Heard many people in real life and online forums sayings ‘he was the Prophet and we are ordinary people. We can’t do what he did in xyz circumstances’.
How do you see this perception? Isn’t it different from Quran’s verses where Muslims are told that in Prophet’s life, they got a role model. If it is impracticable to follow Prophet’s life, why Quran termed his life ‘uswa’ / role model for Muslims?
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
Heard many people in real life and online forums sayings 'he was the Prophet and we are ordinary people. We can't do what he did in xyz circumstances'.
How do you see this perception? Isn't it different from Quran's verses where Muslims are told that in Prophet's life, they got a role model. If it is impracticable to follow Prophet's life, why Quran termed his life 'uswa' / role model for Muslims?
Yeh, in certain cases, common people can not act like Prophet (PBUH). For example, Prophet (PBUH) never killed anyone in any war even in self defense.. Remember, in Uhad, Prophet's (PBUH) teeths were martyred and his followers were fighting around him to save him from Kafirs but he never used his sword to kill those kafirs to save himself. While his companions like Hazrat Umer and Hazrat ALI (R.A) not only took part In wars but also killed many Kafirs. That tells u the story, that in certain circumstances, common people can not act like Prophet (PBUH).
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet’s life
I think this is not true. How come a person who fought so many battles and possessed swords had not killed a single person all his life. There was this one-to-one battle tradition in Arabs and as Prophet was the leader of the battles, he might not have one-to-one battle with anyone, but at times who people fought in groups, there might have been some deaths by the hands of Prophet (SAW). That is, however, a totally different aspect (interesting at its place) to that what I’m asking. I’m more concerned about the uswa part of his life, as told to us by Quran.
What google tells us:
http://iskandrani.wordpress.com/2008/02/09/how-many-people-did-the-prophet-ever-kill/
And the Prophet was the most complete in regards to this bravery that is appropriate for the commanders in war, and he did not kill with his hand anyone except Ubayy bin Khalaf. He killed him on the day of Uhud, and did not kill anyone else with his hand before or after this.”
‘Minhaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah’; 8/78]
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
Peace brother muqawwee123
In Surah Ahzab verse 21 we have the statement that you mentioned:
There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.
First of all, it needs to be made clear that in the Arabic there is no hasr in this verse. There is no restriction or confinement. RasoolAllah (SAW) and a role model is just that ... a pattern of behaviour that we can approach, not necessarily reach.
By calling RasoolAllah (SAW) the best among us, then how would that title be maintained if we all could do as he (SAW) did?
Next we all know that achievement is not the idea of good acts ... because achievement is linked to tawfiq, what should be our goal is to try to achieve. We should try to follow RasoolAllah (SAW) without becoming excessive in ourselves. We need to understand that if a person can fast twice a week that is his or her maqam, try not to overburden yourself or it might have an adverse affect, but if tawfiq has brought you to that juncture and it is easy to adopt for you then do so. At the same time there is a minimal level that we should be on. That minimum level is the urge and desire to be complicit with the Shari'ah ... note: the minimum level requires no action, but at least should result in utter guilt for failing to abide by the major aspects of the religion. The correct understanding and the place of each element in the religion is important.
The purpose of a role model is not one that results necessarily in a one to one relationship of emulation. But is an approach ... there is no conflict in having a role model that is not achievable ... rather I would argue the best role model is the one that is unachievable ... for all other role models can be surpassed and if surpassed then that person would have no role model, the life of RasoolAllah (SAW) is a role model for life ... we will never be good enough to supersede and there is a wisdom in that, isn't there?
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aims too high, but in setting our aim too low and achieving our mark >>> *Michelangelo*
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
Thanks for your post psyah. I do agree what you wrote. We can't be like Prophet in all the aspects and there were certain things that were just for him to follow, but overall when you are going to do something in your life while dealing with the people around you, you can follow the Prophet (SAW). We say the message (Islam) he brought before us was natural, so how come we can't follow what is natural and was practiced by the Prophet himself.
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
Heard many people in real life and online forums sayings 'he was the Prophet and we are ordinary people. We can't do what he did in xyz circumstances'.
How do you see this perception? Isn't it different from Quran's verses where Muslims are told that in Prophet's life, they got a role model. If it is impracticable to follow Prophet's life, why Quran termed his life 'uswa' / role model for Muslims?
Do not google it. You have shared mnn-garath story... The source is not authentic. the reality is, Prophet never killed anyone, plz care to show, with reference from Hadees, bukhari or Muslim or Tarmazi.. As u used the word "MIGHT BE" in ur post, let me tell u, that u should nt build anything on assupmption specially about Prophets. Show us a authentic source, Only then u will be able to say that Prophet killed anyone. As far as i know, Prophet never killed anyone with his hand. It means, it certain cases, we can not act like Prophets
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet’s life
reference is there. Please do your search.
‘Minhaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah’; 8/78]
Further with Bukhari references:
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
Thanks for your post psyah. I do agree what you wrote. We can't be like Prophet in all the aspects and there were certain things that were just for him to follow, but overall when you are going to do something in your life while dealing with the people around you, you can follow the Prophet (SAW). We say the message (Islam) he brought before us was natural, so how come we can't follow what is natural and was practiced by the Prophet himself.
RasoolAllah (SAW) was not a follower ... he (SAW) was a prophet. The best of the followers are his closest companions (RA) and in their lives we can see how they followed him (SAW) and how they differed from each other. And we can see the diversity of Islamic fellowship - which itself is a mercy for us.
Again I emphasise actions alone do not make something natural ... It is when the actions that emanate from a person of a given level that is natural. It is not natural for a rolling ball to come to an immediate stop, nor is it natural that it will be at maximum speed after previously being at complete rest. There will be a period of acceleration. A duration of growth and progress ... to be natural is to be in a place somewhere between conscious effort and habit ... If there is no habit and only conscious effort we are going to fatigue ourselves ... if there is no effort and only habit then we are not progressing and are much like animals. When we progress in taqwa and tawfiq gradually we take on more and that is like going to a gym and gradually over the months pushing your target ... so that you neither get stretch marks or muscle tear nor do you get muscle waste and no progress. That is what natural means in this context ... Allahu'alim.
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
RasoolAllah (SAW) was not a follower ... he (SAW) was a prophet. The best of the followers are his closest companions (RA) and in their lives we can see how they followed him (SAW) and how they differed from each other. And we can see the diversity of Islamic fellowship - which itself is a mercy for us.
Again I emphasise actions alone do not make something natural ... It is when the actions that emanate from a person of a given level that is natural. It is not natural for a rolling ball to come to an immediate stop, nor is it natural that it will be at maximum speed after previously being at complete rest. There will be a period of acceleration. A duration of growth and progress ... to be natural is to be in a place somewhere between conscious effort and habit ... If there is no habit and only conscious effort we are going to fatigue ourselves ... if there is no effort and only habit then we are not progressing and are much like animals. When we progress in taqwa and tawfiq gradually we take on more and that is like going to a gym and gradually over the months pushing your target ... so that you neither get stretch marks or muscle tear nor do you get muscle waste and no progress. That is what natural means in this context ... Allahu'alim.
In simple words, can you please give some of aspects from Prophet's lives that we ordinary Muslims can't follow, no matter how much we strive for them?
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet’s life
yeh, cz it has proved u wrong that We cnt act like Prophets in certain cases, thats why it is nt the topic. Minhaj us Sunahh-an-nawabiya is not authentic source.
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
yeh, cz it has proved u wrong that We cnt act like Prophets in certain cases, thats why it is nt the topic. Minhaj us Sunahh-an-nawabiya is not authentic source.
If you say so :@: Please lets give other posters a chance to express their views rather making each and every thread running on same stupid path.
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
If I heard someone saying that, then I'd ask them for clarification of what they mean. Are they saying that 1) he had certain exceptions that applied to him (e.g. number of wives, ineligibility to receive zakaat/sadaqa, inheritance rules) or are they saying that 2) we can't strive to follow his examples in certain things, such as marriages, earning, spending, eating, sleeping etc.
If it's the former, then I would agree. Otherwise I would disagree.
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
If I heard someone saying that, then I'd ask them for clarification of what they mean. Are they saying that 1) he had certain exceptions that applied to him (e.g. number of wives, ineligibility to receive zakaat/sadaqa, inheritance rules) or are they saying that 2) we can't strive to follow his examples in certain things, such as marriages, earning, spending, eating, sleeping etc.
If it's the former, then I would agree. Otherwise I would disagree.
Most of the time its about dealing with your enemies.
Dealing with people who have difference of opinion.
Like if you say to them Prophet was worried about the disappearance of a lady who used to throw garbage on them, they would say 'wo to paighambar the, hum aam insano main itna zarf aur hosla kahan.. hum per hamare piyaron per koi keechaR uchale hum to bardasht nahin karen ge'.
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
^one who cannot act upon, have so many excuses, like none can be sadiq ameen like loving nabi muhammad sallal laho alehe wasallam but yes one can at least try to be like it, none can forgive him like he forgave at the time fatah e makkah, but whenever one feel difficult to forgive someone at least remember how he did that, as a follower we have to do what he did, at least try rather than making such lame excuses
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet’s life
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
In simple words, can you please give some of aspects from Prophet's lives that we ordinary Muslims can't follow, no matter how much we strive for them?
The list of things include those things that we can follow but will render us incapable of keeping balance with our other duties.
Amount of prayer
Number of wives
Fasting duration and number of days
Receiving revelation
Level of consciousness of Allah (SWT) (taqwa)
To be sinless
Patience
Charity - Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (RA) did give everything, but Sayyiduna RasoolAllah (SAW) returned back to us from Jannah !!!
The Ascension itself
Prophecy
Ability to kill Dajjal
Often the things that are forbidden for us are forbidden because a Sahabi would emulate it in RasoolAllah (SAW) but would then get told not to do it and be given the reason why ... The nature of RasoolAllah (SAW) would be to always give light things for his companions to do and when they asked for more he (SAW) would add slowly to them ...
The correct understanding of following RasoolAllah (SAW) is in obedience to his instructions rather than emulation of him (SAW) ... Only in very specific cases would he (SAW) say "do as I do" ...
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
The list of things include those things that we can follow but will render us incapable of keeping balance with our other duties.
Often the things that are forbidden for us are forbidden because a Sahabi would emulate it in RasoolAllah (SAW) but would then get told not to do it and be given the reason why ... The nature of RasoolAllah (SAW) would be to always give light things for his companions to do and when they asked for more he (SAW) would add slowly to them ...
Amount of prayer - Agree. I think there were certain nawafil that were obligatory for him. In Surah e Muzammil, certain relaxations announced.
**
Number of wives - **Agree. There were certain exemptions only available to the Prophet, but we can at least try to follow the equality and justice in case of more than one wife.
Fasting duration and number of days - *30 days of Ramadan and 3 days a month are enough for Muslims. Many Sahaba and Tabiyeen followed alternate day fasting. *
Receiving revelation - No doubt about it and there is no need for 'follow' aspect in this, as we believe wahi's chapter is closed on him.
Level of consciousness of Allah (SWT) (taqwa) - Obviously, but there are things that we can follow (not to that level). Like we are accountable to God for all of our actions. When Prophet was so conscious about fear of God, then we should be more careful and not take our lives and actions for granted to invite God's wrath.
To be sinless : This is the attribute for Prophets only. We can't claim for such purity, so I don't think there is 'follow' aspect, except we should try to save ourselves from sins as per guidance provided by the Prophet.
Patience: God is with 'Saabreen'. The plural says that Sabr was just not for the Prophet, but necessary to follow for others. We can't reach that level obviously. BTW, current meaning of Sabr is perplexed. Just submit to atrocities is also Sabr in today's world, but Islam and Prophet doesn't advocate such type of Sabr.
Charity - Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (RA) did give everything, but Sayyiduna RasoolAllah (SAW) returned back to us from Jannah !!! Interesting thought, but except for level and extent of charity, people did follow teachings of the Prophet regarding Charity, **as you name Hazrat Abu Bakr (RA)***.*
The Ascension itself : Please explain
Prophecy : Obvious. Its limited to Prophets and not for followers.
Ability to kill Dajjal : Special attribute / power given by God. There is nothing for striving to follow here. May be , it teaches us that when it comes to 'Haq', don't see the power of person who is going against Haq.
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
My whole point was "to follow RasoolAllah (SAW)" only means emulate (copy) when he (SAW) intended that. The arrangement between a prophet and his 'followers' is that of a shepherd to his sheep.
It mostly means obey ... What we are "following" is that spiritual path ... The Straight Path ... In physical terms we are doing as instructed, in metaphysical terms we are being led on this path. So our instruction for role model is limited to the areas where RasoolAllah (SAW) (instructed us to copy him) and in those leaders who acquire a position of authority to exercise justice according to similar principles of RasoolAllah (SAW).
We can't all become shepherds, but within the sheep psyche they do tend to follow each other, which keeps them as a unit, together.
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
It is amazing how people quickly jump to exceptions and skip the acts/ways of acting that we should follow
Re: Muslims can not follow Prophet's life
It is amazing how people quickly jump to exceptions and skip the acts/ways of acting that we should follow
probably list of exception (for discussion purposes) is limited to few as compared to line of action. :)