The greatest of men

Although he was the last of all the twenty-five prophets mentioned in the Qur’an as well as the seal of all the messengers sent by Allah (SWT) to various nations of creatures, closing the line of prophethood and messengerhood in Islam; Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who brought the final and universal message of Islam from the […]

Although he was the last of all the twenty-five prophets mentioned in the Qur’an as well as the seal of all the messengers sent by Allah (SWT) to various nations of creatures, closing the line of prophethood and messengerhood in Islam; Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who brought the final and universal message of Islam from the Creator of the heavens and the earth became and remains the leader of all the prophets and messengers.
Of all the prophets and messengers of Allah (SWT), none except Prophet Muhammad (SAW) enjoys the blessing of having his name mentioned along with Allah’s in the Kalimatu s-Sahadah (creed statement of Islam) during the adhan (call to prayer); in the call to announce the commencement of prayer (iqamah); and in the tashahud (special citation) recited twice in every obligatory prayer except subhi (early morning) prayer and once in every two raka’ats of a superogatory prayer.
Of all the prophets and messengers of Allah (SWT), it is only Prophet Muhammad (SAW) upon whom Allah (SWT) and the entire confederation of the invincible world of Angels offer salutations of peace and blessings in addition to His divine injunction commanding believers to honour and bless the greatest of men. The Creator of Adam (AS) from without the natural course of a father and a mother affirms in Qur’an 33:56 “Verily Allah and His Angels send blessings on the Prophet: O ye who believe! Send ye blessings on him, and salute him with all respect”.
Tirmidhi relates on the authority of Ali (RA) that the Prophet (SAW) said: “A miserly is he whom when my name is mentioned does not invoke salutations of peace and blessings on me”. Again, Tirmidhi relates on the authority of Ibn Mas’ud that the Prophet (SAW) said “The greater part of men to be with me on the Day of Judgment would be those who offer salutations of peace and blessings on me”. Muslim also relates on the authority of Abdullah bn Amr bn Al-As (AS) that he heard the Prophet (SAW) say, “Whoever offers blessings on me once, Allah will send blessings on that person ten times”. It makes no sense therefore that a Muslim who truly believes in the prohethood and and messengerhood of the Muhammad (SAW) to be miserly with salutations of peace and blessings on the greatest of men sent as mercy to humanity.
Of all the prophets and messengers of Allah (SWT), it is only Prophet Muhammad (SAW) that was favoured with the task of conveying Allah’s divine message to all the worlds including the world of the Jinn. The Creator of Hawwau (Eve) from Adam (AS) without the usual means of a mother asserts in Qur’an 8:27 “Verily, this is no less than a Message to (all) the worlds”. The messages of the messengers that came before Muhammad (SAW) were directed at specific nations of people. Prophet Isa or Jesus (AS) was, for instance, sent to the Israelite (the Jews) as affirmed by Qur’an 3:48-49 “And Allah will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the law and the Gospel; and (appoint him) as messenger to the Children of Israel (with this message)…”
Of all the prophets and messengers of Allah (SWT), none except Prophet Muhammad (SAW) received the special honour of going on mi’raj (Spiritual Ascension) through the seven heavens, reaching up to the Sublime Throne, and initiated into the spiritual mysteries of the human soul struggling in Space and Time. Details of this great mystic journey which requires a whole volume to explain are contained in Suratu Bani Israil (chapter seventeen) of the holy Qur’an. In this Night Journey of the Prophet’s mi’raj, he was transported from the Sacred Mosque of Ka’abah in Makkah to the Aqsa (Farthest) Mosque in Jerusalem.
A man of theses great favours is indeed the greatest of men who deserve not only to be revered but also to be endlessly remembered by humanity. He brought guidance to all; whether Arab or Ajam (non Arab); European or Asiatic; White or Coloured; Aryan, Semitic, Mongolian, or African; American or Australian. The message of the Qur’an brought by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) universally applies to all men and creatures other than men. Had Allah (SWT) not sent Muhammad (SAW) with the message of Islam, all that humanity enjoys today as mercy in the form of science and advanced technology may never have been part of man’s knowledge or experience; and the political, economic and social situations in the contemporary could have been imagined better. The Creator of Prophet Isa (AS), son of Mary, from without the normal involvement of a father in the process declares in Qur’an 21:107 “We sent thee not but as a mercy for all creatures”.
Today is about the 10th day of Rabi’ul Awwal, the 2nd month of the Islamic lunar calendar; the month in which Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was born to the family of Abdullahi and Amina. To commemorate his birth, this column decided this week to remind many of us and educate some of us about the unique but sacred dignity of the most influential personality in human history, Muhammad (SAW). Orphaned 2 years after birth, He was born on the 12th of Rabiul Awwal in Makkah in 570CE, the Year of Elephant.
Discourses among scholars have since gone beyond splitting hairs over certain secondary matters in religion. One of the leaders of the Jama’atu Izalat ul-Bid’ah Wa Iqamatu s-Sunnah (JIBWIS) at a joint meeting of Izalah and Tariqah scholars from Nigeria during the last pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia said: “It was time for the Izalah and Tariqah groups to overlook their ideological differences to forge ahead; adding that “Inspite of all the counter accusations and bickering, the Izalahs have neither stopped their da’awah activities nor discontinued their tongue-lashing of Tariqah followers just as the Tariqahs too have neither ceased doing Dhikru-llah (saying of: La ilaha ila llah) nor reciting Salatul-fatih”. May Allah (SWT) forgive us our shortcomings, amin.