Skip to: Site menu | Main content

About

We believe that a true and comprehensive understanding of Islam would not be possible without careful recognition of the Prophetic Tradition and the Prophet's Household. And Allah is the Source of Strength.
 

Prophet of Profits; Muhammad's (SAW) Legacy Continues

A man living a lavish life, with friends, family, women, children, money, property, fame, power, a good job, extravagant property - What else do we need? Nothing can go wrong and in our perceptions, we are successful in both the worlds; The muslims, because we have a God given right to enter paradise irrespective of our faith and deeds, the non muslims because more or less, they believe similarly with respect to their end, and the atheists, who create their own paradise in this world alone.

When nothing can go wrong in our lives and we feel free from the need of a higher authority, the news is set free.

I swear by the time, Most surely man is in loss,
Quran [103:1-2]

It is clear, that every one of us is in great loss. And why shouldn't we be? Man is created weak, niggardly and hasty. But because we are in loss not due to reasons which are in our control, does it suit the justice of Allah?

Because he is Al-Rahman Al-Rahim (most beneficent and most merciful), he created hunger and provided sustenance, he created fatigue and gifted us with the ability to sleep, he created the need to love and be loved and blessed us with family and companionship. He has created us, in loss, and how can he leave us in loss? Therefore, he created a formula to rid us of our losses;

Except those who believe and do good, and enjoin on each other truth, and enjoin on each other patience
Quran [103:1-3]

Every one is in loss except him who believes. However, if man believes and does not do good, he is still in loss. It is because belief and doing good deeds compliment one another, and without either of them, the other is merely an illusion which tricks us.

A prime example can yet again be extracted from Kerbala. Hur was a believer which explained his Salaat and Hajj. But he became Hz Hur after he joined the camp of Hussain (AS), who was the grandson of prophet of prophets. Till that point in time, when he had belief alone, he was Hur, and his action/aml of doing good made him Hz Hur, a crown jewel for those who repent.

However, he who believes and does good, is still in loss, until he promotes the good and truth amongst others as well. And even this is not enough. He who believes, does good, and enjoins this good and truth with others as well is still in loss, until he is of the patient ones and enjoins on each other the same patience, ie. who faces times of trial with a smile and who bows down in gratefulness in the good times.

What is the use of a patient one, who does not lead by example and teach others patience and encourage good deeds amongst them, and what is the use of he who tells others to do good deeds, who themselves do not follow what they preach and who himself is not of the pious, and what is the use of such piety, which is devoid of faith and belief? It is clear, that the path to success and forgiveness starts with belief and ends at patience.

The question remains, belief in what and believing who would remove this loss from man? Is this belief, our trust in molvis who themselves are unaware of what lies ahead, or in families and friends who are biased, or in God who man has neither seen, nor comprehended in his limited mentality?

It is clear that belief in one God, The God, Allah is the belief in question, but the challenge remains as to how to believe in him and follow him who has neither talked with us directly, nor can we truly understand his existence, for he is outside the dimensions of his own creations such as space and time.

Thus, with the rise of the sun on the 17th Rabialawal (or 12th Rabialawal) 1400 years ago, the God of the worlds enlightened the world with profit, by sending his authority over his creations in the form of a son in the house of Hz Abdul Muttalib. This is the slave of God and master (Mawla) of his creations, belief in whom would rid man of his loss.

Whoever obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys Allah, and whoever turns back, so
We have not sent you as a keeper over them.
Quran [4:80]

The same God our eyes cannot see, ears cannot hear and our intellect cannot comprehend, has entitled obedience to Muhammad (SAW) as his own obedience.

Muhammad (SAW) of the Quran discussed how;

The Muhammad (SAW) of the Quran is he (SAW) who will remove mankind from their loss. Muhammad (SAW) of the historians is an equally blessed gift to mankind.

It is alleged that that woman of his (Hz Abdullah) used to say that when he passed by her, between his eyes there was a white blaze like the blaze of a horse. She said: "I invited him hoping that that would be in me, but he refused me and went to (Hz) Amina (who took that blaze away) and she conceived the apostle of God." It is alleged in popular stories that Amina daughter of Wahb, the mother of God's apostle, used to say when she was pregnant with God's apostle that a voice said to her, "You are pregnant with the lord of this people and when he is born say that I put him in the care of the one from the evil of every envier; then call him Muhammad".
Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, by A. Guillaume, page 69

His (SAW) father, Abdullah (slave of Allah) died before his (SAW) birth. 6 months later, his (SAW) mother also passed away and the prophet (SAW) was raised by Hz Abdul Mutallib. The prophet's (SAW) guardianship moved onto Hz Abu Talib (AS) shortly afterwards after the death of Hz Abdul Mutallib.

Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter?
Quran [93:6]

Allah used the wasila of the house of Abu Talib (AS) to shelter his prophet (SAW) for more than 45 years (which was afterwards succeeded by the sword of Ali Ibn Abu Talib (AS)).

Abu Talib had planned to go in a merchant caravan to Syria and when all preparations had been made for the journey, the apostle of God, so they alleged, attached himself closely to Abu Talib so that he took pity on him and said that he would take with him, and that the two of them should never part; or words to that effect.

When the caravan reached Busra in Syria, there was a monk in his cell by the name of Bahira who was well versed in the knowledge of Christians. They allege that while he was in his cell, he saw the apostle of God in the caravan when they approached, with a cloud overshadowing him among the people. Then they came and stopped in the shadow of a tree near the monk. He looked at the cloud when it over shadowed the tree and its branches were bending and drooping over the apostle of God until he was in the shadow beneath it. When Bahira saw that, he came out of his cell and sent word to them (invited them for food).

When Bahira saw him, he stared at him closely looking at his body and finding traces of his description in Christian books. Bahira got up and said to him, by al-Lat and al-Uzza, answer my questions. Bahira said this only because he had heard his people swearing by these gods. They allege that the apostle of God said to him, "Do not ask me by al-Lat and al-Uzza, for by Allah nothing is more hateful to me than these two". Bahira answered, "Then by Allah, tell me what i ask"; he replied, "Ask me what you like". So he began to ask him about what happened in his walking and in his sleeps and habits and his affairs generally and what the apostle of God told him coincided with what Bahira knew of his description. Then he looked at his back and saw the seal of prophethood between his shoulders in the very place described in his books.

Bahira turned towards Abu Talib and said "Take your nephew back to his country and guard him carefully against the Jews for by Allah if they see him and know about him what I know, they will do him evil."
Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, by A. Guillaume, page 80-81

Bahira had the knowledge, and he recognized the prophethood of Muhammad (SAW). It is strange that the mother of the Prophet (SAW) knew that her son was the promised master of the people, Bahira the monk knew the same, and the same was told to Abu Talib, who spent his life protecting the promise. It is also strange how the prophet (SAW) hated pagan gods and swore by Allah, yet many of us "believe" that he (SAW) and his (SAW) direct ancestors and protectors were mushrkis/Kafirs/misguided, specially till he (SAW) received the first revelation. And then we complain about our losses! Our molvis still are in doubts if Muhammad (SAW) himself knew about his prophethood till he reached 40 years of age. Little do the Bidat-shouters know that the purpose of the creation of this unvierse is heavily linked with the prophethood of the man in question.

Impressed from his (SAW) honesty and trustworthiness, Arab's noble business woman, Hz Khadija (RA) proposed to the 25 year old Muhammad (SAW) who accepted the proposal and tied wedlock with the woman, who would later spent all of her wealth for the sake of Islam.

Two years later, Abu Talib's son, Ali (AS) is born inside the kaaba. The prophet (SAW) took the ownership for upbringing Ali ibn Abu Talib himself. An Arab poet composed the following distich on the birth of Ali:

He (Ali) is the one for whom the House of Allah was turned into a maternity home; And he is the one who threw the idols out of that House; Ali was the first and the last child ever to be born in the Kaaba.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People_reported_to_be_born_in_the_Kaaba

At the age of forty years, the prophet (SAW) started going to the cave of Hirra where Jibrail (AS) came to him (SAW) with the grace of Allah. He (SAW) was shortly directed to convey the message to his family.

And warn your nearest relations, And be kind to him who follows you of the believers. But if they disobey you (Muhammad), then say: Surely I am clear of what you do.
Quran [26:214-216]

The sons of Abdul Mutallib were invited to the house of Abu Talib (AS). The prophet (SAW) invited more or less 40 men including his uncles Hamza, Al-Abbas and Abu Lahab. They ate and drank what was apparently barely enough for a single man and before the prophet (SAW) could say something, Abu Lahab blamed the prophet (SAW) of bewitching them (with respect to the miracle of the food) and the men dispersed.  However the same thing happened the second and the third day until Abu Talib (AS) intervened and forced Abu Lahab to stay silent till Muhammad (SAW) said what he wanted to deliver;

"O sons of Abdul Muttalib, I know of no Arab who has come to his people with a nobler message than mine. I have brought you the best of this world and the next. God has ordered me to call you to him. So which of you will cooperate with me in this matter, my brother, my executor and my successor being among you?"  The men remained silent and Ali, the youngest, said "O prophet of God, I will be your helper in this matter". He laid his hands on his back and said "This is my brother, my executor and my successor among you. Hearken to him and obey him". The men got up laughing and saying to Abu Talib, "He has ordered you to listen to your son and obey him".
Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, by A. Guillaume, page 118

Thus the journey of Islam started to rid mankind of its loss, from the house of Abu Talib (AS).

Yunus b. Bukayr said that Muhammad b. Ishaq told him that Yahya b. Abu Asha'th al-Kindi of the people of Kufa said that Ismail b. Ilyaws b. Afif from his father from his grandfather said, "When I was a merchant I came to al-Abbas during the days of pilgrimage; and while we were together a man came out to pray and stood facing the Kaaba; then a woman came out and stood praying with him; then a young man came out and stood praying with him. I said to Abbas, "what is their religion? It is something new to me." He said, "This is Muhammad b. Abdullah who alleges that God has sent him with it and that the treasures of Chosrhoes and Caeser will be opened to him. The woman is his wife Khadija who believes in him and this young man is his nephew Ali who believes in him". Afif said, "Would that I could have believed that day and been a third".
Translation of Ibn Ishaq's Sirat Rasul Allah, by A. Guillaume, page 113

The prophet (SAW) spent the next three years spending the message of Islam only within a limited circle of family and friends, after which, the mission took a wider and a more open approach.

The prophet (SAW) spent 13 years in Mecca, facing opposition from the Quraysh. The prophet (SAW) showed the people that he (SAW) had the authority by the will of Allah to split the moon. He (SAW) shared with the people the experience of the miracle of the Miraj. He (SAW) faced the excommunication along with Abu Talib (AS). It was after the death of Abu Talib (AS) and Hz Khadija (RA) in the same year, the Prophet (SAW) was instructed to migrate to Medina.

The prophet (SAW) fought 17 Ghazwats in 10 years of his Medni life. In the 9th Hijri, Muhammad (SAW) alongwith Ali (AS) finally broke the idols which were placed in Kaaba. Rasool (SAW), like all humans, breathed his last and was buried in Medina in the 11th Hijri.

Allah has shown us the path of those upon who he has bestowed his favors (of prophethood, of Imamat, of wisdom, of bravery, of knowledge, of Ismat);

Keep us on the right path. The path of those upon whom Thou hast bestowed favors. Not (the path) of those upon whom Thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray.
Quran [1:6-7]

Allah has given us the way to overcome our loss, the grievousness of which we may not have any idea of at this moment. Allah has given us the way of Muhammad (SAW), yet we cling to the loss by following the way of those around us, every tom, dick and harry; our political leaders, our peers (pseudo spiritual imams), the illiterate zakirs, the insincere muftis and the uneducated molvis. It is our loss that we go to the Qalanders when our belief should have taken us to Muhammad (SAW).

It is our loss, that the banner of Muhammad (SAW) is weak and it cannot provide us with the unity of Muslim brotherhood, where as our allegiance to the companions of Muhammad (SAW) is so strong it leads us to sectarian division, killings and fatwa-e-kufrs.

It is our loss, that God gave us a clear path to success, but we are still living in the stone ages, still confused if zikr-e-Muhammad (SAW) is a bidat in Milads or not, and more importantly, if Muhammad (SAW) himself was a believer before he reached the age of forty and if he (SAW) was infallible or could make mistakes and/or sin.

The legacy of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is not in the killing of innocent people, women and children on account of their different religious (or sectarian) beliefs. The legacy also has no place for intolerance and lust (of power, fame, money, women). The legacy is not about envy from your brothers and friends. The legacy is not to harm the life, property and honor of a fellow beleiver.

The legacy is in the obedience to parents, in good nature, in honesty and fair living, in justice, in faith in Allah alone leading to fearlessness of this world and its obstacles, in patience, in self-sacrifice, in feeding the needy and protecting the orphans, in sincerity, in fighting our own lust, in bravery, chivalry and in nobility, in knowledge and wisdom, in repentance and in forgiveness.

The legacy of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is in his greatest miracle. A man questioned to Imam Ali Reza (AS), that Allah had gifted great prophets of the past with clear miracles; Musa's (AS) miracles included the staff (which turned into a serpent) and the Halo of his hand where as Isa (AS) had the miraculous power to heal the sick and the blind. What was the miracle of Muhammad (SAW)? Imam Ali Reza (AS) replied,

“When Allah appointed Musa as a prophet, it was in an era when magic and supernatural acts were more common among people than science. Musa therefore, brought an act that people had never seen before and could not understand it through their rational. With this miracle, he was able to refute the works of the magicians and give them clear proof. At the time of Isa, on the other hand, diseases without cure had spread throughout. Science and medication was highly in demand. Isa therefore came to them with the miracle of healing all diseases, a power not known to them, for he could give life to the dead, and heal genetic blindness and leprosy. And through his miracles, he fulfilled his proof upon the people of his time. However, Muhammad (S.A.W.) was appointed at a time when poetry and eloquence in language was very popular among the communities (and ignorance was at its peak). With the revelation of the Holy Quran and its teachings, Allah refuted their reasoning with the highest form of eloquence.”
Analysis of the life of Imam Reza (PBUH) by Muhammad Jawad Fadlullah

No loss is greater than the loss to a man who has been warned, who knew, and yet he did not take time out from his busy life to ponder what the book of Allah demands from him; and those who decided to read, used the book for their personal gains (influence over the others, satisfaction of personal bias or greed of paradise).

What can be said about the stature of the man, a creation of God, who not only became a source of guidance and forgiveness for us but also a source of prophethood for all the prophets of the past? Following the path of the prophet (SAW) alone will lead to profit, in this world and the next.

The dedication of a Muslim towards Islam and his own path of salvation can be gauged through his actions, his patience and his interaction with others. It is a moment of great loss, that although the legacy of Prophet (SAW) continues, it is scarce in the masses of Muslims who claim to sacrifice their lives for his (SAW) sake.

[ Back to top ]

Feel free to email your comments/replies to this article at es_ammar@hotmail.com or post a message at our Forum, no registration Required.
To view comments/suggestions for this article, visit Here.