A Few Words about the Third Bengali Edition

We had been publishing the second volume of Maulana Sayyid Abul A‘la Maududi’s (رح) renowned work Seerat-e-Sarwar-e-Alam in Bengali in three volumes—Volumes 3, 4, and 5. Considering the convenience of our readers, we have now decided to publish the Bengali Volumes 3 and 4 together in a single volume, and this edition has accordingly been published in that form.

The first Bengali volume primarily presents a theoretical discussion of prophethood and messengership. The second volume discusses the history of the destruction of bygone nations. Beginning with the third volume, the historical account of the Seerah of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), commences.

The Sayyid Abul A‘la Maududi Research Academy in Dhaka has planned to present all of the Maulana’s works to Bengali-speaking readers as quickly as possible. Alhamdulillah, all of his works have by now been translated into Bengali and published. The present work has been translated by the Maulana’s close associate, the distinguished man of letters Mr. Abbas Ali Khan. We do not think it necessary to tell discerning readers anew about the excellence of his translation, his mastery of word choice, and the strength of his language.

We offer thanks to Allah Almighty for enabling us to publish this work. May He grant all its readers the ability to understand the true mission of prophethood. Ameen.

Abdus Shahid Nasim

Director

Sayyid Abul A‘la Maududi Research Academy.

19.10.2000 CE

Islam is, in reality, the name of the movement that seeks to build the entire edifice of human life upon the concept and belief in the sovereignty of the One Allah. This movement has continued from the most ancient times upon the same foundation and according to the same method. It has been led by those whom Allah Almighty has called prophets and messengers. If we are to conduct this movement, we must necessarily follow the method of action of those leaders. For apart from this, no other method exists, nor can any other method exist, for this particular kind of movement. When we try to trace the footsteps of the noble prophets in this matter, we face enormous difficulty. We know little about the deeds and actions of the prophets who lived in ancient times. The Qur’an contains some brief indications, but the whole plan cannot be reconstructed from them. In the New Testament of the Bible, there are some unreliable sayings attributed to Jesus (peace be upon him), which, on the basis of certain evidence, shed light on one aspect: how the Islamic movement may be conducted at its very initial stage and what difficulties it must face. But Jesus (peace be upon him) did not have to face the later stages, and no indication of them is found. In this regard, we receive clear and complete guidance from only one source: the life of the Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (ﷺ). Our turning to him is not merely because we revere him; rather, we are compelled to turn to him in order to gain knowledge of the rises and falls along this path. Among all the leaders of the Islamic movement, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is the only leader whose life provides us with a complete and highly reliable account of every aspect of this movement—from its initial call to the establishment of an Islamic state, and thereafter the structure of the state, its constitution, its domestic and foreign policies, and the principles and methods of governing it.

Introduction

By wonderfully compiling together the discussions concerning messengership and the blessed Seerah from my various writings, Mr. Naeem Siddiqui and Mr. Abdul Wakeel Alvi prepared the first part of this work (Bengali Volumes 1 and 2). I did not feel any great need there for additions or revisions.

But the writings they compiled for this volume contained gaps here and there. No Seerah work could possibly be prepared with such gaps. Therefore, I have made extensive additions and expansions to it. It has now become a continuous and coherent work on the Seerah.

This (original) second volume concludes with the account of the Hijrah. The Madani chapter will begin immediately afterward. That chapter is essentially like an unfathomable ocean. I pray to Almighty Allah to grant me the strength and ability to complete this work and to make it beneficial for His servants.

Abul A‘la

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

Chapter One

The Status in Which the Qur’an Presents Its Bearer

Throughout the world, pure and righteous sages have continually been born for the guidance and direction of humanity; through their words and deeds, they have shown people the simple and straightforward path of truth and righteousness. Yet people have not merely opposed them or shown indifference to their message; their opponents persecuted them, rejected them, and tried to turn them away from the path of truth through suffering and hardship. Rather, their devoted followers also persecuted them, by corrupting their teachings after their departure, altering their guidance, misinterpreting the scriptures they brought, and turning their very personalities into objects of curiosity by coating them with a divine hue. The first kind of persecution was confined to the lifetimes of those pure sages, or at most to a few years after them. But the second kind continued for centuries after their passing, and many continue to suffer it even today.

All the callers to truth sent into the world to this day spent their lives eradicating the divinity of those false gods whom people had made into gods besides the One God. Yet it has always happened that, after they departed this world, their followers—on the basis of ignorant beliefs—made those very people gods or partners of God. They included them among the idols whose destruction the prophets had devoted their entire lives to achieving.

The actual matter is that people suffer from such doubt and misgiving that they have very little faith in the possibility and existence of purity and angelic qualities within humanity. They regard themselves as nothing more than an aggregate of weakness and inferiority. Their minds remain deprived of the knowledge and belief of this great truth: that the Great Creator has placed within their earthen bodies such powers and capabilities that, despite being human and possessing human qualities, they can be granted a status higher even than that of the angels of the exalted realm who enjoy nearness to Allah. For this reason, whenever a human being presented himself in the world as God’s representative, people of his own kind saw him as a flesh-and-blood human like themselves and utterly refused to accept him as sent by God. Finally, when they saw extraordinary noble qualities manifest in his being and bowed their heads in reverence, they remarked that one who possessed such extraordinary qualities could never be human. Thereafter, one group made him a god; another invented the doctrine of transmigration and came to believe that God had manifested Himself in his form; another attributed divine qualities and godlike authority and power to him; while yet another declared that he was the son of God. (Glory be to Him, and exalted is He above what they describe.)

The Views of the Followers of Various Religions about Their Religious Founders

When the biography of any religious leader in the world is examined, it becomes clear that his devoted followers inflicted the greatest injustice upon him. They layered such a thick coating of futile imagination and superstition over him that it became difficult to discern his true form, appearance, and character. Not only can we no longer learn from their corrupted and altered scriptures what he himself was; his birth, childhood, youth, and old age are all shrouded in extreme wonder. Every word and deed of his life is presented as miraculous, and even his death is surrounded by wonder. In short, from beginning to end, it all seems like an imaginary tale. He is presented in such a form as though he himself were God or the son of God, or God had manifested Himself by assuming his form, or at least he shared to some degree in divine attributes.

Buddha

Let us take the case of Gautama Buddha. After a deep study of Buddhism, one may infer at least this much: that this resolute man corrected many errors of Brahmanism, and in particular rejected the divinity of the countless beings whom the people of that age had made into gods. But scarcely a century had passed after his death when, at the Vaishali Council, his followers altered all his teachings, formulated new principles in place of the original ones, and made whatever additions and changes they pleased in the main branches and sub-branches according to their own desires and ideas. On the one hand, in Buddha’s name they established in their religion beliefs in which the existence of God was not acknowledged at all; on the other, they defined Buddha as omniscient, ruler of the universe, and a being who appears in the world in the form of Buddha in every age for its reform. Such bizarre stories were invented about his birth, life, and past and future births that, after reading them, a scholar and investigative expert like Professor Wilson remarked with astonishment that no real Buddha could be found in history. Within three or four centuries, these imaginary tales had colored Buddha with divinity. During the reign of Kanishka, a council of high-ranking Buddhist figures and leaders was held in Kashmir. There it was declared that he was in reality a metaphysical or physical manifestation of God. In other words, God had manifested Himself in the body of Buddha.

Rama

The same treatment was inflicted upon Ramachandra. It is clear from reading the Ramayana that King Ramachandra was merely a human being. He was indeed endowed with the qualities of magnanimity, justice, bravery, generosity, humility, gentleness, patience, forbearance, and sacrifice. But he possessed not the slightest trace of divinity or godhood. Yet the combination of humanity and such qualities assumed the form of a riddle so perplexing that the conscience and intellect of the people of India failed to solve it. Thus, shortly after Ramachandra’s death, the belief arose that Vishnu had assumed his form [According to the present religious beliefs of the Hindus, Vishnu is called the Lord or deity who sustains the universe. Perhaps this originally represented the concept of the Rububiyyah of Allah Almighty, which was later regarded as a permanent personality. Idol worship began among the Hindus in this way: each of Allah Almighty’s attributes was separated from His essence and called a separate god or deity. —Author]. He was one of those beings in whose forms Vishnu continued to manifest himself at various times in the human world for the purpose of reforming it.

Krishna

In this regard, Shri Krishna suffered even greater injustice than the two mentioned above. After deeply studying the form in which the Bhagavad Gita has reached us following repeated distortions, excisions, and mutilations, one can know at least this much: Shri Krishna was a monotheist, and he preached that the Great Creator is one sovereign and all-powerful Being. But the Mahabharata, the Vishnu Purana, the Bhagavata Purana, and the Gita itself present him in such a way that, on the one hand, he appears to be the physical manifestation of Vishnu, the creator and ruler of creation; while on the other hand, such weaknesses are attributed to him that, quite apart from accepting him as God, it becomes difficult even to acknowledge him as a man of pure character. The following sayings of Shri Krishna are found in the Gita:

I am the father, mother, and sustainer of this world. Whatever is knowable and pure, that am I. I am the sacred syllable Om, and I am the Rig, Sama, and Yajur Vedas. I am the ultimate goal and guide of living beings. I am the Lord, the abode of all beings, and the witness of their good and evil. I am the protector and benefactor. I am the Creator and the Destroyer. I am the support and the place of dissolution. I am the imperishable cause of the world. (In the form of the sun) I radiate heat and withhold and send down rain. I am the immortality of the gods and the death of mortals. I am the imperishable soul. I am the perishable world. (See Gita 9:17–19.)

None among the gods beginning with Brahma, nor the great sages such as Bhrigu, knows the truth of my origin, for I am the original cause of all kinds of gods and great sages. Among human beings, the one who knows me as beginningless, unborn, and the great Lord of all worlds becomes free from delusion and from every kind of sin. (Gita 10:2–3)

O Arjuna, master of your senses. I am the conscious soul dwelling in the hearts of all beings, and I am their origin, sustenance, and dissolution. Among the twelve Adityas, I am the Aditya named Vishnu. Among the luminous bodies, I am the radiant sun. Among the forty-nine winds, I am Marichi, and among the stars, I am the moon. (Gita 10:20–21)

Among the serpents, I am the serpent king. Among aquatic beings, I am King Varuna. I uphold this entire universe with only one part of myself. (Gita 10:29–44)

Through these statements, the Krishna of the Gita claimed to be God. [If the Gita had claimed to be God’s book and Shri Krishna merely its presenter, the statements above would have been regarded as God’s, and no divine claim would have been attributed to Shri Krishna. The difficulty is that this book presents itself as a collection of Shri Krishna’s teachings. Nowhere in the entire book is it even remotely stated that it is God’s word or that it was revealed to Shri Krishna through revelation or inspiration. —Author.] On the other hand, the Bhagavata Purana presents this Shri Krishna in such a way that he hides the garments of the milkmaids while they are bathing and assumes as many bodies as there are milkmaids in order to enjoy sexual relations with them. When King Parikshit asks Shukadeva, “God manifests Himself in the form of an incarnation in order to preach the true religion. But what kind of god is he who violates all the fundamental principles of religion and establishes an illicit relationship with another man’s wife?”

To refute this accusation, the sage has to adopt the device that the gods themselves sometimes stray from the path of virtue. But their sins leave no mark upon their personal selves, just as fire cannot be accused even though it burns everything.

No person of sound conscience can accept that the life of a high-ranking religious teacher could be so impure. Nor can he imagine that a genuine religious leader could actually have presented himself as the lord of humanity and of the natural world. But a comparative study of the Qur’an and the Bible makes it clear to us how various nations, during periods of intellectual and moral decline, portrayed the lives of the pure and righteous sages of the world in a most vile manner, so that they could find justification for their own weaknesses; and, on the other hand, how many imaginary tales they invented about those personalities. For this reason, we believe that the true teaching and personality of this figure must have been different from the way he has been presented.

Jesus, peace be upon him

Among those sages whose prophethood is universally known and accepted, Sayyiduna Jesus, peace be upon him, has suffered the greatest injustice. Like all human beings, Jesus was a human being, and all the characteristics of humanity that exist in other people were present in him. The only difference was that Allah Almighty granted him wisdom, prophethood, and miraculous power and commanded him to reform a degenerate nation. But at first his people refused to accept him, and they could not tolerate his blessed existence even for three full years. They even decided to kill him while he was still young. Then, after his disappearance, when they acknowledged his greatness, they again went to such extremes that they made him not merely the son of God but God Himself. They then imposed upon him the belief that God manifested Himself in the form of the Messiah so that, by being crucified, he might atone for the sins of humanity. For human beings are sinful by nature and cannot attain salvation through their own deeds or actions. God forbid! How could a truthful prophet attribute such a great falsehood to his Lord? But his devoted followers, overcome by reverential emotion, made this false accusation against him. Driven by their desires, they introduced such distortions into his teachings that today, apart from the Qur’an, nothing concerning the Messiah’s true teaching or his own true identity can be found in any book in the world. A study of the four books called the Gospels in the New Testament of the Bible shows them to be filled with the false notions that God manifested Himself in Jesus, that he was the son of God, and that he was God Himself. In one place, Mary is given the glad tidings: “Your child will be called the Son of God” [Luke 1:25]. Elsewhere, the Spirit of God descends upon Jesus in the form of a dove and says aloud, “This is my beloved son” (Matthew 16–17). In another place, the Messiah himself is made to say, “I am the Son of God, and you will see me sitting at the right hand of the Almighty” (Mark 14:62). On the Day of Judgment, the Messiah is placed on God’s throne in God’s stead, and he issues decrees of punishment and reward (Matthew 15:31–46). Somewhere the Messiah is made to say, “The Father is in me and I am in the Father” (John 1:38). Elsewhere these erroneous words are made to come from the mouth of that truthful human being: “I came forth from God” (John 8:42). In another place, God and him are made one, and he is made to say, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father, and the Father does His works through me” (John 14:9–10). Elsewhere everything belonging to God is transferred to the Messiah (John 3:35), and in another place God entrusts all His responsibilities to the Messiah (John 5:20–22).

The real cause of the mass of false accusations and slanders that these various nations have heaped upon their religious teachers and guides is the excessive exaggeration we mentioned at the outset. Another factor that aided this injustice was that, in most cases, the guidance and teachings of these sages were not recorded after their passing. Even where some attention was given to recording them, no arrangements were made for their preservation. Consequently, after a short time, so much adulteration, distortion, alteration, addition, and revision took place that it became difficult to distinguish the original from the counterfeit. The result of having no clear guidance and direction was that, as time passed, the accumulation of imaginary notions and superstitions over the actual truth continued to grow, and within a few centuries the real truth disappeared. Only imaginary tales remained.

Sayyiduna Muhammad, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him

Among all the guides of the world, only Muhammad (peace be upon him) possesses this distinction: his teachings and personality have been preserved in their original form for the past thirteen or fourteen centuries. By the grace of God, such arrangements have been made that alteration is now impossible. Given people’s fondness for superstition and for extraordinary things and events, it was not impossible that they might also have turned this great chosen personality, the embodiment of perfection, into the subject of imaginary tales, endowed him with some divine qualities, and made him an object of wonder and worship instead of following him. But Allah Almighty had decreed that, at the final stage of sending prophets, He would send such a guide whose person would remain an eternal model for all human activity and a universal source of guidance. Therefore, He protected Muhammad ibn Abdullah, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him, from the injustices inflicted by ignorant devotees upon other prophets and guides of various nations. First, the Companions and the Tabi‘in of the Prophet Muhammad, and later the hadith scholars, unlike the earlier communities, themselves made extraordinary arrangements to preserve the biography of their Prophet. As a result, even after fourteen hundred years, we can see his personality almost as closely as the people of his time could see it. But even if this vast treasury of books, collected through centuries of painstaking effort by the leaders of Islam, were to vanish from the world; even if not a single page of hadith or biography remained from which anything about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) could be learned; and even if only the Book of Allah—the Qur’an—remained, we would still find in this magnificent Book the answers to those fundamental questions that would arise in a student’s mind about his outward life.

Let us see in what light the Qur’an presents its bearer.

The Messenger’s Humanity

The first matter that the Noble Qur’an has described with complete clarity concerning messengership is that the Messenger was a human being. For hundreds of years before the revelation of the Qur’an, prevailing beliefs had firmly declared that a human being could never become Allah’s messenger and representative. Whenever necessary for reforming the world, God Himself would manifest in human form, or send an angel or a deity. In short, all the sages who had come to reform the world were superhuman. This belief had become so deeply rooted in people’s minds that whenever a righteous servant of Allah came to convey Allah’s message to people, they would first express amazement, saying: “What kind of prophet is this, who eats and drinks, sleeps, and walks about just like us? What kind of messenger is this, who suffers from all the faults and weaknesses that we do—in other words, who falls ill and experiences sorrow, hardship, happiness, and comfort? If Allah wished to guide us, why would He send a weak human being like us? Could God not come Himself?” These questions were asked after the coming of every prophet, and people used them as excuses to deny the prophets. When Noah (peace be upon him) brought Allah’s message to his people, they said:

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

“This man is nothing but a human being like you. He wants to gain superiority over you. If God had wished, He would have sent angels. We have never heard such an absurd claim from our forefathers—that a prophet could ever be a human being.” (Al-Mu’minun: 24)

When Hud (peace be upon him) was sent to guide his people, the first accusation made against him was likewise:

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“This man is nothing but a human being like you. He eats what you eat and drinks what you drink. If you obey a human being like yourselves, you will surely suffer a terrible loss.” (Al-Mu’minun: 33–34)

Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) and Prophet Aaron (peace be upon him) came to Pharaoh with the message of truth, but their words were rejected for the sole reason that both of them were human beings: (Arabic******************)

Shall we believe in two human beings like ourselves? (Al-Mu’minun: 47)

Exactly the same kind of question was raised when an unlettered man of Makkah, after living a quiet life for forty years, suddenly declared: “I have been appointed and sent as a Messenger by God.”

People simply could not understand how a human being with hands, feet, eyes, nose, body and soul like theirs could be Allah’s Messenger. In astonishment they would ask—

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“What kind of Messenger is this, who eats food and walks about in the markets? Why was no angel sent down with him to warn people while remaining with him? Or, at the very least, why was no treasure given to him, or a garden of fruit provided with streams flowing through it from which he could eat?” (Al-Furqan: 7–8).

Since false notions were the greatest obstacle to accepting prophethood, the Qur’an categorically refuted them. It then explained with arguments that a human being is most suited to guide human beings. The purpose of sending a prophet is not merely to teach, but also to demonstrate through his own actions and present an example of obedience and following. If an angel or a superhuman being, free from human characteristics and weaknesses, were sent for this purpose, people could say: “How can we act like him? He has neither desires nor passions like ours, and the forces that incite people to sin do not exist in his nature.”

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“Had angels been able to move about the earth in peace and security, We would certainly have sent down to them an angel from heaven as a messenger.” (Bani Isra’il: 95)

Thereafter Allah Most High clearly explained that all the prophets and guides to the truth who had previously come among different nations were human beings just like Muhammad, Allah’s Messenger. Just as human beings eat, drink and walk about, so did they eat, drink and walk about. (Arabic***********************)

“All the messengers We sent before you were human beings to whom We revealed. Ask the people of knowledge if you do not know. We did not give those prophets bodies that did not eat food, nor were they immortal.” (Al-Anbiya: 7–8)

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“We did not send before you any messengers except that they ate food and walked through the markets.” (Al-Furqan: 20)

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

“We sent many messengers before you and gave them wives and children.” (Ar-Ra‘d: 38)

Then Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was commanded: “Declare plainly that you are a human being, so that after you people do not attribute divinity to you in the same way they did to the prophets before you.”

This verse appears in various places in the Qur’an:

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“Say, O Prophet: I am only a human being like you. It is revealed to me that your God is only One God.” (Al-Kahf: 111; Ha-Mim Sajdah: 6)

These detailed explanations not only closed the door to all false beliefs about Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but also freed the personalities of all earlier prophets and Islamic scholars from erroneous notions.

The Messenger’s Power and Extraordinary Abilities

Another matter clearly explained in the Qur’an concerns the prophet’s power and extraordinary abilities. When, out of ignorance and folly, people turned a great man sent by God into God’s equal, the belief naturally arose that one sent by God possessed extraordinary powers. They were thought to have special authority in God’s domain, the right to reward and punish, and knowledge of everything visible and invisible. The decree of destiny was believed to be altered according to their will and judgment. They were thought to control benefit and harm, to own good and evil, and to have all the powers of creation under their command. With a glance they could supposedly change people’s hearts and remove their darkness and misguidance. Under the influence of these ideas, people made strange and absurd demands of Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him). The Qur’an says:

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“They said: We will never believe you until you make a spring gush forth from the earth for us; or you have a garden of date palms and grapes, with streams flowing through it; or you cause the sky to fall upon us in pieces, as you claim; or you bring Allah and the angels before us; or you have a house of gold; or you ascend into heaven—and we will not believe in your ascent until you bring down for us a book that we can read.”

O Muhammad, tell them: My Lord is exalted and pure from every defect. Am I anything but a human messenger? (Bani Isra’il: 90–93)

Allah Most High refuted every such false notion held about the great men and scholars sent by God, and clearly stated that the Messenger has not even the slightest share in divine power or divine actions. It was also said: Far from being able to protect others from harm without Our permission, the prophet does not even possess the power to remove harm from himself.

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

“If Allah touches you with harm, none can remove it except Him; and if He intends good for you, He is capable of all things.” (Al-An‘am: 17)

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

“Say: I have no power even over benefit or harm to myself, except as Allah wills.” (Yunus: 49)

It was also stated by Allah Most High that the prophet possesses no keys to Allah’s treasures, has no knowledge of the future, and is not endowed with supernatural powers.

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

I am not an angel—that is, free from human weakness. I follow only what is revealed to me, that is, what is commanded through revelation. (Al-An‘am: 50)

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

“If I had knowledge of the unseen or the future, I would have secured many benefits for myself, and no harm could have touched me. I am only a warner and a bearer of glad tidings for those who accept my words.” (Al-A‘raf: 188)

It was further stated that the prophet has no control over the reckoning of the Hereafter or over punishment and reward. His duty is only to convey the message and show the straight path. Reckoning in the Hereafter and granting punishment or reward are God’s functions.

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

“Tell them: I have come with clear proof from my Lord, but you rejected it as false. Now it is not within my power to bring upon you the punishment whose hastening you demand. Judgment belongs entirely to Allah. He declares the truth and is the best of judges.”

“Tell them: If the punishment you are impatiently demanding were in my power, the matter between you and me would already have been settled. But Allah knows best how to deal decisively with the wrongdoers.” (Al-An‘am: 57–58) (Arabic**************)

“Your duty, O Prophet, is only to convey the message; reckoning is Our responsibility.” (Ar-Ra‘d: 40)

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

“O Prophet, We have revealed this Book to you with the truth for the guidance of people. Whoever accepts guidance benefits only himself, and whoever follows misguidance harms only himself. You are not their guardian.” (Az-Zumar: 41)

It was further stated that changing people’s hearts and creating faith in those who have no desire to accept the truth are beyond the prophet’s power. He is a guide in the sense that he fully discharges his duty of giving counsel and shows the way to whoever wishes to see it.

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

“You cannot make the dead hear, nor can you make the deaf hear your call when they turn away. Nor can you bring the blind out of misguidance onto the straight path. You can make only those hear who believe in Our revelations and then bow their heads in submission.” (An-Naml: 80–81)

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

“You cannot make those in the graves hear. You can only warn. We have sent you with the truth as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner.” [At one place in the Qur’an it is clearly stated—

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

O Prophet, you cannot guide whoever you wish, but Allah guides whoever He wills. He knows best those who accept guidance.

It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim that this verse was revealed concerning the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) uncle, Abu Talib. When his final hour approached, the Prophet made every effort so that his uncle would recite the declaration, “There is no god but Allah,” and have a good ending—that is, die with faith. But Abu Talib preferred to die upon the religion of Abd al-Muttalib. Therefore Allah said: You cannot guide the one you love.

However, it is well known that the method of the hadith scholars and Qur’anic commentators is to cite the event from the Prophet’s era connected with a verse as its occasion of revelation. Therefore, from this report and other related reports narrated from Abu Hurayrah, Ibn Abbas, Ibn Umar and others in works such as Tirmidhi and Musnad Ahmad, it cannot be concluded that this verse of Surah Al-Qasas was revealed at the time of Abu Talib’s death. It can only be learned that the truth of this verse was most clearly manifested through that event. Although the Prophet’s deepest desire was to bring every servant of Allah to the path of truth, if the disbelief of any person at death was most painful to him, and if he most earnestly desired someone’s guidance because of personal love and relationship, that person was Abu Talib. Yet the Prophet could not bring even him to the path of guidance. Thus it became clear that guiding someone or withholding guidance from someone is beyond the prophet’s power. This matter rests entirely with Allah. And this gift from Allah—the gift of guidance—is granted not on the basis of kinship or brotherhood, but on the basis of a person’s receptiveness, sincerity and complete love of truth. (Fatir: 22–24)]

This also makes clear that whatever honor and dignity the prophet possesses is because he obeys Allah, follows His commands properly, and conveys to Allah’s servants exactly what is revealed to him. Otherwise, if he turned away from obedience and mixed any words of his own invention into Allah’s speech, he would retain no distinctive excellence whatsoever; he would not even escape God’s grasp.

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

“Even after knowledge has come to you, if you follow their desires, you will then be among the wrongdoers.” (Al-Baqarah: 145)

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“If you follow their desires after knowledge has come to you, you will have no protector or helper against Allah’s punishment.” (Al-Baqarah: 120)

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

“Say: I have no authority to alter anything in this Qur’an on my own. I follow only what is revealed to me. If I disobey my Lord, I fear the punishment of a terrible day.” (Yunus: 15)

These statements were not made because—God forbid—there was the slightest possibility of disobedience or alteration on the part of the Noble Messenger (peace be upon him). Their purpose was to make clear before the world that the nearness attained by the Prophet (peace be upon him) in the presence of Allah, the Lord of Might, was not because of any family relationship between Allah and the prophet’s person. Rather, he attained that nearness because he is Allah’s utterly devoted and sincerely obedient servant.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) Was One of the Prophets

The third matter repeatedly discussed in detail in the Qur’an is that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not a new prophet. Rather, he was one of the prophets and a connecting link in the chain of prophethood that had continued from the beginning of creation until his advent, including the prophets and messengers of every nation and age. The Wise Qur’an does not restrict or confine prophethood and messengership to any one person, country or nation. Rather, it clearly declares that Allah raised such pure people in every nation, land and age, who invited humanity to the Straight Path and warned them of the terrible consequences of misguidance.

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

“There was no nation without a warner having come among them.” (Fatir: 24)

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“We sent a messenger to every nation, saying: Worship and obey Allah and refrain from worshipping and obeying the Taghut.” (An-Nahl: 36)

Among these prophets and warners was Prophet Muhammad Mustafa, may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him. It has been said in many places—(Arabic**************)

“I am one of the warners who came before.” (An-Najm: 56)

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

“O Muhammad, you are one of the messengers.” (Ya-Sin: 3) (Arabic**************)

“O Muhammad, say: I am not an unprecedented messenger. I do not know what will be done with me or with you. I follow only what is revealed to me. I am only a clear-speaking warner.” (Al-Ahqaf: 9)

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“Muhammad is only a messenger; many messengers passed away before him.” (Aal Imran: 144)

Not only this; it was also stated that the message of the Arab Messenger was the very message toward which every prophet calling to truth had invited humanity from the beginning of human existence. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) invited people to that natural religion itself, to which every prophet and messenger had invited them.

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“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 from their Lord. We make no distinction between them, and we submit to Allah. So if they believe as you believe, they will be rightly guided; but if they turn away, they are only in opposition.” (Al-Baqarah: 136–137)

This Qur’anic explanation leaves no room for doubt that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not come with a new religion or faith. Nor did he come to declare any earlier prophet false or to refute anyone’s revealed message. Rather, he was sent to present, free of all adulteration, the true religion that the prophets of every nation had presented from the beginning and which people later distorted.

The Purpose of Sending the Prophet

Thus, after stating the true identity and status of its bearer, the Qur’an describes the tasks for which he was sent. These tasks are broadly connected with two categories: one educational and the other practical.

The Prophet’s Educational Functions

The functions of this category are as follows:

(1) Recitation of the verses, purification of the self, and teaching the Book and wisdom.

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Indeed, Allah’s great favor upon the believers is that He raised among them a messenger from their own people who recites His verses to them, purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom, whereas before that they had been in clear misguidance. (Aal Imran: 164)

Reciting the verses means conveying Allah’s commands exactly as they are. Tazkiyah means purifying people’s character and lives from evil qualities, customs and practices, and cultivating within them excellent moral qualities, conduct and correct practices. Teaching the Book and wisdom means explaining the true meaning of Allah’s great Book and developing in them such insight that they can understand the profound realities of Allah’s Book. Then it means teaching them that wisdom or special knowledge through which they can shape the various far-reaching aspects of their entire lives according to Allah’s Book.

(2) Perfecting the Religion

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“Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and chosen Islam as your religion.” (Al-Ma’idah: 3)

In other words, the One who revealed the Qur’an did not merely entrust its bearer with reciting His verses, purifying people’s souls (tazkiyah), and teaching the Book and wisdom; rather, through that righteous servant He brought these tasks to completion. He conveyed through the Prophet the verses and teachings that were to reach humanity. Through his hands He eradicated the corruption and evils from which human life was to be purified. Under the Prophet’s leadership He presented a brilliant example of the qualities and virtues that ought to develop in people and society. Furthermore, through him He imparted such teaching of the Book and wisdom that human life could be shaped according to the Qur’an in every future age.

(3) The third educational task of the Noble Prophet was to uncover the causes of the disagreements that had arisen among the communities of earlier prophets. Furthermore, by removing all veils, eliminating every adulteration, resolving all doubts and complications, he illuminated the correct path whose following had always been the only way to attain God’s pleasure.

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

By God, O Muhammad, We sent guidance to various nations before you, but Satan then made their corrupt deeds attractive to them. Today he is their patron, and they have become deserving of a painful punishment. We revealed this Book to you only so that you would make clear to them the truth concerning which they differ, and so that it would be guidance and mercy for those who accept and follow it. (An-Naml: 63–64)

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O People of the Book! Our Messenger has come to you, explaining to you many things that you used to conceal from the Book, and overlooking many things. There has come to you from Allah a light and a clear Book. Through this Book, Allah guides those who live by its light to the paths of peace and security, brings them out of darkness into light, and guides them to the straight path—(Al-Ma’idah: 15–16).

(4) Warning the disobedient of punishment, giving the obedient the good news of Allah’s mercy, and propagating and spreading Allah’s religion were also part of the Prophet’s teaching mission.

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O Prophet! We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of good news, a caller to Allah by His command, and an illuminating sun. (Al-Ahzab: 45–46)

The Prophet’s practical work

The duties entrusted to the Prophet in practical life and its affairs were as follows:

(1) Enjoining good, restraining from evil, defining the limits of the lawful and the unlawful, freeing people from the bonds of prohibitions imposed by anyone other than God, and relieving them of the burdens imposed upon them.

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He enjoins them to do good and forbids them from evil. He makes pure things lawful for them and impure things unlawful. He removes their burdens and the shackles that had bound and oppressed them. Therefore, those who believe in him, support him, and follow the light sent down with him are the successful—(Al-A‘raf: 157).

(2) Judging between God’s servants with truth and justice.

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O Muhammad, We have sent down this Book to you with the truth so that you may judge between people according to the law laid down by Allah, and do not be an advocate for those who embezzle—(An-Nisa: 105).

(3) Establishing Allah’s religion in such a way that all systems of human life come under its authority and all other ways and systems are subdued before it.

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He is Allah alone who sent His Messenger with guidance and the true religion so that He may make it prevail over every other system—(Al-Fath: 28).

Thus, this aspect of the Prophet’s work encompasses every dimension of politics, the judicial system, moral and civilizational reform, and pure and sacred truth.

The Prophethood of Muhammad is universal and eternal

This mission of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is not limited to any one nation, country, or age. Rather, it applies equally to all humanity and to all ages.

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O Muhammad! We have sent you as a warner and bearer of good news for all people, but most people do not know—(Saba: 28). (Arabic**************)

O Muhammad, say: O mankind, I have come to you all as Allah’s Messenger—the Messenger of Him to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; there is no deity or god but Him; He gives life and causes death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and His words, and follow him, so that you may find the straight and correct path. (Al-A‘raf: 158).

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O Muhammad, say: This Qur’an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you through it, and everyone whom it reaches—(Al-An‘am: 19).

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

This Qur’an is only a reminder for all the worlds, for every person among you who wishes to follow the true path. (At-Takwir: 27–28).

The Finality of Prophethood

Another characteristic of Muhammad’s prophethood is that the chain of prophethood and messengership was brought to an end with him. After him, the world no longer needed any prophet.

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Muhammad (peace be upon him) is not the father of any of your men. Rather, he is Allah’s Messenger and the seal of the prophets—(Al-Ahzab: 40).

This is in fact an inevitable consequence of the universality and eternality of Muhammad’s prophethood and the completeness of the religion. Since, in light of the foregoing account, Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood is for all people of the world—not for one nation—and for all time—not for one age—and since the work for which prophets needed to come into the world has reached its final perfection, it is entirely reasonable that the chain of prophethood should have been ended with him. The Prophet himself explained this matter most beautifully in a hadith. He said: “My example among the prophets is like that of a man who built a beautiful house. He completed the entire house, leaving only the place of one brick vacant. When people walked around the house, they wondered and said, ‘If only this final brick had also been placed here, the house would have been complete.’ I am that brick whose place remains vacant in the house of prophethood.”

This example makes the reason for the finality of prophethood clear. When the religion had been perfected; when Allah’s verses had been explained in detail; when detailed instructions had been given concerning commands and prohibitions, matters of faith and creed, worship, civilization, social life, the state system and politics—in short, every sphere of human life; and when Allah’s word and the Messenger’s excellent example had been presented to the world in such a way that they were protected from every kind of distortion and alteration, and guidance could be obtained from them in every age, then there remained no need for prophethood. What was needed was only reminding people and revival (renaissance). For that, a community of righteous scholars and sincere believers is sufficient.

The praiseworthy qualities of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

The final question is: What kind of character did the bearer of this Book possess personally? In answering this question, the Noble Qur’an did not, like other established scriptures, adopt the path of exaggerated praise for their bearers. His praise was not made a permanent subject either. His character traits were indicated incidentally in the course of discussion.

(1) The Qur’an says that its bearer stood at the summit of moral excellence.

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And, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), you possess the highest standard of character—(Al-Qalam: 4).

(2) The Qur’an says that its bearer was a resolute, steadfast person who relied upon Allah in every circumstance. When his entire nation was determined to destroy him and he was forced to seek refuge in a mountain cave with one companion, he did not lose courage in that difficult and dangerous situation; rather, he remained firm in his resolve.

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

Remember when the disbelievers expelled him, when he was the second of two, and when the two were in the cave, and he said to his companion, “Do not grieve; Allah is with us.” (At-Tawbah: 40).

(3) The Qur’an says that its bearer was exceptionally magnanimous and compassionate. He prayed for forgiveness even for his bitterest enemies, until finally Allah gave the decisive judgment that He would not forgive them.

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Whether you pray for forgiveness for them or not, even if you pray for their forgiveness seventy times, Allah will never forgive them—(At-Tawbah: 80).

(4) The Qur’an says that its bearer was extremely gentle by nature. He never showed harshness toward anyone, and for this reason the world became devoted to him.

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It is by Allah’s mercy that you are gentle and humble toward them. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have dispersed from around you. (At-Tawbah: 151).

(5) The Qur’an says that its bearer felt restless within himself to guide God’s servants to the true and correct path, and was deeply pained when they persisted in misguidance. He would even become distraught at their sorrow.

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O Muhammad (peace be upon him), it seems that you would destroy yourself with grief over them if they do not believe in this message—(Al-Kahf: 6).

(6) The Qur’an says that its bearer held deep love for his community. He was their well-wisher. He was distressed when they suffered loss. For them, he was a symbol of mercy, affection, and tenderness.

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There has come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Whatever harms you is grievous to him; he is concerned for your welfare and is very kind and merciful to the believers—(At-Tawbah: 128).

(7) The Qur’an says that its bearer was not a mercy only for his own nation; rather, he was a mercy for the entire world.

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O Muhammad (peace be upon him), We have sent you as a mercy for all the worlds—(Al-Anbiya: 107).

(8) The Qur’an says that its bearer would remain awake for hours at night in worship and stand in remembrance of God.

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O Muhammad (peace be upon him), your Lord knows that you stand in prayer for nearly two-thirds of the night, sometimes half the night and sometimes one-third of it—(Al-Muzzammil: 20).

(9) The Qur’an says that its bearer was a truthful man. He never deviated from the true path in his life, nor was he influenced by evil ideas. Nor did he ever, driven by desire, utter even a word against the truth.

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O people, your companion has neither strayed from the true, straight path nor deviated from sound thought. Nor does he speak from desire—(An-Najm: 2–3).

(10) The Qur’an says that its bearer was an example worthy of emulation for the entire world, and that his whole life was the proper standard of perfect morality. (Arabic**************)

In the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example—(Al-Ahzab: 21).

If one studies the Noble Qur’an, one will find that it sheds light on several other qualities of its bearer as well. But there is no scope for discussing them in detail in this essay.

Anyone who reads the Qur’an will see for himself how transparent, clear, and free from impurity is the image this Book gives of its bearer, in contrast to other prevailing religious scriptures. There is not the slightest trace of divinity in him, nor any exaggerated or hyperbolic praise. No extraordinary power has been attributed to him. He has not been made a partner in God’s works. Nor has he been burdened with weaknesses and faults contrary to the dignity of a guide and caller to the truth. Even if all other works of Islamic literature disappeared from the world and only the Noble Qur’an remained, there would still be no possibility of misunderstanding, doubt, uncertainty, or deficiency in reverence and respect regarding the personality of the Holy Prophet. We can clearly know that the bearer of this Book was a complete human being, endowed with the finest moral qualities. He affirmed the truthfulness of the preceding prophets. He was not the inventor of a new religion, nor did he claim to be superhuman. His invitation was for the entire universe. Allah Almighty appointed him to perform certain specific services. When he had fully carried out these services, the chain of prophethood came to an end with him. [In fact, this essay was written in 1927 for a special issue of the magazine ‘Al-Jayit.’ Some revisions were made before it was included in 1944—the author.]

Chapter Two

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

Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)

It is historically agreed that the family of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, descended from that branch of Prophet Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) lineage which came through his eldest son, Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him). This lineage is known as the Children of Ismail. Its connection with the life story of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is so profound that any discussion of him must begin with the events in the lives of Prophets Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them). Otherwise, it would be impossible to understand how this family from Iraq was resettled in a remote region within Arabia, how the foundation of the qiblah of the monotheists was established there, and what relationship the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had with most of the tribes of Arabia, by virtue of which he was not a stranger but an extremely well-known person.

It has been mentioned that Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was from Iraq. His birthplace, Ur, was the capital of Iraq’s Nimrod dynasty. According to scholarly researchers, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) appeared around 2100 BCE. Ur was a great center of civilization, culture, and commerce in that period. At the same time, it was the stronghold of that nation’s polytheism and disbelief. When Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) began opposing the nation’s polytheism and calling it to monotheism, the government, the entire nation, his own family, and even his father became his enemies. When they all failed to deter him through threats and intimidation, they unanimously threw him into a huge furnace to burn him alive. But Allah Almighty made the fire cool for him, and he emerged from it alive and unharmed. This event is described in detail in the Qur’an (Al-Anbiya: 68–69; Al-Ankabut: 24; As-Saffat: 97–98). See also.

According to the Qur’anic account, Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) then left his homeland and migrated toward Syria and Palestine. In those days these places were called the land of Canaan. In this connection, the Qur’an says:

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They said among themselves, “Build a furnace for him and throw him into this blazing fire.” They intended to take action against him, but We humiliated them, and Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said, “I am going to my Lord”—that is, I am migrating. He will guide me to the right path—(As-Saffat: 97–98).

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

The only answer of his people was: “Kill him or burn him.” Finally, Allah saved him from the fire. Lot, who was present at that time, accepted Ibrahim. And Ibrahim said, “I am migrating toward my Lord.” He is Almighty and All-Wise (Al-Ankabut: 24–26).

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And We rescued him and Lot and brought them to the land in which We had placed abundant blessings for all the worlds. (Al-Anbiya: 71) [The blessed land refers to the region of Syria and Palestine. This region is called blessed in verses 137 of Surah Al-A‘raf, 1 of Bani Isra’il, and 81 of Al-Anbiya (see Tafhim, vol. 4, Saba, note 31).

And We granted Lot judgment and knowledge—that is, prophethood—(Al-Anbiya: 74).

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

And Lot was also among those who were sent as messengers (As-Saffat: 133).

The Qur’an gives no detailed account of what happened to Prophet Ibrahim’s (peace be upon him) people after his migration. However, in verse 70 of Surah At-Tawbah, this nation is mentioned together with the nations that were destroyed.

The question now is whether Sarah was also with Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), along with Prophet Lot, during this migration. The Qur’an gives no analysis of this matter. However, some Qur’anic accounts make it clear that Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was married and that his wife accompanied him in the migration. For example, Surah As-Saffat says that Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) prayed this supplication during the migration:

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

“O Lord, grant me righteous offspring.” Only a married man could have made this supplication, and he made it while migrating after leaving his homeland. Historical accounts in the Bible also support this. They state that Sarah accompanied him on this migration. But other Biblical accounts are entirely unfounded. For example, it is stated that Sarah was the full sister of Lot and the paternal niece of Ibrahim, and that he later married her. It is also stated that Ibrahim’s father accompanied him on this migration (Genesis, chapter 11, verse 27). Ibrahim’s father was involved in the persecution and oppression inflicted upon him (Selections from the Talmud, H. Polano, London, pp. 40–42). Moreover, no divine law permits marrying one’s own niece, let alone a prophet doing so.

The missionary activities of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)

After Prophet Noah (peace be upon him), Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was the first prophet whom Allah Almighty appointed to spread Islam’s universal message. At first, he himself traveled for years through various regions, from Iraq to Egypt, and from Syria and Palestine to the Arabian deserts, presenting people with the call to worship and obey Allah Almighty. Then, for the purpose of carrying out this mission, he appointed his successors in various regions. He appointed his nephew Lot (peace be upon him) in eastern Jordan, his younger son Isaac (peace be upon him) in Syria and Palestine, and his eldest son Ismail (peace be upon him) in the interior of Arabia. Then, by Allah Almighty’s command, he built in Makkah the House known as the Ka‘bah, and by Allah’s command he designated that House as the center of his mission.

Two great branches arose from the lineage of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). One consisted of the descendants of Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him), who remained in Arabia. Quraysh and some Arab tribes were connected to this branch. Although those Arab tribes that were not genealogically descended from Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him) were influenced to some extent by the religion he preached, they therefore connected their lineage with his. [Until the age of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), for two and a half thousand years, various families of Prophet Ismail entered into marital relations with many Arab families. In accordance with human nature, they considered marriage ties with Prophet Ismail’s pure family a source of honor and mentioned them in their genealogies—the author.]

[Since, until the age of the Prophet (peace be upon him), various families of Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him) had married into many Arab families for two and a half thousand years, these families, in accordance with human nature, considered their relationship with this noble family a source of honor and mentioned it in their genealogies—the author.]

The second branch consisted of the descendants of Prophet Isaac (peace be upon him). Prophet Jacob (peace be upon him), Prophet Joseph (peace be upon him), Moses (peace be upon him), David (peace be upon him), Solomon (peace be upon him), John (peace be upon him), Jesus (peace be upon him), and many other prophets were born in this lineage. Since Prophet Jacob’s (peace be upon him) name was Israel, this lineage came to be known as the Children of Israel. As a result of the preaching of these prophets, the nations that accepted their religion either merged their identity into theirs or remained separate genealogically, while still following them religiously. When corruption and decline appeared in this branch, Judaism first and Christianity later came into being.

The real task of Abraham (peace be upon him) was to call the world to obedience to Allah and to guide the individual and social affairs of people along the right path in accordance with the guidance sent by Allah. He himself was obedient to Allah. He followed the knowledge granted to him and spread that knowledge throughout the world. It was for this great service that he was bestowed with leadership of the world. After him, this position of leadership was entrusted to that branch of his descendants which began with Isaac (peace be upon him) and Jacob (peace be upon him) and was known as the Children of Israel. Prophets continued to arise from this lineage. They were granted knowledge of the right path. They were charged with the responsibility of guiding the nations of the world to the right path. This was the blessing which Allah Most High repeatedly reminded them of through the Qur’an. This branch occupied the seat of leadership. Bayt al-Maqdis remained the center for calling people to Allah and the qiblah of the worshippers of God.

The Birth of Ishmael (peace be upon him)

The second branch of Abraham’s (peace be upon him) descendants was the Children of Israel. One of the faults found in this branch was that they distorted history and appropriated every object of pride for themselves. Throughout the various stages of history, they made every effort to disgrace the nations with whom they were engaged in conflict, confrontation, and rivalry. One of the many examples of this in the Bible is that, in its view, Lot (peace be upon him) was not a prophet at all. It does not say that Abraham (peace be upon him) sent him to the land of Sodom for any missionary work. Rather, it says that a dispute arose between the two, uncle and nephew, and that the uncle told his nephew to go and live somewhere else (Genesis, chapter 13, verses 5–13). An even more loathsome example is that, according to the Bible, when punishment descended upon the people of Lot, Lot (peace be upon him) left there with his two daughters. Then, instead of going to his paternal uncle Abraham (peace be upon him), who lived in the Philistine city of Hebron near Sodom, he stayed in a cave. There—God forbid—his two daughters made him drunk with wine and had relations with him, as a result of which both became pregnant. One gave birth to Moab, the ancestor of the Moabites, and the other to Ben-ammi, the ancestor of the Ammonites (Genesis, chapter 19, verses 30–38). In this way, the Children of Israel vented their resentment by expressing hostility toward the Moabites and Ammonites. For the history of later times bears witness that they were engaged in extreme conflict and confrontation with them.

They behaved in the same way toward the Children of Ishmael. The Bible states that Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, was Sarah’s slave. Since Sarah was childless, she said to Abraham (peace be upon him) one day, “Have relations with my slave so that our family may be established.” Accordingly, Abraham (peace be upon him) had relations with Hagar, as she requested, and Ishmael was born (Genesis, chapter 16, verses 10, 15–16). Yet the same section of Genesis in the Bible, chapter 16, verse 16, says that the Pharaoh of that time gave Abraham (peace be upon him) abundant wealth, livestock, male and female servants as gifts. Hagar was among them. Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her) was an inhabitant of a village called Umm al-Arab or Umm al-Ariq. It was situated in eastern Egypt, in front of Farama or Attina, two miles from the shore of the Roman Sea. There was a fortress there in the Pharaoh’s time; today it is called Tallul Faran—the author. Therefore, even from the Bible’s own perspective, it is incorrect to call Hagar Sarah’s slave. Sarah’s permission was not needed for Abraham to have sexual relations with her.

The Bible also says that Ishmael (peace be upon him) was with Abraham (peace be upon him) in Palestine. Indeed, when he was fourteen years old, Isaac was born to Sarah from Abraham (peace be upon him) (Genesis, chapter 18, verses 24–26; chapter 21, verses 1–5). Then the Bible says:

“And the boy (that is, Isaac) grew and was weaned. On the day he was weaned, Abraham (peace be upon him) arranged a great feast and reception. When Sarah saw that Hagar’s Egyptian son—who was Abraham’s biological son—was laughing and rejoicing, Sarah said to Abraham, ‘Send this slave woman and her son away, for the son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son.’ This was very displeasing to Abraham. God said to Abraham, ‘Do not be distressed about this boy and your slave woman. Whatever Sarah tells you, heed it.’ Then Abraham rose early the next morning, placed bread and a skin of water on Hagar’s shoulder, and sent her away with her son. She departed and wandered like a nomad in the wilderness of the well of Sheba. When the water in the skin was gone, she cast her son under a bush. She went and sat some distance away, saying, ‘I cannot watch the death of the boy.’ She sat opposite him and cried aloud. God heard the voice of the boy, and God’s angels called to Hagar from heaven, saying, ‘Hagar, what has happened to you? Do not be afraid, for God has heard the boy’s voice from where he lies. Rise and lift up the boy. Support him with your hand, for I will make him into a great nation.’ God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went there, filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy. He grew up and lived in the wilderness. He became an archer. He was living in the wilderness of Paran. His mother brought him a wife from Egypt” (Genesis, chapter 21, verses 8–21).

This false story was fabricated so that no connection could be established between Abraham (peace be upon him) and Ishmael (peace be upon him), on the one hand, and Arabia, Makkah, the Ka’bah, and the Well of Zamzam, on the other. If Abraham’s journey to Arabia is concealed, and Ishmael’s stay in Palestine until the age of fourteen followed by his residence and marriage in the wilderness of Paran is mentioned instead, an important chapter of Islamic history connected with the Arab center of the religion of Abraham is erased. The wilderness of Paran mentioned in various places in the Bible was, in its view, south of Palestine, west of the Gulf of Aqaba, north of the Sinai Desert, and east of Egypt and the Roman Sea. Mount Paran had no connection with Arabia, where Makkah is situated. Moreover, this story portrays Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) and Abraham (peace be upon him) in a vile manner, while also accusing Allah Most High. It reveals a loathsome and abhorrent aspect of the moral outlook of the Children of Israel themselves. It depicts the wife of one prophet, Abraham (peace be upon him), and the name of another prophet, Isaac, in such a way that the mother cannot even tolerate her co-wife’s son laughing, and forces her husband to deprive his son of his inheritance and expel him from the family. The husband, a highly honored prophet, is portrayed as taking his fifteen- or sixteen-year-old son to a desolate wilderness and exiling him there with nothing but bread and a skin of water, without caring whether they lived or died. The dignity of Allah Most High is likewise portrayed in such a way that, for the sake of Isaac, the ancestor of the Children of Israel, and his mother, He commands Abraham (peace be upon him) to comply with the demand by Isaac’s mother, driven by jealousy and hatred of her co-wife, to oppress and wrong her. This entire story is simply a collection of falsehoods and imaginary inventions.

By contrast, we can learn the true history from the Qur’an and Hadith. This history is attested by the repeated accounts handed down through the generations for four thousand years by countless people among the Arabs.

The Qur’an says that, while migrating from his homeland, Abraham (peace be upon him) made this supplication before Allah:

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

“O Lord, grant me a righteous offspring.” (Al-Saffat: 100).

The supplication was accepted after a long time had passed, when Abraham (peace be upon him) had reached an advanced age. The Qur’an quotes Abraham (peace be upon him) as saying: (Arabic***************)

“Praise be to Allah, Who has granted me Ishmael and Isaac, two sons, in my old age.” (Ibrahim: 39).

Before the birth of these two sons, Allah Most High had given Abraham (peace be upon him) the glad tidings. First, the glad tidings of Ishmael (peace be upon him) were given in these words: (***************)

“Then We gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing son.” (Al-Saffat: 101). Several years later, when Ishmael (peace be upon him) was approaching manhood, the glad tidings of the second son were given in these words: (Arabic***************)

“And the angels gave him the glad tidings of a knowledgeable son.” (Al-Dhariyat: 28). When this second glad tiding was given, Abraham (peace be upon him) said:

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

“Do you give me the glad tidings of a son despite my old age? Consider, then, what kind of glad tidings you are giving me.” (Al-Hijr: 54). At this glad tiding, Sarah was in the following state:

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“His wife came forward shouting, struck her face, and said, ‘I am an old woman and barren.’” (Al-Dhariyat: 29).

On the basis of these verses, the following account in the Bible may be considered correct: Ishmael (peace be upon him) was born when Abraham (peace be upon him) was eighty-six, and Isaac (peace be upon him) when he was one hundred years old (Genesis 16:16; chapter 21, verse 5).

Ishmael’s (peace be upon him) Resettlement in Makkah

The foregoing discussion has established that Ishmael (peace be upon him) was his father’s firstborn and was born in his father’s old age. At such an age, any father blessed with a child would naturally claim the right to hold his firstborn—and, for fourteen years, his only son—tenderly to his breast. He would not even bear to have him out of his sight. But Abraham (peace be upon him) was a prophet, and for that reason he gave priority to the call to the truth. For it, he endured immense oppression and injustice in his homeland, migrated and wandered through foreign lands, and expended his strength and labor in conveying God’s message wherever he went. After the birth of this beloved son, his first thought was how to establish in Arabia the center of the call to monotheism from which the final Prophet was to arise, and which would remain a center of the call to monotheism until the Day of Resurrection. The Qur’an tells us that Allah Most High first identified for Abraham (peace be upon him) the place where this center was to be built. Indeed, it is said in Surah al-Hajj: (Arabic***************)

“And remember when We designated for Abraham the site of this House (the Ka’bah).” (Al-Hajj: 26).

In accordance with this command, this great servant of Allah left his suckling son, together with the exceptionally patient mother who placed her complete reliance upon Allah, in precisely that place, apparently utterly helpless, where he would ultimately have to build the Ka’bah.

Bukhari gives a detailed account of this event on the authority of Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). From the way Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) repeatedly quoted the statements of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), it is clear that he had heard everything he related from the Prophet himself. He said that Abraham (peace be upon him) brought Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her) and her suckling son Ishmael (peace be upon him) and left them beneath a tree at the place where Zamzam later sprang forth. At that time, there was no human being in Makkah’s sparsely populated valley, nor was there water anywhere. Abraham (peace be upon him) gave Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her) dates in a leather bag and a skin of water, then departed. Hagar followed him, saying, “O Abraham! Where are you going, leaving us in this dry, barren wilderness?” She repeated this several times, but Abraham (peace be upon him) did not even turn around. Finally Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “Has Allah commanded you to do this?” Abraham (peace be upon him) replied only, “Yes.” Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her) then said, “If so, Allah will not destroy us.” Saying this, she returned and sat beside her child.

Abraham (peace be upon him) went behind a mountain, beyond the sight of the mother and son, and turned toward the Baytullah—the place where he would have to build that House—to make this supplication:

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

“O Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in a waterless, vegetationless valley near Your Sacred House, so that they may establish prayer. Therefore, make people’s hearts incline toward them and provide them with fruits for food, so that they may be grateful.” (Ibrahim: 37).

Meanwhile, Ishmael’s (peace be upon him) mother continued to nurse him and to drink from the skin of water herself. When the water was exhausted, she and her child became thirsty. Seeing her child writhing in thirst, she could not remain still. She ran toward the valley to see whether she could find any people, but she saw no one. Then she descended from Mount Safa into the middle of the valley. Raising both arms, she ran in the manner of a distressed person. Then she climbed Mount Marwah and looked to see whether anyone was in sight. But she saw no one. Thus she ran back and forth seven times between Safa and Marwah. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

[Not turning back did not mean cruelty or neglect. Although Abraham (peace be upon him) was a great prophet, he was also certainly human. In obedience to Allah’s command, he had undertaken such a tremendous risk that he was leaving his suckling child and the child’s mother in a sparsely populated valley surrounded by mountains. From this circumstance, one can certainly imagine what must have been going on in his heart. If he had looked back at his wife and son, his heart would have become restless and agitated. Therefore, he continued on, placing a stone upon his heart. In response to his wife’s repeated questions as she followed him, he answered only “yes” without looking toward her.]

For this reason, people perform sa’i between Safa and Marwah. (****1) The last time she climbed Mount Marwah, she heard a voice. Then she said to herself, “Be quiet” (that is, do not make a commotion), and listened attentively. When the voice came again, she said, “O one whose voice I hear, you have made me hear your voice. Do you have anything with you to fulfill my request?”

Suddenly, she saw an angel at the site of Zamzam. According to the accounts of Ibrahim ibn Nafi and Ibn Jurayj, she saw Gabriel digging the earth with his heel or hand. Then water burst forth. Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her) began filling the skin with water from her cupped hands. The more water she collected, the more it surged upward. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “May Allah have mercy on Ishmael’s mother. Had she left Zamzam as it was”—that is, had she not enclosed it with a raised embankment on all sides—“it would have become a flowing spring.”

Thus Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her) continued drinking the water and nursing her child. The angel said to her, “Do not fear that the water will run out. Here is the House of Allah, which this child and his father will build. Allah will not destroy the people of this House.”

After some time had passed in this manner, some people of the Jurhum tribe (***1) came from the region of Quda’a and stopped in the lower part of Makkah. From there they saw a bird flying around a particular place. They said, “That bird must be circling over water. We have passed through this valley before, but there was no water anywhere.” They then sent one or two men, who found water there. They returned and informed the others. They came and found Ishmael’s (peace be upon him) mother there. They said to Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her), “Will you permit us to stay here?” Hagar replied, “Yes, but the right to the water will remain mine, not yours.” They agreed to this.

Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The people of that Jurhum tribe found Ishmael’s mother very sociable. She herself wished that some people would settle there. So they remained there and brought the rest of their families. Several families began living there. Ishmael (peace be upon him) was raised and grew up among them, and learned the Arabic language from them. (***1) The Jurhumites liked this boy very much and began wishing that he would marry a girl from their own tribe.

(****1) This is extremely important historical evidence for that event. After the Ka’bah was built, the continuous rites of Hajj began in the time of Abraham (peace be upon him). From then until today, hundreds, thousands, and millions of people have performed sa’i between Safa and Marwah in remembrance of this event. This recurring practice, continuing for thousands of years without interruption, still continues today. It is such evidence of the event as no other event in the world possesses stronger historical proof. In contrast, in the account of the event said to have occurred in the wilderness of Paran, there is no indication that such sa’i was ever performed there or before that time, nor is it performed there today.

() This was a tribe of the ancient Qahtani Arabs of Yemen.

(1) Abraham’s (peace be upon him) language was not Arabic either. He was from Iraq, and later lived in Canaan. Hagar’s language was not Arabic either; she was Egyptian.]

The Event of the Sacrifice of the Son

After leaving his beloved son in that valley, Abraham (peace be upon him) did not abandon him to neglect. Rather, he came from time to time to inquire about them and would also stay with his wife and son for some days. When he left his wife and suckling child at this place, he made this supplication. (Arabic*********************)

“O my Lord, make this city secure.” In accordance with this supplication, this sparsely populated place has now become a settlement. It may be assumed that Abraham (peace be upon him) must already have preached Islam among the Jurhumites. Then occurred an event without parallel in human history: Abraham (peace be upon him) prepared to sacrifice, at God’s command, his first and only son, born in his old age, when the boy was entering young manhood. The Qur’an describes this event as follows:

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

“Then, when the boy reached the age of running about with him, Abraham said one day, ‘O my son, I have seen in a dream that I am sacrificing you. Tell me, then, what do you think?’ He said, ‘O my father, do what you are commanded. Allah willing, you will find me steadfast.’ At last, when they had both submitted and he had laid his son down with his forehead to the ground, We called out to him, ‘O Abraham, you have fulfilled the dream. Thus do We reward the righteous. Surely this was a clear test, and We ransomed him with a great sacrifice and saved the son.’ (Al-Saffat: 102–107). This event took place in Makkah. The Qur’an also calls this place “Bakkah” (Al Imran: 96). However, according to Ibn Hisham (volume one, p. 119), this was not its ancient name; rather, it was also given this name later when it attained the status of a sanctuary. Ibn Hisham says that Makkah was called Bakkah because (****************) it breaks the necks of tyrants. He further explains that, in the Age of Ignorance, Makkah did not allow any oppression or excess to endure for long. Whoever committed excesses was expelled from the city—the author. The place to which Abraham (peace be upon him) took his son for sacrifice was Mina, where the sacrifice continues to be performed on that date (the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah). The reason he took him to Mina was that, by then, a settlement had developed in Makkah and Ishmael’s (peace be upon him) mother was also living there. Therefore, Abraham (peace be upon him) took his son outside Makkah to the uninhabited mountainous region of Mina. Moreover, this occurred when Ishmael (peace be upon him) was no more than twelve or thirteen years old. Isaac had not yet been born, because after relating this event in Surah al-Saffat, Allah Most High says:

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

“And We gave Abraham the glad tidings of one of the righteous prophets.” (Verse 112)

Some explanation of the above verses is necessary; it is given below:

(1) Abraham (peace be upon him) did not dream that he had already slaughtered his son. Rather, he dreamed that he was slaughtering him. At that time, however, he understood the dream to mean that Allah was commanding him to sacrifice his son in order to test the correctness of his faith. Therefore, with a calm mind, he prepared to sacrifice his beloved son.

(2) The purpose of asking his son was not that he would obey Allah’s command if his son agreed and would not obey it if he did not. Rather, Abraham (peace be upon him) wanted to see how righteous the son was for whom he had supplicated Allah. If the son himself was ready to give his life for Allah’s pleasure, this meant that the supplication had been fully accepted and that the son was not merely his child physically, but also his truly praiseworthy child in moral and spiritual terms.

(3) When Ishmael (peace be upon him) said, “Do what you have been commanded to do,” he meant that he regarded the dream of his prophetic father as Allah’s command and as taking the place of revelation. Had this understanding been incorrect, Abraham (peace be upon him) would have said that it was merely a dream, not a command, and Allah Most High would also have refuted his understanding in these verses. This is one of the arguments on the basis of which a prophet’s dream may be counted in Islam as one of the forms of revelation.

(4) Abraham (peace be upon him) did not lay his son on his back for the sacrifice. Rather, he laid him face down so that seeing his son’s face would not cause his hand to tremble out of paternal love. For this reason, he intended to place his hand underneath and draw the knife across his throat.

(5) Before Abraham (peace be upon him) slaughtered his son, Allah Most High said, “O Abraham, you have fulfilled the dream.” This declaration by Allah was entirely justified because the dream had not shown that he had already slaughtered his son. Rather, it had shown that he was doing so. Thus, when he completed what had been shown in the dream, it was proclaimed: “You have fulfilled the dream and passed the great test with which We tested you. This is how We reward Our righteous servants, as We have rewarded you. Without having your son killed by your hand, We made it manifest through you that, out of love for Us, you could sacrifice even your own child.”

(6) “The great sacrifice” may mean the ram that Allah’s angels brought to Abraham to slaughter in place of Ishmael. It may also mean the sacrifice that continued from that time until the age of Prophet Muhammad and that, from the Prophet’s time until today, all Muslims of the world perform during Hajj and Eid al-Adha.

Was the sacrifice made of Isaac or Ishmael?

It has been stated above that it was the habit of the Children of Israel to attribute every glorious matter to themselves, to make false accusations against others, or to claim many honors for themselves. In accordance with this habit, they attributed the incident of the son’s sacrifice to Isaac (peace be upon him) instead of Ishmael (peace be upon him). The Bible says:

“God tested Abraham and said to him: Take your beloved and only son Isaac and go to the land of Moriah, and there, on one of the mountains that I will show you, offer him as a burnt sacrifice” (Genesis, chapter 22, verses 1–2).

In this account, on the one hand it is said that Allah the Exalted wanted Isaac (peace be upon him) to be sacrificed, while on the other hand it is said that he was the only son. Yet other accounts in the Bible itself conclusively prove that Isaac was not the only son. For this, see the following explanation from the Bible:

“And Abraham’s wife Sarah had no children. She had an Egyptian slave girl whose name was Hagar. And Sarah said to Abram, ‘Behold, the Lord has kept me from having children. Therefore go in to my slave girl. Perhaps I may obtain children through her.’ And Abram agreed to Sarah’s words. He had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, when Sarah gave him her Egyptian slave girl as his wife. And he went in to Hagar, and she conceived” (Genesis, chapter 16, verses 1–3).

“The angel of God said to her, ‘You are pregnant and will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael’” (Genesis 16:11).

“When Ishmael was born from Hagar’s womb, Abram was eighty-six years old” (Genesis 16:16). And the Lord said to Abram: ‘I will also grant you a son through your wife Sarah; you shall name him Isaac, and he will be born from Sarah’s womb at this appointed time next year.’ Then Abram took his son Ishmael and all the males of his household and circumcised them that very day by God’s command. Abram was ninety-nine years old at the time of the circumcision, and Ishmael was circumcised at the age of thirteen” (Genesis, chapter 17, verses 15–25).

“And when his son was born to him, Abram was one hundred years old” (Genesis 21:5).

From this, the contradictory account in the Bible becomes clear. It is evident that until Ishmael was fourteen, he was Abraham’s only son. If the sacrifice sought was that of the only son, then it was not Isaac’s but Ishmael’s, because he was the only son. And if Isaac’s sacrifice was sought, then it is incorrect to say that the sacrifice of the only son was sought.

Then, if we turn to the Islamic traditions, we find a major difference of opinion. Among the reports from the Companions and the Successors cited by the exegetes, one group’s reports state that the son was Isaac. The following eminent figures are counted among this group:

Umar, Ali, Abdullah ibn Masud, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abu Hurayra, Qatadah, Ikrimah, Hasan al-Basri, Mujahid, al-Shabi, Masruq, Makhul, al-Zuhri, Ata, Muqatil, al-Suddi, Ka’b al-Ahbar, Zayd ibn Aslam, and other eminent scholars.

The second group says that he was Ishmael. The following eminent figures belong to this group:

Abu Bakr, Ali, Abdullah ibn Umar, Abdullah ibn Abbas, Abu Hurayra, Muawiyah, Ikrimah, Mujahid, Yusuf ibn Mihran, Hasan al-Basri, Muhammad ibn Ka’b, al-Qurazi, al-Shabi, Sa’id ibn al-Musayyab, Dahhak, Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Husayn (Imam Muhammad al-Baqir), Rabi ibn Anas, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and other eminent scholars.

On examining these two lists, it will be seen that some names occur in both groups. In other words, two contradictory statements have been quoted from the same person. For example, Ikrimah quoted Abdullah ibn Abbas as saying that the son was Isaac. Yet Ata ibn Abi Rabah quoted the same authority as saying: “The Jews claim that he was Isaac, but the Jews speak falsely.” Similarly, a report from Hasan al-Basri is found in which he supports Isaac’s (peace be upon him) being slaughtered. But Amr ibn Ubayd says that Hasan al-Basri had no doubt that the son of Abraham (peace be upon him) whom he was commanded to slaughter was Ishmael (peace be upon him). The result of this disagreement is that some scholars decisively favor Isaac, such as Ibn Jarir and Qadi Iyad; some state with certainty that Ishmael was slaughtered, such as Ibn Kathir; and some remain uncertain, such as Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti. But when viewed from the standpoint of research and investigation, not the slightest doubt remains that Ishmael (peace be upon him) was the one who was slaughtered. The arguments are as follows:

(1) In Surah al-Saffat, we find Allah the Exalted saying that, when Abraham (peace be upon him) migrated from his homeland, he prayed for a righteous son. In response, Allah gave him the glad tidings of a forbearing son. The wording clearly indicates that he made this supplication when he was childless. The son whose birth was then announced was his first son. The sequence of the discourse in this surah further indicates that, when this son became capable of running and walking about with his father, he was given the indication that he would be slaughtered. It is therefore certain that Abraham’s (peace be upon him) first child was Ishmael (peace be upon him), not Isaac.

The Qur’an itself describes the order of the two sons as follows:

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

—Praise belongs to Allah, who granted me Ishmael and Isaac in my old age—(Ibrahim: 39).

(2) In the Qur’an, when the glad tidings of Isaac’s (peace be upon him) birth are given, the words ghulamin alim (a knowledgeable son) are used (al-Dhariyat: 28), and the surah says: (Arabic*************)

“Do not fear; I give you glad tidings of a knowledgeable son” (al-Hijr: 53). But in Surah al-Saffat, where the glad tidings of the son are given, the words ghulamin halim (a forbearing son) are used. This makes it clear that the distinct qualities of the two sons were different, and that the command to slaughter was not for the knowledgeable son but for the forbearing son, because the incident of the son’s sacrifice occurred after that son had been born and had approached adulthood, while the glad tidings of the birth of the second son were given afterward.

(3) In the Qur’an, while giving the glad tidings of Isaac’s (peace be upon him) birth, the glad tidings are also given that a son like Jacob (peace be upon him) would be born among his descendants: (Arabic***************)

—We gave him the glad tidings of Isaac, and after Isaac, of Jacob—(Hud: 71).

It is clear that, alongside the announcement of the son’s birth, the announcement was also made that a worthy son would be born to him. If Abraham (peace be upon him) had been shown a dream in which he slaughtered that son, he could never have understood from it that he was being instructed to sacrifice this son, because after sacrificing him, there could be no question of another son—namely Jacob (peace be upon him)—being born from his loins.

Allamah Ibn Jarir answers this argument by saying that perhaps this dream was shown to Abraham at the time when Jacob (peace be upon him) was born in Isaac’s household. But this is an extremely weak answer. The words of the Qur’an are: “When the boy became capable of running about with his father”—it was then that the dream was shown. If anyone reads these words with an impartial mind, the image that will arise is of a boy of eight, ten, or at most twelve or thirteen years. No one can imagine that these words were used for a son who had become a young man and the father of a child.

(4) After narrating the entire story, Allah the Exalted says at the end: “We gave him the glad tidings of Isaac—a righteous prophet.” This clearly shows that this was not the son who had been indicated for slaughter. Rather, the glad tidings of another son were given first. Then, when he became capable of running and walking about with his father, the command was given to slaughter him. After Abraham (peace be upon him) passed this test, he was given the glad tidings of another son, Isaac. This sequence of events conclusively establishes that the son commanded to be slaughtered was not Isaac (peace be upon him); rather, that son had been born several years earlier. Allamah Ibn Jarir refutes this clear argument by saying that the glad tidings of Isaac’s (peace be upon him) birth were given first. Then, when he became ready to give his life for God’s pleasure, his reward was given in the form of the glad tidings that he would be a prophet. But this answer is even weaker than the first. If that had truly been the case, Allah would not have said in connection with this event, “We gave him the glad tidings of Isaac.” Rather, He would have said: “We gave him the glad tidings that this son of yours would be a righteous prophet.”

(5) It is established through reliable chains of transmission that the horns of the ram slaughtered as the ransom for Ishmael (peace be upon him) remained preserved in the Kaaba until the time of Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr. Later, when Hajjaj ibn Yusuf besieged Ibn al-Zubayr in the Sanctuary and destroyed the Kaaba, those horns were lost. Ibn Abbas and Amir al-Shabi testify that they themselves saw those horns in the Kaaba (Ibn Kathir). This proves that the sacrifice did not take place in the land of Syria; rather, it took place in Mecca, and it was Ishmael (peace be upon him) who was involved. That is why their memory was preserved in the Kaaba built by Abraham (peace be upon him) and Ishmael (peace be upon him).

(6) For many centuries, the Arab tradition preserved the fact that this sacrifice took place at Mina. This was not merely a tradition. Rather, from that time until the age of the Noble Prophet, it remained an established part of the rites of Hajj that people would go to the place at Mina where Abraham (peace be upon him) had sacrificed and offer sacrifices there. Then, when Prophet Muhammad was sent as the final prophet, he maintained the same practice. Even today, sacrifices are offered at Mina during Hajj on the tenth of Dhu al-Hijjah. This uninterrupted practice of four and a half thousand years is undeniable proof that the heirs to Abraham’s (peace be upon him) sacrifice were the Children of Ishmael, not the Children of Isaac. No such practice existed among the descendants of Isaac (peace be upon him) whereby the entire nation would offer sacrifices at the same time and regard them as commemorating Abraham’s (peace be upon him) sacrifice.

These are arguments and proofs that make it astonishing, after examining them, that the belief that Isaac (peace be upon him) was slaughtered spread within the Muslim ummah itself. If the Jews deprived Ishmael (peace be upon him) of this honor and attempted to assign it to their forefather Isaac (peace be upon him), that is understandable. But how did a large group of Muslims accept this deception? Allamah Ibn Kathir gave a highly satisfactory answer to this question in his commentary. He said: “In reality, everything that has been said in support of Isaac’s (peace be upon him) being slaughtered was narrated from Ka’b al-Ahbar. When this gentleman became Muslim during Umar’s time, he used to relate to him matters mentioned in the ancient books of the Jews and Christians, and Umar would listen to them. Consequently, others also began listening to him and would repeat whatever rambling things he said. Yet this ummah had no need to know any of these matters.”

Muhammad ibn Ka’b al-Qurazi sheds further light on this question in a report. He says that once, in my presence, the question was raised before Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz as to whether Isaac (peace be upon him) or Ishmael (peace be upon him) had been slaughtered. A man was present in that gathering who had formerly been counted among the Jewish scholars and later embraced Islam sincerely. He said: “Commander of the Believers, by God, the one who was sacrificed was Ishmael. The Jews also knew this. But, out of envy toward the Arabs, they claimed that Isaac (peace be upon him) had been slaughtered” (Ibn Jarir).

When these two reports are considered together, it becomes clear that this was in fact Jewish propaganda that had spread among the Muslims. Muslims did not maintain any rigidity regarding intellectual matters. For this reason, many of them accepted the Jewish accounts—which the Jews presented, through ancient books, under the guise of historical tradition—as intellectual fact, without realizing that they contained bias and hostility instead of knowledge.

The Construction of the Kaaba

It was stated earlier that, through the blessing of Zamzam, families from the Jurhum tribe came and settled near Ishmael (peace be upon him) and Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her), and Mecca was becoming a city. It was also mentioned that, because of Hagar’s sociability, a good relationship developed between the mother and son and the new settlers. Ishmael

(Map of the Noble Kaaba)

(peace be upon him) was raised and brought up among them. When he reached youth, the Jurhumites were so impressed by his exceptional character and qualities that they wished to marry Ishmael (peace be upon him) into their community. According to a report from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in Bukhari, Ishmael (peace be upon him) first married a young woman. But this daughter-in-law was not liked by Abraham (peace be upon him). Therefore, Ishmael (peace be upon him) divorced her and married a young woman whom Abraham (peace be upon him) liked. He had twelve sons by her. According to the report in Bukhari, Hagar (may Allah be pleased with her) entered Paradise shortly after Ishmael’s (peace be upon him) first marriage.

Then Abraham (peace be upon him) came to Mecca to carry out his actual mission, for the purpose of which he had brought and resettled this part of his family in a waterless and barren valley thirty years earlier. In the report of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) from Bukhari that we cited above, he goes on to say that one day Ishmael (peace be upon him) was sitting beneath a tree beside Zamzam, making arrows. Suddenly Abraham (peace be upon him) arrived there. As soon as Ishmael (peace be upon him) saw him, he stood up, and father and son met as a father meets his son and a son meets his father. Then Abraham (peace be upon him) said, “Ishmael, Allah has commanded me to do something.” Ishmael (peace be upon him) replied, “Do what your Lord has commanded you to do.” Abraham (peace be upon him) said, “Will you help me with this task?” He replied, “Yes, certainly, I will help you.” Then Abraham (peace be upon him) pointed toward a part of the valley that was somewhat higher than the surrounding ground and said, “Allah has commanded me to build a house here.” Thus the two father and son laid the foundations of the House of Allah. Ishmael (peace be upon him) brought the stones, while Abraham (peace be upon him) built the walls. When the walls had become sufficiently high, Abraham (peace be upon him) brought the stone that became famous as the Station of Abraham. He stood upon it, continued laying the stones, and raised the walls still higher.

The Status of the Kaaba in Arabia and Throughout the World

This House was not merely a place of worship, as mosques are. Rather, from the very first day it was regarded as the center for propagating and spreading the universal movement of Islam. The purpose was that those who believed in the One God would come out from every place and assemble here, worship God together, and carry the message of Islam back with them. How was this center established again? With what emotions and supplications did the two fathers and sons build the walls of this House, and how did they initiate Hajj? A detailed account is given in the Noble Qur’an as follows.

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

—Indeed, the first House appointed for humankind was the one built at Mecca. It is a blessed House and a center of guidance for all the worlds. In it are clear signs of Allah and the Station of Abraham. Whoever enters it shall be safe (Aal Imran: 96).

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

—Have they not seen how We made the Sanctuary secure, while people are snatched away all around it? (Al-Ankabut: 67)

In other words, although for two thousand years plunder, murder, destruction, and fierce warfare had been raging all around, security always prevailed in this Sanctuary. Even a savage Bedouin, upon seeing his father’s murderer within its boundaries, would not dare to lay a hand on him.

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

—And remember when We made this House a center and a place of return and security for the people, and commanded: Keep My House pure for those who circumambulate it and those who bow and prostrate. And when Abraham prayed: “My Lord, make this a secure city and provide its inhabitants with fruits—those among them who believe in Allah and the Last Day.” And when Abraham and Ishmael were raising the foundations of this House, they prayed: “Our Lord, accept this effort from us. You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Our Lord, make us both Muslims, obedient to You, and raise from our descendants a nation obedient to You. Show us our rites of worship and look upon us with mercy. You are the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful. Our Lord, raise among these people a messenger from their own nation who will recite Your verses to them, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify their character. Surely You are the Mighty, the Wise” (al-Baqarah: 125–129). (Arabic***************)

And when Abraham prayed: “My Lord, make this city secure, and keep me and my children away from idol worship. My Lord, these idols have led many people astray. So whoever follows me belongs to me, and whoever disobeys me, surely You are Forgiving and Merciful. My Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in this waterless, vegetationless valley beside Your sacred House, so that, O my Lord, they may establish prayer. Therefore make people’s hearts incline toward them and provide them with fruits, so that they may be grateful” (Ibrahim: 35).

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

And when We assigned to Abraham the site of this House, saying: “Associate nothing with Me, and keep My House pure for those who circumambulate it and those who bow and prostrate. And proclaim Hajj to all people, so that they may come to you on foot or riding lean camels from every distant mountain pass, so that they may witness the benefits they have for them, religious and worldly. Then, on appointed days, let them pronounce Allah’s name over the livestock He has provided for them—that is, let them sacrifice them. Eat some of their meat yourselves and feed the destitute and needy”—(Hajj: 26–28).

The Blessings of the Kaaba in the Age of Ignorance

The status of the Kaaba in Arabia was not confined to that of a place of worship. Rather, because of its central status and sanctity, it became the support of the country’s entire economic and cultural life. People came in large groups from all over the country to the Kaaba for Hajj and Umrah, and through this gathering a bond of unity was established among the Arabs, who were divided into countless factions. People from different regions and tribes formed civilizational relations with one another. Their language and literature developed through poetry competitions. Commercial transactions met the economic needs of the entire country. Because of the sacred months [The sacred months are Rajab for Umrah, and Dhu al-Qadah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram for Hajj. Warfare ceased during these months. No one troubled travelers journeying for Umrah and Hajj—author.], the Arabs enjoyed peace and security for one-third of the year. This was the period when their caravans could travel easily from one end of the country to the other. When animals marked with collars for sacrifice traveled with them, moving from one place to another became easier. For when the Arabs saw animals whose necks were collared as a sign of a vow, they bowed their heads in respect. No plundering tribe dared interfere with them.

The Prophethood of Ishmael and Its Influence on the Arabs

When Abraham (peace be upon him) and Ishmael (peace be upon him) built the Kaaba, declared the House a center and sanctuary, and invited people to come to the Kaaba for Hajj every year, Ishmael (peace be upon him) was most probably then honored with prophethood so that he could fulfill the responsibility of propagating Islam in Arabia. The Qur’an says concerning him: (Arabic***************)

—And mention Ishmael in the Book. He was true to his promise, and he was a messenger and a prophet. He used to command his family to prayer and zakat, and he was pleasing to his Lord—(Maryam: 54–55).

Although no detailed account of the life and apostleship of Ishmael (peace be upon him) is found in history, the proof that his apostleship was successful is that the Ka‘bah acquired a central status throughout Arabia. People came in large groups from the remotest regions of Arabia for Hajj and Umrah, with enthusiasm and eagerness. The rites of Hajj remained as they had originally been prescribed. The practice of performing sa‘i between Safa and Marwah and sacrificing at Mina on the days of Dhu al-Hijjah was also prevalent among the Arabs; it was undoubtedly commemorative of Hajar’s (may Allah be pleased with her) sa‘i and Abraham’s (peace be upon him) sacrifice. The observance throughout Arabia of four prohibited months for Hajj and Umrah was universally accepted. Many other signs of the religion of Abraham also remained current among the Arabs, such as circumcision, bathing after ritual impurity caused by seminal emission, slaughtering animals, sacrificing camels, burying the dead, marriage and divorce, the rules of mourning for widows, considering marriage with mothers, sisters, and daughters unlawful, retaliation for bloodshed, and so on. Moreover, some learned men performed ablution, and some offered prayer, such as Quss ibn Sa‘idah al-Iyadi. Abu Dharr also began offering prayer three years before accepting Islam, although it is not known what kind of prayer it was. The practice of fasting was also prevalent among the Arabs, and they observed i‘tikaf. It is stated in a hadith that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had vowed to observe i‘tikaf for one night during the Age of Ignorance. There were many acts that the Arabs regarded as righteous and praised, such as feeding guests and travelers, helping the needy, fulfilling the rights of relatives, and so forth. If the apostleship of Ishmael (peace be upon him) had not achieved extraordinary success, it would not have been possible for the signs of the religion he preached to remain throughout Arabia until the coming of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), despite the Arabs’ having remained immersed in the darkness of ignorance for two and a half thousand years. The greatest evidence is that, through the preaching of Ishmael and those influenced by him, the Arabs retained, until the advent of the Prophet, the same notions about Allah that are mentioned in the Qur’an. (See Surah al-Zukhruf 43:87; al-‘Ankabut 29:61–63; al-Mu’minun 23:61–63; Yunus 10:22–23 and 31; and Bani Isra’il 17:67.)

Another effect of Ishmael’s apostleship was that, until the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), there remained in Arabia a group of people known in history as the Hanifs. They were found in different places among various Arab tribes. They rejected polytheism and affirmed monotheism, and they were eager to follow the religion of Abraham. We included a list of them in the fourth volume of Tafhim al-Qur’an. Below we describe the circumstances of some of them:

al-Nabighah al-Ja‘di—He belonged to the Banu ‘Amir ibn Sa‘sah tribe. During the Age of Ignorance, he spoke of the religion of Abraham and hanifiyyah, that is, turning away from every direction and submitting exclusively to Allah. He fasted and sought forgiveness. His sayings during the Age of Ignorance referred to monotheism, the life after death, punishment and reward, Paradise, Hell, and other such matters. Later he accepted Islam (al-Isti‘ab, volume 1, p. 31).

Sirmah ibn Anas—He was descended from Banu ‘Adi ibn al-Najjar. During the Age of Ignorance he lived the life of an ascetic, abandoned idol worship, performed the bath of major ritual impurity, and kept away from menstruating women. He detested wine and other intoxicants. At first he wished to become a Christian, but then abandoned the idea. He built a house resembling a mosque. He did not allow anyone requiring a ritual bath or any menstruating woman to enter it. He used to say—

“I worship the Lord of Abraham, and I follow the religion of Abraham.”

Two lines of his poetry are quoted below:— (Arabic***************)

—Praise belongs to Allah, my Lord, Who has no partner. Whoever does not accept this wrongs himself.

When the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, arrived in Madinah, that man had become extremely old and infirm. He appeared before the Prophet and accepted Islam (al-Isti‘ab, volume 1, p. 323; al-Isabah, volume 2, p. 179; Ibn Hisham, volume 2, p. 156).

‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah—He belonged to the Banu Sulaym tribe. Ibn Sa‘d says that he abandoned idol worship even before accepting Islam. Ahmad ibn Hanbal quotes him as saying, “During the Age of Ignorance, I believed that people were immersed in error, and I believed that these idols were nothing.”

Another of his statements is as follows:

“It had become firmly established in my mind that idol worship was false. On hearing this, someone told me, ‘There is a man in Makkah who says such things.’ So I came to Makkah. I met the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), learned his teachings, and believed”—(al-Isti‘ab, volume 2, p. 431).

The most instructive case is that of ‘Amr ibn Nufayl, who was the paternal cousin of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and the father of Sa‘id ibn Zayd [Umar’s brother-in-law]. He was exceptionally firm in his monotheistic creed. He considered idol worship, carrion, blood, and sacrifices made in the name of idols unlawful. He regarded the killing of daughters as very evil and tried to save them. He also refuted the religions of the Jews and Christians. He used to say, “What difference is there between the polytheism of our people and theirs?”

Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “I saw Zayd ibn ‘Amr sitting with his back against the wall of the Ka‘bah. He used to say, ‘O people of Quraysh! By God, I will not eat the meat of any animal slaughtered in the name of anyone other than Allah. By God, no one besides me follows the religion of Abraham.’”

He also used to say, “O God! If I knew which manner of worshipping You was most pleasing to You, I would worship You in that very manner.” He would prostrate with his head resting on his palms. He traveled as far as Syria in search of the religion of Abraham, but he did not find it in the religions of the Jews or Christians either. Then he raised his hands and prayed,

—O God! I call You to witness that I follow the religion of Abraham.

Finally, five years before the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), someone killed him in the city of Lakhm. His paternal uncle and half-brother, Khattab, tormented him greatly for abandoning the religion of his forefathers. Eventually he was forced to leave Makkah. Thugs were hired by the Quraysh to prevent him from entering the city of Makkah.

During the Islamic period, Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and Sa‘id ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), “Did you know Zayd’s beliefs? May we pray for his forgiveness?”

The Prophet replied, “Yes; he will be raised on the Day of Resurrection as a community unto himself” (al-Isti‘ab, volume 2, p. 539; al-Isabah, volume 1, p. 552; Ibn Hisham, volume 1, pp. 239–240).

Nevertheless, the kind of polytheism in which the ordinary Arabs were involved can be learned from the talbiyah that they recited during Hajj. That talbiyah was as follows:—

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

—Here I am, O my Allah, here I am. Here I am; You have no partner except the partner who belongs to You. You are the master of him and of whatever he possesses.

This means that, despite accepting their many supposed gods as objects of worship, they acknowledged Allah as the Supreme Lord and believed that all those objects of worship were servants and slaves of that Glorious and Most Supreme Being. What else can this be called but the effect of Ishmael’s apostleship—that, despite being immersed in the vilest ignorance and polytheism, they retained this belief about Allah?

Administration of the Ka‘bah after Ishmael (peace be upon him)

As long as Ishmael (peace be upon him) lived, responsibility for administering the Ka‘bah remained in his hands. After his death, his eldest son Nabith became its custodian. But after Nabith’s death, the people of the Jurhum tribe, who had settled in Makkah during Hajar’s (may Allah be pleased with her) time, forcibly took control of the administration of the Ka‘bah. The descendants of Ishmael were few in number, while the Jurhumites of Makkah had greatly increased. Along with them, a branch of the Amalekites, Qatoura or Banu Qaytur, also shared in administering Makkah for some time. The Jurhumites collected a tithe from those who came from the outskirts of the city, while those who came from the lower regions were compelled to pay their tithe to the Amalekites. Eventually they were expelled from the administration of the Ka‘bah. Thereafter, the latter dominated the Ka‘bah and Makkah for several centuries (Muruj al-Dhahab, al-Sam‘udi, volume 2, p. 50; Ibn Hisham, volume 1, p. 118). Gradually they became so corrupt that they began to undermine the sanctity of Makkah. They consumed unlawfully the wealth offered as gifts to the Ka‘bah and harassed those who came to visit it. Indeed, if one of them could find no place elsewhere for committing adultery, he would go to the Ka‘bah and commit the sin there. One incident from that period is that a man named Isaf committed an illicit act with a woman named Na’ilah in the Ka‘bah, and Allah caused both of them to become crippled. After some time, idols of them were made; one was placed at Safa and the other at Marwah, and worship of them began. The custodians of the Ka‘bah sank to this extreme degradation.

When the oppression of the Jurhumites finally reached its limit, Banu Bakr ibn ‘Abd Manat of the Kinanah tribe and Ghubshan of the Khuza‘ah tribe fought them jointly and expelled them from Makkah. As they departed, they threw the treasures of the Ka‘bah into Zamzam, blocked it, obliterated it, and set out toward their homeland, Yemen. Thereafter, responsibility for administering the Ka‘bah passed to that branch of Khuza‘ah known as Ghubshan. They remained custodians of the Ka‘bah for three or four centuries, and during their period the Ka‘bah became a complete house of idols. This began when the chief of that tribe, ‘Amr ibn Luhayy, became the uncrowned king of Khuza‘ah because of his wealth and generosity; whatever novel religious practice or innovation he introduced, everyone followed without hesitation. Once he went to Syria, where he saw the Amalekites worshipping various idols. He liked this greatly and brought an idol called Hubal from there and installed it in the Ka‘bah. Gradually the number of idols increased. Idols of Abraham (peace be upon him), Ishmael (peace be upon him), and Mary (peace be upon her) were also included among them. The idol of Mary was probably installed so that the Christians of Arabia would turn toward the Ka‘bah. In a narration from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Bukhari’s Kitab al-Anbiya, it is stated that there were also idols of Abraham and Mary in the Ka‘bah. A second narration states that the idols of Abraham and Ishmael were depicted with arrows used for divination in their hands. Ibn Ishaq says that the innovations of bahirah, sa’ibah, wasilah, and ham were introduced by ‘Amr ibn Luhayy; they were refuted in verse 103 of Surah al-Ma’idah. But it is not correct to say that this man initiated idol worship among the followers of the religion of Abraham. Ibn Ishaq says that those who left Makkah for other parts of Arabia took a stone from Makkah with them, placed it wherever they settled, and began circumambulating it (Ibn Hisham, volume 1, pp. 79–80).

The Khuza‘ah’s custodianship, that is, their right to administer the Ka‘bah, ended when Qusayy ibn Kilab of the Quraysh acquired this responsibility from his father-in-law. This will be discussed later.

The descendants of Ishmael (peace be upon him)

According to the unanimous account of Arab genealogists and the Bible, Ishmael (peace be upon him) had twelve sons. But after the Jurhumites established their authority in Makkah, only a very small number of Ishmael’s descendants remained in the city, while all the others spread throughout different parts of Arabia. History is silent about where the descendants of his twelve sons went and which people were born from their lines. What is preserved and reliable in Arab genealogy, and on which there is no disagreement, is that Adnan was one of the descendants of Nabith, the eldest son of Ishmael (peace be upon him). There is disagreement about how many generations passed between Adnan and Ishmael (peace be upon him), and Adnan’s upper genealogy has not been preserved. ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “We have found no one who knew the genealogy between Adnan and Ishmael (peace be upon him).”

Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) and Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) both said that those who give genealogies above Adnan are liars. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that those who give genealogies above Adnan lie; genealogy should be recited only up to Adnan. In Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d and al-Baladhuri’s Ansab al-Ashraf, the Prophet himself (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is reported to have recited his genealogy up to Ma‘add ibn Adnan ibn Udad and then said that the one who gives the genealogy beyond that is a liar. But the fact that the ascending genealogy has not been preserved does not mean that there is any doubt that Adnan belonged among the descendants of Ishmael. All the Arabs agree that Adnan was one of the Banu Ishmael. The Arabs’ agreement on this matter is incontrovertible proof of its historical authenticity, because the Arabs attached great importance to genealogy. Without an uninterrupted ancestral tradition, it would not have been possible for them to agree about anyone’s lineage.

The genealogy of the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his relationship to the Arab tribes

The genealogies of the Arab tribal groups that arose from among Adnan’s descendants are preserved, and there is no disagreement among genealogists about them. Here we set out the genealogy of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). We shall then explain at which ancestors the various Arab tribes join the Prophet’s lineage. The genealogy of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is as follows:

Muhammad () ibn Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim ibn Abd Manaf ibn Qusayy ibn Kilab ibn Murrah ibn Ka‘b ibn Lu’ayy ibn Ghalib ibn Fihr ibn Malik ibn al-Nadr ibn Kinanah ibn Khuzaymah ibn Mudrikah ibn Ilyas [Some authors pronounce this name Ilyas, but Suhayli says in his work that the correct pronunciation is al-Ilyas with an initial hamzah. al-Baladhuri also gives this pronunciation in his Ansab al-Ashraf—the author.] ibn Mudar ibn Nizar ibn Ma‘add ibn Adnan.

The following tribes join the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) lineage by tracing their ancestry upward to the respective ancestor in this line:

The ascending genealogy of the descendants of ‘Akk, son of Adnan, reaches Adnan and joins the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forefathers. The descendants of ‘Akk went to Yemen and settled there, and marital ties were established with the Ash‘aris. Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) belonged to this tribe.

Banu Quda‘ah and the tribes including Banu Bakr ibn Wa’il, Taghlib, Nadhilah, and others, as well as Banu Abd al-Qays, ‘Anazah, and Namir ibn Qasit, join Nizar.

All the tribes of Qays—Sulaym, Mazin, Fazara, Abs, Ashja‘, Murrah, Ghatafan, Hawazin, ‘Uqayl, Qushayr, Jusham, Thaqif, Bahilah, Banu Sa‘d, and the descendants of Banu Sa‘d ibn Bakr—descend from him.

Banu Tamim, Banu Dabrah, Muzaynah, Khuza‘ah, Aslam, ‘Uqal, Taym, and others join al-Ilyas.

Buzayl, the tribe into which Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was born, joins Mudrikah.

Banu Asad, Qarah, and all the Banu al-Hun join Khuzaymah.

Banu Abd Manat, including Banu Bakr and Banu Dhumayrah, Banu Malik, Banu Kalkan, ‘Atbah, Milkan, Banu Hudhal, Banu Firas, Banu Fuqaym, and others join Kinanah. The tribe of Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) descended from Banu Malikan.

Quraysh

One group of genealogists says that Quraysh was the title of al-Nadr ibn Kinanah. But scholarly researchers say that Quraysh was in fact the title of Fihr, the grandson of al-Nadr and son of Malik ibn al-Nadr.

Those who are his descendants are included among Quraysh, and those who are not his descendants are not included among Quraysh. [There is disagreement about the meaning of the word Quraysh. One meaning is to come together after being scattered. In this sense, Quraysh could have been the title of Qusayy ibn Kilab, because it was in his time that all the Quraysh families gathered in Makkah. The second meaning is earning and trade, which were the occupations of Quraysh. The third meaning is searching; in this sense Quraysh was the title of al-Nadr ibn Kinanah, because Arab tradition relates that he used to search out the needs of the needy and help them. Another meaning is the vastness of the sea, which consumes everything. There is a statement that Quraysh ibn Badr was a man of the Banu Nadr ibn Kinanah who arranged for the provision of fellow travelers () and merchandise; therefore, when the Arabs saw this tribe’s caravan, they would say, “The caravan of Quraysh has arrived.” Various opinions of this kind exist. But the result of research is that Quraysh was the title of Banu Fihr—the author.]

The gathering of Quraysh in Makkah and their assumption of responsibility for administering the Ka‘bah

We have already stated that, after the Jurhumites established their authority in Makkah, the descendants of Ishmael became scattered throughout various regions of Arabia. The same occurred while responsibility for administering the Ka‘bah lay with a branch of Khuza‘ah and Ghubshan. Like the other branches of Banu Ishmael, Quraysh also spread through the various settlements of Banu Kinanah. Only a very small part of them remained established in Makkah. Around 400 CE [According to Ibn Kathir, there was an interval of 560 years between the death of Ka‘b ibn Lu’ayy, Qusayy’s great-grandfather, and the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) receiving prophethood. On this basis, Ghalib ibn Fihr may have been a contemporary of the Messiah (peace be upon him). Ibn Kathir, citing Suhayli and other Imams, also relates that during the time of Ma‘add ibn Adnan, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and took the Jews captive. This event, dated to 587 BCE, is said by al-Baladhuri to have occurred during the time of Ma‘add ibn Adnan—the author.] this situation ended through Qusayy ibn Kilab. Makkah came under the authority of Quraysh, and responsibility for administering the Ka‘bah also passed to them.

This began when, after the death of Qusayy’s father, Kilab ibn Murrah, his mother Fatimah bint Sa‘d, of the Azd Shanu’ah lineage, married Rabi‘ah ibn Haram, a man of Banu Quda‘ah, and went to Syria. A son named Zirah ibn Rabi‘ah was born there to this second husband and from his mother’s womb. When Qusayy reached maturity, he once quarrelled with a man of Banu Quda‘ah. The man rebuked Qusayy, saying, “You were raised among us, yet you roar at us. Why do you not go to your own people?”

Qusayy then asked his mother, “Who am I?” She replied, “You are the son of Kilab and a descendant of the Quraysh tribe. Your people live beside the Sacred House, in the city of Makkah and its environs.” Qusayy then firmly resolved, saying, “I will go to my people.”

When the season of Hajj arrived, he reached Makkah with the pilgrims of Banu Quda‘ah. His full brother Zuhrah, who had been a young man when Kilab died, was already established there. Qusayy stayed with him. At that time, Hulail ibn Hubshiyyah al-Khuza‘i was the custodian of the Ka‘bah and ruler of Makkah. Qusayy proposed marriage to Hulail’s daughter Hubbah. Hulail was attracted by Qusayy’s noble lineage and distinguished character and gladly consented. There are different reports about how the administration of the Ka‘bah and leadership of Makkah came into Qusayy’s hands. One report says that Hulail himself bequeathed that, after his death, Qusayy should become custodian of the Ka‘bah. Another says that after Hulail’s death Qusayy claimed that he was more entitled to the position than the others. When Khuza‘ah and Banu Bakr did not agree, he called upon his half-brother Rizah and Banu Kinanah and Khuzaymah for assistance. He then gathered the Quraysh who lived in the surrounding areas. Thereafter he forcibly expelled Khuza‘ah and Banu Bakr from Makkah. Later, when both sides accepted Ya‘mur ibn ‘Awf, of Banu ‘Abd Manat ibn Kinanah, as arbiter, he decided that Qusayy had a greater right than Khuza‘ah to become custodian of the Ka‘bah, because his lineage was certainly descended from Banu Ishmael.

After settling the dispute with Khuza‘ah, Qusayy turned his attention to Banu al-Ghawth ibn Murrah. They were called the Sufah. During the time of Jurhum and Khuza‘ah, they had acquired the privilege that, during Hajj, no one could return from Arafat without their permission. People went to Mina only with their permission. No one could leave Mina for home until the Sufah had thrown the stones at the jamarat. Only afterward could the other pilgrims perform ramy, throwing the stones, and depart. Through long custom this had become like a religion, which people considered obligatory to follow. During Hajj, Qusayy fought the Sufah and deprived them of this office (Ibn Hisham).

When Qusayy thus gained control of the Ka‘bah and leadership of Makkah, he gathered all the descendants of Fihr, who were known as Quraysh, from different parts of Arabia, divided Makkah among them, and established one family in each section of the city. [Qusayy divided the city of Makkah among the Quraysh families by establishing various branches of Banu Ka‘b ibn Lu’ayy in the areas adjoining the Haram and in the valleys and highlands on both sides. These included Banu ‘Adi, Banu Jumah, Banu Sahm, Banu Taym, Banu Makhzum, Banu Zuhrah, Banu ‘Abd Wudd, Banu ‘Abd al-Dar, Banu al-Muttalib, Banu Hashim, Banu ‘Abd Shams, and Banu Nawfal. They were called Quraysh al-Bitah, meaning those living in the inner part of Makkah and in the Haram. The families descended from Fihr, the higher ancestor of the Ka‘bah, such as Banu Muharib, Banu al-Harith, Banu Taym al-Adram, Banu ‘Amir ibn Lu’ayy, and others, were called Quraysh al-Zawahir, and they were assigned the outer parts of Makkah—the author.] On this basis, Quraysh called him al-Mujammi‘.

Khuzafah ibn Ghanim al-Adawi said:

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

—Your father was called al-Mujammi‘. Through him Allah gathered the clans of Fihr.

The city-state of Makkah and the administration of Hajj

For this great service rendered by Qusayy, all the Quraysh clans accepted him as their chief. Whenever a girl in any Quraysh family reached maturity, she was dressed in her bridal garment in Qusayy’s house; and whenever a marriage took place, it was held in Qusayy’s house. Whenever an important matter arose or war with a tribe seemed imminent, the chiefs of all the families would gather in his house for consultation. For this reason, the house was called “Dar al-Nadwah.” It had a door opening toward the Haram. In times of war, one of Qusayy’s sons was appointed standard-bearer. This office was called “al-Liwa.” All arrangements for the Hajj remained in the hands of the Qusayy family. One of their duties was “al-Siqayah,” that is, providing pilgrims with water. The second was “al-Rifadah,” that is, arranging food for the pilgrims. For this purpose, all the Quraysh families collected contributions and gave them to Qusayy. Until the pilgrims returned from the Hajj, he arranged food for those who could not provide for themselves.

The third was “al-Hijabah,” that is, the custodianship of the keys of the Kaaba. Its duty was to open and close the Kaaba for visitors.

Qusayy was the sole ruler of the state of Makkah during his lifetime. When the end of his life approached, he saw that his son Abd Manaf had gained fame in Arabia and that his status was also being recognized. He therefore entrusted all the offices of the state of Makkah—Nadwah, Hijabah, Rifadah, and Liwa—to his second son, Abd al-Dar. For some time after Qusayy’s death, his decision continued to be respected. Then, at some point, a dispute arose over the distribution of these offices. In this dispute, some Quraysh families allied themselves with Abd al-Dar and others with Abd Manaf. The Quraysh families that joined Abd Manaf were Banu Asad ibn Abd al-Uzza, Banu Zuhrah ibn Kilab, Banu Taym ibn Murrah, and Banu al-Harith ibn Fihr. Their chief was Abd Shams. Those who joined Abd al-Dar were Banu Makhzum, Banu Sahm, Banu Jumah, and Banu Adi. Their chief was Amir ibn Hashim. Banu Amir ibn Lu’ayy and Banu Muharib ibn Fihr remained neutral in this dispute.

The dispute was becoming prolonged, but a settlement was reached before civil war broke out. As a result, Hijabah, Liwa, and Nadwah remained under Abd al-Dar, while Siqayah and Rifadah were given to Abd Manaf. The descendants of Abd Manaf consulted one another and granted these two offices to Hashim. [These arrangements remained intact until the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) conquered Makkah, just as they had been entrusted to the two families. After the conquest of Makkah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) abolished all of them except Hijabah and Siqayah. Hijabah has continued to be administered to this day by Shaibah ibn Uthman, a branch of Abd al-Dar. As for Siqayah, it eventually came into the hands of Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib and remained with the Banu Abbas for some time. Then the first Caliph relinquished it himself—the author.]

Hashim

Hashim’s original name was Amr. He received the title “Hashim” when a famine once struck Makkah. At that time, Hashim brought food supplies from Syria and made bread. He slaughtered many camels and made broth from them. He broke bread into pieces, mixed it into the broth, and fed the people a kind of tharid. The word “hashm” means to break and crush. Because he broke bread into pieces and put it into the broth to make tharid, he was given the name Hashim.

After the duties of Rifadah and Siqayah were entrusted to Hashim, it was his practice that, when the time of Hajj arrived, he would gather the Quraysh and say, “These are the neighbors of Allah and the people of His House. At this time they come to you to visit. They are Allah’s guests, and Allah’s guests have the greatest right to hospitality.

Allah has granted you this distinction and honored you through it. He has protected you in a way that no neighbor protects his neighbor. Therefore, honor Allah’s guests and the visitors. They are coming from distant, dusty regions, riding emaciated, weak she-camels. Their clothes have become soiled, and their provisions have run out. So feed them and give them water.”

Contributions for this purpose came from all the Quraysh families. Hashim himself spent a great deal of his own wealth. Water was then brought from all the wells of Makkah and the leather basins were filled. This was because the Jurhumites had destroyed Zamzam and wiped out all traces of it. Bread and broth were cooked together, and bread and milk were cooked together and eaten. Sattu, dates, and other foods were also served. The pilgrims were entertained in various ways until they departed from Mina. This public service by Hashim made him beloved among all the clans, because every year during the Hajj they had the opportunity to benefit from his generous service to the people.

The Quraysh’s Trade and Its Growth

The Quraysh’s trade is mentioned in Surah Quraysh (Arabic************).

The summer and winter journeys are presented as a favor from Allah. This idea first occurred to Hashim. Together with his three brothers, Abd Shams, al-Muttalib, and Nawfal, he planned that they should participate in the international trade conducted by the Arabs between the eastern cities and Syria and Egypt. At the same time, they would purchase the goods needed by the Arabs so that the tribes along the route could buy them and merchants from the interior would come to the markets of Makkah to purchase merchandise. There was a time when the ruling government of Iran had established its dominance over this international trade. It was conducted between the Roman Empire and the eastern cities by way of the northern routes and the Persian Gulf. For this reason, trade along the great commercial road extending from southern Arabia along the Red Sea coast to Syria and Egypt was highly prosperous. Compared with other Arab merchant caravans, the Quraysh had the advantage that, besides being custodians of the House of Allah, they served the pilgrims, for which everyone was grateful to them. They had no fear that anyone would rob their caravans on the road. The tribes along the route also did not collect the heavy road taxes from them that were demanded from other caravans. Taking all these matters into consideration, Hashim devised a commercial plan and included all three of his brothers in it. Hashim obtained commercial privileges from the Ghassanid king of Syria, Abd Shams from the king of Abyssinia, al-Muttalib from the rulers of Yemen, and Nawfal from the governments of Iraq and Persia. [Al-Tabari says that Hashim obtained privileges from the Caesar of Rome and the kings of Syria and Ghassan; Abd Shams from the Negus, king of Abyssinia; Nawfal from the king of Iran; and al-Muttalib from the kings of Himyar, along with guarantees of safety during their journeys. Ibn Sa’d says that the Caesar of Rome held Hashim in particular esteem and that he traveled as far as Ankara for trade—the author.] In this way, their trade developed rapidly.

For this reason, the four brothers became famous as merchants by profession. On the basis of the relations they established with the surrounding tribes and states, they were also called the Ashab al-Ilaf, meaning those who create friendly relations. As a technical term, however, “ilaf” means a friendly relationship through which security is obtained while traveling and security is also secured while staying in the territories of allied tribes. It was a type of agreement different from a political alliance.

Because of trade, the Quraysh had the opportunity to establish relations with Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Yemen, and Abyssinia. Through contact with the civilizations and cultures of various countries, their intelligence and foresight developed to such an extent that no other Arab tribe was their equal. They were also foremost among the Arabs in wealth. As a result, Makkah became an important commercial center of the Arabian Peninsula. One great advantage this brought in international relations was that they brought from Iraq an alphabet unknown to any other tribe. For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

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

—The leader of the Quraysh among mankind (Musnad Ahmad, narrated from Amr ibn al-As).

A narration from Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Bayhaqi reads as follows:

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At first, leadership of Arabia was in the hands of the Himyarites. Then Allah Almighty took it from them and gave it to the Quraysh.

While the Quraysh were progressing in this way, the sudden attack of Abraha took place. If Abraha had succeeded in capturing this sacred city and destroying the Kaaba, not only the Quraysh but also the honor of the Kaaba itself would have been destroyed in Arabia. The belief of the Arabs in the Age of Ignorance that this House truly belonged to Allah would have been shaken. The honor that the Quraysh enjoyed throughout the country because they were custodians of this House would also have ended completely. After the Abyssinians advanced as far as Makkah, the Roman Empire would have moved farther forward and taken control of the commercial highway between Syria and Makkah. The Quraysh would have suffered an even worse condition than they had endured before Qusayy ibn Kilab. But when Allah Almighty manifested His power miraculously—when flocks of birds destroyed and annihilated Abraha’s sixty thousand Abyssinian soldiers by striking them with stones, and the men of that destroyed army continued to fall and die all along the road from Makkah to Yemen—the conviction of all the Arabs that the Kaaba was Allah’s House became many times firmer and stronger. At the same time, the status of the Quraysh rose throughout the country. The Arabs now became firmly convinced that the Quraysh enjoyed Allah’s special favor. Consequently, the Quraysh traveled throughout Arabia without hesitation with their merchant caravans. No one dared to harass them. They did not even object when they granted protection to someone who was not a Qurayshi.

Abd al-Muttalib ibn Hashim

On his business journeys to Syria, Hashim usually stayed in Madinah along the way. He had previously married a woman from Madinah’s Khazraj tribe, and she bore him a daughter named Hayya and a son named Sayfi. On another journey, he saw a young woman from the Banu Najjar family of the Khazraj, named Salma bint Amr ibn Zayd, sitting on an elevated place in the marketplace and giving orders about what should be bought for her and what should be sold on her behalf. Attracted by her beauty, splendor, sound judgment, and intelligence, Hashim proposed marriage to her. She would agree to marry no one except on the condition that she would live according to her own wishes and separate from him if she no longer liked him. Hashim accepted her condition. Impressed by Hashim’s noble lineage and personality, the woman agreed to the marriage. Their marriage was solemnized in Madinah, and there, around 495 CE, Abd al-Muttalib was born from her. On this same journey, when Hashim reached Gaza, he fell ill and died. Thus, until he reached maturity, Abd al-Muttalib remained in Madinah with his mother. At the time of his death, Hashim instructed that after his death his brother al-Muttalib would assume his position as administrator of Siqayah and Rifadah and would look after his family and property. From that time onward, Banu Hashim and Banu al-Muttalib became closely united and remained so. In contrast, Banu Abd Shams—from whom Banu Umayyah originated—and Banu Nawfal became allies and remained so thereafter. When, during the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him), all the Quraysh tribes severed relations with him and confined him in Shi’b Abi Talib, Banu al-Muttalib stood with the Prophet in the blockade along with Banu Hashim. On the other hand, Banu Nawfal and Banu Abd Shams stood with the opposing party.

Abd al-Muttalib’s original name was Shaibah, and because of his physical beauty he was also called “Shaibat al-Hamd.” While he was being raised in Madinah, one day Thabit ibn Mundhir, the father of Hassan ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him), went to Makkah and met al-Muttalib. Thabit had long been acquainted with him. During their conversation, Thabit said, “Your nephew Shaibah—go and see him once; your heart will be filled with joy. He is a handsome, strong young man.”

On hearing this, al-Muttalib became eager and went to Madinah, seated his nephew with him on a camel, and brought him to Makkah. When the Quraysh saw the young boy arriving with al-Muttalib, they began saying, “Abd al-Muttalib” (that is, al-Muttalib’s slave). Al-Muttalib rebuked them and said, “He is Shaibah, the son of my brother Hashim—not my slave.”

But the name Abd al-Muttalib became so famous that his original name was forgotten. Some time later, al-Muttalib went to Yemen on a commercial journey and died there. Abd al-Muttalib succeeded him and assumed both offices of Siqayah and Rifadah.

Ibn Sa’d praised him, saying that among the Quraysh he was the most handsome, the healthiest, the most calm and patient, the most generous, and the farthest removed from those vices that brought men to ruin.

Ibn Hisham further says that he attained such honor and respect among his people as none of his forefathers had attained. His people loved him, and he held a position of great distinction among the people. Ibn Athir says that Abd al-Muttalib, too, would go to the Cave of Hira during Ramadan to practice tahannuth (worship), and he would feed the poor throughout the month.

Al-Tabari, Ibn Athir, and al-Baladhuri say that Nawfal, the uncle of Abd al-Muttalib, had appropriated some of Hashim’s abandoned property. Abd al-Muttalib complained to influential people. They refused to intervene in the dispute between uncle and nephew. Abd al-Muttalib then sought help from his maternal grandfather’s clan, Banu Adi ibn al-Najjar of Madinah. Thereafter, his maternal uncle Abu Sa’id ibn Adas arrived in Makkah with eight men, and they forcibly secured the nephew’s rights from Nawfal. Nawfal then also joined Banu Abd Shams against Banu Hashim, and until the era of the Prophet’s mission, Banu Nawfal remained part of the group that opposed Banu Hashim and supported Banu Abd Shams. When Abd al-Muttalib saw that Banu Nawfal had joined the opposing group, he consulted the chiefs of Khuza’ah and formally drew up a treaty. There is some difference in the accounts of Ibn Sa’d and al-Baladhuri. They say that Banu Khuza’ah themselves approached Abd al-Muttalib and concluded a pact of mutual friendship, assistance, and cooperation. Both Banu Abd al-Muttalib and Banu Hashim joined this pact, while Banu Abd Shams and Banu Nawfal remained apart from it. The treaty was written in Dar al-Nadwah and hung in the Kaaba. Accordingly, Abd al-Muttalib instructed his sons to maintain friendship with Banu Khuza’ah. Its influence was seen when, at the time of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, one of the treaty’s conditions allowed any Arab tribe that wished to join either side to do so; Khuza’ah then decided to join the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).

Abd al-Muttalib’s Renewal of the Recovery of Zamzam

Abd al-Muttalib alone deserves the honor that Zamzam—which the Jurhumites had completely sealed off and whose very traces they had erased—reappeared through his hands. Muhammad ibn Ishaq, quoting Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), says that in a dream Abd al-Muttalib was shown the location of Zamzam and instructed to excavate that place and uncover the sacred well. At that time Abd al-Muttalib had no son except al-Harith. Taking al-Harith with him, he reached the site with a pickaxe and shovel and began digging. When water emerged, Abd al-Muttalib loudly proclaimed takbir. From this the Quraysh learned that Zamzam had been found. They all gathered and said, “Abd al-Muttalib! This is the well of our father Ismail (peace be upon him), and we have a right to it as well. Make us partners in it with you.” He replied, “I cannot do that. It has been granted exclusively to me, not to any of you.” When they wanted to dispute the matter, Abd al-Muttalib said, “Very well, choose an arbiter.” They named a female soothsayer of Banu Sa’d ibn Hudhaym who lived in the highlands of Syria. Abd al-Muttalib accepted the proposal and set out toward Syria with some companions, together with a number of men from Banu Umayyah and from each Quraysh clan. On the way they reached a desert where the water of Abd al-Muttalib and his companions ran out completely. They feared that they would die from lack of water. They asked the other Quraysh traveling with them for water. They refused, saying, “There is no sign of water anywhere for a great distance. If we share our water with you in these circumstances, we too will suffer the destruction you fear.”

At last Abd al-Muttalib said to his companions, “Come, there is still life in our bodies. Let each of us dig a hole for himself, and whoever dies will be buried in his own hole.” So each dug a hole, and they all waited for death. Then Abd al-Muttalib said to his companions, “We are surrendering ourselves to death needlessly. Come, let us continue courageously; perhaps we will find water somewhere.” They then prepared to move, but by the grace of Providence, when Abd al-Muttalib raised his camel and his foot touched the ground, a spring of sweet water suddenly burst forth beneath it. Abd al-Muttalib and his companions loudly proclaimed takbir in gratitude. They dismounted, drank their fill, and filled their waterskins. Then Abd al-Muttalib called the other Quraysh who had refused them water and said, “You too, drink and fill your waterskins.”

They all came, drank their fill, and said, “O Abd al-Muttalib! God has decided against you and in your favor. By God, we will no longer dispute Zamzam with you. The God who gave you water in this desert has also given you Zamzam. Now return properly to your water.”

Thus, instead of going to the soothsayer, they turned back toward Makkah.

This office of Siqayah—which now primarily involved providing Zamzam water—remained with Abd al-Muttalib throughout his life. After his death, his son Abu Talib assumed the office. But because of his generosity, Abu Talib continued spending more than his means allowed on providing the pilgrims with water, sherbet, milk, and other drinks. As a result, he had to borrow several times from his brother Abbas and was unable to repay the loans. Finally, Abbas stipulated, “If you cannot repay me now, you must relinquish the office of Siqayah to me.” Thus Abbas acquired Siqayah. This was before Islam. Even in the Islamic era, the office remained with Banu Abbas.

Abdullah ibn Abd al-Muttalib

Muhammad ibn Ishaq says that during the excavation of Zamzam, when Abd al-Muttalib saw that he had only one son with him while all the Quraysh had gathered around him, he vowed that if Allah granted him ten sons to assist him, he would sacrifice one of them in the path of Allah beside the Kaaba. Allah fulfilled this prayer and granted him ten sons. They all reached maturity. Finally, one day Abd al-Muttalib gathered them all and told them about his vow. They all said, “Fulfill the vow you made to Allah.” Hearing this, Abd al-Muttalib took all his sons to the Kaaba, to an idol named Hubal. Lots were drawn there. To determine which of his ten sons he would sacrifice, he cast lots, and the name of Abdullah was drawn. He was the handsomest of all the sons and Abd al-Muttalib’s dearest son. [Some biographers have said that Abdullah was Abd al-Muttalib’s youngest son. This is incorrect. Muhayli says that Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) were much younger than Abdullah. Hamzah was four years older than the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), while Abbas was three years older. According to Abbas’s own account, he was three years old when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born. He said, “I remember the women of the household bringing me to the Prophet (peace be upon him) and saying, ‘Caress your brother.’ I then caressed him” (Rawd al-Unuf)—the author.]

Without hesitation, Abd al-Muttalib took Abdullah by the hand, grasped a knife, and proceeded toward the two idols Isaf and Na’ilah to slaughter him. When the Quraysh saw this, they rose from their respective gatherings and ran over, saying, “Abd al-Muttalib, what are you doing? If you do this, every day someone will bring his son and slaughter him. Come, let us go to a certain woman in the Hijaz. Do what she says. Perhaps she will offer a solution to this problem.” [Al-Suhayli identifies the woman as Qutbah. She lived in a place called Hijr near Madinah—the author.]

Following this proposal, they reached Madinah and learned that the woman lived in Khaybar. They went to her and told her the whole story. She asked, “What is the blood money for a person among you?”

They replied, “Ten camels.”

She said, “Go and cast lots to determine whether Abdullah is to be sacrificed or ten camels. If the lot bears the boy’s name, add ten more camels and cast lots again. Continue adding ten camels at a time and casting lots. When the lot falls to the camels, it will mean that your Lord has accepted that number of camels as a sacrifice in place of the son.”

Accepting the woman’s advice, they all returned to Makkah and began casting lots. Abdullah’s name continued to come up at ten, twenty, thirty, and even ninety camels. Finally, when they reached one hundred camels, the lot fell to the camels. The Quraysh said, “Now your Lord’s will is clear. Spare Abdullah and slaughter the camels.”

But Abd al-Muttalib was not satisfied. He said, “I will cast lots three more times.” The lots were therefore cast three times, and each time they fell to the camels. [This shows that in Arabia the blood money for a person was initially ten camels. After this incident, the Arabs permanently established one hundred camels as the blood money for a person.] Thereafter Abd al-Muttalib slaughtered one hundred camels and announced publicly that people, animals, and even predatory creatures could take as much meat as they wished.

Thus, once again among the descendants of Abraham (peace be upon him), the event of sacrifice was repeated—the event that had marked the beginning of the restoration of this fortunate family in Makkah. Although there is a great difference between the two events in principle and meaning, the mystery of Allah Almighty’s workings is profound. In the first instance, the sacrifice of the first member of this family was demanded in another form, through whom the call to the religion of Islam was to begin in Arabia. Now the sacrifice of the father of the Final Prophet (peace be upon him) was demanded in another form, for that Prophet was to spread and advance this call to all humanity. The ransom for the first sacrifice was one ram, and for the second it was one hundred camels.

The Marriage of Abdullah

When Hazrat Abdullah was twenty-five years old, his father married him to Amina Khatoon, daughter of Wahab ibn Abd Manaf, chief of Banu Zuhra ibn Kilab. Amina was the finest girl of her people. After living as husband and wife for several months, Hazrat Amina became pregnant. At that time, her husband, Hazrat Abdullah, travelled with a merchant caravan to Gaza, a city in Palestine. After returning from there and reaching Madinah, he fell ill. He told his companions, “You all go on to Makkah; I will stay with my grandfather’s family, the Banu Adi ibn Najjar.” A month later, he died there. He was buried at Dar al-Nabigha al-Jundi.

His companions reached Makkah and informed Abd al-Muttalib of Hazrat Abdullah’s illness. Abd al-Muttalib immediately sent his eldest son, Harith, to Madinah. But Hazrat Abdullah passed away before he reached Madinah.

This is an extremely authentic report, generally accepted by all learned scholars. Yet some reports state that Hazrat Abdullah died when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was twenty-eight months old. Some have said two months, and others seven months. But the most reliable and universally accepted view is that the father of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) died while he was still in his mother’s womb. The Qur’an points to this truth—

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O Prophet, did He not find you an orphan and then shelter you?

Chapter Three

From Birth to the Beginning of Prophethood

The Blessed Birth

At last, the time arrived for which Hazrat Ibrahim, peace and blessings be upon him, had settled part of his family in a barren valley devoid of water and vegetation, and for which he and his son Hazrat Ismail (peace be upon him) had prayed while constructing the Kaaba—

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O 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 and refine their lives. (Al-Baqarah: 129)

Some time before this blessed moment arrived, Abraha had come with sixty thousand soldiers to struggle against his fate. But why only sixty thousand? Even if he had brought six million, the outcome would still have been what it was. When such a vast plan of Allah Almighty is in operation—that a being who would change the history of the world, the final Prophet of all the prophets, and whose coming had been prepared for over two and a half thousand years, would be brought to this place—then no matter how great the human force, it cannot but be crushed to pieces in conflict with the power of Allah.

Hadith scholars and historians are almost unanimous that the event of the Companions of the Elephant—Abraha’s attack on Makkah—occurred in the month of Muharram. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was born in the month of Rabi al-Awwal, on a Monday. The Prophet himself (peace be upon him) said this in reply to a Bedouin’s question (Sahih Muslim, narrated by Qatadah).

There is disagreement about which date in Rabi al-Awwal it was. Ibn Shaybah, quoting the statements of Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), says that he was born on the twelfth of Rabi al-Awwal. Muhammad ibn Ishaq explained this, and according to most scholars this is the famous date. There is also disagreement about the interval between the event of the Elephant and the birth of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him). But the most widely known view is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born fifty days after that event. Reconciling solar and lunar months and years is a complicated matter. Therefore, it is difficult to say with certainty which solar year and month marked his birth. His birth is generally placed in 570 or 571 CE. Suhayli, in Rawd al-Unuf, gave 20 April but did not mention the year. Some researchers have said 23 April 571 CE. Mahmud Pasha Falaki said 20 April 571 CE, and in his view it was Monday, the ninth of Rabi al-Awwal. Caussin de Perceval, in his book History of the Arabs, gives 20 August 570 CE as the date of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) birth. Hitti says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was born in 571 CE or around that time. Some Orientalists, placing it two years earlier, have given 569 CE as the year of his birth. According to reliable sources, the blessed time of birth was at subh-e-sadiq, the true dawn.

Glad Tidings and the Blessed Name

Reliable sources report that during her pregnancy, Bibi Amina dreamed that a light emanated from her and illuminated as far as Syria. On another occasion, she was told in a dream, “The leader of this community is in your womb. When he is born, name him Muhammad.” Ibn Sa’d cited a report that she was told in a dream to name him Ahmad. [In pre-Islamic Arabia, the name Muhammad was rarely borne by anyone. But there is no evidence that anyone was named Ahmad. The reason, which we have explained in detail in Tafhim al-Qur’an, volume five, Surah al-Saff, notes 7–8, is that through the People of the Book the Arabs would occasionally learn that another prophet would come, whose name would be Muhammad and who would be born among the descendants of Ismail. After hearing this, some Arabs named their sons Muhammad, hoping that one of them might be that prophet. Qadi Iyad said that six people before the Prophet (peace be upon him) bore the name Muhammad. Ibn Khalawayh and Suhayli said three, while Abdan al-Marwazi said four. But Hafiz Ibn Hajar says in Fath al-Bari, “Through investigation, I learned the names of fifteen such people.” Then, in al-Isabah, he says that some of them lived to meet the Prophet’s era and accepted Islam. While describing Muhammad ibn Adi ibn Rabi‘ah, he writes that he was asked how his father had given him the name Muhammad during the Age of Ignorance. His father replied, “We were travelling in Syria when we reached a Christian hermitage. Its custodian said, ‘A prophet will arise among your people, and he will be the final prophet.’ We asked, ‘What will his name be?’ He said, ‘Muhammad.’ From then on, whenever a son was born in our household, we named him Muhammad”—the author.] Perhaps these were two different names given on two different occasions, because both names are established in hadith. Many reports also mention that Bibi Amina said, “When he was born, I felt that a light had emerged from within me, illuminating the East and the West.” Bayhaqi and Ibn Abd al-Barr quote the report of the mother of Uthman ibn Abi al-As that she was present with Bibi Amina when the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) was born. Wherever she looked at that time, she saw nothing but light upon light. The midwife at his birth was Shifa bint Awf ibn Abd al-Harith al-Zuhri, the mother of Hazrat Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf.

On the seventh day after his birth, Hazrat Abd al-Muttalib performed his aqiqah and invited people to a meal. After eating, the people asked, “Abd al-Muttalib, what have you named the child for whom you invited us to this feast?”

He replied, “I have named him Muhammad.” They said, “Why have you given him a name different from the names of the other members of your family?”

Abd al-Muttalib replied, “I want Allah in Heaven and His creation on earth to praise him.”

Beginning Life in Poverty

Hazrat Abdullah was still a young man when he married and began a business. It was during this period that he died. Consequently, he could not leave much wealth for his orphaned child and wife. Ibn Sa’d says that he left five camels, a flock of goats, and one enslaved woman as inheritance. That enslaved woman was Umm Ayman (may Allah be pleased with her), who raised the Prophet (peace be upon him) with great affection. Her original name was Barakah, and she was of Abyssinian descent. Later, the Prophet (peace be upon him) married her to his freed slave, Hazrat Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him). Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) was born to them.

The Qur’an refers to a period of poverty in his noble life in these words—

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Allah found you poor and then made you wealthy.

Breastfeeding

At first, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was nursed for a few days by Suwaybah, the enslaved woman of Abu Lahab. Bukhari and Muslim state that Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) [the first husband of the Mother of the Believers, Umm Salamah] also drank her milk. Ibn Sa’d and Ibn Hisham say that Hazrat Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abdullah ibn Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with him) were also nursed by her. Abdullah ibn Jahsh was the brother of the Mother of the Believers, Hazrat Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her). For this reason, they were the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) foster brothers. In return for this service, after the Prophet (peace be upon him) reached adulthood, he always treated Suwaybah with great kindness. After she married, Hazrat Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) honored and treated her well. Later, Hazrat Khadijah wanted to purchase and free her, but Abu Lahab refused. He eventually freed her himself. Even after the Hijrah, the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to send her clothes and money. In the seventh year after the Hijrah, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) received news of her death, he asked about the condition of her son Masruh. He too was the Prophet’s foster brother. It was learned that he had also died and had no one left in the world.

Halima Sa’diyyah

It was customary among Makkah’s noble families to send their children to a good household in the desert to be breastfed, so that they could grow up in a healthy, open climate and learn pure Arabic. For this purpose, women from the surrounding tribes would come to Makkah from time to time. They would take the children of chiefs and receive a fair payment. They also hoped for kind treatment later. A few days after the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) birth, several women from Banu Sa’d ibn Bakr, a branch of the Hawazin tribe, came to Makkah to take children for nursing. Halima bint Abi Dhuayb, together with her husband Harith ibn Abd al-Uzza, was among them. Ibn Hisham quotes Halima’s own account, in which she says: “Our condition was extremely miserable. Our region was suffering from famine. Compared with the other women, our circumstances were even worse. Our she-donkey was so weak that it lagged behind the caravan. Our she-camel also gave very little milk. There was so little milk in my breasts that I could not satisfy my children. They cried throughout the night, and we could not sleep either. When we reached Makkah, we learned that no woman was willing to take the Prophet (peace be upon him). Everyone said, ‘He is an orphan. If his father were alive, we could hope for some benefit. We cannot know whether we will receive anything from his widowed mother or grandfather.’”

Hazrat Halima says, “The other women took other children, but not a single one fell to my lot. When everyone was preparing to return home, I said to my husband, ‘I do not want to go back empty-handed. I will go and take that child.’”

My husband said, “What harm is there if you do that? Perhaps Allah will bless us through him.”

So I went and took that child because I had found no other child. Then I went to our tent and placed my breast in the child’s mouth. I found that so much milk came out that he drank his fill, and his foster brother, Abdullah, also drank his fill. Then my husband went to milk the she-camel, and it gave so much milk that we both drank our fill, and we spent the night comfortably. The next morning my husband said, ‘By God, Halima, you have taken a very blessed child.’

Halima further says, “On the way back, our she-donkey was in such a condition that it began to leave all the riding animals of the caravan behind. My fellow women said, ‘Halima, is this the same donkey you rode when you came with us?’”

I replied, “Yes.”

They said, “By Allah, its condition has completely changed.”

Halima says, “When we reached home, perhaps no region on earth at that time was as barren as ours. Yet wherever the goats went to graze, they returned with their bellies full of grass and gave abundant milk. Thus, day by day, we saw more and more of the child’s blessing. After two years had passed and the time came to wean him, the child was healthier and stronger than all the children of the tribe. He seemed like a four-year-old child. We took him to Makkah, to his mother. But we wished that he would remain with us longer. I said to his mother, ‘Please let this dear child of mine stay with me a little longer, so that he may grow bigger and stronger. I fear that Makkah’s climate may harm his health.’”

In short, I pressed the matter so insistently that she agreed to let him return with me. Ibn Sa’d says that the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) thus remained with Halima for another two years.

The Splitting of the Chest

Halima says, “Two or three months had passed after we returned home. One day, the child was with his foster brother behind our house, among our flock of goats. Suddenly his foster brother came running and said, ‘My Qurayshi brother! Two men in white clothes came and split open his belly.’ My husband and I ran there and saw the child standing, his face pale. His father embraced him and said, ‘My son, what has happened to you?’ He replied, ‘Two men wearing white clothes came, laid me down, and split open my belly. Then they took something out of it and threw it away, and restored my belly as it was before.’ Another report says that they continued searching for something in my belly. I do not know what it was. [It should be noted that the splitting of the chest is one of God’s mysteries, which human beings cannot uncover. Countless extraordinary events of this kind occurred with the prophets (peace be upon them), for which no explanation or analysis is possible. But not knowing the explanation is no valid reason to deny them—the author.]”

Halima says, “After I brought him home, my husband said, ‘Halima, I fear that something may happen to him. It would be better to return him to his family.’ So we took him to Makkah, to his mother.”

His mother said, “What happened, nurse, that you have brought him back? You wanted to keep him with you.” I replied, “Allah has caused the child to grow, and I have fulfilled the responsibility I had. Now I fear that some misfortune may befall him.”

Bibi Amina said, “Tell me what really happened.”

Pressed by her, Halima told her the entire incident.

Bibi Amina said, “Do you fear Satan regarding this child?”

Halima replied, “Yes.”

Bibi Amina said, “By God, Satan has no access to him. This child of mine possesses tremendous honor.”

Then Bibi Amina told her about the circumstances of his pregnancy and birth.

Because the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) spent his childhood in the desert, his Arabic became extremely pure. He was a Qurayshi and spent his early childhood among Banu Sa’d, whose language was pure Arabic. On this basis, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said—(Arabic****************)

I know Arabic better than all of you. I am Qurayshi, and I spent my nursing years among the families of Banu Sa’d ibn Bakr.

Like Suwaybah, Halima was always treated with great affection and kindness by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Once, after the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) marriage to Hazrat Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), she came and said, “There has been a terrible famine in our region, and all our domestic animals have died.”

Hearing this, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave her forty goats and a camel loaded with goods. Ibn Sa’d, quoting the narration of Muhammad ibn al-Munkadir, says that a woman sought permission to appear before the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), a woman who had nursed him in childhood. When she came, the Prophet (peace be upon him) repeatedly said, “Mother, come in, come in,” spread out his cloak, and seated her upon it.

At the Conquest of Makkah, Halima’s sister came to the Prophet and informed him of Halima’s death. Hearing this, tears began to flow from the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) eyes. He then gave her two hundred dirhams, clothes, bedding, and a camel. Among those captured in the Battle of Hunayn was Halima’s daughter, Shayma, whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) had been carried around by during his childhood. When he saw her, the Prophet recognized her, treated her with affection, and honorably sent her back to her family. When the Hawazin delegation came to the Prophet (peace be upon him) seeking mercy and said, ‘Among these captives are your maternal aunts and foster mothers,’ the Prophet replied, ‘Whatever belongs to my share and the share of Banu Abd al-Muttalib, I relinquish.’ Thus six thousand captives were freed. The property returned to them was worth fifty crore dirhams. After the Prophet (peace be upon him), Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also took special care of this family and treated them kindly and honorably.

The Death of the Prophet’s Mother

Ibn Sa’d and Ibn Ishaq say that when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was six years old—and according to Ibn Hazm and Ibn al-Qayyim, seven years old [Regarding Bibi Halima, Ibn Kathir says that she died before the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). But Ibn al-Barr, quoting Ata ibn Yasar in his Isti’ab, says that when the Prophet’s foster mother Halima came to the Prophet’s court during the Battle of Hunayn, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood as soon as he saw her and spread out his cloak for her to sit on. Ibn al-Barr further says that Hazrat Halima (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him), and Abdullah ibn Ja’far narrated from her. Hafiz Abu Ya’la and Ibn Hibban recorded Hazrat Halima’s narration on the authority of Abdullah ibn Ja’far (may Allah be pleased with him). Hafiz Ibn Hajar, in al-Isabah, quoting Ibn Ishaq regarding Halima’s husband, says that he came to Makkah and accepted Islam in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him). But Ibn Sa’d says that this was Abdullah, son of Harith, the Prophet’s foster brother. Ibn Hajar mentions in al-Isabah that Shayma accepted Islam—the author.] Bibi Amina took the child Muhammad, together with Umm Ayman, to Madinah to visit the Banu Adi ibn Najjar, the family of the Prophet’s great-grandmother, and stayed there for about a month. She showed the child Muhammad the place where his father had died, as well as the place where he had been buried. The child Muhammad (peace be upon him) remembered this journey clearly in later life. After the Hijrah, when he went to Madinah, he would recount this childhood experience with his mother to his companions. As soon as he saw the stronghold of Banu Adi ibn Najjar, he recognized it. He would say, ‘Here I used to play with a young Ansari girl named Unaysah. I would scare away the birds that landed here with the boys from my grandfather’s maternal family.’

Upon seeing Dar al-Nabighah, he said, “Here I dismounted with my mother, and my father was buried in this house. I used to swim in the springs of Banu Adi ibn Najjar.”

Then, when his mother set out for Makkah with the Prophet (peace be upon him) and reached a place called Abwa, she died and was buried there. Umm Ayman brought the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Makkah. Ibn Sa’d says that he also remembered the place where his mother had been buried. Thus, when he passed over Abwa during the expedition of Hudaybiyyah, he said: (Arabic***********************)

Allah granted Muhammad (peace be upon him) permission to visit his mother’s grave. He then went there, straightened the grave, and began to weep. Seeing him weep, the Muslims also began to weep. He was asked, “You have prohibited weeping.” He replied—(Arabic******************)

Her kindness, affection, and tenderness came to my mind, and I began to weep.

Various hadith mention the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) visiting his mother’s grave and breaking down in tears. These reports are narrated from Hazrat Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him), Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), and Hazrat Abu Hurayrah in Musnad Ahmad, Bayhaqi, and Tabaqat of Ibn Sa’d.

Under the Care of Abd al-Muttalib

After Bibi Amina’s death, the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib, kept him with himself and loved him more than all his other children. For this reason, he always kept him near, seated him beside him, and went to him whenever he wished—whether he was alone or asleep. The other children did not dare approach because of him. Abd al-Muttalib would not eat unless he sat with him, and sometimes he would seat him on his lap during meals. A bed was spread for him in the shade of the wall of the Kaaba, and out of respect for him no other child would sit on that bed; they sat around it. The well-built boy Muhammad (peace be upon him) would sit directly on that bed. When his uncles told him to get up, Abd al-Muttalib would say, ‘Let my dear child remain. By God, he possesses a distinctive rank. It may be that he will attain a rank that no Arab before him has ever attained.’

Some reports state that Abd al-Muttalib would say, “He has a truly royal temperament.” He would then seat the child Muhammad close to him, stroke his back and head, kiss his face, and take great delight in watching his movements.

Ibn Sa’d says that people of the Banu Mudlij tribe could predict a person’s future by observing his face and physical build. They told Abd al-Muttalib, “Take special care of this child, because we have never seen a footprint resembling the footprint of Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) at the Station of Ibrahim as closely as this child’s footprint does.”

Abu Talib was present there at the time. Abd al-Muttalib said to him, “Listen carefully to what they are saying and safeguard it.”

But young Muhammad (peace be upon him) could not enjoy his grandfather’s affection for long. When he was eight years old, his grandfather died. Ibn Sa’d and Hafiz Sakhawi quote this report from Umm Ayman. Umm Ayman says that at the time of Abd al-Muttalib’s death, the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood at his bedside weeping.

Later, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was asked, “Do you remember your grandfather’s death?” he replied, “Yes. I was eight years old then.”

Under the care of Hazrat Abu Talib]t

After the death of Abdul Muttalib, according to some accounts, Hazrat Abu Talib assumed responsibility for raising the Prophet in accordance with Abdul Muttalib’s will; according to others, he undertook this responsibility voluntarily. His actual name was Abd Manaf. But because of his eldest son Talib, his kunya, Abu Talib, became so well known that his actual name was eclipsed. Talib was the same age as the Prophet (PBUH), and deep affection existed between them. When the Quraysh compelled the Banu Hashim to go to the Battle of Badr, Talib was also among them. He neither participated in the battle, nor was his name included among the slain, nor did he return to Makkah. No information about him could be obtained.

Abu Talib was the Prophet’s (PBUH) paternal uncle. He loved his nephew more than his own children. He made him sleep beside him and took him along wherever he went. At mealtimes, the others would begin eating only when he—Prophet Muhammad—came and joined them. Waqidi relates through various sources that when the members of Abu Talib’s household ate without Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), whether alone or together, none of them felt satiated. But when Prophet Muhammad ate with them, they would eat their fill and food would still remain. Observing this blessing, Abu Talib established the practice of saying, when sitting down to eat, “Wait, let my dear boy come.” Then, when the Prophet (PBUH) arrived, everyone would begin eating. Abu Talib would say, “My boy, you are truly blessed.” When the children sat down to eat and began snatching food from one another as was their habit, the Prophet (PBUH) would sit with his hands folded. Seeing this, Abu Talib would arrange separate food for him and separate food for himself. A mat would be spread, and no one else would sit there. Only the Prophet (PBUH) would sit with him. Abu Talib would say, “By the Lord of Rabiah, leadership befits this dear boy of mine.”

The Prophet’s Shepherding of Goats

This probably occurred at a time when, seeing his uncle’s financial difficulties and his large family, the Prophet (PBUH) himself began thinking of earning something. During his childhood, while staying in the home of his wet nurse, he used to graze the goats of their family along with his foster brothers and sisters. After reaching an age of understanding, he began doing this work in Makkah in return for payment. A tradition related by Ubayd ibn Umayr states that the Prophet (PBUH) said, “There was no prophet who did not tend goats.” People asked, “Did you also tend goats?” He replied, “Yes.”

There is a narration from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (RA) in Bukhari’s Kitab al-Ijarah. In answer to this question, the Prophet (PBUH) said, “I used to tend the goats of the people of Makkah in return for a few qirats.” [Ibn Majah relates from Suwayn ibn Sa’id that the Prophet (PBUH) said concerning this:

(Arabic text)

“I used to tend the goats of the people of Makkah in return for a few qirats.” This narration gives Bukhari’s account the meaning that the Prophet (PBUH) tended the goats of the people of Makkah for payment. But Ibrahim al-Harbi claims that qirats does not mean any monetary wealth; rather, it was the name of a place near Ajyad where the Prophet tended goats. Ibn al-Jawzi and Allamah Ayni supported this view. But, first, no place named Qirarat is established in the geography of Makkah. Second, tending goats for payment is not blameworthy, so there is no need to make such efforts to absolve the Prophet (PBUH) of this supposed fault. —The Author.]

Qirrat is the plural of qirat (one-tenth or one-twentieth of a dinar is called a qirat). Abu Salama ibn Abd al-Rahman says that once people were traveling with the Prophet (PBUH) through a grove of pilu trees. The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Pick and bring me the fruits that have turned black.” He then said, “When I used to tend goats, I would pick these fruits.” (Ibn Sa’d—London, pp. 79–80.)

The Manifestation of the Prophet’s Extraordinary Personality in Early Childhood

The incidents mentioned from the Prophet’s birth until the age of ten or twelve make it perfectly clear that everyone who came into contact with him became firmly convinced that, although born among them, he possessed an extraordinary personality. Not only did various kinds of blessings manifest through him, but his temperament and character were entirely different from those of ordinary children. His extraordinary personality was also evident from his face and countenance.

Bayhaqi and Ibn Jarir cite a narration from Hazrat Ali (RA) in which the Prophet (PBUH) said: “On no more than two occasions did I feel inclined toward the activities that people practiced during the Age of Ignorance, and on both occasions Almighty Allah protected me from doing them. After that, no such thought ever arose in my mind. One day I said to the boys who tended goats with me, ‘Keep an eye on my goats for a while. I will go to Makkah and take part at night in the amusements in which the other boys participate.’ They agreed, and I set out toward the city. At the very first house, I heard the uproar of music and singing. I asked, ‘What is happening?’ People said, ‘So-and-so is getting married.’ I sat down, and immediately such sleep overcame me that dawn came and the heat of the sun awakened me.”

“On another day, when I made the same request to my companions, they agreed again. Then, upon entering Makkah, I saw the same music and singing taking place. I sat down, and that day too I was overcome by sleep and slept until morning. I went to my companions and told them that once again I had seen nothing. After that, I never again felt inclined toward anything of this kind.” Ibn Sa’d relates from Umm Ayman that there was an orphan girl named Buana whom the Quraysh visited to seek her vision. They also made votive offerings there. Abu Talib used to go there with the members of his household for this purpose. Young Muhammad was also asked to accompany them. But every year the same dispute arose: Muhammad (PBUH) refused to go, and his uncles and aunts became extremely displeased. Once, distressed by the scolding and reproaches of the elders of the household, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) disappeared for a long time during the festival. Everyone in the house became anxious for him. When he returned, he appeared extremely frightened, and his face had become pale. His aunts embraced him and said, ‘My dear boy, what happened to you?’ He replied, ‘I fear that something may happen to me.’ His aunts said, ‘Allah will never allow Satan to harm you, since you possess such qualities.’ He said, ‘Whenever I approach an idol in this idol-house, I feel as though a tall, fair-complexioned man is standing there and saying, “Muhammad, stay away; do not touch it.”’ Umm Ayman says that after this he never again attended that festival.

Ibn Hisham, citing Ibn Ishaq, says that a man skilled in determining character from facial features—a physiognomist—was associated in Makkah with the Lehab clan, a branch of the Azd Shanua, and used to visit Makkah. Whenever he came, the Quraysh would bring their children to him so that he could say something about them through his knowledge. Once, when he came, Abu Talib took the Prophet (PBUH) to him along with his other children. On seeing him, the man became busy with another matter. When he had finished, he said, ‘Where is the boy I saw a little while ago? Bring him to me.’ When Abu Talib saw how eager the man was to see the boy Muhammad, he moved him elsewhere. The man said, ‘Bring him to me. By God, he will become a great man.’

Muhammad ibn Ishaq says that the Prophet (PBUH) stated: “One day, while playing with the boys of the Quraysh, I was carrying this stone. All the boys had removed their izars and tied them around their necks in order to carry stones, and as a result they were all naked. As soon as I did the same, I suddenly received a blow, and someone said to me, ‘Tie your izar around yourself.’ So I tied my izar around myself.”

Thus, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was kept from being naked even in childhood. A similar incident occurred when, in the 35th Year of the Elephant—when the Prophet was thirty-five years old and only five years remained before he received prophethood—the Quraysh began rebuilding the Kaaba. At that time, all the Quraysh removed their izars, tied them around their necks, and carried stones. No one—boy, youth, or old man—felt any sense of shame about nakedness. Hazrat Abbas (RA) told the young Muhammad (PBUH) to do the same. As soon as he attempted to do so, he fainted and his gaze became fixed upward. When he regained consciousness, he said, ‘Where is my izar?’ His izar was then put on him, and he stood up. This incident has been reported in Bukhari and Muslim from Hazrat Jabir ibn Abdullah. Abd al-Razzaq, Tabarani, and Hakim, citing Abu Tufayl, say that a voice came from the unseen: ‘O Muhammad, cover your private parts.’ But the narration itself does not prove that the Prophet (PBUH) became completely naked. He fainted before removing his izar and becoming naked.

Hatred of Idol Worship

From childhood, he had an intense hatred of shirk, idol worship, and the practices of displaying and performing such acts. Even before prophethood, he could not be touched by the stain of these practices. In Bukhari, under the heading “The Virtues of Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl,” a hadith from Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (RA) is reported.

It states that once, when food dedicated to idols and the meat of animals sacrificed to them were offered to the Prophet (PBUH), he refused to eat them. In Musnad Ahmad, Urwah ibn al-Zubayr relates: “A neighbor of Hazrat Khadijah (RA) told me, ‘I heard the Prophet (PBUH) say to Hazrat Khadijah (RA):’”

(Arabic text)

“O Khadijah, by God, I will never worship Lat and Manat. By God, I will never worship them.”

Khadijah (RA) replied, “Leave Lat, and leave Manat alone.”

After relating this incident, the neighbor told Hazrat Urwah that the Quraysh used to worship these two idols before going to sleep at night. This probably occurred during the early period of the Prophet’s married life.

The Journey to Syria and the Incident of the Monk Bahira

Once, Abu Talib set out with a commercial caravan to travel to Syria. The Prophet (PBUH) was then twelve years old. When Abu Talib was leaving, the Prophet (PBUH) embraced him and, according to Ibn Sa’d, said, “Dear uncle, to whom are you leaving me? I have neither a father nor a mother who will look after me.”

These words softened Abu Talib’s heart, and he said, “By God, I will neither leave him behind nor stay away from him. He will go with me.”

When this caravan reached Busra in the region of Syria and stopped near the church of the monk Bahira, he came out of the church contrary to his usual practice. He had never come out of the church for any caravan. He prepared food for the entire caravan and invited everyone to eat. Everyone in the caravan went to the meal, but Muhammad (PBUH) was left at the camp because of his young age. Bahira asked,

“Has everyone come?”

They replied, “Only a young boy has been left at the camp to look after the baggage.”

Bahira said, “No, call him too.”

One of the Quraysh said, “By Lat and Uzza, it would be very bad for us if Muhammad (PBUH) did not join us for the meal.” Then he went and brought Muhammad (PBUH).

After he was brought, Bahira began looking at him very attentively and examining his face and countenance.

After the meal, Bahira approached the boy Muhammad (PBUH) and asked, “Boy, I adjure you by Lat and Uzza to answer precisely whatever I ask you.”

The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “Do not adjure me by Lat and Uzza. I have no greater aversion to anything than to them.”

He said, “Very well, then, for Allah’s sake, answer me whatever I ask you.”

The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Ask whatever you wish.”

Bahira then questioned the Prophet (PBUH) about his condition, sleep, physical build, and other matters, and the Prophet (PBUH) continued answering. Bahira then walked around him and examined his body. Afterward, he asked Abu Talib, “What is this boy to you?” Abu Talib replied, “He is my son.”

Bahira said, “His father cannot be alive.”

Abu Talib said, “He is my nephew.”

Bahira asked, “What happened to his father?”

Abu Talib replied, “His father died while he was still in his mother’s womb.”

Bahira said, “You have spoken correctly. Take your nephew back home without delay. Protect him from the Jews. By God, if they see him and recognize the signs that I have recognized, they will harm him. For your nephew will become a man of immense distinction.”

Accordingly, Abu Talib quickly completed his business affairs and returned home with the Prophet (PBUH).

With this incident as their basis, Orientalists have built many castles of fanciful speculation and regard the words of wisdom that emerged from the Prophet (PBUH) after he received prophethood as information acquired from Christian monks. Moreover, some of our own reports also lend a little support to these speculations. If an accomplished monk, having developed his spiritual powers through devotion, observed extraordinary signs of blessing and sensed that a great personality was present in the caravan, and then, after seeing the Prophet (PBUH), found his conjecture confirmed, there would be nothing astonishing in that. Furthermore, if he believed that the Jews were a hostile people who might regard the emergence of a great personality among the unlettered Arabs as a threat to themselves and harm him, he might therefore have advised Abu Talib to protect him from them. But it is not acceptable that he had concluded that this boy was the future prophet whose coming had been foretold in earlier scriptures. The prophecies certainly indicated that a prophet would come and that his name would be Muhammad. But it was not possible to know with certainty that the boy Muhammad (PBUH) was that prophet.

Let us now take an overall look at the reports recorded by the hadith scholars and biographers concerning this matter. Tirmidhi, Bayhaqi, Ibn Asakir, Hakim, Abu Nuaym, Abu Bakr al-Khara’iti, and Ibn Abi Shaybah cite a report from Hazrat Abu Musa al-Ashari that Bahira took the Prophet’s (PBUH) hand and said, “This is the master of the messengers; this is the master of the worlds. Almighty Allah will soon send him as a mercy to all the worlds.”

He was asked (according to the reports of Tirmidhi and several other hadith scholars, the leaders of the Quraysh asked him), “From where did you gain knowledge of all this?”

Bahira said, “When you were approaching from the front, the trees, plants, hills, and mountains were prostrating themselves. And no one but a prophet is prostrated before in this manner. Moreover, I recognized the Seal of Prophethood that I saw between his shoulders on his back. We also find mention of it in our scriptures.”

Then Bahira told Abu Talib, “There is danger from the Jews concerning him. Therefore, send him back. Ibn Abi Shaybah’s report from Abu Musa al-Ashari also states that when the Prophet (PBUH) was approaching the church, a cloud shaded him. There is another report that, at Bahira’s insistence, Abu Talib sent the Prophet (PBUH) to Makkah with Abu Bakr (RA) and Bilal (RA). Yet Abu Bakr (RA) was then ten years old, and Bilal was even younger. Second, sending Bilal is extraordinary, because at that time he had no connection whatsoever with the Banu Abd al-Muttalib through which Abu Talib could have employed his services. It is also reported about this journey that seven Romans set out to kill the Prophet (PBUH) and reached Bahira’s church. Bahira asked, ‘Why have you come?’ They replied, ‘We have learned that this prophet is expected to come this way this month. People have therefore been sent in every direction, and we have come here.’ Bahira said, ‘Do you think anyone can prevent what Allah has decreed?’ They replied, ‘No.’ Then they abandoned their intention.”

The meaning of all this, then, is that at the age of twelve, the Prophet (PBUH) himself, the Quraysh, and even the ruling class of Rome came to know that the boy Muhammad was going to become a prophet.

Hafiz Ibn Hajar states in al-Isabah, citing Abu Sa’id al-Nishapuri’s Sharaf al-Mustafa, that thirteen years after this incident, when Muhammad (PBUH) went to Syria with the merchandise belonging to Hazrat Khadijah (RA), he met Bahira for the second time. On this occasion he said, (Arabic text)

“I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, the unlettered prophet whose coming was foretold by Jesus, son of Mary.”

On this basis, Ibn Mandah and Abu Nuaym counted Bahira among the Companions. Hafiz Dhahabi stated in Tajrid al-Sahabah that Bahira had believed in him before the advent of prophethood.

Regarding the second journey to Syria, it is also reported that the Prophet (PBUH) stopped beneath a tree at Busra, near the church of the monk Nastura. Nastura came out and asked Maysarah, the Prophet’s (PBUH) companion, who was staying beneath the tree. He replied, “A man from the Quraysh, a resident of the Sacred Precinct.” Waqidi and Ibn Ishaq say that Nastura then stated, “Since Hazrat Jesus (AS), no one except a prophet has stayed beneath this tree for these two hundred years.” Abu Sa’id adds in Sharaf al-Mustafa that Nastura then approached the Prophet (PBUH), kissed his head and feet, and said, “I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah, the unlettered prophet whose coming Jesus (AS) foretold, saying, ‘After me, no one except an unlettered Hashimi Arab, Makki prophet, the possessor of the Pool and Intercession and the possessor of the Banner of Praise, will stay beneath this tree.’”

Maysarah remembered this statement. Then the Prophet (PBUH) went to the market of Busra to sell and purchase goods. At that time, he had a disagreement with a man over the price of an item. The man said, “Swear by Lat and Manat and speak.” The Prophet (PBUH) replied, “I have never sworn by them.” The man said, “I accept your word.” Then he quietly called Maysarah aside and said, “This is a prophet. By the One in whose hand is my life, he is the prophet whose mention our priests find in their scriptures.” Maysarah also remembered this statement.

Abu Nuaym relates that during this journey Maysarah saw two angels shading the Prophet (PBUH). When the caravan reached Makkah, it was midday. Hazrat Khadijah (RA) was then in her upper chamber. She too saw the Prophet (PBUH) riding a camel with two angels shading him. Besides Abu Nuaym, others add that Hazrat Khadijah (RA) showed the sight to the other women with her, and they expressed amazement. Maysarah then came to Hazrat Khadijah (RA) and told her about the things he had seen. He also told Hazrat Khadijah (RA) what Nastura had said and what had happened with a merchant of Syria. If all these reports are accepted, their meaning would be that Muhammad (PBUH) knew fifteen years beforehand that he was going to become a prophet. Maysarah, Khadijah (RA), and many of the Qurayshi women sitting with her also knew this. Moreover, the members of the Quraysh caravan with which Muhammad (PBUH) had gone to Syria, as well as the people of Makkah, would have known that angels had shaded him. For if Maysarah, Hazrat Khadijah (RA), and the women with her saw that sight, how could it have remained hidden from others?

Although these statements have been recorded from the reports of learned scholars, they are unacceptable for several reasons. First, they clearly contradict the Quran, in which the Prophet (PBUH) was addressed as follows: (Arabic text)

“You never expected that the Book would be revealed to you.” (Al-Qasas: 86)

(Arabic text)

“You did not know what the Book was, nor did you know what faith was.” (Al-Shura: 52)

The two verses cited above are conclusive proof that, before being raised to the rank of prophethood, he was completely unaware that he would be made a prophet. If he had known this at the age of twelve and had been given confirmation of it again at the age of twenty-five, there would have been no reason for him not to expect that the Book would be revealed to him. Moreover, how could he have erased from his mind the fact that one day he would have to invite people to believe?

Besides contradicting the Holy Quran, these reports also contradict the authentic reports describing the Prophet’s (PBUH) condition when the first revelation descended upon him, his physical and mental state afterward, and his conversation with Hazrat Khadijah (RA). How could the state that arose in him at that time have occurred if he had known since the age of twenty-five that he would become a prophet? In that case, the descent of revelation would have been entirely in accordance with his expectations. Moreover, what Hazrat Khadijah (RA) said after hearing about the incident at Hira could never have been said in such circumstances if she had known for fifteen years that he would become a prophet. She would then simply have said, ‘What I had expected has happened.’

Thus, these reports contradict the entire history presented in Makkah after his declaration of prophethood, as established by a vast and recurrent body of reports. If the Quraysh had known for thirty-one years that he would become a prophet, the announcement of his prophethood would not have been contrary to their expectations, and their reaction would have been entirely different from the reaction they displayed after an unexpected event.

The Battle of Fijar

We now return once again to the historical events.

Ibn Hisham says that when the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) age was fourteen or fifteen, the Fijar War took place. [According to the accounts of Iqd al-Farid, Aghani and Jawhari, three Fijar Wars had taken place before this. The Prophet (peace be upon him) participated in the fourth Fijar War. Ibn Sa‘d says that this war took place in the Year of the Elephant. Jawhari has written in his Sihah that the Quraysh called this war Fijar because it took place during a sacred month. Since fighting during a sacred month was sinful, the Quraysh said, “We have committed a sin.” For this reason, these four wars fought during the sacred months were called the “Wars of Fijar”—the author.]

Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Sa‘d, Baladhuri and Ibn Jarir al-Tabari say that this war took place in the twentieth year of the Year of the Elephant. [The Year of the Elephant was the year in which Abraha attacked Mecca. It was such an extraordinary event that the Arabs began calculating their calendar from that year—the author.]

Accordingly, the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) age should have been twenty. One side in this war was Banu Kinana, which included the Quraysh, and the other was Qays Aylan, which included Thaqif, Hawazin and others. The cause of the war was that a chief of Banu Hawazin named Urwah al-Rihhal granted Ibn Mundhir’s commercial caravan safe passage to the Ukaz market under his own protection. A chief of Banu Kinana named Barras ibn Qays said, “Have you granted him protection against Kinana?” He replied, “Yes, and against the whole world.” Barras became terribly angry. He then killed Urwah at a place called Tayman in the outer region of Najd. The news reached the Quraysh while they were at the Ukaz market. They immediately set out toward the Haram. Before they could enter the boundaries of the Haram, Hawazin overtook them, and fighting continued throughout the day. At night, the Quraysh entered within the boundaries of the Haram, while Hawazin remained outside. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did no more than pick up any arrows that fell from the enemy’s side and hand them to his uncles. Ibn Sa‘d says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) later used to say, “It would have been better if I had not taken part in it even to that extent.” Suhayli says that although the Prophet (peace be upon him) went with his uncles to this war, he took no actual part in the fighting. Before becoming a prophet, he participated in no other war besides this one, nor did he acquire any kind of military experience. This shows that he was free from the wars and conflicts of the Age of Ignorance. It also shows that the exceptional ability for military leadership which he displayed as a prophet was bestowed by Allah. He was not a professional commander; he was a natural commander.

Hilf al-Fudul

When the Holy Prophet’s (peace be upon him) age was twenty, several clans of the Quraysh concluded a pact known as Hilf al-Fudul. In explaining the reason for this pact through the word “Fudul” in his Nihayah, Ibn Athir says that a similar pact had been made in the time of Jurhum, and all those who concluded it were named Fadl. For this reason it was called Hilf al-Fudul. But the correct reason is what Hafiz Ibn Kathir narrated from Muhammad and Abd al-Rahman, the two sons of Abu Bakr, through the authority of Humaydi. He says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: “I participated in a pact at the house of Abdullah ibn Jud‘an which I would gladly accept even if I were invited to a similar pact in Islam.” He then explained that pact as follows:

(Arabic text)

They mutually pledged that they would return the Fudul to its rightful owners and would not allow the oppressor to transgress against the oppressed. (Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 2, p. 291).

“Returning the Fudul to its rightful owners” means that whatever property an oppressor has forcibly seized from its rightful owners should be returned to them, and the oppressor should not be allowed to persist in his oppression.

Regarding this pact, Ibn Sa‘d says that they mutually resolved to support the oppressed and ensure that his right was restored to him.

In describing the pact, Ibn Hisham says that they would not allow any inhabitant of Mecca or any outsider to be wronged, and would help the oppressed against the oppressor. Ibn Sa‘d gives the date of this pact as the twentieth of Dhu al-Qi‘dah, in the Year of the Elephant. Its cause was that a man from a tribe called the Zubaidis in Yemen came to Mecca with some merchandise. A Meccan chief, al-As ibn Wa’il, bought his merchandise but did not pay him. The unfortunate man went to one member after another of Banu Abd al-Dar, Banu Makhzum, Banu Jumah, Banu Sahm and Banu Adi to plead his case. But all of them rejected his appeal in harsh language and refused to help him against As ibn Wa’il al-Sahmi. After losing hope in everyone, he climbed Mount Abu Qubays at dawn and loudly addressed the people of Fihr, declaring that he had been wronged. The Prophet’s uncle, Zubayr ibn Abd al-Muttalib, responded and said that the matter could not be left as it was. He then gathered Banu Hashim, Banu al-Muttalib, Banu Asad ibn Abd al-Uzza, Banu Zuhrah and Banu Taym at the house of Abdullah ibn Jud‘an. He was the maternal cousin of Aishah. There they all swore that whoever was oppressed in Mecca, whether an inhabitant or an outsider, they would help him and secure his right from the oppressor. They then went together to As, recovered the Zubaidi’s merchandise from him, and returned it to its owner.

Muhammad ibn Ishaq narrates from Imam al-Zuhri that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I participated in a pact at the house of Abdullah ibn Jud‘an which I would not exchange even for a red camel. Even today, if I were invited to a similar pact in the Islamic era, I would accept it.”

Participating in Trade with Khadijah

From his childhood, the natural qualities for which the Prophet (peace be upon him) had been known within a limited circle—his courtesy, trustworthiness and reliability, love of truth, pleasant character, honesty, dignity, intelligence, self-restraint, patience and self-respect, generosity, and qualities of leadership—in short, each of his noble qualities continued to develop. As a result, deep respect and confidence in him grew in people’s hearts, and his influence over them also expanded. It was at this time that Khadijah decided to enter into a business partnership with him.

Khadijah was given the title Tahirah among the Quraysh because of her chastity and pure character. Tahirah means pure and chaste. The whole tribe held her in very high regard for her intelligence, foresight, excellent character and various virtues. Allah had also blessed her with physical beauty. No Qurayshi woman was more beautiful than she. At times, the commercial caravans of half the Quraysh depended solely on her wealth and goods. Her first marriage was to Abu Halah ibn Zurara al-Tamimi. She had two sons by him, Hind and Halah. Both became Muslims during the Prophet’s lifetime. After Abu Halah’s death, she married Utaiq ibn Abid al-Makhzumi. A daughter named Hind was born to them. She too became Muslim during the prophetic era. [According to some, Utaiq was her first husband and Abu Halah her second—the author.] After the death of her second husband, she remained a widow. Many Qurayshi chiefs expressed their desire to marry her, but she refused their proposals. She conducted business with her wealth, sending someone with her goods along with a commercial caravan, and he received his stipulated share.

When Khadijah learned of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) truthfulness, reliability and excellent character, she said to him, “Take my merchandise and go to Syria. I will give you a larger share of the profit than I give to others.”

This is Ibn Ishaq’s account.

The second account is quoted by Ibn Sa‘d from Nufaysah bint Munyah, with a detailed version given by Zurqani. It says that Abu Talib told the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Nephew, I am not a wealthy man. Our circumstances are worsening, and we have no merchandise for trade. The time is near for the caravan your people are sending to Syria to depart. Khadijah also wishes to send her goods with someone in this caravan. If you approach her, she will give you preference over others, because she knows of your pure character.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I fear that she may choose someone else.”

Khadijah learned of this conversation between uncle and nephew. But the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) words proved correct, because she had already sent him the offer of that business, as mentioned above through Ibn Ishaq.

A report in Ibn Sa‘d’s Tabaqat, quoted from Muhammad ibn Aqil, says that Abu Talib went to Khadijah and said, “Khadijah, would you prefer that, instead of employing someone else in your business, I make an agreement with Muhammad (peace be upon him)?”

Khadijah replied, “If you had mentioned some distant, undesirable person, I would have accepted it. But you have mentioned someone who is a close friend.”

In short, the business arrangement between Khadijah and the Prophet (peace be upon him) was concluded, and she sent her slave Maysarah with the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Syria for the business journey. This journey began on the fifteenth or sixteenth of Dhu al-Hijjah in the twenty-fifth Year of the Elephant. On the way, Maysarah was deeply impressed by the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) character, conduct and noble qualities. After returning, he related everything in detail to Khadijah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) achieved exceptional success in the business. Ibn Sa‘d, quoting Nufaysah bint Munyah, says that whereas other people had previously brought Khadijah a certain amount of profit, the Prophet (peace be upon him) brought her twice as much profit; and Khadijah gave him twice the amount she had promised. [Apart from this journey, details of other journeys by the Prophet (peace be upon him) are also found in books of hadith and Sirah. During these journeys he had the opportunity to see many regions of Arabia with his own eyes. In his Mustadrak, Hakim mentions two journeys of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Jurash, a famous commercial center in Yemen, and Imam Dhahabi (may Allah have mercy on him) accepted this. Musnad Ahmad records that when a delegation of Abd al-Qays from Bahrain came to Mecca, the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked about the condition of each place there by naming them one after another. When the people expressed their astonishment, he said, “I have traveled extensively through your land.” It should be noted that at that time the entire eastern seacoast of Arabia was called Bahrain; it did not refer to the island known by that name today—the author.]

Marriage to Khadijah

During this long journey from Mecca to Syria and from Syria back to Mecca, Maysarah enjoyed the Prophet Mustafa’s (peace be upon him) companionship day and night. After observing every aspect of his life, he became devoted to him. After hearing everything from Maysarah, Khadijah decided to marry the Prophet (peace be upon him). She had not previously been unaware of him, and had heard reports of the qualities spreading among the Quraysh, but she now decided that no better husband could be found than him. There is some difference among the reports regarding how the marriage was finalized.

Ibn Ishaq says that Khadijah spoke directly to the Prophet (peace be upon him). She said, “O nephew, you are a relative, and because of your trustworthiness, honesty, noble character, distinguished lineage and praiseworthy qualities, I wish to marry you.” [The Prophet’s paternal aunt Safiyyah—the mother of Zubayr—was the wife of Khadijah’s brother—the author.]

The second account is quoted by Ibn Sa‘d from Nufaysah bint Munyah. [Some authors say bint Umayyah, but bint Munyah is correct. She became Muslim after the Conquest of Mecca—the author.] Before Khadijah expressed her desire to marry, she sent me to Muhammad (peace be upon him) to learn his feelings. I went to him and said, “O Muhammad, why are you not marrying?” He replied, “What do I have with which to marry?”

I said, “The arrangements have been made. You are being offered in marriage to a woman who possesses beauty, wealth, nobility and worthiness. Will you accept?”

He said, “Whom do you mean?”

I said, “Khadijah.”

He said, “How can I marry her?”

I said, “Leave this responsibility to me.”

He said, “If that is so, I agree.”

Then Khadijah sent a proposal and asked him to come at the appointed time for the marriage. She asked her uncle Amr ibn Asad to come and conduct the marriage.

Khadijah’s father, Khuwaylid, had passed away, so Amr ibn Asad came on her behalf, while the Prophet (peace be upon him) came with his uncles Hamzah and Abu Talib.

The marriage was then solemnized. [Ibn Sa‘d says that, according to our research, all reports stating that Khadijah’s father Khuwaylid conducted her marriage are incorrect. Even more implausible is the report that Khuwaylid was given wine and conducted the marriage while intoxicated, then became very angry upon regaining consciousness. In our view, what has been established and preserved by the scholars is that Khuwaylid died before the Fijar War, and that Khadijah’s uncle Amr ibn Asad conducted her marriage—the author.]

Abu Bakr and the chiefs of the Mudar tribe and the Quraysh participated in the wedding. The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave twenty camels as the dower. [According to some reports, the dower was eight dinars, and according to others, five hundred dirhams—the author.]

Ibn Abd al-Barr says that the marriage took place two months and fifty-five days after the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) return from Syria. He was then twenty-five years old, and Khadijah was forty.

[See Istidrak, p. 128.]

(At the time of the marriage, the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Khadijah were forty years old. However, a few reports state that the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) age was twenty-one, twenty-nine, thirty or thirty-seven, and that Khadijah’s age was twenty-five, twenty-eight, thirty, thirty-five or forty-five. Most scholars did not accept these reports. Some, however, preferred reports placing Khadijah’s age between twenty-five and thirty, on the grounds that it is impossible for a forty-year-old woman to give birth to six children. For if there were an average interval of one and a half years between each child, the last child should have been born when she was forty-nine. And if the reports stating that Khadijah bore a child after the beginning of prophethood are also accepted, she would then have been fifty-six. That is entirely beyond belief. In our view, this opinion is not intellectually sound. A standard work on gynecology, written under the supervision of ten teachers of this discipline, expresses the following research-based opinion on this subject in its twelfth edition:

Menstruation generally ceases between the ages of forty-eight and fifty-two. But sometimes its cessation is delayed until the age of fifty-five or even later. Conversely, in some cases it ceases at the age of forty or even earlier. If a woman reaches puberty early, menopause occurs later; and if menstruation begins late, it ceases earlier. The above-mentioned book, p. 101.

On the basis of this medical opinion, it is not at all extraordinary that Khadijah should have borne a child at the age of fifty to fifty-six. It is reported that when Fatimah was born, the Prophet Mustafa (peace be upon him) was forty-one and Khadijah was fifty-six.]

The Prophet’s Children Born to Khadijah

All of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) children were born to Khadijah. Only Ibrahim was born to Maria al-Qibtiyya. Khadijah bore two sons and four daughters: (1) Qasim, for whom the Prophet (peace be upon him) was called Abu al-Qasim; (2) Abdullah, who was also called Tayyib and Tahir; (3) Zaynab; (4) Ruqayyah; (5) Umm Kulthum; and (6) Fatimah. There is disagreement about their order of birth. It is known, however, that when Zaynab was born, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was twenty-five years old (Isabah), and that Fatimah was born when he was forty-one (Sharh Muzahir). It is also established in history that when the first migration to Abyssinia took place in the fifth year of prophethood, Ruqayyah migrated with her husband Uthman. This means that she was two years younger than Zaynab, and was therefore already married in the fifth year of prophethood.

The Despicable Insolence of a Certain Group

Some people, without fearing God, openly claim that Khadijah’s only child by the Prophet (peace be upon him) was Fatimah, and that the other daughters were not born to the Prophet but to another husband of Khadijah. Yet this is clearly denied by the Qur’an.

(Arabic text)

“O Prophet, tell your wives and daughters” (al-Ahzab). History proves conclusively that Maria al-Qibtiyya (may Allah be pleased with her) had no child by the Prophet (peace be upon him) other than Ibrahim. These words clearly indicate that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had not one daughter but several. History also proves that, apart from Maria al-Qibtiyya, none of the Prophet’s other wives bore him any children. Therefore, all these daughters must have been born to Khadijah. Blinded by hostility, these people do not consider how great a sin they commit by denying the Prophet’s biological children, nor how severe an accounting they will face for it in the Hereafter. All reliable sources agree that Khadijah did not bear only one daughter of the Prophet (peace be upon him), Fatimah; she bore three other daughters as well. Muhammad ibn Ishaq, the earliest biographer of the Prophet (peace be upon him), says after mentioning his marriage to Khadijah: “All the Prophet’s children, except Ibrahim, were born to her. Their names were Tahir (Tayyib), Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum and Fatimah” (Sirat Ibn Hisham, vol. 1, p. 202).

The renowned genealogist Hisham ibn Muhammad ibn al-Sa’ib al-Kalbi, quoting Abdullah ibn Abbas, has stated that before prophethood in Mecca, Qasim was the first of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) children to be born. Then Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Fatimah and Umm Kulthum were born successively. After prophethood, Abdullah was born, who was also called Tayyib and Tahir. Their mother was Khadijah (Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 1, p. 133).

Ibn Hazm says in Jawami al-Sirah that four daughters were born to the Prophet through Khadijah: the eldest was Zaynab, then Ruqayyah, then Fatimah, and the youngest Umm Kulthum (pp. 38–40).

Tabari, Ibn Sa‘d, Abu Ja‘far ibn Habib, author of Kitab al-Mujassar, and Ibn Abd al-Barr, author of al-Isti‘ab, have narrated through reliable chains that Khadijah had been married twice before the Prophet (peace be upon him). One husband was Halah al-Tamimi, by whom Hind and Halah were born. Her second husband was Atiq ibn Abid al-Makhzumi, by whom a daughter named Hind was born. She then married the Prophet (peace be upon him). All genealogists agree that the four daughters mentioned above were born to him. (Tabari, vol. 2, p. 11; Tabaqat Ibn Sa‘d, vol. 8, pp. 14–16; Kitab al-Mujassar, pp. 78, 79, 452; al-Isti‘ab, vol. 2, p. 718.) Bayhaqi, quoting Mus‘ab ibn Abdullah al-Zubayri, says that the eldest son of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was Qasim, followed respectively by Zaynab, Abdullah, Umm Kulthum, Fatimah and Ruqayyah. Yunus ibn Bukayr, quoting Ibn Abbas, says that two sons and four daughters were born to the Prophet (peace be upon him) through Khadijah: al-Qasim, Abdullah, Umm Kulthum, Zaynab, Ruqayyah and Fatimah. Abd al-Razzaq, in his al-Musannaf, quoting Ibn Jurayj, says that the Prophet’s two sons, Abdullah and Qasim, and four daughters were born to Khadijah. The eldest was Zaynab and the youngest was Fatimah.

All these reports conclusively establish, in accordance with the account of the Holy Qur’an, that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not have only one daughter; rather, he had four.

Married Life

Although there was a difference of fifteen years between the ages of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Khadijah, after her death the Prophet (peace be upon him) continued to remember her throughout his life.

A report from Ali is quoted in Bukhari. It states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

(Arabic text)

One meaning of this is that Maryam was the foremost woman of her community, and Khadijah was the foremost woman of this community. But in Muslim, on the authority of Waki‘, this statement is reported, and Waki‘, while saying it, pointed toward the heavens and the earth and quoted these words of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Its meaning is that Waki‘, or those through whom this reached him, understood that these two were the finest women in the world. Bukhari contains a report from Aishah in which she says, “Among the Prophet’s wives, I felt as jealous of Khadijah as of no one else, although she had died before I married him.” This was because I often heard the Prophet mention her name. Whenever the Prophet slaughtered a goat, he would certainly send some of its meat to Khadijah’s friends. In another hadith in Bukhari, Aishah says that once Khadijah’s sister, Halah bint Khuwaylid, came and asked permission to enter. Hearing her voice, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was deeply moved and said, “(Arabic text)”

(By Allah, this is Halah) because her voice resembled Khadijah’s voice.

Aishah says, “At this I became very annoyed and said, ‘Why do you remember an old woman of the Quraysh so much, when she died long ago and Allah has given you a better wife than her?’”

There is a report in Musnad Ahmad and al-Tabarani in which Hazrat Aisha (RA) says: The Prophet became angry at this, and, seeing his anger, I swore, “By the One who sent you with the truth, whenever I mention her in future, I will mention her only with goodwill.”

Ibn Sa’d says that the Messenger of Allah’s (SAW) son-in-law, Abul-‘As, was also captured in the Battle of Badr. The Prophet’s daughter, Hazrat Zaynab, was then in Makkah. She sent ransom for her husband’s release, including the necklace that Hazrat Khadijah (RA) had given her as a wedding gift at the time of her marriage to Abul-‘As in the Age of Ignorance. As soon as the Prophet (SAW) saw the necklace, his heart melted with affection. He said to his companions, “If you think it appropriate, release Zaynab’s captive without ransom and return her ransom to her.” They all agreed, and Abul-‘As was released without ransom.

Al-Baladhuri, citing a report from Hazrat Aisha (RA) in Ansab al-Ashraf, says that a dark-skinned woman came to the Prophet’s court. The Prophet (SAW) welcomed her with great pleasure. After she left, I, Hazrat Aisha, asked, “Why were you so happy at her arrival?” The Prophet (SAW) replied, “She used to visit Khadijah (RA) frequently.” This indicates how deep the Prophet’s (SAW) love for Hazrat Khadijah (RA) was—so deep that it remained undiminished in his heart throughout his life even after her death.

Hazrat Khadijah (RA) lived as the Prophet’s wife for fifteen years before prophethood and ten years after it. She died in the tenth year of prophethood, when the Prophet was fifty and she was sixty-five. Yet the Prophet spent his entire youth with that one elderly wife. During that period, the thought of any other woman never arose in his heart. At that time, there was nothing objectionable in Arab society about a man taking more than one wife, nor did women oppose it. Numerous examples of polygamy can be found in every Quraysh family, including Hazrat Khadijah’s own family. Nevertheless, the Prophet’s contentment and satisfaction in married life with a single wife until the age of fifty—a wife who had reached sixty-five—provide a crushing answer to those critics who, God forbid, describe the Prophet’s taking several wives during the last ten years of his life as fulfillment of his sensual desires. We shall discuss later the reasons why he married different women in his later life.

The Era of Prosperity and the Prophet’s Moral Greatness

After Hazrat Khadijah (RA) married the Holy Prophet (SAW), his financial hardship came to an end. At first, Hazrat Khadijah conducted business through others and earned little profit. Given the kind of character those people possessed, it could not be expected that they would buy and sell others’ merchandise with complete honesty and goodwill. But when her business came into the hands of a supremely trustworthy and wise man like the Prophet (SAW), who, being her husband, was naturally extremely concerned for her interests, her business flourished. Thus Allah Almighty’s statement was fulfilled literally:

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

And He found you poor and made you rich (al-Duha 8).

At this time, the Holy Prophet’s qualities—his honesty, trustworthiness, utmost sincerity and truthfulness in his work and dealings, charity, assistance and care for relatives, aid to the helpless, support of the poor, wisdom and intelligence—became so evident to all Quraysh and the surrounding tribes that they had previously remained hidden for lack of an opportunity to manifest themselves. His status in society now rose not only morally but also materially, until he began to be regarded as one of the chiefs of Quraysh. People developed such confidence in him that they began depositing their valuable possessions with him. This continued even after the proclamation of prophethood, when the people of Makkah had become thirsty for the Prophet’s blood. Despite their intense hostility toward him, they continued to entrust all their deposits to his safekeeping. For this reason, Hazrat Ali (RA) had to be left behind in Makkah at the time of the Hijrah, so that he could return everyone’s entrusted property. This clearly proves that not only before prophethood but even afterward, the image of his integrity and trustworthiness was engraved in the hearts of Islam’s enemies, and they regarded him as the most reliable person among them.

He was so conscientious in business matters that one of his business partners during the Age of Ignorance testified that he was the best of partners. The man further testified that he never deceived, defrauded, or quarrelled. His name is given differently in different reports. In Ibn Abd al-Barr’s al-Isti’ab, he is called Qays ibn al-Sa’ib Uwaymir al-Makhzumi. In one report in Musnad Ahmad, he is called al-Sa’ib ibn Abdullah al-Makhzumi, and in another, al-Sa’ib ibn Abi al-Sa’ib. In Abu Dawud (Kitab al-Adab, chapter on the dislike of disputation), his name is given simply as al-Sa’ib. His own report is quoted: “When I came into the presence of the Messenger of Allah, people began praising me. He said, ‘I know him better than you do.’ I replied, ‘May my parents be sacrificed for you, you have spoken the truth. You were my business partner, and you always kept our dealings clear. You never deceived me, nor did you quarrel.’”

Abu Dawud also records a report from another man, Abdullah ibn Abi al-Khamsa. He says: “Once, during the Age of Ignorance, I arranged a transaction with the Prophet (SAW). Some matters were settled and some remained pending. I told him I would come back to this place to meet him. Then I forgot. Three days later I remembered, came to the place, and found that he was still there. He said, ‘Young man, you have caused me great hardship. I have been waiting here for you for three days.’” (Kitab al-Adab, chapter on keeping promises).

The Story of Zayd ibn Harithah

The event that bears the greatest witness to the Prophet’s noble character is the story of Zayd ibn Harithah. He was the son of a man named Harithah ibn Shurahbil (or Sharhabil) of the Kalb tribe. His mother, Su’da bint Tha’labah, belonged to the Tayyi branch of the Mayana tribe. When he was eight years old, his mother took him to his father’s home. There, some people of Banu Qayn ibn Jasr suddenly attacked their tent. After looting it, they took away those they captured, among whom was Zayd. They then sold him at the Ukaz fair near Ta’if. The purchaser was Hakim ibn Hizam, the nephew of Khadijah. He brought him to Makkah and presented him to his aunt, Hazrat Khadijah. When Hazrat Khadijah married the Prophet (SAW), he found Zayd there. He was so pleased by Zayd’s nature, character, and conduct that he asked Khadijah to give him to him. Thus this fortunate boy came into the service of the finest of beings, whom Allah Almighty intended to make a prophet only a few years later. Zayd was then fifteen years old. Some time later, his father and uncle learned that their son was in Makkah.

After searching, they found him with the Prophet. They said to the Prophet, “Take whatever ransom you wish and return our son to us.”

The Prophet (SAW) said, “All right. I shall call him and leave the choice to him: whether he wishes to go with you or remain with me. If he wishes to go with you, I shall take no ransom and release him freely. But if he wishes to remain with me, I am not the sort of person who would drive away someone who wishes to stay with me.”

They said, “You have said something even better than justice. Call the boy and ask him.”

The Prophet (SAW) called Zayd and asked, “Do you know these two men?”

Zayd replied, “Yes, this is my father and this is my uncle.” The Prophet (SAW) said, “Good. You know them, and you know me as well. You are now completely free. If you wish, go with them; and if you wish, stay with me.” Zayd said, “I do not wish to go to anyone after leaving you.”

Zayd’s father and uncle said, “Zayd, are you giving preference to slavery over freedom? And do you wish to remain with another person while leaving your own parents?”

Zayd replied, “I have seen the qualities of this noble man, and in light of my experience, I cannot prefer anyone in the world to him.”

Hearing Zayd’s reply, his father and uncle agreed. The Prophet (SAW) immediately set Zayd free. He then went to the Sacred Precinct and announced before the people, “Bear witness: from today Zayd is my son. He shall inherit from me, and I shall inherit from him.”

On the basis of this declaration, people began calling him Zayd ibn Muhammad (SAW). These events took place before prophethood. When the Prophet was honored with prophethood, Zayd had already spent fourteen years in the Prophet’s service. He was thirty years old when he accepted faith.

Hazrat Ali (RA) Under the Prophet’s (SAW) Care

The Prophet remembered the kindness, affection, and tenderness that his uncle Abu Talib had shown him from childhood through his youth. Ibn Ishaq says that once prices rose sharply in Makkah and the surrounding area. The Prophet (SAW) thought that his uncle’s financial condition was very poor and that he had many children. Something should be done to lighten his burden. So he went to his other, wealthy uncle, Hazrat Abbas, and said, “Your brother’s family is very large, and his financial condition is not good. You see the extreme hardship people are suffering because of the rising prices. Let us discuss with him how we can lighten his burden. You take responsibility for supporting one of his sons, and I will take responsibility for another.”

Hazrat Abbas agreed, and the uncle and nephew both went to Abu Talib and explained their intention. He said, “Leave Aqil—or, according to Ibn Hisham, Talib—with me, and take whichever of the others you prefer.” Accordingly, the Prophet (SAW) took Hazrat Ali into his care, and Hazrat Abbas (RA) took Hazrat Ja’far. Hazrat Ali (RA) was the youngest of them all. Ja’far, Aqil, and Talib were each ten years older than him. Abu Talib had other children as well.

Thus Hazrat Ali (RA) came under the Prophet’s care during his childhood. The Prophet (SAW) and Hazrat Khadijah (RA) raised him just as they would their own child. Hazrat Ali was probably no more than four or five years old at the time.

The Reconstruction of the Kaaba

When the Prophet (SAW) was thirty-five years old, with only five years remaining before he received prophethood, the Quraysh decided to rebuild the Kaaba. The building had become extremely dilapidated and was nearing collapse because of floods. Its walls were very low, there was no roof, and the masonry consisted merely of stones laid one upon another, without anything joining them together. The door was level with the ground. The Kaaba’s wealth was kept in a pit dug inside the building. Some people would climb over the wall, reach the pit, and steal the property. Before the decision to rebuild was made, a slave of Banu Mulayh named Duwayq had stolen the Kaaba’s treasure, or a thief had stolen it and left it with him. The stolen property was recovered from him. [Ibn Athir says that three people were suspected of the theft, one of them being Abu Lahab; but since the property was recovered from Duwayq, he alone was punished—the author.]

For these reasons, the Quraysh wanted to build a tall, sturdy structure with a roof. At that time, a Roman merchant’s trading ship was smashed by the turbulent waves and violent storm at the port of Jeddah, according to Ibn Ishaq, and at the port of Shu’aybah, according to Ibn Sa’d—a port east of Jeddah. Among those aboard was a Roman architect named Baqum. There was also a Coptic carpenter in Makkah who worked with wood. On hearing that the ship had been wrecked, Walid ibn al-Mughirah went there with some Quraysh and bought the ship’s timber. He spoke with Baqum and persuaded him to undertake the construction of the Kaaba. Then Abu Wahb ibn Amr ibn A’idh of Banu Makhzum (the maternal uncle of the Prophet’s father) rose, removed one stone from the Kaaba, and replaced it. He said, “O Quraysh, use only your lawful earnings in this construction. No one should contribute money earned through adultery, usury, or oppression.”

Another report says: “Do not use in constructing this House any money that you have acquired by force, by severing ties of kinship, or by violating mutual obligations.” [This is Ibn Ishaq’s report. Musa ibn Uqbah says in his Maghazi work that the above statement was made by Walid ibn al-Mughirah—the author.]

But the people of Quraysh were very afraid to demolish the Kaaba. At last, Walid ibn al-Mughirah took a pickaxe to demolish the old building and said, “O Allah! We have not deviated from the religion. We are demolishing the House only for its improvement.” Saying this, he struck one part of the Kaaba and then stopped. The people waited throughout the night to see whether any calamity would befall Walid. They said, “If a calamity occurs, we shall stop the work and replace the stone that was removed. If no calamity occurs, we shall continue.” When no calamity befell Walid by morning, the various tribes took responsibility for demolishing different sections. The walls were brought down to the foundations built by Ibrahim (AS). Then people from all the tribes carried stones and took part in the construction. [Because of the shortage of materials in this reconstruction, one section of the Kaaba was left outside and a wall was built beside it so that it could be recognized as part of the Kaaba. It is also called Hijr and Hatim. Hazrat Hajar and Hazrat Ismail (AS) were buried there (Ibn Hisham). Ibn Sa’d says that the Quraysh made the door of the House of Allah as large as it still is. They opened the door on Mondays and Thursdays, with a doorkeeper standing there. When people climbed the ladder, he allowed whomever he wished to enter and pushed down whomever he wished—the author.] When the masonry reached the place where the Black Stone was to be installed, every tribe wanted the honor of placing it. The dispute became so heated that fighting was imminent. The quarrel continued for four or five days. Finally, they all gathered in the Haram to consult. Abu Umayyah ibn al-Mughirah of Banu Makhzum, the oldest of them all, stood up and proposed, “O Quraysh, agree that the first person to enter through the door of this mosque [By ‘door’ is meant the gate of Banu Shaybah. One report says that the first person to enter through Bab al-Safa would settle the matter. Musa ibn Uqbah says that Walid himself made this suggestion, but al-Fakihi, al-Waqidi, and Ibn Ishaq name Abu Umayyah—the author.] shall settle this dispute.”

Everyone accepted his proposal. It was Allah Almighty’s decree that the first person to enter was the Messenger of Allah (SAW). As soon as the people saw him, they exclaimed: (Arabic******************)

“This is al-Amin; we accept him. This is Muhammad.” A report in Musnad Ahmad says that as soon as the people saw him, they said: (************)

“The trustworthy one has come to you.”

When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) realized that he would have to settle the dispute, he asked for a piece of cloth. The people brought one. He placed the Black Stone on the cloth. Then he instructed each tribe to hold one side of the cloth and lift the Black Stone. When they reached the place where the stone was to be installed, he lifted it with his own hands and set it in its proper place.

This happened only five years before prophethood. At that time, the whole nation testified that the Prophet (SAW) was al-Amin, the most reliable and trustworthy of men. The entire nation also witnessed how wise he was: he resolved such a serious dispute so beautifully and saved his people from civil war. Ibn Sa’d says that this was not the only occasion on which the Prophet (SAW) settled a dispute among the Quraysh; before prophethood, most people would turn to him to resolve their affairs.

Those Who Saw the Prophet Closely Before Prophethood

Among those who had the opportunity before prophethood to observe the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) most closely and know his overall condition were members of his household: first, Hazrat Khadijah (RA), who lived as his wife for fifteen years; second, Hazrat Ali (RA), who had been raised in the Prophet’s household from childhood; and third, Hazrat Zayd ibn Harithah, who preferred staying with the Prophet to returning to his parents and whom the Prophet (SAW) adopted as his son. There was also Umm Ayman (RA), who had cared for the Prophet in his childhood and always remained with him as a member of the household. The Prophet (SAW) used to say of her, “After my mother, she is my mother.” He addressed her as “Mother.” Besides these people, there were many outsiders who had the honor of the Prophet’s companionship and spent considerable time with him.

Among them, the Prophet’s closest friend was Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA). Ibn Maddah, citing a report from Ibn Abbas (RA), says that Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA) began keeping the Prophet’s company at the age of eighteen, when the Prophet (SAW) was twenty. Their friendship continued from that time. No two people in Makkah had such similarity in temperament, behavior, conduct, and manners as the Prophet (SAW) and Hazrat Abu Bakr. During the Age of Ignorance, Hazrat Abu Bakr was a man of great standing and one of the leading chiefs of the nation. His profession was trade. He was extremely popular for his character. He belonged to those who had never touched wine. The Quraysh entrusted him with determining the blood money—the monetary penalty fixed in return for a killing. He accepted responsibility for the blood money, and all the tribes agreed to pay it collectively. If anyone else assumed this responsibility, they would not accept it.

The Quraysh placed the greatest confidence in his knowledge regarding genealogies. His moral influence extended not only over Quraysh but also over the surrounding tribes. This can be inferred from the fact that when severe persecution of the Muslims began in Makkah, Abu Bakr also prepared to emigrate. After travelling for a day or two, he met Ibn al-Dughunnah, a chief of the Ahbash. [Ahbash was the name of a confederation of three tribes. They included Banu al-Harith ibn Abd Manat ibn Kinana; Banu al-Hun ibn Khuzaymah ibn Mudrikah—namely the tribes of Adal, Qarah, and Dish; and, among the Qudaa’ah, Banu al-Mustaliq. Together they concluded a pact of mutual friendship and assistance in a valley called Ahbash in lower Makkah. For this reason they were called Ahbash—the author.] He asked, “Abu Bakr, where are you going?”

Abu Bakr (RA) said, “My people have expelled me and made my life unbearable through much suffering and hardship.”

He said, “By God, you are the ornament of society. You help people in times of difficulty, do good works, and help the poor. Come, I shall give you protection.”

Then he brought him to Makkah and announced, “I have granted protection to Ibn Abi Quhafah. Let no one do anything to him except good.”

The second person was Hazrat Suhayb ibn Sinan al-Rumi. In fact, he was descended from the Banu Namir ibn Qasit. He lived in a place near Mosul under the Iranian state. During a war between Iran and Rome in his childhood, he was captured and spent some time as a slave under the Romans. Passing from one owner to another, he eventually reached Makkah, where Abdullah ibn Jud’an purchased him. Since Ibn Jud’an was a close relative of Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA), Suhayb became acquainted with the Prophet (SAW) through him. He often spent time in the Prophet’s company. He attained such status that when Hazrat Umar (RA) lay on his deathbed, he instructed that, until the shura agreed on a person to appoint as caliph, Suhayb should lead the prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque.

The third person was Hazrat Ammar ibn Yasir (RA). Al-Bayhaqi quotes his own statement, in which he says, “Who knows more than I do about the marriage of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) to Hazrat Khadijah?”

Hazrat Suhayb (RA) and Hazrat Ammar (RA) accepted Islam together.

The fourth person was Hazrat Hakim ibn Hizam (RA), one of Quraysh’s distinguished men. He held the honor of rifadah, that is, providing food and drink to pilgrims. He was Hazrat Khadijah’s (RA) nephew. He was five years older than the Prophet (SAW). A report by Iraq ibn Malik in Musnad Ahmad indicates that he said, “I loved the Prophet (SAW) more than anyone else.” Zubayr ibn Bakkar says that their affection remained firm even after prophethood, although he accepted faith at the conquest of Makkah.

The fifth person was Dima ibn Sa’labah of the Azd Shanua tribe. He worked as a practitioner of weapon-based medicine. Ibn Abd al-Barr says in al-Isti’ab that he had been the Prophet’s (SAW) friend even during the Age of Ignorance. A report from Ibn Abbas (RA) in Musnad Ahmad says that when he came to Makkah during the time of prophethood, people told him that Muhammad (SAW) had gone mad.

He went straight to the Prophet and said, “Tell me what illness you have; I will treat you.”

In reply, the Prophet (SAW) recited to him several compelling verses or statements that are recited in the Masnun books. On hearing them, he became a Muslim.

Then there were some people who, because they were close relatives, knew the Prophet (SAW) very well, and nothing in the Prophet’s life was hidden from them. For example, Hazrat Uthman ibn Affan (RA) was the son-in-law of the Prophet’s paternal aunt, Umm Hakim al-Bayda. Hazrat al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam was the son of the Prophet’s paternal aunt, Hazrat Safiyyah (RA). Hazrat Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (RA), Hazrat Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas (RA), and Hazrat Umayr ibn Abi Waqqas were relatives of the Prophet’s mother. Hazrat Abu Salamah was the Prophet’s cousin and foster brother. Hazrat Abdullah ibn Jahsh was the son of the Prophet’s paternal aunt, Umayyah. Hazrat Ja’far ibn Abi Talib was his paternal cousin.

They were the first of all to believe. Their believing means that, after observing the Prophet’s life closely, his greatness and eminence became so firmly etched in their hearts that they accepted him as a prophet without the slightest hesitation. This faith cannot be attributed to kinship, friendship, or personal affection, for none of these can make a person change his religious belief or faith.

The Noble Description

Before concluding our discussion of the period preceding prophethood, we consider it appropriate to describe the Noble Appearance of the Prophet (peace be upon him). A person’s personality is deeply connected with his physical build and facial appearance. On the basis of the descriptions found in Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Bayhaqi, Daraqutni and other hadith collections, reported by Ali, Abu Hurayrah, Anas, Bara ibn Azib, Hind ibn Abi Halah and several other noble Companions, we present here an overall description of the blessed appearance of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him). He was neither very tall nor short, but somewhat taller than average. Whenever he was present in an assembly, he was clearly noticeable. His face was neither long nor completely round, but slightly rounded. His complexion was neither brown, red, nor entirely white; rather, it was bright, fair and radiant. His head was large, his chest broad, and there was considerable space between his shoulders. He was strongly built, but not stout. His joints were very firm. His arms were muscular, and his lower legs were proportionate to his body. Fine hair could be seen on his arms and lower legs, while the rest of his body was hairless. From his chest to his navel there appeared to be a line of hair. The hair of his head and beard was thick. It was neither tightly curled like that of the Abyssinians nor completely straight, but somewhat wavy. Until his death, no more than about twenty hairs on his head and beard had turned white, and these could be seen only when oil was applied. His hair was sometimes kept to the middle of his ears, sometimes to their lower edges, and sometimes below them. His eyes were large and beautiful. Even without applying kohl, they appeared kohl-lined. There were slightly reddish veins in the eyeballs. His eyelashes were thick and long. His eyebrows were separate, not joined. His mouth was large, which the Arabs regarded as a sign of beauty; they did not prefer small mouths. The soles of his feet were smooth, and the fingers of his hands and feet were long and muscular. The middle toe was slightly longer than the big toe. His palms were fleshy. At first sight, people felt somewhat awed by him; but the closer they came to him, the more they became attached to him, influenced by his humility, gentleness and noble character. When he walked, he did so with firm steps, as though descending or ascending. When he looked in a direction, he turned fully toward it, and when he turned away, he turned completely. He did not look sideways or merely turn his neck. A faint smile was often visible on his face; he did not laugh loudly. His physical strength was such that Rukana, a powerful Quraysh wrestler whom no one had ever defeated, came to wrestle him. The Prophet threw him down and defeated him decisively. Rukana did not dare to rise and wrestle again, but the Prophet threw him down once more. Rukana said, “Muhammad! How astonishing—you are throwing me down!” This shows that the Prophet had neither practiced athletics nor wrestling, yet he threw the wrestler Rukana down twice. This man later became a Muslim—may Allah be pleased with him.

An incident from the Prophet’s childhood is that once there was a meal invitation at the house of Abdullah ibn Jud‘an. Abu Jahl began quarreling with the Prophet. He too was still a child at the time. The Prophet threw him down so forcefully that his knee was badly injured, and the mark remained throughout his life. Ibn Hisham says that when Abu Jahl was killed at the Battle of Badr, the Prophet said, “Bring out Abu Jahl’s body from among the slain; you will find an injury mark on his knee.” Indeed, an injury mark was found on his knee. The Prophet narrated the story of this injury.

This detailed discussion makes it clear that the Prophet was not only the embodiment of noble character, but also of manly qualities and valor.

Chapter Four

The Beginning of the Prophetic Mission and the First Three Years of Secret Preaching

The Reflection and Investigation of the Prophets Before Being Invested with Prophethood

The Qur’an states that the knowledge possessed by the prophets before revelation was not different from the knowledge of ordinary people. Before revelation, they had no source of knowledge that was unavailable to others. The Prophet (peace be upon him) is told—

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

—O Prophet! You did not know what the Book was, nor what faith was—(al-Shura: 52).

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

—And Allah found you unaware of the way, then guided you—(al-Duha: 7).

From Intellectual Wisdom to Inspired Faith

The Qur’an also tells us that, before prophethood, the prophets (peace be upon them) crossed the stage of belief in the unseen through the ordinary means of knowledge and wisdom that are also available to ordinary people. After revelation came, it did this: regarding the truths to which their minds bore witness, revelation gave irrefutable testimony that they were absolutely true; then those truths were shown to them in reality so that they could testify to them before the world with firm conviction. This matter is described repeatedly in Surah Hud—

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

—Can one who first stood upon a clear proof from his Lord—that is, intellectual and natural guidance—then received a witness from Allah, namely the Qur’an, and before it had the Book of Moses as guidance and mercy, have any doubt about its truth?—(Hud: 17).

Then the same point is expressed through the words of Noah (peace be upon him)—

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

—O my people, consider carefully: if I stand upon a clear proof from my Lord and He has granted me mercy from Himself—that is, revelation and prophethood—though this is hidden from you, should we then force it upon you?

Then Prophet Salih (peace be upon him), in verse 63, and Prophet Shu‘ayb (peace be upon him), in verse 88, repeated this statement. This makes it clear that, before gaining direct knowledge of the truth through revelation, the prophets (peace be upon them) used their natural ability to observe, reflect and investigate correctly (******************* which in the verse above)

This has been interpreted as reaching the truth of monotheism and the Hereafter. This attainment of truth is not God-given, but acquired. Then Allah granted them knowledge through revelation; this, in contrast, is not acquired but bestowed by God.

Observing the signs of nature, reflecting and investigating, and using common sense are entirely different from conjecture and speculation, which is what philosophers engage in. This is precisely what the Qur’an seeks to encourage people toward. Again and again it tells people to open their eyes, observe the signs of Allah’s power, and draw correct conclusions from them. In this way, by observing Allah’s signs, an impartial seeker of truth can reach the truth. (***1)

From the condition of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) before his prophetic life, which we described in the previous chapter, it becomes clear that even before becoming a prophet he was pure and free from shirk and a believer in monotheism. After attaining awareness, he never accepted the polytheistic beliefs of his people or participated in their polytheistic festivals and worship. He always kept away from idols and idol-worship, and also avoided the sacrifices offered to deities. In his pre-prophetic life, his condition resembled that of those devoted followers of monotheism whom we mentioned in the second chapter of this book. Before his prophethood, he accepted none of the alterations that the tribes of Jurhum and Khuza‘ah had introduced into the religion of Abraham during the Age of Ignorance. Similarly, he remained aloof from the increased religious distortions introduced by the Quraysh. For example, the Quraysh had created certain discriminatory privileges for themselves, on the basis of which they considered themselves superior to the other Arabs. Ibn Hisham and Ibn Sa‘d say that during the pilgrimage they had abandoned the practice of going to Arafat and returning from there. They would go only to Muzdalifah and return from there, saying, “We are the people of the Sacred Precinct. It is not proper for us to go outside the Sacred Precinct and stand at Arafat like ordinary pilgrims. If we did so, what difference would there be between us and those living outside the Sacred Precinct? Our status would be diminished.”

Yet they knew that going to Arafat, staying there, and then returning from there to Muzdalifah and Mina were obligatory practices of the pilgrimage and part of the religion of Abraham. Gradually, the tribes living outside the Sacred Precinct who were related to the Quraysh also began following these distinctions, such as Banu Kinana, Khuza‘ah and Amir ibn Sa‘sa‘ah. Even those who had friendly relations with the Quraysh came to be regarded as superior to ordinary Arabs and stopped going to Arafat. But the Prophet had rejected this innovation even before his prophethood. Ibn Ishaq quotes a report from Jubayr ibn Mut‘im (may Allah be pleased with him), who said, “Before revelation came, I saw the Prophet standing at Arafat with the ordinary Arabs.”

One of the innovations introduced by the Quraysh was that those living outside the Sacred Precinct, when they came for Hajj or Umrah, could neither eat food brought from outside nor perform the circumambulation wearing clothes brought from outside. They had to eat the food of the Sacred Precinct, and if clothing could not be obtained there, they had to circumambulate naked. If they circumambulated in outside clothing, it had to be discarded. They themselves could not wear those clothes again, nor could anyone else touch them. The Arabs silently accepted this evil custom or innovation as religion, and thus the practice of naked circumambulation became established. (****2)

The Prophet’s Worship in Seclusion

The hadith scholars narrate the account of the beginning of revelation, with their respective chains, from Imam Zuhri, from Zubayr, and from his maternal aunt, Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her). She—that is, Aishah—said: Revelation to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) began with true and beautiful dreams. Whatever dream he saw was as clear to him as daylight. [Bayhaqi says that this condition began six months before revelation descended.]

Then he began seeking solitude and worshipping in the Cave of Hira. [After the above-mentioned condition arose, the Prophet (peace be upon him) sought even greater seclusion. Of course, his inclination toward solitude had begun much earlier. According to reports cited by Ibn Hisham and al-Tabari from Ibn Ishaq, Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr and Ubayd ibn Umayr al-Laythi, the Prophet spent one month each year in Hira. He would take food for several days with him. Then he would return, first circumambulate the Ka‘bah seven times, and take food from home for a few more days before returning to Hira.]

Furthermore, Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says that during this seclusion and worship he would feed the poor generously. But she does not say when the Prophet began staying in Hira. It may be inferred that he continued this practice for several years—(the author).]

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) referred to this activity of the Prophet (peace be upon him) by the word ‘tahannuth.’ Imam Zuhri explained it as worship. It was a form of worship that he performed, because until then no method of worship had been prescribed to him by Allah. He would take provisions for several days from home. Then he would go to Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), and she would arrange provisions for several more days. (****3)

The Reason for Seclusion in the Cave of Hira

The following verse from Surah Alam Nashrah sheds some light on the reasons why, at that time, the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) left the populated area of Makkah and spent time in seclusion in the Cave of Hira among the mountain valleys—

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

We lifted from you the heavy burden that was breaking your back.

The word (***) in this verse means a heavy burden. The grief, anguish, anxiety and distress he felt upon seeing the ignorance and acts of his own people weighed heavily upon his sensitive nature. Idolatry was practiced before his eyes, while shirk, disbelief and superstition were widespread. Social life was submerged in moral filth, nudity and obscenity. Daughters were buried alive. Oppression, wrongdoing and adultery had spread throughout society. The weak were tormented by the oppression of the strong. Tribes suddenly attacked one another. At times, mutual conflicts and hostilities continued for hundreds of years. No one’s life, property, honor or chastity was secure unless a powerful group stood behind him. Seeing these conditions caused him deep anguish. Yet he could find no way to save his people from this extreme moral decline. This anxiety was breaking his body and spirit. Allah lifted this heavy burden from him by showing him the path of guidance. As soon as he was invested with prophethood, he realized that belief in monotheism, prophethood and the Hereafter could solve all of life’s problems and bring complete reform to every aspect and sphere of life. This guidance from Allah lightened all the burdens of the Chosen Prophet (peace be upon him), and he became calm and certain that through it not only the people of Arabia, but also humanity in other countries of the world, could be saved from the injustices and wrongdoing in which they were immersed. (****4)

True Dreams

In a report from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the hadith states that the beginning of revelation to the Prophet (peace be upon him) occurred in the form of true dreams (Bukhari and Muslim). This continued throughout every stage of the prophetic period. The hadith mentions many of his dreams, through which he was taught something or informed about a matter. The Holy Qur’an also clearly mentions one of his dreams (al-Fath: 127). In addition, various hadiths mention that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Such-and-such a matter was caused to arise in my mind,” or “I was told this,” or “I was given a command,” or “I was prohibited from this.” Most hadith qudsi concern such matters. (***5)

The Beginning of Revelation

When the age of the Chosen Prophet (peace be upon him) was forty years and six months [It is generally said that he received prophethood at the age of forty. However, he was born in Rabi‘ al-Awwal of the first Year of the Elephant, and prophethood was bestowed upon him in Ramadan of the same year. Therefore, at the beginning of revelation his age was forty years and six months—the author]

Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, quoting the report of Ibn Ishaq from Ubaydullah ibn Umayr al-Laythi, says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: In a dream, Gabriel (peace be upon him) came and showed me something written on a silk cloth, on which the initial verses of Surah al-‘Alaq were written. Then he told me to read. I said, “I do not know how to read.” He then squeezed me so tightly that I nearly died. Then he released me and said, “Read!” Then he taught me up to (****). When I awoke, I felt as though the words had been written inside my chest (al-Tabari, Ibn Hisham, al-Suhayli). Ibn Kathir, quoting this report, says that this was an introduction to what was presented to him while awake, as mentioned in Aishah’s hadith—the author.]

Then, one day in Ramadan, revelation descended upon him in the Cave of Hira. The angel stood facing him and said, *** Read. This event is narrated from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in several places in Sahih Bukhari. She quotes the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself as saying: I said, “I do not know how to read.” Then the angel squeezed me so tightly that I could not bear it. He released me and said, “Read.” I said, “I do not know how to read.” Then he squeezed me a second time, and I could not bear it. He released me and again said, “Read.” I said, “I do not know how to read.” He squeezed me a third time, and I could not bear it. Then he released me and said, (Arabic*********************)

(Read in the name of your Lord who created) and then recited to him up to (****) (that which he did not know).

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: Then the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) came to Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) frightened and trembling and said, “Cover me, cover me.” When his fear and anxiety had subsided, he said, “O Khadijah, what has happened to me?”

After telling her the entire incident, he said, “I fear for my life.” The scholars mention twelve reasons for this fear. But in our view, the natural and correct explanation is that he was trembling with fear at the thought of undertaking the arduous responsibility of prophethood, repeatedly wondering how he would bear this immense burden. This suggests that the Prophet (peace be upon him) did not consider himself extraordinary, nor did he desire that someone like him should become a prophet. He also had no sense of pride that he possessed the strength and ability to undertake this great task—the author.

Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “Never! Rather, rejoice. By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you [another narration says, ‘Allah will never cause you grief or hardship’—the author].

You treat your relatives well. You speak the truth. One report says that you fulfill trusts. You bear the burdens of helpless people. You earn for those who are incapable. You show hospitality and help in good works. Another report also says that your character is truly magnificent.” Then Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) took the Prophet (peace be upon him) to her cousin Waraqah ibn Nawfal. During the Age of Ignorance, he had abandoned idol-worship and become a Christian. He used to write the Gospel in Arabic and Hebrew. He had become very old and blind. Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him, “Dear cousin, listen to what happened to your nephew.” (*****3)

According to Abu Nu‘aym’s report, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) herself related the entire incident to Waraqah. Waraqah said to the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Nephew, what did you see?” The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) told him what he had seen. Waraqah said, “This is the Namus—the angel who brings revelation from the highest heaven—the same one who was sent down to Moses (peace be upon him). If only I had strength and ability when your prophethood begins! If only I were alive when your people drive you from your homeland!”

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Will these people drive me out?”

Waraqah said, “Yes. It has never happened that a person brought something like what you have brought without being opposed. If I were alive in your time, I would support you wholeheartedly.”

But before much time had passed, Waraqah died. [The Prophet (peace be upon him) was called ‘nephew’ because Abd al-‘Uzza, his third ancestor, was the brother of Abd Manaf, the Prophet’s fourth ancestor—the author.]

What can be understood from this incident?

This incident itself shows that, until the moment before the angel’s arrival, the thought had never arisen in the Prophet’s mind that he would be made a prophet. Far from desiring such a thing, it was beyond his imagination that anything of this kind would happen. The descent of revelation and the appearance of the angel before him were sudden events for him. His reaction was therefore the natural reaction of an unsuspecting person upon whom such an event suddenly occurs. For this reason, when he began inviting people to Islam, the people of Makkah made various accusations against him. But no one said, “We had initially feared that you would make some claim, because for some time you had been preparing to become a prophet.”

Another matter learned from this incident is how pure the life of the Chosen Prophet was before prophethood and how elevated his character was. Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) was not a young woman; she was fifty-five years old at that time. She had been the Prophet’s life companion for fifteen years. No weakness of a husband remains hidden from his wife. During her long married life, she had found the Prophet (peace be upon him) to be a man of such high rank that, when he told her about what had happened in the Cave of Hira, she accepted without hesitation that it was truly Allah’s angel who had brought revelation to him. Likewise, Waraqah ibn Nawfal was an elderly man of Makkah. He had observed the Prophet’s life since childhood. Through fifteen years of close kinship, he had gained even deeper knowledge of his condition. When he heard this incident, he did not regard it as delusion or provocation. Rather, as soon as he heard it, he declared that this was exactly the same Namus that had been sent down to Moses (peace be upon him). This means that, in his eyes too, the Chosen Prophet was a man of such exalted rank that his being invested with prophethood was not at all astonishing. [Although he possessed a matchless personality, he was so far above self-conceit and self-admiration that, even when he was suddenly elevated to the rank of prophethood, it took him some time to become certain that, among the billions of people in the world, he alone was the person whom the Lord and Master of the universe had chosen for this position.]

Analysis of the Incident

To properly understand the circumstances of the revelation of wahy, one must first remember that this event occurred suddenly in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Before this, he had no idea that he would be made a prophet. No such desire had ever arisen in his heart, nor had he made any preparation for it. He had not even expected that an angel would come to him bearing a message from above. He certainly used to sit in seclusion engaged in meditation and worship, but the thought of becoming a prophet had never entered his mind. Thus, when the angel suddenly appeared in the secluded surroundings of the Cave of Hira, he became just as bewildered and perplexed as any human being would naturally become in such a situation. Although he was a person of immense greatness and majesty, his bewilderment was not without reason; it contained a coherent combination of many thoughts. In other words, various questions began to arise in his mind, and it became filled with intense anxiety and apprehension. He wondered: Have I really been made a prophet? Have I not been placed before a tremendous trial by fire? How will I bear the burden of this great responsibility? How will I tell people that I have come to them as a prophet? How will people accept what I say? Until today I have lived honorably in this society; now will its people mock and ridicule me and call me mad? How will I struggle against the environment of this age of ignorance? In short, many such questions arose in his mind and left him deeply troubled.

That is why, when he reached home, he was trembling. As soon as he arrived, he said, “Cover me (with a quilt or blanket), cover me (with a quilt or blanket).”

The members of his household covered him. After some time, when he regained his composure, he related the entire incident to Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). He said, (Arabic********************)

I fear for my life.

Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) consoled him and said:

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

Never! By God, Allah will never bring you grief or hardship. You serve your relatives, speak the truth, help the helpless, relieve the needs of the destitute and poor, honor guests, and assist in every good deed.

Then she took the Messenger (peace be upon him) to Waraqah ibn Nawfal, for he was a People of the Book and was familiar with the circumstances of the earlier prophets. After hearing what had happened to the Messenger, he spontaneously exclaimed, “This is the same Namus that came to Moses (peace be upon him).”

He said this because he had known Muhammad (peace be upon him) from childhood to adulthood and was aware of his pure and righteous character. He also knew that there had been no indication whatsoever that he was preparing to claim prophethood. When he considered these two facts together with the event—that someone had suddenly come from the unseen world and delivered messages to this man resembling the teachings of the prophets—he realized that this was certainly true prophethood. (9)

If he had previously desired prophethood

If the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had previously been thinking about becoming a prophet, if he had thought that he ought to become a prophet, and while waiting for it had exerted pressure on his own mind through meditation, expecting an angel to come to him with a message at any moment, then as soon as the event in the Cave of Hira occurred he would have descended from the mountain in ecstatic joy, making a tremendous claim, gone straight to his people, and announced his prophethood. But exactly the opposite happened: whatever he saw left him astonished and stunned. Then he reached home frightened and trembling, wrapped himself in a blanket, and lay down. After regaining a little composure, he quietly told his wife, “This event occurred today in the secluded surroundings of the Cave of Hira. I do not know what will happen. I can see no good for my life.”

How different this condition is from that of a claimant to prophethood! And who could know a husband’s life, condition, thoughts, and ideas better than his wife? If experience had shown that her husband desired prophethood and was constantly waiting for an angel to arrive, her reply could never have been the one given by Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). She would have said, “My dear, why are you worried?”

You have received what you had been counting the days for, hoping for so long. Come, set up your shop of spiritual sainthood; I will take care of the offerings and gifts.

But on the basis of what she had observed during fifteen years of companionship regarding her husband’s life, she did not take even a moment to understand that Satan could not approach such a righteous and selfless man, nor did Allah intend to subject him to any evil trial. Whatever he had seen was completely true. The same was true of Waraqah ibn Nawfal. He was not an outsider; rather, he belonged to the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) own clan. Through close family ties, he was his brother-in-law. Since he was several years older, the entire life of the Chosen Prophet, from childhood until that time, had unfolded before his eyes. He too, as soon as he heard the account of Hira from his lips, declared that the visitor was the very angel who had brought revelation to Moses (peace be upon him). For here too he had encountered precisely the situation that Moses (peace be upon him) had encountered. He was an entirely pure, straightforward, simple, and clean-hearted man. Thinking about prophethood was far beyond him; not even the slightest thought of attaining it had ever entered his mind. Suddenly, consciously and openly, he experienced this event. Therefore, he reached the certain conclusion, as surely as two plus two make four, that this was neither self-deception nor a satanic sensory illusion; rather, whatever this truthful man had seen without any desire or aspiration was the actual truth.

This is such a clear proof of Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood that it is very difficult for a truth-seeking person to deny it. For this reason, it has been presented in various places in the Qur’an as evidence of prophethood. [Allah says—(Arabic***********************)

—O Muhammad, say: Had Allah willed, I would never have recited this Qur’an to you, nor would He have informed you of it. Moreover, I lived a lifetime among you before this. Will you not use your reason? (Yunus: 16).

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

You did not know what the Book was or what faith was. But We made that Spirit a light by which We guide whom We will among Our servants (ash-Shura: 52)]

The Content of the First Revelation

The first revelation sent to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) consisted of the first five verses of Surah al-‘Alaq, in which it is said—

“Read in the name of your Lord who created. He created man from a clinging substance. Read, and your Lord is Most Generous, who taught by the pen. He taught man what he did not know.”

This was the first experience of the revelation that the Messenger (peace be upon him) received. In this message, he was not told that he was being appointed to some great task or what he would have to do in the future. Rather, after this initial introduction, he was given some time so that the immense pressure placed upon his nature by this first experience could subside and he could become mentally prepared to receive further revelation and fulfill the responsibilities of prophethood. [After the interval, when revelation began for the second time, the first seven verses of Surah al-Muddaththir were revealed. In them, the Prophet was instructed for the first time: Rise and warn the people created by God about the consequences of the outlook upon which they are proceeding. A detailed account will follow—The Author.]

Explanation of the Content of the Revelation

Reflect upon every word of the first revelation sent down to the Prophet:

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

Read, O Prophet, in the name of your Lord who created (al-‘Alaq: 1).

When the angel said to the Messenger (peace be upon him), “O Prophet, read,” he replied, “I do not know how to read.” This indicates that the angel had presented these words of revelation before him in written form. For if the angel’s words had meant, “Read just as I am reading,” there would have been no need for the Messenger to say, “I do not know how to read.”

“Read in the name of your Lord”—that is, read while invoking the name of your Lord. In other words, say “Bismillah” and read. This also shows that before this revelation came, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) knew and acknowledged only Allah Almighty as his Lord. Therefore, it was not necessary to explain who his Lord was. Rather, he was told to read by invoking the name of his own Lord—that is, the Lord whom he knew.

“Who created”—it was not said whom He created. The meaning therefore emerges naturally: read in the name of that Lord who is the Creator, who created the entire universe and every object within it.

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

He created man from a clinging clot. After mentioning the creation of the universe in general, the creation of man in particular is mentioned, showing that the creation of the human being began from an insignificant state and he was made into a complete human being. (****) Numerous years (****) shabah, meaning a clot of blood. This is the initial stage that appears several days after conception. Then it takes the form of flesh. Thereafter, gradually, the process of assuming the human form begins within it.

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

—Read, and your Lord is Most Generous, who taught by the pen. (al-‘Alaq: 3–4). In other words, it is His great favor that, beginning from this insignificant state, He made man knowledgeable, which is the finest quality of creation. He did not merely make him knowledgeable; rather, He taught him the art of writing with the pen, which became a means for the widespread dissemination, expansion, advancement, and preservation of knowledge and for passing it down through generations.

Had He not taught people the knowledge of the pen and writing through an inspired method, the intellectual abilities of humanity would have become narrow and rigid. There would have been no opportunity for their knowledge to spread, expand, and develop, or to advance toward ever-greater refinement from one generation to the next.

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

He taught man what he did not know.

In other words, man was originally completely devoid of knowledge; whatever knowledge he acquired, he acquired only because it was given by Allah. Allah Almighty opens the doors of knowledge for people to the extent He determines, and knowledge continues to unfold accordingly. This is stated in Ayat al-Kursi as follows—(Arabic*******************)

—and they cannot acquire any of His knowledge except what He Himself wills.

The things that people regard as acquired knowledge were, in reality, beyond their knowledge. When Allah wills, He grants His knowledge to people. Yet people cannot perceive that Allah has granted them that knowledge.

These are all the verses that were revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) at that time. From the hadith of Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), it can be learned that this first experience was so difficult that the Messenger (peace be upon him) could scarcely bear more. Therefore, it was considered sufficient at that time to tell him only that the Lord whom he had already known and acknowledged was addressing him directly, that a succession of revelation from Him had begun for him, and that He had made him His Prophet.

Some time afterward, the first seven verses of Surah al-Muddaththir were revealed. In them he was told what he had to do after being invested with prophethood. [In this connection, it is useful to know that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saw Gabriel (peace be upon him) in his own form only twice. At all other times he came to the Prophet in human form. It is known from Aishah’s (may Allah be pleased with her) narration in Bukhari’s Book of Tawhid, and from her own narration from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in Muslim’s Book of Faith, that the first time Gabriel (peace be upon him) appeared in the eastern horizon—called “the highest horizon” in Surah an-Najm (****) and “the clear horizon” in Surah at-Takwir (***)—and gradually advanced toward the Messenger (peace be upon him). Finally, he remained suspended above him in the sky. Then he bent toward the Prophet and came so close to him that only the distance of two bows remained between them. Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says that at that time Gabriel (peace be upon him) was in his own form and covered the entire upper realm. (Bukhari.) The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself said, “I saw him in the form in which Allah created him.” The entire space between the heavens and the earth became filled with his immense being (Muslim).

When did the Revelation Begin?

When was this first revelation, containing the first five verses of Surah al-‘Alaq, sent down? There are various statements from the transmitters on this matter. Ibn Abd al-Barr and Mas‘udi say that the date on which the Messenger was appointed as Prophet was 8 Rabī‘ al-Awwal, in the 41st year of the Elephant. Ibn al-Qayyim, in Zad al-Ma‘ad, mentions this as the view of the majority. But those who hold this view probably date the declaration of prophethood from the time when, according to Bayhaqi’s narration, the Prophet (peace be upon him) began seeing true dreams, six months before the revelation descended. But the Qur’an clearly states regarding the revelation that—

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

—Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed (al-Baqarah: 185).

No other statement contrary to this clear Qur’anic declaration can be considered reliable.

The question now is: on which date of Ramadan did the revelation begin? There are also various statements on this matter. Some have said the 7th of Ramadan. Ibn Sa‘d has stated in one place that it was the 12th of Ramadan and in another place, citing Imam Baqir (may Allah be pleased with him), that it was the 17th. Baladhuri has transmitted this. Tabari and Ibn Athir, citing Abu Qilabah al-Jarmi, give the 18th of Ramadan, while some others say the 19th. Wathilah ibn al-Asqa‘, Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), and Abu al-Julāt say the 24th of Ramadan. Yet the Qur’an says—(Arabic******************)

—We revealed this Qur’an on the Night of Qadr. The overwhelming majority of the scholars of the Ummah hold that Laylat al-Qadr is one of the odd nights among the last ten nights of Ramadan. Most of them further say that Laylat al-Qadr is the 27th night of Ramadan. [The second time, the Prophet saw him near Sidrat al-Muntaha.

A narration from Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) in Musnad Ahmad states that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “I saw Gabriel (peace be upon him) near Sidrat al-Muntaha. He had six hundred wings.” (Tafhim, Surah an-Najm, notes 5, 7, 8, 11, and 14).]

Reliable Hadiths Concerning the Date of the Revelation of the Qur’an

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), speaking of Laylat al-Qadr, said that it is the night of the 27th or 29th (Abu Dawud and Tayalisi). A second narration from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) states that it is the last night of Ramadan (Musnad Ahmad).

When Zir ibn Hubaysh asked Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) about Laylat al-Qadr, he swore and said that it is the night of the 27th (Ahmad, Muslim, Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, and Ibn Hibban).

When Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about this, he said that Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), and many of the Companions of the Messenger had no doubt that it was the 27th night of Ramadan (Ibn Abi Shaybah).

Ubadah ibn Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: Laylat al-Qadr is one of the odd nights among the last ten nights of Ramadan—the 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, or 29th (Musnad Ahmad).

Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) stated: “Seek it—Laylat al-Qadr—among the last ten nights, when nine days remain before the end of the month, or when five days remain” (Bukhari). Most scholars have understood this to refer to the odd-numbered nights.

It is narrated from Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him): when nine days remain, when seven days remain, when five days remain, when three days remain, or on the final night. That is, seek Laylat al-Qadr on these dates (Tirmidhi, Nasa’i).

Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Seek Laylat al-Qadr on the odd nights among the last ten nights of Ramadan (Bukhari, Muslim, Ahmad, Tirmidhi). It is also narrated from Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), through Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace be upon him) observed i‘tikaf during the last ten nights of Ramadan.

On the basis of narrations received from Muawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), and other eminent figures, a great number of the early righteous Muslims considered the 27th of Ramadan to be Laylat al-Qadr. (14)

The First Obligation After Prophethood: Prayer

Tabari says that after declaring belief in tawhid and abandoning idol worship, the first thing made obligatory in Islamic law was prayer. Aishah’s (may Allah be pleased with her) narration, transmitted on the authority of Ibn Hisham and Muhammad ibn Ishaq, states that the first thing made obligatory upon the Prophet (peace be upon him) was prayer. At first, it consisted of two rak‘ahs at a time. Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal transmitted a narration from Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) stating that after revelation first descended upon the Prophet (peace be upon him), Gabriel (peace be upon him) taught him how to perform ablution. This event is also narrated in Ibn Majah and Tabarani, with some variation in the chains of transmission. Its explanation is found in Ibn Ishaq’s narration: the Prophet (peace be upon him) was in the elevated part of Makkah when Gabriel (peace be upon him) appeared before him in a beautiful form and with an exquisite fragrance. He said, “O Muhammad, Allah has sent you greetings and has said that I am His messenger to jinn and human beings. Therefore, invite them to la ilaha illallah.”

Then Gabriel (peace be upon him) struck the ground with his foot, and a spring gushed forth. He then performed ablution so that the Prophet could learn how to purify himself for prayer. Then he said, “Now perform ablution.”

Then Gabriel (peace be upon him), together with the Messenger (peace be upon him), performed a two-rak‘ah prayer with four prostrations. Afterward, the Messenger (peace be upon him) brought Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) there, taught her ablution, and prayed two rak‘ahs with her. Ibn Hisham, Ibn Jarir, and Ibn Kathir have also related this event.

Imam Ahmad, Ibn Majah, and Tabarani narrate from Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), who narrated from his father, Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him), that after revelation descended upon the Messenger (peace be upon him), the first act made obligatory was that Gabriel (peace be upon him) came and taught the Prophet how to perform ablution. Then he stood for prayer and said to the Prophet, “Pray with me.” The Prophet then returned home and told Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) what had happened. She became overjoyed. The Prophet then told her to perform ablution there and prayed with her in the same manner in which he had prayed with Gabriel (peace be upon him). Thus, this was the first obligatory act established after the revelation descended. It was perhaps the event that took place at dawn on the night when (*****) was revealed. From then on, the Messenger (peace be upon him) and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) prayed secretly.

The First Four Muslims

It is unanimously agreed that the first Muslim was Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). There is then disagreement over who among Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted Islam first. However, it is unanimously agreed that these three were the first to accept Islam after Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). *****]

Regarding Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Hafiz Ibn Kathir, citing the narration of Ibn Ishaq in al-Bidayah and the narration of Waqidi transmitted by Baladhuri, says that when the Messenger (peace be upon him) and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) began praying secretly, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) saw them in this state just one day later. He asked, “What is this?” The Messenger replied, “This is the religion of Allah, which He has chosen for Himself and with which He has sent His Messenger. Therefore, I invite you to believe in Allah alone, without partner, worship Him, and reject Lat and Uzza.”

Ali was then ten years old. He said, “I have never heard this before. I cannot make any decision before asking my father once.”

At that time, the Messenger (peace be upon him) did not want his secret to be disclosed before the proper time. Therefore, he said, “If you do not accept what I say, keep the matter secret.” Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) remained silent that night. Thereafter, Allah inspired Islam in his heart, and in the morning he appeared before the Prophet and said, “What was it that you told me yesterday?”

[The history and biographical works usually name these four as the first Muslims. But it cannot be supposed that the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) daughters who had attained understanding at that time did not embrace faith along with their noble mother. Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) was ten years old when the Messenger (peace be upon him) received prophethood. Umm Kulthum (may Allah be pleased with her) and Ruqayyah (may Allah be pleased with her) were old enough that, before the call was made publicly, they were married to the sons of Abu Lahab. Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), however, was born one year after the beginning of prophethood. She opened her eyes in an Islamic environment. Therefore, in our view, these three daughters should also be included among the first Muslims. Regarding Fatimah, it should be understood that she opened her eyes to consciousness as a believing Muslim woman—The Author.]

The Messenger (peace be upon him) said, “Bear witness that there is no deity except Allah, alone and without partner; reject Lat and Uzza; and sever your ties with all partners besides Allah.”

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted this immediately. But out of fear of Abu Talib, he kept his Islam secret. Nevertheless, he too began praying with the Messenger (peace be upon him).

Imam Ahmad, citing the accounts of Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abd al-Barr from Afif al-Kindi (Ash’ath ibn Qays’s half-brother and cousin), says: Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib was my maternal uncle’s old friend. He would often come to Yemen to buy perfume and sell it during the Hajj. Once, during the Hajj, when I met him at Mina, I saw a distinguished man arrive. He performed ablution properly and then stood up for prayer. Then a boy who had not yet reached puberty came, performed ablution properly as well, and stood up for prayer. I said, ‘O Abbas, what religion is this? I do not know it.’

Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘This is my nephew Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), son of Abdullah, son of Abd al-Muttalib. His claim is that Allah has sent him as a Messenger.’ Another account says that his claim was that the wealth of Caesar and Kisra would come under his authority. ‘And this is my other nephew, Ali ibn Abi Talib. He follows his religion. And this is Muhammad’s wife, Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. She too has followed his religion.’

Later, when al-Kindi himself became a Muslim, he lamented, ‘If only I had been the fourth person among them.’

Ibn Hisham and Ibn Jarir say that, on one occasion, Abu Talib also saw Ali performing prayer. He said, ‘My son, what is this religion that you are following?’ He replied, ‘Father, I have believed in Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), accepted his truthfulness, and prayed with him.’

Abu Talib said, ‘He will call you to nothing but goodness. Stay close to him.’

Ibn Kathir cites one of Abu Talib’s statements: ‘Stay with your cousin and support him.’ In the Sharh al-Mawahib, al-Zurqani writes concerning Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he was sitting at the home of Hakim ibn Hizam, Khadijah’s (may Allah be pleased with her) nephew. At that time, Hakim’s maid came to him and said, ‘Your aunt said today that her husband is a prophet like Moses (peace be upon him), whom Allah has sent.’ As soon as Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) heard this, he went straight to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). After learning that the maid’s report was true, he believed without hesitation. Ibn Ishaq cites a report from Abdullah ibn al-Husayn al-Taymi that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Whenever I presented Islam to anyone, he hesitated to some degree and deliberated. But when I mentioned it to Abu Bakr, he neither hesitated nor delayed in accepting it.’

No detailed account has been transmitted concerning how Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him) accepted faith. However, he had lived in the Prophet’s household as one of his family for fifteen years. Surely he had seen the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her) praying, and this must have been the reason for his embracing Islam.

These events also show, incidentally, that although the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was initially working in secret, his and Khadijah’s (may Allah be pleased with her) close relatives knew that he was presenting a religion opposed to their ancestral religion and claiming to have been appointed a prophet by Allah. His family members and at least his friends not only accepted this claim, but also began worship and other practices accordingly. Nevertheless, since these matters were known only to his well-wishers and not to his enemies, they kept them secret, just as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had wanted them kept secret at the beginning. They did not discuss the matter, for otherwise opposition would have begun before its time.

Was Israfil (peace be upon him) sent to instruct the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) during the first three years?

Ibn Jarir in his History, Ibn Sa’d in al-Tabaqat, Qastallani in al-Mawahib al-Ladunniyyah, and al-Zurqani in his commentary on al-Mawahib cite the famous Tabi’i Imam al-Sha’bi’s report that, during the first three years of prophethood, Israfil (peace be upon him) was assigned to accompany the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for instruction. He did not bring revelation, because bringing revelation was the responsibility of Jibril (peace be upon him). However, he taught the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) knowledge by means other than revelation. [Perhaps this means ilqa or direct instruction through a meeting—the author.]

Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Ya’qub ibn Sufyan al-Hafiz, and al-Bayhaqi have transmitted this report of al-Sha’bi, and its chain is authentic up to him. But I do not know from what source al-Sha’bi himself learned it, since he did not state its chain of transmission all the way to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Ibn Sa’d and Ibn Jarir say that al-Waqidi rejected its authenticity. He firmly stated that no one besides Jibril (peace be upon him) was assigned to accompany the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

This is a matter that can neither be categorically denied nor accepted with certainty. Denying it is difficult because al-Sha’bi was a reliable hadith scholar, and his mursal report is not so weak that it can be rejected outright. Yet it cannot be called an established fact, because the chain of the report is not strong enough to make acceptance obligatory. Nevertheless, it is not beyond the realm of possibility. For after the beginning of prophethood, the boundless store of knowledge concerning every aspect of life that we find in the Prophet’s words and deeds—a store with which the books of hadith and Sirah are filled, and of which not even the slightest example is found in the words and deeds of any other person—was surely poured into the Prophet’s heart from the unseen world. Perhaps Allah entrusted Israfil (peace be upon him) with imparting this store of knowledge.

The Interruption of Revelation

For a period after the first revelation, Jibril (peace be upon him) stopped bringing revelation. As this condition continued, the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) distress increased. At times, almost unconsciously, he would go to Mount Shabir in Makkah or to Hira and think of throwing himself down. Once, as he was heading toward the edge of a mountain, he heard a voice from the sky and stopped. Looking up, he saw Jibril seated on a chair between heaven and earth. He said, ‘O Muhammad, you are certainly Allah’s Messenger, and I am Jibril.’

Ibn Sa’d reports this account from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him); Ibn Jarir records it in his Tafsir, and Abd al-Razzaq in his al-Musannaf, from Imam al-Zuhri. Detailed accounts of it are also found in Bukhari, Muslim, and Musnad Ahmad. (15)

Imam al-Zuhri’s narration states:

For some time, revelation to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ceased. During that period, he suffered such severe mental anguish that he would often climb to a mountaintop and prepare to throw himself down. But whenever he reached the edge of the summit, Jibril (peace be upon him) would appear before him and say, ‘You are Allah’s Prophet.’ At this, he would feel tranquility, and his inner restlessness would disappear. —Ibn Jarir

Then Imam al-Zuhri, citing the account of Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), mentioning the interruption of revelation, said: ‘I was walking along a road when suddenly I heard a sound from the sky. I raised my head and saw the angel whom I had seen at the Cave of Hira. He was seated on a chair between heaven and earth. Seeing this, I became terribly frightened and bewildered. I reached home and said, “Wrap me in a blanket.” Then the members of my household wrapped me in a blanket, and revelation from Allah came down:’

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

‘O you wrapped in a blanket.’ Then revelation continued to descend upon me. —Bukhari, Muslim, Musnad Ahmad, Ibn Jarir

The Revelation of the First Seven Verses of Surah al-Muddaththir

Thus the period of interruption of revelation came to an end, and the first seven verses of Surah al-Muddaththir were revealed. Through them, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was invested with the rank of Messengership and given the essential guidance needed to fulfill the duties of that office. Here one should clearly understand the difference: the first five verses of Surah al-Alaq announced that revelation had begun to descend upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and that Allah had made him a prophet. Through these verses of Surah al-Muddaththir, the responsibility of Messengership was being imposed upon him in addition to prophethood. He was commanded: ‘Rise and begin carrying out your duty.’ Some reports go so far as to say that these were the very first verses of the Noble Qur’an. Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Musnad Ahmad, and other hadith collections give a detailed account of this on the authority of Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him). But it is almost unanimously agreed among the Ummah that the first—

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

—were revealed. According to Ibn Athir, revelation then ceased until these verses of Surah al-Muddaththir were revealed. After that, revelation began anew. Imam al-Zuhri has transmitted from Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that, before these verses were revealed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saw in the space between heaven and earth the same angel who had come to him at the Cave of Hira. We have quoted this narration above with references to Bukhari, Muslim, and others. (17

The Guidance Given in This Surah

Now consider these verses of Surah al-Muddaththir and see what guidance they contain.

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

—O you wrapped in a blanket. Here, instead of addressing the Messenger of Allah as ‘O Messenger’ or ‘O Prophet,’ he is addressed as ‘O you wrapped in a blanket.’ Since the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) became frightened and bewildered when he saw Jibril seated on a chair between heaven and earth, and upon reaching home told his family, ‘Wrap me up, wrap me up,’ Allah Most High addressed him as al-Muddaththir. The natural meaning conveyed by this tender address is: ‘O My beloved servant, why are you lying wrapped in a blanket? A tremendous task has been entrusted to you, and you must enter the field with firm resolve to fulfill it.’

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

—Rise and warn.

This is the same kind of command that was given to Noah (peace be upon him) after he was made a prophet. For example:

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

—Warn your people before a painful punishment comes upon them from Me. (Nuh: 1)

The meaning of this verse of Surah al-Muddaththir is: ‘O you wrapped in a blanket, rise and warn the people around you who are living heedlessly. Warn them of the inevitable consequence if they remain immersed in this condition. Warn them that they do not live in a kingdom where they may do whatever they please without being called to account.’

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

And proclaim the greatness of your Lord.

This is the first task a prophet must undertake in this world. His first task is to reject all those whom ignorant people regard as great and to proclaim openly throughout the world that no one in this universe possesses greatness except the One God. This is why the phrase ‘Allahu Akbar’ has been given the greatest importance in Islam. The call to prayer begins with the proclamation of Allahu Akbar. A Muslim enters the prayer by saying Allahu Akbar, and then repeatedly rises and sits while saying Allahu Akbar. When an animal is slaughtered, it is slaughtered while saying, ‘In the name of Allah, Allahu Akbar.’ The takbir is today the clearest and most distinctive sign of Muslims throughout the world, because the Prophet of this Ummah began his mission with Allahu Akbar.

A subtle point is indicated here, and it should be properly understood. From the circumstances of revelation of these verses, it is known that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was instructed to undertake the great responsibility of Messengership. It is also clear that the city and environment in which he was commanded to stand with this mission was a stronghold of shirk. It was not merely that its people were polytheists like the ordinary Arabs; more importantly, Makkah al-Mu’azzamah was the greatest pilgrimage center of the polytheistic Arabs, and the Quraysh were its custodians. For a lone individual to appear in such a place and raise the banner of tawhid against shirk was an extremely dangerous undertaking. Therefore, along with the command ‘Rise and warn,’ he was told, ‘Proclaim the greatness of your Lord.’ Its meaning is: Do not care at all about the terrifying forces that you regard as obstacles to this work. State clearly that my Lord is far greater than all those forces that may stand in the way of my call.

What greater encouragement could be given to someone beginning the work of Allah? Whoever has a deep impression of Allah’s greatness engraved in his heart does not hesitate for even a moment to struggle alone against the entire world for Allah’s sake.

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

—And keep your garments pure.

These words have broad meanings and far-reaching implications. One of their meanings is: Keep your garments clean and pure. The purity of one’s clothing is closely connected with the purity of the soul. A pure soul cannot reside in a filthy body and impure clothing. The environment in which the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) began the work of Islamic preaching was not merely sunk in the depths of decline in belief and character; it was also deprived of even the basic concepts of ritual purity and cleanliness. The Prophet’s task was to teach them purity and cleanliness in every respect. He was therefore instructed to establish the highest standard of taharah (purity) in his outward life as well. Thus, it was a consequence of this guidance that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave humanity such detailed instruction concerning bodily and clothing cleanliness that not even the most civilized nations of the modern age, let alone the Arabs of the Age of Ignorance, have had the good fortune to attain. Indeed, most languages of the world contain no word fully equivalent to taharah. Islam, by contrast, begins its legal rulings in the books of hadith and fiqh with taharah. These works explain in detail the distinction between purity and impurity and the methods of purification.

The second meaning of these words is: Keep your clothing clean and neat. The concept of asceticism has established such a standard for religiousness in the world that the dirtier and less clean a person remains, the more religious or saintly he is considered. If someone wore clean clothing, he was regarded as worldly. Yet human nature instinctively detests dirt and filth. Anyone possessing a normal sense of courtesy and good taste wishes to form friendships with clean and neat people. Therefore, those who invite people to the path of Allah must ensure that their outward appearance is so pure and clean that people look at them with respect, and that their personality contains nothing distasteful that would naturally arouse aversion.

The third meaning of this command is: Keep your clothing free from moral defects. Your clothes must certainly be clean and pure, but they must not bear signs of pride, arrogance, ostentation, extravagance, influence, or status. Clothing is the first thing that introduces a person’s personality. Whatever kind of clothing someone wears, people immediately infer from it what sort of person he is. The clothing of landlords and nobles, religious profiteers, thugs and scoundrels, and vagabonds all reflects the nature of those who wear it. The nature of those who call people to Allah is naturally different from that of such people. Their clothing, therefore, should naturally differ from theirs as well. They should wear clothing that makes everyone think: this is a highly respectable and refined person, one who is not driven by his desires or involved in their wrongdoing.

The fourth meaning is: Keep your clothing pure. In Arabic, as in Urdu, the expression ‘keeping one’s clothing pure’ (pak-damani) is used to mean remaining above moral faults and being endowed with excellent character. Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), Imam al-Nakha’i, al-Sha’bi, Mujahid, Qatadah, Sa’id ibn Jubayr, Hasan al-Basri, and other renowned Qur’anic commentators have interpreted this verse to mean: Keep your character pure and stay away from every kind of wrongdoing. In Arabic expression or idiom, it is said:

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

—So-and-so’s clothes are pure and his garments are clean. This means that his character and disposition are good. Conversely, it is said:

(*****************)

—His clothes are dirty, meaning that he is ill-natured and that his words cannot be trusted.

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

Keep away from dirt and filth. Here, dirt or filth means every kind of impurity: impurity in creed, belief, and thought; impurity in deeds and character; impurity of the body and clothing; or impurity in one’s way of life. In other words, you must distance yourself from all the various forms of filth that have spread throughout the society around you. No one should be able to accuse you of displaying some of the very impurities and wrongs from which you are trying to restrain people.

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

—And do not do favors expecting to receive more in return.

The meaning of these words is so broad that their full significance cannot be explained by translating them in a single sentence. One meaning is that whenever you show mercy or kindness to anyone, you should do so selflessly. Your charity, kindness, and good conduct must be solely for Allah’s sake. You must not seek to obtain any worldly advantage in return for doing good or benefiting others, nor should you harbor even the slightest desire of this kind. In other words, when you benefit someone, do it for Allah’s sake; do not help or benefit anyone in order to gain an advantage.

The second meaning is that although the prophetic work you are carrying out is an immensely beneficial work through which Allah’s creation is receiving guidance, do not boast before people that you are doing them a great favor, and do not derive any personal benefit from it.

The third meaning is that although you are performing a great service, do not regard your work as great in your own eyes. Do not allow the thought to enter your mind that by fulfilling the responsibility of prophethood and dedicating your life to this work, you are doing your Lord a favor.

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

—And be patient for the sake of your Lord.

In other words, the work entrusted to you is an extremely arduous task. In carrying it out, you will have to face severe trials, troubles, suffering, and terrible difficulties.

Your own people will become your enemies. All Arabia will unite against you. But whatever comes in this path, you must remain patient and fulfill your responsibility with steadfastness and firmness of heart. Fear, intimidation, temptation, friendship, enmity, love, and affection will all become obstacles intended to keep you from this work. In confronting all of them, remain firm and steadfast in your resolve.

This was the initial guidance that Allah Most High gave His Messenger when He commanded him: ‘Rise and begin your work.’ If anyone reflects upon these short sentences and their meanings, his heart will testify that no better advice or instruction could have been given when a prophet was beginning his work. They state what the work must be. At the same time, they teach with what intention, attitude, and outlook it must be undertaken. They also warn what circumstances will be encountered in this work and how they must be faced. Today, those who say out of blind hatred that—God forbid—these words came from the mouth of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) like the ravings of someone suffering from epilepsy should open their eyes, look at these sentences, and think for themselves: are these the ravings of someone in an epileptic fit, or did God give His servant this guidance when assigning him the responsibility of prophethood and His divine mission? (18)

Learning How to Receive Revelation

Earlier, citing Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), we stated that continuous revelation to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) began after Surah al-Muddaththir. In the early period, however, the Noble Prophet faced the difficulty that, fearing he might forget, he would try to memorize and retain the revelation as it was being sent down. At times he would also ask about the meaning of something while revelation was descending. Therefore, it was necessary at this stage to teach the Prophet properly how to receive and retain revelation. It is stated in Surah Ta-Ha:

فَتَعَالَى اللَّهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْآنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يُقْضَى إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُ وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

Allah is High and Exalted. He is the true King. And see, O Prophet, do not hasten to recite the Qur’an until its revelation to you has been completed. And pray, “O Lord, increase me in knowledge.” (Ta-Ha: 114)

The context clearly indicates that the discourse ended after reaching (Arabic*******************). Then, at the time of departure, the angel, by Allah’s command, warned the Prophet (peace be upon him) about something he had observed while the revelation was being sent down. It was not considered appropriate to interrupt the discourse in the middle. Therefore, after completing the transmission of the message, he warned the Messenger about this matter. What was it for which he was warned? The very words of the warning make it clear. While receiving the message of revelation, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was trying to recite it so that he would remember it. Perhaps this effort repeatedly distracted his attention. Perhaps the continuity of receiving the revelation was being interrupted. He may not have been giving his complete attention to listening to the message. In view of this situation, it was deemed necessary to explain to him the proper method of receiving revelation and to forbid the effort he was making from time to time to memorize it.

The same situation had also occurred when Surah al-Qiyamah was revealed. Therefore, the continuity of the discourse was broken to warn him.

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

Do not repeatedly move your tongue hastily to memorize it. It is Our responsibility to make you remember it and to have you recite it. Therefore, when We recite it to you, listen attentively; then explaining its meaning is also Our responsibility. [The explanation I have given for the occurrence of this sentence in Surah al-Qiyamah in its contextual sequence is not based merely on conjecture. Rather, this explanation is found in reliable reports. Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Nasai, Ibn Tabarani, Bayhaqi and other hadith scholars, citing various chains, transmit a report from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Qur’an was being revealed to the Messenger (peace be upon him), he would recite the words of the revelation along with Gabriel (peace be upon him), fearing that he might forget them. He was told: ………..

لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ (16) إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ (17) فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ (18) ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ

This same explanation has been reported from Sha‘bi, Ibn Zayd, Dahhak, Hasan al-Basri, Qatadah, Mujahid and other renowned hadith scholars. ]

In Surah al-A‘la, too, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was assured that We would teach him to recite it and that he would not forget it thereafter. [Hakim narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, and Ibn Mu‘awiyah narrated from Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to repeat the words of the Qur’an, fearing that he might forget them. Mujahid and Kalbi say that as soon as Gabriel (peace be upon him) departed after reciting the revelation, the Messenger (peace be upon him) would begin repeating the opening portion, fearing that he might forget it. For this reason, Allah Most High assured the Prophet (peace be upon him): During the revelation, remain silent and listen. We shall teach it to you to recite, and it will remain in your memory forever. You need not fear that you will forget any of its words.]

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنْسَى

Later, when the Prophet had become experienced in receiving the message of revelation, this kind of situation ceased to arise. Therefore, we do not find such warnings in the later surahs.

Three Years of Secret Preaching

In accordance with the wisdom Allah Most High taught His Prophet for conveying the message of prophethood, he did not immediately announce his prophethood or begin calling the general public. Rather, during the first three years he continued conveying the message of Islam to noble people who, through evidence, reasoning and understanding, were prepared to accept monotheism and renounce polytheism. At the same time, he conveyed the message to those whom he could trust to maintain secrecy until, by Allah’s command, he decided to announce it publicly among the people and begin openly calling them to Allah. Among those who had the greatest influence in this work was Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), whose real name was Abdullah ibn Uthman. However, his kunyah, Abu Bakr, became so well known that his real name was eclipsed. Zamakhshari says that he was called Abu Bakr because he was foremost among all people in purity and excellence of character. This name had become famous for him even in the Age of Ignorance—the author. ] Tabari and Ibn Hisham state that the reason was that he was extremely sociable and cordial by nature, and because of his qualities he was greatly loved by his people. No one among the Quraysh knew genealogy better than he did. Nor did anyone know better than he who was good or bad and what qualities each person possessed. He was a merchant and renowned for his good conduct. His people frequently visited and sat with him because of his intelligence, business and good character. Taking advantage of this opportunity, he conveyed the message of Islam to those whom he trusted. Influenced by his preaching, a great number of people accepted Islam. Thereafter, whenever anyone became Muslim, he would seek out good people among his circle of friends and preach Islam to them. At that time, the Muslims would pray secretly in the deserted outskirts of Makkah so that no one would discover their conversion.

Establishment of a Preaching Center and Meeting Place at Dar al-Arqam

Shortly after two and a half years had passed, an incident took place that created the fear that a confrontation with the unbelievers of Makkah might begin prematurely.

Ibn Ishaq says that one day the Muslims were praying in an open area of Makkah. A group of polytheists happened to see them and began calling them heretics. The exchange of words nearly led to a fight, and Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) threw a camel bone at one of them, splitting his head open. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Hisham have given a brief account of this incident, but Hakim al-Umari recorded a detailed account in his book on military expeditions. He says that the man whose head was split open was Abdullah ibn Khatal of Banu Taym. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then immediately turned the house of Arqam ibn Abi al-Arqam, near Safa, into a center for meetings, calling and preaching. In this way, people could gather there to pray, and those who continued to accept Islam secretly could also come there. This Dar al-Arqam achieved enduring fame in Islamic history. Even after the period of secret preaching had ended and preaching began publicly among the people, it remained the Muslims’ center. The Messenger (peace be upon him) stayed there, and the Muslims came there to meet him. Until the Muslims were imprisoned in Shi‘b Abi Talib, this remained the center of the Islamic mission.

Results of Three Years of Secret Preaching

Before discussing the period of open Islamic preaching, we should see how much was accomplished during these three years: which members of which Quraysh clans accepted Islam, and how many people from the Quraysh, as well as freedmen, slaves and female slaves, became Muslims. A list is given below. This has been possible only after extensive effort and investigation, because the complete list is not found together anywhere.

The Banu Hashim Clan

1. Ja‘far ibn Abi Talib

2. His wife, Asma bint Umays al-Khath‘amiyyah (this woman was outside the Quraysh clan)

3. Safiyyah bint Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with her) [The mother of al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet’s paternal aunt.]

4. Arwa bint Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with her) [The mother of Tulaib ibn Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the Messenger’s paternal aunt.]

The Banu al-Muttalib Clan

5. Umaydah ibn al-Harith ibn al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him).

The Banu Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf Clan

6. Abu Hudhayfah ibn Utbah ibn Rabiah (may Allah be pleased with him)

7. His wife, Sahla bint Suhayl ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with her)

The Banu Umayyah Clan

8. Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be pleased with him)

9. His mother, Arwa bint Qurayz (may Allah be pleased with her)

10. Khalid ibn Sa‘id ibn al-As ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him)

11. His wife, Umaymah bint Khalaf al-Khuza‘iyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) (Some have given her name as Umaynah.)

12. Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with her) (She was initially married to Umaymah ibn Jahsh; later she attained the honor of becoming one of the Mothers of the Believers.)

The Allies of Banu Umayyah (bound to Banu Umayyah by ties of alliance).

13. Abdullah ibn Jahsh

14. Abu Ahmad ibn Jahsh

15. Ubaydullah ibn Jahsh [He migrated to Abyssinia with his wife, Umm Habibah. There he adopted Christianity and died. —The author.]

These three were descended from Banu Ghanim ibn Dudan. They were the sons of the Messenger’s paternal aunt, Umaymah bint Abd al-Muttalib, and brothers of Zaynab, one of the Mothers of the Believers.]

The Banu Taym Clan

16. Asma bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her)

17. Umm Ruman (may Allah be pleased with her) [The wife of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and the mother of Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and Abd al-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).]

18. Talhah ibn Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him)

19. His mother, Sa‘bah bint al-Hadrami (may Allah be pleased with her).

20. al-Harith ibn Khalid (may Allah be pleased with him)

Clans Allied with Banu Taym

21. Suhayb ibn Sinan al-Rumi (may Allah be pleased with him)

The Banu Asad ibn Abd al-Uzza Clan

22. al-Zubayr ibn al-Awwam (may Allah be pleased with him) (Kh hadijah’s nephew and the Prophet’s cousin.)

23. Khalid ibn Hizam (may Allah be pleased with him) (The brother of Hakim ibn Hizam and Khadijah’s nephew.)

24. al-Aswad ibn Nawfal (may Allah be pleased with him)

25. Amr ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him)

The Banu Abd al-Uzza ibn Qusayy Clan

26. Yazid ibn Zam‘ah ibn al-Aswad (may Allah be pleased with him)

The Banu Zuhrah Clan

27. Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him)

28. His mother, Shifa bint Awf (may Allah be pleased with her)

29. Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him). Abu Waqqas’s real name was Malik ibn Wuhayb.

30. His brother, Umayr ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him).

31. His brother, Amir ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him)

32. al-Muttalib ibn Azhar (may Allah be pleased with him) (The paternal cousin of Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf)

33. His wife, Ramla bint Abi Awf al-Sahmiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her)

34. Tulaib ibn Azhar (may Allah be pleased with him)

35. Abdullah ibn Shihab (may Allah be pleased with him).

Clans Allied with Banu Zuhrah

36. Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him). He belonged to the Hudhayl clan and was allied with the Banu Zuhrah of Makkah.

37. Utbah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) (Abdullah ibn Masud’s brother)

38. al-Miqdad ibn Amr al-Kindi (may Allah be pleased with him)

39. Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him)

40. Shurahbil ibn Hasanah al-Kindi (may Allah be pleased with him)

41. Jabir ibn Hasanah (may Allah be pleased with him) (Shurahbil’s brother)

42. Junadah ibn Hasanah (may Allah be pleased with him) (The same)

The Banu Adi Clan

43. Sa‘id ibn Zayd ibn Amr ibn Nufayl (may Allah be pleased with him) [Umar’s (may Allah be pleased with him) paternal cousin and brother-in-law]

44. His wife, Fatimah bint al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with her) [Umar’s (may Allah be pleased with him) sister]

45. Zayd ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) (Umar’s elder brother)

46. Amir ibn Rabiah al-Anzi (may Allah be pleased with him) (al-Khattab adopted him as his son.)

47. His wife, Layla bint Abi Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with her)

48. Ma‘mar ibn Abdullah ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him)

49. Nu‘aym ibn Abdullah ibn al-Nahham (may Allah be pleased with him).

50. Adi ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him)

51. Urwah ibn Abi Uthath (may Allah be pleased with him) (Amr ibn al-As’s half-brother)

52. Ma‘us ibn Sa‘id ibn Harithah ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him).

Clans Allied with Banu Adi.

53. Waqid ibn Abdullah (al-Khattab adopted him as his son).

54. Khalid ibn Bukayr ibn Abd Yalil al-Laythi

55. Iyas ibn Bukayr ibn Abd Yalil al-Laythi (may Allah be pleased with him)

56. Iyas ibn Bukayr ibn Abd Yalil al-Laythi (may Allah be pleased with him)

56. Amir (may Allah be pleased with him)

57. Aqil (may Allah be pleased with him)

The Banu Abd al-Dar Clan

58. Mus‘ab ibn Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him)

59. His brother, Abu Rum ibn Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him)

60. Firas ibn al-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him)

61. Jahm ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him)

62. Uthman ibn Maz‘un (may Allah be pleased with him)

63. His brother, Qudamah ibn Maz‘un (may Allah be pleased with him)

64. His brother, Abdullah ibn Maz‘un (may Allah be pleased with him)

65. Sa’ib ibn Uthman ibn Maz‘un (may Allah be pleased with him)

66. Ma‘mar ibn al-Harith ibn Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him)

67. His brother, Hatib ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him)

68. His wife, Fatimah bint Mujallil al-Amiriyyah (may Allah be pleased with her)

69. Ma‘mar’s brother, Hattab ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him)

70. His wife, Fukayhah bint Yasar

71. Sufyan ibn Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him)

72. Nubaynah ibn Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him)

The Banu Sahm Clan

73. Abdullah ibn Hudhafah (may Allah be pleased with him)

74. Khunays ibn Hudhafah (may Allah be pleased with him) (Umar’s son-in-law; the first husband of Hafsah, one of the Mothers of the Believers.)

75. Hisham (RA) bin al-As bin Wa’il

76. Harith (RA) bin Qays

77. His son Bashir bin Harith (RA)

78. His second son, Ma’mar bin Harith (RA)

79. Qays (RA) bin Hudhafa (the brother of Abdullah bin Hudhafa)

80. Abu Qays (RA) bin al-Harith

81. Abdullah (RA) bin al-Harith

82. Sa’ib (RA), the same

83. Hajjaj (RA), the same

84. Bishar (RA), the same

85. Sa’id (RA), the same

The allied clan of Banu Sahm

86. Umay (RA) bin Riyab

87. Mahmiya (RA) bin al-Jaz’u [the maternal half-brother of Umm al-Fadl (RA), the wife of Abbas (RA).]

The clan of Banu Makhzum

88. Abu Salama (Abdullah (RA) bin Abd al-Asad, the Prophet’s (SA) maternal cousin and foster brother, and the first husband of Umm al-Mu’minin Umm Salama (RA).]

89. His daughter Umm Salama (RA) (she and her husband, Abu Salama, were close relatives of Abu Jahl.)

90. Arqam (RA) bin Abi al-Arqam (the one whose house, Dar al-Arqam, was mentioned earlier.)]

91. Ayyash (RA) bin Abi Rabi’ah (Abu Jahl’s maternal half-brother and the cousin of Khalid bin al-Walid.)

92. His daughter Asma (RA), daughter of Salama al-Tamimiyyah.

93. Walid (RA) bin Walid bin Mughirah.

94. Hisham (RA) bin Abi Hudhaifah

95. Salma (RA) bin Hisham

96. Hashim (RA) bin Abi Hudhaifah

97. Habbar (RA) bin Sufyan

98. His brother, Abdullah bin Sufyan

The allied clan of Banu Makhzum

99. Yasir (RA) (the father of Ammar bin Yasir).

100. Ammar bin Yasir (RA).

101. His brother, Abdullah bin Yasir (RA).

The clan of Banu Amir bin Lu’ayy

102. Abu Hubaira (RA) bin Abi Ru’aym (the son of the Prophet’s paternal aunt, Barra (RA), daughter of Abd al-Muttalib).

103. His daughter Umm Kulthum (RA), daughter of Suhayl bin Amr (the sister of Abu Jandal (RA).

104. Abdullah (RA) bin Suhayl bin Amr.

105. Hatib (RA) bin Amr (the brother of Suhayl bin Amr)

106. Salit (RA) bin Amr

107. Sakran (RA) bin Amr (the brother of Suhayl bin Amr and the first husband of Umm al-Mu’minin Sawda (RA), daughter of Zam’a)

108. His daughter Sawda (RA), daughter of Zam’a (she was blessed to become Umm al-Mu’minin after Sakran’s death).

109. Salit bin Amr’s wife, Yaqaza (RA), daughter of Alqama (in al-Isaba she is called Umm Yaqaza, while Ibn Sa’d calls her Fatima, daughter of Alqama).

110. Malik (RA) bin Zam’a (the brother of Sawda (RA)).

111. Ibn Umm Maktum (RA).

The clan of Banu Fihr bin Malik

112A. Abu Ubaydah (RA) bin al-Jarrah

113. Suhayl (RA) bin Bayda

114. Sa’id (RA) bin Qays

115. Amr (RA) bin al-Harith bin Zuhayr

116. Uthman (RA) bin Abd Ghanam bin Zuhayr (the maternal cousin of Abd al-Rahman bin Awf (RA)).

117. Harith (RA) bin Sa’id

The clan of Banu Abd Qusay

118. Tushayb (RA) bin Umayr (the son of the Prophet’s paternal aunt, Arwa, daughter of Abd al-Muttalib). The people of this clan were related to the noble families of Quraysh. In addition, they had a large number of male and female slaves. As a result of three years of secret missionary work, they accepted Islam. Their names are as follows:

119. Umm Ayman Barakah (RA), daughter of Tha’laba, who had raised the Prophet in her arms from his childhood.

120. Zinnirah al-Rumiyyah (RA) (the freedwoman of Amr bin al-Mu’ammil).

121. Bilal (RA) bin Rabah.

122. His mother, Hamamah (RA)

123. Abu Fukayhah (RA) bin Yasar al-Juhami (the freedman of Safwan bin Umayyah)

124. Labibah (RA) (the slave woman of Mu’ammil bin Habib).

125. Umm Ubay s (RA) (a slave woman of Banu Tamim bin Munra or Banu Zuhra. The first view is that of al-Zubayr bin Bakkar, and the second that of al-Baladhuri).

126. Amir bin Fuhayra (the slave of Tufayl bin Abdullah).

127. Sumayyah (RA) (the mother of Ammar bin Yasir and the slave woman of Abu Hudhayfah bin al-Mughirah al-Makhzumi).

The names of those among the non-Quraysh who accepted Islam in Makkah during the early period are given below.

128. Mihjan (RA) bin al-Adra al-Aslami.

129. Masud (RA) bin Rabiah bin Amr. He belonged to the Qarā clan of Banu al-Hun bin Khuzaymah.

Thus, when 129 are added to the first four Muslims, their number comes to one hundred and thirty-three (133). All these fortunate people joined the ranks of the Muslims before the Prophet (SA) began proclaiming the call openly.

[Abd al-Barr wrote in al-Isti’ab and Ibn Athir in Usd al-Ghabah: “It is said that Umm al-Fadl (RA), the wife of Abbas (RA), was the first woman to accept Islam after Khadijah (RA).” If this is true, the number of these early Muslims becomes 134. The woman’s actual name was Lubabah daughter of al-Harith. She was the sister of Umm al-Mu’minin Maymunah (RA), the maternal aunt of Khalid bin al-Walid (RA), and the half-sister of Asma daughter of Umays, the wife of Jafar (RA) bin Abi Talib. We have not included her name in this list because the statement “it is said” or “it is related” has been transmitted weakly—the author]

They were people of sound thinking and wholesome nature. Through sheer reasoning, evidence, and mutual understanding, they realized the harmfulness of shirk, accepted the truth of tawhid, acknowledged Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as God’s Messenger, regarded the Qur’an as the word of Allah and a source of guidance for themselves, and accepted the life of the Hereafter as an incontrovertible truth. After workers of such sincerity and religious insight had been prepared, the Prophet (SA), by Allah Almighty’s command, began the work of proclaiming the Islamic call openly. (****21)

References

1. Rasa’il wa Masa’il, vol. 1, p. 29

2. Additions by the author

3. Tafhim al-Qur’an—Introduction to Surah al-Alaq

4. Ibid.—Alam Nashrah, note 2

5. Ibid.—Surah al-Shura, note 83

6. Ibid.—Introduction to Surah al-Alaq

7. Ibid.—Introduction to Surah al-Alaq

8. Rasa’il wa Masa’il, vol. 3, p. 232

9. Ibid., ibid., pp. 229–32

10. Tafhim al-Qur’an—Qasas, note 109

11. Ibid.—Introduction to Surah al-Muddaththir

12. Ibid.—Alaq, notes 1–6

13. Additions by the author

14. Tafhim al-Qur’an—Qadr, note 1

15. Additions by the author

16. Tafhim al-Qur’an—Introduction to Surah al-Muddaththir

17. Additions by the author

18. Tafhim al-Qur’an, notes on Surah al-Qiyamah, note 11

19. Ibid.—Ala, note 7

20. Ibid.—Ta-Ha, note; Qiyamah, note 11; Ala, note 7

21. Additions by the author.

Chapter Five

The guidance given to the Prophet (SA) for the call

We have described the state of affairs during the first three years of the secret propagation. Now, before describing the history of the ten-year Makkan period of the general call, I feel it necessary to clarify two matters. This will make it easier to understand the events that followed.

The first is: what guidance was given to the Prophet (SA) for carrying out the responsibility of messengership, guidance so effective that it won the hearts of people, removed the crookedness from their minds, and completely transformed a savage and barbarous nation?

The second is: what was the true nature of the Islamic call that caused such a storm of opposition against the Prophet (SA), a storm that had never arisen in Arabia against those who merely rejected shirk and accepted tawhid? Yet how forcefully was this call presented that it ultimately left the standard-bearers of Jahiliyyah helpless and powerless?

In this chapter we shall discuss the first subject, and the second in the following chapter. (1****)

A brief account of the early call

Allah Almighty chose one of His servants, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in the famous central Arabian city of Makkah for the work of prophethood and instructed him to begin the work of calling in his own city and among his own clan. The guidance initially needed to begin this work was therefore given, and it concerned three matters.

First—to teach the Prophet how he himself should prepare for this immense task and by what method he should carry it out.

Second—basic knowledge of the nature of reality and a refutation of those misconceptions about the truth that were found among the people around him and caused their conduct to be defective.

Third—a call to correct conduct and an exposition of those fundamental moral principles of Divine guidance whose observance can bring human welfare and good fortune.

At the initial stage, these messages were delivered in short, concise statements. The language was highly refined and tasteful, sweet and moving. People were addressed in literary language suited to their tastes, so that it could enter the depths of their hearts, attract their ears through the melody and grace of its words, and, because of its coherence and balance, be spontaneously recited again and again. These words and discussions also referred extensively to the local environment and circumstances. Although universal truths were being preached, the arguments, evidence, and examples offered for them were drawn from the nearest surroundings with which those being addressed were intimately familiar. Their own history and traditions, the ruins and remains they saw every day, and their own beliefs, moral failings, and social abuses formed the subject of the discussions, so that they might learn from them.

This initial stage of the call lasted approximately four or five years, of which the first three were the stage of the secret movement. During this stage, the response to the Prophet’s (SA) call and propagation appeared in three forms.

(1) Some righteous people accepted this call and prepared themselves to become part of the Muslim ummah.

(2) A large number of people came forward in opposition, either because of ignorance and personal interests or because of respect and love for the religion of their forefathers.

(3) The voice of this new call crossed beyond the bounds of Makkah and the Quraysh and reached a comparatively wider sphere.

From this point, the second stage of the call began. During this stage, a deadly conflict began between the Islamic movement and ancient Jahiliyyah, continuing for eight or nine years. Not only in Makkah and among the Quraysh, but throughout most of Arabia, those who wished to preserve ancient Jahiliyyah became determined to crush this movement by force. For this purpose they employed every kind of deceit and launched false propaganda; they created storms of accusations, doubts, suspicion, fault-finding, and harsh criticism. They stirred up various provocations and misconceptions in the minds of ordinary people. Attempts were made to prevent strangers from listening to the Prophet (SA). Inhuman oppression and persecution were inflicted on those who accepted Islam. Economic and social relations with them were severed. Their lives were made so unbearable that they were twice forced to leave their homes and migrate to Abyssinia. Finally, all of them had to migrate to Madinah a third time. Yet despite such severe and ever-new obstacles, the movement continued to spread. There was no family or household in Makkah in which at least one person had not accepted Islam. The reason for the harshness and bitterness in the hostile behavior of most opponents of Islam was that their own brothers, nephews, sons, daughters, sisters, sons-in-law, and others had not merely become followers of the Islamic call but had become devoted supporting forces of Islam. Their own flesh-and-blood relatives were also preparing to fight against them. The remarkable fact is that those who had emerged from the dense darkness of the old Jahiliyyah and joined this new movement had already been the most honest people in society; after joining it, they became so truthful and pure in character that the world could not help acknowledging the superiority of the movement that attracted such noble people and made them so noble.

During this long and severe conflict, Allah Almighty continued to send down, as occasion and need required, such rousing discourses as seemed to contain the flow of a river, the force of a flood, and the impact of a raging fire. On the one hand, these discourses informed the people of faith of their initial duties and responsibilities and created in them a sense of living as an organized community. They were taught taqwa, nobility of character, and a pure way of life. They were shown the method of propagating the religion of truth. They were given courage through the promise of success and the glad tidings of Paradise. They were urged to struggle in Allah’s path with patience, steadfastness, and immense enthusiasm and zeal. Such enthusiasm and emotion for sacrificing their lives were created in them that they became ready to face every danger and confront the great storms of opposition.

On the other hand, the opponents, those who rejected the path of truth and spent their lives in heedlessness, were warned of the fate of those nations whose histories they knew. They were urged to learn from the ruins of destroyed settlements that they passed on their journeys day and night. Arguments for tawhid and the Hereafter were presented from such clear signs as floated before their eyes day and night in the heavens and on the earth, signs they themselves saw and experienced in every aspect of their own lives. The errors of shirk, tyranny, disbelief in the Hereafter, and the loving, blind imitation of their forefathers were set before them with clear arguments that penetrated deep into their hearts. Each of their doubts was removed and each accusation was answered justly. Each delusion in which they were entangled, and each delusion being created among others, was dispelled. Jahiliyyah was shown to be so hollow that it had no place anywhere in the world of reason and conscience. Alongside this, they were shown the wrath of God, the terrifying conditions of the Resurrection, and the fear of the punishment of Hell. They were reproached for their evil character, false way of life, Jahili customs, opposition to the truth, and tormenting those who believed. The fundamental principles of ethics, morality, and civilization were presented to them, on the basis of which the sound and just civilization chosen by God has been founded throughout the ages.

This stage had various phases, and in each phase the call became broader. The struggle and obstacles became more severe. The Muslims encountered people of differing beliefs and conduct, and accordingly the range of subjects in the messages coming from Allah also continued to increase. (*****2)

Reflecting on the detailed guidance given to the Prophet (SA) for carrying out this immense work of the Islamic call, one can easily understand what great moral force cleared the way for Islamic propagation to advance during the era of Makkah’s intense opposition, and what effective instruction and propagation inspired those influenced by it to engage every power in conflict in God’s path and endure every danger and hardship. Below we describe this guidance one point at a time.

Observing wisdom and good counsel in the call

ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ

O Prophet, invite people to the path of your Lord with wisdom and excellent admonition (al-Nahl: 125). Wisdom means that one should not propagate indiscriminately like a fool; rather, one should intelligently understand the mentality, ability, and condition of the person being addressed and speak at the appropriate time. One should not converse with all kinds of people in the same manner of expression. First, the illness of the person or group to whom the call is to be conveyed must be diagnosed. Then that illness must be treated with such arguments and evidence as can eradicate it from the deepest recesses of their hearts.

There are two meanings of good counsel. First, it is not enough merely to reassure the addressee through arguments and proofs. Rather, an appeal must also be made to his emotions. Sinfulness, wrongdoing, and misguidance should not merely be refuted through argument; attention must also be drawn to the innate aversion to them found in human nature. He must be warned of their terrible consequences. It is not enough merely to prove the truth and virtues of guidance and righteous deeds through reason; rather, love and desire for them must be created in him.

The second meaning is that counsel must be given in such a manner that compassion and goodwill are expressed through it. The addressee—that is, the person being advised—should not feel that he is being considered insignificant and worthless, while the adviser is taking pleasure in a sense of his own superiority. Rather, the addressee should feel that the adviser’s heart contains an intense concern and restlessness for his reformation, and that he genuinely wishes him well.

Conversation and discussion should not turn into a battle of argument or an intellectual wrestling match. Unjustified disputation, blaming one another, hurtful remarks, mockery, sarcasm, and the like must be avoided. The purpose should not be to silence the opponent or display one’s own intellectual prowess. Rather, the speech should be sweet and gentle, and the character should be of the highest and most noble quality. The arguments and proofs should be fair and agreeable. They should not create stubbornness, a sense of one’s own influence and status, or obstinacy in the addressee. An attempt must be made to explain matters to him in simple words. If it appears that he is descending into sophistry, he should be left in that state, so that he does not become further lost. (****3)

A Calm and Refined Method for Calling to the Truth

وَقُلْ لِعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنْزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنْسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُبِينًا () رَبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِنْ يَشَأْ يَرْحَمْكُمْ أَوْ إِنْ يَشَأْ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلًا

—And, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), tell My servants to speak in the best manner. Indeed, Satan is the one who strives to create discord among people. In truth, he is man’s manifest enemy. Your Lord knows your condition very well. If He wills, He may have mercy upon you, and if He wills, He may punish you. And, O Prophet, We have not sent you as their guardian. (Bani Israel: 53–54)

That is, in speaking and conversing with the People of Faith, disbelieving polytheists, and opponents of the religion, one must not use harsh or coarse language, nor say anything in an exaggerated manner. No matter how irritatingly the opponents may speak, Muslims should never utter anything contrary to the truth, nor, in anger, answer foolish words with foolish words. With a cool head and measured words, they must say what is entirely true and compatible with the dignity of the Islamic call.

And if you ever feel that, while responding to the words of the opponents, the fire of anger is burning within you and extreme agitation is arising in your nature, then you should understand that Satan is inciting you so that the work of calling to the religion may be ruined. His effort is to make you, like the opponents, abandon the work of reform and correction and become absorbed in the very quarrelling and disputes in which he wishes to keep humankind engaged.

It is not right for the People of Faith to say, “We are destined for Paradise, and such-and-such a person or group is destined for Hell.” The authority to decide this belongs solely to Allah Almighty. Even the Prophet’s task was only to convey the call. People’s destinies were not placed in his hands so that he could announce mercy for some and punishment for others. (****)

The Status and Responsibility of the Caller

قَدْ جَاءَكُمْ بَصَائِرُ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَمَنْ عَمِيَ فَعَلَيْهَا وَمَا أَنَا عَلَيْكُمْ بِحَفِيظٍ

—Behold, there has come to you illuminating insight from your Lord. Whoever makes use of this insight will benefit only himself, and whoever remains blind will harm only himself. And I am not your guardian. (Al-An‘am: 104).

“I am not your guardian”—the meaning of these words is that my task is only to present before you the light that has come from your Lord. Then it is your responsibility to open your eyes and either see it or not. I have not been charged with forcibly opening the eyes of those who have shut them themselves, or with compelling those who will not see to see. (****5)

مَنْ يُصْرَفْ عَنْهُ يَوْمَئِذٍ فَقَدْ رَحِمَهُ وَذَلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْمُبِينُ (16) وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِنْ يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

—O Prophet, continue to follow the revelation sent down to you by your Lord. There is no god except Him. And do not pursue these polytheists. Had Allah willed that they should not commit shirk, they would not have committed shirk. We have not appointed you as their guardian, nor are you their keeper. (Al-An’am: 16–17) This means that you have been appointed as a caller and preacher, not as a police officer or law-enforcement chief. It is not your task to keep pursuing them. Your only duty is to present this light before the people and to spare no effort within your power to make the truth clear. If anyone does not accept this truth, let him not accept it. You have not been commanded to ensure that people become followers of the truth. Nor will you be held accountable if anyone remains a follower of falsehood within the sphere of your prophethood. Therefore, do not distress yourself by needlessly pondering how to give sight to the blind and how to make those who do not wish to open their eyes see. If it were truly Allah’s wisdom that no one be allowed to remain a follower of falsehood in this world, then why would Allah have needed to assign this task to you? Could He not, with a single creative command, have made the entire human race followers of the truth? But that is not the real purpose at all. The purpose is that people should have the freedom to choose between truth and falsehood. Then the light of truth is placed before them, and they are tested as to which of the two they choose. Therefore, your proper course is to continue walking on the straight path in the light shown to you and to invite others to it as well. Make those who accept this call your own and never turn them away, no matter how insignificant and worthless they may appear in the eyes of the world. And do not pursue those who will not accept your call. Let those who themselves wish to go toward the evil end they are determined to reach go there. (****6)

The Easy Method of Preaching

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَى () فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَى

—And, O Prophet, We are making the easy course available to you. Therefore, admonish whoever may benefit from admonition. (Al-A’la: 8–9).

That is, O Prophet, We do not wish to place you in difficulty in preaching the religion by making you speak to the deaf or show the way to the blind. Rather, We are making the easy course available to you. This means that when you perceive that someone is prepared to take advantage of admonition, admonish him. The question now is: who is prepared to benefit from it and who is not? It is true that this can be determined only through preaching or propagation among the people. For this reason, preaching among the masses must continue. Its purpose, however, should be to seek out from among Allah’s servants those who will benefit from it and adopt the true path. You must pay special attention to such people and devote special care to their education and training. You should not waste your time pursuing people whom you have found to be unwilling to accept your admonition. (****7)

Who Truly Deserves Importance in Preaching, from Islam’s Perspective

وَلَا تَطْرُدِ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ مَا عَلَيْكَ مِنْ حِسَابِهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ وَمَا مِنْ حِسَابِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فَتَطْرُدَهُمْ فَتَكُونَ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ

—And, O Prophet, do not drive away those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure. You are not responsible for any part of the account they must render, nor are they responsible for any part of the account you must render. Even then, if you drive them away, you will be among the wrongdoers. (Al-An’am: 52).

Among those who first believed in the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were many who were extremely poor and laboring people. Among the other complaints that the leading Quraysh chiefs and affluent men made against the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was this: “All the slaves and low-class people of our society have gathered around you.”

They would mockingly say, “Look at the distinguished companions he has acquired—Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him), Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him), Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with him). So, were these the only people Allah could find among us whom He could choose?”

They did not stop at mocking the poor people who had believed; rather, if any of them had possessed some weakness before accepting faith, they would mention it and say, “Look, so-and-so, who was like that until yesterday, and so-and-so, who had done such-and-such—today they too belong to the chosen, honored group.” In fact, their statement is quoted in verse 53 of Surah Al-An’am: “Are these the ones among us upon whom Allah has bestowed His grace and favor?” This verse gives the answer to that very statement. Its meaning is that you must not push away those who come to you seeking the truth for the sake of these prominent men. Even if they committed some mistakes before accepting Islam, you have not been burdened with responsibility for them. (****8)

The Incident of Ibn Umm Maktum

One day, several influential chiefs of Makkah were sitting in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and he was trying to encourage them to accept Islam.

[Various reports provide the names of those who were sitting in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) presence at that time. This list includes such staunch enemies of Islam as Utbah, Shaybah, Abu Jahl, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, and Ubayy ibn Khalaf. This shows that the incident occurred at a time when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) still had dealings with them, and the conflict had not yet reached the point at which their visits to him and meetings with him had ceased altogether. —(Granthkhar).]

At that moment, a blind man named Ibn Umm Maktum came into the Prophet’s presence and wished to ask something about Islam. The Prophet did not approve of this interruption and expressed some irritation toward him. For this reason, this surah was revealed by Allah Most High.

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى () أَنْ جَاءَهُ الْأَعْمَى

He frowned and turned away because the blind man came to him (Abasa: 1–2).

Judging by the manner in which the passage begins, it appears that this surah expresses displeasure with the Prophet (peace be upon him) for neglecting the blind man and giving special attention to the prominent chiefs. But when the surah is considered as a whole, it becomes clear that, in reality, the displeasure was directed at those Quraysh chiefs who, because of pride, arrogance, obstinacy, and aversion to the truth, were rejecting the Messenger of Allah’s (peace be upon him) message with contempt. Along with showing the Prophet (peace be upon him) the correct method of conveying the message, he was also made to understand the shortcomings of the method he had adopted at the beginning of his work. His turning away from the blind man and giving attention to the Quraysh chiefs was not because he regarded the wealthy as worthy of honor and the blind man as insignificant and contemptible, nor because—God forbid—there was any harshness in his temperament for which Allah, the Exalted, seized him. Rather, the actual matter was that when a caller begins his mission, he naturally tends to wish that influential people in society will accept his message, so that the work may become easier. Otherwise, he feels that it makes little difference if the message spreads among ordinary people who lack influence and prestige, or among the helpless, ineffective, and weak. At the beginning of his mission, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had adopted almost this very approach. He was motivated by complete sincerity and by the desire to spread the call to the truth; he had no notion of honoring and respecting the great while despising and belittling the small. But Allah, the Exalted, made him understand that this is not the correct method of the Islamic call. Rather, from the perspective of this call, every person who seeks the truth is important, regardless of how weak, uninfluential, or ineffective he may be. And a person who turns away from the truth has no importance, no matter how influential he may be in society. Therefore, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would certainly present Islamic teachings openly among the general public. But those truly entitled to attract his attention were the people in whom there was eagerness and enthusiasm to accept the truth. The dignity of the Prophet’s great call is compromised when it is presented to proud people who arrogantly think that the need is not theirs, but rather the Prophet’s.

وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى () أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنْفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى () أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى () فَأَنْتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّى () وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلَّا يَزَّكَّى () وَأَمَّا مَنْ جَاءَكَ يَسْعَى () وَهُوَ يَخْشَى () فَأَنْتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّى () كَلَّا إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ () فَمَنْ شَاءَ ذَكَرَهُ

O Prophet (peace be upon him), do you know? Perhaps he would be purified, or he might heed the admonition, and the admonition would benefit him. Yet you devote your attention to those who care nothing. Although they do not reform themselves, what responsibility do you bear for them? And as for the one who comes running to you and is fearful, you turn away from him. Never! This is an admonition; so let whoever wishes accept it (Abasa: 3–12).

This is the fundamental subtle point that the Prophet (peace be upon him) overlooked here concerning the propagation of the religion. To make this clear, Allah, the Exalted, first criticized the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) conduct toward Ibn Umm Maktum. Then He explained to whom the caller to the truth should give genuine importance and to whom he should not. The first is the person whose outward condition clearly shows that he seeks and desires the truth. He is always apprehensive that, by following falsehood, he may incur God’s displeasure. For this reason, he has come willingly in order to gain knowledge of the truth and the right path. The second is the person whose conduct clearly shows that he has no desire to seek the truth. Rather, he does not consider himself in need of anyone to show him the true and correct path. Between these two kinds of people, the issue is not who embracing faith would be more beneficial to the religion and whose faith would be less effective in spreading and advancing it. Rather, the issue is who is prepared to accept guidance and purify himself, and who has no regard at all for this priceless treasure. The first kind of person may be blind, lame, crippled, or destitute, or may apparently be incapable of rendering any significant service in spreading and advancing the religion; nevertheless, he is a valuable person for the caller to the truth. Attention should be given to him, because the real purpose of this call is to reform and correct Allah’s servants. Such a person is in a condition where, if admonished, he will accept reform and correction. As for the second kind of person, no matter how influential and powerful he may be in society, there is no need to pursue him. His conduct openly declares that he does not wish to reform himself. Thus, spending time trying to reform him is merely a waste of time. If he does not wish to be purified, then let him remain unpurified. The loss will ultimately be his, and the caller to the truth will bear no responsibility for him.

The blind man mentioned here was the famous Companion, Ibn Umm Maktum (may Allah be pleased with him). Hafiz Ibn Abd al-Barr, in his Isti‘ab, and Hafiz Ibn Hajar, in his al-Isabah, state that he was a maternal cousin of the Mother of the Believers, Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her). His mother, Umm Maktum, and Khadijah’s father, Khuwaylid, were brother and sister. After learning of this relationship with the Prophet (peace be upon him), there is no room for doubt that he did not ignore him because he considered him poor or of low rank, while giving attention to the wealthy. For he was the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) brother-in-law and a member of his own clan. He was not from a lowly class. The real reason for the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) conduct toward him is known from the word (******). Allah Himself has mentioned this as the reason for the Prophet’s lack of attention and concern. That is, the Prophet (peace be upon him) thought that if any one of the people whom he was then trying to guide to the right path accepted guidance, it could become a major means of strengthening Islam. On the other hand, Ibn Umm Maktum was blind. Because of his incapacity, he would not be as beneficial to Islam as one of these chiefs might be if he became a Muslim. Therefore, he should not interrupt the conversation at that time. Whatever he wished to understand and ask could be understood and asked at any later time. (*****9)

The Wisdom of Conveying the Message

وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ

—And do not argue with the People of the Book except in the best manner (al-‘Ankabut: 46). In other words, debate or discussion must be conducted with sound arguments and proofs, in extremely courteous and dignified language. It must be carried out with a spirit of mutual understanding, so that the opponent’s thoughts and outlook may be corrected. The preacher should bear this in mind, so that he may open the door of the other person’s heart, convey the truth to him, and bring him to the right path.

He should not fight like a wrestler whose aim is to overpower his opponent. Rather, he should treat the disease like a physician. While treating a patient, a physician always pays special attention to ensuring that, through any mistake of his, the patient’s illness does not become worse. He makes every possible effort to cure the patient with the least possible pain. Here, this guidance has indeed been given regarding discussions with the People of the Book, in consideration of the circumstances, time and persons involved. But it is not restricted to the People of the Book. Rather, it is a general instruction concerning the propagation of the faith, given at various places in the Qur’an. For example:

ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ

Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel, and discuss with people in the manner that is best (al-Nahl: 125).

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

—Good and evil are not alike. Respond (to the opponent’s attack) in the manner that is best. Then you will see that the person between whom and you there was enmity has become as though he were a warm friend (Ha-Mim Sajdah: 34).

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

—Repel evil with that which is best. I know well what they say against you (al-Mu’minun: 96). (****10)

The proper method for carrying out the duty of inviting people to the truth

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

(O Prophet,) adopt gentleness and forgiveness, continue to encourage good deeds, and do not engage in disputes with the ignorant. If Satan ever incites you, seek refuge in Allah. He hears and knows everything. Indeed, those who fear Allah are such that whenever an evil desire arises within them under Satan’s influence, they immediately become alert and then see clearly (what their proper course of action is). As for their brothers—the satans—they drag them toward error and spare no effort to lead them astray (al-A‘raf: 199–202).

In these verses, the Prophet was taught several important methods (wisdom) for inviting people, conveying the message, guiding them, and bringing about reform and correction. The purpose was not merely to teach the Prophet himself; through him, all those were taught this wisdom who would succeed him and assume the responsibility of guiding the people of the world to the right path. They are as follows:

(1) Among the qualities especially necessary for one who calls people to the truth is that he must be tenderhearted, forbearing and broad-minded. He must be affectionate toward his companions, compassionate toward the general public, and tolerant toward his opponents. He should overlook the weaknesses of his associates as well as the harshness of his opponents. Even in the most provocative circumstances, he must keep his temperament calm and normal. He must endure extremely intolerable speech with magnanimity. No matter how harshly opponents speak, how much slander and propaganda they spread, or how strongly they express their intention to resist unjustly and violently, one should proceed by overlooking everything. Showing harshness and coarseness, making rude and unbecoming remarks, and possessing a vengeful temperament bring disastrous consequences. The objective is thereby frustrated rather than achieved. The Prophet (peace be upon him) described the matter thus: My Lord has commanded me to act justly both when angry and when I am calm; to maintain relations with the one who wishes to sever relations with me; to give his due to the one who deprives me of my due; and to forgive the one who wrongs me.

The Noble Prophet also gave these instructions to those whom he sent on his behalf to undertake religious work. He said:

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

In other words, wherever you go, let your arrival bring people good news, not arouse hatred. Let you be a source of ease and convenience for people, not of restriction and harshness.

In this regard, Allah the Exalted has conveyed words of praise in support of the Prophet (peace be upon him):

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

—It is by Allah’s mercy that you are gentle with them. Had you been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have dispersed from around you (Al ‘Imran: 159).

(2) The way to achieve success in calling people to the truth is that, instead of philosophical and theoretical discussions, people should be encouraged toward those simple, straightforward and clear forms of good and welfare that are commonly known to all, and whose benefit can be understood through ordinary common sense. In this way, the appeal of the caller to the truth influences people of every class and reaches the deepest recesses of the listener’s heart. Those who oppose such a familiar call only bring about their own failure and make the way to its success easier. For ordinary people—no matter how immersed in superstition they may be—when they see, on the one hand, a virtuous and noble person openly calling them toward good, and, on the other, many people opposing him through immoral, unethical and inhuman devices, their hearts gradually and spontaneously become disgusted with the opponents of truth and drawn toward the caller to truth. In the end, only those remain in the field of opposition whose personal interests are tied to the existing corrupt system, or whose hearts, through blind imitation of their forefathers and the hostility of the Age of Ignorance, have lost all capacity to receive the light of truth. This was the wise strategy through which the Prophet (peace be upon him) achieved success in Arabia. Then, within a short time after him, the flood of Islam spread through other lands so extensively that in some places one hundred percent, and in others eighty or ninety percent, of the inhabitants took refuge under Islam’s cooling shade.

(3) In this work of calling people, encouraging those who desire good to perform righteous deeds is as important as refraining from engaging in debates with the obstinate, no matter how much they try to draw one into argument. The caller to truth or bearer of its standard must be extremely cautious in this regard and should address only those who are willing to understand what is being said through rational means. If someone begins behaving like an ignorant person—with stubbornness, quarrelsomeness and mockery—the caller to truth should refuse to play the role of an opponent. There is no benefit in engaging in such a debate. The harm, rather, is that the time he could spend spreading the call and building character would be wasted on this futile activity.

(4) In continuation of what has been said above, one further point is that if the caller to truth ever feels stirred by the oppression, misdeeds, ignorant criticism and accusations of his opponents, he should immediately realize that this is an incitement from Satan and at once seek refuge in Allah, so that He may protect His servant from being swept away by emotion and prevent him from becoming so unbalanced that he takes some step harmful to the call to truth. The work of calling to truth can be carried out only with a cool head in all circumstances, and the correct step is the one taken not under the direction of emotion, but after careful consideration of the surrounding circumstances. Since Satan cannot tolerate the spread of this work, he will always try, through his followers, to launch various attacks against the bearer of the standard of truth, and through each attack he will incite him by suggesting that an attack must be answered. The appeal Satan makes to the mind of the caller to truth is usually wrapped in grandiose, deceptive interpretations and dressed in religious terminology. But behind it there is nothing except selfishness. That is why the last two verses mentioned above state that those who are mindful of Allah—who fear Him and desire to remain distant from sin—become alert and vigilant as soon as they feel the effect of satanic temptation or the touch of a sinful inclination within themselves. Then they clearly understand what course of action in that situation will achieve the objective of calling people to the faith and what the demands of truthfulness are. On the other hand, those whose actions are driven by selfishness, and who are intimate with the satans for this reason, cannot withstand satanic attacks; they are defeated and continue along the path of error. Satan then takes them wherever he wishes, and they establish themselves nowhere. For every insult from an opponent they have an insult in return, and for every stratagem they have a greater stratagem.

Allah’s statement also has a general purpose: the conduct of those endowed with taqwa is generally different from that of those without taqwa. Those who truly fear Allah and sincerely desire to remain distant from wrongdoing and sin feel a sharp pain as soon as even a slight touch of an evil thought reaches their hearts, just as one feels when a sharp, pointed object enters a finger or when something small falls into the eye. Since they are unaccustomed to sinful thoughts, desires and evil intentions, all these things are contrary to their nature—just as a spot of ink or a speck of dirt on the clothing of someone accustomed to cleanliness and desirous of purity is contrary to his nature. When he feels this disturbance, his eyes open and his conscience awakens, and he begins to shake the dust of injustice and wrongdoing from himself. In contrast, those who neither fear Allah nor wish to abstain from evil, and who maintain ties with the satans, allow evil thoughts, desires, intentions and purposes to become firmly established in their minds, without feeling any unease about these filthy matters. They are like a pot in which pork is being cooked while its owner does not know what is being prepared inside, or like a sweeper whose body and clothes are soaked in excrement but who has no feeling that he is soiled and impure by it. (****11)

Calling people to Allah amid intense opposition

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

—Whose speech can be better than that of one who calls people to Allah, does righteous deeds, and says, “I am a Muslim” (Ha-Mim Sajdah: 33).

The preceding verses console and encourage the believers. Then, in this verse, they are urged toward the fundamental task for which they became Muslims. In the preceding verses, they were told that remaining steadfast in the worship and obedience of Allah, and not turning away after adopting this path, is the basic righteous deed that makes a person worthy of the companionship of the angels and of Paradise. Now they are told that the next rank—higher than which there is no rank for a human being—is to perform righteous deeds oneself and call others to the worship of Allah. Then, in an adverse and hostile environment where declaring Islam means inviting trials and calamities upon oneself, he will fearlessly say, “I am a Muslim—obedient to Allah.”

To fully appreciate the importance of this statement, one must keep before oneself the circumstances prevailing at the time it was made. The situation was such that anyone who declared himself a Muslim suddenly felt as though he had entered a forest of savage beasts, with every savage beast rushing toward him to tear him apart and devour him. Moreover, the person who opened his mouth to convey Islam seemed to be calling the savage beasts, saying, “Come and chew me up and swallow me.” In such circumstances, it was said that for a person to accept Allah as his Lord, adopt the straight path, and not deviate from it was undoubtedly a great foundational righteous deed. But the highest level of righteous deed was for that person to stand publicly and declare, “I am a Muslim,” and, without caring about the consequences, invite people to the worship of Allah. While doing so, he would keep his own practice so pure that the enemies of Islam would have no opportunity to point out any fault in its standard-bearers. (****12)

Countering evil with what is best

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

—O Prophet (peace be upon him), good and evil are not equal. Repel evil with the righteous deed that is best. Then you will see that the one who is hostile toward you has become your close friend (Ha-Mim Sajdah: 34).

To fully understand the significance of this statement, one must consider the circumstances in which this guidance was given to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and through him to his followers. The call was being met with extreme obstinacy and intensely aggressive opposition. Every kind of deceptive device was being used to defame the Prophet and make people averse to him. Various allegations were being made against him. A group of opponents continued inciting people against the Prophet. He and his companions were subjected to various forms of persecution. Distressed by this, a considerable number of Muslims were forced to leave the country. Then, in order to stop the Prophet from conveying the message, they arranged to lie in wait for him and create an uproar. Whenever he opened his mouth to invite people, they made such a din that none of his words could be heard. This was such a discouraging situation that, outwardly, all avenues for the call appeared to be blocked. At that time, the Prophet was taught the means of countering and breaking the power of the opposition.

The first point stated is that righteousness and wickedness, or good and evil, cannot be equal. Outwardly, no matter how violent a storm of wrongdoing and sin your opponents may create, in comparison with which righteousness, honesty and good deeds may appear utterly helpless and powerless, as long as a person is regarded as human, his nature cannot help showing aversion to wrongdoing and sin. The person who participates in sin, and especially its standard-bearer, himself believes inwardly that he is a liar and an oppressor, and that he persists in his obstinacy merely for his own interests. Thus, far from earning respect in the hearts of others, they are humbled in their own eyes, and a fear remains hidden within their own minds that continues to undermine their courage and resolve from within when they take steps in opposition. If, in confronting this wrongdoing, that righteousness continues without interruption, it will ultimately prevail. For righteousness itself possesses a power that subdues hearts, and no matter how degraded a person may be, he cannot help feeling respect for it inwardly. Then, when sin and virtue are struggling and the qualities of both become clearly manifest among the people, after some period of conflict and struggle very few people remain who do not become disgusted with sin and attached to virtue.

The second point is that evil must be countered not merely with goodness, but with goodness of a very high order. For example, if someone treats you badly and you forgive him, that is simply a righteous deed. A deed of a much higher order is that, when the opportunity arises, you treat well the person who treated you badly.

Its benefit is said to be that even a bitter enemy will become a close friend. This is human nature. Remaining silent in response to an insult is certainly a righteous deed, but it will not silence the insulter. If, however, you pray for him in response to his insult, even your most shameless enemy will become ashamed, and he may rarely open his mouth against you again. Suppose someone never misses an opportunity to harm you, and you continue tolerating his excesses; it may happen that he becomes even bolder in harming you. But if, when he is suffering loss, you save him from it, he may fall at your feet. For very few acts of wrongdoing can withstand such an act of goodness. Nevertheless, it would not be correct to accept this general principle as meaning that such exceptionally good conduct must necessarily turn every bitter enemy into a close friend. There are also people of such base character in the world that no matter how nobly you forgive their excesses and respond to their evil with good conduct, they will not refrain from striking with a poisonous sting like a scorpion.

But people who are embodiments of such wickedness are very rare, just as people who are embodiments of goodness are exceedingly few. (***13)

The importance of patience in calling people to the truth

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

Then it was said:

—“Only those who are patient are granted the good fortune of possessing these qualities, and only those who are greatly fortunate can attain this rank” (verse 35).

In other words, this prescription is also highly effective. But applying it is no simple matter. It requires tremendous strength of mind, firm resolve, courage, patience, and great mastery over one’s own inclinations. A person may temporarily respond to some wrongdoing with a good deed. That is not extraordinary. But when someone has to struggle for truth year after year against such followers of falsehood and wrongdoers as do not hesitate to violate any moral limit and are intoxicated by power, to continue countering wrongdoing with good deeds—indeed, with deeds of a high order—and never once lose patience is beyond the capacity of an ordinary person. Only one who firmly resolves, with a cool head, to work for the elevation of the truth can do this. No wrongdoing or filth can bring such a person, who has fully subjected his desires to knowledge, reason and conscience, down from his high position or make him lose patience.

Then it has been said, “Only those who are greatly fortunate can attain this rank.” This is a natural law. Only people of great stature become endowed with these qualities. And those who possess these qualities cannot be prevented by any power in the world from reaching the threshold of success. It is utterly impossible for vile people to overcome them through their vileness, despicable schemes, and uncivilized conduct. (****14)

Seeking God’s refuge from Satan’s incitement

Finally, it is said (Arabic*****************)

And if you feel any incitement from Satan, then seek refuge in Allah (Verse: 36).

Satan becomes terribly alarmed when he sees that, in the conflict between truth and falsehood, vileness is being confronted with courtesy and wrongdoing with good conduct. He wants the leaders of those striving for the truth, and especially their chief director, to make at least one mistake by some means, on the basis of which the people can be told, “Look, it takes two hands to clap. If one side has behaved badly, the other side is hardly made up of good people either. They too have behaved uncivilly.” Ordinary people lack the ability to make a comparative judgment, from the standpoint of justice, between one side’s excesses and the other side’s countermeasures. As long as they see the opponents adopting every kind of baseness while the other side does not deviate even slightly from the path of courtesy, decency, honesty, and piety, the people continue to be influenced by this. But if the latter side displays any unjust behavior or any conduct damaging to its dignity—even if it is done in response to extreme provocation—then both sides appear equal in their eyes. Consequently, the opponents gain an excuse to answer one word with a thousand insults. That is why it is said: Beware of Satan’s deception. Pretending to be deeply caring and well-meaning, he will incite you by saying, “Such excesses simply cannot be tolerated; that statement deserves a crushing reply; this attack should be answered with a counterattack. Otherwise you will be considered cowards and your image will be ruined.” Thus, whenever you feel such incitement within yourselves in any matter, be alert that Satan is trying, through his incitement, to excite and anger you and make you take some wrong step. After becoming alert, do not fall prey to the conceit of saying, “We have complete control over ourselves. Satan cannot make us err.” The conceit of possessing the will and power of decision mentioned above would be Satan’s second, even greater and more terrible deception. Instead, you should seek refuge in your God. For a person can be saved from error only if He alone grants success and protection.

A very fine explanation of this is found in an incident recorded by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). He says that one day a man began severely abusing Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) silently listened to his abuse. The Prophet (peace be upon him) watched this and continued to smile gently. At last Abu Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) patience broke, and he too uttered a harsh word in reply. As soon as the words left his mouth, the Prophet (peace be upon him) became extremely uncomfortable, and this became apparent on his face. Then he rose and left. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) followed behind him. He asked, “What is the matter? He was abusing me, and you were smiling, but as soon as I replied, you became displeased.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “As long as you remained silent, an angel was with you, replying on your behalf. But when you opened your mouth, Satan came in place of the angel. I cannot sit with Satan.” (15)

The caller to the truth must be selfless

In calling people to the truth, its caller must rise above his personal interests; this will be the finest proof of his sincerity and devotion. The Qur’an repeatedly says that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had no personal interest in the work of calling people to Allah that he was undertaking. Rather, he devoted himself to the welfare of God’s creation. It is said in Surah al-An‘am:

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

“O Prophet (peace be upon him), say: I ask no payment from you for this work of conveying the message and guidance. This is only a general admonition for all the worlds.” (Al-An‘am: 90)

“And, O Prophet (peace be upon him), you do not ask them for any payment for this work. It is only an admonition being given generally to the people of the world.” (Yusuf: 104)

Outwardly, this address is directed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), but its real second-person addressees are the multitude of unbelievers. They are being addressed in this way: O servants of Allah, think a little! How unreasonable is this obstinacy of yours. If the Messenger were doing this work of calling and conveying the message for some personal interest, or if he were seeking something for himself, you would certainly have had an opportunity to say, “Why should we accept the words of this self-interested man?” But you see that this man is selfless. He is giving counsel for your benefit and for the welfare of the people of the world. He has no personal interest in it. What reasonable cause can there be for confronting him with obstinacy? Why do you stubbornly oppose, without cause, someone who speaks selflessly for everyone’s good? Listen to his words with an open mind. Accept them if they appeal to you; if they do not, then do not accept them. (16)

It is said in Surah al-Mu’minun:

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

“O Prophet (peace be upon him), are you asking anything from them? The provision from your Lord is better for you, and He is the best of providers.” (Al-Mu’minun: 72)

In other words, no fair-minded person can accuse the Prophet (peace be upon him) of having a personal interest behind all that he was doing. Once he had extensive business interests; now he is poor and afflicted. Once the nation looked upon him with respect and everyone honored him deeply; now he is suffering abuse and being pelted with stones. His life has now also become endangered. At one time he lived happily with his wife and children; now he has become involved in a conflict that does not allow him a moment’s peace. Moreover, he has now appeared with a message that has made the whole country his enemy. Even his own relatives have become thirsty for his blood. Who can say that all this is the work of a self-interested man? A self-interested person carries the banner of his nation’s and tribe’s superstitions and seeks leadership through various devices. A selfish person does not promote an ideal that is not merely a challenge to the tribal superstitions on which the dominant leadership of Arabia’s polytheists rests, but eradicates their very foundation. (17)

It is said in Surah Saba:

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

“O Prophet (peace be upon him), say: If I have asked you for any payment, then it is for your own benefit. My payment is only due from Allah. He is witness over everything.” (Saba: 47)

The first part of the verse can have two meanings. One is: If I have asked you for any payment, then may it befall your own fortune. The second meaning is: If I have asked you for any payment, it is nothing but your welfare. The final meaning is that let the accusers make whatever accusations they wish against me. But Allah knows everything. He is witness that I am doing this work selflessly, not for any personal interest. (18)

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

“O Prophet (peace be upon him), say: I ask you for no payment, nor am I one of those who make things up.” (Sad: 86)

That is, I am not one of those who enter the field with false claims in order to establish their superiority and pretend to be something they are not in reality.

This was not merely put into the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) mouth to inform the unbelievers of Makkah. Rather, his entire life stood as testimony behind it—a life he had spent among these unbelievers for forty years. Every child in Makkah even knew that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not an impostor. No one in the entire nation had ever heard him say anything from which it could be suspected that he wanted to become something or was trying to make himself famous. (19)

It is said in Surahs al-Tur and al-Qalam:

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

“O Prophet (peace be upon him), are you asking them for a payment, so that they are weighed down under the burden of an imposed fine?” (Al-Tur: 40; Al-Qalam: 46)

In this question, the unbelievers are actually being addressed. Its meaning is that if the Messenger had wanted to obtain some objective from you, and if he were making all these efforts for his own interest, then you would at least have had a reasonable cause to distance yourselves from him. But you yourselves know that he is entirely selfless in this call and is sacrificing his life solely for your welfare. What reason, then, can there be for your not even being prepared to listen to him calmly? A subtle indication is concealed in this question. Like the artificial leaders and priests of religious institutions throughout the world, the religious leaders, scholars, and priests of Arabia’s polytheists openly conducted a religious trade. Therefore, this question was put before them: on one side are these religious traders, who openly ask you for offerings and gifts and demand payment for every religious service; on the other side is this man, who is completely selfless, indeed ruining his own business and commerce, while trying to show you the straight path of religion with sound reasoning. What can it be other than manifest ignorance that you flee from him and rush toward the religious traders? (20)

In this connection, there is only one verse that may give rise to some dispute. It is:

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

“O Prophet (peace be upon him), say: I ask you for no payment except love for near kinship.” (Ash-Shura: 23)

In this verse (*****)

There has been great disagreement among exegetes in interpreting the word that has been used. One group has taken it in the sense of kinship. They have interpreted the verse as follows: “I ask you for no payment for this work. But I do ask that you (that is, the Quraysh) at least show regard for the kinship that exists between you and me. You should have accepted my words. But if you do not, then do not commit the injustice of being the people throughout Arabia who are most intent on hostility toward me.”

This is the interpretation of Abdullah ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). Many scholars, including Imam Ahmad, al-Bukhari, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ibn Jarir, al-Tabarani, al-Bayhaqi, and Ibn Sa‘d, have transmitted it through numerous narrators. This interpretation was also given by Mujahid, Ikrimah, Qatadah, al-Suddi, Abu Malik, Abd al-Rahman ibn Zayd ibn Aslam, al-Dahhak, Ata ibn Dinar, and other renowned exegetes.

Another group (Arabic**********)

has understood it in the sense of nearness. They have interpreted the verse as follows: I ask you for no payment for this work except that a desire to attain nearness to Allah Almighty should arise within you. In other words, reform yourselves. That is my payment. This interpretation is narrated from Hasan al-Basri. A statement of Qatadah is also cited in its support. Indeed, in one narration of al-Tabarani, a statement of this kind is also attributed to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). The Qur’an itself states this very matter elsewhere in the following words:

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

“Tell them: I ask you for no payment for this work; my payment is only that whoever wishes should adopt the path of his Lord.” (Al-Furqan: 57)

Another group

has understood (******) in the sense of relatives. According to them, the meaning of the verse is: I ask you for no payment for this work except that you love my relatives. Some members of this group understood “relatives” to mean the entire Banu Abd al-Muttalib. Others restricted it to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her), and their children. It is reported that this interpretation was given by Sa‘id ibn Jubayr and Amr ibn Shu‘ayb. In some reports, it is described as the interpretation of Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and Ali ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him), that is, Zayn al-Abidin. But this interpretation cannot be accepted for several reasons. First, when Surah al-Shura was revealed in Makkah, Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) had not yet married. The question of children does not even arise. Moreover, not all members of Banu Abd al-Muttalib were supporters of the Prophet (peace be upon him); rather, some of them were openly hostile. Everyone in the world knows of Abu Lahab’s hostility. Second, the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) kinship was not limited to Banu Abd al-Muttalib. Through his mother, father, and wife, he was related to all the families of Quraysh. Among those families were both his noble Companions and his fiercest enemies. How, then, could it have been possible for the Prophet (peace be upon him) to mention only Banu Abd al-Muttalib among all these relatives and reserve the demand for love exclusively for them? May Allah be pleased with him.

The third point, and the most important, is this: a Prophet stands at such a lofty station while raising the call to Allah that to ask for this payment from that station—“and love the relatives”—is such a low-level demand that no person of sound taste can even imagine that Allah Almighty taught His Prophet such words and that the Prophet announced them while standing among the Quraysh. In the Qur’an, among the accounts of the Prophets, peace be upon them, we find that prophet after prophet came and addressed his people with these very words: I ask you for no payment; my payment is only due from Allah. (See Yunus: 72; Hud: 19, 51; Ash-Shu‘ara: 109, 117, 145, 164, 180.)

In Surah Ya-Sin, the standard for testing the truthfulness of the Prophet is stated to be that he is entirely selfless in his call (Verse 21). The Prophet (peace be upon him) himself was repeatedly made to say with his blessed tongue, “I ask you for no payment.” We have quoted this above. After that, where is there room to say, “In return for the work I am doing, calling you to Allah, you should love my relatives”? This becomes even more relevant when we see that the address here is not directed to the people of faith; rather, it is directed to the unbelievers. They are addressed throughout, and they are also the ones being addressed in what follows. In this continuous discourse, how could there even arise a question of asking the opponents for any kind of payment? Payment is asked from those who value to some extent the work done for them. What value were the unbelievers giving to the Prophet’s work that he could tell them, “Love my relatives for the service I am rendering”? Instead, they regarded it as a crime and were trying to take his life. (***21)

Emphasis on belief in the Hereafter at the beginning of the call

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) first began conveying Islam in Makkah al-Mu‘azzamah, it was founded on three matters. First: no one was to be regarded as a partner with Allah in divinity. Second: Allah Almighty had appointed Muhammad (peace be upon him) as His Messenger. Third: this world would one day be destroyed, after which a second world would come into existence. There, all people from the beginning to the end would be brought back to life and resurrected with the very bodies in which they had carried out their worldly deeds. Then their beliefs and deeds would be taken into account. Those who were proven to be believers and righteous in this reckoning would enter Paradise forever, while those proven to be unbelievers and wicked would remain in Hell forever.

Although the first of these was extremely unacceptable to the people of Makkah, they never denied the existence of Allah Almighty. They acknowledged that He was the Supreme Lord, Creator, and Provider. They also acknowledged that those whom they regarded as gods and goddesses were themselves created by Allah. The dispute, therefore, concerned only whether these gods and goddesses had any share in God’s attributes, authority, and divinity.

The people of Makkah were not prepared to accept the second matter by any standard. Yet they could not deny that, during the forty years the Prophet (peace be upon him) had spent among them before claiming prophethood, they had never found him to be a liar, deceiver, or someone who adopted an unjust path for personal gain. They themselves acknowledged his intelligence, discernment, and nobility of character. Therefore, despite searching for a hundred excuses and making accusations against him, it was difficult for them—even for themselves, let alone for others—to believe that he was truthful in every other matter but, God forbid, a liar only in his claim to messengership. Thus, the first two matters were not as difficult for them as the third. When this matter was presented to them, it was met with the greatest mockery and ridicule; it caused the greatest astonishment, and people everywhere began discussing it as something irrelevant and impossible. Yet, in order to bring them to Islam, it was absolutely essential to establish belief in the Hereafter firmly in their hearts, because without this belief it was utterly impossible for their thinking about truth and falsehood to become sound. Nor was it possible for them to change their standards of good and evil and advance even one step from the path of worldly worship toward the righteous path to which Islam sought to lead them. For this reason, in the early Makkan surahs, the greatest emphasis was placed on firmly establishing belief in the Hereafter. Of course, the arguments were presented in such a way that the concept of monotheism was also established in their hearts of its own accord. Alongside this, proofs of the truth of the Messenger (peace be upon him) and the Qur’an were occasionally presented in brief. (****22)

References

1. Additions by the author

2. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Volume 1, Introduction

3. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Volume 2, An-Nahl, Notes 122–123

4. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Bani Isra’il, Notes 57–61

5. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Al-An‘am, Note 69

6. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Al-An‘am, Note 71

7. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Al-A‘raf, Note 10

8. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Al-An‘am, Notes 24–25

9. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Abasa, Introduction and Note 201

10. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Al-‘Ankabut, Note 81

11. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Al-A‘raf, Note 15

12. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Ha-Mim Sajdah, Note 36

13. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Ha-Mim Sajdah, Note 37

14. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Ha-Mim Sajdah, Note 40

16. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Yusuf, Note 73

17. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Al-Mu’minun, Note 70

18. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Saba, Notes 28–29

19. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Sad, Note 72

20. Tafhim al-Qur’an, At-Tur, Note 31

21. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Ash-Shura, Note 41

22. Tafhim al-Qur’an, Introduction to Surah An-Naba

Map of Makkah al-Mukarramah

Beginning of Volume 4

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

Chapter Six

The true nature of the Islamic call

The reasons for the polytheists’ hostility and the reasons for their failure

Now we wish to present the second part of the discussion that was begun in the preceding chapter. We said what guidance was given to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and through him to his Companions, regarding spreading the call to Islam, so that they could confront the opposition of the standard-bearers of the Age of Ignorance with the weapon of morality; win their hearts through wisdom, generosity, patience, and forbearance; make the mountains of obstinacy, blind hatred, and stubbornness just and receptive; and select from among the people those who could be brought into the group because they possessed love for the truth and the qualities of following it.

Then we wish to explain what the true nature of the call brought by the Prophet (peace be upon him) was, and what its distinctive qualities and virtues were, because of which the Quraysh first, and then the other people of Arabia, began to oppose it. We will then explain what strength this call possessed that ultimately silenced its opponents and achieved such immense success as has no parallel in history.

Since the subject deserves detailed discussion, we shall describe it under seven headings. They are:

1. Teaching monotheism and refuting polytheism.

2. The call to believe in Muhammad’s Messengership.

3. The call to believe that the Qur’an is the Word of Allah.

4. The call to believe in the Hereafter.

5. Moral instruction.

6. Establishment of a universal Muslim Ummah.

7. The difference between the methods of action of prophets and non-prophets.

First Section

Teaching Tawhid and Refuting Shirk

Among the points of the Islamic call, the first, most important and fundamental point is affirming Tawhid and refuting Shirk. Although the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself believed in Tawhid and rejected Shirk before his prophethood, and people holding this creed were also found among the Arabs of his time and earlier, there is a great difference between the two kinds of people. One kind merely holds the creed of accepting Tawhid and rejecting Shirk and considers it sufficient, at most, to express it. Another kind stands up to propagate and spread this creed and continues inviting the people to abandon Shirk and accept Tawhid. What creates a vast difference between simple belief in the creed and this public call and preaching is that the person bears responsibility for this task; he does not merely prove, in detail and with arguments, the Oneness of God, but explains one by one the meaning and essence of this Oneness and the inevitable demands of accepting it, telling people: “Believe in Allah’s Tawhid with this detailed explanation.”

This was the work the Prophet (peace be upon him) undertook after being honored with prophethood. And this was the first reason for the opposition of the unbelievers to him, because every one of its points conflicted with their creed, beliefs, superstitions and ideas accumulated over hundreds of years.

The Clear and Unambiguous Teaching of Tawhid

In the polytheistic society of Arabia, the real issue was not the existence of Allah Almighty, but accepting His Oneness. They acknowledged Allah as the Creator of themselves and the universe. Nor did they deny that He was the Lord and God. They had no apparent objection to worshipping Him. The error in which they were immersed, however, was that they did not believe that divinity and lordship were exclusive to Allah. Alongside Him, they regarded many other deities as partners of God. They believed that those deities too should be worshipped along with Allah. (****1) Their condition was this:

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

—and when you mention your only Lord in the Qur’an, they turn away in aversion. (Bani Isra’il: 56)

That is, it was unbearable to them that you regarded Allah alone as Lord and made no mention of the many lords and gods they had invented. They could not tolerate, even for a moment, this Wahhabi-like conduct, in modern terminology—that a person should repeat only “Allah, Allah.” There was no mention of offerings for the saints, no acknowledgment of obtaining spiritual grace at shrines, and no laudatory greeting for those personalities whom, in their belief, Allah Almighty had distributed His divinity among. They said, “What a strange man he is! In his view, knowledge of the future belongs only to Allah, power belongs only to Allah, and skill and authority belong only to Allah. Then are those who reside in our shrines nothing at all? Yet from them we obtain knowledge; through their will the sick recover, trade prospers and wishes are fulfilled. Are they then really nothing?” (2)

Elsewhere, the Qur’an describes their aversion to Tawhid and their immersion in Shirk as follows:

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

And when Allah alone is mentioned, those who disbelieve in the Hereafter feel anguish; but when others besides Him are mentioned, suddenly their hearts leap with joy. (Al-Zumar: 54)

This applies equally to almost all people in the world whose taste and temperament are imbued with Shirk. They say with their lips, “We believe in Allah.” Yet when Allah alone is mentioned, their faces begin to contort. Then they say, “This man does not believe in saints and the friends of Allah at all. That is why he only says, ‘Allah, Allah.’”

But if the names of others are mentioned, their faces brighten with joy. Their conduct reveals toward whom their affection and love are directed. (3)

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

—their condition was that, when they were told, “There is no god except Allah,” they proudly said, “Should we abandon our gods for the sake of a mad poet?” (Al-Saffat: 35–36)

They strongly objected to this statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him):

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

—“Has he made all the gods into one God? This is truly an astonishing thing!” (Sad: 5)

In this society, among people holding such ideas, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) repeatedly proclaimed in a bold voice that Allah alone is God and Lord. No one shares in divinity, lordship or sovereignty.

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

—Your God is Allah, besides whom there is no god. His knowledge encompasses every thing. (Ta-Ha: 98)

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

—Rather, your Lord is He who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and who created them. (Al-Anbiya: 65)

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

—Indeed, your Lord is One. He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and whatever is between them, and He is the Lord of the eastern points. (Al-Saffat: 4–5)

That is, the One who is the Owner and Lord of the universe is also the God of humankind—the One worthy of worship—and in reality He alone can be the object of worship and ought to be worshipped. It is entirely false that someone else could be the Lord of the universe, including you—that is, its Owner, Ruler, Nurturer and Sustainer—while someone else could be its God, the one entitled to worship.

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

—(O Prophet!) Say: “I am only a warner. There is no god except the One God, the Overpowering, the Lord of the heavens, the earth and whatever lies between them. He is the Almighty, the Most Forgiving. (O Prophet!) Say: This is a great message from which you have turned away.” (Sad: 4–5)

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

—Allah has said: “Do not take two gods. He is only one God. So fear Me alone.” (Al-Nahl: 51)

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

And He is the One who is God in heaven and God on earth. He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. (Al-Zukhruf: 53)

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

—And do not call upon any other deity besides Allah. There is no god except Him. Everything will perish except His Essence. Judgment belongs to Him alone, and to Him you will all be returned. (Al-Qasas: 88)

The polytheists asked the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Tell us the lineage of the Lord to whom you invite us. From what was He made? From whom did He inherit the world? Who will inherit it after Him?”

In reply, such a clear, comprehensive yet concise definition of Tawhid was stated that it entered the heart like a swiftly shot arrow. No trace of Shirk could find a place in the mind. Each word presented the concept of Tawhid clearly. Most importantly, because it was expressed in four concise and eloquent sentences, no listener could erase it from memory or avoid uttering it. It was proclaimed:

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

—(O Prophet, in reply to them) say: “He is Allah, One and Unique. Allah is Self-Sufficient, independent of all things, and no one is equal to Him.”

The meaning of the first sentence is this: the Lord about whom you ask, whom I acknowledge as the One God and wish others to acknowledge as well, is neither a novel god nor one of my imagination. Rather, He is the very God whom you call Allah with your own mouths; whose House you call the Baytullah, the House of Allah; to whom you prayed for protection only forty years ago during Abraha’s attack, forgetting your other gods at that time; and whom you yourselves acknowledge as the Creator of your earth and heaven and of every object in the world.

Then it was said of Allah Almighty that He is One and Unique. Every Arab knew the meaning of calling Allah Ahad here instead of Wahid. The word Wahid (****), meaning “one,” is used in Arabic for anything that is one in a particular respect, even if many kinds of plurality exist in it in countless other respects—for example, one house, one person, one family, one nation, one country and one world. The opposite word, Ahad, had not been found in Arabic usage before the revelation of Surah al-Ikhlas as an attribute used to describe someone’s absolute oneness. [It should be noted that the word Wahid (***) alone has nowhere been used for Allah Almighty in the Qur’an. Rather, another word has been joined to it, distinguishing Allah’s oneness from the oneness of any other worldly thing—for example, (******) or (*********). But in Surah al-Ikhlas, the word (আ****) has been used absolutely as an attribute of Allah. This usage is specific to Allah’s Essence—the author.]

(Thus, calling Allah “Ahad” expresses that He is One and Unique in every respect. He is not a member of any species of gods such that other beings of the same species could also be gods. Rather, in existence He is solitary, without comparison or rival, and in divinity too He is absolutely One. There is no plurality in Him in any respect. He is not an existence composed of material parts that can be divided and apportioned, that has shape and form, that occupies a place, from which something emerges or into which something enters; that has a color or limbs; that depends on any direction; or in which change or increase occurs. Holy and pure from every kind of plurality is the divine Essence, One and Unique in every respect. When He is Ahad, no partner can share in His divinity, lordship or sovereignty. No one shares in His Essence, attributes, authority or rights. None of the existing creation in the universe resembles or corresponds to Him.)

Then it was said that He is free of need. The word “Samad” was widely used in Arabic, and every Arab knew its meaning. It was used for a person who depended on no one and toward whom people turned to fulfill their needs.

A person superior to all others, with no one superior to him; one whose obedience was given and without whom no decision could be made; one without weakness, free from defect, untouched by calamity, who did everything according to his own will, whose decisions could not be reconsidered, and who possessed the qualities of authority—such a person was called Samad. It also meant something solid and full, not hollow or empty, from which nothing emerges and into which nothing enters. But for Allah Almighty, the expression is not merely “Samad”; rather, “al-Samad” is used, meaning that other things may be Samad in one respect but not in many others. The One who is completely Samad in every respect is Allah alone.

Then it was said that He has no child, nor is He anyone’s child. This refutes all those polytheistic notions based on the idea that gods too belong to a species in which lineage continues in the way it does among human beings. He will remain forever, uprooting this notion. Before Him there was no god from whom He was born, nor after Him is there or can there be any god born from Him.

Finally, it was said that no one is His kufu. Kufu means counterpart, likeness, equal in rank, peer or equal. By this, people were told that in the entire universe there is no one, nor has there ever been or can there ever be anyone, like Allah or equal to Him, or resembling Him in any way in His attributes, works, power or authority.

Proofs of Tawhid

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, did not stop at presenting this clear concept of Tawhid to the polytheistic society; rather, he established it forcefully with irrefutable arguments and proofs.

1. All Prophets Taught Tawhid

One extremely strong argument in this regard was that all the prophets who had come into the world before him taught Tawhid and ordered people to stay away from Shirk. Indeed, the Qur’an says of all the prophets collectively:

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

—We sent a prophet to every community with the teaching: Worship Allah and stay away from Taghut. [The eminent exegete Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari explained Taghut as follows:]

Every being that rebels against Allah and is worshipped besides Allah—whether the worshipper worships it under compulsion, through the exercise of force, or willingly and gladly—that is Taghut, meaning the one worshipped. It may be a human being, Satan, a deity or anything else. (Jami‘ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Qur’an, vol. 3, p. 13)—the author.] They should stay away from worshipping Taghut. (Al-Nahl: 36)

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

—And We sent no messenger before you without revealing to him: “There is no god except Me. So worship Me.” (Al-Anbiya: 25)

It was said regarding all past communities:

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

—And they were commanded nothing except to worship Allah, making the religion exclusively His and turning wholly toward Him, to establish prayer and give zakat. This is the upright religion. (Al-Bayyinah: 5)

Then, concerning individual prophets, it was said that this was their teaching. Each of the prophets, including Noah, Hud, Salih and Shu‘ayb (peace be upon them), first gave his people this very teaching:

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

—O my people! Worship Allah. You have no god besides Him. (Al-A‘raf: 59, 65, 73, 85; Hud: 50, 61, 84; Al-Mu’minun: 23, 32)

At the time of his death, Jacob asked his children, “Whom will you worship after me?” They replied, “We will worship the same God whom you, and your forefathers Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac, worshipped.” (Al-Baqarah: 133) Joseph addressed his fellow prisoners, saying:

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

—O my fellow prisoners! Are many different lords better, or Allah, the One, the Overpowering? You worship nothing besides Him except names that you and your forefathers have given them. Allah has sent down no authority for them. Judgment belongs to Allah alone. He has commanded that you worship none but Him. This is the upright religion, but most people do not know. (Yusuf: 39–40)

The first revelation sent to Moses (peace be upon him) was:

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

—Indeed, I am Allah. There is no god except Me. So worship Me and establish prayer for My remembrance. (Ta-Ha: 14)

Then, when the Children of Israel began worshipping the calf, Moses (peace be upon him) became furious with them and, after burning the idol they had made, said:

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

—Your true God is Allah alone, besides whom there is no god. (Ta-Ha: 98)

Jesus (peace be upon him) repeatedly said to the Children of Israel:

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

Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So worship Him. This is the straight path. (Aal ‘Imran: 51; Maryam: 36; Al-Zukhruf: 64)

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

—O Children of Israel! Worship Allah, who is my Lord and your Lord. Whoever associates anyone with Allah—for him Allah has forbidden Paradise, and his abode is Hell. There are no helpers for such wrongdoers. (Al-Ma’idah: 72)

For the Arab polytheists generally, and the Quraysh polytheists in particular, the strongest argument was the one presented in the Qur’an through the story of Abraham (peace be upon him). All the Arab polytheists acknowledged him as their leader and guide and regarded their religion as the religion he had shown them. The Quraysh’s pride, arrogance, influence and prestige rested on their genealogical connection with him and their custodianship of the Baytullah he had built. The Qur’an clearly tells the Quraysh and the Arabs that the departure of their ancestor and religious leader from Nimrod’s kingdom (Iraq) was based on this dispute: his father, his people and the government of his country were all polytheists. That is, Abraham (peace be upon him) openly refuted this Shirk, invited his people openly to Tawhid, and smashed the idols, for which he was thrown into a huge fire. But Allah Almighty brought him out of it alive and unharmed. He then left his country and set out toward the land of Canaan. Later, upon reaching Makkah, he built this House of Allah so that no one but the One God would be worshipped there. He prayed for his children that they would not become involved in the misguidance of idolatry. The Qur’an recounts this story in detail, forcefully and effectively, in various places. Reading it, one can imagine how deeply the Quraysh and the ordinary polytheists must have been stirred when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) recited these accounts to them in Makkah. Without prolonging the discussion, we present here only translations of the verses:

—And remember when Abraham said to his father, Azar: “Do you take idols as gods? Indeed, I see you and your people in clear error.”

.. Abraham said, “O my people! I am free of those whom you regard as partners of God. I have turned my face, as a true monotheist, toward Him who created the heavens and the earth, and I am certainly not among the polytheists.” His people began arguing with him. He said, “Do you argue with me about Allah, although He has guided me? I do not fear your appointed partners. Yet whatever my Lord wills to happen must happen. My Lord’s knowledge encompasses all things. Will you still not come to your senses? Why should I fear your appointed partners when you do not fear associating with Allah things for which He has sent down no authority? So tell me, if you have knowledge, which of the two parties is more entitled to security and tranquility?” (Al-An‘am: 74–81)

—And mention Abraham in this Book. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet. (Relate to them) when he said to his father, “My dear father! Why do you worship those that neither hear nor see and cannot benefit you in any way? My dear father! I have received knowledge that you have not received. Follow me; I will guide you to a straight path. My dear father! Do not worship Satan. Satan has disobeyed the Most Merciful. My dear father! I fear that you may be touched by a punishment from the Most Merciful and become a companion of Satan.”

His father said, “Abraham! Have you turned away from my gods? If you do not desist, I will stone you. So leave me forever.”

“Ibrahim says, ‘Peace be upon you. I shall pray to my Lord to forgive you. My Lord is indeed gracious to me. I am separating myself from you and from those beings whom you invoke instead of Allah. I shall call only upon my Lord. I hope that, by calling upon my Lord, I shall not be unsuccessful.’” (Maryam: 41–48)

“Ibrahim’s prayer for his father was only in accordance with the promise he had made to him. But when it became clear to him that he was an enemy of Allah, he dissociated himself from him.” (Tawbah: 114)

“Before this, We had granted Ibrahim understanding, and We knew him well. Recall when he said to his father and his people, ‘What are these idols to which you are so devoted?’ They replied, ‘We found our forefathers worshipping them.’ He said, ‘You and your forefathers have clearly been astray.’ They said, ‘Are you presenting your own thoughts to us, or are you joking?’ He said, ‘No, rather, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, Who created them, and I bear witness to this before you. By Allah, I shall certainly devise something against your idols when you have gone away.’ Then he smashed them to pieces, leaving only the largest of them intact, so that they might turn to it.”

“(When they returned and saw the condition of their idols) they said, ‘Who has done this to our gods? He must be a great wrongdoer.’ (Some people) said, ‘We heard a young man speaking about them; he is called Ibrahim.’ They said, ‘Then bring him before everyone, so that they may see what is to be done with him.’ (When Ibrahim came) the people said, ‘Ibrahim! Have you done this to our gods?’ He said, ‘Rather, this chief of theirs has done it. Ask it, if it can speak.’ Hearing this, they came to their senses and said to themselves, ‘You yourselves are the wrongdoers (for worshipping these helpless idols).’ Then, utterly confused, they said, ‘You know that they cannot speak.’ Ibrahim said, ‘Do you then worship, instead of Allah, those who can neither benefit nor harm you? Shame on you and on those gods you worship instead of Allah.’”

“They said, ‘Burn him and support your gods, if you are going to do anything.’ We said, ‘O fire, be cool and safe for Ibrahim.’ They intended to harm Ibrahim, but We made them unsuccessful.” (Anbiya: 51–70)

“And recount to them the story of Ibrahim, when he said to his father and his people, ‘What are these things that you worship?’”

“They said, ‘These are idols which we worship, and we remain devoted to their service.’ He said, ‘Do they hear you when you call them? Or can they benefit or harm you in any way?’ They replied, ‘We do not know that, but we found our forefathers doing this.’ Ibrahim said, ‘Have you ever considered what these really are, which you and your earlier forefathers have worshipped? They are all my enemies, except the Lord of the worlds, Who created me. Then He guides me, Who feeds me and gives me drink. When I become ill, He cures me. He will cause me to die and then bring me to life again. And I hope that He will forgive my mistakes on the Day of Judgment.’” (Shu‘ara: 69–82)

“And We sent Ibrahim. When he said to his people, ‘Worship Allah and fear Him. This is better for you, if you know. Those whom you worship instead of Allah have no power to provide you with sustenance. Seek sustenance from Allah, worship Him, and give thanks to Him. To Him you will be returned.’ … The answer of his people was only: ‘Kill him or burn him.’ But Allah saved him from the fire. Surely in this are signs for those who believe. And Ibrahim said, ‘You have taken idols, instead of Allah, as a means of mutual affection in this world. But on the Day of Resurrection you will disown one another and curse one another. The Fire will be your abode, and you will have no helpers.’ Then Lut believed in Ibrahim, and Ibrahim said, ‘I am emigrating to my Lord. He is truly Almighty and Wise.’” (Ankabut: 16–26)

“And Ibrahim followed the way of Noah. When he came before his Lord with a pure heart, he said to his father and his people, ‘What are these things that you worship? Do you seek fabricated gods instead of Allah? What is your opinion concerning the Lord of the worlds?’ Then he cast a glance at the stars and said to the people, ‘I am ill.’ So they went away, leaving him behind at their festival. Then he secretly entered their temple and said, ‘Why do you not eat? What is wrong with you that you do not speak?’ Then he fell upon them and struck them forcefully with his right hand.”

“(When the people of his community returned) they hurried to him. He said, ‘Do you worship things that you yourselves carve, whereas Allah created you and what you make?’ They said, ‘Build a fire for him and throw him into the blazing fire.’ They planned against him, but We humiliated them. And Ibrahim said, ‘I am going to my Lord—that is, I am emigrating. He will guide me.’” (Saffat: 83–99)

Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was brought before the king of the country because he claimed lordship, while he was not prepared to accept anyone besides Allah as Lord. The conversation that took place between them is quoted by the Qur’an as follows:

“When Ibrahim said, ‘My Lord is He Who gives life and causes death,’ he said, ‘I too have the power to give life and cause death.’ Ibrahim said, ‘Very well, Allah brings the sun from the east; you bring it from the west.’ At this, the disbeliever was left dumbfounded.” (Baqarah: 258)

Thus, because of Ibrahim’s opposition to shirk and his invitation to tawhid, his homeland became constricted for him. He left his country, his people, his family, and even his own father and set out in migration. At the time of departure, he and the believers with him clearly declared to their people—

“We reject you completely, as well as those gods whom you worship instead of Allah. We disown you, and enmity and hatred have arisen between us and you forever, until you believe in Allah alone.” (Mumtahanah: 4)

The Qur’an also states that when Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) came to Makkah, he built the Ka‘bah at the place designated for it. It was not built so that it would become a temple of idols and a pilgrimage site for polytheists, where worship would be offered to other than Allah and sacrifices made for other than Allah.

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“And remember when We assigned Ibrahim the site of this House (the Ka‘bah), saying: ‘Do not associate anything with Me, and keep My House pure for those who perform tawaf, bow, and prostrate. Then announce to the people the pilgrimage, so that they may come to you on foot and on every lean camel, coming from every distant pass, and benefit from the benefits available to them. Then let them mention Allah’s name on appointed days over the animals He has provided for them.’” (Hajj: 26–28)

Moreover, the Qur’an has also reminded people of the prayer that Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) made for the inhabitants of Makkah and for their future descendants.

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“My Lord, make this city a city of security, and keep me and my children away from worshipping idols. My Lord, these idols have led many people astray. So whoever follows me is truly of me, and whoever disobeys me—You are indeed Forgiving and Merciful.” (Ibrahim: 35–36)

This example concerning Hazrat Ibrahim was devastating to the religious foundation of the Quraysh and the Arab polytheists. They could lament it, but they could not deny it, because it was universally acknowledged among them that Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was neither a polytheist nor an idol-worshipper. He had built the Ka‘bah solely for the worship of Allah, and shirk became prevalent among the Arabs much later. Their traditions preserved when shirk began in Makkah and when and from where each idol was brought. Therefore, the Qur’an openly invited people:

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“Indeed, those with the greatest claim to Ibrahim are those who followed his way, and this Prophet (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) and those who believe. Allah is the protector and helper of the believers.” (Aal-e-Imran: 68)

2. Proof from the testimony of the polytheists’ hearts

The second powerful proof for tawhid is presented through the fact that when a severe crisis befalls the polytheists and they face death or destruction, they forget all their fabricated gods and continue praying only to Allah. The Qur’an describes their condition effectively and awakens in them the realization that proof of shirk’s falsehood and tawhid’s truth already exists within their own hearts; it becomes manifest at times of trial and danger. Then, after that time has passed, you draw a veil of heedlessness over it. (4)

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—(O Prophet), say to them, ‘Tell me, if Allah’s punishment comes upon you, or the Final Hour comes upon you, will you call upon anyone other than Allah? Answer, if you are truthful (about your shirk).’ At that time you will call upon Allah alone. Then, if He wills, He will remove the affliction for which you called upon Him, and you will forget those whom you associated with Him in lordship. (An‘am: 40–41)

After observing these signs, Ikrimah, the son of Abu Jahl, was blessed with the fortune of accepting faith. When Makkah was conquered by the Prophet (peace be upon him), Ikrimah fled toward Jeddah and boarded a ship bound for Abyssinia. A terrible storm began on the way, and the ship faced danger. At first, people began imploring all the various gods and goddesses for help. But when the storm grew stronger and the passengers became certain that the ship would sink, everyone began saying that at such a time no one could be called upon except Allah. Only if He willed could they survive. At that moment Ikrimah’s eyes were opened, and his heart declared: if there is no helper here except Allah, why should it be otherwise elsewhere? This is precisely what that righteous servant of Allah has been explaining to us for twenty years, while we have been needlessly disputing with him.

This was a decisive moment in the life of Ikrimah (may Allah be pleased with him). He then pledged to Allah that if he survived the storm, he would go straight to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and place his hand in his hand. Indeed, he fulfilled his pledge. Subsequently, he not only became a Muslim; he spent the rest of his life striving in jihad for Islam. (5)

This argument and proof has been presented in various places in the Qur’an. Without lengthening the discussion, we shall present only translations of the verses.

“He is Allah Who enables you to travel on land and sea. When you board ships and sail happily with a favorable wind, then a violent storm arises and waves strike them from every side, and the passengers realize that they are surrounded by the storm, they call upon Allah with sincere devotion: ‘If You save us from this, we shall surely be among the grateful.’ But when He saves them, they immediately transgress on earth unjustly.” (Yunus: 22–23)

“Your true God is He Who drives your ships across the sea so that you may seek of His bounty—that is, sustenance. Indeed, He is ever Merciful to you. When hardship befalls you at sea, all those whom you call upon disappear except Him alone. But when He saves you and brings you to land, you turn away from Him. Man is truly ungrateful.” (Bani Isra’il: 66–67)

“When hardship afflicts people, they turn to their Lord and call upon Him. Then, when He lets them taste some of His mercy, some of them suddenly associate partners with their Lord, showing ingratitude for what We have given them.” (Rum: 32)

“When affliction touches a person, he turns to his Lord and calls upon Him. Then, when his Lord blesses him with a favor, he forgets the affliction for which he had called upon Him earlier and sets up equals with Allah, thereby leading others astray from His path.” (Zumar: 8)

In other words, he not only goes astray himself, but also misleads others by saying, ‘The affliction that befell me was removed because I vowed an offering to such-and-such a saint, such-and-such a pious man, or such-and-such a god or goddess.’ Thus many other people become attached to imaginary gods besides Allah, and every ignorant person, by repeatedly recounting such experiences, continues to fuel the misguidance of the masses. (7)

In this way, the Qur’an struck the polytheists in their very veins and awakened within them the dormant feeling of tawhid. The Arabian Peninsula was full of dangers and calamities. The general insecurity of the country was extremely alarming for everyone. There was no arrangement for medicine or treatment of diseases anywhere, even across great distances.

People would lose consciousness in the terrifying dust storms of the desert. In such circumstances, every polytheist at some point in life would face such danger that, despairing from every direction, he would raise his hands in prayer before Allah, the One without partner, and believe that at that moment no one besides that Pure Being could help him. This happened especially often during sea voyages. The same condition was seen when Abraha attacked the Quraysh. Abandoning all their fabricated gods, they called upon Allah alone for help. At the time the Qur’an was revealed, many people were still alive who had witnessed this event. Surah Fil draws their attention to this, saying, ‘At that time, who was there besides your true Lord who destroyed the sixty thousand attackers and saved you from destruction?’ Similarly, Surah Quraysh draws their attention to this, saying: ‘Worship that Great God in whose House you took refuge and were saved from destruction, and through whom you obtained security, stability, and comfort in Arabia. This Benefactor is Allah, not those deities whom you have gathered in His House and whom you yourselves know could not have saved you from destruction.’

3. Proof from the natural order

Along with the two proofs mentioned above, the Qur’an repeatedly presents, in detail, an extremely powerful argument from the entire system of the universe: the God of this whole created world is, and can only be, One. Here too, we shall present only translations of the verses.

“O people, worship your Lord, Who created you and those who came before you, so that you may become mindful. He made the earth a resting place for you and the sky a canopy, sent down water from the sky, and brought forth from it various fruits as provision for you. So do not knowingly set up equals to Allah.” (Baqarah: 21–22)

“Among His signs is that He created you from dust, then you became human beings spreading throughout the earth. And among His signs is that He created spouses for you from your own kind so that you may find tranquility in them, and He placed affection and mercy between you. Surely in this are signs for those who reflect. Among His signs are the creation of the heavens and the earth and the diversity of your languages and colors. Surely in this are signs for those who know. Among His signs are your sleep by night and day and your seeking His bounty. Surely in this are signs for those who listen attentively. Among His signs is that He shows you lightning, inspiring both fear and hope, and sends down water from the sky, thereby reviving the dead earth. Surely in this are many signs for those who understand. Among His signs is that the heavens and the earth stand firm by His command. Then, whenever He calls you from the earth, you will suddenly emerge at one call. To Him belong all those in the heavens and the earth; all are obedient to Him. He originates creation, and then He will repeat it, and that is easier for Him. His are the highest attributes in the heavens and the earth, and He is Almighty and Wise.” (Rum: 20–27)

“Indeed, your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself upon the Throne. He causes the night to cover the day, while the day pursues the night. He created the sun, the moon, and the stars, all subjected to His command. Surely, creation and command belong to Him. Blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds.” (A‘raf: 54)

“Glory be to Him Who created all things in pairs, including what the earth produces, including humanity itself, and things unknown to them. And a sign for them is the night: We strip the day from it, and then they are in darkness. The sun travels toward its destination; that is the design of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. And for the moon We have determined phases until it returns like an old, dry date stalk. The sun cannot overtake the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day. Each floats in its orbit. Another sign for them is that We carried their offspring in the laden ship, and We created for them similar vessels on which they ride. If We willed, We could drown them, and there would be no one to answer their cries or save them. It is only by Our mercy that We let them enjoy life for a while.” (Yasin: 36–44)

“His command, when He wills a thing, is only to say to it, ‘Be,’ and it is. So glory be to Him in Whose hand is the complete authority over everything, and to Him you will be returned.” (Yasin: 81–83)

“Say, ‘Shall I seek a lord other than Allah, when He is the Lord of everything?’” (An‘am: 164)

“There is no creature moving on earth whose provision is not guaranteed by Allah, and He knows where it lives and where it will be laid to rest after death. Everything is recorded in a clear Book.” (Hud: 6)

“He is the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself upon the Throne. He knows what enters the earth and what emerges from it, what descends from the sky and what ascends into it. He is with you wherever you are, and He sees whatever you do. To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and to Allah all matters return. He merges night into day and day into night, and He knows well what is in the hearts.” (Hadid: 4–6)

“He manages all affairs of the heavens and the earth. Then the matter ascends to Him on a day whose measure is a thousand years according to your reckoning. He knows what is hidden and what is manifest. He is Almighty and Merciful.”

“He perfected everything He created. He began the creation of man from clay, then made his offspring from an extract of insignificant fluid.” (Sajdah: 5–8)

“Allah alone splits the seed and the fruit-stone. He brings the living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living. That is Allah—how then can you turn away from the truth? He splits the darkness of night and brings forth dawn. He made the night for rest, and the sun and moon for reckoning. That is the decree of the Almighty, the All-Knowing. He made the stars for you, so that you may find your way through the darkness of land and sea. We have explained the signs in detail for people who know. He created you from a single soul, then appointed for each of you a place of settlement and a place of return. We have explained these signs in detail for those who understand and act wisely.” (An‘am: 95–98)

“Say to them, ‘Who has the power to avert Allah’s decree concerning you if He intends harm or good for you?’” (Fath: 11)

“If Allah intends harm for you, none can remove it except Him; and if He intends good for you, none can prevent His favor.” (Yunus: 107)

“No one can withhold the mercy Allah opens for people, and whatever He withholds, no one can release. Is there any creator other than Allah who provides you with sustenance from the heavens and the earth? There is no god except Him. How then are you deluded?” (Fatir: 2–3)

“If there were other gods besides Allah in the heavens and the earth, the order of the earth and the heavens would have fallen into disorder. Allah, Lord of the Throne, is pure and free from what they attribute to Him. He is not answerable to anyone for what He does, whereas everyone is answerable to Him. Have they taken gods besides Him? Say to them, ‘Produce your proof.’” (Al-Anbiya: 22–24)

“Allah has not taken anyone as His son, nor is there any other god with Him. Had that been so, each god would have withdrawn with his creation and some would have dominated others. He is pure and free from what they attribute to Him.” (Al-Mu’minun: 91)

“Say to them, O Prophet, ‘Had there been other gods with Him, as they say, they would certainly have sought a way to reach the Lord of the Throne. He is pure, supremely exalted and far above what they say.’” (Bani Isra’il: 42–43)

These are some of the verses in which such strong proofs of Tawhid have been presented that anyone possessing even the slightest knowledge and understanding cannot help but acknowledge that the vast system of this universe, from the earth to the heavens, cannot function except under one God. These things have been created because He created them, and everything operates because He governs it. The wisdom, knowledge, power, mercy, compassion and sustaining authority within it; its order and regularity; and the harmony found among the countless things in creation—all clearly proclaim that none of this can exist without the lordship of one God. There is not the slightest possibility that anyone else possesses any divine power or authority within it. Otherwise, this system could never have continued so regularly, with such wisdom and harmony. Now it is clear that when the Creator is He, the Provider is He, the authority to cause benefit and harm belongs to Him alone, and He is the Owner of all power and authority, who else has the right to be worshipped? And how could anyone else’s rule and command operate under His creation? When a person worships someone, he does so believing that this being possesses some kind of power and authority and can bring benefit or harm. But when he knows that the being possesses no power or authority whatsoever, no one could be such a foolish simpleton as to worship him for no reason.

4. Arguments Refuting Shirk

Just as the Qur’an establishes Tawhid with compelling force, it also presents equally compelling proofs refuting Shirk. Thus Shirk has been utterly crushed. Here too, we shall present only translations of Qur’anic verses.

“Be aware: everything in the heavens and the earth belongs to Allah. Those who call upon others besides Allah follow nothing but conjecture and indulge in mere fantasies.” (Yunus: 66)

“Those whom you worship instead of Him are nothing but names that you and your forefathers have given them. Allah has sent down no authority that they are partners with God.” (Yusuf: 40)

“Therefore, do not entertain any doubt concerning the gods they worship. They are merely continuing to worship blindly, exactly as their forefathers used to worship.” (Hud: 109)

“When it is said to them, ‘Follow what Allah has revealed,’ they say, ‘Rather, we shall follow what we found our forefathers doing.’ Will they continue blindly following their forefathers, even if Satan is calling them toward the punishment of the blazing Fire?” (Luqman: 21)

“Did We give them a Book before this, whose authority they possess for worshipping angels? No; rather, they say, ‘We found our forefathers following a certain way, and we are following in their footsteps.’ Likewise, whenever We sent a warner to any town before you, O Muhammad, its prosperous people said, ‘We found our forefathers following a certain way, and we are following in their footsteps.’ Every prophet asked them, ‘What if I bring you a more rightly guided path than the one on which you found your forefathers?’ They gave every prophet the same reply: ‘We reject the message with which you have been sent.’” (Az-Zukhruf: 21–24)

“They worship, besides Allah, those for whom He has sent down no authority, nor do they possess any knowledge concerning their being partners in His divinity and worthy of worship.” (Al-Hajj: 71)

These verses and similar ones clearly state that the polytheists have no proof whatsoever for regarding others as partners of God and worthy of worship. They are merely following their forefathers blindly. They only assume, on the basis of conjecture, that certain beings have acquired a share of divine authority and power and therefore fulfil their desires. Yet God has never told them in any way that He has given any portion of His authority to any particular being. They possess no direct knowledge that some revered saint or some god or goddess has acquired any of God’s powers and authorities. Along with this, the Qur’an repeatedly presents proofs that Shirk is false and baseless.

“Who is it that created the heavens and the earth and sends down water for you from the sky, then brings forth beautiful gardens by it, whose trees you could never grow? Is there any other god besides Allah who shares in these acts? No. Yet these people are turning away from the true and straight path. And who is it that made the earth a dwelling place, caused rivers to flow through it, firmly set mountains in it, and placed a barrier between the two bodies of water, fresh and salty? Is there any other god who shares with Allah in these acts? No; most of them have no knowledge. Who is it that answers the distressed person when he calls upon Him and removes his distress? Who has made you successors on the earth? Is there any other god who shares with Allah in these acts? Little do you reflect. Who guides you through the darkness of the land and sea? Who sends the winds as glad tidings before His mercy? Is there any other god besides Allah who does these things? Exalted and glorified is Allah above what they associate with Him. Who originates creation and then repeats it? Who provides you with sustenance from the heavens and the earth? Is there any other god who shares with Allah in these acts? Say, ‘Produce your proof, if you are truthful in your Shirk.’” (An-Naml: 60–64)

“Blessed is He who revealed this Criterion to His servant so that he may be a warner to the worlds. He owns the kingdom of the earth and the heavens, has not taken a son, and has no partner in His kingdom. He created everything and determined its measure. Yet people have taken, besides Him, gods that create nothing, but are themselves created; that possess no power to bring benefit or harm; that can neither cause death nor give life, nor raise the dead to life.” (Al-Furqan: 1–3)

After mentioning many of Allah’s creative works in verses 3–16 of Surah An-Nahl, it is said: “Can the One who creates and the one who cannot create anything at all be equal? Will you not regain your senses and awareness?” (Verse 17)

“Ask them, O Prophet, ‘Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?’ Say, ‘Allah.’ Then ask them, ‘Have you taken others besides Him as masters who have no power even over their own benefit or harm?’ Say, ‘Can the blind and the seeing be equal? Can darkness and light be equal?’ Have those whom they have made partners with Allah created anything like His creation, so that creation has become confused for them? Say, ‘Allah is the Creator of everything, and He is the One, the Supreme.’” (Ar-Ra‘d: 16)

“Say, O Prophet, ‘Have you considered your partners whom you call upon instead of Allah? Tell me, what have they created on earth? Or do they have a share in the heavens? Or have We given them a Book on whose authority they rely for their Shirk?’ Nothing of the sort. Rather, the wrongdoers promise one another nothing but deception.” (Fatir: 40)

“If you ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, ‘Allah.’ Say, ‘Then consider: if Allah intends harm for me, can those whom you call upon besides Allah, your goddesses, avert the harm He has decreed for me? Or if He intends mercy for me, can they withhold His mercy?’ If they cannot say that they can do so, then say, ‘Allah is sufficient for me. Those who trust place their trust in Him.’” (Az-Zumar: 38)

The polytheists used to say, “Our gods are our means of attaining nearness to Allah and our intercessors before Him. That is why we worship them. We pray to them and call upon them for help so that they may assist us, benefit us and protect us from harm.” The Qur’an has also refuted this belief in detail.

“They worship, besides Allah, those who can neither benefit nor harm them. They say, ‘These are our intercessors with Allah.’ Say, ‘Are you informing Allah of something He does not know in the heavens or on the earth?’ Exalted and pure is He above the Shirk they commit.” (Yunus: 18)

Those who have taken protectors besides Allah say, “We worship them only so that they may bring us closer to Allah.” “Allah will judge between them concerning that over which they differ. Allah does not guide one who is a liar and an unbeliever.” (Az-Zumar: 3)

“They have taken other gods besides Allah so that they may be their helpers. No one can help them. Rather, they will all deny their worship and become their adversaries in the Hereafter.” (Maryam: 81–82)

“They have taken other gods besides Allah, hoping that they will help them. They cannot help them at all. Rather, these people themselves stand as an army for them, by whose support their supposed divinity continues.” (Ya-Sin: 74–75)

“Who is there that can intercede with Allah without His permission?” (Al-Baqarah: 255)

“Say, O Prophet, to these polytheists: ‘Call upon those whom you claim to be your gods besides Allah. They do not possess even the smallest thing, either in the heavens or on the earth. They have no share in the divinity of the heavens and the earth, nor does any one of them assist Allah. Intercession is of no use with Allah, except for the one whom Allah permits to intercede and on whose behalf He permits intercession.’” (Saba: 22–23)

“Who is more astray than one who calls upon, besides Allah, those who cannot answer him until the Day of Resurrection, and who are unaware that these people are calling upon them? When people are gathered together for the Resurrection, they will become enemies of those who called upon them and will deny their worship.” (Al-Ahqaf: 5–6)

“To call upon Allah is the true calling. Those whom they call upon besides Allah cannot answer them at all. The example of calling upon them is like someone stretching out his hands toward water and asking it to reach his mouth, although it cannot reach him. Likewise, the supplication of the disbelievers is futile—nothing but a stray arrow.” (Ar-Ra‘d: 14)

“The example of those who take protectors besides Allah is that of a spider. It builds a house, yet the weakest of all houses is the spider’s house. If only they had knowledge.” (Al-Ankabut: 41)

“O people! A parable is being given, so listen to it attentively. Those whom you call upon besides Allah cannot create even a fly, even if they all gathered together to do so. And if the fly were to snatch something away from them, they could not recover it. Both those who seek help and those from whom help is sought are weak. They have not recognized Allah with the recognition due to Him. Truly, Allah alone is Powerful and Mighty.” (Al-Hajj: 73–74)

“Do they associate with Allah those who have created nothing, while they themselves were created? They cannot help them, nor can they help themselves.” (Al-A‘raf: 191–192)

After mentioning Allah’s grace, mercy and blessings upon people in verses 65–72 of Surah An-Nahl, it is said:

“Do people, despite seeing and hearing all this, believe in falsehood and deny Allah’s grace and mercy? And do they worship, besides Allah, those who have no power to provide them with sustenance from the heavens or the earth—and cannot do so at all?” (An-Nahl: 72–73)

“Have they taken intercessors besides Allah? Say, ‘Even though they have no authority over anything and possess no understanding, will they still intercede?’ Say, ‘All intercession belongs to Allah. He owns the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Then to Him you will be returned.’” (Az-Zumar: 43–44)

“We destroyed many towns around you, and We explained Our signs to them in various ways so that they might return to the right path. Why, then, did those beings not help them whom they had taken as gods, regarding them as means of attaining nearness to Allah instead of Allah? Rather, when the punishment came, they abandoned them. That was the result of their false and imaginary beliefs, which they had fabricated.” (Al-Ahqaf: 27–28)

After describing the miraculous manifestations of Allah’s power in verses 11–13 of Surah Fatir, it is said: “That Allah, through whom these things take place, is your Lord. The kingdom belongs to Him alone. Those whom you call upon besides Him do not possess even a thing as small as a blade of grass. If you call upon them, they cannot hear your call; and even if they hear it, they cannot answer you. On the Day of Resurrection they will deny your Shirk.” (Fatir: 13–14)

“Allah alone judges with truth. Those whom these polytheists call upon besides Allah cannot judge anything. Indeed, Allah alone hears and sees all things.” (Al-Mu’min: 20)

Then people are told that whoever seeks honor—whether by seeking the help of a power, an intercessor, a means of attaining nearness to Allah, or by presenting offerings—has no need of any of these. There is only one way:

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Whoever desires honor should know that all honor belongs entirely to Allah. To Him ascends only pure speech, and righteous deeds raise it upward. (Fatir: 10)

The polytheists spoke of Allah having children, regarded the angels as Allah’s daughters, and worshipped them. The Qur’an has firmly rejected this claim and demonstrated the emptiness of this belief.

They have made the jinn partners with Allah, although He created them. They have also fabricated sons and daughters for Him without knowledge. He is pure and exalted above what they say. He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How could He have children when He has no consort? He created everything and has knowledge of everything. This is Allah, your Lord. There is no god except Him; He is the Creator of all things. So worship Him alone. He is the Guardian of everything. (Al-An‘am: 100–102)

“They say, ‘The Most Merciful has a son.’ Glory be to Him! Rather, they—the angels—are honored servants. They do not speak before Him, and they act only by His command. He knows what is before them and what is beyond their knowledge. They do not intercede except for one with whom He is pleased. They stand in awe of Him. If any of them were to say, ‘I am a god besides Him,’ We would punish him with Hell. Thus We recompense the wrongdoers.” (Al-Anbiya: 26–29)

“They have assigned some of His servants as a part of Him. Indeed, man is clearly ungrateful. Has Allah chosen daughters from among His creation while favoring you with sons? Yet when one of them is given the news of the birth of what they attribute to the Most Merciful, his face darkens and he becomes filled with anguish. Have they assigned to Allah those who are raised with ornaments and cannot express themselves clearly in argument? Have they seen the physical form of the angels, the servants of the Most Merciful, whom they regard as female? Their testimony will be recorded, and they will be held accountable.” (Az-Zukhruf: 15–19)

“Ask them whether their hearts approve that your Lord should have daughters while they have sons. Have We created the angels as females, and were they witnesses to that? Listen carefully: they are merely inventing the claim that Allah has a child. In reality, they are liars.”

Has Allah chosen daughters for Himself instead of sons? What is wrong with you? What kind of judgment are you making? Will you not come to your senses? Then produce the scripture containing authority for these claims, if you are truthful. (As-Saffat: 149–157)

“Have you considered the reality of Lat, Uzza and the third one, Manat? Are sons for you and daughters for Allah? That is indeed an unfair division! These are nothing but names that you and your forefathers have invented. Allah has sent down no authority for them—stating that they are His daughters. In reality, these people follow nothing but superstition and conjecture, and have become slaves to their desires, despite guidance having come to them from their Lord.” (An-Najm: 19–23)

Along with refuting each aspect of Shirk, the Qur’an also tells the polytheists that the only purpose of their gods is for them to present offerings before them, continue their acts of worship and celebration, and pray to them so that they may fulfil their wishes in this world. None of your gods can guide you regarding the correct principles of worldly life and what is wrong, or which path is right and which is false. Yet the one worthy of worship can only be the one who also guides servants and worshippers.

“Ask them, ‘Among the partners you have appointed, is there any who guides to the truth?’ Is the one who guides to the truth more worthy of being followed, or the one who cannot find the way unless he is guided? In reality, most of them follow nothing but conjecture, while conjecture cannot satisfy the need for truth in any way.” (Yunus: 36)

Thus, through proofs and arguments, Shirk is completely eradicated, and people are thoroughly warned that Shirk is a sin which Allah never forgives unless a person repents from it. No matter how many righteous deeds a person may perform, according to his own understanding, while committing this sin, all of them will be destroyed.

“Allah never forgives the sin of associating partners with Him. Other than that, He may forgive whatever sins He wills. Whoever associates anyone with Allah has fabricated a tremendous lie and committed a grave sin.” (An-Nisa: 48)

“Say to them, O Muhammad, ‘Then, O ignorant people, do you command me to worship anyone other than Allah? It has already been revealed to you and to the prophets before you: if you commit Shirk, all your deeds will surely become worthless and you will be among the losers. Rather, worship Allah alone and be among the grateful servants.’” (Az-Zumar: 64–66)

5. The Demands of Tawhid

Along with clearly establishing the truth of Tawhid and the falsehood of Shirk in every respect, the Qur’an also makes it clear that after accepting Allah as the One and only Lord and God—

(1) It becomes essential that no one besides Allah be worshipped or served.

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I created jinn and humankind not to worship anyone else, but only so that they would worship Me. (Adh-Dhariyat: 56)

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Do not prostrate to the sun or the moon; rather, prostrate to Allah, who created you, if you truly worship Him alone. (Ha-Mim Sajdah: 37)

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O Muhammad! We have revealed this Book to you in truth. So worship Allah alone, making the religion sincerely for Him. Beware: pure devotion belongs to Allah alone. (Az-Zumar: 2–3)

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Say, ‘I have been forbidden to worship those whom you call upon besides Allah.’ (Al-Mu’min: 66)

(2) It also becomes essential that no one be supplicated besides Allah. No one may be implored for help on the assumption that, by supernatural means, he can fulfil needs and accomplish tasks.

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O Allah, You alone we worship, and from You alone we seek help.

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And do not call upon anyone besides Allah for help—someone who can neither benefit you nor harm you.

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And do not call upon any other deity along with Allah for help. There is no true deity besides Him.

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And your Lord has said, “Call upon Me; I will answer your prayer. Those who turn away arrogantly from My worship will enter Hell in humiliation.” (Mu’min: 60) [This verse makes it clear that prayer and worship have the same essence. Whoever asks someone for a prayer is, in reality, worshipping that person. —Author]

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And when My servants ask you about Me, tell them that I am near. [That is, no intermediary is needed to pray to Me. I hear prayers directly. —Author] When the one who prays calls upon Me, I answer his prayer. (Baqarah: 186) [Answering does not mean that the one who prays will hear that answer. Rather, it means that I alone take action in response to all petitions and pleas. —Author]

(3) It is also essential not to regard anyone besides Allah as “‘Alimul-Ghaib.” No one else may be believed to know all the hidden and manifest secrets of creation and to possess knowledge of every matter from the past to the future.
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Say, “None among those in the heavens and the earth possesses knowledge of the unseen except Allah alone.” (Naml: 65)

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With Him are the keys of the unseen; no one knows them except Him. He knows whatever is on land and in the sea. He knows when a leaf falls from a tree. There is no seed in the darknesses of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry, that is not recorded in a clear register. (An‘am: 59)

(4) It is also indispensable that no animal be slaughtered or sacrificed in anyone’s name besides Allah, or at any shrine. Every animal over which Allah’s name was not pronounced at the time of slaughter, or over which the name of someone else was pronounced along with Allah’s, will be unlawful. The Qur’an explicitly states in four places that an animal over which anyone’s name besides Allah’s was pronounced at slaughter is unlawful (Baqarah: 173; Ma’idah: 3; An‘am: 145; Nahl: 115). Surah Ma’idah also gives a detailed explanation that animals slaughtered at the shrines which the polytheists had established for sacrificing offerings to other than Allah are likewise unlawful. (Verse: 3)

Then it is clearly stated in An‘am:

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Therefore, eat of the flesh of that animal over which Allah’s name was pronounced at the time of slaughter.

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And do not eat the flesh of any animal over which Allah’s name was not pronounced at the time of slaughter, for that is rebellion against God.

(5) It is also essential to acknowledge the God whose lordship and authority over the entire creation must be accepted in all human affairs—morality, civilization, culture, social life, politics, economics, law and the judiciary, war and peace, and so forth. His law shall be the law; no one else has the authority to formulate laws in opposition to Him. What He has declared unlawful is unlawful, and what He has declared lawful is lawful. No one has the right to determine what is lawful and unlawful on his own authority. Neither may people, individually or collectively, exercise their will independently, nor accept laws and regulations formulated according to the will of anyone besides the One God. The authority to decide all human affairs belongs to Allah, not to His servants.

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Whatever matter you differ over, its judgment belongs to Allah. (Shura: 10)

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Do these people have partners with God who have prescribed for them a law of religion for which Allah has given no permission? (Shura: 21)

It is clear from this verse that by “partners” it does not mean those to whom prayers are offered, to whom offerings are dedicated, and before whom acts of worship are performed. Rather, it necessarily means those people whom others regard as partners in governance and command. People believe in the ideas, beliefs, doctrines, and philosophies they set forth; accept the values they establish; acknowledge the standards of morality, civilization, and culture they present; and adopt the laws, methods of conduct, and traditions they devise in their religious rites, private lives, society, culture, commerce and transactions, courts, politics, and government administration—as though these were their Shariah, which they are obliged to follow. (8)

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They have taken their scholars and monks as their lords besides Allah, and likewise the Messiah, son of Mary. Yet they were commanded to worship none but the One Allah; there is no one worthy of worship besides Him. He is pure and exalted above what they associate with Him. (Tawbah: 21)

It is related in a hadith that ‘Adi ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him) had previously been a Christian. When he came into the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and became a Muslim, he asked, among other questions, “This verse alleges that we took our scholars and monks as gods. What does it really mean?”

The Messenger (peace be upon him) replied, “Is it not true that when they deemed something unlawful, you also accepted it as unlawful, and when they deemed something lawful, you also accepted it as lawful?” He said, “Indeed, we certainly did that.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “That is what it means to take them as gods.”

It is thus known that those who, without the authority of Allah’s Book, define the boundaries of what is permissible and impermissible in human life are the ones who, in reality, sit proudly upon the throne of divinity. Those who acknowledge their right to formulate this Shariah make them into gods. (9)

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O Prophet, ask them, “Have you considered that among the provisions Allah sent down for you, you yourselves have declared some unlawful and some lawful?” Ask them, “Has Allah permitted you to do this, or are you fabricating lies against Allah?” (Yunus: 59)

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And do not falsely attribute to Allah, through the lying judgments issued by your tongues that this is unlawful and that is lawful. Those who fabricate lies against Allah will never prosper. (Nahl: 116)

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Those who do not judge according to the law sent down by Allah—they are the disbelievers… they are the wrongdoers… they are the defiantly disobedient. (Ma’idah: 44–47)

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Have you seen the one who has taken his own desire as his god—that is, who has become self-willed and begun serving his desires? (Jathiyah: 23)

Thus, the teaching of monotheism conveyed by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) did not merely demand that people refrain from worshipping anyone besides the One God, praying to anyone besides Him, or sacrificing in anyone else’s name. His teaching also required people to abandon all their customs and traditions, and all laws, regulations, and principles devised by themselves or by others, to accept Allah alone as the Lawgiver, and to follow the law He had given. The Prophet himself (peace be upon him) was no exception in this matter. He too was commanded to follow the law sent down by Allah and not to declare anything lawful or unlawful according to his own will.

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O Muhammad (peace be upon him), follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord through revelation.

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O Prophet, why do you declare unlawful what Allah has made lawful for you?

This was a call to a comprehensive revolution that sought to change not merely religion, but the entire system of life. It was only natural that it should create agitation among the polytheists of Arabia. But the Quraysh in particular became alarmed because their interests were suffering a tremendous blow. Since this call had arisen from their own tribe and their own city, they could see their destruction in it. (10)

The Major and Fundamental Reason for the Quraysh’s Opposition

The Qur’an states that the danger the Quraysh feared in accepting the call of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was as follows:

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They say, “If we follow this guidance with you, we will be driven out of our land.” (Qasas: 57)

Deep reflection reveals that this was the fundamental reason for the Quraysh’s denial of the truth. To understand this properly, we need to see what status the Quraysh held at that time from a historical perspective, and what they feared would be undermined.

First, what gave them importance in Arabia was that, according to the Arab genealogies, they were established as descendants of Ishmael (peace be upon him). On this basis, the Arabs regarded them as a family of saintly descent. Then, through the efforts and planning of Qusayy ibn Kilab, when they became custodians of the Ka‘bah and Makkah became their abode, their importance increased greatly. They had now become the priests of Arabia’s greatest sanctuary and attained the position of religious leadership over all the Arab tribes. There was no Arab tribe that did not maintain some relationship with them on account of the Hajj. Because of this central status, they gradually prospered in trade. Fortunately for them, the mutual conflicts between Rome and Iran granted them a special position in international commerce. At that time, Iran had blockaded all the trade between China, India, Indonesia, and East Africa on one side, and Rome, Greece, Egypt, and Syria on the other. The last remaining route was through the Red Sea. But after Iran occupied Yemen, that route too was closed. There was then no way to keep trade open except for Arab merchants to transport goods from Roman-controlled territories to the ports of the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, and to carry Eastern goods from those ports to Roman-controlled territories. As a result, Makkah became an international commercial center, and the Quraysh held a monopoly over this trade. Yet the disorderly and anarchic conditions of Arabia did not permit the free movement of goods. Trade could proceed only through the territories of tribes along whose lands the commercial highways passed, and with whom the Quraysh maintained close relations. For this purpose, the Quraysh chiefs did not consider their religious influence sufficient. They were therefore bound by treaties with all the tribes. A share of the business profits was given to them, and the tribal sheikhs and chiefs were kept pleased with gifts as well. Such a network of usurious dealings had also been spread that the merchants and chiefs of all the neighboring tribes had become involved in it.

When the call to monotheism came from the Prophet (peace be upon him), the factor that stirred the Quraysh against him, even more than their religious bigotry concerning their forefathers, was that they felt their interests were endangered by this call. They believed that even if sound arguments proved polytheism and idolatry false and monotheism true, abandoning the former and accepting the latter would be disastrous for them. If they accepted monotheism, all Arabia would turn against them. They would be dispossessed of their custodianship of the Ka‘bah. All their treaty relations with the idolatrous tribes would be severed. Through those relations, their merchants traveled day and night through various regions. In this way, the new religion would destroy not only their religious influence and prestige but also their economic prosperity. Indeed, it was not impossible that all the Arab tribes would force them to leave Makkah.

Here a remarkable picture of the short-sightedness of the worshippers of worldly gain emerges before us. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) repeatedly assured them that if they accepted the creed he presented, Arabia and the non-Arab world would come under their rule. But they saw their own death in it. They thought that the wealth and influence they possessed would disappear as soon as they accepted this call—let alone Arabia and the non-Arab world submitting to them. They feared that, upon accepting this creed, they would become so helpless and resourceless in this land that, just as a kite or crow snatches away a piece of meat, they would be expelled from it and find refuge nowhere. Their narrow vision could not see that, only a few years later, all Arabia would come under a central government headed by Muhammad (peace be upon him). Then, during the lifetime of that very man, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Egypt would each in turn come under this state; and before a century had passed, representatives of the Quraysh would rule over a vast portion of the world, from Sindh to Spain and from the Caucasus to the coast of Yemen.

The Qur’an’s Answer to Their Objection

See how influential the answer given by the Qur’an in Surah Qasas to all those excuses and objections was:

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Is it not that We established for them a secure sanctuary as their abode, to which all kinds of produce are brought as provision from Us? But most of them do not know. (Qasas: 57)

This was the first answer to their excuse from Allah Almighty. Its meaning was: The goods of the whole world are being imported into this barren valley because of the complete security of the sanctuary and its central status. Was this the result of any effort or planning of yours? Two and a half thousand years ago, a servant of Allah brought his wife and nursing infant to this waterless, vegetation-free valley among rocky mountains. He built a chamber by placing stones upon stones and proclaimed aloud, “Allah has made this a sanctuary. Come toward this House and circumambulate it.”

What else could explain this place remaining the center of Arabia for twenty-five centuries except the blessing granted by Allah? Even amid the country’s terrible insecurity, this was the one place where security prevailed. Every Arab, even every child, regarded it with reverence. Thousands came each year to circumambulate it. The benefit of this blessing was that you became the leaders of the Arabs and held a vast share of the world’s commerce. Do you think that, while turning away from and rebelling against the God who bestowed this blessing upon you, you will rise to the heights of prosperity, yet be destroyed merely by following His religion? Then it was said:

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And how many towns have We destroyed whose people were excessively proud of their livelihoods. Look now: their homes lie deserted, and few lived in them after them. Ultimately, We became their inheritors.” (Qasas: 58)

This was the second answer to their excuse. Its meaning was: The wealth and comfort of which you are proud, and for fear of losing which you wish to draw close to falsehood and turn away from the path of truth, were once enjoyed by the people of ‘Ad, Thamud, Saba, Midian, and the people of Lot as well. Could these things save them from destruction? Improvement in the standard of living is not the sole objective, such that a person becomes indifferent to truth and falsehood and pursues it alone, refusing to accept the path of truth for fear of losing that objective. Do you have any guarantee that, by stubbornly clinging to the misguidance and sinful ways that destroyed prosperous nations of the past, you will escape? Will you not meet the same fate as them? Then it is said:

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Your Lord would never destroy towns until He had sent a Messenger to their central city, who recited Our verses to them. We do not destroy towns unless their inhabitants are wrongdoers. (Qasas: 59)

This was the third answer to their excuse. The people of the nations destroyed previously were wrongdoers, but before destroying them God sent His Messenger to warn them. When, despite his warning, they did not desist from their deviation, they were destroyed. You are now facing the same situation; you too have become wrongdoers. A Messenger has also come to warn you. By adopting disbelief and atheism, you will not be able to preserve your pleasures and prosperity; rather, you will endanger them. The destruction you fear will not result from faith, but from denial. Then it was declared:

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Whatever you have been given is merely the provision and adornment of the life of this world. What is with Allah is better and more lasting than this. Will you not use your intellect? Can the one whom We have promised—and who will certainly receive what he has been promised—be like the one to whom We have given only the provisions of this world and who will then be brought forward for punishment on the Day of Resurrection? (Qasas: 60–61)

This was the fourth answer to their excuse. To understand this answer, two things must first be grasped.

The first is that the duration of worldly life is no more than a few years. It is merely a temporary stage of a journey. The true everlasting life will come later. However much a person accumulates in this temporary life, and however much he lives a life of pleasure and enjoyment, it must end, and all the goods here must be left here. In exchange for these pleasures, a wise person will even agree to endure hardship and misfortune here for a few years if he can acquire from here such merit as will make the subsequent eternal life everlasting.

The second point is that Allah’s religion does not demand that people gain no benefit from the provisions of this worldly life or reject its adornment with needless disdain. It demands only that they give priority to the Hereafter over this world, because this world is perishable while the Hereafter is eternal. The pleasures of this world are inferior, whereas the happiness and peace of the Hereafter are superior. Therefore, people should certainly obtain those provisions and adornments of this world that lead to success in the everlasting life of the Hereafter, or at least prevent them from suffering permanent loss there. But if a conflict arises between the two—that is, if success in this world and success in the Hereafter become opposed—then a person must sacrifice this world for the Hereafter and must never, for the sake of temporary worldly pleasure, choose a path whose consequence will be an evil outcome for all eternity.

Keeping these two points in view, see what Allah is saying in the statements above. He is not saying: Abolish trade and commerce; close your businesses; accept our Prophet and embrace poverty. Rather, He is saying: The wealth of this world in which you are immersed is very little, and you can benefit from it only for a short time in this worldly life. In contrast, what is with Allah is superior in quality and quantity and everlasting. Therefore, you will act foolishly if, to enjoy the limited blessings of this temporary life, you behave in a way whose consequence you must suffer as eternal loss in the Hereafter. Compare for yourselves: Who is successful—the person who obeys his Lord with hard work and utmost effort and is then blessed with His favors forever, or the one who will be arrested as a criminal and brought before God’s court, even if he happens to enjoy for a few days the wealth acquired unlawfully before his arrest? Finally, it is said:

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And let them not forget the Day when He will call to them, saying, “Where are My partners whom you used to claim?” (Qasas: 63)

This too was said in connection with the fourth answer. It relates to the final sentence of the preceding verse. It says that, because of their worldly interests alone, they stubbornly persisted in the misguidance of polytheism, idolatry, and denial of prophethood; they would have to witness its terrible consequence in the everlasting life of the Hereafter. The purpose was to create this realization: Suppose no hardship befalls you in this world and you enjoy great pleasure in this temporary life; even then, if its consequence in the Hereafter is of this kind, think for yourselves—are you making a profitable bargain, or one of utter loss? (11)

Second Section

The Call to Believe in the Messengership of Muhammad

The second important matter in the Islamic call was to acknowledge Allah, the One without partners, as the only Lord, the only Sovereign, and the possessor of dominion and authority, and then also to acknowledge that the Messenger is the only reliable prophet through whom Allah Most High guides people, gives commands and injunctions, teaches the methods of worship, teaches correct beliefs, and teaches the distinction between the sound and erroneous principles of deeds and character. He then sends the laws that people must follow in every sphere of life. Therefore, after believing in Allah’s Oneness, it is essential for people to believe in the Messenger’s messengership, accept him as the sole representative of Allah’s will, abandon obedience to everyone else and obey him alone. Abandoning all other forms of obedience, they must follow the commands and guidance that the Messenger conveys from the One God who sent him. Thus, belief in messengership was giving practical form to the great revolution that Islam sought to bring about in human life by making people acknowledge Allah’s Oneness. For after accepting Oneness, when a person becomes certain that he must worship Allah alone and live according to His guidance, the question arises: how will he put this belief into practice? How will he know the correct method of worshipping Allah and what guidance of His he must now follow? The Qur’an says that this method has always been that Allah appoints one of His servants as His Messenger and gives him knowledge of all matters that must be acted upon according to His will. There is no other practical way to worship Him than to accept the Messenger’s messengership and follow his example. In this way, humanity, divided by different beliefs and ideologies, superstitions and notions, religions and creeds, customs and traditions, and servitude and obedience to various false gods, becomes united around one centre, and the religion is established in reality upon which uniting and consolidating humankind is the aim of the Islamic call.

If the teachings of the Qur’an are considered in the following order, the matter can be fully understood.

The Announcement of Sending Prophets at the Beginning of Creation

The first statement made in the Qur’an about prophethood is that, at the very beginning of the human race on earth, the children of Adam were warned that they would have to obey the guidance sent to them through the Messengers.

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O children of Adam! If Messengers from among yourselves—that is, from among human beings—come to you, reciting My verses to you, then whoever guards himself against disobedience and reforms his conduct will have no cause for fear or grief. But those who reject Our verses and rebel against them will be the inhabitants of Hell, where they will remain forever. (Al-A‘raf: 35–36)

Human Success and Loss Depend on Whether They Obey the Messengers

This same point is made in verses 38–39 of Surah al-Baqarah and verses 123–124 of Surah Ta-Ha, where Adam and Eve’s being sent to earth is mentioned. It is not merely reported that Messengers would be sent for human guidance; a warning is also given that their success or failure depends on whether they accept the guidance of the Messengers and adopt the path of God-consciousness and reform. If they do not, they will suffer punishment in this world as well as the punishment of Hell. Indeed, the reason given in various places for punishment coming upon different nations in the world is that they refused to accept the words of the Messengers who came to them, as in the following:

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Have they not travelled through the land so that they could see the fate of those who lived before them? They were stronger than these people of Quraysh and left far more impressive traces upon the earth. Then Allah seized them for their sins, and there was no one to protect them from Allah. This fate befell them because their Messengers came to them with clear signs, but they refused to accept them. So Allah seized them. Surely He is Most Powerful and severe in punishment.

Almost the same statement is made in verses 25–16 of Surah Fatir and verses 5–6 of Surah al-Taghabun. The Qur’an is full of the stories of nations that denied the Messengers sent to them and ultimately faced punishment in this world itself.

Then, concerning the Hereafter, it is said that Allah’s argument against people there will be established on the basis that Messengers had been sent to them and had clearly explained the distinction between truth and falsehood and the straight path of truth. Despite this, they did not believe in them or obey them. Therefore, they now deserve punishment.

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O Muhammad! We have sent revelation to you in the same way as We sent it to Noah and the prophets who came after him. These Messengers were sent as bearers of glad tidings and warners, so that after they had been sent, people would have no argument against Allah. (Al-Nisa: 123–124)

In other words, the work of these prophets was that they gave glad tidings of success and prosperity to those who believed in the teachings they brought and purified their thoughts and deeds accordingly. And they warned those who did not believe and did not abandon the erroneous paths of thought and action of a terrible fate. The purpose of sending these prophets was that Allah wished, through them, to clarify the true path and thereby complete His proof against humankind, so that no unbeliever or criminal could offer the excuse in the court of the Hereafter that no arrangement had been made to tell them the actual truth and that they were now being seized while unaware.

While mentioning the Hereafter, the Qur’an gives the warning that all the deeds of those who deny and oppose messengership—deeds they considered righteous—will be ruined there. Then, when they are admitted into Hell, they will be told: through the Messengers, all arguments and proofs were conclusively established against you. Therefore, you are now suffering punishment, and in reality you deserve this punishment.

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Those who refused to accept—that is, refused to accept the Messenger and the teachings he brought [the author]—and hindered people from Allah’s path [the phrase ‘saddū ‘an sabīlillāh’ is used here. The word ‘sadd’ is used in Arabic both transitively and intransitively. Thus, this phrase also means refraining from following Allah’s path oneself; it can also mean preventing others from coming to this path. There are several forms of hindering. First, a person forcibly prevents someone from believing. Second, he subjects a believer to such oppression and persecution that remaining firm in faith, and believing while others are in such a frightening condition, becomes difficult. Third, by inciting people against Allah’s religion and the Messenger who presents it, they implant such misgivings in their hearts that people become misguided and refrain from coming to Allah’s path. Moreover, every unbelieving society is a major obstructive force in Allah’s path, because through its education and culture, social structure, customs and traditions, and religious bigotry, it creates strong barriers to the spread of the true religion—the author], and disputed with the Messenger after the true path had become clear to them, can never harm Allah. Rather, Allah will render all their deeds fruitless. (Muhammad: 32)

In such a situation, Allah Most High will ask them—

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O company of jinn and humankind! Did Messengers from among yourselves not come to you, reciting My verses to you and warning you about the consequences of this Day? They will say, “We testify against ourselves.”

The life of this world had deceived them. But in the Hereafter they will testify against themselves that they were unbelievers. This testimony will be taken from them so that it may be established that your Lord did not destroy the towns unjustly while their inhabitants were unaware of the truth. (Al-An‘am: 130–191)

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Whenever a group of people is thrown into it, its keepers will ask, “Did no warner come to you?” They will say, “Yes, a warner did come to us, but we rejected him and said, ‘Allah has revealed nothing, and you are deeply astray.’” Then they will say, “If only we had listened and used our understanding, we would not have been among the inhabitants of the blazing Fire.” Thus they will acknowledge their sin. So away with the inhabitants of Hell! (Al-Mulk: 8–10)

A similar statement is made in verses 71–72 of Surah al-Zumar. This makes it clear that messengership is so important in Islam that a person’s happiness or misery, from this world until the Hereafter, depends on whether he accepts it or rejects it.

All

Prophets Came to All Nations, and Their Call Was One

The Qur’an also says that, from the very beginning of humankind, prophets continued to come among all peoples. Their religion was one. Their call was also one. The purpose of all their coming was one. Their common demand was that people should refrain from disobeying Allah and obey Him.

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There has never been a nation to which a warner did not come. (Fatir: 24)

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For every nation there was a guide. (Al-Ra‘d: 17)

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We never destroyed a town without a warner having come to it. (Al-Shu‘ara: 208)

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We sent a Messenger to every nation, calling them: Worship Allah and keep away from the worship of false deities. (Al-Nahl: 36)

It is stated concerning every prophet, from Noah to Jesus, that each of them said to his own people: (Arabic*********)—Fear Allah and obey me. (See Al ‘Imran: 50; Al-Shu‘ara: 108, 110, 126, 131, 141, 150, 163, 171; Al-Zukhruf: 63; Noah: 3)

The Purpose of the Coming of the Prophets

Then it is stated that the purpose of the coming of all the prophets was:

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We sent Our Messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance so that people might uphold justice. (Al-Hadid: 25)

Upholding justice means being just toward oneself, toward God, and toward every person with whom one may be connected: within one’s society, in every transaction, in one’s culture and civilization, in politics and systems of government, in the courts, and in international relations. In short, establishing justice in every sphere and aspect of life, individually and collectively, was the purpose of sending all the prophets.

The Messengership of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him

Against this background of the history and authenticity of prophethood and messengership, the Quraysh first, then the Arabs, and thereafter the whole world were told that Muhammad was one of the Messengers who had been sent before him. He brought a religion that had been the religion of all prophets since the beginning of humankind. The Prophet Muhammad came to cleanse that religion of all adulteration and distortion and present it in its true and pure form. Now the religion of God, His Shariah, His laws, and His commands are being presented by the Prophet not on his own authority, but on the basis of revelation sent by God. Obedience to him is obedience to God, and disobedience to him is disobedience to God. Therefore, it is not enough for people merely to believe that he is God’s Messenger. After believing, they must abandon obedience to everyone else and obey him wholeheartedly. For turning away from his guidance means turning away from obedience to the God who sent him into the world as His Messenger.

Before the advent of the Prophet, peace be upon him, the Arabs were awaiting a prophet

It should be noted that, observing the degraded moral condition and misconduct of the Christians, Jews, and followers of other religions around them, the Arabs themselves used to say, “If what had come to these nations were to come to us—that is, messengership and guidance sent by God—we would prove ourselves more excellent and advanced than all of them.”

The Qur’an proclaimed this statement, and there was no one who denied it.

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These people—the Quraysh and the Arabs—used to swear emphatically that if a warner, that is, a Messenger, came to them, they would be more rightly guided than all other nations. But when the warner did come to them, his coming only increased their flight from the true religion. They became even more arrogant in the world and began employing the worst schemes to harm him. Yet those who devise such schemes are themselves destroyed by them. (Fatir: 42–43)

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They had previously said, “Would that we had the Reminder—the message of Allah’s admonition—that earlier nations received; then we would surely have been devoted servants of Allah.” But when it came, they rejected it. Soon they will learn its consequence. (Al-Saffat: 167–170)

This shows that they had desired the coming of a Messenger. But when that blessing reached them, they began to oppose it stubbornly and obstinately.

The Prophet, peace be upon him, belonged to the prophets, and the source of his knowledge was the same revelation that was given to all the prophets

Keeping this truth in view, observe how the Qur’an introduced the messengership of the Prophet and what status it presented for him—

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By the Wise Qur’an, O Muhammad, you are surely among the Messengers, upon a straight and true path. In other words, you are among the Messengers, and the clear proof of your messengership is that you present this Wise Qur’an. (Ya-Sin: 1–4)

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Thus We have revealed this Arabic Qur’an to you, O Muhammad, so that you may warn the Mother of Cities—Makkah—and those around it. (Al-Shura: 7)

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O Muhammad, say: O humankind! I am Allah’s Messenger sent to all of you, Allah, to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. (Al-A‘raf: 158)

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Blessed is He who sent down this Qur’an, which distinguishes truth from falsehood, upon His servant so that he may warn the people of the world. (Al-Furqan: 1)

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O Muhammad! We have sent revelation to you as We sent it to Noah and those who came after him, and as We sent revelation to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants of Jacob, and to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon; and We gave David the Psalms. (Al-Nisa: 163)

The Purpose of Sending the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him

We have stated earlier that the purpose of his sending—which is mentioned in verse 25 of Surah al-Hadid—was the same as the purpose for which all the prophets were sent. Nevertheless, the Qur’an has described in detail to the Quraysh and the Arabs the purpose of appointing him specifically as a Messenger. We quote these passages in sequence.

His prophethood is eternal and universal

He is not for any particular nation, nor only for all the people of his own age; rather, he is the Messenger for all people until the Day of Resurrection—those to whom his message reaches.

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This Qur’an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you and everyone to whom it reaches. (Al-An‘am: 19)

He presents a pure religion free from all distortion

He did not come to refute the teachings brought by the preceding prophets; rather, he affirmed their truth. He was entrusted with the task of removing the later mixtures introduced into the teachings of the preceding prophets and presenting in pure form the true religion that had been the one true religion prescribed by God for humankind from the beginning of creation.

The Qur’an states in various places that he did not come to refute the teachings of the preceding prophets, but to affirm their truth. For example:

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Rather, Muhammad has come with the truth, and he affirms the truth of all the prophets sent by God. (Al-Saffat: 37)

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This Qur’an is not something that could have been fabricated on its own without revelation from God. Rather, it confirms the truth of what came before it and gives a detailed explanation of the Book—that is, every book that came from God. There is no doubt that it is from the Lord of the worlds. (Yunus: 37)

The meaning of ‘a detailed explanation of the Book’ is that the essence of all the fundamental teachings and guidance that first came through God’s Books has been brought together in this Book. Indeed, they are described here in greater detail. The Qur’an also states in various places that those who inherited the earlier Books introduced many changes and additions of their own. Therefore, another task of the Prophet, peace be upon him, is to distinguish for them what is truly unlawful in God’s Shariah as unlawful and what is truly lawful as lawful.

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So woe to those who write a Book with their own hands and then say, ‘This is from Allah.’ (Al-Baqarah: 79)

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Among them are people who twist their tongues while reciting the Book so that you may think that what they recite is part of the Book, although it is not part of the Book. They say, ‘This is from Allah,’ although it is not from Allah. They knowingly attribute lies to Allah. (Al ‘Imran: 78)

On this basis, the Prophet, peace be upon him, was assigned the responsibility of presenting the teaching of the pure true religion, free from all adulteration. Whatever it contains that is unlawful, he would deem unlawful, and whatever it contains that is lawful, he would deem lawful.

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Those among the People of the Book and the polytheists who disbelieved were not prepared to desist until clear evidence came to them: a Messenger from Allah reciting purified scriptures, in which are written entirely true and correct statements. (Al-Bayyinah: 1–3)

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This unlettered Prophet enjoins them to do what is good and forbids them from doing what is evil; he makes pure things lawful for them and impure things unlawful—that is, he abrogates the lawful and unlawful they had deliberately instituted—and removes from them their burdens and the shackles that had been imposed upon them. (Al-A‘raf: 157)

Explanation of the divine commandments through word and deed, and purification of the soul

The responsibility of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not merely to convey to the people the knowledge given to him through revelation from Allah. Rather, he was also responsible for explaining, through his words and deeds, the beliefs, commandments, guidance, laws and regulations of the religion in accordance with the meanings of those commands and ordinances conveyed to him by Allah Himself, and, on that basis, purifying and organizing their distorted way of life through education and training.

It is Our responsibility to make you remember this Qur’an and to have you recite it. Therefore, O Prophet, when We recite it, listen to its recitation. Then it is also Our responsibility to explain its meaning. (Al-Qiyamah: 17–29)

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And We have sent down this Reminder (that is, the Qur’an) to you, O Prophet, so that you may explain to the people the teaching that has been sent down for them. (An-Naml: 44) [Through this directive, Allah describes the policy whose inevitable requirement was that a human being be sent as a prophet along with the Reminder. The Reminder could have been sent through the angels, and it was not beyond Allah’s power to print it and deliver it directly to people. But the true purpose could not have been fulfilled in that way. For this purpose, it was necessary that the most qualified person bring it. If anyone failed to understand something, he would explain it to him. If any doubt or hesitation arose in someone’s mind, he would remove it. If anyone had an objection or complaint, he would answer it. With those who did not accept it, opposed it or obstructed it, he would behave in a manner appropriate for the bearer of the Reminder. And those who accepted it would be guided in every sphere and aspect of life. He would present his own life before them as an example. Then, by training them, he would demonstrate before the entire world the formation of an exemplary society whose entire system would reflect the will of this Reminder. —Author’s note]

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He is the One who raised among the unlettered a Messenger from among themselves, who recites His verses to them, purifies their lives, and teaches them the Book and wisdom, although before this they had been in manifest error. (Al-Jumu‘ah: 2)

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He is the One who sends down clear verses upon His servant (Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him), so that he may bring you out of darkness into light. (Al-Hadid: 9)

Making the true religion prevail over the entire way of life

The ultimate purpose of the advent of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is to make the religion and guidance he brought from God prevail over every form of obedience and every way and method of life. This purpose has been explained in three places in the Qur’an. It is stated in Surah At-Tawbah and As-Saff:

He is the One who sent His Messenger with guidance and the true religion so that he may make it prevail over every kind of religion or way of life. [In these two verses the word ‘ad-din’ is used, which we have translated as ‘every kind of religion.’ In Arabic, the word din is used for a way or system of life whose founders are acknowledged as possessing authority and the right to obedience, and are obeyed. Thus, this verse states that the purpose of the Messenger’s advent is that he will make the guidance and true religion which his Lord has sent with him prevail over all systems and ways of life. In other words, the Messenger did not come so that the system of life established by acknowledging others besides Allah as authorities and entitled to obedience would remain dominant over the religion brought by the Messenger, content with the privileges granted by it. Rather, the Messenger is the representative of the King of the earth and heavens and therefore wishes to make the true system of his King prevail over all systems and ways. If any other system remains in the world, it will have to remain under the divine system with only the privileges granted to it, as the protected communities may follow their own way of life after paying jizyah. —Author’s note]

However unbearable this may be for the polytheists. (At-Tawbah: 33; As-Saff: 18)

The command to believe in and obey the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

With this objective in view, people were commanded to believe in him, obey him, and refrain from obeying those who are heedless of Allah and transgress the limits of obedience.

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Therefore, believe in Allah, His Messenger and the light We have sent down. Allah is aware of all that you do. (At-Taghabun: 8)

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Therefore, believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet who believes in Allah and His words, and obey him so that you may find the true and straight path. (Al-A‘raf: 158)

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Follow the guidance sent down to you from your Lord, and do not obey any patrons besides Him. [That is, for the guidance you need to live in this world; for the knowledge you need to understand the mysteries of yourself and the created universe and the purpose of your existence; and for the principles upon which you must establish your religion, morality, culture, social life and civilization on sound foundations—you should follow only the guidance Allah has sent through His Messenger. Abandoning the guidance revealed by Allah, seeking another source of guidance and submitting yourselves to its obedience is fundamentally a wrong course for people, the consequence of which has always taken the form of destruction and always will. Here the word awliya (patrons) is used in the sense that whoever a person follows in practice, he has in reality made that person his wali or patron. —Author’s note]

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We have sent no Messenger except that he is to be obeyed by Allah’s command. (An-Nisa: 64) [That is, the Messenger did not come from God merely so that you would believe in his messengership and then obey whomever you wished. Rather, the purpose of the Messenger’s advent is that, abandoning all other laws, you must follow only the laws of life he brings. The commands he gives on behalf of God must be followed, while all other commands are abandoned. If someone does not do this, there is no meaning in acknowledging his Messenger as a messenger. —Author’s note]

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Whoever obeys the Messenger has in fact obeyed Allah. (An-Nisa: 80)

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Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it, and whatever he forbids you, abstain from it. (Al-Hashr: 7)

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Those who obey Allah and the Messenger, fear Allah and keep away from disobedience to Him—they are the successful. (An-Nur: 52)

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No believing man or woman has the right, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, to retain any choice in his or her own affair. Whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly fallen into manifest error. (Al-Ahzab: 36)

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Do not obey anyone whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who follows his desires and whose conduct exceeds all bounds. (Al-Kahf: 28)

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Do not obey those unrestrained people who spread corruption in the land and do not reform anything. [That is, refrain from obeying those amirs, nobles, social leaders, chiefs and rulers under whose leadership this misguided way of life is continuing. They are transgressors. They have exceeded every moral limit and become unrestrained. No reform can be achieved through them. The system they operate will inevitably produce disorder and anarchy. If there is any path to your welfare, it is this: cultivate God-consciousness among yourselves, abandon obedience to the corrupters, and obey Allah’s Prophet. —Author’s note]

(Ash-Shu‘ara: 151–152)

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O Prophet, say: Obey Allah and the Messenger. If they turn away, then let them remember that Allah does not like such disbelievers. (Aal ‘Imran: 32)

The law is now only what Allah has given through Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Thus, along with the proclamation of the messengership of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the command to follow and emulate him, it was also proclaimed that God’s law is now only that which has been given through Muhammad (peace be upon him). No one has the right to disagree with this. Whatever opposes it is ignorance and servitude to taghut. The Messenger (peace be upon him) is the ruler appointed by God, whose task is to settle people’s affairs according to the guidance revealed by God.

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Then, O Prophet, after the Children of Israel, We established you upon a clear way in religious matters—the Shariah. So follow this way and do not follow the desires of those who have no knowledge. (Al-Jathiyah: 18)

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For every community We appointed a way of worship which it follows. So, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), let them not argue with you about this. Invite people toward your Lord. Surely you are on the straight path. (Al-Hajj: 67)

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O Prophet, We have sent down this Book to you with the truth so that you may judge among people according to the right path Allah has shown you. (An-Nisa: 105)

Throughout the Noble Qur’an, the words “Allah’s limits” are used for the rules and regulations prescribed for human society. That is, these are boundaries within which people have been commanded to remain. In some places, people are sternly warned not even to approach these boundaries. Elsewhere it is stated that those who transgress them are wrongdoers. In other places it is said that those who transgress them wrong themselves. In still other places the warning is given that the transgressors face the Fire of Hell or a painful punishment. (See Surah Al-Baqarah, verses 187, 229 and 230; Surah An-Nisa, verses 13 and 14; Surah Al-Mujadilah, verse 4; Surah At-Tawbah, verse 97; and Surah At-Talaq, verse 1.)

From this it becomes clear how important the laws given to humanity through the Prophet (peace be upon him) are. Then the following warning was given in clear words:

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Do they seek the judgment of ignorance? Yet for those who have firm faith in Allah, who can give better judgment than Allah? (Al-Ma’idah: 50)

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They wish to resort to taghut so that it may decide their affairs. [Here taghut clearly means the ruler who decides according to laws other than Allah’s law, and the judicial system that neither acknowledges Allah’s sovereignty nor accepts Allah’s Book and the Messenger’s guidance as the final authority. —Author] Yet they were commanded to reject taghut. Satan wishes to lead them far astray. (An-Nisa: 60)

There is no room for compromise or flexibility concerning the religion

Along with giving clear instructions to obey and follow the Messenger, people were warned that there can be no compromise or flexibility regarding God’s religion. Not the slightest alteration can be made, for anyone’s sake, in any belief, principle, custom, method or command. Whoever wishes to accept it must accept the complete religion presented by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Whoever does not wish to accept it need not do so. Acceptance will benefit the one who accepts, while rejection will harm the one who rejects. There is no question here of bargaining, exchange or mutual accommodation.

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Therefore, O Prophet, never yield under pressure from those who reject the truth and call it false. They want you to yield somewhat, so that they too will yield. (That is, if you relax somewhat in conveying Islam, they will adopt some flexibility in opposing you. In other words, if you take advantage of their misguidance to alter your religion somewhat, they will compromise with you.)

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When Our verses are recited clearly to them, those who do not hope to meet Us in the Hereafter say, “Bring a Qur’an other than this, or alter it.” From this detailed discussion it becomes clear how important the second stage of the Islamic movement was: obtaining the people’s recognition of the messengership of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and preparing them to obey him completely in every matter of life, beginning with beliefs and worship. Its importance lies in the fact that without this, the religion cannot actually be established. Belief in monotheism is meaningless without faith in the Messenger and practical obedience to him. If people reflect, they can understand that accepting Allah’s oneness

[The statements of the polytheists were based, first, on the assumption that whatever the Prophet (peace be upon him) presented was not from God but was fabricated by him. Attributing it to God, they thought, would increase the weight of his words. Second, their words meant: What are you saying about monotheism, the Hereafter and moral restrictions? If you have come to guide us, present something that benefits the nation and visibly advances its worldly interests. If you absolutely do not wish to change this call of yours, then at least make it somewhat easy and useful so that there may be some sort of understanding between us. We will accept some of what you say, and you will accept some of what we say. Let there be room in your monotheism for some of our polytheism, in your worship of God for some self-worship and worldly worship, and in your belief in the Hereafter for some of our hopes and desires, so that we may do whatever we please in this world. Surely we will attain salvation in the Hereafter somehow. And your firm moral principles are unacceptable to us. Some room should be made in them for our superstitions, customs, personal and national interests, and personal desires. It must not be that the demands of the religion are properly defined by mutual agreement between you and us, and that we thereby fulfill God’s rights. Then we should be left free to conduct our worldly affairs as we wish. But you are being harsh by trying to bind the whole of life and all affairs to the beliefs of monotheism and the Hereafter and the rules of the Shariah. —Author]

Say to them, O Muhammad: I have no authority to change it on my own. I follow only what is revealed to me. (Yunus: 15)

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And say: This is the truth from your Lord. Whoever wishes may believe, and whoever wishes may disbelieve. (Al-Kahf: 29)

Whoever accepts guidance does so for his own good, and whoever goes astray—tell him: I am only a warner. (An-Naml: 92)

For Quraysh and the Arab polytheists, accepting the messengership was far more difficult than it was for the ordinary polytheists of Arabia. First, it was not easy for them to accept that the person who had lived among them for forty years like an ordinary man had suddenly been appointed by Allah and that revelation had begun coming to him. For those accustomed for generations to unrestrained freedom, it was no less difficult now to obey one person absolutely and fully follow the laws he had given for their entire lives. It was even more difficult for those chiefs who had made themselves absolute masters of their tribes and factions. It was difficult for those religious leaders who had established great centers of polytheism throughout the country and made their businesses flourish. It was difficult for those soothsayers who claimed to foretell the future and to whom people turned to find lost objects and learn about future events. For each of them, the messengership was an unmistakable message of death. Far from accepting it, they could not even listen to it calmly. In short, all those whose interests were tied to the continuation of the old system of ignorance feared that if people accepted the messengership of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), acknowledged that whatever he presented was from the God of the heavens and the earth, and became obedient to him, their influence in society would never shine again. Therefore, to protect their respective interests, these people were determined that this call to messengership must not be allowed to continue. They understood that once the public accepted following the guide appointed by Allah and obeying the religion and law revealed by Allah, they too would eventually have to lay down their arms and remain followers instead of leaders.

On one side were these difficulties, and on the other was the extremely serious difficulty that the person who had risen from among them claiming messengership was the finest man in their nation. The entire nation acknowledged his moral excellence. Five years earlier, the whole nation had unanimously honored him with the title Al-Amin. Before presenting his claim to messengership, he climbed Mount Safa and said to them: “If I tell you that an army is prepared to attack you from the other side of this mountain, will you believe me?” Everyone replied with one voice: “Yes, we will, because we have never heard you tell a lie.”

Afterward, it was no easy task to call him a liar and make people believe that a man who had never lied in his life would make such a tremendous false claim—that God had appointed him as a Messenger and that God’s word was being revealed to him.

The Qur’an states in one place concerning this:

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O Muhammad (peace be upon him), We know that what these people say causes you distress. But they are not calling you a liar; rather, these wrongdoers are denying Allah’s verses. (Al-An‘am: 33)

This points to the fact that until the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) began reciting Allah’s verses, all the people of his nation regarded him as trustworthy and truthful. They had complete confidence in his honesty. They considered him a liar only when he began conveying a message from Allah to them. Even at this second stage, no one had the courage to call him a liar personally. Not even his bitterest enemy ever accused him of having been guilty of lying about any worldly matter. Whatever lies they attributed to him, they did so because he was a prophet. His greatest enemy was Abu Jahl. It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that once Abu Jahl said to the Prophet (peace be upon him):

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“We do not consider you a liar; rather, we consider what you have brought to be false.” [Imam Sufyan al-Thawri and al-Hakim have transmitted this report from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). —Author]

During the Battle of Badr, Akhnas ibn Shariq asked Abu Jahl privately, “There is no third person here besides you and me. Tell me honestly: do you consider Muhammad (peace be upon him) truthful or a liar?”

He replied, “By God, Muhammad is a truthful man. He has never told a lie throughout his life. But if liwa (the honor of carrying the flag), hijabah (the honor of keeping the keys of the Ka‘bah), siqayah (the honor of giving pilgrims water) and prophethood all go to the family of Qusayy, tell me, what remains for all the rest of Quraysh?” [Ibn Jarir has cited this report in his commentary. Akhnas ibn Shariq was connected by friendship with Banu Zuhrah, the clan of the noble Prophet’s maternal grandfather. Although he came to fight alongside Quraysh, neither he nor anyone from Banu Zuhrah took part in the battle. —Author]

On this basis, Allah the Exalted consoles the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him), saying: The accusation of lying is not being made against you; rather, it is being made against Me. I am bearing it patiently and granting respite after respite. So why are you becoming restless?

Excuses, objections, accusations, and strange demands

After facing these two difficulties, the Quraysh and the other polytheists had no choice but to raise various excuses and objections for refusing to accept the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) prophethood, make different and contradictory accusations, and demand the performance of all sorts of strange miracles. But just as you have seen regarding monotheism, such conclusive arguments and proofs were presented—not merely to refute polytheism but rather to establish God’s oneness—that no sensible person had any room to deny these truths. In exactly the same way, all the conspiracies of the polytheists against prophethood were countered with such reasonable arguments that anyone possessing even a small measure of intelligence could not help but acknowledge the truth, no matter how stubbornly and obstinately he continued to oppose it. (12)

Objection to the Messenger (peace be upon him) being a human

Their first objection was that they would say: How can we accept as God’s Messenger a human being who is just like us? He eats and drinks, has children, and carries out all the worldly activities that other people do. The Qur’an mentions these excuses and objections of theirs and provides the answer.

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And these wrongdoers secretly confer with one another and say, “This man is only a human being like you. Will you knowingly fall into the trap of magic?” (Al-Anbiya: 3)

The leading unbelievers of Mecca would sit together and whisper such things among themselves. Those who had to confront the Prophet’s call would say: This man can certainly not be a prophet, for he is a human being just like us. He eats and drinks, walks about in the marketplace, and has a wife and children. What exceptional quality does he possess that distinguishes him from us and gives him, unlike us, an extraordinary relationship with God? Of course, there is magic in his speech and personality. That is why anyone who listens attentively to him and approaches him becomes devoted to him. Therefore, if you wish yourselves well, do not listen to anything he says or associate with him. For listening to him and approaching him means knowingly falling into the trap of magic. (13)

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And they say, “What kind of messenger is this, who eats food and walks about in the marketplaces? Why was an angel not sent down to him to remain with him and warn those who deny? Or, at the very least, why was no treasure sent down to him, or why was he not given a garden from which he could comfortably obtain his livelihood?”

The wrongdoers say, “You are following a man under a spell.” (Al-Furqan: 7–8)

Their purpose was, first, to claim that making a human a messenger was itself an astonishing thing. If God’s message was to be brought, then an angel should have come—not a flesh-and-blood human being who needed food to live. And if a human had indeed been made a messenger, then at the very least he should have been a personage like a king or one of the great men of the world, someone whom people would be eager to see and whose company they could attain only with great difficulty. Instead, an ordinary man who walks about in the marketplace was made a messenger of the Lord of the worlds! Who would regard with respect someone whom they met every day while walking along the road and in whom they found nothing extraordinary compared with themselves? In other words, in their view, if there was any need to send a messenger, it was not to guide ordinary people, but to show them something wondrous or to create influence and prestige through grandeur and pomp.

Then they would say that if a human were made a prophet, an angel should be given to him, always carrying a staff and telling people, “Accept what he says, or behold, I have brought down God’s punishment upon you.” What an astonishing thing it would be for the Creator of the universe to honor someone with the great status of prophethood, then leave him entirely alone to suffer the abuse and stoning of people. Their final demand was that, at the very least, God could have arranged a fine livelihood for His Messenger. What kind of thing is this—that this Messenger of God is even more helpless than our ordinary wealthy people? He has neither money to meet his expenses nor a garden from which to eat fruits. Yet he claims, “I am the messenger of Allah, Lord of the worlds.”

After making all these nonsensical statements, they would say that this man had been bewitched—that is, someone had cast a spell on him, and as a result he had become insane.

The astonishing thing is that in the statements quoted above they called him a sorcerer. Now they are saying that he has been bewitched. He was also accused of being a poet, which will be mentioned later. (14)

The answer to these excuses and objections

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We sent many messengers before you and gave them wives and children. (Al-Ra‘d: 38)

This is the answer to the questions they used to put to the Prophet (peace be upon him): How can such a person be a prophet when he has a wife and children? Do prophets too have anything to do with sexual desire? The answer is that the prophets and messengers sent before him also had wives and children. You yourselves acknowledge Noah (peace be upon him) as a prophet. If he had had no children, how could you have been born from his lineage? You fully acknowledge the prophethood of Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them). You connect your ancestry and lineage to them. If they had had no descendants, how could you be the Children of Ishmael? (15)

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And before you, O Muhammad, We sent only men as messengers, to whom We revealed. So ask the People of the Book if you do not know. We did not give them bodies that did not eat, nor were they immortal. (Al-Anbiya: 7–8)

That is, ask the Jewish community—the people who are united with you in hostility toward Islam and teach you the methods of opposing Islam—who Moses and the prophets of the Children of Israel were. Were they human beings or some other creation? (16)

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Has the news not reached you of those who disbelieved before and suffered the evil consequences of their wrongdoing? And in the Hereafter there is a painful punishment for them. This is their fate because their messengers kept coming to them with clear signs, but they said, “Will human beings guide us?” Thus they refused to believe and turned away. So Allah became independent of them. And Allah is indeed Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy in Himself. (Al-Taghabun: 5–6)

In other words, the prophets came with such clear signs that they plainly testified to their appointment by Allah. Whatever they said was entirely reasonable, and they presented it with excellent arguments and proofs. There was no ambiguity in their teachings. Rather, they stated clearly what was true and what was false, what was lawful and what was unlawful, which path people should follow and which they should not. Yet they refused to accept their words, saying, “Will human beings now guide us?” This became the cause of their destruction. For humanity had no other way of learning the correct course of action except that its Creator should grant it true knowledge, and that He should entrust the prophets with conveying this knowledge from the Creator to others. For this purpose, He sent the prophets with clear signs, so that there could be no justifiable reason to doubt their truthfulness. But they categorically refused to accept that a human being could be God’s messenger. After that, no means of attaining guidance remained for them. This presents before us a remarkable picture of the ignorance and foolishness of misguided people: they never hesitated to accept guidance from human beings. Indeed, they made idols of wood and stone, representing the guidance of certain people, into objects of worship. They even accepted human beings as gods, incarnations of God, and sons of God. Then, through blind following of leaders who led them astray, they adopted such strange ways that ruined human civilization, culture, and character. But when God’s Messenger came to them with the truth and presented it before them impartially, above all personal interests, they said, “Will a human being now guide us?” This meant that if a human led them astray, that guidance was acceptable; but if he showed them the path of truth, his guidance was unacceptable.

Thus, when they turned away from the guidance sent by Allah, Allah no longer cared into which abyss of destruction they were falling. Allah had no interest at stake in their accepting Him as God—as though He would remain God if they accepted Him, but would lose His divine throne if they did not. He was dependent neither on their worship nor on their praise. He merely wished to guide them to the straight path for their own good. But when they turned away from Him, Allah too became independent of them. He neither granted them guidance nor took responsibility for their protection; He neither saved them from falling into the abyss of destruction nor prevented destruction from overtaking them. For they themselves had no need of His guidance or protection. (17)

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Nothing prevented people from believing when guidance came to them except their saying, “Has Allah sent a human being as a messenger?” Say, “If angels were walking about securely on earth, We would surely have sent down to them an angel from heaven as a messenger.” (Bani Isra’il: 94–95)

In other words, the work of a prophet is not merely to come and convey God’s message. His work also includes reforming and correcting human life according to that message. He must bring people’s condition into conformity with the principles of that message and manifest those principles in his own life. He must unravel the knots in the minds of the countless people of different kinds who try to hear and understand his message. He must organize those who accept it and train them so that a society may come into existence according to the teachings of that message. He must struggle against those who deny it, oppose it, and create obstacles, so that the forces supporting corruption may be defeated and they may be directed toward the reform for which Allah has sent the prophets. Since all these tasks had to be carried out among human beings, whom could He have sent other than a human? At most, an angel could have come, conveyed the message, and departed. Living among people like a human, working like a human, and demonstrating reform in human life according to God’s will were beyond an angel’s capacity. Only a human could be suited to this task. (18)

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O Muhammad, all the messengers We sent before you were human inhabitants of these towns, to whom We revealed. (Yusuf: 109)

A great matter has been expressed here in a single sentence. Explained in detail, it may be stated as follows:

O Prophet! These people do not pay attention to your words because they wonder how they can accept that the person who was born in their city yesterday, grew from childhood to youth and from youth to old age among them, was suddenly appointed by God one day as His messenger.

But this is not an unprecedented matter that he was the first in the world to face. Before him, God sent His prophets, and all of them were human beings. Nor did it ever happen that an unknown person suddenly appeared in a city and said, “I have been sent as a prophet.” Rather, all those who were sent to reform and correct humanity were inhabitants of their respective communities. Who, then, were the Messiah, Moses, Abraham, and Noah, peace be upon them? Did they emerge from the very cities where they were born, or did they come from somewhere else? (19)

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Is it so astonishing to people that We revealed to one of them, from among themselves, to warn humanity and give glad tidings to those who believe that they have true honor with their Lord? Is this why the disbelievers said, “This man is clearly a sorcerer”? What is astonishing about it? If a human is not appointed to warn humanity, who should be appointed—an angel, a jinn, or an animal? And if people become heedless of the truth and live their lives in misguided ways, would it not be astonishing if their Creator and Sustainer left them in that state instead of making some arrangement for their guidance? Or should there not be honor and distinction from God for them to accept or reject? Therefore, those who express astonishment should consider what exactly they are astonished about.

As for calling the warners sorcerers, they should consider whether this accusation actually applies to him. It is not enough, when someone wins people’s hearts and minds through eloquent speech, to accuse him of practicing magic. One should examine what he is saying in that speech and for whose interests he is using his power of expression. Then one should consider the effect his speech has on those who believe. A speaker who uses the power of enchanting speech to achieve unlawful aims is merely talkative, unrestrained, and irresponsible. Without regard for truth and honesty, he says whatever captivates his listeners, no matter how false, exaggerated, or irrelevant it may be. Instead of wisdom, his words contain things that deceive the public. Instead of organized thought, his speech contains inconsistency and incoherence. Rather than creating balance, it produces imbalance. He behaves shamelessly to win the argument, or intoxicates people with the opium of speeches in order to make them fight and quarrel with one another and incite one group against another. His influence creates neither a moral standard among people nor any beneficial change in their lives. Nor does any sound thought or genuinely wholesome environment come into existence. Rather, people increasingly display worse character than before. But here you see that the message presented by the prophet contains wisdom, a coherent system of thought, profound balance, and a strict commitment to truth and honesty. Every word is measured, and every statement is immensely valuable. In his speech you can identify no purpose other than reforming God’s creation. In what he says, there is not the slightest trace of personal, family, national, or any other worldly interest. He merely wishes to warn people of the evil consequences of the neglect and indifference in which they are immersed, and lead them to a path in which their own welfare lies. The effect of his speech is completely different from that of the speech of an enchanting speaker. Everyone who has been affected by it has had his life disciplined. He has become a person of nobler character than before, and signs of goodness have appeared in his conduct. Now think for yourselves: does magic speak such words, and can its magic produce such beneficial results? (20)

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We have favored some prophets over others, and We gave David the Psalms. (Bani Isra’il: 55)

In the context in which this statement was made, David’s (peace be upon him) receiving the Psalms is mentioned separately because he was both a king and a prophet. The people contemporary with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) refused to accept his prophethood, in their own view, because he had a wife and children like ordinary people, ate and drank, walked about in the marketplace buying and selling, and did all the things that other worldly people did out of human necessity. The unbelievers of Mecca said: “You are a worldly person. What relationship do you have with attaining God? Those sent by God are people who have no awareness of bodily needs. They simply sit in a corner absorbed in contemplation of Allah. What connection could such a person have with concerns like food and livelihood?” The answer is that what could be more worldly than managing a complete kingdom? Even so, David (peace be upon him) was granted prophethood and a scripture. (21)

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Say to them, O Prophet: “I am not an unprecedented messenger. I do not know what will be done with me, nor do I know what will be done with you. I only follow the revelation sent down to me, and I am only a clear warner.” (Al-Ahqaf: 9)

The background to this statement is that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) presented himself as God’s Messenger, the people of Mecca began making various criticisms. They would say: What kind of messenger is this, who has a wife and children, walks about in the marketplace, eats and drinks, and lives just as we do? What special quality does he actually possess that makes him different from ordinary people, so that we can understand why God specifically made this man His Messenger? They further said that if God had truly made this man His Messenger, He would have sent an angel to serve as his attendant. The angel would announce that he was God’s Messenger and whip anyone who showed even the slightest discourtesy or insolence toward him. How could it be that God appointed someone as His Messenger and then left him helpless, wandering through the alleys of Mecca and enduring oppression and persecution? At the very least, God could have built a royal palace and a flourishing garden for His Messenger. Then it would not happen that the Messenger’s wife was destitute and starving, nor that he lacked a mount for traveling to Ta’if.

Then they demanded various miracles from the Prophet (peace be upon him). They also asked him to tell them about the future. In their view, for someone to be God’s messenger meant that he would possess superhuman powers. At his finger’s gesture, mountains would be displaced and deserts would become green, verdant fields of crops. He would possess all knowledge of the past, present, and future, and every hidden thing would be clear to him.

In reply to these statements, he was told to say to them: I am not an unprecedented messenger. My appointment as a messenger is not the first event of its kind in the history of the world, so that you should have difficulty understanding what a messenger is and what he is not. Many messengers came before me. I am no different from them. Was there ever a prophet or messenger in the world who had no wife and children or who did not live like an ordinary person? Was an angel sent down with any messenger to announce his messengership and walk before him with a staff in hand? Was a royal palace and gardens prepared for any messenger, and which messenger did not suffer persecution for calling people toward God as I have? Was there any messenger who could perform miracles on his own authority and know everything through his own knowledge? From where, then, have you brought this unprecedented standard for testing my messengership?

Then this was also said in reply to them: I do not know what will be done with me tomorrow, nor what will be done with you. I merely follow the revelation sent down to me. That is, I am not a soothsayer whose knowledge would make everything of the past, present, and future clear to me and grant me knowledge of every object in the world. Your future is one thing; I do not even know my own future. I know only as much as I am given knowledge of through revelation. When have I ever claimed to possess knowledge beyond that? Which messenger in the world possessed such powers of prophecy that you are testing my future knowledge to verify my messengership? Since when has it been a messenger’s duty to locate lost objects, say whether a pregnant woman will give birth to a boy or a girl, or announce whether a sick person will recover or die? (22)

Why was the Messenger (peace be upon him) made a prophet?

Their second accusation was this: If God needed to send a prophet and had to send someone from among human beings, why did He find Muhammad ibn Abdullah among us? Had all the prominent men of Mecca and Ta’if died, so that no one from among them could be chosen? This was their argument.

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Was this the only one among us upon whom the Reminder—the admonition of God—was sent down? (Sad: 8)

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And they say, “Why was this Qur’an not sent down to one of the prominent men of the two cities?” Do they distribute your Lord’s mercy? We distribute among them their means of livelihood in the life of this world, and We have raised some of them above others in rank so that some may take others into service. But your Lord’s mercy is better than whatever wealth these prominent men accumulate. (Al-Zukhruf: 31–32)

The two cities mean Makkah and Ta’if. The unbelievers’ argument was that if God truly needed to send a messenger, and if He intended to reveal His Book to him, He would have chosen some prominent person from one of these two cities for this task. To make someone a messenger, Allah chose a man who was born an orphan. He had no inheritance. He spent his youth tending goats. Now he earns his livelihood by doing business with his wife’s money. He is neither a tribal chief nor the leader of a family. Were there no renowned chiefs in Makkah like al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah and ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah? Were there no wealthy men in Ta’if like ‘Urwah ibn Mas‘ud, Habib ibn ‘Amr, Kinana ibn ‘Abd ‘Amr and ‘Abd Yalil? These were their arguments. At first, they were unwilling even to accept that a human being could be a messenger. But when the Qur’an repeatedly refuted this notion with arguments, and they were told that messengers had always been human beings before this, and that only a human being could be a messenger for the guidance of humanity—no one other than a human being—and that no messenger who came into the world descended suddenly from heaven, but was born in a human settlement, walked through the markets, had wives and children, and was not free from eating and drinking, then they changed their tactics and began to say: All right, let a human being be a messenger. But surely he ought to be a great man—wealthy, influential, and a leader of his people, with enormous standing among them. How could Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah, peace and blessings be upon him, be fit for this position?

A few important words have been said in response to these allegations.

First, have they been entrusted with the responsibility of distributing your Lord’s mercy? Is it for them to decide upon whom Allah will shower His mercy and upon whom He will not? (Here, mercy means His general mercy, from which everyone receives something.)

Second, prophethood is a tremendously important matter. We have also kept in Our own hands the distribution of all the ordinary means and resources of worldly life; We have not entrusted it to anyone else. We make one person handsome and another unattractive; one eloquent and another harsh-spoken; one healthy and another disabled, blind, or deaf; one rich and another poor; one a member of a privileged nation and another a slave or a member of an undeveloped nation. No one can interfere even to the slightest degree in this determination of people’s inborn fortunes. Whomever We have made into whatever he is, he must remain so. Nor can anyone alter whatever consequences these differing birth conditions bring into someone’s lot. We also distribute among people their livelihood, strength, honor, fame, wealth, and power of governance. No one can ruin the fortune of one whose fortune We improve. And when decline comes to someone from Us, no one can save him. All human devices, efforts, and stratagems fail before Our decision. In this universal divine system, are they now going to decide whom the Lord of the universe will make His prophet and whom He will not?

Third, this permanent rule of the divine system has been established: everything should not be given to one person, nor should everything be given to everyone. Open your eyes and look; in every respect you will see disparity among people. If We give someone one thing, We withhold another from him and give it to someone else. This has been done on the basis of the wisdom that no person should be independent of every other person. Rather, everyone is dependent on others in one matter or another. How, then, did this foolish notion seize you—that whoever We have given authority and power must also be given prophethood? Will you also say that understanding, knowledge, wealth, beauty, power, political strength, and all other qualities should be gathered in one person, while whoever has received none of them should be given nothing else either?

In the final sentence, the Lord’s mercy means His special mercy—that is, prophethood. This means that the wealthy people whom you regard as great because of their wealth, personality, influence, and prestige are not worthy of the wealth that has been given to Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. This wealth is far higher in rank than their wealth, and its standard of worthiness is something else. If you think that each of your influential people is worthy of becoming a great prophet, then this shows the extreme decline of your mentality. Why do you expect such foolishness from Allah? (23)

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The truth is that those who dispute Allah’s signs without any authority or proof that has come to them have hearts filled with pride and arrogance. Yet they will never attain the greatness over which they boast. So seek refuge in Allah. He sees and hears all. (Mu’min: 56)

In other words, the real reason for their irrational opposition and absurd sophistry is not that they failed to understand the truths and beneficial teachings of Allah’s signs presented before them and were discussing them with good intentions in order to understand them. Rather, the real reason for their conduct is that their self-conceit is unwilling to tolerate the prospect that, while they are alive, they must accept Muhammad’s leadership in Arabia, when they consider themselves more entitled to lead than he. Therefore, they are exerting all their strength so that the word of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, may prevail in no way whatsoever. For this purpose, they will not hesitate to adopt even the vilest methods. But whoever Allah has made great will remain great. And the efforts of these petty people to preserve their greatness will ultimately end in failure. (24)

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He sends this Spirit—that is, the revelation of prophethood—to whomever He wills, by His command, through the angels. (Nahl: 2)

This is the answer to the excuses and objections that the unbelievers raised concerning the Prophet, peace be upon him. They said: If God had to send a prophet, was Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah, peace be upon him, the only person available? Had all the great chiefs of Makkah and Ta’if died, so that God could not notice any of them? What other answer could there be to such senseless objections and allegations? The same answer is given in various places in the Qur’an: God knows His own work. He has no need to consult you. He chooses from among His servants whoever He considers suitable for His work. (25)

If his words were true, the great men of the nation would have believed

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Those who refused to believe in him say to the believers: If this man were truthful, these people could not have preceded us in accepting him. Since they have been unable to accept guidance, they will now surely say: This is nothing but an ancient falsehood. (Ahqaf: 11)

This was one of the arguments the Quraysh chiefs used to incite the general public against the Prophet, peace be upon him. Their claim was that if this Qur’an were true, and if the Prophet, peace be upon him, were calling people to the truth, then the chiefs, tribal leaders, and honored men of the community would come forward and accept it. How could it be that some inexperienced youngsters and a few lowly slaves accepted a reasonable thing, while the great men of the nation—those who were wise and renowned, and upon whose knowledge, judgment, and discernment the nation relied—rejected it? Through this deceptive argument, they tried to create the conviction among the masses that there must be something bad in this new call. That was why the great men of the nation were not accepting it. Therefore, you too should keep away from it.

The meaning of the foregoing discussion is that these people had made themselves the standard of truth and falsehood. They thought that whatever guidance they would not accept must necessarily be misguidance. But they did not dare to call it an unprecedented falsehood, because the prophets, peace be upon them, had presented this very teaching before them. Moreover, all the heavenly scriptures possessed by the People of the Book are filled with these beliefs, convictions, and guidance. Therefore, these people called it an ancient or worn-out falsehood. In their view, those who had presented and followed these doctrines for thousands of years must have been devoid of knowledge and reason. As though they alone possessed knowledge, intelligence, and discernment. (26)

According to Ibn ‘Abbas’s narration, the Quraysh chiefs would say to the Prophet, peace be upon him: People like Bilal, Suhayb, ‘Ammar, Khabbab, and Ibn Mas‘ud associate with you. We cannot sit with them. Drive them away, and then we can come to you and learn what you have to say. After the Roman emperor Caesar Heraclius received the Prophet’s letter, peace be upon him, he summoned Abu Sufyan and asked him some questions about the Prophet, peace be upon him. Among Abu Sufyan’s answers was this:

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The weak and extremely poor among us follow him. In other words, their way of thinking seemed to be that only what the great men of the nation acknowledged as true could be true. In their eyes, those men alone possessed knowledge and intelligence. As for the poor and destitute, their very poverty was proof that they were foolish and lacking in judgment. Thus, accepting anything from them while the wealthy rejected it meant that it was utterly meaningless.

The chiefs of Prophet Noah’s people said exactly the same kind of thing to him: The lowest class of society is following you. Can we accept you in such circumstances? Their words are quoted in verse 27 of Surah Hud: We see that only those among us who are the most contemptible have followed you without understanding. (27)

The allegation against the Prophet, peace be upon him, that he sought supremacy

It is mentioned in Surah Sad that once, when the Prophet, peace be upon him, presented his call to the Quraysh chiefs, the assembled people said, along with their other allegations:

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This is being said for no other purpose. In other words, this call is being made so that we will become subject to Muhammad, peace be upon him, and he will rule over us. (28)

It should be clear that this was merely an allegation, born of disbelief, with no basis whatsoever. Therefore, instead of answering it, the Qur’an says that similar allegations were also made against the servants of Allah who appeared in ancient times to reform and rectify humanity. For example, Pharaoh’s courtiers said to Moses and Aaron, peace be upon them:

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O Moses! Have you come to turn us away from the ways and practices upon which we found our forefathers, and so that you and your brother may establish supremacy in the land? (Yunus: 7)

The leading men of Prophet Noah’s people said this to him:

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This man is nothing but a human being like you. He wishes to establish superiority over you. (Mu’minun: 24)

This is an extremely ancient weapon of those who oppose the truth: they level the allegation against everyone who tries to reform society—‘Nothing more than this: he merely desires power.’

Pharaoh made this very allegation against Moses and Aaron, peace be upon them. He said: You have entered the field so that you may establish your supremacy in the land. The same allegation was made against Jesus, peace be upon him: This man wants to become king of the Jews. The Quraysh chiefs held the same suspicion concerning the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. In fact, they bargained with the Prophet, peace be upon him, several times in this way: If you desire power, then abandon your opposition and join the ruling party. We will make you king.

The fact is that those who devote all their strength throughout their lives to the world, its pleasures, and influence find it very difficult—indeed impossible—to imagine that anyone in this world could sincerely and selflessly dedicate his life to the welfare of humanity. Since they constantly make false promises of public welfare before the people, day and night, using deceptive and appealing slogans to establish their own power and influence, lying and deception become second nature to them. They think that no one can even speak of public welfare with truthfulness and sincerity without deception and fraud. Anyone who speaks of it must surely be like them. The amusing thing is that the ruling party and its flattering lackeys have always made this allegation of ‘desiring power’ against social reformers. The power they possess is treated as though it were their birthright. No allegation may be made against anything they do to acquire it or remain in office.

It should be properly understood here that anyone who struggles to remove the faults and defects of the prevailing system of life and presents a reformist outlook and system in its place must necessarily try to remove every force that obstructs reform and bring to power those forces capable of implementing the reformist outlook and system. Moreover, when the call of such people succeeds, its natural result is that they attain the position of leading the people. The keys to power under the new system will then be in his own hands or in the hands of his supporters and followers. Among the prophets and reformers of the world, who ever existed whose aim was not to put his call into practical effect? And who was there whose successful call did not in reality establish him in a position of leadership? Is this enough to justify accusing him of desiring power, and claiming that his real purpose was to attain the leadership he has now gained? No one except a malicious enemy of the truth could answer yes. The truth is that seizing power for personal interest and seizing power for a great purpose are as different as heaven and earth—like the difference between a robber’s knife and a doctor-surgeon’s knife. If someone confuses a robber with a doctor because both possess a blade, that must be called a defect in his mind. Otherwise, the intentions, methods, and roles of the two are so vastly different that no sensible person can mistake a robber for a robber and a doctor for a doctor. (30)

The same treatment was given to Hud, peace be upon him. The leading men of his people also addressed the public, saying:

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This man is nothing but a human being like you. He eats what you eat and drinks what you drink. If you obey a human being like yourselves, you will surely suffer loss. (Mu’minun: 33–34)

When the leading men of the nation feared that the general public would be influenced by the prophet’s pure personality and captivating words, they wondered: How long will our tricks continue to work? So they kept confusing the people by repeating such statements. They said: There is no prophethood from God here—nothing but a lust for power is driving him to say these things. Brothers, think for a moment: In what way is this man different from you? He is a human being of flesh and blood just like you. There is no difference between you and him. Why, then, should he become your master while you follow his commands?

Their propaganda implicitly treated this as universally accepted: although we too are human beings, it is only natural that we should be your chiefs and leaders. No question arises of examining our flesh and blood or our eating and drinking. Our authority is not the issue, because it is already established and universally recognized. The issue is this new chieftaincy and authority that now appears about to be established.

Thus, their words were no different from those of the leading men of Noah’s people. If there was anything objectionable to them, it was the ‘hunger for power’ that they perceived, or feared might arise, in some newcomer. As for their own appetite, they thought that power was their natural food; even if it caused indigestion, there was no harm in that. (31)

The allegation against the Prophet that he was a soothsayer and that Satan came to him

The unbelievers of Makkah alleged that Muhammad, peace be upon him, was a soothsayer, and that the Qur’an he presented was brought to him not by an angel but by Satan. This was answered in various places in the Qur’an.

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So, O Prophet, continue to admonish. By the grace of your Lord, you are neither a soothsayer nor mad. (Tur: 29)

In Arabic, kahin (***) is used with the meanings of soothsayer, fortune-teller, and extremely clever person, among others. In the Age of Ignorance, it was an established profession. The kahins claimed—and people of weak character believed—that they were astrologers or had special connections with spirits and jinn-devils, through which they could learn the future or hidden matters. If something was lost, they could say where it was. If something was stolen, they would identify the thief. If someone asked about his fortune, they would tell him what was written in his destiny. People went to them for such purposes, and after receiving offerings, they would tell them hidden information. The kahins themselves would call out through the settlements so that people could seek their help. They had distinctive clothing by which they could be recognized, and their language also differed from ordinary speech. They spoke in a melodious, poetic manner and generally used obscure language, from which everyone could infer whatever meaning suited his own mind. The Quraysh chiefs accused the Prophet, peace be upon him, of being a kahin or soothsayer in order to deceive the public, because he disclosed information and truths hidden from human sight. The Prophet, peace be upon him, claimed that an angel from God came and revealed revelation to him, and the message from God that he presented was also melodious. Yet no Arab was deceived by their allegation, because no one was unfamiliar with the profession, dress, language, and practices of soothsayers and astrologers. Everyone knew what they did, why people went to them, what they told them, what their rhymed speech sounded like, and what subjects it concerned. Most importantly, it could never be the work of a soothsayer to appear with a religious belief opposed to the religion current in society, devote himself day and night to propagating it, and ultimately make the entire nation his enemy. Therefore, the allegation that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was a soothsayer or astrologer could not possibly deceive anyone. For this reason, it was not considered necessary to offer any argument to refute it, since it was self-contradictory. It was considered sufficient merely to say: O Prophet, without caring about their allegations, warn people about their neglect of their duties and inform them of the true truth. For you are neither a soothsayer nor mad. (32)

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And it is not the word of an accursed Satan. So where are you going? (Takwir: 25–26)

In other words, your notion is mistaken that some Satan comes and whispers these words into the ear of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. How could it be Satan’s work to free people from shirk, idolatry, materialism, and atheism and teach them devotion to God and monotheism? Instead of leaving people uncontrolled, could Satan create within them a sense of responsibility, duty, and accountability before God? Could he restrain them from the customs and practices of the Age of Ignorance, oppression, immorality, and wickedness, and guide them toward a pure life, justice, God-consciousness, and noble character? (33)

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This Book was not brought down by devils. It neither befits them nor are they capable of doing so. They have been kept far away from hearing it. (Shu‘ara: 210–212)

The great difficulty in the campaign of lies that the Quraysh unbelievers launched against the Prophet, peace be upon him, was that an astonishing message was being presented to the people in the form of the Qur’an and was penetrating deep into their hearts. How could this be explained? They had no means of stopping its spread among the people. Their great problem was now what means to adopt to create a false impression about the Qur’an and protect people from its influence. In this embarrassing situation, one of the allegations they spread among the public was that Muhammad, peace be upon him—God forbid—was a soothsayer, and that, like an ordinary soothsayer, Satan instilled these messages in his mind. They considered this allegation their most effective weapon. They thought that no one had any means of verifying whether the message was brought by an angel or by Satan. And if someone wished to refute the claim that it was being instilled by Satan, how could he do so?

Concerning this, Allah says that these messages and this subject matter could never emerge from Satan’s mouth. Anyone with knowledge and understanding can see for himself: could the words conveyed through the Qur’an ever come from Satan? Are there no soothsayers in your settlements? Do you not hear what they say after establishing contact with jinn and devils? Have you ever heard of a devil teaching people devotion to God and fear of God through a soothsayer? Restraining them from shirk and idolatry? Advising them to be honest, truthful, and good to others? Could such a disposition ever belong to Satan? The disposition of devils is to create unrest and disorder among people and encourage them toward sinful conduct. People go to soothsayers and astrologers who maintain contact with Satan to ask whether a lover will obtain his beloved, which move in a game of chance will be profitable, and what strategy should be used to defeat an enemy. They want to know who stole so-and-so’s camel. Apart from such dealings, have soothsayers and the devils who support them ever thought about reforming people, teaching righteous deeds, or eliminating corruption? Even if Satan wished to do so, it is beyond his power to place himself, even for a short while, in the position of humanity’s true teacher and reformer and give the instruction in truth and goodness that the Qur’an gives. Even if they assume such a guise in order to deceive, their actions cannot be so pure that they fail to reveal their ignorance and concealed satanic nature.

The life and teachings of one who becomes a religious leader inspired by Satan will inevitably reveal evil inclinations, evil purposes, and moral filth. Satan can never implant genuine truthfulness and sincere piety in anyone, nor can those who maintain relations and contact with Satan possess these qualities.

It is then stated that when the Qur’an is instilled in the heart through revelation, Satan’s interference is out of the question. From the moment the angel Gabriel (peace be upon him) proceeds with the Qur’an from Allah and throughout the entire process of its revelation into the heart of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), Satan has no opportunity at any time or place to eavesdrop. He cannot even peer from somewhere nearby, hear a few words, and tell his friends beforehand that Muhammad (peace be upon him) would be delivering this message today or that his speech would mention such-and-such a subject. (34)

The allegation that someone teaches it to him

On the one hand, the unbelieving Quraysh would say—God forbid—that Satan instilled the Qur’an in the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) mind; on the other hand, they made the directly opposite allegation that he had learned it from someone else and was presenting the Qur’an accordingly.

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“Then they turned away from the Messenger and said, ‘He is merely a taught, instructed madman.’” —(Dukhan: 14)

What they meant was that the poor man was simple-minded. Some other people had ensnared him in a web of deception. In secret, they composed something in the name of Qur’anic verses and taught it to him. He would then appear before ordinary people and present it. They would sit back and enjoy themselves while this poor man endured abuse and stones. By making such misleading statements, they dismissed the arguments, proofs, sound counsel, and instruction that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) had presented to them year after year. They paid no attention to the just statements of the Qur’an; nor did they consider what sort of person was presenting these matters; nor, when making their allegations, did they take the trouble to think what utter nonsense they were speaking. The truth is that if someone had been teaching and instructing him from behind a curtain, how could this have remained hidden from Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him), and the many other early Muslims? No one was closer to the Messenger (peace be upon him) or constantly in his company than they were. Then what could explain the fact that these very people became the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) greatest devotees and followers? In reality, if the affairs of prophethood had been conducted through instruction from someone hidden behind a curtain, these very people would have been his strongest opponents.

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“We certainly know that they say, ‘Someone teaches him.’ Yet the language of the person to whom they allude is foreign, while this is clear Arabic.” (Nahl: 103)

Various people are named in the reports, concerning one of whom the unbelievers of Makkah believed that he taught and instructed the Prophet (peace be upon him). One report names him as Jabr, a Roman slave of Amir ibn Hadrami. Another mentions a slave of Huwaytib ibn Abd al-Uzza, named Ayesh or Yaish. Another report names Yasar, whose kunyah was Abu Fukayha. He was the Jewish slave of a woman in Makkah. Yet another mentions a Roman slave named Bal‘am or Al-A‘lam. Whoever he may have been, the unbelievers of Makkah saw that he read the Torah and the Gospel and met with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Thus they made the unhesitating allegation that he actually composed the Qur’an and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) presented it in his own name as the word of God. This shows not only how fearless the Prophet’s opponents were in fabricating slander against him, but also how unjustly people judge the stature of their contemporaries. Before them stood such a towering figure in human history, without equal anywhere in the world of that time or anywhere to this day. Yet, in comparison with him, these ignorant, unthinking people considered an unlettered foreign slave who could read a little of the Torah and Gospel to be the more qualified. They imagined that this rare jewel was radiating its brilliance from that piece of coal. (36)

Clear proof that the Noble Prophet was the recipient of revelation

After recounting the story of Moses (peace be upon him) in the Holy Qur’an, Allah the Exalted says at one place:

O Prophet, you were not present on the western side when We gave Moses that legal decree, nor were you among the witnesses to that event. But since then, We have brought forth many generations, and a long time has passed over them before your time. You were not among the people of Midian, reciting Our verses to them; but We are conveying these accounts to you. Nor were you at the foot of the Mount when We first called Moses. But this is a mercy from your Lord, so that you may warn a people to whom no warner had come before you. (Qasas: 44–46)

These three points have been presented as proof of the prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): there is no way to know such information except through Allah’s revelation. When this statement was made in the Qur’an, all the leaders of Makkah and the ordinary unbelievers were determined to prove him, God forbid, an impostor and a false prophet by any means. Jewish scholars and Christian monks were present in the settlements of the Hijaz to assist them. Yet the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had not come from the heavens to recite this Qur’an; rather, he was a resident of Makkah itself. Not a single aspect of his life was unknown to the people of his neighborhood and tribe. That is why, when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) presented these three points as proof of his prophethood in the language of an open challenge, not a single person in Makkah, the Hijaz, or the whole of Arabia could stand up and make the absurd claims now made by anti-Islamic Orientalists. They were no less capable of inventing lies, yet how could they utter a blatant lie that would not stand even for a moment? How could they say, ‘O Muhammad (peace be upon him), you gathered this information from such-and-such Jewish scholars and Christian monks’? They could not name a single person anywhere in the land for this purpose. The moment they named someone, it would become clear that the Messenger (peace be upon him) had obtained no information from him. How could they say, ‘O Muhammad (peace be upon him), you possess a library of knowledge of past history, sciences, and literature, with whose help you deliver these speeches’? Far from a library, no piece of paper containing such information could be found anywhere around Muhammad (peace be upon him). Everyone in Makkah, young and old, knew that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was illiterate, and no one could claim that he used translators who translated books in Persian, Syriac, and Greek for him. Moreover, even the most shameless among them would not dare claim that he had acquired this information during his commercial journeys to Syria and Palestine. He did not make those journeys alone: the commercial caravan of Makkah accompanied Muhammad (peace be upon him) on every journey. If anyone made such a claim, hundreds of living witnesses would testify that he had learned nothing from anyone there. Furthermore, within two years of his death, the Muslims began fighting against the Roman Empire. If anyone had falsely claimed that the Messenger (peace be upon him) had conversed with a Christian monk or Jewish rabbi in Syria or Palestine, the Roman Empire would surely have had no hesitation in magnifying it and spreading the claim that Muhammad (peace be upon him)—God forbid—had learned everything there and then returned to Makkah and become a prophet. In short, at a time when this Qur’anic challenge was like a death knell for the Quraysh unbelievers and polytheists, and when the need to discredit it as false was many times greater than that of modern Orientalists, no one could obtain information from anywhere that would prove Muhammad (peace be upon him) had any identifiable means of knowing these things other than revelation. (37)

The allegation that he was mad

One of the baseless allegations made against the Messenger (peace be upon him) was that, God forbid, he was mad. In this sense they also called him bewitched (affected by magic). What they meant was also that he had been possessed or influenced by jinn. The Qur’an quotes them as saying:

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“And they say, ‘Are we to abandon our gods for the sake of a mad poet?’” (Saffat: 36)

Elsewhere it is said:

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“And these wrongdoers say, ‘You are only following a bewitched man.’” (Furqan: 8)

And at another place it is said:

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“Or do they say that he is possessed by jinn?”

(That is, he has become mad under the influence of jinn.) (Mu’minun: 70)

The purpose of all these allegations was the same. Among the Arabs, there were two explanations for madness: either someone had bewitched a person and made him mad, or he had been possessed by jinn. (38)

The allegations are quoted in the Holy Qur’an to show how intense the accusers’ blind hostility was. Not one of the allegations mentioned here or elsewhere is worthy of serious discussion. They are cited to show that the opponents had no argument or proof, and that they confronted a reasoned, reformative call with meaningless nonsense. A man says, ‘My people, the shirk on which your religion and civilization are founded is a false belief, and here are the arguments proving it false.’ In reply, no argument is offered to establish that shirk is true and correct. They merely say, ‘This man has clearly been overcome by magic.’ He says, ‘You have not been left uncontrolled in the world. Rather, you must return to your Lord and account for your deeds. This truth is proved by these moral, historical, intellectual, and just realities.’ The reply is, ‘These are the words of a poet.’ He says, ‘I have come from God to teach you the truth, and these are those teachings.’ No discussion is offered regarding the teachings; they merely allege without proof that he has copied them from somewhere. He presents the miraculous word of God as proof of his messengership. He presents his own life, character, and conduct. Alongside these, he presents the moral revolution taking place among his followers through his influence. His opponents pay attention to none of these things. They merely ask, ‘Why do you eat and drink? Why do you walk through the marketplaces? Why do you have no angel serving as your attendant? Why do you possess neither treasure nor a garden?’ These statements themselves prove who among the two sides stands upon truth and who, unable to respond, is babbling nonsense. (39)

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“O Prophet (peace be upon him), tell them, ‘I advise you to do one thing: for Allah’s sake, think carefully, individually and in pairs, and consider what there is in your companion that could be called madness. He is only warning you before a severe punishment arrives.’” (Saba: 46)

That is, free yourselves from every kind of selfishness, desire, and hatred, and think sincerely for Allah’s sake. Each of you individually, with good intentions, and groups of two, four, or more together, should discuss and examine carefully what happened that has led you today to call mad the person whom, until yesterday, you regarded as the wisest among you. It was only a short time before his prophethood that, when the Quraysh tribes quarrelled over placing the Black Stone after the Ka‘bah was rebuilt, you unanimously accepted Muhammad (peace be upon him) as arbitrator. He resolved the dispute in such a way that all of you were satisfied. After the entire nation had experienced his knowledge, judgment, and wisdom, what suddenly happened that you now call him mad? Stubbornness and obstinacy are separate matters. But do you truly believe in your hearts what you are saying with your mouths? He is warning you before a severe punishment arrives. Is that his crime—the reason you call him mad today? In your view, is the wise person the one who sees you heading toward destruction and says, ‘Bravo! You are doing wonderfully’? And is the madman the one who warns you before calamity befalls you and shows you the way of reform and correction instead of disorder and wrongdoing? (40)

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“Or do they say that this man is possessed by jinn?” (Mu’minun: 70)

That is, was their reason for rejecting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) that they truly considered him mad? Certainly, that was not their real reason. Whatever they said with their mouths, inwardly they acknowledged his wisdom and sound judgment. Moreover, the difference between a madman and a mentally sound person is not a hidden matter so difficult to discern. Apart from an obstinate and shameless person, who could hear this discourse and say, ‘These are the words of a madman’? And after observing this man’s life, who could claim that it was the life of a mentally deranged person? What an extraordinary form of mental derangement—or, as Western enemies of Islam claim, epilepsy—that from such a person’s mouth words as magnificent as the Qur’an emerge, and that he leads such a successful movement that changes not only the destiny of his own country but of the entire world. (41)

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“O Prophet, by the grace of your Lord, you are not mad. And surely there is an unending reward for you. Indeed, you possess a magnificent character.” (Qalam: 2–4)

It should be noted that although the address here is outwardly directed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), its actual purpose was to answer the unbelievers’ slander. Therefore, no one should suppose that this verse was revealed to console the Messenger (peace be upon him) by assuring him that he was not mad. The Prophet had no such doubt in his mind that required removal through consolation. The actual purpose was to tell the unbelievers: “The very Qur’an on account of which you call its presenter mad is itself proof that your allegation is false.”

The consolation given to the Messenger (peace be upon him) concerned the fact that an unlimited and countless reward awaited him. He was hearing such painful words because of his efforts to guide humanity, yet he continued to fulfil his responsibility despite them.

It is then stated that his magnificent character is clear proof that the unbelieving polytheists’ allegation that he was mad was utterly false. Moral greatness and mental derangement cannot coexist. A madman is one whose mental balance has been destroyed and whose temperament is also unbalanced. By contrast, a person’s lofty and noble character testifies that he is mentally sound and of sound nature. His mind and temperament are balanced. The people of Makkah were not unaware of what the Messenger of Allah’s (peace be upon him) character was like. Therefore, it is enough merely to point this out to make every conscientious person in Makkah reflect on how shameless they were to call a man of such noble character mad. Their reckless talk did not harm the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him); rather, it harmed themselves, for intoxicated by blind opposition they were saying things about the Prophet (peace be upon him) that no wise person could even imagine. The same applies to those in the modern age who claim knowledge, science, and intellectual research, yet allege that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) suffered from epilepsy. The Holy Qur’an is available throughout the world, and the life of the Noble Prophet is recorded in detail. Everyone can see for himself what reckless statements those who call the presenter of this unparalleled Book, and a man of such sublime character, mentally deranged utter in the blindness of hostile hatred. (42)

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“Have they not reflected? Their companion is not afflicted by madness. He is only a clear warner.” (A‘raf: 184)

“Companion” means the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), because he was born among the people of Makkah. He lived among them, passing from childhood to youth and from youth to old age. Before his prophethood, the entire nation knew him as a person of sound nature and sound mind. After his prophethood, when he began conveying God’s message, they suddenly began calling him mad. It is noteworthy that this label of madness was not applied to the things he had done before becoming a prophet; it was applied only after he began preaching those words following his prophethood. That is why they are asked whether they have ever reflected on these matters. Which of these words is the utterance of a madman? Which statement of his is unjust, irrational, or baseless? If they had reflected on the organization of the heavens and the earth, or carefully studied any particular creation of God, they would have known for themselves that the order of the universe and every atom of God’s creation testify to the truth of what their brother, the Prophet Muhammad, was explaining to them concerning the refutation of shirk, affirmation of tawhid, the call to worship God, and human responsibility and accountability. (43)

The allegation that he was a poet

The unbelieving Quraysh also accused the Messenger (peace be upon him) of being a poet, saying, ‘Am I to abandon our gods because of the words of a mad poet?’ In reply it was said:

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“And it is the straying who follow the poets.” (Shu‘ara: 224)

That is, people associated with poets are entirely different in their nature and character from those whom you see accompanying the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The difference between the two groups is so obvious that it can be understood at a glance: what one group is like and what the other is like. On one side we find utmost seriousness, courtesy, civility, honesty, and fear of God; a sense of responsibility in every word; protection of people’s rights in conduct; complete trustworthiness and integrity in their work; and mouths that open only for welfare and well-being. No evil words ever emerge from them. Most importantly, it is clear from observing them that their lives have a pure, sacred, and noble goal, upon which they remain absorbed day and night. Their entire lives are devoted to a great purpose.

On the other side, love affairs and drinking are discussed somewhere, and the audience applauds enthusiastically. Somewhere, the beauty of a prostitute or a married woman becomes the subject, and the listeners relish it wholeheartedly. Somewhere, stories of sexual intercourse are narrated, kindling the fire of lust in the listeners’ hearts. Somewhere, buffoonery or sarcastic remarks are made, and waves of laughter and amusement spread all around. Somewhere, someone is mocked, and the audience enjoys it. Somewhere, someone is praised excessively and the praise is endorsed with applause. Somewhere, hatred, anger, and hostility toward someone are expressed, inspiring revenge, and the fire of vengeance burns in the listeners’ hearts. Terrible crowds gather at such assemblies to hear the poets. Looking at those who follow such great poets, one cannot help thinking that they are free from moral restraints and swept along by the current of desire and passion. They worship pleasure and resemble animals. It never occurs to them that human life in this world might have a noble purpose. Anyone who fails to notice the clear difference between these two groups is blind. And after seeing everything, if someone says merely to demean the truth that Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions are like poets and their followers, then it must be said that they have exceeded every limit in lying. (44)

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“Do you not see that they wander lost through every valley?” (That is, the poets.) (Shu‘ara: 225)

That is, they have no particular path about which they reflect and to which they devote their poetic talent. Rather, the horses of their thought, like unbridled horses, wander lost through every valley. Every new current of desire, passion, interest, and purpose brings a new subject from their mouths, without any concern, when considering or describing it, for whether it is correct and true. At one moment a wave of thought rises, and words of wisdom and good counsel flow. At another moment a second wave rises, and from the very same mouth begins to pour the honey of the most obscene and vile lusts. When pleased with someone, they raise him to the skies; when displeased, they cast him into the depths. If it serves their interests, they do not hesitate to elevate a miser to the rank of Hatim, or a timid coward to the stature of Rustam and Alexander. Conversely, when someone hurts their feelings, they are not ashamed to cast slander upon his pure life, destroy his honor and dignity, or even mock his lineage. Worship of God and rebellion against God, materialism and spirituality, moral greatness and immorality, purity and filth, seriousness and childishness, flattery and mockery—all can be found side by side in the poetry of the same poet. Anyone familiar with these well-known traits of poets could never entertain the absurd idea of accusing the presenter of this Qur’an of being a poet. His speech, however, was measured and clear. His path was clear and definite. Not a single word passed from his mouth apart from the call to truth, honesty, and goodness.

Elsewhere in the Qur’an it is stated concerning the Prophet (peace be upon him) that composing poetry had no compatibility whatsoever with his nature and disposition.

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“We did not teach him poetry, nor is it befitting for him.” (Yasin: 69)

This is such an established truth that all who knew the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) personally knew it. According to reliable reports, no poem was ever fully retained in the Prophet’s memory. If, in conversation, a good line of some poet ever came from his lips, he would recite it awkwardly or alter some of its words.

Hazrat Hasan Basri (may Allah have mercy on him) says that once, while delivering a sermon, the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited a poet’s verse in this manner.

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Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “O Messenger of Allah! The line of poetry should actually be like this.”

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Once the Prophet (peace be upon him) asked Abbas ibn Mirdas Sulami, “Did you compose this poem?”

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He said, “The last part should be this rather than that.”

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The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “The meanings of both are the same.”

Hazrat Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked whether the Prophet (peace be upon him) ever used poetry in his sermons. She said that he had no dislike for anything more than poetry. However, sometimes he would recite a couple of lines by a poet of Banu Qays. But he would put the final part first and the earlier part last. Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) would say, “O Messenger of Allah! It is not like that; it should be like this.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) would say, “Brother, I am not a poet, nor is composing poetry my task.”

The subjects with which Arabic poetry was filled were sexual desire, love and romance, drinking, tribal hatred and enmity, disputes and quarrels, or pride and arrogance. Religious devotion and words of goodness were rarely found in it. Moreover, falsehood, exaggeration, slander, mockery, inappropriate praise, conceit, jesting and ridicule, and pagan myths were integral parts of this poetic literature. For this reason, the Prophet (peace be upon him) remarked about this poetry:

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It is better for someone’s stomach among you to be filled with pus than to be filled with poetry.

Nevertheless, when a poem contained good words, the Prophet (peace be upon him) praised it. He would say:

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Some poetry contains wisdom.

After hearing a poem by Umayyah ibn Abi al-Salt, he said:

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His poetry believes, but his heart is an unbeliever.

Once, a Companion recited about a hundred excellent poems to the Prophet (peace be upon him), and he kept saying, “Wonderful, very beautiful—recite more.” (45)

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And they say what they do not do. (Al-Shu‘ara: 226)

This was another characteristic of poets that contradicted the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) way of conduct. Those who knew him knew that he did what he said and said what he did. The harmony between his words and deeds was such an obvious truth that no one in the society around him could deny it. In contrast, who did not know that poets said one thing and did another? They would deliver forceful speeches about charity, making people think that no one was more open-handed than they were, yet their conduct would reveal them to be extremely miserly. They would speak of bravery while being cowardly themselves. They would speak of independence, contentment and self-respect, while themselves sinking to the lowest depths of greed and degradation. They would seize upon the slightest weakness of others while being engaged in the utmost weakness themselves. (46)

The Inconsistency in the Opponents’ Allegations and the Qur’an’s Rebuttal

From everything described earlier, it becomes clear that the unbelievers of Makkah made contradictory allegations against the Prophet (peace be upon him) and could not specify even one definite charge. The Qur’an identified this weakness of theirs and proved it false.

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(O Prophet!) Continue to admonish. By the grace of your Lord, you are neither a soothsayer nor mad. Do they say, “This man is a poet; we are awaiting the vicissitudes of time against him”? Say to them, “Wait; I too am waiting with you.” Does their reason tell them to say such things? Or have they truly exceeded all bounds in hostility? (Al-Tur: 29–32)

These few sentences expose the secrets behind all the opponents’ propaganda. The essence of the argument is that the Quraysh chiefs and tribal leaders claim to be highly rational. But does their reason tell them to call a person who is not a poet a poet? To call mad someone whom the entire nation knows to be wise? To call a person who has no connection whatsoever with fortune-telling a soothsayer without cause? If they issue judgments on the basis of reason, they should issue one judgment. But they cannot issue many contradictory judgments at the same time. How can one person simultaneously be a poet, a madman and a prophet? If he is mad, he can be neither a soothsayer nor a poet. If he is a soothsayer, he cannot be a poet, and if he is a poet, he cannot be a soothsayer. The language and subject matter of poetry are distinct, and the language and subject matter of a soothsayer are distinct. Calling the same statement poetry and a soothsayer’s utterance at the same time cannot be the work of someone who knows the difference between poetry and a soothsayer’s speech. Therefore, it is clear that these contradictory statements made in opposition to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are not rational. They are being made solely out of stubbornness and obstinacy. The nation’s great chiefs and leaders are making utterly baseless allegations out of hostility—allegations to which sensible people attach no importance. (47)

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(O Prophet!) See what kind of things they say against you. They have gone astray and cannot find the way. (Bani Isra’il: 48)

That is, they do not express one single opinion about you. Rather, they say entirely different and mutually contradictory things. Sometimes they say that you yourself are a magician; sometimes they say that someone else has bewitched you. Sometimes they say you are a poet, sometimes that you are mad, and sometimes that you are a soothsayer. These contradictory statements themselves prove that they are ignorant of the real matter. Otherwise, instead of saying one thing one day and another the next, they would express one clear opinion. Furthermore, this shows that they are not certain about any one matter. After making one allegation, they themselves feel that it is not right; then they make another allegation. (48)

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Whenever the truth came to them, they immediately rejected it as false. That is why they are now caught in confusion and doubt. (Qaf: 5)

A vast subject has been described in this brief sentence. Its meaning is that they did not merely express amazement and call it inconceivable; rather, when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) presented his true message, they immediately called it false without hesitation. The result was inevitably—and indeed became—that they did not settle upon any one opinion regarding this message or its presenter. Sometimes they call him a poet, sometimes mad, and sometimes a soothsayer. Sometimes they say that he has composed all this himself to establish his superiority. At other times they allege that there are people behind him who compose these things and give them to him. Such contradictory statements prove that they were confused about their policy and course of action. They would never have fallen into this confusion if, before hastily declaring the Prophet (peace be upon him) false and announcing a decision without hesitation, they had seriously considered who was presenting this message, what he was saying and what arguments he was offering. It is true that this person was not unknown to them. He had not suddenly flown in from somewhere and settled among them. He was one of their own people, a man they had tested themselves. His character, conduct and abilities were not unknown to them. When such a person said something, it need not have been accepted immediately, but neither should it have been rejected merely upon hearing it. Nor was his statement without proof and argument; he was presenting proper arguments for it. They should have listened to it and examined how reasonable it was. But instead, when they first deemed it false out of stubbornness, the result was that they themselves closed the door to reaching the real truth and opened many paths to wandering lost in every direction. They can now produce ten contradictory statements in support of their initial error, but they are not prepared even to consider whether the Prophet might be truthful and whether what he presents might be true. (49)

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O Prophet, when these people see you, they merely begin to mock you and say, “Is this the man whom God has sent as a messenger? He would have turned us away from our gods if we had not remained steadfast in devotion to them.” (Qur’an: 41–42)

These two statements of the unbelievers contradict each other. The first shows that they regard the Prophet (peace be upon him) as inferior. They mock him and want to disgrace him. In their view, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has made an excessively great claim.

The second statement shows that they acknowledge the strength of his arguments and the superiority of his personality, and unconsciously confess: “If we had not remained steadfast in worshipping our gods out of hostility and obstinacy, this man would have caused us to stumble.” Such contradictory statements themselves prove how greatly the Islamic movement has unsettled them. They mock him after trying to demean him, yet their inferiority complex forces words from their mouths against their will, clearly showing how profoundly they have been influenced by this power. (50)

Demands for Various Kinds of Miracles

Along with the storm of allegations, the unbelievers of Quraysh repeatedly demanded that miracles be shown. Indeed, the Qur’an mentions these demands in various places and also provides their answers.

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And they said, “We will never believe you until you cause a spring to gush forth from the earth; or until a garden of date palms and grapes is made for you, with streams flowing through it; or until you cause the sky to fall upon us in fragments, as you claim; or until you bring God and the angels face to face before us; or until you have a house of gold; or until you ascend to heaven—and we will not believe your ascent until you bring down for us a written book that we can read.” Say, “My Lord is far above all defects. Am I anything other than a human messenger?” (Bani Isra’il: 90–93)

The answer to the demand for miracles was given in this surah in the following verse—(Arabic**************)

The answer was that when a people regarded a prophet as false even after seeing the miracles presented as proof of his prophethood, punishment was inevitably sent down upon them. History contains many examples of this. It is now Allah’s mercy that He is not sending such a miracle. Yet you are so foolish that you demand it. —Author’s note. A second answer to this demand is now given here. The eloquence of this brief answer is beyond praise. The opponents demanded: if you are a prophet, look toward the earth and let it split open immediately, bringing forth a spring. Or let a green, flourishing, youthful garden come into existence at once, with a stream flowing through it. Point toward the sky and let it collapse upon those who call you a liar. Blow once and let a palace of gold be built in the blink of an eye. Give a command and let God and the angels immediately stand before us and say that they sent Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a prophet. Or ascend to heaven before our eyes and bring us a letter from Allah Almighty addressed to us, which we can touch with our hands and see with our eyes.

The only answer given to such extravagant demands was: “You foolish people! Did I ever claim to be God, that you make these demands of me? When did I tell you that I possess infinite power? When did I say that the earth and heavens operate under my command? My claim, from beginning to end, has been only that I am a human being and a messenger from God. If you wish to examine something, examine my message. If you wish to believe, believe after considering the truth and reasonableness of this message. If you wish to reject it, point out its faults and shortcomings. If you wish to establish my truthfulness, examine my life and conduct as a human being. Instead of doing these things, what are you demanding of me—that I split the earth and bring down the sky? What connection do such acts have with prophethood? (51)

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These people say, “Why have signs (miracles) not been sent down to this man?” O Prophet, say, “The signs are 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 admonition for those who believe. (Al-Ankabut: 50–51)

That is, is it not itself a great miracle that, despite being unlettered, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) received a great scripture like the Qur’an, making belief in his prophethood sufficient?

Is any further miracle still necessary after this? For those who witnessed earlier miracles, they were miracles. But this miracle is perpetually before your eyes. It is recited to you every day. You can see it at all times. (52)

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Yet each of them wants a letter sent openly in his own name. Never! The real reason is that they do not fear the Hereafter. Never! This is only an admonition; whoever wishes may take heed from it. (Al-Muddaththir: 52–55)

That is, they say that if Allah truly appointed Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a prophet, He should write to each chief and tribal leader of Makkah, saying that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is Our prophet and that they must acknowledge his obedience. The letter should also be such that, on seeing it, they would believe that Allah Himself had written and sent it.

Elsewhere in the Qur’an, the statement of the unbelievers of Makkah is quoted: “We will not believe until we are given what was given to Allah’s messengers.” (Al-An‘am: 124) [A brief answer to this is given in Surah Al-An‘am—

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Allah knows best through whom and how He will carry out the work of prophethood. (Author’s note)]

Elsewhere their demand is quoted: “Ascend to heaven before us and bring down from there a written book for us to read.” (Arabic**************)

The answer given was that their demand would never be fulfilled. The real reason they do not believe is not at all that their demand is not being fulfilled. Rather, the real reason is that they do not fear the Hereafter. They regard this world as everything. They have no notion that after the life of this world there is another life in which they will have to account for their deeds. This is what has made them reckless and irresponsible in this world. They consider the question of truth and falsehood entirely meaningless, because they see no truth in this world whose following must necessarily produce a good result, nor any falsehood whose consequence in this world must necessarily be evil. Therefore, they consider it pointless to reflect on what the real truth and falsehood are. This matter is worth considering only for those who regard the present life of the world as temporary and acknowledge that the real and everlasting life is the life of the Hereafter, where truth must have a good outcome and falsehood must have an evil outcome. Such people will see the rational proofs and sublime teachings and believe, asking what actual error there is in the beliefs and deeds that the Qur’an declares false. But one who denies the Hereafter and has no interest whatsoever in seeking the truth will put forward ever-new demands each day as an excuse for not believing. Even if one of his demands is fulfilled, he will search for another pretext for denial. This is what is said in Surah Al-An‘am: “O Prophet, even if We sent down to you a Book written on paper, and people touched it with their hands, those who rejected the truth would still say, ‘This is nothing but clear magic.’” (Al-An‘am: 7) (53)

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They say, “Why was no angel sent down to this prophet?” If We had sent down an angel, the matter would already have been decided and they would have been given no respite. And even if We had sent an angel, We would have sent him in human form. Thus We would have confused them with the very doubt in which they are now involved. (Al-An‘am: 8–9)

Their argument was that since this man had been sent as a prophet, an angel should have descended from heaven. He would tell people, “He is God’s prophet. Follow him, or you will be punished.” To these ignorant objectors, it seemed astonishing that the Creator of the heavens and the earth would appoint someone as a prophet and leave such a helpless man to be stoned and abused. Even if the messenger of such a powerful king did not come with a large group, at least one angel should have come as his attendant, protecting him, creating an impression of his authority, guaranteeing the success of his mission and carrying out his work by supernatural means.

The first answer given was that if an angel had been sent in his actual form, the time for judgment would have arrived and no respite would have been granted. The respite given to you to believe and reform your conduct lasts only so long as the real truth remains hidden behind the veil of the unseen. Once the veil of the unseen is lifted, there will be no further opportunity for respite; only reckoning will remain. This is because worldly life is a period of testing for you, and the test is whether, without seeing the actual truth, you can perceive it through the proper use of reason and reflection, and then control your desires and keep your conduct right according to that truth. Remaining unseen is an essential condition of this test. Your worldly life—the respite granted for the test—will continue only as long as the unseen remains unseen. When the unseen takes visible form, this respite will necessarily end, and the time will come for the result of the test to be announced instead of the test itself. Therefore, in answer to your demand, it is not possible to end the period of your test before its appointed time. (54)

The second answer given was that if an angel came in human form, it would create among you the very doubt that now exists concerning the Prophet. Of course, one form of the angels’ coming could have been for them to appear before people in their actual unseen form. But it has been stated above that the time for that has not yet arrived. The remaining possibility is that they would come in human form. It is said regarding this that if they came in human form, you would have the same doubt concerning their being sent by God as you now have concerning Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) being sent by Allah. (54)

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

These people say, “Why has no sign from his Lord—a tangible miracle—not been sent down to this prophet?” Say to them, “Allah has full power to send down signs, but most of them are immersed in ignorance.” Consider every creature that moves on the earth and every bird that flies through the air on its wings: all are created beings like you. We have left nothing out of the record of their destinies. Then they will all be gathered before their Lord. But those who reject Our signs as false are deaf and dumb, wandering in darkness. (Al-An‘am: 37–39)

The meaning of this statement is that the failure to show a miracle does not mean that Allah lacks the power to show one. Rather, there is another reason that you cannot understand because of your ignorance. If you do not merely desire amusement, but truly wish to see a sign in order to know whether what the Prophet (peace be upon him) calls you toward is true, then open your eyes and look: countless signs exist all around you. Reflect on the life of any one of the creatures of the earth or birds flying in the sky. Consider how its physical structure has been made suited to its condition; how its instincts have been endowed with powers according to its natural needs; how its livelihood is provided; and how its destiny has been determined, within whose limits it can neither advance nor retreat. Consider how every creature, down to the smallest insect, is properly cared for in its respective place; how it is watched over, maintained and guided; how work is taken from them according to a prescribed scheme; how they are kept subject to an ordered system; and how their birth, reproduction and death proceed according to a complete order. If you reflect on only one of God’s countless signs, you will know that the concept of God’s oneness and attributes that this Prophet presents to you, and the way of life according to that concept to which he calls you, are absolute truth. But you neither open your eyes to see nor wish to listen to anyone. You remain in the darkness of ingratitude and want to be distracted by displays of nature’s wonders. (55)

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

And what would happen if the Qur’an were revealed in such a manner that mountains began to move because of it, or the earth were split open, or the dead rose from their graves and began to speak? (Ar-Ra‘d: 31)

To understand the meaning of this verse, one must remember that the address here was not directed to the disbelievers; rather, it was directed to the Muslims. When they repeatedly heard the disbelievers demanding signs, they became anxious, wishing that some sign might be shown to them by which they would be reassured. Then, when they thought that, because such a sign had not appeared, the disbelievers were finding an opportunity to create doubts in people’s minds regarding the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) prophethood, their anxiety increased further. Therefore, the Muslims were told: If such extraordinary signs were suddenly shown along with a surah of the Qur’an, would you really think that these people would believe? Do you have such a good opinion of them that they are completely ready to accept the truth and lack only one sign? Those who saw no light of truth in the teachings of the Qur’an, in the signs of the natural world, in the pure life of the Prophet, and in the revolutionary lives of the Prophet’s Companions—do you think they would gain any light by seeing mountains move, the earth split open, and the dead rise from their graves? (65)

Clear Proof of the Messenger’s (peace be upon him) Prophethood

A thoroughly just answer was given to every allegation the disbelievers made against the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and to every demand they made for a miracle as proof. After that, no room remained for anyone to prove the Messenger’s prophethood doubtful through reason, intellect, or argument. Then three clear proofs were presented in support of his prophethood, such that the people living in Makkah and its surroundings could not deny them. Their sequential account is given below.

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

O Prophet, you did not read any book before this, nor did you write anything with your own hand. Otherwise, the followers of falsehood could have harbored doubts. (Al-‘Ankabut: 48)

The basis of the argument in this verse is that the Prophet (peace be upon him) was unlettered. His fellow countrymen, neighbors, and relatives—before whom his entire life had passed from childhood to old age—all knew very well that he had never read any book in his life and had never taken a pen in his hand. Presenting this fact, Allah says that it is the strongest proof that the extensive and profound knowledge issuing from this unlettered man concerning the teachings of the heavenly Scriptures, the circumstances of earlier prophets, various religious beliefs, the history and civilization of ancient nations, morality, and important economic problems could not have been acquired by him through any means other than revelation. If he had possessed knowledge of reading and writing, and people had ever seen him reading and studying books, the followers of falsehood would have had some basis for suspecting that this was not knowledge given by revelation but acquired through study and effort. But his illiteracy left not even the slightest foundation for doubt. Now there is no reason to deny his prophethood except sheer obstinacy, which cannot be considered reasonable in any respect. (57)

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

O Prophet (peace be upon him), tell them: If Allah had willed that I should not be made a prophet, I would never have recited this Qur’an to you, nor would He have informed you of it. I lived a lifetime among you before this. Will you not use your reason? (Yunus: 16)

This is a powerful argument refuting the belief of the disbelievers of Makkah that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) composed the Qur’an from his own mind and attributed it to God; at the same time, it supports the Prophet’s claim that he was not its author, but that it was revealed to him through revelation from God. Even if all other arguments and proofs were set aside, the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was before their eyes. He had spent a full forty years among them before his prophethood. He was born in their city. They had watched him pass through childhood, enter youth, and reach maturity. He lived among them, met with them, traded with them, married among them—in short, all kinds of social relations connected him with them. No aspect of his life was hidden from them. What clearer testimony could there be than something so thoroughly known, understood, and observed?

Two things in the life of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) were so evident that every person in Makkah knew them. First, during the entire forty years before his prophethood, he had received no education or companionship from which he could have acquired this knowledge, after which a stream of such knowledge suddenly began flowing from his mouth along with his claim to prophethood. Until then, he had never been seen showing interest in, discussing, or expressing opinions about the subjects now being discussed in the continuously revealed surahs of the Qur’an. Indeed, during those full forty years, even his closest friends and nearest relatives had never perceived anything in his speech or conduct that could be called a preparation for the great call he suddenly began presenting at the age of forty. This was clear proof that the Qur’an was not his own invention or fabrication; rather, it was something that had entered his heart from outside. For the human mind cannot present, at any stage of life, something whose development and growth show no clear signs in the preceding stages. This is why, when some clever people of Makkah themselves realized that calling the Qur’an a product of Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) mind was a completely absurd accusation, they eventually began saying that someone else was teaching Muhammad (peace be upon him) these words. But this second claim was even more senseless than the first. For not only in Makkah but throughout Arabia there was no person of such ability at whom they could point and say that this man was, or might have been, the author of this discourse. How could a person of such ability remain hidden in society?

The second especially notable feature of his earlier life was that not the slightest trace of falsehood, deceit, fraud, trickery, or cunning could be found in his character. No one in society could say that, during the forty years they had lived alongside him, they had experienced any such conduct from him. On the contrary, everyone who came into contact with him knew him as an exceptionally truthful, flawless, reliable, and trustworthy man. Could anyone reasonably suppose that a person who had never resorted to falsehood, deception, or fraud even in minor matters throughout his entire life would suddenly stand forth with such a great weapon of lying and forgery, composing something from his own mind and forcefully attributing it to God? On this basis Allah says, in reply to their absurd accusation: Tell them, servants of Allah, use your reason and reflect. I am not a stranger who has come from outside; rather, I have lived a lifetime among you. After seeing my former life, how can you expect me to present this Qur’an before you without God’s command and instruction? (58)

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

O Prophet, you never expected that a Book would be revealed to you. It was nothing but the grace of your Lord that it was revealed to you. (Al-Qasas: 86)

Another argument presented in support of the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is this. Moses (peace be upon him) was completely unaware that he would be made a prophet; far from wishing or intending to be appointed to a great and noble mission, he had never even imagined it. Then, suddenly, while he was traveling, he was drawn into it, made a prophet, and assigned such extraordinary tasks as had no connection with his previous life. The same was true of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The people of Makkah themselves knew what his life had been like on the day before he descended from the Cave of Hira with the message of prophethood. They knew his work and profession, his speech, the subjects he discussed, and the nature of his interests and activities. His entire life was filled with truthfulness, trustworthiness, and purity. His exceptional nobility and dignity, love of peace, fulfillment of promises, defense of rights, and concern for public service were particularly notable. Yet there was nothing in him on which one could base the expectation that this great man would appear claiming prophethood. None of those who had close relations with him—his relatives, neighbors, and friends—could say that he had been preparing from the beginning to become a prophet. After that revolutionary moment in the Cave of Hira, the subjects and problems that suddenly began to issue from his mouth were things about which no one had previously heard even a word from him. No one had heard him use the distinctive language, words, and terminology that people now heard from him in the form of the Qur’an. He had never stood up to preach, nor had he ever entered the field with a call or movement. Indeed, none of his activities suggested that he was considering working to solve public problems or undertake religious or moral reform. Even the day before that revolutionary moment, his life appeared to be that of a simple businessman earning his livelihood through lawful means. He lived cheerfully with his children, honored his guests, helped the poor, treated his relatives well, and sometimes withdrew in solitude for worship. That such a person would suddenly appear with world-shaking speeches, begin a revolutionary call, produce unprecedented literature, and come forward with a lasting philosophy of life, system of thought, morality, and civilization—this was a transformation that, psychologically, could not possibly have resulted from artificiality, preparation, or deliberate effort. Every such effort and preparation passes through stages of development, and those stages cannot remain hidden from the people among whom a person spends his life day and night. If the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) life had passed through such stages, a hundred thousand voices in Makkah would have been heard saying: “Did we not tell you that this man would one day make some great claim?” But history bears witness that although the disbelievers of Makkah made all kinds of accusations against him, not one of them made this particular accusation.

Further proof that he had neither desired nor expected prophethood, but suddenly found himself facing it without his prior knowledge, is found in the account of the beginning of revelation narrated in the books of Hadith. Its details were given earlier in the chapter entitled “The Beginning of the Messenger’s Prophethood,” so I consider it unnecessary to repeat them here. (59)

Third Section

The Call to Believe that the Qur’an Is the Word of Allah

The third foundational point of the Islamic call is that people must acknowledge the Noble Qur’an as the Book of Allah, accept every word of it as true and from Allah, and regard as the basic law of their lives every teaching it gives concerning beliefs, thought, morality, worship, and conduct. They must reject everything contrary to its guidance. This belief necessarily includes accepting that the Qur’an is, letter for letter, the word of Allah revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) through revelation. It is not that only its meaning was placed in his heart and that he expressed it in his own language and words. Rather, the Book was revealed to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in a particular wording, and it has been preserved exactly in that wording. No alteration or addition or omission has occurred in it, and falsehood will find no way to enter it. Moreover, since it is directly the word of Allah, Lord of the worlds, it has authority even over the Messenger himself. Although it came through the Messenger, the Messenger is subject to it. He was commanded to follow it and had no right to add or subtract anything from it. Rather, his duty was to be the foremost and most devoted follower of it and to establish the religion—that is, the complete system of life—in accordance with the intent of this Divine Word.

This belief further strengthened the revolution that Islam aimed to bring about, because an eternal Book had been provided from God, in which God Himself had clearly stated in His own words what is truth and what is falsehood. Thus, in every age, people can turn to it to learn what they should and should not do in order to gain the pleasure of their Lord. Appointing a person as a Messenger, revealing a Book to him, and commanding people to believe in and follow both means that wherever this faith and obedience are established among people and society, the freedom of arbitrary self-will disappears. Individuals and society as a whole become subject to a guide and a law-book. Even after the guide departs from the world, the law-book—the Qur’an—will remain in the world forever to declare what Allah has commanded and what He has forbidden. The Sunnah that remains after the Prophet (peace be upon him), which in the Qur’anic view is the reliable official explanation of the Divine Word, leaves no opportunity for slaves of desire or followers of other philosophies of life to continue misinterpreting the law-book.

This brief account makes clear why, at the very beginning of the Islamic proclamation, it was necessary to call people—along with belief in Tawhid and the prophethood of Muhammad—to believe in the Qur’an and accept it as the Word of Allah, and what its importance was. We shall now describe in detail what status was declared for the Qur’an when it was presented, and how strong the arguments and proofs were presented to those who refused to accept this Book that it is the Word of Allah.

The Qur’an Is the Word of God, Every Word of Which Was Revealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him)

This was the initial point, stated in the Qur’an with such great emphasis and so frequently that it is impossible to quote all the verses on the subject here. Nowhere in the Qur’an is there even a word that could give rise to the suspicion that it was the personal speech of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The entire Book was presented as revelation sent down by God. A few verses are quoted below as examples.

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

And, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), We have sent down to you this Book with the truth. It confirms and safeguards whatever was previously revealed and remains in the heavenly Scriptures. So judge between them by what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their desires by turning away from the truth that has come to you. (Al-Ma’idah: 48)

This verse does not merely state clearly that Allah revealed this Book to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), bringing the truth accurately; two additional points are made. First, it confirms the truth of everything that exists in its genuine and correct form in the previously revealed Books. Second, it safeguards those Books, meaning that it incorporates and preserves the true teachings contained in them. Then, with the help of this Book, the statements that had been added to them contrary to the truth have been sifted out and separated.

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

And We have sent down this Qur’an with the truth, and with the truth it has descended. We have not sent you as a Messenger for any other purpose than to give good news to whoever accepts it and warn whoever does not. (Bani Isra’il: 105)

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

And, O Prophet, recite the Book of your Lord that has been revealed to you. (Al-Kahf: 27)

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

O Muhammad (peace be upon him), We have sent down this Book to you for mankind with the truth. Whoever accepts guidance does so for his own benefit, and whoever goes astray bears the consequence himself. You are not responsible for them. (Az-Zumar: 41)

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

Thus, O Prophet, We have revealed the Qur’an to you in Arabic so that you may warn the inhabitants of the central city, Makkah, and those living around it. (Ash-Shura: 7)

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

This Book has been revealed from Allah, the Almighty, the Merciful. (Al-Ahqaf: 1)

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

This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), so that people may reflect upon it and those possessed of understanding and intelligence may take heed from it. (Sad: 29)

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

And, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), you are surely receiving this Qur’an from One who is Wise and All-Knowing. (An-Naml: 6)

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

And surely this is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. The Trustworthy Spirit [Here, “the trustworthy” or “reliable spirit” refers to Jibril (peace be upon him), who brought the Qur’an to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Instead of mentioning his name, the expressions “trustworthy” and “reliable spirit” are used. The purpose is to indicate that he is a pure spirit, an incorporeal being, and so faithful and reliable that he conveys to the Prophet exactly as Allah sends it to him, without any addition or omission—the author.] has brought it down upon your heart so that you, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), may become one of the warners, in clear Arabic speech. (Ash-Shu‘ara: 192–195)

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

O Prophet, do not move your tongue hastily to memorize this revelation. It is Our responsibility to make you memorize it and enable you to recite it. So when We recite it, listen attentively to its recitation. It is also Our responsibility to explain its meaning. (Al-Qiyamah: 16–19)

These verses did not merely make clear that the entire Book had been revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him) from Allah through revelation; the last two verses make it especially clear that not only was its meaning disclosed to the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) heart for him to express in his own language, but its wording too was revealed by Allah. The descent of the Trustworthy Spirit (Jibril, peace be upon him) with the revelation in Arabic from the Lord of the worlds, its recitation before the Prophet, the Prophet’s effort to memorize it quickly, and Allah’s statement, “Do not try to memorize it; rather, when it is recited, listen to it. Then reminding you of it, teaching you to recite it, and explaining its meaning are all Our responsibility”—all these statements have meaning only when the words of the revelation are also sent down by Allah. Otherwise, if only meanings and ideas arose in the Prophet’s heart, there would be no meaning in reciting, listening to, remembering, or revealing them in Arabic.

The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) Himself Was Ordered to Follow the Qur’an

The Qur’an also clearly states that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was subject to the commands of the Qur’an. He was ordered to follow it. He had no authority to alter anything in it or to add or subtract anything from it.

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

And, O Muhammad (peace be upon him), follow whatever has been revealed to you from your Lord. Allah is fully aware of what you do. (Al-Ahzab: 2)

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

O Muhammad (peace be upon him), follow whatever has been revealed to you from your Lord. There is no god but Him, and turn away from the polytheists. (Al-An‘am: 106)

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

O Muhammad (peace be upon him), tell them: I follow only what is revealed to me, and I am nothing but a clear warner. (Al-Ahqaf: 9)

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

And when you do not present these people with any sign or miracle, they say, “Why have you not chosen a sign for yourself?” Tell them: I follow only what is revealed to me from my Lord. This Qur’an is an illumination of insight from your Lord, and guidance and mercy for those who believe in Him. (Al-A‘raf: 203)

In other words, my task is not to invent or produce and present whatever is demanded or whatever need I myself perceive. I am only a Messenger, and my task is to act according to the guidance of the One who sent me. Instead of a miracle, my Sender has sent me this Qur’an. It contains the light of insight, and its remarkable beauty is that those who accept it find the correct path of life, while the signs of Allah’s mercy become clear in their excellent character.

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

And when Our clear verses are recited to them, those who do not hope to meet Us in the Hereafter say, “Bring a Qur’an other than this, or alter it.” O Muhammad (peace be upon him), tell them: I have no authority to alter it on my own. I follow only what is revealed to me. If I were to disobey my Lord, I would fear the punishment of a tremendous day. (Yunus: 15)

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

And if he had fabricated something in Our name, We would have seized him by the right hand and cut his jugular vein; then none of you could have prevented it. (Al-Haqqah: 44–47)

The Qur’an Is Preserved in Every Respect, and Every Word of It Is Firm

It has also been made clear in the Qur’an that Allah Himself has undertaken the responsibility of preserving the Qur’an, with every word intact. Every statement in it is firm and unalterable. Falsehood will find no way to enter it. Allah will continue to show signs in the horizons and within human beings, through which its truth will be established. (Arabic*******************)

Indeed, We have sent down this Qur’an, and indeed We are its guardian. (Hijr: 9)

That is, it remains directly under Our protection. No one can destroy it or suppress it. Its dignity cannot be diminished by anyone’s accusations or criticism. No one can prevent its message from spreading. No one will have the opportunity to distort or alter it.

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

—Rather, the Holy Qur’an is inscribed upon a tablet of exalted rank and guarded. (Buruj: 21–22)

That is, the writing of this Qur’an cannot be erased. It is inscribed upon that guarded tablet of God in which no alteration is possible. Whatever has been written in it must come to pass. Even if the whole world united to reject it, it could not do so.

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

And the real fact is that this Qur’an is a mighty Book. Falsehood cannot approach it, either from before it or from behind it. It has been sent down by One who is Wise and worthy of praise in Himself. (Ha-Mim Sajdah: 46)

The meaning of falsehood not being able to approach it from before is that no one can directly attack the Qur’an and prove any of its statements wrong or any of its teachings false and unjust. Its not being able to approach it from behind means that no truth will subsequently be discovered that contradicts the information presented by the Qur’an; nor can there be any knowledge that is truly knowledge and refutes the knowledge described in the Qur’an. No experience or observation can prove that what the Qur’an has presented regarding creed, faith, morality, law, civilization, culture, economics, sociology, and politics is wrong.

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

Soon We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this Qur’an is indeed the truth. (Ha-Mim Sajdah: 53)

There are two meanings. First: before long, the message of this Qur’an will spread across a vast part of the world, and these people will see with their own eyes what a tremendous religious, moral, intellectual, political, economic, and cultural revolution it brings about in human life.

The second meaning is that, as human knowledge of the higher world and of human existence itself continues to expand, it will become increasingly clear that the Qur’an is the truth.

Rejecting the Qur’an is disbelief

Faith in the Qur’an is as important a part of the Islamic message as faith in Tawhid and Prophethood. Therefore, people were invited in unequivocal terms: This is the Word of Allah; believe in it. Whoever does not believe in it is a disbeliever. Among the qualities of those regarded in the opening verses of Surah al-Baqarah as established upon guidance, this too is mentioned as one of their qualities.

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

—We send down in the Qur’an that which is healing and mercy for those who believe in it, while for the wrongdoers who do not believe it brings nothing but loss. (Bani Isra’il: 82)

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

—Only the disbelievers deny Our signs. (Ankabut: 47)

The response of the disbelievers

When the Qur’an was presented with its proper status, accepting it became more difficult for the disbelieving Quraysh and the ordinary polytheists of Arabia than accepting the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as God’s Messenger. For even after accepting Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Messenger and submitting to his obedience, they could hope that, after his departure from this world, they would cast off the burden of that obedience. But here a Book was being presented with such authority that every one of its words had been sent down from the Lord of the worlds. The Muslims were memorizing this Book word for word, because its recitation was obligatory in prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) had every revelation written down as soon as it was sent down. They had no hope of escaping from it. They thought that, once they accepted it as the Word of Allah, their lives would be permanently bound by a system of rules and discipline, turning away from which would mean turning away from the Lord of the worlds. Therefore, they exerted every effort to refuse to accept the Qur’an as the Word of Allah and employed every possible tactic to prevent the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) from making this claim at all.

Denial of all the Divine Books

Their first tactic in this matter was to deny all the Divine Books.

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

And the disbelievers said, ‘We will never believe in this Qur’an, nor in any Book that came before it.’ (Saba: 31)

But the Arabs themselves could not accept this statement at all. They themselves believed that the scrolls of Abraham (peace be upon him) had been sent down by God. In fact, the Qur’an mentions them in two places in a manner showing that they were universally acknowledged by the Arabs, even though not a single portion of them was preserved among them. This is mentioned in verse 37 of Surah al-Najm and verse 19 of Surah al-A‘la.

Moreover, large numbers of Jews and Christians lived in Arabia, and they believed in the Divine Books. In opposing the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the disbelieving Arabs needed to seek the help of these Jews and Christians. For this reason, they could not remain committed to that position for long. (60)

The accusation against the Prophet (peace be upon him) that he composed the Qur’an himself

Then they began to propagate most forcefully the accusation that the Prophet (peace be upon him) had composed this Qur’an himself and attributed it to Allah. A detailed answer to this has been given in the Qur’an, which has proved with powerful arguments that it is the Divine Word.

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

Undoubtedly, this Book has been sent down from the Lord of the worlds. (Sajdah: 2)

Various surahs of the Qur’an begin with identifying statements of this kind. Their purpose is to declare at the very outset of the Word where it comes from. Apparently, this is an introductory statement of the same kind as when a radio announcer says at the beginning of a program that the news is being broadcast from such-and-such a station. But unlike such an ordinary announcement on the radio, when a surah of the Qur’an begins with the extraordinary declaration that this message comes from the Sovereign Lord of the universe, it is not merely reporting the announcer’s words; along with it come a tremendous claim, a forceful challenge, and a fearful warning. For the declaration immediately gives the news that this is not a human statement but the Word of the Lord of the worlds. At once it places this great question before people: will you accept this claim or not? If you accept it, you must bow your head in obedience to it forever. Thereafter, you will have no independence in opposition to it. But if you do not accept it, you must face the danger that, if it truly is the Word of Allah, rejecting it will result in everlasting misfortune. For this reason, the exceptional nature of this introductory statement compels people to listen to the Word attentively and with caution, and to decide whether they will accept it as the Divine Word.

Here it was not considered sufficient merely to say that this Book had been sent down from the Lord of the worlds. Rather, it was stated with complete force that:

(*Arabic******)

This is undoubtedly God’s Book. There is not the slightest doubt that it has been sent down by Allah. When this forceful statement is considered in light of the surrounding context of the Qur’an and the preceding and following passages, it appears that the claim itself contains an argument. This argument was not hidden from the people of Makkah to whom the claim was being made. The entire life of the one presenting this Book had unfolded before them—the life before and after he presented the Book. They knew that the person presenting this Book with such a claim was the most honest, serious, and virtuous man among their people. They also knew that, after claiming prophethood, he had suddenly begun to speak in this manner. They could clearly see the difference between the language and style of this Book and the language and style of Muhammad Mustafa (peace be upon him) himself. They also knew that two such clearly different styles could not come from the same person. They observed the Qur’an’s miraculous literary beauty, and, as Arabic speakers, they knew for themselves that all their writers and poets were incapable of producing similar literature. They also knew very well the vast difference between the words of their national poets, soothsayers, and orators and these words. Moreover, how exalted and sublime were the pure subjects described in this message. The personal interests that are bound up with the words and deeds of a false claimant could not be found in the slightest degree in this Book or in the one presenting it. The opponents could not identify what benefit Muhammad (peace be upon him), in claiming prophethood, sought for himself, his family, or his own people and tribe, or what personal interest he had in this undertaking. They also saw what kinds of people among their nation were being attracted to this message and what great revolutions took place in their lives after becoming associated with it. All these things together assumed the form of evidence supporting the claim itself. Therefore, in this context, it was sufficient to say that there was not the slightest room for doubt that this Book had been sent down from the Lord of the worlds. No further argument was necessary. (61)

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

Do they say, ‘He has composed it himself’? No; rather, it is the truth from your Lord, so that you may warn a people to whom no warner came before you, perhaps they may receive guidance. (Sajdah: 3)

After the introductory statement mentioned earlier, an answer is given to the first accusation that the polytheists of Makkah made concerning the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). The answer asks: despite the certainty established by these words that this Book was sent down by Allah, do these people make the plainly obstinate claim that Muhammad (peace be upon him) composed it himself and attributed it to Allah, the Lord of the worlds? Are they not ashamed to make such a foolish and baseless accusation? Can they not realize what those who knew the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his works, and his words, and those who understood this Book, would think upon hearing such a foolish accusation?

Just as, in the first verse, it was considered sufficient to say ‘there is no doubt in it’ (Arabic***********) and no argument was deemed necessary to establish that the Qur’an is the Divine Word, so too, in this verse, in response to the accusation of the disbelievers of Makkah, it is considered sufficient to say only: ‘It is from your Lord.’ The reason is the same as that explained in our commentary on verse 2. Who had presented this Book, in what setting, and with what authority was known to these listeners. The Book itself, with its language, literature, and subject matter, was before everyone. Its effects and results were also being witnessed by everyone in that Makkan society. In these circumstances, the fact that this Book had come as truth from the Lord of the worlds was such a self-evident reality that stating it in a few words was enough to refute the disbelievers’ accusation. Attempting to present proofs in addition would have weakened rather than strengthened the matter. Suppose, for example, that while the sun is giving bright light during the day, a stubborn person says that it is a dark night. In reply, it is enough to say: ‘You call this night? The bright day is before your eyes.’ If you then continue presenting rational evidence to prove it, you will not strengthen the reply; you will only weaken it. (62)

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

This Qur’an could not have been composed without Allah’s revelation and teaching. Rather, it confirms the truth of what came before it and explains the Book in detail. There is no doubt that it is from the Lord of the worlds. (Yunus: 37)

‘It confirms the truth of what came before it’ means the fundamental teaching that, from the beginning, was sent to humanity through the prophets. This Qur’an does not depart from that teaching and present something new. Rather, it confirms it. If this had been the product of the imagination of a new religious founder, there would certainly have been an effort in it to mix some novel personal color with the ancient truth and thereby make its distinct status clear.

‘It explains the Book in detail’ means that these fundamental teachings, which contain within them the essence of all the Heavenly Books, have been presented with arguments and evidence, with advice and explanation, and in a manner consistent with actual conditions. (63)

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Say: If humankind and the jinn united to produce the like of this Qur’an, they could not produce its like, even if they supported one another. (Bani Isra’il: 88)

Apart from this, the same challenge was issued in four other places in the Qur’an: Surah al-Baqarah, verses 23–24; Yunus, verse 38; Hud, verse 13; and Tur, verses 33–34. In these places, it was stated in response to the disbelievers’ accusation that Muhammad (peace be upon him) had composed the Qur’an himself and was unnecessarily presenting it as God’s Word. Moreover, in Yunus, verse 16, this accusation was refuted with the statement:

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O Muhammad (peace be upon him), tell them: If Allah had willed that I should not recite the Qur’an to you, I could never have recited it to you. Nor would He have informed you of it. I have spent a lifetime among you. Will you not understand even this much? (Yunus: 16)

The arguments presented in these verses for the Qur’an being the Divine Word are, in reality, three arguments. First, in its language, style, method of reasoning, subject matter, discussions, teachings, and communication of news about the unseen world, the Qur’an is a miracle—an extraordinary work whose like is beyond human ability to produce. You say that a human being composed it. But We say that even all the people of the world united could not compose a book of this kind. Even the jinn, whom the polytheists have made their deities and whose alleged divinity this Qur’an has struck a decisive blow, could not, even if they united to help those who reject the Qur’an, gain the ability to compose a book equal in stature to the Qur’an and thereby answer this challenge.

Second, Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not suddenly appear among you from some outside world. Rather, he lived among you for forty years before this Qur’an was sent down. Even one day before claiming prophethood, had you ever heard from his mouth words of this kind, containing such issues and subject matter? If you had not—and surely you had not—does your reason say that the language, concepts, information, thoughts, and speech of a person can suddenly undergo such a tremendous change?

Third, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not recite the Qur’an to you and then conceal himself; rather, he is living among you. You hear the Qur’an from his mouth, and you also hear his other conversations and speeches. The difference in language and style between the words of the Qur’an and the words of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is so immense that such two different kinds of speech could never come from one person. This difference was not clear only in that time, when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) lived among his people. Even today, countless sayings and sermons of his exist in the hadith collections. His language and style differ so greatly from the language and style of the Qur’an that no discerning critic of Arabic language and literature would dare say that both kinds of speech came from the same person. (64)

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Do they say that the Prophet himself composed this Book? Say: Very well, then produce ten surahs like it, composed by you, and call upon whoever you can besides Allah—your alleged deities—to help you, if you are truthful in regarding them as deities. If they do not come to your aid, then know that it has been sent down with Allah’s knowledge, and know that there is no true deity but Allah. Will you then submit in obedience to this truth? (Hud: 13–14)

Here the same argument is used to prove that the Qur’an is the Divine Word, and also to prove Tawhid. The argument may be summarized as follows:

1. If this were a human statement, then a human being should be capable of producing such a statement. Therefore, your claim that I, Muhammad (peace be upon him), composed this Book myself can be true only if all of you together can compose a book like it. If you cannot, then my claim is true: I am not its author. Rather, it has been sent down through Allah’s knowledge.

2. Furthermore, this Book has openly opposed your deities and clearly said that you should abandon their worship, because they have no share in divinity. If you do not accept this, then your deities—if they truly are gods—should help you disprove my claim and compose a work like this Book. But if, at this decisive moment, they can neither help you nor instill in you the power to compose anything like this Book, then it is conclusively proved that you have made them gods without justification. Otherwise, they possess no real power and not the slightest element of divinity on the basis of which they could be worthy of being gods. (65)

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Or do they say that the Prophet has composed this Book himself? Say: Then produce one surah like it, and call upon anyone you wish besides Allah, if you are truthful in your accusation. (Yunus: 38)

People generally think that this challenge concerns only the Qur’an’s rhetorical and literary beauty. The discussions of the Qur’an’s miraculous nature may understandably give rise to this misconception. But the status of the Qur’an is far higher than that. It has not based its claim to distinctiveness, uniqueness, and matchlessness solely on verbal and literary beauty. There is no doubt that, linguistically, the Qur’an is unparalleled. But the reason it is said that the human mind cannot compose a book like it lies in its subject matter and teachings. The aspect of its miraculous nature, and the reason it was sent down by Allah and such a composition is beyond human ability, has itself been described by the Qur’an in various places. (66)

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—Do they say that this man composed the Qur’an himself? The truth is that they do not wish to believe. Let them produce a discourse of comparable stature, if they are truthful in what they say. (Tur: 33–34)

In other words, the meaning of this statement is that the Quraysh who say the Qur’an is the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) own composition are themselves told by their hearts that it cannot be his speech. Those among them who were linguists clearly felt that it was far higher and nobler than human speech. Indeed, even those who knew the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) could never imagine that it was his own speech. Thus, the plain fact is that those who call the Qur’an Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) composition do not truly wish to believe. For this reason, they invent various false excuses, of which this is one.

The matter is not merely that this is not the speech of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); rather, it is not human speech or discourse at all. Producing such speech is beyond human ability. If you wish to call it human-composed discourse, then bring a discourse of comparable quality, composed by a human being. This challenge was first issued in this verse not only to the Quraysh but to all the disbelievers of the world. It was then repeated three times in Makkah and finally in Madinah. (Yunus: 38; Hud: 13; Bani Isra’il: 88; al-Baqarah: 23–24)

But neither then did anyone have the courage to answer this challenge, nor has anyone today produced anything composed by a human being to rival the Qur’an.

Because some people fail to understand the true nature of this challenge, they say that no one can compose prose or poetry in the manner of any other person’s writing—not only the Qur’an. Homer, Rumi, Shakespeare, Goethe, Paley, Rabindranath, and Iqbal are all unparalleled in this respect. It is impossible for anyone to compose something exactly like theirs. Those who attempt to answer the Qur’an’s challenge are actually laboring under the misconception that:

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It means producing a work of this kind according to its style of expression. In reality, it does not mean similarity in style of expression. Rather, it means: bring a book of such quality and stature that, not only in Arabic but in any language of the world, it could be regarded as a rival to the Qur’an in those qualities on the basis of which it is a miraculous work. A few of the qualities on the basis of which the Qur’an was miraculous in the past and remains so today are being described briefly.

1. This Qur’an is an exceptionally lofty and magnificent specimen of the literature of the language in which it was revealed. Not a single word or sentence throughout the entire Qur’an falls below this standard. Whatever subject it discusses is expressed in the most appropriate and fitting words and style. The same subject is presented repeatedly, yet each time a new mode of expression is adopted, and nowhere is there any distasteful repetition. From beginning to end, the arrangement of words throughout the Book is such that it seems as though a necklace of pearls has been fashioned. Its discourse is so compelling that no linguistically gifted person can hear it without being overwhelmed with delight. It even brings delight to the hearts of deniers and opponents. Even after fourteen hundred years have passed, this Book remains the finest specimen of Arabic literature; indeed, no other book in this language, let alone equaling it, has come anywhere near its literary rank and worth. Not only that, but even after the emergence of this magnificent Book, the language has retained the standard of eloquence that this Book established. Yet over such a long period, languages change and assume different forms. There is no language in the world that has remained unchanged for many centuries in spelling, sentence construction, style of expression, grammar, and vocabulary. But the power of this Qur’an alone has prevented the Arabic language from deviating from its proper place. Not a single one of its words has been abandoned to this day. Every one of its idioms is still used in Arabic literature. Its literature is still high-grade Arabic literature. Is there any human-authored book in any language of the world that possesses such distinction?

2. It is the only Book in the world that has exerted such a broad, deep, and comprehensive influence over the thought, morality, civilization, and way of life of humankind that no parallel can be found anywhere. Its influence first brought about a revolution within one nation. Then that nation initiated change across a larger part of the world. There is no other book that has been able to inspire such a revolution. This Book did not remain merely written on pages of paper. Rather, in the real world, each of its words gave shape to thoughts, ideas, and concepts, and created a lasting civilization. This influence has continued for fifteen hundred years, and every day it continues to expand.

3. The subject matter discussed by this Book is diverse and comprehensive, extending from the beginning to the end of the entire universe. It sheds light on the profound mysteries of that universe, its origin and end, and the order governing it. It explains who the Creator, Director, and Controller of this universe is, what His attributes are, what His authority is, and what the profound reality is for which He established this entire system. It correctly describes humanity’s dignity and place in this world, explaining that this is its natural position and an innate right whose power it does not possess to change. It makes clear which path of human thought and action, in view of humanity’s position and dignity, is fully consistent with nature, and which misguided paths conflict with the truth. From every object in the earth and heavens, from every aspect of the organization of the universe, from human nature and existence, and from the whole of human history, it has presented countless arguments proving the correctness of the true path and the error of false paths. At the same time, it explains how and for what reasons people are led onto wrong paths, how the right path—which has always been and will always remain the same—can be known, and how it continues to be communicated to people in every age. It does not merely identify the right path and then remain silent. Rather, it presents a complete system of life for following that path, encompassing beliefs, morals, purification of the soul, worship and devotion, social organization, civilization and culture, economics, politics, the judicial system, law—in short, a highly coherent framework for every sphere of life. Moreover, it explains in detail what consequences will follow in this world from following the right path and from walking the wrong one. It then states what the consequences will be in the next world after the present order of this world comes to an end. It gives a detailed account of the end of this world and the beginning of the second world, describing each stage of this transition one by one. It places a complete picture of the other world before the eyes. Then it explains in detail how people will receive a second life there, how their deeds in their worldly lives will be reckoned, what matters they will be questioned about, how their complete record of deeds will be placed before them in an incontrovertible manner, what powerful testimony will be presented to establish those matters, and why those who receive reward or punishment will receive it. It explains what kinds of blessings those who are rewarded will obtain and in what forms those who are punished will suffer the consequences of their deeds. The statements made in this Book concerning this vast subject matter are not based on its author constructing a palace of conjectures and assumptions with a few arguments. Rather, they are based on the fact that its author possesses direct knowledge of reality. His vision extends from beginning to end. Every reality is clear to Him. The entire universe is like an open book before Him. He sees, at a glance, everything from the beginning of the human race to its end, and beyond its end to its second life; and on the basis not of conjecture and assumption but of knowledge, He guides humanity. Not a single piece of information He has presented on the basis of knowledge has been proved false to this day. The view He presents of the universe and humanity fully explains all observable objects and events and can serve as the foundation for research in every branch of knowledge. The solutions to all the peripheral problems of philosophy, science, and the social sciences are found in His words, and there is such a logical relationship among them that on their basis a complete, coherent, and comprehensive field of thought is formed. Furthermore, the practical guidance He has given people for every aspect of life is not only highly rational and exceptionally pure; for fifteen hundred years countless people in different parts of the world have actually followed it. Experience has proved it to be the finest. Does there exist in the world any human-authored book of such distinction that can be presented in comparison with this Book—the Qur’an?

4. The Book was not presented to the world in written form all at once. Rather, a reform movement was begun with some initial guidance, and then, over the twenty-three years during which that movement passed through its various stages, portions of the Book continued to be expressed through the movement’s leader—sometimes in lengthy speeches and sometimes in the form of various statements—in accordance with the circumstances and needs of each stage. After the mission was completed, these portions, revealed at different times, were compiled in complete form and presented to the world; this is what is called the Qur’an. According to the movement’s leader, these speeches and statements were not composed by him, but were revealed to him by the Lord of the worlds. If anyone regards him as the author of these words in his capacity as the movement’s leader, let him produce from world history an example of any person who, while personally leading a vast social movement continuously for years, sometimes as a preacher and teacher of ethics, sometimes as the leader of an oppressed community, sometimes as a head of state, sometimes as the commander of an army at war, sometimes as a victorious hero, sometimes as a legislator of Shariah and law, and sometimes as a judge—in short, as a person occupying different positions of authority in different circumstances and periods—gave various speeches or statements and, by combining them, established a complete, coherent, and comprehensive system of thought and action. No disparity or contradiction can be found in it. The same central conception operates within it from beginning to end. From the first day, the man described the foundation of his call, and until the last day he continued to establish upon that foundation a comprehensive system of belief and action, every part of which was perfectly consistent with the others. After observing all this, no far-sighted person can help concluding that, at the beginning of the movement, its leader had before him a complete picture of the movement all the way to its final stage. There was never an intermediate point at which an idea arose in his mind that had not existed at first, or later had to be changed. If any person of such distinction ever lived who displayed the pinnacle of his own creative power, let him be identified.

5. The leader from whose mouth these speeches and statements issued did not suddenly appear from somewhere in public merely to have these words heard, nor did he disappear somewhere after delivering them. He had lived in human society even before this movement, and afterward continued to live in that same society until the final moment of his life. Everyone knew well the language and style of his conversations and speeches. A large portion of his Hadith has been preserved, through which Arabic-speaking people can still easily see what the manner of speech of that leader or guide was. His own people, who spoke his language, clearly recognized even at that time—and Arabic-speaking people still recognize today—that the language and literary style of this Book are very different from the language and literary style of that leader, Muhammad (peace be upon him). Indeed, even when he recited a portion of that Book within one of his speeches, the difference between the two kinds of language could be understood with complete clarity. The question is: has any person in the world ever been able, or could ever be able, to maintain for years the artifice of speaking in two entirely different modes and styles without ever letting the secret slip that both kinds of speech came from the same person? Certainly, it may be possible to display such artificiality successfully for a short time. But to do so continuously for twenty-three years is utterly impossible.

6. While leading the movement, this great leader continued to face various circumstances. At times, for long periods, he was subjected to mockery, ridicule, humiliation, and persecution by his neighbors and fellow tribesmen. At times, such persecution was inflicted upon his companions that they were forced to leave the country. At times, the enemy plotted to assassinate him. At times, he too had to leave the country. At times, he had to endure extreme financial hardship. At times, he faced warfare, in which both victory and defeat occurred. At times, he prevailed over his enemies, and those who had once subjected him to extreme oppression bowed their heads before him. At times, he attained dominion and authority, a fortune granted to very few. When he spoke on his own behalf amid all these circumstances, the emotions that arise in human beings in such situations became evident in his words. But the words heard at different times from his mouth on the basis of revelation sent down by God appear—and still appear today—to be entirely free of human emotion. No great critic can point to a single place in the Qur’an and say that human emotion is at work there.

7. The broad and all-encompassing knowledge found in this Book was possessed by none of the Arabs, Romans, Greeks, or Iranians of that time—let alone by the great scholars and learned men of the twentieth century. Today, after spending a lifetime studying a single branch of philosophy, science, or the social sciences, a person discovers that clear answers to those problems are found at the furthest limits of that branch of knowledge. This matter is not limited to any one particular field of knowledge. Rather, it applies precisely to all knowledge connected with the universe and humanity. How can it be believed that, fifteen hundred years ago, an unlettered man in the Arabian desert possessed such comprehensive knowledge of every branch of learning and, after reflecting on every fundamental problem, had arrived at clear and decisive answers?

Although there are many other reasons why the Qur’an is miraculous, if people reflect and investigate only these few reasons, they will learn that the miraculous nature of the Qur’an is now many times more evident than it was when the Qur’an was revealed, and, God willing, it will continue to become even more evident until the Day of Resurrection. (67)

Although what has been described above leaves no room for doubt that the Qur’an is the Word of God, the argument the disbelievers repeatedly invoked to regard it as a human-authored book was this: if it were truly Divine Speech, it would have been revealed in its entirety at once. Presenting it to us little by little from time to time means that it was composed after much thought and deliberation. The Qur’an quotes or alludes to this allegation and explains in deeply moving language why it was revealed gradually and what profound wisdom lay behind its gradual revelation.

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The disbelievers say, “Why was the Qur’an not revealed to this man all at once?” Thus it was done so that We might strengthen your heart with it, and We have revealed it in distinct stages with a carefully ordered arrangement. And whenever they brought you any strange statement or question, We gave you the exact answer at the proper time and explained the matter in the best manner. (Al-Furqan: 32–33)

This was a particularly appealing allegation to the disbelievers of Makkah. Considering it a very strong argument, they repeated it frequently. But the Qur’an gave a reasoned answer that completely refuted the allegation. Their question or allegation meant: if this man did not present these matters after thinking them up himself, asking someone else, or copying them from books, but if this truly were the Book of God, why was it not brought all at once and at the same time? God surely knows the whole matter He wishes to communicate. If He intended to reveal it, He could have revealed everything together. The fact that some things are being said now and others at another time after deliberation is clear evidence that revelation does not come from above. Rather, it is being collected from somewhere or fabricated here.

In response, many significant purposes behind revealing the Qur’an gradually, little by little, have been described:

(1) It was also done so that it might be preserved in memory, word for word. For its propagation and dissemination were not carried out in written form; rather, they were carried out through an unlettered Prophet, by means of oral discourse among unlettered listeners.

(2) So that its teachings might become firmly rooted in the heart. For this purpose, speaking little by little with pauses and explaining the same matter in different ways is more effective.

(3) So that their minds may become absorbed in the way of life prescribed by it. For this purpose, it is more scientific to reveal the instructions and guidance gradually. Otherwise, if all these laws and regulations and the entire system of life were explained at once and people were ordered to establish it, they would become bewildered. Moreover, it is a fact that when each command is given at the appropriate time, its wisdom and vitality can be properly understood. Conversely, if all the instructions are compiled section by section and given at the same time, they cannot be properly grasped.

(4) So that, during the Islamic movement, when the continuous conflict between truth and falsehood is taking place, courage, enthusiasm, and zeal may be created among the Prophet and his followers. For this reason, instead of sending them one long, comprehensive message of guidance and leaving them to confront the opposition of the whole world, it is more effective for messages from God to continue coming repeatedly, from time to time, and at the appropriate moments. In the latter situation, people feel that the God who has commanded them to undertake this task is watching over them, guiding them through trials, calamities, and suffering, and renewing His relationship with them by addressing them whenever the need arises. This increases their enthusiasm and strengthens their resolve. In the former situation, a person feels that he and the four walls around him are facing nothing but storms and tempests.

Finally, another instance of wisdom in adopting a gradual sequence in revelation has been described. The occasion of the revelation of the Qur’an is not that Allah wishes to compose a book containing guidance and has appointed a Prophet as its agent for disseminating it. If that had been the case, it would have been reasonable to demand that He compose the entire book and hand it over to the agent all at once. In reality, however, the occasion of its revelation is that Allah wishes to create a movement of faith, Islam, obedience, and piety in opposition to disbelief, ignorance, and wickedness, and for this purpose He has raised a Prophet as its caller and leader. During the course of this movement, on the one hand, He has assumed responsibility for educating and guiding the leader and his followers according to their needs; on the other hand, He has also assumed responsibility for clarifying whatever objections, doubts, or confusion the opponents may raise. If they misconstrue any statement, He will provide its correct explanation. The collection of the addresses revealed by Allah for these various purposes is called the Qur’an. It is not a book of law, nor a book of character and philosophy; rather, it is a book of movement. The correct and natural way for it to come into existence is that, from the moment the movement begins until it reaches its end, as the movement continues to advance, the Qur’an too should continue to be revealed alongside it, according to the time and the need. (68)

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When We replace one verse with another—and Allah knows best what He reveals—they say, “You have fabricated this Qur’an yourself.” The truth is that most of them have no knowledge of the actual matter. Say to them, “The Holy Spirit has brought it down successively from my Lord in truth, so that He may strengthen the faith of those who believe, guide those who submit in the affairs of life, and give them glad tidings of prosperity and blessedness.” (An-Nahl 101–102)

Replacing one verse with another may also mean sending a second command after a first command. For the commands of the Qur’an were revealed gradually; concerning the same matter, two or three commands were sent successively over intervals of several years, as in the case of wine or the punishment for adultery. However, we hesitate to accept this meaning because Surah an-Nahl was revealed during the Makkan period. As far as we know, no example of commands being revealed in a sequence occurred during that period. Therefore, here we will understand “replacing one verse with another” to mean that, in different places in the Qur’an, a subject is sometimes explained through one example and sometimes another example is presented to explain the same subject. At times, a second aspect of the matter is brought forward. For the same subject, one argument is sometimes presented and at other times a different argument. The same story is narrated repeatedly, each time in different words. Sometimes one aspect of a matter is presented, and sometimes its second aspect. A statement is presented briefly at one time and in detail at another. This was what the unbelievers of Makkah regarded as evidence that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), God forbid, had composed this Qur’an himself. Their argument was that if the source of this message were divine knowledge, everything would have been stated all at once. Was Allah, like human beings, so deficient in knowledge that He would speak only after thinking things over? Would He gather information gradually and, if He felt that one formulation had not worked properly, express it in another way? In reality, they claimed, these were merely the weaknesses of human knowledge appearing in your speech.”

In response, it was first said that this Book is brought from Allah by the “Holy Spirit.” The literal meaning of “Holy Spirit” is a pure or sacred spirit. As a technical term, this title has been given to Jibril (peace be upon him). Elsewhere, in Surah ash-Shu‘ara, the words “the Trustworthy Spirit” are used for him—that is, the spirit who is trustworthy. Here, instead of mentioning the name of the angel who brings revelation, his title is used to alert the listeners to the fact that this message is brought by a “spirit” who is above human weakness and defect. He is not treacherous, so that Allah might send something and he might alter it on his own and turn it into something else. He is not a liar or a false accuser who would compose something himself and pass it off in Allah’s name. Nor is he an immoral or money-seeking person who would deceive others for some personal interest. Rather, he is wholly a great and pure spirit who conveys Allah’s message with complete trustworthiness. It is then said that the reason he brings that message gradually, rather than bringing all of it at once, is not any deficiency in Allah’s knowledge, as you have assumed in your ignorance. Rather, it is because human powers of understanding and retention are limited: people cannot understand everything at the same time, and if they were to understand everything at once, they could not retain it. Therefore, Allah’s wisdom requires that the Holy Spirit (Jibril) bring this message little by little—sometimes briefly and sometimes in detail. Sometimes he will explain a matter in one way and sometimes in another; sometimes he will adopt one style of narration and sometimes another. He will try to impress the same truth upon people’s hearts in various ways, so that truth-seekers of different abilities and capacities may believe, and so that, after believing, their knowledge, conviction, and understanding may become firm.

The second significance of the Qur’an’s gradual revelation is that those who, after believing, proceed along the path of obedience are given, at the proper time, the kind of guidance they need in the work of the Islamic call and in the various problems of life. It is true that sending such guidance before its time would not be appropriate, nor could providing all guidance at once be effective.

The third significance is that, because of the obstacles and opposition faced by the obedient people, the ways in which they are embittered and their lives made unbearable, and the mountains of danger raised in the path of the Islamic call, they repeatedly need their courage to be strengthened through glad tidings and to be assured of ultimate success, so that they may remain hopeful and not become disheartened. (69)

The allegation that someone else composed the Qur’an and gave it to the Prophet

In Makkah, the unbelievers made another allegation that was completely contrary to the earlier one: that someone else was helping the Prophet compose this Qur’an. They claimed that he had old written stories copied and then recited to them, and that this work was being carried on day and night.

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Those who refused to accept the Prophet’s words said, “This Qur’an is nothing but a fabrication that this man himself has produced, with the help of some other people.” They had descended to the depths of great injustice and dreadful falsehood. They said, “These are the writings of ancient people, which someone has had copied out and which are recited to him morning and evening.” (O Muhammad, peace be upon him,) say to them, “He has revealed it who knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth. Indeed, He is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Al-Furqan 4–6)

Their claim was that this man had been illiterate himself. He could not acquire new knowledge through study, and in the beginning he had learned nothing at all. None of the things now coming from his mouth had been known to him up to the age of forty. Where, then, had all this knowledge come from? Surely its source must be the books of certain ancient peoples, whose contents were translated and copied at night. He would have someone read them aloud to him, then memorize them and recite them to us. Some reports state that they even named certain people in this connection who were educated and lived in Makkah. One of them was Addas, the freed slave of Huwaytib ibn Abd al-Uzza. The second was Yaish, the freed slave of al-Ala ibn al-Hadrami. The third was Jabr, the freed slave of Amir ibn Rabi‘ah.

On the surface, this appears to be a very meaningful accusation. What accusation could be more meaningful for refuting the claim of revelation than identifying the source of the Prophet’s knowledge? Yet one is immediately astonished to find that, instead of presenting any argument in response to such a serious accusation, the matter is dismissed simply by saying: “You are attacking the truth, speaking of manifest injustice, unleashing a storm of falsehood, and opposing the word of such a God as knows the mysteries of the earth and the heavens.”

The question is: when such a forceful accusation was made in that extremely hostile environment, why was it refuted with such contempt? Why did the opponents not demand a detailed answer? Why did they not say: “Our accusation is being brushed aside merely by calling it oppression and falsehood”? And why did this accusation not create any doubt in the minds of those who were newly becoming Muslims?

The answer becomes clear when one reflects on the environment of Makkah in which this accusation was made. First, the cruel chiefs of Makkah who were then physically torturing Muslims and making their lives unbearable could easily have accused them of translating these ancient scriptures and reciting them to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They could suddenly have surrounded their homes, brought out all such materials, and presented them before the people. They could even have caught them while they were translating and teaching the Prophet. But they never did this, even for a single day, to produce evidence for their accusation. Moreover, the people whose names they mentioned in this connection were residents of Makkah itself, and no one was unaware of their abilities. No sensible person could believe that these people possessed the level of ability required to compose a book of the standard of the Qur’an.

Furthermore, these people were freed slaves of some of the chiefs of Makkah. In the tribal society of Arabia, even after a slave gained freedom, he could not survive without the protection of his former master. How, then, could it be imagined that these weak men would dare to incur the displeasure of their patrons and participate with Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)—God forbid—in this conspiracy to fabricate prophethood amid that terrible atmosphere of oppression and persecution?

Even more astonishing is the fact that the three persons mentioned above had believed in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and held the same respect for him as the other noble Companions did. Because of this faith, they too suffered persecution and oppression along with the other Companions. In such circumstances, who could believe that those who had themselves participated in composing the Qur’an would believe in that Qur’an and in the one who brought it, and would endure persecution and oppression for that supposed crime? (70)

An Astonishing Example of the Disbelievers’ Obstinacy

After receiving a reasoned answer to each of their accusations, the disbelievers’ obstinacy took a new form. They said that they would accept Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) as a prophet if he recited the Qur’an fluently in a language unknown to him. The reply was:

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“If We had sent it as a non-Arabic Qur’an, they would have said, ‘Why have its verses not been explained clearly?’ What an absurd objection: it is in a non-Arabic language, while the audience is Arab! Say: It is guidance and healing for those who believe. But those who do not believe have deafness in their ears and blindness in their eyes; they are like people being called from far away.” (Ha-Mim as-Sajdah: 44)

This was one example of the obstinacy with which Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was confronted. The disbelievers said: Muhammad is an Arab, and Arabic is his mother tongue. If he presents the Qur’an in Arabic, how can we believe that he did not compose it himself but that it was sent down by God? His message could be accepted as revelation from God only if he began delivering fluent speech in a language he did not know, such as Persian, Byzantine Greek, or Greek. In reply, Allah says that the Qur’an has now been sent in their own language, which they can understand. Yet their objection is why it was revealed in Arabic, through an Arab, for Arabs. Had it been sent in another language, they would have objected: “How strange! An Arab has been sent as a Messenger among the Arab people, but the message revealed to him is in a language neither the Messenger nor his people understand.” (71)

It was not considered sufficient merely to refute this meaningless objection. Rather, they were also made to understand that it is a favor from Allah that He has revealed, in their own language, a Book that they can understand well and through which they can distinguish truth from falsehood.

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A revelation from the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. A Book whose verses have been explained clearly—an Arabic Qur’an for people who possess knowledge. It gives good news and warning. Yet most of them turn away and do not wish to listen. (Ha-Mim as-Sajdah: 2–4)

First, it is stated here that this message is being sent down from God. In other words, keep chattering as long as you wish that Muhammad (peace be upon him) composed it himself; the actual fact is that this message has been sent down from the Lord of the Worlds. Furthermore, the listeners are warned that if they frown upon this message after hearing it, their opposition will not be directed against Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), but against God Himself. If you reject it, you are rejecting not the word of a human being, but the word of God. And if you turn away from it, you are turning away not from a human being, but from God Himself.

Second, it is stated that the One who sent it down is the God who is exceedingly merciful toward His creation. Mentioning the attribute of mercy instead of His other attributes points to the fact that He revealed this message in fulfillment of the demands of His mercy and grace. Through this, the listeners are warned that whoever turns away from this message, rejects it, or frowns upon it is acting as an enemy only toward himself. This is a tremendous gift that God has directly revealed, on the basis of His mercy, for the guidance and welfare of humanity. Had God turned away from people, He would have left them wandering in darkness and would not have cared into what pit they fell. But out of His mercy and grace, He considers it His responsibility, alongside creating them and providing their sustenance, to show them the light of knowledge so that their lives may be properly organized and governed. On this basis He has revealed this message to one of His servants. Who, then, could be more ungrateful and more his own enemy than the person who, instead of taking advantage of this mercy, advances to fight against it?

Third, it is stated that the verses of this Book have been explained clearly. That is, it contains nothing so obscure or complicated that anyone could object to accepting it by saying that the subject matter of the Book is beyond his understanding. It clearly explains what truth and falsehood are; which belief is correct and which is erroneous; what constitutes good character and what constitutes bad character; what righteous deeds are and what evil deeds are; which path brings people well-being and which brings them ruin. If someone rejects such clear guidance or shows no interest in it, he can offer no excuse. Its plain meaning is that he wishes to remain in error.

Fourth, this is a Qur’an in the Arabic language. If it had been revealed in another language, the Arabs could have offered the excuse that they were ignorant of the language in which God had sent the Book. But they could not use the excuse of failing to understand it when it was in their own language.

Fifth, it is stated that this Book is for those who possess knowledge. In other words, only knowledgeable people can benefit from it. For the ignorant, it is as useless as a precious jewel is to someone who does not know the difference between a stone and a jewel.

Sixth, this Book gives good news and warnings. That is, it is not merely presenting an imagination, a philosophy, or a literary composition whose acceptance or rejection makes no difference. Rather, it openly warns the whole world that accepting it will lead to a remarkably excellent outcome, while rejecting it will lead to an extremely terrible outcome. Only a fool could reject such a Book. (72)

The Disbelievers’ Tactics to Obstruct the Qur’anic Call

After the tactics described above had failed, their final tactic was to resort to open obstinacy. They would try to obstruct the Qur’anic call by force. Whenever the Qur’an was being recited, they would create a terrible uproar and hurl taunts from every direction. The Qur’an has described these actions one by one, enabling every sensible person to realize that such disbelievers had no argument with which to answer an argument. Having been defeated, they were now determined to silence the voice of truth by force.

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“They said: There is a covering over our hearts against that to which you call us”—that is, no path is open to reach our hearts; “there is deafness in our ears”—that is, we will not listen; “and there is a barrier between you and us”—that is, we are separated.

“So do your work, and we are doing our work”—that is, we are actively opposing you. (Ha-Mim as-Sajdah: 5)

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“When these disbelievers hear the message of admonition—the Qur’an—it seems as though, with their rage-filled eyes, they will make you stumble. They say, ‘He is certainly insane.’ Yet this is nothing but an admonition for all the worlds. (Al-Qalam: 51–52)

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“The disbelievers say: Do not listen to this Qur’an, and create a commotion to disrupt it, so that perhaps you may prevail. (Ha-Mim as-Sajdah: 26)

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“So what is the matter with the disbelievers that they rush toward you from the right and the left?”—that is, they rush over to mock you after hearing the sound of the Qur’an being recited. (73) (Al-Ma‘arij: 36–37)

Fourth Section

The Call to Believe in the Hereafter

The fourth principle of the Islamic call is belief in the Hereafter. This is not a brief principle; rather, it encompasses many important matters, and accepting them collectively is called belief in the Hereafter.

First, people have not been left in this world without responsibility, free to do whatever they wish without being questioned. Rather, this world is a testing ground. People have been sent here for a test. Then, whatever they do here, they will have to answer for it before Allah.

Second, Allah has appointed a specific time for this accountability. The period granted to humanity to act in this world will end, and then the Resurrection will take place, when all the systems of this world will be disrupted. After that, a second world-order will be established. All the people who lived from the beginning of creation until the Resurrection will be brought back to life at the same time and raised into that new world. This second life will not be temporary like the present life of this world; rather, it will be everlasting. Death will never come there.

Third, at that time all earlier and later peoples will be gathered and brought before Allah’s court. There every person will individually have to account for the deeds he performed on his own responsibility during his worldly life.

Fourth, although Allah directly knows everything people do in this world, He is having a complete and accurate record of their deeds prepared so that all requirements of justice may be fulfilled. Numerous testimonies of every word and deed are being collected and preserved through the angels, whether a person performs them openly or secretly. Indeed, evidence is also being preserved of the intention and purpose with which he spoke, and of the thoughts and desires he harbors in his heart. Allah has also arranged for witnesses to testify that people were given the means to distinguish truth from falsehood and were shown the correct and the erroneous systems. These proofs will be presented in Allah’s court in such a manner that people will be unable to deny them.

Fifth, no bribe, unjust or improper intercession, or advocacy contrary to the truth will be accepted in Allah’s court. No one’s burden will be placed upon another. No intimate friend or close relative will carry the burden of a friend or relative on his own shoulders. Those real or imaginary beings whom people regard as their guardians and helpers will be of no use to them. There, utterly alone and without friend or support, each person will give an account of his own deeds.

The final point is that the outcome will depend entirely on whether, after accepting the truth of the Prophets in this world, a person obeyed Allah properly in accordance with it, and whether he lived with awareness of accountability in the Hereafter or forgot it and did everything merely for this world. In the first case, Paradise awaits him; in the second, Hell.

The belief in the Hereafter was just as important to the Islamic call as belief in monotheism, prophethood, and the Qur’an. The kind of thought and action to which Islam was calling, and the path on which it invited people to walk, cannot be followed even one step unless a person regards this world as a testing ground and himself as accountable to God, and unless he removes from his mind the idea that this life is merely the life of this world, where visible results are the true standard of good and evil. Unless he sincerely accepts that the real and everlasting life is the life that begins after death, and that following the path of good or evil will lead to its corresponding outcome, he cannot walk the straight path. Without this belief, a person will not regard the call to monotheism, prophethood, and faith in the Qur’an as acceptable at all. Even if he accepts it for some reason, he will not be devoted in worshipping God, obeying the Messenger, and following the Qur’an. For when a person believes that everyone will ultimately be reduced to dust and that there is no second life in which reward must follow obedience to God, the Messenger, and the Qur’an and punishment must follow disobedience, he will never sincerely bind himself to the principles with which Islam seeks to bind him. Rather, in every matter of life he will adopt whatever path enables him to gain worldly opportunities, comforts, and pleasures, and he will avoid every path that would deprive him of worldly enjoyment or expose him to loss, hardship, and suffering.

The Quraysh Considered the Hereafter Irrational and Impossible

The belief in the Hereafter was so important that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) presented it to the Quraysh and the Arab polytheists, they became extremely alarmed. They realized that accepting it would put an end to all their freedom. Even in a secluded place where no one could see them, they would be unable to commit an act forbidden by Allah and His Messenger. They believed that this doctrine would tie their hands even where they were fully able to obtain some illicit advantage or pleasure. It would place an unseen soldier behind every one of them, preventing them from doing whatever they wished. For this reason they began to oppose it fiercely. They tried forcefully to spread among the people the idea that what Muhammad (peace be upon him) said was entirely contrary to reason, impossible, and unreal—a sheer madness and absurdity. (74)

The Notion Held by Those Who Doubted the Hereafter

There was also a small group among the Quraysh who said: We suppose that perhaps there will be a Hereafter, but we do not believe in it. The Qur’an mentions this group in only one place, showing that very few held this view.

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When it was said, “Allah’s promise is true, and there is no doubt that the Resurrection will occur,” you would say: “We do not know what the Resurrection is. We have only an impression about it, but we do not believe in it.” (Al-Jathiyah: 32)

Apparently, the major difference between this group and those who denied the Hereafter altogether is that while the latter completely denied it, this group merely believed it possible. But there is no difference between them in terms of consequences and outcome. Denying the Hereafter and not believing in it have the same moral result. Whether a person denies the Hereafter or merely considers it possible without believing in it, in both cases he will be free from any sense of accountability before God, and this lack of awareness will inevitably involve him in erroneous thoughts and actions. Only belief in the Hereafter can keep human conduct upright in this world. Without it, both doubt and denial will drive a person toward the same kind of irresponsible behavior. Since this irresponsible behavior is the real cause of the dreadful outcome in the Hereafter, neither the denier nor those who do not believe can escape Hell. (75)

The Notion of Those Who Denied the Hereafter

Except in this one place, the Qur’an has clearly reproduced the statements of those who denied the Hereafter in every other place.

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“They say: ‘There is nothing but our life in this world. Here we live and here we die. Nothing destroys us except the passage of time.’ In fact, they have no knowledge of this; they merely speculate. When Our clear verses are recited to them, their only argument is: ‘Bring our forefathers back to life, if you are truthful.’” (Al-Jathiyah: 24–25)

In other words, they possess no means of knowledge by which they have learned as a fact that there is no second life for human beings after this life, nor have they learned that human souls are not taken by the command of God. Rather, they claim that people die and disappear through the cycle of time. Those who deny the Hereafter do not make these claims on the basis of knowledge; rather, they make them on the basis of mere conjecture. From the standpoint of reason, they can at most say: We do not know whether there is life after death. They can never say: We know that there is no second life after this one.

Thus, from the rational standpoint, they cannot claim to know that the human soul is not taken by God’s command, but that a person simply dies and ends in the same way that a clock stops after running. At most they can say: We do not know what actually happens in either of these two cases.

The question now is: when, from the perspective of human knowledge, life after death and no life after death, the taking of the soul and death through the cycle of time are equally possible, what could cause them to abandon the possibility of the Hereafter and decide with certainty in favor of denying it? What other explanation can there be except that they reach their conclusion not on the basis of reason, but on the basis of their own desires? Since they do not want there to be any life after death, and do not want death to mean anything other than emptiness or nonexistence rather than the soul’s transition, they turn the desire of their hearts into their own creed and reject every contrary view. (76)

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“They say: ‘When we have become dust and bones, will we really be raised again? We have heard this promise many times, and so did our forefathers before us. These are nothing but ancient tales.’” (Al-Mu’minun: 81–82)

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“And if you are to express amazement, then astonishing indeed is their saying: ‘When we have died and become dust, will we really be created anew?’ These are the ones who disbelieved in their Lord.” (Ar-Ra‘d: 5)

In other words, their denial of the Hereafter and their considering it impossible are in reality a denial of God’s power and wisdom. They do not merely say that recreating people after they have become dust is impossible; implicit in their statement is also the notion—God forbid—that the God who created them is incapable, weak, and ignorant. (77)

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“The disbelievers say to the people: ‘Shall we tell you about a man who claims that, when your bodies have been scattered into particles, you will be created anew? Who knows—perhaps he has fabricated a lie against Allah, or he is possessed by a jinn.’” (Saba: 7–8)

The Quraysh chiefs certainly did not dare to call the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, a liar, because the entire nation knew him to be truthful. Throughout his whole life, no one had ever heard him utter a lie. Therefore, before the people they presented their accusation in this form: “When this man utters such absurd talk as claiming that there is life again after death, his condition must be one of two things. Either—God forbid—he is knowingly speaking a lie, or he is insane. But calling him insane is just as baseless as calling him a liar, for only a person devoid of reason could regard a completely sound-minded person as insane.” For this reason, Allah did not consider it necessary to present any argument in response to this absurd statement; He spoke only in answer to the astonishing claim they made concerning the possibility of life after death. (78)

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These people say, “Will we really be brought out of the graves when we have become decayed skeletons?” Then they say, “That return would indeed be disastrous.” (An-Nazi‘at: 10–12)

In other words, when they were told that this would indeed happen, they began mockingly saying to one another, “Brother, if we really are to be returned to life, then we are ruined. After that, there can be no good for us.” (79)

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And they would say, “When we die and become mixed with the earth, leaving only bones, will we really be raised again? And our forefathers who passed away before us—will they also be raised?” Say to them, “Indeed, all the former and later generations will be gathered together on a fixed day.” (Al-Waqi‘ah: 47–50)

Arguments for the Possibility of the Hereafter

From the arguments presented throughout the Qur’an in response to the claims made by those who deny the Hereafter, it is proven that the occurrence of the Hereafter is entirely possible. It is not reason that regards it as possible that contradicts sound judgment; rather, it is regarding it as impossible that does so.

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Does man not see that We created him from a drop of sperm, yet he has become an open disputant? He sets forth arguments against Us and forgets his own creation. He says, “Who will revive these decayed bones?” Say, “He will revive them who created them the first time, and He has full knowledge of every act of creation.” (Ya-Sin: 77–79)

That is, he forgets that We created the original germ from lifeless matter, and it became the means of his creation. Then that germ was nurtured and developed into such an advanced form that today he is capable of launching a torrent of words before Us. They generally consider Us incapable of creating, like themselves. They labor under the mistaken notion that just as human beings cannot bring the dead to life, neither can We. Thus they ask, “Who will give life to these decayed bones?”

It is narrated from Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, and Sa‘id ibn Jubayr that once, in Makkah, a man from among the Quraysh brought a decayed bone from a graveyard. He crushed it before the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, scattered it into the air, and said, “Muhammad, you say that the dead will be raised to life. Now tell me, who will give life to these decayed bones?”

The brief and forceful answer given was that the One who created him the first time would bring him to life again. (80)

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They say, “When we have become mere bones and dust, will we really be brought forth as a new creation?” Tell them, “Whether you become stones or iron, or any other substance even harder, which in your estimation is still farther from receiving life, you will nevertheless be brought back to life.” They will surely ask, “Who will return us to life?” Say, “He who created us the first time.” They will shake their heads mockingly and say, “When will that be?” Say, “What is so strange about it? It may be very near. On the day He calls you, you will respond to His call and come forth praising Him, thinking, ‘We remained in this state only a very short time.’” (Bani Isra’il: 49–52)

In other words, you will think that the period from your death in this world until your resurrection on the Day of Resurrection lasted no more than a few hours. You will feel as though you had been lying in a long sleep, and suddenly the tumult of the Field of Resurrection awakened you. (81)

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Man says, “Will we really be brought out alive again after we die?” Does man not remember that We created him at first, when he was nothing?

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O people! If you have any doubt concerning the life after death, then know that We created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clot, then from a lump of flesh, formed and unformed, so that We may make the truth clear to you. We cause whatever We will to remain in the womb for a specified term. Then We bring you forth as infants, so that you may reach maturity. Some of you are taken away earlier, while others are returned to the feeblest stage of life, so that, after having known everything, they know nothing. You see the earth dry and lifeless; then when We send rain upon it, it stirs, swells, blossoms, and produces every kind of beautiful plant. (Al-Hajj: 5)

Creation from dust means, on the one hand, that every human being is created from substances obtained from the whole earth, and that the beginning of creation is from sperm. Alternatively, it means that the human race began with Adam, peace be upon him, who was created directly from dust. The succession of later generations of humanity began from sperm, as stated in Surah As-Sajdah:

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He began the creation of man from clay. Then He continued his progeny from an extract of insignificant fluid. (As-Sajdah: 7–8)

In either case, it is established that the living human being is created by bringing together lifeless, inert matter. After stating this truth, reference is made to the various stages through which conception occurs and the child becomes established in the mother’s womb. No detailed account is given of matters revealed today by powerful microscopes. Rather, mention is made of the major, prominent changes of which even the ordinary Bedouins of that time were aware. That is, after the sperm settles, it first takes the form of a clot of blood. Then it changes into a lump of flesh, which initially has no definite shape. Later, the human form begins to become distinct. Since these stages of human formation could be observed in various cases of miscarriage, they are mentioned. The answer to the question is then left to human reason and conscience: how could it be impossible for the God who creates and develops man in this way to create him again? (82)

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And these people say, “When we have become mixed with the earth, will we be created anew?”

The real issue is that they deny meeting their Lord. Say to them, “The angel of death appointed over you will take you completely into his custody, and then you will be returned to your Lord.” (As-Sajdah: 10–11)

Between the first and last sentences lies a complete argument whose conclusion has been left to the listener’s mind. The objection of the disbelievers quoted in the first sentence is so meaningless that it was not considered necessary to refute it. Merely quoting it was deemed sufficient to expose its absurdity, because both parts of their objection are utterly unreasonable. “We will become mixed with the earth”—what can this statement mean? When does the thing designated by “we” become mixed with the earth? Only the body from which the “we” has departed becomes mixed with the earth. That body is not the “we.” While alive, even when the body’s limbs are cut off one after another, the “we” remains fully present in its respective place. No part of it goes away with any severed portion of the body. And when this “we” leaves a body, it no longer has even the slightest connection with that body, although the entire body remains. That is why a devoted lover buries the dead body of the beloved: the beloved has departed from that body. The lover does not bury the beloved, but rather the empty body in which the beloved once dwelt. Thus the first part of the objector’s case is groundless. What remains is the second part: “Will we be created anew?”

This denial and astonishing question would never have arisen if the questioner had reflected, even for a moment before asking, on the meaning of this “we” and its creation. What else could the present creation of this “we” mean except that coal from one place, iron from another, lime from elsewhere, and other such elements were brought together, and this “we” came to reside in its earthen body? What happens after its death? When the “we” leaves this earthen body or house, all the materials collected from various parts of the earth to build its house return to the earth. The question is: Can the One who first built a house for this “we” from those materials not build that house again from the same materials and settle it there anew? When this was possible the first time—indeed, when it was actually accomplished—what could prevent it from being possible and being accomplished a second time? This is something anyone can understand by applying a little intelligence. Why, then, does he not allow his reason to move in this direction? What reason can there be for raising such objections about life after death and the Hereafter without giving the matter any thought? Leaving aside all the intervening discussion, Allah answers this question in the second sentence: “In reality, they deny meeting their Lord.” That is, the real issue is not that re-creation is some immense and impossible matter beyond their comprehension. Rather, what actually prevents them from recognizing this is their desire to wander freely throughout the world, indulge fully in sin, leave it without hindrance, and then never be questioned in any way or required to account for their deeds.

Then it is stated that the house in which your “we” lived will certainly become mixed with the earth. But the “we” itself will not become mixed with the earth. Rather, as soon as the period granted for action ends, the angel of death from God will come, remove it from the body, and take all of it into his custody. Not even the slightest part of it will be able to go into the earth with the body. All of it will be taken into custody and presented before its Lord.

This brief verse sheds light on many facts. A superficial (CURSORY) glance at it will not suffice. The following points deserve particular attention:

1. It is explained here in detail that death does not occur merely as though a clock, which had been running without being wound, suddenly stopped. Rather, Allah has appointed a special angel for this task. He takes the soul into his custody in an orderly manner, just as an official receiver takes something into his possession. From the additional descriptions given on this subject in various places in the Qur’an, it is known that this angel of death has a complete staff under him, who bring about death, extract the souls from the bodies, and then keep them in their custody. The conduct of these attendants toward righteous souls will be one kind, and toward sinful souls another. For details, see Surah An-Nisa, verse 97; Al-An‘am, verse 93; An-Nahl, verse 28; and Al-Waqi‘ah, verses 83–94.

2. It can also be learned from this that a person does not cease to exist through death. Rather, after the soul separates from the body, it continues to exist. The Qur’anic words, “The angel of death will take you completely into his custody,” indicate this truth, because a nonexistent thing cannot be taken into custody. To take something into custody means that, once taken, it remains present with the one who has taken it.

3. It can further be learned that what is taken into custody at death is what is expressed in biological terms by the words “I,” “we,” “you,” and “you all.” Whatever kind of personality this “I” acquired through its actions in the world, it is taken out completely and exactly as it is, without any alteration in its qualities, and is presented to its Lord after death. It is this same being that will be given new life and a new body in the Hereafter. It is against this being that the case will be brought; it will be called to account for its deeds, and it will itself receive punishment or reward. (83)

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Ask them, “Is creating them more difficult, or the other things We have created?” We created them from sticky clay. (As-Saffat: 11)

This was the answer to the doubt that the disbelievers of Makkah raised concerning the Hereafter. They thought that the Hereafter was impossible because bringing a dead person into existence a second time was impossible. In presenting the argument for the possibility of the Hereafter, Allah first put this question before them: In your view, bringing a dead person into existence a second time is a very difficult task, beyond our power. Then tell us: was creating the earth and the heavens, and the countless things within them, an easy task? Where has your reason gone, that you think it was not difficult for that God to create this vast universe, yet you imagine that the One who created you once is incapable of creating you a second time? He then says that man is not such a vast or extraordinary thing. He was created from the earth and can be created again from the earth. All the elements of his existence have been taken from the earth. The sperm from which he is created is produced from food. From conception until death, all the ingredients of his entire being are collected from food. Whether this food is animal or plant-based, its origin is the earth, which, mixed with water, stores the power to produce grain, vegetables, and fruits for human consumption, and to raise the animals whose milk and meat people eat. The basis of the argument is this: if this earth were incapable of receiving life, how are you alive today? And if life can be created from it today—as your very existence clearly proves—then why should it not be possible to create you from this earth a second time in the future? (84)

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Creating the heavens and the earth is a greater task than creating mankind, but most people do not know. (Al-Mu’minun: 57)

This is the answer to the disbelievers’ notion that people being resurrected after death is impossible. It is stated that those who say such things are, in reality, foolish. If they think with a little intelligence and sound judgment, it will not be difficult for them to understand that for the God who created this vast and immense realm of nature, creating man a second time is no difficult task. (85)

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Is creating you more difficult, or creating the heaven? He built it. (An-Nazi‘at: 27)

“Creating” here means creating man a second time, while “the heaven” refers to the entire higher realm. It contains countless planets and stars, innumerable solar systems, and galaxies. The point is this: you consider life after death a second time impossible and repeatedly ask, “How can it be possible that when our bones have completely decayed, the scattered fragments of the body will be gathered again and given life?” Have you considered whether creating this vast and immense realm of nature is more difficult, or creating your form a second time after creating you in the first place? For the God for whom this was not difficult, how could this task be so difficult that He would be unable to do it? (86)

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And they say, “This is nothing but obvious magic. Is it possible that when we die, become mixed with the earth, and only bones remain, we will then be raised alive again? Will our forefathers who came before us also be raised?” Tell them, “Yes—and you will be utterly helpless before God.” Then there will be only one blast, and suddenly they will be looking with their own eyes at what they had been told. At that time they will say, “Alas for us! This is the Day of Judgment.” (As-Saffat: 15–20)

Their statement was that this was talk of a magical world. Was there such a magical world as the one this man described, where the dead would come to life, a court would be held, Paradise would be created, and the torment of Hell would occur? Their words could also mean that this man was saying such things as proved that someone had bewitched him, causing a good man to speak in this way. The answer given was: Yes, that is how it will be. You are helpless before God. He can make you whatever He wishes. When He wished, you came into existence merely by His command. When He wills, you will die by His command; and when He wills, you will be raised and made to stand by His command. When the time for this deed comes, re-establishing the world will not be some immense, lengthy undertaking. A single blast and shock will suffice to awaken those who are asleep. The words “blast” or “forceful shake” are meaningful here. They bring before the eyes a picture of the life after death: all those who died from the beginning of humanity until the Resurrection had fallen asleep. Suddenly someone calls in a reproachful voice, “Get up!” and in an instant everyone rises to their feet. (87)

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

Since these people do not believe in the Hereafter, do they not look at the camels and see how they were created? At the sky, how it was raised high? At the mountains, how they were firmly set? And at the earth, how it was spread out? (Al-Ghashiyah: 17–20)

In other words, if these people hear about the Hereafter and ask how all this could happen, have they ever looked at and reflected upon the world around them—how the camel was created, how the sky was raised so high, how the mountains were established, and how the earth was spread out? If all these things can exist, and in fact exist before their eyes, why could the Resurrection not occur? Why could a second world not be created in the Hereafter? Why could Hell and Paradise not be created? It is the behavior of a foolish and heedless person to open his eyes in this world, see the things before him, and conclude that their existence is possible, while closing his eyes and declaring impossible whatever has not yet come within his observation and experience. If he possesses any intelligence, he should consider how everything that exists came into existence. How was this camel created with all the characteristics required by the desert-dwellers of Arabia? How was the sky created, with air in its atmosphere for breathing, clouds that bring rain, a sun that supplies daylight and warmth, and a moon and stars that glitter at night? How did the earth become a spread-out dwelling place, where people live, whose crops meet all their needs, and on whose springs and wells their lives depend? How were the mountains raised upon the earth, solidly standing with their multicolored soils and rocks and their various mineral resources? Did all this come about without the craftsmanship of a powerful and wise Creator? No thoughtful and understanding person can answer this question in the negative. Unless he is stubborn and obstinate, he must admit that each of these things would have been impossible if a supremely powerful and wise Being had not made them possible. And when all these things in the world can come into being through the power of One who possesses power, there is no reason to regard as impossible the things whose future existence has been foretold. (88)

أَلَمْ يَكُ نُطْفَةً مِنْ مَنِيٍّ يُمْنَى – ثُمَّ كَانَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقَ فَسَوَّى – فَجَعَلَ مِنْهُ الزَّوْجَيْنِ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَى – أَلَيْسَ ذَلِكَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُحْيِيَ الْمَوْتَى-( القيامة—40)

Was he not a drop of sperm from an insignificant fluid, cast into the womb? Then he became a lump of flesh; thereafter Allah formed his body and proportioned his limbs. From it He made two kinds of human beings, male and female. Is He not able to give life to the dead? (Al-Qiyamah: 40)

This is another argument being presented to the disbelievers for the possibility of life after death. Those who acknowledge that everything from the beginning of human creation from a drop of fluid to the creation of a complete human being is a manifestation of Allah Almighty’s creative skill had, in reality, no answer to this argument. For no matter how shameless they might be, their consciences could not help acknowledging that the God who creates human beings in this way in the world is capable of giving them existence again. But those who regard even wise and purposeful acts as merely the result of accident, no matter how obstinately they may speak, were in reality unable to explain how, from the beginning of humanity until today, in every part of the world and among every nation, boys and girls have continuously been born through the same creative process in such a proportion that never, anywhere or at any time, has a settlement produced only boys or only girls, thereby destroying the possibility of the continuation of its lineage. However shameless they might be, they could not claim that all this had been happening by chance. Once their minds testified that all this was the work of a wise Creator’s craftsmanship, they had no choice but to acknowledge that this wise Creator could destroy what He had made and create it again. (89)

فَلْيَنْظُرِ الْإِنْسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ – خُلِقَ مِنْ مَاءٍ دَافِقٍ – يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ – إِنَّهُ عَلَى رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ-( الطارق-5-8)

-Then let man consider from what he was created: he was created from a gushing fluid that emerges from between the backbone and the ribs. Surely He—the Creator—is able to create him a second time. (At-Tariq: 5–8)

That is, let man reflect a little on his own existence and how he was created. When a husband and wife unite sexually again and again, who makes one of their unions a means of conception and a cause for the birth of a particular human being? [This matter has become several times more complex for people in the present age than it was for the Arabs of that time, as a result of modern scientific discoveries. In light of the discoveries made today, during the marital life of a man and woman, countless sperm leave the man’s body and enter the woman’s body. In the woman too, egg cells or embryonic cells continue to be produced over many years; each egg cell possesses the capacity for conception when one particular sperm unites with it. Moreover, these are not all alike; rather, every sperm and every egg cell has distinct characteristics. The union of each particular pair can produce a particular kind of human being, who will inevitably differ from a person born through the union of another pair. The question is: who decides which one of the countless sperm in the man will unite with which one of the countless eggs in the woman, at what time, and to create what kind of person? Neither the man nor the woman has any control over this. No physician or doctor can intervene in it. Nor is it correct to say that the union of one particular sperm with one particular egg is merely the result of an accidental event (ACCIDENTAL). For the kinds of people born at different times in different countries and among different nations as a result of this astonishing creative process have a decisive influence on the ups and downs of human history. This influence is established with such skillful wisdom that it has led people to conceive that history may have a philosophy. If human beings were born haphazardly, without any wisdom, the idea of a philosophy of history could never have arisen. Thus, there is no alternative but to acknowledge that a wise God created human beings from this gushing fluid according to His special plan. (The author)] Then, is there not a Being who, from conception onward, develops the embryo layer by layer in the mother’s womb until it reaches the state in which it is born as a living child? What power establishes, within the mother’s womb itself, the child’s bodily structure and the balance of its physical and mental abilities? Is there not a Being who continually watches over it from birth until death, protects it from illness, saves it from accidents, and guards it against various dangers and calamities? Who provides it with so many means and resources for life that they cannot be counted, and at every step creates for it opportunities and facilities to survive in the world—many of which it is not merely unable to provide for itself, but of which it is not even aware? Is all this happening without the management and supervision of a God? If a sensible person does not answer this question in the negative, then it is not difficult to understand that just as He gives human beings existence, He can also bring them back to existence after death, following conception and life. If He is capable of the first act, and it is through His power that human beings now exist alive in the world, then what reasonable argument can be offered for supposing that He is incapable of the second? To deny this capability, one would also have to deny altogether that God gave human beings existence. And for someone capable of denying that, it would likewise not be impossible for a mental derangement one day to make him claim that all the books in the world were printed by accident, all the cities and ports of the world were built by accident, and some accident occurred by which all the factories were made and began operating on their own. The real fact is that the creation of man, the formation of his body, the production within him of the power and ability to act, and his continued existence as a living being are works far more difficult than all the works that have been and are being accomplished by human beings in the world. If such an immensely complex and difficult work can continue for millions of years as the result of accident, with wisdom, proportion, and management, then what is there that a mentally deranged person could not call an accident? (90)

­ بَلْ عَجِبُوا أَنْ جَاءَهُمْ مُنْذِرٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ الْكَافِرُونَ هَذَا شَيْءٌ عَجِيبٌ – أَإِذَا مِتْنَا وَكُنَّا تُرَابًا ذَلِكَ رَجْعٌ بَعِيدٌ – قَدْ عَلِمْنَا مَا تَنْقُصُ الْأَرْضُ مِنْهُمْ وَعِنْدَنَا كِتَابٌ حَفِيظٌ-( ق-2-4)

-Rather, what seemed astonishing to them was that a warner from among themselves had come to them. So the disbelievers began saying, “This is an astonishing thing. When we die and become dust, shall we then be raised again?” This return is beyond reason. Yet We know whatever the earth consumes of their bodies, and with Us is a Record in which everything is preserved. (Qaf: 2–4)

Their first astonishment concerned the fact that someone like them, from among their own nation, had claimed, “I have come to warn you on behalf of God.” What seemed even more astonishing to them was that the matter about which he was warning them was that all people would be brought to life anew after death, gathered together, and presented before Allah Almighty’s court. There, after their deeds had been reckoned, they would be rewarded or punished. Then it was said that if this idea did not enter these people’s understanding, that must be attributed to the narrowness of their intellect; it did not necessarily mean that Allah’s knowledge and power were limited. They thought that the bodily parts of the countless people who had died from the beginning of humanity until the Day of Resurrection were scattered and dispersed in the earth and would continue to be scattered in the future, making it altogether impossible to gather them. But the real fact is that Allah Almighty directly knows every one of those parts, in whatever form and wherever it may be. Moreover, their complete record is being preserved in Allah Almighty’s register, from which not even the smallest part has been missed. When Allah commands, His angels will immediately retrieve each part from that record and recreate for every person exactly the body in which he lived in the world.

This verse is also among those that explain in detail that life in the Hereafter will not merely be bodily life like that of this world; rather, each person’s body will also be the very body he had in this world. If this were not so, it would be meaningless to answer the disbelievers by saying that We know whatever the earth consumes of your bodies and that a record of their atoms and particles exists. (91)

أَفَعَيِينَا بِالْخَلْقِ الْأَوَّلِ بَلْ هُمْ فِي لَبْسٍ مِنْ خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ-( ق-15)

-Were We then incapable of creating the first time? Yet they are in doubt concerning a new creation. (Qaf: 15)

In a few brief words, such a clear and straightforward statement was made in response to those who deny the Hereafter that it will remain firmly established in the heart of every sensible person. If someone is not a denier of God and has not reached such a degree of foolishness as to regard this orderly realm of nature and the birth of human beings within it as merely the result of an accident, he will have no choice but to acknowledge that God alone created us and this universe. We see this reality existing in the world, and all the works of the earth and the heavens are operating before our eyes. All this is compelling evidence that God was not incapable of creating this realm of nature. If someone then says that, after the Resurrection, that same God will be unable to establish a second cosmic order or recreate us after death, he must be speaking against reason. If God had been incapable, He could not have created it the first time. Once He created it the first time and we came into existence through that creation, what reasonable grounds can there be for supposing that He is unable to destroy what He made and make it again? (92)

The Argument for the Necessity of the Hereafter

The Quran did not consider it sufficient merely to prove, with irrefutable arguments, the possibility of the Hereafter. Rather, it also proved that it is necessary that it come to pass. The demands of reason, justice, and morality require a Hereafter in which all the deeds of human beings will be reckoned—the deeds they performed from the time they acquired understanding until the moment before death, as well as the good or evil effects of their actions that they left behind and that continue to influence future generations for a long time. If this reckoning does not take place, and good deeds are not rewarded and evil deeds are not punished, it would mean that there is no justice in God’s world. Human beings would have been created here pointlessly and meaninglessly, given reason, the ability to distinguish good from evil, and authority over countless things and over other people. In the present life of the world, complete reckoning, complete justice, and full reward and punishment are impossible. Therefore, there must necessarily be a second world in which all human beings who have existed from the beginning of creation until the Resurrection can be gathered at one time; in which every person’s responsibility can be determined by reckoning all visible and hidden deeds and the consequences arising from them; and in which life is not limited but eternal, so that each person may fully undergo whatever punishment he deserves and fully receive whatever reward he deserves. The Quran has explained this matter in detail in various ways so that the disbelievers would have no argument for denying the Hereafter. (93)

أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَنْ يُتْرَكَ سُدًى-( القيامة-36)

-Does man suppose that he has been left without purpose? (Al-Qiyamah: 36)

In the Arabic language, ابل سدىis used for a camel that roams freely without restraint, grazing wherever and in whichever direction it pleases, with no one to look after it. In this sense, we use the expression “a camel without a rein.” Thus, the meaning of the verse is: Does man consider himself like an unrestrained camel, supposing that his Creator has left him on earth without responsibility? Has no responsibility been imposed upon him? Has nothing been prohibited for him? Will a time never come when he is questioned about his deeds? This is stated elsewhere in the Quran in the following way: On the Day of Resurrection, Allah Almighty will ask the disbelievers—

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ-( المؤمنون-115)

-Did you suppose that We created you without purpose and that you would never be returned to Us? (Al-Mu’minun: 115)

In these two places, the argument for the inevitability of life after death is presented in the form of a question. The meaning of the question is: Do you really consider yourselves animals? Do you not see the clear distinction between them and yourselves—that they have not been given the authority to distinguish good from evil, whereas you have? No moral question of good or evil arises concerning their actions, whereas it certainly arises concerning your deeds? How, then, have you concluded regarding yourselves that, just as animals are without responsibility and need not answer for their actions, so are you? The reason animals are not raised to life a second time can be understood: they merely fulfill the demands of their instincts; they do not formulate a philosophy through the use of their intellect, establish a religious school, make anyone a god, or themselves pose as anyone’s god. They do nothing that can be called good or evil, and they do not establish any good or evil practice whose influence continues through generations. Therefore, if an animal dies and perishes, this may be understandable, because no responsibility for any of its actions is imposed upon it that would require it to be resurrected for questioning. But how can you escape life after death? Until the time of your own death, you continue to perform moral acts whose being good or evil, and whose deserving punishment or reward, is indicated by your conscience. If a person kills an innocent man and immediately becomes the victim of an accident, do you think he should escape without hindrance, and that the murdered person should receive no recompense for this injustice? If someone sows seeds of disorder and injustice in the world whose consequences people continue to suffer for several centuries, does your conscience unhesitatingly say that he too should die and perish like an insect, without being resurrected to answer for those evil deeds through which the lives of countless people were ruined? Is a person who spends his whole life suffering affliction and hardship, in your view, also merely some creature like an insect? (94)

لَا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ – وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ-( القيامة-1-2)

-No, I swear by the Day of Resurrection, and no, I swear by the self-reproaching soul. That is, your belief that the Resurrection will not occur is mistaken. I swear by the Resurrection and by the self-reproaching soul that the Resurrection will surely occur.

Here Allah Almighty did not state the matter for which He swore by the Day of Resurrection and by the self-reproaching soul, because the following sentence makes it clear. He swears that Allah Almighty will recreate man after his death and that He is fully capable of doing so. The question now is: on what rational basis were these two things chosen as objects of the oath? For thoughtful people, the rationale was much clearer then than it is today.

Consider the Resurrection itself. The reason for swearing by it is that its coming is inevitable. The entire order of the universe testifies that this order is neither without beginning nor everlasting. Its very nature says that it has not existed forever and will not exist forever. Even in the past, human reason had no strong argument for the baseless idea that this ever-changing world could be without beginning and without end. But the more human knowledge of this world increases, the more certain it becomes that the universe has a beginning, before which it did not exist, and inevitably has an end, after which it will not exist. On this basis, Allah Almighty swore by the Resurrection itself to affirm that the Resurrection will occur. It is like an oath we make when addressing someone who doubts his own existence: “By your life, you exist.” That is, your very existence testifies that you exist.

But swearing by the Day of Resurrection proves only that one day this cosmic order will be shattered and destroyed. The remaining matter is that people will then be raised to life, required to account for their deeds, and receive reward or punishment for their good and evil. For this reason, the second oath is by the self-reproaching soul. There is no person in the world who possesses nothing called conscience. Within this conscience there is certainly a sense of good and evil. However misguided and astray a person may be, his conscience surely restrains him from doing some evil and from failing to do some good. Whether or not the standard of good and evil he has established is correct, it proves that man is not merely an animal but a moral being. He naturally possesses the power to distinguish good from evil and considers himself responsible for his own good and evil deeds. Thus, even if he suppresses the reproach of his conscience and gains self-satisfaction for the misconduct he has committed toward another, when someone else mistreats him, his inner self demands that the person who wronged him must be punished. If the existence of such a self-reproaching mind, the self-reproaching soul, is an undeniable reality within human beings, then it is likewise undeniable that this self-reproaching soul is evidence of life after death, existing within human nature itself. The demand of human nature that people are responsible for good and evil deeds and must receive reward or punishment cannot be fulfilled without life after death. No sensible person can deny that if people disappear after death, they will be deprived of the reward for many of their good deeds and many of their wrongdoings will escape just punishment. Therefore, until a person accepts the absurd notion that a conscientious human being was born into a meaningless cosmic order, and that a morally sensitive human being was born into a world whose entire system fundamentally contains no morality at all, he cannot deny life after death. In the same way, the doctrine of reincarnation does not answer this demand of nature. If people were repeatedly born in this world in order to receive punishment or reward for moral actions, then in every birth they would continue to perform additional moral actions, which would newly demand punishment or reward; in this endless sequence, instead of settling their account, their account would continue to grow. Thus, the demand of nature can be fulfilled only if a person has a single life in this world, followed, after the destruction of the entire human race, by a second life in which, after an exact reckoning of human deeds, complete punishment or reward is given. (95)

وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاءَ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَاطِلًا ذَلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا فَوَيْلٌ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنَ النَّارِ – أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ كَالْمُفْسِدِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ الْمُتَّقِينَ كَالْفُجَّارِ-(ص-27-28)

-We did not create the heavens and the earth and what lies between them without purpose. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve; so woe to those who disbelieve because of the Fire of Hell. Shall We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who spread corruption on earth? Shall We treat the God-fearing like the wicked? (Sad: 27–28)

That is, We did not create this universe merely as a plaything, devoid of wisdom, purpose, justice, or consequences for good and evil deeds. Man has not been left here like an unrestrained camel, nor is this world a lawless realm where everyone may do whatever he pleases without being judged. A person who refuses to accept reward and punishment and believes that all people, good and evil alike, will eventually die and turn to dust, that no one will be questioned, and that no one will suffer any consequence for good or evil deeds, is in reality regarding the world as a game and its Maker as a player. His belief is that the Creator of the universe committed a pointless act by creating the world and human beings within it. But is it really reasonable, in your view, that the righteous and the wicked should be equal? Is it acceptable to you that no one receive any reward for a righteous act or punishment for an evil act? It is clear that if there is no Hereafter, no questioning by Allah, and no reward or punishment for human deeds, then Allah Almighty’s wisdom and justice do not exist. Consequently, the entire order of the universe must become disorderly. On this view, there would be no incentive toward good in the world and no restraint against wrongdoing. If God’s divinity—God forbid—were so devoid of sound judgment, then the person who lives righteously while enduring many hardships in this world and works to reform humanity would be extremely foolish, while the intelligent person would be the one who takes advantage of favorable circumstances to commit excesses and enjoys life through every kind of injustice and sin. (96)

زَعَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنْ لَنْ يُبْعَثُوا قُلْ بَلَى وَرَبِّي لَتُبْعَثُنَّ ثُمَّ لَتُنَبَّؤُنَّ بِمَا عَمِلْتُمْ وَذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ-(التغابن-7)

-The disbelievers loudly claimed that they would never be raised to life after death. Say to them: No, by my Lord, you will certainly be raised; then you will certainly be informed of what you did in the world. Doing this is very easy for Allah. (At-Taghabun: 7)

Although no denier of the Hereafter previously had, and still has, any means of knowing that there is no second life after death, these fools have always made this claim loudly. Yet they have neither a rational nor an intellectual basis for denying it with certainty.

In response to their statement, Allah Almighty tells His Prophet to swear by Him and say that they will certainly be raised and will certainly be informed of what they did in the world. This is the third place in the Quran where Allah tells His Prophet to swear by his Lord and tell the people that this will certainly happen. Earlier, in Surah Yunus, it is stated: They ask, “Is this really true?” Say, “Yes, by my Lord, it is certainly true, and you cannot prevent it.” (Verse: 53)

Then in Surah Saba it is said: The disbelievers ask, “What is keeping the Resurrection from coming upon us?” Say, “By my Lord, it will certainly come upon you.”

Now the question is this: whether you inform someone who denies the Hereafter about the Hereafter by swearing an oath or without swearing one, what difference does that make? Since he does not accept it at all, why would he simply accept that you are telling him this under oath? The answer is that, first, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was addressing people who knew, on the basis of their own knowledge and experience, that no lie had ever come from his lips throughout his life. Therefore, no matter how much slander they might spread against him verbally, they could never imagine in their hearts that such a truthful person could swear by God to something whose truth he did not fully believe. Second, he was not merely stating the doctrine of the Hereafter; rather, he was presenting extremely rational proofs and arguments for it. But what distinguishes a prophet from a non-prophet is this: however powerful an argument a non-prophet may present in support of the Hereafter, the most it can achieve is that the occurrence of the Hereafter may be regarded as more probable than its non-occurrence. In contrast, the station of a prophet is far higher than that of a philosopher. His true rank is not that, through rational argument, he has reached the conclusion that the Hereafter ought to exist. Rather, his true rank is that he possesses knowledge that the Hereafter will occur and declares with firm conviction that it certainly will. For this reason, only a prophet can swear an oath to this effect. A philosopher cannot swear an oath to any of his statements. Belief in the Hereafter can come only after the declaration of a prophet. A philosopher’s reasoning does not possess the power by which, let alone other people, the philosopher himself can make it the basis of his creed of faith. If a philosopher is correct in his thinking, he can say no more than that it ought to happen; only a prophet can say, “It certainly will happen.”

Then, under oath, it was not merely said that you would be raised again after death. It was also said that at that time you would certainly be told what deeds you had performed in the world. This is the real purpose for which humankind will be raised a second time after death. And within it lies the answer to the question: what need is there for this? The truth is that, within the rightly ordered nature of the universe, the creature that has been granted the freedom to choose either disbelief or faith, that has been given freedom to use many things in this world, and that, by choosing the path of disbelief or faith, has used this freedom correctly or incorrectly throughout life and taken upon itself responsibility for many beneficial or harmful deeds—about such a creature it would be utterly unreasonable to suppose that, after it has done all these things, there is no need for the consequences of good and evil and that no time should ever come when its deeds can be examined and reviewed. Whoever makes such an absurd statement is certainly committing one of two follies. Either he thinks that this universe is indeed a wise reality, yet a creature endowed with free will, like man, has been left here without responsibility; or he thinks that it is a chaotic realm of creation behind which no wisdom was at work. The first notion is self-contradictory, because in a wise universe, the irresponsibility of a free creature is contrary to wisdom and justice. As for the second notion, he cannot offer any rational analysis of how a conscious creature like man could exist in a chaotic, wisdomless realm of creation—and from where the idea of justice arose in his mind. The emergence of consciousness from unconsciousness and the formation of the idea of justice from injustice is something whose advocate may be a reckless person, or someone whose mind has become diseased through excessive philosophical speculation.

Then it was said that doing this is very easy for Allah. This is the second argument for the Hereafter. The first argument concerned the necessity of the Hereafter, while this argument concerns its possibility: for the One for whom creating this vast system of the universe is no difficult task, how could it be difficult to create man a second time, bring him before Himself, and take his account? (97)

إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ لَيَقُولُونَ – إِنْ هِيَ إِلَّا مَوْتَتُنَا الْأُولَى وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمُنْشَرِينَ – فَأْتُوا بِآبَائِنَا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِقِينَ – أَهُمْ خَيْرٌ أَمْ قَوْمُ تُبَّعٍ وَالَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ – وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ – مَا خَلَقْنَاهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ – إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ مِيقَاتُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ-(الدخان(34–40)

These people say: “There is nothing but our first death. Then we will not be raised a second time. If you are truthful, bring back our forefathers who have died and let us see.”

Are these people better, or the people of Tubba and those before them? We destroyed them because they were sinful. We did not create the heavens and the earth and everything between them as a pastime. We created them with truth and purpose, but most people do not know. The appointed time for raising them will be the Day of Judgment. (Ad-Dukhan: 34–40)

The position of the disbelievers was that when they died the first time, they would simply perish. There would then be no further life. The words “first death” do not necessarily imply that there would then be a second death.

When we say that a certain person has had his first child, it is not necessary for this statement to be true that he must subsequently have a second child. It is sufficient that he had no child before. Thus, when the disbelievers used the words “first death,” they did not mean that there would then be another life and a second death. They regarded the first death as the only and final death. Their argument was: “Since we have never seen anyone raised a second time after death, we firmly believe that there will be no second life after death. If you claim that there will be a second life, then bring our forefathers out of their graves so that we may believe in life after death. If you cannot do this, we will understand that your claim is baseless.”

In their view, this was conclusive evidence for refuting life after death. Yet it was utterly meaningless. Who had told them that the one who died would regain life and return to this world? Had the Prophet (peace be upon him) or any Muslim ever claimed that they could bring the dead to life?

The first answer to their objection was that these people were no better than the people of Tubba [Tubba was the title of the kings of the Himyarite dynasty. In 115 BCE they gained power in Yemen and ruled until 300 CE.—Author] and those before them. We destroyed them for their sins. In other words, the substance of this answer was that denying the Hereafter is something that inevitably makes an individual, group, or nation sinful. Moral decline is its inevitable consequence, and human history bears witness that every nation which adopted this outlook on life was eventually destroyed. The disbelievers in Makkah had not attained the influence, power, and prosperity that the people of Tubba and, before them, Saba, Pharaoh’s people, and other nations had attained. But when had material progress and worldly influence ever protected anyone from the consequences of moral decline, that these people should be protected from it with their meager capital and resources?

The second answer to their objection was that anyone who denies life after death and the reward and punishment of the Hereafter actually regards this universal order as a toy and its Creator as an ignorant child. On this basis, he has concluded that after creating every kind of disorder in the world, man will one day simply dissolve into the earth and none of his good or bad deeds will produce any consequence. In reality, this universe was not constructed by a pleasure-seeker, but by a Creator, and it cannot be expected of a wise being that He would do anything futile. This argument has been given in various places in the Qur’an in response to denial of the Hereafter.

As for their demand, “Bring back our forefathers if you are truthful,” the answer given was that life after death is not a spectacle such that, whenever someone denies it, a dead person will be taken from the grave and made to stand before him. For this, the Lord of the worlds has appointed a time when He will bring all earlier and later people to life a second time, gather them before His court, and announce the verdict in their cases. Whether you believe or not, this will occur at its appointed time. If you believe, you will benefit yourselves, because you can take warning in time and prepare to succeed in that court. Or do you have a guarantee from Us, binding until the Day of Resurrection, that whatever you say will certainly be granted to you? Ask them which of them guarantees this. Or do they have appointed partners? Let them bring those partners if they are truthful. (Al-Qalam: 35–41)

In Makkah, the leaders used to say to the Muslims: “The blessings we enjoy in this world are a sign that we are beloved by our Lord. The miserable condition in which you live proves that you are rejected by Him. Therefore, if there is an Hereafter, as you claim, we shall also live in joy there, while the punishment will be yours, not ours.” In response it was said: It is contrary to reason that God would make no distinction between the obedient and the criminal. How did you learn that the Creator of this universe is a blind king who will not see who obeyed His commands in the world and refrained from evil, and who, fearless of Him, committed every kind of sin, oppression, and persecution? You saw the miserable condition of the believers and your own comfort and peace, but you did not see the difference between your character and conduct and theirs; without hesitation, you declared that in God’s court the obedient would be treated just like criminals and that people as sinful as you would be granted Paradise. On what basis did you say this? Do you possess a Book from God in which this is written? Or have you made a covenant with God? If so, who among you can come forward and claim that Allah made such a promise? The truth is that none of the assertions you make in your own favor has any basis. They are contrary to reason as well. You cannot show that this is written in any Book of God, nor can any of you claim to have obtained such a promise from Him. Nor can you make any of those whom you have made gods testify that they have undertaken before God to secure Paradise for you. Where, then, did this mistaken notion come from? (101)

وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ – بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَتْ-(التكوير(8–9)

“And when the girl buried alive will be asked for what crime she was killed. (At-Takwir: 8–9)

The wording of this verse expresses such intense anger that no greater degree can be imagined. On the Day of Resurrection, the parents who buried their daughter alive will be so despised in the sight of Allah that they will not be addressed and asked, “Why did you kill this innocent child?” Rather, turning away from them, the innocent child will be asked, “Poor girl, for what crime were you killed?” She will relate her story, telling what oppression her unjust parents inflicted upon her and how they buried her beneath the earth and killed her. Moreover, two immense subjects have been incorporated into this brief verse, which are expressed not by explicit words but spontaneously through its style of narration. First, it awakened among the Arabs the realization that ignorance had plunged them into such an abyss of moral degradation that they buried their own children alive with their own hands. Yet they remained so obstinate that they wanted to persist in this ignorance and refused to accept the reform that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sought to bring to their corrupt and degraded society. Second, it presents clear evidence that the Hereafter is necessary. The child who was buried alive must have a place where she can obtain redress, and there must also come a time when those unjust people who committed this oppression will be questioned about this brutal wrong. No one in the world was present to hear the buried girl’s cry. In the society of ignorance, this inhuman act was not even regarded as an unlawful deed that should be avoided. Neither did the parents feel ashamed of it, nor was there anyone in the family to rebuke them. There was no one in society who could arrest them. Could such immense oppression, then, remain without redress even within God’s dominion? (102)

The Moral Consequences of Denying the Hereafter

Along with presenting such powerful arguments and proofs concerning the possibility and necessity of the Hereafter, the Holy Qur’an has also stated that belief in the Hereafter alone is what keeps human character and conduct established upon a sound and firm moral foundation. Without it, there is nothing to restrain a person from injustice and oppression, corruption and sin, breach of agreements, embezzlement, wrongdoing, and the like. This is because, no matter how many arguments a denier of the Hereafter may display verbally, his actual conduct shows that he really wants freedom from moral restraint and denies the Hereafter in order to preserve that freedom. The Qur’an has also identified the various moral corruptions that had generally spread through Arab society. It then poses this question to people: would these corruptions have taken place if the feeling had arisen in them that one day they would stand before God and be held accountable for each of their deeds? (103)

أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَلَّنْ نَجْمَعَ عِظَامَهُ – بَلَى قَادِرِينَ عَلَى أَنْ نُسَوِّيَ بَنَانَهُ – بَلْ يُرِيدُ الْإِنْسَانُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ-(القيامة(3–5)

If you do so, you will only harm yourselves, for you will spend your entire lives under the mistaken belief that everything good and bad is confined to this world. There will be no judgment after death in which the lasting consequences of our good and bad deeds will become manifest. (98)

أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَنْ نَجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَوَاءً مَحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ- وَخَلَقَ اللَّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِالْحَقِّ وَلِتُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ(الجاثية(21–22)

Do those who have committed wrongdoing think that We will make them equal to those who believe and perform righteous deeds, so that their life and death will be the same? How evil is their judgment! Allah created the heavens and the earth with truth and purpose, so that every person may be recompensed for what he has earned and no one will be wronged. (Al-Jathiyah: 21–22)

This is the moral argument for the truth of the Hereafter. The necessary implication of the distinction between good and evil in morality, and between sin and virtue in actions, is that the outcomes of the righteous and the unrighteous should not be the same. Rather, the righteous should receive the reward of their righteous deeds, and the unrighteous the recompense of their unrighteous deeds. If this does not happen, and the recompense for sin and virtue is the same, then the distinction between good and evil in morality becomes entirely meaningless. It also amounts to charging God with injustice. Those who follow the path of wrongdoing in the world certainly want there to be neither punishment nor reward, because this very belief obstructs their life of indulgence. But it is contrary to the wisdom and justice of the Creator and Lord of the universe that He should treat the unrighteous and the righteous alike, taking no account of how a righteous believer lived or what disorder the disbeliever and sinner created here. One person spent his entire life imposing moral restraints upon himself, fulfilling the rights of those entitled to them, depriving himself of unjust advantages and luxuries, and accepting various losses for the sake of honesty and truthfulness. Others fulfilled the desires of their lower selves by every possible means; they neither recognized God’s rights nor refrained from violating the rights of people, and they did whatever they could to obtain advantages and indulge in luxury. Can it be expected of God that He will overlook this difference between the lives of these two kinds of people? If the outcomes after death of those whose lives were not alike until death are alike, then what greater injustice could there be in God’s dominion?

Then it is said that the creation of the earth and the heavens is not a game, but an purposeful and wise system. Within this system, it is inconceivable that both those who correctly used the freedom and means granted by Allah and did good, and those who used them wrongly and committed oppression and corruption, should ultimately die, be reduced to dust, and have no second life after death—so that no good or evil consequence of their good and evil deeds would occur on the basis of justice. If that were so, this universe would be a toy for a player, not a purposeful system made by a wise being. (99)

Verses 21–23 of Surah Al-Jathiyah make clear that those who deny the Hereafter are people who want to serve their desires and regard belief in the Hereafter as an obstacle to this freedom. Once they deny the Hereafter, their servitude to their desires increases, and they become increasingly immersed in misguidance. There is no corruption from which they refrain. They do not hesitate to seize anyone’s rights. When they find an opportunity for oppression and excess, they cannot be expected to refrain from it because they have any respect for truth and justice in their hearts. They see before their eyes events from which people can learn lessons, yet they draw the opposite conclusion: that what they are doing is right and that they ought to do it. No good word appeals to them. Arguments that could restrain people from wrongdoing make no impression on them. Rather, they seek every argument in support of their unbridled freedom. Their minds remain occupied not with good thoughts but with finding ways to satisfy the cravings of desire. This proves that denial of the Hereafter is the cause of the destruction of human character. What alone can keep man within the bounds of humanity is the feeling that we are not without responsibility; rather, we must answer to God for every deed. Without this feeling, even someone who is a great scholar can commit the most atrocious conduct. (100)

أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ – مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ – أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ – إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ – أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ – سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ بِذَلِكَ زَعِيمٌ – أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِنْ كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ-(القلم(35–41)

Are We to make the obedient like the criminals? What is the matter with you? How do you judge? Or do you have a Book in which you read that

إِنَّ هَؤُلَاءِ يُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ وَيَذَرُونَ وَرَاءَهُمْ يَوْمًا ثَقِيلًا-(الدهر(27)

They love what is immediately gained—the world—and disregard the difficult day that lies ahead. (Ad-Dahr: 27)

In other words, the reason these Quraysh disbelievers want to remain stubbornly immersed in moral and doctrinal misguidance, and why their ears have become deaf to the Messenger of Allah’s call, is in reality their worldly-mindedness and indifference to the Hereafter. Therefore, the path of a person who follows the truth is so different from theirs that there is no question of compromise between them. (106)

أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ – حَتَّى زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرَ – كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ – ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَوْفَ تَعْلَمُونَ – كَلَّا لَوْ تَعْلَمُونَ عِلْمَ الْيَقِينِ- لَتَرَوُنَّ الْجَحِيمَ – ثُمَّ لَتَرَوُنَّهَا عَيْنَ الْيَقِينِ – ثُمَّ لَتُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَنِ النَّعِيمِ-(التكاثر(1–8)

The desire to obtain a greater share of the comforts and pleasures of this world than others has plunged you into heedlessness and indifference. In the end, you reach the graves while absorbed in this pursuit. No indeed! Soon you will know. Then no indeed! Soon you will know. If only you knew with certain knowledge the consequence of this conduct, you would not act in this way. Then you will certainly be questioned about these blessings. (At-Takathur: 1–8)

الهكمThe word لهوis derived from lahu. Its original meaning is heedlessness. In Arabic, however, this word is used for an activity that so increases a person’s attachment that, becoming absorbed in it, he grows heedless of other important matters. When the word الهكمis used from this root, it means that some heedlessness has kept you so absorbed that you have no awareness at all of other important matters. Its thoughts have taken hold of you, and this absorption has made you completely heedless.

تكاثرis derived from كثرت. It has three meanings: first, people strive to gain abundance; second, people try to outstrip one another in gaining abundance; and third, people boast to one another that they have acquired much more abundance than others.

Therefore, الهكم التكاثرmeans that the desire for abundance—that is, the desire to acquire excessively—has kept you so absorbed in competing among yourselves that it has made you heedless of matters more important than it. Here it has not been explained what kind of abundance is meant by takathur or from what people have been made heedless by alhakum. Nor has it been explained whom the words الهاكمaddress. Because this explanation is absent, these words convey a broad meaning. The meaning of takathur is not limited; it includes striving to acquire as much as possible of all worldly opportunities and benefits, the means of luxury and enjoyment, the means of power and authority, and the means of strength and capability; striving competitively to advance ahead of others in acquiring these things; and boasting before one another of having more than others. In this way, the number of those addressed by الهاكمis not limited either. Rather, people of every age, individually and collectively, fall under this address. In other words, the desire to obtain as many worldly interests as possible and to advance through competition in this regard exists both among individuals and among nations.

Likewise, since the explanation of what has kept them heedlessالهاكم التكاثرis not found in it, this too has been stated in a broad sense. That is, they have turned away from God and from the consequences of the Hereafter. They have turned away from moral limits and moral responsibilities. Their only concern is to raise their standard of living. They have no concern for how far the standard of humanity is declining. They want ever greater wealth, without caring how it is acquired. Luxurious living and sensual pleasure are their greatest desires. Immersed in these pleasures, they have become completely heedless of the consequences their conduct may have. They are concerned only with acquiring ever greater power, larger armies and more weapons, and they compete with one another in this. They do not consider that all these things are means of filling God’s earth with oppression and destroying humanity. In short, there are many forms of rivalry in worldly abundance that so engross individuals and nations that they have no thought for anything besides the world and its pleasures, and this preoccupation keeps them absorbed until the very moment of death.

After warning people against this error, it is said that you are under the mistaken impression that this abundance of worldly goods, and advancing through competition for them, is progress and success. Yet this can never be progress and success. Very soon you will learn its evil consequences, and you will learn what a great error it was in which you remained immersed throughout your lives. “Very soon” may refer to the Hereafter. For the Being whose vision extends from eternity past to eternity future, several thousand or even several hundred thousand years are only a tiny fraction of time. But it may also refer to death, for death is not far from anyone. With death, it will become clear to every person whether the deeds with which he spent his entire life were the cause of his good fortune or his misfortune. (107)

Then the Qur’an itself gives examples from Arab society to show what kinds of wrongdoing turning away from the Hereafter has produced among people.

—Does man think that We will not be able to gather his bones? Indeed, We are able even to reconstruct his fingertips exactly. Yet man wishes to continue committing sins in the future. (Al-Qiyamah: 3–5)

In the first two verses, an answer is given to the deniers, who said: How can it be that those who have been dead for thousands of years, whose tiniest bodily parts have dissolved into the earth, whose decayed bones are scattered God knows where, some of whom burned to death, some were devoured by wild beasts, and some drowned at sea and became food for fish—how can their bodily parts be gathered again, and every person rise exactly as the same person he was ten or twenty thousand years ago? Allah has given a highly rational and powerful answer in the form of this brief question: “Does man think that We will not be able to gather his bones?” In other words, if you had been told that these scattered parts of the body would come together by themselves at some time and that you would come to life again with this body on your own, then it would have been reasonable for you to regard this as impossible. But you were told that this would not happen by itself; rather, Allah would do it. Do you really think, then, that the Creator of the universe, whom you yourselves acknowledge as the Creator, is unable to do this? This is a question to which no one who accepts God as the Creator could answer, either then or today, that even if God wished to do this, He could not. If some fool says such a thing, he may be asked: How did that God, whom you claim cannot gather these parts, create the body with which you now exist by gathering its countless components from air, water, earth and who knows how many places? Then it is said: Why should We not be able to gather the great bones and reconstruct your bodily frame? Indeed, We are able even to recreate the finest parts of your body, including your fingertips, exactly as they were before.

The final sentence diagnoses the true ailment of those who deny the Hereafter. What prompts them to deny the Hereafter is not, in reality, that they consider it impossible. Rather, the true reason for their denial is that accepting the Hereafter inevitably imposes certain moral restrictions and prohibitions upon them, and this is unbearable for them. They want to continue roaming wherever they please, like an unbridled bull, as they have done until now. They want a full license to continue committing the oppression, dishonesty, sin and wrongdoing they have practiced until now. They do not want the thought that one day they will have to appear before their Lord and answer for their deeds to restrain them from enjoying this wrongful freedom. Thus, it is not their conscience that actually prevents them from believing in the Hereafter; rather, it is the cravings and desires of their lower selves that obstruct them. (104)

The same point is made in the following verse:

وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ-(المطففين-12)

No one denies it except every transgressing sinner. (Al-Mutaffifin: 12)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا نَسُوا يَوْمَ الْحِسَابِ-(ص-26)

—Those who turn away from Allah’s path will have a severe punishment because they forgot the Day of Reckoning. (Sad: 26)

كَلَّا بَلْ تُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ – وَتَذَرُونَ الْآخِرَةَ-(القيامة-20–21)

Never! Rather, you love the immediate life and abandon the Hereafter. (Al-Qiyamah: 20–21)

This is the second reason for the denial of those who reject the Hereafter. The first reason was stated above: they want complete freedom to commit sins and wish to escape the moral restrictions and prohibitions inevitably imposed upon them once they accept the Hereafter. Thus, it is actually the cravings of their lower selves that prompt them to deny the Hereafter; then they resort to argumentation to prove their denial.

The second reason stated here is that, because those who deny the Hereafter have narrow and short-sighted views, they attach all importance to the benefits of this world that appear here, while attaching no importance to the consequences that will appear in the Hereafter. They think that opportunities, comforts, luxuries or pleasures should be obtained here, and that all effort and exertion should be devoted to acquiring them; for if they can obtain them, it is as though they have gained everything, no matter how bad the consequences may be in the Hereafter. Thus they believe that the real task is to avoid the losses and hardships that may occur here, without considering that enduring these things may bring a great reward in the Hereafter. They want immediate gain. For the distant future of the Hereafter, they are willing neither to give up any present profit nor to accept any loss. When they presented arguments about the Hereafter from this standpoint, there was no wisdom in them. Rather, the idea working behind them was the reason they reached the conclusion that the Hereafter could not be accepted, even though their consciences inwardly told them that the arguments given in the Qur’an for the possibility and necessity of the Hereafter were entirely sound, while the arguments they presented against it were wholly irrelevant. (105)

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا-(الملك-2)

—He is the One who created death and life in order to test you as to which of you is best in deeds. (Al-Mulk: 2)

That is, Allah began the succession of life and death in the world so that He could test people and see whose deeds are best. This brief sentence points to many truths.

First, death and life come from Him. There is no one else who gives life and death.

Second, as a created being, man has been given the power to do good and evil. Neither his life nor his death is purposeless. The Creator created him here for a test. Life is the opportunity for his test; death means that the period of his test has ended.

Third, the purpose of this test is that the Creator has given everyone the opportunity to act, so that through his deeds in the world he may reveal good and evil and demonstrate in reality what kind of person he is.

Fourth, the Creator alone decides whose deeds are good and whose are evil. Determining the standard of good and evil is not the task of the one being tested; rather, the examiner determines the standard. Therefore, whoever wants to succeed in the test must know what constitutes good conduct in the eyes of the Examiner.

Fifth, the inherent meaning of a test is that each person will be rewarded according to his deeds. For without a reward, a test would have no meaning at all. (111)

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا – إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا-( الدهر-2–3)

We created man from a mixed drop to test him, and for this purpose We made him hearing and seeing. We showed him the way; then he may either be grateful or ungrateful. (Ad-Dahr: 2–3)

This is the true status of the world and of man in the world. He is not like plants, trees, animals or birds, whose purpose of creation is fulfilled here, and which, after performing their allotted function for a specified period according to the laws of nature, die and perish here. Moreover, this world is neither a place of punishment for man, as ascetics believe, nor a place of reward, as believers in reincarnation believe. Nor is it merely a pasture or a place of amusement, as materialists believe. Nor is it a battlefield, as the followers of Darwin and Marx believe. Rather, it is a testing ground for man. What he regards as his lifespan is, in reality, the period of the test granted to him here. The power, capacity and ability given to him in the world, the things he has been given the opportunity to use, the responsibilities under which he works here, and the relationships existing between him and other people are all, in reality, countless question papers in the examination, and this examination continues until the final moment of life. Its result is not meant to be revealed in this world; rather, after these question papers are examined in the Hereafter, it will be decided whether he has passed or failed. His success or failure depends on what he considered himself to be while acting here and how he answered the question paper given to him. If he did not consider himself the servant of any God, or considered himself the servant of many gods, and answered all the question papers on the assumption that he would not have to answer to his Creator in the Hereafter, then all the actions of his life were wrong. But if he considered himself the servant of one God, acted in a manner consistent with God’s will, and made accountability in the Hereafter his objective, then he passed the test.

Then it is said that We made him hearing and seeing. Although the meanings of these two Arabic words areسميع andبصير—that is, hearing and seeing—every Arabic speaker knows that these two words are never used for animals, even though animals do hear and see. Therefore, hearing and seeing here do not mean merely the faculties of hearing and sight that have also been given to animals. Rather, they mean the means through which man acquires knowledge and then derives benefit from it. Moreover, since hearing and sight are among the most important means of human knowledge, only these two have been mentioned briefly. Otherwise, the real purpose is to give man all the sensory knowledge through which he acquires knowledge. Furthermore, the sensory knowledge given to man is entirely distinct in its characteristics from the sensations given to animals. Behind every human sensation is a thinking brain that gathers the information received through the senses, arranges it, draws conclusions from it, forms opinions, and then reaches decisions upon which his outlook and conduct are built. Thus, after saying that We created man in order to test him, it is said that for this purpose We made him hearing and seeing. Its true meaning is that Allah gave him the power of knowledge and conscience so that he would be capable of undergoing the test. Indeed, if the purpose of the Divine Word were not this, and making him hearing and seeing meant merely giving him the faculties of hearing and sight, then a blind or deaf person would escape the test. Yet as long as a person has not been deprived of knowledge and conscience, there is no question of his being exempted from the test.سميع andبصير are never used for animals

وَيْلٌ لِلْمُطَفِّفِينَ – الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ – وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَوْ وَزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ – أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَئِكَ أَنَّهُمْ مَبْعُوثُونَ – لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ – يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ-( المطففين-1–6)

—Woe to those who give short measure; when they take from people, they demand full measure, but when they measure or weigh for them, they give less. Do they not think that they will be resurrected for a tremendous Day—the Day when all people will stand before the Lord of the worlds? (Al-Mutaffifin: 1–6)

مطففينThe wordطفيف is derived fromتطفيف . In Arabic it means a small and insignificant thing. As a technical term, it refers to cheating by giving short weight. The person who does this does not cheat by a large amount when weighing or measuring. Rather, he secretly takes a small amount from every customer, and the poor customer does not even realize how much loss the merchant has caused him. It is certain that this wrongdoing, which was prevalent in society, could never have spread if people had remembered the Hereafter. (108)

كَلَّا بَلْ لَا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ – وَلَا تَحَاضُّونَ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ – وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَمًّا – وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا-( الفجر-17–20)

—Never! Worldly prosperity or decline is not the standard of honor and disgrace. Rather, you do not treat the orphan honorably, nor do you urge one another to feed the needy. You consume the entire inheritance greedily, and you love wealth with an excessive love. (Al-Fajr: 17–20)

That is, your regarding worldly prosperity and decline as the standard of honor and disgrace is merely your materialistic outlook. Otherwise, the true standard is good character and bad character. Your condition is such that as long as an orphan’s father remains alive, you treat him one way; but when his father dies, not only neighbors and distant relatives, but even an uncle, maternal uncle, and older brother cannot bear to look after him. In your society there is no practice of feeding the poor. No one willingly feeds a hungry person, nor is there any encouragement among people to think about satisfying the hunger of the needy and urge one another to arrange it. In matters of inheritance, you have deprived women and children. Moreover, among the heirs of a deceased person, whoever is strong and influential appropriates the entire inheritance without hesitation. The shares of those who lack the power to obtain them are simply lost. In your view there is no distinction between rights and responsibilities: you do not consider it your duty, in honesty, to give the rightful person his right whether or not he has the ability to claim it. You have no concern, in acquiring wealth, for what is permissible or impermissible, lawful or unlawful. You have no hesitation about obtaining wealth by any means. And no matter how much wealth you acquire, the fire of your greed and desire is never extinguished.

أَرَأَيْتَ الَّذِي يُكَذِّبُ بِالدِّينِ – فَذَلِكَ الَّذِي يَدُعُّ الْيَتِيمَ – وَلَا يَحُضُّ عَلَى طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ-( الماعون-1–3)

—Have you seen the one who denies the reward and punishment of the Hereafter? It is he who repels the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the needy. (Al-Ma‘un: 1–3)

Here Allah has given two vivid examples to show what moral evils denial of the Hereafter brings upon people. The purpose is not merely to identify these two wrongs, as though denying the Hereafter produces only these two evils—that a person rebukes or mistreats orphans and does not urge people to feed the needy. Rather, among the countless wrongs resulting from this misguidance, two examples have been presented that every person of sound nature will acknowledge as acts of extremely vile character. The purpose is to impress upon the heart that if this person had accepted that he would appear before God and be held accountable, he would not have behaved so despicably as to violate the orphan’s rights, oppress him, rebuke him, and neither feed the needy himself nor tell anyone else to feed them. The qualities of those who believe in the Hereafter are described in Surah Al-Balad and Surah Al-Asr. It is said that they counsel one another to show mercy toward God’s creatures and counsel one another to uphold truth and fulfill rights. (110)

The world is a testing ground for man

On the one hand, the Qur’an has removed every doubt and suspicion people have regarding the possibility and necessity of the Hereafter in a highly rational manner; on the other, it has also told man that, because of his heedlessness, he has come to regard the world merely as a pasture or a place of amusement. Yet it is a testing ground in which he is constantly being tested in all the personal and social aspects of his life. This test is not being conducted without his knowledge. Rather, Allah has fully arranged to inform him of what his success and failure here depend upon.

They have not remained unaware of the distinctions between deeds, or of the principles of character and lawful directives presented by them. Whether or not they know that they acquired this knowledge from the teachings of the prophets and the Books of Allah, those today who deny the prophets and the revealed Books, or know nothing about them, nevertheless follow many things that have in reality reached them in one way or another through the teachings of the prophets and the Books, without knowing their true source. (112)

A day of judgment has been appointed

Then the Qur’an states in many places that the result of the test will not be revealed in this world. Rather, a time has been appointed when the earlier and later generations of the world will be brought to life a second time and all of them will be called to account. Each person will be rewarded or punished according to his deeds.

إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ مِيقَاتُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ-( الدخان-40)

—For all of them, there is an appointed time for judgment. (Ad-Dukhan: 40)

قُلْ إِنَّ الْأَوَّلِينَ وَالْآخِرِينَ – لَمَجْمُوعُونَ إِلَى مِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ-( الواقعة-49–50)

—Tell them: Surely the former and latter peoples will all be gathered together on a specified day. (Al-Waqi‘ah: 49–50)

وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَصَعِقَ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مَنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ ثُمَّ نُفِخَ فِيهِ أُخْرَى فَإِذَا هُمْ قِيَامٌ يَنْظُرُونَ-( الزمر-68)

—And the Trumpet will be blown, and all those in the heavens and on earth will fall unconscious, except those whom Allah wills to spare, such as the angels. Then it will be blown a second time, and suddenly they will all stand up, looking on. (Az-Zumar: 68)

وَقِيلَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ ذُوقُوا مَا كُنْتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ-( الزمر-24)

—And it will be said to the wrongdoers: Taste what you used to earn. (Az-Zumar: 24)

The wordكسب has been used above. In Qur’anic terminology, it means the right to reward or punishment that a person acquires through his deeds. The true earning of one who performs righteous deeds is that he becomes entitled to Allah’s reward. The earning of those who follow the wrong path is the punishment they will receive in the Hereafter. (113)

الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ لَا ظُلْمَ الْيَوْمَ-(المؤمن-17)

—At that time it will be said: Today every person will be repaid for what he earned in the world, and no one will be wronged. (Al-Mu’min: 17)

That is, no kind of injustice will be committed. It should be noted that injustice in matters of recompense can take several forms. First, a person becomes entitled to a reward but is not given it. Second, he is not given the full reward to which he is entitled. Third, someone who is not liable to punishment is punished. Fourth, someone who is liable to punishment is not punished. Fifth, someone deserving a minor punishment is given a greater punishment. Sixth, the oppressed waits while the oppressor escapes in his presence. Seventh, one person is held accountable for another’s crime. Allah intends that none of the possible forms of injustice should occur in His court. (114)

Allah is directly aware of everything people do in the world

The Holy Qur’an also states that Allah is directly aware of everything people do in this testing ground. No deed of a person, not even a thought or desire in his heart, can remain hidden from Allah. That is why, on the Day of Judgment, man will appear before the God who is fully aware of all the actions of his life.

وَأَسِرُّوا قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ اجْهَرُوا بِهِ إِنَّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِذَاتِ الصُّدُورِ-( الملك-13)

-Whether you speak secretly or aloud, it is all the same to Him; He knows even the state of your hearts. (Al-Mulk: 13

أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لَا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُمْ بَلَى وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ-( الزخرف-80)

-Do they think that We do not hear their secret conversations and private whispers? Indeed, We hear everything. Moreover, Our angels are near them, recording everything. (Az-Zukhruf: 80)

وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِ نَفْسُهُ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ-( ق-16)

We even know the evil thoughts that arise in his mind (waswasa). We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. (Qaf: 16)

Then it is said that We did not merely grant him the power of knowledge and reason; rather, along with that, We also guided him so that he might know which path is that of gratitude and which is that of disbelief. Thereafter, whichever path he adopts, the responsibility for it will be his own. This matter has been stated in Surah Al-Balad as follows—

وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ

We have clearly shown him both paths—the good and the evil.

Again, the same thing has been stated in Surah Ash-Shams as follows—

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا – فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا

-And by the soul and Him who proportioned it, then inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness.

If these matters are kept in view, and one also considers the detailed accounts in the Noble Qur’an describing the arrangements Allah Most High has made for guiding humanity, it becomes clear that the guidance mentioned in this verse does not mean one single method of guidance; rather, there are countless methods, such as:

1. Along with granting every human being the capacity for knowledge and reason, a moral sense has also been given to him, by virtue of which he can distinguish between good and evil. He regards certain actions and qualities as evil even though he engages in them, and regards certain actions and qualities as good even though he stays away from them. Even those who, for the sake of their interests and the cravings of their desires, have invented philosophies on the basis of which they have made many sins and wrongs lawful for themselves are such that, if someone else commits those very wrongs against them, they cry out in protest; it then becomes clear that, despite their false philosophies, they in fact regard those things as evil. Likewise, no matter how much anyone may regard good deeds and virtues as ignorance, foolishness, or outdated, when he benefits from another person’s righteous conduct, his nature compels him to consider that person worthy of respect.

2. Allah Most High has placed within every human being a thing called conscience (the reproaching soul, nafs al-lawwamah), which restrains him when he is about to commit an evil deed. However much a person may lull this conscience to sleep or try to make it insensitive, he will never be able to erase it completely. He may pretend to be shameless and present himself as entirely without conscience; he may make every effort to deceive the world with fabricated proofs and arguments; and he may offer countless excuses for his actions in order to deceive even his own mind. Nevertheless, the critic that Allah Most High has placed in his nature is so alive that even no immoral person can remain unaware of what he truly is. This very point has been stated in Surah Al-Qiyamah as follows—

-Rather, man knows himself best, even though he may offer excuse after excuse.

3. Within man’s own existence, and throughout the entire universe of nature—from the earth around him to the heavens—countless signs are spread in every direction, bearing witness that these things could not have come into existence without God. Nor could multiple gods be the creators and administrators of this cosmic system. Thus, the signs of the higher and lower worlds present proofs for the Resurrection and the Hereafter. If a person closes his eyes to these things, or, instead of being guided by reason, fails to reflect upon them, or hesitates to accept the truths they identify, that will be his own fault. Allah Most High has left nothing undone in placing before humanity signs that convey the truth from Him.

4. In a person’s own life, in the world of his time, and in the experiences of past history, countless events can be found that prove that a higher government is ruling him and the entire universe of nature. Before it, man is utterly helpless; its will prevails over everything, and man is dependent upon its help. These experiences and observations do not merely convey this truth in the external world; within human nature itself there is also testimony to the existence of that higher authority, on the basis of which even great atheists raise their hands in supplication before God in times of extreme danger.

5. Human conscience and its influence upon nature provide complete guidance that crimes must be punished and good deeds must be rewarded. It is on this basis that every society establishes a system of justice in one form or another and arranges rewards for deeds regarded as commendable. This is clear proof that there is such an essential relationship between morality and the law of retribution that man cannot deny it. Now, if it is universally acknowledged that there are countless crimes in the world for which not only full punishment but any punishment at all cannot be administered, and countless good deeds for which the righteous person receives not their proper reward but no reward whatsoever, then there is no alternative but to acknowledge the Hereafter. Of course, if some fool believes, or some reckless person wishes to conclude, that a person who holds the idea of justice was born into a world that itself has no concept of justice, that is another matter. But he still bears responsibility for answering this question: From where did the idea of justice arise in the mind of a human being born into such a world?

6. Allah Most High sent prophets into the world and revealed Books to provide humanity with clear guidance. In them it was clearly stated which path is that of gratitude and which is that of disbelief, and what the consequences are of following these two paths. The teachings brought by the prophets and the Books of Allah have spread throughout the world, directly and indirectly, so extensively that no human settlement is without the concept of God, the concept of the Hereafter, and the distinction between good and evil

وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ-( الحديد-4)

-He is with you wherever you may be, and Allah sees whatever you do. (Al-Hadid: 4)

يَعْلَمُ خَائِنَةَ الْأَعْيُنِ وَمَا تُخْفِي الصُّدُورُ – وَاللَّهُ يَقْضِي بِالْحَقِّ-( المؤمن-19–20)

Allah knows even the stealthy glances of your eyes and all the secrets hidden in your hearts. Allah will judge with truth. (Al-Mu’min: 19–20). (115)

His deeds will be proven in the Hereafter by undeniable testimony

The Noble Qur’an explains in detail that, in the Hereafter, Allah Most High will not pass judgment solely on the basis of His own knowledge. Rather, He is having a complete, detailed, and accurate record made of everyone’s deeds. Then, in the court of the Hereafter, such testimony concerning people’s actions will be presented that there will be no means of denying it.

إِذْ يَتَلَقَّى الْمُتَلَقِّيَانِ عَنِ الْيَمِينِ وَعَنِ الشِّمَالِ قَعِيدٌ – مَا يَلْفِظُ مِنْ قَوْلٍ إِلَّا لَدَيْهِ رَقِيبٌ عَتِيدٌ-( ق-17–18)

Two recording angels sit on his right and left, recording everything. No word comes from his mouth without a vigilant recorder being present to preserve it. (Qaf: 17–18)

The substance of these statements is that, on the one hand, Allah Most High Himself directly knows people’s movements, conduct, gestures, and inner states; on the other hand, two angels have been appointed for every person, recording each of his words. None of his words or deeds is omitted from their record. This means that when a person is brought before Allah’s court, Allah Himself will know what he has done. Two angels will also be present as witnesses, placing before him the documents and proofs of his deeds. It is very difficult for us to form an exact idea of what these proofs will be like. But after considering the information being disclosed to us, it can be known with certainty that in the environment where people live and act, sounds, images, movements, and expressions are being imprinted upon every particle all around them. From these, any one event can be presented again, exactly as it was, with the same gestures and sounds, in such a way that there will not be the slightest difference between the original and the copy. Today people perform this task through machines, in an extremely limited way. But the angels of God are dependent neither on such machines nor bound by their limitations. The human body itself and every object around it are their film, upon which they can record every sound and image exactly, with the finest precision and detail. On the Day of Resurrection, they can make a person hear with his own ears and in his own voice everything he did in the world. They can show his eyes moving images of all his actions, whose truth he will be unable to deny.

It must also be properly understood here that, in the court of the Hereafter, Allah Most High will not punish anyone on the basis of His own knowledge alone. Rather, He will punish only after fulfilling all the requirements of justice. For this reason, a complete record of every person’s words and deeds is being made in the world, so that complete proof of his actions may be supplied through undeniable testimony. (116)

وَإِنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ لَحَافِظِينَ – كِرَامًا كَاتِبِينَ – يَعْلَمُونَ مَا تَفْعَلُونَ-( الانفطار-10–12)

(Recorders are appointed over you. They are honored scribes who know every deed you perform. (Al-Infitar: 10–12)

In other words, whether you deny the Day of Judgment, regard it as false, or mock it, this does not alter the truth. The actual truth is that your Lord did not release you into the world like unrestrained camels. Rather, He has appointed over each of you highly truthful overseers. None of your actions is hidden from them, whether you perform it in darkness, in a secluded place, in an uninhabited forest, or in any situation in which you are certain that what you have done is concealed from people’s sight.

For these overseeing angels, Allah Most High has used the two words كراما كاتبين words. In other words, they are scribes who are highly honored. They have neither personal friendship nor enmity with anyone that would cause them to show unjust mercy to one person or, through unjust opposition to another, prepare a record contrary to what occurred. They are not treacherous, so that they might record fabricated reports on their own without being present at the deed. Nor are they bribe-takers who, after receiving something, would submit a false report for or against anyone. Their position is above all such moral weaknesses. Therefore, both the righteous and the wicked should be certain that everyone’s good deeds will be recorded without the slightest reduction, and no sin that a person did not commit will be attributed to him.

Then the second quality of those angels is described: they know whatever you do. In other words, they are not like the people of the CID or intelligence departments in this world, from whom many things remain unknown despite all their efforts. They are fully informed of everyone’s deeds. In every place and every circumstance, they remain so closely with each person that he does not even know anyone is supervising him. They also know with what intention each person performed each deed. Thus, the record they prepare is a complete record in which nothing escapes being recorded. Concerning this, verse 49 of Surah Al-Kahf states that, on the Day of Resurrection, sinners will be astonished to see that nothing, small or great, has been omitted from the record of their deeds being presented to them. They will see before them exactly everything they did. (117)

وَأَخْرَجَتِ الْأَرْضُ أَثْقَالَهَا – وَقَالَ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا لَهَا – يَوْمَئِذٍ تُحَدِّثُ أَخْبَارَهَا – بِأَنَّ رَبَّكَ أَوْحَى لَهَا-( الزلزلة-2–5)

-And the earth will bring out all its burdens and cast them forth. And man will say, “What is happening to it?” On that Day it will relate all that occurred upon it, because your Lord will have commanded it to do so. (Az-Zilzal: 2–5)

This is the matter referred to in verse 4 of Surah Al-Inshiqaq as follows—

وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ

-And it will cast out whatever is within it and become empty.

It has several meanings. First: the earth will bring out and cast forth the dead people wherever they lie within it, in whatever form and condition they may be. The following statement indicates that, at that time, all the scattered and separated parts of their bodies will be gathered together and brought back to life in the same form and appearance they had during their first life. For if this were not so, and they were entirely new people, how could they say, “What has happened to the earth?” When would new people ever say such a thing merely upon seeing the earth’s original condition?

The second meaning is that it will not be content merely to cast out the dead. Rather, it will also bring out and cast forth the heaps of evidence of their deeds, gestures, movements, and conduct during their first lives that had been buried within it.

Then the following two statements explain that the earth will relate what occurred upon it.

Third meaning: Some commentators have also said that heaps of gold, silver, jewels, and various kinds of wealth buried beneath the earth will be brought out and cast forth. People will see that these are the very things for which they spent their lives in the world, for which they committed so many murders, violated the rights of rightful owners, committed theft and robbery, plundered on land and sea, fomented wars, and destroyed how many nations. All those things will now be present before them, bringing them no benefit whatsoever; rather, they will be causes of punishment.

In the second statement, “man” may also mean every human being. For their first reaction upon being brought to life will be: What is happening?

Later, the truth will be disclosed to them that this is the Day of Resurrection. Alternatively, “man” may refer to those who deny the Hereafter, because what they considered impossible will be taking place before their eyes. As a result, they will become bewildered and distressed. As for those who believe, there will be no reason for them to be distressed, because all this is occurring exactly according to their creed and belief.

The third verse, or statement, says that the earth will relate its condition, because its Lord will have commanded it to do so. It is narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet recited this verse and asked, “Do you know what its condition will be?” The Companions said, “Allah and His Messenger know best.” The Prophet said, “Its condition will be that the earth will testify to the deeds of every man and woman that they performed upon its surface. It will say: He did such-and-such a deed on such-and-such a day.” This is the condition that the earth will describe—(Musnad Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i, Ibn Jarir, Abd ibn Humayd, Abu al-Mundhir, Hakim, Ibn Marduyah, Bayhaqi).

Rabi‘ah al-Jurashi said that the Prophet said, “Beware of the earth, for it is your foundation. There is no person who performs an act upon it whose deed it will not report, whether good or evil”—(Al-Mu‘jam at-Tabarani).

Anas said that the Prophet said, “On the Day of Resurrection, the earth will bring forth every deed performed upon its back.” Then he recited this verse—(Marduyah, Bayhaqi).

It is related concerning Ali that, whenever he distributed the funds of the Bayt al-Mal and emptied the treasury, he would offer two rak‘ahs of prayer and say, “You must testify that I filled you with what was right and emptied you with what was right.” Regarding the earth, it has been said that it will relate everything that occurred upon it. To people of ancient times, it would have seemed extremely astonishing how the earth could speak. But in this age of discoveries in physical science, cinema, loudspeakers, radio, television, tape recorders, electronics, and so forth, it is not difficult to understand how the earth will relate its condition. Everything a person says with his mouth leaves an impression in the air, in light waves, on the walls, floors, and particles of ceilings, and across fields, plains, and farmland. Whenever Allah wills, He can cause all these sounds to be reproduced exactly as they emerged from a person’s mouth. At that time, people will hear with their own ears that these are their own familiar sounds. Everyone will recognize that whatever they are hearing is that person’s sound and voice. Likewise, wherever and in whatever circumstances a person performed an action upon the earth, the imprint of each movement fell upon every object around him, and his image was also engraved upon it. Even if he performed an action in deep darkness, by God’s power there are rays of light such that the question of light or darkness does not arise. He can capture his image in every circumstance. On the Day of Resurrection, all these images will appear before people like a moving film, showing them what they did throughout their lives, when and where.

The truth is that although Allah Most High directly knows the actions of every person Himself, when He establishes the court in the Hereafter, whoever He punishes will be punished only after fulfilling every requirement of justice. The case brought against every criminal in His court will be proven through such manifest testimony that there will be no room left to dispute his guilt.

First of all, there is the record of a person’s deeds, in which the Kiraman Katibin, constantly accompanying him, are recording every word and deed. This record will be placed in his hand and he will be told, “Read your book. Today you are sufficient to take account of yourself.” (Bani Isra’il: 14) Upon reading it, the person will be stunned that nothing, small or great, has been left out of it. Then there is the human body, with which he acted in the world. In Allah’s court, his own tongue will testify to everything he said with it. His own hands and feet will testify to the deeds he made them perform. (Nuh: 24) His eyes will testify to everything he saw with them, and his ears will testify to everything he heard with them. The whole skin of his body will testify to his actions. In bewilderment, he will say to his limbs, “Are you also testifying against me?” His limbs will reply, “Today everything speaks by Allah’s command. By His command, we too are speaking.” (Ha-Mim Sajdah: 20–22) Then additional testimony will be given by the earth and the objects around it, when a person hears his own voice with his own ears and sees with his own eyes the exact images of his actions.

After all this, the thoughts, desires, wishes, and purposes hidden in a person’s heart, and the intentions with which he performed his deeds, will also be brought out and placed before him. As stated in Surah Al-Adiyat, this is why, after all these decisive, clear, and undeniable proofs have been presented, a person will be stunned and will have no opportunity to offer any explanation in his defense. (See Surah Al-Mursalat, verses 35–36.)(118)

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ فَتَرَى الْمُجْرِمِينَ مُشْفِقِينَ مِمَّا فِيهِ وَيَقُولُونَ يَا وَيْلَتَنَا مَالِ هَذَا الْكِتَابِ لَا يُغَادِرُ صَغِيرَةً وَلَا كَبِيرَةً إِلَّا أَحْصَاهَا وَوَجَدُوا مَا عَمِلُوا حَاضِرًا وَلَا يَظْلِمُ رَبُّكَ أَحَدًا-( الكهف-49)

And the record of deeds will be placed before them. At that time you will see the criminals terrified by what is recorded in their life-books, saying, “Woe to us! What kind of book is this that has omitted neither a small nor a great deed of ours?” They will find everything they did present before them, and your Lord will not wrong anyone. (Al-Kahf: 49)

In other words, it will never happen that someone who committed no crime will have one needlessly written in his record. Nor will anyone be punished more than his crime warrants, or an innocent person be punished. (119)

وَكُلُّ شَيْءٍ فَعَلُوهُ فِي الزُّبُرِ – وَكُلُّ صَغِيرٍ وَكَبِيرٍ مُسْتَطَرٌ-( القمر-52–53)

Whatever they did is recorded in the books. Every small and great matter is recorded. (Al-Qamar: 52–53)

In other words, these people should not remain under the false impression that their deeds have disappeared somewhere. No, the complete record of every individual, group, and nation has been preserved. It will appear at the appointed time. (120)

يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا عَمِلُوا أَحْصَاهُ اللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ-( المجادلة-6)

(This humiliating punishment will occur) on the Day when Allah Most High raises them all to life and informs them of everything they did. They have forgotten it, but Allah has preserved their deeds, counting each one, and Allah is witness over every single thing. (Al-Mujadilah: 6)

In other words, although they have forgotten, the case has not been settled. Disobeying God and violating His commands and injunctions may become such an ordinary matter for them that after doing it they do not even remember it. Indeed, they may not regard it as objectionable at all and therefore see no reason to care about it. But with God it is not an insignificant matter. Every one of their deeds has been written in His record. What act a person performed, when and with what intention, what his own reaction was afterward, and where and in what form its consequences appeared—all of this has been recorded in His book. (121)

الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلَى أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَتُكَلِّمُنَا أَيْدِيهِمْ وَتَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ-( يس-65)

-Today We shall seal their mouths. Their hands will speak to Us, and their feet will testify to what they used to earn in the world. (Ya-Sin: 65)

This command will concern those hardened criminals who refuse to admit their guilt, regard the testimonies as false, and do not acknowledge the truth of the record of deeds. Then Allah will command: “Enough of your eloquence; be silent, and see what account your limbs give of your deeds.” (122)

يَوْمَ تَشْهَدُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَيْدِيهِمْ وَأَرْجُلُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ-(النور-24)

(They should not forget) the day when their tongues, their hands and their feet will testify against them concerning what they used to do. (An-Nur: 24)

The question here is this: in the verse cited above from Surah Ya-Sin, Allah says, “We shall seal their mouths,” whereas in Surah An-Nur He says that their mouths will testify. How can these two statements be reconciled?

The answer is that sealing their mouths means taking away their freedom to speak. In other words, thereafter they will no longer be able to speak according to their own wishes. Their mouths testifying means that their own mouths will begin to narrate the story of what these wrongdoers made them do, what kinds of disbelief they committed, what lies they told, what mischief they created, and what they said through their mouths on various occasions. (123)

حَتَّى إِذَا مَا جَاءُوهَا شَهِدَ عَلَيْهِمْ سَمْعُهُمْ وَأَبْصَارُهُمْ وَجُلُودُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ-وَقَالُوا لِجُلُودِهِمْ لِمَ شَهِدْتُمْ عَلَيْنَا قَالُوا أَنْطَقَنَا اللَّهُ الَّذِي أَنْطَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ خَلَقَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ-(حم السجده-20–21)

-Then, when they all reach it, their ears, their eyes and the skin of their bodies will testify against them concerning what they used to do in the world. They will ask the skin of their bodies, “Why did you testify against us?” It will reply, “Allah, who gives speech to everything, gave us the power to speak. He created you the first time, and to Him you will be returned.” (Ha-Mim Sajdah: 20–21)

The Hadiths explain this by saying that when a hardened, obstinate criminal continues to deny his crime and dismisses all evidence and testimony as false, then, by Allah’s command, the limbs of his body will testify one by one to what he did through them. This matter has been narrated from the Prophet by Hazrat Anas (RA), Hazrat Abu Musa Ash‘ari (RA), Hazrat Abu Sa‘id Khudri (RA), and Hazrat Ibn Abbas (RA), and leading Hadith scholars such as Muslim, Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim and Bazzar recorded these narrations.

This is one of the verses that prove that the Hereafter is not merely a spiritual world; rather, people will be brought to life there again with body and soul, just as they exist now in the world. Indeed, they will be given the very bodies in which they now exist. The limbs and particles from which their bodies are made in this world will be gathered together on the Day of Resurrection, and they will be raised with their former bodies—the bodies with which they performed their deeds in the world. It is clear that human limbs can testify there only if they are the very limbs with which a person committed offenses during his worldly life. The following verses also present conclusive arguments on this subject: Bani Isra’il: 49–51, 98; Al-Mu’minun: 35–38, 82–83; An-Nur: 24; As-Sajdah: 10; Ya-Sin: 65, 78–79; As-Saffat: 16–18; Al-Waqi‘ah: 47–50; An-Nazi‘at: 10–14. (124)

إِنَّا نَحْنُ نُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى وَنَكْتُبُ مَا قَدَّمُوا وَآثَارَهُمْ وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ فِي إِمَامٍ مُبِينٍ-(يس-12)

We shall surely bring the dead to life one day. We are recording all the deeds they have done. We are also preserving the traces they have left behind. We have recorded every matter in a clear Book. (Ya-Sin: 12)

It is learned from this that a person’s record of deeds will be compiled in three ways. First, everything good and evil that each person does will be written down by Allah. Second, every impression a person leaves upon the things around him and upon the limbs of his own body will be preserved. Then all these images will be displayed in such a way that their own sounds will be heard, and he will see a complete account of his thoughts, wishes and desires inscribed upon the tablet of his heart. Third, after death, the effects of his good and evil deeds upon future generations, his society and all humanity will continue to be recorded for as long and wherever those effects remain operative. Whatever good or bad instruction he passed on to his children, whatever welfare or corruption he spread in his society, and whatever flowers or thorns he sowed for humanity—all of it will be fully recorded for as long as the crop he planted continues to yield good or bad fruit in the world. (125)

وَتَرَى كُلَّ أُمَّةٍ جَاثِيَةً كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ تُدْعَى إِلَى كِتَابِهَا الْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ – هَذَا كِتَابُنَا يَنْطِقُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالْحَقِّ إِنَّا كُنَّا نَسْتَنْسِخُ مَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ-(الجاثية-28–29)

-On that day you will see every community kneeling. Each group will be called: “Come and see your record of deeds.” They will be told: “Today you will be shown the recompense for the deeds you used to perform. This is Our record, which gives an accurate testimony concerning you. We were recording whatever you used to do.” (Al-Jathiyah: 28–29)

Writing things down is not the only means by which they can be recorded on paper. Even in this world, human beings have discovered various other means of depicting people’s words and deeds and presenting them again in exactly the same form, and we cannot imagine what further possibilities may be hidden in the future that human beings will be able to master. Who can know by what means Allah is recording every word, every movement and gesture, and every most secret aspect of a person’s thoughts, wishes and desires? (126)

وَإِذَا الرُّسُلُ أُقِّتَتْ-(المرسلات-11)

-And when the time comes for the messengers to be brought forward. (Al-Mursalat: 11)

It is stated at various places in the Noble Qur’an that when the case of humanity is presented in the plain of Resurrection, the messenger of every nation will be brought forward to testify that he conveyed Allah’s message to them. This will be the first and most damning evidence against the misguided and sinful, proving that they themselves are responsible for their erroneous conduct. Nothing was left undone on Allah’s part to warn them. For example, see the explanations of the following verses: Surah Al-A‘raf: 172–173; Az-Zumar: 69; Al-Mulk: 8. (127)

وَوُضِعَ الْكِتَابُ وَجِيءَ بِالنَّبِيِّينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ بِالْحَقِّ وَهُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ-(الزمر-69)

-The record of deeds will be brought and set down. The prophets and all the witnesses will be brought forward. Judgment will be passed among the people with complete truth and justice, and they will not be wronged. (Az-Zumar: 69)

The prophets will testify that they conveyed Allah’s message. The other witnesses are those who will testify that, after the prophets, they conveyed Allah’s message to the people. There may also be witnesses who testify to people’s deeds. It is not necessary that these witnesses be human beings alone. Angels, jinn, animals and birds, human limbs, houses, trees and plants, earth and stones—all will be included among the witnesses to those deeds. (128)

أَفَلَا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِي الْقُبُورِ-وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِي الصُّدُورِ-( العاديات-9–10)

-Does he not know the time when what lies in the graves will be brought out, and what is concealed in the breasts will be extracted and examined? (Al-‘Adiyat: 9–10)

In other words, after death, the dead person will be brought out from whatever place and condition he lies in and raised in the form of a living human being. All the wishes, desires, intentions, purposes, ideas and thoughts concealed within his mind, as well as the motives hidden behind his outward deeds, will be brought to light and laid open. Then they will be examined and good will be separated from evil. In other words, judgment will not be based merely on what a person actually did outwardly; rather, the hidden secrets of his mind will also be revealed, showing with what intention and for what purpose he performed the deeds. Reflecting upon this, one cannot but admit that true and complete justice can be found nowhere except in Allah’s court.

Even the irreligious laws of this world consider it necessary in principle that a person should not be punished solely on the basis of his outward act. Rather, it must also be seen with what intention he performed it. But no court in this world possesses the means to know the true facts concerning that intention. Only Allah can examine the hidden motive operating behind every outward act of a person and then decide what punishment or reward he deserves.

Furthermore, the wording of the verse indicates that this judgment will not be based merely on the knowledge Allah possesses concerning the desires and intentions of the mind.تحصيلThe wording has therefore been used.حصل ما فى الصدورThe phrase also means bringing something out into the open, such as removing the husk or shell to extract the kernel. It also means separating one thing from another after sorting through various things. Thus both meanings are used in order to uncover the secrets of the mind: exposing them openly and sorting them so that good and evil are separated. (129)

يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ – فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ – وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ  وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ – إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ – وَمَا هُوَ بِالْهَزْلِ-(الطارق-9–14)

-The day when hidden secrets are examined, a person will possess neither personal strength nor any helper. By the sky that sends down rain and the earth that splits open (when producing crops), this is a decisive statement, not a jest. (At-Tariq: 9–14)

Hidden secrets means all those deeds of every person that remained secret in the world, as well as those actions that appeared outwardly before the world while the intentions, purposes and desires behind them, and the inner emotions and impulses motivating them, remained hidden from people. On the Day of Resurrection all this will be exposed and brought forward. The examination will not concern merely what a person did, but also why he did it, for whose interest, with what intention and for what purpose. Likewise, it has remained hidden from the whole world, and even from the person who performed it, what effect his deed had in the world, where it reached and how long it continued. This secret too will be revealed on the Day of Resurrection, and a complete examination will be made of the seed a person sowed in the world: in which fields and for how long its crop continued to grow, and who brought it into their homes.

The meaning of the final sentence is that, just as rain descending from the sky and the earth splitting open for plants to sprout from it are not matters of jest but realities, likewise what the Qur’an says—that people must return once again to their Lord—is not a matter of jest. It is an utterly certain statement, an incontrovertible reality and an eternal truth that will inevitably come to pass. (130)

يُنَبَّأُ الْإِنْسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ – بَلِ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌ – وَلَوْ أَلْقَى مَعَاذِيرَهُ-(القيامة-13–15)

-On that day, all a person’s earlier and later deeds will be disclosed to him. Indeed, a person knows himself best, no matter how many excuses he offers. (Al-Qiyamah: 13–15)

The actual wording isبما قدم واجرThis is a comprehensive expression with several possible meanings. Perhaps all of these meanings are intended. One meaning is that, on that day, a person will also be told what good or evil deeds he sent ahead for the Hereafter before his death during his worldly life, and an account will be placed before him of the effects of his good or evil deeds that he left behind and that continued among future generations for a long time.

The second meaning is that he will be told everything he should have done but did not do, and everything he should not have done but did.

The third meaning is that a detailed account, including dates, will be placed before him of everything he did first and everything he did later.

The fourth meaning is that he will be told about the good and evil deeds he performed, and will also be informed about the good and evil deeds from which he refrained.

But the purpose of placing a person’s record of deeds before him will not actually be to inform the criminal of his crime. Rather, this will be necessary because justice cannot be fulfilled without proving the crime before the court. Otherwise, everyone knows very well what he himself is. A liar may deceive the whole world, but he knows that he is lying. A thief may employ countless devices to conceal his theft, but he cannot hide from his own mind that he is a thief. A misguided person may present a thousand arguments to convince people that the disbelief, atheism or polytheism in which he believes is truly his sincere conviction. Yet his conscience is not unaware of what attachment he has to these beliefs and what actually prevents him from recognizing and accepting their error. A wrongdoer, an untrustworthy person, a libertine and one who consumes what is unlawful may offer various excuses for his misdeeds and try to silence his conscience so that it will refrain from reproaching him and accept that there really are certain compulsions, conveniences and necessities causing him to do these things. Nevertheless, he certainly knows whom he has wronged and whose rights he has violated. Therefore, when presented before the court of the Hereafter, every disbeliever, hypocrite, sinner and criminal will know for himself in what capacity he is standing before Allah. (131)

فَإِذَا جَاءَتِ الطَّامَّةُ الْكُبْرَى – يَوْمَ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ مَا سَعَى-(النازعات-34–35)

-Then, when the greatest catastrophe occurs, on that day a person will remember all his deeds. (An-Nazi‘at: 34–35)

In other words, when a person sees that the day of examination, whose news had been given in the world, has arrived, then, even before his record of deeds is placed in his hand, everything he did in the world will come back to him one by one. Some people experience even in this world that when they suddenly face such a perilous situation that death seems very near, the picture of their entire life suddenly appears before their mind’s eye. (132)

وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ وَأَنَّى لَهُ الذِّكْرَى-يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي-(الفجر-23–24)

-And Hell will be brought forth that day. On that day a person will understand everything. But what benefit will understanding bring then? He will say, “Would that I had sent something ahead for this life of mine.” (Al-Fajr: 23–24)

-The first verse or sentence may have two meanings. One is that, on that day, a person will remember all that he did in the world and will regret it, but that will be of no avail. The second meaning is that, on that day, a person will regain awareness and realize that whatever the prophets said was true, and that he acted foolishly by refusing to follow them. But regaining awareness and realizing his error on that day will be of no benefit.

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا قَدَّمَتْ وَأَخَّرَتْ-( الانفطار-5)

-At that time every person will know all his earlier and later deeds. (Al-Infitar: 5)

– مَا قَدَّمَتْ وَأَخَّرَتْThere may be several meanings of —. It is used here with all these meanings. For example:

1. The good or evil deeds a person performed and sent ahead are مَا قَدَّمَتْand the deeds from which he refrained are أَخَّرَتْ  مَاIn this sense, these words correspond to the English words COMMISSION and OMISSION.

2. Whatever he did first is ما قدمتand whatever he did later is ما اخرتIn other words, the complete list of a person’s deeds will be displayed in chronological order, with the years and dates.

3. The good and evil deeds a person performed during his life are ما قدمتand the effects of those deeds that he left behind in human society are (134) ما اخرت

يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتًا لِيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ – فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْرًا يَرَهُ – وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُ-( الزلزلة-6–8)

-On that day people will emerge in different conditions so that their deeds may be shown to them. Then whoever has done even the weight of a speck of good will see it, and whoever has done even the weight of a speck of evil will see it. (Az-Zilzal: 6–8)

The first sentence may have two meanings. One is that everyone will appear individually, as a single person. Families, groups, alliances and nations will all be separated. This is also stated elsewhere in the Qur’an. For example, in Surah Al-An‘am it is said that Allah will tell people on that day: “Now you have come before Us alone, just as We created you the first time.” (Verse 94) In Surah Maryam it is said: “They will come to Us alone.” (Verse 80) “Each of them will come before Allah alone on the Day of Resurrection.” (Verse 95)

The second meaning is that those who died in different places over thousands of years will continue to come in groups from every corner of the earth. As it is said in Surah An-Naba: “The day the Trumpet is blown, you will come forth in groups.” (Verse 18)

Showing them their deeds means that every righteous and wicked person will be given his record of deeds so that he may see what he did in the world. Various places in the Noble Qur’an give detailed accounts of this: the disbelievers and believers, the righteous and sinners, the obedient and disobedient—all will be given their records of deeds. (See Al-Haqqah, verses 19 and 25, and Al-Inshiqaq, verses 7–10.)

It should be noted that there is no difference between showing someone his deeds and giving him his record of deeds. Furthermore, when the earth presents the events that took place upon it, the complete picture of the conflict between truth and falsehood that continued from the beginning until the Resurrection will appear before everyone. All will see what those who struggled for truth did and what efforts the supporters of falsehood made against them. It is also possible that people will hear with their own ears all the statements and speeches of those who called toward guidance and those who spread misguidance. The complete record of the writings and literature propagated by both sides will be placed before everyone exactly as it was. The people in the plain of Resurrection will see with their own eyes every scene of the oppression and persecution inflicted by the supporters of falsehood upon the people of truth, and of the conflicts and confrontations that took place between the two sides.

Then it is said that whoever has done even the slightest good will see it, and whoever has done even the slightest evil will see it. The simple—and entirely correct—meaning is that not even the smallest good or evil deed of a person will be omitted from being recorded in his record of deeds. He will certainly see it. But if seeing it is taken to mean seeing its reward or punishment, that meaning would be entirely incorrect, as though in the Hereafter each person would separately receive the reward for every trivial good deed and the punishment for every trivial sin. There, no one will be deprived of the reward for his good deeds, nor will anyone escape punishment for his sins. First, this would mean that the punishment for each evil deed and the reward for each good deed would be given separately. Second, it would also mean that even a highly righteous believer could not escape punishment for any minor shortcoming, while even the worst disbeliever, wrongdoer, and criminal would not be deprived of the reward for any slightest good deed. Both these meanings contradict the Qur’an and Hadith’s explanations and analyses, and reason does not accept them as demands of justice. Consider carefully, with sound judgment: how could it be acceptable that one of your servants or employees is extremely loyal and devoted, yet you forgive none of his very minor faults and, along with paying and rewarding him for each service, count every one of his faults and punish him for each? Likewise, it is not conceivable to reason that a household servant whom you have raised and toward whom you have shown much kindness and generosity betrays you and repays your favor with ingratitude, yet you overlook his overall conduct and give a separate punishment for each betrayal and a separate reward for each service—whether it was merely bringing some water once or pulling a fan. Now as for the Qur’an and Hadith: they set out in detail a comprehensive law concerning the rewards and punishments of various kinds of people—the believer, hypocrite, disbeliever, righteous believer, sinful believer, unjust and wicked believer, outright disbeliever, disbeliever who causes corruption, wrongdoer, and others—and these rewards and punishments govern the whole of human life, from this world to the Hereafter.

Regarding this, the Qur’an explains certain principles in detail. The first is that the deeds of disbelievers, polytheists, and hypocrites—deeds regarded as good—will be nullified. In the Hereafter they will receive no recompense for them. If any recompense is due to them, they will have received it in this world itself. For examples, see Surahs al-A‘raf: 127; al-Tawbah: 17, 67–69; Hud: 15–16; Ibrahim: 18; al-Kahf: 104–105; al-Nur: 39; al-Furqan: 23; al-Ahzab: 19; al-Zumar: 65; and al-Ahqaf: 20.

Second: punishment for sin will be given only to the extent of the sin committed. But the reward for a good deed will be greater than the deed itself. Indeed, it is explained in some places that the recompense for every good deed will be tenfold. It is also said in some places that Allah will increase the reward for good deeds as much as He wishes. (See al-Baqarah: 261; al-An‘am: 16; Yunus: 66–67; al-Nur: 38; al-Qasas: 48; Saba: 37; al-Mu’min: 40.)

Third: if a believer refrains from major sins, his minor sins will be forgiven. (See al-Nisa: 31; al-Shura: 37; al-Najm: 32.)

Fourth: the account of a righteous believer will be made easy. His evil deeds will be overlooked, and he will be rewarded on the basis of his finest deeds. (See al-‘Ankabut: 7; al-Zumar: 35; al-Ahqaf: 16; al-Inshiqaq: 8.)

The Hadith makes the matter even clearer. Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says that once Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was eating with the Prophet (peace be upon him). At that moment this verse was revealed—the final verse of Surah al-Zalzalah. Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) withdrew his hand from the food and said, “O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), will I see the consequences of even those very minor faults and mistakes that I have committed?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “O Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), whatever hardships you encounter that you find unbearable are recompense for those minor faults and mistakes committed by you, while Allah has preserved whatever small amount of good you possess for you in the Hereafter.” (Ibn Jarir, Ibn Abi Hatim, al-Tabarani in al-Awsat, al-Bayhaqi in al-Shu‘ab, Ibn al-Mundhir, al-Hakim, Ibn Marduyah, and ‘Abd ibn Humayd.)

Regarding this verse, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to Hazrat Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), “Whoever among you does a good deed will have its reward in the Hereafter. And whoever commits any kind of sin will suffer its punishment in this world itself, in the form of misfortunes and illness.” (Ibn Marduyah.) Qatadah, citing Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), narrated this statement of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): “Allah does not wrong the believer. Through sustenance granted to him in this world in exchange for his good deeds, his reward for those deeds is settled. Then, when the Resurrection takes place, he will have no good deeds remaining to his account.” (Ibn Jarir.)

Masruq narrates from Hazrat Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), “Abdullah ibn Jud‘an used to treat his relatives well, feed the needy, show hospitality, and free prisoners during the Age of Ignorance. Will these deeds benefit him in the Hereafter?”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “No. He never said before his death:

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—O God! Forgive my sins on the Day of Judgment.” (Ibn Jarir.)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a similar answer concerning several other people who had performed good deeds during the Age of Ignorance but died in a state of disbelief and polytheism. However, some statements of the Prophet (peace be upon him) indicate that a disbeliever’s good deeds cannot save him from the punishment of Hell, though he will not be given as severe a punishment as that given to disbelieving wrongdoers, sinners, and evildoers. For example, it is mentioned in a Hadith that Hatim al-Ta’i will receive a lighter punishment because of his generosity. (Ruh al-Ma‘ani.)

Nevertheless, this verse makes people alert and conscious of a very important reality: every seemingly insignificant good deed has its own importance and value. The same applies to sinful acts; even a minor sin is included in the account and is not something to be casually ignored. Therefore, one should not abandon a small good deed merely because it seems small. Many such good deeds may come together and be counted as a very great good deed in Allah’s record. Likewise, one should not commit minor sins, because many such small sins may accumulate and become a heap of sins. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated this in various Hadiths. It is reported in Bukhari and Muslim, in a narration from Hazrat ‘Adi ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Protect yourselves from the Fire of Hell, even by giving a piece of a date, or simply by saying a good word.” Another statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him) has been authentically narrated from ‘Adi ibn Hatim (may Allah be pleased with him): “Do not regard any good deed as insignificant, even if it is pouring some water into the vessel of someone who asks for water, or meeting your brother with a cheerful face.”

There is a narration in Bukhari from Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): the Prophet (peace be upon him) addressed the women and said, “O Muslim women! Let no neighbor consider it too small a deed to send something to her neighbor, even if it is only a goat’s hoof.”

There is a narration from Hazrat Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in Musnad Ahmad, al-Nasa’i, and Ibn Majah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) used to say, “O Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her), stay away even from those sins that are considered minor, for they too will be questioned about before Allah.” In Musnad Ahmad, there is a narration from Hazrat Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “Beware; keep away from minor sins, for they will be gathered together against a person, and will ultimately destroy him.” (135)

In the Hereafter, no one will be of any use to anyone else.

The final important point stated in the Qur’an concerning the Hereafter is that there no one will be of any use to anyone else. Everyone will be concerned only with himself. No one will be thinking of saving his father, son, brother, husband, wife, friends, disciple, or spiritual guide. Each person will bear the burden of his own deeds. No one will bear even an atom’s weight of another’s burden. Allah’s just principle will not place one person’s burden upon another. At that time, judgment will belong solely to Allah, the Master of the Day of Judgment. No one will have the power to speak on that day. However, if Allah grants someone permission, he will speak only the truth.

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَإِنْ تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَى حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى-( فاطر-18)

—No bearer of a burden will bear the burden of another. If a burden-laden person calls upon someone to lift his burden, none of it will be lifted for him, even if that person is a close relative. (Fatir: 18)

The burden means the burden of responsibility for one’s deeds. In other words, every person is himself responsible for his actions. Each person bears responsibility only for his own deeds. There is no possibility that Allah will place one person’s burden of responsibility upon someone else. Nor is it possible for anyone to take another person’s burden of responsibility upon his own shoulders and expose himself to punishment for that person’s crime in order to save him. This was stated here because the relatives and clansmen of those who were accepting Islam in Makkah would tell them, “Abandon this new religion at our urging and remain firm upon the religion of your forefathers. Its punishment and reward will be upon our shoulders.”

The first sentence describes Allah’s law of perfect justice: He will not seize one person for another’s sin. Rather, each person will be held responsible for his own sin. The next sentence says that those who now say, “Continue committing acts of disbelief and sin under our responsibility; on the Day of Resurrection we will bear the burden of your sins,” are in fact offering a false assurance. When the Resurrection takes place and people see the consequences they face for their deeds, everyone will become anxious. Brother will turn away from brother, and father from son. No one will be ready to take even an atom’s weight of another’s burden upon his own shoulders. (136)

يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ – وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ – وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ – لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ-( عبس-34–37)

—On that day, a person will flee from his brother, his mother, his father, his wife, and his children. Each of them will that day face such a situation that he will have no awareness to think about anyone but himself. (Abasa: 34–37)

Fleeing means that on that day people, seeing their dearest friends in distress, will flee instead of helping them, so that they cannot call upon them for assistance. It may also mean that in this world they sinned for one another’s sake and led one another astray, being unafraid of God and heedless of the Hereafter. Now, seeing the consequences before them, each will flee from the others so that they cannot place responsibility for their sins and misguidance upon them. The brother will fear the brother, the child the parents, the husband the wife, and the parents the child, fearing that these wretched people will testify against them in the case.

وَلَا يَسْأَلُ حَمِيمٌ حَمِيمًا- يُبَصَّرُونَهُمْ يَوَدُّ الْمُجْرِمُ لَوْ يَفْتَدِي مِنْ عَذَابِ يَوْمِئِذٍ بِبَنِيهِ – وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَأَخِيهِ – وَفَصِيلَتِهِ الَّتِي تُؤْوِيهِ – وَمَنْ فِي الْأَرْضِ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ يُنْجِيهِ-( المعارج-10–14)

—No intimate friend will ask about an intimate friend, although they will be shown to one another. The criminal will wish to ransom himself from the punishment of that day by giving his own children, his wife, his brother, his nearest family who sheltered him, and everyone on earth, and this means would free him. (al-Ma‘arij: 10–14)

That is, it will not be that they cannot see one another; they will not ask because they will see with their own eyes what calamity has befallen the others. Then they will not ask, because the calamity will be upon their own shoulders. On the contrary, they will wish to give everyone as ransom so that they themselves may be freed. (138)

مَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَلَا شَفِيعٍ يُطَاعُ-(المؤمن-18)

-For the wrongdoers there will be no close friend, nor any intercessor whose intercession will be heeded. (Mu’min: 18)

By wrongdoer is meant every person who, having transgressed against the truth, has adopted the path of falsehood.

In the aforementioned verse, حميمmeans a friend of someone who, upon seeing him attacked, becomes agitated and hastens forward to protect him. The final statement has been made to refute the disbelievers’ belief in intercession. The fact is that there will be no intercessor at all for the wrongdoers there. For if anyone is granted permission to intercede, it can only be Allah’s righteous servants who do so. And Allah’s righteous servants can never be friends of disbelievers, polytheists, and sinners, such that they would consider interceding to protect them. But since the disbelievers, polytheists, and misguided people generally had—and sometimes still have—the idea that the revered persons whose hems they cling to would never let them enter Hell; rather, they would stand as a shield, have them forgiven, and ensure that their intercession was accepted. (139)

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ صَفًّا لَا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمَنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا-( النبأ-38)

-On that day, when the Spirit (Jibril) and the angels will stand in ranks, no one will speak except those whom Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate, permits, and they will speak correctly. (Naba: 38)

That is, on the Field of Resurrection, the awe-inspiring influence and authority of the Divine Court will be such that no inhabitant of the earth or the heavens will dare to open his mouth before Allah of his own accord or interfere in the judgment. Speaking means interceding, and it has been stated that this will be possible subject to two conditions. First, the person who is granted permission by Allah to intercede on behalf of a particular sinner may intercede only for that person. The second condition is that the intercessor himself will speak the truth and will not make an unjust intercession. An additional condition is also found here: the person on whose behalf intercession is made must at least have professed the Kalimah in the world—in other words, he must be merely a sinner, not a disbeliever. (140)

يَوْمَ لَا تَمْلِكُ نَفْسٌ لِنَفْسٍ شَيْئًا وَالْأَمْرُ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلَّهِ-( الانفطار-19)

-This is the day when no one will be able to do anything for anyone, and the decision on that day will rest entirely with Allah. (Infitar: 19)

Summary of the discussion

This was the fourth point of the Islamic message, presented with such force, logical reasoning, and detail that the disbelievers’ mockery and ridicule, as well as such foolish demands as “Bring back our forefathers,” cannot stand before it in any way. Except for those who were fighting for their own interests and were determined to fight, every person of sound conscience could not help but consider that the occurrence of the Hereafter is neither impossible nor contrary to reason. Nor is it possible for human conduct in this world, freed from the sense of accountability before God, to become firmly established upon the enduring principles of truth and justice. Nor can people attain true and complete justice in any other way than that, after the present worldly order comes to an end, the Resurrection will take place, all the descendants of humanity, past and future, will be gathered and presented before the Master of the universe, and each person’s responsibility will be determined with absolute impartiality, with punishment or reward given to whoever deserves it. (141)

Fifth Section

Moral Education

Along with presenting these beliefs of the Islamic message in a compelling manner, supported by such arguments and proofs, it has also placed before people an exceptionally clear concept of morality. As a result, every listener and reader of the Qur’an could clearly understand what kind of character Islam approves of and what kind it disapproves of. What model or ideal of humanity does it regard as evil, which it seeks to change and abolish? And what ideal of humanity does it regard as good, which it seeks to create, nurture, and develop? What does it consider evil and harmful, for what reasons does it arise, and what forms does it take in human life? What causes it to develop? Conversely, what does it consider beneficial, and what is its source? How are the avenues for its manifestation opened, and in what forms and shapes does it appear?

The Islamic message says that the very purpose of Islam is to uproot all the causes of evil and harm, to make the path of goodness easy and increasingly broad, and to establish goodness in every sphere of life, from the individual to society, in place of evil. This description has been given in the Islamic message so fully, so clearly, so compellingly, and in language so understandable to ordinary reason and intellect that even for those in the society of ignorance who had been immersed for hundreds of years in the abyss of moral decline, it was not difficult to realize that the model of humanity which Islam calls evil is truly the worst, and that the model in whose mold it seeks to recast people and society is truly the best. (142)

Some Fundamental Realities Concerning Morality

First, some realities were presented to the people in this regard so that they could understand the moral problem in its fundamental aspects.

وَنَفْسٍ وَمَا سَوَّاهَا – فَأَلْهَمَهَا فُجُورَهَا وَتَقْوَاهَا – قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ زَكَّاهَا- وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنْ دَسَّاهَا-( الشمس-7–10)

-By the human soul and by Him who proportioned it, then inspired it with the tendencies toward both sin and righteousness. Indeed, successful is the one who purifies the soul, and failed is the one who suppresses it. (Shams: 7–10)

To make the human soul well-ordered means that the Creator gave it a body of proper form and shape, fully suited—through its hands, feet, mind, and brain—to living a human life. He gave it senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell, which, on the basis of their proportions and characteristics, could be the finest means of acquiring knowledge. He gave it knowledge, intellect, and the power of thought; the ability to reach decisions through reasoning; the powers of conception and memory; the power to distinguish good from evil; the power of will; and other mental faculties through which it becomes capable of performing in the world the actions incumbent upon human beings. It was created upon a sound and upright nature, not as an inherently wicked being or a born sinner. No crookedness or deformity was left in its constitution or form such that, even if it wished to follow the right path, it would be unable to do so.

The word inspiration is used to mean that Allah the Exalted instills some thought or idea into a servant’s mind and brain without his awareness. There can be two meanings to inspiring the human mind with tendencies toward sin, good deeds, and piety. One is that the Creator has placed within him inclinations and desires toward both good deeds and sinful deeds. This is something that every person feels within himself. The second meaning is that, in every person’s subconscious, Allah the Exalted has instilled the understanding of what is good and what is evil in character and conduct, and that goodness and taqwa (abstaining from evil deeds) are noble things. This understanding is not unfamiliar to people; rather, their innate nature is fully aware of these matters. The Creator has given them innately the power to distinguish good from evil.

Tazkiyah is used to mean purifying, increasing, and developing. Conversely, tazkiyah is also used to mean suppressing, concealing, tempting, and leading astray. The verse states decisively that human success and failure depend on which of the good and evil tendencies within his mind he increases and which he suppresses, by using the powers Allah has granted him. Success belongs only to the person who keeps his mind pure from sin, develops it, takes it to the heights of taqwa, and cultivates goodness within it. Ruined is the person who suppresses the good tendency present within him and tempts his own mind, leading it toward evil tendencies. He then strengthens sinful conduct so greatly that taqwa lies hidden beneath it, just as a corpse becomes concealed from sight after being buried in a grave. (143)

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا – إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا-(الدهر-2–3)

-We created the human being from a mingled drop of fluid from the parents so that We might test him. For this purpose, We made him hearing and seeing. We showed him the way, whether he be grateful or ungrateful. (Dahr: 2–3)

Animals like human beings are also born from the mingled fluid of their parents. But the difference between human beings and animals is that animals were not created in this world for a test. Human beings were created for a test. That is why, unlike animals, Allah the Exalted made them hearing and seeing—that is, He gave them the powers of knowledge and intellect so that they could be fit for the test. Then they were not left merely with these powers; rather, they were also shown the way, so that they could understand which path, as God’s servants, leads to expressing gratitude and which is the path of ingratitude or disloyalty. Their test now consists in whether, after learning the difference between the two paths, they use these powers to adopt the path of gratitude or that of disbelief. (144)

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Have We not given him two eyes, a tongue, and two lips? And have We not shown him the two clear paths? (Balad: 8–10)

The meaning of the two eyes is not the eyes of cattle or buffalo, but human eyes which, when opened and used to look, will enable a person to see all around him the signs that will make reality clear and help him distinguish truth from falsehood. The meaning of the tongue and lips is not merely the instruments of speech; rather, it is a reasoning mind that uses these two instruments to think and to express what is in the mind. Then Allah says: We did not leave him, after giving him intelligence, understanding and the power of thought, to choose his path entirely by himself. Rather, for his guidance, We placed clearly before him the two paths of good and evil, virtue and sin, so that, after careful thought, he could responsibly choose either one. (145)

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We created man in the finest form. Then We turned him back and reduced him to the lowest of the low—except those who believe and do righteous deeds. (At-Tin: 4–6)

That is, Allah granted man a body of such exalted stature as He granted to no other creature, and bestowed upon him the finest capacity for thought, knowledge and understanding, which He granted to no other created being. But when, instead of adopting the path of faith and righteous deeds, he uses the powers of his body and mind for evil, Allah grants him success only in evil deeds and brings him to such an extreme state of degradation that even the most despicable creature cannot reach it.

This is a reality frequently seen in human society. Whoever becomes immersed in greed, selfishness, self-promotion, addiction, baseness, rage and other such dispositions reaches the lowest level morally. If we consider only one example, we see how, when one nation becomes blinded by hostility toward another, it surpasses all predatory animals in savagery. A wild animal hunts another only for its own food; animals do not kill all others together. But man commits mass murder against his own kind. A predatory animal hunts with its claws and teeth. But man, created in the finest form, continues to manufacture one destructive weapon after another through his intelligence and inventive power, so that he can destroy entire communities. A wild animal merely wounds or kills. But man adopts such heartrending methods to torment people like himself that no predatory animal could imagine them. Then, to satisfy his lust for hostility and revenge, he descends to such depths of baseness that he parades the women of his enemies naked, and ten or twenty men rape each woman to satisfy their sexual appetite. In the sight of their fathers, brothers and husbands, they violate the honor of their daughters, sisters and wives. They kill children before their parents, force mothers to drink the blood of their children, burn living people to death and bury them alive. There is no beast in the world so savage that it can match any aspect of this bestiality of man. The same is true of other evil qualities: whichever of them a person pursues, he proves himself an exceedingly vile creature. He even degrades religion, which is supposed to be the most sacred thing for man, to such an extent that, after worshipping trees, animals and books, he reaches the lowest level of degradation and begins worshipping the sexual organs of women and men. To please gods and goddesses, he establishes temple prostitutes, and adultery with them is regarded as a pious act. Such obscene imaginary stories are attributed to their myths or religious scriptures that they would shame even the vilest person. (146)

Alongside describing these realities, the Qur’an has described three distinct forms of the human soul. One is the nafs al-ammarah, which incites a person to evil. (Yusuf: 53)

The second is the nafs al-lawwamah. Its function is to warn a person, to a certain degree, up to the point of desire and decision. Then, after he commits an evil deed, it continues to reproach him. (Al-Qiyamah: 2) The third is the nafs al-mutma’innah. With complete peace of mind, it shuns the evil path and follows the righteous path. It does not regret abandoning the taste and advantages of wrongdoing, nor enduring deprivation, sacrifice, hardship and calamity for the sake of good. Far from regretting this, it is content that it has been saved from the filth and pollution of evil and has attained the purity of goodness. The Qur’an calls this third kind of soul the soul pleasing to God and gives it the glad tidings of Paradise. (Al-Fajr: 27–30)

Causes of Misguidance

The Noble Qur’an then described, one by one, the causes through which people generally fall into misguidance. The unbelievers of Arabia had also fallen into misguidance for these reasons. They are as follows:

1. Blind following of the forefathers

The first of these is blind adherence to the religion of one’s forefathers. They did these things solely because they had been done since the time of their fathers and grandfathers. They never applied their reason to consider whether what their ancestors did was rational. The only proof offered for this blind following was that it was the custom of their fathers and grandfathers. In this connection, the Qur’an has presented many examples from history.

When Hud (peace be upon him) criticized the people of ‘Ad for their deviation and advised them to return to the right path, they rejected all his proofs and admonitions, saying only: Have you come to us so that we may worship Allah alone and abandon the gods whom our forefathers worshipped? (Al-A’raf: 170)

When Salih (peace be upon him) tried to explain matters to the people of Thamud, their reply was: O Salih! Previously you were someone from whom we had great hopes. Do you now wish to prevent us from worshipping the gods whom our forefathers worshipped? There is great doubt and uncertainty concerning the path to which you call us, and it has caused us fearful anxiety. (Hud: 62)

When Shu’ayb (peace be upon him) warned the people of Midian about their manifest misguidance, their reply was:

O Shu’ayb! Does your prayer command you to make us abandon the gods of our forefathers? (Hud: 87)

When Ibrahim (peace be upon him) said to his father and people, What are these images to which you have become devoted? they had no answer except: We found our forefathers worshipping them. Ibrahim (peace be upon him) then said plainly: You and your forefathers were clearly misguided. (Al-Anbiya: 52–54)

Ibrahim (peace be upon him) asked them: Do they hear you when you call upon them? Do they benefit or harm you in any way?

Their reply was: We have no concern about that. We do these things only because we found our forefathers doing the same. (Ash-Shu’ara: 72)

When Musa (peace be upon him) called Pharaoh and his courtiers to the truth with clear miracles, they said the same thing: Have you come to us to turn us away from the path on which we found our forefathers? (Yunus: 78)

Presenting these examples, the Noble Qur’an says that all ignorant nations rejected the call of their prophets with this irrational argument. Regarding the earlier nations, the Qur’an says that whenever they responded to the clear proofs, admonitions and warnings of their prophets, they said only: You are nothing but a human being like us. You want to keep us away from serving the gods whom our forefathers served. (Ibrahim: 10)

It is stated elsewhere: O Prophet! Whenever We sent a warner to a town before you, its prosperous people said: We found our forefathers following a certain way, and we are following in their footsteps. Every prophet asked them: Will you continue on that path even though I show you a more upright and correct path than the one on which you found your forefathers? They replied to every prophet: We reject the message for which you have been sent. (Az-Zukhruf: 23–24)

This was not limited to the nations of the past; it has been and remains the practice of the ignorant in every age to argue about Allah without knowledge, light or a book that provides guidance. When they are told, Come to the teaching that Allah has revealed, they say: No, we will follow the path on which we found our forefathers.

Even if Satan is calling their forefathers toward Hell. (Luqman: 20–21)

After presenting these examples, the Qur’an directly warns the Quraysh and the Arabs: You are just like them. You do not use your knowledge and reason to consider whether the religion you follow is correct, nor do you reflect on the errors in your religion and customs when they are being demonstrated to you with proofs. You stubbornly cling to a falsehood solely because it has come down from your forefathers.

Surah As-Saffat says that these people found their forefathers misguided, so they hurried after them, although most of those who lived before them had also gone astray. (Verses 69–71)

In Surah Hud, addressing the Noble Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), it is said: Do not be in any doubt concerning the deities whom these people worship. They are worshipping them exactly as their forefathers worshipped them. (Verse 109)

When the Quraysh and the Arabs were told to refrain from extremely shameful acts such as indecency and nakedness, and were told that they did not even hesitate to circumambulate the Sacred Ka’bah naked—a deed more detestable than which could hardly be imagined—and therefore ought to feel ashamed of it, they tried to declare it permissible on the grounds that they were following their forefathers. In fact, Surah Al-A’raf says that whenever they commit an indecent act, they say: We found our forefathers doing this, and Allah has commanded us to do it.

O Prophet! Tell them: Allah never commands indecency. Do you say about Allah what you do not know—that Allah has commanded it? (Verse 28)

The unbelievers of Arabia remained attached to various irrational, ignorant customs and, without any proof, assumed that these had been prescribed by Allah. Concerning this, Surah Al-Ma’idah says: When they are told, Come to the teaching that Allah has revealed and come to the Messenger, they say: What we found our forefathers following is sufficient for us. Will they continue blindly following their forefathers even if their forefathers had no understanding and were not rightly guided? (Verse 104)

In this way, the unbelievers of Arabia imposed upon themselves many restrictions concerning what is lawful and unlawful. These were their own inventions, made obligatory on the basis that they had existed from the past. Among them, many lawful things were declared unlawful, while many unlawful, shameful and vile things were declared lawful. Concerning this, Surah Al-Baqarah says: When they are told, Follow the guidance Allah has revealed, they say: No, we will follow the path on which we found our forefathers. What! Will they follow their forefathers even if their forefathers had no understanding and were not guided? (Verse 170)

In Surah Al-An’am, this blind following was shown to be so irrational and contrary to reason through such powerful arguments that even the most stubborn people of Arabia may have acknowledged inwardly, at least once, that they were truly following something absurd.

The same surah says: They set aside for Allah a portion of the crops and livestock He Himself created, and say, This is for Allah—as they claim—and this is for our partners. But what is assigned to their partners does not reach Allah, whereas what is assigned to Allah reaches their partners. [That is, if some of the crops, fruits or other produce set aside in Allah’s name happened to fall, it was added to the share of the partners. If something from the partners’ share fell, or was found in Allah’s share, it was returned to their share. If water from the portion designated for offerings to the partners ever flowed toward the portion designated for offerings to God, the entire crop was included in the partners’ share. But if the reverse happened, nothing extra was given to God’s share. If drought ever made it necessary to use the portion designated for offerings, they would consume God’s share, but feared touching the partners’ share, lest some calamity befall them. If for any reason the partners’ share became short, it was made up from God’s share. But if God’s share was short, not a single grain was transferred to it from the partners’ share. —Author.]

And likewise, their partners made the killing of their own children attractive to many polytheists, so that they might ruin them and confuse their religion for them. [That is, they threw them into the confusion that this too was part of the religion they had received from Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and Isma’il (peace be upon him). Here it is clear that “partners” does not mean gods, goddesses or other objects of worship, but those religious leaders who, in later times, introduced false beliefs and religious customs, which people followed as they ought to follow God’s law. —Author.]

They say: These cattle and crops are reserved; no one may eat of them except those whom we feed. This is their own invention. Some animals have been made unlawful to ride or to use for carrying loads. There are other animals over which they do not pronounce Allah’s name, falsely attributing to Allah that He has forbidden His name to be pronounced over them. … They also say: The offspring in the wombs of these animals are reserved for our males and forbidden to our females; but if they are born dead, then both males and females may share them. Consider these eight kinds: two kinds of sheep and two kinds of goats. Ask them, O Prophet: Has He forbidden the males, or the females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Tell me with true and precise knowledge, if you are truthful. Likewise, there are two kinds of camels and two kinds of cattle. Ask them: Has He forbidden their males, or their females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Were you present when Allah commanded you that these things were forbidden? Who, then, is more unjust than one who invents a lie against Allah in order to mislead people without knowledge? Surely Allah does not guide such wrongdoers. (Verses 136–144)

2. Misguided following of the wealthy and leaders

The Qur’an has identified another cause of misguidance, close to blind following of forefathers, which is no less responsible for making people unruly and ruining society. It is following the leading people of one’s nation or of the world—the wealthy, leaders, religious teachers and rich social elites. People follow them without considering where they are leading, merely because they are prominent. On the Day of Resurrection, such followers will regretfully say: Our Lord, we obeyed our chiefs and great men, and they led us astray. Our Lord, give them double punishment and curse them severely. (Al-Ahzab: 67–68)

Our Lord! Show us those among the jinn and humankind who led us astray. We will trample them under our feet so that they may be utterly disgraced and humiliated. (Ha-Mim As-Sajdah: 29)

(When Allah inflicts punishment,) it will become apparent that the leaders and prominent people whom people followed in the world will declare that all ties with their followers have been severed. They will see the punishment, and all their means and connections will be cut off. Those who followed them in the world will say: If only we were given another opportunity, we would distance ourselves from them just as they are distancing themselves from us today. Allah will certainly present all the deeds they did in this world before them, and they will do nothing but feel ashamed and regretful. But they will find no way out of the Fire of Hell. (Al-Baqarah: 166–167)

If only you could see the condition of these wrongdoers when they are made to stand before their Lord and argue with one another. Those who were oppressed in the world will say to the great ones: Had it not been for you, we would have been Muslims. The great ones will say to the oppressed: Did we prevent you from accepting guidance when it came to you? Rather, you yourselves were guilty. The oppressed will say to the great ones: No, it was your deception night and day, when you told us to reject Allah and set up equals to Him. (Saba: 31–33)

The Qur’an has described this reality as a universal law: what ultimately destroys a society is the moral decline of its prosperous and upper-class people. When a nation’s misfortune approaches, its wealthy and influential people become involved in sin and begin committing wrongdoing such as oppression, persecution and adultery. Eventually, this corruption and wickedness destroy the entire nation. The Qur’an says:

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When We decide to destroy a town, We command its prosperous people, and then they begin committing every kind of sin there. The decree of punishment therefore takes effect upon that town, and We destroy it. (Bani Isra’il: 16)

3. Pride and arrogance

The third important cause of misguidance identified by the Qur’an is that people refuse to accept the truth because they consider it humiliating to admit that their viewpoint is wrong. Or they believe that, if they accept the truth, they will lose the high standing they enjoy in a misguided society. Or they think that abandoning their own position and accepting another person’s view would damage their high status, no matter how false their own words may be or how true the words presented by someone else may be.

The Noble Qur’an has repeatedly placed this cause of misguidance before people so that their pride and arrogance—which prevented them from accepting the truth—may be shattered, and so that they may learn the reason for the misguidance of those standard-bearers of error who, in their own age or in earlier ages, stood in the way of the true path.

For example, Surah Nuh quotes this statement of Nuh (peace be upon him): My Lord! I have called my people to come to the truth day and night. But my call only made them flee farther away. Whenever I called them to the truth so that You might forgive them, they thrust their fingers into their ears, covered their faces with their garments, persisted in their conduct and displayed pride and arrogance. (Nuh: 6–7) [Arrogance means that they considered bowing before the truth and accepting the admonition of God’s Messenger harmful to their honor. For example, a good person advises someone morally corrupt, and the latter responds by shaking his head, standing up, stamping his feet loudly on the ground and walking away. This is rejecting advice with arrogance. —Author.]

Surah Al-Mu’min recounts that when Pharaoh expressed his intention to kill Musa (peace be upon him), a truthful man in his court advised him, with sympathy and goodwill and in reasonable words, to understand the matter and adopt the right path instead of persisting in his misguided conduct. But he paid no attention and remained stubborn. Reviewing this, Allah says:

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Thus Allah seals the hearts of every arrogant tyrant. (Al-Mu’min: 35)

That is, when a heart becomes filled with the atmosphere of pride, tyranny and oppression, its doors close to every word of advice and every statement of truth. Allah then places upon it the seal of His curse in such a way that, no matter how hard anyone tries to bring it to the right path, it cannot be corrected in any way.

Surah Al-A’raf says that when Allah wrote the guidance upon tablets for Musa (peace be upon him), He also warned him: I will turn away from My signs those who behave arrogantly on earth without right. Even if such people see every sign, they will never believe in it. Even when the right path comes before them, they will not follow it; but if they see the crooked path, they will follow it. (Al-A’raf: 146)

Surah Al-Baqarah says: Among people is one whose speech about the life of this world pleases you. He repeatedly swears by Allah concerning the goodness of his intentions, yet he is the fiercest enemy of the truth. When he turns away after saying these things, he strives to spread disorder and corruption and to destroy crops and human life. Yet Allah does not like corruption. When he is told, Fear Allah, his sense of self-respect drives him to persist in sin. (Al-Baqarah: 204–206)

Surah Al-Muddaththir presents the conduct of a leader of Makkah. He had told the Quraysh chiefs plainly that all the accusations they were making against Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) were false. The Qur’an was an exceedingly sweet and pleasant discourse; its roots were deep and its branches fruitful. But when he faced the question, “Will I preserve my leadership by attributing a lie to this Messenger?” he gave priority to the latter and, struggling against his own conscience, eventually fabricated an accusation. Yet his heart knew that he was making an obvious false allegation merely to maintain his superiority. The Qur’an presents this portrait of him and exposes his inner motives:

—He thought and tried to devise some words. Yes, may God strike him down—how he tried to devise an argument! Then he looked at the people. He contracted his brow and distorted his face. Then he turned away and fell into the trap of arrogance. At last he said, “This is nothing but magic. It is merely magic handed down from the past. This is only human speech.” (Al-Muddaththir: 18–25)

4. Considering worldly prosperity and hardship the criterion of good and evil

The Qur’an then says that another major cause of misguidance is the notion that the results seen in this world are the criterion of good and evil. If someone here is prosperous, even if his prosperity is due to wrongdoing, he is regarded as successful and accomplished. And if someone here is destitute, even if his destitution accompanies righteous deeds, he is regarded as unsuccessful. In other words, good is whatever appears to have a good outcome here, and evil is whatever appears to have a bad outcome here. No attention is paid to how much unlawful livelihood and wrongdoing lie behind that apparent good, or how much righteous action and moral excellence lie behind that apparent evil. The Qur’an has presented examples of this false perspective from past history and has also made it clear in the words and conduct of the people of Makkah and Arabia themselves.

In the account of Noah, it is said that the leaders of his people refused to accept his teachings and guidance, saying that those who believed in him were poor and held no high position in society.

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—They said, “Should we believe you, when only the lowest people have followed you?” (Ash-Shu‘ara: 111)

The account of Salih also clearly mentions that the wealthy and influential people of his nation asked his poor followers—

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“Do you truly know that Salih is a messenger from his Lord?”

They replied—(Arabic*******************)

“We believe in the message with which he has been sent.”

The prominent people replied—

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—“We do not believe in what you have believed in.” (Al-A‘raf: 75–76)

That is, we do not accept what people of a lowly class like you have accepted.

Regarding all the prophets, the Qur’an says that they were opposed by the prosperous people of their nations, whose view was that whoever had been blessed with abundant wealth and children in this world was the one established upon the truth.

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—“Whenever We sent a warner to a town, its prosperous people said, ‘We do not believe in the message with which you have been sent.’ And they said, ‘We possess more wealth and children than you, and we will never be punished.’” (Saba: 34–35)

This was the way of thinking of the unbelievers of Makkah and Arabia in the time of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. The Qur’an has repeatedly stated that it was false.

It is said in Surah Maryam: When Our clear verses are recited to them, the unbelievers say to the believers, “Tell us, which of our two groups is better situated and whose gatherings are more splendid?”

Yet how many generations before them We destroyed—those who possessed greater wealth than they and surpassed them in outward splendor. (Maryam: 73–74)

It is said in Surah Al-Mu’minun: Do they think that by continually providing them with wealth and children We are hastening good things for them? No, that is not so; they have no awareness of the true matter. In reality, those who fear their Lord, those who believe in the verses of their Lord, those who associate no partner with their Lord, and those whose hearts tremble when they give whatever they give, because they must return to their Lord—they are the ones who hasten toward goodness and attain it. (Verse: 55061)

To explain this, Surah Al-Fajr first describes the transgression and rebellion against God of highly advanced nations and empires such as ‘Ad, Thamud, and Pharaoh. It then says that people are still absorbed in the false notion that worldly blessings and wealth constitute true honor, while poverty and financial hardship here constitute true disgrace. Yet neither is the criterion of honor and disgrace. (Al-Fajr: 15–16)

5. Following the desires of the self and conjecture

While discussing the causes of misguidance, the Qur’an identifies another important cause: people decide, on the basis of mere guesswork and conjecture, that one thing is truth and another falsehood. Or they make their own desires their god and serve them in such a way that they drag their will wherever those desires lead. The Qur’an has repeatedly warned people against this error, so that instead of losing their way and wandering in the valley of conjecture and desire, they may come to the straight path of reason and knowledge—whether the path they have adopted is God-given or the path they follow in obedience to their own desires.

In Surah Al-A‘raf, the example is given of a man who, despite possessing knowledge, became a worldly dog by becoming enslaved to his desires. Then, in reviewing the condition of people like him, it is said: We have created many jinn and humans for Hell. They have hearts but do not understand with them; they have eyes but do not see with them; they have ears but do not hear with them. They are like cattle—rather, even more astray. They are the heedless, immersed in the sleep of neglect and carelessness. (Verses: 173–179)

Surah Al-Anfal mentions people who, even after hearing everything, seemed to hear nothing. It then says that, in truth, the worst of all creatures in the sight of Allah are those deaf and dumb people who do not use their understanding and conscience. (Verse: 22) “Deaf and dumb” does not mean physically deaf and dumb. Rather, it means those who neither listen to the truth nor speak the truth.

None of the deities whom the polytheists have made partners with the Lord of the universe in divinity possesses divine attributes or authority. After presenting the proofs one by one in Surah Yunus, verses 31–35, it is clearly stated that they were not made gods on the basis of any knowledge. Rather, people have merely assumed that they too possess a share in divinity. Most of them follow nothing but conjecture. Indeed, conjecture cannot fulfill any need of the truth. (Verse: 46)

In Surah Al-Hajj, attention is drawn to the ruins of the misguided nations of the past, and it is said: Have these people not traveled through the land and seen that, by observing the ruins of their destroyed settlements, they could have hearts with which to understand and ears with which to hear? In reality, it is not the eyes that become blind; rather, it is the hearts within the breasts that become blind. (Verse: 46)

Likewise, after drawing attention in Surah Al-Furqan to the fate of the people of Noah, ‘Ad, Thamud, the Companions of the Well, the people of Pharaoh, and the people of Lot, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is addressed: Have you considered the person who has taken his own desire as his god? Can you take responsibility for guiding such a person? Or do you think that most of them can hear or use their understanding? They are like cattle; rather, they are even more astray. (Verses: 43–44)

The same is said in Surah Al-Jathiyah: O Prophet, have you considered the condition of the one who has taken his own desire as his god, and whom Allah has led astray despite his knowledge? He has had a seal placed upon his heart and ears, and a covering over his eyes. Who, then, besides Allah can guide him? (Verse: 23)

6. Considering evil beautiful and remaining immersed in falsehood

Another matter that the Qur’an regards as a major cause of society’s misguidance is that people come to regard evil deeds as good. They feel no mental discomfort when proceeding against the truth. Rather, they become immersed in it, take pride in it, and feel no need to know the truth. Indeed, it is said in Surah Fatir: Is there any end to the misguidance of the one whose evil deeds have been made attractive and appealing to him, so that he considers them good? (Verse: 8)

And it is said in Surah Al-Mu’min: When people are being punished in Hell, they will be told, “This outcome has come to you because you were immersed in falsehood in the world and took pride in it.” (Verse: 75)

7. The notion that righteous conduct and devotion to truth lead to a person’s worldly ruin

The Noble Qur’an has also identified this notion as a major cause of misguidance. In Surah Al-A‘raf, it is said that when Shu‘ayb told his people to stop giving short measure, looting caravans, and committing highway robbery, the leaders of the nation said to the people—

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—“If you follow Shu‘ayb, you will certainly be ruined.” (Verse: 90) It was as though their words meant: If we are honest in business and trade, will business continue? We live along the route of commercial caravans; if we do not commit highway robbery and make the routes dangerous, collecting hefty tolls from the caravans, how would our financial prosperity remain? The leaders of Quraysh said the same thing to the Prophet, peace be upon him.

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—“If we follow this guidance with you, we will be snatched away from the land.” (Al-Qasas: 75) In other words, whatever influence and authority we possess over the Arabs is because we are the religious leaders of Arabia’s polytheists. For this reason our trade is so prosperous; for this reason our caravans enjoy security on all the roads and paths of the land; and for this reason all the tribes of Arabia look upon us with respect. If we accept your words and adopt the path you are presenting, all Arabia will become our enemy. The status we enjoy in the country will come to an end, and it will no longer be possible to live safely even in Makkah.

8. The polytheistic notion of intercession

From the earliest times, in every age, this was a major cause of misguidance. When the Islamic call began in Arabia, it had to confront this misguidance. People believed that certain beloved servants of Allah existed whose word could never be refused. If a person held firmly to their hem, pleased them with offerings, vows, and acts of worship, then he could do whatever he wished in the world. Their intercession would protect people from every crime and sin. While such an easy means of attaining Allah’s mercy and fulfilling one’s desires was available, who would bother to shackle his feet with the restraints of God-consciousness and piety and deprive himself of the taste of every sin and the opportunities for every injustice and excess? The unbelievers of Arabia used to say:

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—“We worship them only so that they may bring us nearer to Allah.” (Az-Zumar: 3) That is, Allah’s court is so exalted—how could we possibly reach it directly? Therefore, we have made these venerable persons intermediaries to bring us to Him.

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“These are our intercessors with Allah.” (Yunus: 18)

As long as this false belief remains, no call to righteous deeds and goodness can succeed. For this reason, the Qur’an has repeatedly attacked it and demonstrated with such arguments that it is baseless that no sensible person can continue to support this foolish notion of intercession.

It is said in Surah Al-Mu’min: O Prophet, warn these people of the approaching Day, when hearts will rise to the throats and they will stand silently swallowing their grief. No intimate friend will exist for the wrongdoers, nor any intercessor whose word will be accepted. Allah knows the treachery of the eyes and what the breasts conceal. Allah will judge with fairness and truth. And those whom these polytheists invoke besides God will decide nothing at all. Indeed, Allah hears and knows everything. (Verses: 18–20)

These verses completely shatter this polytheistic belief in intercession. First, it is contrary to reason and justice that an oppressor should be granted intercession. It is also contrary to God’s divine majesty that among His servants there should be an intercessor whose word must be accepted—that is, that God would be obliged to accept his intercession. More importantly, it is inconceivable that, before God, the intercession of people who would stand in support of criminals who committed oppression in the world and ask God to forgive an oppressive criminal for their sake should be effective. More than this, a judge who is fully aware of a person’s crime and must decide his case justly would grant the right of intercession to someone who does not even know what that person, the criminal, has done.

Elsewhere, the notion of intercession is refuted with powerful arguments. It is said that those whom these people invoke besides Allah possess no right of intercession whatsoever. However, it is different in the case of one who testifies to the truth on the basis of knowledge. (Az-Zukhruf: 86)

In other words, anyone who believes regarding a deity or venerable person that they necessarily possess the right of intercession, and that they have an authority of intercession that cannot be rejected, should come forward and give truthful testimony on this matter on the basis of knowledge. It is utterly meaningless to accept a belief based only on legends or conjecture when its truth cannot be attested on the basis of knowledge. In other words, those who claim that certain beings possess such authority can never say, “We know that they possess this authority, and we are giving a correct testimony.”

But the Qur’an has not denied intercession altogether. Rather, it has repeatedly said that intercession can be offered only by one whom Allah has permitted, and only on behalf of one for whom Allah is willing to hear intercession. An additional condition is that the person intercede according to the truth and say nothing contrary to truth and justice. Even then, whether the intercession is accepted remains within Allah’s authority. He is never obliged to accept anyone’s intercession. The Qur’an’s detailed explanation on this matter follows:

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—“Who is there that can intercede before Him except by His permission?” (Al-Baqarah: 255)

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—“And intercession before Him will be of no benefit except for one whom He has permitted.” (Saba: 23)

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—“On the Day when the Spirit (the angel Gabriel) and the angels will stand in rows, no one will speak except one whom the Most Merciful permits, and he will speak correctly.” (An-Naba: 38)

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—“O Prophet, say: All intercession belongs entirely to Allah. To Him belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth.” (Az-Zumar: 44)

That is, hearing or not hearing intercession, accepting or rejecting it, lies wholly within Allah’s authority. He possesses the kingdom of the universe. No one has the power to intercede without His permission, and no one has such status that Allah must necessarily hear and accept his intercession.

Examples of good and evil conduct from human history

All the causes of misguidance described in detail by the Qur’an were present in Quraysh and Arab society. Whenever one of them heard this, he realized that all these causes of misguidance truly existed among them. The Noble Qur’an then presents, from human history, examples of individual characters and conduct that were of a high quality, as well as examples of conduct that was base, so that people may understand clearly what kind of person Islam seeks to produce and what kind of person it dislikes—one who should be reformed, whose presence should be removed from society, or whom Allah Himself ultimately made an object of His wrath and destroyed in this world. Let us examine this Qur’anic account sequentially, in historical order.

The account of Adam’s two sons

The first instructive event found in human history is the account of the two sons of Adam. In it, two kinds of conduct are seen in opposition to each other. The two brothers offer sacrifices: one sacrifice is accepted, while the other is not. The second, enraged by jealousy, says to his brother, “I will kill you.” His brother says, “Allah accepts the sacrifice of those who fear Him.” That is, I am not responsible for your sacrifice not being accepted. Try to remove the flaws in your character and actions because of which your sacrifice was not accepted. But if you are determined to kill me, I will not kill you, because I fear Allah, the Lord of the worlds. Rather than fighting you and sharing in the sin of unjustly killing you, I prefer that you bear both my sin and your own sin yourself.

At last, that unjust brother killed his own brother. Then he became deeply remorseful.

After narrating this incident, in an environment where human life had no value and murder and violence were daily occurrences, the Qur’an conveys a profoundly important message. It says: Whoever kills a person—not in retribution for murder or for causing corruption in the land—it is as though he has killed all humanity. And whoever saves one life, it is as though he has given life to all humanity. (Al-Ma’idah: 27–32; see also)

Noah and his people. The first people in history to unleash a storm of rebellion against God in the world were the people of Noah. In several places, the Qur’an narrates the story of this nation: on the one hand, it describes the conduct of that nation and its leaders, because of which they all eventually suffered punishment; on the other hand, it presents the brilliant example of Noah’s own conduct. It is said in Surah Al-Ankabut that, in the face of extreme opposition, he continued trying to reform that nation for nine hundred and fifty years with extraordinary patience and endurance. (Verse: 14) He spared no effort to guide people to the right path through every possible means and with great compassion. But the leaders of the nation allowed none of his efforts to succeed. (The whole of Surah Nuh) He was called mad and was insulted and reproached. (Al-Qamar: 9) He and his poor followers were humiliated and disgraced. (Hud: 27) He was threatened that if he did not desist, he would be stoned to death. (Ash-Shu‘ara: 116) But he said firmly, “If my presence and admonition are unbearable to you, then do whatever you wish against me and give me no respite. My trust is in Allah.” (Yunus: 71) Then, when the conflict reached its extreme, his people said, “Bring upon us the punishment of the flood with which you threaten us.” In fact, Noah began building the ark before their eyes, intending that he and the believers with him would board it and escape the coming flood. But when his people saw him building the ark, they began mocking and ridiculing him. They said, “The old man’s madness has finally led him to prepare to sail a ship on dry land.” They did not know that very soon this dry land would become a sea whose waves would be like mountains. The entire nation, including Noah’s son, would drown and perish in it, while the ark placed upon the earth would come to rest upon a mountain. (Hud: 32–44)

The final stage of this story is presented as follows: When Noah saw his son drowning along with the unbelievers, he was overcome by human affection and prayed to Allah to save him. Allah rebuked him, saying, “Do not be ignorant. He is indeed your son, but he is not of your family; rather, he is one whose conduct is not righteous.” As soon as Noah heard the answer to his prayer, he begged forgiveness and said, “My Lord! I seek refuge in You from asking You for that of which I have no knowledge. If You do not forgive me, I will be ruined.” (Hud: 44–47)

The people of ‘Ad and Hud

The famous Arab nation of ʿĀd was so well known that even the children of Arabia were familiar with it. People also knew that they had been destroyed by God’s punishment. Regarding them, the Qur’an says what moral faults they possessed in addition to shirk and idol worship. It is stated in Sūrah Ḥā Mīm al-Sajdah that they behaved arrogantly on the earth without any right and said, “Who is stronger than us?” (Verse 15). In Sūrah al-Fajr it is stated that they rebelled against God in the world and spread much corruption (see verses 6–12). In Sūrah al-Shuʿarāʾ it is stated that Hazrat Hūd (A.S.) said to them, “What is this conduct of yours, that you build a monument on every elevated place and construct huge palaces as though you will live forever? And when you seize anyone, you do so as tyrants.” (Verses 128–130) They obeyed the command of every tyrant and enemy of the truth (Hūd: 59). However much Hazrat Hūd (A.S.) tried to explain matters to them, they responded with transgression, hostility, and opposition-filled intrigues. At last, like Hazrat Nūḥ (A.S.), he too had to say to his people, “All of you together plot against me and give me no respite. I place my trust in Allah, who is my Lord and your Lord. There is no creature whose forelock is not in His grasp.” (Hūd: 55–56) Finally, the people told the Prophet, “If you are truthful, then bring upon us the punishment with which you threaten us.” Then, when the punishment was seen approaching from the front, those fools thought it was a cloud that would water their valley. But it was a destructive storm that destroyed everything. (Al-Aḥqāf: 22–25)

Thamūd and Hazrat Ṣāliḥ (A.S.)

After ʿĀd, Thamūd was one of the most famous ancient Arab nations. Their abandoned ruins are scattered throughout the northern Hijaz and can still be seen. The Quraysh trading caravans passed through them on their way to Syria. It was also commonly known that a terrible earthquake had destroyed that nation, as a result of which the mountains in that region continue to collapse even today. The Qur’an states that, by rebelling against God, this nation did not merely commit shirk and idol worship; rather, it created a storm of rebellion and corruption on God’s earth (al-Fajr: 6–12; al-Aʿrāf: 74). The chiefs and leaders of that nation were transgressors and spreaders of corruption, through whom no reform or corrective work was done (al-Shuʿarāʾ: 151–152). For indulgence and to display their status, they built palaces in open places and carved mansions into the mountains (al-Aʿrāf: 74; al-Shuʿarāʾ: 149). A characteristic of such a degenerate society is that, on one side, the poor have no place to shelter, while on the other, the wealthy class builds magnificent palaces. In the eyes of these wealthy people, Hazrat Ṣāliḥ (A.S.) was not worthy of being believed in, because poor people had believed in him (al-Aʿrāf: 75–76). When Hazrat Ṣāliḥ (A.S.) invited them to worship God and urged them to abstain from oppression, corruption, and indulgence, nine powerful corrupt tribal groups conferred among themselves and said, “Swear by God and decide that we will attack Ṣāliḥ and his family by night. Then we will tell Ṣāliḥ’s ally, that is, the chief of his tribe, that we were not present when his family was killed, and that we are speaking the absolute truth.” (Al-Naml: 48–49) Allah Almighty frustrated their conspiracy. They demanded a miracle from Hazrat Ṣāliḥ (A.S.). In response to their demand, Allah Almighty brought a she-camel before them. Its very existence was itself a miracle. Then, through Hazrat Ṣāliḥ (A.S.), they were warned that this she-camel would graze wherever it wished in your fields and pastures. One day it would drink water alone, and the next day all of you and your animals would drink. If you touched it with evil intent, punishment would befall you (al-Aʿrāf: 73; Hūd: 64; see al-Shuʿarāʾ: 155).

For some time they continued to treat the she-camel with fear. Eventually, despite knowing that it was a miracle, they called upon the bravest chief among them and said, “Save us from this trouble.” He undertook the task and killed it. After displaying this insolence, they challenged Hazrat Ṣāliḥ (A.S.), saying, “Bring upon us the punishment with which you threaten us” (al-Aʿrāf: 77). Hazrat Ṣāliḥ (A.S.) said, “All right, enjoy yourselves in your homes for three days.” Then a terrible earthquake accompanied by thunder came and destroyed the entire nation except Hazrat Ṣāliḥ (A.S.) and the believers. Their homes became ruins as though no one had ever lived there (al-Aʿrāf: 78; Hūd: 65; al-Qamar: 31; see also).

Hazrat Ibrāhīm (A.S.)

The most exemplary character and conduct presented in the Qur’an are those of Hazrat Ibrāhīm, peace be upon him. The Arabs regarded him as the leader of their religion. It was because of their connection with him that the foundation of all the Quraysh’s pride, honor, status, influence, and prestige had been laid. The Qur’an tells them what beauty and distinctive virtue he possessed for which Allah, Lord of the worlds, regarded that servant of His as His intimate friend (Khalīl) (al-Nisāʾ: 125). Allah said, “I am making you the leader of all nations” (al-Baqarah: 124). When it became clear to him that there was no Lord or deity besides Allah, and that his father and all his people were astray, he abandoned the blind imitation of his forefathers. He did not delay even for a moment in abandoning his national religion and turning wholly toward obedience to the Creator of the earth and heavens. He did not remain merely a sincere worshipper of God in his own place; rather, he openly told his forefathers and his people, “I am disgusted and fed up with this polytheistic religion of yours, and in my view you are clearly immersed in error” (al-Anʿām: 74–81). He plainly told his father, “By worshipping powerless, blind, and deaf idols, you are in reality worshipping Satan.” His father severely rebuked him and expelled him from the house (Maryam: 43–46). Even after trying to explain matters to them with arguments, when they did not accept them, he took the opportunity to enter their temple and break their idols, thereby showing them in practice that those whom they worshipped were not only incapable of worshipping, but even incapable of defending themselves (al-Anbiyāʾ: 53–67; al-Ṣāffāt: 85–96). Hazrat Ibrāhīm (A.S.) was brought before the king of the country, who claimed to be the Lord. Fearlessly he said, “I acknowledge no one as Lord except the One in whose hand are my life and death.” The king said, “Life and death are also in my hands.” Hazrat Ibrāhīm (A.S.) said, “Allah causes the sun to rise in the east; you make it rise from the west.” With these words he confounded the proud king (al-Baqarah: 258).

A huge fire was prepared for him. It was decided that Hazrat Ibrāhīm would be thrown into it and burned to death alive. Nevertheless, he became ready to refuse to bow his head before falsehood and to die consumed for the sake of the truth. It was through Allah Almighty’s grace and favor that He made the fire cool and harmless for him. Yet he did not fail, on his own part, to prove that he could accept being cast into the fire, but could not abandon the truth and accept the worship of falsehood (al-Anbiyāʾ: 68–70; al-Ṣāffāt: 97–98).

When the question finally arose whether he should abandon his religion or his homeland, he did not abandon his religion. Rather, he left behind his home, family, people, and country forever and set out, placing his trust in God. He knew how perilous it was to leave one’s country and become a stranger, especially in those days, when departing from the protection of one’s own people for an unfamiliar region could be extremely dangerous. Yet he said with an undaunted heart, (Arabic***********) “I am going to my Lord; He will surely guide me” (al-Ṣāffāt: 99).

In his old age, after many prayers and earnest supplications, a son was born to him. Then his Lord subjected him to another severe trial. He indicated to him, “Take this suckling child and his mother and leave them in that deserted, barren place of Makkah where I wish to build My House.” He prepared to obey this command as well, and traveled hundreds of miles from his residence in Palestine with his wife and child, leaving them there entirely in reliance upon God (al-Ḥajj: 26; Ibrāhīm: 37). Then he had to face an even more difficult trial. When that son had grown to an age at which he could run alongside his father, it was indicated that he must sacrifice him for God. He prepared to carry out this command as well. Then, just as he was about to place the knife at his son’s throat, Allah Almighty accepted his sacrifice and gave a “great sacrifice” as his ransom (al-Ṣāffāt: 100–107).

He was not prepared to show favoritism toward anyone concerning God and His religion. When leaving his homeland, he clearly told his people, “There has arisen perpetual enmity and separation between us and you until you believe in the One Allah” (al-Mumtaḥanah: 4). He promised to pray for his father’s forgiveness, and he did pray. But when he realized that his father was an enemy of Allah, he also severed his loving relationship with him (al-Tawbah: 114). This was the character and conduct that the Islamic message presents to people as an example.

Hazrat Lūṭ (A.S.) and the People of Lūṭ

Hazrat Lūṭ (A.S.) was the nephew of Hazrat Ibrāhīm (A.S.) and migrated with him toward Palestine. Near the place where he made his home lived an extremely wicked people; in depravity and corruption, there was no equal to them in the world. Allah Almighty entrusted him with the difficult task of reforming them, made him a prophet, and sent him to their area. The condition of that people was that sexual relations between men were a common practice. They did not do this secretly; rather, they did it openly before one another and in public gatherings. In addition, they committed highway robbery. No person or caravan could pass safely through that region (al-Naml; al-ʿAnkabūt: 29).

For many years Hazrat Lūṭ (A.S.) warned them of God and urged them to refrain from those evil deeds. Their reply was, “O Lūṭ! If you do not stop saying these things, we will drive you out from here” (al-Shuʿarāʾ: 167). Hazrat Lūṭ continued his preaching without caring about these threats. They then consulted one another and decided that Lūṭ and his family should be expelled from their town, since they presented themselves as exceptionally pure and innocent (al-Aʿrāf: 82; al-ʿAnkabūt: 56). Finally, Allah Almighty decided to punish them and adopted a remarkable method of carrying it out. He sent several angels to Hazrat Lūṭ’s house as guests in the form of handsome youths. As soon as they arrived, a wave of joy and excitement swept through the entire city. Groups of people rushed toward Hazrat Lūṭ’s (A.S.) house intending to commit wicked acts with those youths. Hazrat Lūṭ (A.S.) pleaded repeatedly, saying, “Do not disgrace me concerning my guests.” They paid no heed to his words; rather, they rebuked him and said, “Did we not repeatedly forbid you from becoming the object of the world’s condemnation?” (al-Ḥijr: 70).

Then the angels said to Hazrat Lūṭ (A.S.), “We are angels sent by God and have been sent to bring punishment upon these people. Before dawn, you must leave here with your household.” The people who had advanced toward Hazrat Lūṭ’s house were blinded. Their town was overturned, and stones were rained upon them in such a way that each stone was marked to indicate which person it would destroy (Hūd: 82–83). This was such an unfortunate people that throughout the entire region there was no house of a believer except the house of Lūṭ (A.S.) (al-Dhāriyāt: 36). Even in that one house, Lūṭ’s (A.S.) own wife was an unbeliever, and he was commanded not to take her with him, because she too was destined to suffer the punishment (Hūd: 81). The Qur’an relates this story in various places to show people what a morally corrupt nation becomes and what its end is, and under what circumstances Allah’s prophets carried out their work.

The Story of Yūsuf (A.S.)

Then, historically, the story of Hazrat Yūsuf, peace be upon him, comes into consideration. A complete sūrah of the Qur’an was revealed about him, presenting good and evil character in opposition to each other. On one side, it shows the character of Yūsuf’s (A.S.) brothers. Because their respected father, Hazrat Yaʿqūb (A.S.), loved his young son Yūsuf (A.S.) more, they discussed the matter and decided either to kill him or cast him somewhere and afterward become righteous people. They then deceived their father, took their brother out under the pretext of travel and recreation, and threw him into a dry well. Afterward, they brought back his shirt smeared with false blood and told their father that a wolf had seized and devoured him.

The conduct of the people in that merchant caravan was that, after finding Hazrat Yūsuf (A.S.) in the dry well, they made the oppressed boy their merchandise and went to Egypt, where they sold him.

Consider the character of the wife of the Egyptian governor, whose husband had purchased Hazrat Yūsuf (A.S.) and in whose household he was raised until he reached manhood. Her shamelessness was such that she invited Hazrat Yūsuf (A.S.) to commit sin. He fled after refusing, while she pursued him. At that moment her husband arrived. She then falsely accused him of attempting to violate her honor. When her lie was exposed and the high-ranking women began discussing her love for him, she invited them and presented Hazrat Yūsuf (A.S.) before them, saying in effect, “If I did not fall in love with such a handsome young man, then what else could I have done?” Then she said before them all, “If he does not agree to an illicit relationship with me, I will certainly have him sent to prison.”

Consider the conduct of the high-ranking women of Egypt: when they saw Hazrat Yūsuf’s (A.S.) beauty at that gathering, they cut their hands. They too fell in love with him and began trying to attract him toward themselves.

Consider the conduct of the Egyptian judges, who punished Hazrat Yūsuf (A.S.) for the moral degradation of their own women and sent him to prison for several years without any crime.

On the other hand, examples of the moral purity of Hazrat Yūsuf’s (A.S.) conduct emerge one by one. He endured imprisonment but could not tolerate staining himself with sin. Even this did not produce any pride in his piety. With extreme humility, he prayed to Allah Almighty, “O my Lord! Imprisonment is dearer to me than that to which these people invite me. If You do not protect me from the traps laid by these women, I may incline toward them and become one of the ignorant.”

Even in prison he tried to guide God’s servants to the right path through admonition and counsel, and he never let an opportunity to proclaim the truth pass him by. Only one such incident is narrated in Sūrah Yūsuf, from verses 36 to 40, from which we learn how he continued fulfilling the duty of calling people to Allah throughout his long imprisonment.

Then, when he interpreted a dream of the king of Egypt, the king was impressed and expressed his desire to release him and meet him. But he refused to accept release until the wife of the Egyptian governor and the other women with her testified to his purity of character and to their own guilt.

Then the time came when he gained authority over the government of Egypt. At that time, the brothers who had thrown him into the dry well repeatedly came to him seeking grain. He continued giving them grain. But he never thought of taking revenge on them for the oppression they had inflicted upon him. At first they did not even know who the ruler in Egypt was from whom they were receiving grain. Only Hazrat Yūsuf (A.S.) recognized them. But when they came for the third time, Yūsuf (A.S.) told them, “I am the brother of yours against whom you committed the wrongdoing you know.” Then they confessed their crime. Yūsuf’s reply was:

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“No blame will be upon you today for your crime. May Allah forgive you—He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy.” Then he not only summoned his respected father, Hazrat Yaʿqūb (A.S.), to Egypt, but also invited his brothers with their families and honorably resettled them.

Sūrah Yūsuf shows the final greatness of this noble man’s character by presenting that he expressed no pride or arrogance because of his elevated status. Rather, he humbly bowed his head in worship before Allah Almighty and prayed:

“O my Lord! You have granted me authority and taught me the interpretation of matters. O Creator of the heavens and the earth! You are my protecting Friend in this world and the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim and join me with the righteous.” (Yūsuf: 101)

Hazrat Shuʿayb (A.S.), the People of Madyan and the People of the Thicket

The Qur’an also relates the account of the people of Madyan and the Companions of the Thicket, who lived in the northern Hijaz region. It is said of them that, besides worshipping others along with God, their moral faults included giving short measure, committing highway robbery, and creating disputes and corruption. Allah Almighty sent Hazrat Shuʿayb (A.S.) as a prophet to Madyan. The responsibility of reforming the people of the Thicket was also entrusted to him. For a long time he warned them of God and advised them to refrain from those evil deeds. But only a very small number believed in him, while the rest remained firm in their conduct. The chiefs of Madyan said to Hazrat Shuʿayb, “Does your prayer command you that we should abandon the gods of our forefathers, or that we should not do whatever we wish with our wealth?” (Hūd: 87) In other words, their insistence was that they must worship others besides God because their forefathers had worshipped them. They also insisted that they must remain free to acquire wealth as they pleased, whether by looting, by dishonesty in business and trade, or by oppressing the weak. They told their people, “If you follow Shuʿayb, you will surely be ruined” (al-Aʿrāf: 9). In their view, the progress and prosperity of the nation depended on acquiring wealth through every unlawful means. Adopting lawful means, they believed, meant that the nation would be destroyed. They threatened Hazrat Shuʿayb (A.S.), saying, “We will surely expel you and those who believe with you” (al-Aʿrāf: 88). They also said, “We consider you a weak person among us. Had it not been for your tribe, we would have stoned you to death. You do not possess enough personal strength to prevail over us” (Hūd: 91). In reply, Hazrat Shuʿayb (A.S.) shamed them by saying, “Is my tribe stronger against you than Allah? Yet you have cast Him behind your backs” (Hūd: 92).

The Companions of the Thicket behaved similarly with Hazrat Shuʿayb. They accepted none of his counsel and replied, “If you are truthful, then cause a fragment of the sky to fall upon us” (al-Shuʿarāʾ: 87).

Finally, both nations faced God’s punishment and were destroyed. When the people of Quraysh traveled to Syria for trade, they passed through the regions where these two nations had suffered punishment. Therefore, they could not fail to be affected by this account in the Qur’an.

The Story of Pharaoh and Mūsā (A.S.)

Throughout the world, everyone knew the horrifying historical event that Pharaoh and his forces had been drowned in the depths of the sea as victims of God’s punishment. Large numbers of Jews and Christians lived in Arabia, through whom all the Arabs knew that Hazrat Mūsā, peace be upon him, had been sent to them as a prophet and had invited them to the truth by displaying astonishing miracles. Yet they did not believe even after seeing any of the miracles. The people of Quraysh themselves were also aware of these miracles of Hazrat Mūsā (A.S.). In fact, one of their accusations against the Prophet (peace be upon him) was this:

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“Why was this Prophet not given the miracles that were given to Mūsā (A.S.)?” (Al-Qaṣaṣ: 48)

On this basis, the Qur’an relates the story of Hazrat Mūsā (A.S.) and Pharaoh in detail at various places. In it, good and evil conduct, together with their characteristics, is clearly presented before people.

Pharaoh’s crimes are identified one by one. He displayed terrible arrogance in the land, divided the people into factions, humiliated one group among them severely, killed their sons, and allowed their daughters to live. In reality, he was among the corrupters (al-Qaṣaṣ: 4). In other words, his government was not based on the principle that all citizens of the country were equal before the law and that all would be granted equal rights. Rather, he adopted a political method by which the inhabitants of the country could be divided into different groups. Some were given privileges and considered the ruling class, while others were considered the ruled and were suppressed and oppressed. The Children of Israel in particular were subjected to extreme persecution and oppression within this second group. Their sons were killed and their daughters were allowed to live so that their lineage would gradually be extinguished and, after the women came under the control of the Egyptians, a new Egyptian lineage would be produced through them. For this reason, when Hazrat Mūsā (A.S.) was born into an Israelite family, Allah Almighty indicated to his mother that, when she feared for her child’s life, she should place him in a basket and cast him into the river (al-Qaṣaṣ: 7).

The complete picture of Pharaoh’s conduct toward his own Egyptian people is summed up in a single sentence in Sūrah al-Zukhruf.

“He considered his own people insignificant, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were a disobedient people.” (Al-Zukhruf: 54)

This brings into clear view both Pharaoh’s politics and the moral degradation of his people.

When a person tries to impose his despotic rule over a country and employs every kind of tactic for that purpose, resorts to every kind of deceit and fraud, openly buys and sells consciences in the marketplace, and ruthlessly crushes those who do not sell themselves, then, whether he says so openly or not, he reveals through his actions that he actually considers the inhabitants of that country insignificant in conscience, character, and courage. He comes to believe that he can lead these foolish, cowardly, and conscienceless people wherever he wishes. Then, when these tactics become successfully established in the country and its people remain submissively enslaved, he proves through his actions that they are exactly as he had considered them. The real reason for their falling into this dishonorable condition is that, fundamentally, they are wicked. They have no concern for what is right and what is wrong, what justice is and what oppression is, whether truthfulness, trustworthiness, and courtesy deserve honor, or falsehood, treachery, and baseness. Instead, the only thing that truly matters to them is personal interest, for the sake of which each becomes ready to support every oppressor, bow before every powerful person, accept every falsehood, and silence every voice of truth.

When the Prophet Moses (peace be upon him), accompanied by his brother Aaron (peace be upon him), reached Pharaoh’s court as messengers of Allah, and presented one manifest miracle after another—miracles about which even the most foolish person could not imagine that they were acts of magic—he continued to call them magic solely because of his pride and arrogance. His courtiers kept echoing his approval. As for the staff becoming a serpent, even his summoned expert magicians acknowledged that it was not a product of their skill, but a miracle from God.

As for the other miracles—such as all Egypt being struck by famine in accordance with Moses’ (peace be upon him) advance declaration, its removal through his prayer, a terrible storm and rain spreading throughout the country after his announcement and then being stopped through his prayer, the devastating attack of locusts after his announcement and its removal through his prayer, and, likewise, lice, small insects, frogs, and the plague of blood spreading throughout the country in succession according to his declaration and disappearing solely through his prayer—they left no room for doubt that this was not the magic of a magician. For no magician had ever been able to do such things, nor could any magician do them. These miracles made it clear that they were wondrous manifestations of the power of Allah, Lord of the worlds. For this reason, after each punishment came, Pharaoh and his courtiers would say to Moses (peace be upon him), “Pray to your Lord, by virtue of the rank you hold with your Lord, that He remove this punishment from us. Then we will accept your word.” But after the calamity was removed, they would break their promise. (Al-A‘raf: 134–135; Al-Zukhruf: 49–50)

The Qur’an clearly states that they believed inwardly that Moses (peace be upon him) stood upon the truth. Yet they continued to deny him out of oppression and arrogance. (Al-Naml: 14) This truth became completely manifest when Pharaoh began to drown with his armies and cried out, “I acknowledge that there is no god except Him in whom the Children of Israel have believed, and I am among the Muslims.” (Yunus: 90)

Thus, even after knowing the truth, he and his courtiers became worshippers of falsehood and committed excessive oppression and arrogance. His courtiers said to him, “Your Majesty, will you leave Moses and his people like this, allowing them to spread disorder in the land and abandon the worship of you and your gods?”

He said, “No, I am ordering immediately that their sons be killed and their daughters be allowed to live.” (Al-A‘raf: 127)

In fact, the decree that had been issued before the birth of Moses (peace be upon him) was issued anew. Then a new order was given that the sons of those who had believed in Moses (peace be upon him) should also be killed, while their daughters should be allowed to live. (Ghafir: 25)

He said to Moses (peace be upon him), “If you accept anyone other than me as god, I will imprison you.” (Al-Shu‘ara: 29) In his crowded court he said, “O chiefs, I know of no god for you other than myself.” (Al-Qasas: 38) He said fearlessly, “I am your greatest lord.” (Al-Nazi‘at: 24) In utter shamelessness he said to his minister Haman, “Build me a lofty tower so that I may climb it and see where Moses’ god is.” (Al-Qasas: 38; Ghafir: 36–37) He even once decided to kill Moses (peace be upon him) and said to his courtiers, “Leave me; I will kill Moses. Then let him call upon his god.” (Ghafir: 26)

One kind of conduct is that which is seen in these accounts of Pharaoh, his courtiers, and his people. A second instructive example is that of the Egyptian magicians who had gathered from various parts of the country to confront Moses (peace be upon him) in support of their own religion. They said to Pharaoh, “If we prevail, will we receive some reward?”

Pharaoh said, “Not only a reward; rather, you will be among those brought near to me.”

But when those very magicians saw their magic defeated by the miracle of Moses (peace be upon him), they understood that it was not magic at work here, but divine power. They then fell prostrate and cried out, “We believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Moses and Aaron.”

A tremendous revolution suddenly took place within them: even after Pharaoh threatened to cut off their hands and feet and crucify them, they paid no heed to any of it. They clearly told him, “Do whatever you can. We will not turn away from the manifest truth we have seen, nor from our Creator, for your sake.” (Al-A‘raf: 113–126; Ta-Ha: 70–73; Al-Shu‘ara: 41–51)

Another example is that of one of Pharaoh’s courtiers. He had believed in his heart and kept his faith concealed. But when Pharaoh resolved to kill Moses (peace be upon him), he stood up in the full court and said, “Will you kill a man merely because he says, ‘My Lord is Allah’?”

Then he delivered a long and forceful speech, quoted consecutively in Surah Ghafir, verses 28–44. In his speech he openly warned Pharaoh, the high-ranking officials and members of his state, and the people of Allah’s punishment. He advised them all to follow the right path. He did not care what consequences he might have to suffer for speaking this truth.

The most remarkable conduct in this account is seen in Moses (peace be upon him). He belonged to a people who lived a deeply humiliating life. They did not even possess enough moral courage to utter a lament over the killing of their children. Moses (peace be upon him) himself had been accused of killing an Egyptian, and a warrant for his arrest had been issued. He left the country and took refuge in Midian for several years. In these circumstances, Allah made him a prophet and commanded him, with a staff and the shining hand as miracles, to confront a tyrannical ruler like Pharaoh. Trusting in Allah and without any military force, he went to Pharaoh’s court. He was not frightened by his threats, nor did he bow his head to his oppression and tyranny. Year after year he continued to face extremely difficult circumstances. When Pharaoh openly announced his intention to kill him, he silenced him by saying:

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“I seek refuge in my Lord and your Lord from every arrogant tyrant who does not believe in the Day of Reckoning.” (Ghafir: 27)

Other Historical Examples

Thus, by presenting many other historical examples in the Qur’an, it has been made clear what kind of conduct and character Islam likes in people and what kind it dislikes. On one side were David (peace be upon him) and Solomon (peace be upon him), who, despite sitting upon royal thrones, did not turn away from the fear of God and the worship of God. Instead of pride and arrogance, they remained committed to sorrowful humility and obedience. Whenever they felt that Allah was testing them, they immediately bowed their heads before Allah with humility and submission. (See Sad: 17–24, 34–35; Al-Naml: 19–40)

The Queen of Sheba, although ruler of a polytheistic people, accepted the truth without hesitation when she learned of it, and did not care whether her polytheistic people would support her. (Al-Naml: 44)

In Surah Ya-Sin, mention is made of a man of truth whose people opposed three prophets and sought to stone them to death. In this dangerous situation, he came running from the far end of the city, urged his people to accept the messengers, proved their deviation with arguments, clearly proclaimed his own faith, and ultimately gave up hope of preserving his life. That is, they killed him. Yet no imprecation against the oppressors came from his lips. Rather, he hoped, “If only my people knew by virtue of what my Lord has granted me honor and made me among the honored.” (Ya-Sin: 13–27)

Then there is mention of the People of the Cave, who, to preserve their faith from the oppression of a polytheistic people, took refuge in a mountain cave, relying solely upon God, without considering how long they would have to spend helplessly in that shelter. Their only concern was that they should not stray from the path of faith. (Al-Kahf: 13–20)

On the other hand, the Qur’an also mentions Qarun. He belonged to the people of Moses (peace be upon him), but, in pursuit of worldly worship, he joined Pharaoh’s close circle of courtiers. Through unlawful means he became the owner of immense wealth and began to boast of it. When righteous people advised him to live righteously, he rejected their efforts, saying, “Whatever I have acquired is the result of my own ability.” Worldly-minded people considered him extremely fortunate when they saw his splendor and wished that they too could attain such fortune. But when Allah caused him to be buried beneath the earth, together with his wealth and palaces, it became a lesson for those who had desired fortune like his. (Al-Qasas: 76–82)

The land in which the people of Saba lived had been made by Allah into a paradise on earth. But when they adopted the path of disobedience to Allah, Allah destroyed them through a devastating flood. Their gardens became clusters of thorny shrubs, and they were scattered so completely that their fate became a proverbial example in Arabia. (Saba: 15–19)

The worst example is presented by the Jews. Through disobedience to God, they created great disorder twice in history, and had to suffer punishment for it. The first time, the harsh rulers of Babylon and Assyria expelled them. The second time, the Romans dispersed them from Palestine throughout the world. After this final dispersion, they reached Arabia. Their various moral defects were known to the Arabs. By identifying these defects, the Qur’an tells people that Allah intensely dislikes people possessing such faults. Knowingly, for the sake of their worldly interests and the fulfillment of their desires, they would engage in sins contrary to the teachings of religion, relying on the assumption that they would certainly be forgiven. (Al-A‘raf: 169)

They used to say that there was no sin in usurping the wealth of non-Jews or mistreating them. (Al ‘Imran: 75) Their religious scholars, spiritual leaders, and ascetics would consume people’s wealth unjustly. (Al-Tawbah: 34) Usury was widespread among them, although it was prohibited in their religion. (Al-Nisa: 161)

They unjustly attributed to Solomon (peace be upon him) the satanic practices whose business they had made prosperous with the help of magic and spirits. (Al-Baqarah: 102)

Every kind of vice and sin had spread among them, and they had abandoned the practice of preventing one another from evil. For this reason, they were sinking into the abyss of moral decline. (Al-Ma’idah: 79) These are the very faults that the Qur’an has described as the general cause of the destruction of all nations. Indeed, after recounting in Surah Hud how past nations repeatedly became subject to punishment, it was said: “Were there not, among the peoples who passed away before you, people who would prevent others from spreading disorder in the land?” Even if there were such people, they were few, and We saved them from among those nations. Otherwise, the wrongdoers were absorbed in the luxuries whose means We had provided them in abundance, and they were criminals. (Verses 116–117)

The Vices Condemned by the Qur’an

This was one mode of expression through which the Qur’an conveyed its moral teachings while narrating historical events. The second mode is that it directly condemned the evil conduct, deeds, and character found among the Quraysh, the Arabs, and human society in general. These were such evil acts that no one had the courage to call them good. In contrast, the Qur’an explains what virtuous qualities, character, and deeds Islam wishes to see adorning individuals and society. These are virtues that no one could deny to be moral excellence.

Now we shall describe the faults condemned by the Qur’an, through which it has told people that Islam seeks to purify human life.

“Woe to every slanderer and backbiter, who insults people face-to-face and habitually publicizes their faults behind their backs; who amasses wealth and counts it repeatedly, thinking that his wealth will remain with him forever.” (Al-Humazah: 1–3)

“Have you seen the one who denies the reward and punishment of the Hereafter? It is he who pushes the orphan away and does not urge the feeding of the poor”—that is, he neither urges himself to do so nor urges others to do anything to relieve the hunger of the poor and needy. “Then woe to those who pray, who are heedless of their prayer, who show off, and who withhold even ordinary necessities from people.” (Al-Ma‘un)

“Such is the condition of man: when his Lord tests him and, as part of the test, honors him and grants him blessings, he says, ‘My Lord has honored me.’ But when He tests him and thereby restricts his provision, he says, ‘My Lord has humiliated me.’ Never!—that is not the standard of honor and disgrace. Rather, you do not honor the orphans, nor encourage one another to feed the poor; you consume the entire inheritance, and you love wealth with an all-consuming love.” (Al-Fajr: 15–20)

“Those who consume the wealth of orphans unjustly are only filling their bellies with fire.” (Al-Nisa: 10)

“The desire to acquire more and more of the world, and more than one another, has kept you heedless, until you reach the graves while absorbed in that pursuit. Never!—that is no good. Soon you will know.” (Al-Takathur: 1–3)

“Never obey one who swears excessively and is contemptible; who slanders, curses, and goes about spreading tales; who obstructs good, engages in oppression and transgression, is grossly immoral, coarse, characterless, and of ignoble birth. Do not submit to him merely because he possesses abundant wealth and children.” (Al-Qalam: 10–14)

“Woe to those who give short measure, whose practice is that when they take from people they take the full measure, but when they give them measure or weight, they cause them loss. Do they not think that they will be resurrected on a tremendous day—the day when all people will stand before the Lord of the worlds?” (Al-Mutaffifin: 1–6)

“Measure with justice and accuracy, and do not tamper with the balance by raising or lowering it to deceive the buyer.” (Al-Rahman: 9)

“The people of Paradise will ask the guilty people of Hell, ‘What brought you into Hell?’ They will say, ‘We were not among those who prayed; we did not feed the poor; we joined those who composed statements contrary to the truth; and we denied the Day of Recompense.’” (Al-Muddaththir: 40–46)

“When the inhabitant of Hell is taken away in chains, it will be said: He neither believed in the Supreme God nor urged the feeding of the poor. Therefore, today he has neither a sympathetic friend nor any food except a discharge of filth, which none eat but the sinful.” (Al-Haqqah: 33–37)

“He says, ‘I have squandered abundant wealth.’ Does he think that no one saw him?” (Al-Balad: 6–7)

“Squandering abundant wealth” means spending excessively to display one’s riches and express one’s pride and arrogance. The meaning of the final sentence is: Does this person who displays pride and arrogance think that no one is watching how he acquired his wealth, or for what purpose and with what intention he squandered it?)

“Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, then do not seek any recompense from anyone for what they spent, nor cause distress to the person who received their favor—their reward is with their Lord, and there shall be no grief or fear upon them.”

“A kind word and forgiveness are better than charity followed by hurt.” (Al-Baqarah: 262–263)

“Do not nullify your charity by seeking repayment and causing hurt, like the one who spends his wealth to show off before people.” (Al-Baqarah: 264)

“Let not the one who is miserly with the wealth Allah has graciously given him think that this is good for him. Rather, it is extremely bad for him. What he withholds and hoards will be made into chains around their necks on the Day of Resurrection.” (Al ‘Imran: 180)

Miserliness is not merely that a person spends neither his wealth on himself nor on his children. Rather, miserliness means that he continues to squander everything on his luxuries, amusements, and display of his own riches, while having no inclination to spend on any good cause.

“Allah never likes one who is self-conceited and proud of his own superiority; who is miserly and urges others to be miserly, and conceals what Allah has graciously given him.” (Al-Nisa: 36–37)

“Those who are protected from the narrowness of their hearts are the ones who will succeed.” (Al-Taghabun: 16)

“Do not turn your face away from people in contempt, nor walk on the earth exultantly. Allah does not like anyone self-conceited and boastful. Adopt moderation in your walk and lower your voice somewhat. Indeed, the harshest of all voices is the braying of the donkey.” (Luqman: 18–19)

“Do not covet what Allah has given some of you in greater measure than others.” (Al-Nisa: 32)

Becoming distressed upon seeing someone superior to oneself in some respect is the root cause of envy and rivalry, because of which a person suffers inner torment. He wishes that person harm for the sake of his own welfare. And when he cannot attain such advancement through lawful means, he adopts unlawful means.

“O Prophet, tell the people: My Lord has only prohibited immoral acts, whether open or hidden; sin; transgression against the truth; that you associate with Allah something for which He has sent down no authority; and that you say about Allah what you do not know to be from Allah.” (Al-A‘raf: 33)

“Do not use Allah’s name in your oaths as an excuse to refrain from doing good, practicing piety, and making peace among people.” (Al-Baqarah: 224)

“Fulfill the covenant made with Allah when you have made a covenant with Him, and do not break your oaths after confirming them, having made Allah your witness. Allah knows all that you do. Do not be like the woman who painstakingly spun her yarn and then tore it into pieces herself. Do not use your oaths as a means of deceit and fraud among yourselves, so that one group may gain greater advantage over another. Allah is testing you through these oaths and covenants.” (Al-Nahl: 91–92)

“Those who break Allah’s covenant after firmly affirming it, sever the relationships Allah has commanded to be maintained, and spread disorder in the land—for them is the curse, and for them is the worst home in the Hereafter.” (Al-Ra‘d: 25)

“When a king enters a country, he ravages it and humiliates its honored people. That is what they do.” (Al-Naml: 34)

The moral faults condemned in Surah Al-Hujurat are: ridiculing one another, insulting one another, calling one another by offensive names, harboring unfounded suspicion, spying on one another, and backbiting one another. (See verses 11–12.)

“Certainly lost are those who, in ignorance, killed their children.” (Al-An‘am: 140)

“When one of them is given the news of the birth of a daughter, his face becomes darkened, and he remains filled with suppressed anger. He hides himself from people, wondering how he can show his face to them after receiving this bad news. He considers whether he should keep the child despite the disgrace, or bury her in the ground.” (Al-Nahl: 58–59)

“When people are presented before God on the Day of Resurrection, the buried-alive girl will be asked: For what crime were you killed?” (Al-Takwir: 8–9)

The person who himself commits an offence or sin and then attributes the accusation to an innocent person has taken upon himself a great slander and a burden of sin. (Nisa: 112)

Do not support any treacherous person. Allah does not love anyone treacherous and habituated to sin. (Nisa: 105–107)

The treacherous person will appear on the Day of Judgment carrying his treachery. Then every person will be fully recompensed for what he earned, and no one will be wronged. (Aal ‘Imran: 161)

Do not knowingly betray the trusts entrusted to you by others. (Anfal: 27)

Whatever interest you give so that people’s wealth may increase does not increase with Allah. But whatever zakat you give seeking Allah’s pleasure—it is these zakat-givers who truly increase their wealth. (Rum: 39)

Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly, except through trade conducted by mutual consent. And do not kill one another. … Whoever among you does this through oppression and excess, We shall surely cast him into Hell. (Nisa: 29–30)

Do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly, nor present it to the judges for the purpose of knowingly consuming a portion of people’s wealth. (Baqarah: 188)

This also means that you should not try to obtain unlawful advantages by bribing a judge. Although you know that the property actually belongs to another person, do not bring a case to court merely because that person will be unable to prove ownership or because you will win the case through some manipulation.

Witnesses should not refuse to testify when they are summoned to give testimony, and do not conceal testimony. Whoever conceals it will have his heart stained with sin. (Baqarah: 282–283)

Avoid falsehood. (Hajj: 30)

False testimony is included in this. Regarding it, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: False testimony is equal to associating partners with Allah.

Whoever intercedes for a good cause will have a share in it, and whoever intercedes for an evil cause will have a share in it. (Nisa: 85) That is, he too will share in the good or evil deed.

In Surah Nur, verses 4 to 23, severe condemnation is expressed for falsely slandering chaste women, hearing such allegations and spreading them, and spreading obscenity in society. I consider it sufficient to cite these verses without giving their detailed explanation. This matter is not restricted to women; falsely slandering men is also a sinful act.

Live with your wives in the best manner. (Nisa: 19)

If you divorce women and their waiting period is nearing completion, then retain them honourably or release them honourably. Do not retain them to harm them and transgress against them. Whoever does this wrongs himself. (Baqarah: 231)

Marry women with the permission of their guardians and pay them their dowries in a recognised manner, so that the marital bond may remain protected. Do not roam about engaging in sexual conduct freely, nor establish illicit sexual relations secretly. (Nisa: 25)

O Prophet! Take a pledge from the women that they will not associate anyone with Allah, commit adultery, kill their children, fabricate any false accusation before themselves, or disobey you in any matter that is publicly recognised as just. (Mumtahanah: 12)

There are two meanings of fabricating and bringing a false accusation. First, that a woman accuses other women of forming illicit relations with unrelated men and spreads such accusations. Second, that a child is born of another man’s lineage, while the husband is deceived into believing that the child is his.

O Children of Adam! We have sent down clothing for you to cover the private parts of your bodies, and it is also a means of adornment. O Children of Adam! Let Satan not cast you into temptation as he expelled your parents, Adam and Eve, from Paradise—

and their clothing was removed from them so that their private parts became exposed to one another. (A‘raf: 26–27)

O Prophet (peace be upon him)! Ask them: Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah that He has brought forth for His servants, and who has forbidden the pure things of sustenance? (A‘raf: 32)

The Christians themselves invented the innovation of monasticism. We did not prescribe it for them. (Hadid: 27)

From the fruits of date palms and grapes you make intoxicants as well as good provision. (Nahl: 67) That is, you use the good provision Allah had given you to make something evil—an intoxicating substance.

The Qur’an condemned these bad morals, qualities and deeds. No one could deny their harmfulness. No person among the Quraysh or the Arabs had the courage to claim that his society was pure of such evils. Nor could anyone say that any of the evils from which the Qur’an was restraining people could be found among the Messenger of Allah or his Companions. Except for stubborn and obstinate people, everyone who possessed a clear and unbiased mind had no choice but to accept that people and society should in reality remain distant from these harms, and that the person who wished to purify human life from them was committing no crime.

Comprehensive moral guidance

Along with identifying these evil deeds, the Qur’an repeatedly provided such comprehensive moral guidance that its noble qualities touched the heart and mind, leaving no sound-natured person any alternative but to accept them as true. It was especially compelling because these teachings were not merely described. Rather, the Messenger of Allah, who presented them, and those who believed in him fully practised them. They are quoted below in sequence:

Allah commands justice, excellence and giving to relatives. He forbids indecency, wrongdoing, oppression and transgression. He admonishes you so that you may take heed. (Nahl: 90)

O Muhammad (peace be upon him)! Tell the people: Come, I will recite to you what your Lord has forbidden you. Do not associate anyone with Him in His divinity. Treat your parents well. Do not kill your children out of fear of poverty. We provide for you, and We will provide for them too. Do not even approach indecency, whether it is public or hidden. Do not kill any person whom Allah has made inviolable, except with truth and justice. These are the things He has instructed you to follow so that you may act with understanding. And do not approach the property of an orphan, except in the best manner, until he reaches maturity. Give full measure and weigh with justice. We do not burden any person beyond what he can bear. When you speak, speak justly, even if the matter concerns a close relative. And fulfil the covenant made with Allah.

[The meaning of a covenant made with Allah includes the covenants a person makes with Allah; those made with people in Allah’s name; and the covenant that automatically arises between people and Allah, and between people and one another, when a person is born into a human society on Allah’s earth. Although human will and feeling play no role in making this last, natural covenant, in terms of its deserving honour it is in no way inferior to a covenant made with conscious feeling. —The Author.]

Allah has admonished you regarding these matters so that you may take heed. (An‘am: 151–152)

Your Lord has decreed: First, that you worship no one but Him.

Second: Treat your parents well. If one or both of them reach old age in your presence, do not even say “uff” to them. Do not rebuke them. Speak to them respectfully. Lower yourself before them in humility and gentleness. And continue to pray: “My Lord, have mercy on them, just as they raised me with mercy, affection and tenderness in childhood.” Your Lord knows best what is in your hearts. If you are righteous, He is certainly Most Forgiving to all those who, aware of their own faults, adopt an attitude of servitude.

Third: Give relatives their due, and give the needy and the traveller their due.

Fourth: Do not spend wastefully. The wasteful are the brothers of Satan, and Satan is ungrateful to his Lord.

Fifth: If you must turn away from them—that is, the needy—because you are seeking the mercy of Allah in which you hope, then answer them in polite and gentle words.

Sixth: Do not keep your hands chained to your necks—that is, do not be miserly—nor stretch them out completely, lest you become blameworthy and helpless. Your Lord enlarges provision for whomever He wills and restricts it for whomever He wills. He is fully aware of His servants and sees them.

Seventh: Do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We will provide for them and for you. Indeed, killing them is a grave error.

Eighth: Do not approach adultery. It is an extremely indecent act and a very evil path.

Ninth: Do not commit the crime of killing a life that Allah has made inviolable, except for a just cause. We have granted the guardian of one who has been killed unjustly the right of retribution. But he must not transgress in the matter of killing. He will be helped.

Tenth: Do not approach the property of orphans, except in the best manner, until they reach maturity.

Eleventh: Fulfil your covenants and promises. You will be questioned about your promises.

Twelfth: When you measure with a vessel, fill it completely; and when you weigh with a scale, use an accurate scale. This is the best method and the best in outcome as well.

Thirteenth: Do not pursue something of which you have no knowledge. Surely, the eyes, the ears and the heart—all will be questioned.

Fourteenth: Do not walk on the earth arrogantly. You can neither split the earth nor rise to the height of the mountains.

The evil aspect of each of these commands is disliked by your Lord. These are the wise teachings that your Lord has revealed to you. (Bani Isra’il: 23–30)

Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him in worship. Treat your parents well, and behave kindly toward relatives, orphans and the needy; toward the neighbour who is a relative, the unrelated neighbour, the companion at your side, the traveller, and those slaves whom you own. (Nisa: 36)

Righteousness is not merely that you turn your faces toward the east or the west. Rather, righteousness is that a person sincerely believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book and the prophets; and, out of love for Allah, gives his cherished wealth to relatives, orphans, the needy, travellers and those who ask for help; and spends it to free people from slavery; establishes prayer and gives zakat. Righteous are those who fulfil their promises when they make a covenant, remain patient in poverty and hardship, and stand firm in the struggle between truth and falsehood. Such are the truthful and the God-fearing. (Baqarah: 177)

Certainly successful are the believers who are humble in their prayers; who guard their private parts from nudity and sexual wrongdoing, except with their wives and those whom their right hands possess, for which they are not blameworthy. But whoever seeks anything beyond this has transgressed. Successful too are those who safeguard their trusts and covenants and carefully maintain their prayers. (Mu’minun: 1–9)

The true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth, and when the ignorant address them argumentatively, they say, “Peace.” They spend the night prostrating and standing in prayer before their Lord. They pray, “Our Lord, save us from the punishment of Hell. Its punishment is indeed ruinous; its dwelling and resting place are most evil.” When they spend, they are neither extravagant nor miserly; rather, their spending is balanced between the two extremes. They do not call upon anyone besides Allah, do not kill any person unjustly whom Allah has forbidden to be killed, and do not commit adultery. Whoever does this will meet its punishment. The punishment will be multiplied for him on the Day of Judgment, and he will remain there in humiliation. However, whoever repents after these sins, believes and begins to do righteous deeds—Allah will transform such people’s evil deeds into good deeds. He is Most Forgiving. Whoever repents and begins to perform righteous deeds returns to Allah as he ought to return.

The true servants of the Most Merciful are those who do not give false testimony and who pass by futile activities with great courtesy and propriety. When they are reminded of their Lord’s verses, they do not remain blind and deaf toward them. They pray, “Our Lord, grant us comfort in our wives and children, and make us leaders of the God-fearing.” (Furqan: 63–74)

Whatever you have been given here is merely the provision for living for a few days in this world. What is with Allah is better and everlasting, for those who believe and place their trust in their Lord. [That is, they do not rely on their own strength, intelligence, ability and means, but on Allah’s grace, believing that the guidance given by Him is true and correct. They also believe that no reward for any good deed will be lost with Him. —The Author.]

Those who avoid major sins and shameful deeds; who forgive when they become angry; who obey the commands of their Lord; establish prayer; conduct their affairs through mutual consultation; and spend from the provision We have given them. [Provision means lawful provision. Nowhere in the Qur’an is unlawful wealth called provision from Allah. The meaning of the verse is that:

a. He spends from the lawful provision We have given him.

b. He does not hoard that provision, but spends it.

c. He also spends from it in Allah’s path. He does not give everything away for himself alone.]

When they are subjected to transgression, they defend themselves. The recompense of an evil is an evil equal to it. But whoever forgives and reconciles, his reward rests with Allah. Allah does not love the wrongdoers. Those who take revenge after being wronged cannot be blamed. Blame belongs only to those who wrong others and transgress unjustly on the earth. For such people there is a painful punishment. Yet whoever remains patient and overlooks faults—that is truly among the deeds requiring great courage. (Shura: 36–43)

Man was created impatient and narrow-hearted. When hardship befalls him, he becomes terribly anxious; and when prosperity comes to him, he becomes miserly. But those who pray are free from these faults—those who are constant in their prayers and observe them properly. Those in whose wealth there is a fixed right for those who ask and those deprived [that is, they have decided that a certain portion of their wealth belongs to those who ask and those deprived, and they continue giving it. One who asks is a needy person seeking assistance. The deprived is a person whom he learns has been deprived of the means of livelihood needed to meet his needs; whether or not he comes to ask, once he knows his condition he helps him himself. —The Author.] Those who affirm the truth of the Day of Judgment and fear the punishment of their Lord—for no one can feel secure from their Lord’s punishment. Those who guard their private parts from nudity and adultery, except with their wives and slave women in their possession, for which they will not be blamed. But whoever seeks anything beyond this is a transgressor. Those who fulfil their covenants and promises, stand firm in truthfulness regarding their testimony, and carefully maintain their prayers. (Ma‘arij: 19–34)

Hasten toward the forgiveness of your Lord and a Paradise whose width is like the width of the heavens and the earth, prepared for the God-fearing.

Those who spend their wealth in Allah’s path in both prosperity and hardship, restrain their anger, and forgive the faults of others—such righteous people are beloved by Allah. Their condition is that when they commit an evil deed—that is, a sinful act—and wrong themselves, they remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins. Who can forgive sins besides Allah? They do not knowingly persist in what they have done. (Aal ‘Imran: 133–135)

The inhabitants of Paradise are those who fulfil their vows [A vow means a good deed that a person himself pledges to perform for the sake of Allah’s pleasure. —The Author.] and fear the Day whose hardship will be seen spreading in every direction. They give food, out of love for Allah, to orphans, the needy and captives, saying, “We feed you only for Allah’s sake. We desire from you neither reward nor thanks. We fear our Lord for the punishment of that Day, a long and grievous day of hardship.” (Dahr: 7–10)

Hasten toward the forgiveness of your Lord and a Paradise whose width is like that of the heavens and the earth. This Paradise has been prepared for the God-fearing who spend their wealth in both prosperity and hardship, restrain their anger, forgive the faults of others, and whom Allah loves. When they commit an indecent act or wrong themselves through a sinful deed, they remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins. Who can forgive sins besides Allah? They do not knowingly persist in what they have done. (Aal ‘Imran: 133–135)

Teaching moral excellence

These detailed moral teachings are such that no reform-minded person possessing some moral feeling and knowledge of right and wrong could fail to be influenced by them. The Qur’an did not consider this sufficient. Rather, it clearly described each aspect of moral excellence, explaining the qualities with which Islam wishes to adorn people. The Messenger of Allah and his Companions demonstrated in practice that these qualities are not merely things to be spoken of; wherever Islam found an entry into life, it adorned that life with these qualities. Since it is not possible to give a detailed account here, I cite a few examples.

Cooperate in righteousness and God-consciousness, and do not cooperate in sin and transgression. Fear Allah, for Allah is severe in punishment. (Maidah: 2)

(The Prophet Moses, peace be upon him) said, “My Lord, after the favour You have bestowed upon me, I will never support the criminals.” (Qasas: 17)

Repel evil with that which is best. We know well what they fabricate against you. Pray, “My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the promptings of Satan, and I seek refuge in You from his coming near me.” [That is, seek refuge with Allah so that Satan can never incite you to answer abuse with abuse, falsehood with falsehood, oppression with oppression, or injustice and violation of rights with injustice and violation of rights. —The Author.] (Mu’minun: 96–98)

They repel evil with good and spend from the provision We have given them. When they hear futile speech, they refrain from answering it and say, “Our deeds are for us, and your deeds are for you. Peace be upon you. We do not wish to follow the way of the ignorant.” (Qasas: 54–55)

We shall assign the abode of the Hereafter—Paradise—to those who do not seek superiority on earth and do not wish to spread corruption. (Qasas: 83)

They are the believers who, if We establish them in power on earth, establish prayer, institute zakat, enjoin righteousness and forbid evil. (Hajj: 41)

People guided toward the light of Allah are found in houses which He has permitted to be raised and in which His name is remembered. There they glorify Him morning and evening—people whom neither trade nor commerce distracts from the remembrance of Allah, establishing prayer and giving zakat. They fear a Day when hearts will overturn and eyes will become petrified. (Nur: 36–37)

O believers! Do not let your wealth and children distract you from the remembrance of Allah. Whoever does so will be among the losers. (Munafiqun: 9)

-O you who believe! Stand firm for justice and bear witness for Allah, even if your justice and testimony go against yourselves, your parents, or your close relatives.

Whether the person concerned is rich or poor, Allah is more solicitous for their welfare than you are. Therefore, do not refrain from doing justice to them in following your desires. And if you distort your words to please them or turn away from the truth, then know that Allah is fully aware of whatever you do. (An-Nisa: 135)

-O you who believe! Stand firm for the truth for Allah and become witnesses with justice. Do not let the enmity of any people provoke you so much that you cannot do justice. Do justice, for that is nearer to taqwa, and fear Allah. Allah is fully aware of whatever you do. (Al-Ma’idah: 8)

-Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight you, but do not transgress. Allah does not love transgressors. (Al-Baqarah: 194)

-Whoever commits excess against you, commit excess against him to the same extent as he committed against you, and fear Allah. Know that Allah is with those who abstain from evil. (Al-Baqarah: 194)

-If you wish to take revenge, then do so to the same extent that you have been wronged. But if you exercise patience, that is better for those who are patient. (An-Nahl: 126)

-You will surely hear very distressing words from the People of the Book and the polytheists. But if you are patient in the face of such provocative words and remain steadfast in God-consciousness, that will be an act of great courage. (Aal-e-Imran: 186)

-Allah does not like people to speak evil words, except in the case of one who has been wronged. [That is, the oppressed has the right to raise their voice against the oppressor—the author.] (An-Nisa: 148)

-Allah commands you to return trusts to those entitled to them. [Through this command of God, the citizens of Muslim society are instructed not to betray trusts. Rather, every trust placed in their care must be properly discharged. In general, the whole society and its leaders are instructed to entrust positions of trust only to those capable of bearing their responsibilities. Do not assign religious leadership, national leadership, or positions governing the country to incompetent, corrupt, narrow-minded, or immoral people. The leadership of dishonest people destroys the entire society—the author.]

And when you judge between people, judge with justice.

-Only people of understanding take heed. Their conduct is such that they fulfill their covenant with Allah and do not break their agreements; they maintain the relationships Allah has commanded to be maintained; they fear their Lord and fear that they may be subjected to a strict reckoning. They are those who patiently persevere for the pleasure of their Lord, establish prayer, spend openly and secretly from what We have provided them, and repel evil with good. (Ar-Ra’d: 19–22)

-You cannot attain righteousness until you spend in the way of Allah from what you love. Whatever you spend, Allah is aware of it. (Aal-e-Imran: 92)

-O believers! Spend in the way of God the best of what you have earned and of what We have brought forth for you from the earth. Do not deliberately select the worst of it to give, for you yourselves would never accept such things except with disdain. Allah is not in need of such spending from you. He is endowed with the most excellent qualities. (Al-Baqarah: 267)

-If you give charity publicly, that is a good deed. But if you conceal it and give it to the poor, that is better for you. Through these deeds many of your sins will be erased, and Allah knows whatever you do. (Al-Baqarah: 271)

-If the debtor is in financial difficulty, grant him respite until he is at ease. And if you remit it as charity—that is, forgive the debt—that is better for you, if only you knew. (Al-Baqarah: 280)

-He will be kept far from the Fire of Hell—the one most mindful of God who gives his wealth to purify himself. He owes no one any favor that he must repay. He does this only to seek the pleasure of the Most High, the Most Great God. (Al-Lail: 17–20)

-Spend from what We have given you before death comes to one of you and he says, “My Lord, if only You would grant me a little respite, I would give charity and become one of the righteous.” (Al-Munafiqun: 10)

-Give orphans their property. Do not exchange the good for the bad, nor consume their property by mixing it with your own. Indeed, that is a great sin. (An-Nisa: 2)

-O Prophet, tell the believing men to lower their gaze and guard their private parts from nudity and adultery. Tell the believing women to lower their gaze and guard their private parts. Let them not display their beauty except what is naturally apparent. Let them draw their veils over their chests and not display their beauty except before those mentioned in Surah An-Nur, such as their husbands, fathers, fathers-in-law, sons, and so forth. Let them not stamp their feet while walking in a way that reveals their hidden adornment. (An-Nur: 30–31)

-If you fear God, do not speak in a soft and alluring voice lest a person of corrupt nature should become desirous. Rather, speak straightforward and proper words. Remain in your homes and do not go about displaying yourselves and adorning yourselves as in the former Age of Ignorance. (Al-Ahzab: 32–33)

-O people! Do not declare unlawful the pure things that Allah has made lawful for you, and do not transgress. Allah does not love transgressors. Eat of the pure and lawful things Allah has given you, and keep away from disobedience to the God in whom you have believed. (Al-Ma’idah: 87–88)

-Believing men and women are friends of one another. They enjoin good, forbid evil, establish prayer, give zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. (At-Tawbah: 71)

-Those who seek honor should know that all honor belongs to Allah. The good word rises toward Him, and righteous deeds raise it. (Fatir: 10)

-We test you by confronting you with prosperity and adversity. (Al-Anbiya: 35)

[That is, We test whether, in prosperity, you become arrogant, tyrannical, forgetful of God, and slaves to your desires, and whether, in poverty or adversity, you adopt base, contemptible, and unlawful means. It is the conduct of a narrow-minded person to become a Pharaoh in good times, then grovel in hardship and adopt any lawful or unlawful means to change his circumstances. The believer’s duty is to remain steadfast in truth under all conditions—the author.]

Not only righteous individuals, but a righteous society is also desired

Along with the moral excellence mentioned above, the Qur’an also states that Islam’s purpose is not merely to produce righteous people, but to unite them in forming a righteous society. Without this, it is entirely impossible to save humanity from harm and attain prosperity. Although this subject has been described in many places in various ways, we present only two passages as examples.

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

-Have We not given man two eyes, a tongue, and two lips? And shown him the two clear paths of good and evil? Yet he has not dared to climb the steep path. And what will make you understand what the steep path is? It is freeing a neck from the chains of slavery, or feeding, on a day of hunger, a near orphan or a dust-covered needy person. Then to be among those who believe, and who enjoin one another to patience and urge one another to mercy. (Al-Balad: 8–17)

Characteristics of a righteous society

Among these, freeing a slave or feeding a nearby orphan and a dust-covered needy person—individual righteous deeds—two or three examples have been presented of the countless righteous acts that ought to be found in individuals.

But at the same time, it has also been deemed necessary that such righteous people should not remain isolated and scattered. Rather, they should join together in a community with those who believe and who counsel one another to be patient and to show mercy to God’s creation, so that through them a patient and compassionate society may come into existence. Such a society will remain steadfast upon pure morality; keep itself away from sin and incitement to sin; courageously confront the hardships and obstacles of following the path of truth; remain firmly established upon that path; and not be oppressive or hard-hearted toward God’s creatures, but merciful and affectionate. Such a society cannot be formed without faith in God and the Hereafter and unshakable belief and trust in the law brought by Him. Therefore, these qualities can necessarily be firmly established only in a Muslim society that does not abandon them even in any trial that occurs in worldly life.

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

By the passage of time! Indeed, man is in great loss, except those who believe, do righteous deeds, urge one another to the truth, and urge one another to patience.

Here, “time” may mean past time or history. It may also mean passing time, which is being consumed every moment. Swearing by it means that it bears witness to the reality that is about to be stated.

Here the word “man” is used in its fullest sense. Therefore, it may mean each individual person, the human collective, or the whole of humanity.

The word khusr may mean loss, نقصان, or failure—the opposite of prosperity, profit, and success.

The four qualities upon which the success and prosperity of humanity depend

In these few concise sentences, it is stated with certainty, by an oath, that both the history that has passed and the present condition bear witness that man—in his individual, national, and species-wide existence—is immersed not in prosperity but in loss. Only those who possess the following four qualities are safe from this loss.

Faith

That is, firm conviction that Allah alone, without partner, is the Creator, Owner, Provider, Reliever of need, Object of worship, and Ruler; that He alone deserves worship, obedience, and glorification; that the guidance brought by Allah’s Messenger is the truth that must be followed; and that life is not limited to this temporary worldly life, but that an eternal life will begin afterward, in which we will be called to account for all our deeds in this world and will then experience their reward or punishment. This faith is the first condition for success and prosperity, because without it there is nothing else that can establish a firm foundation for character, morality, and conduct, upon which the edifice of a pure and virtuous life can be built.

Without this, however beautiful human life may appear outwardly, it is like a ship without an anchor, carried along by the waves of self-interest, desire, and fantasy, never coming to rest anywhere.

Righteous deeds

The relationship of this quality to faith is like that of a seed to a tree. Faith is a seed without which the tree of righteous deeds cannot grow, no matter how many apparent and temporary qualities or good deeds may be found in the lives of some people without faith. The tree consists of all those righteous deeds whose sprouting and flourishing in a person’s life are demanded by reason and logic once the seed of faith has been planted in that life. If the seed has been planted somewhere but the tree of righteous deeds does not grow, it must be understood that the person’s heart has become the seed’s grave, and there is no assurance that he will be saved from loss. For righteous deeds together with faith are the second condition for salvation from loss.

The two qualities mentioned above may be found in individuals and may guarantee only individual success. But collective success is impossible unless a society is formed possessing all these qualities, and within it the two additional qualities are also found that this Surah has declared conditions for salvation from loss.

Counseling one another to uphold the truth

The word haqq is the opposite of falsehood. It is generally used in two senses. First, it means something correct, true, just, and consistent with reality, whether concerning faith, creed, and beliefs or worldly affairs. Second, it means a right that a person is obligated to fulfill, whether it is God’s right, another person’s right, or one’s own right. Thus, counseling one another to uphold the truth means that the society of righteous believers will not be so insensitive that, while falsehood raises its head and destroys people’s rights, people silently watch as spectators. Rather, its collective conscience will be so alive, and its members will regard it as their duty, that wherever falsehood raises its head or wherever the truth is seen to be violated, people will come into the field to oppose falsehood and support the truth. No one will consider it sufficient merely to be committed to truth, sincere, and just, and to fulfill the rights of those entitled to them; rather, he will counsel others to act likewise. This is what guarantees or safeguards society against moral decline. If these noble qualities are absent from a society, it cannot escape loss. Indeed, as general disorder increases, it becomes difficult even to preserve individual rights.

Counseling one another to be patient

The literal meaning of the word “sabr” is resistance and restraint, or refraining and holding back. In Arabic, the word is used to mean endurance, patience, self-control, steadfastness, firmness of will, and devoting oneself firmly and courageously to confronting an obstructing force. But in the Noble Qur’an it is used in such a broad sense that the believer’s entire life becomes a life of sabr.

The Qur’anic meaning of sabr

This word is used in more than a hundred places in the Qur’an. Reflection upon these passages shows that it is used in the following senses.

Restraining one’s emotions, inclinations, desires, and tendencies within the limits set by Allah Almighty.

No matter how many opportunities for gain and luxury arise through disobedience to God, not going astray out of greed for them, and cheerfully accepting the losses, hardships, and deprivation one must suffer because of obeying God.

Keeping one’s desires under control throughout life and rejecting Satan’s incitements to sin and the cravings of one’s passions. Remaining steadfast upon the truth in the face of every temptation and fear. Enduring the losses and hardships resulting from honesty in the world. Rejecting all advantages that may be gained through unlawful means.

Far from becoming restless with envy and desire at the splendor of those who consume what is unlawful, not even looking toward it, and calmly recognizing that the unadorned purity Allah has granted him through His grace is better than that glittering filth and squalor.

Accepting every kind of risk involved in embracing faith. Bravely enduring the oppression and persecution of the enemies of truth. Remaining steadfast in support of the truth amid storms of opposition and the onslaught of troubles and calamities. Not bowing before falsehood and not allowing any thought of compromise with it to enter the heart.

Not becoming spontaneously provoked by the excesses, mockery, and propaganda of opponents; rather, continuing quietly and without emotional agitation to carry out preaching and reform in the proper manner, even when no prospect of fruitful results can be seen in the distant future.

Not losing patience in response to extreme provocation and hastily taking a wrong step that is contrary to the suitable strategy of calling to the truth and harmful to the purpose of the call.

Continuing for years to struggle against the followers of falsehood, who violate every limit of morality and ethics and remain intoxicated with power and authority. Yet never abandoning honesty or adopting unjust tactics like theirs under any circumstances.

Not becoming disappointed or dejected upon seeing the weakness of truth in the face of falsehood, the repeated failures of those striving to establish truth, and the success of the leaders of falsehood. Never becoming a victim of frustration, discouragement, or low morale and concluding that striving to establish truth is futile, or that one should now sit content with the little religious practice available under a disbelieving and sinful system of rule. Even in the most desperate circumstances, continuing with determination and courage to strive to uphold the truth.

A believing person who practices sabr does not do all this because he will reap its benefits in this world. Rather, he believes that he will reap its benefits in the second life that begins after death.

He does not become so weak-minded that, if good times come and he achieves success in the world, he turns into a Pharaoh through pride and arrogance. And when hard times come, he does not lament or hesitate to adopt even the lowest means to escape them.

He maintains his balance under all circumstances. He does not change with the times; rather, he always remains steadfast upon just and correct conduct. Even when circumstances are favorable and he rises to the heights of wealth, honor, and fame, he does not become intoxicated with a sense of superiority. When he is crushed at times under the millstone of troubles, calamities, and suffering, he does not allow his human qualities to be destroyed because of them. Whether God’s test comes in the form of a blessing or a calamity, his patience remains intact.

The purpose of Surah Al-Asr is that man can be saved from loss only when he is personally a believer, righteous, committed to truth, and patient, and when such people establish a society in which each person counsels the others to uphold truth and practice sabr.

This instrument of moral education was such a powerful instrument that the Quraysh polytheists and the disbelievers of Arabia had no means of countering it. Whatever accusations they made against the Prophet (peace be upon him) and Islam, no person of sound conscience could believe that such lofty moral instruction could have been given by a selfish person, a madman, or a magician. (147)

Sixth Section

The establishment of a universal Muslim ummah

An important principle of the Islamic call was that all people in the world are essentially one and equal as human beings. The differences among them in the created nature given by Allah—of nation, lineage, tribe, language, and homeland—exist solely for identification, so that a spirit of cooperation may arise among them. These differences are not meant to produce disagreement, hostility, or the situation in which one group considers another low and contemptible while regarding itself as noble and distinguished, or in which one group becomes determined to crush, plunder, and destroy another. Within the framework of this fundamental human equality, if anything may legitimately and justly distinguish people, it is the difference in creed and thought on the basis of which they unite and form a community. And within this ummah, the only thing that can rightly be a cause of superiority and greatness is taqwa: fearing God, avoiding disobedience to Him, and refraining from straying after remembering the accountability of the Hereafter.

On the basis of this principle or ideology, Islam has left only one distinction among the people of the world: the distinction between faith and disbelief. Whoever, regardless of country, nation, tribe, race, lineage, or language, accepts the Oneness of Allah in the manner presented by Muhammad (peace be upon him), accepts Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the final Messenger for all humanity, accepts the Qur’an as Allah’s final Book, and believes in the Hereafter is a believer, a brother of the believers, a member of the community of believers, a person of the Muslim ummah, and equal in every respect in all his rights within Muslim society. Conversely, whoever does not hold this belief is a disbeliever. Whether he is a believer’s father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter, wife, or husband, being of the same tribe, homeland, or race does not grant him precedence. A believer may preserve human relations with such a person, but in every other respect his society will be distinct from Muslim society. In worldly affairs he may maintain with him the relationships that naturally exist among human beings. But in matters of religion he cannot maintain friendship or affection with him, nor can he join him in forming one community or society. Even if his father is a disbeliever, he cannot pray for his forgiveness. If war must be faced on account of religion, brother will fight against brother and father against son, without hesitating even to kill him. If country or nation becomes an obstacle in the path of religion, he will abandon his home, people, and country and migrate, but he will not sacrifice religion for country or nation.

This ummah was called the Muslim ummah from the very beginning. The ummah of every prophet was Muslim, and this name was also given to those who believed in Muhammad (peace be upon him). It was open to every person on earth, regardless of whether they belonged to the East or the West, the North or the South, or to any country. No nation possessed any characteristic that was denied to another. Its foundation was not accidental birth, but conscious and informed faith. Whoever among the people of the world could share in this faith could join this ummah with equal rights.

Then it was not an ummah that merely accepted the faith and sat idle. Rather, it was an ummah of callers and propagators. Every one of its members was an activist in a movement, and his most cherished objective was to convey to others the truth that had reached him through Allah and His Messenger, and to strive to save as many people as possible from misguidance in this world and Allah’s punishment in the Hereafter.

This was an issue that caused not only Quraysh but all the tribes of Arabia to become agitated. For thousands of years, their entire social system had been founded on tribalism. The tribe was the institution around which their society was organized. It was their protector. Blood ties were the basis of their relationships and mutual assistance. Their nobility and social honor depended upon them. Every tribe prided itself over other tribes on the basis that its forefathers had made such-and-such contributions. Now they saw that a call was arising among them that was uprooting tribalism, drawing people out of every group and tribe and forming them into a permanent community under a distinct name—people who recognized neither nation nor tribe, but were establishing the foundation of universal brotherhood and fellowship upon a creed; abolishing all ancient notions of pride and nobility; making noble and ignoble equal; and regarding the distinction between unbelief and faith as the basis of friendship and enmity, separating son from father, brother from brother, and husband from wife. Then their patience ran out. They could not accept this great social revolution. They decided that this plant had to be destroyed in the bud, so that it would never have the possibility of producing flowers, nor the flowers of becoming gardens. But those who possessed some intelligence and whose minds were not locked by superstition and bigotry realized that this was the very remedy that could end tribal enmity, hatred, and rancor and unite all Arabia. It could then go beyond Arabia and bind the nations of the entire world together with one rope.

The full significance of this portion of the Islamic call, the summary of which has been given above, will be understood when people learn its detailed account from the Qur’an. (148)

This ummah was called the Muslim ummah from the very beginning. The ummah of every prophet was Muslim, and this name was also given to those who believed in Muhammad (peace be upon him). It was open to every person on earth, whether from any country, East or West, North or South. No nation possessed any characteristic that another nation lacked. Its foundation was not accidental birth, but conscious and informed faith. Whoever among the people of the world could share in this faith could join this ummah with equal rights.

Then it was not an ummah that merely accepted the faith and sat idle. Rather, it was an ummah of callers and propagators. Every one of its members was an activist in a movement. His most cherished objective was to convey to others the truth that had reached him through Allah and His Messenger, and to strive to save as many people as possible from misguidance in this world and Allah’s punishment in the Hereafter.

This was an issue that caused not only Quraysh but all the tribes of Arabia to become agitated. For thousands of years, their entire social system had been founded on tribalism. The tribe was the institution around which their society was organized. It was their protector. Blood ties were the basis of their relationships and mutual assistance. Their nobility and social honor depended upon them. Every tribe prided itself over other tribes on the basis that its forefathers had made such-and-such contributions. Now they saw that a call was arising among them that was uprooting tribalism, drawing people out of every group and tribe and forming them into a permanent community under a distinct name—people who recognized neither nation nor tribe, but were establishing the foundation of universal brotherhood and fellowship upon a creed; abolishing all ancient notions of pride and nobility; making noble and ignoble equal; and regarding the distinction between unbelief and faith as the basis of friendship and enmity, separating son from father, brother from brother, and husband from wife. Then their patience ran out. They could not accept this great social revolution. They decided that this plant had to be destroyed in the bud, so that it would never have the possibility of producing flowers, nor the flowers of becoming gardens. But those who possessed some intelligence and whose minds were not locked by superstition and bigotry realized that this was the very remedy that could end tribal enmity, hatred, and rancor and unite all Arabia. It could then go beyond Arabia and bind the nations of the entire world together with one rope.

The full significance of this portion of the Islamic call, the summary of which has been given above, will be understood when people learn its detailed account from the Qur’an. (148)

All people are fundamentally equal, and the only standard of superiority among them is piety

The first essential truth that the Qur’an presented in this connection was that the entire human race is descended from one mother and father, and on this basis all people are fundamentally equal.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ اتَّقُوا رَبَّكُمُ الَّذِي خَلَقَكُمْ مِنْ نَفْسٍ وَاحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَاءً – (النساء1)

O people! Fear your Lord, Who created you from a single person, created from him his mate, and spread from the two of them many men and women throughout the world. (An-Nisa: 1)

The second important truth presented by the Qur’an was that the diversity of nations and tribes within human unity was created only for the purpose of identification. The standard of greatness among them is not ancestry, color, language, or birthplace, but the moral quality of piety.

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ مِنْ ذَكَرٍ وَأُنْثَى وَجَعَلْنَاكُمْ شُعُوبًا وَقَبَائِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوا إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ –( الحجرات-13)

O people! We created you from a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes so that you may recognize one another. Indeed, the most honored of you in the sight of Allah are those among you who are most pious—that is, those who protect themselves from disobedience to Allah.

This verse, addressing the entire human race, identifies the great misguidance that has always been the cause of universal disorder and turmoil in the world: bigotry regarding ancestry, color, language, birthplace, and nationalism. From the earliest times until today, in every age people have generally ignored humanity as a whole and drawn small circles around themselves, regarding those born within them as their own and those born outside them as others. These circles were not built on intellectual or moral foundations, but on the accidental basis of birth. In some places, their foundation was being born into a particular family, tribe, or people speaking a particular language. The distinction between one’s own and others that was made on these foundations was not limited to treating those considered one’s own with greater love and providing them more help and cooperation than others. Rather, this distinction assumed the worst forms of hatred, hostility, contempt, oppression, and exploitation. Philosophies were devised for it. Religions were invented for it. Moral principles were formulated for it, and nations and states made it their permanent ideology and enforced it for hundreds of years. On this basis the Jews regarded the Children of Israel as Allah’s beloved creation, indeed as Allah’s sons, and even in their religious injunctions placed the rights and status of those who were not Israelites below those of the Israelites. Among the Hindus, this distinction gave rise to the caste system, in which the superiority of the Brahmins was established. In comparison with the upper classes, all people were regarded as low and impure, while the Shudras were cast into the deepest degradation and humiliation. There is no need to search the pages of history for the oppression inflicted upon Black people in Africa and America because of the distinction between black and white; even in this twentieth century everyone can see it with their own eyes. The treatment Europeans gave the Native Americans after entering the American continent, and the treatment they gave weaker peoples after establishing their domination in Asia and Africa, was driven by the idea that the lives, property, honor, and chastity of those born outside the boundaries of their own country and nation were lawful for them to violate. They believed they had the right to plunder them and enslave them, and even, when necessary, to wipe them from the face of the earth. The worst example of how the nation-worship of Western peoples turned one nation into savage beasts toward other nations has been seen, and is still being seen, in the wars of recent times. In particular, when one considers the brutality displayed by Nazi Germany’s racialist philosophy and the notion of Aryan superiority in the last world war, one can easily judge how deadly and destructive a misguidance it was for the reform and correction of which this verse of the Qur’an was revealed.

In this brief verse, Allah Almighty, addressing all humanity, has highlighted three extremely important realities.

First: You are all one in origin. Your entire generation came into existence from the same man and the same woman. All the lineages existing in the world today are in reality branches and offshoots of the same original lineage, which began with the same father and mother. There is nowhere in this chain of descent any basis for the distinction and highness or lowness arising from the misconception in which you are involved. The same God is your Creator. It is not that different gods created different people. You all came into existence from the same matter and substance, not that some were born from one substance and others from a number of impure and inferior substances, from which the inhabitants of different regions of the world were separately created.

Second: Despite being one in origin, your division into nations and tribes is natural. Clearly, all the people of the world cannot belong to one family. With the growth of the human race, countless families were inevitable; then the emergence of tribes and nations from those families was also natural and necessary. Thus, after settling in different regions of the earth, differences in color, appearance, language, and ways of living were bound to arise. It was also natural for those living in the same region to be closer to one another and for those living in distant regions to be farther apart. But these natural differences and divergences never demanded that distinctions between high and low, noble and ignoble, inferior and superior be established on their basis; that one lineage should display superiority over another; that people of one color should regard people of another color as contemptible and insignificant; that one nation should establish superiority and domination over another; or that one group should receive preference over another in human rights.

The reason the Creator organized human groups into nations and tribes was only that this was the natural means of mutual recognition and assistance among them. Through this means, the people of a family, kinship group, tribe, and nation could together form a universal social order and assist one another in the affairs of life. But it was sheer satanic ignorance to turn something that Allah Almighty had made a natural means of identification into an instrument of pride, arrogance, and hatred, and finally transform it into oppression and brutality.

Third: If there is, or can be, any basis for superiority between one person and another, it is only moral superiority. All people are equal in terms of birth because they have one Creator. Their substance and manner of creation are the same, and the lineage of all of them goes back to the same mother and father. Moreover, a person’s being born in a particular country or ethnic group is an accidental matter, in which his will, choice, effort, and character have no role. There is no just reason why anyone should be superior to anyone else on this account. The real basis on which one person becomes superior to another is that he fears God more than others, keeps away from sinful acts, and follows the path of virtue and purity. Such a person, whatever his lineage and whatever his nation or country, deserves respect on the basis of his personal qualities. But whoever has the opposite disposition is a person of a low rank, whether he is black or white, from the East or the West.

These realities, which were stated in a brief verse of the Qur’an, were explained in detail by the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) in various speeches. In the speech he delivered after performing tawaf at the time of the conquest of Makkah, he said—

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

Praise belongs to Allah, Who has removed from you the faults of the Age of Ignorance and its pride and arrogance. O people! All human beings can be divided into only two categories: first, the righteous and pious, who are honored in Allah’s sight; second, the sinful and wretched, who are lowly in Allah’s sight. Otherwise, all humanity are the children of Adam, and Allah created Adam from dust.

In a speech delivered during the middle of the Days of Tashriq at the time of the Farewell Pilgrimage, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said—

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

O people! Beware: your God is one. No Arab has superiority over a non-Arab, no non-Arab over an Arab, no white person over a black person, and no black person over a white person, except on the basis of piety. The most honored of you in Allah’s sight is the one among you who is most pious. Tell me, have I conveyed my message to you? The assembled people said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).” He said, “Then let those who are present convey this message to those who are absent.”

In a hadith, he said—

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

You are all the children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust. Let people give up boasting about their forefathers. Otherwise, in Allah’s sight they will be worse than insignificant vermin.

He also said—

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

Allah will not ask you about your lineage on the Day of Resurrection. The most honored of you in Allah’s sight is the one among you who is most pious.

He also said—(Arabic****************)

Allah does not look at your outward appearance or wealth. He looks at your hearts and your deeds.

These teachings were not confined to words. Rather, Islam established and demonstrated in practice a universal brotherhood of the people of faith, in which there is no distinction of color, lineage, language, country, or nationality; no concept of high and low, untouchability, discrimination, division, or bigotry. All people who wished to join it could do so—and did so—with completely equal rights, whatever their lineage, nation, or country. Even opponents of Islam have had to acknowledge that the principle of human equality and unity was put into practice in Muslim society with such success that no example of it can be found in any other religion or system in the world, nor has one ever been found. Islam alone is that religion or way of life which has brought together the countless lineages and nations scattered throughout the world and made them one ummah on the basis of one creed. (149)

This eternal principle will also be applied in the Hereafter

Proceeding further, the Qur’an informs people of this reality: the system by which people differ and unite on the basis of creed and deeds rather than lineage, nation, and country will likewise operate in the second life of the Hereafter after this present world comes to an end. All the groups established in this world on other foundations will be torn apart.

وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَفَرَّقُونَ-( الروم-14)

On the day when the Hour is established, all people will be divided into different groups. (Ar-Rum: 14)

All the groups formed in this world on the basis of nation, lineage, birthplace, language, tribe, kinship, and political and economic interests will be broken apart on that day, and a new, second grouping will be made on the basis of pure creed, character, and conduct. On one side, believing and righteous people will be selected from among the nations of humanity, past and present, and made into one group. On the other side, people who hold various misguided doctrines and beliefs, and those who commit various kinds of injustice and crimes, will be selected and separated from that vast human multitude and placed into distinct groups. In other words, the very basis that Islam regards in this world as the true foundation for separation and union, and which the worshipers of ignorance refuse to accept in this world, will be the basis on which people will be separated and united in the Hereafter. Islam says that the true thing that divides and unites people is creed and character. Those who believe and establish their way of life upon Allah’s guidance form one ummah, regardless of what part of the world they come from. Those who follow the path of unbelief and sin form another ummah, regardless of their country or lineage. These two can never share one nationality. They cannot form one universal way of life and proceed together in this world, nor can their destinies be the same in the Hereafter. From this world to the Hereafter, their paths and destinations are separate from one another. The worshipers of ignorance have always insisted, and still insist today, that grouping should be based on lineage, country, and language. Those who are alike in these foundations should, while ignoring their religion and creed, become one nation and unite against other nations of this kind. This nationality, they say, should have such a way of life in which the followers of monotheism, polytheism, and atheism can all live together. This was the view of Abu Jahl, Abu Lahab, and the leading Quraysh. They repeatedly accused Muhammad (peace be upon him), saying, “With this man’s coming, division has arisen among our nation.” Against this notion, the Qur’an warns here that all these groupings which you have established in this world on the foundations you have inherited will ultimately be broken apart. There will be no lasting division among humanity except on the basis of creed, philosophy of life, character, and conduct—the basis upon which Islam seeks to organize life in this world. How can those whose destinations are not the same have the same path in life? (150)

The Muslim Ummah

After declaring all people equal as described above, Islam identified only piety as the basis of distinction among them. In Islam, piety means accepting the creed and commands set out in the Book of Allah, His Messenger, and His revelation. Along with this, it means keeping accountability in the Hereafter before oneself, avoiding disobedience, and adopting obedience to Allah’s commands. For this reason, Islam divides all humanity into two groups: first, those who have believed; second, those who have not believed. It makes those who believe into one ummah and calls it the Muslim ummah, which all believers in the world can join. This is not a new name given by Muhammad (peace be upon him) only to those who believe in him. Rather, Allah has given this same name to the ummahs of all prophets since the earliest times.

هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ وَفِي هَذَا-( الحج-78)

Allah named you Muslims before, and in this Qur’an as well. (Al-Hajj: 28)

The address “you” was not directed specifically only to those people of faith who were present when this verse was revealed, or who later joined the ranks of the people of faith. Rather, the second person addressed includes all those who, from the very beginning of human history, believed in monotheism, the Hereafter, messengership, and the heavenly scriptures. In short, those who upheld this true religion were not called Noahites, Abrahamites, Mosaic followers, and so on in the past; rather, they were called Muslims—those who submit to Allah. And today they are not Muhammadans, but Muslims. Because people fail to understand this, the question has become a riddle for them: in which book before the Qur’an was the name of the followers of Muhammad (peace be upon him) given? It is not necessary that the Arabic word “Muslim” was used in every language. Whatever name was given in any language to those who accepted the prophets was synonymous with Muslim. (151)

The Universality and Timelessness of the Muslim Ummah

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ هُمْ بِهِ يُؤْمِنُونَ – وَإِذَا يُتْلَى عَلَيْهِمْ قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِهِ إِنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا مِنْ قَبْلِهِ مُسْلِمِينَ-( القصص-52-53)

Those to whom We gave the Scripture before it believe in it. And when it is recited to them, they say, “We believe in it. Indeed, it is the truth from our Lord. We were Muslims even before this.” (Al-Qasas: 52–53)

That is, we already believed in the prophets and the heavenly scriptures, and therefore at that time too we had no religion other than Islam. Then we also accepted the prophet who has now brought a Book from Allah. Thus, in reality, our religion has not changed. Rather, just as we were Muslims at first, we are Muslims now as well.

This statement of the believing People of the Book, quoted in the Qur’an, clearly explains that Islam is not merely the name of the religion brought by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), nor is the technical application of the word Muslim limited only to the followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Rather, the religion of all prophets throughout all ages was Islam, and their followers in every age were Muslims. Such a Muslim became an unbeliever only when he later refused to accept a true prophet who came afterward. But those who first believed in one prophet and then believed in the prophet who came afterward experienced no break in their Islam: just as they were Muslims before, they remained Muslims afterward.

It is astonishing that even some great scholars failed to grasp this reality. Even after seeing this clear verse, they were not satisfied. Allamah Suyuti composed a detailed treatise on this subject. He says that the term “Muslim” is restricted to the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Then, when this verse came before him, he himself said, “My argument and proof have come to an end.” Yet he says, “I again prayed to God to grant me sharh-e-sadr, conviction, regarding this matter.” Ultimately, instead of changing his view, he remained steadfast in it and offered various interpretations of this verse, each more insignificant than the last. One of his interpretations, for example, is that ان كنا من قبله مسلمينmeans: We intended to become Muslims even before the advent of the Qur’an. For we had learned of its coming from our Scripture, and we also wished that when it came, we would accept Islam.

His second interpretation is that in this sentence مسلمينafter “Muslims,” the word بهis understood to be omitted. That is, we accepted the Qur’an from the very beginning, because we hoped for its coming and had believed in it in advance. Thus, we were Muslims not on the basis of accepting the Torah and the Gospel, but on the basis of accepting the Qur’an before its revelation.

His third interpretation was that it had been written in our destiny from the outset that, after the coming of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Qur’an, we would accept Islam. Therefore, we were actually Muslims from the very beginning. None of these interpretations gives the impression that the God-given sharh-e-sadr had had any effect on him.

The fact is that the Qur’an has stated this fundamental truth not only in this one place but in many places: the true religion is Islam alone—that is, submission to Allah. In the kingdom created by God, there can be no other religion for God’s servants. From the beginning of humankind, every prophet who came to guide people came with this religion. The prophets themselves were always Muslims, and they instructed their followers to remain Muslims. In every age, those followers who bowed their heads before God’s command proclaimed through prophethood were Muslims. Some examples are presented below:

إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الْإِسْلَامُ-( آل عمران-19)

-Indeed, the only religion accepted by Allah is Islam.

وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ-( آل عمران-85)

-Whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him. (Aal-e-Imran: 85)

Hazrat Noah (peace be upon him) said:

إِنْ أَجْرِيَ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ-( يونس-72)

-My reward rests only with Allah, and I have been commanded to be among the Muslims. (Yunus: 72)

Regarding Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him) and his descendants, it is stated:

إِذْ قَالَ لَهُ رَبُّهُ أَسْلِمْ قَالَ أَسْلَمْتُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ – وَوَصَّى بِهَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بَنِيهِ وَيَعْقُوبُ يَا بَنِيَّ إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى لَكُمُ الدِّينَ فَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – أَمْ كُنْتُمْ شُهَدَاءَ إِذْ حَضَرَ يَعْقُوبَ الْمَوْتُ إِذْ قَالَ لِبَنِيهِ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ بَعْدِي قَالُوا نَعْبُدُ إِلَهَكَ وَإِلَهَ آبَائِكَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِلَهًا وَاحِدًا وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ-( البقرة-131–133)

-When his Lord said to him, “Submit,” he said, “I have submitted to the Lord of the worlds.” Abraham (peace be upon him) instructed his sons concerning this, and Jacob as well: “O my sons! Allah has chosen this religion for you. So do not die except as Muslims.”

(O Jews,) were you present when death came to Jacob? When he asked his sons, “Whom will you worship after me?” They replied, “We will worship your God and the God of your forefathers Abraham, Ishmael, and Isaac—the One God—and we are Muslims, submitting to Him.” (Al-Baqarah: 131–133)

مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَكِنْ كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُسْلِمًا-( آل عمران-67)

-Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian; rather, he was an upright Muslim. (Aal-e-Imran: 67)

Hazrat Abraham (peace be upon him) and Hazrat Ishmael (peace be upon him) themselves prayed:

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ-( البقرة-128)

-Our Lord! Make us Muslims submissive to You, and raise from our descendants a Muslim community submissive to You. (Al-Baqarah: 128)

In the story of Hazrat Lot (peace be upon him), it is said:

فَمَا وَجَدْنَا فِيهَا غَيْرَ بَيْتٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ-(الذاريات-36)

-We found no house of Muslims in the town of Lot’s people except one house—that of Hazrat Lot himself (peace be upon him). (Adh-Dhariyat: 36)

Hazrat Joseph prayed before God:

تَوَفَّنِي مُسْلِمًا وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِالصَّالِحِينَ-(يوسف-101)

-Let me die as a Muslim and join me with the righteous. (Yusuf: 101)

Hazrat Moses (peace be upon him) said to his people:

يَا قَوْمِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آمَنْتُمْ بِاللَّهِ فَعَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلُوا إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُسْلِمِينَ-(يونس-84)

-O my people! If you have believed in Allah, then place your trust in Him, if you are Muslims. (Yunus: 84)

The true religion of the Children of Israel was not Judaism; rather, it was Islam. Friend and foe alike knew this. In fact, when Pharaoh was drowning in the sea, his final words were:

آمَنْتُ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا الَّذِي آمَنَتْ بِهِ بَنُو إِسْرَائِيلَ وَأَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ-( يونس-90)

-I accept that there is no deity except the One in whom the Children of Israel have believed, and I am among the Muslims. (Yunus: 90)

The religion of all the prophets of the Children of Israel was also this Islam.

إِنَّا أَنْزَلْنَا التَّوْرَاةَ فِيهَا هُدًى وَنُورٌ يَحْكُمُ بِهَا النَّبِيُّونَ الَّذِينَ أَسْلَمُوا لِلَّذِينَ هَادُوا-( المائدة-44)

-We revealed the Torah, containing guidance and light. The prophets who had submitted to Allah judged by it for those who had become Jews. (Al-Ma’idah: 44)

This was the religion of Solomon (peace be upon him). In fact, while believing in him, the Queen of Sheba said:

أَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَانَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ-( النمل-44)

-I have submitted, along with Solomon, to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. (An-Naml: 44)

This was the religion of Hazrat Jesus (peace be upon him) and his disciples:

وَإِذْ أَوْحَيْتُ إِلَى الْحَوَارِيِّينَ أَنْ آمِنُوا بِي وَبِرَسُولِي قَالُوا آمَنَّا وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّنَا مُسْلِمُونَ-( المائدة-111)

-When I inspired the disciples to believe in Me and My messenger, they said, “We believe, and bear witness that we are Muslims.” (Al-Ma’idah: 111)

If someone harbors doubt on the grounds that it was impossible for the Arabic words Islam and Muslim to have been used in different countries and languages, that would be an unmistakably ignorant statement. For the actual matter to be considered is not these Arabic words, but the meaning for which these words were used in Arabic. In reality, what these verses say is that the true religion sent by God is neither Christianity, nor Mosaic religion, nor Muhammadanism; rather, it is bowing in submission before God’s command delivered through the prophets and the heavenly Scriptures. Whoever, wherever and whenever, adopted this conduct became a follower of the truth of the same universal and eternal religion. For all who adopted this religion with genuine understanding and sincerity, accepting Jesus (peace be upon him) after Moses (peace be upon him), and Muhammad (peace be upon him) after Jesus (peace be upon him), was not a change of religion; rather, it was the natural and rational demand of following the true religion. In contrast, those who entered the company of the prophets without reflection, or were born into it, and for whom national, ancestral, and sectarian bigotry assumed the form of true religion, remained Jews or Christians; and after the coming of Muhammad (peace be upon him), the veil of their ignorance was exposed. For by denying the final Prophet, they not only refused to remain Muslims in the future, but their conduct proved that they had not been Muslims in the past either. They had merely been attached to the personality of one prophet or another, or had made blind obedience to their forefathers into a religion. (152)

The Formation of the Muslim Ummah

Thus, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) not only revived the religion that had continued from the past; he also re-established the Ummah that had been known as the Muslim Ummah since the age of all the prophets. He made all those who joined this Ummah from different tribes, families, and regions mutually supportive and helpful, brothers to one another, compassionate and sympathetic toward one another. He made everyone’s life, property, and honor equally inviolable, regarded everyone’s rights and responsibilities as alike, and allowed no one any distinction that others did not possess. For Arabia’s tribalistic and bigotry-ridden environment, this was an astonishing phenomenon, one that their minds and hearts were utterly unprepared to accept. (153)

It is narrated from Ibn Zayd that one day Abu Lahab, the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) uncle, asked him, “What benefit will I receive if I accept your religion?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, “What the other believers will receive.” He said, “Is there no special distinction for me, the Prophet’s uncle?” The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “What more do you want?”

Abu Lahab said—(Arabic******************)

-May this religion perish, in which I am equal to the other people. (Ibn Jarir) (154)

In opposition to this notion of bigotry, the Qur’an clearly declared:

لَنْ تَنْفَعَكُمْ أَرْحَامُكُمْ وَلَا أَوْلَادُكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

-On the Day of Resurrection, neither your kinship nor your children will benefit you. (Al-Mumtahanah: 3)

This blood relationship will remain fully intact here, but it will be of no benefit there. The real thing is faith, which will be useful on the Day of Resurrection. Therefore, even in this world, your bonds of kinship should be based on faith.

إِنَّمَا وَلِيُّكُمُ اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا الَّذِينَ يُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ-( المائدة-55)

-Your true friends are only Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe—those who establish prayer, give alms, and bow humbly before God. (Al-Ma’idah: 55)

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ-( الحجرات-10)

-The believers are but brothers to one another, so reconcile between your brothers. (Al-Hujurat: 10)

These and similar verses established a universal brotherhood of all Muslims throughout the world. The blessing of this teaching is that no other religion or ideology has produced, or continues to produce, the brotherhood found among Muslims. The Prophet (peace be upon him) explained its importance and implications in many sermons, through which its entire spiritual force was awakened to an even greater degree.

Hazrat Jarir ibn Abdullah said, “The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) took my pledge on three matters: first, that I establish prayer; second, that I continue giving zakat; and third, that I remain a well-wisher of every Muslim.” (Bukhari, Kitab al-Iman)

Hazrat Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: Abusing a Muslim is fisq (sinful disobedience), and fighting him is kufr (disbelief).” (Bukhari, Kitab al-Iman) Musnad Ahmad narrates this matter from Hazrat Ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), quoting his father.

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The life, property, and honor of every Muslim are inviolable to another Muslim.” (Muslim, Kitab al-Birr wa al-Silah)

Hazrat Abu Sa’id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim. He does not wrong him, abandon him, or humiliate him. It is sufficient evil for a person that he should humiliate his Muslim brother.” (Musnad Ahmad)

Hazrat Sahl ibn Sa’d al-Sa’idi (may Allah be pleased with him), quoting the words of the Prophet (peace be upon him), said: A believer’s relationship with the community of believers is like the relationship of the head to the body. He feels the suffering of a believer just as the head feels the pain of every part of the body. —Musnad Ahmad. (155)

Hazrat Nu’man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

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

-The example of the believers in their mutual mercy, love, and sympathy is that of a single body. When one part of the body suffers, the entire body is afflicted with sleeplessness and fever because of it.

Hazrat Abu Musa al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, (Arabic**********************)

-A believer is to another believer like a wall whose parts reinforce one another.

Hazrat Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted this hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): (Arabic***************)

-A Muslim is the brother of another Muslim: he neither wrongs him nor withholds assistance from him. Whoever strives to fulfill his brother’s need, Allah strives to fulfill his need. Whoever saves a Muslim from a hardship, Allah will save him from a hardship on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever conceals the faults of a Muslim, Allah will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection. (156)

Hazrat Jabir ibn Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) and Abu Talhah ibn Sahl al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him).

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

-When a Muslim is being humiliated and his honor is being attacked, if no one comes forward to help him, Allah will not help that person when he is in need of Allah’s help. But if someone helps a Muslim when his honor is being attacked and he is being humiliated, Allah will help him when he wishes for Allah’s aid. (157)

Hazrat Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, (Arabic****************)

-A Muslim is one from whose tongue and hand other Muslims remain safe.

Hazrat Abu Bakrah Nufay ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) said that during the Farewell Pilgrimage, in his sermon on the Day of Sacrifice, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

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

-Beware! Do not become disbelievers after me, striking one another’s necks.

Hazrat Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) once said, (Arabic******************)

-Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or oppressed. Someone asked, “If he is oppressed, I will help him; but how can I help him if he is an oppressor?”

The Prophet said, (Arabic************************)

-Restrain him from oppression and keep him away from it. That is how you help him. (Bukhari)

Hazrat Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said—(Arabic******************)

-The blood of believers is equal in value, and against the enemy they are all like one hand.

Hazrat Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) quoted this hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him)—(Arabic****************)

-I have been commanded to fight people until they testify that there is no deity except Allah and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah. Then, when they testify to this, face our qiblah, eat from animals slaughtered by us, and pray as we do, their blood and property become inviolable to us. However, if any right is due against them, that is a separate matter. They have the rights that Muslims have, and they bear the responsibilities that Muslims bear.

An Ummah Bearing the Banner of a Call and a Movement

But this Ummah was not of the kind in which some people, after embracing faith, would merely remain in their own places invoking Allah, performing good deeds, and becoming one another’s supporters, helpers, well-wishers, and sympathizers. Beyond this, the task of this Ummah was to spread the call of Islam among every people. It was to command what is good and restrain from what is evil. This entire Ummah was selected from among all nations and tribes so that it might reform and correct these servants of God. Its relationship with every nation would be one of truth and justice, never one of wrong and injustice. Had the matter been limited to the first condition, the Quraysh and polytheists of Arabia might have been prepared to tolerate it to some extent. But the second condition was such that they saw this Ummah not merely wishing to grow and expand; every individual personally and the entire community collectively were highly active in spreading their movement. This caused their anxiety to exceed the limits of patience, because they saw their people leaving their group every day and joining the new group. (158)

وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ قَوْلًا مِمَّنْ دَعَا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا وَقَالَ إِنَّنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ-(همالسجده-33)

-And whose speech is better than that of one who calls to Allah, does righteous deeds, and says, “I am a Muslim”? (Ha-Mim as-Sajdah: 33)

In verses 30–32, Muslims were previously told that remaining steadfast in the worship of Allah and not turning away after adopting this path is itself that worldly goodness which makes a person a friend of the angels and deserving of Paradise. Then, in this verse, they were told that no rank of action can be higher than this: that you perform righteous deeds yourselves and call others toward the worship of Allah. Say fearlessly, “I am a Muslim,” even in an atmosphere of extreme opposition—an atmosphere in which proclaiming Islam and making it public meant inviting danger upon oneself. To fully appreciate the importance of this statement, one must keep before one’s eyes the environment in which it was spoken. At that time, anyone who declared himself a Muslim felt as though he had entered a jungle of savage beasts, where everyone was running to tear him apart. And the person who went further and opened his mouth to preach Islam was like one calling the savage beasts and saying, “Come and tear me to pieces.” In such circumstances, it was said that accepting Allah as Lord, adopting the straight path, and not deviating from it is great and fundamental goodness. But the higher form of goodness is that one should stand up and say, “I am a Muslim,” and, without caring about the consequences, call people toward Allah. While doing this, one must keep one’s own practice so pure and immaculate that no one has any opportunity to bring a charge against Islam or its standard-bearers. (159)

Instruction to Muslims for World Leadership

وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا-( البقرة-143)

-Thus We have made you a supreme Ummah so that you may be witnesses over all humanity and the Messenger may be a witness over you. (Al-Baqarah: 143)

This was the declaration of the universal leadership of the Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Thus, it also indicated Allah’s guidance, through which the followers of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) could attain the straight path and, progressing steadily, attain such a rank that they would be regarded as the “middlemost Ummah.” This also indicated the change of the qiblah, which ignorant people regard as merely turning the face from one direction to another. In reality, the change of the qiblah from Bayt al-Maqdis toward the Ka‘bah meant that Allah removed the Children of Israel from the position of leadership of the world in an orderly manner and installed the Ummah of Muhammad in that position.

The expression “middlemost Ummah” is so comprehensive in meaning that no single other word can do justice to its translation. It means a great and noble community that follows justice, equity and moderation. It will attain the position of leadership among the nations of the world. Its relationship with everyone will be the same, and that relationship will be based on truthfulness, not falsehood and injustice.

The statement that you were made a middlemost Ummah so that you would be witnesses over people and the Messenger would be a witness over you means, and continues to mean, that in the Hereafter, when the entire human race is brought together for reckoning, the Messenger (peace be upon him), as Allah’s responsible representative, will testify concerning you that he conveyed to you, fully and exactly, the teachings of sound thinking, righteous action and a just system that Allah had given him, and that he demonstrated their practical implementation. Then, because you succeed the Messenger, you will have to stand as witnesses for the common people and testify that you did your utmost to convey to them whatever the Messenger conveyed to you and to show them whatever the Messenger showed you.

Thus, when a person or community is granted by God the rank of bearing witness in this world, it in fact means that it has been granted the rank of leadership. On the one hand this entails honor and authority; on the other, it carries the heavy burden of responsibility. It means that just as the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was a living witness for this Ummah of God-consciousness, truthfulness, justice and adherence to the truth, this Ummah too must be a living witness for the whole world. Indeed, by observing its words and deeds, character and conduct in every respect, the world should learn what God-consciousness is, what truthfulness is, what justice is, what adherence to the truth is, and that Islam has come to make people of the world such as these. (160)

Characteristics of the Muslim Ummah

كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ-( آل عمران-110)

You are the best Ummah brought forth for the world (for the guidance, reform and correction of humanity). You enjoin good deeds, restrain people from evil deeds and believe in Allah. (Aal ‘Imran: 110)

In this verse, the followers of the Prophet (peace be upon him) were told that they had been installed in the position of leadership and guidance of the world from which the Children of Israel had been removed because of their unfitness. This was because, in character and action, they had now become the finest community in the world, and qualities necessary for just leadership had arisen among them: the motivation and endeavor to establish good deeds and eradicate evil deeds, and to accept Allah as their God and Lord in belief and practice. Therefore, the task of universal leadership was entrusted to them. (161)

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ-( التوبة71)

Believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin good and restrain from evil, establish prayer, give zakat, and obey Allah and His Messenger. (Al-Tawbah: 71)

In other words, believing men and women have become a community whose members equally possess all these qualities: they have such love for righteous deeds that they command the people of the world to perform them, and such hatred for evil deeds that they restrain the world from them. Remembrance of God is, for them, an essential necessity of life, as it was for the Companions. Their hearts and hands are open for spending wealth in the way of God. Obedience to God and the Messenger is their way of life. This universal moral nature and way of life has united them with one another. (162)

The Motivation to Sacrifice One’s Life

The people of this Ummah were also given the motivation to give precedence to their religion over everything else. They would be prepared to sacrifice everything for it, but would not be prepared to sacrifice it for anything.

If it is possible to worship God while remaining in one’s own country, among one’s family and in one’s home, then there is no issue. But if that is not possible, one’s test will be whether one abandons the worship of God for the sake of one’s home, children, family and love of country, or leaves all these things and accepts the risk of migration and exile for the sake of worshipping God.

وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا فِي اللَّهِ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَلَأَجْرُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ-( النحل-41)

Those who migrated after suffering persecution, We will surely provide them with a good dwelling in this world, and the reward of the Hereafter is certainly greater. (Al-Nahl: 41)

يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِنَّ أَرْضِي وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّايَ فَاعْبُدُونِ-كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ-وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ مِنَ الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَامِلِينَ-الَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ-وَكَأَيِّنْ مِنْ دَابَّةٍ لَا تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ-(العنكبوت56–60)

O My servants who believe! Indeed, My earth is vast, so worship Me alone. Every soul will taste death; then you will all be returned to Me. Those who believe and do righteous deeds, We will surely settle them in lofty chambers of Paradise beneath which rivers flow, where they will abide forever. How excellent is the reward of those who work! Those are the ones who are patient and place their trust in their Lord. How many creatures there are that do not carry their provision with them! Allah provides for them and for you. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. (Al-‘Ankabut: 56–60)

From Surah al-‘Ankabut it can be learned what motivation had been awakened in the Muslim Ummah at that time.

The first verse indicated migration: if worshipping God in Makkah had become difficult, then leave the country. God’s earth is not narrow. Go wherever you can live as servants of God. You should worship your own God, not your nation or country. It is thus known that the real thing is not nation, homeland or country, but worship of Allah. If the demands of love for one’s nation, homeland and country ever conflict with the demands of worshipping God, then that is the time of a believer’s trial by fire. The true believer will worship God and reject country and nation. Those who falsely claim faith will abandon faith and remain attached to their country and nation. This verse makes clear that a true God-worshipper may be patriotic and devoted to his nation, but cannot worship nation or country. For him, worship of God is dearer than everything else. He will sacrifice everything in the world for it, but will not sacrifice it for anything in the world.

The meaning of the second verse is: do not worry about life, because it will certainly depart at some time. No one comes into this world to remain forever. Therefore, your concern should not be how life can be preserved. The real concern is how faith can be preserved and how the demands of God-worship can be fulfilled. In the end, you must return to Me. If you come after losing your faith in order to save your life in this world, the outcome will be one thing; but if you come after losing your life in order to save your faith, the outcome will be quite different. Therefore, let your concern be what you will bring when you return to Me: faith sacrificed for life, or life sacrificed for faith.

The third verse says that if, because of following the path of faith and righteousness, you remain deprived of all the blessings of this world and die with worldly failure, then believe that compensation will certainly be made. Not merely compensation; you will receive the finest reward.

The fourth verse says that the finest reward in the Hereafter is for those who remain firm upon faith while facing every kind of hardship, suffering and persecution; those who accept the risk of faith and do not turn away from it; who, even after seeing with their own eyes the advantages, opportunities and gains available through abandoning faith, pay no attention to them; who, even after seeing the progress and prosperity of the unbelievers and sinners, do not care for it; who rely not upon their wealth, trade, tribe and family, but upon their Lord; who disregard worldly means and become ready to face sheer confrontations of power, and, when necessary, leave their homes; who believe in their Lord that the reward for remaining firm upon faith and righteousness will never be lost; and who also trust that He will help His believing and righteous servants in this world and grant them the finest reward for their deeds in the Hereafter.

The final verse says that after migrating, you should not worry about your livelihood any more than about your life. Look at the countless animals, birds and aquatic creatures moving before your eyes on land, in water and in the sky. Wherever they go, by Allah’s grace they find some means of sustenance. Therefore, do not lose courage by constantly worrying, “If we leave our homes for the sake of faith, where will we find food?” The One who provides sustenance to His countless creatures will provide for you as well. (163)

The Nature of the Relationship between Believers and Unbelievers

On the one hand, the mutual relationship among the people of the Muslim Ummah and their deep attachment to religion and faith have been clearly stated. On the other hand, it has been explained what kind of relationship Muslims should have with unbelievers.

لَا يَتَّخِذِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ-( آل عمران-28)

-Believers must never take unbelievers as their friends instead of fellow believers. (Aal ‘Imran: 28)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا الْكَافِرِينَ أَوْلِيَاءَ مِنْ دُونِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ-( النساء-144)

-O you who believe! Do not take unbelievers as your friends instead of believers. (Al-Nisa: 144)

أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَنْ تُتْرَكُوا وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا مِنْكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلَا رَسُولِهِ وَلَا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً-( التوبة-16)

-Do you think you will be left alone, while Allah has not yet distinguished those among you who strive in His path and take no intimate ally except Allah, His Messenger and the believers? (Al-Tawbah: 16)

This verse of Surah al-Tawbah addresses those who had newly become Muslims. They were told that they would not be regarded as true believers until they had passed this trial by fire and proved that they truly considered God and His religion dearer than their lives, property and brothers and friends. Until then, apparently, their situation was that they had become Muslims because Islam had triumphed and spread throughout the country through the life-and-death efforts of the true believers and the earliest pioneers of faith. (164)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا آبَاءَكُمْ وَإِخْوَانَكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ إِنِ اسْتَحَبُّوا الْكُفْرَ عَلَى الْإِيمَانِ وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنْكُمْ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الظَّالِمُونَ – قُلْ إِنْ كَانَ آبَاؤُكُمْ وَأَبْنَاؤُكُمْ وَإِخْوَانُكُمْ وَأَزْوَاجُكُمْ وَعَشِيرَتُكُمْ وَأَمْوَالٌ اقْتَرَفْتُمُوهَا وَتِجَارَةٌ تَخْشَوْنَ كَسَادَهَا وَمَسَاكِنُ تَرْضَوْنَهَا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَجِهَادٍ فِي سَبِيلِهِ فَتَرَبَّصُوا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ اللَّهُ بِأَمْرِهِ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي الْقَوْمَ الْفَاسِقِينَ-( التوبة-23–24)

-O you who believe, do not take your fathers and brothers as intimate friends if they prefer unbelief over faith. Those among you who take them as friends are the wrongdoers. O Prophet, tell them: if your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, the wealth you have acquired, the commerce whose decline you fear, and the homes in which you take pleasure are dearer to you than Allah, His Messenger and striving in His path, then wait until Allah brings about His command. Allah does not guide the defiant people.

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَآءُ مِنْكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ-( الممتحنة-4)

-There is an excellent example for you in Abraham and those with him, when they clearly declared to their people: “We disown you and whatever you worship instead of God. We reject you, and between us and you there has arisen perpetual enmity and hatred until you believe in Allah alone.” (Al-Mumtahanah: 4)

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُوا عَدُوِّي وَعَدُوَّكُمْ أَوْلِيَاءَ تُلْقُونَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِالْمَوَدَّةِ وَقَدْ كَفَرُوا بِمَا جَاءَكُمْ مِنَ الْحَقِّ يُخْرِجُونَ الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّاكُمْ أَنْ تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ خَرَجْتُمْ جِهَادًا فِي سَبِيلِي وَابْتِغَاءَ مَرْضَاتِي-( الممتحنة-1)

-O you who believe! If you have gone forth to strive in My path and seek My pleasure, do not take My enemies and your enemies as friends. You show them affection, although they have rejected the truth that has come to you. They expel the Messenger and you from your homes because you believe in Allah, your Lord. (Al-Mumtahanah: 1)

لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءَهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُولَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُمْ بِرُوحٍ مِنْهُ-( المجادلة-22)

-You will never find people who believe in Allah and the Last Day showing affection to those who oppose Allah and His Messenger, even if they are their fathers, sons, brothers or relatives. These are the people in whose hearts Allah has inscribed faith and whom He has strengthened with a spirit from Himself. (Al-Mujadilah: 22)

Two points are stated in this verse of Surah al-Mujadilah: one is a principle, and the other is an account of an actual event.

As a matter of principle, it is stated that faith in the true religion and love for the enemies of the religion are mutually contradictory things. Their combination cannot be conceived in any way. It is utterly impossible for faith and love of the enemies of God and the Messenger to coexist in one heart, just as love for one’s own person and love for one’s enemies cannot coexist in a person’s heart at the same time. Therefore, if you see someone claiming faith while also maintaining loving relations with people opposed to Islam, you should not be confused into thinking that perhaps he is truthful in his claim of faith despite such conduct. Those who maintain the same relationship with Islam and its opponents should themselves carefully consider their true status: are they believers or hypocrites? If they possess even a little honesty and recognize that hypocrisy is morally the worst conduct for a person, they should abandon the attempt to ride two boats at once. Faith demands a firm decision. If one wishes to remain a believer, one must abandon every kinship and relationship that conflicts with Islam. If one accepts another relationship as dearer than the relationship with Islam, one must give up the false claim of faith.

That was the principle. But Allah did not consider it sufficient merely to state the principle here. Rather, He also presented an actual event as an example before those who claimed faith: those who were true believers actually severed, before everyone’s eyes, all relationships that obstructed the religion of Allah. This was a real event that all Arabia witnessed in the battles of Badr and Uhud. The noble Companions who migrated from Makkah to Madinah fought their own tribes and close relatives solely for the sake of God and His religion.

Hazrat Abu ‘Ubaydah (may Allah be pleased with him) killed his father, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Jarrah. Hazrat Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him) killed his own brother, ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr. Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) killed his maternal uncle, ‘As ibn Hisham ibn al-Mughirah. Hazrat Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) prepared to fight against his own son, ‘Abd al-Rahman. Hazrat ‘Ali, Hazrat Hamzah and Hazrat ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with them) killed ‘Utbah, Shaybah and al-Walid ibn ‘Utbah, who were their close relatives. Hazrat ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) appealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) concerning the prisoners of Badr that they should all be killed and that each of us should kill his own relative. During the Battle of Badr, an Ansari was tying up Abu ‘Aziz ibn ‘Umayr, the full brother of Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr. Seeing this, Hazrat Mus‘ab shouted, “Tie him tightly. His mother is very wealthy; she will pay you a large ransom for his release.” Abu ‘Aziz said, “Are you saying this as my brother?” Hazrat Mus‘ab replied, “At this moment you are not my brother. Rather, this Ansari who is arresting you is my brother.” In this same Battle of Badr, the Prophet’s own uncle, ‘Abbas, and his son-in-law, Abu al-‘As, the husband of the Prophet’s daughter Hazrat Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her), were taken prisoner. Yet no preferential treatment was shown to them on the basis of their relationship with the Messenger, treatment that would have differed in any way from that given to the other prisoners. Thus, through actual events, the people of the world were shown what a genuine Muslim is like and what their relationship with Allah and His religion is like.

Al-Daylami has quoted this supplication of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) from Hazrat Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him):

-O God, do not allow any wicked person—or, according to another narration, any sinful person—to show me kindness, causing love for him to arise in my heart. For I have found in the revelation You sent down that those who believe in Allah and the religion of the Hereafter cannot be found cherishing love for those who oppose Allah and His Messenger. (165)

Faith Cannot Be Abandoned for Anyone

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ وَهْنًا عَلَى وَهْنٍ وَفِصَالُهُ فِي عَامَيْنِ أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيْكَ إِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ – وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ عَلَى أَنْ تُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا وَصَاحِبْهُمَا فِي الدُّنْيَا مَعْرُوفًا-( لقمان-14–15)

-We have enjoined human beings to recognize the rights of their parents. His mother carried him, suffering hardship upon hardship, and weaning him took two years. (Therefore, We advised him:) Give thanks to Me and to your parents; to Me is the return. But if they pressure you to associate with Me someone of whom you have no knowledge that he is My partner, then never obey them. Yet keep their company in this world with kindness. (Luqman: 14–15)

وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا وَإِنْ جَاهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِي مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَا-( العنكبوت-8)

-We have instructed human beings to treat their parents well. But if they pressure you to associate with Me someone whom you do not know to be My partner, then do not obey them. (Al-‘Ankabut: 8)

Regarding this verse of Surah al-‘Ankabut, Muslim, al-Tirmidhi, Ahmad, Abu Dawud and al-Nasa’i relate that it was revealed concerning Hazrat Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him). He accepted Islam at the age of eighteen or nineteen. His mother was Hamnah bint Sufyan ibn Umayyah, the niece of Abu Sufyan. When she learned that her son had become Muslim, she said, “Until you reject Muhammad (peace be upon him), I will neither eat nor drink, nor sit in the shade. Fulfilling the rights of one’s mother is Allah’s command. If you disobey me, you will also disobey Allah.”

Hazrat Sa‘d became extremely distressed by this and went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and told him everything. Then this verse was revealed concerning the matter. Other young men who became Muslims in the early period in Makkah may also have faced this situation. For this reason, the matter was repeated with great emphasis in the verse of Surah Luqman that we quoted above.

The purpose of the verse is that if anyone among all creation has the greatest right over a person, it is surely the parents. But even if the parents compel him to commit shirk, their command must not be obeyed—let alone anyone else’s command causing him to do so. The words of the injunction were وان جاهدكmeaning: if both of them exert all their strength to compel you. From this it is known that relatively lesser pressure, or pressure from only one of the parents, is not necessarily to be rejected. Along with this, ماليس لك به علمis worthy of careful consideration. It means one whom you do not know to be My partner. A sound justification has been given for not obeying the parents. The parents certainly have the right to be served by their children, to be honoured and respected, and to be obeyed in what is lawful. But no one has the right to blindly follow his parents contrary to knowledge. A son or daughter cannot rightly follow a religion merely because it is their father’s religion. If children discover that their parents’ religion is false, they should abandon it and adopt a correct religion. Even under pressure from their parents, they should not follow a way whose deviation is evident. And if this conduct is required toward parents, it may be required toward every person in the world. Blind following of anyone is not right until it is known that the person is established upon the truth. (166)

وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّبِعُوا سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَايَاكُمْ وَمَا هُمْ بِحَامِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ – وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالًا مَعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ وَلَيُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ-( العنكبوت-12–13)

-The disbelievers say to the believers, “Follow our way, and we will bear the burden of your sins.” Yet they will bear nothing of their sins. They are telling an outright lie. Indeed, they will bear their own burdens, along with many other burdens besides their own. And on the Day of Resurrection they will certainly be questioned about the false claims they used to make. (Al-‘Ankabut: 12–13)

The meaning of the disbelievers’ statement was that life after death, resurrection, reckoning, reward and such matters were deception and fraud; but if there really were a life after death, and if there were any questioning there, then they would assume responsibility and bear all the punishment before God themselves. They were saying, “Abandon this new religion and return to the religion of your forefathers.”

It is reported concerning various Quraysh chiefs that these people would meet those who accepted Islam in the early period and say such things to them. It is also reported concerning Umar that when he embraced faith, Abu Sufyan and Harb ibn Umayyah ibn Khalaf met him and said the same.

For this reason it has been said that, in the first place, it is impossible for anyone to assume responsibility for another before God, or for a sinner to escape his own punishment because someone else says he will bear it. For there, every person will himself be responsible for his own deeds. (Arabic************************)

But even if that were possible, when the consequence of disbelief and shirk appears before them in the form of a blazing Hell, who would have the courage, out of embarrassment over a promise made in this world, to say, “My lord! The person who abandoned faith at my urging and took the path of apostasy—please forgive him and send him to Paradise. I am ready to suffer the punishment for his disbelief along with the punishment for my own disbelief.” (167)

Seeking forgiveness for disbelievers is forbidden

مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَنْ يَسْتَغْفِرُوا لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوا أُولِي قُرْبَى مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْجَحِيمِ-( التوبة-113)

-It is not for the Prophet and the believers to pray for the forgiveness of the polytheists, even if they are close relatives, after it has become clear to them that they are deserving of Hell. (Al-Tawbah: 113)

Seeking forgiveness for a person means, first, showing sympathy and love toward him; and second, regarding his fault as deserving of forgiveness. These points apply to someone who belongs among the obedient but is merely sinful. But showing sympathy and love toward one who is openly rebellious, and regarding his crime as forgivable, is not merely wrong in principle; it also casts doubt upon the obedience of us who seek forgiveness. If we want him to be forgiven merely because of kinship, it means that, in our view, the bond of kinship is more valuable than the demand of obedience to God. It also means that our love for God and His religion is not selfless and impartial. We want God Himself to accept the friendly relationship we maintain with those who rebel against Him and to forgive our relatives in particular, even if He casts others guilty of the same crime into Hell. All of this is false and contrary to sincerity and obedience. It is also contrary to the faith whose demand is that our love for God and His religion be completely impartial: God’s friends are our friends, and His enemies are our enemies. That is why Allah did not say, “Do not pray for the forgiveness of the polytheists”; rather, He said, “It is not becoming for you; it is not your task to pray for their forgiveness.” That is, if you refrain only after I forbid you, that is no real achievement. Your sense of obedience should be so intense that showing sympathy toward those who rebel against Me and regarding their crime as deserving of forgiveness should itself seem unbecoming to you.

Here one should also understand that the prohibition on showing sympathy toward those who rebel against God concerns sympathy that interferes with religion. Human sympathy, compassion and kindness toward close relatives in worldly relationships, generosity, and affectionate conduct are not forbidden; rather, they are commendable. Whether a relative is a disbeliever or a believer, his worldly rights must be fulfilled. Those in distress must be helped, and means of livelihood must be arranged for the needy. No shortcoming should be shown in helping and sympathizing with the sick and injured. Orphans should be treated with tenderness and affection. In these matters, no distinction should be made between a Muslim and a non-Muslim.

Marriage and inheritance ties with them are also forbidden

لَا هُنَّ حِلٌّ لَهُمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحِلُّونَ لَهُنَّ-( الممتحنة-10)

-Neither Muslim women are lawful for disbelievers, nor are disbelievers lawful for them. (Al-Mumtahanah: 10)

وَلَا تُمْسِكُوا بِعِصَمِ الْكَوَافِرِ-( الممتحنة-10)

-And you too must not retain disbelieving women in your marriage bonds. (Al-Mumtahanah: 10)

There is, however, this distinction in the injunction: Muslim men may marry women from the People of the Book, as stated in verse 5 of Surah al-Ma’idah. As for Muslim women, the matter is that they are lawful or permissible for no one except Muslim men.

وَلَا تَنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكَاتِ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنَّ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ وَلَا تُنْكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّى يُؤْمِنُوا وَلَعَبْدٌ مُؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِنْ مُشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ-( البقرة-221)

-Do not marry polytheist women until they believe. A believing bondwoman is better than a noble polytheist woman, even though she may please you. And do not marry your women to polytheist men until they believe. A believing slave is better than a polytheist man, even if he pleases you. (Al-Baqarah: 221)

It is narrated from Usamah ibn Zayd that the Messenger of Allah said: (Arabic*****************)

-Neither a Muslim may inherit from a disbeliever, nor may a disbeliever inherit from a Muslim. (Bukhari, Muslim, Nasa’i, Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud).

There are two kinds of disbelievers, and conduct toward them differs

Thus, after completely distinguishing the Muslim community from the disbelievers, a difference has been made in Muslim conduct toward the two kinds of disbelievers in one respect only. Allah does not forbid you from treating with kindness and justice those who have not fought you on account of religion and have not driven you from your homes. Allah loves those who act justly. What He forbids you is to befriend those who fought you because of religion, expelled you from your homes, and helped one another in your expulsion. Those who befriend them are wrongdoers. (Al-Mumtahanah: 8–9)

In other words, Muslims have been instructed to act on the basis of the distinction between enemy disbelievers and non-enemy disbelievers. They must treat well those disbelievers who have never treated them badly. An excellent illustration of this is found in an incident. Abu Bakr’s wife was a disbeliever, and Asma bint Abi Bakr was born to her. She remained in Makkah. After the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, when travel began between the people of Makkah and Madinah, Abu Bakr’s disbelieving wife came to Madinah to meet her daughter, bringing some gifts with her.

Asma herself says: “Then I went to the Messenger of Allah and asked whether I could meet my mother and maintain kinship with her. He said, ‘Yes, meet her and maintain kinship with her.’” (Musnad Ahmad, Bukhari, Muslim) From this it is concluded that it is permissible for a Muslim to support his disbelieving parents, siblings and relatives if they are not enemies of Islam. Similarly, charity may be given to a poor dhimmi. (Ahkam al-Qur’an, Ruh al-Ma‘ani). (169)

The true status of the Muslim community

The community that thus came into existence was not a nation in any sense. Its true status can be understood well from the words used in the Qur’an and Hadith.

Hizb

One word is hizb, which has been used for Muslims in two places (al-Ma’idah, verse 56; al-Mujadilah, verse 22). This word is truly synonymous with party or group. In both places Muslims are called Hizbullah, “the people of Allah’s party”—that is, the people who have dedicated themselves to Allah’s work. A nation is formed on the basis of lineage and family, while a group is formed on the basis of principles and ideology. In this respect, Muslims are not actually a nation but a group. They have been separated from the rest of the world and connected with one another solely because they believe in and follow a particular principle and ideology. Those whose principles and ideology do not agree with theirs have no affinity with them, even if they are very close relatives.

The Qur’an sees only two groups among the inhabitants of the earth: one is Allah’s party (Hizbullah), and the other is Satan’s party (Hizb al-Shaytan). No matter how much disagreement there may be within Satan’s party in matters of principle and ideology, the Qur’an regards them all as one. Their thought and method of action are not Islamic, and despite minor disagreements, they are all united in obedience to Satan. The Qur’an says:

اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِمُ الشَّيْطَانُ فَأَنْسَاهُمْ ذِكْرَ اللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطَانِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطَانِ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ-(المجادلة-19)

-Satan has gained mastery over them and made them forget the remembrance of God. They are the people of Satan’s party. Beware: it is the people of Satan’s party who are the losers. (Al-Mujadilah: 19)

In contrast, however different the people of Allah’s party may be from one another in lineage, homeland, race, language, history and tradition—and even if their forefathers were mutually hostile and engaged in bloodshed—once they agreed upon the thought and way of life prescribed by God, they became bound together as if by a divine cord (Hablullah). As soon as they joined this new group, all their ties with the members of Satan’s party were severed.

Ummah

The second word used in the Qur’an in four places in the sense of a group (Al-Baqarah: 128, 143; Aal ‘Imran: 104, 110) is ummah. This word is also used many times in Hadith. Ummah refers to a group brought together by some comprehensive matter. Thus, people of a particular period were called an ummah. People of one lineage or one country were also called an ummah. But the basis on which Muslims are called an ummah in the true universal sense is not lineage, homeland or economic interest; rather, it is their mission in life, their fundamental principles and their way of life. Indeed, the Qur’an says—

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

-You are the best ummah brought forth for humanity. You enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and believe in God. (Aal ‘Imran: 110)

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

-And thus We have made you a middle ummah, so that you may be witnesses over humanity and the Messenger may be a witness over you. (Al-Baqarah: 143)

These two verses make it clear that the “Muslim” is in reality an international group. From all the nations of the world, those people have been selected who are prepared to follow a particular principle, implement a particular program and carry out a mission. Since these people have emerged from every nation and, after becoming one group, no longer retain a relationship with any particular nation, they are an ummah among nations. But after severing their ties with all nations, a second relationship has been established between them and all nations: they will perform the duty of God’s commander in the world. The words “you are witnesses over humanity” state that Muslims have been appointed by God as commanders in the world, while the words “brought forth for humanity” clearly say that the Muslims’ mission is international. The essence of this mission is that the leader of Hizbullah, Sayyiduna Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, should be able to implement in the world, through the use of all intellectual, moral and material power, the system of thought and action that God gave him, and overcome all other systems and methods in opposition to it—(Arabic*****************) This is the basis upon which Muslims have been made an ummah.

Jama‘at

The third technical term that the Prophet, peace be upon him, used in many places to describe the collective status of Muslims is jama‘at. This word too is synonymous with group, like hizb. (****) and (******)

By considering many Hadiths of this kind, it becomes clear that the Messenger of Allah avoided using qawm, or sha‘b (***), or any other synonymous word, and instead used the term jama‘at. He never said, “Always remain with the qawm,” or “The hand of God is over the qawm.” Rather, in all such cases he used the word jama‘at. The reason is simply that it may be more accurate for expressing the manner in which Muslims are united. The word qawm is generally used in such a sense that a person may belong to a nation, whatever ideology or principle he follows, if he was born among that nation and is connected with it through his name, way of life and social relationships.

The difference between an ideological group and a national group

Now, one kind of group is concerned with a particular ideology and program of political strategy in the context of the special circumstances of a nation or country. Such a group is merely a political party. It can therefore work as a component of, and does work for, the nation through which it was born.

The second kind of group emerges with a universal ideology and outlook. It has a universal ideology for all humanity, regardless of nation or homeland. It seeks to shape the whole of life in a particular way. Beginning with its ideology and way of life, creed, thought, principles and ethics, and extending to personal conduct and the detailed organization of collective social life, it seeks to recast every aspect in its own mould. It wishes to establish a lasting culture and a particular civilization. Although this too is a group, it is not the kind of group that can function as a component of any nation. It transcends limited nationalism. Its mission is to eradicate the blind prejudices that have created different nations in the world on the basis of lineage, race, language, homeland and tradition. How can this group attach itself to those nations? In place of inherited and historical nationalism, it establishes a rational nationalism (). In place of the nationalism of creation, it creates an expansive one (). It itself becomes a form of nationalism prepared to bring all the peoples of the world within its sphere on the basis of unity in thought and culture. Yet, even though it is a nationality in this sense, it remains a group. For joining it does not depend on accidental birth among a people; rather, it depends on knowingly following the ideology and way of life upon which the group is founded.

Muslims are in reality the name of this second kind of group. It is not a group formed within a nation. Rather, it is a group that emerges with the aim of establishing a lasting system of comprehensive life, civilization and culture, and seeks to build, beyond the narrow boundaries of small nationalities, a great universal nationality () upon an intellectual and rational foundation. It is correct to call it a nation in the sense that it does not seek, out of sentiment, to attach itself to any one of the world’s hereditary and historical-traditional nations. Rather, according to its own outlook on life and social philosophy, it independently builds its own cultural edifice. Yet, despite being a separate nation in this sense, it remains in reality a group. Mere accidental birth () cannot make a person a member of this group unless he believes in and follows its ideology. Likewise, a person’s birth among another nation is no obstacle to his leaving his own nation and joining the group if he is prepared to believe in its ideology. Thus, all that we have said in fact means that the nationality of Muslims rests upon their being a group. Group status is the root, and national status is its branch. If group status is separated from it, it becomes merely a nation—and that is its degeneration. Indeed, it is actually a denial of its existence as a Muslim. (170)

Summary of the discussion

Although this separate organization of the Muslim community under the leadership of the Messenger of Allah and the formation of a completely separate society from the non-Muslim society became possible gradually over several years rather than overnight, the nature of the Islamic call made people understand in which direction this movement was advancing and what revolution it would ultimately bring. Therefore, those who wished to preserve the ancient society of ignorance became extremely disturbed and exerted all their strength to prevent the emergence of this new ummah from among themselves. (171)

Seventh Section

The difference between the work of a Prophet and that of a non-prophetic reformer

At the end of this discussion, we feel it necessary to show how, in light of all that has been said so far, the difference between the leadership and method of action of a Prophet and those of a non-prophetic reformer may be properly understood.

When the Messenger of Allah was commissioned to convey the Islamic call in Arabia, countless moral, civilizational, economic and political problems existed throughout the world and in his own country, and their solution was essential. The Roman and Iranian empires stood at the height of despotism. Differences of lineage and class had reached an extreme level. The oppression of the powerful over the weak was unbearable. Various forms of unlawful economic exploitation were proceeding at full force. The worst kinds of moral corruption had spread. Arabia was afflicted by even greater problems than these countries. The people living in the same country and speaking the same language were divided into countless tribes, although they were related to one another through clan and lineage. They had no concept of an “Arab nation.” A person regarded only his own tribe as his nation. Disorder, civil war, insecurity, ignorance, moral degeneration, oppression, hunger and poverty were rampant everywhere. Foreign powers were exploiting these weaknesses of Arabia and continuously infiltrating the country. In the north, occupation had reached the borders of the Hijaz. The Roman government was spreading money and missionaries inside Arabia and expanding its influence. The Christian kingdom of Abyssinia, situated across the western shore, had been attacking Yemen and attempting to seize it for a long time. Once, its army even reached Makkah. Iran had established its domination over Arabia’s eastern coast and some regions inland. Later, its authority extended even to Yemen. For several centuries, Jews who had come from outside had maintained control over most of the fertile lands of the Hijaz. Through their web of usury, they had ensnared the people of Arabia.

In such circumstances, if a reformer-type leader had appeared in Arabia, he might have begun his work by trying to prevent the customs and practices of the Age of Ignorance, moral corruption and mutual civil war. Or, raising the issue of rich and poor, he might have incited and agitated the poor against the rich so that the hunger of the common people would be relieved and poverty removed. And if a political-type leader had appeared, he would have tried to entice the Arabs into following him by saying, “I will turn you into a powerful nation, drive the foreign plunderers from the country, transform Arabia into a great kingdom, and develop your trade, commerce and industries. I will increase your economic resources, remove your hunger, and, after acquiring strength, launch aggression against neighbouring countries so that your wealth may increase greatly.”

In all these activities, no question of character would arise, and to make his political leadership successful he would not hesitate in the slightest to resort to deception, conspiracy, trickery, force, or genocide. Moreover, both kinds of leadership would ultimately be nationalist leadership. Even if it rose above the narrow-mindedness of its own tribe, at most it would reach Arab chauvinism. It could not extend its concern to other nations and countries.

The Distinctive Method of the Islamic Movement

First, let us look briefly at the God-sent Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). The circumstances and problems at that time were exactly as described above. All of them were important, and none could be ignored. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not regard them as matters to be ignored either. He not only resolved them one by one at the appropriate time, but also brought about and demonstrated a great revolution that no non-prophetic reformer or political leader could even have conceived. Yet, at the beginning of his work, he turned away from all these matters and devoted his full attention to one fundamental reform, which was the key to solving all the problems. Although he was born in a tribe and a city, from the very first day of the Islamic movement his vision was directed toward all humanity, whom he had risen to call toward the Straight Path. Setting aside all other problems, he concentrated all his efforts on the following fundamental reform:

1. That people should believe in Tawhid, abandon the worship of all others, worship Allah alone, and regard His command as binding.

2) That they should accept Muhammad (peace be upon him) as Allah’s Messenger and follow the guidance, teachings, and laws conveyed through him from Allah’s path.

3) That they should accept the Qur’an as the Word of Allah and obey its commands at all times.

4) That they should believe in the Hereafter and conduct their worldly affairs with the understanding that, after death, they will ultimately appear before God and be held accountable for their deeds.

5) That they should follow the unchangeable principles concerning the good and bad aspects of character presented by Allah, His Messenger, and His Book.

6) Those among humanity who accept this call will become an Ummah and stand as bearers of its banner. They must be prepared to take great risks with their lives and possessions to make it victorious. They will become completely united with one another and, by forming their own future society, sever relations of friendship, love, and practical social intercourse with kufr and the disbelievers. (172)

The Importance of This Method

The reason for turning away from every direction at first and devoting all strength solely to this one fundamental reform was, first, that it was the correct and rightful course. The true task of a Messenger is to present the truth. The second reason was that, from the viewpoint of the Islamic movement, the real cause of all the evils and corruption arising in human moral and civilized life is that people consider themselves free and free from accountability; regard themselves as their own ilah; and, instead of the Ilah of the universe, regard other beings—whether human or otherwise—as possessing divine attributes, authority, and rights. If this evil exists at the root, then, in Islam’s view, no superficial or shallow reform can remove personal decline or collective corruption. If evil is removed from one side, it will raise its head from another. Therefore, reform can begin only by removing from people’s minds the illusion of freedom and freedom from accountability, and telling them that the world in which they live is not, in reality, a kingdom without a ruler. Rather, it has an absolute King, and they are His subjects by birth. His kingship does not depend on their acknowledging it. They cannot end His sovereignty, nor can they leave Him and go elsewhere. While this unshakable reality remains, their illusion of freedom is nothing but a foolish misconception whose consequences they themselves must bear. Reality demands that they bow their heads directly before Him and remain obedient servants. On the other hand, they must also be shown that throughout this entire universe there is one being who alone is King, Owner, and possessor of authority and dominion. No one else has the right to command here, nor does anyone else truly exercise command. Therefore, they must serve no one but Him, obey no one else’s command, and bow before no one else. There is no His Majesty here; Majesty belongs exclusively to that One Being. There is no His Highness here; Highness befits Him alone. There is no His Holiness here; all holiness belongs exclusively to Him. There is no His Lordship here; all lordship is His. There is no lawgiver here. The law belongs to Him alone, and the right to legislate and to punish violations of the law belongs to Him alone. There is no government, benefactor, merciful patron, king or emperor, saint or authority, remover of afflictions, hearer of prayers, or responder to the distressed supplicant. No one possesses the keys of governing power. No one has the right to superiority. From the earth to the heavens, all are servants, slaves, and obedient subjects. There is only one Lord and Master. Therefore, all forms of servitude, obedience, and submission to others must be abandoned; one must become the slave and obedient servant of Him alone and accept only His command and rule.

This is the foundation of all these reforms. On this foundation, the entire edifice of individual character and collective systems is demolished and rebuilt according to a special design. All the problems that have arisen in human life from Adam (peace be upon him) until today, and that will arise from now until the Day of Resurrection, will be solved on this foundation in a new way.

The Method by Which the Prophet Began His Call

Muhammad (peace be upon him) did not undertake the call to this fundamental reform through a method involving preliminary preparations and an introductory stage in which he would first perform some political and social activities, create influence among the people, then use that influence to acquire some ruler-like authority and employ it to govern the people and bring them to this point. None of this. We see that he simply proclaimed, “There is no god but Allah.” His attention was directed to nothing less than this. The reason was not merely prophetic courage and the zeal to convey the message; in reality, this is the method of the Islamic movement. The influence and power produced through other means are of no help whatsoever to this reform. Those who gather people’s cooperation on any basis other than “There is no god but Allah” will be of no use to the Prophet (peace be upon him) in reconstructing society on this foundation. Their participation in this work will be more fruitful if they are people who, upon hearing “There is no god but Allah,” rush toward the caller. Their attraction will be to this very work. They will make this reality the foundation of their lives and advance to act upon it. Therefore, the special strategy and program required to conduct the Islamic movement demand that the work begin with the call to Tawhid, without any preliminary introduction.

The Breadth of the Concept of Tawhid

This concept of Tawhid is not merely a religious belief. It uproots the entire system of personal and social life founded on human freedom and the authority and dominion of those other than Allah, and builds a new edifice on another foundation. Today, people hear the caller proclaiming “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah” and listen calmly. Neither the caller knows what he is saying, nor do the listeners perceive any meaning or purpose in it. But if they understood that the purpose of this declaration is to declare rebellion against the entire system currently in force and establish a new system in its place, believe me, this voice would not be tolerated anywhere. Whether or not you go to fight anyone, the world itself will come to fight you. As soon as you raise this voice, it will seem that suddenly the earth and sky have become your enemies, and you will see snakes, scorpions, and ferocious beasts all around.

The Reason for the Success of This Method

This was precisely what happened when the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) raised this call publicly. The caller issued the call knowingly and deliberately, and the listeners understood it too; they became determined to silence it. The idol-worshippers and priests saw in it a threat to their Brahmanism and papacy; the wealthy and usurers saw a threat to their usurious business; the worshippers of lineage saw a threat to their hereditary superiority; the worshippers of customs saw a threat to their traditions and practices; the worshippers of nationality saw a threat to their nationalism; and the worshippers of their forefathers saw a threat to the inherited ways of their ancestors. In short, every idol-worshipper saw in this single voice the destruction of his own idol. Thus, in accordance with the principle that all disbelief is one community, those who had been at odds with one another united to fight this new movement. In these circumstances, only those came to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) whose thinking was clear, who had the ability to perceive and accept reality, and who possessed such love of truth that, once they learned something was true, they were ready to leap into fire and play with death for its sake. Such people were needed for this movement. They continued to come—one, two, four at a time—and the conflict and confrontation increased. Some lost their livelihoods; some were driven from their homes; some had their friendships and relations with loved ones severed. Some were imprisoned; some were dragged over burning sand; some were publicly received with stones and abuse; some had their eyes gouged out; some had their heads crushed; and some were offered women, wealth, kingship, and every possible temptation in an attempt to buy them off. All this occurred, and it needed to occur. Without it, the Islamic movement could neither have become strong nor advanced.

The Natural Method of Selecting and Training Workers for the Cause

The inevitable benefit was that people of the weakest character and will could not come to this side. Those who did come were among the most capable of Adam’s descendants and were precisely the people needed. There was no other way to select workers from among the incapable than that whoever came should come through a trial by fire. Moreover, those who came did not face hardship for any personal interest or tribal or national purpose. Rather, whatever they had to endure was endured solely for truth and sincerity, for God and His pleasure. For this they were beaten and suffered hunger and thirst. They became victims of oppression and persecution throughout the world. As a result, the sound Islamic mentality required in them began to develop. A strong and dependable Islamic character was formed in them. Sincerity arose in their worship of God and continued to grow. It was natural that Islamic realities should flourish in this powerful training ground of hardship. When a person rises to achieve an objective and advances through conflict and confrontation, desperate effort, adversity, suffering, anxiety, imprisonment, oppression, hunger, thirst, exile, and other trials for its sake, then, through his personal experience, all the realities of that objective fill his inner being. His entire personality is then transformed in accordance with that objective. To help him attain perfection in this respect, prayer was made obligatory first of all, so that every danger of illusion or obscurity of vision might be removed and his gaze might remain fixed upon his goal. By repeatedly acknowledging the governing power of the One whom he has accepted as his ruler, he may become firm in his faith. The fact that the One according to whose command he must work in the world is the Knower of the unseen and the visible, the ultimate Owner, and the Sovereign over all His creation must become firmly rooted in his heart, so that under no circumstances may the thought of obeying anyone besides Him find a place there.

The Reason for the Spread of the Islamic Call

On the one hand, those who joined were trained in this way; on the other, the Islamic movement was spreading because of the conflict and confrontation. When people saw a small number of individuals being beaten, imprisoned, and expelled from their homes, a strong curiosity naturally arose among them, and they tried to learn what all the commotion was about. When they learned that it was not for women, money, or land, and that these servants of Allah had no personal interests, but were suffering only because the truth of a matter had been unveiled to them, they spontaneously became eager to know what that thing was for which these people were enduring such hardships. Then, when they learned that it was “There is no god but Allah,” and that it brought about such a revolution in human life, and that people were taking this call into the field while rejecting all the world’s comforts solely for the sake of truth and sacrificing their lives, wealth, and children, their eyes opened. The coverings that had enveloped their hearts began to be removed. Against this background, the truth reached its target like an arrow. This was why everyone except those blinded by pride in personal status, the ignorance of blind devotion to their forefathers, or attachment to worldly interests began to be attracted to this movement. Some were attracted quickly, while others resisted this attraction for a long time. But sooner or later, every truthful and selfless person had to become connected with this truth.

The Extraordinary Influence of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) Character

During this period, the leader of the movement, the Prophet (peace be upon him), clearly demonstrated through his life the movement’s fundamental principles and every aspect for which it existed. Islam’s true vitality flowed from each of his words, deeds, and activities, and people came to understand what Islam was.

His wife, Lady Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), was the wealthiest woman in the Hijaz. The Prophet (peace be upon him) conducted business with her wealth. When the call of Islam began, all her business and commerce came to an end. Since he was fully occupied with his missionary work and had made all Arabia his enemy, business could no longer continue. Over several years, the husband and wife spent everything that remained from their earlier days on spreading this movement. Eventually, when he went to Ta’if, the man who had once been the leading merchant of the Hijaz could not even obtain a donkey for his mount.

The Quraysh offered the Prophet (peace be upon him) the throne of the government of the Hijaz. They said, “We will make you our king, marry you to the most beautiful woman in Arabia, and heap mountains of wealth at your feet, on the condition that you abandon this movement.” But the man who had arisen for the liberation and welfare of humanity rejected all these offers and chose to endure abuse and stones.

The Quraysh and Arab chiefs said, “Muhammad, how can we come and sit with you, and how can we listen to you, when slaves, the poor, and (God forbid) low-born people are always seated in your assembly? You have gathered around you the lowest people in our estimation. Send them away so that we may meet with you.” But the man who had come to make human beings equal, high and low alike, refused to drive away the poor for the sake of the wealthy.

For the sake of the movement, the Prophet (peace be upon him) cared nothing for the interests of his country, nation, tribe, or family. Those who believed were his own; those who did not believe were the others. This alone firmly convinced the people of the world that he had appeared as a human being solely for the welfare of humanity, and this was what attracted every country and nation to his call. If he had been concerned for his family, what interest would non-Hashimites have had in that concern? If he had been anxious to preserve the authority and dominion of the Quraysh by any means, what concern would non-Qurayshites have had in joining this work? If he had worked for Arab superiority, what need would Bilal of Abyssinia (may Allah be pleased with him), Suhayb of Rome (may Allah be pleased with him), and Salman of Persia (may Allah be pleased with him) have had to assist him? In reality, what attracted everyone was pure worship of God and a position above personal, family, and national interests. (173)

References

1. Added by the author

2. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, Bani Isra’il, note 92

3. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Az-Zumar, note 64

4. Added by the author]

5. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 1, Al-An‘am, note 29

6. Added by the author

7. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Az-Zumar, note 27

8. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Ash-Shura, note 38

9. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, At-Tawbah, note 31

10. Added by the author

11. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Qasas, notes 80–85

12. Added by the author

13. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Anbiya, note 5

14. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Furqan, notes 14–17

15. Added by the author

16. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Anbiya, note 10

17. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 5, At-Taghabun, notes 11–13

18. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, Bani Isra’il, note 108

19. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, Yusuf, note 79

20. Added by the author

21. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, Bani Isra’il, note 63

22. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Az-Zukhruf, notes 30–32

24. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Al-Mu’min, notes 75–76

25. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, An-Nahl, note 4

26. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Al-Ahqaf, notes 15–16

27. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Ash-Shu‘ara, note 81

28. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Sad, note 8

29. Added by the author

30. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Mu’minun, note 27

31. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Mu’minun, note 36

32. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 5, At-Tur, note 22

33. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 6, At-Takwir, note 21

34. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Ash-Shu‘ara, notes 130–133

35. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Ad-Dukhan, note 12

36. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, An-Nahl, note 70

37. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Qasas, note 64

38. Added by the author

39. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Furqan, note 18

40. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 4, Saba, notes 66–67

41. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Saba, notes 66–67

42. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 6, Al-Qalam, notes 2–4

43. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, Al-A‘raf, note 143

44. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Ash-Shu‘ara, note 142

45. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Ash-Shu‘ara, note 143

46. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Ash-Shu‘ara, note 144

47. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 5, At-Tur, note 25

48. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, Bani Isra’il, note 54

49. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 5, Qaf, note 5

50. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-Furqan, note 55

51. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, Bani Isra’il, note 106

52. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-‘Ankabut, note 91

53. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 6, Al-Muddaththir, note 39

54. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 1, Al-An‘am, notes 5–7

55. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 1, Al-An‘am, notes 26–27

56. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 2, Ar-Ra‘d, note 47

57. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Vol. 3, Al-‘Ankabut, note 88

58. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, Yunus, Note 21

59. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Qasas, Note 109

60. Added by the author

61. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, As-Sajdah, Note 1

62. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, As-Sajdah, Notes 2–4

63. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, Yunus, Note 45

64. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, Bani Isra’il, Note 105

65. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, Hud, Note 14

67. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, Yunus, Note 46

68. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Furqan, Notes 44–46

69. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, An-Nahl, Notes 102–106

70. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Furqan, Note 12

71. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ha Mim Sajdah, Note 54

72. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ha Mim Sajdah, Note 1

73. Added by the author

74. Added by the author

75. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Al-Jathiyah, Note 44

76. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Al-Jathiyah, Note 34

77. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, Ar-Ra’d, Note 12

78. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Saba, Note 10

79. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, An-Nazi’at, Note 4

80. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ya Sin, Notes 64–67

81. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, Bani Isra’il, Note 56

82. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, Al-Hajj, Notes 5–6

83. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, As-Sajdah, Notes 20–21

84. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, As-Saffat, Notes 8–9

85. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Al-Mu’min, Note 79

86. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, An-Nazi’at, Note 14

87. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, As-Saffat, Notes 8–12

88. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Ghashiyah, Note 7

89. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Qaf, Note 4

90. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Qaf, Note 4

91. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Qaf, Note 4

92. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Qaf, Note 18

93. Added by the author

94. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Qiyamah, Note 24

95. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Qiyamah, Note 2

96. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Sad, Notes 29–30

97. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, At-Taghabun, Notes 15–17

98. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ad-Dukhan, Notes 31–32

99. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Al-Jathiyah, Notes 27–28

100. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Al-Jathiyah, Note 33

101. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Qalam, Notes 19–23

102. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, At-Takwir, Note 9

103. Added by the author

104. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Qiyamah, Notes 3–5

105. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Qiyamah, Note 15

106. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Ad-Dahr, Note 21

107. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, At-Takathur, Notes 1–3

108. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Mutaffifin, Note 1

109. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Fajr, Notes 11–14

110. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Ma’un, Note 7

111. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Mulk, Note 4

112. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Ad-Dahr, Notes 3–5

113. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Az-Zumar, Note 45

114. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Al-Mu’min, Note 28

115. Added by the author

116. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Qaf, Note 21

117. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Infitar, Note 7

118. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Az-Zalzalah, Notes 2–4

119. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Kahf, Note 46

120. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Al-Qamar, Note 28

121. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Al-Mujadilah, Note 17

122. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ya Sin, Note 55

123. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ya Sin, Note 55

124. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ha Mim Sajdah, Note 25

125. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ya Sin, Note 9

126. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Al-Jathiyah, Note 42

127. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Az-Zumar, Note 80

128. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Adiyat, Note 8

129. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, At-Tariq, Notes 5–7

130. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, At-Tariq, Notes 5–7

131. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Qiyamah, Notes 9–10

132. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Qiyamah, Note 20

133. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Fajr, Note 17

134. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Infitar, Note 3

135. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Az-Zalzalah, Notes 5–7

136. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Fatir, Notes 39–40

137. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Abasa, Note 22

138. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Ma’arij, Note 11

139. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Al-Mu’min, Note 31032

140. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, An-Naba, Notes 23–24

141. Added by the author

142. Added by the author

143. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Ash-Shams, Notes 4–6

144. Added by the author

145. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Balad, Notes 9–10

146. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, At-Tin, Notes 2–4

147. Added by the author

148. Added by the author

149. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Al-Hujurat, Note 28

150. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Ar-Rum, Note 18

151. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Hajj, Note 132

152. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Qasas, Note 73

153. Added by the author

154. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Lahab, Introduction

155. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Al-Hujurat, Note 18

156. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 6, Al-Balad, Note 14

157. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Al-Hujurat, Note 26

158. Added by the author

159. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 4, Ha Mim Sajdah, Note 136

160. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 1, Al-Baqarah, Note 144

161. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 1, Aal Imran, Note 88

162. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, At-Tawbah, Note 80

163. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Ankabut, Notes 94–99

164. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, At-Tawbah, Note 18

165. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Al-Mujadilah, Note 37

166. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Ankabut, Notes 17–18

167. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 3, Al-Ankabut, Notes 17–18

168. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 2, At-Tawbah, Note 111

169. Tafhim al-Qur’an: Volume 5, Al-Mumtahanah, Note 13

170. Taken from “The Islamic State”: pages 159–176

171. Added by the author

172. Added by the author

173. Taken from “The Path of the Islamic Revolution”