20. PROPHETS’ DU‘Ā (PRAYER) IN THE QUR’ĀN (14)
14. Muhammad s.a.w.
Although
the whole Qur’ān containing 6236 verses was revealed to Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
in 23 years, his name “Muhammad” is mentioned as a third person four times
only, in Q. 3:144, 33:40, 47:2, and 48:29. His other name, Aḥmad, was mentioned
in Q. 61:6 when Prophet Isa a.s. foretold his coming.[1]
When Allah enjoined the Prophet to say, to do or not to do something He did not
mention him by name, so that the translators used to put in the bracket (“O
Muhammad”). The wisdom behind it is that Allah’s injunction is also applicable
to his followers, unless there is an indication that it was specifically
intended exclusively for him. It includes
the injunction when it started with ياأيها النبي (“O Prophet”). There are
11 verses where Allah addressed him as (“O Prophet”).[2]
The Qur’ān
refers to Prophet Muhammad with his profession as a prophet (nabī)[3]
and a messenger of Allah (rasūl Allāh).[4]
He was addressed as “the Mesenger” when he complained to Allah for his people’s
neglecting the Qur’ān, as follows:
وَقَالَ الرَّسُولُ يَا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ
مَهْجُورًا (الفرقان: 30)
And the
Messenger (Muhammad) will say: “O my Lord,
Verily,
my people deserted this Qur’ān (neither listen to it,
nor
acted on its laws and teachings).”
(Q. 25:30)[5]
In this
verse the Prophet complained to Allah that his people deserted the Qur’ān by
saying that it was black magic (Mujāhid and al-Nakha‘ī’s interpretation. They
did not want to listen to it, and if they were called to Allah they would say
“no” (Ibn Zayd’s interpretation). The idolaters among his people would not
listen to the Qur’ān, as mentioned in another verse of the Qur’ān, as follows:
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَا تَسْمَعُوا لِهَذَا
الْقُرْآنِ وَالْغَوْا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَغْلِبُونَ (فصلت:26)
And those
who disbelieve say: “Listen not to this
Qur’ān,
and make noise in the midst of its (recitation)
that you
may overcome.” (Q. 41:26).
In response to this, Allah consoled
the Prophet by informing him that this was nothing new. He said:
وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ
نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا مِنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيًا وَنَصِيرًا (الفرقان:31)
Thus
have We made every Prophet an enemy
among criminals. But sufficient is your Lord
as
a Guide and Helper (Q. 25:26)
Just as the presence of those
criminals for the Prophet who scorned the Qur’ān, so in all previous nations, for
every Prophet there were criminals who tried to misguide his people and to make
them disbelievers, (such as Abū Jahl according to Ibn ‘Abbas). He should then be patient with them.
Allah encourages the Muslims to pray
to Him and He guarantees that He would answer their honest and sincerely prayers
(invocations, supplications). He revealed to the Prophet the following verse:
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ
عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
(غافر: 60)
And
your Lord said: “Invoke Me, [i.e., believe in My
Oneness (Islamic Monotheism) and ask Me for
anything]
I will
respond to your (invocations). Verily, those who
scorn My
worship [i.e. do not invoke Me, and do not
believe in
My Oneness, (Islamic Monotheism)] they
will surely enter Hell in humiliation.” (Q. 40:60).
Moreover, for further
encouragement, Allah said that He was near, He did not need any mediator
between Himself and His slaves. He said:
وَإِذَا
سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ
فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا
لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ" (البقرة :186(
And
when My slaves ask you (O Muhammad) concerning
Me, then (answer them), I am indeed near to them by
My Knowledge). I respond to the invocations of the supplicant
when he
calls on Me (without any mediator or intercessor).
So let them
obey Me and believe in Me, so that
they
may be led aright.” (Q. 2: 186).
There are many du’as (prayers,
supplications) of the Prophet recorded in the books of Sīrah (Biography
of the Prophet) and the Ḥadīth (Traditions of the Prophet). But in the Qur’ān
his du’as were taught to him by Allah, in various topics and situations,
and therefore, the du’a was preceded with قُلْ (“say [O Muhammad]”), such as:
a. to increase knowledge,
وَقُلْ رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا (طه:114)
…and say (O
Muhammad): “My Lord! Increase
Me in
knowledge.” (Q. 20:114)
b.
protection against Satan,
وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ هَمَزَاتِ الشَّيَاطِينِ.
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ رَبِّ
أَنْ يَحْضُرُونِ (المؤمنون :97-98)
…and say
(O Muhammad): “My Lord! I seek refuge with
You from the whisperings (suggestions) of the
satans (devils).
And I
seek refuge with You, my Lord! lest they
should come near me.” (Q. 23:97-98)
This
means that in order to ward off from the devils, we are recommended to mention
Allah immediately before undertaking any daily activity, including drinking,
eating, even in intimacy with our spouse.
c.
forgiveness and mercy,
وَقُل
رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِينَ (المؤمنون:118(
… and say (O Muhammad): “My Lord! Forgive
and have
mercy, for You are the Best of those
who show
mercy (Q. 23:118)
d.
prayer for
parents,
".. وَقُل رَبِّ ارحَمهُما كَما رَبَّياني صَغيرًا
" (الإسراء:24(
… and
say: “My Lord! Bestow on them [my parents]
Your Mercy as they did bring me up when
I was young.” (Q. 17:24)
We say this prayer for our parents when they grow old
and continue to do it after their
death.
e. prayer upon
entering Madinah as emigrant,
وَقُلْ رَبِّ أَدْخِلْنِي مُدْخَلَ صِدْقٍ
وَأَخْرِجْنِي مُخْرَجَ صِدْقٍ
وَاجْعَلْ
لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ سُلْطَانًا نَصِيرًا (الإسراء:80)
…and say (O Muhammad): “My Lord! Let my entry
(to the
city of al-Madinah be good, and (likewise) my
exit (from
the city
of Makkah) be good. And grant me from You
an authority to help me (or a firm sign
or a
proof).” (Q.17:80)
f. deliverance
from any impending doom,
قُلْ رَبِّ إِمَّا تُرِيَنِّي مَا يُوعَدُونَ. رَبِّ فَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي
فِي الْقَوْمِ
الظَّالِمِينَ (المؤمنون:118)
And say (O Muhammad): “My
Lord! If You would show
me that
with which they are threatened (torment), My Lord!
Then (save me from Your punishment), put me not
amongst
the
people who are wrong-doers.” (Q. 23:93-94(
Besides the du‘ā’ (prayer, supplication,
invocation), Allah also taught the Prophet what to say in showing people his complete
submission and dedication to Him. He said:
قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
دِينًا قِيَمًا مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا
كَانَ مِنَ
الْمُشْرِكِينَ. قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ
الْعَالَمِينَ.
لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ
الْمُسْلِمِينَ (الأنعام:161-163)
Say (O Muhammad): “Truly, my Lord has guided my
to a
Straight Path, a right religion, the religion of Ibrāhīm
(Abraham), Hanif [i.e. the true Islamic
Monotheism—to
believe
in One God (Allah, i.e. to worship none but Allah,
Alone)
and he was not of idolaters.” Say (O Muhammad):
“Verily, my prayer, my sacrifice, my living,
and my dying
are for Allah, the Lord of the world (mankind,
jinn and
all that
exists). He has no partner. And of this I have
been
commanded, and I am the first of
the Muslims.” (Q. 6:161-163).[6]
Allah also taught the Prophet and us the Muslims how to address Him with
our glorification, to show our acknowledgment of His Omnipotent and Wisdom as
the Sole Creator of the Universe. He said:
قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ فَاطِرَ السَّمَاوَاتِ
وَالْأَرْضِ عَالِمَ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ
أَنْتَ تَحْكُمُ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ فِي مَا كَانُوا
فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُونَ (الزمر:46)
Say (O Muhammad): “O Allah! Creator of the
heavens
and the earth! All-Knower of the Unseen and
the seen!
You will judge between your slaves about that
wherein they used to differ.” (Q. 39:46)
قُلِ اللَّهُمَّ مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ
مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَاءُ وَتُعِزُّ
مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَتُذِلُّ
مَنْ تَشَاءُ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. تُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ
فِي النَّهَارِ وَتُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ
وَتُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَتُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ
الْحَيِّ وَتَرْزُقُ
مَنْ تَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ (آل عمران:26-27)
Say (O Muhammad): “O
Allah! Possessor of the kingdom,
You give the kingdom to whom You will, and You
take
the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue
with
honour whim You will, and You humiliate whom
You will.
In Your Hand is the good. Verily, You are Able
to do all things.
You make the night
enter into the day, and You make the day
enter into the night (i.e.; increase and
decrease in the hours of
the night and the day during winter and
summer), and You
bring the living out of the dead, and You
bring the dead out
of the living. And You give wealth and
sustenance to whom
You will without limit (measure or account).” Q. 3:26-27)
(CIVIC, 5
December, 2014) المراجع:
المكتبة الشاملة
تفسير الطبري (ت. 310 هـ (
تفسير القرطبى (ت. 671 هـ(
تفسير ابن كثير (ت. 774 هـ (
Ali, A.Yusuf. The
Meanings of the Holy Qur’ān
Asad, Muhammad. The Message of the
Qur’ān
Holy Bible: New International
Version, 1973
http://www.quranstudygroup.org/Resources%20page/other/Qurani c%20Duas-%20Dr%20Riza%20Mohammed.pdf
[1] Both “Muhammad” and “Ahmad” are derived from ḥamida
(“he praised”) and ḥamd (praise), have the same meaning, namely, “the
praised one.” In Aramaic, which was the mother tongue of ‘Isa a.s., and
was used in Palestine in his time and for some centuries later, he was called
Mawḥamana translated into Greek as Períklytos (“the Much Praised”).
The original Gospel which is now lost must have been written in this language, the
name was mistakenly referred to as Paráklētos in the Gospel
of St. John (John 14:15-17, 25-26; 15:26; 16:7-8) meaning “the Comforter.”
However, this name was also one of the epithets of the Prophet, namely “Bashīr”
( lit. “the Bringer of Glad Tidings” besides “Nadhīr” (“the Warner”),
see Q. 2:119. The claim that the term in Syriac was menahhemana meaning “the
life giver” is also applicable to the Prophet, as Allah said: يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا
لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ لِمَا يُحْيِيكُمْ (الأنفال:24) “O you
who believe! Answer Allah and his Messenger when he calls you to that which will
give you life…” (Q. 8:24).
[2] See Q. 8:64, 65; 9:73; 33:1, 28, 45, 50; 60:11; 65:1;
66:1, 9.
[5] This verse was misunderstood by the followers of Inkār
al-Sunnah to mean that the Prophet’s followers abandoned the Qur’an and
instead, they were more concerned with his Sunnah (sayings and practices),
and therefore, they did the opposite, abandoning the Sunnah, and said
the Qur’an was sufficient for them. In fact, the Prophet’s people (qawm)
were disbelievers, and idol worshippers, and therefore, they deserted and disregarded the Qur’an; but
when they became believers they upheld the Qur’an, and became his followers and
were called his ummah (community, nation).
[6] Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was the first Muslim
in his time among his ummah (nation, i.e. followers) only,
because prophets before him had preached worshiping Allah Alone, which is Islam
(Q. 21:25). Prophet Nūḥ (Noah) a.s. was commanded by Allah to be of the
Muslims (Q. 10:72). Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham) a.s. enjoined upon his
sons not to die except as Muslims (Q. 2:130-132). Prophet Yūsuf (Joseph) a.s.
prayed to Allah to die as a Muslim (Q. 12:101). Prophet Muhammad s.a.w.
said: “We, the Prophets, are half-brothers, but our religion is one.”
No comments:
Post a Comment