THE EVERLASTING MESSAGE
(For detailed reading see: Ar-Raheequl-Makhtoom by Mubaarakpuri)
All that has been previously explained of the conditions of Judaism, Christianity, Mazdaism, Zaradashtiyah shows the situation of mankind (See section: ‘Condition of the existing religions’ in this book.) in the 6 th century A.D. when the religion became corrupted and all political, social and economical conditions were also corrupted; at a time when bloody wars became widespread, dictatorship emerged and mankind lived in stark darkness. This situation led to the darkness of the hearts as a result of disbelief and ignorance. Morals became degenerated, honours and rights were violated and mischief became the order of the day in the land and on the sea. The situation was so terrible that if any wise man were to ponder over it, he would have realised that mankind – in that age – were dying and that they were heading for abyss of no return had Allah not rescued them with a great reformer who was bearing the torch of Prophethood and the light of guidance in order to illuminate the way for mankind and guided them to the Straight Path.
At that time, Allah permitted that the everlasting light of Prophethood should emanate from Makkah in which there is the Great House. The Makkah environment had been like other human environments in terms of polytheism, ignorance, injustice and autocracy except that it was distinguished from other place with many qualities some of which were:
1. It was a pure environment that had not been affected by the stains of Greek, Roman or India philosophy. Its natives used to enjoy deep-rooted eloquence, lively minds and exceptional dispositions.
2. It is situated in the heart of the world. It is in the middle place between Europe, Asia and Africa, an important factor that makes it easy for the everlasting message to spread quickly and reach these continents in a short period.
3. It is a secured place. Allah protected it when Abraha (the Abyssinian King) wanted to invade it. The neighbouring Roman and Persian empires also were unable to conquer it. Even its commerce was secured in the north and south. That was a herald for the advent of this Noble Prophet. Allah has reminded the inhabitants of this city of this great favour when He says,
“Have We not established for them a secured sanctuary (Makkah) to which are brought fruits of all kinds?”
4. It is a desert environment that has preserved many of her good and commendable traits like generosity, good neighbourliness, earnest concern for honour among other qualities that qualified her for being the best suitable place for the clan of Quraysh which was well known for eloquence, oratory and honourable traits and held the positions of honour and leadership. Allah chose His Prophet Muhammad to make him the last of all Prophets and Messengers. He was born in Makkah in the 6th century A.D. approximately in the year 570. He grew up an orphan, for his father died while he was still in the womb. His mother and paternal grandfather later died while he was six years old. So, his uncle took care of him and he grew up an orphan. Signs of extraordinary brilliance manifested on him; and his habits, manners and traits were different from those of his people. He never lied in his speech and never hurt anyone. He became popular with truthfulness, chastity and sincerity so much so that many of his people would entrust him with their valuable properties and he would keep them as he would preserve his own life and wealth. This made them confer on him the title “Al-Ameen” (the trustworthy).
He was modest and shy and never showed himself naked in front of anyone since he came of age. He was innocent and pious and felt hurt when he saw his people worshipping idols, drinking alcohol and shedding innocent blood. He related with them only in those deeds of theirs which he loved and was pleased with and kept away from them when they indulged in their shameless acts and sins. He would help the orphans and the widows and feed the hungry.
When he was close to forty years of age, he became seriously constrained and inconvenienced by the corruption that was around him and started going for seclusion to worship his Lord and he would ask Him guidance to the Straight Path. While he was on this condition, one of the angels descended upon him with a revelation from his Lord and he commanded him to convey this religion to mankind; to call them to the worship of Allah alone and to shun the worship of others besides him. Then Revelation of ordainments and rules continued day after day and year after year until Allah perfected this religion for mankind and completed His favour on them with this perfection. After the Messenger of Allah had fulfilled his duty, Allah caused him to die. He lived for sixty-three years; forty before prophethood and twenty-three as a Prophet and Messenger.
Whoever ponders over the conditions of the Prophets and studies their history will know with certainty that there was no way in which the Prophethood of any Prophet was established except that the Prophethood of Muhammad was established in that way the more. If you reflect on how the Prophethood of Moosa and ‘Eesaa was transmitted, you will know that it was transmitted in succession. But the succession in which the Prophethood of Muhammad was transmitted was greater, stronger and more recent. Likewise, the succession in which their miracles are transmitted were similar but that with which the miracles of Muhammad were transmitted is greater, for his miracles are many and the greatest of that is the Glorious Qur’an which is continued to be transmitted successively in voice and in letter. (See special section about the Qur’an in this book. p.)
Whoever makes a comparison between what Prophets Musa and ‘Eesaa brought and what was brought by Prophet Muhammad of sound belief, wise ordainments and useful knowledge, will know with certainty that all of them emanated from a single lamp: the lamp of Prophethood. Whoever compares between the conditions of the followers of the Prophets and followers of Muhammad will know with certainty that the followers of Muhammad were the best of all people and the most of the Prophets’ followers in impact on those who came after them. They have spread the Islamic Monotheism, propagated justice and were merciful to the weak and destitute. (Majmoo ‘al-Fatawa Vol. 4 p. 201, 211; and Ifhaamul Yahood by Samaw’al Al-Magribi p. 58-59.)
If you want additional evidences of Muhammad’s Prophethood, I will quote to you the proofs and signs that were found by ‘Alee bin Rabban at-Tabaree when he was a Christian. He later embraced Islam because of those signs. They are:
1. The Messenger called to the worship of Allah alone and shunning the worship of others beside Him. In this, he agreed with all other Prophets.
2. He showed clear signs which only Prophets of Allah can show.
3. He predicted the future events and they came to pass as he had predicted.
4. He predicted the occurrence of many events of the world and its countries and these events came to pass as he had predicted.
5. That the Book brought by Muhammad – the Qur’an – is a sign of Prophethood for it is the most eloquent Book, sent down unto an illiterate man who could neither read nor write, but yet challenged the orators to produce the like thereof or the like of a Surah∗ in it; and because of the fact that Allah guarantees its preservation, preserved the correct belief with it, guaranteed it as the perfect divine ordainment and established with it the best community.
6. That he is the seal of all Prophets and that had he not been sent, prophecies of the past Prophets who gave glad tiding of his advent would have turned false.
7. That all Prophets had prophesied about him before his advent since a long time. They had described his mission, his country and submission of other nations and kings to him and his nation. They also mentioned the spread of his religion.
8. His victory over nations that waged war against him as a sign of his Prophethood; for it would be impossible for a man who falsely claims to be a Messenger of Allah and yet be strengthened by Allah with victory, authority, prevalence over enemies, spread of his message and abundance of his followers; for all this cannot happen except in the hand of a truthful Prophet.
9. His religious rites and acts of worship, his decency, truthfulness, commendable character, manners and ordinances. All this cannot be found together except in a Prophet.
After mentioning these proofs, this guided man then said, “These are illuminating traits and sufficient proofs. Whoever is endowed with them must be a Prophet; such a person has hit the target and prospered; and the belief in him is mandatory. Whoever rejects these proofs and denies them has incurred loss in his efforts and lost his worldly life and Hereafter.” (Ad-deen wad-dawla fee ithbaati nubuwwati Muhammad, by ‘Alee bin Rabban At-Tabarani p. 47. Also see: Al-Islam by Al-Qurtubee p. 362.)
At the end of this section, I will narrate to you two testimonies: that of the former roman King who was a contemporary of Prophet Muhammad and that of our contemporary Christian Evangelist John Saint.
The First Testimony: That of Heraclius:
Al-Bukhari reported the story of Abu Sufyan when the Roman King called him. Abu Sufyan said that Heraclius sent to him in the company of some Quraishi riders who went to Syria for commerce, at a time that the Messenger of Allah was in a truce with Abu Sufyan and Quraysh pagans. They came to Heraclius while they were at Ilya. (A town in Syria.) Heraclius invited him to his court and with him were great men of Rome. He called them and his interpreter.
He then asked Abu Sufyan and his company: “Which one of you is closest to this man who claims to be a Prophet?”
Abu Sufyan said, “I am the closest to him in blood.”
Heraclius then told his retinue, “Bring him close to me and let his companions stand behind him.” He then told his interpreter, “Tell them: I will ask this (Abu Sufyan) about the man who claims to be a Prophet, so, if he lies to me, you should refute that.”
Abu Sufyan said, “By Allah! If not because of the shame of having a lie being recorded against me, I would have lied about him. The first question he asked me about him was: How is his lineage amongst you?” Abu Sufyan answered, “He is of noble lineage among us.”
He then asked, “Has anybody among you ever uttered this word before him?”
I said, “No.”
He said, “Had anyone among his forefathers been a king?”
I said, “No.”
He said, “Are his followers’ noble men or weak people?”
I said, “Weak people.”
He said, “Do they increase or decrease?”
I said, “They increase.”
He said, “Did any of them apostatised from his religion in annoyance after having embraced it?”
I said, “No”
He said, “Does he betray?”
I said, “No. But we are now in a truce with him and we do not know what he is going to do.”
Abu Sufyan added, “This is the only statement I could say against him.”
Heraclius further asked, “Did you go to war with him?”
I said, “Yes!”
He said, “How was your war with him?”
I said, “It was an alternate victory. He won sometimes and we won sometimes.”
He said, “What does he command you to do?”
I said, “He said, ‘Worship God alone and do not associate anything in worship with him and shun what your fathers say.’ He enjoined on us prayer, truthfulness, probity and kindness to the kith and kin.”
Heraclius then told his interpreter, “Tell him”:
I asked you of his lineage and you said that he has a noble lineage among you. That is the case with the Messengers. They were sent from the noble lineage among their people.
I asked you: Had anybody among you claimed what he claims and you said, No. And I say: If anyone had said before him what he says now, I would have said that, he was repeating what others have said before him.
I asked you: Had any of his ancestors been a king? And you said, No. If any of his forefathers had been a king, I would have said that he is asking for the Kingdom of his father.
I asked you: Have you ever suspected him of telling lies before he said what he said and you answered, No. I then know that h could not have shunned lying to people and tell lie against God.
I asked you whether those who follow him are noble men or weak people, and you answered that his followers are weak people. Yes, those are the followers of the Messengers.
I asked you if they increase or decrease in number and you said that they increase. That is how faith does until it becomes completed.
I asked you, if any of his followers’ apostate in annoyance after having embraced his religion and you said, No. Yes, that is how faith does after having penetrated the hearts.
I asked you if he betray and you said, No. That is how Messengers do. They do not betray.
And I asked you about what he commanded you to do and you said that, he enjoined that you worship Allah alone and associate nothing with Him in worship, that he enjoined on you prayers, truthfulness, chastity; that he forbids you from worshipping idols. If all that you told me is true, he shall control where I am standing now. I know that such a Prophet will emerge but I did not think that he would be from amongst you. Had I known that I would meet him, I would have suffered hardship to meet him. And had I been with him, I would have washed his feet.”
He then called for the letter of the Messenger of Allah which he sent with Dihya to the ruler of Busra. He presented the letter to Heraclius and he read it. There was in the letter;
In the Name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. From Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, to Heraclius, the ruler of Rome. Peace be upon him who follows the guidance. I am inviting you with the invitation of Islam. Accept Islam, you will be safe and Allah will give you your reward twice. But if you turn away, you will bear the sins of Yarisin.
“O people of the Scripture! Come to a word that is just between us and you, that we worship none but Allah (alone) and that we associate no partner with Him, and that none of us shall take others as lords besides Allah. Then, if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we are Muslims.” (Al-Bukhari, the book of beginning of revelation.)
The Second Testimony:
That of the contemporary Christian Evangelist John Cent who said, “After continuous reading about Islam and its principles that serve individuals and society, and its justice in establishing a society based on foundations of equality and monotheism, I found myself embracing Islam with all my sense a spirit and I pledged to Allah, may He be glorified – that I would be a propagator of Islam, and an evangelist to its guidance in all parts of the world.”
This man has arrived at this certainty after having studied Christianity and became well-versed in it. He found that it could not provide answers to many questions of human life. So, he started doubting it. Later, he studied communism and Buddhism but yet could not find what he wanted there, he finally studied Islam deeply, then believed in it and called unto it. (Ad-Deen Al-Fitree Al-Abadee by Al-Mubashir At-Taraazee Al-Husaynee 2 p. 319.)
By Dr. Muhammad bin Abdullah As-Suhaym
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