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Question
The Reality of Belief in the Messengers and Prophets in Islam
Answer
Praise be to Allah.
Belief in the Messengers implies four things:
1 β Firm belief that Allah sent to every nation a Messenger from amongst them, to call them to worship Allah alone and to disbelieve in everything that is worshipped instead of Him, and that they (the Messengers) were all truthful, speakers of the truth, righteous, wise, pious, and honest, and that they conveyed everything with which Allah sent them, concealing and altering nothing. They did not add even one letter from themselves or omit anything.
βAre the Messengers charged with anything but to convey clearly the Message?β
Quran [al-Nahl 16:35 β interpretation of the meaning]
Their message was the same, from the first to the last of them, based on the principle of Tawheed, i.e., that all kinds of worship should be devoted to Allah alone, beliefs, words and deeds alike, and that everything that is worshipped instead of Allah is to be rejected.
The evidence for that is the verses (interpretation of the meanings):
βAnd We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him (saying): Laa ilaaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah)], so worship Me (Alone and none else)β Quran [al-Anbiyaβ 21:25]
βAnd ask (O Muhammad) those of Our Messengers whom We sent before you: βDid We ever appoint aalihah (gods) to be worshipped besides the Most Gracious (Allah)?ββ Quran [al-Zukhruf 43:45]
And there are very many similar verses.
With regard to the obligatory duties by which Allah is to be worshipped and the minor details of legislation, prayers and fasts may have been enjoined on some nations but not on others, and some things may have been forbidden to some and permitted to others, as a test from Allah.
βWho has created death and life that He may test you which of you is best indeedβ
Quran [al-Mulk 67:2 β interpretation of the meaning]
The evidence for that is in the verse (interpretation of the meaning):
βTo each among you, we have prescribed a law and a clear wayβ Quran [al-Maaβidah 5:48]
Ibn βAbbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said β(This means) a way and a path.β Mujaahid, βIkrimah and many of the mufassireen (commentators) said likewise.
In Sahih al-Bukhari (3443) and Sahih Muslim (2365) it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: βThe Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: βThe Prophets are like brothers from one father, their mothers are different, but their religion is oneββ β
i.e., the Prophets are united on the principle of Tawhid=monotheism, the message with which Allah sent every Messenger whom He sent, and which He included in every Book that He revealed, but their laws differed as to command and prohibitions, what was permitted and what was forbidden.
Whoever disbelieves in the message of one of them has disbelieved in all of them, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
βThe people of Nooh (Noah) belied the Messengersβ Quran [al-Shuβaraβ 26:105]
Allah described them as disbelieving in all of the Messengers even though there was no Messenger other than Noah at the time when they disbelieved.
2 β Belief in those Messengers whose names we know, such as Muhammad, Ibrahim, Moosa, βEesa and Noah (may blessings and peace be upon them all). Regarding those who have been mentioned in general terms but whose names we do not know, we are obliged to believe in them in general terms.
As Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
βThe Messenger (Muhammad) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) βWe make no distinction between one another of His Messengersββ Quran [al-Baqarah 2:285]
βAnd indeed, we have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad), of some of them We have related to you their story. And of some We have not related to you their storyβ Quran [Ghaafir 40:78]
And we believe that the Final Messenger was our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and there is no Prophet after him, as Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
βMuhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everythingβ Quran [al-Ahzaab 33:40]
In al-Bukhaari (4416) and Muslim (2404) it is narrated from Saβd ibn Abi Waqqaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went out to Tabook and appointed βAli as his deputy (in Madeenah). βAli said, βAre you leaving me in charge of the children and women?β
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, βDoes it not please you that you are to me like Haroon to Moosa? But there will be no Prophet after me.β
Allah favored him and singled him out for great blessings which were given to no other Prophet. For example:
1-Allah sent him to all of the two races of mankind and jinn, whereas each Prophet who came before him was sent only to his own people.
2-Allah supported him against his enemies by striking fear into the hearts of all his enemies within the radius of one monthβs travel.
3-The earth was made a place of prayer and a means of purification for him.
4-War booty was made permissible for him, where it had not been permitted to any Prophet before him.
5-He will be granted the position of greater intercession.
And there are many other special favours that have been bestowed upon him (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
3 β Believing in the sound reports that have been narrated from the Messengers.
4 β Following the laws of the Messenger who has been sent to us, namely the Final Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who was sent to all of mankind. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
βBut no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submissionβ Quran [al-Nisaβ 4:65]
We should note that belief in the Messengers bears great fruit, such as:
1-Knowledge of the mercy of Allah towards His slaves and His care for them, as He sent the Messengers to guide them to the path of Allah and to show them how to worship Allah, for human reason alone cannot come to know that.
2-Giving thanks to Him for this great blessing.
3-Loving and venerating the Messengers (blessing and peace be upon them), and praising them in the manner that befits them, because they are the Messengers of Allah, and because they worshipped Him and conveyed His Message, and were sincere towards His slaves.
And Allah knows best.
See Aβlaam al-Sunnah al-Manshoorah, 97-102; Sharh Usool al-Thalaathah by Shaykh Ibn βUthaymeen, 95, 96.