A false rumour was spread at Uhud, that the
Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had been killed. The verse alludes to this
incident and means that even if the rumour was founded, it should not have made
the faithful falter in their faith. Muhammad (pbuh) was only a prophet and like
other prophets before him were dead, he too would die. Only the God of Islam,
the One and Supreme God lives eternally.
First Proof
When seven years after the incident at Uhud (after
the battle of Uhud) the Holy Prophet (pbuh) died, Umar (ra) stood in the mosque
of Medina, sword in hand, and said, “Whoever says that the prophet of God has
died, I will slit his throat. He has not die but went to his Lord just as Moses
had gone to his Lord and he shall return to punish the hypocrites.”
At that moment, Hazrat Abu Bakr (ra), who was
not present at the moment when the prophet breathed his last, returned quickly,
went straight into the prophet's room and upon realising that he had actually
died, kissed his forehead and said, “You are sweet (sacred) in death as you
were when alive, and surely God is not going to give you two deaths.”
Then he went out, resolved, and asked the
assembly in the mosque: “O people! Whoever worshiped Muhammad, let him know
that Muhammad is dead; And he who worships God, let him be assured that God is
alive, and that He does not die.”
And he recited to them this verse: “Muhammad is only a messenger; Verily, all the messengers have died before him. So, were he to die, or if he was killed, would you turn back on your heels?” (Al-Imran 3: 145). He meant that it was not surprising under these circumstances that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was also dead. On hearing this very appropriate verse, Umar (ra) and all the others were convinced of the prophet's death and were plunged into great mourning. Thus this verse proves incidentally that the prophets who had preceded our beloved prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had all died because if any one of them was still alive, the verse could not have been cited as evidence of the death of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).
And he recited to them this verse: “Muhammad is only a messenger; Verily, all the messengers have died before him. So, were he to die, or if he was killed, would you turn back on your heels?” (Al-Imran 3: 145). He meant that it was not surprising under these circumstances that the Holy Prophet (pbuh) was also dead. On hearing this very appropriate verse, Umar (ra) and all the others were convinced of the prophet's death and were plunged into great mourning. Thus this verse proves incidentally that the prophets who had preceded our beloved prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had all died because if any one of them was still alive, the verse could not have been cited as evidence of the death of the Holy Prophet (pbuh).
Second Proof
“The Messiah, son of Mary,
was only a messenger. Messengers (the like of whom) had passed away before him.
And his mother was a truthful woman. And they both used to eat (earthly) food
(to survive). See how We make the revelations clear for them, and see how they
are turned away!” (Al-Maida 5: 76).
This verse means that all the prophets before
Jesus are dead and the Muslims also agree on this point. Since identical terms
were used about Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), why do they say that a prophet before
him is not yet dead? The two verses I have mentioned are similar; they mean the
same thing.
Another thing God teaches us in these verses is
that: “They both used to eat (earthly) food
(to survive).” (Al-Maida 5: 76).
That is to say, Jesus and his mother were both
human beings. They had no particle of divinity in them, nor did they have
spiritual bodies to ascend into heaven. God's law concerning humans is that God
has fashioned them in earthly bodies endowed with a soul. And as long as this
soul remains in this earthly body, it will never be able to make this earthly
body, made of earth ascend to heaven and live in heaven with this body. But the
soul can travel, but its physical, terrestrial body always remains on earth,
and this can happen in three situations: (1) during sleep, (2) during
revelation and inspirations, and (3) that which is final, that is, death. And
in any case, the earthly body remains on earth, and come what may, it must be
buried in this earth here itself, and not be raised physically to the sky/
heavens.
Reflecting on these arguments, is there a
single Muslim who can say that Jesus is still alive in heaven? If so, let him
decide in his heart whether he is still a Muslim or whether he intends to
become a non-Muslim/ Christian.
Third Proof
“And We did not give them (i.e.
the Messengers) a body that could do without food. And they were not eternal.” (Al-Anbiya
21: 9).
That is, their body is similar to that of other
humans, as well as their age; They do not enjoy immortality but pass through
death to reach God, like other human beings.
Listen, my brothers and sisters! God is very angry
at the idea (which the people have) that our prophet is dead and that Jesus
remains alive. Allah (swt) says: “We have not
granted eternal life to any man before you. If you die, do they think they will
live forever? Every soul will taste death.” (Al-Anbiya 21:
35-36).
It is deplorable that the Bida'tis
theologians (i.e. those who make (wrong) additions to the Islamic Shariah)
and their ignorant Murids claim to love the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
for their belief is that of the Christians. This is the reason why ignorant
Muslims have embraced Christianity in great quantity, but this has no effect on
these theologians.
Open your eyes, O Muslim brothers and sisters!
It is indignant that Jesus (as) is alive in heaven, and that our great prophet
(pbuh) is buried here below! May God preserve us from the misdeeds of these Ulema
that lead Muslims to perdition! Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 07 July 2017(12 Shawwal 1438 AH) delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.