The Prophetic Biography: the 10^th lesson- "The Devine Revelation and the Prophetic Missionary" for his Eminence Shaikh Mohammad Ratib Al-Nabulsi

      All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds and blessings upon his messenger Mohammad the true in his promise, the honest. Oh Allah, there is no knowledge that we acquire but the knowledge you taught us, you are the most Knowing, most Wise. Oh Allah, teach us what is beneficial for us and make benefit of what you teach us and increase our knowledge. Oh Allah, show us the truth in its essentials and bestow upon us to follow it; show us the untrue as faulty and bestow upon us to avoid it and make us among those who hear the speech and follow the best of it. Enter us with your mercy amongst your righteous people. Release us from the darkness of ignorance and delusions to the lights of knowledge and science; from the mud of sensuous to the gardens of pious acts and good deeds.

         Dear honorable brothers, with a new lesson of Fiqhsira-prophetic autobiography. The subject we will be discussing today is the revelation and the prophetic missionary.

         The revelation started on Prophet Mohammad-peace be upon him-when he reached forty years old. We will focus on the word “forty years” because it is the age of maturity. Allah says:

37."Did We not give you long enough life so that he that would should receive admonition? and (moreover) the warner came to you.

                                                                        Surah 35. The Angels, Orignator

Immam Al-Qurtubi said: “The Warner” is the age of forty, so whoever reaches forty as if he is amongst the market places of the hereafter.

And the prophet says: ((Let him whoever reaches forty years and his goodness did not overcome his evilness prepare for a station in hell-fire)).[Published by the Azdy from the narration of Abd-Allah Bin Malik al-Harawi]

This is dear brothers the age of maturity. And the story of the starting of revelation is documented from a true Hadeeth from Urwa Bin Al-Zubair.

         There are some people who think that Islam is a “heritage”. Heritage is associated with earth but Islam is a revelation from the sky. There is a great difference between the cultures which is man-made and between divine revelations which is from the Creator of all creation. Moreover, the superiority of Allah’s speech on the beings’ speech is like Allah’s superiority upon his creatures.

The difference here is like the difference between earth and sky: If we say a revelation from the sky that no false surrounds it, explicit truth with no fault, doubt and does not accept amend, change, substitute, development, omitting nor addition.

There are some people who call for “the renewal of the religious speech”. They may mean deletion of it or to vacate it from its real context because there is no other inclusive prohibitive definition for the concept of “renewal in religion” but that to take from the religion all what is stuck in it that is not from it.

Religion is from Allah Almighty. Therefore, scholars said that the origin of the worshipping ceremonies and Islamic doctrine is prohibition. So there is no any imposed worshipping unless it has clear and conclusive evidence. On the other hand, the origin in this life is permission, and nothing is prohibited unless it has clear and conclusive stable evidence.

As for the true Hadeeth narrated from Urwa narrated by Aysha-may Allah be pleased with her-she said: ((The first thing that the prophet –peace be upon him- started from revelation was the true dream during sleep. Thus never had he a dream, but it came like the daybreak)).                                                           [Agreed upon]

So Ibn Abbas said: The messenger-peace be upon him-revealed the curtain while people were standing in rows behind Abu Bakr and said: ((Oh, people, nothing is left from the good prophetic omens but the good true dream seen by the Muslim.))

It may be a good omen or drawing attention towards something. Anyway, the true vision is a straight path between Allah and his slave and it might be form the honoring of Allah towards the humans.

Back to Aysha’s narration-may Allah pleased with her-she said ((then he liked loneliness)) solitary, meditation and contemplation. Allah says:

190. Behold! in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of night and day,- there are indeed Signs for men of understanding,-191. Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth, (With the thought): "Our Lord! not for naught Hast Thou created (all) this! Glory to Thee! Give us salvation from the penalty of the Fire.

                                                  Surah 3. The Family Of 'Imran, The House Of 'Imran

If the prophet-peace be upon him-meditated in Hira Cave for a number of nights, each believer should have some time to meditate in the creation of the heavens and the earth.

         If Quran has a verse that contains an order that means you should obey and if it has prohibition, you should prohibit. If it has a scene from Judgment Day, it means that you should work things which take you to heaven and keep you away from hell-fire. If it includes stories from the ancient nations, it means that you should learn the lesson and avoid the reasons of the destruction of these nations. If there were 1,300 universal verses in the holy Quran, it means that you should mimic your prophet-peace be upon him-as he meditated in Hira Cave because theses verses are methodology of searching for Allah through the universe.

         He-peace be upon him- used to sit in solitary in Hira Cave. Some scholars said that “who did not have a startling beginning wont have a bright end” When you admire the signs that show Allah’s Mightiness, you will know Allah.-knowing Him is the base of religion. And alike, the origin of religion is to know Him. The problem that occurs in the Islamic World from deviations and distress is not due to the ignorance of the Muslims in the Islamic commandments, but because of their ignorance in knowing Allah. So if you know the commander and get the command, you will devote yourself for obedience. But if you know the command but not the commander, you will diversify in disobedience.

         Aysha-may Allah pleased with her-continued in her narration ((He used to be in solitary in Hira Cave for a religious devotion for many nights before he gets back to his family to Khadija to supply him with his needs to go back to Hira Cave.))Sometimes human-being is in everlasting happiness because of a true meditating moment.

         Our master Nuaim Bin Masoud the leader of Ghatafan tribe came to Medina to fight the prophet-peace be upon him-in the Ditch Invasion-Alkhandaq Battlae. He was sitting in his tent sleepless talking to himself: “Oh Nuaim, what brought you to Medina is to fight this good man? what did he do? Did he violate anyone’s honor? Did he steel money? Did he kill anyone? Where is your mind Nuaim?

I wish that each one of you has a moment with himself to think; who am I? What is my goal in this life? What is there after death? What have I done for the life after?  Concentrate in your deeds, in your gaining and spending money, in raising your children. Does your job satisfy Allah or not. You should not be driven by the garments of this worldly life. Allah describes the believers:

63. And the servants of ((Allah)) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility                        Surah 25. The Criterion, The Standard                   

         What is the meaning of “humility”? It was not reported that prophet-peace be upon him- had ever walked in humility. When he walked, he walked quickly, and when he fed others, he fed a satisfying meal, and if he hit, he hit with some pain to teach. So what is the meaning of the above verse? It means that they walked in a slow meditating mind not allowing this worldly life to take them away or make them forget their goal in this life. Not allowing disasters to oppress or despair them. He would be aware, optimistic and confident in his walk. ((He used to be in solitary in Hira Cave for a religious devotion for many nights before he gets back to his family to Khadija to supply him with his needs to go back to Hira Cave. Till the truth came by Gabriel- the angel – and said: Read. The prophet answered: I am not of a reader. The prophet said: then he took me and squeezed me-so that no one thinks that it was just a dream or meditation thing revelation was something material- then he let go of me. Then he squeezed me another time till I felt fatigue so he let go of me and said: Read. I told him: I am not of a reader. Then he squeezed me for the third time then let go of me and said:

1. Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- 2. Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood:

3. Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful, 4. He Who taught (the use of) the pen, 5. Taught man that which he knew not.    

                                                                                                   Surah 96. The Clot, Read!

Inshallah we will be discussing these verses in the second part of this lesson.

         So the prophet-peace be upon him- retuned home with  his heart  shivering saying cover me, cover me. So they did till he clamed down)). Allah says:

29. And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth

                                                                         Surah 42. Councel, Consultation

37. Among His Sings are the Night and the Day, and the Sun and the Moon                                                     Surah 41. (signs) Spelled Out, Ha-mim

21. And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.                  Surah 30. The Romans, The Byzantines

         The great greatest of earth, the master of Adam’s sons, and the beloved of the creator of the universe was calmed down by his wife. This is to emphasize the great role of woman. Our mother Khadija was his internal support so the year she died in was called the Year of Grieve. Dear brothers, there was no revelation, no tradition nor judgments. Khadija said the word from instinct: Definitely not. Allah would never disgrace you. For you visit the people of kinship, help the needy person, support the poor, welcome and generous for the guest and help on the disasters of life.

Dear brothers, young brothers, as long as you follow the straight path, keep your sight from the forbidden, tell the truth, honest in what you are entrusted for and obey your parents you will have the good omen which is a law that applies in any era, any place, any country and any circumstance. As the poet says:

             Be with Allah and He will be with you      

                                  Leave the others and be ware of your greed

             If He gives you, who would stop Him

                                    But who would stop Him if He prevents you

So our mother Khdija was indeed the messenger’s internal support.

By the way, if marriage was based on entertainment for the person’s desires, that is to fulfill one’s eyes of the beauty of the other partner without any consideration to the intellectual aspect of the other partner, this marriage will not be successful and very soon, each partner will be bored from the other. But if the wife is educated and there is mutual sharing in information and ideas, sharing with ambitions and desires understanding to man’s principals, and supporting him when he is worried is likely the kind of marriage that will make you happy. Therefore, if you teach a man you teach but one, but if you teach a woman, you teach a whole family.

The clearest evidence is that when the prophet-peace be upon him- opened Mecca he was invited to stay in the houses of the most significant figures of Mecca, rather he said: Pitch me a tent at Khadija’s grave. And he –peace be upon him –implanted the flag of victory in front of her grave for the whole world to see till the end of this world that this great woman-our mother Khadija-may Allah be pleased with her-is his partner in victory and success. This is the elevated kind of marriage where your wife shares with you your ambitions, fears, principals and goals.

         And the narration continues ((So Khadija took him immediately to her cousin Waraqa Ibn Nawfal Ibn Asad Ibn Abd Al-Uzza and he was a person who believed in Christianity during the Age of Ignorance and he was writing the Bible in Hebrew letters. He would write from the Gospel in Hebrew as much as Allah wished him to write. He was a very old man who had lost his eyesight. Khadija said: Oh cousin, hear from your nephew-meaning Mohammad-peace be upon him. Warqa asked him: What do you have O nephew. So the prophet told him what had happened to him. Waraqa said: This is definitely the Angel that came to Moses. I wish I were young and could live up to the time when your people would get you out." Allah's Apostle asked, "Will they drive me out?" Waraqa replied in the affirmative and said, "Anyone (man) who came with something similar to what you have brought was treated with hostility; and if I should remain alive till the day when you will be turned out then I would support you strongly.

         So the battle between true and untrue is everlasting since the start of creation till the Day of Judgment for Allah wants to test the believers. But for this conflict, there would be no heaven. Isn’t Allah capable of making the unbelievers in a continent and the believers in another? There would not be any battles like Badr, Uhod the Ditch, or the Opening of Mecca. Each would live peacefully in their continent so there is no need for heaven. Allah says: 

214. Or do ye think that ye shall enter the Garden (of bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? they encountered suffering and adversity, and were so shaken  

                                                                                                            Surah 2. The Cow 

10. Behold! they came on you from above you and from below you, and behold, the eyes became dim and the hearts gaped up to the throats, and ye imagined various (vain) thoughts about Allah. 11. In that situation were the Believers tried: they were shaken as by a tremendous shaking.

                                          Surah 33. The Clans, The Coalition, The Combined Forces

Thus when there are ordeals, gifts will follow. Whenever there is hardship, dragging towards Allah is followed.

In a museum in Istanbul there is a diamond the size of an egg estimated to worth $150 million. If we consider the origin of diamond, we see that it is originally from coal. If you have a piece of coal the same size of that diamond how much does it worth, Five cents or even one? So what is the difference between the two pieces? The first one was under immense pressure and heat that it changed the piece of coal into diamond. Thus, pressure and hardships make real men and heroisms. And it may be a way to enter Paradise. This worldly life is not a place for rewards or comfort; rather it is a place of pressures and tests. So, the Beautiful name of Allah “The Just” applies partially in this life but on The Day of Judgment it will apply fully. Allah says: 34.Say: "It is Allah Who originates creation and repeats it                                    Surah 10. Jonah

15.Verily the Hour is coming-My design is to keep it hidden-for every soul to receive its reward by the measure of its Endeavour                                                           

                                                                                            Surah 20. Ta-ha

The decisive lesson is not to avoid the disasters but to confront the disasters you face with the correct solutions in a correct way.

Then Waraqa died and the Divine Inspiration paused for a while. The prophet was very sad but Gabriel appeared from time to time to support him and to tell him: O, Mohammad, you are really the messenger of Allah. Allah says: 1. By the Glorious Morning Light, 2.And by the Night when it is still, 3. Thy Guardian-Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased Surah 93. The Morning Hours, Morning Bright!

The greatest gift for you is to be sincere with Allah: 96. On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will ((Allah)) Most Gracious bestow love.                                                                                         Surah 19. Mary

The prophet was in his utmost happiness when the revelation came to him and very sad when it paused for a while. What is the wisdom from this pause? The wisdom is that it is not the prophet’s will to bring this revelation or to stop it. It is a separate entity from the prophet-peace be upon him. The clearest example on this issue is that when the first Lady, our mother Aysha- may Allah be pleased with her- was accused with the most important and valuable thing that a woman owns which is her chastity, the Prophet had no evidence to deny or proof this matter. He was in distress and mouths started to talk and spread the gossip among people in Madina:

11. Those who brought forward the lie are a body among yourselves: think it not to be an evil to you; On the contrary it is good for you

                                                                                                                  Surah 24. Light

Believers were truly examined for they thought good things about the wife of their prophet and did not believe the gossip and said-as Allah says:

12.put the best construction on it in their own minds and say, "This (charge) is an obvious lie" ?                                                         Surah 24. Light

As for the hypocrites, they were interested in talking and spreading this lie A question may occur here is that why was the revelation late( it stopped for about 40 days) to clear Aysha’s side from this accusation? This is to show that the revelation is not in the prophet’s hand and it is a separate entity from the prophet. So if Mohammad-peace be upon him-controlled the revelation, there would not be this lie spreading for forty days and Aysha would be innocent the moment the lie started. This is to show that our religion is a religion from a revelation neither a heritage nor a culture.

         Dear brothers, it is narrated that our mother Khadija asked the prophet to have some rest after what he had been through. He answered her with a word that whenever I mention my skin quivers. He said: the time of sleep has expired O Khadija. Do you carry the burdens of Muslims? Are you concerned of what concern them? Does it ever occur to you to relieve them in any way? Have you ever thought of solving a man’s/girl’s problem for getting married, helping one in need, curing a sick person? Do you feel happy for Muslims when they are happy, and do you grieve when they are in grieve? Or it does not concern you whatever happens to them. By Allah, if we live for ourselves and do not think of others and try to solve their problems, we become worthless to Allah. Peace be upon him used to say: If you know what I know you would’ve cried more and laughed less.

        In Tabarani’s book Al-Kabeer and Hakim and Baihaki narrated from Abu-Addarda’

Because he-peace be upon him-carried the burdens of humanity. And your status to Allah is higher if you are more concerned to others. Allah says:

1. Ta-Ha. 2. We have not sent down the Qur'an to thee to be (an occasion) for thy distress, 3. But only as an admonition to those who fear ((Allah))                                                                    Surah 20. Ta-ha

This is the sacred heavy and full of distress mission.

The revelation started to come to Mohammad with the first verses of Quran the beginning of Iqra’- Surah-Read-is a turning point to all humanity. It turned the darkness and delusion into light and straight way of Allah that leads to survival in this worldly life and in the hereafter.

         The prophet says: While I was walking, I heard a sound coming from the sky. I looked up to see the Angel which appeared to me in Hira cave sitting in a chair between the earth and the sky. I was terrified that I fell on my knees. I went home and said: cover me, cover me! And they did. So Allah said in the holy Quran:

1. O thou wrapped up (in the mantle)! 2. Arise and deliver thy warning!

3. And thy Lord do thou magnify!4. And thy garments keep free from stain! 5. And all abomination shun!

                                                  Surah 74. The Cloaked One, The Man Wearing A Cloak

This turning point after forty years of Mohammad’s life-peace be upon him-among his people who were-in the Ignorance time-very corrupt for dealing with interest, committing adultery, drinking wine, and ruling according to tribalism which led to conflicts and wars. By Allah we are now in another and worse severe Ignorance time-as a reference that there will be another Ignorance time. Allah says:

33. And stay quietly in your houses, and make not a dazzling display, like that of the former Times of Ignorance.    Surah 33. The Clans, The Coalition, The Combined Forces

What do we understand from this verse?

214. And admonish thy nearest kinsmen,                        Surah 26. The Poets

Your relatives have a privilege upon the others in that there is no partition between you and them. You wouldn’t be walking in the street and hold one’s hand telling him to accompany you to he mosque. But your relative either brother, nephew, cousin, friend, colleague, or neighbor have special situation that you can take advantage of your relationship to him and your trustworthiness. Therefore, Allah says: 2. Arise and deliver thy warning! 3. And thy Lord do thou magnify!  ! Let them know the Glory of Allah. Say: Allah is the Great. We always say these words but make sure to say it believing in that Allah is the only one who is worth of obedience or else these words will be empty in their content and meaningless. Nonetheless, if a man says: Allah is the Great, but he obeys a creature to disobey Allah as if he hasn’t said it at all. If he repeats it thousands of times it is not considered because he thinks that the obedience of this creature worth much than the obedience of Allah. That applies to those who obey their wives in matters that do not satisfy Allah. It applies to those who cheat others and then they perform the prayer-because this man considers the amount of money that he gains for cheating people is greater in value than Allah Who is the Great.

Therefore dear brothers, it is proved that the revelation started to come to the Prophet-peace be upon him-on Monday during the month of Ramadan. Allah says: 185. Ramadhan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur'an, as a guide to mankind, also clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (Between right and wrong).                                                 Surah 2. The Cow

The divine revelation which was sent to the prophet is the same one that has been sent to the previous messengers. Allah says:

163. We have sent thee inspiration, as We sent it to Noah and the Messengers after him: we sent inspiration to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes, to Jesus, Job, Jonah, Aaron, and solomon, and to David We gave the Psalms.                                                  Surah 4. Women

Some of the descriptions of the revelation.

The Prophet-peace be upon him- suffered when the revelation came to him: His forehead was dripping sweat in the coldest day, his face would change from exhaustion and his body would have fever. Zaid Ibn Thabit said: Once we were sitting with the prophet and I was beside him–peace be upon him-and his thigh was on mine when the revelation came to him. My thigh was very heavy that I feared that it will have a brose. He-peace be upon him-was concentrating fully to remember the holy Quran therefore he would move his tongue and lips to memorize. Allah says:16. Move not thy tongue concerning the (Qur'an) to make haste therewith.17. It is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it.18. But when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital (as promulgated)19. Nay more, it is for Us to explain it (and make it clear) Surah 75. The Rising Of The Dead, Resurrection

The Messenger was not only concerned in getting the Quran from the revelation but he was very concerned in delivering what had been revealed with great passion. This is what the holy Quran showed in this verse:

114.Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." Surah 20. Ta-ha

The prophet clarified how the revelation came to him when he said: “Sometimes it comes to my like the sound of the bell-sounded like the iron crushing with each other-and it was the hardest on me, as it goes away I am aware of what he said. And some other times the angel appears to me as a man who speaks to me and I am aware of what he says.” Some other times it came to him in awareness as the authentic narrations shows. The revelation kept 23 years delivering to the messenger: 13 years in The Honorable Mecca as it is well known, and 10 years in Madina as it is agreed upon.

The revelation is a miracle which is unearthly and violates the laws of nature through which the prophet received the words of Allah which is the holy Quran by the Angel Gabriel-peace be upon him. Hence, there is no connection in any relation with the revelation with inspiration, nor internal meditation nor interior telepathy. The revelation is therefore out of the entity of Mohammad-peace be upon him-who receives it without any influence of the prophet in the composition or meaning. The holy Quran is a narrated revelation and the mission of the prophet-peace be upon him- was receiving the revelation, remembrance of what have been revealed and then conveying it. As for the explanation of it, the prophet is the one who did that with his own way using his own words, as the authentic narration shows, which are totally different from the words of the holy Quran.

Our religion is based on revelation which is an absolute truth. Religion is neither a tradition nor a culture; rather it is a divine revelation. Allah says:

3.This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.

                                                                       Surah 5. The Table, The Table Spread

The scholars of elaboration said: the perfection is numeral and the completion is according to the kind. That is the number of the issues that the revelation discussed is perfect in number and the way these issues were dealt with was complete in its kind. Thus, any addition to this religion is as accusing it by deficiency and on the other hand any deletion to it is as accusing it with excess.

We will continue the events that the prophet-peace be upon him-went through in series in other lessons in Fiqh Al-Sira.

All praise is due to Allah the Lord of the worlds

Translation by: Shatha Abed Mansi

Sydney / Australia

16-11-2007