::Contents::
1)
Prophets vary in rank
& highest rank is given to one Prophet ﷺ
2)
Convent of All Prophets
to follow the last Prophet ﷺ
3)
The Holy Prophet ﷺ
is mercy for entire creation
4)
Messengership of
Prophet ﷺ encompasses whole humanity and the entire creation
5)
The highest degree of
Prophet ﷺ
will be manifested on day of Judgment
6)
Misunderstandings &
Clarification
The
Prophets (peace be upon them) vary in status. This is something that has been
stated by Allah in Quran and by the Prophet ﷺ in
His Sunnah. The belief that our beloved Prophet ﷺ is
Afzalul Bashar, Imam-ul-Ambia is in accordance with Quran & Ahadith.
1) Prophets vary in rank
& highest rank is given to one Prophet:
Quran States “These are
messengers! That in them We caused one to excel upon the other: to some of them
Allah spoke: and someone is he who was raised high in degrees over-all, and We
gave clear signs to Isa son of Mariam and aided him with holy spirit [Jibreel
[al-Baqarah 2:253]
Based on above verse two points
are evident,
a.
The Prophets vary in status
& some excel others in status.
b.
And One Prophet is given
highest rank over all others, "وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَهُمْ دَرَجَاتٍ" (and someone is he who was raised in degrees over all
others). Which indicates highest rank - "Saiey-yidul Mursaleen" (high
ranked, the chief/the leader of all the Prophets) given to some Prophet without
mention of name. Religious scholars say that this "someone" in the
verse stands for the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
2) Convent of All Prophets
to follow the last Prophet:
Allah took the covenant and pledge from all the Prophets that
if Muhammad ﷺ was sent during
the lifetime of any one of them, they would be obliged to leave their sharia and
follow our beloved Prophet ﷺ
“And remember when Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets,
saying: ‘Take whatever I gave you from the Book and Wisdom, and afterwards
there will come to you a Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ) confirming
what is with you; you must, then, believe in him and help him.’ Allah said: ‘Do
you agree and will you take up My Covenant (which I conclude with you)?’ They
said: ‘We agree.’ He said: ‘Then bear witness; and I am with you among the
witnesses (for this).’ Then whoever turns away after this, they are the
disobedient” [Gist Aal-Imraan 3:81-82]
The Holy Prophet ﷺ
once said: "by Him (Allah) in Whose hand my soul is! if Musa (Prophet
Moses) were alive today he would have no option but to follow me". [Gist Musnad
Ahmad 14736]
Prophet Jesus who will descend from heavens towards the end of
this world, will follow" Shari'ah" of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Despite being a Prophet himself, will
live as his "Ummati". He will also offer prayer under the leadership
of his (Holy Prophef's) Ummati and vicegerent, Imam Mehdi [Muslim 1/293] and
“will judge people by law of Quran (not Injeel)” (Bukhari 56/657-658)
3) The Holy Prophet ﷺ is mercy for entire
creation:
The Holy Quran declares: "We sent you (O' beloved) not
but as mercy for all Alameen (all the worlds)”. [Surah Al Anbiya 21:107]
This is also confirmed by Hadees, Prophet ﷺ said “I have been given five things that
were not given to any of the Prophets before me:
a.
I have been supported with
fear (cast into the hearts of my enemies) for a distance of one month’s travel
b.
The earth has been made a
place of prostration and a means of purification for me, so when the time of
prayer comes for any man among my ummah, let him pray
c.
War booty has been
permitted for me
d.
A Prophet would be sent
only to his own people, but I have been sent to all of mankind; and,
e.
I have been given the
power of intercession.” Narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim.
"Aalameen" is plural of "Aalam" (the
world) and "Aalam" means all all those things which it contains
except for Allah. Thus the Holy Prophet ﷺ is
the mercy and great favour of Allah Almighty to all living and lifeless
creatures of the worlds which also include Apostles, Messengers, Prophets and
prominent angels and they all receive benefits and favours from his infinitude
of blessings and compassion. That's why, Muslim scholars maintain that whatever
Divine bounty and favour was given or is given or will be given to the believer
or infidel, righteous or sinful, angel or human being, genie or animal, less or
more, small or large, from the beginning to the end, for temporal or spiritual
benefit, to the soul or the body, visibly or invisibly, from the beginning until
now, from now upto the Doomsday, from the Doomsday to the end and from the end
to the eternity was, in fact, distributed, is being distributed and will
continue to be distributed through the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
All received Allah's mercy through him. He is heir to Allah's kingdom i.e.
Allah Almighty has empowered him fully. He receives help directly from Allah
and the whole world seek(s) Divine help through him. In brief, what one
received or receives from Allah Almighty actually got or gets through him or
his sake. The Lord and creator - Allah Almighty is "Rabbil 'Aalameen"
(the Sovereign Lord, Nourisher of all the universes) and Holy Prophet ﷺ is
"Rahmatal-lil-'Aalameen"(mercy for all the universes) which reflects
"Itlaaq-o-'Umoomiyat" (application of the same word and commonness)
between them in respect of "Aalameen" (the worlds, universes).
4) Messengership of Prophet ﷺ encompasses whole humanity
and the entire creation.
The Holy Prophet ﷺ is
the Prophet for all Humanity. The Holy Quran says:
وَمَا
أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا وَلَٰكِنَّ
أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
|
"and We sent you (O'beloved) not but with such
Messengership that encompasses the whole humanity”. [Saba 34:28}
The word "Linnas" (mankind, entire humanity) stands
for all humanity which is stressed by the word "Kaaaffa" thereby to
declare that the Messengership of the Holy Prophet encircles all the mankind,
inclusive of Prophets and Messengers. The Holy Prophet, Sayyidunaa Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of all Apostles,
Messengers and Prophets and indeed every living and lifeless creation barring
Allah. Therefore, religious scholars emphasize that the Holy Prophet ﷺ is Messenger for every soul/thing whose
creator is Allah. His Messengership encompassing the whole creation is affirmed
by Quran in other place.
“Immensely Blessed is He Who has sent down the Quran to His
Bondman that he may be a warner to the entire world”. [Al Furqan 25:1]
The religious scholars firmly maintain that the Messengership
of the Holy Prophet ﷺ not only encompasses
humanity but also genies, animals, all trees/stones,
"Hoor-o-Ghilmaan" (Female Hur and male servants in Paradise), the
earth and heavens and mountains, every drop of ocean, every living/non-living,
every organic/inorganic, in short each and every particle of the entire world is
within the territory of his Messengership.
The Messengership and Mercy of the Holy Prophet ﷺ encompasses all Apostles, Messengers,
Prophets along with their communities, nations and all creations from
"Abul Bashar" (father of humanity), Prophet Adam to the Doomsday.
5) The highest degree of
Prophet ﷺ will be manifested on
day of Judgment:
The Holy Prophet Sayyiduna Muhammad ﷺ is the leader, chief of all the Prophets which is borne out by
the fact that he led the prayer of all the Apostles, Messengers and Prophets in
masjid-e-Aqsa on Isra wal Miraj (night of ascension). His real greatness and
status will be fully manifested on the Doomsday when all Apostles, Messengers
and Prophets will gather under his flag, banner.
This is the saheeh (sound) report that was narrated from him,
in which he spoke in detail of what will happen on the Day of Resurrection when
all the Prophets (peace be upon them) will excuse themselves but Muhammad ﷺ
will come forward to intercede in what is known as the great intercession. Then
his Lord, may He be exalted, will honor him by accepting his intercession for
the people of that gathering. [Gist Bukhari 93/532]
That will be the station of praise and glory (al-maqaam
al-mahmoud) that Allah, may He be blessed and exalted, will not bestow upon any
human except Him ﷺ.
“It may be that your Lord will raise you to maqaaman mahmoodah
(a station of praise and glory, i.e., the highest degree which will no one will
be granted except Prophet Muhammad.” [al-Isra’ 17:78-79]
From the above it is evident that the Prophets vary in status
and highest rank belongs to the last Prophet. Islam does not deny the high
status and rank of Prophet instead the high status and extreme love of Allah
for the last Prophet is evident from many other verses of Quran and Sahih
Narrations, he is undoubtedly at highest rank, for He is Imam ul Ambia, he led
them in prayer on Isra wal Miraj, Was taken to journey of heavens and blessed
with divine vision, He will be the leader of the sons of Adam on the Day of
Resurrection, He is the first among all the Messengers & Pious who will be
granted the power of intercession on that Day, He is one for whom it is said “Warafana
Laka Zikrak” [94:4] etc. this are explicitly proofs of highest rank.
6) Misunderstandings &
Clarification:
The above verses and facts in no way contradict the following
verse, that says that there is no distinction between the Prophets, where no
distinction refers to Religion/Emaan. For there is no distinction between their
faith and the message they brought, they came with the same faith and they all
taught that there is no God other than Allah. ~ La ilaha illa Allah.
“The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from
his Lord, and so do the believers. Each one of them believes in Allah, His
Angels, His Books, and His Messengers “We make no distinction [in faith]
between one another of His Messengers. And they say, “We hear, and we obey. We
seek Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return.” [Al Baqra 2:285]
With regard to laws, each of them had his own law which was
for his people alone. Allah says: “To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way”
[al-Maa’idah 5:48].
But the way (shari’ah) of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is the most perfect, the best, the most complete and the
most beloved to Allah; it abrogates all laws that came before it.
In regards to saheeh ahadeeth “Do not prefer me over Yoonus
ibn Mattaa” and “By the One Who chose Moosa over all of creation” – there are
two folds in it, one indicates the immense humbleness of the Prophet ﷺ when speaking of his brothers the Messengers and second
prohibiting disrespect of other Prophets based on comparison like people of
book used to do, which is also observed in few Muslims from current era who
knowingly/unknowingly agree or associate mistake & faults with Prophet
Adam, Musa, Younus without having correct understanding and knowing the
limitations in matter of Prophets. Whereas, in reality the Prophets are masoom
and for a believer it is one of the essential conditions of faith/Eeman (first
pillar of Deen) to belief that all Prophets are Masoom and flawless.
Coming back to point of prohibition, what has been prohibited
is to belittle or disrespect any Prophet in the sense of degrading others or
making comparison of rank with this intention. Our religion preserves the
dignity of the Prophets and Messengers, holds them in high esteem and makes
believing in all of them one of the pillars of faith; the one who does not
believe even in one of the Prophets is not a Muslim. Our religion only speaks
well of the Prophets and Messengers All Prophets are Masoom, All came with the
same message and Religion Islam, All taught Tawheed, We must love and respect
all of them.
To Conclude,
-
The Prophets differ in
status and they are at varying levels.
-
All Prophets are Masoom and
free from mistakes/sins.
-
The Seal of the Prophets,
Muhammad ﷺ is ranked high
among them and indeed in the entire creation.
-
It is not permissible to
degrade any Prophet or make comparison between prophets with this intention.
Almighty Allah and His Beloved Prophet ﷺ knows best.
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