Belief in the Messengers

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Belief in the Messengers (1)

Dr. Mustafa Muslim


Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers (by believing in Allah and disbelieving in His Messengers) saying, We believe in some but reject others, and wish to adopt a way in between. * They are in truth disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment. * And those who believe in Allah and His Messengers and make no distinction between any of them (Messengers), We shall give them their rewards, and Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." [Surat An-Nisa': 150 - 152].
The difference between a Prophet and a Messenger:
Commentators and scholars differed about the meaning of a Prophet and a Messenger, and perhaps the most correct opinion is the view of those who said that a Prophet is sent to renew a previous message which its followers deviated from the right course and did not abide by its guidance; which is the general case in all Prophets who were sent to the Children of Israel.
As for a Messenger, it is the one who is sent with an independent message or brought a modification to a previous message by abrogating its rulings, adding to them or omitting from them[1].
The number of Prophets and Messengers:
Allah's Way of conducting affairs is to send a Messenger to every nation to convey to it the messages of its lord so as to set the proof against them. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Verily! We have sent you with the truth, a bearer of glad tidings, and a warner. And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them." [Surat Fatir: 24].
Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) also says: "And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning)." [Surat Al Isra': 15].
It was reported in the Hadith of Abu Dhar Al Ghifary (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him): O Messenger of Allah, what was the number of Messengers? He said: 310 and few more." In another narration: I said: O Messenger of Allah, how many was the number of Prophets? He said: 124.000 among them there were 315 Messengers."[2]
Allah (Glory be to Him) mentioned twenty-five Messengers with their names, and believing in them by their exact names is obligatory as well as those whose names were not mentioned.
Disbelieving in one of them is considered disbelief in all of them. Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) said: "Say (O Muslims), We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma`il (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Ya`qub (Jacob), and to Al-Asbat [the twelve sons of Ya`qub (Jacob)], and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and `Eisa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted (in Islam)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 136].
Belying Messengers was attributed to the people of Noah, taking into consideration that none but Noah was sent to them, but belying Noah himself is considered belying to all Messengers. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "The people of Nuh (Noah) belied the Messengers." [Surat Ash-Shu`ara': 105].
Allah says: "`Ad (people) denied the Messengers." [Surat Ash-Shu`ara': 123]. And Allah's Saying: "Thamûd (people) denied the Messengers." [Surat Ash-Shu`ara': 141].
The religion of Prophets and their codes:
All Prophets and Messengers had the same religion which Allah spoke about in His Book saying: "Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâm." [Surat Al `Imran: 19]. He also says: "And whoever seeks a religion other than Islâm, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers." [Surat Al `Imran: 85]. So, it came on the tongue of many Prophets that their religion was Islam, or invoked Allah to count them among Muslims, or Allah spoke about them as Muslims. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Ibrâhîm (Abraham) was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a true Muslim Hanîf (Islâmic Monotheism - to worship none but Allâh Alone) and he was not of Al-Mushrikûn." [Surat Al `Imran: 67]. It was reported on the tongue of Yusuf [Joseph] (peace be upon him): "My Lord! You have indeed bestowed on me of the sovereignty, and taught me the interpretation of dreams" [Surat Yusuf: 101].
It was reported in the invocation of Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them) while building the Ka`bah: "Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You." [Surat Al Baqarah: 128].
It came in the will of Jacob to his children: "Or were you witnesses when death approached Ya'qub (Jacob)? When he said unto his sons, What will you worship after me? They said, We shall worship your Ilah (God - Allah), the Ilah (God) of your fathers, Ibrahim (Abraham), Isma'il (Ishmael), Ishaque (Isaac), One Ilah (God), and to Him we submit (in Islam)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 133].
It came on the tongue of Jesus' disciples: "And when I (Allah) put in the hearts of Al-Hawarieen (the disciples) [of `Eisa (Jesus)] to believe in Me and My Messenger, they said: We believe. And bear witness that we are Muslims." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 111].
It came in the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah: "The Prophets are brothers; their mothers are different but their religion is one, and there is no Prophet between us."[3] So, all Prophets were sent with the basics of belief such as: The oneness of Allah (Glory be to Him), the belief in all previous Messengers and Prophets, and in the Last Day. Moreover, all of them called to adhering to the basics of the acts of worship and manners, but as for branches of the Shari`ah, they differ from a Prophet to another because codes or Shari`ah were revealed to organize communities and fighting behavioral deviations. Social diseases differ from a nation to another, therefore codes differ according to societies and their diseases. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 48].
The excellence of Muhammad's prophethood to other Prophets:
Previous messages had been under persecution, distortion, alteration, and secrecy throughout history which resulted in the interruption of its chain of transmission. Moreover, perhaps centuries passed without hearing any news about these messages, and the following prophecies used to renew the previous codes, but these historical gaps could not be filled and remained a point of weakness in its history.
However, the message of Muhammad (peace be upon him) is concluding to other previous messages in the continuity of its chain of transmission since his mission until today and up to the Day of Recompense, where the Glorious Qur'an has been frequently transmitted from the beginning of the mission of Muhammad (peace be upon him) until today and shall continue until Allah inherits the earth and all that therein. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Verily We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Quran) and surely, We will guard it (from corruption)." [Surat Al Hijr: 9].

History is unable to prove the message of Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them) in a scientific documentary way except through the Glorious Qur'an, therefore the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him) has occupied the place of judging and testifying over other nations according to the Qur'an. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad SAW and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) be a witness over you. And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e. disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allah guided. And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allah is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind." [Surat Al Baqarah: 143].
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) explained this testimony by the Hadith that was reported by Al Bukhari from the Hadith of Abu Sa`id Al Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Noah will be called on the Day of Resurrection and he will say: 'Labbayka and Sa`dayk, O my Lord!' Allah will say: 'Did you convey the Message?' Noah will say: 'Yes.' His nation will then be asked, 'Did he convey the Message to you?' They will say: 'No Warner came to us.' Then Allah will say (to Noah), 'Who will bear witness in your favor?' He will say: 'Muhammad and his followers. So they (i.e. Muslims) will testify that he conveyed the Message. And the Messenger (Muhammad, peace be upon him) will be a witness over yourselves, and that is what is meant by the Statement of Allah :- 'Thus We have made of you a just and the best nation that you may be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad, peace be upon him) will be a witness over yourselves.'" [Surat Al Baqarah: 143]
The testimony of this nation over other nations cannot be confirmed except by the Glorious Qur'an because the Qur'an mentioned that Noah conveyed the messages of his Lord to his nation.
Likewise, previous Prophets and the Messenger (peace be upon him) shall be a witness over his nation.
He used to repeat in every occasion that he delivered the messages of his Lord as he did in the Farewell Hajj.
After he had finished his sermon, he said to the people: Have I informed you? They said: Yes. He repeated it then said: O Allah, be my witness, while he was pointing his finger to the people once and pointing to the sky another time while saying: O Allah, be my witness. Frequent transmission from trustworthy Muslims to others is a great merit by which the nation of Muhammad (peace be upon him) was characterized and for that it gained that great status among all nations.

[1] See Al Alusy's Tafsir 17/157, the Messengers and the message by Al Ashqar.

[2] Reported by Imam Ahmad in Al Musnad.

[3] Reported by Al Bukhari, Muslim, and Ahmad.

[ابوالوليد المسلم]

Belief in the Messengers (2)

Dr. Mustafa Muslim



Descriptions of Messengers which Muslims must believe in:
Allah (Glory be to Him) chose Messengers from among the nations who received the messages, and Allah knows the best. Those who were chosen to fulfill that great mission must have got the highest degree of human perfection whether in moral, bodily, mental, and spiritual aspects. Therefore, scholars mentioned a set of basic qualities that Muslims should believe in the Messengers and Prophets (peace be upon them), of which are the following:
1- Acumen:
A Messenger carries a divine message to the people by which he confronts different types of people and mostly the confrontation took place between the Messengers and those in power who seek the help of thinkers and people who master argument. So, if a Messenger had not been clever and smart, he would have not refuted their claims and convinced them with the opposite. People who follow these proofs and evidences which the Prophets and Messengers mentioned to their people such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, Shu`ayb (Jethro), Lut and others shall see this quality evident in their characters.
2- Infallibility:
A Messenger is the first to apply the instructions of his Lord, moreover he is the model example to his followers in regard to belief, manners, and actions. In order that following would be correct and the model example would be free of deviation, Allah (Glory be to Him) protected His Messengers from falling into sins, so it is not imaginable that a Messenger falls into disobedience to the commands of his Lord voluntarily. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "Certainly, there has been in them an excellent example for you to follow, for those who look forward to (the Meeting with) Allah (for the reward from Him) and the Last Day. And whosoever turn away, then verily, Allah is Rich (Free of all wants), Worthy of all Praise." [Surat Al Mumtahanah: 6]
3- Integrity:
A Messenger is entrusted with the Shari`ah of his Lord: Conveying, applying, explaining, so he cannot betray his Lord in terms of the message by concealing and not delivering it to people. It is impossible to disable its rulings without applying them in his life to himself and his family first then to his followers. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conveyed all that was revealed to him from his Lord and we find a set of divine gentle reproofs regarding some personal aspects in his life, his mission as well as military and political issues which the Prophet (peace be upon him) delivered all out of his trustworthiness.
4- Truthfulness:
There are some basic attributes which bring confidence in a person and impose his respect to others; of these attributes is truthfulness. Therefore, scholars said: Of the qualities that must exist in the Messengers is truthfulness because untruthfulness is a proof to the weakness of a person's character and a reason for not accepting his words or actions, and all these contradict the mission of a Messenger who instills belief inside people and establishes the props of integrity on high morals and virtues. That will not be achieved but through following the Prophets (peace be upon them) in their manners, particularly truthfulness and integrity.
5- Conveying the message:
Of the basic missions that a Messenger should fulfill is conveying the message of the Lord to the people. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "O Messenger (Muhammad SAW)! Proclaim (the Message) which has been sent down to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message. Allah will protect you from mankind. Verily, Allah guides not the people who disbelieve." [Surat Al Ma'idah: 67].
The Glorious Qur'an explained that Allah protects His Messengers when delivering the message from people who may add something to their messages. So, no human or jinn can interfere in their messages but they are protected by Allah until they deliver the message correctly. Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) says: "(He Alone is) the All-Knower of the Ghaib (Unseen), and He reveals to none His Ghaib (Unseen). * Except to a Messenger (from mankind) whom He has chosen (He informs him of unseen as much as He likes), and then He makes a band of watching guards (angels) to march before him and behind him. * [He (Allâh) protects them (the Messengers)], till He sees that they (the Messengers) have conveyed the Messages of their Lord (Allâh). And He (Allâh) surrounds all that which is with them, and He (Allâh) keeps count of all things (i.e. He knows the exact number of everything)." [Surat Al Jinn: 26 - 28].
6- Soundness of senses from repulsive diseases:
The mission of a Messenger in conveying and rearing requires mixture with people, attracting hearts to his mission, following him in all his conditions, and loving him. The lack of these senses such as blindness, deafness, dumbness, and catching a repulsive disease such as leprosy and others contradict the nature of the mission with which he was charged and a cause for diverting people away from him and all these may fail his mission which aim to guidance and reformation. Verily, Allah (Glory be to Him) chose the most reasonable, soft-hearted, best manner, and the most beautiful people who are more close to people.
Unlike these qualities, Prophets may get normal diseases, need food, drink, and earning money for living as ordinary people, and sometimes they become victorious or defeated, winners and losers. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And We sent not before you (O Muhammad SAW) but men to whom We inspired, so ask the people of the Reminder [Scriptures - the Taurat (Torah), the Injeel (Gospel)] if you do not know." [Surat Al Anbiya': 7].
Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And We never sent before you (O Muhammad peace be upon him) any of the Messengers but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets. And We have made some of you as a trial for others: will you have patience? And your Lord is Ever All-Seer (of everything)." [Surat Al Furqan: 20]