Prophethood

Our Prophet Muhammad (May Allah's blessing and peace be on him and his descendants) s/o Abdullah, s/o Abdul-Muttalib, s/o Hashim, s/o Abd Munaf, is a true and rightful Prophet. He claimed Prophethood and wrought miracles, which proved that he was a true Messenger of Allah. His greatest miracle is the Holy Qur'an - the glorious distinguisher between truth and falsehood. It will continue to exist till the Day of Resurrection. It is a proof of its authenticity for the whole mankind. It is inimitable on account of its extraordinary eloquence and the beauty of its diction and style. When challenged, no rhe-torician or man of letters could produce even a small surah (chapter) or a complete verse like it.

Our Prophet (May Allah's blessing and peace be on him and his descendants) was a Prophet to himself before he was formally raised. Afterwards he was a Prophet for the whole mankind. He himself has said: "I was a Prophet when Adam was still between water and clay". And if it were not so then preference to the inferior over superior becomes necessary which is absurd.

Infallibility

All Prophets were infallible and free from all defects, sins, and negligence and forgetfulness in their deeds and sayings from their early childhood till their death, for if they had committed a sin or a mistake, they would have lost their position in the hearts of the people who would not have had confidence in what they said or did. In this way the benefits of Prophethood would have come to naught. Therefore certain stories mentioned about them in the Holy Qur'an must be explained away.

The Prophets (peace be on them) must be the best and the most learned men of their time, for it is absurd to give preference to the inferior people.

The Seal of the Prophets

Our Prophet (May Allah's blessing and peace be on him and his descendants) was the last of all the Prophets and Apostles in the sense that there would no more be any Prophet till the Day of Resurrection. Allah says: Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the seal of the Prophets. ¹

The Superiority of the Holy Prophet [s]

Our Prophet is superior to all other Prophets, for his Prophethood has proved and he himself has informed us of his superiority. The Holy Prophet said to Fatimah: "Your father is the best of all Prophets; your husband is the best of all successors; you are the chief of all the women of the world, and your sons, Hasan and Husayn are the chiefs of the youth of Paradise, but their father is superior to them."

Ascension

The Holy Prophet's 'Ascension' with his physical body openly, not in a sleeping state, is a true fact. The reports about this event are continuous, clear and specific. Therefore anybody who denies it is outside the pale of Islam. The Holy Prophet passed through the gates of the heavens, so there was no question of their being torn and patched up again. The flimsy arguments in this connection have been refuted at their appropriate place.

Abrogation of Previous Religions

The religion of our Prophet has abrogated previous religions, for what is suitable changes with the change of time and persons as the treatment of a patient changes with the change in temperament and disease.

Footnote:

1. Surah al-Ahzab, 33:40