Eternal Command to Obey the Messenger ﷺ: Beyond Time and Leadership❖ Objection: Was Obedience to the Prophet ﷺ Limited to His Lifetime?
Some groups who deny the authority of Hadith raise the objection that obedience to the Messenger ﷺ was confined only to his blessed lifetime, arguing that he was merely a leader or ruler during his time. According to them, after his passing, obedience should now be directed toward a new leader or ruler. But does the Qur'an support this claim? And was the Prophethood of the Messenger ﷺ confined to a particular nation or era? Let us examine this doubt in the light of the Qur'an.
❖ Qur'anic Evidences: The Universality of Prophethood
The Noble Qur'an explicitly states that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sent as a Prophet for all of mankind, not limited to a single nation or time. A few verses are presented below:
"قُلْ یَا أَیُّھَا النَّاسُ إِنِّی رَسُوْلُ اللّٰہِ إِلَیْکُمْ جَمِیْعًا"
(Al-A'raf: 158)
"(O Muhammad), say: O mankind! I am the Messenger of Allah to all of you."
"وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا كَافَّةً لِّلنَّاسِ بَشِيرًا وَنَذِيرًا"
(Saba: 28)
"And We have not sent you except as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner to all of mankind."
"وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ إِلَّا رَحْمَةً لِّلْعَالَمِينَ"
(Al-Anbiya: 107)
"And We have not sent you but as a mercy to the worlds."
❖ Scope of Prophethood: For All Times and Nations
The above verses clearly show that the Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is neither limited to any one nation nor to any specific time. Furthermore, the Qur'an declares that he ﷺ is the last Prophet, and that no new Prophet will come after him:
"مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَا أَحَدٍ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمْ وَلَـٰكِن رَّسُولَ اللَّـهِ وَخَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ"
(Al-Ahzab: 40)
"Muhammad ﷺ is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets."
❖ Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ: Understanding the Distinction Between Prophet and Ruler
The Qur'an explicitly distinguishes "obedience to the Messenger" from "obedience to rulers". If the obedience to the Prophet ﷺ was merely that of a temporal leader, this distinction would not have been made:
"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ"
(An-Nisa: 59)
"O you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those in authority among you."
Here, the obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is mentioned separately from the obedience to those in authority, proving that the Prophet’s obedience is divinely mandated and continues even after his passing.
❖ Why Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ Is Perpetually Obligatory
◈ Wisdom in Prophethood:
Every statement and action of the Messenger ﷺ was under the supervision of divine revelation. If something did not align with the pleasure of Allah, He would immediately issue correction. Therefore, all commands and actions of the Prophet ﷺ are revelation-based and cannot be compared to those of later rulers.
◈ Obedience to the Messenger in the Qur'an:
The Qur'an always pairs obedience to Allah with obedience to the Messenger:
"يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّـهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ"
(Muhammad: 33)
"O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger."
❖ Rational Perspective on Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ
If the interpretations and teachings of the Messenger ﷺ were essential for the early Arabs—who had a better understanding of the Qur’an’s style, language, and the context of revelation—then how much more necessary are these teachings for later generations who lack those advantages? For us, the need for the Prophet’s guidance is even greater.
❖ Rightly Guided Caliphs and the “Center of the Ummah” Concept
Thinkers like Ghulam Ahmad Parvez attempt to replace obedience to the Prophet ﷺ with obedience to the Rightly Guided Caliphs under the concept of “center of the Ummah.” However, history clearly shows that the Rightly Guided Caliphs, such as ʿUmar (RA) and ʿAli (RA), appeared before the courts and judgments were passed even against them. Had they regarded themselves as the "central authority of the Ummah," such scenarios would never have occurred.
Conclusion: Obedience to the Messenger ﷺ is Obligatory Until the End of Time
In the light of the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and rational evidence, it becomes clear that obedience to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is obligatory upon all Muslims until the Day of Judgment. His obedience is not merely due to his position as a temporal leader but is due to his status as the Messenger of Allah.
