Divine Messengers were sent down to solve the mystery of human existence, explain its supernatural dimension and prescribe a code of conduct for a serene and peaceful life on this earth and bliss in the hereafter. The message was always the same - Islam. That is the religion (deen) most favoured by Allah (3:19).
The Messengers lived and worked among the people and conveyed the Message. Mostly the Message was orally communicated, because the art of writing had not developed. And even when it was developed Books were given only to four Messengers, all from the seed of Abraham.
THE FOURTH AND FINAL WAS REVEALED TO MUHAMMAD (SAW) To conclude the work of all the Messengers bearing witness to their credentials and to present the Divine Message in a perfect form incorporating all that had been sent down before, Muhammad (S.A.W.) was ultimately sent down as the "Seal of the Prophets." (33:40).
Quran, which was revealed to him was declared as the Mother of Books (43:4). Unlike all other Books, the Revelations that comprise Quran were memorised by the Companions as they came. The Prophet would recite them repeatedly in his prayers. To make this exercise easy, Revelations came piecemeal.
The disbelievers used to pick on it. So there came the answer to their critique: "And those who disbelieve say, 'Why is the Quran not revealed to him all at once?' Thus (is it revealed) that We may strengthen thy heart..." (25:32).
The Divine purpose was to make it easy to memorise so it could remain intact, correct to the letter in its pristine purity till time ceases to tick. It was the practical demonstration of the declaration in 15:9; "We have, without doubt, sent down the Message and we will assuredly guard it (from corruption).
That is why its recipient had to be illiterate, incapable of composing the lofty poetry, the sublime thoughts and the serene music of Quran's rhymed verses, many of which are of equal meters as well.
As to Muhammad's (S.A.W) qualification to be selected for the office of the final Seal of the Prophets, a poet has put it succinctly. Says he, "Hoosn-e-Yusuf, dum-e-Isa, yed-e-baiza dari/Oonche khuban hama darand tu tanha dari. (You have the handsomeness of Yusuf, the healing power of Isa's breath, and the shining white hand of Musa.
You have in your individual person all that other great men possess collectively). Similar, yet different. Equal, yet, head and shoulders above. As to the first, he repeatedly declared "I am but a man like you..." (18:110 et al). And he, indeed, was.
The titles he assumed, therefore, were a "servant of Allah and His Messenger." This often puzzled the disbelievers, so they said, "What sort of a messenger is this, who eats food and walks through the streets?" (25:7).
But that was not all. He was a family man, had friends, transacted business and so forth. He was a general, leading his troops into battle. He was a statesman and a ruler, entering into treaties and alliances and communicating with rulers of other States.
What separated him from other humans was that he received the Revelation that "your God is the One God," (18:110). In the same way, whereas he was like all other Messengers of Allah, without distinction between one and another, (2:285).
Yet, it was only Muhammad (S.A.W), who was bestowed Me'raj (Ascension), declared as standing on "an exalted standard of character." (68:4) and "Mercy for the Worlds" (21:107).
Unlike other Prophets, his is a historic personality. His life and works are not wrapped in mystery. Every event of his life has been most carefully chronicled and even the minutest details preserved intact for posterity.
Nor can the life and achievements of any other Prophet compare with his, whatever the factors behind them. Professor K.S. Ramakrishna Rao, Head of the Department of Philosophy, Government College for Women University of Mysore, presenting only a "glimpse" of the personality of Muhammad (S.A.W.) in his monograph, - Muhammad the Prophet (1978), says; "There is Muhammad the Prophet; there is Muhammad the General; Muhammad the King; Muhammad the Warrior; Muhammad the Businessman; Muhammad the Preacher; Muhammad the Philosopher; Muhammad the Statesman; Muhammad the Orator; Muhammad the Reformer; Muhammad the Refuge of orphans; Muhammad the Protector of slaves; Muhammad the Emancipator of women; Muhammad the Law-giver; Muhammad the Judge; Muhammad the Saint." And in all these magnificent roles he was unique.
Much has been written on these topics, yet enough will never be said. Therefore, we may confine our inquiry to examining his position vis-à-vis one of the most popular notions of the Judeo-Christian Enlightenment, namely, democracy. The French raised the slogan of "liberty, equality, fraternity" in 1789.
The Americans in their Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, said, "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal."
The League of Nations was founded in 1920 and the UN in 1945. But more than a thousand years before these events the Prophet of Islam had already introduced these reforms in full force among the desert people of Arabia. All false notions of nobility of birth, of race, colour and language he trampled under his feet.
As Professor Snouk Hurgronje, an adviser to the Dutch government on Indonesia and Islam, notes, "The League of Nations founded by the Prophet of Islam put the principle of international unity of human brotherhood on such universal foundations as to show the candle to other nations...The fact is that no nation of the world can show a parallel to what Islam has done for the realisation of the idea of the League of Nations."
Miss Sarojini Naidu speaking about this aspect of Islam says, "It was the first religion that preached and practised democracy; for in the mosque, when the minaret is sounded and the worshippers are gathered together, the democracy of Islam is embodied five times a day when the peasant and the king kneel side by side and proclaim, God alone is Great.
Comments
Comments are closed.