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'It is Ahmed, stunning on 'one chord to two bows' (qasida 19:10) This is the motto of this section, which is for talking about our beloved prophet Mohammad [PPBUH]. You can find all special expressions in the Glossary. We need your comments to develop this site for you.
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He Who Obeys the Messenger
Allah Al-mighty says: [He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah, but he who turns away, then we have not sent you as a watcher over them] An-Nisa’ 4:80. Here in this call Allah does not refer only to believers or to people in general, but he is referring to all creatures. Also, it is not confined to an exact era, i.e. it is a call that suits any age or era. Hence, it applies to all prophets, messengers and angels of all times and places. Moreover, such verse indicates many things: First, the great honor Allah bestowed upon the Prophet [PPBUH]; as it emphasizes the fact that Mohammad [PPBUH] can not but speaks of Allah’s will or command out of Allah’s own command [nor does he speak out of his own desire] An-Najm 53:3. Therefore, he is the only human void of committing any mistakes; as he says (All sons of Adam make sins, and the best of whom are those who repent). Second, this verse gives the Prophet the authority to command and the right to be obeyed as well. At the same time, it asserts the fact that he shall never do what may cause Allah’s dissatisfaction. It also indicates that Mohammad [PPBUH] is void of any misleading traits brought about by the effects of one’s self, subjectivity, the worldly life and Satan. A matter that reaffirms what was narrated by Aisha [AAH] when she asked the Prophet [PPBUH]: “haven’t you got any devil”. He replied saying: (Yes! But Allah gave me the strength to defeat it and make it a Muslim). Third, this verse shows how graceful is the prophet [PPBUH] and how near he is from Allah; as Allah has made his obedience [PPBUH] the gate to the obedience of Allah Amighty. That’s why Allah has made our obedience to the prophet linked all the way with our obedience to Allah. This is clearly shown in the verses referring to obedience: [Say: "Obey Allâh and the Messenger". But if they turn away, then Allâh does not like the disbelievers] Al-Umran 3:32. [O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those of you who are in authority. And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger] an-Nisa' 4:59. [O you who believe! Obey Allah and His Messenger, and turn not away from him while you are hearing] al-Anfal 8:20. [Say: "Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away, he is only responsible for that with which he has been charged and you for that placed on you] al-Noor 24:54. [O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and render not vain your deeds] Mohammad 47:33. [But if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not decrease anything in reward for your deeds] al-Hujraat 49:14. [And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow] an-Nisa' 4:13. [Whoso obeys Allah and the Messenger, they are with those unto whom Allah has shown favour, of the prophets and the saints and the martyrs and the righteous. The best of company are they!] an-Nisa' 4:69. [He who obeys Allah and His messenger, and fears Allah, and and fears Him: such indeed are the victorious] al-Nour 24:52. [Whosoever obeys Allah and His messenger, he verily has gained a signal victory] al-Ahzab 33:71. [And whoso obeys Allah and His messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and whoso turneth back, him will He punish with a painful doom] al-Fath 48:17.
It is stated in Fath Al- qadeer’s interpretation of [He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah] that, being obedient to the Prophet equals that to Allah. A matter that highly glorifies Mohammad [PPBUH] beyond the reach of anyone else. As, the Prophet commands us only to do what Allah ordained and prohibited us from doing what Allah has warned us of. [But he who turns away] means: i.e. who turned his back to him, [then we have not sent you as a watcher over them], i.e. to watch over their deeds and be responsible for it, you are only to deliver Allah’s message. In the interpretation of Al-Tabari: Abu Jaafar said: “Allah is telling people: whosoever obeys Mohammad, shall be obeying me. Hence, listen to him and obey his commands. He shall never command you of something beyond my ordinance. Also, if he forbids you from doing something, he shall be carrying out what I asked him to. So, never think that Mohammad is just a human like you, who wants you to be grateful to him. In Al Qushairi’s interpretation, this verse does summons up the real position of Mohammad [PPBUH]. As Allah states that obeying Mohammad is like obeying me and whosoever shall try to get nearer to him, shall be getting nearer to me. Moreover, Allah is telling us that what is accepted by Mohammad [PPBUH] shall be accepted by him Almighty and what is rejected by him shall also be rejected by Allah. In the interpretation of Al- Razi: Whosoever shall obey the messenger for being the Messenger deliverer of Allah’s provisions and rules to all creatures, shall be primarily obeying Allah. A matter that is actually done by the aid of Allah. But he who turns away, then we have not sent you as a watcher over them. So, whosoever Allah have blinded from the truth and misled from the right way - because of his bad self - Then no one will be able to guide him. So, be ware that if Allah has lit a heart by the light of guidance, it shall know for certain that the aforementioned is true. You may present the same evidence to two persons at the same time. Yet, one of them may be positively affected with what he heard, and his faith shall increase. The other one may be negatively affected, and his infidelity shall increase. If someone that likes this talk wanted to pull such likeness out of his heart, he shall not be able to do so. On the other hand, if someone who dislikes such talk and feels skeptic towards it, tries to pull his dislike and skepticism out if his heart, he shall fail to do so. May be after a while, such assured loving heart may become a doubtful disliking one, and such disliking skeptic heart may be turned into a loving assured one. If you believed in the possibility of every thing, considers the observation afore mentioned and did not come to believe that every thing is subject to Allah’s will which is (preordained and predestined), take this incidence as a clarifying clue to the fact that nothing happens but by the ordinance of Allah. As, despite of you knowing such facts, if you didn’t feel a thing at heart, then you are denied such thing by Almighty Allah. There are some issues about this verse: first issue: of the verse [He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah], indicates that he is void of all mistakes in ordering and forbidding. Because, in case he committed any mistake regarding Allah’s commands and prohibitions, Allah would not have said that when we obey the Prophet, we do obey Allah. Moreover, Allah has commanded us to follow Mohammad [PPBUH] as illustrated in the verse reciting [and follow him] al-Araf 7:158. The process of following is a process of imitation in itself. So, if you are to follow Mohammad [PPBUH], you are to obey Allah as in: [and follow him]. Thus, one should adhere to Mohammad in every thing.
As for the verse reciting: [But he who turns away then we have not sent you as a watcher over them]. This verse may be interpreted in two ways: [Turning away] could be meaning, turning the heart away. As if it says to Mohammad [you should only judge for only what is visible and do not mind what is invisible]. Or, it could be meaning, turning away visibly. As for [we have not sent you as a watcher over them], it could also be interpreted in two ways. First, you should not be sad and feel sorrow for such reaction. Because you were not sent to prevent people from sinning. This is because Mohammad [PPBUH] used to feel deeply sad out of their atheism and renouncement. So, Allah wanted to comfort his messenger [PPBUH]. Second, that it could be saying, you were not sent to bother yourself with restraining them from their denial and renouncement. Like the verse reciting [there is no compulsion in religion] al-Baqara 2:256. Then this was abrogated with the verse of Jihad. In the interpretation of Al-Alousy: the verse reciting [He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah] is an illustration of the Messenger’s role and what he can do. He gan only do that because Allah is in fact the commander and forbidding. The Messenger [PPBUH] is the deliverer of Allah’s commands and prohibitions. Hence, obedience is not to the Messenger, but to his sender. In some traces from Moqatel: the Prophet [PPBUH] used to say: (whosoever loved me, did indeed love Allah, and whosoever obeyed me, did indeed obey Allah). Which drove hypocrites to claim that Mohammad [PPBUH] is converting to atheism, as he prohibits us from worshiping any other entity but Allah, and at the same time, he is making a god of himself, just as Christians did with Jesus. Then the verse was revealed. So the ’Messenger’ here refers to our Prophet [PPBUH], and it is expressed this way without clearly stating that it is Mohammad [PPBUH] to indicate his high rank as he does not need to be declared. And it is also said that it refers to the class which also point out to our Prophet [PPBUH] primarily. Though it contradicts with the addressing in [then we have not sent you as a watcher over them], as it would not appear to be referring to an unspecified person. [who] is conditional, but the apodosis is omitted. The mentioned part is thus, a justification and a substitution of the omitted part. So, it intends to say, he who renounce obedience, you renounce him, ss we sent you as a messenger to deliver our message and not a watcher and controller to watch over their deeds and settle the account with them. Allah negated with the word (hafeez) which is an exaggeration for watching over them, instead of the word (Hafez) which is the active form of watching. Because as a messenger he ought to be watching for delivering the rule which in turn forbid them from committing sins and misdeeds. In the interpretation of az-Zamakhshari: [He who obeys the Messenger, has indeed obeyed Allah] because Mohammad [PPBUH] does not command us of doing something, unless he is originally commanded by Allah to do so. Also, he can not forbid us from doing something, unless Allah has commanded him to do so. Thus being obedient to him is to comply with his commands and restrain from doing the things he forbids with the aim of obeying Allah. You are a deliverer and a warner, who should not protect them from committing mistakes, hold them responsible for their sins or punish them. Like mentioned in: [nor are you a trustee over them]. al-An'am 6:7.
To sum up, this verse is deemed a glorification of the great Messenger [PPBUH]. As he never speaks out of his own. Moreover, it is an evidence of preserving Allah’s message through his voidance of any mistakes. Nevertheless, it is a proof of his gracefulness and near position from Allah. As Allah links our obedience to the Prophet with our obedience to Him. Because Allah guarantees the soundness of his actions and utterances. And why not, and he is the witness and the bearer of good tidings and the warner and as a summoner to Allah by His leave and the illuminating lamp.
Edited by Samer el-Lail Translated by Noha
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Whoever wants to get more about this subject, can seek it in the website of Al-Nabi [PPBUH]
the Editorial Team |
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You will notice
that every single command of obedience is coupled with the obedience
to the 