Muhammad: 'Khatam-an-Nabiyyin'

 

The Advent of the Seal of all Prophets, Muhammad (pbuh)

 

'O our Lord, send among them a Messenger from among themselves, who will recite to them Your Verses [revelations], teach them Your Book and Wisdom, and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise.'  (Al-Baqara 2: 130)

  

Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and Hazrat Isma’il (as) made a profound supplication, which Allah has mentioned in the Holy Quran, to endure until the Day of Judgement, and which gives the good news of the advent of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) as an answer to their prayer.

 

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) came to conclude Law-bearing prophethood. Just as Hazrat Musa (as) was the last prophet of the Israelite lineage to bring a law – here we refer only to Hazrat Musa (as) and the Tawraat – because Hazrat Isa (as) did not bring a new law, but came to complete the law of Hazrat Musa (as). Therefore, the Injeel (the words of Hazrat Isa (as) which also contain revelations he received from Allah) came to consolidate the Mosaic Law, linking it with the Tawraat. Similarly, just as Hazrat Musa (as) was the last law-bearing prophet from the Israelite lineage, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) came centuries later with the final Code of Law, that is, the Holy Quran. Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) came as the greatest of all prophets since the creation of mankind and of all prophets. This is a distinction that Allah has reserved for him, and all those who come from him reflect his Prophethood.

 

Here, therefore, we speak of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) as a spiritual father who produces prophets, reformer-prophets of Islam who come to restore the Law of the Quran whenever people deviate from it. Thus, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) is a light that ignites other lights, and this in no way diminishes his importance or his status as Khatam-an-Nabiyyin (Seal of the Prophets). By the grace of Allah, I have spoken at length on this subject in my previous sermons and especially in my Tafsir’ul Quran – Al-Azim Tafsir’ul Quran.

 

Allah has bestowed an immense favour upon humanity by sending us Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) as a prophet. The greatest prophet that this universe has ever witnessed was born on a Monday in Arabia. His coming was foretold in ancient scriptures. His arrival was marked by a sign representing the Seal of Prophethood on him. There was a small lump of flesh with hair and moles between his shoulder blades, slightly on the left side. Jabir bin Samurah (ra) reported: “I saw the Seal on his shoulder, resembling a pigeon’s egg.” (Muslim, Tirmidhi). And Abdullah bin Sarjis (ra) reported: “I saw the Seal of Prophethood between his shoulders on the left side of his shoulder, which had marks like moles.” (Muslim).

 

We must not confuse the Seal of the Prophets with the Seal of Prophethood. The Seal of the Prophets is Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), and the Seal of Prophethood is the mark that was on his back.

 

Thus, Allah answered the supplication of Hazrat Ibrahim (as) and Hazrat Isma’il (as) by sending the greatest prophet of this universe from their common lineage. The advent of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was not only for the Arabs, his own people, but for all of humanity. The Quran addresses all of humanity, but those who truly understand it are the true believers endowed with intelligence [Ulul-al-Baab], those who reflect and do not deviate from the right path.

 

As we learn from the Hadiths, Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was born on a Monday. It was also on a Monday that the Night of Decree (Laila-tul-Qadr) occurred, when Allah sent Hazrat Jibreel (as) to him in the Cave of Hira to deliver the first revelations of the Quran. At that moment, Allah sent His greatest decree to His greatest prophet. This destiny chosen by Allah made him even more humble than he was before. He was a gentle, generous, kind, and respectful person, both to those older and younger than him. Despite being an orphan, losing his father before his birth and his mother at the age of six, Allah blessed his advent into this world in an extraordinary way.

 

We must remember that a mother who believes in the oneness of Allah, worships Him, and does not associate idols with Him, is blessed to carry a child who is a Messenger of Allah. Such a mother is blessed by Allah to witness several signs even before the conception of her child, during her pregnancy, and after the birth of her son. Allah strengthens such a mother so that she knows the destiny He has reserved for her child. This mother is truly blessed. She receives revelation. Amina, the daughter of Wahab and wife of Abdullah, was such a woman chosen by Allah to carry this exceptional child and to receive such signs to keep her confident in the great mission Allah had for her son. Allah also chose Abdullah as the father who contributed to the birth of this extraordinary child.

 

The life of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) was marked by hardship, as he was deprived of his father before his birth and became completely orphaned at the age of six when his mother also passed away. Initially, his grandfather Abdul Muttalib took care of him, but after Abdul Muttalib’s death, his uncle Abu Talib assumed responsibility for Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Although he was not wealthy in worldly terms, Allah enriched his soul with a deep connection to Him. From a young age, he experienced spiritual visions, though he did not understand their significance at the time. By Allah’s infinite grace, he was never abandoned.

 

There is a Surah in the Quran where Allah speaks to Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), reassuring His prophet that He will always be with him. This Surah is Surah Ad-Duha (Chapter 93 of the Holy Quran), where Allah says:

'By the light of the morning (after sunrise), and by the night when it is calm, your Lord has neither forsaken you nor does He despise you. Indeed, the life to come will be better for you than this present life. Your Lord will grant you His favour, and you will be well-pleased. Did He not find you an orphan and give you shelter? He found you lost and guided you, and He found you poor and enriched you. Therefore, do not oppress the orphan, nor repel the beggar, and proclaim the favours that your Lord has bestowed upon you.'

 

This chapter summarizes Allah’s favour upon Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) during a particularly difficult period in his life, affirming that Allah never forsook him. When he came under the care of Abu Talib, he received the protection of a father figure, as Abu Talib treated him like his own son, making no distinction between him and his other children.

 

Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) lived in a home filled with love and tenderness. As he grew to become the greatest prophet of this universe, it is unfortunate that his uncle did not accept him as a prophet, despite protecting him against all opposition. Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) invited him to embrace Islam, but Abu Talib chose to remain with his ancestral beliefs and customs. However, Allah bestowed His favour upon Abu Talib’s wife, Fatima bint Asad (ra), the mother of Ali Ibn Abu Talib (ra), who accepted Islam and died as a Muslim. Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) personally led her funeral prayer (Salatul Janaza).

 

Like Allah mentions in this Surah, He found Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) in a state of poverty and enriched him. Here, the poverty of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) refers to his financial state, as spiritually he was immensely rich, richer than all humans on the face of this earth. Allah enriched him through his marriage to Hazrat Khadija, who proposed marriage to Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh). Hazrat Khadija (ra) was very wealthy and had been widowed twice. She was 40 years old when she married Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), who was then 25 years old. It was Khadija who ensured his lineage by giving him several children, both sons and daughters. Unfortunately, all his sons died at a young age. Although his other daughters survived to maturity, only Hazrat Fatima (ra), his youngest daughter, ensured his biological lineage.

 

We see how Allah fulfilled His promise to His Messenger, not only by granting him wealth and pious and respectable children but also by ensuring that through his biological and spiritual lineage, other reformers of Islam would come, reflecting the spiritual image and prophethood of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), to restore Islam to its former glory like at the beginning of Islam.

 

Allah’s favours rained upon Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) like a blessed rain that watered his entire Ummah. Whenever his Ummah faltered and slipped into wrongdoing, Allah sent the reflection of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) to revive the dead land of Islam, where this Saviour would water the plant of Islam, making it grow, strengthen its roots, and spread its branches to the farthest corners of the universe.

 

I will stop here for today. Insha-Allah, I will continue on the same subject next week – Insha-Allah.

 

Allahumma Salli ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin, kama sallayta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala aali Ibrahima innaka Hamidum-Majeed. Allahumma barik ‘ala Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali Muhammadin kama barakta ‘ala Ibrahima wa ‘ala aali Ibrahima innaka Hameedum-Majeed. Rabbana taqabal minna innaka antas-Sami’ul Alim. Rabbana taqabal minna innaka antas-Sami’ud-Dua.

 

(O Allah, send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon Ibrahim and upon the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, as You blessed Ibrahim and the family of Ibrahim. Indeed, You are Praiseworthy and Glorious. Our Lord, accept (this) from us; indeed, You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Our Lord, accept (this) from us; indeed, You are the Hearer of supplications.)

----Friday Sermon of 20 September 2024 ~16 Rabi’ul Awwal 1446 AH delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.