NUBUWWAH (PROPHETHOOD) CONCEPT, NECESSİTY, FİNALİTY, FUNCTİONS AND ETERNAL RELEVANCE TO HUMAN LIFE God has created no community of beings in the world without a purpose and left them without a guide or leader. It is inconceivable that God Almighty, Who has not left bees without a queen, ants without a leader, and birds and fish without a guide, has left humanity without Prophets to guide them to spiritual, intellectual and material perfection. 1
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NUBUWWAH (PROPHETHOOD)CONCEPT, NECESSİTY, FİNALİTY, FUNCTİONS AND ETERNAL RELEVANCE TO HUMAN LIFE
God has created no community of beings in the world without a purpose and left them without a guide or leader. It is inconceivable that God Almighty, Who has not left bees without a queen, ants without a leader, and birds and fish without a guide, has left humanity without Prophets to guide them to spiritual, intellectual and material perfection.1
NUBUWWAH The centrality of prophethood is evident
from the fact that it forms the content of the second clause of the Shahadah (testimony). It is also one of the articles of Islamic faith. The source of legitimacy of being a prophet is Allah (S.W.T) through His revelation. As it is impossible for everyone to receive revelation directly from God, the prophets (peace be upon them) then functioned as a ‘channel’ to receive and transmit the Divine revelation to humankind. Though both revelation and prophethood are not the same, they overlap and are very much interrelated.
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THE MEANING OF WAHY AND OTHER RELATED TERMS Revelation (wahy is the act by which God,
having created the world, discloses Himself to His creation. It refers to a phenomenon whereby a supra human, or supernatural, communication is transmitted from the Divine to the human or epiphany of the Divine order, which presents itself to the human sight, hearing, sensibility and consciousness as an event out of the ordinary course
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THE MEANING OF PROPHETHOOD
Nubuwwah (النب888وة) is usually translated as Prophethood . a nabi refers to a Prophet who gives news from God.
Prophetic experience has been described by Muslim theologians as something out of ordinary experience.
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During his experience, a Prophet’s faculties are raised to the point of frenzy and he is under the domination of a Divine power which he cannot resist, and his innermost belief, all the while, is that the message of guidance and salvation has come directly from God as a ‘revelation’ and must be conveyed at once to his fellow beings.
A Prophet is like a branch which arches out from the Divine to the human realm.
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Rasul & Nabi The two words are used interchangeably in the
Qur'an, the same person sometimes being called nabi and sometimes rasul; while occasionally both names are combined.
The reason seems to be that the prophet has two capacities: he receives information from God, and he imparts his message to mankind. he is called nabi in the first, and rasul in the second capacity, but there is one difference.
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The word rasul has a wider significance, being applicable to every messenger in a literal sense; and the angels are called Divine Messengers [rasul], because they are also bearers of the Divine messages when complying with His Will.
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rasul is higher than nabi, because the rasul brings a divine legislation with him, whereas the nabi follows the legislation of the previous rasul. Thus, rasul is also nabi, but a nabi may not necessarily be a rasul.
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KHATAM NUBUWWAH
When the Qur’an says that the institution of Nubuwwah النب88وة (Prophethood) has been terminatedات�م� “ ول� الل�ه� و�خ� س� ل�ك�ن� ر� ال�ك�م� و� د" م ن� ر�ج� �ب�ا أ�ح� د' أ م� ا ك�ان� م�ح� م�
"الن�ب�ي ين�
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets” (33:40),
it means that the institution of Risalah has also been (Messengerhood) الرس8888الةterminated since the closure of a general cadre automatically means that the upper ones have also been terminated.
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THE NECESSITY AND FUNCTION OF REVELATION AND PROPHETHOOD
Humankinds are faced with broad questions of "life understanding." These questions are lifetime concerns some of which are sources of great expectation while others are sources of anxiety.
“It is He who has sent to the illiterate a Messenger from among their own people to recite to them His revelations and purify them. He will teach to them the Book and Wisdom- although they had been, before in manifest error-” (Al-Jum’ah 62: 2)
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Some of the questions that have occupied human minds from time immemorial are more important than others; and some are easily discoverable by human reason than others.
The entire range of human concerns that might have called for an external intervention may be classified into three ascending categories of importance: (1) what reason can generally discover/solve; (2) what reason can discover/solve but may err; (3) and what falls beyond rational ambit 12
PROPHETS ARE PEOPLE TOO
The prophets distinguished themselves in human society by their special aptitudes, natural bents of mind and a pious and meaningful way of life.
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The unbelievers disparaged the humanity of the messengers. They demanded that this link between the Infinite and the finite be supernatural, akin to the nature of angels and even God Himself (15:6-9; 25:21; 17:92). In other words, they wanted the nature of this link to be the same as, or nearer to, that of his sender than to that of the recipients. This demand however was turned down.
What sort of a messenger is this, who eats food, and walks through the markets? Why has not an angel been sent down to him to give admonition with him? "Or (Why) has not a treasure been bestowed on him, or why has he (not) a garden for enjoyment?" The wicked say: "Ye follow none other than a man bewitched." (al-Furqan, 25:7-8)
Why are not the angels sent down to us, or (why) do we not see our Lord?" Indeed they have an arrogant conceit of themselves, and mighty is the insolence of their impiety! (Furqan; 25:21)
اد�ق�ين� “الص� Why do you not bring to us the angels if you
are of the truthful ones? (al-Hijr 15:7)
They say: "Why is not an angel sent down to him?" If we did send down an angel, the matter would be settled at once, and no respite would be granted them.
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They say: "We shall not believe in thee, until thou cause a spring to gush forth for us from the earth, Or (until) thou have a garden of date trees and vines, and cause rivers to gush forth in their midst, carrying abundant water; Or thou cause the sky to fall in pieces, as thou sayest (will happen), against us; or thou bring Allah and the angels before (us) face to face.
Or thou have a house adorned with gold, or thou mount a ladder right into the skies. No, we shall not even believe in thy mounting until thou send down to us a book that we could read." Say: "Glory to my Lord! Am I aught but a man,- a messenger?" (Isra’ 17: 90-93)
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As a ‘practical’ book to be implemented, rather than a ‘speculative’ or ‘idealistic’ book, the Qur`ān considers the nature of the recipients instead of that of the sender. Had the reverse been the case, man would have taken its supernaturality as an excuse for not being able to implement the teaching of revelation in his life. For the messengers to be endurable, they must be humanlike.
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Even if they were to be angels, they must be in human shape having human qualities, so that the revelation they were sent with would be communicable, comprehensible and practicable just as the messengers have exemplified it as role models. (6:8-9; 32:21; 60:4,6) Had we appointed him (Our messenger) an angel, We
assuredly had made him (as) a man (that he might speak to men); and (thus) obscured for them (the truth) they (now) obscure. (al-An’am 6:8-9)
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FUNCTIONS AND RELEVANCE TO HUMAN LIFE
Expounder of the Qur’an Legislator Role model / Qudwatun hasanah Total obedience to the Prophet
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EXPOUNDER OF THE QUR’AN
Without the [Prophetic]Sunnah the Qur’an would remain an abstract or a misunderstood Book. Allah (SWT) says in reference to the Sunnah as an explanation of the Holy Qur’an:
“(We sent them) with Clear Signs and Scriptures and We have sent down unto thee (also) the Message; that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought.” [al-Nahl (16): 44].
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According to many interpreters, the Arabic word al-Dhikra in the Quran refers to the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW). The role of the Sunnah therefore is to explain the Holy Qur’an so that it is understood by the people.
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Through the Sunnah we get to know many of the things commanded in Islam; for example, we get to know how to perform the Salat, Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) and Fasting.
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LEGİSLATOR
It can be an independent source of Law. The Sunnah states many things that are not found in the Holy Qur’an which all Muslims are obliged to follow. Allah (SWT) says,
“…So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. And fear Allah; for Allah is strict in Punishment.” [al-hashr (59): 7].
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iثg " (األعراف: " gائ ب gالخ lمiهo gي مl عgل sرgحl gاتi وgي sب gهlمl الطxي lحiلz ل ي157(
He (The Prophet) allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them from what is bad (and impure).
In this verse we find that the legislative authority is bestowed upon the Prophet. So he acts as the society’s law- giver.
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ROLE MODEL / QUDWATUN HASANAH The Qur’an instructs us to emulate the
Prophet (SAW); i.e. to take him as the best example in whatever we do. Allah (SWT) says in reference to this,
“Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah uswah hasanah (beautiful pattern of conduct) for any one whose hope is in Allah and the Final day, and who engages much in the praise of Allah.” [al-Ahzab (33): 21] 28
TOTAL OBEDİENCE TO THE PROPHET
Following the Sunnah of the Prophet is an obligation upon every Muslim; No Muslim is considered a believer in Allah (SWT) without following the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW). Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an:
“But no, by the Lord, they can have no (real) Faith, until they make thee judge in all disputes between them, and find in their souls no resistance against thy decisions, but accept them with the fullest conviction.” [al-Nisa’ (4): 65].
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Severe Punishment will inflicted upon those who do not follow the Sunnah of the prophet. Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an,
“…then let those beware who withstand the Messenger’s order, let some trial befall them, or a grievous Penalty be inflicted on them.” [al-Nur (24): 63]
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Obedience to the Prophet is obedience to Allah and disobedience to him is considered disobedience to Allah (SWT). Allah (SWT) says in the Holy Qur’an,
According to the Qur’anic narration, the human race began from one man: Adam (peace be upon him) from whom the family of man grew and the human race multiplied [4:1].
0, being the first man on earth, was also the first prophet of God (p.b.u.h.).
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After a long break of revelation, humankind tends to be forgetful, overwhelmed with superstitions, myths and all types of false notions. Within such circumstances, God raised prophets among every nation,
(and there never was a people, without a warner having lived among them (in the past).) [35:24].
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Despite their relative differences, their messages were the same in their fundamentals. All messengers of God did away with all customs of ignorance and taught their people the right course of action. They preached adherence to a life of piety, goodness and peace. They also preached belief in life after death with its just mechanism of reward and punishment and, the most important of all, belief in the unity of God to Whom alone service and worship are due 36
Speaking on behalf of God’s messengers, Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) declares the universal Divine Unity: “The best thing I and the Prophets before me have said is: ‘There is no god but Allah, alone, without any partner’.
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These revelations universally declare that God sent Messengers to every people throughout the world. The names of some of these are known to us through the Qur’an, but there is also a large number whose names have not been made known to us.
ى ت�ك�ل�يمUا "ع�ل�ي�ك� و�ك�ل�م� الل�ه� م�وس� “We inspire thee as We inspired Noah and
the prophets after him, as We inspired Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the tribes, and Jesus and Job and Jonah and Aaron and Solomon, and as We imparted unto David the Psalms. Of some messengers We have already told thee the story; of others We have not;- and to Moses Allah spoke direct” (4:163-164)
We believe in Allah, and the revelation given to us, and to Abraham, Isma'il, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes, and that given to Moses and Jesus, and that given to (all) prophets from their Lord: We make no difference between one and another of them: And we bow to Allah (in Islam)." (2:136; 3:84)
“It is not (possible) that a man, to whom is given the Book, and Wisdom, and the prophetic office, should say to people: "Be ye my worshippers rather than Allah's": on the contrary (He would say) "Be ye worshippers of Him Who is truly the Cherisher of all: For ye have taught the Book and ye have studied it earnestly. Nor would he instruct you to take angels and prophets for Lords and patrons. What! would he bid you to unbelief after ye have bowed your will (To Allah in Islam)? " (3:79-80)
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The names we know are 25 out of 124,000 (or perhaps 224,000); even then we do not know exactly where and when many of them lived.
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THE FINALITY OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD There are only four conditions under which the
Prophets have been sent unto the world:
1. There was need for a prophet to be sent unto a certain nation to which no prophet had been sent before and the message brought by the Prophet of another nation could not have reached these people.
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2. There was need for appointing a prophet because the message of an earlier Prophet had been forgotten by the people, or the teachings of the former prophets had been adulterated and hence it had become impossible to follow the message brought by that Prophet.
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3. The people had not received complete mandate of Allah through a former prophet. Hence succeeding prophets were sent to fulfil the task of completing the religion of Allah.
4. There was need for a second prophet to share the responsibility of office with the first prophet.
None of the above needs remains to be fulfilled after the advent of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
