Volume - VI / CHAPTER - 1 / LESSON NO: 2 / PAGE 1 of 2
TRAITS OF THE HOLY PROPHET
Q 1: What is meant by "Khasaais-e-Mustafa"?
A. It is our "Eimaan" (Islamic faith) which is based on the teachings of Quran-o-Hadees that Allah Almighty has granted special honour to some of the Prophets over the others and the Holy Prophet Saiey-yidinaa Muhammad (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) has been endowed with "Rifat-o-'Azmat" (nobility and greatness) over all Apostles, Messengers and Prophets. The Holy Quran says: "wa Rafa'a Ba'da hum Darajaat" (and some one is he who was raised in degrees over all others). Religious scholars say that this "someone" in the verse stands for the Holy Prophet. The mention of the Holy Prophet in ambiguity and without name leads to the fact that his highest rank - "Saiey-yidul Mursaleen" (the chief, leader of all the Prophets) is so eminent and established that whether his name is mentioned or not in respect of nobility and greatness but the mind will definitely assume him to be the possessor of these privileges and great traits. Hence, "Khasaais-e-Mustafa" means all those excellences and miracles (he has been graced with) which make him superior to all Apostles, Messengers, Prophets, prominent angels and all creatures of Allah. This exclusivity is meant only for the Holy Prophet and no other Prophet has any share in it.
Q 2: Which excellences and perfection does "Khasaais-e-Mustafa" embrace?
A. It is beyond human attainment to fully delineate the greatness, excellences and miracles of the Holy Prophet. Allah Almighty, Who loves him, alone knows the real dignity and greatness of His Beloved. Our belief to this effect is that he is superior to all Apostles, Messengers and Prophets in every trait and miracle and that what all creatures of Allah (including Angels and Prophets) have got, was actually granted to them by virtue of the Holy Prophet and what he has been conferred upon was not granted to anyone. Whatever bounties, favours and excellences Allah Almighty has granted to His creatures were, in fact, given to them through the Holy Prophet who is the fountain-head of all favours and graces and is the cause of the creation of the world.
Q 3: Some Ahaadees say that I (Holy Prophet) have been granted such five things that were not granted to other Prophets. What does it mean?
A. Some Ahaadees say that I (Holy Prophet) have been preferred over all the Prophets in six things. Another Hadees reports that I excelled other Prophets in two things. Besides, it has been narrated in a Hadees that Arch-Angel Gibreil gave me the good tidings often things which no Prophet was granted to before me. These Ahaadees have not only the difference in the number of things but the excellences and graces granted to the Holy Prophet are also different in the Ahaadees. The fact is that the excellences, traits and privileges of the Holy Prophet are innumerable and immeasurable. These occasional disclosures of his excellences and graces is actually meant to enable the believers to memorise them thereby to illumine themselves with the effulgence of the Holy Prophet's excellences and miracles and to perfect their love for him which is the essence of Islamic faith. Some of the distinctive features of the Holy Prophet are summed up here:
1. The Holy Prophet is mercy for all the worlds. The Holy Quran declares: "wa Maaa Arsalnaaka Illaa Rahmatal-lil-'Aalameen" (and We sent you (O' beloved) not but as mercy for all the worlds). "Aalameen" is plural of "Aalam" (the world) and "Aalam" means all those things which it contains except for Allah. Thus the Holy Prophet is the mercy and great favour of Allah Almighty to all living and lifeless creatures of the worlds which also include Apostles, Messengers, Prophets and prominent angels and they all receive benefits and favours from his infinitude of blessings and compassion. That's why, Muslim scholars maintain that whatever Divine bounty and favour was given or is given or will be given to the believer or infidel, righteous or sinful, angel or humanbeing, genie or animal, less or more, small or large, from the beginning to the end, for temporal or spiritual benefit, to the soul or the body, visibly or invisibly, from the beginning uptill now, from now upto the Doomsday, from the Doomsday to the end and from the end to the eternity was, in fact, distributed, is distributed and will continue to be distributed through the Holy Prophet. All received Allah's mercy through him. He is heir to Allah's kingdom i.e. Allah Almighty has empowered him fully. He receives help directly from Allah and the whole world seek(s) Divine help through him. In brief, what one received or receives from Allah Almighty actually got or gets from him (Saiey-yidinaa Muhmmad, may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him, his posterity, his companions and on Saiey-yidinaa Ghouse-e-'Azam). His lover and creator - Allah Almighty is "Rabbil 'Aalameen" (the Sovereign Lord,Nourisher of all the universes) and he (Holy Prophet) is "Rahmatal-lil-'Aalameen"(mercy for all the universes) which reflects "Itlaaq-o-'Umoomiyat" (application of the same word and commonness) between them in respect of "Aalameen" (the worlds, universes).
2 .The Holy Prophet is the Prophet for all creatures of Allah. The Holy Quran says: "Wa Maaa Arsalnaaka Illaa Kaaaffatal Lin-Naas" (and We sent you (O'beloved) not but with such Messengership that encompasses the whole humanity). The religious scholars firmly maintain that the Messengership of the Holy Prophet encompasses all humanbeings and genies and Muslim researchers maintain that his Prophethood also embraces the angels. All trees and stones, "Hoor-o-Ghilmaan" (houries and lovely young male servants in Paradise), the earth and heavens and mountains, (in short) each and every particle of the earth (world), every leave of trees in Oasis and every drop of ocean is within the ambit of his Messengership. The Holy Prophet has been sent as Prophet to all mankinds, genies, animals, all living and inorganic matters and even the angels. The Holy Quran itself announces about his Prophethood for all the worlds at another place. The word "Khalq" (mankind,entire humanity) in the aforementioned verse stands for all creatures of Allah which is stressed by the word "Kaaaffa" thereby to declare that the Messengership of the Holy Prophet encircles all humanbeings and genies, Prophets and Messengers and even prominent angels. The Holy Prophet, Saiey-yidinaa Muhammad(may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) is the Messenger of all Apostles, Messengers and Prophets and they all have, ipso facto, the same attachment to him as the communities,nations of the respective Prophets have to them and indeed every living and lifeless creation barring Allah. Therefore, religious scholars emphasise that the Holy Prophet is Messenger for every mat soul/thing whose creator is Allah. The Holy Quran itself bears witness to the fact that it was made obligatory in the world here-before upon the communities,nations of all the Prophets to believe
in them (Prophets) and they (all Prophets) were made to covenant for believing in, loving and helping the Holy Prophet.
The Holy Prophet once said: "by Him (Allah) in Whose hand my soul is! if Musa (Prophet Moses) were alive today he would have no option but to follow me".
Prophet Jesus who will descend from heavens towards the end of this world, will follow" Shari'ah" of the Holy Prophet despite being a Prophet himself and live as his "Ummati"(follower, a member of the Holy Prophet's community). He will also offer prayer under the leadership of his (Holy Prophef's) Ummati and vicegerent, Imaam Mehdi.
In brief, the Messengership of the Holy Prophet encompasses all Apostles, Messengers, Prophets and their communities,nations and all creations from "Abul Bashar" (father of humanity), Prophet Adam to the Doomsday.
The Holy Prophet Saiey-yidinaa Muhammad (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) is the leader,chief of all the Prophets which is borne out by the fact that he led the prayer of all the Apostles, Messengers and Prophets in Aqsa mosque (Jerusalem) on "Me'raaj" night (night of ascension). His real greatness and status will be fully manifested on the Doomsday when all Apostles, Messengers and Prophets will gather under his flag, banner.
3. The religion of the Holy Prophet is perfect and Divine favours are complete. Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran: "Al-yauma Akmaltu Lakum Deenakum wa Atmamtu 'Alaikum Ne'matee wa Radeetu Lakumul Islaama Deenaa" (I have, this day, perfected your religion for you and completed My favours upon you and have chosen Islaam as religion for you). The religious scholars say that the "perfection of Islamic religion" means that Islaam will not be annulled like the religions (Shari'ahs) of the past Prophets and that Islaam has been made a "complete code of practical life" and "permanent conduct of life" providing solution to all issues and problems. Thus its adherents and followers need not seek guidance from any other source.
"Completion of favour" stands for the perfection of Islamic religion which is, indeed, the divine favour to its followers.
And "choosing of Islaam as religion" means the adherents and followers of Islaam should strictly follow the commands,injunctions of Shari'ah without fail and must know that their salvation and elevation in this world and the world hereafter lie in following Shari'ah. In short, the institution of Prophethood, Messengership which reached its highest glory and perfection like a humanbeing who attains the age of maturity and sanity at a certain stage in his life, has been sealed for ever making the last message, delivered by the Last Prophet (complete and perfect in all respects), fount and foundation to build up all injunctions, laws and code of life thereon for the guidance of mankind till the end of time.
If the institution of the Messengership had not climaxed and culminated in the Holy Prophet and were to continue then mankind,creations would not have been commanded to follow only him but instead it would have been enjoined to follow the Prophet of their age, time. The Holy Quran repeatedly stresses that there is only one way for the guidance of humanity that is to follow the commands of Allah and His Messenger Saiey-yidinaa Muhammad (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him). If it is supposed that there was no clarification about the finality of (Saiey-yidinaa) Muhammad's Prophethood in Quran-o-Hadees (though the supposition is wrong) even then only this verse "Al-yauma Akmaltu Lakum Deenakum" (this day I[Allah] have perfected your religion for you) was/is quite enough for our belief that when there was no room left for further teaching or improvement then there was no need for any new Prophet to succeed him (the Holy Prophet), for, the religion of Islaam has been perfected and the Holy Quran is "Naasikh" of Shari'ahs (has annulled Shari'ahs) of all the past Prophets. Now there is no need for any new religion or book of law.
"Wal-Hamdu Lil-Laahi Rabbil 'Aalameen" (and all praise is due to Allah, the Creator, Nourisher of all the worlds).
4. The Holy Prophet is "Khaataman Nabeiyeen" (the Last Prophet). The Holy Quran says "Walaakir Rasoolal Laahi wa Khaataman Nabeiyeen" (and he [Muhammad] is the Messenger of Allah and the last one among all the Prophets). It is an unquestionable and certain belief of all Muslims that Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's choicest blessings & peace be upon him) is the Last and Final Prophet of Allah and thus nobody can succeed him as Prophet in whatsoever way. It is proved by categorical and definite Quranic verses and scores of authentic Ahaadees. The annals of Muslim history are witness to the fact that if any lunatic claimed to be a phony Prophet, the Islamic community spurned him. Besides, the holy war of the Prophet's companions against the claimants of false Prophethood during the caliphate of Hadrat Abu Bakr Siddique (may Allah be pleased with him) also vindicates that all companions of the Holy Prophet understood "Khaataman Nabeiyeen" as the Last Prophet and they firmly believed in the Holy Prophet as such. What happened to "Musailema Kazzaab" (claimant of phony prophethood) is no secret.