline continued for a long period until, at last, the rulers of Babylon and Assyria subjugated them, expelled them from their country and scattered them throughout various regions of the world, the prophets of the Children of Israel began giving them the glad tidings that a Messiah from Allah would come and free them from this extreme humiliation. In light of these prophecies, the Jews awaited the coming of a Messiah. He would be a king. He would conquer lands through warfare. He would bring the Children of Israel from various countries and gather them in Palestine, establishing a powerful state for them. But when Hazrat Jesus ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) came from Allah as the “Messiah,” they would reject him, thereby proving their hopes and aspirations false. They would attempt to kill him. From that time until today, the Jewish world has been counting the days awaiting that Promised Messiah, whose coming they had been given the glad tidings of. For hundreds of years, the Jewish nation has sustained itself by savoring the imagined flavor of the design fashioned for him in their literary works. They sit with hearts full of hope that this Promised Messiah will be a powerful military and political leader. He will bring the entire region from the Nile to the Euphrates—which the Jews regard as their inherited territory—back under Jewish control and gather Jews from all over the world there. If current conditions in the Middle East are examined and events are analyzed in the light of the prophecies of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), it will be seen that, in accordance with the words of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), the stage has been completely prepared for the advent of the chief Dajjal who will play the role of the Jews’ Promised Messiah. Muslims have been dispossessed of the larger part of Palestine

(Map on page 208 of the PDF***************************************)

the Jewish state of which the Israeli leaders dream

has been established there, under the name of Israel. Jews from various countries around the world are arriving in groups and establishing homes there. America, Britain and France have transformed it into a major military power. With the assistance of Jewish capitalists, Jewish scientists and industrialists are rapidly advancing it along the path of progress. This power has become a grave danger to the surrounding Muslim countries. The rulers of this state have not concealed their desire to seize this “inherited land.” A representation of the blueprint for the future Jewish state that they have been presenting for a long time is shown on the preceding map. In this map can be seen

(Map on page 209 of the PDF***************************************)

The place where the true Messiah, Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him), will descend

They wish to extend their empire over the whole of Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, almost all of Iraq, as well as Iskanderun in Turkey, the Sinai and Delta regions of Egypt, and as far as the highlands of the Hijaz and Najd in Arabia, including Madinah-Munawwarah. In view of this situation, it is clearly understandable that, amid the turmoil of some future world war, they will attempt to seize those areas, and at that time the so-called foremost Dajjal will appear as their Promised Messiah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not merely announce his advent; he also said that at that time mountains of calamity would collapse upon the Muslims, and each day would seem to them like a year. For this reason, he himself sought refuge with Allah from the trial of the Messiah Dajjal and instructed the Muslims also to seek refuge.

To confront this Messiah Dajjal, Allah will not send any ‘likeness of the Messiah’; rather, He will send the real Messiah. Two thousand years ago, the Jews refused to accept this real Messiah and, according to their understanding, crucified him and removed him from the face of the earth. This real Messiah will not descend in India, Africa or America; rather, he will descend in Damascus, because war will then be raging there. Please also look at the second map given earlier. It shows that Damascus is only 50 to 60 miles from the border of Israel. If the substance of the hadith I have mentioned earlier is kept in mind, it will easily be understood that the Messiah Dajjal will enter Syria with an army of 70,000 Jews and appear before Damascus. At that very moment, Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend after dawn, near a white minaret in the eastern part of Damascus, and after the Fajr prayer he will set out with the Muslims to confront the Dajjal. Under his fierce attack, the Dajjal will retreat through the mountainous pass of Afik (see Hadith No. 21) and return toward Israel. But he will pursue him. Finally, the Dajjal will be killed at his hands at Lydda Airport (Hadith Nos. 10, 14 and 15). After this, the Jews will be seized and killed everywhere, and the existence of the Jewish nation will be extinguished (Hadith Nos. 9, 15 and 21). After the truth is manifested by Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him), Christianity too will disappear (Hadith Nos. 1, 2, 4 and 6), and all nations will become united within the Muslim ummah (Hadith Nos. 6 and 15).

This unequivocal truth emerges from the hadith without any kind of ambiguity or obscurity. After this lengthy discussion, there remains no room for any doubt that the enterprise being conducted in our country in the name of the ‘Promised Messiah’ is nothing but a gigantic fraud.

I shall now present the most ludicrous aspect of this fraud. The person who declared himself identical with the Messiah mentioned in this prophecy presented the following amusing statement to establish that he himself was Jesus ibn Maryam:

“He (that is, Allah) named me Maryam in the third part of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya. Then, as was revealed in Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, I was nurtured for two years with the qualities of Maryam. … Then, like Maryam, the spirit of Jesus was infused into me, and metaphorically I was made pregnant. Finally, after a few months—which would not be more than ten months—through the revelation mentioned in the fourth part of Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya, I was transformed from Maryam into Jesus. Thus, in this way, I became Jesus ibn Maryam.” —Kishti-e-Nuh, pp. 87–89

That is, first he becomes Maryam. Then he himself becomes pregnant. After that, from his own womb, he himself is born as Jesus ibn Maryam. Yet another problem arose. According to the hadith, Jesus ibn Maryam will descend in Damascus. Damascus has been a famous, universally known city of Syria for several thousand years. Even today, this city is marked by that very name on the map of the world. Thus, this problem was resolved through another amusing statement:

‘It should be noted that the meaning of the word Damascus was revealed to me by Allah in this way: the name Damascus has been given to a city in which dwell people possessing the character of Yazid and people who follow the habits and thoughts of the impure Yazid. … For this reason, it has compatibility and a relationship with Damascus.’ —Izala-e-Auham, notes 63 to 73

One more difficulty still remains. According to the hadith, Ibn Maryam will descend near a white minaret. This problem has been solved very easily. That is, the Promised Messiah himself came and had his own minaret built. Now tell me, who will make him understand that, according to the description in the hadith, the minaret would already be there before the descent of Ibn Maryam? Yet here we see that the minaret was built after the advent of the Promised Messiah.

The final and most complicated problem still remains. That is, according to the description in the hadith, Jesus ibn Maryam (peace be upon him) will kill the Dajjal at the entrance to Lydda. In attempting to resolve this problem, many nonsensical things were said at first. At one time, a village near Jerusalem was accepted as Lydda (Izala-e-Auham, published by Anjuman Ahmadiyya Lahore, abridged edition, p. 220). At another time, it was said that Lydda refers to people who engage in pointless quarrels. … ‘When the Dajjal’s pointless quarrelling reaches its peak, the Promised Messiah will appear and put an end to all his quarrelling.’ (Izala-e-Auham, p. 730) But when this too failed to resolve the problem, it was plainly declared that Lydda (Lud in Arabic) means the city of Ludhiana in Punjab. The meaning of killing the Dajjal at the entrance to Ludhiana is that, despite the opposition of the wicked, the first pledge of allegiance was taken here at the hand of Mirza Sahib. —Al-Huda, p. 99

Any person of sound judgment, upon impartially reviewing these statements and their explanations, will be compelled to reach the conclusion that a lying impersonator’s (False Impersonation) performance has been staged here in broad daylight.

Some More Misleading Interpretations by the Qadianis

Clear Defiance of the Qur’an and Hadith

When Allah and His Messenger settle a matter through clear and unequivocal injunctions, then setting aside that clear injunction, deriving whatever meaning one needs from verses and hadith unrelated to the matter, and holding a creed completely opposed to the clear injunctions of the Qur’an and Hadith and acting accordingly is extreme misguidance—indeed, the vilest rebellion against Allah and His Messenger. A person who openly adopts a course contrary to Allah and His injunctions commits a relatively minor kind of rebellion. But distorting the declarations and injunctions of Allah and His Messenger themselves against their decision and using them for one’s own interests is no minor rebellion. Regarding those who do this, we can never think that they sincerely follow the commands of Allah and His Messenger. For settling the question of whether Sayyiduna Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the last Prophet and whether any prophet will come after him, we could turn our attention to(Arabic**************) and (Arabic*****)and other such verses, if Allah and His Messenger had not given the answer to this particular question anywhere in the Qur’an and Hadith. But when we have received an unequivocal answer to this question from Allah in the verse ‘Khataman Nabiyyin’ and from the Messenger in numerous sound and reliable hadith, then ((Arabic*********) and (Arabic*******) and directing one’s attention to such verses, and deriving from them an interpretation contrary to the clear injunctions of the Qur’an and Hadith—or accepting such an interpretation—can only be the work of a person who has not the slightest fear of Allah in his heart and does not even believe that one day, after death, he will have to answer before Allah. An example may be given as follows: a certain act has been declared a crime in unequivocal language in one section of a country’s penal code. But a person has exerted himself to prove this crime a lawful act. For this purpose, setting aside that particular section, he has begun searching through unrelated sections of the law for the slightest indication or some minor, ambiguous statement. Then he pieces these together. If the world’s police authorities and courts are not prepared to accept as evidence the act that the clear section of the law declares criminal, how can one hope that it will be accepted in the court of Allah?

Proving by sheer force

After reading the verses from which the Qadianis seek to prove their position, one is astonished at their method of proof. It becomes clear that those verses do not have the meaning which they forcibly attempt to extract from them. Let us see the actual meaning of the verses on which they have exercised their ingenuity: ((Arabic*********) What is stated in verse 69 of Surah al-Nisa is only that those who obey Allah and the Messenger will be companions of the prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous (the virtuous). How, then, was it inferred from this that those who obey Allah and the Messenger will either become prophets, or truthful, or martyrs, or righteous? Then consider verse 19 of Surah al-Hadid once. It says:

(Arabic*******************************************on PDF page 213)

That is, “Those who believe in Allah and His messengers are the truthful and the martyrs in the sight of their Lord.” This makes it perfectly clear that, as a result of attaining faith, a person can attain only the status of the truthful and the martyrs. As for the prophets, it may be said that being companions of the prophets is sufficient for the believers. It is utterly impossible for a person to become a prophet as a reward for any deed. Therefore, the verse of Surah an-Nisa states that those who obey Allah and the Messenger will be with the prophets, the truthful and the martyrs. And the verse of Surah al-Hadid states that those who believe in Allah and the Messenger will themselves become truthful and martyrs.

And regarding verse 35 of Surah al-A’raf (Arabic**********) it has been said that it is connected with a narrative. This narrative continues from verses 11 to 36 of Surah al-A’raf. If it is judged in the light of the subject matter before and after this narrative, it becomes clear that this address was made to the children of Adam at the very beginning of the creation of humankind. How can one derive from these verses the idea that they speak of the coming of prophets after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)? They speak of the time when Adam (peace be upon him) and his wife were expelled from Paradise and brought down to the world.

The Correct Meaning of the Verse of Surah al-A’raf

The meaning that the Qadiani gentlemen derive from verse 35 of Surah al-A’raf by severing it from its preceding and following context is completely contrary to the meaning that emerges when it is judged in its proper place. In fact, the chain of discourse in connection with which this verse was revealed is narrated continuously from the second ruku‘ of Surah al-A’raf to the middle of the fourth ruku‘. First, the story of Adam and Eve is narrated in the second ruku‘. Then, in the third and fourth ruku‘, comments are made on the consequences of this story. When verse 35 is read in the light of this preceding and following discussion, it becomes clear that the address expressed through (Arabic******)is related to the beginning of creation, not to the time of the revelation of the Qur’an. In other words, its purpose is that, at the very beginning of creation, the children of Adam were warned that their salvation would depend on obeying the guidance that would be sent to them from Allah.

Verses containing this subject matter have been included in three places in the Qur’an. At each place, they are introduced in connection with the narration of the story of Adam and Eve (peace be upon them). The first verse occurs in Surah al-Baqarah (verse 38), the second in Surah al-A’raf (verse 35), and the third in Surah Ta-Ha (verse 123). Along with the profound similarity in the subject matter of these three verses, the similarity in their setting and circumstances is also noteworthy.

The Qur’anic exegetes regard this verse of Surah al-A’raf, like the other verses, as being connected with the story of Adam and Eve (peace be upon them). In his commentary, Allamah Ibn Jarir, quoting the statement of Abu Sayyar al-Sulami in connection with explaining this verse, writes: “Here Allah Most High addressed Adam (peace be upon him) and his family together and at the same time.” In his Tafsir al-Kabir, Imam Razi writes in explaining this verse: “If the Prophet, may peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is being addressed, although he is the last prophet, then its meaning is that Allah Most High is describing His practice concerning the communities.” Allamah Alusi says in his Ruh al-Ma‘ani: “What happened to every nation has been narrated here in the form of a story. To take the ummah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) here in the sense of the Children of Adam would be a grave error and contrary to the manifest meaning. For the word rasul has been stated in the plural, ‘rusul’ (Arabic***) .” The meaning of the final part of Allamah Alusi’s statement is that, if the Muhammadi community had been addressed here, it could never have been said to them, “Messengers will come among you.” For there is no question of any messenger coming among this community apart from one messenger, Muhammad (peace be upon him).

The Meaning of the Verse of Surah al-Mu’minun

(Arabic*******************************************on PDF page 214)

That is, “O messengers! Eat pure and wholesome foods and do righteous deeds. Surely I know all that you do.” —(Surah al-Mu’minun: 51)

If this verse is not separated from its preceding and following context, the meaning given to it by the Qadianis is utterly impossible. The discourse in connection with which this verse was revealed has continued uninterruptedly from the second ruku‘ onward. These verses discuss all the prophets, beginning with Noah (peace be upon him) and ending with Jesus (peace be upon him), and their peoples, and state: “In every land and every age, the prophets taught people one and the same teaching; their method was one and identical, and Allah Most High bestowed the same kind of favor upon them. Conversely, the misguided nations invariably abandoned the path of Allah and engaged in evil deeds.” In the context of this account, this verse was in no way revealed with the following meaning: “O messengers! You who will come after Muhammad (peace be upon him), eat pure and wholesome foods and do righteous deeds.” Rather, the meaning of this verse is that Allah Most High gave all the prophets who came from Noah (peace be upon him) to Muhammad (peace be upon him) the same instruction: eat pure and wholesome foods and do righteous deeds.

Nor have the exegetes ever taken this verse to mean that the door of prophethood would be opened after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). If you wish to investigate further and attain greater peace of mind, you may read the discussion of this passage in various works of tafsir.

Presenting Proof from Hadith of the Qadianis’ Error

(Arabic*******************************************on PDF page 215)

That is, the evidence that the Qadianis present from the hadith—“Had Ibrahim [the son of the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him)] lived, he would certainly have become a prophet”—is erroneous for four reasons.

First: The chain of transmission in the narration in which this is reported as a statement of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) is weak, and no hadith scholar has called this chain sound.

Second: Leading hadith scholars such as Nawawi and Ibn Abd al-Barr regarded the content of this hadith as unreliable. Imam Nawawi writes in his Tahdhib al-Asma wa al-Lughat:

(Arabic*******************************************on PDF page 215)

That is, “The statement written by some earlier scholars—that if Ibrahim [the son of Muhammad (peace be upon him)] had lived, he would have become a prophet—is not true. For it is an audacious claim concerning the unseen and like uttering a statement without thinking it through.”

Allamah Ibn Abd al-Barr writes in al-Tamhid:

(Arabic*******************************************on PDF page 215)

That is, “I do not know what kind of content this is. A child was born in the family of Noah (peace be upon him) who was not a prophet. Yet if it were necessary for a prophet’s son to become a prophet, then everyone in the world today would be a prophet, because everyone is descended from Noah (peace be upon him).”

Third: In most narrations, this hadith is presented as a statement of the Companions rather than as a statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Moreover, they have clearly stated along with it that, since there is no prophet after the Prophet (peace be upon him), Allah Most High took away his son. For example, the narration in Bukhari states:

(Arabic*******************************************on PDF page 216)

“Isma’il ibn Abi Khalid said: I asked Abdullah ibn Abi Awfa (a Companion), ‘Did you see Ibrahim, the son of the Prophet (peace be upon him)?’ He replied, ‘He died in infancy. If Allah Most High had decreed that He would send a prophet after Muhammad (peace be upon him), He would have kept his son alive. But there is no prophet after the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him).’”

Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated a report that is almost in agreement with this. He said:

(Arabic*******************************************on PDF page 216)

“Had he lived, he would have become a prophet. But he did not live, because your Prophet is the last prophet.” —(Ruh al-Ma‘ani, vol. 22, p. 3)

Fourth: Even if the narration in which this statement is attributed to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), and which has been regarded as weak and unreliable, had not contained this explanation by the noble Companions, and even if these statements of the hadith scholars had not been added to it, it still could never have been accepted. For the unanimous principle of the science of hadith is that if the content of a narration conflicts with a large number of authentic hadiths, it cannot be accepted under any circumstances. Now let us consider: on one side are numerous hadiths with authentic and strong chains, clearly stating that the door of prophethood was closed after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); on the other side is this single narration, which suggests the possibility that the door of prophethood remains open. When these two circumstances are examined, how can the numerous narrations be rejected in favor of this one single narration?

The Final Word

In the view of both the Noble Qur’an and the Noble Hadith, prophethood is a fundamental matter of the religion. In other words, people’s faith and disbelief are founded upon it, and their success or failure in the Hereafter will be decided on this basis. If a person does not accept a true prophet, he will become a disbeliever. Likewise, if he accepts a false prophet, he will also become a disbeliever. Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) have guided people regarding a matter of such fundamental importance in a clear and unequivocal manner. They made arrangements beforehand so that people’s religion and faith would not be endangered and Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him) would not be held responsible for their misguidance. Another noteworthy point here is that, before the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), it was never said in the age of any prophet that the succession of prophethood had ended and that no further prophet would come. This means that the door for the coming of prophets was then open, and no one had the right to reject the claim of any claimant to prophethood by saying that no prophet would come thereafter. Moreover, in those times the prophets continued to prophesy the coming of prophets after them. They took pledges from their followers to obey the prophets who would come later. These practices further strengthened the idea that if someone presented himself as a prophet, he could not be rejected outright without any consideration. Rather, his call, personality, deeds and circumstances were carefully examined to determine whether he was truly a prophet of Allah or a false claimant to prophethood. But after the coming of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), this situation was completely reversed. The matter did not end merely with the fact that Muhammad (peace be upon him) made no prophecy of a prophet coming after him and took no pledge of allegiance to him from the community. On the contrary, the Qur’an declared Muhammad (peace be upon him) to be the last prophet, and in not one or two but numerous authentic and reliable hadiths he stated clearly and unequivocally that whoever would arise claiming prophethood after him would be the Dajjal. The question is: in the view of Allah and His Prophet, is the matter of people’s Islam and disbelief not delicate and important today? Were only the believers after the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) entitled to be saved from the trial of disbelief? For this reason, did Allah and His messengers arrange to inform only them, in unequivocal terms, that the door of prophethood would remain open and the chain of prophets would continue? But have they now knowingly cast us into this danger? That is, on one side there is the possibility of a prophet coming, and by accepting or rejecting him we could become believers or disbelievers. On the other side, Allah and His messengers have not merely left us uninformed about the coming of a prophet; they have gone further and continued to say things that make us think that the door of prophethood has been closed, and therefore prevent us from accepting a claimant to prophethood. Does your reason truly say that Allah and His Messenger Muhammad (peace be upon him) could deceive us in this way?

The Qadianis may interpret the term ‘Khatam an-Nabiyyin’ however they wish. But at the very least they cannot deny that it may mean the termination of the succession of prophethood, and that ninety-nine lakh ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine out of every crore among the scholars and people of the community understand the term in precisely this sense. The question is: regarding such a delicate matter as prophethood—upon which the faith and disbelief of Muslims depend—should Allah have used language from which the entire Muhammadi community, apart from a handful of Qadianis, understood that no prophet would come anymore? The statements of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) leave no room whatsoever for any different interpretation in this matter. These statements unequivocally express that no prophet will come after him. The question is: did Allah’s Prophet harbor such hostility toward us that a prophet would come after him, yet he left us the instruction to reject him so that we would become disbelievers and go to Hell?

In this situation, no matter how attractive a person’s appearance may be, even if all his prophecies were proven one hundred percent true and despite his thousand accomplishments, we would not regard his claim to prophethood as worthy of consideration. For it would be worthy of consideration only if there were a possibility of a prophet coming. We would call every claimant to prophethood a liar as soon as we heard of him, with complete certainty, and attach no importance whatsoever to the arguments and proofs he brought in support of his prophethood. If this is disbelief, then we will bear no responsibility for it, because we have the Qur’an and the hadith of the Messenger with which to present our defense before Allah on the Day of Resurrection.

Chapter 6 — The Personal Life and Prophetic Life of Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Following and Obeying the Noble Prophet

For those who accept Islam and become members of the Muslim ummah, the Messenger is no longer merely a bearer of the message. Rather, for them the Messenger is at once a teacher, a trainer and a practical model of the Islamic way of life. Above all, he attains for them the status of an exemplary leader whose unconditional obedience is necessary in every age.

A Teacher, Trainer and Ideal Human Being

As a teacher, the responsibility of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) is to explain and analyze everything that Allah has taught and instructed, and all the laws, rules and prohibitions He has revealed, and make everyone understand them thoroughly. This is what is stated in this Qur’anic phrase: (Arabic*********) “He will teach them the Book and the wisdom (of implementing the teachings of the Book), train the Muslims according to the laws and rules, and shape their lives in that mold (Arabic******). As an ideal human being, the role of the Messenger (peace be upon him) is to present himself as the embodiment of the teachings of the Qur’an—his life will be exactly the reflection of the kind of life a Muslim should lead according to the Book of Allah. From each of his words and actions it will be known how one should speak, how one should use one’s abilities properly, and what kind of conduct in worldly life is intended by the Book of Allah. Everything contrary to this is opposed to the will of that Book. The statements of these two Qur’anic verses are also precisely the same: (Arabic************) “Indeed, in the life of the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example or model.” (Arabic**************************) “He does not speak from his own desire. Whatever he says comes to him through revelation.” At the same time, the Messenger is also the Muslims’ amir or leader. But he is not a leader whose words and actions may be disputed or debated in any way. Rather, he is such a leader that, in the words of the Qur’an, (Arabic******************) “When you dispute over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger.” (Arabic*****************) “Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah.” He is not a leader only during his lifetime; rather, he is the leader of the entire Muslim nation until the Day of Resurrection. His commands are obligatory for Muslims in every age and under all circumstances.

Not Merely a Preacher and Messenger

The Qur’anic phrase (Arabic******) “Your duty is only to convey Allah’s message,” and several similar verses are used by some people to try to prove that the Messenger’s task is limited solely to preaching. Such people forget that the Messenger is merely a preacher only until people accept Islam, and that this applies only to those who have not yet accepted the Messenger’s teachings. But for those who accept Islam and become part of the Muslim ummah, the Messenger is not merely a preacher; rather, he is simultaneously their leader, ruler, lawgiver, judge, teacher and trainer, and above all an ideal human being whom they must imitate and follow.

The distinction that some have sought to make between Muhammad, son of Abdullah, and Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Messenger of Allah who propagated Islam, is not established at all by the Holy Qur’an. The Qur’an gives only one identity of the Noble Prophet, namely, that he was a Prophet and Messenger. He spoke every word as the Messenger of Allah and performed every deed as the Messenger of Allah. By virtue of occupying the position of Messenger, he was at once a preacher and teacher, a trainer and purifier of character, a judge and ruler, a leader and administrator. Even all the activities of his personal, family, and social life were conducted and carried out as the Messenger. In all these spheres of life, he possessed the perfect, pure, and unblemished way of life of a complete human being, an obedient Muslim, and a sincere believer. Following and emulating that pure and sacred way of life is indispensable for attaining Allah’s pleasure and success in the Hereafter. Allah Himself has declared this in verse 21 of Surah Al-Ahzab of the Holy Qur’an:

(Arabic*******************************************PDF page 222)

Not even the slightest indication can be found in any statement of the Qur’an that any distinction has been made among the different aspects of the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as a prophet, as a human being, and as a ruler. How could such a distinction possibly be made? Since he was the Messenger of Allah, it was essential that his entire life be subject to and follow Allah’s Shariah and represent Islamic law. No act or conduct disliked by Allah could possibly have proceeded from him.

He was not driven by passion or the whims of his mind

That the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was free from evil inclinations and was not driven by his own whims is stated clearly in the first few verses of Surah An-Najm of the Holy Qur’an. It is said:(Arabic**********) “Your companion [that is, Muhammad (peace be upon him)] has neither gone astray nor been led astray.” (Arabic********) “He does not speak from his own desires.” (Arabic**********) “His every utterance is nothing but revelation sent down to him.” (Arabic********) “He was taught by a mighty, powerful teacher.” Some people think that these verses merely assert that the Qur’an is revelation. Some unbelievers used to deny precisely that. But I find not even the slightest indication of the Qur’an in these verses. (Arabic*****) In this verse (Arabic) the pronoun “it” refers specifically to the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) speech. That is, (Arabic*********) “He does not speak any word according to his own whim.” It refers to the word “speech” occurring in this sentence. There is no basis in these verses for saying that the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) speech here specifically means only the Qur’an. Whatever words come from the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) mouth are revelation and are free from the promptings of passion and the whims of the mind—that is what these verses state. The purpose of the Qur’an’s giving this certification is that those to whom the Messenger (peace be upon him) was sent may know with complete confidence and certainty that the Messenger (peace be upon him) was not led astray in the least and that, if he spoke according to his own whim rather than speaking on behalf of Allah, no one could have confidence in him as a Messenger. The unbelievers denied precisely this—that he was a Messenger. They thought that, God forbid, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had lost his mind, or that some human being secretly taught him, or that he fabricated statements himself. Allah the Exalted revealed these verses of Surah An-Najm to refute this mistaken notion and stated in unequivocal language that their companion was neither misguided nor astray. He did not speak fabricated words either. Whatever came from his mouth was truth and was revealed from Me. No human being, jinn, or Satan read it to him or taught it to him; he was taught by a teacher of immense power. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself, pointing to his tongue, said these very words: (Arabic*****) “By Allah, in Whose hand is my life and death, nothing but the truth comes out through this tongue.”

Following him is obligatory in all circumstances

It is deeply unfortunate that some people do not wish to accept that obedience to the Messenger (peace be upon him) is necessary in all circumstances. They say that it was not claimed that the conversations the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had with his wives at home or with other people outside the home were also revelation, and the unbelievers did not concern themselves with them either. I say that whatever the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did, in whatever situation, he did as the Messenger. Everything he did was free from error and the lusts of passion. Allah the Exalted created him with a perfect, faultless, truth-oriented conscience and nature, and set for him the limits of God-consciousness and purity. All his words and deeds arose from that nature and remained within those limits. His exalted personality embodied an excellent example and model worthy of emulation and following for all humanity. Indeed, it is by examining that model that we learn what is lawful and unlawful, what is halal and haram in Islam; which things Allah likes and which He dislikes; in which matters we are free to express our own opinions and conduct thought and research, and in which matters we are not. That model tells us how to obey leaders and rulers, how to resolve all problems through consultation, and what democracy means in our religion, Islam.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was an Amir appointed by Allah the Exalted

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was not an Amir elected or nominated by the people, nor did he make himself one. He was an Amir and leader appointed by Allah Himself. His role as a leader was not different from his role as a Messenger; rather, he was the leader of the people precisely as the Messenger of Allah. More accurately, he was not a leader or Amir but one obedient to Allah. It is true that he was commanded to consult his followers, so that he would present himself to his Ummah as an example of consultation. Through his own actions, he taught the correct principles of democracy. It would not be correct to conclude from this that his status was the same as that of other leaders. Other leaders have been legally required to conduct their affairs through consultation. (Arabic******) “They must conduct all their affairs through mutual consultation.” If disagreement arose during consultation, guidance had to be sought directly from Allah and the Messenger (peace be upon him), that is, from the Qur’an and Sunnah: (Arabic*************************) (If you differ over anything, refer its decision to Allah and the Messenger). Yet, immediately after commanding the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to consult, it was also said to him: (Arabic*******) “Then, when you have firmly decided on a matter, place your trust in Allah.” This clearly shows that he was not dependent on consultation. Nevertheless, he was told to consult solely so that, through the blessed hands of the Messenger (peace be upon him), the foundation of a truly democratic system of governance might be laid.

Obedience to the Messenger as leader or Amir

Some people also hold a mistaken notion concerning this matter. They say that obedience to the Prophet (peace be upon him) as leader was limited to his lifetime. But this is not correct. They cite the words of verse 20 of Surah Al-Anfal (Arabic********) and take them to mean that the command to obey the Messenger (peace be upon him) was given only to those who could hear him at that time. But that is not the actual meaning of this verse. The very first verse of Surah Al-Anfal says, (Arabic*************) “If you are believers, then follow Allah and the Messenger.” Not only that, those who felt inwardly hesitant to respond to the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) call to jihad were rebuked in verse 5. Then verse 13 says, (Arabic***************) “Whoever disputes with Allah and His Messenger should know that Allah is severe in punishment.”

Immediately after saying these things, verse 20 states:

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“O believers! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger. Do not disobey the command when you hear it.” In this verse and the preceding verses, the command to obey Allah is repeatedly mentioned alongside the command to obey the Messenger. Its purpose is to make clear that obeying the Messenger’s command is itself included in obeying Allah’s command. Another point must also be noted. Everywhere the word “Messenger” is used; the word “Amir” is not used anywhere. There is not even the slightest implicit indication that “Messenger” means a position such as leader or Amir, separate from the position of the Messenger (peace be upon him). At the same time, it is noteworthy that people are forbidden to disregard the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) command, and the clear meaning of the words “when you hear it” is: do not refuse to obey My Messenger (peace be upon him) even after hearing My commands repeated so often. Here, the word “you” does not mean only the Muslims who were alive during the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) lifetime; rather, it includes all believers until the Day of Resurrection who hear the message of the Qur’an. For all of them, obeying and implementing every command of the Messenger (peace be upon him) is obligatory, however it may reach them.

A strange argument

Some argue that the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) responsibility of leadership was temporary, just as it is in the case of other leaders. For it is impossible in the present age to fight with spears, lances, and swords as in the Battles of Badr and Uhud. What a strange argument this is! The weapons that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used in that age may have been limited to the particular circumstances of that age. But that does not make the moral rules and restrictions he observed in war, and instructed others to observe, matters belonging to a particular age. Rather, through them he established a permanent code of warfare for Muslims.

In fact, from the perspective of Shariah, it is not a matter of great importance what weapons the Prophet (peace be upon him) used in war—sword, gun, or cannon. Rather, the essential consideration is for what purpose he used those weapons and what kind of bloodshed he caused with them. The model he presented through the various battles is an eternal and complete model for Islamic jihad. Therefore, in principle and as a matter of policy, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Prophet of the world, is the supreme commander of all Muslim armies of every age until the Day of Resurrection.

The distinctive status of the Prophet’s leadership

A certain gentleman, distinguishing between Imarat and Risalat, says that Muslims have the right to debate and disagree with their leader, whereas they may not disagree with the Messenger (peace be upon him). I ask that gentleman: how can the leadership of the Messenger (peace be upon him) be equal to that of other leaders? He was the leader before whom even speaking in a raised voice was not permitted; Surah Al-Hujurat declares that merely speaking loudly would cause all the good deeds of one’s entire life to be lost, and Surah An-Nisa warns that whoever disputes with him will be cast into Hell. Could Muslims have any right to disagree with his decision? Certainly not. Then how can the leadership of that leader be equal to the leadership of other leaders? Muslims have indeed been given the right to disagree with other leaders.

Three levels of obedience

Some people hold the mistaken notion that the commands in the Qur’an to obey the Messenger (peace be upon him) are synonymous with obedience to an Amir or leader. An example of this view is quoted below:

“Wherever the command to obey Allah and the Messenger (peace be upon him) is mentioned together in the Qur’an, it means, in general, obedience by Muslims to the leadership that accepts the Qur’an as the basis of law and constitution and is administered either by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself or by his Caliph. For example, the Qur’an says concerning the spoils of war: (Arabic************) “They ask you about the spoils of war. Say: the spoils of war belong to Allah and the Messenger.” It is well known that this command concerning the spoils was not limited to the time of the Messenger of Allah’s (peace be upon him) wars; rather, it was equally binding for later times. That command is vested in the hands of the contemporary Muslim leadership. Therefore, as leader, the status of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself is exactly the same as that of his Caliphs.”

This view is clearly nothing but a distortion of the truth. The Holy Qur’an clearly mentions three levels of leadership: obedience to Allah, obedience to the Messenger (peace be upon him), and obedience to those vested with authority. Obedience to Allah means obedience to the commands of the Qur’an. Obedience to the Messenger (peace be upon him) means following and emulating the words and deeds of the Prophet. Obedience to those vested with authority means obedience to the leadership that governs and guides the Muslims according to obedience to Allah and the Messenger and the laws of Islam. Concerning the first two levels, the Qur’an’s statement is clear and unequivocal. The Qur’an has repeatedly declared that there is no room for the slightest dispute regarding the command of Allah and the Messenger (peace be upon him). The Muslims’ duty is simply to hear it and act accordingly. Once Allah and the Messenger have announced a decision on a matter, no other Muslim has any authority to formulate a new decision concerning it. In other words, at these two levels, merely attempting to raise any objection, opposition, or debate causes one to be expelled from Islam. Regarding the third level, the Qur’an states that obedience to an Amir or leader is subordinate to Allah and the Messenger. If dispute, opposition, or disagreement arises, it must be settled according to the law of Allah and the Messenger (peace be upon him). With such clear and explicit instructions, there is no scope for saying that Allah and the Messenger means the Muslim leadership. It is entirely impossible to place the leadership of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and that of ordinary Muslim leaders on the same level. In this matter, (Arabic**************) “the argument attempted from the verse is incorrect. The spoils belonging to Allah and the Messenger means that they must be spent for the welfare of the Islamic society, organization, and state established by Allah and the Messenger (peace be upon him). How can this verse be understood to mean that Allah and the Messenger are identical with the Muslim leadership?”

The misguided attempt to create a distinction between religious and social activities

There is not even the slightest implicit indication in the Qur’an that only the religious activities of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) should be regarded as an eternal and timeless model, while his policies, guidance, and decisions concerning social and civilizational matters should be considered applicable only to a particular age. If there is any verse in the Qur’an in light of which a distinction can be made between these two kinds of activities, it would be good if someone could point it out. As far as I know, this is the clear injunction of the Qur’an:

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“When Allah and His Messenger have declared a decision concerning any matter, no believing man or woman has any further authority to make a decision about that matter themselves. Whoever disobeys Allah and the Messenger has indeed fallen into manifest error.” —Surah Al-Ahzab: 36

This verse does not identify any boundary of age or time. There is no basis for saying that the believing men and women mentioned here means only the believing men and women who were alive during the Messenger of Allah’s lifetime. Nor is the subject of Allah’s and the Messenger’s commands or decisions restricted to religious matters; it includes all kinds of religious and social, civilizational, economic, and political matters. Allah and the Messenger means Allah and the Messenger, not Imarat or leadership in any way. Any Amir or person vested with authority would, of course, be a believer. Here, after Allah and the Messenger have decided a matter, no believing man or woman retains any right to make a decision independently. It makes no difference whether the decision is made by one person alone or by everyone together. It is then said that whoever acts against it will go astray. This means that the Islamic community or society established by Allah and His Messenger on the basis of their commands and laws cannot be maintained except by observing that law and those regulations to the letter.

If people adopt a course based on their own desires and discretion while disregarding what Allah has said and what His Messenger has done, that system will not endure.

The Islamic concept of obedience to the Prophet and freedom of expression

A gentleman has written:

“The incident concerning Zayd ibn Harithah (ra) and Zaynab (ra) related in Surah al-Ahzab gives rise to a question. The Messenger of Allah (sa) said to Zayd, (Arabic**********) (Keep your wife in your marriage and fear Allah.) But Zayd acted contrary to this instruction of the Holy Prophet and divorced Zaynab. There is no doubt that this act was contrary to the command of the Messenger of Allah (sa). Yet, in the Qur’an’s manner of narration, there is no statement, either explicit or implicit, from which it can be understood that Allah even slightly disapproved of Zayd’s defiance. Rather, at the beginning of the incident, Zayd is described as a servant favored by Allah, (Arabic*********) (upon whom Allah had bestowed favor.) This gives rise to the notion that perhaps there is no blame in acting contrary to the Prophet’s command, and that even if the Prophet’s word is proven, obeying it is not as essential as obeying Allah’s command.”

There is no complexity in the question, and the questioner’s doubt could have been dispelled in a few words. But in reality, various misconceptions are also arising from the very source of the doubt. And the roots of those misconceptions extend very deep. Therefore, while removing this doubt, let us also shed some light on its roots and branches.

The Right to Issue Commands Belongs to Allah Alone

More clearly and unambiguously than the other heavenly scriptures, the Qur’an has declared that there is no one besides Allah who is the supreme and sovereign lawgiver, commander, and ruler. (Arabic*********) (No one besides Allah has the right to legislate and rule.) Allah Most High may issue commands as He pleases: (Arabic********) (Indeed, Allah commands whatever He wills.) He alone is the ruler whose commands admit of no question: (Arabic********) (He cannot be questioned about anything He does.) Obedience is obligatory to Allah alone, and it is obligatory because, by his very creation, man is His servant or slave. He was created solely to serve Allah. (Arabic*************) (I created jinn and mankind only to worship Me.) Man is the creation, servant, or dependent of no one besides Allah. Therefore, obedience to one human being is not obligatory for another. (Arabic*******************) (They ask, do we have any share in authority? Say: Authority belongs exclusively to Allah.) Thus, just as no human being possesses sovereign and absolute authority over another human being, so no human being is obliged to obey anyone besides God merely because the command comes from that particular person.

Human Rule and Authority over Human Beings

The Qur’an wishes to remove from people’s shoulders the yoke of obedience to every being besides Allah. It wishes to make them obedient servants of Allah, the true sovereign Master and Ruler. Thereafter, it wishes to grant them complete freedom of thought, conscience, and reason. In fact, this was the fundamental purpose of the revelation of the Qur’an. That is why we find that the Qur’an waged the greatest struggle against human servitude and slavery. In its view, no human being has the right to declare something lawful or unlawful according to his own will and to demand that his commands and prohibitions be accepted as sacredly as Allah’s commands and prohibitions. The Qur’an recognizes no such absolute authority in any human being. Rather, it has declared obedience to such commands and prohibitions to be shirk. Those who seat scholars, pirs and spiritual guides, priests and clergymen, and rulers (Arabic*********)—or alternative gods and deities in place of Allah—and accept their words without question, the Qur’an has declared to be polytheists. When some people show such unalloyed obedience to another person, they inevitably begin to regard that person as their master and themselves as his slaves. A person may willingly agree to surrender entirely the freedom of his conscience, mind, and body before another person only when he considers that person above all error and completely sinless and faultless, or when he believes that, by virtue of an inherent right, that person has the power to issue any kind of command or prohibition and possesses an innate right to rule and exercise authority. Or when he believes that the power to cause harm or benefit belongs exclusively to that person, as does the power to provide or withhold sustenance. Believing that any creature or material thing besides Allah possesses such attributes is the source of shirk and servitude. Conversely, the essence of the doctrine of tawhid is to believe that no creature or thing besides Allah possesses any of these attributes and to reject the authority or right to rule of all others. Complete liberation and freedom from servitude to created beings is the inevitable result of this doctrine.

In What Capacity Must the Prophet Be Obeyed?

After understanding the foregoing discussion, one must consider in what capacity the obedience to the Prophet (sa), which Islam has made essential and upon which the Din depends, must be offered. This obedience is in no way due to the fact that the Prophet is a distinguished person—such as the son of Imran, the son of Maryam, or the son of Abdullah—and that, by virtue of being such a distinguished person, he has the right to command and prohibit and to determine what is halal and haram. If that were so, God forbid, the Prophet himself would become one among the many arbiters besides Allah—that is, one among the alternative gods to Allah. In this way, the very purpose for which he was sent as a prophet would be defeated at his own hands. The Qur’an has expressed this matter in extremely clear language. It says that, as a person, the Prophet is a human being like other human beings. (Arabic********************) “O Prophet, say: My Lord is far above all defects and shortcomings. I am nothing but a human being who has been granted the status of a Messenger.” (Arabic******************) “Their prophets said to them: We are only human beings like you.” Of course, because he is a prophet, a great difference arises between him and other human beings. When he was granted prophethood, he was also entrusted with governing authority. Allah says: (Arabic******************) “They are the prophets to whom I gave the Book, authority, and prophethood.” Here, the term ‘hukm,’ or governing authority, includes both the power to make decisions and state authority. It is therefore clear that the power and authority in the Prophet’s hands are not personal to him; rather, they are power and authority entrusted by Allah. Therefore, obedience to him is obedience to Allah Himself. Allah says: (Arabic******************) “Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.” The very purpose of sending the Prophet is that he should issue Allah’s commands on Allah’s behalf and that Muslims should obey them. Allah says: (Arabic******************) “We sent every prophet for the very purpose that he should be obeyed by Allah’s command.” Accordingly, the command of the Messenger (sa) is Allah’s own command. No one has the slightest right to raise any question about this. Allah says:

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“Whoever disputes with the Prophet after guidance has become clear to him and follows a path other than that of the believers, We shall turn him toward the direction he has chosen, and then cast him into Hell. What an evil destination!”

Unconditional Obedience

Far from merely disobeying the Messenger (sa) in practice, even harboring the intention of disobedience in one’s heart surely causes faith to depart. Allah Most High has said:

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“By Allah, they can never be believers until they accept you as the arbiter in their disputes and then feel no hesitation whatsoever in accepting your decision, but submit to it completely.”

Disobedience to the Messenger brings people eternal loss and failure. Allah Most High says:

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“Those who disbelieved and disobeyed the Messenger will, on the Day of Judgment, face such a calamity that they will wish the entire earth could be heaped upon them.”

The Prophet Does Not Turn People into His Slaves

The Din and faith depend on obedience to the Prophet and complete submission to him. It has been stated even more clearly that guidance depends on meticulous obedience to the Prophet. (Arabic******************) It has already been stated that this obedience is not due to the Prophet as a human being or individual. The prophets are not sent to make people their own servants and slaves; rather, they are sent to make people obedient to Allah. Allah says:

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“It is not fitting for any human being that Allah should grant him the Book, authority, and prophethood and then he should say to people, ‘Become my servants instead of Allah’s.’ No; rather, he would say, ‘Become servants of Allah.’”

The Prophet did not come so that he could compel people to obey his personal desires and passions, impose the influence of his greatness and exalted status upon them, deprive them of the right to hold their own opinions in opposition to his, and leave their minds and intellects inactive before him. That would merely be worship of something besides Allah—the very practice whose eradication was the reason for the Prophet’s coming.

The Prophet came precisely to shatter all the various chains of human enslavement imposed upon people’s shoulders. Allah says: (Arabic******************) “And he relieves them of the burdens and shackles that had been placed upon them.” The Prophet came to take away the power and authority that people had appropriated to determine one another’s rights and duties and to devise arbitrary boundaries between the lawful and unlawful. Allah says: (Arabic******************) “You have no right to declare, with your own mouths, whatever you wish to be lawful or unlawful.” Prophethood appeared to free people from the humiliation that had taken hold of them—the humiliation of bowing their heads to human commands and decisions. The Qur’an reminds people of this: (Arabic******************) “No human being among us should take another human being as his lord instead of Allah.” Therefore, how could it be permissible for a prophet to break the chains of one person’s enslavement from people’s shoulders and then bind them anew with the chains of slavery to himself? How could it be proper for him to take away from everyone else the right to determine what is halal and haram, only to seize that right himself immediately afterward, remove everyone else from the seat of power and domination, and occupy it himself? The Prophet who rebukes the Jews and Christians for taking their religious leaders, pirs, and priests as lords instead of Allah, (Arabic******************) how could he say, ‘Now accept me as your lord or god instead of Allah and become slaves to my will and desires’?”

Obedience to the Prophet in His Capacity as Prophet

For this very reason, Allah Most High repeatedly made His Prophet express the truth that the obedience commanded of a believer—the obedience upon which the presence or absence of faith depends, and from which a believer has no right to deviate even by a hair’s breadth, let alone abandon it—is not obedience to the Prophet as a human being, but obedience to him precisely as a prophet. That is, one must obey the commands, knowledge, guidance, laws, and regulations that the Prophet conveys to people from Allah. It is clear from this discussion that the obedience with which Islam binds people is not obedience to a human being, but obedience to Allah Himself. Allah says:

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“(O Prophet!) We have revealed this true Book to you so that you may judge between people according to the justice Allah has shown you.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 105).

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“Those who do not judge according to the law revealed by Allah are truly the wrongdoers.” —(Surah al-Ma’idah: 45).

Just as all other people are obliged to follow this law of Allah, the Prophet himself, as a human being, is also obliged to follow it. (Arabic******************) “I follow only that which is revealed to me through revelation.” —(Surah al-An’am: 50)

The Prophet’s Obedience Is Subject to Allah’s Command

In addition to the verses cited above, many other verses clearly prove that obedience belongs to Allah alone, and to no one else. If there is any scope for servitude to anything besides Allah and for one human being’s lordship and domination over another, it is not in the capacity of a human being. The Prophet must indeed be obeyed, but only because Allah has granted him the right to issue commands on His behalf. Rulers and administrators must be obeyed because they have been entrusted with applying and implementing the commands of Allah and the Messenger (sa). Scholars must be obeyed because they explain the commands and prohibitions of Allah and the Messenger (sa), as well as the boundaries of lawful and unlawful laid down by Him. If any of them presents Allah’s command, it is the duty of every Muslim to bow before it. He has no right to challenge its rationale or validity. Before Allah, a believer has no freedom of thought or opinion. But if a person presents not Allah’s command, but one of his own opinions or notions, then it is not obligatory for a Muslim to accept it. In that case, he is entitled to think freely and hold his own opinion. He has the right to disagree with that person voluntarily. This applies not only to scholars and rulers; there is likewise no obstacle to disagreeing even with a personal opinion.

The Life Mission of the Holy Prophet (sa) Had TwoPurposes

One purpose of the life of the Holy Prophet (sa) was to place around people’s necks the chain of servitude and obedience to Allah. The other was to free people from the chains of obedience and slavery to human beings. Both these tasks were included in his responsibility as a prophet, and both were equally important. To accomplish the first task, it was essential to compel all Muslims to obey him as a prophet, for obedience to Allah depended upon obedience to him. On the other hand, to accomplish the second task, it was just as necessary that, first of all, through his conduct and behavior he firmly establish in the minds of Muslims the truth that they were not obliged to obey any human being—even Muhammad, son of Abdullah—as a human being, and that their minds were completely free from servitude to human beings. This was an extremely difficult task. Prophethood and human nature were combined in the same person. It was impossible to separate one from the other by drawing a clear boundary. Yet the Messenger of Allah (sa), with wisdom granted by Allah, accomplished this task with remarkable skill. On the one hand, as a prophet he received an obedience that no hero in all of world history had ever received. On the other hand, as a human being he granted his devoted followers such personal freedom that even the greatest democratic leader in the world had never been able to grant such freedom to his followers.

There is no need to explain how great an influence and authority he had over his followers as a Prophet, or how highly respected and popular he was among Muslims. Yet, despite being so influential and powerful, he kept his human dignity and prophetic dignity so perfectly distinct in his daily conduct that no parallel can be found. Alongside receiving this unconditional and unquestioning obedience as a Prophet, as a human being he granted people complete freedom of opinion, even encouraging everyone to disagree with his personal opinions. Anyone who reflects deeply on this matter will surely realize that such complete self-restraint, such remarkable power of discrimination, and such a high degree of wisdom and foresight could be displayed only by a Prophet. On the one hand, it is felt that although the Prophet’s personal status was distinct, it was being absorbed into the status of prophethood. On the other hand, it also becomes clear that through his personal conduct he was fulfilling the responsibilities of prophethood. Personally, he taught them how to exercise freedom of thought in dealing with people. He informed them that a person may exercise freedom of opinion and thought in relation to everyone. Indeed, even in relation to the greatest human being whom he was obliged to regard as the most exalted person, as a man sent by Allah, he possessed this freedom and could exercise it. Had anyone other than a Prophet possessed such complete power and influence over people, he would certainly have turned them into his slaves and established absolute dominance over them, as priests, clerics, pirs, and kings have done throughout the ages and in every land. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

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“I am also a human being. When I give you a command concerning your religious affairs, follow it. But when I say something based on my own opinion, know that I am only a human being.”

Several examples of encouraging freedom of opinion

Once, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the owners of fruit orchards in Medina some advice concerning date-palm cultivation. The orchard owners acted according to that advice, but it did not prove particularly beneficial. When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was told about this, he said:

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“I had merely made a statement based on conjecture. Do not follow what I say when it is based only on guesswork and personal opinion. But when I say something from Allah, then follow it, for I have never attributed a lie to Allah.”

During the Battle of Badr, the place where the Prophet (peace be upon him) first pitched his tent was not particularly suitable. The Companion, Hubab ibn al-Mundhir (may Allah be pleased with him), asked him, “Was this place selected on the basis of revelation, or merely as a military strategy?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied that it was not on the basis of revelation. Hubab then said, “In that case, in my opinion we should go farther ahead and pitch the tents at such-and-such a place.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) accepted his suggestion and acted accordingly.

Regarding the prisoners of war at Badr, the Prophet (peace be upon him) consulted the Companions and expressed his own opinion as an ordinary member of the group. On this matter, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disagreed with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). This is a famous incident in history. At that same meeting, the Prophet (peace be upon him) also raised the matter of his son-in-law, Abul-As, and said to the Companions, “If you permit it, the necklace received from Abul-As as ransom may be returned to him.” Once all the Companions gladly approved, he returned the necklace to him.

During the Battle of the Trench, the Prophet (peace be upon him) wished to make peace with the Banu Ghatafan. The leading men of the Ansar said, “If this is a command from revelation, then there is nothing to say. But if it is the Prophet’s own opinion, then we disagree.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) accepted their view and tore up the draft treaty with his own hands.

The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah did not please the Companions because it appeared at first sight to be a treaty of submission. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) openly expressed his disagreement. But when the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I am doing this as a Prophet,” everyone, though somewhat distressed out of reverence for the Prophet, did not dare utter a single word. Until the moment before his death, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) continued to regret this mistake in various ways: he had disagreed with the Prophet on a matter that he was undertaking as the Messenger.

After the Battle of Hunayn, the Ansar were distressed by the courtesy he showed, in distributing the spoils of war, toward the relatively liberal-minded non-Muslims. The Prophet summoned them. In support of his position, he did not say, “I am a Prophet—I will do whatever I please.” Rather, he acted like the head of a democratic government who establishes his position through reasoned argument before members of the opposition. He did not appeal to them by saying, “Believe in the Messenger (peace be upon him), so accept this.” Instead, he appealed to their intellect and emotions, and dismissed them only after satisfying them.

So much for his conduct toward highly respected members of society. The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) aroused an independent spirit even among slaves and female slaves. A female slave named Barirah became disenchanted with her husband and left him. Her husband, however, was deeply attached to her. Seeing her husband weeping, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Barirah, “It would not be bad if you returned to your husband.” She asked, “O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), are you ordering me?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “No order—rather, I am making a recommendation.” She said, “If it is only a recommendation, then I do not wish to return to him.”

There are many other examples of this kind. These show that whenever it could be understood from his manner or from an explicit statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he was speaking according to his own opinion, people would express their views freely, and he would encourage them to do so. In such cases, expressing a contrary opinion was not merely permissible; it was also pleasing to him, and he would often withdraw his own opinion.

The significance of the incident of Zayd

Now let us examine the incident of Zayd. His relationship with the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) had several aspects. One relationship was that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was his leader and Zayd was his follower. Another was that the Prophet was his brother-in-law and Zayd was his wife’s brother-in-law. [Zaynab was the Noble Prophet’s paternal cousin, and she had married Zayd.] The third relationship was that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was his foster father and guardian, while Zayd was his adopted son. Zayd did not get along with his wife. Therefore, he decided to divorce her. In these circumstances, the Prophet gave precisely the sort of advice that would naturally be given by a brother-in-law to his wife’s brother-in-law and by a guardian to his adopted son. In other words, he said, “Fear Allah; do not divorce your wife.” But Zayd himself felt far more intensely the aversion that had arisen between the husband and wife because of their differences in temperament and nature. This was not a matter of his religion or faith; it was a psychological feeling. Therefore, he did not accept the Prophet’s advice and divorced her. His opposition here was not opposition to a Messenger. Nor had the Prophet given that advice in his capacity as the Messenger of Allah. Thus, neither he nor Allah Most High was displeased. But if someone else had taken the Prophet’s place—someone who had raised a person from childhood, shown him kindness and favor, married his own sister to him despite the stigma of slavery, and then seen him divorce that sister despite being forbidden to do so—that person would certainly have been displeased. But the Prophet (peace be upon him) was not merely a guardian and brother-in-law; he was also the Messenger of Allah. As a Messenger, it was his duty to free people from the servitude of human beings and restore to them their lost human rights. That is why he did not issue an order; he offered advice. And he showed not the slightest displeasure when that advice was disregarded. This shows that the prophetic dignity within his personality was at once distinct and intimately connected with its other aspects. In applying both, he maintained such astonishing balance that only a Prophet could maintain it. Even as a human being, he acted in such a way that the responsibilities and duties of prophethood were fulfilled automatically along with it.

The Prophet’s teaching concerning freedom of thought

It was through the influence of the life force of freedom of thought that the Noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were more obedient to Allah’s commands than all other people, and more independent-minded and democratic than everyone else. This was the freedom that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) had sown among them and taught them through his actions and conduct, alongside adherence to Allah’s commands. Even before great personalities, they did not surrender their freedom to express their own opinions. The idea that an opinion must be beyond criticism merely because it belonged to a great person had no place in their minds. Among them were people whom they regarded as the greatest and whose superiority they themselves acknowledged, as does the world today; yet they never accepted those people’s opinions solely on the basis of their excellence. Rather, they sometimes accepted them and sometimes rejected them independently. After the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the greatest advocates of freedom of opinion were the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Following the example of their great leader, they did not merely tolerate people’s freedom; they encouraged it. They never told even the most insignificant person, “We are the best of humanity, so accept our words without hesitation.”

Freedom of thought after the Rightly Guided Caliphate

After the Rightly Guided Caliphs, the Umayyad and Abbasid rulers tried in various ways to take away freedom of thought and opinion—sometimes through intimidation, sometimes through severe oppression and persecution, and sometimes through inducements. Despite this, the inspiration toward independent thought remained intact for a long time among the Tabi‘un, the successors of the Companions, among the followers of the Tabi‘un, and even among later Muslims. The history of Islam up to the first two or three centuries contains extremely vivid examples of this. Of course, a sense of freedom before rulers and emirs is a relatively minor matter. The greatest sign of freedom of the soul and conscience is that a person refrains from blindly imitating even the personality whom he regards as supremely respected and sacred, and who occupies the innermost chamber of his heart with profound reverence and honor; he thinks independently and forms an independent opinion even in relation to that person. We find this sense of freedom among the scholars and learned men of that age.

The freedom of thought of the jurists and Imams

Who could be more pure and revered than the Companions? And who could be more respectful toward them than the Tabi‘un? Yet they freely criticized the opinions of the Companions, examined their differences of opinion, rejected one person’s opinion, and accepted another’s. Regarding the differences of opinion among the Companions, Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said without hesitation,(Arabic text)“Among the opinions of the Companions are both correct and incorrect ones. Think and determine your own opinion.” Similarly, Imam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) said,(Arabic text)“Of two differing opinions, one must necessarily be considered wrong.”

None of these Imams ever said that we were incapable of error. They did not say, “Stop thinking for yourselves and merely imitate us.” Whenever Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed his opinion on a matter, he immediately said:

(Arabic text — PDF page 239)

“This is my opinion. If it is correct, it is from Allah; and if it is wrong, it is from me, and I ask Allah for forgiveness.”

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say,(Arabic text)“Do not allow an erroneous opinion to become a model for the Muslim world.”

Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

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“Beware! Let none of you blindly imitate anyone in matters of Islam, such that if the person followed is a believer, he too becomes a believer, and if the person followed is an unbeliever, he too becomes an unbeliever. In fact, no one may be imitated in bad and erroneous matters.”

Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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“I am only a human being. My opinion may be wrong or right. Examine and investigate my opinion. Whatever you find to conform to the Qur’an and Sunnah, accept it; and whatever you find to contradict the Qur’an and Sunnah, reject it.”

It is a famous historical incident concerning Imam Malik that the Abbasid caliph al-Mansur wished to establish his book, the Muwatta, as the effective constitution of the entire Muslim world. He wanted to abolish all the established schools of jurisprudence and institute only the Maliki school. But Imam Malik himself did not allow him to do this, because he did not wish to deprive others of their freedom of thought, research, opinion, and ijtihad.

Imam Abu Yusuf (may Allah have mercy on him) said:(Arabic text — PDF page 240)

“It is not permissible for others to accept the opinion we have expressed without knowing its basis.”

Imam al-Shafi‘i (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

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“A person who acquires knowledge without evidence is like one who gathers firewood in the darkness of night. He will carry a bundle of wood on his head, yet he does not know that a snake is hidden in the bundle and will bite him.”

The age of the decline of the freedom granted by Islam in matters of thought

The life force of free thought, research, opinion, and the search for truth that the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him) had awakened among his followers continued among Muslims for nearly three centuries. Thereafter, the despotism of emirs, rulers, scholars, and pirs began to destroy that life force. Thoughtful people were deprived of their right to think freely and of their right to see and speak. From the courts to the madrasas and khanqahs, Muslims began to be taught servility. They were bound hand and foot in total servitude of mind, intellect, soul, and body. Rulers created a mentality of slavery by making people bow and prostrate before them. The administrators of madrasas, while teaching devotion to God, also instilled in people the poisonous vapor of veneration of guardians and mentors. And the pirs and murshids distorted the system of bay‘ah that had continued from the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), binding Muslims in the chains of a kind of “sacred servitude.” Those chains were so terrible that humanity seems never to have devised a harder or heavier chain for one human being to place upon another.

Consequently, people began bowing their heads before others besides Allah, began folding their hands before them as in prayer, considered it impudent to look people in the eye, began kissing people’s hands and feet, and turned human beings into gods and providers of sustenance for other human beings. People assumed, on their own authority, the right to command and forbid, and became reckless with regard to the proofs and evidences of the Qur’an and Sunnah. People came to be regarded as beyond fault and error, and the commands and opinions of human beings, even if not regarded as divine in creed and belief, were in practice considered obligatory in the same way as God’s commands. When matters reached this state, it must be understood that people had turned away from the eternal call given by Allah’s Prophet. It was:

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“(Come,) let us serve and obey no one except Allah, and associate nothing with Him. And let none of us take anyone as a lord besides Allah.” After that, no further intellectual, moral, or spiritual progress is possible. Decline will be the inevitable consequence.

Messengership and Islamic rulings related to it

It is universally agreed regarding obedience to a Messenger that no Messenger is entitled to obedience merely as an individual. Obedience to and following Moses (peace be upon him) is not required because he was Moses son of Imran; nor can Jesus (peace be upon him) receive obedience because he was Jesus son of Mary. Similarly, obedience to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not obligatory simply because he was Muhammad son of Abdullah. Whatever obedience and following are required are required only because these noble persons were Messengers of Allah. Allah granted them true knowledge and guidance that He did not grant ordinary people. To enable them to live in the world, He taught them, according to His will, the correct ways that ordinary people cannot attain through their own reason and understanding or with the help of anyone other than the Prophets. The point on which there is disagreement is which matters require obedience to and following of the Messenger (peace be upon him), and what its limits are.

The perspective of one group

One group says that obedience and adherence are due only to the Book that the Messenger (peace be upon him) brought from Allah. Once he has conveyed this Book to the people, the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) responsibility of messengership comes to an end. Thereafter, he is merely a human being like other people. If an ordinary person is an amir and national leader, obedience to him is required simply for the sake of discipline and order, but that is not a religious duty. If an ordinary person is learned, wise, and a lawmaker, he may be followed for his merits. But that would be entirely voluntary, not an obligatory duty; therefore, the same should apply in the case of the Messenger. In all matters other than conveying the Book, his status is merely personal. If, as an individual, he is an amir or leader, obedience to him lasts only as long as he occupies that position—not permanently. If he is a judge, his judgments and decisions are effective only within his specified jurisdiction. Outside that jurisdiction, his judgments and decisions, as those of a wise judge, may at most be accepted as precedents; but his status as a lawmaker and legislator will not be recognized. If he is a sagacious thinker, what he says concerning knowledge and morality may be accepted for its intrinsic merit, just as similar statements by other learned, accomplished people and scholars are accepted. A statement will not be regarded as part of the religion merely because it came from the mouth of a Messenger. Likewise, if he is a virtuous person and his life, in conduct, manners, dealings, and behavior, is considered exceptionally excellent, we may voluntarily accept him as a model, just as we are free to accept the blameless life of an ordinary person as a model. However, none of his actions or words will have the status of an obligatory law for us in the moral, social, or economic spheres.

The Viewpoint of a Second Group

Another group has made a slight modification to this view. They maintain that the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) task was not limited merely to conveying the Book; rather, demonstrating the practical implementation of the commands contained in the Book, so that the Muslim nation could follow them exactly, was also part of his responsibility. The detailed practical methods of carrying out the Book’s injunctions concerning worship and other matters, which the Messenger (peace be upon him) taught, must also be followed as a religious duty, and this too will count as following the Book itself. But apart from the injunctions contained in the Book, none of the acts the Messenger performed at various stages of his personal life—as judge, social reformer, sage, citizen, and member of a group—can constitute an eternal and universal law whose observance and obedience could be regarded as a religious duty.

The View of the Third Group

According to the third group, the responsibility and status of the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) messengership extended over a major part of his life. In matters of morality, social conduct, economic dealings, administrative and legal judgments, and many other similar matters, the Messenger’s words and actions themselves form part of Allah’s law. In their view, his words and actions in these matters constitute the best and obligatory model for the entire ummah. However, they favor distinguishing between his personal life and his prophetic life. They believe that some matters in the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) life lay outside his prophetic life, but they could not separately present the exemplary life worthy of imitation, nor could they state at what point the Messenger (peace be upon him) attained merely the status of an ordinary human being.

The View of the Fourth Group

The fourth group holds that although the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) personal life and prophetic life are considered different in status, in reality they are one and no effective distinction can be made between them. The rank of messengership is not like other offices and positions in this world, where an official remains responsible only while seated in his office, and the moment he leaves it he becomes one of the ordinary people. From the moment the Messenger receives the responsibility of messengership until his death, he remains invested with that responsibility. Throughout this entire period, he cannot for a moment engage in any act contrary to the principles of the kingdom whose representative he has been sent as. Whether he is a leader or head of state, or merely an ordinary member of society; a husband, father, brother, relative, or friend, the responsibility of messengership exercises complete authority over every activity of his life. The responsibility and status of messengership are never separated from his person for even a moment. Thus, just as he is Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) when leading the prayer, so too is he Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) while in the privacy of his wife’s company. Whatever he does in the various spheres of life, he does by Allah’s command. He is always under Allah’s strict supervision. Therefore, he is obliged to perform every act within the limits prescribed by Allah. In this way, through his words, actions, and entire conduct, he shows the people of the world that the whole system of human personal and collective life should be established on these principles, and that human freedom of action should remain confined within these bounds. He fulfills this great responsibility as properly at the governmental level as in his personal and family life. If he makes even the slightest slip in any matter, he is immediately warned. Any mistake of his is bound to become the cause of a mistake by the entire Muslim ummah. The very purpose of sending him as a Messenger is that, by living within society, he should place before the people a practical picture of the life of a true Muslim. His purpose is not merely to guide them in their personal conduct and make them individually excellent Muslims; along with that, he is to implement Islam’s social, political, economic, and moral laws and establish a genuine Islamic society. For this reason, it is অত্যন্ত necessary that he remain free from errors and shortcomings, so that he may be followed with complete certainty and his words and actions accepted as the true standard of Islamic teaching and ideals. It is undeniable, of course, that there are degrees of obligation in imitating and following the Prophet’s words and actions. Some are essential, at the level of fard or wajib; some are comparatively preferable, at the level of mustahabb; and some are only at the level of attaining perfection. Overall, however, the Prophet’s entire life is a model. He was sent so that human beings might follow him and shape themselves in his likeness. The more advanced a person becomes in imitating this model, the more completely human and Muslim he can become; but whoever falls below even the minimum essential level of following it will, in proportion to his backwardness, be sinful, disobedient, astray, and accursed.

In my view, this last group alone stands upon the truth. The more I reflect and investigate in the light of the Holy Qur’an and reason, the stronger my conviction becomes regarding the truth of this last view.

Special Preparation of the Prophets from Childhood

The significance of prophethood can be understood by reading the accounts of the prophets found in the Holy Qur’an. In light of those accounts, I do not think that Allah suddenly takes an ordinary passerby and entrusts him with the task of conveying His Book to people, or appoints someone as a prophet for a limited period as an employee who, after completing a specified task at a specified time, is released and may thereafter do whatever he wishes. On the contrary, I see that whenever Allah wished to send a prophet to a nation, He specially created a person capable of carrying out the responsibility of prophethood. He had already endowed him with the finest human qualities and the greatest mental and spiritual strength and abilities required to uphold this supremely important rank. From the moment of his birth, He raised him under His special care.

Before granting him prophethood, He kept him away from every kind of moral defect, deviation, and evil deed, and protected him from every kind of danger and destruction. He raised him in an environment in which his capacity for prophethood advanced beyond its limits of potential and increasingly took practical form. Then, when he reached full maturity, He granted him knowledge, the ability to make decisions, and guidance to the straight path from Himself. In this way He seated him upon the exalted throne of prophethood and enabled him to perform this task perfectly. From ascending this throne until his final breath, his life was devoted to carrying out this grave responsibility. Presenting before his people, exactly as revealed, the verses sent down by Allah; teaching the detailed knowledge and deeper understanding of Allah’s Book; and completely purifying people’s souls—these were their tasks. They had no other task. Day and night, while moving about and sitting together, their sole concern at every moment was how to bring those astray in the Book back to the right path, and how to make those who had come to the right path worthy of ascending to higher peaks of progress. Each of them was a full-time servant. He never had a break or leave. Nor did their work have any fixed time limit. Strict watch was maintained by Allah so that they would not commit any sinful act. They were rigorously protected from the desires of the self and the promptings of Satan. How they would conduct their daily affairs was not left entirely to their human conscience, intelligence, and judgment. Rather, whenever they deviated even by a hair’s breadth from the right path while following their own wishes or personal judgment, their error was pointed out and they were directed onto the straight path, because the very purpose of their creation and appointment as prophets was that they should guide Allah’s servants to the right path. If they deviated even an inch from this path, ordinary people would stray hundreds of miles away.

The Qur’an bears witness to every letter of this statement of mine. That the prophets were chosen for prophethood even before their birth and were specially created for this purpose is known from the circumstances of several prophets. For example, before Isaac was born, Abraham (peace be upon him) was given the good news of his birth and prophethood.

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“We gave Abraham the good news of Isaac as a righteous prophet, and We blessed him and Isaac.” —(Surah al-Saffat: 112–113)

Regarding Joseph, his father Jacob learned during his childhood that Allah had chosen him as a prophet and would grant him blessings in full, just as He had granted them to Abraham (peace be upon him) and Isaac (peace be upon him). When Zechariah (peace be upon him) prayed for a son, Allah gave him the following glad tidings:

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“Allah gives you the good news of a son named Yahya. He will come as a confirmer of a command from Allah. He will possess leadership and eminence, and he will be among the prophets and the righteous.”

A special angel was sent to Mary, and she was given the good news concerning Jesus that she would be granted a pure and holy son. When the time came for her to give birth, special arrangements for the delivery were made by Allah. —(Surah Maryam: Section 2; see note.) Then there is also the matter of that Israelite shepherd, which is noteworthy. Allah called him to the sacred valley of Tuwa and spoke with him. He was not like other shepherds. In Egypt, he was specially created to destroy Pharaoh’s tyranny and free the Children of Israel from slavery. To save him from being killed, arrangements were made to place him in a chest and cast him into the river. The floating chest reached the very house of the Pharaoh who would be defeated and destroyed by his hand. He was created attractive so that he might find a place in the hearts of Pharaoh’s family.(Arabic********)It was ensured that no woman’s milk would enter his mouth and that his upbringing would be completed under Allah’s special supervision.(Arabic**********)These examples show that the prophets were specially created for prophethood.

Extraordinary Ability and Special Capacity for Action

It should be noted that those born in this manner are not like ordinary people. They appear with extraordinary abilities. They are exceptionally pure and virtuous people. The nature and structure of their minds are such that whatever they say, they say it very directly and simply. Their nature contains no inclination toward taking mistaken steps or adopting crooked perspectives. They have been created by nature in such a way that, without deliberate intention and solely through intense feeling and intuition, they can arrive at correct decisions that other people cannot reach even after prolonged thought and research. They do not have to acquire knowledge. Their knowledge is innate and God-given. Knowledge of what is true, what is false, what is wrong, and what is right is ingrained in them. By nature they think correctly and speak correctly. Jacob (peace be upon him) may be cited as an example. As soon as he heard the account of Joseph’s dream, he became apprehensive. The boy’s brothers would not let him live. The brothers wanted to take Joseph along with them to play. Jacob (peace be upon him) not only detected their evil intention; he also accurately understood the false excuse they would later try to put forward. He said,(Arabic************)“I fear that, while you are heedless of him, a wolf may devour him.” Then, when Joseph’s brothers brought and displayed the bloodstained shirt, Jacob (peace be upon him) saw it and immediately said,(Arabic**************)“Your souls have made an arduous matter easy for you.” Again, when Joseph’s brothers returned from Egypt and said that your son had stolen, and, to make him believe them, told him to ask the people of the village from which they had come, he gave the same reply again: “Your souls have made an arduous matter easy for you.” Then he sent his sons back to Egypt, saying,(Arabic********************)“Go and search for Joseph and his brother.” It was as though, despite the passage of a long time, he believed that Joseph was alive and was in Egypt. Then, when Jacob’s sons set out from Egypt carrying Joseph’s shirt, Jacob began to smell Joseph from afar. These events reveal how powerful and extraordinary the psychological and spiritual capacities of the prophets were. This was not a characteristic unique to Jacob; all the prophets were the same. Regarding Yahya, Allah says:

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“We granted him sound judgment, tenderness of heart, and purity while he was still a child.” —(Maryam: 12–13)

When Jesus (peace be upon him) was in his mother’s arms, he was made to declare:

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“He has made me blessed wherever I may be and commanded me to perform prayer and give zakat throughout my life. He made me dutiful toward my mother and did not make me arrogant or wicked.”

Regarding the Great Prophet (peace be upon him), Allah has said(Arabic**************)“Indeed, you are of a sublime moral character.” —(Surah al-Qalam: 4)

These are the innate and natural qualities and characteristics of the prophets, with which they are born. Thereafter, Allah further develops these inborn qualities and characteristics, advancing them toward active expression. Finally, He grants them that great thing which, in Qur’anic terminology, is called ilm and hukm (knowledge and the ability to make decisions), and hidayah (guidance) and bayyinah (clear signs), among other names. Noah (peace be upon him) said to his people:

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“I have received from Allah knowledge that you have not received.”

Abraham (peace be upon him) was shown Allah’s orderly administration of the heavens and the earth (Surah al-An‘am). When, after this observation, he returned having attained certain knowledge, he said to his father:

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“O my father! I have received knowledge that you have not received. So follow me; I will guide you to the straight path.” —(Surah Maryam: 43)

Regarding Jacob, Allah has said:

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“Indeed, he possessed knowledge that We had given him, but most people do not know that secret.” —(Surah Yusuf: 68)

It has been said regarding Joseph:

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“When he reached maturity, We granted him knowledge and the ability to judge and decide.” —(Surah Yusuf: 22)

The same thing is also said about Moses (peace be upon him) in verse 14 of Surah al-Qasas. Lot too was given the same knowledge and ability to judge and decide. —(Surah al-Anbiya: 74)

Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself was also granted this extraordinary knowledge:

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“Allah has sent down to you the Book and wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know before.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 113)

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“Say: I am upon clear and radiant guidance from my Lord.” —(Surah al-An‘am: 57)

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“Say: This is my path. I call to Allah. I and my followers possess clear knowledge and insight.”–(Surah Yusuf: 108)

By virtue of this knowledge and capacity for judgment and decision, the difference between a prophet and ordinary people becomes as great as the difference between a sighted person and a blind person.

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“I follow only what is revealed to me. (O Muhammad!) Say: Can the blind and the sighted be equal?”–(Surah al-An‘am: 50)

The thing mentioned in these verses is not merely the Book; rather, it is an ever-radiant light within the hearts of the prophets. That is why it has been mentioned separately from the Book. This thing has been described as one of the prophets’ qualities and characteristics. With the help of that ray of light, they investigate facts and seek solutions to the problems continually brought before them. Learned thinkers have called it ‘hidden revelation.’ In other words, it is an inner guide and an assimilated insight that is constantly present to them, and they take its help in every matter. In matters whose deeper realities ordinary people cannot grasp even after prolonged reflection, and in which they cannot distinguish right from wrong, the prophet’s vision, through God-given light and spiritual insight, is able to uncover the most profound mysteries in an instant.

God’s special supervision and protection of the prophets

From the Qur’an we also learn that Allah Most High not only granted the prophets profound knowledge, the ability to judge and decide, and extraordinary knowledge and wisdom; along with this, He kept a special watch over them, protected them from mistakes and errors, and safeguarded them from going astray—whether through human influence, Satan’s incitement, or the prompting of their own lower selves. Even when they made a mistake while reaching a decision through the use of their own judgment and reason, Allah immediately corrected them. Take the case of Joseph. When the wife of a high-ranking Egyptian government official of that time had nearly ensnared Joseph in her trap, Allah protected him from wrongdoing by showing him His clear ‘proof.’

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“She desired him, and he would have desired her had he not seen the proof of his Lord. Thus it was, so that We might turn him away from evil and indecency. Indeed, he was one of Our chosen servants.”–(Surah Yusuf: 24)

When Moses and Aaron were told to go to Pharaoh, they became afraid, thinking that Pharaoh might persecute them. Then Allah said: Do not fear. I am with you; I see and hear everything (Surah Ta-Ha: 45–46). They had become afraid because of human weakness. Allah Most High removed this grave weakness through revelation.

Prophet Noah cried out in anguish when he saw his son drowning!(Arabic*****************)“O my Lord! This is my son.” This was a human weakness. Allah Most High immediately made clear to him that although he might be his biological son, he was not one of his ‘family,’ because he was a wrongdoer. In the emotion of paternal love, human weakness concealed for a moment from the prophet’s inner vision the truth that, in the matter of truth, father, son, and siblings count for nothing. Through revelation, He removed the veil from his eyes. Prophet Noah felt reassured.

Similar incidents also occurred several times in the case of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Sometimes owing to his natural kindness and compassion, sometimes because of his intense eagerness to bring unbelievers into Islam, sometimes from a desire to win the hearts of unbelievers, sometimes in an effort to repay people for small favors, sometimes from a wish to awaken the impulse of faith in the hearts of hypocrites, and sometimes because of human weakness, he made errors of judgment. But whenever this happened, Allah corrected him through open and clear revelation. For example:

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“He frowned and turned away because the blind man came to him.”

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“It is not fitting for any prophet to have prisoners of war.”

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“May Allah forgive you, (O Prophet); why did you grant them permission to stay behind from the battle?”–(Surah al-Tawbah: 43)

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“It is equal whether you ask forgiveness for them or do not ask forgiveness for them. Even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will never forgive them.”–(Surah al-Tawbah: 80)

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“When any of them dies in the future, never offer the funeral prayer for him.”

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“O Prophet! Why do you declare unlawful what Allah has made lawful for you?”

These verses bear witness to Allah’s special supervision and protection of the prophets.

Some people try to prove from these verses that the prophets made mistakes and were not free from errors and lapses. In particular, the anti-Hadith Ahl al-Qur’an group takes great pleasure in using these verses to point out the Prophet’s mistakes. Yet these very verses clearly prove that Allah Himself undertook the responsibility of protecting His prophets from errors and faults and of keeping their lives established upon the standard of truth. This matter has not been described only in the verses mentioned above; it has also been stated as a principle in several other places in the Qur’an. For example:

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“Had Allah’s grace and mercy not been upon you, a group among them would certainly have resolved to turn you away from the right path. But they only mislead themselves, and they cannot harm you in the least. For Allah has sent down to you the Book and its profound wisdom, and He has taught you what you did not know before.”–(Surah al-Nisa: 113)

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“They nearly tempted you away from what We have revealed to you, so that you would invent something in Our name; then they would have taken you as a friend. Had We not made you steadfast, you might have inclined toward them a little.”–(Surah Bani Isra’il: 73–74)

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“Whenever We sent a prophet or messenger before you, and whenever he formed a wish regarding something, Satan cast suggestions into his hopes and wishes. But Allah’s practice is that He eliminates whatever suggestion Satan casts into the prophet’s mind, and then He firmly establishes His signs.”–(Surah al-Hajj: 52)

From these fundamental instructions and the examples of the earlier incidents, it becomes clear that Allah Himself has undertaken the responsibility of keeping His prophet’s life at the desired standard, and has taken strict measures to correct it immediately whenever the prophet makes the slightest slip—whether that slip concerns a personal matter or something connected with public life. Once this is accepted as a principle, it follows automatically that all the prophet’s statements to which Allah Most High raised no objection have met the standard desired by Allah. It must be assumed that all of them were approved by Allah.

A comparative review

The significance of prophethood has become clear from the discussion so far. According to the first of the four views mentioned, the significance of prophethood is that a person remains in every respect just like other human beings throughout his life, and upon reaching a certain age is suddenly selected to receive Allah’s revelation. Apart from the Book revealed to him, none of his opinions, ideas, decisions, instructions, and so forth are in any way different or distinctive from those of ordinary people. According to the second view, prophethood means that the only difference between a prophet and ordinary people is that, along with the revelation of the Book, he is also informed of the practical details of the Book’s injunctions. After acquiring this distinction, he is simply a leader like ordinary leaders and a judge like ordinary judges. The third view expresses the idea that prophethood is merely a temporary state or transformation temporarily imposed upon the prophet’s human nature, and that even after this state or transformation arises, the prophet’s human nature and prophetic nature remain completely separate. According to this idea, it becomes necessary to divide the prophet’s life into two parts, and only the portion of his life related to prophethood is regarded as worthy of imitation and following. Needless to say, all three of these views are baseless and false.

The prophet endowed with the fullest and finest human qualities

From the account of prophethood presented by the Holy Qur’an, we learn that a prophet is not born and raised like an ordinary person and then suddenly selected as a prophet at some point; rather, he is born precisely for prophethood. Although he is a human being and is not beyond the natural limitations Allah has set for a human being, within those limits he is the most complete and excellent human being. In him, human qualities exist in the highest degree and in complete form. His physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual powers exist in the greatest balance. His faculty of perception is so subtle that he acquires divine knowledge concerning right and wrong, without any deliberation, solely through his sharp wisdom and deep insight. This divine knowledge attained through wisdom is what is indicated in this verse:(Arabic*******)(He then inspired him with his immoral and his pious nature). The prophet’s nature is so sound and correct that, without receiving any external instruction, he rejects the path of sin and adopts the path of God-consciousness and righteousness solely through his natural feeling and inspiration. His conscience and mind remain so pure and unsullied that he can correctly understand Allah’s chosen course of action in all necessary matters. In this Qur’anic verse:(Arabic**********) [Through his sound nature, he voluntarily follows the path intended by Allah. This is perfect humanity, and by virtue of this quality he is, in the true sense and in reality, Allah’s khalifah or representative. In fact, after the prophet attains this distinctive maturity and perfection, he is installed in the rank of guide for all people. Receiving further light of knowledge from Allah, he becomes a ‘Sirajam Munir,’ or a shining lamp, appointed as a means of education and instruction for the reform and welfare of humanity. This is what is commonly called prophethood and messengership. Therefore, it is not correct to say that prophethood is a temporary matter imposed upon the prophet’s human talent at a particular time. Rather, the true matter is that it is the talent of complete humanity that rises to prophethood. The status of prophethood is not like that of a person appointed as a Viceroy. If someone else had been found in his place, that person too would have been appointed a similar Viceroy. In reality, prophethood is an inborn quality. The prophet’s individual personality itself is his prophetic personality. The only difference is that before revelation descends, his prophetic personality remains inactive and dormant; after revelation descends, it becomes active. It is like a sweet fruit. It is born as a sweet fruit, but its sweetness becomes manifest only after it reaches a particular stage.]

Relevant verses

We can now properly grasp the meaning of the statements Allah Most High has made in various places concerning prophethood and the prophetic personality. For ease of understanding, I am citing these verses in a particular sequence:

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“It is not Allah’s way to give you direct knowledge of the unseen. Rather, for this purpose He selects whomever He wills from among His messengers. So believe in Allah and His messengers.”–(Surah Al ‘Imran: 179)

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“We did not send any messenger except that he should be obeyed by Allah’s command.”–[That is, the Messenger is not personally entitled to obedience; rather, he must be obeyed by Allah’s permission or command.–(Author)]–(Surah al-Nisa: 64)

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“Whoever obeys the Messenger has in fact obeyed Allah.”

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“By the setting star. Your companion is neither astray nor misguided. He does not speak from his own desire. Whatever he says is nothing but revelation sent down to him.”–(Surah al-Najm: 1–4)

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“I follow only the revelation that comes to me.”–(Surah al-An‘am: 50)

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“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.”–(Surah al-Ahzab: 21)

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“(O Muhammad!) Say: If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you.”–(Surah Al ‘Imran: 31)

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“The duty of the believers is that, when they are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he (the Messenger) may judge between them, they should only say, ‘We hear and we obey.’ Such people are successful. And if you obey the Messenger, you will be rightly guided.”–(Surah al-Nur: 51–54)

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“(O Prophet!) By your Lord, no, they will not be believers until they accept you as judge in their disputes, and then find no hesitation in their hearts concerning your judgment and submit to it completely.”–(Surah al-Nisa: 65)

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“Once Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, no believing man or woman has any right to exercise any choice in their own affairs. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly fallen into error.” —(Surah al-Ahzab: 36)

A review of these verses alone will reveal the entire significance of the matter.

The Difference Between the Prophet and Ordinary People

The first verse describes the difference between the Prophet and ordinary people and also explains why one must believe in him. It is Allah’s practice not to grant every person knowledge of matters relating to the unseen—those truths that lie beyond human sensory perception yet must be known in order to formulate a sound and accurate system of life for people in this worldly existence. In Qur’anic terminology, these are called the unseen. For example: What is the true identity of man? Is he free or subservient? If subservient, to whom? What is the nature of his relationship with that Master? Will he have to answer to his Master? If so, where? How? By what standard? For what matters? What reward will follow success in accountability, and what consequence will follow failure? No code of life can be formulated for man until the answers to these questions are obtained—not on the basis of guesswork and conjecture, but on the basis of certain knowledge. This is the “knowledge of the unseen” mentioned by Allah in the verse. —(Author) Rather, He grants it to a particular distinguished person. Therefore, it is incumbent upon ordinary people to believe in that distinguished person.

The Prophet’s Obedience Is Unconditional and Unlimited

The second verse states that believing in the Messenger does not mean merely acknowledging him as the Messenger; along with that, obeying the Messenger—that is, following his commands—is also essential. Not only in this verse, but everywhere in the Qur’an where obedience to him is commanded, the command is unconditional. Nowhere is it said that the Messenger must be obeyed in such-and-such matters and that obedience is unnecessary in all other matters. Thus it is certain that, according to the Qur’an, the Messenger is a ruler appointed by Allah whose authority is absolute, and whose commands every believer is duty-bound to obey fully in all matters and under all circumstances. Of course, if the Messenger himself restricts his ruling authority to a particular limit under divine law, that is his prerogative. He may do so if he wishes and grant people freedom of thought and action beyond that defined limit. The believers themselves have not been given the power or right to determine the limits of the Messenger’s authority. They are completely and utterly subject to his authority and obedient to his commands. If the Messenger had ordered them to adopt a particular method even in agriculture, trade, blacksmithing, and the like, they would have had to obey his command without hesitation or reservation.

The Prophet’s Obedience Is Not Like Obedience to an Ordinary Person

When such unconditional and unlimited obedience was commanded, it was necessary to establish that it was not like obedience to an ordinary person. For the ignorant unbelievers considered him merely an ordinary human being. They would say to people: (Arabic text“Is he not merely an ordinary human being like you?”

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“He is nothing but a human being like you. Moreover, he seeks to gain superiority over you.”

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“If you obey a human being like yourselves, you will surely be losers.”

In reality, obedience to the Prophet is obedience to Allah Himself. For whatever the Prophet says, he says only on behalf of Allah, and whatever he does, he does under Allah’s command. He does not speak according to his own desires; he follows only Allah’s revelation. Therefore, one should remain certain that there is no fear of going astray or deviating in obeying him.

Unrecited revelation for the Prophet’s guidance—[Revelation that is not recorded in the Book and is not recited. —(Editor)]

This is what has been described in the third, fourth, and fifth verses. Some people say that the thing called revelation in the fourth and fifth verses refers to Allah’s Book, and that no revelation other than the Book was sent down to the Prophet; but this notion is entirely mistaken. It is proven from the Holy Qur’an that not only were Books sent down to the prophets, but Allah continually sent revelation to them for their guidance. In the light of this revelation, they followed the correct path, gave sound judgments in daily problems, and implemented regulations. For example, Prophet Noah built the Ark under Allah’s supervision and according to His revelation in order to withstand the Flood.

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“Build the Ark under My supervision and according to My revelation.”

Prophet Abraham was shown the dominion of the heavens and the earth and was shown how the dead are brought to life. Prophet Joseph was taught the interpretation of dreams. Arabic text“This is one of the kinds of knowledge Allah has granted me.” Prophet Moses was spoken to on Mount Tur. He was asked, “What is that in your hand?” He replied, “It is my staff. I use it to tend my goats.” He was commanded, “Throw down your staff.” When the staff took the form of a serpent, Prophet Moses became frightened and was about to flee. Then revelation came: Arabic text“O Moses! Do not fear; move forward. You are safe.” Again the command was issued: Arabic text“Go to Pharaoh. He has become rebellious.” He asked for Prophet Aaron to assist him. His request was accepted. As the two brothers were going to Pharaoh, they were afraid. Allah reassured them, saying: Arabic text“Do not fear. I am with you both; I see and hear everything.” Then Prophet Moses became frightened upon seeing the snakes made by the magicians in Pharaoh’s court. Revelation then came: Arabic text“Do not fear; you will be the victor.” After every effort to guide Pharaoh to the right path had failed, Moses was commanded: Arabic text“Set out in the darkness of night with My servants; you will be pursued.” When they reached the bank of the river, the divine command came: Arabic text“Strike the river with your staff.”

The question now is: Was even one of all these revelations sent down in the form of a Book for the guidance of the general public? These examples leave no room for anyone to fail to understand that Allah always watches over the prophets, and whenever there is a possibility that they may err through human thought and judgment, He guides them to the right path through revelation. The revelation sent through the prophets for the guidance of all people and recorded in book form by Allah as a guidance manual and practical constitution is different in nature from the revelation under discussion here.

Some Examples of Unrecited Revelation Sent to the Prophet

This kind of “unrecited revelation,” or hidden revelation, was sent down to the Holy Prophet. The Qur’an alludes to this at various places. At first, the Prophet made Bayt al-Maqdis the qiblah. No instruction concerning this is found in Allah’s Book. But when that qiblah was abrogated and Bayt al-Haram (the Ka‘bah) was made the qiblah, it was said:

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“I had appointed the qiblah you previously followed only so that those who obey the Messenger might be distinguished from those who disobey him.” —(Surah al-Baqarah: 143)

This verse makes it clear that Bayt al-Maqdis was initially made the qiblah on the basis of revelation.

During the Battle of Uhud, the Holy Messenger of Allah told the Muslims that Allah would send angels to assist them. Later, Allah referred to the Prophet’s statement in the Qur’an as follows: Arabic text“Allah had made that promise a glad tiding for you.” —(Surah Al ‘Imran: 126)

Thus, there is no doubt that this promise had been made by Allah Himself.

After the Battle of Uhud, the Messenger of Allah ordered the Muslims to set out for the Second Battle of Badr. Yet this order is not mentioned anywhere in the Qur’an. Later, however, Allah confirmed the Prophet’s order, saying that it had come from Him.

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“Those who responded to Allah and the Messenger even after suffering injury in battle.”

The Prophet’s setting out from Madinah for the Battle of Badr is mentioned as follows: Arabic text“Just as Allah brought you out of your home.” —(Surah al-Anfal: 5)

No instruction to leave the home is mentioned in the Qur’an, but Allah later affirmed its truth, saying that he had set out by His command, not of his own choice.

Later, during the battle, Allah showed His Prophet a dream:

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“When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few in number.” —(Surah al-Anfal: 43)

When the spoils of war were distributed, the hypocrites began to express displeasure. Then Allah informed them that this distribution had been made by Allah’s own command.

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“If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger had given them.” —(Surah al-Tawbah: 59)

At the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, all the Companions opposed the treaty. Its terms seemed unacceptable to everyone. But the Messenger of Allah accepted it. Later, Allah confirmed it, saying that the treaty had come from Him.

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“Indeed, We have granted you a clear victory.” —(Surah al-Fath: 1)

The Essence of the Verses Cited Above

Many more examples of this kind can be found in the light of the Qur’anic verses. But my purpose here is not to cite all the verses. My sole purpose is to establish that Allah’s relationship with the Prophet was not merely temporary and short-lived, such that it would arise only whenever he wished to convey a message to people and then immediately cease. Rather, the reality is that Allah keeps a special watch over whomever He appoints as a prophet and continually guides and instructs him through revelation. In this way He ensures that the Prophet fulfills his duty correctly at every moment of his life and that no deed or word displeasing to Allah is committed by him. The opening verses of Surah al-Najm highlight this truth. I have already stated in the first part of this discussion, and the Holy Qur’an has also made it clear, that the prophets are kept under Allah’s constant supervision, protected from mistakes and faults; if they stumble because of human weakness, He corrects them, points out the error, and brings them back to the straight path. The references in the Holy Qur’an to the errors and lapses of the Noble Messenger of Allah and other prophets, along with Allah’s warnings concerning them, are never intended to cause people to lose confidence in the prophets. Nor are they intended for people to think—God forbid—that if the prophets make mistakes like us, how can it possibly be certain that they should be followed and obeyed? Rather, the purpose is to make clear that Allah did not grant the prophets unrestricted freedom to act according to their own desires or according to their personal opinions and reasoning. Since they were appointed to guide ordinary people to the right path, they were strictly commanded to obey Allah’s commands continually and not to follow a path displeasing to Allah even in the smallest matter. For this reason, the Qur’an reproached the Prophet even for matters so insignificant that they have no real importance in the life of ordinary people—for example, whether a person eats honey or not, failing to give attention to a blind man and becoming annoyed because he interrupted his profound discussion, or seeking forgiveness for someone. These are by no means important matters, but Allah did not permit the Prophet to act according to his own or another’s wishes even in such minor matters. Similarly, excusing someone from going to war and releasing some prisoners of war in exchange for ransom are ordinary matters for a leader, but in the case of the Prophet they are matters of immense importance. Consequently, he was cautioned through explicit revelation. Why? Because Allah’s Prophet is not like ordinary leaders, free to do whatever they wish according to their own judgment. Since the Prophet was entrusted with the great responsibility of prophethood, if, while using his own judgment to make a decision, he failed to understand correctly the indication of Allah’s hidden revelation, and advanced even an inch against Allah’s will, Allah deemed it necessary to correct him through explicit revelation.

The Prophet’s Truthfulness Is Completely Reliable

Allah has described this quality and characteristic of His Prophet so that we may develop complete confidence in the Prophet’s truthfulness and hold firmly to the belief that the Prophet’s words and deeds are above error and deviation, the following of desire, and the faults and lapses of human thought. At every step of life, he remains firm upon the Sirat al-Mustaqim prescribed by Allah. His pure character is such a model of Islamic morality that it contains not the slightest trace of defect or fault. Allah specifically made this complete and flawless model so that any of His servants who wished to become beloved to Him could follow and emulate it fearlessly and without hesitation. This very purpose is described in the sixth and seventh verses mentioned above. The sixth verse says that there is an example for you in the Messenger of Allah. The seventh verse declares following the Messenger of Allah to be the only means of becoming beloved to Allah.

The Prophet’s Entire Life Is the “Excellent Example”’

Here too we see that when the Prophet’s life is called an excellent example, no condition or limitation is mentioned. In short, the Prophet’s entire life is, in every respect, the supreme example that all people must follow in every aspect and circumstance of life. There is no room here for imposing any condition or boundary in any respect. The person of the Prophet has been declared an excellent example in its entirety, and complete obedience to him is essential. This means that the more one follows and emulates him, and the greater the likeness to his qualities one creates in one’s own life, the greater the possibility of attaining nearness to Allah and becoming beloved to Him.

The Scope of the Exceptions

But declaring the Prophet’s life as a whole to be an exemplary model and commanding comprehensive obedience to him does not mean that, in every sphere of life, everyone must do exactly whatever he did and exactly as he did, or follow his sacred life so precisely that it would be impossible to distinguish the original from the imitation. That is not the purpose of the Qur’an, nor could it be. In fact, this is a concise and fundamental directive. We can learn how to implement it from the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) himself and from the way of life of the Companions. It is not possible to analyze this in detail here. In brief, in matters that are obligatory, necessary, and of the status of the fundamental pillars of Islam, his obedience and imitation must be exact and complete; not even a hair’s breadth of deviation is permissible. This includes the rules concerning prayer, fasting, pilgrimage, zakat, purification, and so forth, as well as whatever he commanded regarding the general regulations of Islamic life—social, economic, and political activities and their detailed rules. Regarding some of these matters, the Messenger of Allah merely instructed people to maintain morality and propriety and to adopt reasonable methods. Others provide criteria by which we can determine which course of action is compatible with Islam and which is not. A person who sincerely wishes to imitate the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and studies his hadith and conduct for that purpose can easily learn in which matters the Messenger’s example must be followed exactly, and in which matters only the general principles of morality, reasonableness, benefit, and welfare are to be derived from his hadith and conduct. But quarrelsome people raise all sorts of excuses in this regard. They say: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) spoke Arabic—must we also speak Arabic? He married Arab women—must we also marry Arab women? He wore a particular kind of clothing—must we wear the same kind? He ate particular foods—must we eat those foods too? He mixed, sat, socialized, and behaved with people in a particular way—must we do all these things in exactly the same way? Sadly, they do not pause to consider that the essential matter is not the language, but the moral rules of speaking that he always observed. Whether one marries an Arab woman or a non-Arab woman is not the main issue; the main issue is how we behave toward whichever woman we marry, how we establish her rights, and how we exercise our lawful legal authority over her. In this respect, the model that the Prophet (peace be upon him) left in his conduct toward his wives is the finest possible model for a Muslim’s family life. Who has said that wearing exactly the kind of clothing the Prophet (peace be upon him) wore is a requirement of the Shariah? And who commanded that every Muslim must eat exactly the food he ate? In these matters, what deserves imitation is the God-consciousness, purity, cleanliness, and modesty that he observed in eating and clothing himself. From this we can understand how to implement the Qur’an’s concise moral teaching concerning the balance between asceticism and materialism: so that, on the one hand, there is no extravagance or waste, while on the other hand lawful things are not needlessly avoided. The same applies to all other matters of the Prophet’s personal and collective life. His entire noble and sacred life is an excellent model for the life of a truly God-fearing Muslim. Hazrat Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) rightly said that,(Arabic**********) that is, if you wish to know how a believer should live in this world according to the teachings and spirit of the Holy Qur’an, then study the life of Muhammad (peace be upon him). You will see that the Islam presented concisely in the Qur’an is elaborated in the life of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him).

The Messenger Is the Messenger at All Times

It is reassuring that the third group does not share the views of the first and second groups. Nevertheless, certain hadith have led them to suspect that “perhaps the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was not a messenger in every situation and at every moment, and that not everything he said and did was said and done in his capacity as a messenger.” The reports that have given rise to this misunderstanding actually point to a different matter. In reality, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was Allah’s Messenger at every moment and in every situation, and his duty was always to remain focused on the purpose for which he had been sent as a prophet. He was not made a prophet in order to completely deprive people of freedom of thought and opinion or to render their conscience and intellect inactive and useless. He was not sent to teach the people of the world agriculture, industry, and crafts, nor was he sent to manage people’s trade and commerce or their personal affairs.

The Prophet’s Focus on the True Purpose of Messengership

The Prophet’s life had only one purpose: to establish Islam as a creed and faith in people’s hearts and to put it into effect, through practical action, in their personal character and social system. Apart from this fundamental purpose, he never turned his attention to anything else. On the rare occasions when he said something concerning another matter, he immediately added that people were free in their opinions and actions. He said:(Arabic****************) “You know best about the affairs of your worldly life.” The Companions, however, were always ready to obey the Prophet wholeheartedly, regarding every word of his as the word of the Messenger and considering obedience and imitation of him necessary in every matter. Therefore, whenever the Prophet said something about a worldly matter, the Companions thought that it might also be an instruction given in his capacity as Messenger. Yet he never instructed the Companions in a matter unrelated to the purpose of his coming and compelled them to obey it. Throughout the twenty-three years, he was never negligent for even a moment of his purpose and objective; he remained constantly aware of the subtle distinction between what fell within his purpose and what did not, and despite possessing complete authority and power over his followers, he never instructed them in an irrelevant matter. This proves that the status of prophethood and messengership was never separated from his person. However, it would be incorrect to assume that whatever the Prophet said concerning worldly matters had no source in revelation. Such statements were not commands, he did not utter them in the manner of issuing commands, and no one accepted them as commands. Nevertheless, whatever came from his sacred lips was wholly accurate and true. For example, the hadith found concerning the Prophet’s medical knowledge are filled with highly learned observations. When one reads those hadith, it is astonishing to consider how an unlettered man of Arabia, who had never been a physician and had conducted no research into medical science, could know facts of that science that are being proven true today after centuries of testing and experience. Hundreds of examples of this kind can be found in the Prophet’s learned statements. Although these matters were not part of the duties of messengership, Allah endowed His messengers by nature with extraordinary abilities that were useful not only in fulfilling the duties of messengership but also manifested excellence in every sphere. Clearly, the craft of making armor cannot have any connection with messengership. Yet the Prophet David (peace be upon him) displayed extraordinary skill in this work as well. Allah Himself said, “I taught him this craft.”(Arabic**********************) “And We taught him the art of making armor so that it might protect you from one another’s attacks.” (Surah al-Anbiya: 80) What connection could learning the language of birds have with fulfilling the duties of messengership? Yet the Prophet Solomon (peace be upon him) attained expertise in it. He himself said:(Arabic**********) “I have been taught the language of birds.” (Surah al-Naml: 16) What connection could carpentry and boatbuilding have with fulfilling the duties of messengership? Yet Allah did not say to the Prophet Noah (peace be upon him), “Build a sturdy boat.” Rather, He said:(Arabic***********) “Build the Ark under Our supervision and according to Our revelation.” (Surah Hud: 37)

The Two Aspects of the Prophet’s Life

This discussion has made it clear that the revelation received by the prophets was not limited to matters directly connected with the fulfillment of their duties of messengership. In reality, their entire lives remained subject to Allah’s commands. The only distinction is that one part of their lives is such that following it exactly is an essential condition of being a Muslim, while another part is such that following it in every detail is not obligatory or essential for all Muslims. However, whoever wishes to become a beloved and close servant of Allah has no alternative but to follow the Prophet’s Sunnah completely. Even a hair’s breadth of deficiency in this regard will result in a corresponding deficiency in attaining closeness to Allah and becoming His beloved servant. For there is absolutely no other path to becoming beloved by Allah than following the Prophet.(Arabic***********) “Follow me; Allah will love you.”

The Difference Between the Prophet’s Leadership and Other Leadership

The difference between the Prophet’s leadership and the leadership of other leaders, and between the Prophet’s judgments and those of other judges, has become clear from the preceding discussion. Nevertheless, toward the end I quoted three verses that made the matter even clearer. These verses prove that submitting before the command of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and accepting his decisions are essential conditions of being a believer. Whoever refuses to do so will no longer remain a believer. Does any other leader or judge possess such a status? If not, then what a grave error it is to say, “Wherever the words ‘Allah’ and ‘Messenger’ are mentioned together in the Qur’an, they mean leadership.” It is this statement of Maulana Aslam Jairajpuri that I find objectionable. I regard it as entirely contrary to the Qur’an. I also acknowledge the obligation to obey the ulil-amr. After the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), obedience to the ulil-amr is an essential duty. The ulil-amr will perform the functions of the Islamic state that the Messenger of Allah carried out during his lifetime, and in all matters of society and the state, the decision of the ulil-amr will be binding and final. Even if someone, on the basis of his own knowledge, understands a decision of the ulil-amr to be contrary to Allah and the Messenger, he must still obey that decision to a certain extent, while remaining firm in his own view. But that does not mean that what is meant by ‘Allah and the Messenger’ in the Qur’an is leadership, nor that an order issued by a leader is exactly the same as a command from Allah and the Messenger. If that were so, then whenever leaders and authorities went astray and those in power and responsibility began actions opposed to the Qur’an and Sunnah, Muslims would become helpless and without recourse. Even while knowing that they were heading toward inevitable destruction, they would have no option but to follow and obey them. In such a situation, if someone stood up and demanded adherence to the path of Allah and the Messenger, then according to Maulana Aslam Jairajpuri’s fatwa, misguided and tyrannical rulers could declare the unfortunate person an enemy of God and kill him, without being at fault. They could say, “You fool, we ourselves are Allah and the Messenger. Which Allah and Messenger are you trying to make us follow?”

An Examination of the Messenger’s Personal Life and Prophetic Life

Arabic translations of two of my articles, entitled “Islam’s View of Freedom” and “Obedience to and Imitation of the Messenger,” were published in Damascus’s Al-Muslimun magazine. At that time, distinguished people in Syria drew my attention to the fact that the two articles appeared somewhat inconsistent. This inconsistency needed to be resolved. A gentleman from Damascus raised the following question regarding my first article:

“As a human being, was Muhammad (peace be upon him) just like an ordinary person? As a human being, did he too harbor a desire to establish personal domination over other people and bring them under his personal power and influence? If so, what meaning could there be in his being protected from sin as a prophet and granted divine protection as a human being? Did his human life before prophethood and his prophetic life merge into one, or did they remain separate? Is it possible to separate these two aspects of his life so that we may gain the freedom to obey Muhammad the Prophet (peace be upon him) while opposing Muhammad the human being? Whatever he said as a prophet is obligatory to follow, while we have the right to oppose whatever he said as a human being. But according to what principle can we draw a line between these two kinds of statements? Is there no restriction whatsoever on opposing the Prophet’s personal opinion? Did Muhammad (peace be upon him) give Muslims the impression that obeying him as a human being was unnecessary? Did he encourage them to disagree with his personal opinions? Is it really true, on the basis of this argument and evidence, that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) opposed the Prophet as a human being?”

The following article of mine was written in answer to these questions:

Regarding the two articles of mine published in the sixth, seventh, and eighth issues of the sixth volume of Al-Muslimun, under the titles “Islam’s View of Freedom” and “Obedience to and Imitation of the Messenger,” I was told that the two articles contained mutually contradictory statements that needed to be reconciled. In other words, the first article said that the Prophet’s personal life and prophetic life were separate. Islam calls for obedience to the prophetic life, not to the personal life. But the second article denied that these two aspects of the Prophet’s life were separate and emphatically stated that the Prophet had only one life—the prophetic life. I was asked how this contradiction could be resolved. In addition, a gentleman from Damascus raised some questions regarding my first article, “Islam’s View of Freedom.” The questions were published in the seventh issue of Al-Muslimun. We quoted them at the beginning. Both questions are largely similar. Therefore, I am answering both in this single brief article.

In fact, the problem has two aspects. One is the theoretical aspect, in which the question to be examined is: what is the solid, fundamental truth? The second is the practical aspect, in which the question is: in order to receive guidance from the Prophet’s personality, must we accept his entire life as prophetic for us, and was he only a prophet? Or must we divide him into two parts, obey his prophetic life, and leave the rest aside?

First: The Theoretical Aspect of the Discussion

Let us first discuss the theoretical aspect. The Holy Qur’an has stated unambiguously that there is a distinction between the personal life and prophetic life of the prophets. They do not come to turn people into their own slaves; they come to make people servants, or slaves, of Allah.

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“It is not proper for any human being that Allah should grant him the Scripture, authority, and prophethood, and then he should say to people, ‘Become my servants instead of Allah’s servants.’” (Surah Al Imran: 79)

They were entrusted with two responsibilities at the same time. First, to liberate people from servitude to every person or thing besides Allah—even from servitude to themselves. Second, to bring them under the exclusive servitude of Allah.

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“Say, ‘O People of the Book, come to a word common to us and you: that we worship none but Allah, associate no partner with Him, and do not take one another as lords besides Allah.’” (Al Imran: 64)

The command to obey the Messenger unconditionally in all matters relating to Islam was not given as a personal right of his. Rather, it was because Allah communicates what pleases Him and what His commands are only through the Messenger. Therefore, obedience to the Messenger has been declared to be obedience to Allah Himself. The Qur’an says:

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“We sent every messenger only so that he would be obeyed by Allah’s permission.” (Surah al-Nisa: 64)

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“Whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah.” (Surah al-Nisa: 80)

At the same time, it is also established from the Qur’an and numerous hadith that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) never demanded the kind of unconditional obedience to something he said or did according to his own judgment, rather than by Allah’s command, that he demanded when he said or did something by Allah’s command. I have given many examples of this in my article entitled “Islam’s View of Freedom.” In particular, the divorce of Zayd’s wife Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) despite the Prophet’s disapproval, and the fact that Allah and His Messenger expressed no displeasure at it, is a striking example. Apart from the explanation I gave in that article, no other explanation can be offered for it. Regarding the pollination of date palms, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said unambiguously:

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“I am a human being. When I give you an instruction concerning Islam, follow it. But when I say something based on my own opinion, remember that I am only a human being. I once expressed an opinion based on conjecture. Do not accept what I say on the basis of such guesswork. But when I convey something from Allah, accept it, for I have never spoken falsely about Allah. You know best about the affairs of your worldly life.” (Muslim)

This is the difference in principle. Now let us examine its practical aspect.

Second: The Practical and Applied Aspect

Basically, the matter was extremely delicate and complex. Allah sent one human being as His sole representative with a dual responsibility: on the one hand, he was to liberate all humanity from servitude to every created thing, including his own person, and personally train them in this freedom. On the other hand, that same person was to inspire them to obey Allah unconditionally, and the source of that obedience to Allah would be his own person in his capacity as Messenger. These two apparently contradictory tasks had to be performed by the same person at the same time, and their boundaries were so closely intertwined that no one except Allah and His Messenger could distinguish the line between them. Moreover, their complexity and delicacy become even more intense when three matters are considered. First, when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) urged people to obey him in submission to Allah’s command, there was no doubt that he was fulfilling his duty of messengership. But when he freed his most devoted Companions from mental enslavement to his own personality and taught them to exercise freedom of thought and opinion; when he encouraged them, in his very presence, to exercise freedom of thought in opposition to his personal opinions; and when he showed them that they were free in this sphere but bound to obey completely in that sphere, he was still actually fulfilling a part of his duty of messengership. This is a sphere in which it becomes difficult for us to understand the distinction between his personal life and prophetic life and to act according to that distinction. Here the two lives are so intimately intertwined that, in practice, only a theoretical distinction remains between them. Even when he undertook an action in his personal capacity, he could in practice be seen to be fulfilling the duty of prophethood.

Secondly, matters that outwardly appear entirely personal—such as eating and drinking, clothing and dress, marriage, living with wives and children, household affairs, bathing and cleanliness, and urination and defecation—are not entirely personal matters in the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Rather, they also include teachings concerning the limits, regulations, and rules of the Shariah. Consequently, it becomes difficult for people to determine where the work of Muhammad the Messenger ends and where the work of Muhammad the individual begins.

Thirdly, from the Holy Qur’an we learn that the Prophet’s life as a whole is an ideal, every aspect of which is a beacon of truth and justice for us. Not a single one of his words or deeds is tainted in the slightest by the prompting of desire, misguidance, or confusion. In this connection, several statements of the Qur’an deserve attention:

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“In the life of the Messenger of Allah there is an excellent model for you.”

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‘O Prophet! We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good news, a warner, one who calls to Him by Allah’s permission, and a radiant lamp.’

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“Your companion has neither gone astray nor fallen into error. He does not speak out of his own desire; whatever he says is nothing but revelation sent down to him.” —(Surah al-Najm: 2–4)

For these reasons, according to the Shariah we have no right to distinguish between the Prophet’s prophetic life and his personal life; in practice, such a distinction is not possible either. We cannot determine the boundaries of these two aspects of the Prophet’s life ourselves. We are unable to specify that one matter falls within the Prophet’s prophetic life while another falls within his personal life. Therefore, we have no authority to decide that accepting one is obligatory while accepting the other is optional. Only an explicit declaration by the Messenger of Allah himself, or a principle formulated in light of several of his teachings, can be accepted as the means of determining this distinction.

Some Noteworthy Examples

During the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), there are examples of the Companions asking, before expressing a personal opinion about one of his words or deeds, whether that word or deed was based on Allah’s command or on his personal opinion. Only when they learned that it was his personal opinion would they present their own views. Before expressing his opinion during the Battle of Badr, Khabbab ibn al-Mundhir asked whether the choice of location had been made on the basis of revelation or merely as a military strategy. For if it had been based on revelation, it would not have been permissible for us to alter it even slightly. During the Battle of the Trench, Sa’d ibn Mu’adh asked, before expressing his opinion about the decision to make peace with the Banu Ghatafan: “O Messenger of Allah! Was this decision made on the basis of revelation—about which we have no right to speak—or do you wish to do this merely of your own accord?”

At times, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself would state that what he had said about a certain matter was not said by Allah’s command and had not been instituted as an Islamic rule, but was merely an expression of his personal opinion. As an example, his explanation concerning the pollination of date palms has already been mentioned.

Sometimes it could be understood from the nature of an instruction itself that he had given it only in a personal capacity. For example, he said to Zayd:(Arabic**********) “Do not divorce your wife. Fear Allah.” It was clearly understood that this instruction was not a legal command from the Prophet to a believer, but advice from the head of a family to a younger member of the family. That is why Zayd divorced Zaynab despite the Prophet’s instruction. Since neither Allah nor the Messenger (peace be upon him) expressed any displeasure over this, it is evident that Zayd had correctly understood the level of the Prophet’s instruction.

How to Determine the Prophetic Status in Later Ages

There are many examples of this that can be found during the lifetime of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). In addition, this distinction can still be determined in many other matters in light of the fundamental principles of the Shariah. Let us take the Prophet’s clothing and food, for example. One aspect was that the particular styles, measurements, and cuts of clothing he wore were customary in Arabia at that time, and he chose those clothes according to his own taste. Similarly, the food he ate was commonly prepared in Arab homes during his time, and these foods suited his taste. Another aspect was that, through his words and deeds concerning eating and dress, he taught the Islamic customs and regulations relating to them. We can learn from the principles taught by the Prophet himself that the first belonged to his personal life, while the second fell within his prophetic life. For although he had been appointed by Allah to teach the laws of the Shariah, that Shariah did not encompass the question of what cut people should give their clothes or how they should cook their food. It did, however, encompass defining the limits of lawful and unlawful, permissible and impermissible, in matters of clothing and food, and teaching people manners and etiquette compatible with the character, civilization, and culture of the believers.

We may learn of this distinction either through an explicit declaration of the Prophet or from the fundamental principles of the Shariah that he taught; in both cases, the Prophet’s teaching is the source of this knowledge. Therefore, even to determine which actions fall within the sphere of the Prophet’s personal life, we must turn to the Prophet’s life itself. We have no possibility of establishing direct contact with personal life while disregarding the prophetic life. In my article entitled “Obedience to and Emulation of the Messenger,” I warned those who reject Hadith about this very matter. Their fundamental error is that, on their own initiative, they distinguish between Muhammad ibn Abdullah as the Messenger and Muhammad ibn Abdullah as a human being, and draw a boundary between the actions belonging to the spheres of the two. They then exempt themselves from the part of the prophetic life that they themselves have set aside. Yet whatever actual distinction exists between the personal life and prophetic life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is confined to Allah and the Messenger of Allah alone. We have been informed of this only so that we do not fall into confusion regarding belief and come to regard Muhammad, son of Abdullah, as independently entitled to our true obedience. For the Ummah, however, he has in practice only one status: the status of being Allah’s Messenger. Even any freedom we have regarding obedience to Muhammad as a human being has been granted by the Messenger Muhammad himself. It is he who has defined the limits of that freedom for us and taught us how to exercise it.

After reading my two articles following this explanation and analysis, there should be no room for any further misunderstanding.

The Office and Responsibilities of Prophethood in the Light of the Qur’an

–[This article was written to resolve the various questions, doubts, and misgivings of those who reject Hadith. —Compiler]

The Messenger’s Work Is of Four Kinds

In four places in the Holy Qur’an, the following account of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) responsibilities has been set forth:

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“And remember when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of this House (the Ka’bah) ………………. (then they prayed,) ‘Our Lord! Raise among them a Messenger from among themselves who will recite Your verses to them, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them.’” (Surah al-Baqarah: 127–129)

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“Just as We have sent among you a Messenger from among you who recites Our verses to you, purifies you, teaches you the Book and wisdom, and teaches you what you did not know.” —(Surah al-Baqarah: 151)

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“Indeed, Allah has shown great favor to the believers by sending among them a Messenger from among themselves who recites His verses to them, purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom.” —(Surah Aal-e-Imran: 164)

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“He is the One who sent among the unlettered people a Messenger from among themselves who recites Allah’s verses to them, purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom.” —(Surah al-Jumu’ah: 2)

The point repeatedly stated in these verses is that Allah did not send His Messenger merely to recite the Qur’anic verses to them; rather, He had three additional purposes in sending him.

First, he would teach people the Book.

Second, he would teach them the methods and ways of acting according to the demands of that Book.

Third, he would purify individuals and the structure of society. That is, through direct training he would remove their individual and collective faults so that excellent qualities would develop in them and a perfect social order would emerge.

It is clear that teaching the Book and knowledge, after reciting the Qur’anic verses, was an additional task. Otherwise, mentioning it separately would have been meaningless. Similarly, the methods he adopted to train individuals and society were also additional to the recitation of the Qur’an. Otherwise, there would have been no point in mentioning the work of training separately. The question now is whether the two responsibilities he received as teacher and trainer, in addition to reciting the Qur’an, were undertaken on his own initiative or whether Allah had appointed him to those two responsibilities. After this clear and unambiguous declaration of the Holy Qur’an, how can anyone who has faith in this Book dare to say that these two responsibilities were not part of his messengership, and that the tasks he performed under them were carried out not as the Messenger but merely in a personal capacity? If such audacity is impossible, then is refusing to acknowledge as an acquired and authoritative certification from Allah the additional work that the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed in teaching the Book and knowledge after merely reciting the Qur’anic words, and the training of individuals and society that he accomplished through his words and deeds, not tantamount to rejecting messengership itself?

The Messenger’s Role as Interpreter of Allah’s Book

Allah has said in Surah al-Nahl:

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“(O Prophet!) We have sent down this Book to you so that you may explain and clarify for people the teaching that has been revealed to them.” —(Verse: 44)

It is clear from this verse that explaining and clarifying the commands and teachings Allah gave in the Qur’an was also among the Prophet’s responsibilities. Even an ordinary person with common sense can understand at least this much: merely reading a book aloud does not complete its explanation; rather, the interpreter must say more than the book’s main words so that the listener can properly grasp its message. If something in a book concerns a practical matter, the interpreter demonstrates in practice that the author approves of acting in that way. Otherwise, if someone asks for the meaning and explanation of the contents of a Book and is merely made to hear the very words of the Book, not even a child would accept that as explanation. The question, then, is whether, according to this verse, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was an interpreter of the Qur’an merely as an individual, or whether he was appointed as its interpreter. Allah is saying here that the purpose of revealing the Qur’an to the Messenger was that the Messenger would explain its meaning through his words and deeds. How, then, can the responsibility entrusted to him of explaining the Qur’an be separated from his overall responsibility as Messenger? And how can one accept the Qur’an he brought and then reject the explanation he provided? Would that not amount to rejecting messengership itself?

In fact, just as this verse is an irrefutable proof against those who at that time denied the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), saying that Allah’s Book could not come through a human being, it is likewise an irrefutable proof today against those who reject Hadith and favor accepting only the Qur’an without the Prophet’s explanation. They generally put forward four claims in this regard. Sometimes they say that the Prophet did not explain anything at all, but merely conveyed Allah’s Book. Sometimes they say that only Allah’s Book is to be followed and that the Prophet’s explanation is unnecessary. Sometimes they say that only Allah’s Book remains reliably preserved today, while the Prophet’s explanation either does not exist at all or, if it does exist, is not reliable. All four views conflict with the Qur’anic verse cited above. In particular, the first view means that the Prophet frustrated the very purpose for which Allah’s Book was sent through him rather than through the angels or directly into people’s hands. The fourth view is nothing less than a declaration rejecting both the Qur’an and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Those who make such a declaration then have no choice but to follow the path of claimants to a new prophethood and new revelation. For in this verse Allah has deemed the Prophet’s explanation indispensable for achieving the objective of prophethood, and has declared that the necessity and validity of the Prophet’s prophethood can be demonstrated only through his explanation of Allah’s Book. If the claim of those who reject Hadith—that the Prophet’s explanation no longer exists anywhere in the world—is accepted as correct, two conclusions become unavoidable. First, one must assume that Muhammad’s prophethood has ceased to exist as an emulable ideal (God forbid), and accept that our relationship with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is like our relationship with the earlier prophets Hud, Salih, Shu’ayb, and others. We must believe in the earlier prophets and acknowledge the truth of their calls, but since we have no emulable model of theirs, we can neither emulate them nor are we obliged to do so. Once this conclusion is reached, feeling the need for a new prophet becomes natural and self-evident. After that, only a fool could insist on the finality of prophethood.

Second, when the Qur’an by itself is not sufficient for guidance even in Allah’s own judgment without the Prophet’s explanation, the claim of the so-called adherents of the Qur’an—however loudly they proclaim it sufficient—cannot be accepted. If the claimant’s demand is one thing while the witness’s testimony is another, neither of the two can be established. Thus, having reached this conclusion, one must say that the Qur’an itself is proving the need for a new Book. May Allah’s curse be upon those who promote such faith-destroying opinions. In reality, by abandoning Hadith in this way, they are attempting to destroy Islam itself.

The Messenger as Leader and Emulable Model

Allah the Exalted says in Surah Aal-e-Imran:

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“(O Prophet!) Say: If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you. … And say: Obey Allah and the Messenger. But if they turn away, then know that Allah does not like the disbelievers.” —(Surah Aal-e-Imran: 31–32)

He says in Surah al-Ahzab:

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“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah there is an excellent model for you—for everyone who hopes in Allah and the Last Day.” —(Verse: 21)

In both these verses, Allah Himself places His Messenger (peace be upon him) in the position of leadership. He commands obedience to him and declares his life worthy of emulation. He clearly informs us: Do not expect any good from Me if you do not obey the Messenger. Without this obedience, you cannot attain My love. Refraining from obedience is disbelief. The question now is whether the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) made himself the leader of the people, whether the Muslims elected him, or whether Allah appointed him.Arabic*********) —instead of (Arabic***********) (follow the Qur’an). In that case, there would be no meaning at all in calling the Messenger’s life an ‘excellent model.’

The Messenger’s Role as Lawgiver

While mentioning the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Surah al-A’raf, Allah the Exalted said:

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“He enjoins people to do good, forbids them from evil, makes pure things lawful for them, makes impure things unlawful for them, and relieves them of the burdens of restrictions that had previously been imposed upon them.” —(Surah al-A‘raf: 157)

This verse makes it perfectly clear that Allah Ta‘ala granted the Holy Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) legislative powers. The list of restrictions does not end with the lawful and unlawful things and the good and evil deeds described in the Qur’an; rather, whatever the Prophet instructed or prohibited is also part of Allah’s law. For the Prophet formulated these restrictions by exercising the authority granted to him by Allah. A similar explicit statement is also found in Surah al-Hashr:

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“Accept whatever the Messenger gives you, and abstain from whatever he forbids you; and fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is severe in punishment.” —(Verse: 7)

Neither of these two verses can be interpreted as referring only to the restrictions incorporated in the Qur’an. It would be more appropriate to call such an interpretation an attempt to revise and alter Allah’s verses rather than an explanation of them. For here Allah has clearly identified commanding good, forbidding evil, and determining what is lawful and unlawful as the Messenger’s functions—not the functions of the Qur’an. Would anyone wish to say that Allah made a mistake and, instead of the Qur’an, mistakenly mentioned the Messenger’s name? —(Allah forbid)

The Role of the Messenger (peace be upon him) as Judge

Allah Ta‘ala has mentioned in several places in the Qur’an that He appointed the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as a judge. A few illustrative verses are noteworthy:

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“(O Prophet!) We have revealed to you the true Book so that you may judge between people in the light of the argument shown to you by Allah.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 105)

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“(O Prophet!) Say, ‘I believe in the Book revealed by Allah, and I have been commanded to establish justice among you.’” —(Surah al-Shura: 15)

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“When the believers are called to Allah and His Messenger so that he may judge between them, they say, ‘We hear and obey.’” —(Surah al-Nur: 51)

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“When they are told, ‘Come to what Allah has revealed and to the Messenger,’ you will see the hypocrites turning away from you.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 61)

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“But no, by your Lord, they will never be believers until they make you judge in their disputes, then find no hesitation in their hearts concerning your decision and submit to it wholeheartedly.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 65)

These verses clearly state that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was neither a self-appointed judge nor a judge selected by the Muslims. He was a judge appointed by Allah. The third verse shows that his responsibility as a judge was not separate or detached from his responsibility of messengership. As Messenger, he was also a judge. Therefore, a believer’s faith in messengership cannot be sound until he accepts the Messenger’s authority and obedience even in his capacity as judge. In the fourth verse (Arabic**********) the Qur’an and the Messenger are mentioned separately, making it perfectly clear that there are two eternal sources of judgment for decision-making: one is the Qur’an as the source of law, and the other is the Messenger as judge. Disobeying either of them is the conduct of a hypocrite, not of a believer. The final verse states categorically and unambiguously that whoever does not accept the Messenger as judge is not a believer. Indeed, even if someone feels the slightest hesitation or reluctance in accepting the Messenger’s decision, his faith is lost. After these explicit statements of the Qur’an, no one can claim that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was indeed a judge, but not in his capacity as Messenger; rather, that he was merely a judge or magistrate like ordinary judges and magistrates. Thus, just as the verdicts of ordinary judges and magistrates are not sources of law, neither are the Prophet’s judgments and decisions sources of law. For no ordinary magistrate in the world possesses such a status that refusing to accept his verdict, criticizing him, or feeling reluctant to accept it would place one’s faith in danger.

The Role of the Messenger as Ruler and Statesman

The Qur’an repeatedly makes it clear that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was a ruler and statesman appointed by Allah, and that this rank, too, was granted to him in his capacity as Messenger.

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“We sent every Messenger only so that he might be obeyed by Allah’s sanction.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 64)

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“Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 80)

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“(O Prophet!) Indeed, those who pledge allegiance to you are in fact pledging allegiance to Allah.” —(Surah al-Fath: 10)

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“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and do not let your good deeds go to waste.” —(Surah Muhammad: 33)

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“It is not for any believing man or woman to have any choice in a matter once Allah and His Messenger have decided it. And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has clearly strayed.”

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“O you who believe! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those vested with authority among you. Then, if you differ over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 59)

These verses make it clear that the Messenger was neither the self-proclaimed ruler of the state he established nor a statesman elected by the people; rather, he was a statesman appointed by Allah. His administration of the state was not something separate or detached from the rank and responsibility of his messengership. Rather, being the Messenger meant being a ruler whose obedience and following were required in every respect. Obedience to him was obedience to Allah Himself. Taking the oath of allegiance to him (bay‘ah) was itself taking an oath of allegiance to Allah. Disobeying him meant disobeying Allah Himself, and its consequence was that no good deed of a person would be accepted by Allah. And regarding any matter decided by the Messenger, believers—which includes the entire Ummah, its rulers, and its “central leadership”—have no right to make an independent decision.

Finally, this statement has been presented even more clearly and decisively in the verse. It gives three successive commands to obey:

First, obedience to Allah.

Then, obedience to the Messenger.

Third, obedience to the Ulul Amr (whom those who reject Hadith refer to as the “central leadership”).

The first point established by this is that the Messenger is not included among the Ulul Amr; rather, his status is distinct from and above theirs. After Allah, his status is at the second level. Secondly, disagreement may arise with the Ulul Amr—that is, those responsible and vested with authority. But disagreement with the Messenger is not permissible. Thirdly, two accepted sources must be consulted to resolve disagreement. One is Allah, and the second, immediately after Him, is Allah’s Messenger. If Allah alone were the source of resolution, there would be no meaning in mentioning the Prophet. Here, turning to Allah means appearing before the Messenger himself during his lifetime; and after the Messenger’s death, turning to his Sunnah or Hadith.

Indeed, a closer examination shows that even during the Messenger’s lifetime, problems were resolved in most cases by relying on the Messenger’s Hadith or Sunnah. Toward the end of the era of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), Islamic rule had spread throughout the entire Arabian Peninsula. In such a vast country, covering ten to twelve hundred thousand square miles, it was in no way possible to obtain the Messenger of Allah’s judgment directly on every matter. Therefore, inevitably, the governors, judges, and other administrators of the Islamic government of that era had to rely, after the Qur’an, on the other source of law for issuing judgments and decisions—and that source was none other than the Messenger’s Sunnah or Hadith.

The Judicial Procedure During the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Era

During the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) lifetime, whenever problems were brought directly before him, he himself resolved them by explaining Allah’s and the Messenger’s intent concerning them. But the problems faced by all the inhabitants within the Islamic state were neither brought before him nor directly solved by obtaining their solutions from him. Instead, he appointed people in various regions of the country who taught the people the religion, and the people learned from them, in their daily affairs, what instructions Allah had given in the Book and what teachings Allah’s Messenger had provided. In addition, amirs, government officials, and qadis were appointed in every area; they themselves settled matters related to their respective fields. The method that the Prophet himself preferred for these people to fulfill the purpose of (Arabic************)is described in the famous Hadith of Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him):

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“When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) appointed Mu‘adh ibn Jabal as a judge and sent him to Yemen, he asked him, ‘How will you judge?’ He replied, ‘According to the guidance found in the Book of Allah.’ The Prophet then asked, ‘What if you do not find it there?’ Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘Then according to the Sunnah of the Messenger.’ The Prophet asked again, ‘What if you do not find it even in the Messenger’s Sunnah?’ He replied, ‘I will exercise my own judgment and strive through ijtihad to reach the correct decision.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, ‘Praise be to Allah, who has granted the Messenger’s representative the ability to adopt the method approved by the Messenger.’” —(Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud)

The Status of the Messenger in the Constitutional Principles of the Islamic Way of Life

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“O believers! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those among you who have the authority to command. If you differ over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger for judgment, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the soundest course and best in outcome.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 59)

This verse is the foundation of Islam’s entire religious, social, and political system and the first article of the constitutional system of the Islamic state. It permanently incorporates the following principles:

First: Under Islamic law, ultimate obedience belongs exclusively to Allah Ta‘ala. A Muslim is, above all, Allah’s servant; everything else comes afterward. The sole center and objective of both every Muslim’s personal life and the social system is compliance with and obedience to Allah’s command. Every other obedience may be rendered only when it does not conflict with obedience to God, but remains subordinate to it. Otherwise, in opposition to the original and fundamental obedience, all claimants to other forms of obedience will be rejected. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) expressed this very point as follows: (Arabic*************) “There can be no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator.”

Second: The second fundamental principle of Islamic law is obedience to the Messenger. This is not a separate form of obedience; rather, it is the only practical and effective form of obedience to Allah. The Messenger is to be followed because he alone is the trustworthy and reliable means through which Allah’s commands reach us. Therefore, obedience to the Messenger is the only means and method of obeying Allah. Just as obedience to Allah without the method approved by the Messenger is unacceptable, rejecting obedience to the Messenger amounts to rebellion against God. Explaining this point further, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:

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“Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah. This has also been clearly stated in the Qur’an, as will be discussed later.”

Third: After the two forms of obedience mentioned above, the third obedience indispensable for Muslims is obedience to the Ulul Amr, who must be from among the Muslims themselves. Essentially, this obedience is subordinate to the two forms of obedience mentioned above; it is not something independent of them. The Qur’an refers to these people as the ‘Ulul Amr.’ They include those who direct all matters of the collective life of Muslims. They may be scholars who provide intellectual and ideological leadership, political leaders, administrators, judges, or even neighborhood and slum chiefs and community elders who provide leadership in cultural and social matters. In short, whoever has the right to command Muslims in a particular capacity is entitled to receive their obedience in that capacity. It is not proper to create disorder in the social life of Muslims by opposing him. The condition, however, is that he must be a Muslim and obedient to Allah and the Messenger; these two conditions are essential for obedience to him. This condition is stated in the aforementioned verse and is also explained in detail in the Hadith. The following Hadiths deserve attention:

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“It is obligatory for Muslims to obey the Ulul Amr, whether they like it or not, provided they are not commanded to commit a sin. But if they are commanded to commit a sin, there is absolutely no obedience.”

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“No one may be obeyed in anything that involves disobedience to Allah and the Messenger; obedience is due only in what is good.” —(Bukhari and Muslim)

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“The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘Some people will rule over you whose actions will be partly good and partly evil. Whoever expresses disapproval of their evil deeds will be absolved, and whoever dislikes them will also be safe. But whoever is pleased with them and begins to follow them will not be safe.’ The Companions asked, ‘Should we not fight such rulers?’ The Prophet said, ‘No fighting as long as they maintain the prayer.’” —(Muslim)

That is, if they abandon prayer, it must be understood that they have abandoned obedience to Allah and the Messenger. In that case, struggling against them will be lawful.

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“The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Your worst leaders will be those whom you hate and who hate you. You will curse them and they will curse you. The Companions asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah! When such a situation arises, should we not fight against them?’ He said, ‘No, not as long as they maintain the system of prayer among you.’”—(Muslim)

This hadith has made the condition mentioned above even more stringent. From the preceding hadith, there was room to suppose that rebellion against rulers would not be permissible as long as they merely observed prayer in their personal lives. But this hadith makes it known that observing prayer actually means establishing the system of prayer in the collective life of the Muslims. In other words, it is not enough for them merely to offer prayer themselves; it is also essential that their government establish the system of prayer. This will show that their government is, at least in principle, an Islamic government. Otherwise, it must be understood that the government has deviated from Islam, and it will become permissible for Muslims to struggle to remove it from power. In this connection, another narration states that one of the pledges the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took from us was:

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That is, “We would not fight against our leaders and rulers. But if clear disbelief is seen in their actions, then we would have grounds to present before God for fighting against them.”—(Bukhari, Muslim)

Fourth: The verse under discussion establishes as an eternal and incontrovertible principle that, in the Islamic state system, Allah’s command and the Prophet’s hadith and method (the Qur’an and Sunnah) are the primary source of law (Final Authority). Whenever a dispute arises among Muslims, or between the rulers and the ruled, it must be resolved in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and everyone must accept that judgment humbly and without objection. Thus, accepting the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger as the ultimate and final source, basis, and authority for decision-making in all the problems of life is that essential characteristic of the Islamic system which distinguishes it from an un-Islamic and God-rebellious system. Any system lacking this characteristic is undoubtedly an un-Islamic system. In this regard, some people ask how the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah can be accepted as the sole source and authority for solving all the problems of life. The Qur’an and hadith contain no regulations concerning municipalities, railways, post offices, and the like. In fact, such questions arise because the fundamental principles of Islam are not properly understood. The difference between a Muslim and a disbeliever is that the disbeliever desires unrestricted and unrestrained freedom. A Muslim, after acknowledging himself essentially to be Allah’s servant or obedient slave, enjoys freedom only in matters in which Allah has granted him freedom. The disbeliever makes decisions in all his affairs according to laws and regulations of his own making, and feels no need whatsoever for any authority or source granted by God. In contrast, the Muslim first tries to learn Allah’s and His Messenger’s ruling concerning every matter. If he finds a relevant command, he accepts it and acts accordingly. If he finds no command, only then does he make an independent decision. The absence of any command from Allah and His Messenger concerning a particular matter itself proves that he has been given freedom of opinion and decision in that matter; for this reason, he exercises his own judgment freely.

The Revelation of Additional Revelation to the Prophet Beyond the Qur’an

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“O Prophet! Do not move your tongue hastily to memorize this revelation. It is Our responsibility to make you remember it and recite it. When We recite it, listen attentively. Then it is also Our responsibility to explain its meaning.”—

This is an extremely important verse. It establishes several principles which, if properly understood, can protect one from many misconceptions in the past and the present. First, it clearly proves that not only the revelation incorporated in the Qur’an was sent down to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him); through revelation, he was also given knowledge beyond the Qur’an. If the meanings of the Qur’an’s instructions, its subtle indications, and its special terms that were explained to the Prophet had already been contained in the Qur’an, there would have been no need to say that it was his responsibility to explain and interpret their meaning. In that case, those explanations and interpretations would have been found in the Qur’an itself. Therefore, it must be acknowledged that the explanation and interpretation of the Qur’an given by Allah was necessarily beyond the Qur’an. In this way, from the Qur’an we have found another proof of concealed revelation.

Second, the explanation of the Qur’an’s meaning and instructions that was conveyed to the Prophet by Allah was intended so that he would explain the Qur’an to people through his words and actions and teach them to act according to its instructions. If this had not been the purpose, and he had been given this knowledge merely to keep it confined to himself, it would have been a futile act, since it would have provided no help in fulfilling his prophetic responsibility. Therefore, to say that this knowledge concerning the explanation and interpretation cannot be regarded as a source of legislation for the Shariah is nothing but folly. Allah Himself says in verse 44 of Surah al-Nahl:

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“We have sent down this Book to you so that you may explain it to people.”—[For a detailed explanation of the verse, see Tafhim al-Qur’an, Volume Seven, al-Nahl, note 40.] Besides this, Allah has stated explicitly in four places in the Qur’an that the task of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was not merely to recite Allah’s Book to people, but also to teach them this Book.—(Surah al-Baqarah, verses 129 and 151; Surah Al ‘Imran, verse 164; Surah al-Jumu‘ah, verse 2)—[I have given a detailed explanation of these verses on pages 74–77 of the book entitled ‘What Is the Legal Status of the Sunnah’ (The Legal Status of the Sunnah)—the author]

Thereafter, no one who accepts the Qur’an can fail to acknowledge that the explanation of the Qur’an given by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) through his words and actions is the purest, most reliable, and genuinely official explanation of the Qur’an. For it is not his personal interpretation; rather, it is the explanation taught by Allah, the Author of the Qur’an. To disregard or bypass this explanation and offer a fabricated interpretation of any verse or word of the Qur’an is an act of enormous audacity—something no person of faith can do.

Third, everyone who studies the Qur’an knows that it contains many statements whose true meaning and the way to put their instructions into practice cannot be understood merely by reading the words, even by someone who knows Arabic. For example, take the word ‘Salat’ (Arabic****) It is this ‘Salat’ that the Holy Qur’an commands with the greatest emphasis after faith. Yet no one can discover its exact meaning with the help of an Arabic dictionary alone. From seeing the word repeatedly mentioned in the Qur’an, one may at most understand that it is used in Arabic in a particular practical sense, and that it probably refers to a particular kind of action called ‘Salat’—which believers must perform. But by reading the Qur’an alone, no one can determine what that particular action is or how it is to be performed. The question is this: if, along with sending down the Qur’an, Allah had not sent a teacher from Himself to inform him of the correct meaning of this term and explain to him properly how to implement the instructions concerning ‘Salat,’ could any two Muslims in the world, merely by reading the Qur’an, have agreed on a single method of implementing the instructions concerning ‘Salat’? Yet for fifteen hundred years Muslims have continued to offer prayer in the same manner from generation to generation. In every region of the world, millions upon millions of Muslims have continued to fulfill the command to pray in the same way. The sole reason is that Allah did not merely send down the words of the Qur’an to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him); He also enabled him to fully understand the meanings of those words. And the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) continued to teach those meanings to the people who accepted the Qur’an as the Book of Allah and him as the Messenger of Allah.

Fourth, the only means available to us for knowing the explanation of the Qur’an’s words that Allah taught His Messenger, and that the Messenger taught the Ummah through his actions and words, is the Messenger’s Sunnah and hadith. Hadith means those reports concerning the Prophet’s words and actions that have been transmitted from earlier generations to later ones through reliable narrators, with the narrators’ names stated. Sunnah means the practice and method that became effectively established in the individual and collective life of Muslim society as a result of the teachings conveyed through the Prophet’s words and actions. The detailed account of that practice and method has reached later generations from earlier generations through reliable chains of transmission, and later generations also witnessed it being practiced in the societies of earlier generations. If this means of knowledge is denied, it would mean that Allah (Arabic*****) having undertaken to explain the meaning of the Qur’an to the Messenger, failed to fulfill that responsibility (God forbid). For Allah did not undertake this responsibility merely to explain the meaning of the Qur’an personally to the Messenger; He undertook it so that, through the Messenger, it would be explained to the entire Ummah. Therefore, to deny that hadith and Sunnah are sources of law necessarily amounts, by itself, to accepting that Allah failed to fulfill that responsibility (God forbid). In response, some people say that many fabricated hadith were also produced. I would say that the production of fabricated hadith most strongly proves that, in the early period of Islam, the entire Ummah regarded the words and actions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as having the status of law. Otherwise, why would those who wanted to spread confusion have felt the need to fabricate false hadith? Those who counterfeit banknotes counterfeit the currency that is in circulation in the market. Who would be foolish enough to counterfeit currency that is no longer in use? Moreover, those who raise the excuse of fabricated hadith may not know that the Muslim community took strict precautions from the very beginning so that no counterfeit hadith could be circulated in the name of the great man whose words and actions have the status of law. Gradually, it also established increasingly rigorous procedures for distinguishing the fabricated and counterfeit. The science of distinguishing sound hadith from unsound hadith is such an extraordinary science that no nation in the world other than the Muslims has developed anything comparable to it to this day. Those who, without acquiring this science, are misled by Orientalists and regard hadith and Sunnah as unacceptable are utterly unfortunate. By displaying such ignorant audacity, they do not realize how greatly they are harming Islam.

Determining the Qiblah

It has been established from the Qur’an that, besides the Qur’an, instructions also came to the Prophet through revelation, and he was commanded to follow both kinds of revelation.

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“I appointed the Qiblah that you had previously followed only to test who follows the Messenger and who does not.”—(Surah al-Baqarah: 143)

This is the clearest verse, which cuts away the basis of every kind of misinterpretation. This verse proves false the notion that no revelation other than the Qur’an came to the Prophet. For the Qur’an contains no instruction concerning the Qiblah that Muslims followed before the Ka‘bah was declared the Qiblah. Yet it is undeniable that, at the very beginning of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) determined the Qiblah, and that he and the Companions continued to pray facing it for nearly fourteen years. After fourteen years, in this verse of Surah al-Baqarah, Allah supported the Prophet’s action and declared, ‘I had appointed that Qiblah.’ I had appointed that Qiblah through the Messenger so that I might see who followed the Messenger’s command and who did not. On the one hand, this clearly proves that revelation besides the Qur’an was sent down to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). On the other hand, it also makes clear that Muslims were commanded to follow those instructions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that are not mentioned in the Qur’an. Allah even tests whether Muslims have faith in the Messenger by seeing whether they follow the instructions conveyed through him. Now, if it is accepted that no revelation other than the Qur’an was sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), how did he receive that instruction concerning the Qiblah? Does this not show that he received instructions not found in the Qur’an?

Prophecy of the Conquest of Makkah

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw in Madinah a dream that he had entered Makkah and was circumambulating the Ka‘bah. He informed the Companions of it and set out to perform Umrah with fourteen hundred Companions. The disbelievers of Makkah blocked his advance at a place called Hudaybiyyah. The result was the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. Doubts and hesitation arose in the minds of some Companions. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked on their behalf, “O Messenger of Allah! Did you not tell us that we would enter Makkah and perform Umrah?

The Prophet said, “Did I say that it would happen on this journey?

Concerning this, Allah says in the Qur’an:

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“Allah had indeed shown His Messenger a true vision. If Allah wills, you will surely enter al-Masjid al-Haram in safety, with your heads shaved and your hair shortened, without fear. He knew what you did not know, and before that He granted this near victory (the Hudaybiyyah truce).” —(Surah al-Fath: 27)

It is understood from this that, through a dream, the Prophet had been informed of the manner in which he would enter Makkah. He would travel toward Makkah with his companions. The disbelievers would prevent him, and ultimately a truce would be concluded; through that truce, Umrah could be performed the following year, and the way would also be opened for future victory. Does this not also show that he received guidance through means other than the Qur’an?

The Disclosure of a Secret

When the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) secretly told one of his wives something, she disclosed it to others. The Prophet questioned his wife about it. She asked, “How did you come to know what I had told the others?” The Prophet replied, “He who is All-Knowing and All-Aware informed me.” As Almighty Allah says:(Arabic********************************on page 288 of the PDF)

“And when the Prophet confided a matter to one of his wives, and she disclosed it, and then Allah informed the Prophet of it, he made known part of it to her and overlooked part. Then when he informed her of her error, she said, ‘Who informed you of this?’ He said, ‘The All-Knowing, the All-Aware informed me.’” —(Surah al-Tahrim: 3)

The revelation through which Allah informed the Prophet that his wife had disclosed the secret is found nowhere in the Qur’an. If it is not there, then this proves that Allah sent many messages to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) besides the Qur’an.

The Marriage of Zaynab

The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) adopted son, Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him), divorced his wife, and then the Prophet married the woman he had divorced. As a result, the hypocrites and opponents launched a fierce campaign against him and raised various allegations against him. Allah answered these allegations in an entire ruku‘ of Surah al-Ahzab. He made it clear that my Prophet had not undertaken this marriage on his own initiative; rather, he had done so at My command.

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“Then when Zayd had ended his relationship with her, We married her to you so that there would be no difficulty for the believers in marrying the former wives of their adopted sons.” —(Verse: 37)

I have already mentioned the event referred to in this verse. The question now is: Is Allah’s command to the Prophet (peace be upon him), given before this event, to marry the woman divorced by Zayd found anywhere in the Qur’an?

Permission to Cut Down Trees

Exasperated by the continuous breaking of their promises by Banu Nadir, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) besieged their settlements adjoining Madinah. During the siege, the Islamic army cut down many trees in the surrounding gardens and orchards so that the roads would be cleared for the movement of the soldiers. In response, the opponents created an uproar, claiming that the Muslims had cut down fruit-bearing trees, ruined the gardens, and caused disorder in the world. Allah said in reply:

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“Whatever palm trees you cut down, or left standing, it was all by Allah’s permission.”

Can anyone say in which verse of the Qur’an this permission to cut down trees was revealed?

A Promise Made Before the Battle of Badr

After the Battle of Badr ended, when the question of distributing the spoils arose, Surah al-Anfal was revealed and the entire battle was reviewed. The review begins from the time the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) left his home for the battle. In this connection, Allah addresses the Muslims, saying:

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“When Allah was promising you that one of the two groups—that is, the merchant caravan and the Quraysh army—would fall into your hands, and you wished that the weaker group, the merchant caravan, would be yours. Yet Allah intended to establish the truth by His words and to cut off the disbelievers’ backbone.” —(Surah al-Anfal: 7)

Now, can a verse be identified anywhere in the entire Qur’an in which Allah promised the Muslims journeying to Badr that He would grant them victory over one of the two groups?

The Answer to the Muslims’ Plea for Help

In connection with the review of the Battle of Badr, it is stated in a subsequent verse:

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“When you were imploring help, Allah answered you, saying, ‘I am sending a thousand angels to your aid, one after another.’” —(Surah Al-Anfal: 9)

Can you say in which verse of the Qur’an this answer to the Muslims’ plea was revealed?

You (the deniers of Hadith) asked for only one example. I have presented seven examples from the Noble Qur’an. These prove conclusively that, besides the Qur’an, revelation was also sent down to the Prophet. Before discussing anything further, I want to see whether you are prepared to bow your heads before the truth.

The Adhan and the Friday Prayer

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“O you who believe! When the call is made for prayer on Friday, hasten to the remembrance of Allah and leave off trading.” —(Surah Al-Jumu‘ah: 9)

Three points in this verse deserve special attention. First, it mentions calling people to prayer. Second, it speaks of a call to a particular prayer, which is to be performed only on Friday. Third, the verse does not say, “Call to prayer and perform a particular kind of prayer on Friday.” From the style of expression and the preceding and following context, it is clear that people were showing reluctance to hurry to prayer and were absorbed in buying and selling. Therefore, Allah revealed this verse to make them realize the importance of that call and that particular prayer, so that they would regard it as an obligatory duty and hasten to perform it. Reflecting on these three points establishes the fundamental truth conclusively: Allah used to send down to the Messenger of Allah certain instructions that had not been revealed in the Qur’an, and those instructions were just as obligatory to follow as the instructions revealed in the Qur’an.

This call to prayer is the Adhan, which resounds five times every day from the mosques throughout the world. Yet the words of the Adhan are found nowhere in the Qur’an, nor is there anywhere an instruction to give the Adhan five times a day. It was instituted by the Prophet’s instruction. The Qur’an supports it in two places: in this verse of Surah Al-Jumu‘ah and in verse 38 of Surah Al-Ma’idah. As for this special Friday prayer, which all Muslims throughout the world perform, the Qur’an gives no instruction about it, nor does it state its time or method. The Prophet himself determined its time and method. The verse under discussion was revealed only to explain its necessity and importance. Despite this clear and conclusive evidence, anyone who says that only the instructions stated in the Qur’an are the instructions of the Shariah not only denies the Sunnah and Hadith, but in fact denies the Qur’an as well.

The Method of Performing Prayer

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“Have you seen him who forbids a servant when he prays?” —(Surah Al-‘Alaq: 9–10)

Here, “servant” means the Messenger of Allah himself. In several places in the Qur’an, the Prophet Muhammad is referred to in this way as a servant, for example:

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“Glory be to Him who took His servant by night to the Masjid al-Aqsa.” —(Surah Bani Isra’il: 1)

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“All praise belongs to Allah, who has sent down the Book to His servant.” —(Surah Al-Kahf: 1)

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“And when the servant of Allah stood up to call upon Him, they almost swarmed over him.” —(Surah Al-Jinn: 19)

These verses show that Allah’s referring to His Messenger as a servant in His Book is a particularly affectionate mode of expression. They further show that after granting the Messenger of Allah prophethood, Allah taught him the method of performing prayer. That method is mentioned nowhere in the Qur’an. Thus it is again proved here that not only Qur’anic revelation was sent down to the Messenger of Allah; many things not found in the Qur’an were also taught to him through revelation.

Chapter 7 — The Human Nature of the Messenger

Prophethood and Human Nature

The Ignorant View: A Prophet Cannot Be Human

In every age, ignorant people held the mistaken notion that a human being could not be a prophet. Thus, whenever a prophet came, they saw him living with a body of flesh and blood, eating and drinking and having a wife, sons, and family, and concluded that he was not a prophet but merely a human being. Then, long after his death, some people arose among his devotees and followers and began to proclaim that he had not been human, because he had been a prophet. In this way, some accepted a prophet as God, some as the son of God, and others as an incarnation of God. In short, people could not comprehend how the same person could be both a prophet and a human being.

The View of the Meccan Polytheists

First, the people of Makkah considered it astonishing that a human being could be a prophet. They thought that an angel should come bearing Allah’s message; a man of flesh and blood, who needed food to live, could not come. Yet even if a human being had been sent as a messenger, he should have been some grand personage like a king or one of the great figures of the world—someone people would eagerly await a glimpse of and whose audience would be extremely difficult and rare to obtain. Surely an ordinary man, like one who walks through the marketplace making the clatter of his shoes, could not be made God’s prophet. They thought: who would look with respect upon someone whom every passerby met freely every day and in whom no one could see anything extraordinary in any respect? In other words, in their view, if a prophet was needed at all, it was not to guide ordinary people, but to show them miraculous feats and impress them through magic and trickery. Or, at the very least, an angel should accompany him, always carrying a whip and telling people, “Obey this man, or I will bring Allah’s punishment down upon you immediately.” In their view, it was a great wonder that the Creator of the universe should send a human being alone with the tremendous rank of prophethood, and Allah should at least have arranged a good income for His messenger. How could the financial condition of Allah’s Messenger be worse than that of one of our ordinary chiefs? He has no money in his hands, no orchard of fruits allotted to him, and yet he claims, “I am the prophet of Allah, the Lord of the worlds.”

Ignorant Ideas About Prophethood and Divine Messengership

Among ignorant people, the mistaken notion was always firmly rooted that whoever was sent by God must necessarily be a being above humanity. Miracles should occur through him. With a gesture, he should turn a mountain into gold; he should command, and the mountain should instantly become gold. He should know all the conditions of the past and future. He should be able to tell where lost things were, whether a sick person would live or die, and whether the child in a pregnant woman’s womb was male or female. Then he would have to be above human weakness and limitation. How could one who became hungry and thirsty, had to sleep, had a wife, children, and family, had to meet his needs through buying and selling, needed to borrow, and had to spend his days troubled by want and poverty be a man sent by God? When such people heard the claim of the Noble Messenger, they wanted to learn from him the secrets and facts of the unseen world and demanded miracles. Seeing him as an ordinary human being, they would say, “What kind of prophet is this, who eats and drinks, maintains a household with wife and children, and walks about freely in the marketplaces?”

Why Is It Essential for a Prophet to Be Human?

In explaining the significance of sending His message (inspired communication) to a prophet, Allah says:

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“O Prophet! We have sent down this Reminder to you so that you may explain to people what has been sent down to them.” —(Surah An-Nahl: 44)

For this purpose of sending revelation to be fulfilled, it was essential that the prophet be a human being. Allah’s message could have been sent through an angel. It could even have been sent directly to every person in the form of a printed book. But the purpose for which Allah, the All-Wise, the Infinitely Merciful, and the Glorious Lord, sent His message could not be fulfilled merely by delivering it into people’s hands. For this, a capable human being was needed—one who would bring that message with him and recite it to people gradually; explain it to whoever could not understand it properly; remove the doubts of whoever had doubts; answer the objections and complaints of whoever had them; and, in dealing with those who would not accept his message and would oppose and obstruct him, demonstrate conduct befitting a bearer of Allah’s message. He would instruct those who accepted it about every aspect and department of life, hold up his own life as an example before them, train them individually and collectively, and establish before the whole world an exemplary society whose complete system of laws and regulations would be regarded as a practical interpretation of that divine message.

Only a Human Being Can Be a Prophet for the Guidance of Human Beings

The task of a bearer of the message (a prophet) is not merely to come and recite his message. His task also includes properly implementing before people, in every circumstance, the fundamental principles of the message by which he will reform and improve human life. Those principles must be manifested in his own life as well. He must resolve the many complex questions in the minds of the countless kinds of people who try to hear and understand his message. He must organize and train those who hear and accept his call, so that a society can be established according to the teachings of that message. He must struggle against those who reject and oppose his call and build resistance against it, so that the supporters of distortion and deviation may be defeated and the reform for which Allah sent the prophet may be completed. Since these tasks must be carried out within human society, what creature other than a human being could be sent for them? If an angel had been sent, he could at most have delivered Allah’s message and then departed. Living among people like a human being, working like a human being, and demonstrating the reform of human life according to Allah’s will are beyond an angel’s capacity. For this task, a human being is the most suitable.

The Human Nature of the Prophets

—[Only a few prophets are mentioned here—those whom the Qur’an explicitly states were human, or whom the authors have discussed in detail in this regard.—(The compilers)]

Prophet Adam Was Human

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“We began your creation, then shaped you, and thereafter said to the angels, ‘Prostrate yourselves before Adam.’” —(Surah Al-A‘raf: 11)

The clear meaning of what has been said above is this:

“First I planned your creation and prepared the substance of creation. Then I gave that substance a human form. Thereafter, when Adam (peace be upon him) came into existence as a living human being, I commanded the angels to prostrate before him.”

The prostration commanded before Adam (peace be upon him) was not because he was Adam, but because he represented the human race. This verse is explained in this way elsewhere in the Qur’an as well. For example, in the fifth ruku of Surah Sad:

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“Recall when your Lord said to the angels, ‘I have decided to create a human being from clay. When I have fully formed him and breathed into him from My spirit, fall down in prostration before him.’” —(Surah Sad: 71–72) —[This account proves that the very first prophet was human; this is an unanimously accepted belief in Islam.—(The author)]

Prophet Noah Was Human

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“(Prophet Noah) said, ‘I do not tell you that I possess Allah’s treasures, nor do I claim to have knowledge of the unseen. I do not claim to be an angel. Nor do I say that Allah will never grant any good to those whom you regard with contempt. Allah knows best their condition. If I said such a thing, I would surely be among the wrongdoers.’” —(Surah Hud: 31)

This was said in response to the opponents’ claim: “You are merely a human being like us.” Prophet Noah says: “Indeed, I am a human being. Have I ever claimed to be anything other than a human being that you raise these objections? My only claim is that Allah has shown me the straight and correct path of knowledge and action. Verify the truth of this in whatever way you wish. But what kind of verification is it when you sometimes ask me about matters of the unseen, sometimes demand such absurd things as though all the keys to Allah’s treasures were in my hand, and at other times question my eating and living like a human being, as though I had claimed to be an angel? Ask a person who claims to show the correct path in belief, faith, morals, and social order whatever you wish about those matters. But astonishingly, you ask whether so-and-so’s pregnant buffalo will give birth to a male or a female. It seems as though the buffalo’s pregnancy has some connection with determining sound moral and civilizational principles for human life.”

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“The chiefs of his people who refused to accept him said, ‘This man is nothing but a human being like you. He merely wishes to gain superiority and dominance over you. Had Allah wished to send someone, He would have sent angels. We never heard during the time of our forefathers that a human being would come as a prophet. No, this is nothing but madness that has afflicted him. Wait a while longer; perhaps his mind will recover.’” —(Surah Al-Mu’minun: 24–25)

“A human being cannot be a prophet” is a common notion among all misguided people. That is why the Qur’an repeatedly mentions this ignorant idea and refutes it. It emphatically states that all prophets were human beings and that the prophet sent to human beings should himself be human.

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“In reply, the leading chiefs of his people who had refused to accept him said, ‘In our view, you are only a human being like us. And we see that only the lowest of us, without thinking or understanding, have followed you.’” —(Surah Hud: 27)

This is the same old ignorant objection that the people of Makkah raised regarding Muhammad (peace be upon him): how can we accept that someone who is an ordinary human being like us—who eats, drinks, walks about, sleeps and wakes, and has a family—has come as a prophet from Allah?

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“(The Prophet Noah, peace be upon him, said,) Do you wonder that a reminder from your Lord has come to you through a man from among your own people, so that you may be warned, refrain from the wrong path, and receive mercy?—(Surah al-A‘raf: 63)

Hud (peace be upon him) was a human being

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“The prominent people of his people who disbelieved, denied the Hereafter, and whom I had granted prosperity in worldly life said, ‘This man is nothing but a human being like yourselves. He eats what you eat and drinks what you drink. Now, if you obey a human being like yourselves, you will certainly be losers.’—(Surah al-Mu’minun: 33–34)

Some people have mistakenly understood that they were saying these things to one another. No, that is not so. Their leaders were saying these things while addressing the common people. The leaders feared that people might be influenced by the Prophet’s pure personality and captivating speech; and if they were influenced, whose leadership would we exercise? Thus, through speeches of this kind, they began misleading the people. They would say that all this prophethood was really nothing. He was saying these things merely out of a lust for power and an obsession with the throne. Brothers! He is a human being of flesh and blood just like you. There is no difference whatsoever between him and you. If that is so, why should he become a leader, and why should you obey him? In these statements, it was apparently accepted without question that they had their own leaders and chiefs, and that leadership ought to remain theirs. In their view, there was no room for question about the fact that they were human beings of flesh and blood who ate and drank. That was already established by itself and was self-evident. Now the question was this new leadership, which was then seen to be taking shape. In later times, those who opposed any newcomer did so only by leveling the accusation of ‘a lust for power.’ Whenever they sensed, or suspected, the presence of this quality in a newcomer, the very words of those chiefs echoed in their speech. Apart from greed for power and rank, nothing else seemed objectionable to them. Yet they could not be accused of lusting for power themselves—as though it were their natural food. Even if indigestion resulted from consuming that food in excessive quantities, no objection could be raised to it.

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“He said, ‘O my people! I am not involved in any foolishness. I am a Messenger of the Lord of the worlds. I convey to you the messages of my Lord, and I am a trustworthy well-wisher for you. Has a reminder from Allah come to you through a man from among you to warn you? Do you wonder at this?’—(Surah al-A‘raf: 67–69)

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“They said, ‘Had our Lord willed, He would have sent down angels. Therefore, we do not believe in what you have been sent with.’—(Surah Ha-Mim al-Sajdah: 14)

Prophets Salih and Shu‘ayb (peace be upon them) were human beings

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“They (the people of Thamud) replied, ‘You have been bewitched. What are you but a human being like us? Bring us a sign, if you are truthful.’—(Surah al-Shu‘ara’: 153–154)

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“They said, ‘You have been bewitched. You are nothing but a human being like us. We consider you a liar.’—(Surah al-Shu‘ara’: 185–186)

Prophets Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them) were human beings

Pharaoh and his council said about Moses and Aaron (peace be upon them):

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“Pharaoh said, ‘Are we to believe in two human beings like ourselves, while their people are our slaves?’”

All the prophets were human beings

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“Their messengers said to them, ‘Indeed, we are nothing but human beings like you. However, Allah favors whomever He wills from among His servants.’—(Surah Ibrahim: 11)

That is, there is no doubt that we are human beings. However, Allah, by His grace, has chosen us from among you to grant us true knowledge and complete insight. We have no hand in this. It is a matter within Allah’s authority—He gives His servants whatever He wishes to give them. We cannot say that we will convey to you everything that has come to us, nor can we close our eyes to the truths that we come to know.

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“They replied to the messengers, ‘You are nothing but human beings like us. Do you wish to turn us away from what our forefathers worshipped? Then bring us clear proof.’—(Surah Ibrahim: 10)

Their argument was: You are human beings exactly like us in every respect. You eat and drink, sleep, have wives and children, feel hunger and thirst, illness and grief, cold and heat, just as we do; and you possess the same human weaknesses that we do. We see nothing extraordinary in you. In such circumstances, how can we accept that you are sent men, that Allah speaks to you, and that angels come to you?

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was also a human being

The unbelievers of Makkah used to say that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not a messenger, because he was a human being.

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“They say, ‘What kind of messenger is this, who eats food and walks through the markets?’”

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“These wrongdoers secretly confer with one another, saying, ‘What is this man (Muhammad, peace be upon him) but a human being like you? Will you then knowingly fall victim to magic?’—(Surah al-Anbiya’: 3)

Ancient notions of ignorance

In refuting this ignorant notion of the unbelievers of Makkah, the Holy Qur’an says that this is not some new ignorance appearing among them for the first time. Rather, since the most ancient times, all ignorant people have been afflicted by the false notion that a human being can never be a messenger and that a messenger can never be a human being. When the leaders and chiefs of Noah’s people denied the prophethood of Noah (peace be upon him), they said precisely this:

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“This man is nothing but a human being like you. He wants to establish superiority over you. Had Allah willed, He would have sent angels. We have never heard from our forefathers that a human being comes as a messenger.”

The people of ‘Ad said the same thing about Hud (peace be upon him):

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“This man is nothing but a human being like you. He eats what you eat and drinks what you drink. Now, if you obey a human being like yourselves, you will certainly suffer a great loss.” —(Surah al-Mu’minun: 33–34)

The people of Thamud said the same thing about Salih (peace be upon him):

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“Are we to obey a mere human being from among ourselves?”—(Surah al-Qamar: 24)

Almost all the prophets faced situations of this kind. The unbelievers would say—(Arabic********)“You are nothing but human beings like us.” And the prophets would reply to them:

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“Indeed, we are nothing but human beings like you. However, Allah favors whomever He wills from among His servants.”—(Surah Ibrahim: 11)

An obstacle on the path to guidance

The Holy Qur’an then says that this very ignorant notion has kept people in every age from accepting guidance. For this reason, humiliation and suffering have descended upon various peoples.

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“Have you not received the news of those who disbelieved before, tasted the consequence of their deeds, and for whom there is a painful punishment? That was because their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they said, ‘Will a human being guide us?’ Thus they disbelieved and turned away.”—(Surah al-Taghabun: 5–6)

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“When guidance came to the people, nothing prevented them from believing in it except their saying, ‘Has Allah sent a human being as a messenger?’”—(Surah Bani Isra’il: 94)

It has already been stated that in every age people held the false notion that a human being could never be a prophet. Therefore, whenever a messenger came, seeing him eat and drink, live with a family, and exist as a human being of flesh and blood, they decided that he was not a prophet—because he was human. Then, some time after the prophet’s death, a group arose among his devotees and followers who began saying that he had not been human—because he had been a prophet. Then some called him the son of God, while others called him an incarnation of God. In short, how prophethood and humanity could coexist in one being remained an unfathomable mystery to the ignorant throughout the ages.

Only human beings have always been made messengers

The Holy Qur’an has declared in clear and unequivocal language that Allah has always sent human beings as messengers. In fact, for the guidance of human beings, only a human being can be a messenger—not an angel or any being superior to a human being.

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“O Prophet! Before you, I sent only human beings as messengers, to whom I sent revelation. If you do not know this, ask those who possess knowledge. I did not give them bodies that did not eat food, nor were they immortal.”—(Surah al-Anbiya’: 7–8)

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“O Prophet! Tell them that if angels had been walking about the earth in peace, I would have sent an angel as a messenger to them.”

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“O Muhammad! All the prophets We sent before you were human beings. They lived in the towns, and We sent revelation to them. Have they not traveled through the earth and seen what became of the peoples before them? Indeed, the abode of the Hereafter is far better for those who lived a life of piety according to the prophets’ teachings. Will you still not understand?”—(Surah Yusuf: 109)

Here, a vast subject has been expressed in only two or three sentences. A detailed explanation of the subject would be as follows:

They do not heed your words because how could they believe that the very person who was born in their own city only the other day, and who grew from childhood to youth and from youth to old age before their eyes, was suddenly appointed by Allah one day as His messenger? But this is not an unprecedented matter that they are the first in the world to encounter. Before this, Allah had sent many prophets, and all of them were human beings. A prophet has never appeared in such a way that an unknown person suddenly emerged in a city and said that he had been sent as a prophet. Rather, all those sent to reform and improve people were residents of the very communities concerned. Jesus, Moses, Abraham, and Noah (peace be upon them) were not unknown strangers. Nevertheless, go and see for yourselves what became of the nations and communities that did not heed the prophets’ call to purification and continued pursuing baseless ideas, fanciful imaginings, and unrestrained excesses. During your commercial journeys, you have passed through the ruined regions of the peoples of ‘Ad, Thamud, Midian, and Lot (peace be upon him). Did you learn any lesson there? The fate they encountered in this world itself shows that they will suffer an even more terrible fate in the Hereafter. Those who reformed themselves in this world were not merely happy in this world; their fate in the Hereafter will also be better.

The difference between the blind and the sighted

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“O Muhammad! Tell them, ‘I do not say to you that I possess Allah’s treasures, nor do I claim to be an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me.’ Ask them: ‘Can the blind and the sighted ever be equal?’ Will you not reflect?”—(Surah al-An‘am: 50)

That is, I have seen with my own eyes the doctrines and facts I have placed before you, and I have had direct experience of them. Through revelation, all those facts were communicated to me accurately, and my testimony concerning them is eyewitness testimony. In contrast, you are ignorant of these facts, because your ideas about them are based merely on imagination or blind imitation. Thus, the difference between you and us is like the difference between the blind and the sighted. This does not mean that I am superior to you because Allah’s treasures are in my possession, or because I know the unseen, or because I am above human weakness.

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“O Prophet! We sent many messengers before you, and We gave all of them wives and children.” —(Surah al-Ra‘d: 38)

This is a response to some of the criticisms directed at the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They would say, “What kind of prophet is this—one who has a wife and children? What connection can a prophet possibly have with the lusts of desire?”

The Prophet should have been an angel (?)

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“When the messengers of Allah came to them from before them and behind them and told them, ‘Worship none but Allah,’ they said, ‘If our Lord had wished, He would have sent angels. So we do not believe in the purpose for which you have been sent.’” —(Surah Ha-Mim al-Sajdah: 14)

That is, if our present religion were displeasing to Allah and He wished to send a messenger to prevent us from following it, He would have sent an angel. Since you are not angels but human beings just like us, we do not believe that Allah has sent you, or that He has sent you so that we may abandon our religion and accept the faith you are presenting. “We do not believe in the purpose for which you have been sent”—this statement of the unbelievers was sarcastic. It does not mean that they acknowledged them as messengers sent by Allah and merely disobeyed their commands. Pharaoh used this kind of sarcasm against Moses as well. He said to his courtiers:

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“The messenger who has been sent to you seems to be completely insane.” —(Surah al-Shu‘ara: 27)

If he were a prophet, he would be rich

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“They say, ‘Why was this Qur’an not sent down to some great man from either of the two cities?’” —(Surah al-Zukhruf: 31)

Here, the two cities mean Makkah and Ta’if. The unbelievers’ argument was that if Allah truly needed to send a messenger and wished to reveal a Book to him, He would have chosen some prominent person from one of these two central cities. Yet, for appointment as a messenger, He had supposedly found someone who had been an orphan all his life, who possessed not a penny of inherited property, who had spent his youth tending goats, who was now making a living by conducting business with his wife’s money, who was neither the chief of any tribe nor an elder of any lineage. Were there not renowned chiefs in Makkah like Walid ibn Mughirah and Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah? Were there not leading men in Ta’if like Urwah ibn Mas‘ud, Habib ibn Amr, Kinanah ibn Abd Amr, and Ibn Abd Yalil? This was the unbelievers’ argument. At first, they were not even prepared to accept that a human being could be a messenger. But the Qur’an repeatedly refuted this notion with arguments and proofs, telling them that all messengers before this had always been human, that only a human messenger could guide human beings, and that no one other than a human could perform this task. Moreover, every messenger who came into the world had not suddenly descended from the sky; rather, he had been born in a human settlement, walked through markets, been a father to children, and had not abstained from eating and drinking.

After hearing these arguments from the Qur’an, they began a new strategy and said, “Very well, there is no objection if he is a human being. But he must certainly be a famous, wealthy, and influential person. He must be the leader of a huge group and wield great influence and authority over the people. How could Muhammad ibn Abdullah be worthy of such a status?”

The question of the Prophet’s livelihood

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“They say, ‘What kind of messenger is this, who eats food and walks through the marketplaces? Why was an angel not sent down to him to remain with him and warn those who disobeyed?’” —(Surah al-Furqan: 7)

That is, first of all, the very idea of a human being serving as a messenger was astonishing. If anyone were to come bearing Allah’s message, it should have been an angel—not a human being of flesh and blood who needed food to remain alive. Even if one assumed that a human being had been made a messenger, he should at least have been a king or some other person of great distinction in the world—someone whom everyone would eagerly wish to see at a glance and whose audience could be obtained only after great effort. Instead, an ordinary man was made the messenger of the Creator of the universe—someone who walked through the marketplace with his shoes clattering on his feet, an ordinary passerby whom people saw every day and in whom they could see nothing extraordinary. Who would regard him with respect? In other words, according to them, even if a prophet were needed, it was not for the guidance of people, but rather to display miraculous feats or to dominate people by showing off his magic.

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“O Muhammad! All the messengers We sent before you also ate food and walked through the marketplaces. In fact, We have made you a means of testing one another. Will you remain patient? Your Lord sees everything.” —(Surah al-Furqan: 20)

“What kind of messenger is this, who eats and drinks and walks through the marketplaces?” The above verse answers this question of the unbelievers of Makkah. It should be remembered here that the unbelievers of Makkah knew about Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Moses, and many other prophets. They even acknowledged their messengership. Was there any earlier prophet who did not eat food and did not walk through the marketplaces? That is why it is being said: why do you raise this novel question about Muhammad (peace be upon him)? Take Jesus (peace be upon him), whom the Christians have made the son of Allah and whose statue the unbelievers of Makkah had placed in the Ka‘bah. That very Jesus, too, according to the account in the Bible, ate and walked through the marketplaces.

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“O Muhammad! Before you, We sent only human beings as messengers, to whom We sent revelation. So ask the People of the Book if you do not know. We did not give them bodies that did not need food, nor were they immortal.” —(Surah al-Anbiya: 7–8)

“This man is nothing but a human being like you.” The above verse answers this statement of the unbelievers. They presented the fact that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was human as proof that he was not a prophet. In response, it is said that all the great men of earlier times whom you acknowledged as messengers sent by Allah were human beings, and it was as human beings that they received Allah’s revelation.

Chapter 8 — The True Faith

Jahili concepts of religion and the Islamic concept

Before the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received prophethood, the general notion of religion prevalent in the world was that it was one aspect or department among the many departments of life. In other words, religion was an appendix to a person’s worldly life, which could be used as a certificate for salvation in the life hereafter. Religion was concerned only with the relationship between human beings and God. Anyone who desired salvation with a high status in the Hereafter should sever relations with all other departments of life and devote himself solely to this department. But one who did not seek such a high status and considered mere salvation sufficient, while also wishing that God would look upon him favorably in worldly life and continue granting him success and progress in worldly affairs, considered it sufficient to attach religion to worldly life as an appendix. According to the Jahili conception, all worldly affairs would continue according to the rules and regulations already in force, while God would be kept pleased by performing a few religious ceremonies and customary rituals. The relationship of a person with himself, with other people, and with his surroundings was entirely separate from his relationship with God. There was no connection between the two.

This was the Jahili conception of religion. No human civilization or culture could be established on this basis. Civilization and culture mean the whole of human life. Therefore, it is clearly impossible to build the foundation of the whole of life upon something that is merely an appendix to life. That is why, throughout the world and throughout history, religion on the one hand and civilization and culture on the other have remained separate and disconnected. Although these two could not avoid influencing each other to some extent, that influence was contradictory and divergent, as occurs when many different things are brought together. Thus, that influence was never seen to produce beneficial results. When religion influenced civilization and culture, it generated asceticism, hatred of material bonds, aversion to worldly pleasures, detachment from the material world, individualism in human relations, hostility, and a tendency toward narrow-mindedness.

This influence was in no sense constructive; rather, it was a millstone around the neck of worldly progress and prosperity. On the other hand, whenever a civilization and culture founded on materialism and the worship of desire exerted influence upon religion, it corrupted it. This civilization and culture introduced into religion all the filth and impurity of the worship of desire. As a result, the extremely filthy and vile acts people wished to commit were given a religious shell, so that their own consciences would not condemn them and no one else could speak against them. As a result of this influence, in certain religious rituals we find practices of indulgence, the worship of lust, and shamelessness—practices that even the followers of the same religion outside the religious sphere describe as such.

Even leaving aside this mutual relationship between religion and civilization, it becomes clear that everywhere in the world the edifice of civilization and culture has been built upon the foundations of irreligion and immorality. Worldly people also performed certain religious rituals so that they could conduct all worldly affairs as they pleased, on the basis of their own desires and their own flawed experience. Although these activities were considered flawless in their respective eras, they were later proved to be defective. Since religion meant nothing more to them than a mere appendix to life, even when it accompanied them it remained merely an appendix. This appendix could be attached to every kind of social inequality and every kind of cultural confusion. As an appendix, religion coexisted with fraud and banditry, destructive and subversive activities, usury, miserliness, adultery, and prostitution.

The comprehensive and all-embracing concept of the True Faith

The purpose for which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was sent was none other than to refute the Jahili, that is, non-Islamic, concepts of religion and present an intellectual and rational conception. He would not merely present it; rather, on its basis he would establish a complete system of civilization and culture and demonstrate how to administer it successfully. He declared that if religion were merely an appendix to human life, it would be utterly meaningless. It would also be wrong to call such a thing religion. In reality, the True Faith is that which is not a part of life but life in its entirety—the life force and motivating force of life, its power of understanding and feeling, its thought and outlook, and the standard by which good and evil are assessed. In every sphere of life and at every step, it distinguishes the right and straight path from the crooked one, protects people from going astray, gives them the strength to remain steadfast on the true and correct path and move forward, and helps them pass successfully and fortunately through every stage of life’s endless journey from this world to the Hereafter.

The name of this religion is Islam. It did not come to be an appendix to life. Indeed, the truth is that if, according to the old Jahili notion, it is accepted merely as an appendix to life, the very purpose of its coming and emergence is defeated. It came to inform people of the truth concerning the relationship between God and human beings and between human beings and the entire created universe: these spheres of relationship are not separate or disconnected from one another; rather, they are several inseparable and integrated parts of a single whole. Human beings’ complete salvation and success depend upon their proper coordination and integration. If the relationship between human beings and their Creator is not sound, their relationship with the created universe cannot be sound. Thus, these two relationships purify and perfect each other, and together they build a successful life. The true task of religion is to prepare people mentally and actively for this successful life. A religion that does not perform this task is not religion at all. The religion that fulfills this task is Islam. That is why Allah has said:(Arabic***************)‘Indeed, the religion with Allah is Islam.’

A particular mode of thought and outlook

Islam is a particular attitude of mind and a particular outlook on life. It is also a particular method of action, determined by that attitude and outlook. The structure created through this attitude and method of action is Islam; it is Islamic civilization and Islamic culture. Here, religion and civilization are not separate things; rather, together they form a single whole. This same attitude and philosophy of life resolves all the problems of life. It determines the rights that God has over human beings, the rights of a person’s own self, and the rights of parents, spouses and children, relatives, neighbors, people with whom one has dealings, fellow believers and non-believers, enemies and friends—in short, the rights of all humanity and of every object and force in the universe—and establishes complete balance and justice among them. The fact that a person is a Muslim itself provides sufficient assurance that he will fulfill all these rights with complete justice and will not wrongfully sacrifice one right for another. Then this attitude and philosophy of life determines a sublime moral objective and a pure spiritual destination for human life. It seeks to direct all of life’s efforts, whatever their field, along a path that revolves in every respect around that same center.

The decisive criterion of values

The aforementioned center is a decisive matter. The value of everything is assessed in relation to it, and everything is tested by this standard. Whatever helps one reach this central objective is accepted, while whatever obstructs it is rejected and discarded. This standard applies equally to the smallest and most insignificant matters of personal life and to the major affairs of social and collective life. It determines the boundaries a person must observe and the rules and restrictions he must follow in eating and drinking, clothing, relations between men and women, dealings, speech—in short, in every matter of life—so that he may remain on the road leading to his destination and advance without straying onto a crooked path. By the same standard, it is also determined according to what principles relationships among individuals in collective life must be organized, so that social, economic, and political activities do not proceed along paths that lead society away from its objective. The objects in the heavens and on earth that come under human control and are subjected to human use will be employed in such a way that they assist in achieving this purpose. It also determines what will assist progress toward the objective and what methods must be avoided, and what principles the Islamic community must follow in forming alliances with and adopting hostility toward non-Islamic groups, in war and peace, in times of defeat and victory, and in acquiring knowledge and technology and exchanging civilization and culture—so that in all these aspects of external relations it does not deviate from its appointed objective. Rather, as far as possible, whether willingly or unwillingly, consciously or unconsciously, it will also accept the help and cooperation of the ignorant and misguided among humanity in achieving that objective. For, by nature, their objective too is the same as that of those who follow Islam.

From the mosque to the wider field of activity

In short, this same outlook extends from the mosque to the marketplace and workplace, from the methods of worship to the methods of operating radios and aircraft, from the detailed rules concerning ablution, bathing, purity, and answering the call of nature to the important matters of social policy, economics, politics, and international relations, and from elementary education to the final examination and observation of the signs of the realm of nature and the great investigation of the laws of nature. It transforms all the activities, efforts, thoughts, and branches of action in life into a single entity whose parts display a purposeful continuity and connection. Then these parts are linked to one another like the parts of a machine, in such a way that once the machine starts operating, it produces a uniform result.

A revolutionary doctrine

In the religious world, this was a revolutionary doctrine. But it could not find a place in minds and intellects overwhelmed by the ideas of jahiliyyah. Today’s world is far more advanced in knowledge and science than the sixth century of the Christian era. Nevertheless, such backwardness and blind superstition still exist today that, just as the ignorant people of ancient jahiliyyah could not accept this revolutionary doctrine, so highly educated young people at Europe’s renowned universities have also failed to understand it. The effect of the mistaken ideas about religion that have been passed down from generation to generation for thousands of years remains deeply rooted in their minds. Even after advanced training in rational criticism and scientific inquiry, their good sense has not awakened. There is nothing surprising if those who live in the dark cells of khanqahs and mosques understand religiousness to mean sitting in seclusion and repeating ‘Allah, Allah,’ and regard piety as confined within the bounds of worship. For they are certainly steeped in superstition. Nor is it surprising if the ignorant masses consider religion limited to the Muharram taziyas accompanied by drums and beating, musical performances, and learning religious rules. After all, they are ignorant. But what has happened to these elders of ours, the custodians of the light of knowledge, that the darkness of decay is not being dispelled from their minds? They too regard Islam as a religion in precisely the sense in which a non-Muslim, under the influence of jahili ideas, regards it.

What is the true Din?

—Speech delivered at Jamia Millia, Delhi, on 1 March 1943.

The claim with which the Qur’an calls humanity toward the ideology it presents is as follows, in its own words:

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“Indeed, the Din in the sight of Allah is only Islam.” —(Surah Aal Imran: 19)

Usually this statement of the Qur’an is given the simple explanation that, in the sight of Allah, Islam alone is the true religion. And the common understanding of ‘Islam’ is that it is the name of a religion. This religion arose in Arabia thirteen hundred years ago, and was founded by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I have deliberately used the words ‘was founded.’ For it is not only non-Muslims; quite a number of educated Muslims also call and write the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the founder of Islam. The implication is that Islam began with him and that he was its founder. For this reason, when a non-Muslim reaches this verse while studying the Qur’an, he thinks that, just as every religion declares itself true and other religions false and invalid, the Qur’an too is declaring the religion it presents to be true. Thinking this, he passes over the verse and moves on. Again, when a Muslim reads this verse, he too feels no need for reflection or investigation, because he himself accepts as true the religion that this verse declares to be founded upon truth. Or, if it does stir some thought in him, it is generally because he feels that Islam’s truth must be proved by comparing it with Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity, and other similar religions. But in reality, this statement of the Qur’an is such that a thoughtful seeker of knowledge ought to reflect deeply upon it. More thought needs to be devoted to it than has been devoted to it until now.

To properly grasp this claim of the Qur’an, we must first understand the significance of the two expressions ‘ad-Din’ and ‘al-Islam.’

The Significance of ad-Din

In Arabic, the word ‘Din’ is used in several senses. One meaning is victory, supremacy, subjugation, and taking possession. Another is obedience and servitude. A third is recompense and requital. A fourth is a system, method, and code of life. Here the word is used in the fourth sense. That is, Din means the system and code of living, or the method of thought and action, that must be followed.

But it must be remembered that the Qur’an does not merely say ‘Din’; it says ‘ad-Din.’ The difference here is the same as the difference in English between saying ‘This is a way of life’ and saying ‘This is the way of life.’ In other words, the Qur’an’s claim is not that Islam is a way of life in Allah’s sight. Rather, its claim is that Islam alone is the true and correct way of life, or method of thought and action.

It must also be remembered that the Qur’an has not used this word in any narrow or restricted sense; it has used it in the broadest possible sense. A way or system of life does not mean a method for some particular aspect or department of life; it means the system of society as a whole. It is not the way of life of a particular country, nation, or age; rather, it is the way of life for the individual and collective lives of all people in every age. Therefore, the essence of the Qur’an’s claim is not that a correct combination of worship of God, beliefs concerning the unseen world, and the concept of the afterlife is a thing called Islam. Nor does it mean that Islam is the name of a pure system of religious thought and action for individuals—in the narrow sense in which the word religion is used in Western terminology. Moreover, the essence of the Qur’an’s claim is not that a pure and flawless system of life has been called Islam for the people of Arabia, or for all people up to a certain century, or for those who lived in the world before the Industrial Revolution. Rather, its clear claim is that, for the whole of humanity in every age, there is one and only one way and method of living in this world that is pure and correct in the sight of Allah, and that is called ‘al-Islam.’ —[It is a matter of great surprise that somewhere between Asia and Europe an original interpretation of the Qur’an has been developed, according to which the essence of Din is confined to the personal relationship between the servant and God and has no connection with civilization or the political system. If this interpretation has indeed been derived from the Qur’an itself, it must certainly be a curious thing. But on the basis of what I have understood after devoting eighteen long years to profound investigation of the Qur’an, I can say without hesitation that, whatever fanciful interpretations modern commentators may offer, the Qur’an did not use the word ‘ad-Din’ in any narrow sense; rather, it used it to mean ‘the code governing the thought and action of the whole of life’ for all people of all ages. (A Turkish journalists’ delegation visiting India in 1943 made the above remark. The author is alluding to it.)]

The Significance of al-Islam

Let us now explain the word ‘Islam.’ In Arabic, it means laying down arms, bowing, acknowledging obedience, and surrendering oneself. But the Qur’an does not merely say Islam—it says ‘al-Islam.’ This is its special technical term. The meaning in which it uses this technical expression is to bow before Allah, obey Him, surrender one’s freedom before Him, and submit oneself to Him. Of course, this submission does not mean surrendering before the laws of nature. Some people have tried to give it this mistaken interpretation. Nor does it mean that a person should use his imagination, or through experimentation and observation independently reach a conclusion about what Allah wants and what pleases Him, and then obey it. Some other people have understood precisely this. In reality, it means accepting the path and method of thought and action that Allah has made known through His messengers, and abandoning one’s freedom of thought and action—in other words, one’s arbitrariness—and obeying and following that path and method. This is what the Holy Qur’an means by the term ‘al-Islam.’ It is not a religion of a new age, nor did Muhammad (peace be upon him) establish or introduce it in Arabia fourteen hundred years ago. Rather, on the day human beings first appeared on earth, Allah informed humanity that only this Islam was the correct and pure system of life for them. Thereafter, all the prophets who came from Allah to guide people in different regions of the world continuously called people toward this very ‘al-Islam.’ There was not the slightest deviation from it anywhere. Finally, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) too called humanity toward that same ‘al-Islam.’ It is another matter that the followers of Moses (peace be upon him) later mixed many other things into it and produced Judaism, the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him) produced Christianity, and the communities of the prophets of India, Iran, China, and other lands created various mixed and confused doctrines. In reality, the Din that Moses, Jesus, and all other known and unknown prophets came to preach was pure and unadulterated Islam—nothing else.

The Qur’an’s Claim

After this explanation and analysis, the Qur’an’s claim becomes perfectly clear to us. It is this: “The only pure way and method of life chosen by Allah for humanity is to bow one’s head before Allah and follow the path and method of thought and action shown through Allah’s prophets.” This is the Qur’an’s claim.

Now we must think deeply about whether this claim ought to be accepted. We will, of course, examine the arguments and proofs that the Qur’an itself has presented in support of its claim. But before that, why do we not investigate for ourselves whether we have any alternative to accepting this claim?

The Necessity of a Way of Life

It should be clear that adopting a way of life is necessary under all circumstances for human living. A human being is not a river whose course will form by itself through the rises and falls of the land. He is not vegetation whose path will be determined by natural law. Nor is he merely an animal whose instinct and nature alone will be sufficient to guide him. Although human beings are subject to natural law in a large part of life, there are many aspects of their lives in which they find no predetermined path that they can follow involuntarily, like other living creatures and animals. Rather, they must choose a path through deliberation and judgment. Many problems of the universe naturally present themselves before their thoughtful conscience, but they find no unambiguous solution to them. Therefore, they need a path of thought for solving these problems. Through the five senses, nature conveys certain scattered ideas and facts to their minds, but it does not arrange and organize them systematically. They need a path of knowledge to arrange, organize, and systematize them. For personal conduct, they need certain rules and methods through which they can fulfill needs that nature urges them to fulfill, but for which it does not prescribe any tasteful or proper method of fulfillment. They need a code for married life, family relationships, economic transactions and dealings, and many other aspects and departments. Through that code, they can reach the goal of living not merely as individuals but as groups, nations, and communities—a goal that is naturally desired by them, though nature has not clearly placed it before them or prescribed any way of attaining it.

Human Life Is Indivisible

It is essential for human beings to adopt some path and method in all these different aspects and departments of life. But these are not permanent, mutually independent departments. Therefore, it is not possible to adopt different paths in these different departments—paths with different goals, different provisions for the journey, different manners and methods of travel, different demands and requirements, and different destinations. Anyone who makes even a small effort, using reason and judgment, to understand human beings and their problems would certainly realize that life as a whole is an integrated totality, every part of which is closely connected and inseparable from every other part, and every department from every other department. Each part influences the others and is itself influenced by them. The same life force permeates all the parts, and what is formed from their integration is called human life. Thus, what human beings actually need is not many goals in life but one principal goal, under which all lesser and greater goals will remain harmonious, and once the principal goal is attained, all the others will be attained as well. They do not need many paths; they need one great highway on which they can proceed toward the goal of life with all its aspects and departments in complete harmony. They need not separate systems for philosophy, knowledge and science, literature, the arts, education, religion, morality, social life, economics, politics, and law, but one comprehensive system within which all these can exist in complete harmony and which contains suitable principles of the same character and spirit for all of them. By following those principles, the individual and the collective, and humanity as a whole, can reach the highest goal. It was the dark age of jahiliyyah when people thought it possible to divide life permanently into separate departments. If someone today holds such a view and wishes to make pointless claims, it must be said either that they are clinging devoutly to old ideas and are therefore objects of pity, or that they understand the real matter very well and knowingly speak in this way only because they need to assure those who disagree with the principles of the system they wish to establish in some country—[that is, a nationalist system: building a system of life for the people by severing ties with God, the Book, and messengership, solely for worldly interests]—that under this system they will have complete security in certain departments of their lives. From the standpoint of reason, naturalness, and reality, this is impossible. Those who say this probably know themselves that it is impossible—[For a detailed discussion, see the author’s Muslim Aur Maujuda Siyasi Kashmakash, volumes 1 and 2, especially the second volume, Buniyadi Huquq. —(The compilers)] Every victorious Din must necessarily shape all aspects and departments of life according to its own life force and character, just as everything that falls into a salt mine is bound to become salt.

Geographical and Hereditary Divisions in Life

Dividing human life into separate parts is meaningless and irrational; even more meaningless and irrational is dividing it on the basis of geographical boundaries and race or lineage. There is no doubt that people are found in many different places on earth, separated by rivers and seas, mountains and hills, forests and jungles, or artificial borders. There are also people of different lineages and nations, among whom the development and advancement of humanity have taken different forms for historical, psychological, and other reasons.

But anyone who, citing these differences, says that a separate Din or system of life should be devised for every lineage, nation, and geographical region is merely uttering nonsense. His narrow vision has become trapped in differences of outward form and appearance. He has failed to perceive the existence of the single, identical essence of humanity residing beneath these outward variations. Nevertheless, if these differences are truly so important that they necessitate separate systems of life, then I would say: exaggerate as much as you wish the differences observed between one country and another and between one lineage and another. Then objectively analyze the differences found between women and men in any country, between any one person and another, and between two children of the same parents. I am certain that scientific analysis will show the second kind of difference to be more pronounced than the first. Then why do you not recommend a separate system of life for every individual? In reality, even within the differences between person and person, between women and men, and between family and family, a lasting element of unity is certainly observable; on its basis, it is possible to conceive of the existence of a nation, a country, and a lineage. For this reason, it may be considered possible for one system of life to exist for a large number of people in a nation or country. And if that is possible, why should it not be possible to find an element of fundamental unity amid the vast differences of nation, country, and lineage? And why should it not be possible, on that basis, to regard the entire human race as one indivisible unit and to devise a single Din or system of life for the whole human world? Is it not true that, despite all geographical, ethnic, and hereditary differences, nature regards all people as equal in fundamental matters; that the earthly life of all people is lived under the same laws of nature; that all people are formed according to the same bodily laws; that the characteristics which have given human beings the status of a distinct species from other creations are equally present in everyone; that all people equally share the natural needs and demands with which they are born; and that each person’s human essence is formed from the same kinds of physical and psychological forces? Above all, is it not also true that all the physical, psychological, historical, social, and economic causes active and influential in human life are the same for everyone? Since all people are in fact equal in these matters, the fundamental principles and ideals that are pure and flawless for the welfare of all people should also be universal and all-embracing. These fundamental principles and ideals cannot be one thing for one country, nation, or lineage and another thing for another. Different nations and lineages may express their distinctive qualities and characteristics within the scope of these principles and ideals, and may—and should—solve some of their particular life problems by different methods. But the flawless Din or system of life needed for human beings as human beings must always be one and the same. It is not acceptable to reason that something correct for one nation will be wrong for another, and that something wrong for one nation will be correct for another.

The Temporal Division of Life

The review of several futile arguments in support of dividing life on the basis of external differences has already been undertaken. Another such futile argument, now being presented with great confidence and erudition, though in reality it is the most futile and erroneous of all, concerns the temporal division of life. It is said in this connection that a system of life is correct at one time but proves wrong at another, because the problems of life change in every age. Yet whether a system of life is right or wrong depends on the problems of life. The amusing point is that this assertion is made about human life, while at the same time the theory of evolution is also discussed in relation to that very life. And when the evolution of life is discussed, the historical laws that influence it are investigated, lessons for the present and guidance for the future are drawn from its past experience, and even the existence of something called ‘human nature’ is established through argument. My question is this: Do those who believe in the temporal division of life possess any measuring instrument by which they can mark precise boundaries between ages or periods amid this uninterrupted historical evolution of humankind? And even if some boundary were marked, would it be possible to point to one of its lines and say that the problems of life that existed on the other side of this boundary have, upon reaching this side, changed completely, and that the conditions existing on the other side no longer remain on this side? If human life is truly divided into such disconnected temporal fragments, then it must be assumed that each past fragment is entirely useless to the fragment that follows it. Once that fragment has passed, everything people did in that age has become futile. The experience people gained in one age provides no lesson whatsoever for the next age, because neither those conditions nor those problems exist anymore. Therefore, the experience people acquired while striving in response to those conditions and to solve those problems has no value either. In that case, there can be no scope for speaking of evolution. There can be no point in seeking the historical laws that influence life. None at all. Whenever evolution is mentioned, it is inevitably acknowledged that something certainly exists which undergoes change and yet, while passing through all those changes, retains its existence and continues to move onward. Whenever the laws of life are discussed, it is naturally accepted that amid all these rises and falls, construction and destruction, cycles and transformations, there is also an eternal truth of life possessing its own nature and distinct laws. When a lesson is drawn by citing an example from history, it means that the traveler who has journeyed along this long highway of history, continually advancing and crossing one destination after another, possesses an identity of his own and a distinct character. That identity acts in particular ways under particular conditions; what it accepts at one time, it rejects at another, demanding something new. When discussion begins of this eternal truth, this ever-changing entity, and the various destinations along history’s highway, together with their conditions and problems, the discussion becomes so absorbing that the traveler himself is forgotten. The destinations along the highway and changes in their conditions and problems may occur—but does that mean that the traveler and his individuality change? I see that from the beginning of creation until today, no change has occurred in his fundamental structure. The same basic elements that constituted human beings thousands of years ago still constitute them today. His temperament, the demands and needs of his nature, his qualities and characteristics, his emotions and feelings, his inclinations and tendencies, his abilities and capacities, his weaknesses and strengths, his actions and reactions, his ability to exert and receive influence, the forces that exercise authority over him, and his natural and cosmic environment—all remain as they were before. In not one of these matters has the slightest difference occurred from the dawn of creation to the present. In fact, no one can have the audacity to claim that, during the cycles and transformations of history, changes in circumstances and in the problems arising from them have themselves changed man’s humanity, or changed the fundamental matters connected with that humanity. And if no one can make such a claim, how can it be accepted that what was nectar for human beings yesterday has become poison today, that what was true yesterday has become false today, and that what was valuable yesterday has become worthless today?

What Kind of System of Life Does Humanity Need?

The real fact is that, in trying to understand the human essence and the fundamental matters connected with it during the cycles and transformations of history, people have individually and collectively fallen victim to confusion and deception. They have perceived some truths in an exaggerated manner and misunderstood others, as a result of which they have adopted erroneous systems of life at different times. Later, after experimentation, humanity at large recognized the futility of such a system of life and abandoned it for another similar system. From these experiments, the conclusion has been reached that a separate system of life must be created for humanity in every age, based solely on the conditions and problems of that age and devoted to solving those problems. Yet in view of such circumstances, the only valid conclusion can be that repeatedly testing such age- and period-based systems of life—or, in other words, such seasonal, spontaneously emerging systems—and testing another in place of each one after its failure produces no result except wasting humanity’s precious time. It obstructs its progress and confronts it with enormous obstacles on the way to its advancement, development, growth, and attainment of its desired ultimate goal. In reality, humanity is utterly dependent on a system of life that will be formulated on the basis of universal, eternal, and everlasting principles, after acquiring complete knowledge of all facts and theories concerning humanity and everything related to it. By adopting that system of life, humanity will be able to proceed safely through all the changing conditions of the present and the future and, resolving all the problems that arise, advance toward its intended destination with swift steps—not by repeatedly stumbling along life’s highway.

Is Humanity Itself Capable of Formulating Such a System of Life?

This is what ‘Ad-Din’ is: a method or law of life—the thing humanity depends upon. We must now consider whether, if human beings try to formulate such a system of life for themselves without Allah’s help, they can succeed. I do not wish to raise the question of whether humanity has so far been able to create such a system of life on its own. The answer to that question is unequivocally ‘no.’ Even those who today put forward grandiose claims and present their own systems of life, engaging in struggle and conflict with one another on their behalf, cannot claim that the life-code presented by any one of them can fulfill the needs for which a human being depends upon an ‘Ad-Din.’ For some people’s systems of life are based on lineage or nationality, some are geographical, some are class-based, and others have been formulated according to the demands of a recently bygone age. It is impossible to say whether they will prove suitable for the conditions and problems of the coming age, because the historical demands of the age that is passing have not yet been examined. Therefore, my question is not whether human beings have been able to create such a system of life. Rather, the question is whether they can create one.

Indeed, this is an extremely important question. It therefore would not be appropriate to discuss it briefly. It is one of the decisive questions of human life. It is necessary, therefore, to understand properly what the thing is whose formulation is being discussed here, and how much capability the person is supposed to possess who is said to be able to formulate it.

What Does ‘Ad-Din’ Mean?

The ‘Ad-Din’ whose necessity for humanity I have just established is not a detailed code containing all the major and minor rules and regulations for every condition of every age, according to which people must act while it exists. Rather, it consists of universal, fundamental, and eternal principles that can guide people in all circumstances, correctly direct their thought and vision, their striving and progress, and save them from wasting time, energy, and effort in misguided experiments.

For this purpose, the very first duty of humanity is to acquire clear and accurate knowledge—not conjecture or speculation—of the mysteries of the self and the universe, and of its position and status in this universe.

Then people must also find out whether this worldly life is their entire life or merely an initial part of the whole of life, and whether their journey extends only from birth to death or whether that is merely one stage of the journey.

Then an objective of life must necessarily be established for humanity—one that is not dependent on human wishes, but is in fact the objective of human life, for the attainment of which people were created, and with which all the aims and purposes of individuals, groups, and humanity as a whole can be harmoniously aligned without any conflict or clash.

Then humanity needs certain firm and comprehensive principles of morality that will be consistent with its innate qualities and characteristics and will remain effective and practicable, both theoretically and practically, in all possible circumstances. These principles are essential so that people can build their character, receive guidance in solving the problems arising at every stage of their journey through life, and so that their moral ideals do not continually become subject to alteration and reconstruction as they adapt to changing conditions and problems, causing them to be regarded as immoral and opportunistic.

Then humanity needs certain self-sufficient and comprehensive principles concerning social organization. These principles must be formulated on the basis of a full understanding of the significance and purpose of human social life and of humanity’s natural needs and demands. They must contain neither extreme deficiency nor excessive exaggeration or imbalance. All of them must ensure the comprehensive welfare of humanity and assist in the formation, reconstruction, advancement, and development of every aspect of human life in every age.

Then humanity needs certain self-sufficient and precise rules and regulations to guide individual character, collective conduct, and individual and collective efforts along the right path and protect them from deviation. These will serve as guides along the highway of life, warning people at every turn, every crossroads, and every dangerous stage, and showing them the correct path.

In addition, humanity needs certain practical rules that must be observed universally for all time. These rules of conduct are needed to preserve an unbroken bond between human beings and the profound truths about humanity and the universe presented in the ‘Ad-Din’ under discussion—the objective and outcome of life, and the moral, social, and behavioral principles established therein.

That complete system of life is formed by combining these fundamental principles and rules. The formulation of that system of life is the subject of our discussion. We must now consider whether human beings possess the necessary means and resources to formulate such a complete system of life.

An Examination of Humanity’s Means and Resources

Human beings possess no more than four means and resources for formulating their own ‘Ad-Din,’ or system of life. The first is will, the second is intellect, the third is experimentation and observation, and the fourth is the historical record of past experience. It does not seem possible to identify a fifth resource besides these four. Examine each of these four resources as thoroughly as you can and see whether they can help humanity formulate the ‘Ad-Din’ under discussion. I spent an important part of my life thinking and researching this subject. In the end, I reached the conclusion that these resources cannot assist in formulating that complete system of life at all. However, if a guiding ‘Ad-Din’ is presented by a guide from the higher realm, beyond humanity, they may help people understand and recognize it, verify its truth or falsehood, and formulate detailed rules for life in accordance with it.

One: Willpower

Let us first consider willpower. Can it serve as humanity’s guide? Willpower is indeed the basic motivating and energizing force in human beings. But given the weaknesses present in its nature and character, it can never possess the ability to guide people to the correct path of life. Far from showing the way, in most cases it leads human conscience, reason, and knowledge astray. No matter how cultured and refined it may be through various kinds of training, whenever the responsibility for making the final decision is placed upon it, it will undoubtedly make the wrong decision in ninety-nine percent of cases. For the desires that arise within it compel it to choose, rather than the correct decision, the decision that will make the desired object quickly and easily attainable. This is fundamentally the natural weakness of human willpower. Thus, whether it is individual will, class will, or Rousseau’s General Will, no kind of human willpower is naturally qualified to assist in formulating a complete system of life. In particular, it has no ability whatsoever—and cannot have any—to assist in determining higher matters such as the essence, outcome, and purpose of human life.

Two: Intellect

Let us now turn to the intellect. There is no doubt that it is a human faculty possessing the highest capabilities and powers, that its importance and influence in human life are extraordinary, and that it is a great motivating force for humanity. But as soon as we consider entrusting it with the responsibility of formulating an ‘Ad-Din’ for humanity, the question arises: whose intellect should be entrusted with this responsibility? Zayd’s or Bakr’s? That of all human beings? Or of some particular group? The people of the present age, the past, or the future? Let us set that question aside. But the question that cannot be avoided at all is this: after considering the limits and scope of human intellect, can anyone say that it may safely be relied upon to formulate a complete and self-sufficient system of life, and that entrusting it with this task is appropriate? It is well known that all its decisions depend on information gathered by the five senses, that is, the faculties of perception. If the information it gathers is erroneous, the intellect’s decision will also be erroneous. If its information is incomplete, the intellect’s decision will also be incomplete. And concerning matters about which the senses provide no information whatsoever, the intellect, if conscious of its own capacity, will make no decision. But if it is arrogant, it will continue shooting useless arrows in the dark. Can an intellect whose power is so limited and narrow be qualified to take upon itself the responsibility of formulating a complete system of life (an ‘Ad-Din’) for humanity? Moreover, the formulation of an ‘Ad-Din’ depends on solving certain higher and complex problems. Must those problems be solved on the basis of imagination, conjecture, and fanciful notions? The five senses provide extremely incomplete information about the concepts on which the eternal moral values essential for formulating an ‘Ad-Din’ must be based. How can it be expected that the intellect will determine complete and pure moral values on the basis of this incomplete information? Similarly, for none of the other components of the ‘Ad-Din’ that I have mentioned is any exact and complete information available from the five senses on which the intellect could base a self-sufficient and all-encompassing system of life. Moreover, the element called desire or instinct is constantly attached to the intellect. It does not allow it to reach purely rational decisions. Even when the intellect wishes to proceed along a straight path, desire or instinct inevitably inclines it somewhat toward a crooked one. Thus, even if it is assumed that the human intellect will not err in arranging and coordinating the information collected by the five senses or in deriving proofs from it, it nevertheless lacks sufficient strength, because of its own weakness, for such a great responsibility to be entrusted to it. Imposing this burden upon it is an injustice to it—and also to the one who imposes it.

Three: Science

Let us now discuss the third resource. It is knowledge gained through experience, experimentation, and observation. As a student of science, I appreciate the value and importance of this knowledge just as much as anyone. I do not belittle it in the least. But to disregard the limitations of this knowledge and grant it an extent that it does not possess is entirely unscientific. Anyone who understands the true theory of human knowledge cannot deny that the profound mysteries of metaphysical problems lie beyond its grasp. It has no means or resources necessary to uncover those mysteries. It cannot observe them directly; nor can it establish, on the basis of things subject to examination and observation, an opinion about them supported by reason and evidence that could properly be called ‘science.’ Therefore, it goes without saying that science cannot reach the fundamental problems whose solutions must be known at the very outset in order to formulate the ‘Ad-Din’ under discussion. The question remains whether the determination of moral values, the formulation of social and cultural principles, and the marking of boundaries that prevent deviation can be entrusted to science. In seeking the answer, the first question that arises is: to the science of which individual, group, or age can this responsibility be entrusted? But setting that question aside, we should consider what essential conditions must be fulfilled to formulate a complete system of life (an ‘Ad-Din’) by scientific means. The first condition is that people must know the natural laws under which human worldly life is lived. The second condition is that all theories and facts concerning human life itself must be fully mastered. The third condition is that all the theories and facts known about both human life and the natural world must be brought together, and then some fully mature and wise mind must arrange them skillfully, derive sound arguments and proofs from them, and determine moral values, social and cultural principles, and the boundaries that prevent deviation. These conditions have not been fulfilled to this day, nor can it be hoped that they will be fulfilled even five thousand years from now. Perhaps they will be fulfilled one day before the extinction of humanity. But by then they will be of no use at all.

Four: History

Finally, let us consider that means of knowledge which we call the record of evidence, or the record of humanity’s deeds. I cannot deny its importance and benefit. I merely wish to say that it too is insufficient for accomplishing the enormous task of formulating an ‘Ad-Din.’ I believe that, on examining the matter more deeply, the readers will agree with me. I am not raising here the question of whether this historical record of evidence has reached people of the present from the past accurately and comprehensively. Nor am I asking on whose mind, on behalf of the whole human race, the task of formulating an ‘Ad-Din’ with the help of this historical record or record of history could be entrusted: Hegel’s, Marx’s, Ernst Haeckel’s, or someone else’s? My only question is this: up to precisely what date in the past, present, or future could the record of evidence provide sufficient material for formulating an ‘Ad-Din’? Fortunate are those who will be born after that date. And those who will depart from the world before it? Allah alone is their protector.

The Discouraging Result

I believe that in the brief discussion I have presented, I have made no error in scientific analysis or in presenting the argument. If the survey I have given of humanity’s means and resources is correct, then I can say with firm conviction, without caring about any obstacles or impediments, that human beings may perhaps construct for themselves an immature, defective, temporary, and regional system of life. But it is utterly impossible for them to formulate a complete and timeless system of life (an ‘Ad-Din’). It was impossible in the past, it is impossible today, and there is no hope that it will be possible in the future.

In such a situation, if, as the atheists maintain, there is no ‘God’ to guide humanity, then people should commit suicide. A traveler who has no guide and no alternative means of finding the way can gain nothing but utter despair. Apart from advising him to dash his head forcefully against a stone in the middle of the road and end all his problems, a sympathetic person can offer him nothing else. And if there is a ‘God,’ but He is not a guiding God—as a group of philosophers and scientists are striving to prove the existence of a God of this particular kind—then the matter becomes even more grievous. The God who gave every object and living creature in the universe everything necessary for their survival and development, yet did not give humanity the thing it most needed—that is, the rules and method for living—has made residing in the world He created a grave danger. In truth, no greater danger can be imagined. For without that way of life, the entire life of humanity becomes futile. In such circumstances, one must lament for the poor, the orphaned, the sick, the afflicted, the wounded and the oppressed. Humanity repeatedly conducts futile experiments with incorrect philosophies of life. It stumbles and falls while moving forward, then rises and begins walking again, only to stumble once more. And whenever it stumbles, country after country and nation after nation are reduced to heaps of ruins. It is so utterly bewildered that it does not even know the purpose of its own life. It does not know for what it should work, what efforts it should make, or according to what rules and methods it should proceed. The God who created it and allowed it to live in the world seems to be silently watching all its misfortunes—as though He thinks only of creating, and cares nothing about informing it of the rules for living and working in the world.

The Only Ray of Hope

The Qur’an presents before us an entirely opposite picture—a different state of affairs. The Qur’an says that Allah is not merely the Creator; He is also the Guide. He has given every existing thing in the universe all the guidance necessary according to its nature and constitution.

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“He gave everything its physical form and then guided it.” —(Surah Ta-Ha: 50)

To see evidence of this, one may catch an ant, a fly or a spider and observe it. The same God who showed these insignificant creatures the way of life has also shown humanity the way. Therefore, the only correct and pure course of action for humanity is to abandon all arrogance, bow before Him, and follow the guidance of the comprehensive and complete way of life, or ‘Deen,’ which He sent through the prophets.

It now appears that two paths lie before us. One path has been found by examining human strength, capacity, means and resources. Another has emerged through the Qur’an’s declaration. We have no choice but to adopt one of these two paths. Either we must accept the Qur’an’s declaration, or else thrust ourselves into that dreadful darkness of despair where there is not a ray of hope. In reality, we are not faced with a situation in which there are two resources for constructing a way of life and we need only choose one of them. Rather, the situation we face is that there is only one means of attaining a way of life. We must decide whether to accept that sole means, or instead of benefiting from it, to consider wandering aimlessly in the darkness preferable.

The Qur’an’s Argument

From the argument I have presented so far, we can arrive only at the conclusion that, for the welfare of humanity, there is no alternative to accepting the Qur’an’s claim. In other words, there is no way to remain an unbeliever; one must necessarily become a Muslim. But in support of its claim, the Qur’an presents arguments and proofs of a much higher and superior order. It does not tell people to become Muslims because they are compelled by circumstances. Rather, it encourages them to become Muslims willingly and gladly. It has many arguments and proofs on this matter. Four of them are the strongest, and it presents all four repeatedly.

First: Islam is the only correct way of life for humanity, because it alone is consistent with the actual truth. All other concepts and beliefs are contrary to the truth and unrealistic.

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“Do they seek a way of life other than Allah’s Deen? Yet everything in the heavens and the earth bows in submission before Him, willingly or unwillingly, and to Him they will all be returned.”

Second: This is the only pure and correct way of life for humanity, because it alone is the truth. Even by the standards of justice and morality, no system other than this can be sound. Allah says:

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“Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days—or six periods—and then established Himself upon the Throne. He covers the day with the night, which pursues it swiftly; and the sun, moon and stars are all subjected to His command. Beware! Creation belongs to Him alone, and the command belongs to Him alone. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” —(Surah Al-A‘raf: 54)

Third: Since Allah alone possesses accurate knowledge of all truths and facts, He alone is capable of providing correct guidance. Therefore, this system ordained by Him is the genuine and correct one for humanity.

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“Indeed, nothing is hidden from Allah, neither on earth nor in heaven.” —(Surah Al ‘Imran: 5)

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“He knows what is hidden and what is manifest to people. They cannot know anything of His knowledge except what He Himself wills to make known to them.” —(Surah Al-Baqarah: 255)

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“O Prophet! Tell them that Allah’s guidance alone is the true and correct guidance.” —(Surah Al-An‘am: 71)

Fourth: This is the only true path for humanity, because justice is impossible without it. Whichever other path people follow will ultimately draw them toward oppression and injustice.

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“Whoever transgresses Allah’s limits will surely wrong himself.” —(Surah At-Talaq: 1)

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“Those who do not judge and settle matters according to what Allah has revealed are the wrongdoers.” —(Surah Al-Ma’idah: 45)

In light of these arguments and proofs of the Qur’an, it is the definite duty of every person of conscience to submit before Allah and accept the rules and system of life from Him alone.

The Criterion for Verifying Divine Law

Before proceeding further, I feel it necessary to answer a question. At this stage of the discussion, this question arises in everyone’s mind. It arose in my mind as well when I was reflecting on the matter. The question is: By what means can we determine which law has been ordained by Allah and which has been devised by human beings? We cannot accept any system merely because someone presents it as Allah’s law. Answering this question requires a very detailed discussion, but I shall try to answer briefly. In fact, there are four principal criteria for distinguishing human thought from divine thought. I shall set them out one by one.

An important characteristic of human thought is that the effects of the fallibility and limitations of knowledge are inevitably present in it. But this is impossible in divine thought. There, the clear mark of infinite and perfect knowledge is evident. Allah’s law can never contain anything contrary to a scientific truth established in a particular age; nor can it contain anything that proves that some aspect of the truth remained unknown to the One who ordained the law. In applying this criterion, however, we must not forget that knowledge, scientific hypotheses and scientific theories are not the same thing. At a given time, certain scientific theories and hypotheses influence people’s minds, and people mistakenly regard them as ‘knowledge.’ Yet their chances of being wrong are exactly equal to their chances of being right. In the history of knowledge and science, very few such hypotheses and theories have ultimately been established as genuine ‘knowledge.’

Another major weakness of human thought is the narrowness of its perspective. In contrast, divine thought displays the greatest breadth and vastness of vision. When one examines a statement arising from divine thought, it seems that its proponent sees everything, from beginning to end, with his own eyes. It seems that he sees the entire universe and all its profound truths simultaneously, at a single glance. In comparison, even the opinions and thought of philosophers and thinkers of the highest rank appear utterly childish.

Another important characteristic of human thought is that emotions, excitement and the desires of the lower self are found, somewhere or other, secretly colluding and playing hide-and-seek with reason, intellect and knowledge of reality. In contrast, the divine system shines with unmixed intelligence and pure knowledge. This characteristic is so bright and clear that nowhere in its laws and regulations can the slightest trace of sentimentality or inclination be seen.

Another weakness of human thought is that the way of life it creates inevitably contains partiality, irrational discrimination among people, and the granting of preference to one over another on irrational grounds. Every human being has personal aims and preferences and is connected with certain groups but not with others. Divine thought, however, is completely free of such elements.

Every system that identifies itself as a divine way of life can be tested by this standard. If it proves to be free from those weaknesses and defects of human thought and reason, and is as comprehensive and self-sufficient as a complete way of life must necessarily be, then one may believe in that way of life without hesitation or reservation. There is no reason for any objection in this matter.

The Demand of Faith

Now I shall discuss the final question among the fundamental questions. It is this: When a person accepts the Qur’an’s claim and, having become certain that a way of life is divinely ordained, believes in it, what should he do?

I shall say at the outset that Islam means submission, and that arbitrariness cannot coexist with obedience, compliance and surrender, nor can unrestricted freedom of thought and action coexist with them. Once one believes in a way of life, one must surrender one’s entire being to it. Nothing under one’s control may be kept outside its obedience. One must accept its absolute authority and supremacy over the mind and intellect, eyes and ears, hands and feet, stomach and body, tongue and pen, time and labor, effort and activity, hatred and love, enmity and friendship—in short, over everything. No part or sphere of one’s personal being may remain outside its scope. To the extent that anything under one’s control is kept outside the obedience and sphere of that way of life, and to the extent that any of its aspects or spheres are excluded, the claim of faith is proved false in exactly that measure. Anyone who wishes to remain truthful and sincere in his faith or belief must make every possible effort to purify his life of falsehood.

I wish to repeat one more point in this connection. We must remember that human life is a single, indivisible entity. For this reason, one way of life is necessary for the whole of human life. Following several systems of life simultaneously is merely a sign of wavering faith and indecision and immaturity in judgment. When a person accepts a religion or way of life as his own religion or system of life, he must necessarily accept it as the operative religion in every part and division of his life: as the religion of his personal life, of education and educational institutions, of his work and activities, of politics and social life, of business and livelihood, of mutual dealings, conduct and national activity, and of literature and culture. There is no reason for any exception. It is impossible for pearls to remain pearls while separate, but for them to turn suddenly into beans and lentils as soon as they are strung into a necklace. Similarly, it is impossible for a person to be a complete follower of a particular religion or way of life individually, while, as soon as many people unite, some parts of their collective life are excluded from obedience to that religion or way of life. Moreover, for a person who accepts a religion as the only complete way of life and believes in it, the greatest demand of his faith is that he should give all humanity the opportunity to be blessed by that great religion and strive to make that complete way of life the dominant and operative system of life throughout the world. Just as prevailing and living victoriously is the inherent nature of truth, so the natural demand of adherence to truth is to make every possible effort to cause truth to prevail over falsehood. No person who follows the truth can rest without fulfilling this responsibility. Whoever sees falsehood entrenched throughout the world with overwhelming force and power, yet is not even slightly disturbed or distressed by it, may have some affection or attraction toward truth in his heart, but it lies dormant and asleep. He should beware lest this sleep become a destructive sleep and this silence turn into the silence of death.

The Conflict between Islam and Jahiliyyah

-[In a comparative sense, all ideologies and ways of life that are or have been opposed to the true religion of Islam are called ‘Jahiliyyah.’ The foundation of Islam is ‘true knowledge,’ that is, divine revelation, whereas the foundation of Jahili ideologies is conjecture, speculation and imaginary metaphysical notions, or purely ignorant and irrational spiritual thought.—(Author)]

Whatever system of life is devised for people’s living in this world, it is inevitable that it will originate from some metaphysical philosophy. To formulate a sound plan for life, it is first essential to acquire a clear and precise conception of humanity and of the universe, humanity’s abode. Without this, such a plan cannot be formulated. To answer what people’s conduct and behavior should be and how they should work in the world, one must first know what a human being is, what the position and status of this universe are, and what kind of order governs it, with which human life must be harmonious. According to the solution found to these latter questions, a moral ideology will be formed; and the various aspects and departments of human life will be shaped according to the nature of that moral ideology. Thereafter, detailed rules governing individual character, collective relations, transactions and conduct will be formulated according to that specific pattern. Thus, ultimately, the entire edifice of society and civilization will be built upon it.

Indeed, every religion and ideology created for humanity in the world up to now has had to establish at its foundation its own basic philosophy and fundamental moral outlook. Consequently, from basic principles to the minutest rules, it is this basic philosophy and moral outlook that distinguishes one ideology from another. For it governs the temperament and nature of every way of life. If a way of life is regarded as a body, this is its soul.

Four Theories about Life

If a way of life is considered only in terms of its basic structure, leaving aside its details and branches, it will be seen that a total of four metaphysical theories concerning humanity and the natural world can be adopted. All the philosophies of life in the world have adopted one of these four. Of the four theories, we may call the first pure Jahiliyyah.

Pure Jahiliyyah

The essence of this theory is that the order of the entire universe is the actual outcome of a chance accident. There is no wisdom, profound reality or purpose behind it. It came into existence by itself, runs spontaneously, and one day will disappear by itself without any result or consequence. It has no God. And even if there is one, He has no relation to human life. The human being is a kind of living creature and, like other living beings, may have emerged by chance. We need not trouble ourselves over who created humanity or for what purpose. We know only that human beings exist in the world. They have certain hopes and desires, for which their nature exerts strong inner pressure toward fulfillment. They also possess certain powers and instruments that can be used to fulfill these hopes and desires. They see various resources spread around them. By applying their powers and instruments to these, they can fulfill their aspirations. Therefore, apart from satisfying the demands of their lower instincts, their life has no other purpose. Apart from acquiring the best possible means and resources to satisfy these desires, their human powers have no other function. There is no source or origin of knowledge above humanity, or of guidance toward truth and the right path, from which it can obtain a system of life. Therefore, it should formulate a system of life for itself from its surrounding environment, circumstances and signs, and from its own historical experiments with the signs and circumstances that prevail. Since there is no such [higher authority], it is naturally an irresponsible entity. If it must be held accountable, then it will be accountable either to itself or to an authority that arises from among human beings and comes to exercise authority over them.

Whatever consequences actions produce are confined to this worldly life. There is no other life beyond the life of this world. Therefore, in light of the consequences manifested in this world, it will be determined whether something is right or wrong, harmful or beneficial, acceptable or rejectable.

When people are immersed in sheer jahiliyyah—that is, when they cannot reach any truth beyond the world of the senses, or do not wish to reach it because of their enslavement to their desires—this ideology dominates their minds. The worshippers of the world have adopted this ideology in every age. With a handful of exceptions, kings, monarchs, amirs and nobles, rulers, courtiers, the wealthy, and those who devote their lives to the pursuit of wealth have generally given preference to this ideology. The civilizations of all the nations whose culture is praised in history were rooted in this ideology. It is also active at the root of modern Western civilization. Not all Westerners disbelieve in God and the Hereafter, nor are they all, intellectually, supporters of materialist morality. But the life-force active throughout the body of their civilization and culture is the life-force of this disbelief in God and the Hereafter and of materialist morality. It has become so deeply rooted in their lives that even those who intellectually acknowledge the existence of God and the Hereafter and adopt a non-materialist outlook in morality are, unconsciously, in practical life nothing but atheists and materialists, because the ideology they follow in thought has no connection with their practical lives. The condition of their prosperous and God-forgetting predecessors was similar. The prosperous people of Baghdad, Damascus, Delhi, and Granada did not deny God and the Hereafter merely because they were Muslims; yet the programme of their entire lives was arranged as though nothing called God and the Hereafter existed, and there were no question of accountability to anyone or of accepting guidance from anyone. There were only their desires, wishes, hopes, and aspirations. To fulfil these hopes and aspirations, they considered themselves completely free to adopt every kind of means, resource, and method. Their conviction was that, since there is no life after this life, the time available for living must be used through indulgence and luxury.

It has been stated above that the very nature of this ideology is such that, on its basis, a purely materialist moral system develops. Whether that moral system is recorded in books or merely compiled in people’s minds makes no difference. Thereafter, knowledge and science, thought, literature, and culture develop from this materialist mentality. Gradually, the entire system of education and training becomes inspired by atheism and materialism. Individual character is then formed in the same ideological mould. The principles governing relations and dealings between people are shaped according to the same method and mould. The formulation and refinement of laws also proceed in the same manner. Then the leadership of such a society is gained by those who are the greatest swindlers, embezzlers, liars, deceivers, cruel people, and persons of base inclination. The leadership and authority of the whole society, and responsibility for governing the state, pass into their hands. Then, like unbridled camels, they recklessly launch a brutal campaign of exploitation and oppression against humanity. They fear neither reckoning nor arrest by any party. All their practical techniques are fashioned on the basis of Machiavelli’s political principles. In their law books, might is another name for truth, and weakness another name for falsehood. Nothing except material obstacles can restrain them from oppression and injustice. Within the state, this oppression and crushing takes such a form that the powerful continue to crush the weaker classes of their own nation. In the international sphere, nationalism, imperialism, and expansionism—[the author, while analysing another aspect of the jahili ideology, said: When the Prophet Shu’ayb (peace be upon him) called his people to worship the One God and told them to refrain from corruption in commercial dealings, they replied:

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“O Shu’ayb, does your prayer teach you that we should abandon the gods our forefathers worshipped? Or that we should not spend our wealth as we wish?”—(Surah Hud: 87)

This is the complete explanation of the jahili ideology in opposition to Islam. Islam says that every belief and way other than servitude to Allah is wrong and unfit to be followed, because there is no evidence in the Heavenly Book in support of any other belief or way. Servitude to Allah cannot be confined merely to the sphere of religion; rather, it must extend to every aspect and department of life—society and civilization, economics and politics. For all power and wealth possessed by people are fundamentally Allah’s, and people have no right to use anything according to their own wishes against Allah’s will. In contrast, the ideology of jahiliyyah says that one should follow the customs and practices handed down from one’s forefathers. The fact that they are the customs of one’s forefathers is sufficient argument and proof for following them; no further reasoning or proof is needed. Religion is concerned only with worship and devotion. In the worldly affairs of our lives, we should have complete freedom so that we may conduct them as we wish. It may also be inferred from this that the idea of dividing life into religious and secular spheres is not new. Rather, just as the people of Shu’ayb (peace be upon him), three or four thousand years ago, emphatically spoke of this division, Western nations and their blind followers say the same today. In reality, this is not some new ‘ray of enlightenment’ that humanity has gained through the gradual development of thought and reflection. Rather, it is that ancient, superstitious mode of thinking which existed in precisely this form within jahiliyyah thousands of years ago. Islam’s conflict with it is also not new, but very ancient. (Compilers)] And it manifests itself in the destruction of nations.

Two: Jahiliyyah Mixed with Shirk

The second supernatural ideology is founded on the principle of shirk. The ordering of the universe is not the result of some chance occurrence, nor is it the case that there is no God behind it. However, its god or master is not one but many. There is no scientific argument or evidence in support of this idea; it is based merely on conjecture and supposition. Therefore, the polytheists have never agreed, nor will they ever agree, on accepting as gods all those things that can be imagined, sensed, or grasped by reason. In the darkness of ignorance, bewildered people made whatever fell into their hands into gods. Thus the number of objects of worship increased and decreased. Angels, jinn, spirits, planets and stars, and living and dead human beings were accepted as deities. Even abstract things such as love, beauty, sexual desire, creative power, disease, war, Lakshmi, and strength were turned into objects of worship. Even lion-men, fish-men, bird-men, four-headed beings, and thousand-armed elephant-headed humans, among other grotesque figures, were included among the objects of worship of bizarre polytheists.

Afterwards, around this way of thinking, a wondrous magical world of imagination and mythology was created. The fertile imagination and varied artistic skill of every ignorant nation produced such amusing examples that one can only marvel at the sight. Among nations where a clear conception of the supreme God, Allah, is found, the administration of divinity is somewhat like this: Allah is the king, while the other gods are His ministers, courtiers, companions, and officials with various responsibilities. But since people cannot reach the king directly, all their affairs remain connected with the lower gods. Among nations whose conception of Allah is extremely vague, or who virtually have no conception of Him at all, all divine authority is distributed among various gods.

After pure jahiliyyah, this is the ‘second type of jahiliyyah’ in which people have remained immersed from time immemorial until today. They have sunk so far into the lowest mental state. Under the influence of the teachings of Allah’s prophets, those who believed in one Omnipotent Allah did indeed have the existence of other gods erased from their minds; yet prophets, martyrs, pirs, saints, ghaus, qutbs, abdals, and people bearing the title Zillullah found a place in their beliefs in one form or another. Ignorant people accepted as gods those whom the polytheists had accepted—people whose entire lives had been devoted to abolishing human lordship over humanity and establishing the authority and sovereignty of Allah alone. On the one hand, in place of the polytheists’ worship, a new shariah was devised consisting of fatiha recitations, visits to shrines, vows and offerings, urs celebrations, shrine worship, hoisting flags over graves, taziyahs, and other such religious practices. On the other hand, without any theoretical evidence or proof, a complete mythology was created concerning the births and deaths, appearances and disappearances, revelations and miracles, supernatural powers, and closeness to Allah of these revered figures. It agrees in every respect with the mythology of the polytheists. Thirdly, behind the captivating cover of names such as “intercession,” “spiritual assistance,” and “effusion,” all relations between Allah and His servants were attached to those revered figures. In practice, the condition became exactly like that of the polytheists, who believe that the Lord of the universe is far beyond human reach and that all matters connected with human life are entrusted to His subordinate officials. The only difference is that the polytheists openly call these subordinate authorities objects of worship, deities, incarnations, or sons of Allah, whereas these people conceal them behind terms such as ghaus, qutb, abdal, awliya, and men of Allah.

Throughout every period of history, this second type of jahiliyyah has cooperated with the first type, namely pure jahiliyyah. In ancient Babylon, Egypt, India, Iran, Greece, Rome, and other civilizations, these two types of jahiliyyah coexisted. Modern Japan is likewise situated. There are various reasons for this cooperation. I shall mention some of them here.

First: In jahiliyyah mixed with shirk, a person’s relationship with his objects of worship goes no further than regarding them as authorities and masters of benefit and harm, and seeking their favor and help through various acts of worship in order to achieve worldly objectives. —[Prophet Salih (peace be upon him) said to his people:

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“So seek Allah’s forgiveness and turn back to obedience to Him. Surely my Lord is Near and Responsive to supplication.”—(Surah Hud: 61)

Here, a great misconception of the polytheists has been refuted. This misconception was generally held by all polytheists and was one of the principal reasons why people fell into shirk in every age. They thought that Allah was like their kings and monarchs, residing far from the common subjects in a royal palace and absorbed in amusement and pleasure. Ordinary subjects could not reach Him there. Therefore, to present a petition to Him, one had to seek the help of someone among those who enjoyed access to Him. Even if, by good fortune, someone’s petition reached Him, they thought that, out of divine pride, He did not wish to answer it Himself. The task of answering it was entrusted to one of His devoted favorites who enjoyed proximity to Him. Under the influence of this false notion and at the instigation of cunning people, they believed that the sacred court of the Lord of the universe was far beyond the reach of ordinary people. An ordinary person could not even hope to reach it. It was impossible for a supplication to reach His court or receive a response except through the intercession of holy spirits and through the help of skilled religious officials, by conveying offerings, vows, and pleas. It was because of this false notion that countless lesser and greater gods were placed between people and their God, and priestcraft arose; without its mediation, followers of the jahili religion could not complete a single religious ceremony from birth to death. —(Author)]

The point now is that there is no possibility of obtaining from them any moral instruction or system of law for living. For if there were a god there, the question of giving instructions and establishing a legal system would arise. Since there is none, the polytheists inevitably devise a moral ideology themselves and, on its basis, formulate a shariah themselves. Thus pure jahiliyyah becomes operative. Therefore, in the societies and civilizations built on the foundations of pure jahiliyyah and jahiliyyah mixed with shirk, the only difference is that in one place temples, priests, and a chain of worship begin alongside jahiliyyah, while in the other they do not. Their moral character and conduct are alike in both cases; this is why the moral temper and character of ancient Greece and pagan Rome resemble those of modern Europe.

Second: The ideology mixed with shirk does not establish any separate and enduring foundation for knowledge and science, literature, philosophy, politics, economics, and so on. Here too, the polytheist takes the side of pure jahiliyyah, and the entire mental and intellectual development of polytheist society takes place according to the ideals of pure jahiliyyah. The only difference is that the imagination of polytheists is excessive, and consequently their thought is strongly inclined toward fantasy. Atheists, however, are somewhat more realistic. Therefore, they have no interest in or attraction to purely imaginary philosophies. Yet when, without God, they try to uncover the mystery of the creation of the universe, the web of reasoning they weave is just as irrational as the mythological doctrines of the polytheists. In terms of thought, there is in fact no fundamental difference between shirk and pure jahiliyyah. The glaring proof is that today’s Europe, in its ideology, is bound to ancient Greece and Rome by such a link that Europe seems to be their offspring.

Third: Polytheist societies are fully prepared to adopt the civilizational customs and systems of the societies of pure jahiliyyah, although there is a methodological difference between shirk and pure jahiliyyah in the structure and organization of society. In the realm of shirk, kings are placed on the throne of God. A class of spiritual and religious leaders emerges with special nobility and privileges. A clique forms through the collusion of the royal family and the religious community. A permanent ideology is developed to establish the superiority and dominance of one lineage or tribe over another and of one class over another. Thus the ignorant masses are bound within the confines of religion and oppressive domination is exercised over them. In pure jahili society, on the other hand, these defects take the forms of ancestor-worship, race-worship, national imperialism, dictatorship, capitalism, and class struggle. But in terms of their life-force and fundamental motivation, both belong to the same category in establishing human domination over humans, fragmenting society through people, and making the members of one class thirst for the blood of another.

Three: Ascetic Jahiliyyah

The third supernatural ideology is founded on asceticism. Its essence is as follows: This world and physical existence are a prison and punishment for humanity. The human soul resides inside the cage of this body as a convicted prisoner. The desires and attractions of pleasure that people feel because of their relationship with the body, and the biological needs they encounter, are in reality the chains and shackles of this prison. The more closely a person remains connected to this world and its various things, the more corrupt he will become and the more deserving of punishment he will ultimately be. His only path to freedom is to escape the troubles and turmoil of this worldly life, eradicate desire, abstain from pleasure, refuse to satisfy bodily needs and appetites, erase from the heart the affection and love arising from material, romantic, and blood-and-flesh relationships, and oppress and torment his enemy—that is, the body and the passions—through severe austerity until it no longer retains any dominion over the soul. Then the soul will become free of burdens, free of corruption, and pure, and will be able to ascend to the heights of salvation.

This ideology is essentially an anti-social ideology. Yet it influences social systems in various ways. On its basis, a particular philosophical system develops; Vedanta philosophy, Manuism, Neo-Platonism, Yoga, Sufism, Christian asceticism, Buddhism, and others are different forms of this philosophy. From this philosophy emerges a moral system that is very rarely positive and, for the most part, entirely negative. Together, these two penetrate literature, beliefs, morality, and practical life; wherever their influence reaches, they function like opium and cocaine. This third jahiliyyah generally cooperates with the first two types of jahiliyyah in three ways:

First:This ascetic jahiliyyah removes good and God-fearing people from the field of worldly activity and seats them in secluded rooms, leaving the field clear for the worst kinds of criminals. The wicked, having gained complete authority over the earth, spread disorder without hindrance, while the good continue their spiritual exercises, occupied with thoughts of their own salvation.

Second:Whatever influence this jahiliyyah has on the common people creates in them a misguided kind of patience and tolerance and a despairing outlook, turning them into easy prey for the oppressors. This is why kings, monarchs, amirs and nobles, and the classes wielding religious authority took a special interest in promoting and spreading this ascetic philosophy and morality. Under their supervision, its propagation continued without hindrance. Historical examples of any conflict between ascetic philosophy and moral ideals on the one hand and imperialism, capitalism, and papalism on the other are rare.

Third:When this ascetic philosophy and moral ideal is defeated by human nature, various devices begin to be invented. In some places, the belief in atonement is introduced, so that one may sin to one’s heart’s content without losing Paradise. Elsewhere, bodily love is used as a pretext to create opportunities for satisfying sexual desire, so that the fire of the heart may be quenched while purity remains intact. In still other places, behind the veil of renouncing the world or asceticism, networks of spirituality are spread through collusion with kings, monarchs, and wealthy merchants. The papal community of Rome and the custodians of spiritual seats in the East have provided the most depraved examples of this. Jahiliyyah behaves in this way toward its own kind. But when this jahiliyyah enters among the followers of the prophets, another scene emerges. Instead of accepting the world as a field of action, a field of trial, and the cultivation ground of the Hereafter, it first strikes at Allah’s religion by presenting it as a house of torment and a “web of illusion.” As a result of this change in outlook, people forget the practical truth that they have been appointed in this world as Allah’s vicegerents. They begin to think that they did not come here to work or to fulfil the various responsibilities of the world; rather, they were thrown into filth and refuse. Therefore, they should remain away from filth and impurity. Their proper duty, they think, is to remain non-cooperative here and evade responsibility. As a result, they look fearfully at the world and its work and responsibilities. They fear even accepting social responsibility, let alone the responsibility of the khilafah. Consequently, the entire system of Islamic Shariah becomes meaningless to them. They cannot understand that human beings were prepared through worship and the commands and prohibitions of God for the reform of worldly life and the fulfilment of the responsibility of the khilafah. Rather, they begin to think that worship and certain special religious rites are atonement for their sinful lives. Therefore, they must perform these with full concentration and properly, so that they may attain salvation in the Hereafter.

This mentality has cast a section of the ummah of the Prophet into the labyrinth of philosophical explanations of muraqabah (remaining absorbed in secluded meditation), mukashafah (attempting to learn hidden mysteries), forty-day retreats, recitation of wazifas, ahzab and amaliyat (incantations, amulets, and the like), journeys through stations of the spiritual world (sair-e-maqamat), and the truth—[such as pantheism]. It has kept them more immersed in supererogatory and recommended acts than in obligatory duties, leaving them heedless of the responsibility of the khilafah, although the prophets came precisely to establish this khilafah. Among another group, it has produced artificial poverty, excess in religion, hair-splitting judgment, needless investigation, and the disease of excessive concern with the exact measures and minutiae of small matters. In their eyes, Allah’s religion has become like a fragile glass vessel, so that they spend their time worrying whether something may become uneven somewhere or whether the fragile glass vessel above their heads may shatter to pieces. Such excessive subtlety in religion inevitably produces narrowness of vision, lack of initiative, and stagnation. How can such people acquire the ability to take a broad view of life’s major problems and comprehend the universal principles of Islam? And how can they gain knowledge of the universal principles and detailed matters of the religion and prepare themselves to lead and guide the world through the new stages brought about by the passage of time?

Four: Islam

The supernatural ideology presented by the prophets of Allah. Its essence is as follows:

This entire universe surrounding us—of which we ourselves are a part—is fundamentally the empire of a single emperor. He alone is its Creator, Owner, and sole Ruler. No one’s command or rule operates here apart from Him, and all are obedient to Him; all power and authority are completely vested in the hands of that sole Owner and Supreme Commander. Human beings are subjects of this empire by birth. That is, whether or not they become subjects does not depend on their will. Rather, they are born as subjects, and they have no possibility of becoming anything other than subjects.

In this system of government, human beings have no scope to become arbitrary and irresponsible. By nature, they cannot do so either. In the first place, they are subjects by birth; moreover, they are a part of this empire. Therefore, just as all other parts of the empire obey the emperor’s command, they too have no alternative but to obey that emperor. They have no right to determine their own way of life and responsibilities. Their only task is to follow the instructions given to them by the ruler of the empire. Those instructions come through revelation. And all those human beings to whom revelation comes are prophets.

But for the testing of human beings, the Lord and Master has adopted a subtle method. He Himself has remained hidden, and He has also kept the entire internal administration of His kingdom concealed. Outwardly, this state system operates in such a way that no ruler or official can be seen. A person sees only a factory in operation and finds himself present within it. Through his external senses, he cannot feel that he is anyone’s subject or to whom he must render an account. He sees no clear sign with his own eyes from which the absolute authority of the Creator of the universe over him, his accountability to Him, and his being governed by Him become indisputably clear—so that he would have no alternative but to accept it. Prophets have also come, but not in such a way that people could see revelation descending upon them with their own eyes, nor did any sign descend with them that would compel people to acknowledge their prophethood upon seeing it. Moreover, human beings enjoy complete freedom up to a certain limit. They are given the power to disobey and rebel, provided with the necessary means and resources, and granted an extremely long respite. They encounter no obstacle even until they reach the utmost limits of disobedience and rebellion. If they wish to obey and serve someone other than the Sovereign of the kingdom, they are not forcibly restrained from doing so; they are given complete freedom to serve and obey whomever they choose. In both conditions—that is, whether they disobey or serve another—they continue to receive their livelihood. They are abundantly provided, according to their status, with the necessities of life, the means required for their work, and all kinds of comforts and enjoyments. These continue to be given to them with open-handed generosity until their last breath. It has never happened that the means of worldly life were withheld from a rebel against God or one who obeys another merely because of his rebellion against God or obedience to another. For the Creator has granted human beings knowledge and intellect, the ability to distinguish good from evil, the capacity to judge what is rational and what is irrational, free will, and the ability to act. He has given them the right and ability to exercise a kind of dominion and ruler-like authority over countless other creatures. Through these things, He wishes to test them. To complete this test, He has veiled the reality of His entire kingdom and His own existence behind the curtain of the unseen, so that their intelligence may be tested. They have been given the freedom to choose the good or evil path, so that it may be tested whether, after coming to know the truth and justice, they follow them willingly and eagerly, without compulsion, or whether they accept servitude to their desires and turn away from them. If they were not given the means necessary for life and the opportunity to act freely, their ability or inability could not be tested.

This worldly life is merely an opportunity for testing. Therefore, their deeds will not be reckoned here, nor will they be given the consequences of their deeds. Whatever means of enjoyment they are given in worldly life is not a reward for any good deed; rather, it too is an instrument of testing. Likewise, whatever suffering, hardship, calamity, and misfortune they face is not punishment for any evil deed; rather, it is the spontaneously manifested result of the natural laws under which the universe is governed. [This does not mean that the system of recompense for deeds is not operative at all in worldly life. What I mean is that the consequences of deeds in this world are neither certain and definite nor clear. In every worldly matter, the element of testing is greater than that of reward and retribution. Therefore, the consequences manifested here cannot be regarded as a measure of anyone’s good or evil character. —Author] The actual and final reckoning, scrutiny, and judgment of deeds will be completed after the end of this worldly life. That is its appointed time, and it is called the Hereafter. Therefore, by the worldly consequences one receives, it is not possible to determine whether any way of life or action is right or wrong, good or evil, acceptable or rejectable. The true standard is the result revealed in the Hereafter. And which way of life and which actions will produce good results and which will produce bad results can be known only through the revelation sent by Allah to the prophets. The detailed and subsidiary rulings are a separate matter. The fundamental and final consideration on which success or failure in the Hereafter depends is whether, through the proper use of the power of reasoning and thought, a person understands that Allah alone is the true Lawgiver and Ruler, and that the law sent from Him is a law ordained by Allah Himself. Then, after understanding this, does he willingly and eagerly submit to Allah’s rule and law despite possessing the freedom to choose?

The prophets have presented this ideology from the very beginning. On its basis, a complete explanation of all events in the world is possible. The full significance of all the signs of the natural world can be understood. No new observation or experience refutes this ideology. It gives birth to a permanent and distinct philosophical process—one entirely different from all ignorant philosophies of life. This philosophy organizes all knowledge and science relating to the universe, nature, and the human essence in a new way. This method of organization is the complete opposite of the ignorant method of organization. For the cultivation and development of literature and the arts, the prophets’ ideology creates a path entirely opposite and different from the path of cultivating and developing ignorant literature and art. In all the activities of life, it establishes a particular outlook and a particular purpose and goal. That goal and outlook have no natural or substantive similarity with ignorant goals and outlooks. This ideology also gives rise to a distinct system of morality. No compatibility can be found between it and ignorant morality. Then the civilization built upon these theoretical and moral foundations is entirely different from civilizations arising from unadulterated ignorance. Preserving that civilization requires an entirely different kind of educational system, whose principles are opposed from beginning to end to the ignorant educational system. In short, throughout every vein and layer of this civilization, the absolute and exclusive authority and sovereignty of Allah, the Most Mighty; belief in the Hereafter; and human awareness of responsibility and obedience to Him remain active as its driving force and vital energy. But all the activities and regulations of an unadulterated ignorant civilization are inspired and directed by human beings’ unrestrained freedom, arbitrariness, and irresponsibility. Therefore, the form, structure, and splendor of the humanity produced by the civilization established by the prophets are entirely without equal compared with the humanity produced by ignorant civilization.

Thereafter, the detailed social and civilizational system built upon this foundation has a structure distinct from every other structure in the world. Purity and cleanliness, food and clothing, manner of living, conduct, personal character, earning a livelihood, spending wealth, marital and family life, social customs and procedures, methods of assembly, the various forms of mutual relations among people, mutual transactions, distribution of wealth, administration of the state, formation of government, the status of the leader, the method of forming a legislative assembly, civil administrative organization, from the basic principles of lawmaking to the formulation of detailed rules, courts, police, auditing procedures, taxation, finance, public works, industry and commerce, the provision of information and news, the educational system, the determination of policies for all other departments, the training and organization of the armed forces, war and peace, international relations and foreign policy—in short, from the smallest matters of life to the greatest and most important matters, the rules and procedures of this civilizational system shine with an eternal majesty. In every part of it, a clear line of distinction separates it from other civilizations. In every matter, from beginning to end, a particular outlook, purpose, and moral conduct remain operative, all connected with God’s sovereignty, the feeling of human subordination and accountability, and the goal of the Hereafter.

The Purpose of the Advent of the Prophets

It was precisely to establish the civilization described above in the world that the prophets came successively. Apart from ascetic civilization, every other civilization—whether ignorant or Islamic—naturally adopts a comprehensive outlook on worldly life and a universal method for managing the affairs of the world, and wishes governing power to come into its hands so that it can formulate a way of life according to its own method. Presenting or believing in any ideology or way of life without governing power is utterly meaningless. The case of the ascetic is different, because he does not wish to manage worldly affairs at all. Rather, through a particular kind of spiritual discipline or ascetic practice, he remains detached from the field of worldly activity and absorbed in the contemplation of reaching his imagined liberation. Thus, he has neither need nor desire for governing power. But those who enter the field with a particular method for managing worldly affairs, and believe that humanity’s salvation and liberation depend on following that method, have no alternative but to strive to seize the key to governing power. For the blueprint of the way of life they present cannot operate in the real field of worldly activity until they acquire the power to implement it. Indeed, without acquiring that power, their blueprint cannot remain for long even on paper or in people’s minds. All worldly activities proceed according to the plan of the civilization that holds authority over governing power. Its directives prevail in knowledge and science, thought, literature, and culture; it creates the moral structure; it controls education and mass training; the civilizational system is established according to the laws it makes; and its policy operates in every sphere of life. A civilization that does not hold governing power has no place anywhere in life. Indeed, when an authoritative civilization maintains dominance for a long period, a civilization outside governing power has no influence at all in the practical field of the world. Even those sympathetic to it begin to wonder whether it is effective in worldly life. In the end, the so-called standard-bearers of that civilization and those claiming to inherit its leadership become ready to conduct their affairs through compromise and power-sharing with the opposing civilization. Yet power-sharing and compromise between two civilizations arising from completely opposite sources of governing authority are utterly impossible and unrealistic. Human civilization cannot tolerate such partnership. To regard such power-sharing as practically possible is a sign of insufficient knowledge. Preparing oneself for it must be called a sign of deficient faith and courage.

The ultimate and supreme objective of the prophets’ coming into the world was to establish Allah’s rule in the world and implement the entire way of life given by Allah. [Some pious elders of this age are often heard saying that Muslims should not make the acquisition of governing power their objective—it is Allah’s promise. The gentlemen who say this actually regard governing power merely as a reward. They do not consider it a grave responsibility. They do not know that, according to Allah’s law, establishing the government necessary for Islam to be established as an effective system is essential, and that it should be the objective of Muslims. Striving in jihad to establish such a government is also obligatory. —Author] The prophets were prepared to grant the upholders of ignorant civilization the right to remain firm in their own beliefs if they wished, and, so long as the effects of their activities remained confined to themselves, to follow ignorant customs and practices. But the prophets were not prepared to grant them the right to hold the keys to governing power and forcibly conduct all human affairs according to unbelieving and ignorant laws; naturally, it was not possible to grant them that right. For this reason, all the prophets did their utmost to change the political situation. Some confined their efforts solely to creating a favorable environment and field, such as Prophet Ibrahim. Some began revolutionary movements but passed from this world before establishing Islamic rule, such as Prophet Isa. And some prophets were able to carry this movement to its successful goal, such as Prophet Yusuf, Prophet Musa, and the trustworthy Muhammad Mustafa.

Din in the View of the Qur’an

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“He has prescribed for you the same way of life that He enjoined upon Noah, and that which We have now revealed to you, O Prophet, and that which We enjoined upon Ibrahim, Musa, and Isa before you, with the command: Establish the Din and do not become divided therein.” —Surah al-Shura: 13

This verse clearly states that Prophet Muhammad was not the founder or initiator of a new religion. Nor was any earlier prophet among the founders or initiators of a separate religion. From beginning to end, all the prophets presented the same Din from Allah, and Prophet Muhammad presented the same. In this connection, the name of Prophet Nuh is mentioned first, because after the great flood he was the first prophet of the present human race. Then the name of the last Prophet, Muhammad, is mentioned. After that, the name of Prophet Ibrahim is given. The Arabs accepted him as their religious leader. Finally, the names of Prophets Musa and Isa are mentioned. The Christians and Jews regard them as the founders of their respective religions. Of course, this does not mean that only these five prophets were commanded to establish this Din. The actual point is that all the prophets who came into the world brought the Din. Here, the names of five renowned prophets have been mentioned merely as examples, because the universally known heavenly laws of the world were received through them.

This verse provides extremely important instruction concerning the Din—that is, the true religion, Islam—and its purpose. Therefore, it is necessary to reflect deeply upon this verse and understand it properly.

Lexical Analysis

In the Arabic language, the word ‘Din’ is used in various senses, including the following:

First:Power, might, and dominance; rule and authority; compelling another to acknowledge obedience and submission; exercising sovereignty over another; making him one’s subject and obedient. For example:(Arabic…)That is, he compelled people to obey.(Arabic…)That is, I overcame them and they submitted.(Arabic…)That is, I subdued that nation and made them slaves.(Arabic…)That is, so-and-so became powerful and honored.(Arabic…)That is, I compelled him to do something he was unwilling to do.(Arabic…)That is, so-and-so was compelled to do an undesirable act.(Arabic…)That is, I exercised rule and authority over him.(Arabic…)That is, I entrusted so-and-so with leadership and authority over the people. In this sense, Hutayya addressed his mother, saying:

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“You were made the guardian of your children; consequently, you reduced them to something finer than flour.”

It is reported in a hadith:

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“The truly intelligent person is one who brings his desires under control and engages in deeds beneficial for the Hereafter.”

For this reason, a person who conquers and exercises authority over a country, nation, or tribe is called(Arabic…)(Dayyan). Asha al-Harmazi addressed the Messenger of Allah(Arabic…)as “O leader of the people and ruler of the Arabs.” In this sense,(Arabic…)means a male slave, and(Arabic…)means a female slave. And(Arabic…)means the son of a female slave. The poet Akhtal says:(Arabic…)“She, the female slave, raised me as the son of a female slave.” The Holy Qur’an states:

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That is: “If you truly do not belong to anyone as slaves, followers, or subjects, then why can you not restore the dying person? Why can you not bring back the departing soul?”

Second: Obedience, servitude, service, acknowledging someone’s submission, being subject to someone, and bowing before someone’s might and dominance. The Arabs say:(Arabic…)That is, I served so-and-so and so-and-so. It is reported in a hadith that the Prophet said:(Arabic…)“I wish to make the angels follow a word which, if they accept it, will make the entire Arab nation obey them and bow before them.” In this sense, a nation is called(Arabic…)The word ‘Din’ is also used in this sense in the hadith concerning the Kharijites. It states:(Arabic…)“They will leave the Din, meaning obedience, just as an arrow shoots out from a bow.” [This hadith does not mean that the Kharijites would renounce the religion. For when Ali was asked, “Are they unbelievers?” he replied:(Arabic…)“They have fled from unbelief itself.” He was asked again:(Arabic…)“Then are they hypocrites?” He replied, “A hypocrite remembers Allah very little, whereas these people remember Allah day and night.” Therefore, it can be stated without hesitation that ‘Din’ in this hadith means obedience to the commander. Ibn Athir has written in his book al-Nihayah:

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“The significance of Hazrat Ali’s statement is that they will withdraw from obedience to the leader whose obedience is obligatory.” —(Vol. 2, pp. 41–42)

Third: Shariah, law, customs, conventions, and habits. In ordinary speech it is said: (Arabic*************)meaning, this is the customary practice. (Arabic*************)meaning, whatever practice—good or bad—a person follows may be called his din. It is stated in a hadith: (Arabic*************)‘Before his prophethood, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) followed the customs practiced by his people.’ That is, he too followed the customs and traditions concerning marriage, divorce, inheritance, and other social and customary matters that his people observed.

Fourth: requital, retaliation, recompense or revenge, judgment, and accountability. The famous Arabic proverb (Arabic*************)‘As you do, so shall you be repaid’ is a perfect example of this. The Qur’an quotes the statement of the disbelievers: (Arabic*************)‘Will we really be held accountable after death? Will we really have to suffer the consequences of our deeds?’ A hadith narrated by Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar states: (Arabic*************)“Do not abuse the rulers. If it becomes absolutely necessary to speak ill of them, say: O Allah, deal with the rulers as they are dealing with us.” In this sense, (Arabic*************)the word ‘Dayyan’ is used for a qadi or judge. A scholar remarked about Hazrat Ali: (Arabic*************)“After the Prophet, he was the finest judge of the Muslim nation.”

A comprehensive technical term

The Arabs used the word ‘din’ in different ways, sometimes for one and sometimes for another of the meanings mentioned above. But their conception of these four matters was neither completely clear nor particularly elevated. Therefore, some ambiguity remained in the word. As a result, it could not properly become a technical term for any system of thought. When the Qur’an was revealed, it found in this word a suitable vehicle for its message, used it with a clear and precise meaning, and adopted it as its special technical term. Thus, in Qur’anic language, the word ‘din’ expresses a complete way of life. According to the Qur’an, the particular conduct and course of action adopted by a person who accepts someone’s sovereignty and lordship and submits to his obedience is called ‘din.’ To devote ‘din’ exclusively to Allah and worship Him means that a person will not mix the worship of anyone else with the worship of Allah; rather, he will worship Him alone, follow His law alone, and obey His commands and instructions alone. Through obedience to Him alone, he will hope for honor, advancement, and reward, and, knowing that disobedience to Him will bring humiliation, disgrace, and punishment, he will remain cautious. Perhaps no language in the world has a technical term with such comprehensive meaning. The modern word ‘state’ comes somewhat close to it. Yet, to convey the full meaning of din, it still needs to acquire greater breadth and scope.

A mistaken notion

The din whose establishment was commanded was the same for all the prophets, while their Shariahs were of different kinds (Arabic*************)‘For each of you We have appointed a Shariah and a way.’ This view holds that the Qur’anic injunctions are not included, and that the message of din consists only in believing in tawhid, prophethood, the Hereafter, the Scriptures, and prophethood, and worshipping Allah. At most, those fundamental moral rules that were the same for all the prophets may be included in din. This view has become possible only because of a superficial and shifting perspective on the unity of din and the diversity of Shariah. It is a dangerous opinion. Unless it is corrected, attempts may later be made to create a confusing division between din and Shariah. It was by becoming involved in such a division that Saint Paul presented the concept of a din without Shariah and led the followers of Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) astray. Once Shariah is regarded as something separate from din, Muslims too will, like Christians, consider the injunctions of Shariah unimportant and bypass them on the grounds that establishing and implementing them lies outside their objective. They will content themselves with faith and basic moral teachings. Does determining the meaning of din through such conjecture mean that it consists only of faith and basic moral instruction, or do the laws and injunctions of Shariah also form part of it? By studying the Qur’an, we find that, besides faith and moral instruction, the following things have also been included in din:

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“They were commanded only to worship Allah, devoting the din exclusively to Him with sincere devotion, establish prayer, and give zakat. That is the din of the upright nation.” —(Surah al-Bayyinah: 5)

It is thus understood that prayer and zakat are included in din. Yet different Shariahs contain different regulations concerning both of these acts. It cannot be said that the form of prayer, its pillars, rak‘ahs, qiblah, times, and other regulations were the same in all the earlier Shariahs. The same applies to zakat. No one can claim that all Shariahs had identical rules regarding the nisab at which zakat became obligatory, its rate, and its collection and distribution. Despite these differences among the Shariahs, Allah declared both these things to be integral parts of din.

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“Forbidden to you are carrion, blood, the flesh of swine, animals slaughtered in the name of anyone other than Allah, and those killed by strangling, a blow, a fall, a goring, or the attack of a wild beast—unless you are able to slaughter them while they are still alive. Also forbidden are animals slaughtered on altars, and seeking decisions by means of divining arrows. All this is disobedience. Today the disbelievers have despaired of your din. So do not fear them; fear Me. Today I have perfected your din for you, completed My favor upon you, and chosen Islam as your din.” —(Surah al-Ma’idah: 3)

It is thus understood that these regulations of Shariah are also included in din.

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“Fight those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, do not regard as forbidden what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden, and do not adopt the true din as their din.” —(Surah al-Tawbah: 29)

It is thus understood that, besides believing in Allah and the Hereafter, observing and following the rules of lawful and unlawful laid down by Allah and His Messenger also falls within the scope of din.

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“Strike the adulteress and the adulterer each with one hundred lashes, and do not let compassion for them restrain you from carrying out Allah’s din, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day.” —(Surah al-Nur: 2)

It is thus known that criminal law also falls within the scope of din.

Four examples have been given in which the regulations of Shariah are explicitly called din. In addition, careful and profound study will show that abstaining from those sinful acts about which Allah has warned that they will lead to Hell—such as adultery, usury, killing Muslims, consuming the property of orphans, unlawfully appropriating others’ wealth, and so on—and from those crimes for which Allah has declared His punishment inevitable—such as homosexuality and corruption in business dealings—is also part of din. For what other purpose can din serve besides saving people from Hell and divine punishment? Likewise, those regulations of Shariah whose violation causes a person to be cast into Hell forever must also be accepted as part of din. The laws of inheritance may be cited as an example. After describing these laws, Allah says in conclusion:

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“Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger and transgresses His prescribed limits, He will cast him into Hell, where he will remain forever. For him is a humiliating punishment.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 14)

Similarly, things declared forbidden—such as gambling and false testimony—cannot be excluded from din on the pretext that their prohibition is an unnecessary regulation and that Allah does not desire their implementation. Likewise, acts Allah has declared obligatory—such as fasting and Hajj—cannot be excluded from din on the pretext that thirty fasts in Ramadan did not exist in earlier Shariahs, or that Hajj to the Ka‘bah belonged, among the descendants of Hazrat Ibrahim, only to the Shariah of Ismail.

The law of the land and din

In Surah Yusuf, (Arabic*************)(Yusuf could not have detained his brother under the king’s law), Allah has clarified the breadth of the meaning of din by using the word ‘din’ in the sense of the law of the land. This renders meaningless the notion of those who limit the prophets’ call, in the ordinary religious sense, to worshipping one God and observing a few religious rituals, and who believe that din has no connection with human civilization, politics, economics, law, courts, and other worldly affairs. And even if it does have a connection, they regard the instructions of din in these matters as merely optional recommendations. According to them, it is good to follow them if possible; otherwise, there is no harm in following laws and regulations made by human beings. This is plainly a misguided notion. It has long prevailed among Muslims and is largely responsible for their indifference to the effort to establish an Islamic way of life. Because of it, Muslims have not merely accepted kufri and jahili systems of life; they have even become willing to regard them as a Sunnah of the Prophet and to become participants in and administrators of those systems. By calling criminal law din, this verse proves their notion false. Here Allah clearly states that just as prayer, fasting, and Hajj are din, so too are the laws governing society and the state. Therefore, the din whose obedience is commanded in verses such as (Arabic*************)(Islam is the only din chosen by Allah) and (Arabic*************)(Whoever adopts anything other than Islam as din, it will never be accepted from him) does not mean merely performing prayer and fasting; it also means Islam’s social system. If one follows another system while abandoning this one, it cannot be acceptable to Allah.

The real matter is that, by accepting a meaning contrary to the import of the verse in Surah al-Ma’idah, (Arabic***************)(I have appointed for every community a Shariah and a way), it has been claimed that since the Shariah was different for every community, and the command was only to establish the din that was common to all the prophets, establishing the Shariah is not included in the command to establish din. Yet the actual significance of this verse is precisely the opposite. If the verses before and after the place where this verse occurs in Surah al-Ma’idah—verses 41 to 50—are read attentively, it becomes clear that the correct meaning of the verse is that whatever Shariah Allah gave to the community of a particular prophet was din for that community. During that prophet’s era, the command was to establish that din and Shariah. Since this is the era of the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the Shariah given to the ummah of Muhammad is din for this age, and establishing it is what it means to establish din. The differences among these Shariahs do not mean that Allah’s Shariahs contradicted one another. Rather, they mean that there were some differences in details according to circumstances. Consider prayer and fasting, for example. Prayer was obligatory in every Shariah, but the qiblah was not the same in every Shariah. There were also differences in the times, rak‘ahs, pillars, and rulings of prayer. Fasting too was obligatory in every Shariah, but thirty fasts in Ramadan did not exist in every Shariah. Therefore, it is not correct to say that praying in general and fasting at specified times fall outside establishing din. The sound conclusion from this is that, for the community of every prophet, praying and fasting in that era according to the rules prescribed by the Shariah of that time constituted establishing din. In the present age, establishing din means performing these acts of worship according to the rules laid down for them by the Shariah of Muhammad. The other commands of Shariah may be understood by analogy from these two examples.

Din claims the authority to rule

A careful study of the Holy Qur’an makes it clear that this great Book does not present its followers with a program for living a religious life as defeated and submissive citizens, regarding them as subjects of a kufri system and of disbelievers. Rather, it openly seeks to establish its own system of rule. It calls upon its followers to devote themselves—even to sacrifice their lives—to making the true din victorious in thought, morality, civilization, law, and politics. For the reform of human life, this great Book gives them a program, a substantial part of which can be implemented only when authority is in the hands of believing people. It describes the purpose of its revelation as follows:

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“(O Prophet!) We have revealed this great Book to you with the truth so that you may judge between people by means of the light Allah has shown you.” —(Surah al-Nisa: 105)

This Book lays down regulations for the collection and distribution of zakat. Clearly implicit behind these regulations is the concept of a government that will collect zakat and assume responsibility for distributing it among eligible people. —(Surah al-Tawbah: 60–130). The command in this Book to abolish usury, and the declaration of war against those who continue consuming usury (al-Baqarah: 257), can be implemented only if the country’s political and economic systems come fully into the hands of believing people. The commands in this Book prescribing capital punishment for murderers (al-Baqarah: 178), amputation of the thief’s hand (al-Ma’idah: 38), and punishment for adultery and its slanderous accusation were not issued on the assumption that the courts and police enforcing them would remain under disbelievers. It also commands fighting the disbelievers (al-Baqarah: 190–216).

This is not on the assumption that the followers of this din will enlist as soldiers under a disbelieving government and implement these commands. It also commands the collection of jizya from Jews and Christians. But it cannot be that Muslims, as subjects of disbelievers, will collect jizya from them and assume responsibility for their protection. This applies not only to the surahs revealed after the Hijrah. Even when the pre-Hijrah surahs are read, anyone with insight can clearly see that from the very beginning the Qur’an’s plan was to make the believers victorious and authoritative; there was never any plan for Islam and Muslims to remain subjugated under a disbelieving government.

Evidence from the Prophet’s practical deeds

Above all, the mistaken interpretation mentioned above conflicts with the actual activities during the twenty-three-year period of the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Who does not know that, with the help of preaching and the sword, he subdued the entire Arab world and established there a complete state system with a detailed Shariah? That state brought every aspect and sphere of life under its influence—from faith to individual and collective character, civilization and culture, economics and social organization, politics and law and courts, and war and peace. If it is not acknowledged that all his activities were the practical explanation of the command given in the cited verse to all the prophets, including Muhammad (peace be upon him), to establish din, then two conclusions follow. Either one must accuse the Messenger of Allah (God forbid) of having been commanded only to preach the principal fundamentals of faith and morality, while he exceeded that limit on his own initiative, establishing a government and devising a detailed law distinct from and additional to the collective law of all the prophets’ Shariahs. Or one must accuse Allah Himself of having acted contrary to His declaration in Surah al-Shura and of making His Prophet undertake work far greater and different from establishing the din proclaimed in that surah. Not only that, after completing this work He made a second declaration contrary to His first declaration: (Arabic***********)(Today I have perfected your din for you)—God forbid.

Din: a comprehensive and all-encompassing technical term

The Holy Qur’an uses the word din as a comprehensive term. It means a way of life under which a person acknowledges someone’s sovereignty and obeys him, lives within the limits, customs and laws prescribed by him, hopes for honour, advancement and reward through obedience to him, and remains conscious that disobedience will bring humiliation, disgrace and punishment. Perhaps no language in the world contains another word with such a comprehensive meaning. In the following verses, din has been used in this technical sense:

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‘Fight against those among the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) who do not believe in Allah (that is, do not acknowledge Him as the sole Sovereign), nor in the Hereafter (that is, the Day of Reckoning and Recompense), nor regard as unlawful what Allah and His Messenger have declared unlawful, and who do not adopt the true din as their din, until they pay the jizya with their own hands and submit.’—(Surah al-Tawbah: 29)

In this verse, din al-haqq (the true religion) is a technical term. What is meant by it is explained by Him Himself in the first three statements of the verse. The totality of these three is defined as din al-haqq:

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‘Pharaoh said, “Leave me to kill Moses, and let him call upon his Lord. I fear that he may change your din or cause disorder in the land.”’—(Surah al-Mu’min: 26)

If all the accounts of Pharaoh and Moses found in the Qur’an are considered in context, it is unquestionably proved that din here has not been used merely in the sense of religion. Rather, it has been used in the sense of a state and civilizational system. Pharaoh’s statement was that if Moses’s mission succeeded, the state system would change. The system of life established on the basis of Pharaoh’s sovereignty and the prevailing laws and customs would be uprooted, and in its place either a new system would be built on new foundations, or no system would arise at all; instead, a state of anarchy would spread throughout the land.

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“The only din chosen by Allah is Islam.”—(Surah Al ‘Imran: 19)

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“Whoever seeks a din other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him.”—(Surah Al ‘Imran: 85)

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“He is the One Allah who sent His Messenger with guidance and the true din, so that He may make it prevail over all other dins, however much the polytheists may dislike it.”—(Surah al-Tawbah: 36)

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“Fight them until every unbelieving system has been eliminated from the world and the din is devoted solely to Allah.”—(Surah al-Anfal: 39)

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“When Allah’s help has come and victory has been achieved, and you have seen people entering Allah’s din in multitudes, then glorify and praise your Lord, celebrate His tasbih and seek His forgiveness. He is Most Forgiving.”—(Surah al-Nasr)

In these verses, din means all aspects and spheres of life, including belief and doctrine, thought, morality and practical activities.

The first two verses state that the only pure system of life chosen by Allah is the system built on obedience and servitude to Allah (Islam). A system of life built on obedience to any other false sovereign entity is never acceptable to the Lord of the universe, nor can it be so by its very nature. For the One by whom man was created, whose servant he is, who sustains him, and in whose kingdom he lives as a subject, can never accept that man has the right to live in obedience and servitude to any power besides Him and to follow anyone else’s commands.

The third verse states that Allah the Exalted sent His Messenger with this pure, faultless and true system of life, namely Islam, and that the purpose of sending him was that he would certainly make this system of life prevail over all other systems.

The fourth verse commands the followers of the Islamic system of life to continue fighting the people of the world until all systems of life founded on rebellion against God have been eliminated from the world and servitude and obedience have been devoted solely to Allah.

The fifth verse addresses the Messenger of Allah at a time when, through twenty-three years of tireless and uninterrupted effort, the revolution in Arabia had been completed. Islam had been established in reality as a doctrinal, intellectual, moral, educational, social, civilizational, economic and political system, and people from various regions of Arabia were entering this system in multitudes. In this way, the work undertaken by the Prophet Muhammad was completed. He was being told not to regard this great success as his own achievement and become proud.

The Being of the Lord of the Prophet Muhammad is above every kind of error, deficiency and imperfection. Therefore, upon the completion of this great task, he was instructed to glorify and praise his Lord and to seek forgiveness in His presence for the errors and shortcomings that had occurred during the long struggle and striving of twenty-three years.

Chapter 9 — MiraclesMiracles

A discussion of miracles

Whenever the prophets presented themselves as messengers bearing the message sent by the Lord of the universe, people demanded of them: If you truly are representatives of the Lord of the universe, you should perform some extraordinary and miraculous act beyond the normal course of natural law, so that it would be clearly evident that the Lord of the universe had brought about this event as a sign through direct intervention to prove your truthfulness. In response to this demand, the prophets showed a number of signs. In Qur’anic terminology these are called ayat, or signs; in the terminology of scholars of creed, they are called miracles.

The confusion of those who deny miracles

Some people try to prove that such signs or miracles are ordinary and natural events occurring under the laws of nature. In reality, they adopt an irrational and obscure position halfway between accepting and rejecting the Qur’an. For when the Qur’an mentions a miraculous event unambiguously, trying to establish it as an ordinary event completely contrary to the surrounding narrative is nothing but extremely absurd verbal sophistry. Such sophistry is needed only by those who neither wish to believe in a book that relates extraordinary events nor, because they are hereditary believers in their ancestral religion, can reject that book, in which miraculous events are actually mentioned.

The real question

The decisive question concerning miracles is this: After setting the natural world in motion according to a particular law, has Allah become inactive and lost the power to intervene anywhere in this ongoing process? Or has He retained in His own hands the responsibility of governing His kingdom, so that His command operates in it at every moment and He retains the power to bring about partial or total changes, whenever He wills, in the forms of different things and the usual course of events?

Two viewpoints’ viewpoints

Those who support the first position in answer to this question cannot accept miracles. For miracles do not accord with their conception of God and the universe. Such people, however, should clearly reject the Qur’an rather than occupy themselves with interpreting and explaining it. For the Qur’an emphatically refutes the first-mentioned conception of God and emphatically supports the second. Conversely, a person who, satisfied by the Qur’an’s arguments and proofs, accepts the first-mentioned conception will find it not at all difficult to understand and believe in miracles. For example, suppose someone holds the belief that a snake can be born only in the way snakes are normally born, and that creating a snake by any other method is beyond even Allah’s power. If he is told that someone’s staff turned into a snake and then that snake again took the form of a staff, it is obvious that he will certainly reject the report. Another person, on the other hand, believes that Allah creates living beings from lifeless matter and can give life to any inanimate object as He pleases. For this person, a few lifeless objects kept inside an egg becoming snakes is no more astonishing than a staff becoming a snake. The only difference is that one event occurs all the time, while the other has occurred only three times. But this difference is not enough to make one astonishing and the other unastonishing.

Proof of the truth of miracles

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“Say, ‘My Lord knows best how many they were—the Companions of the Cave. Few people know their exact number. So do not debate their number with anyone except in a superficial manner, and do not ask anyone about them.’”—(Surah al-Kahf: 22)

The meaning of this verse of Surah al-Kahf is that their number is not the real issue; rather, the lesson or admonition derived from the event is what truly matters. The lesson of the event is that a sincere believer should never be prepared to disregard the truth or bow before falsehood under any circumstances. Another lesson is that a believer’s reliance should be upon Allah, not upon worldly means and resources. Even when no outward signs of a favourable environment are visible, one should rely upon Allah and set foot upon the path of truth in order to work for its cause.

Natural law and Allah’s supreme power

Another lesson of this event is that Allah is under no compulsion of the kind people imagine when they call the ordinary flow of natural events ‘natural law’ and think that nothing in the world can occur contrary to it. Whenever and wherever He wishes, He can bring about any extraordinary event contrary to this established order. It is no great matter for Him to make a person sleep for two hundred years and then suddenly sit up as though he had slept for only a few hours, without the passage of that long period affecting his lifespan, appearance, clothing or health. This teaches that, according to the heavenly Books and the prophecies of the prophets, resurrecting all the past and future descendants of humankind together is not beyond Allah’s power. It also shows that in every age ignorant and immature people have gathered from Allah’s signs means of becoming even more astray instead of learning from them, as they did in the case of the Companions of the Cave. [Allah brought about the miraculous event of the Companions of the Cave so that people would gain belief in the Hereafter from it. Yet from this very sign they understood the opposite: that Allah had provided them with several more deities to worship. —The author]

The existence of countless wondrous things in the universe

Countless wondrous things exist in Allah’s creation. Wherever one looks, the boundless majesty of His power becomes visible in the form of extraordinary events. Some events and conditions generally appear in a particular form. But this cannot prove that they cannot appear in another extraordinary way by violating the established order. To refute this notion, there is a lengthy list of extraordinary conditions and events throughout the universe and at every level of creation. In particular, a person who clearly understands that Allah is Almighty can never entertain the mistaken notion that granting a human being a lifespan of one thousand years, or somewhat more or less, is impossible for the Master of life and death. It is true that a human being cannot remain alive even for a moment by his own will. But if Allah wills, He can keep him alive for as long as He wishes.

Review of the miracles of the earlier prophets

The miracle of the she-camel of Prophet Salih

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“To the people of Thamud We sent their brother Salih. He said to them, ‘O my fellow tribesmen! Worship Allah. You have no god besides Him. A clear proof from your Lord has come to you. Let her graze in Allah’s land, and do not touch her with evil intent, or a painful punishment will seize you.’”—(Surah al-A‘raf: 73)

It is clear from the outward wording that the two expressions ‘clear proof’ in the first part of the verse and ‘sign’ in the second part refer to this she-camel. It is stated in detail in the eighth ruku‘ of Surah al-Shu‘ara that the people of Thamud themselves asked Prophet Salih for a sign so that it might be conclusively proved that he was a prophet of Allah. In response to that demand, Prophet Salih produced the she-camel. Thus, there is no doubt that the she-camel appeared as a miracle. It was one of the miracles that many other prophets displayed as proof of their prophethood in response to unbelievers. Prophet Salih warned the unbelievers that their life depended upon the she-camel’s survival. This warning proves that the she-camel had been born as a miracle. He also said that the she-camel would graze freely in their fields: one day she would drink water alone, and the next day all the other animals would drink. If they harmed her, Allah’s punishment would suddenly descend upon them. Needless to say, only something whose miraculous nature people could see with their own eyes could be presented with such distinction. The she-camel grazed wherever she pleased; one day she drank alone, and the next day all the animals drank. This continued for a long time, and they tolerated it despite their unwillingness. Finally, after much consultation and conspiracy, she was killed. Yet Prophet Salih possessed no power that could have caused them to fear him. Another proof of the she-camel’s miraculous nature is that they were terrified of her and knew that some power must certainly stand behind her, enabling her to move among them with such audacity. No clear account is found in the Qur’an or Hadith of what kind of she-camel she was or how she appeared. Therefore, there is no need to accept the accounts cited by the commentators concerning her birth. But the Qur’an proves that the she-camel appeared, in one way or another, precisely as a miracle.

The miracle concerning the resurrection of the dead

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“Or consider, by way of example, the one who passed by a ruined town and said, ‘How will Allah revive this dead town?’ Allah then caused him to die, and he remained dead for a hundred years. Then Allah restored him to life and asked him, ‘How long have you remained dead?’ He replied, ‘A day or part of a day.’ Allah said, ‘Rather, you have remained in this state for a hundred years. Now look at your food and drink: they have not spoiled at all. And look at your donkey (whose bones are decaying). We did this so that We might make you a sign for the people. Then look at how We raise these bones and clothe them with flesh.’ When the truth became clear to him, he said, ‘I know that Allah is All-Powerful.’”—(Surah al-Baqarah: 259)

There is no need to discuss who this person was or which town it was. The reason this subject has been mentioned is simply to say that Allah grants the light of guidance in this manner to whoever accepts Him as his guardian. We have no means of determining the person or the place, nor would doing so offer any benefit. However, the subsequent account indicates that the person discussed here must certainly have been a prophet.

The question mentioned above does not mean that this noble person disbelieved in the Hereafter or had any doubt about it. Rather, he wished to gain direct experience of a profound truth. The prophets were granted this opportunity. The return to life of a person whom the people of the world knew to have died a hundred years earlier was sufficient to establish him among his contemporaries as a vivid example.

The spring that healed Hazrat Job’s illness

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“And remember Our servant Job. He called upon his Lord, saying, ‘Satan has afflicted me with painful suffering and torment.’ (I instructed him,) ‘Strike the ground with your foot. Here is cool water for bathing and drinking.’”—(Surah Sad: 41–42)

As soon as he struck the ground with his foot at Allah’s command, a spring gushed forth. Drinking from that spring and bathing with its water was the treatment for Hazrat Job’s illness. It seems that Hazrat Job had probably been afflicted with some serious skin disease. The Bible also says that his entire body, from head to foot, was covered with sores.

The miracle of Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him)

The incident of bringing four birds to life

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“And remember when Abraham said, ‘My Lord, show me how You bring the dead to life.’ Allah said, ‘Do you not believe?’ Abraham said, ‘Of course I believe, but I need my heart to be reassured.’ Allah said, ‘Then take four birds and make them accustomed to you. Then place a portion of each of them on each mountain. Then call them; they will come hastening to you. And know that Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.’”—(Surah al-Baqarah: 260)

Hazrat Abraham blessed with a child in old age

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“Then I gave him the good news of Isaac, and after Isaac, Jacob. He said, ‘Alas! What misfortune has befallen me! Shall I have a child when I have become a decrepit old woman, and this husband of mine has also grown old? This is truly astonishing.’ The angels said, ‘Are you amazed at Allah’s decree? O family of Abraham, Allah’s mercy and blessings are upon you. Surely He is Praiseworthy, All-Glorious.’”—(Surah Hud: 71–73)

Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him) rescued from the fire

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“They said to one another, ‘Build a furnace for him and throw him into the blazing fire.’ They plotted against him, but I made them the most disgraced.”—(Surah al-Saffat: 97–98)

The miracles of Hazrat Moses (peace be upon him)

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“Then I sent Moses and his brother Aaron with My signs and clear proof to Pharaoh and his chiefs.”—(Surah al-Mu’minun: 45–46)

The significance of mentioning “clear proof” after “signs” may be that the presence of these signs with them itself was conclusive proof of the prophethood of the two men. It is also possible that the miracles he displayed in Egypt apart from the staff were the signs, while the clear proof meant his staff. For the miracles manifested through the staff left no room for any further doubt that both of them were messengers.

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“When they threw down their magical devices, they bewitched the eyes of the spectators and struck fear into their hearts. Thus they displayed a tremendous magic. I inspired Moses, ‘Throw down your staff.’ No sooner had he thrown it down than it began to swallow up the false illusion of their magic.”—(Surah al-A‘raf: 116–117)

Hazrat Moses’ staff

It is not correct to assume that Hazrat Moses’ staff had swallowed the staffs and ropes of the magicians that appeared like huge serpents. The Qur’an merely says that Moses’ staff, having turned into a serpent, swallowed up the magicians’ deceptive mirage. The clear meaning of the verse seems to be that wherever Moses’ serpent went, the effect of the magic disappeared from there. Through the effect of magic, the magicians’ staffs and ropes appeared to be raising their heads like serpents. But as soon as Moses’ serpent had made one circuit, all the staffs took on the appearance of staffs and all the ropes the appearance of ropes.

Various warning punishments inflicted upon Pharaoh’s people

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“I afflicted Pharaoh’s people with famine and crop losses for several years, so that they might come to their senses. Yet when good fortune came to them, they said, ‘We deserve this’; and when something bad befell them, they attributed it to Moses and his companions. In fact, their misfortune was with Allah, but most of them did not know. They said to Moses, ‘Whatever sign you bring us to bewitch us with, we will not believe you.’ So I sent upon them storms, locusts, termites and frogs, and caused blood to rain down. I showed them these signs separately, but they continued along the path of arrogance. Indeed, they were a deeply criminal people.”—(Surah al-A‘raf: 130–133)

By calling even those things magic which Pharaoh’s courtiers knew with certainty could not possibly be the result of magic, they displayed obstinacy and verbal sophistry. Perhaps no sensible person would believe that a magician could cause famine throughout the country and continuous crop failure. That is why the Qur’an says:

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“When they saw My signs, they said, ‘This is clearly magic.’ Yet their hearts were convinced of the truth within, but they denied them purely out of arrogance and pride.”—(Surah al-Naml: 13–14)

The storm mentioned in the foregoing verse was probably heavy rainfall accompanied by hail. The storm may also have been of another kind. However, the Bible mentions a storm involving snowfall. Therefore, I have used this meaning.

The word “qummal” used in that verse has several meanings, namely lice, small locusts, mosquitoes, termites and so forth. The reason for using such a broad word may be that mosquitoes and lice attacked the people, while termites attacked the food stores.—(See the Book of Exodus in the Bible, chapters 7–12.)

Nine signs

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“I gave Moses nine clear signs. Now ask the Children of Israel what Pharaoh said to him when Moses came to them: ‘O Moses, I think you have certainly been bewitched.’ Moses replied, ‘You know that no one has sent these enlightening signs down except the Lord of the heavens and the earth. O Pharaoh, I think you are surely doomed.’”—(Surah Bani Israel: 101–102)

These nine signs are mentioned in Surah al-A‘raf. They were: 1. the staff, which would turn into a serpent; 2. the radiant hand, which shone like the sun when brought out from under the armpit; 3. defeating the magicians’ magic publicly; 4. famine throughout the country following a proclamation; 5. successive storms; 6. locusts; 7. termites; 8. frogs; and 9. the affliction of blood and other calamities.

The essence of Hazrat Moses’ reply to Pharaoh was that a countrywide famine, frogs infesting millions of square miles, termites attacking every food store, and other crises of this kind could not be caused by a magician’s magic or by any human power. It should be remembered that before each calamity arrived, Hazrat Moses warned Pharaoh, saying that if he did not abandon his obstinacy, such-and-such a calamity would be imposed upon his kingdom. Exactly as he said, that calamity would arrive at the appointed time. In such circumstances, only a madman or an obstinate person could say that these calamities had been caused by anyone other than Allah, the Owner of the heavens and the earth.

The sea split in two by means of the staff

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“I revealed to Moses: Set out with My servants by night and make for them a dry path through the sea. Do not fear being overtaken from behind, and do not be afraid while passing through the sea.”—(Surah Ta-Ha: 77)

The account of this event is that Allah Almighty eventually appointed a particular night on which all the Israelite and non-Israelite Muslims were to emigrate and depart from all regions—hence the use of the broad expression “My servants.” They all assembled at a predetermined place and set out in the form of a caravan. At that time there was no Suez Canal. The entire area from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea was open land. However, military posts stood along all the routes in that area, so crossing them was not safe. Therefore, Hazrat Moses took the route toward the Red Sea. He probably intended to proceed along the sea coast toward the Sinai Peninsula. While the caravan was still at the seashore, Pharaoh’s huge army arrived from behind. It is stated in Surah al-Shu‘ara that the emigrants’ caravan became trapped between the sea and Pharaoh’s army. At that very moment, Allah instructed Hazrat Moses (Arabic**********) ‘Strike the sea with your staff.’ (Arabic************) ‘Immediately the sea split in two, and its two parts rose on either side like enormous mountains.’ Not only did a road appear in the middle for the caravan to cross; this central section also became a dry roadway. This is clearly a description of a miracle. The claim of those who say that the sea water receded because of a storm or the tides is disproved by this account. For when water recedes for such reasons, it does not rise on both sides like mountains, nor does the middle section become a dry road.

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“I revealed to Moses: Strike the sea with your staff. Immediately the sea split in two, and its two parts rose on either side like enormous mountains.”—(Surah al-Shu‘ara: 63)

In Arabic, (Arabic*******) means mountain. The dictionary entitled Lisan al-Arab says that (Arabic***********) means a huge mountain. The addition of the adjective (Arabic********) meaning “enormous,” therefore indicates that the water stood on both sides in the form of extremely high mountains. This passage through the sea was arranged, on the one hand, to enable the caravan of the Children of Israel to cross and, on the other, to drown Pharaoh’s army. It is clear from this that the water stood in the form of such enormous mountains for so long that the caravan of millions of Israelite emigrants crossed over it, and Pharaoh’s army then reached as far as its middle. It need hardly be said that the stormy winds that blow under ordinary natural conditions, however violent they may be, do not cause sea water to stand for so long in the form of such enormous mountains. It is also significant that Surah Ta-Ha says (Arabic************) ‘Make a dry path through the sea for them.’ In other words, when the sea was struck with the staff, the water did not merely recede and stand on both sides like mountains; the path formed within it also became dry. Not even the slightest muddy water remained to obstruct movement. This is a clear description of a miracle. It becomes evident that the view of those who try to explain this event according to ordinary natural laws is mistaken.

‘Manna’ and ‘Salwa’

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“And I sent down manna and quails upon you.”—(Surah Ta-Ha: 80)

According to the Bible, after leaving Egypt, when the Children of Israel were crossing the wilderness of Sin between Elim and Sinai and, as their food stores had run out, they were about to spend their days in starvation, manna and quails began to descend. This continued for forty long years, until they reached the inhabited areas of Palestine. (Book of Exodus, chapter 16; Book of Numbers, chapter 11, verses 7–9; Book of Joshua, chapter 5, verse 12.) Concerning manna and quails, the Book of Exodus says: “And it came to pass, that at even the quails came up, and covered the camp: and in the morning the dew lay round about the host. And when the dew that lay was gone up, behold, upon the face of the wilderness there lay a small round thing, as small as the hoar frost on the ground. And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, What is it? for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.”—(Chapter 16, verses 13–15)

And the house of Israel called its name manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and its taste was like wafers made with honey.—(Verse 31)

The Book of Numbers further explains it as follows:

The people wandered about and gathered it, then ground it in mills or crushed it in mortars, boiled it in pots, and made cakes from it; its taste was like the taste of a cake baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the camp at night, the manna fell upon it.—(Chapter 11, verses 8–9)

This too was a miracle. For after forty years, when the Children of Israel began receiving ordinary food, this process came to an end. Nowadays, even quails are not found there in abundance, and manna is found nowhere. Inquisitive people have searched every part of the area where the Children of Israel led their forty-year nomadic life in the wilderness, but they have found manna nowhere. Of course, merchants sell “manna” halwa to fool people.

The miracle of Hazrat Solomon (peace be upon him)

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“And he said, ‘O people, I have been taught the language of birds.’”—(Surah al-Naml: 16)

The Bible is silent on the subject of Hazrat Solomon’s knowledge of the language of birds and animals. However, Israelite legends contain a clear account of it. —(Jewish Encyclopedia, Vol. 11, p. 439)

The jinn were obedient to him

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“For Solomon, an organized army of jinn, human beings and birds was assembled.” —(Surah an-Naml: 17)

The throne of the Queen of Sheba was brought in an instant

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“Solomon said, ‘O assembly, who can bring me the queen’s throne before they come to me in submission?’ A demon said, ‘I will bring it to you before you rise from your seat. I am capable of doing this and trustworthy.’ One who possessed knowledge of the Book said, ‘I will bring it to you in the twinkling of an eye.’ Then, when Solomon saw the throne placed before him, he exclaimed, ‘This is by the grace of my Lord.’”

Miracles of Other Prophets

The miraculous aspect of the story of Jonah

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“Indeed, Jonah was also one of the messengers. Recall when he fled toward a ship laden with passengers. He took part in the lot-drawing and was defeated. Finally, the fish swallowed him. He was remorseful. Had he not been one who glorified Allah, he would have remained in the fish’s belly until the Day of Resurrection. Finally, I cast him onto a barren shore while he was extremely ill, and caused a gourd vine to grow over him.” —(Surah as-Saffat: 139–146)

Hazrat Zechariah being granted a child from his aged wife’s womb

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“Grant me, by Your grace, an heir, so that he may inherit from me and inherit from the descendants of Jacob. And, my Lord, make him a man pleasing to You. ‘O Zechariah, We give you the good news of a son whose name will be John. We have never before given this name to anyone.’ He said, ‘My Lord, my wife is barren, and I have reached an extreme old age. How can I have a son?’ The reply came: ‘So it shall be. Your Lord says, “That is easy for Me. I created you before, when you were nothing.”’ Zechariah said, ‘My Lord, appoint a sign for me.’ Allah said, ‘Your sign is that you will not be able to speak to people for three consecutive days.’” —(Surah Maryam: 5–10)

The miracle of Hazrat Jesus

Hazrat Jesus’s birth without a father

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“I made Mary and her son a sign, and settled both of them on an elevated place where there was security and flowing springs.” —(Surah al-Mu’minun: 50)

Here it is not said that Mary was one sign and Mary’s son another sign. Nor is it said that I made Mary and her son into two signs. Rather, it is said that the two together were made one sign. Its significance is that Jesus’s birth without a father and Mary’s becoming pregnant without contact with a man were the reasons why the mother and son together became one sign.

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“And mention Mary in the Book, when she withdrew from her people to an eastern place. She screened herself from them. Then We sent Our spirit to her, and it appeared to her as a perfect human being. Mary suddenly said, ‘If you are God-fearing, I seek refuge from you in the Compassionate One.’ He said, ‘I am only a messenger of your Lord, that I may grant you a pure son.’ Mary said, ‘How can I have a son when no man has touched me and I am not an immoral woman?’ The angel said, ‘So it shall be. Your Lord says, “This is easy for Me. We will make this boy a sign for humanity and a mercy from Us.” And it is a decreed matter; it shall come to pass.’ She conceived him and withdrew with him to a distant place. Then the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a date palm. She said, ‘If only I had died before this and had become completely forgotten.’” —(Surah Maryam: 16–23)

Here, the distant place refers to Bethlehem. It was quite natural for Hazrat Mary to leave her place of retreat and go there. Mary was not only a descendant of Banu Harun, the most religious group among the Children of Israel; she was also residing in Bayt al-Maqdis, devoted to the worship of Allah. Such a woman suddenly became pregnant. Had she remained in her place of retreat and news of her pregnancy become known, not only her family but also the other people of her nation would have made her life unbearable. Faced with this terrible calamity, the poor woman silently left the room of retreat so that, at least until the moment Allah’s will was fulfilled, she could remain safe from the reproach, condemnation and widespread disgrace of her people. This departure is vivid proof that Hazrat Jesus was born without a father. If Mary had been married and conceived by her husband, there would have been no reason for her to leave her parental and marital homes and go to a distant place to give birth.

Mary’s words, ‘If only I had died and had become completely forgotten,’ show how deeply anxious and distressed she was at that time. Anyone who understands the delicacy of the situation can see that these words did not escape her lips merely because of the pains of childbirth. Rather, she was distraught over how she would successfully endure the dreadful ordeal into which Allah had placed her. Until then, she had somehow concealed the fact that she was carrying a child. But where would she take this child now? That Mary had said these words is confirmed by what follows, when the angel told her not to grieve. When a married woman’s time of delivery arrives, no matter how much she writhes in pain, she is never anxious and distressed in this way.

The newborn child speaking in the cradle

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“When she came to her people carrying the child, they asked, ‘O Mary, where have you brought this from? O sister of Aaron, your father was not an evil man, nor was your mother an immoral woman.’” —(Surah Maryam: 27–28)

What explanation do those who deny Hazrat Jesus’s miraculous birth have for the fact that, when Hazrat Mary came carrying the child, the people of her nation became angry and began to reproach and condemn her in various ways?

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“When Mary pointed toward her child, they said, ‘How can we speak to a child lying in the cradle?’” —(Surah Maryam: 29)

Distorted interpreters of the Qur’an have rendered the verse as: “How can we speak to a child of yesterday?” In their view, these words were spoken during Hazrat Jesus’s youth. The elderly men of the Children of Israel supposedly said, ‘Why should we speak again to the boy whom we saw lying in the cradle that day?’ But attention to the circumstances and the preceding and succeeding narrative makes it clear that this is merely a meaningless misinterpretation intended to evade the miracle. These interpreters could at least have reflected on the fact that the matter over which the people had come to object did not occur during his youth; it occurred at the time of his birth. Moreover, it is stated unambiguously and conclusively in verse 46 of Surah Al Imran and verse 110 of Surah Al-Ma’idah that Hazrat Jesus did not say these things during his youth; he said them when he was newly born and lying in the cradle. In the first verse, while giving Hazrat Mary the good news of a son, the angel says that the boy will speak to people in the cradle and also in adulthood. In the second verse, Allah Himself tells Hazrat Jesus that he will speak to people in the cradle and also in adulthood.

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“The child said, ‘I am Allah’s servant. He has given me the Book, made me a prophet, and made me blessed wherever I may be. He has commanded me to perform prayer and pay zakat throughout my life. He has made me dutiful to my mother, not arrogant and wretched.’” —(Surah Maryam: 30–32)

Here he is not called dutiful to his parents; he is called dutiful only to his mother. This further proves that Hazrat Jesus had no father. The Qur’an’s repeated designation of him everywhere as Jesus, son of Mary, is another irrefutable proof of this.

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“Peace is upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I am raised alive again.” —(Surah Maryam: 33)

This is the ‘sign’ that was presented to the Children of Israel through the person of Hazrat Jesus. Before giving the Children of Israel exemplary punishment for their continual misdeeds, Allah wished to give them one final opportunity to reform. Therefore, He adopted this strategy: He caused the pious young woman from Banu Harun, who was performing retreat in Bayt al-Maqdis and being brought up under the care of Hazrat Zechariah, to become pregnant suddenly while still a virgin. Then, when she appeared carrying the child, commotion would arise throughout the nation and everyone’s attention would immediately be drawn to her. As a result of this strategy, people gathered around Hazrat Mary, and He made the newborn child speak, so that when the child grew up and received prophethood, thousands of people of the nation would be present to testify that they had witnessed an astonishing miracle of Allah in that child. Even so, when the nation would deny his prophethood and, instead of following him, try to portray him as a criminal and crucify him, they would be given an exemplary punishment such as had not been given to any other nation in the world.

Other miracles mentioned in the Qur’an

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“When he came to the Children of Israel as a messenger, he said, ‘I have brought you a sign from your Lord. I will create for you from clay the form of a bird; then I will breathe into it and, by Allah’s permission, it will become a bird. By Allah’s permission, I heal the born blind and the leper, and bring the dead to life. I can also tell you what you eat and what you store. Surely in these things there is a sufficient sign for you, if you wish to believe.’” —(Surah Al Imran: 49)

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his miracles

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The Qur’an itself was presented as proof of prophethood

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“O Prophet, when you do not present a sign (miracle) before them, they say, ‘Why have you not chosen a sign for yourself?’ Say to them, ‘I only follow the revelation that my Lord sends to me.’ This is illumination from your Lord, and guidance and mercy for those who accept it.” —(Surah Al-A’raf: 203)

The disbelievers’ question was plainly sarcastic. In other words, what they meant was: ‘Well, just as you have become a prophet, you could at least have chosen and brought a miracle for yourself.’ But notice what an apt reply was given to this sarcasm.

The meaning of this reply is: I do not possess the power to invent or produce something merely because you demand it or because I myself feel the need for it. I am only a messenger. My sole responsibility is to act according to the command of the One who sent me. The One who sent me has given me the Qur’an instead of miracles. It is filled with far-sighted light. Its greatest quality is that those who accept it find the right, straight path in life, and the signs of Allah’s mercy become manifest in their noble character.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not capable of performing miracles on his own initiative

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“Yet if you cannot bear their turning away, then, if you have the power, seek a tunnel into the earth or set up a ladder to the sky and try to bring them a sign.” —(Surah Al-An‘am: 35)

When the Prophet saw that many days had passed while he continued explaining matters to the nation, yet they had not come to the right path, from time to time this desire arose in his heart: “If only some sign from Allah appeared by which their unbelief would be dispelled and they would accept the truth of my prophethood.” This verse answers that desire of the Prophet. Its meaning is: Do not be impatient. Patiently follow the method and process by which I am carrying this work forward. If the task had to be accomplished through miracles, could I not have done it myself? But I know that this is not the correct path to achieving the mental and moral revolution and the pure civilizational system for whose establishment you have been appointed. Nevertheless, if you cannot tolerate the people’s present stagnation and their stubborn denial and disbelief, and if you think that some tangible, sensory sign is necessary to remove this stagnation, then take the initiative yourself and, if you have the power, enter the earth or ascend into the sky and try to bring a miracle that you deem sufficient to turn disbelief into faith. But do not expect Me to fulfill this desire of yours, for in My plan there is no place for such efforts or expedients.

The Qur’an: the greatest miracle of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

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“They say, ‘Why does Muhammad not bring some sign (miracle) from his Lord?’ Has there not come to them the clear teaching of the earlier scriptures?” —(Surah Ta-Ha: 133)

In other words, is it not a considerable miracle that one of their own unlettered people has presented a Book containing the substance of the contents and teachings of all the heavenly books from the beginning until today? Not only has everything those books contained for guiding people to the right path been incorporated into this Book; it has also been explained in language so simple and clear that even a desert Bedouin can understand it and benefit from it.

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“(O Prophet!) You did not read any book before this, nor did you write one with your own hand; otherwise the people of falsehood would have had cause for doubt. In fact, these clear signs are preserved in the hearts of those who have been given knowledge. None deny My signs except the wrongdoers. They say: ‘Why have no signs (miracles) been sent down to this man from his Lord?’ Say: ‘The signs are only with Allah. I am merely a clear warner.’ Is it not enough for them that We have revealed to you the Book, which is recited to them? Indeed, in it is mercy and admonition for those who believe.” —(Surah al-‘Ankabut 48–51)

The central point of the argument presented in these verses is that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate. His neighbours, relatives and tribesmen had seen him from birth to manhood, and they knew very well that throughout his life he had neither read a book nor ever taken a pen in his hand. Referring to this reality, Allah says that if they had seen this illiterate man express, through his own mouth, such extensive and profound knowledge of the teachings of earlier heavenly scriptures, the lives of earlier prophets, the beliefs and doctrines of former religions, the history, social systems, economics and important moral principles of ancient peoples, and had seen him reading books and conducting intellectual research apart from revelation, then perhaps the disbelievers would have had some room for doubt. They could have thought that this store of knowledge might have been acquired through his own efforts instead of through revelation. But his illiteracy left not the slightest room for doubt. After that, there is no rational basis for denying prophethood except sheer obstinacy.

The revelation of a book like the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), despite his being unlettered, is itself such a great miracle that it is sufficient to establish belief in his being Allah’s Messenger. No further miracle was needed for those who witnessed it. But the Qur’an is an everlasting and eternal miracle, always present before humanity, recited to them, and always available for them to see.

Why the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was given a miracle of knowledge instead of a material miracle

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“Even if a Qur’an had been revealed by which mountains began to move, the earth was split apart, or the dead began to emerge from their graves and speak, what benefit would that have brought?” —(Surah al-Ra‘d 31)

To understand this verse, one must remember that it addresses Muslims, not the disbelievers. Muslims became distressed upon repeatedly hearing the disbelievers demand miracles and would say to themselves, ‘How wonderful it would be if some miracle were shown that would make them believe.’ When they felt that, because no such sign had appeared, the disbelievers were getting an opportunity to spread confusion among ordinary people regarding the Prophet’s prophethood, their distress and anxiety increased further. In this context, the Muslims are told: If, along with one of the Qur’an’s surahs, a sign of this kind had suddenly been shown, do you really think they would have believed? Are you so hopeful about them that you think they are completely ready to accept the true religion and only a single manifestation is lacking? Those who failed to see the light of truth in the teachings of the Qur’an, in the signs of nature throughout the universe, in the Prophet’s pure life and in the revolutionary transformation in the lives of the Companions—do you think they would find any ray of light in mountains being moved, the earth being split apart and the dead emerging from their graves? —[This discussion does not mean that no miracles appeared through the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Many miracles appeared from time to time. But they were not used as proofs of prophethood to make his opponents believe. —(The compilers)]

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“If I willed, I could send down from heaven a sign before which they would bow their heads.” —(Surah al-Shu‘ara 4)

That is, it would not be difficult for Allah to send down a sign that would compel all disbelievers to believe and submit to Allah’s obedience. The reason He does not do so is not that such an act lies beyond His power. Rather, He does not desire this kind of compelled faith from people. He wants them to use their own knowledge and reason to recognize the truth through the signs spread throughout Allah’s Book, throughout the natural world and within themselves. Then, when their hearts testify that what the prophets have said is indeed the truth, and that all beliefs, doctrines and practices opposed to it are false and invalid, Allah asks them knowingly to abandon falsehood and follow the truth. That is why He has granted human beings freedom of will and choice. That is why He has given them the freedom to choose either the right path or the wrong one. That is why He has placed within them both good and evil tendencies. He has opened before them the paths of sin and virtue alike. He has given Satan freedom to mislead. For proper guidance, He has established prophethood, revelation and the continuing invitation toward goodness. He has placed human beings in the field of trial, giving them all the appropriate abilities and capacities needed to choose their beliefs and paths, in order to see whether they adopt the way of disbelief and disobedience or the way of faith and obedience. If Allah had adopted a system that compelled people to believe and obey, the purpose of this test would have failed. If His will were to force people to believe, what need would there be to compel them by showing miracles? Allah could have created human beings with such a nature and constitution that they would have no ability to disbelieve, disobey or sin. Like angels, people too could have been born obedient and submissive. Allah has brought out this very truth in various Qur’anic verses. For example:

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“Had your Lord willed, all the inhabitants of the earth would have become believers. Will you then compel people to become believers?” —(Surah Yunus 99)

(On page 383 of the Arabic PDF)

“Had your Lord willed, He could have made all people one community. Yet they will continue to differ, except those upon whom your Lord has mercy. That is why He created them.”

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“Have they never looked at the earth and seen how many excellent varieties of plants We have caused to grow there?” —(Surah al-Shu‘ara 7–8)

That is, if anyone needs a sign in order to find the truth, he need not go far. By opening his eyes and observing the variety of this world, he will understand whether the doctrine concerning the management of the universe that the prophets have presented—the oneness of Allah—is true, or whether the doctrines preached by polytheists and atheists are true. In view of the vast and varied abundance of plants produced on earth, and the clear harmony and balance in their qualities and in the countless needs of countless creatures, only a fool could conclude that all this is happening by itself, without the precise skill of an expert craftsman, the wisdom of an omniscient being, the irresistible power of one possessing supreme might and the deliberate creative plan of a capable Creator. Or that this perfect coordination between the earth, moon, sun, air and water, and this harmony between the plants made from these elements and the needs of innumerable kinds of animals, was established under the management not of one God who designed and implemented the whole plan, but of many gods. A sensible person, if he is not obstinate or bound by preconceived notions, will spontaneously declare, on the basis of this scene, that these are surely conclusive proofs of the existence of God and of the existence of one God. With such proofs present, can any further miracle be needed, without which people cannot believe in the truth of tawhid?

This is a great tangible miracle

[This part of the book concerns, according to our structure, the theoretical and fundamental discussion of the philosophy of miracles. The miracles of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) have not been inserted here in terms of their historical events; rather, they are mentioned in their respective places in the discussion of the events of the book. Here, only the great miracle of the splitting of the moon has been included as an example.]

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“The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split. Yet whenever they see a sign, they turn away and say, ‘Persistent magic.’ They rejected the truth and followed their desires, but every matter must ultimately reach its appointed outcome.” —(Surah al-Qamar 1–3)

Reports concerning the splitting of the moon

The event of the splitting of the moon is established by the Qur’an’s definitive statement. It does not depend on the hadith reports. However, the hadith reports provide the detailed account of the event and indicate when and how it occurred. Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Abu ‘Awana, Abu Dawud al-Tayalisi, ‘Abd al-Razzaq, Ibn Jarir, Bayhaqi, Tabarani, Ibn Marduyah and Abu Nu‘aym al-Isfahani have narrated the event through various chains from ‘Ali, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, Hudhayfah, Anas ibn Malik and Jubayr ibn Mut‘im. Three of these eminent men could not have been eyewitnesses to the event. One of them, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, was born after it occurred. The second, Anas ibn Malik, was a child at the time. But since both were Companions, it may certainly be assumed that they heard the event from the senior Companions who had directly witnessed it and then narrated it.

Summary of the reports

When all these reports are combined, the following account emerges: The event occurred approximately five years before the Hijrah, on the night of the fourteenth day of the lunar month. The moon had just risen when it suddenly split into two parts. One part appeared on one side of the mountain in front, and the other part on the opposite side. After remaining in that state for a moment, the two parts joined together again. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was then staying at Mina. He told those present, ‘Look at this event and bear witness.’ The disbelievers said, ‘Muhammad has bewitched us, and our sight has therefore been deceived. Let people from outside come; we shall ask them whether they saw the event too.’ When some people arrived from outside, they also reported that they had seen the scene.

Some reports from Anas have given rise to the mistaken notion that the moon split into two on two occasions. First, no other Companion said this. Second, some reports from Anas himself contain the word ‘marratayn’ (twice), while others contain the words ‘firqatayn’ and ‘shirqatayn’; these mean two parts. Third, the Holy Qur’an mentions the splitting of the moon only once. Therefore, it is correct that the event occurred only once. However, the legends that the moon split into two merely when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) pointed at it with his finger, and that one part of the moon entered through his garment and emerged through its sleeve, are entirely baseless.

The actual nature of the event

The question arises here: What was the actual nature of this event? Was it a miracle performed in response to the disbelievers’ demand, to prove the truth of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood? Or was it merely an incident that occurred on the moon by Allah’s will? And did the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) draw people’s attention to it because he regarded it as a sign of the possibility and imminence of the Day of Resurrection? A group of Muslim scholars regard it as one of the Prophet’s distinctive miracles. They believe that this miracle was shown in response to the disbelievers’ demand. But the basis of this view is a number of hadiths narrated from Anas. No other Companion presented this statement. In Fath al-Bari, Ibn Hajar says: ‘Among all the chains through which the splitting of the moon has been narrated, I have found in no hadith apart from the hadith of Anas that the splitting of the moon occurred specifically in response to the polytheists’ demand.’ (See the chapter concerning the splitting of the moon.) Abu Nu‘aym al-Isfahani did quote precisely this statement in a hadith narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas in his book Dala’il al-Nubuwwah. However, its chain is very weak. None of the reports from Ibn ‘Abbas transmitted through reliable chains in the hadith collections contains this statement. Moreover, both ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and Anas were absent when this event occurred. None of the Companions who were present at the time—namely ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud, Hudhayfah, Jubayr ibn Mut‘im, ‘Ali and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar—said that the polytheists of Makkah had demanded some sign as proof of Muhammad’s prophethood and that, for this reason, they were shown the miracle of the splitting of the moon. Most importantly, the Holy Qur’an itself describes this event not as a sign of Muhammad’s messengership, but as a sign that the Hour is near. Nevertheless, since this event confirmed the truth of the Prophet’s prediction that the Hour was approaching, there is no doubt that it was also a radiant sign of the truth of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood.

Some objections and their answers

Two kinds of objections have been raised concerning this miracle. First, they say that it is utterly impossible for such a large satellite as the moon to split into two parts, separate from each other, travel hundreds of miles apart, and then join together again. Second, if such an event had occurred, it would have become famous throughout the world, been mentioned in historical works and recorded in books on astrology. But both objections are fundamentally baseless. The debate over its possibility might have occurred in ancient times, but in this age, in light of what people have learned about the nature of planets and satellites, it is possible that the eruption of a volcano within a celestial body could cause it to split, with a tremendous explosion sending its pieces far away in different directions. It is not impossible that the pieces could then reunite through the magnetic force of the centre. As for the second objection, it is also insignificant because the event occurred suddenly and lasted only a moment. There was no reason for people throughout the world to be looking at the moon at that particular moment. No explosion accompanied the event to attract people’s attention. Nor had any announcement been made beforehand that would cause people to look up at the sky in anticipation. Besides, it could not have been seen throughout the world. At that time the moon had risen only in Arabia and the countries to its east. Nor had the interest in and methods of writing history advanced so far that those in the eastern lands who saw the event would record it, and that a historian who obtained such testimony would enter it into a historical work. Nevertheless, the history of Malabar mentions that a king there saw this scene that night. As for why it is not mentioned in books on astrology or in almanacs, the answer is that this would have been necessary only if some change had appeared in the moon’s movement, its orbit, or the times of its rising and setting. Since that did not happen, the attention of ancient astrologers was not drawn to it. In that age, observatories too had not advanced enough to monitor every event occurring in space and preserve it in documentary records.

Chapter 10 — The Issue of IntercessionThe Issue of Intercession

Various aspects of the issue of intercession

[The subject of intercession is deeply connected with the essence of prophethood for two reasons. The first is that those who rejected the call of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and the other honoured prophets regarded belief in intercession as a shield of salvation. They said that they were descendants of prophets and saints, and, on the other hand, they sought to please the idols by worshipping them. These idols would intercede for them before Allah, and therefore they were Allah’s beloved people. Thus, fear of God’s punishment for sin was meaningless. The Qur’an refuted this concept of intercession.

The second reason is that on the Day of Resurrection the honoured prophets—and some righteous servants as well—will intercede for certain followers who, while generally trying to live according to God’s will, committed some errors and lapses, or fell into sins but repeatedly repented and tried to reform themselves.

For these two reasons, we felt that a chapter entitled ‘The Issue of Intercession’ should be included among the fundamental discussions. Fortunately, valuable words have flowed from the pen of the Maulana on this subject. —(The compilers).]

The subject of intercession has been explained clearly in several places in the Qur’an. Who can intercede and who cannot, under what circumstances it is permitted and when it is not, for whom it may be made and for whom it may not, for whom it is beneficial and for whom it is not—none of this is difficult to know. False ideas and beliefs about intercession are among the causes that lead people astray. Therefore, the Qur’an has described this matter so clearly that it leaves no room for doubt or uncertainty. For example, it is stated in verse 255 of Surah al-Baqarah, the Ayat al-Kursi:

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“To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Who can intercede before Him except by His permission?”

(On page 391 of the Arabic PDF)

“He knows all that is visible to people. And none of what Allah knows can fall within their knowledge, except what He Himself wills to disclose to someone.”

No one can exert influence over Allah

The polytheists believed that Muslim scholars, angels and other beings were very influential before Allah. They thought that whatever matter they insisted upon would certainly be carried out, and that they could obtain from Allah whatever they wished. The first part of the aforementioned verse refutes this notion. They are told that, far from being able to exert influence, even the greatest prophets and the closest angels do not dare utter a word before that King of the universe without His permission.

The theoretical discussion in the second part has dealt another blow to the foundation of shirk. In the first part, after presenting the concept of Allah’s absolute and limitless sovereignty, dominion, and complete authority, it was stated that no one possesses the power to exercise authority or influence over anyone. Now, from another angle, it is being said: how could anyone else interfere in His affairs? They have no knowledge whatsoever of the administration of the universe or of its profound mysteries. The knowledge of humans, jinn, angels, and every other creature is incomplete and limited. No one’s vision encompasses all the realities of the universe. Moreover, if someone were allowed independent intervention or unfailing intercession in some minor matter, the entire order of the universe would be ruined. Leaving aside the order and administration of the universe, a servant is not even capable of understanding what is good or bad for himself. The Creator and Director of the universe alone know his good and evil completely. Therefore, he has no alternative but to rely on the laws and instructions given by Him.

There is no intercession for those deserving punishment

It is stated in Surah al-An‘am:

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“And now We do not see with you those intercessors of yours concerning whom you thought that they had some role in accomplishing your affairs. All your mutual ties have been severed, and those whom you supposed to be your supporters have withdrawn from you.”

Elsewhere in this surah it is stated:

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“(O Muhammad!) Warn by this (knowledge based on revelation) those who fear being brought before Allah. They will be brought before Him in a state in which they will have no protector or intercessor besides Him. Perhaps they will thereby adopt the path of God-consciousness.”–(Surah al-An‘am: 51)

The meaning is that this admonition will be of no benefit to those who are so engrossed in the materialistic life of this world that they do not even think of death and do not remember that one day they will have to appear before God—those who think, “We may do whatever we wish in this world; nothing will harm us in the Hereafter, because so-and-so will intercede for us, so-and-so will help us, or so-and-so has already atoned for our sins.”

It is stated in Surah al-A‘raf:

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“(In the Hereafter they will say,) ‘Will we now find any intercessors who will intercede on our behalf? Otherwise, send us back so that we may do deeds different from those we used to do before.’”–(Surah al-A‘raf: 53)

Allah the Exalted says in Surah Yunus:

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“No one may intercede except with His permission. This is Allah, your Lord. So worship Him alone. Will you not yet take heed?”–(Verse: 3)

It is further stated in the same surah:

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“They worship, besides Allah, beings that can neither benefit nor harm them, and they say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ O Muhammad! Say to them, ‘Do you inform Him of something whose existence in the heavens or the earth is unknown to Allah?’ He is exalted and far above what they associate with Him.”–(Surah Yunus: 18)

Allah’s not knowing of something means that the thing has no existence at all, because Allah knows everything that exists. Here, in a very subtle mode of expression, the existence of an intercessor is denied. It is being said that Allah the Exalted does not know of anyone in the heavens or on earth who can intercede for you. Then whose intercessors are you informing Him about?

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“The wrongdoers will have neither an intimate friend nor an intercessor whose word will be heeded.”–(Surah al-Mu’min: 18)

This is stated to refute the unbelievers’ false creed and belief concerning intercession. In reality, there will be no intercessor there for criminals. For if permission to intercede is granted at all, it will be granted only to Allah’s beloved and righteous servants. These righteous servants of Allah cannot be friends of sinful and wicked people, nor will they even think of interceding to save them. Nevertheless, since unbelievers, polytheists, and the misguided generally believe that the saints and righteous people whom they revere and follow will never allow them to enter Hell—that they will block the way and ensure that they are forgiven—it is therefore said that there will be no intercessor there whose intercession Allah must accept.

Permission is required for intercession

It is stated in Surah Maryam:

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“On that day no one will be able to intercede, except one who has received permission from the Most Merciful.”–(Surah Maryam: 87)

This means, first, that intercession may be made only for the person who receives permission. The second meaning is that only the person who receives permission will be able to intercede; no one else. The wording of the verse applies equally to both meanings.

The statement that intercession may be made only for the person who receives permission from the Most Merciful means that only the person who, in worldly life, has brought faith and maintained some relationship with Allah, thereby making himself worthy of forgiveness, may have the possibility of receiving intercession. [In other words, intercession falls within Allah’s law of recompense and system of authority. The prerequisite for receiving intercession is that a servant must prove himself worthy of forgiveness before Allah. For example, the basic principles concerning repentance include a rule of forgiveness: the repentance of those who remain immersed in sin throughout their lives and feel no remorse or anxiety over it will not be accepted. There is no need to mention those who repent immediately after committing a sin, abandon the sin, and strive for self-purification. Similarly, in describing those eligible for forgiveness, it is said that they refrain from major sins and well-known evil deeds, and that only minor slips occur from them through error or ignorance. From this, even an ordinary person can infer whether he may be worthy of forgiveness and intercession. Moreover, in various hadiths, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), mentioning certain evil deeds, himself declared that he would not intercede for those who committed them.–(The Compilers)] The statement that only the person who receives permission will be able to intercede means that those whom people have come to regard as intercessors will not have the right to intercede. Rather, only the one whom Allah grants permission will be able to open his mouth to intercede.

It is stated in Surah Ta-Ha:

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“Intercession will not benefit except from one for whom the Most Merciful grants permission to intercede and whose word He is pleased to hear. He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they do not encompass it in knowledge.”–(Surah Ta-Ha: 109–110)

The first verse may have two meanings. First, the meaning expressed in the translation. Second: “Intercession will not benefit anyone except one for whom Allah, the Most Merciful, grants permission to intercede and concerning whom He is pleased to hear a word.” On the Day of Resurrection, no one will dare speak even a sound, let alone speak according to his own wishes. Only the person who receives permission from Allah to intercede on someone’s behalf will be able to intercede. Both of these points have been explained in detail in various places in the Qur’an. On the one hand, it is stated:

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“Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission?”–(Surah al-Baqarah: 255) And

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“They cannot intercede except for those with whom He is pleased and whose intercession He accepts, and they themselves stand in awe of Him.”–(Surah al-Anbiya: 28)

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“How many angels there are in the heavens whose intercession is of no avail, except after Allah grants permission to intercede and intercession is made for one whose intercession He wishes to hear and with whom He is pleased.”–(Surah al-Najm: 26)

Restrictions imposed on intercession

The reason for imposing these restrictions on intercession is stated in Surah Ta-Ha. No one—whether an angel, prophet, saint, or anyone else—knows, nor can know, what a person’s record of deeds is like, what he did in worldly life, or what kind of conduct, character, and responsibilities he has brought before Allah’s court. In contrast, Allah possesses comprehensive knowledge of everyone’s past actions. He alone knows exactly what a person’s present condition is: if righteous, how righteous; if sinful, to what degree; whether worthy of forgiveness; whether deserving of severe punishment, whether his punishment may be reduced, or whether some mercy may be shown to him. [In other words, intercession is essentially a form of testimony. It serves to testify, in general, what kind of person the one whose record is being presented was, and whether he deserves punishment or forgiveness.–(The Compilers)] In such circumstances, how could angels, prophets, and righteous people be given unrestricted freedom to intercede, so that each may make whatever kind of intercession he wishes for whomever he wishes? If an ordinary official in his small department began listening to the intercession of every relative and friend, he would ruin the entire department within a few days. If that is so, how can it be expected that the Sovereign Lord of the heavens and the earth would allow unrestricted intercession in His court, so that every venerable person could go before Allah and have whomever he pleased forgiven? Yet no venerable person knows what the records of those for whom he intercedes are like. In this world, any officer with even a little sense of responsibility follows this principle: if a friend intercedes on behalf of a guilty subordinate, he says, “You do not know how negligent, irresponsible, corrupt, and harassing toward the public this man is. I am fully aware of his conduct. So please do not intercede with me on this person’s behalf.”–[The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) repeatedly warned his contemporaries among the Muslims: “Those who change my way and practice after me will be driven away from the Pool of Kawthar and will not be allowed near it. I will say, ‘These are my followers.’ Then I will be told, ‘You do not know what they did after your departure.’ Thereafter I too will drive them away and say, ‘Be gone.’” This account is found in numerous hadiths. See al-Bukhari, Kitab al-Riqaq and Kitab al-Fitan; Muslim, Kitab al-Taharah and Kitab al-Fada’il; Musnad Ahmad, narrations of Ibn Mas‘ud and Abu Hurayrah; Ibn Majah, Kitab al-Manasik, among others.–(The Author)]

From this small example one can estimate how sound, reasonable, and just the principle concerning intercession stated in this verse is. The door of intercession with Allah will not be closed. Those righteous servants who were accustomed to treating people compassionately in worldly life will have to seek permission before interceding, and they will be able to intercede only for the person for whom Allah permits them to intercede. Moreover, intercession itself will be subject to the condition that it be correct and just.(Arabic********)“And he will speak correctly”—Allah’s statement clearly conveys this very point. No such unreasonable intercession will be possible there that a person who has usurped the rights of thousands in this world should have a venerable person stand up and intercede, saying, “My lord! Honor him by rewarding him.”–[Rather, the prophets will intercede that the sinful and misguided people of their respective communities be punished. For example, the following statement of a prophet concerning his people has been mentioned in the Qur’an.

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“O my Lord! My people had abandoned this Qur’an.”]

It is declared in Surah al-Naba:

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“On the day when the Spirit and the angels stand in rows, no one will be able to speak except one whom Allah permits, and he will speak correctly.”–(Surah al-Naba: 38)

Here, speaking means interceding. It is being stated that this will occur subject to two conditions. First, only the person whom Allah permits to intercede for a particular sinner will be able to intercede for him. Second, the intercessor must speak correctly and justly; he must not make an unreasonable intercession. Moreover, the person for whom he intercedes must at least have acknowledged the establishment of truth in worldly life. That is, he must have been a sinner, but not an unbeliever.

The imagined intercessors of the polytheists

It is stated in Surah al-Anbiya:

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“He knows what is before them and what is beyond their knowledge. They cannot intercede for anyone except those for whom Allah is pleased to hear intercession, and they remain fearful and awestruck before Allah.”

The polytheists regarded the angels as deities for two reasons. First, they considered them Allah’s offspring. Second, by worshipping them, they sought to make them intercessors with Allah.(Arabic*******************)“They said, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah’: Surah Yunus: 18” And(Arabic*****************)“They will help us draw near”: (Surah al-Zumar: 3). These two verses refute both reasons.

It is noteworthy that, while refuting the polytheistic concept and belief in intercession, the Qur’an often emphasizes this point: “Those whom you regard as intercessors possess no knowledge of the unseen, whereas Allah knows all that is known and unknown to them.” Through this, Allah wishes to make people understand: when they do not know every person’s past and future, and what is hidden and apparent, how can they possess an unconditional and absolute power to intercede? Therefore, the power of every angel, prophet, or other venerable person to intercede is conditional. The condition is that Allah the Exalted grant permission to intercede for someone. No one will have the right to intercede for any person according to his own desire. And when hearing or not hearing an intercession, and accepting or rejecting it, are entirely subject to Allah’s will, what right can such powerless intercessors have to receive anyone’s worship and devotion, or to hear prayers and pleas?

It is stated in Surah Saba:

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“Intercession will be of no benefit for anyone except the one for whom Allah grants permission to intercede.”–(Surah Saba: 23)

That is, far from anyone being an owner, a partner in ownership, or an associate or co-worker of God, there is not a single being in the entire universe who can intercede even slightly for anyone before Allah as he wishes. You are needlessly engrossed in the mistaken belief that Allah has certain beloved or influential servants who, if they insist on a request, can compel Allah to accept it. In reality, no one can dare utter even a word there without permission. Only the one who receives permission will be able to make a plea, and intercession may be made only for the one for whom permission to intercede has been granted.

At the end of the same verse it is stated:

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“When, at last, the anxiety is removed from the hearts of the people, they will ask the intercessors, ‘What did your Lord say?’ They will reply, ‘He gave the true answer.’ Indeed, He is the Almighty, the Great.” —(Surah Saba: 23)

Here a scene is presented of what will happen on the Day of Resurrection when an intercessor seeks permission to intercede for someone. We see a situation in which, after the request for permission has been submitted, both the intercessor and the person seeking intercession wait anxiously and impatiently for the answer, terrified and deeply distressed. Finally, when permission arrives and, from the expression on the intercessor’s face, the one seeking intercession understands that the situation is somewhat hopeful, it is as though life returns to his body. He goes forward and asks the intercessor what answer was received. The intercessor replies, ‘It is all right. Permission has been granted.’ —[A scene showing how humbly the prophets will intercede is presented in the final ruku‘ of Surah al-Ma’idah. It describes how Jesus (peace be upon him) will intercede for his followers. First, in response to Allah’s question, he will testify. Then he will say:

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“If You punish them, then they are Your servants. (They have no option but to submit to the punishment.) And if You forgive them, then indeed You are the Almighty, the Wise.” —(Verse: 118) The first part of this meaningful statement contains the tone of a plea for intercession—there is no demand or insistence. —(The Compilers)

Through this account, Allah wishes to make clear: O foolish people! How can you imagine that, in a court whose condition is like this, someone will go there and, by the force of his own authority, secure your forgiveness, or persist with Allah and have the audacity to say, ‘These are my devotees. You must forgive them’?

It is stated in Surah al-Dukhan:

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“On that day no relative will be of any avail to another relative, nor will any help come from anywhere. Except for the one upon whom Allah Himself bestows mercy. He is the Almighty, the Merciful.” —(Surah al-Dukhan: 41–42)

Here the court that will be established on the Day of Judgment is depicted. No one’s help or support will be able to secure a criminal’s release or lessen his punishment. True sovereignty will remain in the hands of the Lord, the One who holds the keys to all power; no one can prevent His decision from being carried out, nor does anyone have the ability to influence it. Whether someone’s punishment is reduced or remitted out of compassion is entirely subject to Allah’s will. In reality, He does not administer justice mercilessly; rather, He administers justice with compassion. But whatever verdict He delivers in any case will certainly be carried out exactly. After explaining this picture of the divine court, the following verses state what will become of those found guilty in that court and how those proved to have feared Allah in the world and refrained from disobedience will be rewarded.

The Example of Noah’s (peace be upon him) Prayer for His Son

The account of Abraham (peace be upon him) narrated in Surah Hud (see verses 69–76) was narrated with the Quraysh specifically in view. Because they were descendants of Abraham (peace be upon him), they had become the spiritual heirs of all Arabia, the priestly custodians of the worship at the Ka‘bah, and the possessors of religious, moral, political, and civilizational leadership. Thus, with great pride and arrogance, they would say that since they were descendants of that beloved servant of Allah, and since he was present in Allah’s court to intercede for them, how could Allah’s wrath descend upon them? To shatter this false arrogance, a scene is first shown in which a great prophet like Noah (peace be upon him) watches his own beloved son drown before his eyes and, distraught, prays to Allah that his son be saved. Yet this intercession did not benefit the son at all; instead, the father was reprimanded in return. Then a scene involving Abraham (peace be upon him) himself is shown. On the one hand, Allah’s infinite favor toward him is mentioned in deeply affectionate language. On the other hand, when that friend of Allah, Abraham, intervenes in a matter of justice, Allah rejects his intercession concerning the wicked people of Lot, despite his intense supplication.

Then, in a subsequent verse of this same Surah Hud, Allah says:

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“When that Day comes, no one will have the power even to utter a sound without Allah’s permission.” —(Surah Hud: 105)

In other words, this foolish group is spending its life in vain, false hope: so-and-so will intercede for us and save us; such-and-such a saint will insist and will not stop until every one of his devotees has been forgiven; such-and-such a person is Allah’s favorite. He will sit immovably on the path to Paradise and will not move until he obtains warrants of forgiveness for his devotees. Yet there is no question of anyone insisting or stubbornly standing his ground. No matter how exalted a person or angel may be, no one will have the courage even to say a word there. Only if Allah Himself, the chief judge of that court, gives someone permission to speak will anyone be able to speak. —[Those who offer vows and gifts at various shrines and lodges, thinking that the people buried there wield great influence and power in Allah’s court, are corrupting their records of deeds in the hope of obtaining their intercession. On the Day of Resurrection, they will face a situation of utter despair.]

The Polytheistic Concept of Intercession with Allah in Worldly Life

It is stated in Surah al-Nahl:

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“Yet, despite seeing and knowing all this, do they believe in falsehood and deny Allah’s favor?” —(Surah al-Nahl: 72)

The polytheists of Makkah did not deny that all these goods for enjoyment in the world were gifts from Allah. They also did not deny that Allah’s favor lay behind these gifts. But their error was that, along with expressing gratitude to Allah for these possessions, they also expressed gratitude to many beings whom they believed had a hand in their acquisition, although they had no proof whatever for this. In Qur’anic terminology, this conduct is called ‘denying Allah’s favor.’ One person gives, yet gratitude is offered to another—according to the Qur’an, this is simply ingratitude. The Qur’an also states, as a principle, that if one assumes, without any evidence concerning the giver, that He did not give out of mercy but did so through the mediation, for the sake, at the intercession, or as a result of the intervention of someone else, then that too essentially amounts to denying His gift.

These two fundamental teachings of the Qur’an are entirely sound and consistent with ordinary common sense. Anyone who gives even a little thought can understand their logic. Suppose you took pity on a distressed person and helped him, and he immediately stood up and, right in front of you, expressed gratitude to someone else who had played no part in helping him. You might, out of generosity, overlook this unjust conduct and continue helping him in the future, but inwardly you would certainly recognize him as an extremely discourteous and ungrateful person. Suppose then that you asked him why he behaved that way and learned that, in his view, you had not helped him because of your own kindness and generosity, but for the sake of that second person, although that was not true at all. In such a case you would certainly feel insulted. The clear meaning of his assumption would be that he held a very bad opinion of you. His view of you would be that you are not a kind and compassionate person; rather, your business is to curry favor with friends and acquaintances. If someone comes through a fixed circle of friends, you help him only to preserve those friends’ feelings. Otherwise, you are not the sort of person through whom anyone could receive any benefit.

It is stated in another verse of Surah al-Nahl:

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“They recognize Allah’s favor, yet they deny it. Most of them are unwilling to accept the truth.” —(Surah al-Nahl: 83)

The denial mentioned here refers to the conduct we described earlier. The disbelievers of Makkah did not deny that everything on earth is a gift from Allah, but they believed that Allah had given these things for the sake of their deities. Therefore, for these gifts they expressed gratitude to those intermediary beings along with Allah. Indeed, they expressed somewhat more gratitude to them than to Allah. Allah has called this conduct ingratitude, thanklessness, and denial of Allah’s gifts, among other names.

Allah the Exalted says in Surah al-Hajj:

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“In fact, Allah chooses messengers from among both the angels and human beings. He hears and sees all things. He knows everything apparent and hidden about people. And all matters return to Him.” —(Surah al-Hajj: 75–76)

The meaning is that, among the beings of creation whom the polytheists have taken as objects of worship, the noblest are prophets or angels. That is, they are merely messengers chosen by Allah to convey Allah’s commands to people. Their status is nothing more than this. They cannot become gods or partners of God merely because of this status.

The statement ‘He knows everything hidden and apparent about people’ is generally made in the Qur’an to refute the polytheistic belief in intercession. What it means here is this: even if you do not regard angels, prophets, and pious people as personally fulfilling all human needs and rescuing people from difficulties, it is still wrong to worship them merely on the assumption that they intercede with Allah. For Allah alone possesses the power to see and hear everything. He alone knows everything hidden and apparent about everyone. Only He knows the hidden and apparent good and evil of the world. No one—including angels and prophets—knows when an act is appropriate and when it is not. For this reason, Allah has not granted even His most beloved and closest creatures the right to intercede as they wish without His permission, nor has He deemed any such intercession acceptable.

Allah says in Surah al-Zumar:

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“Have they taken others besides Allah as intercessors? Say to them: ‘Even if they possess no power whatsoever and understand nothing, can they intercede?’ Declare: ‘All intercession belongs exclusively to Allah. He possesses the dominion and sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will all be returned.’” —(Surah al-Zumar: 43–44)

In other words, they themselves have assumed that there will be certain influential beings in Allah’s court whose intercession can never be rejected. Yet no one has the power to stand before Allah’s court as an intercessor on his own. Obtaining acceptance for their intercession is out of the question; nor is there any proof that they are intercessors. Allah the Exalted has never said that they possess such a status with Him. Nor have those beings ever claimed that they would fulfill the wishes of their worshippers. Moreover, their foolishness lies in this: they have disregarded the true Possessor of all power, regarded these imaginary intercessors as the holders of absolute power, and devoted all their reverence and veneration to them.

It is stated in Surah al-Najm:

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“How many angels there are in the heavens! Their intercession will be of no avail until Allah the Exalted grants permission to intercede on behalf of someone for whom He wishes to hear and accept a petition.” —(Surah al-Najm: 26)

In other words, when the intercession of all the angels together would be of no benefit to anyone, there is certainly no question of benefit arising from the intercession of these imaginary gods of yours. Allah alone possesses absolute power. Even the angels do not dare to intercede until Allah grants permission and is willing to hear their intercession on behalf of a particular person.

No one can thwart Allah’s decree.

It is stated in Surah al-Ra‘d:

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“When Allah decides to bring misfortune upon a people, no one can prevent it, nor will they have any protector or helper against Allah.” —(Surah al-Ra‘d: 11)

In other words, you must never remain under the mistaken notion that, no matter what you do, some pir, faqir, saint of the past or future, jinn, or angel, bribed by your offerings and gifts, will possess the power to save you from the consequences of your evil deeds.”

In What Circumstances Is the Door of Intercession Closed?

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“O Prophet! Whether you seek forgiveness for these people (the hypocrites) or do not seek forgiveness for them—even if you seek forgiveness for them seventy times—Allah will never forgive them. This is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger. Allah does not guide rebellious people to the way of salvation.” —(Surah al-Tawbah: 80)

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“O Prophet! Whether you seek forgiveness for them (the hypocrites) or do not seek forgiveness for them, it is all the same for them. Allah will never forgive them. Allah never guides rebellious people to the right path.” —(Surah al-Munafiqun: 6)

This statement was revealed first in Surah al-Munafiqun. Three years later, the same statement was repeated with greater emphasis in Surah al-Tawbah.

“Here Allah the Exalted addresses the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) concerning the hypocrites: ‘Whether you seek forgiveness for them or do not seek forgiveness for them—even if you seek forgiveness for them seventy times—Allah will still not forgive them. This is because they disbelieved in Allah and His messengers. Allah does not guide rebellious people to the right path.’” —(Surah al-Tawbah: 80)

Further on in the same surah, Allah again says: “Never offer the funeral prayer for any of them who dies, nor stand by his grave. They disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while disobedient.” —(Surah al-Tawbah: 84) —[These verses of the Qur’an and several others yield an important fact: in the words of the Pure Prophet (peace be upon him), it has been made clear that on the Day of Resurrection no intercession will benefit certain kinds of people or those involved in certain acts. Various hadiths provide conclusive proof of this. In light of this truth, those prevalent notions of intercession have no value whatsoever—those notions that cause people to become careless, abandon worship, disregard the commands of the religion, and indulge in sin according to their whims. —(The Compilers)]

Two points are made in this verse. First, praying to Allah for the forgiveness of sins can be effective only in the case of those who have received guidance. If a person turns away from the path of guidance and adopts the path of rebellion and disobedience, then even if Allah’s Messenger himself seeks forgiveness for him—let alone an ordinary person—he will not be forgiven. Second, Allah does not make the true and correct path easy for those who do not wish to follow it. If a servant himself turns away from the right path, and even after being shown that path and called toward it rejects the call with his head held high in arrogance, why would Allah need to follow him with guidance and plead with him to come to the straight path?

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as an Intercessor on the Day of Gathering

According to the Qur’an and hadith, the Islamically sanctioned rule regarding intercession is that on the Day of Resurrection, in Allah’s court, only the person to whom Allah Himself grants the power and right to intercede may intercede; and intercession may be made only on behalf of one for whom Allah grants permission for intercession. The following verses are relevant to this subject:

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According to this ruling, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) will certainly intercede in the Hereafter. However, he will intercede with Allah’s permission and for those God-fearing believers who, despite striving to do righteous deeds to the best of their ability, have become involved in some sins. Those who knowingly and deliberately engage in evil deeds and misappropriate the property entrusted to others, and those who never fear Allah, are not worthy of the Prophet’s intercession. A lengthy address of the Noble Prophet has been narrated in a hadith. In that hadith, he explained how grave and terrible a crime it is to misappropriate property entrusted by others. He said that on the Day of Resurrection, those who have misappropriated others’ property will appear carrying its burden on their shoulders and will call out to me,(Arabic*********) “O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)! Rescue me.” But I will reply to him,(Arabic*********) “I can do nothing for you. Did I not convey Allah’s injunctions to you?”—(Mishkat, Bab Qismat al-Ghana’im, al-Ghulul fiha)

Chapter 11 — Prophecies

Some Important Prophecies of the Noble Prophet

The noble prophets made prophecies that came true. Of course, their prophecies often took a long time to be fulfilled, and judging from the circumstances in which they were made, it was difficult to imagine that they would ever be realized.

A true prophecy is among the signs of prophethood, and in one sense it bears the mark of the miraculous. Some of what fortune-tellers and palmists say occasionally takes shape in some form. But since the prophecies made by the prophets are based on knowledge granted by God, they are fulfilled in their entirety.

Some of the prophecies of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) are those mentioned in the Qur’an. The second kind of prophecies has been preserved in the hadith. Of these, whatever we were able to collect from the author’s articles has been included here.—(The Compilers)

Prophecies of the Qur’an

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A Bright Future

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Allah Ta‘ala gave this glad tidings to the Prophet (peace be upon him) at a time when only a handful of people were with him. The entire nation opposed him. There was not even the slightest outward sign of success. The lamp of Islam was flickering in Makkah itself. Storms were blowing from every direction to extinguish it. At that time Allah Ta‘ala told His Prophet not to be discouraged by the obstacles and hardships coming in this initial period. The period that followed would prove better than the present. Your honor and dignity would continue to increase, and your influence and authority would continue to spread. This promise was not limited to this world alone. Along with it came the promise that the honor you would receive in the Hereafter would be many times greater than your honor in this world.

Al-Tabarani in al-Awsat and al-Bayhaqi in Dala’il have transmitted a report from Ibn Abbas. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: All the successes that my community would attain after me were presented before me, and I was pleased by them. Thereafter Allah Ta‘ala revealed: “The Hereafter will be better for you than this world.”

Prophecy of the Triumph of the Religion

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“Soon your Lord will give you so much that you will be satisfied.”

That is, although there would be some delay in giving, the time was not far off when your Lord would shower His favors upon you and you would be satisfied with them. This promise was fulfilled during the Prophet’s lifetime in such a way that the entire land stretching from the southern edge of Arabia to the northern borders of the Roman Empire in Syria and the Iraqi borders of the Persian Empire, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to the Red Sea in the west, acknowledged his authority. For the first time in Arab history, this land came under law and order. Every power that confronted it was crushed to pieces. Throughout the land where the polytheists and the People of the Book had made every effort to uphold their false message, the declaration ‘There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’ resounded. It was not only the heads of the people that bowed; their hearts and minds were also subdued. A tremendous revolution took place in their beliefs and in their deeds. A nation enveloped in the darkness of ignorance was transformed in just twenty-three years in a manner rarely matched in history. Thereafter, the movement founded by the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) achieved so much that it spread across most of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Subsequently, its influence extended to every corner of the world. All this Allah Ta‘ala gave His Prophet in this world itself. What He will give him in the Hereafter is beyond imagination.

This is a manifestation of Allah Ta‘ala’s power and wisdom: among an ignorant and uncivilized nation He raised such a great prophet whose teaching and guidance were so revolutionary and bore such a universal ideal that all humanity could become a single ummah or community. Thereafter, it could continually receive guidance from that ideal. No false or hypocritical person, however hard he may try, can ever attain this distinction. Quite apart from an undeveloped country like Arabia, even the greatest genius of any major nation in the world could not have transformed the character and nature of a nation so completely and then placed before it such a comprehensive ideal that, on its basis, the entire human race could be transformed into a single ummah and remain capable forever of conducting a universal system of one way of life (din) and one civilization. This is a miracle brought about by Allah’s power, and Allah Ta‘ala alone, on the basis of His subtle and far-seeing knowledge, chooses whichever person, country, or nation He wishes for this task. If anyone feels distressed by this, let him do so; it makes no difference.

The Assurance of a Better Age

The subject of Surah al-Duha is to console the Prophet and remove the distress he was suffering because the succession of revelation had been interrupted. At the very outset, swearing by the radiant day and the tranquil night, the Prophet was assured that his Lord had neither forsaken him nor become displeased with him. Then he was given the glad tidings that the difficulties he had faced during the initial stage of the Islamic call were only temporary. Each coming period would be better than the preceding one, and Allah would soon shower such favor and grace upon him that he would be pleased. This was such a clear prophecy that it was later fulfilled word for word. Yet when this prophecy was made, there was no sign that the helpless man of Makkah, struggling against the nation’s ignorance, would achieve such astonishing success.

Then Allah Ta‘ala said to His beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): Why did the thought arise in your mind that I had abandoned you and become displeased with you? From the very time of your birth, I have continually shown you favor. You were born an orphan, and I made excellent arrangements for your upbringing and care. You did not know the right path, so I guided you. You were without means, and I made you wealthy. All this proves that My attention was upon you from the very beginning and that you have always remained within My favor and grace.

The Meaning of Removing the Burden

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“[O Prophet!] Have We not expanded your breast for you? And removed from you the heavy burden that was breaking your back?”—(Surah Alam Nashrah: 1–3)

Some commentators have expressed the view that during the Age of Ignorance the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) had committed certain errors and lapses, because of which he was greatly burdened with worry. Allah Ta‘ala revealed this verse to console him, saying that He had forgiven that error. But in our view, interpreting it in this way is entirely wrong. First, the inevitable meaning of the word is not sin, error, or lapse. Rather, its literal meaning is also a heavy burden. Therefore, there is no reason to adopt an unnecessarily ugly meaning for the word. Second, the pre-prophethood life of the Noble Prophet was so pure and immaculate that it was a challenge to his opponents. In fact, he was made to say the following while addressing the disbelievers:

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“I lived a lifetime among you before presenting this Qur’an.”—(Surah Yunus: 16)

The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was not the kind of person who could have secretly committed any sin—God forbid. Had such a thing occurred, it would not have been unknown to Allah Ta‘ala; and if anyone bore a hidden disgrace, He could have stated it openly before the nation, just as He stated it in the above-mentioned verse of Surah Yunus. Therefore, the correct meaning of the word in this verse is burden—that is, the burden of grief, suffering, and worry. As he witnessed the ignorance and foolishness of his own people, the burden of grief and anxiety upon his sensitive nature continued to grow. Moral corruption and obscenity prevailed everywhere. Oppression in society and conflict and disorder in people’s activities had become commonplace. The powerless were being crushed by the excesses of the powerful. Infant girls were being buried alive. One tribe would suddenly attack another. At times, such tribal conflicts continued for hundreds of years. No one’s life, property, honor, or dignity was safe unless a powerful group stood behind him. Witnessing these conditions caused the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) profound anguish. Yet he could find no way to remove this degeneration. The immense burden of this anguish was breaking his back. Allah Ta‘ala showed him the path of guidance and removed this burden from him. After being appointed to the office of prophethood, he understood that faith in Tawhid, Risalat, and the Hereafter was the solution to all the problems of human life. Through it, the way could be opened for reforming and correcting every aspect and sphere of life. This guidance from Allah Ta‘ala relieved all the burdens of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), and he became completely reassured that only through this path could the decline and disorder not only of Arabia but of the entire world be prevented.

The Raising of His Remembrance

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“And We have raised high for you your remembrance.”

This was said at a time when no one could even imagine how the voice of a man accompanied by only a handful of people and confined to the city of Makkah could be raised throughout the world, or how extraordinary fame could spread for him. Yet Allah Ta‘ala gave His Prophet this glad tidings under such circumstances and fulfilled it in a wondrous manner. He Himself began spreading the Prophet’s remembrance and voice through the Prophet’s enemies. One of the methods adopted by the disbelievers of Makkah to place the Prophet in difficulty was that during Hajj, when people from all over Arabia arrived in Makkah in groups, delegations of the disbelievers would visit the pilgrims’ camps one by one and warn them, saying, “There is a dangerous man named Muhammad who is performing such and such magic on people. He creates division between fathers and sons and between husbands and wives. So beware of him.” They made similar propaganda to those who came to Makkah on days other than Hajj merely to visit or for some business. Thus, although they slandered the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), the result was that his name reached the villages and towns of Arabia. In this way, the enemies made the Prophet’s name known to every tribe throughout the country from his secluded corner of Makkah. People then naturally wanted to know who this man was, what he said, what kind of person he was, who was being influenced by his magic, and what kind of effect this magic was having on them. The more the disbelievers of Makkah increased their propaganda, the more these questions grew in people’s minds. As a result of this inquiry and curiosity, people came to know the Prophet’s character and conduct. By listening to the Qur’an, they understood what kind of teaching the Prophet was giving people. They saw what changes had begun in the lives of those influenced by what was being called magic, compared with ordinary Arabs. As a result, the Prophet’s reputation gradually turned into fame and renown. By the time the Hijrah approached, some people among the distant and nearby Arab tribes had become sympathetic toward the Prophet and his call. This was the first stage in the raising of the Noble Prophet’s remembrance. The second stage began after the Hijrah. At that time, while the hypocrites, the Jews, and all the Arab polytheists were exerting themselves to slander the Prophet (peace be upon him), the Islamic state of Madinah was presenting such examples of devotion to God and fear of God, moral purity, a sound social order, justice, equality, the wealthy’s generous giving, care for the poor, preservation of covenants, and honesty in transactions and dealings that it continued to win people’s hearts. The enemies tried to eliminate the Prophet’s growing influence through armed warfare. But the community of believers formed under his leadership made them submit. Within ten years, the renown and majesty of the Noble Prophet had risen so high that throughout the very country where his opponents had exerted all their strength to discredit him, the words ‘I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah’ resounded everywhere.

The third stage then began with the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, when the sacred name of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) began to be raised throughout the world. Its spread has continued to increase until today and, God willing, will continue to increase until the Day of Resurrection. Today there is no place in the world where there is no Muslim settlement, where the messengership of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not proclaimed aloud through the call to prayer five times a day, where blessings are not invoked upon the Prophet during prayer, and where his name is not remembered with prayers for his well-being in the Friday sermon. Among the twelve months of the year, there is not a single day, and among the twenty-four hours of a day, there is not a moment when the Noble Prophet’s blessed remembrance is not being made somewhere in the world. This is clear proof of the truth of the Qur’an: when Allah Ta‘ala said at the beginning of prophethood(Arabic********) no one could have imagined that this(Arabic********) (the raising of his name and remembrance) would continue with such honor and on such a vast scale. It is also mentioned in a hadith narrated by Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Gabriel asked me, “My Lord and your Lord asks: How does He raise your name and remembrance?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Allah alone knows this best.” Gabriel said, “Allah declares: Whenever I am remembered, you too—the Prophet—will be remembered with Me.” —(Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, Musnad Abi Ya‘la, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Hibban, Ibn Marduyah, Abu Nu‘aym). The entire history of later times bears witness that this statement came true to the letter.

The Expansion of the Breast

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“[O Prophet!] Have We not expanded your breast?”—(Surah Alam Nashrah: 1)

The question with which the discourse begins, and what follows, show that when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) began the Islamic call, he became very anxious because of the obstacles and hardships he encountered. To console him in this condition, Allah Ta‘ala said: O Prophet! Have I not bestowed these favors upon you? Why, then, are you worried because of these obstacles and hardships? Observing the places in the Qur’an where the expression “expanding the breast” is used, we learn that it has two meanings.

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“So whoever Allah wills to guide, He expands his breast to Islam.”—(Surah al-An‘am: 125)

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“So is one whose breast Allah has opened to Islam, and he is upon a light from his Lord.”—(Surah al-Zumar: 22)

In these two places, the essence of the expansion of the breast is to become free from every kind of mental restlessness and hesitation and to become fully assured that the path of Islam is the absolute truth, and that the beliefs, moral principles, culture and civilization, commands and prohibitions, and guidance presented by Islam are entirely free from error. It is mentioned in verses 12–13 of Surah al-Shu‘ara that after Moses (peace be upon him) was appointed to the great responsibility of prophethood and instructed to struggle and confront Pharaoh and his state power, Moses (peace be upon him) submitted:

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“My Lord! I fear that they will call me a liar, and my breast has become constricted.”—(Surah al-Shu‘ara: 12–13)

It is stated in verses 25–26 of Surah Ta-Ha that at that time Moses (peace be upon him) supplicated to Allah, saying:

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“My Lord, expand my breast for me and make my task easy for me.”

Here, the meaning of the constriction of the breast is that courage was not arising to bear the enormous burden of prophethood and to engage single-handedly in conflict and struggle against the formidable forces of disbelief. The meaning of sharh al-sadr, on the other hand, is the strengthening of a person’s morale: not shrinking from leading a great campaign or accomplishing a very difficult task, and gaining the courage to discharge the enormous responsibility of prophethood.

Upon reflection, it can be understood that both these meanings are contained in the opening of the breast of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned in this verse. In terms of the first meaning, its significance is that before prophethood the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) considered the religions of the Arab polytheists, Christians, Jews and fire-worshippers to be erroneous, and he was not satisfied even with the monotheistic tendency found among some Arabs. For this was an obscure creed that contained no detailed account of the true and correct path. But since he did not know which path was correct, he suffered from a mental conflict and uncertainty. Then Allah opened prophethood—the Straight Path—before him, as a result of which peace and reassurance returned to his heart.

The significance of the second meaning is that, along with granting prophethood, Allah Most High endowed the Prophet with the courage, enthusiasm, firm resolve and breadth of heart necessary to discharge this enormous responsibility. He became the possessor of such comprehensive knowledge as no human being besides him could contain in his heart. He gained such far-sighted understanding as was capable of removing widespread disorder and chaos and establishing peace. Thus he attained such competence that he stood firm in an utterly unruly society immersed in the darkness of ignorance, without any apparent means or supporting force, and did not hesitate to confront the storms of opposition and hostility as the standard-bearer of Islam. Whatever grief, hardship and calamity came upon this path, he endured patiently. No force could divert him from his intended path. When Allah Most High had granted him this priceless treasure of sharh al-sadr, why would he lose heart at the sight of these obstacles and difficulties at the beginning of his mission?

Some commentators have understood sharh al-sadr in the sense of splitting open and have presented this verse as evidence for the miraculous incident of the splitting of the breast, which has been related in the light of hadith. But the actual matter is that evidence for this miraculous event depends solely on the narrations of hadith. It would not be correct to try to establish it from the Qur’an. From the standpoint of the Arabic language, sharh al-sadr can in no way be taken to mean shaq al-sadr, or the splitting of the breast. Allamah Alusi says in his Ruh al-Ma‘ani:

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“According to the experts, taking ‘sharh’ in this verse to mean ‘shaqq’ is a weak interpretation.”

The Glad Tidings of Kawthar

In the early period of prophethood, when the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) faced extreme difficulties, the entire nation rose up in hostility, mountains of obstacles stood in his way, storms of opposition raged all around, and no sign of success was visible for the Prophet and his companions, Allah Most High revealed various verses to console him and inspire courage, enthusiasm and zeal. It is declared in Surah al-Duha:

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“Indeed, the latter period (every succeeding period) will certainly be better than the former, and your Lord will give you so much that you will be pleased.”

In Alam Nashrah, Allah says: (Arabic **********) “Rather, We have raised high the remembrance of your name.” That is, the enemy is spreading your disrepute throughout the land—but I have arranged to exalt your name and make you renowned.

Then it is said:

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“Indeed, with hardship comes ease; indeed, with hardship comes ease.”

—That is, do not become impatient merely because circumstances are very difficult at present. The time of hardship and calamity will soon end, and success will arrive.”

It was in this situation that Allah revealed Surah al-Kawthar to console the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). Along with this, He also foretold the destruction of his opponents. The unbelieving Quraysh used to say that Muhammad (peace be upon him) had become isolated from the entire nation. His condition was now like that of a man without support, resources or friends. According to a narration of Ikrimah, when the Prophet was appointed and began inviting the Quraysh to Islam, they began saying, (Arabic *******) (Ibn Jarir). That is, Muhammad had become separated from his people like a tree cut off from its roots. It was expected that after a few days he would wither and perish in the earth. Muhammad ibn Ishaq says that when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was mentioned to As ibn Wa’il Sahmi, a leader of Makkah, he would say, “Leave him alone. He is rootless (abtar). He has no son at all. When he dies, there will be no one to mention his name.”

Shamir ibn Atiyyah says that Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt also made such statements about the Prophet. —(Ibn Jarir)

Ibn Abbas says that once, when Ka‘b ibn Ashraf, a Jewish leader of Madinah, came to Makkah, the Quraysh leaders said to him:

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“Look at this young man—he is completely cut off from society, yet he claims that he is better than us, while we perform Hajj, serve the Ka‘bah and provide water to the pilgrims.” —(Bazzar) According to Ikrimah’s narration concerning this incident, the Quraysh used the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) (Arabic ********) words. Their meaning was: weak, without support or friends, and cut off from society (Ibn Jarir). A narration by Ibn Sa‘d and Ibn Asakir states: Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the eldest son of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was Qasim (may Allah be pleased with him). His younger child was Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her), and then his younger son was Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him). After that came three daughters in succession: Umm Kulthum (may Allah be pleased with her), Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) and Ruqayyah (may Allah be pleased with her). First Qasim passed away, and afterward Abdullah also died. Hearing this, As ibn Wa’il said, “His lineage has come to an end. Now he is abtar, that is, his root has been cut off.” Some narrations include this additional statement by As:

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That is, Muhammad is abtar (rootless). He has no son who will succeed him. After his death, his name will be erased from the world. Then you will be rid of him. A narration reported by Abd ibn Humayd from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) indicates that Abu Jahl made a similar comment after the Prophet’s son Abdullah died. Ibn Abi Hatim narrates from Shamir ibn Atiyyah that Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt also displayed such base thinking when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was mourning the loss of his son. Ata says that after the Prophet’s second son died, his very close neighbor and uncle Abu Lahab ran to the polytheists and gave them this good news: (Arabic ********) Tonight Muhammad has become completely without sons.

Such was the heart-rending situation when Surah al-Kawthar was revealed. The unbelieving Quraysh were enraged with the Prophet because he worshipped Allah alone and openly refuted their shirk. For this reason, they deprived him of the honor he had enjoyed among the entire nation before becoming a prophet. They treated him as though they had expelled him from his own tribe and cast him outside. His few companions were also without support, resources or friends. They too were being persecuted. In such circumstances, mountain after mountain of grief over the loss of his sons fell upon the Noble Prophet. At this time of calamity, far from receiving sympathy from friends, relatives, members of his tribe and clan, or neighbors, they instead burst into jubilation. They made comments that were extremely heart-rending, although he had always treated everyone, friend and foe alike, well. Therefore Allah Most High gave, in this shortest of surahs, glad tidings such as had never before been given to any person in the world. Along with this, the verdict was also announced that those who opposed him would themselves become rootless.

The word ‘abtar’ is derived from ‘batar,’ meaning to cut off. But in terminology it is used in a broad sense. In prayer, a rak‘ah that is not joined to another rak‘ah is called ‘rutayra’ in a hadith. Another hadith states: (Arabic **********************) Every important task begun without praising Allah is abtar. That is, its root will be cut off. The task will not become firm and its outcome will not be good. A person who is unsuccessful is also called abtar. One deprived of the means and resources of success is called abtar. A person for whom there is no prospect of good and whose every hope of success has been destroyed is also abtar. One who has become separated from his loved ones and completely alone is also abtar. The word abtar is used for one who has no children, or whose children died after being born, because afterward there is no one left to mention his name and his name and trace disappear. It was in nearly all these senses that the unbelieving Quraysh called the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) abtar. This was not merely a reply to their words. In reality, it was a highly significant prophecy of the Qur’an, which was fulfilled to the letter. At the time this prophecy was made, people considered the Prophet himself abtar, and it was impossible to imagine how the great leaders of the Quraysh would become abtar. For they were famous and successful not only in Makkah but throughout Arabia. They possessed the blessings of wealth, children and other favors. They had representatives throughout the country and friends and supporters to assist them. They held a monopoly over trade and commerce. Since the administration of Hajj was in their hands, they had extensive relations with all the Arab tribes. But within only a few years, circumstances changed. There was a time when, in the Battle of the Trench, the Quraysh attacked Madinah with numerous Arab and Jewish tribes, forcing the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) to resist by constructing a trench beside the city. At that time the Quraysh had no supporter or helper, and they had to lay down their arms in helplessness. Then, within a year, the whole of Arabia came into the Prophet’s grasp. Groups of people came from the farthest and most remote regions of the country and pledged allegiance at the Prophet’s hand. His enemies became completely friendless. Then their names and traces were erased so thoroughly that, although their descendants remained alive in the world, none of them knew that they were the descendants of such enemies of Islam as Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, As ibn Wa’il or Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt. Even if they did know, they were unwilling to admit that these men had been their ancestors. In contrast, blessings and peace are sent today upon the descendants of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) from throughout the world. Millions upon millions of Muslims take pride and honor in their connection with the Prophet’s family and the families of his Companions. Some are Sayyids, some Alawis, Abbasids, Hashimis, Siddiqis, Faruqis, Uthmanis, Zubayris or Ansaris. But no one hears names such as Jahlawi or Lahabi. History has proved that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was not abtar; rather, it was his enemies who were abtar, and they remain so today.(Arabic ********) Here (Arabic ******) the word has been used, whose origin is (Arabic ******) from which it derives. It means envy and hostility that cause one to mistreat others. Elsewhere in the Qur’an it is said: (Arabic ********) and, O Muslims, do not let the enmity of any people drive you to such excess that you commit injustice. Therefore, (Arabic *******) is every person who has become so blinded by hostility toward the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) that he speaks ill of him, insults him, humiliates him and vents his spite by hurling various kinds of abuse at him.]

The Hereafter Aspect of the Glad Tidings of Kawthar

What the Prophet (peace be upon him) said about the Hawd of Kawthar is as follows:

First: On the intense day of Resurrection, when everyone will writhe with thirst, the Hawd of Kawthar will be granted to the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). The Prophet’s community will meet him near the Hawd, drink its water and be satisfied. The Noble Prophet will arrive there before everyone else and stand in the middle. The Prophet said, (Arabic *************) ‘This is a Hawd or reservoir to which my community will come on the Day of Resurrection’ (Muslim, Abu Dawud). (Arabic *********) ‘I will reach the Hawd before all of you.’ —(Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, Musnad Ahmad)

(Arabic ***************************************** on PDF page 419)

“I will reach it before you and bear witness on your behalf. By God, I can see my Hawd even now.” —(Bukhari)

Once the Prophet addressed the Ansar, saying:

(Arabic ***************************************** on PDF page 419)

“After me, you will face selfishness and nepotism. Then be patient. Afterward, you will meet me at the Hawd of Kawthar.” —(Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi)

(Arabic **********) ‘On the Day of Resurrection, I will stand in the middle of the Hawd’ (Muslim). Abu Barzah al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked whether he had heard anything from the Prophet (peace be upon him) about the Hawd. He replied, “Once, twice, three times—not four, but many times I heard him say it. Whoever considers it a lie, may Allah deprive him of its water.” —(Abu Dawud)

Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad considered the narrations concerning the Hawd to be false. He even declared all the narrations of Abu Barzah al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him), Bara ibn Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) and A’id ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) to be false. Finally, Abu Sabrah produced a report that he had recorded in writing before Amr ibn al-As. It contained these words of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him): (Arabic ********) ‘Remember, the place where you will meet me is the Hawd of Kawthar.’ —(Musnad Ahmad)

Second: Various descriptions of the extent of this Hawd are found in different narrations. Most narrations, however, state that its length extends from Aylah (the present-day Israeli port of Eilat) to Sana’a in Yemen, or from Aylah to Aden, or from Amman to Aden. Its width extends from Aylah to Juhfah (the area between Jeddah and Rabigh) (Bukhari, Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah).

From this it may be inferred that the present Red Sea may perhaps be transformed into the Hawd of Kawthar. Allah Most High knows best.

Third: Concerning this Hawd, the Prophet said that water will be brought from the river called Kawthar in Paradise and poured into this Hawd. (Arabic **********) Elsewhere, (Arabic *************) that is, two channels will be connected to it from Paradise to supply it with water (Muslim).

Another narration states: (Arabic ********************) ‘A channel from the river Kawthar of Paradise will be opened toward this Hawd.’ —(Musnad Ahmad)

Fourth: In describing it, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said that its water is whiter than milk or silver, colder than ice and sweeter than honey. The soil of its bottom is more fragrant than musk. Above it will be countless pitchers, like the stars in the sky. Whoever drinks this water once will never feel thirsty again. Whoever is deprived of it will never be satisfied. This has been narrated in many hadiths, with slight variations in wording (Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud).

Fifth: The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) repeatedly warned people concerning this, saying that those among you who change my practices after me will be kept away from this Hawd and will not be allowed to come to it. I will say, “These are my companions.” Then it will be said, “You do not know what they did after you.” I too will then repel them and say, “Go away from here.” This has been narrated in many reports (Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Majah).

The wording of the hadith narrated by Ibn Majah on this subject is deeply poignant.

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“Remember, I shall reach the Pool before you. I shall take pride in the fact that my community will be greater in number than the other communities because of you. Beware: some people will be brought to me, while others will be taken away from me. Then I shall say, ‘My Lord, these are my Companions.’ He will say, ‘You do not know what they did after you.’” Ibn Majah says that the Prophet said these words during the sermon at Arafat.

Sixth: In this way, the Prophet (peace be upon him) warns the Muslims who will come from his own time until the Day of Resurrection that whoever deviates from his path and changes his practices will be expelled from the Pool. I shall say, ‘My Lord, these are mine; they are my community.’ In reply, it will be said, ‘You do not know what changes they made and what wrong path they followed after you.’ The Prophet says, ‘Then I shall restrain them and will not let them come near the Pool.’

Numerous traditions concerning this subject are found in the hadith collections. See Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad.

Descriptions of this Pool have been transmitted from fifty Companions. Earlier Islamic scholars considered this Pool to be the Pool of Kawthar itself. In the final chapter of Kitab al-Riqaq, Imam Bukhari gave the following heading:(Arabic text omitted—PDF page 421)

In a narration from Anas, this explanation is given: the Pure Prophet (peace be upon him), speaking about Kawthar, said:(Arabic text omitted)“This is the Pool where my community will assemble.”

There are also numerous hadiths describing the stream called Kawthar that will be granted to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Paradise. Many narrations have been recorded from Anas, in which he says that on the night of the Mi’raj, the Prophet was taken on a journey through Paradise. At that time, he saw a river whose banks were adorned with domes set with diamonds. The earth beneath them was fragrant like musk. The Prophet (peace be upon him) asked Jibril, or the accompanying angel, what it was. He was told, “This is the River of Kawthar, which Allah the Exalted has granted you.” (Musnad Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, and others.)

Anas said that a man asked the Prophet, “What is Kawthar?” The Prophet replied, “It is a river that Allah has granted me in Paradise. Its earth is fragrant like musk, its water is whiter than milk, and it is sweeter than honey.” (Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi.) Ibn Jarir, quoting another narration from Musnad Ahmad, says that the Prophet (peace be upon him), describing the qualities of the River of Kawthar, said that its bed was adorned with jewels and precious stones instead of stones. Ibn Umar said that the Pure Prophet (peace be upon him) stated, “Kawthar is a river of Paradise. Its banks are made of gold. It flows over jewels and precious stones.” That is, instead of rocks, diamonds and precious stones lie there. Its earth is more fragrant than musk. Its water is purer than milk, colder than ice, and sweeter than honey. (Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Ibn Abi Hatim, Darimi, Abu Dawud, Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn Marduyah, and Ibn Abi Shaybah.) Usamah ibn Zayd said that once the Prophet (peace be upon him) went to the house of Hamzah. Hamzah was not at home, and his wife hosted the Prophet. She said, “My husband told me that a river has been granted to you in Paradise, called Kawthar.” The Prophet replied, “Yes, indeed; its earth is made of rubies and various precious stones.” In addition to these narrations, numerous statements of the Companions and the Successors have been cited in the hadith literature, in which Kawthar is understood as this river or stream of Paradise and is described with the qualities mentioned above. For example, the statements of Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Anas ibn Malik, Aishah, Mujahid, and Abul Aliyah have been mentioned in the works of Musnad Ahmad, Bukhari, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Marduyah, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Shaybah, and other hadith scholars.

The Terrible Fate of Abu Lahab

(Arabic text omitted—PDF page 422)

“The hands of Abu Lahab are ruined, and he is utterly defeated.”

Some commentators have interpreted the first phrase as, “May Abu Lahab’s hands be ruined,” and the second as, “May he perish,” or “He has perished.” In reality, however, this was not a supplication or curse directed against him. Rather, it was a prophecy for which a past-tense verb was used to describe something that would occur in the future. Its occurrence was so certain that it was as though it had already happened. In fact, it did happen as this surah had prophesied a few years earlier. The ruin of the hands does not mean that a physical part of his body, his hands, would be broken. Rather, it means that a person would fail in those endeavors for which he had striven with all his might. Abu Lahab exerted every effort to thwart the Messenger of Allah’s (peace be upon him) Islamic mission. But within seven or eight years of the revelation of this surah, most of the Quraysh leaders who had assisted Abu Lahab in opposing the Prophet were killed in the Battle of Badr. When news of their defeat reached Makkah, Abu Lahab was so grief-stricken that he did not survive more than seven days. His death too was a great lesson. He contracted malignant pustule, a disease that caused his family to abandon him, terrified by its highly contagious nature. No one approached him for three days after his death. His corpse decayed and began to stink. People began reproaching his sons for this, so they had several Abyssinians lift the corpse and bury it. According to one account, a pit was dug, the body was pushed into it with the help of wooden poles, and earth and stones were heaped over it. His complete and utter defeat also occurred in another respect: the very religion whose path he had used all his strength to obstruct was embraced by his children. First, his daughter Durrah migrated from Makkah to Madinah and accepted Islam. Later, at the conquest of Makkah, both his sons, Utbah and Mu’attab, appeared before the Prophet (peace be upon him) through the mediation of Abbas. After accepting faith, they pledged allegiance to the Prophet (peace be upon him).

The Punishment of the Makkans for Expelling the Prophet

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“They had resolved to drive you out of this land and expel you from it. But if they do so, they themselves will not remain here for long after you.” —(Bani Isra’il: 76)

Although this clear prophecy was regarded as a threat at the time, it came true to the letter within ten or eleven years. One year after the revelation of this surah, they forced the Prophet (peace be upon him) to leave Makkah. Then, before eight more years had passed, he entered Makkah as a conqueror. Within two years thereafter, the existence of the polytheists disappeared throughout the entire Arabian Peninsula. Whoever remained in Arabia at that time did so as a Muslim. There was no place there for the polytheists.

The Defeat of the Quraysh Party

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“This party will soon be defeated, and they will be seen turning their backs and fleeing.” —(Surah al-Qamar: 45)

Five years before the Hijrah, this clear prophecy was made: the Quraysh party, which arrogantly regarded itself as all-powerful, would soon be defeated by the Muslims. At that time, no one could imagine how this revolution would be brought about in the near future. The Muslims’ condition was such that one group had left the country and migrated to Abyssinia, while the remaining believers were confined in Shi’b Abi Talib. The Quraysh had severed all relations with them and imprisoned them in the mountain pass, so they were dying of hunger. In such circumstances, who could have imagined that the situation would change within seven years? In Ikrimah’s narration, transmitted through his teacher Abdullah ibn Abbas, Umar is reported to have said, “When this verse of Surah al-Qamar was revealed, I wondered in astonishment, ‘Which party is this that will be defeated?’ But when the unbelievers were defeated and fleeing in the Battle of Badr, I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), dressed in battle attire, advancing ahead, while these words issued from his blessed mouth:”

(Arabic text omitted—PDF page 423)

“Then I understood that this was the very defeat of which they had been informed beforehand.” —(Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim)

Makkah Will Be Conquered

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“Our forces shall certainly be victorious.” —(Surah al-Saffat: 173)

That is, the disbelieving Quraysh would soon see with their own eyes their defeat and your victory. It happened exactly as it had been foretold. Just fourteen or fifteen years after these verses were revealed, the disbelievers of Makkah saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) enter Makkah in triumph with their own eyes. Then, a few years later, they also saw that Islam had established its dominance not only over Makkah, but over the Roman and Iranian empires as well.

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This place refers to Makkah. That is, in the very place where these people—the disbelieving Quraysh—are making grand claims, they will one day suffer defeat. Here will come the time when they will stand with bowed heads before the Prophet, whom they now regard with contempt and refuse to acknowledge as a prophet.

The Qur’an’s message will certainly spread far and wide

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“Soon We shall show them Our signs in the highest realms and within their own selves, until it becomes clear to them that this Qur’an is indeed the truth.” —(Surah Ha-Mim al-Sajdah: 53)

That is, they will soon see with their own eyes that the message of this Qur’an has spread far and wide and that they themselves have bowed before it. At that time they will understand that everything they are being told today, and which they refuse to accept, is absolutely true.

Some people raise the question of whether the triumph of a message and its conquest of vast territories can be proof of its truth. A false message, too, spreads far and wide, and its followers go on conquering country after country.

In fact, this question has been raised by focusing on the outward aspect of the matter rather than examining it deeply in its entirety. The astonishing victories Islam achieved in the age of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Rightly Guided Caliphs were not a sign of Allah merely in the sense that Muslims conquered country after country. Rather, they were a sign in the sense that these victories were unlike other victories. The nature of other victories is that, after an individual, family, or nation wins, it takes possession of the lives and property of the vanquished, and the earth of God becomes filled with oppression and tyranny. In contrast, the victory of Islam brought with it a vast religious, moral, intellectual, political, economic, and civilizational revolution. Wherever the influence of this revolution reached, people’s finest qualities developed and their evil qualities were suppressed. The world had wished to see such qualities among ascetic dervishes and those who quietly engaged in the remembrance of Allah, but it had never imagined that these qualities could also be found among those who administered the affairs of the world. Through this revolution, such qualities of character became visible in the politics of rulers, the justice of the courts, the warfare and victories of commanders, among tax collectors, and among the owners of great businesses. In the society it established, this revolution elevated ordinary people so greatly in character, efficiency, and purity that eminent figures of other societies appeared to be of a lower rank. Islam freed people from the chains of blind belief and superstition and brought them onto the highway of intellectual inquiry, rational thought, and purposeful action. Islam made proper provision for treating the social diseases that other social systems did not even consider curing, or whose treatment they considered but failed to accomplish. Consider, for example, divisions among people on the basis of race, lineage, homeland, language, and the like; class divisions within the same society and distinctions of high and low among them; untouchability; the lack of equality in legal rights and practical social relations; the humiliating lives of women and their deprivation of basic rights; the prevalence of crime; the widespread use of alcohol and other intoxicants; governments being above criticism; the denial of basic rights to the people; the violation of treaties at the international level; barbaric conduct in war; and various other such diseases. Before their very eyes, this revolution transformed the Arabian Peninsula: fear of God and purity replaced anarchy, justice replaced wrongdoing and oppression, purity and civilization replaced filth and barbarism, knowledge replaced ignorance, and brotherhood, affection, and love replaced hereditary feuds and conflicts. Moreover, a people who could not think beyond leadership of their own tribe were entrusted with leadership of the world. These were the signs that the descendants saw with their own eyes—the very people to whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) had initially recited this verse. From then until today, Allah has continued to show these signs. Even during their age of decline, Muslims displayed a nobility of character that those who boast of being the bearers of civilization and refinement have not come close to matching. The oppressive treatment that the European nations inflicted on the conquered peoples of Africa, America, Asia, and Europe itself has no parallel in any period of Muslim history. It is solely a blessing of the Holy Qur’an that created such a sense of humanity among Muslims that, even after becoming conquerors, they were not—and are not—seen as equally oppressive. Anyone with eyes should look at how Muslims ruled Spain for several hundred years and what kind of treatment they gave the Christians during that period. Then, when the Christians gained power there, what treatment did they mete out to the Muslims? After ruling India for more than eight hundred years, what kind of treatment did Muslims give the Hindus? And now that the Hindus have gained power there, what treatment are they giving the Muslims? What was the conduct of Muslims toward the Jews over the past thirteen hundred years? And now, what treatment are they receiving from them in Palestine?

The Prophet’s exalted status

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“Know for certain that He who has made this Qur’an obligatory upon you will surely bring you to the finest destination.” —(Surah al-Qasas: 85)

The actual words are: (Arabic*********) He will return you to a ‘place of return.’ The lexical meaning of Ma‘ad (Arabic******) is a place to which a person must ultimately return. Since this term is used in the indefinite form, its natural implication is that the place is one of great honor. Some exegetes have interpreted it as Paradise. But there is no sound reason to restrict it specifically to Paradise. Allah Himself has used it in a general sense, and it should therefore be understood in a way that allows the promise concerning this place to apply both to this world and the Hereafter. The preceding context of the discussion also demands that it be understood not only as a promise of granting the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) great honor in the Hereafter, but ultimately in this world as well. In the statements of the disbelievers of Makkah, over which the discussion has continued from verse 57 up to this point, they had said: ‘O Muhammad (peace be upon him), you want to drag us down with you. If we support you and accept your religion, it will become difficult for us to survive in the Arabian Peninsula.’ In reply, Allah says to His Prophet: ‘O Prophet! The God who has entrusted you with the responsibility of bearing the banner of this Qur’an will not destroy you. Rather, He will honor you with a rank that these people cannot even imagine.’

In fact, only a few years later, Allah demonstrated before their very eyes, here in this world, by granting the Prophet (peace be upon him) undisputed authority over the entire Arabian Peninsula, that no power capable of resisting him could survive, and that no religion other than the religion he established had any place there. The undisputed sovereignty of a single man was established throughout the Arabian Peninsula, with no rival to him; and people did not merely acknowledge his political authority—instead, he brought all other religions to an end and made the entire nation followers of his religion. There had never before been such an example in the history of Arabia.

Maqam Mahmud for the Prophet Muhammad

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“Soon your Lord will raise you to Maqam Mahmud.”

That is, He will honor you in this world and the Hereafter with a rank in which you will be praised by all creation. You will be praised and respected from every direction, and your person will become one worthy of praise. Today your opponents have greeted you with abuse and reproach and have unleashed a storm of false accusations to defame you throughout the land. But the time is not far off when the sound of your praise will be heard throughout the world, and in the Hereafter you will be praised by all creation. The Prophet Mustafa’s (peace be upon him) attainment of the status of intercessor on the Day of Resurrection is one aspect of his Mahmudiyyah—his being praised.

Glad tidings of victory for the defeated Roman Empire

The prophecy made in the opening verses of Surah al-Rum is one of the clearest proofs that the Qur’an is the Word of Allah and that Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him) is Allah’s true prophet. To understand this, it is particularly necessary to consider the historical events of that time that are connected with the verses of this surah.

The event that occurred eight years before the prophethood of the Prophet Mustafa (peace be upon him) was that a revolt broke out against the Roman Emperor Maurice (Marice), and a man named Phocas (Phicas) ascended the throne. Before the emperor’s eyes, he killed his five sons. Then he killed their father and publicly hung the severed heads of father and sons in Constantinople. A few days later, his wife and three daughters were also killed. Following this incident, the Iranian emperor Khusrau Parviz found a moral pretext for attacking the Roman Empire. Maurice had been his well-wisher, and with his help and support Parviz had gained the Iranian throne. Parviz regarded him as a father. Therefore, he declared that he would avenge the barbaric treatment inflicted by the invader Phocas upon his father-like Maurice and his family. In 603 CE, he declared war against the Roman Empire and thus reached Edessa in Asia Minor (present-day Urfa), and in the other direction reached Aleppo and Antioch in Syria. When the Roman rulers saw that Phocas could not defend the country, they sought help from the governor of Africa. He sent his son Heraclius (Heraclius) to Constantinople with a powerful army. As soon as he arrived, he dethroned Phocas. Heraclius himself was made Caesar, or ruler, of Rome in his place. After gaining power, he treated Phocas exactly as Phocas had treated Maurice. This occurred in 610 CE, and in that very year the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was honored with prophethood.

The moral pretext on which Khusrau Parviz had declared war came to an end after the dethronement and killing of Phocas. If his purpose in waging war had merely been to avenge Phocas’s oppression and tyranny, he should have made peace with the newly appointed Caesar, Heraclius, after Phocas was killed. But he continued the war. The Christian communities whom the official church had labeled atheists—such as the Nestorians and Jacobites—and had persecuted for years became sympathetic toward the Magian invaders, and the Jews also joined hands with the Magians. Indeed, the number of Jews who joined Khusrau Parviz’s army reached twenty-six thousand.

Heraclius could not stem this tide. As soon as he ascended the throne, news reached him that Antioch had fallen into Iranian hands. Then, in 613 CE, the Iranians conquered Damascus. The following year they conquered Bayt al-Maqdis and began wreaking destruction upon the Christians. Ninety thousand Christians were killed in that city. Their most sacred church, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Holy Sepllulchre), was destroyed. The True Cross, or stake, which Christians believed was the very cross on which Jesus Christ had given his life, was seized by the Iranian Magians and sent to Madain. The reigning priest, Zechariah, was abducted, and all the city’s major churches were destroyed. A letter that Khusrau Parviz sent to Heraclius from Bayt al-Maqdis bears witness to how greatly this victory intoxicated him. In it he said:

“From Khusrau, the greatest of all gods and lord of the entire world, to that base and senseless slave Heraclius: You say that you trust in your god. Then why did your god not save Jerusalem from my hands?

Within a year of this victory, the Iranian army extended its control over the whole region of Jordan, Palestine, and the Sinai Peninsula, reaching the border of Egypt. This was a time when an even more important struggle was taking place in Mecca. There, the standard-bearers of tawhid, under the leadership of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the polytheists, under the Quraysh chiefs, were struggling against one another. Matters reached such a stage that in 615 CE a large group of Muslims was forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in a Christian kingdom in Abyssinia. Abyssinia was an ally of Rome. At that time, news of the Iranians’ victory over Rome was heard on everyone’s lips. In Mecca, the polytheists danced for joy and said to the Muslims, ‘Look, the fire-worshippers of Iran are achieving victory, while those who believe in revelation and messengership are suffering defeat after defeat. In the same way, we idol-worshippers of Arabia will eradicate your religion.’”

In such circumstances, this surah of the Holy Qur’an was revealed. It foretold that the Romans had been defeated in the nearest land, but that within a few years of their defeat they would be victorious. That would be a day when the Muslims would rejoice in the victory granted by Allah Almighty.

There were two prophecies in these words. First: the Romans would achieve victory. Second: the Muslims too would be granted victory at that time. Apparently, there was not even the slightest sign, even in the distant future, that either of these two prophecies would be fulfilled within a few years. On one side were the small number of Muslims who were being oppressed and persecuted in Mecca, and for eight years after this prophecy there was no prospect of their achieving victory. On the other side, the Romans’ defeat was increasing day by day. By 619 CE, the whole of Egypt had fallen into Iranian hands, and the Magian forces had raised their flags as far as the border of Tarabulus (Tripoli). Iranian forces attacked the Romans as far as Asia Minor, and their remaining army reached the shores of the Bosphorus. In 617 CE, they captured Chalcedon (present-day Kadıköy), opposite Constantinople. The Caesar of Rome sent an envoy to Khusrau of Iran and humbly stated that he was willing to make peace at any cost. Khusrau replied, ‘I will not allow the Caesar to remain at peace until he appears before me in chains, renounces the crucified god, and accepts the worship of the fire-god.’ Eventually Khusrau became so convinced of defeat that he decided to leave Constantinople and move to Carthage (present-day Tunis). In the words of the historian Gibbon, for seven or eight years after this prophecy of the Holy Qur’an, conditions prevailed such that no one could imagine that the Romans would triumph over Iran. Victory was out of the question; until then, no one could even hope that this kingdom would survive. —[Gilbon—Decline & Fall of the Roman Empire, Vol. 2, p. 788. Modern Library, Ner York.]

When these verses of the Qur’an were revealed, the unbelievers of Mecca began to mock and ridicule them intensely. Ubayy ibn Khalaf made a wager with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), saying, ‘If the Romans become victorious within three years, I will give you ten camels; otherwise, you must give me ten camels.’ When news of this wager reached the Prophet (peace be upon him), he said, ‘The Qur’an uses the word (Arabic********************), whose duration in Arabic is within ten. Therefore, set the period at ten years and increase the number of camels to one hundred.’

Thereafter, Abu Bakr met Ubayy again, and a new condition was established: whoever was proved wrong within ten years would give the other one hundred camels.

In 622 CE, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated to Medina. Meanwhile, Caesar Heraclius secretly set out from Constantinople toward Trebizond by way of the Black Sea and prepared to attack the Iranians from the rear. To prepare for this counterattack, the Caesar sought financial assistance from the church, and Sergius (Serjius), the supreme religious authority of the Christian church, lent at interest the wealth stored in the church as offerings, in order to save Christianity from Magianism. In 623 CE, Heraclius began his attack from Armenia, and the following year, in 624 CE, entered Azerbaijan, destroyed Urmia, the birthplace of Zoroaster, and reduced the Iranian fire-worship temples to dust. The wonder of Allah’s power was that in the same year the Muslims achieved their first decisive victory over the unbelievers on the field of Badr. Thus both prophecies mentioned in Surah al-Rum were fulfilled simultaneously before ten years had elapsed.

After that, the Roman troops continued to defeat the Iranians. In the decisive battle of Nineveh (627 CE), they broke the backbone of the Iranian Empire. Then Dastagird (Dastarat al-Mulk), the residence of the Iranian kings, was destroyed, and the Romans advanced until they reached Ctesiphon (Ctesiphin), which was then the capital of Iran. In 628 CE, a family revolt broke out against Khusrau Parviz, and he was captured. Eighteen of his children were killed before his eyes. A few days later, he died in prison. In the same year, the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was signed, which the Qur’an calls a ‘great victory.’ That same year, the son of Khusrau Parviz, Kavadh II, freed all the Roman territories under Iranian occupation from Iranian control, returned the True Cross, and entered into a treaty with the Romans. In 629 CE, the Caesar himself went to Bayt al-Maqdis to restore the ‘Holy Cross’ to its place. That same year, the Pure Prophet (peace be upon him) entered Mecca for the first time after the Hijrah to perform the compensatory Umrah.

After this, not the slightest doubt remained in anyone’s mind that the Qur’an’s prophecy had come true to the letter. Numerous polytheists of Arabia believed in it. After Ubayy ibn Khalaf’s heirs lost the wager, they had to hand over one hundred camels to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in fulfillment of its terms. Abu Bakr brought these camels to the Prophet, who instructed him to give them in charity. The wager had been made at a time when gambling had not yet been declared unlawful in the Shariah. The prohibition had now been revealed. Therefore, although permission was given to accept the property of belligerent unbelievers, the instruction was to give it in charity rather than use it personally.

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“And that day will be a day when the Muslims will rejoice in the victory granted by Allah.” —(Surah al-Rum: 4)

Scholars such as Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), Sufyan al-Thawri, and Suddi said that the Romans’ victory over the Iranians and the Muslims’ victory over the polytheists at Badr occurred in the same year. Therefore, the Muslims experienced double joy. This is also established by the histories of Iran and Rome. The Battle of Badr took place in 624 CE; in that same year, the Caesar of Rome destroyed the birthplace of Zoroaster and reduced Iran’s largest fire-worship temple to dust.

Preservation of Pharaoh’s Body

[This is a great prophecy of the Qur’an and a clear proof of the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the truth of the Qur’an. When this prophecy of the Qur’an became known, the condition of the tombs and bodies of the Pharaohs of Egypt was not yet known. The exploration of the mummy chambers and the opening of the tombs and coffins of the Pharaohs took place only recently. Before 1907 CE, no one knew whether the body of the Pharaoh contemporary with Moses had been preserved after he drowned. The information recently uncovered about an event more than three thousand years old has presented proof that the Qur’an was revealed by Allah to those who deny the Qur’an.]

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“Today We shall preserve only your body so that it may remain as a lesson for later generations.” —(Surah Yunus: 92).

On the western shore of the Sinai Valley, the place still exists where Pharaoh’s body was found floating. This place is now called Jabal Pharaoh. Near it there is a hot spring. The local inhabitants call it Pharaoh’s Hammam. It is located several miles north and uphill from Abu Zaynama. Since Pharaoh’s body had fallen here, the local inhabitants have marked the place.

If the Pharaoh who died by drowning is the very person whom recent examinations and investigations have identified as the contemporary of Moses (peace be upon him), then his body can now be seen in the Cairo Museum. In 1907 CE, when Sir Grafton Elliot Smith removed the covering from his mummy, congealed salt was found on the body, and this is clear evidence that he had been submerged in the salty water of the sea.

(Arabic****************) That is, ‘We shall continue to show instructive signs, although most people, despite seeing great instructive signs, do not take heed.’

The Worldwide Assault of Gog and Magog

Gog refers to those tribal peoples of Rum and northern China who are known by names such as Tatars, Mongols, Huns, and Scythians. Since ancient times, they attacked civilized countries. It is also known that the walls of Darband and Darial were built in the southern Caucasus to protect against their attacks, because the force of their assaults would at times flow in both directions, toward Asia and Europe. In the Bible (Genesis, chapter 10), they are called descendants of Japheth, son of Noah. Muslim historians have likewise said so. In the Book of Ezekiel (chapters 38 and 39), they are described as inhabitants of the regions of Rosh, Tubal (present-day Tobolsk), and Meshech (present-day Moscow). The Israelite historian Josephus identified them as the Scythian nation, whose dwelling places were in the northern and eastern regions of the Black Sea. According to Jerome, Magog settled north of the Caucasus near the Caspian Sea.

The meaning of releasing them is that they will begin attacking the inhabitants of the earth as though a wild beast had suddenly been released from a confined cage. The words ‘the time when the true promise will be fulfilled has drawn near’ clearly indicate that this worldwide assault and devastation by Gog and Magog will occur in the Last Age, and the Hour will follow soon afterward. The following prophecy of the Prophet (peace be upon him), narrated by Imam Muslim through Hudhayfah ibn Asid al-Ghifari, further reinforces this meaning. It states: ‘The Hour will not occur until you have seen ten signs before it: the smoke, the Dajjal, the Beast of the Earth, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary, the assault and devastation of Gog and Magog, three great landslides—one in the east, the second in the west, and the third in Arabia—and finally a terrifying fire emerging from Yemen that will drive people toward the field of resurrection; that is, the Hour will occur.’ In another hadith, concerning the assault of Gog and Magog, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that just as the delivery of a full-term pregnant woman is imminent, while she does not know at what moment, by day or night, she will give birth, so at that time the Hour will have become extremely near.

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But it cannot be stated clearly from the Qur’an and hadith whether Gog and Magog will unite and begin their assault and devastation in the world. It is also possible that, near the approach of the Hour, they will continue attacking one another and their war will assume the form of a worldwide catastrophe.

The Humiliation and Disgrace of the Jews

Regarding (Arabic******************), my belief is that it will continue until the moment before the Hour. This is not affected by the establishment of the present state of Israel in Palestine. First, this verse applies collectively to the Jewish nation. Its meaning does not apply to each individual Jew or to small groups of individuals. Second, it describes the condition in which they will live as a nation from the declaration of Allah Almighty’s decree until the Hour. This does not mean that during this long period they will nowhere in the world possess governing authority even for a short time. In fact, to understand the meaning of this verse, one must be familiar with the history of the Jewish nation that has continued from the time of Jesus (peace be upon him) until today. If one closely observes that history and their present collective condition in the world, the truth of the following words of the Holy Qur’an becomes evident:

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“And when your Lord declared that until the Day of Resurrection He would appoint over them someone who would subject them to severe punishment.” —(Surah al-A‘raf: 167)

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“Humiliation has been imposed upon them, and wherever they are found, they will bear the burden of this humiliation. However, if somewhere they receive a guarantee of protection from Allah and from people, then that is another matter.” —(Surah Al Imran: 112)

Their entire history says that from time to time a power has emerged somewhere in the world that has mercilessly killed and expelled the Jews. And wherever they have remained safe, it has not been through their own power; rather, it was established and continues through the help and cooperation of a human group, on the basis of opportunities and facilities granted by Allah. The world will see what happens to Israel on the day this support ends. I believe that Allah Almighty does not wish to exterminate this nation; rather, He wishes to preserve it as an instructive sign. If continuous persecution and oppression had continued against this nation, it would have vanished from the face of the earth long ago. Through His own wisdom, Allah Almighty has arranged to preserve this nation: where they are beaten in one place, they find refuge in another. Thus, for the past two and a half thousand years, they have survived in the world in a state that is neither alive nor dead (Arabic********************).

Prophecies of the Hadith

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An Era of Complete Security

Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: One day the Pure Prophet (peace be upon him) was sitting in the shade of the Ka‘bah. I came to him and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! There is no end to oppression and persecution. Will you not pray to Allah?’

Hearing this, his face became flushed, and he said, ‘Those who believed before you suffered far greater persecution. Their flesh was torn apart with iron combs, and saws were placed upon their heads and used to split them open; yet they did not turn away from the true religion. Know with certainty that Allah will complete this affair. Eventually a time will come when a person will travel fearlessly from Sana‘a to Hadramawt and will fear no one except Allah. But you are being far too hasty.’ —(Bukhari)

The Condition for Victory over Arabs and Non-Arabs

Abu Talib summoned the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and said, ‘Nephew! Look, members of your people have come to me. They wish you to agree with them on one just statement. In this way, the dispute and quarrel between you and them will end.’ Abu Talib then conveyed the Quraysh chiefs’ proposal to the Prophet. In reply, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘Uncle! I am presenting before them a message which, if they accept it, will make all Arabia subject to them, while other countries will continue paying tribute.’

Different narrators have reported this statement of the Prophet in different ways. One narration is as follows:

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In another narration:

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Another narration

It is seen that, instead of addressing Abu Talib, the Prophet (peace be upon him) addressed the Quraysh and said:

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Elsewhere:

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Despite these verbal differences, the substance of all the narrations is the same. That is, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) said to them, “I am presenting before you a message which, if you accept it, will make you masters of Arabia and Persia. Now tell me: is what you call a just word better, or is mine better? Does your welfare lie in accepting this creed, or in remaining as you are while I continue to worship my own Lord?”

The political authority of the Quraysh

The Prophet (peace be upon him) prophesied that so long as the Quraysh maintained their character and collectively continued to carry the banner of the Faith, and so long as even two among them remained engaged in striving for the truth, authority would remain in their hands.

The Prophet’s (peace be upon him) view proved so true that history continued to provide evidence of its truth for several centuries after him. The superiority of the Quraysh was so enduring that, during the era of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, this tribe produced all four Caliphs; and it is well known that at that time there was no alternative personality in the entire Arabian Peninsula. Thereafter, this same tribe established the celebrated Umayyad rule. This tribe also founded the Abbasid rule. The establishment of a vast government in Spain and the Fatimid rule in Egypt were likewise contributions of this tribe.

Jihad will continue

Jihad will continue among my Ummah until the Day of Resurrection. Neither the justice of a just judge nor the oppression of an oppressor will be able to stop it. It is this vital force that has always infused inspiration into Islamic revival movements. It is this vital force that has prevented the righteous (salihin) from submitting before the dreadful state of their surroundings.

The decline of Muslims will be like that of the Jews and Christians

Among the prophecies of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) recorded in the Hadith is that the Muslims will ultimately follow in the footsteps of the Jews and Christians. Whatever steps they have taken, the Muslims will take the same steps. Even if one of them commits adultery with his own mother, there will arise among the Muslims people through whom this crime will also be committed. — The author narrates the saying of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) through another chain as follows: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “You will follow the practices of the earlier communities. Even if they enter a lizard’s hole, you will do the same.” The Companions asked, “O Messenger of Allah, do you mean the Jews and Christians?” The Prophet replied, “Yes.” This was not merely a warning from the Prophet; rather, through the subtle insight granted by God, the Noble Prophet knew the paths by which decline would enter his Ummah and how it would manifest.

An outline of the future history of the Millah

Although these prophecies can be found in abundance in such Hadith collections as Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, and Mustadrak, it will not be without purpose to quote here the narrations recorded by Imam Shatibi in al-Muwafaqat and by Mawlana Ismail Shahid (may Allah have mercy on him) in Mansab-e-Imamat:

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“The beginning of your religion is prophethood and mercy. Allah will preserve it as long as He wills. Then He will bring it to an end, and the Caliphate in the manner of prophethood will continue for as long as He wills. Then the worst kind of kingship will continue for as long as Allah wills. By Allah’s will, this too will come to an end. Then the rule of oppressive rulers will be established. It will continue for as long as Allah wills. Then Allah, Most High, will bring it to an end.”

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“Then there will be a Caliphate in the manner of prophethood, which will administer the affairs of people according to the Sunnah of the Prophet, and Islam will be established on earth. The inhabitants of heaven and the inhabitants of earth will both rejoice in this system of government. The sky will pour down its blessings generously, and the earth will bring forth everything hidden within it.”

I cannot say what status these narrations have in terms of their chains of transmission. But, judging by their meaning, they are consistent with the other narrations of this kind. They point to five stages in history. Three have passed, and the fourth is underway. As for the fifth stage that has ultimately been foretold, every indication now suggests that human history is rushing rapidly toward it. Every kind of “ism” created by human beings has been tested. They have failed miserably. People have no alternative but to return desperately to Islam.

The moral decline of amirs, nobles, and rulers

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“After me, some people will gain authority. Those who assist them in their lying and support them in their oppression do not belong to me, nor do I belong to them.” — Nasai

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“Very soon, people will rule over you who will hold the keys to your livelihood. When they speak to you, they will lie, and when they act, they will do evil. They will not be pleased with you unless you praise their evil deeds and declare their lies to be truth. So long as they tolerate it, present the truth before them. If they exceed the limits and someone is killed, that person will be a martyr.” — Kanz al-Ummal

The continuity of religious revival

An explanation of the Hadith: “those who will revive their religion for them.”

This is a matter concerning which the truthful conveyer of news, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), gave glad tidings, and it has been narrated in Abu Dawud through Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

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“At the beginning of every century, Allah will bring forth people who will revive their religion for them.”

But some people have formed a completely mistaken conception of “tajdid” and “mujaddid” from this Hadith. They have taken the first Arabic term to mean the beginning or end of a century, and the second to mean that there must necessarily be a single individual. On this basis, they have undertaken the work of renewing the religion. Yet the clear implication of the literal meaning of the first term, “head,” and of the rise of a person at the head of a century is that he will exert a special influence on the knowledge, thought, and course of action of his age. The relevant Arabic word is used in Arabic both in the singular and the plural. Thus it may mean either one person or many people. It may also refer to an entire institution or group. The clear meaning of the glad tidings given by the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) is that, God willing, no century of Islamic history will be devoid of people who stand against the storms of ignorance and continue striving to re-establish Islam in its true form. It is not necessary that the mujaddid of a century be a single person. Within the same century, different people and groups may perform this service. Nor is it necessary that there be only one mujaddid for the entire world. At the same time, many people in many countries may work for the renewal of the religion. Nor is it necessary that everyone who renders some service in this regard be given the status of a mujaddid. The status and title of mujaddid may be given only to those who have made a great and outstanding contribution to the renewal, revival, and re-establishment of the religion.

The manifestation of divisions among Muslims

A Hadith states: “Very soon my Ummah will be divided into seventy-two sects. Only one of them will attain salvation in the Hereafter. They will be those who follow my Companions.”

The Hadiths speak of various tribulations arising among the Muslims. Their purpose is to warn people to stay away from these tribulations.

Prophecies concerning the appearance of the Mahdi

The Hadith scholars have been so strict regarding the narrations concerning the appearance of the Mahdi that one group among them does not even acknowledge that Imam Mahdi will appear. Examination of the science of al-asma al-rijal, the chain of Hadith narrators, shows that most of the narrators of these Hadiths belonged to the Shi‘a sect. History also shows that every group used these Hadiths for political and religious interests and tried to apply the signs described concerning the Mahdi to one of its own individuals.

Authentic and fabricated elements among the narrations

For the reasons stated above, I have reached the conclusion that the narrations concerning the appearance of the Mahdi are authentic. But most of what is said in the detailed descriptions is probably fabricated. Self-interested people added such extraneous matters to the Prophet’s actual sayings. The literature of those who, at various times, falsely claimed to be the promised Mahdi shows that these narrations served as elements behind the disorder they created. Let us consider the word “Mahdi” used in the Hadith: the Prophet used the word Mahdi, meaning “rightly guided”; he did not use the word Hadi. Any chief, leader, or amir who remains steadfast on the true path may be a Mahdi. “Al-Mahdi” may at most have been used with a greater qualification, intended to indicate the appearance of an especially distinguished status in a person who would come in the future. This special status has been described in the Hadith as follows: after the Caliphate established in the manner of the Prophet is destroyed, the world will be afflicted by oppression and injustice; then the person who comes will establish the Caliphate anew in the manner of the Prophet, and the world will be filled with justice. It is for this reason, in order to designate that person and distinguish him, that a qualifying Arabic word was added before “Mahdi.” But it would be a mistake to think that the name Mahdi created a special office within the religion, belief in which would be like belief in the prophets, and obedience to whom would become a condition of salvation, Islam, and faith. There is no evidence in the Hadith for the belief that the Mahdi will be an infallible being. In fact, the belief that anyone besides a prophet is infallible belongs to the Shi‘a sect. There is no proof of it in the Qur’an or Sunnah.

The manner in which the Prophet’s prophecies were expressed

As far as I have reflected on the prophecies of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), the manner of the Prophet’s descriptions was not like the kind found in the Hadiths concerning the appearance of the Mahdi. He would certainly describe the principal signs, but it was not his practice to give minute details.

Contradictions among the related narrations

When these narrations are gathered and compared with one another, most of them appear contradictory. Moreover, those who have before them the complete history of the conflicts among the Banu Fatimah, the Banu Abbas, and the Banu Umayyah find it difficult to accept all the details narrated in the Hadith when they clearly see that various narrations exist in support of each of the parties involved in those conflicts, and that most of the narrators were affiliated with one group or another. For example, some of these narrations mention black banners. History shows that the black banner was the symbol of the Abbasids. History also shows that, by presenting such Hadiths, several Abbasid caliphs continued trying to prove the Abbasid caliph al-Mahdi to be the promised Mahdi.

The status of the perfect mujaddid

A look at history shows that, to this day, no perfect mujaddid has been born. Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz was about to attain this status, but he could not succeed. Every mujaddid born after him worked in one particular field or in several fields. The place of the perfect mujaddid is still vacant, but conscience desires it, nature demands it, and the course of the world is also making the same demand: that such a leader be born. Whether he is born in this age or after many cycles and transformations of time, his name will be “al-Imam al-Mahdi,” concerning whom a clear prophecy was made by the sacred lips of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him).

Nowadays, people ignorantly wrinkle their noses when they hear this name. They complain that ignorant people have lost their inclination to act while awaiting the arrival of someone. Their view is that when ignorant people hold mistaken notions about facts, they become inactive, and that this is not a fact at all. They also say that the idea of the arrival of an unseen great person is found among all religious communities; therefore, these are nothing but superstitions. But I believe that if earlier prophets, like the Seal of the Prophets, also gave their peoples the glad tidings that, before the end of humanity’s earthly life, Islam would at some point become the religion of the entire world—and if this is not superstition—then, after all human-made “isms” have failed, people heading toward destruction will be compelled to turn to the doctrine ordained by Allah, and humanity will receive this blessing through a great leader who will work in the manner of the prophets and fully implement Islam in its true form. Why, then, should saying this be superstition? It is quite possible that this statement spread from the mouths of the prophets among the other nations of the world, and that ignorant people distorted its true meaning and turned it into superstition.

The prevailing notion concerning the Mahdi

There are some modernists who do not acknowledge the appearance of Imam Mahdi at all. Among the Muslims, those who do acknowledge his appearance are no less mistaken in their ideas than the first group. They imagine that Imam Mahdi will be an old-fashioned maulvi or Sufi in dress and appearance. One day he will suddenly emerge from a madrasa or a khanqah cell, rosary in hand. He will immediately announce, “I am the Mahdi.” The ulama, pirs, and dervishes will appear with their books and recognize him after examining him according to the signs and description given in the books. Then the pledge of allegiance will be taken and jihad will be proclaimed. Dervishes engaged in spiritual retreats and all the traditional elders will gather under his banner. The sword will be used merely to fulfill the conditions, but in reality all activities will be carried out through blessings and spiritual power. Battles will continue to be won through blowing, incantations, and wirds. Any unbeliever upon whom Imam Mahdi casts his gaze will immediately writhe and die. Tanks and bomber aircraft will be disabled by mere curses.

The author’s conception of the Mahdi

That is the general popular conception of the appearance of Imam Mahdi, as described above. But what I understand is completely opposite. I think the one who comes will be the leader of his age. He will possess scholarly insight into all the knowledge and sciences of the age. He will understand all the complex problems of life. Through intellectual and philosophical statecraft, political wisdom, and military strategy, he will exert his influence over the entire world. He will rise to the summit of all the innovations of his age. I fear that the maulvis and Sufi gentlemen will raise an outcry against his innovations. Nor do I think that, in physical constitution, he will be so different from ordinary people that he can be recognized merely by seeing him. Nor do I think that he will announce himself as the Mahdi. Perhaps he himself will not know that he is the promised Mahdi. It may even be that, after his death, the people of the world will learn that he was the very person who established the Caliphate in the manner of prophethood and whose coming had been foretold.

Being the Mahdi is not something to claim

I have indicated earlier that no one besides a prophet possesses such a rank that he may begin his work by making a claim. No one besides a prophet can even know for what task he has been appointed. Being the Mahdi is not something to claim; it is something to demonstrate through one’s deeds. Those who make such claims, and those who believe in them, both demonstrate, in my view, a lack of knowledge and baseness of character.

The nature of the Mahdi’s work

My understanding of the nature of the Mahdi’s work differs from that of these gentlemen. I see no place in this work for kashf, karamat, ilham, chilla, muraqaba, mushahada, or similar practices. I believe that just as a revolutionary leader must advance through immense struggle and conflict in the world, so too must the Mahdi. On the foundation of pure Islam, he will create a new field or path of thought (School of Thought). He will transform people’s mentality. He will build a great movement that will be both civilizational and political. Jahiliyyah will try with all its strength to eradicate it, but ultimately he will overthrow the Jahili political system and establish a powerful Islamic state. In it, on the one hand, the life-force of Islam will be infused, and on the other, scientific advancement will reach its zenith. As stated in the Hadith, under his rule both the inhabitants of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth will be pleased. Heaven will pour down its blessings wholeheartedly, and the earth will cast forth all its treasures from within.

The Prophet’s Prophecy concerning the Coming of the Messiah (peace be upon him)

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Hadiths Related to This Matter

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“It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: By Him in whose hand is my life, Ibn Maryam will certainly descend among you as a just ruler. Then he will break the cross and kill the swine—[Breaking the cross and killing the swine means that Christianity will come to an end as an independent religion. The entire structure of the Christian religion is founded on the belief that God crucified His only son, Jesus (Hazrat Isa), and subjected him to a death of curse, thereby providing atonement for the sins of humankind. Among the communities of the prophets, the distinctive feature of the Christians is that they remained satisfied with creeds and beliefs alone and rejected the whole of the Shariah. They even made swine lawful, although it had been forbidden in the Shariah of all the prophets. When Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) returns and himself declares, ‘I am neither the son of God nor the atonement for anyone’s sin,’ no foundation of Christian belief will remain. When he further says that he neither made swine lawful for his followers nor freed them from the restrictions of the Shariah, the second distinctive feature of Christianity will also come to an end.] and declare the end of war. In another narration, the word ‘jizyah’ occurs instead of ‘war.’ That is, he will abolish jizyah.—[According to another account, this means that at that time the differences among all religions and groups will end and all will become part of a single religious community. Consequently, there will be neither war nor any need to impose jizyah on anyone. The same is stated in Hadiths 5 and 15 below.] Then wealth will become so abundant that no one will be willing to accept it. At that time, one prostration before God will be better than the whole world.” —(Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad)

In another narration, these words of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) are found:

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“The Hour will not come until Jesus (peace be upon him) descends. Then the words mentioned above occur.” —(Bukhari, Ibn Majah)

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“Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: What will your condition be when Ibn Maryam descends among you while your leader is one of your own?” —(Bukhari, Musnad Ahmad)—[That is, Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) will not lead the prayer. Rather, he will pray behind the imam of the Muslims who has been their imam from before.]

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“Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Jesus, son of Mary, will descend. Then he will kill the swine and eradicate the cross. The prayer will be gathered for him, and he will distribute so much wealth that there will be no one to accept it. He will abolish the land tax and, staying at a place called Rawha—[Rawha is a place situated thirty-five miles from Medina]—he will perform Hajj or Umrah, or both.” —[It should be noted that the person who has been called the likeness of Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) in this age performed neither Hajj nor Umrah in his lifetime.] [The narrator does not remember what the Prophet (peace be upon him) said.] —(Musnad Ahmad, Muslim)

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“Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that, after mentioning the appearance of the Dajjal, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Muslims will be preparing to fight the Dajjal, and after lining up for prayer, the takbir will continue to be pronounced. At that moment Jesus, son of Mary, will descend and lead the Muslims in prayer. The enemy of Allah—that is, the Dajjal—will begin to melt as soon as he sees him, just as salt melts in water. If Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) were to leave him in that state, he would die after melting away, but Allah Almighty will cause the Dajjal to be killed by his hand, and he will show the Muslims the blood of the Dajjal on his weapon.” —(Mishkat, citing Muslim)

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“It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: There is no prophet between me and him—that is, Hazrat Isa. He will descend. Therefore, when you see him, recognize him. He will be a man of medium build, with a complexion combining red and white. He will be wearing two yellow garments. The hair of his head will appear as though water is dripping from it, although his body will not be wet. He will fight people for Islam. He will shatter the cross. He will kill the swine. He will abolish jizyah. Allah Almighty will eliminate all religious communities adhering to doctrines other than Islam. He will kill the Dajjal. He will remain in the world for forty years. Then he will die, and the Muslims will perform his funeral prayer.” —(Abu Dawud, Musnad Ahmad)

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“It is narrated from Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Then Jesus, son of Mary, will descend. The commander of the Muslims will say to him, ‘Come and lead the prayer.’ He will say, ‘No. You are commanders of one another.’—[That is, your commander should be from among yourselves.] He will give this answer in consideration of the honor Allah Almighty has granted this community.” —(Muslim, Musnad Ahmad)

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“Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), speaking about the trial of Ibn Sayyad, says that Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then requested, ‘O Messenger of Allah, permit me to kill him.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, ‘If he is that very person—that is, the Dajjal—you are not his killer. Rather, Jesus, son of Mary, will kill him. And if he is not that person, then you have no right to kill one bound by a covenant—that is, a protected non-Muslim.’” —(Mishkat, citing Sharh al-Sunnah by Baghawi)

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“While relating the story of the Dajjal, Jabir ibn Abdullah says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: At that time Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) will suddenly come among the Muslims. The people will stand for prayer and will be told, ‘O Spirit of Allah, step forward.’ But he will say, ‘No. Your imam should step forward and lead the prayer.’ After completing the dawn prayer, the people will set out to confront the Dajjal. The Prophet said: When that liar sees Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him), he will continue melting as salt melts in water. Hazrat Isa will advance toward him and kill him. Then the trees, plants, hills, and mountains will cry out, ‘O Spirit of Allah! This Jew is hiding behind me.’ There will be no one among the Dajjal’s followers whom Hazrat Isa (peace be upon him) will not kill.” —(Musnad Ahmad)

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“While relating the story of the Dajjal, Nawwas ibn Sam‘an al-Kilabi says: When the Dajjal is doing these things, Allah Almighty will send the Messiah, son of Mary. He will descend near the white minaret in the eastern part of Damascus, wearing two yellow garments and resting his hands on the arms of two angels. When he moves his head, it will seem as though water is dripping from it. When he raises his head, the drops of water will be seen sparkling like pearls. His breath will extend as far as his sight reaches, and no unbeliever upon whom it falls will remain alive. Then the son of Mary will pursue the Dajjal and catch him at the gate of Ludd—[It should be noted that Ludd is situated a few miles from Tel Aviv, the capital of the state of Israel in Palestine. The Jews have built a large airbase there.]—and kill him.” —(Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

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“Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: The Dajjal will emerge from among my community and remain for forty—I do not know whether forty days, forty months, or forty years—[these are the words of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As himself.] Then Allah Almighty will send Jesus, son of Mary. He will resemble Urwah ibn Masud, one of the Companions. He will pursue the Dajjal and kill him. Then seven years will pass in such a way that there will be no enmity between even two people.” —(Muslim)

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“Hudhayfah ibn Asid al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Once the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) came to us while we were talking among ourselves. He asked, ‘What are you discussing?’ We replied, ‘We are discussing the Hour.’ The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘The Hour will certainly not come until ten signs appear.’ Then he said: The ten signs are: (1) smoke, (2) the Dajjal, (3) the Beast of the Earth, (4) the rising of the sun from the west, (5) the descent of Jesus, son of Mary, (6) Gog and Magog, (7) three great earthquakes—one in the east, (8) one in the west, (9) one in Arabia, and finally (10) a great fire that will rise from Yemen and drive people toward the field of Resurrection.” —(Muslim, Abu Dawud)

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“Thawban, the freed slave of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), says: The Prophet said: Among my community there will be two armies whom Allah has saved from the Fire of Hell. One army will attack Hindustan, and the other will be with Jesus, son of Mary.”

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“Mujammi ibn Jariyah al-Ansari says: I heard the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) say: The son of Mary will kill the Dajjal at the gate of Ludd.” —(Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

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“Abu Umamah al-Bahili, while mentioning the Dajjal in a lengthy Hadith, says: Just when the imam of the Muslims steps forward to lead the dawn prayer, Jesus, son of Mary, will descend there. The imam will step back so that Jesus may come forward, but Jesus (peace be upon him) will place his hands between the imam’s shoulders and say, ‘No, you lead, for this prayer has been established for you.’ Thus he—the previous imam—will lead the prayer. Then Jesus (peace be upon him) will say, ‘Open the door.’ The door will be opened, and the Dajjal will be seen standing with seventy thousand armed Jews. The moment his gaze falls upon Hazrat Isa, he will begin to melt, as salt melts in water. He will then flee. Jesus (peace be upon him) will say, ‘I have a blow for you from my hand from which you will not escape.’ Then he will catch him at the eastern gate of Ludd. Thereafter Allah Almighty will cause the Jews to be defeated…and the world will be filled with Muslims just as a vessel is filled with water. Then the word of the whole world will become one, and none but Allah will be worshipped and obeyed.” —(Ibn Majah)

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“Uthman ibn Abi al-As says: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say: ….. and Jesus, son of Mary (peace be upon him), will descend at dawn. The commander of the Muslims will say to him, ‘O Spirit of Allah, lead the prayer.’ He will say, ‘The people of this community are commanders of one another.’ Then the commander of the Muslims will go forward and lead the prayer. After the prayer, Jesus (peace be upon him) will rush toward the Dajjal with his weapon. He will kill him. His companion will flee in defeat, but he will find refuge nowhere. The trees will cry out, ‘O believer! The unbeliever is here.’” —(Musnad Ahmad, Tabarani, Hakim)

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“Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Then, in the morning, Jesus, son of Mary, will come among the Muslims. Allah will defeat the Dajjal and his forces. Even the walls and the roots of the trees will cry out, ‘O believer, an unbeliever is hiding behind me; come and kill him.’” —(Musnad Ahmad, Hakim)

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“Imran ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: There will always be a group among my community that remains steadfast upon the truth and is unbearable to its opponents. Then the decree of Allah Almighty will come, and Jesus, son of Mary, will descend.” —(Musnad Ahmad)

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“Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), while discussing the story of the Dajjal, says: Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend and kill him. Then he will remain in the world for forty years as a just imam and righteous ruler.” —(Musnad Ahmad)

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“Shafinah, the freed slave of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him), relates, while discussing the story of the Dajjal: Then Jesus (peace be upon him) will descend, and Allah Almighty will destroy the Dajjal near the Afik—[Afik, whose present name is ‘Qayek,’ is the last city of Syria, situated on the Syrian-Israeli border. A lake called Tiberias lies a few miles to its west, from which the Jordan River flows. To its southwest, a sloping route through the mountains reaches a place 1,500–2,000 feet deep, from which the Jordan River emerges from the middle of Tiberias. This mountain pass is called Aqabah Afik or the Afik base.]—base.” —(Musnad Ahmad)

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“Hazrat Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), speaking about the Dajjal, says: Then, when the Muslims stand for prayer, Jesus, son of Mary, will descend before their eyes. He will lead the Muslims in prayer. After completing the prayer, he will say to the people, ‘Move away from between me and that enemy of God.’ Allah will grant victory over the Dajjal and his companions, and then over the Muslims. The Muslims will continue annihilating them. Even the trees and stones will cry out, ‘O Abdullah, O Abd al-Rahman, O Muslim, here is a Jew—kill him.’ Thus Allah will eliminate them. The Muslims will be victorious, the cross will be destroyed, the swine will be killed, and jizyah will be abolished.”

[Hakim’s Mustadrak; a brief narration is also found in Muslim. Hafiz Ibn Hajar, in Fath al-Bari (vol. 6, p. 450), has mentioned this Hadith as authentic.]

In all, these twenty-one Hadiths have been recorded from fourteen Companions in highly reliable Hadith collections. Although this subject appears in many other Hadiths as well, they have not been quoted out of concern that the volume of the book might increase. Only those that are highly reliable in terms of their chains of transmission have been quoted here.

The notion of being the counterpart of the Messiah (peace be upon him) is erroneous

Anyone who studies these Hadiths will see for himself that they contain no mention whatsoever of a ‘Promised Messiah’ or a ‘counterpart of the Messiah’ or the ‘manifestation of the Messiah,’ and so forth. Nor is there any basis for anyone born in this age from a human father to claim, ‘I am that Messiah whose coming was prophesied by the Last Prophet (peace be upon him).’ These Hadiths clearly and unambiguously give the glad tidings of the descent of that Jesus (peace be upon him) who was born two thousand years ago in the womb of Hazrat Maryam without a father.

The Dajjal and His Advent

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The Time of the Dajjal’s Advent Is Not Specified

If one takes an overall view of the contents of all the hadiths narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) concerning the Dajjal, it becomes clear that the knowledge Allah granted the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) about this matter extended only to the fact that a great tyrant called the Dajjal would appear. He would be defined by possessing these characteristics. But the Prophet was not told when he would appear, where he would appear, or whether he had been born during the Prophet’s lifetime or would be born at some later time.

The Prophet’s Various Conjectures

From the discrepancies in the contents of the statements narrated from the Prophet (peace be upon him) on this subject, and from his manner of expression, it becomes clear that he made these statements not on the basis of revelation, but as conjectures. At times he held that the Dajjal would emerge from Khurasan; at other times he said from Isfahan. On yet other occasions he said from the region between Syria and Iraq. Regarding a Jewish boy who was probably born in Madinah in the second or third year after the Hijrah, he entertained the suspicion that perhaps this boy was the Dajjal. One final narration states that in the ninth year after the Hijrah, a Christian priest from Palestine, Tamim al-Dari, came and accepted Islam, and related a story to the Prophet. He said that once, while traveling by sea—perhaps on the Roman Sea or the Arabian Sea—he reached an uninhabited island. There he met a strange man who said that he himself was the Dajjal. The Prophet (peace be upon him) saw no reason to regard this account as false, but expressed doubt, saying, “According to his account, the Dajjal must be in the Roman Sea or the Arabian Sea, but I think he will emerge from the east.”

Two Parts of the Holy Prophet’s StatementTwo Parts of the Holy Prophet’s Statement

If someone considers all these differing narrations together and is familiar with the science of hadith and the fundamental principles of the faith, it should not be difficult for him to understand that the statements of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) on this matter fall into two parts.

The first part is that the Dajjal will certainly appear, that he will have this description, and that he will create tribulation. This is absolutely certain news given by the Messenger (peace be upon him) from Allah. There is no discrepancy among the narrations on this point.

The Distinct Status of the Second Part

The second part concerns where and when the Dajjal will appear and who that person will be. The narrations on this subject are not merely varied; they also contain doubt and use conjectural wording. For example, concerning Ibn Sayyad, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Umar: If this is the Dajjal, then you are not his killer. And if he is not, then you have no right to kill a protected non-Muslim. Or, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) says in a hadith: If he appears during my lifetime, I will confront him. If he appears after me, then my Lord is the supporter and helper of every believer.

The religious and fundamental status of this second part is not, and cannot be, the same as that of the first part. Anyone who includes the details of this part among the articles of Islamic creed is mistaken; indeed, it is not correct to assert the truth of every one of its elements. The Prophet had doubts about Ibn Sayyad and thought that perhaps he was the Dajjal. Umar swore that he was indeed the Dajjal. Yet he became a Muslim, lived in the Two Sanctuaries, died while believing in Islam, and the Muslims performed his funeral prayer. Now tell me: what room is there today for retaining suspicion about Ibn Sayyad? Tamim al-Dari’s account was regarded at the time as almost certainly true. Tamim al-Dari had seen the person he described imprisoned thirteen and a half centuries ago. Is the fact that he has not appeared during this long period not sufficient to prove that the report given to Tamim al-Dari that he was the Dajjal was not true? Even in the time of the Holy Prophet, there was a suspicion that the Dajjal might appear during his lifetime or shortly after it. But is it not true that thirteen and a half centuries have passed and the Dajjal has still not come? To regard all this as part of Islamic creed and simply reproduce and narrate it can be called neither a correct representation of Islam nor a correct understanding of hadith. I have already said that in matters of this kind, if something does not materialize according to the Prophet’s conjecture, supposition, or apprehension, this in no way harms the dignity of prophethood. Nor does it strike at the belief in the Prophet’s sinlessness. The Shariah has not compelled us to believe in such matters either. The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained this fundamental truth in the hadith concerning the pollination of date palms.

Guidance from the Prophet’s Own Explanation

Which of the Prophet’s statements arose from his conjecture, which expressed his personal opinion, and which rested on knowledge granted by God has often been made clear in his own explanations. At other times it can also be known from the surrounding circumstances. Take, for example, the hadith concerning the Dajjal. The Prophet’s own explanation shows that he had not been given any knowledge from Allah about the place or time of the Dajjal’s appearance or his identity. His doubt concerning Ibn Sayyad was so pronounced that Umar swore in his presence that Ibn Sayyad was the Dajjal. The Prophet did not object, but when Umar asked permission to kill him, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

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“If he is indeed the Dajjal, you will not be able to overcome him. And if he is not, there is no benefit for you in killing him.” —(Muslim, discussion of the Dajjal

context)

In another hadith, while mentioning the Dajjal, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

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“If he emerges during my lifetime, I will confront him. If he emerges after my death, then each person will confront him on his own behalf. Allah is the protector of every Muslim after me.” —(Muslim, discussion of the Dajjal)

When Tamim al-Dari related to the Prophet (peace be upon him) the story of meeting the Dajjal during his sea voyage, the Prophet neither accepted it outright nor considered it false. Rather, he said:(Arabic*********************************************************)

“I liked Tamim’s account. It agrees with what I tell you about the Dajjal.” Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) continued:(Arabic**********************************************************)

“No, rather he is in the Syrian Sea or the Sea of Yemen. No, rather, in the east.” These narrations make their meaning clear by themselves.

The Prophecy of the Killing of Ammar ibn Yasir

The following saying of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) concerning Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) was widely known among the Companions, and many Companions heard it directly from the Prophet: (Arabic*****************) “A rebellious group will kill you.” —[This narration has been recorded in such hadith collections as Musnad Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Tabarani, Bayhaqi, and Musnad Abu Dawud, on the authority of Abu Sa’id al-Khudri, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari, Umm Salamah, Abdullah ibn Masud, Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As, Abu Hurayrah, Uthman ibn Affan, Hudhayfah, Abu Ayyub, Abu Rafi, Khuzaymah ibn Thabit, Amr ibn al-As, Abu al-Yusr, Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with them all), and many other Companions. Ibn Sa‘d also transmitted it through several chains in his Tabaqat.]

Ibn Abd al-Barr wrote in Al-Isti‘ab that it has been transmitted successively from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that a rebellious group would kill Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him), and that it is one of the most authentic hadiths.

Ten Signs of the Approaching Hour

It is narrated from Muslim ibn Hudhayfah ibn Asid al-Ghifari that the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Hour will not come until you see ten signs: the smoke, the Dajjal, the Beast of the Earth, the rising of the sun from the west, the descent of Jesus son of Mary, the emergence of Gog and Magog, and three great landslides—the first in the east, the second in the west, and the third in Arabia. Finally, a terrifying fire will rise and drive people toward the place of gathering. (That is, the Hour will come immediately afterward.) In another hadith, mentioning the outbreak and spread of Gog and Magog, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that at that time the Hour would be so near as a woman close to giving birth who cannot say at what moment her child will be born, by night or by day.

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Chapter 12 — The Theoretical Dishonesty of Orientalists Regarding the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

[In the works produced by these Western Orientalists concerning Islam, the Qur’an, and the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), they have inserted countless absurd and irrational statements. These have also been publicized under the attractive name of research. Even in the writings of moderate authors such as William Muir, produced under this pretense of research, one finds such ridiculous statements about the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Islam that, in the eyes of an impartial reader, all the knowledge and research of the Orientalists becomes insignificant. The first objective of all this extensive research work was to create a screen by erecting a wall of narrow nationalism, under the mentality produced by the Crusades, in order to protect Christians from the influence of Islam. Its second objective was to give people ignorant of Islam false ideas about it and plunge them into doubt and suspicion. Despite this, for a century the Orientalists have assumed the role of teachers for our modern classes concerning Islam and the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him). And those inexperienced in Islam, reading their writings, have fallen into such doubts and raised such objections against their own faith that every seeker of truth has been given cause to be astonished and an opportunity to learn from this.]

In the course of the extensive reorganization of Islamic knowledge that the honorable author of this book undertook as an interpreter of Islam in the subjects covered by it, he had no alternative in some places but to raise objections to the writings of the Orientalists. Without breaking through the web of errors spun by these researchers who distort the truth, it is not possible to lead the modern educated society of the Muslim nation to Islam’s correct sources.

Therefore, wherever the learned author, in writing the biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him), pointed in his own work to the errors and shortcomings of the Orientalists, those necessary portions that have come to our notice have been incorporated in this chapter.

Before studying the contents of this chapter, readers should bear in mind that the author has not provided an exhaustive analysis of all the mistakes made and all the various errors created by the Orientalists concerning Islam and the Prophet (peace be upon him). This is because no complete book or essay has been written with all the works of the Orientalists as its subject. Discussion has been undertaken only where necessary and as circumstances allowed. Answers to many more objections raised by the Orientalists concerning the life of the Messenger (peace be upon him) are included in various chapters, although the objectors’ statements have not been quoted.

It is important to make clear here that, regarding the subject matter of this chapter, the question of where it should be incorporated into the book became a matter of considerable concern for us. After reflection, we included it among the fundamental subjects as well. This is because the other essays in this volume are important in that their study is essential for understanding the Prophet’s life and character; in that context, studying this article on the writings of the Orientalists will remove the obstacles that stand in the way of understanding the Sirah.

The first paragraph of this chapter is very brief but broad in meaning. This paragraph of only a few sentences has been set apart so that the learned author’s viewpoint may come clearly into view. —(The Compilers)]

The Irrational Methodology of the Orientalists

Before undertaking any research or investigation, these ill-natured people decide for themselves that the Qur’an cannot be acknowledged as a book revealed by Allah. They therefore search for evidence and proofs somewhere or other and claim that whatever the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in the name of the Qur’an is nothing but essays and information stolen from some other source. In this method of investigation, they indulge in deceit with such shamelessness and create such an uproar throughout the world that it spontaneously arouses disgust, compelling one to say: If this is what is called knowledge and research, then curse that knowledge and curse that research.

The Story of the Monk Bahira

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“Those who refused to listen to the Prophet (peace be upon him) say that this Furqan is fabricated—this man himself has composed it and some other people have helped him in this work. What they say is a great wrong and a lie. They say that it is the writings of an ancient people, which this man has had copied and which are recited to him morning and evening. O Muhammad, tell them: It has been sent down by One who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth. Indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” —(Surah al-Furqan 4–6)

This is the very accusation that the Orientalists of the present age make against the Qur’an.

Why Did the Prophet’s People Not Make This Accusation?

What is astonishing is that none of the Prophet’s contemporaneous enemies said, “When you met the monk Bahira in your childhood, you learned all this from him.” Nor did they say, “When you traveled abroad for trade in your youth, you acquired this knowledge from Christian priest-monks and Jewish rabbis.” They did not say these things because they knew all the circumstances of those journeys from beginning to end. He did not make those journeys alone; he traveled with his own caravan. They knew that if they accused him of learning anything from someone, hundreds of people in their own city would call them liars. Moreover, every ordinary person in Makkah would say to them, “If this man had acquired all this knowledge from Bahira at the age of twelve or thirteen, he did not live anywhere outside; rather, he lived among us. Then what could be the reason that this knowledge remained hidden until he was forty, and during all that time not a single word came from his mouth to indicate that he possessed such knowledge?”

This was the main reason why the disbelievers of Makkah did not dare to make such a tremendous false accusation. Perhaps they left this task to the more shameless people of later times.

What Was the Accusation of the Disbelievers of Makkah?

What they said did not concern the period before prophethood, but rather the period when the call to prophethood was being proclaimed. They said, “This man is illiterate. It is impossible for him to acquire knowledge through study on his own, because he had learned nothing before. None of what is now coming from his mouth was known to him until he reached the age of forty. So where does he now get all this knowledge? The source of his knowledge must therefore be the books of earlier peoples. At night, passages from those books are secretly translated and copied for him. He has someone read them to him, memorizes them, and recites them to us during the day.”

Some narrations indicate that they even named certain people in this regard who were People of the Book, literate, and living in Makkah. Their names were Addas (the freedman of Huwaytib ibn Abd al-Uzza), Yasar (the freedman of Ala ibn al-Hadrami), and Jabr (the freedman of Amir ibn Rabi‘ah).

On the surface, this appears to be a very significant accusation. What accusation could be more important for rejecting the claim of revelation than identifying the source of the knowledge? Yet one is immediately astonished to see that no evidence or proof was presented in response to this accusation. Rather, the matter was concluded simply by saying that a clear injustice was being done to the truth and that a storm of falsehood was being created. This is the word of the One who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth.

Is it not astonishing that such an important accusation was made in an atmosphere of extreme opposition and dismissed contemptuously? Was their accusation really so insignificant that merely calling it falsehood and injustice was sufficient as a response? If so, why did the public, after this brief reply, demand no detailed and clear answer, and why did it arouse no doubt in the minds of the new Muslims? Why did none of the opponents dare to say, “You see, because you were unable to answer our great accusation, you have merely evaded it by calling it ‘falsehood and injustice’?”

We find the answer in the very environment in which the opponents of Islam raised this accusation.

[For this answer, the author has recorded the following review. —(The Compilers)]

First Review

It would not have been difficult for them to raid the houses of those tyrants who used to beat Muslims one by one and make their lives unbearable, and whom they accused of teaching the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by translating old books for him, then bring out those belongings and display them before the public. While this secret activity was going on, they could have raided the place, summoned people, and said, “Look, look! Preparations for prophethood are being made here.” Those who could make Hazrat Bilal (RA) lie on scorching sand were not restrained in their actions by any law or regulation; by doing so, they could have permanently eliminated the “threat” of Muhammad’s prophethood. But they merely made verbal accusations and protests, and did not take the decisive step mentioned above even for a single day.

Second Review

The people whom they named as having translated and recited these materials were not outsiders; rather, they were residents of Makkah itself. Their abilities were no secret to anyone. Anyone with even a little common sense could see what an elevated matter the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had presented, how lofty its language was, how dignified its literature, how powerful its message, and how elevated its thought and expression. And what sort of people were those of whom it was being said that Muhammad (PBUH) had learned all this from them? Therefore, no one attached any importance to their accusation. Everyone thought that by making such allegations they were merely venting their resentment. Those who knew nothing about these people could at least have reflected: if these people had possessed such great ability, why did they not light their own lamps? Why did they need to supply oil for another’s lamp—and that too so secretly that they would receive no share of the fame of this work?

Third Review

The freed slaves whose names were being mentioned in this connection were not outsiders either. In the tribal society of Arabia, no individual could survive without the support of some powerful tribe. Even after being freed, a slave remained under the care of his former master. His master’s support was his means of survival in society. Now, if Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was running a false shop of prophethood—God forbid—through these freed slaves, then these people could not have become his partners in this conspiracy with sincerity and good intentions. Ultimately, could they have become the sincere associates and devoted followers of a man who would learn something from them at night and then proclaim before everyone by day that revelation had descended upon him from God? They could have assisted him in this work for some inducement or personal interest, but can any rational person imagine that these people displeased their patrons and joined Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in this conspiracy? He was cursed and condemned by the entire nation and was the target of its hostility. What inducement had brought these people to him? In the hope of gaining what benefit from this endangered man had they accepted the loss of separating themselves from their patrons? It should also be considered that these patrons had the opportunity to beat a confession of the conspiracy out of them. Why did they not make use of that opportunity, and why did the entire nation not extract from those slaves the confession that this man had learned from them and thereby made the shop of prophethood flourish?

Fourth Review

The most remarkable thing is that all of them believed in the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and held him in matchless devotion and reverence, just as the noble Companions (RA) did. Is it possible that those who had participated in his conspiracy not only believed in a false, fabricated prophethood—God forbid—but believed in it with profound devotion and reverence? And suppose that were possible: surely they would have held a special status among the believers. How could the business of prophethood have been run through Addas, Yasar, and Jabr, while Abu Bakr (RA), Umar (RA), and Abu Ubaidah (RA) were the Prophet’s (PBUH) right-hand men?

What is even more astonishing is this: if the materials for this enterprise had been prepared at night with the help of certain people, how could this have remained hidden from Zayd ibn Harithah (RA), Ali ibn Abi Talib (RA), Abu Bakr Siddiq (RA), and the other Companions, who stayed with Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) day and night like shadows?

Whoever heard this accusation attached no importance to it. Therefore, it was not mentioned in the Qur’an in order to answer it as an important accusation. Rather, it was mentioned to show how blindly they opposed the truth and how firmly resolved they were upon falsehood and injustice.

Discussion of Three Qur’anic Narratives

Orientalists, after examining three Qur’anic narratives, have alleged that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) collected the information from elsewhere and presented it as his own.

Before describing the objections and allegations of these Orientalists, it is necessary to know those narratives; otherwise, it will be difficult to understand the discussion that follows. —(The Compilers)

One: Hazrat Moses’ (AS) Journey to the Meeting Place of the Two Rivers

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“(Tell them this narrative) when Moses (AS) said to his servant, ‘I will not stop until I reach the junction of the two rivers, even if I continue traveling for a long time.’” —(Surah Al-Kahf: 60)

The purpose of relating this narrative at this point is to acquaint both disbelievers and Muslims with a profound truth: an entirely wrong conclusion is often drawn from what appears to happen in the world. This is because the hidden wisdom with which Allah Almighty acts is not visible to the observer. The rise of the wicked and the suffering of the innocent, the showering of wealth upon sinners and the trials faced by the righteous, the comfort enjoyed by evildoers and the distress of the pious—this is a scene displayed before human eyes every day. Since people do not know the secret behind these things, doubt and even false notions generally arise in their minds. The wicked disbeliever concludes from this that the world is a playground of anarchy, with no master or king; and if there is one, he is ineffective. Here everyone does whatever he wishes, and there is no one to call anyone to account. The believer becomes shaken. In such circumstances, Allah Almighty unveiled to Hazrat Moses (AS) some glimpses of the hidden wisdom behind His actions, so that he could understand how and for what purpose everything occurring in the world day and night takes place, and how the outward aspect of events differs from their inner reality.

Detailed Account of the Narrative

The Qur’an gives no explanation of when and where this incident involving Hazrat Moses (AS) took place. A narration by Awfi is found in a hadith. Quoting a statement of Ibn Abbas, he says that this incident occurred when Hazrat Moses (AS), after Pharaoh’s destruction, had resettled his people in Egypt; but the strong narration from Ibn Abbas quoted in Bukhari and other books does not support the above account

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Map relating to the story of Hazrat Moses and Khidr (AS)

Nor is there evidence from any other source that Hazrat Moses (AS) stayed in Egypt for any period after Pharaoh’s destruction. Rather, the Qur’an clearly states that after leaving Egypt, his entire life was spent in the valleys of Sinai and Tayma. Therefore, this account is unacceptable. However, when we consider the detailed account of this narrative, two matters become clear. One is that these observations were shown to Hazrat Moses (AS) at the early stage of his prophethood, because prophets need this kind of instruction and training at the beginning of their prophethood.

The second is that Hazrat Moses (AS) needed such observations at the time when the Israelites in Egypt faced precisely the situation that the Muslims faced in Makkah. We believe that for these two reasons—though Allah knows the actual state of affairs—this incident occurred when Pharaoh’s oppression and persecution of the Israelites was underway in Egypt, and Pharaoh and his courtiers, like the chiefs of Quraysh, thought that because no punishment had come upon them, there was no one above them to call them to account. Just like the oppressed Muslims of Makkah, the oppressed Muslims of Egypt cried out in anguish, “O God! How long will prosperity and comfort remain with these oppressors while calamity and hardship remain our lot?” Even Moses (AS) exclaimed:

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“O Lord! You have granted Pharaoh and his chiefs power, influence, and wealth in the life of this world. O God! Is this so that they may lead the world astray?”

If my assumption is correct, it may be supposed that Hazrat Moses’ (AS) journey was toward Sudan, and that the meeting place of the two rivers refers to the place near the present city of Khartoum where the two branches of the Nile flow into the Mediterranean Sea.

The Talmudic Account

The Bible is completely silent about this incident. The Talmud, however, contains an account, but it associates the incident not with Moses (AS) but with Rabbi Yahuhanan bin Labi. The account says that when this incident occurred, the rabbi was with Hazrat Ilyam (AS), who, after being taken from the world alive, was included among the angels. He was then appointed to manage the affairs of the world.

(The Talmud Selections by H. Polano, pp. 313–16).

Perhaps, like the events preceding the Exodus from Egypt, this incident was not accurately preserved in the books of the Israelites, and centuries later they attached parts of the narrative, taken from different places, to one another. Influenced by this Talmudic account, some Muslims said that the Moses mentioned here was not the Prophet Moses (AS), but another Moses. However, neither can every Talmudic account be regarded as authentic history, nor is there any reasonable basis for assuming that the Qur’an has mentioned an unknown Moses in this manner. Moreover, when reliable hadiths, in the narration of Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (RA), show that the Prophet himself (PBUH), while explaining this narrative, meant Moses—the prophet of the Israelites—by Moses, the Talmudic account cannot be acceptable to any Muslim.

As is their habit, the Orientalists have tried to investigate the source of this Qur’anic narrative as well. They identified three accounts and said that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) copied from them to construct this narrative and claimed that it had been revealed to him through revelation. One of the three is the Epic of Gilgamesh, the second is the Syriac Alexander Romance, and the third is the Jewish account mentioned above.

Four Questions for Cross-Examining the Orientalists

If they are asked to answer the following four questions, the mask of their hostile propaganda will be torn away:

First:What evidence do you have for claiming, merely because you found a few statements resembling the Qur’an in two or four ancient books, that the Qur’anic account was taken from them?

Second:If you compile a list of all the books in various languages that you have identified as sources of the Qur’anic narratives and accounts, it would become a library catalogue. Was any such library present in Makkah at that time? And if you say this on the basis of the two or three journeys Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) made outside Arabia, relying on translators of various languages, then the question is: during those commercial journeys, how many libraries did he copy or memorize? And why was there no indication in his speech, right up to the day before he proclaimed his prophethood, that he had acquired such knowledge?

Third:The disbelievers of Makkah, the Jews, and the Christians were investigating, just as you do, where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was bringing these words from. If he was speaking of something he had stolen, why did his contemporaries fail to catch him? They were repeatedly challenged that this Qur’an had been revealed by God and had no source other than revelation. They were told, “If you say it is merely a human word, then prove that a human being can produce such a thing.” This challenge broke the backs of the Prophet’s (PBUH) contemporary enemies. Yet they could not identify even one source from which the Qur’an could have originated—something that any sensible person might have believed, or even suspected.

The question now is: why did his contemporaries fail to uncover this secret, while today, thirteen or fourteen hundred years later, those who harbor hostility toward Islam have achieved such success in this matter?

Fourth:The final and important question is this: is it not possible that the Qur’an is a revealed Book of Allah and gives accurate information about events of the past that were distorted over several centuries as oral accounts passed among people and turned into legends? On what rational evidence was this possibility dismissed? Why was only one possibility made the basis of discussion and investigation—that the Qur’anic narratives were composed from those events that existed among people as legends in oral form? Can there be any reason for this other than religious prejudice and hostility?

Deep reflection on these questions compels one to conclude that whatever the Orientalists have presented in the name of “acquiring knowledge” is in reality not the work of seekers of knowledge at all.

Two: Pharaoh’s Resolve to Kill Moses (AS)

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“One day Pharaoh said to his chiefs, ‘Leave me; I will kill Moses, and let him call upon his god and see.’” —(Surah Al-Mu’min: 26).

The incident described from this verse through verse 45 is a highly important event in the history of the Israelites, which they have completely forgotten. There is no mention of it in the Bible or the Talmud, nor is the slightest trace of it found in their other accounts. Through the Qur’an alone, the entire world learned that this incident occurred during the conflict between Pharaoh and Moses (AS).

The Importance of This Narrative from the Perspective of Calling to the Truth

Everyone who is not blindly hostile to Islam and the Qur’an will certainly feel, upon reading this narrative, that it is extremely important from the perspective of the Islamic call. It would not be unreasonable to suppose that, influenced by Hazrat Moses’ (AS) personality, preaching, and miracles, someone among Pharaoh’s own council secretly believed and could not remain silent when he saw Pharaoh intent on killing Moses (AS). Yet it is not difficult to perceive how Western Orientalists, despite their grand claims to knowledge and investigation, are trying, out of blind hostility, to conceal the Qur’an’s clear truth. In the article entitled “Moses” in the Encyclopedia of Islam, the writer says of this narrative: “A Muslim from Pharaoh’s court tried to protect Moses (AS).” —The Qur’anic narrative is not clear (Surah 40: verse 28). Shall we compare it with the narrative in the Haggadah, where it is said that Hithro advised Pharaoh’s court to show forgiveness and generosity?

Creating Confusion by Those Who Claim to Investigate

Those who claim to investigate seem to have firmly decided that they must find fault with every statement in the Qur’an. If no basis can be found for finding fault with something in the Qur’an, then at least enough confusion must be spread to make the statement appear unclear. Then the readers’ minds must gradually be filled with the suspicion that the incident of Hithro described in the Haggadah, before Moses’ (AS) birth, was heard by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from somewhere and presented by him in this form. This is the method of “investigation” adopted by these people regarding Islam, the Qur’an, and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

Three: Objection Regarding the Duration of the Companions of the Cave’s Stay in the Cave

Some Orientalists refuse to accept this incident as resembling the story of the Companions of the Cave because the Qur’an says that the duration of their stay in the cave was three hundred and nine years. But in Note 25 of this Surah we have analyzed that, in our view, the statement that their stay lasted three hundred and nine years in verse 25 is the statement of people, not the statement of Allah Almighty. The proof is that in the following verse Allah Almighty Himself says: “Say, Allah knows best how long they remained.” If Allah Himself had mentioned three hundred and nine years, there would be no meaning in saying this. On this basis, Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (RA) adopted the interpretation that this is not the statement of Allah, but rather the statement of human beings.

Gibbon’s Audacity

There are some minor differences between the Syriac account and the Qur’anic account, on the basis of which Gibbon has charged the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with “ignorance.” Yet he himself knows that the account on which he placed such credulous reliance, and on the basis of which he displayed such audacity, was written down by a Syrian only thirty or forty years after the event took place. During such a long interval, an oral account inevitably undergoes some discrepancy as it passes from one country to another. To suppose that such an account is true to the letter, and that any disagreement in it constitutes an error in the Qur’an itself, is characteristic only of those reckless people who, blinded by religious hostility, disregard the ordinary demands of knowledge and reason.

Testimony of Christian Writers

The earliest testimony to this story is found in the sermon of a Syrian Christian priest named James of Sarug, which was written in Syriac. He was born in 452 CE, a few years after the death of the Companions of the Cave, and composed this sermon around 474 CE. In this sermon he gave a detailed account of the event. On the one hand, this Syriac account came into the hands of the early exegetes, and Ibn Jarir al-Tabari quoted it from various sources in his Tafsir. On the other hand, the account also reached the Europeans, was translated into Greek and Latin, and an exposition of it was published. In the twenty-third chapter of his work The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, in the essay entitled “The Seven Sleepers,” the account Gibbon gave of this story from the aforementioned source agrees so closely with the accounts of our exegetes that it appears both stories were related from the same source. For example, our exegetes say that the ruler from whose tyranny and oppression the Companions of the Cave sought refuge in a mountain cave was named Daqyanus or Damyus. Gibbon says that his name was Caesar Decius, who ruled the Roman Empire from 249 to 251 CE, and whose reign was disgraced by his persecution of the followers of Jesus (peace be upon him). Our exegetes say that the city where this event took place was called Ephesus. Gibbon calls it Ephesus. It was a great Roman city and port situated on the western coast of Asia Minor. Its ruins can still be seen thirty or forty miles south of the present-day Turkish city of Smyrna. Then, concerning the ruler during whose reign the Companions of the Cave awoke from sleep, our exegetes say that his name was Theodosius, while Gibbon says it was Caesar Theodosius II. After embracing Christianity, he was Caesar of Rome from 408 to 450 CE. The similarity between the two accounts was so extensive that the person whom the cave-dwellers sent to the market to buy food after awakening is called Yamlika by the exegetes and Jamblichus by Gibbon.

Harmony between the two divergent accounts

The detailed accounts of the story are alike in both versions. Their summary is as follows: During the reign of Caesar Decius, when the Christians were undergoing terrible persecution, seven young men took refuge in a mountain cave. Then, in the thirty-eighth year of Caesar Theodosius’s reign—that is, in 445 or 446 CE—they awoke from sleep. By that time, the entire Roman Empire had become followers of Jesus (peace be upon him). Accordingly, the period they spent in the cave amounted to approximately 196 years.

References

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2. Introduction to Tafhim al-Qur’an

3. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-A‘raf, Note 135

4. Tafhimat, vol. 1, pp. 9–17

5. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nahl, Note 9

6. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nahl, Note 10

7. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nahl, Note 14

8. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ta-Ha, Note 23

9. Diniyat (Introduction to Islam), pp. 52–55

10. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Baqarah, Note 23

11. Diniyat (Introduction to Islam), pp. 52–55

12. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 74

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14. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al ‘Imran, Note 48

15. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nisa’, Note 208

16. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nisa’, Note 94

17. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Tawbah, Note 32

18. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-A‘raf, Note 44

19. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-A‘raf, Note 44

20. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-A‘raf, Note 88

21. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Qasas, Note 66

22. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nisa’, Note 94

23. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Kahf, Note 94

24. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al ‘Imran, Note 17

25. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Anbiya’, Note 91

26. Rasa’il wa Masa’il, vol. 1, pp. 25–27

27. Rasa’il wa Masa’il, vol. 1, pp. 34–36

28. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Tahrim, Introduction

29. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Bani Isra’il, Note 1

30. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yusuf, Note 66

31. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Anbiya’, Note 49

32. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Hud, Note 50

33. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yusuf, Note 22

34. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Anbiya’, Note 70

35. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Anbiya’, Note 87

36. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nisa’, Note 204

37. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Shura, Note 1

38. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nahl, Note 56

39. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Shura, Note 81

40. Rasa’il wa Masa’il, vol. 2, pp. 348–351

41. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Saffat, Note 60

42. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nahl, Note 56

43. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Qasas, Note 10

44. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nisa’, Note 204

45. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 20

46. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Hud, Note 13

47. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Shura, Note 83

48. The Political Issue and Its Political, Religious, and Cultural Aspects, pp. 247–250

49. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 21

50. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Qasas, Note 64

51. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Ra‘d, Note 31

52. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Hajj, Note 110

53. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Hud, Note 34

54. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Nahl, Note 3

55. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Bani Isra’il, Note 103

56. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Shura, Note 83

57. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-An‘am, Note 61

58. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Shura, Note 25

59. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Sajdah, Note 5

60. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Fatir, Note 71

61. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Bayyinah, Note 3

62. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Bayyinah, Note 3

63. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Bayyinah, Introduction

64. Diniyat (Introduction to Islam), pp. 57–60

65. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Zukhruf, Note 4

66. Tafhimat, vol. 1, pp. 238–255

67. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-‘Ankabut, Note 91

68. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 88

69. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 89

70. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 90

71. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 21

72. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Shura, Note 84

73. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Qasas, Note 109

74. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Bayyinah, Note 4

75. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Sajdah, Note 1

76. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Saff, Note 7

77. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-A‘raf, Note 113

78. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah al-Saff, Note 8

79. Radio Lectures, pp. 13–19

80. Radio Lectures, pp. 28–38

81. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 3, p. 149

82. Diniyat (Introduction to Islam), pp. 55–57, 71–72

83. Diniyat (Introduction to Islam), pp. 71–75

84. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Saba, Note 47

85. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Fatir, Notes 44–45

86. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Anbiya, Note 100

87. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 55

88. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Furqan, Note 66

89. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Furqan, Note 4

90. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Anbiya, Note 1

91. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al Imran, Note 69

92. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-A‘raf, Note 28

93. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Ahzab, Note 15

94. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yunus, Note 23

95. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 2, pp. 321–29

96. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 2, pp. 329–335

97. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 1, pp. 30–32

98. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 1, Appendix

99. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 3, pp. 164–67

100. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 3, pp. 151–154

101. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 3, pp. 154–57

102. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 3, pp. 157–62

103. Tafhimat (Abridged), Vol. 1, pp. 158–162

104. Tafhimat (Abridged), Vol. 1, pp. 98–113

105. Tafhimat, Vol. 1, pp. 288–317

106. Tafhimat, Vol. 1, pp. 273–81

107. The Legal Status of the Sunnah, pp. 78–85, and Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah An-Nahl, Note 40

108. The Legal Status of the Sunnah, pp. 78–85

109. The Islamic Message, pp. 465–66

110. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah An-Nisa, Note 89

111. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Qiyamah, Note 13

112. The Legal Status of the Sunnah, pp. 93–95

113. The Legal Status of the Sunnah, p. 121

114. The Legal Status of the Sunnah, pp. 121–125

115. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Jumu‘ah, Note 14

116. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-‘Alaq, Note 10

117. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Bani Isra’il, Note 107

118. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Furqan, Notes 14–16

119. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-An‘am, Note 31

120. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah An-Nahl, Note 40

121. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Bani Isra’il, Note 108

122. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-A‘raf, Note 10

123. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Hud, Note 37

124. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 26

125. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Hud, Note 31

126. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 26

127. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ibrahim, Note 21

128. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ibrahim, Note 19

129. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ya-Sin, Note 107; Bani Isra’il, Note 95

130. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ya-Sin, Note 95

131. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Yusuf, Note 79

132. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-An‘am, Note 32

133. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ar-Ra‘d, Note 56

134. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ha-Mim As-Sajdah, Note 19

135. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Az-Zukhruf, Note 30

136. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Furqan, Note 14

137. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Furqan, Note 29

138. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Anbiya, Note 9

139. The Indian Freedom Movement and Muslims, Vol. 1, pp. 109–115 (The Indian Subcontinent’s Freedom Movement and Muslims)

140. The Religion of Truth, pp. 3–38

141. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Hud, Note 97

142. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Hud, Note 69

143. Renewal and Revivification of the Faith, pp. 13–34

144. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ash-Shura, Note 20; Surah Yusuf, Note 60; Surah Az-Zumar, Note 3; The Qur’an’s Four Basic Terms, pp. 129–43, 52–56 (The Qur’an’s Four Fundamental Terms)

145. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-A‘raf, Note 87

146. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Kahf, Note 23

147. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-‘Ankabut, Note 22

148. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-A‘raf, Note 58

149. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Baqarah, Notes 293–95

150. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Sad, Note 43

151. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 39

152. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-A‘raf, Note 90

153. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-A‘raf, Note 94

154. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-A‘raf, Note 95

155. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Al-A‘raf, Note 96

156. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Bani Isra’il, Note 113

157. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Bani Isra’il, Note 115

158. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ta-Ha, Note 53

159. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ash-Shu‘ara, Note 47

160. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah Ta-Ha, Note 59

161. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Surah An-Naml, Note 21

162. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 43

163. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Maryam, Note 16

164. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 17

165. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 19 (a)

166. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 20

167. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 20 (a)

168. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Mu’minun, Note 21

169. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-A’raf, Notes 151–152

170. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-An’am, Note 23

171. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ta-Ha, Note 116

172. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Ankabut, Note 88

173. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Ankabut, Note 91

174. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ar-Ra’d, Note 47

175. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ash-Shu’ara, Note 3

176. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ash-Shu’ara, Note 5

177. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Qamar, Note 1

178. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Muddaththir, Note 36; Surah Al-Baqarah, Note 281

179. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Baqarah, Note 282

180. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-An’am, Note 33

181. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Yunus, Note 24

182. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Yunus, Note 24

183. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Mu’min, Note 32

184. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Maryam, Note 52

185. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ta-Ha, Notes 85–86

186. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Kawthar, Note 1

187. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah An-Naba, Note 25

188. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Anbiya, Note 27

189. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Saba, Note 40

190. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Saba, Note 41

191. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ad-Dukhan, Note 37

192. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Hud, Note 84

193. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Hud, Note 106

194. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Hud, Note 106

195. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah An-Nahl, Note 64

196. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah An-Nahl, Note 79

197. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Hajj, Notes 124–125

198. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Az-Zumar, Note 62

199. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah An-Najm, Note 21

200. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ar-Ra’d, Note 19

201. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Surah Al-Munafiqun, Notes 13 and 14

202. Rasail-o-Masail, Vol. 2, pp. 329–350

203. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ad-Duha, Note 4

204. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ad-Duha, Note 5

205. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Jumu’ah, Note 6

206. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ad-Duha, Introduction

207. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ash-Sharh, Note 2

208. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ash-Sharh, Note 3

209. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ash-Sharh, Note 1

210. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Kawthar, Introduction

211. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Kawthar, Note 4

212. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Kawthar, Note 3

213. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Kawthar, Note 1

214. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Lahab, Note 1

215. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Bani Isra’il, Note 81

216. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Qamar, Note 24

217. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah As-Saffat, Note 94

218. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Sad, Note 12

219. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Ha-Mim As-Sajdah, Note 70

220. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Al-Qasas, Note 108

221. Tafhim-ul-Quran, Surah Bani Isra’il, Note 98

— The End —