regards to the Prophet (saas) in the Qur'an, is that he only practiced
what Allah revealed and asked of him, with no concern about what
others might think. Important figures and members of other religions
at the time wanted him to impose rules that would benefit them.
Although these people were more numerous and powerful, the Prophet
(saas) was punctilious about abiding by Allah's commandments and the
Qur'an. Allah tells us the following in one verse:
When Our Clear Signs are recited to them, those who do not expect to
meet Us say, "Bring a Qur'an other than this one or change it." Say:
"It is not for me to change it of my own accord. I follow nothing
except what is revealed to me. I fear, were I to disobey my Lord, the
punishment of a Dreadful Day." Say: "Had Allah so wished, I would not
have recited it to you nor would He have made it known to you. I lived
among you for many years before it came. Will you not use your
intellect?" (Surah Yunus: 15-16)
In a number of verses of the Qur'an, Allah warned the Prophet (saas)
about the conduct of his people. For instance:
And We have sent down the Book to you [Muhammad] with truth,
confirming and conserving the previous Books. So judge between them by
what Allah has sent down and do not follow their whims and desires
deviating from the Truth that has come to you. We have appointed a law
and a practice for every one of you. Had Allah willed, He would have
made you a single community, but He wanted to test you regarding what
has come to you. So compete with each other in doing good. Every one
of you will return to Allah and He will inform you regarding the
things about which you differed. Judge between them by what Allah has
sent down and do not follow their whims and desires. And beware of
them lest they lure you away from some of what Allah has sent down to
you. If they turn their backs, then know that Allah wants to afflict
them with some of their wrong actions. Many of mankind are deviators.
(Surat al-Ma'ida: 48-49)
The Prophet (saas) told people repeatedly and determinedly to do
nothing but that which Allah had revealed to him. One verse concerning
this superior morality of the Prophet (saas) reads:
Say: "I do not say to you that I possess the treasuries of Allah, nor
do I know the Unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel. I only
follow what has been revealed to me." Say: "Are the blind the same as
those who can see? So will you not reflect?" (Surat al-An'am: 50)
Alongside that determination and constancy in the way of Allah, the
Prophet (saas) told people about the true religion in the best and
most pleasing manner. Comparing the Prophet (saas) to the great
majority of people will be very helpful in understanding his superior
qualities. Most people, now as in the past, are consumed with desires,
longings and passions. Although the great majority believe in
religion, they are unable to overcome those obsessions. Instead of
giving up those desires, they make concessions when it comes to their
religious obligations. They fail to carry out some of those
obligations out of concern, for instance, over what their spouses,
relatives or friends might say. Or, they are unable to give up habits
that are unacceptable to the religion. They therefore interpret
religion according to their own interests, accept those rules which
suit them, and reject those which do not.
The Prophet (saas) never made any concessions to what such people
wanted. He conveyed the Qur'an to mankind with no alteration to what
Allah had revealed, taking no one's personal interests into account,
and did so simply in the spirit of fear of Allah. Allah speaks of the
Prophet (saas)'s godliness (taqwa) in the Qur'an:
By the star when it descends, your companion is not misguided or
misled; nor does he speak from whim. It is nothing but Revelation
revealed, taught him by one immensely strong, possessing power and
splendour [i.e., Gabriel]...(Surat an-Najm: 1-6)
Know that the Messenger of Allah is among you. If he were to obey you
in many things, you would suffer for it.However, Allah has given you
love of faith and made it pleasing to your hearts, and has made
disbelief, deviance and disobedience hateful to you. People such as
these are rightly guided. (Surat al-Hujurat: 7)
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