Deed and events carry many
benefits that are beyond the comprehension of the intelect, so that it
sometimes even denies these benefits. We shall deal with the evidences proving the
existence of these benefits. Some medicines kill some people when they are
given in small doses, while they do not harm others even when they are given in
much bigger amounts.[1]
---------------------------------
[1] Examples of these are given in the
book Endless Bliss, refer
to ‘idiosyncrasy’ and ‘allergy’.
Many people do not believe this, though it has been established by
experience. They even attempt to prove to the contrary. So did the ancient
Greek philosophers and worshippers of matter, who denied the existence of
prophets and put forward some reasons for their disbelief. Supposing the
information about Allâhu ta’âlâ, prophets, genies, angels, Paradise and Hell to be like the
things that can be comprehended by their intellect, they denied what they
designed in their minds. If a person who has never dreamt was told about dreams
like, “Man sometimes gets into a state in which all his senses, reason and
thoughts are interrupted, and in this state he sees things the intellect cannot
grasp,” he will not believe it; he will say that it is impossible. If he is
told, “There is a small thing in this world which, when put in a city, will
consume the entire city. Then it will consume itself,” he will answer that it
is impossible. However, these words describe fire. Those who deny the heavenly
religions and life in the Hereafter resemble him. They believe and take the
necessary precautions when a scientist of doubtful trustworthiness says, out of
supposition and suspicion, that a catastrophe is impending, but they do not
believe the dangers in this world and the next as foretold by Prophets, whose
truthfulness is well-known and who have displayed many mu’jizas. They do not
take any measures in order to escape indescribably bitter and eternal torment.
They liken ’ibâdât, the value of which is clarified by Prophets, to childish
plays and insane actions.
Question: “Useful things reported
by philosophers, materialists and doctors, are believed because they have been
discovered by experience. ’Ibâdât are not believed in because their usefulness
has not been experienced.”
Answer: Scientists’ experimentations are
believed when they are heard of. The things reported and experienced by Awliyâ’
are communicated in the same manner. Also, the benefits of most things enjoined
by Islam have been seen and experienced.[1]
---------------------------------
[1] Furthermore, some medicinal
preparations which have been found useful by scientists and doctors by means of
experimentation and bought eagerly for considerable sums of money by everybody
are frequently found out to be harmful afterwards. Lists of such preparations,
each concluded with a sentence banning their sale, are regularly dispatched by
health authorities to drugtores. Factories manufacturing such drugs are closed
down by governments. It has become a usual topic for daily newspapers that some
much-sought-after medicines have proven to be harmful afterwards. It has
appeared again in daily newspapers repeatedly in recent years that hundreds of
popular medicines that are called antibiotics cause heart disease and cancer
and that some detergents are deleterious to health.
Even if the advantages within
the rules of Islam were not revealed by experimentation, it would still be
reasonable to believe in them and to fulfill their requirements. Let us suppose
that a physician’s wise son, who does not know anything about drugs, becomes
ill. He has heard from many people and has even read in newspapers about his
father’s achievements and knows that his father loves him very much. His father
gives him some medicine and says that if he takes it he will recover
immediately, for he has tried it several times. But when he sees that the
medicine will be injected and hurt him, would it be reasonable for him to react
to his father by saying, “I have never tried this medicine. I don’t know if it
is good for me. I can’t believe if your words are correct.” Who in the world
would approve such an answer?
Question: “How can it be known
that the Prophet loves his umma as much
as a father loves his son and that his commands and prohibitions are useful?”
Answer: How can a father’s love for his
son be known? This love istelf is not something visible or tactual. It can be
known only from his behavior, attitude and words towards his son. If a wise and
fair person pays due attention to Resűlullah’s (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallâm)
utterances and studies the reports describing his efforts to guide men to the
right course, his strictness in protecting everybody’s rights, and his
magnanimous and compassionate efforts for the establishment of beautiful
morals, he will clearly see that his love for his umma is much more than that
of a father for his son. A person who realizes his astounding accomplishments,
the astonishing reports in the Qur’ân al-kerîm, which were revealed through his tongue, and his utterances
foretelling the bewildering events that will happen at the end of the world,
will certainly see that he attained high grades above the intellect’s capacity
and comprehended facts beyond the intellect’s limit of
comprehension and realization. Thus, it will be apparent to him
that his words are all true. A reasonable person who learns and meditates over
the knowledge revealed in the Qur’an al-kerîm and who studies his life will see this fact clearly. Imâm
Muhammad al-Ghazâlî (rahmatullâhi ’alaih) said, “A person who doubts whether or
not someone is a Prophet should either see his life or study objectively the reports about
his life. A person who knows the science of medicine or fiqh acquires
information about a scholar of medicine or fiqh by studying the reports about
his life. For example, knowing whether or not al-Imâm ash-Shâfi’î (rahmatullâhi
’alaih) was a scholar of fiqh, or whether or not Calinos was a physician,
requires learning the concerned branches of knowledge well and then studying
their books in these branches. Likewise, a person who acquires knowledge of
prophethood and then studies the Qur’ân
al-kerîm and the Hadîth
ash-sherîf will perfectly understand that Muhammad (’alaihi
’s-salâm) is the Prophet and occupies the highest degree of prophethood. And if he learns
of the effectiveness of his words in purifying the heart and then obeys his
revelations, by which his own heart begins to see the truth, his belief in his
prophethood will become absolutely certain (yaqîn). He will gain continuous realization
of the truth in the hadîths, “If a person lives up to his knowledge, Allâhu ta’âlâteaches him what he
does not know”; “He who helps a cruel person will suffer harm from him,’ and, “The person who only thinks of attaining Allâhu ta’âlâ’s love everymorning
will be given his wishes for this world and theHereafter by Allâhu ta’âlâ.” Thus his knowledge and îmân will be strengthened. For the îmân to
become dhawqî, that is, to improve it up to a state wherein one feels as if one
sees the reality, requires endeavouring in a path of Tasawwuf.
The scholars of Islam have
proven by various methods that Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) is Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Prophet. We will explain some of them:
Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm)
proclaimed that he was the Prophet and displayed mu’jizas to prove his word. This fact has been
transmitted up to the present time with tawâtur, i.e., with unanimity. The
greatest mu’jiza is the Qur’ân al-kerîm.
The Qur’ân al-kerîm
is mu’jiz,
that is, no one can produce its equivalent. He challenged: “Go ahead and say the
like!”Famous poets of Arabia did their best, but could not say the
like.
The 34th âyat of Sűrat at-Tűr declared: “Then, say the like of it”.
The 13 th âyat of Sűrat al-Hűd declared: “Tell them: ‘Now you try and say ten sűras like
the sűras of the Qur’ân, which you suppose I said by myself!’ ” The
23rd âyat of Sűrat al-Baqara declared: “If you have any doubts about [what
We have stated in] the Qur’ân, which We have revealed to Our slave [Muhammad
(’alaihi ’s-salâm), you, too, try andsay one sűra like it! For doing this, ask for help
from allthose you trust. You will not be able to say one sűra likeit!” In
those days, the Arabs used to have a special interest in poetry. There were
many poets among them. They used to organize poetry contests and were proud of
the winners. They all co-operated to compose a short sűra that would resemble
those of the Qur’ân al-kerîm. They strove hard.
Before taking these poems to Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm), they compared them
with a sűra in the Qur’ân al-kerîm. Because they
could see the eloquence in the sűra, they were ashamed of their own poetry and
could not take them to Resűlullah (’alaihi ’s-salâm). Nonetheless, they could
not find a solution other than giving up opposition through knowledge and
taking up coercive measures. They drew swords and attacked Muslims. They
decided to kill Resűlullah (’alaihi ’s`salâm). They attempted to fulfill the
plot they had prepared to this end, but, as everybody reads in history, they
suffered an ignominious defeat. If after being challenged so defiantly by
Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) and after striving collectively they had been able
to say something as laconic and as eloquent as one of the sűras, they would
have read it to him and made a clamour. That inordinate action of theirs would
have become a general topic of conversation and would have been recorded in
history. It would have become as famous as an orator’s being killed on a
platform. Their failure openly shows that the Qur’ân
al-kerîm is mu’jiz and that it is not human words.
Question: “The poets outside of Mecca might
not have heard of the âyats declaring: “You, too, try and say the like of it,’ or
a similar challenge of Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm). Or, perhaps, they kept
themselves aloof in return for some advantage or for the realization of some
other agreement or goal we do not know of. For example, they might have fallen
for a promise of being given some privileges in the state he was going to
establish. Or, at the outset they paid little heed to his
proclamations
and did not deign to answer him; but later, seeing that he was gaining power
and his followers were increasing in number, they did not dare to answer him.
Or, competent poets might have had problems in earning their livelihood and they
therefore found no time to answer him. It is also probable that due answers
were given, but their success was forgotten or could not be passed on to later
generations for some reasons. For example, after increasing in number, getting
stronger and spreading over three continents, Muslims might have annihilated
the reports of such accomplishments. Or, such reports might have been lost,
being forgotten in the long course of time.”
Answer: Answers to these various doubts have been
given briefly in the previous article. I have stated that if the things created
by Allâhu ta’âlâ within His laws [of causation],
that is, some of the teachings acquired through the sense organs and by
experience, are contrary to reason, this does not prevent them from being
taught. I have said that the teachings acquired thru the sense organs are as
such. Now we will give answers to each of the above-quoted doubts separately.
First of all, it must be concluded that the person who said he was a Prophet spoke the truth if he displayed a mu’jiza
demonstrating his prophethood and challenged others to do the same, but no one
could stand against him. That is, it is necessary to believe him. Anything said
later against him is nonsensical, invalid and worthless. It is also
inappropriate to say that they did not respond to him since they had slighted
him at the outset and feared afterwards. Because it would have been a great
honour and a dignifying act of superiority acceptable to everybody to counter
someone’s challenge and excellent work; everyone would have praised, loved and
followed such a person. Who on earth would not have liked it? If a person who
could do it had not wanted to do it, this would have shown that his opponent
was right and truthful. As for the third doubt, it is known well that a person
who has competence needs not only to answer him but also to demonstrate it; it
is only by demonstration that the purpose will be attained. The existence of
conditions limiting some people at some place and at some time does not
necessarily show that the same conditions always existed everywhere. In fact,
this is openly witnessed. It is impossible for a written answer to remain
secret. Therefore, the doubts stated
in
the question are groundless.
Islamic authorities gave
different explanations concerning the î’jâz of the Qur’ân al-kerîm. Many said that the
poetry of the Qur’ân al-kerîm was very astonishing (gharîb) and its style was very wonderful
(’ajîb); it was mu’jiz because its poetry and style did not resemble those of
the poets of Arabia. It is also the case with the prose in the beginning
and closing sections as well as in the narrations in the sűras. The openings
between the âyats are like the saj’s in them.[1] These literary elements existing in the Qur’ân al-kerîm are unlike those in the
Arab poets’ utterances, who could not use them as exhibited in the Qur’ân al-kerîm. A person who knows
Arabic well sees its i’jâz clearly. Qâdî Bâqillânî[2] said that its i’jâz
stemmed both from its lofty eloquence and from its astounding poetry. In other
words, its poetry was quite unusual. Some said that its i’jâz originated from
its giving information about the unknown. For example, the third âyat of Sűrat
ar-Rum, “Though
they have won, theyshall be defeated in ten years,” foretold that the Byzantine emperor Heraclius[3] would defeat the army
of the Iranian Shah Husraw Perwiz within ten years. And it happened as it was
foretold. According to some ’ulamâ’, the i’jâz of the Qur’ân alkarîm is in its
possessing no contradictions or inconsistency, though it is very long and
repetitive. It is for this reason that the 81st âyat of Sűrat an-Nisâ declares
in brief: “Were this Qur’ân al-kerîm the word of someone other than Allâhu ta’âlâ, it would contain many
incongruities.” According to some others, the i’jâz
of the Qur’ân al-kerîm lies in its
meaning. Before our Prophet (’alaihi ’s-salâm), the Arabs could compose statements similar to
those of the Qur’ân al-kerîm, but Allâhu ta’âlâ prevented them from writing the like of the Qur’ân alkerîm. How
He prevented them has been explained in various ways. Abu Is’haq Ibrâhîm
al-Isfarâ’înî,[4] a master among the Ahl as-Sunna, and Abű Is’haq Nizâm al-Basrî of
the Mu’tazila say that the fear of losing worldly advantages prevented them.
[The author of the book Husniyya] Ali
Murtadâ, a Shî’ite
---------------------------------
[1] Saj' means the continuous cooing of the
dove. In prose, it means the ryming that occurs at the end of sentences.
[2] Abű Bakr Baqillânî died in 400 A.H.
[3] Heraclius died in 20 A.H.
[4] Ibrâhîm Nishaburî passed away in 400 After Hijra.
scholar, says that Allâhu ta’âlâ made them forget their knowledge which would have enabled them to
compete with the Qur’ân al-kerîm.]
Those who do not accept that the
Qur’ân al-kerîm is mu’jiz
say, “I’jâz must be obvious. The fact that there are various explanations of
i’jâz shows that its meaning is not known for certain. In answer to this,
scholars have said that the explanations in some respects does not show that
the whole Qur’ân al-kerîm is not
mu’jiz. Eloquence of the Qur’ân al-kerîm, its unequalled poetry, the information describing the unknown
and the wisdom it contains about knowledge and practices and many other
elements of i’jâz, like those mentioned above, are quite manifest. Differing
explanations, which originate from the differences in men’s views and
understandings, should not indicate that it is not mu’jiz. If one of the
qualities we have mentioned above is not found by someone to be a cause for it
being mu’jiz, this should not come to mean that all of them are not causes for
it being mu’jiz. Many a poet can produce extremely eloquent prose and verse,
but cannot do it at another given time. That is, achieving it once does not
mean that one can do it every time. A group does not necessarily have to have
the properties of each of the units within it. This answer implies that the Qur’ân al-kerîm is mu’jiz as a whole
but its short sűras may not be mu’jiz. But this is not true; as we have
previously explained, its shortest sűra is also mu’jiz. It might be said that
the answer means that the whole Qur’ân
al-kerîm is mu’jiz in every respect but its sűras are mu’jiz
only in some respects. However, this would not be the answer to the question
above. The question demands a clear explanation of the cause of the i’jâz. So,
such interpretation of the answer would not uncover the cause of the i’jâz.
Their second antithesis states:
“The Sahâba were in doubt about some parts of the Qur’an al-kerîm. ’Abdullah ibn Mas’űd
[radiy-Allâhu ’anh] said that sűrat al-Fâtiha and the sűras of Mu’awwizatain[1] did not belong in the
Qur’ân. However, these three sűras are the most renowned sűras of the Qur’ân.
If the eloquence in them were in a degree of i’jâz, they would not so
manifestly resemble texts other than that of the Qur’ân, and no one would doubt
that they belonged to the Qur’ân.”
---------------------------------
[1] The two sűras beginning with "Qul-a'űdhu."
Answer: The Sahâbat al-kirâm’s doubt
about some sűras’ belonging to the Qur’ân
al-kerîm was not because of their eloquence or i’jâz; it was
because each of these sűras was only reported by one person. According to the
principles of usűl alhadîth, information transmitted by one reporter is not
certain, but doubtful. Something transmitted by tawâtur becomes certain
information. The Qur’ân al-kerîm was corroborated entirely by tawâtur, that is, with unanimity.
For this reason, it is known with certainty that the Qur’ân al-kerîm is the Word of Allâhu ta’âlâ. It is known with certainty
also that those sűras transmitted by only one reporter were revealed by Allâhu ta’âlâ to Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm)
and had eloquence within a degree of i’jâz. However, there was disagreement as
to whether or not they belonged to the Qur’ân
al-kerîm, which brings no harm against our cause.
Their third antithesis states:
“While the Qur’ân al-kerîm was being
compiled [after Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) passed away and
while Hadrat Abű Bakr as-Siddîq (radiy-Allâhu ’anh) was the caliph], if a
person not known well reported an âyat, he would be required either to take an
oath or to bring two witnesses since his integrity was uncertain; therefore,
only after it was understood that it belonged to the Qur’ân al-kerîm would it be included in
the Qur’ân al-kerîm. If the
eloquence in an âyat were in a degree of i’jâz, it would be concluded from its
eloquence that it was an âyat and this would confirm the integrity of the
person who reported it; an oath or two witnesses would not be needed.”
Answer: These conditions were put in
order to determine the places of the âyats in the Qur’ân al-kerîm and to know if an âyat
preceded or followed others. They were not intended to indicate whether or not
they belonged to the Qur’ân al-kerîm. Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) used to recite the Qur’ân al-kerîm and listen to those who
recited it. It was definitely known that each âyat revealed was from the Qur’ân al-kerîm. An oath or witnesses
were required for ascertaining the sequence of âyats. Furthermore, their
eloquence being in a degree of i’jâz showed that they were âyats. If the
eloquence of one or two âyats are not in a degree of i’jâz, it is not
important. Since the shortest sűra contains three âyats, all the sűras of the Qur’ân al-kerîm are mu’jiz.
Their fourth antithesis states: “Every
branch of art has a
boundary,
a limit. It cannot be exceeded. There always exists a master surpassing his
colleagues in his art. So Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) might have been the most
eloquent of the poets of his time. He might have uttered things that could not
be expressed by the poets of his time. If this were supposed to be mu’jiz,
anything that was done by a pre-eminent master of any branch at any time but
which could not be done by his colleagues, would necessarily be said to be
mu’jiz, which, in its turn, this would be an absurd statement.”
Answer: Mu’jiz means that which happens
at one time and bears a great value because it cannot be done by most people of
that time and which has been done at the highest level by those who have been
able to do it and which is unanimously admitted will not be surpassed by human
power and which could be surpassed, if ever, only by a person who is believed
to manage it by Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Will. Something without these qualities cannot be called a
mu’jiza. Magic was known as such during the time of the Prophet Műsâ[1] (’alaihi ’s-salâm); in
those days, those who practised sorcery knew that the highest degree of magic
was to conjure up unreal, nonexistent things or illusions in [others’]
imagination as if they were existent. When they saw that the rod of Műsâ (’alaihi
’s-salâm) became a large serpent and ate the snakes which were of their own
witchery, they saw that it was beyond the boundaries of magic and above human
power. Thus they believed [in the prophethood of] Műsâ (’alaihi ’s-salâm).
Pharaoh, being unaware of this reality, had the wrong impression that Műsâ
(’alaihi ’s-salâm) was the leader of the wizards and taught them magic. The
same wasthe case with medicine during the time of ’Îsâ (’alaihi ’s-salâm); it
was at a very advanced level. Doctors took pride in their achievements. Famous
specialists said that their medical knowledge would not suffice to revivify the
dead or to open the eyes of congenital blind people. They believed that such
people could be cured only by Allâhu ta’âlâ. During the time of Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) the arts of
poetry and eloquence had reached the highest levels. Poets boasted to one
another about the eloquence in their poetry. In fact, the seven odes with the
best prosody won the admiration of poets and were hung on the door of the
Ka’ba. No one could write the like of them. This
---------------------------------
[1] Moses.
is written in detail in history books. When Rasűlullah
(sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) brought the Qur’ân
al-kerîm, conflicts arose among the people. Some denied the
fact that it was the Word of Allâhu ta’âlâ and died as unbelievers. Some poets, seeing the i’jâz in Qur’ân al-kerîm’s eloquence, realized
that it was the Word of Allah and became Muslims. Some others had to follow
their example and became Muslims unwillingly, and they were called munâfiqs (hypocrites). Some attempted to deny the truth by giving some
vague responses; they only brought derision upon themselves in the eyes of
those who reasoned. For example, as a rejoinder to the âyat, “Wazzâriyât-i
zar’an,” they said, “Fal-hâsilât-i hasdan wattâhinât-i tahnan wattâbikhât-i
tabkhan fal-âkilât-i aklan.”[1] And the remaining people took to fighting. In avengeful effort to
kill Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm), they risked their properties, lives, wives
and children. Thus it was understood with certainty that the Qur’ân al-kerîm was revaled by Allâhu ta’âlâ.[2]
Their fifth antithesis states:
“There have been disagreements
---------------------------------
[1] They themselves did not like this, so they could not read it in the presence of Muhammad ('alaihi 's-salâm).
[2] As it is seen in the previous passage, a mu'jiza is created by Allâhu ta'âlâ. Everything is created by Allâhu ta'âlâ. There is no creator other than Allâhu ta'âlâ. Only, in order for there to be order in the world and in worldly affairs, He has made the creation of everything dependent upon some causes. A person who wishes something to be created applies the cause related to that thing. Most causes are things that can be found by thinking, experience or calculation. When the cause of something is applied, Allâhu ta'âlâ creates it if He wills to. The case is not so with a mu'jiza or karâma, Allâhu ta'âlâ creates these in an extraordinary way, without causes. Holding fast to the causes means to follow His law of causation. When He creates something without causes, He suspends His law and creates it exraordinarily. A mu'jiza happens only through Prophets. It does not happen through other people. Saying, "He performed a miracle," or "He was saved miraculously", which are said to praise someone, is the same as saying that the person in question is a Prophet. In this matter, not the intention but the expression should be considered. It causes disbelief to ascribe prophethood to someone. He who does so loses his îmân. So is the case with calling anyone other than Allâhu ta'âlâ "Creator" or saying that somebody has created such and such a thing. Muslims must avoid uttering such dangerous words.
concerning both the recitatiton and the meaning of the Qur’ân al-kerîm among the scholars of
Islam. On the other hand, Allâhu ta’âlâ intimates that the Qur’ân
al-kerîm contains no points open to disagreements. For
example, He declares in the eighty-first âyat of the Sűrat an-Nisâ: ‘Were this Qur’ân al-kerîm the word of someone
other than Allâhu ta’âlâ, it would contain many incongruities.’ The phrase ‘kal’ihni ’I-man-fűsh’ in
the fifth âyat of Sűrat al-Qâri’a was read as ’Kassâfi’l-manfűsh’ by some. In
the ninth âyat of Sűrat al-Jum’a, ‘Fas’aw ilâ dhikri’ llâh’ was said as ‘Famdu ilâ dhikrillâh.’ The 74th âyat of Sűrat
al-Baqara says, ‘Fa-hiya kalhijârati’; there were
those who said it as ‘fa-kânat kalhijârati.’ The 61st âyat of Sűrat al-Baqara
says, ‘alaihimu
’dh-dhillata wa’l-maskanata’; there were
those who read it as ‘alaihimu’l-mas-kanata wa’dh-dhillata.’ The disagreements
pertaining to meanings in the Qur’ân al-kerîm can be exemplified as follows; the 19th âyat of Sűrat Saba’
states, ‘Rabbanâ
bâ’id baina asfârinâ.’ It means, ‘O our Rabb!
Take our books away from us.’ It is an invocation to Allah. Some read it as ‘Rabbunâ
bâ’ada baina asfârinâ’ which means, ‘Our Rabb has taken our books away from
us.’ The 115th âyat of Sűrat Mâ’ida says, ‘Hal yastatî’u Rabbuka,’ which means, ‘Will your Rabb accept your prayer?’ Some read this
âyat as ‘Hal tastatî’u Rabbaka,’ which means ‘Will you pray to your Rabb?’ ”
Answer: The above-cited disagreements
were caused by one person each. The scholars of tafsîr and qirâ’a refused the
forms of reading of those who caused these disagreements. They accepted the
form of reading on which there was consensus. Our Prophet (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam)
said, “The
Qur’ân
al-kerîm was revealed on seven harfs,[1] each of which is
curative and sufficient.” For this reason, the
disagreements arising from the readings and the meanings of
---------------------------------
[1] The word ‘harf’, as it is written in the book Riyâd an-nâsîhîn, means dialect, reading. The copy of the Qur'ân al-kerîm compiled by Hadrat Abű Bakr contained all of the seven different kinds of readings. When Hadrat ’Uthman became the Khalîfa, he convened the Sahâbat al-kirâm and it was unanimously decided that the new copies of the Qur'ân would be written as Rasűlullah ('alaihi 'ssalâm) had recited it in the last year of his life. It is wâjib to read the Qur'ân as such. It is also permissible to read it in the other six ways.
the
Qur’ân al-kerîm do not undermine its beings
mu’jiz.
Their sixth antithesis states:
“The Qur’ân contains useless melodies and iterations. For example, ‘Inna hâdhâni lasâhirânî’ is such a melody. An
example of an iterative reading is Sűrat ar-Rahmân. An example of iterations in
meaning arethe stories about Műsâ and ’Îsâ (’alaihi ma’s-salâm).”
Answer:[1] As for the
iterations, the fact that their repetition serves to fix the meaning into mind
is indisputable. The value of the art of explaining some meaning through
various expressions is known by those who are cognizant of literary stylistics.
Even in a single story covering various events, its repetition at various
places lays stress on different facts.[2]
Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi
wa sallam) had many mu’jizas; such as, the moon’s splitting into two parts when
he made a sign with his blessed finger, stones and trees talking and moving
with him, his making beasts speak, satiating many people with a small amount of
food, water flowing from between his fingers, his describing past and future
facts not known by anyone, and many others. Although not all of the mu’jizas of
his were reported by consensus, he had many mu’jizas that were reported by
consensus. They have been general topics of conversation just as the bravery of
Hadrat ’Alî and the generosity of Khâtami Tâî [and the creulties and tortures
of Nero, the fifth Roman emperor] have been. We would be contented with this
much evidence to believe in his prophethood.
The second way of proving the
prophethood of Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) is to study his manners, beautiful
moral qualities and utterances that were full of wisdom before he was declared
a Prophet, when he announced his
prophethood and after his prophethood was known. For example, he never lied,
neither for worldly affairs nor concerning matters of the
---------------------------------
[1] Here, al-Imâm ar-Rabbânî (quddisa sirruh), referring to the book Sharh-i mawâqif, wrote in detail that, according to a branch of knowledge called balâghat (rhetorics), the âyat “Hâdhâni lasâhirâni” is in a degree of i'jâz. We have not translated that part.
[2] People who study the English literature and linguistics must be familiar with types of verbal parallelism such as anaphora, cataphora, epistrophe, symploce, anadiplosis, epanalepsis, antistrophe polyptoton, and so forth.
hereafter.
If he had lied once in his lifetime, his furious enemies would have raced with
one another in spreading it far and wide. Before or during his prophethood, he
was never seen doing something unseemly. Though he was ummî, [that is, he had
never received an education from anybody], his speech was fluent and sweet. For
this reason he said, “In am gifted with jawâmi’ al-kalîm (ability
to give much information in a few words).” He put up with many inconveniences
for communicating Allâhu ta’âlâ’s religion. In
fact, it was for this reason that he said, “No other Prophet suffered the tortures
I have suffered.” He suffered them all. He never gave up his
duties. After his enemies were subdued and everyone accepted his commandments,
no change took place in his beautiful morality, compassion or modesty.
Throughout his lifetime, he pleased everyone. He never felt superior to
anybody. To all his umma, he was as compassionate as a father [to his
children]. It was on account of his extraordinary compassion that he was
commanded, “Do not feel sorry about their wrong acts!”
in the eighth âyat of the Sűrat al-Fâtir, and, “Should you
destroyyourself by sorrowing over their wrong deeds?” in
the sixth âyat of the Sűrat al-Kahf. His generosity was beyond limit. To brake
this, the twenty-ninth âyat of the Sűrat al-Isrâ was revealed to him: “Do not be so open-handed
as to give awayall your property!” He never looked at the
world’s temporary and deceptive beauties. During the days when he first
announced his prophethood, the notables of Quarish said to him, “We shall give
you as much property as you like. We shall marry you to the girl of your
choice. We shall give you any position of authority you want. But give up this
sort of thing.” He did not even turn to look at them. He was merciful and
modest towards the poor and the destitute, and dignified and serious towards
those who owned much property and land. It did not ever occur to him that he
had the choice to turn back even during the most horrifying moments of such
desperate battles as Uhud, Ahzab (Trench) and Hunain. This shows the strength
of his blessed heart and the degree of his courage. If he had not had full
trust in Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Protection, e.g., in
His promise in the seventieth âyat of Mâida sűra, “Allâhu ta’âlâ protects you against
men’s harms!”, it would have been impossible for him to
show such extraordinary courage. Changing circumtances and conditions did not
make any
change
in his beautiful morality or behavior towards others in the smallest degree.
Those who read true and objective history books written by competent hands will
understand our statements better. One of these attributes, alone, could not be
documentary evidence for prophethood, that is, a person’s differing from others
by having one of these superiorities would not indicate his prophethood, yet
only Prophets could have an accumulation of all of these superiorities.
Muhammad’s (’alaihi ’s-salâm) having an accumulation of all of these
superiorities is one of the strongest evidences demonstrating the fact that he
is Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Prophet.[1]
The third proof verifying that
Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) is Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Prophet is the one that was reported by Imâm Fakhr ad-dîn ar-Râzî.
Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) became the Prophet among a community that was quite unaware of heavenly books and
stranded in knowledge and science. It was such a community that, having
dissented from the true path, the polytheists were worshipping idols [statues
and human figures they had made from stones or metals]; some of them had been
deceived by Jews and had adopted their false, superstitious stories as a
religion; magians, a minor group, worshipped two gods and married their own daughters
and immediate relatives;and the others, Christians, believed that ’Îsâ (’alaihi
’s-salâm) was the “Son of God” and worshipped three gods. Among such deranged
people, Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) became a Prophet. A book entitled the Qur’ân al-kerîm was revealed to him by Allâhu ta’âlâ. He sorted out the beautiful habits from the ugly ones and the
good deeds leading to felicity from the bad ones leading to perdition. He
taught true îmân and ’ibâdât. Those who believed him were enlightened by this
îmân and ’ibâdât. He rescued humanity from distorted, concocted religions. He
attained the victory promised by Allâhu ta’âlâ. All his enemies soon perished. Depraved, factious, provocative
words and actions came to an end. People were rescued from dictators, usurpers
and the cruel. Every place became
---------------------------------
[1] For those who wish to know about the beautiful life of Muhammad ('alaihi 's-salâm), we recommend the Turkish books Qisâs-i Anbiyâ and Mawâhib-i ladunniyya. Also, there is detailed information in the first part of the Turkish original, and in the first fascicle of the English version (Chapter 56) of Endless Bliss, under the heading Hilya-i Sa'âdat.
illuminated with the sacred lights of the sun of tawhîd and the
moon of tanzîh. This is what prophethood implies, for ‘Prophet’ means the superior person who
beautifies people’s morals and offers medicine for ilnesses of hearts and
souls. Most people are the slaves of their nafses. Their souls are sick. A
specialist of the soul and ethics is necessary to cure them. The religion
brought by Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm) became a medicine for these illnesses.
It eradicated the evils and malignancies in hearts. This case absolutely
demonstrates that he is Allâhu ta’âlâ’s Prophet and is the Highest of Prophets (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa ’alaihim
wa ’alâ âli wa as’hâbi kullin ajma’în). Hadrat Imâm Fakhr ad-dîn ar-Râzî
explains in his book al-Matâlib al’âliyya that this
case is the most obvious evidence proving his prophethood.
At the beginning of my book, I
have explained what prophethood means and proved that it did not happen to
anyone as it did to Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm). Thus, it has been understood
that he is superior to the others. This superiority can also be proven by
studying his mu’jizas. But this approach is more similar to the way chosen by
thinkers for proving prophethood. Their way can be summarized to mean that men
need a code of law sent by Allâhu ta’âlâ for attaining comfort and peace in this world and the next.
This is the end of the second
article of my book. Hence it has become clear that the ancient Greek
philosophers were on the wrong way and that those who read the harmful books
which they have written with their personal points of view on religion and
prophethood will acquire wrong religious information and will drift towards
perdition.
Hijrî Mîlâdî
989 1581
AHMAD
IBN
’ABD
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AS-SIRHINDÎ