Raison d'être

My Dear Readers,

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

As-salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. (May the Peace, Mercy and Blessings of Allah be upon you)
  

بِسْمِ اللّهِ الرَّحْمـَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ نَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ وَنَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَسَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللَّهُ فَلاَ مُضِلَّ لَهُ وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلاَ هَادِيَ لَهُ

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ

(See end note in the first post)

The raison d'être of the Prophet's(ﷺ) Prophethood:

فَلاَ وَرَبِّكَ لاَ يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىَ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لاَ يَجِدُواْ فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُواْ تَسْلِيمًا

4:65 But nay, by thy Sustainer! They do not [really] believe unless they make thee [O Prophet] a judge of all on which they disagree among themselves, and then find in their hearts no bar to an acceptance of thy decision and give themselves up [to it] in utter self-surrender.  (audio)

To commence a discussion on the raison d'ê·tre, this couplet of Iqbal's poem Zouq-o-Shauq ("ecstasy") would have been really suitable:

The Universe is a verse of God and you (ﷺ) are its ultimate meaning;

Colors and scents set forth in caravans just to seek you (ﷺ) .

 Or, further, in the same poem:

 You (ﷺ) are the lifeblood of this universe of water and clay:
You (ﷺ) bestowed your noor, that brightened these particles of desert dust to become like a rising sun.

Or we can refer to another poem of Iqbal in which I have translated in this post http://sarmayaeiman.blogspot.co.id/2017/12/freedom-equality-and-brotherhood.html

However, the purpose of this khutbah will look at something fundamental, in the context that his(ﷺ) being teaches us that we should love him(ﷺ) and strive to be like him(ﷺ) . In that will lie our own salvation as well.  For does it not say in the Qur'an (Al-Ahzab (The Confederates) - 33:21 ) that:

 لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

Verily, in the Apostle of God you have a good example for everyone who looks forward [with hope and awe] to God and the Last Day, and remembers God unceasingly.(audio)

And does it not say in the hadith that:

حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ح وَحَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ "‏ لاَ يُؤْمِنُ أَحَدُكُمْ حَتَّى أَكُونَ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ وَالِدِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ‏"‏‏.‏

Narrated Anas (رضي الله عنه). The Prophet (ﷺ) said "None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind."
[Al-Bukhari]. https://sunnah.com/bukhari/2/8 


We learn from Qur'anic sources that from the outset of the Prophet's (ﷺ) mission, the Quraysh opposed him in various ways. In addition to the unfounded ad hominem attacks on his person,  the mode of delivery of Qur'an was targeted in their various tirades, as indicated in the Qur'an 2:118, 6:37, 10:20, 17:93 and 25:32.

In the sirah of the Prophet  (ﷺ) we can find similar opposition, one of them being during his (ﷺ) brief sojourn to at-Taif, accompanied by Zayd bin Harithah (رضي الله عنه).  The nobles of Banu Thaqif who met them were very rude, stating that he (ﷺ) was not deserving to be a prophet ( implying that others such as himself are far more deserving). Another one refused to talk to him(ﷺ) claimed that if he(ﷺ) was truly a prophet, then it is disrespectful to talk to him(ﷺ) and if he(ﷺ) is not, then there is no point talking to an impostor.
 
Allah subhana hu wa ta'ala responded to their specious arguments in various places in the Qur'an, to establish that, truly, He(ﷺ) deserved to be the Prophet, such as in surah Al-An'am:

 
    وَإِذَا جَاءتْهُمْ آيَةٌ قَالُواْ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ حَتَّى نُؤْتَى مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ رُسُلُ اللّهِ اللّهُ أَعْلَمُ حَيْثُ يَجْعَلُ رِسَالَتَهُ سَيُصِيبُ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُواْ صَغَارٌ عِندَ اللّهِ وَعَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ بِمَا كَانُواْ يَمْكُرُونَ 

6:124  And whenever. a [divine] message comes to them, they say, "We shall not believe unless we are given the like of what God's apostles were given!"  [But] God knows best upon whom to bestow His message. Abasement in the sight of God will befall those who have become guilty of evildoing, and suffering severe for all the schemes which they were wont to weave. -    (audio)


And in Ash-Shura (42:51):

    وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحْيًا أَوْ مِن وَرَاء حِجَابٍ أَوْ يُرْسِلَ رَسُولًا فَيُوحِيَ بِإِذْنِهِ مَا يَشَاء إِنَّهُ عَلِيٌّ حَكِيمٌ

 42:51 And it is not given to mortal man that God should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden inspiration,  or [by a voice, as it were,] from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills [to reveal]:  for, verily, He is exalted, wise. (audio)

They did not allow him(ﷺ) to preach, and instead got kids to pelt stones at them, until his(ﷺ) whole body was covered with blood. 

This incident was very difficult for the Prophet (ﷺ) as can be seen in the following hadith narration:

وعن عائشة رضي الله عنها أنها قالت للنبى صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ هل أتى عليك يوم كان أشد من يوم أحد‏؟‏ قال‏:‏ “لقد لقيت من قومك، وكان أشد ما لقيته منهم يوم العقبة، إذ عرضت نفسي على ابن عبد ياليل بن عبد كلال فلم يجبنى إلى ما أردت، فانطلقت وأنا مهموم على وجهى، فلم أستفق إلا وأنا بقرن الثعالب، فرفعت رأسى، فإذا أنا بسحابة قد أظلتنى، فنظرت فإذا فيها جبريل عليه السلام، فنادانى فقال‏:‏ إن الله تعالى قد سمع قول قومك لك، وما ردوا عليك، وقد بعث إليك ملك الجبال لتأمره بما شئت فيهم فنادانى ملك الجبال، فسلم على ثم قال‏:‏ يا محمد إن الله قد سمع قول قومك لك، وأنا ملك الجبال، وقد بعثنى ربى إليك لتأمرنى بأمرك،فما شئت‏:‏ إن شئت أطبقت عليهم الأخشبين” فقال النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ ‏ "‏بل أرجو أن يخرج من أصلابهم من يعبد الله وحده لا يشرك به شيئاً‏"‏‏.‏ ‏(‏‏(‏متفق عليه‏)‏‏)‏

Ummul Mumineen Aishah (رضي الله عنها) May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) "Have you ever experienced a day harder than the day of the battle of Uhud?" He replied, "Indeed, I experienced them (dangers) at the hands of your people (i.e., the disbelievers from amongst the Quraish tribe). The hardest treatment I met from them was on the Day of 'Aqabah when I went to Ibn 'Abd Yalil bin 'Abd Kulal (who was one of the chiefs of Ta'if) with the purpose of inviting him to Islam, but he made no response (to my call). So I departed with deep distress. I did not recover until I arrived at Qarn ath-Tha'alib. There, I raised my head and saw a cloud which had cast its shadow on me. I saw in it Jibril (Gabriel) (عليه السلام‎) who called me and said: 'Indeed, Allah, the Exalted, heard what your people said to you and the response they made to you. And He has sent you the angel in charge of the mountains to order him to do to them what you wish.' Then the angel of the mountains called me, greeted me and said: 'O Muhammad(ﷺ), Allah listened to what your people had said to you. I am the angel of the mountains, and my Rubb has sent me to you so that you may give me your orders. (I will carry out your orders). If you wish I will bring together the two mountains that stand opposite to each other at the extremities of Makkah to crush them in between."' But Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) said, "I rather hope that Allah will raise from among their descendants people as will worship Allah the One, and will not ascribe partners to Him (in worship)."
[Al-Bukhari and Muslim]. http://sunnah.com/riyadussaliheen/1/643

Even under these circumstances, He(ﷺ) was kind and merciful.

Zayd(رضي الله عنه). brought him(ﷺ) to take shelter in an orchard that belonged to ‘Utbah bin Rabi‘ah and Shaybah bin Rabi‘ah. They were both present in the orchard at the time, although they were fierce opponents, they still felt obliged to offer some hospitality, when they saw how hurt he(ﷺ) was. They called one of their Christian slaves whose name was ‘Addas, and asked him to get a bunch of grapes, put them on a plate and offer it to the Prophet, (ﷺ).

When the Prophet(ﷺ) partook from it, praising Allah, hearing which, the slave was surprised as he had never heard any of the kuffar of Quraysh mentioning Allah while eating. The Prophet (ﷺ) upon coming to know that Addas was from Niniveh, remarked, that it is the city of my brother Yunus (عليه السلام‎ ) , who also took much tribulations for the sake of the deen. Upon hearing this 'Addas,  fell in the feet of Rasoolullah (ﷺ)and kissed them much to the chagrin of the Rabi'ah brothers.

From the verses above and the handling of himself during the crisis, there is no doubt that Prophet(ﷺ) was truly deserving of being the bearer of this message. He delivered it to the best of his ability, as can be seen throughout his life. And Allah acknowledges this in Al-Fath (The Victory)

    إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا 

لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا

48:8 VERILY, [O Muhammad,] We have sent thee as a witness [to the truth], and as a herald of glad tidings and a warner –(audio)
48:9 so that you [O men] might believe in God and His Apostle, and might honour him/Him, and revere him/Him, and extol His limitless glory from morn to evening. (audio)

According to leading exegetes of the Qur'an, the words honor him(تُعَزِّرُوهُ), and revere him (تُوَقِّرُوهُ) are also used for the Prophet(ﷺ) and it is with this honor and reverences that we must treat him in all matters. And how can we not love, respect and honor such a prophet, about whom Allah further says in At-Tauba [9:128]:         

    لَقَدْ جَاءكُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ عَزِيزٌ عَلَيْهِ مَا عَنِتُّمْ حَرِيصٌ عَلَيْكُم بِالْمُؤْمِنِينَ رَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
 

9:128 Now has come unto you a Messenger from amongst yourselves: it grieves him that ye should perish: ardently anxious is he over you: to the Believers is he most kind and merciful. (audio)

Before we discuss the meaning of this verse in detail, there is an interesting story associated with this verse.

Ibn Mujahid (Abū Bakr Ibn Mujāhid (Arabic: ابن مجاهد) (Full name: أبو بكر أحمد بن موسى بن العباس بن مجاهد التميمي) (born 245AH/859-860CE in Baghdad and died 324AH/936CE) was a scholar of Islamic studies) used to get up to greet Shibli (Shaykh Abu Bakr Shibli (861 - 946) was a Sufi, and a disciple of Junayd Baghdadi). His companions said, "You rise for ash-Shibli and you do not rise for Ibn 'Isa, the wazir?" He said, "Shall I not rise for the one the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ), told me to respect? I saw the Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) in a dream and he said to me, 'Abu Bakr, tomorrow a man of the people of Paradise will come to you, so honour him.'"  He said, "Two nights after this, Ibn Mujahid dreamt of the Prophet (ﷺ) who told him, "Abu Bakr, Allah has honoured you for honouring a man of the people of Paradise." "He said, 'I asked, "Messenger of Allah, by what did he do to merit this from you?' He replied, "Every Thursday he prayed five prayers in which he remembered me after every prayer and would do salwat reciting, "A Messenger has come to you from among yourselves........" (9:128)'" 

Tartib al-Madarik by Qadi 'Iyad https://bewley.virtualave.net/mad8.html

Coming back to the meaning of the verse:

• The ل of لَقَدْ is like taking an oath, قَدْ is حرف تحقيق, indicating that "undoubtedly"
• has come unto you.
• رَسُولٌ has tanween,the tankeer (indefiniteness) is of tazeem,  تنكير لفظ "رَسُولٌ" للتعظيم
• from among you (so that you know what humans are capable of, otherwise people had asked from time to time why not book directly from heaven or an angel from heaven so people cannot claim that it is beyond us)
• anything that hurts/harms you, is unacceptable and grievous to him (ﷺ)
• And this is  the underlying principle of all shariah, that whatever is harmful or hurtful is not from it.
• For example, part of al-baqarah 2:185 ( يُرِيدُ اللّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلاَ يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ)
• Or last ayah of al-hajj 22:78 (وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ)
• And we are taught by the scholars of Islam that if we ever find some scholar suggesting something that is too tough or hard contravening the principles in the ayat above, we can be sure that there must be some mistake in the ijtihad of the scholar, because the deen brought by rahmatan lil alameen is anything but.
•  حرص means wanting something desperately حَرِيصٌ means someone who determinedly wants to pursue the best for us
• Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) admitted, “The Prophet (ﷺ)left us in a state in which a bird did not flap its wings in the sky but he had given us a piece of information about it.” Every deed that would bring us to heaven, and stop us from hell has been taught by him (ﷺ)
• And especially for believers رَؤُوفٌ comes from رأف which means utmost compassion, and  رَّحِيمٌ is one whose mercy is continuous.
• According to the scholars, this verse is the only instance where Allah has used His own names for the Prophet (ﷺ)

This  رَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ Prophet (ﷺ) made arrangements for the entire ummah but did not take a penny of zakat or sadaqah for himself or his family or progeny.

وَإِنَّهَا لاَ تَحِلُّ لِمُحَمَّدٍ وَلاَ لآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ 

http://sunnah.com/muslim/12/219
http://sunnah.com/urn/1126180




The author concludes that even if we spend the entire life praising him, it is not enough to thank him for the favor he (ﷺ) has done on us.

وعـلى تـفـنـن واصـفـيــه بـوصـفــه

 يفنى الزمان وفيه ما لم يوصف

And despite (the) incredible/creative abilities of (all) those who (seek to) describe him

Due to his (immense) attributes, even time shall perish before we finish describing him

مجلس تمام گشت و به آخر رسید عمر
ما همچنان در اوّل وصف تو مانده ایم

The assembly is finished and life has reached its term
And we have been powerless in describing even the beginning of you( your praises)

http://classics.mit.edu/Sadi/gulistan.1.introductory.html
http://ganjoor.net/saadi/golestan/dibache/

This is a big gift from Allah that we were born in the ummah of our beloved Prophet (ﷺ) , the best of all mankind. And we learn this do'a from the great scholars of ahl ul bayt:

الحمد لله الذي جعلني من امة محمد صلى الله عليه واله ولم يجعلني من سائر الامم

All praise be to Allah who made me from the ummah of Muhammad(ﷺ) and not from any other ummah.

May Allah always help us in loving, honoring and revering our beloved Prophet (ﷺ)  and be thankful that we are from this ummah. And may Allah give us the opportunity to visit his mosque, in the city of Medina.

أَمُـرُّ عَلَـى الدِّيَـارِ دِيَـارِ لَيْلَــى
أُقَبِّــلُ ذَا الجـِدَارَا وَذَا الجــِدَارَا
وَمَـا حُـبُّ الدِّيَـارِ شَغَفْـنَ قَلْبِـي
ولَكِـنْ حُـبُّ مَنْ سَكَـنَ الدِّيَـارَا

I pass by these walls, the walls of Layla
And I kiss this wall and that wall
It’s not Love of the walls that has enraptured my heart
But of the One who dwells within them

 Written Qays ibn al-Mulawwah (قيس ابن الملوح) also known as majnoon


والله أعلم   
 Wa Allahu 'Alam (And Allah is the All-Knowing)