Belief In the Messengers

The Messengers are sent to deliver a Message. They are the ones to whom Allah has sent down revelation and who conveys His Law to mankind. Allah ordered them to deliver these Messages. The first Messenger to be sent was Noah and the last one was Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa-sallam). Allah said, what translated means, {Indeed, We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], as We revealed to Noah and the prophets after him.} [An-Nisaa 4:163]

Transliteration: Inna awhayna ilayka kama awhayna ila noohin waalnnabiyyeena min baAAdihi

Anas ibn Malik (radiyallaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa-sallam) said, during his Hadeeth about Shafa’ah (the right of intercession on mankind’s behalf that Allah grants to His Messenger on the Last Day), “Mankind come to Adam to intercede on their behalf but he declines, saying: “Go to Noah, the First Messenger that Allah sent...”[Saheeh al-Bukhari]

Also, Allah said, what translated means, { Muhammad (SAW) is not the father of any man among you, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last (end) of the Prophets.} [Al-Ahzaab 33:40].

Transliteration: Ma kana muhammadun aba ahadin min rijalikum walakin rasoola Allahi wakhatama alnnabiyyeena

Allah sent Messengers to every nation and provided them with Laws that their nations must follow. Some Messengers were sent to revive a Message of a previous Messenger. Allah said, what translated means, {And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allah (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Taghut (all false deities, etc.i. e. do not worship Taghut besides Allah)."} [An-Nahl 16:36],

Transliteration: Walaqad baAAathna fee kulli ommatin rasoolan ani oAAbudoo Allaha waijtaniboo alttaghoota

{And there never was a nation but a warner had passed among them.} [Fater 35:24]

Transliteration: wain min ommatin illa khala feeha natheerun

and, {Verily, We did send down the Taurat (Torah) [to Musa (Moses)], therein was guidance and light, by which the Prophets, who submitted themselves to Allah's Will, judged the Jews.} [Al-Maaida 5:44].

Transliteration: Inna anzalna alttawrata feeha hudan wanoorun yahkumu biha alnnabiyyoona allatheena aslamoo lillatheena hadoo

The Messengers are only humans and they do not possess any attributes that qualify them to be gods. Allah described His Messenger, Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam), the master of all Messengers and the best of mankind, saying, what translated means, {Say (O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam): “I possess no power of benefit or harm to myself except as Allah will. If I had the knowledge of the Unseen, I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe.} [Al-Araf 7:188]

Transliteration: Qul la amliku linafsee nafAAan wala darran illa ma shaa Allahu walaw kuntu aAAlamu alghayba laistakthartu mina alkhayri wama massaniya alssooo in ana illa natheerun wabasheerun liqawmin yuminoona

and, {Say (O Muhammad SAW): "I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe."} [Al-Jin 72:21]

Transliteration: Qul innee la amliku lakum darran wala rashadan

The Messengers are only humans. They get sick and they die, they need to eat and drink and they have other human needs. Abraham described his Lord, saying, as was mentioned in the Qur’aan, { "And it is He Who feeds me and gives me to drink. (79) "And when I am ill, it is He who cures me. (80) "And Who will cause me to die, and then will bring me to life (again);} [Ash-Shu'araa 26:79-81]

Transliteration: Waallathee huwa yutAAimunee wayasqeeni (79) Waitha maridtu fahuwa yashfeeni (80) Waallathee yumeetunee thumma yuhyeeni

Also, the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wa-sallam) said, what translated means, “I am only human, just like you, I forget as you forget, therefore, when I forget, remind me.” [Saheeh al-Bukhari and Saheeh Muslim]

Allah described the Messengers, while praising them, that they reached the highest attainable degrees in worshipping Him. He said about Noah, what translated means, {Verily, he was a grateful slave.} [Al-‘Israa’ 17:3],

Transliteration: innahu kana AAabdan shakooran

and about Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa-sallam), {Blessed be He Who sent down the criterion (of right and wrong, i.e. this Quran) to His slave (Muhammad SAW) that he may be a warner to the 'Alamin (mankind and jinns).} [Al-Furqan 25:1],

Transliteration: Tabaraka allathee nazzala alfurqana AAala AAabdihi liyakoona lilAAalameena natheeran

and about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, {And remember Our slaves, Ibrahim (Abraham), Ishaque (Isaac), and Ya'qub (Jacob), (all) owners of strength (in worshipping Us) and (also) of religious understanding. (45) Verily, We did choose them by granting them (a good thing, i.e.) the remembrance of the home [in the Hereafter and they used to make the people remember it, and also they used to invite the people to obey Allah and to do good deeds for the Hereafter]. (46) And they are with Us, verily, of the chosen and the best!} [Saad 38:45-47],

Transliteration: Waothkur AAibadana ibraheema waishaqa wayaAAqooba olee alaydee waalabsari (45) Inna akhlasnahum bikhalisatin thikra alddari (46) Wainnahum AAindana lamina almustafayna alakhyari

And about Jesus, {He was not more than a slave. We granted Our favor to him, and We made him an example to the Children of Israel.} [Az-Zukhruf 43:59]

Transliteration: In huwa illa AAabdun anAAamna AAalayhi wajaAAalnahu mathalan libanee israeela

Belief In The Messengers Has Four Parts

1. To believe that the Messages are truly from Allah. Whoever disbelieves in one Messenger, will have disbelieved in all Messengers. Allah said, what translated means, {The people of Noah belied the Messengers.} [Ash-Shu'araa 26:105]

Transliteration: Kaththabat qawmu noohin almursaleena

Allah considered the people of Noah disbelievers in all Messengers, although they only disbelieved in one Messenger. Therefore, the Christians, who disbelieve in Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) and do not follow him, are disbelievers in Jesus, the Son of Mary. Jesus gave the glad tidings of the coming of Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) to the Christians. This glad tidings will be of no benefit to the Christians if they do not follow Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam) to guidance and the Straight Path.

2. To believe in the Messengers whom we were told about, like Muhammad (sallallaau alaihi wa-sallam), Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Noah (alaihum as-salam). These are the five strongest Messengers. Allah mentioned them in two verses of the Qur’aan, {And (remember) when We took from the Prophets their Covenant, and form you (O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)), and from Noah, Abraham, Moses and Jesus, son of Mary.} [Al-Ahzab 33:7]

Transliteration: Waith akhathna mina alnnabiyyeena meethaqahum waminka wamin noohin waibraheema wamoosa waAAeesa ibni maryama

and, {He (Allah) has ordained for you the same Religion (Islam) which He ordained for Noah, and that which We have inspired in you (O Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa-sallam)), and that which We ordained for Abraham, Moses and Jesus, saying you should establish Religion (by implementing the Commandments) and make no divisions in it.} [Ash-Shura 42:13]

Transliteration: SharaAAa lakum mina alddeeni ma wassa bihi noohan waallathee awhayna ilayka wama wassayna bihi ibraheema wamoosa waAAeesa an aqeemoo alddeena wala tatafarraqoo feehi

We must also believe in all other Messengers and Prophets whom their names were not mentioned to us, {And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa-sallam)), of them some We have related to you their story and some We have not related to you their story.} [Ghaafir 40:78]

Transliteration: Walaqad arsalna rusulan min qablika minhum man qasasna AAalayka waminhum man lam naqsus AAalayka

3. To believe in all what the Messengers have conveyed to us.

4. To implement the Laws of the Messenger who was sent to us, Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa-sallam), the final Messenger. Allah sent Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa-sallam) to all mankind, {But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad (sallallaahu alaihi wa-sallam)) judge in all disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept (them) with full submission.} [An-Nisaa’ 4:65]

Transliteration: Fala warabbika la yuminoona hatta yuhakkimooka feema shajara baynahum thumma la yajidoo fee anfusihim harajan mimma qadayta wayusallimoo tasleeman

Benefits Of Believing In The Messengers

1. Knowing how Allah takes care of His slaves by sending them Messengers to guide them to His Path. The Messengers teach their nations how to worship Allah, because the human mind cannot know how Allah should be worshipped without guidance from Him.

2. Thanking Allah for this great bounty.

3. Dutifully loving, respecting and praising the Messengers of Allah. They are Allah’s Messengers; they worshipped Him, conveyed His Message and gave the best advice to His slaves. Many rebellious people rejected their Messengers, claiming that Allah’s Messengers cannot be human. Allah mentioned this claim and refuted it, {And nothing prevented men from believing when the guidance came to them, except that they said: "Has Allah sent a man as (His) Messenger?" (94) Say: "If there were on the earth, angels walking about in peace and security, We should certainly have sent down for them from the heaven an angel as a Messenger."} [Al-‘Israa’ 17:94- 95]

Transliteration: Wama manaAAa alnnasa an yuminoo ith jaahumu alhuda illa an qaloo abaAAatha Allahu basharan rasoolan (94) Qul law kana fee alardi malaikatun yamshoona mutmainneena lanazzalna AAalayhim mina alssamai malakan rasoolan

Allah refuted this claim, saying that the Messengers must be sent from among humans, because they are sent to the people of earth, who are humans. If the inhabitants of earth were angels, then Allah would have sent Messengers from among the angels to them. Allah mentioned what the disbelievers in the Messengers said, {They said: "You are no more than human beings like us! You wish to turn us away from what our fathers used to worship. Then bring us a clear authority i.e. a clear proof of what you say)." (10)Their Messengers said to them: "We are no more than human beings like you, but Allah bestows His Grace to whom He wills of His slaves. It is not ours to bring you an authority (proof) except by the Permission of Allah. And in Allah (Alone) let the believers put their trust.} [Ibrahim 14:10-11]

Transliteration: in antum illa basharun mithluna tureedoona an tasuddoona AAamma kana yaAAbudu abaona fatoona bisultanin mubeenin (10) Qalat lahum rusuluhum in nahnu illa basharun mithlukum walakinna Allaha yamunnu AAala man yashao min AAibadihi wama kana lana an natiyakum bisultanin illa biithni Allahi waAAala Allahi falyatawakkali almuminoona



Source: AHYA.ORG - Authentic Islamic Resources and Information