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As the verse: "So call and go straight as you have been ordered to…" (Surat ash-Shura: 15) makes clear, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) was the last prophet charged with warning mankind. Like all the other messengers, the Prophet (saas) called people to the true path, to have faith in Allah, to live for the hereafter and to exercise good morality. The methods he employed, the way he explained things, and the style he used must remain examples for all Muslims, and when a Muslim invites people to the religion he must speak and behave in the manner of the Prophet (saas). This is how the Qur'an reveals that the Prophet (saas) was commanded to say that he had come to warn mankind: Say: "This is my way. I call to Allah with inner sight, I and all who follow me. Glory be to Allah! I am not one of the idolators!" (Surah Yusuf: 108) The Prophet (saas) did all that he could and more to warn people, and extended great effort to address as many people as he could. One verse reveals: Say: "What thing is greatest as a witness?" Say: "Allah. He is Witness between me and you. This Qur'an has been revealed to me so that I may warn you by it, and anyone else it reaches. Do you then bear witness that there are other gods together with Allah?" Say: "I do not bear witness." Say: "He is only One God, and I am free of all you associate with Him." (Surat al-An'am: 19) By communicating the message of the Qur'an, the Prophet (saas) completely abolished the corrupt religions that the polytheists had inherited from their ancestors, for which reason he met with much resistance. Yet, he abided by Allah's command and took no notice of their oppression and animosity. Allah commands the Prophet (saas) thus in one verse: Proclaim what you have been ordered to and turn away from the idolators. We are enough for you against the mockers. (Surat al-Hijr: 94-95) Muslims in our own time too must explain the morality of the Qur'an to people, ignoring any lack of approval and whatever anyone might say to oppose them. They must not fear "the blame of any blamer," as the Prophet (saas) did. That is a sign of morality and godliness that will be rewarded with Paradise. The Prophet (saas) commanded Muslims to abide by that Sunnah in these words, "Convey my teaching to the people even if it were a single sentence."35 The Prophet (saas) explained that Allah possesses infinite might
In order that people should appreciate the power of Allah and adopt a nobler morality out of awe of Him, the Prophet (saas) used to tell people of the might of Allah and of the proofs of the splendour in His creation. He thus became the means whereby they would love Allah and fear him. This verse describes how the Prophet (saas) was commanded to speak: Say: "What do you think? If Allah made it permanent night for you till the Day of Rising, what god is there other than Allah to bring you light? Do you not then hear?" Say: "What do you think? If Allah made it permanent day for you till the Day of Rising, what god is there other than Allah to bring you night to rest in? Do you not then see?" (Surat al-Qasas: 71-72) The Prophet Muhammad (saas) also spoke of the proofs of Allah's creation to those who did not believe in the hereafter, and explained that Allah, Who has the power to create them, also had the power to create the same again in the hereafter. The verse in question reads: Say: "Travel about the earth and see how He brought creation out of nothing. Then later Allah will bring about the next existence. Allah has power over all things." (Surat al-'Ankabut: 20) These are some of the verses in which the Prophet (saas) is told in which way to communicate how Allah is exalted above anything they associate with Him and has no need of anything: Say: "Am I to take anyone other than Allah as my Protector, the Bringer into Being of the heavens and the earth, He who feeds and is not fed?" Say: "I am commanded to be the first of the Muslims," and, "Do not be among the idolators." Say: "I fear, were I to disobey my Lord, the punishment of a dreadful Day." (Surat al-An'am: 14-15) In the Qur'an, the Prophet (saas) was also told how to explain that there is no god but Allah and that our Lord is the lord of all: Say: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" Say: "Allah." Say: "So why have you taken protectors apart from Him Who possess no power to help or harm themselves?" Say: "Are the blind and seeing equal? Or are darkness and light the same? Or have they assigned partners to Allah Who creates as He creates, so that all creating seems the same to them?" Say: "Allah is the Creator of everything. He is the One, the All-Conquering." (Surat ar-Ra'd: 16) The Prophet (saas) made his community, who knew that Allah existed but did not consider His infinite might and were thus unable to appreciate His existence, and acknowledge His power. After that, he called on them to take warning. The verses in question are as follows: Say: "To whom does the earth belong, and everyone in it, if you have any knowledge?" They will say: "To Allah." Say: "So will you not pay heed?" Say: "Who is the Lord of the Seven Heavens and the Lord of the Mighty Throne?" They will say: "Allah." Say: "So will you not do your duty [by Him]?" Say: "In Whose hand is the dominion over everything, He Who gives protection and from Whom no protection can be given, if you have any knowledge?" They will say: "Allah's." Say: "So how have you been bewitched?" (Surat al-Muminun: 84-89) The Prophet (saas) would explain
that the only Some people choose errant paths for themselves that are full of errors, superstition and harmful ideas and methods. These can bring them nothing but loss in this world and the next. The Prophet (saas) was always at pains to call people to the best and most beautiful path, the path of Allah, and to be a means whereby people could be saved in this world and the next. Say: "Are we to call on something besides Allah which can neither help nor harm us, and to turn on our heels after Allah has guided us, like someone the satans have lured away in the earth, leaving him confused and stupefied, despite the fact that he has companions calling him to guidance, saying, 'Come with us'!" Say: "Allah's guidance, that is true guidance. We are commanded to submit as Muslims to the Lord of all the worlds." (Surat al-An'am: 71) The Prophet (saas) has stated in the hadiths that the right path is that of Allah and His Prophet (saas): "The best word is the Word of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad."36 The Prophet (saas) warned against idolatry One of the most important errors that the Prophet (saas) has warned against is associating partners with Allah (shirk). As can be seen from the verses of the Qur'an, the Prophet (saas) always told people that Allah is the only god, that nothing had any power apart from Allah, and warned them against idolatry. He was commanded to do this in many verses, some of which read: Say: "This is my way. I call to Allah with inner sight, I and all who follow me. Glory be to Allah! I am not one of the idolators!" (Surah Yusuf: 108) Say: "I call only upon my Lord and do not associate anyone else with Him." Say: "I possess no power to do you harm or to guide you right." Say: "No one can protect me from Allah [if I should disobey] and I will never find any refuge apart from Him." (Surat al-Jinn: 20-22) Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah, making my religion sincerely His. And I am commanded to be the first of the Muslims." Say: "I fear, were I to disobey my Lord, the punishment of a terrible day." Say: "It is Allah I worship, making my religion sincerely His, so worship anything you will apart from Him!" Say: "The real losers are those who lose themselves and their families on the Day of Rising." Is not that clear loss? (Surat az-Zumar: 11-15) He Who originates creation and then regenerates
it and provides for you from out of heaven and earth. Is there another
god besides Allah? Say: "Bring your proof if you are being truthful."
(Surat an-Naml: 64)
The Prophet (saas), who reminded his people that Allah was the only god, also told them that nothing they might set up alongside Allah could ever create anything nor had it any power to harm or benefit any. The verses regarding this are as follows: Say: "Call on those you make claims for apart from Him. They possess no power to remove any harm from you or to change anything." (Surat al-Isra': 56) Say: "Have you thought about those you call upon apart from Allah? Show me what they have created on the earth. Or do they have a partnership in the heavens? Produce a Book for me before this one or a shred of knowledge if you are telling the truth." (Surat al-Ahqaf: 4) Say: "Call on those you make claims for besides Allah. They have no power over even the smallest particle, either in the heavens or in the earth. They have no share in them. He has no need of their support." (Surah Saba': 22) Say: "Have you thought about your partner gods, those you call upon besides Allah? Show me what they have created of the earth; or do they have a partnership in the heavens?" Have We given them a Book whose Clear Signs they follow? No indeed! The wrongdoers promise each other nothing but delusion. (Surah Fatir: 40) Most people believe in Allah but are unable to appreciate His power and greatness, fail to comprehend that He is their only friend and helper, and wrongly believe that things other than Allah can be of assistance to them. The Prophet (saas) explained these truths to his people and attempted to free them from idolatry. He is commanded in the verses:
If you ask them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" They will say, "Allah." Say: "So what do you think? If Allah desires harm for me, can those you call upon besides Allah remove His harm? Or if He desires mercy for me, can they withhold His mercy?" Say: "Allah is enough for me. All those who truly trust put their trust in Him." (Surat az-Zumar: 38) Say: "Who is going to shield you from Allah if He desires evil for you or desires mercy for you?" They will find no one to protect or help them besides Allah. (Surat al-Ahzab: 17) Allah created man, and is his only friend and helper. Yet, people who have no fear of Him refuse to accept that. Only in times of difficulty, when something happens to clearly show them how helpless they are, do they understand that only Allah can help them. The Prophet (saas) also reminded people of that same fact. He said that in times of trouble or loss people have no other helper than Allah. The Prophet (saas) is called upon to remind people of that in the Qur'an: Say: "What do you think? If Allah's punishment were to come upon you or the Hour, would you call on other than Allah if you are being truthful?" It is Him you call on and, if He wills, He will deliver you from whatever it was that made you call on Him; and you will forget what you associated with Him. (Surat al-An'am: 40-41) Believers who remember that truth emphasized by the Prophet (saas) know, without having to experience such difficulties, that only Allah can ever help them, and that only He has the power to lift their troubles and burdens. In the Qur'an, Allah says: Say: "Who rescues you from the darkness of the land and sea? You call on Him humbly and secretly: 'If you rescue us from this, we will truly be among the thankful.'" Say: "Allah rescues you from it, and from every plight. Then you associate others with Him." (Surat al-An'am: 63-64) The Prophet (saas) has warned all Muslims against idolatry
in the hadiths: Elsewhere, the Prophet (saas) stated that not associating others with Allah is both the proof as well as the necessary condition of faith: "Whoever meets Allah, without associating
partners with Him, will enter Paradise."38
He also stressed what a great hidden danger idolatry is: "Should I not inform you of that which I fear for you even more than the dangers of Dajjal? It is the hidden idolatry: A person stands to pray and he beautifies his prayer because he sees the people looking at him."39 "Idolatry is more hidden in my Ummah than the creeping of ants across a great smooth stone on a black night..."40 The Prophet (saas) revealed that only Allah can know the unseen The word "ghaib" in the Qur'an is used for hidden things that man cannot see or know. Things that will happen in the future are unknown to us, for instance. Yet everything to do with the future, the future of every individual, country, building and piece of furniture, is known to Allah. This is how the Prophet (saas) was told to explain that knowledge of the invisible (ilm-ul-ghaib) lies solely with Allah: Say: "Allah knows best how long they stayed. The Unseen of the heavens and the earth belongs to Him. How perfectly He sees, how well He hears! They have no protector apart from Him. Nor does He share His rule with anyone." (Surat al-Kahf: 26) Say: "No one in the heavens and the earth knows the Unseen except Allah." They are not aware of when they will be raised. (Surat an-Naml: 65) Say: "My Lord hurls forth the Truth-the Knower of all unseen things." (Surah Saba': 48) In the Qur'an, the Prophet (saas) is commanded thus: Say: "I possess no power to help or harm myself, except as Allah wills. If I had had knowledge of the Unseen, I would have sought to gain much good and no evil would have touched me. I am only a warner and a bringer of good news to people who believe." (Surat al-A'raf: 188) The Prophet (saas) reminded people
that Allah heard even Some people think that when they intend to do something wrong, or plan a wicked act with others of like-mind, or gossip, they can conceal it from others. However, Allah knows everything an individual thinks, what enters his mind, what two people whisper to each other, and everything in heaven and earth. He witnesses everything a person does. Every individual will have to offer account in the hereafter for everything he thought he had done or said in secret. That person may perhaps forget those words full of wickedness, but Allah will place everything he has forgotten before him on the Day of Judgment. The Prophet (saas) also drew attention to that fact, and warned people they would have to give account of themselves. These are some of the verses on the subject: Say, "Whether you conceal what is in your breasts or make it known, Allah knows it. He knows what is in the heavens and what is on earth. Allah has power over all things." (Surah Al 'Imran: 29) Say: "Allah is a sufficient witness between me and you. He is certainly aware of and sees His servants." (Surat al-Isra': 96) If they turn their backs, then say: "I have informed all of you equally and I do not know if what you have been promised is near or far. He knows what is said openly and He knows what you hide." (Surat al-Anbiya': 109-110) Say: "Do you presume to teach Allah your religion when Allah knows everything in the heavens and everything in the earth? Allah has knowledge of all things." (Surat al-Hujurat: 16) The Prophet (saas) announced that the Qur'an was revealed to man by Allah During and after the time of the Prophet (saas) there have been those who denied that the Qur'an is a divine book. Some of these people even went so far as to claim it was the Prophet (saas) himself who had written it. Yet, it is evident that the Qur'an was not written by any human hand. The Qur'an is the word of Allah, and contains many miracles and is a superior wisdom, the like of which no human being could ever conceive. The Prophet (saas) reminded people of this, and announced that the Qur'an had been sent by Allah. These are some of the verses that refer to this: Say: "The One Who sent it down is He Who knows
all hidden secrets in the heavens and earth. He is Ever-Forgiving,
Most Merciful." (Surat al-Furqan: 6) Say: "What do you think? If it is from Allah and
you reject it, who could be more misguided than someone entrenched
in hostility to it?" (Surah Fussilat: 52)
Those who allege that the Qur'an was written by a human being are unaware of the miracles it contains and that its wisdom is from Allah. In fact, the Qur'an is such a book that not even all the people in the world and all the jinn together could have written it, let alone one man. The Prophet (saas) was commanded to say the following on the subject: Say: "If both men and jinn banded together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could never produce anything like it, even if they backed each other up." (Surat al-Isra': 88) Do they say, "He has invented it?" Say: "Then produce a sura like it and call on anyone you can besides Allah if you are telling the truth." (Surah Yunus: 38) In another hadith, the Prophet (saas) stated that the Qur'an was the word of Allah: "Honesty descended from the Heavens and settled in the roots of the hearts of men (faithful believers), and then the Qur'an was revealed and the people read the Qur'an, (and learned from it) and also learned it from the Sunnah. Both Qur'an and Sunnah strengthened their (the faithful believers') honesty."41
The Prophet (saas) made it known
that the Qur'an was sent down The Prophet (saas) said that the Qur'an led people to the true path, and advised people to take it as their guide. Some of the verses on that subject are: Say: "The Purest Spirit has brought it down from your Lord with truth, to make those who believe firm, and as guidance and good news for the Muslims." (Surat an-Nahl: 102) Say: "If I am misguided, it is only to my detriment. But if I am guided, it is by what my Lord reveals to me. He is All-Hearing, Close-at-hand." (Surah Saba': 50) This is why the Prophet (saas) placed great importance in teaching the Qur'an: "Acquire the knowledge and impart it to the people. Learn the Qur'an and teach it to the people; for I am a person who has to depart this world."42 The Prophet (saas) revealed that
on the Day of Reckoning no one One of the errant beliefs prevalent in ignorant societies is that one person's sins can be heaped upon another. For example, someone may try to prevent his friends from carrying out a religious obligation and say, "I will accept that sin myself." Of course that person will be committing the sin of preventing the carrying out of an obligation, but his friend will still be committing the sin of not carrying it out. In other words, nobody can lift that sin from another's shoulders. On the Day of Reckoning, people will only be held responsible for their own deeds. Nobody will be asked about the sins of others, and nobody's sins will be attributed to anyone else. Allah told the Prophet Muhammad (saas) to explain this in these terms: Say: "Am I to desire other than Allah as Lord when He is the Lord of all things?" What each self earns is for itself alone. No burden-bearer can bear another's burden. Then you will return to your Lord, and He will inform you regarding the things about which you differed. (Surat al-An'am: 164) The Prophet (saas)'s words, "no burdened soul will bear another's burden,"43 explained the truth about that popular superstition. The Prophet (saas) advised his
people to take a lesson from the All through history, societies that have opposed Allah, his messengers and religion, have been destroyed by great disasters, in such a way as to leave no trace of them. The end of such societies must be a lesson for all people, to turn to Allah and fear His wrath. Say: "Travel about the earth and see the final fate of the evildoers." (Surat an-Naml: 69) Say: "Travel about the earth and see the final
fate of the deniers." (Surat al-An'am: 11)
Say: "Travel about the earth and see the final fate of those before. Most of them were idolators." (Surat ar-Rum: 42) One thing the Prophet (saas) said in the light of the above verses was "Rejoice and hope for what will please you! By Allah, I am not afraid of your poverty but I am afraid that you will lead a life of luxury as past nations did, whereupon you will compete with each other for it, as they competed for it, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them."44 by which he warned people of the disasters that had come upon others because of their indulgence. The Prophet (saas) reminded people of death Dying is one of the foremost fears of those who doubt
or do not believe in the hereafter. Since they believe that death
will mean the end of everything, they therefore cling desperately
to this world. Yet, everyone will die at the moment decreed for
him by Allah, and there is no means of escape from it. The Prophet
(saas) also told people that there was nothing to be gained by trying
to avoid death, and called on them instead to consider their real
life, which comes after.
Say: "Flight will not benefit you if you try to run away from death or being killed. Then you will only enjoy a short respite." (Surat al-Ahzab: 16) Say: "You have a promised appointment on a Day which you cannot delay or advance a single hour." (Surah Saba': 30)
The Prophet (saas) recommended to people they think about death, and said: "Those who are most aware of death
and prepare themselves for it. They are the wisest of people."45 He revealed that only Allah has Knowledge of the Hour One of people's main concerns is the time and the hour of the Day of Judgment. Yet, Allah has revealed that none but He can know of it, and commanded the Prophet (saas) to give the following answer if asked about it: People will ask you about the Last Hour. Say: "Only Allah has knowledge of it. What will make you understand? It may be that the Last Hour is very near." (Surat al-Ahzab: 63) Say: "I do not know whether what you are promised is close or whether my Lord will appoint a longer time before it." (Surat al-Jinn: 25) If they turn their backs, then say: "I have informed all of you equally and I do not know if what you have been promised is near or far." (Surat al-Anbiya': 109) He communicated that some people will remain in Hell for ever One very common superstition in ignorant societies is that people will remain in Hell for a given length of time and then leave it. However, Allah has made it known that some people will remain in Hell for ever. In accordance with Allah's command, the Prophet (saas) told those who believed that one will only remain in Hell for a given period that some people will stay there permanently: They say, "The Fire will only touch us for a number of days." Say, "Have you made a contract with Allah-then Allah will not break His contract-or are you rather saying about Allah what you do not know?" No indeed! Those who accumulate bad actions and are surrounded by their mistakes, such people are the Companions of the Fire, remaining in it timelessly, for ever; whereas those who believe and do right actions, such people are the Companions of the Garden, remaining in it timelessly, for ever. (Surat al-Baqara: 80-82) The Prophet (saas) also had this to say about life in Heaven and Hell: "When the inmates of Paradise would go to Paradise and the inmates of Hell would go to Hell, death would be called and it would be placed between the Paradise and the Hell and then slaughtered and then the announcer would announce: inmates of Paradise, no death; Inmates of Hell-Fire, no death. And it would increase the delight of the inmates of Paradise and it would increase the grief of the inmates of Hell-Fire."46
   35. Sahih
Bukhari, 4667
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