THE QURAN HONORS THE PROPHET

God talks in the most glowing of terms about all of His Prophets, peace be upon them all.  However, there is a certain way that God mentions Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.  He is mentioned in a way that is different from all else, in spite of his name only being mentioned four times.  So how does God talk about the Prophet?

Mercy to the Universe

The first that comes to mind is this oft-quoted verse of the Quran: "And we have not sent you except as a Mercy to the Universe." (Quran 21:107)  It is among the highest of praise ever given to a human being.  God has named Himself as the Most Merciful, and He has named His most beloved slave a mercy to the universe.  This summarizes what the Prophet brought to this world—mercy—and what his mission promises in the hereafter—mercy again.

The highest standard of character

Another unbelievable praise that God makes about the Prophet, peace be upon him, comes in one of the earliest surahs (chapters) in the Quran.  While people called him mad and questioned his intelligence and motives, God consoled him.  The Quran says: "And you are on the highest standard of character." (Quran 68:4)—an emphatic verse signifying how the Prophet was destined to be the best human being ever to live on Earth.

He was on the highest standard of character—the most virtuous, the most patient, the most loving, the most courteous, the most merciful among men, the best to his wife, the best to his friends, the best to his family, honest, trustworthy, and so much more.  Even his enemies testified to it.  His character was of such a level that God Himself mentioned of its greatness.

He looked up, and a verse was revealed

When the Prophet first moved to Madinah, the qiblah (direction of prayer) was still towards Jerusalem and not towards Makkah.  The Prophet found it hard to turn his back on the Kabah as he prayed.  One day he looked up to the sky.  He didn’t make a dua (supplication) or a request, he just looked up.  God not only responded to what his heart sought, but mentioned it in the Quran.  God is openly declaring His love for the Prophet in His book.

"We have certainly seen the turning of your face, towards the sky, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased.  So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque.  And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces towards it [in prayer].  Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from their Lord.  And God is not unaware of what they do." (Quran 2:144)

God consoles him

Multiple times when the Prophet was distressed, sad, or affected by the death of a near relation, God sent down verses to console him.  Numerous surahs like Surah Duha, Surah Taha, Surah Yusuf, Surah Sharh, Surah Maryam, etc.  were revealed specifically to soothe his heart.  Such was the honor of the Prophet, that his heart was soothed by God’s own words from above the seven heavens.

He never calls him by name

Among the marvels of the Quran is how God never addressed the prophet directly as Ya Muhammad (O Muhammad) like he does multiple times for other prophets like David, Moses, Zechariah, etc.  Rather God uses terms of endearment, such as "O you who is a Prophet", "O you who wraps himself", "O you who covers himself," etc.  Out of honor to the Prophet, he is never called by his own name but only by various titles and by his states which show how much God cares about him.

Defends his family and followers

God defends the Prophet from false accusations multiple times in the Quran, but not only that, He also defends and mentions his family and friends.  There are passages in the Quran directed at his wives, with the honorable term of "Mothers of the believers." His adopted son Zayd was mentioned by name.  When some people spread rumors about Aishah, may God be pleased with her, God responded to their accusations by revealing Surah Noor, in which over 20 verses are sent to defend Aisha.

These are just a few examples of how God defended His Prophet and our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.  The Prophet was a guiding light for all of us, and the more we know about him, the more we will love him.  Let us strive to learn more of the Quran and more about our Prophet. -islamreligion.com

True belief

Anas  reported that the Prophet  said: “No one of you becomes a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself”. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

Islam, through its instructions and legislations, was keen to organize people’s relation with their Lord the Almighty, in order for them to attain happiness in both this life and the Hereafter. At the same time, Islam legislates what governs people’s relations amongst each other, in order for love and harmony to prevail in the Muslim community. This can be achieved only when each individual is keen to protect and guard the welfare of others just as he would his own, and only then will the Muslim community become strongly bonded and well-established.

For this great objective to be fulfilled, the Prophet  guided his nation to accomplish the principle of solidarity saying: "No one of you becomes a true believer until he likes for his brother what he likes for himself", clarifying that for faith to become deeply rooted in the heart one must love good for others just as he likes to attain it himself, whether it is to be blessed with bounty or relieved from an agony; this is the path towards a perfect level of belief in ones heart.

If we ponder the above narration, we find that accomplishing such a state of belief requires the soul to possess a high degree of excellence and good manners when dealing with others. In this state a person overlooks mistakes, perseveres regardless of the harm others may afflict on him and forgives ill treatment. Additionally, he shares the joy and sadness of his fellow Muslims; he visits the sick, comforts the needy, sponsors the orphan, provides for the widow and offers help to others and cheers them with a smile.

Just as he likes people to be happy, he also wishes that they prosper in the Hereafter, and thus he always strives to guide them to the right path, whilst remembering the saying of Allah (what means): “And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, `Indeed, I am of the Muslims`” [Quran 41: 33]

The narration also goes beyond the boundaries of the Muslims to cover wanting good to reach disbelievers. He likes that Allah blesses them with the bounty of belief and that Allah rescues them from the darkness of associating with Allah and disobedience. This meaning is substantiated with the narration in which the Prophet  said: "Being a true Muslim is achieved by loving for people what you love for yourself". [At-Tirmithi]

Indeed, we have the best example in our Prophet . Once Prophet  advised Abu Thar : “O Abu Thar! I see that you are a weak person, and I love for you what I love for myself, so never be in charge of (even as little as) two people, or be responsible for an orphan’s wealth". [Muslim]

Our Salaf (righteous predecessors)  took upon themselves the implication of this Prophetic advice, and were very sincere in its implementation in the best manner. Ibn ‘Abbas  said: “I pass by a verse in the Book of Allah, and wish that all people would have the knowledge I have about it.”

Another such example is that once Wasi’ Ibn Muhammad  wanted to sell his donkey and the man who was buying it from him said to him: “Do you think it is good for me”. He  replied: “Had I not thought so, I would not have attempted to sell to you in the first place.”

These two examples and many more reflect the loftiness in faith these people reached which yielded such results.

One of the implications of the narration we are addressing is that a Muslim should not want for others what he hates to happen to himself. This forces the person to shun many bad qualities, like envy, spite, selfishness, stinginess and other dispraised qualities which he would hate people to use when dealing with him.

Finally, one of the fruits of practically applying this great narration is that a virtuous community would be established for the Muslims when its members enjoy common love and a strong bond between them, so that they resemble one strong body that can not easily be defeated. Thus, the Muslim nation would achieve the sought after prosperity.-islamweb.net

Makkah - The dearest of all lands to Allah and His Messenger

The importance of values lies in the fact that they are the criterion by which people, ideologies, actions, positions and subjects can be judged and measured; moreover, values decide the identity of the community; the values in a given community have a direct effect and influence on the manners and conduct which the members of that community adopt.

Whenever the values of a community originate from the teachings of its faith, the behaviour and conduct of its people will reflect such a faith and they will certainly enjoy fine and fulfilling lives within their respective communities.

Strengthening the social values that Islam instructs and emphasises upon is the safety valve that protects and guards the community, and one of the greatest and most important of such values is to glorify the symbols of Allah. Indeed, such glorification results in lofty social customs and etiquettes that guarantee the stability of the Muslim community and assures happiness in this life and the Life to come.

Allah Almighty has made this city a Sacred and Secure one and has honoured His House (the Ka’bah); He made glorifying this city one of the most honourable acts of worship by which a person draws close to Allah; He says (what means): “That [is so]. And whoever honours the symbols [i.e. rites] of Allah — indeed, it is from the piety of hearts.” [Quran 22: 32]

Glorifying what Allah and His Messenger  have glorified results in establishing great social values that will yield countless benefits to the Muslims, and will reflect the unity of the Muslims - a nation that direct themselves to one Qiblah (direction during prayer towards Ka’bah), believe in one religion and harbour the same objectives and hopes, as if their hearts are that of a single person.

The Prophet  taught us how to build this value of glorifying Makkah - since his prophethood started in Makkah itself - in a practical manner that is away from fantasy and in a realistic manner that is easy to comprehend, and made it deeply rooted in the hearts in a way that guaranteed the continuity of such glorification by those who reside in the Sacred City and those who come to visit it. He did so with great wisdom and with tender care which caused people to long to see and glorify this Sacred City.

Words and actions that reflects its love:

Imam Al-Bukhari  reported on the authority of ‘Aai`shah  that she said: “When the Prophet  came to Al-Madeenah, both Abu Bakr and Bilal became sick. Whenever fever attacked Abu Bakr, he would recite the following verses of poetry:

A person wakes up among his household-active he is

While death is in fact closer to him than his shoelaces

Whenever fever eased from Bilal, he would recite the following verses of poetry:

Will I ever again go back to spend a night- only once

In the valley with Ith-khir and Jaleel (plants) in abundance?[1]

And will I one day again drink from the water of Mijannah? [2]

And will again see (the mountains of) Tafeel and Shamah? [3]

Then he would say: ‘O Allah! Curse Shaybah bin Rabee’ah and ‘Utbah bin Rabee’ah and Umayyah bin Khalaf as they forced us from our land to a land full of diseases’. Then the Prophet  said: “O Allah! Make Al-Madeenah dear to our hearts just like you made Makkah dear to our hearts, and even more so. O Allah! Bless our Saa’ and our Mudd [4] and make it a healthy place for us, and move its fever to the area of Al-Juhfah.” Bilal  also said: 'We arrived at Al-Madeenah and it was a land full of diseases as the valley of Bathan would have putrid water running through it.'” 

Ibn ‘Abbas  narrated: “The Prophet  said, addressing Makkah: “How good you are as a land and how dear you are to my heart! Had your people not forced me out of you, I would have never come out and left you and would have never resided in any other city but you.” [At-Tirmithi & Ibn Hibban]

Ibn ‘Abbas  narrated: “When the Prophet  was forced to leave Makkah he headed out to a cave, turned around, and said, addressing Makkah: “You are the most beloved land to Allah, and you are the most beloved land to me. Had the polytheists not forced me out of you, I would never have come out and left you. The worst enemy is the one who transgresses the sanctities of Allah, or kills a soul without due right or kills a soul as revenge from the era of pre-Islamic ignorance.” Then Allah revealed the following verse (which means): “And how many a city was stronger than your city [i.e. Makkah] which drove you out? We destroyed them; and there was no helper for them.” [Quran 47:13]” [Ibn Jareer At-Tabari] Imam Al-Qurtubi  said: “This is an authentic narration.” [End of quote]

Imam At-Tirmithi, Ahmad and ‘Abd bin Humayd  reported that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Adiyy Ibn Al-Hamraa’  narrated: “I saw the Prophet  standing on a hillock [5]  and addressing Makkah, saying: “I swear by Allah! You are the best of the lands of Allah and you are the most beloved land to Allah, and had it not been that I was forced to leave you, I would have never left you.” 

Imam Al-Fakihi  reported on the authority of ‘Amr bin Shu’ayb, who reported from his father who reported from his father that he (‘Amr’s grandfather) said: “The Prophet  sent ‘Itab bin Usayd as a leader for the people of Makkah and said to him: “Do you know where I am sending you? I am sending you to the people (dear to) Allah. There is no city dearer to Allah - the Almighty, the Glorified - and to myself than this city, and had it not been that its people forced me out of it, I would never have left it.”

This is Makkah and this is its virtue. Will we win the honour of glorifying it and loving it with its due love and glorification?

Footnotes:

[1] Jaleel: a weak plant that the residents of Makkah would use in their homes.

[2] Mijannah: a place that was a few kilometres from Makkah which had a market.

[3] Shamah and Tafeel: Two mountains about 50 Km from Makkah.

[4] Saa' and Mudd:  measures of weight for food

[5] This small hill was at the lower end of the market overlooking Makkah. -islamweb.net

CHAPTER 40, AL-GHAFIR (THE FORGIVER)

Introduction

It is generally accepted that this chapter was revealed directly after chapter thirty-nine.  Thus, it was revealed in Mecca and is one of the chapters that examine the fundamentals of faith.  It reminds us of God’s signs and favors and gives glimpses from the story of Moses and Pharaoh with life-changing lessons for us.  It also provides reassurance to Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him.

Verses 1 – 23 Signs and revelations

This chapter begins with the Arabic letters Ha and Mim.  The placement of Arabic letters at the beginning of a chapter is a narrative device used in this and 28 other chapters of the Quran.  The reason and the meaning for this is the subject of much scholarly debate, however, the answer is known only to God. 

This Book is sent down by God, the Almighty, the Forgiver of sins, the Accepter of repentance, and the One Who Bestows blessings.  None has the right to be worshipped but Him.  Only the disbelievers dispute His revelation, so do not be deceived by their prosperity and luxurious life.  In the past, the people of Noah and other communities tried to destroy their messengers and refute the message.  But it was God Who destroyed them with a terrible punishment, condemning them to the Fire. 

The angels who carry and surround the Throne celebrate the praise of their Lord and ask for forgiveness for the believers, and that they be admitted to Paradise and kept safe from the Fire. 

God shows His signs such as sending water down to sustain life, yet no one learns a lesson from this except those who turn to Him.  So be sincere no matter how much the disbelievers dislike it.  He is the Lord of the Throne and sends revelations to whomever He wills.  On the Day of Judgement each soul will account for their actions and no injustice will be done.

Have they not traveled and seen what happened to those who were mightier in strength and numbers? God destroyed them and they had no one to defend them because they repeatedly rejected their messengers.

Verses 24 – 38 An excellent speech

Moses was sent to Pharaoh, Haman, and Korah with God’s authority but they called him a magician and a liar.  They rejected the truth and ordered the sons of the believers to be killed.  Finally, Pharaoh said he wanted to kill Moses himself.  And Moses sought refuge with God.  A believer among the relatives of Pharaoh advised him to think carefully about why he would kill a man who might be speaking the truth.  Pharaoh knew Moses was right but lied and said he was only saying what he believed to be right and that he was guiding to the right way.  The believing advisor warned his people against how previous disbelieving nations were destroyed.  He reminded them about Joseph who came with clear signs, but their doubt remained.  Rejecting the truth with clear signs is a despicable attitude, and God seals the heart of the arrogant ones.  Pharaoh persisted in his rejection and defiance, and his schemes led only to destruction. 

The believing advisor urged people to follow the right way.  He said that this life was only temporary while the home in the Hereafter was permanent.  He invited them to Paradise while they invited him to the Fire.  God saved him from their terrible plots, and the people of Pharaoh were taken over by a terrible scourge.

Verses 46 – 60 God’s promise is true

On the Day of Judgement, the people of Pharaoh will enter the severest part of the Fire.  They will argue with each other about who led who to destruction and beg for relief.  They will be reminded about their messengers and told their pleas would be in vain.  God supports the messengers and the believers.

Certainly the creation of the heavens and the earth is a much greater creation than the creation of humankind.  Yet most people do not understand.  Those who can see and those who cannot are not the same.  Good and wicked deeds are not the same and the Hour will come!

Verses 61 – 85 God’s creation

God made the night for rest and the day bright to make our day to day activities easy.   He is the Creator of all things; none has the right to be worshipped except Him.  Why then are you deluded? The earth is a settlement place and the sky a canopy.  God molded your form and perfected it, then provided you with good things.  He is One and there is no deity but Him, so call on Him and be sincere to Him.  O Prophet, tell your followers that you have been forbidden to worship what they worship and you have been commanded to submit to the Lord of all the worlds. 

God created you from dust (referring to Adam), then from a sperm-drop, then developed you into a clinging clot, then you are born from the womb of your mother, and He allows you to grow to your full strength and maturity before you reach old age and the appointed term of your life, although some of you may die sooner.  God gives life and death.  He only says ‘Be’ and it is.

Those who deny the Quran and that which the messengers brought, will soon know the consequences of their deeds when they are punished in Hell with chains around their necks being dragged through scalding water.  They will be asked about those they associated with God and will admit that they have failed them. 

Prophet Muhammad is advised to be patient because God’s promise is true.  There are stories of the messengers he knows and stories he does not know.  But all messengers could not bring a sign unless it was by the permission of God.

The people of the past who were destroyed were mightier than you in strength and numbers.  Their power was of no avail.  When God’s scourge overcame them, they cried out that they now believe! But it was of no use to them. -islamreligion.com

The congregational prayer

The virtues of the congregational prayer:

Performing the (obligatory) prayers in congregation is mandatory and required of every believing adult male who has no excuse for not doing so. Many authentic Ahadeeth highlight the superiority and excellence of praying in congregation. Among these Ahadeeth are:
The Prophet  said: "The prayer in congregation is superior to the prayer performed individually by twenty-seven degrees." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

The Prophet  also said: "The prayer of a man in congregation is twenty-five times more superior (in reward) to his prayer in his house or market - and this is because he performs ablution and perfects it and goes to the mosque with the sole purpose of performing the prayer. He does not take a step without being raised a degree and having one of his sins erased. When he prays, as long as he does not lose his ablution, the angels keep on supplicating [for him] 'O Allah, bless him. O Allah, have mercy upon him.' And he is considered in prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Abandoning the congregational prayer:

To know the status of praying with the congregation and how serious a matter it is to abandon it, the Prophet  hardly exempted anyone from it. Abu Hurayrah  reported that a blind man said to the Prophet : "O Messenger of Allah, I have no guide to lead me to the mosque (to attend the congregational prayer)." He asked the Prophet  for permission to pray in his house and the Prophet  permitted him. Then, when he turned to go, the Prophet  called him and said: ‘Do you hear the call to prayer?’ The blind man said ‘yes.’ The Prophet  then said: "Then respond to it [by coming to the mosque]!" [Muslim]

Moreover, the Prophet  severely warned against abandoning it. Abu Hurayrah  also reported that the Prophet  said: "I swear by Him in whose hand my soul is! I have considered ordering a fire to be kindled and then ask someone to lead the people in prayer. And then go to the men [who did not attend the prayer] and burn their houses over them." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

This was clearly understood by the Companions  and their words reflected it. 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ood  said: "If anyone would like to meet Allah tomorrow as a Muslim, he should persevere in observing these five prayers (in congregation) whenever the call for them is made, for Allah has chosen for your Prophet  the way of right guidance. And the [five prayers in congregation] are part of this right guidance. If you were to pray them in your houses, as the one who stays behind in his house, you would be leaving a ‘Sunnah’ of your Prophet . If you leave the ‘Sunnah’ of your Prophet you would go astray. Verily, I have seen a time when no one abandoned them [the congregational prayers] except for the hypocrites who were well known for their hypocrisy. A man would be brought, supported by two people [due to his weakness or illness] until he was placed in a row (in the congregation)." [Muslim]

The Prophet  stressed the importance of praying in congregation under all circumstances. In one Hadeeth, he  said: “Any three people living in a village or in the desert who do not make Athan nor establish the prayer will be overwhelmed by Satan, so you have to establish congregational prayers, as the wolf eats only the sheep that strays from the herd." [Ahmad, An-Nasa'i, and Abu Dawood - Al-Albani graded it Hasan] 

What is considered a congregation?

 The least number required for the congregational prayer is two: the Imam (leader) and another one with him. The more the people, the more rewarding is the prayer. The Prophet  said: “A man’s prayer with another man is worth more than his prayer individually, and his prayer with two men is worth more than his prayer with only one man. The more there are, the more rewarding it is by Allah.” [Ahmad and Abu Dawood]

The Prayer is better to be performed in the mosque. The farther the mosque is, the better. Concerning this, the Prophet  said: “The people attaining the most reward are those who are farthest to walk (to the mosque).” [Muslim, Ahmad and Abu Dawood]

Who should be the Imam:

The congregational prayer is led by an Imam. The Imam should be male, just, and well aware of Islamic jurisprudence. The Imam stands in front by himself while the followers stand behind him in straight lines, all facing the Qiblah (the direction of Ka’bah). The most worthy of leading people in prayer is the one who is the best in memorizing and reciting the Quran. If they are equal, then the one who has the deepest knowledge of Sunnah. If they still are equal in the knowledge of Sunnah, then the oldest of the group. The Messenger of Allah  said: “The most versed in the recitation of the Book of Allah leads the people in prayer. If they are equal, then the one who is most aware of the Sunnah. If they all are equal, then the one who emigrated earlier. If they again are all equal, then the oldest of them.” [Muslim]

Women attending the congregational prayer:

Concerning women, it is better and more rewarding for them to pray in their houses than to attend the congregational prayers. However, they may attend the congregational prayer in the mosque provided they are secure from any temptation. Also, they should avoid wearing or using any attractive or tempting adornment or perfume, and refrain from intermingling with men, as the Prophet  said: “Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah (i.e. women) from the mosques of Allah. They should go without wearing perfume. If she wears perfume, it is not lawful for her to attend the prayer in congregation in the mosque.” [Ahmad and Abu Dawood]

Women leading the congregational prayer:

It is forbidden for a woman to lead a man in prayer. If a woman leads a man in prayer, his prayer is void and he has to make it up. This is a matter which is agreed upon among the jurists. -islamweb.net