Is Prophet Mohamed superior to other prophets?
Mu' meneen Brothers
and Sisters,
As Salaam Aleikum wa
Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be
upon all of you)
One of our
brothers/sisters has asked this question:
Very often we come
across comments / explanations that Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) is the Imaam
of the Prophets (AS) or He (PBHU) is superior to other Prophets(AS). I
remember a an Ayat which means that we dont differentiate between the Prophets,
in this Ayat Allah (SWT) even names some Prophets (AS). How can we
reconcile these two things which are at variation. I was explaining Ayaat 117
of Al Maida in a discussion which indicates that Jesus (AS) had no
knowledge of what happened on earth once he was lifted up by Allah (SWT). When
I said Prophet Muhammad's (PBHU) case is the same (ie after leaving earth
he may be aware of what is happening on earth), one gentleman said that
logic coud not be applied since Prophet (SWT) was superior to Jesus (AS), (
this gentleman was arguing that Prophet (PBHU) was alive in his grave
and from time to time whenever someone sends Durood, Angels convey it to
him PBHU).
Could you also
clarify what are the Priviliges Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) enjoys over other
Prpohets (AS). And priviliges Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) enjoys over the ordinary
Muslims of his Ummah, example He (PBHU) was given the permission to have
more than four wives against only four for ordinary Muslims. Which Quranic
injunctions should be considered to be applicable to the Prophet (PBHU)
exclusively and which ones applicable only to Ummah, How can we differentiate between these?
Looking forward to
your response.
Khuda Hafiz
(There may be some
grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not
change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our
readers for circulation in confidentiality.)
Answer:
Is Prophet Mohamed
superior to other prophets?
In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask
for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever
He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that
there is no one (no idol, no
person, no grave, no prophet, no imam,
no dai, nobody!) worthy of
worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad(saws) is His
slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.
Q-1: Very often we come across comments /
explanations that Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) is the Imaam of the Prophets
(AS) or He (PBHU) is superior to other Prophets(AS). I remember a an Ayat
which means that we dont differentiate between the Prophets, in this Ayat Allah
(SWT) even names some Prophets (AS). How can we reconcile these two things
which are at variation.
Beloved brother in Islam,
the truth is there is absolutely no variation or contradiction in the
two thoughts, as both thoughts are from
the Glorious Quran!
Allah Says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 285: The Messengers believeth in what hath
been revealed to him from his Lord, as
do the men of faith. Each one (of them)
believeth in Allah, His Angels, His Books,
and His Messengers. "We
make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Messengers." And they say: "We hear and we obey; (We
seek) Thy forgiveness Our Lord and to Thee is the end of all journeys."
What the above Aayah basically
means is that the Messengers and the true believers make no distinction between
the Prophets of Allah, and say they
believe in some and disbelieve the others;
it is a condition of faith for believers that they must believe in each
and every one of Allah’s Messengers without exception! A muslim who claims to deny even one of
the Messengers of Allah, will leave the
fold of Islam and will become a disbeliever.
The Jews disbelieved in Prophet
Isa (a.s.) and were declared disbelievers by Allah Subhanah; and the Christians disbelieved in Prophet
Mohamed (saws) and suffered the same fate!
But as a muslim, it is a
condition of our faith that we believe in each and every one of Allah’s
Messengers (peace be upon them all) without exception.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse
253: Those Messengers We endowed with ‘fadhal’ (privileges, gifts, bounties,
etc.), some above others: to one of them Allah spoke; others He raised to degrees (of honor); to Jesus the son of Mary We gave clear
(Signs) and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit.
In the above Aayah of Surah
Baqarah Allah Subhanah Himself declares that he has given more privileges to
some Prophets above others, and raised
some Prophets above others. And there
is absolutely no doubt that the Last Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws) is the leader
and Imaam of all the previous Prophets,
which is declared by the Messenger of Allah (saws) in several authentic
narrations. Besides, it is also reported in authentic narrations
that the Messenger of Allah (saws) was given the privilege to lead all the
other Prophets of Allah Subhanah as their Imaam in prayer at the Mosque in
Jerusalem during his Night Journey (Israa).
Al-Tirmidhi Hadith
5764 Narrated by Jabir ibn Abdullah
The Prophet (saws)
said, "I am the leader (Qa'id) of the Messengers, and this is no
boast; I am the Seal of the Prophets, and this is no boast; and I shall be the first to make
intercession and the first whose intercession is accepted, and this is no
boast."
Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (r.a.) said, "When
you invoke blessings upon the Prophet do it in the best manner, because you
don't know whether or not your blessings may be presented to him.” The
Companions asked him to teach them how to do it. He replied, 'Say,
"Allahumma 'ij'al salawataka wa rahmataka wa barakataka 'ala sayyidil
mursalin, wa imamal mutaqadimin wa khatimin nabiyyin muhammadin 'abduka wa
rasuluka imamal khair wa qaidil khair wa rasulir rahmati. Allahumma b'athu
maqaman yaghbatuhu bihil awalun. Allahumma salli 'ala muhammadin wa 'ala ali
muhammadin kama sallaita 'ala ibrahima wa ali ibrahima innaka hamidum majeed .
Allahumma barik 'ala muhammadin wa 'ala ali muhammadin kama barakta 'ala ibrahima
wa 'ala ali ibrahima innak hamidum majeed.
(O
Allah, shower Your blessings, mercy, and favors on the Chief of the
Messengers, and the Chief of the Foremost, the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad, Your servant and Your
Messenger, the leader of the virtuous, the chief of the virtuous, the Messenger of Mercy, grant him a station that is the happy goal
of the most excellent. O Allah, bless
Muhammad and his family as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. You
are indeed Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, give baraka to Muhammad and his
family as you gave baraka to Ibrahim and his family, You are indeed
Praiseworthy and Glorious"'." (Related by Ibn Majah)
Unfortunately today, some ignorant muslims try to raise the honor
of Prophet Mohamed (saws) by belittling the other Prophets of Allah (a.s.) or
comparing the other Prophets as if in a competition; and that is incorrect.
Each Prophet of Allah (a.s.) has been given his station and ‘maqaam’ by
Allah Subhanah; and according to His
Will and Wisdom, He has raised in Honor
whom He Wills.
The Messenger of Allah (saws)
himself disliked it when someone compared or tried to raise Mohamed (saws)
above the other Prophets.
Sahih Al-Bukhari
Hadith 4.626 Narrated by Abu
Huraira
Once while a Jew
was selling something, he was offered a price that he was not pleased
with. So, he said, "No, by Him Who
gave Moses superiority over all human beings!" Hearing him, an Ansari man
got up and slapped him on the face and said, "You say: By Him Who Gave
Moses superiority over all human beings although the Prophet (Muhammad) is
present amongst us!" The Jew went
to the Prophet (saws) and said, "O Abu-l-Qasim! I am under the assurance
and contract of security, so what right does so-and-so have to slap
me?" The Prophet (saws) asked the
other, "Why have you slapped him?". He told him the whole story. The Prophet (saws) became angry, till anger
appeared on his face, and said, "Don't give superiority to any Prophet amongst
Allah's Prophets, for when the trumpet will be blown, everyone on the earth and
in the heavens will become unconscious except those whom Allah will
exempt. The trumpet will be blown for
the second time and I will be the first to be resurrected to see Moses holding
Allah's Throne. I will not know whether the unconsciousness which Moses
received on the Day of Tur has been sufficient for him, or has he got up before
me. And I do not say that there is anybody who is better than (Prophet)Yunus
bin Matta."
Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 4.627 Narrated by Abu Huraira
The Prophet (saws)
said, "None should say that I am better than (Prophet) Yunus bin
Matta."
The Messenger of Allah (saws)
specifically mentioned the excellence of Prophet Yunus (a.s.), because it might seem that Prophet Yunus
(a.s.) apparently lapsed in his duty and as a result was put in a severe trial
by Allah Subhanah, and was apparently
‘punished’ for his lapse in duty! But
Prophet Mohamed (saws) was so humble in his greatness, that he (saws) did not even approve of
anyone saying that he (saws) was better than Prophet Yunus (a.s.), the noble Prophet of Allah Subhanah.
Q-2: Could you also
clarify what are the Priviliges Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) enjoys over other
Prpohets (AS).
There are several privileges
which Allah Subhanah blessed the Prophet Mohamed (saws) with above all the
other Prophets of Allah.
- All the other Prophets of Allah came to
deliver Allah’s Message to ‘a’ people;
the Message given to Prophet Mohamed (saws) was for all of mankind.
- The Message of every Prophet of Allah had a
limited period, until the advent
of the next Prophet; but the
Message of Prophet Mohamed (saws) is to last until the end of time!
- The Message of all the other Prophets were
distorted and altered with the advent of time; but the Message given to Prophet Mohamed (saws) holds the
guarantee that it will be guarded by Allah Subhanah Himself until the end
of time!
Q-3: And priviliges
Prophet Muhammad (PBHU) enjoys over the ordinary Muslims of his Ummah, example
He (PBHU) was given the permission to have more than four wives against
only four for ordinary Muslims. Which Quranic injunctions should be considered
to be applicable to the Prophet (PBHU) exclusively and which ones applicable
only to Ummah, How can we differentiate
between these?
Wherever Allah Subhanah has
revealed specific commandments for the Messenger of Allah (saws) alone, Allah Subhanah has either mentioned it
clearly that this injunction is for the Prophet (saws) alone and not all the
believers, and at other times it is
extremely evident from the tone of the commandment and in the context of the
Quran.
Example-1: The specific permission for the Messenger of
Allah (saws) making all his wives lawful.
Allah Says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 50:O Prophet!
We have made lawful to thee thy wives to whom thou hast paid their
dowers; and those whom thy right hand possesses out of the prisoners of war
whom Allah has assigned to thee; and
daughters of thy paternal uncles and aunts,
and daughters of thy maternal uncles and aunts, who migrated (from Mecca) with thee; and any believing woman who dedicates her
soul to the Prophet if the Prophet wishes to wed her; this only for thee and not for the Believers (at large); We know what We have appointed for them as
to their wives and the captives whom their right hands possess in order that
there should be no difficulty for Thee.
And Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
Example-2: The
specific command to the Messenger of Allah (saws) that he should not pray the
funeral prayers over the deceased hypocrite,
nor stand at their graves. This
command was specific for the Prophet (saws) and not for the believers at large.
Allah Says in the Holy Quran
Chapter 9 Surah Taubah verse 84: Nor do thou (O
Mohamed) ever pray for
any of them that dies, nor stand at his
grave: for they rejected
Allah and His Messenger, and died in a
state of perverse rebellion.
Example-3: The specific command making the Tahajjud or
night prayers obligatory for the Messenger of Allah (saws); whereas it is voluntary for the believers at
large.
Allah Says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 73 Surah Muzammil verses 1-4:
1 O thou folded in
garments! (Mohamed (saws))
2 Stand (to pray) by
night but not all night
3 Half of it or a little
less
4 Or a little more; and recite the Qur'an in slow measured
rhythmic tones.
Example-4: The specific
permission that Prophet Mohamed (saws) does not have to do justice between his
several wives. This was a leniency
given only to the Messenger of Allah (saws);
the other believers who have more than one wife must do justice between
them in giving his time, wealth, property,
gifts, etc. equally amongst
them.
Allah Says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 51: Thou (O Mohamed) mayest defer (the turn of) any of them (his
wives) that thou pleasest, and thou
mayest receive any thou pleasest: and
there is no blame on thee (O Prophet)
if thou invite one whose (turn) thou hadst set aside.
Example-5: The specific command of Allah Subhanah that
the wives of the Prophet (saws) cannot marry after his (saw’s) death; whereas it is absolutely legal for the widow
of any believer to marry another man after her husband’s death.
Allah Says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 53 (part): Nor is it right for you (O believers)
that ye should annoy Allah’s Messenger,
or that ye should marry his widows after him at any time. Truly such a thing is in Allah's sight, an enormity.
Example –6: The specific command that all the wives of
the Prophet (saws) are the mothers of the believers.
Allah Says in the Holy
Quran Chapter 33 Surah Ahzaab verse 6 (Part):The Prophet is closer to the Believers
than their own selves, and his wives
are their mothers.
Then there are several injunctions in the authentic
narrations of the Messenger of Allah (saws) which were specifically for him and
not for the other believers. The
Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade the taking of zakah and sadaqah on himself
and his family of Banu Hashim. The
Messenger of Allah (saws) also commanded that his wealth and property cannot be
distributed amongst his heirs after his death,
but must be deposited in the Bait-ul-Maal (Central Treasury) to be
distributed amongst the needy and poor.
Whatever written of Truth and
benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error
is of me. Allah Alone Knows Best and He
is the Only Source of Strength.
Your Brother in
Islam,
Burhan
Wister