Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “O Prophet, indeed We have sent you”
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The Shaykh :[Al-Ahzab 33:45] It is not hidden what is in addressing the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) with the form of the vocative “O Prophet” in that this indicates magnification, namely the magnification of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). It is not hidden what is in the elevation of rank in his saying “O Prophet” where He described him with prophethood. And it is not hidden what is in the beauty of the conclusion in his saying “Indeed We have sent you.”
So Allah combined for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in this verse between the two descriptions: prophethood and messengership. And therefore he, may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, was first made a Prophet and then sent as a Messenger.
To be made a Prophet means: that revelation descended upon him without him being commanded to convey it. So with what was he made a Prophet? He was made a Prophet with “Iqra” (Read).[Al-'Alaq 96:1-5].
So these verses are the first of the revelation that descended upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
He was made a Prophet with them, and the revelation paused, then it descended upon him:[Al-Muddaththir 74:1-2]. And thereby he became what? He became a Messenger. For this reason, the Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) said regarding the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “He was made a Prophet with ‘Iqra’ and sent with ‘al-Muddaththir’”. Now, what is the difference between a Prophet and a Messenger? According to the majority of scholars, the difference between them is that a Prophet is revealed to him the Shari’ah, but he is not obligated to convey it; rather, he worships with it himself, reviving a Shari’ah that was before him or a newly started Shari’ah. Pay attention.
As for the Messenger, he is revealed to him the Shari’ah and he is obligated to convey it. And therefore he is called a Messenger from the word “risalah” (messengership), which is directing a person to one of them to convey a need. And on this basis, every Prophet is... Complete it. Wrong. And on this basis, every Messenger is a Prophet, but not every Prophet is a Messenger. May Allah bless you. Pay attention, pure imitation harms the person. Now.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, a Prophet and a Messenger, there is no doubt in this. Allah combined for him both prophethood and messengership.
So if someone says: What do you say about the hadith of al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught him what to say upon waking from sleep, and among it is:Sunan Ibn Majah 3876Sahih (Darussalam). When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) finished the supplication he had taught him, al-Bara’ repeated it to him and said: As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 64:1200. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: . And you are now saying that every Messenger is a Prophet and not the reverse. So if he said: “And your Messenger whom You sent,” it is as if he said: “And your Prophet whom You sent.” And despite this, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) corrected him and said: .
So he said:. Why?
Some scholars said: He corrected him to preserve the wording that came in the dhikr, and that a person should not replace the words that came in the dhikr with something else, even if it includes them. Is it clear, my brother? Stand up.
The student: The answer?
The Shaykh : The answer
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : You did well, rest. They said he corrected him in order to preserve the wording that came in the dhikr and not change it. And while this has a point of view, the better answer is the second one, which is that if he says “And your Messenger whom You sent,” it is possible that it is intended, or it is possible that it is intended to be the angelic Messenger. But if he says “Your Prophet whom You sent,” it is not possible that the intended meaning is the angelic Messenger. Is the speech clear?
Clear. Now, is the angel a Messenger?
Yes. Allah the Exalted said:[Fatir 35:1]. And Allah the Exalted said in the Noble Qur’an: [At-Takwir 81:19-20]. Who is the Messenger intended here? Jibril, an angel. So if he says “With your Messenger whom You sent,” it is possible that the intended meaning is the one You sent, namely an angel from the angels whom You sent. But if he says “With your Prophet,” it is established that the intended meaning is the human Messenger. And this is what is required.
Have you seen if someone said: With both aspects, and that he corrected him to observe that the wording of the dhikr should not be changed, and in order that the one who thinks does not think that the intended meaning is the angelic Messenger. Where can the two aspects be combined?
It is possible. Why?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Even if there is a contradiction?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Now, you did well. And this is a rule that a student of knowledge should understand: if he finds two statements in a matter regarding the meaning of a verse or a hadith, and the wording allows for both, and there is no contradiction between them, then it is carried to what? To both meanings, as long as there is no contradiction between them and the wording allows for both, it is carried to both meanings. For this, there are many examples in the Noble Qur’an, among them the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Takwir 81:17-18]. “When the night has settled” means it has passed, and it is said its meaning is it has come. Coming is not passing. But is there a contradiction between them?
Meaning, if someone said: That Allah swore by the night when it comes and by the night when it passes, is there a contradiction? No. Because the coming of the night or the passing of the night, both are among the signs of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
And among that is also the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Fatir 35:32]. Some exegetes said: The one who wrongs himself is the one who delays the prayer from its time, and the moderate one is the one who performs it in its time but not at the beginning of it. And the one who hastens to good deeds is the one who performs the prayer at the beginning of its time.
And others said: The one who wrongs himself is the one who is stingy with zakah, and the moderate one is the one who pays zakah but does not volunteer with charity, and the one who hastens to good deeds is the one who pays zakah and volunteers with charity.
So is it possible for us to say: That the verse includes both statements?
Yes. It is possible. Why? Because it allows for both equally and there is no contradiction between them.
The one who delays the prayer from its time is one who wrongs himself, and the one who withholds the obligatory zakah is one who wrongs himself. The one who performs the prayer in its time but not at the beginning of it, and the one who pays the obligatory zakah and does not give charity, both are moderate. And the one who performs the prayer at the beginning of its time, or at the end of it if that is better, and the one who pays the obligatory zakah and charity, both are hastening to good deeds.
And this is a rule that a student of knowledge should understand. Stand up.
The student: The question.
The Shaykh : The question is the rule that we established and gave examples for.
The student: If the verse carries more than one meaning.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Then combining them, for it allows
The Shaykh : Then it carries.
The student: That it carries.
The Shaykh : Whether in the Qur’an or in the Sunnah. May Allah bless you.
O Prophet, indeed We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner.
يا أيها النبي إنا أرسلناك شاهدا ومبشرا ونذيراSo Allah combined for the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) in this verse between the two descriptions: prophethood and messengership. And therefore he, may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him, was first made a Prophet and then sent as a Messenger.
To be made a Prophet means: that revelation descended upon him without him being commanded to convey it. So with what was he made a Prophet? He was made a Prophet with “Iqra” (Read).
(1) Recite in the name of your Lord who created - (2) Created man from a clinging substance. (3) Recite, and your Lord is the most Generous - (4) Who taught by the pen - (5) Taught man that which he knew not.
اقرأ باسم ربك الذي خلق خلق الإنسان من علق اقرأ وربك الأكرم الذي علم بالقلم علم الإنسان ما لم يعلمSo these verses are the first of the revelation that descended upon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).
He was made a Prophet with them, and the revelation paused, then it descended upon him:
(1) O you who covers himself [with a garment], (2) Arise and warn
يا أيها المدثر قم فأنذرAs for the Messenger, he is revealed to him the Shari’ah and he is obligated to convey it. And therefore he is called a Messenger from the word “risalah” (messengership), which is directing a person to one of them to convey a need. And on this basis, every Prophet is... Complete it. Wrong. And on this basis, every Messenger is a Prophet, but not every Prophet is a Messenger. May Allah bless you. Pay attention, pure imitation harms the person. Now.
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, a Prophet and a Messenger, there is no doubt in this. Allah combined for him both prophethood and messengership.
So if someone says: What do you say about the hadith of al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught him what to say upon waking from sleep, and among it is:
I believe in Your Book that You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent
آمنت بكتابك الذي أنزلت ونبيك الذي أرسلتAnd I believe in your Book which You have sent down and your Messenger whom You have sent
وآمنت بكتابك الذي أنزلت ورسولك الذي أرسلتNo. Say, "And your Prophet whom You sent."
لا. قل ونبيك الذي أرسلتSay, "And your Messenger whom You sent."
قل ورسولك الذي أرسلتSo he said:
Say, "And your Prophet whom You sent."
قل ونبيك الذي أرسلتSome scholars said: He corrected him to preserve the wording that came in the dhikr, and that a person should not replace the words that came in the dhikr with something else, even if it includes them. Is it clear, my brother? Stand up.
The student: The answer?
The Shaykh : The answer
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : You did well, rest. They said he corrected him in order to preserve the wording that came in the dhikr and not change it. And while this has a point of view, the better answer is the second one, which is that if he says “And your Messenger whom You sent,” it is possible that it is intended, or it is possible that it is intended to be the angelic Messenger. But if he says “Your Prophet whom You sent,” it is not possible that the intended meaning is the angelic Messenger. Is the speech clear?
Clear. Now, is the angel a Messenger?
Yes. Allah the Exalted said:
[who] made the angels messengers
جاعل الملائكة رسلا(19) [That] indeed, the Qur'an is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger (20) [Who is] possessed of power and with the Owner of the Throne, secure [in position],
إنه لقول رسول كريم ذي قوة عند ذي العرش مكينHave you seen if someone said: With both aspects, and that he corrected him to observe that the wording of the dhikr should not be changed, and in order that the one who thinks does not think that the intended meaning is the angelic Messenger. Where can the two aspects be combined?
It is possible. Why?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Even if there is a contradiction?
The student: ... .
The Shaykh : Now, you did well. And this is a rule that a student of knowledge should understand: if he finds two statements in a matter regarding the meaning of a verse or a hadith, and the wording allows for both, and there is no contradiction between them, then it is carried to what? To both meanings, as long as there is no contradiction between them and the wording allows for both, it is carried to both meanings. For this, there are many examples in the Noble Qur’an, among them the saying of Allah the Exalted:
(17) And by the night as it closes in (18) And by the dawn when it breathes
والليل إذا عسعس والصبح إذا تنفسMeaning, if someone said: That Allah swore by the night when it comes and by the night when it passes, is there a contradiction? No. Because the coming of the night or the passing of the night, both are among the signs of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
And among that is also the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Then we caused to inherit the Book those We have chosen of Our servants; and among them is he who wrongs himself, and among them is he who is moderate, and among them is he who is foremost in good deeds by permission of Allah
ثم أورثنا الكتاب الذي اصطفينا من عبادنا فمنهم ظالم لنفسه ومنهم مقتصد ومنهم سابق بالخيرات بإذن اللهAnd others said: The one who wrongs himself is the one who is stingy with zakah, and the moderate one is the one who pays zakah but does not volunteer with charity, and the one who hastens to good deeds is the one who pays zakah and volunteers with charity.
So is it possible for us to say: That the verse includes both statements?
Yes. It is possible. Why? Because it allows for both equally and there is no contradiction between them.
The one who delays the prayer from its time is one who wrongs himself, and the one who withholds the obligatory zakah is one who wrongs himself. The one who performs the prayer in its time but not at the beginning of it, and the one who pays the obligatory zakah and does not give charity, both are moderate. And the one who performs the prayer at the beginning of its time, or at the end of it if that is better, and the one who pays the obligatory zakah and charity, both are hastening to good deeds.
And this is a rule that a student of knowledge should understand. Stand up.
The student: The question.
The Shaykh : The question is the rule that we established and gave examples for.
The student: If the verse carries more than one meaning.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The student: Then combining them, for it allows
The Shaykh : Then it carries.
The student: That it carries.
The Shaykh : Whether in the Qur’an or in the Sunnah. May Allah bless you.