The second part of the declaration of the Shahadah is based upon the belief that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) is a worshipper of Allah (عز و جل ) and a Prophet and the seal of Allah (عز و جل )’s Messengers sent on this earth. Therefore, we must understand and acknowledge the following aspects of his (صلى الله عليه و سلم )’s Prophethood:
Details Concerning the Prophethood of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ):
It is kufr (disbelief) to reject any established part of the Shari'ah and the Shari'ah has been conveyed within the Sunnah (the issues regarding the worship of Allah (عز و جل ) - speech, consent, orders, performance as detailed by Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) are known as Sunnah which are covered under revelation, thus having the approval of Allah (عز و جل ). The Sunnah is also revelation from Allah (عز و جل ) and not the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم )’s own thoughts or ideas. Allah (عز و جل ) says:
“Neither your companion (Muhammad) has lost his way nor he is lost. Nor he does not utter anything from his hawa (desire). It is nothing (what he speaks) but the wahi (revelation) which has been sent down.” [An-Najm 53:2-4]
And:
“And when it is said unto them: ‘Come to what Allah has sent down and to the Messenger you see the hypocrites turn away from you in aversion.” [An-Nisa 4:61]
The following points must be believed and understood for 'Muhammad ar RasoolAllah’ to be accepted:
a) The final revelation (wahi):
Allah (عز و جل ) says in the Quran:
“...This day, I have completed your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and have chosen/accepted for you Islam as your religion...” [Al-Maidah 5:3]
b) The finality of Prophethood:
Allah (عز و جل ) says in the Quran:
“Muhammad is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (seal) of the Prophets and Allah is Ever all-Aware of everything.” [Al-Ahzab 33:40]
Abu Hurairah (رضي الله عنه ) reported that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said: “...and I am the last (khaatam) of the Prophets.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
And Sad ibn Abi Waqas (رضي الله عنه ) reported that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said to Ali: “You have the same relation to me as Haroon had to Musa except that there will be no Prophet after me.” [Bukhari & Muslim]
c) The Methodology (Minhaaj):
Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) explained the commands of Allah and presented the methodology for their application, as Allah (عز و جل ) states:
“Verily in the Messenger of Allah you have the best example for him who looks unto Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.” [Al-Ahzab 33:21]
And:
“With clear signs and Books (We sent the Messengers). And We have also sent down unto you [O Muhammad] the Zikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Qur’an)], so that you may explain clearly to men that what has been sent down for them and so that they may give thought.” [An-Nahl 16:44]
Other important aspects of “Muhammad ar RasoolAllah”
1) The following pieces of evidence from the Quran clarify the status and role of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) on Earth:
“Verily, there has come unto you a Messenger (Muhammad) from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He (Muhammad) is anxious over you (to be rightly guided, to repent to Allah, and beg Him to pardon and forgive your sins, so you may enter Al-Jannah and be saved from the punishment of the Hell-Fire), for the believers (he is) full of pity, kind and Merciful.” [At-Tauba 9:128]
The above Ayah clearly indicates the fact that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) was a human being chosen from amongst his people by Allah (عز و جل ). The first revelations of Prophethood were revealed to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) at the age of 40. However prior to this there were many signs and indications within his life which the people of knowledge could interpret as signs of Prophethood.
The Shari'ah (Quran and Sunnah) is the only solution that complies with the nature and requirements of mankind. In relation to this Allah (عز و جل ) said:
“Those who follow the Messenger, the Prophet who can neither read nor write (i.e. Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم )) whom they find written with them in the Taurat and the Injeel, - he commands them for Al-Ma'roof and forbids them from Al-Munkar. He allows them as lawful At-Taiyibat (the good and pure), and prohibits them as unlawful Al-Khaba'ith (the bad and impure), he releases them from their heavy burdens, and from the fetters (bindings) that were upon them. So those who believe in him (Muhammad), honor him, help him, and follow the light (the Qur'an) which has been sent down with him, it is they who will be successful.” [Al-A’raf 7:157]
2) Allah (عز و جل ) also informs us in the Qur'an about the guidance which our beloved Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) brought forth upon receiving the divine revelation (wahi):
Allah (عز و جل ) says:
“O Prophet (Muhammad)! Verily, We have sent you as a witness, and a informer of good news and a Warner, And as one who invites towards Allah by His permission and as a lamp spreading Light.” [Al-Ahzab 33:45-46]
These Ayat proves some of the attributes of the Messenger-ship of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ). Firstly, Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) motivated people to the correct belief and action through targheeb (instilling of desire) and tarheeb (instilling of fear). This aspect was common to all the Messengers, as Allah (عز و جل ) says:
“And We send not the messengers but as givers of good news and as warners. So whosoever believes and does righteous good deeds for them shall come no fear nor shall they grieve. But those who deny Our Ayat the torment will touch them for their act of disobedience.” [Al-Anam 6:48-49]
Secondly, the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) warned about the punishment for those who carried false beliefs and performed bad deeds but simultaneously gave encouragement and glad tidings to those who possessed correct beliefs and performed good deeds. As a result obedience to Allah (عز و جل ) was made easier and in accordance with the nature of man because man is motivated to act by the seeking of pleasure and benefits and is encouraged to abstain from prohibited acts by the fear of pain and harm. Therefore the Messengers gave good news of the reward of Paradise and its pleasures and warned about the punishment of Hellfire and its sufferings.
This Ayah also proves that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) was sent as a caller to Islam and thus His (صلى الله عليه و سلم )’s example should be followed to propagate this deen of Allah (عز و جل ). From the Ayah above, one can also deduce that it is the duty of Muslims to call others to the deen of Islam.
3) What was Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم )’s duty and position described by Allah (عز و جل ) in the Quran:
Allah (عز و جل ) says:
“Say (O Muhammad): “I am only a human being like you. It has been bestowed (revealed, inspired) upon me that your ilah (the one to be worshiped) is One ilah (Allah). So whoever hopes for the meeting with his Lord (Allah), let him do righteous work and he must not associate anyone in worshiping his Lord.” [Al-Kahf 18:110]
The Ayah above proves beyond any doubt that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) was only a human being as the Ayah states: “I am only a human being like you [mithlukum]...” ... this refutes nonsense beliefs of some of the deviant sects (nowadays) who have invented unjustifiable superstitions about the nature of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ). However, there is no doubt that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) is the best among mankind and that Allah(عز و جل ) chose him for Prophethood and granted him miracles in relation to his sight, hearing and speech.
Some people have given the attributes of Allah (عز و جل ) to the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) and it is interesting that the above Ayah clearly mentions the human value of Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) and emphasises the importance of Tawheed “Oneness of Allah (عز و جل )” aswell as the need to avoid shirk. Allah (عز و جل ) also says:
“Is it a wonder for men that We sent our inspiration to a man from among themselves (i.e. Prophet Muhammad) (saying): "Warn mankind (of the coming torment in Hell), and give glad tidings to those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and His Prophet), that they shall have with their Rab (Allah), rewards of their good deeds, (But) the disbelievers say: "This is indeed an evident sorcerer (i.e. Prophet Muhammad and the Quran)!” [Yunus 10:2]
Also:
“Say (O Muhammad) I possess no power to benefit or hurt myself except what Allah Wills. And if I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no trouble should have touched me: I am but a warner and a bringer of glad tidings for those who believe.” [Al-A’raf 7:188]
Thus, we understand from the Ayah above that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) did not know the ghaib (unseen) except for those aspects to which he was informed or were revealed to him. The remainder of the verse demonstrates that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) did indeed possess human feelings and desires
but the infallibility necessitated by his prophethood and by the protection of the wahi removed him from any harm.
4) We must worship Allah (عز و جل ) as taught by Nabi (صلى الله عليه و سلم ). For we have been ordered by Him (عز و جل ) that obedience to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) is obedience to Allah (عز و جل ):
Allah (عز و جل ) says:
“...and whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it) and fear Allah; verily Allah is Severe in punishment.” [Al-Hashr 59:7]
The following hadith illustrates what Allah (عز و جل ) means in the above Ayah: Narrated by Alqama (رضي الله عنه ), that Abdullah bin Masud (رضي الله عنه ) said: “Allah curses those women who practice tattooing and those who get themselves tattooed, and those women who remove the hair from their faces and those who make artificial spaces between their teeth to look more beautiful whereby they challenge Allah's creation. 'His saying reached a woman from Bani Asd called Umm Ya'qub who came to (Abdullah) and said: "I have come to know that you have cursed such and such (women)?" He replied: "Why should I not curse those whom Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) cursed and who are cursed in Allah's book!" Umm Yaqub said: "I have read the whole Quran and I have not found in it what you say". He said: "Verily if you have read it (the Quran), you would have found it. Didn't you read?: "And whatsoever the Messenger gives you take it and whatsoever he forbids you abstain (from it)."
She replied, "Yes, I did". He said: "Verily, Allah's Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) forbade these things. She said "But I see your wife doing these things". He said "Go and watch her". She went and watched her but could not see anything in support of her statement. On that he said, "If my wife were as you thought, I would not keep her in my company (i.e. I would divorce her).” [Reported by Al-Bukhari]
Two lessons must be taken from this:
i) The Sunnah is also the Shari'ah ii) The hatred and disassociation shown to those who oppose the Sunnah.
Allah (عز و جل ) also says:
“He who obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who turns away, then We have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them.” [An-Nisa 4:80]
This Ayah proves that there is no complete tawheed without adhering to the Sunnah and this is because uboodiyah (worshipping) to Allah (عز و جل ) is partly fulfilled by obedience to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ).
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said: “Whoever obeys me, he obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me, he disobeys Allah, and whoever obeys my ameer, he obeys me and whoever disobeys him, he disobeys me.”
[Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Therefore the Shari imaarah (i.e. obedience to the khaleefah and his appointed ameer) must be obeyed as this is obedience to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) which is the obedience to Allah (عز و جل ). Obeying someone for which Allah (عز و جل ) did not give permission is a form of shirk in uboodiyah (worship) and if this is believed to be correct then it is a major Shirk as Allah (عز و جل ) taught us:
“You (Oh Allah) Alone do we worship...” [Al-Fatiha 1:4]
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) also said: “All of my followers will enter Al-Jannah except those who refuse.” They said: “O Allah's Messenger! Who will refuse?” He said: “Whoever obeys me will enter Al-Jannah and whoever disobeys me is the one who refuses (to enter it).” [Al-Bukhari]
So, in obeying the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم )’s Sunnah, we are obeying Allah (عز و جل ). There should be no resistance to any of the teachings of the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ). He (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) must be taken as a judge and final authority in all disputes, for Allah (عز و جل ) clearly commands:
“But no, by your Rubb (Lord) they can have no faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) fully with submission.” [An-Nisa 4:65]
This Ayah proves that a person can have no faith (iman) until he/she submits unconditionally to the commands of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ).
Also:
“Make not the calling of the Messenger (Muhammad) among you as your calling of one another. Allah knows those of you who slip away under shelter (of some excuse without taking the permission to leave, from the Messenger). And let those who oppose the Messenger's (Muhammad) commandment (i.e. his Sunnah legal ways, orders, acts of worship, statements, etc.) (among the sects) beware, lest some Fitnah (disbelief, trials, afflictions, earthquakes, killing, overpowered by a tyrant, etc.) befall them or a painful torment be inflicted on them. ” [An-Nur 24:63]
The Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said: “He who does an act which our matter (i.e. our religion) is not in agreement with, will have it rejected.” [Al Bukhari]
5) The importance of Sunnah within our daily lives:
The Sunnah of Nabi (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) is surely safeguarded as Allah (عز و جل ) has promised to save the Message of Islam from any distortion. Allah (عز و جل ) says:
“Verily, it is We who have sent down the Zikr (i.e. the Quran and the Sunnah) and surely, We are its Preservers (Haafizoon).” [Al-Hijr 15:9]
This Ayah confirms that the Sunnah is preserved for two reasons:
i) 'Zikr' in its general form stands for both the Quran and the Sunnah as the Quran uses this term to also mean Sunnah as proven by the following Ayah:
“With clear signs and Books (We sent the Messengers). And We have also sent down unto you (O Muhammad) the Zikr [reminder and the advice (i.e. the Qur’an)], so that you may explain clearly to men that what has been sent down for them and so that they may give thought.” [An-Nahl 16:44]
Thus both the Quran and the Sunnah have been preserved.
ii) If the 'Zikr' was taken to mean Quran then it automatically includes the Sunnah because Sunnah is the explanation and performance of the Quran. So to preserve the Quran you must also preserve its explanation i.e. Sunnah. However, the Sunnah consists of individual hadeeth narrations which are subject to human classification and analysis in order to distinguish the weak (daa'eef) from the authentic (saheeh).
In addition to this, Allah (عز و جل ) revealed the Quran for all people and for all times and places. The revelation includes the command to obey the Messenger and take Him (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) as an example, Allah (عز و جل ) says:
“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad) has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who turns away, then We have not sent you (O Muhammad) as a watcher over them.” [An-Nisa 4:80]
And:
“Verily in the Messenger of Allah you have the best example for him who looks unto Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.” [Al-Ahzab 33:21]
So Allah commands us to follow the Sunnah and this would be impossible unless the Sunnah had been preserved and Allah (عز و جل ) does not command to that which is impossible due to much clear evidence such as the Ayah:
“On no soul do We place a burden greater than it can bear.” [Al-Baqarah 2:286]
The following Ayah further emphasizes the importance of the second part of the Shahadah “Muhammad ar RasoolAlla”:
“Say (O Muhammad) to mankind: “If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Al-Imran 3:31]
This ayah reminds us that the true love of Allah (عز و جل ) must be accompanied by obedience to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) and it demonstrates that
forgiveness from Allah (عز و جل ) should be sought through obeying Nabi (صلى الله عليه و سلم ). The ayah also emphasises the importance of gaining the love of Allah (الله عز و جل ). We find that many people claim to love Allah but they do not do that which is necessary to prove their love for Him (عز و جل ).
The one who claims to love Allah but who disobeys His (عز و جل )’s Messenger Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) makes apparent his lack of sincerity, thus he does not gain love from Allah (عز و جل ) - which is the best thing to be sought since it leads to forgiveness and all of mankind is in need of the forgiveness from Allah (عز و جل ). So, people can claim to love Allah (عز و جل ) but more importantly they should do what is required to gain the love of Allah (عز و جل ), which is to follow Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ).
Thus, it is essential to understand that the declaration "Muhammad ar RasoolAllah" which is the second (compulsory) and final part of the Shahadah, is an integral part of faith. In full the declaration of faith consists of: “La ilaha illallah, Muhammad ar RasoolAllah”. Therefore, if a person was to say only one part of this declaration or not acknowledge or have belief in either part- then their belief is incomplete and is not in compliance with Islamic creed (Aqeeda).
Qadiyanis (also known as Ahmadees) can be taken as an excellent example because even though they say the Shahadah in full they are not firm in their belief that Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) is the last and final Messenger of Allah (عز و جل ). Consequently, they proclaim faith with their tongues but their hearts are inconsistent with what they say and as a result they are unanimously recognised as Kaafirs (non-Muslims, disbelievers) by Muslim scholars of the Ummah.
Conclusion:
We must accept everything the Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) has taught us through his Sunnah, as revealed from Allah (عز و جل ). Therefore, we should try and implement the Sunnah within our lives for even though he (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) was only a man like us, the Message he was entrusted with, is the one and only route to Al-Jannah (Paradise). Allah (عز و جل ) says in the Quran:
“Ya-Sin. By the Quran, full of wisdom, Truly, you (O Muhammad) are one of the Messengers, On the rightly guided straight path (Siratim Mustakeem).” [Ya-Sin 36:1-4]
Also Allah (عز و جل )’s Messenger, Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) has been reported to have said in the following Hadith narrated by Anas (رضي الله عنه ) that Allah’s Messenger (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said:
“None of you become a believer till he loves me more than his father, and his children and all mankind.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
Anas (رضي الله عنه ) also narrated that the Prophet (صلى الله عليه و سلم ) said: “Whoever possesses the following three (qualities), will have the sweetness (delight) of faith;
- The one to whom Allah (عز و جل ) and His Messenger (Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم )) are more beloved than anything else;
- The one who loves another only for Allah’s sake;
- The one who hates to convert to disbelief after Allah (عز و جل ) has rescued him from it, as he hates to be thrown into the fire.” [Al-Bukhari & Muslim]
In another version the above-mentioned Hadith begins with the words: “No one will find the sweetness of Iman (belief) until and unless…”
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