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Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said in a hadith reported by al-Tirmidhi in his al-Jami' that prophethood was established for him while Adam was between (being) soul and body.
This means that the idea of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ being who he is was predetermined and known in the highest echelons of existence before the creation of mankind. Not only was it an integral part of the ontological purpose, but also its apex.
As per the raison d'etre in question, the most important event on earth was the sending of a prophet. The honorable task of man to fulfil his vicegerency mission and build equally honorable civilizational legacies would not be possible without prophets and the revelations bestowed upon them. Prophethood was a necessity; choosing Muhammad ﷺ as the last protagonist before time marked him as the highest in rank.
Created as a weak and indigent being, man is unable to survive on his own and by his own means. His total dependence on his Creator is destined to be a permanent facet of his brief stay on earth. Just as he needed his Creator to be brought from nothing (non-existence) to something (existence), man likewise remains in pressing want of Him for both his biological and spiritual survival.
He needs Him to gravitate from a life of emptiness and insignificance to one of true meaning, value and proficiency. Finally, it is only with the Creator and His providence on board that man can stage a noble exit from the life scene, one that matches the nobility of his arrival.
That said, prophets are the instruments of Almighty Allah's will and plan for mankind and the fate of the world. They are furthermore the greatest paragons and heroes for their fellow humans. Put differently, prophets are the saviors and guardians of humanity and the planet, serving as the focal point of human actions, which can be summarized as the ongoing struggle between good and evil, and between truth and falsehood.
It goes without saying that prophets are the best people to grace the earth. All goodness and virtue come from their self-sacrificing presence, while all evil and depravity result from the loss or distortion of these qualities.
Obviously, believing in all prophets is a must, as the Qur'an underscores: "We make no distinction between any of His messengers" (al-Baqarah 285). A Muslim's faith will be null if he or she does not do so.
There are many proofs for this assertion.
First, Muhammad ﷺ was the final prophet, described by the Qur'an as the Seal of the Prophets (al-Ahzab 40). His shari'ah abrogated the laws and regulations given to all the preceding prophets. This shari'ah will remain pure, valid, and unaltered until the Day of Judgment, which is not true for any of the earlier holy writs. This is because it is none other than Allah who guarantees the preservation and success of Muhammad's ﷺ apostleship. Terrestrial occurrences and their protagonists act merely as a conduit of a heavenly design.
Second, while other prophets were sent to their specific nations, tribes and communities, operating only in specific geographical regions and for specific timeframes, Muhammad ﷺ was sent to all people, everywhere in the world and until the end of days. Theirs were specific and qualified missions, while Muhammad's was all-inclusive and global.
Third, Muhammad ﷺ and his prophetic mission were the embodiments of the earthly paradigm, functioning as its climax and ultimate manifestation. Accordingly, all events preceding them, in a way, paved the way for their advent and miraculous realization, and all the earlier prophets served as their harbingers. With Muhammad ﷺ, Islam emerged as the only religion, representing the singular truth, and was thus concluded and accomplished. Therefore, his work was not part of a process, but its completion and fulfillment in definitive results. Which is why the concept and historical reality of Islamic civilization is the most significant achievement in the history of humanity, providing the only light and hope against the malice of people's endless idol-worship or autolatry.
These qualities of Muhammad ﷺ and his apostolic assignments had numerous implications for the office of prophethood and the trajectory of civilization in general. What stands out are the following deliberations.
During the process of building the Ka'bah with his son Prophet Isma'il, Ibrahim supplicated to Allah concerning Muhammad ﷺ and his supreme purpose: "Our Lord, and send among them a messenger from themselves who will recite to them Your verses and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them. Indeed, You are the Exalted in Might, the Wise" (al-Baqarah 129). This supplication was in the mind of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ when he said that he was the object of Ibrahim's prayer.
Over the course of history so much knowledge concerning Muhammad ﷺ has been accumulated that the Qur'an declares that the Children of Israel, the community guided and ruled predominantly by prophets, knew him as they knew their sons: "Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know (it)" (al-Baqarah 146).
According to a narration included in the commentary on the above verse, 'Umar b. al-Khattab asked Abdullah b. Salam, a companion of the Prophet who was a Jew before Islam, about the Prophet and his knowledge of him. Abdullah b. Salam replied that his knowledge of the Prophet was more certain than his knowledge of his son. Astonished, 'Umar b. al-Khattab asked how that was possible. Abdullah b. Salam explained: "My knowledge and conviction about Muhammad ﷺ are so strong that there is no room for doubt, while regarding my son, I am unsure if my wife was unfaithful." In other words, while the latter can be manipulated, the former cannot. One must be indiscreet or stubborn to deny the obvious.
Prophet 'Isa (Jesus), as the last prophet of the Children of Israel and the second-to-last prophet overall, even disclosed that the final messenger's name will be Ahmad (which is another name for Muhammad ﷺ and an adjective in its superlative form meaning the one who will be most praised on earth and in heaven) (al-Saff 6). He will come after 'Isa, guide people into all truth, and show them things to come.
The Qur'an provides further details about the historically accumulated knowledge of Muhammad ﷺ, particularly deposited in the scriptures of Jews and Christians: "Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet (Muhammad), whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and forbids them what is wrong and makes lawful for them the good things and prohibits for them the evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful" (al-A'raf 157).
Muhammad's ﷺ sending was the biggest highlight in both the physical and metaphysical realms. It was as if everything was created and primed for that moment, culminating there and then, and munificently enjoying the fruits of development ever since. This is why there are numerous names, attributes, and titles assigned to Muhammad ﷺ, needed to capture his immense merit and grace. Many of those names, qualities and designations are registered in the Qur'an and Sunnah, but many are also man-made, arising from Muslim intellectual classiness and spiritual elations.
Parenthetically, some efforts especially from the latter category turned into sheer exaggerations and even falsehoods. Many hadiths have also been fabricated for this purpose. Consequently, people should be extremely careful when dealing with this subject. Their love and appreciation for the Prophet should not lead them to excess. For instance, there are apocryphal hadiths claiming that the first thing Allah created was the light of the Prophet from His light, and that if it were not for the Prophet, Allah would not have created the world.
In the same vein, recognizing and affirming the status of Muhammad ﷺ, all prophets - or all except for Prophets Hud and Salih - came to Makkah to perform the Hajj pilgrimage. They also met Muhammad ﷺ during the Mi'raj (ascension into heaven) night journey and prayed with him. For the prayer, Muhammad was appointed the imam (leader), and the other prophets were his followers. This heavenly and momentous event was a perfect occasion to express the most important earthly truth connected to the unparalleled standing of Muhammad ﷺ.
Muhammad's ﷺ meeting with Prophets Ibrahim and Musa (Moses) during the same Mi'raj journey, on the seventh and sixth heavens respectively, serves as additional evidence of Muhammad's ﷺ relationship with Ibrahim (the father of prophets) and Musa (the most important prophet of the Children of Israel as the society of prophets).
While to other prophets, Muhammad ﷺ was a brother, to Adam and Ibrahim, he was a son. This indicates that he was instrumental in fulfilling human destiny (his relationship with Adam) and in fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant (his relationship with Ibrahim). Meeting Prophet Musa just below the level of Ibrahim signifies that Muhammad ﷺ was the Prophet God promised to send, who would be "like you (Musa) from among their (Israelites) brethren (Muhammad ﷺ is a younger brother of the Semitic family), and will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him" (Deuteronomy 18:18).
The Prophet was explicit that he is the leader or master of the children of Adam. He is the best on earth, and as a result, he will receive the same treatment in the Hereafter. A series of leads and preeminent proceedings following the resurrection on Judgment Day will be associated with him. He will take on the role of the intercessor, which is both equivalent to and an extension of his earthly rank as the Savior.
The Prophet said: "I am the leader of the sons of Adam, and it is no boast. I will be the first one for whom the earth will be split open on the Day of Resurrection, and it is no boast. I will be the first to intercede and the first whose intercession will be accepted, and it is no boast. The banner of praise will be in my hand on the Day of Resurrection, and it is no boast" (Sunan Ibn Majah).
The results were the antitheses of the truths, encapsulated in the concept of a messiah (the anointed or chosen one in recognition of honor and responsibility) as a fabricated notion. The first and most liable culprits were the Jews and the second were the Christians.
The Jews came up with the idea of "the Lord's anointed", the expected king from the Davidic line who would free Israel from foreign oppression and restore the glory of its golden age. He would be the Jewish national savior and redeemer, ensuring that the Jews would never again experience national homelessness and the accompanying suffering. Jesus at first was thought to be that figure - hence his occasional title, seriously by some and scornfully by most, as the king of the Jews - but he was not the one. Not in the slightest was he the warrior obsessed with toppling empires and building new ones. Therefore, he had to pay a heavy price for the disappointment caused.
On the other hand, the Christians and their new religion, an outgrowth of Judaism, built on Jewish philosophy. They believed that Jesus, not as a human king but rather as the Son of God, is the Messiah. He partly fulfilled the requirements of the messianic eschatological thought in the Old Testament (the Jewish messianic tenets) through his life, mission, death on the cross and resurrection. The remaining aspects of the prophecies will be fulfilled during his second coming, after which salvation will last forever and righteousness will never fail. The depiction of Jesus' return is one of triumph, symbolizing the defeat of wickedness and the establishment of His dominion.
This way, instead of promoting universality, broad-mindedness, transparency and certainty - as demonstrated through the Islamic concept of prophethood with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ being its quintessence and culmination - nationalism, narrow-mindedness, absurdity and vagueness were extolled. In short, instead of veracity, fallacy is supplied, taking advantage of the psychological and emotional components inherent in the messianic doctrine.
Notably, these Jews did not settle in Makkah, but in Madinah. The motive was their extensive knowledge about the final prophet, which they tried to meddle with for their shallow pseudo-religious and nationalistic interests. They knew that Muhammad ﷺ would be from Makkah and would spend more than half of his prophetic life there; however, the realization of his mission and significant civilizational achievements would occur in Madinah. Thus, Madinah became the preferred and "right" choice.
Living in Madinah among the idolaters and with a bizarre nationalistic creed, the Jews often did not get along well with them. Religious and tribal disagreements, and even conflicts, flared. It was then that the true nature of the Jews became apparent.
Ibn Kathir reported in his tafsir that the Jews used to say to the Madinah polytheists: "A Prophet shall be sent just before the end of this world and we, along with him, shall exterminate you, in the same manner as the nations of 'Ad and Iram were exterminated.'"
Moreover, a companion Abdullah Ibn 'Abbas said: "The Jews used to invoke Allah (for the coming of Muhammad ﷺ as "their Savior or Messiah") in order to gain victory over the Aws and Khazraj (the two major Arab tribes in Madinah) before the Prophet was sent. When Allah sent him to the Arabs, they rejected him and denied what they used to say about him. Hence, (the Prophet's companions) Mu'adh bin Jabal and Bishr bin Al-Bara' bin Ma`rur, from (the tribe of) Banu Salamah, said to them: 'O Jews! Fear Allah and embrace Islam. You used to invoke Allah for the coming of Muhammad ﷺ when we were still disbelievers and you used to tell us that he would come and describe him to us.' Salam bin Mushkim from (the Jewish tribe of) Banu al-Nadir replied: 'He did not bring anything that we recognize. He is not the Prophet we told you about.'"
This hypocritical conduct of the Jews was the reason for revealing this verse of the Qur'an: "And when there came to them a Book from Allah confirming that which was with them - although before they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved - but (then) when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so the curse of Allah will be upon the disbelievers" (al-Baqarah 89).
Islam teaches that, having neither been crucified nor killed, 'Isa is alive and will return, but not as the world's independent Messiah. Rather, he will come back as a follower of Islam and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He will be given extraordinary powers, albeit only with the aim of putting them in the service of Islam, which he also followed and preached, of Muhammad ﷺ, whose arrival and triumphs he foretold, and of the Muslim ummah, to which he, as a Muslim, always belonged.
'Isa's miraculous role will be two-fold: to uphold the belief that Muhammad ﷺ is the last and most authoritative Prophet, and thus the world's long-awaited savior; and to expose the widespread delinquencies of the Jews and Christians - and possibly unholy alliances between them - especially towards the end of time, which will necessitate 'Isa's second coming. Because of the Jews and Christians, the guidance and light of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ always faced the greatest and most numerous challenges to shine and save the world.
That is why today, as an unprecedented human tragedy unfolds in Gaza, in the form of a genocide against the Palestinians perpetrated by a coalition of the most sordid elements of Jewry and Christendom, the world is being pushed to the brink of a global conflict that could lead to a catastrophe of apocalyptic proportions. More and more people see this as a precursor to a doomsday scenario, when, among other signs, Prophet 'Isa will return. Indeed, more than a few aspects of the ongoing Gaza calamity fit the Prophet's narratives concerning the end of time and its accompanying world-ending cataclysm. The central stage will be taken by 'Isa's return and his destruction of the Antichrist and its forces that bear a resemblance to the monsters behind the ever-expanding Gaza tragedy.
This holy purpose of 'Isa's return Prophet Muhammad ﷺ compressed in the following words: "There is no prophet between me and him, that is, 'Isa (Jesus). He will descend (to the earth). When you see him, recognize him: a man of medium height, reddish fair, wearing two light yellow garments, looking as if drops were falling down from his head though it will not be wet. He will fight the people for the cause of Islam. He will break the cross, kill swine, and abolish jizyah. Allah will perish all religions except Islam. He will destroy the Antichrist and will live on the earth for forty years and then he will die. The Muslims will pray over him" (Sunan Abi Dawud).
In passing, in Islam, Prophet 'Isa is also referred to as the Messiah (al-Masih), but this differs from the Christian concept of the Messiah the Savior. According to the Islamic worldview, this title was given to 'Isa by Allah. The name al-Masih comes from the verb "masaha," which means to touch, wipe, anoint and purify. It was given because 'Isa was free from sin, or because he was blessed, or because he healed the sick by touching them, or because his infallible presence seemed to purify the land he walked on with his divine aura. Hence, the Islamic al-Masih was a set of real-world, momentary, specialized and applied miraculous blessings.
Along the same lines, the authentic idea of al-Mahdi should be viewed. His "messianic" contributions will be complementary, supporting and operating solely within the framework of the superior "messianic" paradigm of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. In this sense, al-Mahdi's and Prophet 'Isa's roles will be identical, yet they will work hand in hand to inscribe the final chapter of Prophet Muhammad's ﷺ apostleship. Like so, the end of the foremost earthly mission will be as miraculous as its ontological beginning, when Adam existed between soul and body.
Also, in Zoroastrianism there is a concept of the Saoshyant, meaning the Savior. He is a figure of eschatological significance who is prophesied to be a future savior of humanity. He will bring about "the final renovation of the world, resurrect the dead and defeat evil, thus bringing about a new era of righteousness and eternal bliss".
But perhaps the most amazing example is that of Hinduism. In Hinduism, there are three principal deities: Brahma as the Creator of the universe, Vishnu as the Sustainer, and Shiva as the Destroyer.
Vishnu sustains and preserves the universe through avatars, which are his material appearances or incarnations. He descends to the world to save it by restoring cosmic order. There are ten avatars in total. Nine have passed, with the last one remaining. The final avatar, known as Kalki, represents Vishnu's last intervention in the corrupt affairs of the world to protect it. Hindus eagerly await his arrival, believing that this time of conflict and sin is when he will appear.
However, according to the book titled "Muhammad in the Hindu Scriptures," written by a Hindu professor Dr. Ved Prakash Upaddhay, the descriptions of Kalki Avatar given in the Hindu scriptures amply point to the life and times of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. The author emphatically states the essence of his research findings: "It is a proven fact that Muhammad ﷺ fits the description of the Ultimate Sage, whose coming has been prophesied in the Vedas, the Bible and the Buddhist scriptures. My heart was therefore aroused with the inspiration that truth must be revealed, even though it could be distasteful to some people."
The book in question is filled with proofs and analyses, asserting that the ultimate Sage and Savior - supposedly in the form of the tenth Kalki Avatar - has already come and fulfilled his duties. He was none other than Prophet Muhammad. Those who await the Kalki Avatar are unknowingly subjecting themselves to constant distress, as this important figure has already appeared and left our world more than fourteen hundred years ago.
In a world that is rapidly falling apart, the religion of Islam emerges as the only true path and a glimmer of hope, especially in the face of escalating falsehoods and widespread moral degradation. This powerful message is a testament to the lasting influence of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Much like the legendary ark of Prophet Nuh (Noah), Islam stands as the only viable option for rescue, with no other alternatives providing genuine safety or solace.
Finally, one may wonder how this is possible. The justification is straightforward and simple. It is believed that most, if not all, religions around the world are distorted remnants of the once revealed Islam to every tribe, nation, and community on earth. The Qur'an clearly emphasizes that Islam, as the exclusive truth, is the only religion with Allah and has been revealed at different points in history to every community on earth. From Adam, the first man and prophet, to Muhammad ﷺ, the last prophet, thousands of prophets preached the same monotheistic message of Islam and invited people to the same set of transcendent ideals, values, and standards.
As said before, all the fundamental truths concerning Islam, including its ultimate destiny and fulfillment at the hands of the Seal and Prince of Prophets, Muhammad, featured prominently in those historical revelations and the arduous missions of their prophets. Just as the revealed spiritual, moral, and sacramental teachings of those prophets have been twisted and distorted beyond recognition, so too has the doctrine of Islam's final providence and of Prophet Muhammad as the world's Deliverer and Savior.
If, for example, Christianity is merely a corrupted and distorted version of Islam as revealed to Prophet 'Isa, and if Judaism is also a corrupted and distorted version of Islam as revealed to Prophet Musa and later supported by other prophets of the Children of Israel, the same could be said for most of the world's existing religions. Following this reasoning, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism could also be seen as distorted versions of Islam. Though there are no definitive attestations to verify this claim, it would be equally misleading to reject it impulsively.
This is due to the fact that, in the absence of holy messengers and revelations, humans would struggle to grasp transcendent concepts like God, the afterlife, the Day of Reckoning, angels, jinn, Hell, and Paradise. These ideas lie outside the jurisdiction of human experience and logic. To truly comprehend them, guidance from a higher source is crucial.
From Darkness to Light: The Birth that Rebirths the World
