In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful
(This
paper was originally presented by Dr. Israr Ahmad in the fifth session of the
second annual “Quran Conference” held on March 26, 1975, at Jinnah Hall,
Lahore.)
We
Muslims believe that the best of all human beings — Muhammad, may Allah’s peace
and blessings be upon him — was much more than just one of the many prophets,
as he was Khatam al-nabiyyeen (seal of the prophets); simultaneously, we also
believe that he was much more than just one of the numerous messengers of
Allah, as he was Aakhir al-rusul (the final Messenger). Prophecy or Prophethood
not only ends and comes to a close with the advent of Muhammad (SAW), but it
also achieves its final plenitude, consummation and culmination in him. This
means that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) represents the completion and climax of all
earlier prophetic missions, as well as the fulfilment and full blossoming of
all antecedent Divine revelations. Seen in this perspective, it becomes
absolutely certain that whereas the objective and aim of Muhammad’s prophethood
cannot be fundamentally different from those of all other prophets, at the same
time it must also reflect the characteristic of completion and full
realization. And this by itself confers on him a distinct and special place in
the galaxy of noble prophets.
It is,
therefore, clear that in order to fully comprehend and appreciate the objective
of Muhammad’s advent as the final prophet we must first understand, as
enunciated by the Holy Qur’an, the general objective of the institution of
Prophethood itself. Only then can we attempt to grasp the distinctive and
unique nature of the goal of Muhammad’s Prophethood, as well as its
significance. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him.
THE
AXIAL PURPOSE OF PROPHETS
Three Doctrinal Beliefs
It is
common knowledge that Islam is based upon three metaphysical beliefs, viz., the
faith in Allah as the one Supreme Creator and Sovereign (Tawheed), the belief
in the accountability in the life-after-death (Ma’ad), and the faith in the
institutions of Prophethood and Revelation (Risalah). However, what is
generally not realized is the fact that these three doctrinal beliefs are very
deeply connected and logically related, and, taken together, constitute an
indivisible organic unity. Let us try to examine very briefly and schematically
the real import of these beliefs and the nature of their mutual relationship.
The Objective and Goal of Muhammad’s Prophethood
(SAW)
In the light of the Holy Qur’an
Dr. Israr Ahmad
(Translated into English by Dr. Absar Ahmad)
Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an Lahore
First Edition:Dec19961100 copies
Second Edition:May20011100 copies
Printed at Shirkat Printing Press
Price Rs: 48/-
The Anjuman does not reserve to itself any copyright for the publication
of this tract. It may be published by any person who happens to be inspired by
the same purpose as the writer.
Published by:
Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an Lahore
36-K, Model Town, Lahore-54700 Pakistan
Phone: 5869501-3
Fax:
5834000
Translator’s Note
The present
booklet consists of the English translation of a highlysignificant paper, entitled"The Objectiveand Goal of Muhammad’sProphethood(SAW), inthelight of the Holy Qur’an".This
was originally presented by Dr. Israr Ahmad, Ameerof
Tanzeem-e-Islami and the Founder-President of the Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an
Lahore, in the fifth session of the second annual “Qur’an Conference” held on March
26, 1975, at Jinnah Hall, Lahore. It was later published in two issues of the monthly
Meesaq, and then, along with another related paper, as an Urdu booklet. The present
English translation has already appeared in the quarterly journal The Qur’anic Horizons, and now it is being presented in the form of a booklet.
The significance
of this treatise lies in the fact that it delineates, in a clear, cogent, and lucid
manner, the Divinely ordained target or aim of the strenuous struggle carried out
by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his devoted Companions. It is of utmost
importance for all those groups and movements which are endeavouring for the revival
and domination of Islam to realize the importance of this struggle in the overall
system of Islamic thought, as well as the theoretical relationship of this struggle
with the fundamental Islamic beliefs in the unity of God, the Prophethood, and the
Hereafter.
At the same
time,thispaperalsodemonstrates the relevance ofthedynamicconcept of Islam, as compared
to the narrow andstaticoutlookwhichhas come to dominate the
Islamic world during the last few centuries.Moreover,varioustheosophicalissues relating to thedynamics
of qulb,nafs,andruhhavealso beendealt with in the light
of the Qur’anic teachings.
We mentioned earlier that the aI-Miraj was the most important event in
the entire life of the Prophet (sallalahu
ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam). This is so because the Miraj culminated
with the Messenger of Allah (sallalahu
ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) actually meeting with his Lord. According to the Qur'an the
believer's life has to be lived entirely for the sake of Allah. And the
ultimate goal in life for the believer is to "meet with his Lord"
(18:11). Therefore the ultimate goal in life of the believer is to experience a
personal Miraj which will spiritually transport him to a contact or
meeting with the Lord which is appropriate to his spiritual status.
Miraj is, in fact a religious
experience, although not all religious experiences qualify as Miraj. And
since the Prophet (sallalahu
ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) is reported to have said that prayer (salaah) which
Muslims perform five times a day is the Miraj of the believers, the
implications is that prayer is most conducive to religious experience. Indeed,
in the context of the statement of the Prophet (sallalahu ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) that the worshipper is closest
of all to his Lord when he is in the posture of prostration (sajda) during
prayer, the worshipper can in fact strive for repeated Miraj or
religious experiences.
Even without these statements of
the Prophet (sallalahu
ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) it should be clear that prayer (salaah) is the vehicle
through which the approach to Allah (subhanahu
wa ta’alah)
is be pursued since of all the articles of divine guidance which have reach
mankind through the Prophet (sallalahu
ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam), prayer (salaah) is the only thing he did not receive here
under from Gabriel. For salaah he had to be transported to the special presence
of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alah) to receive it from Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alah) Himself. The implication is
clear. Salaah was brought by Muhammad (sallalahu ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) himself from 'above' so that the
believers may use it to go, themselves, 'above'.
Our interpretation of Miraj as
a religious experience of the transcendental world is reinforced when we examine
the time and date when the Prophet's (sallalahu
ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) Miraj took
place and the position it occupies in the sequence of spiritually important
dates which follow it in the Islamic calendar.
Firstly the Miraj of the Prophet (sallalahu ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) took place in the night time
and spiritual pilgrims are well aware that religious experience is much more
likely to be achieved during worship in the night time. Secondly the Miraj of the Prophet (sallalahu ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) took place on 27 Rajab, a date
which seems to be linked with 27 Ramadan (lailatul Qadr). The month of Ramadan, which is the month of compulsory fasting
contains within it a secret night known as the 'night of power'. It is usually
thought to be 27 Ramadan.
It would appear that this period of two months (Rajab
27 Ramadan 27) is a special season when the collective spirituality is
progressively enhanced until finally the individual effort of even the average
worshipper elevates him to eligibility for religious experience. This, of course, is subject to
the condition that such an average worshipper is living a life of conformity
with Allah's (subhanahu
wa ta’alah) law.
The progressive enhancement
begins on 27 Rajab when the worshipper refreshes his memory about the Prophet's Miraj
and is reminded that salaah is the vehicle of his personal Miraj. He pays attention to improving
the quality of Salaah.
On 15 Shaban he follows the
example (sunnah) of the Prophet (sallalahu ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) and fasts for the day - a trial
run, really, to prepare for the rigours of the fast of Ramadan. Thus on 15
Shaban, fasting (saum)
is added to Salaah and worship
moves into a higher gear. In addition there is the enhanced consciousness of the
obligation to be charitable. The Prophet (sallalahu ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) was exceptionally charitable in
the month of Shaban.
On 1 Ramadan not only does the
compulsory month of fasting for all Muslims begin but, also, there is qiyam al-lail or the prayers of the night
vigil, when it is customary for the entire Qur'an to be recited.
The recitation of the Qur'an in
the month of Ramadan is unlike normal recitation at other times of the year.
When the believer recites the Qur'an in Ramadan he does so with the image in
his mind of the Prophet (sallalahu
ta’alah ‘alaihi wa sallam) reciting the Qur'an for Gabriel who would check the recitation.
In the last Ramadan of his life he was required to recite the Qur'an twice.
In addition, the month of
Ramadan is the month of charity par excellence. Believers are supposed to be
most charitable of all in Ramadan. Ramadan is also the month in which Shaitan
is kept in chains and the most favourable opportunity exists to earn divine
mercy and forgiveness. And so, all through Ramadan, from the very first
sighting of the crescent moon of Ramadan to the eventual sighting of the
crescent moon of Shawwal, the believer constantly prays to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’alah) for forgiveness for his or her
sins.
Fasting, the night-time prayer
vigil, charity, prayers for forgiveness, and recitation of the Qur'an has the
dramatic impact of effecting a substantial qualitative improvement of worship.
When on the 21 Ramadan the seclusion and withdrawal from worldly affairs for
about ten days (itiqaf) commences, the worshippers reach a pitch or
intensity of worship which makes this period most conducive (spiritually) for
religious experience. Finally comes 27 Ramadan, the night of power (lailatul
Qadr), when Allah (subhanahu
wa ta’alah) sends
down the angels and Gabriel for every errand - i.e. to bestow, among other
things, the supreme gift of Mirajto all those who deserve it and who
have earned it.
When the Qur'an asserts that
the night of power (lailatul Qadr) is superior to a thousand months
(97:4), the implication is that which can best be experienced on that night
(namely Miraj) is better than an entire life-time (a thousand months
standing for an average life-span) lived without that experience (Miraj).
