‘By your Life (O Muhammad)’ (15,72)

Allah (swt) in His Glorious Word in which there is no doubt, has taken oath by His beloved Messenger; Sayyidina Muhammad (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam). There are numerous places in the Qur’an where Allah (swt) has taken oath, however in the above ayah, Allah (swt) has taken oath on the life of the blessed Prophet (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) and this one aayah is in itself evidence that Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) is living.

Allah (swt) cannot take oath on anything which will perish as His Word is eternal and everything in Al’Qur’an is timeless. There is no aspect of the Noble Word that can become outdated or invalid, even its blessed language is of the richest literature and has a timeless quality of providing guidance. The promises, good tidings, parables, predictions, warning and revelations in Al’Qur’an are final. So how can Allah (swt) make a vow on anything that will perish or diminish? Allah (swt) took oath by the ‘Fig’, by the ‘olive’, by ‘Time’ and these are all existing today and will continue to exist. In the same way Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) lives today and will continue to exist.

Evidence of Hayaat ul’Nabi

In modern day Islam, the issue of whether Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) is still living is one that has caused controversy and conflict between the numerous sects in Islam. However this is not an issue regarding school of thought but it is in fact an issue of our aqeedah – article of faith. If we fail to love, honour and believe in any aspect of Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) being the most beloved of creation, being the most wise, being the most beautiful, being the most knowledgeable, being the most intelligent, being the most patient, being the most strong, being the best of everything and being created before anything else and being in a continued state of existence, by the Glory and Will of Allah (swt), then we have not accepted Islam and may not even be considered as believers. Many Ulama have given rulings that if you deny any aspect of Hayaat ul’Nabi – life of the Prophet then your faith has become invalid.

There is no doubt on this fact, but deviant sects try to claim that believing in the continuing life of Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) is shirk. Shirk by definition means enjoining the attributes of anyone with that of Allah (swt). These claims are completely baseless and are the means by which the munafiqin - hypocrites try to create break away versions of Islam. Shirk is believing in the will of anyone in association or partnership with that of Allah (swt) and this term cannot even be used to deny Hayaat ul’Nabi. As believers, we have faith that it is Allah (swt) who has raised the rank of His Prophets, Martyrs and friends. Allah (swt) is the one that created the light of his Final Messenger (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) before anything else and has the name of his beloved written alongside His Own Praise on the Arsh – Throne.  The Arsh has ‘La ilaha illala Muhammad Rasulullah’ inscribed on.

It is through the divine will of Allah (swt) that He brought His beloved Messenger to the heavens and had Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) lead all the Ambiya (As) in prayer in Masjid Al Aqsa. This event of Miraaj also shows that in fact all the Prophets (As) are living. Allah (swt) is the one who is providing His Messengers with sustenance and just as their worldly lives were not like ours, in the same way their lives in the next stage of existence are different and better than ours.

Allah (swt) declares that the martyrs are living that they continue to receive sustenance from Allah (swt) and in fact no-one denies this. So there is no doubt that the beloved Messenger who is the best of all creation, who is above the martyrs and upon whom the martyrs have to also send blessings and peace, is in a better state then they are.  

'Think not of those who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living, with their Lord, and they have provision. (3,169)

There is no authentic text which states that the Prophet (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) is dead. In fact saying this is regarded as kufr – non-belief. Whenever you read this type of statement it is someone’s interpretation or lack of etiquette and knowledge when mentioning Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ahi Wasallam). The very meaning of ‘dead’ is something that has ended and no longer exists. This is clearly not the case with Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) as Allah (swt) and all the creation send blessings upon him and say ‘salaam’ to him. We can only say ‘salaam’ meaning to send salutations on someone who can return that greeting and this can only be if they hear us. Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) by the will of Allah (swt) is living and his life as everything else he possesses, is better and higher than ours.

Al Qur’an is not just a book, Rasulullah is not just a person!

Al Qur’an is the Perfect Word of Allah (swt) that has no equal and the Qur’an has no answer. The Words contained in Al’Qur’an are the exact Words of Allah (swt) and cannot be substituted by even a letter. Allah (swt) confirms His Noble Lecture as having the weight that if placed on a mountain, the mountain would be reduced to dust. This is the praise, the rank and the reality of Al Qur’an so now imagine the heart of the one on whom the Words of Al’Quran’ were revealed. The Final Messenger (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) who was chosen to have the Qur’an revealed to him and the one who has been mentioned as the ‘walking, talking Qur’an’. The physical form of the most blessed Word, the one whose weight would reduce a mountain to dust, all the seas in this world if turned into ink cannot do justice to Allah’s Word, is that of a book. A book that can be kept inside a house, it can be carried around with us and we even have pocket-sized Qur’ans that easily fit into our pockets.

So the rank and weight of the Qur’an cannot be captured but the physical form that Allah (swt) has given His Magnificent Kalaam – language is that of a book. A Book that contains 114 Surahs and can be memorised and is now available in different formats. In the same way, we must not get confused with the physical form of Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) with his immense rank. Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) is the Prophet of the entire creation which includes the whole of mankind, Jinn and angels. However Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) came in the form of a human being. This was so that mankind would know him and accept his example and they would be able to learn from him. Just as we would never regard Al Qur’an as simply a book, then why do people commit grave mistakes by believing that Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) is simply like us. The utterance of such a thing is kufr and cannot be part of our faith.

Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi Wasallam) came from amongst us, he was not like us as some mis-interpretations of the Qur’an claim. Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) has a rank and has qualities that can never even be understood or measured let alone reached by even the other Prophets (As). The Roza-Mubaraak – blessed resting place of Rasulullah (salla lahu alayhi wa’ale hi wasallam) is where he is resting today and where he lives is still Medina Munawwah. This is not a grave but it is the highest place of love, respect and honour and is more beloved to Allah (swt) than the Kaaba.