PREVALENCE OF ALLAH'S CHOSEN FAITH (ISLAM):
THE PURPOSE BEHIND SENDING PROPHET MUHAMMAD (SAW)
Exactly
the same point and subject
specifically with regard to
the purpose for
which Muhammad (SAW),
the Messenger of Allah
(SWT), was sent, has
been stated at three
different places in the Holy
Quran, in Suran At-Tauba, Surah Al Fat'h
and Surah Al-Saff:
1. It is He Who
has sent His Messenger with
Guidance and the Religion
of Truth, to proclaim it over
all religion, even though the pagans
may detest (it).
(9 : 33)
2. It is He Who has sent His Messenger with
Guidance and the Religion
of Truth, to proclaim it over
all religion, and enough is Allah for a Witness.
(48: 28)
3. It
is He Who has
sent His Messenger
with Guidance and the Religion of Truth,
to proclaim it over all religion,
even though the idolaters be averse.
(61 : 9)
(Here we
have Rasool in the
singular form of
the word Rusul whereas
in Surah Al-Hadeed it was Rusulana
in the plural form Rusul. What was it that he was sent
with? The first thing
that Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) was sent with was
Al-Huda (The Guidance)
i.e, The Qur'an
- "The Message of Wisdom", "The Eternal Book of Guidance".
Last
Message for the Mankind delivered
By
the "Blessed One for all the
Worlds".
Perhaps you might
recall a television
programme that was aired
more than two decades
back, for which I had
myself suggested the name
Al-Huda, and it was
from this very Ayah.
But Al-Huda was
not the only
thing with which Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was sent, rather
there was an additional thing that
he was given: "the True Faith
or the Right Faith". This is the Order or System
that is founded on justice
--- Allah's final
and complete Shariah for
all mankind!
Why was Allah's Messenger Muhammad (SAW) sent?
For what purpose was he given the True Faith?
The explanation of this preeminent purpose is precisely what this Ayah purports to explain. Just imagine that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) called people to the faith, disseminated its message, imparted training/ guidance (of the body and the soul) and practiced abstinence from evil. He did this all. But what was the objective of this entire struggle?
That goal was: that the True Faith and Just Order are made to prevail over all systems.
No sphere of life should be left unaffected (by its ideology) whether it be Sociological, Economic, Political governance, Law (Civil or Criminal), religious rites, war or peace. Everything should conform to the teachings of and attain its direction from the True Faith. This is exactly the purpose for which Allah (SWT) sent His final Messenger Muhammad, may Allah's blessings be upon him.
Why was Allah's Messenger Muhammad (SAW) sent?
For what purpose was he given the True Faith?
The explanation of this preeminent purpose is precisely what this Ayah purports to explain. Just imagine that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) called people to the faith, disseminated its message, imparted training/ guidance (of the body and the soul) and practiced abstinence from evil. He did this all. But what was the objective of this entire struggle?
That goal was: that the True Faith and Just Order are made to prevail over all systems.
No sphere of life should be left unaffected (by its ideology) whether it be Sociological, Economic, Political governance, Law (Civil or Criminal), religious rites, war or peace. Everything should conform to the teachings of and attain its direction from the True Faith. This is exactly the purpose for which Allah (SWT) sent His final Messenger Muhammad, may Allah's blessings be upon him.
You
can see now that establishing
a system of justice, and putting an
end to injustice,
cruelty, oppression and exploitation were
the reasons for
which all the
prophets were sent. And
towards this end
of establishing a Just Order, which
Allah (SWT) revealed to mankind
through His Prophets (AS),
those believing in
Allah and His Prophets should
strive to their
utmost. Muhammad (SAW), the
Messenger of Allah (SWT), was sent for
exactly the same purpose,
which is mentioned
at not less
than three (3) different places
in the Holy Quran as cited above.
Now that
the purpose behind
the sending of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
has been made
clear, there follow certain consequences
for and demands
from those who claim
to believe in Allah (SWT) and
His Final Prophet and Messenger Muhammad
(SAW), and those
claiming to possess love
for the Prophet
Muhammad (SAW). I will now
spell out these one by one
before you.
The first
thing that love
for Prophet Muhammad
(SAW) and his true following should
result in, is that our objective in
life should be
similar to the
purpose for which
the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
was sent. Everything
else should be subordinated to this
objective. If this is not our desired
goal then our
journey's road map
would be an entirely
different one from
that of the Prophet's.
We may be following the
Prophet (SAW) in some of
life's aspects, for example
the Prophet's way
of dressing up,
his appearance, his daily
routine, which is in itself
a blessing. Whatever we chose
to follow which
the Prophet (SAW) did
is a blessing
but if we
do not adopt
the overall direction (in main
objective) towards which
his efforts in life
were directed, true
following in matters
that are relatively minor
in significant will
not bear fruit
on the Day of Judgment. Verse
148 of Surah Al-Baqara states
a very fundamental truth in these
words: "to each is a goal towards which he turns".
You must
be familiar with
the Darwinian theory
of 'Struggle for Existence'. Since you are
medical students you must
have read Darwin's
theory and would
be familiar with his
viewpoint of 'Survival of the Fittest'.
In this struggle of life every individual is exerting, striving to get
ahead and each of them has an aim of one kind or another.
So the first thing that emerges
before us as the demand placed by Love for Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is that our 'Hadf' (aim or objective) should be the same as that of Prophet
Muhammad (SAW). Just now
the word 'Hadf' has taken my thoughts to a line from the poetry of the
Late Allama Iqbal:
Alas!
The dart unsped and lame
That
takes no flight and hits no aim.
An archer
first selects a
target for himself.
Then his strength is put into
action. The force with which the arrow travels
towards its target
will depend on
how much strength he puts in
pulling the bowstring. The Allama has
brought together two elements in a
single verse. There are two factors involved in an archer's (aspirant's) effort
going to waste and resulting in failure. The first factor is that a target has
not been set. The second is that the bowstring has been
pulled half-heartedly without applying maximum force. Full strength has not been applied. The obvious outcome
will be that he will miss his target each time and his effort will be wasted.
It will be necessary both to select a clear target and to attempt to hit the
same with the arrow using his full strength. If any one of these factors is
absent the arrow (or the effort)will be wasted.
Anyway
I stated that the first demand that is made by love for the Messenger
Muhammad (SAW) is true
following of the Messenger.
What will be
the first step
towards achieving such true
following? It is
that every Muslim make a conscious
decision that his goal and his
objective in life and the
desired end towards which
he is striving will be the same
as that of Muhammad (SAW), the Messenger of Allah (SWT). And
that is to make Allah's
chosen faith prevail over
all other systems of the world.
This has been rendered plainly
into couplet by the Late Malik Nasrullah Aziz as follows:
The sole
aim of my
life is the
dominance of your Deen.
I
am Muslim for this only and offer prayer
to achieve this goal.
I
offer prayer so that I remain mindful of my duty to Allah (SWT).
I fast so that I may keep a tight rein on the powerful desires of the inner self.
I pay zakat (poor due) so that love of wealth does not take firm root in my heart.
But what is the ultimate and overarching purpose that runs through all of these individual deeds that makes them into a coherent whole? That sole purpose is to help make Allah's chosen faith prevail and holding high the flag of His Cause. If a person has not chosen to proceed on the track that leads to this goal it implies that he is bound for a separate journey. Now even if he uses the light of Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah in certain of life's aspects he is destined to reach a destination deviant from that of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) because his choice of track sealed his fate. On the contrary, taking the right direction in respect of ultimate objective will make even minor details of Sunnah luminous and radiate with sublimity.
I fast so that I may keep a tight rein on the powerful desires of the inner self.
I pay zakat (poor due) so that love of wealth does not take firm root in my heart.
But what is the ultimate and overarching purpose that runs through all of these individual deeds that makes them into a coherent whole? That sole purpose is to help make Allah's chosen faith prevail and holding high the flag of His Cause. If a person has not chosen to proceed on the track that leads to this goal it implies that he is bound for a separate journey. Now even if he uses the light of Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah in certain of life's aspects he is destined to reach a destination deviant from that of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) because his choice of track sealed his fate. On the contrary, taking the right direction in respect of ultimate objective will make even minor details of Sunnah luminous and radiate with sublimity.
To Be Continued....
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