And the biggest of the factors that we need to take into consideration:
Not every act of the prophet Muhammad (SAW) is to be emulated by the Ummah.
Imagine the most beautiful creation known in the universe - it was him!
Imagine sweat that had the fragrance of perfume - it was his!
Imagine a person who can see behind himself as we see infront of ourselves - he could do this
Imagine a prophet living in your time - a person sent by Allah (SWT)
Imagine the most amazingly soft and kind person - with perfect character - it was him
Would I give my daughter who became of age to a prophet in marriage? - What an honour that would be … Would I do the same for a high street imam? - not likely.
I think people fail to realise that Sayyiduna Muhammad (SAW) was a living miracle … Some things we can emulate in him (SAW) and others things would probably not be so good. It does not mean that what he (SAW) did was not good … not at all … For his (SAW) marriage with Sayyidah Aisha (RA) has brought us much of the religion as mentioned earlier … and many secrets regarding the maintaining of a balanced family who love you come from the ahadith of that blessed marriage.
psyah, with all due respect, this almost god like reverence that some people have for the prophet is blasphemous. The prophet was a man from among us, God says that he sends messengers from among us. If his sweat smelled like perfume or if he could see behind himself or if he had no shadow, he was not a man.
God wants us to follow the example of the prophet. How can we follow the example of a man that God made differently, sort of a super human. That seems unjust doesn’t it, to be asked to follow the example of someone who is a superior creation? Is God unjust? No, God is the MOST just, so He wouldn’t ask or expect us to follow the example of a creation far superior to us. The prophet’s sweat smelled unpleasant just like yours or mine, the prophet could NOT see behind himself, and the prophet most certainly had a shadow. To suggest otherwise is blasphemous and elevating the prophet to a far higher standard than God asked. Also, when we are are ultra reverent about the prophet to the point of attributing supernatural properties to him, we are breaking an important Quranic command, that asks us NOT to distinguish between any of the prophets of messengers.
Psyah, I sincerely didn’t expect this from someone as learned as you.
It sounds alien to your ears because we live in a great fitnah today where modern science and dismissal of anything supernatural has gotten in to our veins. If you wish I can settle every one of your concerns … but before I do that … I need you to entertain one core concepts regarding tawheed.
Source vs Reflection
RasoolAllah (SAW) is not the Source of any of these traits earlier discussed - In fact I did not mention the shadow part … the reason regarding the shadow is most likely because at certain times it was noticed that a cloud would hover over his (SAW) head - by Divine decree.
RasoolAllah (SAW) is the Reflection not the Source … If Allah (SWT) grants these miraculous traits in the person of a prophet then how can this be any form of deification?
Next there are plenty of references for what I have said … and then I’ll let you decide what they mean.
aahmed, let’s start with a counter/different example. Moderator may wish to split in to a separate thread since we are going away from topic. But I wanted to provide some material to reflect upon.
do you believe that all Prophets were human? Quran says so and so do we believe, right?
do you believe that Suleyman (AS) was a prophet? Quran says so and so do we believe, right?
do you believe that Suleyman (AS) could communicate with animals and Jinns were under his control? He was a man, can any other man do all that? If yes, show me the proof, if not, why not? He was a man so what he did or possessed must be replicated by other men? right?
Agree. I think Prophet Muhammad said to His Companions r.a. at many different time that you may not observe/do what I observe/do b’coz I’m the Prophet and in my case it is different.
Of course in prayer we say “Assalamu’alaika ayyu han nabiyyu” … “Peace be unto YOU O’ Prophet” … Now how can that be stated by RasoolAllah (SAW) … He (SAW) will obviously not be saying that in prayer … but we do !!!
Who will he (SAW) be saying “Peace be unto YOU …O’ Prophet” to? It can’t be himself because that nida is “second person” tense.
‘like us’ means in sense ‘simple personality’ not like those king, prince or else who wear something extra so they looks like some kind of super human among others.
Some of the biggest issues that the Muslims face in these times is because we have forgotten what it is like to love our prophet (SAW). Our religion is the truth - it is more than a zen philosophy … if our prophet (SAW) came with miracles then we acknowledge them as a sign of Allah (SWT). And our purpose is not better served than recognising that we are destined to Allah (SWT) - why would He (SWT) send us prophets ???
No what is absurd is that a god is being declared as being hindered from his human traits, but it is not absurd to say that we recognise Muhammad (SAW) in his prophethood because he came to teach us perfect character and he was indeed to most beautiful person.
We don’t worship him (SAW) we marvel at him and then praise Allah (SWT) …
I agree with Aahmed. We are taught to not make the mistake of deifying the prophet as the Christians had done, and yet here we are talking about sweat that smelled like incense. This is very close to be blasphemy is it not?
In praise of the prophet and in his defense, the Ummah seems to ignore Islam itself. For example, when the danish cartoon riots took place, and people were out for the blood of the guy who made the cartoon, did they forget that in Islam, one life is equivalent to all of humanity?
How do you rectify the praise and reverence for the prophet and Koranic revelation itself that we should follow Islam and not deify the prophet. Yet people seem very close to doing just that. Where is the line? I acknowledge that Islam and the Prophet are often intertwined, however, there has to be a distinction. At what point does praise and reverence cross the bounds?
I disagree, the biggest issues are getting stuck in different interpretations of ritual and dogma and claiming is as the one and only true interpretation regardless of how outlandish it may seem. the essence of the faith is lost, the rights of the people are forgotten, haqooq al ibaad is nowhere in sight, kindness to even animals is not seen. The self declared guardians and standard bearers of the faith are not the best of us, they are by far the worst of us,… bigoted, prejudiced, small minded, blinder wearing, illiterate, uncouth, overbearing, out of touch, uncaring, foul tempered, hate filled thugs that roam around in garb and grooming that they think makes them emulate the prophet..and are the first to destroy property, declare others as non muslims, be disparaging towards minorities, be force behind nonsense rules like blasphemy laws, and ridiculous hudood type laws…we have forgotten the love of learning…of ilm, of the science and the arts…of literature and of exploration. differing in views about personal characteristics of the prophet or ways to show reverence or respect to him are very low on the list of issues.
Now thats just rude. Queer made a solid point in that reverence to such an extent as to attribute super natural qualities to someone is very similar to Hindu reverence for their deities. You didn’t challenge that point, instead you took a swipe at the Hindu religion. Thats cheap.
All of those things you speak of are indeed borne through the proper understanding (of mind and heart) of who Sayyiduna Muhammad (SAW) was … and what he means to us - or rather what we meant to him … (SAW)
said to His Companions r.a. at many different time that you may not observe/do what I observe/do b’coz I’m the Prophet and in my case it is different.