The Prophets and Messengers of Allah
"Messenger" or "Rasool" means he who brings the Message from Allah
Ta'ala to the servants. A "Prophet" is he who received the "Wahi"
(Revelation, a Message from Allah Ta'ala) for the guidance of mankind
to show people the path to Allah Ta'ala. Many Prophets and many Angels
are Messengers (Rasools).
All Prophets were male. There has never been a Jinn as a Prophet nor a female Prophet.
A Prophet becomes a Prophet who Allah Ta'ala wishes to be or whom Allah
Ta’ala deems fit and a Prophet is born as a Prophet. A Prophet always
stays away from sin even before becoming a Prophet. He is always
attracted to good. There is never an aspect in a Prophet that people
would hate. Those who believe that they can become a Prophet due to
their effort are Kaafirs (non-believers) and those who believe that a
Prophet's prophecy can be taken away from him is also a Kaafir.
A Prophet's walk, conduct, looks, features, nobility, family, ways,
manner, talk and conversation are all good and free from faults. A
Prophet's intelligence is complete. A Prophet is the cleverest out of
all people. The highest qualified doctor or philosopher's intelligence
does not reach even a millionth part of a Prophet's intelligence.
A Prophet or an Angel are Ma'soom, meaning they are completely immune
from sin and therefore cannot commit a sin.
Except for Prophets or Angels, if one believes that an Imaam or a Wali
(Saint) are also Ma'soom, then they are misguided and have deviated
from the right sect. Although there are Imaams and great Awliya who
also do not commit sin, however, if sometimes they do commit a sin,
then according to Shari’ah, this is not impossible.
Those who say that the Message of Allah Ta'ala is sometimes not passed
on by a Prophet due to the fear of people or some other reason, is a
Kaafir.
Prophets are better than all creations. In fact, they are better than
those Angels who are Rasools.Regardless of how high a rank of a Wali
is, he can never be equal to a Prophet. Those who show a non-Prophet to
be better than a Prophet are Kaafirs.
The respect of a Prophet is compulsory on every individual. The
slightest disrespect of any Prophet is Kufr (infidelity).
The Prophets are just as alive in their graves as they were when in
this world. They eat, drink and go and come as they wish. They were
given death for a moment and then were brought back to life so that
Allah Ta'ala's promise would be complete. Their lives are better than
those of Martyrs (Shaheeds).
Allah Ta’ala gave the Prophets the Knowledge of the Unseen
(I’lme-Ghaib). Every particle of the sky and earth are in front of the
sight of all the Prophets. Therefore, this knowledge is "Given
Knowledge" (Ataayi) and because Allah Ta'ala's Knowledge is not given
to Him by anyone and, therefore, is "Self Knowledge" (Zaati).
Any follower cannot, due to his will power, piety, worship, and
willingness to follow Allah Ta'ala, be better than any Prophet.
Prophets are always involved in the remembrance of Allah Ta’ala even while they are sleeping or awake.
To talk about the mistakes that have been committed by the Prophets is
Haraam (strictly forbidden), except for when praying about them in the
Holy Quran and Hadith.
It is improper and disrespectful to write abbreviation after the name
of Nabi Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) or of any Nabi or
Rasool. We must write "sallal laahu alaihi wasallam" or "alaihis
salaam" in full.
GRADES OF PROPHETS
Sayyiduna Adam (alaihis salaam) is the first human. He is also the
first Prophet. All humans are his children. Allah Ta'ala made Sayyiduna
Adam (alaihis salaam) without the need of a mother or father. He was
made from soil. Allah Ta’ala made him His Caliph. Allah Ta'ala gave him
the knowledge of all things and their names. Allah Ta’ala ordered the
Angels to prostrate to Sayyiduna Adam (alaihis salaam). All the Angels
performed the prostration except Shaitaan, who refused and was
therefore evicted forever and became a Kaafir.
There has come many Prophets from Sayyiduna Adam (alaihis salaam) to
our beloved Prophet Sayyiduna Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)
Sayyiduna Nooh (Noah), Sayyiduna Ibrahim (Abraham), Sayyiduna Moosa
(Moses), Sayyiduna 'Isa (Jesus) were Mesengers and also Prophets. Some
other Prophets mentioned in the Holy Quran are: Sayyiduna Ismaeel,
Sayyiduna Ishaaq, Sayyiduna Ya'qoob, Sayyiduna Yusuf, Sayyiduna Moosa,
Sayyiduna Haroon, Sayyiduna Shu’aib, Sayyiduna Loot, Sayyiduna Hood,
Sayyiduna Dawood, Sayyiduna Sulaiman, Sayyiduna Ayoob, Sayyiduna
Ilyaas, Sayyiduna Yahya, Sayyiduna Yunus, Sayyiduna Idrees, Sayyiduna
Zulkifl and Sayyiduna Saaleh (alaihimus salaam).
The status of the Prophets varies from one another. Some are more
superior to others and the most superior of all the Nabis is Sayyiduna
Muhammadur Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam). The next most
superior is Sayyiduna Ebrahim Khaleelullah (alaihis salaam), who is
followed by Sayyiduna Moosa (alaihis salaam), and then Sayyiduna Esa
(alaihis salaam), and Sayyiduna Nooh (alaihis salaam). These five
Ambiya are known as "Mursaleen Ulul Azm". They are also superior to all
other Prophets.
Just as our leader Sayyiduna Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is
the greatest of all Prophets, (without comparison), his Ummah is the
greatest of all the Ummats.
An exact number of how many Prophets that have been sent into this
world is not known, but is said to be approximately 124 000.
The last of all Prophets and Messengers and the most virtuous of all
creations is Allah Ta'ala's most beloved - our Master, Sayyiduna Ahmad
Mujtaba Muhammad Mustapha (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).Rasoolullah
(sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is Khaatimun Nabiyeen (The Final
Prophet). After the beloved Prophet there has never been another
Prophet nor will there be another Prophet. Whoever believes that there
will be a Prophet or there has been a Prophet during our Prophet's era
or after or actually believes it as a possibility of someone obtaining
Prophecy is a Kaafir.
OUR PROPHET'S UNIQUE VIRTUES AND EXCELLENCE
Allah Ta'ala created from His Noor (light) our beloved Prophet, before
any other thing. The Prophets, the Angels, the Earth, Skies, Heavens,
etc. have all been created from the ray of the Holy Prophet's (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam) light (Noor).
Except for Allah Ta'ala or being equal to Allah Ta'ala, our beloved
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) has been given whatever
qualities there are, and whatever excellence exists, by Allah Ta'ala.
In the whole universe, there cannot be anything or anyone with the same
or greater quality than our beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam).
The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is the most virtuous
creation and a delegate of Allah Ta'ala.
All the Ambiya (alaihimus salaam) were sent down to a particular group
of people or a particular nation, but the Holy Prophet Muhammad (sallal
laahu alaihi wasallam) was sent to the entire creation.
The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is Mercy unto the
humans, Angels, Jinns, animals and all the other creations of Almighty
Allah and his special blessings is upon the human beings.
The Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) is the Prophet of all
the other Prophets and it is a necessity for everyone to follow the
Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
Allah Ta'ala has gifted the Holy Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam)
with the keys of all Allah Ta'ala's treasures. All the world and
religious gifts are provided and created by Allah Ta'ala and shared and
given out by our beloved Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
Allah Ta'ala gave our Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) the unique
gift of Me'raj, meaning that Allah Ta'ala called him above the skies
(Arsh) and showed him His Vision with the Prophet's (sallal laahu
alaihi wasallam) own eyes.
The Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam listened to Allah Ta'ala's
Voice and was given a tour of Jannah (Paradise), Jahannam (Hell), Arsh
(above the skies) and Kursi (Throne).
On the Day of Judgement, our Prophet (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam will
be the first to perform intercession, meaning that he will intercede
for people in the Court of Allah Ta'ala.
There are many other qualities, too much to mention in this short section.
If someone treated any of the Holy Prophet's (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam) quotations or actions or deeds or situations as not worthy or
looked upon them with degrading value, then they are Kaafirs.
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MAUJIZA AND KARAAMAT
When a Prophet performs an action that is impossible to perform to
prove his prophecy and it astonishes the Kaafirs, it is known as a
"Maujiza". For example, to bring back to life the dead or to split the
moon into two with the movement of the finger.
If these types of actions are performed by a Wali (Friend of Allah
Ta'ala), then it is known as a "Karaamat".
If they are performed by an ordinary person or wrongdoer or a Kaafir, then it is known as "Istidraj".
When people see a Maujiza, the truth of a Prophet is accepted. False
liars who claim to be a Prophet cannot perform these types of miracles.
Allah Ta'ala never gives the false claimants of Prophethood the power
to perform Maujizas, otherwise one would not be able to distinguish the difference between the true Prophets and false claimants.