This excerpt is taken from Sheikh Irshad Ullah Maan's book In Search of Truth.
The most important thing regarding the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, which is extremely important for the reckoning of the Ummah in the Hereafter, is that disrespecting the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is disbelief, and the greatest disrespect is to recite the Kalima of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and then disrespect his commands and his Sunnah. (That is) not to act upon them. And the status of the Messenger ﷺ is given to any other member of the Ummah (meaning) instead of obeying his commands, the commands of another member of the Ummah are obeyed. What the Jews and Christians did, the Muslim Ummah is doing the same today, that is, the status of the Prophets, peace be upon them, has been given to the Ummah, and the status of Allah has been given to the Prophets. For this reason, the Jews and Christians were called disbelievers and polytheists. We should understand this matter well because extreme caution is needed in this matter. People enthusiastically describe the attributes and perfections of the Messenger ﷺ but avoid obeying him:
[1] Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, superior to all the Prophets.
Reference: (Al-Baqarah:252, 253)
[2] Following the divine guidance upon you ﷺ and worshiping Allah Almighty and monotheism are obligatory.
Reference: (Al-Baqarah:285)
[3] Obedience to you ﷺ is obligatory upon us.
Reference: (Aal Imran:31)
[4] You ﷺ are a servant of Allah and a human being.
Reference: (Al-Baqarah:23, 90, 128, 129, 151)
[5] You ﷺ are a bringer of glad tidings and a warner.
Reference: (Al-Ma'idah:19)
[6] You ﷺ are not the owner of anyone's benefit or harm.
Reference: (Al-Qasas:56), (Al-An'am:50, 52, 57, 58), (Al-Jinn:21)
[7] You ﷺ did not know the unseen.
Reference: (Al-An'am:50), (Al-A'raf:188)
[8] Your ﷺ task is only to convey the religion.
Reference: (Aal Imran:20), (Al-A'raf:2), (Hud:12)
[9] You ﷺ were commanded to practice monotheism and avoid polytheism.
Reference: (Hud:113), (Yusuf:108)
[10] You ﷺ were not given the power of miracles.
Reference: (Bani Isra'il:90 to 93), (Ta-Ha:133), (Al-Mu'min:78), (Al-Ankabut:50)
[11] You ﷺ did not have knowledge of the time of the Day of Judgment.
Reference: (Al-A'raf:187), (Ta-Ha:15), (An-Naml:65)
[12] The Quran mentions your ﷺ death.
Reference: (Al-Anbiya:34, 35), (Az-Zumar:30, 31)
[13] You ﷺ were commanded to consider Allah as the Helper, i.e., the Reliever of difficulties.
Reference: (Al-Ahzab:3, 48), (An-Naml:79), (Az-Zumar:38)
[14] You ﷺ will be granted the Praiseworthy Station.
Reference: (Bani Isra'il:79)
[15] You ﷺ are not anyone's agent (Helper), i.e., not a reliever of difficulties.
Reference: (Al-Qasas:56)
[16] You ﷺ are an exemplary model.
Reference: (Al-Ahzab:21), (Al-Qalam:4)
[17] Sending blessings upon you ﷺ.
Reference: (Al-Ahzab:56)
[18] Composing poetry is not befitting for you ﷺ.
Reference: (Ya-Sin:69)
[19] You ﷺ are not a new messenger.
Reference: (Al-Ahqaf:9)
[20] You ﷺ were commanded to consider Allah as your trustee, that is, your disposer of affairs, and to rely on Allah.
Reference: (An-Naml:79), (Az-Zumar:38)
[21] Guiding others is not within your control ﷺ.
Reference: (Al-Qasas:56)
This verse was revealed concerning Abu Talib. (
Reference: See translation with Tafsir by Ahmad Raza Khan Sahib)
During the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, poetry based on monotheism was recited, and its mention is found in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. But nowadays, in praise poetry, polytheistic verses are recited, which is equivalent to ruining one's own fate. The Quran condemns such incorrect types of poetry:
[وَ الشُّعَرَآءُ یَتَّبِعُہُمُ الۡغَاوٗنَ]،[اَلَمۡ تَرَ اَنَّہُمۡ فِیۡ کُلِّ وَادٍ یَّہِیۡمُوۡنَ]،[وَ اَنَّہُمۡ یَقُوۡلُوۡنَ مَا لَا یَفۡعَلُوۡنَ]
[And the poets - [only] the deviators follow them;] [Have you not seen that they roam through every valley?] [And that they say what they do not do?]
Reference: Ash-Shu'ara:224 to 226
The majority of poets are such that they express their opinions according to personal likes and dislikes rather than principles and rules. Moreover, they use exaggeration and hyperbole and wander here and there in poetic imaginations. Therefore, it is said that those who follow them are also misguided. Regarding such types of poetry, it is also stated in the Hadith: it is better to have the blood and pus of the stomach fill one than to be filled with poetry that corrupts him.
Reference: Muslim, Book of Poetry, Chapter on Reciting Poems and Clarifying the Most Poetic Word and Condemning Poetry: 2257
[1] Whoever recites the Quran with drums and the like is a disbeliever.
Reference: (Durr al-Mukhtar: 592)
[2] Those who dance, those who know the spiritual state, and those who play the spiritual state are disbelievers.
Reference: (Durr al-Mukhtar: 610)
[3] Taking pleasure in singing and playing music is disbelief.
Reference: (Durr al-Mukhtar: 222; Hidayah: 246)
[4] Sufis who listen to singing, play the spiritual state, are corrupt and irreligious.
Reference: (Hidayah: 317/4)
[5] Singing is polytheism in the sight of Allah.
Reference: (Hidayah: 346)
[1] Ahl al-Hadith are seen leading the funeral prayers for those who call upon others besides Allah and commit other forms of shirk, and they are seen praying for their forgiveness, which is completely against the Quran.
Reference: (At-Tawbah:113)
[2] Some Ahl al-Hadith consider amulets (taweez) to be permissible.
[3] They are seen making collective supplication after the five daily obligatory prayers, although this is not proven.
[4] Taking payment for giving the Adhan.
[5] Issues like the Islamic ruling on democracy require research and reconsideration.
Regarding the first mentioned issue, it is stated in
Reference: (Surah At-Tawbah:113)
that praying for forgiveness for those who commit shirk is prohibited. And a detailed discussion on amulets can be found in the chapter on innovations at Amulets, their types, causes, and harms, please refer there. A separate discussion on democracy will follow later, and the Prophet ﷺ forbade appointing a muezzin for payment.
