Deeds and events carry a number of benefits that are
beyond the comprehension of the intellect, 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] Many people do
not believe this, though it is a fact 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 their
own suppositions. If you attempt to describe dreaming to a person who has never
dreamt and add, “Man sometimes gets into a state in which all his senses,
reason and thoughts are suspended; 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 dislayed 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
---------------------------------
[1] Examples of these are given in the (Turkish) book Se’âdet-i-ebediyye; refer to ‘idiosyncrasy’ and ‘allergy’.
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. 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]
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 way.” 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 itself 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 Rasűlullah’s
(sall-Allâhu
---------------------------------
[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 drugstores. 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.
‘alaihi wa sallam) 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 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 Qur’ân 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 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’âlâ teaches
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 into 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’jîza is Qur’ân al-kerîm.
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 13th 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 and say 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 had a special interest in
poetry. There were many poets among them. They organized poetry contests and
were proud of the winners. They all cooperated to compose a short sűra that
would resemble those of Qur’ân
al-kerîm. They strove hard. Before
taking these poems to Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm), they compared them with a
sűra in 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 Rasűlullah (’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 Rasűlullah (’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 Qur’ân
al-kerîm is mu’jiz and that it is not
human words.
Question:
“Poets outside of Mekka 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 so.
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 and 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. 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 i’jâz of Qur’ân
al-kerîm. Many said that the poetry in 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 Qur’ân al-kerîm are unlike those in the Arab poets’ utterances, who could not use
them as exhibited in 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 is quite unusual. Some said that its i’jâz originated
from its giving information about the unknown. For example, the third âyat of
Sűrat ar-Rűm, “Though they have won, they shall be defeated
in ten years,” foretold
that the Byzantine emporer 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 Qur’ân al-kerîm 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 Qur’ân al-kerîm lies in its meaning. Before our Prophet (’alaihi
’s-salâm), the Arabs could compose statements similar to those of Qur’ân al-kerîm, but Allâhu ta’âlâ
prevented them from writing like
Qur’ân al-kerîm. 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
---------------------------------
[1] Saj’ means the continuous cooing of the dove. In prose, it means the rhyming 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.
Mu’tazila say that the fear of losing worldly
advantages prevented them. [The author of the book Husniyya] Ali Murtadâ, a Shî’ite scholar, says that Allâhu ta’âlâ made them forget their knowledge which would have enabled them to
compete with Qur’ân al-kerîm.
Those who do not accept that 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 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 any time. A group does not necessarily have to have the
properties of each of the units within it. This answer implies that 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 Qur’ân
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 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 al-hadîth, information transmitted
by one reporter is not certain, but doubtful. Something transmitted by tawâtur
becomes certain information. Qur’ân
al-kerîm was corroborated entirely by
tawâtur, that is, with unanimity. For this reason, it is known with certainty
that 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 Qur’ân al-kerîm, which
brings no harm against our cause.
Their third antithesis states: “While Qur’ân al-kerîm was being compiled [after Rasűlulah (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 Qur’ân al-kerîm would it be included in 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 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 Qur’ân
al-kerîm. Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi
wa sallam) used to recite Qur’ân al-kerîm and
listen to those who recited it. It was definitely known that each âyat revealed
was from 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 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 collegues 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 were 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, 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 it 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 is written in detail in
history books. When Rasűlullah (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam) brought 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.
---------------------------------
[1] Moses.
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 defy 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 Qur’ân al-kerîm was
revealed by Allâhu ta’âlâ.[2]
Their fifth antithesis states: “There have been disagreements
concerning both the recitation and the meaning of Qur’ân
al-kerîm among the scholars of Islam. On the other hand, Allâhu ta’âlâ intimates that 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 ’l-man-fűsh’ in the fifth âyat of
---------------------------------
[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 extraordinarily. 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 Allahu ta’âlâ “Creator” or saying that somebody has created such and such a thing. Muslims must avoid uttering such dangerous words.
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 Qur’ân al-kerîm can be exemplified as follows: the 19th âyat of Sűra 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, “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 Qur’ân al-kerîm do not undermine its being mu’jiz.
Their sixth antithesis states: “The Qur’ân contains
useless melodies and iterations. For example, ‘Inna hâdhâni la-
sâhirâni’ 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 (’alaihima ’s-salâm).”
Answer:[2]... As for the iterations, the fact that their repetition serves
to fix the meaning into mind is indisputable. The value of
---------------------------------
[1] The word ‘harf’, as it is written in the book Riyâd an-nâsîhîn, means dialect, reading. The copy of Qur’ân al-kerîm compiled by Hadrat Abű Bakr contained all of the seven different kinds of readings. When Hadrat ’Uthmân became 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 ’s-salâm) 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.
[2] Here, al-Imâm ar-Rabbânî (quddisa sirruh), referring to the book Sharh-i mawâqif, writes in detail that, according to a branch of knowledge called balâghat (rhetorics), the âyat “Hâdhâni la-sâhirâni” is in a degree of i’jâz. We have not translated that part.
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.[1]
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 his mu’jizas 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 Khâtam-i
Tâî [and the cruelties 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
Hereafter. If he had lied once in his lifetime, his furious enemies would have
raced with one another in spreading it far and near. 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, “I 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 father [to his
---------------------------------
[1] People who study the English literature and linguistics must be familiar with types of verbal pparallelism such as anaphora, cataphora, epistrophe, symploce, anadiplosis, epanalepsis, antistrophe polyptoton, and so forth.
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 Quraish 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 circumstances 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]
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[1] For those who wish to know about the beautiful life of Muhammad (’alaihi ’s-salâm), we recommend the Turkish books Qisas-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 Hilye-i Se’âdet, and also in the fourth, fifth and sixth sections of the sixth chapter of Why Did They Become Muslims.
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 who were quite unaware of heavenly books and stranded in knowledge
and science. It was such a community that, having dissented from the true way,
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 titled 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 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 illnesses 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 apporach 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.
Thus 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 989 Mîlâdî 1581
AHMAD bin
’ABD AL-AHAD
AS-SIRHINDÎ