4- The Belief in Allâh’s Messengers It is the true belief that Allâh has sent among every nation a Messenger proclaiming them to worship Allâh alone with no other partner and disbelieves in what is worshipped else. And it is the belief that they are all pious, honest, trustworthy, and that they have proclaimed the Messages that have been sent to them quite clearly and they have relayed the argument of Allâh upon Alamin (mankind and jinn and all other creatures). A Messenger is a person who is sent by a certain Message. And it is here the person who is inspired by legislation and ordered to proclaim. The first Messenger is Nuh (Noah), and the last one is Muhammad , Allâh said, “إِنَّا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ كَمَا أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَى نُوحٍ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ” - meaning – {We have sent you inspiration (O Muhammad ), as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him}. Al-Bukhari narrated the Hadith (tradition) of Ash-Shafa’a (intercession) which states that people in the Day of Resurrection go to Adam to intercede for them, but he refuses to do so and he advises them to go to Nuh (Noah), the first Messenger Allâh sent to earth. Moreover, Allâh said, “مَا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِنْ رِجَالِكُمْ وَلَكِنْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ” - meaning – {Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allâh, and the Seal (Last) of the Prophets}. In fact, no nation or community ever passed without having a Messenger whom Allâh sends to his people with a new Legislation, or a Prophet with a preceding one to confirm it and renew its ordinances. Allâh said, “وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَسُولا أَنْ اُعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ” - meaning – {For We assuredly sent amongst every People a Messenger, (with the Command), Serve Allâh, and eschew Evil}. Messengers are human beings, who have no divine characteristics. Allâh ordered Muhammad despite being the greatest Messenger and the most honest Prophet to say, “قُلْ لا أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَلا ضَرًّا إِلا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنْ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِي السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَا إِلا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ” - meaning – {Say (O Muhammad ): I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allâh will. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good, and no evil should have touched me: I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings to those who have faith.} They certainly have all human characteristics such as sickness and death and need for food and drink and so on. Allâh informed about Ibrahim (Abraham) that he said, “وَالَّذِي هُوَ يُطْعِمُنِي وَيَسْقِينِي. وَإِذَا مَرِضْتُ فَهُوَ يَشْفِينِي. وَالَّذِي يُمِيتُنِي ثُمَّ يُحْيِينِ” - meaning – {It is He Who gives me food and drink, And when I am ill, it is He Who cures me; Who will cause me to die, and then to live (again)}. And the Prophet said, “إنما أنا بشر مثلكم أنسى كما تنسون” - meaning – “I am a human being just like you, so if I forgot something, you should remind me”. As a matter of fact, Allâh has described his Prophets and Messengers with a high aspect of slavery and submission to Allâh when He praised them, as He said about Nuh (Noah): “إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَبْدًا شَكُورًا” - meaning – {Verily he was a devotee most grateful servant}, and said about the Prophet Muhammad , “تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي نَزَّلَ الْفُرْقَانَ عَلَى عَبْدِهِ لِيَكُونَ لِلْعَالَمِينَ نَذِيرًا” - meaning – {Blessed is He Who sent down the Criterion to His servant, that it may be an admonition to all creatures}, and so as the rest of them, peace of Allâh be upon them. The Belief in the Messengers includes four aspects: First: the belief that their message is mere truth descended from Allâh, so that if anyone disbelieves in any of their message, he is a disbeliever in all of them. Allâh said, “كَذَّبَتْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ الْمُرْسَلِينَ” - meaning – {The people of Noah rejected the Messengers}, so He considered them disbelievers in all of the Messengers of Allâh in spite of the fact that there existed only one Messenger at their time. Similarly, Christians who disbelieved in Muhammad and did not follow his Message are disbelievers in Isa (Jesus) as well, especially when he gave glad tidings of the Messenger Muhammad to come after him. Moreover, his pronouncing the coming of Prophet Muhammad would have no meaning if it was not to inform them that he is the Prophet by whom Allâh will save them from going astray and guide them to the Straight way (Islâm). Second: the belief in whom we were informed about their names such as, Muhammad , Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Nuh (Noah) and these are the Messengers of the Strong Will. Allâh said, “وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِنْ النَّبِيِّينَ مِيثَاقَهُمْ وَمِنْكَ وَمِنْ نُوحٍ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَى وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ” - meaning – {And remember (O Muhammad ) that We took from the Prophets their Covenant: as (We did) from you: from Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus the son of Mary}. However, those who were not informed about their names, we should believe in them as a whole, Allâh said, “وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلا مِنْ قَبْلِكَ مِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَصَصْنَا عَلَيْكَ وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ لَمْ نَقْصُصْ عَلَيْكَ” - meaning – {We did aforetime send Messengers before you: of them there are some whose story We have related to you, and some whose story We have not related to you}. Third: the belief in what is sound of their tidings. Fourth: to perform the descended rituals by the Messenger sent to us, who is their last (end) Prophet Muhammad , who is sent to all mankind, Allâh said, “فَلا وَرَبِّكَ لا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّى يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا” - meaning – “But no, by your Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make you judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against your decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction”. The Belief in the Messengers brings forth to the believer so many significant benefits, like: First: to know how Merciful Allâh is with His slaves and how He cares for them. This is because He sent to them these Messengers in order to guide them ahead to the Way of Allâh and show them clearly how to worship their Lord because the human mind is incapable to know that. Second: to perform all thanks and praise to Allâh for this great grace. Third: to love all Allâh’s Messengers and glorify and praise as it is suitable for them. This is because they are the Messengers of Allâh, who did what they had to do concerning worshipping and proclaimed the Word of Allâh to His slaves. Despite this fact, obstinate people have denied their message claiming that Allâh should not have human messengers; however, Allâh mentioned this claim and repelled it by saying, “وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ الْهُدَى إِلا أَنْ قَالُوا أَبَعَثَ اللَّهُ بَشَرًا رَسُولا. قُلْ لَوْ كَانَ فِي الأرْضِ مَلائِكَةٌ يَمْشُونَ مُطْمَئِنِّينَ لَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ السَّمَاءِ مَلَكًا رَسُولا” - meaning – {What kept men back from Belief when Guidance came to them, was nothing but this: they said. Has Allâh sent a man (like us) to be (His) Messenger? Say (O Muhammad ): If there were settled, on earth, angels walking about in peace and quiet, We should certainly have sent them down from the heavens an angel for a messenger}. 5- The Belief in the Last Day The belief in the Last Day is the true certain belief in all what Allâh has stated in His Book, and all what His Messenger has informed about in his Sunnah (Tradition). It is like events which shall be after death such as the trial of the grave, and its happiness and torture, the Resurrection, Al-Hashr (the Gathering), As-Sohof (the Scrolls), Al-Hisab (the Account), Al-Mizan (the Balance), Al-Hawd (the Fountain), As-Sirat (the Bridge), Ash-Shafa’a (the Intercession), the Paradise and the Hell, in addition to all what Allâh has prepared to their people and all what will be amongst signs of the Last Day, small ones and Big ones. The Last Day is the Day of Resurrection on which people will be sent to get their fair account, rewards and punishments. It was named as such because there is no day after it, for people of Paradise will settle in their places, and people of Hell will settle in theirs too. The Belief in the Last Day includes three aspects: First: the Belief in the Resurrection, which means the raise of the dead. And this happens when the second blow in the Trumpet is blown, at that time all mankind will stand before their Lord barefooted, naked and uncircumcised. Allâh said, “كَمَا بَدَأْنَا أَوَّلَ خَلْقٍ نُعِيدُهُ وَعْدًا عَلَيْنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا فَاعِلِينَ” - meaning – {As We produced the first Creation, so shall We produce a new one: a promise We have undertaken: truly shall We fulfil it}. Furthermore, Resurrection is a truth confirmed by the Scriptures of the Noble Book of Allâh and the Honorable Sunnah of His Messenger and the Consensus (of Muslim Legal Scholars). Allâh said, “ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ. ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ” - meaning – {After that, at length you will die. Again, on the Day of Judgment, will you be raised up}, and the Prophet has said, “يحشر الناس يوم القيامة حفاة عراة غرلا” - meaning – “The people would be assembled on the Day of Resurrection barefooted, naked and uncircumcised”. And, in fact, it is the mere commensurate aspect of Wisdom, which necessitates that Allâh should make a Day of Return to repay them for what they have done. Allâh said, “أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لا تُرْجَعُونَ” - meaning – {Did you then think that We had created you in jest, and that you would not be brought back to Us (for account)?”} and He said to His Prophet: “إِنَّ الَّذِي فَرَضَ عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لَرَادُّكَ إِلَى مَعَادٍ” - meaning – {Verily He Who ordained the Qur’ân for you, will bring you, back to the Place of Return}. Second: the belief in the Account and the Repay. This means that the slave (of Allâh) will be accounted for his deeds and then he will be repaid for them, and this has been confirmed by the Book and the Sunnah and the Consensus of Muslim community, Allâh said, “ إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ. ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُمْ” - meaning – {For to Us will be their Return; Then it will be for Us to call them to account}. And Ibn Omar narrated that the Prophet said, “ يُدْنَى الْمُؤْمِنُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَتَّى يَضَعَ عَلَيْهِ كَنَفَهُ فَيُقَرِّرُهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ فَيَقُولُ هَلْ تَعْرِفُ فَيَقُولُ أَيْ رَبِّ أَعْرِفُ قَالَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ سَتَرْتُهَا عَلَيْكَ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَإِنِّي أَغْفِرُهَا لَكَ الْيَوْمَ فَيُعْطَى صَحِيفَةَ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَأَمَّا الْكُفَّارُ وَالْمُنَافِقُونَ فَيُنَادَى بِهِمْ عَلَى رُءُوسِ الْخَلائِقِ هَؤُلاءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ” - meaning – “A believer will be brought to his Lord, the Exalted and Glorious, on the Day of Resurrection, and he would place upon him His veil, and make him confess his faults. Then, He would say, ‘Do you recognize (your faults)?’ He would reply, ‘My Lord, I do’. He (the Lord) would say, ‘I concealed them for you in the worldly life, and today I forgive them for you. And he would then be given the book containing (the account of his) good deeds’. So far as the non-believers and hypocrites are concerned, there would be general announcement about them before the entire creation saying, ‘These people told a lie about Allâh’.” This is in addition to the Consensus of Muslim community about the approval of the Account and the Repay on the deeds and this is as we said before the mere commensurate aspect of Wisdom. Third: the belief in the Paradise and the Hell and that both are the everlasting return of creation. For Paradise is the place of happiness which is prepared for the pious believers who truly believed in what Allâh has decreed to believe, and to those who obeyed Allâh and His Messenger, faithful to their Lord following His Prophet. It is where all sorts of ease exist, and there exists what no eye has perceived and no ear has heard and no human mind has ever thought about. Allâh said, “إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ أُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَرِيَّةِ. جَزَاؤُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ رَبَّهُ” - meaning – {Those who have faith and do righteous deeds; They are the best of creatures. Their reward is with Allâh: Paradises of Eternity, beneath which rivers flow; they will dwell therein forever; Allâh well pleased with them, and they with Him: all this for such as fear their Lord and Cherisher}. And He said, “فَلا تَعْلَمُ نَفْسٌ مَا أُخْفِيَ لَهُمْ مِنْ قُرَّةِ أَعْيُنٍ جَزَاءً بِمَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ” - meaning – {Now no person knows what delights of the eye are kept hidden (in reserve) for them, as a reward for their (good) Deeds}. On the other hand, Hell is where torture exists, prepared for wrongdoers disbelievers, who disbelieved in Allâh and disobeyed His Messengers. There exist all sorts of suffering and exemplary punishment, which would not cross anyone’s mind. Allâh said, “وَاتَّقُوا النَّارَ الَّتِي أُعِدَّتْ لِلْكَافِرِينَ” - meaning – {Fear the Fire, which is prepared for those who reject Faith}. And He said, “إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ نَارًا أَحَاطَ بِهِمْ سُرَادِقُهَا وَإِنْ يَسْتَغِيثُوا يُغَاثُوا بِمَاءٍ كَالْمُهْلِ يَشْوِي الْوُجُوهَ بِئْسَ الشَّرَابُ وَسَاءَتْ مُرْتَفَقًا” - meaning – {We have prepared a Fire whose (smoke and flames), like the wall and roof of a tent, will hem them in. If they implore relief they will be granted water like melted brass, that will scald their faces. How dreadful the drink! How uncomfortable a couch to recline on!}. The Belief in the Last Day brings forth to the believer so many significant benefits, like: First: prompting the desire to obey and the care for them looking forward to being rewarded on that Day. Second: prompting the awe from disobeying or accepting disobeying fearing the punishment of that Day. Third: the consolation of the believer in what he does not get in this world in return of what he hopes to get in the Thereafter. Despite this fact, disbelievers have denied the Resurrection after death claiming that it is inconceivable; however, this is obsolete and its desuetude is proved by Divine Legislation, common sense, and reason. Concerning the Divine Legislation, Allâh said, “زَعَمَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنْ لَنْ يُبْعَثُوا قُلْ بَلَى وَرَبِّي لَتُبْعَثُنَّ ثُمَّ لَتُنَبَّؤُنَّ بِمَا عَمِلْتُمْ وَذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ” - meaning – {The Unbelievers claimed that they will not be raised up (for Judgment). Say (O Muhammad ): Yea, by my Lord, you shall surely be raised up: then shall you be told (the truth) of all that you did. And that is easy for Allâh.}, and all Holly Books have agreed upon this aspect. Concerning the common sense, Allâh has shown His slaves examples about the raising of the dead, five of them are mentioned in Surat Al-Bakarah (The Cow), they are: First example: the people of Musa (Moses) asked their Prophet to show them Allâh plainly, for this reason, Allâh made them dead then He gave them life, as He said, “وَإِذْ قُلْتُمْ يَامُوسَى لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ لَكَ حَتَّى نَرَى اللَّهَ جَهْرَةً فَأَخَذَتْكُمْ الصَّاعِقَةُ وَأَنْتُمْ تَنظُرُونَ. ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَاكُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَوْتِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ” - meaning – {And remember when you said: O Moses! We shall never believe in you until we see Allâh manifestly, but you were dazed by thunder and lightning even as you looked on. Then We raised you up after your death; you had the chance to be grateful}. Second example: the story of the murdered person whom the conflict in Bani Israel (The Children of Israel) was about. Al-Bakarah (The Cow):73. Third example: the story of those who went forth from their homes in thousands, fearing death. Allâh told them ‘die!’, and then He restored them to life. Fourth example: the story of the one who passed by a dead town and regarded that it is unlikely to have this town alive again. Allâh then took life from him hundred years and then gave it back to him. Fifth example: the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) the Intimate when he asked Allâh to show him how He gives life to the dead. So, these are true seen examples, which shows the possibility of raising dead into life again. In addition to what we mentioned about the Signs (Miracles) of Isa (Jesus) when Allâh gave him the ability to raise dead out of their graves, only after Allâh’s permission. Yet the proof of reason on the possibility of Resurrection is stated in two aspects: First aspect: Allâh has created the earth and heavens and all what is between them from the very beginning, and the One who could once start the creation can surely recreate it again. Allâh said, “وَهُوَ الَّذِي يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ وَهُوَ أَهْوَنُ عَلَيْهِ” - meaning – {It is He Who begins (the process of) creation; then repeats it; and for Him it is most easy}. Second aspect: we see the earth barren with no single green tree in it, but when Allâh sends down water (rain) on it, it is stirred to life, and swells and puts forth every lovely kind of growth. The One Who could give life to this earth is for sure easily capable of giving raise to dead. Allâh said, “وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنَّكَ تَرَى الأرْضَ خَاشِعَةً فَإِذَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ اهْتَزَّتْ وَرَبَتْ إِنَّ الَّذِي أَحْيَاهَا لَمُحْيِي الْمَوْتَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ” - meaning – {And among His Signs in this: where you see the earth barren and desolate; but when We send down rain to it, it is stirred to life and yields increase. Truly, He Who gives life to the (dead) earth can surely give life to (men) who are dead. For He has power over all things}.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Oct 2013 12:40:31 +0000
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