Written by: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amrpuri
Some individuals, abandoning the consensus belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah (People of the Sunnah and the Community) that aligns with the Quran and Sunnah, have fabricated the belief that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is omnipresent, meaning he is present and watching everywhere. We will briefly present Quranic and Hadith evidence to refute this false and exaggerated belief. We urge readers to study this with an open mind, free from bias:
Allah Almighty says:
"And you [O Muhammad] were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Maryam, nor were you with them when they disputed."
[Surah Aal-E-Imran: 44]
In explaining this verse, the famous Sunni Mufassir, Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701-774 AH), states:
"Meaning, O Muhammad (ﷺ), you were not present with them to report the events from direct observation, but Allah informed you about it as if you were present and witnessing what happened during the drawing of lots concerning Maryam (A.S.)."
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 2/42]
Evidence 2:
Allah Almighty says:
"And you were not on the western side [of the mount] when We decreed the matter to Musa, nor were you among the witnesses."
[Surah Al-Qasas: 44]
In his commentary on this verse, Hafiz Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله) states:
"Meaning, you were not present there, but Allah revealed it to you."
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 6/240]
Evidence 3:
Allah, the Lord of Might, declares:
"And you were not on the side of the Mount when We called, but [this knowledge is] a mercy from your Lord so that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, so that they may be reminded."
[Surah Al-Qasas: 46]
Evidence 4:
Allah Almighty says:
"And you were not among the inhabitants of Madyan, reciting to them Our verses, but We were sending [messengers]."
[Surah Al-Qasas: 45]
Evidence 5:
Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, says:
"I had no knowledge of the exalted assembly when they were disputing. It is revealed to me only that I am a clear warner."
[Surah Saad: 69-70]
Evidence 6:
The Lord of Glory says:
"That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired."
[Surah Yusuf: 102]
The Sunni Imam and Mufassir, Ibn Jarir Tabari (224-310 AH), writes in the explanation of this verse:
"Allah says, O Muhammad (ﷺ), you were not present with the brothers of Yusuf (A.S.) when they agreed and decided to throw Yusuf into the depths of the well, but Allah informed you about it."
[Tafsir Tabari: 13/98]
"The Prophet (ﷺ) met him on one of the roads of Madinah while he was in a state of major impurity, so he slipped away and went to wash. The Prophet (ﷺ) noticed his absence, and when he came back, he asked: ‘Where were you, Abu Huraira?’"
[Sahih Muslim: 824]
Evidence 2:
The wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), Aisha (رضي الله عنها), narrates:
"One night I was delayed after `Isha in returning, and when I came, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked, ‘Where were you?’ I said: ‘I was listening to the recitation of one of your companions. I have never heard a recitation and voice like his.’ He (ﷺ) got up, and I also got up with him until we listened to him reciting. Then he turned to me and said: ‘This is Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa. Praise be to Allah who has made such people in my Ummah.’"
[Sunan Ibn Majah: 1338, Musnad Ahmad: 6/165, Mustadrak Al-Hakim: 3/225-226]
Evidence 3:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) came to me and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, where were you last night? I searched for you at your usual place.’ He replied, ‘Did you know that I visited Bayt Al-Maqdis last night?’"
[Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani: 7/283, Hadith: 7142]
Evidence 4:
During the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (رضي الله عنه):
"Where were you today, O Sa'd?"
[Mustadrak Al-Hakim: 3/26, Hadith: 4314]
Dear readers, reflect upon these Quranic verses and authentic Hadiths and decide for yourselves whether the belief that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is omnipresent aligns with the Quran and Sunnah or contradicts them. Allah Himself has negated the Prophet’s presence in various places, and similarly, the Prophet (ﷺ) himself would inquire from the Companions, "Where were you?" If the Prophet (ﷺ) were omnipresent, would there be any need for such questions from him or his Companions?
Moreover, those who hold the belief in the Prophet's omnipresence also often believe in his knowledge of the unseen. However, if someone is present in a location, how could the events there be hidden or unseen to them?
What does reason and logic demand? What direction does the Quran and Hadith guide us towards? What does fairness and justice call for? The decision is yours! Our appeal is that you abandon the belief of omnipresence, which contradicts the Quran and Sunnah and defies human logic, and instead adopt the correct Islamic and Salafi creed so that you do not end up opposing the Imams of Ahlus-Sunnah.
Some individuals, abandoning the consensus belief of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah (People of the Sunnah and the Community) that aligns with the Quran and Sunnah, have fabricated the belief that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is omnipresent, meaning he is present and watching everywhere. We will briefly present Quranic and Hadith evidence to refute this false and exaggerated belief. We urge readers to study this with an open mind, free from bias:
Quranic Evidence
Evidence 1:Allah Almighty says:
"And you [O Muhammad] were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Maryam, nor were you with them when they disputed."
[Surah Aal-E-Imran: 44]
In explaining this verse, the famous Sunni Mufassir, Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701-774 AH), states:
"Meaning, O Muhammad (ﷺ), you were not present with them to report the events from direct observation, but Allah informed you about it as if you were present and witnessing what happened during the drawing of lots concerning Maryam (A.S.)."
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 2/42]
Evidence 2:
Allah Almighty says:
"And you were not on the western side [of the mount] when We decreed the matter to Musa, nor were you among the witnesses."
[Surah Al-Qasas: 44]
In his commentary on this verse, Hafiz Ibn Kathir (رحمه الله) states:
"Meaning, you were not present there, but Allah revealed it to you."
[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: 6/240]
Evidence 3:
Allah, the Lord of Might, declares:
"And you were not on the side of the Mount when We called, but [this knowledge is] a mercy from your Lord so that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, so that they may be reminded."
[Surah Al-Qasas: 46]
Evidence 4:
Allah Almighty says:
"And you were not among the inhabitants of Madyan, reciting to them Our verses, but We were sending [messengers]."
[Surah Al-Qasas: 45]
Evidence 5:
Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, says:
"I had no knowledge of the exalted assembly when they were disputing. It is revealed to me only that I am a clear warner."
[Surah Saad: 69-70]
Evidence 6:
The Lord of Glory says:
"That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired."
[Surah Yusuf: 102]
The Sunni Imam and Mufassir, Ibn Jarir Tabari (224-310 AH), writes in the explanation of this verse:
"Allah says, O Muhammad (ﷺ), you were not present with the brothers of Yusuf (A.S.) when they agreed and decided to throw Yusuf into the depths of the well, but Allah informed you about it."
[Tafsir Tabari: 13/98]
Hadith Evidence
Evidence 1:Abu Huraira (رضي الله عنه) narrates:"The Prophet (ﷺ) met him on one of the roads of Madinah while he was in a state of major impurity, so he slipped away and went to wash. The Prophet (ﷺ) noticed his absence, and when he came back, he asked: ‘Where were you, Abu Huraira?’"
[Sahih Muslim: 824]
Evidence 2:
The wife of the Prophet (ﷺ), Aisha (رضي الله عنها), narrates:
"One night I was delayed after `Isha in returning, and when I came, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked, ‘Where were you?’ I said: ‘I was listening to the recitation of one of your companions. I have never heard a recitation and voice like his.’ He (ﷺ) got up, and I also got up with him until we listened to him reciting. Then he turned to me and said: ‘This is Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhaifa. Praise be to Allah who has made such people in my Ummah.’"
[Sunan Ibn Majah: 1338, Musnad Ahmad: 6/165, Mustadrak Al-Hakim: 3/225-226]
Evidence 3:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
"Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) came to me and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, where were you last night? I searched for you at your usual place.’ He replied, ‘Did you know that I visited Bayt Al-Maqdis last night?’"
[Al-Mu'jam Al-Kabir by Al-Tabarani: 7/283, Hadith: 7142]
Evidence 4:
During the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (رضي الله عنه):
"Where were you today, O Sa'd?"
[Mustadrak Al-Hakim: 3/26, Hadith: 4314]
Dear readers, reflect upon these Quranic verses and authentic Hadiths and decide for yourselves whether the belief that the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) is omnipresent aligns with the Quran and Sunnah or contradicts them. Allah Himself has negated the Prophet’s presence in various places, and similarly, the Prophet (ﷺ) himself would inquire from the Companions, "Where were you?" If the Prophet (ﷺ) were omnipresent, would there be any need for such questions from him or his Companions?
Moreover, those who hold the belief in the Prophet's omnipresence also often believe in his knowledge of the unseen. However, if someone is present in a location, how could the events there be hidden or unseen to them?
What does reason and logic demand? What direction does the Quran and Hadith guide us towards? What does fairness and justice call for? The decision is yours! Our appeal is that you abandon the belief of omnipresence, which contradicts the Quran and Sunnah and defies human logic, and instead adopt the correct Islamic and Salafi creed so that you do not end up opposing the Imams of Ahlus-Sunnah.