’’عَنْ أبِیْ ھُرَیْرَۃَ ؓاَنَّ رَسُوْلَ اﷲِ ﷺ قَالَ فُضِّلْتُ عَلَی الْأَنْبِیَائِ بِسِتٍّ أْعْطِیْتُ جَوَامِعَ الْکَلِمِ وَ نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ وَ اُحِلَّتْ لِیَ الْغَنَائِمُ وَ جُعِلَتْ لِیَ الْأَرْضُ مَسْجِداً وَّ طَھُوْرًا وَ أُرْسِلْتُ اِلَی الْخَلْقِ کَافَّۃً وَ خُتِمَ بِیَ النَّبِیُّونَ‘‘(رواہ مسلم)
Narrated Hazat Abu Huraiah ؓ: The Prophet said, “I have been given six things which were not given to any prophet before me. I have been sent with the shortest expressions bearing the widest meanings. 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 getting purity. 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 and as a last chain of all prophets.
Explanation:
In reality, the tradition appearing above, aims at shedding light on some of salient features or characteristics of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Literally, the characteristics refer to something specific with someone excluding anyone else. It appears in the prophetic tradition mentioned above that that are six things based on which the status of the Holy Prophet ﷺ stands out from the rest of Apostles and his superiority to them becomes as clear as a crystal day. The six things containing this tradition are ones not bestowed upon no other prophet before the Holy Prophet ﷺ. It is explained in more clear terms through a tradition narrated on the authority of Hazrat Jabir ؓ in these words: أُعْطِیْتُ خَمْساً لَمْ یُعْطَھُنَّ اَحَدٌ قَبْلِیْ “I have been given six things which were not given to anyone else before me.”
جَوَامِعَ الْکَلِمِ:
According to linguistics, the word ‘Jawamiul Kalim’ is defined as “مَاقَلَّ أَلْفَاظُہٗ وَ کَثُرَ مَعَانِیْہ” meaning, a expression encompassing less or short words but deep meanings. Thus, it implies that the Holy Prophet ﷺ was gifted with such a skill that though the expressions uttered with his blessed tongue were short in words but deep in meaning. Once we go into their details, it seems to us as if they had been coined for the same explanation.
In fact, it is only the prophetic traditions which are endowed with such a miracle after the Holy Qura’n that they, despite being short, encompass a great deal of meanings. However, according to some writers, the word جَوَامِعَ الْکَلِمِ refers to the Holy Qura’n. Indubitably, who can dare deny the fact of the Holy Qura’n being comprehensive, however, after that, it is the prophetic traditions which ranks second in this regard. This is really an established fact which is not hidden from those who have an insightful knowledge regarding Arabic language and its literature.
نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ:
“I have been made victorious by awe (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month’s journey. The Apostles sent before the Holy Prophet ﷺ were either apparently weak physically and helpless or favoured with apparent strength such as Hazrat Dawood (A.S.) and Sulaiman (A.S.), but none of them were endowed with an awe and terror, rather it is specific just to the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.). Though the beginning of Prophet Muhammad’s prophetic mission was with the helplessness referred to Ayyub (A.S.) and poverty referred to Isa (A.S.), but it ends with the strength referred to Hazrat Musa (A.S.) and the splendor of the kingdom referred to Hazrat Sulaiman and Dawood (A.S.). All his strength, awe, terror and grandeur were spent in the cause of Allah, the Almighty which, on one hand, cause to guide the misled ones, on the other hand, sinful and culprits too submitted themselves to him and repented on their misdeeds.
While describing the arts of war, Allamh Ibne Khaldoon has written that the reason the Holy Prophet ﷺ was bestowed with this kind of characteristic is that it shoul cause to prevail peace and order and tranquility in the world without shedding much blood and pave the way for propagating the voice of Truth, Islam.
Though many a great braves came to face the Holy Prophet ﷺ with poison-coated swords but they were trembles as soon as they saw the shining face of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Once, when a Bedouin came to him, he was trembled to see his face. Seeing it, the Holy Prophet ﷺ asked him not to be afraid as he was not a king, rather he was a son of a woman from Quraish who eat the dry meat having cooked it. (Bukhari)
أُحِلَّتْ لِیَ الْغَنَائِمُ :
‘The property one gets after the victory in the war against the enemy is called the booty’. Though it was not permissible to use this kind of property in the age of previous messengers, hence, all the booties got in the victories got in the Shariah of Hazrat Moosa and Yusha bin Noon (A.S.) were burnt to ashes, moreover, in Torah, there also appears a commandment of burning the animals and villages. But, on the contrary, Allah, the Almighty declared it lawful for the community of the Holy Prophet ﷺ. Hence, during the battles fought in the blessed age of the Holy Prophet ﷺ, all the booties were distributed among Muslims having taken out a share of ‘Baitul Mal’ (public exchequer) following the commandment of the Lord of the worlds.
وَجُعِلَتْ لِیَ الْأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَ طَھُوْرًا:
‘The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for praying and getting purity’. In fact, all the religions existing on the face of the earth excluding Islam, are in need of certain four-walled construction in order to perform their different forms of worship. Taking for instance, the Jews and the Christians do not worship except in their churches. Even the Zoroastrians do not worship except in their fire-temples and the same case is with the Hindus. They have no option but go to temples to worship. But, on the contrary, the lord of the universal religion, Islam, is not confined only to the ordinary four-walls, rather, He can be called and worshipped everywhere.
As for making the earth a means of getting purity from, according to a tradition recorded in Sahih Muslim narrated on the authority of Hazrat Huzaifa ؓ, it is explained in such words: وَجُعِلَتْ تُرْبَتُہَا لَنَا طَہُوْرً اِذَا لَمْ نَجِدِ الْمَائَ and its soil has been made a means for getting purity, hence, when we don’t find water, we should perform Tayammum.
Though making the whole surface of the earth a place of worship and its soil a means of petting purity apparently seems to be very ordinary things, but in reality, it is a clear announcement being Islam a universal and last and final religion of Allah, the Almighty.
وَ أُرْسِلْتُ اِلَی اَْلخَلْقِ کَافَّۃ:
‘I have been sent to all mankind.’ Another tradition also comes to the same effect in such words: کَانَ النَّبِیُّ یُبْعَثْ اِلیٰ قَوْمِہٖ خَاصَّۃً وَ بُعِثْتُ اِلَی النَّاسِ عَامَّۃً (رواہ مسلم) Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only but I have been sent to all mankind and as a last chain of all prophets. In a tradition of Musnad Ahamd it has been said: بُعِثْتُ اِلیَ الْاَحْمَرِ وَ الْاَسْوَدِ ‘I have been sent as a Messenger to all White and Black ones.’ In fact, the guidance with the Holy Prophet ﷺ was sent belongs to all mankind, it is not a property belonging to one and only community. It is for this reason that the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) did not confine the mission of preaching Islam only to his community or country, Arab, rather he communicated also to the people living outside.
وَخُتِمَ بِیَ النَّبِیُّوْنَ:
‘The chain of prophets has been discontinued on me.’ In fact, the reality of Muhammad ﷺ being the last prophet and the chain of prophet being ended on him has been explained in the Holy Qura’n in the words:
مَا كَانَ مُحَـمَّـدٌ اَبَآ اَحَدٍ مِّنْ رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلٰكِنْ رَّسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّـبِيّٖنَ ۭ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِــيْمًا
“MuHammad is not a father of any of your men, but he is a messenger of Allah and the last of the prophets. And Allah has the Knowledge of everything.”
مَثَلِي وَمَثَلُ الْأَنْبِيَائِ مِنْ قَبْلِي کَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ بَنَی بُنْيَانًا فَأَحْسَنَهُ وَأَجْمَلَهُ إِلَّا مَوْضِعَ لَبِنَةٍ مِنْ زَاوِيَةٍ مِنْ زَوَايَاهُ فَجَعَلَ النَّاسُ يَطُوفُونَ بِهِ وَيَعْجَبُونَ لَهُ وَيَقُولُونَ هَلَّا وُضِعَتْ هَذِهِ اللَّبِنَةُ قَالَ فَأَنَا اللَّبِنَةُ وَأَنَا خَاتَمُ النَّبِيِّينَ ۔
The Holy Prophet ﷺ himself has explained the perfection of Islam in one of his concise yet comprehensive expression saying: ‘The similitude of mine and that of the Apostles before me is that of a person who built a house quite imposing and beautiful, but for one brick in one of its corners. People would go round it, appreciating the building, but saying: Why has the brick not been fixed here? He said: I am that brick and I am the last of the Apostles.’ (Muslim)
In fact, the words used here as building, refers to the religion and his prophethood while the word brick refers to the existence of each and every prophet and their religion and Shariah and it is the Holy Prophet ﷺ who is the stone of its perfection.
In a tradition recorded in Bukhari and narrated on the authority of Hazrat Jabir (R.T.A.), there is also has been mentioned another characteristic of the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
وَاُعْطِیْتُ الشَّفاعَۃَ:
‘I have been given the right of intercession (on the Day of Resurrection.’ Though all the schools of thoughts and religion agree to the fact of the right of intercession, however, some of them have gone to extremes. As for the polytheists, pagans, the Jews and Christians, they believe that the one who is given the right of intercession will save anyone whom he wishes from Allah’s punishment through his intercession. Hence, they deem it necessary to worship the intercessor beside Allah, the Almighty, rather, they prefer worshipping him than Allah, the Almighty as they say that they worship him so that he could make them closer to Allah, the Almighty. These are the people who are addressed in the Holy Qura’n through the following words:
وَيَعْبُدُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ مَا لَا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلَا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُوْلُوْنَ هٰٓؤُلَاۤءِ شُفَعَآؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللّٰهِ قُلْ اَتُـنَـبِّـــُٔوْنَ اللّٰهَ بِمَا لَا يَعْلَمُ فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَلَا فِى الْاَرْضِ سُبْحٰنَهٗ وَتَعٰلٰى عَمَّا يُشْرِكُوْنَ (18)
Quran Ayah Data not found….for Surah:10, Ayah:18 and Translation:24
Quran Surah:10 Ayah:18
“Beside Allah, they worship those who can neither harm nor benefit them, and they say, “These are our intercessors with Allah.”
This is the wrong notion of the Jews, Christians and disbelievers which has been refuted by Allah, the Almighty and proved the great intercession saying:
’’مَنْ ذَا الَّذِیْ یَشْفَعُ عِنْدَہٗ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِہٖ‘‘ (البقرہ:۲۵۵(
“Who can intercede with Him without His permission?”
At another place He said:
يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الرُّوْحُ وَالْمَلٰۗىِٕكَةُ صَفًّا ٷ لَّا يَتَكَلَّمُوْنَ اِلَّا مَنْ اَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمٰنُ وَقَالَ صَوَابًا
“On the Day when the Spirit and the angels will stand in rows. They will not speak, except the one who is permitted by the Rahman (the All-Merciful Allah) and speaks aright.”
It does imply here that interceding anyone with Allah is not possible without His permission.
Besides the seven characteristics mentioned above, there are also some other characteristics of the Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) established through different prophetic traditions. Taking for instance, being his followers greater in number than those of the rest of prophets as he said, “On the Day of Judgment, my followers will be greater in number than others.” At that time, he would be the leader of the whole offspring of Adam and it will be he who would be resurrected first from his grave as he said, “I am the leader of the entire mankind and the first one to be resurrected from the grave will be me alone.”
The conclusion we get through all the characteristics mentioned above is that the Holy Prophet ﷺ is greater in status than all the rest of Allah’s Apostles. A Persian poet has well woven this fact in the following words:
حسن یوسفؑ دم عیسی ؑید بیضاء داری
آنچہ خوباں ہمہ داراند تو تنہا داری