“And verily, you (O Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã) are on an exalted standard of character.”

(Al-Qalam, 68: 4)

Ayah quoted by trans.

Chapter Two

Why Was The Messenger A Human

“Say: ‘If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace
and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an
angel as a Messenger.’” (Al-Isrâ', 17: 95)

Mecca
that witnessed the birth of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (may Allah bless him
and grant him peace), and the events that encircled his Message, holds a
special honorary place in the Sight of The Almighty, because the first House
placed to mankind for worshipping Allah was that at Sanctified Mecca. Allah
says (what means):

“Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was
that at Bakkah (Mecca), full of blessing, and a guidance for all kinds of
beings.” (Âl-‘Imrân, 3: 96)

The
angels built it and showed it to Adam and Eve (peace be upon them) to worship
Allah there. It is a place dedicated to worship only and to offering Salah
(Prayers) that embodies the spiritual relationship and communication between
Allah and His servants.

Adam
(peace be upon him) received the doctrine directly from Allah, all praise and
glory be to Him, and was entrusted with conveying it to his Children. But with
the passage of time the Children of Adam made distortions and substitutions in
the Law of Allah. They worshipped idols, stones, stars, animals, the sun, and
other false gods. Born of the negligence that befell the Children of Adam,
there had to come a Messenger who would remind them of the Law of Allah, all
praise and glory be to Him, and restore them to the worship of Allah, Alone.

With
the passage of time and people’s negligence of the House, the landmarks that
used to pinpoint its place were obliterated. The House of Allah is the piece of
land on which rise the Sanctuary and the space above it. The expanse of air
above the Sanctified Ka‘bah till the highest sky is an extension to the House
of Almighty Allah [Al-Baitul-Ma‘mûr: the House over the heavens parable to the Ka‘bah
at Mecca, continuously visited by the angels]. Therefore, a second and a
third floor were built in the Sanctuary. And the same applies to every House
(Masjid) of Allah.

The
space that rises over a Masjid is an extension to it, and from there the angels
descend on the prayers. Therefore, the Masjids or Houses built at a corner
below the buildings are not considered Masjids, except if exigency impelled to
offer Salah in them. Because above such Masjids that are constructed under
buildings and within apartments are people perhaps in a state of impurity.

It
means that angels do not descend there, and the Prayers offered in such corners
are like the Congregational Prayers offered in any ordinary room, except if
necessity dictated so, because dire necessity sanctions the prohibition [“But if one is forced by necessity without willful
disobedience nor transgressing due limits, then there is no sin on him”
(Al-Baqarah, 2: 173)].

The
Sacred House of Allah is the only Masjid on the face of the earth chosen by
Allah, all praise and glory be to Him. All the Masjids on the earth are places
of worship chosen by the creatures of Allah. But the Sacred Masjid of Allah in
Mecca is the selection of Allah Alone. Therefore, it became the Qiblah
[Direction faced in Prayers] of all the Masjids and prayers all over the
universe. The Masjid that Allah Himself has chosen as a place of worship.
Therefore, the whole earth has been made a Masjid (a place for praying) to the
Muslims as established by the Prophetic hadith saying, “And the earth has been made for me a place for prostration
(masjid) and its soil a purifier [Tayammum: The ablution which is performed
when no clean water is available, it involves using clean earth (i.e. dust or
soil)].”

Ibrahim And The Place Of The House

It is
reported that when the Children of Adam sank into a state of negligence,
erosion and natural forces effaced the special landmarks of the Sacred House.
It is also reported that the flood, which drowned the whole earth during the
era of Nuh (Noah, peace be upon him), wiped the signs that marked and showed
the place of the House to people.

When
we wish to mark a spot on land and make it known to people there are two basic
factors: a place and a sign. The place is the stretch of land that we want to
mark and show to people, whereas the sign is what guides people to that place.
Therefore, the place of the Sacred House has remained as it is, affected by
nothing. But the sign that guides people was gone or effaced, so in turn the
place became unknown to people.

Thereupon,
Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, guided Ibrahim (Abraham, peace be upon
him) to the place of the House and showed it to him, but why? To raise its
foundations so that people would be guided to its place. It follows that the
place of the Sacred House is present on earth since the world was made, but the
guiding sign is the factor that was effaced, as substantiated by the glorious
Ayah in which The Truth, all praise and glory be to Him, says (what means):

“And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim (Abraham) the site of the
(Sacred) House (the Ka‘bah at Mecca) (saying): ‘Associate not anything (in
worship) with Me, and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it, and
those who stand up for prayer, and those who bow (submit themselves with
humility and obedience to Allah), and make prostration (in prayer, etc.).’”
(Al-Hajj, 22: 26)

Allah,
all praise and glory be to Him, showed the place of the House to Ibrahim (peace
be upon him) who raised the foundations or the part raised above land, i.e.,
the Holy Ka‘bah, which served to indicate the place of the House. Al-Masjidul-Haram
[The Sacred Masjid at Mecca] is not the Holy Ka‘bah – rather the Ka‘bah is the
sign that guides people to the place of the Sacred Masjid.

Purity Of Al-Masjidul-Haram

Allah,
all praise and glory be to Him, established His House at that place on earth
for worship, therefore when man enters Al-Masjidul-Haram [The Sacred
Masjid at Mecca] he should only occupy himself with worshipping his Lord and
detach himself from this world. He should take it off with his shoe and throw
it outside the Sacred House of Allah. He should devote himself only to bowing,
prostration and glorifying Allah.

But
the dereliction that man fell into made him set up in the House of Allah that
which was worshipped instead of Him. It made man place idols inside the House
of Allah, which are but stones that he himself had shaped. None thought how
could a creature create a god! Or how could the god be of stone, with neither
might nor power! But the cause is absence of mind and alienation from the Law
of Allah.

People
want to live their lives according to their own desires: to tyrannize, steal,
commit every vice and give free reign to their desires. The supreme wish of a
disbeliever is to find a god without a law; in other words, a god that does not
impose on him any action according to a law.

He
will then act as he pleases in life and at the same time will think that he
satisfies the instinct of piety and faith that Allah has created mankind with,
without which the life of people will never be right. The Message of the
Prophet of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came to purify the
House of Allah from any trace of polytheism and restore the purity of man’s
heart, soul and mind so that worship becomes purely to Allah, Alone, till the
Day Allah inherits the earth and whatsoever is thereon.

Muhammad,
the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), came to the
universe after Allah has fully prepared to his arrival, through the Prophets
who heralded the blessed news of his advent. Allah, all praise and glory be to
Him, stated his descriptions in the celestial Books that were revealed before
the Noble Qur’an, so that the people of the Book (the Christians and the Jews)
would recognize him and none on the Day of Judgment would have any excuse for
not believing in him. Therefore, the Torah and the Gospel embrace the
descriptions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace).

Certainly,
believers at any time or place thirst for knowing the features of the Messenger
of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace); we will relate what ‘Ali
bin Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) has said, to water the thirst of
the love that the believers have to the Last Messenger (may Allah bless him and
grant him peace).

The Description Of Muhammad

‘Ali
bin Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) is the fourth successor to the
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). He was the first
to believe in the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
from the boys. It is known that Abu Talib was the Prophet’s uncle and guardian,
and ‘Ali’s father. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace) used to send ‘Ali to the people of Yemen to invite them to Islam. A
Jewish rabbi used to attend the assembly of people who used to listen to ‘Ali’s
speech about the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

The
Jewish rabbi once asked ‘Ali saying, “Describe to
us the Messenger of Allah, Abul-Qasim, Muhammad bin ‘Abdullah.” The Jewish rabbi was holding a book in his hand
and every time ‘Ali talked, the Jew leafed through the book, as if reviewing
(in his book) the descriptions that ‘Ali gave.

‘Ali
bin Abu Tâlib said, “The Messenger of Allah was
neither short nor very tall.” In other words, the Messenger of Allah
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was of medium height, neither short
nor conspicuously tall.

‘Ali
added, “His hair was neither curly nor completely
straight.” In other words, his hair
was black, in between straight and curly.

‘Ali
bin Abu Talib said, “He had large eyes, long
eyelashes, and his eyes had a tinge of red. He had a thick beard and a rosy
complexion.” In another narration ‘Ali said, “He was white-skinned, having a reddish tinge. His eyes
were large with jet black pupils and his eyelashes, long.” In other
words, his face was rosy, bright and glowing of a whiteness tinged with red.

‘Ali
bin Abu Talib said, “The Messenger (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) had big hands and feet, and broad shoulders.”
In other words, he had great bones at joints, i.e. the knees, elbows and
shoulders, a sign of bodily strength. The hands and feet of the Messenger (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) were also big and his fingers strong.

‘Ali
continued saying, “When he walked, he would walk
briskly as if descending a slope. When he turned, he would turn his whole body2 and between his two shoulders was the
Seal of Prophethood. He was the Last of the Prophets; he had the most generous
hand and open heart of all people; he was the most truthful of all people, the
best of them in temperament, and the most sociable amongst them. Whoever
unexpectedly saw him would stand in awe of him and whoever accompanied him and
got to know him would love him.”

.As

though the land beneath him lowered itself out of awe, so he leaned forward in
his movement.

‘Ali
completed his portrayal of the graceful picture saying, “I have never seen anybody like him, neither before nor
after him.”

The Rabbi Declares His Islam

Then
‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) fell silent, whereupon the Jewish rabbi
continued the narration from the book he held in hand, saying, “His eyes have a tinge of red, he has a graceful beard, a
handsome mouth, perfectly shaped ears, and comes with his whole body and goes
with his whole body.”

 

‘Ali
bin Abu Talib answered him, “By Allah this is the
very description of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him
peace.”

The
Jewish rabbi added, “He leaned forward in his
walk.”

‘Ali
bin Abu Tâlib said, “My very words, as if
descending a slope,” means as if the land is lowering itself before
him.

The
Jewish rabbi said, “These qualities are written in
this book that belonged to my forefathers,” pointing to the book he
held.

Then
the Jewish rabbi added, “Also written: His glory
would be send forth from the Sanctuary of Allah, His Safe Land and the location
of His House. Then, he would migrate to a Sanctuary that he himself would
sanctify (would make it a sanctuary), i.e., the Prophetic Sanctuary in
Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah [Medina, The Luminous City]. This sanctuary would be of the same inviolability as
the Sanctuary Allah declared inviolable.”

The
dialogue continued between ‘Ali bin Abu Talib and the Jewish rabbi about the
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and the statements
of the Torah. Then, the Jewish rabbi declared his Islam saying, “I testify that he is the Prophet of Allah and His
Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) to all mankind.”

The Majestic Appearance Of The Messenger    

The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) looked majestic
and highly honored. His face shined as the full moon on a moonlit night. If
something pleased him his whole face glittered with joy. His eyebrows were fine
with a space between them revealing a vein that manifested itself at time of
anger at something.

A
light hovered above the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace), a luminous halo above his head. He had very black eyes, a broad mouth
and smooth cheeks i.e., none of his cheeks protruded or had on it pimples. His
teeth were slightly set apart i.e., his teeth were even with little delicates
spaces, and when he talked light was seen shining forth his front teeth. He had
a broad chest between the shoulders and a neck as pure as sliver.

On his
back was the seal of prophethood, which the celestial Books before the Noble
Qur’an specified. Of all people, the face of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) was the handsomest and his manners the noblest.
When he sat his shoulders were higher than all those sitting around him and if
anyone shook hands with him the hand of the greeter was generously scented with
a sweet fragrant.

The
scent of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was
pleasanter than perfume and his sweat as well. His scent often heralded his
arrival wherever he went.

The honorable
Companion Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said about him, “We used to know that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) had arrived by his sweet scent, for his pleasant
scent used to precede him wherever he went and when he sat the place was filled
with his fragrance.”

The
son of Lady Khadijah (may Allah be pleased with her), Hind bin Abu Halah (may
Allah be pleased with him), described the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace) before he married Lady Khadijah (may Allah be pleased
with her) saying, “His gaze is always lowered
down, the time he spends looking to the ground is longer than that towards sky.
He is the first to greet whomever he meets. Of continuous grief and thoughts.
His smell is pleasant. Never speaks without need.” Means that the
noble Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) grieved for those
people in whose hearts the light of Islam, that came to please mankind, did not
enter.

Among The Gracious Attributes Of The Messenger

The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was never bored of
contemplation. Never had usual habits that mastered him and thus he weakened
before them. He never engaged himself in anything but truth. His words were
precise, none spoken more or less. He never spoke embarrassing or unfriendly
words. He glorified the Blessings and never dispraised nor praised any food he
tasted, so that none would say that he favored some kinds of food over others,
for all the Blessings that Allah bestows deserves glorification. He never felt
angry for his person (when wronged) or sought to heal it with an answer back.
When he talked He well articulated the words to be understood by those
listening to him.

Al-Hassan
(may Allah be pleased wit him) asked his father ‘Ali bin Abu Talib (may Allah
honor his face), saying, “How did the Messenger of
Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) enter any place?”     

‘Ali
replied, “Allowing himself to enter was after
taking leave,” which means that before entering any place the noble
Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to ask permission from
people inside, whether they were ready to receive him or not, though the
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was dearer to the
believers than their own selves.

When
the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) stayed at home
he used to divide his time into three: a time dedicated to Allah, a second to
the family and a third to himself. The first was spent in a retreat for
worship, the second was a place for his family and a third where he used to sit
alone or meet his Companions. The closest people to him were the most virtuous,
based on their superiority in following the Religion of Allah. When the needy
knocked his door, his heart and mind were to them, engaged with their cares,
and endeavoring to engage them in what may set aright all their affairs.

The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim. He should neither
oppress him, nor desert him (to oppression or oppressors). Whoever fulfills the
needs of his brother, Allah will fulfill his needs. And whoever relieves a
Muslim of a distress, Allah will relieve him of one of the distresses of the
Day of Resurrection, and whoever screens (avoids exposing the faults of) a
Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection.”

Al-Hussain
(may be pleased with him) asked his father ‘Ali bin Abu Talib (may Allah honor
his face) about the departure of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him
and grant him peace) and the manners he observed in it, and he answered, “The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace) talked but little, and only in matters concerning him. He brought the hearts he met into harmony and never severed
between them. He used to honor the noble among every group of people and charge
him with the task of watching over them. He used to call on his friends and ask
about those absent among them. He used to ask people about what troubles people
and he used to praise the good thing and correct the bad and weaken it.”

“He was temperate, never neglect paying heed to any conversation,
statement or matter so that people will not be heedless. He never stepped away
from or beyond rightness. He never favored someone over others in his assembly.
He loved the man who excelled others in giving good advice and showing
compassion and cooperation. He only talked in what may do good. His words
called people’s hearts and minds together, and he loved that hearts be one with
love and not separated by hatred.”

‘Ali
bin Abu Talib added, “The Messenger of Allah (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace) entrusted the leadership of people to the
most generous among them, meaning the one most free-handed in dealing with
people. Because the generous would give of his own self to others and his
success to rule them is won by how much he can do for their sake. He would
never enforce upon them something against their will. The Messenger of Allah
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to teach his Companions insight.
He used to weigh people with the scale of respect. He used to warn against
having someone slandering his brother. He never liked backbiters and gossipers.”

“The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
used to receive people with love, compassion and cheerfulness. He used to
better good things and forbid things evil. He was always vigilant and attentive
without nervousness or anxiety, and he never neglected a matter lest negligence
should be an adopted course. He used to balance matters by the scale of justice
and never disagreed with someone for the sake of disagreement. He never allowed
hypocrisy in his assembly. He never sat in a particular place but in the place
he reached, seating himself there amongst people. He used to divide his
attention on all the attendants of his assembly, so that none would believe
himself better than the others. When meeting someone, he was never the one to
end it, but left it to the one who bid to see him. His assembly was that of
clemency, patience, modesty and honesty. His voice was never higher than what
was needed to allow his audience to hear him. He was always cheerful, lenient
and good-natured. He used to overlook a behavior that he disliked, as though he
did not see it no to embarrass anyone in his assembly.”

Ungracious Manners The Messenger Never Had

The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) forbade himself
from three: hypocrisy, excess and concerns not his. And turned away from people
in three things: never to dispraise or taunt anyone, or seek to know the faults
or defects of others. When he talked those sitting with him kept silent, and
when he stopped his Companions talked, each by his turn, not his standing. None
interrupted the other nor did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and
grant him peace) ever interrupt anyone.

The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used to laugh at
what his Companions laughed at and used to admire what they admired. When there
came a stranger ignorant of the noble standing of the Messenger of Allah (may
Allah bless him and grant him peace), he (the Prophet, may Allah bless him and
grant him peace) used to tolerate his coarseness and was kind to him. And if it
happened that the coarse manners of those strangers aroused the anger of some
of his Companions, the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) used
to bid them show tolerance.

Once a
Bedouin came asking from the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace). The Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gave him and
then asked, “Have I been good to you?”
The Bedouin answered, “No, and you have done me
well either,” which enraged the Muslims and they rose to punish him.
The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), however, signaled them
to stop. The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) then rose and
entered his house. He sent for the Bedouin and there he gave him something over
and above what he had already given him, then he asked him, “Have I been good to you?” And the Bedouin
replied, “Yes. Indeed! May Allah reward you well,
for you are a good kinsman and a good tribesman.”

Upon
that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said to him, “You said what you have said and in the souls of my
Companions is some sense of injury from that. If you like, you may say before
them what you have said before me to clear what is within their breasts against
you.”

And
the Bedouin agreed.

The
following day, or in the evening of the same day, the Bedouin came over. The
Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “This Bedouin said what he has said so we gave him more,
and he claims now that he is satisfied. Is it so?” The Bedouin
answered, “Yes. Indeed! May Allah reward you well,
for you are a good kinsman and a good tribesman.”

Upon
that, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “The parable of me and this Bedouin is that of a man who
had a she-camel that ran loose, so people pursued it, but they only increased its flight. So its owner called on them saying,
‘Clear the path between me and my she-camel, for I am kinder to it than you and
know best its temperament.’ Then he approached it from its front side, having
picked for it from the waste of the earth. He turned it back (gently) until it
came and knelt down. He then saddled it and mounted it. Verily, had I let you
alone when the man said what he said, then you killed him he would have entered
Hellfire.”

The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was patient and
meek, patient in the face of anger and meek in the face of ignorance. He was
firm against hypocrisy, blessed with a bright face and a sweet voice.

 

The Humanity Of The Messenger

“Is it wonder for mankind that We have sent Our Inspiration to a
man from among themselves (i.e. Prophet Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã) (saying): ‘Warn
mankind (of the coming torment in Hell), and give good news to those who
believe (in the Oneness of Allah and in His Prophet Muhammad) that they shall
have with their Lord the rewards of their good deeds?’ (But) the disbelievers
say: ‘This is indeed an evident sorcerer (i.e. Prophet Muhammad, Õáì Çááå
Úáíå æÓáã, and the Qur’an)!’” (Yûnus, 10: 2)

The
Truth, Blessed and Exalted be He, chose an honorable human to be His Messenger,
a choice which the hypocrites and disbelievers would oppose till the Day of
Judgment. Every messenger who came before the Messenger Muhammad (may Allah
bless him and grant him peace) was a human and every messenger his people
attacked for being a human.

Recite
the glorious Ayah in which The Truth, all praise and glory be to Him, says
(what means):

“The chiefs of the disbelievers among his people said: ‘We see you
but a man like ourselves, nor do we see any follow you but the meanest among us
and they (too) followed you without thinking. And we do not see in you any merit
above us, in fact we think you are liars.’” (Hûd, 11: 27)

This
glorious Ayah was revealed regarding the People of Nuh (Noah, peace be upon
him), the first Messenger sent after Adam (peace be upon him).

There
is also the glorious Ayah in which The Truth, all praise and glory be to Him,
says (what means):

“Has not the news reached you, of those before you, the people of
Nuh (Noah), and ‘Ad, and Thamud? And those after them? None knows them but
Allah.”  (Ibrâhîm, 14: 9)     

What
did the people of Nuh, ‘Ad, Thamud, and those after them say to their
Messengers?

The
Noble Qur’an narrates to us, saying (what means):

“They said: ‘You are no more than human beings like us! You wish to
turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us a clear
authority i.e. a clear proof of what you say).’” (Ibrâhîm, 14: 10)

 

When
Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, sent Shuaib (peace be upon him) to his
people to tell them that they should give full measure, and weigh with the true
and straight balance, they answered:

“You are but a human being like us and verily, we think that you
are one of the liars!” (Ash-Shu‘arâ’, 26: 186)

And
Thamud who said to their Prophet Salih (Saleh, peace be upon him) (what means):

“For they said: ‘A man! Alone from among us, that we are to follow?
Truly, then we should be in error and distress or madness!’” (Al-Qamar, 54: 24)

    

Also,
the people of Pharaoh belied Musa (Moses, peace be upon him) and his brother
Aaron (peace be upon him) saying:

“They said: ‘Shall we believe in two men like ourselves, and their
people are obedient to us with humility (and we use them to serve us as we
like).’” (Al-Mu’minûn, 23: 47)

Afterwards
the Truth, all praise and glory be to Him, presented the issue in its entirety
in the glorious Ayah saying (what means):

“Has not the news reached you of those who disbelieved aforetime?
And so they tasted the evil result of their disbelief, and theirs will be a
painful torment. That was because there came to them their Messengers with
clear proofs (signs), but they said: ‘Shall mere men guide us?’ So they
disbelieved and turned away (from the truth), and Allah was not in need (of
them). And Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all praise.”
(At-Taghâbun, 64: 5-6)

Similarly,
the humanity of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace) was seized as basis for raising doubts about his Message. Recite the
glorious Ayah in which The Truth, all praise and glory be to Him, says (what
means):

“With their hearts occupied (with evil things) those who do wrong,
conceal their private counsels, (saying): ‘Is this (Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã) other than a
human being like you? Will you submit to magic while you see it?’” (Al-Anbiyâ’,
21: 3)

Obeying Allah And His Messenger

 

We can
see that the humanity of the messengers is an issue attacked by the hypocrites
and disbelievers since the earliest celestial Messages and still is to this
very day. We also find people who take the humanity of the Messenger of Allah
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace) as a pretext not to follow his Sunnah
[The way of life prescribed as normative in Islam, based on the teachings and
practices of Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and on exegesis
of the Noble Qur’an], or keep his commands. Others claim that the Sunnah is not
obligatory; those who follow it are to be rewarded and those who abandon it are
not to be punished… to the end of what we hear up to now.

Those
people have certainly forgotten the glorious Ayat saying (what means):

“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã).”
(An-Nisâ’, 4: 59)

“Say: ‘Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger (Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã):
but if you turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and you
for that placed on you. If you obey him, you shall be on right guidance. The
Messenger’s duty is only to preach the clear (Message).’” (An-Nûr, 24:
54)

“So establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and obey the
Messenger (Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã);
that you may receive mercy.” (An-Nûr, 24: 56)

And
the glorious Ayah in which The Almighty says (what means):

“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå æÓáã) gives you, take
it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).” (Al-Hashr, 59: 7)

And
the glorious Ayah in which The Exalted and Ever-Majestic King says (what
means):     

“Say (O Muhammad Õáì Çááå
Úáíå æÓáã to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e.
accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah), Allah will love
you and forgive you of your sins.’” (Âl-‘Imrân, 3: 31)

“Say (O Muhammad Õáì Çááå
Úáíå æÓáã): ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger
(Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå
æÓáã).’” (Âl-‘Imrân, 3: 32)

And
the glorious Ayah in which The Most Exalted says (what means):

“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad, Õáì Çááå Úáíå
æÓáã) has indeed obeyed Allah.” (An-Nisâ’, 4: 80)

From
the aforementioned glorious Ayat we can surely see that Allah, all praise and
glory be to Him, orders us to obey Him and His Messenger (Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant
him peace). Allah gave His Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)
in the seventh Ayah from Surat Al-Hashr the authority of legislating to people.

We can
see that following the Sunnah is an obligation on the strength of the Qur’anic
texts. Furthermore, many matters revealed in the Noble Qur’an outlined the
principles, whereas giving the details was entrusted to the Messenger Muhammad
(may Allah bless him and grant him peace).    

As-Salah
(offering
Prayers) was stated as an enjoined duty in the glorious Ayah saying (what
means):

“So establish regular Prayer and give regular Charity; and obey the
Messenger; that you may receive mercy.” (An-Nûr, 24: 56)

 

But
the Noble Qur’an did not state the number of Salat (Prayers(, nor their fixed times, nor the number of rak‘ahs [The
Prayer of Muslims consists of Rak‘ât or Rak‘ahs (singular-rak‘ah).
Rak‘ah represents a unit of the Prayer and consists of one standing, one
bowing and two prostrations with a sitting in between] making up each Prayer or
the way of offering Prayers. But the Sunnah details all. So, how can we manage
without Sunnah? If we abandon it how can we offer Prayers? How can we perform
Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca) without being taught all Hajj rituals by the
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)?

Attempters
or callers to non-observance or abandonment of the Sunnah are actually calling
to abandon As-Salah and Al-Hajj, besides desertion of many other
religious matters. We can only understand Islam, as decreed by Allah, through
the interpretation given by the Sunnah, and we can only worship Allah as should
be by following the Noble Qur’an as Law, and the Sunnah as an interpreter and
an expounder.

The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “I have received (of Revelation) the Noble Qur’an and as
much again therewith (Sunnah).”

The
Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, “I have left with you what, if you follow, you shall never
go astray: The Book of Allah and my Sunnah.”

Therefore,
the Sanctified Prophetic Sunnah should be followed and certainly it suffices
alone the glorious Ayah in which Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, says
(what means):

“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad, Õáì Çááå
Úáíå æÓáã) has indeed obeyed Allah.”
(An-Nisâ’, 4: 80)

 

Angels Are Not Fit To deliver The Divine Message

We now
return to the humanity of the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him
peace). When Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, chooses those who are to
convey His Message, He chooses a messenger belonging to the same race of the
recipients. If the messenger is sent to humans he must be a human likewise,
because angels cannot serve as messengers to mankind but are sent by the
Command of the Supreme Ordainer regarding certain issues, and here we can pose
a question:

Why should the messenger be
human?

The
messenger conveys the Law of Allah, meaning he is to inform people about the
Divine Message, so he must be one of the people, speak their language and know
their habits to be able to convey the Message. People must have known him
before the mission: known his honesty, truthfulness and noble manners. He
should not be known among them by lying or have bad manners or other evils. If
so, none would believe him. His honesty, noble manners, and truthfulness must
gain people’s respect and trust, to be certain that this messenger who never
lied to people would never utter falsehood against Allah.

Not
only would the messengers convey the Divine Law but they would also teach
people how to apply it.  The Law of
Heaven is theoretical and must be practically applied so that people would see
their messenger offering Prayers, performing Hajj and applying the Divine Law
before them in a practical sense in order to follow him. Therefore, the
humanity of the messenger is a must and his call is divine, either
communicating revelations, divinely inspired utterances or upright behavior.

Still
we demand why a human? Because if Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, sent
down angels as messengers, people would not know them, being angels not living
on the earth. Even if we assumed that the Truth, all praise and glory be to
Him, has made them known to people, they would say, “Such angelic messengers
could not be an example to us, because they are created from light, fast and
agile, and we are created from clay, slow-moving. They are angels created
infallible and execute the Commands they receive from Allah. But we are humans
may do right or err.”

Therefore,
angels could not be messengers to humans, because their powers and nature
differ from those of humans. Allah willed that His Messenger (may Allah bless
him and grant him peace) be a human just as his people to whom he was sent, so
that none would dare argue on the Day of Judgment, saying, “O Lord, you have
burdened us beyond our power and enjoined on us what we could not do.” The
answer would simply be that your messenger was a human like you. In spite of
that he was able to faithfully apply the Divine law without feeling burdened
beyond the capacity of humans.

Furthermore,
Allah has sent you people a messenger you knew already and you used to admire
his person and manners before being assigned the trust of conveying the
Message, so you have no excuse on the Day of Judgment.

Allah,
all praise and glory be to Him, brings forward this issue in the Noble Qur’an
and settles it by saying (what means):

“And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to
them, except that they said: ‘Has Allah sent a man as (His) Messenger?’ Say:
‘If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We
should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a
Messenger.’” (Al-Isrâ’, 17: 94-95)

The
aforesaid glorious Ayat mean that angels do not live an earthly life like
humans; therefore they could not be messengers. In addition, with our human
faculties we cannot see the angels, how then can we follow the example of
something unseen to us?

Then
comes forth the glorious Ayah saying (what means):

“Had we appointed an angel (Our messenger), We assuredly had made
him (as) a man (that he might speak to men); and (thus) obscured for them (the
truth) they (now) obscure.” (Al-An‘âm, 6: 9)

The
Truth, all praise and glory be to Him, draws our attention that had He sent an
angel He would surely have made him a man clothed the way we are to see him,
and in that case we would have before us the image of a human.

In
conclusion, the humanity of the messenger is a must and his Call is divinely
inspired, for his people to know him and he can apply the Divine Law before
them, so that they would be able to follow him and receive from him the correct
application of the Law of Heaven. Also, before the start of his prophetic
mission he should serve as the perfect exemplar of all nobleness, worthy to be
followed, and he should be known among the people to whom he is sent. All these
conditions are an intrinsic part of delivering the message to mankind and if
any is disturbed so will honoring the Message.

The Honesty And Truthfulness Of The Messenger

 

When
Allah, all praise and glory be to Him, chose His Messenger (may Allah bless him
and grant him peace) He chose him a human and sent him to his people among whom
he lived for forty years before being entrusted with the Message. People never
heard him utter a single lie but he was known amongst them as the honest
truth-teller. If anyone feared for the safety of a valuable object he would
entrust it to his care. People used to believe him and take him as a judge in
all disputes between them. Even after the revelation of the Message, the
disbelievers who rejected the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant
him peace) found none other than him for safekeeping of every precious
possession.   

Therefore,
when the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) migrated to
Medina, he asked ‘Ali (may Allah honor his face) to hand back the trusts. Such
was the humanity of the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace),
about which the hypocrites and the disbelievers argued, which only embodied an
inherent condition for delivering the Message and the Justice of Judgment on
the Day of Resurrection. The messengers are humans and the people to whom they
are sent are humans as well, so none is justified to claim that messengers are
creatures capable of what is beyond human power, who brought them a doctrine
they cannot fulfill.

When
the Prophet Sulaiman (Solomon, peace be upon him) asked his council to bring
him the throne of Balqis (the Queen of Sheba), he summoned mankind, jinns and
others, and asked them to bring him the throne before she would arrive. The
Truth, all praise and glory be to Him, says (what means):

“A stalwart from the jinns said: ‘I will bring it to you before you
rise from your place (council). And verily, I am indeed strong, and trustworthy
for such work.’ One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: ‘I will
bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!’” (An-Naml, 27: 39-40)

Though
eager to fulfill the request of Sulaiman none from ordinary mankind dared to
say, “I will bring it to you.” But the first to speak was one of the
strong jinns, why? Because humans are governed by certain laws, and bringing
the throne of Balqis with the speed Sulaiman desired is something normally
beyond human power. Therefore, they all observed silence and abided by the laws
of their humanity, except the Righteous Servant with whom was
knowledge of the Scripture, because he was favored with special bestowments and
preparation that allowed him to challenge the proposal of the jinns. And the
Righteous Servant who had knowledge of the Book was truthful. He honored his
word and was able to bring the throne within the twinkling of an eye. That man
was a close pious servant, who transcended in belief and thus won an honorable
status. He deeply responded to worship and revered the Divine Attributes, so he
was granted special bestowments that empowered him to control what he wanted as
the stalwart from the jinns.

All
celestial messages never burdened humans beyond their power but with what lies
within their power.

In the
next chapter we shall discuss the Divine Revelation and the meeting of the
Angel with the noble human.