Part 1. Introduction.
Part 2. Belief in Allah. Oneness of Lordship (Tawheed al-Rububiyyah)
Part 3. Belief in Allah. Oneness of the Divine Names and Attributes (Tawheed al-Asma’ wa as-Sifaat)
Part 4. Belief in Allah. Oneness of Divinity (Tawheed al-Uluhiyyah)
Part 5. Belief in Allah. Idolatry, disbelief, hypocrisy
Part 6. Belief in the Angels
Part 7. Belief in the Revealed Books
Part 8. Belief in the Messengers
Part 9. Belief in the Last Day
Part 10. Belief in Divine Decree, Whether Good or Bad
This pillar of faith involves firm belief that Allah the Almighty sent a Messenger to every nation to call people to worship the One True God alone and disbelieve that He has any partners. Almighty Allah said, “And verily, We have sent among every nation a Messenger proclaiming: ‘Worship Allah Alone and keep away from false deities.’ ” Surah “An-Nahl”, ayah 36.
Almighty Allah also said, “And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them.” Surah “Fātir, ayah 24.
We should believe in every Messenger that Allah named in His Book. They are twenty-five in number: Adam, Nuh (Noah), Idris (Enoch), Hud (Heber), Salih, Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq (Isaac), Yaqub (Jacob), Yusuf (Joseph), Lut (Lot), Shu‘aib (Jethro), Yunus (Jonah), Musa (Moses), Harun (Aaron), Ilyas (Elijah), Zakariya (Zachariah), Yahia (John the Baptist), al-Yasa (Elisha), Dhul-Kifl, Dawud (David), Sulayman (Solomon), Ayyub (Job), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all.
We also believe that apart from them there were other Messengers, as Allah the Almighty said, “And Messengers We have mentioned to you before, and Messengers We have not mentioned to you.” Surah “An-Nisā’”, ayah 164.
Almighty Allah also said, “And indeed We have sent Messengers before you: of some of them We have related to you their story. And of some We have not related to you their story.” Surah “Ghāfir”, ayah 78.
We also believe that all the Messengers were righteous, truthful, honest and God-fearing, and that they conveyed everything with which Allah sent them, without concealing or omitting anything. Almighty Allah said, “Are the Messengers charged with anything but to convey clearly the Message?” Surah “An-Nahl”, ayah 35.
Almighty Allah also said, “The Messenger’s duty is only to convey the message in a clear way.” Surah “An-Noor”, ayah 54.
Belief in each of Allah’s Messengers involves belief in all of them, that is why whoever disbelieves in the message of one of them is considered to have disbelieved in all of them, and in Almighty Allah Himself. Almighty Allah said,
“Say: ‘We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrâhîm, Ismâ‘îl, Ishâq, Ya‘qûb and their offsprings, and that which has been given to Mûsâ and ‘Îsâ, and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted.’ So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, then they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.” Surah “Al-Baqarah”, ayahs 136-137.
Almighty Allah also said, “The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and so do the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Messengers. They say: ‘We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers…’ ” Surah “Al-Baqarah”, ayah 285.
Almighty Allah also said, “Verily, those who disbelieve in Allah and His Messengers and wish to make distinction between Allah and His Messengers saying: ‘We believe in some but reject others,’ and wish to adopt a way in between, they are in truth disbelievers.” Surah “An-Nisā’”, ayahs 150-151.
As for belief in Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, we must accept wholeheartedly everything he has brought to us from Almighty Allah and follow the divine message he conveys.
This is what Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all, are called. Almighty Allah said about them:
“And remember when We took from the Prophets their covenant, and from you, and from Nûh, Ibrâhîm, Mûsâ, and ‘Îsâ, son of Maryam. We took from them a strong covenant…” Surah “Al-Ahzāb”, ayah 7.
Almighty Allah also said, “He (Allah) has ordained for you the same religion which He ordained for Nûh, and that which We have revealed to you, and that which We ordained for Ibrâhîm, Mûsâ and ‘Îsâ saying you should remain steadfast in religion, and make no divisions in it.” Surah “Ash-Shūra”, ayah 13.
Our Messenger Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was sent to all jinn and all of mankind.
The proof of the fact that the Prophet was sent to all of the jinn is found in the words of Almighty Allah:
“And remember when We sent towards you a group of the jinn, listening to the Qur’ân. When they stood in the presence thereof, they said: ‘Listen in silence!’ And when it was finished, they returned to their people, as warners. They said, ‘O our people! Verily, we have heard a Book sent down after Mûsâ, confirming what came before it: it guides to the truth and to the Straight Path. O our people! Respond to Allah’s Caller, and believe in him. Allah will forgive you of your sins, and will save you from a painful torment.’ ” Surah “Al-Ahqāf”, ayahs 29-31.
Almighty Allah also said, “Say, ‘It has been revealed to me that a group of jinn listened to this Qur’ân. They said: ‘Verily, we have heard a wonderful recitation! It guides to the Right Path, and we have believed therein, and we shall never join in worship anything with our Lord.’ ” Surah “Al-Jinn”, ayahs 1-2.
There is evidence that the jinn came to see him and that he talked to them and recited the Qur’an to them.
As for the fact that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was sent to all of mankind, it is proved by many Qur’anic verses and also hadiths. Almighty Allah said, “And We have not sent you except as a giver of glad tidings and a warner to all mankind…” Surah “Saba’”, ayah 28.
Almighty Allah also said, “Say, ‘O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah…’ ” Surah “Al-A‘rāf”, ayah 158.
Almighty Allah also said, “Say, ‘…this Qur’ân has been revealed to me that I may therewith warn you and whomsoever it may reach.’ ” Surah “Al-An‘ām’”, ayah 19.
Almighty Allah also said, “And We have sent you as a Messenger to mankind, and Allah is sufficient as a witness.” Surah “An-Nisā’”, ayah 79.
Almighty Allah also said, “Blessed be He Who sent down the criterion [this Qur’ân] to His slave that he may be a warner to the universe…” Surah “Al-Furqān”, ayah 1.
Almighty Allah also said, “And We have sent you not but as a mercy for the universe.” Surah “Al-Anbiyā’”, ayah 107.
Almighty Allah also said, “And say to those who were given the Scripture and to those who are illiterates: ‘Do you submit yourselves to Allah?’ If they do, they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, your duty is only to convey the Message.” Surah “Āl-‘Imrān”, ayah 20.
Jabir bin Abdullah, Allah be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “I have been given five things which were not given to any one else before me: Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month’s journey; the earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and a thing to perform Tayammum, therefore anyone of my followers can pray wherever the time of a prayer is due; the booty has been made Halal (lawful) for me yet it was not lawful for anyone else before me; I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection); every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only, but I have been sent to all mankind.” This hadith was recorded by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.
Abu Hurairah, Allah be pleased with him, narrated that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who amongst the community of Jews or Christians hears about me, but does not affirm his belief in that with which I have been sent and dies in this state (of disbelief), he shall be but one of the denizens of Hell-Fire.” This hadith was recorded by Muslim.
It is known that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, sent his messages to different countries and their leaders, including the king of Persia, the emperor of the Roman Empire, the governor of Egypt, the emperor of Ethiopia and other rulers to invite them to embrace Islam.
With regard to those people from among Jews and Christians who accepted the message of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as truthful, but said: “He was sent to Arabs”, their words lack consistency, for whoever accepts this message as truthful must accept it fully, and Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said that he had been sent to all of mankind.
There were others who declared erroneous the message of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, although the signs of the truthfulness of his prophecy were evident, and they are ample.
Our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the last of the divine prophets, for Almighty Allah said: “Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets.” Surah “Al-Ahzāb”, ayah 40.
The point of this ayah is to highlight that Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, became the final prophet sent to mankind and that there will be no other prophets after him.
Ulemas (Islamic scholars) differed in their opinion concerning the distinction between a prophet and a messenger. Some of them said: “There is no difference between them, that is why every prophet is a messenger and every messenger is a prophet.” Others said that there was a difference between a prophet and a messenger, agreeing that a messenger’s mission was more specific than a prophet’s mission, which means that if there are no prophets after Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, then, apparently there will be no messengers.
This is evidenced by many hadiths.
Thus, for example, the two “Sahihs” report a hadith narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “My similitude in comparison with the other prophets before me, is that of a man who has built a house nicely and beautifully, except for a place of one brick in a corner. The people go about it and wonder at its beauty, but say: ‘Would that this brick be put in its place!’ So I am that brick, and I am the last of the Prophets.”
The two “Sahihs” also record another hadith, by Jubair bin Mut‘im, Allah be pleased with him, who narrated that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “Verily, I have several names: I am Muhammad and I am Ahmad, I am the eraser through whom Allah erases unbelief, I am the gatherer at whose feet the people will be gathered, and I am the last prophet after which there are none.”
Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah, Allah be pleased with him, that Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said, “I have been given superiority over the other prophets in six respects: I have been given words which are concise but comprehensive in meaning; I have been helped by terror (in the hearts of enemies); spoils have been made lawful to me; the earth has been made for me clean and a place of worship; I have been sent to all mankind and the line of prophets is closed with me.”
Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported from Sad bin Abu Waqqas, Allah be pleased with him, that one day the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said to Ali ibn Abi Talib, Allah be pleased with him: “Are you not satisfied with being unto me what Aaron was unto Moses but with this exception that there would be no prophet after me?”
There are many other authentic hadiths which clearly indicate that our Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is the final of the Prophets.
In his “Tafsir” Ibn Kathir, Allah have mercy on him, wrote: “Allah Almighty in His Book and His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, in many of the hadiths narrated that there would be no other prophet after Him so that people should know that any one who lays a claim to prophethood after Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, is a liar, a disruptionist, an imposter, depraved and a seducer.”