The Creation of the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) Light – Analysis of Hadith

Author: Hafiz Muhammad Anwar Zahid (May Allah protect him)

The Narration and Context​

1. Claimed Hadith:
   A narration attributed to the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) says that when asked by Jabir ibn Abdullah (رضي الله عنه) about the first thing Allah created, the Prophet allegedly responded:
   "O Jabir, indeed, Allah created the light of your Prophet from His own light before anything else. At that time, there was no preserved tablet (Lawh Mahfuz), no pen, no Paradise, no Hell, no angels, no heavens, no earth, no sun, no moon, no jinn, and no humans."
   [Referenced in Kashf al-Khafa, Hadith no. 827].
2. Additional Claim:
   Another narration mentions that the Throne (Arsh) was unstable until Allah inscribed "La ilaha illallah, Muhammadur Rasulullah" upon it, after which it stabilized.

Authenticity of the Narrations​

1. Scholarly Critique:
   
   • Imam Al-Dhahabi classified these narrations as fabricated (mawdu‘) and unreliable.
   • Hafiz Ibn Kathir, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, and Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah have all labeled these narrations as false (batil) and devoid of any authentic basis.
   • Shaykh Al-Albani included the narrations in his book Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Da‘ifah (Vol. 5, Pg. 448, Hadith no. 448), declaring them fabricated and untrustworthy.
2. Key Issues with the Narrations:
   
   • Weak Chains of Transmission: The chains of these narrations are not reliable and contain narrators known for fabricating or weak transmissions.
   • Contradiction with Established Teachings:
     • The Qur’an and authentic Sunnah state that the first creation was the Throne (Arsh) or the Pen (Qalam) based on sound narrations.
     • There is no evidence from authentic sources that the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) light was created before all else.

Analysis of the First Creation According to Authentic Sources​

1. The First Creation in Sound Hadith:
   
   • The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said:
     "The first thing Allah created was the Pen (Qalam), and He said to it, ‘Write.’"
     [Saheeh Muslim, Hadith no. 2653].
2. Throne (Arsh) and Water:
   
   • Allah states in the Qur’an:
     "And His Throne was upon the water."
     [Surah Hud: 7].

These narrations align with sound Islamic teachings and do not support the claim of the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) light being created first.

Conclusion​

The narrations claiming that the Prophet Muhammad’s (ﷺ) light was the first creation or that the Throne stabilized only after inscribing his name are fabricated and false. Renowned scholars such as Imam Al-Dhahabi, Hafiz Ibn Kathir, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, and Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah have rejected these narrations due to their weak or fabricated chains and their contradiction with authentic Islamic teachings.

Muslims should rely on sound evidence from the Qur’an and Sunnah and avoid using such narrations in theological discussions or practices.

Allah knows best!