❖ Question:
Is it permissible to believe that the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was only nūr (light) and not a human being (bashar)? Please explain with evidence.
❖ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
There is no doubt that the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was a human being (bashar) as well as a Prophet and Messenger, as established by the Qur’an, authentic Hadiths, and the consensus (ijmāʿ) of the Ummah.
Allah says in the Qur’an:
﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ﴾
“Say: I am only a human being like you, to whom it has been revealed…”
→ (Sūrah al-Kahf: 110)
This verse explicitly affirms the humanity of the Prophet ﷺ.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
"Innamā anā bashar..."
“Indeed, I am only a human being…”
→ (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6967, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1713)
Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) said:
"Kāna basharan mina al-bashar"
“He ﷺ was a human being among humans.”
→ (al-Adab al-Mufrad by al-Bukhārī: 541 – Authentic chain)
These narrations clearly and conclusively prove the Prophet ﷺ was human.
The belief of all the Companions and Tābiʿūn was that the Prophet ﷺ was a descendant of Ādam (عليه السلام) and was fully human.
There exists no verse or hadith that negates his humanity.
Even the Barelvi school of thought acknowledges this in their own writings:
In "Bahār-e-Sharīʿat" it is written:
“A Prophet is a bashar to whom Allah sends revelation. And messengers are not limited to humans; among the angels are also messengers. Belief: All Prophets were humans and male—not a single jinn or woman was ever a Prophet.”
→ (Bahār-e-Sharīʿat, Part 1, p. 7)
Thus, even scholars from the Barelvi tradition affirm the humanity of the Prophets.
While the Prophet ﷺ was a source of divine guidance (nūr al-hidāyah), this does not negate his humanity.
To claim that the Prophet ﷺ was “pure light from the Light of Allah” and that he merely appeared in a human form, is a false and baseless belief.
There is no authentic verse or hadith that supports such an idea—it is a later innovation introduced by some misguided sects.
◈ The Qur’an, authentic Sunnah, and consensus of the Ummah affirm that the Prophet ﷺ was a human being (bashar).
◈ He was a Prophet, Messenger, and source of guidance (nūr), but this does not mean he was not human.
◈ Denying his humanity and claiming he was only light (nūr) is an incorrect and unfounded belief.
(Reference: 20 December 2008, al-Ḥadīth)
وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
Is it permissible to believe that the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was only nūr (light) and not a human being (bashar)? Please explain with evidence.
❖ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh. Ammā baʿd:
There is no doubt that the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ was a human being (bashar) as well as a Prophet and Messenger, as established by the Qur’an, authentic Hadiths, and the consensus (ijmāʿ) of the Ummah.
✿ Qur’anic Evidence for the Humanity of the Prophet ﷺ
Allah says in the Qur’an:﴿قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُكُمْ يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ﴾
“Say: I am only a human being like you, to whom it has been revealed…”
→ (Sūrah al-Kahf: 110)
This verse explicitly affirms the humanity of the Prophet ﷺ.
✿ Hadith Evidence Confirming the Prophet’s Humanity
The Prophet ﷺ said:"Innamā anā bashar..."
“Indeed, I am only a human being…”
→ (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 6967, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1713)
Sayyidah ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) said:"Kāna basharan mina al-bashar"
“He ﷺ was a human being among humans.”
→ (al-Adab al-Mufrad by al-Bukhārī: 541 – Authentic chain)
These narrations clearly and conclusively prove the Prophet ﷺ was human.
✿ Belief of the Companions and the Tābiʿūn
The belief of all the Companions and Tābiʿūn was that the Prophet ﷺ was a descendant of Ādam (عليه السلام) and was fully human.
There exists no verse or hadith that negates his humanity.
Even the Barelvi school of thought acknowledges this in their own writings:
In "Bahār-e-Sharīʿat" it is written:“A Prophet is a bashar to whom Allah sends revelation. And messengers are not limited to humans; among the angels are also messengers. Belief: All Prophets were humans and male—not a single jinn or woman was ever a Prophet.”
→ (Bahār-e-Sharīʿat, Part 1, p. 7)
Thus, even scholars from the Barelvi tradition affirm the humanity of the Prophets.
✿ Refuting the False Belief: “The Prophet ﷺ Was Only Light, Not Human”
While the Prophet ﷺ was a source of divine guidance (nūr al-hidāyah), this does not negate his humanity.
To claim that the Prophet ﷺ was “pure light from the Light of Allah” and that he merely appeared in a human form, is a false and baseless belief.
There is no authentic verse or hadith that supports such an idea—it is a later innovation introduced by some misguided sects.
Conclusion:
◈ The Qur’an, authentic Sunnah, and consensus of the Ummah affirm that the Prophet ﷺ was a human being (bashar).
◈ He was a Prophet, Messenger, and source of guidance (nūr), but this does not mean he was not human.
◈ Denying his humanity and claiming he was only light (nūr) is an incorrect and unfounded belief.
(Reference: 20 December 2008, al-Ḥadīth)وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ
