The most
distinctive characteristic of the mission of the Prophet (SAW) has been
brought out by the Qur’an at three places:
(Al-Tawba
9:33; Al-Fath 48:28; Al-Saff 61:9)
The
important point of which notice should be taken here is that with respect to
Prophet Muhammad (SAW), these words have been repeated at three places in the
Qur’an without the slightest change or difference of construction, whereas
these have not been revealed even once for any other prophet or messenger.
The
famous scholar and mystic of the Indo-Pakistan subcontinent — Shah Waliyullah
Dehlvi (1703-1762) — has made this Qur’anic verse the subject of in-depth and
extensive study in his book Izalatul Khafa un Khilafatul Khulafa. He has
described it as the most important verse in understanding the purpose and
mission of Muhammad’s Prophethood (SAW). Similarly, Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi
(1872-1944) has taken this verse as the key for understanding the global
revolutionary manifesto of Islam.
A careful
study of the verse reveals that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) has been sent by
Almighty God along with two items: (1) Al-Huda or The Guidance, and (2) Deen
al-Haq or the True Way of Life (sometimes translated as “the religion of
truth”). Let us study these expressions more closely one by one:
Al-Huda
We would not be wrong to take the word in its wider literal sense, but if we are to try and understand the term Al-Huda in the light of numerous Qur’anic precedents, then it can only signify the Holy Qur’an itself. This is because only this very Divine Book is hudal lil-muttaqeen (guidance for the God-fearing; Al-Baqarahh 2:2), as well as hudal lin-naas (guidance for the ordinary run of people; Al-Baqarahh 2:185). The meaning of Al-Huda is thus elucidated in the following verses:
We have
caused this (message) to be a light, whereby We guide whom We will of Our
servants.
(Al-Shura
42:52)
Verily,
this Qur’an guides to the path that is most right.
(Al-Isra
17:9)
(O
Prophet) Say: It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened, then
(returning to their folks) they said, “we have indeed heard a wonderful Qur’an,
which guides to the right way…”
(Al-Jinn
72:1, 2)
This
point is further reaffirmed if we study the following verse where the purpose
of sending messengers has been described in these words:
We sent
Our messengers with clear instructions and bright signs and sent with them (Our
revealed) Book and the Balance…
(Al-Hadeed
57:25)
It is
quite obvious that in this verse just as the word Al-Meezan has been
substituted for Deen al-Haq, similarly, Al-Kitab has been used in place of the
expression Al-Huda used in the verse under discussion. This proves the truth
without an iota of doubt that in the context of Muhammad’s Prophethood (SAW),
Al-Huda signifies nothing else but Al-Qur’an.
To Be Continued ....
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