لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّـهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّـهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّـهَ كَثِيرًا وَ لَمَّا رَأَى الْمُؤْمِنُونَ الْأَحْزَابَ قَالُوا هَذَا مَا وَعَدَنَا اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَصَدَقَ اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا إِيمَانًا وَتَسْلِيمًا
[Al-Ahzab: 21-22]
"(O Muslims!) In the Messenger of Allah (PBUH), you have the best example for anyone who hopes in Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah often. And when the believers saw the [enemy] forces, they said: 'This is what Allah and His Messenger had promised us, and Allah and His Messenger spoke the truth.' And it only increased their faith and submission."
Jurisprudence of the Quran
لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ . . . إلخThis verse, although revealed in the context of the Battle of the Trench, has a general application due to its wording. It cannot be restricted to a specific domain. The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) also used this verse for general inference and citation. For example, Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said regarding the Black Stone, "I know that you are just a stone and if I had not seen my beloved Prophet (PBUH) kissing you, I would never have kissed you." He then recited this verse: "لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّـهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ" (in meaning).[Musnad Ahmad 1/21 and Al-Mawsu’ah Al-Hadithiyyah 1/281, Hadith 131 and its chain is sound. See also Jami' Al-Tafsir 3/1602]
- The Quran and the Hadith of the Prophet (PBUH) are legitimate proofs, and the Hadith is an interpretation of the Quran. Denial of Hadith is disbelief.
- It is a moment of reflection for the "enlightened" ones who make any random person their ideal.
- Only the person who believes in meeting Allah in the Hereafter and remembers Allah frequently will make the Prophet (PBUH) their ideal and keep the Hadith and Sunnah close to their heart.
- Under verse 12, we wrote about the state of the hypocrites and their reaction upon seeing the enemy forces. Contrary to the hypocrites, the believers' faith increased, and instead of fleeing from obedience and submission to Allah, they were more ready to surrender everything to Him with confidence and assurance.
- Faith increases and decreases. This is the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah. Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) used the verse ﴿وَمَا زَادَهُمْ إِلَّا إِيمَانًا وَتَسْلِيمًا﴾ as evidence that faith increases and decreases. [See Sahih Bukhari, Book of Faith, before Hadith 8] Imam Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes that according to the majority of scholars, faith increases and decreases. [Tafsir Ibn Kathir, verified by Abdul Razzaq Al-Mahdi, 5/157]
