'Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example
for whoever has hope in Allah and the Last Day, and remembers Allah often.' (Al-Ahzab, 33: 22).
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Mecca, Arabia, nearly six hundred years after Hazrat Isa (as) [Jesus]. At that time, his people were deeply involved in idolatry, and their society was marked by corruption and decay. The Jews in Arabia had formed tribes and settlements but did not spread the message of the Unicity of Allah beyond their community. Christianity was divided into many feuding sects, and its stronghold, the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantium), was in decline.
In this decadent society, a Messenger arose in Mecca
with a fervent call to repentance and reform. He challenged the leaders of
paganism, by arising and warning them like Allah commanded him to do. His
message was met with intense hostility. Initially ridiculed and opposed, he and
his small group of followers faced abuse, defamation, torture, boycott, and
even assassination threats.
Despite all efforts to make them abandon their mission, the early Muslims remained steadfast. Their conviction in the truth of the Message was so strong that threats of physical harm or death could not deter them. Some early Muslims died under torture, while others sought refuge in Abyssinia, under the protection of a devout Christian king who later secretly embraced Islam.
After thirteen years of patient preaching and enduring
many trials, Allah provided the Holy Prophet (pbuh) and his followers the
opportunity to migrate to Yathrib (i.e. Medina), about three hundred miles
away. The inhabitants of Yathrib, who had embraced Islam, invited them and
pledged their loyalty to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), vowing to live and,
if necessary, die for Islam. The Muslims left Mecca in small groups, crossing
the desert to the welcoming city. Once all had departed, the prophet and his
closest friend, Hazrat Abu Bakr (pbuh), also left, guided by Allah and evading
the Pagan Arabs' attempts to assassinate him.
In Medina, free from the daily persecutions of the
Meccans, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) could establish the community and
system he was commanded to create. Here, the Quranic verses concerning various
legislations were revealed and immediately put into practice by the Muslims.
This is where, Alhamdulillah, the Islamic community and state, encompassing
social, political, and economic life, took shape, setting an example for future
generations of Muslims.
The prophet and his followers faced many threats and
attacks from their enemies in and around Medina, and those enemies included
also the hypocrites who manifested their hatred towards Islam in secret while
portraying themselves as good Muslims when they were in the circle of the
Muslims. Despite being small in number and not well-equipped, the Prophet of
Allah (pbuh) along with his sincere followers managed to defend themselves
through various military and diplomatic actions. Alhamdulillah.
Eventually, the prophet returned to Mecca, the city he
had fled from due to threats on his life. Instead of seeking revenge on those
who had treated him badly, he forgave everyone, leading to a peaceful takeover
of Mecca. He then entered the Ka’aba, the sacred House of Allah built by his
ancestors, Ibrahim (as) and Isma'il (as) and destroyed the idols inside,
restoring it as a place for the worship of Allah alone.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) passed away about one year
after the conquest of Mecca. He left behind two enduring sources of guidance
for Muslims: the Holy Quran and his Sunnah (his example and practices). The
Sunnah was later documented in Hadiths, which serve as the second source of
guidance in Islam after the Quran. After his death, four of his closest
companions, friends and family members - Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali -
became the leaders of the Muslim community, known as the Rightly-Guided
Caliphs. They ruled according to the Quran and the Prophet's example. However,
subsequent political leadership shifted to a hereditary monarchy, deviating
from the early caliphs' example.
Despite these changes, Islam spread rapidly,
transforming societies and reaching from Spain to the Philippines. During this
period, Muslim lands became centres of faith, learning, and culture,
illuminating the world at a time when Europe was still in a relatively
primitive state.
The Quran proclaims that Muhammad (pbuh) is the Seal
of the Prophets, and that anyone who claims law-bearing prophethood after him is
false. But majority of Muslims today have misinterpreted the meaning of “Khatam-an-Nabiyyin”
(Seal of all prophets) and have been firm to declare that absolutely no
Messenger or Prophet of Allah is needed now. But why, if Allah sent messengers
before when needed, and since humanity still needs guidance, should there be no
more prophets after him?
It is to be borne in mind that while law-bearing
prophets will now not come after the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), but
non-law-bearing prophets who follow the Holy Prophet (pbuh) will continue to
come; they will be such prophets who confirms the prophethood of Muhammad
(pbuh) and his perfect status of greatest prophet of all times.
The Quran being Allah’s final and complete guidance
for all humankind, as such, it does not require any amendment, abrogation or
restatement. Moreover, it was revealed at a time when man’s intellect,
consciousness and the ability to preserve and transmit knowledge through
writing had reached full maturity. But from time to time, when people will
forget its core teachings and deviate from them, Allah will keep on sending the
reformer-prophets within none but the circle of Islam to repair the highway
leading man to God.
The Quran has been preserved, word for word, letter
for letter, exactly as it was revealed, and as long as it remains so (and the
Quran contains Allah’s promise to safeguard it from any change until the Last
Day), there is no need for any further Divine Laws. The Quran is complete and
perfect, and its principles and teachings are as valid and binding today as at
the time when they were revealed. But like we see nowadays, while billions of
Muslims exist today, yet many of them have let go of the core teachings of
Islam, preferring to follow the Western Christian trends and have forgone the
true teachings of Islam for vain pursuits of the world and entertainment.
Thus, as per the promise of Allah, contained in the
Holy Quran itself, Allah will keep on sending such guides who will come, not to
abrogate the Islamic Laws but to reinforce it through the Ruh’il Quddus
(Holy Spirit/ Divine Revelations) and to bring back the lost glory of Islam as
originally brought and practiced by the Holy Prophet of Islam, Muhammad (pbuh)
himself.
In addition to this, there is another compelling reason
for the necessity of further messengers. While the Quran provides divine
guidance, it is the example of the Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) that supplements
this guidance. A divinely-revealed Book offers God's instructions, but a Book
alone was insufficient; there needed to be someone to embody and enact this
guidance. This individual was not to be an angel, but a human being, one from
within the community to which the guidance was initially directed. This person
would serve as a living model, demonstrating the practical application of
divine laws amidst the different circumstances of everyday human life.
Regarding the life of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), an
unparalleled and meticulously detailed account of it has been preserved,
arguably more comprehensive than that of any other individual in human history.
Due to his unique role as the recipient of divine revelations from Allah, every
aspect of his life was of immense interest to those around him. Consequently,
the narrations recorded in the Hadith literatures encompass all facets of his
existence, from the most intimate personal matters to the conduct of warfare
and the administration of state affairs.
Consequently, Muslims have before them – in the person
and character and behaviour of the Holy Prophet of Islam (pbuh) – in every
aspect of their lives the living example of the best human being. As his wife Aisha
(ra) said concerning him, his conduct was the Quran.
Indeed, while the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was a
person of immense spirituality and nearness to Allah, at the same time he also
lived an extremely full, active and complete life, exemplifying many varied and
complex roles. He was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, a kind and
responsible kinsman, a faithful and affectionate friend, a perfect leader in
worship and battle, a true dignified ruler and statesman. For the Muslims of
his time as well as for the Muslims of today and tomorrow, he was and is and
will always be the role model: the teacher, the guide, the leader, and above
all the Conveyor of the Divine guidance, the connecting link with Allah, and
the person whom they love, revere and emulate above all other men. Alhamdulillah.
We can never stop praising that perfect man who
brought much goodness in this world. He was the perfect role-model and
blessings for the entire world. Allah blessed us Muslims today as forming part
of his blessed body. Then it is up to us to implement the teachings of the Holy
Quran in our daily lives and be true and sincere to the teachings he brought
and sacrificed his life for. May the unlimited blessings of Allah be always
upon him, his companions and the most sincere and true followers from his Ummah
(Community). May Allah have mercy on us and enable us all to follow his example
in the best way. Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 27 September 2024~ 23 Rabi’ul Awwal 1446 AH delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.