Would the Holy Prophet (sa) Concoct Revelation According to His Own Will? — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 2
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Would the Holy Prophet (sa) Concoct Revelation According to His Own Will?.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: IX – Repeated Treachery of the Jews, Compilation and Sequence of the Holy Qur’an, Marriage of Hadrat Zainab (ra), the Great Calumny and Mischief of the Hypocrites
Pages: Book pp. 422–426 (PDF pp. 446–450)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Remaining Events Relevant to the Marriage of Hadrat Zainab (ra)] | Next: [Ghazwah of Banu Mustaliq and the Great Calumny -Sha‘ban 5 A.H.] »
Historical Account
perspective it is false and contradictory to the facts to assert that the Holy Prophetsa always received revelation according to his own wishes. The life of the Holy Prophetsa is full of examples where many a time he would receive revelation at odds with his own personal desire. As such, this very account is a shining example in itself. The Holy Qur’ān clearly states that the Holy Prophetsa was fearful of marrying Zainabra and desired to avert this marriage. However, Allāh the Exalted commanded him to accept, and even slightly reprimanded him saying:
“O Messenger! You are afraid on account of the people, whereas God is the only One Who has right to be feared.”
[Al-Aḥzāb (33:38)]
Hence, if one contemplates, the very account under which Mr. Muir has raised an allegation on the basis of a false narration, establishes its falsehood. Similarly, it is mentioned in the Holy Qur’ān that on the occasion of the Ghazwah of Tubūk, when the Holy Prophetsa permitted various hypocrites to remain behind, a revelation was received saying:
“O Messenger! Allāh forgive you. Why did you grant them permission? On this occasion, We had desired to separate the believers from the hypocrites.”
([At-Taubah (9:43)])
In the same manner, when the Holy Prophetsa had lead the funeral prayer of ‘Abdullāh bin Ubayy bin Sulūl, chief of the hypocrites, and the Holy Prophetsa believed that there was no harm in doing so, the following divine revelation was sent down:
“From now on, do not offer the funeral prayer of anyone from among these hypocrites, nor stand by his grave in prayer, because they are actually
disbelievers and have died in a state of disobedience to God.”
([At-Taubah (9:84)])
Further still, it is narrated in Bukhārī that when the Holy Prophetsa was wounded in the Ghazwah of Uḥud, and he prayed in a manner which was somewhat against the Quraish, the following Qur’ānic verse was revealed:
“You have no relation in respect to who we forgive and who we punish.”
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Maghāzī, Bābu Laisa Laka Minal-Amri Shai’un * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tafsīr, Tafsīru Sūrati Āl-e-‘Imrān, Bābu Laisa Laka Minal-Amri Shai’un, Verse 129, Ḥadīth No. 4560]
In the same manner, when the wives of the Holy Prophetsa reached a number which was necessary in divine estimation, the Holy Prophetsa received the revelation, ‘Now you are not permitted to marry any further.’ Therefore, it is an absolutely false and baseless notion that the Holy Prophetsa would have revelation sent down according to his own fancy. Such an allegation can only be levelled by a person who is completely ignorant of Islāmic history. Then, it is even stranger to note that on the marriage of Zainabra, Mr. Muir and Margoliouth raise the objection that the Holy Prophetsa invented revelation to his own liking. However, the Ḥadīth relates that on this occasion, the Holy Prophetsa received revelation which was completely against his own will and intention. Thus, if he had wished to conceal any part from among his revelation, he would definitely have hidden this one in particular, which in addition to being against his own will, also possessed a tone of reprimand. As such, the words as they are related in the Ḥadīth are as follows:
[Al-Aḥzāb (33:53)]
ٖلَوْ كَانَ رَسُ وْلُ اللّٰهِ صَ لَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَسَ لَّمَ كَاتِمًا شَ یْئًا لَكَ تَمَ ھٰذِه
“If the Holy Prophetsa was one to conceal his revelation, he definitely would have hidden this particular one.”
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābut-Tauḥīd, Bābu Wa Kāna ‘Arshuhū ‘Alal-Mā’i, Ḥadīth No. 7420]
The allegation, therefore, that the Holy Prophetsa would craft revelation to his own liking is absolutely false and without foundation. As far
as the matter is concerned that often times revelation would be sent down in line with his own thoughts – this is correct. However, this is not a point of objection, rather, this very fact is proof of the truth and excellence of the Holy Prophetsa. In the Holy Qur’ān, Allāh the Exalted states:
“O Prophet! Set yourself towards the service of Islām, the religion of God, in an upright and straightforward manner – a religion which has been fashioned according to the nature in which He has created mankind.”
[Ar-Rūm (30:31)]
In terms of rationality as well, this is exactly the course that should have been employed, in that the nature of man should have been created in line with the Sharī‘at, or in other words, the Sharī‘at should have been revealed in accordance with human nature. Hence, a correlation between a pure disposition and the Islāmic Sharī‘at must exist, and the greater extent to which a person’s nature is undiluted and pure from external influences, the more such a person is closer to the essence of the Sharī‘at. Therefore, it was necessary for the natural inclinations of the Holy Prophetsa to be at greater accord with the Islāmic Sharī‘at, as compared to other people. In normal circumstances, the views of the Holy Prophetsa would follow a course which was in line with the revelation of the Sharī‘at. However, it is absolutely incorrect to assert that this always occurred, because after all, the Holy Prophetsa was a human being and human necessity required that on certain occasions there be a variance as well. In addition to this, since Allāh the Exalted desired to clearly manifest that the source of the revelation sent upon the Holy Prophetsa was above and beyond his heart and mind; and was sent from a Being of hidden depths, under His wise power, He left no dearth of such examples where the Holy Prophetsa thought one thing, but something else was revealed, or the desire of the Holy Prophetsa was one thing, but something different was revealed. Therefore, the allegation of Mr. Muir and Mr. Margoliouth is absolutely incorrect and baseless.
Ghazwah of Banū Muṣṭaliq and the Great Calumny –
Sha‘bān 5 A.H.
The opposition of the Quraish began to take on a more dangerous form day by day and through their conspiracies, they had already incited many tribes against Islām and the Founder of Islām. However, now their animosity created a new threat, in that, those tribes of Ḥijāz who had thus far, held good relations with the Muslims, now began to stand up against them due to the seditious designs of the Quraish. In this respect, the Banū Muṣṭaliq, a branch of the renowned Khuzā‘ah tribe took the lead, and began to mobilise in order to launch an attack against Madīnah. Their chief, Ḥarath bin Abī Ḍarrār toured the other tribes of that region and brought various other tribes aboard as well. When the Holy Prophetsa received news of this, as an act of precaution, the Holy Prophetsa dispatched a Companion named Buraidah bin Ḥaṣībra towards the Banū Muṣṭaliq in order to gather intelligence, and urged him to return swiftly with insight into the state of affairs. When Buraidahra arrived he found that in fact, a very large gathering was present and preparations were underway to attack Madīnah with great vehemence and uproar. He returned at once and relayed his findings to the Holy Prophetsa. According to his custom, as a preemptive measure, the Holy Prophetsa urged his Companions to set out towards the dwellings of Banū Muṣṭaliq. A large number of Companions prepared to go forth. In fact, a large group of hypocrites, who prior to this had never come along in such numbers also set out. The Holy Prophetsa left behind Abū Dharr Ghifārīra or in light of various narrations, Zaid bin Ḥārithahra as the
[ The Life of Mahomet, By Sir William Muir, Chapter XVI, Mahomet attacks and takes captive the Bani Mustalick), pp. 306-307, Published by Smith, Elder & Co. London (1878)]
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Section: IX – Repeated Treachery of the Jews, Compilation and Sequence of the Holy Qur’an, Marriage of Hadrat Zainab (ra), the Great Calumny and Mischief of the Hypocrites | Navigation: « Previous: [Remaining Events Relevant to the Marriage of Hadrat Zainab (ra)] | Next: [Ghazwah of Banu Mustaliq and the Great Calumny -Sha‘ban 5 A.H.] »