- Islam emphasizes the importance of prophets, who are chosen by God (Allah) to receive and deliver divine messages. Islam believes all prophets are equally respected and that their teachings are complementary.
- Prophets in Christianity are inspired by God through the Holy Spirit to deliver messages, which can be public or private revelations.
- Judaism views prophecy as a vital form of divine communication, with prophets considered vessels for God's word. Judaism believes that prophets had no choice in the matter and were merely instruments for divine speech.
- In Buddhism, Buddhas are known to declare prophecies to those who will become future Buddhas.
- The Vedas and Hinduism generally don't emphasize prophecy as much, but they acknowledge the ability of divine beings to know and describe future events.
- Prophecy is often understood as a divine revelation, where a chosen individual receives information from God.
- Prophets are believed to communicate God's will, guidance, and messages to humanity.
- Prophets are often understood to be inspired by a divine force, such as the Holy Spirit or a higher power.
- The concept of "chosen ones" or prophets emphasizes that these individuals are selected by a higher power to fulfill their roles.
1. The Prophet’s Superiority and Elevated Position
The great religion of Islam ordains that Muslims should put people in their right positions, admit the superiority of their superiors, give rights to whom they are due, and not withhold from the people things that are their due.
Speaking about the superiority of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) will not add anything to this superiority, yet it will add to our love and appreciation for him and persistence to follow in his footsteps, and discoursing about the favors of Allah for His Messenger.
We are not going to speak at length about the Prophets superiority in the same way followed by the common people who only eulogize the Prophet's position with repeated words. However, we seek to confirm a fact that has been stated by authentic and explicit texts and to remind Muslims of the greatness of the blessing with which Allah, the Almighty has honored us. We also confirm that gratitude should be shown to Allah for this blessing through our hearts, tongues, and deeds, and that its effects and signs should be practically touched in all aspects of life. This is because when Allah (Glory be to Him)grants an honor He follows it with a relevant responsibility and when He bestows a blessing He follows it with a related duty.
As speaking about the superiority of the Prophet (pbuh) is a field that is too spacious to be comprehended by words, however numerous or comprehensive they may be, it may be better to refer to what is mentioned in the Ever-honorable Qur'an and the Prophetic Sunnah in this connection then to the scholars' deductions and conclusions regarding these references.
The Prophet's Superiority in the Qur'an.
The Quran states that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was sent as Allah s blessing to all humanity in general and to the believers in particular:
Allah did confer a great favor on the Believers when He sent among them a Messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error:
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
(Surah Al 'Imran: Ayat 164)
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
(Surah An-Nahl: Ayat 83)
It was said that the 4favour 4 in the verse refers to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); and accordingly the meaning is that they recognize the fact that he is a Prophet but they deny it and claim that he is a liar. It was also said: they recognize the favor by admitting it with their words but deny it through their deeds/;
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةًۭ لِّلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ١٠٧
He (pbuh) is a mercy from Allah for all creatures in general; we sent thee not, but as a Mercy for all creatures.
(Surah Al-Anbiya’: Ayat 107)
. Al-Qurtubi, Tafsir, vo!. 10, pp. 161-162.
لَقَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رَسُولٌۭ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَءُوفٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ١٢٨
"And for the believers in particular, Now hath come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that ye should perish: ardently anxious is he over you: to the Believers is he most kind and merciful. '
(Surah At-Tawbah: Ayat 128)
The phrase "from amongst yourselves" was interpreted by some scholars as meaning that he was of the greatest position, the best lineage, and the noblest descent among them, and that he came out of a marital relationship not as a result of adultery, from Adam until his parents gave birth to him.(1)
Allah (Glorified be He) made the Prophet (pbuh) a means of safety for people from torment so long as he was among them:
وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ ۚ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ ٣٣
"But Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst thou wast amongst them; nor was He going to send it whilst they could ask for pardon"
(Surah Al-Anfal:Ayat 33)
At-Tirmidhi reported, according to his own chain of transmitters, that the Prophet (pbuh) said;
"Allah sent down on me two (means of) safety for my Ummah: "But Allah was not going to send them a penalty whilst thou wast amongst them; nor was He going to send it whilst they could ask for pardon. " So, when l go away (to.die), I leave istighfar (asking for pardon) among them until the Day of Resurrection."
1. Ash-Shawkani, Path al-Qadir, vol. 2, pp. 419-420.
2. Ibn Kathir. Tafsir. vol. 2, p. 305.
Allah has decreed that obedience to the Prophet (pbuh) is like obedience to Himself:
"Whoever obeys the Messenger has truly obeyed Allah. But whoever turns away, then ˹know that˺ We have not sent you ˹O Prophet˺ as a keeper over them"
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
(An-Nisa’: 80)
and has made the Prophet's pleasure from His Pleasure:
يَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ لِيُرْضُوكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُۥٓ أَحَقُّ أَن يُرْضُوهُ إِن كَانُوا۟ مُؤْمِنِينَ ٦٢
"They swear by Allah to you ˹believers˺ to please you, while it is the pleasure of Allah and His Messenger they should seek, if they are ˹true˺ believers."— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran."
(Surah At-Tawbah: Ayat 62)
Another aspect of the Prophet's superiority emerges in the following Qur'anic verse:
Behold! Allah took the covenant of the Prophets, saying:
They said: We agree. He said: Then bear witness, and I am with you among the witnesses. "
(Surah Ali "Imran: Ayat 81)
"Ali and Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) stated that Allah did not send any Prophet with a Message from Himself until He took a covenant from him that if He sent Muhammad (pbuh) while he was alive he would believe in him and render him help, and commanded him that he would also take the covenant of his people that if Muhammad (pbuh) was sent while they were alive they would believe in him and support him."
1. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 378.
Another fact referring to the Prophet's superiority and honorwith his Lord is that He used to give him without asking;
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
(Surah Al-Baqarah: Ayat 144)
Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) clearly highlighted this fact when speaking at length about the turning of the qiblah. He concluded, "This denotes the dignity and honor that the Prophet (pbuh) held in his Lord's regard, for He gave him what he wished for without actually asking for it.
Furthermore, Allah, the Most High, honored his Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) by addressing him or speaking about him gently and in a way that reflects His love for him. In the Qur an, the Prophet (pbuh) is mentioned before the other Prophets although he came after them both in creation and in Mission:
"Indeed, We have sent revelation to you ˹O Prophet˺ as We sent revelation to Noah and the prophets after him. We also sent revelation to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and his descendants, ˹as well as˺ Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and Solomon. And to David We gave the Psalms."
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran*
(An-Nisa': 163)
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنَ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مِيثَـٰقَهُمْ وَمِنكَ وَمِن نُّوحٍۢ وَإِبْرَٰهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَى ٱبْنِ مَرْيَمَ ۖ وَأَخَذْنَا مِنْهُم مِّيثَـٰقًا غَلِيظًۭا ٧
(Surah Al-Ahzab: Ayat 7)
In addition to that Allah addressed the Prophets with their names but always addressed him with "O ye Messenger” and "O ye Prophet". He did not swear by the life of anyone but his:
Fathal-Bari, vol. 1, p. 122.
لَعَمْرُكَ إِنَّهُمْ لَفِى سَكْرَتِهِمْ يَعْمَهُونَ ٧٢
"Pertly, by thy life (O Prophet), in their wild intoxication, they wander in distraction, to and fro... "
(Surah Al-Hijr: Ayat 72)
Before blaming him. He mentioned first His forgiving him:
"May Allah pardon you ˹O Prophet˺! Why did you give them permission ˹to stay behind˺ before those who told the truth were distinguished from those who were lying?"— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
(Surah At-Tawbah:Ayat 43)
The author of Ash-Shifa' said, "Allah began with honoring before blaming and made him feel at ease by mentioning forgiveness before mentioning the sin - if he originally committed a sin." (l) These are only some examples from among many others in this respect.
Another fact that reflects the Prophet's superiority and honor is that he is referred to with many names and titles in the Qur'an and that Allah has especially honored him with part of the meanings of His Fairest Names. Judge 'Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned many of these names and titles then stressed that the Muslim must believe that Allah does not resemble any of His creatures in His Greatness, Majesty, Kingdom, Names, and Attributes, nor is any of them to be compared with Him. He must also believe that there is no resemblance between the Creator and the creatures with regard to the real meanings of things that are mentioned by the Shari ah as attributed to both the Creator and His creatures.
Al-Wasiti said that there is no entity like His Entity, or name like His Names, or deed like His Deeds, or attribute like His Attributes, except from the perspective of resemblance among words.(2)
Some surahs of the Qur'an seem to be completely assigned to show the Prophet's superiority, guidance, perfect character, good morality, and the favored position granted by Allah in this life and the life to come. Among these surahs are Ad-Duha, Ash-Sharh,
Al-Kawthar, and parts of Al-Isra', Al-Fath, An-Najm... etc. Furthermore, an aspect of Allah’s perfect grace and favor for His Prophet (pbuh) is that He (Glory be to Him) sends blessings on him by Himself:
"Indeed, Allah showers His blessings upon the Prophet, and His angels pray for him. O believers! Invoke Allah’s blessings upon him, and salute him with worthy greetings of peace." — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
(Al-Ahzab: 56)
This aspect will be dealt with in detail at the end of the book, Allah willing.
The Prophet's Superiority in the Sunnah Muslim reported on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"I am the master of the sons of Adam on the Day of Resurrection, the first one whose grave will be split, the first one who will be granted intercession, and the first one whose intercession will be accepted. "
Wathilah ibn al-Asqa' reported that he (pbuh) said:
"Verily, Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He. chose Kinanah from amongst the progeny of Isma'il, peace be upon him, chose Quraysh from amongst Kinanah, chose Banu Hashim from Quraysh, and chose mefrom Banu Hashim.’*
Anas reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said: " He will be the first of people to go out (of his grave) when they are resurrected, and l will speak on their behalf when they come (to Allah), and I will bear glad tidings to them when they despair. The standard of praise will be in my hand, and I am the most honorable among the sons of Adam at the sight of my Lord, but without pride. "
Ibn al-Anbari commented, "It means: I do not show off with these qualities and merits but I say them as a sign of showing gratitude to my Lord and to let my Ummah know about how He has honored me.
Anas reported that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"l will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and will ask for (it) to be opened, then the keeper will say, 'Who are you?' and I will say, 'Muhammad'.
Then he will say: "have been ordered not to open (it) for anyone before you"
Al-Bukhari reported on the authority of Hisham ibn 'Urwah on the authority of his father who said, "Khawlah the daughter of Hakim was from among the women who offered themselves to the Prophet (pbuh). 'A'ishah commented, 'Does a woman not feel shy to offer herself to a man?'
And when the verse :
"It is up to you ˹O Prophet˺ to delay or receive whoever you please of your wives. There is no blame on you if you call back any of those you have set aside.1 That is more likely that they will be content, not grieved, and satisfied with what you offer them all. Allah ˹fully˺ knows what is in your hearts. And Allah is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing" — Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran
(Surah Al-Ahzab: Ayat 51)
was revealed, she said, 'O Messenger of Allah, I
Transmitted by Muslim only
(Sifat as-Safwah, vol. 1, p. 58).
" only see that your Lord hastens to correspond to your wishes," i.e., hastens to please you and reveal (verses) that conform with your wishes and choices.*
Abu Dharr reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, have been given five (things) that were given to no Prophet before me [and in the version of Ibn Abbas: ”and I do not say them out of pride":
I have been granted victory through horror so (my) enemy is horrified by me from (the distance of) marching for a month; the earth has been made for me a place ofprostration and purity; spoils of war have been made lawful for me and they were not made lawful for any Prophet before me; I have been sent (as a Messenger) to (both) the red and the whitest and it has been said to me.
Ask and you will be given, ' and I have saved it to intercede for my Ummah, and if Allah so wills it will be for anyone among you who will meet Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, associating nothing with Him (in worship). "
It is reported in the two Sahihs of Al-Bukhari and Muslim on the authority of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (pbuh) said:
"My likeness and the likeness of the Prophets is as the likeness of a man who has built a house perfectly and skillfully, except for a place of a brick. The people would
Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawud (Ahmad al-Banna, Al-Fath ar-Rabbani was Sharhuhu Bulugh al-Amani, vol. 22, p. 39).
enter it and admire its (beauty) but say, If only the place of the brick (was filled)!"’ In the Muslim version, there is the addition:
"(Now) I have come to be the seal of the Prophets.
And on the authority of Abu Hurayrah:
The people would go around it and say, 'May the brick be put ?' / am the brick and I am the seal of the Prophets.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that tthe Prophet (pbuh) said:
"There is no Prophet but was given proofs with the like of which people would believe, but what I have been given is a revelation from Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, and / hope that I will be one ofmostfollowers among them on the Day of Resurrection. '"
It means that the miracles of the previous Prophets were material ones that perished when they died and became no longer known except when someone who witnessed them told about them. However, the Prophet’s miracle is the Ever-honorable Qur'an, which is eternal and which all people (can ever) hear; that is why the Prophet (pbuh) hoped that he would have the most followers among the Prophets.
'Verily I am the seal of the Prophets before Allah in the Mother of the Book, and Adam is put down on the ground in his clay (before the soul had been breathed into him). I will tell you the interpretation of this: the call of my father (Prophet) Ibrahim, the glad tidings of (Prophet) Isa to his people, and the vision that my mother saw that a light went out of her with which the palaces of Syria were lightened; such visions were (also) seen by the mothers of the Prophets, may Allah's blessings be upon them. ”'(1)
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that in the night when the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) was taken for a journey by night the Buraq (a mount) was brought to him saddled and bridled. The Buraq found difficulty in that (saddling and bridling), so Jibril said to him, "Why should you find it (difficult like) this? By Allah, no creature has ever mounted you who was more honorable than him in the sight of Allah". He said, "So he (the Buraq) sweated.
What Scholars Deduce from This Judge Iyad (may Allah have mercy on him) collected a great deal of what may be deduced from the Qur'an and the Sunnah concerning the Prophet's superiority. He said:
"What do you think of a man who has all these qualities that cannot be counted or expressed perfectly except by the Most High? He (the Prophet) has the virtue of being Allah's Prophet, Messenger, friend, and beloved; and such miracles and special \ seeing (his Lord), being brought near (to Him), revelation, being given the right of intercession, illustriousness, the high rank, and the merit of being resurrected to the best and the highest place (in Paradise). He (pbuh) was also granted the favors about the Buraq, ascent to heavens, being sent to all people, leading the Prophets in prayer, being a witness among the Prophets and the nations, being the master of the sons of Adam, having the standard of praise (in his hand), giving glad tidings (to his Ummah), warning (them), and the special position with the Lord of the Throne.
Moreover, the Prophet (pbuh) was given the right of obedience, the quality of trustworthiness, guidance, being a mercy for all creatures, being given until being satisfied, and responding to his requests. He was, furthermore, conferred Al-Kawthar, listening to his words, perfection of favor, forgiveness for all his past and future sins, expansion of his breast, removal of his burden, and raising high his esteem.
He was as well distinguished by the glory of victory, sending down tranquility, being aided by angels, being given the Book, wisdom, the seven repeatedly recited verses (i.e. Surat al-Fatihah), and the Grand Qur’an, the purification of his Ummah, invocation to Allah, Allah's and the angels’ sending blessings on him, judging between people according to Allah's guidance, releasing (the People of the Book) from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them, (Allah's) swearing by his life, responding to his invocations, speaking to the in animate beings and animals, bringing the dead to life again, making the deaf to hear, springing of water from between his fingers, increasing what is little or few, cleaving the moon asunder, changing the nature of objects, victory through terror, being shown unseen matters and things, the shade of the clouds, the tasbih({) of the pebbles, curing causes of pain, protection from people, and many other qualities, merits, and specialties that none can count except the One Who bestowed them on him.
This is in addition to things that Allah has prepared for him in the Hereafter of the degrees of honor, ranks of glory, positions of pleasure and happiness, and the best reward (i.e. Paradise), and even more (i.e. having the honor of glancing at the Countenance of Allah), which no mind can actually comprehend even with wild imagination.
Sheikh Muhammad al-Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) said,
"Much can be said about the grandness of this personality that shouldered the responsibility of the Message, but it is sufficient for us that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) gathered in Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) of the signs of mastery and nobility those which were shared by the Prophets before him In the Qur'an, Allah, the Most High, mentioned eighteen Prophets including ones of strong will ( Ulu-l-'Azm) and those of the early Messages, then He said,
Those were the (prophets who received Allah's guidance:
"These ˹prophets˺ were ˹rightly˺ guided by Allah, so follow their guidance. Say, “I ask no reward of you for this ˹Quran˺—it is a reminder to the whole world.”
— Dr. Mustafa Khattab, The Clear Quran"
(Surah Al-An'am: Ayat 90)
This command of "copying the guidance they received" was inculcated in the mind of the Prophet (pbuh) when he was delivering the Message of Islam. That is why when commenting on this verse, interpreters said that it denotes the superiority of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) over those who preceded him. This is because the qualities of perfection that were distributed among them were gathered in his honorable character:
Nuh was forbearing, steadfast, and patient in calling for Allah;
Ibrahim was hospitable and generous, and used to strive sincerely in the cause of Allah;
Dawud used to show gratitude to Allah for His favors and really appreciated those favors;
Zakariyya, Yahya, and "Isa used to renounce worldly pleasures and desires;
Yunus used to invoke Allah humbly and implore Him earnestly;
Musa was courageous, mighty, and firm; and Harun was gentle and kind. Bearing all this in mind, one finds that the Prophet's biography, compared to the biographies of the other Prophets, is like an ocean into which rivers are pouring out..."
references
1. Iyad, Ash-Shifa', vol. ]. p. 18.
2. Ibid, vol. 1
, p. 156.
1. Al-Mundhiri, Mukhtasar Sahih Muslim, p. 402.
2. Ibid., p. 402.
1 . Ibn al-Jawzi, Sifat as-Safwah , vol. 1
, p. 58.
2. Ibid, vol. 1, p. 58.
1. Fath al-Bari , vol. 9, p. 68, and it was also reported by Ahmad (Al-Fath
ar-Rabbani. vol. 18, p. 243).
2. Fath al-Bari, vol. 8, p. 386.
3. i.e., to all races. (Translator)
Al-'Irbad ibn Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported, I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) saying;
1. Reported by Al-Bukhan. Muslim, Ahmad, and At-Tirmidhi (Ibn Rajab, Lata'if ai-Ma arif verified by Muhammad Bayyumi, p. 118).
2. Al-Bukhari, Muslim. Ahmad, An-Nasa’i, and others (Al-Fath ar-Rabbani, vol. 1 8, p. 4).
1. Reported by Ahmad, At-Tabarani, Al-Bayhaqi, and Al-Hakim (Al-Fath
ar-Rabanni, vol. 20, p. 181, and Lataf al-Ma'arif, p. 1 14).
2. Transmitted by At-Tirmidhi (Fath al-Bari, vol. 7, p. 247).
favors as the isra ,[V
1. Taking him for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) to the
Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem). (Translator)
2. A river in Paradise. (Translator)
1. Tasbih is to glorify Allah usually by saying "Subhan -Allah" (Glory be to Allah).
(Translator)
2.
v
Iyad, Op. Cit, voi. 1, p. 37.
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