Asalaamu alaykum
In every trial and every provocation there is wisdom and benefit for us if we care to observe with the eye of Iman. Take, for example, this latest (and blatantly deliberate) provocation the West has levelled at the Ummah by insulting and blaspheming against the Holy Noble Prophet Muhammad al-Mustafa (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam), the Beloved Messenger of Allah Almighty.
One good thing that has arisen out of these events is that it has re-ignited the love that we as an Ummah have for the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) and we have shown ourselves as well as the kufaar that we may be the victims of all else, we may be a disunited Nation, bickering and sinning. However, there is a line that even the worst of us dares not cross: for us that line is Allah's Last Prophet to Mankind, Muhammadu Rasoolallah (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam).
If there is one thing that is ever to unite us, it is the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). He (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is our Islam. If it were not for him, then we would not be Muslim and if we were to not stand up to defend his honour and integrity then, I swear by the Grand and Holy Book, we do not have a religion at all; indeed, he is the proof of Iman (Faith) itself.
I thank Allah for these cartoons, for much good has come out of them. The cartoons themselves only claim to depict the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) as Allah Himself is the Guardian of His Beloved's honour. In case you have become upset or distraught over these cartoons, my dear and beloved brothers and sisters, remember this:
No insult, word or action can effect a scratch the size of an atom on the Tablet of Prophetic Perfection.
These cartoons are a test for us and us alone and as the UK gears up for another major demonstration by the country's Muslims in London, I would like to exhort in that which is good, pure and blissful. I exhort you to strengthen your love of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam). The following piece will, insha Allah, go a ways to doing exactly that.
Who is Muhammad? He is:
The Best of Creation
The Trustworthy One
The Most Praiseworthy One
The Light of Allah's Throne
The Master of all the Worlds
The One for whom Creation was created
The Chosen Prophet
The Imam of all the Prophets
Our Leader
Our Mawla
Our Beloved
The Beloved of Allah
The Precious of Allah
Our Intercessor
Our Teacher
Our Guide
Muhammad, the Rasool of Allah
(sallallahu alaihi wa aalihi wa sallam)
Hadhrat Jabir bin Abdullah Ansari (radi Allahu anhu) reports: I asked: “O Prophet of Allah (sallallahi alaihi wasallam), what did the Almighty Allah first create?” The Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) replied:
“Allah first created my Noor (Light) of His Noor. This Noor travelled about according to the Will of Allah. At that time, there was no Heaven, Hell, Lawh (Divine Tablet), Pen, Earth, Skies, Sun, Moon, Jinn or Human Beings. When He decided to create, He divided that Noor into four parts. From one part He created the Pen, from the second, the lawh and from the third, He made the Arsh (Throne).
He divided the fourth part into a further four parts. From one He created those Angels who carry the Arsh, from the second the Kursi (Divine Chair), and from the third, He created the Angels.
He again divided the remaining parts into a further four parts. From one He created the skies. The second was used in creating the planets. From the third, Heaven and Earth were created.
Once again, He divided the fourth part into a further four parts. From one part He created the power with which the believers see. From the second, He created in the hearts of the Believers the Noor of Marifat (spiritual realisation). From the third, He created in the tongues of the Believers, Noor, so that they can read the Kalima of Tauheed.”
(Source(s):Dalil-un-Nubuwwat, Imam Baihaqi; Muwahib-e-Laduniyya, Imam Qastallani; Afzalus Qura, Ibne Majah; Tariki-ul-Khamis; Masnaf)
In a Hadith Qudsi, Allah, subhanu wa ta’ala said: “If I had not created you (O Muhammad), I would not have created anything.”
(Source(s): Maktubat of Imam ar-Rabbani)
It is said that this is why the whole of creation ceased functioning on the night that Nabi-e-Kareem went for Mi’raj to meet his Lord, because he is the life of creation itself and everything in it. “And We have not sent you (O Prophet) but as a mercy to the worlds.” (21:107)
Hadhrat Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahau anhu) has narrated: “The Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) once asked Hadhrat Jibreel (alaihi salaam): “How old are you?” Jibreel (alaihi salaam) replied, “I don’t have much recollection about the exact age. However, I do remember seeing a star in (meaning behind) the fourth hijab (veil) of Honour. That star would appear once every seventy thousand years, and I have seen the star seventy two thousand times.” Upon hearing this, the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) replied: “I swear by the honour of my Allah Jalla-Jalaluhu that star was me.”
(Source(s): Imam Bukhari in Tarikh-ul-Kabir, Imam an-Nubhani in Jawahirul-Nihar, Imam Ismail al-Haqqi in Tafsir ruhul-Bayan)
Hadhrat Ibn Wahhab narrates:
The Holy Prophet (sallallahi alaihi wasallam) said, “Allah told me: O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam)! Whatever I have given you has never been given to any prophet before you.
(NB: Just to clear up a point. The extent of the faults of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) is leaving a virtuous act for a less virtuous act; it is NOT a sin as we normally understand it i.e. an act of wilful disobedience (doing something that Allah, subhanu wa ta’ala has forbidden to do). This is not the case with the Prophet and any of the Prophets all the way up to Hadhrat Adam (alaihi salaam). Unfortunately, the state of the Muslims today (in terms of the lack of knowledge and awareness) is such that there are some amongst us who believe the Christian idea that Hadhrat Adam (alaihi salaam) committed a sin when he was exiled from Al-Jannah; NO, rather it was an act of (ghaflah/ghaflat) forgetfulness for which one can still ask for forgiveness but it is not something that is punishable. Ask any learned scholar, and they will confirm this; every single Prophet from Adam (alaihi salaam) to Muhammad (peace be on them all and blessings of Allah) are all sinless (masoom) and the ability to sin has been taken away from them by Allah, subhanu wa ta’ala, and to believe otherwise is a deviation from the Straight Way and the Consensus of the Majority of Muslims, leading straight to Hell. (For further clarification: http://www.manchestermosque.org/speech01-12-2000.asp)
Hadhrat Abu Hurayra (radi Allahu anhu) relates that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “On the Day of Judgement, I will be dressed in heavenly clothes. Then I will stand on the right side of Allah’s Arsh (throne) (Maqam-e-Mahmood (the praiseworthy station)). There is nobody else amongst Allah’s creations who can stand at that place except me.”
(Source(s): Tirmidhi)
Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) has stated, “On the Day of Judgement I will be the Imam and Khatib (Speaker) of the Prophets. I will intercede on the Day, and I am not pompous about it.”
(Source(s): Tirmidhi, Ibne Majah, Ahmad; Mustradak)
Hadhrat Abu Hurayra has related that the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wasallam) said, “Whenever a Muslim recites salat or salaam upon me, Allah turns the attention of my soul towards that Muslim. I then personally reply to that salaam.”
(Source(s): Abu Dawood)
And all this (all the above), my dear brothers, sisters, elders and little ones is only the tip of the iceberg.
Ma’salaam
“Verily Allah and His angels recite salaat on the Prophet, O you who believe, call for (Allah’s) blessings on him and greet him saying peace be upon you.” (33:56)
Allahumma salay ala Sayidinna Muhammad wa ala aali Sayidinna Muhammadin wa baarik wa sallam wa salay alay.