This excerpt is taken from the book of Fazilat-ul-Sheikh Abdul Salam Rustami From Denial of Hadith to Denial of Quran.
Belief in Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him
Although this issue falls under faith in the Quran and is a special pillar of Quranic beliefs, we want to discuss it in a separate chapter for two reasons.
➊ The basis of our topic, the affirmation of the authenticity of Hadith (which is the main purpose of this book), is faith in the Messenger.
➋ The primary source of faith is faith in the Messenger because a person who does not accept the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as a Messenger cannot acquire the belief in the Oneness of Allah and the beliefs mentioned in the Holy Quran, nor from where or how.
Faith in the Messenger means that all His attributes (whether affirmatively or negatively mentioned) must be accepted. Denying or misinterpreting any one of these attributes is disbelief. According to Mr. Parvez, faith in the prophethood of Muhammad means faith in the book that the nation received through the mediation of the Messenger of Allah.
Reference: (Firdous Gum Gashta, p. 383)
In Mr. Parvez’s view, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ came at most as a preacher, delivered the Quran to the nation, and then departed from this world. So what happened to His practical life, which is the exemplary model? Now we will explain the status, dignity, and attributes of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from the Holy Quran so that the followers of Parvez realize that their claim regarding faith in the Messenger is nothing but empty talk.
The First Attribute: Prophethood and Messengership
Belief in all the Prophets, peace be upon them, and Messengers is obligatory. Regarding belief in them, the imperative form has been used in the Holy Quran. Allah Almighty said:
فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ ۚ وَإِن تُؤْمِنُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ﴿١٧٩﴾
"So believe in Allah and His Messengers, and if you believe and fear Allah, then for you is a great reward."
Reference: (3-Al Imran: 179)
He also said:
فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ
"Believe in Allah and His Messengers."
Reference: (4-An Nisa: 171)
In these blessed verses, the command is to believe in all the Messengers, but at this time the obligation of believing only in the last Messenger is being explained. In the Holy Quran, the imperative form has been used seven times to believe in you, peace be upon him. He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ
"O you who have believed, believe in Allah and His Messenger."
Reference: (4-An Nisa: 136)
He also said:
قَدْ جَاءَكُمُ الرَّسُولُ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَآمِنُوا خَيْرًا لَكُمْ
"The Messenger has come to you with the truth from your Lord, so believe; it is better for you."
Reference: (4-An Nisa: 170)
He also said:
فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ
"So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet."
Reference: (7-Al A'raf: 158)
He also said:
يَقَوْمَنَا أَجِيبُوا دَاعِيَ اللَّهِ وَآمِنُوا بِهِ
"O our people! Accept the invitation of the one who invites to Allah and believe in him."
Reference: (46-Al Ahqaf: 31)
He also said:
آمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَأَنْفِقُوا مِمَّا جَعَلَكُمْ مُسْتَخْلَفِينَ فِيهِ
"Believe in Allah and His Messenger and spend out of that in which He has made you successors."
Reference: (57-Al Hadid: 7)
He also said:
اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ وَآمِنُوا بِرَسُولِهِ يُؤْتِكُمْ كِفْلَيْنِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ
"Fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will give you a double portion of His mercy."
Reference: (57-Al Hadid: 28)
He also said:
فَآمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَالنُّورِ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْنَا
"So believe in Allah, His Messenger, and the light which We have sent down."
Reference: (64-At Taghabun: 8)
Among these seven verses, the first verse invites the hypocrites to pure faith, the second, third, and sixth verses invite the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). The fourth verse is an invitation from the tongue of the jinn to their own kind to believe, while the fifth and seventh verses are a general invitation to believe in the Messenger. In all these seven verses, Allah Almighty has mentioned the attribute of Messengership and Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.
Meaning of Rasul and Nabi
The linguistic difference between Rasul and Nabi is that Risalat means delivering a message, and Nabuwat ”نبأ“ is derived from giving news or Nabuwat ”نبوة“ is derived from it. Its meaning is: exaltation of status. Some have explained the difference between Rasul and Nabi in this way that the one who is given a permanent book and Shariah is a Rasul, while Nabi is general, whether he is given a permanent book or Shariah or not, but divine revelation comes to him. Therefore, every Rasul is a Nabi, but not every Nabi is a Rasul.
❀ The preferred opinion: But the correct view is that legally every Rasul is a Nabi and every Nabi is a Rasul; the difference is only conceptual that if the attribution is to Allah, then he is a Rasul, meaning the one who brings Allah’s message, and if the attribution is to the servants, then he is a Nabi, meaning the one who informs the servants. That is why in Surah Maryam, both attributes Rasul and Nabi are mentioned for Musa and Isa (peace be upon them), and for our Prophet, the Seal of the Prophets, Rasul Allah ﷺ, both attributes Rasul and Nabi are combined.
The legal specificity of Rasul is that there are two types of Risalat:
➊ Verbal Risalat: meaning delivering and conveying the message of words, sayings, and expressions.
➋ Practical and active Risalat: meaning delivering the practical message of actions and the manner of deeds. Belief in Risalat includes both these meanings (verbal and practical Risalat).
Verbal Prophethood
The Quranic evidence for verbal prophethood is that Allah Almighty has addressed you 329 times in the Quran with the word ”قل“, which means: "Say," i.e., convey this message verbally. In this message, the trustworthiness of the Prophet is the essential attribute, so he cannot attribute this matter to himself, meaning he cannot say that I am saying this on my own. Therefore, all the speech of the Prophet is based on revelation, and this is the difference between a Prophet and an agent. The Prophet only conveys the message of the sender (the one who sends), and does not attribute the message to himself, whereas an agent attributes the matter to himself. Therefore, in contracts and so on, the agent bears the responsibility of rights, while the Prophet does not bear the responsibility of rights. Hence, Allah Almighty said to His Prophet, peace be upon him:
وَمَا أَنْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِوَكِيلٍ
"And you are not responsible for them."
Reference: (6-Al-An'am: 107)
He also said:
وَلَا تَسْأَلْ عَنْ أَصْحَابِ الْجَحِيمِ
"And you will not be asked about the Hellfire."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah: 119)
From this, it is understood that the verbal hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, are based on revelation from Allah, which is called hidden revelation or non-recited revelation. If the hadiths are considered to be from revelation as per the Parvezian theory, then it would necessarily imply attributing treachery to the Prophet (may Allah forbid), or it would imply that at the time when the Prophet was narrating hadiths, the attribute of prophethood was severed from him, may Allah forbid.
Actual and Practical Prophethood
Its purpose is that Allah Almighty revealed to the messengers, especially the last messenger, peace be upon him, regarding many actions to continue performing certain deeds, and therefore they strictly adhered to them. The mention of these actions and the method of performing them is not detailed in the Holy Quran; their details are found in the Hadith. If this is not called revelation, then when the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was practicing these, did the attribute of prophethood end at that time?
Consider some verses related to this; the divine command is:
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِي كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولًا أَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَاجْتَنِبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ
"We sent a messenger to every nation, [saying], 'Worship Allah and avoid Taghut (false gods).'"
Reference: (16-An-Nahl: 36)
Also He said:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِي إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا أَنَا فَاعْبُدُونِ ﴿٢٥﴾
"And We did not send before you any messenger except that We revealed to him that there is no deity except Me, so worship Me."
Reference: (21-Al-Anbiya: 25)
Also He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّسُلُ كُلُوا مِنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَاعْمَلُوا صَالِحًا
"O Messenger! Eat pure things and do righteous deeds."
Reference: (23-Al-Mu’minun: 51)
Also He said:
إِنَّمَا أُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَعْبُدَ رَبَّ هَٰذِهِ الْبَلْدَةِ
"I have only been commanded to worship the Lord of this city."
Reference: (27-An-Naml: 91)
Also He said:
وَأَنْ أَتْلُوَ الْقُرْآنَ
"And that I recite the Quran."
Reference: (27-An-Naml: 92)
Also He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ
"O Messenger! Convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord."
Reference: (5-Al-Ma’idah: 67)
Also He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اتَّقِ اللَّهَ وَلَا تُطِعِ الْكَافِرِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقِينَ
"O Prophet! Fear Allah and do not obey the disbelievers and the hypocrites."
Reference: (33-Al-Ahzab: 1)
Also He said:
وَاتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ
"And follow what is revealed to you from your Lord."
Reference: (33-Al-Ahzab: 2)
Also He said:
اتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَأَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ
"Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book and establish prayer."
Reference: (29-Al-Ankabut: 45)
Also He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُزَّمِّلُ ﴿١﴾ قُمِ اللَّيْلَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا ﴿٢﴾ نِّصْفَهُ أَوِ انقُصْ مِنْهُ قَلِيلًا ﴿٣﴾ أَوْ زِدْ عَلَيْهِ وَرَتِّلِ الْقُرْآنَ تَرْتِيلًا ﴿٤﴾ إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا ﴿٥﴾ إِنَّ نَاشِئَةَ اللَّيْلِ هِيَ أَشَدُّ وَطْئًا وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلًا ﴿٦﴾ إِنَّ لَكَ فِي النَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا ﴿٧﴾ وَاذْكُرِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ وَتَبَتَّلْ إِلَيْهِ تَبْتِيلًا ﴿٨﴾
"O you who wraps himself [in clothing], arise [to pray] the night, except for a little—half of it or subtract from it a little or add to it, and recite the Quran with measured recitation... And remember the name of your Lord and devote yourself to Him with [complete] devotion."
Reference: (73-Al-Muzzammil: 1-8)
Also He said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الْمُدَّثِّرُ ﴿١﴾ قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ ﴿٢﴾ وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ ﴿٣﴾ وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ ﴿٤﴾ وَالرُّجْزَ فَاهْجُرْ ﴿٥﴾ وَلَا تَمْنُن تَسْتَكْثِرُ ﴿٦﴾ وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ ﴿٧﴾
"O you who covers himself [with a garment], arise and warn and your Lord glorify and your clothing purify and uncleanliness avoid and do not confer favor to acquire more and be patient for the sake of your Lord."
Reference: (74-Al-Muddaththir: 1-7)
Besides these, there are many other verses mentioning actions. In these very noble verses, the messengers are commanded to worship Allah Almighty, and this worship includes every kind of devotion—of the heart, tongue, body, and wealth. These verses command eating pure things, reciting, conveying and inviting to the message, adopting reliance and piety, establishing prayer, standing in night prayer, reciting the Quran with measured recitation, remembering Allah, severing ties with all except Him, proclaiming Allah’s greatness, keeping clothes pure, avoiding all kinds of impurity, and being patient. These are all actions (there are other actions as well which we will mention in the attributes of the Messenger). If the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, performed these actions—and certainly he did—then their manner, form, times, and quantities must have been conveyed from him, but they are not mentioned in the Holy Quran; rather, their mention is in the Hadith. Accepting these actions is accepting his prophethood, and denying them is denying his prophethood. Those blindly following the Pervez school of thought see the Messenger only as a mere postman who delivered the message and then engaged in his own affairs. Apart from delivering the message, he cannot be called a postman at other times. It is clear that ignorance and prejudice veil their intellect and understanding. They call themselves people of the Quran, yet they do not understand the Quran at all.
The Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) Attribute of Preaching, Teaching, and Purification
Allah Almighty, while quoting the prayer of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), said:
رَبَّنَا وَابْعَثْ فِيهِمْ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِكَ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ﴿١٢٩﴾
"O our Lord! Send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses, teach them the Book and wisdom, and purify them."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah: 129)
This verse is the prayer of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), and the acceptance of this prayer is mentioned in three verses: Al-Baqarah 151:2, Aal Imran 164:3, Al-Jumu'ah 2:62.
In these four verses, three attributes of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) are mentioned:
➊ The Greatest Preacher: Your preaching curriculum is the verses of the Holy Quran. This is supported by many verses. It is said:
وَاتْلُ مَا أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ كِتَابِ رَبِّكَ
"And recite what has been revealed to you of the Book of your Lord."
Reference: (18-Al-Kahf: 27)
Elsewhere it is said:
لِتَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمُ الَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ
"So that you may recite to them that which We have revealed to you."
Reference: (13-Ar-Ra'd: 30)
Rule: When the preposition 'ala' is related to the verb of recitation, it means to recite to others, and its purpose is Dawah (invitation) to the Quran.
➋ The Greatest Teacher: For this, your educational curriculum is the Holy Quran and the Hadith.
❀ The investigation of the word Hikmah (wisdom): This word in Arabic lexicon is a verbal noun derived from Hukm or Ahkam. It is spoken for firmness in speech, knowledge, and action. The Holy Quran uses this word several times. In most places, the word "Hikmah" comes after the word "Kitab" (Book). In Surah Al-Ahzab 34:33, after آيت الله, the word والحكمة appears and is mentioned subsequently. In Surah Al-Baqarah it is said:
وَمَا أَنْزَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ
"And what He has revealed to you of the Book and wisdom."
Reference: (2-Al-Baqarah: 231)
Similarly, it is said:
آتَيْتُكُمْ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَالْحِكْمَةِ
"I will give you the Book and wisdom."
Reference: (3-Aal Imran: 81)
Also it is said:
وَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ
"And Allah has revealed to you the Book and wisdom."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa: 113)
From these verses, two things become clear:
➊ Wisdom, like the Book, is revealed by Allah Almighty.
➋ Wisdom is other than the Book of Allah because wisdom is conjoined with the Book of Allah, and conjunction is essentially used to indicate difference between the conjoined and the conjunction, even if the difference is partial.
Abu Hayyan, while explaining the meaning of wisdom, has quoted 29 opinions, all of which have one reference, which is the understanding of the secrets of the Quran, expressed with the word Sunnah, because the Quran generally mentions apparent rulings and fundamental matters, while the Hadith mentions details, branches, conditions, secrets, and subtleties. For this reason, Imam Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) has narrated in his book Al-Risalah that it is agreed that wisdom means the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).
Ghulam Ahmad Parwez took wisdom to mean the Quran itself and sometimes reason, but taking both meanings from wisdom is incorrect because reason is neither revealed by Allah Almighty nor is it specific to the Prophets (peace be upon them). When it is established that wisdom means Sunnah, it becomes clear that Hadiths are also revealed by Allah Almighty. A detailed discussion on this will be given later.
➌ The Greatest Guide: The third attribute of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) is that he is a guide, meaning he purifies. After reciting the verses and teaching the Book and Sunnah, comes the stage of purification, which is achieved by acting upon the Book and Sunnah, establishing a relationship with Allah Almighty through it, and emptying the heart of thoughts other than Allah. All this guidance is found in the Hadith. The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) practically taught the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) the methods of worship, transactions, ethics, remembrance and supplications, and governance. If the only responsibility of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was to deliver the Book of Allah to the Ummah, as the false claim of "Janab Ghulam Ahmad Parwez" is, then who was responsible for the duty of education, training, and purification?
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Clarifier, that is, the one who explains
Allah Almighty said:
وَأَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٤٤﴾
"And We have sent down to you the Reminder so that you may make clear to the people what was sent down to them and that they might reflect."
Reference: (16-An-Nahl: 44)
And He said:
وَمَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ إِلَّا لِتُبَيِّنَ لَهُمُ الَّذِي اخْتَلَفُوا فِيهِ
"And We have sent down to you the Book only that you may make clear to the people what they differ about."
Reference: (16-An-Nahl: 64)
Tabyan: The word "Tabyan" is used for more detailed explanation and interpretation of something, while the word "Bayan" is used for clarification. Allah Almighty said:
وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَاقَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَكْتُمُونَهُ
"When Allah took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture: 'You must make it clear to the people and not conceal it.'"
Reference: (3-Aal Imran: 187)
From this, it is clear that the duty of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was not only to recite the Book but also to explain it along with its recitation and propagation. The explanation and interpretation of this Book are available to us in the form of Hadith. The details and examples of this will, God willing, be presented in the fourth chapter of this book.
From this discussion, it is clear that authentic and good Hadiths are explanations of the Quran; they are not unrelated or weak. In this regard, a solitary report (khabar wahid) holds as much importance as a widely known report (khabar mashhoor). The consensus of the Ummah is on interpreting, explaining, specifying, or restricting the words or phrases of the Quran through Hadith. The four Imams and other scholars of Hadith have explicitly stated that it is correct and rightful to specify, restrict, and interpret the Book of Allah through authentic solitary reports. There is no disagreement among the Imams on this. If anyone has mentioned disagreement, it is not correct. There is also a rational argument that there can be no disagreement between Allah Almighty and His Messenger (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty cannot deny His Prophet, nor can the Prophet deny his Allah. The explanation and clarification of all rulings and issues such as establishing prayer, zakat threshold, fasting rules, rituals of Hajj and Umrah, etiquettes of jihad, marriage and divorce, and trade are present in authentic Hadiths. The textual evidence for this is that the Quran is divine revelation, and so are the Hadiths. Further clarification on this will, God willing, be provided in the sixth chapter of this book.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is a ruler and judge
It is clearly stated in the Holy Quran that Allah Almighty, along with the revelation of the Quran, has also bestowed upon His Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the status of a judge and decision-maker. Whereas a preacher does not have this authority, therefore, the attribute of being a ruler and judge is also included in the description of the Prophethood of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty said:
إِنَّا أَنزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ بِالْحَقِّ لِتَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَا تَكُن لِّلْخَائِنِينَ خَصِيمًا ﴿١٠٥﴾
"We have sent down to you the Book in truth, so that you may judge between the people by that which Allah has shown you."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa: 105)
He also said:
فَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ
"(O Prophet!) Judge between them by what Allah has revealed."
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah: 48)
He also said:
وَأَنِ احْكُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ
"And judge between them by what Allah has revealed."
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah: 49)
And He said:
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ ثُمَّ لَا يَجِدُوا فِي أَنفُسِهِمْ حَرَجًا مِّمَّا قَضَيْتَ وَيُسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا ﴿٦٥﴾
"So by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort about your decisions and submit in [full, willing] submission."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa: 65)
These noble verses make it clear that the Noble Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was also commanded to judge along with his Prophethood. The one who judges is called a ruler and judge; however, the condition for judging is ”بما أنزل الله“ (what Allah has revealed), which encompasses the Quran and Hadith. In fact, in the first verse, ”بما أراك الله“ (and judge by it) which Allah has shown you is mentioned, and besides the Book of Allah, بِمَا أَرَاكَ اللَّهُ refers to the Hadith. Moreover, in the last verse, accepting the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as a ruler is made a condition for faith. This refers to those Hadiths in which various judicial and punitive decisions of the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) are mentioned, for example: cutting off the hand of a thief, stoning a married adulterer, ordering blood money as compensation instead of Qisas for a murderer, issuing orders for Qisas of limbs (physical retribution), deciding the right of allegiance between the freed and the one who frees, declaring some types of trade permissible and others impermissible, making decisions in marriage and divorce, deciding the distribution of water in farming, etc. All these incidents are mentioned in the Hadith. Accepting the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) as a ruler and accepting these Hadiths is part of faith in the Messenger.
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a Caller and Preacher
In many verses of the Holy Quran, the attribute of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) regarding invitation and preaching, its etiquettes, and the curriculum of invitation have been detailed. Allah Almighty said:
يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ ۖ وَإِنْ لَمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَهُ
"O Messenger! Convey what has been revealed to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message."
Reference: (5-Al-Ma'idah: 67)
He also said:
فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
"So proclaim what you have been commanded clearly, and turn away from the polytheists."
Reference: (15-Al-Hijr: 94)
He also said:
ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَادِلْهُمْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ
"(O Prophet!) Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best."
Reference: (16-An-Nahl: 125)
He also said:
قُلْ هَٰذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي
"Say: This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him."
Reference: (12-Yusuf: 108)
He also said:
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ إِنَّا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ شَاهِدًا وَمُبَشِّرًا وَنَذِيرًا ﴿٤٥﴾ وَدَاعِيًا إِلَى اللَّهِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَسِرَاجًا مُّنِيرًا ﴿٤٦﴾
"O Prophet! We have sent you as a witness, a bringer of good tidings, a warner, and one who invites to Allah by His permission, and as a shining lamp."
Reference: (33-Al-Ahzab: 45-46)
In these noble verses, Allah Almighty has imposed the duty of invitation and preaching upon the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and has designated ”ما أنزل الله“ (what Allah Almighty has revealed), ”ما تؤمر“ (what you have been commanded), and ”سبيل ربك“ (the way of the Lord) as the curriculum of invitation. Allah Almighty has sent the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as a witness, bringer of glad tidings and warner, caller to Allah, and a shining lamp. So ”ما أنزل الله“ (what Allah has revealed) necessarily includes the Sunnah as an essential part, because the commands and admonitions that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to convey in the duty of invitation and preaching were not only contained in the Holy Quran but also included the Hadiths he narrated. Therefore, they are also included in ”ما أنزل الله“. Besides this, Allah Almighty has described other attributes of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), for example: in Surah Al-A'raf 7:157, Surah Al-Ma'idah 5:15-16, and Surah At-Tawbah 9:128, his attributes are also mentioned. If all these attributes are considered, then the reality of being a Messenger and Prophet is mentioned in both the Quran and Hadith. So far, the mention of other attributes was in the context of faith in the Messenger, which are also included in faith in the Messenger. Denying or misinterpreting even one of these will result in disbelief.
Conditional and Related Requirements of Faith in the Messenger
Now we mention the other requirements of faith in the Messengership, without fulfilling which faith in the Messenger cannot be correct.
The First Requirement of Faith in the Messenger
Belief in the Messenger includes absolute obedience to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, as an essential pillar, and the obligation of this is established in the Qur'an through four methods.
➊ The form of command (imperative): The imperative form has been used fourteen times regarding obedience to the Messenger.
➋ Encouragement: That is, encouragement towards obeying him has been given in fourteen ways. Some of these are detailed below. Allah Almighty said:
مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ
"Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa: 80)
It was not said that whoever obeys Allah has obeyed the Messenger, because obedience to the Messenger encompasses both Hadith (hidden revelation) and the Qur'an (clear revelation). Therefore, obedience to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in both types of revelation is obedience to Allah, whereas the apparent example of obedience to Allah is only the Qur'an, which is why only obedience to Allah would not necessarily imply obedience to the Messenger. Elsewhere Allah Almighty said:
وَإِنْ تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا
"And if you obey him, you will be guided."
Reference: (24-An-Nur: 54)
Also He said:
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
"And establish prayer, give zakah, and obey the Messenger so that you may receive mercy."
Reference: (24-An-Nur: 56)
Here only obedience to the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, is mentioned, meaning adhere to the way the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, taught in Hadith regarding establishing prayer and giving zakah so that mercy may be upon you.
Also He said:
وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِنْ رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا لِيُطَاعَ بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ
"We sent the Messenger only that he might be obeyed by Allah's command."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa: 64)
That is, the purpose of prophethood is obedience to the Messenger, and in that is obedience to Allah's command.
Besides this, carefully study the verses (An-Nisa 4:69, Al-Imran 3:132, At-Tawbah 9:71, An-Nur 24:52, Al-Ahzab 33:71, Al-Fath 48:16, and Al-Hujurat 49:14), in which many benefits of obedience to the Messenger are explained.
Ghulam Ahmad Parvez says:
أطيعوا الله وأطيعوا الرسول
"Obey Allah and obey the Messenger of Allah."
From this verse, only one obedience is meant, that is, obedience to the Qur'an.
But this reasoning is incorrect because if obedience to the Messenger did not mean continuous obedience, then Allah would not have commanded أطيعوا الرسول in any verse, just as obedience to أولو الأمر is not continuous, so the word وأطيعوا is not repeated there in a continuous sense.
Furthermore, أَطِيعُوا contains the waw for conjunction, which indicates contrast even if this contrast is due to cause; therefore, obedience to the Messenger is continuous and obedience to Allah is also continuous, although the common thing or command in both is one.
Moreover, if continuous obedience to the Messenger was not intended, then why is the opposite not stated in من يطع الرسول فقد أطاع الله, as previously explained? Also, in some verses, only obedience to the Messenger is commanded, as in the third verse, so this verse indicates continuous obedience to the Messenger.
➌ Allah Almighty has made faith dependent on obedience to the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, and accepting his judgment, as He said:
فَلَا وَرَبِّكَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ حَتَّىٰ يُحَكِّمُوكَ فِيمَا شَجَرَ بَيْنَهُمْ
"By your Lord, they will never be believers until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all their disputes."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa: 65)
➍ Allah Almighty has severely warned those who abandon obedience and following the Messenger with fear of worldly and Hereafter punishment, whether abandoning obedience is in the form of denial, disobedience, or neglect and opposition. Consider some verses:
وَلَقَدْ جَاءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِنْهُمْ فَكَذَّبُوهُ فَأَخَذَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ وَهُمْ ظَالِمُونَ
"And indeed, among them came a Messenger from themselves, but they denied him, so the punishment seized them while they were wrongdoers."
Reference: (16-An-Nahl: 113)
Also He said:
فَإِنْ عَصَوْكَ فَقُلْ إِنِّي بَرِيءٌ مِمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
"So if they disobey you, say: I am free from what you do."
Reference: (26-Ash-Shu'ara: 216)
And He said:
وَمَنْ يَعْصِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَإِنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا أَبَدًا
"And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, then indeed, for him is the fire of Hell, wherein he will abide eternally."
Reference: (72-Al-Jinn: 23)
And He said:
وَمَنْ يُشَاقِقِ الرَّسُولَ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ ۖ وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا
"But whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers, We will turn him to what he has turned to and will put him in Hell, and evil it is as a destination."
Reference: (4-An-Nisa: 115)
Also He said:
أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوا أَنَّهُ مَنْ يُحَادِدِ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ فَأَنَّ لَهُ نَارَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدًا فِيهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْخِزْيُ الْعَظِيمُ
"Do they not know that whoever opposes Allah and His Messenger will be among the fire of Hell, abiding therein eternally? That is the great disgrace."
Reference: (9-At-Tawbah: 63)
Also the Divine command is:
فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا فَقُلْ أَنْذَرْتُكُمْ صَاعِقَةً مِثْلَ صَاعِقَةِ عَادٍ وَثَمُودَ
"So if they turn away, then say: I have warned you of a thunderbolt like the thunderbolt of 'Aad and Thamud."
Reference: (41-Ha Mim As-Sajda: 13)
And the command of the Lord Almighty is:
فَلْيَحْذَرِ الَّذِينَ يُخَالِفُونَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِ أَن تُصِيبَهُمْ فِتْنَةٌ أَوْ يُصِيبَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ﴿٦٣﴾
"So those who oppose His command should fear that a calamity or painful punishment will befall them."
Reference: (24-An-Nur: 63)
And these matters are general, whether regarding the Qur'an or the Hadith; all are causes of punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and these diseases, especially opposition, reluctance, and enmity towards the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, are explicitly present among the deniers of Hadith.
The Second Requirement of Faith in the Messenger
Belief in all the miracles of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is obligatory, whether they are mentioned in the Quran or in authentic hadiths. Among the miracles of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the miracle of the Quran is accepted even by Mr. Parvez, who acknowledges that its eloquence, rhetoric, method of invitation and guidance, and method of reasoning have left the entire world helpless and will continue to do so. Therefore, faith in the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ begins with faith in the Quran. This has been explained in detail in the first chapter. However, besides the Quran, our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had other miracles that surpass those of previous prophets, peace be upon them. Some of these are alluded to in the Quran. It is stated:
قَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ آيَةٌ فِي فِئَتَيْنِ الْتَقَتَا
"A sign for you is that two groups among you fought each other."
Reference: (3-Al Imran: 13)
Meaning, the victory and dominance of the believers in the Battle of Badr was a miracle because their numbers were very few and the means and resources for war were relatively limited, yet Allah granted them victory.
In another place, Allah says:
وَمَا تَأْتِيهِم مِّنْ آيَةٍ مِّنْ آيَاتِ رَبِّهِمْ إِلَّا كَانُوا عَنْهَا مُعْرِضِينَ ﴿٤﴾
"And there has not come to them a sign from the signs of their Lord except that they turned away from it."
Reference: (6-Al An'am: 4)
Here, the word "sign" (nishan) means miracle because the word "recitation" is often used with Quranic verses. Here the root (atiyan) is used. Mr. Parvez claims that (atiyan) is specific to tangible things, as will be discussed in its place. According to this assumption, tangible miracles must be meant here, although it has already been mentioned in the first chapter that Ghulam Ahmed Parvez does not accept any tangible miracle for our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ besides the Quran. Therefore, the application of this verse وما تأتيهم من آية is to Mr. Parvez and his followers, who, despite the coming of signs, do not believe but rather reject them. Whereas this Quranic verse explicitly states that Allah Almighty granted tangible miracles to His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Allah Almighty said:
وَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمْ آيَةٌ قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْمِنَ حَتَّىٰ نُؤْتَىٰ مِثْلَ مَا أُوتِيَ رُسُلُ اللَّهِ
"And when a sign comes to them, they say, 'Never will we believe until we are given like that which was given to the messengers of Allah.'"
Reference: (6-Al An'am: 124)
Meaning, these people (the disbelievers of Mecca) denied the tangible miracles of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ because they demanded that he bring miracles like those of previous messengers, as stated:
فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِآيَةٍ كَمَا أُرْسِلَ الْأَوَّلُونَ ﴿٥﴾
"So let him bring a sign like the ones that were sent to the former messengers."
Reference: (21-Al Anbiya: 5)
This verse contains the same detail mentioned in verse number 2 of this topic (the previous verse).
Allah Almighty said:
اقْتَرَبَتِ السَّاعَةُ وَانشَقَّ الْقَمَرُ ﴿١﴾ وَإِن يَرَوْا آيَةً يُعْرِضُوا وَيَقُولُوا سِحْرٌ مُّسْتَمِرٌّ ﴿٢﴾
"The Hour has come near, and the moon has split. And if they see a sign, they turn away and say, 'Passing magic.'"
Reference: (54-Al Qamar: 1-2)
The splitting of the moon was a tangible miracle, about which numerous authentic hadiths have been reported. Therefore, in the second verse, it is called a sign (miracle), which history also testifies to, as Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, narrated in Al-Bidaya wa An-Nihaya the incident of the ruler of Bhopal from Tarikh Farishta.
Allah Almighty said:
وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَىٰ
"And when you threw, you did not throw, but Allah threw."
Reference: (8-Al Anfal: 17)
Meaning, on the day of Badr, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ only threw stones with his hand towards the disbelievers, but Allah caused them to reach the eyes of the disbelievers. This was the power of Allah Almighty. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had no control over this. This was one of the reasons for the defeat of the disbelievers in Badr.
Many tangible miracles are mentioned in authentic hadiths. Some scholars have described them under the title of Signs of Prophethood in the books of hadith, such as a small amount of food sufficing many people, a small amount of water sufficing many people and their animals, water flowing from the fingers of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, stones and food reciting tasbih, etc. All these are tangible miracles. Belief in the miracles proven by authentic hadiths is part of faith in the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
Mr. Parvez holds the view that we do not accept those hadiths which contradict the Quran (the details of this view will be discussed in the explanation of Mr. Parvez’s beliefs). However, the question arises here: which verse of the Quran can be cited to reject the hadiths about miracles?
The Third Requirement of Faith in the Messenger
Following the Messenger of Allah, the Exalted said:
قُلْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ
"Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive your sins."
Reference: (3-Al Imran: 31)
In this verse, Allah Almighty has made following the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) the criterion for His love and has made His love dependent on it because conditions and rewards mostly imply exclusivity in conditional sentences. Love here is in its well-known meaning, that is, those who claim to love Allah or intend to attain His love, while Allah's love is His nearness, and this love necessitates reward. Therefore, whoever wants to attain Allah's love or seeks reward must know that Allah's love requires obedience to the Messenger, so it is obligatory for such a seeker to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Similarly, divine love necessitates adherence to divine commands, which are present to us in the form of the Quran. Therefore, whoever wants to act upon the Holy Quran must also act upon the Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Hence, this noble verse is a definitive proof for the authority of Hadith.
Following and obedience are two words, and both have been used in the Holy Quran on different occasions. When these words are used separately, obedience encompasses following, and following encompasses obedience. When both words are used together, obedience applies to following the sayings, and following applies to following someone's actions. Linguists have also defined following as walking in someone's footsteps and acting accordingly. These two words are also used together, as Allah Almighty said:
فَاتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوا أَمْرِي
"So follow me and obey my command."
Reference: (20-Taha: 90)
In this verse, both words following and obedience are used together. Following means to follow the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and obedience means to accept his sayings. Since it is not possible to follow Allah Almighty's actions, the word following is not mentioned with Allah Almighty. Therefore, obedience to Allah Almighty is in His sayings, and Allah's word is the Quran, while the Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) word is the Hadith, and obedience to both is commanded.
After this introduction, it becomes clear that when following the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is obligatory upon us, those actions are not all mentioned in the Holy Quran but are mentioned in the Hadith. Therefore, to follow the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), it is necessary to act upon his Hadiths. But whoever does not consider the Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as authoritative does not believe in the Quranic verse فاتبعوني, while denying one verse of the Quran is considered denying the entire Quran. Whoever believes in the Quran must also believe in this verse. And belief in verse فاتبعوني will be when the actions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are sought in the Hadith and followed in their light. For example: a person believes in the Quranic verse وأقيموا الصلاة "Establish prayer" and establishes prayer. Establishing prayer is an act that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) adhered to throughout his life. Therefore, the details of the Prophet's prayer—its timings, units (rak'ahs), pillars, and conditions mentioned in the Hadith—must necessarily be followed. The Hadiths provide detailed mention of the five prayer times, the number of units in each prayer, their order, standing, bowing, prostration, sitting, and salutations. The recitation of Surah Al-Fatiha in every unit, other surahs and verses to be recited are also mentioned in the Hadith.
Therefore, regarding prayer, the prophetic command is:
صلوا كما رأيتموني أصلي
"Pray as you have seen me praying."
Reference: (Sahih al-Bukhari, Al-Adhan, Chapter: The Adhan for Travelers, Hadith: 631)
Keeping this in mind, following the Sunnah of the Prophet is obligatory. However, observe the different views of Mr. Parwez and his followers regarding establishing prayer.
1. About thirty years ago, I met a follower of Parwez. During the conversation, he said: "Every prayer is only two units." He cited the prayer of fear mentioned in Surah An-Nisa, verse 102, as evidence and said: "This verse does not mention fear." I said: "This verse mentions praying only one unit with the Imam, and there is no mention of prayer without the Imam. So what is your justification for generally praying two units?" Then I said: "This verse mentions carrying weapons with you. If according to you this is not the prayer of fear but a general prayer, then at every prayer time, you must carry weapons with you."
2. Some time later, I met a major who held Parwez's views. He said: "There is no fixed time or prescribed method for prayer in Shariah; it is permissible to pray at any time and in any manner." He cited this verse as evidence:
كُلٌّ قَدْ عَلِمَ صَلَاتَهُ وَتَسْبِيحَهُ
"Indeed, Allah knows the prayer and the glorification of each person."
Reference: (24-An-Nur: 41)
The major translated this verse as: "Everyone understands their own way of prayer and glorification." I said this meaning is incorrect; the verse speaks of Allah's knowledge, and the pronoun of knowledge refers to Allah, meaning Allah knows the prayer and glorification of everyone.
3. Mr. Parwez's views on prayer are also subject to differences. In one place, he writes under Surah An-Nur, verse 58, that during the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), there were at least two fixed times for congregational prayer (Fajr and Isha prayers).
Reference: (Lughat al-Quran: 43/3)
4. At another place, he writes: The principle I mentioned in my article applies to both law and worship, meaning if the successor of the Messenger of Allah (Quranic government) considers some partial form of prayer, which the Quran has not specified (e.g., timings, number of units), to be necessarily modified according to the needs of his time, then he is fundamentally permitted to do so.
Reference: (Qur'anic Decisions, pp. 14-15)
5. In his book Ma'arif al-Quran, Parwez writes at one place: The Quran has not commanded to pray, but to establish the system of Salat. Muslims do pray, but they have not established the system of Salat. Their prayer remains a temporary act within the four walls of a building (mosque) at a fixed time.
Reference: (Ma'arif al-Quran: 328/4)
6. At another place, he writes: Among the non-Arabs, the Magians (Parsis) called their worship ritual "Namaz." This word is theirs and is found in their books. Therefore, "Salat" was replaced by "Namaz," and the Quranic term وأقيموا الصلاة was translated as "Pray." When the vehicle took this direction, every turn of its money took it further from the destination. Thus, the situation has now become such that وأقيموا الصلاة the mind does not move beyond praying, and praying means worshiping God.
Reference: (Qur'anic Decisions, pp. 26-27)
Besides this, various meanings of Salat are mentioned in the books of Ghulam Ahmad Parwez.
Reference: (See Maktubat, Letter 13 to Saleem, p. 409)
Prayer is one of the important pillars of Islam about which Allah Almighty said:
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
"And establish prayer and do not be among the polytheists."
Reference: (30-Ar-Rum: 31)
Regarding this important pillar, observe the thoughts and views of Mr. Parwez. Sometimes he says only two prayers are obligatory, although Surah An-Nur, verse 58, does not intend to specify prayer times but mentions three times when people generally do not observe privacy, so at these three times, even children near puberty and slaves should seek permission to enter.
Sometimes he says the successor of the Messenger can change the timings and methods of prayer, so where is the following of the Messenger (which is obligatory upon Muslims)? Sometimes he says prayer is a Magian word. We say the word God is also theirs; why do you use this word? The word God is used extensively in Parwez's books. I mentioned prayer as an example in explaining following; the thoughts about Zakat and Hajj will be discussed, God willing, in chapter 9.
The Fourth Requirement of Faith in the Messenger
To make the life of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, a model, Allah Almighty said:
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا
“Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.”
Reference: (33-Al-Ahzab:21)
There are many emphases and conditions in this verse. The particles Lam, Qad, Lakum fi Rasul Allah Uswatun Hasanah, لمن كان يرجوا الله واليوم الآخر وذكر الله كثيرا and then the word لمن (which is a substitution for لكم) indicate generality and perpetuity, meaning this command is not limited to the Companions but applies to anyone who hopes in Allah and the Last Day and is constantly engaged in the worship and remembrance of Allah. It is obligatory upon such a person to keep the life of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, in view. Following his sayings, actions, morals, biography and character, acts of worship and dealings, and jihad is incumbent upon oneself. From this generalization, it is understood that the practical example of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, was not exclusive to the noble Companions as believed in the Pervezism sect, but rather his life is the best example for all jinn and humans who come after the Companions until the Day of Judgment. This is also supported by another verse. Allah Almighty said:
هُوَ الَّذِي بَعَثَ فِي الْأُمِّيِّينَ رَسُولًا مِّنْهُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْهِمْ آيَاتِهِ وَيُزَكِّيهِمْ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَإِن كَانُوا مِن قَبْلُ لَفِي ضَلَالٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٢﴾ وَآخَرِينَ مِنْهُمْ لَمَّا يَلْحَقُوا بِهِمْ
“It is He who has sent among the unlettered a Messenger from themselves reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom—although they had been before in manifest error. And [to] others of them who have not yet joined them. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.”
Reference: (62-Al-Jumu'ah:2-3)
So آخرين منهم refers to all those people who were born after the era of the noble Companions, whether Arabs or non-Arabs. From these verses, it is clear that obedience and following the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, will continue forever. No center of the community or claimant of prophethood can end, cancel, or change this obedience. Now consider some blasphemous views of Mr. Ghulam Ahmad Pervez:
He says that wherever in the Holy Quran obedience to Allah and the Messenger, peace be upon him, is commanded, it means obedience to the Imam of the time, i.e., the center of the community. As long as Muhammad, peace be upon him, was present among the Ummah, obedience to him was obedience to Allah and His Messenger, and after him, obedience to his successors will be obedience to Allah and His Messenger. In Arabic, obedience means obedience to the living.
Reference: (Maqam al-Hadith: 155/1)
What is the proof for taking the center of the community as the Imam of the time? Similarly, in which lexicon does obedience mean obedience to the living? The Pervez sect is requested to abandon this blind imitation. Mr. Pervez’s baseless statements are clear misguidance and disbelief.
Thus, from the statement of Uswah in the verse, it has become clear that the entire life of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, is a guideline for all people until the Day of Judgment. Implementation of this is only possible when we understand the purpose of the Holy Quran in the light of authentic hadiths and perform our actions according to the exemplary conduct of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him.
The authentic hadiths have three types of relationships with the Holy Quran.
❀ The first type: includes those hadiths which confirm the Quranic rulings and are in agreement with them in summary and detail, meaning a ruling already exists in the Holy Quran and the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, further confirms and supports it, for example: the five pillars of Islam—testimony of faith and prophethood, prayer, fasting, zakat, and pilgrimage. These matters and rulings are present in the Holy Quran and the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, has further confirmed and authenticated them in the hadiths.
Mr. Pervez claims to apparently accept this type of relationship, but as you have already known and will continue to know, he has invented fabricated meanings for Quranic prayer, fasting, zakat, and pilgrimage and acted upon them.
❀ The second type: includes those hadiths which explain and clarify Quranic rulings, i.e., restricting the general, detailing the ambiguous, specifying the general, and explaining the important matters. There are countless hadiths of this type, and we have explained some of them in detail in the first chapter under the attribute of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, as the explainer. Mr. Pervez’s attitude towards this type of hadith is also hypocritical.
❀ The third type: includes hadiths that indicate rulings about which the Quran has said nothing, for example: hadiths that prohibit marrying a paternal aunt and niece or a maternal aunt and niece simultaneously in one marriage, or hadiths about intercession or stoning a married adulterer. Some scholars have referred this type to the meaning of the Quran and made it a proof, but the correct view is that these hadiths are independently authoritative and are explicitly included in the verse of obedience to the Messenger and the verse of the good example, so all three types of hadiths are authoritative in religion.
In this chapter, in the context of faith in the Messenger, some attributes and conditions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and four requirements of faith in the Messenger have been explained, which clearly indicate following authentic hadiths and the authority of hadith.
