Our Duty towards The Messenger

We  should  believe  in all of Allah's  messengers,  and in the messages  they communicated   to mankind,  as well as accept  all they said without  preference  of one over the other.  Only the disbelievers distinguish between them,   accepting   some   and rejecting   others, believing   some and disbelieving   others.     Allah, the Exalted   and Glorious, says:

 “Verily, those  who disbelieve in Allah  and His Messengers, and wish to make distinction between Allah and  His  Messengers  saying:  "We  believe in  some but reject others", and  wish to  adopt  a  way in  between. They are in truth disbelievers.”  [Surah An-Nisa’:150-151][1]

We should  also believe that  every messenger has delivered the message  that  Allah  had  entrusted  to him,  and has  expounded  it clearly  and satisfactorily.

We must also obey the messengers completely.  

Doing so is part of obedience to Allah.  Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“He who obeys the Messenger (Muhammad), has indeed obeyed Allah” [Surah An-Nisa’: 80]

“We sent no messenger, but to be obeyed by Allah's Leave.” [[Surah An-Nisa’: 64]

We must  also believe  that,  among  men, the messengers  are the  most  perfect  in  knowledge   and  deed,  the  most  honest  and  the most perfect  of character,  that Allah has blessed  them  with excellent attributes  unequalled  before  or since.   We must believe that He has guarded them against sins and misdeeds placed them above lying, treachery, holding back or neglect in communicating   their message and delivering their trust.[2]  Though  they might  have made mistakes: small errors  in comparison  to their  high  status,  such  as happened  to Adam  when  he  absent-mindedly    ate  the  fruit  of  the  tree.[3]   The messengers did not persist in their sins and have always repented.

We should also believe that all the messengers were human and male.  They were not angels, nor female *.  Allah says:

“And We sent not before you (O Muhammad) but men to whom We inspired.” [Surah Al-Anbiya’,: 7]

We should   believe   that   Allah   bestowed   no non-human attributes upon His messengers.  He, the Mighty and Glorious, chose them from among men.  They  ate and drank,  walked  in the markets, slept,  laughed,  married  and had  children,  were  subject  to harm and oppression   by  the  unjust  among  their  people.    They died, perhaps murdered unjustly, fell ill, and so on.  They had normal human  lives, a  fact  that  does  not  in  any  way  reduce   their  high  status  among mankind.   Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“Muhammad is no more than a Messenger, and indeed many Messengers have passed away before him.  If he dies or is killed, will you then turn back on your heels (as disbelievers)? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm win he do to Allah.” [Surah Aal-Imran: 144]

Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) also says."

“And We never sent before you (O Muhammad) any of the Messengers but verily, they ate food and walked in the markets.”  [Surah Al-Furqan: 20]

“And   indeed   We   sent   Messengers   before   you    (O Muhammad),  and made for them wives and offspring.” [Surah Ar-Ra'd: 38]

“The Messiah (Jesus), son of Mary, was no more than a Messenger; many were the Messengers that passed away before him. His mother (Mary) was a Siddiqah (that is, she believed in the Words of Allah and His Books). They both used to eat.” [Surah Al-Ma'idah: 75]

The Prophet said:  "...  But  I observe  fast  and  also  do not observe   fast,   I  offer  prayer,   and  I  also   sleep   and  I  also  marry women.”[4],    He (Peace be upon him)  used  to fall  ill,  suffer  pain,  heat,  cold,  hunger, thirst,          experience  anger,   annoyance,    fatigue,    and   other   human weaknesses  that do not in any way detract  from his status ".[5]

We must also believe that the messengers do not enjoy any of the characteristics of Allah. They do not have any control  over the universe,  nor  do they  possess  any power  of benefit  or hurt,  nor  do they  effect  any  changes   on  Allah's   Will.    They do not have the knowledge of the Unseen (Ghaib)   except   that   which   Allah   has revealed to them.  Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“Say (O Muhammad)." I possess no power of benefit or hurt to myself except as Allah Wills.   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 to those people who believe.” [Surah Al-A'raf: 188]

“He  Alone  is the  All-knower   of  the  Unseen,  and  He reveals  to  none  His  unseen,   except  to  a  Messenger whom He has chosen.” [Surah Al-Jinn: 26-27]

Allah     has     only     bestowed      upon     the     messengers characteristics,     standards    and   morals    that   qualified    them    for receiving  revelation  and carrying  the burden  of the divine  message, as  well  as  to  be  an  example   for  their  people   to  follow   in both religion  and temporal  matters.

We   must   believe   that   the   messengers    are   safeguarded against  any faults  that adversely  effects  their  faith  and obedience  to Allah,  or  their  ability   to  communicate    the  message   entrusted   to them.[6] Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

“They    are those   whom   We gave   the Book,   Al-Hukm (understanding    of the religious laws), and Prophethood. But   if these disbelieve therein, then, indeed We have entrusted it to a people who are not disbelievers therein. They are those whom Allah had guided. So follow their guidance.” [Surah Al-An'am:  89-90]

Allah  has  given  the  messengers   the  perfection  of trustworthiness,   honesty,  insight and other qualities  necessary  for the completion  of the mission  and delivery  of the burden  He put in their hands.  Allah,  the Glorious  and Exalted,  attested  to their truthfulness in the  Qur'an  in references,   among  others,  to  Isma'il  and Abraham. Allah says:

“Also mention in the Book (the story of) Isma'il: He was (strictly) true to what he promised,   and he was a messenger (and) a prophet.” [Surah Maryam: 54]

“Mention in the Book (the story of) Abraham: He was a man of Truth. A prophet.” [Surah Maryam: 41]

We must believe that Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He)    gave   the   messengers dazzling   miracles   and clear   proofs   to   support   the truth   of the messages they delivered to mankind. Miracles are supernatural acts given by Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He)   to His messengers and prophets and carried out by the messengers. The miracles are used to challenge people.[7] Our   conviction     should    include    every    one   of   those    miracles mentioned in the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (Peace be upon him).

Those  advantages  have been enjoyed  by all the messengers, though  Allah  was more  generous  with  some  than  others.  Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) says:

 “Those messengers! We preferred   some  to  others;   to some  of them  Allah  spoke  (directly);  others  He raised  to degrees (of honour); and to Jesus, the son of Mary, We gave clear proofs  and evidences, and strengthened  him with Ruhul Qudus (Gabriel).” [Surah Al-Baqarah: 253]

We believe that the best of all creation was the Prophet, Muhammad   Ibnu Abdullah   (Peace be upon him).  Some early   scholars   interpreted Allah's saying (others He raised to degrees (of honour)) to be reference to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him).[8]  Further  evidence  to this view  is to be  found  in a number of Ahadeeth,  including   the  one narrated  by Abu Hurayrah who reported  that the Messenger  of Allah (Peace be upon him)   said:  "I  am  the  master  of  the  sons  of  Adam  on  the  day of judgement,  the first to appear from the grave, the first interceder,  and the  first  to  be  the   subject   of  intercession?".[9]  Also   the  Hadith reported  by Waathilah  Ibnu al-Asqaa  (may Allah be pleased with them)  who heard  the Prophet  (Peace be upon him) said: "Allah  chose Kinaanah  from among  the children  of Isma'il,  He chose  Quraysh  from  Kinaanah,   and  from  them  He  chose  Banee Hashim,  and   He   chose   me   from among the latter.”[10] These Ahadeeth and others indicate that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the best of all creation.[11]