4. Belief in the Messengers

One must believe that Allah (SWT) chose the finest amongst mankind to be Messengers whom He sent to His creation with specific legislations: to worship and obey Allah and to establish His religion and His Oneness. Allah (SWT) says:

And We did not send any Messenger before you [O Muhammad (ﷺ)] but We inspired him [saying]: none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah), so worship Me (Alone and none else). [21:25]

He ordered His Messengers to convey the Message to people, so that they would not have any proof against Allah after He sent them.

They are bearers of glad-tidings of the Pleasure of Allah and His Paradise, which is reserved for those who believe in them and their teachings. They are also sent as warners to their peoples, to warn them of the anger of Allah and His punishment which is reserved for those who disbelieve in them and their teachings.

And We send not the Messengers but as givers of glad tidings and as warners. So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds, upon such shall come no fear, nor shall they grieve. But those who reject Our verses, the torment will touch them for their disbelief. [6:48-9]

There are many Prophets and Messengers; no one knows their exact number except Allah. Allah(SWT) says:

And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you [O Muhammad (ﷺ)]; of some of them We have related to you  their story, and of some We have not related to you their story. [40:78]

One must believe in all of them and that they were human; they were not supernatural beings. Allah (SWT) says:

And We sent not before you [O Muhammad (ﷺ)] but men to whom We inspired, so ask the people of the Reminder (Scriptures) if you do not know. And We did not create them (the Messengers) [with] bodies that ate not food, nor were they immortal. [21:8]

 Allah (SWT) says about Muhammad (ﷺ):

Say [O Muhammad (ﷺ)]: ‘I am only a man like you. It has been inspired to me that your God is One God. So whoever hopes for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none as a partner in the worship of his Lord.’ [18:110]

 And He (ﷺ) said about Jesus (AS):

The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Mary) was a believer. They both used to eat food (as any other human being, while Allah does not eat). Look how We make the aayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) clear to them, yet look how they are deluded away (from the truth). [5:75]

 They do not have any attributes resembling Allah’s. They can neither extend benefit, nor cause harm. They have no control over the universe, nor can they do with it as they please. They cannot do anything which only Allah is capable of. Allah (SWT) says:

 Say [O Muhammad (ﷺ)]: ‘I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Unseen, I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. [7:188]

 They fulfilled the trust and fully conveyed the message of Allah. They are the most knowledgeable and most pious of creation. Allah protected them from lying and treachery. Allah (SWT) says:

And it was not for a Messenger to bring a sign except by Allah’s Leave. [13:38]

 If one believes in some while he disbelieves in others, he has committed an act of disbelief can no longer be considered a Muslim. Allah (SWT) says:

 Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers saying, ‘We believe in some but reject others,’ and wish to adopt a way in between. They are in truth disbelievers. And We have prepared for the disbelievers a humiliating torment. [4:150-1]

 The Qur’an has mentioned the names of twenty-five prophets and messengers. Allah (SWT) says:

 And that was Our Proof which We gave Abraham against his people. We raise whom We will in degrees. Certainly your Lord is All Wise, All Knowing. And We bestowed upon him Isaac and Jacob, each of them We guided, and before him, We guided Noah, and among his progeny David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, and Aaron. Thus do We reward the good doers. Zachariah, and John and Jesus and Elias, each one of them was of the righteous. And Ishmael and Elijah, and Jonah and Lot, and each one of them We preferred above all of the creation. [6:83-6]

 Allah says about Adam (AS)

Allah chose Adam, Noah, the family of Abraham and the family of Imran above all of the creation. [3:33]

Allah says about Hood (AS):

 And to `Aad (We sent) their brother Hood. He said, ‘0 my people! Worship Allah! You have no other god but Him. Certainly, you do nothing but invent (lies)! [11:50]

Allah says about Salih (SWT)

 And to Thamood (We sent) their brother Salih. He said: `O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other god but Him. He brought you forth from the earth and settled you therein, then ask forgiveness of Him and turn to Him in repentance. Certainly, my Lord is Near, Responsive. [11:61]

Allah says about Shu`aib (SWT):

And to the Median We sent] their brother Shu ‘aib. He said: ‘O my people! Worship Allah, you have no other god but Him, and give not short measure or weight, I see you in prosperity; and verily I fear for you the torment of a Day encompassing.’ [11:84]

Allah says about Enoch (SWT):

 And (remember) Ishmael, and Enoch and Isaiah, all were from among the patient. [21:85]

Muhammad (ﷺ) was the last and final Messenger; no Messenger will come after him until the Final Day. Allah (SWT) says:

Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets. [33:40]

 The religion of Muhammad (ﷺ) abrogated the religions which preceded it. It is the complete and final religion of truth which is obligatory to be followed, and it will continue to be so until the Final Hour.

Allah calls some of the Messengers Ulrl–`Azm’ (those of strong determination). They were the most determined of the Messengers in conveying the Message; they were patient and steadfast. They were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, may Allah praise them all and keep them safe from all evil. Allah (SWT) says:

And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you [O Muhammad (ﷺ)], and from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, son of Mary. [33:7]

Who is Muhammad (ﷺ)?

His name is Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Abdul-Muttalib bin Haashim. His Kunyah is Abul-Qaasim (The father of Qaasim). He was from the Arab tribe of Quraish whose ancestry traces back to `Adnaan. `Adnaan was from the children of Ishmael (AS), the Prophet of Allah and son of Abraham (AS), the most beloved chosen servant of Allah.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said:

 “Indeed Allah chose the tribe of Kinaanah over other tribes from the children of Ishmael He chose the Quraish over other tribes of Kinaanah; He chose Banu Haashim over the other families of the Quraish; and He chose me from Banu Haashim.” [Muslim]

 He was born in the year 571 C.E. in the honored city of Mecca. Mecca was the religious center of the Arabian Peninsula, as it housed the Ka’bah, built by Abraham and his son, Ishmael, may Allah praise them and keep them safe from all evil.

His whole life exemplified truth and trustworthiness. He never told a lie, acted treacherously, or deceived anyone. Even before he received revelation, he was known amongst his people as `The Trustworthy’, and they would entrust him with their belongings when they intended to travel. He was also known as `The Truthful’. He was of excellent character and manners. He was eloquent in speech. He always wished well for others. Allah describes him, saying:

And verily, you are on an exalted standard of character. [68:4]

 He received his first revelation from Allah at the age of forty, and he remained in Mecca thereafter for thirteen years calling to the worship of Allah alone. He then migrated to Medina and called its people to Islam, where they accepted it. There, Allah revealed the remaining legislations. He conquered Mecca eight years after his migration, and he died when he was sixty-three, after having been revealed the entire Qur’an by Allah. All the legislations of the Religion were revealed, completed and perfected, and the majority of Arabs accepted Islam.

The Benefits of Belief in the Messengers.

Through belief in the various Messengers that Allah sent, we benefit in the following ways:

[1] One realizes the mercy and love Allah has for His slaves; since He sent to them Messengers who conveyed to them His religion. They in themselves were examples whom people emulated.

[2] To distinguish the believers who are truthful in their Faith from others; for it is incumbent upon one who believes in his own Messenger to believe in other Messengers who are mentioned in his Book.

[3] Those who believe in their Messengers and then believe in Muhammad (ﷺ) receive double reward.

To be continued…