The Prophet in the Quran

The Quran says of the Prophet, of Islam: “Surely you have a sublime character.” (The Quran, 68:4) By far the best commentary on this verse has been provided by Aisha, the Prophet’s wife. Her words have been recorded in different books of hadith. Replying to a question on the character of the Prophet, Aisha, referring to this verse of the Quran, said: “His character was the Quran.” (Tafsir ibn Kathir, Vol. 8, p. 189)

This shows that the truest picture of the Prophet of Islam is that which has been expressed in the holy scriptures. There is no doubt about it that the books of hadith and seerah too provide an authentic source of information about the life of the Prophet. But the Quran remains the primary source. The picture of the Prophet which tallies with the relevant statements made therein must be regarded as correct. Here I propose to enlarge upon the study of his life in the light of certain Quranic verses.

A Seeker of Truth

The Prophet of Islam is thus addressed in chapter 93:

By the glorious morning light; and by the night when it darkens, 3 your Lord has not forsaken you, nor is He displeased with you, and the Hereafter will indeed be better for you than the present life; 5 soon you will be gratified with what your Lord will give you. Did He not find you orphaned and shelter you? Did He not find you wandering, and give you guidance? Did He not find you in want, and make you free from want? Therefore do not treat the orphan with harshness, and do not chide the one who asks for help; 11 but proclaim the blessings of your Lord. (The Quran, 93:1-11).

Prophet Muhammad received prophethood at the age of 40. His life prior to prophethood has been thus alluded to in the Quran: “Did He not find you wandering?” The explanation of this verse by Islamic scholars has been recorded in the books of Tafsir (commentary of the Quran). Some of these comments, recorded in Tafsir Al-Qurtabi are as follows: We found you a seeker. We found you a wanderer, we found you a lover of guidance. (Tafsir Al-Qurtubi, Vol. 20, p. 97).

This state, in brief, may be called that of seeking the truth. That is to say, before his being commissioned as a Messenger of God, he was a seeker of Truth, wandering hither and thither in search of it. In those days he used to withdraw to hills and deserts, and stay, engrossed in contemplation, in the privacy of the cave of Hira. All these acts were manifestations of this search for truth welling up in his heart. This phase has been recorded in detail in the books of Hadith and Seerat.

From this we learn that, as a preliminary to the discovery of truth, the proper course for the individual would be to go in search of it. As we learn from the Quran, one who sincerely seeks the truth will definitely receive guidance, just as Prophet Muhammad did. The difference between the Prophet and the common man is that the former received guidance with prophethood, while the latter will receive only guidance.

The Prophet as a Human Being

The Quran describes the Prophet of Islam as a human being like any other. What distinguished him from others was not his being something other than human, but, rather his being a prophet, as well as being a human being. This is illustrated by the following verses from the Quran:

‘Holy is my Lord. I am but a human being sent as a messenger.’ (The Quran, 17:93)

‘I am only a human being like yourselves. It is revealed to me that your God is One God.’ (The Quran, 18:110)

Their messengers replied, ‘We are indeed mortals like yourselves.’ (The Quran, 14: 11)

This was something natural and gave credence to the practical example set by the Prophet of Islam for the benefit of all human beings. It is quite clear that his ability to convince rested on his being a human being like all others; on his having feelings of the same nature as other human beings; and on his being made of the same flesh and blood as others. If all these things had not been found in common between the Prophet and other human beings, the command to follow the example of the Prophet would have been rendered impracticable.

The greatness of the Prophet of Islam lay in adopting a superior code of ethics as a human being, so that he should come up to the highest standard of conduct in all matters. Had he been cast in some superhuman mould, his exemplary character could not have served as a model for human beings.

The Prophet—A Test for People

Objections raised by opponents of the Prophet are thus referred to in the Quran:

They ask:

‘Why has an angel not been sent down to him?’ If We did send down an angel, the matter would be settled and they would not have been granted any respite. Indeed, if We had sent an angel as messenger, We would have made him in the form of a man as well, and would have thus added to their confusion. (The Quran, 6:8-9)

In chapter 25 the Quran records a similar objection raised by doubters:

They also say:

 ‘How is it that this Apostle eats and walks about the market-place? Why has no angel been sent down with him to warn us? or (why) has no treasure been given him, no garden to provide his sustenance?’ (The Quran, 25:7-8)

At another place, the Quran says:

Nothing has prevented men from believing whenever guidance came to them, save their query, ‘Has God sent a human being as a messenger?’ (The Quran, 17:94)

 Here is an Arabic saying that will help to clarify these verses. That is, things can be understood properly only by their opposites. When we look at it in the light of this principle, two pictures of the Prophet, very different from one another, appear before us. One picture, according to the above verses, is that which was before his contemporaries. The other, the one we have today, has grown tremendously in stature over the fifteen centuries, which have elapsed since his coming to the world. In the ancient picture, the Prophet appears to be a common man standing all alone. In vivid contrast, the picture of him that has emerged after 1500 years has become so sublime that modern attempts to describe him, if they are to do him Justice, have to include such expressions as “the pride of all existence,” “the emperor of both the worlds,” “leader of the Universe,” “the crown king of Arabia,” and so on.

What is the reason for these two starkly different pictures of one and the same personality? It is that a Prophet in his lifetime appears to his contemporaries as a common man. But over the centuries he acquires the status of an established personality and thus attains historical grandeur.

In the first picture, the Prophet has yet to receive acclaim, while in the second, the Prophet is at the zenith of historical grandeur.

The Quran tells us that only that faith is acceptable to God, which conforms to the example set by the Companions:

If they believe as you have believed, then are they rightly guided; but if they turn back, then know that they are entrenched in hostility. God will surely suffice to defend you against them, for He is All Hearing, All Knowing. (The Quran, 2:137)

The Companions are those believers who were the Prophet’s contemporaries. They saw the initial picture of the Prophet when he had not yet acquired an aura of historical grandeur, yet they recognized the greatness in him. At that time the Prophet appeared to be a common man like any other, and not at all like the extraordinary person that he is described as in today’s high-flown terms. The first picture of the Prophet is the real one. The rest is the addition of history. The credit of believing in the prophet can be given, in the real sense of the word, only to a person who eliminates the additions of history and recognizes him as he actually was.

The Knowledge of the Unseen

We learn from the Quran that God alone has knowledge of the Unseen. As the Quran states:

He alone has knowledge of what is hidden. He reveals this to none. (The Quran, 72:26)

The Quran has repeatedly made it clear that the Prophet of Islam was not given full knowledge of the world unseen. On certain occasions God revealed something of the unseen world in advance to the Prophet through the angel Gabriel, for instance, the result of the Hudaybiya treaty in the form of a ‘clear victory’ (chapter 48). But he was not given the power to acquire knowledge of the unseen on his own. This is demonstrated by the following verses from the Quran:

If I had knowledge of the unseen, I would have availed myself of an abundance of good. (The Quran, 7:188)

I do not say to you that I possess God’s treasures, or that I have knowledge of the unseen. (The Quran, 11:31)

Tell them, ‘God alone has knowledge of the unseen. So wait; I too will wait with you. (The Quran, 10:20)

These are tidings of the unseen that We reveal to you, [O Prophet], which you did not know before, nor did your people. (The Quran, 11:49)

These and other verses of this nature prove clearly that the Prophet of Islam had not, been given knowledge of the unseen. God’s law for the Prophet was that he was given only those things essential to the discharging of his responsibilities as a Prophet. As this task did not relate to the metaphysical, he required no knowledge of the unseen.

It was not the Prophet’s duty to demonstrate miraculous feats for the sake of establishing his superiority over others, but rather to guide people by means of dawah and counselling. This was the real task of the Prophet, and for its performance there was no need to possess any supernatural powers. That is why no Prophet was endowed with such a faculty.

Ease in Difficulty

In chapter 94 of the Quran the Prophet is thus addressed:

Have We not lifted up your heart, and removed your burden that weighed so heavily on your back, and have We not given you high renown? So, surely with every hardship there is ease; surely, with every hardship there is ease. So, when you are free, strive hard, and to your Lord turn [all] your attention. (The Quran, 94:1-7)

One particular aspect of the life of the Prophet of Islam comes before us in these verses. That is, the ability to see ease in difficulty was bestowed upon him by God’s grace and guidance; he was able, by dint of courage and determination, to turn disadvantageous situations to advantage, and could continue his activities with hope, even in times of great frustration.

Through certain examples God made this matter clear. For instance, the Prophet of Islam underwent great hardship. His experiences broadened his vision, making him more confident. Ironically, his opponents’ false propaganda became the means of spreading his message far and wide, etc.

The followers of the Prophet of Islam should also inculcate this same mentality among themselves. They should develop within themselves the capacity to turn minuses into pluses and convert hardship into ease.

The Sustenance of God

Addressing the Prophet of Islam, the Quran states:

Do not regard with envy the worldly benefits We have given some of them, for with these We seek only to test them. The provision of your Lord is better and more lasting. Bid your people say their prayers, and be constant in their observance. We demand nothing from you. It is We who provide for you, and the best end is that of righteousness. (The Quran, 20:131-132)

The Prophet led his life like other people and in the same world. However, where common men set their sights on collecting more and more worldly goods for themselves, the Prophet did not make this world his goal. He was not desirous of material benefits; rather the world for him became a means of spiritual provision.

We find that in this world those who adopt the life of faith and dawah suffer hardship. On the other hand, those who have not devoted themselves to discharging such responsibilities lead their lives amidst material comforts and pleasures. By highlighting this difference between a life of comfort and a life of hardship, i.e. by creating the impression that a worldly life is far better than the godly life, Satan tries to tempt and mislead the believers.

But a deeper examination shows that beyond this apparent difference, there is another dimension, which is far worthier of consideration. It is that worldly possessions are for the purpose of putting human beings to the test, and, as such, are of a temporary nature. Those who are pre-occupied with material things have nothing in store for their eternal life, while a believer, a dayee receives by his association with God something more precious than all the things of the world. That is, remembrance of God, thought of the life hereafter, worship, a life of piety, devotion to God, and concern that the servants of God may be saved from His chastisement. All this is provision as well, but of far higher a quality than material things, and will translate for the dayee into endless bliss in the life Hereafter.

Basic Task

Addressing the Prophet in chapter 74 of the Quran, God says:

O, you, wrapped in your cloak, 2 arise and give warning! Proclaim the glory of your Lord; purify your garments; shun uncleanness; do not bestow a favour in the expectation of receiving more in return; 7 and for the sake of your Lord, be patient. (The Quran, 74:1-7)

According to these verses the actual task of the Prophet consists of warning the people of the serious consequences in the life to come, regarding their actions in this world. This duty can be performed only by one whose heart is filled with the greatness of God; who possesses a high moral character; who keeps away from all evil; who does good without any hope of return and who suffers patiently all the hardships inflicted by others.

Four Responsibilities

The Prophet of Islam is said to be the answer to Abraham’s prayer. When Abraham settled his son Ismail and his wife Hajira in the deserts of Hijaz, according to the Quran he prayed thus:

Our Lord, send forth to them a messenger of their own to recite Your revelations to them, to teach them the Scripture and wisdom, and purify them. You are the Mighty, the Wise One. (The Quran, 2:129)

The first task of the Prophet was to receive God’s revelations and communicate them to man, i.e. he had to recite the verses of the Quran and explain them to his hearers. Innumerable signs within human nature and in the outside world have been placed there by God so that man may realize Him through them. The second task of the Prophet was, therefore, to reveal these signs, and give man the insight to enable him to experience his Lord.

Insight implies wisdom, so that when man has developed the insight to see God’s signs; when he has moulded his mind to the teachings of the Quran, a kind of intellectual light begins to shine within him. His cerebral level is raised to a point from which he is able to experience higher realities. In all matters he is able to arrive at the right conclusions as desired by God.

Tazkia means purifying the soul of unfavourable elements in order that a man may, in a favourable atmosphere, elevate himself to the culminating point of spiritual development. Then finally the Prophet strove to prepare people whose souls should be free from all preoccupations except their devotion to God, who should be free also from psychological complexities, so that they might be capable of finding the spiritual sustenance placed by God in the universe for His devoted servants.

These four tasks were the four basic parts of the mission of the Prophet of Islam. All his activities were directed solely to achieving these objectives enumerated above. After the Prophet those who rise to the task of reforming the people have to work along the same lines as were followed by the Prophet on the basis of divine guidance.

Communicating God’s Message

The Prophet was thus addressed by God in the Quran:

O Messenger, deliver whatever has been sent down to you by your Lord. If you do not do so, you will not have conveyed His message. God will defend you from mankind. For God does not guide those who deny the truth. (The Quran, 5:67)

This verse shows that, the actual basic task assigned by God to the Prophet was communication of His message. This task had two aspects: firstly, the duty assigned to him as a Messenger of God entailed the performance of the task of communication of the divine message, and secondly, the same task served to protect the Prophet.

Whenever a prophet calls for an uncompromising acceptance of truth, he has to face a severe reaction from his madu, or congregation. But this reaction is not shown by the secular people. In most cases it comes from individuals who have established their leadership in the name of religion.

This reaction on the part of those addressed was something natural. For the pure call of the Prophet would amount to discrediting those who already held sway on the basis of self-styled religion. This is a situation which is unavoidable but which the preacher of truth has to face. However, its effect is confined only to the sphere in which the divine law of human trial is operative. It can never happen that opponents become so powerful as to put a stop to the dawah campaign altogether or succeed in preventing this mission from reaching its completion. A true call must reach its target of dawah according to the divine plan. Therefore, no power on earth can stop it from remaining unfulfilled. Once the message has been fully communicated, it is for the madu to accept or reject it, either fully or in part.

Unilateral Well-Wishing

At the battle of Uhud (3 A.H.) the number of Islam’s opponents far exceeded that of the Muslims. Consequently, the latter suffered great losses. Even the Prophet of Islam was injured. Bleeding profusely, the Prophet could not but utter these words: How will those people receive guidance who treat their Prophet in this way, one who calls them towards their Lord. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir 1/403).

This was a clear case of grave injustice on the part of the Prophet. And God disapproved of an utterance of this nature. The angel Gabriel was immediately sent by God to the Prophet with these words of caution:

You have no say in this affair to decide whether He will relent towards them or He will punish them: they are wrongdoers. (The Quran, 3:128)

It was thus incumbent on the Prophet to become his madu’s well-wisher, even when he was subjected to all kinds of oppression and injustice, to pray for those who cast stones at him, to treat the insolent gently, to show love and affection for those who hated him; to continue to advise his hearers to follow the right path, leaving his own personal fate to God.

This example set by the Prophet has to be adopted, unconditionally, by the dayee in his dealings with the madu. No other course is lawful for a preacher of truth.

A Positive Response

Addressing the Prophet of Islam, God says in the Quran:

Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair exhortation and reason with them in a way that is best. Your Lord knows best those who have strayed away from His path, and He knows best those who are rightly guided. (The Quran, 16:125)

The Quran says at another place:

Who speaks better than one who calls to God and does good works and says, ‘I am surely of those who submit’? Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend. (The Quran, 41:33-34)

These two verses indicate the missionary character of the Prophet of Islam. The call of dawah is good in intention, having nothing in it but mercy for man. However, the demand of dawah is that man rectifies his own mistakes, that he abandons one life for another. This kind of change is generally very difficult in one’s personal life. That is why the dayees have to suffer bad treatment at the hands of the madu.

If the dayee reacts negatively in such situations, the propitious atmosphere between dayee and madu– an atmosphere which is essential to preserve for the carrying out of the task of dawah—will be vitiated. That is why the Prophet was enjoined to return good behaviour for the bad behaviour of the madu, i.e. so that the atmosphere of dawah should not be disturbed. Finally, the time will come when the message of truth finds its place in the hearts of the people, turning opponents into companions of the Prophet.

The picture that emerges from these verses of the way of the Prophet is one bearing the stamp of his unconditionally good character. The gaze of the Prophet was not fixed on the present state of his hearers, but rather on their future. If anyone treated him badly, he adopted an attitude of restraint, being convinced that, at some future date his addressees would certainly understand the importance of the truth, at which point nothing would stop them from accepting it.

In the eyes of the Prophet the enemy too was a friend; he saw today’s opponents as tomorrow’s supporters.

The Patient Attitude

In chapter no. 46 of the Quran the Prophet is thus addressed by God:

Have patience, then, as had the steadfast Messengers before you; and be in no haste about them. On the Day when they see what they are threatened with, it will appear to them as though they had not tarried longer than an hour of a day. [Your responsibility is] to deliver the message: and none but the disobedient shall be destroyed. (The Quran, 46:35)

The Prophet’s most dominant trait was patience. One who calls for truth has to resist any tendency to impetuousness, which means unconditionally refraining from persecution of the madu. Despite the madu’s denial and stubbornness, he continues peacefully and amicably to convey to them the message of Truth.

The dayee has to be the madu’s well-wisher in all circumstances, howsoever unpleasant the experiences he may be undergoing. This unbounded patience is essential, for without it the communication of the divine message can never be fully undertaken.

All the prophets of God, in all ages, have performed the task of proclaiming the truth with total patience and perseverance. In future, those who, following in the footsteps of the Prophet work for the communication of the truth on his behalf, shall also have to adopt the same pattern. Only one who has the courage to bear all the difficulties created by the madu will be recognized as a dayee by God.

Rising Above the Psychology of Reaction

The Quran, addressing mankind at large, says:

There has come to you a Messenger of your own. Your suffering distresses him: he is deeply concerned for your welfare and full of kindness and mercy towards the believers. But if they turn away, say, ‘God suffices me: there is no deity but He: in Him I have put my trust. He is the Lord of the Glorious Throne. (The Quran, 9:128-129)

In these verses, the Prophet emerges in his struggle for Islam as one having full confidence in God the Almighty. The key to all treasure lies with Him. The Prophet stands on the firm ground of this same faith and conviction. It is therefore but natural that his entire faith should rest on one God alone and that he should devote himself to the service of Truth, free from all fears or the pressures of expediency.

We are told in this verse that the messenger of God was extremely kind and compassionate towards people. He was so pained to see others in trouble that it was as though he himself were in distress. He was extremely keen to bring guidance to people. What inspired him to engage himself in this struggle to proclaim the truth was the feeling of wishing others well and was certainly unrelated to the fulfillment of any personal or communal goal. He rose for the betterment of the people and not to satisfy his own personal interests.

According to Abdullah ibn Masood, the Prophet observed: People are falling in the fire like flies and I hold them by the waist to prevent them from falling into the fire. (Musnad Ahmad)

The picture this hadith gives us of the Prophet defines for all time what a dayee of Islam should be like. He should have two special qualities in particular: First, he should have complete trust in God; second, his heart should have nothing but love and well-wishing for the madu. He will certainly face all sorts of complaints and animosity from the madu; there might be friction and discord, communal as well as material, between the dayee and the madu. But, despite all this, he has to adopt a non-confrontational policy in all matters of contention, never allowing any other feeling for the madu to enter his heart, save that of love and well-wishing.

A dayee has to rise above the psychology of reaction. He has to become a unilateral well-wisher of the madu, howsoever adverse the attitude adopted by the latter.